ã€ŠA Maidenâ€™s Unwanted Heroic Epicã€‹ Chapter 1: U.E. C.1: The Unhinged Girl Chapter 1: U.E. C.1: The UnhingedGirl Author¡¯s note: The concept for this is me writing what I like as I like. In a deserted forest, there was a middle-aged man and a young girl. The man was dressed in shirt and trousers so dirty you couldn¡¯t tell when they werest washed. Dandruff scattered as he ran his hand through his unkept beard and hair. The man resembled a wild beast, and he was looking at the girl with an animalistic and vulgar smile. ¡°Heh, didn¡¯t expect Jou-chan to invite me. What did¡¯ya wanna talk about?¡± (T/N: littledy) The girl was a stark contrast to the filthy man. Shining silver hair hung down to her waist and long eyshes bordered her purple eyes. Her nose was elegantly straight and her lips the colour of cherry blossoms. Her features were well-proportioned and in harmony with each other and her pure white skin was smooth as porcin. The pullover linen dress she wore had no decorations. It was a popr piece of clothing in this vige far removed from the towns. But rather than looking simple, it gave the look of poverty. Yet on her, it did not look shabby at all. In fact, the clothing was the decoration that emphasised her innocent beauty. The girl whose mere presence drew gazes¨D¨DKrische looked at the man in front of her expressionlessly. ¡°¡¡umm, Krische would like you to stop, touching Krische¡¯s body.¡± Krische simply stated her request to the man who was looking at her vulgarly. The man¡¯s¨D¨DGalo¡¯s face showed surprise at her words, but then his grin widened. In the past, the girl¡¯s expression had shown her displeasure, but this was the first time she had voiced it. ¡°C¡¯mon, what¡¯s a little skinship. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll lose anything from me touching your butt, you¡¯re worrying too much.¡± Galo did not have any sexual preferences that lead him to target girls like her. He was a normal man that preferred adult women with more feminine bodies. But this girl that the vige had taken in, she had something that drove such a man crazy. Her clear eyes always shone with intelligence and her smile was only a slight rxing of her cheeks. It was more than her physical beauty, it was her refined, humble manner that made her charm something seldom found in the vige¨D¨Dseldom found even in the towns. And it was the strange atmosphere about her that lead men astray. It started with a passing fancy. Galo is a former soldier, his job to teach the vige guards and children the sword. It was just a little fun while teaching Krische, enjoying some light body touches during lessons. But she was quiet and showed no signs of difort. That was the impetus. Krische was different and many found her weird, nobody acted to stop Garo and she herself did not show much resistance. He could not stop himself¨D¨Dthings escted, leading to today. She showed no signs of telling her foster parents. Seeing that, Garo judged that as long as he didn¡¯t go too far, she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. Meaning in this deserted forest, a little more mischief may be allowed. ¡°Rx, I won¡¯t do anything painful.¡± Saying that, the man drew nearer, but Krische drew back a step, away from the man. She nced around and sharpened her ears. The presences around, the state of the ground, the direction of the wind and their rtive positions. Just right, Krische thought. ¡°Will you stop this?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t say that. Oji-chan just wants to get to know you, ojou-chan.¡± (T/N: uncle) ¡°¡¡get to know?¡± ¡°Yeah, get to know you. Jou-chan knows what I mean right?¡± Krische took a step back in fear¨D¨Dpretended to. Two steps, three steps. And then she fell backwards, as if she had lost her bnce. The man moved to cover her¨D¨D ¡°It¡¯s going to be alrigh, ah, ga¡¡?¡± ¨D¨Dand a wooden practice sword stabbed into his throat. It had been hidden beforehand, leaning against a tree. A thrust that used the opponent¡¯s momentum against them. Not a bad strike, but a little shallow. And this position was not optimal fornding the finishing blow. She twisted the handle, digging into the soft flesh and shifted the man¡¯s body off her. Not understanding what had happened, the man bent over in agony, pressing his hands to his throat. Krische got to her feet, then putting all her weight behind it, she thrust the wooden sword towards the bones in his neck. The first time, the man¡¯s movement caused the sword the slip off the bone, gouging flesh as it stabbed into the ground. She pulled it out and tried again. This time she felt the blunt sensation of the neck bone breaking. Krische nodded to herself in satisfaction and caught her breath. ¡°Mm, this should, do it.¡± Smiling at the strange way the man¡¯s expression squirmed and twisted, she started dragged the man by his clothes. Nearby, she had dug a hole more than deep enough for an adult to stand in. With a final check that it was deep enough such that animals would not sniff him out, she threw the twitching man in and shoveled dirt back in, hopping on the earth asionally to pat it down. With that done, she checked herself for any stains, then stared at the tip of the wooden sword. There was a little blood on the wooden sword. She had only stabbed his throat¨D¨Dthere wasn¡¯t much blood, but there¡¯s a chance some stuck on her. She stripped down to her underwear and squinted at her body, then nodded in satisfaction at the result. She had been considering how to dispose of this unpleasant man for a while. Just killing him was simple, but she needed to make sure no one noticed and avoid any chance of being suspected. An actual de would cause blood to stter, but simple blows from a wooden sword was a littlecking. Krische¡¯s body was light, even if she put her weight into it, it would be difficult to cause death instantly using a wooden sword. Even if she smashed his skull with a hammer or something simr, it would be troublesome if he screamed. She has never killed an adult before, their stamina could not be taken lightly In the end, she decided it would be most efficient to make use of the opponents body weight and stab at the throat¨D¨Donce she prevents him from screaming, the rest was simple. She didn¡¯t have to go to the trouble to steal tools either. The results were excellent. Wonderful, Krische smiled in satisfaction, she loved efficiency like this above all else. She shaved off the bloodied tip of the wooden sword with a knife and used dirt to dirty and hide the shaved area. She felt no guilt or fear for killing a person. She only felt satisfaction in disposing of the unpleasant man that touched her. It is fun when things go as n. With this slight difort in her days is removed and her life will be more enjoyable. Clean if the room is dirty. Kill if the person is unpleasant. ¡°Ehehe, now to hurry back to buy a pumpkin.¡± That was all murder was too her, nothing more. The girl named Krische is undoubtedly, abnormal. A Maiden¡¯s Unwanted Heroic Epic Karka Vige was a rural settlement built on hunting, agriculture and salt mining. The rock salt in particr was of good quality and was their main source of trade. With regards to this, this vige was more blessed than the others. The harvest was a little poor, but the mountain provided enough food to make up for it. Half the men of the vige worked in the salt mines while the other half were hunters. The women worked the fields and handled theundry along with other chores. Abandoned at the age of three, Krische had been taken in by a hunter of this vige. In a cold house that did not even have a kitchen. A potato and bean soup stewed over a sunken firece in the middle of the house. It was a simple soup with a miserably small amount of jerky. The silver-haired girl¨D¨DKrische sat next to it with her legs tucked under herself. She asionally scooped some soup using a woodendle, blowing on it to cool it before tasting, then nodding in satisfaction. ¡°¡¡mhm, tastes wonderful.¡± The boar meat in the soup added vour. It was at times like this that she was grateful to be taken in by a hunter. It is a luxury to be able to add meat everyday, no matter how little. Just adding salt to potato and beans did not taste of anything, there wasn¡¯t enough vour. A soup definitely needs some meat in it, Krische thought as she sipped from thedle. Krische enjoyed the fragrance, smiling in bliss. After killing Garo, she had picked some herbs from the forest. They helped to bnce out the stench of the meat. Without the stench, only the deep vour of the meat was left¨D¨Dsatisfied with the results, Krische smiled as she filled her stomach under the guise of taste testing. She had made more soup than usual to ¡®taste test¡¯. Krische prefered to act rationally, so naturally being swayed by a base desire like hunger was embarassing for her. Unfortunately for her, Krische¡¯s appetite was greater than average and she couldn¡¯t resist the bad habit of ¡®taste-testing¡¯. This was likely due to gicsbined with the memories of wandering the forest hungry when she was younger. ¨D¨DIngredients and salt thrown into boiling water, that¡¯s it. The impetus was this disastrous cooking by her foster mother. It was so bad that Krische proactively helped with cooking despite her young age, but now she has beenpletely taken by the appeal of cooking itself. After all, she could season it ording to her own tastes and there was the perk of getting to drink as much soup as she wanted to under the just cause of ¡®taste-testing¡¯. Krische was always hungry, so the very concept of ¡®taste-testing¡¯ was a gift from the heavens and by this point, she did all the cooking at home. Her parents used to be indifferent to seasoning, but are now addicted to Krische¡¯s cooking and showered her with praises. Thanks to that, Krische has a good reputation for being a homely daughter. Cooking is full of perks, Krische thought as she nodded to herself. She could eat what she liked, fill her stomach through ¡®taste-testing¡¯ and it also improves her reputation. To Krische, cooking has be part and parcel of her life. ¡°But, this iscking something¡¡I really wanted pumpkin soup.¡± Krische pouted disgruntledly. Peddlers had visited the vige yesterday. The peddlers would spend a day in the vige then leave the next morning. Usually, she would¡¯ve bought a pumpkin, but she had to dig a hole to bury the man while everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the peddlers, so she couldn¡¯t. Instead she intended to buy the pumpkin this morning after disposing of the man, but luring the man out took more time than expected, causing her to miss her chance to buy the pumpkin. The soup was as delicious as usual. But for ¡®pumpkin-addict¡¯ Krische, it was not enough. ¨D¨Dmaybe a little more meat. No, I can¡¯t. The rest is for tomorrow. A few more mouthfuls of soup to ¡®taste-test¡¯. Just as she was filling her stomach while deep in thought, the door slid open with a tter. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± A woman stepped in. She was pretty with a slightly freckled face and her long ck hair was roughly bundled up at the back. ¡°Wee back, Kaa-sama.¡± (T/N: Mother) Krische remined seated as she greeted her mother, Grace. ¡°Krische, I¡¯m back, you¡¯re already preparing dinner?¡± ¡°I am done. Today is a little hot so I added a bit more salt, how is it¡¡?¡± Scooping up some soup in thedle, she offered it to Grace. Krische¡¯s foster mother smiled wryly at Krische¨D¨Dwho was supposedly ¡®cooking¡¯, and took a sip. She was aware that the hungry Krische had been drinking the soup under the guise of ¡®taste-testing¡¯, but made no mention of it. To Grace, Krische¡¯s gluttonous tendencies and how she thought she hid it was adorable. Krische was serious, honest and hardworking, she did everything better than the average person¨D¨Dbut she had this childish side to her and Grace watched over her with a warm gaze ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s delicious, Krische.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Fufu, why would I lie?¡± When the vige¡¯s most beautiful woman, Grace wedded Gorka, a young and skilled hunter, everyone in the vige was happy for them and gave their blessings. But unfortunately, the two were not blessed with child and when they were finally expecting, it was a stillbirth. At a time when they were still stricken with grief, Gorka found an abandoned child, Krische. The two of them decided to raise Krische as the daughter god had granted them, loving her as if she really was their own and Krische exceeded all their expectations. Grace had absolutely noints about Krische, who was now known as the prettiest in the vige. Naturally Grace had noticed that her slightly strange daughter had problems understanding the feelings of others, but that did not change her love for Krische. In fact Grace felt that it was her duty as Krische¡¯s parent to guide her and patiently taught Krische¨D¨Dat the very least, it is thanks to Grace that Krische can lead a normal life. Krische had noints about her parents either. Aside from their slight overprotectiveness, Grace and Gorka are the ideal parents and Krische felt something close to love for them. ¡°¡¡Krische, you really are good at cooking.¡± ¡°Ehehe¡¡¡± Krische smiled as Grace patted her head. Krische snuggled up to Grace and put her arms around Grace, pressing her face into Grace¡¯s bosom The fact that she had just killed someone was already gone from Krische¡¯s mind. She was just a girl, like any other her age. ¨D¨DThis was already the third. Before today, Krische had also done away with two children her age. Krische felt no qualms at all about killing unpleasant people. She only hid it because themunity rules did not allow murder. She never questioned resorting to such methods. Unpleasant people are unpleasant just by existing. Killing people never hurt or affected her otherwise. Then if she kills them, it is a relief and she never has to meet them again. Her thought process is exceedingly simple and self-centered. While she is extremely intelligent, shecks the ability to empathise. That is Krische¡¯s greatest w. But that did not mean she derived pleasure from murder. Aside from her peculiar train of thought and her skewed sense of morals, Krische¡¯s feelings are not so different from what other¡¯s feel. Krische feels something simr to love for her parents who have taught her the various rules of the vige and treat her as their own. Thus she is willing to spare no effort for them. ¡°Kaa-sama, is there anything else I can help with?¡± ¨D¨Dgain and loss. Krische saw things simply and thought of them in terms of gain and loss. She believes it is natural to those who treat her well and worked to fulfill the wishes of her parents who had taken her in and raised her. To her, that is the repayment of her gains, a bncing of ounts. What Krische feels is not so different from the love a child feels for their parents. When she is loved, she replies with something simr to honest and pure love. She believes it is natural to answer expectations and spares no effort to do it, making her more well-behaved and harder working than a normal child¨D¨Dshe was the ideal child. ¡°Err¡¡cleaning and¡undry are all done¡¡¡± Grace looked around the room, troubled with how to answer Krische¡¯s question. Their belongings were tidy and the house had been aired. The room was clean, free of dust and stains, underwear and such had also been hung outside. ¡°Haa¡¡seriously. You are so easy to take care of that it feels more like I¡¯m being taken care off. How¡¯re you such a good girl?¡± Grace patted Krische¡¯s head again with a wry smile. Krische pressed herself against Grace with a small smile, eyes narrowed in pleasure. ¡°There¡¯s still time until sundown, go out and y a little.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± The girl smiled quietly and nodded, rubbing her cheeks against her mother, enjoying the sensation. She was without a doubt, abnormal. But she was also the very girl she looked to be. -End- Krische. Like Cliche. But r. I¡¯m assuming no one pronounces the second c in cliche as a c. ¡¡Garo was technically still alive, just paralysed below the neck¡¡ was Chapter 2: U.E. C.2: The Girlâ€™S Daily Life Chapter 2: U.E. C.2: The Girl¡¯S DailyLife ¨D¨DThe bending of the wood, the tension in the strong, the movement of the wind. Feeling all that, Krische quietly widened her stance. Instead of tensing, Krische focused on the something flowing smoothly through every corner of her body. This was mana, a formless power, which Krische perceived as a ¡®floofy feeling¡¯. Instead of moving her muscles, she used mana to control her arms and legs, as if her own body was a puppet. Emting the expert hunter in her memories, Krische applied those movements to her own body. She controlled her body using mana on a daily basis, thus muscle strains and stiffness were not a concern to her. Her body moved exactly as she imagined, always controlled, her ideal self. When had she learnt this technique? Two? Three? Krische only had a vague sense of how long she had been alive then, but it was around that age. Krische¡¯s body is as young and powerless as others her age, but by controlling it with magic, she can be almost as strong as¨D¨Dno, stronger, than adults. This is the reason she can easily handle a bow that is a little tough for children. Rustling and movements in the grass. In that long, dragged out instant of time, she focused on those and quietly held her breath. A moment of silence¨D¨Dthen the twang of the bowstring cutting through the air. The released arrow was sucked into the bush, followed by the dull thud of a stolen life. Even without looking, Krische was sure of the hit. She drew closer and stared expressionlessly at the thrashing rabbit, the arrow piecing its neck. She then grabbed it by the leg and headed to the river, where she held it upside down and slit its throat with a knife. Blood flowed out quickly, pumped by a dying heart, dripping onto and staining the ground. ¡°Mm, that¡¯s good.¡± Quickly draining the blood is the secret to good meat¨D¨Dotherwise, the meat would develop a stench. Krische quickly took out a piece of string and tied the rabbit¡¯s leg to a tree, hanging it upside down. Its convulsions grew weaker and it eventually stopped moving. As she was nkly watching the life leak out of the rabbit, there was a sound from behind. ¡°¡¡Krische, what¡¯re you doing?¡± ¡°Tou-sama, Ojii-sama¡± (T/N: Father, grandfather) Two men stepped out of the thicket. The tall, thin man with a beard around his mouth was Gorka. Krische¡¯s foster father, a young expert hunter and the leader. The other was Grace¡¯s father¨D¨DKrische¡¯s grandfather, Gallen. He was the vige¡¯s hero, a man that had experienced seven campaigns and rose to the rank of centurion. His rough white hairbined with his experience created an unapproachable atmosphere around him, but he was a caring grandfather and doted on Krische. Krische was also quite attached to her grandfather. The vige¡¯s hunters normally acted in pairs. Gorka was no exception and always hunted together with Gallen, Grace¡¯s father and his own mentor. The two seemed to have managed to bring down their prey today, between them was a pole with a boar strapped to it. Looking at the three arrows embedded in it, it must have been difficult. The boar was plump, a big catch. ¡°Ehehe, Krische was practicing archery. Krische thought things would be easier for Tou-sama if Krische could hunt too.¡± It was just as it looked like. But though her exnation was correct, it was not urate. Krische was not satisfied and wanted more meat for the pot, but she did not want them to think of her as gluttonous. This was just archery practice. The rabbit she hunted was a coincidence, that¡¯s how she wanted them to think. Krische was self-centered and narcissistic, thus she held herself to extreme standards. She always kept herself clean, minding her manners when around others, not sparing any effort to be everything that was considered virtuous. This is because of her aesthetic sense, or arrogant thinking. The very basis of which is the belief that she ought to be better than everyone else. To Krische, being bound by base desires and emotions is nothing but proof of foolishness. Naturally, she should act in a rational way without being swayed by such emotions¨D¨Dbecause Krische thought like that, her uncontroble craving for food is embarrassing, a disgrace, a fatal w preventing her from achieving her ideal self. Of course Krische is also human¨D¨Dshe has also had the thought, isn¡¯t it fine if it¡¯s just that? I can¡¯t help it since I can¡¯t resist it anyway. But here lies the tragedy. Her mind had an important screw loose, causing her to also be strongly objective about herself. This strong objectivity meant Krische could not allow this minor w. ¡°Er, then a rabbit, just happened to pass by so¡..Krische tried aiming for it. Er¡¡and then, To, Tou-sama must also be tired from hunting everyday, so, so Krische thought it would be better to eat more meat, er¡¡¡± ¨D¨DKrische is not a glutton. Krische was just trying to help. This was definitely not Krische losing to her appetite, it was to help her parents who had always taken good care of her. Even as she tried to exin that confidently, she believed she had been doing something shameful, resulting in a stammer that only sounded like excuses. ¡°A, Anyway, Krische wanted to help Tou-sama.¡± But to her this was a perfect argument. She was full of confidence that with this exnation, they would not think her a glutton. ¡°Kuku, got it got it. You¡¯re a good filial girl.¡± Grandpa Gallen smiled wryly at Krische. Of course her excuse would not work on the adults, she was just let off the hook because it was amusing to listen to her excuses. Krische did not understand the wry smiles they had whenever she made excuses. ¡°Ehehe, thank you.¡± Krische smiled, blissfully unaware, believing her excuse had worked. Gallen smiled at the usual antics of his granddaughter and picked up Krische¡¯s handmade bow to examine it¨D¨Dbut the other man, her father was frozen in confusion. After some thought, Gorka cautiously asked. ¡°¡¡that rabbit, Krische, was it you?¡± ¡°Yes. Krische is now draining the blood.¡± Hearing her answer, he frowned, staring at Krische. ¡°Who taught you? I don¡¯t recall teaching you¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡? Krische saw Tou-sama do it several times.¡± Seeing Krische tilt her head in confusion, Gorka whispered, It can¡¯t be. He had let Krische see him shoot several times. But that was it. He never had any intention of teaching her how to handle the bow. In the first ce, Krische was a girl, she couldn¡¯t be a hunter. ¡°Krische only learnt by watching so is not as good as Tou-sama. But Krische can also make the arrow urately fly to where Krische aims now, ehehe.¡± He turned towards the rabbit, an arrow cleanly through its neck. An expert hunter like Gorka did not need to see her shoot. Just from the arrow¡¯s position and how it deeply it was embedded, he understood her skill. That was why he was shaken. ¡°¡¡just by seeing several times.¡± Gorka had known that Krische had a terrifying ability to learn. But seeing it like this, seeing his skill honed over many years, easily acquired, a chill ran down his spine. Krische had probably burnt ¡®the few shots she had seen¡¯ into her memory, then over time, made it her own. How Gorka held the bow, his stance, his breathing. She had perfectly memorised them,prehended them and understood the key points just by seeing him do it a few times. She had abnormal intelligence and talent. He had known this, but he could not calm the turmoil in his heart. Leaving Gorka lost in thought, Gallen opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Krische, did you make this bow?¡± ¡°Yes. It is not very well made, but it is enough to shoot rabbits.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made a small mistake in choosing the wood. You¡¯ve cut it neatly, but you need to pay attention to the knots and fibers. I¡¯ll show you how to do it next time.¡± ¡°Ehehe¡¡thank you very much.¡± Krische smiled as Gallen patted her head, then turned her purple eyes at Gorka. ¡°¡¡what¡¯s wrong? Tou-sama.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing¡¡Krische, you haven¡¯t gone deeper into the woods, right?¡± ¡°Yes, as I was told not to. I caught the rabbit right nearby.¡± ¡°There are legends of monsters in the forest depths. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re sick of hearing this over and over again, but be very careful.¡± ¡°Okay, Tou-sama¡± It¡¯s about time, as she nodded obediently, Krische took out her knife and sliced along the rabbit¡¯s belly and limbs. In a good mood, she tried to peel the hide, but then frowned, it wouldn¡¯te off. ¡°¡¡hm?¡± ¡°Krische, you¡¯re doing it a bit wrong. To skin a rabbit, you start from here.¡± Gallen helped her with a gentleugh, easily peeling off the rabbit hide. ¡°¡¡I see.¡± Krische looked on in amazement. ¨D¨DGorka noticed an inhuman glint in her eyes, bringing to mind a snake¡¯s eyes. Krische¡¯s lovely eyes were beautiful, but Gorka asionally felt something terrifying about thoserge purple eyes. Whenever she was observing something, Krische would always watch in a somewhat detached manner. Just like that time with the corpse which had fallen from a height, the sight of it had made adult men step back. Gorka recalled how Krische had also stared at the broken corpse with those eyes. Even though it was a friend her age¨D¨DKrische had calmly observed it with those inhuman eyes. When Krische realised she was being watched, she looked back at Gorka, tilting her head. Then looking as if she had understood something, she blushed a little and said. ¡°It looked simple but, Krische still has much to learn¡¡¡± Being able to do it is a matter of course¨D¨Dthe standard Krische held for herself is extremely high. Krische thought Gorka was staring at her foolish mistake,pletely misunderstand his gaze and looking away in embarrassment. That expression was adorable, like a little fairy. Seeing his daughter act like a normal girl her age, Gorka shook his head, denying his thoughts. ¡°¡¡I was like that when younger. It¡¯s more than enough being able to do that much.¡± ¡°Yeah, Gorka was a little chicken back then, he ended up trying to skin his own hand. In terms of that, you¡¯ve got steady nerves, Krische.¡± ¨D¨Dsteady nerves. No, that¡¯s not it, Gorka thought. Even now that he is used to gutting prey, it¡¯s still unpleasant for him to remove the entrails of an animal that had just been alive. Looking at grotesque innards is definitely not fun. But Krische stayedposed, removing the entrails and turning the rabbit into meat. Does Krische not feel the same fear that normal people feel? Gorka mulled. ¡°Tou-sama, can Krische help with gutting the boar too?¡± ¡°¡¡yeah, of course. But wash your hands first. The blood under your nails will be harder to get out after a while.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische trotted to the river and scrubbed off the blood on her hands. Watching her trot away, Gorka shook his head No matter what, it did not change the fact that she is his beloved daughter, even if she is different from others, as her parent it is his duty to ept her as she is. With that thought, Gorka felt embarrassed about the fear he had felt. Both Gorka and Grace knew that Krische is a little different from others. She is bright and intelligent, a genius at anything she did, quickly grasping the key points. But conversely, she was poor at conversation, she only understood words at their face value and there was often mimunications even with trivial topics. Was it was because she was too smart? Or perhaps some other reason? He was aware that many of the vigers found her weird. He and Grace had often discussed, sometimes argued, and worked together to help their daughter fit in with others. epting her for her good and bad, they loved and raised her as their own daughter. They were not blessed with child, to them Krische was a gift from god. Even though they understood her abnormality now, they still believed that. Most importantly, after Krische joined them, Gorka and Grace¡¯s life have be a lot more enjoyable. ¨D¨DDifferent as she might be, please let her learn to understand others and be able to live with them. With that thought, Gorka watched his beloved daughter and renewed his resolve. Just like the rock salt they mined, the fruits of hunting was the shared property of the vige. The meat was entrusted to the women that worked at the butchers. There it matured before being preserved by drying or curing the meat and then redistributed¨D¨Dbut if everything was to be shared, the hunters would not be motivated. So hunters are granted the privilege to keep and bring home a portion of the meat they procured, usually a fatty part that was difficult to preserve. Boar was more vourful after being left to hang and mature for a few days. So they had to wait three dayster to enjoy the privilege, but small game like rabbits and birds were the exception to this rule. Large game like deer and boar were game that only hunters could hunt, but rabbits and birds were safe and even children could catch them, these are allowed to be directly brought home. There was an unspoken rule among hunters that forbid entering the forest to hunt small game, so these were treated as lucky spoils. For this reason, hunters who only hunted small game were looked down on and many hunters who caught small game delivered them to the butchers anyways as shared property, so this rule never became problem. Thus as game that was caught by Krische, a child that was not a hunter, the rabbit naturally belonged to their family. Krische went home contentedly with the rabbit. That night half the rabbit was tossed into the soup and the other half was cooked over the fire. This was a luxurious mealpared to usual. The plump rabbit had plenty of fats, when stewed the juices mixed into the soup, and when roasted oil trickled off it. Gallen had been invited and the four of them surrounded the dinner table. The conversation was naturally centered around Krische. ¡°¡¡it¡¯s food you caught yourself, delicious right?¡± ¡°Yes, Ojii-sama. Thest time Krische ate rabbit was the previous festival¡¡it has been long time, rabbit really tastes great.¡± As Krische bit into the rabbit thigh, the oily juices spread through her mouth. Thebination of salt, herbs and meat simply roasted over a me danced on her tongue, creating the finest vour. Her thoughts were full of bliss. A sip of soup, this was also exquisite. The vour of the meat had melted into soup, making it nice and thick. Combined with the bread, it was wonderful. ¡°Right? Have mine too.¡± ¡°Eh, er¡¡o, okay¡¡¡± Krische epted the meat from Gallen with some hesitation and a small smile. Gallen smiled at that and turned to Gorka. ¡°Gorka, she said it¡¯s been a while. Bring in some rabbit every once in a while for her. Krische¡¯s a growing girl.¡± ¡°Ah, Krische did not mean that¡¡¡± ¡°Kids don¡¯t have to be shy. When I was a kid, I always asked for more food until my stomach was bloated.¡± Krische narrowed her eyes in pleasure as Gallen roughly rubbed her head. Graceughed cheerfully and Gorka seemed to think a little before nodding. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. Grace and I are small eaters so we didn¡¯t notice¡¡but this might¡¯ve been too little for Krische.¡± ¡°Yeah¡¡Krische¡¯s a little glutton despite appearances. When the peddlerse, she stares at the fish and cheese with glittering eyes too.¡± ¡°¡¡eh?¡± Krische was in the middle of stuffing her mouth with bread and meat as fast as she could without being indecent, but she froze with widened eyes upon hearing those words. Then her eyes swimming, she denied it. ¡°Tha¡¡that¡¯s not true, Krische is not a little glutton¡¡¡± The three of them burst outughing. ¡°Krische, did you think we wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re so cute¡¡.everyone in the vige knows that Krische is actually a big eater despite appearances.¡± Krische¡¯s white cheeks immediately flushed and she curled up in embarassment. ¡°That, that¡¯s a lie¡¡th, that can¡¯t be true¡¡¡± Krische had always prepared an excuse whenever she was satisfying her desire. She had constructed perfect reasons and excuses, at least from Krische¡¯s point of view¨D¨Dbut the w that should have been hidden well was known throughout the vige. Krische was in shock. ¡°The other women secretly call you the little glutton Krische-chan.¡± ¨D¨DThis public image was the direct opposite of Krische¡¯s ideal. Her eyes teared up in embarrassment and her white skin turned as red as an apple. The way she moaned in embarrassment was befitting of her age. The threeughed again. ¡°Normally you¡¯re such a proper little Ojou-san, but this gap.¡± ¡°All the more because of how she normally acts.¡± Listening to Gorka¡¯s exchange with Grace, Gallen spoke with a faint smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy with your parents Krische. What¡¯s wrong with a little appetite? Krische works hard everyday, no one willin.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s not the problem¡¡¡± The greatest reason for Krische¡¯srge appetite is her daily use of mana. The bodies of those with more than a certain amount of mana are changed by it. The food ingested is quickly broken down and converted to mana. In these couple years, her mana expenditure had increased with her growth and it has gotten to the point where there is nothing left to excrete. Since that was the reason for the vigorous appetite unbefitting of her appearance, there¡¯s nothing she could do about it. This constitution of hers was mainly due to inheritance through blood, but such a bloodline did not exist in this vige. Thus nobody in the vige noticed the reason for her appetite and that was Krische¡¯s little tragedy. ¡°As a kid, Grace never helped with work and was so selfish. You¡¯re a hardworker but too shy. Be honest and ask for what you want, you can ask for food if you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°Oh stop it, Otou-san.¡± ¡°N, no, Krische really is not a glutton¡¡¡± Not wanting to ept it, Krische kept shaking her head and looked to Grace for help. Seeing Krische like that, Grace chuckled. ¡°Fufu, stubborn girl. Here, We won¡¯t tease you anymore so eat more.¡± Having finished her meal, Grace patted Krische on the back with a smile. Krische remained quiet, her face filled with shame, reluctantly sipping at the soup. ¡°Come on, because you two teased her, Krishe¡¯s sulking.¡± ¡°You were the one that started it.¡± ¡°Was I?¡± Laughing cheerfully, Grace continued speaking. ¡°Well, that aside, seriously¡¡you clean the house and cook everyday, forage in the forest and even brought back a rabbit today¡¡there¡¯s nothing left for me to do. You should go and y more.¡± With her face still bright red, Krische answered with tearful eyes. ¡°Er, er¡¡ Krishce enjoys cleaning and co, cooking too.¡± Krische wanted to emphasise that she cooked because she enjoyed it, not because she was a glutton. But looking at their warm gazes, she did not feel like that excuse would work anymore. Krische sulked, puffing out her cheeks, but Grace poked at them. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t sulk. Fufu.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Puhyuu, the air escaped and Krische moaned in embarassment. Laughter resounded within the house. With dinner over, they were now in the forest with the dishes. Krische and Grace headed to a river a little ways in. Twice a day, they went to bathe while washing the dishes. The river bubbled, surrounded by trees. The light of the crescent moon glittered in the flowing water, where a naked girl¡¯s beautiful skin was washed by her mother¡¯s hand. The girl¡¯s silver hair was infused with the moonlight and her skin was like fresh snow. Likewise naked, Grace sighed as she washed Krische¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re really beautiful, just like a fairy.¡± ¡°I am beautiful?¡± Without a shred of shame, Krische spread her arms and sshed the water. She had gone into a sulk during dinner but now that she was bathing, she was in a good mood. A quiet girl who seldom shows much emotion¨D¨Dthat is how others often describe Krische, but with Grace, her expressions were rich and varied. Watching Krische ying like a child, Grace smiled and nodded ¡°Yes, very. Krische is the most beautiful in the world. Like a Hime-sama.¡± (T/N: Princess) ¡°Ehehe.¡± Krische clung onto Grace and snuggled into her bosom. Grace stroked Krische¡¯s head as she spread a cloth on the grass and sat, dangling her legs in the river. She then sat Krische on herp and wiped the water from her silver hair before Krische grew cold. ncing at the sky, Grace smiled. ¡°Look, today¡¯s moon is the same as Krische¡¯s name, a very beautiful krische.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± Krische also looked up at the sky and tilted her head in confusion. Grace spoke to her cheerfully. ¡°The iplete curved moon¨D¨Din the old tongue, it¡¯s called krische. The moon was like this when Gorka proposed to me¡¡because it was so beautiful, I decided to name my daughter after it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡¡you don¡¯t sound interested.¡± Grace pouted a little, then held Krische¡¯s face between her hands. ¡°It is a charm. So that one day, you will get to experience my greatest happiness.¡± ¡°A charm?¡± ¡°Yes. Just like how I found Gorka, may you find someone like that. It might be a too early for you though, fufu.¡± Krische tilted her head in confusion, looking at the sky. The moon in the sky was just a moon, a waning moon, so there was little light. That was all Krische could understand¨D¨Dshe could not understand what was beautiful about it. The moon wasn¡¯t dirty, there was only the the difference between cloudy and clear. (T/N: Word used for beautiful also means clean, ¾_û) So she could not understand what Grace meant about a charm and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Mmm, it is a little difficult for Krische¡¡¡± ¡°No need to think too hard¡¡ one day, Krische will understand.¡± Is that how it is? Krische grew even more confused. Grace justughed and lifted Krische to her feet. After drying off the remaining moisture on Krische¡¯s body, Grace nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Will you be going for practice tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes. Pell asked me to train him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already such an Onee-san¡¡ I won¡¯t stop you, but both of you be careful not to get injured. You have such a beautiful body, it would be a shame to leave any marks on it.¡± ¡°Kaa-sama, there is no need to say that every time, Krische¨D¨D¡± ¡°I worry. Come on, raise your arms.¡± Once Krische obediently raised her arms, Grace passed the dress over her head and handed her underwear, then kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Parents are like this. Just put up with it.¡± ¡°Muu, okay¡¡¡± Krische pouted as she waited for Grace to be dressed, then linked arms with Grace. They then entwined their hands and without saying anything in particr, smiled at each other. Their unchanging daily life was peaceful despite asional mildints. Their life was simple but blissful, Krische never questioned the days that passed, loved by her parents. She only had the vague thought that such days would continue forever. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go back. I¡¯ll feel bad for leaving Gorka alone for too long.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± But that was thest day she spent with her family in this vige. -End- Krische speaks very politely and properly most of the time. And her first-person pronoun is her own name. Co-tranted with Fried Hedgehog from Hinjaku Honyaku ¨C Main ¨C Chapter 3: U.E. C.3: Bandits Chapter 3: U.E. C.3: Bandits In the meadow outside the vige, logs have been hammered into the ground and wrapped with cloth for training. Around them were a couple of youths and men. This training grounds is used for teaching the sword and spear with actualbat in mind. Although they paid taxes to the country, when ites down to it, they have to protect themselves. The country tries to prevent and hunt down bandits, but it cannotpletely stop them from causing harm. It¡¯smon to hear about viges being assaulted and thus it is necessary to prepare in case bandits showed up. So former soldiers took the lead and formed the vige guards. They are not part time volunteers, this is an official job in the vige. Those that returned from the army often became a guard and instead of hunting or mining, they spent their time teaching the vige¡¯s adults and children how to use a sword. Sword training waspulsory for all men and open to any women interested. Naturally, Krische also participated. When ites down to it, only you can protect yourself, this was obvious thinking for Krische. Although Grace opposed at first, Gallen and Gorka hesitantly permitted it, deciding that with Krische¡¯s appearance, it would be better for her to be able to protect herself¨D¨Dbut now, nobody said anything about her participation in the training. That was because they now understood that she had an extraordinary talent for swordsmanship. The people were gathered in a ring around an old man and a silver-haired girl¨D¨DKrische. Though the sound of something cutting through the air was constantly heard, the violent sound of wood on wood was absent. The wooden swords they wielded never touched each other, not even touching the other¡¯s sword, leaving only the sound of wooden swords cutting through the air. ¡°¡¡!¡± The old man facing Krische¨D¨DZaal had spent a long time in the army, serving as an instructor until he felt his strength wane. Having taught light infantry, where the strength of the individual was important, there is no doubt in his ability. Though he could not match the hero Gallen, who had climbed the ranks from foot soldier to centurion, he was the next highest in rank and ability in the vige. Such a man was now frightened by the abnormality of the girl facing him. Zaal had learnt battlefield swordsmanship. A style where the sword was asionally used as a shield, then pushing back with brute force and causing the opponent to lose their bnce before finishing them off. A violent art meant purely forbat. His technique had been refined through the process of taking many lives and had their weight behind it. It had a consistency that could not be matched with only some training. Although his strength had waned, his techniques have not¨D¨Dbut Krische easily avoided Zaal¡¯s attacks. Krische¡¯s body was small and light even for her age, so there was no need for Zaal tond a direct hit. He just needed to strike her sword. With Krische¡¯s light weight, her body would be knocked back together with her sword, causing her to lose her bnce. That was more reliable than aiming for Krische¡¯s body, which was protected by the shield formed by the reach of her de. The swordsmanship that Zaal had learnt was focused on using this very method to throw the opponent off bnce and then taking them down. The old soldier used all his skills against the girl facing him. ¨D¨Dbut no matter what he tried, he could not even touch her sword. This was like when he practicing against the instructor when he was a mere trainee¨D¨Dhitting nothing but air. It was not frustrating, it was terrifying. Zaal had practiced with this girl many times and knew that she was not a normal girl. But when an experienced soldier like himself feels like a girl around twelve or thirteen of age was toying with him, fear won over admiration. To the others, it probably looked like he was holding back. Krische was a child, their range, the reach of their des were different. So naturally, there is a certain distance where Krische could notpletely avoid Zaal¡¯s attacks, creating moments at which Krische would have to block with her sword. But at those instants, Krische would keep him in check with a perfect strike. At the precise timing when he is about to begin the movement, she would attack in a way that forced Zaal to dodge. Instead of blocking his strike, she negated it by attacking. All of Zaal¡¯s attacks that could not be avoided were negated by Krische, leaving him helpless. To the onlookers, Krische kept swinging her sword while Zaal continued dodging. The very picture of a trainee and instructor. But reality was the opposite and Zaal was certain of his loss. If Krische wished to, she could put an end to the bout immediately. Krische was swapping her sword between her hands and also changed her stance. Her acrobatic movements was like a beautiful dance. An irregr yet fluent infinitely changing sword, but those infinite changes always led to the shortest strike to take down Zaal. Efficient and indifferent, as if she were ying with her opponents life on the point of her sword. Her movements were chaotic at first nce, but this is her style of swordsmanship, one that pursued efficiency and nothing else. Zaal knew how it began and how it has evolved. Her sword was clumsy only at the very start, once past that, even adults did not want to be her opponent. They feared losing to a girl who was not even ten at the time. Rather than talented, she was abnormal, she was beyond what Zaal couldprehend. And most of all, Zaal feared those inhuman purple eyes staring at him. It was as if they saw through Zaal¡¯s slightest movements, the slightest tension in his body, his very thoughts. Like a frog red at by a snake (T/N: Deer in headlights), it made him feel powerless, like he was facing an opponent he could never beat. ¨D¨DThis is it. Zaal took arge step back and lowered his sword. ¡°¡¡that¡¯s it. My stamina won¡¯t hold any longer.¡± Zaal dered between rough breaths. Krische lowered her head expressionlessly and bowed, her cheeks only slightly flushed. Krische¡¯s beautiful figure as she bowed was somehow alluring, attracting the surrounding gazes even more than the sword dance before did. ¡°Thank you very much¡± ¡°¡¡just tell me whenever you want to spar. Got it, Krische?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische nodded. To Krische, this old man is a good sparring opponent. During the previous spar, seventeen times. Before that, twelve times. And today, twenty three times¨D¨Dthis was training for how many times Krische could kill Zaal in a set amount of time. As Zaal had imagined, it was easy for her to defeat him, but she had learnt that if she embarrasses her opponent by defeating them one-sidedly, they will refuse to spar her next time. So Krische chose Zaal to spar with, the second best at the sword in the vige, and let the match drag on so that she could train herself. Gallen was the best at the sword but usually, he was busy working as a hunter and more importantly, he did not like wielding a sword. So Zaal was Krische¡¯s only training partner. Sword training could not be done without a partner. The speed gained from practice swings is nothing but physical speed. If the point of using the sword was speed, you just need to hold it above your head and swing it down. But she understood that in all kinds of meleebat, it was more important to be early. (T/N: The word used for speed and early are the same, Ôç¤µ. physically fast vs time-wise fast) So instead of looking for the fastest method, she looked for the shortest. No matter if the sword was swung fast or slow, the one that has their de at the opponent¡¯s neck first is the victor. All that was needed is the intelligence to see the shortest path ording to the opponent¡¯s movements and enough strength to thrust the sword through that path, through the opponent¡¯s guard. How to find this shortest path in different scenarios¨D¨Dthat was the question, and to answer it, an opponent is indispensable. Zaal had noticed Krische¡¯s intentions and fears her, but still sparred with her withoutint, making him a very important person to her. I have to cherish him, with that thought, Krische offered Zaal the leather canteen she had prepared. ¡°Please have a drink.¡± Zaal hesitated for a moment before nodding, thanking her as he drank. In Krische¡¯s mind, people are distinctly sorted into two categories. Whether they profited her, or not. Her parents and grandfather are key examples of people that profited her. As long as the losses do not outweigh the gains, Krische would protect them. If she was granted something, she would return it fully. Showing kindness like that was something natural for Krische. She had learnt through her life here that this is how society works. It is thanks to her mother, Grace¡¯s efforts that Krische, with her abnormal morals, could fit into the vige without much problem. Grace had simply continued to shower Krische, who was abnormal, with love. In exchange for her genius, Krische could not understand normal things the normal way. Never giving up on her, Grace taught Krische carefully, over and over again, until Krische understood human rtionships and how society worked. Thanks to Grace, although imperfect, Krische could appear to lead a normal life. ¡°Krische nee-chan, spar with me next.¡± (T/N: older sis) ¡°All right.¡± Nodding to Pell, she raised her sword. Compared to Zaal, his movements were slow and full of openings. To teach him the correct movements, Krische did the opposite of before¨D¨Dshe went on the defensive. She intentionally moved slowly and created openings, got him to strike at them and dodged. Compared to the previous time, he has improved, but his movements were still crude. He¡¯s skill was not enough to be considered among the vige¡¯s fighting strength. Watching his swordy, Krische was reminded of the two she had killed before. Back then, she celebrated having rooted out the source of her displeasure, but she now considered it a failure. ¨D¨DIt was two years ago. They were youths about the same age as Krische. At that time, Krische had been receiving slight harassment from them, so shepletely and utterly crushed them in practice. Having been publicly shamed by a younger girl, instead of stopping their harassment or bing motivated, their hatred of Krische grew. They spread rumours about Krische, calling her weird, a monster, ruining her reputation. At first, Krische did not care, but soon she grew concerned about how other¡¯s viewed her. As the harassment grew worse, she decided to kill them. She murdered them both by setting a boar on them at a cliff. It was a perfect crime with no evidence, but now she realised that it was rash. At that time, Krische saw the world more narrowly, only considering things from her point of view, but now she has learnt a little more about society. She has learnt how the vige is run and what it needs. From that perspective, all that learnt the sword served as future defendants of the vige, and that included those two. Compared to this youth, the two of them were rtively talented. Rather than killing them, it would have been better to work a little harder to appease their hatred of her. It was a minor regret that was easily brushed off, but at least it made her unwilling to repeat the same actions. That is the reason why Krische patiently teaches the vige¡¯s children how to wield a sword. Krische had learnt, reflected and taken action, so she felt that things were going well. But she did not realise that many felt differently. Zaal, the other adults and the youths that were familiar with the situation at the time were slightly suspicious, and fearful of Krische. Without any evidence, there was no reason at all to suspect Krische for killing them. At most, the only reason was that the two had hated her. That¡¯s all. But despite that, this suspicion that Krische disposed of them¨D¨Donce felt, could not be erased. Krische was too perfect to be a normal child. Because of how Krische saw being superior as a good thing, she did not notice the suspicions that arose from it. ¡°Come to think of it¡¡Galo¡¯s noting again today?¡± ¡°Aah¡¡did he drink and sleep in again?¡± The man that Krische had killed yesterday¨D¨DGalo, would never wake again. Krische was confident that he would never be discovered and had no interest in that conversation. But the adults and youths that suspected her naturally looked towards her, then at each other. They all knew that Galo had been sexually harassing Krische. But none of them said anything in particr and the gazes quickly disappeared. Despite their suspicion, there was no proof, and in the first ce, Galo was azy man. The chances were high that he was just sleeping. And most of all, despite their suspicions of Krische, the thought that this beautiful girl could not possibly have done such things won out. They had seen how she acted with Grace and Gorka. Her parents and the womenfolk often bragged about how she was serious and hardworking. Hearing those stories, they all decided they were thinking too much. Krische¡¯s current situation was maintained by this delicate bnce. ¡°Oooi, the peddler¡¯s here.¡± That voice came from the vige square¨D¨Dand Krische was the first to respond. She immediately thrust the point of the wooden sword under the chin of the youth and forcing him to freeze. ¡°Ueh¡± ¡°That is all for today, Pell. You have improved a lot. That is all.¡± She repeated herself with a quick pet on the head of the dissatisfied youth. Then she looked towards Zaal. ¡°Zaal-san. Krische is done for today, Krische will be going to the square.¡± ¡°Mm? Aah¡¡¡± ¡°Thank you for the training.¡± Right after a deep, polite bow to everyone else, Krische dashed off to the vige square. Krische was gone in an instant, leaving the men looking at each other in confusion. Then they remembered how Krische would look at the ingrediants the peddler brought with shining eyes and denied their previous thoughts, once again burying their suspicions in the depths of their minds. In the middle of the vige square, there was argemunal well. Many families drew water from forest streams but those that lived in the middle of the vige, away from the forest, drew their daily water here. Thus it was established that the area around should be kept clear and this created a rtive open area in the unorganised vige. The exceptions to this rule was visitors from outside or when there was an important announcement. Visits by peddlers, minstrels and performers fell under the former and the peddler that came by today had settled in a corner of the square and was spreading his wares. In a vige with little entertainment, this was their only contact with the outside world. Visitors like this was their main source of entertainment. A crowd had already gathered around and Krische, with her small build on top of her young age, could not peek in no matter how much she tiptoed. Pouting, she sat on a nearby barrel and sharpened her ears. Although there were slight differences due to weather, peddlers visited at a set interval. For this vige in particr, there were two peddlers that would visit once a week. They hade by two days ago, so this should be a different trader than the usual one, and she was right. The intonation of the peddler¡¯s words were slightly different. The reaction of the vigers were also different. Since the usual peddler mainly brought the same goods, Krische looked forward to this kind of unexpected visitor. There was usually something novel in the things they brought. Krische swung her feet, kicking at the the barrel, waiting for the crowd to disappear. Her mind was full of expectations for new ingredients and as is often the case, she lost her objectivity when food is involved, failing to notice her poor manner. ¡°Fufu,e on. Don¡¯t swing your feet like that, Krische.¡± Just as Krische turned in response to the familiar voice, Grace poked Krische¡¯s slightly puffed cheeks with augh. Puhyuu, the air escaped with a sound and the women behind Grace joined in theughter. It was then that Krische finally noticed her actions and blushed. ¡°Come on, no need to sulk just because you can¡¯t get in. It ruins your cute face.¡± ¡°Kaa-sama. Er¡¡hello aunties¡¡¡± Hopping off the barrel, Krische lowered her head towards Grace and the other women, still embarrassed. Theirughter redoubled as they came closer to Krische and took turns patting her head. ¡°Ahaha, Krische¡¯s so cute. You always look so impatient whenever the peddleres.¡± ¡°Yeah. Come on little glutton, tell us your secret for staying so thin.¡± The womenughed, knowing what Krische was here for, making Krische blush even harder. The women here are Grace¡¯s friends and know how hardworking Krische was. In their opinion, Krische is a kind, obedient and caring girl. Even though she is at the age where she should want to y, Krische voluntarily helped them with their work. She was beautiful, caring, hardworking, a charming girl that was everything they could ask for. To them, her desire for food was not a w, it was the childish part of an otherwise perfect child, yet another charm point. And she even grew to enjoy cooking because of that, many of them wanted her to marry into their families. From Krische¡¯s point of view, she voluntarily helped the womenfolk because of the valuable sweets they would give her as reward. Krische¡¯s poprity among the women was high, but they failed to realise that the reality was simr to an owner rewarding a dog with treats. Among the womenfolk, the rumours of Krische¡¯s abnormality wasughed off, treated as nonsense by stupid men who were attracted by Krische¡¯s beauty. For better or worse, the womenfolk¡¯s misunderstanding was the reason Krische¡¯s abnormality is not openly discussed and although Krische was not aware, the women have done a lot to protect her. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll bring you along.¡± ¡°Eh? Wah¡¡¡± The sturdiest among them, Ga lifted Krische onto her shoulders and pushed through the crowd towards the peddler. ¡°Look here, the most beautiful woman and girl in the vige passing through. Make way make way.¡± Her powerful voice split the crowd and Ga easily made it to the peddler with Krische on her shoulder. Theid out wares and the men came into sight and Krische felt something was off for an instant. ¡°Oh my oh my¡¡not bad.¡± The owner and assistant looked friendly. The four tough-looking men were probably guards. They were unfamiliar faces but there was a familiar smell. The smell of blood. Without showing any sign of it in her expression, Krische absentmindedly thought about what it meant. ¨D¨DAnimal or human? There is no characteristic animal smell. Probably human. From yesterday. ¨D¨DWhy is there the smell? Because they killed people. ¨D¨DWere they attacked by bandits? But nobody is injured. In fact, these men were the killers. Krische stared at the assortment of wares. The carriage ispletely different and most of the wares are unfamiliar, but the trunk and pumpkins covered with a cloth are definitely the ones from the day before. The positions of the scars are exactly the same. These men killed the peddlers from the day before. That was the natural conclusion. The main form of trade in the vige is bartering. Since peddlers usually sold wholesale, only the vige head, artisans and shop keepers had the money for that, other vigers only had small change. ¡®They left yesterday? That was unlucky.¡® Krische had heard those words when she had been listening from on top of the barrel just now. The waresid out were only small essories, clean fruits and vegetables, things the vigers could buy with their small change. There were also some made of precious metals but not many were affordable. The mountain of foodstuff on the carriage is probably just a show for the vigers. As Krische was being lowered to the ground, she observed the men. They were all smiling, but Krische noticed a glint in their eyes as they looked at her. ¡°Little fairydy, anything catch your eye?¡± ¡°Oh my, how about me? Am I naiad?¡± Laughter spread and the men smiled dryly. Krische did not care about their gazes. She was used to being looked at that way. While wondering what their objective was, she decided to prioritise what she wanted and spoke. ¡°Can I take a look at the pumpkins?¡± ¡°Pumpkins? Ah¡¡¡± The assistant removed the cloth, revealing the small mound of pumpkins. Although she got by with rabbit soup for dinner yesterday, Krische was in the mood for pumpkin. Picking out a solid pumpkin packed with seeds, she smiled in satisfaction and asked for the price. The price the peddler presented was quite cheap. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You must be quite a good girl to ask for a pumpkin. Have this too, it¡¯s service.¡± Saying that, the man opened a cloth bag and showed Krische the contents. Inside were small light brown spheres. ¡°Try one.¡± Krische hesitated a little, then decided they were probably not poisoned. With that thought, she picked one out and threw it into her mouth. ¡°¡¡sweet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s candy. Is it the first time you¡¯ve had one?¡± It was a sweet candy with a slightly sour taste. Krische nodded as she rolled the candy around on her tongue, then lowered her head to thank the man. The sweetness in her mouth was new to Krische and she no longer cared if they had killed the peddlers. To Krische, the peddlers were just a system. She saw them every time they came, so she remembered them. But she was not interested in their death. ¡°Oh my¡¡sorry about that. Thank you.¡± At some point, Grace had caught up and also lowered her head in thanks, resting a hand on Krische¡¯s head. As her title as most beautiful in the vige suggests, Grace was attractive¨D¨DKrische could feel the men¡¯s gazes gather on Grace as she enjoyed the blissful feeling on her head. ¡°Ah, ma¡¯am, another beauty. Is there anything you would like? I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s nice of you. Krische, is there anything else you want?¡± Thinking a little, Krische shook her head at the question. Krische always got the bare minimum, never spending excessively. They had a stock of vegetables and there was nothing else in particr that she wanted. At most, she wanted another pumpkin, but she refrained from that excess. ¡°Krische just wanted to have pumpkin soup today.¡± ¡°Fufu, I see. Err, let¡¯s see¡¡mm, nothinges to mind right now, do you mind if Ie back tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Of course, no problem. I can never refuse the request of a beautiful woman.¡± ¡°You tter me. Come, Krische, let¡¯s go.¡± Hugging the pumpkin, Krische nodded as she sucked on the candy. Seeing her like this, Grace let out a smallugh and took the pumpkin, tucking it under her arm before joining hands with Krische. Grace¡¯s hand was warm. Krische smiled a little and followed Grace out of the square. ¡°If you can¡¯t refuse the request of beautiful women then you¡¯ll listen to mine too right?¡± The sturdily-built woman confidently dered that and the other women started to chime in too. As she listened to their voices, Krische thoughts focused on how to cook the pumpkin. Although there was plenty of rock salt, sugar is a valuablemodity in the vige. There are fruits and cookies with nuts, but there still aren¡¯t many sweet foods. The sweetness of pumpkins was unique in this area and being able to make something different from the usual salt-based soups made pumpkins an extremely attractive ingredient for Krische. Krische gently and carefully stewed the cut pumpkin so that it did not lose its shape while she kneaded flour with butter, to which she added pumpkin paste, making batter for a pie. She then borrowed a neighbour¡¯s oven to bake the pie and as she stared at it while waiting, Krische subconsciously started humming. ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re in an extra good mood today. That¡¯s quite a treat you¡¯re making.¡± ¡°Yes. Krische missed the chance to buy pumpkin two days ago and really wanted to eat pumpkin. ¡¡ehehe, thank you for the oven.¡± ¡°Ahaha, you cane borrow it anytime. It¡¯s nothing in exchange for getting to eat Krische¡¯s cooking.¡± Gaughed cheerfully. Left a widow and losing her child in an ident, Krische was her onlyfort. Not knowing that Krische had taken the life of her beloved child, Ga showered the love meant for her son on Krische. Krische, despite taking away Ga¡¯s happiness in life, epted Ga¡¯s love with a smile. Krische felt no guilt. This extremely twisted rtionship did not disturb Krische at all. ¡°¡¡I wish I could have let him taste this, even just a bite. I¡¯m so sorry, Krische. That stupid son of mine went off without apologising.¡± For an instant, Krische wondered who Ga was talking about, then remembered the two boys. Which one was the son, Krische wondered. Krische generally did not forget things, but she did not care to remember things she had no interest in so she took a while to recall them. Interpreting Krische¡¯s silence wrongly, Ga¡¯s smiled wryly and apologised. ¡°¡¡I get more sentimental the older I get. Forgive me.¡± ¡°Not Ga¡¯s fault. Krische does not mind¡¡are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡¡Krische¡¯s here for me after all.¡± Krische really did not mind, she did not care. There was slight regret but the feeling of relief was greater. Krische had wanted to use an oven for cooking and the only neighbour who had one was Ga, whom Krische had known since young. Ga was known for her sturdy build and strong will, but her grief when Krische had killed her child was so great that there was talk that she mightmit suicide. Of course, Krische was not particrly concerned about that. To Krische, she simply killed an unpleasant child. It was justified and she felt no guilt. But during that period time, she had been absorbed in cooking using an oven, so she spent daysforting Ga as she used the oven¨D¨Dto the bystander, it looked like a diligent girl checking up on Ga everyday. The story of Krische and Ga was a moving tale in the vige. Ga believed most in that story, having experienced it herself. So she doted on Krische, the one who had killed her beloved son. There was no one to point out how twisted the situation was. Krische, the heroine of the story, did not care, she just innocently visited Ga. ¡°Would oba-san like to eat at Krische¡¯s house too?¡± (T/N: Auntie) ¡°I would love to¡¡but won¡¯t that cause trouble for Grace?¡± ¡°Kaa-sama said to invited oba-san. Krische is also happier if everyone eats it while warm.¡± Krische wanted to hear Ga¡¯s impressions and the night was cold. In the time between cutting the pie and hearing Ga¡¯s opinion, the pie would grow cold, so it was more convenient for Krische for everyone to eat together. Krische¡¯s invitation was entirely selfish, but since her words were roundabout, Ga interpreted them positively. ¡°¡¡Krische, you¡¯re really such a good girl. In that case I guess I¡¯ll join you for dinner.¡± ¡°Okay, this is also thanks for carrying me.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll have to give you a ride every time the peddleres then.¡± Krische smiled as she waited for the pie to bake. Ga watched over Krische warmly. The vige was filled with twisted pretenses centered around Krische Ga removed the pie from the oven and transferred it to a te, treating it like a treasure. She then covered it with a cloth to keep it from going cold as she brought it over. Krische¡¯s parents and grandfather were already assembled in the house and warmly weed the two of them. The sun had already set and the veil of night had descended outside, but the mes warming the bubbling pot brightly lit the earthen walls around them. ¡°Kaa-sama, the fire is too strong¡¡¡± ¡°Sor, sorry¡¡I¡¯m not good at controlling it.¡± Krische was proud of her pumpkin soup. It just needed to be warmed a little before eating, but Grace was clumsy. The soup bubbled as it continued boiling while Grace attempted to adjust the mes. Krische watched Grace uneasily while cutting the pie before finally putting down the knife and held a hand out for the fire tongs. ¡°E, er¡¡Kaa-sama, Krische will do that, so can you cut the pie?¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± The other threeughed at Grace¡¯s weak voice¨D¨D ¡°¡¡?¡± ¨D¨DBandits! Bandits areing! The scream echoed into the night. ¡°¡¡!¡± The first to react was Gallen. Knocking the pot over, he extinguished the brilliant mes that had been illuminating the room. Next Gorka picked up the short sword and bow leaning against the wall. Their expressions were serious¨D¨D ¡°E, eh¡¡Krishe¡¯s soup¡¡¡± Bashun, Juuu. Seeing her long-awaited pumpkin soup used to extinguish the fire, Krische froze. Krische stared at what was once her pumpkin soup, stunned, the bliss that had awaited her was ruined. ¡°Grace, Ga. Y¡¯all hide¡¡got it?¡± Gallen¡¯s low voice did not allow any rebuttal. ¡°Leave Grace and Krische-chan to me, Gallen.¡± ¡°Otou-san¡¡¡± Ga replied to Gallen as she hugged the frozen Krische closer. Grace responded a momentter and called out to her father in a trembling voice as she also embraced Krische. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look around as I get my weapon. Gorka, take care of them.¡± ¡°Ah, got it¡¡be careful. I don¡¯t want to have to see Grace and Krische cry.¡± ¡°I know. I may be old, but I¡¯ve survived the battlefield. I¡¯m not that weak.¡± Gallen approached the sliding door without a sound and slowly opened it. After checking the surroundings, he silently slid out into the night. Gorka quickly approached the door and looked outside through the gap. ¡°Pumpkin¡¡Krische¡¯s soup, went, bashan¡¡¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s okay Krische-chan¡¡there¡¯s still half a pumpkin, oba-san will buy you more pumpkins the next time the peddleres. The oven is also effectively Krische-chan¡¯s.¡± Speaking quickly, Ga tried maintain a calming tone for Krische. Having looked forward to it so much, Krische¡¯s shock was proportionallyrge and she had yet to recover from it. Seeing Krische still staring at what was once her soup, Ga concluded that Krische was still confused by the situation and continued stroking her head tofort her. ¡°Ye, yes that¡¯s right, again¡¡just make it again¡¡make it again.¡± Still stunned, Krische tried to turn away from the shock by focusing on thefortable feeling on her head. ¡°Grace, is the store full?¡± ¡°Eh? Ah¡¡it¡¯s not, that full, Krische?¡± Pumpkin, Krische¡¯s pumpkin¨D¨D The image of the soup being knocked over looped again and again in Krische¡¯s mind. Krische tried desperately to turn her eyes away from that image and focused on Ga¡¯s question. ¡°Er, er¡¡yes. But, not empty enough for everyone to hide in.¡± In ce of her mother who was too confused to understand the meaning behind Ga¡¯s words, Krische gave an urate answer. ¡°Gorka, if ites to it, I am your wife. Grace and Krische-chan are too pretty. You¡¯d never know what¡¯ll happen to them if they¡¯re captured.¡± ¡°Ga, what¡¯re you¨D¨D¡± ¡°Listen. I owe a debt that I can never repay to both you and Krische-chan. And unlike you, I have nothing to lose. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± Silence descended for a moment, then Gorka nodded. ¡°Thanks Ga, sorry¡¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Gorka¡¡ Grace, go below with Krische.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± Ga urged Grace and Krische downstairs. Not a bad n if they act well. With that absentminded thought, Krische grabbed two kitchen knives. She preferred not to be empty handed. ¡°¡¡Krische-chan. That¡¯s a good mindset, but don¡¯t think of doing anything stupid. No matter what happens to us, do not open the door until we say so. That is ast resort, okay?¡± ¡°¡¡yes. Oba-san too, please be careful. Krische still wants to use the oven¡¡¡± ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re still brave enough to joke in this situation. Oba-san¡¯s relieved by that.¡± Krische meant it literally, but Gaughed, taking it as a joke. Ga pushed the two of them into the food store constructed below the house, shut the door and hid it with a rug. ¡°Krische, everything will be fine, everything will be okay¡¡¡± While listening to Grace¡¯s trembling voice, Krische sharpened her ears. Underground, she could clearly hear the sound of hooves. The horses were far. Based on the direction, they should be from the vige square. They don¡¯t seem to being close to the forest, close to this house. After a while, Gallen returned. There was a quick discussion and it was decided that if the bandits came, it was better for Gallen to hide in the forest and nk them rather then wait in the house, so Gallen quickly left again. Since Grace¡¯s trembling was bing an annoyance, Krische tried tofort her, telling her that the horses were far. Krische waited for time to pass. An hour, two hours, time passed, Krische endured her hunger. The pumpkin that should be in Krische¡¯s stomach is gone. Bashun, juuu, used to extinguish the fire. What did Krische¡¯s pumpkin ever do? At a certain point, sleepiness overcame hunger. Stifling her yawns, Krische snuggled into Grace¡¯s chest, biting on her lips. Perhaps because of the narrow space and Grace¡¯s tight embrace, it was a very warm andfortable environment. The conditions were perfect for sleeping, but the situation did not allow for that. Logic fought against pumpkins and sleepiness for hours. All clear, it was a long whileter that they heard that voice. A viger finally came and told them the bandits had retreated. Ga removed the things that she had stacked on top the door and opened it, pulling Krische and Grace into her arms, tears streaming down her face. Krische finally gave up on fighting sleepiness, escaping from her hunger by diving deep into sleep. -End- No Krische is not unstable. She just thinks differently. She fights pumpkins while others fights bandits. Chapter 4: U.E. C.4: Collapse Chapter 4: U.E. C.4: Copse Breakfast was cold pumpkin pie. The pie had been perfect, but it hardened as it cooled and was tough to chew. Grace and Gaforted Krische as she ate in low spirits. Gorka and Gallen were absent, as was the usual bustle of the vige. ¨D¨DThe bandits had been driven away. But only driven away. They were not exterminated, nor was their leader killed. Which means a second night attack could be expected and the vige was on high alert. Krische had to tearfully give up on her daily bath at the river and settle for wiping herself down with a bucket of water. She then headed to the vige square with the bucket to draw more water for drinking. She would usually draw water from the river on her way to bathe, but with the river out of bounds, the closest well was in the square. The men were gathered in the vige square. It seems like they are discussing the vige¡¯s defense. The peddler and his four guards were present, but the assistant was nowhere to be seen. Catching sight of Krische, the peddler stepped away from the serious conversation and approached her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you safe.¡± ¡°¡¡good morning. Are you leaving today?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve gotta be joking. There¡¯s no way we can leave with bandits around¡¡you live closer to the forest?¡± Krische did not answer. Krische was insensitive to malice, but even she knew that this man was with the bandits. Krische would love to torture and kill him for ruining her pumpkin soup, but there are other people around. Even if she could lure him away, he had allies in the forest. She had felt gazes from the woods many times, so there was a high chance she would be interrupted and it would be troublesome if they made a racket. Even if killing them was easy, it would take some time to kill multiple people and if she openlymitted murder, her reputation would be affected. Krische reluctantly gave up on that and opened her mouth to reply. ¡°Even though Krische made pumpkin soup and pie with the pumpkin, Krische did not get to eat them thanks to that.¡± (T/N: phrasing is vague, also can mean ¡®thanks to you¡¯) ¡°Even though bandits came, that¡¯s your concern? You¡¯re quite a brave ojou-san.¡± The peddlerughed cheerfully as he handed Krische a small pouch. ¡°That must¡¯ve been a shame¡¡have this instead.¡± Inside was the candy from yesterday. Krische had said that with the faint hope that he would give her something in return and her n had seeded. Having covered some of her losses, Krische was celebrating internally. ¡°Really?¡± Grace had taught her to refrain once when receiving something from others. When Krische showed refrain while still intending to receive it, the peddlerughed and nodded. ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± Krische weighed the gain of the candy against the lost pumpkin, but the loss of the pumpkin was slightly greater. The soup and pie were her masterpieces. Ruining them was a heavy crime¨D¨Dbut this candy is also not bad. I¡¯ll kill you painlessly then, changing her mind, Krische looked around. Gorka and Gallen were at the center of the discussion along with Zaal, so it did not look like Krische could go talk to them. ¡°¡¡but still, there¡¯re so little men? I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯ll take some time for the salt miners toe back¡¡ I guess we¡¯ll have to get by tonight ourselves.¡± ¡°Peddler-san will be fighting too?¡± ¡°I can only defend myself¡¡but my four guards over there are more reliable. You can rest assured, they¡¯re quitepetent.¡± The four guards were also a major party in the discussion. Aside from the former solders, the men in the vige were simple hunters and artisans. It seemed like those mercenaries were relied upon for their battle experience. So that¡¯s how it all ties up. ¡°Your assistant, does not seem to be present¡¡did he, er.¡± ¡°Aaah¡¡he ran off in the confusionst night. I just hope he somehow survived.¡± That assistant is the messenger. He probably went to exin to the others the structure andyout of the vige. The guards take part in the nning and influence the vige¡¯s defense. From what Krishce could see, they acted well, the vigerspletely believed them. The vigers seemed to trust the four experienced men that had conveniently showed up. They¡¯ll want to steal everything and be gone before the miners are back. So tonight will be the real attack, Krische thought absentmindedly. So even if she made pumpkin soup again tonight, there is a chance it will be wasted again. ¨D¨DEven though Krische really wants to eat pumpkin. Dissatisfaction and unhappiness broiled in her heart. ¡°Ah, sorry. You were on an errand? Lend that to me, I¡¯ll help you draw water.¡± Watching the man take the bucket and turn the pulley on the well, Krische thought about what to do. There was also the chance of a day raid, so Krische could not use her precious remaining pumpkin. Krische reluctantly decided to keep the pumpkin forter and make the usual salted meat and potato soup. She carefully ced the pumpkin on a shelf. Gallen and Gorka hade back for lunch. She ate bread with the soup and listened to them talk. Seventeen people had been killed. Two girls have been abducted. In contrast, they had only killed three bandits. In this vige of roughly three hundred, half the men that could fight were off mining. That left sixty at most that could fight, including the women and children that were brave enough. At least twenty bandits had been sighted in the raidst night. Based on eyewitnesses, they didn¡¯t take much and ran away in a panic when theirrades were killed. Zaal considered it to be a probing raid and had said that there should be around forty bandits. The peddler¡¯s guards had said that it would be bad to split up and be taken down separately, to which Zaal had nodded and the others had agreed. As a result, they decided to gather the women and children in a warehouse at the center of the vige and the men would form a defensive perimeter around that. The hunters honed their archery daily and are skilled. If hunters joined the army, they would be immediately weed as archers. It wasmon to hear of hunters bing an archery instructor less than a month after joining the army. So with the proper mental preparation, the hunters with their bows should be enough to deal with the bandits. It made sense to fight a defensive battle where their skills could be utilised. But that is probably the bandits¡¯ n, thought Krische. They gathered the women, who could be sold off, in the warehouse. This way the bandits could collect them all at once and ensured none slipped away. The four men and the peddler would join the bandits at the best timing to create confusion among the vigers. The bandits would definitely have the advantage against a confused group of amateurs. Satisfied with her meal, Krische took a sip of warm water and sighed. Once they were done talking, Krische looked Gorka in the eye and spoke. ¡°Tou-sama.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Krische?¡± ¡°Krische thinks the peddler-san and his guards cannot be trusted.¡± Everyone froze. Gallen and Gorka seemed to be thinking while Ga and Grace stared at Krische in surprise. ¡°Krische-chan, did they do something to you¡¡?¡± ¡°No. Just that¡¡¡± Krische told them about the pumpkins. She had not care about it before, but now it was even more suspicious. Krische told them about how they might have killed the usual peddlers and pretended to be peddlers to infiltrate the vige. Even if Krische, a child, shared this at the meeting, her opinion would not be taken into consideration. Krische did not believe the men liked her enough to just believe her and there was also the chance of the discussion bing chaotic. Having considered that, Krische decided to only tell the two who were more likely to listen to her. When Krische was done speaking, Gorka¡¯s eyes were serious. ¡°Krische. Are you sure you saw the same things?¡± ¡°Yes. Unless by some coincidence they had the exact same pumpkins. But it is weird for bad people to also coincidentally show up at the same time.¡± ¡°¡¡I, see.¡± Gallen and Gorka looked at each other. Things were working out too well. Gallen had felt suspicious and told a few that he trusted, including Gorka, of his suspicions. The weight behind Krische¡¯s story strengthened their suspicions. ¡°We had also felt that things were going too well. Thank you Krische.¡± ¡°¡¡it is nothing. What do we do?¡± ¡°Tell those that can be trusted and monitor the peddler. Either way, it¡¯s a good idea to gather you all in one ce¡¡it¡¯ll be fine, we¡¯ll protect you no matter what. Trust us.¡± ¡°Okay, Ojii-sama¡± Krische nodded, then looked at the pumpkin on the shelf. As she imagined its taste, it was as if she could see the pumpkin shining. She wished things would end quickly so that she could eat the pie and soup she had missed out on yesterday. That was the only thought in Krische¡¯s mind. ¡°Yesterday, Krische did not get to drink the pumpkin soup. The pie also grew cold¡¡when everything is over, can I make them again?¡± ¡°Aah, of course. I guess we can¡¯t die then, Gorka.¡± ¡°Yeah¡..Ga, can I leave Krische and Grace to you?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take care of ¡¯em¡± Saying that, she patted Krische. ¡°Will you invite Oba-san too?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische also wants to hear Oba-san¡¯s impressions. Can Krische borrow the oven again?¡± ¡°Of course¡¡why¡¯re you crying, Grace.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m, sorry¡..it¡¯s just.¡± Grace wiped at her eyes, then embraced Krische. She was warm and soft. Hugging Grace always felt nice. ¡°¡¡when it¡¯s over¡¡let¡¯s all, eat together.¡± ¡°Yes, Kaa-sama.¡± Gorka joined in, embracing Krische and Grace together. Mugyu, squashed between them, Krische moaned, making Gorkaugh. ¡°Rx. We¡¯ll definitely protect you.¡± He dered that with confidence. Being gathered in the warehouse was not as boring as expected. There were only women and children. And Krische¡¯s poprity among them meant she was far from bored, in fact she was very busy. ¡°Here, please share among yourselves.¡± Krische was cutting the fruits in the warehouse and distributing it to the children. There was a lot of food in the warehouse. Meat was stored in a different ce, but crops and longsting fruits were stored here. Once inside, Krische was immediately thinking about how she could eat the fruits. They would probably let her eat if she asked. But Krische¡¯s sense of aesthetics got in the way and did not allow her to do so. As she was thinking about how to eat them, the children startedining about being shut in¨D¨Dthat gave Krische the inspiration for a justification to eat the fruit. Krische presented her suggestion and gained the agreement of the women, thus it was decided to give the children the fruits, which were rtively easy to restock. So many fruits for her to choose from. Although Krische quickly grew hungry, her stomach was not thatrge. Concerned that she would be too full to eat them all, Krische thought some more. And the result of another sh of inspiration was to take the initiative to slice and distribute the fruits. ¡°Stop, no snatching. Line up. No fruits for bad children that break the rules.¡± Yes, this is the natural flow of events, thought Krische as she quickly began peeling, slicing and distributing fruit. The n was to sneakily eat part of the fruits she cut, but there was something she did not ount for. The flock of hungry children. Her peeling could not keep up with their rate of consumption. ¡°Nee-chan, I¡¯ve only gotten one.¡± ¡°Gida you already ate two! Krische Onee-chan, next is my turn!¡± ¡°Er, er¡¡please wait a moment.¡± The children held no prejudice against Krische, she was just a beautiful onee-san they looked up to. (T/N: older sider) So naturally, they preferred to receive the fruits from her. Krische peeled as fast as she could but her n had failed, no fruits entered her mouth. Krische¡¯s stomach had been expecting fruit and protested its hunger. ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re so popr. Here, Krische-chan, aahn.¡± ¡°Ah¡¡ehehe.¡± The surrounding women smiled wryly and fed Krische the fruit that they had sliced. Because of Ga and Grace, it was well-known that Krische was surprisingly gluttonous. Krische¡¯s ¡®perfect excuses¡¯ were useless on them. Theyughed softly among themselves as they fed Krische. Unaware of that and her own desires provided for, Krische was in a good mood. She happily worked as a peeling machine. Seeing Krische act as normal, the dark expressions on the women¡¯s faces became smiles and they started to gossip. Though Krische did not realise it, she was their pir of support and the topics centered around her. ¡°Krische-chan, is there anyone you like? Anyone at all?¡± They asionally asked her things like this and Krische patiently answered. Krische had much to gain from maintaining their goodwill. It was also because their expectation was palpable and she had no choice but to answer. ¡°Like¡¡¡± Tilting her head, Krische thought about it. What does ¡®like¡¯ mean? This was quite a difficult problem for Krische. Krische¡¯s thinking is built upon an almost business-like feeling, focused on gains and losses. People who create gains are more ¡®likable¡¯ than those who cause losses. People ¡®like¡¯ those who are willing to work for other¡¯s gains. Conversely, people ¡®dislike¡¯ those who only receive those gains without working. That is Krische¡¯s perception of ¡®like¡¯ and ¡®dislike¡¯. With Krische¡¯s view on things, this type of question was too vague for her to understand. ¡°Err, I like you all.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant¡¡guys, I¡¯m talking about guys.¡± ¡°Guys¡¡ah, Krische likes Tou-sama and Ojii-sama a lot.¡± The woman that asked gave up, putting a hand to her head as the surroundings exploded inughter. Grace embraced Krische, looking slightly embarassed. ¡°Stop it, please don¡¯t tease her. Krische is still too young for that kind of thing¡¡¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you stuck Gorka like glue at Krische¡¯s age?¡± ¡°N, no teasing me either!¡± Was that answer satisfactory? Krische tilted her head, watching the womenugh, then returned to peeling fruit. Inserting a slice of fruit into Krische¡¯s mouth, Gaughed cheerfully. ¡°What type of person will Krische¡¯s husband be? I just might beat him up if it¡¯s some asshole that tries to monopolise Krische-chan.¡± Laughter arose again. Krische ignored it, chewing on the apple fed to her. The sweet and sour taste spread through her mouth, creating a moment of bliss for Krische. Krische passed the time like this, waiting for the bandits toe¨D¨Dand the attack finally came a while after sunset. A sliver of moon hung in the night sky. Bonfires had been set up all over the vige. The bandits could use those to set fire to the houses, but they needed to be able to see to use their bows. Even among expert archers, not many can take down targets moving around in the dark. Zaal tookmand of the center. Gorka and Gallen were leaders of their respective archer squads, camped out on roofs. As the warning bell rang, Gorka nced towards the warehouse where Krische and Grace hid and shut his eyes for a moment, clenching his fist. Then he looked to his side. ¡°Zalba, ready?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± On the roof was Gorka¡¯s most trusted friend, Zalba, and another covering their rear. ¡°Gado! How about you?¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to, Gorka. Do you really think I¡¯d mess up?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m well aware of your skill. Take care of our backs.¡± ¡°Aah.¡± Gado got in position. He was a thug with bad drinking habits, but he was skilled. ¡°If things go well, I¡¯ll treat you to a beer next time.¡± ¡°Hah. That¡¯s a rare offer from you. How bout letting me fondle Grace¡¯s breasts instead, depending on how things go?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. It doesn¡¯t sound like a jokeing from you.¡± Gorka continued with a dry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s that many of them, but if theye around to your side, give us a call.¡± ¡°Aah. Worry about yourself. The bell¡¯s already ringing.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Gorka answered as he focused ahead. They had less archers than Gallen¡¯s squad, but they had the skill to make up for it. There were more men on the ground armed with swords on this side, their fighting strength was evenly distributed. No problem, Gorka thought as he raised his bow. As expected, there were more than forty bandits, but Gorka continued giving instructions to those on other roofs. Including his own contributions, they had already taken down around ten bandits. Everyone stationed here were expert hunters. They usually dealt with fleeing animals, so once they got past their reluctance to aim at humans¨D¨Dthe reluctance to kill, shooting humans was not that difficult. Fortunately, they did not have to experience the sensation of piercing through flesh. They were also doing this protect the vige and their families, by focusing on those feelings, they could suppress their qualms. Thinking of those that had to face the bandits with a sword, they could not hesitate because of fear. Their acquaintances and friends were risking their lives on the ground. It was because of this vigemunity that a group of amateurs could act in concert. As Gorka continued shouting, tension caused his mouth to dry and his words to catch in his throat. Under the stress of shooting at humans instead of animals, Gorka maintained good overallmand. That was when Zalba called to him. ¡°¡¡Gorka, it¡¯s weird.¡± The mercenaries and peddler had split into groups of two and three. The group of three with the peddler was in charge of a section in this area southeast of the warehouse. Although there are many casualties from other sections, they were the only group that did not experience muchbat. Although they exchanged blows, the bandits would run away. ¡°They¡¯re definitely guilty¡¡let¡¯s go.¡± The situation was favourable, but the tables would turn if those men turned traitor. While he agreed with Zalba, Gorka was still hesitant. They could shoot at bandits. But if they were not¨D¨D Gorka¡¯s hesitationsted an instant. Recalled what Krische had said, he resolved himself. ¡°¡¡got it. Zalba, you take the mercenary on the left.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll aim for the fake peddler. If they¡¯re with the bandits, he¡¯s probably the leader.¡± ¡°Roger¡± ¡°Don¡¯t miss¡± ¡°Aah, this is easier than shooting dee¨D¨Du,gu!?¡± ¡°¡¡!?¡± Gorka turned toward¡¯s Zalba¡¯s strangled voice. There was a sword sticking out of Zalba¡¯s chest. What hap¨D¨D, before Gorka could finish the thought, something cold entered his chest. ¡°Ga, do¡¡wh, y¡¡?¡± ¡°Oh? You can still talk? Hehe¡¡¡± Gado had mmed into Gorka, piercing him with a short sword. ¡°They offered me a deal. Well, I¡¯ve been growing sick of life in this miserable vige¡¡so it was great timing.¡± ¡°Ga, do¡¡¡± ¡°Rx, I don¡¯t need the beer, but I¡¯ll take good care of your Grace. There isn¡¯t such a tempting woman even in the town¡¡even the creepy brat is a rare beauty in appearance alone, she¡¯ll sell for a lot.¡± ¡°¨D¨Dah!?¡± With a strangled sound, Gorka swung his fist in hatred. But Gado twisted the de as if butchering an animal, ending Gorka¡¯s life. Then Gado used a stone to signal the peddler¨D¨Dthe leader of the bandits. ¡°¡¡that¡¯s weird.¡± After a while, Gallen caught sight of the chaos at the southeast side that Gorka guarded. Did Gorka mess up? But that was hard to believe. Gallen had a good understanding of Gorka¡¯s abilities. Otherwise he would not have let Gorka wed his precious daughter. Gorka is the man that Gallen had entrusted his daughter to. Even with that Gorka there, something unusual had urred. Or perhaps something had happened that even Gorka could not deal with. Gallen¡¯s instincts from the battlefield reacted. Gallen suddenly twisted around towards the presence behind him. Gallen¡¯s fist mmed into the gut of the traitor in a practiced motion before the man could do anything with his sword. Gallen had narrowly avoided death many times, climbing to the rank of centurion. His body may be old but he has not forgotten the tension of the battlefield. The man copsed with a croak. So that¡¯s it, Gallen bit his lip. ¨D¨DWhich means they¡¯re definitely guilty. Gallen had not been able to decide if the mercenaries were ally or foe, but he coldly made a decision in that instant. There was no time for talk. Gallen stabbed the short sword into the back of the man. He was a resident of the vige and Gallen had drunk with him many times. But Gallen has spent a long time in the hell of the battlefield. With the ruthlessness he learnt back then, he twisted the short sword, turning the man into a corpse, then adjusted his grip on his bow. Nocking an arrow, he drew the string back. then released with no hesitation. As the arrow sunk into the mercenary¡¯s back, he leapt down from the roof, drawing the sword at his waist. His old body grated with the impact, but he ignored it. The mercenary copsed in pain¨D¨Dthe other still staring at his ally in confusion. Targeting the standing man, Gallen narrowed his eyes and closed the distance before the man could recover from his confusion. Gallen¡¯s violent sword of the battlefield swung into the man¡¯s shoulder. He easily cut through the bandit¡¯s shoulder, through bone, turning him into a corpse. Then he stabbed the other copsed man in the heart, finishing him off. Gallen¡¯s expression was a mix of burning rage and cold ruthlessness. The men on the surrounding roofs looked at Gallen in surprise. ¡°The peddlers are with the bandits!! There are traitors among the vigers! Gorka¡¯s side¡¯s in a mess, you all stay here. I¡¯m going over! Aran, Dick, follow me!¡± The two man he called jumped down and followed him. There shouldn¡¯t be many traitors. But rather than fighting with uncertain elements, it was better to go with only those he trusted. Theircked numbers, but this is the best method. Nodding to the two of them who understood the situation, Gallen sprinted off. But a group that pushed through the copsed southeast defence arrived at the warehouse before Gallen. The vigers only had some training in the sword. Aside from those withbat experience, most were simple vigers with some training. Once they lostmand, they copsed into unruly mob. ¡°¡¡Gorka¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yeah. Gorka is dead.¡± Zaal received a shock at the news of Gorka¡¯s death. He hadmand of the center and now had to figure out how to rebuild the defense. He racked his mind, the only part of his old body that had not weakened with age. ¨D¨DThe only choice is to shorten the defensive line. In order to maintain the morale of vigers who were not used tobat or killing, they needed to group up. He drew in a deep breath to call for the men to gather, ¡°So old man, you should give up and go to sleep too.¡± But only air leaked out of his mouth. One of the man that had escaped from the southeast¨D¨Dthe peddler revealed his true colours, a malicious smile on his face. The men around could not understand what had happened for an instant. A man they had thought was an ally, had stabbed their leader in the side with a knife. Zaal copsed to his knees. The men around were quickly cut down or stabbed to death by the mercenaries and traitors. The men that had finally escaped from the confusion in the southeast saw the scene and screamed, knowing they had nowhere to run. With no leader, the men were killed one by one, staining the area with blood. ¡°Alriiight, that¡¯s it. Their right side is still alive, so be alert.¡± ¡°Hehe, boss, is it time for some fun¡¡?¡± ¡°The earliest the miners wille back is tomorrow at sundown. Once things settle down, we can have fun tonight¡¡oi, open it.¡± The peddler¨D¨Dthe bandits¡¯ boss gave the order to the men with hammers. Even if the inside was barricaded, it was just a matter of time. It was just a normal warehouse. The door may be built sturdy but it was just a warehouse door. Each time the hammer was swung, a new hole was made in the door¨D¨Dapanied by screams of the women and children. With one final swing, the door finally crumbled and a few women burst out. They panicked and tried to flee, but were all caught and killed to set an example. Some were stabbed with a sword while others had their skull crushed with a hammer. ¨D¨DScreams rang through the night. ¡°Obey us, we won¡¯t kill you if you listen to us, okay? But if you defy us¨D¨D¡± ¡°Hii, Gyaaaa¡¡.!?¡± The leader sliced off a finger of a captured woman with his sword. The others left in the warehouse covered their ears, clenching their eyes shut. ¡°You¡¯ll be punished and killed for your defiance.¡± The man¡¯s lips curled into an animalistic smile. ¡°Come out slowly. No strange movements.¡± A few children could not endure the terror and tried to run, only to be killed. They were ruthless. Women or children, anyone that disobeyed orders were killed mercilessly. They had no choice. The people left in the warehouse moved out into the square, gathering around the well, their arms around each other. Finding a particr girl among them, the leader called out to her with a grin. ¡°Oooh, there¡¯s she is. Jou-chan,e ¡®ere.¡± Despite the tragedy around her, the silver-haired girl was expressionless. Her eyes simply observed her surroundings as she slowly turned towards the man. Chapter 5: U.E. C.5: Her Miscalculation Chapter 5: U.E. C.5: HerMiscalction ¡°¡¡Kaa-sama? Krische said as she felt the warmth around her as she woke. Krische always slept hugging Grace. That was why she mistook the warmth for Grace and took a while to realise it was Ga. There were traces of tears around Ga¡¯s eyes. She looked exhausted and was deep asleep. Looking around, Krische realised this was not her house. Finding herself in Ga¡¯s house, Krische looked around for her mother. ¨D¨DOh yeah. And finally remembered what had happened yesterday Screams and crazedughter echoed through the vige. The women and children were gathered next to therge well in the middle of the vige square. They were surrounded by armed men with hideous smiles. The bandits were probably former soldiers, the gauntlets and breasttes many of them wore were from the army. Corpses were scattered around the square. Some had their guts spilling out, some had their skulls shattered, some had their arms dismembered. The husbands, fathers, sons¨D¨Dof the trembling people in the middle. Someone called a name towards one of those on the ground, then vomited at the smell of the spilled guts. A woman was unable to ept the truth,ughing madly even as her body was fondled through her clothes. Surrounded by violence, they no longer had the strength to resist. Those that tried to escape, even children, were killed mercilessly. The vige¡¯s men watched from the rooftops and resignedly climbed down, throwing down their bows and swords, kneeling to beg for mercy. The people they fought to protect were taken hostage, they could no longer do anything. Amon tragedy¨D¨Dassaulted by bandits and getting everything stolen from them. Karka vige was located deep in the forest, far from the main road, far from any aid. The rape and plundering that was about to begin would steal away their regr lives, their dignity, everything. If they were lucky, maybe the vige itself would be left intact. But to many of them, this is the end of any happiness. ¡°Oooh, there¡¯s she is. Jou-chan,e ¡®ere.¡± In the middle of that, the man that looked to be the bandit leader called out to a girl. The girl was dressed in a shabby dress¨D¨Dshe looked around twelve or thirteen. Her long silver hair glittered in the moonlight as herrge purple eyes looked around impassively. She was surrounded by despair, but there was no fear or panic in her expression. She detachedly counted the number of corpses, the number of bandits, then looked towards the man that had called to her. ¨D¨Dquite a lot have been killed. While considering what to do, the girl¨D¨DKrische did as she was told, taking a step towards the man. She had not expected things to get this bad. I let them take the initiative too much, that short reflection was the only regret she felt. Even as she looked at the bandits and familiar corpses, the girl showed no expression. The small girl started walking as she was told. And was stopped by a sturdily-built woman¨D¨DGa. ¡°You can¡¯t go, I, I¡¯ll think of something¡¡¡± Ga kept shaking her head as she embraced the girl, trembling. Krische looked at her, troubled. ¡°But, if I do not go then you will be killed.¡± Krische spoke, perfectly calm. She had no sword. In this situation, there was no choice but to obey for now. Krische pushed Ga aside, smiling tofort her. If Ga struggled and died, Krische would not be able to use the oven anymore. Krische¡¯s words came from that purely selfish thought, but Ga clenched her fists and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. ¡°Quite a brave Ojou-san¡± As the manughed, another woman stepped forward to shield Krishce. ¡°I, I¡¡I¡¯ll, do anything¡¡so please, let this child go.¡± She was about thirty and her long ck hair was bundled up at the back. While she was freckled, she still looked beautiful. It was Grace. Catcalls came from the men around. Hearing them, her face grew pale and her voice shook, but she still stepped forward. The girl looked at her mother in surprise. She saw that her mother was scared and thought about the meaning behind her mother¡¯s words. ¡°¡¡Kaa-sama. Krische is fine.¡± Her mother simply shook her head. Still shielding the girl¨D¨DKrische. Grace was not strong willed, nor was she physically strong. In fact she was clumsy and timid, a scatterbrain. ¨D¨Dbut she still said. ¡°I beg you¡¡please, just let this child go.¡± The man smiled unpleasantly as his gaze crawled over her feminine body. ¡°That¡¯s nice, very arousing¡¡it¡¯s always the best to stick it in in front of the daughter. All the more so with beautiful women.¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± Her mother trembled, but still told the man to do as he liked. Please. I beg you¨D¨Dshe repeated it like a broken record, clinging to the mercy of the evil man. The girl stared at her mother. It was impossible to believe that the man would keep a promise. Grace likely understood that, but she still said that. Praying that he would be even a little merciful to Krische. Krische pressed down on her chest, tilting her head. There was a light floating, but also trembling sensation¨D¨Da weird kind of feeling. She stared at her mother give up everything to protect her. It waspletely iprehensible thinking in terms of gains and losses. Her mother¡¯s actions could not bnce the gains and losses, it looked meaningless. But Grace was willing to give up her life for Krische. She was willing to give up what Krische thought was most important, for Krische. ¨D¨Din this case, what should I give in return? Krische thought, savoring the warm sensation in her heart. ¡°Anyway, the fun is forter. It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t do anything to the Jou-chan, both of youe over here.¡± ¡°¡¡mm, okay.¡± Slightly unhappy that her thoughts were interrupted, Krische approached him. Slowly, with her usual strides¨D¨Dat this distance, he was slightly too far. Grace quickly moved forward to shield Krische and took her hand. Krische narrowed her eyes slightly, enjoying the sensation with a small smile. Watching her, the man grinned in anticipation. ¡°¡¡but still, the longer I look, the more beautiful she seems. I can¡¯t imagine how high a price she¡¯ll fetch¡¡¡± ¡°Pl, please¡¡¡± ¡°Ah, I know I know. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± The man reached towards Grace¡¯s chest with no restraint. But Grace just shut her eyes and did not resist. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll sell her somewhere bad, it¡¯ll probably be some merchant or noble that buys her. She¡¯ll get to live a much better life and eat nicer food that she ever could living in this remote vige.¡± The man grinned as he enjoyed the feeling of Grace¡¯s breasts. Grace¡¯s mouth tightened in difort and humiliation, but she did not resist, letting him do as he liked. ¡°You¡¯ll be the one satisfying me anyway. There are some bastards that enjoy kids like this, but rx. I won¡¯t let any of them touch your daughter.¡± ¡°Thank, you¡¡¡± Grace could only nod at his patronizing words. Seeing tears streak down Grace¡¯s face as she looked down in shame, Krische frowned slightly. That was the trigger. At this point there¡¯s no need to care about the vige rules. There is a chance this could cause problems in the future, but the situation has gotten quite bad and it¡¯s toote¨D¨Dsince there¡¯s no other method, I¡¯ve got no choice. Krische¡¯s hand felt warm in her mother¡¯s. At worst, her mother would ensure Krische could go about her normal life. No matter what, her mother would stay by Krische¡¯s side. That was reassuring, and that was enough. Krische only wished for the same daily life as before. Krische let go of Grace¡¯s hand and approached the bandit leader. ¡°Mm?¡± She then smoothly drew the curved sword at his waist. The sword was curved like a naginata, the weight at the tip of the de. Easy to handle, the girl thought absentmindedly. She swung her arm like a whip¨D¨D ¡°!¡¡?¡± ¨D¨Dand sliced through his undefended neck with the tip of the de. In the darkness of the night, lit only by mes burning the vige¨D¨Da fountain of fresh blood spurted from the bandit leader¡¯s neck, staining the girl. Krische ignored that, spinning the curved sword around in her hand. The sword fit well in her hand. Showing no interest in the copsed man, Krische swung the sword two, three times, checking its weight, then nodded with a smile. Silence. Everyone was frozen, staring at the girl bathing in a rain of blood. They could all see what had happened. But the rebellion of the beautiful girl was too sudden. Her movements were so natural their minds could not catch up. In this unexpected situation, nobody could say a word. Krische looked around at her quiet surroundings with her usualck of expression. Twenty two bandits. This was not a problematic number for her. She looked at their faces, calcting the best order to kill them in. It was like time had stopped, and only she could move. ¡°¡¡now then, next.¡± Her young voice was light, sounding somewhat naive. As she spoke, Krische stepped in front of a nearby bandit. Closing the distance in one bound, she twisted her whole body, swinging the curved sword. Without even feeling the cut in his neck, the man copsed to the ground. Next was the man beside. ¨D¨DThat¡¯s three. She enveloped her slender arms and legs with imaginary muscles created by mana and manipted them at will. No strain, no fear, her body is simply a tool to achieve her objective. Mana granted her supernatural strength. Sharp, fast, efficient. The sword sliced through yet another man¡¯s neck. Without even looking at the falling corpse, she moved on to her next prey with the agility of a wild animal. Krische did not hesitate. Her movements were natural, as if she was reaping wheat. She took down another before the bandits could move. ¡°! What¡¯re you guys doing! Stop the kid!¡± The next instant, the bandits¡¯ screams and shouts rang through the night. They started moving, no longer paralyzed in time. But arrows suddenly pierced into three of them. ¡°¨D¨DThere are more of us! Go!¡± Gallen¡¯s hoarse¨D¨Dbut powerful voice erased the bandits¡¯ voices. Prepared to endure sacrifices among the vigers, he had been waiting in the shadows for a chance. With that shout, the strong-willed among the women acted, with Ga at their lead. They grabbed the bandits by the arm, pulling them off bnce and fell onto them, pinning them down. The men that had been tied up also acted in concert, tackling the bandits. Despair turned to chaos. The tables turned on the bandits and they were bound, or killed, before they could recover from their confusion. Even in that situation, the silver hair dancing in the wind stood out. She approached bandits and reaped their necks. The flesh tore with a small popping sound, a good sound. A nice feeling. She was not fighting, she was just doing routine work. Her steps were light, dancing through fountains of blood. Sometimes close to the ground like a snake, sneaking up like a cat at other times. She always closed the distance without them noticing her. Her body was flexible like a whip. The shes of her sword avoided bone, urately reaping soft flesh. Flesh fell, sliced off. She twisted at the hip, spinning, performing a sword dance. Therge amount of blood she bathed in soaked into her clothes and stained her hair¨D¨Dscattering scarlet droplets as she danced. The situation that had been at the depths of despair had already turned, bing a simple hunt. Outnumbered. The mental advantage the bandits had made was gone, creating a sudden chaos. The bandits were now the ones at the depths of despair. This allowed the girl reaping the bandits¡¯ heads to rx. While lopping off the tenth head and smashing the eleventh¡¯s corbones with the heel of her sandals, her thoughts were about her reward after this, about the pumpkin she has yet to eat. I must have the pie. But then what should I do for soup?¡± While feeling the sensation of severing flesh, pumpkins danced in her thoughts. She did not have a shred of interest in the lives being lost. She felt no pleasure, it was just work, she was business-like¨D¨Dshe mass produced corpses indefinitely as long as was needed. She was no longer a human, she was the reaper. ¡°Do, don¡¯t move! Or I¡¯ll kill her!¡± That man¡¯s shout stopped the girl. He had his de at a woman¡¯s throat. If it was anyone else, the girl would not have cared. But the woman was the girl¡¯s mother. ¡°¨D¨DKaa-sama.¡± Seeing Grace, her fluid movements halted. The girl coldly narrowed her eyes. Even with Grace hostage, Gado¡¯s expression was twisted in fear at the unknown. He saw a girl, her long silver hair stained red with blood. A beautiful fairy¨D¨Dbut a monster that unhesitatingly and easily reaped their necks. ¨D¨DA creepy brat. Gado had noticed a long time ago that Krische was abnormal. He had sparred with her in the past. She looked human, but the girl was something more terrifying than any beast. She was clearly not normal. Looking at her now, there was no doubt she was abnormal. She was undoubtably, a monster He understood that he could never beat her with a sword. At this rate, he would join the corpses around him. That was clear to Gado and in his terror, he grabbed a nearby woman¨D¨DGrace, putting his sword to her neck and shifted away from Krische. ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t move¡¡!¡± The person whose death would trouble Krische. The person that she would live with just like before after all this. Krische¡¯s fluid movements stopped as she considered her next move. ¡°! Let, go¡¡!¡± ¨D¨DIt was a lot of bad luck. Krische had gotten too far to cut down Gado. Grace did not want to get in the way of her beloved daughter Gado was in a state of aplete panic. The result was¨D¨D ¡°Krische¡¡!¡± ¡°Hiii, this bitch¨D¨D¡± ¨D¨Dhe wanted to escape from this terror. Gado forgot that it was his hostage that kept him alive. When Grace struggled and got in his way, he sliced her throat. Blood danced, screams arose. Grace¡¯s eyes opened wide, a reflection of Krische in them. Krische nked out for an instant. The next instant, Krische registered it, leapt forward and swung her sword. Gado¡¯s life ended immediately. ¨D¨DIt happened so quickly thatter, some said they saw Krische kill her mother along with Gado. She kicked Gado¡¯s body away and caught her mother¡¯s body. Krische looked around, confirming that there was no immediate threat. Then she quicklyid Grace down and examined the wound on her neck. Large amounts of blood poured out¨D¨DKrische applied pressure with her hands. Of course, the blood would not stop. Even though she knew it was meaningless, Krische pressed on the wound with both hands. Having grown up in a vige without a doctor, Krische had no medical knowledge. She only knew that blood flowed easily from the neck and living things died after losing too much blood. ¡°¡¡the blood, won¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°It¡¯s o, kay¡¡¡± Grace struggled to lift her hand, cupping Krische¡¯s cheek. Krische just kept pressing, desperately trying to stop the overflowing blood. ¡°Kaa-sama, it is not okay. The blood, we need to stop the blood¡¡¡± It looked like Grace tried to shake her head. But after a twitch, Grace gave up and smiled. ¡°K, sche¡¡I, love, you¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡Kaa-sama.¡± Grace¡¯s body went limp. Seeing Grace¡¯s life lost right before her eyes, Krische was stunned. ¨D¨DI failed. I should have pushed Grace to the other women at the start. I should have realised an instant earlier that I could just throw the sword. Krische¡¯s thoughts were full of regrets An unpleasant feeling arose from her stomach. Those that saw what happened were speechless, or frozen¨D¨Damong them, only Ga ran over. ¡°No, how¡¡it, it can¡¯t be¡¡why¡¡¡± Tears welled up in Ga¡¯s eyes and spilled over as she fell to her knees, mming her fist into the ground hard enough to break skin. Krische could only stare at Grace¡¯s corpse in a daze. ¨D¨DKrische stayed under the nkets, vaguely recalling the events of yesterday. She felt nothing, she simply thought. And stared at the result in a daze.. Gorka was gone. Dead. Grace too, gone. Krische couldn¡¯t save her. The people that had been with her, gone. It was an unavoidable failure. Regrets swirled in her mind, but she could not have done anything about it. A great disappoinmnent. But, that¡¯s all. There was nothing she could have done. Even if Krische went home, she could not see their faces. She could no longer hug Grace and sleep. She could understand it, she could imagine it. Disappointing. But, she could not do anything about what had already happened. ¡°¡¡I could not, repay them.¡± Krische whispered. Feeling uneasy, she closed her eyes. She hugged Ga and went back to sleep, avoiding further thought. ¨D¨DWhen she woke again, Krische was back to normal. The next evening, a mass funeral was conducted at the outskirts of the vige. Arge hole was dug, where the bodies were cremated, then buried at various locations. Death was treated as a return to nature, it was tradition to hold a small banquet and send them off with a smile. But after such a tragedy, some drank but nobody smiled, everyone stared the mes mournfully. Some cried and screamed madly. Some despaired at losing their loved ones, bing empty husks. But Krische acted normal, not spilling a single tear, expressionlessly and indifferently going through the motions. If she had shown her tears, cried like a child, it might have turned out differently. But Krische¡¯s behaviour was creepy to everyone that saw her. She had lost her father and watched her mother die, but she was too calm. Most of all, the sight of her impassionately decapitating the bandits left a strong impression in their minds. They had watched her decapitate the bandits with no hesitation. Although that had saved them, the fear they had felt mixed with the memory of Krische¡¯s expressionless face. On top of that was the asional rumours of her being a monster. Some even said Krische had killed her mother along with Gado. Even among the women, some believed that and Krische was ostracized more than ever. The women that were particrly close to Grace and Krische defended her, saying she was just in shock, it had not sunk in yet, but rumours spread. Part of it was their frustrations. They needed someone to vent their anger and sadness on, and Krische became their outlet. The delicate bnce around her crumbled and rumours about her got out of hand. Things might have been different if Grace had lived. Grace grieving over her husband would have drawn eyes away from Krische. Their intimate interactions would have reminded the vigers of past days. There might have been a future where Krische was hailed as the vige¡¯s small hero. But with Grace gone, the situation around Krische only grew worse and worse. Because of that, things could not stay the same and Krische was shunned. Two weeks passed since the bandit raid, a peddler arrived. People were sparse in the square and avoided Krische, whispering among themselves. Krische ignored them, approaching the peddler. The elderly peddler looked at her pitifully. He knew that there had been many losses in the raid. That was why he had dyed the visitst week until today as a precaution and was selling his wares at slightly lower prices as an apology. But although Krische was usually the first to show up, she had not. Expecting the worst, he had asked the vigers about her and as a result, understood Krische¡¯s current situation. Peddlers visited many viges¨D¨Dthe man was familiar with this scene. A vige is a closed society where rumours spread fast and quickly became the truth. Once established, there was no undoing it. ¡°¡¡are you okay?¡± This beautiful hardworking girl that had not been envied, but loved by the other women. He was a kind man and knowing how she was being treated, he worried for her and could not help asking. ¡°¡¡? Er, yes.¡± Krische tilted her head slightly, then nodded. Even if she cared about her reputation, she did not care about the looks others gave her. No matter what was said about her, it was only ufortable and slightly troublesome, she no longer cared¨D¨Dand was not be hurt by them. So she did not understand what the pedr was concerned about. The reason she waste was just that she had gone to Gallen to receive pocket money. Unlike Grace who was always in the vige, Gallen who was often out hunting and Krische had to wait for a while. But the peddler assumed the reason she waste was because Krische could not act as she did before. ¡°Pedr-san, can I have a pumpkin?¡± The peddler looked sad, but Krische said that with a smile. On the night of the raid, the pumpkin had been knocked off the shelf by a bandit going through the house, smashing onto the ground. Krische had nned to eat it after the funeral, that was a major miscalction. On top of that, the peddler did note the previous week, making her have to wait longer, raising Krische¡¯s pumpkin fever even higher and today she could finally obtain her long-awaited pumpkin. So Krische was in an extremely good mood today¨D¨Dbut to the sympathetic man, it looked like she was forcing herself to smile normally. ¡°Aah¡¡wait a moment.¡± After some thought, the pedr filled a basket with some potatoes, vegetables and fruits along with the pumpkin and handed it to Krische. ¡°¡¡? I only asked for a pumpkin¡¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve had a tough time. It¡¯s service for Krische-chan for always buying something. No need to pay.¡± ¡°Er, but.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Forcing the basket into her hands, he ced a hand on her head. ¡°¡¡it might be tough now, but a girl like you can definitely find happiness. I shouldn¡¯t speak so lightly but¡¡do you best.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡?¡± Tonight is the pumpkin soup and pie she had yearned for. Krische had already found happiness and was confused by his words, but nodded for now. The peddler smiled in response and lightly patted Krische¡¯s heads a few times. ¡°I¡¯lle again. Krische-chan¡¯s a good customer. I¡¯m looking forward to your continued patronage.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Krische deeply lowered her head before turning away. She didn¡¯t really understand, but she received a lot of things. Krische was pragmatic and trotted home in high spirits. Watching her leave, the peddler closed his eyes and prayed for her future. -End- TT^TT Chapter 6: U.E. C.6: Unfair Chapter 6: U.E. C.6: Unfair Krische hummed as she made soup and kneaded dough for a pie. Being a self-centered person, she always thought of things in a manner convenient for her. Grace and Gorka are gone. Which means there are two extra portions and she can thoroughly enjoy the pumpkin. She had been denied twice and forced to wait two weeks. Tonight¡¯s dinner will finally be the pumpkin she had yearned for. Krische had skipped lunch for this, fully intending to eat three portions herself. She carefully folded the dough and spread the pumpkin paste, imagining how it would turn out. Krische hummed as she finished up the pie. Satisfied at her work, she smiled a little. After ¡®taste testing¡¯ the soup for a while, she lowered the mes. Just a little more, then ¡®taste tested¡¯ two, three more times.. After satisfying herself with the soup, she headed to Ga¡¯s home with a spring in her steps. The perfect pumpkin pie she had made with great care was held in her hands. The one she had made before was nowhere close to this one. She smiled as she imagined how it would turn out¨D¨Dand heard two people arguing in Ga¡¯s house. ¡°Just because of that¨D¨Dyou¡¯re going to throw that girl out on her own!?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll leave her in the care of a trustworthy friend. Do you want make her live out her life in this vige as an outcast!? Is that any better for Krische!?¡± It seems like they are talking about Krische. She tilted her head to the side, but still knocked on the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Ga asked, suppressing the anger in her voice. Krische replied as normal, ¡°It¡¯s Krische.¡± The door opened immeadiately. Inside were Gallen and Ga. The atmosphere between them was tense. Krische froze upon seeing them. ¡°Krische, what¡¯s wrong¨D¨Dah¡± ¡°E, er¡¡ Krische, came to bake, the pumpkin pie¡¡¡± ¨D¨DShe might miss out on her pumpkin pie again. Her ever-growing pumpkin fever was already at its limits. This would be the third time. ¡°If, if you are busy, then¡¡¡± The timing was just too bad, tears that had not flowed during her mother¡¯s death welled up now. Ga urged Krische in hastily, ring at Gallen. Gallen sighed, letting out his remaining anger, then nodded. ¡°Sorry to surprise you. We were just discussing things a little. We weren¡¯t arguing. Right, Gallen?¡± ¡°Ye, yeah¡¡ sorry. We must¡¯ve surprised you.¡± ¡°Krische is fine¡¡¡± ¡°Come this way.¡± Ga patted Krische¡¯s head and led her to the oven. Sighing in relief that she could use the oven, Krische set the pie in the middle and borrowed some charcoal, arranging them inside the oven. ¡°¡¡it¡¯s quite big.¡± ¡°Er¡¡because, we missed out on the previous one.¡± Hearing Krische¡¯s response, Ga pressed on the corner of her eye. ¡°Yeah. We promised¡¡to eat Krische-chan¡¯s pie, together, once everything was over.¡± ¡°Yes. It has gotten quitete.¡± Krische said with a smile, but recalled something and lowered her eyes. ¡°¡¡ Krische wanted to make it immediately after though.¡± The pumpkin had been smashed. When Krische had returned home, the pumpkin waspletely smashed. What grudge did that bandit have against her pumpkin? While she had probably gotten revenge for the pumpkin, Krische was not satisfied. Remembering it was unpleasant¨D¨Dit made her feel like smashing his limbs like that pumpkin if he was still alive. Not knowing Krische¡¯s inner thoughts, Ga was holding back tears, watching Krische with her pierge enough for five. She had stained her young hands with blood to save everyone, her mother was killed before her eyes and she had also lost her father. Ga saw herself in Krische, simr to when she had lost her son in an ¡®unfortunate ident¡¯. Krische did not cry, acting as she always did, going through her days indifferently, but that made her feel precarious. Reality might not have set in yet. Either way, it would be a wound too deep for this young girl. Krische had reproduced the same pie as that day, she looked as if she was broken somewhere inside. The more Ga thought about it, the greater her hatred for those that carelessly spread those worthless rumours. Krische was smart, there was no way she did not know of the rumours about her. Ga had seen Krische hugging and snuggling with Grace many times, behaving like any other girl her age. But now there were even rumours that Krische had killed Grace with her own hands. Ga could not forgive them. Krische should have been hailed as the vige¡¯s hero, but look at this unfair treatment. Ga heart was torn by the anger and sadness that filled it. ¡°Will you invite Oba-san too?¡± ¡°Yes. If Oba-san does not have some too, Krische cannot finish this much.¡± ¡°Haha, yeah. It¡¯s such a big pie¡¡ Oba-san will have to eat a lot to make up for those two.¡± ¡°Eh¡¡?¡± Krische was stunned for a moment. The extra two portions were for Krische. She had skipped lunch for this,. Realising her slip, Krische¡¯s gaze wandered as she looked for the words to deal with this sudden unfairness. ¡°E, er, Oba-san, this¡¡is Krische¡¯s, share¡¡¡± ¡°Ah¡¡¡± Seeing Krische¡¯s reaction, Ga covered her mouth, thinking she had made Krische remember the two she had lost. Krische had not mentioned Grace and Gorka recently, it was unnatural. ¨D¨DShe must¡¯ve been trying to avoid thinking about them. Regretting her own foolishness, Ga embraced Krische¡¯s small body. ¡°¡¡I¡¯m sorry, Krische-chan. But it¡¯s okay.¡± It is not okay. Krische wanted to retort. But before she could do so, Ga tightened her embraced, squashing Krische¡¯s face into her breasts and covering her mouth. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s unfair?¡± Krische hesitated, then gave a small nod. This was really unfair. ¡°But you have to ept it. One day, you have to ept that life is unfair¡¡and it¡¯s okay to cry out loud if you have to.¡± ¡°Mugu¡¡¡± ¡°When I lost my son and could not deal with it¡¡ Krische-chan came over many times and cheered me up. I was really happy about that. That¡¯s why I swore to do the same for Krische-chan if something sad happened to you too.¡± Krische could not understand Ga¡¯s thought process. She stole Krische¡¯s pumpkin pie, making Krische sad then tries to cheer Krische up. Krische stayed silent a while longer, but Gallen only nodded gravely, not saying a word. Seeing her grandfather agree, Krische grew even more confused. Krische could not understand the logic behind it, but this is apparently normal. Then Krische remembered that she had killed Ga¡¯s son, thenforted Ga as she borrrowed the oven. Basically Ga just really wants to eat the pie, Krische came to that simple conclusion with her strange understanding. Compared to Krische who had properly hidden the fact that she had killed Ga¡¯s son, Ga¡¯s method was forceful and crude, but the act itself made sense to Krische. And she also owed a lot to Ga. Krische decided that she no choice and gave up, rxing into Ga¡¯s embrace. Ga teared up as she gently stroked Krische¡¯s head. ¡°¡¡there¡¯s no need to endure the sadness. At the very least, when with Oba-san, you can show your emotions. Oba-san will always be with Krische-chan until the sadness is gone.¡± Krische could only swallow herints. Instead she focused on how she could cut the freshly-baked pie such that she would get to eat the most pumpkin. That was all she thought about. ¨D¨DWith the pie baked, they were back in Krische¡¯s house. But Krische¡¯s hardships have not ended. After much thought and hesitation, Krische chose to cut the pie into five equal slices, reluctantly serving two of them to Ga. Of course two slices were for her. Then one for Gallen.. Krische could feel how crisp it was as she cut the pie. This is the best pie she had ever made, the pumpkin had melted into the batter, releasing a sweet fragrance. The crispiness and sweet smell of the pumpkin was already bliss for Krische before she had even taken a bite. It was as if the pie called to her tongue. The pumpkin soup had also turned out well. The pumpkin had stewed over the weak me for a long time, bing nice and soft. To this, she added some of the pumpkin she had set aside. It became a sumptuous soup where you could taste the sweetness of the pumpkin in the soup as well as the pumpkin itself. This is the best pumpkin dish Krische had ever made. If she focused on the pumpkin then the soup would becking, and vice versa. Krische had spent a week thinking only about pumpkins and had decided to use plenty of pumpkin to perfect this amazing pumpkin lover¡¯s set meal. After setting the table, Krische stared at the pumpkin soup and pie, feeling slightly emotional. She then looked towards Gallen. They did not pray before their meals, but Gallen or Gorka usually dered the start of the meal. Krische could barely suppress her excitement at finally getting to eat pumpkin but kept still, waiting. Gallen stared absentmindedly at the pumpkin lover¡¯s set meal, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then lowering his eyes, he spoke quietly. ¡°¡¡Krische, we need to talk.¡± ¡°Talk?¡± Krische felt like a dog with a treat held just out of reach. Her morals were abnormal and she was extremely self-centered, but otherwise, Krische was polite and obedient. She would not breakmunity rules when there are people around and when she has to break a rule, she would do it where there was no one to observe it. Respect elders, greetings and thanks, proper manners. These are life skills Grace had taught Krische. And because Krische was such a girl. she had to wait if Gallen said ¡®wait¡¯. If she had dog ears, they would be folded down. Krische fidgeted, looking from Gallen to the pie and back again. ¡°¡¡Gallen.¡± ¡°You understand, don¡¯t you, Ga?¡± ¡°¡¡But.¡± Krische was perplexed, things were not looking good. Time passed relentlessly as she thought of the worst case scenarios. But Krische was still calm Because¨D¨DKrische¡¯s tongue was extremely sensitive. Either way, she couldn¡¯t eat until the food had cooled a little, so waiting a little was fine. Krische came to that conclusion. Krische really enjoyed blowing on hot food to cool it and then eating, but that was not a must. As long as Krische can eat it at a nice temperature, it¡¯s fine, Krische convinced herself. ¡°You heard us talking at Ga¡¯s house, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard¡¡a little.¡± ¡°We were talking about your future.¡± Gallen spoke gravely. Feeling the hunger from skipping lunch¨D¨DKrische was bewildered, she could not understand why they would want to talk about that at this particr timing. Hunger greatly reduced Krische¡¯s intelligence. ¡°¡¡is it tough?¡± ¡°Er¡¡¡± ¡°Speak honestly. How do you feel right now?¡± After Ga, now Gallen? Was there some new unknown rule about preventing Krische from enjoying her pumpkin pie? Finding it all unfair, Krische nodded. ¡°¡¡it is tough.¡± The ultimate bait isid out right before her hungry stomach. Of course it was tough. ¡°I see¡¡¡± Gallen looked toward Ga and she nodded with a resigned look. ¡°I have a friend from the army living in town. I got a letter from him recently, checking up on me. He offered to do anything he could to help¡¡ I mulled over it and wrote about you.¡± ¡°About Krische¡¡?¡± ¡°Yeah¡¡ Krische, do you want to try living in the town?¡± How did talk about Krische¡¯s pumpkin pie suddenly jump to that? Krische was slightly surprised by the sudden topic change. ¡°¡¡ I got his reply today, if Krische is agreeable, he¡¯d like to meet you.¡± Krische grew even more confused. Krische simply wants to eat. Krische could not keep up with the sudden¨D¨Dto Krische¨D¨Dimportant conversation. ¡°¡¡if Ojii-sama says to go, then Krische will go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡¡ don¡¯t think recklessly. It¡¯s definitely not because I don¡¯t like Krische. It is because I love Krische that I want to give you this choice.¡± ¡°¡¡? Er¡¡¡± ¡°That acquaintance of mine is a trustworthy man. We wererades that ate and slept together, saved each other¡¯s lives¡¡ Krische, I want you to meet him with me, and decide what you want to do. Of course if you still want to stay in this vige, Ga and I will take care of you.¡± Having dered what he had to say, Gallen fell silent. He was waiting for Krische¡¯s response. Krische on the other hand was looking down sadly, fidgeting and staring at the pie. She stayed that way with a hand clutched at her chest for a while. Then Krische spoke timdly. ¡°¡¡e, er, the¡¡ p, pie, is getting¡¡ cold, so¡± For Krische, begging for permission to eat was a tough and painful decision. Asking to begin the meal, exposing her own desires in the middle of Gallen¡¯s serious conversation was an absolutely shameful act in Krische¡¯s peculiar opinion. But she wanted to eat. She had waited two weeks. But she could not just start eating. Krische¡¯s rational and intelligent mind had grappled with the problem of how to fulfill her desires without being shameful ording to her sense of aesthetics. But watching the pie cool minute by minute, she reached her limit and Krische spoke out, her voice barely above a whisper. Krische has always endeavored to be well-mannered and on perfect behaviour, so this was unprecedented, the first and hopefullyst time. Krische¡¯s face burnt with shame and her eyes teared up. Seeing her like this, Gallen groaned softly and Ga pped her hands together. ¡°¡¡she¡¯s right. Krische-chan has made a delicious meal for us. Let¡¯s eat before it grows cold¡¡ right, Gallen?¡± ¡°Yeah¡¡ sorry. You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Ga changed the topic, praising Krische¡¯s soup and pie. Gallen did not speak much but praised her too. Krische was going through another bout of depression and could not fully enjoy the delicious food. But thanks to Ga¡¯s efforts, she eventually recovered enough to enjoy the meal. With her small mouth full of pie, she enjoyed its texture and sweetness, fulfilling the desires that had just betrayed her. By the time the meal was over, she was in a very good mood. Gallen made eye contact with Ga and then dered the he would be going home for the night. He did not bring up the conversation from before the meal and just left after saying good night. Krische and Ga washed the dishes together with some light chatter, thenid out futons and prepared for bed. Krische was clearly happy that Ga was staying over. In this area, nights were cold through the year and Krische was sensitive to it, she wanted a warm body pillow. After extinguishing the fire and theyy in the futon, Ga talked about Krische¡¯s past. Krische had been about three years old. Gorka had found a small girl copsed in the forest near the main road and brought her back to the vige, creating a smallmotion. Krische was bed-ridden for three days with Grace and Gorka nursing her, but Krische¡¯s appearance was already eye-catching then. Not only was her beautiful silver hair rare around here, her features were refined and the silk clothing she wore was of fine make. It was natural to think she was the daughter of some noble. Even in this remote vige, stories of internal strife among nobles reached them through minstrels and such urrences weremon knowledge. Krische was thought to have been abandoned in the forest as the result of such a strife. Sheltering her might lead to trouble, but it was not like the vigers could just kill her. They decided to take care of her temporarily and hand her over if someone came looking. Gorka and Grace had not been blessed with children and decided to take her in. Krische spoke little and politely. (T/N: Literally says she always speaks with desu/masu, the polite form, which she still does, mostly) They could tell that she was smart for her age, but she hardly left the house and seemed tense in this unfamiliar environment. Krische was passive, hardly behaving like a child would, simply staring at the people around her. Grace brought her outside, leading her by the hand, letting her get used to the vige. Krische toddling behind Grace around the vige became a famous sight for a while. Gaughed as she spoke, a nostalgic tone in her voice. Over time, Grace changed from temporary caretaker to foster parent, then to mother. Grace taught Krische many things, doting on Krische as if Krische was her own daughter. Krische was intelligent and grew to meet all her expectations. Having wished so much for children, meeting Krische felt like destiny to Grace and Gorka. She was unexpectedly gluttonous and always clung to and snuggled with Grace in the futon at night. Grace had spread these stories of Krische through the vige. Ga recalled those nostalgic stories and went through each of them with Krische. Krische blushed as she listened. So when she got sweets as rewards for helping, they had already known Krische was a glutton. Which meant they had given her sweets knowing that was her motive for helping them. Naturally that made Krische feel embrassed. Not minding Krische¡¯s reactions, Ga continued. After talking about Krische, she moved on to Grace and Gorka. Grace had always been a nice, cheerful girl. Ga had a crush on Gorka when they were younger and when the younger grace stole him away, was one-sidedly hostile towards her for a time. But Grace¡¯s kindness was sincere and eventually Ga gave them her blessings. Then there was a man that fell in love with Ga and she wed that man. Ga spoke of how she had lost her husband early, then her child soon after. How when her heart was broken, Krische and Grace had helped her. Ga had not agreed to taking in Krische at first, but now she believed from the bottom of her heart that was the right choice. ¡°If Krische wants to stay in this vige, Oba-san will protect Krische-chan in ce of Grace. I¡¯ll take you in as my daughter. That¡¯s what Oba-san wants and honestly, I¡¯m against you going to the town.¡± Ga¡¯s voice was full of love. Ga did not know that Krische had killed her child, and she never would. Ga¡¯s love for Krische was unshakable, even if Krische honestly confessed her crime now, Ga would interpret it conveniently, probably treating it as more misfortune, just an ident. ¨D¨DKrische¡¯s little revenge led to an ident and she regrets killing him. Ga trusted and loved Krische that much. It ispletely absurd, yet at the same time, in a way you could say she was happy. Cosily bundled up in Ga¡¯s warmth, Krische listened to her stories absentmindedly. Although they had slept together the night of the funeral, Krische has slept alone since. Satisfied that she would have a nice night of sleep for the first time in a while, Krische smiled a little. But this love from Ga created a tiny doubt in Krische¡¯s mind. It was a doubt that would greatly affect Krische¡¯s human nature in the future. But at this time, it was trivial. ¡°¡¡but I also don¡¯t believe staying would be the best for Krische. Krische-chan is smart, if you have the chance to learn, that¡¯ll open up various futures for you.¡± ¡°Various futures¡¡¡± ¡°Yes. All happy futures. Krische-chan, do you know why Grace named you Krische?¡± ¡°¡¡yes. She told me recently.¡± Ga nodded in satisfaction, smiling wryly. ¡°The moon on the night she was proposed to, her happiest moment. It might sound like a stupid reason, but Krische-chan¡¯s name has all of Grace¡¯s happiness in it. Such that the same happiness wille to Krische-chan.¡± ¡°¡¡will it?¡± Grace alwaysughed or cried, making a big fuss over small things, she was the opposite of rational. But recalling how happy Grace was¨D¨DKrische could not imagine herself like that. Krische tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Of course it will. Krische-chan can definitely find happiness, I¡¯ll say that for sure.¡± Ga looked Krische in the eye and dered it firmly. ¡°Rather then living in this vige, seeing and experiencing many things will be better for Krische. Out there, you¡¯ll be much happier than you can be here¡¡ the town is dazzling, there are many things Krische-chan has never seen before.¡± ¡°Never seen before¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes, fancy clothes, houses, even food.¡± ¨D¨DFood. If there were dog ears on Krische¡¯s head, they would have perked up. Krische still did not have a good understanding of what a town was, she thought of it as arge vige. But the problem was¨D¨D ¡°¡¡but, Krische will not be able to borrow Oba-san¡¯s oven.¡± It¡¯s nearby and convenient right now. Ga looked stunned, then her expression crumpled as she embraced Krische tightly. ¡°O, Oba-san¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡it¡¯s okay, it sounds like it¡¯ll be arge house, so there should be a much better oven than Oba-san¡¯s.¡± I see, Krische thought as she told Ga, who was still squeezing Krische. ¡°Can¡¯t, breathe¡¡¡± ¡°Ah, aah¡¡sorry.¡± Ga apologised in a trembling voice, rxing her hug and patted Krische¡¯s head. ¡°¡¡don¡¯t worry. Krische-chan will be fine anywhere. You¡¯re Grace and Gorka¡¯s¡¡and my pride, our daughter. Just act as usual and Krische will fit in¡¡ I believe in you.¡± Ga¡¯s voice was tearful and shaky, but her tone was firm. Ga did not say anymore. Krische also fell silent, pressing herself closer to Ga. Krische had felt that the conversation hade to an end and prepared to sleep. Soon Krische was asleep, breathing softly. Ga just continued to embrace Krische. -End- Chapter 7: U.E. C.7: Journey And The Estate Chapter 7: U.E. C.7: Journey And TheEstate The town is far. Instead of walking, Krische and Gallen will be hitching a ride with the cart going to town. The vige¡¯s specialties are rock salt and animal pelt. They sold some to peddlers, but most of it was sold directly to other viges and the town¡¯s merchants. A cart travelled between the town and vige regrly for this trade and two of them will be hitching a ride on this cart. The journey is quite long and the road is not entirely safe. Four skilled vigers usually went along as guards, but there had been many deaths and there is ack of manpower. On the surface, the traders appeared happy that the two of them wereing along as guards. Memories of Krische from that day still sent chills down their backs. But conversely, there is no better guard than Krische in the vige and Gallen¡¯s sword skill as a former centurion is well known. Their presence is reassuring. Women and children that were particrly close to Krische hade to see her off. Although some children are scared of her, most of their young minds saw her as ¡®the hero that punished the bad bandits adults could not defeat¡¯. With how Krische had cared for them, they were still attached to her. Some cried while other endured their tears with clenched fists as they sent her off. The women had expressions of guilt for not being able to protect Krische. If they could have protected Krische, there would be no need for her to leave. No matter the things said about her, Krische was just a pitiful girl that had lost her parents and then thrown out of the vige. Their regret was proportional to the strength of their love for her. They said their farewells to Krische one by one, handing her various parting gifts. Most of them were either sweets or pelts and cloth such that she would not be cold. There was so much that Krische could not carry them by herself and Gallen received them instead, loading them onto the cart with their luggage. Krische received the gifts with a smile and exchanged farewells. The women clenched their teeth, determined not to show her their tears. ¡°¡¡Krische. If it gets tough, you cane back anytime. Don¡¯t hesitate toe back.¡± ¡°Yes, Oba-san.¡± Ga wrapped a muffler around Krische¡¯s neck and embraced her onest time. Watching them, some of the women could not stop their tears from spilling over. They were the ones who knew their rtionship and it was painful to watch. ¡°¡¡Gallen-san, it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Aah. Krische.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The coachman called to them and Krische nodded to Gallen. Then she turned back to the women and children, deeply bowing her head. ¡°Thank you very much for taking such good care of Krische¡¡ Goodbye.¡± Krische said with a smile, then hopped onto the cart. Soon, the cart set off and as it drew into the distance, although Krische had been sitting straight at first, they could see her head gradually hanging lower. Seeing that, the women finally stopped hiding their tears and the children bawled. ¨D¨DVery, painful. Krische¡¯s vague desire to try riding on a horse carriage vanished in less than half an hour as she battled with the pain of the shaking cart mming into her butt. Although she tried to maintain herposure, it hurts. Krische subconsciously shifted her weight, gradually leaning forward. Of course, there was a cushion ced under her butt, but Krische did not have much meat on her body to soften the impact. Seeing how Gallen satposedly next to her, it was normal to be able to endure this pain. With that assumption and the promise to herself to be better than others, Krische desperately endured, pulling her hood down to hide her face. Gallen patted the head of his beloved granddaughter and gently hugged her closer. Krische is smart, talented and brave¨D¨Ddefinitely not a normal girl. But Gallen believed that Krische had the same feelings as anyone else. Gorka and Grace had told him that they had never seen her cry. But she must be at her limit, thought Gallen. The coachman sitting in front and the guards on horses around the cart looked at her sympathetically. They did not have a good impression of Krische. Her abnormality was well known among the men. They had seen Krische knock down and beat up her opponent expressionlessly. Among them, some also had the baseless suspicion that she had killed two children. They also realised that Galo had disappeared at some point after disying sexual interest in her, touching her butt and chest under the pretense of coaching. There were some that whispered maybe Krische had killed him. Two of the guards in particr had seen the scene that day and agreed with the many rumours of her being a monster, actively ying a part in spreading the same rumours. But seeing her pull her hood low, her head hanging as Gallen hugged her to his side, feelings of guilt rose. They grew aware that they were the ones that had driven her into this situation. Just by seeing how the women and children sent her off, they could understand how much she was loved. Would so many havee to see them off if they stood in her shoes? Considering that, the doubts they felt about their own actions grew stronger. Krische¡¯s beautiful appearance already drew attention, naturally she would be infamous even for trivial things. No matter who, there will be something if you dig deep enough. She is definitely not normal. But this time, all she had done was pick up a sword and save the vige. The fact is that she is the vige¡¯s savior, their savior. She had done nothing to be condemned for, nothing at all. She has lost her parents and has no one but her grandfather to rely on, but they treated her horribly. Averting their eyes from their own powerlessness, they spread tales of how she was abnormal. They vented their anger and helplessness on her. And now she is on this cart, chased out of the vige. The men that had not known her well had hurt her so much with their venting, rumours and prejudice. This young girl that is only slightly above ten. They reflected on their actions with this new perspective. When they took a break, Krische took the initiative to care for the horses and prepare food. Her real motive was to keep moving because her butt hurt, but personally seeing her work so seriously and diligently strengthened their guilt. Travelling is tiring. But she did notin and showed no signs of fatigue, diligently working, just like the ¡®good rumours¡¯ they heard from Grace, Gorka and the womenfolk. The men felt ashamed of themselves, telling her to rest. But Krische refused, trying to distract herself from her hurting butt, making her look even more like a hard worker. By the time they arrived at the town a few dayster, the men¡¯s attitude towards her hadpletely softened. ¡°¡¡just as Ga-san said, if it really gets tough, tell me. I will be here once a month, I can bring you back then.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you very much.¡± ¡°Do your best¡¡ you¡¯ll be fine anywhere you go.¡± The men could not apologise, they could only give her their best wishes. It was toote no matter what they said. They vowed to correct the rumours about her once they returned and said their respective farewells to Krische. ¡°¡¡if they had known how Krische really is, those rumours wouldn¡¯t have spread.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± Gallen said as he watched the men leave. ¡°Rumours, both good and bad, spread fast. As it passes from mouth to mouth, it usually grows more exaggerated. As people pass on what they heard, one bes two then five, this incident is the result of such misfortune¡¡ they¡¯ve realised that the rumours they believed in were nothing but rumours after getting to know you.¡± ¡°Haa¡¡¡± ¡°Krische, you must not be mislead by rumours. When you talk to people, be careful and be aware that such things can happen. It¡¯ll end up not just hurting reputations, but people too.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± He must be telling Krische about what to reflect on for this incident. Krische came to that understanding and stored Gallen¡¯s words away in her important memories box. Be careful of how to use rumours. They must be used only after careful thought about its capabilities and effects. Krische memorised that as she followed Gallen. Unlike the vige which only had houses made of wood or y, the town had white stone buildings made by mixing ash into bricks. The streets were stone-paved, crowded on both sides by houses and stores. As they proceeded deeper into the town, they came to an area where all the houses had gardens attached. Gallen¡¯s destination was among them, a particrly extravagant estate. It wasrger than any building in the vige, the sturdy stone building and walls enclosing it made it look like a small castle. The garden had fruit trees and flowers with a neat stone path leading through it to the gate. They arrived at therge gate in the center of the symmetrical estate. When they knocked, a girl dressed in a ck and white uniform answered. She was a young girl with shoulder-length red hair¨D¨Din herte teens or early twenties. The pretty girl with red hair inferred the reason behind their visit once she saw Gallen. Gallen had visited a few times and they were acquainted. As they exchanged casual greetings, Krische removed her hood, causing the red-haired girl open her eyes wide in surprise. ¡°Oh my¡¡¡± ¡°This is the girl I want to entrust to you.¡± ¡°¡¡she¡¯s, a very beautiful girl. Hello, my name is Bery Argan.¡± ¡°Hello, I am, Krische.¡± Krische replied and shook the girl¡¯s¨D¨DBery¡¯s hand. Bery smiled happily and politely bowed towards them. ¡°I hope we get along. This way, please. I will guide you to the parlour.¡± Once they entered the house, they were greeted by arge spiral staircase. Passing through a door next to those stairs, they entered a room withrge sofas and a table. Resplendent decorations were disyed on shelves along the wall along with some paintings, a portrait hung above the firece. It¡¯s quite bright, Krische tilted her head, looking at the ss window. Then she looked up at the ceiling, where the light wasing from. There were a few glowing orbs set into the ceiling. Noticing Krische¡¯s actions, Bery exined with a softugh. ¡°Those are eternal magicmps. Instead of fire, mana is used to light up the room.¡± ¡°Eternal magicmps¡¡¡± (T/N: ³£Ä§µÆ (Joumatou). suggestions for better name is wee) ¡°Quite a lot of houses in town use these, but I guess they are not used in viges. These kind of estates have many rooms which cannot take in enough sunlight, so these are used instead. See how the houses are packed close together? Many normal households use these instead of candles too.¡± ¡°I see, this is the first time I have seen them¡¡¡± ¡°Fufu, then today will have many firsts in store for you.¡± Bery used a magic kettle to brew a pot of tea for them. Krische could feel waves of mana from all over the ce, drawing her attention. But she did not ask about those, simply staring at the cup of tea ced in front of her. The fragrance was to Krische¡¯s liking and she could infer that it is a drink since honey had been added to it. But Krische hesitated, it was still steaming. Krische¡¯s tongue is extremely sensitive. ¡°This is ck tea. Please, have a sip.¡± ¡°ck tea¡¡¡± Krische picked up the cup, cautiously bringing it to her lips and blowing on it. Seeing that, Beryughed cheerfully, making Krische blush. ¡°It seems it is too hot for you.¡± ¡°Er¡¡¡± ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Bery existed the room, quickly returning. In that time, Krische still could not take a sip. ¡°Drinking it straight is nice, but you can also add milk. This way it will also help cool the tea a little, this might be better for Krische-sama.¡± Bery added some milk to the tea and mixed it. Krische sipped from the cup offered to her, her cheeks still red. It was sweet with a hint of sour, the fragrance of the tea leaves and the honey bnced out by the mellowness of the milk. Krische smiled as she enjoyed the warm tea. ¡°It is very delicious.¡± ¡°I am d you like it.¡± Bery replied with a softugh. ¡°Fufu, Krische-sama is even cuter when you smile. I was looking forward to what kind of person would being and meeting someone like Krische-sama makes me twice as happy. I would love to get to know you better.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you.¡± Krische said as she stared at the tea with glittering eyes. Bery offered her some baked sweets too. Krische took them with an expectant look and upon taking a bite, received a culture shock. Although there had been sweets using sweet berries and honey in the vige, these sweetspletely overturned Krische¡¯s concept of delicious. It was crispy and had a slight salty taste mixed with the sweetness of honey. Seeing Krische¡¯s excitement, Bery smiled happily. ¡°That is something I made in my spare time, but it was worth making it to see you enjoy it so much. Fufu, how is it? Delicious?¡± ¡°Delicious, how did you make it? ¡¡ah.¡± The instant she said that, Krische realised herck of manners and suddenly felt embrassed. Krische blushed as she looked between Gallen and Bery, then looked down. ¡°Please do not worry about it. That makes me very happy. Are you interested in making sweets?¡± ¡°E, er¡¡ yes, I made some, at home.¡± ¡°¡¡this child has always liked cooking. In that sense, you two will probably get along.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed. Ojou-sama is not interested in such things so this makes me very happy. If there is anything you are curious about, please ask me at anytime.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Bery was clearly her superior in cooking. Krische was excited to meet such a person. Krische is always looking to improve herself and was d to meet Bery, who could show her new discoveries in cooking. Krische listened intently as Bery exined the knack behind baking cookies. Gallen smiled in relief as he watch his granddaughter. Seems like she¡¯ll be fine here. After they had chatted for a while, the door leading into the reception room opened and a well-built man in his prime entered. His blonde hair with some white wasbed back and a beard covered the area around his mouth. He was dressed in a ck vest over a white shirt and trousers. His clothes were simple with only a golden crest of a falcon and lightning adorning his chest, but his muscr build spoke more than any essory could. This coupled with the countless scars and deep lines carved into his face made him quite imposing. His sharp eyes softened as he looked from Gallen to Krische. His fierce looks would have frightened a normal girl, but Krische was unaffected. Gallen stood, so Krische followed and then deeply bowed her head. ¡°¡¡nice to meet you, I am Krische.¡± ¡°Aah, nice to meet you. I am Bogan Christand¡¡ I used to be under your Ojii-san¡¯s care. Come, rx and have a seat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische nced at Galllen for confirmation, only sitting after her grandfather nodded. The sofa was reallyfortable after sitting on the cart. ¡°She¡¯s quite a well-mannered girl. I had thought she would be a little scared of me¡¡but she¡¯s just as brave as you said.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you for epting my request.¡± Gallen said, bowing his head. Bogan approached,ying a hand on Gallen¡¯s shoulder and shaking his head. ¡°Please raise your head. Having captain bow to me puts me on the spot. I just wanted to repay a little of the debt I owe you.¡± ¡°Debt? I only did what was natural¡¡ but it is a great honour.¡± Bogan nodded and sat down opposite from them. Gallen also returned to his seat. ¡°But I did not expect such a beautiful girl. And she seems quite smart.¡± ¡°¡¡she was the pride of her parents, the perfect child. Which makes it all the more regrettable.¡± ¡°¡¡my condolences. I cannot say I understand your feelings, but it was simr for me with my wife. Unforeseen deaths are hard to deal with. Bogan said as he sipped his tea. Bery had not said a single word since Bogan had entered, simply standing there with her hands sped in front of her, her posture straight and proper. She was the picture of a gracefuldy, but when Krische looked towards her, Bery revealed a small impish smile. ¡°¡¡so your name¡¯s Krische. You¡¯ve had it tough.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Krische answered calmly. By now she did not really care, there was only some regret. The pumpkin being smashed was tough, thought Krische. ¡°You¡¯re a tough girl. But¡¡ did this girl really, er, the bandits¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. I knew she was skilled with the sword but¡¡ not to that extent. I guess that¡¯s what you call natural talent. She fought bandits who were former soldiers¡¡she probably used what you know as physical enhancement.¡± ¡°¡¡magic?¡± Bogan looked at Krische, narrowing his eyes. There was a thinyer of blue clinging to her body¨D¨Dprecisely controlled mana. The surprise was visible in Bogan¡¯s eyes as he frowned. ¡°I see¡¡no, but.¡± Bogan sank into thought for a while, then asked. ¡°Krische, where did you learn magic?¡± ¡°¡¡? Magic?¡± ¡°Subconsciously? ¡¡that¡¯s what we call the technique of manipting mana, the mana you have wrapped around you. Aren¡¯t you doing it right now?¡± ¡°Ah¡¡yes. This floofy thing.¡± Krische finally understood. This is the technique of controlling her body using the ¡®floofy thing¡¯ inside her body instead of muscles. Krische had been reliant on it ever since she learned how to do it and it has be so natural for her that she was not even aware she was doing it. That was why her response was dyed. It had been tiring when she was not used to it, but once she got used to it she did not have to use her muscles and it was actually more rxing. She had no problems with work that normal people found tough. One of the reasons Krische could be such a hardworker was because she knew how to control her body using mana. ¡°¡¡it¡¯s such magnificent physical enhancement that you can¡¯t tell at first nce. How long have you been using it?¡± ¡°¡¡since about nine years ago?¡± Krische said, digging through faint memories, increasing Bogan¡¯s surprise. That is a natural reaction considering she is twelve years old. ¡°I see. I understand now¡¡ it is no wonder she appears strange to those who don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I had my suspicions but there was nothing off in her usual life, I was only sure after the fight with the bandits. I couldn¡¯t be sure until then since I can¡¯t see mana¡¡but is it that amazing?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡ even I could not use such efficient physical enhancement, nor have I seen the like. It must be due to her using it daily since a very young age. I was surprised when I got the letter asking for me to take care of your granddaughter, but I can understand now.¡± Gallen nodded and replieed. ¡°Her possibilities would have been limited in that remote vige, I had thought there would be infinitely more futures avable to her under your care. Seeing her, what do you think?¡± ¡°¡¡just as you say, since she is proficient at using mana at that age, there is indeed infinite possibilities for her. And I would very much like to watch over her¡¡ but are you okay with that, Krische?¡± Krische looked back at Bogan as he spoke to her. ¡°I will take you in if you wish to live here. But it will be different from the vige where you grew up, you might feel restrained by the rules and find life strict. You also won¡¯t be able to meet people from the vige easily¡¡ are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische wants to live here.¡± Krische answered with no hesitation. Bogan was taken aback by the immediate answer, but interpreted it positively, taking it as Krische had already made her decision beforeing. A pitiful girl, but she has already recovered from her parents¡¯ death and is thinking about the future. ¡°Okay. Nice to meet you then, Krische. You can just call me Bogan.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then you will be taken care¨D¨D¡± ¡°Yes, Master, Bery will take charge of her with utter devotion!¡± Bery cut in, causing Bogan to smile wryly. ¡°¡¡she will take care of anything you need. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not sure about just ask her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Now then, Bery, show Krische around.¡± ¡°Understood. Come this way Krische-sama.¡± Krische nces at her unfinished tea and cookie, but held herself back, nodding and getting to her feet. Watching her, Bery let out a smallugh and whispered to her, ¡°Let¡¯s have tea again in your room.¡± Krische blushed at having been seen through, but still nodded a little. After the two of them had left, Bogan took down a bottle from the shelf. He also grabbed two ss cups and offered one to Gallen with a smile. ¡°¡¡I¡¯ve been abstainingtely.¡± ¡°It should be fine once in a while. Did you forget? Captain, you are the one who taught me how to drink.¡± ¡°Kuku, I¡¯m not that senile yet.¡± ¡°Great¡¡and it is not so bad to rx with a drink asionally.¡± Bogan poured a dark brown liquid into the cups. Smelling the alcohol, Gallen tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± ¡°It is a drink from the south, they call it liquor. Try some.¡± Gallen took a gulp and had to suppress a cough. He had never experienced this sensation burning his throat. The unique, rich smell stung his nose and it felt warm in his stomach. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. But quite strong.¡± ¡°Apparently it is meant to be drunk after distilling with some water, but I like drinking it as it is. I had thought captain would like it better this way.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right¡¡ tastes expensive.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. But it really is not that expensive.¡± Bogan also took a gulp, then let out arge sigh. ¡°Drinking has be a habit. This is all captain¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t introduce you to drinking, you would¡¯ve ended up like this sooner orter. Gallenughed and Bogan smiled back. ¡°¡¡this reminds me of when I fought under you. Those times were good.¡± ¡°The standards of living was very different¡¡and rather than that kind of muddy ce, your current position fits you more.¡± ¡°General¡¡huh. I had aspired to be one back then, but now I¡¯m just crushed under the weight of the responsibility. If possible, I just wanted to keep fighting as your subordinate.¡± Letting out a deep sigh, Bogan leaned back into the sofa. ¡°Perhaps I should retire like you, go to some remote ce¡¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad life¡¡ it really was, quite good. But peace can copse in the blink of an eye¡¡ I had forgotten that.¡± ¡°¡¡captain, what will you do now?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Gallen sank into thought, absentmindedly swirling the liquor in his ss around. Bogan spoke up. ¡°Would you like to rejoin me as my adjutant? I have that power. Of course, that is only if you wish it, captain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to go back to the battlefield?¡± ¡°I will not let that incident happen again¡¡ I am the general now.¡± That was back when Gallen was a soldier. He had been ordered to burn down a vige as an example for what happens to those who shelter the enemy. Naturally, Gallen refused. He insisted that only those involved should be punished. His subordinates, including Bogan, had agreed¨D¨Dwhich might have made things worse. Their superior at that time threatened to not only punish Gallen and his aide, Bogan, for disobeying orders, but also their soldiers. Most of the soldiers were from poor viges, they joined the army to feed their families. Disobeying orders is a heavy crime¨D¨Dthe punishment was not just detention or expulsion from the army, depending on the situation, they could be executed. ¨D¨Dthe soldiers or the vige. Weighing them against each other, in the end Gallen obeyed, then left the army shortly after. ¡°¡¡that¡¯s an unpleasant, a really unpleasant memory. I can still hear the screams and crying.¡± He had let many escape. But there were still casualties. How did they live after that, with their houses and foodstores burnt down. Just imagining it made his heart hurt. ¡°I was weak, Bogan.¡± ¡°¡¡captain, you are strong. Even when you left the army, that was to take responsibility and to protect us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural for me to take responsibility. But¡..that¡¯s not all. I just, could not stand it anymore.¡± Gallen sighed and continued. ¡°¡¡this incident, might have been inevitable, karma from that time.¡± ¡°Captain¡¡¡± Bogan shook his head and stood up. He patted Gallen on the shoulder and spoke. ¡°She will be lonely by herself. Returning to the army is just a suggestion. Even without doing that, you can stay here as long as you like.¡± ¡°¡¡thanks. Let me think on it a little.¡± ¡°Of course, as long as you need. Are you going back to the vige tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then rx for today. Please use the usual room.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you.¡± Gallen smiled faintly, the wrinkles in his face deepening. -End- Hard chapter, I¡¯lle back to this in the future once I¡¯ve improved. uracy should be there but not satisfied with how much of the nuances I managed to capture. Chapter 8: U.E. C.8: Cooking Chapter 8: U.E. C.8: Cooking ¡°Wah¡¡¡± Krische looked around with sparkling eyes. The shelves are filled with pots, frying pans, knives anddles. These aremon items but they are rich in variety and their high quality is visible at a nce. The kitchen took up a whole room by itself and everything you needed for cooking is avable. Krische excitedly asked Bery about this and that and Bery patiently answered. The facilities are all designed to use mana, no fire is used. Blue crystals known as magic crystals are used for heating and cooling. A pump is used to draw water from a well and send water through a pipe to this kitchen. A refrigerator is used to dy the expiry of foodstuffs. A kitchen designed around mana. This was enough to destroy Krische¡¯s very concept of cooking, in the past, all she had done was ce a cutting board on the ground. Krische was shocked by the extravagance of using a whole room just for cooking. ¡°Krische-sama must really like cooking. I did not expect you to want to see the kitchen first.¡± ¡°Eh, ah¡¡ yes, I like, cooking.¡± Krische finally realised how excited she had been acting and answered embarrassedly, fidgeting. Her beautiful silver hair swayed with her movements as her white cheeks blushed red. The sight of herrge eyes wavering, surrounded by those long eyshes was indescribably adorable and Bery could no longer hold herself back. ¡°Wah.¡± Bery hugged Krische tightly, stroking her head. ¡°Ufufu, why are you so cute¡¡ if there is anything you want to know, please ask me. Would you like to cook together?¡± ¡°Er¡¡? Yes¡¡¡± Krische seemed to be okay with it so Bery enjoyed hugging her for a while before pulling away and putting a hand to her chin, falling into thought. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I was nning to prepare dinner after showing you to your room¡¡ but would Krische-sama like to join me?¡± ¡°Can I¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. It might be rude to make a guest help with the cooking¡¡ but if Krische-sama wishes to help, I am in no position to refuse.¡± ¡°¡¡th, then, Krische also, wants to cook.¡± ¡°Great, great! Then¡¡I have Master¡¯s permission today, so let¡¯s make a grand dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische nodded with a wide smile. They cooked together, Bery teaching Krische how to use each piece of equipment along the way, but since Krische manipted mana on a daily basis, she was quick to learn how to operate magic crystals for simple heating, impressing Bery. They briskly prepared the ingredients as Bery guided Krische. Bery had a good environment and the chance to learn from books, her skill in cooking awed Krische. Krische is self-taught and can make the most out of limited ingredients, but shecks knowledge and everything is based on experience. Bery taught Krische how to handle the ingredients and why while Krische readily absorbed the knowledge like water in desert sand. Each shelf and table had been ced with careful consideration for efficient cooking and Bery made full use of them. Not only that, Bery had abundant knowledge and talent, an excellent pte and spared no efforts in her cooking. To Krische, Bery is an extremely good teacher. Her exnations are clear and understandable while her handling of ingredients and knifework were like art. Bery¡¯s cooking is far beyond Krische¡¯s, Krische quickly admitted that and grew attached to Bery. To Bery, Krische is also a good student and her heart was stolen by the sight of Krische clutching a kitchen knife with glittering eyes. By the time they hadpleted a few dishes, they had developed an extremely strong bond of trust between them and Bery loved Krische from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°Yes, delicious¡¡¡± Taste-testing the meat in the soup, Krische smiled. Bery nodded back with a smile. ¡°This is the result of preparing your ingredients properly. By giving the meat a quick sear before adding it to the soup, the delicious juices are locked into the meat. You will have to do it differently if you want to use it for stock though.¡± ¡°I see¡¡¡± ¡°By cutting a small slit in hard vegetables like this, the soup will seep into it and they will be soft. Isn¡¯t thispletely different?¡± ¡°Yes, amazing¡¡¡± A stew with soft blocks of mutton, roast beef with a sour fruit sauce and bacon pizza with cheese and tomato baked in the oven. The faint fragrance of the herbs used for seasoning tickled Krische¡¯s nose, raising her expectations. ¨D¨Dshe had never encountered such alluring food. Guu, Krische¡¯s stomach growled and she blushed. Bery smiled and said. ¡°It usually takes a little more time to prepare dinner, but thanks to Krische we are done early. Let¡¯s eat before it goes cold.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Bery carried the pot of stew and a basket of bread, Krische brought the roast beef and pizza. The kitchen is the furthest room on the left and the dining hall is two rooms away. The dining room was furnished with a long table and eight chairs. The room was not veryrge but it was stillrger than the house Krische had lived in. Setting the dishes, Krischeid out the cutlery with Bery. ¡°I will go inform them that dinner is ready. Please seat here and wait.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische sat down as Bery left the room, her posture straight and proper as she waited. The room was warm, so the food would not go cold so quickly. Krische could feel the saliva build up in her mouth but waited patiently, like a dog that had been told to wait. Soon, the door opened. A beautiful blonde girl entered. She had sharp eyebrows and her eyes were cat-like with a kind of strength behind them. She had an elegantly straight nose and nicely shaped plump lips. She was dressed in a gorgeous light blue one-piece dress and was fidgeting with her long hair with an unhappy expression. She scowled upon seeing Krische, then looked away. ¡°Er¡¡hello, I am Krische.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± With just that, she sat down. In the seat opposite Krische. Is this the ¡®Ojou-sama¡¯ Bery mentioned? thought Krische. Apparently that ojou-sama is strong-willed and did not like homely things like cooking, preferring to wield a sword and studybat tactics. Her goal is to seed her father in the future. Her age should be close to Krische¡¯s, turning thirteen this year. That girl is now looking at Krische sullenly with her arms crossed. Unsure why she is unhappy, Krische checked her own outfit. Maybe it is not appropriate to wear this apron thing during a meal? Krische stood up and took off the apron, folding it neatly and cing it on herp. Watching her, the girl narrowed her eyes. ¡°Already earning points? Such a good girl.¡± ¡°¡¡? Earning points?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get full of yourself just because you helped cook. As expected of someone from the countryside, so tenacious.¡± What is she angry about? Krische cocked her head, thinking. ¡°It seems Bery has taken quite a liking to you, but I¡¯m against someone like you living here. You better understand that.¡± Dering that, the girl fell silent. Krische thought about those words and considered her own position. Krische is about to be treated to a meal and will definitely be living a much more enjoyable life than before. But Bogan is the one providing for Krische. That means that until now, this girl had been brought up by him and received all the benefits herself. But now her share of the pie had been reduced, no wonder she was not happy. It¡¯s like a pumpkin pie for three that she was going to eat alone and having one share stolen away. ¡®Just because you helped cook¡¯ must be criticising Krische¡¯s small contribution. She praised Krische as a ¡®good girl¡¯ for helping to cook, so that in itself is not a bad thing. She must mean that Krische just has not contributed enough. She is asking Krische forpensation equivalent to the share of the pie that had been taken from her. With that understanding, Krische nodded. ¡°Okay. Then Krische will do her best to be epted by Ojou-sama.¡± ¡°Huh¡¡?¡± In response to her blunt rejection, Krische had smiled. Confused, the girl¨D¨DSelene frowned at Krische with a dubious look. Even though she had so rudely rejected this younger girl, she didn¡¯t look upset at all, just showing a small smile. That response was so unexpected Selene was dumbfounded. As she was looking for and failing to find the words to respond with, the door opened and Bogan, Gallen and Bery entered. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re early today Selene. Were you talking with Krische?¡± ¡°Y, Yes, Otou-sama. A little¡¡¡± Bogan tilted his head at Selene¡¯s slightly sullen response. But seeing how Krische is smiling, Bogan assumed that they had only just exchanged greetings. Bogan had heard from Gallen that although she is not the type to show much emotion, Krische is a quiet, kind and hardworking girl. They should be able to get along, thought Bogan happily. ¡°I see. Krische, she¡¯s a headstrong girl, but please get along with her.¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± ¡°Haha, no need to be so formal.¡± Boganughed cheerfully as he sat at the head of the table and Gallen sat diagonal to him¨D¨Don Krische¡¯s right. Bery poured wine and water for all of them and distributed the food before sitting on Krische¡¯s left. Seeing that, Selene¡¯s mood grew worse. Oblivious, Bogan raised his ss and dered. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the meal¡¡ to my respected mentor and his granddaughter.¡± Seeing everyone else raise their sses, Krische quickly followed and took a sip. The unique sour and bitter taste of wine made Krische frown a little. She had been taught not to be picky so she did not openly show it, but Krische did not like the wine. Krische¡¯s young tongue was not able too endure the bitterness to appreciate theplexity of wine. Bery smiled as she watched Krische and poured a ss of juice for Krische. Krische timidly epted it and sipped the grape juice. Bery watched her with an affectionate expression as they began their meal. Normally servants would eat separately but this family did not care about such rules. Krische reached for the pizza first, filling her small mouth. She could feel the texture of the crispy base and melted cheese. They had used plenty of cheese in making this sumptuous pizza and Krische was very satisfied with the taste of cheese filling her mouth. Next is the soup. Then the roast beef. Krische savoured them one by one, feeling the happiness of having both her tongue and stomach satisfied. This is indisputably the most delicious food Krische has ever eaten. Bery taught Krische a little about table manners, smiling as she watched Krische enjoying herself. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°¡¡yes, very.¡± ¡°Fufu, it is thanks to Krische-sama helping. The soup is mostly made by Krische-sama too.¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Bogan interjected curiously. ¡°Yes, she knows how to season, stew and is good at handling a kitchen knife¡¡ I only taught her the recipe. She also mastered how to use magic crystals instantly.¡± ¡°K, Krische hardly¡¡ Bery taught Krische a lot. Krische did not¡¡¡± She was self-taught but Krische had a good understanding of the basics of cooking and how to handle a kitchen knife. Assured by that, Bery had only taught her the recipe and helped a little. Bery meant what she said, but Krische did not agree. Krische had always cooked through trial and error, the cooking this time was aplete unknown for her. How many years would it take for her to produce such dishes herself? To Krische, Bery is the grand existence that guided her to create such dishes. Krische desperately denied it, not wanting to steal credit. But Bery smiled back at her. ¡°It is just a difference in knowledge. I was simply in a more fortunate environment. If Krische-sama and my positions were reversed, it would be different. It is because of Krischee-sama¡¯s experience that such delicious dishes were created.¡± ¡°Er, but¡¡¡± ¡°Hahaha, it must be true if Bery says that. Bery doesn¡¯tpromise when ites to cooking. Just ept thepliment.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± Krische still did not agree but nodded for now, losing interest in that topic as she continued eating. Every bite was bliss. The vours filling her mind numbed her thoughts. ¡°But the magic crystals too? She should have good senses but¡¡ all of them?¡± ¡°Yes. There were some that are normally difficult to use, but it was simple for her.¡± ¡°¡¡I see. She might have a talent for that too.¡± Krische continued eating, letting Bogan and Bery¡¯s conversation go in one ear and out the other. But then¨D¨D ¡°Thanks for the meal!¡± Selene suddenly mmed the table and stood up. Slightly surprised by the sudden sound, Krische looked up at her. Selene red back at Krische. Then without a word, she ripped the door open and stalked out. ¡°¡¡haa, that girl. Sorry about her, she¡¯s been like thattely.¡± Bogan muttered. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being too busy with work and not spending time with her. She¡¯s been feeling lonely¡¡ I hope that having someone of simr age like you around will be good for her. If possible, could I ask you to be her conversation partner?¡± ¡°Yes, if you are okay with Krische.¡± ¡°¡¡thanks.¡± Gallen smiled at his granddaughters response and continued eating silently. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s continue our meal¡¡ Bery, I¡¯ll check in on herter.¡± ¡°Yes, Master. Then I shall bring some tea.¡± ¡°Aah, thanks.¡± The next day, Gallen returned with the trading cart to the vige. Krische was left behind alone and began her life in the Christand house. Even from Krische¡¯s point of view, Bery is a really skilled person. As the person who has taken care of cleaning and maintaining the wide estate and prepared the meals by herself, Bery is skilled in many fields. Apparently she was also a former noble and is quite knowledgeable, she is able to provide answers to most of Krische¡¯s questions. Bery is Selene¡¯s aunt. She is the much younger step-sister of Bogan¡¯ste wife, Lazura. When Bogan wed Lazura, he had also hired Bery as a servant. Bery looked to be in herte teens, but apparently she is in her twenties. ording to Bery, people with mana and have learnt to manipte it tend to age slower. ¡°We will stop here for today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It is better to clean moderately. If you do it everyday, it can damage the building and is too much work.¡± Krische voluntarily helped Bery with her work, delighting Bery. Krische also likes keeping things neat and clean. She enjoys chores likeundry and also considered helping Bery a natural thing to do,pensation for learning cooking from her. The difference in their cooking knowledge grew smaller day by day. Bery held nothing back, demonstrating her skills and granting Krische her knowledge. Krische had thought she could catch up to Bery¡¯s skill in the near future, but Bery is a perfectionist like Krische, attempting to create new vours everyday. Krische rates Bery highly for this desire for self-improvement and not being satisfied with her current state. A person¡¯s tastes changes based on their condition and mood. Though there might be a perfect dish for a certain day, there is nothing that you can eat everyday without getting sick of it. Being much more skilled than others in many ways, it is this side of cooking that fascinates Krische. And Bery is also fascinated by the same thing. In Krische¡¯s mind, Bery is already herrade and also her forerunner. Krische¡¯s opinion of Bery keeps rising with no sign of stopping, by now Krische¡¯s life ispletely centered around Bery¨D¨Dshe spends her days following Bery around. Naturally, Bery¡¯s heart was stolen by this girl that is so attached to her. Since their rtionship is centered around food, which Krische easily gets embarrassed about, Bery¡¯s impression of Krische is of a shy girl. As the only person that can see Krische¡¯s cute side on a daily basis, Bery found Krische to be a little unusual but a really adorable girl. Bery had noticed early on that Krische has above average intelligence and thinks slightly differently, but that did not change her opinion of Krische. Part of it is because Bery had heard of Krische¡¯s situation in the vige and knew of her pitiable circumstances, so she pampered Krische such that Krische could have peace of mind. And Krische did not grow spoilt from this pampering, making Bery¡¯s opinion of Krische rise endlessly. As a perfectionist, Krische spared no effort to pensate¡¯ goodwill towards herself. The more she was pampered, the harder she worked topensate Bery. Like a newborn chick, she stuck to Bery, doing her best to ¡®help¡¯. Cute is the only word to describe it. ¡°Now then, it is too early to start preparing dinner. Shall we have some tea?¡± ¡°¡¡tea.¡± ¡°Fufu, actually¡¡ I baked some cookies in the oven earlier. I would like Krische-sama to judge them for me.¡± ¡°Cookies¡¡¡± Krische blushed. Krische loves sweets. But Krische found it improper and embarrassing to indulge in them. This is because while eating them, there is an obvious drop in Krische¡¯s intelligence. But for Bery, Krische getting absorbed in sweets is just adorable. Wanting to see that side of Krische, Bery took every opportunity to feed her sweets. Krische was terrified of bing addicted to sweets and has made the very painful decision of refusing a few times, but her enemy is formidable. Bery started feeding Krische under the guise of taste-testing. If the purpose is taste-testing, as someone who strives to perfect cooking, Krische could not refuse. Knowing this, Bery used it to feed Krische sweets. ¡°Could you help me taste-test, Krische-sama? I tried adding plenty of honey today.¡± ¡°Plenty, uu¡¡¡± ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve prepared it in your room.¡± In the end, Krische loses to desire every time. Krische is serious and diligent, but she works too hard. It¡¯s important to take breaks thought Bery initially, buttely she just wants to see Krische shyly nibbling on cookies. In less then a week, they rtionship had be sugary sweet. Krische and Bery¡¯s rtionship is great and there are no problems between them, but there is still a problem. ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± ¡°Oh, Ojou-sama. Krische-sama and I are about to have some tea, would you like to join us?¡± Selene. Selene red at Krische as she rejected the offer. ¡°Unlike that girl I¡¯m busy¡¡ and you, don¡¯te today. You¡¯re a nuisance.¡± Krische has been visiting Selene¡¯s room everyday. Bluntly honest, Krische has been visiting Selene every night saying ¡®Krische has been told to talk to Ojou-sama¡¯, but naturally, with poor results. Krische is always turned away by an exasperated Selene. So far it is Krischeplete defeat. ¡°But, we¡¡¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying I have nothing to talk about with you.¡± ¡°Ca, calm down¡¡¡± Bery pacified her and changed the topic. ¡°Since Belna-sama has left, I thought this would be a good time.¡± ¡°¡¡haa. Otou-sama is going to give me sword training. I have no time for tea.¡± Home tutors visit this estate everyday to teach Selene. Today was the history teacher, yesterday was math andw the day before. When her father is around and avable, sword training. It is not a lie when she says she is busy. Selene is an overly serious hard worker, and that grew even more pronounced ever since her mother passed away. She is currently aiming to seed her father in the army, leading to many arguments with Bery, straining their rtionship. ¡°¡¡I see. Please, be careful not to get hurt.¡± ¡°Injury is part of training.¡± Saying that, Selene turned away and descended the stairs. ¡°¡¡am I saying too much? But she is not a man, seeing ojou-sama wield a sword makes me worry¡¡¡± Bery let out a small sigh. ¡°The Christand family is a military family. I know it is thanks to that that we can live in this splendid estate. But, I do not believe ojou-sama needs to follow that tradition.¡± It sounded as if she was confessing her inner thoughts. Krische was suddenly reminded of her mother. ¡°¡¡Krische¡¯s kaa-sama also said the same things as Bery-san. She was worried that Krische was going for sword practice.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They entered Krische¡¯s room and prepared tea. The cookies were still warm and the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies wafted in the air. Krische clenched her mouth shut, trying not to let it rx into a smile. ¡°But Krische believes that in the end, that is all you can rely on. At the very least, it was very useful for Krische.¡± ¡°¡¡Krische-sama.¡± Remembering what happened to Krische¡¯s vige, Bery lowered her eyes. ¡°¡¡I guess my opinion is that of someone in a safe ce. I am sorry if I offended you.¡± Krische shook her head in response. Training for battle is important and necessary, but society is built upon more than that. People who like the sword tend to be more emotional than other people. They are more assertive, short tempered and violent. They are important, but their nature is the direct opposite of the workers that form the foundation of vige life. When there is no conflict, they are more of a minus that disturbs the peace. Krische believes that in that sense, people who think like Bery are perfect as a brake and are indispensable. Generally, Krische likes stability. Thanks to her parents, Krische has a good understanding of the importance of rules and regtions and dislikes those that disturb the peace. She learnt the sword mainly to protect this stability. So Krische does not like conflict, which reduces productivity and rather than fighters, Krische values people like Bery more. ¡°Krische thinks the sword is necessary to protect your home, but that is because there are people like Bery-san and Kaa-sama. Krische thinks both ojou-sama and Bery are not wrong.¡± Bery widened her eyes, then smiled gently. ¡°¡¡thank you very much. Krische-sama is young, but you have thought things through.¡± ¡°Krische is still¡¡far from perfect.¡± Saying that, Krische looked at the cookies. Feeling the saliva build up in her mouth, she blushed as her own immodesty. Bery giggled, then offered one to Krischee. ¡°There is a lot, so I will need you to taste-test a lot.¡± ¡°A lot¡¡¡± Taking one, Krische filled her small mouth. Bery had baked the cookies small enough for Krische to eat them in one mouthful. Feeling the sweetness of the honey spread through her mouth as she bit into the crispy cookie, Krische smiled in bliss. ¡°Fufu, I still cannot really tell if Krische-sama is already mature, or still a small child.¡± Saying that, Beryughed softly. -End- Yes, Bery gave wine to ten and thirteen year old girls. Chapter 9: U.E. C.9: Selene And Bery Chapter 9: U.E. C.9: Selene AndBery Krische and Berry enjoyed their cookies and tea as they watched the training in the sunnywn below through the window. Bogan loosely held his sword at his side in his right hand while Selene braced her sword in front of herself with both hands. Selene¡¯s stance is solid and sturdy, far betterpared to others of simr age that Krische has seen. She isparable to the vige¡¯s sword instructors, the former soldiers, but not quite at Zaal¡¯s level. Around there? Krische analysed. They faced off for a while, then Selene tensed slightly¨D¨Dand stepped forward in one smooth motion. Her de swung down diagonally in a sharp motion¨D¨Dbut it was a feint. Making use of her small build, she sank low and thrust forward. She stretched her flexible body making the tip of the de reach further than you would expect. But Bogan dodged it by pulling back half a step and countered. Selene twisted her body and blocked with her sword. Their swords were real, just with dulled des, they were much heavier than wooden swords. Frowning at the impact, Selene pushed back. Bogan only held his sword with one hand and Selene managed to knock it away and step closer¨D¨Dbut that was Bogan¡¯s ploy. He let her knock away his own sword and used that momentum to turn and dodge Selene¡¯s thrust. He then stepped behind her and thrust the tip of his sword to the back of her neck. ¡°¡¡I lost.¡± ¡°Mhm, the first movement was good. But you were too anxious to end the bout. That¡¯s why your attacks were simple and you fell for my ploy.¡± Bogan is arge man, but his swordsmanship is surprisingly refined. He does not rely on strength to deflect his opponent¡¯s de. Of course it is also partly because his opponent is Selene, but his movements are refined with no sign of roughness. It was quite different from what Zaal called the sword of the battlefield. ¡°¡¡Krische. How about it, would you like to try too?¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± Bogan invited Krische who had been looking at them through the window, making Selene grimace. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you from your ojii-san. I would like to see it for myself¡¡ and it will be good stimulus for Selene.¡± ¡°Otou-sama.¡± Krische saw Selene ring at her, but decided that she could not refuse Bogan¡¯s request. Especially since she has not been able to fulfill Bogan¡¯s request to ¡®talk to Selene¡¯, she could not let Bogan¡¯s opinion of Krische drop any further. ¡°Yes, master.¡± ¡°¡¡Krische-sama.¡± Bery looked at Krische worriedly. Krische looked back, tilting her head in question. Then she realised why Bery was worried and nodded. ¡°Krische will not get hurt or hurt him, so it is okay.¡± ¡°Er¡¡okay¡¡?¡± Krische¡¯s words were so confident that Bery was bewildered. Having enjoyed their cookies and tea, Krische went downstairs with Bery to the garden. Selene¡¯s mood seemed to have grown even worse and she red at Krische, but did not say anything. Urged by Bogan, she handed her practice sword to Krische then went to lean against a wall with her arms crossed. Krische checked how the long sword felt in her hand. It was slightly heavy and the de is long, making the center of gravity quite far out. Since Krische controlled her body using mana, strength is not a problem, but bnce is arge problem. When she swings a sword, her small body can be dragged in that direction and she can lose her bnce. The wooden sword she usually used was not this heavy and the sword she had borrowed from the bandits was a small curved sword. This long sword only had it¡¯s de dulled and is still slightly difficult for Krische to wield. ¡°It¡¯s the same kind that soldiers¡¯ use, so it might be a little heavy but it¡¯s what we use for training. Can you handle it?¡± ¡°Can I do a few practice swings?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± Krische casually swung the sword. She lost her bnce and frowned. She adjusted her footwork, stepping in the direction the sword is pulling her, but the sword is still quite heavy. Seeing how sharp Krische¡¯s swings were, Bogan¡¯s eyes widened, as did Selene¡¯s. But with every swing, Krische lost her bnce, ruining it. Bogan considered changing to a lighter sword for her while Selene looked somewhat relieved. But Krische¡¯s clumsiness was temporary. If her body is going to be dragged along, then just follow the sword. Krische gave up trying to maintain her stance and entrusted her body to the weight of the de. ¡°¡¡this is¡± Bogan muttered to himself. Krische held herself low and swung the sword horizontally, using her forward leg as an axis to spin her body around. Her de drew circles as Krische danced. asionally, she made sharp thrusts, shed upwards and swung down. She switched from her right hand to her left hand to holding it backhanded. Krische¡¯s acrobatic swordsmanship pursued only efficiency and was being refined at an astonishing speed. When the de storm, when Krische¡¯s danced finally stopped, Bogan was frowning with a serious expression and Selene was stunned into a daze. Only Bery smiled in relief and apuded her. ¡°Amazing, Krische-sama, it was like a martial artist¡¯s sword dance.¡± Krische could understand the characteristics of a weapon, derive the logic behind its movements and refine it into technique. She eliminated inefficiencies and simply looked for the most efficient movements. She has already perfected the concept of battle, the type of weapon is a trivial matter. To her it was natural¨D¨Dthis was simply warm up. ¡°¡¡? Thank you very much¡¡¡± Not sure why she was praised, Krische cocked her head and thanked Bery. Krische has a tendency of taking things that are ¡®natural for her¡¯ lightly and does not see much value in them. This thinking is the root of her distorted virtue of always returning more than what was received. Krische put it out of her mind and checked the condition of her body. Because she has not moved like this in a while, her joints hurt. Although Krische does not experience muscle pain, moving her body strains it. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her breathing was a little rough. ¡°¡¡wow, so this is a genius? I understand what captain meant now¡¡ Krische, could I ask for a bout?¡± ¡°Yes, sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± Krische spun the sword around in her hand, getting used to it and settled into a rxed stance. She is outside of his reach. Krische always takes the most effective stance for the situation. She looked defenseless, just standing there, but Bogan could see that there were no weak spots at all. He raised his empty left hand before him and turned side-on towards Krische. A battlefield sword style known as the Rolka style uses a shield in the left hand to deflect the opponent¡¯s sword and make him lose his bnce while striking with the sword in the right hand. This style does not lose its strength even when the left hand is empty. In this case, the left hand is used to grab the opponent¡¯s hand or body if there is the chance, serving as bait for the opponent¡¯s sword and making sure the opponent does not get too close. Krische observed that unfamiliar stance with cold, inhuman eyes. She considered the strengths and weaknesses of that stance and thought about how to defeat it. If she targeted the outstretched left hand, Bogan would pull his hand back and knock away Krische¡¯s sword with his. But if she closed the distance and aimed for his torso, his left hand would be free to catch Krische. Krische could see the ¡®floofy thing¡¯¨D¨Dthe thing Bogan called mana, around his body, so there will not be that much of a difference in the speed of their des. As long as Bogan did not move, his stance could not be broken with a single attack. Coming to that conclusion, Krische continued her nning while waiting for Bogan to move. Bogan also sensed that it was dangerous for him to approach her carelessly. Krische¡¯s eyes were clear like the surface of a calmke. Her eyes would not miss his slightest movement and herposure felt like that of an old veteran¡¯s. Bogan has an overwhelming advantage in reach. For Krische tond a deciding blow on Bogan, she would naturally need to step in closer than Bogan. Since that is her greatest weakness, Bogan could not make the first move. If Bogan stepped forward, that would make it easier for Krische to get in range. ¡°¡¡mu.¡± Krische started walking defenselessly. She moved clockwise around Bogan, drawing an arc. Is she trying to disturb my stance? Bogan pondered her intentions while maintaining his stance, keeping Krische in front of him. Krische finally made a her move when she was close to the estate¡¯s wall. She stepped in and swung the sword in her left hand horizontally. She was aiming for Bogan¡¯s left arm. She disyed flexibility and agility that was unimaginable from her. Her body was supple like a whip and all her strength was channeled into her sword¨D¨Dgenerating terrifying speed. But Bogan calmly kept track her sword. He had seen how fast she could move and swing her sword, this is within his expectations. Did she get impatient? Bogan pulled his left arm back and regained the initiative. He knocked Krische¡¯s sword aside with his own¨D¨Dand in that instant, he realised he was mistaken. There was no resistance from her sword as he knocked it away. She followed the swords momentum, turning away from Bogan. Krischended on the wall and kicked off, doing a back flip over Bogan¡¯s head andnding like a cat. ¡°¡¡!¡± But Bogan is an experienced fighter. He instantly understood he was disadvantaged and intentionally fell backwards. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± This is a training bout. She couldn¡¯t cut him. Krische slowed her sword so that she could stop it in time, leading to it merely pass before Bogan¡¯s eyes. And the tip of Bogan¡¯s de was already at Krische¡¯s throat. ¡°Uuu¡¡I lost.¡± Krische had aimed to win and blushed at her own defeat, but had no choice but to admit it. Hearing Krische¡¯s rxed voice, the two watching let out the breaths they had been holding. Bogan sighed as he lowered his sword. Borrowing Krische¡¯s hand, Bogan stood up. ¡°I had thought I could win with that method¡¡but it did not work.¡± ¡°¡¡no, it did.¡± If she had a sword that matched her better. Or if this was not a simple bout and was a real fight. ¨D¨DI would probably have been killed by this girl. Bogan felt a chill run down his spine. As a weak noble, Bogan had built his career on his sword and rose through the ranks to be a general, he had confidence in his own strength. He had not intended to hold back and even used physical enhancement in the bout against Krische. But she had calcted that she could win and acted. Krische¡¯s abnormality could not be described by natural genius. Seeing it for himself, Bogan understood why she had been expelled from the vige. On the other hand, Krische did not consider such excuses. They used the same sword and were under the same conditions to stop before hurting the opponent. It was a fair match. She believed that she had been defeated simply because she was still inexperienced and blushed. Krische frowned slightly as she handed Bogan the sword, messaging her wrists and elbows. ¡°Do they hurt?¡± ¡°¡¡not really, just a little because I have not moved this much in a while¡¡it is not an injury.¡± ¡°¡¡Bery, take a look at her. The sword must¡¯ve been too heavy.¡± ¡°Y, yes¡¡ Krische-sama, let us go to your room.¡± Krische followed Bery back into the estate. Selene watched her leave with her fists clenched tight, trembling. I thought it would be good stimulus for her, but this might¡¯ve been too much, thought Bogan as he scratched his head awkwardly. Krische was too abnormal to simply be stimulus for her. ¡°There are exceptional cases like her in this world. Don¡¯t let it weigh on your mind.¡± Selene rxed the tension in her shoulders and calmed her breathing, then snatched the sword that Krische had been using from Bogan. ¡°¡¡otou-sama, one more round please.¡± Selene¡¯s sword was even wilder this time, as if channeling the raging emotions within. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische can begin anytime.¡± Krische and Selene faced each other under the moonlight. After returning to her room, Bery had bandaged Krische and then they prepared dinner. Bery had told Krische to rest but gave in when Krische insisted on cooking, so they prepared dinner together like usual. Selene did note down for dinner, so the remaining three had dinner after Bery brought Selene¡¯s dinner to her room. During the meal, Bogan asked Krische about how she learnt her swordsmanship, interrogating her about each and every detail of her time in the vige, only to be lectured by Bery for his rapid-fire questions and they ended their meal peacefully. After dinner, they bathed. Most homes would not have a bath, but public baths exists and upper ss homes like the Christand estate have a bath. Although it did not quite take up an entire room, it wasrge enough for two, three people to enter at the same time, awing Krische with the sheer extravagance of it when she first saw it. Krische is so much of a clean freak that she bathes in the river everyday, even in winter. Krische has taken a liking to this bath where she can clean herself with warm water and then rx and soak in it. Except for when he is out for work, Bogan goes first, then Selene. After that is Krische¡¯s turn, but Krische bathes with Bery. At first it was so that Bery could exin to Krische how to use the bath, but Krische really enjoyed being washed by Bery and it naturally led to them bathing together. After their bath, they enjoyed some tea in Krische¡¯s room, then Krische headed to Selene¡¯s room. Bogan had requested for her to ¡®talk to Selene¡¯, so it is Krische¡¯s duty to fulfill it. Krische believes it is natural to fulfill the requests of her guardian, Bogan, who is providing this environment for her and felt no doubts about doing this. Since she has strong expectations for herself to be superior, she believes it is natural to be able to fulfill his request and felt pathetic that she still cannot do it. Both Bogan and Bery are impressed by Krische for not giving up despite being chased away with cold words every time, but Krische¡¯s standard is always herself. They told her there is no need to force herself, but she still stubbornly visited Selene¡¯s room today. Selene seemed to be expecting Krische and today, instead of her usual sleepwear, she was dressed in her training clothes. Sitting on a chair with her arms crossed, the first thing she said when she saw Krische was. ¡°Could you join me for a bout?¡± Since Krische was looking for an opportunity to ¡®talk¡¯, she had no reason to refuse and that leads to the current situation. Bery anxiously watched over them and Selene was gripping her sword too hard. Selene had learnt the same physical enhancement that Bogan uses, but from what Krische observed, there is a lot of inefficiencies in the movements of her mana. Selene is much weaker than Bogan, but she asked for a bout, so she must be asking for training, Krische came to that conclusion and honestly said what she was thinking. ¡°Ojou-sama, you are gathering too much mana around your right hand and left leg.¡± By looking at the concentration of mana, Selene clearly intends to leap forward with her left leg and sh diagonally. Krische could easily predict her movements. ¡°¡¡haa?¡± Selene grimaced, blushing. Was it hard to understand? Krische chose to use the simpler words she usually used. ¡°Er¡¡there is not enough of the ¡®floofy thing¡¯ to escape backwards. In that case you can only use it to step forward¡¡like this.¡± Krische stepped forward in a smooth motion and swung her sword towards Selene¡¯s neck. Bery screamed, but the sword stopped right before Selene¡¯s neck and a momentter, Selene leapt backwards. Selene uses a standard stance with the sword held in front and right leg forward. The left leg behind can be used to move forward but is hard to use for dodging backwards. ¡°That will lead to losing in one move. But¨D¨D¡± Feeling the ¡®floof¡¯ move to Selene¡¯s right leg, Krische stepped in again. This time Selene dodged backwards before Krische¡¯s sword could reach her. ¡°By moving the ¡®floof¡¯ to your forward leg, you can dodge the first attack.¡± ¡°Y, you¡¡who do you think you are!¡± Selene stepped forward this time. Krische saw through her motions and did not move, letting Selene¡¯s sword cut air, then thrust her sword to Selene¡¯s throat and smiled. ¡°This time is the opposite. There is not enough ¡®floof¡¯ around the leg you used to step forward. Also you are tensing up and negating the strength of the ¡®floof¡¯.¡± Selene made arge leap backwards. From that short exchange, there was already beads of sweat on Selene¡¯s forehead. ¡°The ¡®floof¡¯ is like very strong muscles, so you have rx your body. Trying to use your own muscles just gets in the way of the ¡®floof¡¯s¡¯ movements, so Krische is always fully rxed.¡± ¡°What, are you¡¡¡± Constructing imaginary muscles. Physical enhancement using mana can be summed up with those words, by wrapping semi-physical mana around your body, you can control it and rece the stretching and contractions of muscles with mana. This way, there is no need to tense up and using real muscles often gets in the way of the movements of the imaginary muscles. But momentary tensing and stiffening of muscles happen subconsciously. It is impossible topletely avoid and all masters that havee infinitely close to achieving this have spent their whole life training. Selene knows that is how to theoretically achieve the perfected form of physical enhancement, but this girl that is not so different in age had easily demonstrated it. A user of physical enhancement that has perfectly removed all inefficiencies can move exactly as they imagine. Like a puppet controlled by their thoughts through mana. Krische ispletely rxed with no stiffening or tension in her body. ¡°¡¡? Krische is Krische.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m, asking!¡± Selene stepped forward. This girl is something unknown. She easily dodged Selene¡¯s best attack and politely exined what was wrong with it. Krische saw through Selene¡¯s mistakes, exining them like she was pointing out problems in a form. It was like she was observing Selene from an overwhelming height. ¨D¨DSelene¡¯s parents had wished for a son. Bogan wished for an heir and so did her mother. It is normal for nobles to wish for a son and even more so for a military family. Of course, she was still loved and Selene was in no way dissatisfied with their love for her. As first. Selene picked up the sword so that her parents could entrust the family name to her with peace of mind. She worked quite hard and was said to be talented in her generation¨D¨Dbut it was also said, ¡®if only she is a man¡¯. Her parents told her there is no need to force herself, but Selene was infuriated. Her parents still wished for a son, a second child and consulted a doctor about their infertility. Her mother finally became pregnant with a second child, but her body was already weak in the first ce, it ended in a stillbirth and after developing puerperal fever, her mother passed away. Selene believed that if she had been born a man, this would not have happened. Selene had heard of Krische from Gallen a few times. Although Gallen could not use physical enhancement, he was her father¡¯s former superior and his swordsmanship was wonderful, he was also good at teaching. Selene had begged a reluctant Gallen to teach her and during their breaks, Gallen had mentioned his granddaughter a few times. A girl of simr age to Selene is already unbeatable not only by those of her age but also the adult men and is feared by the men. Even Gallen was not sure if he could beat her. Gallen had been talking about being worried for Krische¡¯s future, but Selene remembers Bogan voicing his interest to meet the girl that his captain calls a genius. Selene worked even harder. She did not want to admit that there was a girl better than her and wanted to believe that she also had the strength to defeat adults. That¡¯s why she felt very anxious when she heard that Bogan was adopting that girl because she had killed more than ten bandits and could no longer stay in the vige. Admitting Krische is superior would be like admitting her efforts until now was pointless. Selene would be admitting that in the end, she is just a normal girl. She could not admit that a girl of simr age was better, she could not ept it. But the girl right here, has clearly demonstrated it. Selene swung her sword. Krische dodged. Krische pointed out Selene¡¯s mistakes. Krische made enough space or counter attacked to stop Selene from attacking a second time. It was all Selene could do to dodge, she could only stare at those inhuman purple eyes as Krische used the timing when their swords could not reach each other to quickly point out Selene¡¯s mistakes. Those words were from a much higher position. She precisely exined the problems that Selene had felt subconsciously, but could not identify the reasons behind. Selene did not want to listen, but still heard them and almost subconsciously made corrections, surprising and vexing herself at the same time. Selene just kept moving. No matter how many times her attack failed, Selene kept moving. Dodge, receive, attack. But that did notst for long. She finally reached the limits of her stamina and could no longer hold back her tears of frustration. ¡°Er¡¡ are you okay?¡± ¡°Hic, sh, shut, up¡¡¡± Krische was dumbfounded when Selene suddenly crouched down and started crying. Was I too strict? Krische considered that, but Krische had been teaching extremely kindly by Krische¡¯s standards. Although Selene might be grateful, there is no reason for her to cry. For now, Krische put down her sword and with no hesitation, hugged Selene. The best way to deal with crying children is to give them a hug. Krische applied what she had learnt. Naturally, Selene struggled, but Krische did not let go. Instead, Krische gently stroked Selene¡¯s head as she cried. Bery hovered around them, but chose to stay on the sidelines. She could see that Krische was trying tofort Selene. ¡°Sto, stop it, why, do you¡¡¡± ¡°Krische learnt from Kaa-sama to do this for crying children. Krische does not really understand why ojou-sama is crying though.¡± Krische dered that as she continued stroking Selene¡¯s head, ignoring her struggles. Eventually Selene gave up struggling and rxed into Krische¡¯s arms. ¡°Krische has not been able to talk to ojou-sama at all, so if possible Krische would like ojou-sama to stop crying so we can talk. We cannot talk while you are crying and it would be such a waste to not be able to talk today.¡± ¡°Talk¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische wanted to talk to ojou-sama. It has been a week, yet we have not talked at all.¡± Selene sniffed. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Talk, what do you even want to talk about¡¡¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Krische blushed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± Selene looked at Krische in surprise, tears still streaming down her face, and asked. ¡°¡¡you, aftering to me so much this week and then be treated that way, don¡¯t you hate me?¡± ¡°¡¡? Krische does not remember being treated badly.¡± ¡°Just how carefree are you¡¡¡± ¡°Carefree¡¡?¡± Krische cocked her head in confusion. Selene sniffled, then sighed. ¡°Haa¡¡now I feel ridiculous. I feel so stupid for being so stubborn¡¡¡± ¡°Krische thinks Ojou-sama studies a lot and is very smart though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, aah, never mind¡¡¡± It is cold outside. Krische is starting to want to go back inside and looked towards Bery. Bery looked confused for a moment, then smiled and picked up the swords, calling to them to go back inside. Krische nodded and picked up Selene in her arms. ¡°Wh, what are you doing, let me go, I can walk by myself¡¡¡± ¡°Fufu, Krische-sama, please carry ojou-sama to her room. I will clean up and thene up. It is a bitte, but I will bring some tea.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Krische nodded with a smile and headed back to Selene¡¯s room with Selene struggling in her arms. Bery¡¯s request is more important to Krische than Selene. Perhaps because she was seen crying or because she was carried back, Selene was sulking after they got back to her room, burying her bright red face under the nkets. Bery dragged her out by force, distributed the leftover cookies from lunch and brewed tea, setting up a small night tea party. While they drank the sweetened tea, Krische reviewed the training they had just done, unable to think of anything else to talk about. Selene was unwilling but still listened. No matter how Selene felt, Krische¡¯s exnation is clear and simple. Selene is passionate about the sword and could not stay indifferent. Soon she started asking questions and eventually those questions turned to how Krische learned those skills and how her life was like. Krische answered matter-of-factly, not showing any emotion, but her story made Selene imagine what Krische must have felt. Feeling guilty, Selene exined about herself and why she treated Krische badly, then apologised sincerely. Krische felt there was nothing for Selene to apologise for but Selene insisted and they continued back and forth for a while. Smiling wryly, Bery threw both of them into the same bed, telling them to continue in bed. Obtaining a nice, warm body pillow to hug, Krische quickly fell asleep. Selene watched her with an exasperated expression, but was tired and quickly fell asleep. ¡°¡¡this girl.¡± When Selene woke up the next morning, Krische was still blissfully asleep. Watching her, Selene once again felt that she had been ridiculous and smiled wryly as she stroked Krische¡¯s head. Krische¡¯s eyes opened slightly, she rubbed them sleepily then greeted Selene sleepily. ¡°Good morning, ojou-sama.¡± ¡°Just call me Selene.¡± ¡°Selene¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡yes. It¡¯s still early, you can sleep a little longer.¡± ¡°Oka¡¡¡± When Selene petted Krische¡¯s head again, Krische hugged Selene and quickly returned to her blissful slumber. As Selene listened to Krische¡¯s breathing, she fell asleep, oversleeping for the first time in a while. They slept until Bery woke them up with a wry smile. Selene and Bery. This is how Krische met these two people, whom she will have a long rtionship with. -End- Chapter 10: U.E. C.10: Ten Thousand Pumpkin Shopping Chapter 10: U.E. C.10: Ten Thousand PumpkinShopping The technical difference between viges and towns is the presence of a town office administered by nobles. The town office collects taxes, conducts public works and manages the poption. Indiscriminately letting people live in town would quickly lead to the deterioration of security. Since nobles live in towns, that must be avoided. Excessive increase in poption would also lead to ack ofnd and other resources. So the town office controls the flow of people and resultingly, the majority of people living in town are merchants or artisans. This is because living in town requires a strict review by the town office and the usual method of getting through it is to rely on the merchant or artisan guild. People from the countryside that wish to live in town would usually be the apprentice of a merchant or an artisan. Even though Krische has been adopted by the great Christand family¨D¨Dthe margrave and general in charge of the north, she still has to go through the formalities. So Krische hase to the town office with Bery and Selene to do the paperwork. Bogan could have written a short note and gotten someone to deliver it, but it is better for Krische to meet the officials since she will be living in town. That is the main reason she is visiting the town office. Krische is still learning how to write, but she has learnt how to sign. She signed a few documents after Bery exined them to her and that was it, the paperwork at the town office did not take long. Their main objective today lies elsewhere. ¡°Now then, next is the cksmiths.¡± ¡°Haa¡¡we could just go at ater date.¡± ¡°It takes a while to make and she¡¯ll be troubled if she needs it while its not ready. You saw it too. Her swordsmanship is not normal. She should have a proper sword of her own.¡± This trip was for the paperwork and to buy ingredients for dinner. Selene had taken time off to apany them so she could bring Krische to the cksmiths. Selene could not ept that Krische had such skill but not own a sword. She is skilled enough that the general, Bogan Christand said he only won through luck. So naturally, Selene wants to give her a sword that suits her and Bery could not strongly oppose her. It is even harder to object considering Selene made time in her busy schedule to spend with Krische¨D¨DBery had long wished for Selene to take more breaks, she was working too hard. Taking that into ount, Bery gave in. Krische is a domestic girl that enjoys housework, especially cooking. Her swordsmanship is wonderful, but Bery is notfortable with letting such a girl wield a sword. But Krische herself did not seem to mind either way and was not particrly against it. As a result, Bery reluctantly agreed and let Selene do as she wished Dressed in a red one-piece dress, Selene led the way. On the other hand, Krische was dressed in a white one-piece that was handed down from Selene, following while holding Bery¡¯s hand. They walked for a while, going through a few alleys before arriving at the cksmiths district which mainly consisted of brick buildings. There is no precisely established district, but cksmiths are noisy and naturally gather at the outskirts of the town. Even without that, artisans usually have many connections with each other and tend to live close together. This is because even the task of making a sword is divided into the work of crafting the de, making the sheath, making leather for the sheath and the fine details, all done by different experts. ¡°We¡¯re going in there. This cksmith is skilled and is otou-sama¡¯s long time acquaintance. This is also where my sword was made.¡± They arrived at a two-story brick building. cksmiths deal with fire and their homes are usually fire-resistant brick buildings. The first floor is usually the store and workshop while the second floor is their living quarters. This building is not an exception to that. As Selene pulled open the simple door, Krische could see countless swords disyed carelessly. Some were hung up on the walls while the others were just leaning against the wall or in barrels, too crude to really call it a ¡®disy¡¯. Bery likes things neat and looked slightly astonished by the sight. There was a young man at the counter, yawning. But he quickly straightened up upon seeing them. ¡°Wel, wee! What do you need today, Selene ojou-sama?¡± ¡°Is the master in? I want him to make a sword for this girl.¡± ¡°That ojou-sama¡¡?¡± The slender, but muscr young man asked with his eyes locked on Krische. There were rumours in town that the Christands had adopted a daughter and he had heard that she was as beautiful as Selene. But he had not expected her beautiful silver hair and clear, white skin. She was emotionless, like a doll, and her fae-like beauty did not feel real. He was unable to hide his surprise at her beauty that exceeded the rumours. But it was just as clear that he was confused by thebination of this girl and swords. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s Krische. She will be a regr customer.¡± ¡°Haa¡¡I will call for him.¡± The young man left through a door to the back of the store. They could hear him shout, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s the Christand ojou-sama!¡±, but they could also hear the sound of metal striking metal. This will take a while, Selene thought as she turned to Krische. The sound of metal means he is working. Since he is working with heated metal, he can¡¯t stop immediately. And it will also take some time for him to tidy himself up. ¡°Krische, take this time to think about what kind of sword you want. You have preferences right?¡± ¡°Preferences?¡± ¡°It looked difficult for you to wield the training sword, so order something that suits you and is easier to use. I also had my sword designed to be lighter and specialised for thrusting.¡± Krische did not have any particr preferences as long as it works. If you could kill with it, anything is fine. The shape was not important as long as it was made of steel. In that sense, she had no preferences for weapons. But after seeing the collection of amazing cooking implements in the kitchen the other day, her thinking had changed. Most dishes can be made with just a kitchen knife and a pot. But if you wanted to make high-ss dishes like Bery does, that would not suffice. The proper cookware is required to make those wonderful dishes and it is because of such specialised tools that those artistic dishes could be created. Krische had experienced a shock when she first saw Bery¡¯s cooking and could now understand the meaning behind Selene¡¯s words. If that is the case for cooking, it is the same for swords. She would need something good to be better at killing. Something versatile, sturdy and easy to use. The sharper it is, the better. It would also be nice to have something light so that there is less strain on her body and she is not tired out too easily. Krische randomly picked up a nearby sword. It was a thick longsword. It seems sturdy but is heavy and is more suited to chopping than cutting. It is not bad for hacking through armour, but it is inefficient. By aiming for weak spots, even light cuts with a knife can easily kill a human, so this is too excessive. Recalling her own experience and Grace¡¯s death, Krische put down the sword. ¡°There are a lot of longswords.¡± ¡°Well, most of the swords sold here are thosemonly used. The length of the weapon can increase range and cover for a difference in skill. Most mercenaries would use a long weapon rather than a short sword. Conversely, short swords are mostly used in battlefields though.¡± ¡°¡¡short swords?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because they are better for fighting in crowded situations like in line formation. Longswords are useful only when there is space. Soldiers that have to fight without much space prefer more easily handled short swords. Of course, their main weapon is still the spear though.¡± The length of the weapon increases the range. But the longer it is, the harder it is to handle or carry around. Something easy to use and carry around but more useful than a knife. Krische recalled the curved sword that the bandit, the one that pretended to be a merchant, had used. That sword was light and fit her hand well, the de was thick at the tip and curved, making it cut well. Krische looked around for a curved sword and found a calvary sword. Calvary swords are curved swords meant to be swung with one hand from horseback. They are curved and sharp, but long and narrow, they did not look very durable. After some hesitation, Krische put it down and moved on. There were long weapons like spears and ives, but those are out of the question, they are too difficult to carry around. Stabbing weapons are fine for killing one person, but you are exposed right after stabbing. A simple longsword has problems with weight and cutting ability. Krische considered her preferences and looked around, but each had their pros and cons. There was nothing that felt right. Selene showed her various options, but they did not fit Krische¡¯s tastes. Bery seemed to be very interested in the knives, she is probably looking for something she can use for cooking. Krische was more interested in that and honestly, she would prefer to choose knives with Bery than look for a sword. But she knows that Selene wants to give her a sword and could not just ignore Selene. As Krische mulled over it, the young man from before returned together with an old man. ¡°Hello, sorry for interrupting.¡± ¡°Aah¡¡no problem, wee. So, you wanted me to make a sword for¡¡¡± ¡°This girl, Krische. I want you to make one like you¡¯re making it for otou-sama. She may not look like it, but she has the skill for it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡¡± The bald, bearded old man looked at Krische with sharp eyes. He isrge, muscr and his right shoulder is slightly raised. There were multiple burn scars on his cheeks and arms and he was dragging his left leg a little. Injured¨D¨Dno, crippled. Krische naturally observed all that and judged from his posture that he could still fight quite well. Probably a soldier that retired because of an injury. ¡°She¡¯s Gallen-sama¡¯s granddaughter¡¡Koz-san, do you know Gallen-sama?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. Of course, I am greatly indebted to him.¡± His eyes rxed and he smiled warmly at Krische. ¡°Is captain Gallen doing well?¡± ¡°Yes. He is in the vige now though.¡± ¡°I see¡¡if hees by again, could you ask him to stop by my ce?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The old man¨D¨DKoz fell into thought for a while, staring at Krische, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from captain Gallen. You certainly are a splendid and beautiful ojou-san. So, what kind of sword are you looking for? Let¡¯s hear your preferences first.¡± ¡°Nn¡¡a small curved sword would be nice. Err¡± Krische showed him the calvary sword she had examined earlier. ¡°Something like this but shorter and one-sided, thicker and more curved at the tip and thicker overall. I used something like that a while ago, it belonged to a bandit but it was quite good.¡± (T/N: ÈÐ¤òÇ°¤ËÇÞ¤«¤»¤Æ, not sure of this part and can¡¯t find anything online. Could also mean have the edge further out(like further from the handle?) but one-sided seems to make more sense.) ¡°Quite good¡¡¡± ¡°Yes. It cut well even when Krische swung lightly because of its weight and curve. The cutting ability did not drop much even after cutting ten people¡¡even when Krische was a little sloppy and hit bone, there was only a slight nick on the de, so Krische would like to use a sturdy sword like that.¡± The old man frowned and nced towards Selene. Bery looked a little sad, her eyes on Krische. ¡°She came to us because of particr circumstances. Her skill is iparable to anymon martial artist, but because of that, it was a little hard for her to stay in the vige.¡± ¡°¡¡I see. Her situation seemsplicated.¡± Krische tilted her head in confusion, but the old man changed the topic. ¡°¡¡if a bandit used it, it should be some kind of barbarian¡¯s sword. Those are not well liked so I do not disy them here but¡¡Keiz, bring that.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± The young man went into the back and quickly returned with a curved sword. Krische examined the shape and nodded. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°This sword is from barbarians that live in the mountains. The weight is in the tip like a naginata and has good cutting ability. I think it is a good sword but most do not like it.¡± The curved sword the young man had handed Krische felt right in her hand. It was quite small overall. It bent forward sharply near the base, curving back and growing heavier at the tip, like an axe or a naginata. There was a slight forward curve in the handle so that her hand would not slip. It wasfortable to grip. There was a ring at the bottom of the handle that a cord could be threaded through. It might also y a part in bncing the sword. Krische drew it from its sheath and lightly spun it around, checking how it felt. The sharp sound of the sword slicing air¨D¨Dfollowed by the smooth sound of her sheathing it. The young man let out a gasp of astonishment and the old man widened his eyes. This should be just right to hang at the hip, with that thought, Krische turned to Selene. ¡°Selene, this is good.¡± ¡°Er, that sword?¡± ¡°Yes. This fits Krische¡¯s preference.¡± Selene looked at the sword in Krische hand with exasperation. The sheath and grip were old and quite worn. It was definitely secondhand. Selene took it from Krische and returned it to the old man. ¡°Is this for sale?¡± ¡°No, I bought it for reference a long time ago. It is a good sword, but I can remake the same sword. I will deliver something even better than this sword.¡± ¡°Please do then. I¡¯ll pay well¡¡Bery.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bery took out three small gold coins from a leather purse and passed them to him. With slightly surprised expressions, they lowered their heads in gratitude. ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°Yes, more than enough. I promise to deliver something worth the price. I will do my best for captain Gallen¡¯s granddaughter.¡± ¡°Fufu, okay. Please do so then. Krische, do you have any other requests for the sword?¡± ¡°Er¡¡¡± Krische was frozen, still shocked by the amount that Bery had paid so casually. Krische had grown up in the countryside, but she still had a rough understanding of the value of gold coins. One could buy a few thousand pumpkins, no, with three that would be more than ten thousand pumpkins¨D¨DKrische was surprised by the number of pumpkins the sword was worth and turned to Selene. ¡°Er, Selene? Krische does not¨D¨D¡± ¡°My sword is the same price, your skill is better than mine, so your sword can¡¯t be cheaper. Just ept it. You are a daughter of the Christand family now¡¡so, any requests?¡± ¡°¡¡Krische would like a little more curve and weight at the tip.¡± Krische could only nod and answer. ¡°¡¡ten thousand pumpkins for one sword.¡± Even after they left the store, Krische was still in shock. Krische only had experience using small change to buy ingredients, this was a culture shock for her. She had seen silver coins but rarely gold. The only times she saw those was when the vige was bulk purchasing to stockpile reserves. She knew how much a gold coin is worth and the huge amount of food and supplies just one coin can buy, so it shocked her to use three of them for just one sword. ¡°That much is normal. You should spend money where its necessary. And you probably haven¡¯t realised, but those kitchen knives in the kitchen are worth even morebined. Bery spends most of her sry on cooking.¡± ¡°Really¡¡?¡± Krische looked at Bery in surprised. Bery smiled wryly, scratching her cheek awkwardly. ¡°I gathered good ones little by little over many years, so¡¡the total price would be around there. You could probably buy a few dozen thousands of pumpkins.¡± ¡°That much¡¡¡± ¡°You might feel it is wasteful, but by spending money like this, the artisans have more leeway to go through trial and error to make better things. Money is not just for hoarding.¡± Looking around at the stores, Bery exined. ¡°For example, the delicious dishes made using various ingredients are created because there is leeway. In poor times, gathering enough food to fill your stomach is hard enough¡¡ but as nobles, we can grant people that leeway and with it, they can buy better tools for themselves. Thates around and goes around.¡± ¡°That is basically how the economy works¡± Beryughed ¡°Nobles buy a lot to distribute the wealth they have. Spending three small gold coins on a sword is certainly a lot. But with that money, the cksmith-san can make something even better and concentrate on perfecting his craft. Of course wasting money should be avoided, but if you use it in the right ce, it is okay.¡± ¡°¡¡I see.¡± ¡°The reason the fruits and ingredients in this town are so delicious is because there is a good flow of money and everyone does their best to make better things. This is the result of them having the leeway to go through trial and error. If you think about it like this, it does not feel like a waste right?¡± Krische nodded, blushing as Bery petted her head. That view is much wider and profound than Krische¡¯s. From individuals to vige, from vige to towns, from towns to society. Even things that feel wasteful are not wasteful in the long term. Like why children in the vige are taught swordsmanship, Krische recalled, impressed by Bery. ¡°I feel like you could spend on other things too though. You are pretty, but it¡¯s such a waste that you¡¯re always wearing an apron dress.¡± ¡°Fufu, this is my favourite.¡± Bery replied as she lead Krische by the hand towards a store. ¡°Come, let¡¯s buy the ingredients for dinner. Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Er¡¡.Krische, wants to know how to make, the gratin we ate recently¡¡¡± Krische stammered, slightly embarrassed. Rather than wanting to know how to make it, she wanted to eat it again. ¡°Okay¡± Bery nodded happily. ¡°Fufu, I am d you liked it. That one was simple, so let¡¯s try making it with chicken this time. Ojou-sama, how about you?¡± ¡°¡¡hmm. I want meat pie.¡± ¡°The oven will be very busy then. So that leaves the soup¡¡¡± ¡°Ah, Krische can make pumpkin soup.¡± ¡°You must really like pumpkins, Krische.¡± Bery smiled wryly as they entered a store. Bery is quite popr in town and is weed with smiles anywhere she goes, the ingredients offered to her are always of the best quality. ¡°Argan-sama, how about this? It¡¯s a good round and plump bird. I thought you would being by today and set it aside for you¡¡¡± ¡°Oh my, I cannot very well refuse my favourite store. I was also thinking of using chicken today¡¡I will take it.¡± The male storekeeper looked very happy as he received the money from Bery. Part of it is her looks but they also like her for the atmosphere around her, Krische thought absentmindedly. Bery is somewhat simr to Grace, always smiling and gentle-mannered. After leaving the butchers, they were walking by a fruit stand when the man there greeted them. He quickly did some cutting and handed them a te. ¡°Krische ojou-sama, please ept this. You seemed to like it, so I chose a good one for you.¡± ¡°Er¡¡okay.¡± The te had small slices of rakura. Rakura is a sweet red fruit that with a slight sour taste. It is crunchy like an apple and tasty, but it is very juicy and the juice tends to overflow. Last time, he had told Krische the skin could also be eaten, so she had bitten into it and the juice spurted onto her dress, leading to many apologies. That is why he sliced it for her today. She popped a slice into her mouth and smiled as the sweetness spread over her tongue. ¡°¡¡very tasty.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s good. I¡¯m sorry for not warning youst time.¡± ¡°No¡¡Krische was just foolish.¡± Krische blushed as she replied shyly, making the manugh cheerfully. ¡°Would you like some, Argan-sama? I can make them cheaper as an apology¡¡¡± ¡°Baiting Krische-sama with food¡¡is not fair. Please wrap some for us.¡± ¡°Haha, thank you very much. And as an extra, here is something nice¨D¨D¡± When Krische goes shopping with Bery, people look at Krische with soft expressions. Krische does not remember doing so well in the vige and it is strange for Krische to be weed like this even though she had onlye here recently and not much time has passed. Their trust in Bery is probably why they trust Krische, just like with Gallen at the cksmiths just now. Being trusted is a good thing and this is thanks to Bery, making Krische¡¯s respect for Bery grow even stronger. ¡°Ah, Krische will hold that.¡± Krische took the handbasket with the wrapped fruits and entwined her other arm with Bery¡¯s arm. Bery thanked her with a smile. Selene stared at them with a frown. Krische tilted her head for a moment, then quickly nodded and released Bery¡¯s arm, taking Selene¡¯s arm instead. ¡°Wh, what are you doing¡¡¡± ¡°I wanted to hold Selene¡¯s arm too. Both Krische and Bery are carring baskets, so Selene can be in the middle.¡± ¡°Do, don¡¯t be stupid, I¡¯m not such a child¡¡¡± ¡°Oh my, that is a great idea. Come on, Ojou-sama.¡± Bery ignored her protests and caught Selene¡¯s other arm. Selene red at Bery, blushing bright red, but did not say anything and just pouted. Smiling wryly at Selene, Bery looked at Krische with kind eyes. Krische tilted her head, not understanding. The sun was starting to set and night is approaching. Under the orange sky, the three of them walked home together. -End- So apparently curved des are better for a dragging cut with the way the force is distributed and less likely to get stuck in the body. Now I know. Edit: Changed all previous mentions of the bandit¡¯s sword from sabre to curved sword or just sword. Technically not a sabre. The original just said curved sword. Chapter 11: U.E. C.11: Realisation And The Girlâ€™S Wish Chapter 11: U.E. C.11: Realisation And The Girl¡¯SWish Sword practice with Selene. Shopping, cooking and cleaning with Bery Just as Ga said, life in town is full of surprises and new experiences. To Krische, the town is full of irresistible riches, especially the various ingredients, spices and cookware. Krische was satisfied with her life. After enjoying her meal, Krische sipped her wine. The wine had been diluted with juice such that Krische could drink it too. Krische is not very good with alcohol and was slightly tipsy as she cleaned the dishes then went to bathe. Even in the bath, Krische and Bery are together. The bath is not asrge as a public bath, but it is wide enough for them to enter together. Krische was enjoying the feeling of the warm water while sitting in Bery¡¯s embrace when she had a sudden thought. ¡°Bery is kind of like Kaa-sama.¡± Things changed when Selene told Krische to just call her Selene. Bery also asked Krische to just call her by name, exining that ¡®Since you are calling ojou-sama by name, you cannot be using -san for me.¡¯ ¡®Bery-san¡¯ felt too formal and Bery wanted to close the distance between them. So this was mostly Bery¡¯s personal desire, but Krische obediently agreed. Hearing Krische say her name in that soft voice, Bery smiled in satisfaction as she asked. ¡°¡¡Krische-sama¡¯s okaa-sama? That is a great honour¡¡but in what way?¡± ¡°Nn¡¡¡± Krische tilted her head, mulling over the words she had unintentionally muttered. She simply felt that way, she could not really say why. Grace was bad at cooking. She did her best at cleaning, but there would still be dust in the corners. Grace was often described as clumsy and messed up a lot, unlike Bery who is skillful and dexterous. Ah, Krische finally realised the simrity between them. ¡°You are both good at being liked by people.¡± ¡°Err, good at being liked¡¡?¡± Bery repeated the words, not understanding. Krische nodded. ¡°The shopkeepers and town people all look happy to see Bery. Kaa-sama was also liked by everyone in the same way.¡± ¡°Oh, fufu. That is an exaggeration¡¡Krische-sama¡¯s okaa-sama must have been a wonderful person.¡± ¡°Yes. It is such a waste that she died. Krische wanted to learn more from her about how to leave a good impression on people.¡± Krische¡¯s words made Bery stiffen for an instant. Bery frowned in confusion. ¡°What do you mean, waste¡¡¡± ¡°If Krische was a little more careful, Kaa-sama would not have died. It is such a shame. Krische liked Kaa-sama a lot¡± Is it a problem with her wording? thought Bery initially as she felt something off, but now she understood, no, it is something else. Perhaps it is because Krische was a little drunk. Her decision-making was affected and she failed to noticed Bery¡¯s reaction or tone. Bery hesistated a little, then asked. ¡°Does that mean¡¡er, you must have been very sad. Losing your parents¡¡ was it, very difficult?¡± Bery¡¯s voice was a little shrill. ¡°¡¡no? The neighbouring oba-sama and ojii-sama gave Krischee food, Krische is also living a wonderful life in such a nice house now. There was nothing particrly difficult.¡± Krische¡¯s answer was impassive andpletely honest. Bery¡¯s vague suspicion turned into conviction and she cautiously questioned Krische. ¡°Er¡¡Krische-sama. Can I, ask a few questions?¡± ¡°¡¡? Yes.¡± ¡°Then¨D¨D¡± Bery asked about Krische¡¯s vige. ¡®Waste¡¯, ¡®shame¡¯¨D¨Dnot ¡®sad¡¯. These are the words that Krische used. They are talking about the mother that took her in, raised Krische like her own daughter but unfortunately, passed away ¡°There was a lot of blood. It would not stop even when Krische pressed on the wound¡¡thinking back on it, Krische failed.¡± But Krische described it like just a simple sequence of events. She had lost her mother. But there was not much she could have done about it. This girl spoke as if she felt nothing about it. ¡°Krische should have thrown the sword a little earlier and killed Gado-san.¡± Her words were regretful, but there was no sadness in her voice. Asking about the death of a person¡¯s mother is a sensitive topic, but Krische was perfectly calm. ¡°Krische should have killed him before the others. Krische made the wrong choice.¡± ¡°¡¡Krische-sama, are you not afraid of killing people?¡± ¡°¡¡? No. After all, it doesn¡¯t hurt Krische.¡± ¡°I, see¡¡¡± Bery stroked Krische¡¯s head as she continued asking questions. Bery has finally understood that Krische is not a normal girl. What does Krische think about death? Or murder? Krische answered that it is bad because of the rules. What are rules? Krische answered that it is a system to protect the interests of themunity. Since Krische is under the protection of themunity, of society, it is natural for Krische to obey the rules. So it is also natural to act in the interests of themunity and anything that benefits themunity is ¡®good¡¯. ¡°Wolves are also killed on sight. Krische thought killing the bandits to protect the vige was ¡®good¡¯, but breaking the rules must have been bad. It might have also been because Krische was not a vige guard¡¡ Krische was hated for some reason, so Krische is not sure about this part.¡± Krische covered her face in embarassment. ¡°Ojii-sama and the friendly oba-sans said Krische was not wrong and Krische was not punished for it. But that makes it even more confusing¡¡¡± So Krische still has not learnt what is ¡®good¡¯. Grace was a good model to learn from and so is Bery. Krische is immature and admires both of them, especially since Grace and Bery are kind to Krische. Krische exined that this is another reason she liked Grace and also why her death was really a shame. ¡°So that is why¡¡¡± Bery finally understood why she had felt something was off while living with Krische and closed her eyes. A little unusual, but an adorable, hardworking and kind girl. Bery realised that her impression of Krische was wrong at a fundamental level. ¡°¡¡you poor girl.¡± Bery tightly embraced Krische¡¯s slender body. ¡°Bery¡¡?¡± Bery sensed that Krische iscking something fundamental for a person. She is extremely smart and has a novel and unique way of thinking. She is definitely a genius. But conversely, she iscking something important. However, Bery felt from their conversation that Krische is only missing a part. ¡°Was life with okaa-sama fun?¡± ¡°Yes. She was very kind, like Bery.¡± ¡°That is why Krische-sama feels it is a shame okaa-sama passed away?¡± ¡°Nn¡¡yes. It was a shame.¡± Bery sighed. ¡°Krische-sama, that feeling is called being sad¡¡at least, that is what everyone else calls it.¡± ¡°¡¡sad?¡± ¡°Yes. It might be a small difference for Krische-sama, but your choice of words can cause misunderstandings. If you are asked about such things again, please say that you felt sad.¡± Krische remembered Gallen¡¯s words and nodded. Gallen has also said something simr. ¡°¡¡Krische-sama, have you felt like¡¡when talking to someone, the things you are talking about are different or you could not understand why they said those things, or why people are happy or sad?¡± ¡°Er¡¡yes.¡± Those aremon urrences for Krische. People often react differently from how Krische expects and this is one of Krische¡¯s greatest concerns. ¨D¨DA weird girl. Abnormal. Strange. Creepy. A different kind of attention then the type being superior attracts, these are negative words. These are words that Krische have heard used to describe herself. Unless there is a reason to do so, Krische generally does not talk to people. Krische is aware that hermunication ability is far from ideal. She did her best to avoid leaving such negative impressions through conversations as much as possible. But she also knows that staying silent leads to simr impressions. This is a difficult problem that Krische has no idea how to solve. When there is no need to reply, the other person will make their own assumptions if she stays quiet. In general, this is the safest method, but it failed in the vige and resultingly, her ¡®bad reputation¡¯ spread. What could Krische have done better? ¡°¡¡does Bery also think that, Krische is weird?¡± ¨D¨DKaa-sama. Is Krische a weird girl? Is Krische creepy? Please tell Krische what is wrong. Krische will fix it. When Krische was much younger, she had asked that question. Grace has said that she was not weird, it is just Krische¡¯s trait, everyone has their own traits. She had hugged Krische and exined that Krische was not weird at all, it was not Krische¡¯s fault. Grace had cried and asked her to not say such such things again, so Krische has never asked the same question again, but the question still remained within her. Bery might give a different answer from Grace. Bery is a lot smarter and better at teaching than Grace. That is why Krische suddenly remembered that question and asked. ¡°¡¡did someone say that to you?¡± ¡°Yes, a lot of people said Krische is weird or creepy.¡± Bery¡¯s arms tightened a little around Krische. ¡°Krische does not really understand what is weird or creepy about Krische.¡± Krische stared nkly at her own reflection in the water as she muttered. ¡°Just like Bery said, Krische is not good at talking, sometimes Krische cannot understand what other people are talking about and Krische knows that is why people think Krische is weird or creepy¡¡but Krische does not know what to do.¡± Words do not mean exactly what they mean, there are hidden nuances behind them. People do not show everything, their true feelings may differ from their attitude. Often people that Krische thought were friendly actually disliked Krische. This always confused Krische, Krische could not understand. ¡°¡¡is this what you mean by you want to know how to leave a good impression?¡± ¡°Yes. Bery and Kaa-sama both seem to be very good at it.¡± If Krische could be better at talking to people, then life would be easier. But Krische does not know how. ¡°When Krische asked that question when younger, Kaa-sama said that it is a trait and Krische is not weird at all. But Krische knows that a lot of people think that Krishce is weird or creepy, so that seems wrong. Does Bery know the answer?¡± Bery fell silent for a while, thinking. Some time passed before she spoke again. ¡°¡¡excuse my rudeness, but to be honest, I believe Krische-sama is a little different from most. At the very least, Krische-sama is not normal. Krische-sama¡¯s okaa-sama probably felt the same.¡± ¡°¡¡Kaa-sama too.¡± ¡°Yes. And I will put this out there first, there is no easy solution to this problem¡¡let¡¯s see, Krische-sama, have you ever thought I am weird?¡± ¡°No?¡± Bery smiled wryly. ¡°Fufu, but people often say that I am weird too. In both good and bad ways.¡± ¡°Really¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. Just like Krische-sama.¡± Bery ran her fingers along the water surface and continued in a gentle voice. ¡°¡¡when you are different from people, it can be a trait when seen positively, but it can be creepy when seen negatively.¡± Bery scooped up water in the palm of her hand and then let it fall. The sshing of water echoed in the quiet room. ¡°Traits are both good and bad, it depends on the viewer. I said there is no clear solution and that is because there are parts that you cannot do anything about.¡± ¡°I see¡¡¡± Krische pouted, then sighed. Krische had no doubts about Bery¡¯s wisdom. If Bery said so, then there really is no solution. Krische had gone through much trial and error, but if there really is nothing she can do about it, she can only give up. ¡°Krische-sama¡¯s okaa-sama probably knew this too. She must not have wanted to¡¡disappoint Krische-sama, that is likely why she answered that way.¡± ¡°Disappoint¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. Because she loved Krische-sama¡¡ because she loved you, she was happy to see Krische-sama smile and conversely, would be sad if Krische-sama was disappointed.¡± ¡°¡¡because she loved Krische¡¡muu.¡± Bery smiled wryly as she watched Krische ponder her words. ¡°By the way, why does Krische-sama help me with my work?¡± ¡°Er¡¡Bery has taught Krische a lot of things and, er, sleeps with Krische¡¡and tea¡¡ and snacks, Krische has received a lot from Bery.¡± Krische¡¯s voice grew small when she said snacks, but her answer was clear despite the stuttering. Bery smiled happily and continued. ¡°Is that why you do things to make me happy?¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± ¡°Fufu, Krische-sama is probably thinking too much.¡± Bery caught Krische by the waist and turned Krische around to face her. Bery held up a finger and smiled. ¡°¡¡Krische-sama makes me happy. This may be pretentious, but I also love Krische-sama, so I also want to make Krische-sama happy.¡± Bery patted Krische on the head and looked into her eyes. Krische seemed somewhat happy as she stared back at Bery. ¡°Conversely, I do not want to disappoint Krische-sama. Krische-sama too¡¡this is a little embarassing for me to ask, but you do not want to disappoint me as well right?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡ ah.¡± Bery hugged Krische tightly and agreed in a strong tone. ¡°That is the feeling of liking someone. When you like someone a lot, it bes love. Both are simr, but try to think of it like this¡¡ the feeling of wanting to do something for someone, to make them happy is love, and Krische-sama also has it.¡± ¡°Love¡¡¡± To Krische, working to benefit others withoutpensation is goodwill. That is Krische¡¯s vague definition. Grace had died protecting Krische. The small doubt that Krische had felt in that conversation with Ga. These felt like they were taking shape, bing a little clearer in Krische¡¯s mind. ¡°Yes. When you love someone, you will not feel like that person¡¯s unusual parts are creepy. That is why Krische-sama¡¯s okaa-sama knew that Krische-sama is different but said that it is Krische-sama¡¯s trait¡¡ that is why she said Krische-sama is not weird at all.¡± Krische was once again impressed by Bery¡¯s wisdom. This exnation is easy for Krische to understand. ¡°¡¡I also do not think that Krische-sama¡¯s differences are weird or creepy. In fact, I think those are Krische-sama¡¯s unique charmpoints.¡± Bery hugged Krische to her chest, whispering into her ear. Krische rxed into Bery¡¯sfortable embrace and hugged back. ¡°¡¡that does not resolve your problem. But at the very least, that is how I feel and this feeling will not change. So if anything worries you, please consult me.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± Bery is kind, smart, good at cooking and can do everything. And now she is offering to be Krische¡¯s teacher. This made Krische really happy. But what can Krische return? Krische pondered over this. ¡°Unlike me, or other people, Krische-sama is very strong. Because of Krische-sama¡¯s mental strength, sometimes it might be difficult to understand what other people are feeling.¡± ¡°Mental, strength?¡± ¡°Yes. For me¡¡if master, ojou-sama or Krische-sama passed away in an unfortunate ident, I would be very sad. It would be so painful that I cannot even cook despite how much I love cooking. Many people would be like that if they lost someone they love.¡± Bery ¡®s voice was slightly somber. Krische recalled how Ga was like when her son died and nodded in understanding. ¡°Those who are mentally weaker empathise with such feelings, theyfort each other, slowly recover from the sadness together and move on. But because Krische-sama is strong, it might be hard for Krischee-sama to understand that feeling¡¡ to me, that is very lonely.¡± ¡°Lonely¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische-sama¡¡do you like cooking with me?¡± ¡°Yes, a lot¡¡Bery knows a lot of dishes and it is amazing how Bery keeps thinking of new things to try. It is very fun to cook together.¡± ¡°Fufu, when Krische-sama says it like that it makes me happy but is also kind of embarassing.¡± Smiling wryly, Bery continued. ¡°Both Krische-sama and I are fascinated by the same thing, cooking. That is why I also enjoy cooking with Krische-sama and Krische-sama feels the same.¡± Bery took Krische¡¯s hand, putting her index finger to Krische¡¯s. ¡°¡¡that is because we are working together with the same feelings.¡± Bery pulled her finger away as she continued. ¡°If for example, I did not have any interest in cooking, would you feel the same way?¡± ¡°Maybe¡¡not.¡± ¡°If Krische-sama finds it more fun to cook with me than by yourself, that is because my enjoyment is added onto Krische-sama¡¯s.¡± Bery said that in a light tone as she entwined her fingers with Krische¡¯s. ¡°¡¡that is the principle behind empathy, happiness can be multiplied manifold while sadness can be eased. That is why I feel that not being able to emphathise with others is lonely.¡± ¡°¡¡I see.¡± Krische nodded obediently. If things that are already fun can be even more fun, then it is certainly a waste. Krische does enjoy cooking with Bery a lot more than by herself. ¡°Most people are not as mentally strong as Krische-sama. That is why they want to share it when things are tough or when they enjoy something. But that is difficult for Krische-sama to understand and is probably why people think Krische-sama is weird.¡± Bery put a finger to her lips and thought for a while before nodding. She caught Krische¡¯s waist again, adjusting Krische¡¯s position as she smiled and said. ¡°¡¡this is not a fundamental solution, but for now, let¡¯s start with sharing fun things.¡± ¡°Sharing fun things¡¡¡± ¡°Yes. By doing that, you might slowly get a better understanding of empathy¡¡and there is no time like the present, let us try something right after we finish bathing.¡± Bery rose with a ssh as she said that. Unable to follow, Krische tilted her head, watching the movements of Bery¡¯s full breasts. ¡°Er, Bery, what are we doing?¡± ¡°Something Krische-sama enjoys¡¡which is cooking, we are making sweets.¡± Bery said that with a wide smile. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m quite busy¡¡why do I have to make sweets, and at this hour of the day¡¡¡± Selene red at Bery, disgruntled. She had been doing self-revision in her room when Bery dragged her out. ¡°Because ojou-sama is busy in the day.¡± ¡°But still¡¡¡± ¡°Krische-sama, please help ojou-sama put on an apron.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische did as she was told, holding out an apron to Selene, who is dressed in her sleepwear, a negligee. Making sweets. This is part of Krische¡¯s education, under this pretext they can have tea and enjoy cookies after they are done. Naturally Krische is delighted. Krische stared at Selene with glittering eyes. ¡°Ah, erm, I, er¡¡¡± ¡°You don¡¯t, want to¡¡?¡± It is decided that they have tea in Selene¡¯s room. Bery had told Krische that if Selene said that she absolutely did not want to, they would have to cancel for today. Bery had known Selene since she was young and knew there is no chance that Selene would refuse. But Krische does not know that, she looked genuinely sad as she asked that question. Sad puppy eyes. Pressured by Krische, Selene looked awat, then finally gave up and said, ¡°fine¡± in a small voice. Krische¡¯s face brightened as she enthusiastically pulled the apron over Selene¡¯s head and tied the strings around her narrow waist. ¡°Krische-sama, ojou-sama has never made cookies, so please teach her properly.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°¡¡Bery, what are you doing.¡± ¡°I am watching the two of you with a smile.¡± ¡°You¡¡¡± Selene red at Bery, but Bery was unaffected. ¡°Come on, we will be together for a long time, so it is important to get to know each other through activities like making sweets. This is a good opportunity.¡± ¡°You look like you are just enjoying yourself¡¡¡± ¡°Of course not. First, let¡¯s start from breaking eggs. Come, Krische-sama, please teach her.¡± ¡°Okay! Selene, over here.¡± ¡°No need to pull, I¡¯ming¡¡¡± Dragged over by Krische, Selene reluctantly joined them in making cookies. Selene is proficient in swordsmanship, but is not really suited for delicate work¨D¨Dsimply put, she is a clumsy girl with no attention to detail. She dropped the eggshell and added the wrong amount of flour. Each time Selene made a mistake, Krische calmly pointed it out and exined how to do it with a demonstration. The eggshells just needed to be scooped out and they could simply increase the other ingredients to match the amount of flour. They ended up making a lot more cookies than originally nned, but that is a wee result for Krische, putting her in a very good mood. Selene seemed to be affected by Krische¡¯s mood and despiteining at the start, started to enjoy herself. Selene¡¯s tongue has been refined by Bery¡¯s dishes. Her sense of taste is excellent and she made many suggestions about extracts or mixtures to use to enchance the vour of the cookies. Some of thebinations they tried failed, but Krische had never tried many of them and enjoyed sampling the various cookies. Fortunately, they had plenty of batter thanks to Selene, so they could easily bake arge variety of cookies. After baking, they visited Bogan. Bogan was clearing paperwork and was surprised by their sudden visit, but quickly grasped the situation when Bery emphasised that these are the first cookies Selene has made. He happily epted the cookies and started eating. Selene looked very embarassed, but could notpletely hide her happiness as she watched Bogan eat her cookies. Meanwhile, Krische was starting at Selene curiously. After that, they had their nightly tea in Selene¡¯s room. Selene was sulking from Bery¡¯s teasing, but rejoined the conversation as they moved on to discuss the extracts and mixtures they used. This was nice, this one was a little too sour, that was too sweet, this was bitter and not very nice but smelled nice. Krische preferred the sweet ones while Bery liked the slightly saltybinations. Selene liked those with a slightly sharp, sour taste. Doing this turned out better. No, but that method¨D¨Dtheir preferences differed and their opinions varied, but it was a fruitful discussion for Krische. The sweet ones are nice, but a little salt does help to bring out the vour. Those with a sharp, sour taste can be nice asionally to wash away the sweetness. What is tasty changes with each cookie eaten That is why Krische made many discoveries from their varied opinions. It was a lot more ¡®fun¡¯ then if she had baked and sampled the cookies by herself. Thinking back on it, it has always been like that for Krische. Krische liked having others taste her food. How was today¡¯s cooking? Is it better than yesterdays? She had asked Grace, Gorka, Gallen, Ga. ¨D¨Dah, so that was fun, Krische realised. What would Grace have said about these cookies? What about Gorka? Krische imagined it, but they are not around anymore. She cannot ask them. Krische recalled how happy Bogan and Selene had looked earlier. Something felt fuzzy in her chest, making Krische frown and tilt her head. ¡°Krische? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡¡nothing. Just, my chest feels fuzzy¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡did you eat too much?¡± ¡°Eh, uu¡¡¡± Now that Selene mentioned it, that might be the case. Krische blushed, her eyes wandering. Even though they already had dinner, she ate a lot of cookies. Her stomach does feel a little bloated. ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡± That was when Bery returned. She was carrying a te with something red and transluscent. ¡°¡¡was that what you were secretly making?¡± ¡°Fufu, this is a small surprise. I thought it would be nice to have something refreshing after the cookies. Here, Krische-sama.¡± The translucent something wobbled as Bery ced it in front of Krische. It was pretty, like a gem, but Krische has never seen it before. ¡°This is jelly. Fufu, seems like this is the first time Krische-sama has seen it¡¡here, say aaahn.¡± Bery scooped some with a spoon and brought it to Krische¡¯s mouth. The jelly danced on Krische¡¯s tongue, tasting familiar. ¡°Tea¡¡?¡± ¡°Correct! How is it? Krische-sama loves sweet things, but after enjoying sweets something refreshing like this is nice right?¡± ¡°Tasty.¡± ¡°Fufu, here¡¯s more. I was not sure if Krischee-sama would like this, so I am d. say aaahn.¡± ¡°Nmu¡¡¡± Selene watched them with an exasperated expression as she ate her own jelly. ¡°¡¡she¡¯s not at an age to be spoon-fed.¡± ¡°Krische-sama is cute when she is fed so this is fine. Fufu, are you jealous? Then Selene-sama too.¡± ¡°Haa, no need¡¡¡± ¡°Bery, how, how¡¡how do you make this?¡± Already captivated by the texture of jelly, Krische questioned Bery with glittering eyes. Beryughed softly as she petted Krische¡¯s head, promising to teach her tomorrow. Their tea time came to an end as it grewte. Krische was still full of excitement and bliss as sheid in bed¨D¨Dwith Bery sitting at her side, stroking her head. Next time, let¡¯s make cookies this way, that way. Krischee made some suggestions and Bery nodded with a smile. ¡°¡¡how was it? Was tea time fun?¡± ¡°Yes, very¡¡¡± ¡°That is good. This is what I mean by sharing fun things. It is a lot more fun to share fun things with someone else¡¡cooking is a simple example.¡± Bery put a finger to Krische¡¯s lips as she spoke. ¡°Everyone has different preferences. Everyone has different opinions. But Krische-sama and I, even ojou-sama are all the same.¡± ¡°¡¡the same?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bery smiled cheerfully. ¡°Krische-sama, ojou-sama and I all want to eat something nice, make something delicious. Could you feel that we shared the same feelings?¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± ¡°That is empathy. Through cooking, Krische-sama was able to understand our feelings. You were able to discover the parts which matched Krische-sama¡¯s feelings, that is why you could ept the differences in opinion and have fun.¡± Bery took Krische¡¯s hand and entwined her fingers with Krische¡¯s. ¡°At the root of it all, everything is intrinsically connected.¡± ¡°¡¡at the root.¡± ¡°Yes. Both Krische-sama and I are like fruits from the same tree.¡± Laughing softly, Bery nted a gentle kiss on Krische¡¯s hand. ¡°Just like cooking, everyone has their own likes and dislikes, there are things they enjoy or find boring. Everyone likes or dislikes different things¡¡but the feeling of having fun, liking something, happiness or embarrassment, these feelings are the same for everyone.¡± ¡°¡¡for Krische too?¡± ¡°Yes. Krische-sama is certainly different from others. But when ites down to it, Krische-sama is the same as other people. Krische-sama is no different from ojou-sama, master, Gallen-sama or even me.¡± Releasing Krische¡¯s hand, Bery brushed Krische¡¯s hair away from her face. The feeling of Bery¡¯s hand is simr to Grace¡¯s. Kind and gentle. The feeling Krische likes. ¡°You can only see the surface of people¡¯s hearts. So in a sense, it is natural that you cannot understand others. Just like how you cannot see the bottom of a soup, you also cannot see the deepest corners of someone else¡¯s heart. Can you tell how a soup tastes based on its appearance?¡± ¡°¡¡Krische has to taste-test first.¡± Krische answered honestly, blushing as she used the words taste-test. Bery nodded. ¡°Yes. But you know how onions, tomato and meat taste. If you know how each ingredient of the soup tastes like, could you imagine how the soup would taste?¡± ¡°Err¡¡yes.¡± Bery pressed her forehead to Krische¡¯s and smiled. ¡°Fufu, it is the same¡¡for example, I know how it feels to have fun, but I also know how it feels to be sad or go through difficult times, so I can imagine how other people would feel to some extent. This is the only thing Krische-sama iscking.¡± Bery¡¯srge, gentle brown eyes stared into Krische¡¯s purple eyes. ¡°By exploring how Krische-sama feels and thinks about different things, by exploring deeper and deeper into yourself and finding out more and more¨D¨D¡± It was a strange feeling, like Krische was being sucked into Bery¡¯s eyes. Krische could only stare at Bery and listen to her voice. Krische narrowed her eyes, enjoying the warmth on her forehead. ¡°Eventually Krische-sama will also be able to understand the feelings of other people¡¡of course, this is not a simple solution and may take a long time to show tangible results. But by doing this, I believe that Krische-sama can obtain what Krische-sama wishes for.¡± ¡°Wish, for?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡something Krische-sama has not noticed, but something very precious to Krische-sama.¡± Krische frowned in confusion, making Beryugh out loud. ¡°Well, no need to think so hard. Even I am not perfect, I am in no position to tell Krische-sama what it is¡¡I also try to understand people when I can only see the surface, so there are times I misunderstand someone without realising. This happens now and then.¡± ¡°Really¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone is like this. It is not only Krische-sama.¡± After a moment of thought, Bery told Krische. ¡°Let¡¯s try this. Do not hold back with me. If there is anything Krische-sama wants me to do, please speak out and tell me.¡± Bery held up a finger and smiled teasingly. ¡°Please tell me what Krische-sama enjoys, what makes Krische-sama happy. Simrly for what makes Krische-sama unhappy¡¡I believe it is best to understand your own heart first.¡± ¡°¡¡err, that¡¡¡± ¡°For example, it is about time for Krische-sama to be sleepy. And I believe that Krische-sama likes hugging someone to sleep, am I right?¡± ¡°Eh¡¡?¡± Krische blushed. Seeing that, Bery smiled. ¡°This is what I mean, please ask for what you want. Come on, please say it.¡± Krische¡¯s eyes wandered, but still nodded. ¡°Er, err¡¡pl, please, sleep with Krische.¡± ¡°Fufu. Okay, my pleasure.¡± Bery kissed Krische¡¯s brow andid down next to her. She then hugged Krische and gently brushed Krische¡¯s hair away from her face. Bery¡¯s body was soft and warm. ¡°It is the same for me, I also like hugging someone and sleeping with that warmth, so this is mutual¡tely, ojou-sama is too shy to sleep with me, so please let me join you from now on, Krische-sama.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± ¡°Being honest is good. Just like this, please tell me about yourself. Leave other people aside for now, I want to be able to understand Krische-sama. If we can understand each other, then a lot of things will be even more fun and it will be blissful¡¡for both me, and Krische-sama.¡± Bery nted another kiss on Krische¡¯s brow. Krische twitched because it was ticklish, but did not resist. It was not unpleasant, it felt reassuring. Krische has always found itfortable and reassuring to be hugged and petted like this. This is a sensation Krische likes. ¡°No matter how much we wish to be perfect, everyone has ws, nobody is perfect. That is why we need to understand and ept each other¡¯s embarrassing desires and fulfill them. This is how we can build a wonderful rtionship and find happiness.¡± ¡°Wonderful?¡± ¡°Yes, wonderful. By sleeping together like this, both me and Krische-sama¡¡in this instant, we are both happy. This is because we can fulfill each other¡¯s wishes.¡± Bery whispered those words in Krische¡¯s ear. ¡®If you try to understand someone and that someone tries to understand you, then you two can make each other happy and that is happiness, Krische. Just by being together, it is happiness.¡® Krische recalled what Grace had said a long time ago. Krische had did her best to understand other people. It was rtively sessful and Krische was able to do okay in the vige thanks to Grace. But Grace must have been referring to someone like Bery. They really are simr. ¡°¡¡Bery really is just like Kaa-sama.¡± ¡°Oh my. I am very honoured.¡± Beryughed silently, then said affectionately. ¡°¡¡bit by bit, let¡¯s find out more about Krische-sama.¡± ¡°More about, Krische?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡the Krische-sama that Krische-sama does not know, the Krische-sama that Krische-sama wishes for.¡± One day, you will understand, with that, Bery hugged Krische to her chest. Krische nodded and enjoyed the sensation as she closed her eyes. -End- ¡¡Bery is so¡¡proactive. Chapter 12: U.E. C.12: The Girlâ€™S Specialty Chapter 12: U.E. C.12: The Girl¡¯SSpecialty ¡°Muu¡¡¡± ¡°With this, the enemy cavalry has been decimated by the archers in the left wing. My cavalry will now hunt the archers at the back of the enemy line.¡± ¡°The morale of the infantry in the right wing of the Caldera army copses aftering under fire from the rear.¡± ¡°Send half the infantry in the left wing to the right and wrap around the enemy¡¯s middle.¡± The creases between the brow of the man sitting opposite Krische deepened and themotion around them grew. Bogan had brought Krische to a certain room at the army training grounds. Arge table stood in the center of the room. Ayer of sand covered the table with blue and green cloths used to represent terrain such as forests and rivers, pieces stood in various positions across the table. Krische directed and moved these countless pieces. They are ying a strategy game, a war game meant for studying tactics. The pieces represent troops and they are marked to indicate the various type of troops. Other details such as their strength and numbers are recorded on a separate piece of paper. Three judges decide the oues of battles while casualties are decided randomly using dice. The situation is clearly in Krische¡¯s advantage and the match is effectively over. It might have been different if it was a siege on a fortress or an encampment, but this is an open battle in the field. In the field, the cavalry is a key piece which can target fragile archers, disrupt the enemy¡¯s rear and carry out decisive shock attacks on the enemy line while also preventing the enemy from doing the same. Losing this mobility is equivalent topletely losing the initiative and unless there is an overwhelming advantage in numbers, it bes impossible to turn the tide of battle. Krische had intentionally deployed weak infantry on the left wing and let their morale copse to lure out the enemy cavalry, then deployed the archers she had kept hidden. The enemy calvary was decimated and Krische¡¯s archers started sniping the backs of the infantry that had broken through the left wing. The infantry was fighting Krische¡¯s reserve forces when they came under fire from behind. Their morale easily copsed and while the archers massacred the escaping infantry, Krische advance half of her reserve infantry and nked the enemy¡¯s middle. ¡°¡¡I retreat. The headquarters falls back..¡± ¡°The calvary will continue hunting enemy archers. The archers will clean up the enemy¡¯s middle.¡± Krische ignored the enemy¡¯s retreating headquarters and reaped the remaining enemy soldiers. The morale of all enemy units copsed with the retreat of the headquarters. The battle that started as five thousand against five thousand came to an end with four thousand against a thousand two hundred. Krische wanted to shave off another five hundred, but the enemy¡¯s decision to retreat had been quick. Krischee gave up and stood, looking slightly dissatisfied. Bogan seemed to be lost in thought as he stared at the board. Selene was pouting as she watched Krische, she had lost to the same opponent by a narrow margin previously. ¡°Wow¡¡honestly, that was myplete defeat. Selene-sama did quite wonderfully too, but it is unbelievable that this is Krische-sama¡¯s first war game. The Christand family has a bright future.¡± ¡°Haha¡¡I was surprised too. I just wanted to see how she would do, but I did not expect you to lose, Salva. Krische, why didn¡¯t you go for the enemy¡¯s headquarters when you were at such an advantage?¡± ¡°¡¡? Was that bad?¡± ¡°Not really¡¡but since you didn¡¯t, there must have been a reason why right?¡± Krische took a while to find the right words before answering. ¡°Krische did not feel a need to go after the enemymander.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There was still a thousand elite troops around themanders. Once they started retreating, only the calvary could catch up, in that case there is the risk of Krische¡¯s calvary being annihted. It would be a gamble on whether the infantry could catch up in time. So in the end, going after themander is a fifty-fifty. The risk in trying topletely destroy the enemy isrge.¡± Krische pointed at the board as she exined. ¡°Inparison, the loss of troops is a concrete result in itself. Rather than pushing too far for the thousand and themander, the remaining thousand five hundred troops here can be cleaned up with minimum casualties and is much more appealing¡¡and after returning with such heavy losses, the enemymander is unlikely to be able to show up on the battlefield again.¡± It was an innocent remark, but it made the thin man opposite her¨D¨Dthemander of the third corps, adjutant Salva grimace. The people present are battalionmanders in charge of a thousand men or corpsmanders in charge of five thousand men and their adjutants. Bogan, the general, is the highest ranking officer. They could not directly object to Krische¡¯s remark in the presence of the general since is officially the general¡¯s daughter. But the tension in the air is palpable. The heavy atmosphere made Krische tilt her head in confusion, but she still continued. ¡°Of course Krische also wanted to take down the enemymander if possible. But in this case, the enemymander retreated early while there were still reserve forces, so Krische focused on maximizing results. But it was a shame that Krische could not taken down the enemymander even with such an advantage.¡± Krische looked up at Bogan as she finished. Bogan nodded and dered. ¡°Indeed, it was an excellent decision to retreat at that stage after being driven into such a disadvantage. It was a mistake to let down his guard just because Krische is a beginner, but he did well after that.¡± In reality, Krische¡¯s tactics were cunning and except for the very start, Salva had beenpletely focused. But by saying that, Bogan had helped Salva save face. Feeling the tension in the air rx a little, Selene whispered into Krische¡¯s ear. ¡°¡¡I know you meant no offense, but be careful with how you say things.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± Selene whispered such that only Krische could hear her. Krische cocked her head, confused on what she had done wrong. ¡°There¡¯s probably no use telling you that though.¡± Selene sighed, roughly petting Krische¡¯s head. Krische contemtedining about her hair being messed up, but thefortable feeling kept her silent. Half a year has passed since Krische joined the Christand family. Although Selene¡¯s rivalry with Krische has not faded, Selene dotes on Krische like a real sister now. Krische shows extreme genius at times, but she is honest and obedient. She tends to say things too bluntly and is insensitive to other¡¯s feelings. Selene sees her as just a slightly peculiar girl despite her ws. This isrgely because Krische is domestic and enjoys cooking and other housework. Since Selene, like Bery, has seen that part of Krische, Selene sees her as a nice, well-mannered girl despite her differences. Bogan saw great potential in Krische¡¯s talents and started giving her a military education together with Selene, buttely, Selene has started to wonder if that was the right choice. Krische disyed genius in tactics and strategy, not to mention her fighting skills, but she is also a girl that likes cooking and sweets, just as her appearance suggests. Bery was clearly opposed to it and Selene is starting to have doubts. Krische herself is of the stance that she will learn if it is necessary. She does not aim to seed Bogan like Selene, nor does she desire fame and honour. Krische simply wishes for the strength to protect herself and her surroundings, nothing more. This is how Selene saw it, especially since she knows how Krische lost her parents. That is why Selene felt some guilt about Bogan teaching Krische such skills just because she has the talent for it. Krische is expressionless, but her eyes are slightly narrowed. This is her expression when she is happy, she is enjoying being patted on the head. With their long rtionship, Selene is now able to pick up on these small changes. Every time Selene sees this adorable part of Krische, Selene¡¯s doubts grew stronger. ¡°Otou-sama, can I show Krische the training grounds?¡± ¡°Aah, okay. Just don¡¯t get in the way of the training.¡± The moment Selene and Krische stepped out onto the training grounds, the solders¡¯ gazes gathered on them. This country¡¯s, the Alberan Kingdom¡¯s royal family is not a patrimony and women have inherited the crown, so there were times when the queen ruled the country. Because of this, the standing of women in this country is strong and female soldiers are widely epted. But that does not mean there are many women that want to be soldiers and among the soldiers present, only a few are women. These female soldiers are also not necessarily all good looking. If rare beauties like Krische and Selene appeared in such a ce, it is natural that all the men¡¯s eyes would gather on them. But Selene noticed that among those gazes, there is not just goodwill or desire, there is also fear. Fear of Krische. On Krische¡¯s previous visit, she had trained with and mercilessly beaten up the soldiers, disying her overwhelming strength. Because of that memory, the soldiers here fear Krische. Selene let out a small sigh and pulled on Krische¡¯s hand, bringing her to shelter under a tree near the building. It is fortunate that Krische does not seem to care about those gazes. Just how thick is this girl¡¯s skin? thought Selene as she asked Krische. ¡°Krische, do you enjoy studying tactics and such?¡± ¡°¡¡enjoy?¡± ¡°Hmmm, for example, is it fun like cooking?¡± ¡°Compared to cooking, it is not fun.¡± Hearing Krische answer without hesitation, Selene smiled wryly. ¡°¡¡I see. Krische, there¡¯s no need for you to force yourself to join me. Even without studying this, Krische can aim to to be a lot of other things, like a researcher or a schr. There¡¯s no need for Krische to learn such violent things, Krische has other options.¡± ¡°¡¡options.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll seed otou-sama and even if I can¡¯t, I¡¯ll still be able to take care of you and Bery for life. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to do something you don¡¯t like.¡± As Selene said that, she thought about it. Take care of them for life. That is a happy thought. Selene said this because of a previous conversation with Bery. Bery had been strongly opposed to bringing Krische to the training grounds and training her as military personnel. This was the first time she directly defied Bogan¡¯s decision and both Bogan and Selene were bewildered. They had thought that since it is evident that Krische has exceptional potential as a soldier, it would be a great loss to leave it. They had naturally assumed that she would join the army. ¡®¡¡Krische-sama would probably fight better than anyone else. She might even be a hero remembered in history. But the Krische-sama I know likes cooking and is an unexpectedly spoiled girl¡¡so I am against this.¡® This was Bery¡¯s answer when they asked why she was against it. ¡®Krische-sama is a very pure and innocent girl. She will be anything you ask her to. She might be able to easily aplish anything you ask of her. But I do no want her to advance down that path. This is, simply¡¡my selfish wish.¡® Krische would surely do well even on the battlefield. If there is a need, Krische would act and she has the strength to do so. But just because she is good at it does not mean she wishes to do it. She enjoys being patted on the head, likes cooking and finds bliss in eating sweets. She is surprisingly spoiled and would rather sleep with someone than alone. Selene does not want to see this girl drenched in blood. That feeling grew stronger after seeing how the soldiers fear her. ¡®This might be okay for a vignte corp, but Krische thinks it is a problem for soldiers to be this weak when they are getting paid to train to fight and kill enemies. Is that wrong?¡¯ Krische had trained the soldiers after thoroughly beating them up. When Selene warned Krische that she was going too far, Krische had responded incredulously. Her perfectly logical but upromising argument simply caused more enmity and fear. Krische follows logic and has the strength to act upon it withoutpromise. But she cannot understand the feelings of those that cannot ept that logic even if they wanted to. That is why she cannot understand why she is feared. Then people start avoiding her¨D¨D Selene is dissatisfied with this situation and it is because she has spent time with Krische and grown to love her that she felt this way. Bery¡¯s concern might have been because of this part of Krische. Krische thought over Selene¡¯s words for a while before responding. ¡°¡¡it is true that Krische does not particrly like it, but Krische thinks it is still necessary to learn. Krische still has regrets too.¡± ¡°¡¡regrets?¡± ¡°If Krische had done things better, Kaa-sama would not have died.¡± Krische said those words in her usual tone, as if it was an insignificant matter, but Selene could not meet her gaze and cast her eyes down. ¡°¡¡did you, like your okaa-sama?¡± ¡°Yes. Krische was an abandoned child and she treated Krische very well.¡± Krische nodded as she remembered Grace. Truly a shame¨D¨Dno, this is sad. Krische recalled Bery¡¯s words as she continued. ¡°Krische does not want to regret again, so Krische wants to have more options. Of course, Krische just wants to live with Bery and Selene and cook together though.¡± To Krische, the most important thing right now is cooking. Then her forerunner andrade, Bery. Selene has also joined them recently. Krische¡¯s current fortunate lifestyle is supported by Bogan and protected by the overallmunity that is the country. As she studied and expanded her knowledge, expanded her view of the world, she had learnt that her cooking life is protected by many things. To Krische, Bery is herrade and is very important, as is Bogan, who supports Krische¡¯s lifestyle and his sessor, Selene. Her guardians, Bogan and Selene are both of the military. So Krische needs to be in a position where she can save them when they are in danger, is how Krische thought about it. When the bandits attacked the vige, Krische¡¯s greatest failure was that she did not have influence and could notmand the vigers. If Krische had strong authority with the vige guards, that problem could have been solved easily. But Krische had beenx and left it to others¨D¨Das a result, the tragedy of losing both her guardians, Gorka and Grace, befell her. If nothing happens Krische can just enjoy cooking, but if something does happen, it is a problem if she cannot do anything. That is Krische¡¯s conclusion. Thus although she may not be very proactive about it, Krische obeys Bogan¡¯s wish for her to learn military skills and unted her abilities. Unlike the vige, the army requires for them to have the ability to kill, so there is no need to refrain from showing it. But Krische does not realise her extreme faithfulness to rules and logic is the reason for the fear that Selene sensed. ¡°Krische will be troubled if master or Selene dies somewhere without Krische knowing. So Krische wants to stay somewhere where Krische can protect master and Selene.¡± ¡°¡¡Krische.¡± Although the Krische¡¯s feelings and the reasoning is different, Krische cherishes the people close to her. Even if it is technically not love, what she says and what others feel is all that matters. Selene interpreted it the way she wanted to and hugged Krische, whispering to her. ¡°Then I will protect you so that you don¡¯t have to suffer.¡± ¡°¡¡Krische feels its more dangerous for Selene though. Selene is weak.¡± ¡°¡¡hey, I¡¯m saying such embarrassing things so please read the mood. That part of you can get really irritating, seriously.¡± Selene red at Krische, blushing. ¡°When you are told such things, the normal response is to stay quiet, say yes, or say thank you. Got it?¡± ¡°¡¡? Okay.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Selene smiled and pinched Krische¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Ferere, hofee, ihyaireu¡¡¡± (Selene, cheeks, painful) ¡°That¡¯s it for the weird talk. Krische, can I ask for a bout?¡± ¡°Fai¡¡?¡± (Okay) Selene released Krische¡¯s cheeks and took her hand. And until war broke out two yearster, they lived happily together. -End- Yes I did not trante the cheek-pinched speak. The original japanese is cuter than any garbled english I coulde up with. Chapter 13: U.E. C.13: Delivery To The Battlefield Chapter 13: U.E. C.13: Delivery To TheBattlefield Alberan year 457, the major power in the east, the Holy Elsren Empire invaded the Alberan Kingdom. The Alberan Kingdom¡¯s king had been terminally ill since the previous year and conflict has broken out over the session of the crown. Not much time has passed since he ascended the throne, but with no hope of recovery, young king Alberan named his sessor. The problem is that instead of his younger brother, Gildanstein, he named his own child¨D¨Dthe young princess, Kreschenta as his sessor. Naturally, the royal prince, Gildanstein objected to this. Gildanstein insisted that he has the legitimate right to the throne. ording to the rules of session, Gildanstein is next in line and his im is justified, but king Alberan denied it. This is because of Gildanstein¡¯s bad habits. Gildanstein is known for cruelly killing ves¨D¨Dwhich are not officially allowed in the kingdom, but do exist¨D¨Dfor his own entertainment and abusing his authority as royalty to defile women of lower nobility. King Alberan¡¯s argument that Gildanstein would not be able to fulfill the duties of the king gained a lot of support. But regardless of his conduct, Gildanstein has the legitimate im to the throne. Many disapprove of breaking the rules or worried that Kreschenta is too young, being only eleven years old, thus causing the nobles to split into two factions. Infighting was unavoidable. The king summoned the influential nobles to vote on the next king, but Gildanstein¡¯s faction, at a numerical disadvantage, yed for time by not showing up, preventing the vote. The Holy Elsren Empire took this chance to break their peace treaty. They invaded the kingdom¡¯s eastern territories with arge army of a hundred thousand men. With the capital paralysed, the Alberan Kingdom lost the Carmeda, the eastern general, most of its eastern territory and the initiative. The fearless general of the south, Dagren Garhka, and the northern general also known by the nickname of Lightning Quick¨D¨DBogan Christand managed to hold off the invasion, but the kingdom¡¯s capital is still paralysed. The Alberan Kingdom is in a predicament. Krische was still in the middle of her officer training, acting as a sword instructor on the side, when she was caught up in this war and now has to travel to the battlefield where Bogan is. ¡°Only two candy a day. Do not eat more just because are hungry. You will run out of candy too quickly.¡± ¡°Kr, Krische will not¡¡Krische is not such a glutton.¡± At the gates of the estate, Krische blushed as she received a small pouch stuffed full of candy from Bery. Krische has grown taller and she is at the transition stage from child to adult. Even with this growth, she is still petite, but her chest has swelled a little and she had developed curves. Her arms and legs have grown longer and her features more refined. But herrge eyes made her look young and she is still more a girl than a woman. Her long, glistening silver hair made her beauty feel unreal. She looked even more like a fairy than before and has grown to develop an alluring, almost magical charm. She was dressed in a simple one-piece dress with a silver and ck design. Over it, she wore a dark green cloak and carried a shoulder bag filled with food and water. A small curved sword and two knives hung at her waist. She wore no armour. Krische had not been summoned by the army. Although she is skilled, Bogan was unwilling to bring a young girl to the battlefield. Bogan gave in to Selene and allowed her to follow due to her stubborn insistence, but Krische obviously does not have that passion. Since there is the possibility of danger to Bogan and Selene in a war, Krische was slightly hesitant about staying behind, but in the end Selene convinced her to stay behind and protect Bery. Security deteriorates during war. Even this estate far from the battlefield is not entirely safe and Krische had no objections to staying behind to protect Bery. Even so, this is the king¡¯snd and security was originally quite good. The riots they worried about did not happen and in the few weeks since the war started, it has been peaceful in the town of Gurgain¨D¨DKrische and Bery were thoroughly enjoying a life of cooking. Krische¡¯s trip is simply to deliver letters, not because something had happened. Although most matters could be handled by the army¡¯s logistics unit, there are matters that nobles, specifically the head of the family need to see for themselves and make a decision. For example, matters regarding the province that the Christand family governs. This country is an absolute monarchy, the king has absolute power and the nobles are soldiers as well as bureaucrats. Naturally, allnd belongs to the king but it is not rare fornd to be loaned out for a noble to govern. Arge portion of the profits from thend a noble governs belongs to them, so being grantednd is an honour. But not all provinces produce a profit and there are many troublesome things thate with governingnd. The letters that Krische is delivering are aboutrge transactions and loans rted to the Christand province. These letters cannot be allowed to end up in the hands of the wrong person. It would be a serious matter even if someone just happened to read the contents. These documents cannot be sent to the battlefield mixed in with other documents from the army no matter how well disciplined the army is. The usual solution is for family members or a servant to deliver the letters, which means either Bery or Krische has to deliver them. Bogan could also have arranged for a trusted soldier to deliver the letters, but all of them followed him to the battlefield. If this was a training expedition, they could have waited since they knew when he would being back, but this is a real war. The letters just kept piling up. With so many letters piled up, they needed to deliver them to Bogan and after some discussion, it was decided that Krische would go since she could protect herself. Bery also has some training in self-defense but from Krische¡¯s point of view, it is effectively nothing. Krische was also concerned about sending someone as pretty as Bery to a dangerous area. Krische also wanted to check up on Bogan and Selene and convinced a very reluctant Bery to let her go. ¡°I am aware that Krische-sama is strong, but please take care of yourself if there is any danger. Do not poke your nose into anything weird, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°And thest candy in that pouch is mine. Please bring it back for me.¡± Krische had already thrown the first candy into her mouth and froze upon hearing Bery¡¯s words, then checked the pouch. ¡°Er, which one¡¡?¡± ¡°Eh? Ah¡¡fufu, that is not what I mean. This is a charm for Krische¡¯s safe return. Please bring the candy back for me.¡± ¡°¡¡? Err, okay.¡± Though Krische felt like her share just got reduced, she could only nod. ¡°¡¡now, it is about time to go. You will bete to the carriage.¡± ¡°Okay. Bye Bery, take care.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. I will also improve my cooking even more while Krische-sama is gone.¡± ¡°That, uuu¡¡¡± Krische still has not caught up to Bery in cooking. Krische cast her eyes down as she imaged the gap growing even wider, making Bery smile. ¡°Fufu, when youe back safely, I will teach you a new recipe. Let¡¯s cook together again.¡± ¡°Okay. I wille back as quickly as I can.¡± ¡°Yes, pleasee back quickly. I will be lonely by myself.¡± Bery brushed Krische¡¯s hair aside and nted a kiss on her forehead, then stepped back and smiled. ¡°I will be waiting for your return.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± Krische smiled back. Krische will be riding the army¡¯smunications carriage to a supply depot. After that she will join the supply train to the frontlines. The journey would take about seven days. On the fifth day of Krische¡¯s journey from Gurgain in the north of the kingdom, she arrived at the supply depot set up at the entrance to arge forest in the north east of the kingdom. There she joined a supply train and set off to the frontlines. Things changed when they were taking a short break on the sixth day as the sun was setting. Until the fifth day, the soldiers apanying Krische had met her on other asions and was aware of her personality. So when Krischeid out a nket during breaks and sat there staring nkly at the scenery, they left her in peace¨D¨Dbut the carriage and personnel changed on the sixth day. These soldiers have only heard of her through rumours. Although she is adopted, Krische is the general¡¯s daughter. Just like how Selene is known for her military genius, which blossomed through her rivalry with Krische, vague rumours of Krische have spread among the soldiers. Bogan does not bring Krische to public events or high society because of hermunication skills. So unlike Selene who is famous as the fearless and beautiful daughter of the general, Krische is only known through quiet rumoursing from the training grounds. Most rumours about her differed from reality, such as she is like a demon with a stronger body than most men or that she is a monster that would make the knees of veteran soldiers tremble. They were mostly rumours about Krische¡¯s extraordinary skill with the sword¨D¨Dthese rumours alone spread further than others. There is a reason why those that experienced her skill firsthand did not talk about her cute appearance. She is a cute, dainty, fae-like girl. No one would want to talk about how they were utterly thrashed by such a girl. Instead they hid that information and described her as a ruthless and terrifying monster, then these rumours transformed even further as they spread. So when Krische showed the lightning and falcon crest on her cloak and introduced herself as Krische Christand, they all gave her curious looks. This is why no one spoke to her until evening that day, only staring at her from a distance. ¡°Yes. I am adopted¡¡¡± Krische had exined that Krische is Bogan¡¯s daughter when joining the supply train, so why would he ask that question now? Krische cocked her head to the side, a truly adorable action with her appearance. When the soldier approached Krische where she sat under a tree, it drew the attention of all the soldiers around. The soldier wore leather body armour, gauntlets and shin guards. He carried a buckler in his left hand and a short sword around two feet long at his waist. The ck cloth hanging under the crest of a sword pointing to the sky¨D¨Dthe kingdom¡¯s crest, indicates that he is a corporal. Leather armour is good at absorbing blows and cannot be cut by dull swords. The leather is also hardened with wax and can cause spear tips to slip to the side. This man¡¯s armour is quite high quality, much more likely to be his personal equipment than standard issue. Captains that are in charge of more than fifty men need to procure their own equipment, but conversely those below are not allowed to change their equipment freely as it would affect coordinated action and there is a general rule that they use standard issue equipment. But there is no problem if the equipment is simr to standard issue, so it ismon for those from wealthy families to purchase their own high quality equipment. This man might be from a rtively wealthy family. ¡°We did not expect the general¡¯s daughter to be so beautiful. All of us are delighted to be able apany Krische-sama.¡± Armoured soldiers. What is the best way to kill them? Krische had been absentmindedly thinking about that as she stared at the high quality hard leather. She cut short her examination for weak points to reply. ¡°¡¡? Okay, thank you. Krische is also grateful to be able to ride this carriage.¡± ¡°This road is not entirely safe, but please rest assured. We will protect you with our lives.¡± ¡°Haa¡¡¡± That is their job. Krische wondered why he was exining such an obvious thing, but dismissed the question and nodded. The more pressing matter is her hunger. She had already finished her two daily candy, so she could only endure. People that have mana break down the food they eat and convert it to mana. Krische had been fed cookies by Bery between lunch and dinner everyday and gotten used to snacking. The food she had eaten has already been converted to mana and her stomach is empty, by this time of the evening she is always starving. On a journey with limited water and chances to bathe, a body that does not excrete is an advantage, but the empty void in her stomach is hard to endure. She does not show it, but she was battling hunger as she quietly asked. ¡°¡¡will we be making camp soon?¡± ¡°Yes, we wille to an open space soon, we will be making camp there.¡± The supply train consisted of a few dozen carriages, the areas where they can make camp is limited. They should have made camp before entering the forest, but as someone hitching a ride, Krische could notin. At that moment, Krische¡¯s stomach grumbled. Krische blushed and the soldier¡¯s eyes widened, then he smiled wryly. ¡°Eh, ah, this is¡¡¡± ¡°Hahaha, so that¡¯s why you asked about making camp. Please wait a moment.¡± The soldier ran to a nearby carriage and returned with a small piece of hardbread. ¡°Have this. It¡¯s not very nice, but it should fill your stomach.¡± ¡°Thank you¡¡¡± Eyes gathered on Krische as she received it while blushing. Krische¡¯s embarrassment grew, but she could not resist the temptation. Since she had received it, she has to eat it¨D¨DKrische easily threw logic aside and started tearing off small pieces of bread, throwing them into her mouth with an embarrassed expression. Her hunger made her want to just directly bite into it, but Krische¡¯s sense of aesthetics managed to barely stopped her from doing that. Quickly throwing pieces of bread into her small mouth without pause actually made her look even hungrier than if she had just bitten directly into the bread, but Krische failed to realise that. Rumours can¡¯t be trusted, thought the man as he watched the young girl. They had noticed the small curved sword that Krische carried, but they assumed it was for self-defense and nobody paid attention to it. Her beauty and charm drew more attention, leading to many looking for the opportunity to talk to her that night. This continued into the next day. She was given more soup and two pieces of bread not only that night, but even in the morning the next day and at noon.. A while after lunch, she was also handed bread and the remains of the cold soup before she even said anything. This made Krische want to die of embarrassment, but she had already received it, so she still consumed it withoutint. It was on this day when they fussed over her, the day before their journey ends¨D¨Dthat the incident happened in the evening. -End- I¡¯m sorry I suck at names. Any better nicknames for Bogan is wee. Original is Ñ¸À×, literally trantes to Thunderp, but is referencing more the individual words Ñ¸=speed/violent/intense and À×=lightning Chapter 14: U.E. C.14: The Generalâ€™S Daughter, Krische Chapter 14: U.E. C.14: The General¡¯S Daughter,Krische ¡°Enemy attack, enemy attack! Enemy attack at the rear!¡± Krische was the fastest to react to that shout. The supply train consists of several dozen carriages. Krische is in the middle and quite far from the end of the train, but could hear the screams in the distance. ¡°Stay here Krische-sama. Please stay calm¨D¨D¡± The soldier that had been fussing over Krische lost sight of her before he could finish his sentence. He found her again on top of the carriage behind their¡¯s, staring towards the rear. Krische ignored the man¡¯s call and thought about how to deal with this. This is Bogan¡¯s supply train. If it suffers damage, the first thing affected would be Krische¡¯s next meal. She calmly examined the carriages at the rear. They are stretched out in an extended line¨D¨Dit would be difficult for them to reorganise immediately. This forest is behind the frontlines. This area should have been safe. That is why there is only the bare minimum number of guards. Their numbers are too few to fight back. They might not be able to hold out depending on the scale of the enemy. Krische quickly ran through the possibilities ¨D¨DThe enemy broke through the frontlines and attacked the supply lines in a blitz attack? In that case, they would have been informed. Messengers would reach this train before the enemy. Unlikely. ¨D¨DThey snuck through and were not noticed? This possibility is almost impossible. If that is the case, the supply train would suffer a lot of losses, but it is unlikely the enemy would go so far just to temporarily disrupt the supply lines. If they did, it would be topletely cut off the supply lines or to attack the main force from the rear. Either way, if enough soldiers were sent to aplish these goals, the risk would be toorge. It would also be unnatural to attack the rear of the supply train if it was thetter. If that were the case they would need to lie in wait for a chance to deal such a devastating blow that they did not have the time to send a messenger. ¨D¨DAn ambush? Close to impossible. But what if their numbers were small? ¨D¨DThey somehow gathered a force on this side and set up an ambush? Using gold or other bribes, they could have hired mercenaries or bandits. They just needed a spy, so this possibility is very likely. Thergest probability is disruption of the supply lines with small numbers. Nothing can be known for sure unless Krische checks it out. Krische leapt down from the carriage and sprinted through the forest. The road is too narrow to ride one of the spare horses and Krische does not like riding, it hurt her butt. She instantly made the decision that it would be faster to run through the forest. Krische¡¯s mana flexed, acting as imaginary muscles and allowing her to run like the wind. Like an arrow released from a bow, she ran through the forest, ascertaining her route as she kicked off trees and elerated forward, twisting to dodge branches that would tear her clothes. She arrived in no time. 24 enemies are visible, but there is definitely more. Their wore varied leather armours and were filthy. There is no crest or anything of the sort to indicate they are soldiers. Judging by appearances, they are bandits. Which means they are easy to deal with. Krische drew and swung her sword in the same motion. She swung her sword in a backhanded grip, beheading one and dashing by before the blood could stain her clothes. She spun the sword in her hand and killed another two as she spun onto the road behind the supply train. In that instant, all eyes turned to Krische. And before they recognised her as an enemy, Krische beheaded the nearest person. Krische avoided the spine and only cut the soft flesh in the neck. The silver naginata-like sword was stained a rich red without a single nick on the de. Using the fountain of blood as cover, Krische vanished from the field of vision and awareness of everyone around¨D¨Dand when they found her again, another flower of blood had already bloomed. The attacking side and the soldiers that had been about to be killed all felt a chill run down their spines. Krische dislikes being dirty¨D¨Dthe thick red blood clung only to her de. Her stainless deep green cloak and silver hair danced, creating an abnormal, out-of-ce beauty. ¡°That one! Get that white one!¡± The man that looked like the bandit¡¯s leader screamed. At that point, Krischee had already beheaded nine people. Three men stood around the leader. Krische drew a knife from her belt and threw it. She threw smoothly even as she ran, the knife spun through the air and sunk into the neck of the man standing in front. The two behind and the leader widened their eyes as they watched the man copse, but still took a stance. Unlike the other small fry, they seem capable. Krische did not sense any mana from them, but that does not mean it is safe. Even if Krische can use mana like springs to reinforce her muscles, she does not be more durable. Even Krische would die if her neck was broken and a small cut in the right ce could be fatal. If they all threw their lives aside and grabbed for her, she would die too. Krische¡¯s only weapon is her superhuman speed and strength. So to be safe, she needs to slip through the chinks in their consciousness. The man on the left wields an axe. The man on the right, a short curved sword. The leader wields a long sword in his right hand and a buckler in his left. Krische instantly decided to go left and slipped under the right arm of the man wielding the axe. The man swung the axe as predicted. Most of the bandits only wore light leather breasttes and gauntlets. Their armpits are not protected¨D¨Dand Krische knows that blood flows well from there. Krische casually stabbed his right armpit. She then stepped behind the man as she tore through with her sword. The leader¡¯s reaction was quick, swinging the longsword in a horizontally sweep. Krische dodged it by crouching and hacked at the back of his knee. Without a nce at the copsing leader, she drew the other knife and threw it at the neck of the man approaching with the short curved sword, taking him down¨D¨Dthen stepped on the back of the copsed leader, putting her sword to his neck. Then she looked around. ¡°Bo, Boss was defeated!¡± ¡°Run! Or we¡¯ll be caught!¡± The bandits¡¯ decision was fast. Once they realised they were at a disadvantage, the bandits turned tail and escaped single-mindedly. Krische watched them go and confirmed that all hostility was gone before letting out a breath. Even Krische was slightly out of breath after running such a distance. The surrounding soldiers stared at Krische, stunned. Some of them had spoken to Krische before, but they also looked shocked. They stared speechlessly at the abnormal girl. Krische wandered why they were frozen, but focused on rendering the leader powerless first. She stepped on the leader¡¯s right shoulder and grabbed his arm. ¡°Hii, gii!?¡± ¨D¨Dthen dislocated his right shoulder. And then his left shoulder. Another tearing scream echoed through the forest, bringing the soldiers back to their senses. ¡°Kr, Krische, sama¡¡wh, what are you¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡? Preparing for torture. There might be more enemies.¡± Why would you ask that? Krische tilted her head, perplexed. Blood was everywhere. In the middle of the carnage, Krische alone was beautiful. But the action of tilting her head to the side was no longer cute, it was creepy. Krische got off the leader and held up her skirt as she squatted down in front of him. His fierce face was pale and streaked with tears as she spoke to him. ¡°It is bad to attack the army¡¯s supply train. Did you know that?¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ga¡¡¡± ¡°Well, it does not matter whether you know. ording to Alberanw in this situation, you will be given the heaviest sentence, death.¡± Krische held up a finger, as if she was exining to a child. ¡°If you were a soldier of the enemy country, in this case the Holy Elsren Empire, you would be treated as a prisoner of war and after necessary medical treatment, be sent to the rear and detained. No violence will be used in your interrogation and your rights will be protected by the Sacred Convention but¡¡¡± Her purple eyes examined the man¡¯s body. There is no crest or anything simr. ¡°You do not appear to bear any proof of identity. Do you own any?¡± ¡°Hii¡¡¡± ¡°If you do, please present it before the count of five. If not it will be assumed that you do not have any and be treated as a bandit.¡± Five, four, three, two, one, zero. Krische counted to five, then smiled and dered. ¡°It appears you do not have any. Usually you would be detained then executed, but fortunately, soldiers have the right to carry out informal executions as well as the right to do physical harm and torture in order to obtain information if there is such a need.¡± Krische did not exin this to threaten him, but it is still clearly a threat. The men stiffened as Krische stepped on his thick right arm. ¡°Krische will now conduct torture by cutting off your fingers one by one, this is a legitimate method in ordance to Alberan Criminal Law. Please understand.¡± And with no hesitation, she severed his pinky. ¡°Hii, Gii, AAaaaaAaah!?¡± ¡°Do you have more allies other than those that ran away just now?¡± ¡°O, oow, finger, my finger¡¡! My, gii!?¡± Next was the ring finger. Krische just needed to let the heavy de drop and it easily sliced off his finger. ¡°Krische will be troubled if you do not answer Krische¡¯s questions. Krische will have to take of your shoes and cut off your toes as well at this rate.¡± ¡°Hii, gu, no, there are no more¡¡¡± ¡°Nnn, I see. Krische will kill you either way but Krische thinks its better to die quickly rather than painfully. Please continue answering Krische¡¯s questions.¡± His screams rang through the forest. The soldiers that had been in the heat ofbat a moment before now trembled as they watched a young girl slice off a man¡¯s fingers with no qualms. No one could speak as all the fingers on the man¡¯s right hand was chopped off. Krische¡¯s actions arepletely correct from a military perspective, but people that can take the initiative to torture someone is extremely rare. Even if they resented that man for killing theirrades, not a single soldier here could indifferently chop off his fingers without hesitation or emotion like she does. Nobody felt any satisfaction from watching the leader of the enemy that had killed theirrades and almost killed them, have his fingers cut off. In fact they were overwhelmed by the situation and felt only fear and pity. ¡°That was all Krische wanted to ask. Thank you for your coorperation.¡± Krische said that with the look of someone that had finished her job, then stomped on the man¡¯s neck. With an unpleasant crack, the man¡¯s body convulsed for an instant then stopped moving, but by that point, there were already eight fingers scattered around it. Krische retrieved her two knives from the corpses and approached a soldier, the supply train¡¯smander. ¡°This should be the end of this attack. It was a harassment attack using bandits. Krische will be going back, but before that, can Krische have a clean cloth?¡± ¡°Ye, yeah¡¡¡± Themander ordered a nearby soldier to bring a cloth, his voice slightly hoarse. The soldier hurriedly retrieved a cloth. Krische carefully wiped the blood and oil off her sword and knives, then returned them to their sheaths and looked around at the soldiers. Even Krische could feel something was wrong with their reaction. She had killed bandits. But this is not in town, it is in the middle of the forest¨D¨Dand with the army¡¯s supply train. Krische had just properly disposed of the bandits, she had done a proper job in ordance to the army¡¯s rules and doctrine, they should be happy. But their response is a little weird. Ah, Krische pped her hands together as she realised why. Today, Krische is not here as a soldier. She is simply the general¡¯s daughter, here to deliver letters. Simply put, she remembered that she was not on duty. She came to the conclusion that they were bewildered because she had done their job for them, so she smiled and said. ¡°Please convey that information to the front and the general. Krische only came to deliver letters and is off duty, so Krische cannot meddle too much.¡± After addressing a concern that nobody cared about, Krische trotted back the way she came. Seeing her retreating back, spotless without a drop of blood, all the soldiers felt a chill run down their spines. They took some time to reogranise the next day and it was night by the time they exited the forest and reached headquarters. The soldiers of the supply train had stiff expressions as Krische thanked and bow to them before heading towards the general¡¯s tent. The Christand army had skirmished with the enemy three times, but is currently at a standoff and there is not much activity. Krische was asking the way to Bogan¡¯s tent when she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Krische!¡± ¡°Wah¡¡¡± A girl ran over and hugged Krische, pressing her cheeks to Krische¡¯s. Her golden hair glittered in the moonlight and her smooth white cheek wasfortable to the touch. Selene is half a head taller than Krische and there were tears in the corners of her eyes as she smiled at Krische. ¡°Thank goodness, I was so worried after hearing there was an attack. Are you okay? Are you injured?¡± ¡°Ehehe, Krische is fine, as you can see. Selene seems fine too.¡± Selene was dressed in red riding pants that red out at the thighs. She wore a red cloak with gold embroidery over a ck vest made from thick cloth. Thisbination of cloth armor and riding pants is the standard equipment that is worn under armour, but she is not wearing any armour. That indicates that this camp is safe. ¡°Well, yeah. Are you going to meet otou-sama?¡± ¡°Yes, I need to hand him these letters.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Otou-sama and Gallen-sama were also really worried.¡± Selene happily took Krische¡¯s hand. Seeing her like that, Krische felt relieved. ¡°How is the situation?¡± ¡°A standoff¡¡ We cannot make a move. It hurt to lose Wulfenite.¡± Wulfenite is a fortified city positioned in the center of the Kingdom¡¯s eastern territories. The town is surrounded by a tall wall and a moat filled with water from a river. It was known as an impregnable town but was taken in the enemy¡¯s blitz invasion and is now an impregnable enemy base. The kingdom¡¯s center is essible from Wulfenite, retaking it is currently the most important objective. The Elsran army is carefully guarding their supply lines to Wulfenite and has deployed forty thousand against Bogan in the north and another forty thousand against Dagren in the south. Inparison, Bogan¡¯s army numbers twenty thousand. Dagren¡¯s army has apparently managed to scrape together thirty thousand, but the difference in numbers isrge and though they could defend, they did not have enough to attack. Taking Wulfenite would be time-consuming no matter how it was done. Cutting off the supply lines and isting Wulfenite is the most effective method, but that is currently impossible and they are at a standoff. Because of the infighting in the capital, the central army has not been deployed and they currently cannot go on the counteroffensive. ¡°What is the capital doing? Anyone could see that things will only get worse if we don¡¯t retake Wulfenite.¡± ¡°Nnn, Elsren is arge country, so they should have already gathered enough forces in Wulfenite¡¡we can only react to what they do.¡± Krische could think of multiple possible actions by the enemy. This is because the enemy could choose any of them. They could maintain the current front and take over the territory. They could invade the center or the south. They would not attack the north because of therge forest, but there are plenty of other options. ¡°This is the worst. Why can we only wait for the enemy to grow.¡± Selene is the daughter of Bogan, who is also known as Lightning Quick. Selene has been educated by him and reveres her father. That is why she is aggressive and favours such tactics. The current situation must be extremely unpleasant for her. ¡°If we do not make mistakes, we are still at an advantage.¡± ¡°The problem is we keep making mistakes.¡± Selene pouted as they arrived at Bogan¡¯s tent. ¡°It¡¯s Selene. I brought Krische.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Selene pulled open the entrance after hearing Bogan¡¯s reply, leading Krische in by the hand -End- Chapter 15: U.E. C.15: Krischeâ€™S Suggestion Chapter 15: U.E. C.15: Krische¡¯SSuggestion Bogan and Gallen were inside the tent. Bogan¡¯s outfit was simr to Selene¡¯s, also without armour, but Gallen was dressed in ck leather armour, perhaps out of habit. Gallen had returned to the army a year ago and is serving as Bogan¡¯s adjutant in this war. ¡°We were just listening to the report, Krische. Sounds like you yed a big part.¡± Themander of the supply train was also present in the tent. Bogan and Gallen smiled and stood up upon seeing Krische, giving her light hugs, but themander looked frightened for an instant when Krische entered. ¡°Krische only helped a little¡¡thank you for bringing Krische here,mander.¡± ¡°You, you are wee¡¡it is I who should thank you¡± He looked bewildered when Krische bowed to him. ¡°¡¡Krische, what did you do?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, Krische. You should report to the general too.¡± Krische nodded to Gallen. ¡°Okay, err¡¡¡± Krische¡¯s exnation was concise. There was a bandit attack at the rear, so she repelled it. ording to information from the bandits¡¯ leader, the bandits received money and the information needed to raid the supply train from someone that is most likely an Elsren spy. Krische summarised the information from the bandits¡¯ leader, reporting the multiply bandit groups in the forest and that the same offer had probably been extended to the other groups. ¡°The exact numbers are not clear, but at least thirty bandits were sighted. By the time Krische arrived at the rear, we already suffered seven casualties. Krische took down thirteen including the leader and the soldiers took down another seven, so there is around ten remaining.¡± That was true? themander muttered, then quickly covered his mouth. He had not seen the scene himself and had notpletely believed what he had heard. ¡°Krische could have chased them down, but Krische was worried about further attacks, so Krische prioritised torturing the leader. This information should be urate.¡± ¡°Torture? Krische¡¡?¡± ¡°Krische cut off eight fingers. He was a bandit anyway.¡± The atmosphere grew heavy with Krische¡¯s casual reply. The supply train¡¯smander kept hisposure, but the fear was apparent in his eyes. Monster¨D¨Dhe had heard the soldiers at the scene call her that, their voices trembling. He had heard that Krische had in a dozen men without letting a drop of blood touch her, then ruthlessly sliced off the bandit¡¯s fingers without any qualms. Hearing Krische report it so casually, he realised that those stories were the unembellished truth and this beautiful girl is not as she seems. The other three had slightly grim expressions, but also seemed understanding. Considering Krische¡¯s past, it is no wonder she suffered no pangs of conscience over torturing bandits. Aside from that, these three are specially close to Krische and has some understanding of Krische¡¯s true nature. She is soft on those close to her, butpletely ruthless to everyone else. After some thought, Selene petted Krische¡¯s head. Krische smiled. ¡°¡¡I see. It must have been tough.¡± ¡°Yes. Krische did not expect to be assaulted while travelling, so it was a little startling. Krische was not on duty so Krische thought of letting the soldiers handle it¡¡but Krische did not want to wait until it is toote, like that time in the vige.¡± ¡°I see¡¡you did well.¡± Bogan nodded gravely and thanked her. ¡°That is all Krische had to report. Krische also has some letters¡¡¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, I¡¯ll take them. Come, sit down the two of you.¡± Bogan looked towards themander. The man came back to his senses and nodded, clicking his heels together as he put the palm of his right hand to his left chest. ¨D¨DI offer my life to you. That is the meaning behind this military salute. ¡°Permission to leave!¡± ¡°Yeah, rest well.¡± After the man left, Gallen picked up a pot and filled two cups with ck liquid. It is a drink called ck soy tea. Krische handed the letters to Bogan and ran over to Gallen to receive the cups, then sat down and handed one to Selene. Krische looked around, searching for something. Selene smiled wryly and retrieved honey and milk from where they were hidden under a cloth on the table. Krische blushed as she added plenty of both to her drink, but rxed into a smile as she took a sip. ck soy tea is bitter and Krische cannot drink it without adding plenty of honey and milk. ¡°Is Bery doing well?¡± ¡°¡¡yes, Bery was worried about master. We thought of a lot of dishes together and she wants you to try them.¡± ¡°Fufu, it sounds peaceful there. I would like to return soon too, but¡¡¡± Bogan finished scanning through a letter and returned it to its envelope as he nodded. ¡°¡¡indeed. I miss Bery and Krische¡¯s cooking too. This is already quite good, but the battlefield is not a pleasant ce. I would like to end it quickly but¡¡¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be easy. Especially since they¡¯ve prated so far. The only way to stabilise the situation is to retake Wulfenite and set up a line of defense around it.¡± Gallen replied to Bogan. He is currently the general¡¯s adjutant and is Bogan¡¯s subordinate, but when other soldiers are not present, they acted as normal. Nobles have strong authority in the army and recruitment through personal connections ismon, so the rules are quite flexible. No one hadins about a former centurion bing the general¡¯s adjutant. This is also partly because Gallen had been quite famous as a fearless and skilled centurion in his time and many that knew him then have be high ranking officers in the Christand army. A centurion is an officer in charge of a hundred men, but is also a soldier. They are exposed to danger but because of this risk, they can earn great fame and honour. Soldiers respect familiar, aplished centurions more than the distant general. Gallen had quickly climbed the ranks from a private to a centurion through his achievements and was a hero among the soldiers. Many had been infuriated with his treatment when Gallen resigned from the army and there were also many that rejoiced when he returned as Bogan¡¯s adjutant. There is also the fact that nobles, who have mana, tend to live beyond a hundred, but the lifespans of normal humans are much shorter. It helps that Gallen is already old and will not be apetitor for promotions. Selene is also an adjutant, but it is quitemon for the general to be seeded by their child and there is nothing wrong with their child serving as an adjutant to learn about the army. Since Selene is Bogan¡¯s sessor, no one openly objected to her position as adjutant and Selene¡¯s ample social skills helped her blend into the army. She became well-known as the ¡®sword maiden¡¯ for her beautiful appearance and skill with the sword. The problem is Krische. Her official position is still ambiguous. Everyone knows about her skill, but there is no clear reason for her to be an adjutant, then again giving her any rank would have problems. A corporal is the leader of a squad of five men. A captain is in charge of ten corporals. A centurion is in charge of two captains andmands a hundred men. These ranks are in a sense exclusively formon soldiers and have a high casualty rate. Throwing the general¡¯s daughter in here would be bad publicity. Bogan started out as a captain because he was a powerless noble, but now that he is a general, making his daughter a captain would be problematic and Bogan himself was not willing to send her there because of her talents. Considering her skills, she should be granted a higher rank, but a higher rank would be the battalionmander in charge of ten centurions. Even higher would be the corpsmander directly under the general, in charge of five battalionmanders. Alternatively there is the supplymander in charge of the army¡¯s logistics. But all these posts are filled. The post of battalionmander is just right for Krische, but they could not create a new posting just for her so she is currently just the ¡®general¡¯s daughter¡¯. They hade to the conclusion that it is best for her to join the ¡®strategicmand¡¯ that Bogan had been trying to set up, so Krische is currently going through officer training¨D¨Dstudying tactics and strategy while only technically part of the army. This is why nobody in the army knows how to treat her. Krische also acts like a proper youngdy, so themon soldiers settled on treating her as the ¡®general¡¯s daughter¡¯. This is also the reason why she was not reprimanded for acting independently. Her current position is quite convenient, allowing her to act as a soldier or the general¡¯s daughter as the need arises. Krische herself does not care about hierarchy and talks to everybody politely, so her current vague position does not particrly bother her. ¡°Krische, what do you think about the current situation?¡± They are in a difficult and troubling position. Bogan is thankful for Krische¡¯s presence in this situation. Her way of thinking is novel and there is much to gain from it. Bogan was against dragging Selene and Krische onto the battlefield because they are still young, but at the same time he understands their usefulness. That¡¯s why he asked Krische this question and watched her with high expectations. Krische thought over Bogan¡¯s question a little, staring at the map on the table. ¡°Were there other attacks on supply trains?¡± ¡°Yeah, there has been multiple reports of such attacks. Casualties are minimal but the soldiers are growing uneasy¡¡seems to be simple harassment.¡± ¡°Yes, Krische thinks so too. They are probably aiming to make the soldiers uneasy and lower morale. For now it is probably better to increase the guards for the supply trains¡¡we can only take countermeasures. Searching the forest would take too much effort.¡± Krische pointed at the pieces representing the enemy. ¡°With the advantage in numbers, the enemy has a lot of options. Inparison, we do not have the numbers to attack, so we can only react. In that sense, they have the initiative¡¡in their position, Krische would target the south first.¡± ¡°You think so too? Why?¡± Krische nodded and took a sip of the ck soy tea which has turned brown with the amount of milk added. With a small satisfied smile, she answered Bogan. ¡°We have therge forest to our backs, so Krische would not aim here. If we escape into the forest, it would be impossible to wipe us out and it is impossible to monitor or blockade the entire forest. Since they cannot bottle us up, they cannot stop us from reassembling. Master set up headquarters here with that in mind right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Our ns are just as you said.¡± ¡°The enemy suprememander is able to lead a hundred thousand men, so he should also understand that. In that case, he would never send the main force here. He would leave thirty thousand to keep us here and send ten thousand to the south.¡± Krische moved a piece representing ten thousand to the south. ¡°This ten thousand will be used to defend the south while the army of forty thousand attacks. If the central army goes to help them, they will be nked by the army in Wulfenite and it would take time if the central army goes around. The terrain in the south is mainly open fields so the enemy can advance quickly and the southern forces will be pushed back quite far. The approximate number of soldiers in Wulfenite is twenty thousand right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Then it will be difficult to take Wulfenite while they attack the south. Elsren could stabilise their lines and take over the whole southeast. They could also coordinate with the Galshan Republic and take over the whole southern area in one shot.¡± The three of them frowned as they listened to Krische. The Kingdom hasrge, treacherous mountain ranges in the northwest and northeast. These mountains are inhabited, but they are more of tribes than a country, they will not do anything as long as their territory is not invaded. The Kingdom is in an alliance with the Arna Empire to the north and on very good terms. They can be considered an ally and there is no need to worry about the north. In fact, they have offered reinforcements, they would also like to avoid the copse of the Alberan Kingdom, their buffer. That leaves the south and west. The Kingdom has warred with the Galshan Republic in the south multiple times. Although their current rtions is good, it is quite usible that they would take this chance to attack. That is the same for the Elderant Kingdom in the west, but they are currently at war with the Galshan Republic. Elderant is the weaker of the two and would not fight two fronts at the same time, so only the Galshan Republic in the south might make a move. ¡°In that case it would be difficult for the Alberan Kingdom to mount a counterattack. We would be forced to sign a peace treaty with the southeastern area of the Alberan Kingdom upied.¡± Krische quietly stated that with no change in expression. Either way, this will not directly affect Krische¡¯s life in the north of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is the buffer for the Arna Empire in the north. Even if Galshan and Elsren aimed for more, they would have to face two countries. Simply put, destroying the kingdom would require enormous effort from them. That means unless something unexpected happens, Krische¡¯s peace is safe. ¡°I see, I understand your assessment. It makes sense as a possible course of action for the empire¡¡can you think of any countermeasure we can take?¡± Bogan asked that with a serious light in his eyes. Gallen and Selene also watched Krische with simr eyes. In their many meetings, they havee to a simr conclusion as Krische about the enemy¡¯s possible movements. Krische had easily and confidently arrived at that conclusion from the many possibilities and surprised them a little with the threat of the empire cooperating with the south. A single mistake could result in enormous casualties. The weight of this responsibility stretches the nerves, creates fear of the countless possibilities and leads one astray from the correct answer. Krische¡¯s rxed confidence surprised them more than her intelligence. Her confidence and ability to easily find a single tree in the forest of possibility and choosing it with no apprehension still surprised them even though they knew her. They still had no answer for this question. Thus their expectations grew after seeing how easily Krische answered the previous question. Bogan¡¯s question. A countermeasure. Krische stared at the map, imagining the movements of the army. ¡°The most likely possibility is what Krische said before. The enemy definitely expects us to y for time. They just need to keep us from moving, so that would y into their hands and they would just stay there. Krische believes the first priority is to take back the initiative.¡± ¡°¡¡but how?¡± Kriche pointed at a spot right in the middle of the Christand and Elsren army. An area east-southeast of the forest¨D¨Dwhere the Arzlen river flows from the mountains to Wulfenite. ¡°The current nned battlefield should be here. The armies will face off across the Arzlen river.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The enemy is also expecting this. Crossing the river would lead to many casualties and if they deploy here, we will not be able to make a move. The state of the river is also not good for us.¡± ¡°River¡¡?¡± Krische nodded. ¡°First we shift the headquarters to the east and hire workers from the surrounding viges and towns to dam the river. At this spot here, where it flows to Wulfenite.¡± Krische pointed to the eastern part of the map. She ced her finger on a smallke¨D¨Dthe point the river splits into two. The northern Arzlen river flows to Wulfenite and the other river, the Bezlen river flows a little further south of that. ¡°Naturally, the enemy army will also move east. But not the entire army. The enemy would see this dam as support for an attack on Wuelfenite by the central army¡¡so they should leave about ten thousand.¡± ¡°That¡¡makes sense. But you intend to dam the river for a different objective?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I understand what you are saying. We can find a good timing to break the dam and release the water, causing a flood and washing away the enemy deployed on the opposite bank. But the chances of the enemy destroying the dam before that looks high. They will not let us build the dam so easily. Won¡¯t it also be difficult to only cause casualties for the enemy?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± The other three looked puzzled when Krische nodded. ¡°But Krische¡¯s objective is simply to create a battlefield, so that is fine.¡± -End- Made a mistake in chap 12, themander (Salva) that yed the war game with Krische was a corpsmander in charge of five ~~hundred~~ thousand men. Yes that makes more sense considering the scale of their army in the game. Past me is dumb. Not that present me is much different. Chapter 16: U.E. C.16: Dual Purpose Chapter 16: U.E. C.16: DualPurpose ¡°¡¡create a battlefield?¡± ¡°Yes. Master would be facing off with the enemy across the river here when theye to prevent the dam. Then we just make the enemy ground a quagmire.¡± Krische traced the Bezlen river that flows south of the Arzlen river with her finger. ¡°This river to the south often floods in this particr area and once the area bes a quagmire, it does not dry very quickly. By damming the northern river which has more water, we can force the southern river to flood and create a quagmire where the enemy is deployed. Just by doing this, we can hinder the movements of the enemy and their supply trains as well as depriving them of their troublesome nomadic cavalry.¡± Unlike most in this time and age, Bogan values records and data, spending fortunes to gather maps, records of past battles and even disasters. Most of this knowledge has been packed into Krische¡¯s mind. Krische visits at the training grounds once a week to participate in military drills, but soon nobody had anything to teach her¨D¨Das a result, she usually studies in Bogan¡¯s personal library. If she remembered the contents of every single book, she would not need to go to the training grounds and can spend more time with Bery. Because of this simple desire to cook with Bery, Krische used her abnormal intelligence to memorise most of Bogan¡¯s extensive collection. ¡°¡¡I see. Interesting.¡± Bogan¡¯s mind is not like Krische¡¯s. But because he knows he is ordinary, he never fails to prepare himself beforehand. He had quickly reviewed the documents about this area before departing and could remember the record that Krische is referring to. Magnificent, Bogan muttered to himself. Knowledge is simply knowledge. The key is how to use and apply that knowledge. Bogan has often told Selene and his subordinates to never stop learning and never to stop at just learning. Knowledge only has meaning if you have the wisdom to apply it. Krische embodies Bogan¡¯s ideal. Bogan had considered the ¡®Strategic Command¡¯ for a long time but started establishing it because of Krische. Even if it is impossible for any one person, they could achieve strategical and tactical nning at Krische¡¯s level with multiple minds. Themanders can focus onmanding their troops and making decisions on the ground while the strategists handle the rest. With this, Bogan nned to greatly raise the overall capabilities of the army. Nobles are highborn beings thatmand the army. This is the popr way of thinking and in this age wheremanders focus on being able to manage everything themselves, Bogan is an unusually advanced thinker. Over many years, Bogan has built up a system which does not focus on individual ability, instead educating and sharing knowledge among the officers andmanders, granting them the authority and responsibilities befitting their capabilities. This is the reason behind the famed strength of the Christand army and also why Bogan Christand is widely known as a great general. ¡°¡¡so first we create a geographical advantage and dampen the enemy¡¯s morale.¡± ¡°Yes. This is just harassment¡¡master can also construct a simple fort nearby and prevent the enemy from crossing the river. The enemy cannot allow a fort to be constructed here, so they will be forced to cross the river.¡± Krische traced the river with her finger. River crossings always requires massive casualties. Krische¡¯s objective is to create a situation that forces the enemy into that. ¡°It will be easy to defend against an enemy trying to cross the river from a quagmire, it will also be difficult for them to breakthrough the steep eastern mountains with arge force. We will be at arge tactical advantage and since it is difficult to maintain formation during a river crossing, we can easily create local numerical advantages too.¡± Krische pointed at the base of the river. ¡°Even if the dam is broken, we can just face off at thiske near the mountain and show asional signs of recapturing the area. The objective is to keep the enemy in ce and prevent them from making a nking attack. It also happens to be the rainy season now, so it would be even better if it rains.¡± Bogan and Gallen looked at, then nodded at each other. Selene was ring at Krische with a vexed expression. ¡°¡¡it¡¯s a good n. So we are creating a battlefield where we can grasp the initiative.¡± ¡°Yes. It would be a gamble for master to independently breakthrough the northern enemy army and damage the supply linesing from the empire no matter what method is used. And even if that seeds, it will not solve the fundamental problem without the aid of the central army. In which case our top priority is to focus on how to prevent the enemy¡¯s movements and buy time for the central army to mount a counterattack.¡± Krische pointed at the enemy army, then their own location. ¡°The enemy supplies are mostly procured locally, but it has been a month since they arrived. The viges they are procuring supplies from should be reaching their limits and the enemy should want to move soon. This one month standoff should be because they were setting up supply lines from their country and quieting local resistance.¡± Aside from the twenty thousandbat personnel, the Christand army has a logistics unit of one thousand. This unit specialises in resolving logistical problems and employingborers or prostitutes from surrounding viges or merchants when necessary. This unit requires specialised mathematical education and is expensive to maintain but has sessfully created a stable stream of supplies for this defensive battle. Inparison, the empire¡¯s invading army is crude. When they invade, they create plundering squads as the need arises and mainly procure supplies locally. The enemy¡¯s blitz invasion prioritises upying as much territory as possible over logistics. But though it is crude, they still have a system in ce. They had suffered severe defeats in the past from scorched-earth strategies, where viges were burned and wells poisoned. Thus although they are still centered on piging, they establish a logistic force before extended wars in order to set up and stabilise supply lines. The logistics force is the backbone of the invading army and focuses all their efforts on creating a stable stream of supplies to upied areas¨D¨Dthey still pige when they first upy thend to raise morale, but after that the logistics force takes over, switching from piging to steady requisition of supplies. They gatherborers and food from surrounding viges, improving efficiency in distribution of supplies. Thus although the empiremits massacres and rape, they are quite careful with carriages and provisions, any resource rted to logistics, when they pige. After upying arge piece of enemynd, they set up supply lines locally and from the empire, building a beachhead for further invasion. This is the Holy Elsren Empire¡¯s basic invasion strategy. Naturally, the other three present knows this. But Krische has a habit of exining obvious things when she has the time to do so. Since Krische¡¯s ¡®obvious¡¯ and other peoples¡¯ ¡®obvious¡¯ have often differed, this is a life skill she has picked up. Krische is ¡®polite¡¯ enough to exin the Kingdom¡¯sw to a bandit she is going torture. The three of them are aware of Krische¡¯s unnecessary politeness and even though they did not need this exnation, they did not interrupt her. ¡°It is likely that the enemy has set up a supply depot near the enemy¡¯s center¨D¨Dnear Wulfenite, but the majority of the supplies would be for invading the south. The resources allocated to the enemy deployed to the north would not be much and if we fight at the eastern mountains, they would have to rely on supplies from the empire.¡± Krische pointed at the area around the Bezlen river that would be a quagmire and continued. ¡°By that point, the geography around the southern river would have deteriorated substantially, so the enemy position would only grow worse with time¨D¨Dwell, that is the overall n.¡± Krische let out a breath and took a sip of her sweet ck soy tea to sate her thirst. Then she continued with satisfied smile. ¡°Their invasion of the south is only possible with a stable stalemate in the north, so if master can shave off arge part of the forty thousand deployed in the north, it it very likely to setback their strategic ns. Krische cannot tell when the central army will be ready to counterattack and how long general Garhka can hold out in the south, but no matter what, the enemy will be forced to respond to master. What do you think?¡± Krische had offered the best n she had and considered it satisfactory, so her thoughts had already turned to her empty stomach as she asked. The discussion is done, time for food. Work is done, time for food. Snacks. Krische¡¯s thoughts are like this all the time. Inparison, the other three were surprised by Krische¡¯s n, shift the headquarters to the east¨D¨Djust by doing this, they can gain a tactical advantage to match the enemy¡¯s numerical advantage and deal a heavy blow to the enemy¡¯s strategic n. ¡°¡¡I have never been more d to have adopted you. It is a brilliant n. If there were no problems I would have appointed you to a position with the authority that befits you but¡¡I¡¯m sorry. It must be tough to be left hanging like that.¡± Bogan sincerely thought that. Hemented her youth and position that prevented her from disying her abilities. ¡°Er¡¡master. Krische is satisfied, with how things are¡¡¡± Krische tilted her head in confusion as she responded honestly. Krische felt no dissatisfaction with the current situation. It would be convenient to have authority, but it is not something she wishes for. Krische is generally serious and hardworking, but Krische only wishes to live a carefree life of chores and cooking. Since that is currently fulfilled, she has no ambitions at all. ¡°Kuku, well, that¡¯s just like you. But Krische¡¯s opinion is always helpful¡¡captain, it is a bitte, but gather the corpsmanders. I want to start moving by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay¨D¨DMessenger!¡± Gallen¡¯s shout was loud enough that it felt like it shook the tent, making Krische cover her ears. With a quick, ¡®Messenger,ing in¡¯ a young soldier entered. ¡°Summon the corpsmanders and their adjutants. Urgently.¡± ¡°Yes sir! Summon the corpsmanders and adjutants, understood!¡± ¡°Good. Go.¡± The young messenger ran off after a nce at Krische and Selene. He was handsome and wore a set of beautiful steel scale armour. Probably a noble. Messengers that pass information are very important, particrly when conveying the general¡¯s orders, so their social standing is important. In order to avoid confusion from false information and the like, nobles are chosen as messengers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Krische, you must be tired, but please join us.¡± ¡°Eh?¡¡okay.¡± It is night. Krische still has not eaten the meal she was supposed to received upon arriving. Krische¡¯s gaze wandered as she lightly pressed on her stomach. Selene smiled wryly and stood up, handing some bread to Krische. Seeing that, Bogan and Gallen let out a sound of understanding andughed. Krische¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Come on, if you¡¯re hungry just say so. Nobody said you cannot eat.¡± ¡°Uuu¡..¡± ¡°What happened to the genius strategist just now? Here, honey. You like it, don¡¯t you?¡± Krische ended up eating ufortably with Selene fussing over her. One month is one cycle of the moon, 28 days. A quarter of that, 7 days, is a week. A day is 24 hours, 12 hours from sunrise to sunset and another 12 at night, but this is a vague definition since the length of the day changes with seasons. In summer, the day would be an hour longer while in winter it would be an hour shorter. Clocks have been invented, made of mana crystals and some machinery, allowing a bell to be sounded urately every hour in towns, but clocks are not easily portable. There is no way to know the exact time so far away from town. But based on the hunger and sleepiness Krische is suffering, it feels like it is already midnight. Already six hours since sunset. Krische¡¯s usual bedtime was a long time ago. ¡°Krische, don¡¯t sleep. Endure just a little longer.¡± ¡°¡¡uuu, hungry, sleepy¡¡¡± Krische had repeated the same exnation for the corpsmanders that had gathered in the tent, but naturally, that was not the end. Krische¡¯s n is simply an overall strategy, now they are discussing how to make their move¨D¨Dthe tactics. They were poring over the map debating where to deploy each corp¨D¨Dthat was when Krische started nodding off, but Selene pinched her cheek and woke her each time. The first corps has the best overall capabilities in the Christand army. The second corps is focused on purebat ability. The third corps is good at defense, including building temporary encampments. The forth crops is good at difficult tactical movements. The discussion of how to utilise each unique corp was taking quite a long time, but Krische is the original person that proposed this strategy. She cannot just say that she wants to go sleep and was half forced to participate in this meeting until this time of the night. Krische was sleepily rubbing her eyes as Selene led her into a small tent by the hand. Inside was a few small articles and a simple bed in the corner consisting of a nket on straw. Selene sat Krische down on the bed and poured soup into a bowl from a jar she her brought back. Grabbing the bread that she had also brought, she sat down next to Krische, tore off some bread, soaked it in the soup and pushed it into Krische¡¯s mouth. Krische slowly chewed, swallowed, then spoke sleepily. ¡°Tasty¡¡¡± ¡°Here, hold the soup Krische. I¡¯ll feed you.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Krische usually sleeps two hours after sundown and wakes early with Bery. Krische¡¯s stamina was at its limits after staying up sote coupled with the mental work of the meeting. She had also been deprived of her meal for that time, so by now Krische¡¯s intellect has dropped to the lowest possible level. Since there is only Selene, whom Krische can rx around, Krische was just moving by instinct at this point. ¡°You¡¯re really still a child no matter how big you grow. Bery and I are fine but you can¡¯t act like this in front of other soldiers. Okay?¡± ¡°Nn¡¡okay.¡± ¡°¡¡really? Do you really get it¡¡?¡± But Selene was smiling happily as she petted Krische¡¯s head, watching Krische blissfully eat the bread, like a chick being fed. Krische eyes narrowed happily just a little. Once Selene was done feeding Krische, she removed Krische¡¯s cloak and equipment, then covered her with the nket. ¡°¡¡this is like I¡¯m the servant here. I¡¯m not Bery you know¡± ¡°¡¡? Selene is Selene. Krische did not mix up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Never mind, hurry up and sleep.¡± Krische looked confused when Selene prodded her cheek, then grabbed Selene¡¯s hand and tugged. Krische grows cold easily and needs a heat source. Selene climbed into bed, muttering to herself, but smiled and gently hugged back when Krische hugged her. Krische closed her eyes, lookingpletely rxed and blissful. Her breathing quickly settled and slowed. ¡°She really falls asleep fast¡¡¡± Selene sighed and kissed Krische¡¯s brow, brushing aside her silky hair. Selene lowered her eyes to her hand. It was trembling slightly. She shook her head. ¨D¨DJust a few days ago, Selene had killed someone for the first time. In the middle of delivering an order to a corpsmander, she was caught up in a small skirmish and killed two people. Selene trained with Krische everyday, so they were easily dealt with and she did not have the time to think about it in the confusion of the battlefield. But when she went to bed alone that night, the memory resurfaced and her body trembled. She could remember the feeling of her de cutting through flesh, the expression of anguish on their faces. There were many voices on the battlefield. The voice of someone calling for their mother, for their lover. The voice of someone fearing death. The pained scream of someone looking for their right hand. Selene had vomited that night and had still been a bad state the next day. Gallenforted her but Selene had barely been able to sleep these past few days. She could still feel the sensation on her hands. Selene looked at Krische¡¯s rxed, young face. It is unbelievable that she killed 13 people. Of course, this is not her first time, but Krische is still too calm. She had spoken as she usually did when she talked about how she killed the bandits and tortured one, as if she was exining what was for dinner. Rather than scary, Selene found it sad. Was she like that from the start? Or did she be like this after losing her parents? Selene does not know but that is not the issue. She might always be like this, for the rest of her life. Krische¡¯s morals are different from others and asionally there are misunderstandings over the simplest things. She is talented, but abnormal. To her, it might even feel like everyone else is apletely different species. Krische would do anything if there is a need to. She would not hesitate, she would aplish it withplete calm, seemingly heartless. That is why people fear and avoid her. Selene had thought the vigers were horrible for treating Krische that way. But now Selene understands why, and it is just sad. ¡°¡¡no matter what, Krische will be Krische.¡± Krische always acts normal even if others hate or fear her. Nothing changes. Krische would not care. Even if people she were close to started to avoid her and she was left all alone, Krische will be Krische. And Krische might just go on, without even realising that she is lonely. Like a clown that continues dancing, not realising she is the only one left in the circus. Selene watched Krische blissfully snuggle against her. Krische likes sleeping with people. Maybe it is because it feels good, or because it is reassuring, or perhaps just because it is warm. Selene does not know the reason. Krische is always tagging along behind Bery back at home, depending on her. She always looked like she was having fun doing chores or cooking together. But even if Krische lost that¨D¨D ¡°¡¡haa.¡± The saddest part is that she will not feel sad even if she lost that happiness. Krische is missing something important and she does not realise it. Even if she loses something important, she cannot realise it is important. After two years together, Selene has gotten to know Krische quite well. Selene has seen plenty of Krische¡¯s adorable side¨D¨Dand her sad side. Selene has grown to want to protect her. Is this how a mother feels? Or an older sister? Doesn¡¯t matter, Selene dismissed it, running her finger through Krische¡¯s light hair. It may be presumptuous, but I will be there for her. In order to protect the happiness that Krische herself does not realise she has, I will fight. ¡®¡¡Krische-sama would probably fight better than anyone else. She might even be a hero remembered in history. But the Krische-sama I know likes cooking and is an unexpectedly spoiled girl¡¡so I am against this.¡® When Krische had started visiting the training grounds, Bery had been strongly against it. At that time Selene had only thought of Krische as a slightly weird girl and brushed it off too easily. Lately, Selene has slowly grown to understand the meaning behind those words, but she only truly understood them after hearing Krische¡¯s report today. Ah. Bery must have understood Krische before any of us. She must have already been thinking the same thing as I am now. ¡°I¡¯m still incapable but¡¡¡± Selene whispered to Krische. ¡°One day, I will protect you, so that you don¡¯t have to try so hard.¡± Kissing Krische on the brow again, Selene slowly closed her eyes. -End- Chapter 17: U.E. C.17: Aleha Sarshenka Chapter 17: U.E. C.17: AlehaSarshenka A few dayster, the Holy Elsren Empire invasion force¨D¨Dthe northern army, in a certain tent. A map was spread open and about twenty men sat around it. ¡°They moved?¡± ¡°Yes, to the east¡¡¡± The blonde man sitting at the head of the table frowned as he listened to his subordinate¡¯s report.. Aleha uzera Shuindel Sarshenka. A general of the empire, one talented enough to rise to this rank at a young age without using his family¡¯s power. Aleha was born as the third son of a great noble and had no chance of seeding the family. So naturally he entered the army and with his abilities, he made many achievements on the battlefield and received the honourable, though noninheritable, title of Shuindel¨D¨Dpdin, directly from the emperor. The title of pdin is an honorary rank that is a reward for military achievements and is the greatest honor that any soldier could receive. Aleha received it in his thirties and as a renowned general of the empire, also made many contributions in this invasion. His life was smooth sailing, nothing stood in his way¨D¨Dbut now, wrinkles creased his brow. He pondered the iprehensible report he had just received. ¡°¡¡why now?¡± Aleha had spearheaded the invasion of the Kingdom¡¯s eastern territories and has earned enough achievements. He built the foundations for taking the impregnable fortress Wulfenite by taking down the Kingdom¡¯s general, Carmeda. His contributions are worthy of the title of pdin. But earning too many achievements causes jealousy. High society is a dangerous ce. Aleha is aware that many envy him and monopolising achievements would lead to more disadvantages than advantages in high society. That is why Aleha left the taking of the major objective, Wulfenite, to others and also avoided the southern invasion, instead volunteering for the unappealing role of locking down the enemy¡¯s forces. Of course that was not all, it was also because the enemy this time was special for him. ¨D¨DBogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s famous northern general. Aleha had suffered many defeats at the hands of Christand before bing a general. Christand¡¯s attacks are relentless. He would attack weak points, causing the formation to copse, push through and deal critical damage in one strike. If attacked, he would absorb it, then counterattack even harder. His attacks are lightning quick and relentless, nobody could endure it and he has never lost a battle with equal numbers. Aleha had already realised his talents when he faced Christand and had broken through Christand¡¯s defenses many times. But each time, the Christand army would break through the empire¡¯s weak points even quicker, forcing Aleha to retreat despite his local victories. Everybody focuses on Christand¡¯s relentless attacks, but his army¡¯s greatest strength is in their retreat. The parts of his army at a disadvantage would have a multi-stage retreat nned out, allowing them to weaken the enemy¡¯s momentum and buy time until a counterattack can deal a critical blow. Aleha has read every record about Christand and has studied him more than anyone. You could even say that Aleha managed toe this far by studying Christand¡¯s many tactics. Bogan Christand, the greatmander that rose through the ranks with his abilities alone despite being born as a low-ranking noble. Aleha has simr circumstances, being born as the third son and unable to seed the family, sent to the army instead. So despite being enemies, Christand¡¯s brilliant achievements inspired him. If they had been born in the same country, Aleha would have been a devote follower of Bogan. This is the first time Aleha faces Christand in the same position of general. His role is to intentionally create a stalemate, asionally skirmishing but avoiding a decisive battle and locking down the enemy forces. Aleha would like to defeat Christand and is slightly dissatisfied with this role, but also believes that nobody else can contain Bogan. Because he had studied Christand more than anyone else, he could understand Christand¡¯s thinking. Aleha had stabilised the stalemate and believed he had seen through Christand¡¯s ns, which is why Bogan¡¯s sudden movement confused him. The enemy had shifted camp to the east. To the side of the eastern mountains¨D¨Dwhat is the aim behind this bold move? Bogan might have moved most of his forces to the east, but breaking through the northern forest is still impossible. It would require vast amounts of manpower and stretch out the supply lines. The Holy Elsren Empire¡¯snd mostly consists of ins and the Empire¡¯s soldiers are not used to fighting in a forest. The Empire also produces many good horses and has added nomads to their forces. The strength of the Empire¡¯s army is their powerful cavalry, losing that greatly reduces their capabilities. No matter which path they took, if they did not defeat the enemy¡¯s main force, they would be nked and be in a predicament. That is the conclusion he arrived at after considering his own forces. Naturally the enemy also made that bold move with this in mind. They saw through his intentions of creating a stalemate and is confident that the Empire is not aiming to break through the north. There is a certain flow in both tactics and strategy. It requires an extreme amount of effort to change this flow once it has started. The invasion force¡¯s current n is to invade the south. It is impossible to change that by now and Aleha is forced to respond with these conditions. ¡°What is his aim? ¡¡either way, we must also move. We will move camp to the east.¡± If left alone, Christand¡¯s position would allow him to easily target the Empire¡¯s supply lines. No matter the reason, the enemy is a force of twenty thousand. They had to match the enemy¡¯s movements. ¡°¡¡ah, so that¡¯s why.¡± Aleha smiled. He had examined thend around the pieces and quickly understood Christand¡¯s intentions. A strange movement¨D¨Da very un-Bogan-like movement. ¡°It¡¯s probably a coordinated move with the enemy¡¯s foolish central army. They¡¯re trying to dam the river.¡± It is not Bogan¡¯s n. Aleha saw arger overall strategy behind the Christand army¡¯s movements. The enemy¡¯s capital is in a mess with the struggle over session, so they had been forced to be reactive even in this predicament. There had probably been some popr opinion rushing them to take back Wulfenite, so the Kingdom¡¯s central army must have made a n for that. And Bogan has been ordered to assist by damming the river. ¡°Just to dry up Wulfenite¡¯s moat? Unthinkable of that famous Christand.¡± Damming a river is extremely difficult. The dam itself would be a second key location after the headquarters, forcing them to split their forces. The enemy already has inferior numbers and doing this when the Empire is free to move is reckless. ¡°¡¡I see, then.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s time. Our goal was to create a stalemate, but if we can defeat the Christand army, we would gain arge advantage¡¡even if the general is great, when the country is so ipetent, it¡¯s pitiful.¡± Aleha had been dissastifed with creating a stalemate. His respect for Bogan had grown even as he was humiliated by Bogan in his defeats. These feelings are why Aleha was delighted as he made the decision. ¡°We will deploy the army to the east. First we will break the dam and setback the enemy¡¯s ns. Our casualties will berge when crossing the river to fight, but greater honour awaits us. The empire will no longer taste defeat at the hands of Christand.¡± The men smiled and clenched their fists as they listened to Aleha¡¯s promation. They had defeated many formidable enemies under Aleha¡¯s superbmand. They have seen his skills in his rapid blitz invasion and upation. His subordinates believed that Aleha should have been the one in charge of invading the south¨D¨Dand they delighted at this opportunity. The poprity, trust and faith that Aleha has built up is proof of his greatness. As long as they follow him, everything will work out¨D¨Dhis devoted followers felt no apprehension. ¡°Yes sir!¡± That is why nobody had any misgivings about giving up the initiative so easily. And they stepped into the battlefield they would never return from. ¨D¨DInformation is dyed. There are scouts and spies that seek out enemy information. But they are human and even with horses, it would take time if there is distance. And when information is dyed, naturally response is also dted. By the time the Holy Elsren Empire¡¯s army arrived, the battlefield had already be a muddy quagmire. The water that had overflowed from the southern Bezren river has soaked into thend. The soil isrgely y, causing the armoured soldiers to sink down to their ankles, draining their stamina and causing difort. Aleha could not be sure if this was a coincidence. No, deep down, he was uneasy¨D¨Dmaybe the enemy had lured them here. But either way, they needed to prevent the enemy¡¯s dam and in order to do that, they had toe here. Because Aleha saw this as an assist to an attack on Wulfenite, Aleha had to make this decision. Exactly because Aleha knew Bogan Christand better than anyone else, he interpreted this sudden weird movement as an order by the Kingdom¡¯s capital. The Empire has the advantage in numbers. The Empire ate up arge chunk of territory in their blitz invasion and the disordered Kingdom is in a predicament. If Christand were to lose an engagement in this situation, the Kingdom would not just be in a predicament, it would definitely copse. Any sane general would be painfully aware of this heavy responsibility. It is unthinkable that someone in that position would choose this ce as a battlefield just to take back the initiative to deal a painful blow. And most of all, Aleha knows that Bogan Christand is more cautious than any other man. Aleha is not a foolish general. He is skilled and with time and experience, he would have be a great general remembered by history. But at this time he was still young and did not know to reconsider his own decisions. This was the turning point. Even if the river is dammed, Wulfenite is still tough. Even if Christand¡¯s intentions are as Aleha imagined, the Empire could easily hold out. Aleha should have realised the foolishness of entering this ce, retreat and maintained a defensive line. But he was young and seeked prefection. Aleha set up camp across the river from Christand, but he did not fight. The river is wide and shallow in this area, the riverbed mostly gravel, even with water, it is possible to break through. But if Aleha sent in his forces in this situation, there is the possibility of the enemy breaking the dam and sufferingrge losses in the resulting flood. A careless attack is dangerous. The soldiers are also tired because of the muddy ground. There are many cases of carriages getting stuck and he had to mobolise the cavalry to help them. His forces are split and he cannot attack immediately. ¡°¡¡what is that?¡± But at this point, something new rushed Aleha. By the river¨D¨Don the west side, where the enemy¡¯s right wing is, a crude fortress is being constructed. It is so crude that it is more scaffolding than a fort. But it¡¯s existence is still a threat. How did they get the resources for that in this short amount of time¨D¨Dthen he looked at the river. I see, Aleha red at the fortress. They had probably thrown logs that they had cut in the mountains into the river before damming it, allowing the logs to flow down here. They had probably focused on building it quickly. The roof is just ayer of branches. The barricade is full of gaps, simply logs hammered into the ground at regr intervals and connected with rope. But the branches are enough to stop arrows and the barricade would slow a charge and stop horses. If it ispleted, it will be an evenrger threat. It is built on the area most suitable for a river crossing. Any further west, the river grows narrower and deeper, the flow also bes visibly faster. Which means the left side of the battlefield is blocked off. Going around it would be difficult. Seeing the enemy¡¯s unexpectedly thought out preparations, Aleha¡¯s uneasiness grew -End- Chapter 18: U.E. C.18: Work Chapter 18: U.E. C.18: Work As Aleha was having apprehensions¨D¨DKrische was temporarily put in charge of the engineers and was directing the construction of the fort. ¡°Please set up boards in this area, thin ones are fine. Something that can be used to hide from archers is enough. Also set up anti-cavalry stakes at regr intervals there. This ce is quite far from the river crossing point to the west, so if theye across here it will be mainly cavalry. Be thorough with the countermeasures.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. But is this really okay? This barricade is too¨D¨D¡± The engineer captain asked in confusion. The barriacde to the front¨D¨Dfacing the river, is full of gaps and looks too flimsy. ¡°Yes. The enemy will be soldiers exhausted from a river crossing. We just need to slow them down and drain their stamina and willpower.¡± Selene pointed beyond the barricade as she spoke¨D¨Dto the stakes hammered into the grass at regr intervals. The stakes were hammered deep into the ground and ropes were strung between them, hidden by the grass. A simple trap that just trips up the enemy. The enemy soldiers will be tense, agitated, exhausted as they run through the slippery riverbed in a rain of arrows. Conducting a river crossing would wear out anyone¡¯s nerves, so once they broke through, they would sprint forward in an attempt to establish a beachhead. Once they tunnel vision on that, this trap, vines weaved into ropes and hidden in front of the fort, will be enough to break their spirits. Anybody would panic if they tripped in the middle of a rain of arrows. Since it is make-shift, it is not durable, but even if the ropes snap, new ones can just be set up at night. Cutting the ropes for others while arrows rain from above would require self-sacrifice and cutting them all would require enormous effort. Minimum cost for maximum effect. Krische enjoys the trial and error to achieve this. The goal is not to annihte the enemy. This fort has been built to drain the enemy¡¯s morale and is quite fragile. If this was a wide open field, it would be pointless and not worth the effort spent building it. But if you consider it as a defensive position used to defend against an enemy¡¯s river crossing, it is extremely effective¨D¨Dno matter what, the attacking side will always have more casualties when attacking across a river. The soldiers¡¯ morale will not be high, they can only hide their fear under a crazed fervor and advance. That is exactly why obstacles that simply slow them down would be more than effective. ¨D¨DSoldiers follow the backs of those in front. The soldier standing in front is a hero and because of this hero, many soldiers are able to advance forward. But if these heroes trip and die in a rain of arrows¨D¨Dthe following soldiers will awaken from their fervor, realising they are next and stop short. Reducing morale¨D¨Dthis wicked fort is built just for this purpose. But the creator, Krische does not have such a good understanding of the fine workings of a soldier¡¯s mind. Because of Krische¡¯s unique thinking, she is bad at reading emotions. Scared, sad, angry. Even if she can see how people are feeling, she still cannot understand what makes them feel that way even with Bery¡¯s education. What situations cause fear and reduces the morale of soldiers? She had intended to leave everything to Bogan and when she was put in charge of constructing the fort, this question had troubled her greatly. After much thought, Krische decided to conduct a survey. She gathered privates and corporals to her tent and asked each of them about terrifying experiences on the battlefield. ¨D¨DOne has to be brave to be a soldier. Each and every soldier has to be a hero. The soldiers believed this and were unwilling to confess their cowardice, so the survey did not yield much results at first. But the situation changed when Gallen joined in. Gallen spoke of his time as amon soldier, confessing his own cowardice. He spoke of how it is not shameful, it is natural to be frightened. In fact, true heroes are those that are aware of their fear but still gather their courage. Gallen used to be famous and is currently the general¡¯s aide. His words resounded deeply with the soldiers and changed their perception, allowing Krische to gather useful feedback from many soldiers. This wicked fort was built ording to that feedback. The topic somehow changed from what situations are terrifying, to how to conquer that fear, but Krische did not care either way. To summarise their answers, soldiers fight to protect theirrades and fear being alone the most. Of course, their own death is scary. But if they do not conquer this fear, theirrades who are standing in the same shoes will pay the price, so soldiers risk their lives to protect theirrades. They treasure the lives of therades with whom they had shared meals and fear being left alone¨D¨Dthat seems to bemon consensus among the soldiers. But Krische did not have much interest in whether these opinions were actually correct. Krische only saw it as a sense of aesthetics that soldiers shared. She was more interested in the process of how she received the feedback. After her survey, Krische came to the conclusion that soldiers are ¡®a flock of sheep led by a dog¡¯. There is a ¡®dog¡¯ who is the ¡®revolutionary¡¯ and ¡®sheep¡¯ who are ¡®followers¡¯ Followers agree with the revolutionary¡¯s opinions and share in his views. The revolutionaries are generally the valiant, fearless soldiers, the outstanding soldiers that lead the charge. It is the same in the battlefield, followers follow the revolutionary who leads the way to death. In that case, they just need to kill the revolutionary at the head of the flock. Revolutionaries are the ¡®ideal soldiers¡¯ for other soldiers. Krische predicted that there would be great effect if these revolutionaries are seen caught by trivial traps and killed helplessly. This should be more than enough when their morale is low after a river crossing. There is no time to build a perfect fort, they only need an effective fort. Krische did not forget her objective. ¡°It does not matter if they focus their forces here and take the fort. There is no point even if they do.¡± The fort¡¯s rear¨D¨Dfacing away from the river, ispletely defenseless. The number of stakes drop drastically and there is no defensive wall. It is easy to retake from this side, it is easily rebuilt if broken and if there is a need, it is also easily abandoned. This fort will not offer the enemy any tactical advantage. If the enemy targets the fort, they will not be able to focus their forces at other areas and casualties can be minimised. So Krische actually wants them to attack the fort. ¡°Okay, that shouldplete it. I will leave the rest to you. If there is time, please weave grass to make loops for tripping the enemy. Leave the remaining materials for repair.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Where will Krische-sama be heading?¡± ¡°Krischee¡¯s role is done, so Krische will wait for master¨D¨Dah, the general¡¯s orders. Krische will transfermand to you, so just work with the third corps¡¡nnn.¡± Krische stretched, suppressing a small yawn. She has been working day and night these past few days and is not getting enough sleep. Krische usually sleeps twice as much as others, so thisck of sleep is especially tough for her. She turned away, heading back to her tent to sleeep. ¡°Krische, how are things? I came to take a look.¡± And that very moment, Selene showed up on a horse, ¡°Krische has finished giving the necessary instructions. Krische has left the rest to the captain, so please discuss with him.¡± ¡°¡¡errr?¡± The captain seemed bewildered as he was suddenly handedmand while Krische lookedpletely indifferent. Krische was expressionless like usual¨D¨Dbut Selene has spent enough time with her to pick up on the minor details. Krische¡¯s usually wide eyes are slightly narrowed and she was mumbling a little. These are signs that she is sleepy. Selene sighed as she examined Krische¡¯s expression, then pulled Krische onto the horse. Krische was wearing a skirt and mounted sidesaddle. As she settled into Selene¡¯s arms, Selene pinched her cheek. ¡°Uuu¡¡cheek¡¡¡± ¡°Haaa¡¡we¡¯ll head back to the tent as we talk, so endure a little longer. Captain, is there any problems if I take her away?¡± ¡°N, no¡¡we have received the necessary instructions, adjutant Christand.¡± ¡°Okay. If you need more resources or manpower, say so. Well, there will not be arge battle for a few more days, so there should be no need¡¡but will you need a few more hands for repairs?¡± ¡°It will depend on the extent of the damage¡¡but the structure is simple and the current personnel should be sufficient.¡± ¡°¡¡okay. But the more I look at it, the more worrying the fort looks. It looks like it will copse if we just leave it alone for half a year.¡± The fort was built with waterlogged logs. There is plenty of water prepared to extinguish fires and it will be very resistant against fire arrows. But it will also rot quickly and copse. ¡°¡¡we do not need this fort half a yearter, so it is fine.¡± Krische was sulking a little because her cheek was pinched. They had prioritised building it quickly, so it is just a facade without any durability. That is why Selene, who had studied the basics of fortifications, found it kind of disgusting. She knew that Krische could have built a proper fort if she wanted to but intentionally did it this way. But this is a matter of tastes. ¡°I know that, but this is more about how it feels.¡± Selene embraced Krische¡¯s warm, sleepy body and petted her head. This is already a habit and was a subconscious action. The captain stared at the sight of these two beautiful girls atop the horse. Their close rtionship is well known. Krische is always expressionless and you cannot tell what she is thinking, but she acts like this when with Selene. Although rumours of Krische¡¯s abnormality has spread among the soldiers, her beauty and cuteness is also known. This is especially because although Selene is out of their league¨D¨Dis their idol, they have seen Selene fussing over Krische. So the soldiers saw them as a brilliant and charismatic older sister and a slightly weird but genius younger sister. Selene does not act unpleasant, she is not arrogant like other nobles. She is willing to directly converse withmon soldiers when there is a need to. Her willingness to ept any useful feedback from them also makes her popr. Just like with Grace in the vige, Krische is protected from malice by Selene¡¯s poprity. ¡°¡¡seriously.¡± As Selene steered the horse towards their tent, Krische¡¯s eyes slid shut and she fell asleep in Selene¡¯s arms. Selene sighed in exasperation, but still slowed the horse¡¯s pace, making sure not to wake Krische. Seeing her sleep like a little girl while on the battlefield¨D¨Don the frontlines might antagonise some because it looks like she is too rxed. But the two of them are blessed with looks and military talent, making them a sight for sore eyes. They are also about 14, 15 years of age¨D¨Dstill on the border between child and adult, so they serve more to soothe the spirits of the soldiers and raise their morale. The minimum age to be a soldier is 15, so to most soldiers they are still young and the soldiers feel protective of them. The heroes protecting the two beautiful Christand princesses¨D¨Dit is like the setting of a bad. The Christand army¡¯s soldiers are also well-natured and no one found this sight unpleasant. This is also part of Selene¡¯s n. Selene is aware of the negative rumours about Krische, but Krische ispletely indifferent to them. Selene decided that Krische¡¯s position will grow worse if these rumours are left alone. Normally, Selene would never allow them to see this side of Krische. But Krische is unique and those that catch glimpses of her true nature would fear her. Selene cannot do anything about that. Krische is Krische and no matter what Selene says, that part of Krische cannot be changed. Selene thought about how to change Krische¡¯s image and came to the conclusion that showing this side of Krische should bnce it out. Krische is cool and collected, she is polite and serious¨D¨Dbut because she was quite pampered in the vige, her mental age is actually that of a child, so she acts younger than she looks. Even Selene who has confidence in her own looks feels that Krische¡¯s looks are perfect, she is a wless beauty. In her case, her young mental age is another charm point. Selene¡¯s n is quite effective and Selene was satisfied with the looks they were receiving. But Selene¡¯s is also still immature. Krische is adorable when she is so defenseless. And since Bery is not around, Krische is only like this with Selene. Krische¡¯s detached way of thinking differs from others, but she is also purer and more innocent than anyone else. There is the subconscious desire to show off that such a girl is so dependent on herself. The chicken or the egg. Either way, Selene¡¯s actions helped Krische to blend into the army. -End- Chapter 19: U.E. C.19: The Revolutionary And The Wicked Fort Chapter 19: U.E. C.19: The Revolutionary And The WickedFort Although the armies of the Kingdom and the Empire have slightly different structures, the soldiers in both armies are mostly voluntary. Certainnds conscript the men as a form of tax, but either way, soldiers are assigned to reserve forces after a few months of training, onlying back one month a year (usually during winter after the harvest) for training. If war breaks out, they will have to go and fight but they receive a sry and will not have to worry about their next meal during training, so many soldiers are from poor families. In the Christand army, corporals and above are standing soldiers, some are evenmon soldiers that were promoted and became career soldiers. On the other hand, corporals in the empire are also reserve soldiers, this difference isrgely due to financial reasons. In the case of the Christand army, most of the running costs of the army is provided by the country. In addition, Bogan himself uses the profits from the mines and farms he owns to employ the lower rankingmanders, including corporals, as career soldiers. Bogan had made many achievements in the previous war, but lives frugally in a single estate with only one servant while investing most of his personal wealth in the army. Bogan is an honourable soldier and an unusually dutiful noble. He believes the bountifulnds he was granted is to be used to fulfill his duties and is willing to spend on the army, which helps him in his duties. Many under Bogan also follow his example and invest their own wealth in their soldiers, helping to maintain the strength of the Christand army. Christand¡¯s army is slightly unique in the amount invested into it, but the other generals of the Kingdom also employs simr methods, so you could say that this is the Kingdom¡¯s standard. The Kingdom focuses on the proficiency and quality of the army. That is the strength of the Kingdom¡¯s armies. Inparison, the Empire¡¯s territory is wide and the strength of the armies is greatly depended on the noble in charge of thend, leading to a wide disparity in the quality of soldiers. Since nobles can go to war on their own once they get permission, there is arge difference in the quality of soldiers between border territories and inner territories (inner territories refers to territories neighbouring the territories under the Emperor¡¯s direct control). But the Curia wields great economical and political power. When they dere a ¡®Holy War¡¯, the nobles have to gather their forces, forming arge army in a short span of time to invade in the name of god. The Curia nned to take over the Kingdom¡¯s fertile southeastern territory while there was confusion over session of the crown. They dered a ¡®Holy War¡¯ and gathered an army of hundred thousand from the western nobles. The Curia provides most of the funding to the western nobles but will reap the profits from the upiednds themselves. The nobles wee a ¡®Holy War¡¯ where they can receive funding to expand their territories and are willing to cooperate with neighbouring nobles whom they are usually on bad terms with. A difference in numbers is an advantage in war. That is the first thing anyone is taught about war. As long as their slice of the pie is guaranteed, the nobles are happy to cooperate with others and join arge army for the invasion. On one hand, the Kingdom¡¯s army which maintains a stable level of training and sets up stable supply lines, on the other hand, the Empire¡¯s army which can gather arge army although there is a disparity in quality, and gathers most of its supplies through plundering. It is difficult to say which is better in this time and age, but in this war at least, the difference in the structures of the armies has led to the Empire¡¯srge army upying the Kingdom¡¯s eastern territories. Krut was a poor farmer and is now amon soldier in the victorious Imperial army¨D¨Dhe is part of the famous general Sarshenka¡¯s northern army. Krut was born as the third son in a small farm, he grew sick of stifling vige life and watching his parents be exploited through taxation, so he enlisted as a soldier. Amon situation for a soldier. Soldiers do not be soldiers because they want to, but because they have to. That is the case for soldiers in the Elsren Holy Empire. The disparity of wealth in the empire creates poverty and soldiering is a job for the poor, serving to prevent further deterioration in public order. ¡®Holy War¡¯¨D¨Dplundering in the name of god is also a good chance to let these unstable elements blow off some steam. The Empire is wide and cannot maintain order throughout itsnd, so it has the fundamental w of having to go to war regrly to let off some steam. Massacres must not be conducted in towns with above a certain poption. This is dictated in the Sacred Convention but not because of any humane reason. There are skilled artisans, intellectuals and merchants in towns. This rule is set to avoid the killing of these human resources through plundering. For example, the deaths of merchants would lead to protests from wealthy sses and problems during postwar governance. Merchants work together to protect their wealth, so if they killed merchants in other countries it would also affect trade in their own country. That is why the Sacred Convention bars such acts in towns, but naturally small viges that do not fulfill that condition is not included. Viges in upiednd pay the price for this rule. It ismon knowledge among soldiers that there is an unspoken agreement that viges can be used to vent their frustrations. The young man Krut unknowingly stepped into this hell. It ismon to hear about plundering during war from senior soldiers during the tough training. Training is tough, but you can do whatever you want in war. You can rape the vige¡¯s beauties who would usually ignore you, you can steal all the valuables you want. Life may be horrible, but that is the one time in your life you can enjoy it to the fullest. Krut nodded and agreed, but he is quite a virtuous man. He did not agree with his seniors. Krut did not want dirty reality¨D¨Dhe admired the heroes of legend. He did not join in the plundering and rape that urred in this war and it was all he could to suppress his disgust. The screams stuck in his ears, it was unbelievable that people could toy with and ughter helpless, innocent vigers. The ghastly sight of humans being treated like objects, of the unspeakable rape were burnt into his eyes and he could not to sleep properly for the next few days. It was his corporal, a man called Orzan that cheered him up. Orzan is skilled in the sword, a daring and resolute man. He is careless and cheerful, slightly vulgar and always talking about prostitutes. Krut naturally assumed that Orzan also participated in the plundering, but he is actually an honourable man and was unexpectedly disgusted by rape, changing Krut¡¯s opinion of Orzan. ¡°¡¡a long time ago, my vige was burnt down too. I was born in the Kingdom, but my vige sheltered imperial soldiers. We were found out and the vige was burnt.¡± Orzan told Krut about his past. Capturing enemy soldiers and holding them prisoner is fine, but sheltering them is treason to the Kingdom. The vige was burnt and to set an example¨D¨Dthere was a silent agreement that rape of the vigers was allowed. But the centurion that came to burn down the vige brazenly walked into the vige square, giving the vigers time to escape. The only casualties were a few ruffians that fought back. Orzan said that the centurion was probably reluctant to burn the vige. Thanks to that, he managed to escape to the Empire and is now serving as a soldier. ¡°At that time I resented him¡¡but as time passed, I learned to be grateful. When I be a centurion, I want to be like him. It¡¯s cool right? ¡¡but I¡¯m still stuck as a corporal though.¡± Orzan spoke like a young boy talking about his hero. Krut respected him. In war it is kill or be killed. But that does not mean they can be inhumane. Orzan was just like how Krut imagined a hero would be. At night, they trained together under the moonlight and Orzan shared his vulgar stories. Krut grew to know Orzan¡¯s other friends and learnt they were not as he imagined. They were disciplined men, good soldiers. He decided to advance with them and one day climb the ranks to fix the corruption in this army. This is Krut¡¯s goal. The menughed and patted young Krut¡¯s shoulder, praising him for his aspiration. Krut had found his ce with these warmrades. And today¨D¨D ¡°Oi oi, don¡¯t be so tense. It¡¯ll be fine, no arrows will get to you here.¡± ¡°I, I know, corporal¡¡¡± They were crouching in the river, hiding in the shadows near the bank. The river crossing was hell. The river is already stained scarlet and bodies floated here and there. The Empire¡¯s army had seeded in breaking the dam three days ago. The river finally settled down today and they hadunched an all-out attack. The Sarshenka army won a crushing victory at the damming site and gained control of the area. The enemy routed and ran¨D¨Dor that was the report Aleha received through the messenger from, his vice-general, Dakrasha, who was inmand of the forces in the mountains. The Empire is at an advantage in numbers both in the mountains and by theke. Dakrasha is quite a good general. It is almost inevitable that they won, but it was easier than expected, making Aleha suspiscious. Aleha knows of Christand¡¯s outstanding retreat tactics and did not think Christand would let go of a key location so easily. After receiving that report, Aleha wanted to take a cautious stance and spend some time to review the situation. In that sense, he is certainly a brilliant general, but the people around him are not. They believed that Christand was on the backfoot, fighting a battle he did not want. They rejoiced and sang praises of Dakrasha and Aleha. Aleha had taken down the experienced general, Carmeda, during the invasion. Because they knew of his amazing skills, they became blind sheep. They believed that Bogan Christand was forced to fight here on the Kingdom¡¯s order, this was also what Aleha thought at first and this belief had gained traction. Part of Aleha also agreed with them and thought it is a good time to attack. Most of all, they had gotten used to victory and after further victory in the mountains, the soldiers¡¯ morale is high. Aleha was swept along by their enthusiasm and decided on arge-scale assault. Krut is deployed on the left wing and is part of the force attacking the fort. They had heard that the enemy general¡¯s, Christand¡¯s own daughter¨D¨DKrische Christand had personally takenmand of the construction of this misshapen fort. It looks so crude, like a gust of wind could knock it over. Last night, they had been confident that knocking down that fort would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. There were even some that spoke of their vulgar desire to strip naked the two beautiful Christand daughters. But standing in a rain of arrows, the fort felt like a towering castle to Krut. He desperately suppressed the trembling in his body and took deep beaths. ¡°You scared?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not scared¡¡¡± ¡°Gahaha, so you say. My balls are shriveling up. Oi, how ¡¯bout you?¡± Orzan called to the man next to them. The man, a corporal,ughed and nodded. ¡°Yeah. I pissed myself just now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re disgusting¡¡ well, anyway, only crazies wouldn¡¯t be scared in this situation. Everyone is the same, so rx.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± ¡°Oi, what happened to the first wave?¡± ¡°They failed. They didn¡¯t reach the fort¡¡there was shouting about ropes¡± ¡°Dammit, they set some stupid traps.¡± That was when the signal came from the centurion. Krut¡¯s gripped his sword and shield tightly, suppressing the trembling in his body. ¡°¨D¨DAll troops, charge!!¡± They stood and stepped out of the river as that shout reached them. The fear and fervour made Krut feel like he was floating. His feet were unsteady, it felt like they were floating in air. ¡°Let¡¯s go Orzan, don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Yeah, you too¨D¨DOi!¡± The corporal that had been joking with Orzan just now took an arrow to the foot. Even if they covered their heads withrge shields, there are still gaps. The corporal copsed and countless arrows rained down on him. The corporal writhed in pain, then stopped moving. ¡°¡¡Krut! Don¡¯t stand around! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Ye, yeah¡¡¡± Around them, soldiers tripped over something and died in the rain of arrows. Someone shouted a warning about traps on the ground. But it felt impossible to pay attention to the ground while arrows rained from above. ¡°Tsk.¡± Orzan swung his sword at the ground, cutting a rope made of vines. ¡°Krut, just hold your shield above your head and the rest is luck. Whether you are looking or not, you will die when its your time. Keep your eyes on the ground¨D¨Dno, just shut up and watch my feet. That¡¯s all you need to do.¡± ¡°O, okay¡¡!¡± A short distance away, Kurt saw the centurion die under a concentrated volley of arrows. He and was once amon soldier and had a fierce face. Even Orzan could not match his swordsmanship. That centurion could easily take on two average soldiers. But he died so easily. ¡°Don¡¯t look, just, forward¡¡. just look forward¡¡¡± That was thest thing Krut saw before he recited Orzan¡¯s words, forcing himself to believe in them. He saw arade copse at the corner of his eyes. He tried to ignore it. He just followed Orzan¡¯s feet. ¡°Gu¡¡¡± An arrow scraped Orzan¡¯s leg. Orzan grunted but kept moving. More and more arrows kepting. Another arrow scraped Orzan¡¯s leg. Judging by the sound of arrows cutting through the air and mming into their shields, a terrifying amount of arrows was being shot at them. What does the sky look like right now? But Orzan ran. Krut followed. Orzan grunted in pain. Krut followed. Orzan fell. Krut stopped. ¡°O, Orzan-san¡¡¡± ¡°Go, lea, leave me¡¡!¡± ¨D¨DOrzan¡¯s shield looked like a porcupine with all the arrows in it. Three arrows were embedded in his arm. In his shoulder too, here and there¨D¨Dan arrowhead stuck out from the side of Orzan¡¯s still body. Krut looked around. Most were dead. Krut realised that at some point, they had been leading the charge. He could not see anyone else from his squad. Krut felt his crotch grow warm. He had pissed himself. He turned to run, but the river was far behind him. Instead, the fort was right before his eyes. ¡°A, a, AAAAAAAAAAAaaah!!¡± Countless bows were pointed at him. Krut raised his shield and just ran. Was it fear or courage that kept him going? He ran past Orzan¡¯s corpse, ran even further. Arrowsnded right next to him. If he was unlucky he would die, there is no need to look. The barricade is right before his eyes. Once he climbs over this, there will be no more arrows. ¡°Eh?¡± Krut was suddenly on the ground. His foot was stuck in a loop of wound grass. He struggled, trying to stand up. He tripped again and looked up. Countless bows were still pointed at him. An arrows stabbed into his right arm, left arm, abdomen. His right eye went blind, something impacted his chest. He struggled, writhed in pain. He could not understand what had happened, he did not even have the chance to wield the sword he had practiced. And Krut¡¯s young life and dream ended. -End- Chapter 20: U.E. C.20: Initiative Chapter 20: U.E. C.20: Initiative ¡°The fort is doing well. It can probably hold a third wave.¡± As the messenger reported to Bogan, he nced at the creator of the fort, Krische. Even at a time like this, she is still dressed in a ck and silver one-piece dress and cloak. She sat in her chair, staring at the map on the table, showing no interest in the report. She is wearing gauntlets and carrying her sabre and a short sword, but her outfit still stood out on the battlefield. Krische can run faster than a horse when she strengthens her body with mana. Krische¡¯s reasoning is since she does not need a horse, she does not need to wear pants In the vige, women wore dresses¨D¨Dusually one-piece dresses. That is why Krische does not like wearing pants when there is no need for them and stubbornly insists on wearing her dress and cloak even now. To Krische, pants are only to be worn when she has to ride a horse and fight, her sense of aesthetics does not allow her to wear them otherwise. The uniform and armour for soldiers below the rank of captain is fixed while those above that rank generally buy their own¨D¨Dthey decide on their own clothing and armour. So ording to the rules, there is no problems with Krische¡¯s attire and since she still takes the stance of justing to deliver letters, no one couldin. Krische is also quite stubborn about it because Bery told her not to stick her neck into strange things. Since she came to deliver letters, anything else is ¡®strange things¡¯. She participated in the meetings and fortification only because she was told to, Krische herself has no intention of participating in this battle at all. Selene exasperatedly nagged her to wear armour, but she just wore gauntlets and said she was armoured. Selene gave up on trying to convince her to wear anymore.. They are all aware of Krische¡¯s skill and if she said that armour is heavy and more of a hinderance, they could not force her to wear it. She is an absolute believer in efficiency. If she says so, it is probably true. Krische showed no interest at all in the report from the fort. Although she is listening and pretending to look at the map, her thoughts are focused on the candy in her mouth. Bery had predicted that Krische could not return immediately and sent additional candy. Thanks to that, Krische can once again have her two candy a day while still leaving one for Bery, putting her in an extremely good mode. Although Krische was deeply involved in the nning, the whole army is already informed of the enemy¡¯s expected movements and how to react. Bogan himself made changes to the n and the Christand army¡¯s officers, even lower-ranking ones, have been properly trained to share information. So there is nothing for Krische to do. She is just sitting here because Selene told her to, Krische does not have anything in particr to do here. ¡°Themander of the forth corps, Faren, reports that he seeded in his assault on the enemy supply train.¡± ¡°¡¡excellent. As expected ofmander Faren. This makes our situation even more advantageous.¡± As they were constructing the fort, some troops had been sent to set up an ambush. They had been sent to attack the enemy supply train that would pass through the mountains to the west and the report that they seeded had just arrived. It has already been ten days since they arrived here. Seven days since the enemy arrived. With the enemy¡¯s supply lines cut, they will start to fall apart. ¡°I want to take this chance to break through them but¡¡¡± ¡°We cannot¡¡making the enemy ground a quagmire backfired. If we attack now, our casualties will berge. Charging through mud will be tough on the soldiers.¡± Gallen shook his head in denial. Selene spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s been so sunny these few days. Won¡¯t it dry up after a few more days?¡± ¡°If it continues yes¨D¨Dbut so close to the mountains, the weather is unpredictable. It all depends on the weather. Either way, the enemy¡¯s morale will drop with time. We can afford to wait a little. They should have brought enough tost half a month¡¡Krische, what do you think?¡± Krische did the calctions in her head. The attack on the enemy supply train seeded¨D¨Dbut that does not mean they burnt all the supplies. Since it was an ambush, they could not stay for long and there should have been quite a few guards. The forth corps that raided the supply train is very good at what they do, but some will still slip by. Krische considered the size of the ambush and the supply train and calcted how much supplies would have reached the enemy. ¡°They should have about fifteen days worth. If the enemy casualty rate continues as it is now, their casualties should reach about 4000. So they will need less supplies¡¡ it will depend on when they notice the loss of the supply train from the Empire, but even if they realise by today, they should run out of supplies in twenty days at most.¡± Krische rolled the candy around on her tongue as she answered. ¡°There is the chance of casualties umting and their suppliessting longer¡¡but in that case, they wouldpletely lose their numerical advantage, so there should be no need to consider that.¡± ¡°I see. So the problem is¨D¨D¡± ¡°Supplies from the ten thousand left in the west, or even from the enemy¡¯s central force.¡± ¡°Yeah. But normally, a general would not request for supplies from the central force when it is preparing for the southern invasion. He should try to get supplies from the ten thousand in the west. The possibility is still there if they run out of options though¡¡¡± Bogan is a general and has the intelligence for it. When he asks Krische something, it mostly involves detailed calctions. Krische rolled the candy around in her mouth as she checked the enemy¡¯s deployment. ¡°Is it possible to find out immediately when the enemy realises they lost their supplies?¡± ¡°That should be no problem. I already arranged for that.¡± ¡°Then once we receive confirmation, how about sending one corp, a force of 5000 to set up a defensive position at the river crossing point in the west? If we pretend to prepare for a night attack and send them out at night, the enemy¡¯s response should be dyed.¡± ¡°¡¡5000? Isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡± Selene frowned. ¡°Even if the enemy sends arge force there, we can counterattack with the main force here and take the enemy headquarters. Conversely, if they leave most of their forces here, the corps can just hold the defensive position and keep the enemy there. This is their shortest route and if we upy it, the enemy¡¯s supply train will be forced to make arge detour, buying us time.¡± ¡°¡¡aah. So it¡¯s fine if the enemy supplies reach them? The corps at the defensive position is simply to annoy the supply train but will not actually attack.¡± ¡°Yes. Arge detour will expend some of the supplies being delivered and the extra time it takes will reduce enemy morale. They will also have to request for more supplies even sooner.¡± Bogan fell into thought for a while, then nodded. ¡°So the problem is reducing our main force¡¡no, only so many troops can fight at one time. So you are saying we have enough reserves?¡± ¡°Yes. We just need to buy some time for a few days and force the supply train to make a detour. Then the corps at the defensive position can be moved again, either to standby as reserve forces again or even be used to nk the enemy. Krische believes it is best to keep to the initial n and maintain the stalemate here unless there is a good opportunity.¡± ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do it¡.. messenger, call Kokys.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± ¡°Hahaha, I see. It certainly seems like a difficult mission, but I was getting bored. Please leave it to me.¡± The second corpsmander Kokys Nakutra Rinea Agrand¨D¨Darge man built like a boulder. It looked like he even trains the muscles on his face. That is how muscr his huge body is and he feels evenrger inside the tent. His helmet and armour resembles a tiger, making him look even more imposing and heroic. His thick voice is loud and makes Krische frown a little every time he speaks. His voice and body and everything else isrge. In a tent, he makes it feel ustrophobic, but hisrge voice and size bes an advantage on the battlefield, giving the soldiers a strong sense of reassurance. If themander of the first corps, Nozan, is ¡®flexible¡¯ in hismand of his soldiers, then Kokys is ¡®solid¡¯ He is the best in the Christand army for simple charges and defense, he is also an excellent fighter. He has taken countless heads in personalbat and the soldiers that follow this hero are also extremely strong. They are most suitable for this mission. ¡°But the general really has adopted a good daughter. Both girls have a good sense of tactics that most men do not. I wish my son would learn from them.¡± Kokys looked at the handsome messenger as he spoke. The young man lowered his eyes and silently endured that gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t say that Kokys. Guran is also doing his job well. I¡¯m not like other generals, I only use quick-witted andpetent messengers.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just too cowardly. I¡¯ve heard Krische-sama easily cut down a dozen bandits.¡± ¡°She is special. Even I couldn¡¯t beat her in a sword fight. And there is nothing wrong with cowardice. We just need to give each person a role that matches their nature and makes full use of their abilities.¡± ¡°I understand that but¡¡¡± Kokys still did not look convinced, but raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Kokys, you decide when to retreat.¡± ¡°Yes sir. If the enemy exceeds ten thousand, we will only be able to hold out two or three days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. If you judge it is impossible, then withdraw immediately.¡± ¡°Otou-sama, how about sending the engineers that were building the dam? They should be useful in building a defensive encampment¡¡¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Kokys, bring along all the engineers you need. Krische, how much of the reserve material from the fort can we use?¡± ¡°¡¡about half of the reserve. We left quite a lot just in case.¡± They had only used half the resources used to build a normal fort. The engineers had floated roughly enough resources to build a normal fort down the river, so there is a lot left over. ¡°In that case¡¡it would be better to start shaving the logs into stakes now. There will not be much time when building the defensive encampment.¡± ¡°Indeed. I will get my forces to do it.¡± ¡°Kokys, don¡¯t tell them why. We don¡¯t know where the enemy has ears. Pretend it is an order from me that they are to help repair the fort for now.¡± ¡°Yes sir. I will only tell my adjutant and the battalionmanders involved.¡± Kokys stepped out of the tent. Such a loud man, Krische puffed out her cheeks a little in annoyance. Selene scolded her for making that expression and poked her cheeks, making the air puff out. After that the Christand army continued to maintain the initiative in the battle with Sarshenka¡¯s army. It took two days for Aleha to realise they had lost the supply train from the Empire. He immediately sent a messenger to make an urgent request for supplies from the remaining force in the west. The next day, Aleha realised a force of 5000 had disappeared from the enemy army and sent out a force of 6000 centered around the nomadic cavalry. At this point, the armies facing off across the river numbered 11000 on Christand¡¯s side and 13000 on Sarshenka¡¯s. The supply train they were counting on was devastated by an ambush and the supplies from the other force were forced to make a detour. The drop in morale was severe. Their numerical advantage is lost and the failure of the first river crossing hadsting effects. Christand¡¯s army is strong and just a slight advantage in numbers cannot be counted on. And now they are running out of food¨D¨Dat this rate, defeat is inevitable. The improvement in their ground because of the good weather only served to worsen their predicament now. The ten thousand that stayed behind cannot be moved. If they were moved east and the enemy¡¯s central army attacked Wulfenite, the enemy could easily sever the supply lines. No matter how strong a fortress is, it cannot function alone. A fortress only has strategical value if there are supply lines to support it. Aleha still believed his initial assessment that Christand¡¯s actions are to assist an attack on Wulfenite and this limited his course of action. He had conveyed his opinion on why Christand moved to the Wulfenite defensive force and the southern invasion army, so they were also forced to wait although they were ready to invade the south. This is because the best case scenario for the Empire is the Kingdom attempting to retake Wulfenite. Although the Empire took the Kingdom byplete surprise, the Empire paid arge price to take Wulfenite. Wulfenite is simply such an excellent fortress. The Empire believes that if the enemy tries to retake Wulfenite, they could easily repel the attack with the force in Wulfenite and the two armies to the north and south¨D¨Donce the Kingdom¡¯s central army is repelled, the south would be isted and easier to invade. In fact, it may even be possible to take the enemy capital. That would meanplete victory in this war. But naturally, the other two armies did not just blindly believe Aleha¡¯s message and gathered information with their own spies. The reports are clean¨D¨Dthere is no information of such an attack. It is only a matter of time before they are certain that this is an independent move by the Christand army. But the battle in the north woulde to an end before that. ¡°General! Vice-general Dakrasha is¨D¨D¡± It was right after Aleha made the tough decision¨D¨Dthe decision to send a messenger to request for supplies from the central force. Aleha was in his headquarters, reviewing the state of the battlefield from atop his horse, when he received the report of the death of his vice-general, who had been inmand of the right wing¨D¨Dthe force in the mountains. At the same time, he learnt that the chain ofmand was in chaos with the loss of the second-inmand as well. Like the Kingdom, high-ranking officers of the Imperial army has assistants that can take over in times of need¨D¨Dsimr to the adjutants of the Kingdom¡¯s army. Usually those one rank lower would take over, in the Kingdom¡¯s army, corpsmanders will receive a battlefield promotion if something happened to the general. But they are usually in a different location and cannot take over immediately. The most important job of assistants or adjutants is to temporarily takemand at these times. But if they were all lost in battle, the chain ofmand would copse. They would need to look even further down the ranks for the most senior officer that can take charge, but being in the mountains made this extremely difficult. The soldiers in the mountains are panicking and being taken down separately. Aleha had known that the enemy would n a nking attack through the mountains. That is why he put his trusted vice-general inmand. But when Dakrasha was defeated so easily and the first report was of his death instead ofmencement of battle, even Aleha¡¯s intelligent mind froze for a moment. ¡°What happened to the defensive line in the mountains!? I sent four thousand troops! How did this happen¡¡!?¡± ¡°Hii¡± The usually calm general snapped and grabbed the messenger by the cor, terrifying the messenger.. Seeing the messenger¡¯s expression, Aleha realised he was just taking it out on the messenger and quickly released him. Aleha Sarshenka is a man capable of recognising his own mistakes and correcting them. ¡°¡¡sorry. It is not your fault¡¡ so, what is the situation?¡± ¡°Everyone is confused¡¡I was sent to inform you immediately, but err¡¡¡± ¡°I need information, anything. What is it?¡± ¡°Er, there was a monster¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡monster? A magical beast?¡± Just like how some humans can use mana, there are also animals that can do the same. Animals are already stronger than humans, but magical beasts are on a whole other level, killing one is so difficult that the achievement is worthy of knighthood. Magical beasts usually lurk deep in uninhabited forests or mountains, but there was no such information of one in this area. But if that is the truth, they were unlucky. ¡°No, er¡¡apparently, it was a silver-haired demon that looked like a young girl.¡± ¡°¡¡it should just be a powerful noble. I guess normal soldiers would see it like that¡¡¡± There is arge difference between those that can use mana and those that cannot. There are individual differences and it does not apply to all cases, but those with a certain level of technique and mana would seem like monsters to average humans. The enemy second corpsmander who easily wields arge spear fully made of steel is a good example. But a skilled mana user or a magical beast. Aleha was not sure which was worse. ¡°¨D¨DGeneral! Enemies have appaeared from the mountains on the right.¡± ¡°Shit! Send out Tagan and his reserves, don¡¯t let them get close to the river no matter what! We cannot let the enemy get a beachhead on this side.¡± Aleha clicked his tongue as he watched the new messenger get back on his horse and gallop away. What should I do. What should I¨D¨D ¡°General¡¡we can still make it. Please give the order to retreat.¡± The assistant that spoke to him was old, but his body is well-trained. ¡°Retreat!? Don¡¯t you know what will happen if we retreat? The invasion¨D¨D¡± ¡°¡¡young master.¡± The assistant¨D¨DWalter Grindy was Aleha tutor when he was younger and addressed him like in the past. ¡°¡¡you should have realised. The initiative will no longere back to us.¡± His tone was reprimanding Walter took his simple helmet with a red plume and arge steel spear from his page and equipped himself. ¡°We fell for general Christand¡¯s cunning misdirection this time. That is reality and it is a great failure¡¡but you are still young. You can recover from this. At least, that is what I believe. You have learned from many failures and grown stronger each time. I have stood by your side and seen that many times.¡± ¡°¡¡Walter.¡± Aleha clenched his fist. There is no other choice. It is only a matter of time before the enemy secures a beachhead with the surprise nk attack. Since the troops in the mountain cannot be counted on, the numbers are even¨D¨Dno, disadvantaged. (T/N: Original says troops in the forest, I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s a typo) After the failed river crossing andck of food, the ambush and an all-out attack would cause morale to bepletely lost and irrecoverable. Aleha knew this. ¡°I will take the rear. Tagan will be a goodmander. You will need him as a subordinate¡¡I will take on the enemy¡¯s de. Call him back and retreat together.¡± Aleha lower his face to hide his anguish, but his voice trembled when he spoke. ¡°¡¡I will avenge you, Walter. I swear on my own name.¡± ¡°That is the young master I know¡¡Good luck, may the blessings of god be with you.¡± ¡°I will bring honour and glory to share with you in heaven.¡± Walter smiled as he rode off. Aleha could only watch him leave for a short while before he had to switch back to being a general. -End- Chapter 21: U.E. C.21: The Two Beauties Chapter 21: U.E. C.21: The TwoBeauties In the dim interior of the tent, there is only the slow breathing of a sleeping silver-haired girl. ¡°Nnn¡¡¡± The girl¡¯s eyes opened slightly and she reached out sleepily, looking for something. Her handnded on a nket. She slowly fumbled through it, feeling under it. She is alone in the bed. It is noisy outside, she can hear voices and sounds of soldiers moving about. ¨D¨Doh yeah, this is a battlefield. She was still sleepy but could not rx enough to go back to sleep. She slowly sat up and looked around. Selene was not in the tent. She must have woken up earlier. Krische sat there hugging the nket for a while, staring nkly into space. She felt the pouch hanging from her neck with only one piece of candy inside. She fiddled with the candy through the cloth as she stood up. Krische washed her face with water from a pitcher, waking herself with the cool water. The surrounding temperature is not that low, but it still felt chilly. She grabbed her cloak and wrapped it around herself. She grabbed the bread she had set aside and dipped it in cold soup. It does not taste that bad. She tore off small pieces and filled her stomach. Unusually, she was not in the mood to enjoy the taste and finished her meal quickly. Should I brew some tea? Krische felt like drinking something warm, but also felt toozy. Then master¡¯s tent. But her feet were heavy. She sat on the bed and stared into space. Her mind might not be fully awake yet. She sat there nkly, just toying with the candy bag. ¡°¡¡Krische wants to go back and cook with Bery.¡± Krische muttered to herself. At that moment, someone pulled open the tent¡¯s entrance. ¡°Hm? You woke up? I thought you would still be asleep.¡± Her beautiful blonde hair whipped left and right like a horse¡¯s tail. Selene smiled as she drew closer and sped Krische¡¯s cheeks between her hands. Her hands felt warm in the chilly tent. ¡°Good morning. The sun rose a while ago.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, good morning.¡± ¡°Have you ate? Did you wash your face?¡± ¡°Er¡¡yes.¡± Krische nodded. Selene patted her head and sat down next to her on the bed. ¡°There¡¯s a meeting at noon, so I came to wake you up. Is your mind awake?¡± ¡°¡¡ehehe, yes.¡± Krische hugged Selene. Selene smiled wryly and petted Krische¡¯s head as Krische pressed herself closer. ¡°And this is how you act when your mind is awake? Never mind, saves me some trouble.¡± Selene smiled and rubbed her cheek against Krische¡¯s. She gentlybed her fingers through Krische¡¯s long hair. ¡°We have some time¡¡so, Krische, can you brew us some tea? Today¡¡I will have the same as you, sweet with plenty of honey.¡± ¡°And plenty of milk?¡± ¡°Yes. The same.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Krische smiled and nodded. They haveplete control of the initiative. The enemy is forced to react to their movements and under their control. ¨D¨DIt is time. ¡°I believe it is time to attack. Any objections?¡± Nobody objected to Bogan¡¯s statement. Everyone in the tent nodded deeply in agreement. ¡°¡¡since there is no movement from the central army, we will have to drive back the enemy by ourselves. I would rather bet on our victory than on the south holding out.¡± Selene spoke up and Gallen showed his agreement. Bogan also nodded and turned to Krische, ¡°Krische. What do you think?¡± ¡°Krische wants to hurry up and go home to cook with Bery¡¡so Krische would rather finish up quickly.¡± Everyone smiled wryly at Krische¡¯s honesty while Selene pinched her cheek for being too rxed. Krische showed no doubts at all about their victory. Herck of tension helped to remove any uneasiness the others felt about this gamble and hastened their decision¨D¨Dand the battle begun. ¨D¨DFinish up and go home. That sounds really attractive, so Krische suggested a n to infiltrate the enemy camp in the mountains and volunteered to participate herself. But Krische¡¯s vague position could lead to confusion, so Selene was put in charge of a specially formed assault squad and Krische was assigned to be her adjutant. The n is to infiltrate the mountains at night, followed by a bold surprise attack on the enemy¡¯s mountainmand post at dawn. The forth corps will follow up after Krische¡¯s squad ambushes the enemymand post. Their role is to support this attack by paralysing the enemy¡¯s chain ofmand. Krische is used to running around the forest and the dense trees are not an obstacle for her. For this mission, 500 soldiers used to the mountains, such as former hunters, were chosen. They advanced silently with Krische in the lead. ¡°Ah¨D¨D¡± Krische leapt down from the trees and swung her sword twice. She cut the throats of two patrolling soldiers without giving them time to scream. Fresh blood spouted out as they fell to the ground. ¨D¨DTwenty seven. Krische counted the number she had killed as she nced at her cloak. Her cloak was stained red with blood, making her pout in dissatisfaction. Normally it would be possible for her to avoid the blood, but the objective is to prevent them from shouting and avoid detection. It is difficult to do that and still avoid the blood. Her cloak had grown heavy with the blood that soaked it, she wanted to take it off. It is now dawn. The 500 selected soldiers had climbed the mountain in the dark of night and infiltrated from the enemy¡¯s nk. The morning light created shadows, making it even darker under the trees. The now dark red cloak is not so bad at this time. Krische forced herself to keep it on with this logic as she raised a hand to signal the others. The trees rustled as men stepped out, all looking fearfully at the girl in front of them. Even Selene was looking at Krische with a severe expression. Krische focused on reliability and took on the role of leading the squad and dealing with patrols. Even if the soldiers were chosen for their ability to move in the mountains, she could not be sure of their ability. Krische left them to focus on keeping an eye on their surroundings and finding enemy patrols while she disposed of the sentries. Krische found this to be a reliable and efficient system and is quite satisfied with it. But seeing her casually cut down the sentries without receiving a single wound filled the soldiers with fear. That is a natural reaction after watching her kill more people that can be counted on both hands and feet so easily. Even among veteran soldiers, not many would be able to say they killed enough enemies in one day to count on both hands. Soldiers fight in a state of extreme tension while battling the fear of death, their lives are constantly on the line. Anyone that stands on the frontlines and kills five in a single battle is already a hero. Killing a single enemy and staying alive is the most that most soldiers can do. This is the norm for most soldiers and that is why they are terrified by Krische. It is true that any who kills many with a single life bes a hero of the battlefield. In a sense, soldiers are career murderers, but Krische is too business-like, too different from their image of a hero. Krische calctes the most efficient way to kill and executes it. This is not fighting, this is assassination. That is the role required of her, but she does it too methodically. She urately identifies the enemy¡¯s blindspots and the timings in their breathing when they rx, then strikes¨D¨Das a result, they die without realising what had happened. No matter what the enemy did, it is an unavoidable death. The instant she found the sentries, they were dead men. The soldiers could not understand Krische, but they could understand how the enemies might feel. They could ept it if they lost by the sword in battle. But how would it feel to be killed like this in the middle of the forest, without any honour, without even knowing what had happened. ¨D¨DThey imagined it and trembled. And that lead to the image of what would happen to them if this girl¡¯s sword turned on them. Many of these chosen soldiers are former hunters and have a good understanding of how and what it means to take a life. But she is not hunting animals, she is hunting humans. They could not understand how Krische could so calmly and methodically kill without any hesitation just because she needs to, it is creepy. ¡°¡¡are you okay?¡± Selene approached Krische and patted her head, aware the soldiers¡¯ feelings. Krische acts as normal even as the soldiers stared at her. She smiled a little as Selene patted her head. She lifted a corner of her cloak and looked up at Selene. ¡°Krische¡¯s cloak is soaked with blood. Even though Bery bought this for Krische¡¡can the stains be washed off?¡± ¡°If they can¡¯t then I¡¯ll get a new one for you¡¡ sorry about making you do this. I¡¯ll do anything you want once we get home.¡± ¡°¡¡anything?¡± Krische put a finger to her lips, blushing a little. ¡°Then, Krische wants to have tea in Selene¡¯s room again. Drink some tea, er¡¡with the three of us, and eat some, cookies¡¡¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t wish for much. Well¡¡that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°¡¡ehehe.¡± Selene had known this would happen when Krische volunteered. After seeing it for herself, Selene could understand why the soldiers would fear her. This side of Krische stood out even worse because of the gap with the usual image of Krische Christand¨D¨Dthe general¡¯s beautiful and cute daughter. Even the experienced centurions who looked reluctant at first, uneasy because of Krische¡¯s appearance and youth, now looked at her with fearful eyes. Selene wanted Krische to wait with Bogan. Even if Krische does not care, Selene does. It is sad and painful that the Krische she loves is being looked at like this. But this is a stealth mission through the enemy¡¯s defensive line in the mountains. Krische¡¯s n of disrupting the chain ofmand and quickly breaking through the mountains with the forth corps to conduct a surprise nk attack and secure a beachhead on the river¡¯s southern bank would be difficult for Selene to carry out by herself. Of course Selene understands how the tactic works and knows what to do, but when ites to whether she can actually takemand and execute it, she is not so sure. Selene has only acted as an adjutant so far. This is the first time she actually takesmand outside of training. The responsibility of leading this special assault squad is too heavy for Selene to bear alone. This is why Bogan decided to use Krische, expecting Selene to serve as the buffer between Krische and the soldiers. Selene is also aware that this is her role. She felt vexed, but was also relieved. Bogan is an extremely practical person. Krische has unique¨D¨Dexceptional ability. Selene has good, but clearly inexperienced skill. He calmly assessed their abilities and assigned them suitable roles. Because Selene understood this, she felt pathetic. Managing 500 soldiers in the mountains is really quite difficult. Simply advancing while scouting the surroundings and finding the correct timings for small breaks is difficult. Even with experienced soldiers, she has to pay attention to make sure there are no stragglers. If she also has to choose the infiltration route, which is currently being done by Krische, it would be too difficult for her. Once the battle begins, information will be even moreplicated and confusing. That is why though she curses her own inexperience, she is also grateful for Krische¡¯s presence. Krische¡¯s genius intuition and swordsmanship has allowed them to infiltrate further than expected. This is also because they had slipped through the gaps in the enemy defensive line that Krische had derived from the geography. It is all because of Krische that they manage to infiltrate so far without anyrge battles. Selene initially nned to make arge detour through higher mountain paths and get behind the enemy, then quickly breakthrough weak points in the defensive line. This infiltration n made full use of the soldiers¡¯ hiking experience. But this n would involvebat and they would have to rush to get to the enemymand before news of their infiltration did. This would have been extremely exhausting for the soldiers. Instead, Krische suggested climbing the mountain in the night then taking a long break before descending. Krische descended first without using a rope and scouted the area, getting rid of any patrolling sentries. After that the soldiers carefully descended using ropes and they slipped through the gaps in the defensive line,pletely avoidingbat. They just need to watch out for any patrols or reserve forces. Although they need to be on guard while advancing, the chance of exposure is low since they are not fighting, resulting in lesser mental and physical strain. Once they have carefully descended from the mountain, they can infiltrate deep into enemy lines without wasting energy or fighting. As a result, they have infiltrated much further than the ideal point in Selene¡¯s n. How could I have done this with just my troops without Krische? Selene almost got distracted by that thought but forced herself to focus on the matter at hand. ¡°¡¡this should be the limit. The enemy¡¯smand post should be right ahead of us.¡± ¡°Yes. We managed topletely avoid the enemy guards so far¡¡but this is the limit. Judging by the position of the enemy forces, themand post is a little further south.¡± Krische¡¯s tone was confident. Krische understood the enemy¡¯s arrangement and knew their position as if she had eyes in the sky. She must have a mental map andpass. Her answers are always concise and confident. Selene will never be able to match Krische at this. Selene opened up a crude map and confirmed their position with Krische. Selene can recognise their current location based on how long they had walked and their pace, but not as precisely as Krische. She corrected the slight error between her perceived location and Krische¡¯s, pondering what had caused the error. The map? Their pace? Or did she misread thend? After meeting Krische, Selene had worked on understanding herself well. She learnt about her own abilities, what she is good at, what she is bad at. Bogan had always told her to know her own ws and Selene finally understood what he meant after meeting Krische. Krische is someone that Selene could never defeat. But Selene can learn from her and get closer. In order to this, she needs to understand where she iscking, then she can work on improving, refining herself with her inborn ambition and diligence. This is Selene¡¯s strength. There are great expectations of Selene, not just as a suitable sessor to the hero, Bogan Christand, but as someone who can exceed him. However, Selene herself never believed that she was talented. She believes she is a normal person who was simply blessed with the opportunity to study under many excellent tutors. Her humility and willingness to learn made her even more popr and attractive. Thus nobodyined about her takingmand for such an important mission despite her youth. In fact, they were motivated to fight for her. The soldiers¡¯ loyalty to the general¡¯s daughter, Selene Christand suppressed their fear of Krische, bncing out well and allowing them to advance orderly and stealthily. There was also not much objection to Krische taking the lead and dealing with sentries mostly because it was Selene¡¯s decision. Krische also values Selene¡¯s poprity highly. Krische knows that it would not have gone so well if she was by herself. She takes things too lightly and does not consider long-term implications. It is because of Krische¡¯s outstanding abilities that she unknowingly developed this bad habit. It stems from her absolute confidence in herself. Krische is indifferent to whether the soldiers listen to her. If they listen, good. If they do not listen, then she will punish them herself for disobeying orders in ordance to the rules, exactly ording to the rules¨D¨Dwith death. Krische has no hesitation about doing this and believes she can deal with any problems that urs. If she can deal with it anyway, then she doesn¡¯t care as long as a certain number is left. Krische¡¯s bad habit makes here to such conclusions too easily. She expected to have to sacrifice two or three, but that loss became unnecessary with Selene in charge. Krische only saw the soldiers as numbers and did not care much either way, but fewer losses is better. This way she does not need to conduct any executions and the soldiers still follow obediently. Krische is grateful to Selene for this. Selene is simply doing her best to not be a burden to Krische while constantly learning from her. They rate each other highly, are aware of the other¡¯s capabilities andplement each other. Commander and adjutant. The two of them had unknowingly created the ideal working rtionship. ¡°They should not have noticed us¡¡ this is your achievement, Krische. Thanks to you, we will have quite an advantage.¡± ¡°Krische only led the way. It would not have gone so well with Krische alone, so the achievement belongs to Selene. Also, Krische only came to deliver letters.¡± ¡°¡¡you are still saying that?¡± ¡°Uuuu¡¡..¡± Selene pinched Krische¡¯s cheek exasperatedly. Krische looked at Selene in protest as her soft cheek was stretched out. It was not painful but she did not like having her cheek pulled. But Selene likes pulling on Krische¡¯s cheeks as much as patting her head, Krische¡¯s reproachful eyes would not stop her. Krische can understand that Selene did not do it out of malice, but strong goodwill¨D¨Dlove, ording to Bery. Selene smiled and patted Krische¡¯s head, then dered. ¡°¡¡eventually, I will make it so that Krische does not have to do these kind of things. Then Krische can always cook with Bery at home.¡± ¡°¡¡always cook.¡± ¡°Yes, always¡¡so for now, lend me your strength.¡± Krische thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded. Grace and Gorka, Gallen and Ga¨D¨Dnow there is Selene and Bery too. These people never ask Krische for anything, only giving to Krische, they are special to her. She always has trouble thinking of what she can do in return for them, which is why it is a relief whenever they ask something of her. Krische sees everything in terms of calctions, thus she is mostfortable with plus-minus zero rtionships. It is unpleasant to receive too little, but receiving too much also makes her feel awkward. Happy to be asked for a favour, Krische¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as her mouth rxed into a small smile. ¡°Okay. Then¡¡once we go home, Krische will not just teach Selene swordsmanship, but also cooking. So, erm¡¡¡± ¨D¨DLet¡¯s cook together with Bery again. Krische has received too much but can only pay back with trivial everyday things. This is because that is what she values the most. If someone is kind to you, do something which made you happy for them. Both Grace and Bery had taught her this, so Krische loyally followed it. This is why Krische said that, but Selene widened her eyes for a moment, then nodded happily. ¡°Fufu, after we go home then. A simple dish please.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± They smiled and spoke softly to each other as Selene packed away the map. A small break¨D¨Da small exchange. The soldiers watched this scene with strange feelings. They had not been able to understand what Krische was thinking, but in that moment, she became flesh and blood, they could not tear their eyes away from her beauty and cuteness. The heroes protecting the two beautiful Christand princesses¨D¨D The soldiers recalled that title and looked at each other, clenching their fists. With Selene, Krische looks like any other girl her age, so it is also their duty to protect her. Although their fear and uneasiness about her is not gone, they must protect this scene. Drawing near the enemymand post of the mountain defensive line, the soldiers suppressed various emotions and focused their all on this thought. Protecting Krische is part of protecting Selene¡¯s smile, the Selene they all believe in and love. Many stories about the two of them often spoke of this gap. The cold and heartless Krische only acts so childish with Selene and the serious and strict Selene only allows Krische to act like this. ¨D¨DThe story of the two beautiful princesses began with this battle. -End- Edit: Changed all previous mentions of the fort¡¯s fence to barricade. Chapter 22: U.E. C.22: Lovely Mass Murderer Chapter 22: U.E. C.22: Lovely MassMurderer Holy Imperial Army¨D¨DMountainmand post. The trees in the area have been cut down and reced with countless tents A defensive barricade has been built around the camp with simple watchtowers here and there, but the sentries on watch were yawning, their morale was not very high. Their defensive encampment is quite formidable and they are deep inside a solid defensive line. This ce is safe as long as the defensive line holds and they have not received report of an enemy attack. The vanguard is still staring off with the enemy¡¯s forth corps, so the sentries could not be med for letting their guard down. ¡°Oi, Bardo, who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Bardo¨D¨Da messenger attached to themand post deployed in the mountains, was having his meal when he saw the girl. She was dressed in a pitch ck cloak and her long silver hair fluttered in the wind. In the dawn light, she looked like something out of a fairy tale, but also looked out of ce. ¨D¨DThis is the battlefield. And this is their camp. It is not a ce she can just happen to wander into. Bardo tilted his head in confusion as he watched the girl who had appeared near the guards, then saw something sh in the air around her. Blood spurted like a fountain from the necks of the two soldiers that had approached her. The girl was already behind them¨D¨Don this side. Bardo could not understand what had happened for an instant. Then he realised the girl held a blood-stained curved sword in her hand. ¡°¡¡!¡± He also realised the cloak he had thought was pitch ck, was actually soaked with so much blood that it was dripping. The bell that warned of an immediate enemy attack rang and those that had been resting burst out of their tents. Bardo finally realised the girl was an enemy only after hearing that sound. In just a brief span of time, a terrifying number of bloody flowers bloomed around her. The girl danced among them¨D¨Dspinning in circles, slowing and speeding up, but urately slicing the throats of the soldiers. He could clearly see her movements at this distance, but the soldiers nearby would not be able to keep track of her. ¨D¨DShe is perfectly slipping through the gaps in their consciousness. Bardo himself is quite versed in the sword and immediately understood how abnormal this is. A single beautiful girl creating five, ten bloody flowers just did not feel real. Although Bardo understood what was going on, he froze, unable to move. ¡°Oi! Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll report to the vice-general! You go to his assistant!¡± Bardo finally came back to his senses when his colleague pped him. ¡°! Ah, yeah!¡± Bardo stood up and nced back. In that instant, he met her eyes. Gem-like purple eyes¨D¨Deven at this distance, he could see the inhuman glint in them, sending a chill down his spine. Then he saw that purple turn to Kerg, his colleague. Driven by a mix of fear and duty, Bardo ran. He and Kerg ran towards different tents and in the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the girl closing in on Kerg. Vice-general Dakrasha stepped out of his tent, dressed in his armour, but he looked confused. Of course. They are deep inside their defensive line but they were suddenly attacked without receiving any warning. The girl easily overtook Kerg and casually lopped off his head as she passed by, closing in¨D¨Dand throwing something at vice-general Dakrasha. A knife. But despite his confusion, Dakrasha is strong enough to be the vice-general. He deftly used his sword to deflect the knife that came flying at him faster than an arrow¨D¨D ¡°A, ga¨D¨D!?¡± But in the next instant, the silver monster beheaded him. At the same time, Bardo heard new shouts and screams. They wereing from the direction of the tent Bardo was running towards. That is opposite side from where the girl hade¨D¨Dcountless arrows rained on the soldiers stationed there. Some managed to raise their shields in the confusion, but soldiers bearing the kingdom¡¯s crest charged them. Hundred, two hundred¨D¨DBardo could not tell how many. But there were enough to deal devastating damage to this camp and among them, he saw another girl. This girl had beautiful blonde hair and headed for the vice-general¡¯s assistant. He must have been resting and only grabbed his sword before stepping out. He was not wearing armour. Even if the vice-general¡¯s assistant is a famed warrior, he had just woken up to a surprise attack and did not have the time to put on his armour, the odds are just too bad for him. The soldiers that tried to go to his aid were blocked by the enemy and unable to move. This is themand post. Naturally the soldiers stationed here are all hardened veterans. But the enemy soldiers did not look to be any inferior. Because many of the soldiers had headed towards the silver-haired girl, there were not many here. If their skill isparable, then the empire would lose due to the difference in numbers. Bardo had to get the assistant out of here. But even as he thought that, he could see that though not at the level of the silver-haired girl, the blonde girl¡¯s swordsmanship was far beyond what her appearance suggested. It was quick and smooth¨D¨Dand relentless. Three feints for every thrust. A normal soldier would have been cut down instantly, the only reason it is not over already is because the opponent is the vice-general¡¯s assistant. But the thrusts from that thin and elegant sword were sharp and gradually cornering the assistant. A wind blew past Bardo. ¨D¨DA silver wind. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± By the time he realised that it was the girl that had just massacred the soldiers, the assistant had been beheaded. The assistant had died without ever noticing the silver-haired girl. The girl crashed into the tent because of her momentum, but she stood up immediately and started killing the soldiers around her. Countless screams rang out. The entire camp is in chaos. Bardo¡¯s panic had grown so great he could not think of much, only focusing on what he should do. Themand post¡¯s messengers¨D¨Dthe messengers sent to pass messages through the mountains are excellent soldiers. He quickly leapt onto a nearby horse and set off towards the main force. ¡°U, gu¡¡!?¡± A sharp pain ran through his left arm. He turned and realised a knife was stabbed in his arm. The silver visible in the distance was looking this way. How could she throw so urately at this distance¨D¨DBardo realised the knife had been targeted at him and he urged the horse to greater speeds in his mounting terror. Enemy soldiers had already circled in front of him. But he did not care. As long as he could get away from that monster. Bardo endured the pain and drew his sword, parrying an enemy sword and decapitating another soldier as he galloped by. Bardo¡¯s expert swordsmanship and decision to run through the enemy worked out. If he had tried to escape through the front, he would have ran into the enemy¡¯s forth corps. If he had run in any other direction, since he is clearly a messenger at a nce (Imperial messengers wear a red feather on their chest), Krische would not have let him escape. Bardo broke through enemy lines alone and deftly navigated his horse through the trees. A few arrows hit him, but he made it to an ally force and managed to make his report before losing consciousness. A silver-haired monster. The vice-general and his assistant are dead, the mountainmand post is destroyed. Another messenger heard this unbelievable report immediately rode towards Aleha. Selene¡¯s squad attacked from the rear while Krische caused a diversion. Krische was powerful enough to cause absolute chaos by herself, so casualties were extremely light. They managed to take down bothmanders and destroy the chain ofmand. The enemy soldiers panicked and prioritised escape over resistance. Once soldiers losemand, they easily revert back to mere humans. Soldiers are generally educated to not think or make decisions themselves. This is because independence would cause discipline to crumble and when ites to controlling an army of hundreds, thousands¨D¨Dat times, tens of thousand, this would lead to fatal errors. Face right, face left, raise shields, retreat. Even such simple orders are difficult to carry out at a scale of hundreds, thousands of people. Orders from above are like a telephone game, there is a timeg before they trickle all the way down. If soldiers acted independently between orders and started acting against themanders¡¯ ns, things would get out of hand. Soldiers have to be foolishly obedient enough to suppress their fear and obey the order to advance through a rain of arrows. ¨D¨DEven if they were to die. It is only because such discipline is maintained that the system, the army can function. Orders from above must be unconditionally obeyed. That is an absolute condition for soldiers and it is the duty ofmanders to take care of and arrange for soldiers to always be ready to react to orders when needed. Soldiers also value their own lives. If maintaining discipline does not protect their lives¨D¨Dor other lives, they would die meaninglessly. To soldiers, losing their superiors, losingmand is a terrifying situation. Soldiers can only carry out the orders they are given and require orders to save them from a predicament. Losingmand means losing any hope of salvation and once death is all that is left, they easily abandoned their identity as soldiers. The instant they saw the mes rise from the vice-general¡¯s and his assistant¡¯s tents, they realised they had lost theirmanders and anybody they were meant to protect. They forgot their duties as soldiers and ran. They had already been rationing supplies, forced to eat even bugs, their morale was horrible. When takenpletely by surprise and driven into such a predicament, they lost all hope. First soldiers at the edges, then the rest scattered in every direction. Selene watched them go and let out a sigh of relief, then pinched Krische¡¯s cheek. ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± ¡°Seriously, I almost cut you by ident! Say something at least, idiot!¡± ¡°Kuishe, noht idiout¡¡¡± Selene released Krische and examined their surroundings. That was just about a perfect ambush. The enemymand chain has beenpletely destroyed. It will be difficult for them to regroup in the mountains. The forth corps would have seen the smoke and should be breaking through the Empire¡¯s defensive line now. ¡°Krische, only tried to help Selene¡¡¡± ¡°I know that¡¡thank you.¡± From the start, Selene had not been trying topete. She had noints about Krsiche stealing the glory. She only stepped in because she had noticed a man that used mana. Selene knows that there are many others in this world that are better than her at the sword, she would not draw her sword just for glory¨D¨DSelene¡¯s position does not allow her to act so simply. Selene has grown to the point where she can snatch a few wins from her father, Bogan. But that does not mean she is better than Bogan, neither is Bogan the strongest swordsman in the world. Bogan has said that if there is even a chance of losing, then avoid fighting. That small chance might juste to pass. They aremanders, their sword is only for self-defence. People in such a position must not be killed. Selene had the advantage in that fight and probably would have won. But there was no absolute guarantee of her victory. Selene has not forgotten her role. Her current role is tomand the troops and cause confusion among the enemy, not to wield the sword herself. She also understands that in order to do this, she is letting Krische do the dirty work. ¡°¡¡seriously.¡± Selene patted Krische¡¯s head. Wet blood stuck to her gauntlet. ¨D¨DHow many more has she killed? Krische¡¯s hair and cheek were stained with blood. She must have hit bone, her sturdy sword was also slightly nicked. Although Krische is superhuman in a way, she still has limits. Krische hates getting dirty and takes good care of her equipment. These stains and nicks shows how much pressure she was under. She had also crashed into the tent after killing Selene¡¯s opponent and is still breathing heavily, very unusual for her. Krische is extremely devoted and is doing her best for Selene. Because of this, Selene feels that she has the obligation to do her part for Krische. Selenemanded the soldiers to watch out for remaining enemies while carefully, as if she was handling a gem, wiped Krische¡¯s cheek with a handkerchief. ¡°¡¡I¡¯ll clean you up properlyter, so endure it for now.¡± ¡°¡¡okay.¡± Krische smiled happily. An innocent smile. A smile no different from those back in the estate. She feels nothing about the lives she has just taken. It was necessary. That was all Krische felt. Selene feels happy to be necessary to Krische, but also felt scared of Krische¡¯s precarious state where everything else is worthless to Krische. Just like Bery said, she should not be here. Whether this purity remains clean or is dirtied depends on the people around her. Krische is simply Krische. Even if dirtied, Krische will be Krische. But if possible, Selene would prefer to see a pure Krische. ¡°Once we are done, let¡¯s go back to Bery. I also feel like eating cookies.¡± ¡°¡¡Selene feels like tea-time?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in the mood.¡± Krische smiled a little, blushing. Selene kissed her brow and gently stroked her head, wiping the blood off her hair. That is all Selene can do. -End- Chapter 23: U.E. C.23: Bloody Innocence Chapter 23: U.E. C.23: BloodyInnocence After taking over the enemymand post, they joined up with the forth corps without encountering any problems. It is difficult to maintainmunications in the mountains. The enemy had lost their core, themand post, the soldiers of the Empire¡¯s defensive line are isted and have to face a whole coordinated corps of the Kingdom on their own. Taking them down separately was easy, especially with Krische¡¯s force of 500 ambushing them from the rear. The enemy¡¯s frontline fell apart instantly under their pincer attack. They easily joined up with the forth corps and are now having a quick discussion with the skeletal-faced forth corpsmander about their next move. Since the main body of the forth corps isrge, it was decided that Selene¡¯s squad with soldiers chosen for their mountain experience would go first and clear the way through the forest. ¡°Muu¡¡¡± Krische pouted as she swept her heavy cloak aside. Her cloak is heavy with blood. She had used it to block the blood she could not avoid. The cloak was made of special water-resistant material, but after bathing in enough blood to stain the whole cloak red, the weight on her shoulders is significant. Some blood had also sshed onto her favorite,fy dress, making Krische even more annoyed. Even though she was able to rest while the forth corps was getting ready, the fatigue from running around still remains and her joints hurt a little. What am I doing here, Krischeined to herself, but she had volunteered for this. If she did not, there was no guarantee that Selene would return alive and Krische would be troubled if Selene died. Selene is kind. To Krische, that alone makes her worth saving. In the vige there were her parents, grandfather and Gallen, in town there are Selene and Bery. Vige, town, army¨D¨DKrische has met many different people in differentmunities and has learnt that people like Selene are very precious. Krische knows that people generally do not like her. Even if Krische does what she believes is proper and ¡®good¡¯, she does not get the expected response. In fact, things often get worse, confusing Krische. But people like Selene are also confusing for Krische. They are kind to Krische but not because Krische did anything, they just are. Being pampered feels awkward, but is also pleasant andforting. ¡®¡¡the feeling of wanting to do something for someone, to make them happy is love, and Krische-sama also has it.¡® The weird situation when giving and receiving are not bnced, is because of love? But what are their motives to love Krische? Krische could not understand. ¡®¨D¨DI want to be able to understand Krische-sama. If we can understand each other, then a lot of things will be even more fun and it will be blissful¡¡for both me, and Krische-sama.¡® Grace was like that. Bery and Selene too. Krische has always tried to understand other people. What is liked, what is hated. What is good, what is bad. Krische has done her best to study what others want. But hardly anybody tries to understand her. ¡®¡¡eventually, I will make it so that Krische does not have to do these kind of things. Then Krische can always cook with Bery at home.¡® Selene¡¯s words reyed in Krische¡¯s mind. Krische is well aware that she is immature. Childish, glutton, Krische has learnt that what Grace said is true. In contrast with Krische¡¯s ideal self, Krische is a little bit of a glutton and childish¨D¨Dan immature human that cannot resist her desires. This is embarrassing. Even if it is difficult to fix, it should be improved upon. But Grace and Bery and Selene are all soft on Krische, they pamper Krische and tell her to stay the way she is. Even thought Krische knows she should resist, Krische always gives in and ends up paralysed by thefort. Of course, Krische wants to just cook if possible. She also loves being patted on the head and sleeping while hugging someone. But because she knows she is immature, she feels awkward only receiving, but¨D¨D ¡®No matter how much we wish to be perfect, everyone has ws, nobody is perfect. That is why we need to understand and ept each other¡¯s embarrassing desires and fulfill them. This is how we can build a wonderful rtionship and find happiness.¡® ¨D¨DThey are not asking for Krische to be perfect. Yet they fulfill Krische¡¯s embarrassing desires¨D¨Dwishes. They understand Krische¡¯s childishness, ept it and still give her more. ¡®If you try to understand someone and that someone tries to understand you, then you two can make each other happy and that is happiness, Krische. Just by being together, it is happiness.¡® Krische remembered Grace¡¯s words. Krische stared at her own memories in a daze, then nced to her side¨D¨Dat Selene who was walking with a serious look on her face. ¡°Selene.¡± ¡°¡¡what?¡± ¡°Is Selene happy to be with Krische?¡± ¡°Wh, what are you asking all of a sudden¡¡¡± Krische tilted her head and looked up at Selene. Selene¡¯s face grew red as she red at Krische. Was I wrong? Krische turned back and faced forward. Selene was silent for a while, then, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy¡¡what kind of embarrassing things are you making me say all of a sudden. We¡¯re on a mission.¡± Selene spoke without looking at Krische, her face bright red. Krische widened her eyes a little, then smiled. It felt like arge discovery. Krische wished she could share this with Bery and her wish to go home grew stronger. Once they stepped out of the forest, they were greeted by a fierce battle urring across the river. Arrows flew back and forth, enemy heavy infantry stood at the front, facing the river withrge shields. A little behind them¨D¨Don this side, are lightly-armoured enemy archers. ¡°Selene, Krische will go first.¡± ¡°! Krische!¡± Krische was the first to charge. Feeling weirdly high, Krische leapt into the line of archers. Neck, underarm, thigh, torso. She sliced through soft flesh only. Strangely, she did not mind the blood so much right now. She tore through the line, mass producing corpses and creating a rain of blood. ¡°¡¡! Follow the adjuctant!¡± Selene¡¯s shout camete. Five hundred battle cries shook the air as they charged. The confused enemy frontline finally realised what was happening upon hearing that sound. At the same time, the sound of a trumpet echoed through the battlefield. That was the signal for the long-awaited charge of the first corps. The famously powerful Christand first corps¨D¨Dthe first battalion which is known to be the strongest lead the charge into the river, holding up countless gs of a falcon and lightning. Less than half an hourter, the forth corps appeared behind Selene¡¯s special assault squad. They had just exited the forest and were still in marching formation, but that is more threatening than a standard battle formation when the enemy is taken by surprise. A continuous never-ending line of enemies. It must have been a nightmare for the imperial soldiers guarding the river. Their orders are to kill the enemies and secure a beachhead. The forth corps¨D¨Dthe distinguished centuries of the Kingdom achieved the feat of maintaining formation while charging and formed a battle line in the middle ofbat. Their organised attack was hell for the imperial soldiers. ¡°¨D¨DIt¡¯s the time we¡¯ve been waiting for, charge!!¡± The powerful first battalion of the first corps approached from the front with the shout of theirmander, Granmeld Vakus. This battalion of a thousand men isposed only of career soldiers and are effectively the private soldiers of Nozan Velraigh, the first corpsmander. This invincible battalion is known as the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯ for their bravery. They had been conserved until now and their war cries shook the very ground as they sung the song of victory for their Kingdom. Theyunched their javelins in unison, piercing through shields and impaling the imperial soldiers. Then they drew their weapons as one and charged into the fray. With the archers in disarray, the Empire could not stop their most feared enemy from crossing the river. A terrifyinglyrge enemy force had also appeared behind them. Their morale copsed in an instant and they could only run around in confusion. Among them, some squads continued fighting, lead by exceptional centurions. But the morale of the already powerful Kingdom¡¯s army is at an all time high and¨D¨D ¡°Mon, st¨D¨D¡± ¨D¨Dsuch brave resistance was not allowed. Bathed in blood, Krische weaved through the gaps of the melee, precisely reaping the ¡®revolutionaries¡¯ that sustained the fight. A melee where nobody could fully focus on her is the best situation for Krische. As long as she is not surrounded and not all their attention is focused on her, there is no chance of Krische dying. Right hand, left hand, backhand, Krische switched her sword between different grips as she danced, ending many lives. There was no hesitation or pause in her motion. Killing enemies on the battlefield is ¡®correct¡¯ and the more Krische kills, the less danger there is to Selene. Krische¡¯s sword strokes are smooth and sharp, slicing through flesh and air. She pulled out a sword stuck in the ground and threw it with stunning uracy into an enemy¡¯s chest, then spun and used her reinforced boots to smash the neck of a man who was trying to cut her down from behind. She created chaos and quickly moved on. She grabbed an enemy spear and threw it into an enemy squad with the force of a siege ballista. The spear pierced through multiple soldiers then shattered, the shrapnel causing the squad to crumble. Nobody could catch up to her. They were sheep that had lost the dog that lead them. They could only breath a sigh of relief that they were still alive and watched fearfully as the silver monster left. Even if new massacres urred wherever she went, they did not try to follow. The people who would scold, encourage and rouse them are already gone. Krische urately identified those who were hostile to her and cut them down, a dancer drunk on blood. The more she dances, the safer Selene is. So Krische will keep on dancing for her. This abnormality¨D¨DKrische, coupled with the surprise nk attack and charge from the front caused the enemy mass to crumble at an elerating rate. ¨D¨Duntil a shout shook the Kingdom¡¯s victorious fervour. ¡°¨D¨DDo not fear, children of god!¡± The man was dressed in crude but sturdy te armour and a red-plumed helmet. He brandished arge steel spear and majestic knights followed in his wake. His old, hoarse voice was amplified with mana and could be heard clearly through the symphony of the battlefield. ¡°In your right hand is the sword to protect yourrades. In your left is the shield to protect yourrades. Fear not for your life, but for those of yourrades! Only then will the hand of god guide you to heaven!¡± The Kingdom¡¯s first corps had seeded in crossing the river from the north and the forth corps had appeared from the eastern mountains. But this force came from the southwest¨D¨Dthe Empire¡¯s headquarters. Mana was surging through the body of the old man carrying arge spear and dressed in heavy te armour. He looked more powerful than anyone in the mountains, simr to Bogan¨D¨Dno, to Kokys. Many of those following him also manipted mana and though they are all old, they all look experienced. ¨D¨D¡¯Walter-sama¡¯, Krische heard such voices from around her. Krische frowned as she felt a little bit of lifee back to the copsed morale of the enemy¡¯s frontline. This is a powerful ¡®revolutionary¡¯. There are only a few mounted knights. Just thirteen of them. But the old man with the plume gathered the surrounding troops, organising them into a defensive formation with precise orders. He needs to be killed quickly. Krische sprinted towards him. Krische cut down soldiers heading in the same direction, cutting her way into the enemy mass. That was easily done since they were still reorganising. Krische quickly closed in on the old man, but¨D¨D ¡°Walter-sama¨D¨Da¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± ¨D¨Dfailed to take his life. This was beyond Krische¡¯s understanding. The men around that old man threw their lives away to protect him and obstructed Krische. She immediately leapt away after cutting down two knights and rolled out of their encirclement. ¡°¡¡seems like you¡¯re that monster I heard about.¡± The old man¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed. He nced towards the knights that died protecting him and closed his eyes for a moment, then turned back to Krische. Meanwhile, Krische was frowning at her own failure, analysing the reason. Everyone values their own lives. The movements of swords and spears are optimised to protect one¡¯s own life. It is natural to block a strike to the heart and avoid a cut to the arm. Anybody would instinctively act to protect their own body, any form of technique is simply a polished version of such actions¨D¨Dthus Krische made use of that reaction to slip through the gaps in the opponent¡¯s awareness. That is how she takes their lives so easily. But the men just now did not fear for their own lives, they sacrificed themselves to protect the old man. That caused arge error in Krische¡¯s calctions, forcing her to back away. This is the most dangerous type of opponent for Krische. If they threw their lives away, they could use their numbers to pin down Krische. What should I do? Aiming for the gaps in their armour requires a lot of concentration. In this situation, it will be impossible for her to aim for the gaps¨D¨Dof course with her strength and technique, it would be simple for her to slice through te armour, but Krische¡¯s weapon is a nata-like curved sword. It will be damaged if she puts it through too much. The situation is not so desperate yet that she has to break an expensive sword worth ten thousand pumpkins. Krische¡¯s job is also not done just by killing these men. She has to keep killing with this sword for the rest of the day. There is already thirty six soldiers around the old man and there are twelve mounted knights including him. More than a hundred soldiers were gathering closer, but attacking now is dangerous. Just as Krische decided it would be better to wait a little, the man called out to her. ¡°You seem quite young. Name yourself.¡± ¡°Er¡¡?¡± Why does Krische have to introduce herself in this situation? Although the sudden conversation confused her, Krische always has proper manners. Even as she calcted her next move and considered killing the surrounding soldiers first, she replied honestly. ¡°¡¡I am Krische Christand.¡± A mour rose from the soldiers around the old man. Her cloak is drenched in so much blood the original colour could not be seen¨D¨Dbut the old man saw the crest of a falcon and lightning at her chest and smiled. Only nobles and those under theirmand can wear that crest. If the bearer of the lightning and falcon crest ims to be a Christand, then it must be a member of the family. The general¡¯s daughter¨D¨Da young girl is wielding a sword on the frontlines without bodyguards. The old man was surprised but smiled in admiration. ¡°Kuku¡¡ I see. I am Walter Del Grindy, aide to general Aleha uzera Shuindel Sarshenka of the Holy Elsren Empire, First, let me praise you for your courage and bravery toe for my head alone.¡± ¡°Err, okay¡¡¡± First he asked her to introduce herself, then he greeted her politely and praised her, making Krische even more confused. Krische is about to kill this old man¨D¨DWalter. It is a mystery to her why that old man is smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you¡¡constructing that wicked fort and conducting this brilliant move through the mountains to deal a fatal blow. To think all that was done by a girl like you. Kuku, you never know what will happen on the battlefield¡¡¡± Spies had infiltrated both armies. The Kingdom and Empire share the same westernnguage and consist of simr races The Empire had obtained information of who had built the fort. Krische Christand¨D¨Dbut he had not expected her to be such a young girl. He was surprised but Walter knows what geniuses are capable of. ¡°However, I cannot let you do as you please any longer¡¡daughter of Christand. If you value you life, leave this ce. This is our final stand, I will not hand you my head so easily.¡± ¡°Nnn¡¡that would be troubling. Krische¡¯s current job is to kill people like Grindy-san.¡± No part of her body was clean of blood. Her silver hair and white cheek were stained with blood. Blood dripped from her cloak. ¨D¨DHow many people did she have to kill to end up like that? And after bathing in all that blood, Krische showed no fear in this situation, only smiling adorably like a little girl. The men making theirst stand could not tear their eyes away from her, forcefully reminded of the fear that they had been trying to forget in their fervour. This girl in front of them is undoubtedly a monster. ¡°¡¡I see. Then¡¡sorry, but I will have to take your life.¡± ¡°¡¡nnn? Er, Krische said, Krische is the one killing¡¡preparations areplete.¡± The instant she dered that, a squad charged forward from Krische¡¯s left. ¡°Krische!¡± It is Selene. Slightly less than a hundred troops followed her. Selene had been keeping track of Krische, but did not forget her own role. She had given orders to the troops in the melee before grabbing any soldier with strength to spare and followed Krische. There was a dy, but she managed to bring along almost a hundred powerful soldiers with plenty of stamina. This is enough to defeat Walter¡¯s squad which is still reorganising. Walter may be mounted, but he hade to spur on the soldiers and retreat was not an option. If he did that, the reviving morale will copsepletely this time. Selene¡¯s soldiers are on foot since they hade through the mountains but they were able to engage due to this situation. The temporary stalemate was broken by Selene¡¯s reinforcement and Krische could act again. ¨D¨DIt became a melee. The strength of cavalry is in their mobility. The mounted troops could not use their strength in this melee and instead their weakness, theirck of maneuverability was exploited. Of course there are methods to cover for that, but Selene¡¯s force is also skilled. Outnumbered. The powerful nobles, the knights fought valiantly, taking down ten, twenty soldiers with their spears and swords. But against Krische, dancing around like the wind, and the skilled soldiers under Selene¡¯smand, one fell after another¨D¨Dand finally, only Walter was left. The old man performed beyond his age, he was like a whirlwind on the battlefield. He easily wielded hisrge steel spear from atop his horse, more than evenly matched against the multiple soldiers that faced him, spearing them through their armour¨D¨Dembodying what it means to be a warrior. Selene saw how he fought and understood that he is far stronger than her, but still stepped forward. She is not aiming for his life. She is not looking for glory nor does she want to be a hero. She stepped forward just to fulfill her role. There is a difference between Selene and this man, Selene is not alone. Selene has the strongest sword, Krische on her side. Selene and Walter exchanged blows. The impact knocked her back, but created a fatal gap in Walter¡¯s guard. ¨D¨Dof course, Krische would not miss this chance. She appeared from the side and sliced off Walter¡¯s left arm, knocking him off his horse. Then she stomped on his right arm as hended, making him grunt in pain. ¡°Nnn¡¡¡± Krische put her sword to his neck, but paused, not sure of what to do. He has lost any ability to resist. ording to the Sacred Convention, the proper thing to do here is to take him prisoner. The enemies in the area have been cleaned up and Walter can no longer fight, he is also a high-ranking officer and appears to be a noble. Krische put a hand to her jaw and tilted her head, mentally running through the details of how the prisoner exchange system worked. The rules for taking prisoners is vague, even if the enemy surrenders or loses any ability to resist in the middle of battle, there is no need to take them prisoner, it is perfectly fine to kill them. The existing rules simply prevent massacres and personal executions after the battle. But it is written in the Scared Conventions that in situations like this, ¡®situations where the opposing organisation has lost any ability to resist¡¯, basically when they lose the ability to fight or surrendered, they should be taken as prisoners. Going by that interpretation, Krische should avoid killing this old man. Krische would prefer to just kill him since it is less troublesome, but thebat around has settled down¨D¨Dwhich means everyone is watching Krische. Krische would kill him if no one is watching, but she follows the rules when there are people around. Krische was wondering if he would die from blood loss if she just left him there when Selene called out to her. ¡°¡¡Krische, he¡¯s not a mere soldier. I want to take him prisoner if possible.¡± ¡°Muu¡¡okay.¡± Pouting a little, Krische cut off some cloth from a nearby corpse and bound it around Walter¡¯s left arm. Krische has enough medical knowledge to know how to make a simple tourniquet. ¡°Gu¡¡kill, me¡¡¡± ¡°ording to the Sacred Convention, since Grindy-san has lost the ability to fight, your war with the Kingdom is over. After being taken prisoner and sent to the rear, you will be returned once negotiations about prisoner exchange areplete. You were lucky.¡± Krische dered that matter-of-factly, smiling. Walter stared at Krische for a while, stunned, then lowered his eyes. ¡°¡¡I was supposed to buy time for the young master but¡¡I could not do much, and ended up like this. You are telling me to live with this shame?¡± ¡°Even if you ask Krische that¡¡those are the rules. That young master¡¡can¡¯t you just apologise to him afterwards?¡± Walter eyes widened in surprise and looked down at his own body. Then with a smallugh of self-ridicule, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll remember your name¡¡Krische Christand.¡± ¡°¡¡? Okay.¡± Walter stared at the girl¡¯s beautiful, but blood-stained figure. She was stained with so much blood that a puddle was forming at her feet. ¡°¡¡what are you fighting for? For your family? For fame?¡± Krische put a finger to her lip and thought about the sudden question for a while. ¡°¡¡hmm. Krische wants to quickly go home to cook and enjoy teatime with Bery and Selene, so Krische is fighting for that?¡± ¡°¡¡teatime?¡± Walter frowned at that word, but Krische just nodded. Then she nced at Selene and smiled. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll drink tea and eat cookies. It is very fun¡¡Krische has made that promise with both Bery and Selene.¡± Krische said that happily. Anyone that saw her smile could see her happiness. Seeing her bloodstained, but blissful expression, Walter was at a loss for words. He could only nod. -End- Chapter 24: U.E. C.24: The Girlâ€™S Birdcage Chapter 24: U.E. C.24: The Girl¡¯SBirdcage It was a decisive victory. The left wing of the Christand army seeded in crossing the river and establishing a beachhead, forcing the Sarshenka army to retreat. The Sarshenka army then decided to fully withdraw since they hadpletely lost the initiative. But the Christand army pursued them all the way. Sarshenka¡¯s retreat was executed excellently, but Christand¡¯s pursuit was relentless. The retreating Sarshenka army was not given any time to rest, losing much of its forces and leaving the Empire¡¯s supply lines exposed. Just as the Empire¡¯s supply lines came under attack, general Garhka also attacked from the south. This gave the Kingdom¡¯s central army time to temporarily recover from the infighting and execute arge-scale counterattack. The Empire¡¯s supply lines were under attack by Christand. Wulfenite was already isted and had lost its strategic advantage as a defensive location. It was put under siege and the imperial forces were starved out. That was the end of the battle that became known in the Empire as the ¡®Disaster of Arzlen¡±. ¡°Come on, stay still. There¡¯s no need to rush, the estate is right there.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± It has been about a month and a half since Krische departed for the frontlines. After pursuing the Sarshenka army, Krische hade down with a fever, so Bogan had arranged for her to return home with Selene. Selene caught Krische by the back of her cor and sighed. Selene helplessly told the coachman to head straight for the estate. Yet another selfish whim of a noble, but the coachman showed no reluctance. Rumours of Christand¡¯s great battle have spread far and wait along with the contributions of the two beautiful princesses. The coachman was proud to be escorting the two small, beautiful heroes and turned the horse towards their estate. They passed by the many stores and houses, arriving at the upper ss residential area. ¡°Just suck on this for now.¡± ¡°! Amu¡¡¡± Selene sighed and let go of Krische¡¯s restless hand, snatching Krische¡¯s precious pouch from around her neck. She pinched out thest piece inside and threw it into Krische¡¯s mouth. ¨D¨DCandy. The sweetness spread through Krische¡¯s mouth and she smiled¨D¨Dthen remembered the important promise. And thest candy in that pouch is mine. Please bring it back for me. Krische¡¯s expression tensed and she stiffened as she realised what the taste of bliss in her mouth meant. Soon the carriage arrived at the estate and Krische caught sight of someone in a white and ck apron dress tending to the orchard¨D¨DBery, her red hair fluttering in the wind. Krische averted her eyes awkwardly. Selene thanked the coachman as she descended from the carriage, then turned to the frozen Krische with a puzzled look. ¡°What¡¯re you doing, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, but¡¡¡± Krische¡¯s brilliant mind worked to find a way out of thiis situation. ¨D¨Dspit it out, wipe it clean and put it back in the pouch. But Krische¡¯s aesthetics would not allow that. Bery will be eating this. ¨D¨Dhow about buying a new one. Bery will notice it is a different one immediately and be disappointed in Krische for lying. But then, what to do¨D¨D ¡°Come on already¡¡¡± ¡°Ah¡¡¡± As Selene dragged Krische off the carriage, Bery caught sight of them and dropped the basket of fruits she was carrying. She smiled then lowered her face, wiping at her eyes before running over. ¡°Krische-sama, ojou-sama too¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡why is it Krische first.¡± Selene sounded dissatisfied but had a smile on her face. Krische was still frozen. Bery looked puzzled at herck of response. Could she be injured? Bery drew closer, concerned¨D¨D ¡°Heh? Nnn¡¡!?¡± ¨D¨Dand Krische¡¯s soft lips were suddenly pressed against her¡¯s. This time, Bery was the one that froze¨D¨Das did the coachman who was about to move off. Itsted only an instant, but felt like an eternity. The candy passed between Krische¡¯s lips into Bery¡¯s mouth and only then did the two pull apart. ¡°Err¡¡Krische, su, sucked on, er¡¡the, thest one¡¡¡± Krische honestly confessed to breaking the promise and sucking on thest piece of candy. Rules, promises, regtions. To Krische, these must not be broken in front of other people. But she had broken it in front of Bery of all people. Krische trembled. Krische had nned to show Bery that ¡®Krische had kept her promise¡¯ and be rewarded for that. But Krische¡¯s n had gone very wrong. Krische was worried that she had disappointed Bery by breaking the promise. ¡°Eh, ah, er¡¡eh, err¡¡? Aaah¡¡!¡± Bery¡¯s face turned bright red as she tasted the sweet candy in her mouth. She realised the reason after some thought, but still could not recover from the shock and was at a loss. Krische thought Bery was ¡®disappointed¡¯ in her for breaking the promise and tears welled in her eyes, making Bery panic and embrace her. ¡°It, it¡¯s okay! I do not mind, I was just a little surprised¡¡!¡± ¡°Wha, what about that was okay!? Kissing all of a sudden once we¡¯re back, Bery, what have you been teaching Krische!? You said you don¡¯t mind, does that mean you¡¯ve been doing these kind of things while I was awa¨D¨D¡± ¡°No, no ojou-sama! Th, there is a very profound, no, not very profound, but there is a reason for this¡¡¡± ¡°What reason!?¡± Selene snapped back, her face bright red and Bery responded tearfully as she hugged Krische. They are back to their normal life in the estate. Krische rxed into Bery¡¯s warmth as she listened to their argument. ¨D¨Dand the girl smiled happily -End- Chapter 25: U.E. C.25: Magic And Kisses Chapter 25: U.E. C.25: Magic AndKisses It has been approximately two months since they returned home. Although Bogan has not returned yet, life in the estate is back to normal. Krische and Bery cleaned the estate, tended to the garden, cooked and prepared the bath. The only difference is that Krische has grown even more attached to Bery. Krische has be more honest and reliant on Bery. Today, Krische and Bery are spending their time in the kitchen again. ¡°Ah¡¡it broke.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± ¡°The teapot¡¯s magic crystal is not working.¡± Bery had been about to brew tea after baking cookies. She removed the magic crystal installed in the base of the teapot and squinted at it. Magic crystals are engraved with magic circuits¨D¨Dby injecting mana into them, various effects can be achieved depending on the circuit engraved. This magic crystal had been engraved with the circuit for ¡®heat¡¯ but residue mana has built up in the circuit after repeated use, deforming the circuit and rendering it useless. Once this happens, the circuit has be recarved, Bery sighed. The usual method of repairing magic crystals is to go to ¡®magic technicians¡¯, who make a living carving magic circuits into magic crystals. But Bery has the knowledge and technique required to repair rtively simple magic crystals by herself. I will fix it when I¡¯m free, Bery thought as she poured the water from the teapot into a pot when Krische suddenly muttered. ¡°Magic crystals are easy to use but since they break, they are a little inconvenient.¡± ¡°Well, all tools are like that. I will fix itter.¡± ¡°Then let Krische¡¡ah, oh yeah, Krische thought of an idea recently.¡± Krische extended a finger towards the pot. Bery tilted her head in question¨D¨Dthen was stunned by Krische¡¯s ¡®idea¡¯. Bery saw pale blue mana gathering around Krische¡¯s finger. The mana extended from her finger towards the pot and enveloping it, then the mana itself formed a magic circuit, bringing the water to a boil in a short span of time¨D¨DKrische had turned lukewarm water into boiling water. ¡°Krische had always found it a little weird that everyone uses magic crystals. Why not just create a circuit in the ¡®floofy thing¡¯?¡± Krische spoke as she made the water boil just by pointing at it, failing to notice Bery¡¯s reaction. Magic crystals are formed when mana crystallises underground. These crystals are used as a medium for magic because of their stability, ease of processing and ability to absorb mana. Heat, cool, start a fire, create water, provide light. Just about all magic uses magic crystals as a medium and that is the ¡®norm¡¯ in this world. Excluding magic that acts on the caster¡¯s own body, magic cannot be used without magic crystals. That is the consensus among magicians. ¡®Magic technicians¡¯ carve circuits in magic crystals while ¡®magicians¡¯ develop and refine those circuits. In this world, magicians are magic crystal researchers and technicians. The ¡®magician¡¯s rod¡¯ that many magicians wield are equipped with magic crystals and that is how some magicians shoot light bullets or manipte fire. But that magic is merely a means of self-defense and requires magic crystals. Multiple magic crystals are required to use different magics and they can be difficult to carry sinceplicated circuits would requirerger magic crystals. This is the reason why there are hardly any ¡®fairytale magicians¡¯ on the battlefield. Excluding physical enchancement, almost all magic is used for peaceful purposes. ¡°Not just that, by doing this¡¡¡± Krische waved her right index finger and created mes in the air while spinning her left index finger and making a stream of water from the pot dance like a snake. ¡°By reproducing the circuits carved in the magic crystals with our own ¡®floof¡¯, magic crystals are not needed. This makes cooking more convenient.¡± ¡°Cooking¡¡¡± ¡°Yes. There were a lot of inconveniences on the battlefield, so this can be used when cooking outdoors¡¡ah, it can also be used for cleaning andundry.¡± Bery could only stare at this new theory of magic before her very eyes. Even for Bery, who has studied magic more than the average person, this ispletely unknown. Many magicians are searching for ways to use magic without magic crystals, but none of them have achieved anything practical. At most, there is a method using pure silver in ce of magic crystals, but Bery had never heard of anyone using magicpletely empty-handed like Krische. Bery could understand the theory and with enough effort and practice, she could probably achieve the same thing. Instead of creating a set mold and injecting mana into it, build the circuit in your own mana. It is a difficult technique on the level of drawing a picture on the surface of water, but with the correct method it is possible. Krische¡¯s discovery is revolutionary¨D¨Done day, it might be the standard way to use magic throughout the world. Bery was surprised at first, seeing the pipe dream described in many grimoires¨D¨Dthepleted version of it, right before her eyes, then felt fear silently creep up on her. The objectives of that pipe dream is far from peaceful. If magicians were able to freely use magic anywhere and everywhere¨D¨Don the battlefield for example, magicians would be a force to be reckoned with. Many grimoires describe how magicians could change the fundamental concepts of war if they were able to easily and flexibly manipte the elements wherever they were. This could hail the beginning of an age where magicians are more than mere researchers. The majority of magicians are nobles and are treated better thanmoners, but they are still close to the bottom of thedder. Many magicians are second or third sons who had no other career choices. Those that y an active role on the battlefield receive the greatest honours in high society, so magicians are not treated well and some even looked down on them. This treatment and oppression led to such fantasies. Krische¡¯s idea will have toorge of an impact on them. Based on Krische¡¯s words, Bery is the first Krische has shown this to. Bery was relieved by that for now. ¡°Bery?¡± ¡°¡¡it is nothing. I was just, a little too surprised. This might be very convenient indeed.¡± Bery gently patted Krische¡¯s head, sealing her surprise and fear deep in her heart. Krische smiled as she always did when patted on the head. Krische herself did not see this as a big deal. She had simply demonstrated something she had thought of to cheer Bery up because Bery had sighed. It it not very difficult for Krische and she also believes Bery can do it since Bery is good at manipting mana. Krische is simply grateful for Bery¡¯s goodwill and feels she could neverpletely repay Bery. Krische has no hesitation about sharing such techniques to cheer Bery up. Krische puts a lot more weight on the cooking that she learns from Bery. Compared to that, this is nothing. Bery understood Krische¡¯s simple desire to cheer her up. That is why Bery was not sure what to say. Krische¡¯s idea is meant for the cooking that she loves. Although Krische might be abnormal, the purpose of this idea is peaceful, she has grown to be a kind girl at heart. That is why Bery did not want Krische¡¯s idea to create unnecessary tragedies. ¡°¡¡what does Krische-sama think about war?¡± ¡°Think¡¡?¡± ¡°Does Krische-sama like it? Hate it?¡± ¡°Then, hate.¡± Krische tilted her head in confusion about the question¡¯s intent, but still answered instantly. Bery nodded in agreement. ¡°I hate it too. The principle of war is simple. Let us say there is an apple and Krische-sama wants to eat it, then one more person, someone else had the same thought. If both of you want to take the apple for yourselves, Krische-sama will end up fighting with that person.¡± Bery took out an apple from a basket, cing it on a cutting board. Krische watched her with serious eyes. ¡°Even if Krische-sama restrained yourself and thought to share, if the other person still says he wants to eat the whole apple, you will still end up fighting¡¡does Krische-sama understand?¡± ¡°Er¡¡yes.¡± ¡°The apple is an example. It could be territory, people or technology. It could even be the idea that Krische-sama has just showed me.¡± ¡°Krische¡¯s idea¡¡?¡± Bery nodded as Krische created a small me at the tip of her finger and showed it to Bery. ¡°Krische-sama¡¯s idea is something nobody else has thought of, it is an amazing discovery. Just as Krische-sama said, it can be used for many things, but if it is turned on people, it could easily be used for war.¡± ¡°Ah, that is, right¡¡Krische somewhat understand what Bery wants to say. People who want to know Krische¡¯s idea would try to steal it from Krische right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Krische nodded then replied. ¡°Then how about just telling everyone? It does not get reduced like the apple, so everyone can share.¡± Krische knows that Bery is a kind person. So she can roughly predict the answers that Bery wants. It will be troublesome, but Krische is willing to do it if it is Bery¡¯s wish. ¡°That is a wonderful thought. But even if Krische-sama tries to teach many people, there is a limit. There is no way to teach everyone in the world and even if Krische-sama told the people Krische-sama has taught to spread it, it will definitely stop somewhere.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let us say there is an empty-handed opponent in front of Krische-sama. Krische-sama must fight with that person. Although that person has not noticed, there is a sword at his feet. Will Krische-sama tell him that?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Krische nodded in understanding. ¡°Technology that can be used for war is simr, even other technology that are just convenient are also like that. It is better to monopolise it and keep it from your enemies. That is the normal way of thinking. And¡¡back to the apple example.¡± ¡°Apple¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes. When there is a battle, the strong always wins. But if the weak that always had the apple stolen from them suddenly obtained the power to defeat the strong, they would want to get revenge. Krische-sama¡¯s idea has the power to turn the weak into the strong, so it would not be good to spread it.¡± As Krische listened to Bery talk so seriously, she gradually grew more anxious. Bery did not look happy at all. ¡°Er¡¡then, Krische¡¯s idea, is bad¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡no. It is definitely not Krische-sama¡¯s fault nor am I saying that the idea is bad. But¡¡I am a little scared that it will lead to unnecessary conflict.¡± Bery embraced Krische and gently patted her head. ¡°Krische-sama wants to make daily life more convenient. But there are people that think differently and will use technology for bad things. People that like fighting will not use this technique for cooking orundry, they will use it for war. That is a very sad thing, so I do not want to see it happen. Krische-sama hates war and I do not want Krische-sama¡¯s idea to lead to it. So I want Krische-sama to keep it a secret between us.¡± ¡°Secret?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe that Krische-sama¡¯s idea is a wonderful thing. I would like to try using it to do various things. But if what I saides to pass, I would be very said, so I want to keep it as a secret between the both of us only.¡± ¡°Okay. Er, then Selene too¡¡?¡± ¡°Ojou-sama¡¡as well. Of course the secret is not absolute, just as much as possible but¡¡¡± Krische nodded. ¡°Krische will not do anything that makes Bery sad.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you. Thank you for listening to my selfish request.¡± ¡°Krische is always making selfish requests of Bery¡¡¡± After saying that, Krische nervously asked another question. ¡°¡¡Bery, do you hate Krische now?¡± ¡°Fufu, that will not happen. I love Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Er¡¡Krische wants Bery to tell Krische if Bery does not like something or is angry.¡± ¡°It is okay. Why would I dislike it or get angry when the Krische-sama I love is trying to make me happy? ¡¡like I said, personally I am very happy that Krische-sama taught me this, it is very interesting and exciting.¡± Krische sighed in relief and smiled happily, then tip-toed a little to press her lips to Bery¡¯s. Bery stiffened for an instant, but Krische did not notice, her expression was full of bliss. ¡°Krische also loves Bery¡¡ehehe, it is mutual.¡± ¡°Y¡¡yeah.¡± Bery¡¯s face was bright red and troubled after the kiss, her eyes wandering around awkwardly. It is her fault, but she is still not used to it. ¨D¨Dthe mouth-to-mouth candy from Krische when she came home. That was the beginning of it all. Krische had seen her parents kiss a lot, Bery and Selene also kiss her cheek and forehead asionally, so Krische saw kissing as something normal between people who are close. That is why she had no qualms about that mouth-to-mouth transfer. Bery felt that this was dangerous and taught Krische about kisses. But since Bery focused on making itprehensible for Krische, it became a long-winded and roundabout exnation, taking a long time to exin to Krische that kissing is an expression of love done between two people who love each other. Part of the cause is also that Bery herself was slightly embarrassed by the exnation¨D¨Dno, that was the problem, Bery realised Bery reminded herself that she had left out the obvious part that kissing is normally done between those of opposite sex and also made the mistake of implying that Krische¡¯s kiss was a bad thing. Krische saw her rtionship with Bery as two people with strong goodwill for each other, meaning they love each other. So when Bery implied that Krische¡¯s kiss was a bad thing, Kirsche had asked if Bery did not like Krische. Bery had desperately denied it and was looking for a better exnation when Krische anxiously asked why Bery exined it like that, whether Bery did not like kissing Krische. Bery was not able to hold out. Bery had hastily replied, ¡®O, ojou-sama and the coachman were there, so, so, it was not that I did not like it¡¡er, er, it is just not good to do it in such a ce.¡¯ Krische had asked repeatedly, ¡®Really? Bery does not hate kissing Krische?¡¯ and when Bery nodded, Krische kissed Bery again in relief. ¨D¨DAnd that was the beginning. After that Krische became a kissing fiend and kissed whenever she felt uneasy or happy. Krische had not properly understood the exnation that kissing is an expression of love, seeing it as an appealing method for disying goodwill. Krische had learnt from Bery and Grace that loving each other is a good thing. So Krische naturally thought expressing love is also a good thing, whenever she has the chance, she puts this ¡®good thing¡¯ into practice with Bery and Selene. Both Bery and Selene were unable to deny her pure innocence to her face and it dragged out to this point without them being able to correct her. It was all they could do to make her promise to only do it with the two of them and not when there are other people around. Bery also has to listen to Selene¡¯sints about this everyday. Krische looked up at Bery expectantly. Bery¡¯s face was bright red as she embraced Krische even tighter and patted her head, regretting that unrecoverable mistake. Even as Bery repeated to herself that there is no strange meaning behind it, seeing Krische smile so happily when she is kissed also makes Bery happy. Bery tried to convince herself that the fact that Krische is able to express her emotions like others is something to celebrate, definitely not a bad thing, but Bery¡¯s conscience tormented her. ¡°We, we ended up talking a while. Back to what we were doing¡¡let¡¯s return to your room after brewing tea.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bery shook her head clear of those thoughts, averting her eyes from the problem. Bery is too sweet on Krische and the problem is growing worse day by day, but she is already in a state of resignation. -End- You thought that yuri was a one-off? Chapter 26: U.E. C.26: Ceremony Chapter 26: U.E. C.26: Ceremony Krische was in her room, reading a storybook lying open in herp. Krische¡¯stest favorite pastime is rxing on the soft sofa with Bery and drinking tea while Bery reads children books to her with asional exnations. Bery rmended children books because they have simple depictions of love and happiness, concepts that Krische has trouble understanding. But these interested Krische more than Bery had expected, mainly because Krische could stick close to Bery during the story. Krische is already partly dependent on Bery by this point, clinging to her all the time. Reading together is time when they are naturally closer together and Bery pats Krische¡¯s head as she teaches Krische various things, all good things for Krische. Although Krische focuses more on being pampered by Bery than the contents of the story, this study method is not that bad. Krische is gradually learning to understand normal feelings from the books. ¡°¡¡and with this, the knight and princess lived together happily ever after. ¡° ¡°Together¡¡does that mean they got married?¡± ¡°Err, yes. That should be the correct interpretation.¡± ¡°Getting married is happiness? It is written like that in a lot of books.¡± ¡°¡¡that is difficult to say. But if they love each other, then getting married is a happy thing.¡± Love each other, Bery responded to her own words and hastily continued. ¡°Er, er, Krische-sama, you know that marriage is only between a man and woman right¡¡?¡± ¡°Yes, er, Krische knows that too¡¡? Kaa-sama taught Krische that before.¡± Krische seemed confused why Bery would point that out, but Bery breathed a sigh of relief. Bery would not be able to bear it if Krische said, ¡®Then Krische wants to marry Bery.¡¯ To Bery, Krische is cute and pure, a simply adorable existence. Bery would definitely feel the urge to hug her tight and impulsively say ¡®me too¡¯ even though she knows that would make things worse. Ahem, Bery cleared her throat and recovered to her serious teaching expression. ¡°¡¡marriage itself is a contract to be husband and wife. It is just a contract to be family and have children. But it is also a vow to raise children together, to spend your lives together, so marriage would be happiness for people who love each other. My sister¡¯s marriage with master was like that and they were very happy.¡± ¡°Krische¡¯s kaa-sama and tou-sama also seemed very happy.¡± Krische recalled Grace and Gorka. Bery smiled in response. ¡°That is nice¡¡marriage for nobles are usually to form connections between houses, so I cannot say that marriage itself leads to happiness. But it is also true that it can lead to happiness. Even if the husband and wife did not love each other at first, there are cases where their rtionship developed after their marriage and they found happiness.¡± After some thought, Krische asked. ¡°Will Bery get married one day?¡± ¡°I¡¡no. My body is weak and I cannot bear children. Childbirth is very difficult. My house is also ruined, so there will not be that type of proposals either.¡± ¡°Bery¡¯s body is weak?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡¡as Krihe-sama can see, I am healthy now, but when I was a child I could not go outside, I could only stay indoors and read. So I was a little weird.¡± Beryughed softly. ¡°¡®I cannot tell what ojou-sama is thinking¡¯, I was often told this. The same at Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Bery too?¡± ¡°Yes, I was a little different from others. So although I cannotpletely understand how Krische-sama feels¡¡I believe I can understand it a little.¡± Bery stroked Krische¡¯s soft hair as she spoke. ¡°Even when I tried to be considerate, I got thingspletely wrong. That happened a lot. Maybe it is because of that, whenever I see Krische-sama confused by such things, it feels like watching my past self.¡± ¡°¡¡empathy?¡± ¡°Yes, fufu, indeed, empathy.¡± Bery smiled happily and stroked Krische¡¯s cheek. ¡°¡¡I try to act positive and likable. But I am actually not very good at talking to others. I am the only servant in thisrge estate because my nee-sama and master knew about this.¡± Bery shut the book and took a sip of tea. ¡°I am not as good at talking to others as Krische-sama thinks I am, I am only good at acting. I still have the same weakness as Krische-sama, I just live by hiding it. So with this included, marriage would be difficult¡¡also, I am already very happy to live here, in this estate with Krische-sama, ojou-sama and master.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Krische also took a sip of tea. Krische roughly understands how marriage works and she was happy about this. If Bery got married, she would leave this house and Krische would not be able to follow her. So if she is not going to get married, that is great for Krische. Krische adjusted her position in Bery¡¯sp and wrapped her arms around Bery¡¯s neck. ¡°¡¡then, Bery will always be with Krische.¡± And lightly kissed her. ¡°!¡¡y, yeah. Always.¡± Bery looked troubled, her face burning as she embraced Krische. Krische smiled and closed her eyes. Krische has grown a bit too beautiful for such actions to be childish. It might have been okay if she was still a child, but Krische is already bing a beautiful woman. When she and Bery, who also has very feminine curves and young, pretty looks, hug each other, it looks indecent. ¨D¨Dat some point, the door had open and Selene was peeking in, sighing at the indecent pair. ¡°O, ojou-sama¡¡when did you¡± ¡°¡¡Bery, no, nevermind, I don¡¯t care anymore. Please, try not to lead Krische down any weird paths.¡± ¡°I, I will not.¡± Krische had been about to doze off in Bery¡¯s arms, but raised her head at Selene¡¯s voice, tilting it in confusion at Selene¡¯s look of resignation and Bery¡¯s slight panic. ¡°Selene, did something happen?¡± ¡°A letter from otou-sama. Seems like the two of us are summoned to the pce for our distinguished service in the war. You¡¯ve heard that the war ended just the other day right?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡Krische too?¡± Krische turned to stare at Bery. They had juste back. Krische is still getting her fill of being pampered by Bery and cooking everyday, if possible, she did not want to go. Bery guessed Krische¡¯s thoughts and looked at Selene hesitatingly while patting Krische¡¯s head. ¡°Like I said before, Krische yed arge part. Such service cannot just be ignored¡¡so both of us will be receiving the rank of senior knight, medals and a reward.¡± ¡°¡¡senior knight all of a sudden? That is¡¡¡± Knights are a rank of nobility in the Kingdom, but it cannot be inherited nor are they granted anynd. It is more of an honorary title. But this rank is only granted for achievements on the battlefield, it is not something even greater nobles can obtain through their birth alone. The title of knight is split into senior and junior knight. Those granted this rank usually start from junior knight and after earning enough achievements, are promoted to senior knight. But in cases like this, where their achievements are exceptional, they can skip straight to senior knight. ¡°I was also a little surprised that we will be senior knights¡¡well, with the situation being what it was, it is effectively thanks to otou-sama that the country is saved. That should be the reason behind their generosity.¡± ¡°I see¡¡it is surprising. But¡¡then Krische really has no choice but to go¡¡¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Bery had heard from Selene about what had happened on the battlefield. Krische¡¯s exnation was simply, ¡®Krische helped build a fort and fought a little.¡¯. But Krische was the one that suggested the n to steal back the initiative and break the northern stalemate created by the enemy. She had also built a fort that served as a solid defensive position of the river and racked up many kills herself. Even just hearing this short summary of Krische¡¯s exploits, it is no wonder she is receiving decorations. Bery is also happy for her, but Bery could not fully celebrate it. Being granted a title for your achievements is an indication of expectations of further contributions. Expectations of contributions on the battlefield. Selene let out a small sigh as Bery lowered her eyes. ¡°I know how you feel, but we can¡¯t decline, so just ept it.¡± ¡°¡¡yes. I am aware, but¡± ¡°Well, once that is over, we just need to show up a little at a dinner party. How abouting along if you are so worried?¡± ¡°Bery too?¡± Krische¡¯s eyes lit up. Selene put a hand to her head, then turned to Bery. Seeing how attached Krische has been to Berytely has made Selene experience heartburn and want to puke sugar. Bery smiled wryly at Krische, then nodded after some thought. ¡°¡¡okay. There should not be any problems if Ie along as an attendant.¡± ¡°I think it should be fine for you to wear a dress though. Even if your house is ruined, your rank has not been revoked.¡± ¡°Yes. But¡¡I do not have good memories from that.¡± Bery¡¯s tone was self-mocking. ¡°¡¡that was none of my business. Sorry.¡± ¡°It is okay. Thank you for the concern.¡± Krische was listening to that exchange with a question mark floating above her head, so Selene exined to her. ¡°Bery¡¯s Argan family technically still exists. So even though she is working as our servant, Bery is also a noble like us. She¡¯s also so pretty. If Bery felt like it, she could put on some make up, wear a dress and proposals wille flooding in.¡± ¡°That is an exaggeration. Ojou-sama, calling me pretty in front of Krische-sama is embarassing.¡± Bery embraced Krische and said. ¡°But like I told Krische-sama earlier, my happiness right now is living here. I do not particrly want to revive my house or find a partner¡¡I am happy like this.¡± ¡°¡¡fine.¡± Selene sounded a little disappointed but turned to Krische. Krische was hugging Bery and enjoying her warmth, Selene pinched her cheek. ¡°Fuerene?¡± ¡°Most of all, the problem is you, Krische. Since you have to participate, you will have to study etiquette.¡± ¡°Fufu, no need to worry, Krische-sama is quick to learn so she will pick it up in no time. I will also be staying by her side.¡± ¡°¡¡well, that¡¯s true. Just need to make sure this girl does not get caught up in anything weird.¡± ¡°Fuerene, ihyai¡¡¡± Selene giggled as she stretched Krische¡¯s cheek once more before releasing it. Krische pouted, sulking as she rubbed her cheek, then turned to bury her face in Bery¡¯s bust. Bery smiled wryly as shebed her fingers through Krische¡¯s hair. ¡°Ojou-sama really likes teasing Krische.¡± ¡°¡¡Selene bullies Krische.¡± ¡°Krische-sama is too cute, so ojou-sama cannot help but tease you. Lately Krische-sama has been with me all the time too, ojou-sama also wants some attention.¡± ¡°¡¡I see.¡± ¡°¡¡hey, stop teaching Krische stupid things. She is already a little bit of an idiot.¡± Krische pulled Selene into the hug and smiled. ¡°Krische can also pamper Selene.¡± ¡°¡¡I am not at an age for that.¡± Selene looked disgruntled, but her cheeks were flushed. Though sheined that her clothes would get wrinkled, she did not resist. ¡°¡¡Krische will make what Selene wants to eat for dinner today. How about beef stew and hamburger steak? Ah, apple pie would be good too.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, we have not made apple pie in a while. Let¡¯s have that today.¡± ¡°Seriously¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡Krische will make a delicious one.¡± Krische pecked Selene on the lips, making Selene¡¯s face turn bright red as she red at Bery. Bery scratched her cheek awkwardly as she averted her eyes. Although there were slight problems in their life in the estate, it was afortable life. -End- Chapter 27: U.E. C.27: Dress Dilemma Chapter 27: U.E. C.27: DressDilemma ¡°¡¡cute.¡± Half a monthter. Krische is dressed in pale blue and Bery is staring at her with a dazed look on her face. 10 days until they depart for the capital. They face a problem with the victory ceremonying up next month, Krische¡¯s dress. Unlike Selene, Krische had no ns of showing her face in high society, so she still does not own a single dress. The Christand family is wealthy but Bogan does not spend unnecessarily. He decided to put it off until Krische¡¯s growth stopped. Of course he did order a few casual one-piece dresses for her which can be used for greeting guests, but such simple clothes are not suitable for a dinner party at the pce. So they sent for the tailor and ordered a dress for Krische urgently. Like Bogan, Krische also dislikes unnecessary expenditure (cooking-rted things are excluded) and had proposed altering Selene¡¯s dress fromst year since it fits her, but Selene and Bery opposed this. Many nobles pay attention to minute details. The younger sister wearing a hand-me-down from the older sister would not be good for their reputation. Especially since Christand is a margrave of the Kingdom¨D¨Dan upper-ss noble. Krische¡¯s growth seems to have stopped, so Bery and Selene decided to take this chance to make two, three dresses for her, asking the impossible of their usual tailor. The tailor readily agreed. The tailor had visited them multiple times and was infatuated with Krische, he makes repeated offers to make a dress for Krische every time he has the chance. Large amethyst eyes, clear skin, long and fine silver hair. Krische¡¯s fairy-like appearance seems to have been great inspiration for the tailor. When he received themission and came to take measurements, he brought along countless rough sketches of the many ideas he had already thought of for Krische. It took half a day to choose three from those. Bery had exined that they only needed one by the deadline, but the tailor must have been really motivated. The tailor finished the three dresses with ten days to spare and hase to the estate today to present them. The first is a simple white dress bordered with ck and has a red rose at the chest. The second is ck emphasised with red, creating a calm but vibrant look. The third is pale blue, a dress that gives the image of purity. Despite the bold off-shoulder design andrge slit in the back, the pale blue colour made it look chaste. Coupled with the opera gloves that reach past her elbows, it made her look sophisticated. Compared to how many of the current dresses expose the chest and emphasise the breasts to create a sexy look, this dress is chaste to the point of looking in. This dress definitely would not suit most, but the pure look fit Krische¡¯s fairy-like charm extremely well. ¡°¡¡do I look good?¡± ¡°Yes, very good! You are very pretty, Krische-sama!¡± ¡°It really fits you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Krische smiled as she felt the dress¡¯ fabric. As long as you take care of your clothes and wear them neatly, anything can look rtively good. Krische had grown up in a vige without many things and that was what Grace had taught her, so Krische had never felt like spending money on clothes. But she does enjoy wearing pretty andfortable clothes, being praised for looking good also makes her happy. Bery, Selene and the tailor all seemed delighted and praised Krische, so Krische did not feel any dissatisfaction with bing a dress-up doll. ¡°I had always thought that this colour would be perfect for Krische-sama¡¡ and it seems my judgement was correct. It must be her silver hair. Match it with pale blue cloth and she really looks like a fairy from a story.¡± ¡°Yes, wonderful work. Thank you so much for finishing three dresses so quickly despite the sudden request.¡± ¡°No no, do not mention it. In fact, please let me thank you. As an artisan, it was like a dream when I heard I could make clothing for Krische ojou-sama.¡± The tailor, a man dressed in a suit, looked over Krische once again and nodded. ¡°Seems like there are no problems. When you need another dress, please call for me. Not just for ojou-samas¡¯ dresses, but if there is an opportunity, I would love to make a dress for Argan-sama too.¡± ¡°Fufu, if that timees, please do. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Yes, then please excuse me.¡± Krische and Selene also said their thanks as Bery sent him off. Including Bery, all of them are nobles and the tailor is amoner. Although the Christand family only grewrge recently, they are indisputably upper-ss nobles, there is no need for them to thankmoners. It is natural for nobles to receive the services ofmoners, the payment is simply business. In fact, it is normal for nobles to consider thankingmoners insulting, but Bogan and the three of them do not care about that at all, they treatmoners politely despite being nobles. ¨D¨DThe Christand family is a family of humble heroes. Their attitude is well liked by the town people and is also why the tailor was willing to work day and night to create three wonderful dresses. Krische and Bery are often seen going to the trouble of visiting stores themselves to do their shopping. Because of Krische¡¯s appearance and how often she appears in public, in a certain sense she is more popr than Selene among the town people. That is why to the tailor, it was a genuine honour to make a dress for her. ¡°¡¡muu, feels like I lost. You seem very popr.¡± ¡°Ihyai¡¡¡± Selene urately picked up on that and pinched Krische¡¯s cheek, sulking a little. Selene is no less beautiful than Krische. But her dignified beauty and the strong light in her eyes gives the opposite impression from Krische¡¯s ephemeral beauty¨D¨Da powerful kind of beauty. Throughout history it is the frail and adorable types that are fawned over. Krische¡¯s appearance will make most people want to protect her, giving her an edge over Selene. Krische is aware that her appearance is good, but that is it. She does not feel anything in particr about it nor does she care. Selene knows there is no point gettingpetitive with Krische, but it still annoyed her. Selene satisfied herself by pinching and toying with both of Krische¡¯s cheeks. ¡°But it really does suit you. You look lovely.¡± ¡°Ehehe, really?¡± Selene is dressed as normal, in a simple, white one-piece dress. Selene dug through her memories, considering which of her dresses would match Krische¡¯s¨D¨Dwhen something soft touched her lips, making her stiffen. ¡°Selene is always pretty.¡± Krische smiled as she told Selene that, showing no qualms about the kiss. Krische¡¯s kissing habits are only getting worse. Selene thought of saying something about it, but she is also too soft on Krische, unable to say anything harsh. ¡°Uuu, jeeks again¡¡¡± Selene let go of Krische¡¯s cheek and sighed, turning to the other two dresses lying on the bed. The current dress looks good. But the other two are also hard to give up on. Selene would prefer the red and ck dress, but it seems like Bery has taken a liking to this dress. This will be an intense battle again, Selene thought as she remembered their dispute the day they had seen the rough sketches. ¨D¨DThe tailor had brought too many rough sketches. ¨D¨DAnd Krische took no initiative to choose. So the task of choosing the dress naturally fell to Selene and Bery, but Selene prefers elegance and style while Bery prefers cuteness and purity. They could only choose three from dozens of rough sketches. The result was a heated argumentsting half the day. Krische brewed tea while Bery was busy arguing and watched them with the tailor. The tailor was also listening to their argument intently, taking notes. They skipped lunch. Of course, there were no snacks either. The fight continued until Krische lost to her hunger and tearfully asked if they could prepare dinner. Selene dreaded another simr battle. But Selene cannot lose. Selene had given in the previous time and Bery chose two dresses. Selene is determined to get this ck and red dress through this time. This dress is the one that was originally meant to be rushed in time for the dinner party. The door opened and Bery entered, staring at Krische with a raptured look. ¡°¡¡it really, is cute. Ojou-sama, this has to be the one¨D¨D¡± ¡°Wait a moment. I will admit it is very cute, but Krische is a general¡¯s daughter and will be going to the capital to be granted the rank of senior knight. Krische¡¯s personality is childish enough, she should at least appear smarter with this ck dress.¡± ¡°That makes sense¡¡but Krische-sama is a child. There is no need to for her to act older. And the victory ceremony is to be conducted in military dress attire right? Then I believe it is fine for the dress to be the cute one here.¡± Bery had a smile on her face, but her eyes were not smiling. Selene also smiled as she countered. ¡°Hey, Bery. Don¡¯t you remember that I gave inst time? I let you choose that pale blue dress and white dress already.¡± ¡°Gave in? Did ojou-sama forget that we let Krische-sama choose whether she preferred red or white? We decided on white because Krische-sama said she liked it. It is just that as a result, Krische-sama chose the one I wanted, ojou-sama did not give in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you asked her that way! I remember that you threatened her by saying ¡®Krische-sama, don¡¯t you think this white dress is better? We cannot prepare dinner unless we decide¡¡¡¯! You coward!¡± ¡°Oh my, that is saying too much.¡± ¨D¨D¡®then the white one, the white one is fine.¡¯ Krische could not endure her hunger any longer and just said that. Krische stood around helplessly as the two of them suddenly started arguing, then recalled what had happened the other day. She took off the gloves to avoid dirtying them and reached for the cookies. Survival instinct. Krische¡¯s brilliant mind has calcted that the chances of skipping lunch is high. So she decided she had to make up for it with cookies. But Selene caught her hand. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± ¡°After using such a cowardly move, if you still refuse to bend, then I will have to crush you thoroughly. Krische, change into the ck dress again.¡± ¡°Er¡¡okay.¡± ¡°¡¡even if you do that, my decision will not change.¡± ¡°Why are you talking like you have the right to decide!?¡± ¡°Why? it is obvious. I am Krische-sama¡¯s teacher and caretaker. It is my role to choose her dress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s self-proimed! If you are using that, then you are a servant and I am the next master! Know your ce¨D¨D¡± And the battle begun. If she stays quiet, Krische looks mature despite her adorable appearance. This is because she does not show her emotions and is expressionless most of the time. The ck-red dress has more exposure than the pale blue dress and it emphasises Krische¡¯s modest breasts, but the gap with her young appearance creates a sexual charm. Her young appearance and adult expression are both brought out well by the red in the ck dress, making her look stylish and beautiful. ¡®This is the only dress that can fully bring out Krische¡¯s charm. The pale blue dress is certainly cute. It suits her very well. Only Krische could wear it so well. But since she is going to the capital to receive the rank of senior knight, she should wear this vibrant ck and red dress.¡¯ Was Selene¡¯s argument. Krische was nodding at Selene¡¯s praise of her, but Bery disapproved. ¡®I can understand ojou-sama¡¯s opinion. But.¡¯ ¨D¨DBut. epting the other party¡¯s views but showing no sign of backing off. Bery made Krische change into the white dress. The white dress looked even more pure than the pale blue dress, but the ck ent also made it look stylish. The red rose at the chest stood out, a point of vibrancy in an otherwise simple outift. Bery argued that Krische¡¯s true charm is in her innocence and if Krische needs to be stylish, this dress would be a goodpromise. ¡®It is true that the cool, sexy ck and red dress also suits Kirsche well. But since Krische-sama is not looking for a partner, that dress would be unsuitable. It might be okay if Krische-sama is good at deflecting men, but she is not and is quite shy. We should emphasise the adorable general¡¯s daughter side of her.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s just your tastes! You¡¯re overprotective! She needs the experience.¡± ¡°It is not just my tastes. This is for Krische-sama¡¯s sake¡¡ Krische-sama, there will be a lot of dishes at the dinner party, would you want your meal to be interrupted?¡± ¡°Eh? No¡¡¡± ¡°This ck dress will make a lot of mene talk to you, giving you no time to eat. So this time, let¡¯s go with either the white or pale blue dress¨D¨D¡± ¡°Hya!¡± Selene pulled Krische away as she was about to be ensnared by Bery. ¡°Bery, that¡¯s cowardly! Krische, you would not give in to food during such an important event right? Krische is a splendiddy right?¡± ¡°Uu,, uuu¡¡yes¡¡¡± ¡°The dinner party is a social gathering among nobles. Even though there is food, you cannot be eating the entire time. In fact, you will be thought of as an embarrassing and greedy girl if you do not restrain yourself. Do you want to be seen that way?¡± ¡°Krische does not¡¡¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, rather than ¡®Glutton Krische¡¯, Krische prefers ¡®Lady Krische¡¯ right? Then you must not listen to Bery¡¯s stupid words.¡± ¡°Oh my¡±, Bery frowned. ¡°Stupid? Even if our opinions differ, ojou-sama resorts to insults?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you tried to ensnare Krische with cowardly methods! Not just once but twice¡¡those methods will not work every time.¡± ¡°Ensnare is such an exaggeration. I am simply offering my opinions for Krische-sama to consider when choosing her dress. Krische-sama, you poor thing¡¡it is okay. Even if Krische-sama is a glutton, I love Krische-sama and everyone will think it is cute. It is a dinner party in the royal pce, there will be many dishes Krische-sama has never seen before¡¡do you want to enjoy those dishes with me?¡± ¡°Food¡¡¡± Selene appealed to her reason. Bery appealed to her desires. This match was already more of who can convince Krische rather than choosing the dress. Noon had already passed, it is the usual time for teatime. ¡°¡¡what are you arguing about?¡± ¡°Oh my, master, wee home.¡± About two and a half hours after the sun was at the highest point in the sky, Bogan came in. Bogan had finally finished cleaning up after the war and hade home yesterday. He had left early this morning to participate in a meeting regarding the army¡¯s reorganisation, but when he came home after finishing his work for the day, he had heard noisy voices from Krische¡¯s room. He recalled that the dresses were to be delivered today and came to take a look, only to walk in on Selene and Bery¡¯s argument. He stopped them and listened to what each had to say, Either one is fine, he thought as he felt the fatigue weighing down his tired body grow heavier. ¡°¨D¨Dis my opinion, master.¡± ¡°Bery just won¡¯t listen. Doesn¡¯t otou-sama also think that this ck dress is nicer?¡± ¡°Aah¡¡any, anyway, I understand both of your views, but calm down first.¡± It was a pointless argument, but Bogan felt relieved by it. He had been fighting with honour and lives on the line. He felt the tension from that heavy responsibility rx, he is home now. His stern features rxed. After Krische hade, the two of them had be a little noisier, but it is a good change. Selene had been too serious after he had lost his wife and now she had mellowed a little. Bery also seems to be enjoying herself more than before. The person being fought over is ufortably ncing between the two of them, looking to Bogan for help. Seems like Krische is just a dress-up doll here. Bogan smiled wryly andpared the two dresses, then answered. ¡°Military dress is the standard for a victory ceremony, but there is no problems with women wearing dresses. Can¡¯t she just wear that ck dress for the victory ceremony than wear Bery¡¯s one for the dinner party?¡± ¡°¡¡hm? Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You should also wear a dress. It will be a hot topic if both of you wear dresses. There are already songs of you two on the battlefield.¡± Songs? Bery tilted her head in question as Selene blushed. ¡°The heroes protecting the two beautiful Christand princesses¨D¨Dthrow yourselves into the whirlwind of battle, two beautiful princesses dance for us, the twin eagles share a pair of wings, guiding us through the storm¨D¨Dwhat was the rest? I don¡¯t remember, but it¡¯s a song about Selene and Krische.¡± (T/N: pain. Anyone who can think of better lyrics, always wee. ‘é¤Î¹¤ËÉí¤òÎ¯¤Í¡¢¤µ¤ì¤ÉÎÒ¤é¤ËÎè¤¦¤ÏÃÀŠª¶þÈË¡¢Óð¤ò·Ö¤±ºÏ¤¦·¬¤¤¤Îú¤Ï¡¢¹¤Ë¤¢¤Ã¤Æ¤âÎÒ¤é¤òŒ§¤.) ¡°Oh my, there was such a song? Ojou-sama, why did you not tell me about this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I could. That¡¯s too embarassing.¡± Boganughed. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. You know that manymanders wish for the love of their soldiers, but not many can obtain it. On the battlefield, this is something to celebrate.¡± On the battlefield. Bogan saw Bery lower her eyes a little. ¡°I know that Bery still cannot ept it but¡¡¡± ¡°That is¡¡true. But, I can understand.¡± ¡°Krische helped us a lot. Without her, the Kingdom would still be at war. Of course, I will do the most that I can¡¡but I am not the hero that the public thinks I am. I have limits. Having her at my back at those times is most reassuring¡¡please understand this.¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± Selene clenched her fist as she watched Bery nod, then nced towards Krische. Krische was staring at the cookies with stiff expression. Her limit must be close after skipping lunch. ¡°Er, then¡¡are we done, choosing the dress?¡± ¡°Yes. If ojou-sama agrees.¡± ¡°Nnn¡¡well, fine. I will ept this.¡± Krische breathed a sigh of relief at finally being released and took off her gloves. She can finally eat the cookies. But¨D¨Da voice stopped her ¡°Ah, oh yeah. Selene, once Krische is done changing, bring her to my room. I need to quickly run through the ceremony procedures with you two. I will be going to Kokys¡¯ estate tonight, so I don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Okay, otou-sama.¡± Krische froze. -End- Chapter 28: U.E. C.28: Journey Memories Chapter 28: U.E. C.28: JourneyMemories Stretch out your leg and take arge step. Repeat that three hundred times and it is one league. Walking at a normal pace, you can cover eight leagues in an hour, so travelling on foot, you can cover seventy to eighty leagues in a day. (T/N: Ancient Japanese league, ranging from 533.5m to 655m. Not the modern Japanese league at 3.9km or nautical league at 5.6km which leads to interesting Krische walking speeds, hardly ¡®normal¡¯ pace) The Christand estate is located in Gurgain, roughly six hundred leagues from the capital, Albernaria Since they are travelling by carriage and horseback¨D¨Dthere is no one on foot, they travel slightly faster than the average traveler and can cover close to ny leagues a day if they wished too. But that does not mean their journey bes any shorter. This is because towns along the main road are generally located about sixty to eighty leagues apart. If they camped outside every night, they could reach the capital in six days. But that is assuming they bring along all the necessary food and horse feed. They would need an extra carriage for that and even more feed for the extra horse, leading to greater expense. Thus there is a need for them to stop by towns for food and to feed the horses, but while they restock, the sun would set. So whether they camped or stayed at an inn, they would spend the night in town either way, so the length of their journey is not much different from going on foot. Even if the distance is the same, if there are nine towns on the journey then it will take ten days either way. If there are eight towns, then nine days. A day¡¯s journey, whether on foot or horse, often refers to the short distance between towns. In contrast, an army marches through mountains, forests and empty ins, so their day¡¯s journey is often a little longer, but the distance covered in a day is also ambiguous. The distance that can be covered each day is approximated from where the traveler can rest, so people usually estimate the distance by feel and the length of journeys are described in days instead of distance. ¡°Krische-sama, look, those are the Twin Mountains.¡± ¨D¨DIt is the third day of their journey. Krische and Bery huddled together in the carriage, watching the scenery through a small window. Selene, Bogan and Gallen are outside on horseback, riding together with the guards, so the two of them are alone in the carriage. Bery is dressed in her usual white and ck apron dress. Krische is wearing a white one-piece dress under a ck hooded cloak with silver embroidery. Krische¡¯s previous cloak was stained with too much blood and had to be thrown away. This new cloak was chosen for her by Selene and is hertest favourite because of howfortable and warm it is. Krische yed with the fabric as she responded to Bery. ¡°Err¡¡Mitskronia and Bernaich, right?¡± ¡°Yes. They each have their own names but are usually referred to as the Twin Mountains. See how their shapes are very simr? Just like twins.¡± South of Gurgain, two steep mountains blocked the path to the capital. The mountains are said to have been split into two by a battle between dragons. Mitskronia and Bernaich, the two Twin Mountains¨D¨Dalso known as the Dragon¡¯s Maw. The two mountains separate the center from the north, they are the border between Kuriel and Alkeil. In between the two mountains there is a gently sloping path that a carriage can just fit through, serving as the only trade route between the center and the north. Five hundred years ago, the area north of here¨D¨Dbasically the area around Gurgain, belonged to barbarians and these mountains were the border of the Kingdom. Naturally, this was a key location for both the barbarians and the Kingdom (not that the Kingdom was much different from the barbarians at that time) and many fierce battles were fought over it. Vast amounts of blood has seeped into the ground of this strategic location. Thus many soldiers follow tradition and call them the ¡®Dragon¡¯s maw¡¯. Because of the griffons, savage flying beasts tamed by the barbarians, the Kingdom suffered greatly on thisnd. Mirskronia and Bernaich are the two heroes that finally captured the mountains. Their names often appears in books. The northern barbarians of that time were split into many ns. Bernaich infiltrated them alone, obtained the aid of the powerful ns and attacked the griffon ns from behind. Mitskronia took that chance to lead arge force into the mountains. Many men were lost, but they broke through to the north and captured the Dragon¡¯s Maw. They then constructed a stronghold on the north side, cementing their victory at the Dragon¡¯s Maw. When it is already five hundred years ago, the history in books could be fabricated and Krische hates reading those. Krische judged that most of those are fiction, but there is one interesting exception, ¡®The Battle of Dragon¡¯s Maw¡¯. There are many records of it and it is often brought up in books that Krische has read. The ns that cooperated with Bernaich went through a period of strife and formed the Arna Empire to the north of the Kingdom while the defeated barbarians scattered to the north-eastern and north-western mountains. Thus the mountain ns do not have a good rtionship with the Kingdom and the Empire, but they still honour the old non-aggression pact, so peace continues. The battle was described as necessary to protect the peace of the Kingdom, not an invasion. But Krische could tell that it was definitely an invasion to expand the Kingdom¡¯s territories, it is doubtful if the multiple supposed invasions by the barbarians even happened. History is decorated and affected by perspective, political fronts are recorded as if they are facts, history books are not always right. But among such cases, ¡®The Battle of Dragon¡¯s maw¡¯ is quite interesting because it can be confirmed in many books. Krische absentmindedly stared at the mountains with Bery, thinking about how she would go about it. Krische has knowledge of this area¡¯s map, but it is the first time she has seen it herself. urate maps are valuable and even then, there are oftenrge differences with what she actually sees. If Krische was to deploy an army here, how would Krische arrange them? How would Krische build a fort? Krische stared at Bery as she imagined that. ¡°Fufu, are you sleepy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Krische looks at the scenery so that she can imagine such things. She memorises the scenery and imagines how she would deploy troops against a potential enemy in various conditions. By imagining these, she can be ready to deal with anything that happens and also pass the time. Krische does not have the habit of enjoying the scenery. Trees are trees, flowers are flowers. At night, the stars will show and the moon will shine. These do not bring out any particr emotion in Krische. She simply sees and analyses what there is, she has never felt joy from looking at the scenery. But Krische found it curious that Bery seemed to be enjoying the act of watching the scenery itself. Bery had told Krische to ask anything that she found weird, but even Krische was reluctant to ask ¡®what is fun about that?¡¯ when someone is enjoying themselves. For Krische, as long as Bery is happy, that is fine. Bery pointed at this and that from the scenery outside the small window. Today¡¯s evening sun is beautiful. The flower patch over there was very pretty. Krische nodded as Bery spoke, but did not feel what Bery seemed to be feeling. ¡°¡¡ask me if there is anything you find weird, Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Beryughed softly as she stroked Krische¡¯s cheek. Bery had noticed that Krische had a question, but Krische did not ask it no matter how long she waited. Normally, Krische would ask immediately. But this time, Krische only stared at Bery curiously and did not ask anything. Bery thought about why and finally realised Krische was being considerate, so she urged Krische herself. Bery was overjoyed by Krische¡¯s kindness and embraced her tightly. ¡°I do not have the habit of enjoying the scenery either. Well, the mountains feelrge and I think the flowers are pretty, but that is it.¡± ¡°¡¡really?¡± ¡°Yes, I am enjoying watching the scenery together with Krische-sama.¡± ¡°With Krische?¡± Bery nodded and looked outside. ¡°Krische-sama, do you remember the roast bird we made? The one the three of us stuffed together.¡± ¡°Yes, it was very delicious¡¡¡± ¡°Did you have fun making it?¡± ¡°¡¡a lot. It was fun. Selene was very bad at it.¡± Bery held up a finger as Krische nodded honestly. ¡°That is it. Fun memories are also fun when you recall them. Just like now, I am enjoying the act of making memories with Krische-sama by watching the scenery together from this carriage.¡± ¡°Making memories¡¡¡± ¡°Yes. That previous memory was very fun because we cooked together. Right now, I am also together with Krische-sama, so I am having fun. And when I remember this, I will enjoy it again.¡± Krische could kind of understand, but also could not. Bery smiled as Krische groaned with difficult expression. ¡°I am happy simply by spending time with Krische-sama. It is fun whether we are watching the scenery or doing something else. Even if it is boring to watch the scenery alone, if I am with Krische-sama, then it is very fun.¡± ¡°¡¡I see.¡± Bery patted Krische¡¯s head, her eyes gazing into the distance. ¡°¡¡in the past, I also travelled this road in a carriage, with my nee-sama. At that time, I did not have the leisure to look at the scenery, much less enjoy it like I am doing now.¡± ¡°Err¡¡does that¡± ¡°Fufu, of course it was not because I did not like nee-sama.¡± Bery arms tightened around Krische as she spoke. ¡°It was almost twenty years ago. My father¡¯s business failed and the Argan house was under heavy debt. My father did his best, but copsed from illness after pushing himself too far¡¡nee-sama and I were left alone and there was nothing we could do about the debt. The merchant that lent the Argan house money told us to participate in a ball at the capital.¡± ¡°¡¡ball.¡± ¡°Yes. There are many types of people in the capital. To some of them, the Argan house¡¯s debt is trivial. We were told to be the mistress of such people¡¡amon story for powerless nobles. There are many who want noble status.¡± ¡°Nn¡¡Bery was told to be someone¡¯s wife?¡± Bery nodded. The correct way to put it would be selling herself into bondage. They would be lucky if they were chosen by someone who valued them for their noble status. Many nobles are beautiful. There are those that buy ruineddies and widows to fulfill their carnal desires, the two of them were sent to an infamous ball where such people gathered. Bery was not even ten yet. At that time she was sickly and underdeveloped, basically a child, but she was still made to participate in the ball because she would be popr among certain people. There is no very in the Kingdom, but there are people who are effectively ves. In the end, the two of them were sent to the capital as ves. ¡°Since we were supposed to be someone¡¯s mistress in exchange for money, we had no say no matter what kind of person it would be. It was a very difficult time for us. They were made to wear vulgar dresses¨D¨Dto be toys for the men¡¯s viewing pleasure. Bery was smart and could understand her situation. She had given up and prepared to be a toy for her sister¡¯s sake. But her sister was a great, a kind sister. She convinced Bery to stay back, covered for her and protected her from the hands of the men there. Bery¡¯s sister spent the night with a few of those men. ¡°That was when we coincidentally met master again and he found out about our situation. He took nee-sama as his wife and saved me.¡± That was the first time Bery¡¯s sister cried throughout that ordeal. Bery had been happy, but also resented him for not saving them earlier. Butter, she found out that Bogan had sold many valuables, including family treasures, for them and grew ashamed of herself. Bogan had only met Bery¡¯s sister a few times when she was younger. But Bogan was not put off by her sister¡¯s experience and said she was the most wonderful and beautiful woman he had met. He was the only one suitable for her sister. ¡°Part of why I said marriage would be difficult for me is because it reminds me of unpleasant memories from that time. Honestly, even now I am still scared of men and do not like wearing dresses. I was also a little scared of boarding this carriage to the capital.¡± Krische patted Bery on the head, looking at her worriedly. Bery smiled brightly in reply. ¡°¡¡but since I am together with Krische-sama, I am enjoying myself and am very happy. The scenery outside the window looks different from before and is very beautiful. This is all thanks to Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Er¡¡Krische did not, do anything.¡± ¡°Basically, just being by Krische-sama¡¯s side makes me happy enough to forget the painful things.¡± Beryughed and smiled gently. Krische¡¯s gaze wandered awkwardly, then she buried her face into Bery¡¯s chest. She then raised her face a little and said shyly. ¡°Er, Krische also, er¡¡does not really like carriages, because it hurts Krische¡¯s butt¡¡but, Bery prepared a nket, and hugs Krische like this, so it is not painful, and isfortable¡¡and, and Krische is happy.¡± Bery widened her eyes, then smiled happily. ¡°Fufu, I see. I guess I cannot stop hugging you then.¡± Not liking carriages was an extremely important secret for Krische, but as she had expected, Bery is kind and did not make fun of her. ¡°Nn!¡± Krische was delighted by that and embraced Bery, kissing her. Bery realised what was about to happen from their position and the position of Krische¡¯s face and tried to stop her, but Krische is one of humanity¡¯s best at stealing lips. Bery¡¯s reaction was just too slow. ¡°You two, it¡¯s almost lunch¨D¨D¡± Selene opened the small window right at that moment, peeking in from atop her horse and froze. Krische drew away, satisfied. Bery¡¯s face turned bright red as she looked at Selene. ¡°H, hey, in the carriage¡¡!¡± Selene hastily looked around and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming there was nobody around. ¡°¨D¨DWhat¡¯ll you do if someone saw, you idiot!¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Selene¡¯s stifled scolding and hand came through the window, pinching Krische¡¯s cheek. -End- Bery is definitely not reflecting, repenting or regretting. She is going all out Chapter 29: U.E. C.29: Unpleasant Chapter 29: U.E. C.29: Unpleasant Soon after passing through the Dragon¡¯s Maw¨D¨DThey arrived at Mitskria. This fort was named after the hero Mitskronia and was originally built to defend against the northern barbarians, but it is now a key trading hub connecting the Kingdom¡¯s center to the north. The Dragon¡¯s Maw is nked by mountains, the ground is steep and footing is unstable. It is natural for many merchants and travelers take a break at Mitskria and eventually people started settling there¨D¨Dso the fortress Miskria became arge trading town. Trade from the northern Kingdom and Arna Empire pass through here before being distributed to the south. The market here is famous for its vibrancy with streets packed with shops and open air stalls. This town had established a free market district to stimte the economy, anyone could trade tax-free just by setting up a stall in this district. This district expanded as the town developed and is now a two square league area packed with stalls. Since they had arrived early, Bery brought Krische and Selene to the market, apanied by three soldiers. Krische was in a good mood with her arm entwined with Bery¡¯s as she looked around excitedly. There are many ingredients that she had never seen back at the estate, so many novelties. Selene had also started learning to cook recently and they chatted as they explored the market. ¡°Here, Bery, Aaahn.¡± ¡°Krische-sama, er¡¡okay, thank you¡¡¡± Bery had bought Krische some fruits and snacks. Krische fed Bery a small fruit and ate one herself. The small fruit is a nirkana fruit, a fruit simr to strawberries but sugary sweet. Krische¡¯s lips rxed into a smile as she enjoyed the taste. It is gluttonous and embarrassing to be the only one eating. So Krische usually fed Bery before eating herself. But this is not in their estate, Bery¡¯s face was bright red as Krische fed her in public. Although she is their servant, Bery is also a proper noble. Eating while walking is already embarrassing enough for her, being fed by Krische makes it even more so. Bery herself also enjoys feeding Krische and does it often, but that is in the estate. Bery was educated as a noble and shares their values. Although she does not prejudice against themoners eating on the streets, it is very embarrassing to do it herself. But she is unable to tell Krische that when Krische looks so happy. Krische grew up in a vige and it was normal to pluck fruits and just eat them on the spot. Giving each other food like this was an everyday thing. Since Bery knows their sense of values arepletely different, it is hard for her to say anything. Nobles¡¯ values are not necessarily more correct than others. Bery has no intentions of raising Krische to be a proper noble, she just wants Krische to be happy. As a result, this thinking limited Bery¡¯s actions and the embarrassing act continued. ¡°Ehehe, delicious.¡± ¡°Y, yes¡¡¡± ¡°Selene too, here, it is delicious. Aahn.¡± ¡°¡¡I will refrain. I won¡¯t be able to eat dinner otherwise.¡± Selene¡¯s attire is a white shirt and ck riding pants that re out at the thighs. It matches Krische¡¯s ck cloak with silver embroidery. Selene had given up on the scene next to her, but adamantly refused Krische¡¯s innocent offer herself. epting such an offer on the street would be embarrassing. Even if she might ept it indoors (where it has already be a habit as ofte), she has no interest in being publicly humiliated. Selene¡¯s eyes seemed to say ¡®you deserve it¡¯ as she looked at Bery. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to stop. This was clearly going to happen¡¡¡± ¡°Y, yes but¡¡I cannot help it¡¡¡± ¡°This is because you¡¯re always doing these kind of things, I¡¯m not helping you.¡± ¡°Uu¡¡¡± It is the result of her own actions, so Bery could not protest. She had a feeling this would happen when she had bought the fruits for Krische. But Bery is too soft on Krische. She had lost to Krische¡¯s silent pleabined with upturned eyes and bought fruits they could eat while walking around. Bery blushed from both embarrassment and happiness, but did not stop Krische. Her arm is tightly entwined with Krische¡¯s, but leaving Krische free enough to hold the fruits. Selene smiled wryly as she watched them walk together happily. The three of them with their beautiful appearances drew a lot of attention. The market is crowded and not a very safe ce. There were some that looked at them with ill intent, but the lightning and falcon crest stopped them. Unlike simple bandits that attack any passing carriage, thieves that lurk in towns are wiser. They know very well what will happen if they do anything to those girls. Lower ranked noble daughters are often the targets for kidnappings. Kidnapping them is like kidnapping any other girl in town, once the kidnapping is aplished, things will work out somehow. But daughters of powerful nobles are different. Such nobles will do everything they can to find the culprit, even if they had to look through every piece of hay in the haystack. The country will also take action. Such crimes are seen as a rebellion against authority that was granted by the absolute ruler, the king. The culprits must be caught and punished in the most cruel way to set an example. Such punishments also extends to anyone associated, whether or not the person is actually involved, anyone suspected will be taken in and anyone that belongs to the same group will be executed. Basically, every single person involved in any shady dealings in the vicinity is included. In the past, a royal rtive was kidnapped and a third of the citizens in the town where the incident ured was executed. Simr ¡®hunts¡¯ were carried out in neighboring areas and anyone who ever interacted with the guilty group was executed, including merchants and lower ranking nobles,. This is how heavy the punishment is for such a crime. The syndicates in towns are well aware of this, all members, even the lowest ranks, are strictly controlled. People like these are in a sense a necessary evil, so they are overlooked in order to maintain a certain level of order. Since there will always be criminals, a system is necessary to keep them under control. But this is just an unspoken agreement. There is a need to show that the Kingdom is merely overlooking their presence, so when such crimes ur, the crackdown is excessively severe. This is the reason why though there are still kidnappings and ransom of merchants, no nobles have been kidnapped in the past few decades, at least not officially. Because of these circumstances, the three of them were not exposed to any danger and their day passed peaceful. The sun will be setting soon. Normally, travelers will stay at an inn when stopping by a town. But not every town has a high ss inn suitable for the Christands, high-ss nobles and a general. Nobles have a status to uphold and unless they are travelling incognito, upper-ss nobles travelling for official duties must not stay at an inn meant for normal travelers. They have a reputation to maintain. Bogan was born as a lower ranking noble and has spent a long time on the battlefield, a bed and a roof above his head is sufficient for him. He might find it ridiculous, but there is an unspoken agreement in the Kingdom that nobles must act as befitting of their rank. Even if he personally finds it ridiculous, if he stayed at an inn, other nobles would shun him for insulting nobles as a whole. If the town they visit is nothing more than a rest stop and there is no suitable inn, then they would have to set up a tent and camp outside. It is stupid but this is the norm in the Kingdom. Nobles are somewhat protected from crime, but they are bound by such troublesome traditions to maintain their image. But this is a problem shared by all nobles. So there is also an unspoken agreement that nobles should wee and provide lodgings to other nobles travelling on official duties. The country also approves of this. There are five main roads leading to the capital, known as the ¡®King¡¯s Fingers¡¯ The towns and territories along these roads generate a lot of ie and the nobles that manage them benefit from this. The Kingdom allows them to earn more than the other territories so that they can host nobles travelling on official duties. They have to provide lodgings and luxurious meals for visiting nobles. Of course this costs money and with many nobles passing through, the expense bes quite significant. The unspoken agreement was formed naturally over time and there have been nobles that went bankrupt because of it, so the nobles that manage these territories are granted a greater share of the taxespared to other territories. This road is one of the King¡¯s Fingers and therge town of Mitskria is also managed by such a noble. Since the hero, Bogan Christand is visiting, he must be weed. They were granted a magnificent estate to stay in. The Christand estate is not that small, but this is twice asrge. The walls are smooth stone and the pirs are engraved with intricate carvings. The garden is well cared for, decorated with fountains and flowerbeds. When the three of them returned with their guards, a guest was just leaving. They came face-to-face with that guest in front of the gate¨D¨Dand Krische felt Bery¡¯s arm tense. Bery¡¯s brow was slightly furrowed as she looked at the man before them. Krische curiously followed her gaze. ¡°Oh my¡¡Bery-sama. You have grown beautiful. You look lovely.¡± The fat middle-aged man greeted them. He wore a gaudy red coat and his cks looked like they were bursting at the seams. Gold essories decorated his fingers and arge ruby hung around his neck. The man removed his silk hat and bowed elegantly, his gaze crawling down Bery¡¯s body as he did so. Krische¡¯s arm was entwined with Bery¡¯s and she could feel Bery tense. Krische is familiar with this kind of lustful gazes. Grace drew such gazes in the vige and Krische also clearly remembers that unpleasant man she killed for touching her had also looked at her like that. Such gazes aremon when walking around town with Bery, even today. Krische did not care since there was no harm¨D¨Dbut frowned now as she saw Bery¡¯s reaction. They hade back in a good mood after having a ¡®fun time¡¯. But the instant Bery met this man, that mood disappeared and Bery looked distressed It is very rare for Bery to look distressed. Bery has a gentle disposition and makes special effort to not show Krische such emotions, so Krische has never seen Bery like this. But Bery looks distressed now. ¨D¨Dat this point, Krische already found the man unpleasant. ¡°Nice to meet you too, ojou-samas. I am Rnd, a merchant. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± He bowed to Selene, then to Krische. His gaze was less tant than when on Bery. ¡°It must be thanks to the goddess of fortune, Arsay, for me to have this chance toy eyes on Margrave Christand¡¯s two beautiful princesses. Your beauty is just as rumoured and joy fills my heart.¡± ¡°You have a good tongue, Rnd.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I mean it.¡± Selene replied as a noble would, but did not let him kiss her hand and looked at him in disdain. It is rare for Selene to look at someone she had just met like this, even if he is amoner. ¡°¡¡it has been a while, Rnd-sama.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed. How many years has it been? Lazura-sama was beautiful, but Bery-sama could be mistaken for her¡¡you look very alike.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you.¡± Bery¡¯s voice was stiff. Rnd smiled unpleasant as he spoke, but Bery replied expressionlessly. Krische could feel the tension grow in Bery¡¯s arm and Krische¡¯s displeasure grew with it as she looked towards Selene. Selene noticed Krische¡¯s gaze and stepped forward. ¡°Sorry but we are tired after looking around the market. Could you move?¡± ¡°Ah, silly me, my apologies.¡± ¡°Thanks. See you again if there is such a chance. Please excuse us now¡¡ let¡¯s go Bery.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, ojou-sama.¡± They passed by him and went through the gate. Rnd kept his head lowered until the door closed behind them. Selene sighed in irritation. ¡°That was disgusting. A gaze that tant is unusual. Such an unpleasant man. Bery, who was that?¡± ¡°A merchant that used to work with the Argan house¡¡it is not somebody I want to see either.¡± Bery smiled bitterly. Although she has returned to her usual self, her voice is still a little stiff. Selene did not inquire any further. Selene does not know all the details of Bery¡¯s past. Her mother had said that they were saved when they were facing difficult times, but her parents did not speak anymore on the matter. Bery herself also does not speak of that time. But Selene knows the fate of nobles that go bankrupt. She could infer who that man is based on Bery¡¯s words. The displeasure she felt grew stronger and she vented it by pinching Krische¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Ue¡¡¡± ¡°How long are you going to cling to Bery. We are guests here, so behave yourself properly when we are here.¡± ¡°N, now now¡¡¡± ¡°Bery is also spoiling Krische too much, seriously.¡± Krische reluctantly let go at Selene¡¯s sudden unreasonable demand and looked up at Bery. Bery smiled back with her usual smile. -End- Chapter 30: U.E. C.30: Killing Intent, Wishes And Love Chapter 30: U.E. C.30: Killing Intent, Wishes AndLove Selene and Bery are special to Krische. This is why Krische paid extra attention to Bery. Bery smiled and appeased Bogan¡¯s concerns, she appeared to enjoy their meal and they bathed together like usual, but Bery seemed a little different from normal. Krische thought about the reason and the more she thought about it, the more unpleasant she felt. ¨D¨Dlet¡¯s kill him. It did not take long for her toe to that decision. Krische feels nothing about killing people. Killing people and plucking fruits are the same for her. She will pluck a fruit if she is hungry and she will kill if the person is unpleasant. Aftering to the estate, Krische has always been in a good mood because of Bery. That toned down her abnormality, but her true nature has not changed. She is still abnormal. Bery is important to Krische. Anything that is unpleasant to Bery is also extremely unpleasant for Krische and she did not hesitate to start making ns. Krische ¡¯empathised¡¯ with Bery in her own way and that resulted in this decision. Krische was able to infer a little about that man based on Bery¡¯s story in the carriage. It is just a vague guess that he is someone that did horrible things to Bery in the past, but that is enough. Krische did not mind it much when she heard Bery¡¯s story at first since it is a thing of the past. But since he showed up before them and and is causing Bery distress, it would be better to kill him. Krische¡¯s thinking is simple. But then, Bery is a problem. Bery is always by Krische¡¯s side, even when sleeping. This is because Krische wished for it and it makes her very happy, but it is a problem today. In the end, Krische had to wait for Bery to fall asleep. Krische desperately fought the usual sleepiness brought on by Bery¡¯s warmth¨D¨Dand slipped out of bed. Krische took care not to wake Bery and turned to stare at her beautiful sleeping face for a while, resisting the usual urge to kiss her. Krische breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Bery is deep asleep, then quietly put on her cloak inside-out and pulled up the hood, hiding her thin pink negligee. The cloak has silver embroidery and the Christand crest on the chest, but it is made of manyyers of cloth and when turned inside-out, it bes pitch-ck. Their room is narrow, half of a room that was refurbished into two rooms. Rooms like this aremon in the estate due to number of visiting nobles. Due to thisyout, Selene¡¯s room is essible from their balcony. The weather is good. The bright moonlight will be a problem though. Krische judged that it should be fine with the cloak and nned to travel along the roofs. Krische ignored her curved sword and drew her knife. This is so that Bery does not notice even if she wakes up. Krische nned to finish this quickly, fast enough that she could say she just went outside for a breath of fresh air. ording to Bogan, Rnd just happened to be visiting this town and came to give his regards to the noble in charge here. Krische had also heard Bogan mention that Rnd is staying at a nearby inn. Luckily, there is only one high-ss inn nearby. No need to spend time searching. Even if Krische cannot find him, she can just grab a person or two and torture them. Let¡¯s go ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± But Krische nced at Bery, then looked away. ¨D¨Dwill she really stay asleep? If Bery woke up right after Krische left, Krische would not be able to exin herself. Bery will be angry if she finds out, what if she hates Krische because of this? The unease grew in Krische¡¯s heart. This emotion is a recent discovery for Krische. Bery is kind and soft on Krische. As Krische grew more dependent on Bery, even the smallest things makes her uneasy. Since her dependence is the cause, Krische had thought about fixing it a few times, but Bery is so kind and hard to distance. Krische did not want to lose this feeling offort and her dependence grew as she mulled over this. The stronger her dependence grew, the stronger her unease over being hated by Bery became. Krische is not used to and does not know how to deal with this emotion, so she does not know what to do. She grew uncertain about why she was doing this. Bery is distressed. So Krische will kill that man. Krische is doing this for Bery, but Bery will not approve of this. That is natural, this breaks the rules. ¡®Er¡¡Krische wants Bery to tell Krische if Bery does not like something or is angry.¡¯ ¡®It is okay. Why would I dislike it or get angry when the Krische-sama I love is trying to make me happy?¡¯ Will doing this make Bery happy? ¨D¨Dno. To get rid of something that distresses Bery, Krische will be doing something Bery will not be happy about. Thoughts spun around in Krische¡¯s mind as she stared at Bery. ¡°¡¡Krischie-sama¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± Krische stepped back in surprise and her hand knocked into the shelf. Krische watched Bery as the sound echoed, but it was just Bery¡¯s sleeptalk. Krische let out a sigh of relief and stepped away from the shelf¨D¨Dbut her cloak had caught on her sword and knocked it to the ground. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± The sound this time was too loud. ¡°Krische-sama¡¡?¡± Bery¡¯s eyes opened a little. Krische froze, staring at Bery. Bery sat up, her thin negligee revealing itself from under the nket, and tilted her head. ¡°What happened¡¡? Why is Krische-sama wearing a cloak?¡± ¡°Ah, er, erm¡¡Krische wanted to, take a breath of fresh air.¡± ¡°¡¡does this room smell that bad?¡± Bery sniffed the air, but there was no particr smell. She approached Krische and extended a hand, but Krische backed into the shelf. Bery frowned suspiciously at Krische¡¯s reaction as she ced her hand on Krische¡¯s brow. ¡°Temperature¡¡seems normal. Hmm, my body temperature is high since I was just sleeping, so this might not be urate.¡± Krische¡¯s eyes wandered. ¡°My nose might be off too. How does Krische-sama feel? Does any part of Krische-sama¡¯s body feel weird?¡± ¡°No, er¡¡¡± ¡°Fatigue might have built up from being cooped up in the carriage. Err¡¡¡± Bery rummaged through her bag and retrieved a piece of fruit. ¡°Let¡¯s peel this fruit and enjoy it. It will refresh us and is good nutrition. Which one would Krische-sama lik¨D¨Dwah¡± Krische hugged Bery, her eyes on the ground. Bery was bewildered, but realised that Krische was acting strange. She hugged Krische to calm her down and patted her head. Krische looked like a child about to be scolded. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°¡¡¡± ¡°Did you do something that I would scold you for?¡± Krische hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°¡¡Krische, told a, lie.¡± ¡°A lie¡¡about what?¡± Bery embraced Krische¡¯s trembling body. She soothed Krische and calmed her down, then tapped Krische on the back, pulling away. Bery undid the knot at Krische¡¯s cor and removed the cloak. Krische resisted for a moment, then gave up¨D¨DBery¡¯s expression turned surprised when she realised Krische was holding a knife. Bery fell into thought for a while, but did not remark on it and took it from Krische, picking up the fruit in her other hand. ¡°Let¡¯s eat something sweet and calm down first. Come, please sit down.¡± They brought a small table to the bed and sat. Bery ced the apple on a handkerchief and sliced it, cutting the slices to resemble rabbits and fed Krische. Krische silently bit into the slice and took it from Bery, finishing it over a few small bites. ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± Bery started carving another apple. She dexterously handled the knife and ate the extra cuttings herself, smiling at Krische. But Krische¡¯s expression remained dark. Bery hesitated for a moment, then smiled bitterly. ¡°¡¡honestly, I would be lying if I said I do not resent him. At that time, I also wanted to kill him.¡± Krische widened her eyes in surprise and looked at Bery. Bery smiled back. ¡°Even I think such thoughts too.¡± Bery said simply. ¡°When I first joined the Christands, I read master¡¯s books and learnt physical enhancement forbat. I also asked master to train me in self-defense¡¡as I said before, my body was weak at that time, so I told master and nee-sama that I wanted to be more fit¡¡but that was actually to kill Rnd-sama.¡± ¡°Bery, did?¡± ¡°Yes, I was a young child. Fufu, but it seems like they realised pretty quickly¡¡just that my body was getting better bit by bit as I learnt physical enhancement, so they could not bring themselves to say anything though they knew the reason I was so fervent about it.¡± Bery¡¯s smile turned nostalgic. ¡°After ojou-sama was born, nee-sama seemed very happy. Nee-sama was simr to me, her body was not very strong and we worried for her, but she pulled through childbirth¡¡I was preparing to leave after that, but we happened to cook together.¡± ¡°Cook?¡± ¡°¡¡yes. Nee-sama, fufu, she was just like ojou-sama, so clumsy when ites to these things, just remembering it makes meugh.¡± ¨D¨D¡®Why are you the only one that is so dexterous. No fair.¡® ¨D¨D¡®Nee-sama has a lot of things that I do not, so it bnces out.¡¯ ¨D¨D¡®Well, can¡¯t help what we don¡¯t have¡¡Rnd had money and the Argan house did not. That¡¯s all.¡® ¡°Nee-sama said that it was fate. The Argan house had no money and nee-sama was defiled. But thanks to that she met master and was blessed with ojou-sama. Nee-sama said she had found happiness, she might be clumsy but she had a dexterous sister to make up for it¨D¨Dshe said she was happy eating my delicious cooking everyday.¡± The apple¡¯s shape slowly changed, forming the side profile of a woman. ¡°My greatest regret was letting nee-sama be defiled. I could not forgive that¡¡but nee-sama told me that if I wished for her happiness, she would be happier if I was grateful for where fate has brought us and found happiness myself rather than be caught in the past andmit a crime. She said that since I am good at handling des, I should use it for cooking, not stabbing people.¡± Bery sighed and ced the apple and knife down on the handkerchief. ¡°Krische-sama, did you pick up that knife for my sake?¡± ¡°¡¡Krische, is not sure.¡± Krische replied weakly. ¡°That person makes Bery feel unpleasant, so Krische also finds him unpleasant. So, er¡¡but, Krische knows Bery would not like this, so, Krische is not sure¡¡Krische is not sure if this is good, or bad.¡± Krische¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°¡¡then you did it for my sake. It was my fault for making Krische-sama so worried.¡± ¡°Bery is not¨D¨D¡± Bery pressed a slice of apple to Krische¡¯s lips and smiled. ¡°I agreed with nee-sama, but at the same time I also believed that she could only say that because we were lucky¡¡in the end, nee-sama passed away together with her second child.¡± ¨D¨D¡®A younger sister would be nice, but a younger brother would also be good. You showed me how they can help make up for what you arecking.¡® ¨D¨D¡®I want to give Selene a younger sister or brother. Bogan said he wants a boy, but seeing how he dotes on Selene, both seem fine.¡® ¨D¨D¡®¡¡I will be leaving her alone. Take care of her in my ce, Bery. She is simr to you, I¡¯m worried that she will work too hard.¡® ¡°Ojou-sama was a little too serious and stubborn. Nee-sama was worried about ojou-sama and wanted to give her a younger sister or brother. She thought that it would let ojou-sama rx a little. So she tried¡¡but failed.¡± Bery lowered her eyes as she recalled the past. ¡°And so nee-sama left ojou-sama in my care. I did my best to act bright, to make up for nee-sama. But ojou-sama kept driving herself further into a corner. I am really bad at these things, I just do not know what to do¡¡but then, Krische-sama arrived. ¡°¡¡Krische?¡± ¡°Yes, Krische-sama.¡± Bery pulled Krische closer andid Krische¡¯s head on herp, stroking Krische¡¯s brow. ¡°After Krische-sama arrived, Selene-sama became so cheerful that she is like apletely different person. I also enjoy doing many things together everyday and had a lot of fun¡¡this must be what nee-sama meant by fate.¡± ¡°¡¡fate.¡± ¡°I resent Rnd-sama. But thanks to him, nee-sama met master, I met ojou-sama and I also met Krische-sama. That¡¯s why I am very happy now and even if I could redo the past¡¡I would still choose the path that would let me meet Krische-sama.¡± Bery¡¯s loving caress moved from Krische¡¯s brow to her cheek. Bery smile was extremely gentle. ¡°Krische-sama is a lot more dexterous than me. Most things would be simple for Krische-sama. But I would like for Krische-sama to use that strength for fun things, for happier things.¡± ¡°¡¡fun?¡± ¡°Yes. Killing someone with a knife might make you feel better. But using the same knife to cook is much for fun and a much happier thing right?¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± ¡°At the very least, that is what nee-sama taught me. Thanks to that, I am very happy right now¡¡I wish for Krische-sama to find such happiness too, so I am teaching Krische-sama the same thing. That is all.¡± Krische¡¯s eyes wavered as she looked up at Bery. They wavered uneasily, the eyes of a lost, scared child. Krische eventually met Bery¡¯s eyes again and asked hesitatingly. ¡°Bery is not, angry at Krische¡¡?¡± ¡°Krische-sama picked up the de for my sake. I am very happy about that. If as a result of that, Krische-sama does something that someone would be angry about, I am also guilty. At that time, I will atone for it as well.¡± ¡°But, Bery did not¡¡¡± Bery¡¯s pressed a finger to Krische¡¯s lips. Her touch was gentle, a mere caress, but it was enough to seal away Krische¡¯s words. ¡°That is how it is. I have decided to stay with Krische-sama no matter what, so please keep that in mind. I am more stubborn than I look.¡± Beryughed cheerfully and continued. ¡°But rather than getting scolded together, I would prefer to cook together, drink tea together and rest together like this. If Krische-sama feels the same about me¡¡if meeting me was also fate for Krische-sama, then¡¡¡± Bery paused for a moment, shutting her eyes before continuing softly. ¡°Please¡¡stay with me like this forever.¡± Bery¡¯s words made Krische feel vague, uncertain emotions. Krische does not know what those are. But no matter what they are, Krische¡¯s answer is set. Krische embraced Bery, raising herself to sit on Bery¡¯sp. Krische pressed her lips to Bery¡¯s to convey her own feelings, then answered happily. ¡°¡¡Krische also wants to say with Bery, forever.¡± They fell silent for a while with Bery just stroking Krische¡¯s pale cheek. Tearful brown eyes surrounded by longshes peered into Krische¡¯s eyes and the hand stroking her cheek feltfortable. Krische tilted her head at Bery¡¯s silence, but Bery sped Krische¡¯s cheeks between her hands, ¡°¡¡nn.¡± ¨D¨Dand silently replied by slowly pressing her lips to Krische¡¯s. Bery¡¯s lips gently touched Krische¡¯s, pressed harder, then slowly pulled away reluctantly. To Krische, it felt like a much longer kiss than usual. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± Bery seemed toe back to her senses and pulled away, her cheeks turning bright red and her eyes wandering. This is the first time Bery has kissed Krische on the lips. Krische was a little surprised, but was also delighted and returned the kiss. Carefully, just like how Bery did it. Bery¡¯s cheeks grew even redder and her voice was a little shrill when she spoke. ¡°¡¡it, it iste, shall we sleep?¡± ¡°Ehehe, okay, ah, the apple¡¡¡± ¡°Y, yes. I forgot, we have to eat it first.¡± ¡°Krische will feed Bery. Here, aahn.¡± ¡°Er¡¡o, okay, aaahn.¡± The sound of a door mming came from the balcony and they turned. But the balcony door was still open, the sound must havee from Selene¡¯s room. ¡°Selene?¡± Krische tilted her head while Bery scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly. ¨D¨DThe next day. ¡°¡¡Selene, are you okay?¡± ¡°Whose fault do you think it is¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± They had just finished their breakfast, got dressed and were about to board the carriage¨D¨DSelene red at Krische as she sniffled. She had caught a cold after being standing in the cold night wind for an extended period of timest night. Instinct. Selene had a vague premonition. Bogan had also met Rnd and had spoken to Bery, concerned about her. At that time, Selene¡¯s thoughts were that this confirms that something had happened in the past. It was a coincidence that the unpleasant merchant¨D¨DRnd had paid a visit to this estate. But then Bogan mentioned that Rnd is staying at a nearby inn. ¨D¨DKrische had been concerned about Bery this whole time, but she had looked at Bogan then. She had been expressionless as per usual. But for some reason, this caught Selene¡¯s attention. Krische¡¯s mood shows surprisingly easily. When they were looking around the market, the corners of her mouth were rxed and she looked happy. After they came back, she had grown more and more expressionless. Since Krische was concerned over Bery¡¯s unusual behaviour, it is natural that her good mood would dissipate since she is worried about Bery. But even so, Selene felt uneasy. If there is a need, Krische would not hesitate to kill. Krische is attached to Bery. To a precarious extent. She would not forgive anything that saddens Bery. If she does not forgive, what would she do? Selene could not believe that Krische would not do it. The sight of Krische killing the most people on the battlefield was burnt into her eyes. Selene also knows how simple Krische is. This might be overthinking. But even as she thought that, Selene stood at the balcony connecting her room to the next. Selene had been standing on the balcony. ¨D¨Dthe cold balcony exposed to the night wind. After Bery woke up and the two started talking, Selene could not return to her room. So she could only endure it and stand there listening to their conversation. She had returned to her room after hearing Bery convince Krische, but this had resulted in catching a cold. People like Selene who have strong mana are tougher than normal people but that does not mean they cannot catch colds. Going out in her sleepwear with only a nket draped over her shoulders was also part of the problem. But it was just instinct and she was not sure. Since it would be weird to get dressed for a hunch, in a sense it was inevitable that she ended up standing there in that outfit. She could have returned to her room when it got too cold, but Selene is part of the army. She is so overly serious that she applied the rule of not leaving your post without a recement to this situation and it led to this. Since her bad premonition hade true, it was not a waste¨D¨Dis what Selene tried to convince herself, but since Bery solved everything, Selene did not do anything and felt like she lost out. Selene sniffed disgruntledly. ¡°How about resting in the carriage? I can ride a horse with Krische-sama.¡± ¡°My cold is not that bad. And at times like this, its better to breathe the outside air than be cooped up somewhere cramped.¡± Bery¡¯s brow was creased in worry, but Selene replied in a sulking tone. Gallen had been watching them and interjected. ¡°¡¡but you need to participate in a ceremony. Don¡¯t be stubborn. You can ride on the luggage cart.¡± ¡°Err, but, Gallen-sama. I appreciate your concern, but that would look too¡¡¡± ¡°Just hang a curtain. A soldier¡¯s treasure is their own body, whether you are amander ormon soldier. Didn¡¯t Bogan teach you that?¡± ¡°¡¡yes.¡± Selene blushed. Bery nced towards the luggage cart and got an idea. ¡°Then how about the three of us ride together? The luggage area is quite empty and we should not need to worry about transmission if we leave a gap for wind. We can also watch over her.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± The luggage cart has some luggage, but it is meant to carry the valuables they will be rewarded on the trip back, so there is plenty of space. The three of them can fit with no problem. Bery and the soldiers quickly set up a curtain with Krische helping, thenid out arge amount of nkets at Krische¡¯s request. Krische happily hugged Selene from behind while Bery watched them with a smile. ¡°¡¡thank you very much, ojou-sama.¡± ¡°I did not do anything you need to thank me for.¡± It was weirdly infuriating when the two of them had started flirting after their conversation, so Selene had mmed the door loudly enough for them to hear, but she glossed over that. Part of it is because she is sulking, but it is also because she had heard Bery¡¯s story. ¡°There¡¯s no need to take care of me anymore¡¡you should focus on taking care of Krische.¡± Bery¡¯s eyes widened, then lowered ¡°¡¡okay. I am sorry for overstepping my bounds.¡± ¡°I am grateful too.¡± Selene spoke without looking at Bery. ¡°¡¡okaa-sama¡¯s wish came true.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Right here¡¡I got a stupid, empty-headed, idiotic and troublesome sister. So neither of us are able to focus on ourselves. Is this fate too?¡± ¡°Yes, it must be. I believe it is.¡± Bery stroked Krische¡¯s head as Krische puffed out her cheeks. ¡°Krische is not stupid.¡± ¡°¡¡you are the only one that thinks that.¡± ¡°Ihyai¡± Selene pinched Krische¡¯s cheek without even looking back. Beryughed softly as she stopped Selene. And their journey continued. -End- I said Bery was going all-out. But apparently there is PLUS ULTRA Chapter 31: U.E. C.31: The Capital Of Delusions Chapter 31: U.E. C.31: The Capital OfDelusions ¨D¨DThe capital, Albernaria The Alberan Kingdom began as a small tribe in the forest. Compared to other tribes, they were very skilled with their hands and proficient at construction. In an age when strength was everything, they built walls and fortresses. They were not particrly skilled at fighting, but they used wisdom to make up for their military strength and took in the surrounding tribes. They grew even more powerful after obtaining the ash from the southwest mountains. This ash was discovered by ident and they found out that when it clumps together, it bes very durable. They researched into it and understood how it worked, developing Forged Stone. They used this to build strongholds and walls, creating many fortresses and fortified cities. There was no longer anyone in the vicinity that could match them. The king dered himself the descendent of god¨D¨DAlberan, and built the capital Albernaria at the center of the kingdom, making it the foundation of the Kingdom¡¯s power. The capital is the symbol of the King¡¯s power. Albernaria is surrounded by tall walls made of Forged Stone, the castle and houses within are all built with Forged Stone as well. This beautiful white city stands in the middle of a in, glittering in the sunlight. Because of its appearance, Albernaria is known as the White City. They passed through the town sprawling outside the walls and entered through the huge gates. Krische stared nkly at all the houses made of Forged Stone, it all seems very sturdy. No other city is built with so much Forged Stone. Wood and y walls are easier to build and are cheaper. The wealthy and artisans that work with fire live in houses built of brick and Forged Stone, so it is not unusual, but it is rare to see so much of it. This city seems difficult to burn, Krische observed as she stared at the colorful roofs despite the name of White City. Compared to the crowds of merchants outside the walls, it became quiet once through the gates and the pedestrians are all well-dressed. After passing through the city and a district ofrge estates, they arrived at the castle gates which are on higher grounds. Beyond this point is royalnd. Even nobles cannot step through these castle gates without permission. Their guards, excluding the coachman, also cannot follow. Inside the gates was arge garden. Water had been drawn in from a nearby river to create a small river flowing through the garden. The garden is designed to be vibrant with fountains here and there. The few people present, clearly nobles, straightened upon seeing them and ced the palm of their right hand to their left chest. The military salute meaning, I offer my life to you. Selene and Gallen replied with the same salute while Bogan replied by making a gesture as if stabbing at his heart with his right thumb. That is a replying salute made by superiors meaning, your loyalty will be my flesh and blood. General¨D¨Dthe only higher rank than that is the general of the army, which belongs to the royal prince. So Bogan is higher ranked than any of the nobles here. Krische stared at the scenery outside the carriage¡¯s small window while Bery adjusted Krische¡¯s attire until the carriage came to a stop. They did not stop at the towering white pce, but at a small estate. This estate is for them to store their luggage and prepare themselves. This is a temporary measure and they will be granted one of the estates outside the castle wallster. ¡°Fufu, perfect. Come, let¡¯s go out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bery looked over Krische and smiled in satisfaction, then stepped out of the carriage. She then turned to offer a hand to help Krische down. She is being more careful with her actions because they are being watched by other nobles. There are always people that will spread malicious rumours about the slightest mistake. Bery is acting more like a servant than usual as she guided Krische in order to avoid such rumours. Krische is also acting more proper than usual. She ced her hand in Bery¡¯s and stood straight. Since she had studied before they departed, she acted more like a noble than most nobles. A dozen servants and an elderly man in a ck suit stood in front of the doors with their heads bowed. The elderly man¨D¨Dthe butler raised his head and smiled as he saw Bogan. ¡°Wee, Margrave Christand. I am Orzal, I am in charge of the Erune Estate. We are the servants that will be taking care of your every need and will ensure that your stay is pleasant.¡± The king¡¯s brothers and other direct rtives are archdukes. More distant rtives would be dukes. Below duke is margrave, meaning Bogan has the highest rank among normal nobles. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, generals that guard the Kingdom¡¯s borders usually hold the rank of margrave. Below that is earl, baron, then knight. These ranks are remnants from a time when feudal lords existed and wielded great power, but now they are ranks granted to represent thends under a noble¡¯s charge and their duties. ¡°¡¡stay? We are staying here? Not an estate outside?¡± ¡°Yes, that is what I have heard. Please excuse me.¡± Orzal drew closer to Bogan and whispered something to him. Bogan nodded with a look of understanding. ¡°Understood. We will be in your care then. I will be going around to make my greetingster.¡± ¡°Yes sir. If you could tell me who you n to meet, I could check their avability.¡± As the two of them talked, a young servant with her ck hair gathered in a bun at the back of her head and dressed in an apron dress approached Krische and Bery ¡°Let me carry those, Argan-sama.¡± She took their luggage from Bery and bowed her head, addressing Bery by her family name though Bery had not yet introduced herself. ¡°Thank you very much. We will be in your care.¡± Bery also made a small bow in reply, impressed that they are aware of the identity of the guests¡¯ servants. Servants are generally the daughters of nobles or wealthy families under a live-in apprenticeship. In order to avoid assassins and spies, the servants of nobles must have proper backgrounds. Commoners cannot be hired as servants and it is the norm for lower ranking nobles to entrust their daughters to higher ranking nobles as servants under a live-in apprenticeship. This is partly for their daughters to learn etiquette but there is also the calction of possibly bing mistresses or even wives. Marriage is a connection between houses and higher-ranking nobles hardly ever wed lower-ranking nobles. But they might develop feelings for their servants and good-looking servants could catch the eyes of higher-ranking nobles. Such connections lead to sess in life, so lower-ranking nobles willingly entrust their daughters to higher-ranking nobles and there is no shortage of servants¨D¨Dthis is a system that has developed over time. Servants working on royalnd which is often visited by higher ranking nobles are also naturally of higher rank, so most would be higher ranking than Bery, whose family¡¯s rank is baron. But the servants of guests are treated as of higher rank. Although Bery knew about this, she was honestly surprised that they are aware of her background. Bery was impressed by the quality of royal servants¨D¨Dbut this is a extremely special case. Even royal servants do not normally check up on the servants of guests. Some nobles would bring more than a dozen servants. Finding out about all of them would take a lot of effort and even if they did, it would be impossible to differentiate between simrly dressed servants that they had never met. But this time is different. The servants working on royalnd knows the rumours of various nobles. ¨D¨DBogan had lost his wife, so naturally there were nobles that offered their daughters to work under him. A rank that has been earned is hardly ever lost, so although Christand is a new margrave, he is a good target for marriage. But Bogan turned them all down. Bogan did not want to keep a mistress, a rare thing in this age. He had vowed that his wife would be his partner for life and had no intentions of marrying again. Bery is also extremely skilled as a servant so there was no inconvenience. Bery herself also did not require extra hands and Bogan does not like unnecessary expenditure. He had no reason to hire new servants and turned down all the offers¨D¨Dbut those that did not know his personal circumstances saw things differently. It ismon for margraves to have dozens of servants. So it is natural for people to assume there is some profound reason for a margrave to stick to only one servant, especially if that servant is the younger sister of his lost wife. ¨D¨Dso it is no wonder that many suspect that Bery is Bogan¡¯s mistress. It would not be good for appearances to marry his wife¡¯s younger sister right after losing her, so they have not officially wed yet¨D¨Dbut that would mean Bery is effectively Mrs Christand. So it is natural for them to pay extra attention to Bery. Although the Christand house was originally weak, it is now a margrave. Nobody thought the master of such a house would only have one daughter, Selene, as the sole sessor. It is perfectly normal to assume that he is waiting to marry Bery and have more children. Although there are female head of houses among nobles, childbirth is life-threatening. Even after taking a husband, there is the possibility of a stillbirth and the mother passing away from puerperal fever without leaving a child, so sons are normally named as heir. There is no prejudice against female heirs, but it is not weed either. Because of Bery¡¯s background and position, it is natural to assume she will be the margrave¡¯s next wife. And considering that Bogan stubbornly refuses to hire any other servants¨D¨Dany other women, Bery¡¯s personality is suspected to be the cause, it is suspected that she is a deeply jealous woman. Because of these reasons, the servants saw Bery as extremely dangerous. She is someone they must not be rude or discourteous towards. But Bery was unaware of their wariness. Although she has the manners of a noble, Bery¡¯s body was weak and she did not go out as much as her sister, shecks knowledge of high society. She had no way of knowing the servants¡¯ image of her and was simply impressed by them, thinking that she has to learn from them. The estate they were escorted through was more extravagant than the Christand estate. Paintings hung on the walls and decorations lined the shelves. A dazzling chandelier hung in the entranceway¨D¨DKrische thought about how hard it must be to clean as Bery guided her by the hand to a room on the second floor. ¡°This will be Krische-sama¡¯s room. Argan-sama¡¯s room is¡¡¡± ¡°That can wait. The luggage is Krische-sama¡¯s.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The servant girl¨D¨DAnne nced at Bery¡¯s luggage, at the many fruits in the basket, as she bowed her head. She was wondering if they had a special liking for fruits when she realised that Bery had taken Krische¡¯s cloak while she was spacing out. Even if Bery is a servant, Anne should not let the Margrave¡¯s future wife do that. She quickly took the folded cloak from Bery and ced it in aundry basket in the corner of the room. ¡°Bery¡¯s room, is different?¡± ¡°Eh, err¡¡yes, I am a servant so¡¡¡± Krische drew closer to Bery and whispered to her. Bery also replied softly. A girl dressed in a ck one-piece dress with silver embroidery, her silky, almost see-through, silver hair framing an adorable fairy-like face, Krische. Together with a woman with neat shoulder-length red hair and a youthful, but mature beauty, Bery. Anne blushed as she watched them whisper to each other, their faces close together. Anne had heard rumors that the two Christand daughters and their servant are especially beautiful. But they exceeded Anne¡¯s imagination. Anne knows that she is cute, but she feels ridiculous now, these people are like characters from a fairytale and she can only sigh in admiration. On top of that, the distance between them felt somewhat immoral. Anne hastily stopped her wild imagination. Krische is in her teens. She is petite and slender, but has grown to have a distinct female charm. There are even girls at her age that have already married and given birth. Bery is aware of this and is being careful about the distance between them, especially with Krische¡¯s dependence on her. But their usual habits are showing through. Even if they stood apart, they are leaning towards each other. Krische looked as if she was snuggling up to Bery with her hand rested on Bery¡¯s arm. The young, beautifuldy and her servant¨D¨Dtheir distance was close enough to make it feel immoral. Bery believed she was maintaining a proper distance just by standing apart, but they were clearly half a step, no a step too close. She would have realised this two years ago but by now, her sense of distance between herself and Krische has been numbed. This could have led to gossip, but Anne stopped herself at the sensible interpretation that they are just very close. Anne is aware of her own love for stories and overly rich imagination. She convinced herself that she was just imagining it because they were too pretty. Anne still does not know that many trials await her during their stay due to this part of her personality. Krische pouted a little and Bery smiled wryly while suggesting that they had some tea. Anne hastily stepped forward as she saw Bery head towards the teapot. Anne is a hardworker but is a little slow. That is one of her many ws. ¡°Bl, ck tea? Please leave such trivial matters to me.¡± ¡°Eh? Ah¡¡okay, sorry for stepping out of line.¡± ¡°No, er, it is alright¡¡¡± Right after saying that, Anne berated herself, what¡¯s ¡®alright¡¯!? Bery seemed a little surprised, but smiled quietly. Her smile was elegant, without any contempt and her eyes were filled with kindness. Her mannerism are smooth and her bow as she stepped out of the way was beautiful. This alone was enough for Anne to be convinced that Bery is superior as a servant. Anne had carefully prepared for their arrival today. Everything is perfect. She had checked the room seven times and changed the hot water every hour. Anne knows that freshly boiled water is best for bringing out the fragrance of tea leaves. But when Anne approached the teapot, she heard a bubbling sound. Steam was gushing out of the spout. ¡°Oh my, the teapot must have been left on boil.¡± ¡°Ah¡¡¡± Anne froze. Bery reached towards the magic crystal and injected mana. The sound died down as Anne¡¯s face turned red. Fresh water. But boiling it too much is taboo. Anne¡¯s carefully prepared perfection has crumbled already, along with herposure. Being weak to sudden setbacks is another one of her ws that she is well aware of. ¡°I, I will change the water¡¡¡± ¡°Eh? No, there¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°It, it is alright.¡± What¡¯s ¡®alright¡¯!? Anne was berating herself again when she realised Bery was staring at her and froze again. Anne could only stare back. Bery¡¯s hair is casually parted in a 7:3 ratio. But her red hair is fine and silky, giving off a impression of cleanliness for some reason. Her eyebrows are fine and well-shaped, herrge, kind eyes are framed by longshes and double eyelids. Her nose is elegantly straight and her lips a sakura pink. Her features are pretty and has a somewhat sexual charm. Part of it is likely due to her womanly figure. Her breasts are well-shaped and bountiful but her waist is narrow. Anne had not known that the same apron dress could look so different. Beautiful, cute, amazing. Bery¡¯s apron is spotless, as if it is brand new. Then Bery suddenly smiled. Anne was once again captivated by that beautiful smile. ¡°Please do not be so nervous. Krische-sama is not so particr about mannerisms and neither am I. Please act as usual.¡± ¡°O, okay¡¡¡± After another smile towards the frozen Anne, Bery prepared tea with practiced motions. Anne was impressed by each of her smooth, fluid motions, everyone of them filled with care. She had not known that the simple action of brewing tea could be so impressive. Anne has the strength of being easily impressed. It might also be a w. Bery only prepared the tea then went back to Krische, sitting down next to her on the sofa. The distance between them really is close. Krische snuggled even closer to Bery and leaned towards her as she stared at Anne with interest¨D¨Dbut still expressionless. ¡°¡¡what happened?¡± ¡°Nothing, she just seemed a little nervous. She is being too careful around us.¡± Anne ced the tea that was like a work of art on a tray and slowly approached them. Even if it was brewed with overboiled water, it is still a work of art. Anne¡¯s hand trembled as she ced the tea cups on saucers and carefully poured the tea. Her hand trembled even more as she felt their gazes on her. Krische finally understood that it must be embarrassing to be so clumsy as she watched Anne. It is embarrassing for anyone to show their inexperience. Krische recalled how embarrassing it was for Gorka to see her poorly dissected rabbit. Krsiche was happy to be able to empathise with a stranger and excitedly turned to Bery. ¡°I got it. She is nervous because she is embarrassed that she¡¯s clumsy.¡± ¡°Hii¡± The tea sttered a little, a few dropsnding in the saucer. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡¡¡± ¡°K, Krische-sama, you cannnot say that¡¡¡± ¡°Er, but, it is embarrassing to be seen when so bad¡¡¡± ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°umu¡..¡± Anne was hastily wiping the spilled tea with a cloth when she saw Bery press a finger to Krische¡¯s lips out of the corner of her eye. This is already a habit for Bery. Bery stared into Krische¡¯s eyes, their noses almost touching. ¡°Being told she is bad when she is trying her best will make her even more tense¡¡let¡¯s see, please try imagining being told you are bad when you are testing out a new recipe and it does not work out.¡± ¡°¡¡that is, not nice.¡± ¡°Yes. Being considerate is very important. Small things like that can hurt people, please be careful.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Bery smiled as Krische averted her gaze, stroking Krische¡¯s cheek and tracing her lips with her thumb. Bery smiled as she traced Krische¡¯s lips, telling Krische she was not angry. Krische nodded and drew closer This is already beyond the distance where their noses are touching¨D¨Dbut since they were not alone, Krische had to draw away as Bery whispered, ¡°Not now¡± with a troubled look and pulled her hand away. Anne caught sight of this scene as she was cleaning up. Were they about to kiss?¨D¨DHer face grew bright red as she imagined what was mostly the truth. But she quickly decided that she was imagining things and shook her head. After so many mistakes, she does not have the time to be daydreaming. ¡°The tea leaves are Graberas. It has quite a refreshing fragrancepared to the Almarei we usually drink.¡± Bery showed no signs of noticing Anne¡¯s expression as she changed the topic. She was worried about Krische being down after being scolded. But Krische was relieved that Bery acted as normal and really did not seem angry, Krische took a whiff of the tea and responded. ¡°Jilian¡¡no, more like Asem.¡± ¡°Yes. Unlike Almarei, the fragrance is from the original tea leaves. (T/N: Not sure how to phrase this part better, Ïã¤ê¸¶¤±¤·¤¿¥¢¥ë¥Þ¥ì¥¤¤Èß`¤Ã¤Æ²èÈ~¤ÎÏã¤ê¤¬¤½¤Î¤Þ¤Þ) In that sense, it is the same as Jilian and Asem, but you are correct. Graberas is rted to Asem. It has a more refreshing taste then Asem, so I would rmend it straight or with lemon.¡± Anne suddenly realised something as she listened to Bery while pouring the tea. Anne had been prepared to answer, ¡®This is Graberas. It has a refreshing taste so it is rmended to straight or with lemon¡¯ if asked, but she had not prepared lemons. ¡°Sh, shall I get some lemons?¡± ¡°No, not for me¡¡Krische-sama, how about you?¡± Krische hesitated as she watched the steam rising from the tea. Krische wanted to answer the same as Bery, but Krische¡¯s tongue is sensitive. Extremely sensitive. Bery saw her dilemma andughed softly. She took the honey and added a scoop to her tea, then added even more to Krische¡¯s. She then slowly mixed them to let the tea cool as she turned to Anne. ¡°What is the schedule for the day after tomorrow?¡± ¡°P, pleasee to the castle at the forth morning bell.¡± A day is twenty four hours, starting from sunrise. There arerge clocks built from magic crystals that can tell the exact time, but in most ces, time changes ording to the seasons and the time of sunrise. So instead of saying which hour of the day, such as seventh hour or tenth hour, time is stated as which hour of the morning, or which hour of the afternoon after the sun is at the highest point and which hour of the night after the sun sets. Since a bell is rang every hour, the forth morning bell indicates the forth hour after sunrise. ¡°Krische-sama, we will take a bath and start preparing from sunrise on the day after tomorrow. We will need to arrange your hair and prepare many other things, so we will be quite busy.¡± ¡°Okay. Krische¡¯s hair needs to be arranged?¡± ¡°Yes. Krische-sama¡¯s hair is pretty when let down straight like this but it will also be nice to arrange it properly sometimes. Bery will arrange it nicely for you.¡± ¡°¡¡ehehe, okay.¡± Krische smiled happily. It was a pretty smile, beautiful and adorable. Anne had heard of a fairy-likedy and Krische is just as mysterious and ephemeral as rumored, but when she shows such an expression, she suddenly bes flesh and blood. Krische was leaning on Bery¨D¨Dthey were in close contact due to Krische gradually edging closer, but at some point, Anne no longer felt anything wrong about it. The sight of the two of them in the afternoon light is just like a scene from a painting. ¡°Here, please drink, Krische-sama.¡± Bery handed Krische the tea which has cooled to a moderate temperature and Krische took a sip. Anne could only stare at the two of them in a daze as they smiled at each other. Getting distracted and forgetting her work is also another one of Anne¡¯s ws. -End- Chapter 32: U.E. C.32: Royal Prince Chapter 32: U.E. C.32: RoyalPrince ¨D¨DThe Kingdom currently has an ongoing problem. The King has contracted a mysterious illness and this led to a dispute over the session of the throne. This dispute urred because the king named the eleven year old princess, Kreschenta, his sessor instead of the royal prince, Gildanstein, who was originally first in line for the throne. The royal prince Gildanstein is a perverse person who enjoys toying with ves and other hical, obscene entertainment. The king judged that Gildanstein¡¯s behavior was not suitable to be his sessor¨D¨Dto be the the next king of Alberan. In the Kingdom, the king wields absolute power and the king¡¯s wishes are prioritised above all else. But that is only on the surface¨D¨Dabuse of authority would be met with resistance and pushing it too far could lead to revolution. The king¡¯s nomination is normally irreversible, but in reality, if there is a certain number of dissenters, it would be hard to push through with it. And right now, the pce is currently split into the royal prince faction and princess faction. ¡°I did not expect your highness to meet me in person¡¡¡± Bogan knelt on one knee and lowered his head. A man in his early twenties stood before him. A handsome young man with backswept blonde hair. The man removed a resplendently decorated rapier from his waist andid it on a table, then stripped off the nondescript cloak he was wearing and threw it aside onto the carpet as he sat on the sofa, crossing his legs. Inside, he was wearing a gold and ck jacket with gold ornaments and white pants. He raised his left arm which was adorned with a gold bracelet and spoke. ¡°Raise your head, Bogan. I did note to meet the hero, general Christand. I simply came to speak to an old acquaintance. There is no need for the formalities.¡± ¡°¡¡understood. Thank you.¡± The man indicated the opposite sofa as Bogan stood up. This man is the royal prince and first in line for the throne. Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan. An archduke of the Kingdom and the general of the army¨D¨Dsomeone much higher ranking than a margrave, than Bogan. He appears young, but appearances are deceiving for nobles that use mana. He is in his mid thirties. The bodies of those with mana usually stay in their prime for a longer period, so it ismon for many to only show signs of aging past their forties. ¡°It¡¯s already been fifteen years since we¡¯ve met in person.¡± ¡°Yes, your highness. Since the battle with the Empire.¡± ¡°No need for ¡®yes your highness¡¯. It¡¯s just the two of us here.¡± This is troublesome, Bogan thought as he bowed his head. Bogan has no interest in the infighting happening in the pce. He had wanted to join in such things when younger, but that desire has been lost with age. Bogan does not want to get involved with the pce politics. ¡°First, let¡¯s celebrate the victory. I brought wine from my secret stash.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± The servants had been told to leave and they are the only ones in the room. Gildanstein sloppily poured the wine into a ss and slid it over to Bogan. Gildanstein is infamous but he is an extremely practical person and hates useless formalities. Though he is royalty, he paid no care to how he poured the wine. Bogan took the ss and raised it as Gildanstein raised his. As Gildanstein took a sip, Bogan also sipped. It seems that the wine really is from Gildanstein¡¯s secret stash, it is a good wine with deep vour. ¡°You really are good at war. I did not think you could take a bite out of the Empire in the north in that situation. I was not a mistaken to rmend you as a general.¡± ¡°No, it is thanks to my excellent subordinates.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be humble. I¡¯ve seen plenty of your work in the past.¡± There was a great war fifteen years ago. Gildanstein had gathered arge army and attacked the Empire¡¯s westernnds. At that time, Wulfenite was the border between the Kingdom and the Empire, the expanded territory beyond that is due to Gildanstein¡¯s achievements. Despite his poor conduct, Gildanstein is far from ipetent. In fact, he is extremely capable and befitting of royalty. At that time Bogan was a corpsmander and Gildanstein promoted Bogan to general for his achievements in that war. They talked for a while about the recent war. It seems Gildanstein had already obtained a certain amount of information and knew how the situation developed so well it is like he was on the battlefield. Gildanstein¡¯s informationwork extends deep within other countries. It is terrifying how he knows what would normally be impossible for him to find out, but Bogan also knows that Gildanstein would only use that information for one purpose. Gildanstein is an unparalleled battle junkie¨D¨Dhe simply values Bogan highly as a soldier. Gildanstein has an almost childish desire for battlefield stories and regardless of his other aspects, Bogan likes this part of him. Gildanstein is infamous and the rumors are likely true, but when interacting with him in person, Bogan could not bring himself to dislike Gildanstein. ¡°¨D¨DBut still, the two beautiful princesses? The rumors have reached the pce. Seems like they¡¯re quite amazing.¡± ¡°Thank you. I can confidently say that both of them are more talented than I am. One day, they will definitely be new pirs of support for the Kingdom.¡± ¡°To that extent? Well, if you say so it¡¯s probably true.¡± Gildanstein chuckled as he stared at his wine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The capital was quite slow because of the quarreling. I know the burden on you and Garkha was quite heavy¡¡too many people are against me leading the central army right now.¡± The conflict over the throne. If Gildanstein, the leader of one faction has control of the army, he could easily seize the throne by force. It is an obvious concern and in the end, the neutral western general, Hilkintos, lead the central army. The central general is also deeply involved in the Kingdom¡¯s politics and could not be used for the same reason as Gildanstein. So it took time for Hilkintos to arrive and get the army in order¨D¨Dthe struggle on the frontlines is simply due to politics. If Gildanstein could have lead the central army to the war immediately, Wulfenite would not have fallen. With the time Bogan has spent on the battlefield, he could not help but detest the world of politics. ¡°Well, leave that aside for now. I have something to tell you that will affect how you act in the future.¡± ¡°¡¡how I act?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Kreschenta.¡± Gildanstein grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard. Probably something along the lines of my brother not liking the idea of me inheriting the throne because of my bad conduct and so he nominated Kreschenta. Well, I won¡¯t deny that, it¡¯s the truth.¡± Gildanstein swirled the wine in the ss as he spoke, still grinning. ¡°I did not mind that at first.¡± ¡°Does that mean¡¡you did not want to throne?¡± ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t. I¡¯ll not defend myself. It¡¯s the truth that I enjoy such entertainment. I also went too far when I was young. They say I¡¯ve settled down recently, but that¡¯s only because I¡¯ve done everything and gotten sick of it. My nature has not changed.¡± Bogan did not show any emotion, but his expression was slightly stiff. Gildansteinughed humourously as he saw that. ¡°Archduke of the Kingdom, I¡¯m quite alright with that rank. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything I can¡¯t do if I wanted to with that rank. In fact, the throne is just worse since I¡¯ll have to do a bunch of pointless chores. I like war, but I hate political fighting. I don¡¯t have any problems with handing over the throne to someone else.¡± Gildanstein drained his ss and poured more wine, then continued speaking as he swirled the ss. ¡°But the problem is that someone. You should¡¯ve seen Kreschenta before. What did you think?¡± ¡°¡¡a young, but intelligent and beautiful person.¡± A beautiful princess with shiny strawberry blonde hair¨D¨Da fairy-like princess. Bogan had only seen her at a distance and never spoke to her directly, but he clearly remembers the way she carried herself in a confident, but refined manner. Thest time he had seen her, she was nine¨D¨D ¡°Wonderful. Exactly that, intelligent and beautiful. A gentle and kind person, slightly tomboyish but still elegant¨D¨Das if born to be a queen. But my concern is that that thing is a monster.¡± ¡°¡¡what does that mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said, Bogan. You must¡¯ve heard the rumours of me making ves kill each other for no reason, of me confining a noble¡¯s daughter then casting her aside. It is the truth that I have yed around by toying with people. But it¡¯s because I¡¯ve yed like this, I know humans well¡..and I know a monster when I see one.¡± Gildanstein ran a finger along the table, drawing an invisible line. ¡°The royal family has a long history. It almost went extinct, then revived many times. Many wise and many foolish rulers have been born. But this long history is built upon a tradition. Any child that behaves abnormally from birth is to be killed, for it is a cursed child¡¡Kreschenta was supposed to be one of those children.¡± ¡°Cursed child¡¡¡± ¡°An absurd royal tradition. I think it is ridiculous but my brother is stubborn. He tried to follow that tradition¡¡ my brother had problems with infertility, so when the first child was finally born, he took quite a while to make the decision¡¡but in the end he banished it and had it killed in secret.¡± Bogan frowned. ¡°The concubine that gave birth to it was a particr favourite of my brother¡¯s, so those steps were necessary. Either way, she never met her daughter after giving birth to her and the daughter was effectively imprisoned after that, so she was probably happier that way.¡± ¡°¡¡what?¡± ¡°Then the second child was born soon after that. And it was another cursed child.¡± ¡°Er, can cursed children, be identified at a nce¡¡?¡± Bogan had also struggled with infertility and could no longer endure the question. ¡°A baby that does not cry. Though I believe it¡¯s up to the baby to cry or stay quiet.¡± ¡°A baby that does not cry¡¡¡± ¡°But it was an unfounded concern and that baby was brought up as the princess¡¡ kuku, it would be better to say that it immediately learned to cry.¡± Gildanstein was smiling, but his eyes were not. ¡°The concubine died of puerperal fever after hearing that she had given birth to another cursed child. It must have been too much after what happened to her previous daughter. My brother grieved and asked many times if it really was a cursed child. The servants did their best to make the cursed child cry¡¡in the end, the cursed child learnt to cry and survived.¡± ¡°I went to see it once to celebrate the birth¡±, Gildanstein continued. ¡°It was just like any other baby. It threw tantrums and cried. I was disappointed since I had heard that it was a cursed child, but it seemed like a perfectly normal baby. But something weighed on my mind¡¡the eyes were different.¡± ¡°Eyes?¡± ¡°An act, Bogan. That thing was able to act when it was a baby. Though at that time I only felt that something was off, it was quite a while before I realised it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the ideal princess¡±, Gildanstein said, still grinning. ¡°It makes selfish demands asionally, loves flowers, reads books, admires fairytales. It does not excel in any particr field, but is not poor at anything either. But this is all its act. That thing is smarter and sees things more clearly than anyone else. It knows how others see it. It is simply acting in ordance to what others¡¯ wish for.¡± ¡°With all due respect, but¡¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my imagination. I can tell. All of my brother¡¯s children born after that have died. The cause of death varies, but there have also been other suspicious deaths in the pce and I was almost killed too.¡± ¡°¡¡your highness was?¡± ¡°Surprised right?¡± Gildanstein¡¯s mouth was still twisted in a grin, but his eyes were dead serious. ¡°I do not sleep with women. If I did, they could kill me in my sleep.¡± He said that casually. ¡°¡¡that day, something had put me in a good mood and I called for a woman. I was in the mood to break out my special wine, but when we got to my room, that wine and a ss was already prepared. There were even fruits and a sharpened knife and I was thinking about praising the considerate servant who prepared theseter¡¡but that day, I fell asleep next to that woman for some reason.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± ¡°There must have been sleeping drugs mixed in the wine or in the ss. The sharpened knife was for the woman to kill me. It was definitely a situation where the woman could have easily killed me if she wanted to.¡± Gildanstein¡¯s eyes narrowed as he recalled that night. The smile had disappeared from his face. ¡°I was not killed only because on that day, I happened to call a woman I treated normally. If I had called for another woman, I would definitely be dead¡¡I am very well aware of how much I am hated.¡± Bogan stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. ¡°But, just because of that¡¡?¡± ¡°That is enough. All servants said they did not prepare those things. Kreschenta also happened to be staying in that building to recover from some flu¡¡I had a premonition, I asked around and found out that Kreschenta had apparently demanded wine earlier that day, so the servants had guided it to my wine cer. They even pointed out which wines were part of my prized collection so that it would not drink those.¡± The royal prince stared at his wine as he spoke. ¡°¡¡that was when it clicked. That was when I realised that was how Kreschenta had been getting things to work in its favour. It never showed any signs of it, using methods where it would never be suspected and removed everything in between her and the throne.¡± Gildanstein traced the rim of the wine bottle. ¡°My brother¡¯s illness is probably Kreschenta¡¯s doing too. They say its an unknown illness but he¡¯s been poisoned. Nobody suspects Kreschenta. My brother dotes on that thing, as do the fools around them. They haven¡¯t noticed a thing.¡± ¡°¡¡but.¡± ¡°Well, you won¡¯t believe it just cause I said it. That¡¯s the kind of person you are. I simply told you this as thanks for what you did in the war. It¡¯s a reward.¡± ¡°Like I said, this is for you to think about how you act in the future¡±, Gildanstein continued as he watched Bogan¡¯s dubious expression. ¡°I¡¯m not saying to join me. You are a man that we need to keep fighting for the Kingdom for much longer. I just want to tell you not to get involved in the political strife happening in the pce.¡± Bogan is not the type to get involved. So why did Gildanstein tell Bogan this?¨D¨DBogan did not know. ¡°I¡¡simply think of myself as a sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. In fact, although it¡¯s true that thing is abnormal, it might also be an extraordinary ruler. In that case, I would stay the same as now and you would still be the Kingdom¡¯s sword. Even if I won, it would be the same.¡± There was no sign of malice in Gildanstein¡¯s grin. But then his refined features turned serious as he looked Bogan in the eye. ¡°¡¡you cannot be reced even with your weight in gold. As long as I live, I can¡¯t have you losing your life in such pointless squabbles, remember this.¡± ¡°¡¡thank you.¡± Gildanstain brought the ss to his lips and drained it. He did not pour a new ss. Bogan also finished his wine. This is the signal that their talk is done. Gildanstein prepared to leave immediately. That is the kind of man he is, quick and efficient. Bogan felt that this is this man¡¯s strength. ¡°Be very careful. Kreschenta is merciless if you get in its way. Whether you believe me or not, remember what I said¡¡do not be fooled by appearances.¡± ¡°I am grateful for your warning.¡± Bogan stood and bowed his head deeply. Gildanstein waved a hand and picked up his cloak. Bogan took the lead and opened the door, escorting Gildanstein down the hallway towards the entranceway. That was when they heard voices. ¡°That was good hot water, Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Yes, very nice.¡± Krische and Bery came up the stairs, snuggled close together. Their thin negligees were hidden under nkets wrapped around their bodies. They caught sight of Bogan and Gildanstein and stepped to one side, bowing their heads. Bogan was impressed by their synchronised movements while Gildanstein enjoyed the glimpse of Bery¡¯s chest from under the nket¨D¨Dthen his eyesnded on Krische. ¡°My adopted daughter Krische and servant Bery.¡± ¡°I see, raise your heads.¡± The two did as they were told and raised their heads. Although Gildanstein had been lusting over Bery¡¯s cleavage before, he now stared at Krische. Krische stared back with a curious look. ¡°¡¡adopted? Bogan, where was she from?¡± ¡°Karka, a vige in the north.¡± Gildanstein¡¯s brow furrowed as he seemed to think for a moment. Krische nced up at Bery, wanting to quickly return to their room, but then turned as she heard noisy footsteps. A servant with ck hair in a bun trotted over from the bath on the first floor, it was Anne. ¨D¨DAnne has not been able to do her job as a servant at all. This time, she had raised her spirits and followed them into the bath to help them bathe, but Bery had taken care of everything for Krische. So she thought to help Bery, but then Krische was stuck to Bery and started washing Bery¨D¨Dthere was no chance for Anne to step in. They had finished washing themselves as Anne was still at a loss. Then Bery had shyly rmended that Anne also rx and bathe. So Anne also washed herself, but she waste. The two were stepping out of the bath by the time Anne finished washing herself, but Krische said that her body would not be properly warmed up if she did not enjoy the hot water, so Anne had to stay in the bath. Anne had breathed a sigh and rxed, blushing as she recalled how they had looked like they were flirting (they were) as they washed each other. Shepletely forgot her job and enjoyed the bath. By the time she remembered and hurriedly got out, the two of them had already gotten dressed. Bery smiled wryly and told Anne not to rush, but Anne is a serious worker. She hastily put on her apron dress and rushed out with her hair still dripping. ¡°I, I will prepare tea, ow.¡± ¨D¨Dand she tripped dramatically. The four watching her froze. Anne quickly bounced back onto her feet and bowed her head, shouting an apology. Bery smiled wryly while Krische also showed a soft smile as she looked at Bery. Was it my imagination? Gildanstein muttered when he saw Krische¡¯s expression. ¡°They¡¯re as beautiful as I¡¯ve heard. It¡¯s a shame they¡¯re your daughter and servant.¡± ¡°¡¡you jest.¡± Bery stiffened a little and Krische frowned. Gildansteinughed, enjoying their reactions. ¡°Loyalty cannot be bought with money. It was just a joke. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± ¡°¡¡yes sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving, Bogan. I look forward to seeing your other daughter at the ceremony.¡± Gildanstein nced at the dazed Anne as he walked by and said to Bogan at his side. ¡°She seems dumb, say it if you don¡¯t like the servants here, recements will be sent immediately.¡± Anne froze. -End- R.I.P. Anne. Chapter 33: U.E. C.33: Feigned Illness ~Servant Anne Might Have Seen Something~ Chapter 33: U.E. C.33: Feigned Illness ~Servant Anne Might Have SeenSomething~ The day after the Christands arrived, Anne¡¯s colleague who was supposed to be in charge of Bery called out to Anne. ¡°Anne, has Argan-sama been with Krische-sama the entire time?¡± ¡°Eh, ah, yes. Er, She is taking care of Krische-sama since Krische-sama seems to have a bit of a fever. She seemed to be tired from the long journey¡¡.¡± Anne recalled yesterday¡¯s happenings and blushed as she exined¨D¨D They had enjoyed tea after their bath and it was the time when they would usually go to bed. But Krische refused to let go of Bery. Krische wanted to stay with Bery, so she asked about the identity of the person just now, about how many people wille to the ceremony, questions about things she had not cared about just to keep Bery there. Krische believed she was being subtle. Anne was desperate to make up for the failure of tripping in front of a guest. This along with her overly serious attitude prevented Anne from realising, but of course Bery could see through Krische¡¯s intentions and that made it hard for Bery to leave. Krische snuggled up to Bery, enduring her sleepiness while Bery nced towards Anne with a slightly troubled expression. Anne was doing her best to ignore their actions, just doing her job seriously and answering questions that were not even asked. Anne could not afford to make any more mistakes and was too tense to fantasise about them even though they were clearly too close to each other. Bery thought about what to do as she watched Anne¨D¨Dat this rate, she would not be able to leave until Krische could no longer endure it and dozes off, Anne would also remain tense and cannot rest until then. Bery came up with a n and ced a hand on Krische¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¡I was thinking but¡¡Krische-sama, is a little feverish.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Krische tilted her head in confusion, she had not felt anything off about her body except her sleepiness. Bery quickly whispered to her, ¡°Work with me.¡± Krische nodded. ¡°Krische might be a little feverish.¡± ¡°Feverish?¡± ¡°Eh, er, yes, we just had a long journey in tthe carriage and Krische-sama, er, her body is not very strong so¡¡¡± Bery lied to the serious Anne. Bery is confident in her acting, but she is not used to lying. And this is for the sake of sleeping together with Krische, apletely selfish reason, so the shame and nervousness made her falter a little. Her expression was worried, but her eyes were wandering and her cheeks were slightly flushed. ¡°Th, that is not good, I, I will call for a doctor¡¡¡± ¡°It, it is okay, th, this is, this is normal¡¡in fact, it would be worse to make a big deal of it, so¡¡¡± ¡°Er, okay, this is, normal¡¡?¡± Anne panicked a little and Bery also responded in a panic. Krische was doing her best to match Bery, but she did not know Bery¡¯s intentions and was not acting at all, not that the other two were in any state to notice. Anne¡¯s rich imagination helped her understand Krische¡¯s circumstances. Having a weak constitution is not good for noble women who have to give birth to heirs. Such a reputation would limit marriage options. Krische is slender and her skin is pale, now that Anne looked at her that way, she does look like a sickly sheltereddy. This might also be why her mental age seems a little young. She must have grown up spending most of her time indoors. But because she is part of a military family, she desperately trained and desperately fought on the battlefield with her young and weak body, shaving away at her own life to achieve those feats¨D¨DAnne¡¯s eyes teared up. ¡°Today, er¡¡I will be resting here to take care of her¡¡¡± ¡°Okay, understood¡¡¡± Bery sticking so close to her is also probably because she is worried about her ojou-sama pushing herself too far with her weak body. There was something about the way they washed each other in the bath that is hard to put into words. The sight of two young, beautiful women naked and washing each other felt immoral and made Anne imagine a rtionship beyond just ady and her servant. Especially with how they naturally sat shoulder to shoulder in the bath, their heads close together as they whispered to each other. ¨D¨DBut, but, this is all because of Krische¡¯s weak constitution. This would also exin why Bery spends all her time with Krische instead of the actual daughter, Selene. While her respect for Bery as a model servant grew, Anne also wanted to punch herself for having such shameful fantasies. ¡°Come, Krische-sama, it is time for bed¡¡¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± Krische finally understood Bery¡¯s intentions and buried her face in Bery¡¯s chest, hiding her smile, as Bery lifted Krische in her arms. Krische is in high spirits with no sign of illness, but Anne could not see this. Instead Anne thought that Krische must feel unwell often as she watched Bery carry Krische with practiced motions. Anne absentmindedly wondered when thest time she had been carried like that while bowing, deeply impressed by the strong and healthy (from Anne¡¯s perspective) bond between them. ¡°If you need anything, please pull the cord by the bed. It is connected to a bell in my room.¡± ¡°Th, thank you very much¡¡¡± Bery was confused by Anne¡¯s sudden brisk movements, but stopped herself from saying too much as she lowered Krische onto the bed. Bery got onto the bed too as Krische happily pulled on Bery¡¯s hand, her cheeks reddening. As for Anne, ¡°Erm, er¡¡I really respect you. Good night¡¡!¡± She quickly left the room after saying that and extinguishing the lights. How did that conversation lead to respect? Bery tilted her head in confusion, but turned to Krische for now. Bery tried to look angry, but quickly gave up as Krische happily hugged her. Bery is soft on Krische. And when Krische depends on her, Bery cannot bring herself to be strict and bes even softer on Krische. ¡°Th, this is only for today¡¡¡± ¡°Ehehe¡¡love you, Bery.¡± Chu, Krische pressed her lips to Bery¡¯s, making Bery blush and wonder if she herself just wanted to sleep together with Krische as she also embraced Krische. Any resistance to kissing is already long gone. ¡°Tomorrow, er¡¡Krische might be, feverish, again¡¡¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Krische stared up at Bery with begging, expectant eyes. Bery knows she is too soft on Krische, but it is already toote. ¡°Bery? Nmu¡¡¡± Bery shook off her weird thoughts and sealed Krische¡¯s lips, then embarrassedly replied good night. ¨D¨DAnne exined concisely without the fantasies. Her colleague nodded in understanding after hearing Anne¡¯s exnation. ¡°I see. Well, she certainly does not look to be very healthy¡¡but still, if I could get that beauty for the price of a healthy body, I would also¨D¨D¡± ¡°That¡¯s rude! You should not say that even as a joke.¡± ¡°I, I know¡¡don¡¯t shout so early in the morning. Then I will be going to help out in the kitchen, they will be together today too right?¡± ¡°Yes, I will take good care of the two of them.¡± ¡°¡¡will you be alright? Well, just don¡¯t make any mistakes in my ce.¡± Anne¡¯s colleague waved a hand as she descended to the first floor. Anne took a deep breath and stood in front of the door. She must show a new self today. She is different from yesterday. Today, Anne is reborn. Anne prepared herself mentally and quietly opened the door. ¡°Fufu, it is morning, Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Nn¡¡good, morning.¡± It looks like Bery has just woke Krische. Seems like Bery had not gotten dressed yet because Krische is still clinging to Bery. Bery is dressed in a negligee and sitting up with her back towards Anne, so only the upper half of her womanly figure was visible to Anne. But the curve of her hip is sexy and Anne could also see Krische¡¯s hand cling to Bery¡¯s back as she pulled herself up. Then Anne froze. In one natural motion, it looked like their faces had ovepped. ¡°¡e on. Krische-sama really is bad at getting up. Are you really awake?¡± ¡°Krische is okay¡¡¡± Bery was acting much too normal for someone who has just been kissed. Krische¡¯s voice is also really sleepy. Their natural atmosphere made Annee to her own conclusion. ¨D¨DBery must have been taking a closer look at Krische¡¯s face. Bery was just looking at her face to check how she is feeling. Anne had just vowed to be reborn just now, what is she thinking of now. Anne shook her head and berated herself. And since they are awake, it is rude to enter without knocking. With that thought, Anne shut the door as carefully as she had opened it. Krische¡¯s sharp senses noticed Anne closing the door, she had also been aware that they had not been alone, but she feigned ignorance since Bery had not noticed. Krische generally obeys rules, but the rule here is a vague one that they must be alone together. Krische interpreted the rule in a convenient way, ¡®Anne had not entered the room so they were alone together in the room¡¯, so that kiss was safe. Krische knows the correct meaning behind Bery¡¯s rule of being alone together¨D¨Dbasically, they must not be seen by others, but this is a grey zone. Krische is a creature that uses her great intelligence to fulfill her basic desires, she would usually choose to interpret things in a way convenient for her. And Krische likes kissing, Bery also likes kissing. Krische also has the perfect, to Krische, argument to back herself up, ¡®the ideal rtionship is one where they make each other happy¡¯, these are the words of Bery and Grace. ¡°¡¡Bery, today¡¡er, ta, take care of me again.¡± ¡°Oh, but Krische-sama seems veeery, lively today.¡± ¡°Eh¡¡?¡± Krische froze, feeling like thedder had suddenly been pulled out from under her, but Beryughed gently. ¡°But Krische-sama works too hard. If Krische-sama gets dressed and does your best to keep your promise today, Krische-sama might get a fever again from working too hard.¡± ¡°¡¡th, then, Krische, will try her best.¡± ¡°Yes. Please do your best.¡± Bery smiled and kissed her brow. Ignorant of their interaction, Anne headed to the kitchen to prepare tea. She was praised by her colleague in the kitchen for her forward-thinking as she carried the teapot on a tray and went to knock on their door. A gentle voice granted permission and when Anne opened the door, she saw Bery just about to head to the teapot to brew tea. They had already gotten dressed. Bery stopped as she saw Anne and bowed her head. ¡°Thank you very much, Anne-sama.¡± ¡°No need to thank me, please, have a seat.¡± Bery¡¯s mannerisms seems more beautiful the more Anne watches her, even how she sits is beautiful. Krische also sat on the same sofa, her condition seems to be a lot better today. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± Anne smiled as she asked, but it seemed like Krische stiffened for an instant. Bery smiled wryly and answered. ¡°A little. Let¡¯s see¡¡er, for now, I will stay with her during our stay just in case.¡± For some reason, Bery¡¯s smile towards Krische looked impish. But it was also a strangely sweet smile that made Anne want to sigh. ¡°It would be bad if her condition worsens again¡¡ right, Krische-sama?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡¡± Krische was lightly holding onto Bery¡¯s sleeve and seemed to be hiding her face as she answered, but her face seemed to be a little red. She might be feeling ashamed about her weak body. Anne interpreted it positively and thought that Krische is an admirable and earnest person. They then talked a little until it was time for breakfast. Anne was guiding them to the dining hall when a beautiful blonde girl¨D¨DSelene stepped out of her room. ¡°Good morning, Selene-sama.¡± ¡°Morning. Bery and Krische too. Did you sleep well?¡± As Selene stopped, Anne¡¯s colleague attached to Selene signaled to Anne with her eyes to take care of this, then headed towards the dining hall first. Krische and Bery also greeted Selene and nodded. Selene is a girl who exemplifies what a noble is. Refined, beautiful, but not unpleasant. I can never be like her, thought Anne, then remembered that she should inform Selene. ¡°Last night, Krische-sama was not feeling well¡¡¡± ¡°Huh? Krische?¡± Selene looked at Krische. Krische¡¯s eyes wandered. Selene frowned and looked at Bery. Bery averted her eyes. Krische and Bery¡¯s expression seemed a little stiff. Selene¡¯s expression looked angry for an instant, but it quickly became a nice smile when Anne¡¯s gaze turned towards her. Her eyes did not look like they were smiling, but it might be Anne¡¯s imagination. ¡°Bery, did you take good care of Krische?¡± ¡°Y, yes¡¡ojou-sama.¡± ¡°Just in case, Bery-sama will be watching over Krische-sama during their stay.¡± Anne has the w of not being able to pick up on the mood and added onto Bery¡¯s words. Selene¡¯s smile grew deeper. Like a wolf baring its fangs. ¡°I see¡¡yeah, her health is important. Krische works too hard¨D¨Dand is, very, bad at, depending on others, right¡¡? Bery, having you, take very, proper care, of her, is really, a great help. You are a great servant.¡± ¡°A, ahaha¡¡¡± Selene slowly drew closer as she spoke but Bery avoided her eyes. At this point, even Anne felt that something was off. The atmosphere is extremely thorny. Selene twisted around and cocked her head as she turned her gaze to Krische. ¡°But, Krische. We are not at home, falling ill and having to be taken care of when we are outside is very embarrassing. Bery is reeaaly, extremely, helplessly kind, so she will spoil you but¡¡do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°E, er¡¡¡± ¡°Oh my, you really do not seem to be feeling well. Let me take a good look at your face.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Selene ced her hands on Krische¡¯s cheeks and pulled. Rather than checking on her, it looked more like she was pulling Krische¡¯s cheeks. No, not looks like. She is clearly pulling on Krische¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Poor thing, it must have been so painful that you could not bear it. You promised me that you would behave like a properdy here, but it was so bad that you had to break that promise the instant we arrived?¡± ¡°Fue, fuerere¡¡ihyai¡¡¡± ¡°Oh my, it hurts? My heart also aches hearing that Krische was feeling unwell. Come on, tell me. Did I ask for something that difficult? You could not endure it for just two, three days?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m showwy¡¡¡± Krische¡¯s snow white cheek was being stretched to its limit by Selene. Anne quickly stepped in to stop Selene, Krische looks like she was about to burst into tears at any moment. ¡°Se, Selene-sama¡¡th, that should be enough¡¡¡± ¡°Ah, that was embarrassing. I¡¯m sorry. Could you go ahead and tell them we will be slightlyte for breakfast?¡± Her tone did not allow any objection. She was smiling but her eyes were not. Terrified, Anne could only say ¡°Understood.¡± and watch as Selene grabbed Bery and Krische¡¯s hands and drag them into her room, still smiling. Then in contrast with that smile, the door mmed shut violently. Anne could only wonder what was going on, but she has work to do. Anne turned away from the door and headed towards the stairs when, ¡®You idiots! Can¡¯t you just endure it a little! Bery you too! Didn¡¯t you also agree that just spoiling this child is not good for her!? Don¡¯t you know that each and everyone of your actions affects otou-sama¡¯s reputation¨D¨D¡¯ Anne jumped as she heard Selene shouting at them. A sickly younger sister and her kind servant. And a responsible but strict older sister that scolds them for their weakness. That is the image built up in Anne¡¯s mind. -End- Chapter 34: Conferring Of Decorations Chapter 34: Conferring OfDecorations ¨D¨DThe day of the ceremony. Krische was sat on a chair in between Selene and Bery who are facing off. Selene¡¯s vibrant blue and white dress contrasted Krische¡¯s ck and red dress. Selene red at Bery as she pointed at her own hair, done in a left side ponytail¨D¨Dat a sword hairpin. ¡°¡¡like I said, it has to be a sword.¡± ¡°Ojou-sama really does not understand. It has to be a flower.¡± ¡°How many times do I have to say this? Krische is participating in a ceremony to be conferred the title of senior knight. So this sword hairpin is more suitable for the ceremony! I even nned for our dresses and hairstyles to match. Krische should use the same hairpin as me.¡± Krische¡¯s hair had been done up in a side ponytail on the right. The opposite of Selene¨D¨Dwhich was the intention behind this hairstyle, but Selene and Bery are now arguing over which hairpin to use. Up until that point, they had harmoniously worked together to make Selene and Krische match, but once it came to choosing the hairpin, their opinions differed. Selene wants to focus on elegance and style. Bery wants to focus on cuteness and beauty. ¨D¨DAnd Krische does not care, she just wants to eat breakfast. Anne watched helplessly while Krische hung her head, pressing on her stomach to endure her hunger. To Krische, breakfast is especially important, but it has been ignored by the other two because of the extremely important debate of which hairpin to use. For Krische, all meals are important, but breakfast is the most important among them. After waking from a nice warm night of sleep while hugging Bery, it is natural that she will be hungry. This morning Krische had woken up and flirted with Bery, then had to go through a hard schedule of bathing, make up, hair arrangement and changing into a dress all in the morning. This might have been fine back in the vige, but after Krische moved to the estate, she developed the habit of ¡®pre-breakfast¡¯, snacking on leftovers in the kitchen as she made breakfast. So for Krische, going through all this without breakfast is unimaginably tough. She endured it all with strong self-control (for Krische), yet she ended up in this situation. Krische had felt something unsettling about Selene and Bery¡¯s exchange and spoken up, ¡®Th, they already prepared breakfast for us, it, it would be rude to let it go cold. The hairpin can be decided after eating¨D¨D¡¯, but Selene brushed her aside and instead lectured her about how important today is. ¡®You really don¡¯t think about anything but eating, aren¡¯t you embarrassed? You¡¯re a gluttonous spoiled kid, carefree and stupid, can¡¯t you just do things properly once in a while? If you have the the time to talk about that, how about thinking about this yourself? In the first ce, you¨D¨D¡¯ Krische learnt that her breakfast would only be further dyed by these lectures, so she could only stay quiet and hold her stomach, blending into the background. Bery smiled gently and said she would warm up the foodter, so endure for now, but this also implied that this debate is more important than breakfast for Bery. ¡°That is simply ojou-sama¡¯s preferences. If ojou-sama wants a pair look, then the opposite of the sword would be a flower that is meant to be protected. It is because of ojou-sama¡¯s sword that the flower hairpin will look good and it is only with Krische-sama¡¯s flower that ojou-sama¡¯s sword will truly shine. Was that not the intention between choosing the ck and red dress to contrast with ojou-sama¡¯s blue and white dress?¡± ¡°I already said that the dress is enough for that. It¡¯s because the dress already creates arge contrast that we should use the same hairpin since we are both bing senior knights!¡± Selene red back. ¡°And I¡¯m also the one giving in most of the time! I even gave in and allowed you to spoil Krische so much this time. How about you give in once in a while?¡± ¡°Oh my, now that ojou-sama is stumped, ojou-sama brings up a different topic? Personal insultsst time and now this? And though ojou-sama says that ojou-sama allowed it, ojou-samains about it everytime we meet. I have also reflected on my actions and will quietly listen to thoseins¡¡but I have to object when ojou-sama brings it up when it is unrted.¡± ¡°You have to? So what about a fewints? Think about my position. Of course I¡¯d want to make ain or two! And you¡¯re all talk, despite what you say, you still spoil Krische. What reflection? What a joke.¡± Neither gave way, scowling at each other with sharp eyes. Krische watched them with sad eyes. ¡°Even though ojou-sama says that, if ojou-sama were in my position, ojou-sama would definitely do the same. If ojou-sama says to think about ojou-sama¡¯s position, how about ojou-sama try standing in my shoes? In the end ojou-sama also epts Krische-sama¡¯s ki¨D¨D¡± Bery cut herself off, nced at Anne and cleared her throat. ¡°¨D¨Dahem, anyway, ojou-sama could not say anything either.¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s because you taught her weird things! That¡¯s not my fault!¡± ¡°I see, so everything is my fault? When it is convenient for ojou-sama, ojou-sama says that ojou-sama gave in, but when it is inconvenient it is the other person¡¯s fault? That is ojou-sama¡¯s thinking? That is the real joke here.¡± ¡°What did you¨D¨D¡± ¡°Bo, both of you¡¡ho, how about¡¡er, asking Krische-sama herself¡¡?¡± Anne interrupted their argument, but her voice was shrill. She could not endure how pitiful Krische looked caught between them and spoke up, but¨D¨D ¡°Krische?¡± ¡°¡¡Krische-sama?¡± ¡°Eh, uu¡¡er, Krische, is, is fine with, either¡¡¡± Quickly learnt that it only made things worse. ¡°Both? Krische, do you understand that it is because you can¡¯t even choose a hairpin yourself that I have to go through this fruitless argument with Bery? Were you even listening? You don¡¯t understand at all do you? Decide right now. Of course it¡¯s the sword right?¡± ¡°Krische-sama, it is okay to be honest. There is no need to be considerate of ojou-sama. This is for Krische-sama¡e, please say it, ¡®the flower is better¡¯.¡± Krische really did not care either way but was crushed by their pressure, she could only look at the door in desperation. And as if he heard her plea, her savior appeared right at that moment. ¡°¡¡haa. I came to check since you all didn¡¯te for breakfast, but what are you two fighting over this time?¡± Bogan seemed to have expected this and tiredly massaged his brow as he silently listened to their exnation. They can just go with the sword and flower, but change the colour of the flower. From Krische¡¯s perspective, the sight of Bogan convincing them to ept thispromise is truly that of a savior¨D¨Da hero. Krische breathed a sigh of relief at the arrival of a mediator and smiled. She can finally eat breakfast, but¨D¨Dthe voice that stopped her was Bogan¡¯s yet again. ¡°It is about time for us to go. Seems like the ceremony was brought forward a little.¡± ¡°Okay, otou-sama.¡± Krische froze. The interior of the royal pce is built more like an extremelyrge estate than a castle. It is not meant to be a defensive stronghold, instead it is designed for bureaucracy and for royalty to live in, prioritising the size and number of rooms with noplicated maze of corridors. This is the center of the kingdom. This castle was built as a symbol of the King¡¯s power, it was not built with with enemy attacks in mind in the first ce. Thus the castle is weak in the case of a siege, but on the other hand, it is extremelyfortable to live in. The corridors are long and wide. Krische, Selene, Bogan and Gallen are walking through such a corridor with Christand¡¯s subordinates in tow. The southern general Garhka and western general Hilkintos also apanied them, making Krische and Selene¨D¨Dabout to be senior knights, the lowest rank and their position is at the rear of the line. ¡°Come on, you can eat after the ceremony is over. Don¡¯t hang your head just because breakfast is dyed.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Are you saying it¡¯s my fault?¡± ¡°N, no¡¡¡± They had stood by in a waiting room for a while after entering the pce and are now on their way to the throne room. Selene muttered softly to Krische as they walked through the long corridor. The ceremony is not that long and since it has been brought forward, it will be finished long before noon. Breakfast is only dyed a little, but this is major damage to Krische. ¡°Come on, we are almost there. Pull yourself together.¡± ¡°Okay¡¡¡± They arrived atrge doors that reached the tall ceiling. The heavy double doors were slowly opened by guards¨D¨Dthey proceeded inside. The sounds of drums and trumpets filled the air as they stepped into a white hall. A brilliant red carpet passed through the middle of countless pirs supporting a ceiling that is so high you had to look up to see it. At the end of the carpet is a small dais and a single throne. A man wearing a crown sat upon it. Next to him stood the royal prince and princess, everyone else stood at the sides of the carpet. This red carpet is also known as the King¡¯s Road. Red is the colour of blood and it represents all the blood the Kingdom has lost. The royal family¡¯s reign is supported by that blood and normally only those rted to the royal family can step on this carpet, but during ceremonies and audiences with the king others are temporarily allowed to stand upon it. This represents their involvement with royal blood and permission to share the support of that blood. (T/N: Not sure about this line ¤½¤ì¤ÏÍõ¼Ò¤È¤ÎÑª¤Î½»¤ï¤ê¤òÊ¾¤·¡¢Ñª¤Î¹²ÓÐ¤òÔS¤¹¤È¤¤¤¦¤³¤È¡£ More standard interpretation would be permission to join the (royal) bloodline) Thus anyone allowed to step upon this carpet, even if they weremoners, are granted the honourable title of nobility. Bogan has been here many times before and his stride is confident, simrly for the generals walking at his side¨D¨DGarhka and Hilkintos. This is also the same for the corpsmanders, but the further down the line, more nervous people are visible. Selene is also one of them and Krische could see out of the corner of her eye that Selene¡¯s expression was slightly stiff. Everyone around them are men, making the two of them stand out. This made the surrounding eyes gather on them and Selene¡¯s legs felt shaky. Next to her, Krische is just as normal without a hint of nervousness. Selene wanted to pinch Krische¡¯s cheek and tell her to at least be a little tense, but she cannot do that here. Selene focused on Gallen¡¯s back instead, walking confidently in front of them and quietly calmed her breathing. Once they reached the middle, they split into two lines, leaving a gap along the middle of the carpet. Then from the front, they knelt on one knee and bowed their heads, putting their right fist in their left palm above their heads. Krische and Selene are wearing dresses and would usually be allowed to simply bend their knees a little and pretend to kneel, but remain standing, even in front of royalty. But this is a ceremony, so they also knelt after the person in front of them knelt. The drums and trumpets stopped and silence filled the air for a few moments. Then the royal prince¨D¨DGildanstein stepped forward. ¡°¨D¨DFirst, we want to thank you all for preventing the evil Empire¡¯s invasion and saving the Kingdom from its predicament by defeating theirrge force of ten thousand¡¡famed generals and heroes that will leave their names in history as well as nameless soldiers and citizens have spilled their blood for the Kingdom¨D¨DThe royal family is built upon that blood. Your actions have made our ancestors proud and bring them honour, his majesty the king will personally extol your achievements and grant you your title and rewards. Know that this is the greatest possible honour.¡± He did not shout, nor did he use magic to project his voice. Yet his voice was majestic and clearly audible. Gildanstein has something that only those born to rule have, his voice is clear even in this wide space. ¡°General Carmeda was lost to the enemy¡¯s des, along with the lives of many soldiers and citizens, they are now the blood of the Kingdom. Many mourn their loss. But death is not the end. They will live on forever as new blood of the Kingdom. His majesty the king, me, all of you will eventually be part of the blood of the Kingdom too. There is no need to mourn or grieve, simply ept it¨D¨Dand rejoice that you survived to receive this honour. This is the best parting gift we can give to the dead.¡± There were a few stifled sobs and sniffling at the rear of the line. Carmeda¡¯s subordinates. Not many have survived. ¡°These three generals have survived and defeated arge enemy force¨D¨Deach of their contributions was magnificent. Among them, I want to specially mention general Christand for his intelligence and valour in defeating the despiteful Sarshanka who killed general Carmeda. Despite being stuck in a stalemate with inferior numbers, he tore through a force of forty thousand with an army half that size, throwing them into chaos in a manner befitting the name of Lightning Quick¡¡ step forward.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, your highness.¡± Bogan took a few steps forward and knelt again in the middle of the carpet. ¡°Without this man¡¯s contributions, we would not be in any state to conduct this ceremony right now. I am sure all of you are aware. ¨D¨Dbefore your eyes, is a hero.¡± Gildanstein looked around. ¡°This man is a hero among heroes¨D¨Dthe pride of the Kingdom, general Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand.¡± Gildanstein spread his arms and on that signal, the orchestra yed their drums and trumpets as those lining the sides of the carpet cheered. Those on the carpet are also in the same position of being cheered, so they could not cheer, but Selene is visibly happy about the praise for her father. Krische smiled at that and Selene averted her eyes in embarassment. ¡°Next I would like to mention general Garhka for stopping the enemy¡¯s main attack in the south, then defeating them when the chance presented itself due to Christand¡¯s counterattack. Step forward¨D¨D¡± ¨D¨Dand the ceremony proceeded. In order from the front, they stepped in front of the king and were granted a sword by the king himself. A resplendently decorated jewel sword. Back when metals were precious, the sword was the symbol of a hero. Because of this history, rewards from the king are granted in the form of a sword. But of course this is not all, they will also be granted various other treasurester. It was announced that the territories of the three generals will be expanded while Christand¡¯s first corpsmander, a man named Nozan will be sent to empty eastern territories as the new general. Carmeda¡¯s son was also lost in battle leaving the post empty, so due their contributions, the most skilled corpsmander in the Christand army was nominated. It was quite a whileter before Selene and Krische¡¯s names were called. There are seven of them, including Gallen, that would be receiving the title of senior knight. Gallen already holds the title of junior knight. The rank of junior knight can be granted by generals with the permission of the king. This is because of the formality that nobles must not bemanded bymoners. Gallen had more than enough achievements to be promoted to senior knight in thest war, but he retired from the army before the conferring of decorations, so his rank is still junior knight. It is not good for appearances for a junior knight to shoulder the major role of the general¡¯s aide, so in consideration of his past achievements, he will also be receiving the title of senior knight together with Selene and Krische. ¡°¨D¨DYou are now allowed to call yourselves Rinea. You have been granted the honourable title of Rinea, meaning warrior in the oldnguage. The title of senior knight is not granted without achievements on the battlefield, regardless of how noble the birth. You all have just received this title¡¡ step forward in order and receive your swords.¡± Krische is at the corner and isst in line. Krische Rinea Christand. She thought about her lengthened name as she waited for her turn. Selene went and came back. It is Krische¡¯s turn. She raised her head and stood up, then subconsciously¨D¨Dreflexively stepped back. Krische¡¯s gaze hadnded on the girl standing next to the king. She is a young girl half a head shorter then the petite Krische. Her strawberry blonde her shone red in the sunlight. Her white dress made her look like a fairy¨D¨Dand her features strangely resembled Krische¡¯s. The princess had looked bored until just now, but was now staring at Krische, then she showed a brilliant smile. ¡°K, Krische¡¡¡± Selene softly admonished Krische and Krische stepped forward. ¨D¨DKrische had responded because she had been on guard. Krische is always paying attention to her surroundings for any signs of danger at all times. If she is in a crowd, she is always ready to escape if someone lunged at her, or even kill them first. It is almost a subconscious habit. The instant she had stood up, Krische had felt danger and immediately stepped back. And the feeling hade from the direction of the princess. The smiling princess showed no hostility and she is at a distance where Krische can kill her at any moment. Krische erased her inner doubts and advanced to stand before the king. She then indifferently went though the ceremony without showing any further interest, receiving the sword with beautiful conduct¨D¨Dfrom the king whoseplexion was hidden by make up. Krische wants to quickly finish up and eat. That is the only thought in Krische¡¯s head. -End- Chapter 35: U.E. C.35: Princess Kreschenta Chapter 35: U.E. C.35: PrincessKreschenta The hall for the dinner party was sorge that a whole estate could fit in it. The hall is so wide that it can host more than a thousand and the ceiling is so high that you had to look straight up to see it. A wall of ss leads to the balcony, letting in the amber evening sunlight. The dinner party is buffet style with countless tables scattered around filled with just as many dishes. Just as Bery had said, a magnificent whole roast pig is still quite normal, there is a whole cow with its various parts cooked separately then pieced back together, a castle-shaped cake, a bird made of candy and various other extravagant dishes. The theme for this dinner party seems to be the Kingdom¡¯s gods. The hall is separated into areas ording to each of the twelve gods, for example, the area of Shaserene, the goddess of beauty contains finely crafted dishes while the area of Koreis, the god of war has extravagant beef dishes. The decorations also matched the theme, there is an area with gold ornaments while another is decorated with swords and shields along with the statues of the respective gods, making it fun to just look around. But Krische¡¯s objective is the food. Krische held Bery¡¯s hand and wandered here and there. All she can eat, this is Krische¡¯s gold mine¨D¨Dbut someone stood in her way yet again. ¡°Gahaha, I¡¯ve heard the rumours that the other Christand is also beautiful, but the rumours really are mere rumours. They do no justice to the real thing! And if your swordsmanship is as they say then many soldiers are put to shame.¡± The man was like a wild beast. A beard covered the area around his mouth and his ck hair is slicked backwards, but his hair is so stiff that it looks more like it is standing up. His height is about six feet. Quite tall, but more than that, he is thick. That does not mean he is fat, it is all muscle. He looked hopelessly out of ce in his formal attire, he looks more like a bandit pretending to be a noble. This man¡¯s name is Dagren Nakul Dougarinea Garhka. The fierce general that defended the south and dealt the final blow to the Empire¡¯s invasion army. Despite his appearances, he was born to the old Garhka family and is a duke. Which means he ranks higher than Christand and it would be rude for Krische to excuse herself. ¨D¨DKrische had just finished greeting each corpsmander and was finally released. It was almost a full hour of themvishing her with flowery praises of her achievements and other repeated talk about the war until Bery cut them off. Of course, Krische has not been able to enjoy the food and has only had a few drinks. Just as she finished talking with the corpsmanders and was about to enjoy the food, this bandit-like Dagren appeared. A man just as loud as the second corpsmander Kokys. Krische¡¯s expression looked a little annoyed and even Bery¡¯s smile was slightly troubled. As a servant, Bery is aware of who Krische needs to speak to. It is simple manners to greet each corpsmander, so Bery subtly guided Krische towards them. But Bery believes that Krische does not need to greet anyone else and subtly guided Krische away from the other gazes on them so that Krische could enjoy the food¨D¨Dbut they could not avoid this man. He had pushed through the crowd and beelined straight to them. There is a silent agreement to only speak to those nearby during dinner parties like this. In the Kingdom, stand-up buffets are considered informal. Anyone could enjoy a meal in the presence of royalty and speak to anyone else regardless of rank. Bery made use of thatmon sense to conduct herself and Krische in such a skillful way that it is unbelievable that Bery is inexperienced with high society, but if someone ignores thatmon sense and homes in on them, there is no way for them to escape. Bery pondered over what to do as she watched Krische who is clearly thinking about nothing but food. ¡°After speaking with Bogan, I wanted to speak with you directly. You were the one that suggested the n to lure Sarshanka by shifting camp to the east right?¡± ¡°Yes, general Garhka.¡± ¡°That was an amazing read, you have good eyes. Even I wouldn¡¯t have thought of that in that situation. In fact, I couldn¡¯t do anything in the south and was only facing off with the enemy until Christand broke Sarshanka.¡± Dagren is in high spirits. Everything about him indicated that he really wants to talk about the war and Bery had already given up, this seems like it will drag on. The Christand corpsmanders also more or less had the same air about them. The handsome first corpsmander, Nozan praised Krische for her brilliant mountain breakthrough and her skill in the melee afterwards. He was happy to be a general, but he owes a great debt to general Christand and is worried about leaving arge hole in his forces. But with Selene-sama and Krische-sama present¨D¨D The bear-like second corpsmander, Kokys thanked Krische for giving him a chance to y an active part. He also thanked her for rushing to aid the isted second corps fighting in the west and striking the enemy in the rear, destroying their morale and making them retreat, if only his son could learn from her gahaha¨D¨D The eagle-eyed third corpsmander, Terious admired her skill in constructing the fort and told her how much easier it made things and helped them conserve their forces. He wanted to learn from how she built such an effective fort in that short period of time. If they met again at the training grounds, he would like to discuss more about it, actually now would be a good time¨D¨D The skeletal forth corpsmander, Elrouga quietly praised her skill in infiltrating the mountains and said that their great victory is Krische¡¯s achievement. It is thanks to Krische¡¯s lead that they seeded in nking through the mountains with almost no casualties and had less than half the expected losses in the end. Despite his antisocial appearance, he seems to dote on his son and started talking about his son halfway through, saying that Krische-sama reminded him of his son and how his son is much better than him¨D¨D All of them would have gone on and on if let be, so Bery had politely cut them off, but she cannot do anything here since Dagren is of higher rank. Dagren talked about the southern battlefield and exined his position to Krische using cups and tes on a table. ¡°What do you think about this situation?¡± ¡°Since this is on the ins, the Empire has the advantage with their nomadic cavalry. Krische¡¯s n involved killing their mobility using the terrain, but that would be impossible in that area. Krische would have pulled the army back instead.¡± ¡°You would let them take thend?¡± Krische nodded and pointed at the representative map on the table. ¡°The enemy would not have gained anything from our tactical retreat. During the temporary stalemate, the viges and towns could have been evacuated and emptied. Just by luring out the enemy and making them extend their supply lines, we could have put great strain on them. This is because the Empire mostly relies on procuring their supplies locally.¡± ¡°¡¡but would they have chased?¡± ¡°In the early stages they would have, since their objective was to capture territory. It might be a little difficult during the stalemateter on, but if you retreated towards Wulfenite when master was shifting to the east, the enemy would definitely give chase.¡± The enemy saw Christand¡¯s movement as a precursor to a recapture attempt on Wulfenite. If Dagren¡¯s army had moved towards Wulfenite, the enemy would have definitely tried to stop it. ¡°If they chased, you could choose the battlefield and by moving closer to Wulfenite, there were more advantageous areas like the forest or desert. Krische would have chosen the desert here.¡± Dagren looked towards where Krische pointed and frowned. She was pointing at a white patch of tablecloth. Naturally, there is no actual map on the table. But Krische had urately calcted and pointed at the location of the desert in the south based on the positions Dagren described. Dagren turned to her with a serious expression. ¡°You¡¯ve memorised not just the northern and eastern geography, but the south too? ¡°¡¡? Yes.¡± ¡°I see¡¡no wonder Christand is all praises for you. I¡¯d want you for myself too.¡± ¡°Er¡¡I owe a debt to the master for taking me in and it is all I can do to repay that debt right now.¡± Krische declined using the excuse Bery had taught her, word for word. Bery had told her to say this if anyone proposed to her and Krische dutifully obeyed. ¡°Gahaha, I see! That¡¯s a problem. But I owe a debt to you. Come to me if you ever need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Krische finally felt the end approaching and nced towards Bery. Bery nodded back and was about to act but Dagren is a man of steel. ¡°Then next¡±, and he started moving the sses and tes again. ¡°Er, next¡¡?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know what happened. I didn¡¯t move and when I received the report that Christand broke Sarshanka, I took the chance to attack. At that time my force was thirty thousand and the enemy was forty thousand. The battlefield was like this¨D¨D¡± In the end, Krische was stuck with Dagren for another half hour Bery smiled wryly as she guided Krische by the hand, Krische looked like a dog that had been told to stay in front of treats. Krische was finally released after the sun had set and Bery guided her extremely well now. The way Bery exploited the chinks in people¡¯s awareness is simr to Krische. But even in a hall full of noblewomen, Krische¡¯s beauty is eye catching. They ate a little, moved to the next area, ate a little and on to the next again. It was quite rushed and eventually Bery changed ns and they headed to the balcony. They found a quiet corner on the wide balcony, set the slightly inappropriate amount of food they had secured on a table and took a break. There are not many people around. Conversation is prioritised over food at stand-up buffets such as this one. Connections between nobles are formed on asions like this, so nobles are busy looking for the connections that will bring them sess in life and there are many that do not even eat a single bite. Since there is no point in going to a ce without the people they seek, not manye to the balcony and it is rtively quiet. The only people present are young couples or nobles having a serious discussion. People are sparse and it is peaceful. For nobles, appearances and reputation is everything. In the hall, there may be some that hit on them under the pretense of greeting them, but it would be bad for appearance to go all the way to the corner of a deserted area to speak to them. Unless they are acquaintances, such a sudden act would only be seen as hitting on them. Since they had already greeted those they have to speak to, they were able to enjoy a rtively peaceful time. This would not be possible for Selene who has already appeared in high society before, but this is Krische¡¯s first time. Bery breathed a sigh of relief, they should be able to get through the rest of the day like this. ¡°There is a little too much spice on this one.¡± ¡°Yes, that spice is rekkra. Its strong fragrance is good for meat with a strong smell, like boar, but they made the wrong choice here.¡± ¡°A waste of good meat.¡± They were having a cooking review with their many dishes. They had made two trips, so they had their pick of dishes. The dishes they had brought first had gone a little cold, but the ingredients and cooking were good, so they still tasted fine. In fact, most people would have high praises for these dishes. But Krische normally eats the home cooking of a culinary researcher, Bery. Krische can enjoy just about anything when she is hungry, but her pte is extremely refined and she is able to discuss the subtle details of vour with Bery. Krische enjoys times like this with Bery the most ¡°We should consider whole roasts. They arerge and, er¡¡¡± Krische blushed and cut herself off, but Bery justughed softly. ¡°I will never make fun of Krische-sama¡¯s appetite. Krische-sama would love such a filling meal right?¡± ¡°uuu¡¡¡± ¡°But the seasoning and cooking is difficult. We can only make rough estimates with whole roasts.¡± ¡°¡¡the whole roast chicken Bery made before was very delicious.¡± Krische said that a little shyly, making Bery smile happily. ¡°Chicken is still manageable, but a pig would be too much. I would still prefer to cook the parts separately.¡± ¡°Krische also prefers it that way¡¡ehehe, empathy?¡± ¡°Yes, empathy.¡± Bery stroked Krische¡¯s cheek as she snuggled closer. Since her hair has been done up, Bery cannot pat her head. Krische fidgeted then nced around, pouting as she saw the presence of other people. Bery smiled wryly as she inferred what Krische wanted and pressed a finger to Krische¡¯s lips. ¡°Not here.¡± ¡°¡¡then, when we go back to our room.¡± ¡°E, err, maybe¡¡uu¡± ¡°No¡¡?¡± Krische looked at Bery with upturned eyes. Bery blushed and her eyes wandered, troubled by the quagmire she had gotten herself into. ¡®¨D¨DDo not hold back with me. If there is anything Krische-sama wants me to do, please speak out and tell me¡¯ Bery was the one that said that to Krische. Those words came from her good will, her sense of responsibility and her love. She did not think it would lead to this. Krische simply believed in those words, understood it in her own way and is depending on Bery. And that is what she has been doing for a while. It is already toote. Toote, toote. Yes, as Bery kept thinking it is already toote, it got worse and at some point it really became toote. At first, Bery had no doubts that her feelings for Krische was that of a mother or an older sister, the pure love of a guardian. But now she is not so sure. ¡°In, in return, please endure until we go back to our room, okay¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡okay, Krische will endure until we are back in our room.¡± Krische is an exceptionally beautiful girl. Having such a girl dependent on her, kissing her everyday and receiving such innocent love requires a lot more self-control than Bery had thought. And Bery is also aware that she is the one that brought up Krische like this, so there is no one to me but herself. Bery also knows that this is not all bad, it is due to this that Krische acts much more like a normal girl than before. She has be much more charming, she smiles genuinely more often and seems happy. That is why Bery is at a deadlock and can only silently continue to endure the allure of this beautiful, adorable creature. Bery closed her eyes topose herself and when she opened them, Krische was staring at something outside. Following her gaze, there was a single tower at the corner of royalnd. Krische¡¯s gaze shifted from the tower to the area around it. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Er, that seems familiar¡¡Krische, was probably in that tower a long time ago.¡± ¡°Tower¡.¡± Bery frowned. ¡°A long time ago¡¡?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that is probably it. Krische often looked outside from that small window over there.¡± Bery took a closer look and found a single window at the top of the tower. A single tower standing in the back corner of royalnd is strange, its purpose is unfathomable. It looks as if it was built away from the castle, a lonely tower¨D¨Dand what does Krische mean by being there before? Bery¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It was a looong time ago. Krische was really small, it was before Krische was taken in by the vige. Krische never went outside, so Krische does not remember anywhere else though.¡± Krischepared the scenery and flipped the image from her memories, confirming that they matched. Krische quickly lost interest in why she had been there and stared at the unmoving Bery, tilting her head as she watched Bery lost in thought. That was when someone spoke to them. ¡°Oh¡¡this is where you were.¡± A young, but distinct voice. ¡°Are you looking at the tower?¡± Her pale hair shone in the moonlight¨D¨Dwith a tinge of red. A beautiful, phantasmal, magical shine. A tiara sat on her hair which has been let down and appeared to be fluttering despite theck of wind while her amethyst eyes seemed to shine in the dark. Bery quickly bowed deeply at the waist and lowered her head. This is a person who Bery, a servant has to show such respect for. Krische lightly held up her dress and bowed her knees, curtsying elegantly. The girl seemed to be enjoying something as she watched them, then held up her own pure white dress and returned the curtsy. A curtsy that she did not need to return with her standing. She did not bow her head or show any other sign of respect, she simply stood there like an absolute ruler. That is who she is. ¡°Good evening. I am Kreschenta¡¡nice to meet you, Krische-sama.¡± Kreschenta Farna Viera Alberan. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s first princess smiled at them elegantly. ¨D¨Dwith a face simr to Krische¡¯s. -End- Chapter 36: U.E. C.36: The Baby That Does Not Cry Chapter 36: U.E. C.36: The Baby That Does NotCry Baby that does not cry, cursed child. Those were the words repeatedly mentioned around her right after she was born. She did not know the meaning of those words and only heard them as sounds. Krische¡¯s first memory is of opening her eyes in a gloomy room. A bed and a single window. A bookshelf, table and chair. At regr intervals, two women came and fed her milk. They never said anything to Krische and Krische did not say anything either. Krische was breastfed when she got hungry and they cleaned up her waste. After a while, Krische learnt to stand and became able to walk around the room. Around the same period, the woman that breastfed her no longer came and Krische was given porridge with soft potato. She was taught how to eat and how to use a chamber pot. Though Krische understood some words by then, she did not speak. She was not particrly dissatisfied with anything. No, there was the smell of dust and waste. Since the woman visited regrly, Krische chose to use the chamber pot right before she came. Time passed. There were books, but Krische could barely speak, never mind read. She could only stare out the window. The outside scenery was dominated by a white building. She stared nkly at flying creatures and watched as their birth and death. Krische moved the floofy thing around her body, she counted the floor boards, she counted the number of stairs based on the footsteps she could hear. Aside from that, she just ate and slept. At some point, the frequency of calls of nature decreased and her hunger increased, the amount of food was no longer enough. ¡°¡¡this.¡± That was the first time Krische made a request and the woman looked at her dubiously. After many repeated attempts to signal that she was hungry and there is not enough food, the woman finally understood. Her expression was initially confused but when she understood, she looked strangely sad. That was a slight change from the usual uneasy way she looked at Krische. ¡°From now on if there is not enough food, please tell me.¡± The next time the woman came, she taught Krische a few simple words. Thanks to her, Krische learnt to understand simple words and became able to hold a simple conversation. But it seems like she was not allowed to talk to Krische and she only taught Krische the bare minimum. Though it was not allowed, conversing with words was a lot easier than signaling. The woman did not stop Krische either. That rule was probably not that important. Though the woman did not speak to Krische, she would answer when Krische said something to her. The time the woman spent in the room gradually grew longer. She spent more time cleaning the room and it became cleaner. Since Krische did not like dust, she got permission to help and when Krische helped, the woman patted her on the head. Krische enjoyed that and she was bored. She did not have any problems with cleaning and the more she helped, the more she got patted on the head, so Krische happily helped. Stare nkly. Womanes. Eat. Help. Pats. Krische was satisfied with that life and it continued until the day the woman came with swollen eyes. ¨D¨D¡±Sorry¡±, repeatedly apologising, she wrapped Krische in a cloth and carried her somewhere. Krische could not see outside, but they probably got in a carriage. Krische was not aware of that at the time, she only knew they spent a long time rocking in the carriage. Krische and the woman were alone in the carriage. The woman gave Krische her meals in the carriage. After a few days, the carriage stopped and Krische and the woman entered a forest. The woman was holding a knife and she embraced Krische for a while, trembling. Then she let go of Krische, pulled up her skirt and cut her own leg. She let the blood stain the knife then bound the wound with cloth. She then pointed in a direction and told Krische to keep walking that way. The woman patted Krische on the head, then just stood there. Krische nodded and walked in the direction she was told to. The woman had treated Krische well and Krische did not doubt her. Krische kept walking as she was told, she kept walking as her legs grew tired and her stomach grew empty, until she copsed. ¡°Salba! There¡¯s a child!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid Gorka, there¡¯s no wa¨D¨Dyou¡¯re serious? That¡¯s bad, we shouldn¡¯t get involved. It¡¯s probably some noble¡¯s abandoned child.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just leave her here. Let¡¯s bring her back first, then we can decide what to do¨D¨D¡± These are Krische¡¯s memories before arriving in the vige. She was asked many questions in the vige, but she did not speak. Krischeid in bed, weak from hunger and exhaustion. Listening to the vigers¡¯ conversations, she learnt that she was abandoned. She did not know why she was abandoned, but at that time she thought it was because she broke the rule of not speaking to the woman. The vigers also talked about Krische being some noble and that they should throw her out if she really is some noble¡¯s abandoned child, making Krische avoid speaking even more. Krische cannot afford to be thrown out and chose to wait and see, observing the vigers. She was not able to speak much in the first ce, so it was not that difficult to act. Eventually, she became Gorka and Grace¡¯s child and was given a name, people forgot about her origins. That is how Krische became a member of the vige and started living there. Although Krische has these memories, she never recalled them. Krische had no interest in those memories. She only recalled them because she saw that tower and the woman standing behind Kreschenta with a tense expression. She used to look to be in herte teens, but now she looks older. But she does not look that different and her face has not changed. Her hairstyle with her ck hair gathered in a bun at the back of her head and her ck and white apron dress are the same. Krische hesitated on whether to greet her, then chose not to. It is a rule during this kind of events to not greet servants. Krische stared at the woman, then looked at Kreschenta. Kreschenta is dressed in a rtively simple white dress, beautifully decorated withce. The dress had gold embroidery and a silver ne hung around her neck. Herrge, upturned eyes looked up at Krische. ¡°Nice to meet you, I am Krische Christand. Next to me is the Christand family¡¯s servant, Bery Argan. Pleased to make your acquaintance, your highness.¡± Krische greeted Kreschenta with the standard greeting that Bery had taught her. Kreschenta giggled. ¡°That feels off. Call me Kreschenta. No need for sama or the like, there is no one that can hear us anyway.¡± ¡°Okay. Then, nice to meet you, Kreschenta.¡± ¡°K, Krische-sama¡¡¡± Bery hastily called out when Krische responded too obediently. Bery had not expected this situation and had not taught Krische how to reply in this scenario ¡°Ufufu, I do not mind, Argan-sama. Rx.¡± ¡°Sa, sama¡¡is too much for me, your highness.¡± ¡°It is a habit. Then I will make it an order. Do not mind it.¡± ¡°Er¡¡un, understood.¡± Kreschenta stared at Krische, she really seemed to be enjoying something. ¡°This is the first time we have met, but it does not feel like it. I have always wanted to meet you¡¡does Nora look familiar?¡± Kreschenta pointed at the woman next to her¨D¨Dat Nora. Krische nodded. ¡°Yes, she took care of me when I was younger.¡± Nora stiffened and Bery¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Krische-sama is my onee-sama¡¡since you two were talking as you looked at the tower, I had thought that Argan-sama also guessed that.¡± ¡°That, is¡¡¡± ¡°Indeed. From what I saw in the hall, onee-sama seems to be very important to Argan-sama, so I trust Argan-sama will not spread this. Krische-sama¡¡ah, may I call you onee-sama?¡± ¡°¡¡.? Okay.¡± Krische nodded,pletely unperturbed, making Kreschentaugh. Kreschenta turned to Bery. ¡°That tower is where the royal family¡¯s cursed children are confined. They cannot be let out, but nobody wants them in the castle either. That is why that tower was built there¡¡and onee-sama used to live there, with Nora over here taking care of her.¡± The woman called Nora nced about uneasily, but Kreschenta ignored her and continued. ¡°Onee-sama, please keep it a secret that onee-sama was in that tower. From what I have seen, it appears onee-sama is not very familiar with pce politics, or even noble society as a whole.¡± ¡°Yes, not really.¡± The Christands are nobles and serve as a general. The king is their patron and is very important. That is Krische¡¯s understanding of nobles and she does not particrly care to know more. Of course Krische had been taught the structure of noble society and has the knowledge, but her understanding of it is poor. Although she can exin the structure of noble society, she ispletely ignorant of how to act in it and only does as Bery tells her to. ¡°Since onee-sama is my onee-sama, onee-sama was originally otou-sama¡¯s¨D¨Dhis majesty, the king¡¯s daughter and the first princess. But because of certain circumstances, onee-sama is not supposed to exist and there will be a lot of troublesome problems if this became known, so it is better to keep it a secret.¡± Kreschenta did not beat about the bush, exining the key points only. This direct exnation is very easy for Krische to understand and Krische found it slightly curious that Kreschenta exined it this way although they had just met. Kreschenta saw Krische¡¯s questioning look and smiled. ¡°I am the same as onee-sama. I like simple exnations¡¡I am most likely the one person that can understand onee-sama¡¯s feelings the most.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. That is why I have always wanted to meet you. Because onee-sama is also the one that will understand me the best.¡± Kreschenta¡¯s cold, inhuman eyes seems to heat up. ¡°I believe that if we understand each other and seek the same thing, then we can obtain the only ce in this world where we can rx.¡± ¡°¡¡rx?¡± ¡°Yes, rx. A ce where we are not threatened by anyone. I believe I can create such a ce with onee-sama.¡± ¨D¨Dso will you stay with me forever? Kreschenta proposed. It has not even been a quarter hour since they had met. Bery looked at Krische in confusion, it is hard to believe that the princess had just said that. Krische briefly looked between Bery and Kreschenta before answering. ¡°Nn¡¡Krische, likes Krische¡¯s current home.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kreschenta suddenly looked at Bery. She was smiling¨D¨Dbut her eyes were inhuman, like a snake¡¯s. ¨D¨Dstrangely, Krische was able to vaguely understand what Kreschenta was thinking. ¡°Kreschenta, no. If Kreschenta does that Krische will have to kill Kreschenta. That will be very troublesome for Krische.¡± Bery tensed, looking from Krische to Kreschenta. Their age is different, yet their faces are simr. Of course there are slight differences¨D¨Dbut the air about them is identical. ¡°¡¡you like her that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kreschenta pouted and looked up at Krische unhappily. ¡°Absolutely not¡±, Krische said as she pressed a finger to Kreschenta¡¯s lips. Kreschenta looked stunned for a moment, then her lips rxed into a smile as she happily stepped closer. ¡°¡¡understood. I will never do anything to onee-sama¡¯s favourite.¡± ¡°Kreschenta, good girl.¡± ¡°Ah¡¡¡± Krische patted Kreschenta¡¯s head and Kreschenta seemed happy for a moment. But then Kreschenta hastily stepped away and caught Krische¡¯s hand. ¡°Onee-sama, you cannot do that. I am the princess, it would be bad if that was seen.¡± Kreschenta ced her hands on her hips, pretending to be angry as she looked around. Luckily, nobody was looking at them. Kreschenta had hid herself behind Nora when she walked here, so most people on the balcony had not even realised that Kreschenta is here in the first ce. ¡°But good girls that do as they are told should be patted on the head. And somehow, Krische thought Kreschenta would like it¡¡¡± Krische tilted her head at her own words. It was like Krische could read Kreschenta¡¯s mind. Krische can understand how Kreschenta thinks, what she likes, what she hates¨D¨Deverything. Krische can kind of understand her, unlike other humans. ¨D¨Dwhen Kreschenta looked at Bery just now, she had been nning how to kill Bery. She wanted Krische but Krische rejected her. So how should she deal with the obstacle? Killing Bery would be simplest and quite easy. Rules and regtions have to be followed to fit into society. But they do not matter if not found out and can be broken secretly to obtain something. That is also Krische¡¯s belief, so it is easy for her to understand. Kreschenta looked slightly happy when Krische pressed a finger to her lips and Krische understands that feeling. So Krische thought that she would also be happy to be patted on the head. For some reason, Krische can understand Kreschenta¡¯s logic and emotions, she nced towards Bery, wondering if this is empathy. But Bery did not notice Krische¡¯s gaze, she was watching Kreschenta with a tense expression. ¡°Th, that is true but¡¡I may be a child but I am also a princess. Anyway¡¡you cannot do that in the pce. Seriously, onee-sama needs to understand your own position better.¡± Kreschenta blushed and seemed happy as she stepped closer to Krische again. ¡°You were abandoned. So I can understand that you are not aware of the situation but¡¡it seems we need to catch up with each other.¡± ¡°Catch up?¡± Kreschanta smiled and answered Krische¡¯s question. ¡°We need to share what each of us has learnt with the other. We can learn faster if we teach each other what the other iscking. It is alreadyte today, so tomorrow¡¡I will visit onee-sama. It would be dangerous to let onee-sama wander around here.¡± ¡°Er¡¡Krische is going back to the estate with master tomorrow morning though.¡± Krische wants to hurry home and cook, so she turned down the invitation. But Kreschenta drew even closer with an exasperated look. ¡°¡¡onee-sama, invitation from royalty is usually absolute. A margrave would stay a few more days if I said I want to talk to onee-sama.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Seems I will have to start from the fundamentals¡¡¡± Kreschenta puffed out her cheeks. Krische poked her cheeks and pushed the air out. ¡°I just said you cannot do that!¡± Kreschenta red back, embarassed, before sighing and then turning to Bery. ¡°Argan-sama, could I ask you to pass a message to the margrave in onee-sama¡¯s ce?¡± ¡°Y, yes¡¡your highness.¡± Bery watched Kreschenta. Kreschenta¡¯s expressions are rich and rapidly changing¨D¨Dbut her atmosphere really is simr. ¡®¡¡you like her that much?¡¯ Kreschenta¡¯s eyes when she asked Krische that were the same inhuman eyes that Krische sometimes shows. Purple gemstones void of emotion. Krische¡¯s eyes are always like that when observing or calcting something. Those eyes were a little scary at first, but Bery has gotten used to them. It is who Krische is and Bery has epted it as a lovable trait. But simr eyes from Kreschenta sent chills down Bery¡¯s spine, it felt like she was a frog under the re of a snake. As if her life was at Kreschenta¡¯s whimsy¨D¨D ¡°There is no need to be scared. I may lie to others, but I will not lie to onee-sama. She would notice immediately and unlike other people¡¡it would be scary to make an enemy of onee-sama.¡± And the way she thinks is also simr to Krische. Thought she wants Krische as a sympathiser, she is also coldly analysing Krische. Kreschenta is calcting everything. What will happen if Krische became an enemy, what to do in that case. She is thinking in terms of gains and losses, not sentiment. Bery could understand this from the long time she has spent with Krische¨D¨Dand felt uneasy. -End- Chapter 37: U.E. C.37: The Heroic Epic A Maiden Wanted Chapter 37: U.E. C.37: The Heroic Epic A MaidenWanted The estate¡¯s entranceway. Bogan and Selene were kneeling to wee Kreschenta. Since the princess is visiting, both of them are dressed in simplified dress uniform for military nobles. Riding pants with a cloth vest¨D¨Dquilted armor with a cloak. Krische and Bery are wearing skirts so they are not kneeling, instead they bowed deeply at the waist and lowered their heads. ¡°Oh, please raise your heads. This is an anonymous visit.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, your highness.¡± Right after an anonymous visit from Gildanstein, here is another one from Kreschenta. He had just been warned to stay away from politics, this situation is making Bogan¡¯s stomach hurt. Why has shee here? Bery had also seemed confused when she told him about this yesterday. ¡°I do not have any friends around my age¡¡so I would like to get along with Krische-sama. Right, Krische-sama?¡± ¡°Yes, er, your highness?¡± Kreschenta nodded in satisfaction but Selene red at Krische. Krische¡¯s exnation had been vague, as was Bery¡¯s. Their exnation that the princess had taken a liking to Krische and will being over to y as a friend did not make sense. Bery had seemed troubled and asked Selene and Bogan to wait and see for a while, but in the end, they still do not know Kreschenta¡¯s true intentions. No matter how you looked at her, Krische is not the type of person to easily make ¡®friends¡¯. In fact, she is hopelessly bad at it. It is quite hard to believe that when the princess just happened to talk to Krische, Krische not only did not anger her, but even became friends. There is also the question of why Kreschenta showed up here instead of summoning Krische to the pce. Selene looked closely at Kreschenta¡¯s face. A pretty¨D¨Dfairy-like, adorable face. The princess¡¯ beauty is famous in high society and she is just as beautiful as rumoured. Her young, but perfect features looked somewhat simr to Krische. ¡°The matching dresses with Krische-sama was beautiful, but you also look wonderful, dignified in dress uniform.¡± ¡°It is an honour, your highness.¡± ¡°I have heard about your and Krische¡¯s contributions. If there is a chance, I would like to hear more about it.¡± ¡°It would be my delight. If you would like to, we could talk about it with Krische now.¡± Kreschenta looked like she was enjoying something as Selene replied with a smile. ¡°I have a promise with Krische-sama. Sorry, but not today.¡± ¡°Please forgive me for my impertinence, your highness.¡± ¡°It is fine, I was happy to hear it¡¡could you guide me to the room?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Bery bowed her head. After watching the four of them go, including Nora silently following behind, Selene sighed. ¡°¡¡I don¡¯t get it. Why did the princesse?¡± There was no response, she turned to Bogan but he seemed lost in thought. ¡°Otou-sama?¡± ¡°¡¡no, I just had a stupid thought. Well, as Bery said, let¡¯s wait and see. Bery is a smart girl.¡± ¡°¡¡indeed. I just hope Krische does not do something stupid.¡± In the end, that is Selene¡¯s main concern. Once they were in Krische¡¯s room, Kreschenta and Krische sat on diagonally opposite sofas as Bery brewed tea for them. Kreschenta stared at her, then at Krische adding plenty of milk to her own tea. Krische noticed her gaze and also added the same amount of milk to Kreschenta¡¯s tea. Krische adds arge amount of milk to her tea to lower it to a more suitable temperature, but it is quite a lot more than what most people would add. Bery looked at Kreschenta in concern. Kreschenta looked embarrassed, but also seemed quite happy. She happily took a sip. ¨D¨Dtheir preferences are the same too. Bery went to stand at her position as a servant as she discovered that simrity and watched them from an appropriate distance. Kreschenta¡¯s servant, Nora, also stood there without saying a word. For a while, Kreschenta asked Krische various things about her past. About how Krische was taken in by the vige and raised by Grace and Gorka. How they were killed by bandits and how Krische was forced to leave the vige because she killed those bandits. How her grandfather left her in the care of his acquaintance and she was adopted. Krische owes a lot to Bery, Selene and Bogan and she has not been able to repay that debt at all. She wants to return that debt as much as she can and likes her life in the estate. That is why she cannot join Kreschenta. Krische¡¯s exnation was dispassionate. She did not show her usual dependency on Bery, she did not even nce at Bery. Krische was expressionless and she spoke matter-of-factly, but it looked to Bery like she is on guard. After Kreschenta was done with her questions, she stared at her tea for a while, thinking. ¡°¡¡my visit is also to confirm something, since my uncle seems to have visited the day before yesterday. He might have spoken badly of me. The margrave looked a little troubled.¡± And withoutmenting on Krische¡¯s story, she started talking about something else. This is the main topic. Bery mentally braced herself as she replied. ¡°¡¡is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I could see it. Argan-sama, what are the margrave¡¯s intentions?¡± There is no way the princess, Kreschenta made the effort to visit them simply because of her stated reason of not letting Krische wander around the castle. She hade to investigate the reason for the royal prince, Gildanstein¡¯s visit. She had visited to see Bogan¡¯s reaction. ¡°¡¡he is not a person that often talks about politics. But¡¡¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°The master is a true soldier that fights for the country, a person that disciplines and decides for himself. He always maintains a distance from politics.¡± ¡°A true soldier¨D¨Dthose are nice words.¡± Despite what she said, Kreschenta looked dissatisfied. Pouting a little, she turned to Krische. ¡°If onee-sama is going to stay with the margrave, I would have liked for him to be on my side.¡± ¡°Krische knows nothing about that.¡± ¡°You know that the pce is split into two factions right? It is not good to always be on the backfoot.¡± ¡°Kreschenta wants to be king?¡± Kreschenta put a hand to her brow when Krische asked that with a puzzled look. ¡°That way is safer. I am the same as onee-sama, I was in danger of being killed from the time I was born. As a cursed child.¡± ¡°Same as Krische?¡± ¡°¡¡if not, I would be enjoying a fun life with onee-sama right now. Onee-sama, as a baby, you did not cry right?¡± Krische thought a little and nodded. ¡°Yes. They gave Krische food, so Krische was satisfied.¡± ¡°We think like that because we are different from normal people. Normally, babies just cry.¡± Kreschenta¡¯s gaze turned to Nora. ¡°I was able to cry and survive because Nora taught me how to, but it was still quite dangerous. Right, Nora?¡± ¡°¡¡my apologies.¡± ¡°There is nothing for you to apologise for. Thanks to you, I was not killed and am able to meet onee-sama now.¡± Nora silently ducked her head, tightly gripping her own skirt. ¡°A baby that does not cry will bring cmity upon the royal family¨D¨Dor so the legends say. Something must have happened in the past. Because of that, onee-sama was confined in the tower with Nora in charge of you¡¡apparently our okaa-sama (T/N: Mother) begged for your life.¡± In contrast, Kreschenta is calm. She is only slightly past the age of ten¨D¨Dtooposed for her age. ¡°Otou-sama hesitated and postponed the decision by confining onee-sama in the tower¨D¨Dafter okaa-sama got pregnant with me, he decided to dispose of you. Since there is going to be another child, he probably wanted to pretend you never existed.¡± ¡°¡¡oh. Krische always thought it was because Krische spoke to Nora-san.¡± ¡°Fufu, that is not it. But it seems like Nora has always regretted it¡¡after all, she abandoned onee-sama in the forest as a young child.¡± Kreschenta looked at Nora. Nora trembled and looked down, hiding her face. A bead of sweat crawled down her cheek. ¡°¡¡please forgive me, I, I, I¡¡I could not, do anything else, at the time.¡± Krische watched her then nced at Bery. Bery was looking at Nora with a sad expression. ¡°I like Nora, but if onee-sama is angry then I am willing to hand Nora over. Do you want her?¡± Kreschenta¡¯s voice was t, cold. Hand Nora over, meaning Krische can do anything she wants to Nora. But Krische was not interested. ¡°Nn¡¡ Krische is not particrly angry. Nora-san petted Krische¡¯s head a lot too.¡± ¡°¡¡!¡± ¡°It is true Krische got very hungry and almost died, but Krische was taken in by the vige anyway¡¡ah, this is fate.¡± Kreschenta tiled her head. Krische smiled and held up a finger. ¡°Krische was abandoned by Nora-san and taken in by the vige, then went to the Christand¡¯s estate and is doted on by Bery and Selene. Krische is very satisfied with the current situation, so Krische is not angry. ¡°¡¡fate.¡± ¡°Yes. Krishe might also be living in the pce if Krische could pretend like Kreschenta. But if Krische did that, then Krische would not have such a fun life with Bery and Selene, so Krische is satisfied with the current situation. Right, Bery?¡± Bery smiled happily at those words, but Kreschenta pouted. ¡°Hmmm, so that is how it is for onee-sama?¡± ¡°Yes¡¡ Kreschenta is not having fun at all?¡± ¡°Yes, not at all. Even if I am the princess, the fact that I was once called a cursed child does not change¡¡I can never rx, I have to be careful of poison in my meals everyday and pretend to be stupid enough to not raise suspicions¨D¨Donee-sama may be enjoying a carefree life, but it is different for me.¡± Kreschenta puffed out her cheeks. Kreschenta is quite good at talking and showing expression. Krische has done her best to improve in that aspect, but Kreschenta must have worked even harder. Krische could understand that, she stood up, moved to sit beside Kreschenta and patted her head. ¡°Wh, what are you doing¡¡?¡± ¡°Patting your head.¡± ¡°Th, that is not what I mean¡¡¡± Kreschenta blushed, looking at Bery and Nora, but did not say any more and let Krische have her way. ¡°Kreschenta wants to rx? That is why Kreschenta wants to be king?¡± ¡°¡¡is there any other reason?¡± ¡°No, just checking. Krische did not really understand why Kreschenta needs Krische¡¡ Kreschenta wants Krische¡¯s help so that Kreschenta can rx?¡± ¡°Yes. In exchange, Kreschenta will also make it so that onee-sama can rx.¡± Kreschenta spoke as if that was obvious. Krische calmly listened to her and smiled. She stroked Kreschenta¡¯s cheek. ¡°Krische might be able to rx more by killing Kreschenta right now.¡± And ced her hand on Kreschenta¡¯s neck. Krische was still smiling as she calmly said that. ¡°Krische is a lot stronger when ites to fighting, but Kreschenta is better at talking and seems to have studied a lot, so Kreschenta could harass Krische a lot.¡± The words, the meaning behind them. There was no pretense, only innocent murderous intent. Her eyes were cold, as if watching a butterfly caught in her hand. They were lit only by a cold purple light. The princess¡¯ eyes were the same¨D¨Dan inhuman purple looking back at Krische. She knows that if Krische wants to, Krische could easily do it. If Krische really wanted to kill her, she can only die. Resigned, she watched, she observed the person who held her life. ¡°¡¡will you kill me?¡± Gains and losses¨D¨Dif their interests do not match, that is the end. Though she came because there was a good chance of sess, Kreschenta had also considered this oue beforehand but still came. After a long silence, Krische spoke with a troubled expression. ¡°Kreschenta seems like Kreschenta will do that if left alone, so Krische thought about it a little. But killing the princess will also cause problems for Krische, so it is very troublesome.¡± A twisted conversation¨D¨DBery and Nora gulped as they listened. ¡°So Krische had an idea.¡± Krische sped Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks between her hands and said. ¡°Kreschenta can juste to the estate too.¡± ¡°¡¡eh?¡± ¡°Wai, K, Krische-sama¡¡!¡± Bery spoke up hastily, but Krische just nced at her and tilted her head before looking back into Kreschenta¡¯s eyes and continuing. ¡°That way, Kreschenta does not have to worry about meals because Krische and Bery will be making the meals. Kreschenta does not need to think that Kreschenta is weird. Krische and Bery both sees it as a trait.¡± Krische stroked Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks and traced her lips¨D¨D ¡°¨D¨DKrische will pat Kreschenta¡¯s head. Krische will hug Kreschenta and sleep together¡¡Kreschenta just needs to do the same for Krische. That way, both Krische and Kreschenta are satisfied.¡± ¡°Er¡¡¡± ¡°Kreschenta said Kreschenta wants to be understood and that Kreschenta understands Krische. Krische was taught that a rtionship where both try to understand each other and fulfill each other¡¯s wishes, is a very happy and wonderful rtionship¡¡ Krische also believes that.¡± Krische¡¯s hands slid down as she spoke. From Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks to her jaw, thening to rest around Kreschenta¡¯s neck again. Her fingers traced the soft flesh there and toyed with it. Their faces were so close their noses were almost touching, but, ¡°Krische is also uneasy while Kreschenta still feels unpleasant. Krische thinks it might be better to kill Kreschenta instead.¡± Her purple eyes were cold and inhuman. ¡°¡¡but if Kreschenta no longer feels unpleasant then both Krische and Kreschenta can rx right? That way Krische can let Kreschenta rx and Kreschenta can do the same right?¡± Kreschenta looked stunned, staring at Krische. She savoured the feeling of the hands around her throat, then pouted again and red at Krische. ¡°I thought this yesterday¡..but onee-sama is a little stupid. You are aware that I am the princess?¡± ¡°Krische is not stupid. Krische just does not know anything about the pce and just thought about things simply¡¡you don¡¯t like Krische¡¯s idea?¡± ¡°¡¡I do not dislike it.¡± Kreschenta drew closer and got onto Krische¡¯sp. In that position, she hugged Krische and smiled. ¡°¡¡but, yes. It is not that bad an idea. Onee-sama is telling me to enter the same birdcage right? As long as the birdcage is a nice ce where both onee-sama and I can rx it is fine¡¡that way, we can work together to protect that birdcage.¡± ¡°Birdcage¡¡¡± ¡°It is just a metaphor. Onee-sama really has poor conversation skills.¡± Kreschenta giggled as Krische blushed. ¡°We are the birds. The birdcage can be the pce or the estate. If I dote on the same birds in the same birdcage that onee-sama dotes on, then onee-sama will also be kind to me and protect me¡¡and if anyone tries to do something to our birdcage, we can protect it together¨D¨Dright?¡± ¡°Yes, something like that. Kreschenta can just use some reason like studying toe to the estate. It is very simple right?¡± Kreschenta nodded and rubbed her cheeks with Krische¡¯s, seeming to be enjoying herself. ¡°Yes, yes. The theory is very simple. There is any number of problems, but there is a good chance of sess. If that is onee-sama¡¯s intention, then I will also do my best for onee-sama.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Krische patted Kreschenta¡¯s head. Krische has learnt that this is how you treat children. Kreschenta looked extremely happy and smiled as she ran a hand through Krische¡¯s hair, then narrowed her eyes. ¡°But I will need some time to prepare. As the princess¨D¨Das someone fighting for the throne, it is not that simple to visit a margrave.¡± ¡°That, well¡¡Krische also understands that.¡± ¡°The pce society is a littleplicated and really troublesome, so I will deal with that first.¡± ¡°What is Kreschenta going to do?¡± Kreschenta looked at Krische, then Bery. ¡°Please do not worry about that. Just some preparations to build a sturdy birdcage.¡± ¡°¡¡a sturdy birdcage?¡± ¡°I will exin when it is done, so rest assured. More importantly¡¡onee-sama, can I sleep in this position?¡± ¡°Fufu, Kreschenta really is a child.¡± Krische said the words that are usually said to her and poked Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks when she puffed them out, forcing the air out. Puhyuu, Kreschenta blushed at the dumb sound she made. ¡°I¡¡I wanted to try sleeping peacefully, just for once. I have never been able to rx and sleep. Whenever I sleep, I have to worry about being killed.¡± Bery saw Kreschenta¡¯s expression and lowered her eyes. She is the same as Krische. Their eyes are extremely inhuman¨D¨Dbut also sometimes reflective, like ss. They are aware that they are different from others, but still do their best to fit in and act as desired, simply seeking peace of mind and happiness. But this ¡®small Krische¡¯ is not even allowed simple sleep. Bery felt an indescribable emotion well up as she took the nket from the bed and wrapped both of them in it. ¡°Sleeping like that would not be good for your body.¡± Kreschenta looked confused for a moment, then her expression rxed. ¡°Argan-sama is a kind person.¡± I can see why onee-sama took a liking to you¨D¨Dshe said with those inhuman, purple eyes. The next day, they left the capital and returned the way they came. Kreschenta told Bery to stay quiet and only told Bogan on the way out that she wants toe over to the Christand¡¯s estate to y. Bery hesitated a little on how she should exin things, but Bogan told her not to say anything if the princess had forbidden her, so she kept it to herself. And as if nothing had happened, they returned to the estate. Their journey was the same as before and they returned to their normal lives upon arriving at the estate But a few dayster, Bogan received a report that the king has passed away. The messenger said that it was not due to illness, it was clearly poison. And also that the princess has gone missing. Bery felt a chill run down her spine when she heard about it, but she did not let it show. But another few dayster¨D¨Don a rainy night, Bery heard a knock, opened the door and froze when she saw the girl standing there. ¡°¡¡it has been half a month, Argan-sama.¡± Her hair peeked out from her rain-soaked cloak. That hair shone an elegant gold with a tinge of red. The face peeking out from the cloak is young and simr to Krische¡¯s¨D¨Da beautiful fairy that beguiles people. ¡°The king had been assassinated, the princess fearing her political enemy, the royal prince, sought safety with the loyal subject, margrave Christand whom I got to know at the dinner party. After I confront the royal prince with Christand¨D¨Dwith onee-sama and win, I obtain the crown and peace¡¡¡± Glistening drops of water dripped off her wet hair as she removed her hood. In the dark of night, she looked phantasmal, she did not feel real. ¡°¡¡don¡¯t you think that is a good script? Onee-sama does not need to leave the Christands that she likes, I get to live with onee-sama and the masses will praise me and the Christands.¡± Her sweet, cold voice was quiet, but clear despite the sound of rain. ¡°¡¡I have studied quite a lot. In every age, the key to a stable rule is the support of the masses. The masses are usually docile, but it is always the stories that move them. I wrote this script based on a widespread and familiar story¡¡isn¡¯t it nice?¡± ¨D¨Disn¡¯t this the heroic epic that everyone wants? Kreschenta smiled bewitchingly. ¨D¨DAlberan year 457 The great civil war known as the War for the Alberan Crown began not long after the Kingdom defended the invasion from the Elsren Holy Empire. The gravely ill king Shelbarza was assassinated. The first princess, Kreschenta feared her political rival, the royal prince Gildanstein and sought safety with the hero of that time, Christand. Gildanstein was infuriated, he imed that it is all the princess¡¯ plot and asserted his right to the throne. He demanded that Christand hand over the princess. But before Gildanstein could be crowned, the nobles against him, those of the princess faction imed that Gildanstain¡¯s faction had assassinated the king and they sided with Christand. The princess faction was advantageous at that time and had no reason to assassinate the king, they loudly proimed Gildanstein to be an usurper of the throne. The confrontation grew more intense and could not longer be resolved through politics or words¨D¨D ¨D¨DThe War for the Alberan Crown broke out, splitting the Kingdom into two. This is the beginning of the war as described in history books. -End- Right in the kokoro Previous ¨C ¨C Chapter 38: U.E. C.38: A Shame Chapter 38: U.E. C.38: AShame The Christand estate¨D¨Dparlour. The rain-soaked Kreschenta had bathed, changed and is now seated here. Bogan and Selene sat across from her while Bery stood at Kreschenta¡¯s side. ¡°¡¡you doubt me?¡± ¡°No¡¡absolutely not, your highness.¡± Bogan shook his head. The king had been assasinated. The princess had gone into hiding, then showed up here. The natural course of action is to shelter her and Bogan does not believe there is any other option. Without any prior information at all, Gildanstein would appear to be the usurper. It ispletely reasonable to assume that he took the king¡¯s life to take the throne by force. Kreschenta would be the poor princess caught up in that. Appointed by the king as his heir, putting her young life at risk¨D¨Dthen she showed up here alone. Her expression looks sad and she seems uneasy. Kreschenta looked just like a normal, terrified child. Take her in and take down the ursurper. It is natural to think like this, but¨D¨D ¡®Be very careful. Kreschenta is merciless if you get in its way. Whether you believe me or not, remember what I said¡¡do not be fooled by appearances.¡¯ Gildanstein¡¯s words reyed in the back of his mind. In terms of good or bad, Gildanstein would be bad. Bogan believes that he could even be called evil. But they had fought together on the battlefield. Bogan knows him. Gildanstein is extremely pragmatic, he hates useless things and is undoubtedly a good judge of character. At the very least, he would not say that as a joke. This is why Bogan is still unable to figure out Kreschenta. Bery also seemed to be lost in thought and uneasy since Kreschenta¡¯s arrival. ¡°But I do have a question, why did your highnesse to me? Your highness should have other¨D¨D¡± ¡°Because I believed this to be the most suitable choice. I guess you would not know unless I reveal it¡¡it is because of Krische-sama¨D¨Dbecause of onee-sama.¡± ¡°Onee-sama¡¡?¡± Selene, who had been sitting quietly beside Bogan, spoke up in a confused tone and Kreschenta smiled in reply. Everyone but Krische is in this room, she had been left in her room. ¡°Yes, we are actually sisters. I spoke to Argan-sama about this with onee-sama the other day. I requested that she kept this to herself at that time though.¡± Kreschenta¡¯s gaze turned to Bery. Bery¡¯s eyes wandered a little as she nodded. ¡°¡¡my apologies.¡± ¡°No¡¡it¡¯s fine. That can¡¯t be helped.¡± Bogan shook his head. This is a topic that cannot be carelessly spoken of. Bogan would also obey if royalty told him to keep something to himself. ¡°In the royal family, a baby that does not cry is considered a cursed child¡¡ onee-sama was confined and raised in a certain tower on royalnd for a few years after her birth, then brought outside and killed¨D¨Dofficially. I was surprised when I saw her on the balcony that day. Of course I have never met her¡¡but our faces are very simr and she was staring at that tower.¡± Not a lie but not theplete truth. Kreschenta¡¯s natural tone made even Bery, who knew the truth, almost believe her. ¡°The servant with me at the time recognised her at a nce. Apparently, she was formerly in charge of caring for onee-sama¡¡ she was also the person that told me about onee-sama. I went to meet her that day because I was ted.¡± Kreschenta lowered her eyes sadly. ¡°I should not have done that¡¡margrave, did oji-sama (T/N: Uncle) perhaps tell you about cursed children?¡± ¡°That is¡¡¡± ¡°I was also almost killed for not crying when I was born. Of course, because I was seen as a cursed child. It seemed to have been a misunderstanding and I was raised as the princess but¡¡¡± ¡°This is just my imagination¡±, she mentioned before continuing. ¡°Naturally, Oji-sama would remember what happened back then. Including where onee-sama was to be killed. Our faces are alike¡¡he might have realised onee-sama is the cursed child from back then because I carelessly went to meet onee-sama.¡± The way she lowered her eyes was both beautiful and pitiful. She has not taken a single sip of her tea. ¡°¡¡Oji-sama must have feared Christand joining my side and, did this, this¨D¨Dthis terrible thing.¡± Bogan fell into thought, as did Selene. Bogan trusts Gildanstein. But Kreschenta sounds convincing. Bogan had noticed Gildanstein¡¯s strange reaction for an instant when he saw Krische. He has also felt that Kreschenta and Krische¡¯s appearances are simr and now that he sees her at such a close distance, it is undoubtedly true that they are sisters. There are no holes in her exnation. Krsiche is the lost princess and Kreschenta was in the same position as Krische, a cursed child. If the two joined forces, it is natural to assume that Christand would join the princess¡¯ side. At least, from Gildanstein¡¯s point of view. Gildanstein has effectively taken control of the capital. As justification for himself to take the crown, he would probably dere that Kreschenta was born curse. That is why she assassinated the king. And also that the reason why Christand would shelter the princess is because of the other cursed child, Krische. In which case, Bogan would have no choice but to take to the sword to protect Krische, to protect his daughter. No matter who is right, Bogan is in a position where he has to shelter Kreschenta. The situation is too perfect and he has been caught up in it. Regardless of Bogan¡¯s own thoughts, Bogan is forced to act. Bogan ced a hand on his chin and lowered his eyes as these thoughts ran though his mind. Selene is aware of Gildanstein¡¯s infamy and found her father¡¯s hesitation strange as she examined Kreschenta. The more she looked, the more simr Kreschenta looks to Krische. The royal family¡¯s cursed child, Selene can understand why Krische would be called that. It makes sense if Krische did not cry when she was a baby and Selene is more aware than anyone else that Krische is not normal. Selene will not deny that Krische is abnormal. But she still loves Krische on top of that, so she is not that surprised by the truth Kreschenta revealed. But there is something else that bothered her. ¨D¨DIs Kreschenta the same? Krische, the cursed child¡¯s abnormality is obvious and distinct. But Kreschenta is different. She appears young but seems like a proper princess. Compared to Krische, Kreschenta is too perfect. Kreschenta noticed Selene¡¯s gaze and tilted her head. ¡°Selene-sama, is something the matter?¡± ¡°No¡¡just, Krische and your highness are very alike.¡± Their features are very simr. Since they are sisters, that is natural. No, but it is not just that¨D¨D ¡°¡¡fufu. That makes me happy. It is curious, Kreschenta, Krische, we were raised separately yet we are the same¨D¨Dour names both came from the moon.¡± Hearing that, Selene felt something click. ¡°Selene-sama is the same too. It feels like destiny.¡± ¡°Names rted to the moon are quitemon but¡¡that is true. And your highness is quite knowledgeable.¡± ¡°¡¡eh?¡± ¡°Krische is an old word from the north that is rarely used.¡± Selene means full moon and Kreschenta refers to the crescent moon. These words are from the old westernmonnguage and are rtivelymon names for nobles. The name Selene is a wish for a life full of happiness and the name Kreschenta is praise for her beauty. But the word Krische, meaning ¡®iplete moon¡¯, is apparently from an old barbariannguage and is notmonly known. Even Selene who is well-studied, did not know the origins of that name until Krische told her. The vige¡¯s original settlers probably spoke thatnguage. It is clearly a strange word to include in the education of the royal family that conquered those barbarians. Of course there is the possibility that Kreschenta happened to see that word in some book. But it is still curious and Selene instinctively felt that this was not the case. ¨D¨DDespite being twelve years old, this princess has extensive knowledge and great intelligence. Just like Krische. ¡°It is simr so I happened to learn it when looking up the origins of my own name. My memory is quite good.¡± And Kreschenta¡¯s eyes, directed at Selene as she spoke proved the point. Those eyes are extremely simr to those that Krische asionally shows. Inhuman¨D¨Deyes that simply observe. They quickly turned away, back to Bogan. ¡°That is the only reason I came here¡¡ I was just an ornament and do not know much about actual politics. That is why¡¡aside from the margrave, who loves onee-sama and treats her like your own daughter, I did not have anywhere else to go.¡± ¡°¡¡I understand now. Either way, now that I know of your circumstances, I have no choice but to make a stand to protect Krische. I do think of her as my own daughter¡¡just like Selene.¡± No matter what Kreschenta is, that is his only possible conclusion. He has already been dragged into the quagmire¨D¨Dright into the very middle of it. Selene also noticed that Kreschenta is not normal but did not object to his decision. Selene had alsoe to the same conclusion as Bogan. ¡°¡¡I will be causing trouble for the margrave. But I promise that I will repay this debt¨D¨DI swear on the name of Kreschenta Farna Viera Alberan¡± ¡°¡¡it is an honour.¡± After the talk, Kreschenta went to Krische¡¯s room, apanied by Bery. Kreschenta snuggled up to Krische and looked anxiously at her, who is already dressed in a negligee and ready to go to bed. ¡°Onee-sama, are you angry?¡± ¡°¡¡Krische said Kreschenta cane to the estate but Krische did not say it is okay to drag us into a war.¡± ¡°But onee-sama did not say it is not okay either.¡± Krische frowned and red at Kreschenta, making her desperately shake her head. ¡°¡¡sorry. Please forgive me. I knew that onee-sama would be angry.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°Because¡¡it is not all bad. If I obtain the throne, the Christands will be secured for life and onee-sama can also rx. The margrave can move to the capital as the head of the nobles and general of the army. Even Selene-sama and Argan-sama, onee-sama¡¯s important people will be in the safest ce.¡± Krische closed her eyes as she calmly calcted the potential gains. In the long run, it is certainly not bad. ¡°I am also doing this for onee-sama. In the previous war, if not for the margrave and onee-sama, we would have lost all the southeast territories. There is a limit to what I, or onee-sama can do. If we losend and troops, we will eventually lose peace. Stabilising this country and having onee-sama at the center of it would be the safest.¡± ¡°That¡¡that might be true but¡± ¡°Onee-sama is a lot stronger than me. I have never wielded a sword and never studied war. I am a cursed child, I had to be careful to not draw suspicion by showing interest in strange things¡¡but instead, I can see things from a wider perspective and in the long run better than onee-sama.¡± Krische looked into Kreschenta¡¯s eyes and thought for a moment, then embraced her. ¡°¡¡okay. Krische will not be angry anymore about this. But next time please say it beforehand. Krische does not like this kind of things.¡± ¡°Of course. I will not do it again.¡± Kreschenta breathed a sigh of relief and leaned her head on Krische¡¯s chest. ¡°¡¡er, your highness.¡± ¡°Kreschenta is fine. You can¡¯t call me that in public anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, Kreschenta-sama¡¡er, where is Nora-sama?¡± ¡°She died.¡± ¡°Does that¡¡er.¡± ¡°I did not kill her.¡± Kreschenta lifted her head a little as she said that. Her expression was nk, unreadable. ¡°I escaped with Nora and we were together for part of the way. Since we travelled in a disguised carriage, there was also other soldiers.¡± ¡°Which means, you were attacked?¡± ¡°Yes, that is part of it¡¡well, that is how we were separated from the soldiers, but the day before I arrived, she asked me to let her die.¡± ¡°Let her die¡¡?¡± Kreschenta nodded. ¡°I had taken quite a liking to her. Really. When I was a baby and was almost killed because I did not cry, Nora was the one that desperately hit me and shouted at me to teach me to cry¡¡it seems she has always regretted abandoning onee-sama in the forest.¡± She spoke with vacant eyes, leaning back into Krische. ¡°Apparently she also could not endure the fact that I killed otou-sama(T/N: father)¡¡I do not really understand why she died. She said that once she is sure that I can reach this estate, she wanted to die and atone for her sins.¡± ¡°¡¡that, is¡± ¡°¡¡I do not know about onee-sama, but I have used various means to kill those in my way since I was young. If not, I would be killed. But back then I was poor at it and there were times when it was precarious¡¡at those times, Nora helped me.¡± She spoke in a nostalgic way, but also seemed confused. ¡°This time was the same right? I have always exined to Nora why I do it. Nora always understood, but this time¡± Bery could not endure it and lowered her eyes. Nora had a guilty conscience, but did it for Kreschenta. If Krische was like Kreschenta¨D¨DBery might also have done the same. ¡°¡¡Nora-sama must have loved Kreschenta-sama.¡± ¡°Then why did she die? If she loved me, then doesn¡¯t it make more sense to live for me? There is no meaning in saying please find happiness then dying, so she should have done that.¡± ¡°She must have always had a guilty conscience. She did it for Kreschenta-sama, but she still felt guilty, so she did that before arriving at this estate.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even spoken properly with Nora¡¡yet you speak as if you understand her.¡± ¡°¡¡I do. Because I served by Krische-sama¡¯s side.¡± Bery closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. It may be rude, but if she does not say this, things will not change. Nora must have hoped that her death would have that effect¨D¨Dthat is what Bery believes. ¡°For Kreschenta-sama, there was no choice. It was necessary. Even now, I believe Kreschenta-sama does not think of it as a sin. But in Kreschenta-sama¡¯s ce, Nora-sama took on that sin as her own and atoned with her death¡¡including Kreschenta-sama¡¯s share.¡± ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± ¡°People get angry if the person they love is insulted. They feel sad if that person is scorned and are happy when that person is praised. Simrly, when the person you lovemits a sin, it is painful. It might not have affected Kreschenta-sama, but, it must have been painful for Nora-sama.¡± Bery knelt in front of Kreschenta and gently touched her shoulder. ¡°Because I feel that way about Krische-sama, I can understand. Krische-sama is a kind person. But like Kreschenta-sama, her way of thinking is different from normal. Like Kreschenta-sama, she might also unknowingly sin.¡± ¡°Bery¡¡?¡± Bery smiled wryly as she patted Krische¡¯s head. ¡°No matter what sins Krische-samamits, I will always love Krische-sama. But still, it is very painful when a person I lovemits a sin, even unknowingly, so I have taught Krische-sama various things to avoid that¡¡I just want Krische to live happily withoutmitting any sins.¡± She then turned to Kreschenta. ¡°But if that cannot be avoided, then it is my responsibility for failing to guide her properly, so I will atone for that sin in her ce. The same as Nora-sama.¡± ¡°As Nora¡¡?¡± ¡°¡¡yes. She loved Kreschenta-sama and took on all of Kreschenta-sama¡¯s sins as her own. I believe that she hoped that from now on, Kreschenta-sama can find happiness withoutmitting any more sins. She will take responsibility for all the sins of the past.¡± Kreschenta lowered her eyes as she thought, then pouted. She frowned as she looked back up at Bery. ¡°You say the same things as Nora. You two really are selfish. Worrying about things that I don¡¯t care about.¡± ¡°Humans are selfish creatures, Kreschenta-sama. People do what they believe is good. Even this time, Kreschenta-sama believes it would be good for Krische-sama and caused this¡¡conflict, right?¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Kreschenta clung to Krische, as if escaping from Bery¡¯s words but Krische pinched her cheek. ¡°Bery is Krische¡¯s teacher, so you have to listen to her.¡± ¡°¡¡onee-sama¡¯s teacher?¡± ¡°Yes. Krische can understand what Bery is saying. Because Krische loves Bery, it is unpleasant and Krische does not like it when Bery is made light of. This is empathy¡¡er, hm? Seems different¡¡¡± ¡°Y, yes¡¡that is different but, fufu¡¡thank you.¡± Bery smiled awkwardly then turned to Kreschenta again. ¡°Excuse me for my rudeness, but Kreschenta-sama appears to be poor at understanding other people¡¯s feelings, like Krische-sama. Kreschenta-sama judges based only on how people act right?¡± ¡°¡¡what else is there to judge from?¡± ¡°Just like how Kreschenta-sama thinks about Krische-sama, there is a deeper part. Kreschenta-sama said that Kreschenta-sama can understand Krische-sama the best. If Kreschenta-sama can understand Krische-sama, then I believe Kreschenta-sama can also understand other people.¡± Kreschenta thought for a while, then sighed. ¡°It is a waste of time. Everyone other than onee-sama are idiots. What¡¯s the point of doing that?¡± ¡°Because including me, the world is full of those idiots that Kreschenta-sama speaks of.¡± Bery smiled as she answered. ¡°In order to conduct yourselves well in this world, would it not be better for Kreschenta-sama to learn how to perceive and understand how those idiots feel?¡± ¡°¡¡I understand the logic. But why exin all that to me?¡± ¡°Because Kreschenta-sama wishes to stay with Krische-sama¡¡ as I said, I love Krische-sama.¡± Bery then leaned right over Kreschenta¡¯s head and kissed Krische. Kreschenta¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise and she froze. Krische was surprised that Bery did that right in front of Kreeschenta but still smiled happily. ¡°I am willing to risk my life for Krische-sama¡¡to put it in a way easy for Kreschenta-sama to understand, I do not care about Kreschenta-sama. To me, whether Krische-sama is happy is most important. If Kreschenta-sama makes my beloved Krische-sama unhappy, then Kreschenta-sama would be a hinderance.¡± ¡°¡¡you¡¯ve said it.¡± Kreschenta¡¯s smile widened as she red at Bery. Bery felt like a frog red at by a snake, but still returned the look with a smile. ¡°No looking at Bery like that.¡± ¡°Unyu¡¡¡± Krische squished Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks between her hands. ¡°Wh, what are you doing¡¡¡± ¡°That is Krische¡¯s line. Krische already said that Krische will kill Kreschenta if Kreschentays a hand on Bery.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡I just red at her.¡± Beryughed softly, then spoke, her eyes wandering a little in embarrassment. ¡°It is a little, er¡¡ embarrassing to say this but. Krische-sama loves me too. It is mutual¡¡ I have no power. But I can ask Krische-sama this question. If I were to hate Kreschenta-sama and we cannot reconcile no matter what, would Krische-sama choose me or Kreschenta-sama?¡± ¡°Bery.¡± ¡°Eh¡¡?¡± An immediate answer. Kreschenta stared at Krische, stunned. Krsiche tilted her head. ¡°After all, Bery taught Krische a lot of things, pats Krische¡¯s head, kisses Krische, sleeps with Krische¡¡does a lot of things that makes Krische happy. Krische owes her more than can ever be repayed.¡± ¡°I, I can understand onee-sama the best! And even I could¡¡¡± ¡°Bery also properly understands what kind of person Krische is and does her best to understand Krische. Rather then just understanding each other, it is more important to work to understand each other, that creates the best rtionships.¡± Bery smiled happily and nodded. ¡°I might not be able to understand Krische-sama as well as Kreschenta-sama¡¡but, I believe I will be able to make Krische-sama the happiest. That is why I taught Krische-sama various things, so that she can find happiness in this world full of those the idiots Kreschenta-sama speaks of.¡± ¡°¡¡even I could¨D¨D¡± ¡°¨D¨Dand if Kreschenta-sama wants to be together with Krische-sama to seek happiness, I would also like to teach Kreschenta-sama many things such that Kreschenta-sama can find the same happiness as Krische-sama¡¡ no, not that I want to. This is my duty.¡± ¡°¡¡duty?¡± ¡°Yes. Since Krische-sama is finding happiness is this world full of idiots, I also have to do my best to help Kreschenta-sama find happiness in a world full of idiots.¡± Kreschenta red at Bery in dissatisfaction, but Bery just patted her head. Kreschenta immediately tried to brush her hand away but was stopped by Krische and could only be patted. ¡°It is okay for Kreschenta-sama to sincerely wish to kill me from the bottom of your heart. But Krische-sama will protect me. If Kreschenta-sama wants to kill me, the best shortcut would be to make Krische-sama love you a lot more than me¡¡so until then, I will fulfill my duty.¡± ¡°¡¡ah, Kreschenta, no poison either. If Bery¡¯s condition suddenly worsens for unknown reasons, Krische will treat it as Kreschenta¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Bery had not thought of that. Bery felt some cold sweat roll down the back of her neck and let out a breath. ¡°That is all I want to say for now. Please forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°¡¡if this was the pce, Argan-sama would have lost your head.¡± ¡°This is our estate.¡± Bery smiled and gently pressed a finger to Kreschenta¡¯s lips. Kreschenta could not resist because Krische still held her hands and could only re back in embrassment. Bery smiled again, then stripped off her apron dress and took her negligee from a shelf. ¡°¡¡it is alreadyte, let us rest for today. Would Kreschenta-sama like to change too? Krische-sama¡¯s old one should fit.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Kreschenta seemed to have epted things for now. Bery removed Kreschenta¡¯s clothes and helped her change, then got dressed herself. Then she and Krische led Kreschenta to the bed. ¡°Er, Argan-sama too¡¡?¡± ¡°E, err, yes¡¡I usually sleep with Krische-sama.¡± ¡°¡¡you said you love her and, er, ki, kissed, do you and onee-sama, er¨D¨D¡± ¡°Th, there is nothing like what you imagine.¡± ¡°¡¡it is really suspicious when you deny it so desperately.¡± ¡°There is nothing suspicious.¡± Bery got them both in bed before getting in herself. The bed is quiterge and fit the three of them easily. ¡°Ah¡¡¡± ¡°We just hug like this, and sleep. Krische-sama likes this and so do I. Is it not the same for Kreschenta-sama?¡± Bery embraced Krische and Kreschenta together, with them facing each other. Kreschenta hesitated a little, then rxed back into Bery. ¡°¡¡it is, not bad. It is warm.¡± ¡°Fufu, Kreschenta-sama is not honest like Krische-sama. How about Krische-sama?¡± ¡°Kreschenta¡¯s chest is t so that side is nicer.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Beryughed softly and patted Kreschenta¡¯s head. ¡°From today, would Kreschenta-sama like to sleep together like this everyday? This way you should be able sleep soundly.¡± ¡°¡¡I would rather sleep alone with onee-sama. I cannot sleep soundly with the fear that Argan-sama will do something weird.¡± ¡°I, I will not¡¡¡± Bery sighed, then embraced them tighter. ¡°¡e on. Please stop saying strange things and rest. At the very least, you can rx more than when you had to fear for your life.¡± ¡°Well¡¡I will leave it at that.¡± Soon, they heard Krische¡¯s sleeping breaths and Kreschenta stroked Krische¡¯s head in exasperation. Bery stroked Kreschenta¡¯s head in turn and whispered to her. ¡°¡¡I believe Nora-sama also wanted to treat Kreschenta-sama like this and let Kreschenta-sama rx. I believe she helped Kreschenta-sama because she wanted to resolve Kreschenta-sama¡¯s anxiety. So that Kreschenta-sama can rx and rest.¡± ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± ¡°It is the truth that she loved Kreschenta-sama and did so much for Kreschenta-sama that her guilty conscience made her choose death. That might be stupid. But¡¡I would like Kreschenta-sama to remember that Nora-sama did love Kreschenta-sama.¡± Kreschenta gently patted Krische as she replied quietly. ¡°¡¡you say good night then say all that, do you want me to sleep or do you want to talk?¡± ¡°Fufu, my apologies.¡± ¡°I learn fast. And I do feel that¡¡it is a shame.¡± Bery felt Kreschenta¡¯s body rx as she said that. Bery¡¯s eyes widened, then breathed a sigh of relief and tightened her embrace around the two of them. ¡°¡¡excuse me for my impertinence.¡± -End- Bery just asserting her dominance. Chapter 39: U.E. C.39: The Baby That Cried Chapter 39: U.E. C.39: The Baby ThatCried Baby that does not cry, cursed child. Those were the words repeated around her when she was born. She did not know the meaning of those words and only heard them as sounds. Her memories began with a crazed, screaming voice. Cry, cry, you must cry, cry, you have to cry. An annoying sound. When she opened her eyes, there was always someone there. A woman, standing by her side, repeating the same thing. The woman pped her cheeks while tears flowed from her eyes. ¡°Cry, please cry, I beg you.¡± The woman pointed at her own eyes and kept repeating that. It was painful, unpleasant. The woman kept doing that even as her voice grew hoarse, so she tried copying the woman and shed some tears. The woman seemed relieved, then started making a strange sound loudly, ¡°Aaah, aaah¡±, again and again. This time she knew what the woman was trying to do and copied her. The woman repeated that many times, teaching her that this is crying. She was taught to cry when told to, so many times that she got sick of it. After a while, a lot of people came and she was told to cry. When she did as she was told, they rejoiced. After that, she was named Kreschenta. The woman took care of Kreschenta and taught her words before she learnt to crawl. Kreschenta learnt quickly and was able to hold a simple conversation before she could stand, but the woman told her not to talk in front of others. Kreschenta was too smart. The woman said that there are steps for everything and if Kreschenta skipped those steps too quickly, she would be killed. The woman repeatedly told her that there is nobody as smart as Kreschenta in this world, so she has to pretend to be an idiot to blend into this world of idiots. When you see flowers, smile. Show interest in love stories and heroic epics, asionally show reluctance during lessons, be selfish. The woman, Nora, taught Kreschenta how to act like a princess and also told her about her sister. About how her sister was treated and then killed. Nora said that she did not want that to happen to Kreschenta. Nora cried, apologising for abandoning Kreschenta¡¯s sister. She was a woman that cried a lot. ¨D¨DThe only one the same as her in this world of idiots. Kreschenta wanted to meet her sister. If she was with her sister, she would not need to keep up this stupid act and could rx. She did not like this stupid world or Nora who had abandoned her sister. She did not know if her sister is alive or dead. Nora said that she had told Kreschenta¡¯s sister to walk in the direction of a nearby vige and let her go. Did her sister make it? Was she taken in and raised without being killed off? The more she thought about it, the more hopeless Kreschenta felt, but there was still a chance and she spent her free time imagining what kind of person her sister would be. But even that was not allowed. She had too many other things to think of. Kreschenta is royalty, but that does not mean she can rx. There are many problems if she is to survive. Her birth was not good, she is known as a cursed child. The best method for Kreschenta is to be queen. But there are others in line for the throne and Kreschenta had two younger brothers at the time. Since males have priority in the line of session, Kreschenta is at a disadvantage and there is a good chance she would be wedded off. Even if she opposed them, there is the chance that they would hear the rumours that she is a cursed child and use it against her if they wish for the throne. If they have children, then there would be even morepetition. Their father, the king has a difficult time bearing children, but that might not be the case for them. The first problem is marriage. Getting married and having to give birth is out of the question. Going through immense pain and the risk of death to leave offspring is ridiculous. And since the child born would be an idiot that makes it even more pointless. In order to avoid that, there is a need to reduce the number of royal children early on. If she is the only princess, then she would not be wedded off. She killed her two brothers, leaving a period of time in between. No one would think a girl four or five years of age did it. Nobody suspected Kreschenta¨D¨Dbut as Kreschenta rxed, Nora noticed the second time. But when Kreschenta exined to her that unless she did this, she could not sleep in peace, Nora seemed to understand. Kreschenta was always uneasy about when she would be killed for being a cursed child. If people openly showed it in their expressions, Kreschenta could know. But Kreschenta cannot tell what they are thinking behind their smiles. Even thought she acts as a proper princess now, there are many that realised Kreschenta is not normal when her acting was still poor. Each and everyone of them was a source of anxiety and Kreschenta killed them off. Nora helped her. Kreschenta poisoned the king to obtain the throne earlier and also tried to kill the royal prince, but Gildanstein seemed to suspect Kreschenta and it did not work. Since Gildanstein¡¯s conduct is poor, Kreschenta used that to gain allies and bided her time. ¨D¨Dthen the previous day, she coincidentally met her sister. Her eyes were different. They were intelligent and logical, just as Kreschenta imagined. When Kreschenta tried showing a little killing intent, she was the only one that responded and looked at Kreschenta. Kreschenta went to meet and spoke with her, she was poor at acting and seemed more stupid than imagined¨D¨Dbut she is Kreschenta¡¯s older sister. There is only the two of them. She could perfectly understand what Kreschenta was thinking. She was clearly more skilled than Kreschenta in certain areas and Kreschenta could immediately tell that she would die if Kreschenta ever made an enemy of her. This is the first time Kreschenta had felt that since the time she was unable to move her body properly. Her sister is not able to conduct herself as well as Kreschenta in this world. Instead, she is extremely strong and pure, a superior individual. As expected of her only sister. With her, Kreschenta would be able to rx. What would be the best way to get around their various circumstances so she can live with her sister? Kreschenta thought about it and acted. ¡°Fuu, I hate traveling. But I will be with onee-sama by tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡¡will Kreschenta-sama, finally be able to find happiness?¡± ¡°Nn¡¡yes. Onee-sama might get a little angry, but, fufu, she will understand. She is my onee-sama after all.¡± ¡°That¡¡is wonderful.¡± They were walking down a deserted path in a forest. They took a small break. Nora does not have as much stamina as Kreschenta. Kreschenta stood up after resting for a while and started walkin¨D¨D ¡°¡¡? Let¡¯s go.¡± But Nora did not follow. Nora¡¯s eyes were cast down as she shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you injured? Well, that¡¯s fine, I will just carry you then.¡± ¡°No¡¡that is not it.¡± ¡°Then are you feeling unwell? If we rest here then we will only arrive the day after tomorrow¡¡well, one day won¡¯t make a difference. Nora has treated me well. I can indulge you a little. I am in a very good mood right now.¡± ¡°¡¡no, that is¡¡not it. ¨D¨DI would like to resign.¡± Kreschenta frowned at those sudden words, then red at Nora. ¡°What, you hate me now?¡± ¡°No, that is definitely not the reason¡¡¡± ¡°Then why would you say that. You are in charge of caring for my needs. It is your duty to follow your master where she goes.¡± ¡°¡¡yes. But, since we have made it this far, I believe Kreschenta-sama can rx. Er¡¡with Krische, sama, Kreschenta-sama can also sleep in peace. With the various causes for concern resolved, I believe Kreschenta can finally find happiness.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kreschenta tilted her head, but Nora just smiled sadly. ¡°That is why I have decided to die to atone for Kreschenta-sama¡¯s sins. Killing the king, the princes, many others¨D¨Dit is not Kreschenta-sama¡¯s fault. It is my sin for not being able to teach your highness what I should have.¡± ¡°¡¡you understood too right? And I do not see what that has anything to do with dying. Thew is simply rules, it is not a crime if not discovered. There is no need to care about such pointless things.¡± (T/N: Word used here means both crime and sin, ×ï.) ¡°But I have watched Kreschenta-samamit those sins. By your highness¡¯ side, all along.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t the normal response to report it to the proper authorities?¡± Nora nodded. ¡°Yes, but I could not. I could understood why your highness did it. But a sin is a sin and must be paid for eventually¡¡Kreschenta-sama must be judged. But I am the only one that knows and I also know that Kreschenta-sama did notmit them out of malice¡¡when a starving child resorts to stealing, how could anyone call it a sin?¡± Tears spilled from Nora¡¯s eyes and she wiped them away. This woman cries a lot. Even if Kreschenta orders her not to cry, Nora would still cry. So troublesome and unpleasant, but Kreschenta had given up on that and kept Nora by her side. At the very least, this woman is devoted to her. ¡°That is why, in exchange, I decided I will atone for Kreschenta-sama¡¯s sins. From now on, Kreschenta-sama can find happiness. Kreschenta-sama can finally rx and sleep. So there is no longer any need for Kreschenta-sama tomit any more sins.¡± Nora raised her head and looked at Kreschenta, the remaining tears spilling down her cheeks. ¡°I believe that Kreschenta-sama can simply live happily, withoutmitting any more sins. That is why I will pay for the sins of the past, I want Kreschenta-sama to find happiness without shouldering any sins.¡± ¡°¡¡that is a selfish reason.¡± It is selfish. But she cannot do anything about it. Because Nora is an idiot, she cannot think about the gains and losses. This woman is also one of those idiots and Kreschenta cannot understand what she is thinking. That is amon urrence, and this is the usual result. ¡°My apologies¡¡but, I believe this is for the best.¡± Nora stepped closer and kissed Kreschenta on the cheek. Kreschenta just let her do as she liked. ¡°Would you feel it is a shame to lose me?¡± ¡°¡¡I will. You have been quite useful and I have taken a liking to you.¡± Hearing Kreschenta¡¯s unhappy reply, Nora smiled happily and closed her eyes. ¡°Just hearing those words¡¡makes me happy. Kreschenta-sama, may you find happiness too.¡± After saying that, Nora walked off. After some time, Kreschenta followed, and found Nora kneeling, a knife in her heart. For some reason, Kreschenta stared for a while, then dug a hole and buried her. It was not that Kreschenta wanted to give her a burial. It was just that it would be troublesome if she were found. ¨D¨Dshe woke up feeling something soft on her cheek. She could feel her sister behind her. Something was stroking her head, something warm,fortable. ¡°¡¡have you woken up?¡± Kreschenta understood the situation after hearing that whisper. She had been hugging Bery in her sleep. Once she realised that, her face grew hot and she closed her eyes without moving. ¡°Fufu, are you embarassed? Krische-sama was the same at the start. It is still early, so you can still sleep.¡± Her face grew even hotter, but she stayed still to avoid waking her sister. ¡°¡¡among the things I want to teach you, this is the first. Please presume upon me. I like pampering, so both of us would be happy.¡± Bery spoke in a gentle tone while patting her head. Despite thefortable feeling, Kreschenta also felt embrassed. She felt embarrassed for sleeping so deeply. She had been defenseless. After a while, Bery spoke again. ¡°Yesterday night, I spoke arrogantly¡¡but in reality, I want to get along with Kreschenta-sama. If we are to live together, then it is more enjoyable to get along. So please allow me to pamper you like this.¡± ¡°¡¡you, are weird.¡± ¡°I am often told that. But is not a weird person like me more to your liking? At the very least, it is to Krische-sama¡¯s liking.¡± Kreschenta did not answer. She just buried her face in Bery¡¯s chest and muttered. ¡°When I was a lot smaller, I slept with Nora like this.¡± ¡°That¡¡must have been veryfortable.¡± ¡°Well¡¡maybe.¡± Kreschenta recalled those times and closed her eyes. ¡°¡¡I see.¡± Bery just stroked her head and whispered, ¡°Good night.¡± -End- Sorry for dy, tranting this was just too painful. Chapter 40: U.E. C.40: Worried Sister Chapter 40: U.E. C.40: WorriedSister ¡°As you all know, an evil ursurper took the king¡¯s life. Our king was young, but he demonstrated exceptional talent¨D¨Done day, he would have been renowned and remembered as a wise ruler. This is also something you are all aware of.¡± His voice was amplified by magic, reaching far and wide. Slightly north of Gurgain, where the estate is located¨D¨Dlies fort Belgash. Bogan spoke from atop its walls. Ranks of soldiers lined the wide ins¨D¨Darge army of almost twenty thousand. The fort could not contain them, so they all stood outside the walls. They all held their right hand to their left chest as they looked up at Bogan and the girl standing next to him. The girl¡¯s long golden hair glittered red in the sun and wavered in the wind blowing through the ins. Her one-piece dress and cloak, too modest for a princess, disyed her current predicament, chased by the pce. Kreschenta Farna Viera Alberan. The Alberan Kingdom¡¯s first princess stood beside Bogan. ¡°I swear upon my life that I am just a sword. If the pce is to be split over the session of the crown, then I have always watched for enemies that might strike during the confusion. I am a soldier like all of you, I have sworn to myself to be one. My de was never meant to be turned on the capital, only on enemies¨D¨Dbut seeing as the evil Gildanstein has taken the king¡¯s life and shamelessly imed the throne, I cannot remain as a mere sword.¡± He paused and looked around. ¡°I am the Kingdom¡¯s sword¨D¨Dthe king¡¯s sword. And the king is standing next to me¨D¨Dthe king is none other then the first princess, Kreschenta Farna Viera Alberan. As the king¡¯s sword, I will choose my rightful wielder. And I will be her sword¨D¨Dwhat about you!¡± Bogan drew the sword at his waist and pointed it at the sky. The following cheers shook the ground as the soldiers also drew their swords and raised them to the sky. Amidst the unending cheers, Bogan raised a hand. The cheers receded like the tide and silence returned. ¡°¡¡thank you. Rather than any of the thousand heroes of history, I am prouder to wield my sword beside all of you¡.. it has not been long since the war where we defended the Kingdom from the Empire. Most have not had the time to enjoy the peace that we protected.¡± Bogan then bowed his head. The soldiers stirred. To soldiers, the general is their highest-ranking superior. ¡°¡¡but you have drawn your swords for justice and gathered to me, for this I am very grateful. I make this stand not as a general, but as a single man¨D¨Das another citizen that loves our country and loves peace. So as a single man, let me thank you all. Thank you for leaving your families, your homes ande to stand before me now.¡± He raised his head. The soldiers were silent as Bogan spoke to them. ¡°I swear upon the name of Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand¨D¨Dthe name granted to me by thete king, that I will repay this debt. I vow to the twelve gods that I will bring you victory and glory¡¡if you would believe in my words and follow me¨D¨Dswear upon your swords.¡± He raised his sword to the sky again. ¡°¨D¨Dto the new queen and the gods.¡± The cheers were louder than before as he sheathed his sword. He then put his right fist to his left chest¨D¨Dhis thumb pointing at his heart. After saluting, he turned away. Kreschenta followed him, smiling. ¡°That was a wonderful speech. Their excitement was palpable.¡± ¡°It is a scam. I am telling them to die for honour.¡± They descended the stairs and found Selene and Krische waiting for them. ¡°Selene, as I said before, the utmost priority is taking the dragon¡¯s maw. You are in charge of the remaining recruitment and training, as well as guarding the princess.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. The hole that corpsmander Velraigh left behind isrge.¡± Nozan Nerule Wulferinea Velraigh. The formermander of the corps that was said be the strongest in the powerful Christand army, he was assigned to the east and most of his subordinates in the first corps followed him. The transfer was alreadypleted during the conferring of decorations, so he cannot be recalled by this point. Though they achieved a great victory, Nozan has to deal with the aftermath of the upation of the eastern territories as well as guard against the Empire. He is devoted to Bogan and would definitely join Bogan¡¯s side, but he cannot be counted on for military strength in the current situation. Some of his subordinates stayed in the north, but they are in no state to be deployed as an army. ¡°If the center is unified, it is possible to raise an army of sixty thousand. In order to keep the chaos and damage to a minimum, I want to end things quickly but¡¡they are also aware of this. There may be problems with the royal prince¡¯s personality, but he is decisive and steady on the battlefield. His ability is undoubtable. He will probably try to suppress us at the dragon¡¯s maw.¡± ¡°Would pushing straight to the capital be difficult?¡± ¡°It might be possible if their confusion drags on longer than expected. We also have to be wary of the movements of general Hilkintos in the west and general Garhka in south. As for the Arna Empire¡¡I cannot predict at all.¡± Less than a week has passed since Kreschenta¡¯s arrival. Bogan had conducted an emergency mobilisation, calling in the reserves and reorganising the army. He is rushing to secure the kingdom¡¯s northern fortress, the ¡°Dragon¡¯s maw¡±. No matter how things turn out, the princess¡¯ side has a high chance of being at a numerical disadvantage and must secure this location. Otherwise, Gildanstein can secure a beachhead to the north and overwhelm them with the poption of the central territories. Once the dragon¡¯s maw is taken, enormous amounts of blood must be spilled to retake it. ¡°Your highness, what does your highness think about the Empire?¡± ¡°I have only visited once two years ago. Did you see the correspondence?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°At this stage, I doubt they will be an enemy¡¡they seemed quite smart. For better and for worse.¡± ¡°So there is a high chance they will join the winning side?¡± ¡°Yes. That is likely. I could pay them a visit¡¡but the Kingdom¡¯s conflict would also cause problems for the Empire, so they are unlikely to act until they are sure which side would win. This is not absolute though.¡± ¡°I guess there is no point worrying about it.¡± Bogan muttered, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking again. ¡°Selene, be careful of the movements of our surroundings. If you have to act independently, absolutely do not force yourself to protect everything. If there is movement in the west or north, there will be a limit to what you can protect.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, otou-sama.¡± ¡°Krische, can I ask you to support Selene?¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± Bogan nodded and ced a hand on Krische¡¯s and Selene¡¯s heads. ¡°Both of you are more talented than I am. Do not try to aplish the impossible. At worst, take the princess and Bery and go into hiding.¡± ¡°¡¡no thank you otou-sama, don¡¯t say such ominous things.¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t intend to let that happen. I am not boasting when I say I have excellent subordinates¨D¨DI will be off then. I leave the rest to you, Christand army¡¯s first corpsmander.¡± ¡°¡¡yes, general Christand.¡± They faced each other, put their hands to their chest and saluted. In the carriage on the way home. Krische was constantly ncing outside, at Selene atop her horse, while Kreschenta watched Krische curiously from the opposite seat. ¡°Onee-sama, what are you worried about?¡± ¡°Selene. She seems very anxious.¡± ¡°Death is part of soldiering after all.¡± Krsiche stared at Kreschenta, then nodded. ¡°Even Krische knows that is their job. But Krische also kind of understands Selene¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°¡¡?¡± ¡°Bery has said that Krische is a lot stronger mentally than other people. Krische thinks Kreschenta is also the same and very strong mentally.¡± Krische closed her eyes as she reminisced. ¡°When Kaa-sama, who took care of Krische in the vige, was killed, Krische found it a great shame. Krische liked her a lot.¡± ¡°¡¡shame.¡± ¡°Has Kreschenta also felt that way about something before?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡¡¡± Kreschenta thought of Nora as Krische smiled at her. ¡°At those times, other people find it a much much greater shame than we do. They feel a very strong feeling of disappointment. Bery said that is the feeling of sadness. Krische does not know what Selene is feeling, but Krische can imagine the feeling of great disappointment. Krische can also imagine not wanting to experience that. So Krische believes Krische can understand.¡± Kreschenta stared nkly at Krische. Krische nced at Selene with a troubled look, then hesitated, her eyes wandering. ¡°Krische also loves Selene. That is why Krische does not like seeing Selene anxious and wants to assure her. But Krische is not good at talking like Bery or Kreschenta, so Krische does not know what to say¡¡¡± She lowered her eyes. Those gem-like eyes. She looked like a doll, but one made to express sadness. ¡°¡¡Krische is useless. Selene always tries to understand Krische and make Krische happy, but Krische¡¡¡± Kreschenta crouched in front of Krische and cupped her cheek. She stroked Krische¡¯s white cheek, staring into those amethyst eyes framed by long silvershes. ¡°Onee-sama is a very kind and wonderful person. Please do not make that face¡¡is it my fault?¡± ¡°Krische already said that Krische will not be angry about that.¡± ¡°¡¡even if onee-sama is not angry, I don¡¯t want onee-sama to hate me. Especially since we finally got together.¡± Krische¡¯s eyes widened a little in surprise, then she smiled and patted Kreschenta¡¯s head. ¡°Kreschenta decided to do that for Krische¡¯s sake right? Then Krische will not be angry about it. Krische will not hate Kreschenta because of it.¡± Krische recalled the words that had made her happy and said them to Kreschenta. Krische did this because she felt that the feelings Kreschenta has for her, are the same feelings she has for Bery. ¡°¡¡but Krische still likes it better when Selene and Bery are having fun instead of feeling anxious.. So that is a bit of a shame.¡± ¡°¡¡onee-sama.¡± ¡°Kreschenta said Kreschenta is Krische¡¯s younger sister. Krische knows that Bery and Selene sees and loves Krische as a younger sister. So like the two of them, Krische will also love Kreschenta.¡± Dering that, Krische sped Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks between her hands and kissed her on the lips. Kreschenta froze, her face turning beet-red. ¡°Ehehe, did Kreschenta know? Kissing is an expression of love.¡± Bery had openly kissed Krische in front of Kreschenta. So Krische assumed that means Kreschenta is an exception. ¡°Wh, who taught you that¡¡?¡± ¡°Bery. Recently, we have been kissing like this to express our love. Er¡¡does Kreschenta not like doing it, with Krische?¡± ¡°E, e, er¡¡¡± Kreschenta was raised with a rtively proper education in the pce. Naturally, she knows the meaning behind a kiss and that it is clearly not normal for two young girls to do it. ¡°Krische, thought that Kreschenta also loved Krische so¡¡if not then Krische will no¨D¨D¡± ¡°Th, that¡¯s true! Uuu¡¡what kind of education did Bery give her¡¡¡± Why didn¡¯t Bery correct this abnormal habit. Does she really look at Krische that way? Kreschenta had started to trust Bery a little, but strengthened her guard again. However, she could not reject Krische. No matter the means, Kreschenta is happy that Krische is sincerely trying to ept her and this also appears to be a innocent expression of love for Krische. Of course Kreschenta could not refuse and also feels that it is necessary to go along with this to make up for what Kreshcenta had done. ¡°¡¡that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Nn¡¡¡± Krische kissed Kreschenta again. Krische is a kissing fiend. Kreschenta¡¯s eyes wavered, then red at Krische. ¡°O, onee-sama, er¡¡has Argan-sama done anything indecent to you? Like excessively touching your chest or butt.¡± ¡°Indecent¡¡? Ah, we wash each other everyday¨D¨D¡± ¡°Ex, exin everything about how you usually wash each other. Onee-sama might not have realised, but that might have been horribly shameful and unforgivable¨D¨D¡± That evening, Bery was thoroughly lectured by Kreschenta about the distance between her and Krische. -End- Chapter 41: U.E. C.41: Selection Chapter 41: U.E. C.41: Selection Author¡¯s note: ´ç(sun)= approx 3cm¡¢³ß(shaku)= approx 30 cm¡¢ég(ken)£½6³ß£¨approx£±£®£¸m£© T/N: Author uses these old Japanese measurements in this chapter, I will trante them as ´ç(sun)=Inch, ³ß(shaku)=feet and ég(ken)=2 yards for readability, but note that these are NOT urate trantions, just the closest lengths the yman) Englishnguage has to offer. For anyone interested, it¡¯s called Shakkanho. ¡°From the closest, red, blue, yellow, yellow, yellow, yellow, blue.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Pass your swords to the person behind and go to the locations you were told! Double time!¡± They are not at the training grounds in town, they are in fort Belgash, where Bogan had made his speech. Fort Belgash is located at the center of the northern territories, slightly south of Gurgain, where the estate is located. It is arge fortress with a maximum capacity of ten thousand. As befitting a fort at the center of the north, it is surrounded by solid walls over 60 feet in height, deep moats and countless watchtowers. The four imposing gates facing in each cardinal direction were made of manyyers of thick wooden boards. At an open field within the fort¨D¨DKrische was seated on a chair in her usual one-piece dress and cloak, drinking sweetened tea and snacking on cookies while she sorted soldiers. Seven veteran examiners stood in a row and a long line stretched out before them. Most aremoners who have volunteered. A numbered wooden tag hung around their necks as they waited for their turn to have a go at the examiners with a blunt training sword. Krische observed them and sorted them ording to their physique and ability. Red are those with excellent swordsmanship. They will be given a small shield, a six-foot-long javelin and a long sword. They will be light infantry and will be mainly used as reserve forces. Blue are those with good physique. They will be given a sturdy great shield, an eight-foot-long spear, a short sword and leather armour that covers their entire torso. They will be heavy infantry and make up the center of the battle line. Yellow are the remaining who are average or slightly below. They will be given a shield and a leather breastte with either a six-yard-long pike or a short sword and a spear ording to their height, depending on their physique and the situation. They can be easily deployed as standard infantry or pikemen, forming the majority of the battle line. The reach of a weapon generally trantes into an advantage, but aside from the light infantry, they will all be given short swords. In a sh between two battle lines, there will be no space to swing a long weapon, so short weapons which are more maneuverable can offer a greater advantage in the packed battle line. So though the length of spears may change with the battlefield, most swords remain short. Light infantry do not take part in the battle line, instead they are used for nk and rear attacks or to deal with archers and cavalry. Their role is to force the enemy into a melee, so they use a longsword and javelin instead of a short sword. The infantry forming most of the battle line use short swords, spears matching their height or pikes to fight enemy infantry and cavalry. The core of the battle line, the heavy infantry with their great shields and armour form a solid, dense formation, but must always be in a position where they can be supported by archers to make up for theirck of reach, only then can they achieve a perfect defense. There was a period when the phnx, a close formation of pikes resembling a hedgehog, was unmatched in direct confrontations and was the main formation used, but it is only implemented partially now. Every country used to deploy pikemen, but theycked mobility due to the difficulty in changing directions and they grew weaker as the power of bows developed since they are unable to bearrge shields. The invention of the stirrup also led to the development and growth of mobile tactics, revealing the weakness of the phnx to nk and rear attacks as well as its inability to recover from damage, bringing an end to the age where countriespeted in the length of their pikes. Its strength has not been lost, but it is now only used on the nks of the battle line as an anti-cavalry tactic. It is also a particrly difficult tactic to use in the kingdom with its unevennd with many mountains and forests, making the more maneuverable six to eight foot spears more popr. It is necessary to have a standardised and well-organised formation in order to conduct offense and defense as a group. But an invincible unit does not exist. There are always merits and demerits, hence soldiers are specialised as pikeman, heavy infantry, swordsman etc. Krische assessed them by watching them exchange a few blows with the examiner then sorted them. The selection for other roles that require special skills like archery, horse-riding or literacy is also being conducted nearby, which Krische will also be checking onter. Archery and horse-riding are for necessary for archers and cavalry respectively. Literacy is required for logistics. Bogan had taken most of the logistics personnel during his emergency mobilisation and there is ack of manpower. ¡°¡¡examiners, switch.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. The vice corpsmander has ordered a switch. Hand over to the next shift and take this chance to rest.¡± There are more volunteers than expected. This is because Bogan Christand¡¯s famebined with the presence of the princess and the infamous rumours of Gildanstein, which are widely known even among the general popce. Add in the presence of Krische and Selene, the two beautiful princesses and an endless stream of volunteers gathered. It also helped that they sent troops to visit viges despite the extra expense. People who were originally unable to handle the expenses required to travel here were able to volunteer thanks to that and greatly increased the numbers. The Christand¡¯s stable finances and ample coffers helped greatly. The examiners entered a nearby shed and their recements stepped out. The first seven at the front of the long line were called forward and they braced their weapons¨D¨D ¡°Ah, second closest is ck. Go to the ck area.¡± Krische said that to a nervous, brown-haired girl. The brown-haired girl looked around in surprise, then hastily passed her sword to the person behind her when Krische¡¯s assistant urged her on and ran off . This is not because the girl was nervous orcking in ability. This is because she has more than a certain amount of mana. It might have been due to some noble blood in her lineage or a random urrence. It is rare, but there aremoners who have mana but are unaware of it. Only a small minority of them can use physical enhancement and most of those that do are unaware of it, but Krische thought that it would be more effective to use people with this special ability separately. Nobles are better assigned to higher positions, at least as a captain in charge of fifty men. This is because most nobles receive specialised military education and even if not, most of them hate receiving the same treatment asmoners. But Krische believes that this is simply dispersing their forces. Just ten people with mana, even with low amounts of mana, with proper training and coordination can take on a hundred men. Three of them together could probably take down someone with a decent amount of mana. A unit of soldiers with mana specialised inbat would undoubtedly be a much greater threat than cavalry with their superior mobility. Krische predicts that if used properly and only for breaking through the enemy¡¯s weak points, it would be possible to devastate the enemy without losses. When Krische had this sh of inspiration, she also wanted to mix nobles in with the regr soldiers. But Selene thoroughly lectured her on the positions of nobles andmoners, so Krische gave up and is now gathering such talent from themoners. At the current pace, at most, she could gather a century, but that would mean a unit of a hundred men with the strength of a battalion, of a thousand men. The small numbers are predicted to have arge impact on enemy morale and allows for greater flexibility and adaptability. Krische intends to thoroughly train them on utilising mana and the concept of agitators. Krische intends to personally check on those with special skills like archery and horse-ridingrgely because she wants to find anyone who has mana. Just a single extra person is equal to ten men¨D¨Dthe cost efficiency is extremely high and Krische does not intend to miss anybody who has mana in this recruitment. The examiners and Krische¡¯s assistant helping with the sorting have been told the reason beforehand, but the problem is the volunteers. They have not been told why ck is special. There is no pattern in age or gender for those chosen as ck. Naturally, there are some among the volunteers that are dissatisfied by this. Since the roles the colours indicate had been decided beforehand, rumours had spread. Inevitably, everyone knows that red and ck are for those who are specially skilled. There would be some whoin when they are not chosen as these two special colours. ¡°Wait! Why am I yellow when that kid is ck!¡± Someone who was chosen as yellow and had yet to recover from the shock had still been nearby. A young men red at Krische angrily. ¡°It¡¯s all weird! What can you tell from just a few exchanges. I was the best swordsman in my vige and no one could best me. My movements just now should have been quite good! Even if you¡¯re the general¡¯s daughter, what does a child like yo¨D¨D¡± ¡°Quiet! This person is the vice corpsmander!¡± The man who interjected had a hook nose and shaved head. Krische¡¯s assistant, Dagra shouted at the young man, but was feeling cold sweat. This imposing middle-aged man was one of the centurions that participated in Krische¡¯s mountain infiltration. He had seen with his own eyes how Krische dive into the enemy alone and built a mountain of corpses. He knows from personal experience that this sweet girl that looks like she would not even kill a bug is actually a ruthless ughterer, a monster. He had tensed when this reckless young man insulted Krische. Most of the examiners are also his subordinates. They had also seen the same things and also froze, staring at Krische. ¡°Nn, if he is a soldier then this would be refusal to obey orders¡¡which means the punishment for insubordination would be applicable, but what do you think, Dagra?¡± ¡°Wh¡¡what, do you mean?¡± Krische remained properly seated as she asked Dagra that question. The chill Dagra was feeling grew stronger when he heard those words. The punishment for insubordination is death. Of course the death penalty is only used in severe situations, usually extenuating circumstances are taken into consideration and the penalty is reduced to some light whipping or confinement. Additionally, insubordination is usually not punished outside of the battlefield. It would causerge morale problems and superiors that force orders using punishments without gaining the understanding of their subordinates would not be respected. At worst, they might be stabbed from behind on the battlefield. Thus the punishment for insubordination is ¡®an authority that is not meant to be exercised¡¯, Dagra has not heard of anyone being given the death penalty in his long years as a soldier. ¨D¨Dbut Krische is the one speaking here. Dagra does not believe she is so lenient. She has no fear. Dagra does not know anyone that can stab this girl in the back. She has no hesitation or conscience. Otherwise she would not be able to cut down people so dispassionately. Punishment for insubordination, these are the words on the surface, but her actual question is ¨D¨DCan I kill him? That is the question she is asking Dagra. ¡°Er, let¡¯s see. He has just been sorted after volunteering so it is questionable if he can be called a soldier, so Krische is not sure about this.¡± Krische¡¯s silver hair fluttered as she ced her left index finger to her sakura lips, falling into thought. Krische had been taught to consult the officers under her for uncertain matters not in the rules, so Krische had simply asked Dagra an honest question. Her mannerisms looked just like a young, adorable girl that is confused. But Dagra did not have a shred of leisure to appreciate that cute gesture. Dagra had been presented with an extremely terrifying choice. Krische has stated that she interprets this as refusal to obey orders. She might not expect a different interpretation¨D¨DWhich would mean she asked Dagra this question to create a pretext to kill this unpleasant young man. In fact, Krische¡¯s right hand had been fiddling with the handle of the small curved de at her waist. Dagra recalled how she could swing that sword at speeds the eye could not follow and felt sweat dripping down his back. ¨D¨Dthe punishment for insubordination should be applied. Dagra knows that the instant he says this, her sword would slice away the flesh of the young man¡¯s neck. She has an unhealthy obsession with avoiding the bone and slicing only the soft flesh of the neck with that nata-like sword of hers. Dagra has seen her kill more than a hundred men that way. Using that single sword she brought to the battlefield¨D¨Djust so that it would not grow blunt. Obsessively, carefully, dispassionately. Dagra stayed frozen, only moving his eyes to look at the examiners. The examiners that knew of Kriche¡¯s rumours, or saw it for themselves, were watching with held breaths. Most are Dagra¡¯s subordinates and were attached to that special unit. They are all excellent soldiers that survived that fierce battle, so they were chosen as examiners and training instructors. One of them noticed Dagra¡¯s gaze and shook his head. Do not defy her, prioritise your own life. After some hesitation, Dagra shut his eyes. Dagra is a good man, a fine centurion that worked his way up the ranks. He made his decision and prepared for death, to protect the rude young man. ¡°Th, the officialmissioning, er, documents¡¡have not beenpleted. Even though he has been sorted¡¡at, at this stage he cannot be called a soldier.¡± This is the only exnation that can convince her. If she said to prepare the documents immediately, then he would give up. There is a limit to his goodness, Dagra has a wife and children. He watched Krische fearfully as she pped her hands together. ¡°Aah, that is true. Technically, it is only official after the documentation isplete. But it would be a little troublesome if there are more people like this.¡± Krische smiled as if she was satisfied by the answer, but Dagra did not feel relieved. He does not have the slightest idea what this adorable monster is thinking. ¡°A, anyway! Please let me try again! I should be red with my skill!¡± The young man spoke again, unaware that he had almost died. Stop talking! Dagra shot him a murderous look, but Krische nodded. ¡°It would be troublesome if there is anyone else like this in the line, so Krische has to make sure this does not happen again.¡± Krische took two blunted swords from the examiners and handed one to the young man. Then she wielded the other. ¡°Come. There is no need to hold back, please attack me.¡± ¡°No, but¡¡¡± ¡°If you do not then you will stay as yellow. Ah, no, wrong. Even if you do, you would still be yellow.¡± The young man heard those casual words as a provocation. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault if you get hurt¡±, he muttered and stepped forward. The young man was not lying when he said he was the best swordsman in his vige. In fact, he had dropped to yellow by a narrow margin, but Krische had absolute confidence in her own judgement. Once she has decided he is yellow, she would not change that decision. The young man¡¯s trained movements were quick and his attack was sharp. But his diagonal sh was an inch short, not even touching Krische¡¯s clothes as it cut air. ¡°!? Tsk¡¡¡± A second returning sh. Krische dodged it by walking backwards, and again on the third swing. ¨D¨Dthe gap between the tip of the de and her body is always less than an inch. She wavered like a mirage, but her movements were precise. Though her movements were extremely rxed, it is clear to anyone¡¯s eyes that Krische is dodging the young man¡¯s sword with minimal movement. It was as if this is a nned performance and amotion spread¨D¨Dbut when it repeated ten, twenty times, the voices grew silent. This is because the young man¡¯s movements are as good as he imed, quite skilled in the eyes of many present. Krische feels no reluctance about disying her strength. By showing power and making others recognise the distinct gap between them and her, making them fear her, they will be obedient. Krische knows that she cannot be well-liked by the soldiers like Selene, so the only way they would obey Krische is through fear. If it solves the problem then that is great, Krische does not care about her impression on people that she has no interest in. ¨D¨Ddo not defy Krische, just be obedient. That is all she wants from the soldiers. This much should be enough, Krische judged from the surrounding reactions, then spun around. As if dancing, she spun around to the young man¡¯s back. She kicked the young man in the back of his knee as he cut at empty space, forcing him to his knees as she ced the blunted de to his neck. Krische thought about chopping straight through or swinging upwards anyway, but Krische is a well-mannered girl and has been taught to take good care of things. Her obsessive efficiency did not allow even the slightest scrape on the sword. ¡°Krische is certainly a child and the person just now was also young. But appearances are nothing more than appearances. Krische is stronger than anyone in this fortress and you are yellow. That is it. Does everyone understand?¡± Nobody spoke. Krische nced at Dagra at a loss. Dagra stiffened for an instant, then promptly put his hand to his chest and saluted, then turned to face the line. ¡°The vice corpsmander fought on the front lines, beheaded more than a hundred enemies and killed the detestable Sarshenka¡¯s second-inmand and aides, even taking the general¡¯s aide prisoner in the previous war. She has earned a soldier¡¯s greatest honour, the title of senior knight directly from the king himself for her achievements in that single battle. Know that any insult to her is an insult to the king and to us soldiers! ¡¡bring him away!¡± Dagra told nearby soldiers to bring the young man away and breathed a sigh of relief. The young man, still stunned and unable to understand what had urred, was brought away by two burly soldiers. Krische sighed as she listened to Dagra¡¯s speech. Krische really is bad at talking. She has no idea if her intended message got across. For now, she picked up the sword dropped by the young man and returned it to the tense examiner before heading back to her seat. ¡°Selene.¡± Then smiled adorably as she saw Selene walking over. In contrast, Selene noticed something was off and looked around, tilting her head, then subconsciously pinched Krische¡¯s cheek when she trotted closer. ¡°Fe, ferere, ihyairesu¡¡¡± (Se, Selene, it hurts¡¡) ¡°Dagra, did she do something?¡± ¡°N, no! We just took some of her time to deal with a rude volunteer. Our ipetency caused unnecessary trouble for the vice corpsmander. The problem has already been resolved, corpsmander.¡± ¡°I see. Tell me if something happens, this child is just as she appears.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡¡± Selene did not really understand but it was probably Krische¡¯s fault. Krische red at Selene reproachfully for being pinched because of such an absurd reason, pouting her lovely lips. ¡°It¡¯s because of your usual behavior, I just assumed that you did something.¡± ¡°Muu¡¡ Krische was doing Krische¡¯s job properly.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, sorry.¡± Selene patted Krische¡¯s head unapologetically. Krische looked very cute like this, but the soldiers were confused about how Krische is supposed to be just as she appears. But nobody voiced that thought. To the soldiers that know of her abnormality, Krische is nothing like what her appearance suggests. They do not know what part of her beheading is as lovely as her face. Selene meant to say that Krische is as stupid as she looks, but the soldiers did not hear it that way. They assumed that it meant Krische acted like her appearance suggests only when with Selene. Selene is half-jokingly, half-seriously called a beast tamer by the soldiers. Of course, the beast is Krische. ¡°Dagra, you can continue. So Krische, how is it going?¡± ¡°Krische is fine.¡± ¡°¡¡idiot. Not you, the sorting.¡± ¡°Ow¡¡¡± Dagra stopped watching them and instructed the examiners to continue. Krische puffed out the cheeks that had just been pinched again as she answered. ¡°724 red, 1837 blue, 2783 yellow, 78 ck.¡± ¡°¡¡it¡¯s always amazing how you can remember so clearly. Excluding the logistics division¡¡we should get ten thousand with this round of recruitment.¡± Selene pressed a finger to Krische¡¯s puffed out cheeks and forced the air out as she fell into thought. But Krische suddenly spoke to Dagra. ¡°From the closest, blue, blue, yellow, red, red, yellow, yellow.¡± ¡°¡¡yes ma¡¯am! ¨D¨DPass your swords to the person behind and go to the locations you were told! Double time!¡± Krische had apparently been watching them out of the corner of her eye as she yed with Selene. When together with Selene, Krische looked just like a young girl, but there is absolutely no openings. Dagra felt a chill run down his spine as he caught this slight glimpse of her true nature. ¡°Ah, again. Third closest, ck. Go to the ck area.¡± Unlike the previous girl, this middle-aged man looked surprise but moved briskly and ran off. Krische¡¯s disy had some effect. ¡°¡¡ck.¡± Selene looked intently at the man that wasbelled ck. If they are not using physical enhancement, the difference between normal people and those with mana is slight. Selene could barely tell the difference after being told and looking closely, once again reminding her of Krische¡¯s abnormality. It is like picking out golden needles in a random mess of needles. I would lose concentration and give up after an hour, Selene thought as she pinched Krische¡¯s cheeks. Krische red at Selene as her cheeks were pinched again, but also smiled a little. Selene pinching her cheeks is a normal urrence and though Krische may appear to sulk, she does not find it unpleasant. Since Bery had exined that it is Selene¡¯s way of expressing love, Krische is actually slightly happy about it. Krische stared at Selene and Selene frowned back. Selene is as usual¨D¨Dor she looked like it. Krische hesitantly opened her mouth to ask. ¡°Er¡¡Selene, er¡¡are you okay? Are you pushing yourself?¡± When Krische had dicussed with Bery about what she had talked to Kreschenta about, Bery had told her to just ask directly. Because just by doing that, Selene would understand Krische¡¯s feelings. ¡°You¡¯ve learnt to be a little considerate.¡± Selene looked a little surprise, but smiled happily as she patted Krische¡¯s head. ¡°¡¡fufu, I¡¯m fine, otou-sama is the Kingdom¡¯s best general. I¡¯m just a little wor¨D¨D¡± ¡°¨D¨DFrom the closest, yellow, yellow, blue, yellow, yellow, blue, redefu!? Ow¡¡¡± ¡°Your inability to read the atmosphere really is irritating¡¡ Dagra.¡± ¡°Ye, yes ma¡¯am¡¡? P, pass your swords to the person behind and go to the locations you were told! Double time!¡± The recruitment proceeded smoothly -End- Chapter 42: Kitchen Crusade Chapter 42: Kitchen Crusade With it bing wartime and the presence of the princess, there was no way they could keep living in the estate. Because there is no telling when assassins or suspicious people will infiltrate. The way the estate was built made it very weak in terms of defense. There was no way they would leave Bery and Kreschenta at that kind of ce. There''s also a suggestion to let the soldiers be their escort, however Krische doesn''t trust their abilities, also although Bery who had slight distrust towards men doesn''t object to it, she still showed some difort. That was why for the time being, everyone would be staying at the fortress---- "Really, when ites to using these kinds of ingredients, I need to ask Krische-sama for guidance." "Ehehe, since there aren''t any ingredients in the vige like there is in the estate." At therge kitchen of the fortress----standing in front of the kitchen ind, the two of them were cooking side by side. Pumpkin soup and pie. Herb-grilled chicken. Though it''s a simple country dish, Bery smiled as she taste-tested the soup. For Krische who lived in a vige, the ingredients in the soup was plentiful However, for Bery who always tries to bring out the best vor by using plenty of various ingredients, theck of selection was a bit concerning. On the contrary, the less options she had the more she became puzzled. Bery had a very high awareness of cooking, and she always aimed for the best. For the dish she wants to make, even if only a little bit of the ingredients was insufficient, she will immediately go to town to buy it. In that aspect, as expected Bery is also an aristocrat. She strives for artistic perfection even in her cooking, for which she goes to great lengths and spares no expense. For Bery, cooking in the fortress where the variety of ingredients being supplied are limited was difficult, but Krische being used to this kind of situation, chose a dish from the few ingredients avable, randomly deciding on it. "The peddler that asionallyes to the vige would bring pumpkins. Krische really likes pumpkin pie and soup, so Krische used to borrow the oven at Oba-san''s house who lived nearby and make it all the time." She said with excitement. If there''s pumpkin, use pumpkin, if there''s potato, potato it is then! Krische''s specialty was simple country dishes made with what was avable, and thanks to Bery''s various lessons, her cooking skills had improved, so although it was simple, she amplified the vors of the ingredients to maximum. Cook using everything that an ingredient has and not wasting any of it. Krische''s cooking, which approaches a single ingredient from various perspectives, had many points that impressed Bery. "Oh, is that so? In that case, I should have made more for Krische-sama. You could cut out the inside of the pumpkin and use it as a gratin. The appearance looks interesting, and it''s also delicious." " Gratin. . ." In contrast, Bery would use ingredientsvishly if it would improve the vor. For her with an aristocratic mindset, she only uses the good part out of the Ingredient. If she only needed a small amount for a subtle seasoning, she would be willing to use the ingredients even if some parts will get wasted. It was a big difference for Krische, where if she uses radish she will use everything from the peels to the leaves of the radish. Having been taught not to waste ingredients, Krische was initially surprised at Bery with the extravagant use of ingredients, but the dishes created with such extravagance are also works of art. She was deeply impressed by Bery''s stance of prioritizing everything for the sake of vor. "Fufu, let''s make that tomorrow. Krische-sama likes gratin too, right?" "... Yes, Krische likes it." Watching Krische blush and nodding embarrassingly, Bery chuckled. "Let''s grind the pumpkin guts and dissolve it in the soup and to make it milkier. I''m sure Krische-sama will like it." Bery keeps petting Krische while talking, making Krische smile happily. Bery''s culinary philosophy pursues supreme delicacy throughbination of ingredients, and Krische''s culinary philosophy emphasizes approaching ingredients from various aspects to bring out their charm. If there is a difference, then the method will differ, and the focus will also differ. Though when ites toplex dishes, Krische can''t match Bery who could think of the bestbination from her myriad of experiences, if it was a simple dish then Krische was confident in her skill. However, Bery''s creativity, which sought the best of the best, always surpasses Krische''s imagination. Both of them stand by each other, both serving as cooks, and as a teacher to the other. Filled with respect and happiness Krische snuggles to Bery. Bery chided Krische "There are still people working" while blushing with an expression that is not all that dissatisfying. Therge kitchen had just finished preparing meals for the soldiers and the cooking team also had finished setting the table. Right now the cooking team was taking a break, but the men had not returned to the barracks and were happily watching the pair from afar, while doing chores that didn''t really need to be done as an excuse. Krische swayed with her silver long hair in a ponytail. Wearing a white apron, Krische was smiling happily the whole time. Her petite and slender body that stirs up people''s protective instinct, her adorable, beautiful face glowed in the dim light of the kitchen. The way she was spoiled by Bery sometimes, makes her seem like a little girl. It was truly lovely. And the same goes for Bery, who was standing next to her. Just like Krische, the red-haired beauty wearing an apron dress was smiling gently, like a flower bursting into bloom. Like Krische, she is petite and has a baby face, but she has good looks and is feminine, with a well-developed body that would make you look back if you passed by her in the street. Her apron, which was tied tightly around her waist, entuates her narrow waist, making you want to look at her backside. Her body was not bewitching however, but rather though sexy, it was clean, and her affectionate atmosphere was pure. Their appearance was so picturesque and beautiful that they were afraid to disturb the atmosphere, though if the situation had permitted, there would have been a rush of people calling out to them. However, everyone present knew that the pretty silver girl was Krische Christands, the daughter of the general and also, an official knight. And for Krische, this time of cooking delicious food while being pampered by Bery was a blissful time, a time she does not want to be disturbed by anyone. The other day, Krische had told everyone present that she didn''t need any help because she was cooking for Her Highness, the Princess. The only opportunity to talk with them was when someone was asked to do trivial chores, so they had to voluntarily stay here and feast their eyes on the two beautiful girls, while faintly hoping for such an opportunity. However, this ce sometimes turns into a battlefield. "Then, let''s carry it so it doesn''t get cold." "Yes." ----The first person to act swiftly upon hearing those words was Zalbach, the head of the cooking team. He had a chubby body and was approaching middle age, but he moved faster than anyone else. A pot of soup, a herb-grilled chicken, bread and pie. With those dishes, and bringing them to the princess and corpsmander,they would need a food trolley to carry it. Then, let''s carry it----the one who had started moving around the "then" in those words, was already closing the distance to the location of the wagon. Arge stride but calm gait. It was an unspoken agreement among the cooking team that they should not use such tant means as jogging or trotting. It can''t be helped if it was a busy time, but before anyone knew what was happening, a rule had been established here that their atmosphere was not to be interrupted. In times like these, experience speaks for itself--- Zalbach, who had a splendid beard, followed the movements of the two with the eyes of the head chef. The way they cooked was vibrant and without any waste, their coordination was also splendid. But, after all, Zalbach, who had many years of experience, could estimate how long it would take them toplete a dish, based on their abilities and coordination. When he sensed that the end was near, Zalbach moved naturally so his position was closer to the food trolley. Zalbach grinned---but was startled by the sound of wheels rolling from behind and turned around. The man rolling the food trolley was Kart, the young man who was in charge of the food distribution in this fortress. Zalbach immediately looked at the ce where the food trolley was supposed to be, and one of them hadpletely disappeared from there. Then he saw that it was in Kart''s hand. ----When Kart returned from directing the food delivery, the two of them had just set up the pot. Kart''s excellent brain, whichmands the distribution of food for thousands of soldiers, had finished grasping where every cooking utensil and ingredients were ced. How to get ahead of everyone else, what was needed, and what steps should be taken. Kart, who instantly found the answer, immediately requisitioned the food trolley, saying, "I''ll take care of it," and waited for the right moment. Kart analyzed that, in experience, Zalbach was always one step ahead of himself. Because for Zalbach, this ce was like his own home. Zalbach, who has been entrusted with the kitchen of this fortress for ten years, was equal to a king in this ce. In the past few days, not counting the small victories, Zalbach had won four times, Kart had won twice, and the others twice. If one were to count the small victories, the gap would be even wider. Zalbach always puts himself in the position to be ordered by the two flowers to do their chores. Kart does not doubt his own excellence, but he also epts the fact that in this limited space, Zalbach was superior to him. It was frustrating. However, if he epts the fact as a fact, he can think of a way to counter it. ''If Zalbach is always one step ahead of me, then I should be three steps ahead of him.'' Using one''s brain, not experience. If he had been born into nobility and given the position of leading others in battle, he surely would be an excellent general. At the very least, if Bogan''s idea of a General Staff had taken shape earlier, his brains would have made him an exceptionally General Staff indeed. The talented Kart was still excellent, even in the food distribution---- Zalbach res at the fearless Kart, looking like a parent whose child had been murdered, and sneers. ''You''re good, young man.'' ''Kuku, it''s time for the old people to sleep in the barracks, you know.'' While conversing through their gazes, Zalbach didn''t just give up there. The route was different, and Kart''s food trolley would definitely get there faster. However there was still a difference of two steps. Zalbach, who knew the kitchen inside and out, urately determined the difference in distance between the two of them and came up with a secret stratagem.. "Oops.. ." ----He pretended to stumble even though there was nothing there. A momentary lean forward and a leap. With one move, it narrowed the gap of despair that should have existed between them and turned it around. Kart''s eyes were filled with astonishment. ''You''re willing to go that far'', was what his eyes seemed to be saying. However, Zalbach did not care about the look in Kart''s eyes and put his hand on the food trolley that "just happened to be there" when hended and pulled it out. Kart res at Zalback, who has a fearless look on his face, as if he were a son whose father was murdered and sneered -------- ''I didn''t think you''d go that far, you old roon. ''That''s called the difference in experience, brat.'' The battle between the two was evenly matched, and the others who could not intervene had no choice but to hold their breaths and watch. The showdown between the two chiefs. It was a holy war. However, the war''s conclusion was blocked by the presence of an even more powerful person. "Krische-sama, Argan-sama! I will help you!" Breaking through the unspoken agreement, Anne, the woman with the seven-colored w, stepped into the fray without even reading the air. Having a strong admiration for Bery, she hade to the fortress yesterday as a servant, forsaking her position as a servant at the Royal quarters, which was a position that many people desired. Well, maybe except for Anne. She insists that as ady, the one she should aspire to be can only be Bery. She left the royal estate two days after Krische and the others, she then went to her parents'' house in the same northern part of the country, had a fight with them that almost resulted in her being disowned, and left the house for Christand''s house. Then, as she wandered around the empty estate, she was suspected by the soldiers there, and after crying and exining the situation, she was escorted and arrived safely yesterday ---- and here she was, in custody. Her only merits were her seriousness and high ability to take action. The boldness to break through head-on, without any ingenuity or tactics----the sudden appearance of an ambush was, in fact, waiting at the entrance the whole time. Don''t disturb their happy moment, but also be quick to help when it is needed. Then Anne saw the opportunity and jumped on it without regard.. "Oh, excuse me, I''m going to borrow ...... your food trolley." "Ah...?" Anne took the wagon that Zalbach had been desperate to grab as if it was only natural and ran towards the two of them, "Here you go!". She perceived that the food trolley had been specially prepared for her on purpose. She waspletely unaware that she had snatched the others'' credit from the side. Her ability to take action was one of her few virtues, but Anne was a woman with a seven-colored w. While it is a virtue, it was also paired with her thick-skinned nature. It being a virtue depends on the situation.She also couldn''t read the air. In the end it became one of her ws. "My, thank you, Anne-sama." "Um, uh... you, you wouldn''t spill it right?" "eh. . .?" "You, you can''t do that Krische-sama, if you say that, Anne-sama will get even more nervous..." Bery said in a panic, and Krische anxiously put the pot and te on the food trolley. Meanwhile Anna was saying ''it will be fine'' while shaking the food trolley. Anne, despite her thick skin, was internally timid and weak when it came to it. She grew nervous as she remembered the many blunders she had done in front of Krische. Krische, who was recruiting troops outside, was the one to confirm her identity who had been escorted by a carriage while being somewhat suspected of being a suspicious person. Her exasperated expression at that time... The more she thinks she shouldn''t show such things to Krische again, the stronger her trembling bes. Krische recognized her as an annoying woman who even though was extremely clumsy she uselessly had a high ability to take action. She has repeatedly interfered with Krische''s desire to be alone and pampered with Bery, and also it was still fresh in her mind that she was scolded by Serene at the royal estate because she kept saying unnecessary things. Her disposition is made worse because all of her actions are based on goodwill and kindness. Because of her repeated mistakes and failure, she was the first person to make Krische realize the meaning of the word ''thank you for the trouble''. Naturally, Krische does not trust Anne as a servant at all. Looking at Anne, who was trembling, Krische holds the food trolley, thinks for a moment, and then tells Anne. "Uhmm... Krische is in the mood to push the food trolley, so can Krische be in charge of the food trolley? Anne, please walk a little bit apart. . . .Ah, right since Anne is skilled in opening the door, Krische wants Anne to open the door first." There was a palpable sense of distrust that could not be hidden that it became obvious. Krische intended to nicely conceal it, but the halfhearted consideration just injured Anne''s heart. Anne struggled her best not to shed tears when she heard her firstpliment, "You''re good at opening doors." Krische''s evaluation of Anne was summarized there. "Y-yes... then, open the door..I...I''m good at it, so..." There is absolutely no malice at all, and it''s not like she was making fun of her. Or rather, Krische was being considerate, and that only worsened the wound, Bery urged the two of them without touching on the matter. "Well, let''s go then..." In fact, Bery also felt a little uneasy. While glimpsing Anne''s condition, Bery follows the two, and gracefully bows while making a slightly strange face to the culinary team that has solidified. Krische notices that and politely follows suit, and the three of them leave the kitchen. The men looked at Zalbach and Kart, who were still frozen, with pity. * * * * * Chapter 43: A Ladyâ€™s Distress Chapter 43: A Lady¡¯s Distress In the end, Bogan seed in taking control of the dragon''s maw, but Gildanstein also moved swiftly. Both of them must have acted almost simultaneously. Bogan''s army, which had numbered close to 20,000, was reduced to 14,000. In contrast, Gildanstein had 30,000 troops, and now there were still 20,000 left. The minimum of the strategic objectives - the maintenance of the dragon''s maw had been aplished, however to advance to the royal capital they would need more troops. As for the quality of the army, that of Christand''s army was extremely high, and on Gildan stein''s side, many of the soldiers were mobilized in a hurry. But, Gildanstein was also excellent in tactics. Even in the narrow dragon''s maw, sandwiched by mountains on the left and right sides, they effectively used their numerical advantage to reduce fatigue by alternating the front-line soldiers, and at the same time, they repeatedly did skirmish military drills. If the battle had simply been fought on the in, the Christand army might have been able to defeat the 30,000 Gildan Stein troops and end it there. But the narrowness of the dragon''s maw made it difficult for either side to deliver a decisive blow. The battle front was just too narrow. It seemed that the main battlefields now have changed to Mirskronia and Bernaich mountains and there were several close calls, as was written on the letter. The royal capital is still not fully under Gildanstein''s control due to him moving too quickly, so there were still many who just waited to see. Although a sudden increase in enemy''s forces was unlikely, the letter states that Gildansteins intends to use the battlefields here to train a strong army and improve the quality of his troops. While recruiting new soldiers, they are also recruiting reservists and retired military, those who can be an immediate force. Although they continue to send such personnel to Bogan, the same is also true on the Gildanstein side. It is difficult to make a significant gap in troop strength. The situation was currently at a standstill. Even after reading the letter three times, the content remained the same. Selene rubbed her eyes. She was a bit tired from the many problems she had to deal with. She leans back and sighs. This fortress, which is arge chunk of the northern part from Dragon''s Maw, used to be an important strategic base. Perhaps as a vestige of that, nobles used to be permanently stationed here and used the fortress as recement of estate, so there were private rooms as well as office rooms. The office is simple, but it was properly furnished with a desk and chair, and also arge window for better lighting. Since it was also used as a parlor, there was a low table and arge sofa in front of the desk, which was not too ufortable, no in a certain way that just made it worse. At night, she would often just sleeps there, and the fatigue continues to build up. Selene, dressed in military attire, as a corpsmander her attire was well groomed, but her golden hair was a little unkempt and tied back in a messy knot. Krische was busy. And it''s not like Bery was just lounging around either. When Bery''s not tending to Krische or cooking meals, she helps Selene with her paperwork. Although Bery dislikes conflict, she is quicker than Selene when ites to matters such as calction and management. Bery also handled documents for assignments of provisions and equipment on her behalf. It is easy to see why Bogan wanted to create a general staff. It is not just a matter ofmand. Military operations involve an enormous amount of processing. There are arrangements for food, clothing, weapons, and other supplies, as well as discussions with the merchants who will move with the army. If soldiers are to be managed for a long period of time away from the city, there are many things that will be needed. Since the military''s logistics could not cover all these needs, it wasmon for them to sign contracts directly withrge merchants to assist them. Outside of the fortress, there were many tents set up to sell liquor and other items for the soldiers'' consumption. Since most of the soldiers were men, it was also necessary to arrange for prostitutes. The merchants would gather the prostitutes and set up military brothels where soldiers could relieve their frustrations. Selene does not think it was foolish that she needs to worry about such things. Food, sex, and sleep. She believed that only by satisfying these desires can soldiers be excellent soldiers who won''t disturb the public order andw. The way an individual thinks and the way she---- a corpsmander, whomands the soldiers and orders their deaths on the battlefield should think is different. And it was better not to have such fears when it came to herself, Bery, and Kreschenta, and in fact, she pays more attention to it than Bogan precisely because she isn''t a man. Rape by soldiers urs even in Bogan''s well-disciplined army. Such incidents against female soldiers are alsomon. They had be ustomed to hearing their names being mentioned in obscene talks on the roadside, and that is why she was particrly careful about it. Being careful and considering each one seriously, that was why her fatigue built up. Krische was undeniably a genius. She did everything Selene asked her to do more than was expected. And she was also more serious and purer than Selene. For example, if she was told to work without sleep, she would do so until she reached her limit and copsed. Even the day after the mountain breakthrough, she had a terrible fever and had toy down for a whole day. If Selene had not noticed and told her to rest, she would have calmly joined the pursuit, and as long as she was asked to, she would have done so. She will always live up to expectations. And she thinks that that''s only natural. Even though her stamina wasn''t that high. The job Krische was given now, the selection and management of military drill, was because she was Krische. She would be able to do it. Although she does it without hesitation, there is no doubt that she is fatigued in her own way as well. However, Krische does not show any displeasure, but puts her pure trust in Serene and is spoiled by her. Seeing her like that made Selene needlessly think that she had to work even harder. Selene was talented, but was not even 16 yet. She was young, hardworking, and responsible, and because of this, Serene did not know how to rx, and the bad habit of being too serious had not yet left her. She sighs quietly, right at that moment she hears a knock. Only realizing now that the sun was about to set, she called out, "Come in," it was Anne who opened the door. Krishe entered next, looking somewhat puzzled, and sat down on the sofa, saying, "Excuse me." Starting today, the five people, including Anne , will be eating together. Until now, the four of them had always taken meals together. It was Bery''s suggestion, probably out of concern for her. Though she had said she didn''t need a good-luck charm, in the end, Although she felt bad about being cared for in this way, to tell the truth, she was happy and grateful. It was one of the few moments where she could rx. Since Krische was also here, she needed to refrain from behaving rudely, but even so, it waspletely different from eating alone. "...Kreschenta-sama, is there something wrong?" "Ah, no... onee-sama is walking quite far apart, so I was just wondering." The door was left open. However there was no sign of anyoneing in. Anne, who had guided Kreschenta to the chair, looked restlessly at the door, "Krische-sama?" Just as Krische appeared, -------gshaan!!!------, there was a ttering sound of dishes. "... Anne, can you wait in the corridor after you open the door?" "I-I''m sorry. "K-Krische-sama, Anne-sama, um, t-theres no ill will, just..." "But, just now, the food I made with great effort almost..." She heard a voice saying that, and Anne went out into the corridor while bowing her head. Instead, Krische finally appeared pushing the food trolley, and Bery, who looked troubled, began to serve the soup on her te, saying, "I''ll serve the food." Krische also helps her while stealing nces at Anne who is standing in the hallway. Anne was trembling and kept her head down and motionless. "Bery.... Uhmm, what are you doing?" "N-nothing... it''s just because of the bad timing Anne-sama bumped into Krische when she came in." "... Anne, Krische thought you were good at opening doors." As Krische blurts it out, Anne''s shoulders jump and she starts repeating, "I''m sorry," again. Krische''s brow was slightly wrinkled and she looked a little angry ----probably because Anne almost ruined the dish. She looks a little different from when she is displeased or sulking, she is trying to hold back her anger. It''s rare to see such an expression on Krische''s face, and it makes Serene let out small chuckles. "Well, well, look, we''ve made some delicious food, so let''s enjoy it. There, Krische-sama, please sit down." "Oh, onee-sama, Anne-sama will be here today too, right?" "Ah... yes." Krische nces at Anne and she sits next to Kreschenta as instructed. Kreschenta''s mouth loosened in satisfaction, but Krische, who pulled Bery to sit down next to her after setting the table, pouted. It was clear that Kreschenta liked Krische a lot. On the first day, Kreschenta suggested that they should sit in pairs. Serene, who was careful not to be rude, sat next to her, but she looked at Bery and Krische with a clearly dissatisfied look on her face, as expected even Selene would notice her motive. Bery seemed to have noticed, but Krische acted as if the seat was already decided. From then on, it was Krische and Bery, Selene and Kreschenta. Kreschenta tried to sit in the opposite position, saying that her hair was dusty as she tried to change her seat, and tried to sit next to Krische, but Krische wanted to sit next to Bery. If Kreschenta sits in the opposite position, then Krische would change her seat so it bes face to face, if Kreschenta sits next to her, then Krische would stand up, quickly helping Bery by pulling her to her side, defending the position. The offense and defense of the two were at the same level, but that''s why it was heartwarming. When a servant she knew named Anne had arrived and was introduced to Kreschenta, she said "So there will be five of us for meals from now on". This was probably the reason for theck of resistance to the presence of servants, which is uncharacteristic of royalty. She wanted a reason for Krische to sit next to her. When Selene smiled wryly, there was something childish about it, and Kreschenta red at her with a slightly sullen look. "W-what is it?" "No. Just thinking, Kreschenta really likes Krische." Kreschenta blushed and did not answer. When Serene sat down in front of Krische, Krische looked at Anne with a furrowed brow. "... Anne, please sit down quickly, the food will get cold." "B-but... Sit with Her Highness Princess..." "I don''t mind. Such a lively meal is not verymon in the royal pce, so please sit down and stop worrying about it." "Y-yes..." Anne nervously sat down next to Selene. Selene smiled and offered a small silent prayer, "Thank you for the bounty of the earth," as she watched Bery soothe Krische, whose cheeks were puffed out. In Bogan''s absence, it was Selene who would dere the start of the meal. The other four followed suit, and after a short silent prayer, they began to eat. Although it is not proper to talk with food in one''s mouth while eating, the conversation itself is often conducted in a normal manner. "How is it?" "Yeah, it''s really delicious. Really, Krische is really good at cooking, aren''t you" "Ehehe..." It is usually Krische who is the first to open her mouth, asking for feedback on the quality of the food. In the past, the meal was rtively quiet and Bery would exin the day''s dishes in an upbeat tone, but Krische has since taken over that role. Bery used to talk to Serene a lot in those days, but in retrospect, that was probably just her being considerate. Surprisingly, or perhaps I should say, unsurprisingly. Kreschenta is quite a glutton, and she seems to like food quite a bit. Though it''s delicious, it also could not be called avish dish, but she didn''t show any displeasure and seemed very satisfied after moving here from the estate. Perhaps it''s because it was made by Krische, but her style of being well-behaved while hastily stuffing the food into her stomach resembled krische. The nobles who possessed manners basically have arge appetite, but the amount of food the two of them ate was stillrge, and while Selene ate one piece of bread, they had finished eating two pieces. Krische took a piece of her own bread and ced it in front of Kreschenta, who looked at her and blushed shyly as she tore into it. Serene could tell that she was just wearing a mask, which was also a source of concern for her. When she asked Bery, she exined to Selene, ''She is very simr to Lady Krische, but it''s probably fine.'' However,pared to Bery, Selene, who knows how Krische is on the battlefield, is more anxious than Bery. Selene thinks it is a miracle that Krische grew up to be a good person. It is because she was raised by kind and understanding people like her parents and Bery, but her nature is still dangerous. Unlike Krische, she still does not have a good grasp of what kind of person Kreschenta, who was raised in the royal pce ,is like, and she is uneasy about it. This is because Selene knows that the royal pce is an ominous ce, swirling with conspiracies and trickery. She loves Krische from the bottom of her heart, but at the same time, she also admits that Krische is a deviant who doesn''t think anything of killing people. Selene has been trained to be objective at all times, and she clearly sees this side of Krische as dangerous. And that Krische''s true nature lies there. It is Bery''s love and goodness that allows Krische to live her life as she is now, as a slightly weird but a normal girl. It''s vexing, but Selene admits that she would not have been able to educate Krische so well herself, and that''s why she respects Bery more than anyone else. But that doesn''t mean she thinks that Bery''s goodness is perfect. She did not believe unconditionally that just because Krische had turned out well, Kreschenta would be the same too. Of course, Bery also understood that and wanted to be entrusted with it, but Selene was extremely afraid in the event that it''s impossible. The sight of Kreschenta stuffing her cheek with bread like this was adorable, just like Krische. But if she was asked whether Kreschenta is as good as Krische, she could not rx if she chooses Kreschenta. "Anne, how is it?" "T-this dish was really prepared by the two of you...?" "...? Yes." "I am in awe of how good it tastespared to what I made. ... If you''re so good at cooking, what should I do to take care of you..." To answer Anne, Krische thinks for a moment and then tells her with a smile on her face. "Um... Bery does a lot of things for Krische so, ah, When Krische is there Krische helps Bery so Anne doesn''t have to take care of anyone." "Ah, umm... that''s, yes..." "K...Krische-sama..." It was a clear rejection that could not be hidden. Anne was depressed, and Bery was flustered, wondering what to say. Kreschenta looks at Krische and then at Anne as if observing her. ----The inorganic eyes that Krische sometimes shows. "That''s not good" Krische, who nced sideways at her, and pouted her lips, saying quietly, "I have a good memory you know. I''m just looking at her a bit." Bery was startled for a moment, but she did not show it on her face and changed the subject, saying that the pie was very delicious. Selene reads and understands the meaning from Krische''s words and Bery''s reaction. She managed to read it somehow----She also had known Krische for a long time. And from that, she understood. How much better it would have been if Krische had been a mere princess. Selene unconsciously pressed her eyes, Krische turned her gaze to Selene. "...Selene-sama, you look very tired." "I''m fine. Thank you for your consideration." "Please don''t push yourself too hard. It would be a problem if Lady Selene copsed in this situation." "I''ve gotten the gist of it, andpared to when I first started, it''s a lot easier now. That''s not going to happen." Krische smiled and looked at Serene. And then asked, "May I talk to youter?" "A talk, is it?" "Yes, I have talked with onee-sama and Argan-sama, but not with Selene-sama yet. Of course, only if you have time, is fine." "If that''s the case, by all means." Krische and Bery look at the two of them, but Kreschenta tells them that sharing your purpose is important. Anne, who was depressed alone, couldn''t hear the conversation at all. * * * * * Chapter 44: Methodology of Happiness Chapter 44: Methodology of Happiness "I would like to have a good rtionship with Argan-sama and Selene-sama." A steaming teacup. Holding the saucer, just staring at it without taking a sip, that was what Kreschenta did. She looked elegant and thoughtful, but Selene knew that she, like Krische, had a cat''s tongue. The gesture was oddly amusing, considering the fact that she simply could not drink it hot. She looked as if she was intellectually looking at the surface of the tea and elegantly sniffing the aroma, but in reality, she was merely judging whether the temperature was too hot or not for her to drink. Overall, it was elegant, and the way she covered it was better than Krische, but it seems the inside was the same as Krische. Selene nearlyughed but held it in. At least now it was time for serious talk. Bery and the others had left to prepare the tea. When Bery said that she had an after-dinner dessert, Kreschenta reacted slightly. This princess in front of her, like Krische, has an extremely sweet tooth. Earlier she and Krische had been silently arguing over who would get to eat thest piece of pumpkin pie. When Anne snatched the pie onto her te, saying "It''s a waste to leave it," the two of them stiffened, and Bery smiled wryly, that was probably the reason Bery said that there was also dessert while cleaning up the table. In that respect, she found Kreschenta really cute, just like Krische. But that doesn''t mean she could let her guard down. "Selene-sama seems to be suspicious of me, so I thought it would be better to set up an opportunity for us to talk." "What do you mean?" "I mean it as it is. Selene-sama knows that I, just like onee-sama, am different from the others, right?" In the end, Kreschenta put the tea on the table without sipping it. It was probably still too hot to drink. "Selene-sama, I don''t really like conversations that are ostentatious. If we both understand each other, then it''s a waste of time. Please talk to me like how you usually talk to onee-sama. Selene-sama also knows that I''m bothered by it right? For me as long as we can understand each other''s words then I don''t really mind." "I think it would be disrespectful to the royal family if I behave like how I usually do around Krische though." "Oh well", saying that, Selene grabs Kreschenta''s teacup, which was modestly filled with honey, and pulls it closer. Kreschenta blushed as she nced at Selene, filling her tea with cool honey and drizzled it generously with milk. "Ah... it''s Argan-sama, isn''t it?" "If Kreschenta says so, then this kind of ostentation is also not needed. Add plenty of honey and milk to make it lukewarm. Sometimes I also want to drink this kind of sweet drink, so you don''t have to be shy." Selene did the same with her own tea and then returned Kreschenta''s tea. ''When tired, I want to drink something sweet''. Although Kreschenta red at her for a while, in the end, she timidly reached out and sipped the tea slowly. Her mouth rxed slightly. "Fufu, you have exactly the same taste as Krische.... I also don''t like bothersome things. If you say so then I''d be happy if you also act normally." "I think I''m pretty skilled at it, but..." "I think you''re very good, but it''s kind of transparent ." Selene also took a sip of her sweet tea and sighed, then continued. "Krische is very stupid and cute. I wonder if that''s what pure and innocent is like. I love that kind of girl. ... However, she is cruel to anyone she doesn''t care about, and she can kill someone else easily. To be honest I think that part of her is very scary." Selene put down her saucer and looked at Kreschenta. "That''s why I''m scared of you too, Kreschenta. I can understand your reasoning because I''ve seen Krische. But it''s not like everything is the same, and even though we want the same thing, the method used to achieve it is different, right? For example, the reason we had a talk right now is because you thought that no matter the reason, the Christands won''t throw you out now. Am I right?" "Yes...you are very clever." Kreschenta said, a little impressed. "Now that the war has begun, no matter what I say or do, it''s already toote... I''ve known for a long time that you are just like Krische. But you only asked to talk now because you were sure of it right? ...Just so you know, that was a cowardly method, and that''s where you differ from Krische." "...Cowardly?" "Yeah. I''m sure you''ve learned way more than Krische. But let me tell you, that''s a method you shouldn''t use against someone you want to get along with. At the very least, trust won''t be born from that kind of method." After saying that Selene smiled. "The cute thing about Krische is that she''s really silly. She''s not good at hiding things, she''s honest and truthful. She always pushes herself when you rely on her, and when she''s told she can be spoiled, she will ask to be spoiled until she melts. If you want to call her silly, then maybe she really is. But she is purer than anyone else, and I think that''s beautiful and cute. That''s why I love her more than anyone else and trust her more than anyone else." The root of this is the same. Maybe she can love the girl in front of her. Or maybe not. "You are smart, and you may be able to use your intellect to get the results you want. But all you can get with your cleverness are only results. I don''t have faith in you. Neither will those around you. If so, then you will be all alone. No one will trust you, no one will remember you, and no matter what results you get, you will forever be alone, and you will die without ever attaining peace of mind." Kreschenta''s brows furrowed in displeasure, which Selene found refreshing. The story she had heard from Bery was fragmentary, and Bery had deliberately hid something from her. But if Kreschenta is a human who is "very simr" to Krische, then she can guess it. ----that this princess was the one who disrupted the order of the kingdom and brought Christand into the center of the scheme. She used Christand in order to gain the throne for herself. If her nature is the same as Krische''s, then she knows what Kreschenta is seeking. Krische is abnormal. But what she always seeks is a ce where she feels safe. And she believes that the ce was here, in Christand, in Bery''s arms. If her nature is the same as Krische, then what she truly desires is nothing more than a ce where she can feel safe and secure, just as Krische does. At the very least Selene''s imagination shouldn''t be that far off the mark. Kreschenta was clearly showing displeasure. "Honestly, it''s very unpleasant. Neither me, nor Father, nor Bery---and Krische----no one wants the war." "So you can''t get along with me?" "Well, yeah. At least if you''re the way you are right now, I refuse. I don''t want to be swayed for the results you want. I even thought it might be better to kill you." Kreschenta''s eyes narrowed. Realizing that the magic that coiled around Kreschenta''s body was being sharpened to the limit, Selene raised her hands andughed. "...but I don''t. Do you know why?" "Because I am fearful?" "You are clever, but stupid, huh. I know scarier girls." "Stupid ......?¡¡Me?" "Yes, just like Krische, even though you have a very smart head, you end up thinking too much. You don''t understand the simple things." Selene giggled and sipped her tea. "The reason is that Krische is letting you live. If Krische can''t forgive you for what you''ve done, your neck won''t still be there, right? There is a good chance she would have done so, but she didn''t, and she''s leaving you alive like this...Do you understand what that means?" "..." "...At the very least, Krische is trying to ept you. She''s thinking of making you feel safe and be a new family that she can trust. She feels that way about you. As her sister, I don''t want to tell her she''s making the wrong decision, and I don''t want to think she''s making the wrong decision either." It''s very simple, Selene continued. "Krische wants to include you in her happiness and be happy together. She wants you and her to be happy. That child thinks that you can do it and believes you." Selene punctuated her words, closed her eyes then opened it again. Looking straight ahead, Selene said this. "What I want to say is, don''t do anything that will betray that child''s trust...That''s all I ask. If you can do that, I swear by my name, the ce you want, together with Krische, I will make it. As for how to achieve that, I guess it''s up to you." Kreschenta stared back at Selene. Observing her, not moving an inch. After a short pause, she sighed and replied in amazement. "Selene-sama also says something simr to Argan-sama. ......what a weird person." "If you weren''t weird too, you wouldn''t be so fond of Krische. Though it''s not as much as Bery, she also likes me after all. I don''t know about you though." "... I heard simr words from Argan-sama." Krechenta drank the lukewarm tea and put it in front of Selene. Selene silently poured the tea, just as sweet as before, with plenty of milk. She gave it to Krechenta and she loosened her cheek just a little. "I promised onee-sama that I won''t do this anymore. At the very least least I''ll discuss it first. I also don''t want to be killed by onee-sama. I came here to create a safe ce with onee-sama. Can you at least trust this?" "No, that''s enough... You''re still young after all. I''ll forgive you for what happened this time." "I too will pretend that I did not see the disrespect you have shown me today." "Is that so?" Selene said with a chuckle. "Is the tea good?" "...Uhm, just so-so." "Fufu, Krische and Bery will bring delicious cookies in a little while. You like them too, don''t you?" "...I don''t hate it." "Unlike Krische, Your Royal Highness isn''t honest, huh. I really like that part of her very much and it''s also very cute. It''s the truth, isn''t it?" Krechenta ''s cheeks blushed and she red at Selene. "I am very unhappy." "Is that so. But well, let''s get along? If you''re Krische''s little sister, then you''re also my little sister." "... can you please not make me your little sister without permission." Krechenta sips her tea with a look that seems to say, ''I''m angry''. And as she tasted the sweet tea, she rxed her mouth slightly. Selene patrolled the fortress, talking around. She listens to the variousints of the soldiers, from recruit training to logistics, and thinks on how to satisfy their needs. A wall can be created with just a report. If a wall is built, there is a risk that dissatisfaction will build up without her knowledge. Selene herself thought it was important to take the initiative to create an atmosphere in which it was easy to talk and to have conversations from the same point of view. Of course, the difference in position between amander and a soldier must be absolutely separated, but it is also a problem if the two arepletely separated even in terms of feelings. Excessive reverence can create distortions, and these distortions will eventually grow. As someone in charge of their lives, she feels that it is only her duty to properly pick up on their concerns and dissatisfaction, which they cannot say toward a superior officer. The soldiers and officers hold high respect for Selene due to this. But it''s not all good. If she acts to win their trust and respect like that, she''ll have extra worries. When she returns home afterpleting her rounds, a mountain of paperwork would be waiting for her. Selene felt like sighing, but ordered the soldier escorting her to rest and opened the door. "......huh?" In the office, Bery was sitting on the sofa, staring at the papers ---- Kreschenta, sitting at the office desk with a bored look on her face, was sorting through the papers. When she saw Selene, she pouted and red at her, pointing at the trembling Anne by her side. "Selene-sama, if you''re going to hire a servant, would you hire someone who is more considerate? Really. Earlier because of her I had to spend double, no, I mean, triple the efforts, it''s like I''m the servant here." "Uh, I''m sorry..." "Um..." Bery chuckled when she saw Selene not grasping the situation. Somehow, it was a happy face. "Kreschenta-sama came to help the youngdy after the youngdy went to make her rounds. It would be troublesome if Selene-sama copsed after all. I also didn''t have anything to do, so I thought I''d give you a little help, but... this person has been hindering me since a while ago, do you know that? " "I''m sorry, I''m sorry......"Seeing Anne''s apology, Selene holds her mouth andughs. Kreschenta tilted her head and sat down on the sofa with a stack of papers on the desk, leaving room for Selene to sit down. "I took a quick look and divided them into those that seemed important and those that weren''t. I''m not very familiar with the actual military situation, so I can''t say it''s perfect. Since the more money, the better, I''ve taken the liberty of signing off on funding for towns and viges. There are also some from the merchants, but I''ve put those on hold, so don''t worry." Kreschenta continued sorting through the documents in an orderly manner. "There''s also a cargo offered from the town and vige, the one I think is okay to ept is here. And since it would be troublesome if we take from somece that doesn''t have much reserve and then something happened, over here is the one I think is better to reject and just thank them. "......Why do you just stand there?" "......fufu, it''s nothing" Selene stood next to her and patted Kreschenta''s head. Then she sat down with a nonchnt look on her face. Kreschenta''s cheeks blushed and red at Selene. "...... I''m just trying to help you a little for the sake of the future. Please don''t misunderstand." "Anne, can you go and make me some light snacks?" "Y-yes!" Anne rushes out at those words. Selene saw it off and she petted Kreschenta again. "Is that so? But still, I''m very happy." "......Please don''t pet me." "It''s because you''re cute." "It seems you don''t understand so I''ll tell you. Normally, when you praise someone for being cute, it''s for people who are lower than you. I''m much smarter, also more excellent than you after all. Such words are inappropriate." "That''s your opinion, Kreschenta. I think that part of you is cute in that way, that''s why I praise you like this." Selene giggles and Kreschenta res at Serene sullenly. But she did not really reject being petted like that. Chapter 45: Clever Anne and Centurion Chapter 45: Clever Anne and Centurion Clever Anne and Centurion Manipte magical powers and build virtual muscles. Magic can be manipted by will, for example, if one repeatedly exerts oneself to hold a heavy object, the magic will naturally move and enhance the body. Those who have a good sense, will feel that it is a different force than muscles, and may learn how to handle such imaginary muscles rather than muscr power. There were 98 people who have been identified as "ck". Of these, 30 of them are using it unconsciously. And there were about two people who had acquired the skill to use it consciously. Krische first interviewed these two, asking them about the process by which they hade to consciously handle magic, and thought about the teaching guidelines. Since Selene had exined the method that Bogan had taught her, Krische was quick to get an idea of how to feel magic in general. First, Krische ordered the "ck" training captain ---- her assistant, Dagra centurion, who had been given an unofficial offer to be the captain after the training was over ---- to put them through a rigorous basic training program. Hees from amoner background, having learned to handle magic in battle and consciously understood and mastered it. He was rtively smart and capable, and his emphasis onmand and discipline made him what Krishe considered to be a good soldier, as for how she was valued by Dagra who was afraid of her is another matter. His troops are also a group of excellent soldiers who have apanied her in the infiltration of the mountains and have fought through fierce battles. When the number of volunteers decreased, the selection process was closed at noon. In the morning, Dagra oversees the "cks," and in the afternoon, Krische joins them for training. Since it has been decided that they will operate as a Krische''s men, it is important for them to be able tomunicate with each other to a certain extent, and since they are a special unit, it is necessary for Krische, who is the operator, to provide them with good guidance in order to speed up their training. There''s also the fact that the other units were being led by Christand''s excellent soldiers, so there was no need to worry so much about it. One of the rooms at the warehouse is used mainly for ck''s simple training. There was also the point that they didn''t want people to see much of the training too, so the training that dealt with magic was used in such a room. Because of their special inborn talents, it does not reflect well on their special treatment to other soldiers. It is not possible for them to move up to ck if they show excellent results in training. For this reason, only the most rigorous basic training was conducted outside for the other soldiers to see, while the magical training and education was conducted in this somewhat cold warehouse. "All hands, salute the corpsmander''s adjutant!" Krische entered the room with a tray of tea and other items, and at Darga''s words, the trainees all clicked their heels and put their hands on their chests. Their salutecked some uniformness, but it can''t be helped because they''re a mixed recruit, and are in a state of extreme fatigue. Everyone had their postures straightened, but their shoulders were shaking a little, as if they were having a hard time breathing. Thanks to that, the room smelled sweaty. Krische, with a furrowed brow, put the cup of tea on the desk in front of her, opened the window, and told them that they could take a rest. They have undergone grueling basic training. After a discussion between Dagra and those who had consciously mastered the art of handling magic, she hade to the conclusion that it was easier to learn to manipte magic in the extremes of fatigue. "Today we have 87 people." "Thank you for your hard work. It''s going well, but please be careful not to overdo it." "Yes!" The trainees are basically assigned in groups of five. In the morning, they would run around the fortress in full infantry gear, and without taking a break, they would swing their swords. Then, they would form up in line and engage in a battle of shields of five against five, and the team that lost, would be made to run around the fort even more. That''s about it for the warm-up exercise, and then they were made to carry on their backs heavy objects that they could not carry without using magical powers. Two of the five-man team must carry it, and the remaining three who do not carry it must assist them. In the five-man team, it was decided that at least two heavy items must be carried, and if a third or fourth item was carried, a reward would be given, such as an increase in desserts for the meal. That''s the basic training. Those who had grasped the point assisted the other, and by teaching the still inexperienced the knack, the overall level was raised. Instead of forcing them to train hard, they are given proper breaks and meals, and she also made sure to show the hard training to the supply team "Now then..." Krische looked around at the trainees and nodded, satisfied with the results. A group of five. Some sense of solidarity was born, and physical strength was also built up. The ability itself was not bad. For today, she would start with a basic lecture on operations. "Narga, you must now fight Dagra here. The objective is to kill Dagra. The objective is to kill Dagra, and it must be done with certainty. As a prerequisite, you will be allowed to use everything in this room. How will you do it?" "Eh, ah... yes, corpsmander''s adjutant. Um... I will..." "Next, Oudal. The same question." This went on. After about five people, there was finally someone who was able to answer. "Next, Mia. I''ll ask you the same question." "Y-Yes, I''ll ask myrade here to help me, and fight him with multiple people." "I see, well done. Right now, Krische doesn''t think anyone can boast that they can kill Dagra alone. If you want to achieve your aim, increase the number. Create a military superiority. Any army as a strategy will prepare a military force that surpasses the opponent. That''s because it''s more advantageous." Krische stuck a ma to the steel te behind him. The ma was used by the General Staff during its establishment, and it has figures on it that represent military units and terrain. If it''s just for a simple exnation, then it''ll make things easier. "The basis of battle is superiority in military strength. Heroic tales often tell of the fact that a side with a weaker military strength defeats an enemy with a superior strength, but this is simply the weaker side''s tactics being used to make up for theck of military strength in the first ce. It''s a strategic defeat the moment you''re outnumbered." Krische put up a ma and reenacted the previous war. "In other words, the battle the other day when the empire attacked was nothing but a strategic defeat for the Christand army. If they had doubled their superiority, they could have defeated the Sarshenka army in a head-to-head confrontation." Krische''s words were an overbearing criticism of Christand and, by extension, the Royal Army. The trainees looked at each other, and Dagra shouted, "Focus." Krische continues while watching the situation. "The Christand defeated Sarshenka through the strength of its soldiers'' training,mand and control, and tactics. But Krische doesn''t want you to misunderstand. First and foremost is military superiority. As Mia said, the correct answer is to kill Dagra with multiple people" Krische poured the tea, added two spoons of honey, poured a generous amount of milk, and stirred. Despite the content of the talk, her expression was one that showed satisfaction. "But that''s just an ideal theory. Depending on the situation, you might face a superior enemy. Dagra, let''s assume that all the trainees in this room are attacking you all at once. For you, right, there are only two allies outside the room. What do you do?" "Yes ma''am. I will temporarily retreat from this ce through the window behind me. After that, I will hide myself and create a three-on-one or three-on-two situation with the person who is chasing me." "That''s a great answer. The overall inferiority of the military strength remains the same, but by repeating the local superiority of the military strength, you can deal with the superior enemy in an advantageous situation. After all, it is the superiority of military strength. Tactics are simple, everything is nothing but a means of creating a local military superiority." Sipping the tea, Krische''s cheeks rx at the sweet taste. "Strategic defeat is always possible. On one hand, the important thing is to create a military superiority under the given conditions. On the other hand, it is to render the opponent''s forces fallow. The same principle applies, for example, to shooting arrows from behind while the battle lines are pushing against each other. In a line of battle, only the front line is fighting each other. But by using a ranged weapon, you can increase our attack opportunities even from behind. That''s why bows are used on the battlefield." Krische attached mas to various shapes. Encirclement, half- encirclement, central breakthrough, rear attack. "When you are in the line of battle against the front, it is hard to attack from the side or back, so you attack from the side of the enemy and encircle them. Break through the center, break up the opponent''s line, and aim for the rear. Bypass and attack to the rear. nk the enemy in a marching column. These are also examples. In a situation where it is difficult for the opponent to counterattack, attacking unterally is also a means of creating a force advantage." After saying that, Krische looked around at the trainees. "We know that the other side will naturally aim for it, so we will protect against it. And they will try to do the same thing to us. Tactics are a fight for local superiority. In addition, a part of the force is intentionally left idle as a reserve force, and it is operated either to create a local advantage or to prevent it." Krische sipped her tea again. She was not nervous at all, her tone, quiet and calm. Naturally, there was no way the morale would boost up, and the confusion on everyone''s faces was obvious. They understood the content, but it didn''t sink in. Krische looks at Dagra, he nods and tells them. "This unit is made up of people who all have a special talent for magic. The high level of physical ability thates with it will give you a power that no ordinary soldier can match if you train for it. Your strength will make it possible for a hundred men to y a thousand, and your mobility will allow you to disrupt the enemy and pierce their weak points. In short, you will always work at the crossroads of victory and defeat on the battlefield." Dagra chuckled. "That means that you can make a bigger credit than any other unit. Our purpose isn''t to maintain the battle line. It''s to attain a decisive battle result of breaking down the enemy''s line and taking the enemy''s general''s head. That''s right. It will only y the role that everyone wants ... Do you think that there is any more honor than this for soldiers? " The trainees looked at each other in unison, their faces beaming with delight. ---- However, not all the soldiers wanted that. Mia, a chestnut-haired girl, was one of those who volunteered to be a soldier here, or at least to help carry provisions. Born in a northern vige, she was illiterate. Since she had many brothers and sisters, she followed the recruiting soldiers dispatched by Selene with the idea that she could send money home to help her family''s finances. However, Mia did not know that the logistics unit required by the military was one that could do literacy and arithmetic. Since the Christand''s army basically hires civilians and merchants for logistics activities, the logistics unit is mainly responsible for the management and paperwork of these people. Naturally, this requires specialized knowledge, and the elite are the ones who are sought after. A mere uneducated viger could not enter. Mia can take on the role she wants if she is in charge of food in the battalion to which she is assigned, but as long as she is in the battalion, she is a soldier and must be able to fight. Though Mia doesn''t want it, she had no choice but to fight with a sword. It''s not like she could go home after all this. While cursing her own stupidity, wondering why she had not looked for work with the transporters and merchants in town instead of the army, she was selected... ''The second one from the front is ck. Go straight to the ck ce.'' Mia had her own reasons for thinking that she could at least help with the transportation of provisions. She is not muscr, but she is more powerful than most people. She was somewhat aware of the magical power that clung to her body, and she had naturally learned how to handle it in her daily life. Since her arrival here, she has been able to consciously manipte magic, and she and another person, Tagel, have been summoned several times by Krische and Dagra to talk. And before she knew it, Dagra took notice of her as one of the best soldiers, she drifted, following the flow, she arrived here. "--- is the expected situation. What do you do?" A small room next to the one they had just left. Krische is sitting in a chair, and Dagra, a bald man with an eagle nose and a fierce face, is standing next to her. Krische exins the hypothetical battlefield while drinking tea and asks the optimal situation one can create in that circumstance. One by one, the trainees take turns entering the room and answering these questions. The circumstance being asked about now is that they are facing an enemy across the river that can be crossed on foot. Each side has a battalion of 1,000 men with archers, and the other side is attempting to cross the river to you. This must be prevented. Where is the appropriate ce to defend? "Uh, ...... I will form a battle formation a short distance from the river." "What is the reason?" A ck cloak with a ck silver dress and a hawk and lightning emblem. Mia looked at the general''s daughter named Krische. She had flowing silver hair. She had double eyelids. Her purple eyes wrapped in long eyshes wererge and beautiful. Her face, which was as well formed as a work of art, was almost expressionless, and she looked somewhat detached. The way she stirred honey and milk and drank the sweet tea was lovely, but there was a reason that made Dagra, a strong centurion, somewhat afraid of her. There may be some truth to the rumor that she had beheaded countless people in this form. After she learned to swing a sword, she could control it intuitively. She can''t see any way of this girl being cut down. A demoness, an executioner, a ripper, a monster. She is described in gossip with such words along with her beauty and loveliness. While most of the stories about corpsmander Selene, including sexual ones, were favorable, the rumors says that, unlike her charismatic sister Selene, Krische is a distorted genius. Having had many opportunities toe in contact with Krische, she felt that these rumors were not entirely off the mark. In a word, she was a strange girl. If she was said to be a genius, she certainly has that kind of presence, and if it was said that this lovely girl kills people so easily, she would nod her head and say that it is true. Her somewhat inorganic eyes were cold and could send chills down the spine. "If you defend on the riverbank, you will be in the range of the opponent''s archers. But if you move a little distance, I thought that it would be possible to attack the opponents one-sidedly. Umm...... also while crossing the river, their clothes will get wet and be heavy, and will inevitably make it difficult to attack, I guess? " "Good answer. We concentrate our offensive power, and the other side can''t attack us. It is not that waterfront defense itself is wrong, but it causes unnecessary damage, so basically it is better to strike the opponent who has risen from the river. The enemy''s formation will inevitably be disturbed, so it is easy to prevent their attack, and the enemy won''t be able to use their archers." Krische nods satisfactorily and looks at Dagra. "The answer as a whole is excellent. Dagra, I still feels that Mia is excellent. I would like to make her a captain." "Eh?" "Certainly, she is smart. I admit that she is excellent, but ......" Dagra grimaced and looked at Mia. Mia stiffened her body. "First of all, she is still too young, and there are also many veterans, so to put someone who is not a noble and has no achievements at a higher rank due to excellency, there will be a bacsh. Well, not overtly to the adjutant corpsmander, but ...... some will be dissatisfied inwardly. If we can provide more than enough time for training, it might be resolved, but I don''t know how much time we can get ...... under the current circumstances." "Well, I see...... but it would be a shame if she dies by mistake as an ordinary soldiers. Even though she''s smart." "Oh, uh, um, sir adjutant corpsmander! I''m just a countryman who doesn''t know how to read. So, bing a captain is......" The captain leads about 50 men under the centurion. It''s too big of a jump in rank. "Krische has judged you to be excellent. You can acquire knowledge and experience as much as you wantter. But intelligence is something you are born with, so it is very valuable. No matter what Mia thinks, it is Krische who will be the judge." "But ......" "But, you said? Don''t talk back to your superiors, you idiot!" "Hie" Dagra shouts angrily, and Krische looks at Dagra with a look of annoyance. "I''m sorry ... adjutant corpsmander, if you are to give someone the rights tomand, you need to consider their personality too. If you be a captain, you must be at the lead and inspire the other soldiers. I recognize this girl''s excellence, but with her temperament, it will be difficult." "I see, I suppose that is also true......" Krische pondered for a moment and then pped her palms. "Then Dagra it will be fine, if we post her as your adjutant." "But it''s a century ..." In a century, the captains also serve as two adjutants. It was only from battalion that an adjutant was attached. "It is a hundred people of special operation squad. It is necessary to order difficult tasks depending on the situation, and if you say that, Krische was also an adjutant at the 500 hundred Corps the other day. There is no rule that says you can''t have an adjutant unless it''s a battalion, so isn''t that fine?" "That''s certainly......" "At that time, Krische was in charge of leading and killing, and Selene was in charge of operating Dagra and the others. We just need to divide the roles ording to the asion, with those who are good at what they do well." The face of Dagra twitched as if remembering something, and he nodded as if giving up. The rumors are true, Mia thought in disbelief as Krische said the words ''lead and kill'' without hesitation. There is also a desire to escape from the reality that is being made an adjutant. "...... This girl''s excellence is certainly too good to be a mere soldier. I will take it upon myself to educate her so that she can be of use." "Yes. The corporal is already confirmed for the time being. One of the captains is Tagel, but if ...... Mia is no good, what should we do about the other one? Mia was thest one toe to this interview, as she hade here as she was swept along. For now Krische has finished their selection. Tagel is a cheerful man, good-natured, and although he looks young, he is in his mid-thirties. Dagra had noints about him being selected as captain, as he had served in the military in the past. The corporals were also basically made up of men with military service experience. " Well, ...... if you don''t mind, I would like to ask you to allow me to rmend someone from the outside. He is a captain who is a former subordinate of mine. Although he is not that skillful, he can use magic, and themand and operation are excellent, and my head is cut off. He also apanied me before in the mountain''s breakthrough with Krische-sama." "Then, please bring that person with you. If it''s just one person then it''s fine." Of course, there are those who can use magic already enrolled in the military, but in most cases, they were in positions such as corporal, centurion, battalionmander, or their adjutants. Because of their high ability, they often achieved good results and survived the war. There was a concern that the ability of the organization as a whole would decline if she pulled out a soldier from such rank, so Selene basically told her not to do it. "For now, we''ve got the shape down. What''s your next training n?" "The basic movements of a soldier have taken shape to some extent, but to give the captain and corporal somemand experience, I would like to have them do a light exercise in a nearby forest around the day after tomorrow. Considering the operational objectives of this unit, I feel it would be better for them to learn how to operate in the forest, what do you think?¡¡If possible, I would like to use some of my men who are elsewhere for instruction but......" "Hmm. Your men were excellent even in the mountains. I will give you permission to pull out about ten of them under the guise of ck training. Submit your selection by the end of the day. Krische will arrange it so that they can be here tomorrow at noon." "Thank you very much." Krische thinks about what needs to be considered, but leaves the rest to his own initiative - in short, she throws wholesale. If there is a person like Dagra who can be an "instigator" to lead others and is also disciplined and a good individual, she will leave everything to him like this. She believes that she is in a position to tell people what the objectives and policies are, and that it is her subordinates who carry them out, not her. Her thinking in this area differs greatly from that of Selene. For example, Selen observes the condition of the soldiers, based on that, announces the purpose and policy. On the other hand, Krische, who does not doubt her own judgement, first tells her objectives and policies, if it is impossible, shepensates for it, or she will consider switching the head to someone who can do it, including herself. This is the difference between Selene, who always aims for better, and Krische, who always seeks the best. Although it is naturally more work, Selene is loved and respected by her subordinates and produces stable results. Krische, on the other hand, is hated and feared by her subordinates for the reckless demands she makes, but her efforts are spread out to produce near-perfect results. While Selene''s way is usually considered better, Krische has the power to produce results. Therefore, they were at opposite ends of the spectrum, neither of which was better than the other. However, at the same time, Krische spares no effort to prepare the necessary items as much as possible to meet that desire, so that unreasonable things be not unreasonable. This kind of way was very easy for someone as capable as Dagra to work with, and Dagra honestly respected and appreciated this aspect of Krische''s work. As a subordinate, personally Dagra wants Selene as his superior. Dagra is so loyal to Selene that if she were to find herself in a dangerous situation, he would certainly protect her at all costs even if he needs to sacrifice his life. But when it came to the battlefield, he knew that there was no one he could rely on more than Krische. She is a natural killer and a terrifying one. But she has an overwhelming power that makes the impossible possible, a power that will surely lead them to victory. And such a person valued him and gives him free discretion. He felt that was the greatest honor of all. Even though they have different directions, they are simr. Both of them is respected by others, and Krische was building up respect and appreciation form talented personnel such as Dagra without even realizing it. "Those who can''t do the body enhancement will also apany them, and they will be instructed by the team that achieved excellent results the day before. If they are exempted from training exercises under that pretext it will also be a reward for them, and the problem will be solved. As for the schedule, will you decide it?" "No, it is up to Dagra. Krische will inform the logistics department to provide what is needed. If it is only forabout a hundred people, it will not matter how much we spend. If there''s any other special needs, please let Krische know as far in advance as possible." Krische sipped her tea and looked at Mia, who remained frozen. "This unit is a small number of elite units. They must be able to coordinate to some extent even without forming a battle line. In addition to improving individual capabilities, it is natural to improve the ability to search for enemies, make decisions, and concentrate to withstand harsh missions. Mia, what do you think is important when training in the forests?" "Uh...... that is......" "Don''t stutter, you idiot! You will be my adjutant, so be resolute!" "Y-yes" Mia corrects her posture and salutes. "T-training to group up after being apart as the empha--" "Disperse and gather. This is an army, not your rural vige. Always use clearnguage." "T-the training of spreading and gathering, uh, should be emphasized." Being red at by the fierce looking Dagra and being made an adjutant without understanding what just happened. Mia almost cried. "You can continue" "Well..., in order for the scouts to not lose their concentration when searching for the enemy, um, we have to make sure that the deployment, assignment, and small-scale deployment and movement are carried out smoothly. For example, it would be better if we divide the troops into two groups, one for each captain, and trained against each other as.... Um, imaginary enemies, and repeated ambush training..." She nced at Krische and Dagra. They said nothing. She understand that it means to continue, and she continue to use her head while feeling sick in her stomach. "Even during regr training using swords, sentries will be set up, or one side will sneak up on the other side and attack in surprise during that time, etc. So that there is always a sense of tension and, well, reward and punishment. If we do the same with the "major resting," etc., and have them always assume that they will be operating in enemy territory, they will naturally be more aware of the situation. Always give them situations that make them let their guard down or force them to spread out, and have one side attack the other side. This will help them learn to make individual decisions and develop the ability to respond to ambushes and counterattacks." "That''s a good idea. What else?" "Well, since injuries are expected, we''ll need a doctor----n-not, but someone with a medical knowledge. I think it would be better to use wooden swords and require everyone to wear armor. The actual sword training doesn''t have to be in the forest, and it would be better to focus more on practical coordination and movement training than, umm, is what I think......" Krische stared at Mia, sipped her tea, and then looked at Dagra. Dagra nodded in satisfaction and opened his mouth. "You can do it after all. Come and report a more detailed training n to me tomorrow morning." "Yes......" Tomorrow at noon, we will consider it after the instructores. Tomorrow we will have plenty of preparations. Don''t think you can rest." "Y-yes......" How did this happen? Mia wanted to curse herself foring here, but Dagraughed at her. "Don''t make that face. Instead, you don''t have to participate in the training tosday. It''s your job toe up with a training n. After you''re done, rest well today." "tsu......Is that true!?" "Watch your word, you idiot! You can go." "Y-yes" With a wide smile and salute, Mia left the room with light steps. Krische sensed that she was somewhat simr to Anne. "My daughter is around that age. So, it''s hard for me to just treat her as a stranger" "Is that so" Thinking that Mia might be a little clever version Anne, Krische threw her into the same category as Anne---- Anne category, in her mind. Chapter 46: Bald Eagle Chapter 46: Bald Eagle Bald Eagle In the forest is Krische and five people surrounding her. Each of them held a wooden sword and are readying themself, while Krische stood without even taking a stance as usual. She isn''t even looking at anywhere in particr. Her narrowed eyes are just staring vaguely at the scenery in front of her. Facing against her is Mia''s squad A five-on-one situation----but there was no longer any restraint about it. There was no way they could let their guard down after seeing seven squads being helplessly defeated by her. The grueling training continued for a week, repeating training for ambush and surprise attack and how to deal with them, creating a situation just like a real battle, while causing just minor injury. The ck soldiers had begun to demonstrate abilities unmatched by ordinary soldiers due to their high physical capabilities, and the rigorous training they had undergone up to this point had removed any naivete they have. Their surprise attacks were no longer simply attacking the nk, but three-dimensional attacks using trees. A mere marching formation would be finished in less than half a minute. The joint training with the red, the light infantry on the fourth day fully demonstrated their capabilities. The Red group had been informed of the surprise attack in advance that would ur during their march training. Against the ck century, the red team mobilized two of their best centuries, although it was a highly difficult task the ck soldiers annihted the red march column with just 7 casualties. The Red group, who had been informed that they were the elite, were astonished at the result. It stimted their desire to improve, which was originally high, and led to an improvement in their motivation, but for the cks, on the contrary, the result got into their head, making them grow conceited. Against Red, who has been trained as an elite, even if it was a surprise attack, it was still an overwhelming victory. It''s no wonder that the ck soldiers, who for the first time realized their high ability, became like that. However, of course, this was not what Dagra wanted, and it was yesterday that he contacted Krische to ask for her cooperation in knocking them down. As a result, a mock battle of five against one was held for each squad. At first, they were hesitant about attacking the general''s daughter with five people, but when they saw that three teams were easily defeated because they let their guard down, the rest of them became serious. However, the following four teams were also easily defeated, it poured buckets of cold water on their growing conceitedness. The squad led by Mia was the one attached to themander----the most elite of the squads. On the battlefield, they operated as a guard for the centurion Dagra, and except for Mia isposed only of excellent soldiers with outstanding swordsmanship. The cks----those who possess magical powers but also have the skills to be selected for the reds, are ced here, and they always take the first ce in thepetitions between squads. Mia thought that this team was the only one who could turn back the tide in the midst of the cold atmosphere caused by the continuous defeats. Five person charges against one. The advantage was clear, and everyone here had near first-ss swordsmanship. And their physical ability is iparable to that of a mere soldier. However, Krische showed herposure and even gave up the first move, saying that they could strike from anywhere. Mia hides in the treetops, aiming for the opportunity, while the other four surround her on all sides. Facing her is Kalua, a woman whose swordsmanship rivals Dagra''s. At the very least we can corner her. Thinking so, Mia sends a signal by striking a branch with the wooden sword in her hand. It was Kalua who stepped in first to stop Krische. With her long ck hair tied back, flowing in the wind, her step easily closed the gap between the two of them. ----With the speed of a gale she shed at her. It was a blow without a shred of hesitation. If it was Krische who isn''t wearing any armor at all right now, she might break her bones even if she stopped the shes. That''s too much!----thinking so Mia panicked, but Krische ducked and dodged it. It was as if her petite body was slipping through Kalua''s. With a light twist of her body, Krische moved behind Kalua and strongly kicked her back with the soles of her feet. "Ugh!" Kalua''s body blows and rolls over as if she had been hit by a horse. Kalua''s body naturally rolled in front of the three men behind her who were about to cut at Krische. The three of them were thrown off by an obstacle that suddenly appeared----and in the next moment, the wooden swords of the nearest person was blown away. Kahlua who was rolled over immediately swings her sword as it is, but was dodged, and her arm was held by Krische''s leg, and her helmet was struck lightly with a wooden sword. In her actualbat, it would be a fatal blow, and at that point she would be judged dead. In the midst of the chaos, the two remaining men looked at each other and circled around, splitting to the left and right. The elites of ck----even in the midst of chaos, they knew what they had to do. Seizing the opportunity, Mia kicked the branch she''s on and shed at Krische from above. But in the next moment, Krische disappeared, "Mia, above!" ----Mia copsed due to the impact that hit her head. "Attacking from the top of the tree is not a bad idea. But that''s for ambush. What''s the point if you hide while Krische is aware of you?" "Yes, I''m sorry......" *Thud, thud,* Mia lowered her head as her helmet was struck with a wooden sword. Krische''s height is quite short, and when Mia, who can be said to be of average height, lowers her head like that, the position pf her head is just right. Krische had been observing the training instructors closely. Then she imitates it as a "remarkable training instructor", but the sight of Krische puffing up her chest with her small body and acting big doesn''t match her adorable appearance at all, her figure is one of a child who pretends to be an adult. It was moreical than frightening and strangely endearing, but no one ever talks about it openly. "If you want to do it, you need to always move between the trees and don''t let the opponent know where you are. A surprise attack from the air is not bad as a surprise attack but note that you will be defenseless and wasting time until you get down to the ground." At the same time Mia jumped down, Krische leapt upward as if recing her, kicked a branch, and mmed her sword into Mia''s head from overhead. The other two were defeated individually. It was aplete defeat. "You''re also not putting Kalua to good use either. At least in this squad, Kalua is rtively better, so it''s foolish to make her attack head-on. What''s the basics of a tactics?" "Use the weak as decoys and use the strong to defeat the enemy." *Thud*, Mia''s head was hit again. "If you know then why didn''t you do it?" "Yes, I''m sorry......" "Sorry, is not an excuse" "A-adjutant corpsmander" Kalua''s long ck hair swayed and she raised her voice. "I made a proposal that I could charge from the front and buy time! Adjutant Mia epted the suggestion----" "Then, that''s even more stupid" *Thus, thud, thud*, Mia''s head was hit three times in a row Mia endured a dull ache that was slowly transmitted through her helmet, and she could do nothing but curse and wonder why she had to go through this. "Ascertaining the strength of both side is one of the basics for amander. Never mind, if this was the first battle, this one is already the eighth battle. Can''t you at least understand the difference in strength between your squad and Krische?" "No, I-I understood......" "If you understood, why didn''t you do it?" "Um, that is......" "Adjutant corpsmander, I''ll do the rest." Dagra nervously raises his voice to stop what seems like an eternity of questions and answers. Krische nced at Dagra and threw him a look that said, ''I''ll leave it to you then.''. "Mia is a brilliant woman, but she should not be swayed by other people''s opinions and be indecisive. Krische''s hope is to make Mia like Dagra. Can you please do that?" "Yes ma''am. I''ll train her well." "The number of casualties was seven, even though they were facing just only hundred. If it is a surprise attack, Krische hope is seven casualties against 1,000. It doesn''t meet Krische wish at all." Krische shook her silver hair and put her hands on her hips. "Rather than individual skills, it seems it would be better to further strengthen the coordination through training. Krische feel like all of you don''t really understand why any army makes teams of five people. Kalua, what are the advantages of a squad?" "A-always work together with five people, and even against one person attack with five people, in order to secure superiority in military strength." "That''s right. The reason is that even if you can''t y five-on-one, if you can create a two-on-one situation, even if only temporarily, you will have the upper hand. You should have better basic abilities than the red soldiers, and you should be able to win most of the one-on-one battles. However, the fact that there''s seven casualties was the result of the red soldiers creating a military superiority. It''s very embarrassing." Krische''s cheeks puffed out slightly in dissatisfaction as she continued. The girlish appearance was very adorable no matter how you look at it. "Krische promised Selene that you will be a unit that will defeat the enemy with a loss ratio of 1 to 10. If it''s just this much, Krische will be to embarrassed to report it to Selene. ording to the report from Dagra, 7 out of 200 men it seems that you are satisfied with that. Krische is disappointed. If there are 100 Dagras here, then you should be able to meet Krische''s demands, it''s natural to be able to do that much." The ck''s face looked at Dagra. Dagra epts the gaze though her expectations make him a bit ufortable. Whatever the case may be, it is not a bad feeling to be expected so much from this genius. "A soldier''s job is to kill the enemy. Your job is to kill without being killed. If you don''t get killed, you can kill again. If you help yourrades, they can kill more enemies. Coordination is all about how to kill the enemy without getting yourrades killed and without getting yourself killed. That''s what Krische wants you to understand." Krische words were too direct. Dagra spoke to supplement her. "......look next to you. The faces of yourrades." Dagra takes a step forward. Selene had asked him privately to follow up on Krische''s potentially misleading statement. "You guys are satisfied with your current selves and grow conceited. I understand that feeling. I also think you guys are excellent. But there are many tough situations on the battlefield. At that time, what will be lost due to yourck of power is the face next to you. One by one, one of them will disappear." The soldiers looked at each other then looked at Dagra. "I have lost manyrades. Some of them were my friends. Some of them were fooling around with me just the night before. Each time, I mourned in frustration. If only I had a little more strength." Dagra looks at the soldiers and speaks to them in a quiet tone. "I make you undergo rigorous training and demand high results. Why is that? It''s because I don''t want you to feel the same way. I don''t want you to see the corpse of yourrades who ate out of the same pot. ......The adjutant corpsmander word is also the same. The fact that there were seven casualities mean they would have died in an actual battle. I''m sure you can understand what that means. By all right those seven people have gone." Without raising his voice to shout, as expected Dagra is an excellent centurion. He is none other than the father of the soldiers. He knows how to draw their attention and bind them together. "Coordination is a technique to avoid being killed. And a technique to protect your friends. Protect your friends, not yourself, and for your friends yo protect yourself. Don''t forget that." While looking at the satisfied faces of the soldiers, Krische raised Dagra''s evaluation again. It is better to leave these things to Dagra, after all. Krische words were literal, buts he couldn''t have been happier with Dagra fleshing out and embellishing them. That said, it''s still better to have multiple Dagra. Krische looks at Mia "For the time being, Mia. let''s start with Mia. First, Mia needs to understand how the Dagra thinks and be able to think on the same level. Then you will make other Dagras. Do you understand?" "Uh......yes......" "Krische''s goal is to make everyone here a Dagra. For that to happen, you must first be the second Dagra." Krische called one of the groups again and said, ''Let''s start again.'' On that day, the training was repeated until the group sets. "Whoa.. I didn''t think that usa-chan was that much of a monster." "Don''t call her Usa-chan. Ifmander Dagra hears it he will get angry." While conducting training of two squad against one squad, ten to five, one squad is five against one with Krische. By the time they finished, they were exhausted, but they had to get ready for encampment. Today, they were ordered to rest afterwards, and the ck centurions, who are usually divided into two groups, were to camp together for today only. While talking with Mia, Kalua picked up a branche. Although she is a woman, she is one of the best swordsmen in the group, and since she and Mia are in the same group, they get along well. She''s easy to get along with and is the type to do everything wlessly, is like a big sister who listens to Mia''sints with a caring attitude. "No, well, I''ve heard rumors that Usa-chan looks like she''s skill is like a real pro, but I didn''t expect her to be so strong with that appearance." Usa-chan is Krische nickname. Silver hair, pure white skin, and small stature. When Selene and Berry came to visit, she would rub up against them and show spoiled face, so she was likened to the cute white rabbit in winter, and was called Usa-chan, Usagi-chan,and the like within the unit. The term is also a derogatory one that includes a bit of rebellion against her harsh, cold-heartedness and the way she looks at soldiers as if they were pebbles, and when Dagra or the others hear it get angry like a raging wave. Because of it Mia never speaks of it, even in private, but Kalua, perhaps because of her personality, does not seem to be bothered by it. "I''ve even won a swordsmanship tournament in a fairlyrge town, you know? And after I learned how to use magic here, I even thought there''s no more enemies for me..." "I mean even Commander officer Dagra said with a serious face that we should never anger her. See, there were also those rumors, right? That she tortured an enemy by cutting off everything from his fingertips to both hands and feet without changing her expression." "Uwah,......I wonder if it''s true after all." "Don''t know. But she looks like the type that will do it......" "You''re right. I can just imagine Usa-chan doing that with a nk expression on her face..." "Are you talking about Krische?" ----The two of them stiffened. Without any sign of it, they heard a young and sweet voice behind them. Kalua quickly turns around and salutes Krische with her hand on her chest, and Mia follows suit. Krische returned the salute and asked. "Mia, Krische is looking for Dagra, do you know where he is?" "Cmander Dagra is checking the sentry guard..." "I see." Krische tells her, with a pout on her lips. "Well, Mia is fine. Training will continue as before, tomorrow. Krische will be going back, so please tell him to report back to Krische if he needs anything. " "Yes, ma''am." "And also Krische is curious, but when you say "Usa-chan," do you mean Krische?" Krische asked, while tilting her head. The eyes are inorganic, and you can''t tell what she''s thinking. Her expressionless, doll-like face was deeply shadowed in the dusk, giving her an eerie feeling. Swoosh, the wind caresses the branches and leaves as if to tickle the silence. Mia red at Kalua, who shook her head. A silent conversation unfolded for a while, and Krische again tilted his head to the other side and asked. "... Mia?" "Y-yes... um, uh... that is, I''m sorry!" "...? Why are you apologizing?" Mia thinks about the meaning of Krische words, ''Why are you apologizing?'' Does it mean she literally does not understand the meaning? Or is she asking if Mia understands the meaning and wants Krische to kill her? Mia was unable to guess the meaning from the expressionless Krische, and broke out in a cold sweat. "And there''s also a slight misunderstanding. Krische only cut off eight fingers during the torture, not both arms and legs. Rumors are really a terrible thing," Remembering what Garen had said to her, ''Rumors will grow before you know it'', Krische said with a face as if she understands it. In fact, she doesn''t understand at all. Even if it was only a finger instead of two limbs, it would still be frightening. Krische did not understand the fundamental part of it. Rather, their fear increased as they were convinced that it was true. "Well, that''s fine. Is ''Usa-chan'' a way of calling someone that you have to apologize for?" "N-no, that..." This girl younger than herself is a monster. Mia was once again convinced of that. Dagra and others who have seen her on the battlefield, even those who have fought many battles, are in awe of her, saying that she is ''not a human'', ''demon'', ''ruthless'', and ''god of death''. The curved sword on her waist has in more than a hundred men without a nick on the de, and even on the battlefield she had the presence of mind to avoid bones and armor, aiming only at the soft flesh and tearing it. She was a being who should not be spoken of in the same breath as ordinary human beings, they said. And the words she just said indicate that such rumors are as close to true as possible. Instead of Mia, who stiffened, it was Kalua who answered. "Ah... it''s like a nickname! Adjutant corpsmander!" "Nickname?" "Y-yes. The silver hair, white skin, and the beautiful, lovely figure of the adjutant corpsmander was just like a white rabbit so within the unit we called Adjutant corpsmander Usa-chan, as sign of affection" "Affection..." Krische thought for a moment and nodded. "Krische have never been given a nickname before, so it''s a little strange. Is that how it is." "Y-yes! E-even though there is a difference in status, we call adjutant corpsmander like that as sign of affection as a fellowrade! If adjutant corpsmander doesn''t like it----" "No, it''s fine. It''s fine if Krische understands it, and if it''s an expression of familiarity, then Krische doesn''t really mind." Krische nodded, liking the phrase, ''as sign of affection.'' Although she is basically indifferent to others, it is better to be liked than to be disliked. Since It''s not like she demands respect from others, she isn''t particrly offended. What she wants from them is obedience on the battlefield. It must be better to be obedient as a result of affection rather than to make them afraid and submissive, and if they say they are trying to be friendly, she will honestly ept it. Kindness for kindness Krische has at leaste to possess such a dangerous goodness. When she is convinced of this, she moves her gaze to look at the bushes. There is no one there. "Is something the matter...?" "It''s Dagra." Mia and Kalua furrowed their brows, and after a moment, there was a rustling sound in the bushes. It was Dagra, slowly approaching from the dark bushes. The two looked at Krische in surprise, and Dagra called out to them while looking suspiciously at them. "Adjutant corpsmander, Is something the matter?" Krische stares at Dagra. Dagra was a man with a stern face and a conspicuous bald head and eagle nose. He had a well-trained body. His cheeks were deeply scarred with old scars, and he is nothing short of a valiant warrior. Affection, nickname. Krische stares at that face and thinks for a moment. "Umm......?" "Bald eagle." ----The three of them stiffened at those words. "From now on, I''m going to call Dagra, Bald Eagle. It seems that there is a culture of affectionate nicknames here." "Huh? Umm...B-bald..." "Bald Eagle, your head is bald, and you have eagle nose. Krische thinks it''s a very good nickname." It was no longer a nickname, but a mere verbal abuse. But Krische smiled without worrying about the stiffened three. Krische recognized it as a very good idea. "Krische has white skin and silver hair, so it''s Usa-chan. Isn''t that right, Mia?" "Eh, uh... that..." It was Kalua who said it, but Mia is the top person there. Krische, who follows rules faithfully, naturally asked Mia where the responsibility lies. Dagra''s bald head turned red, blue streaks appeared, and his face began to distort with anger and hatred. His gaze turned to Mia. She looked at Kalua for help, but Kalua averted her eyes. "Basically, Bald Eagle are subordinates, under Krische direct control, so Krische would like to build a good rtionship with you, so giving you a nickname seems like a good idea. What do you think? If you don''t like it Krische won''t force it." "N-no... To be personally given a nickname by the adjutant corpsmander is t-the greatest honor." "I see. Then it''s bald eagle from now on" There is no taking it back. Krische, who was even told it was an honor, said with satisfaction, and she nodded with a look as if she had done a good deed. "Krische is going home now. The instructions are as Krische told Mia. If anything happens, please send a messenger from bald eagle to Krische again. Don''t forget to report once a day." "......Yes, Mia and I are going to have a long, long talk about what to do tomorrow." "Yes, please. Mia, listen to bald eagle." "Y-yes..." *Trot, trot*, Krische trotted off into the forest. Krische was not very fond of horses, and she evene to the forest on foot. She will also probably walk home. "Okay, Mia. Let''s talk about what''s going on." "I-it''s not me! K-Kalua...huh!?" Kalua had disappeared. As soon as the Krische started running, she sneaked away. "Kalua?......Even if it is Kalua, you are the adjutant, the one who sets the discipline of the squad. You''re the one who was by her side, and you''re the one who''s supposed to stop her, you idiot!" Mia was hit on the head for the second time today. Chapter 47: Full, Chipped Chapter 47: Full, Chipped Full, Chipped ----Therge room is simple, with a desk, a bed, and a closet. And also a few bookshelves. But there was no book she hadn''t read there. So, she spend all day looking out the window from her bed. The sun sets and rises. The birds fly, flowers bloom, and one day they die and wither away. She doesn''t feel any emotion in particr. She just watched, knowing that one day she would join them. The servant who was tending the garden noticed her and resumed their work while looking down. Perhaps they wanted to get away from the ce where she could see as soon as possible, their work was rather sloppy. If it was her them she would have done something like this or like that. While thinking like that, she ignored the servant and just looked at the garden. When she got tired of the garden, she listened to the sound of birds and the wind. But as she focused her attention on her ears, she gradually became aware of the sound of footsteps walking around the house, the sounds of dragging and moving things, and the noise of conversation. Among them is the sound of a food trolley. It came closer down the hallway, and then she heard a voice. ''You should go, I''m not good with Bery ojou-sama.'' ''I also don''t want to you know, it''s creepy. And you don''t know what she''s thinking'' Whispering voices. ''Hahh, even though Lazura ojou-sama is such a fine, lovelydy.'' ''I''m sure all the good parts were taken away by Lazura ojou-sama. I''ll go today, but tomorrow you''re the one who will go okay.'' ''I know, I know. Then I''m counting on you.'' When the food trolley rolls and stops in front of the room, the door was knocked and opened immediately. Because she knows that there will be no answer. The servant brought tea and sweets. She looks at the thin, servile smile with a sideways nce and immediately looks out the window. "...... Please put the whole food trolley there. I''ll drink on my own if I feel like it." "Eh, um...the...cleaning" "I''ve done it. Also, you from tomorrow you don''t have to bring me tea." "But Lazura ojou-sama......" "I said I don''t need it. ...... Did you not hear me?" She looked at the woman''s face. Anger, humiliation, displeasure. She saw a lot of emotions behind the woman''s eyes. "I''ll do the cleaning myself from now on. I''ll put theundry outside. You don''t have toe until I call you. I like being alone and there''s also no inconvenience." She smiles and told the servant. "Besides, it''s creepy, isn''t it? I also don''t need you to force yourself either." The woman froze. "I thought it was troublesome for a long time, but if there was a sense of responsibility toward your job or good intentions there even I would feel bad, so I just couldn''t say it. ......Thanks to you, I was able to do it. Thank you. Please go back." "T-th-that... just now, that, my mouth----" "I don''t need any excuses. I''m not even interested in you." Ignoring the woman, she looked out the window, and a momentter the woman leaves. She didn''t care about what was said about her. They can say whatever they want, and since it is a fact, they don''t need to be concerned about it. It was much easier that way, and much better than having to deal with the stupid farce. It was neither fun nor painful. If she died someday, then that''s just how her life is, so it didn''t matter. The sun was soon setting, and the moon was rising into the sky. The darkness of the night seemed brighter than usual, and the moon shone gently. Only the full moon, which never chipped, was endlessly beautiful, and she loved it. As she was looking at it, she heard a knocking sound. She ignored it, then the door was knocked once more, and when she ignored it againe the third knock. She sighed and said, ''Come in''. "Yeees, your personal servant, Lazura Argan, has brought you food!" She looks over and frowns. A white and ck apron dress worn by servants. She even went to the trouble of wearing such a thing. Her sister was always free. "I was so worried, so worried about Bery ojou-sama, who seemed to have had a tantrum that Ie here. Ah, what a good servant Lazura is." "...I have no appetite." "Now, now, don''t sulk like that." Lazura brought two chairs next to the food trolley. It seems that she wants to use the food trolley as a table because it''s too troublesome to prepare a table. Her sister was always sloppy and hates troublesome things. "Here, oujou-sama, this way" "A......" Lazura picked her up as it is and Bery turned her face away from her. Her sisterughed happily. "Realy, Bery is light. And also small. If you don''t eat properly, your body won''t get any better you know." "......Eating won''t change that." "It''s because you''re still brooding like that." "......Nee-sama won''t understand." "Of course. I''m not you after all." Lazura facees closer, and she lightly kisses Bery cheek. "But even if I don''t understand, I love you, Bery." "I hate it. Myself, and nee-sama too." "Don''t lie, I know that you really, really love me after all." "Just now, didn''t you say you don''t know how I feel?" "There are always exceptions, don''t worry about the details." Her sister smiles at her and strokes her head as she is forced to sit in her chair. ----Her sister was always cheerful and kind. "See you''re being obedient. Isn''t that proof that you like me." Her sister was beautiful, respectable, and smart, she was perfect like theplete full moon, which never chipped. And she, herself is nothing more than an extra burden that casts a shadow over it. Her vision blurs, teary and distorted, and her sister gently hugs her. Tears stained her sister''s apron, she quietly told her. "... please leave me alone" "There''s no way I can do that. You''re my smart and cute sister after all." "Someone like me, is just a hindrance to nee-sama. If someone like me hadn''t been born----" "If you say anymore, I''m going to get angry." Even as she said that, her sister''s hand that stroked her head and voice were endlessly kind. "...and then I might cry. If you don''t want your beloved sister to cry, don''t say that kind of thing anymore, Bery." In this quiet room, hearing her sister''s voice, she liked it more than anything else Beautiful and dignified. That''s why she always hates herself when she makes her sister sad. "You say that you''re alright, that you''re fine. That you don''t have any worth. ......Maybe for you, it''s really fine. But, it''s hard for me." "......Nee-sama." "No matter how you insulted yourself, my little sister Bery is my important, important treasure. I hate it when that important sister of mine is insulted you know." Her cheeks are sandwiched between her sister''s hands, and her sister gently wiped her tears. "And Bery, I don''t think, you have the right to decide your worth. Your worth is decided by the people who see it. No matter how much you hesitate, how much you hate yourself, how many people hate you. you are my treasure. And always will be." "I, such thing......" ''Listen obediently to what your sister is saying.'' Saying that her sister makes a slightly angry face and smiled. "Bery is a strong child. ......You''re not crying because you feel sorry for yourself, but because it''s painful for you to cause me trouble, right? You''re crying because you care about me, there''s no way, my kind little sister is worthless." ----I don''t think you''re a nuisance, so please let me spoil you as much as you like. Her sister''s smile was so beautiful, and it will always remain in her memory. The office was a bit crowded. Since Kreschenta started helping them, Selene''s workload has decreased considerably. Kreschenta seemed to enjoyining to Selene and Anne about how Selen treated her, and she was d to see that Kreschenta was making a positive change. Bery puts the papers in her bag and stands up. The sun has already set. For the time being, today''s work was over. "For now, I''ll take these to the logistics department." "Yes. Please be careful. Since there are also some rough guys out there." "Fufu, okay" She left the room and went straight outside. She did not make any strange detours and headed straight to the logistics department. It is true that many of the new recruits, such as mercenaries, are roughnecks, and wandering around will be just inviting unnecessary trouble. Since there are naturally some areas that are not well monitored by the veteran soldiers, she proceeded along the main street. Especially now, that the whole fortress was a bit tense. Princess Kreschenta, the cursed child of royal family, murdered her own father, King Shervarza. And the Christand is trying to use them to rule the royal family. The Christand is a traitor to the royal family, and the kingdom will never be at peace unless they are defeated. Gildanstein had spread that kind of words, and the rumors had even spread to the fortress. In this world there are magic, magic crystals, and there''s also a real ck magic. Abominable birth. Curse. Such words were enough to arouse the people''s anxiety, and more than anything else, the fact that the information wasing from the royal capital made it more credible. There were also the rumors among the soldiers about what kind of existence Krische is, and some were worried about it. There were more soldiers on guard than usual, and Bery headed to the logistics department while returning the salute with a nod. She handed the documents to the logistics department and went back. On the way back she frowned at the words she happened to hear. "......Her Highness the Princess aside, I''m not sure about Krische-sama. Did you hear it? The rumors" The two, who seemed to be drawing water from the well, have their backs against her and talked without noticing her "Aah. She''s a genuine murderer, isn''t she? There are plenty of people who have seen it, and they say she wasughing as she chopped up the corpses of her enemies." Since she came here, she''s often recalled about her sister. Probably because she often heard this kind of rumor. She wondered for a moment, perhaps her sister might have felt this way. Unbeknownst to her, she had stopped feet. "I guess it''s true that she''s crazy. Why did the general adopt such a thing?" "Isn''t it because she''s very strong. they said she has killed countless enemies by herself in the previous battle." Krische doesn''t care about it. She doesn''t even pay it any mind, there is even an asion when she thinks that the rumors could be an advantage, and she will surely use it if the need arises. Even if they are afraid of her, as long as they follow the orders, then that''s fine. Simple and clear, unwavering, distorted, and precipitous. "......There''s a viger from the vige where Ktische-sama used to live at, and he said that she has been like that since she was a child." "Heh......." "It seems the reason why she can''t stay in the vige anymore is also because she killed many of the bandit who came to the vige by herself when she was still twelve and caused a rain of blood. He said he got chilled to the bone when he saw her faces here." ''Ah, I hate it'', she thoughts. She doesn''t want to hear it, but her ears naturally focused on their voice. Her hearing bes sharper. "And there''s also the story that she also killed her mother who raised her together with the bandits." "......Ughee" The heat that had been building up cooled off. "Excuse me" Before she knew it, she called out to them. When the two soldiers recognized who she is, they corrected their posture in a panic. ".......I can''t tell you not to talk like that. And if you take responsibility for your words, then it''s your own choice. At the very least I don''t have the right to do anything about it." She looked at the two of them. "However, if I may give you one piece of advice, you should pay more attention to your surroundings. ......Even if it''s just idle gossip for the two of you, the people who might be offended by it might hear you." Using position and status. Not to deal concrete punishments, but just to express her displeasure If she does so, the other person will imagine various things, and panicked on their own, and regret it. "Beryyy." When she mocked herself for not having changed her nature, she heard someone running toward her. Before she could turn around, she was hugged from behind, and even though she was a little surprised, she guessed who it was. "......Krihe-sama" "I heard from Selene that you went to the logistic department, so I came here." Krische turned around to beside her, grabbed Bery''s sleeve, looked up, and tilted her head. Her gaze turned to the two soldiers and then back to Bery. "Bery, is something wrong?" The voice sounds somewhat chilling. ----What would happen if she said yes? There was a slight temptation to do so. Bery shakes her head as she suppresses her displeasure and anger. Then she smiled and petted Krische head, ''We were just talking a little.'' "Oh my, you''re sweating. What happened?" "Uhh...... Krische ran back." While saying that, Krische turned her gaze toward the two soldiers as though she was concerned about them. ''It''s fine'', as she told Krische again, Krische finally gave it up. It wasn''t that she wanted to help them or show them kindness. In front of Krische she just wants to stay as pretty as Krische is pure. "......Well then, I''ll excuse myself." After saying that to the two soldiers, she took Krische''s hand. She pushed what had just said to the back of her mind and asked Krische. "Krische-sama really doesn''t like horses. Did you run all the way from the forest?" "Yes. That...... Krische''s butt, will hurts......" "Fufu, shall we take a quick bath first? It''s ufortable, isn''t it?" "......Krische''d rather take the bathter. Krische wants to take her time in the bath with Bery." Krische said a little sweetly, and Bery chuckled. "Well then, let''s go back to your room and wipe your body a little before cooking. The kitchen will still be busy, so let''s have tea with the others. Krische is tired after running, right?" "Ehehe... Yes, Krische might be a little tired." Krische rub against her arm as if to lean on her. The excuse that she is tired is Krische''s favorite these days. Krische alwayses up with cute excuses for when she wants to be pampered. She is shy in a weird way, and that''s very cute. "...Then, in order to take away that fatigue, I will do my best to serve Krische-sama until Krische-sama melts away." "K-Krische will be troubled if Krische melts......" "Oh, Krische-sama doesn''t like it?" "Uhh, au.....doesn''t hate it......" Her cheeks were blushed, and her eyes were swimming. Contrary to the gossip, Krische''s appearance is that of an adorable girl. ----Her favorite things are cooking, eating, and being spoiled. Her specialty is murder. Krische is distorted She can calmly kill people. If she''s said to be crazy and abnormal, that''s probably true. a ''But at least to me, she is----'' "Well then, let''s go back to your room for the time being. After that, we''ll have tea and cook. Then we''ll take a bath together and rx there until Krische-sama melts away." "......yes" "Please be pampered as much as you like. Bery is a servant who loves pampering Krische-sama more than anything else." She said so and gently stroked Krische slightly sweaty silver hair. The crescent moon shone brightly on her silver thread. Chapter 48: Distorted Chapter 48: Distorted Distorted ----The rumors spreading around the fort. "That''s wrong, Kreschenta. It''s like this, here." "...Is it like this?" "Yes. You''re good at it." "......Ehehe." However, this kitchen has nothing to do with such a disturbing atmosphere. Kreschenta, who was dissatisfied with Krische clinging to Bery said ''I want to try cooking too.'' With that as the trigger, the three of them are cooking now. Krische patted Kreschenta''s head and gently taught her, and Bery watched the smiling scene. There was no active attempt to hide the rtionship between Krische and Kreschenta. Selene made that decision. The word "Cursed Child" had spread so widely that it''s no longer necessary to hide the fact that Krische was rted to the royal family. Rather they wanted to avoid the unnecessary suspicion that would be brought by concealing it. Against this kind of rumors, it''s better for them to be open about it. Bogan had talked about it before, and they decided to take the plunge a few days before. Selene had confirmed herself what kind of person Kreschenta is, and now she had a certain amount of trust in Kreschenta. Like Krische, Kreschenta is mentally young and pure. It would be better to proactively show Kreschenta''s innocence to the soldiers, and it is better to let her out in the open than to keep her locked away in the back. And there was a little downside in doing so, especially since Kreschenta is good at hiding her abnormalities. "It seems Kreschenta is better than Selene." "Naturally. I''ll catch up with Argan-sama in no time." "Hmm... Bery is a better cook than Krische, so Kreschenta has to be better than Krische first." "Eh... Is that so?" "Yes." Bery chuckles and replies that it''s not true. "It''s just a difference in experience. If we make the same thing, Krische-sama can make something that''s no different from mine. The only difference is the number of dishes that we cane up with." "Krische can''te up with things like Bery, as expected Bery is more skilled than Krische. Bery canbine many things to make dishes that Krische can''t even imagine. Krische snuggles up to Bery while showing a happy smile like a blooming flower. ''Oh my'' saying so, Bery pats Krische on the head while smiling. Kreschenta stared at Bery in frustration. "W-we''re in the middle of cooking. Argan-sama, can you please not disturb Onee-sama." "I don''t mean to disturb. I''m just patting Krische-sama''s head." "I don''t know what to do unless Onee-sama teaches me, so please don''t take Onee-sama away from me." "Krische is fine with teaching Kreschenta while being petted. But if Kreschenta says so, then Krische will not stroke Kreschenta while cooking." "T-that''s not what I......" "Fufu, Krische-sama that''s no good, saying that. Kreschenta-sama could you please cut the tomatoes into cubes next?" "Ugh..." Countless eyes were watching the three of them. Today as well, the cooking team was watching them while doing the most efficient work on useless tasks. The silver-haired fairy, Krische. The red-haired saint, Bery. Joining them was the noble and precious Princess Kreschenta. The twelve-year-old princess is even younger than Krische, and despite her gracefulness, she retains the cuteness of a little girl. Golden hair that shimmers red in the light, dignified eyebrows and jewel-like purple eyes. Krischenta'' and Krische''s identical faces, who were said to be of the same royal blood, had beauty that could match the fairies,pared to Krische, Kreschenta has more expression, she is just like arge flower. Her beauty was more provocativepared to Krische''s serene beauty. Krische blooms quietly and modestly, and Kreschenta shows off her radiant beauty, and Bery, the moon that shines on them. Krische and Bery. When Kreschenta joined them, the kitchen looked like a fantastic moonlit teau. The men were moved, believing that their beauty was not an addition, but that of a multiplication. The painting world that you should never reach out for. But because of that, there was an overflowing beauty. "What are we cooking today? There are some fish today, but..." "Today, we will make pizza topped with bacon and this fish, pilkana, grilled with salt in a kiln. Shall we make the soup with a tomato base?" Pilkana is a river fish that could be gotten nearby. At this time of year, it is very fatty and delicious, but it has a slightly fishy smell and if cooked poorly, the smell will remain, and it will be spoiled. "Fish grilled with salt in a kiln..." "The fish is wrapped in a mixture of salt and egg whites. the smell will escape into the salt, and the deliciousness is locked in and it bes very good." "Ohh......" While Krische was impressed, Kreschenta red at Bery with some frustration. Kreschenta couldn''t keep up with their cooking discussion. "Oh, I was careless. It seems I forgot the egg." ----Once again, tension runs through the kitchen. But, as expected, the first person to make the first upon hearing those words was Zalbach, the head of the cooking team. The King and God of the kitchen. Zalbach was the first to move when he heard the word ''salt grilled in kiln''. ''Today, we will make pizza topped with bacon and this fish, pilkana, grilled with salt in kiln----'' When Zalbach saw the pilkana, he was skeptical. Later Zalbach recalls---- ''When I saw the pilkana, I thought it would just be salt baked, or boiled, or something along those lines. But you can''t underestimate Bery ojou-sama. Given her advanced cooking skills I thought she would take it a step higher. Even though I have never made it, but, I know what she will use. There were no eggs on the table, so I quietly made my way over to the egg cart.'' He once aspired to be a court chef and trained in the royal capital. Had it not been for a series of misfortunes within his family that had forced him to return to his hometown, he would have continued his training and at least be a cook for some noble. It''s precisely because it was Zalbach that he noticed it. And moved. Zalbach took the first step before anyone else. If Bogan is the lightning quick general, Zalbach is the lightning quick chef. He found the right solution from all foreseeable possibilities and moved decisively. No one could match him. Zalbach grinned, but a single footstep reaches Zalbach''s ears When he quickly looked there, there was a young man fearless smiling at him, Kart. In his hand was a basket of eggs. Behind him was a food trolley with countless ingredients neatly arranged. ----The young man, Kart, had decided to give up the first move. Zalbach is the king of this world. And here is his garden. Zalbach knows everything there is about this world. After many battles since then, Kart was convinced of this. Then, what should he do? It was decided. All he had to do was to establish a new order and a new miniature garden in this world. What Kart did while looking at the three beautiful maidens was to organize the inventory of ingredients. He calcted the surplus of meat, vegetables, fish, and other ingredients, and, with a precise numerical value, umted them in the small world of his wagon. So that if there are any shortages, he would be ready to meet any demands. He was like the warriors in myth who drew bows against the god. Heter recalled. ''Aimed for it? No way, it''s just part of my job. It goes against my aesthetics to have someone below me do inventory every day. Once in a while, I thought I''d take over the work like this. As someone standing on top, I must not neglect the basic work. Well, by chance, Bery-sama asked for an egg at that time, and I was near the eggs----'' The talented Kart is still excellent even when ites to food distribution. Zalbach stares at Kart with a scowl on his face, as if he were a parent whose child has been murdered, and thenughs. ----You sure did something sly, young man. ----Kuku, old people who are getting sick in their legs, just take a rest there. Zalbach thought as he red at the Kart. The difference between the two is three steps. He could take at most two steps by walking fast while making it look like a stumble. If so, just stop Kart''s movement. Zalbach thought and came up with a secret n. "Oops!" ----He pretends to stumble even though there''s nothing there. He leans forward for a moment and jumps. Kart frowned. He, too, had taken measures against the old man''s sneaky tactics. That''s why he made a three-step difference today. What are you going to do? ----while thinking so, a tray flew toward him The disk-shaped tray spun and flew toward the egg that Kart was holding. Yes, Zalbach had made it look like a fall, but he had thrown the tray on the desk precisely at Kart. The look in Kart''s eyes was astonishment. ''You''re willing to go that far'', is what his eyes seemed to be saying. ----However, Kart is a man who takes pride in being first-ss. He instantly and silently catches it with one arm. Zalbach, not paying attention to Kart''s gaze, reached out and grabbed the basket of "eggs that just happened to be there" at the point where he almost fell over. What Zalbach had was trust in Kart. Kart is first-ss. Zalbach judged that he would never waste foodstuffs on an attack of this degree. He was sure that Kart would definitely defend against it. As expected, Kart silently endured Zalbach''s ranged attack and defended the egg. But at the same time, in that instant, Kart lost his one-step advantage over Zarbach. Kart stared at Zalbach with a scowl on his face, as if he were a son whose father had been murdered, andughed. ----This shitty old man, what do you think would have happened if it hadn''t been me? ----Hmm, you little brat. It''s because it was you that I believe you could defend it. The battle between the two was evenly matched, and the others, who could not intervene, had no choice but to watch with bated breath. A showdown between the two chiefs. A showdown between the two chiefs. It was a holy war. However once again, the war''s conclusion was thwarted by the presence of an even more powerful person. "Please leave it to me! I will bring the eggs!" The one who broke the unspoken understanding and stepped in with trot without even reading the atmosphere was the woman with seven-colored ws----Anne. The ambush soldier who suddenly appeared had been waiting at the entrance for a long time. Don''t disturb their happy moment, but also be quick to help when they need it. And so Anne jumped out grandly when she saw the opportunity. She jumped out without a n. Anne looked around her for eggs and saw the basket Zalbach was holding. "Oh, thank you very much for the trouble. I''ll take it." "Wh..." Anne snatched the basket from Zarbak and rushed to the three of them---- "Ugh!?" ----She stumbled and nearly fell over. "Ahh!" It was Krische who moved faster than anyone else. She quickly leapt to the air and grabbed the basket, immediately holding the eggs that were about to scatter. She twisted her body in the air and showed a supplending just like that of a cat, and Bery apuded, Kreschenta, who had been wondering if Anne was doing it on purpose, panicked and followed suit. "As expected of you, Onee-sama." "It was splendid, Krische-sama. Anne-sama, are you okay?" "Y-yeah...I''m fine." "......the eggs weren''t okay at all" "Hie!" "K-Krische-sama..." Kreschenta sighed and looked at Anne. "This child, she keeps repeating this even when I''m there, really. Argan-sama, please do something about it." "No, Bery is busy. Krische thinks Kreschenta has the most free time." "I-I''m also helping Selene-sama right now. Besides, Onee-sama, I''m a princess, you know?" "A princess needs more servants, so Anne. Bery is busy taking care of Krische." "Now, now, both of you... D-don''t me her too much. She just tried her best and failed a little." The troubled Bery suppressed the trouble. Anne, the object of the shoving match from the two of them, repeated ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry'' as usual. "..." "..." The men then looked at Zalbach and Kart, who were still frozen in ce, with pity. And so the meal was made, the five of them finished dinner, and went to their own room. On the first and second floors of themand office in the center of the fortress, there were offices and other rooms used for practical work, and on the third floor is the hall with the breastwork that serves the function of the fort. From here there are wooden bridges on all four sides that lead to the four towers at the corners of the inner ramparts. It seems that fortress Bergash originally had only this inner wall, and the double structure with the heavy outer wall was addedter. However, once the outer wall was built, the inner wall and the towers became half-useless, and half of them were used as living space. While crossing the bridge, Krische happily snuggles up to Bery. "Ehehe, even so, the salt-grilled in kiln was really wonderful. When Krische saw Pilkhana, Krische thought it would smell a little, but..." "Well, it wasn''t that bad." "Thank you. Thanks to the two of you, it turned out great." Anne was ordered to prepare the bath first, so there are only three people here. Kreschenta looks displeased at Krische as she snuggles up to Bery. "... Onee-sama, rathet than that, about the bath" "Today is no good. Kreschenta alwaysined about washing each other." "I-I won''t say it again." "This is the third time that Kreschenta has that. As Krische said yesterday, there is a rule that ''if you miss two shots, you can''t hunt.''" It was the vige rule that if a hunter missed the same prey twice, he was not allowed to hunt that day. It was a warning to avoid pursuing prey too deeply, and was also used as a promise. It was used in the sense that a promise that was broken twice would be broken a third time, and it wasmon for the third time to be punished even if the second time was forgiven. Depending on the situation, it might be just a light punishment or even execution, but Kreschenta was ordered to take a bath with Anne until she reflected. Since the other day, Kreschenta had beenining about Bery and Krische washing each other, which had put Krische in a bad mood yesterday. ''Krische understand what Kreschenta is saying. But Krische wants to wash with Bery, so if Kreschenta don''t like it, Kreschenta can just take a bath with Anne.'' Since it is exined that it is a rule Krische learned in the vige, Kreschenta cannot break it and tried shows signs of remorse in front of Krische, but Krische is stubborn, saying that Kreschenta need to be punished for at least one day. "Ugh..." "If Kreschenta properly reflects, Krische will take a bath with Kreschenta again tomorrow. That''s why for today bear with Anne today. Understand?" "That''s cruel..." Kreschenta pouted her lips in a sulking tone, and Krische pressed her lips saying ''no''. Beryughed at that scene, which made Kreschenta red at her. And then, at that time, Bery''s eyebrows frowned when she heard a voice from below. "----Maaan, they sure are some real beauties. It''s a feast for the eyes." "Yeah....but there''s a rumor that Krische-sama is pretty dangerous you know. they say that her hobby is killing people. She wouldugh while cutting of their fingers and tortures them." "Well, of course I''ve heard that, but...... do you think the rumors about the cursed child----" "Stop it. What would you do if someone hears it?" It was the voices of the soldiers walking under the bridge. The sky is cloudy. The waning moon is thinly hidden, and it''s dark at night, the soldiers probably doesn''t even notice that they''re here. Kreschenta with tantly showes displeasure on her face and looked at Krische, but Krische was quite calm. Krische looks up at Bery. After thinking for a moment, she said ''Krische''ll go for a bit'' and jumped down from a height of about 3 ken (5.454 m) without giving them a chance to stop her. "Hii!" Bery heard a scream and looked down in panic. The two soldiers were copsed on their buttocks. Krische pulled a sword from the waist of one of them and pressed the de against his neck. "K-Krische-sama." "Don''t wory, Krische won''t kill you." Krische said so expressionlessly. Then she looked at the soldiers. "Krische doesn''t particrly care about such rumors, and it doesn''t matter what they say. But, spreading Krische notoriety in opes is an insult to superiors, whether consciously or unconsciously. ......You are Dagga and Zirvan who came ten days ago right. The selection numbers are 78 and 182." "Hie!" "You belong to the 4th Battalion (1000 men), 9th Company (100 men), 17th squad (5 men), in Corporal Tolka''s squad, is that correct?" "Y-yes. .......H-how did you know?" "Because Krische remembers it." Saying that Krische expressionlessly tilted her head. "What is your business here? On the deployment n, this ce is managed by the 1st Battalion, 3rd Company." "Yes, umm, I was delivering a message of equipment shortage, adjutant corpsmander." "Understood, Krische''ll check itter. Regardless of the intention, the words and deeds just now are an insult to Krische, the deputy of the corpsmander. It can be said that the content is an exaggeration of the facts. Penalties will be handed down through your superiors, thank goodness huh." Krische smiled. "If Krische hobby was murder, as the both you of say, Krische would have summarily executed both of you right here and now. You can see how that would be very easy with Krische''s position, can''t you?" "Hie!" "Please be careful from now on. ......It''s not a hobby, but Krische is very good at it." With that, Krische returned the sword to its scabbard and told them to return to their duties. The two soldiers ran in fright, and Krische kicked the wall straight back onto the bridge. "Krische showed Bery something embarrassing. It seems that the education is still not going well." "...Education, is it?" "Onee-sama, if it''s like that... it''s too frightening and seems to be counterproductive." "If they''re afraid of Krische and be obedient, that''s fine. The point is, Krische just need to show enough strength that they won''t even feel like rebelling. Of course, it''s best to be loved like Selene. But Krische isn''t good at it." "... I guess that''s one way to think about it." Krische snuggles up to Bery and grabs her arm. "Krische knows Bery don''t like that kind of thing, but" "... No. I think there are things that can''t be helped." ''For example, if Krische was walking alone, would she have ignored it'' is what Bery thought. She did it because Bery showed displeasure. "Didn''t Bery heard the conversation just now? Krische thought Bery was silent because she didn''t want to see Krische doing that." "......Yes. But worrying about it is useless. And though it was intrusive, I also have warned them before." "That''s no good, it''s fine for just Krische to be the one saying that." With a vague smile, Bery nodded. "It''s not something for Krische-sama to worry about." "Um, worry, or rather..." Krische pondered for a moment, as if lost. "It doesn''t matter what they say about Krische. Krische doesn''t care. ...But Krische really don''t want Bery to say things like that to Krische too." As if troubled, as if she could not hold back her emotion. Krische tells Bery that. ----Pretty She just thought so and stroked Krische cheek. "......It''s time for the long-awaited bath. Shall we cheer ourselves up and go?" She puts her hand on her cheek and traced her lips with her thumb. Krische nodded embarrassedly, and Kreschenta displeasedly red at Bery and told Krische. "Onee-sama, umm, I''m sorry----" "Today is no good." "Ugh..." Beryughed quietly and looks up at the sky nkly. Chapter 49: Realization and What She Wished Chapter 49: Realization and What She Wished Realization and What She Wished The room is built of stone, with a single bathtub that is small whenpared to the one''s on the estate. The water pipes are filled with magic crystals, and the flowing water is transformed into hot water. After washing their bodies, Krische and Bery were rxing in the tub. Krische leaned in close to Bery''s womanly naked body and hugged her, while feeling the warm bath on her white skin. The lukewarm water with herbs in it brought a pleasant scent to their nose, and the dissolved extracts turned dyes the bath light pink. Krische submerged her body into the lukewarm bath and seems to ask to be pampered by Bery. Slightly more intense than usual. Bery sensed her fatigue from that act and simply stroked her head gently. "Krische-sama seems really tired. Krische-sama, please take care of yourself a little more. don''t be so reckless as toe running from the forest." "But Krische wanted to cook with Bery ..." When Bery stroked Krische''s cheek, Krische raises herself up a little and kisses Bery. Bery epted it without resistance, and she returned the kiss, while stroking Kurishe''s head. She used to tie up Krische''s long hair up with a towel, but recently at Krische''s request, she left it as it is, ording to Krische if she uses the towel, Bery would not be able to pet her head. Bery carefully and gently stroked Krische''s wet hair as ifbing it with her hand. As with her cat tongue, Krische will get dizzy immediately in hot water. The lukewarm water was also at the request of Krische, who likes to be pampered like this, probably because she values the time she spends with Bery. Since arriving here, Krische has been very busy, but she never misses this time. Once Krische step foot on the battlefield agaim, even if Bery were to apany her, she would not be able to spend this kind of time with her. It''s because she knew this that, Krische makes time for, hugging, being pampered, and just express her innocent affection. and to Bery, she is more lovely than anyone else. "... Fufu, thank you for the hard work." "Ehehe, Bery too helping Serene, thank you for the hard work." Krische is satisfied just by doing this, and the so is Bery. She wished this time could go on forever, but she also knows it won''t continue forever. That''s why she''s going to pamper Krische lots and lots. She already heard from Selene and guessed about it. The gossip among the soldiers----the way they look at Krische. Even Bery, who doesn''t walk outside that much, can tell that Krische is feared in the military. It was the same with what had just happened. Of course, not everyone is like that, and Krische is also not bothered by it. But even if it doesn''t bother her, she is aware of the fact that she is feared, and as a result, she seems more tense, alert, and tired than usual. There is not much Bery can do for her, she can only make time to make her feel at ease (rx) like this. Krische''s eyes shook with anxiety as she hugged Bery. "......Bery, does Bery not like it when Krische scares people?" "To be honest ... I don''t like it. But I know that it''s not like Krische-sama like to do that too so, it''s fine." Krische smiled happily as she hugs Bery and leans her weight on her. Krische is stronger than anyone else, but she is also more timid than anyone else. It''s not that Krische doesn''t have feelings. She just doesn''t understand. She is incapable of understanding others and can only judge them by their actions. It must be like being in total darkness. ''----Krische is not good at talking and sometimes Krische doesn''t understand what other is saying, that''s why other people think Krische is weird or creepy but.... even so Krische doesn''t know how to make it work.'' All alone in the dark. without seeing others, understanding other, that''s why she can''t trust other, and be timid. Because she doesn''t understand others, she is unnecessarily wary of others, constantly harboring cold hostility and murderous intent, and making ns in their minds to kill others. She fears those who would harm her and those who might harm her. She therefore seeks power, and to eliminate those who would harm her, she behaves in ways that would make others fear her, that way she can creates ce where she can rx. The difference between Krische and Kreschenta is only the difference in methodology. That is probably also the reason why she is asking to be pampered more than usual now. In that darkness, the only ce she can rxes is in someone''s chest. Krische always rubs up against Bery or Selene and leans her body against them. She begs for kisses and hugs and asked to be spoiled like a little girl. She was afraid. Only her heart, like that of an unfulfilled baby, is left behind in her growing body. "That Krische is really kind, and want to be spoiled, I know it properly. That''s why, even if everyone in the world says that they hate Krische, only I will continue to love Krische." Holding Krische cheeks between her hands, she told her. Krische''s gems like purple eyes shakes shyly. Her wet hair sticks to her light peach skin, she ces her hands on Bery''s shoulders, and raises her small body slightly. "Nn......." Bery looks into her eyes and slowly presses her lips against Krische''s. After doing so several times, Krische blinked her long eyshes several times, then rxed her body and happily pressed her face against Bery''s bulge. "Bery is, umm, ...... too sweet these days, Krische, feel like she is bing more and more of a spoiled...... is it fine?" "Oh, Krische-sama hate it?" "A, that...uu." Krische raises her body in a panic, seeing that Beryughed. "Then, Krische-sama like it?" "Yes...... Krische like it." "I love it too. Spoiling Krische-sama, just like Ojou-sama said, I want to pamper Krische-sama to the extent that Krische-sama would be an idiot." "That is, umm......" "... How about Krische-sama? I love Krische-sama no matter what Krische-sama is like, so please don''t hesitate." Krische''s gaze wandered as Bery traced her lips, and nodded. "Krische, might be fine bing an idiot......" "Fufu." Bery pressed their lips together. Krische happily hugged her, even as her face is bright red. A wrong expression of affection. But she likes it above all else. It is the only way she knows how to express her love. Like a newborn baby chick, Krische is obedient, on the brink, and eager. She lightly trace Krische''s thin neck. Even if she were to be strangled, for example. If Bery told her that it was an expression of love, she might endure the pain and allow it until she passed out. She knows that Krische is that dependent on her, and she knows that it was herself who made Krische like that. At first it was good intention----No, She wasn''t even sure how it was. She might have wanted something that could not exist without her. She might have wanted something that was only hers. Like that, she subconsciously imagined a future in which this girl would be dependent on her. When she was a child, she gave up on her own body, which she didn''t know when it will die. Before she knows it, she woke up from the longing to be like a princess in a fairytale, and the longing disappeared. Her heart was always depressed, and while she respected her sister''s brightness, she was also jealous of her. She doesn''t think of herself as a beautiful person. Rather, she''s a distorted, and twisted human being, the opposite of such nobleness. She wanted to be liked by others, so she behaves, and acted the people thought as good. She liked to y as a good person, while she''s doing so, she looked very beautiful. She was more beautiful than anyone else, like her sister. However, sometimes something dark and gloomy would suddenlye up in her, at that kind of time she would feel like she was helplessly filthy. Krische and her are simr, she thought. But she also thinks that Krische is genuine, and she is a fake. She pities Krische, who was kicked out of the vige because she was not epted by the people. She thought she could guide Krische who looks like a troubled, lost chils. But, did she really wanted a future where she would be epted by all everyone. She only wanted to be the only one who understands Krische. And she wanted Krische to think she is the only one who understands her. Some part of her wants to give up on Krische''s distortion as it is inevitable, and another part of her is thinking that it is fine. ----Since, no matter how twisted she is, I can still love her. How can she dere her resignation is not because she has that feelings? If this beautiful thing in front of her would turn that beautiful feelings that''s just like a baby bird to her, then that''s enough. Such a muddy monopoly desire sometimes seeps out, she be can''t understand herself. Did she think like that because of her resignation, or did her resignation is because she thinks like that? "......Bery?" Startled by the call, Bery gently shook her head. "Just, thinking a bit." "Is that so......" Krische tilted her lovely face a little and seems to be thinking something. Then, as if an idea came to her, she raised her body and hugged Bery''s head. "Uh, um......" As Krische shapely, small breasts are pressed against her face, Bery was puzzled. Krische gently stroked Bery''s head, smiled and said. "Ehehe, it''s okay for Bery to be spoiled by Krische. Recently, Krische have been petting Krischenta, and noticed that Krische, like Bery, also like to pamper other. Usually, Krische is the who has lots of happiness, but this way Bery also has lots of happiness." "...... happy." "Yes. Bery same as Krische, um... does Bery not like being spoiled?" Being petted like that made Bery''s face heat up. Her head is in turmoil, but it feels good, and the petting is gentle. Carefully , as if she were handling a treasure----Krische, hand caresses her head, , Bery closes her eyes. "......I like it" "That''s good. Bery is always spoiling to Krische, so Krische wants to return the favor. ......Though Krische''s breasts aren''t as big as Bery''s, so it might not be asfortable the one Krische receives." This girl, Krisje, is always concerned about the weirdest things. Though she isn''t concerned about the things that make others happy about, she always concerned about things she doesn''t need to be concerned about, and doing her best at it. Thinking it was funny, Bery giggles, and Krische as id troubled told her. "I wish it were a little bigger." "Whether it''s big or small, I like everything about Krische-sama." She mischievously looks into Krische''s eyes and wraps her hands around Krisch''s shapely breasts. Krische giggles ticklishly and smiles happily. "Ehehe, is that so?" "Yes" Return the favor, she said. Even though she has received more than enough from return, this girl doesn''t realize it, that''s why no matter how much time passed, the amount of "repayment" that she can''t pay back keep umting inside her. Even though it has be a loss for her, but she still doesn''t realize it and still tries to give back. And it might be like that for forever. She''s stupid, she thought. And more than that she''s beautiful, she thought Krische is more beautiful than anyone else in the world. And for the rest of her life, this girl would remain that way. Krische smiled happily and put strength into the hand that held her head. "Then, is Bery happy?" "...Yes. I''m happy." "Then, hehehe, it''s mutual. Krische is also very happy." Krische said sheerfully and happily. "...Recently, Krische feel like Krische''vee to understand something. When krische is working away from home, and want to see Bery and Selene, Krische feel moyamoya. It wasn''t like that in the past, Krische doesn''t really understand it but, Krische feel moyamoya......umm." ----Maybe it''s the one called lonely. Krische said and pressed her cheek against Bery''s head. "That''s why... maybe, but being together like this makes Krische happier than before. If Bery is happy and having fun, Krische would be happy too. ...... Krische feel like Krische want to do a lot of things like that. Krische want to do that all the time, Krische think." "......That is." "Could this be...... umm, the love that Bery talk about?" When asked, she couldn''t answer immediately. What shoud she answers with. She thinks, being puzzled and troubled about it. Whatever the case, she knew it was not up to her to decide. "......Krische-sama, what does Krische-sama think?" ----Bery knows that the idea of a heart-to-heartmunication is nothing more than a fiction. Only the person themself knows what''s inside their heart. And isn''t, she herself doesn''t know it clearly. "Krische''s, is it?" "... Yes. Words are ambiguous and uncertain. That''s why Krische-sama feels it, what Krische-sama thinks would be good, and what Krische-sama wished for, that is the answer." Krische thought for a moment again, and then let go of her body. Then she said happily. "Then it''s love. ......Krische thinks it would be good if this is love. Krische''d like to think that Krische is able to find the love that Bery feels for Krische." Just believing in itwithout doubt, it was such beautiful word. She knew that such beautiful words would spill out of the girl mouth. Bery epts it as her lips are pressed against Krische''s. "......Among the various Krische that Bery said, the Krische that the Krische wants is the Krische that can properly return Bery''s love." Krische just stared at Bery, waiting for her reaction. Return, she said. ----I wonder what kind of beautiful love she thinks that I''ve given her. She doesn''t think it''s that beautiful. But that''s how this girl sees it, then maybe, just maybe it really exists inside of her. If so, more than anything that would be good. Bery lowers her eyes, thinking just like Krische, and returns the kiss in the same way. "...then this is my answer." "Ehehe. It''s Mutual love." Krische hugged her and Bery also hugged her body. She doesn''t think what she has in her is as beautiful as what this girl though. But she hoped that even if it''s only a little bit, it would be good if there''s some part that is the same as this girl. If she stays by her side, will she find something like that? Will she be able to give this girl the kind of love that she gives her? But at the very least, she believes that there is only one person with whom she can find such love. At the very least, she believed it was such fortuitous meeting. "......Lipus." The words flowed naturally. And just like how it is for her, she hoped this meeting is also a fortuitous meeting to this girl. If she can help fill the distorted innocent happiness. "......?" "Bery Lipus Argan. Nobles are given secret, hidden names by their parents when they are born. ......It''s the first time I''ve said it out loud, and my parents are already gone, so the only one who knows about it is only Krische-sama." "Only Krische ......?" She patted the wondering Krische and told her in a whisper. "Yes. It doesn''t mean much. It''s just a word, my little secret." It''s just a simple word. There is no meaning in them. They are meant to be given meaning. "I just wanted to create a secret between the two of us with Krische-sama. How about it?" "...Okay. Krische''ll keep it a secret." "Please don''t say it. Not to anyone else, no, even when it''s just the two of us." "Yes, um... Yes, Krische understand." It was a face that seemed to understand, but didn''t understand. But that''s fine, she thought. A vow is simply something you make to yourself. "Fufu, it''s that kind of secret word. But--" Bery continued, "Just once...... Krische-sama, will you call me by that name?" Krische tilted her head. "Just once?" "Yes, just once.... the first and thest. Look into my eyes properly." Krische paused for a moment as she pondered its meaning. Then she looked into her eyes and opened her mouth. "----Lipus" Krisch called, and Bery silently closed her eyes----and opened her mouth. "......My true name along with this body, I offer all of myself to you." ----A vow from the ce where words are spun. Long and slowly. It was stupid, meaningless, and merely self-satisfication. But the pressed lips remained there for a while ---- only to part a few momentster. Krische smiled happily without understanding it, and Bery smiled as well. "It''s a little old-fashioned way of expressing love." "Is that so? Ehehe...... Krische wish Krische had a hidden name too." Krische kisses her back again, and Bery smiles. "Krische-sama has nothing to hide so, Krische-sama is fine as it is." Saying that, she stood up and lifted Krische into her arms. "Let''s go out soon. If we stay too long, Kreschenta-sama will get sullen." "Yes" The beautiful thing that she wants to see by her side for forever. "Should we invite Kreschenta-samater and bake some cookies?" "Then, since Selene also said she wanted to eat something sweet, today we''ll put plenty of honey." "Yes. I''m also in that kind of mood today." If she has something inside her that''s as beautiful as this girls''s, that''s all that matters. If she can find that beautiful thing that this girl shows her inside herself, then---- The treasure in her arms. Bery just smiled as she gently stroked it. Chapter 50: Dragons Breath Chapter 50: Dragon''s Breath Dragon''s Breath "My, I never thought it woulde to this, Bogan. What I said before wasn''t a lie though." Mirskronia and Bernaich divide the north and the capital. At the boundary between the two mountains was a space that, even after being widened, was less than 30 ken (30.4 m) wide. As a road It was easy to pass through, but at its narrowest point, it was a narrow passage of about 10 ken (18.18 m). Of course, such a road exists everywhere. In fact, as a road, it could be said to be very wide. However the problem is that there''s no alternative route on this road. Mirskronia and Bernaich, on the left and right are steep and high mountains. To go around, one would have to go far east or west, so if ones want to go north, they have no choice but to go through here. And even if the road were wide enough to simply pass through, the narrow space between the steep cliffs would severely impede the army''s movement, making it a natural strategic point where a small force could easily hold off arge one. This was the most important base of operations during the war against the northern barbarians several hundred years ago. After the northern part of the country was conquered, it became a mere highway, but now that the war has begun, it has regained its former appearance. Thend, which had eaten and devoured tens of thousands of flesh and blood, was now stained red. It brought only screams and death, swallowed up many heroes. It''s as if it''s an ancient dragon that burns cities, destroys nations, and brings death like a natural disaster. ----This is the Dragon''s Maw. And at the ce that was said to be inside it''s fangs. "As expected of the mighty Christand. The quality of my soldiers is somewhat poorparatively. Though the battle started with 20,000 and 30,000, seems I cannot be so optimistic." After the first battle, the road turned red with blood, corpses, and twilight. Laughing in the Dragon''s Maw is a handsome young man riding a ck horse, wearing red mantle and ck iron armor adorned with elegant gold ornaments. His voice is clear, refreshing, and yet somehow powerful. A man endowed with the qualities of royalty and absoluteness, with a mere word he makes his presence known to all around him. When he expanded the eastern part of the kingdom and conquered a part of the empire, he wore ck armor and wielded a long battle-axe at the front line, and as a royalty himself, he was responsible for countless head counts. The dreadfulness of his martial prowess is feared by allies and foes alike, and for this reason, on the battlefield he was called thus. ----The ck Lion. Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan. This man, who unquestionably would be known as a hero if he were born in a war-torn world, is now standing proudly in battlefield. Opposite him is the matchless and famous general Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand. The countless scars on his austere, unadorned steel armor are a testament to his military prowess. The hero who survived the hell of the front line, devoured the lives of his enemies and subordinates, and rose to the rank of general with only his body and brains shows not a shred of weakness against such an opponent. "It''s futile bloodshed. Surely, it''s not your cup of tea, Bogan. I have only one word for you." Gildanstein deres as if it were a matter of course. He is royalty, the Absolute. He is the one who ruled over everything in the kingdom. "----Surrender to me. I will not treat you badly, and I will only see this rudeness as an amusing sideshow." He did not correct his words. There''s no lie in the words Gildanstein told Bogan before, and he''s also not lying now. "It is no longer possible to discuss that, Your Highness Royal Prince. When ites down to it, there''s no longer other way to settle this other than bloodshed." "But you don''t think I killed my brother, do you? That''s the work of Kreschenta, who you protected. All you must do is hand that over. It was words that is too generous, and a concession. "As expected, Even I didn''t think she''d go this far either. It''s not like Kreschenta, who has done everything so skillfully, to do something like this. Did something happen with your adopted daughter----" Bogan shook his head. "I am very pleased that you have thought of me so highly. At the very least, on the battlefield Your Highness Royal Prince is a general I respected." It''s the truth. Gildanstein''s skill on the battlefield was magnificent, and the sight that he himself swung the de on the front line is dependable. His love of killing is a vice in peacetime, but on the battlefield that''s just how it is. As a general, Gildanstein''s reputation is high, and his behavior is worthy of respect. "However, I am already the de of Her Royal Highness the Princess. Even if I were to surrender here, Your Highness Royal Prince will not be able to obtain the General Christand that His Highness wants. A general who has lost trust and confidence is worthless. ...As the sword of Her Royal Highness, I have taken up the sword and thus havee face to face with you. Then we must decide the matter not with words, but with the de. Wouldn''t you understand, Your Royal Highness?" "Kuku, indeed. I don''t need you without your backbones." Gildanstein said amusedly and stared at Bogan. "Then, how about we decide the winner right here with the de, Bogan?" "Your Royal Highness must be joking. I am no match for His Royal Highness." "I see, it''s a pity. Before I lose you, I wanted to have a match with you once." Gildanstein turned his horse and turned his back. "This is the path you have chosen. Don''t hold it against me, will you?" "Naturally, death on the battlefield is a warrior''s honor. No matter what the oue, there is no resentment. And that goes for both of us." "I see. I wish you fortune. ...At least you were a warrior worthy of that." "...Thank you." From then on, the battle was fierce. In order to win the battle in the center, the Dragon''s Maw where the road is narrowing----both sides are fighting for the center, which is less than a mere 1 ri (3.927 km) wide. Once the bottleneck was seized and stabilized, the rest of the battle could be fought in a single push. This is because the farther one moves toward either end of the Dragon''s Maw, the wider the path bes. Be that as it may, that is also why it is called the Dragon''s Maw. That is to say, the wider the path bes, the greater the military superiority of the side being pushed in bes. The more they cut into the enemy''s territory, the greater the damage will be at an elerated rate. However both sides had reasons why they needed to do so. The Christand feared an increase in Gildanstein''s troops, the capital had more ample human resourcespared to the north. Gildanstein, too, was afraid that the nobles in the royal capital would lean toward the princess, which he couldn''t even know long as he left the capital vacant. Gildanstein has been pulling out the nobles of his own faction to manage them as his subordinates in this war. Naturally, the nobles of the royal capital are dominated by the princess faction, and even though Gildanstein, who was originally inferior, has the military power of militarymand, it is not a good idea to spend time on it. The current situation is that they do not know how things will turn out, and there are too many uncertainties. And to the east there is Nozan Verreich------the formermander of the 1st Army Corps of Christand. Against him, who will clearly be enemies, Gildanstein need to show that he''s vignt against them, and leave some troops behind. Neither side knows which way Hilkintos in the west or Garhka in the south will turn, and both Bogan and Gildanstein wanted to settle things before they picked a side. That is the one thing Bogan and Gildanstein agree on. But of course, neither of them thought the battle would be decided by a simple push. They recognized each other and highly valued each other''s abilities. They prated their forces into the steep mountains, and even in the midst of this, they crossed des of knowledge and strategy. Christand''s excelled in the quality of itsmanders at all levels. At one point, Bogan''s de was at his opponent''s throat, but Gildanstein himself destroyed the detouring troops, brought them to a standstill. Then next time, the royal prince himself lead the breakthrough in the mountains, putting the Christand''s in a tight spot for a time. Knowing that his side was inferior in terms of the quality of his troops andmanders, Gildanstein used himself as a pawn. Without revealing his whereabouts, he sets up body doubles and moves around freely. Gildanstein, who is blessed with great talent and decisiveness, is a formidable enemy. It''s been almost two months since they arrived here. Even after the mountains turned red, the battle continued without a conclusion. Selene was sending reserve personnel as replenishment soldiers one after another, and the same was true on the Gildanstein side. As they were repeatedly cut down and replenished, none of their attacks was decisive. But here came a presence that roused the Christand''s soldiers. The sun is high in the sky. The golden hair shimmering in red, and an elegant white dress that is out of ce on the battlefield. The smile on her face is that of a saint full ofpassion, and she nces at the soldiers on her left and right. The two beautiful maiden of Christand''s, one in gold and the other in silver armor, on either side, it was like a scene from a fairytale, and the thousands of soldiers behind them formed a horizontal line instead of a marching column, marching in orderly fashion as if to honor them. A short distance from the encampment, she split off from the soldiers and approached the gate of the camp with only the two beautiful maiden and two maids. Repeated life-threatening battles. Among them, there were some who were exhausted and showed tears. They, without saying anything kneeled, then a horse runs from behind approaching the princesses. Bogan rode up to the princess, dismounted, dropped to his knees, and bowed his head. "Thank you for weing us. General Christand, please raise your head." "......Yes." Bogan stood uproudly, put his hands on his chest maintaining the salute. "I''ve heard of your bravery. And I ask all of you too, please stand. I have note here to see all of you as royalty." The soldiers looked at each other and stood up one by one and follow Bogan. There was something sweet about her clear voice that seemed to cling to the inside of their ears. "Because I have came to line up with mypatriots who share the same purpose." Selene, who had been standing diagonally behind her, stepped forward, drew her sword, and pointed it at the sky. At the same moment, Krische also drew her sword against the soldiers behind her. The soldiers who had formed a horizontal line drew their swords in unison, creating a myriad of metallic noises------and a roar of cheers that almost reverberates in the air. Vibrations that could even cause the earth to reverberate. It engulfed the soldiers in the encampment as well, inviting them into a deliberate frenzy---making the Dragon''s Maw tremble. It was a kind of performance. Forming a horizontal line from the front, putting on airs, and cheering with the determined signals and movements. The choice of a horse instead of a carriage was also part of the performance, so that the princess could be persuasive in saying that she herself was in the same position as the soldiers present. By deliberately throwing out her authority, she shortened the distance between them. The royal family is rarely seen in front of the people. It was said thatmoners would be afraid to even peek at their visage, and it was normal to cover their face with a veil, but this time she showed her true face to the soldiers for the purpose of raising morale. Kreschenta is beautiful, and the benefits of doing so are great. As was the case with Bogan''s speech the other day, the meaning of fighting for a beautiful princess is depicted in many heroic tales, and it is a goal that is easily epted by the soldiers. This is the reason why she does not wear a veil even at the fort. Bogan and Selene had exchanged letters the other day and decided on this event to restore the morale of the soldiers, who were showing signs of exhaustion after two months of battle. Selene had set up the best soldiers in the front rows of the horizontal line to look good, and Bogan had informed the witty nonmissioned officer that the princess wasing. It can be said that the controlled enthusiasm produced sufficient results for the soldiers who did not know about it. "...finally. Krische hates armor, it''s heavy." Krische had Bery take off the armor she''s not used to wearing as soon as she arrived at the tent she was given and removed the straight sword from her left hip and put on his usual curved sword on her back hip. And when Bery strokes her head, she sticks his head out just a little. Bery quietly puts their lips together and smiled. "Fufu, then shall we go?" "......yes" Then they went out and enter Bogan''s tent, the various corpsmanders are already there. While thinking they''re a littlete, Krische sat down in a chairand Bery makes her a cup of sweet tea. The appearance of Bery pouring tea as if snuggling to Krische from diagonally behind was beautiful, and her appearance of pouring honey and milk was indifferent but it''s full of affection. When Cliche thanked her, she gave a slight smile, and when it''s finished, she straightened posture behind Krische to her right and kept her eyes down. Her gesture was so vivid and beautiful that some of them forgot why they had gathered there and looked at her. Kreschenta felt a twinge of frustration inside at the obvious change in Bery''s atmosphere from the other day, but she said nothing, as she had to behave as a princess. These days, Bery was no longer flustered by Krische kisses, but rather smiled happily at them. In fact, she even seems to be trying to make Krische want to kiss her by stroking her cheeks, bringing her face closer, and gazing into her eyes. She was originally sweet, but she became sweet. Krische was delighted with Bery''s change, and her habit of kissing and being pampered got even worse. It''s like a dog that jumps up and down, wagging its tail when given food. After seeing Krische, Kreschenta put away her displeasure and remained silent thoughtfully stirring the hot tea Arne had brewed with a spoon. It was a hot tea that should be called harassment with good intentions. Kreschenta has a cat tongue. She was only cooling her tea while pretending to be thoughtful. Selene almostughed at the sight of Kreschenta but held it in. She also noticed that the Bery be sweeter toward Krische, but to her it''s nothing new. She was curious, but she was fine with that as long as it didn''t lead to any strange rumors. Now that Krische''s here, everyone looked at Bogan. All the important people were gathered here. Each of them had already greeted Kreschenta. "It looks like everything is ready. Let''s start the meeting. ----To Her Royal Highness." Bogan stood up, as was customary, and the others followed his lead. Then he ces his hand on his chest and salutes, and Kreschenta nods while still seated. "Please take a seat." "Yes." There was some etiquette when the royal family was present at these meetings. "General Kristand is the highest-ranking person in this ce. I leave everything to you. So please speak freely." When everyone is seated, Kreschenta told Bogan. Military rank and aristocratic rank are a bitplicated. Therefore, especially when the royalty is present, it was customary to have all authority entrusted to them unless the royalty''s the one who tookmand. It would be disrespectful to talk about the future while disregarding the royalty, and if the royalty gave their opinion on, no matter how absurd the content was, it would be impossible to say no. For this reason, it is necessary for the royalty to delegate authority to themander who''s there, and only then can themander judge the situation and have the power to reject even the opinions of the royalty. This is a necessary step for the army to function as an organization. "Yes. First of all, a report on the current situation from the 2nd corpsmander." "Yes sir. The 2nd Corps currently has 3,800 members who are able to fight. The number of those who can return is estimated to be about 200. Morale is high with no supply problems. That is all." Kolkis-Agrand, a big, gant man, answered. As expected in front of the princess, his volume is slightly lower than usual. The 2nd Corps, fighting in the center of the battle, is always forcing the enemy to bleed heavily, thanks in part to the valiant fight of the corps leader Kolkis. Although they were losing some men, they were also inflicting heavy losses on their opponents, and could be said to have aparative advantage. "3rd Corps, there are 2,800bat-capable soldiers. There are 100 people who can return. Supply is going smoothly, but it''s hard to say that morale has improved since the other day." The third corpsmander Terrius Melchikos, a man with eagle nose and somewhat resembled Dagra, reported. The Third Corps, which had been breached by Gildanstein the other day, is heavily worn out. Although it was good that the breakthrough was derailed by cooperation with Bogan''s reinforcements, but some were demoralized by Gildanstein''s ferocious attack. "The 4th Corps has 4,300bat-capable soldiers. The number of those who can return is ......less than 100. Supply is fine, morale is the same as usual, but seems a little fatigued." Morbidly thin. The bony man is Eluga Faren. He is not the type of man to inspire his men with his sword, but he is an intelligent general who excels at tacticalmand, even among those in the Christand army. Although he was forced to withdraw due to Gildanstein''s own counterattack, he once came close to Gildanstein''s throat in a night attack. As a result, the wear and tear of his men was low, and the morale of his men was high, but the 4th Corps suffered from some fatigue. "The main camp is 1500. No losses. Selene." "Yes, sir. The number of men I brought with me is 8,500. Two thousand of them are archers, with hunters as the core." "Ohh, Two thousand." Terrius, themander of the third corps, nodded his head in admiration. "It is probably thanks to spreading the recruitment notice even to the viges. The men who could ride were left behind due to ack of training, as stated in my letter." "Ah, that''s fine." Unlike infantrymen, who form a line and perform rtively simple movements, cavalrymen arepletely different in the abilities required. The use of expensive and costly horses requires abilities that cannot be met in a month of training at most. It won''t be a problem for the battle in the Dragon''s Maw, especially since it was not a ce where cavalry could make the most of their abilities. "I would like some archers for the Third Corps. Since there''s also the loss to consider." "Ah, understood. We''ll do the allocationter." Bogan said so and pointed at the map on the table. It depicted the area around Dragon''s Maw. The maps themselves are numerous and of good quality, as they are the subject of many anecdotes. "The Third Corps is stationed in Mirskronia to the west, and the Fourth Corps in Bernaich to the east. Both will be repairing and upying the ruins of the fort on the mountain ridge. In the center is the 2nd Corps, which is in the middle of a standoff at the narrow passage. Overall, we can say we have the upper hand. The reason I asked you all to gather here is to discuss tactical developments from this point on." Bogan folded his arms and rubbed his eyes. The enemy was in front of him, and he had been pushing and pushed for nearly two months. Naturally, Bogan is also very tired. "His Highness is proceeding with caution. He withdraws where he should withdraw, conserve his forces, and shave off our force. It is a contest of endurance......but time is to the enemy''s advantage." If they take their time, the uncertain element ------ they don''t even know how the surroundings will move. It was the same for both sides, but the pure difference in poption number is significant. It was certain that there was more room left for conscription in the royal capital. "I want to achieve decisive results. The first objective is His Highness Royal Prince, but the second objective is to gaining total control of the Dragon''s maw. I believe that we will have the advantage in a decisive battle on the ins around the royal capital area. At this time, we can focus on the second objective. Any opinions?" First and second objective. On the battlefield, objectives should be unified, and there must always be a priority. If two objectives exist at the same time, it will inevitably create confusion on the battlefield. And the confusion will divide the army, creating a situation they will be defeated individually. For this reason, in Christand it was established, that the order of priority of objectives should always be clear. Defeating Gildanstein is naturally the most important objective in itself to end this civil war, but it would be difficult under the current circumstances. If it is considered difficult in the current situation, priority is given to creating a situation that will make it easier, and another objective is prioritized over the primary objective by taking a temporary step back. That is what it meant to narrow down the objective. "Yes, I have an opinion if you only consider the second objective." And it was Krische who answered. It was a difficult problem that had been on everyone''s mind. On the other hand, a roar runs through as Krische dered so easily. "......Let''s hear it" Bogan gasped, too, but relief and anticipation swirled in his chest. The restructuring of the First Corps was, of course, what Bogan expected and awaited. Selene, who supplied Bogan with reinforcements that could withstand actual battles and gathered 8,500 soldiers on the side, showed more than enough sess, and even though he was her father, her skills surprised him. But what Bogan expected more than that was the young silver-haired girl in front of him. Her strategy that had toyed with Sarshenka''s. The memory of that day is still fresh in Bogan''s mind, and he was sure that she would be able to produce a decisive result in this situation. "The day after tomorrow, let''sunch a general offensive." "General offensive?" "Yes. The Third Corps will descend the mountain tomorrow and withdraw------we will use Bernaich in the east." ".....withdraw. You mean to handover the mountain?" ''Yes'', Krische nodded. It''s not like shee up with it just now. On the way to the royal capital the other day, she had a simple thought when she passed by it in the carriage. What should she do to conquers the Dragon''s Maw? She drank the sweet tea, quenched her thirst, and ------ "That''s right. ......We should surrender it to the enemy and burn the whole mountain." ------She smiled innocently like a little girl, while saying that. Chapter 51: Anxiety Chapter 51: Anxiety ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 51 Anxiety*** Krische stood up and traced the narrow passage in the center of the Dragon''s Maws. "When ites to capturing the Dragon''s Maw, this central strike is the most desirable victory, but the central narrow passage is the problem. It is difficult to concentrate forces there, and if one were to push with force, there would have to be a clear difference in the quality of the soldiers themselves. However, in the current situation where we have not been able to break through for nearly two months, it is undeniable that the Second Corps iscking in strength. Therefore, this situation is pointless." "...Krische." "No, Selene-sama. It''s just as Krische-sama said, it''s nothing else but ack of power of my Second Corps. Don''t worry about it. It''s the fact." Selene was about to interrupt Krische way of speaking which is too franks, but Kolkis held her back. When Krische looked at them, Selene took a deep breath and Kolkis nodded. "If it is impossible to break through the center, then we need to make a breakthrough on either side of the wings. Or a detour. But a detour isn''t an option. Since there will be many enemies'' reserve troops that can''t be deployed because of the central narrow passage. After detouring a long distance and crossing the mountain, an enemy''s detachment force will just be directed there, and as a result it failed. It is obvious that the force we sent will be isted and annihted. Therefore, the appropriate option would be to break through on either side of the wings. We must be prepared for some loss." The wings breakthrough, as the term implies, is to break through the wing side where the enemy is positioned and then around to their rear. A detour is a more roundabout way of getting around the enemy''s rear without fighting. While the wings breakthrough is simply a tactical maneuver, the detour is a tactical maneuver that aims at the enemy''s rear but is also a strategic maneuver that includes aiming at the enemy''s line ofmunication. In some cases, there will be a lead in such as tactical detour or strategic detour, but if it''s simply called detour at tactical discussion, then it means a tactical detour. In the Kingdom, strategy refers to the actions of the military, including movement and selection of battlefields, and tactics refer to the means of attack aftering into contact with the enemy. Since the strategy calls for advancing into the royal capital area by capturing the Dragon''s Maw, a battle here is inevitable, and therefore, the discussion right now is about tactics. This is different from the previous battle where they could choose the battlefield. The only one who questioned Krische words is Anne. Bery, who had listened to Selene''s education by Bogan for many years, had a reasonable understanding of basic military terminology. Avoidingbat and aiming for enemy''s rear is an excellent way to deal with a superior enemy, but of course istion is unavoidable. As the mountain rises in elevation to the east and west as it nears its peak, a strategic detour would require traveling a great distance. Therefore, Bogan and the others had dismissed this option from the outset. In the end, their conclusion is the same, breaking through either wings through the mountain. What Krische had just said was themon understanding of everyone present. "Then the question is whether it is possible to break through either wings in the current situation. As we have not been able to break through during this period, the 3rd and 4th Corps strength are not enough. We can only acknowledge that breaking through with individual Corps will be difficult. If we continue to fight for a year, we may be able to get results, but if we take more time, the cost of war will increase, and the situation may worsen. As Bogan-sama (gotoushu-sama; head of a family) said, the advantage to the enemy will be great, and the uncertainty of how the west, the south, and the north will react is also big----a quick victory is required." Krische slided her fingertips from Mirskronia in the west to Bernaich in the east. "We will break through the left nk, the enemy stationed in Bernaich, with all forces except for the 2nd Corps. The 1st, 3rd, and 4th will make an general offensive to break them down, and attack the enemy stationed in the center from behind. And will aid the 2nd Corps'' central breakthrough. The 2nd Corps can be said to be the most excellent Corps in frontalbat in Christand at present, so this is the first priority." Then she pointed again to Mirskronia in the west. "Naturally, the enemy will try to attack from Mirskronia. But when the enemy has gathered to a certain extent, we will burn the whole mountain to the ground. We will spread oil on the mountain and set it on fire. There are weather concerns about whether it will burn well, but at this time of year, the dead leaves are conspicuous, so it will burn well. It''s a whole roast. It will be good is His Royal Highness Royal Prince will be burned to death in the process, but." Krische smiled and sat down when she''s finished. The people in the room look at Bogan, their eyebrows furrowed. "...But burning the mountain is..." "The mountain will grow back eventually. We can think aboutpensating the nearby vigester. The goal is victory after all." Krische drank the sweet tea and continued. "8,500 reinforcements. Our forces will not expand any further, then the time to attack is now. The three Corps will be in the mountains, and it is possible that some of them will fall, and there may be a fair number of casualties, including those from the fire of Mirskronia. But we can make the enemy bleed even more than that." Bery poured a fresh cup of tea without saying anything. She putted in a generous cup of honey and milk and stirs, ''thank you'', Krische thanked Bery. Bery smiled without saying a word, straightened her posture again, and kept her eyes down. "Creating an advantageous situation, one-sidedly throwing the opponent into confusion and finishing them off where they can''t counterattack. Victory is what is required of tactics. ....We''re not here to defend the mountain, we''re here to win the battle and make Her Highness Princess the Queen, right?" Krische replied to Bogan, who expresses concern about burning the mountain. It didn''t matter to her. Krische just wants to get it over with. "... I agree, General. With support, we can make the breakthrough. Besides, it''s good to be bold. I don''t have brains like Verreich, so I prefer something simple like this." It was Kolkis who answered. "If it''s the General, I''m sure you''re thinking about the post-war situation, but let''s prioritize winning first. If you win, you can do anything. After all, the one here is the future Queen." "But burning the mountain would be going too far." It was Salva, one of the adjutants of the Third Corps. He frowned and red at the Krische. "Burning the mountain is going too far. A mountain is something that bears fruit and nourishes the people. If we burn Mirskronia, which has been given the name of hero, the infamy will forever be a stain on history. ...I''m aware that Krische-sama is a genius, but I can only say that Krische-sama is still too young, and your way of thinking is too immature. First of all, what will you do if the fire spread endlessly?" Since before this man has always had a resentment towards Krische. He was not ipetent, and the words he spoke now were sound and just, but there was a hint of distrust in them. Krische replied with a nk expression. "The rain will eventually put them out them. Many of the books indicate that great mes create clouds and will cause rain. Besides, it''s not endless. Because of the terrain, at best a mountain or two or a forest will burn and that will be it. If we win, we can give them a guarantee as a country, right?" "But if we don''t win------" "Are we discussing on the assumption that we will lose right now? This is a n to achieve victory, and nothing is certain on the battlefield, is it?" Krische replied indifferently, and Eluga, themander of the 4th Corps, opened his mouth. Certainly. Rather than fighting an endlessly here, it would not be a bad idea to burn the mountain even at the risk of being stigmatized. And the probability of victory is very high. The problem is that arge army need to break through the mountain swiftly. "Starting today, let''s move the army under the pretext of reorganization and move some of them upwards. Though it would be the best if the enemy doesn''t notice our move." Selene said. In her mind, the conclusion had already been decided. "To hide it perfectly is probably impossible. All of us are the Kingdom soldiers, some spy is certainly lurking around. It will be quite tiring, but if we are going to do it..... hmm, we will have the first and third corps climb the mountain from tomorrow at nightfall and rest lightly. The less fatigued 4th Corps will move first, followed by the 1st Corps, and finally the Third Corps, which has the longest distance to march. It will be fine if we just don''t the spy a chance to run to convey the information." "The First Corps should move up first, focusing on the light infantry that will break through and the heavy infantry that will be fatigued. Krische, what do you think?" "I think that''s good. It would be even better to have the 4th Corps create a vulnerable point." The Third Corps Commanderughs at the words of the two beautiful maiden and looks at Bogan. "It seems that all the corpsmanders are of the same opinion. There are some concerns as Salva said, but as Agrand said, Her Royal Highness Princess is here." Bogan frowns and looks thoughtfully at Kreschenta. Burning a mountain is not as easy as it sounds. The Kingdom believes in the twelve Gods, but is also tolerant of indigenous beliefs. There are many viges that have mountains as the cornerstone of their faith, and there are concerns about burning down the objects of such faith. Kreschenta, who received that gaze, is also thinking. Although she only has a rudimentary understanding of tactics, her intelligence isn''t so different from Krische. If Krische has made a judgment and reached a conclusion, then it is surely the best n, that''s what Kreschenta thinks. Krische has no doubt that she is superior, and Kreschenta is no different. She already regarded the post-war affairs as trivial matters. If She is to be the ruler, it won''t matter. Kolkis was right when he said that she could do whatever she wanted, and even if a minor rebellion broke out, she could just deal with it. What Kreschenta wants is her own relief and happiness, and Krische is indispensable to that. As long as Krische and her caged friends are happy, the rest doesn''t matter to Kreschenta. Nevertheless, Kreschenta clearly sees the difference between her and Krische''s point of view. Krische''s proposal------She''s looking if there are any problems with it. "Burning the mountain...it''s certainly something to be feared. We may be hated for it in the future." Kreschenta slowly opens her mouth. The tent fell silent, and everyone looked to Kreschenta. "But if the war drags on, there will be even more tragedy than that. Many soldiers will die, and thend will be exhausted. And that will create new sparks. ''As those who stand above others, even if one should be resented, we need to aim for future happiness'' is what my father------His Majesty the King told me." Selene and Bery had a slight reaction to the words "His Majesty the King", but they didn''t show it on their face. Kreschenta made a sad face. It was a princess''s emotion that everyone desired and it was filled with a fragile loveliness that arouses the desire for protection. Kreschenta is aware how her voice and facial expressions------how her own beauty affect others. And she had learned how to use them to her advantage. "That word is exactly for times like this. That''s what I think." Solemn, but clear voice. She acts and speaks following on what Krische''s wanted. Selene and Bery once again relearned what kind existence of is Kreschenta, but Krische, who also know the truth, shows no reaction to it. ''Kreschenta is really a good speaker,'' she thought, looking at her with admiration. "Salva-sama''s words are correct. As a count in the frontier, you must have some concerns about it. However, I think that ending this war first and foremost is the most important thing for the Kingdom." She looked at Salva, who seemed dissatisfied. When he received the gaze, he hurriedly adjusts his posture. Looking at Salva, Kreschenta once again understood what the source of her flickering anxiety was. Krische is feared and there are also some who hates her. Despite Selene''s concern, Krische has a tendency to take her rtionships with others too lightly, especially in the military. It was too inexperienced and dangerous way of dealing with the world. "Some people may not be really convinced. The anguish in your chest is the same for me. However, if it''s for the sake of not causing more harm, I will wish for it." However, it is difficult when ites to how to deal with such people. Kreshenta is suspicious of everyone. Those who want to harm her, those who might harm her, all of them. It was all the more so because Kreschenta isn''t as strong as Krische. That''s why, even if it''s the army, it''s extremely dangerous to trust others and entrust them with something. The only reason She came here was because she had Krische to protect her, and Krische will not be in the fortress. That all. However, Krische is less cautious than Kreshenta. Perhaps it is because she is confident of her own power, but it''s worrisome that she is not so wary of such scheme being directed at her. Kreschenta thought that this is the reason for the anxiety that clung to her. Crishtand''s army is excellent and more disciplined than any other. But that does not mean it is perfect. It would be better if the concerns disappeared, but it would be impossible under the circumstances to deal with people like Salva one by one and to do that, She would need to find out how many soldiers were loyal to not only Krische, but also to Bogan, Selene, and the various corpsmanders. There was no way she could do such a thing under the circumstances, so he had no choice but to affirm Krische''s words from the standpoint of a princess. Bogan closed his eyes and made a decision. "Burning the mountains. It''s certainly a good idea if you put aside the emotional aspect. Sometimes we are forced to burn cities and viges in order to protect ournd. Today is the same------we can only think of it like that. Salva, ept it." "......Yes sir." "The battlefield is full of anxiety. I really don''t understand why onee-sam can be so rxed." There were four people in the room. Kreschenta and Bery are sitting on the cot, and Krische is sitting sideways in Bery''sp. Selene sat down on a chair as if she had given up onining about it, and Kreschenta, as usual, snuggled up to Krische with a slightly dissatisfied look. Anne remained in the tent where the meeting was held, to greet and tends to Bogan. Half of it was because she was being treated as a nuisance by Krische. The n was set, and the allocation of personnel was also settled. Selene will go to Bernaich, while Krische will go up to Mirskronia to see how things were going. Selene is going to Bernaich to organize, and Krische is going to Mirskronia to give instructions for setting up the fire. The meeting continued for a while, and Terrius, themander of the Third Corps, suggested that they attack from Bernaich tomorrow. If the information was certain to leak out, it would be better to induce the enemy to attack Mitkronia. The general offensive would take ce from midnight to dawn of the day after tomorrow, but they would make a show of taking action tomorrow, inviting the other side to attack, drawing their troops. The outnumbered 3rd Corps will naturally be pushed back, so it is only natural to withdraw the troops in response to the opponent''s offensive, then they will set the mountain on fire. The other side will be wary of attack from Bernaich tomorrow morning or noon, and will naturally fortify its defense, but if it continues until nighttime, they will certainly lose their concentration. Putting aside if it was just a normal defense, if it was a defensive stance against a general offensive, the other side will not be able to have leeway in their defense. And a defensive posture with no leeway will notst long. Terrius'' proposal that it is better to aim for the moment the enemy rxed rather than aiming for aplete surprise attack is not bad, and the meeting will decide on that. Since she will leave the encampment and climb up Bernaich tomorrow, Krische will only be able to rest until today. And as if it''s only natural she made Bery spoil her. "I know how you feel, but you can''t fight a war if you doubt everything." "That may be true, but..." While reaching out her hand to pet the frustrated Kreschenta''s head, Krische said. "Kreschenta, I''ll leave Bery to you while Krische is away. If anything goes wrong, Krische will take Selene back, and if something goes wrong, then we''ll just take of it when it happens." "......I''m, when ites to sword I''m not as good as Onee-sama." "Krische doesn''t think Kreschenta is as weak as the average soldiers, and Kreschenta is also good at using *fuyofuyo*, right? Bery is also skilled, so both of you should be able to run away." "Um......Calling it *fuyofuyo *seems like a stupid way to call it, so please call it magical power." Kreschenta said to Krische as she was exasperated then she looked at Bery. Bery justughed embarrassedly and answered without confidence. "For the time being, I have received the sword training from gotoushu-sama (the head of the family), so at least I wouldn''t be a burden----" "Bery mustn''t do anything dangerous." She squirms up and brings her face closer to Bery. The jewel-like purple eyes peeked at Brry through the gap in her silver hair. "Bery''s hands are meant for cooking, and it would be a disaster if she got hurt." "......Krische-sama" "Don''t think of anything strange. If Bery must do it, it''s only as ast resort. Anything else is an absolute no-no." Bery shook her red hair, smiled happily, and kissed Krische. ''Yes'', she replied in a clear but quiet voice. "A......" Bery immediately noticed the stares of the two women around her and stiffened, and Selene opened her mouth and said ''You are really...'' in a tired tone. "I''ve been wondering about this for a while but, Bery. Did your head finally be the same as Krische?" "......Uu, t-that''s" Her cheeks turn red like apples, and her gaze sways from side to side. ''Oh, I thought it was suspicious!'' Kreschenta followed. "I think Argan-sama is definitely doing it on purpose. She took advantage of Onee-sama innocence to teach Onee-sama only things that were convenient for her!" "T-that kind of thing, is..." "Do you mean to say that it''s not! Y-you purposely kissed Onee-sama and showing off to us... what kind of are you...!" Bery blushes more and more, and Krische tilts her head at the three of them, kisses the bright red Bery, and said. "What''s there to be angry about? It''s an expression of affection. Bery kisses Krische because she loves Krische. Krische also loves Bery, so it''s mutual love." "O-Onee-sama, Argan-sama''s love, and Onee-sama''s innocent love are definitely different..." "Fufu, Kreschenta, love is different for each person. Kreschenta may not understand it yet, but that''s how it is." Raising her index finger, Krische made a face that seemed as if she understands. Sinceing to the estate, Krische has been in position to be spoiled, but in the vige she was known as a caring onee-san who takes good care of children younger than her. Selene aside, Kreschenta is a younger child than she is, so she has a strange confidence that she''s the one in right. "Ah, Kreschente, is sulking. It''s okay, Kreschente,e here." She beckons Kreschente toe over. Unable to resists the temptation, Kreschente brings her face close to Krische, get kissed, and blushed. "Ugh..." "Selene too." "Y-you know..." Selene looks exasperated, but she read the atmosphere. Whatever the case may be, there is nothing that can be done about this. She reluctantly gets up and approaches, and get kissed by Krische. She couldn''t say that there''s no sense of rivalry toward Bery, so she just sat down on the chair and sipped the ck bean tea roughly to hide my embarrassment Krische happily rubs Bery''s cheeks, Bery is also Bery, she keeps stroking Krische''s head even as she blushed, and clears her throat. "I- it was a serious talk, please continue..." "......who are you trying to fool, really." "Eh, u, that''s..." "...Oh well, I''ll talk about itter." Selene says so and tells Kreschenta that the battlefield is full of anxiety. "How the enemy will move, how our allies will move. Gaining a victory or suffering a defeat in ce you didn''t expect. There is nothing but uncertainty on the battlefield. All we know is the total number of troops we have against each other, ......no, sometimes we don''t even know that." Selene stretched as she pours herself a new cup of ck bean tea. Her long golden hair swayed, and her supple body curled into graceful curves. "The battlefield is a world where everything is unclear and chaotic. We have to fill it with usible information and, as far as possible, make the possible coincidences into inevitability through tactics, assume them, and take control of them. I don''t know if Krische''s n is perfect. But we decided to do it because it is the most probable under the current circumstances. Though you don''t seem to like those fuzzy conclusions." "...... I suppose so." Kreschenta looks at Selene thoughtfully and probingly. "Are you critizing me?" "If you understand what you''ve caused, that''s fine. I don''t have a hobby saying the same thing twice, it''s just education." Selene said and tipped her ss. "The Christand are strong. And there is also Krische. But they are not invincible and there is always uncertainty. You should know that there is no certainty in battle. Even if Krische is rxed, she understood it properly." Krische, who was pointed by Selene nodded even while looking dazedly. "Well, that''s true. It''s impossible for Krische to lose if both sides know everything, but it''s just as Selene said. Krische is just doing something about it with the information Krische knows, even in thest battle." Selene frowned at Krische''s confident words that he would never lose, but he said nothing. Because she''s just telling the truth. At least in the military chess exercises using the sand board, Krische was undefeated under the same conditions. Even Bogan, former First Corps leader Northern, and tactician Eluga were no match for Krische. Of course, Selene ispletely defeated. What she says must be true in her mind. Even so, Selene''s still a little annoyed. "It''s impossible for Krische to die even if Krische loses, so Krische''s not worried about that. But Krische is still worried about Selene, and Bery, so Kreschenta, please protect Bery properly. Krische can''t protect them if they are too far away." "... I understand." "It''s fine as long as Kreschenta understands. We won''t know what will happen until we see it, so it''s better to just make assumptions, rest the body and do something fun." Krische said and hugged Bery with a sweet kiss. Since she would not be able toe back tomorrow, it was only natural for her to be spoiled and kiss Bery for tomorrow''s portion as well. Bery, whose face was still red, hugged her tightly and caressed her. Selene casts a suspicious look at the melting Krische, and Cresenta pricks her lips. And so, the four of them spent a peaceful night before the conclusion of the Battle of the Dragon''s Jaw. Chapter 52: Peaceful Time Chapter 52: Peaceful Time ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 52 Peaceful Time*** Peaceful Time The morning started with a climb up the mountain. It''s a strenuous journey for a normal soldier, but for someone like Selene, who can consciously use her magic power, there was no problem even after wearing armor. A finely carved silver armor. crimson cloak. Her golden hair is tied back and her eagle-shaped helmet was tucked under her arm. Krische wears a one-piece dress as usual. She also wears a ck cloak, but the only armor she has on is a steel gauntlet. The toes and heels of the boots were reinforced with metal fittings, and although the gauntlet is the practical kind and reinforced the fist properly, she''s so lightly dressed that it was unsettling to look at. Her long hair was tied back in two with a flower ornament arranged by Berry, and her braided hair tail swayed from side to side. Selene looked at the Krische beside her and remembered what happenedst night. "----That... I, gave my name." She was concerned about Bery''s recent behavior that''s getting sweet and sweeter. Perhaps, maybe she has crossed the line with Krische----With that suspicion in mind she asked Bery, it was before the battle Selene wanted to clear up this concern. ''It, would be better to talk about it...'' Bery also seemed to have something to say, so both of them went outside the tent, to the ce where they can be alone. ''So what happened?'' When Selen asked, Bery''s cheeks blushed her eyes wavered, and that was the first thing she said. Selene was stunned and speechless by the unexpected words. "A, a-a joke..." "Not. ...I made a vow." If, Bery was to impulsivelyid her hands on Krische, then it''s not like Selene couldn''t understand Certainly, the innocence, purity and defenselessness written on Krische face is an unbearable temptation. But to offer one''s name is a perfectly rational act. Selene was taught this at the age of seven. ''Selene, a hidden name is a magic name from the age of the gods. It is a magic name that is taught only to the one person to whom you will give everything in your life. You must never tell anyone. Only when you find a wonderful partner like your father and be together with that person like I did, will you dedicate your name to that person.'' In the past, when hidden name was called true name, it had an absolute significance. The soul was concealed in the true name, and one had to offer everything and be subordination to the person to whom it was known. The existence of the true name was regarded as absolute, so much so that it was said that a country was destroyed because the true name was known. Of course, that was a long time ago, and in reality, such power does not exist. Even if it were to spread, nothing would happen. However, it still has a strong meaning for a noble to offer their true name to someone. The difference betweenmoners and nobles is the belief in one''s name. It is not permissible for nobles to break the oath they have sworn to their name. If they break it, they will even choose death. Nobles have such faith, and aristocratic society exists on the premise of such faith. Therefore, nobles are repeatedly taught the way of noble from their childhood and are brought up ordingly. The same goes for the family name, and the hidden name is the most extreme of it. Although the Argan family is of a lower nobility with baron rank, their history is one older than that of the Christand. Even her mother who was a bold and open-minded person was very serious about the importance of names for the nobility and repeatedly told Serene over and over again. That''s why Bery telling her hidden name is very significant. Bery, as a nobleman, does not act arrogant. However, she is a legitimate member of the nobility who has learned the etiquette of nobility and its behavior more deeply than anyone else and has learned it as a matter of course. There was no way Bery would easily reveal her hidden name, and Selene hardened at the weight of that meaning. "...I''m a mean and nasty person." Bery opened her mouth. "I never told Ojou-sama about my past, didn''t I?" "Well, you didn''t even tell me when I asked." "Fufu... I was embarrassed. I was not that much of a good kid." Bery continued. "I spent most of the day in bed, looking out the window and reading books. When I was little, I never thought about going outside like this, so I would make up theories in my head and think I knew the world. Everyone around me looked like an idiot, and I thought, ''Aah, how unhappy I am''." Bery said ashamed and smiles bitterly. While drawing a line on the ground with her feet, she continued to move restlessly. "The servants at that time did not like me. It was only natural. ......Nee-sama came to see me every day, but to be honest, I envied and felt jealous of the cheerful and kind Nee-sama. She had everything I didn''t have. I also said a lot of terrible things." Her foot stopped, and she said with a troubled look on her face that ''it was probably a matter of temperament''. "...... I''m a twisted person, aren''t I? When I see other''s good parts, I be jealous, just seeing the unpleasant part of others, then I only see the unpleasant part of myself. Fundamentally, I hate myself. That''s why I hated people and wanted to cover it up." She recalled. Bery talks about her past with a slightly distant look. Serene could not say anything and just listened silently. "I was aware of that in my heart, so I thought when pushes to shove, I would dedicate my life Nee-sama. I just wanted to be beautiful. ......The Argan family fell into debt, and I swore so, but in the end, I was protected by Nee-sama and saved Gotoushu-sama. It''s ironic isn''t it? ......I can''t do anything properly." The dark, sunken eyes shook with sadness. "I''ve been searching for a meaning. And I lived without knowing it, so I decided to at least try to y the role asked of me......that''s how I feel. Be nice to people but draw a clear line and don''t let them see dirty things, don''t look at it." Berr said and looked up at the sky. A slightly chipped and distorted (oval) moon shone in the cloudless sky. "But even for me... Krische-sama is simply, only beautiful." Her red hair glistens and sways in the gentle breeze, and the moonlight illuminates her well-proportioned face. The profile was such that you could not help but be captivated it. "......it is very beautiful. Pure, without lies, falsehoods, or impurity----it may be very difficult for Krische-sama to live in this world. I am sure there are people who hate her and fear her. But to me, she is still beautiful and......." ----more lovely than anything else. Bery casts her eyes down and put both hands on her chest as if holding something invisible. It was very simr to the expression her mother sometimes showed when she talked about her father. It was a look that was full of something indescribable, something that could not be put into words. "----Being by Krische-sama sides. I realized that my meaning was there. Then I thought that my name belongs to Krische-sama. ......That''s what it is for, that''s what I wanted." That''s probably why she looks so beautiful. At the very least as Bery said so, she looked more beautiful than ever. "Krische-sama said that she understands what lonely is, fufu, such trivial things are big discoveries for Krische-sama. Fumbling, clumsy, but working harder than anyone else... I wanted to dedicate my life to Krische-sama. ......Please forgive me." Berry bows deeply and Selene sighs. "It''s not up to me to decide whether to forgive or not.... What a servant. Certainly, I said you don''t need to care about being my helper, but to think you''re making me do it." "... I''m sorry. But, I''ve decided." The face that smiles with a giggle is still very beautiful, and ''aah'', Selene looks up at the sky. Selene rubbed her eyes as she witnessed the somewhat predictable result. "Hahh, How am I going to exin this to father? He was worried since it would be a shame for you to spend the rest of your life as a servant. I can just picture his stunned face." "It''s not that much of big thing, ...... it''s just for my own satisfaction." "From your look, you probably don''t have any intention bring up the ceremony." Bery freezes, her face turns bright red again. Serene also froze when she saw Bery''s eyes moisten and her gaze waver. "... Ah, um, I was just joking." "I-I know." "......It''s obvious from your reaction that you''re serious." Selene sighs as she holds her head in amazement. Bery stammers, then hurriedly said. "I-I don''t mean that I want to do that, but just imagining, what if Krische-sama, um, ......said, she doesn''t want...... to do something like that." "You''d be digging your own grave if you went any further, Bery. Just hearing it is embrassing." But it would be fun, Sereneughed. "The two of you will dress up and have a small party at the estate. The priest will be father. I''ll y the sister. Fufu, Kreschenta will y the role of the lovesick rival. I''m sure she will looks at the two of you sullenly." "Geez...... Please don''t tease me." A giggle naturally spilled out. When she imagines it, it''s a much, much better spectacle than a war. "We have to finish what is in front of us first for that. Though that''s the hardest part. Well, don''t worry, your beloved Krische won''t die easily even if you kill her." "......Yes. Please take care of yourself, ojou-sama. I would be troubled without a sister." "Aren''t you full of motivation." "Ojou-sama the ones who told me to." Berryughed mischievously, stretched out and kissed Serene on the forehead. "Unya...." Selene reached out her hand to Krische cheek and pinched it between her fingers, enjoying the feeling as she recalled. Bery must be serious. Bery is also someone Selene admired. Unlike Selene, she had everything a woman must have. "You really set fire to a troublesome opponent, didn''t you? You''r being carefree, but I wonder do you really understand?" "Fuerere...?" Selene let go of her cheek and Krische tilted her head while stroking it. "Making be Bery like that, I can see that you''re going to be aplete idiot in the future." "Krische wouldn''t do such a terrible thing like setting Bery on fire. Also Krische is not stupid, rather Krische is the smart one, uu..." "That''s why you''re stupid" Selene pinched her cheek again and sighed. The fact that she looked somewhat happy while being pinched on the cheek made her look even sillier, and she think that''s why Bery has fallen. For Bery, who always thinks too much, the opposite, Krische is just right. ''It''s because she''s so clingy and always spoilling Krische'', Selene yed with the soft cheeks, and think, ''I have to make sure I don''t be like that that'', while pulling the soft cheeks. They are two people who will endlessly fall to depravity if left unchecked. *Squish*, *squish*, while rubbing Krische''s cheeks, Selene was seriously thinking that she had to be strict where it needs to be strict. Krische didn''t particrly dislike it, but rather snuggled up to Selene and nced at her. Krische, who thinks that pinching her cheek is just like a kiss, an expression of affection for Selene, blushes at Selene''s passionate expression of affection. She thought that Berry had recently be even sweeter, and today Selene was being very aggressive. Krische''s very satisfied, but Selene, half unconsciously pinching Krische cheeks while thinking, didn''t pay Krische any mind. Following a little behind the two, who are very friendly with each other, is a group of ck century, led by Dagra. They wear leather armor all over their bodies, though not to the extent that it impedes their movements. All of the armor are painted with ck paint. It seems that during the training with night attacks as the basis, and since he was selected in ck, the soldiers suggested that it would be just right since they were selected for ck, and Krische agreed, allowing them to paint their armor. The basic color is dark blue, and the helmet ornament, which looks like Dagra''s *tategami*, is also ck. It is not bad looking, and has the advantage of being conspicuous in the daytime and difficult to see in the dark. The soldiers had conducted several joint training exercises with ordinary soldiers as part of their ambush and alert training and rumors had quietly spread throughout the First Corps that these men in their ck armor were the best of the best. Soldiers who are unified by standards like such little special things, and for this reason, the morale of the ck soldiers is high. Although there was some envy and opposition from the other soldiers, they were fundamentally envious of them, and Selene and others were thinking of allowing the ck soldiers to color their uniforms with patterns and colors as a reward for their excellence. The ck Century is under the direct control of Krische Christand. They are given a special status, and what they see are two girls moving forward. "......Corps Commander and Usa-chan are often flirting like this, huh." Mia wasconcerned about Dagra at Kahlua''s words and panics, saying things like, ''Private conversations are strictly forbidden''. "At least say that they are close..." ''Well, I don''t care either way. I''ve never been on good terms with my......sisters at home, so it''s kind of fresh for me. She whispers and looks at Krische, who is getting closer and closer to Selene. They are obviously flirting. It was amon understanding among the soldiers who watched it from behind, and there were many who inwardly agreed with Kahlua''s words. Naturally, Mia also inwardly agreed. When talking about Krische Christand, the names of her sister Selene-Christand and the servant Bery Argan are often mentioned. It ismon to hear stories of Krische hugging the servant Bery. At least it was an open secret in the First Corps that she and the other two had a very close rtionship. While some consider this to be quite reasonable considering she is only 14 years old, others have started unscrupulous rumors that she may be homosexual. However, many people know that Cliche is a young girl who still has a lot of mental childishness in her, so it is just a vulgar rumor. Not the mainstream. The ck Century, who are often associated with her, were particrly dismissive of her alleged homosexuality, because they know what Krische is really like. They all understand that she is simply young in temperament, although they are blinded by her abilities. When he saw the food in the camp, she would lecture them saying ''The whole thing is too crude. Geez wasting so much food. It''s like this----yes. It''s the worst if you can''t even look forward to the meal on a battlefield that isn''t fun. Please be careful'', the way she exnationsck a sense of tension. The way she earnestly gathers everyone together and begins an impromptu cooking lesson, make it hard to believe that she is an adjutant corpsmander. The training required was harsh and rigorous, and the rewards and punishments were clear. However, when she scolded them for trivial matters, her tone was indescribable, as if she was a slightly older onee-san in the vige scolding a child. She would stretch out her small body in a somewhat gruff manner, put her hands on her hips, and look up at the person she was scolding, saying, ''Do you understand?'', the way she lectured them was adorable. Some people were looking forward to seeing her reprimand that strangely relieved her tension, but she didn''t notice it and was extremely serious. A child standing on their tip-toe, to make themselves taller would be an appropriate word to describe her. The way she snuggled up to her sister Selene was like her dog wagging her tail and rubbing against her master, and it looked strangely adorable. As the soldiers watched the two, Krische suddenly stopped and turned around. "Bald Eagle, this Century will be ready to camp as soon as we''re up there. Please rx and make sure they are well rested. They will move around a lot after all." "Yes. Adjutant Corps Commander." "... Krische, uh... Bald Eagle is?" "It''s a nickname for Dagra. It seems that giving nicknames is popr in the squad, and Krische also gave Dagra the nickname Bald Eagle as a show of affection. Because he has a smooth head and an eagle nos nose, the name Bald Eagle fits perfectly." Selene pressed her temples and looked at Dagra. "Umm, Dagra. If you don''t like it, you can say it honestly you know." "N-no. I take it as the highest honor." "Ehehe, it''s an honor he said. He really likes the nickname Bald Eagle. ... Ah, it would be nice to give soldiers who worked hard a nice nickname like this in the future." "Please don''t increase the number of victims." "Uuu..." Selene pinched Krische cheeks with a sigh and silenced her. It''s the worst naming sense. It''snothing but abuse. A few of the soldiers watching quietly shook their shoulders, and Dagra red at them. Dagra''s new nickname, Bald Eagle, had already spread among the century. Waves ofughter spread from one person to the next, with Krische in a good mood and Selene looking at him with pity. Only Dagra twitched his eyes. Those were thest hours of peaceful time in the Dragon''s Maw. Chapter 53: Betrayal and Trust Chapter 53: Betrayal and Trust ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 53 Betrayal and Trust*** *T/N: ¿Ì (Koku): in simple terms around 2 hours (6 koku in day & 6 koku in night). For more info /2016/03/07/telling-time-in-early-modern-japan/* The war situationrgely went as expected. Arge force attacked Mirskronia, including Gildanstein. The Third Corps, which has an inferior number of soldiers, retreated step by step while taking a lot of damage. Gildanstein took possession of the mountain. In the center of Christand''s army, the Second Corps did not go on the aggressive offensive in order to conserve their strength. Gildanstein''s army, believing that the Christand intended to move in conjunction with the troops in the east, Bernaich, also tried to maintain the status quo and sent more troops to Bernaich to set up a solid defensive posture. However, the enemy garrison on the Bernaich side, who did not know that the attack was to take ce at night, were bing increasingly demoralized. The problem was that the enemy offensive hadsted longer than expected, and the Third Corps was unable to move toward Bernaich. Nheless, it was an offensive enough to put pressure on the Third Corps. This means that they''re attracting arge enemy force to Mirskronia, and the attack will be carried out as nned. The sun sets on the ground and the moon rises high in the sky. It was about four koku after sunset when Bogan received the report. Gran Agrand, a beautiful young man, was the messenger. Kolkis son rushed back to the tent and reported. "Corps Commander of the Third Corps has been killed in action!" "......What?" Gallen, Bery, and Kreschenta, who were also in the tent, were all surprised and frowned. The other tactical staff officer----on a trial basis attached to Bogan----was equally astonished. Bogan stood up and asked. His already wearing his armor. "What''s the situation? Who is inmand?" A general offensive on Bernaich has just been set in motion. He had asked Gran to send a message to the Third Corps to start the attack. However, Bogan could not hide his surprise at the report that came back and asked. The enemy offensive on Mirskronia continued. It was only a earlier days ago that Terrius, Corps Commander of the Third Corps, reported that things were proceeding as expected despite the inferiority of the situation. That''s why it was iprehensible. "Themander of the Third Corps was hit by a stray arrow and fell to his death on the right wing when attacking of His Royal Highness. The adjutant is now inmand. The battle line is proceeding as expected." "But, we can''t just leave it as it is." The deaths of his men were shocking, and they had been with him for a long time. But Bogan didn''t take those events as sentimentality, he just took them as facts. In a battle in the mountains, you never know what will happen. It was an event that could have been expected, and it is not Bogan''s job to mourn or grieve. He made a decision immediately. "I''ll go. Adjutant, I leave this ce to you. I''ll take temporarily take over the Third Corpsmand." "......Yes sir, please be careful." Gallen is an excellent personnel, but he was inexperienced inmanding arge army and could not handle magic. Bogan had no choice but to go if Gildanstein was the opponent. "I''ll take some cavalry with me. Just in case, I''d like you to strengthen the defenses on Mirskronia''s side." "Yes sir. Godspeed. I''ll call some from the second corps." "Umu, I leave the rest to you." Bogan puts on his helmet and told Kreschenta. "I''m off, Your Highness" "Yes. Please be careful." After bowing, Bogan turned to face Bery. "I leave Her Highness to you, Bery" "... Yes sir, godspeed." Bery said anxiously and Bogan smiled. Then, after lightly stroking Bery''s red hair, he left the tent. He mounted his horse, took seven of his guards who were close by, and immediately went off. On the battlefield, a single dy can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Knowing this, Bogan acted swiftly. Seeing the fire arrows being shot and the fire starting to rise from the mountain, he felt a sense of relief for the time being. With this, the terrain makes it impossible for the enemy to advance into Mirskronia. And the fact that it''s going well means that the organizedbat capability was functioning properly. As they leave the encampment, run through the grasnds and approached the mountains, the music of battlefield sounded. From the sounds yed with steel, shouts and screams, it didn''t look that much worse than the situation Terrius had reported a while ago. "What''s the situation?" Finding a battalion near the forest, Bogan asked the battalionmander. A battalion of mixed recruits that Selene had brought from Gurgain. They were operating as a reserve for the Third Corps. "G-general" The man saluted immediately, and Bogan also salutes back from his horseback. "I''m in a hurry. I heard that Corps Commander Terrius is killed in action." "Yes sir. I have just received word from the messenger, General." "I will take over from now on. Where is the currentmander?" "I heard that the adjutant corpsmander Caldera is inmand on the right wing, General." Caldera was Salva''s family name. "I understand. The situation being what it is. Be ready to move at a moment''s notice." "Yes sir" Bogan drove off without further ado. The battalionmander, was also in the midst of confusion as he had just received the report that the corpsmander had been killed in action, but he was relieved, there would be nothing better than if the general himself tookmand. Although he was in charge of many new recruits, he himself had been in Christand''s army for a long time and was well aware of the general''s abilities. The battalionmander, seeing of the general, noticed a messenger driving his horse from the center and turned his head in that direction. "Order from the corpsmander, from now on, pull soldiers from the left wing to the final final retreat line. Themander of the 6th Battalion is to support this. That is all." "......? Wait, did you say Corps Commander?" "Huh...? Yes. It''s from the Corps Commander." "What''s going on. I heard that the Corps Commander was killed in the battle, and Adjutant Caldera is inmand?" When pressed, the messenger frowns and tells him that it is impossible. "I have received orders directly from the corpsmander... Where''s the report from?" "Messenge from the right wing...that''s what I heard from the General. And now the General is takingmand at the right-wing------" At that instant, a chill ran through his body, and he looked at his men. There was no cavalry there, but they still had to go. "Message! Report to the corpsmander. Due to false reports of the death of the Third Corps Commander, the general went to the right-wing Adjutant Caldera. Requesting the existing cavalry to be sent to the right wing as soon as possible. The 6th Battalion will run to the rescue. No need to repeat!" Understanding the situation, the messenger also turned pale, and without even saluting, he rode off. The battalionmander yelled at the adjutant who was at his side. "We''re going after them right now! Battalion messenger, tell the situation as you just heard it to the main camp!" The adjutant moved immediately, and the battalion messenger also turned pale, mounted his horse, and rode off. ----Bogan''s decisiveness also affected his subordinates. The excellent battalionmander did the best he could think of. However---- "... Your Royal Highness" "To think you''d set the mountain on fire. I thought that since it''s you, you won''t have chose it. ......Is it your adoptive daughter''s idea?" The shadows of what appeared to be elite soldiers in all directions around them. It was not arge force, but a small unit. However, it was enough to surround the seven riders----there were about 30 of them. In front of them was a lion-shaped helmet and ck armor. In his hand was a long-handled battle axe. He wasn''t riding a horse. If they were to fight in the mountains, they would be at a disadvantage on horseback. "Salva. And seeing the scale probably Gran too, huh." "... forgive me, General." Next to the royal prince Gildanstein was Salva. Scaled armor made of small pieces of steel. Salva was also here, not on his horse. For those who have magic power, a horse is just a vehicle to reduce fatigue. In the thickly wooded mountains, they are faster on their feet. Bogan dismounts, and so do his seven guards. "I would have enjoyedparing tactics with you, but I can''t take it so easy. I don''t underestimate your adopted daughter. I have been preparing for some action by that Kreschenta''s older sister, who has brought reinforcements here." Gildanstein pointed to Salva. Salva must have had Gran spread false information to lure Bogan and entice this small unit to their side. If it was just a small unit then it''s easy to lure them in. "This is the only time when your forces will be at their strongest. In that case, you will surely make your move now. But it is a good idea. Burn the mountain, take away our military strength, and make it an impassable obstacle. And after that, the entire army will break through from Bernaich----It''s an excellent n worthy of praise, even if I know it, I can''t prevent it." From the beginning, Gildanstein had aimed only for Bogan''s head. Gildenstein''s side would suffer some blow, but he would also gain a great deal from it. "It''s on ount of our friendship. Take your sword. In this situation,...I can''t say let''s fight fair and square, but why don''t we have a one-on-one fight." "...I''m sorry, but I''m a coward, Your Royal Highness." Boganughs as he draws the sword from his hip. Then he jumped back and ran. "Then, Krische, I''m counting on you." "Yes. And Selene shouldn''t be in the front too much. That''s all Krische is worried about." "I know, geez." She pinched Krische cheeks, smiled, and pats her head. Krische will lead the ck Century, which will be a separate unit. The Fourth Corps already went ahead. They were moving their forces to their position ording to the n. The First Corps will also follow suit. Krische leaves reluctantly, and the ck Century followed after her. Selene sees them off with a sideways nce and heads down the hill. It was close to dawn when they moved. Three koku would be enough time to descend the mountain, but some leeway was taken in order to reduce the number of stragglers and proceed with caution. The movement of the Fourth Corps, which often operates in the woods, was admirable, and despite the march of 4,000 men, the noise were minimal. In Mirskronia, fires were raging and the surrounding area was noisy. So for the time being, they would not be noticed. They marched in multiple columns while taking multiple short breaks. When Selen had arrived at the waiting point and ordered a break, she heard the sound of horses'' hoofs approaching. For a moment, she gripped the hilt of her sword and nearly raised her voice, and when she realized that she heard only one sound, she cursed herself and shook her head, wondering what she was doing. It was just a messenger. "Message, from Commander of the Forth Corps. We will now begin our action. The First Corps will break through from the right wing in half a koku. That is all." "Thank you. Tell them that the First Corps will attack with light infantry." "Yes ma''am. The First Corps will attack with light infantry." She could tell that she was nervous. Her nerves be sensitive. She tilted her sk, moisten her throat as she watched the messenger descend the mountain again, and take a breath. She turned toward her subordinates. There were five battalionmanders, their lieutenants, and about fifty centurion under them assembled. "Confirming the message. Bagil, I''ll have the light infantry rush in first. It''s a dangerous role, but I''m counting on you." Bagil themander of the First Battalion,posed of light infantry, a man with a grey beard, saluted. "Yes ma''am, I''ll make sure we make a breakthrough." "After a sessful breakthrough, your priority will be to prate the rear of the enemy''s center. If you can do it roughly, cut as deep as you can. Krische will take care of the rest." "Even if it costs this life" Selene nodded and turned to the Second Battalion Commander next to her. Fan, a big man leads the heavy infantry battalion. Heavy infantry is usually mixed with medium infantry, but as far as this battalion is concerned, it isposed exclusively of heavy infantry. "The Second Battalion will maintain the breakthrough point. Bagil is so brave that he would say even if it costs his life. You are to protect it so that he doesn''t waste his life." "Haha, even if it costs my life, I''ll show that we''ll aplish it." He saluted. He is a man who looks squalid, but there is also something refreshing about him. "The Third Battalion is to protect Fan. Understand?" "Of course." Keith, a thin middle-aged man,ughed quietly and happily, and saluted. "And the Fourth Battalion is my protector. Aren''t you guys happy?" "It''s an honor above all else, Corps Commander. I''d even like to get a kiss on the cheek for my distinguished service." "Don''t want to, you''re covered with a beard after all." Fourth Battalion Commander, Varga is a bear-like hairy man with a thick beard on his cheeks. A wave of quietughter spread as Selene cut him off, her hands on her hips as if exasperated. The atmosphere is good. Seeing this, Selene felt her heart calm down and she found herself getting back into her normal groove. And the battalionmanders, too, smiled, knowing that this beautiful princess in front of them was trying to soften the ce as a corpsmander----a person who stands above them. They were aware of the strong tension inside her, despite her softly spoken joking words. She is just fifteen years old. If she wore a dress to a ball, there would be many who would wish to take her hand. She could have loved flowers, adored love, and lived a life free from war, and surely she also wished for that. She has beautiful golden hair and slender limbs. Her straight nose and long, slitted eye. Her peach-colored lips that exude softness. The graceful youngdy was simply beautiful. However instead of a man''s hand, she has taken a sword to her hand, and what embraced her body is an armor. Everyone here knows that she has gone into battle for the sake of her family, that she aplished the impossible as if it''s only natural, and that she works harder than anyone else without a moment''s of rest. How heavy is the weight of that responsibility? No one here can say that they fulfilled their responsibilities as well as she did when they''re 15 years old. There was undeniable respect. Literally, for her, even death would be an honor. That''s what they feel and that''s why they stood there now. She suppresses the tension, tried to show a smile, and relieve their tension. If so, it was only natural to respond to it. They take pride in the fact that they are the ones who support this beautiful princess. "The Fifth Battalion is different from the others, if you have the time to risk your life, please pour down the rain of arrows properly. And don''t drop it on us even by mistake." "I can''t make any promises. My arrow of love may pierce the beautiful princess''s heart." "Such a pity. If you were fifty years younger, I would have considered it." "Even though I look like this, I''m only forty-four." "My, is that so?" The Fifth Battalionmander, Gaines, was a man with a face like an elderly person. He is a hunter by trade, and although he cannot use magic, he has risen from the ranks and file to bing a battalionmander. He was experienced,petent ---- and a man that can be trusted. The Fifth Battalion is a battalionposed mostly of archers, and logistical support can be left to them. Looking at the faces of the centurions lined up in a row, Selene smiles when she sees that each of them is unruffled. "......Whatever the case may be, this battle will not be the end. There will always be a next time. I would like to lead you in the next battle as well. Can you do that for me?" Kind words of encouragement. No one answered, just a quiet salute. That was enough. Selene returned the salute and ordered them to disperse. It was impossible for all of them to return alive. It is also Selene, who gives the order might led them to their death. Selene put her hand on her chest, closed her eyes, and simply prayed to the God of War. When Krische arrived at the waiting point, and called out, ''Bald Eagle'' while *munya*, *munya*, opening and closing her mouth to hold back her yawn. Dagra understood and ordered the soldiers to free standby. The ck soldiers, though divided into squads began to sit in messily. Unlike the standby for war and alert, the free standby meansplete rest until it is time to go to war. It means no need to be on guard. Although it looks bad, the tension is rxed. This was one of the orders that Krische had made up at random, as she didn''t want them to get exhausted in a ce where it didn''t matter. Krische looked around at each of the faces and noticed that many of them looked nervous, so she thinks a little and tells them. "Hmm... there are a lot of people who are nervous." The soldiers are physically strong due to their magical powers. However, there are some people who have never even swung a sword beforeing here, andpared to the brave soldiers chosen by Red, the degree of tension among them, who are not ustomed to fighting, is great. "If you get nervous and can''t demonstrate your abilities and die, then Krische will be troubled. Since Krische and Bald Eagle have trained you hard, you have to do your best... Mia, what are you afraid of?" "Eh, ah, yes... Um, to be honest, killing people is..." Krische nodded and asked if there was anything else. "Getting hurt, um... being killed, is scary. Also, my friends dying..." "I see. I see. So that''s what you''re afraid of. Then I''ll tell you one by one." Krische holds up one of her fingers. "First of all, killing someone doesn''t hurt or make you itch. The only one that hurts is the other person, don''t worry." The group looked at the beautiful girl in front of them, stunned. Krische continued, speaking of madness as if it was a normal thing. "The other person is a stranger. They''re neither your rtive nor your friend, so instead of saying hello, they''ll attack you. Thinking about it normally, you should kill them. If you like pain, or like being then, it''s a different thing if you have a hobby like that." Dagra was about to stop her for a moment but stopped when he heard Krische next words. Because he felt that there was some truth in Krische''s words. If you don''t want to die, kill. On the battlefield, that cruel, animalistic logic prevails. "Second, being killed is scary. The answer is simple. Kill before you get killed. Krische didn''t train you to be killed, Krische trained you to kill. So does Bald Eagle. A corpse can''t kill you, so don''t worry." Krische was really satisfied as if she had said something very good. She held up a third finger. "Third, I''m afraid of my friends being killed. This is also simple, just kill the enemy who is trying to kill your friends first. The reason why you''re divided into teams of five people is so that five people can kill the enemy who tries to kill their friends. The training to cooperate was also done properly, so it''s okay. Bals Eagle also said something nice the other day. Please remember that." Krische cut off her words there and stared off somewhere. "And you guys are still better. The one you want to protect is right next to you. Krische is worried about Selene, who is far away, and if you don''t do it properly, Selene will be in danger." Then she continued expressionlessly. "... If Krische is by her side, there''s no way Selene will die even if there are 100 or 1000 enemies. All Krische have to do is sh and kill everyone who pointed their sword at Selene. ......It''s simple, just kill everyone you can see and you''re done." ----Inorganic cold eyes. The words spoken so easily. A glimpse of Krische madness------fear runs through the backs of many who seen those eyes. "But now that we''re apart like this, in order to protect Selene, Krische have to make sure that the soldiers around her can properly protect her. And to do that, you guys have to do your job properly. Do you understand?" The soldiers gulped. "Krische''s orders are simple and clear. Kill without being killed until Krische says it''s okay. In short, kill all the enemies who resist you. There is no need to be afraid or nervous." ''It''s simple right.'' Krische smiled, then Dagra opened his mouth. "...The words of adjutant corpsmanders are reasonable. At least if you show fear and don''t do what is required, then you yourself and your friends here will die. And that will take the lives of other soldiers who are fighting together on this battlefield. It could take the life of the Corps Commander, even the General, and if the war drags on, all the people living in the kingdom will fall victim to it. Don''t forget your own responsibility." Saying so, Dagura looked over the soldiers and continued. "Let me tell you one thing. I have fought in many squadrons. I have more experience than anyone here and have seen more. But this squadron is the strongest among them. Remember your training. We won afortable victory against the elite red soldiers. The soldiers you are going to face from now on are much weaker than them. I don''t want to make you conceited, but even if you were to fight every century in the kingdom----no, even against every century on this continent your victory is unshakable." He smiled, then turned his hand to Cliche. "You are the best century, selected and trained by the best warriors in the world. And the adjutant corpsmander has decided that you were naturally capable of aplishing it. There is no need to be worked up. Just do what you''ve always done, just like in the training." Some of the soldiers saluted, and those who had been anxious followed suit. Dagra nodded and saluted, and Krische, having witnessed this, followed Dagra lead and saluted, *munya*, *munya*, opening and closing her mouth to hold back her yawn. "Bald Eagle has said most of it. That''s about it. Oh, Krische will be praying from now until it''s time to go, so don''t interrupt Krische. Vulture, please take care of the rest as you see fit. "....Yes ma''am. The sleepy Krische said so and stepped away, leaning against a tree while standing and closing her eyes. Soon, quiet breathing began to be heard, and the soldiers looked at each other when they saw that her right hand was resting on the hilt of the sword at her waist. Chapter 54: Ambush From Atop The Cliff Chapter 54: Ambush From Atop The Cliff ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 54 Ambush From Atop The Cliff*** ''----Suppress the damage and buy some time. I will take Christand''s head. I don''t mind if you use all the reserve.'' Gertz Wiring, the general in charge of the center rear from the front of Berneich, remembered Gildenstein''s direct order and spun his thought. Using his brain to the point of fatigue, he organized and grasped countless reports from atop the horseback and sent out instructions in response to them. He caressed his long, pure white beard thatcked pigment and looked out over the battlefield with narrow eyes. The spies had informed him that there would be a general offensive from Bernaich. Gildanstein''s strategy was to attack from Mirskronia and take down the enemy''s main camp in one fell swoop. Essentially, this was supposed to be a decoy----but. He saw the huge fire rising from Mirskronia and quietly groaned. Many screams echoed, and the agonized voices resounded from far away all the way to where he was. ----No way is His Highness also in there. He tried to resist the urge to think in that direction. As a general leading an army, he must not show any anxiety. Conversely, thanks to the huge fire, his side could draw out the force from the left wing. With the ample reserves created from that, they could prevent the invasion of the other side. At best, there would be 10,000 enemies from Bernaich. In contrast, they could mobilize 15,000. Facing the Second Corps, led by Agrand, would be 7,000. Facing the general offensive from Bernaich, would be 15,000. If he considered those who had escaped from Mirskronia, the number increased by another 2,000. Since the mountains werepletely taken over, the attack by archers from overhead would be fierce; however, it would not be a problem, he thought. To encourage his subordinates who are frightened by the fire and to rouse himself, he needed to believe that they have the upper hand. "General Wiring! A battalion''s worth of light infantry from Bernaich has changed direction and is aiming for the center rear." "...Christand''s littless, huh. Did she lose her cool? Have the 5th Battalion send out its cavalry." The attack began with the enemy''s Fourth Corps. The skillful distribution of forces on the mountainside of the army concentrated their forces on the right wing and created a gap on the left wing. As a result, the First Corps, led by Christand''s daughter, broke through the opening. The handiwork up to that point had been excellent. Gertz knew that though the enemy was young, she was not to be underestimated. So, she further strengthened the defenses of the main camp. His soldiers were extremely tense and exhausted due to the defensive posture that had continued since yesterday. The fear that even the main camp could be overtaken was naturally great, and Gertz was also very wary of that. However, it was a different story if they changed course and headed for the center. Instead of defending, they could attack from the enemy''s nks. Above all, the impact on morale would be great. The side that defended against the enemy''s attack had an advantage in the battle because they could set up a camp, but on the other hand, their morale was significantly lowered. Are they the ones who would kill or the ones to be killed? Whether it was advantageous or not, that was the only thing every soldier could understand. The morale of the soldiers who desperately defended against the enemy''s offensive would only decline. On the other hand, if you were the one who took the enemy''s back, the morale of all the soldiers, who were tense and exhausted, would change. "Guess she is still too young." And in the narrow center, there were plenty of reserves. Selene Christand choice could only be called a bad move, as they had enough troops to intercept them. He understood her intention to help the center advance, encourage a breakthrough, and settle this battle. It was a tactic that fit the logic of military strategy, but she was still too young. The correct answer on this asion should have been to make the most of the assistance of the Fourth Corps and aim for the main camp. Young people always seek too much perfection. Gertz raised the corners of his mouth at her mistake. "Since the enemy has shown their back, we will take their back. Block the hole that''s been opened." As he watched the cavalry moving toward the battalion, Gertz thought about how he would eat them. He could eat them any way he wanted. Once he had taken away the light infantry force, the rest would be fine. Seeing the heavy infantry behind the center turn around and solidify their line of battle, Gertz was convinced of victory, "Hm?" He saw something fall from the top of the cliff in Bernaich. It was countless logs. They must have cut down the trees from the cliff and used them. He frowned at the screams, but he concluded that the enemy was too naive. While there was some damage, it could not be a decisive blow. After the rain of logs was over, Gerts saw a person fall and almostughed at the idiot but soon realized that it was not an idental fall. That person was running down a nearly vertical cliff. At first, just one person descended very fast. Then followed by countless soldiers plunged down the cliff. It was a suicidal act. However, the soldiers, like a monkey, continued to leap down from the cliff into the center rear, where the enemy light infantry was heading. Knowing that the movement wasn''t that of a normal person but that everyone possessed magic like him, he immediately shouted. "Message! Send the 6th and 7th battalions to reinforce the center immediately!" "That''s Selene''s First Battalion, seems they made it through properly. Squad 1 to 10, including Bald Eagle, follow Krische. Corinth, Krische leaves Squads 11 to 19 to you. You''rest." "Yes, ma''am." First Corporal Corinth, whom Dagura pulled out, gave a dignified salute, and Keische nodded in satisfaction. An ambush from the top of the cliff. The athletic ability of those who possess magic could not bepared to that of an ordinary person. Since they were nimble enough to use trees as footholds, they should be able to move around the cliff. And they fulfilled Krische''s demand. Although three people were injured during the training and could not return this time, the training went well. Krische, who had observed the Dragon''s Maws before, had wondered if there was any way to use this cliff other than to fire a bow, but now that she had a very special unit made up entirely of people with magics, her horizons were broadened. She decided that with training, it would be possible to lunch an ambush by descending the cliff, so she proposed the idea to Selene, who put it into action. She looked at the piles of logs. She had ordered them to rest, but on the contrary, Dagra judged that rest would arouse their anxiety and suggested that they cut the trees and prepare the logs. Dropping them from overhead would cause some damage and would also have the effect of demoralizing and disturbing them, and would ensure a goodnding spot. "Bald Eagle" "Yes, ma''am. Drop the logs." At most, there were only 20 of them. Cutting trees while making as little noise as possible is hard work for an ordinary person. Though they possess magic power, considering the number of people, it can be said that the amount is more than enough. The soldiers carried the logs and rolled them down the cliff. After a while, they heard a scream, and the soldiers looked at each other. There was undeniable excitement there. Killing your opponent from a one-sided advantage. Defeat the enemy without even feeling their flesh and blood. In such an act, they would not have to feel as guilty as if they had pierced their enemy with swords. When the soldiers had finished dropping the logs allotted to each group, they were filled with a strange fever. "Krische will show you by example. It''s no different than training." Krische said that without any amusement and jumped off the cliff without hesitation. Mia, who was watching it, looked at Dagra. "After her! This is the biggest job in this war!" Mia followed suit and shouted. "Squad 1, descend!" Indeed, it was a chilling sight. The body floated and experienced a free fall. The eleration was killed by using the almost vertical cliff protrusion as a foothold, and there was a swarm of enemies below. But thanks to the logs, there was a small space there. If they did not hurry, the space would be closed. Squad 1, responsible for charging into it, was ordered to secure it first. There was no time to hesitate, and if they hesitated, they would only be beaten. If they did not quickly secure the entry point, they were the ones who would lose their lives. Far beyond the cliff, two whitetails danced. Krische''s silver hair was tied in two. The ck cloak reflected her body, and her movements were agile and vivid as she kicked off the scaffolding and elerated. In a blink of an eye, she descended the cliff and moved as if nothing had happened. She stepped lightly and drew the sword from her waist. Two shes, three shes. The battlefield was decorated with dancing blood flowers. Not stopping. As if it''s a stream. In a world like a colorless painting, only she was vividly reflected. Her silver hair fluttered and scattered countless red colors. A small, curved sword gleamed. The soldiers knew her presence, but no one could catch her. Without knowing what happened, they just turned into flowers of blood. ----Beautiful. Yes, without uttering it, she just felt it. "...Squad 1, support the adjutant corpsmander until the situation is resolved!" "Yes, sir!" Before she knew it, she was standing on the ground and running. She could see Kahlua and the other three following. Even without turning around, she knew everyone was fascinated by the same thing. The Silver sways, and blood flowers bloom. She headed there. The Silver was hidden. There was something in the way. Before she knew it, she pulled out her sword and cut off its head. Rugged, unpleasant feeling. She didn''t think about what it was. She kicked it away, breaking up the wave of people. The others had killed one as well, and Kalua had already in the second with her cheeks lifted. Her eyes were wide open, and she had a somewhat mad smile. She noticed that her cheeks were turned up and wondered if she might have the same look on her face. Bagu, Kels, and Adol. All three of them were also the same. The dancing silver color turned its inorganic purple eyes toward them for a moment. A little strangely, and somehow a sweet voice resounded. "Mia." Mysterious shivers ran down her spine. As if recing one another, she ran to another ce. The head of the enemy centurion beside her was cleaved with her curved sword. "Leave it to me!" ----I leave this to you. Just by being called, she understood that and was overwhelmed with joy. Looking left and right, she searched for her prey. ''If you are wolves, your enemy is a sheepdog leading a flock of sheep. It is only that dog that you should aim at. Even if you are tempted to eat the sheep, endure it and eat the dog first. Then you can eat all the sheep you want. Enjoy the meal, and you''re done.'' She pictured her, with a look of satisfaction on her face, puffing out her small chest as if she had given a good exnation in front of everyone. The exnation was repeated over and over-enthusiastically, and every time it was exined, the details changed. The important thing was to kill the instigators, which was a simple and vague exnation, so she must have made various efforts to convey it in an easy-to-understand manner. There is no one in the ck Century who did not understand what she meant. "Right!" Kalua took the lead when she raised her voice. She grabbed the enemy soldier on her left, rotated her hips, and threw him away. Forcing her way through with her monstrous strength, she stepped forward a step and drove her sword through the enemy captain''s neck. Kahlua had the appearance of a beautifuldy if she kept quiet and dressed nicely, but the truth is she is rougher than anyone else. Bagu and Kels covered the gap, and Adol cut off the head of an enemy who was about to sh at Mia. Mia also cuts off the arm of the enemy who was aiming for Adol. Blood sttered. Life disappeared. The heart that tried to feel something about this act was left behind. There was no room for that. At some point, the ck Century was all there, and the enemy was clearly frightened. "Bald Eagle, Selene''s Red ising." "Squad 1, get back! Prioritize rendezvous!" "Yes, sir!" As Mia drags the four along and the wave of enemies splits. The frightened enemy soldiers cleared the way on their own. Then, as if recing Mia and the others, three squads charged in. She saw that silver again. There was almost no blood stain. Even though she must have in dozens of people already, she was beautiful. "Ku ku, Bald Eagle always makes meugh whenever I hear it..." "Because of Kalua, I got scolded, you know!" "Now, now, oops." Kalua killed another one. They now had the leeway to make jokes. Her vision, which seemed to have lost color and narrowed, somehow widened. Her suffocating breathing had calmed down. Her thoughts were also clear. "Captain! Please charge in from the left! One squad after the adjutant corpsmander!" "Understood! Squad 3, Squad 4, Squad 6, go!" Dagra hadn''t even killed a single enemy yet. He simply took in the situation around him and continued to issue instructions in the center to keep the flow going. A centurion does not have the time to surrender himself to the madness of the battlefield. A melee without forming a line of battle. The effort required to unite neen disparate squads in the midst of such a melee ispletely different from that of a simple centurion. That is why the light infantry and theirmanders had to be excellent. It was very difficult to control troops in the midst of the pure melee. If instructions were dyed, the squad would be isted and destroyed. They must read and understand all the situations around them and decide what to do. The soldiers must develop strong self-determination to maintain the situation until they are given orders. But Dagra''s'' heart was more moved than anguished. Except for one death and three injuries during the descent, none were seriously injured to the point of being unable to fight. On the contrary, this small force was overwhelming therge enemy. Dagra had no doubt that this group of centurions was unquestionably the strongest in the world at the present time. Krishce cut into their formation, chopping off the heads of the centurions and the captains and crushing their leadership. And then the elites of the elite charged in. Their abilities, specially trained for melee situations, were greater and more impressive than any soldiers Dagura had ever led. And he was the one who took control of and moved the violent force. There was no reason for his blood not to boil. To be entrusted with such a unit was the greatest honor one could receive as a centurion. If they were to taste flesh and blood here and have their naiveties removed, just how much power would they gain? It was all he could do to keep his body from shaking with anticipation and excitement. ''Krische wants to create a unitposed solely of people who possess magic and decided to choose you, Dagra, as its captain. Krische thinks you''re the best of all the captains who apanied me in the mountains.'' He recalled the words that he was told when he was summoned. Dagra was frightened at first when he saw the carnage, but now he felt a deep sense of gratitude to her for having chosen him. ''...Dagra, that child has no hesitation in killing people, and to be honest, she''s not normal. But in reality, she''s just clumsy, more serious, obedient, and more spoiled than anyone else, and she''s my cute little sister. So please, I entrust her to you.'' The words Selene told when she came to inspect the training. ''If there are at least 100 Dagra here, it should be possible to satisfy Krische''s demands, so it''s only natural to be able to do that much.'' Then he remembered Krische''s words and swore. Being given such troops, there was nothing that could not be done. It was only natural that they were able to do it. And he expects himself to be able to fulfill that demand. What greater honor could there be, Dagra thought. The First Battalion----the light infantry broke through, and simultaneously, he heard Krische''s voices. "Bald Eagle, rendezvous." Even the nickname, which sounds like an insult, seems like an honor now. He raised his voice. "Yes, ma''am! From now on, we will start a pincer attack with the Second Corps! We are the vanguard, as the spearhead, to make way for the first battalion and cut through the enemy! Understood!" A roar resounded, and the soldiers in ck armor turned around. They charged in the direction of the main camp where the second army corps was located. "Show our power to the fools who stand in our way! We, the ck Century, are the Kingdom''s strongest warriors, and Krische Christand is its sword!" The battle cry of the century, augmented by magic, shook the air. There were even those that screamed and ran away, losing their will to fight in the face of overwhelming violence. "You did well, Krische." Selene stood a little further back from the front line, on the border of the Bernaich mountains, and looked out over the whole area. The mighty Christand army---but that didn''t include the First Corps led by Selene. If she were to speak only of their skill level, they would be no better than Gildanstein''s army, and in fact, they would be inferior in some respects. Some of the soldiers had received less than a month of training. It could be said that it was enough if it was the army that had been assembled three months in advance as a reserve. But they were all fresh recruits. Many of them were only able to hold their shield and thrust their spear. The only ones that could be called sufficient were the First Battalion of red and the Second Battalion of heavy infantry. The rest were consolidated into the Third and the Fourth battalion----the ones surrounding Selene were all recruits who could barely form a line. She judged that even they would fight if they were under herself, the corpsmander. She could not send them to the frontline as a copse in morale at the front will affect the battle''s oue. However, as a result, three of the five battalions did well, and the Fifth battalion continued to rain arrows down on the enemy without a pause. The First Battalionunched an assault at the enemy center, while the Second Corps waved countless gs and set up a breakthrough. The Second Corps broke through the enemy deployed on the Bernaich side and inked up with the First Battalion. It was a victory, without any doubt. But then a voice rang out. The voice came from the zing Mirskronia. Against the backdrop of the great mes scorching the heavens, one of the countless men in ck armor stepped forward and raised something in both hands. One side was a sword. The other one was an arm. ''The traitor Bogan Christand has been vanquished by me, Gildanstein----'' The voice echoed everywhere. The music of the battlefield ceased. ''The war is over.'' Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan. The man who was the rightful heir of the royal family announced boldly with a majestic voice. Chapter 55: The Noble Chapter 55: The Noble ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 55 The Noble*** A being more noble and exalted than anyone else. Royalty is the ideal of the people and bears the corresponding responsibilities. He didn''t question it. He didn''t need to learn it, he thought. A ruler who createsw and order----the royal family is not bound by anyone and has more freedom than anyone else in the Kingdom. He believed he was one of the happiest men in the kingdom and was proud of his blood. He would umte knowledge, learn politics, and one day support his father and brother. And if the two of them are gone, he will fulfill his duties in their ce. He worked hard just for that and worked harder than anyone else to achieve it. He wanted to achieve an ideal kingdom where everyone could enjoy happiness, and he yearned for new knowledge. Because he was royalty, he desired it. And because that was what it desired of him. As he spent his childhood, things he could not see began to flicker in the corner of his vision. Everything that seemed to shine brightly----something eroded that vision. The person he thought was his loyal retainer turned out to be a philistine who pursued authority and took advantage of him to usurp the throne. The one who tearfully spoke for the good of his people was in fact a mere money-grubber. Somewhere along the way, he learned that words were not what they meant and that the face they showed wasn''t the truth. Everyone hid their true intentions behind their pretenses and harbored their low desires. Suddenly, he realized that he could no longer trust everything he saw. Still, he won''t be like that and turned his eyes away. Royal family traditions. Responsibilities, roles. He simply strived to do what was required of him and to meet expectations. What should have been an ideal to strive for became an obligation and turned into agony. While spending time like that, he suddenly realized. He was not free, but something kept in a cage named "royalty". Whether he looked to the right or the left, all of them were intricately tied by their desire. A new cage filled the gap, even if he tried to untangle it. It was not respect, but instead, a new desire that was directed at him. Royalty was merely a part of the system of the royal family. From the time he was born there, he had no freedom. And without knowing it, he just danced like a clown. He was angry and disappointed. Yet, he was still royalty, which he had once considered an honor. Blood was not only a link but also a fetter and a curse. There was no escape, and he had no choice but to remain there for the rest of his life. When he realized this, everything became unimportant. It was just a whim. He killed his cat for no reason. The cat didn''t even like him. It was just being docile since he was a convenient existence that fed it. He looked at the dead body of the cat that had died in a rage, turned hostile, not knowing what had happened, and then he looked at the scars on his hands and realized. At the end of the cat''s life, what it saw must have been a madman who had suddenly turned hostile towards it. It must have quickly forgotten its master, whom it had loved and cared for all its life. That was why it had bared its fangs like that. It was a little sad but somehow refreshing. Man and beast are no different. They are just beasts, faithful to their desires, that have be a little smarter. They are filthy things that will continue to indulge in pleasure until they are fed up with it. Everything seemed ridiculous, and heughed as he looked at the cat that had been killed for no reason. Whatever the case, fortunately, he realized that he had the authority to do whatever he wished, and he had a quite high capability. Since then, the boy had lived only to enjoy life and continued to seek pleasure. When he got tired of it, he would search for the next pleasure and indulge in it. When he blew it, it was nothing. The cage was no longer a cage. The desires of others were painted over with his desires. Everyone feared and ttered him. If this was a world of the beast, then he just needed to be stronger and unsightly than anyone else. However, as he yed with and killed countless human beings, he noticed that there were a few beings who were not a beast in this world. Something untainted by dirt, no matter how much you defile it---something noble, sworn in name, sworn in blood------something precious. "Lazura, was it?" "Yes, Your Royal Highness." "You seem to be a prostitute. To get money, you defile your own name and sleep with anyone. You can''t even be said to be on the fringe of the nobility. Do you want the money that badly?" "Yes, Your Royal Highness. It is as Your Royal Highness said." Her long red hair was tied up, and she wore a short dress with an open neckline. She was one of the toys at a certain beast''s ball. These toys were usually brought to the bed chamber with the pretext ''lets'' hear what you need'' and sold flowers. After the event was over, they were thrown out, saying that they had listened to what they had to say. They would continue that kind of life until someone took a liking toward them or until they broke. It was ridiculed andughed at as a high-quality item. No matter what they did to her, she would not show a shred of anger or displeasure, but would just stand there smile, and bow to the man toying with her. He was intrigued by the rumor and invited her to his bedroom because he wanted to see that face. "Let''s talk about it. I''ll listen to you. Of course, I won''t give you any money. After we''re done, I''ll just throw you out. And just like always, when you''re done, just bow your head and go back as is." "Yes, Your Royal Highness." The woman indifferently exined the situation. There were many nobles who lost their lives due to business failures. It was one of thosemon stories. A mere tragedy with no appeal. However, probably because she must have it repeated many times, he could not find any negative emotion in her, as she smoothly exined her situation. From now on, she would just be toyed with and then go home. She didn''t grieve over it, nor did she show any sign of resignation, but her eyes still had strength. She was a beautiful woman. And he said to her with a smile, as if to shake her heart. "It seems that you have a younger sister. If it''s just that one, I''ll help you. ......However, I''ll kill you. I''ll cut off your fingertips, peel off your skin, and make you never be able to see again." A faint hint of fear appeared in her eyes, and he smiled even more. No nobleman is unaware of the rumors of the King''s brother''s madness. "Kuku, you know my rumors, don''t you? Don''t think I''m just bluffing." The woman clenched her fists and closed her eyes for a moment. When she looked up, a bright light shone in her eyes just like before. "Yes, Your Royal Highness... If Your Royal Highness can vow one thing on Your Royal Highness''s name." "...Say it." "As long as Your Royal Highness gives my sister sincere love and happiness... that''s fine with me. If Your Royal Highness keeps that vow even after I go insane, I vow on my name, Lazura Argan, to be Your Royal Highness''s ything." Even if someone like her is toyed with until the point of death, their heart will be broken and closed. They will not be defiled, they will not be tarnished, but they will shatter and disappear as beautiful as they are. "... I see. As I heard, you''re an interesting woman. If you can''t find someone who will take your hand,e back here after one month." "Yes, Your Royal Highness." "I don''t need it today. Just get lost." Standing dignifiedly, the woman bowed her head and left. Her demeanor was beautiful; she was more noble-like than any aristocrat and *noble*------a good woman. If it''s fated, it wouldn''t be bad to keep her. And it was also a *noble *aristocrat who saved her from tragedy. "Your Royal Highness, please step down. My corps will take care of the rear." "Oh, that''s unusual. Do you think there will be a benefit by helping me?" "I believe that is what a noble is, and that is what a soldier is. I am, at this moment, the shield and sword of His Royal Highness." The predicament on the battlefield. Sent to the battlefield with the hope that he would die in the battle, a ce where you surrender yourself to your impulse ------it was such a ce that he ended up. Among his subordinates, who inwardly hated and feared him, the man was focused only on his duty. "There is no time to lose. Your Royal Highness should join up with General Carmeda and regroup. Please leave this ce to us. Until then, I will never let the enemy''s de reach you." The cage of ideals that he himself had once pursued. In the midst of all this, the way he continued to dance on it didn''t lookical to him, but rather there was even a kind of beauty in it. "...The opponent is using their reserve force. Now is a perfect time. I''ll take a detour and aim at the enemy''s main camp. In the meantime, you must hold this ce. I will take the sword; you are the shield." When he said so, the noble named Bogan smiled. Showing a pleasant salute, he replied. "... Yes, sir. Then, please take Verreich. He is the battalionmander I trust the most." "Very well." Heughed and continued. "I''m going to drink tonight, but I''m tired of drinking alone. It''s an order for you. Apany me." "Haha... I shall certainly fulfill that order." It must have been at that time that he thought the battlefield wasn''t that bad. Kill or be killed; the situation satisfied boredom enough------at least in that world, everything was simple, and it was where those who wanted to make the world simple gathered. Betting everything they had to carry out their duties and pride as noble. If not, they would die and be naturally eliminated. The royal family was once no different from the barbarians. In those days, valor was the only honor, and the strongest man was the chief. Therefore, the royal emblem, the central symbol of the royal family, was always a sword held up to the heavens. Rinea. An ancient word meaning warrior. A noble begins as a warrior who is not afraid of death. Sworn only to the sword and the name, revered and respected, they began to be called nobles because of the beauty of their way. A word that expresses a way of life, not blood, and a way of being, not a form. That kind of person is noble, and the lineage of the noble has been inherited in this world even now. He just thinks of that beauty. Two weeks before the reinforcements arrived, in the forests of the Mirskronia Mountains. Gildanstein personally led his elite to capture the adjutant of the enemy Third Corps. That was the reason why he invaded Mronia with arge force from the beginning. This raid, which was intended to cut into the enemy''s main camp, was a false attack. He did not underestimate the man Bogan Christand and the army he led. The most powerful general and soldier in the kingdom, both in name and in reality. The hero, Christand the Lightning Quick, cannot be decapitated by a mere push. "Me, the rank of General...?" "Ahh, I won''t repeat myself." The purpose was to create a worm. The goal was to create a worm that would threaten the fierce lion from within and have the lion offer his head to the worm. It was amon scheme, but there was a trick to it. The trick was to get the traitor to do it voluntarily. To fulfill this, one needs to read the traitor''s nature carefully. His preference, his desires, his personality, his whole way of life so far. Among Christand''s subordinates, he searched for those who had blood ties or close acquaintances in the royal capital, made them spit out information, examined them, and found out which was the rotten fruit. If he threatened to charge them with treason, then all of them would open their mouths at once; after that, the rest would be as he wished. From oneint to another, from a recent problem to another, he weaved words of temptation. The man kneeling in front of him, Salva, was a brilliant man. His mind works reasonably well, and his tactical sense was also not bad. If his luck and circumstances were good, he might have been able to rise to the rank of general by now. But the corpsmander, led by the hero Bogan was above him in every way. The strength of Christand''s armyy in the extremely high quality of each and every one of his subordinates. Each of the corpsmanders under Bogan''s directmand was so highly qualified that they could have obtained the rank of general at a moment''s notice, but they stayed and supported him because of their personal loyalty to Bogan. The battalionmanders they led were simrly capable, and many of them would have held the rank of corpsmander if they had been with other generals. A clear meritocracy and a thorough education. The standard was iparably high, which is why Christand''s army was said to be the strongest in the kingdom. However, this naturally leads to distortions. Even if a person could be called excellent in terms of ability, they cannot bloom because of an overqualified superior, and they had no choice but to lead their life without any hope of advancement. Bogan was a pure noble, and Gildanstein appreciated that side of him. He was an ascetic, self-disciplined warrior, loyal to his duty. He only held respect for Bogan, who swore himself to be merely the sword of the kingdom. He was the ideal noble that Gildanstein desired and one of the few loyal subjects of the kingdom. But that did not mean that all of his men were the same. Bogan embodied the ideal, and because he took that as only natural, there were gaps and distortions that arise. It was this man named Salva who caught his eye. He was one of those who were excellent but had their sky closed. Even so, his loyalty to Bogan has stifled his desires. But recently, he heard that this is changing. "You must know about my rumors. I don''t care if you think I''m that kind of person. But I''m acting this time for the sake of a greater cause. I want to bring justice to Kreschenta, the cursed child who killed my older brother." "..." "Even though I''m like this, I have a certain amount of respect for my brother. He had a different character and a different temperament. I have never harbored any ill will toward my brother, who is an idealist, although he disliked me a lot. Since my brother has always hated me and had every right to. I take it as a given. And I have no doubts that Bogan is still a loyal subject of the kingdom." It wasn''t a lie. He liked King Shelbarza in his own way, and he was aware that he was the one to me. He did not feel any resentment toward the bad things he had been told and epted it as a matter of course. He was more aware than anyone else of the fact that he was crazy. "However, the two of them share amon w; they are too idealistic and too naive. Kreschenta also caused my brother''s illness, but he was too kind-hearted and did not suspect his beloved daughter... and was killed just like that." Salva didn''t say a word as if thinking. However, Gildanstein could see that he was quietly examining his words and thinking deeply. "She must have met Krische------now Bogan''s adopted daughter, the cursed child who was supposed to have been killed at the victory ceremony the other day, and that''s what caused all this. I don''t know what happened, but the facts lead me to believe that''s what happened. Do you know anything about it?" "...... No. However, the rumor that the two of them are on good terms is certainly true." Salva''s feelings were already on his side. Gildanstein narrowed his eyes. He had heard from this man''s acquaintance that he hadined many times about Bogan''s adopted daughter, Krische. It seemed that there were quite a few people in the army who disliked Krische. "I don''t know much about Krische. I''ve seen her faces, though... But I''ve heard the rumors. I also know that you don''t like her." Salva lowered his eyes and was silent for a moment. Then slowly opened his mouth. "Krische-sama... is undoubtedly a genius in battle. In that respect, it''s absolutely true, and she''s also like a young child." "... A young child?" "The General and Selene-sama love such Krische-sama. She''s a little weird, but she''s pure and kind, at least to those close to her---she''s just as what she looks like, so I understand how they are feeling." Quietly, but surely, Salva continued. "I don''t think the General or Selene-sama are wrong about that either...but I think, Krische-sama is scary." "Hmm, scary, huh?" "... She doesn''t understand the logic of things. Like a child crushing an insect, she has no hesitation in killing and hurting people and is fundamentally different from humans. But she''s stronger and smarter than anyone else. She''s a person who can fall on either side. When I heard the rumors that she''s an uncontroble monster------the royal family''s cursed child, I honestly understood it." Salva shook his head and looked at Gildanstein. "I''m afraid I don''t have good feelings for His Highness. However, if Her Royal Highness the Princess is a person simr to Krische, then I also feel that His Royal Highness''s words are reasonable." "That''s fine. I''m not asking you to pledge allegiance to me personally. I just want you to fulfill your duties as a noble of the kingdom. To stop Kreschenta from usurping the throne." Salva nodded but paused for a moment. "... Two things, if His Highness can swear by His Highness''s name, then." "Say it." "Yes. Aftering this far, the General''s life can''t be spared anymore. However, I ask your forgiveness for his daughter, Selene-sama. She is sincere, and hardworking, and I have watched her closely since she was a child." "I see, the hero''s daughter also inherited it. She sure is popr." He smiled and told him. "Don''t worry, I have no intention of doing anything to her. Just as I said, Bogan is a loyal subject to the kingdom, and there is no lie in that words. I won''t destroy the house. What''s the other thing?" Salva cast her eyes down as if thinking a little. "If I could wish for it, then Kische-sama, too." "The cursed child too?" It was surprising. He had thought it was the truth that the man did not like Krische. "I don''t like her. I think she''s a frightening person. But I also know that she doesn''t like fighting or killing people. She''s just a pure person, and she''s doing it for the General and Selene-sama. Both of them love Krische-sama from the bottom of their heart. I don''t think it''s fine for the one the two of them loved to die." Once again, he offered his head again. He is saying that he is prepared to be cut down---- Guildenstein saw the resolve in that. "It''s true that I found reason in His Highness''s words. The position is also a great honor. However, the stigma of betraying a general to who I''m indebted will follow me for the rest of my life. That''s why I want to be convinced. That, I did what I had to do, that it was a decision I am not ashamed of." A mere trinket. He had despised it as such, but it seems that it is something to make fun of. It isn''t that bad, he thought. "I can''t make any promises. However, I vow in the name of Alberan that I will do my utmost to fulfill it. You have made me swear an oath. In return, you will do your duty." "......Thank you for your kind words. I swear by this name, I will, definitely." Then Gildanstein told him. "I willunch a major offensive from Mitkronia just as the reinforcements arrive. You''ll report to me and my toon and lure in Bogan sessfully. That''s your job. Anyone on the inside who might be of use to you, you can promise them to be well rewarded in my name." "Yes, sir." "You''re not a bad man. Live up to my expectations, will you." Gildanstein muttered while watching Salva walk away. "Don''t call me cowardly, Bogan. As you know, war is just about winning it." Chapter 56: The Warrior Chapter 56: The Warrior ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 56 The Warrior*** The sound of steel nging leaked through the trees. Great mes scorched the heavens, and the twinkling of the starry moon reflected and flickered countless lights in the forest. At the center of it was a man. He was d in scarred armor, with a long sword in his right hand. His left hand held a small sword. He adorned a heroic helmet in the shape of a hawk. Like a bird of prey, he leaned forward and stepped toward the enemy who was shing at him. ''He''s skilled.'' Bogan Christand clicked his tongue and flicked the sword that was swung at him with the long sword in his right hand. Then he stepped through the side and thrust the small sword in his left opposite hand through the gap in his opponent''s armor. There was no time to pull it out. He let go of the small sword, leaned forward, and drove the tip of the long sword through the neck of the man in the back. His breathing was ragged. The men he had brought to escort him were all excellent. However, only two remained. There were still 20 opponents left, including the famous Nakhilus Felizar, who could freely wield two great axes, and Walter Zagan, the sessor of Zain style swordsmanship. "General, our way out is--" "... I''m sorry." "What, if it''s for the general''s sake, there is no life that''s too frugal." The twoughed. They were men who had epted death andughed at it. "...I am proud to have subordinates like you." "Haha, serving General is the greatest honor for us." The other nodded at his words and ran. He shed at the enemy on both sides, and there was only one enemy in front of Bogan. Bogan stepped in as the enemy raised his sword. With his left hand held out in front of him, he struck the armor with the palm of his hand and leaped. The ck-armored warrior, who had been focused only on attacking with his sword, fell over, and Bogan escaped into the trees. However, the nextrge tree that Bogan was going jump on was broken in front of him. "Guh!?" Bogan rolled to his feet and quickly stood up. Gildansteinughed as he lifted the great axe that had snapped the tree with ease. "I won''t let you escape. Don''t think you can escape from me, Bogan." "...Certainly, that seems to be a fleeting dream." Gildanstein stood in front of him, showing off his ck lion armor without a scratch on it. The two remaining escorts were also surrounded and had their swords thrust at them. Again, they were surrounded. "... Let''s, have a duel." Gildanstein threw down his great axe and drew his sword from his left hip. It was a thick, broad, long sword. This man liked to use such a sturdy and heavy weapon. "Sooner orter, someone wille to your aid. If you can endure until then, you win. It''s a simple game like that." "What if I say no?" "I''m afraid that''s the end of mypassion for you. This is the second time I''ve been merciful to you. There will be no third time." If they were to attack together, it would be over in an instant. But instead, Gildanstein pointed his sword at Bogan. "Take up your sword as a warrior." His appearance was truly that of a noble, an imposing figure that should be called royalty. Bogan smiled wryly and answered. "... I guess I should be grateful." "Ahh, you should be thankful. It results from my utmost respect for the man you are." Gildanstein was strong. Even Kolkis, whom Bogan trusted as a pure warrior, could not beat this man. Faring against him was highly doubtful. However, surely it wouldn''t be more reckless than dealing with everyone in this ce. "It''s a repayment for the loyalty you showed me long ago. You can rest assured. Whatever happens, I will leave the name of Christand behind. You were a man who deserved what I did." "Haha, going to the afterlife with those words sure is something I don''t want." Boganughed. The road to survival was narrow, and there was no way out. But if this was the end, that wasn''t bad either. At least, as a warrior, it is the best end he could have hoped for. "... Your Royal Highness, I think you deserved my respect as a warrior. I hold no grudges. ...As you wish, I will apany you in a duel." "That''s good. We didn''t get a conclusion with a tactical battle. Now, it''s time to end this." Bogan moved the left half of his body forward. He thrust his left hand toward Gildarstein and drew his right arm. He used a traditional swordsmanship handed down in the military called the Lorka style. Originally, a small shield is used to lure the opponent''s sword, repel it, or use it as it is for an offense. Even if it''s bare-handed, the stance makes the opponent lose their sense of distance, and the open left can be used as a fist or to grab the opponent----this swordsmanship was a battlefield swordsmanship that specialized in disrupting the body of an armored opponent and striking a fatal blow. "...That stance yours is the most brilliant I''ve ever seen." "Now Verreich is better. I feel old. I''m starting to lose even to my daughter in sparring." This swordsmanship required a superior physique. Tall stature and long limbs. For Selene, who did not have them, it was better to learn swordsmanship from Krische. Selene''s height was average for a woman and small for a warrior, but she could sink her body further, sh from below, and stab through. Selene''s swordsmanship, which was sharp and fast, extending inferior spacing by keeping her posture low, and cutting and breaking with her de, was so brilliant that even Bogan was amazed. She was fifteen years old and had such great swordsmanship. The brilliant daughter''s future looks endlessly bright, and he just looked forward to it. But he would probably not be able to see that future. If he had any regrets, that was it. "It''s a parent''s pride. It is something to be happy about, but." "...that''s something that I won''t understand." Gildanstein readied his sword after the exchange. Grabbing the sword with both hands, the stance is Seigan----the sword of champions. The sword, made of metal, was once the weapon of the Hero. It started out as a small, one-handed sword but gradually came to be revered for its martial prowess------and to show it, it be a long, thick sword. The techniques also changed ordingly. Without holding a shield, hold the sword with both hands, face the enemy, and then overwhelm the opponent. From the front, in a fair and dignified manner, only look at the opponent and cut down. It was a stance that embodied the way a noble should be. The ever-changing right hand toward the heavens, and the left hand which stabilizes everything around its axis, toward the earth. The Shogan, with its principle of containing all of heaven and earth within the sphere of its de and its ability to respond to any attack, is the foundation of the sword that many still study as the sword of a proud noble. Gildanstein''s stance was beautiful to the point of splendor and could truly be called the sword of champions. The feet that firmly grasp the earth would remind you of the solidity of a mountain, and the tip of the sword that it holds up would make you imagine the wrath of the raging heavens. Bogan''s brow wrinkles deepened, and his hand rxed as he gripped the sword. Both Salva and those around him gasped. The Hero Christand and the ck Lion Gildanstein. It was not every day that they could witness a one-on-one battle between two generals who had led great armies. And if it was the two warriors who had left their mark on history, it was only natural that they would be tense. For a while, the two men simply stared at their opponents. Blood and sweat dripped from Bogan''s chin, and Gildanstein''s eyes narrowed. "So, you won''te, huh? No, I''m sorry. It''s a defensive style in the first ce." Gildanstein said and stepped in. He stepped through the earth and crushed the distance between them. Rather than engaging in feints, he boldly attacked from the front. The sword raised to the right, the wind rushing through the air, and with a roar that was hard to believe to be a sword, it closed in on Bogan---- "Kh!" But Gildenstein''s handsome face was distorted. Bogan''s body in front of him was sunken so deeply that it was as if he hadid down on the ground. Like a snake crawling on the ground. Pulling his left hand and twisting his waist, Bogan''s de runs precisely to Gildenstein''s neck. A blow extending from his own feet. Gildanstein quickly shook his sword with his strong arm and flicked Bogan''s de. However, Bogan did not stop even after being repelled. He raised his body and struck Guildenstein in the body armor with his left palm strike. "Gah!" But Gildanstein was also skillful. While being blown away, Gildarstein used his de to make a shallow tear in Bogan''s left arm. Bogan''s face distorted as he retreated and breathed heavily as he shook his shoulders. Gildensteinughed, his breathing disrupted by the impact through his armor. "Old huh, kuku, You''re too modest, Bogan." "You can''t call yourself a warrior unless you study hard even when you''re old." What Bogan showed was Krische''s sword. The sword was as vivid as a dance, shimmering in a thousand different ways. Even Bogan was mesmerized by the beauty of her swordsmanship, which was not fixed on a particr stance, but pursued only the most appropriate solution for the moment. A sword that always aimed only at life from outside of the opponent''s consciousness. Although he did not understand all of it, the philosophy of the sword, which he had seen many times, had a strong influence on Bogan. "Your Highness''s the Champion''s Sword. It''s truly beautiful. However, a sword sharpened only to take lives is also beautiful. Despite my age, I was fascinated by the new swordsmanship of my daughter." "That girl... huh?" "Yes. Though it''s child''s ypared to Krische''s, it should buy me some time." "... Interesting." From there, however, the match was close------not. Although he had learned that swordsmanship from Krische, it was only a surprise attack. A sword technique that confuses the opponent with an attack from an unexpected position breaks the bnce and strikes from where they''re not prepared. Bogan knew that this technique was only possible with the small stature of Krische. The basis is the familiar Lorka-style sword technique. It was nothing more than a desperate blow to make up for the missingst step. If it was an ordinary person, that first blow would have been enough. However, the same move would not work in front of Gildanstein, who was skilled in swordsmanship. The Champion''s Sword shed the chain mail shallowly, and it was the Bogan that increased the number of cuts. His innate sense of bnce defied the instability of his footing and solidified both his body''s and sword''s core. The thrust, concentrated on a single point, was released with the flexibility of a whip and pierced through the sheet metal armor. Stunning swordsmanship---Gildanstein, the Royal Prince, was fearless and truly possessed the dignity of a king. "------tsu!" "Kuh!?" However, Bogan also showed his stubbornness. Bogan, who had spent much of his life on the battlefield, though covered in scars, held the sword of a fierce warrior. He swung his sword while on his knees to open up a gap between the two, sometimes mming into Gildanstein''s body at the cost of wounds and sending his body flying. Whenever there was an opening, he grabbed Gildanstein''s body, pushed him down, and tried to drag him not into swordy but into pure violence. What Bogan, who was always calm at all times, showed at this ce of death is a beast. When he was not a hero, he was just a warrior. The blood that had once been in Bogan, who had risen from the rank of captain in the hellish front lines, was now boiling in his veins. Bogan''s face had already been stripped of its rationality, and a beast-like ferocious look reced it in his face. His eyes were filled with madness as he neared death. The corners of his mouth smiled. It was an extremely aggressive smile. It was a maniacal smile, like a wolf facing its prey. In contrast, Gildenstein''s cheeks were lifted, and heughed as well. His ck armor, without a scratch on it, was now stained with dirt and covered with countless scars. "Good one, Bogan! You are a great warrior, after all!" "Haha, my blood is boiling for the first time in a long time! I can''t show this to my daughters...!" Bogan wielded his sword. It was more like hitting with steel than swordsmanship. It was arge swing----a blow that seemed full of openings, but there was a heat to it that matched the great me. It was a sword that made even Gildanstein flinch for a moment and take a step back. Gushing from his flesh was a blue vortex of magic power. A roar that could not have been made by a sword resounded through the air, gouging out the earth. "What''s the matter, Your Highness? You won''t get my head if you just run away!!" "Tch!" Gildanstein clicked his tongue and kept his distance. Aim for the opening of the attack----Gildanstein calmly tried to find it, but Bogan was a storm. Countless swords shed like a storm that roared with heavy rain and thunder. Even though every single move of the sword was crude but the power it contained evoked an instinctive fear just by being in front of it. Christand the *Thunder*. It was not just his superior ability as a general that gave him the name. It was a nickname given to him by soldiers who saw Bogan''s brutality as he stood before anyone else on the battlefield and unleashed his violence. Even in thend of defeat, he made countless corpses, ate flesh, and drank blood. The soldiers who were with him were shaken to the core and gave themselves over to the madness. Thunder----that was the name of a warrior who summoned a storm like the thunder that foretold it. From the corpsmander under Christand to the centurions, Bogan is revered as a hero. Everyone has been moved by Bogan''s image, which is why those heroic men gathered under him to wield their swords. He creates winds that bind the surroundings together and strike the enemy in front of him with a thunderstorm of blood. The Bogan here was indeed a storm in the form of a human worthy of its name. The men who were watching were also trembling with both excitement and fear. Only Gildanstein could stand in front of it. Even though Bogan''s pure violence drew him into a defensive position, he had pure respect for his appearance. The image of a man who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him on the battlefield. Remembering that, Gildanstein smiled. "Kuku, my spine is trembling. Unbearable bogan, this is what a warrior fight is all about!" If he took the blow, the sword would break. Everything was such a blow. It could be fatal even if it were received on top of heavy armor. Bogan no longer had the finesse to pull through the gaps in his armor, but it was a marvel that was iparable to what it was before. Then what should be done---- "I thought I could do it with you, Bogan!" He also had no choice but to be a beast. Aim for a gap. Pierce the opening. Such tricks were thrown out of his head. This was the battle of the sacred warriors. He simply swung with such monstrous strength that he almost squeezed the hilt of his sword. The fastest and best blow. Bogan twisted his hips to avoid the air-crushing roar and swung his left arm to shoot through Gildanstein''s helm with his fist. The blow, which caused the gauntlet to crack, distorted the massive helmet and shook Gildenstein''s skull. But Gildstein swung his sword further and pierced Bogan''s right leg as he fell. It was deep, but Bogan gritted his teeth and endured it. Bogan stood, his whole body bleeding profusely and the heat rising like steam. Gildanstein also rolled and stood up, took off his helmet roughly, and mmed it down. The crumpled helmet scratched his fair face, but he didn''t even notice it. Bogan responds by taking off his helmet as well. Spitting blood, Bogan leaned forward. He picked up the dirt and threw it at Gildanstein, and lunged at him. Gildanstein did not care, nor did he think it cowardly, and stepped forward even lower in his posture. The shoulder of his ck armor was twisted by Bogan''s sword, and Gildstein''s face contorted in pain. But the wound on his thigh made the distance and the sharpness of his sword insufficient. Gildanstein, prepared for the injury, moved forward even more and popped Bogan''s huge body as if he were thrusting up from his shoulder. Realizing that he had hurt his left shoulder, Gildanstein brought his sword to his right hand andunched a follow-up attack. Bogan rolled away from him and kicked Gildenstein before staggering to his feet. And Bogan also raised his right arm. "...." The countless wounds, however, were damaging Bogan''s blood volume. Bogan, who had lost the pressure of his boiling blood and was unable to stand his ground, lost his posture, and Gildanstein did not miss it. A sharp blow sliced through Bogan''s right arm, sending it flying through the air. "Ggh, nu!" With his arm cut off, Bogan threw Gildanstein off and leaned against a tree, wobbling. The arm was gushing a lot of blood, and Bogan''s eyes were shaking nkly. Gildanstein, who had been mmed to the ground, sat up coughing. Then, breathing heavily, he approached and said. "...it was a good match." He lifted his sword over his shoulder, "I would like to say that this is the end, but---" Gildanstein turned his face to the bottom of the mountain. Countless battle cries echoed through the air. He could see a battalion''s worth of infantrymen rushing up the mountain, and the sound of horses'' hoofs was echoing. "...I can''t say it''s a victory. So, it''s a draw." He muttered. "Your Royal Highness! The enemy''s troops are----hurry up, take his neck." "... I don''t care. With this much blood, death is inevitable." "However--" "I said, it''s fine." He red at the man in ck armor and looked at Bogan. "I have no intention of taking your neck. Your sword and arm, I will take it." Bogan couldn''t answer, so he just stared at him, then lost consciousness. Gildanstein said ''let''s go'' and started running. "... Thank you, Your Royal Highness." Salva, following behind, said. "I don''t need it. It''s not for you. It''s a thank you to the warriors I recognized." "Yes, sir." Gildenstein''s words from the cliff top. And the sword and arm in his hand. Whether or not it was real, there weren''t many who could say which it was with certainty. However, Gildenstein dered his name and spoke. If you know what a name means to a noble, you cannot doubt his words. And the man standing on the cliff is Alberan----a legitimate noble of royal blood. The battlefield was silent. Serene, who heard the voice, gazed with her eyes at the sword and arm raised in the distance. Still, she wanted to believe it was a lie. Her eyesight, enhanced by magic power, brutally conveyed the facts to Selene as they really were. It was Bogan''s gauntlet and sword that she had seen many times. It belonged to her father, whom she respected more than anyone else. "Lies!" The repeated mental and physical exhaustion. The body of Selene, who managed to deceive it, staggered on horseback and was supported by the Fourth battalionmander----Varga, who was next to her. "Selene-sama, keepposed. It is not the neck. The fact that he brought the arms and sword suggests that the General may still be alive." It was a mere constion. Even so, he had to say it. That was Varga''s role. Emotionally, Selene wanted to cling to those words, but some part of her rational head denied that words. "The soldiers are watching." Varga said bitterly. It was a harsh word for her, who had so far forced herself to carry out her grueling duties. However, she was themander. She was not allowed to squat down and cry like a little girl. Serene shook her gaze in fear, closed her eyes, and regted her breathing. To stay calm. The soldiers around her looked at Serene. Confused and frightened, they had been in a frenzy, and now they were silent. ----The flow of the air was also changing. And what was heard was a cheer. It was noting from their own army but from the enemy. The enemy soldiers, who had been under attack, turned around and went on the offensive. The situation was halfway. If Second Corps hadpletely finished striking the center, perhaps. However, the current situation was in the middle of the attack. In other words, the situation was most dangerous because the formation was in disarray. A horse''s hoof wasing towards them. Messenger of the Fourth Corps. "From the Commander of the Fourth Corps. ----The tide has shifted. Recovering from this point will not be easy, and serious damage is expected. It is regrettable, but I judge that it is appropriate to withdraw our troops while there are few damages. The First Corps should withdraw its troops. That is all." The messenger looked at Selene with concern. Was it possible to regain the lead or not? There was certainly little hope. However, was it okay to have the Dragon''s Maw stolen? Selene nodded her head, trying not to think about anything else; she just focused on what she should do. "... message. Pull back the heavy infantry. Krische will probably withdraw the Second Corps light infantry. Tell him not to worry about it. Also, Thank you for your concern. And--" Themanding tone of the message was probably out of concern for Selene''s confusion. At the very least, she must be the corpsmander while she was here at this ce. The messenger gave a strong salute of respect and drove off again. "Krische?" Then, out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a shadow running up the cliff. Chapter 57: The Weak Chapter 57: The Weak ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 57 The Weak*** While killing the enemy soldiers who were distracted by the happening at the clifftop, she frowned at the unpleasant atmosphere. Even the motivated century were demoralized, and so were Selene''s lightly-armed infantrymen. The entire Christand army is weakened by the sight of Bogan''s sword and arm and Gildanstein''s words. "F-follow the Adjutant Corps Commander! Our role remains the same!" Dagra raised his voice. The flow had been moving without stagnation be dull, and then stopped for a moment. The flow of victory that was born just now was no longer there and had disappeared into the distance. Krische breathed quietly. Around the time when the 78th person''s head was cut off, She gave up thinking that it would be nothing more than a drop in the ocean. The number of people she could kill alone would not affect the whole grooup. Krische''s purpose in killing the enemy was to boost the morale of her troops and to lower the morale of the enemy. Now that they had been swallowed up by the enemy''s current, it would be pointless to kill any more of them. Krische was not particrly interested in killing, and she was only doing it as a way to win. If it was going to be a waste of time and effort, she would not be motivated to do it. Rather, this kind of dirty work is what Krische hates most, and if it doesn''t bring results, then she wants to throw it out immediately. "...Seems, here is fine." Fortunately, the morale of the enemy is also low when ites to her surroundings. The morale of the enemy soldiers in the surrounding area is in a state of copse thanks to the high capabilities of the Century, which is reasonably satisfactory for Krische. Rather than showing an offensive spirit in response to the earlier voice, they seem to be rather hoping that her side will pull back. At the very least, there is no sign of them wanting to attack. After twisting her waist and crushing the soldier''s skull, helmet and foot, Krische leaps directly in front of Dagra. "Bald Eagle. It will be difficult to go any further. The Fourth Corps Commander is the steady type, so he''s thinking of pulling troops. Selene... will probably ept it." It was Selene who she''s worried about. Bogan''s sword and arm. It was such a shock that even Krische stopped for a moment. He is her guardian to whom she is indebted, and a gentle person who shows her, his kindness. She might have lost that. Although she had put it out of her mind because it was not yet confirmed, when she thinks, if it had been Bery''s, she could guess how Selene''s mind would have been affected. Serene deeply respects and loves Bogan. "......I was also just about to advise that. Even here, where we are, the atmosphere is bad." "We will lead Serene''s lightly armed infantry to a full rendezvous with the Second Corps as nned. We''ll figure out the restter. Our first priority is to minimize the losses of our soldiers." "Yes ma''am." Wiping the curved sword on the corpse and cing it in its scabbard, Krische told him. "Then, I''ll leave the rest to you? If it is possible, Krische will go and cut off the head His Highness. It''s close by after all." "Huh? Eh?" ----This is the only chance. After telling him this, Krische jumped to the cliff. She put her toes on the slight protrusion and climbed up. Her gravity-defying body swayed somewhat softly, and she climbed lightly over the cliff. The sky was aze in Mirskronia. "...... hmm?" He was probably on his way back to his own camp. Gildanstein turned toward the burning forest and turned his back to her. Surrounding him were about 20 soldiers in ck armor. They all looked well-trained. Alignment and personnel, Krische simply captures it as a fact without looking anywhere. The men looked confused. She moved before their emotions turned to hostility. She closed the distance between the two men who were in her way, aimed for a gap in their armor, and threw the knives. One is a corpse with a knife stuck in his neck. One is still breathing. The knife has deviated slightly and has not resulted in death. She kicked in the knife that was impaled on him, ending his life, and pulled the sword of the corpse out of its sheath. "What are you all doing!? Protect His Highness!" Two men interrupted Krische. One in front of her and one behind the other----standing in a position to protect Gildanstein. Regardless Krische stepped forward and swung her long sword down from overhead. The man in front----a mature man, immediately moved his sword overhead. Despite the surprise attack, the man reacted quickly and moved well. Even in such a situation, his sword was cool and calm, and in that instant, it seemed to reflect all of the vast experience and training he had umted in his life up to that point. If the assant had been an ordinary man, he would have easily cut the assant down with a single counter. The man certainly had the ability to do so. But such skill and experience were worthless in front of Krische. Krische twisted her long sword in her hand and drew an arc with the tip of her sword. She easily avoided the attack and did not even allow him to make a counter. With the same momentum, he sharply pierced the man''s torso, armor and all, and released the sword. While every attack is a fatal blow, all of it can easily be transformed into a feint. She deceives even those who call themselves masters and turns everyone in front of her into a the weak. Krische''s swordsmanship was no longer within the realm of logic. "Zagan-dono!?" A corpse is no longer a tool, just an obstacle. She leaped and kicked the shoulders of the crumbling corpses, and then one more----this time, she drew the curved sword at her waist and cleaves the neck of the man in the back as soon as shended. The man copsed while holding his sword, unable to react---and beyond that was the figure of Gildanstein. "Tch!" Gildanstein immediately jumped back and Krische narrowed her eyes slightly. A gap opened. The distance is far. She gives up on the idea of cleaving the neck and sets her sights on the arm. Krische''s curved sword aims at the seam of the arm ---- the armour''s joint and rips open the chainmail. Krische is the wielder of the curved sword. Her speed and uracy are beyond reason, turning even a moving opponent into a stationary object, and ripped through chainmail as if it''s linen. Even the legendary magic sword is inferior to the sword she wields. One backward leap. With just that, Krische knew the extent of Gildenstein''s ability, and closed the distance even further. Stepping forward with the speed of gale----Gildenstein, on the other hand, moved his sword as quickly as he could. The speed of the sword is extraordinary. It has the power to bisect Krische''s bone in front of him even if his posture is bad. However, Krische easily avoided it by twisting her body and naturally slid into it. Her extreme concentration transforms everything she sees into something slow. Breathing, preliminary movements, muscle tension, the flow of magic power. She captures all of them and see through the slightest disturbance, which may or may not be a gap, without question. Her posture is low, and she steps forward as if her head were rubbing against the earth. The moves Bogan shown was literally just a child''s ypared to hers----it was truly a snake crawling on the ground. There is no seam between stillness and movement, and even if you can see her movement, you won''t even notice it. Just when you prepare yourself to deal with it, she will already be in a deadly position. What Gildanstein saw at that moment was his own death, which he could not escape from. Even taking into ount the condition of surprise attack, the opponent was only one person, while they had the best of the best. The overwhelming advantage should have been theirs, but the reality in front of them showed the exact opposite. ----The existence of such a monster that forced inferiority against the majority. Gildanstein''s spine shivered, and Krische, still not satisfied, looked dissatisfied. To finish him off her stance is too off, and her center of gravity was not stable. One move was not enough, two more will be needed. She was supposed to kill him with her first move, but three moves in total were too much, she thought with a frown. In this case, she should have just used the knife that stabbed in the corpse at him. That would have shortened it by one move. While reflecting on the situation in a way that only she could understand, her body moved as if it was free. She grabs Gildenstein''s arm and twists her body as if she had been aiming for that from the beginning. She ms his body down to the ground. Gildanstein''s face contorted in anguish as she stepped on the right arm that held a greatsword. Then, Krische tried to m the curved sword into his neck----and quickly ducks. Faster than she could kill Gildanstein, a sword swung at Krischw''s body. "K-Krische-sama!" The one who swung the sword was a familiar face. Salva shouted, and Krische narrowed her eyes. Betrayal. He had lured Bogan by some means. That''s probably what happened. More dese at her from all directions, and Krische leaped again, chopping one man''s head off. Shended lightly outside the circle. She saw Gildenstein standing up in the circle, coughing. "Gh...Krische. I see, you''vee for my head." The opponents are all d in metal armor. Krische''s curved sword would be damaged before she could y them all. She carefully wipes the machete-like curved sword clean on the corpse''s pants and sheathed it. She pulls a new long sword out of the corpse''s scabbard. "Yes, Your Royal Highness. Then this war will be over." ----The situation is not so good. Perhaps they were all nobles or something, and she could see that they all manipted magic. There''s no reinforcement. The first time the surprise attack earlier failed, it will take time. Krische''s eyes flickered. She aimed at the one person who showed the slightest opening. She approached her opponent with the naturalness of a cat''s approach, and she drew her long sword on top of her armor. The thrust was soft and supple, yet frighteningly precise, easily piercing through the sheet metal armor. The man''s life ended without a moment''s thought. Then Krische casually pulled out his sword and kicked off his torso. She didn''t even look at the corpse. She showed no emotion for having taken the life of the man, but rather, like a child, ced her fingertips to her cherry-red lips as if she was troubled. Her cloak was stained with blood, and her hair was beautiful silver. Her hair, held in ce with a light red flower ornament, was dainty and danced like two tails. Underneath the cloak, an out-of-ce ck and silver dress peeked out, revealing a somewhat rugged gauntlet and boots. The girl, for all intents and purposes, is distorted, staring at the men with herrge----inorganic purple crystal eyes. "This is, the cursed child..." Someone muttered. Anyone would recognized it at a nce. The fear they felt for the wild and heroic Bogan. Something opposite to that had arisen within them. It pierces through metal armor with ease, and even when surrounded, it still cleaves the neck with ease. With the lightness and grace of a dance, she brings about an inescapable death. Here are warriors who pride themself on being able to cut their way through ten opponents. And they are the men who have been recognized and chosen by Gildenstein as such. However, despite the fact that the girl in front of them was only one person against many, the fight was still equal----no, she probably didn''t think that she would lose. The girl has no fear, no fervor, and stands here with a naturalness that is almost arrogant. She saw their abilities and still dered them worthless. The chilly purple color of the girls'' eyes just saw the men as if they were stones on the side of the road. In the face of an existence beyond humans ----the cursed child, Krische, The men realized that they were on the side of being eaten and if so, they thought about how to let Gildanstein, their banner, escape. They had seen Gildanstein''s ability up close, having fought with that hero and won. Gildanstein, the Royal Prince, was such a great warrior that even those who did not think so highly of him, looked up to him with respect. But still, he is no match for the girl in front of them. All of them were skilled warriors, and everyone understood that correctly. ----She was not an opponent to be fought head-on, even if you are in the best condition. Gildanstein also thought so. He just calmly observed the girl, Krische, and came to a conclusion. Despite their superiority in numbers, they were the ones who were going to be killed. To defeat Bogan, he had selected the most skilled men from among the nobles. Nevertheless, Gildanstein concluded that he could not win the battle. He would not underestimate its appearance. Knowing the monster that is Kreschenta, Gildanstein was not about to let his guard down. This girl in front of him was also a monster----no, in this case, she is even more so than Kreschenta. Her movements were beyondprehension until she dodged the sword and was mmed to the ground. At least, with his injured shoulder, his stepped arm, and his current state of fatigue, there was no way he could win. Compared to Krische, it was a child''s y----and now he could understand why Bogan called it so. What he saw in front of him was the most overwhelmingly powerful man he had ever seen. "Let me see, let me dere...If you attack me, I will run away with all my might." Gildanstein opened his mouth. To fight such an opponent head-on would be suicide. "...?" "After fighting with Bogan, I don''t have the energy to fight you." Krische tilted her head as Gildanstein throws a sword in front of her. It was Bogan''s sword. "Take it back with you. If you want to y chase with me, that''s also fine, but you and your men will have to start retreating now. I don''t know what your objective is, but it will not change the disadvantage of the situation. If we go with the current situation, my side have the upper hand----we will be devastated, but so will yours. Until the oue is known, I''m going to run away from you." *Twitch*, he saw Krische''s reaction. Gildansteinughed and looks at Salva next to him. "...... And you never know where the enemy is. While you are ying with me like that, Kreschenta will be killed. And that''s easy to do when it''s in the middle of the chaos." It was a bluff. But it was enough to make her uneasy. Krische''s brow wrinkled slightly. ----Krische-sama is undoubtedly a genius in battle. In that respect, it''s absolutely true, and she''s also like a young child. ----She''s a little weird, but she''s pure and kind, at least to those close to her ----I think she''s a frightening person. But I also know that she doesn''t like fighting or killing people. She''s just a pure person, and she''s doing it for the General and Selene-sama. If as Salva said, it was a monster that''s the same a child, there''s a way to manipte it. He spun his words. "This time, my objective was Bogan....and the control over the Dragon''s Maws." observe her expression. Don''t miss a single fluctuation of emotions. "If you retreat here, I will first try to stabilize this ce. Kristand''s army is excellent even if they lose Bogan. I also don''t think a pursuit by an exhausted army will go so well. But if I, themander, do note back, the soldiers will naturally move to excessive pursuit battles. ...... It''s a useless fight." ''This is a deal'', he continued. "The opportunity for a rematch wille. If you want my head, go for it. Unless you are a beast with nothing to lose." At least in this ce, with an opponent that he can''t win against, it won''t even be a match. What was in front of him was Bogan''s trump card. But if he put everything together----Salva''s words, the way she stood here, the way she looked the other day and look closely at her, she doesn''t seem to be emotionless. He remembered the way she smiled at the servant in the royal estate. She doesn''t find pleasure in killing. If so, she''s way too emotionless. She was simply performing her role with the same emotion as if she was squashing an annoying insect. Gildanstein, who has seen more of the human heart than anyone else, saw through the inner nature of Krische, the little girl in front of him "...Krische doesn''t understand why His Royal Highness is so concerned about Krische. Is it so scary to be killed?" Her inorganic eyes shook quietly, lighting up with a glow of emotion. Gildansteinughed. "......I just finished a duel between Bogan, a warrior. I don''t want you, someone who is not a warrior, to dampen my mood." He meant what he said. "If we fight, you will win. I will not deny that. Even so, if you are the one, I should bet my life on to challenge, I think that would be fine, but... I want a warrior''s fight, and you''re not." Then Guildenstein continues, as if pitying her. "...you are not standing here because you want to, are you?" A child who is merely as young as she looks----or even younger than she looks like. Contrary to her abilities, she is distorted, this girl. He could see the hesitation in Krische''s eyes. "There is a manner of fighting. If you break it, all that remains is the chaos of blood-drunk beasts feeding on each other. If that happens, no one will be able to stop them. If that''s what you want, I''ll go along with you. But----" ----In that case, all that you have will be swept along. Krische thought of Gildanstein''s words. She should kill him without even the need to think about it. Even if the man in front of her did as he said and ran away, and all the men around him got in her way, she could find him in a few hours and kill him. Seventy or eighty percent----the odds were not bad. If it worked, the war would be over, at that point it didn''t matter even if it''s not a sure thing. If so, there was only one option to choose---- "......Well, what are you going to do?" ----a few days ago, she would have thought so. No doubts, no worries. But there was a sense of uneasiness swimming inside Krische. She wondered if Selene will be okay while she was doing this. Maybe Selene would be fine under normal circumstances. But now that Bogan had copsed, she didn''t know. What about Kreschenta? If this man''s words were true, then Bery too. ''And you never know where the enemy is. While you are ying with me like that, Kreschenta will be killed. And that''s easy to do when it''s in the middle of the chaos.'' With a single word, Krische''sposure was shattered. The thought of Grace, whom she couldn''t reach, shed through her mind. She was just a little bit out of reach. Still, she was dead. The more she thinks about it, the more she felt sick inside. Wanting, not the right decision, but relief. Her swaying eyes searched for something that is not there. Before she knew it, Krische was no longer a perfect existence. "...Someday Krische will kill you." Krische dropped the longsword in her hand and grabs Bogan''s sword. And just like that, she jumped down the cliff. As she descended, she checks for the First Corps. Aside from the support of the Fourth Corps, there was a figure of Selene pulling out the soldiers. She''s relieved to see Selene giving out instructions, and judged that there is no danger in the situation. Dagra was doing well and had finished the rendezvous with the light infantry and the Second Corps. There were quite a few injured people, but the number of those who couldn''t move was too small to count. "Krische-sama!" "......Corps Commander Agrand." Kolkis was out on the front lines. He wields a war spear made entirely of steel, mows down enemy soldiers, and looks at Krischewith bloodshot eyes. Bogan was in----the anger at the words was streaming down his face. "... There is no head of His Royal Highness. Gotoushu-sama''s sword." Kolkis, who saw Bogan''s sword, closed his eyes slightly and received it. "I''m grateful for that alone. Krische jumped up and lifted the morale of the soldiers." After saying that, Kolkis howled to the heavens like a beast. "Look here, all of you! Our Genearl''s sword----our hero Krische Chrishtand has brought it back!" Kolkis thrusts the sword into the heavens----the soldiers, who saw it, let out a shout of joy. Everyone realizes that they have lost the battle. But if they give up now, they will bepletely defeated. To fool themselves and inspire themselves, the soldiers shouted. "Gildanstein cowardly fled in front of the hero, this Christand throwing away the sword of the Hero! What will he do without a courage!! Don''t run away, the sword is here----We are the shield of the hero Christand!" Krische frowns at the loudness of his voice but decides that the Second Corps is not a problem. The soldiers are of high quality and their basic morale are high. Each of the soldiers following the warrior Kolkis were all excellent soldier. "...Krische-sama please stand down we will handle the rear." Kolki''s face was filled with a rage that he could not hide. Krische told him that there will cause unnecessary damage if we continue like this. "......I will arrange for you to be reced by the Third Corps. The second corps is essential if we are to think about the next step. We want to leave as many troops as possible. Retreat to the narrow area while maintaining the line of battle." He wanted only to surrender himself to the pleasure of killing. Despite his dissatisfaction and anger, Kolkis remained calm as a corpsmander. He nodded as he let out his anger along with a sigh at Krische words. "...I understand. Until the timees, this humiliation" "Yes. Then, Krische leaves it to you." Krische said, then she ran to Dagra. She slips through the gaps of enemy soldiers, tearing their flesh. Calmly, as if to suppress her impatient feelings. She shed some more, runs, and danced to the ck Century. "Adjutant Corps Commander" Mia shouted to Krische, who has passed the enemy in surprise. "What''s the situation?" "Y-yes ma''am, the light infantry is retreating first! Currently, 80%----" "The Second Corps will take the rear. Keep withdrawing the troops as is. ------Tagel" She found Captain Tagel nearby and called out to him. His left arm was injured, and he was making a frown. "If you can move, we will gradually withdraw with your unit first." "I-I''m still---" "I''ll have you move a lotter. No questions." Tagel nodded his head in understanding, biting his teeth in frustration, and sent instructions to the second through tenth squads he was leading. "Mia, your team will go with you. Where are Bald Eagle and Corinth?" "Left nk to support the Red''s retreat." As soon as Mia said it, Krische started running, and Mia raised her voice and called out to the four others. Most of the enemies were ready to retreat. They know that these soldiers in ck armor are no ordinary opponents. Among them, the soldiers who showed a fighting spirit and raised their voices were immediately followed by the silver color, which ended their lives. It was a waste of time and effort. Krische only feels her difort growing. Fearful of her, the waves of people naturally parted------Mia and the others who followed were like running through an uninhabited field. They did not even swing their swords. "Bald Eagle" Like that, she cut through the battle lines and jumped in front of Dagra, who was escorting the light infantry with Corinth. "Adjutant Corpsmander, you''re safe------" "Retreat quickly. I have instructed Tagel. The Second Corps will serve as the rear. Fortunately, their morale is high, so you can rely on them." She told him there was no time to spare. Dagra, noticing her haste, only raised his voice in reply. "Krische orders this Century and Selene''s light infantry to rest in the backline until the withdrawal of all troops ispleted. Krische will use it for support after the withdrawal of the Second Corps, so please rest." Dagra, who saluted, immediately gave out the order. The movement of the Century that responded was also agile. In the course of this one-hour battle, the Century had been stripped of its naivete. Seeing that, Krische looked at the state of the enemy soldiers. She recognized that the enemy was frightened of her and called out. "...Krische and the other will withdraw their troops. If you don''t want to fight, that''s fine. However, Krische will kill anyone who takes even one step forward from now." There were those who moved with those words. It was only a shaking of the trembling legs from fear of those words. It was Kahlua who moved faster than anyone else. She stepped forward and swung her long sword to the side. She slides the tip of his sword over the neck of the enemy moved and made a rain of blood. "... you cane over, I wee it." The women''s eyes, intoxicated by the blood, were moist and she smiled. Kalua, with all screws loose, ispletely immersed in the joy of murder. With the exception of Krische, Kalua has killed more enemies than anyone else in this Century. The courage of the soldiers present was now faltering, and they began to back away. A herd of sheep where only the heroes who acted as instigators were killed, meticulously and relentlessly. With the wolves in front of they had no choice but to cower. Krische saw this and turned around. "Mia, Krische leave it to you." "Y-yes ma''am... where will Adjutant Corps Commander going?" Mia, who had woken up from her madness, and was frightened by the appearance of her friend asked. "... Krischewill check the main camp first. There will be no problem with the withdrawal of the troops." As soon as she said that Krische started running. She finished what she had to do. She passed Dagra and slipped through the gap. Difort in her chest. She felt her anxiety grow stronger, and she realized that she had be a coward. The main camp is fortified. Bogan was lured out and killed------so Bery and the others should be fine. That''s what she tried to tell herself. ------Really? However, anxiety swirled. It''s a situation where Bogan, who should have been at the back, is killed. Maybe, just maybe. She couldn''t feel safe without checking. The soldiers seemed to be a hindrance, she leaped and keep moving forward, using the cliff as a foothold. Anxiety crawled inside her, and it rushes through her body. Maybe the worst situation is unfolding right now. Maybe she would have made it if she had just thrown everything away and gone back. Maybe she won''t make it in time anymore------ Reaching the main camp with her cloak pping, she immediately went to the tent in the center of the camp. Out of breath, she jumped into the tent. The people inside stood up and drew their swords in rm at the intruder and were surprised to see Krishe entering the tent. Krische didn''t care about their stare. She spotted Bery in a ck-and-white apron dress and immediately embraced her. "K-Krische-sama..." "......Thank, goodness." She wore a blood-soaked cloak. She pressed her face against Bery''s chest, not caring that the white apron dress was stained by it. Her breathing is erratic, and her body is sweaty, but I still hug her to feel the touch and check her warmth. Her heart was beating painfully. And a chill ran down her spine. She thought she had gone insane. "Krische-sama..." The warmth of her body, the soft touch of her breasts. A gentle voice. Even so, to calmed down her body, which had been helplessly trembling, she just keeps hugging her seeking reassurance like a child. Bery was surprised, but she quietly held Krische''s trembling body without caring about getting the apron dirty. Chapter 58: Lamentation Chapter 58: Lamentation ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 58 Lamentation*** "......I''m fine." Her shoulders were shaking weakly, and her hands were clinging. Those in the tent were surprised and confused at Krische''s appearance and looked at each other without saying anything. Her fragile figure, to most people who know how she usually is, was truly a surprising sight. She looked like a frightened child. It was Kreschenta who timidly called out to her. "O-onee-sama... um, the Count..." "Yes, ...to confirm it, Krische..." Bery looked at Krische''s face. "Krische-sama, are you hurt?" "...No....Ah" That''s when Krische finally realized what she was wearing and hurried separate from Bery. Bery''s white apron was stained bright red with the blood that had drenched Krische. Krische eyes shook, and she mumbled an apology. Bery hugged her body and said, "It''s okay." She understood why she hade all the way back by looking at her. She must have heard about Bogan and feared for her and Kreschenta''s safety. She just stroked her and looked at her bloody figure sadly. She didn''t mind the blood staining her clothes and hands. She didn''t even think it was dirty. She continued to do so for a while to calm her down and wipe the blood stain from her cheek. Krische''s body rxed a little, and her breathing calmed down. Gallen, who saw the situation, looked at Bery. A bitter expression appeared on Gallen''s face, and Bery hesitantly asked Krische. "Krische-sama, have you calmed down a bit?" The same thinges over Bery''s face as Gallen''s. This girl was not just an ordinary girl, as Bery hoped and wished, but a warrior andmander who was willing to take lives in order to win the battle. At least Bery understood that in this situation, there was no time to justfort and coddle her. Krische nodded quietly, and Bery bit his lip and clenched his fist tightly. The main camp was also in turmoil. Bogan was being treated at the foot of Mirskronia mountain. The reason he had not been brought here was that he was too badly injured to be moved. He had lost so much blood that it would not be surprising if his heart stopped at any moment. "Krische, please tell me the situation, staying like that is fine." "Yes." Feeling her body rxed with relief, she exined the situation on the front line to Gallen. Selene corps waspleting its retreat into the mountains, and the Fourth Corps was acting as its cover. The rearguard was the Second and Fourth corps, and at least the retreat was proceeding without major disruption. Krische told only the bare essential information. "As expected, it seems we have to abandon this ce." "Depending on the situation in Mirskronia, Krische thinks it would be better to let the Third Corps take a rest while it still can. After leaving the Dragon''s Maw, we will deploy the Third Corps to the front and retreat from here." "We have no choice but to do that, huh? Bogan''s situation is not optimistic, as far as I heard. ------I hate to break it to you, but we have no choice but to assume that aeback is not possible." "I see." Krische nodded as she epted Gallen''s words as they were. The people around him were also clenching their teeth in frustration. There was too much blood. He was still breathing slightly, but considering the amount of blood he had lost, it was now only a matter of time. Gallen clenched his fists so hard that they bled. "The confirmed traitors are Salva Calgera and Gran Agrand; there are probably several people around them, but we can''t grasp the situation." "Adjutant Calgera was found at the side of His Royal Highness. Krische could not kill His Royal Highness, nor adjutant Calguera." Krische''s eyes were downcast, and Gallen shook his head. "Don''t overdo it. Krische, you have already done more than enough." "..." "Gran also disappeared after he summoned Bogan. I would love to find him, but I don''t think it''s possible. The situation is bad." Gallen said, his tone abhorrent. "I will continue to act asmander and proceed with preparations for the withdrawal of the main camp. Sorry, Krische." "Yes, Grandpa. Krische will go to Selene as it is. Krische thinks it would be better for Krische to take over the First Corps." "I will leave it to you." Gallen bowed his head. Krische replied, ''No,'' and after a short pause, she said. "It might be better to use some of the soldiers in the main camp to support the retreat of the Second Corps. The morale of the Second Corps is currently high, but it won''tst long." "Okay. I''ll think about it." "Yes. Krische will continue to head to Bernaich." "But... Krische-sama, you should take some rest. You''ve been running all the way, haven''t you?" Bery looked down at Krische with concern. Krische smiled happily and told her that she was fine. "KrischeI feels a little relieved, so Krische is fine." After she said that, Krische reluctantly let go of Bery''s body. When Kreschenta saw Krische, she trembled. Seeing Kreschenta''s gaze sway from side to side and the sword by her side, probably for self-defense, Krische approached and spoke in a low voice. Because there were many people watching them. "Kreschenta, Krische leave Bery to you." "Yes, Onee-sama." "about Gotoushu-sama..." Krische searched for something to say to her, but she couldn''t. She couldn''t say it was not her fault. She also felt it was weird to say consoling words. However, Krische didn''t want to me Kreschenta for something Krische already forgave. And it was not just her fault alone. It was because Krische had not done well; that was what Krische thought. Even though she, herself, was standing on the battlefield, she let Bogan---- Krische cast down her eyes, paused for a moment, and told her. "No matter what kind of child Kreschenta is, Kreschenta is Krische''s little sister." Kreschcenta opened her eyes, and she nodded. She leaned over as she grabbed Krische''s blood-soaked cloak. "....Yes." Krische kissed her lightly on the forehead and turned around. "Commander, the Second Battalion haspleted the retreat. The Third battalion will maintain the status quo, attract the enemy, and support the Fourth Corps retreat." Selene just kept thinking. To distract herself. "The Third battalion is very tired. Tell them that we will send another support from here. Varga sent half of the Fourth Battalion as reinforcements. Please choose someone who can move." "Yes, ma''am! 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 9th divisions, you guys will be supporting the withdrawal of the Fourth Corps. You guys had an easy so far; now it''s time to show off your strength!" The Centurion that was called stepped forward and formed a line. "I''ll take control of this ce. Varga, you go too. Take your adjutant with you." "But--" "It''s okay, I''m fine. It''s best if we could minimize the damage." Selene forced a smile on her face, and Varga saluted. On the mountainside on the Guildenstein side, the Fourth Corps was acting as the shield. However, it was not possible to let only the excellent Fourth Corps take the brunt of the damage and wear them out. She would need to disperse and calcte the damage calmly. And the damage was the death of the soldiers who followed her. Selene is now ordering her men to die for theirrades. Her headache was getting worse, and she felt nauseous. Still, she stood and did her duty. That was her role. "Selene." She heard a familiar voice, and at that moment, her face broke into a smile of relief. "Krische..." "Krische,e here to assist Selene. Umm......." Selene looked at Krische, whose gaze wavered uneasily, and shook her head. Krische looked a little lost. "I saw Krische going up the cliff. His Highness... it seems you couldn''t kill him." "Sorry." "It''s okay. I know you''re doing your best." Krische''s gaze shook even more at those words. She knew better than anyone that she wasn''t doing her best. Krische was scared, so she gave up. "The situation is?" "The enemy is concentrating their forces on the right wing and trying to break through. Not the Fourth Corps, but my side." The Fourth Corps was on the left wing, and the First Corps was on the right-wing cliff side. The enemy probably targeted the hastily created First Corps rather than the more powerful Fourth Corps because of the quality of its soldiers. "Right now, the Third battalion is handling the rear; I am sending Varga to assist with their withdrawal. The current situation ces a heavy burden on the Fourth Corps." "Is that so? Krische understand. Selene, please go back first." "Huh?" "It seems Gotoushu-sama is still alive. On Mirskronia''s side. Krische will handle the rest." Selene stiffened, and her eyes teared. She was at her limit. "Ok. I leave this ce to you, Krische." "No." The moment she said it, she was already running. Selene ran through the forest and down the mountain. She didn''t care if her cheek was bruised by a leaf or a branch. The pain was a small one, but it was a pain that held her back from her emotions and kept her in touch with reality. She runs past the main camp and heads toward Mirskronia. Soldiers watched Selene running at full speed, some biting their lips in frustration, others bursting into tears. Seeing a soldier m his fist into the ground, Selene''s head was filled with an image that could be called definite. Don''t think about it now. It would affect morale. Many times during the run, she held back the tears that threatened to well up. She pushed down the emotions that made her want to abandon her and just ran. When she arrived at the Third Corps at Mirskronia, a cavalryman recognized her and immediately ran alongside her, leading her. She thought he was saying something, but Selene couldn''t hear it. "Father." In one of the tents, lying on the cot in the center, was arge man. Most of his muscr body was bandaged, and his right arm was missing. The bandages were still soaked with blood and stained red. "Selene-sama. Right now, somehow, the General managed to stay alive, but--" The military doctor squeezed out his voice and told her. Sweat dripped from the tip of her nose, and her body moved up and down as if to express her disturbed mind. Her hands were strongly gripping the bedsheets. She understand. She had imagined it too. As long as she was on the battlefield, this kind of thing couldn''t be avoided. Losing your life on the battlefield. As a soldier----as a noble, She knew it would be a proud death. That was what it meant to live as a warrior by the sword. The countless wounds on his body were those of a warrior. It was a medal for bravery. In that case, she had to send him off with pride. Lying before her was a true hero. It reminded her of the time she lost her mother. She was kind and cool. Her mother, whom she admired, was always smiling, and she had her smile even in her dying moments. Her father, who was also deeply saddened,forted Selene without shedding a tear. She, too, should have been like the two people she respected. As long as it was on the battlefield, it couldn''t be helped. And she was the one who was supposed to lead the troops. She was not allowed to let her emotions get the better of her. And yet-- "Ahh, f-father..." Unable to bear it, She burst into tears and choked back her sobs. She fell to her knees and clung to the bed, unable to hold back the overflowing tears. Her helmet rolled off. She wore elegant armor; however, at the same time, her back was small. Those who were watching looked at her with a sorrowful expression without being able to say a word. Selene Christand----the only daughter of the hero Bogan Christand. She was full of talent and a hard worker; she fulfilled her duties splendidly, no matter how much her small body had been burdened with. There was no one in Christand who did not know this. No one in Christand would scoff at the sight of such a weeping girl clinging to her father as weak-willed. She sobbed and shook her shoulders as if the tension in her body would break down. Even with her armor on, she was nothing more than a girl, and that girl had literally done everything in her power. She sobbed, and her shoulders shook as if the tension in her body would burst. Even with her armor on, she was nothing more than a girl, that girl had literally done everything in her power, and this was the result. Her efforts had been reduced to nothing by a despicable betrayal, and she had lost her father. Some turned their head away, some wept because it was much too cruel. The death of a respected hero, even if they understood, it was unbearable for them. Everyone was gripped by a sense of deep sadness, and rage seethed in their guts. Then how much grief the Hero''s daughter must have felt? They could not even find the words to express their grief. Nothing be moved; only sobs echoed in the tent. ----There was a hand that stroked Selene''s cheek. He had lost his right arm, and his remaining left hand tremblingly moved to gently wipe away the tears flowing down her beautiful cheek. "Fa-father...?" Selene turned her tear-stained face. Her beauty was like that of a child, and Bogan, who saw it, said nothing. He tried to say something, but the sound, without forming into words, was lost in the wind. Selene desperately grabbed his hand. A firm, hard hand. They were much bigger than Selene''s, and they were warm. Bogan only looked at Selene and smiled with his eyes. "Father..." A brave, masculine face. A beard that she hated when she was little because he would rub it on her cheeks. She used to be afraid of his face; it always looked angry. But it was the face of her father who was dearer to her more than anyone else. His thick arm trembled as he lifted it up and ced it on Selene''s head. Bogan''s eyes shook as if searching for words, then he firmly looked at her. ----I leave the rest to you. Slowly, without words. The lips moved. It was too short to be the name of his daughter, and it''s not ''I love you.'' But it was a very Bogan word in every way. The hand caressed her head, without words, conveyed the depth of his love and then lost its power. As if to show he was holding on to his life only to convey that. Selene stared at the loosely dangling hand. "No! Father, that''s...!" Selene clung to her father. Even though she realized that his heart was no longer beating. "Say something, anything, ...please...Father,......!" That is thest. Never again will his mouth open, Never again will he stroke her head. She couldn''t take it anymore and shouted as if she was screaming. The surrounding people saluted while distorting their faces, and one of them moved to her side. "Selene-sama, We will move the General. Pleasee with us, Selene-sama." Selene shook her head repeatedly as if she were a spoiled child. The man gave directions to the others, told them to prepare a covered carriage, and waited by her side until she calmed down. He made no attempt to rush her. When the carriage arrived and took her and Bogan inside of the carriage, Selene was still clinging to her father''s corpse. After seeing Selene off, Krische called out to Varga. "----Varga, support for the Third battalion retreat is canceled." "Huh?" He frowned, and a confused expression appeared on his bear-like face. "What does that----" "Message, Fourth Corps Commander Faren, stop supporting the retreat. And please instruct him to make way for the enemy on the right wing. We will lure him into a mobile defense stance and kill them." The Fourth Corps was deployed in the center of Bernaich''s left wing. The center of it shifted formation to support the withdrawal of the entire First Corps, acting as the shield. When weighed in terms of the quality of the troops, it was the Fourth Corps'' losses that should have been minimized. Normally, the Fourth Corps should have retreated first, but the Commander of the Fourth Corps, Eluga, was concerned about Selene''s mental state, so he took the role of guarding the rear himself. Eluga is tactful and has an excellent eye for tactics. It was not the best tactical solution, but still, he did so while knowing that. She was grateful that he did so. For Krische, even if it had been a million lives against Selene''s, it wouldn''t even be worth it to think about it. "Varga, we will use the Third Battalion on the right wing as bait. We will use the entire Fouth Battalion to advance toward the center near the right wing, and when the enemy bites into the 3rd Battalion, we will knock them off from the nk, down the cliff." The Fourth Corps had lost more than enough men. They could not afford to let the enemy cut them down their number any further, or else the enemy''s pursuit would not stop. A counterattack was essential. The Third Battalion would be the perfect decoy. Isting the right wing from the support of the 4th Corps in the center would inevitably put the 3rd Battalion in a tight spot. It was to create a vulnerable point deliberately. From the start, the enemy concentrates its attack on the right wing, Third 3rd Battalion. They would easily exceed the defense maintenance limits and try to break through. That was the aim. Unlike stationary defenses, which receive the enemy attack from the front and repel them back, mobile defenses intentionally open holes in the battle line, lure the enemy in and then devour them. Even birds soaring freely in the sky show an opening at the moment they aim for their prey. The bird would then be caught and devoured with a single blow. Although there is a high risk that one wrong move could result in aplete breakthrough and copse, there is also a great deal to be gained if it''s sessful. Krische emphasized efficiency to the end. "T-Then the damage to the Third Battalion will be" Varga grimaced. Krische''s order waspletely different from Selene''s order. She would abandon herrades, who had taken the rear, bing their shields, and use them as bait. That would be too outrageous, he thought, and implicitly urged her to reconsider. Commanders are expected to hold the lives in their hands as numbers and tactics are the very logic of mathematics. But in actual operations, each of those numbers was still a life. Each person offers their life to themander, and themander binds those lives together and makes them into a sword. It was an outrageous way to treat those who had the courage toe forward and offer themselves to take on the rear. "That''s much too cruel treatment for those who have offered to take care of the rear." He knew of Krische''s capability. But the battlefield is not just numbers. Logic and madness. Varga, who knows the world of the battlefield, a ce of sublime honor, red at her. "Krische judge that the overall loss of military strength will be less that way. Currently, the enemy''s morale is high, and if we don''t break it first, they will continue to cut down our military strength during the retreat. Krische feels bad for the Third battalion, but that''s their role." Varga''s gaze could even frighten the most experienced soldiers. However, Krische did not show any reaction to it and then told the messenger. "The Second Battalion is to fall back. However, please order them to carry the rations in the mountain ridge fortress to a remote location and hide them. Just carry as much as possible without overstraining it. Krische will use itter. Please instruct the Fifth Battalion to move forward a little more so that they can support the Third Battalion, which has retreated. Order the Third Battalion to abandon the current situation and to give priority to retreat above all else." The messenger hesitated slightly but then began to run as if scattering. By ordering the Third Battalion to abandon the current situation and retreat, the right wing would inevitably be pushed back. The enemy, aiming to break through, would jump in with joy. That was what she was aiming for. When she finished, she looked at Varga. "This is a situation where the enemy will chase down our forces if we retreat. Without counterattacks, the enemy''s morale will only get higher as they attacked us one-sidedly. But if we counterattack and make them abandon the pursuit, the Fourth Corps can safely retreat. And the veteran soldiers of the Fourth Corps should be emphasized in terms of current military strength." Then she approached and stared into the face of the man who was disbelieving and displeased with her. "----Varga, do you not understand?" Icy purple crystal eyes. Cold eyes as if it was a snake. Varga shook his head with a bitter look on his face. "No." "It''s logic that Selene could understand, of course. But Selene was a little confused. It''s no wonder she didn''t realize it. But you are now effectively the representative of the Adjutant, the recement for Krische. So, to minimize the danger to Selene, this is something you should have suggested to her." Difort crawled into her chest. Even though she could feel relieved, it still swirled around without disappearing. ''If only there were multiple Krische.'' If that were the case, Selene wouldn''t have been saddened. "Cruel? What are you talking about? A soldier''s role is to kill the enemy for a specific purpose. Do you think that your role is to put Selene in danger with your stupid logic?" She made Selene sad. Krische could not avenge Gotoushu-sama. The man in front of her was rebellious. Various diforts were mixed in within Krische. "If that''s the case, Krische will kill you right here. We don''t need a single ipetent person on Selene''s side. ----What''s your answer?" Krische''s right hand rested on the hilt of the curved sword at her waist. It was a threat. But she showed no hesitation in doing so. If he still showed defiance, she would cut off his head. All she had to do was to select one new person from among them who would listen to her without saying a word. Krische looked at Varga with cold eyes. "I didn''t misunderstand. I was wrong." Varga squeezed out a few words. Even this bear-like man was afraid of the girl in front of him. The girl was not as she appeared when she was with Selene; there were only inorganic eyes as if she were not the same person. "The only thing we need to do now is to retreat while maintaining our forces as much as possible. Any objections?" "Yes, ma''am. No." "We don''t have much time. All Krische asks of you is to understand it and act on it." "Understood." Krische cut his gaze from Varga and looked at the soldiers standing in line. The soldiers'' faces were also tense, and Krische frowned. She had heard about the poor quality of the soldiers. She knew a soldier''s skill level when she saw them. "The Fourth Battalion is not well-trained; Krische will apany them." "Yes ma''am. ----Fourth Battalion, I will change the previous instructions! We will now take all our troops andunch a counterattack against the enemy together with Adjutant Corps Commander. We will assemble immediately, move in line to the center, and knock down the enemy who is biting the Third Battalion down the cliff!" Varga suppressed all emotion and simply moved to fulfill the role Krische had asked him to y. He knew that Krische was abnormal. She sees and perceives her soldiers as numbers, with no empathy. Naturally, Varga did not have the same feelings toward her as he did for Selene, and all he had was his military duty. After that, half of the Third Battalion dead. The battalion adjutant was killed, and the battalionmander, Keith, was severely wounded with a broken arm and countless hemorrhages. This was the result of concentrated damage. The Third Battalion, which was ordered to retreat without any support, was targeted in the rear by the enemy as it retreated, and the enemy soldiers, drunk with victory and ted that they had broken through the enemy, swarmed around it. However, it was only a set-up, a trap using the 3rd Battalion as bait. They were caught up in the frenzy of the battle, and the beast took them by the throat from the nk. A surprise ambush from the nk. The result was so great that the Fourth Battalion''s counterattack caused the enemy to bleed nearly three times as much. The Cursed Child, Krische Christand, takes advantage of the forest''s cover and relentlessly reaps themander-level personnel. Bloodflowers bloomed and then disappeared, and the pursuing forces fell into a state of panic after losing theirmander. The hero who was encouraging his allies until just now had turned into a corpse before they knew it. The silvery hunter lurks in the darkness of the forest, only to reap the lives of heroes. The ambush and the monster----as a result of thebination of these two elements, the soldiers realized that they had been lured into the hunting ground and gradually stopped advancing, even throwing out their swords and turning their backs. As if in unison, the Fourth Corps rolled out their reserve force and calmly bit the fleeing enemy soldiers in the back. The pursuit battle that the Gildanstein troops were conducting in the mountains had suddenly turned into a retreating battle. The men who were drunk on victory are thrown into a hell of a scream. Gertz Wiring realized the disadvantage at the mountain from themander''s screeching report and decided to call off the pursuit. This formidable army led by a Hero would inflict even more blood loss on the enemy by counterattacking, even in a retreating battle. Gertz, who had a long military career, naturally knew this. Gertz, who thought they who had lost Their leader Bogan would lose their power, immediately changed his perception and immediately decided that it would be foolish to pursue in the mountains. Gertz''s decision that the Christand had not lost its power even without Bogan was indeed a wise one. What was unexpected, however, was that the frontline chain ofmand had suffered a more devastating blow than he had imagined. Orders were not being ryed to everyone, and the soldiers did not even know who was inmand. As a result, the damage on the Gildanstein side, including deaths, serious injuries, and deserters, amounted to nearly 4,000 casualties,pared to 1,500 losses for the Christand forces during the Bernaich''s retreat. However, there was little praise for Krische, who performed a perfect withdrawal battle. She killed more than anyone else, was bathed in blood, and never stopped. Scraping the flesh of the respected heroes around her, smashing their skulls, snapping their necks, and easily transforming into a mute mass of flesh, there was only a pool of blood at her feet. It was as if she was born out of that pool of blood. It was not a battle but mere carnage. She drove her enemies to the brink of copse without mercy. She ruthlessly hunted down the heads of those whose will fight had been broken as if to make an example of them. As if to instill fear even in those whose will to fight had beenpletely broken. She was dyed red and ck, dripping drops of blood and sweat. She killed more enemies than anyone else, but still, no one praised her as her hero. She leaned against a tree, breathing heavily, and no one appreciated her. The soldiers looked at her from a distance, only to fear her, while remembering what she was called. ----The Cursed Child, Krische. Chapter 59: Regret and Pacification Chapter 59: Regret and Pacification ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 59 Regret and Pacification*** The main camp was relocated a short distance from the Dragon''s Maws. Inside the main camp, there was a tent with only one bed inside it. Clinging to it was a little girl. Her golden hair was jolting slightly. "...Selene, uhh..." After finishing the retreat and instructing the ck Century for their next move, She visited Selene''s ce without eating or taking a break. Her body was heavy with fatigue. Still, she visited Selene first. "I''m sorry. Right now, please leave me alone." Her voice was trembling. It was not the usual dignified and powerful voice. Krische let her gaze wander. Bery had said it would be better to leave her alone for now. She said it would take time for Selene to calm down. Krische entered the tent, unsure of what to do. Bery didn''t stop her. She also didn''t know what to do. "Selene." Krische wanted to do something about it. Selene, who was always kind and loving to Krische, the Selene she loved. Right now, Selene is drowning in sadness Krische thought she needed to console her, she needed to do something for her. "Umm, Krische, when... Selene feels sad, Krische also feel sad." "Right now, please. Please, go outside." Krische''s purple eyes shook at those words. As if to suppress her anxiety, she put her hands in front of her chest. ''What if it stays like this forever.'' Such anxiety crawled around in her chest. Even to Krische, Bogan was a kind person. She knew that he took care of her as her parents did and cared for her in many ways. It''s a shame----sad. But she was partly responsible for Bogan''s death. She was the one who let him die, and Selene, who cared for Bogan more than anyone else, must have been sadder than Krische. It was reason enough to hate Krische, and that changed into her anxiety. Krische slowly approached, and Selene told her, ''don''te''. Just the fact that she said that to her was enough to make her feel anxious. "Umm... Krische, just wanted tofort Selene, the sadness, halfsies." "It''s fine, just get out now... I''m begging you." "Umm, do you, hate Krische, ......? Gotoushu-sama because of Krische" "That''s not it. I beg you, please shut up." She understood what Krische said. She also could understand how she felt. But she had no leeway to ept beingforted. She didn''t want Krische to see her miserable figure, crying and clinging to the cold body. She was worried about her. She knew why Krische didn''t leave, and she knew why she was here. But now it was just annoying and irritating. She wanted to just throw away everything, cry and scream like a child. Throw away her petty pride. But she couldn''t do that, so she just got frustrated. Krische didn''t understand. She knew that, but she couldn''t help herself. "Selene..." Krische moved closer. She moved to her side. Her body trembled, wanting her to stop. She was not in the mood; she didn''t have any leeway to afford it. Krische hand touched her armored shoulder. That was the limit. "Didn''t I tell you to stop!" "Aah!" She swung her arm and felt an unpleasant sensation on her hand. When she looked, she could see that Krische''s cheek was scratched by her gauntlet. "Sele...ne..." Krische''s eyes widened, and then they slowly blurred. Then, for the first time, she saw Krische figures. Her hair was a mess, sticking with sweat and blood. Her whole body was stained with blood. ----Krische, while she was doing this, she was fighting desperately. For no one else but her. Only noticing this after all this time, she hurriedly extended her hand. "Hgh..." Krische backed away as if frightened. The hand didn''t reach her. Krische stroked her red, cut cheeks and her doll-like face. Still as if to bear it, she kept her face down and shook her head. "Sorry." "Hgh, wait!" Krische left the tent and ran away. Selene looked on in dismay as she reached out her hands. Her vision distorted, and she hit the bed. "The hell you''re doing?!" Regret swept through her, so much so that she wanted to kill herself. She was so pathetic; she couldn''t help it. Venting your anger like that. "The worst" As she pressed her face against the bed, Selene''s shoulders shook. Bery saw Kricshe rush out of the tent and hugged her, and she regretted her decision, thinking that she should have stopped her. She saw a small scar on Krische''s cheek. Bery recognized it, and for a moment, she even felt angry, but then she suppressed it, thinking that there was no way that Selene would want to do that. But, the problem was Krische''s feelings. "...Selene hated Krische." "It''s okay. It''s impossible for Ojou-sama to hate Krische-sama." "But..." "It''s okay. After a while, Ojou-sama will calm down." Concerned about the surrounding eyes staring at them, wondering what was going on, Bery put her hand on Krische''s waist and took her inside the tent. She had neither eaten nor rested. She looked very tired. For the time being, she had to make her take a rest. "For now, let''s have a meal and get some rest." But Krische shook her head and separated from her. She lowered her eyes sadly and told Bery. "Krische has something to do." "Y-you can''t. Gallen-sama also asked Krische-sama to rest." "...Krische, don''t want Selene to hate Krische any more than this." She grabbed Bery''s apron and looked up at her. Eyes shaking with anxiety. It was the face of a frightened child. "We fought using Krische idea and lost... on the contrary, even Gotoushu-sama died. Krische, Selene had high hopes for Krische, but Krische didn''t live up to them at all." "Ojou-sama knew that Krische-sama is working hard." "Krische, didn''t do her best at all. Even though His Highness''s head is right in front of Krische, Krische got scared and came to the main camp... Krische, haven''t been able to do anything." "Krische-sama..." Krische tried to meet every expectation. She took living up to every expectation as only natural. She puts a lot of effort into everything----those are her strengths and weaknesses. What she asks of herself, is much too big for her. "...Still, please take a proper rest. I''ve heard from Gallen-sama to let you do that. In the first ce, didn''t Krische-sama juste back? If it''s just a little--" "... If Bery is worried about Krische, it''s okay. It''s an easy job. But it''s important, and it''s pointless if Krische doesn''t act quickly. There''s no time to rest..." "Krisch-sama, please, don''t be so stubborn. ...Please take some time to rest. Gotoushu-sama is gone and if something had happened to ...Krische-sama, I......." Krische may seem to be superhuman, but she is not superhuman. She knew that there are limits, she knew that she gets tired just like anyone else, and she knew that if she pushes herself too hard, she will copse. What would happen if that happened on the battlefield. Bery was worried. She is more serious than anyone else, and she is a person who did the impossible as if it''s only natural. Krische was confused by Bery''s uneasy expression, but she looked down and shook her head. "...Krische is fine, really. Bery doesn''t need to worry." Her will was firm. She was sure that the thing she needed to do was as important as she said, but she was also sure that Sellene was a big part of it. She have never seen Krische rejecting her own words so much, and Bery was at a loss as what to do. She just wanted her to rest andpose herself, if only for a moment. Then a voice called out to them. "A-adjutant Corps Commander" It was a woman''s voice. A girl with chestnut hair and a woman with ck ponytail hair. They were wearing matching ck leather armor. Krische raised her head and looked at them. "U-uh... themander said the preparation is finished. He told me when we will be, leaving, um..." Mia had been watching the situation from afar for a while, but she didn''t seem to break in easily. But Kalua was impatient with that she said to just call out to her and asks and get it over with, but she still had a sick feeling in her stomach wandering if the timing was too bad after all, the two of them was embracing each other. "...Then, we''ll leave right away." "K-Krische-sama," Krische walked away from Bery and told her she''s sorry. "...... Krische would like to at least do what she can for Selene. Krische will be fine." "But..." "Krische is very happy that Bery is worried about Krische. But it''s Krische''s job." Hearing those words, Bery lowered her eyes, and reached into her pocket. She took out a small bag of candies. She always carried it with her as a little sweetener, just in case Krische came back at any time. She approached Krische and ced it firmly in her hand. "... The same asst time. Please properly let me eat thest one." Krische looked at Bery and smiled "Yes. ...Krische will make sure Bery eats it properly." Bery reluctantly released Krische''s hand, which was wrapped with the gauntlet, and cupped her cheek. And just like that, she kissed her on the forehead. Bery closed her eyes for a moment and approached the two who were staring nkly at them. "... Krische-sama, I entrust her to the two of you. It might be wrong of me to ask this of you two who are fighting and risking your lives something like this." "No, no, entrusted it to us." Kahlua looks sideways at Mia, wondering isn''t her words bing weird. And as she stepped forward, Kalua smiled like ady as her appearance suggested. "Leave it to us. The Adjutant Corps Commander is our respectable superior and also our princess....We''ll fulfill our duty and promise to return together." "......Thank you very much. I am more than happy to hear you say that." Bery bowed deeply. It was a beautiful bow. The soldiers were not unaware of the fact that she was a noblewoman of legitimate nobility, a fact that was rumored among them. The two of them froze for a moment when she bowed to them, and then immediately saluted as if in a hurry. Krische looked at them and said, ''Well then'', to Bery. "Yes. ......I''m looking forward to seeing Krische-sama returns." "....yes." Krische turned away and the two followed after her. Bery saw them off until she can no longer see them, then turns away and headed for Selene''s tent. And then, under the cloth---- "Ojou-sama.... excuse me." "...Bery" Selene was crying as she crumpled the sheets and clutched at Bogan. Bery casted down her eyes and sighed quietly. "I''ve, done a terrible thing, to Krische......." "Please apologize to her when she returns." Bery approached and crouched down beside Selene, stroking her cheek. "When she reurtns, you mean" "She''s going to lead the Century, probably straight to the twin mountains...... probably to prevent pursuit." "Wait, that chils, is she not resting at all...." "...... she didn''t listen to me when I stopped her." "....No way." Bery looked at Selene''s tear-stained face and told her. "I don''t me Ojou-sama ....... You understand the reason, without me needing to exin it to Ojou-sama right.". "Ugh..." "I won''t say lightly that I understand Ojou-sama feelings. For Ojou-sama grief is yours alone." After saying those words, she took Selene''s head in her arms and stroked it. "But one day you have to move on from your grief. ...... As I did when I lost Nee-sama, Ojou-sama must one day step away and look ahead." "Bery..." "For that reason, please cry as much as you want today. ......The sad feelings will flow along the tears, and eventually dried up." Selene pressed her face against her and nodded. Warmth seeped through her apron, and Bery turned to look at the lying Bogan. "... Gotoushu chose Nee-sama, who I respected more than anyone else, was a splendid Noble. Serious, proud, self-disciplined... just like Selene-sama." "No, I''m not, at all..." "It''s simr.... When my sister passed away, he was quietly crying alone in his room. And said ''could you leave me alone for a while'' Fufu, even that. Both of you is really simr." Bery lowered her eyes and kissed Selene''s head. "Everyone feels that way. There''s no shame in that." "... but, Krische, I" "... I won''t me Ojou-sama. But I won''t forgive Ojou-sama either. Please be sure to properly apologize." Bery hugged Selene tightly. "Until recently, I thought she had a very strong heart. But the truth is, I just didn''t know how sensitive and timid she is. She is as honest and vulnerable as a child." Selene nodded. Bery continued, slowlybing Selene''s slightly damaged hair with her hand. "......Ojou-sama, even if you force yourself, you are still a small child. Having a small misunderstanding and a fights. Nothing is irreversible." "...Unn" "So please don''t worry. If Ojou-sama apologizes properly, I''m sure Krische-sama will be a kissing maniac, she will kiss Ojou-sama a lot." "... that''s troublesome." "But you don''t hate it, do you? Honesty is important. Oh, but if I said something like this, Ojou-sama might end up bing my rival in love." With a chuckle Bery shook her shoulders and narrows her eyes. "Nee-sama said that the way Ojou-sama stretched herself was really cute. It seems that Gotoushu-sama also sees his past in Ojou-sama. ......But Gotoushu-sama was prouder of Ojou-sama than anything else. He evenughed and said, she''s simr even in ce he didn''t want you to." Bery smiled and closed her eyes. "I think so too. Ojou-sama who has stretched herself as hard as she can is dignified and cool, and looked Nee-sama and Gotoushu-sama." Bery also had many memories. Memories of two people who shine forever. Selene was the crystalization of that. "...The funeral will be held at the fortress tomorrow. Don''t stretch yourself for that today, take a rest. Stand there the way Ojou-sama wants to be, in the form Ojou-sama wants to." Embracing the memories of the two people she respect and love. She kept her eyes closed as if to not blur it. "Until then, I''ll be right here." Bery whispered. Chapter 60: A Small Rebellion Chapter 60: A Small Rebellion ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 60 A Small Rebellion*** One week after the decisive battle. Gildanstein had defeated the Hero Christand and obtained the strategic point------The Dragon''s Maw. By sealing off this ce, Christand''s invasion of the royal city bes impossible. The Christand had lost their only route of invasion, and the great honors promised to His Highness Royal Prince''s soldiers were just around the corner------ or at least that was how it was supposed to be. Not even throwing a victory banquet, the faces of the soldiers were gloomy. Huddled together, not one of them wanted to act alone. ----Screams that echoed every night. Everyone felt a shiver down their spine at the sound of it echoing from all over the Bernaich mountains. The day after the battle, heavy rain fell, and the fires in Mirskronia didn''t spread. Although there were some remaining embers, they were extinguished within a few days, and restoration work was underway to rebuild the fortress on the burned-out mountain ridge. The same was true on the Bernaich side. They were supposed to hunt down the remnants hidden in the mountains and restore the fortress on the mountain ridge to stabilize the situation. However, this had not yet beenpleted. In the dark forest----in the silence, a beast lurked. The young man, Captain Bergra, climbed the mountain while ring at his left and right, being on excessive caution. He was one of the soldiers mobilized in a hurry and was promoted to corporal after achieving results on the first day. Then, as luck would have it, he killed an enemy centurion the other day, and as their side also lost a centurion, he was promoted to captain. He was one of the most promising soldiers. He was now leading his troop to the top of the mountain. Two battalions were used for a mountain hunt in Bernaich, which was further divided into five. Four centuries made up one group. It was an unimaginably strict system, but even so, they couldn''t let their guard down on this cursed mountain. Bergra spat out a spit sticking to his throat, thinking that his luck had run out for him toe here. ----Hunting the remnants. Yes, they were here to hunt the remnants. They were not in a position to be hunted. The Christand army had pulled back to Fort Belgash. He had heard that they were the ones who were damaged in the pursuit battle. Therefore, first, they would make sure that they had the Dragon''s Maw under control, and after that, they would send out arger force than the Christand''s to defeat it. It seemed that the top had decided on such a n, and ording to this n, the Dragon''s Maw needed to be suppressed first. Gildanstein returned to Royal Capital ahead of the others and moved to control the royal nobility. Themander who had been entrusted to take his ce was Gretz Wiring; although he had no brilliant achievements to his credit, he was a skilled general. Almost all of Christand army had already retreated to Fort Belgash, and there should have been nothing to be worried about in the Dragon''s Maw. But a demon lurked in Bernaich. There was no one who didn''t know who the demon was. The cursed child----the headhunter Krische. It was a monster that took the form of a little girl with silver hair. Leading a squad of Century d in ck armor, she lurked in the mountain like a reaper. The mountain ridge fortress was burned again, and the corpsmander and his adjutant, who hade to inspect it, were killed. And the military engineers who came to restore it were all killed. The general took this very seriously and ordered arge-scale mountain hunt to be carried out----but as a result, seven centuries were destroyed. This was the thirdrge-scale mountain hunt. The first time, the first priority was to find the enemy, and the search was conducted independently by each century. However, the isted centurions were crushed one by one, and one battalionmander lost his life in the process. The second time, the century wasbined into two units to stabilize the search. The result was the same; two centuries were easily crushed by the reaper. The third time was done half desperately. Four centurions were operated in a way that they could be interlinked. The two battalions formed 5 four century units, which kept pace with each other and climbed the mountain at the same time to confirm the safety of the other side. Just in case, two battalions were also attached to the engineers who went to rebuild the fort. This time they approached with the stance to go overboard with it. Otherwise, no one would want to climb the mountain. All survivors from Bernaich were going insane with fear. Most of the survivors were so frightened that they were useless as soldiers, and this also spread to the other soldiers. Fear of the unknown was like that. It was only a hundred men. However, the century was said to be a group of monsters that jumped around using the trees as their footholds. There were even deserters from the group that was to go to Bernaich. The soldiers who had been fighting in the center the other day said that they had seen them up close, led by the cursed child, and pleaded not to go to Bernaich. Even the heroic century was hesitant about the situation and repeatedly told their superiors that they had to be careful, and the general, Gretz, who saw the gravity of the situation, resorted to what could be called a violent measure. A simple human wave tactic. Yesterday, all the soldiers were taken out of Bernaich and given a full day''s rest. The only thing that had been confirmed was the century led by the monster, and if they were alone, they should have reached their limits by now, so they deliberately gave them time to escape. Gretz did not know of any other unit that could operate so well in the mountains. On top of that, the century only had 100 people. Considering their ability to descend even on cliffs, it would be easy for them to escape even if they were to hunt the mountain with all their strength. It would be extremely difficult to defeat the enemy, and the strategic n of ''stabilizing the Dragon''s Maw'' itself would be dyed by the decision to pursue the enemy. In all probability, the monster had returned to its nest by the end ofst night. The reason for the deployment of such arge number of personnel was rather to relieve the anxiety of the soldiers climbing up Bernaich. However, the uneasiness still remained, and it did not leave the soldiers'' hearts. Bergra, likewise, thought going to this mountain was a short straw. The corpsmander did not even go into the mountains, leavingmand to his battalionmander for fear of being killed. They were like canaries being thrown into a mine shaft. They needed to risk their lives to make sure of their safety. Even though it was now daytime, They could not be relieved. There had been several instances of attacks during the day. The attacks were not limited to night. "Bergra, don''t be too nervous, Just keep your head up." "Cmander..." "If you look like that, it will affect the morale of your subordinates." Centurion Arondughed and tapped him on the shoulder. An old man with deep wrinkles. If he had been walking by the roadside, no one would guess that he was a centurion. However, Around was a veteran soldier with over 30 years of military service. There was depth in his hoarse voice and Bergra nodded. "I know... but I can''t just calm down." "Don''t worry; they must have escaped yesterday. And even if there were any left, this time, it''s thebined unit of four centuries. No matter how skilled they are, there are only a few enemies. Even if they see us, they won''t attack." "Well...that''s true." Bergraughed. Certainly, there''s no way anyone would do such a stupid thing. ''I''m sorry,'' Bergra bowed lightly, and Arondughed, ''You''re still a greenhorn, huh''. "You''re a captain; you should be confident. And the soldiers will learn from that. That''s why----a, gh...hg" ----The wind blew. Arond''s head tilted in a strange direction as silver flickered in front of him. His neck was cut from the middle, and a great deal of reddish-ck liquid spewed out. Not knowing what had happened, he froze, and bathed in the warm liquid. He heard a scream. He looked around and saw that he was surrounded by bodies with ripped necks before he knew it. And it was increasing in the blink of an eye. He saw a silvery shadow that swayed like two tails. A ck cloak. The purple eyes saw him, and Bergra screamed and fell on his buttocks. Arond''s body covered Bergra''s, and the confused Bergra shook both of his arms and legs frantically. Fresh flesh peeks out from the cleanly torn section, and blood gushed out. He finally realized btedly that what he himself had been drenched in was Arond''s blood. The purple eyes shifted right next to him as if they had lost interest. "C-captain, Ene----m,y" Silver color passed. The corporal''s head rolled off as he was about to call out to Bergra. He stretched out his hand as if he were about to run towards him and fell down. Screams were heard again from another direction. A ck-painted soldier appeared out of nowhere, thrusting their sword at hisrades. He couldn''t even count how many were there. He had lost hisposure. "Hiee----!" As if crawling, he turned his back and went down the mountain. He was incontinent. He was not even aware that he had soiled his pants with blood and urine. He fell, smashed himself against trees and rocks, and still ran. Behind Bergra, who was running away, he heard the screams of hisrade. It didn''t matter. The fear of being killed was the only thing that kept him running. "Oi! What happened? Where''s Arond!?" He ran away without looking back, and found another century. He clung on to the centurion----a man he recognized. "E-e-enemy''s attack....hgh!" "Tch, so theye, a, gha...?" Themander''s vigorous eye----before he knew it, a knife had grown out of his eyeball. And in the next instant, his neck was ripped open. Bergra caught the sight of blood oozing from the pink cross-section. A new flower of blood was blooming before his eyes as the silver hair danced. As if whirling, as if dancing. The men crumbled like puppets with broken strings. Everyone had their necks wide open, like big mouths. The fear had gone beyond its limits. It made reason vanish from the Bergra head, rendering him unconscious and plunging him into darkness. When he next awoke, the man was no longer a soldier. The vision of a neck splitting open before his eyes would never leave Bergra mind for the rest of his life. She wobbled, putting her hand against the wood, and coughed. Her beautiful, willowy eyebrows contort, and her brow wrinkled. "...Adjutant Corps Commander" "I''m fine..." Krische leaned against a tree while coughing and sat down as if she was sliding down. Dagra frowned when he saw that. He could see that she had a fever, and her eyes were somewhat vacant and shaky. For the past week, they had been conducting raids day and night, and Krische was always in the lead, cutting into the enemy ranks. As for her, she had not even taken a proper rest. She threw out her curved sword without sheathing it, moistened her throat with a canteen, and coughed. The thick, machete-like curved sword----the de of which had been beautiful was now dull and had even lost its luster. The century had taken a rest. More often than not, only half of them were mobilized in a raid rather than a full force, just like this time. For her part, she ran around in the mountains, probing the enemy''s situation and keeping a watchful eye to prevent them from discovering their position. The results were tremendous. It was safe to say that she was achieving results that were unthinkable for this number of people. However, the burden was too much for Krische, and the limit is visible. "...The losses?" "Begil and Zarka are wounded, no deaths. The number ofbat-ready personnel is now 68." Wounds that were minor enough not to hinder movement were not included here. There was no one here who was not slightly wounded. Even Krische''s shoulder was injured when she hit a tree while running away. He knew that both of her hands, inside the gauntlet, were covered with countless blood blisters and bandages. Soldiers who are having difficulty fighting are being sent back toward the fort, with two who can move for each one who can''t. Those that were not expected to return or were considered dead numbered about six. Since the battle was limited to a surprise attack and the duration of the battle was set short, the damage was surprisingly low. "----This much should be enough. We''ve already bought enough time. The enemy won''t be able to move for a while." "There are still 68 people; we should be able to operate for another three days. ....The provision is also sufficient." The rations carried by the Second Battalion were dispersed and used to keep the troops fed. Hardtacks, honey, and the like----that''s the only thing that can''t start a fire, and most of the rest was stolen from the enemy. Krische removed her cuirass and pulled out a small bag from inside her cloak, which she wears around her neck with great care. She checked the small bag, which contained candy, and squinted to make sure it was clean. "...Looking at yesterday''s retreat, Krische feels that the harassment has been quite sessful. At the very least, Krische wants to get rid of the fort''s military engineer once more..." She suppressed her trembling body and lets out a small cough. Dagra was concerned about Krische''s body. "I understand. But... above all, Krische-sama, your body is at its limit." Dagra didn''t say her official position. Dagra looked at her no longer as a soldier but as a master to serve. "And Selene-sama gave you the order to return the other day." Krische shoulders jumped. "...Krische is fine." Then she closed her eyelids. The reflection of Selene weeping over Bogan''s body. She knew Selene would be sad. But she was grieving more than she could have imagined. Krische couldn''t do anything about it. Krische hit her own cheek. She might have hated Krische, she thought. Regret swirled around in her chest, making her feel sick. "Krische should have killed him." Why didn''t she just kill Gildanstein at that time? Then she might have been able tofort her. That she properly avenged him. But Krische got scared and ran away, so she didn''t avenge him. It was a hopelessly stupid move. "... Selene''s expectations, Krische, didn''t meet them at all.... the worst." "That''s not true. Enough... no, you''ve met Selene-sama''s expectations more than enough." "Krische does not want Selene to think ...... that Krische is useless." At first, Krische exined to Dagra and the others that it was for the purpose of rebuilding the army and preventing the pursuit. That it was an essential job for the military, and that was why it couldn''t be helped if she overdid it. But maybe she couldn''t even keep up the pretense anymore. Lately, she''s kept saying Selene''s name. As if saying it to herself. In front of him was not a monster or anything like that, but just a helpless young girl. Her purple eyes flickered anxiously and sadly, only to sink into self-doubt. Dried blood stuck to her hair, and her breathing was somewhat shallow. "...For now, please take some rest." The soldiers around her also looked at her with sorrow. It was harsh even for them----the battle continued to the extent that they even felt that. There were also casualties. However, the reason why there were no outspokenints was that the girl in front of them always went above and beyond. She was faithful to a fault and did her part. When they were in the throes of exhaustion, she cut through the enemy alone. While she was monotonously cutting off countless heads, she was also attentive to the troops'' movement. There were many people who were saved by her. If you are afraid of getting yourrade killed, kill the enemies who targeted yourrade before they kill. She was true to her word and practiced it more than anyone else. She doesn''t want to reduce theirbat capacity. It was only that that was on Krische''s mind, not out of camaraderie. But the facts of her actions were there, and no one held malice towards her. They could tell just by looking at her that she was at her limit, and it was getting worse day by day. Yet the girl still held the will to fight. Why did she fight so hard? Whatever the reason, her loyalty to her duty is worthy of respect. "...we will raid the fort after the sun goes down. Krische is on reconnaissance." With that, Krische stood up, wobbled, and fell to the ground. It was Kalua who immediately supported her. "ah......" "Ahg, damn it! Throwing a tantrum like a child, it''s not the time to talk about the attack, you know." "K-Kalua...!" Kahlua scratched her head. She hadn''t even been able to bathe properly, and her head itched. Mia raised her voice in a panic, but Kahlua stops her with her hand. "U-umm...?" Krische looked at Kahlua with confused eyes, and Kahlua looked at Krische as if to re at her. "If you really want to do it, I''ll take some scouts along with me. Usa-chan, get some sleep." "That----" Kahlua put her hand on Krische''s forehead and frowned. The fever was so high that it was strange to be able to even move. She knew that, in theory, no matter how tired their body was, they could still move it by manipting the magic power, but she was exasperated. Her body trembled slightly. "This and that, it''s better than Usa-chan, who has a fever, right? Ugh, what was it, something somethingmander? Ah right, temporary actingmander." Kalua announced irritably while looking at Dagra, and Dagra, who was dumbfounded, nodded. "... I judged that themander is not in a condition to make a normal judgment. Do the two captains agree?" "Yes, sir. We''re of the same opinion." Corinth and Tagel immediately saluted and agreed. It was the authority of the adjutant. It was used in the event of amander''s abnormal mentality, forcedly taking overmand without the permission of the superiors. It could be exercised with the consent of all unitmanders directly under it, temporarily depriving the superior authority. Krische is the First Corps adjutant, and Dagra is the centurion under her directmand. Although it was not exactly in the position of adjutant, this authority was given some degree of freedom, and it was said that a person equivalent to an adjutant could exercise it. Currently, themander was Krische, and Dagra was exactly the equivalent of her adjutant cum centurion. Therefore, under militaryw, there were no problems. It was one of the least used, as severe punishment could be imposed if seen as abuse, but it is also their right to defend themselves should they encounter an unscrupulousmander taking advantage of their position. "The actingmander is me, Dagra. ...... Krische-sama please take a good rest." "Huh, ah..." Krische looked at Dagra in confusion. However, it is a legitimate right as stipted by militaryw. Krische had temporarily lost the right to give orders to them. "Bald Eagle, it''s strange... Krische still has a clear consciousness..." "However, I must conclude that Krische-sama is currently incapable of making normal judgments. If there''s have any objections, we will hear them at the fort. "Hgh..." "...... I judged that we have done enough dying action. All troops prepare to retreat after a short break. We will leave the mountain after dark. Be prepared for that." Everyone saluted in unison, and Krische red at Kalua. They were without any strength and weak, just as she looked. "I, was it Bery-san, entrusted Usa-chan to Mia and me, right Mia?" "Huh? Eh, ahh, unn----ah, yes, Adjutant Corps Commander. Argan-sama has entrusted Adjutant Corps Commander to us." Confused, Mia gave a mysterious salute, and Kalua smiled and pointed to the small bag around Clich¨¦''s neck. "Look, didn''t you make a promise to her? ......Is it okay if Usa-chan doesn''t let her eat that candy quickly?" "Ah, that is... but..." "No, but. Seriously.. .just how earnest are you, Usa-chan?" ''Look here'', Kalua brought her face closer and red at Krische. "Adjutant Corps Commander, this is a legitimate decision in ordance with militaryw. Usa-chan has been ordered by the actingmander to rest, okay?" "Uhh..." "Rules are important; isn''t it the cute Adjutant Corps Commander''s mouth who always said that?" Kalua pointed her finger to the Krische lips. Krische eyes swum around, and Kalua sighed. ''Someone get a nket'', Kahlua said as she pulled off Krische''s blood-soaked cloak and called for Mia. "Mia, warm her up a little. I''m sure it will be morefortable. I''ll be on guard." "Eh, uh, o-ok..." Mia took the nket one of them brought, then she hugged Krische and sat down. Mia furrowed her brows as her extraordinarily petite and thin body had a terrible fever. Krische, as if she had given up, without even resisting, shivered as if she was freezing. "Just rest for a while. It''s okay." "That''s right. It''s an order from the actingmander." After ring at Kalua and Mia, Krische quietly pressed her body against Mia and closed her eyes. It was as if she passed out. The weight of her body immediately increased, and soon after, they could hear her breathing in her sleep. Come to think of it, she had hardly slept. Since she had been here, she had only taken a short nap. Mia gently hugged Krische''s hot body, and she caressed her gently. "I understand how you feel, but... what a way to talk to your superiors." "Ow!?" Kalua got a knuckle on the head from Dagra. "...Seriously." However, a smile of relief appeared on Dagra''s face, and everyone who saw it looked at Krische''s sleeping face with a somewhat soft expression. Chapter 61: The Precious Chapter 61: The Precious ***Arc 3 The Precious, Chapter 61 The Precious*** Bery let out a sigh as she stroked Krische''s cheek, who was sleeping on the bed. Bery sat almost all day in the chair ced right next to her. It had been two days since she returned, but Krische hadn''t woken up even once. "...So, haggard." Her white cheeks had lost some of their flesh, and there were deep dark circles around her eyes. She had heard that Krische had been reckless. She cleaned up her body, fixed her hair, and put her on the bed. Bery spent most of her time by her side, sometimes looking distressed. Krische''s fever still hadn''t gone down. The doctor determined that she was just overworked and not seriously ill, but that did not bring her any relief. The flesh and blood that handles magic is still just flesh and blood. Even though they were much stronger than normal people, when they die, they will die. Bery ced a wet cloth on Krische''s forehead and adjusted the nket, which had shifted several times. A knock sounded, and the one who entered was Selene. "Bery, how is Krische?" "...She is still asleep." ''I see,'' Selene said, lowering her eyes and moving closer to the bed. Since Krische came back days she had always spent her time here once she finished her work. Kreschenta was helping her more than ever, and other corpsmanders concerned with her were taking the initiative to do her work. She often stayed here long after dark. "It''s hot." "Yes. But still not as bad as when Krische-sama just came back." Selene patted Krische to check her heat and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She recalled what had happened when Krische came back. Bogan''s body was cremated, and arge funeral for Bodan and those that have died were held. By then, Selene had calmed down somewhat. No matter what, she couldn''t just keep crying all the time. She cried herself to sleep at Bogan''s side, held the funeral, and gradually regained herposure, and though she had no appetite, she was able to eat. The fact that Bery was by her side all the time to care for her was also big. The retreat went well under Gallen''s leadership, but there was one problem. Krische and her century had not yet returned. No, that is not urate. Some had returned with seriously wounded men. Two soldiers for each seriously wounded personnel. But even after a week passed, Krische was still in the mountains. ".... Um, Ojou-sama, is Krische-sama?" Bery asked Selene with a worried face. For the first three days or so, Bery was still able to reassure Selene. ''If it''s Krische, then she will be fine,'' Bery must have also felt somewhat assured. But after hearing the report from the returning soldier that Krische had a high fever, her anxiety grew stronger day by day. And so did everyone there. Even though she should have been able to guess it from Selene''s face when she returned to her office from outside, Bery still asked. Kreschenta was also restlessly sorting through the papers. "There is no hindrance to the continuation of the mission." "Is that so?" All of them were concerned about the situation, but there was nothing they could do about it. The Dragon''s Maw was under Gildenstein''s control. The most they could do was to send a messenger that is familiar with the mountain----but against Selene''s order to return, that was Krische''s response. "... Um, Selene-sama, I--" "No, understand your position. You are to stay here." "but......" Selene patted Kreschenta''s head. Kreschenta just kept her face down. She had no grudges. ''Because of the war...'' There was no point in regretting that. The war broke out because of her. That doesn''t mean that everything that happened there was her fault. It''s not like there aren''t any other choices. There were countless options to choose from. However, it was her father who thought of Krische and chose to fight, taking into ount everything----feelings and principles, merit and demerit, and he became a martyr as a noble. "Kreschenta, I won''t me you alone. ......you are my dear family, just like my father." "............" "No matter what the conclusion was, it was chosen by the whole family. No matter what the oue, if there was someone responsible for it, everyone should be equally responsible, understand?" "Yes..." Selene stroked her head. She had already epted Kreschenta''s existence and decided to protect her on that basis. Selene''s pride would not allow her to break the pledge she had made to her name. As a noble----as the daughter of a noble hero who was a martyr to his duty, it was uneptable. She closed her eyes just a little and spoke. "... I''ve talked to the corpsmanders. Tonight, I''ll pick her up." "That''s..." "It''s okay; it''s a mountain. There''s no problem during the night. I''ll take some witty escorts from the Fourth Corps, who are familiar with Bernaich, so it will be fine." The returning soldiers reported that Krische was at her limit. Even if Dagra advised her to withdraw, she did not listen and simply announced that they would continue guarding the rear. ''In order to stop the enemy''s pursuit and rebuild the army, we need to continue this, and that''s Krische''s current role. Krische can''t go home until Krische does her job properly.'' This was what Krische had said while staggering; the soldier had reported that to Selene as they were worried about Krische. They even sent a message in Selene''s name, but she ignored it. The reply was that there was no hindrance to the continuation of the mission. It would take two days to get there and back. The message was a waste of time. It was only natural, Selene thought. Thest thing Krische saw was her beloved Selene hitting her cheek. The worst. She had regretted it many times. But there was no excuse for her to say that she didn''t do it on purpose. In fact, Krische was frightened, and that''s how she captured it. "I''m asking Anne to prepare the armor right now. Bery, can you make something light?" "...Understood. Then I''ll----" There, a violent knocking sound resounded, and the door opened without waiting for an answer. "Selene-sama! Krische-sama has returned!" The moment she heard that Selene rushed out of the room. Wrapped in a nket and held in her arms, she looked like a baby, and it was obvious she was suffering. Bery immediately arranged for a doctor while Selene and Kreschenta led Mia, who was holding Chrissie, to Krische''s room. She was soaked in so much blood that it even soaked into the nkets; when her clothes were taken off, they could see that her shoulders were swollen. Compared to the wounded soldiers, it was rather fortunate that it ended with just that. She instructed Anne to bring her hot water, then cleanse her body andy her down on her bed. Her beloved sword, which was supposed to be made of sturdy steel, had countless chips and nicks. The cloth wrapped around the hilt was hardened with blood, and the skin of her hands was crushed with countless blood blisters. ''I should have somehow made time and gone to pick her up earlier instead of leaving it to the messenger.'' Selene regretted so, and she slept by her side. Since then, Krische had not woken up. Krische was always desperate. She knew that. She would do the impossible as if it''s only natural to live up to expectations. She would use more power than she was capable of. The standard was always hers, and she epted nothing but what was natural for her. She fought in the center of the Dragon''s Maws, retrieved the sword from Gildanstein, and acted as Selene''s representative. She did all of these things without taking a break, but first and foremost, she was worried about Selene and came to check on her and tried tofort her. ----And yet. Selene grimaced and hugged Krische. "...Ojou-sama please don''t be too hard on yourself." "But I''ve done terrible things to her......" Bery stayed silent. It didn''t matter what she said. The office----the fortress, had a somewhat heavy atmosphere. It was only natural that having lost the hero Bogan and the battle in the Dragon''s Maw. The ce was somewhat suffocating, but the biggest reason for this was anxiety over Krische. If they were even to lose Krische---- Even though they tried not to think about such anxiety, it crept into their heart. "Sele...ne?" The two were surprised and looked at the Krische. nk and uncertain. But through the gaps in her long silvershes, a beautiful purple color could be seen peeking out. "Krische!" "Krische-sama!" Selene brought her face closer, and Krische looked frightened for a moment. "I-I''m so...rry" Tragically, sadly. Understanding the meaning of the words Krische had spun, Selene hugged her little body. "Krische, you don''t have to apologize... It''s all my fault." "Selene...?" "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to hit you...I''m not angry; I also don''t hate Krische... I really love you." Krische looked up in confusion and looked at Selene, who hugged her. Then she looked at Bery. Bery quietly wiped away her tears and smiled in relief. "...just like I said. It''s impossible for Ojou-sama to hate Krische-sama." "U-umm..." Krische still seemed troubled. She moves her bandaged hand, hesitating if she should hug Selene. "...But...Selene is...crying. ...she''s sad." "It''s called tears of joy. Even when I''m very happy, I still cry. You''ve been in bed for two days, and I''ve been so worried about you." "...tears of joy." "She''s so happy that her beloved Krische-sama has finally woken up." Bery''s hand took the wet cloth from her forehead, which had almost fallen off, and patted it on her while avoiding the hair. Krische, still in a daze, hugged Selene. "...Selene, didn''t hate Krische?" "No, no, I didn''t. I''m sorry, your cheek hurt, right?" Selene lifted her face and kissed Krische on her cheek. Opening her eyes slightly, Krische gave a relieved look. She put her hand on her cheek and traced it with her thumb as if wiping away a drop of Selene''s tears---- "Nn..." Then she raised her body just a little, kissed her on the mouth, and pulled away. A smile appeared on Krische''s face, and Selene also put her hand on Krische''s cheek and kissed her mouth. "I really *love *you. From now on and forever." "...Selene." As if relieved, she rxed, and her body sank into the bed. "When Krische wake up, Selene won''t hate Krische?" "I won''t... I swear by the name Selene, I will never hate Krische. That''s why now, just sleep peacefully." Krische nodded. Her breathing was somewhat rough, and she asionally coughed a little. Selene rubbed her body, and Krische looked at her nkly. "Krische, do you want some water?" "....want." Selene gently helped Krische up. Bery took a water jug and poured honey into it, and stirred it. She put a cloth on Krische''s chin to prevent spills and put the jug in front of her mouth to let her drink a little bit at a time. "Krische-sama, how are you feeling? Would you like something to eat?" "... eh, umm" "Please be honest. Do you want to go to bed?" Krische paused for a moment and said that she wanted to go to bed. She probably didn''t feel well. She hadn''t eaten and must be hungry. ''If Krische who had such a voracious appetite, said so, then that''s quite serious'', Bery frowned. "I will prepare something easy to eat when Krische-sama wakes up. For now, please rest." "...Ok" "Krische-sama will rest starting today until Krische-sama physical condition returns." "But, Krische''''s....job is..." "Krische is to rest. I beg you, please take a rest." Stared at by Selene, Krische nodded. Bery smiled. "In exchange, we will pamper Krische-sama to the point that Krische-sama will not want to get out of bed. Both Ojou-sama and Kreschenta will spoil you so much that by the time your body recovers, Krische-sama won''t be able to work. Krische-sama might end up being too spoiled." "That''s... Krische, will be troubled..." Selene made a wry smile as Krische''s cheeks blushed with a different kind of embarrassment. "That''s enough for a while... Will you listen to my request?" "Uuuh...ok." ''Good girl'', Krische narrowed her eyes as Selene stroked her head. "If it''s Selene''s request, Krische, will ept all of it. Krische''ll do anything." Krische reached out his hand and stroked Selene''s cheek again. "That''s why, Krische wants Selene to...... keep liking Krische." ----Just how much did she hurt this little girl by doing that? Her eyes were clear, like pure jewels, yet they swayed silently, anxiously, frightenedly. She had not woken up for two days, her body was covered with scars, and she had killed countless people. All for Selene. Still, that was all she desired. It won''t be strange if sheshed out or cursed at her. It was fine if she screamed like a child, and Selene didn''t care if she hit her so hard that her face swelled up. However, Krische had no such feelings at all. She just directed her frighteningly pure heart toward her. Beautiful, without any pretense, transparent (clear) words and love in every and all way. Selene was speechless. She held back her tears again and pressed her brow against Krische''s forehead. She felt her hot body and looked into her eyes. "My requests, it''s fine if Krische doesn''t listen to them. Even if Krische doesn''t push yourself too hard or say you don''t like something or be selfish, I will still like Krische. Krische will still be important to me." "...Selene." "If Krische is still worried, I''ll say the same thing every day until Krische is no longer uneasy...I''ll never do that again. I will never betray your trust." ----That''s why, please just believe me. Selene said in a quiet, whispery voice, her golden eyshes wet. Her long golden hair mingled with the translucent silver on the sheets. Their lips ovepped softly, and the little girl, submerged in silver and gold, smiled. "Yes." She then closed her eyelids and soon begins to sleep quietly, as if she has reached her limit. Selene adjusted the bed and slowly moved away. "Love rival, I wonder if it will really just stop as a joke?" "Y-you know..." "Fufu, now Ojou-sama can''t make fun of me either..." In a joking tone. Bery chuckled like a little girl, and she smiled merrily----and quickly dropped her face down. She traced her eyes with her thin fingertips and sniffed. "I''m sorry. ...I''ve caused trouble for you, too." While sitting on the chair, She shook her head. She held her face with both hands. "That''s not it. Just a little relieved... that''s all." She was supporting Selene. And she was probably holding back so as not to make Krische anxious. She was always watching over them, even though she was not that strong. Selene kneeled down in front of Bery, who was shaking her shoulder and holding her face down, and hugged her. "...Thank you, Bery." Bery shook her red hair again, and Seleneughed. "Fufu, now you can''t tease me for being stubborn." "... I''m not stubborn." "Let''s leave it that way. But" She stroked the red hair and said, "Maybe we''re simr... I hate that about myself, but I really like that about you, Bery." "... I''m not like that." "You''re crying, you know." Laughing wryly and Bery rested her head on Selene''s shoulder. Putting up a strong front, being stubborn. Selene and Bery are a bit alike in their inadequacies. But maybe that''s why. "I wonder if that''s why we see the same thing as beautiful." Quietly, she whispered. Chapter 62: Liquification Chapter 62: Liquification ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 62 Liquification *** The Lacra fruit was weak in acidity and strong in sweetness. It was a product that was locked in a small jar and soaked with honey for four days. The texture was smooth. The Lacra fruit was smooth on the tongue, and the honey was mixed with the Lacra fruit like a prodigal. Even the slight acidity was somewhat refreshing. The crunchy Lacra fibers were soft and seemed to melt on the tongue. "How is it? It''s Lacra pickled in honey." "Ehehe...It''s delicious." Just as the Lacra is pickled in honey, Krische was now soaked in sweetness. Food that is gentle and nourishing to the stomach------and Bery gave it further sweetness for Krische. Countless sweet taste was brought to her mouth. Krische was like a baby bird. Her hands were wrapped in bandages, so she had an excuse to ask Bery and give her ''Aaah''. At first, it was bit by bit------but after three days, her appetite had finally returned. Krische would sit on Bery''sp and rub her cheek against her, acting spoilt. Whenever she felt like it, she would kiss her, cuddle her, and stroke her cheeks and head. Krische, who hadpletely be debauched, waspletely like a little child. It was hard to believe that until the other day, she was wielding a sword andmitting the mass killing. She stuffed her cheeks with the (pet) food as it was given to her and hugged Bery snugly. When she felt sleepy, she slept peacefully together with Bery, and when she woke up, she kissed her. Huged her. Rubbed her cheeks. That''s how she spent her day these days. A greedy happy life packed with everything that Krische likes. She was now just living using her instinct without thinking about anything. It was not like Krische didn''t have any thought about her current situation, but her job was now to rest and pamper herself, which was how she fooled her voices of reason. "Bery." Bery smiled and dropped a kiss when she raised her face a little and asked for a kiss. The soft touch of her lips. The feeling was one of love. Krische kissed back and hugged Bery again and again so that her love could be conveyed to her. She shifted her position and pressed her face against her chest------ Krische eyes were a bit vacant; you couldn''t even tell if she was asleep or awake, as if in trance. She was living in a paradise so much that she wasn''t able to distinguish whether it was real or not. Her cheeks were ckened and reddish in color. Only the emotion of love was out of control, affirming the instincts that would normally be suppressed. It was truly a sensation that melted her brain ------In order to fool her rational mind, Krische reviewed her past self. It was embarrassing to be pampered. It was embarrassing to be so preupied with food. Those feelings were nothing more than a physical and mental hindrance to the concept of rest. In resting the body, one should not be ashamed of such things. What was created in this way was a new personality, ''Spoiled Krische''. The ''Spoiled Krische'' was allowed to do things that Krische would normally be ashamed to do, to indulge in pleasure, and to fall into a state of emotional depravity. They were allowed to be cuddled, kissed, ahhh''d, and covet the sweet taste. It was a shameful thing. However------it couldn''t be helped because she was in ''Spoiled Krische'' mode right now. Ignoring all sorts of thoughts and anxieties, she didn''t even mind being called silly. She was now in an invincible state of ''Spoiled Krische''. Spoiled Krische'' could easily do things that would normally embarrass her. Krische weed the newly born ''Spoiled Krische'' ''Working Krische.'' ''Lady Krische.'' ''Glutton Krische.'' ''Spoiled Krische.'' There was no blind spot in ''Spoiled Krische'', which collects only the good points of all the countless Krische. Krische, who respected her rational self, had seeded in removing her own limiter------in short, she had be an even more idiot. She was like slime, clinging to Bery and begging for her affection. "Bery, love...you" Chu, chu She kissed her repeatedly like a mouse, and Bery though she was troubled kissed her back. Bery''s face, facing ''Spoiled Krische'' is bright red------even her ears arepletely flushed. Krische cuteness, which could shake one''s rationality, could be called a lethal weapon. While she''s with spoiling Krische, Krische''s love call is so passionate that it''s a bit scary. She wanted to respond to them. She wanted to be silly together with her. If they were alone, she might have been able to do so without thinking. But in the room there was a third person. *Chira*, Bery nced to the side, and Anne, whose face was bright red, looked away. ------Argan-sama needed to stay by Krische-sama''s side. If that was the case, then it was my role to clean the room and take care of them------that was what Anne thought as she stepped into the magical world, and what she witnessed was a decisive moment that she could not doubt. No, it was not a moment, even now, it was still ongoing. Krische approached Bery as usual without worrying about Anne. This was because she was now ''Spoiled Krische''. "Ah, there''s dust in a ce like this..." ------l doesn''t see anything. I''m concentrating on my work. Though she didn''t say that her bad acting was clearly expressing that. Calm down, calm down. Krische-sama has a bit of a child mentally so it couldn''t be helped, she repeated to calm her heart. Anne had seen her kiss Selene and Kreschenta since she came back. She understood that Krische was, in fact, a kissing maniac. She also understood that there was no illicit feeling there, she was just being spoiled. The painful bandages on her hands. Her feet also had severe blisters from the heavy boots. Her injured shoulder was also tightly bandaged, and she knew that she made more effort than anyone else with her small, slender body. However, the scene was immoral in every way. The servant who Anne respected------Bery''s eyes were moist with shame, and her cheeks were adorably bright red. In contrast, the white maiden wore a transparent negligee of light pink. Her white thighs peeking out from the hem of the negligee arescivious, and she turns her feverish purple to Bery and hugs, kisses, and rubs her cheeks. Anne, who was watching, felt as if her face would burst into mes. Remembering the memories in the Royal Capital, Annepares it to the present and tried to somehow interpret the scene in front of her in a favorable light. ----I should see this as a sign that she trusted me. She should see it as being recognized that she was a servant who could keep this immoral secret in her heart without revealing it. If she thought so, then it was a very happy thing----or that was how it should have been. Anne forced herself to interpret the situation in this way and continued with her unenthusiastic cleaning. She found a small bag on the shelf and tilted her head. Krische looked at it with a sideways nce and called out to her as she noticed it. "Anne, please bring it here." Krisch beckoned Arne to bring the small bag. "! Y-yes." Inside it is something round. When Anne wondered what was inside, Krische told her it was a candy, and opened her mouth to Anne. Bery''s shoulders jerked up, or at least that''s what she felt. "U-umm..." Feed her, was the correct answer she guessed. Anne took out a deep honey-colored candy from the pouch, and while she was nervous, she slowly brought it closer to the Krische''s mouth. The cherry-red lips gobbled up the candy, and Krische raised herself up with her hands on Bery''s shoulders and pressed it directly into Bery''s mouth. "!" "Nmm..." Arne stiffened, and Bery''s white cheeks turned even redder. Even her neck was red. Krische smiled happily and licked her lips ''Krische finally returned it properly''. Bery embraced Krische with a face that was a mixture of emotions----troubled, happy, embarrassed - and said, ''Thank you''. "It be a littlete. Is it delicious?" "Y-yes, very..." "Ehehe..." Then Krische twisted and lifted her face as if expecting something. Bery stiffened again, but she closed her eyes for a moment and kissed Krische as if she had made up her mind. Candy exchange. Mouth-to-mouth. Anne could only watch over it. The candy moved from the Bery and into Krische''s mouth. She rolled the candy around and her cheeks loosen, and then presses her cheeks against the Bery, looking simply delighted. ----Pure and Innocent. She was not thinking of anything outrageous. This over-the-top act was simply perceived by the princess as just a skinship. Krische with her big smile and Bery with her eyes that moistened with shame. Looking at the contrast between the two, Anne understood for the first time Bery''s hardship. Krische was much too lovely and seductive. She had all the beauty of a young girl, yet she was extremely unguarded. She was like a chicken dancing next to a pot. Even Anne, who had no taste for such thing, would fall under the devil''s temptation. This was how it felt when being shown such defenselessness. ''It is impossible for me to be with this princess 24/7. My reason won''t hold.'' Anne shook her head, increasing her reverence for the perfect servant Bery. Then there was a knock at the door. Anne panickily rushed to the door. Depending on who it is, the room is filled with a scene that shouldn''t be shown at. But the door opened before she reached it and two girls appeared. Selene, with her graceful blonde hair swaying, and Kreschenta, the princess of the Kingdom. Both their eyebrows twitched seeing Krische, who was sitting on Bery''sp, and being spoiled. "Selene, are you done?" "Ah, yeah... well" The two of them were looking at Krische and Bery as if they wanted to say something, but Selene rubbed her eyes as she tried to hold it in. Kreschenta puffed her cheeks somewhat displeased, and she trotted closer to Krische. "Now, Onee-sama, You need to sleep in the bed." *Chira*, *chira*, She red at Bery----Anne knew all too well that Her Royal Highness The Princess was irrepressibly fond of Krische. Even though Kreschenta is rather more mature in her usual appearance, but in front of Krische, Kreschenta was as jealous and as childlike as she looked. Krische was spoiled by Bery, and Kreschenta by Krische. The sight of Kreschenta, who seemed dissatisfied with Bery, was already familiar to Anne. "Krische was having dinner so it was only normal." "Uuh... Ah, Argan-sama, I''ll take over for you." "Kreschenta has a t chest, so Bery is fine." Krische was also Krische and acted like an adult with Kreschenta, and she maintained her status as her sister, creating a strange power rtionship with her. The royal family ----and the legitimate heir, Her Royal Highness The Princess, couldn''t go against Krische. "Selene" "......what?" Krische beckoned Selene toe closer to her face, grabbed her Selene by her cheek and pressed her lips against her. It''s a swift move. Selene was frozen with her eyes wide open. The candy was pushed into Selene. "Ehehe, it''s Bery''s candy. It seems that something sweet is good after working hard." Krische looks up to Selene, as if to wait for her reaction. Selene sighed with a bitter face as if wondering what to say or whether to get angry. "I-is that so... umm, thank you. I''m very happy..." She pushed Krische too hard, said terrible words, and injured her cheek. Selene could not scold Krische, and that was the only thing she could say to her. It would be better to let Krische rest for a while so that she would not think about anything else. For this reason, Selene was going to be as lenient as possible with Krische. She held her words in the back of her throat and stroked Krische''s head, holding back the urge to pinch her cheeks. Bery saw this and giggled, and Selene red at her. "Y-you know..." "Fufu, no. I hope you understand my feelings a little." "E-even so, if you think that I won''tin to you, you''re making a big mistake. You have to teach her things like this little by little." "I''ve already given up, so I thought it would be better to makerade. It''s easier to be embarrassed together with Ojou-sama rather than be embarrassed by myself." "Haahh..." Bery said while petting Krische and asked if she was done with her work today. It was still evening. She came a little earlier than usual. "Yes, well. I''ve been told to take some time off too." "... Thank you for your hard work. Would you like to have a meal?" "Hmm... Let''s do that." Selene nodded as she rolled the candy in her mouth. Kreschenta, who was pulling on Bery to take Krische from her, was instead held and kissed by Krische, but Selene managed to hold back and ignore it. She called out to Arne while being exasperated at Kreschenta, who blushed. "Anne, can I have some soup and bread? For this child and me." "Y-yes..." As usual, Arne, who was frozen by that scene, poured soup from a small pot prepared in the room onto a te. It was made by Arne instead of Bery, who was spending time by Krische''s side. Anne may be devastatingly wed, but she could do a decent job of cooking normal dishes. "Go ahead; it''s mutton and vegetable soup." Today''s vegetable soup withmb stewed until it melted. She proudly prepared it on the table, her chest puffing up with confidence. Krische and Bery were not so strict about the food prepared by others. She just pointed out that it would have been better without the potatoes, and she was also given a passing mark. "Thank you. It looks delicious." "No,pared to what the two of you make, it''s embarrassing..." Selene, who smelled the scent, smiled gently, and Anne lowered her head while raising her fist inwardly. Kreschenta furrowed her brows as she watched the potatoes that had melted too much crumble on the spoon. "I wonder if it''s overcooked. Anne-sama, did you forget the fire again?" Anne froze, while Kreschentained and put her mouth on the spoon. Krische nced at it, looking lost. Bery smiled wryly and tried to call out to Anne----but Kreschenta pulled up a chair faster than that. "Here, Onee-sama, ahhhh." Krische looked puzzled, stroked Kreschenta''s head as if she understood something, and ate the food that was presented to her. Selene was exasperated, and Bery''s shoulders shook while chuckling happily. Four people lined up on the bed------it was already way toote to care about what Anne would think. The day after she was put to bed, Krische began to earnestly get spoiled and pampered, and she was no longer in a state where she could be shown to others, and they had already given up. Fortunately, Anne was clumsy but serious and could be trusted as a servant. Bery gave up right from the beginning, followed by Selene. Dagra tried toe to visit her, but they had him wait for a few days now. Krische was better off in this state for a while. Bery and Selene lied down so that Krische and the Kreschenta were sandwiched between them. Krische''s eyes were sleepy, and her longshes were asionally dropped. Kreschenta was sleeping quietly in her arms. Selene, also slightly dazed, stroked Krische''s cheek and traced her soft lips with her thumb. They''re beautiful and soft. Krische face was so pretty, it was like a work of art. Her long hair casts a silvery sheen in the light that shines through the window. The purple peeking out from her eyshes is so captivating that no gem can match it. The contours of her cheeks, the straight nose, and the soft, reserved lips. Her slender shoulders made her petite figure look even more dainty, and her snowy skin was smooth. That was why the bandages wrapped around her hands and shoulders were all the more painful to look at. Krische gently raised her face. Selene responded and kissed her. Several times, repeatedly. Until she felt safe. The kiss was magic that made her infinitely more attractive. A face that looks a little dumbfounded. Her cheeks rxed as if she had found something she was looking for in touch. She raised the edge of her mouth just a little and squinted her eyes------a beautiful smile. She never smiled exaggeratedly. She always just let out a small smile. But the smile that came out was so beautiful because it showed the emotion behind it. What she felt was very slight, but what was conveyed was so much more. She hoped it was the same for Krishe. She guessed that was the reason why Krische never gets tired of kissing. She wanted to convey something that could not be conveyed, so she repeated the only means she had. Whether it is conveyed or not, she didn''t know. Still, she believed that one day everything would be conveyed. She''s not even aware that it''s already being conveyed so much that it''s overflowing. ------Ahhh, not good, Selene thought ''Did I have that inclination? I''m sure I didn''t.'' She wouldn''t have ended up like Bery, she thought. She should have spoiled her as much as an apology------It''s because she thought like that, that she ended up like this. Maybe she''s just filling her own loneliness. Various feelings were mixed, but. "...I like you, Krische." Whatever the case may be, she liked Krische. She wanted to respond to her feelings; she wanted to tell her. But Krische was stupid and dull. There was only one way to tell her. "Nmm..." She pecked at her lips as if both lips were eating each other. Keische was in a daze and just let Selene do what she wanted. When Selene pulled her face away, Krische''s gaze wondered, and she lowered my eyes shyly. Selene quietly smiled wryly and raised her face as she felt her gaze. Bery smiled mischievously as her shoulder shook. "My, my. ...seems we won''t even be able to leave Krische-sama to Ojou-sama." "Ughhh..." "Though, the servant and the noblewoman vying for one woman might make for an interesting subject for the estate tale." "Y-you..." Krische looked at Selene and Bery in a daze. Bery whispered happily in her ear. "Krische-sama, who do you prefer, me or Ojou-sama?" "Eh? Uuh, which one...?" "Geez, it''s fine if you don''t answer it. Bery, please don''t embarrass Krische. This kid is an idiot, so she''ll take it seriously." She pinched the troubled Krische on her cheek and turns around. *giggle*, *giggle*, Bery was having fun. "Krische-sama is just so cute that I can''t help but want to tease her." Krische was hugged behind her back and was confused, but she just nodded happily. She didn''t seem to understand. "Do you want to tease someone because they''re pretty...?" "Yes. Then, Krische, can you imitate a dog with a ''woof''." "Uh, a...W-woof." "Fufu, Krische-sama is good at it." Bery patted Krische''s head. Krische looked embarrassed but also happy. Selene froze when she saw this. "Sometimes I want to trouble Krische-sama, embarrass Krische-sama, and see various Krische-sama like this. It''s a part of physical contact. Does Krische-sama not ike it?" "K-Krische, might like it...ah, wo...woof." "My, what an obedient dog. I need to pet it a lot." "W-woof." Krische, whose brain had melted, was addicted to being petted. Selene felt an overwhelming sense of danger. "B-Bery, don''t teach her strange things. What are you going to do if this kid bes even sillier than this?" "Isn''t it cute? Look, Krische-sama, to Ojou-sama." "Woof" ''Dog Krische'' leans in expectantly, her eyes shining. However, all of Selene''s moves, except for pampering her, were already sealed. She sighed and hesitantly reaches out her hand to stroke her head. "Uuu...geez..." "Wafu." Krische presented her head happily. Then rustle rustle, something between Krische and Selene begins to move. "Hmm... it''s so noisy, I can''t sleep..." Kreschenta raised her face sleepily while rubbing her eyelids. "Woof" "...? Onee-sa,mu...!?" Krische kissed her mouth, pointed her bandaged finger to the tip of her nose, and continued. "U-umm...?" "...Woof" Krische furrowed her eyebrows and brings her face closer, and Kreschenta looked at Selene and Bery, not knowing what had happened. Bery puts her face down, holding herugh, and Selene looks exasperated. Only Krische kept looking at her with a serious look. "Umm? ...? W...woof?" Krische, satisfied, petted Kreschenta''s head and hugged her. Kreschenta was still not sure what was going on. Chapter 63: Loyal Dog Chapter 63: Loyal Dog ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 63 Loyal Dog *** "Ah, umm... Onee-sama, why don''t we stop now, um..." "Kreschenta, it bes humannguage again. It''s woof, woof." "Uuu...w-woof..." "Ehehe..." Krische patted Kreschenta on herp with satisfaction and gives her a cookie. For a few days now, Krische has really loved ying pretend dog and owner. Kreschenta was forced to y with her tyrannical owner until she was satisfied, and Kreschenta, who is more sane than Krische, continued to suffer. However, Kreschenta is still Kreschenta after all. She was treated like a dog by Krische, but being loved and cared for was not a bad thing in itself, and she rather enjoyed it. Half happy, half embarrassed, the dog Kreschenta rubbed herself up against Krische like a dog and hugged her while barking woof, woof. It was Anne who looked at the spetacle in astonishment. ----Treating the princess as a dog. Regardless of the fact that it''s between women, seeing the current situation where they had embarked on an abnormal path, Anne delusions can''t stop. She was terrified that her surroundings, which were escting day by day, would soon be unbearable. " Kreschenta is cute. She''s a good girl." "...Woof" Kreschenta''s cheeks were dyed vermilion but also loosened at the same time, and she rubbed her cheeks against Krische again and again. Bery looked on with amusement, while Selene''s eyebrows twitched. "It''s because you taught her strange things..." "Isn''t it nice? It''s cute." "Though it''s the princess who''s being turned into a dog." Selene sighed and looked at her papers. It''s been a week since Krische''s return, and there''s been no movement. ording to the intelligence, it seems that the enemy''s entire army had been ordered to stand by, partly because Krische and her Century have been sessful in their dying actions. They may be trying to buy time until they can seize the royal pce----but no matter what they do, there is no way for them to make a move now that the Dragon''s Maws have been taken. With the current military strength, it was impossible to take back the Dragon''s Maws head-on. First of all, the enemy has two high mountains, Mirskronia and Bernaich. Without capturing these two, the center would be subjected to a one-way hail of arrows, it would not even be a fight. It''s also difficult to capture the mountain from scratch. Nothing drains a soldier''s strength like marching up a mountain. Fatigue was is the greatest enemy of soldiers. An opponent on the defensive would be less fatigued and would be able to take full advantage of the slope to strike back. In order to capture Dragon''s Maws, which was underplete upation, its necessary to have at least double the military strength of the enemy. At the very least, it was impossible under the current situation----''what to do'', Selene sighed. Her feeling has calmed down She epted the fact that she was currently the highest-ranking person in the Christand army. With Gallen and the other Corps Commanders sharing the workload and taking care so that Selene could get some rest, she is feeling much less tired and mentally refreshed. She was able to rx by going out with Krische''s ''silliness''. Her condition was good, if not perfect. However, increasing the number of troops----other than that, she couldn''t see any other options for breakthrough. Time was not on their side. Seeing Krische having fun made her want to forget everything and just throw it all away. They would run away and go to another country and live in seclusion. Even then, she''s sure they would still be happy. She won''t even have to ask the two of them, and Bery would nod if Selene asked. Because that''s the happiness that Bery wanted more than anyone else. In fact, she must be thinking the same thing. Even stronger than Selene----she just wished for the happiness of the girl to who she gave her name to. If she were just a girl, Selene would have wanted the same thing. But Selene is a noble and the daughter of a Hero----the daughter of the beloved Bogan. There was no way she could hope for such a future attained by betraying so many people and throwing sand in the face of those who had dedicated their lives to Christand. "I need to talk with Corps Commander Agrand, so I''ll be outside for a while." "Yes, Ojou-sama" "Some people will alsoe to visit, so do something about it by then." "Fufu, yes. Have a safe trip Ojou-sama" "Ah, then I''ll apany you." Anne approached the door in a panic. Selene nodded with a kind smile and said, ''Thank you''. Anne''s cheeks flushed as she admired the beautiful blondedy''s natural smile. This sweet space was just enriching Anne''s eyes. "Selene, have a safe trip." "...Woof" "A-ahaha... I''m going." Selene looks awkwardly at the dog and her owner as she leaves her room. Even after Selene and Anne left, Kreschenta was still a dog. Kreschenta, who is loved and adored by Krische earnestly, the number of times she introspects herself kept decreasing, and her brilliant mind has dropped to the equivalent of a dog''s. Even whenmanded ''hand'', she is no longer preupied with the shame and was just full of expectation of the reward that follows, it makes the people watching subconsciously imagined her non-existent tail swaying from side to side. Kreschenta was not happy about having Bery do the same thing to her as part of her dog training, but being loved by Bery itself wasn''t so bad, and gradually Kreschenta the dog began to wag her tail at the two of them. There was no one in the room who questioned the treatment the a Kingdom''s princess as a dog. "Kuun..." "Ehehe, Kreschenta is a great girl." She took the cookie given to her by Bery in her mouth and went to her master Krische. After receiving the cookie in Kreschenta''s mouth and finishing it, she patted Kreschenta''s head while kissing her repeatedly. With each stroke, Kreschenta felt her brain melts. Her rational mind waspletely paralyzed with euphoria. The fact that Krische, who was usually so close to Bery, was so close to her satisfied her needs, despite the fact that it was a game of "y dog-owner" that disregarded her dignity. Kreschenta who was in the world of conspiracy and intrigue. Her intellect easily understood and deciphered politics and economics, and her knowledge was unmatched by schrs. With words alone, she could deceive, ensnare, and kill people. Without a doubt, Kreschenta was one of the geniuses born in this era---- "Good girl, good girl" "Wafuu..." But right now she is a dog Kreschenta rubbed her head against Krische and uses her position as a dog to repeatedly kiss her. Kreschenta, who had never known that being pampered with an empty head could be so wonderful, in the end was absorbed in bing her sister''s dog. ----However, there was a knock at the door. If Kreschenta had dog ears, it would have surely stood up with a jerk. She gave a rub with her cheek and left regretful, immediately adjusting her disheveled one-piece dress and sat down elegantly in her chair. Bery chuckled as she watched her then went to open the door. "My, Gallen-sama" "Hi, Bery. I''m here today to visit Krische and ...this is." Gallen bowed deeply when he saw Kreschenta. "Excuse me, Your Royal Highness. On this asion----" "I don''t mind, Gallen-sama. Please don''t worry about me and go about your business as usual. Please treat me like I''m not there, and I''m morefortable that way." Kreschenta, with a thin smile on her face, has the air befitting that of a princess. She stroked her graceful strawbevry blonde hair and smiled a soft----but graceful smile. No one would ever think she was a dog until just now. Kreschenta''s cheeks puffed out slightly when she saw Bery looked down behind Gallen as if she were trying to hold back herughter. Gallen is ignorant of the subtleties of emotions. He didn''t notice such a trivial change in her expression and bowed his head again in gratitude. He then smiled kindly and turned his attention to Krische. "... I''m d you''re doing well. I came to check on you once when you were asleep but..." "Yes. Krische''s body ispletely well..." "Take good care of yourself. You''ve always had a bad habit of working too hard." Gallen patted Krische on the head, and he sat down in a chair. Bery poured a fresh pot of tea and set it on the table, smiling as she did the practiced movement. "If you''d prefer ck soybean tea, I can get that for you..." "No, don''t worry about it. I don''t mind ck tea either. It''s good once in a while." "Yes. Krische-sama, would you like to add more milk again?" "Umm... yes." She poured a new cup of tea for Krische, with a generous amount of milk and honey. When she was done stirring it evenly, she put her hand over Krische mouth "Krische-sama, there''s some cookie crumbs." "Ah..." Bery looked happy while cleaning it up with a handkerchief. Krische looked up at Bery with a slightly embarrassed look. A happy face that seemed to be spoiled. Gallen, seeing this, also rxes his stern face in a gentle manner. The corners of his eyes were soft and deeply wrinkled. "The other side won''t be able to move for a while. You should also take this opportunity to rest. I''ve pushed you too much." "No, Krische is fine..." "Krische, that''s your bad habit. It''s a virtue that you''re doing your best for what you need to do, but... you should also know what those who worry about you felt like. Selene, Bery, and Her Royal Highness were very worried about you. So was I." A roughed hand touches Krische''s cheek. It was cool and slightly warm. "Just like you worry about someone else, there are people who worried about you. For example, if Selene forced herself until she fainted, wouldn''t you be worried?" "......yes" "Everyone felt that way. ...The battlefield is a ce where no one can be spoiled. But... please remember that somewhere in your heart, there is someone who cares about you." ''Understand?'' Gallen asked in a gentle voice, and Krische nodded. "Good child. For now, make sure you''re thoroughly spoiled." "...Yes. Krische is being spoiled a lot." Cupping her own cheeks in her hands as if embarrassed, Bery hugged Krische slender shoulders from side to side, saying, ''My, so cute''. "Leave it to me, Gallen-sama, I will properly take care of Krische-sama." "I''ll trouble you. Even though you''re going through some hard times yourself." "No... no. It''s what I want. Seeing this cute and lovely Krische-sama happy is my reason for living." Gallen bowed at those words. Bery panicked and told Gallen to raise his face. "... I''m really grateful. For having someone like you by Krische''s side." She lost someone who loved her and was kicked out of the vige. The rumors about Krische in the army----and of course he also knew the rumors that she is feared. It has been that way since she was in the vige. Krische is far from ordinary. Naturally, there are those who dislike her. But the fact that she had someone she could trust and pamper her by her side is something he''s grateful for more than anything else. "I''m the one who should ... being Krische-sama side is the happiest thing for me, so Gallen-sama doesn''t need to thank me. Rather, I''d like to thank you." "... Still. When I brought her to the estate, I was worried about whether she would do well, but... looking at the current situation, I''m really d that I brought her." "Krische too... Krische is happy that Krische went to the estate." Krische sipped her sweet tea and smiled, and Gallen nodded, ''I see''. "No movement on the othe side. If they don''t move soon, it''s safe to assume that they''ve given up the pursuit. They''ve missed the opportunity to move now. Don''t worry about us, just rest." "... Yes. Grandpa too, don''t push yourself too hard." Gallen smiled happily. "Ahh, of course. Seeing Krische doing well, grandpa feel stronger now. I''m determined not to die until I can the man you''re going to marry." "Then if Krische doesn''t get married, grandpa will always be with Krische." ''Now that''s a problem'', Gallen smiled, and Bery averted her eyes with a troubled face. Kreschenta red at Bery as she nibbled on a cookie. "Then, Krische. I''ll go back now." "Umm, have a safe trip." The two, cat-tongueddies were slightly astonished when they saw Gallen drunk the hot tea, which had not even been mixed with milk, in one gulp. And as soon as Kreschenta saw that Gallen had left, she immediately rubbed up against Krische, hugged, and barked woof as she red at Bery. "Bad. Kreschenta shouldn''t be so quick to sulk." "...Kuun." Krische patted her head and happily rubbed her forehead------suddenly the sound of the door opening could be heard. Kreschenta''s movement was lightning quick. She stood up quickly and turned from a dog to a princess face. "Oh, yeah. Where is Selene---" "S-Selene-sama, I heard that she''s having a talk with Agrand-sama." "This is...thank you. Excuse me." As the door closed, Bery erupted and shook her shoulders uncontrobly, and Kreschenta squinted at her. "What are youughing at!?" "No, no, because... it''s funny..." "Kreschenta, it''s in humannguage again. Good girl, good girl." "Uuuu...woof" Kreschenta who was ring at Bery while her head was stroked. Bery who couldn''t hold back herughter. And Krische who continues to pet Kreschenta. And so, the girls had a peaceful time. Anne prepared tea for them, they were in the small room assigned to Kolkis. Kolkis bowed his head as he pressed his forehead against the floor. "I am to me for Bogan-sama death. That brat (my son)------the unforgivable crimemitted by Gran, whatever punishment it is I ept." The traitors who drove Bogan to his death------Among them, both Salva and Gran were the first to be named. As Gran''s father, Kolkis wanted an opportunity to apologize. "... Raise your head, Commander Agrand. I''m not going to make you responsible for that." Kolkis didn''t raise his head. He wanted punishment. He is a loyal warrior who is strongly admired by his soldiers because of his personality. And because of that, he would have a hard time epting no me. His own son wasplicit in the murder of Bogan, whom he probably respected more than anyone else. Even if he had been cut down as the punishment, he would have epted it. Kolkis is that kind of man. Selene sighed as she thought about many things. ''then'', she continued. "...If you insist on it, you will forfeit your administrative domain and a portion of your property. Even with all the savings and tax revenue of the Christand, there will never be enough money to go around. We''re going to use it. "...Yes ma''am" "No demotion. You can ask for nothing more. You will have to continue to work for me. That is, of course, if you''re willing to follow me." "I swear by this name, until the ends of the earth." Those were heavy words. ''Just hearing that makes me happy'', she smiled and sat down on her chair. "... The tea will get cold, so please sit down. I have already epted it for the time being. And I want you to do the same. I wonder if you could tell me an old story about father." Kolkis raised his head and stared at Selene for a moment. And he gently narrowed his eyes. "... You''ve be stronger. It makes me feel pathetic." "If I was alone, I would still be crying. ...And father wouldn''t want that, and rather than live crying in sorrow, I wanted to spend my time on the things (people) that were important to me, that support me." Kolkis nodded, smiling. "It''s splendid. I already feel an atmosphere simr to Bogan-sama''s." "Even if it''s just ttery, I''m happy you said so." Giggling and sipping her tea, Selene pointed to the sofa opposite her. Kolkis nodded and sinks hisrge body into the cushions. He crosses his arms and looks nostalgically at the surface of the tea. "I once ran away from a battle." "......you?" "Yeah. It was a disastrous lost... ''even if all myrades died, I wanted to live'' at that moment I wholeheartedly thought that way. I thought I was strong, but I was outnumbered. ''Then there was no point in fighting'' was what I thought. So I just run away without looking back..." Thinking about it now, I was a coward, heughed. "However, unfortunately, I was surrounded and almost killed------At that time I was saved by Gallen-dono, who was themanding officer at the time, and the General." It was not the scale of a hundred men. Gallen and Bogan gathered the stragglers, numbering about 500. Nozen was there too. "It was so cool. I admired him. The general''s swordsmanship at the time, as well as Gallen-dono, was wild as if he were knocking down anything and everything in front of him, it was tremendous. Even though they were a group of defeated soldiers, they shone brightly." "...Wild?" "Yes. I''m not sure if Selene-sama has ever seen it before. ...my way of fighting mimics that of the General at that time." Heughed happily and clenched his fists. "Gallen-dono takesmand precisely and saves the friendly forces in the midst of the withdrawal battle. The general was ahead of everyone else, knocking down many swords and enemies. Verreich, the dexterous fellow even at that time, was wielding his sword as he covered the general and gave orders to the weary remnants of the defeated army." But it was still a losing battle, Kolkis chuckled and scratched his head. "I thought it was really cool, but I also thought it was stupid. I wondered what the point was of saving our battered friends, and I thought if there are so many of them, why not just ignore them and run away?" ''------It''s not safe to go any further. If theye after me, I''m a dead man. I''ve helped enough.'' Kolkis did not want to die in vain. So, he said so. "The General said. ''We are not just a bunch of sheep being chased by wolves, we are a pack of wolves.'' ...In the first ce, Gallen-dono and the General didn''t think they could just run away. They wanted to round up the defeated soldiers and kill themander of the pursuit force." His ferocious smile was like that of a bloodthirsty beast, but there was something about it that inspired him. ''I can''t do it alone. Two men can''t do it. But with a band of men like you, with such numbers, it is possible to bite the enemy''s throat. It may be difficult to escape from the pursuing wolves, but when ites to killing them, there is always a way. ...you support your neighbors and me. I will support the captain. And the captain will guide you all. So, shut up and follow me.'' It was so memorable. He was the strongest and bravest man I have ever known. "--In a losing battle, what we get is not defeat, but a wolf''s head and a dignified honor was what he said." Because he was approached by such a man, he decided to support him. "He''s a cool person. You can''t do anything by yourself. That''s why he always told us to swing our sword to protect the person next to you. Even if you''re in a situation where you''re trembling alone, you can stand up if you have someone to support you. Each one of us supports one another and then they in turn supports someone else. If we do that... it''s the same with Selene-sama." He lifted the tea and shook it. "No matter how bad the situation is, don''t break down, you''re standing up for others, not for yourself. Selene-sama, you already have the most important thing that the General taught me." "...Is that so?" "Yes, it is. Without a doubt." He drank his tea in one gulp and continued. "I wanted that brat (my son) to follow that example .... No, if you think about the fact, he didn''t do that well and this happened, it''s my fault after all. Together with Salva, I will make sure he pays for his sins." "......Thank you. But please don''t be too hard on yourself." Kolkis, Second Corps morale is high. She was grateful for that point. But there''s also the fear of an outburst. "There''s a lot of things I want you to do in the future. I''m still immature and need someone to support me." "...Of course" "Also, I wonder if you could tell me more about my father. He always tried to dodge it and didn''t tell me at all." Kolkis smiled wryly and said that ''he was a doting parent (oya baka)'', stood up, and headed for the shelf. He took three rocks sses and brings out a bottle. "I don''t even know if you remember, but when Selene-sama was a child, the General told such story, and Selene-sama was so scared that she cried. I heard that Lazura-sama scolded him a lot, and it seemed to have shocked him a lot. "E-even though that''s because I was a child..." "Haha, that''s just how it is. Me and Verreich were even consulted by the General about whether his daughter might have hated him with a serious face." Selene''s cheeks flushed, and Kolkis poured the liquor into a ss. It was a sake with a strong aroma. "It''s the northern liquor that the General liked. I was thinking of drinking it with the General, but it''s good for old tale." "...I''ll have just one cup. I had a painful experience drinking it a while ago." "Haha, well, it''s good to drink slowly and sip it. I was taken aback at first too. To be honest, it''s still not my favorite drink." Kolkisughs nostalgically and ces one of the sses next to Selene. For Bogan who wasn''t there. ''For the General'', Kolkis lifted the ss and puts it in his mouth. Selene followed suit, coughing at the searing heat in her throat. Kolkisughed, Selene alsoughed. He remembered how Bogan hadughed at him in the past when he had coughed as well. "No matter what I do, my father always told me that I still have a long way to go. It''s not just about drinking, swordsmanship, tactics, andmand training." "...To tell the truth, the General has always been against sending Selene-sama to the battlefield for a long time. He''s a clumsy person in that respect. "Fufu. ...But even though he said that, at the end, he just said, ''I leave it to you''." Kolkis closed his eyes and nodde. "... I wonder what I was entrusted with." "Well. I don''t understand. ...Maybe Selene-sama was entrusted with thinking about what it was." Kolkis chuckled and looked at the brown water. "...But, well, the General doesn''t leave something to a guy who can''t do it. I''m sure that whatever it was, it was something that he thought Selene-sama could do." "...Is that so?" "Yes. You can rest assured. Even if you don''t know the answer... I will be the Christand''s watchdog all my life. Whatever Selene-sama was entrusted with, I will show that I will whatever danger there is. I may be a dog with nothing better to do than bark and bite, but I will be of some use." Dog, Seleneughed at that and nodded her head, saying, ''I''m looking forward to working with you.'' It reminded her of the pet dog and the owner in a certain room. She wondered if she should call that a spoiled dog (mutt). She continued tough for a while, thinking about that in front of Kolkis, who was confused.. Chapter 64: Reward Chapter 64: Reward ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 64 Reward*** In a room at a dark warehouse. Looking at the ck Century lined up there, Krische opened her mouth. "For the time being, for Krische there were various dissatisfactions, but Krische will overlook this matter." After a week and a bit of rest, that was what Krische told Dagra and the others at the very beginning of her speech. Those who had been worried about Dagra and Kalua were relieved and saluted. While Krische was resting, they were also not just taking it easy. Their rebellion the other day could be said to be a unanimous decision, but it was Krische they were dealing with They were also scared that they would be severely punished after their return to work. So, after two days of rest, Dagra took the lead in resuming the rigorous training, hoping to make a good impression. "Bald Eagle, what is the current number of personnel?" "Eighty-eight. Quiet a number hase back. The rest will take about two months." "It''s a good thing. It''s safe to assume that the battle the other day proved the ability of the unit. There are only a few casualties, which is a sham----sad, but considering the achievement made Krische thinks it''s quite good. For Krische it''s a passable result." ''So, it was neither good nor excellent, but passable?'' The group looked at each once again realizing the severity of Krische''s standard. "What will the training policy be?" "The team''s basic physical fitness and coordination are not so bad, for now it''s just training against each other within the unit to develop individual skills." "Krishe will talk with the First Light Infantry Battalion. We will train with them as appropriate. ...... Also, there are a little too many that broke their sword in the unit. How many pumpkins worth do you guys think that is, what a waste." *Hump **hump *after Krishce showed that she was angry, ''So Krische thought about it a little bit'', she then put her hands on her waist and puffed out her small chest. "Using the provided given by the army will just make you guys sloppy. Therefore, Krische has obtained permission from Selene that this unit is allowed to supply its own weapons (basically personal weapon, probably self-expense)." "Ooohh!" "...Quiet. It''s not over yet." Dagra scolded the soldiers whose eyes were shining. It was a reward for their performance. It was precisely because they lost that they need to maintain morale by giving them rewards even if it was a small one. Money was, of course, also given to troops who had suffered causalities or performed well but allowing them to paint some of their armor and to make a simple unit emblem is also part of it. Since there is also a problem with the appearance in terms of organization, it''s basically the left of the back of the hand. A minor reward----not so big as far as other troops are concerned, but as far as this Century is concerned, they were also allowed a special self-supply of weapons. Usually, only battalionmanders are allowed to self-supply their own weapons, so it''s also the highest honor a soldier can receive. "However, the weapons are limited to those that can kill opponents wearing te armor. Strong and longsting, not for duels or anything else, but for use on the battlefield. And anything that doesn''t disturb the unit coordination." The unification of weapons is a prerequisite for cooperation and coordination. Since the soldiers are to be framed and operated as a single group, there should be no individuality in them. But for this Century, they are expected to y an active role in a melee situation. What is needed is the ability to fight as an individual. The preference for weapons varies ording to physique and skill. Weapons that are more suited to the individual will enhance the purebat ability of the said individual. Emphasize in personalbat or group battles in formation The former is what was expected of them, as each one of them is expected to be able to kill 10 people by themself. Those who have magical power have iparably greater physical strength than ordinary people. This is the reason why the mass-produced swords often broke, and Selene and Krische agreed that it would be better for them to be equipped with superior weapons to match their strength. In the recent retreat, each person carried two swords. However, the total number of broken or lost swords exceeded a hundred, and some of them even only get by, by using the enemy''s weapon. Considering the ability to continue fighting, it is not a bad idea to have them use solid and sturdy weapons. No one wouldin about this. Their military achievements shone brightly even in the midst of a losing battle. "The unit symbol was also approved, but if you want to make one, make sure it is of a low-profile color with night raid in mind. This too has been discussed with the unit badge department. Chose it as you see fit (randomly/anything is fine)." Even though it was a unit emblem, it could not be made freely. For example, it is too much for a mere soldier to depict a dragon----a survivor from the age of the gods called the Holy Spirit, there are designs that are only permitted for royalty and high-ranking nobles. Naturally, things like crowns or things that indicate the throne (ruler) had various restrictions. For this reason, there are specialists in charge of coats of arms (crest). There are some who have the professional title of Crest Officer, but there are few of them, so usually, those who have some knowledge regarding it will be put in charge. "The armors are also allowed to be self-supply, but not anything that will reflect light or makes a lot of noise. Bald Eagle, you decide." "Yes ma''am!" "That''s all from Krische. Krische has heard from Bald Eagle that you''ve been doing your best in training even when Krische isn''t looking. So as a reward, Krische''ll give you guys a day off today and tomorrow. Pleaseplete the order for weapons and various other things as appropriate." The soldiers, who were timid at first, all showed their joy and secretly jabbed each other. Krische was not bothered, and Dagra also let them off the hook for today. "Bald Eagle, do you have anything to add?" "Yes ma''am. Well then... After this, we will be collecting designs for the unit emblem. Those who wish to discuss it are to remain. Thankfully, the corpsmander has entrusted us with everything. Be grateful; It''s an honor above all else." ----Krische is fine with anything (doesn''t care). Dagra let the soldiers hear what Krische had said beforeing here as if it were a great reward. ''Oooohh'', a roar could be heard, and many grateful eyes turned to Krische. Krische tilted her head and said to Dagra. "Then, Krische will leave the rest to Bald Eagle." "...All personnel, salute!" The sound of them hitting their chest armor echoed as Krische bowed in reply and left the room. Instead of Selene, who had been promoted to General, Krische becamemander of the First Corps. No one objected to Selene, the daughter of a General, bing a General, and the same was true of Krische''s appointment as Commander of the First Corps. Selene has always been well-liked and admired by her soldiers. Krische''s personality aside, her abilities are second to none. Although there was the problem of being young, the two of them had more than enough ability to make up for it, and the three other Corps Commanders agreed that there was no other choice, which made Selene''s appointment as a general a smooth transition. Selene Argalitte Linea Christand The other day, Selene received an informal decoration from Princess Kreschenta, and inherited the name of Argalitte. She was given the title of Argalitte, which denotes the entire northern region, and she is now at the top of Christand, both in name and in reality. And in ce of Selene, who had be the General, Krische, now themander of the first legion, was walking around visiting various battalions. Although the army is divided into four corps, there is still a good deal of work to be done. She also needed to tend to the additional personnel for the ck Century. She watched the training of new recruits who had apparently joined while she was out on the battlefield and pulled out about ten people who seemed to have the knack among those who possessed magical powers. At present, Century wasplete in a sense. For Krische, it was a satisfactory result. Therefore, she must be a bit cautious because a sudden increase in personnel would destroy that perfection. Krische''s hands and feet----what she wanted is a Century that can understand and act in ordance with her intentions. The problem is that therger the number, the more difficult it would be for Krische to control. She would like to eventually have two or three Century, but that will take time. To tell the one she will pull out to go to Dagra the day after tomorrow, she went outside the fort----to the First Corps. It seems that they were in the middle of marching training. Every Century lined up in a hurry, going straight forward, changing direction, and retreating. Watching over them was a skinny man with his arm in hanging and covered in bandages. Krische approaches him. "...Corps Commander" "No need to salute, Keith. Are you okay with your injuries?" "Yes, well..." He was themander of the Third battalion of the First corps. He could feel the tense nces aimed toward Krische from the soldiers around him. The one training was the survivor of the Third Battalion, which had been used as bait. Krische, however, was not particrly concerned. "Seems we will need to prioritize replenishing the troops here. Do you have any hope?" "Let me see... those who have some ability. With half of them died, it would be difficult to raise new recruits to replenish the ranks." "Then Krische will talk with other Corps Commanders. Half of the recements may be recruits, but the other half will be decent soldiers." "Much obliged." There were five centurions. They must have been reorganized. Surrounding Keith was the captains and centurions. He was now assisting in the training. "Your role as a decoy was splendid. Krische thought there would be a little more damage, but you pulled the troops off well. Krische is d you are themander of the third battalion, Keith." "From the beginning, I was the one who said to leave the rear to me. Though I didn''t think that I would be left in a state of istion and helplessness...I heard that instead of Selene-sama, Corps Commander was themander at the time, so I understand." He understands. However, he cannot say that he is not angry. Keith controlled those emotions as someone who stood above others. And even though they suffered damage, there is also the fact that the entire army was saved because of it. They did not die in vain. Rather, the instruction was brilliant. Commanders are always required to control their emotions with mathematical logic. Furthermore, Krische herself led a Century by herself to stop the enemy. Knowing about her and the centurion who came back in tatters, there was no way they could criticize her. "If Krische had to point out one thing, it would have been better if we could have made a decision a little earlier. If the enemy still had the upper hand even while our side took the high ground, we should have taken other measures instead of maintaining the status quo before that happened. With the enemy cement in that situation, sent a messenger to Selene and proposed a tactical retreat. If you had proposed a counterattack by the 4th and 5th battalions, the damage would have been a little less." "...Corps Commander, in that forest that''s asking too much." A man who seems to have been newly appointed as an adjutant interjects. Eyes that suppressed anger. Krische narrowed her eyes. "From the enemy''s point of view, the vulnerable part is not the 4th Corps, but the 1st Corps. Even if you can''t see it, you should have assumed that. Even if you can''t see it, you can imagine it. Thinking from the enemy''s point of view is the most basic of basics. If you had nned a gradual retreat to lure the enemy, we would have been able to lure them in even if we didn''t do that." ''do you understand'', Krische continued. "Themander in the back can only obtain less information than the information you who is in the front can grasp. If you, themander''s eyes, didn''t understand anything, what should themander use as a basis to make decisions? The team encounters the enemy leader during reconnaissance. But you don''t know how big it is, and you don''t know where it is. That''s one of the things that shouldn''t happen." Krische puts her hands on her hips and sighed. Looking at the emotions on the faces of the men, she rationally spun her words. "It''s not surprising that it''s hard to get information in the forest. But those of you in front should be able to get more information. Krische solved the problem forcefully by using you guys as bait, but it was after all a forceful solution. From your view, we could have found a better solution. That''s why Krische is asking you to think a little more about it after this reflection." Nodding quietly at Krische''s words as they are uttered, Keith said to those around him. "There is nothing wrong about what the Corps Commander said. In fact, it is true that many others were saved by us bing a decoy. Do not look at Corps Commander that way. ...Corps Commander was the one who fought on the front lines of the counterattack and then led a Century for a week to sabotage and disrupt the enemy with no support. Don''t forget the fact that the corpsmander fought on a tougher battlefield than we did." No one refuted his words. Krische demanded of them. But she, herself does more than what she demanded. There were many who resented her, especially in the Third Battalion. But the reason it never turned into clear malice was that she always included herself in what was demanded of them. She does what no one else can do, and no matter how difficult the situation is, she advances without hesitation. ----that thing is different. She is a monster. They feared her more than they resented her. Everyone kept a distance in their hearts; she is not a being who should be viewed with the same standard as ordinary people. Even if you don''t understand the human heart, you will still know that she is an abnormal being. Even if you ask forpassion, she will never understand. And no matter what, you can''t go against her, and if she says it, then you have no choice. Theye to terms with their feelings, which are far removed from understanding her. "Tomorrow at noon, we will discuss the battle at Bernaich jointly with the Fourth Corps. All battalionmanders and adjutants are to participate, and two of the centurions are to be brought along for post-education. We will find out how the situation has evolved and what the problems are in this battle, so please think about it." "Yes ma''am" "Let Krische know if you need anything else." Krische left and visited each battalion. The Fifth Battalion, which consisted mainly of archers, had suffered no real damage and was in a neutral position. Krische was advised that they would follow up but that it would be better to be a little more considerate. The Second Battalion of heavy infantry was also neutral. It seems they felt indebted toward the Third battalion as they were the first to withdraw, but they didn''t mention it much, and just expressed their gratitude for helping the First battalion breakthrough and linking up quickly. Thanks to that, the damage to the Second Battalion, which was maintaining the breakthrough, was minimal. The Fourth battalionmander Vargapletely faced Krische with the face of a battalionmander. Business conversation without any light talk. The line waspletely drawn, but it did not matter to Krische. The soldiers seemed afraid of Krische, but some, strangely enough, went out of their way to thank her. Some of the soldiers, who had been saved in a close call by Krische, bowed deeply to her, saying that she had saved their lives. She was only concerned about the loss of strength. Krische, who had not saved them for any particr humanitarian reason, was a little surprised and said, ''Krische was just doing what should be done in the middle of a battle. Don''t worry about it'', and replied appropriately. She didn''t do it for their sake; it was only natural. The soldiers, who had been saved and were eagerly expressing their gratitude, saw the difference from the rumors, and began to hold respect for Krische, who told them so in a troubled manner. Some even showed pity, remembering her figure breathing heavily from exhaustion and leaning against a tree. Krische may have unintentionally helped others, but she never asks for anything in return. Her appearance makes her look like some kind of saint to others. For better or worse, she was narrow-minded, self-centered, and pure. Thest ce she went was to the First Battalion of Light Infantry----here they very favorable to Krische. They knew Krische very well through their training with the ck Century, and they knew that Krische is very strict not only with others but also with herself. Her ability was also well-known. It was she and her ck Century that seeded in the central rear breakthrough by the First Battalion, and there is no doubt that they would have won the battle of the Dragon Maw if they had had a little more time. They understood that the sacrifice of the third battalion this time was at least the best way and that it was probably inevitable. "Wrong, the handle is like this, and the stride is like this. It''s like a bowstring. All you have to do is transmit the power of your whole body to the tip of the sword. Your arms are for transmitting that power, so you shouldn''t put too much force into it." "Y-yes..." Krische was giving a swordsmanship lecture in the middle of her visit before she knew it. She was approached by the soldiers, who were friendly and jokingly asked her to teach him how to use the sword. The young man----probably in his twenties, was blushing as he straightened his stance along with Krische. The appearance of the peerless beautiful girl Krische is something the young man has never seen before. The reality was that such a girl was touching his hands and shoulders and guiding him step by step. As she leaned forward, her silvery hair fluttered and tickled his hand, and her long eyshes enveloping herrge purple eyes made her all the more attractive. "Haha, Krische-sama, you can''t do it like that. Krische-sama is so beautiful that he bes captivated and can''t understand what Krische-sama is saying." "Muu...you didn''t listen properly?" She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him with a pouting face. Petite and slender, Krische is a dainty little girl. The soapy fragrance tickled his nose and was sweet to the core. The effect was the opposite of what she intended. The young man''s eyes swam, and he denied it ''No, no!'' in a somewhat falsetto voice. "Well, it''s fine. It might be quicker to show it. Please lend Krische your sword." "Ah, Yes" She took the long sword and stand in front of the training dummy. The training dummy is a log with a straw rope tied around it and leather armor with a helmet on top. Krische stands in front of it, took off her cloak, and handed it to the young man. Underneath the ck cloak was a white shirt and ck skirt. Like a daughter of a good family, her lightly embroidered clothes were simple but beautiful. Although she just considered the cloak as an obstacle to showing her movement, the men''s eyes were focused on her slender waist, her modest bulge, and her white skin that could be seen between her boots and her knee-length skirt, which swayed in the wind. The young man who was handed her cloak felt the warmth and scent that remained and was nervous, but Krische didn''t notice it. The soldiers around him looked at him enviously, and before anyone knew it, a circle of soldiers had formed around Krische. They were eagerly looking at the center----at the girl who is a head shorter than the men around her. The training dummy and the position of the girl. The distance between the training scarecrow and the girl----was a distance that normally would be too far for a girl. At first, she steps forward too slowly, as if to sink her petite frame into the ground. ----At the same time as her foot stepped through the earth, the tip of the sword pierced through the armor as if it was sucked in. "Ooooh..." Someone breathes a gasp of admiration. It was not fast, it was rather slow for a movement. However, the tip of the sword pierced through the sturdy leather armor as if it were butter. The size of the distance between the two was unimaginable from the small appearance. The supple body suddenly extended. By pulling back her foot, she easily drew her sword and told them. "The moment you step in, the power transmitted from your feet disappears. The point is, before that power disappears, apply strength from your waist to your back----" Krische repeated it once more. Faster than before, in an instant, a hole is drilled, and the sword is drawn. "----Concentrate from the shoulder to the tip of the sword. The flow of the body is more important than strength. Is it the image of transferring all the weight to a single point? Like that, even with Krische''s weight, it''s enough." Smoothly and without dy. The movements were so beautiful that the men were amazed. "If you do it properly, you can pierce a te armor like this. The problem is that it damages the de. If you thrust too deeply, it will also be difficult to pull it out or the de will be bent, so be careful. It will leave you defenseless." Krische spun the sword around in her hand and looked at the surrounding. The crowd erupted in apuse and praise. When Krische was about to take back the cloak saying ''that''s enough right.'', some even raised their voice and asked for more. flutter, flutter the man was struck by her fluttering skirt. ''Oi, oi'' the soldiers'' gazes turned to the man who asked for more. "Umm... Okay. Please take a good look okay." However, Krische didn''t notice it. The movements of the legs and hips are more important than the tips of the hands. So, she thought it was natural for the gaze to be focused on those areas, so she did not feel that it was anything particrly outrageous. Krische again thrusts, saying that eagerness is a good thing. Flutter, the skirt swayed a little, and a hint of femininity appeared in the lines of her stretched-out body. Another gasp of admiration. After that, the men were asking about how to swing a sword instead of thrusting. "......Somehow you all seem very enthusiastic. Well, that''s good." Krische smiled at the soldiers who were motivated to ''train''. The light infantrymen are all skilled in swordsmanship. Some were seriously impressed by Krische''s sword skills, but Krische couldn''t have noticed that she was half treated as a dancer. Her swordsmanship is not rough, and her precision has a smoothness that makes it more of a sword dance than abat technique. The way she wielded her sword,bined with her appearance, made her look like a dancer. "Many people put a lot of strength on their arms, but the arms should be rxed. The force that passes from the feet to the hips and from the navel to the back should be transmitted directly from the shoulders. Centrifugal force----swinging the sword with the force of a circle. Though Krische says a circle it''s more of an ellipse. You should be aware of drawing the necessary, shortest ellipse. The fastest stroke is not necessarily the best stroke." "I see..." She puts her hands on her hips while puffing out her small breasts outstretched, looking somewhat pompous. She imitated the appearance of Selene and the training instructor, but her figure could only be seen as a beautiful older sister neighbor. Krische, lecturing while acting as a big sister, is not a fearsome monster but something adorable. Many of them have watched as her sword sliced with ease through the necks of her enemies, but no matter what was said she is cute. Krische was also really enthusiastic. When she exined one by one, the things she was doing, they responded with wonderful responses, which made the lecture very rewarding for her. ''Krische might have gotten better at telling and exining things'' Krische thought. She didn''t realize most of them were watching and admiring, ''Dancer Krische'' doing a sword dance. Of course, it was not that they did not listen to her lecture on swordsmanship at all, but they still gave more importance to ''Dancer Krische'' rather than ''Swordsman Krische''. The more they praised her, the more satisfied she looked, the more she smiled, and the more confidently she began to exin things, creating an atmosphere in which no one could stop. *Whirl*, *whirl*, She danced around, swinging her sword as if she was trying to flex her body, which had been resting for a while. She was slightly drenched in sweat, her shirt slightly sticking to reveal the lines of her body when a golden-haired girl with her eyebrows twitching called to her. "U-umm... what are you doing, Krische?" "Selene" Krische, who was in a good mood, hugged Selene who appeared after breaking through the waves of people. She was wearing her usual cross armor and riding pants. Krische rubbed her cheek against Selene''s shoulder. "Ehehe, it''s a sword lecture. Everyone is very enthusiastic." "E-enthusiastic..." Selene looks around her and observed Krische''s looks, understanding the situation she looked at a man. Vergil, the First Battalion Commander who mixed in, watching the ''Dancer Krische'' solo performance before anyone knew it, shook his shoulder and raised his voice in panic. "Salute to the General!" Those around him immediately straightened their posture and saluted, hitting their palms on their chests. Selene red at Vergil with a frightening look. "... Bagil. I understood the situation somewhat, but... no matter how much an idiot the Krische is, please don''t y around with her too much." "Krische, not an idi...uuu." "...Idiot." She pinched Krische''s soft cheeks with both hands and red at the surroundings a bit angrily, Everyone smiled bitterly and averted their gaze. She beckoned to a young man who was holding Krische''s cloak, took it, and covered Krische''s bodypletely. Krische happily snuggled up to Selene, and Selene stroked Krische''s head. "Geez. At least wear pants instead of skirts during training." "...Krische doesn''t like pants." "If you wear a skirt, it might flutter up and show your underwear." "Krische won''t show----uuu..." Krische''s cheeks were, *muni* *muni*, pinched, and she blushed and fell silent. She was careful not to show her underwear. She didn''t show much of her thighs. But her awareness creates a strange chirari (glimpse) effect that just pleased the soldiers further, but of course, Krische is extremely insensitive to such nces. Selene sighed as she looked at her exasperated, sighed thinking that she was stubborn in a strange way. though she did not think there was anyone brave enough to attack her, Krische was still too indifferent about her appearance and attractiveness. She understood the basics, such as not showing her skin or underwear, but she didn''t understand the fundamentals. Her head ached just thinking about it. It might even be better to just cor her and locked her up in her room for the rest of her life. "For the time being, you''re still recovering, so let''s go back. Is it fine if you don''t cook with Bery?" "No, Krische will cook with Bery!" "...Haaah" *pon* *pon* Selene hit Krische on the head and looked at Bagil. "... The First Battalion seems to have a lot of physical strength, Bagil. There''s still time until evening. How about you lead the training for a forced march?" "Ha, haha... seems I can''t refuse." "Really, geez. Run until the sun goes down." "Yes ma''am! First Battalion, we will now begin the running and marching drill. Form up!" Selene sighed deeply as she watched the First Battalion move swiftly. "Selene, if you sigh too much, your happiness will run away. Is what Bery said." "Yeah, I wonder whose fault it is." "Uuuu..." Selene grabbed Krische''s cheek and let out another deep sigh. Chapter 65: Dreaming Chapter 65: Dreaming ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 65 Dreaming*** The fortress has a certain number of facilities. There are also facilities that can perform simple cksmithing, and hired craftsmen will also take care of simple maintenance on weapons and armors. While Krische was sleeping, Selene had gone there to have her curved sword sharpened, and today she came to pick it up. "Krische-sama, uhh, about the sword..." "... Somehow, it seems to be very light..." When she pulled it out of its scabbard, the curved sword was twice as thin, no, it¡¯s even thinner. It had been thin from the beginning due to the previous battle with the Holy Empire, but it¡¯s a thinness that she couldn''t imagine,pared to when she first bought it. The curved sword, which was small, was even smaller, and the tip, which was reliable like that of a nata (hatchet) had be slender. "No, uh... the de was so badly chipped that when I trimmed it, it looked like this. I tried my best, but..." Completely different. Krische was dumbfounded at the sight of the feather-light sword. ¡°I can only imagine what a tremendous battle it must have been. The fact that it has remained unbroken this long is probably due to Krische-sama¡¯s skill and the quality of the sword itself. Just how many people did it cut through.¡± "...784 people." ¡°Huh?" "Ah, that''s not right. This time, Krische cut 593 people with this sword.... It''s the worst." Krische looked down at the thinned sword and lowered her eyes. Three gold coins. luxury goods. Ten thousand pumpkins. Judging from the weight, Krische probably ended up wasting about 3,000 pumpkins. ¡°¡There were a lot of armor and bones. If Krische had used them more carefully, it wouldn''t end up like this ...It bes so thin. Krische, didn''t take good care of it." Bery has used her favorite knife every day for more than a decade. Krische bought the sword two years ago. However, it''s been less than half a year since she started using it. It was a real shock to Krische, because she would never have damaged it so much if she had only cut through flesh with it, regardless of how hard she used it. The sharpener froze by a different shock. Take care of things properly. It was one of the things Grace had taught her in the vige. The same goes for Bery. Even an ordinary tool will be familiar to your hand, and you will grow attached to it if you use it for a long time, she said. Bery takes good care of the tools she uses, and her cooking utensils are always sparkling. For Krische, a sword is nothing but a knife that kills people, which to her is in the same category as a cooking utensil. Therefore, it must be used correctly ording to its intended purpose. She was ashamed of herself for not having done so. "...Krische has to use it more carefully. It seems sharpening it also takes a lot of effort." ¡°N-no... 500 people..." The middle-aged craftsman¨D¨Dhe may not own a store, but he has been employed by the military and sharpening swords for a long time. When he sharpened a sword, he could know the skill of the sword''s wielder and how the sword was used. However, when he saw the curved sword that looked like a saw, he was puzzled as to how it had been used. Although there are countless nicks on the de, the nicks are rounded rather than sharp. A shiver ran down his spine as he realized that these were the marks of wear and abrasion by severing countless bone, armor, and human flesh. The handle was smeared with blood¨D¨Dperhaps the barbarian sword that he was sharpening was the sword that had killed the most people in this world. ¡°It looks like it will still cut well in its own way, but it looks like Krische will need to change the way its handled. Oh¡that¡¯s right¡± Krische took a small silver coin from a small bag around her neck and handed it to the man. ¡°It must have been a lot of trouble, so please ept it as a thank you, is what Selene said.¡± The man already got paid from his wages, so it was a payment that was not really necessary. The man epted and bowed his head, albeit somewhat awkwardly. The man finally understood the rumor that had been circting in the fortress. The Christand have a beautiful monster. The way she ys her enemies as if she were dancing sends fear into the hearts of her enemies and chills down the spines of her allies. The appearance of the young girl and the content of the rumor finally connected in the man''s head. "T-thank you... "Sorry. Even though sharpening is your job, Krische forced you to do something difficult. Krische¡¯ll use it more carefully from now on." "K-Krische-sama doesn¡¯t need thank me...I just did what is needed (I just did the natural thing)." The gesture of deeply bowing her head was polite, and the man hurriedly stopped it. Krische tilted her head and then smiled. "Please keep up the good work. It was a very excellent job." She liked the phrase ¡®doing what you should (doing the natural thing to do)¡¯. A person who does what needs to be done and takes the hard work it needed as only natural deserves recognition in itself. She always behaves politely, but she is also especially courteous to that kind of person. The man was fascinated by the pretty smile and saw off Krische¡¯s back and swaying hair. Rumors about Krische¡¯s assessment were generally divided into two. Some say she was a ruthless ughterer who can kill people whileughing¨D¨Dan abnormal being without any emotion (feeling). On the contrary, some say she is just a little girl who is younger than she appears. They would say that she is only wielding her sword because she has the power to do so, and in truth, she hates fighting. The two assessments of one side of the story strangely didn¡¯t mesh well, but the man who admired her soft, quiet smile just wonders which one he is. No matter what, her appearance of running towards and hugging the servant who could be seen in the distance was nothing more than that of a young girl. "Krische-sama, what shall we do today?" ¡°Hmm¡Krische wants to eat the pumpkin gratin that Bery made.¡± While looking at the ingredients ced in the pantry, the two chose the ingredients while chatting. "Okay. Then let''s have another beef stew. It''s fresh as it just arrived." "yes" Krische looked to her left and right, and then tiptoed a little. Bery kissed her lightly and stroked her head with a wry smile. These days, whenever there¡¯s no one else, Krische always be like this. Kissing has always been her favorite thing to do, but these days it seems that her favorite is to be kissed. "...Next time please be patient until the meal is over, geez." "Ehehe...okay." *Squish*, Krische hugged Bery. Krische, who was emitting a love love aura, probably because she had tasted the throughout pampering when she rested the other day, she be even more pampered. "Then, Bery, um, just one more time..." "After being a doggy, seems Krische-sama has be a mouse, huh, going chu chu." Bery kissed her gently and stroked her beautiful hair. Krische narrowed her eyes and her pale cheeks visibly blushed even in the dim light. "...Krische loves kissing y." "Fufu, so am I. I can really feel how much Krische-sama likes me." She smiled and stroked her cheek and let go. "So, if Krische-sama wanted to kiss so much, I might end up kissing Krische-sama all day even if Krische-sama doesn''t want it." "That... might be troubling." That exchange that they had often, had be like a habit. Krische puts her hand on her cheek and her eyes swum around shyly. She looked embarrassed but happy, and her sweet appearance is irresistibly cute. The water nymphs (spirits) that bewitch people¨D¨Deven they are no match for this girl. Looking at her, make Bery felt an urge to just be an idiot together. "Fufu, for now, it''s cooking time." "Yes, um..." Krische sorted the ingredients into the basket Bery held and put them carefully. By the time they came out, the sun was low enough to be blocked by the ramparts, and it was getting dark. Just when they greeted the guard who was standing guard in the pantry and started walking. ¡°Oh, Kri-chan!¡± A bright male voice called out. Krische looked over and saw a familiar face. It was not a soldier, but a merchant. ¡°Ah, Mr. Peddler.¡± ¡°¡?¡± Bery lowered her head a little curiously, and Krische, who had been called by the voice, recalled his face from her memory. The face of the merchant who hade to the vige. His appearance was a bit neater and tidier than before. The surrounding soldiers were surprised at the man who called Krische with a ¡®-chan¡¯. "Ah, excuse me, nice to meet you, my name is Yals, a merchant. I used to be a peddler, Kri-chan... no, I''ve been to the vige where Krische-sama lived several times." "Aah...no wonder" Bery looked convinced, and the man looked at Krische with a soft smile. "You¡¯ve grew up quite big... and beautiful. I was worried about how you''ve been since then." ¡°¡Ah¡± Krische lowered her head as if she just remembered something. She had said that she woulde shopping again. ¡°Uuu, even though Krische got a lot of vegetables before Krische could go shopping again, Krische left the vige¡¡± "Oh, it''s fine. Don''t worry about it. When I heard about the Christand¡¯s Krische-sama, I thought, just maybe¡ so it¡¯s right after all." Krische looked at the silver scale (libra) ne on the man. It indicates his affiliation with a firm. The base of the scale is engraved with the name Vazler. ¡°Since then, my business has been going well, and opened a store, I¡¯ve be a member of a firm. Now I leave the peddling to my son." Belonging to a firm was a dream for all merchants. Unless you are a trustworthy merchant with a store in town, you are not allowed to join. The firm guarantees the merchant''s identity, and only with the firm''s money and credibility canrge transactions be made. The path to bing a major merchant begins with belonging to a firm. Krische had also heard about how difficult it was to go from a peddler to a merchant belonging to a firm. "Congrattions, Mr. Pedd... Yals-san." ¡°Thank you. I am here today on an errand from the...Versler Firm but¡± Versler was a merchant house that mainly wholesaled foodstuffs and clothing. Its history is much older than Christand. Thepany has a close rtionship with the Arna Imperial State and conducts business mainly in the northern part of the Kingdom. It was Vazler whom the Christand asked for cooperation in the fight against the Holy Empire the other day. "... I have heard about Margrave Christand. You must have had a hard time." Yals bowed his head. Bery lowered her eyes slightly. "The firm intend to continue our friendship. Even though it was a coincidence, I must thank God that we were able to face the same direction and meet again. If there¡¯s anything you need, please contact me." ¡°Yes, I will. Thank you very much. The firm has also helped us a lot.¡± "...May Goddess of Fortune Arsay guide you. Anyway, it was good to see you in good health. I was worried about what had happened since then.¡± Yals lowered his head again and walked away. He must have some work to do. Krische send him off then looked at Bery. Bery smiled wryly. "The world is small, isn''t it? I''ve met him several times, but I never thought he was an acquaintance of Krische-sama." "He''s a peddler who used toe to Krische¡¯s vige long ago. After mothers and the others died, he gave Krische lots of vegetables. It was service (on the house) he said." ¡°¡is that so." Bery pulled her hand and walked. Krische thinks a little and said. "Krische doesn¡¯t know much about it, but how is Versler?" ¡°...they have been very good to Christand. The firm has been dropping quite a bit of money on us, and considering the way they spend it, I''d say they''re betting on Christand." She answered what Krische wants to hear. For her, trust is more of a match of interests than in emotional sense. ¡°If the Royal Prince faction wins, they will lose their interests to the firm on the Royal Prince faction, which would be undesirable for the Firm. They are on the same boat¡ª¡ªas long as nothing big happen, they¡¯ll be our ally." Bery knows most of the transactions and rtionships with the various tradingpanies because he has been doing the logistics calctions and settlements on Selene''s behalf. "Then it¡¯s a relief." Bery stroked her head and said, ¡°Merchants are people who value profit, loss, and trust. In that sense, it might be easier for Krische-sama to understand the rtionship.¡± "¡¡I see." Krische nodded and think. "It would have been nice if Christand was also a merchant''s house." "...?" "...because sometimes Krische doesn''t understand what Selene and others are saying about honor and great cause. Krische understands that that¡¯s they aesthetic sense. But Krische doesn''t understand the why people would choose death for the sake of such aesthetics. ¡Even though if you die, it''s all over.¡± She continued with a sigh. "Krische just wants trivial thing. For Selene to not do anything dangerous. ¡For example, living somewhere in the mountains together with Bery. If Krische have everything within reach, Krische can protect everything..." ¡®It''s difficult to put into words¡¯, Krische lowered her eyes. Bery waited in silence for her words. ¡°It might be a little inconvenient at first, but I''m sure it will be fun. There''s nothing to be anxious about... but Selene said that''s probably not possible. Selene cares about things that Krische doesn''t understand well, and if Krische force Selene, Selene won''t have fun, and then Krische also...¡± ¨D¨DThat''s why Krische thought it would be nice if that was the case. She repeated as if trying to catch something vague. "... Gotoushu-sama won''t die, Selene and Bery won''t be in danger, Krische won''t need to do anything Krische hated, and will always be with Bery and Selene.... And If we''re in a situation like this, we can just run away." "I see" "... Ah. But Krische would feel bad leaving Kreschenta alone. Uuu..." Bery smiled kindly and happily. ¡°I like the ¡®what if¡¯ too. But if we¡¯re talking about ¡®what if¡¯, then, I prefer to talk about ''what ifs¡¯ of the future¡± ¡°The future?¡± ¡°Yes. ...It''s called a dream.¡± "...we can''t do anything about what happened to Gotoushu-sama anymore. Even if we think about it, we can''t change the past. That''s why, if anything, I prefer to dream of such future ''what ifs'' rather than the ''what if'' of the past." ¨D¨DI wonder if it''s the same kind of chance meeting that I mentioned in the past. Bery chuckled and looked up at the sky. The sky at dusk is a mixture of indigo and madder red. "... In the mountains, quietly. Fufu, I understand what Krische-sama wants to say. Krische-sama¡¯s dream is the same as mine." "¡¡same?" "Yes. Quiet and modest, a little boring and inconvenient... but together with my loved ones without any anxiety. I¡¯m also thinking the same thing as Krische-sama." The shadows of the clouds are deep and dark. The color of the sun is more dazzling when it is just about to fall, but it is gradually drowned out by the darkness of the night. But darkness does note. The gentle glimmer of the moon and stars gently illuminate the icy darkness of the sky. Until the dazzling sun appears again from the eastern sky. Bery looked to where Yals had walked. "While he was a peddler, he must have dreamed of owning his own shop, joining a firm, and bing a splendid merchant. It''s precisely because he worked hard that he was able to fulfill that dream and obtain happiness... and now he might be dreaming of a new dream." ¡®Dreams can be big and small¡¯, heughed quietly. "... Dreams are like the moon that illuminates the darkness of the night. Even if the sun sets and nightes, the night will be illuminated by the moon, and the sun will rise again and brightens the sky. If you can imagine that a wonderful tomorrow wille, even if it''s hard now, you can do your best." Bery took Krische¡¯s hand. "I... also think that it would be great if there was a future where I could cook with Krische-sama every day at the estate and have tea with Ojou-sama and Kreshenta-sama¡ I think it would be great if there was a future where that would continue as if it were a matter of course. I wonder if it¡¯s a modest dream that wille true if we grasped peace in the future?" ¡®What about Krische-sama¡¯, she said with a smile. "... Krische, never thought of that." Krische looked a little embarrassed. But while imagining that scene in her head, she continued. ¡°But Krische really like Bery''s dream.¡± It was an ordinary day until half a year ago. That''s all Krische wanted. ¡°Krische too, Krische want to cook with Bery, eat delicious food and have tea parties with Selene and the others. Krische think it would be nice if that could go on forever......" ¡®¨D¨DImagining it, somehow¡¯ She put her hand on her chest and gently closed her eyes. "Is that so? Fufu, then me and Krische-sama have the same dream, right?" ¡°¡Yes, the same¡± "I''m sure Ojou-sama and Kreschenta-sama are thinking the same thing. I''m sure there are many people here who want to seize peace and wish for such trivial everyday life." She gripped her hand again, entwining her fingers. Entangled so they don¡¯t separate. "And if everyone is working hard to make ite true... I''m sure it''s a dream that wille true. Without even to wonder about it, if we do our best now, I¡¯m sure.¡± Krische nodded and looked up at Bery. "... But in the case of Krische-sama, it''s not good to work too hard. Please stop doing something like this as much as possible. What if Krische-sama doesn''t wake up... I was always worrying about it for a long time." "¡¡yes" ¡°Krische-sama, will you promise me that Krische-sama will make our dreamse true with me?¡± "Yes. ¡Krische promise." Bery put strength into her intertwined fingers. Krische holds it back tightly. Just by that sensation, strangely she felt like she can understand something. The two of them walked that way all the way to the kitchen. Chapter 66: Choice Chapter 66: Choice ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 66 Choice*** ".... Truce. what a joke." ----It was about three weeks after the battle at the Dragon''s Maw that a messenger from Gildanstein appeared. The messenger conveyed a proposal for a truce. The faces of everyone in the meeting room were not bright. "Let''s refuse, Selene-sama. There''s no need to even think about it." "... Corps Commander Agrand, please calm down. It''s not that simple." Terrius, themander of the Third Corps, admonished Kolkis. The reason everyone frowned was because, the purpose aside the content of the proposal itself was reasonable. "However..." "Corps Commander Melchikos is right. ...If we refuse, the loss will be huge." Gallen said and drank his ck soybean tea in one gulp. Without minding the squire at his side pouring another cup of ck bean tea, Gallen continued. He, too, had a deep crease between his brows. "The truce period is from theing severe winter to the harvest season. Regardless of the intention, it is well thought out." War creates a lot of expenses. The burden naturally falls on the people. Food, and also the breadwinner enlisted as soldiers. From spring to the end of summer, when agriculture is active, we should put our swords down for the sake of the people, that excuse was also apanied by some truth. If they bluntly refuse, the princess faction may lose the trust of the people. Originally, during the spring and summer months, wars are rarely fought in any country. Most wars are fought at the beginning of autumn to winter, and those were also for a reason----concern about the decline in thebor force and national power. Although considering the season it''s too early, the proposal was reasonable. This time it was a sudden civil war, so the timing was bad, and since it was putting a lot of burden on the people, it was certainly not bad in terms of giving the people a rest. The problem was that they will be blocked from moving in the winter. "...will the detour be canceled?" There was no answer to Krische''s words. After the Dragon''s Maw was taken from them, they also weren''t not just sitting by idly. At a recent meeting, the policy for the attack on the Dragon''s Maw had just been decided. Krische will made a major detour through Bernaich. She would cross the mountains, then attack simultaneously with Nozan Verreich to the east, and invade the capital, taking the back of the Dragon''s Maw andunching a pincer attack with Selene, who remained here. This would allow them to break through the Dragon''s Maw, the most difficult part of the battlefield, all at once. Hilkintos in the west and Garhka in the south have yet to express their positions. The same was true of the Arna Imperial State in the north. The reason for it was not known. Is it Spiritual reasons----Are they ascertaining who is right as a noble who pledged their loyalty to the Kingdom? Or are they still vignt because Christand still has some strenght? Although the letter stated that neither the west nor the south can move for national defense reasons, they do not know what they were really thinking. As an ally, Arna also hoped for a quick resolution, but they sent something like just a fixed reply, saying, ''We have differing opinions about interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. Before they decide on which g (faction) to back. If they participate in the war from now on, there is a high possibility that they will join the Gildanstein side and not them who has lost Bogan. They should struck back before Gildanstein tookplete control of the Royal Capital. However, Gildanstein reason for the truce was for the sake of the people. If they were only waiting for a chance to enter the war, rejecting it could be the trigger. "I want to counterattack. But... it''s a difficult problem." Even within Krische, who was scheduled to leave in a few days, her emotions and reason were at odds. If the detour was canceled, Krische wouldn''t have to leave Bery and the others. However, Krische''s reason had concluded that they shouldunch an attack. They were slowly choking the Christand, cornering them. She felt that kind of sensation. Krische looked at Kreschenta. Kreschenta, who was wearing the mask of a princess, noticed Krische and her eyes wavered. Krische could see that Kreschenta was also hesitant, and she understood that this was a politically difficult issue, and Krische pondered. Selene said. "Krische, is also of the opinion that capturing Royal Capital would take until the end of spring, right?" "Yes, it could take a little longer but ...... Krische thinks it will probably be done by that time." Krische looked down at the map and pointed to the Dragon''s Maw. "The earliest is by early spring, ...and if everything goes well, then probably by the beginning of winter. For taking the Dragon''s Maw it is fast, but..." Even Krische could not judge how long it would take if Gildenstein take a thoroughly dying tactic that avoided a decisive battle. "...That''s right. However, if we want to move General Verreich, we have to finish everything in one fell swoop. There is no telling when the Empire will make its move." Selene sipped her ck bean tea and took a deep breath. "His Royal Highness The Royal prince will definitely seize the Capital during the truce. After the truce, it is therge army of Royal Capital that we will be fighting----we will only lose if we simply agree with the truce. If we are to approve the truce, we must set and put ourselves in a position where we can grasp the victory." The disadvantages of refusing the truce were big. But the disadvantages of taking the truce are also big. "Corps Command Agrand is of the opinion to continues the engagement. And it''s the same for Krische, right?" "... if we win, then that''s the end after all." If we win. But nothing is certain. Otherwise, They would already advanced into the Royal Capital area. The conference room was filled with a heavy atmosphere because of that. "...Let''s reduce the cause for concern." Kreschenta raised her voice and stands up. "The west and south, and also Arna Imperial State, if any of them make a move then the scales will tilt greatly. And I''m afraid, they are more likely to join the other side rather than us at present, and we are afraid that refusing the proposal will create an opportunity for them to join the war. Is that right?" "Yes, that is correct, Your Highness." Selene nodded. Inwardly, she was confused. Selene didn''t understand what Kreschenta was trying to say. "I will go to Arna as a messenger." "... a messenger? Are Your Highness going to ask for support from the Imperial State?" "Yes, ostensibly." The others raised their eyebrows and looked at the beautiful figure of the young princess. "I am not sure if asking for support will work or not. But if I, as a member of Royal Family, am visiting as the messenger myself, they won''t be able to ignore my visit. If I inform them of my visit before they announce their position, at least they won''t be able to take military action, right?" Krische''s eyes widened slightly, and Kreschenta smiled when she saw it. Their eyes met only for a moment. "...Margrave Christand has a high military reputation, and that is why the Imperial State couldn''t move in either direction. But now that we have lost it, the most likely to make a move is the Imperial State. Just preventing that would be big." Kreschenta made a sad face as she said that. Her eyes were silently downcast, her shapely eyebrows lowered----her pretty features drew even more attention from those around her. All eyes in the conference room were drawn to her beauty. "... I''m like a g (symbol). I can''t help much even here. For my sake, you are all fighting for your lives. For that reason, even the beloved Margrave lost his life." She knew how her tone and expression affected those around her. She knew political power, and because she knew the power of political power. She understands the power of her voice and her expression, and how it affected those around her. There was some hesitation in taking advantage of Bogan''s death in front of Selene. However, her intellect is there to bring the oue that she desired To follow the means her sister wants her to follow, to fulfill the role her sister wants her to fulfill. And that lead to the oue she desired. If so, she will use everything she has to achieve it. Kreschenta is that kind of creature. "I will go to the Imperial State and prolong the negotiations as long as possible. At the very least until spring. It would be fine to spread that the Imperial State will be on our side. It should also serve as a check against the Western and Southern Generals. In the meantime. I want everyone here to put a stop to His Highness The Royal Prince----uncle'' tyranny." Her voice was trembling, but strong. Her purple eyes flickered and moistened, a small drop fell from them. Kreschenta wiped it and looked up. "Father who was sincere and noble, his life was taken by uncle''s ambition, and the life of the kingdom''s hero and loyal retainer...the Margrave''s life, was also taken by despicable means. What will be the future of the kingdom should he take everything with his beastly ambition? A truce out of concern for the people, and all from that evil mind...it cannot be trusted." There were no words that stopped her. In a moment. In a short amount of time, Crescenta took control of the atmosphere of the ce. In front of the crying princess, there was no longer an option in the conference room to take a truce. That kind of atmosphere was created. Selene once again faced with existence known as Kreschenta, and chills run down her spine. What would happen if this girl became her enemy? "...Thank you, Your Highness." Kreschenta shook her head at Selene''s words and sat down. She looked at the faces of the corpsmander and their adjutant. They all looked convinced and nodded quietly when Selene turned to look at them. "Even knowing the danger, Her Highness has said that. ...I, too, originally thought that it would be dangerous to take agree with the truce. I would like to choose to continue the engagement with the help of Her Highness. Is there any objection?" A voice rise saying there is no objection, and Kolkisughed. "Her Highness is doing her best after all. Haha, my, my... Her Highness, Selene-sama, and Krische-sama, three goddesses of the Christand. If so, The Goddess of Victory will surely be lured out and will want toe to visit." "...that''s disrespectful, Corps Commander Argrand. That said, well, I agree with those words,... if the three concerns are minimized, then there is no need to worry." Terrius replied and looked at his neighbor, the Corps Commander of the Fourth Corp, Eluga. With a skeleton-like face, he too nodded. "...I also think we shouldn''t agree with the truce. This detour breakthrough is close to a surprise attack. Now that we''ve finished transmitting the order to the soldiers, the enemy will know if there''s time. Let''s go." "Haha, seems everyone agrees." Krische nodded to Selene, annoyed at Kolkis''s loud voice. Selene also nodded. "Sending a messenger and resuming the temporarily suspended preparations. Krische, Faren Corps Commander, please. You two will be the key." "... Yes, I will do my job properly." "Please leave it to me" Selene took a deep breath and drank the ck soybean tea. "Good girl, good girl. You''re a good girl." "...wafu" When Kreschenta returned to her room, she was being pampered by Krische. Being cuddled on herp, stroked, and fed by Krische. Even in the bath Kreschenta was thoroughly washed by Krische, and had her brain melted with pleasure. Selene looked at the situation exasperated, wondering where was the actor from a little while ago had gone. Bery looked on happily and poured Selene another cup of tea. "...But are you going too? Bery" "Yes, ...I can help you with various things, such as changing clothes and taking care of the meals. And the escort will also be a reliable personnel from Krische-sama''s Century, so it''ll be okay." A dependable servant was necessary for an audience in the Imperial State. The choice was Bery and Anne Considering its Kreschenta, they can''t afford to leave it to someone else''s servant. And as expected, if it''s Anne they will be a little uneasy. Considering it''s a role where failure will not allowed, Bery was the only choice here. "Krische''ll send around 10 men from Corinth''s squad as an escort. Krische will be more at ease than sending someone from another squad." Saying that, Krische tightened her hold on Kreschenta''s body and lowered her eyes." It was something Bery had brought up when they were in the bathroom. It was not truly as safe as Kreschenta had said. There was no guarantee that the Imperial State would not sell out Kreschenta to Gildanstein. To be honest, she doesn''t want her to go on such trip. "Mu, Mugyuu..." "... Krische is a little uneasy after all." *Gyuu*, her arms tightened, crushing Kreschenta who was in her arms. Her face was pressed against the modest breasts, and her hands tapped Krische''s arms from the suffering. "I''m fine. Besides, there''s no truly safe ce. There''s some kind of danger everywhere...then it''s the same thing after all." Bery approached and stroked Krische''s cheek. Kreschenta was iling. "Besides, I also want to help Krische-sama and the others, even if just a little. Like Krische -sama and the others, I too want to do as much as I can." "Bery..." "We''ll cook together again, have tea together... that''s why." "......yes" Bery kissed and ran her fingers through Krische''s silky hair. Krische nodded quietly, and Selene, who was watching them, called out. "Ah, um... it''s a wonderful conversation, but is it fine? Kreschenta is being crushed..." "Ah..." When Krische finally realized and loosened her strength, Kreschenta got up and coughed. Holding her crushed and reddened nose with both hands, she stared at Krische with tearful eyes. "Uuu...how cruel. Onee-sama almost crushed my nose..." "Crescenta, don''t get angry. Look, chu~." "Onee-sama, don''t think you can cheer me up with that... Ehehe." Kreschenta was in a good mood as soon as she was kissed and hugged by Krische. She then red at Bery. "A-ahaha... I''m sorry..." "...not enough sincerity." *Squish*, Krische pinched Kreschenta''s puffy cheeks and stretched them out. "...Kreschenta, I''ll leave it to you." "Uuu...I understand." "Good girl." She patted her head and kissed her repeatedly. Even Krische was surprised when Kreschenta said she would take the risk. And as much as she was surprised, she was also happy. She tangles her golden red hair with her fingers and told her to look into her wet purple eyes. "When everything is over, we''ll all have a tea party. And after that, we''ll be together forever. That''s why Krische is doing her best. That''s why Kreschenta, too." "...Yes, onee-sama" *Chu*, *chu*, Selene looked at the two who seem to kiss forever if they were left alone, and opened her mouth. "By the way, Kreschenta. Did you just thought up the speech?" "Yes, of course. You just have to do it ording to the situation." "...You sure make it sound easy." "It is easy. I have a position, so I''ll just use it to say what I want. The soldiers are demoralized after losing the battle, so I should give them a reason and hope to fight. If I deceive them, even temporarily, then Onee-sama and Selene will take care of the rest, right?" "Yeah. Though the word ''deception'' catches my eye." She sighed and sipped her tea. The soldiers are tools for her. The reason why they are fighting is not something that she sympathized with. But she understood their reasons and knew how to move them. And she is not moved by their deaths, not even a hair''s breadth of emotion. She''s ruthless to her core. As if sensing Selene''s emotion, Kreschenta pressed her fingertips to her lips, troubled. "Well, that''s preference in how to say it, I guess. I wonder if Selene-sama prefers to call it encouragement?" "... what we do is simr. So, I won''t deny it." Either unconsciously or consciously. Selene wondered what was different. Encouraging soldiers to fight is nothing less than making them sacrifice their one and only life. No matter how you put it, for the sake of victory, many lives are exchanged for gambling chips. It doesn''t change what they''re doing. But is it arrogance to want her to ept it not with logic, or reason, but with emotion? By doing so, the two of them will be closer to normal and will be able to feel extremely normal thoughts and happiness. The two of them were too young to understand it. It seemed as if they would just stay like that for their whole life. In truth, they probably didn''t know the difference between objects and life. She wanted to teach them that, but on the other hand, She wondered if it was really the best for them. Their strength is also what they got in exchange for their humanity. "... Well, I wonder if it''s the kind of thing that has no correct answer." "...?" Even if this war was over, her worries will probably never end. She can a future where she would find bing an olddy while she''s endlessly thinking about it. "Bery, I''m thinking of giving the soldiers something a little extravagant. The day after tomorrow, we''re all going to say goodbye for a while, so could you please make a little extravagant meal?" "......yes. Fufu, actually, I secretly talked about that with Krische-sama." "Shrewd one." She smiled and looked out the window. Strangely, she felt calm. Failure was not an option. But, even with that in mind, there was no longer any need to worry. All she had to do was work hard at what was in front of her. "... whatever the case, let''s do our best together. It may be painful, it may be hard, and that period may continue, but..." ----I''m sure there will be fun things waiting for us after that. The three nodded silently at Selene''s words. ----at that time. "Nhh, Thank you...but you sure are very considerate. Krische is a clever but clumsy girl, so it''s reassuring to have not just Bery, but also someone who is as capable as you. Because Selene also tended to push herself too hard, a presence like you will surely bringfort." "No, no! I am not even close to reaching Argan-sama...." "Haha, don''t be so humble. Even if you don''t show up on the stage, it''s the people who support you that are important. You look like a fine servant to me." "Th-that''s... ehehe." Anne, who had been sent to Gallen''s ce as a way to prevent trouble as if it''s only natural, was being praised to death. Chapter 67: Departure Chapter 67: Departure ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 67 Departure*** On the rampart----there were three girls and three men. A girl in a fiery red cloak, her golden hair tied in ponytail swinging majestically. A girl in a ck cloak, her silvery hair tied in two, swaying in the wind. Lined up next to them are the three corpsmanders, who represent the martial prowess of the Christand. Standing in the center was a particrly small girl. As if to represent her purity and honesty, she wore a white dress lightly embroidered with gold. On her ne was a deep blue jewel signifying hope, and on her left hand was a gold flower bracelet. She wore only the bare minimum of adornment and looked simple for a member of the royal family. However, her graceful golden hair----with its shimmer of red, made her figure stand out in all its beauty. ----The girl is Alberan, the Child of God. She''s the noblest, most beautiful, a jewel without any impurity in the Kingdom. Below her were 15,000 soldiers. When the girl stepped forward, they all kneel down and bow as her subjects. A simr scene had urred not long before. On top of the fortress, it was the Hero Christand who stand there at that time. Everyone was forced to recognize once again that they had lost a hero. "----I am Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan. The first princess of Alberan Kingdom and the legitimate heir to the throne." Kreschenta said solemnly and smiled. "I don''t think it''s necessary to say something like that. ...Everyone, please raise your head." The voice was sweet and tickles the ear. The voice that was augmented by magic had no oppression or intimidation unlike its volume and resounded like a whisper in their ear. The undeveloped voice before the voice change was more of a child''s voice than that of a woman''s, yet the voice that reached the brain through the ears was apanied by a resonance that could not be ignored. After a moment''s hesitation, the soldiers stood up and put their hands on their chests in a salute stance. "...The other day here stood the hero of the Kingdom------General Christand, ...and he said a few words to all of you. I''m sure many of you here remember those words." ''----So do I'', she then lowered her eyes. There were those who trembled at those words and clenched their teeth. "The General said this...not as a General, but as a single citizen, a person who loves his country and loves peace just like everyone else, I stood here." Slowly, not rushed, but also not stuttered. "All of you here are warriors, standing on the battlefield with no decorations, risking your lives. The General, therefore, has taken off his ornaments and stands before you as a warrior..." Kreschenta shook her head as if she was at a loss. Her voice trembled but was clear. "... I learned a lot as a person born into the royal family, and I know a lot. But that is only to how to rule...such as these speeches. I am sure that my words, adorned with jewels, will not reach you." Then she slowly looked up. As if looking at each one of them. "... I don''t think I can do the same thing as Margrave Christand, the hero of the kingdom, but honestly----at least in this ce, just as my heart feel without any ostentation. As those who love and respect peace in the same way." Silence reigned as no one make a sound. But only their gazes were fixed on her. Kreschenta sensed this and continued to speak. "I am now going to the Arna Imperial State. ...to ask for their support." The point is to give them hope. In the current situation, it cannot be said that morale is high. "There is nothing I can do on the battlefield as one who is not a warrior, but there are things I can do. The other day I sent a letter to the Arna Imperial State stating that I will be visiting, and a few days ago I received a reply saying that I would be allowed to visit. It was not a promise to assist us. ...But the fact that I''ve been allowed to visit is nothing less than the fact that the Arna Imperial State has the intention to do so." ''Ooh'', a quiet murmur came out of the soldiers'' mouths. Kreschenta smiled inwardly. In fact, the letter was only one way. She had only sent it on a fast horse yesterday, and she''s not expecting a reply at all. It was a one-sided letter stating that she would visit them, and it was certain that the Arna Imperial State had no intention of helping them at the present time. It was somewhat impolite, but it did not matter at this point. The purpose was not to ask for assistance but to block the movement of the Imperial State and others. The purpose of this big publicity is to restrain others. If the story of the Arna Imperial State supporting the princess faction was publicized so grandly, rumors will spread naturally. If that were to happen, it would make it less likely that anyone who was currently neutral would lend a hand to Gildanstein. That was today''s purpose. "Our esteemed His Majesty the King... my father''s life was taken to usurp the throne, and in Dragon''s Maw he has taken the life of our General with a dastardly plot of treachery. Gildanstein has demanded a truce on top of that. ''For the people'', a pretense that doesn''t even truly exist in his heart." And they also needed a justification for refusing the truce. A just cause is always important. While it''s inevitable that Krische will be considered a Cursed Child, Gildanstein''s character is also not very good, and his notoriety extends beyond the royal court. In that sense, the reasoning is easy to make. "... With what kind of heart did he say such words? Gildanstein---- my uncle, who used his power to oppress the weak, there''s no one who doesn''t knows about his evil deeds. Tormenting other people then killing them, toying with their hearts... I once pleaded with him to stop doing something like that." Of course, there are no such facts. Kreschenta did not care, and in fact weed the fact that Gildanstein, a political opponent, was ruining his reputation by engaging in such amusements. In fact, she was d to be able to use it in this way. "But ...all that came back in respond was, ''Why? it''s fun''. He feels nothing ...for torturing people and sending them down to the bottom of the valley of pain and despair for the sake of fleeting, inane pleasures." Considering what he has done so far, it was easy to ount his deeds. It was easy for her to weave the words. "If that is the royal bloodline, if that is what''s counted as legitimate, ...It''s better to be called a Cursed Child." She shook her head and put her hands on the parapet. A pitiful, kind-hearted princess----to show off that kind of figure. "... I won''t tell you to follow me. However, as someone with a heart, I would like you to stop the evil deeds of my uncle... Gildanstein. That is my only wish. ....Should he rule the Kingdom, in the future there will only be something darker and muddier than mud. In order to leave hope for the new life that will sprout in the kingdom, for the future----Please." Kreschenta kept her head down. There''s no hesitation or resistance in doing so. Kreschenta''s fragile figure------it was the perfect form of a powerless princess. Heroic tales often tell stories of the hero helping a princesses. It was a story that was more well told than anything else for them. Despite being cornered, she stood up for the noble honor. The situations they were given were intertwined with the stories they had heard since childhood, clinging to them, subconsciously inspiring them. "For Her Royal Highness, for the Kingdom!" Outside the ramparts, a sword was drawn and pointed toward the heavens. It was Dagra. He was given the role of doing so at the appropriate moment. The ck Century immediately raised their sword in response and repeated the same words. And it created a wave that all the soldiers followed and repeated as it propagated around. Selene was exasperated while also amazed at how she could lie so easily. Selene, who knew all the facts, had her own thoughts on the matter, but her exasperation was stronger than that. She sighed inwardly, thinking that she didn''t want Krische to be like that, while looking sideways at Krische, who seemed to be impressed, thinking that Kreschenta was a good storyteller after all. Whatever the case, the speech was more than enough. She looked at Kolkis. He''s a frank man. Apparently moved by Kreschenta''s speech, Kolkis nodded his head and stepped forward, drawing the sword from his waist. "Did you hear that!! Her Royal Highness has also shown that she will fight for us! There is no reason why we should not follow her. Our hero and our lord, our venerable General, always said this. ------Just be a single sword!" Kolkis''s loud voice shook the atmosphere. Both Kreschenta and Krische, who were standing right next to him, tried not to show it on their faces, but they were filled with a desire to plug their ears. Krische, for example, was clutching her skirt inside her cloak. "We are the sword of the kingdom. ----the General has sworn to be the sword of Her Highness. And I pledge here! I, Kolkis Nactra Linea Agrand will be a sword that will defeat all enemies that stand in the way of Her Highness!" Kolkis swunghis sword and announced. "What about you guys! Will you be afraid of defeat and return to humans, or will you be the same sword!?" A heroic cheer echoed through the fortress. "Nhnn..." After the speech was over, Bery and Kreschenta will leave in a short while. Krische will also leave the fort today for the detour. In a sense, it was only natural they would be together in the room before their departure. Krische was kissing Bery endlessly. Krische was sitting on Beryp, hugged her, and continue to kiss her. Selene looked at it with an indescribable face. Kreschenta red at Clich¨¦ dissatisfied. Anne, who was preparing the luggage in ce of Bery, was peeking at them and was not focused at her work. The situation continued for nearly half an hour. "...Haah, really." "Ah..." Selene lifted Krische''s body from behind and puts her on herp. "I know you''re lonely, but it''s about time for her to leave. If you hold on like that, then Bery will bete for departure." "Uuu..." Krische still stared at Berry with reluctance. A storm of passionate kisses. Bery, whose face was red as if she was hot, scratched her cheek with a troubled face and smiled wryly. Then she got up and bring her face closer. "That''s... Krische-sama. It''s not a farewell for life. That''s why we will continue after Ie back...at that time please give me a lot of kisses." *Chu*, She kissed her lightly and stroked her head. "ording to the rumor, love grows when you can''t see each other. I''m sure the kiss at that time will be an exceptional one (written as different quality), a very lovely kiss that you''ve never had before." "...exceptional one" "Yes, it will be. It''s a very happy kiss with lots of overflowing love." Bery said and kissed her regrettably. Twice, three times, she put her hand on Clich¨¦''s cheek and stroked it. Staring into her eyes, tracing her lips, Bery narrowed her wet eyes and brought her face closer---- "......stop it." "Auu." *Pechi*, Selene flicked her forehead. "Uuu, even if it''s Ojou-sama, you can''t hit me ...uu." "You, what are you going to do bing just like her, geez..." Selene said looking, exasperated by Bery who is holding her forehead, and Krische pouted her lips in dissatisfaction saying ''Bery''s kiss''. Selene pinched Krische''s lips with her fingers and told her that it was over. "If you''re going to have a stupid exchange, please wait until you got back, really." "That''s right, only Argan-sama... even though I''m also going to have to leave Onee-sama from now on..." Kreschenta hugged Krische. But this time Selene flicked Kreschenta on the forehead. "What are you doing! I''m a princess you know!" "If that''s the case, can you show me some princess-like behavior...if you continue like this then just when will the two of you depart?" "Uu...It''s only Argan-sama, that''s not fair." ''just why do I have to do this'' Selene sighs and pulls Krische''s cheek. ''unya'', Krische let out a scream. "Okay. You two should prepare quickly. Then I''ll let you do it one more time." "...Since when did we need Selene-sama''s permission to kiss Krische. Are you going to keep it to yourself by saying that?" "...I won''t." "...Ojou-sama has been suspicioustely, so I''m a little worried." "Y-you know..." Bery, who seems to hold grudge for the flick on her forehead, red at Selene, then quickly immediately giggled. "Fufu, then, Kreschenta-sama, shall we go and say hello to the escort? The goodbye kiss will beter." "... I understand." "Ah, t-then I''ll apany you two too...!" Kreschenta puffed up her cheeks sulkily, and nodded, then left the room with Bery and Arne. Selene sighed again and nuzzled Krische''s soft cheek. "Really, thanks to you, I''m already drained. Even though it''s going to be hard from now on." Even as she spoke, Selene''s voice was filled with tenderness. "Bery and Kreschenta are both infected with stupidity, just what should I do with you guys." Krische turned around on herp. Then looked up with upturned eyes at Selene. "... Selene too, Chu." Krische is a kissing demon. Selene froze, and her eyes swam around, then she somehow managed to escape. "Lter" "... Selene doesn''t like it?" "Uhh, um, it''s not like that..." Krische leaned over and pressed her lips. Soft and kind. Her eyes are somewhat dim, and she repeated the kiss without saying anything for a while. And when she was done, she leant her body against Selene and embraces her. Delicate and weightless body. Krische said nothing and remained motionless. Sensing such Krische, Selene shook her gaze. "...Worried?" Krische nodded. she is just like she appearance suggested. "Krische''s really worried... can''t calm down. It''s kind of strange..." "Scared?" "...Maybe." *Squish*, she put strength into her hand. She caressed her back soothingly. "It''s simr to when Krische thought about what if Bery and Selene hated Krische... Krische''s body is weird and Krische doesn''t really understand it." "...Is that so." She felt happy. Krische was starting to understand a lot of things, and what shecked was filled in. Perhaps one day she''ll be just like everyone else, even if not perfect. But she was a little lost as to what to say. "That''s important." "...Important?" "Yeah, very.... The fact that you''re scared is proof that you care about someone. Me too, and Bery too. Everyone feels scared. It''s not just Kische." The silver thread that hangs from her thin waist is entwined with her fingers, and she tilted her head. Their cheeks squished together and Selene smiled. "The reason it''s not scary is because there''s nothing important. That might be something very strong thing, and in that sense, the Krische may have be weaker." "... Krische, useless?" "No." Selene said with a wry smile. "Everyone gets scared, but in the end, the really strong are the ones who stand up for what''s important. Even if you get scared at the end of a parting, you''re still going to do your part after that, right?" "......yes" ----Then, Krische is a strong child, Selene said, and lowered her eyes. Cowardice is kindness. And she wants her to live forever in a world where that is allowed. Following Bery around, doing housework, cooking, and pampering her. However, Selene didn''t have the strength to allow her to do so. "......sorry" "Selene...?" "Someday... I promised you that I''d let you cook with Bery all the time at the estate... but it looks like it''s going to be a long time before that happens." Krische sat up and put her hand on Selene''s cheek. With her thumb, she wipes the dripping water droplets. Then she held her chest with her left hand and looked down a little. Krische shook his head from side to side. "Selene... Krische is very happy that Selene think''s like that." "...Krische" "When the war is over and peace is restored, Krische, everyone will have tea together, cook together, and eat a lot of delicious food... Hehe, it''s Krische''s dream to spend every day like that. ...Dreams are, uh, what Bery''s said, but..." Krische looked at Selene with a slightly embarrassed smile. "Not just Selene, but Krische also will do her best. Krische will also do her best so that Selene can stay in the estate forever. That''s why Selene doesn''t need to apologize, if you apologize, then Krische too..." Krische paused, searching for words. "Krische wants Krische''s dreams toe true together. ...Then, Krische''ll be very happy...and happiness doubles when we''re together, and Krische sure we''ll be very, very happy...um, that..." It was awkward and tottering. There was so much to convey. "U-uuu..." Selene pinched her soft cheek. "... Fufu, I was going tofort my stupid little sister, but I can''t believe I wasforted." Beautiful, and smooth ----she brought her face closer to hers. The tip of their nose rubbed and their lips touche. It was just a little touch. But also deep and important. Krische hand wrapped around her neck, and Selene hugged her waist as she pull her slender body. "...I *love* you, Krische." "... Ehehe, Krische love Selene too." Krische smiled as usual. A soft smile that just lifted her lips. Chapter 68: Skeleton Chapter 68: Skeleton ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 68 Skeleton*** Patreon is open now /heroicepic](url)) A key point in the northern part of the Kingdom----the Dragon''s Maw. Southwest of Mirskronia is the Alkeil Mountains Range. From Bernaich, the Kurail Mountain Range continues east to the Great Sea of Trees, cutting off the north and south sides of the Kingdom. The mountain range to be crossed this time is the Kurail Mountain Range to the east of Bernaich. For a while after Bernaik, there are steep mountains thatpletely prohibit the passage of an army, but the Kurail Mountain Range bes more or less gentle as it''s further east. Autumn was already near its end. Krische and the other had to cross this Kurail and enter the Royal Capital area before the snow piled up with the arrival of aplete winter. "To General Verreich. Tell him to start moving." Krische ordered while ying with her hair, which was tied in two, the messenger saluted and went outside. In the tent of the First Corps was the skeletal Eluga Faren, the corpsmander of the Fourth Corps. And his adjutant, Quinez Karza----a small, fat young man in contrast to the slender Eluga. He is in his mid-thirties, but as a noble and holder of magical powers, his looks young. Although he was not a handsome man, his face was soft and his gentle and calm appearance had a mysterious charm that softened the attitude of those who saw him. He is an adjutant to Eluga Faren, the corpsmander of the Fourth Corps, who possesses excellent intelligence, and his mind turns reasonably well, despite his appearance. Also, Dagra and Mia. Kalua and her squad mate of the First ck Squad were standing by as escort and squire. The current location is at the foot of the Kurail Mountain Range. Krische and the others were taking a rest just as the steep mountains were beginning to show their gentle sides. "...Well then, I hope they don''t realize it." "Even if they do, they will be looking further to the east. And they can''t possibly have the strength to take on General Verreich''s army. Considering the current situation, the most they can send is 20,000 to 30,000----Even if they''re in the best possible conditions, 40,000 would be the limit." The former corpsmander of the First Corps, Nozan Verreich, was apparently so furious that you could even recognize it by his letter. When they asked him for his cooperation in the counterattack, he agreed without hesitation. The concern was the military strength of Nozan, but there were many people who were out of work in the eastern part where viges were burned by the Holy Empire, and there were surprisingly many who volunteered to join the army in search of jobs. The Nozan army numbered 25,000 men. Leaving 10,000 of them in the East and Wolfeit, Nozan will invade the capital with 15,000 troops. "Haha, Christand will be safe if Krische-sama is here. My calctions are the same. Even if 40,000 were sent, most of them would probably be new recruits. Although there is threat in numbers, the force is weak." "Yes. For Krische, Krische''d be happy if they send that much military power there, but... well, it''s probably around 30,000 at most." "Right." Nozen''s invasion will begin from the east along the mountain range. The Kingdom''s central army will move to defend against it, and they will collide with it next week. Krische and her team were aiming at the rear of the central army. Eruga looked at the spread out map and pointed to one point. "I think it''s here... what about Krische-sama?" It''s not like there''s a town there. Just a nk area. Dagra frowned, and Mia thought a little. "That''s right. That''s the delicious part, isn''t it? As for Krische, Krische feels that it''s okay to do this by separating from Faren''s Corps Commander." Krische pointed slightly south of that point. Mia looked convinced and asked. "Is it to cut off the rearmunication line no matter where it is?" The possible points of collision between the east and center. And arge city in the vicinity. No matter which, It was in between the two. "Yes. Let''s start from there. we can''t take much over the mountain, right?" Mountains are not impossible to climb if they try. Even in the Dragon Maw, they were fighting in the mountains. But why not use the mountains as an invasion route----the reason was logistics. It is possible to pass soldiers to the other side if it is a certain level of mountain, but not so for the logistics that follow. They definitely need a carriage. For this reason, a mountain that cannot be used by a carriage bes an imprable obstacle or a very difficult obstacle for military invasion. The amount of luggage and provisions an individual can carry is limited. Considering the equipment, it is impossible for an individual to carry even just 10 days'' worth of rations. This time as well, they nned to use the horse that had prepared for crossing the mountain by tying the supply to its back. The cost would be ridiculous, but it would provide food for the time being, and they were also bringing along a sheep as walking food. "Krische and the other has one of two options. Either quickly rendezvous with the eastern army led by General Verreich or steal the enemy''s rations." "......I see" Mia wondered why they were making the mountain crossing so far in advance. They can go a little further east, then the mountain will be less steep. It would be hard to climb up the mountains here, and they''d have less provisions to take with them. But if they wanted to steal the enemy''s transportation, there was no other ce to cross the mountain than here. Mia was impressed, understanding the reason. The information given to the soldiers is always the bare minimum necessary. There is no army where its soldiers sit in a circle, chewing dried meat and discussing tomorrow''s tactics. Mia, who was forced to sit in on this important discussion without really understanding what Krische was asking of her, made various assumptions in her head. The ck Century would naturally be involved in the assault on the enemy transportation corps. "And Krische and the other choose thetter. Thinking about the future, we will first attack the enemy''s rear and steal the enemy''s supply (cargo). After that, we will aim at the rear of the central army fighting General Verreich, but..." Krische looked at Eluga. "It''s not a bad idea to divide them into two...but it depends on the situation. If the enemy isrger than expected, it is not a bad idea to reduce their strength. Verreich''s ability is solid. He will be able to hold out even if he is slightly outnumbered. "Hmm...Isn''t it better to focus on one spot and aim at the rear with a single blow? If wepletely cut off the rear, then they can also notice Krische''s movements." Eluga nodded at Krische''s words. Nozanis a decoy------if they could just convince the enemies of it. If they could make the enemy believe that Krische and his men were heading straight for the Dragon''s Maw and that Nozen was simply stalling to draw their forces away, they would be able to ambush the enemy, even if they knew they were crossing the mountains. "I want to make them think that we are heading for the Dragon''s Maw. In all probability, it will be as intended. The General who will face Verreich-dono is a stiff-minded one. He might be able to read the back, but he won''t be able to read the back of the back." "General Marcellus is it. On the record, he looked like a mediocre person." "Yes, that is correct. He is a man of great valor and is well respected by his soldiers. But that is all." From Eluga''s point of view, he was a higher ranked person------but his words were harsh. Even if something unexpected happened, the situation was perfect. Eluga implicitly told him that they could not lose and looked at Dagra. Dagra slightly corrected his posture. Although he is a special centurion under Krische''s directmand, the corpsmander status is still above the clouds for him. There will be some tension especially when ites to Eluga, who is a renowned tactician. "In that case, I''d like to borrow Krische-sama power. Let''s use the Fourth Corps to support the attack. The battle against the Holy Empire, and the sess of the Dragon''s Maw... If you''re going to attack from rear, wouldn''t it be possible to end the battle just by making a path?" Krische thought for a moment and nodded. "It''s possible. If that''s the case, then Krische will only operate ck and Red------the light infantry. Can Krische leave the rest of themand to you?" "I don''t mind... Ah, about that." Eluga remembered the retreat battle and thinks a little. Counterattack with a battalion as a decoy. Considering the circumstances, it was a truly splendid counterattack. Thanks to that, Eruga''s Fourth Corps suffered little damage. The First Corps suffered somewhat less damage than if it had just retreated as it was. However, amander''s logic is not always correct. Soldiers on the front lines fight by emotion rather than mathematical logic. Eluga had heard that this had created a rift between her and the corps under her. "...I see. It may be of no use to Krische-sama, but...." "......?" "It''s at times like that, you should leave something up to them." Eluga''s bony face broke into a smile. He had a sinister smile like that of a reaper that sent chills down the spine of those who see it, but that''s how just Eluga''s face shaped when he smiled, and there was no trace of malice on his part. However, Mia, who was watching, quietly backed away with a ''Uuu'' and was red at by Dagra. "I used to do that when I was young, and I still do now that I''m older. I believed that the logic of numbers could control everything, and I moved everything with that logic. I disliked ipetence and cut it out of my life. ...But in time, nobody was left under me. They turned away from me." ''Kukuku'', He spoke nostalgically. "Of course, it''s Krische-sama we''re talking about, Krische-sama has ingenuity that''s iparable to me. I can''t speak of you on the same level as me, but... we don''t fight alone. No matter how good a sword Krische-sama is, killing 10,000 people alone, is a bone breakingbor." "That''s right. Krische doesn''t have much that much stamina..." Krische pondered for a moment, and she blushed and nodded as she recalls when she fainted. "Just killing hundreds of people is already tiring for Krische. If Krische''s going to kill 10,000 people, then Krische going to need to take a good rest and spread it by days..." She put her hands on her reddened cheeks and shook her body in embarrassedly. The people inside the tent were shocked, by the embarrassed Krische. She was saying that she can y 10,000 soldiers if she takes a rest. Hearing her words, only Elugaughed merrily without being surprised. "Kuku, If we are to finish the job in a day or a few hours, we will still need excellent subordinates. And these people are not like the fruits of the forest, they don''t grow on their own. They are like the crops of the field, and we must nurture them." "That''s, certainly" "I am sure that many of us may seem ipetent to you, Krische-sama, but if you nurture them, they can be something more than that. Most armies are just a bunch of ipetents, but if you raise them to a reasonable degree, you''ll have ample advantage. ......Bogan-dono always told me that." ''Though he wasn''t that sarcastic'', he wryly smiled. Krische pondered his words for a moment, and Eluga smiled kindly------wickedly, as best as he can. Mia gradually distanced herself from him, and Dous grabbed her by the neck and put her back in ce. "Christand army is strong because that is how they have brought up those under them. And to nurture them, you have to entrust them with something. If there is an opportunity, people will naturally grow up. Even if that person does not hold such vessel, the experience will broaden his horizons. If you think about the future, I feel that it would be better to try to leave it to one of them rather than entrusting it to me." "... Muu, raising them" "That''s right, now... let''s think of this from a different point of view." Eluga sipped ck bean tea on his chin and continued. "Everyone knows about Krische-sama''s abilities. Whether they like it or not, there is no doubt about it. So are your battalionmanders." "Hmm...yes" "If Krische-sama''s entrusted me with themand, they would think you judged them as ipetent and untrustworthy. It''s a natural logic." "That...Krische understands." Krische nodded at Eruga with interest. "However, if you entrust them with themand, they will be proud. It means that you have recognized them for their ability." "...Is it like that?" "That''s right. ...Dagra is it?" "...Yes, Corps Commander Faren." Dagra salutes as the word was directed at him. "Your Century is second to none in the world and is truly the strongest centurion. How do you feel about being entrusted with it by none other than the Krische-sama?" "Yes sir! It is the greatest honor for a centurion to be entrusted with such century by the greatest warrior, the Corps Commander, and I will be proud of it for the rest of my life! Corps Commander Faren." "Very well, take a rest (step back). ...and, that''s how it is." Krische stared at Dagra and asked. "Is that so? Bald Eagle" "Yes ma''am! These words are my true feeling, Krische-sama." "Krische-sama is underestimating yourself. To be recognized by someone like Krische-sama and to be given special authority is something that gives will give self-confidence. Confidence can sometimes lead to overestimating, but moderate Confidence is actually motivating." Although she wondered if that was the case, it was true that Dagra was doing his job well and working hard for Krische. Looking back at his work, she nodded. "...Certainly, Bald Eagle is doing his work properly." "Fufu, that''s how it is. Why don''t you try entrusting something to them as a test for the time being? If you''re worried, I''ll also watch it. Rest assured." "...Thank you very much." Krische stood up and bowed deeply. Eluga who received it straight,ughed and shook his head saying ''it''s nothing''. And after that, Eluga looked at Dagra curiously "But I was wondering...what is with Bald Eagle?" "It''s called a nickname, it''s a name that is filled with affection that''s popr among the soldiers. It seems that Krische is called Usa-chan because Krische looked like a white rabbit in the winter... Krische is not really good at getting along with people. Krische thought Krische will start with the first step." "...nickname" "Yes. Bald Eagle was given by Krische. You see, his head is smooth head, and he has an eagle nose, so it''s a perfect fit. It juste to Krische, so Krische think that''s what called an inspiration." ''Bald Eagle was very happy'', Krische said happily. How pitiful------Eruga looked at Dagra with pity, but when he saw Krische''s innocent face full of good intentions, he hesitated to intervene. Dagramunicated Eluga in that instant and shook his head with a wry smile. Eluga nodded and raised his evaluation of Dagra''s as a capable man. There was no way Krische would understand such a silent conversation between the two. Krische just looked at Eruga''s face that looked like pondering about something. She wrinkled her brow and then pped her hands together as if she had just thought of something. "...Corps Commander Faren, Krische, may have had another sh of inspiration." "...? What is it?" The girl''s face approaches Eluga and stares intently into his face. A bright smile appeared on her face. The jewel-like purple eyes seem to shine brighter than usual. Don''t tell me, no------Dagra had a bad premonition when he noticed it. Eluga truly have a distinctive face. Immediately, Dagra tried to interject------ "Krische-sa------" "Skeleton" ----But faster than that, a word that froze the inside of the tent was uttered. Only Krische had a smile like a blooming flower. "Corps Commander Faren taught Krische various things and is cooperating with Krische... Ehehe, Krische feels bad that Krische''ve been receiving so many things... From now on, we will be working together and cooperating, so Krische also wants to give something back to Corps Commander Faren." ''So, a nickname'', Krische confidently said. "Bald Eagle seems to really like the nickname Bald Eagle, so Krische thought Krische would give Corps Commander Faren that nickname as a gift. How is it? Krische thinks it''s a perfect fit. Krische has always thought Corps Commander Faren''s face resembled a skull." She was in high spirits, which was unusual for Krische. She didn''t notice the frosty air and continued to push the abuse that is her good will. Skeleton was one of the malicious words used to refer to Eluga. Naturally, Eluga himself knew about it and was somewhat concerned about it. However, he has never been told this directly to his face, except when he was a child, not even once in the past few decades. "U-umm... I understand, but Krische, at my age, being given a nickname is..." "To Krische both Bald Eagle and Skeleton are not so different in age." "No, but, you see..." "...Maybe, um...do you hate being nicknamed by Krische?" "Guh!" Krische''s purple eyes shook sadly. She looked fragile and lovely, and the way she said it, made it really hard to deny that she was doing it purposefully. They have known each other since she was adopted by Chrishtand and started showing up at the military. Naturally, he knows Krische''s personality and understood that she has no malicious intentions. Although she possesses an intellect that''s enough to toy Eluga''s, she has a temperament that is even younger than her appearance. She had a straightforward and innocent personality and was honest in both good and bad ways. If he answered that he did not want the nickname, she might think that Eluga refused to build a trusting rtionship with her. And that would greatly hurt her. Before going into battle, Selene had said even though she was a clumsy girl in many ways, please take care of her. She''s Bogan''s adopted daughter to whom he''s indebted to----and that was his intention from the beginning, but. Eluga''s intellect spun searching for way to softly reject the proposal, without hurting the girl in front of him. "It''s not that I don''t like it...it''s, just to sudden. but----" "Hehe, that''s a relief. Then, can Krische call you Skeleton from now on?" "T-that''s, Krische-sama..." "Krische, want to continue to get along with the Skeleton, so Krische thought, to do what Krische did with Bald Eagle, I to start with the first step... Fufu, if Skeleton like it, then that''s a relief." She was in a good mood as she put her hands on her cheeks and said, ''Maybe Krische is good at giving nicknames, after all''. Krische''s figure was exactly that of a child. Eruga who saw it cannot continue the second line. Adjutant Quinez turned pale and looked at Krische with astonished eyes. "Skeleton is a nickname that''s as easy to call as Bald Eagle, and Krische think it''s a very good nickname.... Bald Eagle also said that the nickname "Bald Eagle" is of the highest honor... isn''t that right? Bald Eagle." "Hg... yes ma''am, i-it''s the greatest honor." Bald Eagle----Dagra had no choice but to answer like that, and immediately red at Mia. Mia shook her head and pointed teary-eyed at Kalua, who pretended not to hear anything while changing the water in the pot. She was uncharacteristically working diligently. "Krischealso gained confidence from it...ehehe, Krische also think this kind of nickname would make Skeleton happy. Skeleton...Skeleton, yes, it''s a very nice nickname." Krische looked absolutely happy. Repeating it over and over again while shaking her body with excitement. "... then, Skeleton. Once again, Krische looks forward to working with Skeleton from now on." Krische held out her right hand with a smile without any malice. Eluga stared at that hand. If he held it, then that would be thest, however, "Y...yeah, l-looking forward to working with you, Krische-sama." Seeing such a girl, there was no longer any escape for Eluga. ----After that. "Do you understand? Krische-sama misunderstood because of your careless words and actions! Even the Corps Commander Faren be like that... do you know what you''ve done!" "Y-yes sir, no... but, that''s Kalua, not me..." "Don''t make excuses! I''m asking if you understands!" "Hie, I-I know, but...but, but it''s not my...hie" As usual, Mia received Dagra''s sermon. And there is also Mia''s personality who rebelled against the unreasonable sermon, so it continued for a whole hour. As for Kalua, without anyone realizing it, had gone out using scouting the area as an excuse. Chapter 69: Morale Chapter 69: Morale ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 69 Morale*** Krische¡¯s messengers ran through the Great Sea of Trees changing horses along the way and arriving in the eastern part three dayster. The central invasion from the east began as nned. Nozan Verreich left 10,000 troops in Wolfeit and advanced south of the Kurail Mountain Range with 15,000. Four more dayster, he shed with re Marcellus, a central General who was wary of Nozen. On the first day, re Marcellus¡¯ force was already 20,000 strong, and Nozen had the upper hand in spite of their numerical inferiority, but on the following day, another 10,000 reinforcements joined Marcellus¡¯ army. Verreich''s army was then on the defensive. Today was the night of the third day since the start of the battle¨D¨DThere a handsome young man with red copper hair was in the tent. The man, over forty and still youthful, sat in the general''s seat. Nozan sharp eyes stared at the map and the pieces ced there. He sipped his ck soybean tea and listened to his corpsmanders. "...However, what are Krische-sama and Corps Commander Faren doing? It''s different from the original n. They didn''t even send a messenger." The corpsmander said irritably, and several people also agreed with him. Another corpsmander reprimanded him. "Don''t make a fuss. It''s those two we¡¯re talking about, there will be no mistake (error). They must have something on their mind." He looked to be about 30 years old. His hair wasbed toward the back and his face was masculine. The only thing that stands out is the deep scar on his cheek. He was a member of the First Corps, one that was said as the strongest in Christand. Among them, the formermander of the First Battalion of the First Corps, Granmeld Varkus, was feared as a Wolf and was called the strongest of them all. The voices in the tent were silenced by his deep voice as if it echoed through the earth. There is no clear numerical hierarchy order for corpsmanders. In terms of status, they were the same¨D¨DHowever, the oldest soldier has a status that transcends those rules. Among them, the bravery of Granmeld, who continued to fight on the front lines under Nozan¡¯smand and raised took heads, was outstanding, and his words carried the same weight as Nozan¡¯s. ¡®After the battle started, we will conduct a pincer attack.¡¯ That was all the Krische and the other told them. On the first day, the enemy was wary of a pincer attack, so they turned their forces to the mountain side and left a lot of reserves, so the Nozan were outnumbered but still had the upper hand. On the second day, the enemy''s reinforcements gave the other side more leeway to maneuver¨D¨Dthe enemy attacked them while also being wary of a pincer attack. Nozan took it in stride and waited to see what would happen. Today, the third day, the enemy''s offensive was stronger than the second day, perhaps because their guard against the pincer attack has weakened. Nozan pretended to be outnumbered and fend it off. ¨D¨DBut what about tomorrow? Will theye or not? Nozan raised his gaze from the map and turned his eyes to outside the tent¨D¨Dto the enemy camp. "The enemy camp, which has sessfully pushed us, is quiet. It should be a good time to have a banquet, but... it seems that Krishce-sama and Corps Commander Faren have cut off the enemy''s rear." He then pointed to a point on the map, to a street depicted there. It was the ce indicated by Krische and Eluga. There was a forest nearby, connected to the mountain range. "They probably went to rob the supply line that followed the reinforcements. They should have finished on the first day we shed." If it was just a pincer attack, they would definitelye on the first day. Because it was the most effective. Nozan didn¡¯t doubt Eluga Faren, with whom he had shared the battlefield for many years and who had taught him a great many things. And he knew well Krische¡¯s abilities. The girl who Bogan, whom he respected, called a genius¨D¨Deven Nozan could not beat her in a military chess (go) exercise. After that, he also saw her brilliant skill when she was with Serene in the mountain breakthrough. Naturally, Nozan thought very highly of her ability, as he did with Eluga. Those two did not show up on the first day. And on the second and third day, too. Reading the position suitable for blocking the enemy¡¯s rear, calcting the distance from there to here, and looking at the enemy''s position¡ª¡ªNozan concluded that he could see through the fog of darkness. "Then... General, you¡¯re saying they won¡¯te?" "... No, that¡¯s not it." Shaking his head at the frowning man, Nozan denied it with a smile. It was Granmeld who answered instead. "The cutoff is probably temporary. After robbing the supply line, along the forest and mountain range¡ª¡ª" Granmeld pointed to the outside the tent¡ª¡ªthe forest. "They¡¯re probably already there." Nozan smiled wryly and drank the ck soybean tea. "Really, what a bad personality. They¡¯re probably going to wait and see for today... Krische-sama and Corps Commander Faren seem to be telling me to get in shape. ¨D¨DGrammeled, we¡¯re going with the diagonal formation (oblique formation) tomorrow. You take the left wing, you¡¯re free to do as you please." "Haha, that''s nice. I have to thank the two of them." "The center is as usual. On the right wing, keep the column in disorder, so that the enemy will be tempted to bite. General Marcellus seems to be a simple person as expected. Even if we don¡¯t bother aiming for his throat the two of them will certainly tear through it.¡± With that, Nozan looked at the men in the room. Inside his eyes was a chilling¡ª¡ªquiet rage swirling around. "... This battle also serves as a memorial service for the General. The General, who was a hero of great honor and who was our lord¨D¨DDon''t show your unslightly form and disgracing Bogan-sama''s name." Even those seated at the table stood up and saluted. This man is undoutly the first person to be mentioned as a loyal subject of Christand. Nozan Verreich remained calm, but his anger was boiling deeper than the depths of the earth. At the foot of the mountain where Granmeld pointed¡ª¡ªin the forest. As they had imagined, Krische and the other were already there. ¡°Skeletons, will General Verreich notice it properly?¡± "Undoubtedly. He is an excellent person. He excels in martial prowess and is good at tactics, in terms of overall strength, he is the best general in the Kingdom. He was under the General because of his loyalty but considering his talent. Originally, it was a pity for him to be in the position of a corpsmander.¡± He had given up on the nickname and was letting in and out the other. In the process of passing through his ears and reaching his brain, the name Skeleton was converted to Corps Commander Faren. It was his adjutant who was the most fearful. His adjutant, Quinez was shivering whenever Krische said Skeleton, Skeleton. ¡°Is that so? ¡¡Krische hasn¡¯t practiced the military chess exercise too much with him, and the only time Krische really talked to him was at the ceremony the other day.¡± "Haha, well, at least he¡¯s smarter than this old man." "Then it¡¯s a relief." While rolling the candy in her mouth, she talked to divert her hunger. Most of the stolen supply was also conspicuous, so most of it was hidden in the forest near the attack site. If they cooked, it would give off smoke. If they couldn''t cook, the only things they could eat were hard-baked bread, potatoes, fruits, and dried meat. Krische had no choice but to restraint herself on the meal, by borrowing a few days'' worth of candy in advance. Bery had made a lot of candy this time, so there was some leeway. ¡°About Verreich-dono. He will understand that we are here and will act ordingly. It will probably a diagonal formation..." ¡°¡Diagonal formation. But General Verreich has only been in the East for a short time, so Krische think it would be unlikely.¡± At least with the current First Corps, she doesn''t feel like she¡¯s able to use it. The diagonal formation was a formation in which the drills were more important than anything else. The diagonal line formation was a formation in which the troops were advanced in order from one wing to the other, and the troops were ced against the enemy at the front in a diagonal line¡ª¡ªstaircase formation. By concentrating troops on the leading wing, which bes the main attack, it creates breakthrough power, and the opposing wing, where the strength is thin, dys its advance to gain unti time physical contact with the enemy and prevent copse that way. Spear in one hand, shield in the other. Pierces the opponent and kills them before you¡¯re pierced by the opponent''s spear. It was an aggressive formation. On the other hand, the risk of failure is high. Concentration of forces on one side and the disordered formations make it difficult to regroup after a copse, and since the forces are pushed forward in a stair formation, even the slightest disturbance in marching pace will create a gap. Therefore, the quality of the army through the military drill became very important, and although she recognized the usefulness of the formation, she was not inclined to use it very much. Krische has absolute confidence in her own abilities, but not in those shemands. And Nozan had not been in the East for a long time. It seemed unlikely that he would choose to do so. "The former officers of the First Corps are all excellent. With them, someck of training can be filled up. The probability is big. Besides, even if it''s a little reckless, if you take us into consideration as the backup, it''s the best choice.¡± "... I see. Skeleton know him well." "Yes. We''ve been fighting together for a long time. We''ve been saved and saved each other many times...though there''s an age difference, we''re what you would callrades-in-arms." He recalled and closed his eyes. "The General¨D¨DBogan-dono... he looked up to him like a real brother. He had been asked to be a general several times, but he refused each time. He was proud of himself as a corpsmander. ...and just when he finally left the General, relieved that Selene-sama and Krische-sama was by the General¡¯s side. He must have regretted this more deeply than anyone else." ¡°¡I see.¡± Eluga shook his head as if flustered when Krische said that. "Oh no, I''m sorry. I can''t help talking about this kind of thing to Krische-sama. When ites to things like this, I alwaysck consideration. ¡That was the only thing I couldn¡¯t do anything about.¡± "Umm...yes." To Krische, there werea lots of things she¡¯s reflection on and regretted. Bogan''s rescue would have been impossible. At the very least it was a condition where she could have noticed it. But after that¡ª¡ª "It''s not over. No one makes choices without regrets. There are things that can''t be undone. But as long as you''re alive, there are many things you can fix and redo. ¨D¨DThere are many tragedies in life, but there are also a lot of time to get over them. Don''t be too hard on yourself." Krische nodded at Eluga''s words. Then she stared at Eruga and said, ¡°¡Skeleton is a kind person. "Kukuku, my my, this too... it''s the first time someone said that to me. Though people often say I¡¯m scary." "Is that so?" "Yes" The reason was his appearance, but he didn¡¯t want her to pursue it deeper. To the little girl who didn¡¯t care about it, he will only be rubbing salt on his own wound. To change the subject, he asked her. "Is that a candy that Krische-sama have been eating sincea while ago?" "Yes. Bery... Ah, Christand¡¯s servant¨D¨D" "Oh, it''s okay, I know. I''ve met her several times." "Is that so. Ehehe... Bery said to Krische to take it, so many..." The majority of the items that Clich¨¦ packed in her bag were small bags of candy. The Candies that has been dusted with wheat flour can be stored for a long time, making it convenient as a carry-on meal. "...I see, is that so." He met Bery at the Christand¡¯s estate, it was before Krische came. She was calm, but also seems to have steeled herself, and he was a little worried about her. However, when he saw her walking with Krische from the distance in the fortress. She was a smiling happily. And when he sees Krische now, he thought in his heart that it must have been a good meeting. "Mu, my, what a delightful thing¡± "Yes, um..." Krische¡¯s eyes swam around, hesitating, and she pondered for a moment. Her brow wrinkled slightly in a contemtive posture. When Eluga asked if something was wrong, she took out a piece of candy with a solemn expression. "S-Skeleton too... can, have one." Selene told her to get along with Eluga. He protected Selene during the retreat battle and acted as the rear. Giving away a sweet that was very important to her¨D¨Dwas heavy and painful decision for her. However, her conscience tells her that she should return the favor given, and after careful consideration, she made the decision to offer her precious sweets to Eluga. Bewildered by Krische¡¯s actions, Eluga froze. "Um...Skeleton, don¡¯t like it?" Krische tilted her head, and Eluga shook his head frantically. "No, no... it''s the first time I''ve been given something like this so..." Squinting his narrow eyes, Eluga''s bony face broke into a broad smile. The cheeks were lifted up as if the mouth was torn, and countless wrinkles were wriggling¨D¨Da wicked smile that any who looked would be fearful of. Even his adjutant backed away slightly, but Krische remained unconcerned. ¡°¡Then¡± Krische put the candy on Eluga''s wrinkled palm while hesitating a little. ¨D¨DWhat was inside the 4th Corps Commander, Eluga Faren, was a deep emotion. His wicked appearance. The way he plunged countless enemies with his wiles and killed them miserably. His smile was that of the Grim Reaper, and everyone in the army feared him. Even his son, whom he adored dearly, began to cry when he saw him, and everyone around him avoided him when they strolled through the city. He may show his ruthlessness in battle, but by nature he is a gentle man. He loves peace, flowers, and watching the children in the city grow up are his greatest joy in life, but his appearance keeps people away from him. People feared him, that he thirsted for flesh and blood and despair, when he touched flower it withered, and when he smiled at children, they fear that he sucked their life span away. In his long and painful life, it was the first time he had ever received candy. He gazed at the deep honey-colored candy wrapped in wheat flour for a moment and wiped the corner of his eyes. Then, he slowly puts the candy in his mouth. What emerged from beneath the flour was a simple, yet infinitely gentle honey vor. It¡¯s not like he liked sweet or ate them often. But the taste of the candy rolled on his tongue was irresistibly delicious. The taste of honey, full of love (affection) and tenderness. Eluga closed his eyes and savored it. "Ehehe, is it delicious?" "Yes... very much. It''s the first time in my life that I''ve eaten something this delicious." "Krische really like Bery¡¯s candy very much. Bery, no matter what she makes, it¡¯s really delicious." Krische proudly said. Nodding to her, Eluga stretched out his bone-like hand. Smooth silver hair. Thinking back on it, his wife had always stopped him from stroking his son''s head. But Krische didn''t resist and let Eluga stroke her head. "Y-you can''t do that, Skeleton...even though Krische had just paid you back..." She looked troubled and happy. Krische was a sweet child, to begin with, and to Eluga, she was a very lovely child. With his wicked smile¨D¨Dor at least that¡¯s what it looked like, Eluga stroked her head. One candy. With that alone, Eluga was ensnared by Krische. ¨D¨DEluga was just starved of kindness. "Haha, children are meant to be petted. ¡ My, only Selene-sama, but also Krische-sama, the General sure raised gentle daughters. Seems I can''t afford to die just yet." "It''s no good if you don''t live long. Skeleton still need to do your best, so please wait a little longer before bing a real skeleton." It was truly an abuse The people who were watching around stiffened, but Eluga himself seemed to be amused. ¡°If you say so, then I can¡¯t grow old just yet, huh. Kukuku, I must do my best.¡± "yes. Hmm... It''s almost time for Krische to go back and take a rest. Krische also needs to talk with the battalionmanders.¡± ¡®¨D¨DThen see you tomorrow.¡¯ Krische returned to the First Corps while swinging her silver hair that was tied in two. Eluga saw it off with the grim reaper-like smile and called out to his adjutant, Quenez. "Quenez, reconsider tomorrow''s movements. Call the battalionmander." ¡°Y-yes sir!¡± "Krische-sama is a person who will go to any lengths if necessary. No matter what, she will surely bring back results... but we must not settle for that. Tomorrow is the time to show our power. That''s what I''m going to do." ¡°Yes sir.¡± With a stern face, Eluga changed to the face of an intelligent general. It¡¯s not like Adjutant Quinez, who had been watching the exchange up until a little while ago, didn''t have anything to say about Eluga''s words that were full of motivation, but whatever the case. The morale of the Christand army was very high. Chapter 70: The back of the back Chapter 70: The back of the back ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 70 The back of the back*** Kuraray Marcellus He was 60 years old----a thin man and though he was a noble, his age begins to show. Wearing the elegant armor that has been handed down from generation to generation, he gazed at the tens of thousands of troops spread out across the grasnd from horseback. The sky was clear, and the clouds were thin and sparse. ''The wind is blowing in our direction----not bad'', the man smiled. The imposing figure of a general. He has a certain air of dignity about him. His virtue lies in his decisiveness and bravery. He is not afraid to make decisions that people fear and agonize over. Whatever the choice, he never intends to sacrifice his troops alone, when the timees, he has the courage to jump into a deadly situation himself. He is the epitome of a warrior, and his soldiers were aware of his virtues, and he has the qualities of a great general whomands the respect of his soldiers. However, if there was a w, it was his temperament, which prevented him from thinking deeply about things. As a noble, he values honor and prefers a head-on fight, disliking petty tricks. He cannot be said to be fatally wed if he only seeks that of himself. He is capable of winning a victory if he has the superior force. However, he has a bad habit of asking others to do the same and believing others to be the same as him. Summing it up, he is not a fool and has no ring w, an ordinary general. If he had been a battalionmander or a centurion, he would have been very brilliant personnel. That''s how he should have been evaluated. However, being born as a legitimate son of the Duke of Marcellus, whose lineage is rted to the royal family, he was not allowed to be just that, and he seeded his father as a general. In peacetime, that would have been fine. But on the battlefield, it was a tragedy. General Kuraray Marcellus was not a good enough general to take on Nozan Verreich, who had risen through the muddy battlefield with only his talent. It was difficult to say whether the reason he was unable to finish off Northern despite his superior force was his ipetence or whether Northern was too capable, but just with the result It can be seen that the gap between the two was very big Curare, who was not aware of this, looked out over the battlefield from his horse, a puzzled expression on his deeply wrinkled face. "I thought they would attack today but...just what are they nning?" Verreich made no move at all. ----What should I do? What was worrisome was the undelivered cargo (supply). Depending on how he perceived it, the way it should be handled differ. Ten thousand reinforcements. The cargo that was supposed to being from behind it hadn''t arrived. They had plenty of room to spare. It was not a pressing issue. One part of the supply has arrived without any problems. The only thing that concerns him was that the soldiers were a little anxious because of it. ''was there some kind of trouble?'' The original arrival schedule was the same as that of the reinforcement, half a day. It was obviously strange that not even a message had arrived today. ''Did Verreich send out a detachment to attack?'' There were many possibilities. It is possible that he could have sent a small number of men to the rear by advancing up the mountain. But that''s not possible. What was the point, Kuraray put his hand on his chin. What he was most afraid of this time was that the army crossing the Kurail Mountains to the north would engage in a pincer attack, but that was not the case. If they had, they would have had no better chance than on the first day. The enemy forces have not crossed Curare, no------that would be premature. Assuming that there was an army that had invaded this side from Kurail, what about the possibility that that army ignored us and rushed to cut off the rear? But what''s the merit in that, that was bigger the pincer attack and defeating him on day one? Curare''s eyes widened as he thought about that. "...Was it a trap?" "General...?" "Perhaps the enemy has crossed over the Kurail Mountain Range and entered far behind us. And their goal is to recapture the Dragon''s Jaw, and for that reason they have stolen our cargo. ......Verreich is a decoy, all he has to do is buy some time here against me." "...!" His adjutant noticed it, too, and pondered for a moment. He nodded, saying that it was quite possible. It was a fatal misjudgment------but in a way it was unavoidable he thought so. He was not entirely ipetent. He was a noble who, despite his position, is not conceited and respected his duties and honor. Looking at one aspect of him, it could be said that he had an excellent temperament. However, that was why he ced himself as the most important and sees things with his view as the central point. No matter how good Nozan Verreich is, their strength is double his. Even if some force conducted a pincer attack from Kurail, the enemy would still take a lot of damage. There was also the risk of failure. Instead, the enemy concluded that it would be better to prate to the rear unharmed and aim for the Dragon''s Maws. That''s how Curare''s mind read the enemy''s movement. Everyone wants to evaluate their own abilities, and everyone wants to be evaluated. In that sense, the conclusion was very convenient, and the idea that the enemy bypassed him because they were afraid of a head-on confrontation with him tickled his pride. His subconscious desire to have it so affirmed the conclusion in his mind. "...Then, general." "Yeah. We need to end this battle immediately.... Send the troops that were guarding the rear to the front. Let''s make full use of our numbers. Messengers, instructions------" The formation of Marcellus'' army changed. The line is thickened, and the main attack is made on the left wing. Their enemy had its main force on the right nk. Crush the enemy''s left wing before their right wing is crushed, and decide the oue. It was then, Verreich''s army began to move. "...Diagonal formation?" What started to move was the front against their right nk------the enemy''s First Corps. Dying their timing in a staircase from the center to the left nk, the enemy began to advance. "That seems to be the case. You must have understood what was noticed. ... As expected of General Verreich, a quick decisions." "If they want to do that, then so be it. But--" Kurarayughed. The line of battle began to advance------but the more it got dyed, the more the line became disordered. "Even the great Verreich did not have enough time to train his soldiers for such a sophisticated move. I can see the disorder. Send out the cavalry from the left wing. Let''s prate the enemy''s left wing before they break through our right wing. All troops advance." "Yes sir! Wave the assault gs! Order the left wing cavalry to charge------they should aim for the seam!¡¡Send support from the center!" ------The battlefield was filled with the sound of battle cries. The number had decreased from 30,000 to 27,000. However, the voice was apanied by a spirit that made the air burst, and the footsteps were those of an earthquake. In response, Verreich''s army responded, a battle cry from its left wing------the First Corps. The pack wolves that were touted to be the strongest----the voice of the First Corps, which was modeled after that, was filled with madness, almost drowning out the voice of the other side. The two armies closed the distance, and a great number of lives were crushed between them----then shattered with countless screams. How many lives were lost as the two armies shed? Screams mingled with the battle cries, and the sound of steel shing against steel echoed through the air. The battle lines collided in a stair-step pattern. The sound gradually grew louder and louder, like a thunderp. The cacophony of the music of battlefield gradually increased and became more and more insane. The grasnd was dyed with blood. What was born in this space was the hell of this world. "General! The right wing is being pushed!" Attacking their right nk is a fierce man whose name is widely known on the battlefield------Granmeld Varkas. The man was holding a six shaku, seven sun (2.0301 m) ------whole steel battle mace. The weapon which should be called a lump of iron crushed its prey, the human body from the top of the armored helmet, bursting the flesh and crushing the bones. Even from where Kuraray was, in the center, he could see from a distance how his soldiers were flying through the air and bing a mist of blood. A monster more than the rumor suggested----I can''t win against that. Kuraray made a calm judgment. He was ready to cross swords with it himself if push came to shove, but he knew that would mean defeat. If so, he had no choice but to crush the enemy first. "Send troops from the center to reinforce the right wing! The reserve will be used on the left wing!" A breakthrough of the left wing by the cavalry------however it failed. They had pikemen lying in the rear ranks. At the timing of the cavalry charge, they reced the infantry that was in front of them, preventing them from breaking through. However, the damage was minor due to the cavalrymander''s wise decision that he noticed just before. The cavalry was still alive. ''I will need to reward himter'', and the face of the cavalrymanding officer appeared in his mind. The cavalry bypassed the pikeman as they were, and engaged with the enemy cavalry by going around them. Finally their left wing finally bit into the enemy line. A temporary stalemate------how to use reserves and make moves from this point on would be crucial. When he licked his dry lips and was about to surrender to his passion------ "General! Enemy forcesing from Kurail...!" "......what?" He looked back to his left rear. And he saw an army lining up there. The army that emerged from the foot of the mountain had already begun to form a formation, their number was about 10,000. They had tilted the line of battle ording to the diagonal formation------that is, they werepletely exposing their rear. Not an ally. The emblem of the g is a thunder and a falcon. ------The army of the now-deceased hero, Christand. "Everything is ready" Krische nodded at the messenger''s voice. As usual, she was not mounted on a horse, and being short, she could not see anything, but she was able to grasp the situation before leaving the forest. The Fourth Corps was ahead of them. All Krische and the others had to do was to follow the path that had been made. "Okay. Krische will match the with Fourth Corps. ...Keith." "...Yes ma''am" "As nned, the Fourth Corps will use its strength to open the way then split to the left and right. You will take over for Krische and lead the rear. Make sure that both wings of the Fourth Corps are not encircled." Third battalionmander Keith saluted. She wondered which of the two she should choose, the fourth battalionmander Varga or the third battalion, but in any case, the third battalion, whose strength had been severely reduced by thest decoys, could not be brought forward. The good-natured Second Battalion Commander Fan leads the heavy infantry, which must be brought forward, and the Fifth Battalion Commander Geines, whomands the archers, is busy with firemand. Through a process of elimination, it was concluded that Keith would take overmand. "Bagil. Krische will lead the ck and be the vanguard. Make sure you devour the entry point properly so that it won''t be blocked." "Leave it to me. It''s getting exciting." The assault gs flutter in front of them, and the battle cry echoed. The 5,000 men of the Fourth Corps, led by Eluga Faren, began their assault. It was an arrowhead assault formation------aimed only to break through the center, which was an unusual formation for Eluga. Gradually, the distance between them and the enemy''s rea formation was getting closer. Leaping lightly, Krische looked at the enemy situation. 3000 enemy reserves were deployed here. In addition, she could see that they were drawing troops from the line of battle in front of Nozan''s line. That''s about 5,000------but they won''t make in time for the breakthrough. At the moment of the collision, only 3,000 of the enemy reserves, who had no time to form a proper line of battle, were deployed there. It can be said that they werepletely defenseless, and she was impressed that Nozan seems to have done very well, just like Eluga said. The enemy waspletely exposing their back to Krische. If they could prate them with a single blow, they could finish them off before the 5,000 they scraped together could enter the battle. Forward, forward. The earth-stomping, all-out assault - the impact was instantaneous. The front of the Fourth Corps pierced the enemy''s rear reserve and cuts into it. It was a littleter that Krische be surprised. The Fourth Corps pushed through the enemy line, which had been disrupted by the impact, to the left and right. Most of the 3,000 were removed by the Fourth Corps. "...Bald Eagle" "! Century, charge!" A small nk area was born in the center. Krische rushed in there quickly and killed the enemy centurion she saw. The curved sword, which became sharper in exchange of its lightness, seemed to be sucked into the flesh. She further ripped the centurion''s neck, shattered a captain''s skull along with his helmet with her foot, and then three corporals. A ck cloak and silver hair tied in two. Two tails danced from side to side, raining blood, and Krische created a temporary paralysis. ----There, the ck Hundreds, Dagra and others charged and devoured them. "Hehe, I''m first!" In her hand was arge, curved sword. It was Kalua who stepped out in front of Krische. The handles were meant for double-handed. The handle is thin at the base and gets wider as it moves toward the tip---- if Krische''s sword was a nata (hatchet), then hers was an axe. The handle was thin at the base and gets wider as it moves toward the tip. The de was a little over shaku (90.90) long, and the blow was powerful. Kalua bisected the enemy in front of Krische, and then stepped forward. "Kalua, your new sword looks strong." "It''s great, you see, I thought it would be nice to have a curved sword like Usa-chan." Kalua beheaded the man in front of her while conversing in a good mood. Her cheeks were happily lifted. "I''m not good with little details, so I chose a sword that I thought would be alright even if I cut an entire armor." Kaluaughed as she bisected the enemy''s torso with all her strength. "... It certainly seems a bit convenient." It seems to be alright even if she handled it roughly. It was a very attractive word for cliche. However, it was a little too big to hold normally, and it was a problem that too much blood sttered. It was a little out of Krische''s taste, who likes cleanliness. "Kalua! Don''t push too far!" Mia appeared beside Krische, followed by the first squad. In addition, two other squads filled Krische''s left and right sides, and Krische tilted her head quizzically. "Um, It''s a little hard for Krische to move when so many of youe here...." And she pouted her lips as she killed three men. Mia said. "We are Corps Commander''s outrider after all, is what themanding officer (Dagra) said." "...I see." Krische thought for a moment and nodded. It was certainly easy on her body "Then Krische will leave it to you." "Yes ma''am, Kalua!" Krische slowed down and switched roles. She leaped onto the shoulders of the corpse she was just in and looked around her. The distance is half a ri (1.9635 km). The required time is---- The cold, inorganic purple eyes pierced the eyes of Kuraray Marcellus. The eyes and the dancing silver hair. Kuraray Marcellus felt a shiver run down his spine as he caught sight of them. ----Why, from there. What was in Curare''s mind when he saw the attack of the Christand''s army was confusion. He misjudged. Fatally. "General, please step back!" "No, if I move here, everything will copse!" ''They aimed at me from the beginning''------Kuraray was finally convinced. Nozan spent three days on the defensive to make himself look like a decoy. By being passive, he make them suspicious of him and read too much into the situation. They had intended to strike the back from the beginning------ "Callus! My spear!" "Yes Sir." He took the spear from the squire and carried it. There was no escape. If he ran the formation will be disorganized. If they do, they will not be able to withstand Verreich''s assault. The reserve 3000 was deployed. Even if they were pulled out, it will be fine as long as they could stall time against Verreich, for the pulled-out vanguard toe here. The enemy was a small force. The one that was breaking through was a small unit aiming only for Curare''s head. If they can ovee that, although they won''t be able to avoid a painful blow, at least their neck will still be intact. "As soon as the reinforcements drawn from the front join in, to the left wing------move the army with the mountain at our back! Use the mountain as a wall to protect your back and endure today! Don''t worry, the military superiority is still on our side!!" He raised his voice and looked at the left wing. The cavalry that had been charging earlier was returning here. If that''s the case... "Heh heh, good, I''ve made it through!" With a somewhat airyugh, a woman jumped out of the crowd. ck armor and ck hair. With a maniacal smile that seemed as if her reason had flown out of the window, she cut down the soldier in front of her with arge curved sword that looked like an axe. ------The soldier was bisected With one sword, she shed from the shoulder to the side, along with the armor, and sheughed as she was showered with blood. And the soldiers in ck armor appeared from behind he. "!?" It was much too fast. It was certain that they were no ordinary soldiers. There was no unification of weapons. Some carried curved swords, others great swords, others axes, and others wielded iron clubs. They appeared, bathed in shredded flesh and blood. ------Just what the hell are they. "------ Protect the General!!" The first voice to reach him came from the left wing. It was the cavalry. They were returning to his aid with a gallop that seems like it would shorten the horse''s life. Dozens of cavalries------not that many. Some horses was so exhausted that it fell over. However, a cavalry charge in this situation was fatal. Kuraray vowed to give everyone a personal reward if they survive------but a shadow leapt out from the ck soldier. Two dancing silver tails. Something quicker than a horse''s gallop cut through the line of cavalry. A beatter, countless spray of blood erupted, and several riders near the front fall over. Was that by design or ident. In a chain reaction, the following columns of horses toppled over,pletely draining the cavalry of the momentum to charge. "Corinth! Take care of the cavalry!" "Yes ma''am! Squad 11 to 16, the corpsmander has set the table for us! It''s full of delicious prey, eat it up!" With the voice of a man who seems to be themanding officer, some of the ck soldiers jumped out. Curare''s eyes widen at this as well. The speed of their steps and leapt------everything was out of the ordinary. All of the twenty or so who jumped out wereposed of people who possessed magical powers. When he looked closely at the weapons they had, most of them were heavy weapon. They were carrying swords and axes that no ordinary person would be able to hold. ----No way, all of these ck-painted soldiers. The half-convinced realization brought despair to Curare''s mind. Screams echoed from the surroundings. Only a few dozen remained of the escort----the screams of the men who had been there. Silver danced in the ck waves. For a moment, his eyes met with purple eyes. That was the second time. Krische Christand She was Bogan Christand''s adopted daughter. He had seen her in a dress from a distance at the victory ceremony the other day. She was a girl with a serene beauty, somewhat like a doll. He had heard that she had yed a tremendous role in the battle against the empire. But he had thought it was nothing more than some dubious tale. With that eye-catching look, even one will sound like ten (basically be exaggerated). At best, it would be a quite okay move on the front lines. If she is the daughter of a general, even if she''s not all that excellent, she will still be lifted up. ----But that is not the case. If you saw it then you will understand. What was in front of him was an obvious foreign entity. It''s the best choice in the army to solidify the surroundings. It was not just a mere dozen of soldiers, but dozens carefully selected from 30,000. However, the girl''s de, which danced around the battlefield in all directions, will surely take the life of one person once it shed. The ck-armored soldiers were also unusually strong, but she was the only one who was clearly different. She wore no helmet and a one-piece dress peeked out from under her cloak. Except for her cuirass and thick boots, she wore no protective gear. That''s enough for her----it was as if she was saying that, she didn''t even think she''ll take a single scratch on the battlefield. Her long hair swayed like a tail, her cloak fluttered, never getting caught. Absolute confidence that can be said to be arrogant was reflected there without being hidden. ----It was a monster in the shape of a girl. Even though Kuraray was terrified, he swung his spear around as if he was crushing it. "If you want to take this head, give your name!! This Kuraray Marcellus will personally deal with you!!" He cried out to kill her fear that had arisen. Things had alreadye this far, he no longer had any hope toe out alive. If he was to be killed, at least he wanted die as a warrior. He with his simple honesty stepped forward to protect his pride as a noble. The purple eyes sparkled---- their gazes intersected. The monster squinted slightly and stepped forward. "General!!" "Dora...!" Dora, his adjutant, slides his body in to protect Kuraray. "Usa-chan, make way!" "--Uh, ah...!?" But from the side appeared a ck-haired madmanughing. Her ax-like curved sword bisected Dora''s body along with his armor. The ck-haired woman mmed Dora''s corpse into the ground------and everything there''s nothing between them. The girl had already stepped in. For Kuraray, this is thest spear of his life and thest spear he will wield as a warrior. There was no hesitation, and he handled the spear just as he has done many times before. Born into a great noble family, he has repeatedly trained to the point of vomiting blood since childhood. His naivety scraped off in thend of death and, the spear sharpened with flesh and blood has pierced countless lives. Today''s spear was brilliant------but the girl easily dove further beneath it. She stepped low as if licking the earth. Shepletely transcended Kuraray''s imagination. He maneuvered his spear before his thought could catch up, pointed the butt end thrust at the girl, and unleashed a full-throated thrust. But the girl''s movement, her suppleness, was like that of a snake that clung to the spear. The girl closed the distance such that even that was not an obstacle to her. As if wrapping herself around the spear''s hilt. The girl smiled as she leapt up, twisting her body so that it ran along the spear''s hilt, and got on the horse''s neck right in front of Kuraray''s eyes. "......nice to meet you." "Hg...!?" A shock pierced his torso. It wasn''t until he heard her next words as he flew through the air that he realized he had been kicked down. "I''m Krische, goodbye." A smile like a flower, bloom on her beautiful face. As Kuraray wanted, Krische said her name and bid farewell. Kuraray never responded to her words. He never spoke again. His neck has already been cut in the middle by the curved sword. The blood spurting from Kuraray''s kicked-off neck did not stain the beautiful girl, not even a drop of it. The girl no longer showed any interest in the corpse. She just red at her surroundings, ying with her fingers through her silvery, immacte braid. ck cloak, pure white skin and beautiful silver hair. On horseback, the girl''s figure drew the eyes of people everywhere. The men rushing out to help the general stiffened, and the ck-armored Century cut them down. Kalua mmed her sword into the general''s neck as he fell to the ground, severing itpletely. She then pierced the neck with the tip of her de and raised it high above. "Look at this head! Your general has been killed by Christand''s First Corps Commander, Krische Christand! Resistance is useless, put down your swords and surrender!" Kaua raised her voice. The sh with Verreich began, and in less than one koku----the men who saw the head being suddenly raised and its helmet lowered their swords one by one. "If you don''t resist and surrender, we won''t treat you cruelly! Even though we fought each other, now that the Kingdom has lost its people and generals, this battle is meaningless! Quietly put down your sword and surrender!!" The voice that followed was Dagra''s. Christand''s soldiers roar echoed on the battlefield, and they raised gs of thunder and hawks in great numbers. The battle that had begun once------the heat didn''t cool down immediately, but the screams and the sound of shes of steel that resounded were gradually reced with cheers. Although there were some who showed desperate resistance, most of them lost sight of the meaning of fighting for their lives and fell to their knees in front of the voice. "Haha, it''s a rare overwhelming victory. As expected of Krische-sama." "Skeleton did a great job. He is very good at making paths." Krische smiled at Eluga on her horse as she overpowers the surrounding enemies and forces them to surrender their weapons. Eluga looked at the enemies around him with a wicked smile of delight. An old man who looked like a grim reaper and a monstrous girl. The soldiers of the Marcellus army who saw it were frightened. "Bald Eagle, Mia, not a bad move. From now on, if you keep moving like today, Krische will be able to take it easy." "Yes ma''am!" "Also, Kalua, you did a good job. Bald Eagle, Kalua did a great job this time, so appropriately (whatever/randomly, give her a reward). It seems that the 4th and 9th groups were doing pretty well even though they didn''t stand out----" While Krische was appropriately (randomly) praising the soldiers for their achievements, a man broke the line of the soldiers and appeared. The wolf-shaped helmet and armor were stained with blood. What he held in his hand was arge staff that was longer than his height. The man takes off his helmet and got down on his knees. "...That was reallt such a splendid move, Krische-sama" "If the situation is that good, then it will be easy for anyone. Corps Commander Varkus." "No no, even so, it''s because of Kische-sama''s ability that it''s so easy to do. I thought I''d eat and kill him sooner than that, but... I''m no match for Krische-sama." The man, Grammeled Varkus,ughed------the scars on his face twitching. Then he stood up, carrying the great war club on his shoulder. "With that body and that sword, this easily. As I thought during the battle the other day, yours is beyond my understanding." "Krische have never found it difficult to kill people...if theye at Krische, Krische will just cut them, so it''s simple." Krische roughly wipes the blood on the curved sword with the corpse''s pants, and carefully wipes off the rest of the blood with a cloth taken from the pouch. The thin de had no nicks. Grummeled looked at her sword amazed and shocked. He wondered how many people could kill he with such a thin sword, probably no more than ten. "She is a fearsome one. ...Krische-sama, Corps Commander Faren. For now, please go to the main camp. The general is waiting for you there. He would like to have a quick talk about our future ns." Sheathing her sword, Krische nodded and looked at Eluga. "...that''s right. Skeleton, shall we go?" "Yes. It''s a little rushed, but..." "...S-skeleton?" Granmeld looked at Eluga, startled. Eruga looks back, red at him. "... what is it, Granmeld-kun. No, should I call you Corps Commander Varkus now?" "Ha, ha ha... no, either way is fine." Grammeld walked out as if to lead the two of them, and his shoulders shivered quietly. Eluga pressed his eyes, and Krische tilted her head puzzled. Chapter 71: Sun at night Chapter 71: Sun at night ***Arc 4 The Beloved, Chapter 71 Sun at night*** More than 20,000 prisoners of war surrendered. It would take about two days to process it. "It''s been a while, General Verreich." "Yeah, it''s been a while, Krische. It doesn''t seem like you''ve changed." Surrounded by 1,000 elite soldiers, a man in a winged helmet was giving orders in the center of the main camp. He was Nozan Verreich. The handsome copper colored haired man dismounted when Krische appeared and took off his helmet with a cheerful smile. He then softly held out his right hand. In terms of military rank, Nozan was above her, and even as a noble, it was an unnecessary courtesy for Nozan, who was given the title of Margrave, but Krische was the adopted daughter of the departed Bogan. As Bogan''s subordinate, Nozan treated Krische as a superior. Krische without being bothered by it, shook hands and asked. "What are you going to do with the prisoners?" The first thing she said was not a greeting, but a practical question. Nozan smiles wryly at the words of the girl and answered. "I would like to absorb as much as possible. These are the soldiers that His Highness scattered arge amount of money and gathered. If you can guarantee the reward, half of them wille to us. Although it will take some time and cause a lot of confusion, the increase in the number of troops in this situation is a big one even when with taking that into ount." "What are the prospects?" "...Let me see, it will take about two days to process ...and another three days to finish the reorganization, at the earliest. Even if we just finish it crudely, we''ll still need two days." Krische puckered her lips. "Haha, no, but if you think about the future, it''s not bad. It''s thanks to Krische-sama. Even though it''s a surprise attack, to think Krische-sama finished this battlefield in that short amount of time." "As Krische said to Corps Commander Varkus....it was becausethe situation was in order." After all the arrangements had been made, it would be more difficult to fail. For Krische, it was a little itchy to be praised like that. Nheless, Nozan was sincere in his words. Even after Krische and her men appeared, the number of soldiers was still equal. They did not have the upper hand. Even though they had taken the rear and decided to pincer attack, such an overwhelming victory is not something that is seen very often. While making a breakthrough focused only on the main camp with only a select few, they easily cut off the heads of the enemy generals. That was only possible because of her absolute trust in her own swordsmanship. She did not even consider that she herself would not be able to break through, nor did she consider that it would take her much time. At the fundamental part, It was her strength and self-confidence that makes such an overwhelming victory possible. Even if it was Nozan and the others who had cut from behind, while their victory would have been an unshakable oue, it would have taken a little more time. The difference between them is that they prepare for failure while Krische did not even think about her own failure. There was a clear difference between the two. Despite the head-on collision, the damage to both sides was infinitesimally small. Not wanting his forces to be reduced, Nozan honestly expressed his gratitude. "However, the fact that Krische-sama hase is more reassuring than anything else. In my heart, I want to head to the royal capital as soon as possible, but..." "... From now, even at the longest, it will be a month, if we do that." Rushing to the royal capital like this. Not a bad idea. The concern was that they will bepletely cut off from the north. The problem of logistics will be a big one. Aside from forcibly requisitioning in each city that is, however, this is within the Kingdom. A lot of problems would ariseter. However, it was not a bad idea----at least it was worth it to worry over it. If we absorb prisoners of war, our military strength will be close to 40,000----if things go well, it will even exceed that. It was a realistic number for a decisive battle on the battlefield. If the enemy chose to siege, it would be profitable. In that case, the soldiers could simply be ordered to surround the area. In the heavily shielded royal capital, there was only one prey to aim for. ----If so, she thought, it would be enough if only one person, Krische, snuck in. "But really, considering the actual situation, it''s really not a bad choice." Nozan shook his head when he saw Krische squinted her eyes. "Yes, it''s not a bad choice considering all the problems. But...there is one concern. It''s General Hilkintos." "...Is it the west?" Nozan nodded. Aulgorn Hilkintos. That was the name of the general who guarded the western part of the Kingdom. "My spy brought it here. Last month----when General Hilkinthos heard about the defeat at Dragon''s Maw, he raised his hips to wag his tail at His Royal Highness. Such an opportunistic dog." Without hiding his hostility, Nozan said unpleasantly. "He seems to be of a disposition to value money and interest rather noble''s pride. I''ve long though that he''s a man who tries to ride a winning horse...but us refusing of the truce must have given him a good reason. He will probably move." "...That''s." "Just the other day, I had sent a messenger to tell Selene-sama about it, but it seems that Krische-sama and the messenger passed by each other." If they went directly to the royal capital like this, their back will be threatened. Still, if they defeated Gildanstein that that will be the end----but, as expected the situation is not good. "We can''t leave that alone. we have to do something about it first." "Yes. It''s quite dangerous." Krische thought for a moment and said. "... If he moves, the aim will probably be here. It''s a long way to go north through the detour. It might be better to divide our force between Dragon''s Maw and General Hilkintos." "...Hmm." "In that case, which one who will move is the problem." Eluga wrinkled his brow said. "Hmm... that''s right. It''s a bit annoying." Eluga smiled wryly at Krische, who traced her cherry-colored lips with her fingertips and said troubledly. He then looked at Krische and Nozan, who were still troubled, and indicated that their surroundings had not yet calmed down from the excitement of the battle. "It''s a difficult problem, but both of you can think about it while dealing with the prisoners. You two are a little too hasty. It''s true that we don''t have much time, but either way, you won''t be able to move for a few days." "...True." Nozan nodded and sighed. "How about our discussing future movements with the corpsmanders tomorrow night? The details can be decided there." "Certainly, first look at your foothold, huh. My ears sure hurt hearing that. I thought that bing a general would mean the end of being scolded by Corps Commander Faren, but seems that;s not the case, huh." "Well, as one gets older, one bes more of a worrier, you know." "Its sure sting to be treated as a youngster forever. I should be careful." Nozanughed and brushed back his copper hair. He took a deep breath and said with a soft smile. "Let''s do just that. It''s important to let your subordinates rest. Your two soldiers must be more tired than our soldiers. I''ve brought a lot of alcohol. I will pass it on to youter, so please let them drink it tonight." "Yeah. ...It would also be good to share some with the prisoners." "Ah, true. Giving is important after all." Krische looked at the two with admiration. Rewarding the soldier (in this case probably not meant formal reward but like giving wine, etc)------ Krische''s mind didn''t turn well on those kinds of area. In truth, she should have properly paid attention to those areas as well. Remembering that Selene was having a hard time with it, she immediately thought about throwing the whole thing in someone else''s hands. Such concern was clearly outside Krische''s forte. "Thank you very much. Then, Krische will go back. Since it seems out the prisoners of war will be a huge task." "I think I''ll go back, too. It''s difficult to deal with fugitives with this amount of people. I will leave the escapee to you, is that fine?" "Yes, that would be fine. If you can crush the big rebellion, then you can ignore the rest. Forcibly adding people who wanted to flee here, that in itself is scary too." They did not tie up the prisoners of war. There was too many people. It would be difficult to prepare that much ropes, at best they could only took away their weapons. The battalionmander ss and above were individually thrown into simple prisons, but even they were not roughly treated, Nozan and the others would interrogate and recruit themter. Since it was also necessary to have someone tomand the prisoners of war, centurions and othermanders were givenmand of the movement of the soldiers. The treatment of battalionmanders and centurionmanders was clearly different. The treatment of a battalionmander and a centurion was clearly different. This was because there was a big difference in their awareness of whether they belonged to themander''s side or to the soldier''s side. Unless something special happened, responsibility in a war is generally taken by the battalionmander or higher, and this custom was followed here as well. There were some skirmishes, but they weren''t much of a problem. Both enemies and allies are citizens of the same kingdom, and it''s not like they''ve been engaged in the quagmire of killing for a long time. They had pointed their swords at each other until just now, but they didn''t have that much animosity toward each other. With the exception of units that have suffered more damage, the problem can be somewhat resolved by releasing them from the responsibility of organizing prisoners of war as soon as possible, letting them rest, and putting them to work setting up encampments. The majority of soldiers on both sides became soldiers in search for work------not so many soldiers fight for noble purposes such as honor or political beliefs. As long as someone has a good cause and is willing to pay for it, they really don''t care what g they fight under. Overall, the processing of prisoners of war went smoothly. The most troublesome was probably the few weak nobles who were there and the second and third sons of nobles who cannot inherit their families. It was necessary to think a little about how to treat them, as, if they are treated roughly, it will be a problemter. Military rank and noble pedigree. Mixing those two was always troublesome for the military. After giving instructions for these various processes andpleting the various tasks, Krische sat down on the bed in the tent that had been made for her and took a deep breath. For Krische, the aftermath of today''s battle was more troublesome than the battle itself. Nothing goes smoothly in a military organization where the thoughts of many different people are mixed together. If 10 was conveyed, it will be 7, then 3, and sometimes 13, so no matter how borate Krische''s calctions are, there will be a limit. A reality far from ideal. For Krische, who like to be efficient, it quickly became tiresome. In the end, she cut down the various opinions and, after instructing only the necessary parts to some extent, left the rest to the autonomy of each battalion, saying, ''You can do whatever you want'' and even left the problem of recognition of the soldier''s service to someone else. Outside the tent, the soldiers were making a lot of noise as they drank in their victory. It was very annoying, but that didn''t mean she can tell them to shut up. Krische''s lips twitched, and she quietly wagged her finger, letting the magic flow. A thinyer of magic covered the inside of the tent after the form was engraved. The sound faded like a distant mor. The soundproofing magic was intentionally made to be delicate so that if someone stepped inside, it would be broken. The promise made to Bery was that it should not be used openly. Krisce had devised various magic since then. Some of them she showed to Bery, just the two of them, for fun. A magic that maniptes and transfers the soup in a pot while making it looks like a snake. Magic that let the heat go all the way to the inside of the meat. Magic that extracts only the best parts of tea leaves. Most of it was rted to cooking, but there were a few practical ones as well. This was one of them. It was originally designed to block the air between the contents of the pot and the air outside so that the food would not get cold, but when put to more practical use, it could significantly block out sound. Krische smiled in the silent tent and pulled out a basket. From there she took out a package, spreads it out on a simple desk, and looked at it. Inside was a Lacra pie that looked like it was about to melt------but somehow inorganic. It was the one that she and Bery had made the day before the departure. She and Bery secretly tasted a third of the pie and she brought the rest. "Ehehe..." On the battlefield, you can''t eat delicious food that you make in a proper kitchen. It was a big problem, but Krische had ways to deal with it. Thecra pie, which looked like a model, instantly radiated heat as soon as Krische waved her fingertips and the sweet smell tickled her nose. With a kitchen knife, she cut away the remaining half and waved her finger over the rest again, weaving the form for a few moments. The pale white magic that overflowed from Krische''s fingertips distorted, filling the tent with geometric lines then converging, and thecra pie hardened like a model again. Then she felt dizzy and tired. A smile remained on Krische''s mouth even as she felt her magic power drained. She wrapped up thecra pie neatly in a bag again and puts it away in a basket. Krische dribbled honey over the moderately hot pie and brought it to her mouth. The moist and crispy pie crust was carefullyyered, and the heatedcra fruit was sweet enough to make your tongue melt. Since honey was added to it, it was the ultimate sweetness for the clich¨¦. "......it''s delicious." Rxing her cheeks, Krische chewed it, tasting it thoroughly with her little mouth. Sensation. Taste. Aroma. She ate it slowly as if she was nibbling at it. But the more she ate, the more her smile faded, and her eyes became downcast. Sweet, delicious, and crispy. This must be a truly exquisite pie that everyone would rave about. ''Is it delicious, Krische-sama?'' ''Yes, very! It might be the most delicious thing ever...'' ''Fufu, after all, it tastes better if you use a lot of butter when you eat a little bit. If you eat a lot, you will get heartburn.'' ''Ehehe, Krische will eat a little bit at a time, so Krische is fine.'' She really thought so when they tasted it together, and she hugged Bery in high spirits. It was a taste and memory that filled her up. However, that was not the case here. After eating, she looked around the empty tent. And then rolled onto the bed. The air was somewhat chilly, and she stared nkly overhead. A dim tent, and the light outside shone through. The sweetness remained in her mouth, she got up and washed it down with water. Even though she was slightly hungry, she went back to bed without even thinking about eating anything. shey down with the nkets tucked in and pressed her face against them in a daze. ----Oh, it was so delicious because Krische ate it with berries. She suddenly realized. Just like the air that filled the room, her chest felt empty. It had only been a week. She already wanted to go back. But even if she went back, there was nothing she could do. Bery was heading north with Kreschenta, and Selene was waiting for Krische and the others. She can''t go home until it''s all over. The feeling of tearing flesh on the battlefield. Screams and resentment. It was done well. That''s for sure. She was good at being hated and feared. She had no hesitation and didn''t care if people saw her that way. If you kill someone with a kitchen knife, it might be refreshing. But cooking is much more fun and happier, isn''t it?'' But every time she did so, she once again thought that this is not a happy ce. A knife is a knife, the one who wields it is Krische. Cutting people or cutting food, It''s a small difference, but it felt so different. She had gotten a lot better with the sword and had gotten a lot better at killing these days. The gaps in the armor, the muscle fibers. Avoid the bones and tore the thick blood vessels with the cutting edge. The opponent got in the way of Krische''s goal. So, when she killed them, she felt refreshed. But that''s all. It''s fun if it goes well ording to the n. However, it''s not like it was limited to just this. Now that she had learned so many fun things, it was nothing more than a distraction from the bitterness. Being good at killing people won''t make Bery happy. In fact, Bery disliked that kind of uses of des. Thinking about it, make her a little bit sick of it. Bery was so happy when she cooked with a knife, but she always makes a sad face when Krische killed people. Krische wanted to be the Krische that didn''t make Bery sad. She wanted to spend time with Bery with the same sense of value, feeling happy and sad about the same things, and being perfectly in tune with her happiness. If she could do that, she felt like she can be happier all the time, not just in cooking, but in many other things. But the ''Krische'' that Krische wanted----at least the ''Krische'' that Krische was looking for was not there. On the contrary, she felt like she was getting further and further away from the Krische that Berry wanted. The better she got at killing people, the more those thoughts came to her. "Nmm..." She hugged the nket tightly. She needed to do it. That kind of work was her duty. She can''t help it. She needed to do her best even if she didn''t like it. That''s why today she thought she''d eat it as a little reward. A pie that Bery baked for Krische. She had a long job ahead of her, so, she can look forward to it and kept working hard. But eating it just filled her heart with a more sense of emptiness. "... Krische wants to cook with Bery." She muttered, wishing that this kind of thing would end soon. There was something she couldn''t sort out in my head. It chilled her body and throws her thoughts out of bnce. The fluctuation range was greater than in the past, she realized that she be distorted and unstable. Something swirled around and around inside her. She rubbed my face against the nket. In times like this, it was best to sleep, she thought. If she could just make everything nk, then it will be more refreshing. Rxing her body and stopping her thoughts, Krische closed her eyes. She calmed her breathing---- "Usa-chan~, are you awake~?" She immediately raised her body and pulled out the curved sword beside her. "Huh, eh...?" "K-Kalua, you idiot...!!" Mia and Kalua were there. "Eheheheh~, even though it''s a great victory, the main character is going to sleep~, that''s no good,e here,e to onee-san~." "A-apologize Corp Commander, K-Kalua drank a little too much alcohol..." "Is that so..." Krische displeased, put down her curved sword and red at Kalua. "...Krische wants to sleep though." "Now, now, don''t say that. Look, Mia said, ''It''s a good opportunity to deepen friendships with your subordinates, but it''s cold that you''re sleeping at a time like this.''" "I didn''t say that much!" Kalua bluntly approached and held out her hand to Krische. Looking at the hand, Krische frowned. She didn''t understand why they wants her to deepen friendship with her subordinates. But more than that------ "Kalua, you smell like alcohol. Let Krische tell you, if because of the hangover, tomorrow------" "Now, now, don''t be so stiff~." "Huh, ah..." Kalua wrapped her arms around Krische''s thighs and back then lifted her up. "When everyone is having fun, it''s hard to have a good time if the person who yed a key role in the victory is out of the picture, isn''t it? It''s important to have this kind of rtionship even if it''s bothersome, Corps Commander. Usa-chan is considered cold and scary, so Usa-chan has to be more proactive in showing your face." Kalua smiled happily and said that, Krische hesitated a bit, then silently put her hand on Kalua''s neck. It was a soft touch and warmth. "See, I told you, Usa-chan is just shy. It''s my win." "E-even though you tried to me me if she got angry... Kalua is always like that." "Hmm, I don''t remember, did I do that?" "Uuu..." She held Krische in her arms. They leave the tent as they speak to each other. ''Oooooh'' the gathered soldiers looked at Kalua as if they were looking at the hero, and Dagra breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the two were safe, and rubbed his temples. "Fufun, I''ve got the princess. Anyone seeking an audience will have to go through me." ''shoo, shoo'', she shooed away the soldiers nearby, and Kalua sat down with Krische on herp. "Hey, Mia, what are you doing, sake (alcohol), where is the sake?" "... Geez. Corps Commander, would you like me to cut the fruit?" "Um... yes." Krische, without understanding anything, was invited to the banquet. Countless tents and bonfires. Those standing on the sentry on night watch watched the men drinking andughing enviously. Some of them were sleeping just as they were. Laughter echoed here and there. It reminded her of a scene from one day in the past. There were no festivals in the city, but there was one in the vige once a year in the spring when the snow melted. She was not good at talking and had no interest in dancing or singing. There was nothing to do, so she went to help out here and there, and when she did, she was pulled by the hand and put on thep to see the festival aster things calm down a little. A warm touch. At that time too------she recalled how she used to sit on Grace''s and G''sps and looked at the festival. The dazzling light on a moonlit night, made her eyes twinkle. The noise that made the silence of the night fades. Remembering that, Krische turned her eyes to the sky. In a world where the stars disappeared into the brightness, only the moon seemed to shine brightly. Chapter 72: One Who Gazed Beyond the Gripped Hilt Chapter 72: One Who Gazed Beyond the Gripped Hilt Most of the people at the banquet were from the ck Century, and the Light Infantry of the First Battalion could also be seen. The troops who came to the front this time were basically exempted from the role of sentry and were given a rest. Bagil looked at her, smiled at Dagra and said something, and Dagra replied back to Bagil with a disgruntled and exasperated look on his face. Krische looked at them from a distance and sipped the sake she had received from Mia. The wine was modest. The freshly squeezed fruit juice was strong, and the content was closer to juice. Thinking that she could drink that one normally, she watched the banquet as she drank it. Like a borrowed cat, Krische sat on Kalua''sp, motionless and silent. She didn''t know what to say. She didn''t talk to people unless she has some business with them. It was all the more so if they seemed to be having fun. She remained silent, watching the soldiers with her purple eyes, sipping at her drink, a sake that was identical to squeezed fruit juice. "Hey, there''s no te (food) in front of Corps Commander." One of the men watching the scene shouted out and told one of the young men to move. It was the young light infantryman who Krische had been teaching sword lessons to the other day. He was lost in thought as he hurriedly took a te from the selection of side dishes for the sake and ced it in front of Krische. "C-Corps Commander, please enjoy." "Eh, ah... Thank you." There''s not much there. Grilled horse meat and broiled dried meat. And just some fruit. But Clich¨¦ bowed politely and looked up at the young man. Krische''s face blushed faintly due to alcohol. The young man looked at her, petrified----and was hit on the forehead by Kalua. "Ouch!" "You sure have no fear to look at the princess''s visage like that. Try to look stealthier." "Y-yes ma''am...!" The young man made an inexplicable salute and hurried back to his seat. Laughter erupted from the surroundings, only Krische, who was in the center of it all, tilted her head curiously. "Ah...nirkana." She was going to sleep before, so she endured it, but it was painful to wake up with a slight hunger she felt. Noticing her favorite nirkana fruit on the te, she picked it up and nibbled at it. Small fruit with a sugary taste. It was the one she had eaten with Bery in Mirskronia. They were the size of a fingertip, so they did not satisfy her hunger, but they were just right for her to nibble on. "Is it good?" "...Yes" Krische nodded her head. It was not as good as the pie she had just eaten. It was just sweetness and fruit. But she didn''t feel the same emptiness that she had felt earlier. "Hmm, I''m not good with it because it''s too sweet." "Then, apple?" "Ooh......" When Krische heard those words, she picked up the apples on the te and cut them into small pieces with a nearby knife. Then he cut one and put it in Kalua''s mouth. Kalua took it with her mouth without hesitation andughed. "C-Corps Commander cut the apple for her..." "This is the advantage of being a personal attendant. Fufu, delicious." "That''s good to hear." Krische smiled, not seeming particrly bothered. "C-can I have some?" "O-oi..." A courageous man raised his voice and approached. He looked more like a rock or something than a man. "...? Sure, here." However, Krische responded to his request as if it were a matter of course and gave him a cut piece. "Thank you very much!!" As expected, unlike Kalua, he didn''t have the courage to ept it with his mouth. The man epted the cut apple with both hands as if it was a treasure. He then held it up to the soldiers around him as if he was showing off his spoils of war. The men looked at each other in surprise, then stood up and approached Cliche. ----''Please give me some'', ''me too''. Krische was a little surprised, but smiled and replied obediently, ''Okay, just give me a minute, please.'' Then she peeled the fruits. She recalled when she peeled fruits for the children in the vige. Just like at that time, a heap of fruit was brought in front of Krische, and Krische smoothly cut it into pieces with a knife. There were many kinds of fruit, but there was no hesitation in her movement. Her hands movement were safe without any danger and vivid, and the men were impressed by her familiarity. Krische''s mouth naturally broke into a smile. She found the best solution from the various shapes and cut out only the parts that can be eaten. Most of the methods for peeling the various fruits here were taught by Berry. For this it''s like this, if you peel it like this, you can peel it well----and so on, one by one she taught her. In the vige, there was not such a wide variety of fruits, and in the city, there were many fruits that she had never seen before. So Bery taught her how to peel most of them, and sometimes they worked together to figure out how to peel them. That''s how she memorized it. She carefully peeled it while remembering that time. The fruit was like a book, and when she touched it, she could see a scene floating in her mind. As if oveying such a scene, she cut into the jewel-like fruit. Kahlua watched the scene with a bit of surprise, and asionally brought a piece of nirkana, which seemed to be her favorite, to her mouth. Each time, Krische always said ''It''s delicious'', or ''Thank you very much,'' and this was strangely amusing to her. The purple color that peeked through the silver gap was quietly directed at the fruit. Her face, somewhat softer than usual, is not severe, and she did not feel any displeasure or doubt about the fact that she was the one who was peeling the fruit. The men were fascinated by the world''s most beautiful peeler and received the cut fruits one by one. When they thanked her, she smiled, and her gentle demeanor made her look like a different person from the one who cut through her enemies on the battlefield. Along with her appearance, the atmosphere of the ce bes a little quieter. Mia asked Kalua with her nce if she should stop it, Kalua hesitated a little but nodded that it would be all right. Krische seemed to be rather enjoying herself, and Mia, thinking that if Krische was satisfied, then it was fine, she served her more drinks without saying a word. And so, time passed for a while. Even though the sake was simr to fruit juice, after the third ss, Krische''s cheeks were obviously red. The eyes began to glow as if they were wet, and a strange sensuality began to emanate from them. "... Um, Mia, at this rate Krische will be drunk. After this, make it juice." "Eh, ah, t-that''s right..." Mia, who had been unconsciously curious about what would happen to Krische when she got drunk, panicked at her words and stopped her work. Her white skin turned red, and her absentminded look. The soldiers looked somehow happy. Krische, who didn''t seem to notice it. Kalua sighed and pped her hands to dismiss the soldiers. "Hey, hey, your eyes are getting nasty. How long are you going to let your superiors peel the skin for you?" "...Krische is fine with it though?" "Everyone but Usa-chan is no good, geez. Aren''t too a little too defenseless." "Next is my turn though..." "...Battalion Commander, Commander Dagra is beckoning you." The First Battalion Commander, who seems to have been quietly standing in line----Bagil scratched his cheek, dropped his shoulder, and went back to Dagra. Dagra was holding his temples in exasperation while scolding Bagil. Kaluaughed at the situation and gently stroked Krische''s head. Krische let her do as she pleases while looking somewhat absent-minded. Her smooth silky silver hair shimmered in the fire and moonlight. Kahlua lets out an amazed voice as she picked it up with her fingers. "Uwah, so silky... it''s amazing how beautiful Usa-chan even though you''ve been outside all this time." "...Is that so?" "Mine is so dry. So, I just ck off on maintenance." "You can''t. You have to take care of your hair properly." "Hee..." Mia looked admiringly at the light pink flower ornament that fastened on Krische''s hair. "The hair ornaments look great on you too... I envy you for being that beautiful." "Don''t worry. Beautiful hair like Usa-chan doesn''t suit Mia, so it''s just right." "You..." "... Come to think of it, Krische left it on." She usually took it off before going to bed, and only realized when Mia said it and took it off. Her silver hair flowed down smoothly as she took it off. It was a hair ornament in the shape of a pale pink flower. It''s not that expensive. But it was still a precious thing. Bery had bought it from a merchant who happened to be at the fort and thought it would look good on Krische. "...It''s something Krische got from Bery. She said it suited Krische." "Ah, that person..." Krische ced it on herp with care and stared at it with eyes that seemed to be filled with heat. Her mouth faintly broke into a smile----the girl''s profile illuminated by the mes was infinitely beautiful and ephemeral. "Usa-chan miss Berry?" "Huh?" "Because Usa-chan made that kind of face." When Kalua asked, Krische''s eyes shook as if she was a little lost, and she nodded. "... maybe. Perhaps, Krische is lonely." Her head, a little paralyzed by alcohol, made her speak honestly. Kalua tilted her head as Krische sipped the juice in her sake cup. "Umm... maybe?" "Krische doesn''t really understand things like being lonely or scared. Krische doesn''t really know if Krische is truly lonely or not." "A-aah...Usa-san is serious even about that kind of thing huh." Kalua smiled wryly and patted her head gently. "There''s no really or truly, Usa-chan, It''s up to each person." "Is that so?" "That''s right. Corps Commander is lonely, so by having a drink with everyone and make a lot of noise Usa-chan distracts herself. ...is what Mia said." "Is that so, Mia?" "Huh? Ah, well, I think there''s a point to that, but..." Mia, who was suddenly addressed, nodded for the time being, and Krische thought a little and nodded. "Well, I''ve never really felt lonely like that though. Mia is also a scaredy cat and quick to get lonely, so she often suddenly hugs me in the middle of the night----" "I-I didn''t do that! I was just half-asleepst time..." "I was surprised, thinking that it was yobai (night crawl; sexual context). ... Well, whatever it is, I don''t think Usa-chan should think too much about it, just follow your heart as the wind blows, eat when you want to, sleep when you want to, and hug someone like Mia does when you miss human warmth." Mia red at Kalua, but Kahluaughed and didn''t respond. Krische answered while looking at them. "...Then isn''t the same as an animal." "I don''t think humans are any different from animals, Corps Commander. They''re just a little clever, but they''re no different than dogs or cats. And happiness lies in those parts of an animal." Krische looked at Kalua a little surprised. eat, sleep, cuddle. Thinking carefully, Krische realized all the things she liked were animalistic desires. "......I see." The desires that she thought were shameful and improper. However, Krische is most at ease while fulfilling it. It seemed to be a word that was close to the truth. Whenever she was pampered, she felt fulfilled. "Even if you think about it in a difficult way, In the end that''s just the surface. In the end, I think that''s where the root lies. Is it different for Usa-chan?" "... No, it might not be wrong." The Krrische who had drunk sake was more honest than usual. "Right. What was it, onee-san wisdom? fufu, Usa-chan doesn''t to thank me." Krische looks up at Kahlua with a troubled face, and Kahluaughs and strokes Krische''s head. Krische''s mouth broke into a small smile, her cheeks flushed, and she leaned back against her. "Bery-san will be very happy if Usa-chan let her pamper you lots and lots after this battle is over. And if you give me a lot of rewards for my outstanding performance, I will be very happy to live afortableidback (cker, idler; retirement life) life. It will be a perfect happy end." The soldier around them raised their voices saying, ''That''s sly, Kalua'', And Kalua smirked saying ''If you''s frustrated than do better than me''. Krische asked. "Does Kalua want to live aidback life?" "It doesn''t sound like much, but that''s about it. Spending every day doing what I love, well, it''s not really such a big thing that it could be called a dream." "Krische thought Kalua was aiming for sessful career or something. And Kalua also seemed like having fun at the battlefield." "Hmm, I like wielding a sword. It''s fun to show off my ability, but... Well, it''s not like I''m looking for career advancement. Wielding a sword gives me the thrill of life and death, how do I say it? well, I just purely like to fight with a sword..." ''That''s closer to my dream'', he continued with augh. "What about Usa-chan? Do you like it? The sword." "Krische doesn''t really like swords." It was a word that surprised everyone. Krische remembered what she was thinking while eating the pie earlier, and lowered her eyes. "Krische practices because it''s necessary, and Krische does feel that it''s fun to be efficient, but... the sword itself isn''t fun, unlike Kalua, in the end, Krische is just doing it because it''s necessary... If it''s not necessary, Krische doesn''t particrly want to" "... So, I got beaten to a pulp by Usa-chan, who doesn''t even like swords?" Kalua was stunned. "Because Kalua is bad (hetapi; closer to gaming term noob)." "Ugh..." The soldiers looked at each other. Everyone here knew Kalua''s abilities. She was probably one of the strongest in this corp. However, Krische uses only herself asparison. "Well, to Usa-chan, it might be so but..." "But Kalua is one of the better ones among the bad (noob) ones. Krische thinks Kalua can be a good match for Selene." "Oh... I definitely want to have a spar. Though I don''t think there will be a chance to spar against the General." Krische pondered a moment and told her. "Selene is also bad (noob), but she likes swinging swords, so she might be happy. If Kalua wants a spar, Krische will try to ask her." "Woah! If you can then certainly." Drunk Kalua was unreserved. On the contrary, it was morefortable for Krische like that. "My, I''m looking forward to it. Fufu, I love you, Usa-chan." Krische was a little surprised when she was hugged from behind, but she didn''t say anything. Not minding the envious gazes around them, Kalua felt her delicate body and asked. "What do you like, Usa-chan?" "Krische, like?" "That''s right. I thought Usa-chan liked swords, so it''s a little surprising." The questioned Krische turned her eyes to the sake cup and quietly spoke. "Cooking. Also, cleaning and tending to the garden... Krische, maybe like it." "...another homely hobby" "And maybe...umm, a-a little bitid back." ''Krische might be simr to Kalua'', she said with a shy smile. "Hmm, so the serious Corps Commander-dono also thinks like that, huh?" When she teased her, Krische nodded with a troubled look. "K-Krische doesn''t think she''s all that good at it but... After all, Krische prefer working in a mansion like that rather than doing this kind of work." Her tone was as if she was making excuses. Kalua smiled wryly and stroked her head. "Well, Usa-chan doesn''t seem like the type to be interested in career advancement or anything like that." "Krische, if Krische can help Selene, then that''s enough. Ehehe......Selene, told Krische that one day, she''ll make it all right even if Krische spend all her time cooking in the mansion. That''s why Krische is..." Krische looked on lovingly as she put her hands in front of her chest as if holding something. "Everyone has to work hard together to make our dreame true together." "......dream?" "Yes. ...Cleaning the mansion, taking care of the garden, cooking with Bery, eating dinner, having tea... and living like that every day forever. She needs to work hard for that. She promised herself so. "If there is peace, it wille true... Then everyone will be happy." The hustle and bustle were far away, and the area was quiet. Just what kind of words wille out of the girl who has cut her enemies apart, terrified them, and killed more than anyone else? The words were quite unexpected for those who had that in their head. Not status, honor, or just in and simple glory. Nor was it an evil desire that would make people freeze in terror. What the girl wanted was just a modest everyday life. "..I see, then we have to work hard, huh." "Yes, Krische has to do her best. ...if not." Kalua stroked Krische''s hair. The silver hair is smooth and shows the beauty of the girl as it is. "Speaking of which, Usa-chan did get angry at the food we made during training, right? And Usa-chan is also good at peeling skin... Do you like cleaning and cooking that much?" "Krische like it, very much." It was a true smile. Like a flower blooming in the moonlight, quietly spreading its petals. She touched the hair ornament on herp. "...Ehehe, Berry was very good, and Krische always cooks with Bery. Bery is good at whatever she does, so Krishce, want to catch up quickly----" Krische happily talked about what happened at the estate. There is nothing morous or interesting about daily life. But she spun her words happily as if she was a child. Themotion that had existed earlier hadpletely disappeared from the ce, and the ce was filled with various everyday mundane things spoken by the girl. Some looked at her with pity, others with kindness. There were some who had parents, some who had siblings, some who had wives, and some who had children. Those who were there also think about various things while listening to the story of the young girl. They recalled the ordinary life they had before they went to the battlefield. Aspiring for sess in life or dreaming about swords------they have their own reasons. Compared to them, the girl''s dream had not a hint of greed, something that can be easily reached. But from this ce, it was one of the farthest dreams to reach for than any other. The memories of a girl who spoke like a child while her hands were stained with blood more than anyone else. A story about cooking. A trivial incident while cleaning. A story about a cat that wandered into the garden. No coherence, clumsy and talkative. Krische''s voice was different from her usual voice, and even so, everyone listened to her without getting tired of it. And so the night goes on. The party ended when Krische''s chatter begins to repeat itself due to drunkenness and drowsiness. Kalua and Mia carried the girl back to the tent. "How do I say it? Surprising? Unexpected?" "Isn''t she exactly just like her appearance, here." Kalua looked at Krische, who was sleeping with a firm grip on her sleeve. Krische had already fallen asleep on the way to the bed after entering the tent, and she had a hard time getting her to lie down on the bed. Giving up and Kalua in herself up in the nket. "Now~, if you don''t let go, I''ll y a trick on you." "Uu..." "Geez, Kalua" When she tickled the tip of her nose, Krische hugged her and presses her face against her. ''Oh my'' Kahlua smiled wryly and stroked her head, Krische rxed her body. "Nn... Bery" The two listened to the spoken name andughed. "... sleep talk." "I wonder what it feels like to be told she like you by this a child. It''s impossible for me to maintain my reason." "... you know, Kalua." "Kidding, kidding" "Sometimes Kalua doesn''t seem to be joking, which scares me. Please don''t do anything strange to her." Kalua shook her shoulders while having fun as Mia red at her. "If you''re lonely, we can sleep together you know? Here Mia,e here,e here." "You..." "Otherwise, from tomorrow onwards, Usa-chan and I might not be able to have a rtionship of just a corpsmander and subordinate." When she told so with a smile, Mia looked outside the tent and sighed. Then, as if in resignation, she crawled under the other side of the nket. "It sure is fun to tease Mia." "......noisy" "Fufu, don''t get angry. Your cute face is ruined, isn''t it?" "You''re talking nonsense again." "It''s true, it''s true" Kaluaughed and stroked Krische''s head who was hugging her. The eyes were so gentle that it was hard to imagine what they would normally look like. "Her sleeping face is really cute. I thought that before too but." "Well, that''s true. Kalua----" "I won''t do anything. Mia sure is skeptical." Kalua then said as if remembering something. "My youngest sister used to be really attached to me." "...Didn''t you say you were on bad terms with your sisters?" "Four sisters. Well, I''m talking about before that." She stared at Krische, who was quietly sleeping and smiled. "...Fufu, even we''re sleeping we''re together, I feel like she followed me wherever I go. She was a spoiled child and was really cute. Well, as expected, she''ll lose to Usa-chan, but she looks like me, a little beautiful, and her sleeping face is also cute like Usa-chan." Then immediately, her eyes narrowed sadly. "But I thought it would be bad for her if it kept going like that, so thought to make separate from me. I was going to go to work in town too. So, I acted cold on purpose. After that, she stopped asking to be pampered... but on the day of departure, it seems that she hid in the carriage together, and that was thest time." "U-umm..." "It seems she was caught and sold. I tried really hard to find her, but couldn''t find her, so I gave up." As if talking aboutst night''s dinner. Her voice sounded normal. "... If that''s the case, I should have pampered her more and act kinder to her like my sisters said. Then maybe something would have changed." She was a good girl, Kalua said. "She was honest, hardworking, and kind. Usa-chan is a bit clumsy, but she has the same kind of atmosphere as her, and I felt like it was fate." She pressed her cheek against Krisch¨¦''s head and closed her eyes. "Though the reason why I came here is simply because the wicked Gildanstein have to be defeated and something like venting my anger and sense of justice on others." A lot of emotions came through, but Kalua didn''t say more. Feeling helpless, Mia asked. "... so you learned the sword?" "Fufu, it sounds nice when you say de of revenge. ...... But well, that''s just a trigger. I probably liked killing and being killed from the beginning. In fact, now it also serves as my entertainment (pleasure)." Kalua jokinglyughed. "...However, I don''t want to fail next time. I''m much more grown-up than I was then, and my sword skills have improved as well...that''s why it won''t be the same." Saying so, she puts strength into her hand that''s holding Krische. "...I''m sure you want a good, honest girl to always have a smile, right? That''s why, I want to do my best for Usa-chan. She also seems really clumsy after all." Mia stared at Kahlua, then nodded her head. Slowly patting Cliche''s head, Mia said. "Then, I will swing my sword for you and the corpsmander." Kalua paused for a moment and chuckled. "It would be cool if you could say something like that when you get a little better with the sword." "... Kalua, you seem to always say one word too many." "I''m just hiding my embarrassment, hiding my embarrassment" ''Haah'', after her sigh, Mia also reached out her hand as if to hug the little girl. And her hand reached out to Kalua''s. Neither the one who grasped nor the one who was grasped said anything. And they simply fell asleep. Chapter 73: Under the Sun Chapter 73: Under the Sun It was warm. The feeling of morning slumber----the mind that was beginning to wake up, with a sense of drowsiness. It was Krische''s favorite time of day. When Cliche opens her eyes, she found herself sandwiched between two women, Kalua on her right and Mia on her left. Krsiche pondered a little about the situation and recalled about yesterday. Her memory of the end of the feast was a little hazy, but she had returned to the tent in Kalua''s arms. Why were they sleeping together? Despite wondering about it, thanks to that the inside of the nket was warm. And it instantly be didn''t matter. Through a gap in the tent, she could see the sun''s rays. The light was red----it must still be dawn. Krsiche closed her eyes, thinking that she can sleep a little longer. It was such a momentary pleasure letting her consciousness fell into slumber. The moment Krische tried to let go her consciousness, "Uuu..." "Hue!?" ----Mia, who was turning over, directly hit Krische''s forehead with her back fist. The morning sun shone vermilion, illuminating the countless tents that had been pitched. Are soldiers a hangover? Was it because the soldiers were having a hangover? Everyone was busy working, despite looking sluggish. Walking through the encampment, Krische was apanied by Kalua and Mia. Mia''s chestnut hair shook as she bowed her head repeatedly. "I-I''m so sorry, Corps Commander..." "...Krische is not angry." Even as she said that her forehead was red and throbbing, with a slightly dull ache. It was the worst awakening in Krische''s life. Her cheeks, even while saying she was not angry, were puffed up in displeasure. "My, as expected of Mia, to hit Usa-chan with a back fist. The ability to calmly do things that no one else can do, what a big shot." "I-it wasn''t on purpose." When the soldiers passing by saw her, they all saluted, and she returned diligently returned every one of their salutes. While tilting her head at the strangely brisk salute of the soldiers, Krische headed for her destination. She had intended to sleep a little longer, but Mia''s backhanded punch woke her uppletely, and she had no choice but to head for the ck kitchen to have a meal. Basically, Krische''s meal was made by them. Meals were usually handled by a battalion------every 1,000 people, but they were not under themand of a battalion but under Krische''s direct control, so they were outside of the chain ofmand. There were times when one of the battalions prepared meals for them, but the ck Century was already given special treatment. Dagra also said too much special treatment would not be looked upon favorably by the soldiers of other battalions, so she basically lets them cook their own meals if when there is some leeway. Putting aside if it was just one or two people, preparing meals for hundreds of people would be troublesome, so as expected, no battalion would be happy about it. It was a little early, but when they arrived at the kitchen, the soup seemed to be almost ready. "Salute to the corpsmander!" "good morning" The 2nd and 12th squads were in charge of the meals today. Both have a high level of cooking. The soup, which is boiled in a small bowl, has a good aroma that stimted hunger. "...horse bones. It smells good." "Yes ma''am. We can''t just carry it with us after all." It was horse bones that were boiled as a soup stock. Cavalry uses horses on the battlefield, and of course, they die in battle. If that is the case, then it''s better to not waste them. Horse meat is often used for meals, and although it''s often left un-bleed, and retains a slight odor, meat that has not been dried or smoked has value in itself. Horsemeat was a weed battlefield gift for many soldiers, though cavalrymen who fought together with horses were reluctant to eat it. It must have been simmered quite early. The soup has oil floating in it, and the vor (umami) has been extracted. Onions were thrown in to remove the smell, root vegetables were added, and then the horse meat. The soup seemed to be a harmonious blend of melting delicacies. Without saying a word, the soldier took a te of soup and confidently handed it to Krische. Krische looked at it with a serious face and sipped while blowing on it, ''fuu, fuu''. She closed her eyes. The taste passed down her sleepy throat and filled her stomach------a taste that permeates all five of his internal organs. "...very good. It''s delicious. Koza, you''ve gotten better at seasoning." "Thank you for your kind words. I used the leftover soup from yesterday as a base." "It''s that kind of ingenuity that makes it possible to make it tasty. Please keep up the good work." Krische nodded with satisfaction. Koza, the leader of the 2nd Squad, also looked happy. In the ck Century, a small reward was often given to the team that prepared delicious meals. The reward may be an exemption from chores, or it may be alcohol or fruit, but it directly reflected Krische''s desire to eat something as delicious as possible. Due to that system, the soldiers naturallypeted with each other, and Krische also gave cooking lessons several times, so their cooking skills have improved overall. "Nn... just it''s a little. Mia, barre fruit please." "Huh, y-yes..." Mia ran and brought a pale red fruit. The fruit was not particrly delicious. Strong acidity and moderate sweetness. However, since it is a dry fruit with firm skin, it can be kept for a long time. It was often used by the military because it grew without being affected by the seasons. Krische cut the peel into small pieces, crushed them lightly, and threw them into the pot. Then she stirred it and scooped the soup with adle. A single fistful of fruit in arge pot the size of half a Krische. The slight odor that remained in the soup was masked by the fresh aroma, and the vor was deepened. A single fruit does not significantly change the taste. The faint sweetness of a secret vor----When she sipped the soup, Krische nodded with a smile on her cheeks, took the soup on a te, and handed it to Koza. She herself didn''t let go of thedle. "Now it''s even better." "... I see. The smell has disappeared." "Barre isn''t very tasty, but it''s good to bring it as a secret ingredient. With so many ingredients, throwing some fruit in is not a bad choice." ''Though if it''s a light soup, the taste itself will change'', she test-taste it over and over again. She doesn''t like sour soups. Krische is basically on the salty faction. But Krische had learned that a touch of sourness and sweetness would bring out the vor. The satisfied Krische didn''t let go of thedle and was absorbed in tasting the soup. Koza and the others in charge of cooking looked at Kalua and Mia with a wry smiles, Kalua exasperated confiscated thedle, grabbed Krische''s waist, and lifted her up. "Ah..." "Okay, okay, Usa-chan, let''s have a light meal before the bread is ready. Koza, please prepare some soup." "K-Krische, even if the meal is a littleter..." "Is Usa-chan going to keep drinking the soup like that until it''s done?" "T-that kind of thing..." Koza and the othersughed happily, and Krische''s cheeks blushed. ''Uuu'' while she groaned, she was carried by Kalua, then sat on a log that was ced in ce chair. The piping hot soup was handed over. Krische looks a little dissatisfied, but was no match for her appetite. Blowing on the soup to cool it down, she sips it quietly. The Kingdom''s soldier meal is basically bread and soup. But the bread had not yet arrived. The bread was still being baked. The bread is basically hard-baked, stone-like bread, and is usually eaten while being soaked in soup, which naturally does not taste very good. Therefore, unless they are on the march, they often set up a simple stove. It takes about two days to set up, so it is not always possible, but it is lighter,sts longer, and tastes better if it is transported as wheat than if it is transported after it is formed into bread. Considering the morale of the soldiers, there is a great advantage to having the bread baked on-site, and freshly baked bread is often eaten during the encampment. Nozan seems to have issued an order to set up the stove on the first day. They will win the battle. And there will be many prisoners of war. A blow aimed at the enemy general''s neck----Nozan, who was certain that it would settle the battle, had made such preparations in advance, foreseeing that the treatment of the prisoners would take time. The stay here would be only a few days, but the soldiers would feel differently if they could spend those few days eating decent bread. On an expedition like this one, these trivial pleasures are more important than anything else. Krische, who wanted to eat delicious bread, unreservedly praised Nozan for his wise decision. The contents of the soup change each time, but the base is potatoes, dried meat, and smoked meat. Followed by onions and other vegetables that will keep for a long time. Root vegetables with low moisture content are alsomon. The Kingdom has little difference in temperature between seasons, and the air is basically dry. Although the Kingdom is located in a ce where food does not easily spoil, when it came to provisions, the variety was limited. When they were close to the city, cheese and sausages were moremon, but here they were able to enjoy aparatively rich meal thanks to therge number of food supplies taken from Marcellus'' army. "Krische-sama, the bread has arrived." Bread arrived around the time she finished drinking the first bowl of the soup, and other things were prepared. Arranged in front of Krische were sausages and slightly toasted cheese. Soup made from horse bones with plenty of ingredients and freshly baked bread. Even Krische, who had already filled her stomach with the soup, was drooling over these foods. The ck Century has no work to do at the moment. By the time they had finished their soup, everyone had gathered there, and although some of them were suffering from hangovers, they were smiling as they watched Krische happily enjoying her meal. In the military, breakfast, and lunch are especially important, while the evening dinner is modest. And between breakfast and lunch, breakfast is often emphasized. This is because some troops may not be able to take lunch properly. Even when camping, the breakfast is morevish than usual, as it is still in enemy territory. Although it was a bit painful to eat right after waking up from sleep, this was the norm, as the leftover food could be used for lunch. Krische tore the bread and dipped it in the soup that was just served again. The taste of the bread that has been soaked in the broth with melted meat juice and the concentrated vor of the vegetables, danced in her mouth. While chewing it well and tasting it, she made an incision in half of the bread and insertmb sausage and cheese. The cheese melted when it is grilled, and it goes well with the sausage, it popped when she bit into it. Its saltiness was mellowed by the bread----thebination of the three was outstanding. Krische''s cheeks werepletely rxed as she munched on the bread with cheese and sausage in it. Mia, who was watching it from neck to her, ced her own bread on Krische''s te. Krische''s food preferences were already well-known. Whenever there was sausage, she would eat it eaten sandwich style, so the Krische would have a second serving of bread that is dipped in the soup. Krische, who was absorbed in her meal, didn''t seem to notice it. Basically, Krische''s intellect will be severely stunted when she''s having a meal. She didn''t even pay attention to the bread that had suddenly increased. "... Today''s performance is even better. Koza, Belts. The 2nd and 12th squads won''t need to work, except for the food for soldiers for today. Other teams should learn from these two teams in the future." "Ooooh" Krische nodded with a serious face, and the soldiers of the 2nd and 12th squads raised their voices of joy. Compared to other groups, the ck Century attached great importance to the handling of food for soldiers. They work hard and improve their cooking skills day by day. Although it is difficult to say that their cooking is perfect because of the rough nature of battlefield cooking, Krische greatly appreciates all the efforts that are made. The fact that they were given half a day off for cooking a decent meal made a big difference to their motivation when they were put in charge of cooking. As a result, when time permitted, the meals of the ck Century were often rtively borate, and Krische valued their cooking more than theirbat prowess. Krische, after stuffing her stomach with food, smiled satisfactorily and called out to Dagra. "Bald Eagle, what''s today''s n?" "Training for coordination. The specialized weapon seems to have improved the individual abilities... but in yesterday''s battle, the coordination seems to have be a bit crude. I think we should restart training in that area for a while." "Understood. Krische will be inspecting each battalion, and after that, there will be a meeting. I''ll leave the rest to you... but there is a possibility that we will make a move. The training should be to the extent that fatigue does not remain." "Yes ma''am." As Krische piled up her te and was about to stand up, one of the soldiers quickly epted it. ''Huh?'' Krische tilted her head, then someone else came with a small bag. "Nirkana fruit, Corps Commander." "Eh, uh... yes, thank you." Krische''s meal was morevish than usual today. The soldiers were very attentive, offering her juice, more cheese, and so on. She tilted her head in wonder seeing them, but could not think of any reason why. However, they looked at the bewildered girl with gentle eyes. "Then, Krische will be back at noon." Krische stood up, thinking ''strange, but oh well''. Five people stood up following her. Mia''s 1st Squad. She didn''t really need an escort, but for making contacts and errands, the 1st Squad often acts with Krische. Theyout of the encampment is basically the same no matter where you go. A corps consists of five battalions, each of which is assigned a post. In the center is themander and one battalion. Four battalions surrounded it. Each battalion was in charge of guarding its post. Each corps had an encampment of approximately 2 ri (800 m) square. The tent positions and supply depots for each battalion were also determined to a certain extent, thus minimizing confusion in the event of an attack. It was also convenient, as the messengers running around in peacetime did not have to search for the tent of the corpsmander or battalionmander each time they to contact them. The prisoners of war were also allowed to set up encampments in the same way, but there was no difference, except that they were temporarily deprived of their weapons. They were allowed to set up encampments for each of the original corps. After one night, only a little over 20,000 remained. Nearly 3,000 apparently fled somewhere. There was some fighting and a few deaths, but nothing to be particrly concerned about. Nozan had personally patrolled each encampment and had informed them about their treatment They would not be punished for being enemies but would even be paidpensation equivalent to the conditions of our soldiers, though not necessarily in ordance with the conditions that Gildenstein''s side had presented at the time of recruiting. Even if they didn''t join, if they moved together, the army would guarantee them food and transportation to nearby towns. It shouldn''t be a bad condition, and the reason for fleeing was probably due to political beliefs, or a grudge from the battle, or something like that. Of the 20,000 prisoners of war who remained, 15,000 chose to remain employed. Of those 15,000, about 5,000 were Krische''s and Eluga''s share. There was one point to consider in terms of how to distribute the prisoners of war. Did they want to create a new corps or incorporate it into the current corps? In the end, Eluga established two new battalions, while Krische decided not to create new battalions, but to incorporate them into the current battalions and increase them. This was due to the nature of the corps and the character of themanders. Due to her personality, Krische oftenes to the frontline as amander. In that case, there was a possibility that hermand will be dyed, and increasing the number of battalions will have a significant disadvantage in terms ofmand and control. In contrast, Eluga prefers to stay out of the front lines and calmlymand in the rear. Therefore, he chose to establish a new battalion because he judged that he could easily control it even if he increased the number of battalions. If it were possible to fight a battle with military superiority on their side, Krische, like Eluga, would prefer tomand in the rear, but in reality, that was not the case. If anything, Krische and the ck Century were more likely to be on the battlefield where they are outnumbered. In that case, Krische would hesitate to establish a new battalion. Another reason was that it was easier to incorporate them into a battalion than to newly establish it. The division into century was convenient in this respect, and when incorporating them into a battalion, it was easy to reassign them because they were formed as a unit of 100 men. If the centuries were simply thrown into the existing battalions, the battalion reinforcement could be done away with. There were some units that disbanded due to wear and tear or escape, but there were generally no problems, and so far there was no major dissatisfaction showing. "Keith, any problems?" "Not particrly. They''re not bad soldiers. They are quick to learn." Apanied by the 1st Squad, Krische visited the encampment of the Third Battalion. They were carrying out marching drills with the former prisoners of war that had been incorporated. "Krische have included centuries who look excellent as much as possible. Your corps will likely be used as a reserve corps in the future." "...reserve?" Keith, the scrawny third battalionmander, stroked his beard and frowned. "Krische will talk about itter too, but Krische and the ck Century will be working with the Fourth Corps for a while. Krische and the First Battalion, Bagil will be offensive, and Keith will be mainly defensive, but Keith will be working in coordination with the Fourth Corps and need to move while considering the overallyout of the corp." ''In short, it''s like this time'', Krische said simply. Keith frowned more and more. The responsibilities given go beyond those of the battalionmander and were closer to the role of a corpsmander or the adjutant. "Since the 4th Corps has increased the number of battalions, it would be fine to entrust most of the front-line battles to the 4th Corps. Keith''s role is to provide support from the rear." "... It seems like too much of a heavy responsibility to me, but." "Krische felt that Keith was the right man for the job." Keith was surprised by Cliche''s words, which he had not expected. She must have hated him----that''s he felt. "When Krische used you as bait in the mountains, Krische thought there would be little more damage. But you seemed to have understood Krische''s intentions to some extent. As a result, despite the pursuit, the Third Battalion did not copse and was able to pull its men to where they could receive the Fifth Battalion''s archery support. ...to reduce damage as much as possible under the given conditions and to maintain organizational leadership. That Krische would say, is the most necessary skill of any militarymander." Krische nodded while thinking about it a little, saying that it was really splendid. Keith was perplexed by the girl''s unexpected words. "Krische would have liked to have seen a decent proposal from you in that situation, but Krische also feels that such point could be honed by having a perspective on the big picture." ''In short, I have high hopes for you'', Cliche nodded again with a serious face. "Therefore, Krische hase to the conclusion to entrust Keith with the reserve as an officer equivalent to the First Corps Adjutant. Do you have any objections?" "... No, it''s an undeserved honor. But the other battalionmanders------" "The First Battalion Bagil is highly likely to act together with Krische, so it''s no good. The Second Battalion Fan is stuck in front due to the nature of the heavy infantry. The Fifth Battalion Gaines ismanding the archers. the rest was Fourth Battalion Varga, but Varga said he would be happy if it was Keith, so don''t worry about it." Krische nodded ''un, un'' and continued. "The rearmander is a very important role. If the responsibility is too heavy, Krische will think again about it. How is it? " Keith pondered for a moment, then saluted with pleasure. "There is no need to reconsider. This Keith will definitely live up to your expectations." "Good. Krische will count on you." Krische bowed and left. "Hmm... Krische thinks it went well. Is it fine like that?" "Yes, corpsmander. I think it was wonderfully phrased." Mia smiled and nodded. Krische had been thinking of entrusting Keith with rearmand, but he was at a loss for what to say. She basically understands that Keith hated her. Mia, who was listening to the exchange with Eluga, also knows about the discord with the third Battalion. Seeing Krische''s hesitation as to how to exin it, Mia timidly made a proposal, and the conversation just happened was born. The three important points are expectations, qualification, and praise. Every battalionmander knew Krische''s personality. Mia thought the same Eluga, that no one would be displeased by her praise of their abilities. She is a soft-spoken and honest person, so anyone who hears her praise will ept it as fact. Mia then suggested that they start by getting the approval of the other battalionmanders. Luckily, Keith was injured and still had his arms casted. No matter how one thinks about it, it was only natural for him to be entrusted with rearmand, and the other battalionmanders obediently agreed. Varga and others have a simr role and were in a rtionship topete for positions, but he was indebted to Keith for the incident the other day, so he also obediently agreed. If the outer moat was filled in like that, Keith can take on that role with peace of mind. When one bes a battalionmander, they will certainly have a certain amount of self-confidence in their own abilities. Mia also came up with the phrase, ''If you think the responsibility is too heavy------''. In effect, Krische was a puppet. You could say that most of the phrasing was thought up by Mia. "Krische thought Mia was a stupid girl, seems Mia is a good talker." "Stupid..." Mia stops dead in her tracks, dumbfounded, and the four people around her burst out. "Aah, well, there is something missing with Squad Leader Mia." "How to say it, the essential point wascking?" "Y-you guys..." Squad members Bagu and Kerusughed, and Mia red at them. Kalua happily put her hand around Mia''s shoulder. "Mia is smart, but she''s kind of an airhead. Like, she can''t do some things even though she normally could do them." "...Even though most of the scolding is Kalua''s fault, I''m the one who was med." "Corps Commander, Mia is trying to escape responsibility." "Bad girl. Mia, basically, when your subordinates are wrong, it''s your fault" "Uu... it''s not like wanted to be a squad leader or an adjutant..." Krische pondered a little and said. "It''s no good, Mia is the right person for the job. Krische made Mia, Bald Eagle''s adjutant because Krische has high expectations for Mia''s growth. Look, Mia is... umm, moderately smart, and she''s pretty good at talking... Hmm, Mia is bad (noob) with the sword, but... Mia might be an idiot, but... Anyway, Mia is amazing." "... Um, Corps Commander. It just makes it more painful, so please stop." "That''s strange." Krische tilted her head and the fourughed again. Kalua, for example, even held her stomach. "Kuku, right, right, Usa-chan said something nice! Squad Leader Mia is amazing, I don''t know what but she''s amazing...!" "Kalua! If you say more than that, I''ll get angry." "Wow, the amazing squad leader is unreasonably got angry at her subordinates!" "Mia, no. People who stand at the top must be calm." "Uuuu..." Krische and the others went around the camp while having a silly conversation. Surrounded by soldiers, chatting andughing, with a gentle atmosphere. The distortion was notpletely eliminated. However, her appearance slightly filled the gap between her and her soldiers. A trivial change. And so the sun rose directly above them. Chapter 74: Evil Chapter 74: Evil South of the Dragon''s Maw----where tens of thousands of soldiers red at each other. A new fortress was built in Mronia, which was burned to the ground. The soldiers who had formed up there were staring at each other in an orderly battle line on the in. In the nk space between them, there were two men. They looked at each other from horseback and then spoke. "Surrender, General Wiring. You have no chance of winning." Standing before the old general, Gertz Wiring, was a man with copper hair. His armor, with its carved wings, glistened in the sunlight. "... Even if there is no chance of winning, it will certainly but some time, General Verreich. If I surrender here without crossing the sword, I will lose my reputation as a noble. I have already chosen this ce as the ce to die." "I see, that is admirable. I pity the soldiers who will apany you." He looked at the soldiers guarding the Dragon''s Maw. From the north, which cannot be seen from there, was a 15,000 Christand army led by Selene. And in the south, 22,000 of Verreich troops led by Nozan. Against them, Gertz Wiring forces numbered about 12,000. They have no chance of winning. "I won''t die in vain. Reducing your military strength and buying time------then His Royal Highness will take care of the rest. He will bury you as traitors. As long as I can be of help to that end, that''s fine." "...Hoo." Nozan''s eyes narrowed sharply. And his mouth lifted. It was a malicious smile. "Kuku, are you acting like a loyal retainer? My lord, Christand Bogan, is the enemy------Gildanstein''s. ...Wonderful." His handsome face was distorted with rage. The raw hostility like that of a beast oozed out, and even the soldiers who looked at the two from afar shivered. "You sure have guts saying that in front of me. ......Then I will show no mercy. Nopassion. Regret those words in pool of blood." However, Gertz epted it head-on and spoke boldly. "There is nothing to fear anymore. Let us talk with our des. A warrior should speak with his sword, not with his words. Isn''t that right, General Verreich?" "I agree. If you are a true warrior, that is. If you are merely umting years, even a dog and a beast can do it. I hope your words are matched by your sword, old general-dono." With augh, Nozan turned his back on him. Gertz also returned to his own camp. "...General" The young adjutant who approached Gertz had an indescribable expression on his face. No one thought they can win. Buying time------they knew they can''t do anything more than that. "Don''t look like that. If we buy time, General Hilkintos and His Royal Highness wille to reinforce us. If we can hold out until then, we will find a chance to win. We have enough supplies, and this is also within our expectations." Actually, the siege itself was within the realm of assumptions, but he never thought that this ce would be surrounded so soon. But to reassure his men, as a general, he had to tell them so. The battle between Kuraray Marcellus and Nozan Verreich. That itself was bound to happen. If Christand refused the truce, Nozan would surely move. Anticipating this, Gertz sent out another 10,000 reinforcements from here, giving Kuraray more than sufficient military strength to defeat Nozan. Even if not, he could buy time------or so he thought. However, looking at the result, it was Nozan''s overwhelming victory. ording to the stories of the soldiers who had escaped, it was four days since the start of the sh. It was an instantaneous event caused by a surprise attack on the rear. The Marcellus army was cleanly decapitated, and as a result, the Verreich army increased its military strength. Gertz waspletely cornered. Seeing that the two corps led by Krische Christand were out of sight, they must have gone west to suppress Hilkintos'' armies and prevented them from joining up. He had heard that the Hilkintos army had already departed from the west. It should be only two more days'' journey to this point. If that was the case, it would make more sense to buy time here. The Hilkintos army would probably raise a force of nearly 30,000. In contrast, Krische Christand''s two corps would only have about 15,000 at best. They will not be able to hold off the Hilkintos army forever. "...One week. It will be fine we canst for a week. If we can endure that much, the situation will be reversed." Gertz, who has reached the formation, raised his voice. His voice, though hoarse, had poise and depth. The soldiers lined up along the mountain and looked up at the old general with trepidation. "We can''t win in a head-on confrontation. But this heavy fortress that you have built------here we can buy enough time. ...And the good news is that the Cursed Child, Krische does not exist here. If so, we can fight as usual without fear." The soldiers shouted in relief. What Gertz feared more than anything was Krische. After the series of massacres in Bernaich------some of the soldiers were still afraid of her. Due to the nature of the Dragon''s Maw, it means that if they were pincered, they had no choice but to fight in the mountains. If she appeared here, it would be difficult to maintain morale. The trees have lost their foliage and the visibility has improved, so her elite units weren''t as much of a threat as they used to be. However, ingrained fear is something that cannot be wiped away so easily. In that sense, the fact that Krische was not here was the best news they could have. "The Brave general Hilkintos is on his way here from the west, and His Royal Highness is heading here from the south while raising arge force." It was half a lie. South------He didn''t know if they can expect reinforcements from the royal capital. This was because the royal capital was wary of Nozan going straight to the south. Even if they coulde as fast as possible, there would be a dy in information. It would take another week or more from here. The only hope was in the west------but Gertz was not expecting Hilkinthos in the west to bring reinforcements to here either. "If either of them arrives here, they will be the ones who will be driven to their deaths. Don''t think of this as a desperate battle, but rather as a desperate resistance." Theing decisive battle in the royal capital. For that reason, the only objective here was to reduce the forces of the princess''s faction and let Hilkintos'' army link up with the army of the royal capital. From the beginning, Gertz never thought about surviving. His sole purpose was to keep the forces here and prevent reinforcements for Krische''s army, which should be heading west. If they did so, Hilkintos'' army would defeat Cliche. Even if they didn''t, they would break through in an advantageous manner and join forces with the royal capital. Gertz''s desire was not a victory here, but the final victory. "Don''t exert yourself to kill the enemies. Hope to drink today''s sake (alcohol) with yourrade. If we do that, the Goddess of Victory will surely invite us to her banquet." The old general smiled with determination. The soldiers did not understand the true meaning of his words, they simply believe them. The battlefield is only filled with deception. In Mirskronia, there were still remnants of the mes from the previous day. Burned down trees and half-bald mountains made Mirskronia rather easy to defend. The elevation difference is an absolute advantage on the battlefield. If the trees that were in the way were gone, they would be able to make use of the archers, and the rain of arrows overhead would make it extremely difficult for the enemy to march on. Gertz had been fortifying the Dragon''s Maw that had been burned down------especially Mirskronia. He had also been training his infantry to be able to use the bows and had greatly increased the number of archers. The quality is poor, but if he can increase the number of arrows, then that''s good. Although the situation was bad, their preparation was not bad. Seeing the inferiority of his forces, Gertzpletely gave up the defense of Bernaich and focused on Mirskronia. The reason was that he did not have enough troops to defend it, but the main reason was that he could not rebuild the fort in time, and he was afraid of another fire attack. The Christand army showed ruthlessness even burning down mountains for victory. No one thought that there would not be a second time. To prevent it, they would have to defend from the foot of the mountain, and the recent incident was still fresh in their minds. The soldiers would not be able to keep up their morale. Gertz thought so and abandoned Bernaich. Either way, the Christand can''t move forward unless theypletely seize this ce, which is a logistics ry point. "Don''t be afraid, keep shooting arrows! That way they won''t be able toe up!" The leftmost watchtower facing Verreich''s army in the south. From the top of the watchtower, arge obese man gave the order. Takirus Senger,mander of the Second Battalion of the First Corps of the Wiring Army, shouted at the top of his lungs, spitting in the air. His throat was dry and sore from the excessive shouting he had been doing recently. The battle was still going on, even on the fourth day. Stretched over fences and countless watchtowers. As expected it would be difficult for even Nozan Verreich to make a frontal breakthrough in the face of such a quagmire. He hade up with a strategy to thoroughly demoralize them. Taking advantage of their superior military strength, he attacked day and night harassing them. They never stepped in and took no risks. It was intended topletely take away their physical strength. The north------Selene Christand alsounched a simr attack, and it seemed that the slow march with arge shield over the troops'' heads, maintaining their strength. Close the distance, set up the partition screen against arrows, and gradually close the distance between them. Then, on the western side of Mirskronia, where there was still some green, a part of the enemy soldiers could be seen making a detour. Waiting for an opportunity to attack. If the enemies were to attack, it will probably be from there. If theye along the mountain ridge, the advantage of the elevation difference will not work. However, since the defense was thickened in anticipation of such a situation, the main camp would not immediately fall. Although arrows rained down from Bernaich from time to time, it was really only effective at harassing the enemy. Even if an arrow can be shot from Bernaich, it is impossible for it to cross over here. "...How''s it going, Alba. How are the soldiers doing?" "As expected, they''re very tired. Whether day or night it continues. But the time the general said------it''s only a few more days." The centurion at his side yed with his gray beard and smiled. He was a good centurion who never ceased tough even under such circumstances. By his side is a man who should be called hisrade-in-arms with whom he has shared joys and sorrows for a long time. That was most reassuring. He couldn''t let up. But it was not over yet. Takirus nodded his head in an exultant manner, and after confirming that there were no eyes around him, he said. "I guess we chose the wrong master, no matter how I see it this seems where we will die." "I guess it can''t be avoided. I thought it was impossible for Takirus-dono to die on the battlefield, but are you going to die while iming loyalty and honor in the end?" "Haha, stop it. ...Well, putting me aside, I''d like to see you do the same, Alba. Dying to let me escape. If that happend, I''ll pray for your soul to rest in peace while embracing a woman." "I hope you will die a respectable death, at least for the sake of your men. By all means." Theyughed and hit each other on the shoulder. It was a silly joke and exchange, but they knew that the time would soone when they would no longer be able to do so. And that, for what it''s worth, they would never run away leaving the other. "... do you think reinforcements wille?" "It won''te. It''s the serious General Wiring we''re talking about. He must be thinking of bing a martyr himself. He''s a true warrior, I want to learn from him." "Saying things you don''t mean at all." Exasperated, Takirusughed. He thought he was doing well as he piled up experience on the battlefield. Avoiding danger, but steadily gaining results------but even that will end in a few more days. This would be hisst battle. Thinking that way, his heart was bright and clear. "How old is your son?" "He''s twenty-three. It''s a splendid one not following after me." "Already that old? His face probably looks like me right." "Haha, no way. It''s definitely my seed. My wife is a chaste person, so she hates people like Takirus-dono more than anyone else. It''s no good being fat, Isn''t it? Aren''t yours the ones who look like me?" "I''ll kill you, that''s definitely... No, I can''t say anything. To be honest, it''s really doubtful whether both girls are my seed. The faces are clearly different." Alba burst out, holding his stomach andughing pleasantly. "Haha, that''s why I told you to keep ying with women in moderation. It''s karma." "...Bastard. Saying whatever you like." "I don''t mind if you punish me if I''m disrespectful. Look, here''s the neck." Takirus sighed as Alba make a chopping motion on his neck with his hand. "I must be the most unfortunate battalionmander in the world. To die with a centurion like you." "If I had to say, that''s my line. I wish I would die in battle with a better battalionmander overflowing with honors." "I heard that your dream is to die in your bed." "Now, did I say something like that?" With a wry smile, Takirus nced at the scenery below him. Countless archers on fences that''s built over and over again. There were more than enough arrows. There were originally 10,000 arrows in this area. It would be no problem to continue shooting for several weeks. Many of the enemy soldiers could be seen making noise and resting in camps a short distance away. They took turns attacking day and night. They rested as if on purpose to show it, even though daytime in the middle of a battle. The soldiers approaching them also did not seem very enthusiastic. They were only advancing steadily, moving forward with their arrow shields in front of them. The height of the screen gradually increased---- "... Alba, it''s strange." "Strange?" "That screen doesn''t look like it''s meant for our attack. Hasn''t it gotten a lot taller?" A screen that unfolded at the bottom of the mountain. Especially the lower part is quite tall for an arrow shield. If anything, it looks like a blindfold------it seemed like it took a lot of effort for just a screen. The trees cut down on Bernaichwere carried to the lower screen and processed there. He assumed it was used as a new material for the screen, but it was strange. You don''t have to put into that kind of trouble, you can just carry the finished screen. What''s the point of going out of your way to process the screen over there? And there was still something strange. There will always be surplus materials that cannot be used if it was processed there. However, there was no sign of them being transported anywhere, which would have been an obstacle to the work. Are they being transported somewhere during the night? If so, why? Takirus wrinkled his brow and pondered. "It''s true, it''s a little strange... but it doesn''t seem like a bad idea to use that ce as a workshop. In short, it''s the same as the mole hole in siege warfare, and it''s more efficient to put the workshop in front. If you know that we have no intention of counterattacking, it is not that strange of an idea." "...we should have installed a catapult." "We used too much power constructing the fort." North side------he heard that the Christand army was using four catapults. They probably deem it effective on Mirskronia, which had be a bald mountain. It''s range was up to halfway up the mountain, and the situation was said to be worse than here. It takes time to prepare in advance at the workshop, disassemble it, transport it, and assemble it on site, then adjust it. Because the catapult requires arge number of skilled workers, it was put on the back burner. "...and it can''t be helped in that situation. Everyone was frightened." The disturbances in Bernaich by Krische Christand. The effect had lingered. As a result, the rebuilding of the fortress in Bernaich was temporarily suspended, and it was justst week that it was decided to focus on the fortress of Mirskronia. The fact that the workers hated working at Bernaich was also a big factor. After a week of persistent disturbance, everyone was afraid to go up the mountain. The work was hurried but difficult, and the fort was only recently finished in its present form. If they were to build a fort in Mirskronia, the wood would have to be cut from Bernaich, not from Mirskronia, which had been burned down. Soldiers and workmen alike feared the head-hunters of Bernaich------Krische and her ck Century. The sight of the brave men, who had gone mad or turned into mute corpses, had instilled more fear in them than the number of dead. They did not have enough time or mental space. With this much better visibility, the catapult can fully demonstrate its power. A wide field of fire and range, could have forced the enemy to bleed a lot. But it''s hard to expect that under those circumstances. It was toote. "Cursed Child, huh...what a monster." "I''m just thankful that, that thing was headed toward General Hilkintos and not this way. I almost died myself." Alba also went up to Bernaich once. On thest day of the raid, the ascent was made with four Century in a tight formation. It was the century opposite Alba''s group that was targeted. It was a coincidence that he survived. If it was the other side, he would have died. Before they even had time to counterattack, the enemy had cleanly withdrawn, and what was left behind were frightened people who could hardly be called soldiers. "Arond, Rausel... what a shame." "... yeah, truly" "I have no choice but to pray that General Hilkintos will take revenge." This time, the attacks continue day and night, and the state of fatigue continued. If that symbol of terror, Krische Christand, was here------that''s something he didn''t even want to think about. "That said...it''s still work. I''ll report up to the corpsmander in the meantime. Messenger!" "Yes sir!" The messenger, who had been standing by a short distance away, immediately ran up and saluted. "To the corpsmander. And ask for confirmation. The enemy at the foot of the mountain------" ----At that point, a heavy metal sound resounded. It was the sounds of gongs being struck that even shook Takiru''s steel armor. An assault, at this timing. Takirus immediately Looked at the bottom of the mountain------at the in. However, what was there was not the figure of an enemy soldier roaring and charging. It was something unexpected. And the appearance of what he had feared. Her silver hair, tied in two, swayed in the wind. Wearing a ck cloak. And behind her were men in ck armor. In the girl''s hand was a stained and torn g------Hilkintos'' crest, showing a two-headed lion. The ck-d soldiers were apanied by a one-armed man bound with rope and gagged. The girl stepped forward boldly with them. While at a blood-drenched battlefield, she walked through like it was a town street. And on the gs lined up behind them was an unfamiliar drawing. On the ck-painted banner was a crescent moon sharp as a sickle and a skull. As if symbolizing a neck cut by a de------it was their unit banner. Even those who were raining arrows stopped moving for a moment. "Hello. And long time no see to some of you. I''m Krische Christand." A voice that has been augmented by magic resounded everywhere. The girl said in a young voice------but emotionless. Then she threw down the Hilkintos g in her hand. "Here is the former general of the Kingdom, Margrave Aurugorn Hilkintos... and the treasonous sinner who pointed his sword at the First Princess, Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan." In front of Krische, Hilkintos'' body was held by his sides. He is then made to kneel over his crest. "As many of you know, thew of the kingdom states that any person who points his sword at royalty is guilty of high treason and must be put to death without any excuse. The crime of pointing the de at the rightful heir to the throne, Her Royal Highness Princess Kreschenta, will never be forgiven. ...Therefore, Krische took this opportunity to state that I, Krische, will carry out the execution in the name of Her Royal Highness Princess Kreschenta." Why, how. General Hilkintos have been defeated? Such puzzlement filled the minds of the Mirskronia soldiers. "The usual way of punishing the high treason is to tear a man''s body apart, but since this will be an informal execution, Krische will personally tear him limb from limb. A crime must be properly punished. Krische swears by this name that Krische will not forgive a traitor who hasmitted high treason against the royal family while being given the title of margrave and the position of general. Please rest assured." Some of those with magical powers noticed that Krische was smiling. A mad Cursed Child------and the tragedy at Bernaich. Those who knew it instantly shuddered. "Umm, as for why is Krische ripping off the limbs ording to formal etiquette when it''s informal? As you can see, this is an example." Krische raised her finger and said. "As for Krische, Krische doesn''t want all of you to shed unnecessary blood as fellow citizens of the Kingdom. You probably don''t know that your actions are high treason, and you are tempted by the evil General Gertz Wiring to fight here." ''So Krische wanted to make it known'', she continued. "I want you to know what the sin of high treason is, and as for Krische, Krische wants you to realize your mistakes here and surrender. Of course, Krische promises we won''t treat you badly. However, if you continue to resist, that means you have acted out of your own will. There are no more excuses, and Krische will not hold back." ------Krische will do her utmost to make the sinner pay for their crime. Perhaps it was a signal, as the girl said that, she was handed arge curved sword by one of the women. She then cut the rope that bound the kneeling man''s body The man------Aurugorn Hilkintos tried to escape at that moment, then one of his legs was cut off by Krische who easily chased her from behind. A spine-chilling scream could be heard through the gag. Krische grabbed the man by the neck as she moved, dragged him, and threw him onto his banner. Aurugorn screamed in pain, but Krische didn''t show any mercy. She stomped him on the back. "You cursed child! How dare you speak out against a general who surrendered peacefully with such a one-sided plea, do you know not about the Holy Spirit Covenant!" Takirus raised his voice. An angry voice extended with magical power------followed by several other voices. Krische nodded repeatedly as she listened to the voices. "Isn''t it too outrageous? Some people may think so. It''s much to cruel treatment for a general who had surrendered. Isn''t it a vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant? However, the figure that this man showed earlier, did you see it?" Krische stepped on Aurugorn and ce the sword on his shoulder. "This man is a disgrace to noble." Blood was dripping from the de. "The other day, this man pretended to surrender and tricked us, he had nned to escape from the beginning just like a moment ago. As a result, the lives of soldiers who should have survived unharmed were meaninglessly taken away. ...The offensive behavior disguised as surrender is a clear vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant. That was done by a Kingdom''s noble, a general of the army." "Fuguu!!? Ugh... Ah!!" Then he swung down the sword and cut off his arm. The screams muffled by the gag were as ugly as they could be. This was not the appearance of a general who hadmanded tens of thousands. "The reason Krische is showing this is also to prevent the same tragedy from happening again. As you said, there are rules in war. Even in the midst of ughter, there are rules to be upheld. There is a discipline to protect the honor and the cause of those who fight------there are rules to protect such aesthetics." She twirled the great curved sword, which was clearly too heavy even when looked at from a distance. ''Krische will always respond to those who adhere to it in ordance with the favorable interpretation. If ...... you do not, then------" ------She swung down and severed a leg. There was a scream. Some of the soldiers were shaking from fright, and others were crouching down, covering their ears. "...Like this Krische does not have any mercy for you. Vition of the Covenant is a grave sin, close to high treason, but in reality, it is a vague rule that leaves a great deal of room for interpretation. Remember, it is leftrgely to the conscience of the one whoplies. If Krische wanted to, Krische could kill every soldier in this room with legitimate reason without viting the Holy Spirit Covenant." The battlefield came to a halt while Aurugorn had both his limbs chopped off. What had been a glorious kingdom general convulsed on the ground, looking like a caterpir. ------Krische stepped through his neck as if to show it off, and afterpletely ending his life, she turned to the mountain again and announced. "Krische is not good at talking, but if many people can understand by actually showing it like this, that''s the best thing for Krische. I hope that you will understand what Krische just said and make the right decision." She returned the sword in her hand to the woman and continued. "Also, Krische will bother you tonight. ...The battle will probably be over by tomorrow morning. To avoid needless bloodshed, please make your decision early." After saying that, she lowered her head deeply, and the silver girl returned to the camp. She was cutting off people''s arms and legs, but she was still calm. All that was left was the cold air, awakening from the heat and madness of the battlefield. And a general who was brutally killed. The will to fight waspletely consumed by fear of the girl. Takirus, who looked on in a daze, sensed the inevitable defeat that day ------he mmed his fist into the wall of the watchtower. Chapter 75: Fortuitous Meeting Chapter 75: Fortuitous Meeting ----The day after the Battle with Kuraray Marcellus. Inside the tent, Nozan verreich frowned. "Krische to General Hilkintos?" "Yes, it would be possible, given the terrain. General Verreich will go straight into the Dragon''s Maw." Inside the tent were the six corpsmanders and their adjutant. As usual, the ck 1st Squad, including Mia, was on standby as attendants, but Dagra remained at the Century for training. Today''s agenda is about future movements. It was a question of who would hold back the Hilkintos army approaching from the west and attack the Dragon''s Maw. The atmosphere at this meeting was that Nozan, with its military strength, would hold off the Hilkintos forces. The first thing that Krische did at the start of her speech was to turn their half-fixed ideas on upside down. "...Krische-sama, as expected that is a bit too reckless." The bald-headed man, his muscr face scrunched up, tilted his sses. Sardan Galcaron, the Second Corps Commander of the Verreich army. "General Hilkintos will bring arge force of more than 20,000 men. Unlike our eastern part of the Kingdom, that side is stable. However, Krische-sama and Corps Commander Elugabined had 13,000 troops, which would be difficult against General Hilkintos. Unlike General Marcellus, General Hilkintos is not easy." It was a natural opinion. The four generals who protect the Kingdom''s territory from foreign enemies are not ipetent. Unlike Kuraray, who was in the center, Aurugorn Hilkintos is a person who should be called a greatmander with a wealth of battle records, and even in the war with the empire before, he freed Wolfeit without danger. Even if it''s Krische, the proposal was too reckless with the difference in military strength. He felt that she was too overconfident in her own abilities. "Well, wait Sardan. Let''s hear Krische-sama first. ...This is a meeting to decide on an important policy. As expected, I can''t just say ''yes, understood'' without hearing the reason. Could you tell me the reason?" Nozan asked, and Krische nodded and then looked at Mia. Mia, who had not been told anything, was surprised for a moment, then turned to Krische''s empty teacup and hurriedly poured tea in a panic. She was not signaling for her to speak, but simply signaling that she wanted a cup of tea. "It''s time. General Verreich will move in another two or three days. On the other hand, Krische and Skeleton will be able to leave tomorrow." The word "skeleton" made everyone startled for a moment and looked at Eluga. Did it refer to Eluga? No, probably without a doubt. Everyone thought so, but no one could ask about it in this atmosphere. Eluga raised his eyebrows at the gaze for a moment and cleared her throat with a deliberate cough. "If General Verreich and his men were to suppress them, the meeting ce would be here. Even if the Hilkintos army moves earlier orter than nned, we can only choose a in with no obstacles. It would be dangerous to try to advance further with a forced march. In any case, it would be too wasteful." To the south of the Dragon''s Maw is a t in with no ups and downs. It was around that point that Krische indicated that the battle would begin. There are no hills where you can gain a tactical advantage, and fighting there would inevitably lead to a head-on sh on equal terms. They were prepared for that, but Krische dismissed it as a waste. "...A waste?" "No matter how strong General Verreich''s forces are, it will be forced into a head-on confrontation here against the nearly equal number of Hilkintos'' troops. It is highly probable that the loss will be in the 10,000." "I see. ...If it is only Krische and Eluga, you can choose a battlefield further west." If you go further west, the north side is the base of the Alkeil Mountain Range, which extend southwest from the Dargon''s Maw----from there the forest extend out. It was aplex topography with several rivers running through it. "Then Krische-sama will use the river in this forest to suppress General Hilkinthos?" "No." Krische sipped her cup of tea with plenty of honey and milk in it and smiled. "There, Krische will dispose of the Hilkintos army." Everyone in the room, except Eluga, widened their eyes in surprise. Among them, Nozan wrinkled his brow and looked at the map as if he was trying to bore a hole in it. After a while, he groaned and said. "... Then we have to hurry. This is where Krische-sama is aiming, right?" What he pointed was the distance of two days to the west of the in, which was supposed to be the expected battle point. It is a narrow road sandwiched between forests on the left and right. From the west, just across the river------there was no better position to ambush the Hilkintos army. Hide the troops in the left and right forests, lure the enemy, cover the front, and bite them. If Krische was to defeat Hilkintos'' army, which was superior in military strength, she could not find a better location. "In fact, I think it would be better if we left at once. I can''t urately read General Hilkinthos'' movements. If we can''t take---" "Skeletons also had their eyes on the same ce, but if General Verreich also says so, then Krische fells relieved. But different" ''That''s not what I''m aiming for'', Krische replied, sipping the cup of sweet tea. Nozan frowned even more. "You have a high opinion of General Hilkynthos''s abilities. Is that right?" "Yes, if we take personal feelings out of the equation, I would say that he is excellent. He has not been protecting the west of the kingdom for many years for nothing. If we are talking about experience alone, he is better than me or the Corps Commander Eluga." "If General Verreich thinks so, then Krische is more and more at ease." Krische smiled and continued. "What Krische always finds difficult in tactics is the extent to which the opponent can be read. Even if you want to outwit the opponent''s movement, the important question is how much the opponent can read your intentions from your actions." Enemy''s actions, feeling around for the back. Anticipating that and what''s in the back of the back. Where do you stop the countless chains? That''s where the difficulty lies. The act of reading the back of the enemy bes fatal if the enemy acts without any back. Therefore, evaluating the enemy''s abilities was a matter of priority above all else for Krische. "Krische have been reading the records, so Krische have a general idea of what General Hilkintos is capable of, but... but there wasn''t much in Gotoushu-sama archives, so Krische was still a little worried. But if General Verreich has taken note of that, it will most likely work out." "...That''s" "Assuming General Werreich was in the position of General Hilkinthos. A situation in which Krische is advancing her forces ahead of others. And if you have grasped that information, you would probably choose to move ahead and take control of the east bank of the river." Nozan nodded meekly. Finally, he was beginning to grasp Krische''s intentions. "Once that area is taken over, Krische, who has a small force will have no choice but to turn back. At that time, the distance between us will be less than a day at most------Krische had failed to conquer it, while General Verreich had seeded in conquering it. From your point of view, the other side is a prey that has no choice but to flee, and of course General Verreich will be chasing after it. "...that''s where the enemy''s throat will be cut open." "That''s what I mean. If you let them bite the bait, you can read their movements. Simply setting up an ambush position on the east bank of this river has a lot of uncertainties, so we use other means to meet the conditions." The key was the initiative. ''Like solving a simple problem'', Krische said. Nozan looked earnestly at the map, thought about something------and shook his head. "I''m still too green. ...Krische-sama force is small in the first ce, so she doesn''t need to pay attention to passive measures such as suppressing the enemy. Only think about taking the opponent''s head." "Because it''s efficient. It''s if we take the head then that''s that, so Krische thinks that the solution is always simple, and that''s all you should aim for." More honey was added to the tea. Krische savored the tea, which was now almost entirely honey and milk, and rxed her cheeks. "In the end, the number of battlefield selection options and the number of trials and errors will be affected by the number of troops. It doesn''t make that much of a difference if you just focus on the objective. At most, there are only a few thousand soldiers that will be fighting at the same time, so it would be good if we could strike a decisive blow before the final battle urs." ''Putting aside if the difference is too big'', she continued. She never makes a mistake. And she will always achieve the desired result with all her might. Her words reveal an absolute confidence that could be seen as conceit, and the girl has the power to turn such words into mere facts. She may look young and pretty, but she is not just a normal girl. ------She was unmistakably a monster. "...I can''t help but be grateful that you weren''t an enemy. I can''t believe in myself that much." Nozan said in amazement. Numerous copious amounts of flesh and blood on his hand, risking many lives, including his own, moving forward for glory. What arises is pleasure, fear, and tion that numb the brain. The conductor mander) constantly savors it while striving to maintain his ownposure. It is not a game on the board. The choice is always apanied by fear. Is it right or wrong? ------Are you sure of your own sanity? But this girl was always calm and focused only on her goal. "Selene-sama and I can hang for about five days?" Nozan inquired. He already saw her victory as a foregone conclusion. She probably wasn''t expecting the Dragon''s Jaw could be brought fall with force. He picked what could be her choice and looked at her. "Yes, Krische suppose so. About five days------at the earliest, Krische will be able to return by the fourth day. If possible, Krische would like to bring General Hilkintos alive, as expected Krische can''t be certain about this." The Hilkintos army wasthe only thing the defenders in the Dragon''s Maw can count on. Cutting it off would break the soldiers'' hearts. She intended to make the Dragon''s Maw surrender. "Then let''s prepare ordingly. However, the task is too easy on my side. It''s too unbnced... Granmeld." "Yes sir." "Choose 2000 soldiers and apany Krische-sama." Granmeld saluted as is while kept seated. It was not good manners, but neither Nozan nor the others minded. "I''m sorry to impose, but I''m a bit of a worrier so." "No. Krische has also seen the strength of Corps Commander Varkas." "If there are no objections, I think this is settled. Does anyone else have an opinion?" Nozan looked around and one person raised his voice. It was Sardan from earlier. "What about the supply?" "Krische have hidden most of the supply we took the other day hidden in the woods, so we''ll basically use that." "I see. ...In order to ensure Krische-sama n, it would be better to prepare the rear. It would be more convenient to make the other side think that Krische will take a dying action." "...that''s true. Krische was thinking of asking to connect from here, but." Krische nodded obediently, and Sardan smiled. Although heined about it earlier, he doesn''t have any particr ill feelings towards Krische. His eyes were kind, just as they would be looking at a little girl, just like how she looked. "Then, I have a suggestion for Krische-sama." "Yes, what is it?" Krische tilted her head and looked at him, wondering what Sardan would say. "West from here------there is a merchant I know in the town of Kielzaran on the way. Let''s talk to that man. If you stop by there as recognition of services for the soldiers, he will probably send a letter to General Hilkintos. He is a miserly scrapper with a lot of money but no ss------Rnd." Her eyes narrowed the moment he said the name. Tomorrow morning, Krische and her team set out. The first thing they were going to do was to find Marcellus'' supply which was hidden in the forest. Most of the people who originally carried the trains were hired, workers. Except for the guard soldiers and mercenaries Marcellus attached, they were all ordinary people. After the raid, Krische made a written contract with a representative of the group, guaranteeing the contractualpensation they had agreed with Marcellus in Christand''s name. And by paying some additional money, though it was forcefully they made them standby there in the current state and handed over the cargo to Christand. Although the merchants themselves did not have military power, they had strong horizontal ties, and when viewed as a whole, they were a force with great financial power. Logistics-rted contracts originally included a hazard fee, but the other party was a merchant within the Kingdom, they cannot be too rough, even if the merchants were in favor of the enemy. They are only buying and selling goods based on contracts in ordance with ''formalmercial transactions'' based on the Kingdom''sw. They must be treated as neutral, good citizens. There are many difficulties in this area because of the rtionship between the state and the merchant associations. The state has unquestionable force and power. The merchants fear it. The merchants have enormous funds. The state fears it. The best thing for both sides is to have a good rtionship, and both sides fear the deterioration of that rtionship. The rtionship between the two was left more to conscience and tacit understanding between the two than to thew. Krische and her group take the merchants into custody by force and have soldiers standing guard in the forest to protect them as pretense. They will not hesitate to use force if necessary. That''s what it meant. Naturally, those whose lives were threatened were afraid. They had no choice but toply, even if the words were a bit aggressive. However, this alone would cause friction in the rtionship, so Krische and her team guaranteed the contract with Kuraray, and then made a new contract and paid additional money in order to save the merchant''s face. It was the end of such an exchange, and there was no problem that seems to be a problem. When they learned that they had easily defeated Kuraray Marcellus, who was leading an army of 30,000 men, they were even eager to be on the winning side. During the attack, of course, there were some dead among them, but it was already clear that it was inevitable. Merchants are just creatures who move on profit and loss, and in that sense, they have a cold sensibility to the end. After retrieving Marcellus''s supply, which had been hidden in the forest, Krische and her group set out for the west, heading immediately for the city road. Although the distance was a little long and a detour, the fatigue of the soldiers would vary greatly depending on whether or not they were walking on a solid foothold. Naturally, it also affects the marching speed, and in the end, the time it took was not much different than if they advanced in a straight line. The roads around here were wide enough for five soldiers to line up side by side. Even so, arge army of more than 10,000 will create a long line of more than ten ri (39,27 km), but on a in with wide visibility, there was no need to be on the lookout for surprise attacks, and the advantages of proceeding along the highway in this way were great. Without incident, they arrived at Kielzaran on the evening of the second day. Kierzaran, with a poption of over 100,000, could be said to be one of thergest cities in the kingdom. The highways that stretch to multiple ces------It''s the key point of distribution that binds all of it together. The city is naturally more prosperous than other cities. There are many white houses made of wrought rock on the central hill surrounded by walls, perhaps because they are conscious of the royal capital. The wealthy were probably clustered there. But where there''s light there''s shadow. The city swelled chaotically to the point it was unmanageable Further cities were built outside the city, and what existed between them was a slum. Even so, the city is still expanding endlessly------Kielzen was in chaos. The sight reminded Krische of Mitskria, which was on the way to the royal capital. Even before their arrival, countless tents had been set up on the ins outside, ready to wee them. The fast horses had arrived in Kierzaran the day before. But even so, the preparations were still this good. The ability to deal with the sudden appearance of over 10,000 soldiers would probably be as expected of arge city. That''s just how many merchants were here. Even before they had finished unpacking, the merchants and prostitutes were calling out to the soldiers. "Oh my, my, what a beautiful youngdy, are you from the nobility?" "......?" After giving a set of instructions, Krische went on a light inspection. After that, she was a little hungry and wanted to fill her stomach a little. The one who called out to Krische, who was buying skewers at an open-air stall, was a tanned beauty dressed with a lot of exposure. "Ufu, how about it? You''re tired from your trip, aren''t you? I''ll take good care of you. Despite my appearance, I''m good at handling girls." "Haa... Thank you. But Krische has a ce to rest, so------" "Yes, yes, stop! Usa-chan, this way!" "Ah..." Krisje, who doesn''t seem to understand much, responded seriously, and Kalua grabbed her arm and pulled her along. Kahlua scratches her own head roughly as she sighs in exasperation. "Geez, even if they called out to you, you don''t have to answer. Right when I take my eyes off her..." "...... but it seems kind of bad to ignore them when they talk to you." "...Usa-chan, if you leave her alone, she seems like she''ll immediately be kidnapped before you can count to three." Mia and the other three members of the squad smiled wryly at Krische. Krische was pulled by the hand and answered while chewing on the skewered thick-sliced mutton. "Krische is is strong so, even if Krische is kidnapped, Krische will be able to return, so it''s okay." She spoke confidently, but they couldn''t help but feel uneasy because of her childlike appearance. The reason is that Cliche does not look like a soldier by any means, although she has a coat of arms sewn into her cloak. Inside she wore a whitece shirt and skirt. Although she wears a thick belt around her waist and carries a curved sword, no one would recognize her as the highest-ranking corpsmander in the army. Considering her position and role as a member of the Christand family, she is the actual leader, but it is extremely difficult for someone who doesn''t know to recognize her. The girl holding the grilled skewer in one hand, being led by the hand, and her silver hair swinging in the air, no matter how you look at it she was a sitting duck. She was a beautiful girl who can be crowned as peerless, so she naturally attracts the attention of those around her. "Anyway, even if they talk to us, we ignore them. And don''t follow people you don''t know." "... Krische isn''t that stupid." "...I don''t know about that." Exasperated at Krische that was puffing out her cheeks with a slightly dissatisfied look, she sighed again. Krische then looked to Mia. "Mia, where''s Bald Eagle?" "As instructed. Corinth Squad is resting." "Is that so." Nodding in satisfaction, Krische loosens her cheeks over the grilled skewers. "Krische will go to the banquet with Skeleton and the other. Krische''ll leave the rest to you." "Yes, please leave it to me." Mia smiled and saluted. Krische, Eluga, Granmeld. Three people were invited to the mansion. It was arge mansion inside a wall. Four fountains were ced in therge garden, and sculptures were lined up on both sides from the main gate to the door of the mansion. Without needing any signal from them, the double doors opened and a beautiful servant appeared. "Wee. Pleasee inside." However, she was dressed a little strange for a mere servant. Her ck and white apron dress had a short skirt that exposed her thighs. Her ck high socks seemed to entuate her white thighs, and her bosom revealed a hint of cleavage. When she looked, all the servants in the mansion were dressed like that, and Krische is impressed by the appearance of an unfamiliar apron dress. Krische didn''t like clothes that has high exposure, but that''s when she was outside. Krische, who basically prefersfortable clothes such as negligee, evaluated it from a serious point of view, thinking that it might not be bad if it was a little hot in the summer. Although it is a tantly indecent outfit, Krische rather admires it as a functional construction for better venttion. She even thought about discussing it with Berry the next time they met. Eluga, a man ofmon sense, looked tantly ufortable when he saw the servants'' outfits, while Granmeld, on the contrary, looked somewhat pleased and rxed his cheeks. If the outside is luxurious, so is the inside. Everything was extravagant, from the gold and silver ornaments to the paintingsrger than a person''s height, to the railings of the stairs. While observing that cleaning seems to be difficult, they were guided to therge dining room by the servants. As soon as the door opened, the scent of the delicacies tickled their nose. "Wee everyone." And it was the smell of perfume that drowned it out. "I apologize for inviting you to a ce like this. Ah... Nice to meet you, my name is Rnd, the representative of Kielzaran Firm. Earl Farren, Baron Varkus... I met the Princess of Christand before. Is I remember that was...Ah... that''s right! in Mitskria." Heughed intentionally as he said that. The white and gold jacket held back his belly, which seemed to be straining with flesh, and his thighs almost tore off his ck cks. His thinning was brushed back and decorated with countless rings and ornaments. "......Long time no see" "Yeah, yeah! I never thought I''d be able to see that beautiful figure again... I''d like to thank the Goddess of Fortune, Arsay. I am trembling with joy and would even shed tears if it was not in the public eye.. I''m sure this what''s called a fortuitous meeting!" ------Fortuitous meeting. That''s certainly true. Krische yed with the hilt of the curved sword under her cloak. "Krische''s is also grateful for this meeting. With yesterday''s and today''s arrangements outside, the soldiers will finally be able to rx a little." "This is a matter of course. I am ignorant of politics, so I can''t talk much about it...but I loved the deceased King as a citizen of the Kingdom. Taking the life of the former king who, and even iming to be the legitimacy of the royal family on top of that... even I, a humble merchant, feel a sense of righteous indignation." He clenched his fists and shook his head as if to show his anger. Then he looked at Krische with feverish eyes. "...I want to do my best for Her Royal Highness and everyone who fights for it. That''s what I think. Until now, I couldn''t move freely and was forced to submit, but thanks to everyone who came as the savior of the Kingdom, I can finally stand against the great evil. Words such as gratitude cannot be expressed anymore, please use me as you will." He was a man of slick tongues. After saying all that, he said ''Pardon me, I be too excited'', while guiding Krische and the others. "I''m sure you must be tired from your long trip. It''s a small amount, but I''ve prepared some food for. Let''s start with that, and then we can talkter. Now, pleasee this way." The long table, which could seat up to 30 people, was filled from one end to the other with food. There was a whole roasted pig, a whole roastedmb, and three whole roasted birds. There were countless kinds of soups, stews, and grilled dishes. All were of good quality. Rnd sat in the innermost seat, and Eluga and Granmeld to his side. Krische sat next to Eluga. She did not want to sit too close to Rnd. Everyone was seated, and wine was poured into the cups. Krische didn''t like wine, but she can''t help it for the time being. When Rnd saw that everything was in order, he pped his hands. "For now, let''s celebrate this encounter. And to the future of the Kingdom." He raised the cup while saying empty things as if it were a matter of course. Krische followed suit and sipped her wine. It was bitter and has a sour taste. Not sweet. When she frowned, the servant who noticed her chuckled and whispered. "Would you prefer juice?" Krische nodded obediently. Her dark hair was trimmed at her shoulders in a neat and tidy manner. The servant''s atmosphere was somewhat simr to Bery''s. Rnd continued talking while eating. About cooking, about the economy these days, about people''s lives. Eluga and Granmeld would handle such matters. Krische''s role ended with the greeting. She decided to enjoy the meal. When she calls her Servant-san, the servant smiled wryly and asked to be called Elvena. The gentle atmosphere was exactly like Bery. Unlike Berry, who had a pretty childlike face, Elvena was a beautiful woman, and she was taller than Bery. But her mischievous, quiet smile reminded Krische somewhat of Berry. "How unusual. It''s a foule herb. Properly kneaded...Is the seasoning seasoned with sun-dried salt and Elkish fruit?" "... you understand very well." "Because Krische like cooking" While Rnd and the others were talking seriously, Krische was enthusiastic about her culinary research. The taste is simr to that of the food at the royal pce. "I don''t know much about cooking...but I heard that in the south they often use foule herbs. It seems to grows in the wild over there." "I see... Come to think of it, Krische had heard about that." "If it''s southern cuisine... ah, you might like this." Elvena, happily, began to divide the food andy it out in front of Krische. It seems that there are many spicy dishes in the south, and many of them did not suit Krische''s tongue, but there were still many things that felt fresh in her ideas. This is delicious, and that is also delicious. Krische was in a good mood by ignoring Rnd. Elvena watched her with a smile and took care of her. Rnd also seeing how Krische liked Elvena, didn''t say anything in particr. By the time the meal was nearing its end, Granmeld waspletely drunk, his cheeks red andughing merrily. Rnd ttered him and spout out flowery words one after another. "------haha, my, my, if the brave Baron Varkus is here, we can rest easy in the next battle. Even if it''s a Dragon''s Maw, it''s probably useless in front of a big wolf." "Hmmn...?" For a moment, the conversation stopped unnaturally. And to kept up appearance Granmeld said. "... Ah, no doubt. Leave it to me. I''m worried about Hilkintosing from the west, but... I''m going to finish it before that." "...Corps Commander Varkus." Hearing Eruga''s voice, Granmeld said ''I know'' while,ughing and raising his hand. Rnd''s eyes narrowed slightly. "General Hilkintos. I''ve heard rumors. Seems he is with His Highness the Royal Prince..." "I guess so. But they are not our enemies." His voice sounded as if he had somewhat sobered up. Grammeld''s thick arms were crossed. Seeing the sign that he wanted to end the conversation, Rndughed. "I see, how brave. However, it was a rude conversation at a meal. I''m a merchant, and I don''t have the bravery to fight with a sword, so I can''t help but worry about that." "It can''t be helped. However, I would appreciate it if you could take care of even the smallest things since right now, we''re in the middle of the battle." Eluga said so irritated and sipped the wine. "Of course, I''ll be careful. ...It''s about time to end the meal. Let''s go have some dessert, now, please bring it over." After the meal, Krische took a hot bath. Granmeld was sent back to his room first, and Eluga was discussing the contract. Until that is done, they probably won''t make a move. "You have very beautiful hair... I envy you." "Ehehe, it''s been a long time since it''s been washed. It''s a bit difficult if it''s long." Krische closed her eyes pleasantly as the foam on her hair was washed away with hot water. Elvena smiled as she carefullybed her hair with her fingers. "I have curly hair, so long hair like this doesn''t suit me...I envy you. My older sister also had such beautiful long hair." "Do you have an older sister?" "Yes. She is my prided older sister. Fufu, it''s been a long time...since we met." Krische turned around and saw the tattoo on Elvena''s left shoulder. A distorted star----it seems to be the mark of a ve trader. While not publicly recognized in the Kingdom, it was not really so, and kidnapping does exist. Meal charges, fares, lodging charges------whatever the name is. The ve was made to sign such document and incurred a debt, and then sent to serve in the service in the name of repayment of the debt. That is the pretense. However, they are bound by the contract and deprived of their freedom. The exchange waspletely ck. But it is also very difficult to take legal action against it. A kidnapper, a debtor, and a debt-buyer. Everything was divided, and it''s hard to keep track of because the debts are usually circted left and right between multiple brokers. In this case, only the kidnappers and debtors were guilty. The traders who bought debts were often bona fide third parties with no knowledge of the facts, and the actual situation in the country was that they gave up on investigations and turn a blind eye to the situation considering thebor costs needed just for one ve. Rnd was the owner of the debts. And by working for him, she was paying off her debts. Even if it was only in form, there was no ostensible problem. "Such thin shoulders. Krische-sama is also...umm, going to fight, right?" "yes" "Is Krische-sama...not afraid?" "Hmm... When ites to Krische herself, not particrly." She is not afraid of fighting. Because it''s not her who get killed, it''s the person standing in front of her. "...Krische doesn''t want someone important to Krische to fight, so Krische is just doing everything Krische can to prevent that from happening." "Krische-sama is very impressive. Even with such a small body." "It''s just a job. Krische doesn''t think it''s that splendid." Krische thought for a moment and said. "Krische think the best thing job is a job that makes someone happy, like what Elvena is doing now. Krische is very happy." "My...thank you" "Yes. Krische''s favorite... the servant Krische respected is always kind like Elvena, so when the war is over, Krische wants to be like that." "Pardon me... I don''t know anything but, Krische-sama is quite the strange person, huh?" Elvenaughed mysteriously and stood up. She took Krische by the hand and led her into a bathtub strewn with crimson petals. "Is it strange?" "No, it''s a very nice idea. It''s just someone who is honest and kind... that kind of person is rare." "... Krische doesn''t think Krische is that kind." "Krische-sama is very kind. That''s why I''m happy to take care of Krische-sama like this." ''fufu'', she chuckled. Elvena sat opposite Krische and caressed her cheek. Her breasts and, her narrow waist----as if to hide a little bit of her feminine flesh. Bringing her face close, Elvena admired Krische''s beauty. "Does Elvena not like it very much?" "...If the partners are all like Krische -sama, it may be very happy. However, there are many different types of guests here, so even now that I''ve gotten used to it, I sometimes feel it''s hard." "......I see." And slowly, to her neck. A little below Krische''s thin shoulder----she kissed Krische''s corbone. Krische twisted her body from the tickle sensation, and Elvena moved her palms and stroked Krische''s modest breasts. "Umm...?" Elvena stared at Clich¨¦ without saying a word, and she went up this time. She rubbed the tips of their nose together then pressed her lips against Krische''s. Krische''s eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at Elvena with her eyes wide open. Elvena, noticing this, looked into her eyes for a moment, and then, as her lips and body parted, her shoulder shook amusingly. When Krische tilted her head curiously, she seemed to enjoy it even more. "Fufu, ufufu... it''s no good. It was a bit of a mischief, but somehow, the poison was drained." "mischief......" "Since Krische-sama was saying so many cute things, It made me wanted to tease Krische-sama a little. But more than I thought... it''s no good, fufu, forgive me." Cute and teasing. There, Krische understood the intention of her actions is, and Krische was convinced. And with her serious face, she thrust her fingertips to her lips. "It''s no good to tease. Chu, is for when you''re with someone you really like." It became even more funny when she said that, and Elvena lowered her face and began tough. ''Is there something funny?'' Krische waited for Elvena to calm down, mulling it over with a ''muu''. After a while, Elvena wipes her eyes and still smiling, she told her "Hahh... it''s been a long time since Iughed like this." "Krische don''t really understand what was so funny though..." "Fufu, I''m sure Krische-sama is fine like that. But, yeah, really, Krische-sama''s servant must be happy every day. I''m very envious." Elvena smiled as she sighed and wiped away the tears that have welled because of herughter. "... I don''t think it''s okay for someone like me to say this in a ce like this... I really wish you luck in battle." "... Thank you. Krische, uhh... may you be blessed with fortuitous encounter." "Thank you for your kind words...but I''m sure today was a good, fortuitous encounter. For years toe, I will be able to remember andugh remembering this day." Elvena said then she stood up. "Krische-sama will be returning to your tent today, right? Such a shame." "... Yeah, for Krische it is also a shame. But..." "...?" "Nothing. Krische is also satisfied with being able to slowly soak in hot water. Thank you very much." "No, no, it''s a great honor to hear Krische-sama say that." She faintly smiled. Slits at the corners of the eyes----lightly pigmented lips, a slender face overall. The atmosphere of Elvena is simr to Bery''s, but the facial features arepletely different. But her face was also somehow familiar. It was such a strange smile. Chapter 76: Face Chapter 76: Face Eluga finished his meal and went back to his tent. Krische also did the same after taking a bath. Rnd assigned a woman to Granmeld, who was drunk and remains in the mansion. Although Rnd did it to fish for information, he didn''t have any particr expectations. He already had an idea of their aim. In the room, Elvena stood with her eyes downcast, and Rnd was writing at his desk. And one more person. A middle-aged man was on his knees, silently waiting for his master. His face was indistinct, with no features. He was neither tall nor short, he had an average build. He was dressed in simple trousers and shirt like a man in the city would wear and carried a shoulder bag. In other words, he was a man whose appearance was not memorable. He was the kind of man that would only appear as a vague blur in your mind even if you tried to remember himter. It was Rnd''s spy----his name was Dagris. Formerly an assassin, he has been working for Rnd for the past 20 years because of his impressive abilities. Dagris thought that it must be a very important matter, for him to be summoned like this. He had been doing this kind of work for a long time, if his isn''t quick he wouldn''t be alive now. Even though he did not know the details, he understood what it was about. "You understand right, Dagris?" "Yes. Just going through the army lookout is easy. To Margrave Hilkintos?" Economy, reputation, and military position. By picking up each piece of rumor andbining all of it, one can make a prediction. And what his master might want. Rnd nodded in satisfaction at Dagris''s words. "Yeah. It doesn''t look like they''re going to the Dragon''s Maw. It''s better to sell favor to His Royal Highness as much as possible." Rnd trades ves in addition to his front business. Of course, he never gets his own hands dirty. It would be correct to say that he lets others do it. Deeply rooted in the center of the Kingdom, he has built his own kingdom. Who would be better for him to win the civil war------no need to even think about it. Gildanstein was one of Rnd''s most important clients. The downfall of His Royal Highness would also bring a heavy blow to Rnd''s business. On the other hand, Kreschenta is a weak and pitiful princess who valued peace. Surrounding her were idiots who valued honor and just cause, and pride that can''t even be used as dog fed. Under the reign of such a princess, his business would be even more difficult------it wouldn''t even be worth weighing which one is better. Although he was aware of the defeat of Marcellus'' army, he did not see it as a big problem. The heroic Christand without their hero. With his daughter at the helm, the only one they could rely on was Nozan Verreich. Rnd viewed Gildanstein''s victory as only natural. All he had to do is push it forward. If they head to the capital, it''s not a bad idea to hire bandits and target them behind them. That would be enough to drown them in the kingdom, and Rnd could strengthen his ties to the Kingdom''s Capital. Smiling at such a future, Rnd asked while running his pen. "Elvena, did you hear anything from that Cursed Child?" "...No." "Useless. ...I didn''t have any expectations from the beginning, but it''s a different story if you didn''t even put in the effort. Have you ever brought back information that is useful, hah? Is all you can do is open your crotch and squeal?" "...My deepest apologizes." Rnd gave Elvena a sadistic look as she shuddered and said. It was a smile without any dignity. "No, that''s all right then, Elvena. If that''s the case, I''m also a kind man. I''ll find a master willing to use a whore like you. I suppose it would be boring if it wasn''t a master who would at least be happy to cut off your limbs." "P-please forgive me, Rnd-sama..." "How many times have I heard that word? Hmm, well, it''s up to you whether I''m a kind master... you understand right, Elvena?" "...... yes. Please, let me stay here." Dagris was disgusted as he watched the usual exchange. R=That Rnd couldn''t hold a woman without threatening women at all times. Hisplex about his own appearance and power was oozing out of him. He felt that Rnd was repulsive, but thatplex is what made this man one of the greatest merchants in the Kingdom. Because he is a coward, he is careful and has no hesitation licking other people''s shoes for power. He was a piece of trash who gave up all his human dignity for the power of money. However, heughed inwardly, thinking that he, who receive money from him was the same breed. He felt no righteous indignation at this scene, but only pity. He melted the wax in the firece and went to Rnd''s ce, looking at Elvena with disdain, thinking he didn''t want to be like this. Rndo rolled up the piece of parchment and ced it, and Dagris dripped wax on it. Pressed on it was the emblem of a feathered scale. Scale represents fairness and equality. Dagris epts the crest, wondering where the fairness of this rotten merchant is. "Well then, Rnd-sama." "Yeah. Becareful to not make any blunder.... Elvena, I give you chance to make amends. Come here." "......Yes, thank you very much." Dagris left the room without looking at it and went upstairs. He passed a few ves but did not feel one ounce of emotion or interest in their indecent costumes or beautiful appearance. During work, Dagris acted like a puppet, moving just for his mission. He proceeded down the corridor as he ignored the women who dutifully bowed their head and came to a dead end. He took out a dark blue-grey cloak out of his bag and jump out the window. Then he melted into the night------and in that moment he realized. "...... from the get-go huh" ----Multiple gazes. He couldn''t see them. But theyout of the surrounding buildings----from there he got an idea of where the lurking shadows were. Amateurs. But the gazes were on rooftops and towers. They were directed from high ces. Possessor of magic. Multiple of them. He judged that it would be too dangerous to force his way out. His body had passed through the line of death many times. Dagris had no intention of falling behind one or two skilled people, and rough work was more Dagris'' domain. Nevertheless, considering the feel of their eyes and the number of them, it was reckless to break through using the de. In all likelihood, Rnd had been targeted from the start. He was not surprised. It was something he was used to. It was rare for Dagris'' work to go as nned. If it was an easy task that anyone could do, then Dagris wouldn''t have been called. The other party was probably a soldier. Even if they were in the same line of work, it would be easy for Dagris to escape with his skills. He climbed over the wall and leaped to the roof. And then, immediately into an alley. This city was like his garden to him. From one alleyway, he would duck through the window of an unprotected house, and then, before anyone could see him, he would slip out from another location. Repeat that twice, and they''ll lose sight of him. Dagris had already found the direction he should be heading. It was as if his eyesight was reflecting the gaze that he should not have been able to see. Even his cloak, which danced in the wind----felt like it has his consciousness. There was no sound of running, no sound of rubbing clothing. Dagris crosses the wall that divides the center of the city and goes outside. He pulled through the gap between the houses and lowered his posture. A technique ingrained in his own body----losing theirst sight. Once that happens, there is no one in the world who can pursue him. His pursuers and observers werepletely gone. Even after confirming that, he remained on his guard, and without a sound, he jumped off the roof---- "Please stop." ----And a de was thrust to his neck. "!?" His body moved faster than he can think. The heel of his shoe----flinging the knife to behind him. There was no sensation. No sign, no sound. Just a faint glimpse of silver hair----only that swayed at the edge of his vision. Twisting his waist and then his arm. He swiped away behind him with the de he had prepared----there Dagris'' world spun around. There was no pain, and before he knew it, he was looking up at the sky. His right arm was stepped on and the tip of a de was inserted into the gap between his teeth. With her back to the crescent moon, in front of him was a silver outline. The dark cloak shimmered like a me. ----Only the purple eyes shone colder than the moon. "Krische demand is don''t move. If you resist any longer, Krische will first crush your teeth so you cannot bite your tongue." A smile appeared on the girl''s lips. "Then cut off the finger from the tip and peel off the skin. Don''t worry, Krische is used to butchering animals, so Krische can avoid killing you." Beautiful, enchanting------yet poisonous flower. It was a chilling smile. "If you understand, blink twice. If you don''t understand, close your eyes." Why, how. Dagris'' mind was filled with confusion and fear that he had long forgotten. He was taken behind without a sign, and in an instant, he was forced into a situation in which he could not resist. Dagris closed his eyelids twice as the de hit his trembling teeth. "...thank goodness. Don''t worry, Rnd will die soon. If you want your safety, Krische guarantee it. Talk, make a promise, and work for Krische ------as long as you do that, Krische will never do anything terrible to you." ''It''s a lot of trouble'', the girl said as if troubled. He knew of the name Krische Christand''s First Corps'' currentmander----she was rumored to be a Cursed Child. Headhunter of Bernaich, Krische the Cursed Child. The battle in the Dragon''s Maw has been handed down even here. The victor of the battle was, of course, and also her name. A number of soldiers who went to battle have returned to this city. Some have gone mad and find it difficult to even lead a normal life. It ismon for those who have gone off to war toe back devastated by the reality of it all. He did not take such rumors particrly seriously. She was probably a noble with some sword skill, he thought. He did not believe the words that she was a Cursed Child and a monster. Anyone that uses magical power is more or less seen as such by ordinary people. From the eyes of ordinary people, Dagris could be said to be more than enough of a monster. She is probably an excellent possessor of magical power ustomed to fighting in closed spaces among the trees, and the fear of that situation and the enormous damage they suffered caused her to be described as a monster. It''s amon story, he thought, but---- "It''s true. Krische doesn''t lie much." He felt his body trembled as she stared at him with that purple-colored eyes. ----Ah, truly. This was nothing but a Cursed Child. Dagris didn''t take his power lightly or heavily. He wasn''t at the age to be overconfident or arrogant. Even so, in this city, no, even within the kingdom, there are only a handful of people who can match him. Because he took pride in that, he could understand that she was an unreasonable monster. The rumors he had heard about her, were nothing more than a dubious tales. And her appearance there as she talked. The girl in front of him was exactly as the rumors said---- "...Is the guild you belong to Night w? Or Dark Night''s Feather? If it''s the former, blink once, if it''s thetter... Ah, no, it doesn''t matter." The girl''s mouth spun the words. It was a sweet, ear-melting voice. "Krische doesn''t really know what you''re working for, but Krische, sure you''re working for some kind of profit in the end." But somewhere, it was distorted. "If you cooperate, Krische will guarantee your profit. But if you refuse---" ----At that time, it''s interrogation (a thorough search). Her eyes conveyed that. Like looking at a stone by the roadside------man looking to an insect, and god to a man. Those were the eyes of the Absolute. "Krische will kill Rnd and you, and the current structure of this city will bepletely destroyed. Krische thinks it would not be pleasant, whatever your job is, whatever your desire is if that were to happen. So, Krische suggests you nod your head here." The girl''s eyes narrowed as she nodded. "Krische can also take violent measures, but they are very inefficient and difficult. So Krische just wants you to cooperate. Krische wants a peaceful resolution as much as possible. Of course, there will be a reward. How about it?" Slowly, she pulled the curved sword out from between his teeth. But there was no room for biting his tongue. Before he could do so, his teeth will be knocked out. "A, reward, you say?" Dagrispletely gave up and asked. As someone who lives in the underworld, he had some pride. However, he is neither young nor senile enough to abandon his unprofitable pride. Obey, or die. Everything, including your surroundings. Her request was just that, and she had no hesitation. And there is nothing he could do about it. It was over when she turned her eyes on him. "Yes. What do you want?" "For example, if I said I wanted this city, would you agree?" "Hmm. As long as you maintain order and promise not to do anything bad openly, Krische doesn''t mind. Krische isn''t really interested in your business." Exactly as she said------she also ''doesn''t have any interest'' in Dagris life. He didn''t know what the monster in front of him is up to. But there was something he knew. "Okay... that''s fine. I don''t think it''s good to turn you into an enemy." Rnd made a fatal mistake to whom he bowed his head. "So... what do you want from me?" Is it experience or natural instinct? His body, which had passed through many death lines, was telling Dagris. The one who will win this battle will not be The Royal Prince Gildanstein. "We''ve got them moving as predicted. I''m sure we won''t have any problem getting Rnd''s head reced." From there, after some trouble, they headed for Eluga''s tent when they were done. When Krische approached him sitting in her chair, Eluga nodded and smiled wickedly. "That''s good. ...Is this what they said having no worry about the future." The problem was that when she met Rnd before, she had no reason to kill him. But not this time. From now on, this city will be treated as an important location that will serve as a base for logistics. Naturally, the ruler must be a cooperative partner for them, which means that Rnd was inappropriate. If that is the case, there is no other conclusion but to kill him. Leaving a source of anxiety in the rear is a situation that should be avoided. Factors that impede the military''s actions should be eliminated as much as possible, and when Clich¨¦ suggested disposing of Rnd the other day, no one objected. It means that she could get rid of an unpleasant man in the name of justice. Krische was in a good mood. She had to do some work for the future, but she was not bothered by it. "But really, Corps Commander Varkus is so troubling. Is it a blessing or a curse, haah" "Krische thinks Corps Commander Varkus did a good job acting though..." "Ah, no, it was after that..." "...?" "...... sorry, please forgot it." It was necessary to tell Rnd that their objective was Hilkintos, not the Dragon''s Maw. Granmeld pretended to be drunk and was in charge of moving Rnd. That was fine. However, Granmeld happily stayed in the mansion and spend time with the woman Rnd had prepared for him. Eluga was angry with him for not being serious, but he didn''t want to go on about it in front of a young maiden. However, Krische too was a country girl. She didn''t really understand that part of humans, and didn''t have any interest in it----Even Krische who was as unsuspecting and defenseless as a chicken dancing beside a pot, have the knowledge of animal mating, and understood that some men were willing to mate even if they had to pay for it. Naturally, she doesn''t have the sensibility to be embarrassed by such conversations. There was nothing for Eluga to be concerned about with this distorted girl named Krische, but that was the nature of an old man. He wanted Krische, whom he adored like his own granddaughter, to have nothing to do with such unbing talk. "Assuming that Rnd will be executed at ater date, ...what will happen to the servants?" "Well. Seeing the situation, all of them are burdened with debt after all. They will probably be sent somewhere again." "......is that so." "Is there anything that bothers Krische-sama?" Eluga asked Krische, who seems to be thinking about something. "Well, the person Krische talked to was a kind person, so if possible, Krische ''d like to do something about it." "Fumu... Well, if Rnd has the debt, it would be easy to apply thew as a de facto ve and release him. However, it is somewhat troublesome if there is another person who has it. After all, it''s hard to me someone for a ve trick like that." "......I see" It was an unexpected word for Eluga. But he knows very well that she has a kind heart. As if trying to persuade her, he spoke in a soft tone. "Such things can be found anywhere. I pity them, but we can''t help them all. Sometimes pretending to not see it is----" Saying that Eluga shook his head. "No, I can''t even call this kind of advice. It''s nothing more than a disillusioned old man''s ramblings and imposition. It''s not suitable for Krische-sama, who has talent and a future." If there are rich people, there are poor people. Those who are deprived will continue to be deprived. It was the providence of the world. Overturning something that has already been established is not an ordinary task and is beyond the control of ordinary people. ----But that''s if it''s just an ordinary person. The girl in front of him is not like that. "If you pick up everything you can pick up, one day it will be too much for you and you will be crushed under the burden. You should know that there are many people who have fallen because of the charity they give to the poor." "Mmm. ...... Indeed. Skeleton has a point." If it was just to pay off personal debts, it would have been fine. In the recent battle with the Holy Empire----Krische decapitated the General''s adjutant, takes the General''s assistant (advisor), and was rewarded even more than Selene for her other aplishments. But it will be difficult to do the same for many more in the future. All of this is thrown into Chrishtand''s house, but it was also an allowance system that Krische could withdraw at any time. If she wanted to help her, she could get by with that. However, in the future, it will be difficult if there are many people in the same way. "(Political) Power, violence, and wealth. Those who have power are required to use it in the right way. After considering this carefully, what do you want to do? What do you want and choose? There is no such thing as the right answer, and it is a very difficult question..." "...Berry said the same thing a long time ago." Troubled, Krische''s eye swum around, and she lowered her head. "Thank you. ...Krische, will think about it a little more." "Yeah, that''s fine. ...However, whatever the conclusion is, it''s up to Krische-sama. No matter what the conclusion is, I''m willing to help." Krische looked at Eluga happily. Eluga, too, had a happy face----a face like those of a corpse-eater ghoul rising from under the grave, and he gently stroked the Krische''s head. Krische, blushing slightly, looks at his hand stroking her head and smiling. "Ehehe, Krische''ve been receiving a lot from skeletons. Krische has to give back a lot too." "Krische''s doesn''t need to repay anything. I''m just helping of my own ord." "Then, Krische will help Skeleton lots and lots too. Feel free to ask Krische anything." "How troubling..." Adjutant Quinez, who secretly watched the exchange alone, rubbed his eyes, thinking that it would be a heartwarming exchange if he only heard their voice. A good-natured old man and his granddaughter----but the sight in his eyes was wicked to the core. When he stands up, he is the Reaper, when he sits down, he is the Demon King; when he smiles, no one could make a sound The evil look of Eruga, feared even by his subordinates, was made even more terrifying by the smile on his face. The other party also has the appearance of a pretty girl, but she is a monster who is called a headhunter by her enemies. There were some soldiers in Marcellus'' army who fought in the Dragon''s Maw, but all of them feared Krische. He had even heard that some of the captives even fled because they were afraid of her. What could she have done to be so feared? Many armies were known for their bravery, but none were so full of wickedness as this one. "...Quinez, did you hear that?" "Yes sir!" "Make arrangements so that we can respond to everything." "Yes sir! Understood!" The exact opposite Krische------a curse-like voice that seems to echoed from the depths of the earth. Quinez performed a methodical salute. "We will also investigate from our side too. But first, there is the battle in front of us." "Yes, thank you. Krische will do her best." "Yeah, yeah. So that Krische-sama won''t have overdo it, even though I''m not as untalented, I will help as much as you can." "Fufu, Skeleton is a corpsmander who does everything properly, Krische is also very reassured. Let''s do our best together." "Of course." Towards Krische, the voice was gentle. Seeing his corpsmander like that, Quinez wished he would also do that to his subordinate, but being smiled at by Eluga was a punishment game in its own way. In the end, it was best to do nothing and watch, Quinez sighed quietly. When Krische finished talking with Eluga and left the tent, the 1st Squad was outside as usual. ''The work is over'', Krische told them. "My, as expected of Usa-chan. Even though Mia immediately loses sight of him." "...That''s Kalua too right." "Didn''t I properly find and chase after him?" Kaluaughed as Mia puffed up her cheeks and said that. It was the ck Century that had surrounded the perimeter. Even for Krische, it would take a lot of time and effort to chase a single spy who escaped. Extremely efficient use of magic power, and handling of the body----Krische''s physical ability can be said to be out ofmon sense even among magic holders. However, when considering various conditions such as simple physique differences, stride length, and the amount of magical power in the body, there were many areas where she is inferior to other people, and it was inevitable that she would have a certain amount of trouble chasing an opponent who was running away in a straight line. elerate using walls, ceilings, and trees as footholds, turning and jumping. Even though Krische has such high mobility, she didn''t have a great advantage in simple speed over other magic possessors. Therefore, this time she used the Century just to narrow down the route. Anticipating the escape route of the man who was preupied with the century, she hid her presence and ambushed him. With Krische''s skill, that was enough. Once she knew where he was headed, it was easy for her to ambush him and take away his resistance. Dagris was caught in her trap. "Adol, report to Bald Eagle. After that, we''re going to take a big break. Tomorrow will be quite early after all." "Yes ma''am!" "We''ll be in the tent today, so why don''t we sleep together, Usa-chan?" Kalua said teasingly. It hadn''t rained so far, and since it was apletely open-air lodging, she had been sleeping alone, but today the tent is firmly set up. Krische was a little surprised at her suggestion, but thought about it, and nodded somewhat shyly. "Um, well then... Ah, Mia, please sleep next to Kalua." "Uh...y-yes...or rather, me too...?" "...? Mia won''t sleep together?" "T-that''s not.." Krische fundamentally has no doubts about sleeping with others. There was some question as to how it was as she was the Corps Commander, but no one ostensiblyined about it, given Krishce''s age and appearance. The remaining three men look at the two with a slightly envious looks. And then Bagu jokingly said, "Corps Commander, may I join you?" "With men is no, you know. The only members of the opposite sex who can sleep in the same nket are family members." "Wow, enemies of women. The worst... Or rather,so Usa-chan has at least that level of vignce, it''s a little reassuring." "...Kaa-sama (Mother; Grace), properly taught Krische. Krische is ady after all." "Yeah, yeah, that''s a good thing. Men are beasts, after all. With women it feels more safe and secure... That''s right, should I teach you various things today----Hya!?" "Kalua, don''t say stupid things." Mia sighed as she pulled on Kalua''s ponytail. "What will you do my beautiful hair fell out, geez" "Because you keep saying things like that. From now on, every time you say something stupid, I''ll pull it." Krische looked at Kalua''s sullen profile and tilted her head. Illuminated with the face in her memory and ovepped. "Hmm, what''s wrong? Usa-chan." "No, well, let''s rest." "Yeah. Fufu, are you sleepy?" A gentle smile. The atmosphere ispletely different. However, the long slit eyes and slender features were somewhat simr to that servant. "It''s been a long time since I took a bath, so I want to just rx and enjoy it." "Uuh, how nice, I wanted to go too." Wondering if that could be the case, Krische swallowed her yawn and walks straight to her tent. "Well, today Krische is going to wipe Kalua''s body. Krische pretty good at it." "Ooh... I feel like I have aplished something big. It''s worth a try saying it." "Krische and Bery always wash each other, but since today, Kalua is only on the receiving end. Do you want to wipe Mia too?" "Huh? No, no... um, by myself..." Mia shook her head embarrassed, and Kalua tells her in amazement. "...... You''re so shy for someone who grew up in the country." "It''s because Kalua makes fun of me, saying, cutting boards." "Kuku, are you still worried about it? I just said that you have a modest chest." "You..." "...Certainly, Mia, it might be smaller than Krische''s." Krische looked at her chest and tilted her head looking at the frozen Mia. Krische headed for the tent as Kalua chuckled and grabbed her hand. Chapter 77: Hilkintos of the West Chapter 77: Hilkintos of the West In the middle of the march------Krische and the army walked from dawn to dusk. They finished eating in the dark before dawn and set up camp after dark. While it could not be called a forced march, It was a hurried march. Although it took more time to set up and dismantle the encampment, they were able to gain about two koku distance more than usual. However, in order to minimize fatigue, the speed of the march itself was not changed. The important thing was to make it look like they were in a hurry. Once a certain distance was gained, the enemy scouts will calcte the distance of a day''s march on their own and misidentify their action as a forced march. As they pass westward through the central ins of the Kingdom and enter aplex woond area, Krische looked up at the sky and told Dagra. "...The sky. Rain ising, Bald Eagle." "It seems so." The shape of the clouds, their position, and changes in wind and humidity. Dagra, with his many years of experience, agreed with those words, which were based on her vast knowledge and intellect. Predicting the weather was a very important military skill. "Is something wrong?" Dagra asked, and Krische thought for a moment. She wanted to minimize the fatigue of the soldiers, but it was difficult for Krische to find the right bnce. "Rain exhausts the soldiers more than you can imagine. ...We''ve covered a fair amount of distance so far. I think it would be fine to rest early and let them eat?" Dagra immediately sensing it, said that, and Krische nodded. The words of an experienced centurion were closer to reality than those of anyone else. As a man who deals with soldiers on a daily basis, he is well aware of the impact that marches, breaks, and other trivial things have on soldiers. This is one of the reasons why Krische trusted Dagra and keeps him by her side. His many years of experience was one of the most reliable factors for her to make a decision. Krische did not take that lightly. She knew the limits of what she could learn from books, and she did not believe she could understand the soldiers'' feelings. "After one koku, we should be in a slightly open area. Shall we take a rest there today?" "Yes ma''am. Tagel, send out two fast-footed men. Send a messenger to Corps Commander Faren and Varkas Corps Commander. After that, to Battalion Commander Quiltins. For this anyone, is fine." Immediately, Captain Tagel raised his voice and called out two men. It was quicker and less time-consuming to use them than horses to send messages after entering the forest. There is a considerable distance behind Krische, at the head of the column to the rear, and it is very tiring to run the horse on the edge of the road where the footing is not good. Keith Quiltins,mander of the third battalion, who was the equivalent of adjutant, was in charge of sending out messages within the first corps. He is right behind them, so anyone is fine. Right now, Krische hadentrusted Keith with even the most trivial matters, and the transmission of orders within the corps. By having Keith give orders to the entire First Corps on a regr basis, it strengthens the coordination between him and the other battalionmanders and establishes a rtionship between the one giving orders and the one receiving it. This would eliminate in advance organizational and psychological problems that might ur when he actually tookmand on the battlefield------this was that kind of trial at that, and it was Eluga''s rmendation. Keith''s control of the corps is essential for Krische to be able to move freely, and Krische took advantage of Eluga''s suggestion to force Keith to take care of some troublesome matters. Keith himself epted it as an honor, so there were no problems at the moment. "But rain huh? That''s good." "...?" "Krische had a few candidates for where to lure them, but this decided it." Krische said this somewhat happily. Aurugorn Sakizren Nirkrinea Hilkintos. For many years he had single-handedly tookcare of the invasion from the Elderant Kingdom in the west of the Kingdom, and in thest war, he liberated the upied Wolfeit. In his battles, there are no spectacr reversals from a position of inferiority. There are no daring offensives or brilliant tactics, he always establishes a superiority in terrain and force and settles the battle with that superiority. He believes that the solid and royal road is the one that leads to victory, and he has always been victorious and undefeated because he has thoroughly practiced it. His strength was his cool-headedness, forsaking all emotion and giving up everything for the sake of victory. Rather than losing, he would rather burn the city and withdraw without hesitation. His grizzled brown hair was cut short, and his carefully shaved cheeks looked hollow. His eyes wererge and big on his face, giving him a somewhat reptilian, eerie, highly strung appearance, which was indicative of his nature as a general. A tall, skinny man------Aurgorn was in the tent looking over a letter that seemed to belong to Rnd. No, to be precise, it was delivered from one of his subordinates, Alkines. It seems that Rnd was under supervision and could not issue a letter, and had his subordinates send it instead. However, that in itself was a trivial matter. When the soldiers who had been sent out on a reconnaissance mission returned, the fact that is written on the letter would be confirmed, and the information itself was highly urate. He have had several dealings with Rnd. He had also had a long rtionship with Gildanstein, a ve trader who was a trash but was good at making money, and if Rnd was going to wag his tail, it would have to be their way. "Good work, But I am surprised that it''s not that youngster, Verreich. Seems I''m being underestimated." Aurugorn muttered in a fed-up manner. Krische Christand, Eluga Faen, and Granmeld Varkus. The enemy force was about 14,000, and their side was 27,000. "You may go home, dog. Tell your master that I will thank himter." "Ha. Before that, please dispose the secret letter. I can''t go home until it''s over." "Kuku... well done." Aurugorn burnt the letter with a candlestick fire and tossed it in front of the kneeling spy------Dagris. Secret letters are very important, especially for those who send them. If Aurgorn were to fall in with the princess''s faction, that alone would put Rnd in a tight spot. "You'' have been disciplined huh. Why don''t youe to my ce? I''ll treat you favorably." "Haha, you must be joking. Keeping a lowly person like me by your side will only damage your reputation as a general." Dagris smiled. A gentle face that leaves no impression. However, there was an unusual presence from that figure. He can easily carry a letter out of a city under military surveince. "It wasn''t a joke though. ...When everything is over, I will personally give you a reward." "Thank you for your kind words.... then excuse me." After watching the secret letter burnt and turn to ashes, Dagris immediately leave. He liked his curtness. He didn''t waste any words, which is good for a secret agent. Aurugorn silently saw it off, then lowered his eyes to the map. "... but even for stalling the number is too small. What do you think?" He asked the bald adjutant. Adjutant Beluse, who seemed to be thinking about that, wrinkled his eyebrows and put his hand on his chin while answering. "Aside from Corps Commander Varkus, I have heard that the other two are good in the mountains and forests. In the battle against the empire the other day, their surprise attack decided the oue, and they did quite well in the battle at Dragon''s Maw. ...We should be on the lookout for ambush and surprise attacks during the march." "We should slow down the pace and be vignt huh..." "They may be nning to harass us with a small number of fast men. It''s hard to track them in the woods." In front of them------aplex woond area spreads out between the central and western part of the Kingdom. Aurugorn must pass through here to aim for the Dragon''s Jaw in the northeast. It is possible to bypass the forest from the south. Some amateurs might think that they could just ignore it and continue on their way. However, the march of tens of thousands of soldiers would inevitably lead to a long line. There was an army-sized enemy lurking in the forest, if they do something foolish like exposing their nks it was only natural that they will be divided and destroyed. A surprise attack in a marching column was a situation that everyone feared. If they were to engage in battle without any formation, without control, without information, and without knowing the scale of their opponent, even if they had more than twice the strength of their opponent, they would be nothing more than a mere ragtag band of rabble. A disorganized army is very vulnerable. It is easy to understand if you think of a battle between poisonous snakes. An army inevitably drags along its fangless body. If that body was aimed at, both of them will unterally have their stomachs ripped open, and their entire bodies will be paralyzed by the poison------and to prevent that from happening, they must always turn their heads to the enemy''s head. An army must always advance against a powerful enemy, destroying it as it goes. Alternatively, they could bypass them further away------but if they did this, they would never be able to participate in the Dragon''s Maw battle that Hilkintos was aiming for. It would take too much time. It was more likely that the battle in the Dragon''s Maw will be over by the time they arrive. Even if they arrive before it ended, the Christand''s army now in this forest will relentlessly aim at their nks and back. Aurugorn judged that there is no other way but a decisive battle in the forest. Gertz Wiring, who was defending the Dragon''s Maw, only wanted Aurugorn to link up with Gildanstein in the Royal Capital, but Aurugorn was different. His primary objective was to stop the enemy advance from the Dragon''s Maw. That alone would ensure victory in this battle. Verreich''s army is operating with logistics connected from the east. Even if Aurugorn did not confront and win against Verreich''s army, he could stall its forces so that they would not be able to participate in the battle for the Dragon''s Maw. Then it would be easy for the Central Army to cut off the rear of Verreich''s forces, which would leave them without food within their own Kingdom, exhausted, and ultimately forced to surrender. "That ipetent Marcellus. If only he had bought a little more time, none of this would have happened." If so, the problem will be simpler. It was only after he moved that Aurugorn learned of the defeat of Marcellus'' army. He knew about Kuraray. He wasn''t really expecting much. However, he didn''t think he was ipetent enough to lead an army of 30,000 and be defeated in just a few days. Moreover, since the battle had been settled with arge number of troops left, many of them had been absorbed by Verreich''s army, and if that army was fattened up, it wouldn''t be aughing matter. If he had at least reduced their forces if he had bought more time. That alone would have ensured victory. His adjutant Beluse smiled wryly when he said that. "It can''t be helped. He is a central general after all." "Hmph, the only merit is the pedigree of the family. The one we can count on is His Royal Highness... well, Wiring is not a bad general, but he seems to be quite weak after being cornered. Let''s just hope Wiring isn''t a fool like Marcellus." Aurugorn folds his arms and frowns at him. He didn''t see any problem with the current situation. But why are there so few of them? That was all he was concerned about. Did they think that was enough------no, normally, they would have chosen stability here. The opponent would have to break through the Dragon''s Maw. If by any chance they failed to hold off Aurugorn and thereby failed to capture the dragon''s jaws, the princesses faction would be thrown into a deadly situation. The dragon''s jaws should only need to be brought into a pincer attack situation. They would not need much in the way of troops. In the first ce, the main attack in the Dragon''s Maw is the Christand''s army in the north----Aurgorn thinks that a supporting attack is enough to sandwich it from the south. If They had intended to finish the battle in one fell swoop, they would have had no problem moving toward the Dragon''s Maw with the entire army. Or alternatively, make the Christand, who hase to stall them, assist the Dragon''s Maw, and the Verreich army face off against Aurugorn. In such a situation, Aurugorn would have no choice but to hesitate to go on the offensive. But the number of people who came this time was small------that''s why Aurugorn was determined to get rid of them. The mysterious behavior of the enemy aroused his suspicions. Why, why were they resorting to these means? ----Think of it the other way around. If I''m the enemy, what will I do? Back to basics. What would you think and how would you act if you were the enemy? Stalling? In that case, Verreich''s army should be the oneing for them. Why is only one of them heading this way? ----It''s probably mostly a matter of dealing with the prisoners. But even if that is the case, it''s better to let the army of the Cursed Child that ising this way head first for the Dragon''s Maw. That would be more certain. If the enemy''s aim is to attack the jaws of the dragon, the more he focused on that single point, the more he will lose sight of their intentions. There was a possibility that he was fundamentally mistaken. At the very least, the enemy was acting with the knowledge that Aulgorn would move. The information must have leaked out. That part was fine. They thought of a countermeasure and sent the Cursed Child ahead to stop stall them. ----Why did she went ahead? Because they wanted to avoid a decisive battle on the ins. Yes, if it''s a small force, there''s no choice but to fight in the forest. Otherwise, they would be no match for them. But if it''s a forest----and they excel in forests and mountains---- "...no way" Aurugorn red at the map with wide eyes. They chose the battlefield not to stall, but to finish him off. The enemy was few, and that was why he choose to fight a decisive battle. He will choose to fight, and they will step into the forest. The army of the Cursed Child was small in number, and anticipating this, they entered the forest as if to lure them in. What were they aiming for? ----Of course, it was an ambush surprise attack, ripping through the throats of those who looked down on the small force. "----Those bastards!" "!?" He mmed his fist into the desk. The wooden cup on top fell to the ground and makes a noise. "The premise was wrong. It''s not a stalling. They seem to want to get rid of me." "No way, that''s..." "Probably the target is here." Shortly after entering the forest, there is arge river and a bridge through which soldiers and trains can cross. It is surrounded by forests on the left and right, and they will reach here in three days. However, three dayster, this ce will probably already be upied by the enemy. After leaving town, the enemy must be approaching here with a forced march. Even if they fail to ambush, if they have this ce in their hands, they will be more than enough to stall them. It was certain that if they slowed down and guarded against the enemy, they would take this ce. "We can''t move the army now, but tomorrow we will start a forced march. But tomorrow we will start a forced march. We can dy most of our rations." "Yes sir." "Are you saying I''m the same as that Marcellus'' fool? I didn''t think you would underestimate me this much. I won''t be satisfied until I drop you guys." There was anger in his voice. His hand searches for the sake cup, but it had already fallen to the ground. "Attendants (squire), what are you doing! Alcohol!" "Y-yes sir! Excuse me...!" The attendant who seemed to be frightened by Aurugorn''s fury poured sake into a new cup. When he handed it over, Aurugorn took a cigar in his mouth and the attendant hurriedly lit it. "I have to thank Rond for this. One more dayte and it would have been toote." "...True. But----" "Beyond that point, they will be just another trapped rat. There is no escape." Just like the west side, there are several small rivers in the center, which is a little further east. The reason why the decisive battle took ce on this side rather than the other side was probably because the river was wide and there was only one bridge that was the most suitable for advancing the army. None of the bridges on that side are thatrge, and there are several of it. It would be difficult for the enemy to anticipate their movement and narrow down their target, and if they were superior in terms of military strength, it would be possible to split up the soldiers and make a detour to encircle the enemy. Easy to chase, hard to escape. If this ambush fails, the countless rivers will be obstacles that make it difficult for them to retreat. Aurugorn inhales the smoke and exhaled it with his fury. He maps out the Christand army and finds a way to hunt them down. His round eyes were hecticly, tracing the map. Chapter 78: Wolf Pack Chapter 78: Wolf Pack A/N: 1 shaku (³ß) about 30cm, 1 ken (ég) = 6 shaku (about 1.8m), 1 ri (Àï) = about 400m Aurgorn invaded the forest with a forced march. Despite many stragglers, he crosses a bridge that he sees as a strategic point. At a distance of 40 ri (16 km) in front of them was the Christand army, but when they noticed our crossing, they turned around and began to retreat. There''s no way they won''t pursue them. Aurgorn chose to continue his forced march, and despite the sporadic dying attack, he managed to close in on their rear. It was a two-day pursuit. Christand''s army was moving northeast through the forest. But their retreat was blocked by a river. After crossing the first river, there was a big problem. The rain that had been pouring down the previous day had swollen the river, and unfortunately, the bridge they had to cross had been swept away. Facing the broken bridge, the Christand''s army hardened their resolve and chooses to make camp there. From marching columns to \horizontal formation, the Christand formed up to face Aurgorn. It was truly fighting with one back to the wall------behind them was a raging river whose color had changed to earth and sand. Aurugorn, seeing this, also moved from a marching line to a horizontal formation. The ce where the decisive battle took ce was a grassy in that had opened considerably even in this forest. A deep forest spreads to the north, and a tributary of the river that flows behind Christand flows to the south, sandwiching them between the forest and them. The two sides lined up their armies on the grasnd in the center, but from the air the difference between them was obvious. Just with a nce, the difference in strength was double. "Hmph, so you''re themander was you, Corps Commander Faren. If it''s now, I''ll allow you to surrender. Your scheme has failed." "...Then I won''t have any face to meet Her Royal Highness. Besides, no battle is certain to be lost. The lines were one ri (400m) apart, and in the center were two men on horseback. The dull steel was carved elegantly apanied by countless scratches. They were proof that he had passed through countless battlefields. Raising his visor, which was shaped like the face of a goddess, and squinting his eyes, Aurugorn looked at the man in front of him. His gauntlets, leg armor, and breastte were chainmail. The helmet was the same as that of a centurion. His armor, whichcks any semnce of grace, was covered by a greenish-gray cloak, and he smiled with a sinister visage of a skull. Eluga Faren boldly met his gaze, his wrinkled face showing no sign of fear. "You always have an evil face. I''ve always wanted to peel it off and see what''s inside." "Haha, if you say that, then so am I, General. I wanted to take out those big eyeballs andpare them with others." Displeased, Aurugorn lifted his cheeks. "Kuku, I''ll definitely cut off all the flesh from your body and expose it. As for that Christand''sss... she''s quite the tempting woman. After I catch her, I''ll make sure to give her lots of love." "No matter how things fall, that kind of thing surely won''t happen." Eluga replied with a pleasantugh, his face showing what could only be described as malice. "You''re the one who will lose everything you''ve built so far, Aurugorn Hilkintos." "Hmph, nonsense." "Well, surely both of us don''t want to have a long-winded talk. Let''s start." Eruga said, then he went to the Christand''s camp. Aurugorn also returned to his own camp and informed his adjutant. "Hmph, it seems they have no intention of surrendering. Their aim is probably to reduce our force as much as possible." "Or there''s some kind of plot------" Aurugorn looks to his left wing, the northern woods. "If they want to hide it, it can only be in the forest. How is it?" "We''re investigating it, but for now there''s nothing." "...I doubt it only be a head-on confrontation with this difference in military strength but" It''s not like it was impossible. With the situation now------no doubt there were many deserters from Christand''s army as well. Christand''s military strength that can be seen from here is over 10,000. More than 3,000 were missing from Rnd''s report of 14,000. He didn''t think the number was too low. More than 5,000 of Aurgorn''s troops had also fallen in the forced march. The situation on the other side, where they were being pursued, must have been worse, so it was not surprising that they had lost that many men. The situation was rather harsh for them. Looking at the current situation in which we have cornered them, this difference in the number of soldiers is rather natural. On top of that, the stragglers on their side were being picked up by the supply train that was left behind, so their troops will be replenishedter, and the troop ratio hasn''t changed much from the beginning. All things considered, their side had the upper hand. But there was one thing that bothered him. Aurugorn has not picked up a single enemy straggler along the way. Of course, in a situation where any decent person would be being chased, it''s only natural that they would run away in a different direction than Aurugorn''s, but the fact that he hadn''t picked up a single one of the 3,000 people was a little worrying, and slightly increased his concern. No enemy soldiers have been confirmed in the forest to the north yet. However, there was a good chance that they were hidden far away. "Strengthen the vignce against the forest. It''s really bothering me." "Yes sir." The river to the south was in no condition to be crossed. Most of the rivers were more than 4 ken (7.2 m) wide. And with the current and broken bridge, it was in an unfavorable condition. That one could bepletely ignored. "------Soldiers, listen up!" Aurugorn raised his voice. "It seems the remnants of the Christand are a bunch of fools who can''t even count! Against us who double their force, they didn''t surrender but pointed their sword, seems they want to be thrown to the bottom of the river!" He galloped his horse and rode around the front ranks of the soldiers. Then he shouted. "Let them hear your voices!! With a single voice of yours, they will realize their mortal destiny and be frightened! Now, let''s march! Raise your roar!!" He draws his sword and thrusts it into the sky. At that moment, 22,000 soldiers raised their voices all at once. The sight of the soldiers lined up with swords and bows soaring high in the sky was truly imposing and majestic. They were the army of Aurgorn Hilkintos, the ever-victorious and undefeatable army that had defended the west for many years. As if using the fervor to deceive the fatigue from the forced march with that heat. At the General''s signal, they let out a cry into the forest. "Archers, step forward!! Rain arrows on the enemy!!" And with that voice, they began to advance. Aurugorn, watching, moved backward to slip between the soldiers. There was still a distance of one ri between them. The effective range of the bow was about 60 to 70 ken (108 -- 126 m). If the distance between the two sides was not reduced to one-third of the current distance, they will not be able to fire their arrows effectively. It seems that the other side also sent the archers forward, but only in the center. Not deployed on both wings. There were probably not enough archers for some reason. The number of archers in the center was equal. The enemy''s central infantry held a long spear and heavy infantry on both wings. Behind each wing were medium and light infantry. It can be said that it was a rtively orthodox formation. The only failure was that their side had not prepared long spears. Although they had brought them in anticipation of a decisive battle on level ground, they had left them behind as they conducted a forced march. Their main attack was in the center, which was thicker. The opponent would probably try to catch them with long spears and break through one of their wings. Looking at the current situation alone, it was hard to imagine any other way. There was no sign of approaching from the other side. They were waiting for them to close the distance. He watched the orderly march and nced asionally toward the left wing, the woods to the north. After all, that side was what he should be worried about------if it''s only a head-on confrontation, there''s no element to lose. "Now, what are you nning Faren. You''ve made such a big deal about it. ...Surely you''re not just hoping for a honorable defeat?" ------Five days ago. Rain was pouring down on the tent, and only the sound of the rain was echoing in the quiet tent. Inside the tent, men surrounded a spread-out map. Among them were the main battalionmanders and Dagra, the first squad of the Century, and two captains. Then there were the figures of the two corpsmanders. Standing in the center was a silver girl. Her slender body is wrapped in a ck cloak, and her fingertips traced the map. Her body seemed to lean forward on the desk in front of therge map. A battalionmander shifted the map and pulled it closer to her, and Krische politely thanked him. "------If we think about it as General Verreich and Skeleton predicted, the enemy will force their way across the bridge to the west. The probability of this happening is about 80%. We will ambush them here, or defend here and nail down the enemy force." A tone that was unsuitable for the battlefield. It was a sweet, young voice like that of a child. "Nevertheless, Krische doesn''t really like just nailing them down. It will mean leaving the Dragon''s Mawpletely to Selene and General Verreich, and Krische''s purpose won''t be achieved. After all, Krische personally wants topletely get rid of the Hilkintos army here." Well, that''s fine, Krische continued. "If the enemy crosses over here, they will think we have failed in our ambush and blockade. If we can''t hold down this ce anyway, Krische (we) will only be a trapped mouse, a delicious prey for the enemy. If we try to retreat, this time we''ll be blocked by countless rivers, and if we run away, we''ll be eaten from the back..." Krische''s fingertips danced on the map, tracing each of the countless rivers that run through the forest. "...and that''s what Krische is aiming for. Gaines, Krische heard you used to be a hunter." "Yes. When I was young." The man who answered was an old-looking man, Gaines, the Fifth battalion Commander of the First Corps. He was a hunter-turned-battalionmander. He is one of those rare individuals who rose from being a foot soldier to a battalionmander while not being able to use magic power. His age was over 40 and he already looked like an old man, but he was smart and dependable in the forest and in the mountains. He was the man who single-handedly controlled the Fifth Battalion, which had many archers who were trained as hunters, and was highly evaluated by Krische. "How do you bring down your prey?" "It''s the moment it bites the bait. It''s the most defenseless, easy to aim, and the moment it stops moving. Shoot an arrow there or set a trap and capture it." "Excellent answer. That''s what Krische is aiming for. The moment the prey tries to bite Krische (we) who look like a delicious prey------that''s when we strike." Krische put her hands on her hips and smiled contentedly as she puffed out her modest chest. Her lovely appearance. The doll-like serenity and an asional contradicting innocence that she has. Such a gap sometimes makes her look even more attractive. "Haha, putting aside us, Corps Commander certainly looks like prey that you would want to bite on." "Muu... does Krische look that weak?" A quietughter leaked out because of Gaines'' yfulness, and Krische, who didn''t understand what it meant, and tilting her head. ''Oh, fine'', continued Krische, looking at the map again. "Krische (we) must be delicious, tasty prey. Being chased, turning our backs, and cornered------the ce to escape is the northeast, where we can get closer to the Dragon''s Maw. Maybe the chased Krische (us) will go to General Verreich for help." She pointed her finger to the northeast from the bridge. The area is slightly open, with a forest to the north and a river to the east and south. There was a small bridge, where the wagons could not even stand side by side, crossing the river to the east. "But that''s where Krische (we) will be surprised. When Krische (we) tried to escape and cross the bridge, there was no bridge. It seems that the bridge here has been washed away by the rising river." Hearing Krische''s words, seriousness again appeared on the faces of the men in the room, and their brows wrinkled. The bridge she indicated was the one they nned to cross tomorrow. "Krische-sama, are you saying that we''re going to deliberately destroy the bridge?" Krische nodded when Granmeld ced his hand on his chin and asked. "Isn''t that the best reason for the fleeing Krische (us) to challenge General Hilkintos to a decisive battle?" "... Certainly. That''s good." "I''m going to leave Gaines'' 5th Battalion and some other battalionmanders here to do simple maneuvers, and then move as an ambush. It''s a trap to kill the prey." Krische narrowed her eyes. She plots the virtual army onto the map and did the math. "ording to reports, the enemy forces range from 25,000 to 30,000. Unlike Krische (we), who have a fixed destination, they will lose about 20% of their army in a forced march with no clear destination. At best, they are 20,000 strong and exhausted. While we are moving with the intention of fighting here from the beginning, so we will fight with less exhaustion and create an advantageous situation. At this point, there is no element of defeat." After saying that it''s just a matter of how to kill it when it gets this far, she put the nearby sake cup on the map and reach out for another sake cup. Mia, who understood her intentions, immediately moved and ced a piece that had been ced on another desk in front of Krische. It was a carved wooden piece. It is carved with carvings representing simple military sses. Krische thanked Mia, and she used the piece to draw a simple battle map on the board. "The enemy will be outnumbered, and the archers will be pushed to the front. Archers will also be used in ambush, so there is no way we can win even if we shoot each other with this." "... The right wing on the forest side is for defense, and the left wing along the river is the main attack, right?" Eluga said, helping to arrange the pieces. "Yes. The right wing will have to face the archers without any support." "It can''t be helped. ......Are there any volunteers?" The right wing will be in charge of the most dangerous part of this battle. Naturally, the damage would be enormous. Eluga took the lead before Krische appointed someone. The intention was to soften the blowback against her as much as possible. "...then I''ll be in the front row." Fourth Battalion Commander Varga raised his hand first. Keith widens his eyes in surprise, and Varga looks back with a manly smile. Whether he wanted it or not, he still had regrets about using the 3rd Battalion as a decoy. He has a single-minded personality, and as a warrior, he always asks himself, how he should be. Those qualities of his were the factors that made him endearing to his subordinates and colleagues, and in that sense he was a good battalionmander. "The most dangerous------but the most honorable of all. Let my Fourth Battalion repel the enemy''s arrows." "Wonderful. The brave goes to the front row of the dead. Who is the next brave one?" Several hands go up at the sound of Granmeled''s voice. Krische chose two of them and said. "Thank you very much. ...Oh, Krische forgot to mention. Krische''ll leave the overallmand to Skeleton." "Yes. Guess I need to do my best to not look bad huh." "Ehehe, if it''s Skeleton then Krische can rx." Eluga smiles wickedly, without a hint of displeasure despite being called a Skeleton. Krische also smiled like a granddaughter, like that of a little girl. Seeing this for the first time, the battalionmander was increasingly puzzled by the mysterious rtionship that had developed between the two. "The right wing ismanded by Keith, the Commander of the Third Battalion of the Firsst corps. Keep your men''s fatiue and keep as many of them alive as possible. Loss is not what Krische (we) want." "Yes ma''am! I swear by this name. It is the most rewarding duty of all." Keith, whose wound on his dominant arm has yet to fully heal, salutes with his left arm, holding his hand to his chest. However, contrary to his appearance, his voice oozed of imposing spirit. For the sake of his friend who hade forward to take on this dangerous role, there was not even a shred of falsehood or pretense in his words. Krische nodded at Keith, who was full of motivation, then Granmeld took the lead and said. "Then, leave the left wing to me." "Yes, Corps Commander Verkus. To be honest, Krische is d that Corps Commander Verkus is here. Thanks to that, this battle will be a little easier." "Haha, it''s more of an honor to be evaluated that way by Krische-sama than by anyone else.... The role is also good. Above all, the main attack makes my blood boil more than anything else." Heughed with a beast like face, the scar on his left cheek twitching. The toothy grin was like a wolf facing its prey. Krische looked at Granmeld''s face with an excited look. Wolf, dog, woof, wauf, grrr------Woof Woof. Feeling a revtion descending in her head, her gaze wavers as she hesitated. He was very much in the mood for giving a nickname. But now it''s a serious meeting. She squeezed her cheeks in an effort to endure the urge. "Woof Woo------Commander Varkus, um, yes, being aggressive." "...?" Granmeld tilted his head at the unfamiliar words he heard at the beginning, Dagra and Eluga looked at each other as if they had realized something. It was a semi-unconscious reaction. Kalua burst out, and the men''s gazes go slightly in that direction, but Mia hide it in a panic. ''A-ahem, that''s strange,'' Krische continued, holding her throat while clearing her throat, and Dagra and Eluga, convinced by the deliberate clearing, quietly nodded at each other. "Umm, that is the situation. Without a doubt, the Hilkintos army will have many reserves on that side to guard the northern forest. On the other hand, the enemy on the left nk where General Varkus is located is thin, and if we can get past them, we can deal them an irreversible blow." Krische drank the juice from the sake cup.. Compared to when they had started talking, the air was just a little softer and warmer. The same goes for Krische''s tone. "However, it''s quite thick, so if you do it properly, it will take some effort." "Yes, to some extent." "Therefore, we will use an ambush." However, the words that followed changed the atmosphere again. "The first target will be the enemy''s right wing against our left wing, roughly 5,000 to 6,000. At first, we will focus on this one target. Since we should have been a prey that is hunted down, they shouldn''t be on guard." ----We will massacre them all. With the same tone and smile as before, she continued. The advancing Hilkintos army and the stationary Christand army. There was movement at that moment when both archers captured the enemy within range and got close enough. On both wings of the unmoving Christand army, assault gs flew, and earth-shattering trumpets and cries echoed through the forest. Both his right and left nks raise theirrge shields above their heads and begin a ferocious advance. Unlike the center where they can shoot arrows at each other, there were no archers on either wing of the Christand. In order to minimize the situation where they were shot one-sidedly, they took measures to reduce the number of times the opponent can shoot as much as possible. The Christand army bravely charged forward in a hail of arrows, never stopping. During this time, the Hilkintos army fired six volleys. Even though they were charging, they, after all holding up theirrge shield. Soldiers of the Christand army----their shields and bodies were pierced by arrows, causing countless casualties, but the damage was far from fatal. Themanders of the right and left nks, judging that it would not be an effective shot in this situation, immediately withdrew the archers on both wings. The archers on both wings followed the instructions and moved backward through the cracks in the battle line----However, what ran through the right wing of the Hilkintos army here was a shock. To the south, from the other side of the river, a great ck rain poured down. ----It was a torrential downpour of arrows. The Hilkintos army, which had been wary only of the spears of the enemy soldiers in front, was hit by arrows on their defenseless body, and screams echoed through the trees. It was a mere one volley. Considering the number of arrows that the entire Hilkynthos army had just fired, it was less than a tenth of the number of arrows they had just fired. However, they suffered more damage from that single volley than the damage inflicted on the entire Christand army earlier. Soldiers basically hold a shield in their left hand and hold it up. As a result, the formation is particrly vulnerable to attacks from the right and inevitably bes defenseless. If an unexpected downpour of arrows rained down there, the result was self-evident. And there was a bigger factor than numbers. The soldier''s round shield is held in the middle, with half of it protecting him and the other half protecting the soldier on his left. Fear of death naturally led soldiers to try to put their bodies inside the shield of the soldier on their right, which often caused the entire group to nt to the right hand side, unable to go straight. To prevent this, the formation of the centurions, with the unprotected right side would always be formed by courageous and skilled soldiers, to hold stop it. However, the arrows that were fired from the unsuspecting right side pierced the bodies of the brave men----the bodies of the skilled soldiers, who naturally exposed themselves. As a result, in an instant, the right nk of the Hilkntos army lost many skilled soldiers. A slightly disordered formation that ovepped with the retreat of the archers. The loss of skilled soldiers. ----What happened to them was confusion and momentary paralysis. Across the river that passes to the south. Centered on 5th Battalion Captain Geins, who had separated from the Christand army in advance, they knocked down trees a little further into the forest to create a square, and their well-coordinated fire poured over the tall trees and onto the enemy right wing without interruption. "Hah, as expected of our princess! Fan, clear the way! First Corps, move forward!!" A volley that was decided at the best timing. Granmeld, who saw the sess right in front of him, lifted his cheeks and shouted, "The wolf pack under the heavens is going through! Second Battalion, clear the way!" Fan, the Commander of the Second Battalion of the Christand army, responded. The heavy infantry that acted as their shield immediately created a gap in the formation. For this reason, they had nned their cement from the beginning, and there was no hesitation in their movements. Originally, the First Corps had many subordinates under Nozan Verreich, and Fan was one of them. There was no problem in coordinating with Granmeld. Grammeld''s army of 2000, which was hidden behind heavy infantry, moved forward. Each grabs a javelin and began sprinting. Many of them were the First Battalion, which was said to be the strongest in the Christand Army. A genuinebat groupposed of a light infantry group nicknamed the "Wolf Pack". Even in the midst of an assault on enemy lines, the smile on their faces was one of madness. "----Let''s eat those bastards!!" After forming a fairly dense formation while running, they all threw it at the enemy in front of them in unison with Granmeld''smand. The disorganized front ranks of the enemy werepletely disrupted, some with blunt weapons, some with swords, and some with axes. Some took up blunt weapons, swords, axes, and other deadly weapons that feltfortable in their hands, and let out a wolfish roar. And running at the forefront was the Great Wolf, Granmeld Varkus. On his shoulder was a steel club----six shaku seven sun (~2m) long. The farther it was beyond the grip, the thicker it is, and the tip wasrger than a skull. At the tip of its diamond-shaped tip were numerous blunt protrusions. Repeatedly smeared with blood and cerebral fluid, the iron club was ckened with rust and irremovable dirt. ----Granmeld further increased his speed from there. Even the name of the great wolf was no longer enough to describe him. He lifts the iron rod with ease with one hand and looked down at the enemy''s face as it approached. There was terror in the face of the enemy, and he saw fright. With his cheeks lifted like a madman, Grummeled smiled a toothy grin and swung his greatsword to the side. A dull sound that could not be thought of as being emitted by a human body resounded, and the elerated steel was swung through. One person''s torso was easily broken from the top of the armor, and the spine of the soldier next to it was broken. The formation of several people was blown away, and the distorted body of the soldier danced in the air. "Follow me!! Now you can eat whatever you want!!" Twisting his body, this time to the right. Flesh and armor crumpled, and a few men in armor flew into the air again. Monsters beyond human. The distorted drumming of the wolf pack''s leader, the great wolf Granmeld Varkus. A littleter, the others cut into them, and the battlefield music of countless des and screams echoed in the ce. The First Corps of Verreich''s army, which had raised a battle cry to the chorus of the enemy''s screams, bites through the flesh of the frightened enemy. The impact crumpled the fragile bodies of flesh, and some fell into the river from fear. Grammeld was convinced of his victory and shouts with a maddenedugh. "Carliss!! Split to the center! You should scratch the archers in the center!!" "Yes sir! First Battalion forward!!" "Torx! You follow me! Don''t worry about the rest!" "You guys heard it! Strengthen the Corps Commander''s side!" Everyone had a cheek-ripping smile on their face. A group of beast-like men, unable to blend in with the city. But here, they can release their hidden wildness to their heart''s content. In front of them was a crowd of frightened prey. In the rear of the enemy''s line, arrows were raining down, and the line was in disarray. It was the perfect assault situation that anyone would be hoping for. Their eyes were clouded by the glory they would gain from shredding flesh and blood. Chapter 79: Hunting Ground Without Hope Chapter 79: Hunting Ground Without Hope ----The two wings of the Christand army were advancing. Some of them pointed their fangs at the archers in the center of the Hilkintos army, without being able to endure it the archers on both wings and center retreated. On the other hand, the center of Kristand''s army moved forward while shooting their arrows----behind the archers, infantry with long spears began to move forward in an orderly fashion. The most painful part was the right wing, which had been pushed back significantly. Aurugorn red to the south----over the river, his face turning red. They were under fire from their nks, and on top of that, in front of them was the mighty Granmeld force. If he did not send in reinforcements quickly, the copse of the right wing would be imminent. "Send reinforcements to the right wing! Regroup! "Yes sir! Where will the reservese from------" "From here! Don''t move the reserves on the left wing!!" The left wing quickly retreated its archers and re-positioned them. In the center, the archers on both wings were retreating a little earlier than nned, but the opponent had long spear. If they continue to shoot arrows from their heads, which cannot be protected without arge shield, the enemy will eventually copse----no, wrong. they won''te. At the same time, Aurugorn thought so, the archers and long-spear infantry in the center of the enemy stopped. They had only moved forward a little from their previous position. Then, they started shooting furiously at the archers, whose numbers had been reduced by the attacks from both wings. Their central infantry, the vanguard was within the enemy''s range. Their center was also firing back, but their number had decreased as the left and right units have been pulled back because of the attacks of the enemy''s wings------there was no doubt that they would be the ones losing in the central firefight. "I see. ...Faren, you''ve sure done it." The smaller the force, the more they will be caught up in petty tactics and schemes, but in military organizationbat, the important thing is to advance and retreat. The timing of pushing in and withdrawing the force. It is the simple movement drill that ultimately decides who wins and who loses on the battlefield. Even though he was the enemy, Eluga Faren was able to discern this and manipte their army. ''----Well, what should I do? Think.'' Bring the archers forward again? Impossible. Thring in their forces one by one is something that should be avoided. The center, which was once outnumbered in the shooting battle, cannot be expected to have dramatic change even if the number is increased. The archers who have moved back will operate in a different way. Their right wing will surely be pushed back. It was only natural after such a brilliant assault. How did the enemy conceal it? While receiving such well-controlled shots from across the river, the opponent was Granmeld, who whose name was famous as a warrior. At this rate, a breakthrough was only a matter of time. ''----Should we push in on the left wing?'' No, with this much preparation----the enemy is surely hiding its force in the forest to the north. If he pour their strength in this situation, they will be eaten by the rear. There was no doubt that their left wing, facing the enemy''s right wing, would now thoroughly fortify itself and use dy tactics. Even if left alone, they would still have the upper hand. He should not move them. "Pull back the center archers! We will charge! The center front line charge as is with heavily-armed infantry, we will crush them with our numbers! Move the light infantry to the right wing, and half of the pulled back archers to the right wing!" "Yes sir! Message!!" ----Drive them down the center. Aurugorn concluded. The right wing would apply reinforcements and then hit Granmerd withpetent light infantry, who would then turn in archers from the center to rece the copsed archers. Send reinforcement to the right wing, hit Granmeld with skilled light infantry, then send archers from the center to rece the copsed one. The enemy''s left wing led by Granmeld is troublesome with its breakthrough power and archers from the side, but that''s it. There was no further increase in force, and once the breakthrough is broken, they can be disposed of as is. "Assault arrowhead formation----focus on the center. Push from the front!" In a t push assault, the nk will be eaten through by the right wing. Break through the center in the shape of arrowhead. Then the enemy will be half-encircled on each wing. Judging that the center could be overwhelmed by numbers------that was Aurugorn''s misjudgment. No, there was no mistake in what he chose in that situation. His mind was clear even in the chaos of the battlefield. As ordered, the soldiers in the center advanced without dy. The soldiers were exhausted from the forced march, but they still faithfully performed their duties. Most of them were soldiers who had defended the western border until now---their quality was by no means low. In a situation where anyone would have feared the assault of the long spear that was waiting for them, the heavily armored infantry who were leading the way gathered their courage and moved forward. The soldiers near the front of the line knew that many of them would die. Even so, if one man crushed one spear, their allies behind them would be able to move further forward. The long spears boast unparalleled strength in battles of equal strength, but they know that it will eventually lose its resistance and copse in the face of being outnumbered by heavy infantry. And because of the length of the long spearman''s weapon, it was impossible to rebuild once it copsed. Even if they die, those who follow will avenge them. That is why they can raise a battle cry and carry out a charge. But------ "!?" In front of the long spear, one by one, they fell to the ground. And the allies in the rear line also stumbled over them. The terror and tension of the charge------of course, there were some who get their legs tangled by those. There were some who choose to fall on purposefully because of their fear. But there were too many of them for it to be just that. They fall over as if something has caught their foot. One after another, a non-negligible number of soldiers fell in a hail of arrows, oblivious to the fact that it was just a small knot of grass. The charge, which had been originally a vigorous one, lost its original momentum and sporadically went to the tip of the spear without any control. No enemy would miss that opportunity. One by one, they were impaled by a long spear, and they lose their lives meaninglessly. Watching as those who followed them were stabbed to death without a second thought------ "------strange. What are they dilly-dallying for?" "Maybe they were more tired than we thought. ...We are forced to march." "Tch... that''s fine. We can push it with number." From a distance, it was not clear what had happened. Unable to imagine that the momentum of the charge was being dampened by something as small as a knot of grass, Aurugorn and his adjutant, Beluse determined that it was due to exhaustion. "Looks like reinforcements are heading for the right wing. That''s the end of that pack of dogs------" Then, Aurugorn saw an impossible sight. A raging river four ken wide----it was the figure of soldiers in ck armor jumping over it with ease. "...Is the preparation done?" "Yes ma''am! But it sure is exciting, outsmarting the enemy, attacking from an unexpected location... Really, I''m proud to have been given this unit by Krische-sama." "Really? Ehehe, but don''t overdo it, Bald Eagle. The general''s head will fall on its own following the flow if you do it properly." "Of course." Krische smiled and looked at Fifth Battalion Commander Gaines. "Gaines, put only good archers in front. From here, go out to the riverbank and shoot straight instead of curved. You can''t shoot Krische (we) even by mistake, okay?" "leave it to me. But I might just shoot Krische-sama heart down with my courageous figure." "...Huh? Um... Haa." Krische tilted her head, not quite understanding the joke, and Gainesughed and asked. "Will the following unit go immediately?" "Yes, the situation is very good. Let''s end it here." "Yes ma''am!" Krische then ran through the forest, and in a single breath, she reached the bank of the river and jumped over it easily. To a body that can manipte magical power----this distance doesn''t pose any obstacles. The Century followed, and it was the rear of the right wing of the Hilkintos army that appeared in their sight. "Don''t cut in too deep! It''s enough to temporarily block their movement." Dagra shouted. Krische danced forward----into the rear of the right wing. Her cloak fluttered, and her silver hair swayed from side to side in front of the ck Century. Themander herself, led the way every single time. There was no soldier who would not follow. Ahead of them, there were soldiers whose backs werepletely turned toward them. Some noticed them and turned around, but it was toote. "Bald Eagle" "Throwing spear, ready!!" Each of them carried a spear on their shoulder. "Fire!!" Five shaku (1.8m) spear was shot out with a speed that surpasses that of a human body. The cloth wrapped around the hilt unraveled, and the wind pressure makes it spiral. About ny spears pierced the formation in front of them. A spear fired by a magic possessor at that speed. The power waspletely different from a mere spear throw. They easily pierced through the shields and armor that were set up hastily, and countless screams covered the sky. In the midst of confusion, they turned their eyes clouded with fear toward them. ----Krische elerated further. She leaned forward, almost scraping the ground with her chin, and stepped in, splitting wind, the curved sword at her waist gleaming. Sharp and thin. The de passed through the neck of the soldier who turned to face them without any resistance. Even the gushing blood couldn''t keep up with her. One, two, five, ten----she cut the heads of soldiers easily, and her violet eyes saw through the gaps of soldiers who were in the middle of confusion, bathed in countless throwing spears. Assault from the rear. The desired opponent was soon found. A man on horseback wearing old armor------he was the corpsmander inmand of this right wing. As if weaving through the gap between the soldiers, she passed through their shadows and blossomed flowers of blood. She stepped in, and the soldiers fell into a desperate battle. The corpsmander took a spear from his squire and was roaring. He sends instructions to deal with the attackers from the rear------but it was already toote. Krische''s de, which had easily passed through the line of soldiers, reached him first. "Aa-Gah!?" They surely saw the corpsmander suddenly sprinkling fresh blood from his neck. None of the soldiers watching him understood what had happened. And before they could understand, the adjutant also lost consciousness one after another. Their necks were sharply severed from the midsection and tilted askew. Themander and messenger whomanded and controlled the infantry, several men on horseback were cut open, and the g bearers lined up were taken care of. At that point, Krische awareness was already no longer there. She retreated just as she entered------through the disarrayed ranks. "Behind!! Enemy ising from behind----Ag!?" The head of the man who shouted so was torn apart. It took only a short time to dive through the arch of blood and reunite with the ck Century. Picking up two spears at random, Krische slowed to a crawl as she recognized the ck Century. Kahlua, who was in the lead, looked at Krische andughed, while Kelth''s, next to her, shouted. "The corpsmander! The corpsmander has been killed!! Surprise attack, there are thousands of enemies!!" The other member of the Centuryughed at Kelth''s words and raised their voices in the same way. As if to spread confusion. Letting it be known. As a matter of fact, there was no longer a corpsmander tomand them. He was dead, his neck ripped open by Krische Chrishtand''s de. At the front----Several of the men who were confronting the monster Granmeld turned around and trembled when they noticed that the corps g indicating themander''s location had fallen. The g is one that the soldiers----the one they must risk their lives to protect. It is what makes them an army. The presence of the lost g sends them into despair. And the soldiers of the right wing along the riverbank felt a different kind of despair. "Hie!" On the right rear------that thing that emerged from the forest was a thick board made up of stacked logs. It''s over six ken (10.908m) in length. It was carried into the river and slowly lowered down with a rope. It was a simple bridge. The width was narrow because of its length, but it was not just one bridge. Two, three, four------one after another. If they were linked side by side, they would form a bridge sufficient to carry more than 1,000 soldiers. And, as a matter of course, countless soldiers emerge from the forest behind it. Until they saw it, the soldiers of the Hilkintos army thought they had cornered the Christand army here. But then they finally understand the fact that they have been caught in a trap. ------They didn''t corner the enemy. They were lured into this hunting ground. The spiritual superiority that had remained in them had nowpletely copsed. "Bald Eagle, keep pressing from the enemy''s right wing rear. Please join up after the reinforcements have crossed over." "Yes ma''am!" "Mia, Tagel. The first squad will lead the soldiers and apany Krische. Reinforcements from the center------we will hunt down the archers who are deploying here." "Yes ma''am!" The soldiers were separated into two Dagura disturbed the enemy soldiers who were thrown into the vortex of chaos, stopped them, and bought time for the follow-up unit. Krische headed to eliminate the archers approaching from the center. New enemy reinforcements came from the center. About 1,000 light infantrymen stood in front of Granmeld, who was trying to pull out between the right wing of Hilkintos army and the center. Behind them, there are about 2000 archers who seem to be heading there. The enemy must have been thinking of killing Granmeld with a ferocious volley. The only way to defeat someone with magical power like Granmeld is to sh him with someone with simr power or to use a saturation attack by archers. Aurugorn Hilkintos was not a bad general, just like Eluga and Nozan said. He kept his calm in the midst of chaos and his judgment was also appropriate. And because it''s appropriate, they can''t let it be. Putting aside from the light infantry, they need to take care of the archers. "Tagel, let''s split into three. Please divide the soldiers between Mia and you and paralyze them." "Yes ma''am!" "As usual, Krische doesn''t like to lose men." Tagel''s ten squads were further divided into five squads. There were about twenty-five men on each side------enough to hunt down the archers that is on their way. The opponent was not ready for hand-to-handbat. The target is not always the sheep, but the sheepdog thatmands it. Temporary paralysis was enough. "Mia on the right, Tagel on the left, Krische in the middle." "Yes ma''am!" The archers in front of them were running their way. Those who were shooting from the center front must have quickly headed here after retreating to the rear. It seems that they intended to line up after they got to the shooting position, and they werepletely in a skirmish mode. Krische raised one of the spears in her hand. Her body at maximum speed------Krische twisted her upper body and kicked the ground with her heel to make a sudden braking motion. All the force that propelled her body forward went into the spear in her right hand. For a moment, her slender hips and back flexed like a bow before she released it, and all her strength was concentrated in the spear held in her right hand, which was released with a force that seemed to blow her entire body away. The roar of the spear on the battlefield was so thunderous that it could not even be considered a spear. Even a siege bow that pierced the castle walls would be insufficient to describe her spear throw. The spear easily shattered the skull of the leading centurion on her left, along with his helmet, and easily took the lives of several of the men behind him. What she has in her hand was not a throwing spear, but the hand-to-hand spear held by an enemy soldier. The spear, which was over six shaku long, had a solid weight. It was made of heavy, sturdy argana wood, which could easily kill an opponent with a blow from its thick handle without using the tip of the spear. Faster than an arrow----The kic energy of the melee spear, which even the castle walls could not withstand, was well beyond the power that a person could receive. Like a cat, shended with her hand, rolled, straightens up her posture, and repeated the same action. A second spear followed, this time to the right centurion. The man was a veteran---a skillful swordsman. Realizing that he is being targeted, the man pulls out his sword and tries to parry the spear away----but The spear, which had an odd trajectory, spiraled through his shoulder and shredded the right half of the centurion''s body. Then they finally realized----the small, slender, silver-haired woman was a monster. The power of her spear was clear to anyone''s eyes, precisely because they were in a skirmishing state with some space between each other. It didn''t stop after killing one person, scattering broken bones and spear fragments among the soldiers that follow. Even its fragments were powerful enough to kill a person. A person who possesses magical power beyond a certain level was a forceparable to a battalion in its own right. Kolkis, Gildanstein, and Granmeld----small soldiers on the battlefield were worthless in the face of such men, and many experienced soldiers know this firsthand. There was no way to stop them except by using numbers and arrows to kill them, or by confronting them with magic possessors of equal or greater power. If they had been crowded together, dozens of them would have been killed by the spears alone. The fact that they were in skirmish formation saved them. However, confronting such a monster in skirmish formation where they can''t cooperate with hand-to-handbat. In their minds, it clearly indicated the arrival of the next tragedy. "D-dense formation!! Don''t let them slip!!" Someone shouted. Before the voice could be heard, arrows were being fired from the archers in front of them. But their measurement of distance was very much mistaken. Not only the girl but also the ck-coated soldiers, all of whom were infantry, were running faster than the cavalry. Leaving the released arrows behind, they slipped between them and the forty-six ck soldier cut in. "As expected of Usa-chan, the best!" With a maddenedugh and bloodshot eyes, she cut down the enemy in front of her. Kalua was the first to cut in on her left. Swinging her curved sword like an axe, she bisected both enemies in front of her. The spear that will even pierce a castle wall. The archers were terrified when they were hit by Krische''s spear. Then, the ck-coated soldiers cut through the frightened soldiers and lifted their cheeks in madughter. Every one who confronted them understood that they, too, possessed unusual abilities, and they were cowered. And the ones they were afraid of were only after the dog thatmanded the frightened sheep. "Kalua, left half!" "Yes, yes, there!!" After cutting off the head of the enemy in front of them, they turned their eyes to the red helmets. The other side had already drawn his sword. Kalua dropped her posture and stepped toward the left hand side. A low posture like that of a quadrupedal beast----moving forward without wasting the propulsive force generated by her strengthened legs. She, too, learned her moves from Krische. Keeping the posture low was not just to dodge enemy swords. This was to reduce wind resistance by adopting a low posture that would cause a normal person to fall over, and to use the propulsive force generated from both feet to move forward without waste. Those who could manipte their magical power need to reconsider each movement and think about how to use their excess power. Kalua was the one who understood it better than anyone else with her ingenuity. The reaction of the enemy centurion to Kalua was swift. He, too, must be able to manipte magic. He quickly leaps backward to avoid Kalua''s attack, which an ordinary person would not even be able to react to. "Ggh!" "Wow!" Kaluaughed happily. She stepped in further. This time it was a horizontal sh----this too, the centurion distorted his face and dodged it. He looks young, but he is skilled. However, there is nothing more unreliable than the outward appearance of age. He has probably spent many years in the military and has been through his fair share ce of death. ----But that was the end. A dagger was thrust into the man''s neck from behind. It was another ck-coated soldier----Adol from the same squad. "You owe me, Kalua." "Don''t be silly, I''m the one who gave it to you, didn''t I?" Don''t fight one on one. This was also the rule of the ck Century. Against a strong enemy go at him with multiple people, surround the enemy in groups, and choke him out. Relentlessly aim at the opponent''s hero----a person who possesses magical power and kills them to lower their morale. The ck Hundred, a small group of elite soldiers, must avoid being surrounded. Their opponents are always numerous. If all of their enemies were willing to die, there was no way to survive. Therefore, they must frighten them, scare them, disrupt their unity, and bite into the flesh of their corpses. Like Krische, they avoided unnecessary battles as much as possible. They knew that it was this thoroughness that would keep them alive. There was no one shooting at them. The "enemy''s coward who survived" were also shields for the ck Century. Misfire is inevitable on the battlefield. There were plenty of people who died by the arrows of theirrades. Even so, no one can rain arrows down on dozens of people among a thousand. In the midst of the enemy, who had lost his will to fight------that ce was safer than any other ce. Mia on the left, Tagel on the right. Krische broke down the center. And Dagra and the others were heading there. The right wing of the Hilkintos army------the 1,500 who emerged from the forest and crossed the river surrounded them from the rear. Most of them were archers, but they were soldiers too. If they form up and drew their swords, they can engage in hand-to-handbat. The right wing of the Hilkintos army, whose leader had been killed by the dreaded ck-coated soldiers, became increasingly fearful as they realized that the enemy''s reinforcements were more than adequate. The 1500 spread its wings as far as possible, encircling the enemy right wing from behind. Chaos after chaos------right wing morale was half-destroyed. And there------ "Okay! Corner them into the river! Kill them all!!" Grammeld, who pushed through the right wing and the center, was covered in blood and shouted. It was a beastly voice. While allocating some of his time to deal with the reinforcements, he joined up with the 1,500 who were mainly archers. They established aplete encirclement using the river. In front of the enemy''s right wing, the Second Battalion of Christand First Corps------Fan''s heavy infantry formed a wall. Grunmeld began to press the enemy in the direction of the river------to the south. There was no support from enemy archers. Krische and ck Century''s dyed attacks work well. On the enemy right nk, there was nothing but despair. They are surrounded by walls, squeezed, and pushed out. And the destination they''re pushed to is------a raging river. "Stop! Stop, don''t push!! Hey!!" the soldier shouted as he hears the impending disaster before his eyes. But only those around him understood the intent of his voice. They tried desperately to hold back. They even threw out their swords. Archers were lined up on the opposite shore of them. ------They saw the bows slowly being drawn. "Stop it, please stop it!! Help me, help me----Egu!?" The arrows were fired all at once. It broke thest resistance. Countless arrows took the lives of these men who had been holding out and enduring desperately. Immediately, resistance was gone from them. "Help, mfe...a...gh!" The men were pushed into the river, and the sound of water echoed with one scream after another. The men in armor were forced tomit unwanted suicides in the raging water. Once established, the flow cannot be stopped. Some of the soldiers in the center of the right wing were even crushed to death due to pressure from their surroundings. Every time those corpses piled up, they stumbled, swayed, and the river rippled. Soldiers fighting in front were frightened and retreating back------those in the rear screaming in fear of being dropped into the river. Most of the soldiers, who initially numbered about 6,000, were killed cruelly in this way. The fewer people there were, the more elerated the process was------some shouted for surrender, but there was no need to listen. Surrender must be offered by themanders of the soldiers present. But theirmanders were no longer present and no one has taken over yet. And the whole battle was still going on. New recruits, old veterans, cowards, brave men, it didn''t matter, they are all being ughtered into the raging river. It was a massacre. The disappearance of the right wing------the Central Army, who witnessed that scene, understood that they have been driven into a corner. So did Aurugorn, who was inmand. "Shit, shit, shit!! Darkens you trash! It was a mistake to put such an ipetent as a corpsmander!!" Aurugorn shouted, cursing the right wing corpsmander who had been killed by Krische. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, and veins appeared on his forehead. He was so angry that even his long-time adjutant, Beluse, was frightened. "G-General..." "Retreat!! With that much preparation... it was a trap from the beginning! Make me watch out for the forest on left wing side, then the right nk, from across the river, will be encircled and annihted! I see, it''s so brilliant, it''s almostughable!" "Then..." "Use the left wing reverse! First, stop the right wing!! The left wing that still has the upper hand will maintain its current situation------retreat from the protruding central left wing." "Yes sir!! Messenge----" And that was the word that decided victory and defeat. Reinforcements headed from the center to the right wing faced Grunmeled while witnessing the tragedy, and spread their wings to the east and west in an effort to prevent an attack on the center. Grunmeld tried to bypass and take the rear but was met by reinforcements from the left wing reserve. The main camp, which had exhausted its reserves and was now bare----had no room for anything else. There are at most 100 soldiers, and from among them, Aurugorn calmly gave instructions in anger while spewing saliva, directing the retreat. He was, after all, a general who has defended the West for many years----even when trapped and in a tight spot, he never lost his ability to use his brains andmand his troops. ----However, a situation arose that deprived him of thoughts. From Aurgorn, diagonally to the left, the northern forest. From there emerged 300 cavalries and 1000 light infantry. ----On their banners were the eagles and thunder of the Christand. "Rejoice, we are just in time for the glorious decisive blow!! All hands, charge!!" Bagil shouted from horseback, followed by the soldiers'' howls. They were also the ambush soldiers just like those across the river to the south. They had taken up a camp far north of the battlefield and were on standby, but when the battle started, they headed south. Aurgorn''s reading was correct. Their presence in the northern forest was the decisive move on the battlefield. After confirming that Aurugorn had withdrawn his men from the forest, they left. To decide victory or defeat. They roared toward the center------and ck coated soldiers cut through the ranks from the south to the center just as the leading cavalry was charging into the enemy. The battle began with an army of 15,000 Christand and an army of 27,000 Hilkintos. Although the Hilkintos army had an overwhelming military superiority, the result was aplete defeat for the Hilkintos army. Chapter 80: Fate of The Battlefield Chapter 80: Fate of The Battlefield The death toll was 2,300 in the Christand army. Hilkintos army lost 10,200 men. The battle, which began with the inferiority of the Christand army, however, ended in an overwhelming victory for the Christand. In the end, the final number of troops was about the same number with the Christand having slightly more troops, and for a battle that began with an inferior force, it was truly an overwhelming victory. However, the right wing of the Christand army suffered heavy damage, and the Fourth Battalion led by Varga suffered more than 60% of its losses and waspletely wiped out. Varga himself was slightly wounded, and they lost seven centurions. While receiving enemy arrows, they maintained the battle line without any archer support. Rather, if one considered that 30% of them survived, it can be said to be an excellent result. The Fourth Battalion needed to be reorganized, but there were many undertrained soldiers to begin with. The 30% that survived can be regarded as excellent soldiers who returned alive from hell and will be the pirs of the Fourth Battalion in the future. It was not bad if one considered it to be a rough training. As in the previous battle, Krische worked hard to deal with prisoners of war, doing misceneous tasks such as arranging reorganizations, and in the evening. She visited one tent. In the center of the tent----the one lying on the bed was Dagra. His brow wrinkled, his eyes were closed, groaning, and he was sleeping with a grim look on his face. Around the bed stood a circle of soldiers in ck armor. Krische stared at them, her brow furrowed, and she looked around. "...Krische heard that unclean air will make the wound worse. Go outside." "Yes ma''am. ...as you''ve all heard. The one remain----" "Krische will stay here for a bit. Everyone go outside." It was a cold tone that did not allow any objections. Mia was momentarily frightened by Krische''s appearance, and she saluted as she lowers her eyes sadly. One by one, they went out of the tent. After they left, Krische slowly traced Dagra''s side torso. The stab wound in his belly. It was by no means shallow. The military doctor said that making it through the night will be harsh. "Bald Eagle is silly. He came after Cliche, so why didn''t you just let him be?" Sighing, Krische closed her eyes. Surrounded by his surroundings, Aurugorn was helpless. Aurugorn''s individual ability was not low, but it has already surpassed the situation that can be overturned with just one brute force. Commanding the cavalry and light infantry, Bagil''s force, which raided the central rear of the Hilkintos army, numbered over 1,000, and all of them were excellent elites in the First Corps----a man as skilled as Aurugorn''s could see the extent of their skill. A unit that was in disordered formation and did not losemand and control was a sign of high quality. Aurgorn gritted his teeth in front of First Battalion Commander Bagil, who pointed his sword at him and urged him to surrender. The battle was still going on on the battlefield. In order to minimize the damage, they needed him to surrender or take his head. Any further resistance was meaningless----the only difference was whether or not he would still have his neck or not. It was a total defeat. Aurugorn dismounted his horse, lowered his spear and fell to his knees. The surrounding g-bearers who saw it knocked down their g------and the people around them followed suit. "I swear by the name of the First Battalion Commander of the Christand army, Bagil Linea Sandika, and by the name of the Kingdom------Her Royal Highness the Princess, that I will abide by the Holy Spirit Covenant. It was a valiant battle, General Hilkintos." Aurugorn didn''t answer. A silver-haired girl appeared with ck-d troops, splitting the line of soldiers at his side. Krische took one look at the defeated general------her purple eyes and exchanged nces with Aurugorn''s. "...Krische will take you, prisoners, in ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant. Naturally, Krische will swear on her name that Krische will protect your rights as a margrave of the kingdom... Please apany us for a while. As you know, Krische (we) must go to the Dragon''s Maw." Those were the only words she said to Aurugorn. The bare minimum of words. Without a shred of interest, Krische then turned to Bagil. "Bagil, send the cavalry to the battlefield and let the whole ce know that it is settled." "Yes ma''am!" Even though she had announced the settlement with her voice augmented by magic power, the skirmish still continued in the frontline. Krische gave instructions one after another while raising the g of Christand. Without hesitation, as if the oue had been decided from the beginning that this would be the case. The girl was not basking in the afterglow of her victory over Hilkintos------the undefeated general of the west. The girl must have taken it for granted while inflicting aplete and utter defeat on Aurugorn. A cold nce was directed at him as if he was just an insect or a stone on the side of the road. Aurugorn looked at Krische, his eyes harboring darkness. "Hahaha, it''s a perfect victory, Krische-sama. ...My, my, what a trouble, with this consecutive sweeping victory, I''m afraid I would grow overconfident." Due to the circumstances, Grunmeld, who finished cleaning up earlier than the others, approached Krische with a smile. "Yes, it''s a relief. Woof Woof was also very active." Starting with the ck Century, the surrounding soldiers looked at the Krische in astonishment. Woof Woof. The ce froze for a moment and then looked at the speaker, Krische. "Woof Woof has done a great job breaking them up, so Krische and the others had it easy." Krische tilted her head as everyone looked at her. Then she finally realized that she had made a blunder, and she frantically covered her mouth and her eyes swam around. Then she stared up at Granmeld. Looking up, Grunmeld was so confused that he froze with a smile still on his face. "Uhh, well, Krische, was thinking of giving the Corps Commander Varkus a nickname, but Krische identally..." As if embarrassed by her own bad manners, she put both hands on her cheeks and shook her body. Her silver hair swayed like a tail, and her lovely figure waspletely unsuitable for the battlefield. "H-ha... t-that, un... Woof Woof is?" Remembering the other day when he wasughing at the nickname Skeleton, Grunmeld began to sweat. He is a warrior. Grunmeld Varkus is one of the best warriors in the kingdom. He is proud of that. He has silenced those who deny or taunt him with his fists and war club. He has proven his strength, passed through deadly situations, and crushed many enemies------ "Yes, it''s the nickname!" ------Woof Woof. It was much too cruel. "See, Corps Commander Varkus has a kind of dog-like smile, ehehe, and when Krische saw it, Krische was struck by it. There were many candidates like Wauf Wauf, Grrr, but Krische thought that Woof Woof would be the most appropriate." Krische, who was in a good mood, leaned over and looked up at Granmeld happily. It was different from the look she sent to Aurugorn------a pumped up puppy eye look. This was tough. Even the mighty Grunmeld was no match for the twinkling purple eyes of this girl looking up at him. In front of the delicate girl no taller than his chest, Grunmeld took a step back. "Hey, can Krische call you Woof Woof from now on? Hehe, you can call Krische whatever you like. Krische was told by Selene to get along with a lot of people------" Feeling pity for the situation, Dagra sighed and approached the enemy general, Aurugorn Hilkintos, who was surrounded by soldiers. "...Pardon me, General. We will need to bind you." Still sitting down Aurugorn turns his gleaming eyes from inside his helmet, which is modeled after a goddess face. His eyes were filled with anger and hatred. A defeated general who was caught in a scheme----it was not unreasonable, Dagra thought. He continued in a soft tone of voice, trying not to irritate him as much as possible. "Pardon me for any inconvenience this may cause you. We will keep the sword at your waist, but in ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant, we will take the appropriate steps to return it to youter." He motioned with his eyes to the two men at the General''s side. The two ck-coated soldiers approach Aurugorn with a rope. Then Aurugorn bloodshot eyes turned to behind Dagra. ----In that split second, Dagra felt the murderous intent that could not be concealed. "Hold him down!" But he was toote. Aurugorn stands up vigorously and drew the sword from his waist. He then cut off the head of one of the two men who were trying to tie him up. He stepped forward without stopping his momentum in the direction of Dagra back----to Krische. ''----Why should I be humiliated as a prisoner of war!?'' ''I can''t allow it! Why!?'' Unbearable humiliation and anger. These mixed feelings was directed at one girl. ''...Krische will take you prisoners in ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant. Naturally, Krische will swear on her name that Krische will protect your rights as a margrave of the kingdom.... Please apany us for a while. As you know, Krische (we) must go to the Dragon''s Maw.'' After saying that one-sidedly, she didn''t show even a shred of interest in Aurugorn. Like looking at livestock and insects, like looking at roadside stones, Krische Christand has no feelings and interest whatsoever for Aurugorn Hilkintos. He was looked down upon as a piece of trash. Not Eluga Faren. It was also not Grunmeled Varkus. It was probably this girl who led this battle. He doesn''t consider himself ipetent. But in fact, the girl in front of him surpassed him. The word "genius" was not false----that was fine. However, it was unforgivable to look at Aurugorn Hilkintos, who has won countless battles and is said to be a name known to everyone in the kingdom, with such eyes. It was an unbearable disgrace. And now she was going to exhibit his captive body in the Dragon''s Maw and humiliate him. As an ipetent general who had failed miserably. She intended to rot his reputation and everything else in mud. She wanted to take away all the pride that Aurugorn has, without even changing a single look on her face. ''----That is the one thing I cannot stand.'' He wouldn''t allow such a little girl to deny him everything he has done for the past decades. It was not a matter of logic. Simply refusing to be dishonored rather than death, Aurugorn moved forward. The girl who smiled at Grunmeld looked at Aurugorn again. Seeing him approaching her, there was no surprise on her face. She just looked at Aurugorn coldly. Anger so fierce that his gnashed teeth cracked. He directs all of it at the girl----but his body was flung off from the side. "Stop!! Don''t do anything unsightly!!" It was a man with a ck-painted armor----Dagra. His anger turned to the man who interfered. "Who do you think you''re raising your hand to!!" "Ggh!?" His mind may be in the midst of the red-hot fury, the sword was urate. Against a very skilled centurion, the sword pierced the side of the body. But the opponent was also skilled. Aurugorn puts force in pulling out the deeply inserted des, but the Centurion Dagra grabbed Aurugorn''s arm and sealed his movement with force. "Bastar----g, gh!?" And then, in a moment. The arm that was gripping the de----the sensation was suddenly lost. He didn''t even feel any pain. His right arm----his upper arm was cut off along with the steel armor. His body fell down, losing its posture. His neck was tightened by the girl''s slender, gauntlet right hand, and he was suspended in the air. ----Aurugorn''s eyes captured an inorganic purple light. The darkness behind the cold glow. What he saw was fear. "... Mia, immediately treat Bald Eagle." It was a cold voice that was the opposite of the tone that she had been used to Grunmeld. Kalua supported the falling Dagra, and Mia gave instructions as in a hurry. "Y-Yes! Birza, first aid." "Y-yes." "Adol, Bagu help Kalua! Kels, get the army doctor! As soon as possible!" Krische''s eyes never turned away from Aurugorn. Her expression as nk as a puppet''s. "Krische-sama, I understand how you feel, but if we don''t do anything, he will die. First of all, we have to stop the bleeding. It would be pointless to just kill him after having captured him and caused so much damage." The only one who could speak to Krische''s bizarre appearance was Grunmeld. He traced the wound on his cheek ufortably and looked at Aurugorn. "...You''re right." "Gh, ag!?" Aurugorn, whose face had turned blue, was thrown away and crushed by the heel of the reinforced boots. Her face was cold, showing no emotion at all at the high-pitched, ear-shaking Aurugorn''s screams. Smiling bitterly at the way she treated Aurugorn, Grunmeld shed at Aurgorn''s cloak with his knife and bound his severed right arm over the top of his chainmail. It was a violent hemostasis, with no thought for what woulde after. He then looked at the severed surface of the arm. The armor was elegantly carved. The steel that had encased the arm had been cut into two pieces. The cross section looked as if it had originally been made that way. And the curved sword held by Cliche, while cutting through the steel, was without a scratch. "Mia, please temporarily take overmand on behalf of Bald Eagle." "...Yes." "Tie it up and put a gag on it. Burn the cut surface to stop the blood. Someone" "...I will." It was Bagu. His frivolous-looking face, that was always smiling, wasced with rage. He had no parents and respected Dagra like a real father. "...You can''t kill. Hurting him too. Later we will execute him, but until then, no matter how he is treated, he is a prisoner of war. Krische does not tolerate vitions of the Holy Spirit Covenant. Punishment for sin must be imposed by punishment, even if that''s just the official stance." "...Yes ma''am" "That''s all. After that just take a big break appropriately. we will run from the morning, tomorrow." She looked at the fallen Dagra. The sword that had been thrust into it was still stuck. It is only to hold it down andy it down so that it does not move. It was necessary to prepare enough salt and liquor and wait for the arrival of the army doctor. Looking at it, Krische sighed quietly. Although she was worried, there were a number of things that needed to be done. "Mia, Krische leave it to you. Krische will go to where the skirmish is still continuing." "Yes, take care." ----In the tent, Krische breathed quietly while stroking Dagra''s forehead. Dagra should have just left Aurugorn alone when he charged at Krische. But it must have been a spur-of-the-moment reaction. It was the same with Grace. If they had stayed quiet, everything would have ended without incident. There was nothing she could do about that. Krische is just Krische, and she couldn''t just freely bend their will. If everyone could only think logically, Krische would have ended the war already. She had a vague understanding that this is how human beings are. She knew that, so she couldn''t me him, but she also didn''t want tomend him. Somehow, she felt like she wanted to scold him. And to do so, he needed to be alive. "... Bery, probably won''t get angry right?" As she muttered, she closed her eyes. She stretched her magical power and go to the bandaged wound. A faint bluish-white light fills the tent. A great number of geometric patterns were floating there. She felt the inner wound using magic and grasp theceration of the flesh there. The surface was cleaned by alcohol and salt, sewn, andpressed, but not inside. Sensing it with her magic, Krische squinted slightly. There was a slightceration in the intestine. When a magic possessor eats, they will pressthe food into magic before excreting it. Dagra too, handled magic power, and such filth did not overflow from his wounds. That was a fortune among disasters. It was not a knowledge that she had since long ago. She had read a few medical books and learned a lot because of Bogan''s death and the fact that she had to rest the other day because of severe pain in both limbs and body. Wounds must be cleansed with alcohol and salt and kept clean, andcerations must be closed. Otherwise, the wound would be infected and inmed, and new miasma would enter the body through the wound and eat away at the body. It was said that even the miasma that a healthy body could withstand bes intolerable. She had never verified this, but when she felt the amount of blood overflowing inside, she could not just leave it there. It was the first time she did something based on that knowledge, but it would be better than not do it. The principle was the same as moving the imaginary muscles. Carefully move theceration that had ripped inside Dagra''s belly and corrected it to the shape it would have been in originally. Carefully and slowly. The idea was that if there was a tear, it should be physically held there. It is no different in theory than suturing a wound. "Ughh..." Dagra groaned a bit because of the pain, and Krische took care not to overburden him. And when she was done, she weaved the form inside Dagra. Heating things, cooling, or emitting light. It was the same principle as such magic engraved on the magic crystal. The form was engraved and created with the magic power that had been submerged inside Dagra. To keep the wound sealed. The geometric patterns that were unfolding in the tent entered the Dagra as if being sucked into it, and when finished she felt dizzy. While it does not take much strength to construct and move virtual muscles, it was more consuming when handling them on outside the body in this way. The moreplex it is, the greater the consumption of magic power, and it''s something that Krische, whose body was constantly being moved by magic power, couldn''t ignore. "...Maybe Krische should practice these things properly at least once" Just as it happened to the Bald Eagle, it could happen to Selene. There was a good chance that the slightest carelessness could result in a wound. Even she couldn''t rx about Bery and Kreschenta. ----It was very different from the time when Grace died. It''s a shame, it can''t be helped. It was easy to dismiss it as such. But if she had reflected and studied better at that time, maybe Krische would be able to treat her as well as she does today. Perhaps she would have been able to help Bogan, too. But by dismissing it as inevitable, she felt as though she had dismissed even the chance for reflection. She was thinking that the next time she met with Berry, she should discuss it with her properly. There were so many things that have happened in the past few months that she needed to reflect on. She should think of a solution to each and every one of them. ----Speaking of whose fault it was this time, it was that General. But it can''t be said that Krische was not one of the causes. The reason was that others misunderstood that they could kill Krische if they caught her by surprise. As a result, Bald Eagle was stabbed meaninglessly. Kriche thinks that it would have been nice to just kill everyone who was in that ce. This time it was Bald Eagle. But there were many other things that were important to Krische. There may be more in the future. Mia and Kalua, Skeleton----little by little. It was not a bad idea to physically silence the enemy so that he could not hold the sword. But it would be difficult to kill them all that way. There was a limit to what Krische could do alone. That said, if she use someone else, sacrifice would be inevitable. More, she needed to make them fear her more. Make an example of everyone who defied her and kill them so that they won''t even have the will to defy her. Teach them thoroughly what will happen if they oppose her. Then one day, those who defied her will disappear, and the damage will be much less. In the first ce that was what the military is for. The military is an organization that is allowed to do so. "Usa-chan, it seems that the Corps Commander Skeleton is calling you." "......yes. Coming." Krische stood up responding to the voice from the outside. Outside, the ck-coated soldiers were watching the tent, concerned about Krishce. Dagra was a strict, but gentle man. He was strict when he needed to be strict, but always considerate of the soldiers'' feelings and guided them. There was not a soldier in the unit who does not respect him. Not just Dagra, but one member of the century has died a meaningless death. If it had been during the battle, it would have been understandable, but the story was different if it was after the victory. The soldiers'' faces were dark. "Whatever the case may be, we will let Bald Eagle rest for a while. Even if he were able to move, it would be impossible for him to apany us any further in this battle. The temporarymander is the adjutant Miaseeing her work so far, even if she''s not sufficient, at least Krische thick she is suitable. Is that fine?" Mia pondered for a moment and looked at the two captains, Corinth and Tagel. She saw them nod with a meek look on their faces, and then turned to Cliche. "...yes. Then, from now on, I will take charrge of this unit as Commander Dagra''s representative." "The adjutant-equivalent officers are the same as the regr Century, corporal Corinth and Tagel. Unlike Bald Eagle, Mia is a bit stupid, so please follow her up." "Yes ma''am" Krische''s words caused a slightughter, and Mia blushed embarrassedly. "Birza...the 17th squad is the right team for taking care of Bald Eagle. Until Bald Eagle is sent to the rear, you guys will take care of him." "Yes ma''am" Birza, a slender young man, was formerly from a family of apothecaries, and although he was not a doctor, he seemed to have done something simr to a doctor in the vige. Examining injured people was mostly Birza''s role. Because of that the 17th squad was ustomed to first aid. "That''s it, disband. From tomorrow, everyone other than Squad 17 will move quickly. Let''s rest early today." Kalua then handed over a bag of nirkana to Krische, who sighed. "I thought Usa-chan might be hungry." "Thank you" Kalua asked something she was curious as Krische thanked her. "Usa-chan, were you doing something in the tent earlier?" "No. What''s wrong?" A wave of magical power, she must have noticed it. Krische shook her head nonchntly. To begin with, Krische didn''t feel any guil about lying. "Nn... Is it just my imagination? No, it''s nothing. It''s a little far away, can I borrow a horse?" "...Krische will be walking" "Usa-chan really hates riding horses huh" Sighing in exasperation, Kalua patted Krische''s head. "Well, don''t worry too much about Bald Eagle. He''s though after all." "Yes." "He love Usa-chan sfter all. He won''t die without seeing Usa-chan''s face." "Kalua, talking nonsense again..." "I want you to say that you I''m kind." Probably it''ll be fine. But she''s not sure. As much as she liked Dous, she also didn''t want him gone. She hoped that the thing she did earlier will work. Something swirled in her chest------perhaps her emotions were in turmoil. That''s why the feeling of being caressed like that wasfortable. Krische quietly leans in close. Kaluaughed and hugged her. Chapter 81: What Comes Along With the Crawling Despair Chapter 81: What Comes Along With the Crawling Despair Eluga and Grunmeld remained to process of the prisoners, and only Krische together with the ck Century hurried to the northeast. They went through the forest to the Dragon''s jaw----and to Nozan''s tent in the southern part. "... as expected. To think Krische-sama has arrived already." Nozan said sincerely, looking at Krische who had arrived He ruffled his red hair and looked at the bag carried by one of the Century''s members. "Yeah, it''s not a difficult opponent, it was easy. Though the finishing touch went a bit poorly." "...The finishing touch did?" Unzipping the bag, and the emaciated Aurugorn was inside. His right arm is missing, tightly bandaged at his shoulder base, his body was clothed only in clothing. "Of all things he resisted after surrendering. One member of Krische Century died, and Bald Eagle... ah, Centurion Dagra, was also stabbed and is seriously injured." "...I see" Nozan frowned. Aurugorn was gagged, tied up, and weak. The situation was akin to being abused prisoner of war (POW), but he could guess the reason. The fact that no bruises were visible on his body was probably out of mercy. Though the Holy Spirit Covenant restricted militarymand and action, many other parts were left to individual conscience. It wasmon for captured prisoners of war to be killed by private execution and reported as emaciation or suicide. "It''s a clear vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant. Krische thought it would be fine just to show him, but Krische changed her mind. Tomorrow, Krische is going to execute him as an example." "... I understand how Krische-sama feels. But I can''t really agree with it." He understood the words she said. The vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant is punishable by death, but even so, if the general was to be executed by their one-sided arguments, it will hurt their reputation. On the contrary, it may invite desperate resistance on the enemy''s side. "It''s after Krische considered the merit and demerit. ...The other day, the soldier that was in the Dragon''s maw seemed to remember vividly the dying action that Krische had taken." There was no anger visible on her face. The girl asionally turned into an inorganic doll, like something without emotion. Nozan put his hand to his chin and frowned. "Reinforcements from the Dragon''s Maw in Marcellus'' army... The opponents were soldiers who are frightened by Krische and some even run away from being captives. It''s convenient if they be frightened by Krische. Krische thinks it would be good to make them thoroughly scared of Krische... until the enemy soldiers are no longer willing to resist Krische." Her smile was apanied by a chilly atmosphere. "Therefore, Krische decided to use this man. Since he vited the Holy Spirit Covenant while holding the position of the Kingdom''s General, he will be executed anyway. If one vites the Holy Spirit Covenant while in the position of Commander, the punishment is dismemberment by horse------Krische wants to show that to the enemy soldiers." "I understand, but... nevertheless, when I think about the future, I think it''s better not to do it. Krische-sama is the one who will protect the Kingdom in a long time toe------if we do that it will damage Krische-sama reputation." "Even with that in mind. Krische is hated anyway, so Krische thinks this is a better role for Krische." "...Role?" ''Yes'', Krische nodded and looked at Aurugorn. He was gagged and on his back, but he could still hear everything that was being said. "The reason for his rebellion was that he underestimated Krische. He made the foolish mistake of thinking that he could kill Krische, and this wounded Krische''s important important subordinates. In Krische''s opinion, this is a serious situation. Considering the purpose of the military." "...The military purpose, Krische-sama is saying some difficult topic again." "No, it''s simple. An army should be something that makes the enemy fearful, preventing them from causing unnecessary conflicts----It''s something that forces the opponent to obey with fear with the threat of violence." ''----That''s the nature of the military, isn''t it?'' Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Aurugorn. As if she''s just seeing bugs or rocks, and not a person. "The battle could have ended well, but we failed to do so, and that''s what gave birth to idiots like this one. That''s why we should think about it again." Nozan put his hand on his chin with a difficult face and thinks. Certainly, she was not wrong. Avoid needless warfare by establishing and holding dominance with great violence. Make your enemy fearful and hesitant. There was some truth to Krische''s words. "Kill him mercilessly in front of the enemies, make an example of him, and urge them to surrender. As a result, unnecessary bloodshed can be suppressed, and Krische can dispose of the enemies with minimal danger. The resistance of surrendered POWs will be suppressed to some extent. That is the direction Krische intends to take from now on." "From now on?" "If Krische can frighten them that way, Krische will feel much more relieved about Selene than now. The more the enemy thinks that Krische is very scary, the more we can avoid unnecessary fights and finish the battles without any damage. Krische doesn''t care what they think, and Krische herself won''t need to do anything unnecessary. It''s all merit." Kill the enemies with brutal means and make them surrender before they could fight through sheer terror. There have been many such figures in the past. Until the Holy Spirit Covenant, said to have been made under the dragon in ancient times, brought order to warfare. Not bad if you look at it. In fact, she was already feared. And if the fighting continues, either way, her unusual power, and character will no doubt increase the numbers. The problem would be treason, but while there may be those who disliked her, not many would be foolish enough to think of bing her enemy. Even if there were, he didn''t think they could kill her. "What about Corps Commander Faren?" "He was a little hesitant, but if that''s what Krische thinks then, is what he said." "...I see." The daughter of the esteemed Bogan. There was some hesitation in him, propping her up that way. And he didn''t think Selene would be happy either. But either way, it would be difficult for her to be a great general who would win the respect of others in the military organization. ''She loves cooking and housework, loves peace, and Clich¨¦ is a kind girl. But as you know, she''s a little different as a person...she is too good as military personnel. I''m not worried about letting Selene seed me, but I am a little concerned about letting Krische stand in the public eye.'' Bogan''s decision to send her on to train the General Staff, which he was in the process of establishing, was based in part on her personality. A distorted ingenuity that was clearly different from humans----There is something that makes people unconsciously afraid of her. Even if he stopped her here, if the war continues on and she''s in there, eventually it will be inevitable. Weighing emotions against logic, Nozan sighs and nodded. Now that Bogan is gone, this was not the time for whitewashing. Considering future battles, they would want to reduce thei losses as much as possible. Northern responded, putting logic first. "Understood. ...But thinking about what Selene-sama would say, my stomach hurts." "...Krische will properly talk to herter. But Krische thinks this is the best way to do it. Krische wants this all to be over as soon as possible." Even if everything goes well, there will be a lot ofmotion around the kingdom for the next few years, or even a decade or so, as the kingdom will be exhausted from the civil war. That is why it was necessary to settle the matter as soon as possible and put the kingdom in order. "...Then, let''s talk about the current situation. Originally, I was thinking of a strategy that coincided with Krische-sama arrival, but..." "What are they nning..." Gertz Wiring, the veteran general who was defending the Dragon''s Jaw, yed with his long white beard and murmured at the mountaintop fortress. At the time of Krische''s ''show'', he was just on his way to inspect the North----the Christand side, so he only know the story roughly. But he could tell that his men were showing great fear. Since then, they had ceased their attacks and remained in an eerie silence. That added to the fear of the soldiers. In the heat of battle, the fear of imminent death and the excitement it generates would suppress these emotions. The silence, however, it''s slowly eating away the soldier''s heart. He had already understood the abnormality of Krische Christand. The cool-headedness to not hesitate to even burn mountains for victory. And her overwhelming power. Among the victims of the mountain hunt, there was a battalionmander whom Gertz trusted. He was a warrior who, even if not a match for a thousand, deserved to be considered a match for a hundred. A battalionmander who was ustomed to the mountains and deeply trusted by the soldiers he entrusted him with the mountain hunting----but ording to the story, he was beheaded and killed by the Cursed Child Krische without even a fight. It was not normal. After that, he used human wave tactics, but it only resulted in sending military force one by one against about 100 men at the most, resulting in a situation in which they were defeated one by one. She and the ck-coated soldiers under hermand showed tremendous strength in the mountain terrain. Reports of their appearance here added to Gertz''s anguish. ------Surrender. Those words crossed his mind. Aurugorn Hilikntos was easily defeated by the Cursed Child. The veteran General Gertz didn''t think that he was ipetent. Each of the generals defending the four corners of the kingdom was a monster in his eyes. They were certainly not ipetent. Gertz was not exceptionally gifted, but he learned a lot from his experience. War was more than a battle between soldiers, it was aparison of the intelligence and self-discipline of the generals. Sometimes they held the responsibility of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of lives in one hand and had to make decisions under extreme pressure. And they''re the ones who have won countless victories in it. They are therefore entrusted with the four corners of the kingdom. Gertz, who always questioned his abilities, knew more than anyone else of their abnormalities. And Krische''s abnormality, who could easily defeat them. He had noticed it. They were fighting an even battlefield------but only because they had been led to believe so. Selene Christand in the north, Nozan Verreich in the south. The two enemy generals were just waiting for Krische Christand to arrive. They did not doubt her victory against Aurugorn Hilkintos, and that''s why they didn''t go on the offensive and exhausted us, just buying time. What kind of a monster is Krische Chrishtand that they can trust her that much? He didn''t think he can measure her with his own diminutive ability. If His Royal Highness had failed to defeat the hero Bogan, they would have lost the battle that day. The ck Lion and the Thunderbolt------the foreign element that intervened in the even battle between the two monsters would easily upset the bnce. "...... give them a light meal of meat before the night. I''m worried about the morale of the troops. We''ve been cutting back so far, but I don''t mind giving them a little extravagance." "Yes sir!" "...General Wiring." A messenger ran, and the brown-haired young adjutant opened his mouth fearfully. He may be young, but he is quick-witted, and although his experience is limited, he will make a good general in the future. The adjutant Rubens looked lost and his gaze wandered. Gertzughed. "Just say it. The adjutant is allowed to say anything. The adjutant sometimes reprimanded the general, sometimes inspired him, and is required to be the general''s sword and arm." He said in the kindest tone possible. Gertz did not approve of putting on air to his subordinates. "...Yes sir. The current situation------besieged, with no reinforcements, the morale of the troops no longer in a state to continue the siege. At this rate, defeat will be inevitable. I believe...we should surrender." "...hmmm" It was a reasonable opinion. The majority here would agree with him. The messenger and the squire at his side both had a look of tension on their faces. "That''s what your role is, Rubens-kun. The adjutant needs to stop the superior officer''s recklessness and calls for rational judgment... What do you think about the option of trying to break out?" "...South would be the most suitable. Even if we escape to the north, we''ll just be drowned out and die. If we want even a little bit of hope, south------at sunset, to the royal capital and His Royal Highness. If the enemy is thinking of a surprise attack, the possibility of getting through the gap exists." "... A wonderful decision. However, the enemy is General Verreich. Naturally, in this situation, we assume that we will break through. Impossible." He was asked for an opinion and was denied. Rubens looked at Gertz with confusion. Gertzughed. "Let me tell you something good for the future. Unless you''re dealing with barbarians, the premise is that both allies and enemies know the basic tactics. If you''re going to break through with a surprise blow, you must exceed your opponent''s imagination. Otherwise, the only way it will work is if the enemy is ipetent. And it''s foolish to act with the believe of the enemy''s ipetence." "...Yes" "Soldier, sake." Gerz added, ''ahh'', as if it had just urred to him. "Give everyone here a drink." With that, he sat down in his chair and indicated for Rubens to sit down. Rubens nodded with a meek look on his face and sat down. On the table were two sake cups, each filled with sake. "Always imagine the smallest move that you can make over your opponent. It may be a movement to exploit an opponent''s weakness, or it may be a tactic not written in the books. ...understand?" "Yes." Gertz lifted his cup and Rubens follows suit. "The battle the other day------I turned my attention to the left wing led by Selene Christand, and Krische-Christand jumped down from the cliff top with the elite. This was a move I would never have imagined. As a result, the enemy light infantry joined up with the strong second corps------if we had gone on like that, that would have been enough to win the battle. A man who leads an army must always think of method outside the enemy''s awareness." ''------Though my ability wasn''t enough'', he smiles sadly. "If you have military superiority, you can win the battle by pushing with a single stroke, but that is usually not the case. Even if that is so, it is natural to assume that if they choose to fight a decisive battle, your opponent will have a n to win against your superior forces. Train your eyes to make such observations through various viewpoints. You are still young and talented. You have time ahead of you. I am sure you will be a bettermander than I am." "... General Wiring is a man worthy of my respect and is the most splendid general that I should aim for. Please don''t say such things." "...Thank you. It''s an honor to have an adjutant like you." Tears welled up in Rubens'' thin eyes. He understood why they were having this kind of conversation now. "I think they''re going to settle this tonight. Defeat is inevitable. But if I surrender without a fight, I will not be able to face the soldiers who have died so far. There must always be someone to take responsibility. Do you understand?" Rubens could not answer. Gertzughed softly. "I will go forward. I entrust you with full authority of the center. ...When you see me fall, surrender. If they had wanted to attack us, the enemy could have chosen to do so at any time. However, the reason they waited until now was that they feared the loss of military strength. Even the demonstration was also made in the hope that we would surrender.... no matter what, they will treat you too badly." "......but" "I hope you understand. Do I have to order you this, hmm?" Rubens hesitated for a moment but puffed out his chest and put his right hand over his heart, hitting it. It was a heartfelt salute. Gertzughed with satisfaction and returned the salute. His face was radiant. ----That evening, the south side of Mirskronia. At the foot of the mountain, the partition screen was in mes, and smoke billows up. All the trees were cut and carried in Bernaichwere for the smoke screen. The watery branches and leaves created arge amount of smoke in the fire. It crawled slowly over the surface of Mirskronia Mountain. "Well then, shall we go?" And then the Dragon''s Maw----the narrow central part. Krische moved to the spot closest to the fortress and announced to her Century. The smoke rising from the foot of the mountain would have the enemy''s attentionpletely focused on the south. "It should be much easier than going down the cliff. Follow me as you see fit. Mia." "Yes ma''am. From 1st Squad. Captain Corinth, It''s a lot of luggage, but please." "Yes ma''am. Don''t drop it, you guys." Some soldiers carried jars of oil on their backs. Climb up the cliff and burn down the mountain ridge fortress. The north----that was enough for the soldiers against the Christand army that Selene led. "The objective is to temporarily take the fort and nt the g." Krische nces at the g. It was a g with a crescent moon and skull. Like a sickle that reaps the ears of rice, the sharp crescent represents Krische. And a severed neck----a hollow skull profile that indicates death. Krische smiled, being reminded of Eluga. The banner was recentlypleted and delivered from Serene to Krische via Nozan. The soldiers of Mirskronia were shown this banner at the demonstration, so when they see it at the fort, they will know at a nce who has taken the fort. "If you encounter a general or someone who looks strong, make sure you fight with two or more squad. If you can escape, do so. Krische will do something about it. Please don''t get seriously injured like Bald Eagle." "Yes. Take care of our life, right." "That''s right. You have to take care of your life. It''s hard to recruit new soldiers after all." "Fufu, yes. Understood." Mia answered a little happily. This has been Krische''s habit since Dagra was injured. Her words were soft and simple, which was why they are so true. At least they were more fortunate than anything else to have been chosen as her special subordinate. They saluted without anyone saying anything, and Krische epted their salute. "This time Krische (we) are few, we don''t have to worry about the Holy Spirit Covenant. No matter how much advantage you have, ensuring safety is the top priority, and we won''t take prisoners at the fort, so don''t worry about it. Even if the enemy doesn''t show any resistance, as long as they don''t run away, kill them." Her usual tone------but somehow cold. "If you kill everyone like that, it will be a relief." Krische smiled at them. Chapter 82: The Scale of Malice Chapter 82: The Scale of Malice What was at the foot of Mirskronia Mountain was more than just a partition for arrows. It was a blindfold to hide the trees brought from Bernaich. They were thrown into a lightly dug trench along with its branches and leaves, and soaked in oil. Therge amount of fresh wood, which contained high moisture, produced arge amount of smoke along with arge me. And the winds from south to north----blocked by the Dargon''s Maw----carry it away, covering the entire south face of the burnt-out Mirskronia. The gongs and cries of the Christand army resounded from the foot of the mountain. Some noticed it and shouted. "They''re going to take advantage of the smoke and climb up the mountain! It doesn''t matter if you can''t see it, keep shooting arrows!" The bonfires were meaningless. The smoke that had rolled in covered everything. Soldiers coughed and shoot arrows in a frenzy fighting with their fear of death. Many were so frightened that they threw down their swords and ran away. In a situation where they can''t see. And the head-hunters of Bernaich and the ck-d Century were there. The forest is gone. Visibility is secured by a massive bonfire. So they felt safe. No tragedy that took countless brave men ever happen---- This smoke was enough to break their hearts. If their vision is blocked, there is no telling where it will appear from. The sight of the Kingdom''s General being dismembered was seared into their eyes. The body was left out in the open. And it was still left there. If you go against her, she will do the same to you. "Hiee!" One person, two people, five people, ten people. If the one next to them ran away, then they will run away too. They will be killed. They will be killed. They will be killed. If one who went crazy with fear screamed, the others mistakenly believed that the enemy has appeared was only natural. What they caused by the unbearable terror could only be called mass hysteria. Screams were raised from everywhere------it made them imagine a one-sided massacre. Deprived of sight, their imagination was stirred. The rumored ck-Coated soldiers and silver hair. They imagined their friends killed one after another, and run away. This situation, where themander was out of sight, was rather an opportunity for them. In order to protect their own lives rather than a noble mission, they can follow their instincts and escape without being reproached. The screams ovepped, transmitted, and spread to the entire mountain. Those who were facing the Christand Army in the north also began to tremble when they saw the smoke covering the sky and heard the screams from the south. The Christand army has built countless bonfires and was forming up in an orderly fashion. It was not for an attack. It was to watch them so that they could not escape. If the enemy appears from the south, then they will be attacked in the rear with no escape. Death crosses their minds as well, and screams covered the entire mountain. Everyone was afraid of being killed, and the control of the army broke down. "...Rubens, I leave it to you." "...Yes sir." ------And Gertz Wiring, who was on the mountain ridge, left the fort. Climbing up the mountain in the smoke------it''s not that simple. He did not think the enemy will close in on them through the smoke, which made breathing difficult. They had no need to do so. They just covered their vision with smoke. That alone rendered Gertz''s soldiers useless. Frightened and confused, imagining the monstering toward them, most of them were no longer soldiers. His soldiers, exhausted from the siege in the mountains, were at their limit. The enemy only needs to add one push in the right ce. Gertz continued westward along the mountain ridge, and when the smoke cleared, he saw the figure he had expected to see. It was a marching army emerging from the western mountain ridge where the trees still remained. The one in the lead was recognizable from a distance. The General------Nozan Verreich. The banner depicted a pair of graceful wings and a howling wolf. Although drawing a hawk that represents the Christand is considered an honor, he still draws wings to show that he is a wolf that protects Christand. ----A flock of wolves that devoured everything that harmed the hawk. With the crest that was permeated by his reverence for his dead lord above his head, Nozan Verreich marched towards them up the mountain ridge. "So it ends here." The enemy numbered about 5,000 men. Not that many. However, there were less than 2000 soldiers gathered around him who were confused and out of control. Through the gaps in the smoke, he could see the backs of his own soldiers running away. The enemy, deployed at the foot of the mountains to the south, was shouting. ''Advance, kill them, kill them all, Krische-sama ising'', they shouted, but they did not seem to be advancing. However, the soldiers in the smoke did not know what was going on. Even those soldiers who had barely escaped were under the illusion that they were really being attacked, and their fatigue only increased as they shot countless arrows. They would eventually copse. Without a single attack. No matter how much Gertz shouted, it would be meaningless. His words wouldn''t reach those who went mad with fear. "... as expected, huh. Brave soldiers gathered here, listen!" Gertz raised his voice. Soldiers who still followed him even in the face of inevitable defeat. Everyone there was a hero. Some may be trembling. Some may be frightened. Still, they suppressed those feelings and stood together with Gertz. Whether it was for honor, faith, or friends----they were here for something beautiful. Gertz had nothing but gratitude for them. "Ahead of us is the mighty foe, Nozan Verreich. The one under the hero Christand, the man who was said to be the strongest of them all. There is no more victory for us, and ahead of us is the road to death. Knowing this, you are here as soldiers----as warriors, stronger and braver than anyone." Gertz saluted toward everyone that stood there. Gertz saluted not as a superior, but as their equal, with a t hand pressed to his chest. "You guys have gathered here. That alone is enough for me. To have soldiers like you under mymand----that''s what I''m most proud of in this lifetime." HeI closed his eyes for a moment. Defeat was inevitable. Today would be hisst battle. "And that''s why I say to you... treasure your life." His words left everyone perplexed. The only reason they were able to hold on was because they were with the general. "I will now move forward, aiming for General Verreich''s head. There may not be the slightest hope. And I will not allow you----the brave soldiers who are to carry the Kingdom in the future, to go along with me. You will remain in this fortress, and if I am defeated, you will surrender with my adjutant, Rubens." There was no longer much hope of fighting to reduce his forces. With such a copse, organized resistance was impossible. What good would it do to take hundreds, or at best, more than a thousand enemy soldiers with them? If that were the case, at least as many as possible. Gertz''s decision was based on this. "Although we crossed des because of our differences in ideology, I still respect the hero Bogan Christand. He is a man who prided himself of being a warrior than anyone else. And I belive that that man, who was his trusted retainer also felt the same. ...The previous example was aimed at the copse of the army. He will not behave violently against those who surrender." He has gained experience at the cost of many lives. His body, trained under countless des, can still fight. He is unremarkable and has a body that does not exceed the realm of ordinary people, but he still has pride as a warrior. "It''s fine as long as you witness my fight. ...I''m grateful to you guys for sticking with me in my selfishness." He got off his horse. It was no longer useful here. A body that transcends humans through magic does not need a horse. ----Forward. His footsteps were sure. His mind was clear. Several soldiers followed behind him. From few to dozens. Then over a hundred, over three hundred. He didn''t know the exact number. But Gertzughed. "...you idiots" "Haha, not as much as General, I bet." One of the centurions said, andughed. "We''ll us our lives and pave the way. As expected t would beme if after all that talk, General didn''t even managed to meet with the enemy''s general." The next person to speak was the fat battalionmander who has arge stature. The battalionmander speaks lightly to the general. Depending on the situation, it was a word that could have been severely punished, but Gertz didn''t get angry and justughed. "Kuku, that certainly won''t look good. Don''t worry, I used to be in the same position as you, with a sword and a spear in my hand. I''m not going to show you that much of shameful figure." "That''s good. If there is an opportunity even after we die, I definitely want to ask for a match." "Ah, I promise." Gertz nodded. The centurion by his sideughed. "Woah, I''ve never seen the battalionmander wield a sword." "Alba, you bastard. Haven''t I shown you many times." "To think you called that wielding a sword. At best it''s only swinging a stick. I thought you climbed up here to surrender, but it''s not like you, battalionmander. Did your rotten nature got switched?" "Just saying whatever you want. I''ll whip you next time." Gertz looked at the situation happily and nodded. Then he asked. "What is your name?" "I am themander of the 2nd battalion of the 1st Corps, Takirus Nea Senger, General." "And you are Alba-kun? The second battalion should have been the defending of the south." "I don''t know what to say... Most of the soldiers have run away. So I had no choice but toe here and what I saw was this." "...I see" "The only thing that gives this battalionmander dignity is his mouth and his stomach. The soldiers all ran away because they didn''t want to die under this kind of battalionmander. ...I can''t help but think that myst days will be with a battalionmander like him. How to say it, It''s a very empty feeling." ''Bastard'', Takirus bellowed, pointing his finger behind him. "Look, dozens of people are full of motivation to die with me. You understande, I''ve earned that much respect." "Several dozen out of 1,000 men. Most of them are my soldiers. Who among you would want to die for themander Zenge!!" The words ''No one, Captain Alba'', and such were returned, and theughter echoed around the people who had been listening to the conversation. "Hahahaha, that''s good, really good. I wish I had gotten to know you guys a little earlier. Sitting down and have a drink together." Gertz said happily and tapped Takirus and Alba on the shoulders. "Thanks to you guys, the coward bug that remained inside of me seems to have flown away somewhere. Seeing what''s in front made my legs trembled, until just now that is." He nodded deeply and continued. "Let''s show them that even a cornered mouse will bite a wolf." "Yeah, now that''s the only choice. But Alba, you can protect me and risk your life to let me escape you know." "That''s the role of the battalionmander. Unlike your daughter, my son is my biological child." "Bastard..." And so, they proceeded to their deaths. Smoke is only a temporary distraction. It faded as they advance. The distance between the two armies closed. Gertz and Nozan came out in front of the two armies that had formed up. Both generals were the same as the other day------the only difference would be the number of soldiers and whether they were on horseback or not. A youthful voice resounded. He raised his visor of his winged helmet and held a steel shield in his left hand. The man with reddish-bronze hair smiled with his teeth bared, distorting his beautiful face. It was a smile that was like that of a wolf. "If I can be the foundation for future soldiers, that''s fine with me. Like you, I dislike needless bloodshed. Let''s settle this." "Hmm... I see." Nozan smiled at those words and looked at Gertz, observing him. After thinking a little, he said. "If you say so, this is probably the crossroads. ...Before it''s toote, I''ll ask you, why don''t you surrender for the sake of the brave soldiers here who haven''t fled yet?" " "At this point you still expect me to nod?" "Choose your words wisely, General Wiring." There was a half-pitying look in his eyes. "It''s easy whichever you choose. at least for me. ......That''s why I''m only asking this out of mercy for you and your soldiers." Nozan said roundaboutly. Gertz frowned. "What do you mean?" "Well, think about it." Nozanughed. Showing his fangs. Gertz pondered what he means and shook his head, wondering if he''s stalling for time. "Win or lose, it will be by de. The answer will not change." "Is that so. ...What a shame, at least I''ll offer those words." Nozan pull back the visor and turned on his heel. He then drew his sword. Gertz also turns back and pulls out his sword. A battle cry echoed through the mountains. ----It would be apt to say that the battle was one-sided. About 5000 against 300. It was a number that was essentially can''t even be called a batlle. Gertz and his men were immediately surrounded----but they were determined. They were originally dead soldiers. They were brave men who were determined enough not to fear even their own deaths. All the soldiers were going for the enemy general, Nozan Verreich. Leading the way was Gekar, a centurion known for his valor even within Gerz army. He wields a huge hammer on his huge, bear-like body, and knocks down the enemy. Those around him were fascinated by it and wielded their des. Soldiers who are prepared to die are strong. By giving up on the life that lies ahead, they turned their own lives into fuel and moved forward as if to burn it all up. At the beginning of the battle, it was their rapid march. ----But that ended immediately What they saw in front of them was a silver-winged armor. and arge shield of steel. "A...ghu!?" A blow from the sledgehammer that was raised above his head----it was easily parried by therge shield. Then, as he slipped through, Nozan stabbed his leg with the longsword in his right hand, and pierced the shoulder, then thrusting his de into the opening, ending his life ----A shield in his left hand and a de in his right. Lorka swordsmanship, which is famous as a battlefield swordsmanship, demonstrates its true power when the shield is held up. In front of Nozan, who has mastered it, a person who is simply strong cannot be said to be his opponent. He uses his shield as a blow, as a defense, or even to crush the skulls of his enemies with its steel. To those who faced him, it seemed as if he was a castle wall. Everything in sight was covered with a steel shield, and the sword that was suddenly unleashed was sharp. Nozan Verreich was at the forefront of the melee, yet it was as if he was walking through an empty field. As if the flowing torrent was split by a huge rock, the soldiers who were cut down beside him piled up. A trained body and bravery that does not fear death. Although they were hastily created, they were all fierce men who could be called elite. Even so, Nozan progress was unstoppable. Full body armor and steel shield. Although the total weight exceeds that of an ordinary human body, his movements maintain the speed and uracy of bare skin. Not a single person could scratch the graceful armor or the sculpture of the falcon''s wings. Only fresh blood-colored its silver. He was one of the corpsmanders in the army of the Hero Christand. Nozan was also a monster of a monster-yer. He surpassed even his lord Bogan in swordsmanship, and his shield and de, which had ughtered countless fierce warriors, were without a single blemish. A single blow from his shield can knock several people off their feet, and he can defeat his opponents with sheer physical strength. When a sword is pointed at him, the de was misdirected, splitting the empty air, and that will be yourst swing. There was no one rhere who could defeat the shadow hero who possessed both power and skill. "Ggh!?" "Battalion Commander!!" A well-dressed battalionmander was knocked off by the shield. A centurion raised his de to protect him. And the shield gleamed as if scooping up from the base of the raised sword. ----A dull roar resounded. The centurion''s arm was snapped off by the impact----a sword line runs down his neck, and he died. "Alba!! You bastard...!!" As soon as the battalionmander regained his stance, he stepped forward with his body and readied his sword. Stab each other, or at least one blow. The earth sunk foot as he stepped forward. The distance between the two was crushed ----However, the silver-winged warrior remained calm. He lowered his posture against the man''s blow, who was quicker than he looked. Using his momentum, Nozan throws his giant body overhead with his shield. "Ah" Then, he brilliantly cut the neck of the man who was floating in the air. Blood rains down, and there was no longer a single sign of interest toward there. Only a pair of zed eyes looked forward through the visor that represented a pair of wings. Ahead of his line of sight----there was the veteran General wearing a simple armor. His long beard was slightly shaken as he offered a moment of silent prayer for the deaths of the two men, and then he readied his spear. "Let''s fight, General Verreich! "I appreciate your spirit, but----" ----Gertz stepped forward. He was an old man------but his movements are iparable to those of ordinary people. The hand spear swung around with force that seemed to crush the wind. The spear bends sharply, at the silver-winged warrior. If he were a mere soldier, that alone would shatter his spine along with his armor. Nozan easily parried the blow with his shield------but Gertz was no longer there. Gertz went around to the left of Nozan''s shield and drew his long sword. The spear was a feint attack from the beginning. He had slipped around the nks and used all of the skills he had trained in the past. He was betting it all on that one sword. The de was sharp as it aimed at the seam of the armor. Gertz, as if sinking his body into the ground, delivered a brilliant thrust that could be said to be the very model of swordsmanship. "------It''s no use, old general." "Gu-!?" Nozan didn''t even turn around. On top of that, Nozan''s foot pierced Gertz''s torso with precision. A blow that warped even steel armor. Gertz was mmed into the soldier''s body, rolled over, and coughed. "...I acknowledge your courge to face me. But this body, trained in the service of the hero Bogan Christand, cannot be scratched with that level of skill." "Ku, not yet..." He gave a pitying look to Gertz, who still tried to get up. "Even this... I was intending to be merciful though. Look, old general. ----The smoke has cleared." Nozan said and pointed somewhere. It was Mirskronia''s main camp------the fortress. It was burning before he knew it, and there was a ck banner with a crescent skull on it. "Uh... no way" "It should be said that time is up. It seems that you were so absorbed in it that you didn''t notice----" Suddenly, a series of screams echoed. It was from the soldiers led by Gertz. "You had yourst chance when I asked you just now. You turned it down, and now you can''t take that choice back. ----it is already over." With Nozan words. ----Innumerable blood flowers bloomed from the soldier rank, and a silver shadow descended. A battlefield between two generals. What appeared in this intentionally created space was a girl who was out of ce. Her long silver hair tied in two, and her shirt and skirt were hidden by her cloak. Her beauty shining in the moonlight was like a fairy''s, and her purple eyes showed a quiet radiance. Her slender petite body----not a drop of dirt on her pure white skin as she dives through the drizzling blood. In the hands of this dainty girl was a graceful de that undtes like that of a woman''s naked body. Only the distorted curved sword, smeared with blood, shone with a somewhat obscene and bewitching radiance. The figure of a girl who was not suited to the battlefield. However, there is probably no other girl who is more suited to the battlefield than she. Her mere presence freezes even the heat of the moment. Everyone here knew her. As the embodiment of the fear that clings around the Dragon''s Maw. ----The Cursed Child, Krische Christand. Seeing that figure, Gertz trembled and dropped the sword he was holding in his hand. "I''ve been going around the fort, searching everyst one, but he is here after all." Her sweet voice traveled far and wide on the silent battlefield and tickled their ears. Like a bell ringing, like a bird chirping. The sound of her voice----detached from fear and tension, was beautiful, and if it were not on the battlefield, it might have been a voice they want to listen to. "Yes, Krische-sama.... here." Nozan saluted with a natural motion in the frozen air as he gripped his sword. The victory had already been decided. No one attacked Nozan, who was showing an opening. And, as a matter of course, not to Krische, who stood there. "So that person is General Wiring. I saw his face briefly the other day, though from a distance." Her cherry-colored lips were gently smiling. "Everyst one, you mean...the soldiers on the fort are..." Gertz asked in a mumbled voice. Rubens. The face of the adjutant he had left behindes to mind. "Because Krische is only after you after all. Krische thought you were hiding somewhere, ...but you see, even if Krische wanted to look for you, it was in that smoke." The girl covered her mouth with her cloak and makes a troubled face. Innocent, without malice. ''Krische also killed your adjutant.'' She informed him with a mad smile. ----Rubens Linea Alkeld was born into a noble family, the son of a concubine. In a family of male lineage----all the children were born female it was said that he would be the heir to the family until the age of ten or so, and Rubens continued to live up to that expectation. He worked extraordinarily hard, in his studies, in his swordsmanship. For his sickly mother. Even though he was called a child prodigy, he continued to show results without being arrogant, and even though he was a concubine''s child, Rubens studied so hard that he was said to be worthy of inheriting the name of Alkeld. The turning point for him was the birth of a boy between his father and his legal wife. It was a verymon story. The way he treats him and his mother changed. Rubens no longer had any other way to live but in the military. If he took credit, if he rose in the ranks. He would be able to take back what he once held in his hands and save his mother. He would spend every waking moment training, learning tactics, wielding sword and spear----his good fortune was that he had a respected superior officer. It was Gertz Wiring who spotted his talent, when he was less than 30, and appointed him as his adjutant. He was a man who rose to the rank of general not because of his good birth, but because of his ability, which is rare in the Kingdom''s center. Gertz was not a man who was arrogant with his men. But his education was always rigorous, and he imparted all the experience and knowledge he had to Rubens. One careless move could end the lives of hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people. Amander must never be lenient with himself. Many of them have been unable to endure his excessive training and have asked to be transferred. But Rubens was the only one who did not run away and desperately tried to follow his instructions. This was an opportunity that Rubens would not let go of even if he died. The position of General''s Adjutant is sometimes recognized as actingmand on behalf of General and is number two in the military both in name and reality. It is not so rare that someone who has no connections and no power as a noble is chosen as an adjutant. Rubens could not think of throwing away this opportunity. Rubens, a brilliant man from the start, absorbed more knowledge than Gertz could ever hope to. As soon as he learned one thing, he would learn another. Polite and enthusiastic, Rubens was a good student. Looking at this, Gertz''s face began to show more kindness than harshness----one day, he said to Rubens. ''I know I have no talent. That''s why I''ve learned to not lose even one bit of experience but...there are many time that I wished I had just a little bit more wisdom. So, before I finished my role, I wanted to entrust everything I had to someone with talent. Will you please ept it? ----Rubens, I think I can entrust everything I have so far to you. The words were heavy, yet sent a shiver down his spine. He knew that he was wanted, that his past had been recognized. Th meaning of Gertz''s word was the word he wanted from his father. He worked harder than ever before. He worked harder than ever before. As Gertz Wiring adjutant, as the sessor to receive all of it. However---- "Hmm, too bad. It''s a miss. Seems the General is not here." Nipping that in the bud was a girl. In a single breath, she killed all the soldiers at the top of the fort, shook her silver hair, and tilted her head. Her somewhat inorganic eyes, as if she were a doll or something, stared at him. The purple color of her eyes shines with an eerie, cold radiance, and her well-formed face makes a somewhat distorted expression, like a doll imitating a human being. Not even a few moments have passed since the bell rang to warn of an enemy attack. She appeared before the bells had stopped ringing and killed twelve men in a haphazard manner----with a precise cleave to their necks and stood before Rubens'' eyes. "You''re adjutant Alkeld, right? Where is the general----oops, there" A soldier who climbed thedder from downstairs was killed by stabbing him with a corpse''s sword. It was more elegant and beautiful than any sword he''ve ever seen----no wasted movement. He already knew too well that there was no way to win. She was a monster that could kill people with the ease of kicking a pebble. ----We should surrender. His reason whispered. But Gertz was still fighting. His emotions rejected reason. "I''m sorry, but I can''t let you go------" His right hand is on his left hip, on the hilt of his sword. The drawn sword, however, "...n, so you won''t tell Krische." "Agh...!?" The sword, along with his right arm, rolled noisily onto the floorboards. The voice came from behind him, and the floor was in front of him. Before Rubens knew it, his body was on his knees. "Well, that''s okay, if Krische just asks at random, eventually someone will--" "------Usa-chan, did you find it?" "Um..." "Uh!?" She grabbed the cor of his armor, and Rubens'' body floats in the air. With a momentary feeling of floating, his body on the third floor of the fort was mmed to the ground. The girl lightlynded on the side of Rubens, who was writhing in severe pain and was unable to take a decent defensive posture. Squad 1 and Squad 2 were there, with Mia inmand. "Only the adjutant, it''s a miss. Mia." "...Nothing so far." The chestnut-haired centurion distorted his face and looked at Rubens. Around them, Wiring''s soldiers stopped fighting the ck-painted century and look at the girl. Some of them even threw down their swords, realizing that the Cursed Child in front of them was Krische, and that the one-armed man who has fallen is Rubens, the second-inmand. They do not seem to have the will to fight. But. "----Kalua, don''t ck off. Krische''s hope is safety first. "Yes." A curved sword like an ax was swung at them whose heart already broke. Two heads flew off and they screamed. "Hie!" And with that as a signal, the ck-coated soldiers mercilessly attacked them. It''s hard to get your energy back once it''s lost. The men, who had been maintaining a slight coordination, were killed one by one, as if they were being devoured limb by limb by a beast. Rubens watched in agony. "How is it, Mia?" "Yes, I think we have taken care of about 70% of them, since they have escaped. Tagel''s squad will continue to deal with the remaining enemies, while Corinth''s squad will be setting fire to them as nned." "Hmm... that''s right. Please do so." Battle of Forts--Fighting in such obstacles and uneven terrain was the mostfortable situation for the ck Centurion. Battle of Forts------Fighting in such obstacles and uneven terrain was the mostfortable situation for the ck Centurion. If pressed, they would jump onto the tops of turrets, huts, and other structures to escape. Then, they would do the opposite and smash the heads of unsuspecting soldiers from overhead. Soldiers who could only maneuver on a t surface could not catch them moving three-dimensionally. Krische nodded and asked Rubens, who was wriggling on his back. "Krische''s going to ask you one more time, where is the general?" "The general said...here. Surrender, so----" It was no longer possible to resist. Rubens gives up everything and throws away even his pride. "It''s no good, you surrendered arbitrarily as an adjutant while the General is still alive." But Krische said, admonishing him. When surrendering, if there is a possibility of suffering damage due to confusion in the chain ofmand, the receiving side can reject it. This was to prevent counterattacks from units that had not been notified of the surrender, or from higher-ranking units, after stopping the attack at the word surrender. If the condition of the general''s survival oveps with the situation falling into chaos, the general''s orders will take precedence. It is also justifiable for a general to withdraw the lieutenant''s surrender derationter and move on to a counterattack. Given the risk, she had no intention of allowing him to surrender. Thoroughly kill all those who oppose her and ensure safety. To not make a second Dagra. It was already decided in Krische what to do. "N-no way..." "Sorry. Krische doesn''t intend to take prisoners at the fort this time. It would have been a different story if there was a general though." Rubens stared dumbfounded at the screams that echoed around him and the soldiers being killed. That''s all he can do, and he looks up with tears running down his face as if clinging to the smiling mad girl. "I beg you, please------" "Krische-sama, the general seems to have led a small group to the west----General Verreich''s ce." "Huh, he headed there. Well then... Ah, that''s enough, take a rest." "ah--" The inorganic purple eye and his gaze met for a moment. Krische stomped and crushed the neck of the wriggling adjutant. "...Uwahh" "Then Krische will go to the General. Mia, you understand right?" Mia nods, trying not to see her adjutant''s corpse. "Umm... yes. If there is a counterattack from others, we will quickly withdraw." "Good. That''s what a centurion is." Krische proudly puffed up her chest and shook her head, as if she was the boss. "The victory has already been decided. Krische doesn''t think there will be resistance, but it''s a pointless battle. Don''t let anyone die." "......yes" Mia happily salutes, and Krische nodded satisfactorily. She then looked at Kalua. "Mia is so bad (noob) at swords that it''s better to start counting from the bottom, so Kalua, please protect her properly. It''s a big deal if Mia gets hurt." "Uuuhh..." "Of course, leave the clumsy (noob) Mia to me!" "Kalua!" Mia red at her, but Kalua didn''t care. Krische saw it and turned her gaze to the other three. The three salute as if they understood. "Well then Krische wil be going. Krische''ll arrange for all o youto rest in the city for at least one day, so do yout best." After she said this, Krische ran west in the direction of Northern and Goertz. Naturally, there were enemy soldiers, but visibility was poor, and the situation was chaotic. But she did not run to an obstacle. Those who were frightened by her appearance made way for her, and the brave men who were not frightened were cut down and killed. There was no one chasing her. Everyone knew it was suicide. And the direction she was headed in------the direction of the fort, they understood. Fall of the fort. That they were defeated by the Cursed Child who visited them as dered. Krische cuts down anything that gets in her way as she runs through the thinning smoke of the mountain ridge. Krische stepped into the ce where the two generals of the two armies were facing each other. "Krische thinks we should avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Will you surrenderpletely?" Krische slowly approaches Gertz. "Now only General Wiring can make that decision." She walked with a light gait. "Krische''s sure the general will think that there is no way I will surrender. And you were reckless enough to fight General Verreich with such a small force." Gertz''s actions were not based on logical judgment. It was too reckless and pointless. They would not affect the oue of the battle, nor would they inflict a crushing blow. But it was not hard to understand why he made this choice. "Krische doesn''t understand it, but the general has an aesthetic sense that respects death, just cause and honor, right? Even knowing Krische wants you to surrender." She smiled and nodded to herself. Besides her, no one speaks a word. Everyone was taken in by the peculiar atmosphere she had. "I swear I won''t do anything wrong. I threatened you during the day, but unlike General Hilkinthos, Krische will follow the rules properly. Krische I won''t treat prisoners badly, and properly protect them as a citizen of the same kingdom. But------" The mad purple eyes looked down at Gertz Wiring. "------If the general refuses, Krische will kill all the remaining soldiers on this mountain for the sake of the future. So that all opponents who fight Krische from now on will think that they should surrender rather than fight Krische." Her sane mind was consciously drowned in madness. "An army with nomand and control, frightened soldiers, the darkness of night. You know how easy it is, right? After that, no matter who dered surrender, Krische will kill him. As you know, surrender by self-judgment can be refused if one considers that the battle is continuing." And she asked with a smile. "General keep that in mind and give your response after careful consideration. Honestly, Krische is fine either way, since the result is not bad." It is a smile that is endlessly lovely, charming, and devoid of humanity. The curved sword in her hand glistens red with blood and shakes. "But after all, if you''re going in line with general ethics, isn''t it true that the fewer people die, the better? ¡¡If you think about the lives that can be saved just by the General''s words, Krische think the answer is obvious though." ----Right? The moment he refused, she will cut his head and do what she said. She didn''t even have the hesitation she should have as a person. "...render" "Hmm, um, Krische can''t hear you like that Say it again clearly so that everyone here can hear you.... What are you going to do?" Gertz clenched his fists and repeated. "I will... surrunder. Please help the soldiers." The person who he tried to entrust his future to was killed, but he was not even allowed to die as a General on the battlefield. "... Yes. That''s wonderful decision. Fufu, Krische is d General is understanding." In front of him was despair that took away everything. The girl''s heart was distorted to the extent that everything Gertz had piled up was broken. Chapter 83: Idiot Chapter 83: Idiot ----Dawn Selene was already used to military service. Christand''s main army suffered almost no damage. Repetition of the phony offensive----their role this time was to inme the enemy''s vignce and anxiety and exhaust them, so there was no chaos even while they were undertaking the majority of processing the prisoners. After giving out a set of instructions, she left the northern part to Gallen and headed south through the Dragon''s Maw to its center. Selene was apanied by about thirty cavalrymen. If she leaves her camp for even a moment, she will always have her bodyguard, even in her own camp. She couldn''t say that Bogan, who was killed the other day, was not careless. Speaking in what if----If he had had a little more escort, he might have been able to escape, and if he had, the Christand would have won the battle that day. Even though he was the general of an army, her father took his own safety lightly. That was the cause of the previous defeat. Serene was already simply looking at her father''s death with the eyes of amander. "......That is" South through the Dragon''s Maw. Abandoned in front of Mirskronia were a mutted corpse and a g. Aurugorn Hilkintos----it was his pitiful figure. Selene furrowed her brows and lowered her eyes. She''s been told by Nozan about Krische''s actions. It was a semi-ex post facto approval. He probably knew how Serene would react to it. Why did they leave him there? To show it to the surrendered captives. in and simple, just like hanging a dead raven to avoid a raven. If it''s Krische then she could do it calmly. She didn''t wonder why she would do such a thing. Something that was worthless to her, didn''t have any value for her And if she could make use of the thing that was worthless to her, she would do so without feeling anything. ''Should I order a burial?''----she give it some thought and stopped. It would be pointless to do so now. Besides, the soldiers were busy. Then it would be better to continue and make the best use of the effect. Selene passed by, her golden hair swaying like a horse''s tail. The cavalrymen who followed her averted their eyes from the corpse. The corpse''s face already pecked by ravens, was frozen in time while contorted in pain. Then to the headquarters of the Verreich army. As they headed for themander''s tent where Nozan was, they naturally saw Krlische''s Century. Since it was a forced march with just a hundred men, they borrowed Nozan''s tent They saluted Selene as soon as they recognized her, and Selene politely responded. "Where is Krische?" "The corpsmander is----" "Selene!" Along with the voice, a shadow suddenly appeared from the side and hugged Selene like horseback. After a beat, the horse (Selene) snorted in surprise, but it doesn''t go berserk. The impact of Selene being hugged was lightpared to its momentum. Selene, who had imagined what would happen after hearing the voice, didn''t seem surprised. Even though Selene makes a troubled face, she stroked her silver hair and scolded her. "What will you do if you fall, you idiot?" "Ehehe...Selene is a reasonably good horse rider, so it''s fine, uuu..." "It''s not that kind of problem... Good grief." Krische''s cheek----Pinching and stretching the soft white flesh, Selene smiled wryly. Her face and cloak were spotless and clean. It probably wasn''t that hard of a job for her. Once relieved that Krische wasn''t fatigued, Selene lifted Krische''s dainty body, carrying her like a baby, and stroked her cheek. "Krische sure is energetic. Were you lonely?" "... Yes, Krische might have been very lonely." After she told him, Krische rxed and leaned back against Selene''s body. She regretted ait little, thinking she should have taken off her armor if she''s going to do this. Seeing Krische, who was leaning closer, frowning at the feel of the armor, made her look both funny and a little pitiful. "Krische, what about your work?" "Krische only brought the ck ones, so the Krische (our) job is done. Krische thought Selene wasing, so Krische prepared breakfast..." She looked up at her with puppy eyes. Her lips were puffy, and herrge eyes were a little sleepy. Growl, her stomach growled Eat together and then sleep together with her, that''s probably what she wanted. Serene smiled as she saw through Krische''s mind. "I''m going to visit General Verreich for a little while. Shall we eat together after that?" "......yes" "Elitz, I''m going to have a little rest with Krische, so you guys should also rest. Gather the corpsmanders here at noon for a meeting." "Yes ma''am" After interacting with Krische for a short while, she took off her armor in Krishce''s tent. Then she left her and went to Nozan. It''s just a greeting----the meeting will be heldter, so there was no need for Krische to apany her. Rather, it would be better to say that Krische, who wanted to cook for Selene, left voluntarily. Krische was in a better mood than usual. "I thought I would get yelled at first thing first, but it seems I don''t have to worry about that." Nozan smiled wryly when he saw Selene. "Then that will just be me venting my anger. I''m not that short-tempered." When Selene red at him and sighed, Nozan ruffled his hair and smiled. "The general often asked me for advice because of Lady Selene''s tantrums." "...That was a long time ago. Of course, I''ll grow up." "Haha, Selene-sama has be a lot calmer since Krischee after all." Selene sat down on her chair blushing. "Thanks to Krische and General Verreich we had it easy. It''s also be a good opportunity for the drill, thank you for that." "Of course. From here on, stability in the rear led by Selene-sama will be important." "Yes. I didn''t think the west would be cleared up so easily, so it may be excessive though." From now on, they will the Dragon''s Maw as their main supply route. The battle with the Holy Empire that happened the other day----the eastern part, whose wounds had yet to heal, didn''t have much strength. The Empire had looted many parts of the country, and it was possible to hire people who had lost their jobs after their viges were burned as soldiers, it would be difficult toe up with a long-term supply to feed them. This was one of the reasons why the invasion of the Dragon''s Maw was hastened. By stabilizing the dragon''s jaws, they would finally be able to provide enough logistics to freely operate in the center of the country. And the role of Selene and the Christand army this time is to maintain the rearmunication line leading from the Dragon''s Maw, if the Verreich army was the sword, the Christand army was the shield. If the Hilkintos army waste in joining the war, the Christand army would face them, and the Verreich army would invade the royal capital. "Excessive is fine. His Royal Highness is scattering money from the national treasury after all." Selene nodded in agreement. There were rumors that even national treasures are being sold inrge quantities from the royal pce''s treasury. It seems that Gildanstein was thinking only about winning first rather than what would happen after the war. They didn''t know how many troops he would be able to gather, but 5,000 new soldiers the Christand army been able to recruit since then would be nothingpared to it. Together with the Verreich army, Their number settle down to around 60,000 strong, but the enemy will definitely outnumber them. It was possible if he spit out a lot of money from the national treasury. Regardless of the just cause, that''s what it means to deal with a ''state'' that has the royal pce in its hands. "Rather, we are equal now that we have defeated Hilkintos. It is better to see it that way." "...Right. I''d like to hear your opinion about General Garhka?" "From my personal point of view... I like him. He''s a great noble, but he''s not interested in politics... let me see, he''s simr to General----to Bogan-sama." Selene thought of her father''s face for a moment, but didn''t show any reaction in particr. "Can we rest assured then?" "I wonder about that. From his character I don''t think he will move, but that doesn''t mean we can''t be unguarded. I don''t think there''s much point in thinking about it, though I understand how Selen-sama feel." ''I don''t want him to move either'', Nozan chuckled. "Well, true. It''s no use thinking about it." Selene stretched with her hands above her head. "... I''ll take all the prisoners here. Is that okay?" "Yes. We are close to the limit here. ... and also, It would be better to keep then separate from Krische-sama and her soldier." Selene froze for a moment and red at him. "...You''re saying to let Krische take the me alone?" "I''m sure Krische-sama would like that to be the case. ...It''s just her role. A candy and a whip mixed together is useless." "Even so..." "It depends on how one thinks about it. It has already passed. Then it is the proper courtesy to make the most effective use of it. In the same way you shouldn''t take pity on a soldier who is going to his death and not extend a hand to the soldier who took the rear. ...it''s the same thing." Nozan said it as coldly as he could. Selene clenched her fists so that they were white, and her gaze shook weakly. "Putting aside how you feel, Selene-sama understand right?" Seeing Selene unable to answer, Nozan spread out his hands as if troubled. "... well, it''s up to the General Selene-sama to decide what to do. I won''t force it, but... no matter what, it will be like that after the war." "...after the war?" "Peace is just a preparation period. Until the next war. ......At that time, where will Krische-sama be?" Serene tried to re at Nozan again and stopped. She sighed as told him. "...Thank you for the advice. But you sure have a bad personality." "Haha, you need someone who can scold you after all. I hope Selene-sama won''t hate me for it." "But, yeah. ...what you said wasn''t wrong. I''m powerless." After saying that, Selene continued. "...But more than anyone else, I want Krische to be happy. As much as possible, as much as I can, even if it''s just a little." "If Selene-sama say that then it''s true for me too, I wish for Selene-sama and Krische-sama happiness. On top of that, I said it... well, it might be an unnecessary concern." ''Besides'', Nozan then stared at Selene. The tone of his voice was admonishing. "I''m sure this is what Krische-sama has been thinking about. If Selene is so worried about it, it will also worry her. She is a kind person after all, ...Selene-sama understands that, right?" Selene did not answer. Krische''s tent----inside the nket. "Selene" "......what?" "... Ehehe, chu" Krische kissed her. She clung to her, rub her cheeks against her, and kissed her. Krische was Krische after all----an idiot. Selene was exasperated and stretched Krische''s cheeks with a wry smile. After finishing the meal, they took a short rest before the lunch meeting. It was a rather extravagant breakfast to eat on the battlefield. With the chance to meet Selene, Krische oversaw the breakfast while fighting her drowsiness. In addition to soup and boiled food, she even borrowed a kiln and prepared pizza. She was troubled by Krische who acted unrestrained and spoiled even in front of the soldiers, but she was too cute and lovely, so she couldn''t scold her too hard. Selene thought Krische was like this because she experienced the thorough pampering when she was in bed the other day because of an injury. She has be more and more of a spoiled child. It was difficult for Selene to conclude whether Krische bing an idiot was a good thing or a bad thing. If it made her happy, she thought it might be a good thing. Even if it was only for a short time, like aforting moment, whatever it was. Even if they sessfully ended the civil war, there is no guarantee that peace woulde after the war. If other countries moved, it will be on the scale of what the Holy Empire did the other day. If that happened, inevitably----she would need to ask for Krische''s help. If it continued in a chain. When will she be able to fulfill the promise she made to her? She didn''t know what the future holds. Only anxiety appeared on her face. The world she wanted seemed so far away. "...What does Krische think will happen from now on?" "From now on?" "Our future, maybe. Since it''s you we''re talking about, do you have any specific predictions about what will happen?" "Ah, I see" Krische happy smile faded a little. "If Krische is the king of the surrounding countries, Krische will not miss this opportunity. If Krische wants to invade the kingdom, there will be no better opportunity than now. Krische believes that the reason why it is not being done at present, or if it will not be done in the future, is simply that there are political problems over there that are not profitable. There is a high probability that some country will move." While stroking Selene''s cheek, her eyes were somewhat vacant. "If more than onees, it will be extremely difficult to maintain the territory as it is. Reducing the strategic defensive surface----It''s probably the best choice for the kingdom to shift to an internal line operation centered on the royal capital. With the forest as the western edge in the west and Wolfeit as the eastern edge in the east, we will strive to maintain our national strength." ''----After that, Krische will crush them one by one.'' It was a voice without any hesitation. Her eyes were transparent, neither warm nor cold. While looking at Selene, but as if looking at the void. "Selene and the others protect the royal capital, and the ones who move will be Krische. Sometimes when Krische gets tired, Krische wille back and rests----when everyone is in the capital, Krische will feels safe. Krische won''t get separated and anxious as Krische does now." Her eyes narrowed slightly sadly, and Selene stroke her cheek. Krische smiled softly. "It''s a short distance, so Krische can go home anytime, and that''s fine for a while. Krische''d like to finish it as soon as possible, but well, it will need several years though." It''s fine if Krische just kills them all. She whispered in a sweet voice. She pressed their forehead together and rubbed the tips of their nose. Her eyelids sleepily and happily wrap around the purple gem, and she continued. "... If Krische (we) threaten them that, if we let everyone around know that----then everyone will be peaceful and happy every day. Krische might have to do a little work, but every day in the estate will be happy. Cooking, drinking tea, and sleeping together like before." If so, Krische will be very happy. It was as if she was reading a fairytale. Like talking about a distant dream. "...Krische " During the meal, she heard about how Dagra was injured. That''s how this all started. Krische was not interested in honor, a cause, mercy, or charity. She simply follows the rules and conforms to those around her. If her opponent breaks them, she will retaliate with even more than that. She would go to any lengths to achieve her goal, without limit. That''s what Selene was afraid of. "Krische will put up with it until then... Selene is worried about Cliche, right?" "Yes..." When Selene answered, Krische happily kissed her. "Ehehe, recently, Krische thinks Krische hase to understand what people are thinking. Krische is also very worried about Selene, it''s the one called empathy right." She held Selene''s cheek and repeated it again The feel of the soft lips. There was nothing obscene there, just pure goodwill. Everything about Krische always shone like a jewel. "Selene is always thinking about various things for Krische. That makes Krische really happy, but Krische doesn''t want Selene to be troubled about it. That''s why Krische wants Selene not to think about anything and just leave it to Krische. " The gold and silver were tangled on the nket. Krische lifted it, and it flowed silkily and mixed together "Krische used to think that...she should be better than everyone else. Krische was the best at everything she did, so she really valued what other people thought of Krische, but...not so these days." The jewel wrapped in long eyshes like that of silverwork simply stared at Selene. "...Now Krische doesn''t care if someone hates her, how they think of her, or how they evaluate her. However, if Selene and the others, who loved Krische, said they liked Krische and cared for her... then that''s enough for Krische." She buried her face in Selene''s chest, doing so like a child. She seems to want a safe ce----maybe it''s a reaction to her not getting her love when she needed it most. What Krische always wanted was something that a child would want from a parent. "Even so, I can''t leave you alone because I''m worried about you. I don''t want you to be hated, scared, or called bad.... I want you to understand that." "......yes. Krische knew Selene would say something like that. Krische thinks Berry would probably say the same thing." She put her hands behind her back and clung to them. Selene just strokes her head gently and holds her. "Sorry. ...But Krische thinks this is the best thing for Krische to do." Selene''s beautiful face contorted for a moment and lowered her eyes. Then she sighed and told Krische. "... Really, what a silly child. I wonder if I will need to take care of this idiot for my whole life?" Krische''s hands tightened. Rubbing her cheek against Selene''s bulge. As if entrusting that small body to her. "Ehehe, Krische is very clever, but..." ''----Sometimes, just a little bit, Krische might be an idiot.'' She whispered. Her reply was filled with passion. Chapter 84.1: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 Chapter 84.1: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 (Part 1) Complete with mobs up to a certain extent. Attributes are atmosphere. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half - 159 Kreschenta - 130, first half - (I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 159 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 4 ¡ö Died by the end of Arc 4 - ------Major Character ¡õ Krische Rinea Christand --- Order Evil Krische Rinea Christand is an unhinged girl who can kill people without hesitation. She is the adopted daughter of the Christand House and is considered the main character of the story. Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''' and is the Cursed Child of the royal family. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. She can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce.No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Therefore, she tends to demand an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others. However, she has the nature of sparing no effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. Armor: casual wear, gloves, reinforced boots. ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. She thinks she might be ''a little'' more spoiled and gluttonous than most people. Strong points: Murder. Magic. Calction. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be spoiled. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring others. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. Worries: Work is hard. Krische want to be spoiled more. ¡õ Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand --- Neutral Good A serious and affectionate girl, she is the head of the Christand House and a General. As the sole heir of the Christand main House, she works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. She used to have aplex about being a woman instead of a man, but meeting the overwhelmingly talented Krische helped her broaden her perspective and appreciate the small things in life. Despite being talented, hardworking, and outstanding, she tends to underestimate herself due to growing up surrounded by gifted people. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable expectations on herself. With a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and works whenever she has free time. She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú Krischee: Stupid and clumsy child. Adorable. I want to let her live like a normal child. Strong Points: Horseback riding. Command (army). Likes: swordsmanship. Reading. Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. Her powerlessness. Worries: The rtionship between the servant and her sister is very immoral. She herself is suspicious too. ¡õ Bery Lipus Argan --- Neutral Good A slightly sickly motherly woman. A servant of the Christand house. She is the daughter of the Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. She is Selene''s aunt. She is originally sickly and weak, and because of this, she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She is worried about the trouble she causes others with her body, and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her, however, the more the servants hated her, the more she agonized, and she began to live wishing for her own death. Her house is ruined, shees to Christand and her body problems are resolved, but her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische by her pure affection and her goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. She is a genius and has a talent that is too good to be left just as a servant, but due to her temperament, she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, Bogan, Selene, and others have always felt that her talents are wasted. Despite her looks she is stubborn, and although she looked like a logical person she is on intuition/feeling faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she puts feelings before reason. She has a strong affection for Krische and puts her well-being first. Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. sweet baby face. Armor: Maid''s uniform. ¡úKrische: Honest and pure. Her purpose in life. I want her to be by her side all the time. Strong points: Housework in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. Dislikes: Selfish people. Herself. Worries: Krische is so defenseless that her reason is sometimes in danger. ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil An unhinged girl who can poisons people without hesitation. She is the first princess of Alberan Kingdom. Known as the "The baby who doesn''t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse killings other for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her sister Krische as the only equal being to her, and feels that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the king''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and the people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. ¡úKrische: The only being in the world who is on the same level as her. She is a bit silly, so I''m worried. Strong points: Poisoning. Murder. Lying. Acting. Grasping people''s hearts. Calction. Likes: Herself. Be pampered. General skinship. Dislikes: Anything that threatens her safety. Worries: Her older sister was ensnared by the servant. The obvious impureness of the servant''s affection for her sister. She herself, who is happy to be treated like a dog. - ------Characters close to Krische or Christand Family ? Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of high integrity and decisiveness. Selene''s father. Bery''s brother-inw. Deceased. The "Thunderbolt". The Kingdom''s hero who rose from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a captain to a general. Because of his experience, climbing up from the bottom, he knew the various problems of the army, and assigned multiple adjutant officers with excellent tactical intelligence to each corpsmander to divide up the tasks and seeded in raising the level of their capabilities. Although he is known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, He believes that the Christand strength lies not in his on-the-spot tactics, but in his ability to process information through advance preparation. Although he is calm now, he used to be reckless in his youth and loved to wield his sword on the front lines. With his fierce swordsmanship, he cut down countless enemies and was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers. A rare nobleman, who is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine. He died in singlebat with Gildanstein, the Royal Prince. Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce dace. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. Distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Worriess: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ¡õ Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere, blunt man. Krische''s adoptive grandfather. Bogan''s former superior and Selene''s current adjutant. He is a brilliant centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier who has achieved many military feats together with Bogan despite hisck of magical ability. He was respected by his men and had the ability to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army because he regretted the burning of a vige on his superior''s order. After that, he worked as a hunter in his home vige of Kalka, where he lived a peaceful life with his daughter and her husband and his adopted daughter, Krische, but he lost them in a bandit attack, and when Krische could no longer stay in the vige, he left the vige with her to live under Bogan and returned to the army. He is a hard worker who is more than happy that Krische has found someone who understands her and happiness in the Christand house. Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fiece face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrischee: A little different from others, but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. String points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust. Worriess: Being predeceased by those around him. Self-control when Krische brings her marriage partner. ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good Ate-stage clumsy girl. A servant of the Chritsand house. She is the daughter of a marquis. She was given various tutors and an education for gifted children, but it did not go well, and her parents, fearing for her future, sent her on an apprenticeship as a servant of the Royal estate. However, there she encounters Bery, a servant of the Chritsand house. She adored her so much that she threw off the position of servant in the Royal estate that her parents begged to to ept their daughter, and became a servant of Christand house, albeit on the verge of being disowned. She is not stupid orcks the ability, but her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic-thinking tend to cause her to make mistakes at important moments, which often irritates those around her. She is serious and good-natured, of good family background and good looks, and would be a favorite if she could just sit quietly, but she has a temperament that prevents her from sitting quietly. Recently, he has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. ¡úKrischee: A sweet kiss demon. The master of a servant she respected and the center of her delusion. Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Favorable interpretation. Badness in between. Bad timing. Likes: Delusions. Dislikes: Her own misbehavior even at the best of times. Worriess: The immoral reality of the Christand house is not only limited to the servant Bery, but also includes the General''s daughter Selene and Princess Kreshcenta, and not only kissing, but also princess-dog y and other advanced, unspeakable things happen on a daily basis------As a result, she can''t sleep at night because of her fantasies. ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalist girl with a steel mentality. She is the wife of Margrave Christand. Bery''s older sister. The daughter of the Argan family, which fell due to their business failure. She is Selene''s mother. She has a bright personality that is theplete opposite of Berry, and she is a strong-willed and lively woman. She is an unconventional woman who pushes forward without worrying about social rules if she feels it is right. When the Argan house fell, she gave herself up without hesitation to protect the young Berry from the malice of the merchants and nobles. She is earnest and overly kind, and she is always thinking of Berry''s happiness first, even when Bery push her. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she was worried that Bery would follow in her footsteps. She asked entrusted Serene not only out of concern for her child as a parent, but also to give Bery a purpose in life. Her second child was stillborn andter died of postpartum fever. Like Serene, she is clumsy and rather crude. Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrischee: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: rich people. Worries: not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind. - ------ck Century ¡õ Mia --- Neutral Neutral Although she is excellent, she is treated as a pitiful girl. The ck Century adjutant. 1st squad leader. She is from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom. Although far from the vige, it is a neighboring vige of Kalka, where Krische was picked up. At first, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, thinking that she could make use of her stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army, but she was recruited by Krische, who saw through her magical talent and excellence, and before she knew it, she was forced to fight on the front lines. Although she is uneducated and has only the knowledge of a country vige girl, she has a good head on her shoulders and is quick on the uptake. She is a gem in every sense, having learned to build virtual muscles with magical power without learning from anyone, but perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, her swordsmanship skill is faster to be counted from the bottom of the ck Century. On top of often being absentminded at the most critical moments, she is prone to backtalking. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she''s easy to pick on, and she''s often unreasonably yelled at. Although popr in the vige, she has low self-esteem and is dense, and has been confessed to by a man in the vige on several asions, but she has let t all of them slip without realizing it. Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion. Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. Strong points: Tact. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position and timing. Dislikes: unreasonableness. Worries: The current situation in which she got scolded for some reason. ¡õ Kalua Belyus --- Chaos Neutral She is a dangerous girl who loves fighting with sword. She is a member of the first group of the ck Century. She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein------a royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it''s scary. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. nap. child. Dislikes: ve traders. Concerns: Krische is too naive to be leave alone. ¡õ Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. The ck Centurion. Bald Eagle. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses, He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and is favorable towards Krische. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there, and was nominated as the captain of the ck Centurt a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was terrified of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Chrishtand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He shaved his bald head every day to keep it clean even in military service, and there is not a single loose hair on it, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. Battlemand. Inspiring. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Worries: the dislike (hatred, disgust, revulsion, fear) many have for Krischee. ------ Members of the ck Century------ ¡õ Bagu --- Chaos Neutral A young man who can''t be a viin. Member of 1st squad. A war orphan, he grew up in a slum and stole from an early age. He was good with his hands and good at rough work, but he was ridiculed by those around him because he couldn''t do jobs such as kidnapping and robbery. He fell in love with Kalua at first sight, and when he tried to forcibly approach her, she turned the tables on him. Since then, he has been making efforts to win her over through a straightforward approach, and recently he has been trying to be a serious soldier. He is good at acrobatics and is ambidextrous, so he is often paired as a follower of Kalua, who rely on brute force. ¡õ Adol --- Neutral Neutral He is an older brother-type man who seems to frequent bars. Member of 1st squad. He was the eldest son of a farming family, but he got fed up of working in the fields and came to the city. He is confident in his skills, which he puts to good use as a caravan escort, where he meets Kels and they hit it off. After teaming up with Kels, they became well-known and joined the Chritand Army, where they thought they would be able to rise in the ranks. Along with Kels, he is the most powerful person in the squad. ¡õ Kels --- Neutral Good A boy whovishly spends his money in a day. Member of 1st squad. Like Adol, he is the eldest son of a farmer and left the vige because he got fed up with fieldwork. He is a caravan escort for the same reason as Adol, and he and Adol hit it off when they meet by chance. Their reasons for leaving home, the way they spend their money, and the way they work. All of them miraculously matched, and they formed a pair, thinking that if they were to team up, it would be with this guy. His swordsmanship is as strong as Adol''s. ¡õ Koza --- Order Neutral He is family oriented, the type that Krische would even smile at. He is the leader of the 2nd squad. He has a fierce face with old scars that stand out, but he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische evaluation of him is pretty high. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which will acts asmander in case of emergency. ¡õ Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type boy. A captain of ck Century. 3rd squad leader. Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted, and he is an excellent talent. He is an impable type of person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality, hisck of w is his only w, a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He is usually inmand of 2nd to 10th squad. ¡õ Corinth --- Order Good A calm veteran nonmissioned officer. A captain of ck Century. 11th squad leader. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra, and was originally in the position of captain. Although his ability as a magical power possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a broad vision. He has the mental strength to keep calm in any situation and is deeply trusted by Dagra. Basically, he oftenmands the 11th to 20th squads. ¡õ Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. 11th squad leader. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strenght, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century, with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the fun of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He look squalid. ¡õ Birza --- Neutral Good The ck doctor is me type of guy. 17th squad leader He was born in a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a wagon stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful, and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very good with a sword, but he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. ¡õ Kilik --- Neutral Neutral He is a craftsman-type man with dexterous hands. 19th squad leader. He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer, and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard, and because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages, and was chosen as Kreschenta''s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battle. Many of his team members are craftsmen. - ------Christand Mlitary ¡õ Nozan Nerle Wolferinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic guy. Theformermander of Christand Army First Corps. Current General of the Kingdom''s east. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born of the same baron family as his superior. He has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade him to be a general whenever he had the chance, but he was concerned that the strength of the Kristand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Kristand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized, and he cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. He has a simr temperament to Serene and is a serious and hard worker. He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and long sword. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. wine. Dislikes: Anything that mocks Bogan. Gildanstein. Worries: Secretly wondering how the nickname Skeletones to be. ¡õ Grunnmeld Rinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac who is scary when heughs. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps. Leader of the Wolf Pack. Woof Woof. Former bandit. Undefeated at the time, this man built arge band of thieves with just one iron club, rampaged in the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom, and as a result encountered Gallen''s corps, which was sent out to subdue them. In the process, he had a one-on-one fight with Nozan and was defeated, but epted the invitation from Northern, who valued his strength. He became his subordinate. At first, he intended to escape at any opportunity, but he realized that the battlefield was where he wanted to fight, and through his military exploits, he became his confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. He has a lively and refreshing personality, but he will not allow himself to be mocked. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. A deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrischee: A beautiful and lovely-looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down. Worries: Woof Woof ¡õ Sardin Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious, straitced guy. The Commander of the Verreich Army Second Corps. A soldier who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Granmeld in the Werreich army and is the one who tightens up (displine) the army. He is a man who feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, and his personality has dyed his advancement, but he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often acts as an admonisher of Grandmeld, who often acts arbitrarily. He looks scary and strict, but he is kind and loves children. Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrischee: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: organizational management. control. Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children in an orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. ¡õ Kolkis Nactra Rinea Agrand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. The Commander of the Christand Army Second Corps. A losing battle with a massive loss. When he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier, he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. Although in addition to basic tactics, he also doesn''t like quirky strategies and is not good at attacking the opponent''s weak point, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked because of his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Because of his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: A genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. Strong points: Combat. Inspiring. Loud voice. Likes: simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. Worries: His son defected to the enemy. ¡õ Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral A man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, but even in field battles, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan''s highly regarded his defensive abilities. His hobby is building shelves. Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrischee: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous. Strong points: Fieldwork. Defensivemand. Weekend carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fort. Architecture. Woodworking. Dislikes: Unprepared emergencies. Concern: His adjutant defected to the enemy. ¡õ Eluga Giglite Rinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle, but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate but also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course. Those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, resulting in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him even at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer anyway for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, the Bogans, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all pursuing the same goal. Appearance: Skin head. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: ipetence on the battlefield. Worried: Found a reason to live longer after old age. ¡õ Quinez Nea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. He is the adjutant of 4th Corps Commander of the Christand army. He is a small, fat second-inmand who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark grey flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superiors are crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. Worries: The obvious difference in attitude between his superior''s response to Krische and his own recently makes him sad. ¡õ Bagil Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type man. The first battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. Climbed up from a single soldier, he was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkus. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. He is a very capable fighter, and has been fighting in frontline battles for many years without serious injury, and is one step ahead of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs you can see through her skirt. She is defenseless. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Worries: Krische''s unconscious fan-service mentality. He can''t concentrate when she is face to face with her because of her skirt. ¡õ Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. The second battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. A native of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkus, he has been a subordinate since the bandit days. Like Granmeld, he''s abat fanatic, and he''s a freak who likes risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He has fought with Krische in training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skill and decided to stay in the Christand Army with her. Rather than killing each other, he prefersparing skills, and often asks talented people to a match. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. Worries: Other peopled often disliked contest of skill (sparring) with him these days. ¡õ Keith Sale Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn, smoldering man. The third battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no outstanding abilities, broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that like. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. A cold-hearted person. She''s as childlike as she looks. Strong points: Command and operation. training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. Worries: He doesn''t really understand Krische as a person. ¡õ Varga Nea Kurtos --- Order Neutral A hot-blooded gut with a strong sense of justice. The fourth battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. He is from the First Corps led by Nozan Verreich. A lower-ss noble who admires the Hero Bogan-Krishtand, and is fascinated by Bogan and his daughter Selene. His abilities are excellent, but his sense of justice is too strong, he can''t tolerate injustice, and he dislikes people who treat soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, although he pledges strong loyalty to Selene, he does not get along well with Krische, and a deep rift has formed between him and Krische, who used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy when he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. Strong points: Inspiration (raising morale). Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. Worries: Using the 3rd Battalion as a decoy and losing the lives of many brave soldiers. ¡õ Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous, old-looking man. The fifth battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. He is from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. He is a hunter whomands a battalion of mainly archers, and is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. But his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his brains andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious------and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter, and is respected to by the battalionmanders of the first Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks a joke about anything, but sometimes it slipped. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. fishing. tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. Concerns: trying to figure out what kind of joke Krische would understand. Chapter 84.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 Chapter 84.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 4 (Part 2) Complete with mobs up to a certain extent. Attributes are atmosphere. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - ----Royal Prince Faction ¡õ Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, it was preciselly because of his high ideal that he be twisted. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy using the weak as entertainment. He was forcibly sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. Even though he has fallen into the wrong path, he is still unable to forget the ideals he once held. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born from the royal family. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: Those without pride. Those who have no sense of attachment to their name. Worries: The ideals that clung on to him. The reality where good and evil are mixed. ¡õ Salva Rinea Caldera -- Order Good An old-fashioned noble who respects tradition. He is a former adjutantmander of the Third Corps of the Christand Army. He was born into a middle-ss noble family with a long history and has long served as an adjutant under the Third Corps Commander, Terrius. His ability can be called excellent, and although he is capable enough to fight as a General, he has been buried in the Christand Army, which attracts excellent human resources. He is not on good terms with Krische, and is very concerned about her young age and ruthlessness, and while he strongly admires her talent, he believes that she should not be allowed to have (political) power. A man who would have pledged loyalty to Christand for the rest of his life if it weren''t for Krische, as it is fair to say that his apprehension (anxiety, worry, insecurity) towards her caused him to betray Christand. Appearance: Dull brown hair mixed with gray. Blue eyes. Thin build. Thin beard. Sharp eyes. Armor: Silver te mail. ¡úKrische: Beloved daughter of his master, Bogan. She is a genius, but a deviant with no sense of logic. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Organizational operation. Dislikes: Those who neglect soldiers and people. Worries: His own betrayal. ? Kuraray Draz Rinea Marcellus -- Order Neutral A man who is always gossiped about in the shadows. A General in the Kingdom''s center. A Duke. A brave and daring natural-born warrior, who is a noble with a high regard for honor. Because of his bloodline as a Duke that was connected to the royal family, he rose quickly in life and became a general just like his father. He is a man of valor, not ipetent, not stupid, and notcking in poprity. He has some good qualities as a general, but in a kingdom full of very good generals and militarymanders, he is not that excellent and it would be faster to count him from the bottom of the list. It was most unfortunate that he had to deal with three heroes at the same time: Nozan Verreich, whose talent was said to surpass that of Bogan, his mentor, the outstanding Eluga Faren, and Krische Chrishtand. During the battle in the southern part of the Kurail Mountains range, he was decapitated by Krische who attacked from behind. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Skinny build. Wrinkled. Armor: Full silver te of an eagle lion. ¡úKrische: Daughter of Crishtand. She is said to have achieved some sess in the war against the Holy Empire. Strengths: Battlefield spearmanship. Inspire (raising morale). Likes: Battlefields. Liquor. Woman. Dislikes: Cheap tricks. Worries: Huh, why did youe from over there? ? Aurugorn Sakizren Nirkrinea Hilkintos -- Neutral Evil A reptilian male who had a bad capability with the enemy this time. General of the kingdom''s west. A Margrave. Born into the Venerable Hilkintos family, he became the general of the western kingdom, following his father''s footsteps. The talented Aurugorn has experienced countless battlefields as his father''s adjutant since he was a young man, and since he himself became a general, he has single-handedly undertaken all of the invasions from the Kingdom of Elderand in the west of the kingdom. With the knowledge, he has gained from his vast experience, and his brilliant mind nurtured on the battlefield, he has been undefeated in all battles since he became a general, with the exception of thest one. He values superiority in terms of military strength and terrain and has the strength and level-headedness to create a favorable situation for himself by avoiding his opponents until the conditions are right. His tactics, which are focused only on the ultimate victory, have always resulted in more sess than the damage he suffered, but his nature was taken advantage of and was defeated by Krische. He is extremely proud, always putting himself and his honor first before the people and the cause. Bogan does not share his fighting style, which sometimes uses the weakest of the people as bait in order to win, both of them don''t ger along well. He was killed by Krishche after being dismembered as an example to her enemies. Appearance: Short brown hair with a hint of gray. Blue eyes. Tall and thin. Scarred cheeks and squinty eyes. Armor: Full te of a goddess visor. ¡ú Krische: An obnoxious adoptive daughter of Bogan. Good looking. Strong Points: Retreat tactics. Scorched earth tactics. Field fortifications. Likes: Victory. Glory. Status. Women. Dislikes: Defeat. Christand faction. Ipetence. Worries: Being killed. ¡õ Gertz Nesararius Rinea Wiring -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. A General in the Kingdom''s center. Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this was due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom''s Generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (letting his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He thought of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreamed of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrishche: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A ruthless killer. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. Worries: The death of the promising young man who is like a son to him by Krische. ? Rubens Rinea Alkerd -- Order Good A type of man who had bad timing and enemies. He is the adjutant to General Wiring army. A talented young man who rose to the rank of general''s adjutant at a young age. He was a rare person who could have been a pir of the kingdom in the future, but he was killed in a surprise attack on the fort by Krische, who crushed his neck and killed him. Appearance: Dull blond hair. Blue eyes. Medium build. Childish face. Armor: Dark grey half te. ¡úKrische: Headhunter of Bernaich. A monster. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Self-discipline. Command operation. Likes: Training. Studying. Spending time with his mother. Dislikes: People who pride themselves on their status. Worries: He was not allowed to surrender and was killed. ? Takirus Nea Zenger -- Chaos Neutral A man who is unfaithful to his wife. The second battalionmander of the first corps of the Wiring army. He is not a skilled swordsman, nor does he have an outstanding tactical eye. He is an ordinary but openhearted person, and despite his mouth, he is a well-liked battalionmander who is full of pride as a military man. In Bernaich, many of his promising men had been killed by Krische, the leader of the ck Century. He is killed by Nozan Verreich. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Huge and obese. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey half te. ¡úKrische: The Grim Reaper. An evil demon who has reaped thepetent men from his battalion. Strong points: Board games. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Drinking. Woman. His daughter. Dislikes: Training. Rules. Worries: Have a feeling that his two daughters are not his. ? Alba Rinea Carnan -- Chaos Good Condescending adjutant type of guy. The Centurion of the Second Battalion of the Wiring Army''s First Corps. A centurionmander with a wealth of experience. Although he cannot use magic, he is apetent centurion, but he has a strong habit of putting the lives of his own soldiers before rules and discipline. He has known Takirus for many years and is like an annoying friend. He is killed by Nozan Verreich. Appearance: Bald head. Blue eyes. Slender build. ck beard with gray hair. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A monster who took the life of hisrade-in-arms. Headhunter of Bernaich. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Drinking. Battlefield. Dislikes: Hard-headed people. Worries: Having to leave his young son and die. ¡õ Bhagra -- Neutral Neutral An unlucky survivor. He is the 2nd captain of the 3rd Division of the Second Battalion of the Wiring Army''s First Corps. A peasant soldier, his first battle was in the Dragon''s Maw, but he was fortunate enough to rise to the rank of corporal and then captain, and rose through the ranks faster than anyone else. Although young, he has a good eye and a good head on his shoulders. He did not be a captain simply by luck, though his experience is still inexperienced and unpolished in many areas. He joined the army to ask the beautiful widow of his vige to marry him, but after seeing the heads of hisrades and superiors being cut by Krische in front of him for the third time in a row, he became mentally ill and quit the army. He can no longer look directly at people''s necks, and he suffers from shbacks and cannot look at blood anymore. Appearance: Short brown hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Well-formed face. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: Headhunter of Bernaich. He doesn''t even want to hear her name. Likes: Cultivating fields. Peaceful daily life. Dislikes: Battlefields. Mountains. Darkness. Silver hair. Purple. Blood. Worries: If he looks directly at a neck, he has a hallucination that it splits open before my eyes. - ----Holy Ersleen Empire ¡õ Aleha (us Schwindel Sarchenka) -- Order Good A hero chasing young man. Former general of the Holy Holy Ersleen Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and the second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. Armor: Full te silver angel. ¡úKrische: Daughter of a hero. He suffered a crushing defeat by an ingenious lure. She saved Waltza''s life. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. Worries: a fresh start in the future. ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for his young master. He was a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsaren. Former military leader of the Sarshenka family. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarshenka family, and an excellentmander. He was capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarshenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarshenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was amputated by Krische. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A foe but an admirable opponent. A young and unhappy girl, despite her abilities. Saved his life. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Training andmanding. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarshenka family. Worries: The young master restart has been worse than he imagined. ? Elvin Thaka del Dakrasha -- Neutral Neutral A man who was easily killed by Krischee. Vice General of the Holy Ersleen Empire. Marquis. A vice general who has been in the military for many years and has risen to the rank of vice general through steady war achievements. He is the type of person who does not use any kind of strange tactics, but instead performs his assigned role well and is trusted by Aleha, but he is killed in a surprise attack by Krische, who is a bad opponent to him and easily beheads him. He is skilled enough to avoid a knife thrown by Krische. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Brown eyes. Slender build. Featureless face. Armor: Dark grey winged te mail. ¡úKrische: She came, she saw, he died. Strength: Folka swordsmanship. Teaching. Likes: tending the garden. Training. Dislikes: The Curia. Filth (unclean, dirty). Worries: Dying without knowing what happened. ¡õ Bado Keetas -- Neutral Good A boy who is afraid of the silver monsters. Messenger of the Holy Ersleen Empire. A young man born in the lower aristocracy and the eldest son of a branch family of the Dakrasha family. He''s not exceptionally talented, but he''s the type to do everything wlessly, has a sharp eye, and is an excellent young man. He has had a strong interest in swordsmanship since childhood and has studied several schools of swordsmanship. During the Krische surprise attack on themand post in the mountains, he was seriously injured, but fortunately escaped death. Appearance: Blonde. blue eyes. Slender. fearless. Armor: leather armor. ¡ú Krische: Silver hair, Scary. Strong points: Folka style, Elcafalest style, Lorka style and two other sword styles. Individualbat. Likes: Sword training. Dislikes: Bows. Worries: Gets scared every time he sees silver hair. ? Kurt -- Neutral Good Unknown soldier boy who came out to just die. He is an ordinary soldier of the Holy Ersleen Empire. Through an encounter with Corporal Orzan, he finds the ideal to which he should aspire and stepped forward----only to be shot dead by countless arrows in front of Krische''s fortress. Appearance: ck hair. Blue eyes. Small stature. Childish face. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: The one who built the fort. Rumor has it that she is beautiful. Strengths: His goodness (kindness, virtue). Likes: Dreaming. Gathering on the battlefield (sitting together in a circle). Dislikes: Looting and rape. Worries: Dying with a lot of pain. ? Orzan -- Order Good A man who leads an unknown soldiers to die. Corporal of the Holy Ersleen Empire. An experienced corporal. Originally from a vige in the Kingdom, he moved to the Holy Empire after his vige was burned down by Gallen. He admires Centurion Gallen, who gave them time to escape without looting or humiliating them and joined the army to be like him, but he was just a corporal for many years. He has half given up on the path to sess. Appearance: ck hair. Brown eyes. Large build. Rough-looking face. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: Rumored to be a beautiful girl. The fort she built looks crude and difficult to conquer, and she is smart. Likes: Touring colorful towns. Drinking. Faith. Dislikes: Looting in the name of God. Worries: Dying without even touching the fort. - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische''s adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen''s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit or something. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is a careless, clumsy, and messy person. It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led Krische to encounter cooking. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Hooligan. Worries: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische''s adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters at the vige. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and brought her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he worries about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the rumor about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Moustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind. His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time, she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: Ouws. Worries: Dying without being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good She is an auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, Gara is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even when Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. Worries: Not being able to protect Krische from the rumor of the vige. ? Gado -- Neutral Evil He has an unrequited love. He is the hunter of Karka. A childhood friend of Grace''s, he has been in love with her since he was little. Grace is unaware of this and only has Gorka in her eyes, he is bitter about their marriage. He was unable to beat Gorka in a hunting contest held at a festival, and as a result, he developed an irrational grudge against Gorka, and betrayed him during a bandit attack, attempting to kill him and steal Grace. He realized that Krische is a deviant, and in his fear, he killed Grace, whom he had taken hostage. He is the one who destroyed "The Slow Life the Maiden Wanted". He was beheaded by Krische. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Skinny build. ¡úKrische: A beautiful but creepy girl. A deviant. Strong points: Archery. Forest. Peeping. Likes: Women. Money. Dislikes: Living a life that doesn''t change (for the better). Worries: He identally killed the hostage. ? Garo -- Chaos Evil A sexual harasser that is hated. Karka''s vignte. He became a soldier at the age of fifteen, aiming for a sessful career, but he couldn''t stand the battlefield full of death, so he ran away and returned home. He was not a bad fighter, but he is mentally fragile and addicted to alcohol. He taught swordsmanship to the vigers in his vige as one of the neighborhood vigntes, making use of his swordsmanship after returning from the battlefield. However, as Krische bes more and more beautiful, the devil begins to get the better of him, and he begins to touch her body while pretending to teach her swordsmanship. She initially didn''t suspect him, and at first, she was very fond of his enthusiasm for teaching her swordsmanship, but as he makes more and more non-sword-rted contact with her, she bes ufortable, and eventually, she takes him out into the woods to be killed by her. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr. Rough face. ¡úKrische: The most beautiful girl he has ever seen. She is a bit of a creep, but she''s just timid and has a restrained personality. Strong points: Touching. Bragging. Likes: Women. Meat. Dislikes: The vige of Kalka, which doesn''t have a red-light district (brothel). Worries: Won''t stop, can''t stop. ? Zar Nea Karka -- Order Neutral He is the advisor of the vige. He is a former captain of the Christand army''s Third corps. He is an experienced soldier who spent many years in the military. After retiring from the front line, he became a training instructor for soldiers and taught swordsmanship, and is also the leader of the vignte in the vige. He respects Gallen, and he really wants him to be the leader of the vignte, but he knows the circumstances of Gallen''s resignation from the military, so he is unable to say it too strongly. He is an expert in Lorca-style swordsmanship. Killed by a bandit chieftain after being stabbed in the back. Appearance: Short gray hair. Blue eyes. Lean and muscr. Wrinkled, chiseled face. ¡úKrische: A child prodigy. She is a master of swordsmanship in a thousand different ways. She is a terrifying person. Specialty: Lorca-style swordsmanship. toonmand. Teaching. Likes: Self-discipline. Regr life. Juice. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs harmony. Worries: Being Krische''s partner is hard. - ----Others ¡õ Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom, and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to the other party lick shoes if necessary, and has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can''t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact, it was almost a fraud. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People who don''t have money. Worries: His hair is getting thinner, and he is not sure if he should shave it or not. ¡õ Elvena -- Chaos Good An unlucky beautiful woman who is a ve. Rnd''s ve. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. She was the youngest of four sisters. She followed her sister out into the city and rode in her carriage, but while searching for her sister after losing sight of her, she was unlucky enough to be caught by ve traders. She was sold because of her good looks. Rnd was a guest at that time, and she is now bought by him and made to work as a servant in the mansion. She is a good person who cannot do evil even when asked to do so, and she is not good at getting information from her customers. She has given up on her situation andforts her heart by reminiscing about her family. Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair and dark brown eyes. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: Pure and lovely. Too beautiful in so many ways that she starts to feel mischievous. Strong points: Housework in general. Likes: Cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. Dislikes: Sleeping with guests and the master. Worries: That she will never see her sister or Krische again. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn''t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. Worry: Although his skill is not dull, he is physically old. ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. She was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Profit-driven business. Worries: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. She is the nanny of Krische and Krescheta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Krescheta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Krische, who was no more than three years old, behind, and she desperately tried to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won''t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when she learned that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security ("rx", relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Crescenta were her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Worries: Not being able to give Kreschenta a real relief. Leaving Krische behind. Chapter 85: â€» Main character image Chapter 85: ¡ù Main character image ¡ù Main character image I (the author) used CHARAT to create the characters image. I feel that the atmosphere of the character is urate, but in some cases, it may spoil the image you (the reader) have, so be warned. If you want to see them, please scroll down. (T/N: character description is from Krische point of view) - Krische Aruberinea Christand (T/N: don''t know why it''s different from the previous one) - Fighting strength: Pretty strong. - Skillfulness: Quite good. - Smartness: Very smart. - Character: Krische is a hard worker but might be a bitzy. ![’·½}(By /VeGRNBnXvNF2ZR4OVpQSFPSbI1oUwW0lZo1bDwmMyIN5o12f4DK3oZE5-udVTHQXluxXxQBtr6i_EgQ96M2MUyB8ovEx6zjHBIJNrCfCHpCdafz-txLIKgzW7z8HtTh5moug2mTN1VPbeobfjBfh) - Bery Argan - Fighting strength: Bery shouldn''t fight - Dexterity (skillfulness): Bery is very good at cooking, so she is very skillful. - Wise: Bery is very smart - Character: Bery is very kind and serious, and a hard worker who can do anything. ![’·½}(By /XqJI_RGybcpKPJ8U5dh_475wMbcAqkAeClQC1BiJUa5INfZxil4bDI12ymqM5CoA2WGuKXH9YUMb7k0kX12JebYzRs1CU94tpjhK5k-e9vXinAfGEV5O4lOaI5fwRRg3FqcP3zttYm3TFSpYj_ek) - Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand - Fighting strength: Quite good among the unskilled (noob) - Skillfulness: Very messy and clumsy - Smartness: Good at talking with many people. - Character: She''s very kind, but sometimes a little scary. ![’·½}(By /DtPtuObl1wwesqxS4nmqlU1xPziCAZc5trswTwpZhY8LZvg3zlXCQEDhoAGVDX4kQVpGuK7gsTer87q2chleCafSzHeQCUY61qvk_pNe5e2kcvW1OqRI5sLirqdEtogSVwoaOjFpTjCTjtTDKE3m)![’·½}(By /WZxOgUv91WGaAixB5wE5K_sp2C8nDHYZNLYVrfvRGXORu5u334zcTiA5HxUarju_D-Pk48vOXrw8MrGlBubT1iT8ulrlZUKqLYO1HYSH_f285NoMy_gP5p3TCe3h94ijqaOisjDqP6yOWtlGGoZX) - Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan - Fighting strength: Even though she''s Krische''s sister, she''s very very weak - Skillfulness: Quite good. - Smartness: Even though she''s very smart, she''s a bit of an idiot. - Character: A child who always wants to be spoiled, also a bad child who always bad mouth about Bery. ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh6.googleusercontent/getaeq_L7qPwoQL252P_sYe2IGxelsWSo3RjS3vIpqa5SN_gj1muwnC9arPR3Hw6uGlAIxnn6_j49a1PdGmmRyGzGLwky695Tn_dkmKdbmIKyTA6xRCF_Js3ogn-l-uh1Zq3-6JczEsw4P) - Anne Giterns - Fighting strength: Very weak. - Skillfulness: ...is serious and hard-working - Smartness: ...She remembers what Krische asked, more or less. - Character: Lively and full of energy ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh5.googleusercontent/FGMKsvTRK83YNGpJQ4IMggARqeqdR3r-JVhxFWpFPNukgCOPFUHN7kYW0Bng8LfpbjUM8UiMWYlXW8W7r5M0q6PPcC3Jy6agQGuAtgkxtJXwXN3JvFdJ5jVw3ho2b4bwtaL1tOpsxf_vynlkWayV) - Kalua Belyus - Fighting strength: Her swordsmanship is very rough but is quite good among the unskilled (noob) - Skillfulness: Surprisingly she is very skillful, but she doesn''t like to be bothered with small things, so she often tries to skip work. - Smartness: Not so stupid so as to be called an idiot - Character: She is very kind but always treats Krische like an idiot ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh4.googleusercontent/GCTO-ZvDafN0vKViNVsUdBk9FrikXQ3hOA8lWw5kQmELiDvOUmyzNTJheWK2us6jVgjJ5C8wrdnoiC7Ha8jwPLsZZrG0v93pgp--zsGa9wizhMu_-_C7KAt9JYoYCQQ2XcGNo2YNyyzUROjjocqV) - Mia - Fighting strength: For an adjutant, she is unimaginably weak. - Skillfulness: Hopelessly clumsy - Smartness: sometimes unbelievably stupid - Character: Not enough effort in general ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh5.googleusercontent/vJW9xUdtNLi3bOJakI1gaawSKIa-ZpqxsYz1zTfM-CY6ShqEGOFe2e-t8vg6IeaDxt3T1JCYAmUh_uhkG5NQPodS-EoEkqPXy8JPNRCsZjEUIvXCKli6UOXLHRrbUw5JYjNVEmT9i-s-5RQxjtH9) Chapter 86: The Balloon Princess and Needle Servant Chapter 86: The Balloon Princess and Needle Servant ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 86 The Balloon Princess and Needle Servant*** ----A few weeks ago. From Belgash to the Imperial State. Several horse-drawn carriages were traveling north along a in road. Twenty cavalrymen protected the front and rear, and ten soldiers wearing ck-coated armor were attached as escorts. The number was small for a royal escort, but it was sufficient. Increasing the number of escorts did not mean that the defense would be stronger. The bigger they were, the less nimble they would be, and the slower they could react on the spur of the moment. That''s why the escorts are a few elites. All the cavalrymen were also from nobility----they were all soldiers of magic holders. What was required this time was an escort who could even escape at the worst possible moment when facing an army. If the Imperial State of Arna were to be hostile, it would be meaningless no matter how many guards were present. Because only an army can deal with another army. That was why mobility was more important to them than groupbat power. They were the best of the best in the kingdom, personally selected by Selene, Krische, and the Corps Commanders, who had the ability to get the two people to safety. Further safety measures on top of existing safety measures. Not one of the carriages in the center of the line was particrly ornate. The two escort targets were boarding just another carriage. "... I''m hungry." Reddish gold hair. The face adorned with long, graceful hair was young, but her beauty was like that of a fairy in a fairytale. The purple eyes, covered with long eyshes, wererge, and yet the face, bnced like a doll made to look perfect, had a magical charm that bewitched people. The white and gold dress she wore was decorated with elegantce, she was the first princess of the Kingdom. ----Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan. Her figure was truly that of a Blessed Child, or at least that''s how it was supposed to be. "Okay, say ''ahhhhh''. " "...Ahhhhh." But the figure sitting on thep of the red-haired servant was as young as her appearance could be seen. Her beautiful face was pouting (puffed up) and herrge eyes were narrowed to show some dissatisfaction. ----Kreschenta, the Blessed Child. However, no matter how you look at it, the way she stuffed her cheeks with the cookies brought to her mouth was the very picture of a selfish child. "You know, please don''t treat me like a child. Who do you think I am?" "Kreschenta-sama. Krische-sama, little sister." The servant, who said that with a nonchnt face and a soft smile on her baby face, stroked the head of the princess in herp. Against Kreschenta who got more and more dissatisfied, the servant hugged her body tightly. Kreschenta''s dissatisfaction increased as she felt the bulge against her back, but the servant, Bery, firmly restrained her from iling. "iling is no good. It was Kreschenta-sama who said your buttocks hurt." "...Even so, I didn''t say you could pat me on the head." "A good servant is one who could act before being ordered by their master." "The day will nevere where I ask you to pat my head." "You''re not very honest, are you? Even though you were so obedient when Kreschenta-sama was ying pretend doggy with Krische-sama." ''You'', when she was about to turn around, Bery''s hand gently held Kreschenta''s head. "Look, Kreschenta-sama, it''s a cookie, here, ahhhhh." "Uu...mugu..." A cookie sealed her mouth as she attempted to spin herints. "Just because I''m a little hungry, you took advantage of it, and do as you please." "This servant must be punished someday." Even as she thought so, nutrition still held a higher priority to her. Anyway, the cookies were very tasty. The gentle sweetness of honey was soaked through the moist cookie, and the inside was probably nuts. The cookies were savory in the mouth, and the crunchy texture made them a delight to the taste buds. ----She is good at cooking and good at making sweets. In that respect, it''s not like Kreschenta didn''t value Bery. Even excluding the troublesome fact that she was a subject of dependence for her older sister, she was iparably morepetent than Anne and others, and it was safe to admit that she was useful as a servant. However, the biggest problem was that this servant had no respect for Kreschenta at all. The awe and respect for Kreschenta that existed when they first met hadpletely disappeared. Kreschenta establishes a pecking (priority) order for all things. It was the same with people. Having grown up in the noble society of the royal court, Kreschenta had clear standards in this area, and she changed her attitude and behavior ordingly. She did not care if royalty from other countries or those associated with the royal family were disrespectful to her. She also didn''t mind the rudeness of it, as she had a tendency to find flowery words as bothersome. However, this servant''s attitude was different. It was still understandable that her big sister----Krische, who was a bit silly and sloppy in many ways, acted as the person with a higher rank but.... Bery and Selene were clearly positioned as beings that should be below her in Kreschenta''s mind. After all she''s the princess, a genius who was more gifted than anyone else. Except for Krische, who was the only equal in terms of blood and ability to her, everyone in the kingdom should be in awe of the great and her talented self ----If she must say then, it was their duty. And yet, here she was treated like a child. Kreschenta felt a strong sense of resentment at the current situation of being treated like a child. She was great. She was the best in the kingdom. Considering her excellence, she was the greatest in the world. As Kreschenta took it for granted that she was superior to others, she felt a strong sense of difort at the way she was being treated. She recognized that this was truly unforgivable. But the current situation, at best she''s being treated as a child. At worst, she''s being treated just like a dog being fed. (domesticated)----No, not like, she was being treated like a dog. Kreschenta''s frustration only grew bigger. The dissatisfaction that welled up in Kreschenta''s face was making her soft cheeks swelled (puffed up). "Kreschenta-sama, you shouldn''t pout. You''re ruining your pretty face." Bery''s hand squashed (popped) Kreschenta''s cheek. *fyuu~* The air leaked out with a pitiful sound, and Kreschemta red at her. "I''m telling you that''s rude! J-just who do you think I am!?" "Fufufu, no, it''s just when I see you puffing out your cheeks...it''s a conditioned reflex, please forgive me." "I don''t feel the sincerity at all!" "Don''t shout, Kreschenta-sama, people outside may hear you... Look, here, good girl, good girl." "Uuuu...!" She hugged her tightly and stroked her head. Kreschenta''s dissatisfaction grew, but she couldn''t even resist. Kreschenta was a creature that was very concerned about her appearance. Lady-like, perfect princess----Kreschenta who cared about her image can''t openlyin about her dissatisfaction. However, after understanding Kreschenta''s personality, Bery took advantage of it. ''She''s vicious.'' ''She must be punished one day.'' To distract herself, she reached for Bery''s bag of cookies, but her hand was grabbed before she could reach it. "That''s no good, Kreschenta-sama. If I give it to Kreschenta-sama, you will probably eat all of it instantly. Here, wait." "... Please don''t treat me like a dog." "Fufufu, Kreschenta-sama is bored, right? Don''t worry, I''ll reward you for being a good girl. ...Let''s see, Kreschenta-sama, shall we y pretend doggy?" "I will never do that again...!" "Well, is that so?" Bery took out a cookie while holding down Kreschenta, flickering it at the tip of her nose. She giggled and looked very amused. "Look, Kreschenta-sama, it''s a cookie. It''s a very sweet and delicious cookie. Ah, this was made by Krische-samma. The one with plenty of honey." "Uuu..." The rich aroma of honey tickled her nose. The cookies looked mellow and were filled only with honey. Unlike Bery, who preferred mixtures such as nuts and dried fruits, Krische cookies were often sweet and simple, and were Kreschenta''s favorite. She was truly despicable. "How is it? Don''t you want to eat it?" "...I won''t fall for that." "My, it can''t be helped then." Bery broke the cookie into two in front of her and took half of it to her own mouth. Kreschenta looked at it dumbfounded. "... It''s delicious. I can''tpete with something simple like this after all. The honey spreads in your mouth... Let''s eat all of Krische-sama''s cookies?" "T-that''s cowardly. That''s what One-sama made for me..." "Krische-sama told me to eat together with Kreschenta-sama, so I did as promised. It doesn''tst very long after all, so if Kreschenta-sama says you won''t eat it, I have to eat it all." The cookie that had been cut in half was shaken in front of her. ''Uuu'', Kreschenta''s eyes swayed left and right as she groaned. "How about it? Will you won''t eat it after all? Then, what a shame! I will----" "W-wait..." "My! What''s the matter? I thought these cookies would not be suitable for the pte of the great and noble princess, but..." "Uuu--..." Bery chuckled and shook the cookie. "Perhaps I was mistaken. Was the one here not Her Highness The Princess Kreschenta, but rather Kreschenta-sama, who loves sweet cookies?" The bnce swung wildly from side to side in Kreschenta''s mind. Pride and cookies. The tilt, which should have beenrge, gradually leveled off, then reversed, and then---- "W-woof..." "My, it seems I misunderstood. I''m sorry, fufu, I misunderstood. Kreschenta-sama, do you want a cookie?" "Uuuu...woof." Bery happily pressed the cookie to her, and she took and swallowed it with her cherry-red lips. ''Good girl'', The sweetness of honey seemed to seep out from the cookies as she tasted them while being patted on the head. Desire oppressed by pride----Kreschenta was released from strong stress. The head, where everything that had been suppressed had been released, was overflowing with euphoria. It filled her body to overflowing, and her cheeks rxed. "Fufu, really, what a cute child. Here, Kreschenta-sama, the next cookie." "W-woof..." And so Kreschenta became a dog. Bery and Kreschenta have been having the same exchange for the past few days and spent about half of their days doing so. The northern border was about seven days from the fort. From there, it took four days to reach Nauthiana, the royal capital of Arna Imperial State. Because they were using the road connecting the Kingdom and the Imperial State, though the towns along the way were reasonablyrge, naturally there were days when they had to stay out in the open. The sixth day of the trip was just such a day. The nearest town was a small one with the appearance of an inn town, and there were no estates or inns suitable for the first princess of the Kingdom to stay. In such cases, it was normal to camp out. This was partly a matter of dignity, but also for security reasons. A princess needed to avoid ces where people of unknown origin could freely enter and leave, and be careful about the meals that were served, even if it''s only a cup of tea. She would not be allowed to stay in a ce where the origin of the servants was not known. Considering security reasons, forming a camp was much safer. After purchasing food and provisions for the journey, the group pitched their tents a short distance away from the town and began preparing for the evening meal. Setting up the cumbersome tent. The fire watch and lookout. The camp was a heavy burden for the soldiers. Precisely because it was a nerve-wracking trip to escort a noble, it''s normal to want to at least rest in a soft bed. But on this trip, the soldiers were more than happy to camp out. "Kreschenta-sama, you should add a little more salt." "Hmm...this much?" "Yes, that''s about right. I''m going to put the leaf next--" The cooking was always done by the culinary researcher----a hobbyist chef, Bery Argan. And her assistant was the much respected, Her Royal Highness The Princess Kreschenta. When one was able to enjoy the cuisine of such two people, even a little fatigue was not a hardship. On top of that, if it turns out to be so delicious that you wouldn''t think it''s a camp, there''s no one who wouldn''t be happy, and that reaction was perfectly justified. In particr, the cavalrymen apanying the princess were chosen for their abilities and loyalty to the Kingdom, and the other day, when receiving the meal, some of them even cried as their hands trembled at the princess''s cooking. Naturally, there were those who objected to the fact that the two of them were cooking, saying that they should not let them do the cooking. ''I am in the middle of learning cooking from Argan-sama. If it''s not for an opportunity like this, I won''t even be allowed to hold a kitchen knife at the royal pce...can I?'' They were beaten by Kreschenta''s upturned puppy dog eyes. Her eyes moistened and her hands rested on her chest. Slightly sad eyes with an elevation angle of 45 degrees. Kreschenta had mastered the art of using the most of her own cuteness and good looks to get her own wishes. In this respect, Kreschenta had the ability to overwhelmingly outperform Krische, who had equal potential. And now the second time, no one had any doubts about the two of them cooking. While helping out with things like setting up the tent and carrying the food, the soldiers around them watched the two of them skillfully prepare the food, giving them a feast for the eyes. "............" Kreschenta was always serious when it came to this. Kreschenta''s violet eyes watched the movements of Berry''s hands. It was merely chopping an onion----but the years and years of practice umted there, and the amount of passion devoted to it, was astonishing, making it difficult to imitate easily. Size, fiber, shape. Each piece had its own unique character, and the angle of chopping was slightly changed by hand. The wicked onion that would irritate Kreschenta eyes and make her shed tears in her hands was as if apletely different thing in Bery''s hands, docile and obedient----she was truly an onion trainer. Of course, that''s not all. When the skin of the radish was peeled, the moon shone through, and there was no resistance to the de passing through it. From past experience, Kreschenta knew that Bery could handle several things at the same time. Simply imitating one technique was meaningless if she cannot imitate the thinking circuit that fluidlybines them. That was why Kreschenta''s brilliant mind was spinning full throttle as she observed and considered Bery''s every move. One of the factors that made Krische''s regard Bery as absolute was the high level of cooking technique. Kreschenta thought that learning this part was essential for the "Operation to make Onee-sama cling to me". But her cooking skills were unassable----Kreschenta had to admit that Bery was far ahead of her in this aspect. Her vast knowledge and experience with food, cookware, and ingredients coupled with her genius and creativity----was constantly growing. The her today leave the yesterday her behind. She tried to catch up with her, but she couldn''t close the distance, and Bery''s back seemed to be in a haze. Unlike Krische, who had umted experience since childhood, Kreschenta was aplete novice. Although her pte was excellent, having been raised on court cuisine, it did not give her a significant advantage over Bery. Her handling of the knife, her seasoning. Kreschenta, like Krische, was a pathological imitator when it came to each and every one of these skills. She had already shown impressive growth that would even make a professional astonished, but she was up against Bery Argan, an artist who would make nopromises when it came to cooking. As expected, Kreschenta was not good enough to deal with her one-handedly. "The meat is just about ready to be cooked." "...I don''t think it''s cooked all the way through though." "It would be good if you give the cow a little rest." Berry quickly transferred the meat from the bonfire to her te. The color of meat that was not yet cooked------Berry put it on a te and covered it with a cloth. "Miasma and insects are vulnerable to heat, so meat is basically cooked by grilling, boiling, or frying. However, if you overcook it, it will lose its deliciousness, so there is a way to adjust the heat just right for anything." Bery continued while tasting the soup. "In the case of beef, after the surface is cooked, let it rest for a while, and use the remaining heat to cook the inside. Because cows are less prone to miasma and insects, many people eat them without cooking them. ...For me personally, it''s safer to let it rest for a while and let it heat up slowly, and it feels delicious. It will also soften." "Soft..." "Yes. Soft meat is more delicious, isn''t it?" Bery point''s to the finely chopped onion that was rubbing against the meat earlier. "There are a number of methods to tenderize the meat, such as marinating it in a little chopped or grated onion like we just did, or marinating it in milk. ...... Well, we''ll get to that. Basically, the ingredients are honest, so the more effort you put into it, the better it will taste." Bery exined happily. That was another point that Kreschenta didn''t like. Bery revealed her hand easily. She was able to show her hand so easily to the genius, Kreschenta. The knowledge in her head was unfathomable, and new methods and concepts were presented to her even as she learned and learned. Someday the limit wille----Though Kreschenta was letting her spit out her knowledge while thinking so, Bery smiled calmly while spitting out her huge amount of knowledge. This was unforgivable in the face of serious Kreschenta. When Kreschenta pouted her lips without realizing it, Bery smiled wryly and said she shouldn''t make that kind of face. "It''s important to rx and have fun when cooking. Keep your mind and heart flexible, and think about what you can do to make it delicious. Krische-sama is always looking like she''s having fun too, isn''t she?" "...Muu, I understand." "Even if you don''t rush, Kreschenta-sama absorbs things very quickly. The next time you cook with Krische-sama, you might be surprised at how good you are. I''m sure she will be very pleased." Krischenta''s cheeks rxed as she imagined this for a moment. Krischenta then shook her head, realizing that she was being watched with amusement. "W-what do you want me to do next?" "Fufufu, Kreshcenta is truly cute. Well, then----" The grilled meat was so tender that you wouldn''t expect it to be in a camp, and the sauce made with onions, red wine, and grated fruit was that of a court dish. Add to that a sweet pumpkin-based soup and a pumpkin pie made in a frying pan. Before she knew it Bery had even prepared an assortment of cut fruits. However, the food she made while Bery waspletely in control and instructed her was beautiful and delicious, so she shouldn''tin. Bery tended to eat less for someone who could use magical power, and ate in moderation. She looked happy as she watched the people around her and Kreshcenta eating deliciously. "This pumpkin soup reminds me of the one the corpsmander used to make.......Well, it''s a luxury to be able to eat something like this in the camp." One of the soldiers in ck coated armor said so. Kilik, the leader of 19th Squad assigned to the escort------he was a middle-aged man with one eye. He was the actual leader of the two groups that are apanying them on this trip, along with the 20th Squad. "Is it Argan-sama guidance?" "No. I''m the one who learned most of the things that use pumpkins. ...It''s Krische''s favorite food." Bery said that happily and gently traced the pumpkin pie. Her profile illuminated by the light of the bonfire. Her face, which usually looked so young, was somehow mature, and the way she gazed at the pie with affection was as beautiful as the maiden in the bard''s tale. Graceful flowers blooming in a garden. It was not a distinct beauty like Selene. A single flower shining in the deep forest. Not a fantastic beauty like Krische or Kreschenta. It was a flower in the shade of a tree that you would suddenly notice when you sat down and saw it blooming beside you. Her beauty was not morous or vivid, but it certainly attracted people''s hearts. She had that kind of charm. "When I saw the pumpkin, I suddenly thought. Is Krische-sama on the battlefield at this time?" "If they move their face, then it''s probably so...... Rest assured, there is no one in the world who canpete with the Corps Commander. I don''t know if the enemy brought a dragon though, but... haha, well, she certainly is worthy of suchparison." "Yes......But I am a little worried because she is a person who often forces herself." She took a small bite of the pie and swallowed it. And traced her lips with her fingertips. It was a gesture that was somehow tinged with heat. Kilik, admiring the gesture, agreed. The other day''s dying action------he understood what she was trying to say when he recalled the Krische at that time. "That''s... certainly." Like a mother who''s worried about her daughter. Like a maiden waiting for her lover''s return. Like a virtuous wife thinking of her husband who was sent to war. Kilik wondered what words he should use to describe her. Her anxiety, proportional to her strong affection, made her all the more attractive. As if it were only natural, he said something to ease her worries. "But as far as we are concerned, we are more united than ever before, and we all truly respect the Corps Commander. We are all making every effort to minimize the burden on the Corps Commander, including Captain Dagra, so we will not have to go through what we went through the other day." "......Thank you very much." Bery smiled and bowed her head, and Kilik shook his head flustered. Every gesture was beautiful, and Bery behaved truly like those of a noble. However, there was nothing sarcastic about it, and it was so natural that it would unintentionally awe even a serious person like Kilik when he faced her. Even Kreschenta, observed each and every one of Bery''s movements and reactions as she silently proceeded with her meal. Even for Kreschenta, who grew up in the royal pce and observed the behavior of nobles, the Bery''s atmosphere as an aristocrat was unique, making it an object to be observed. Voice, facial expressions, hands, lips, and eye movements. There were many things to learn from Bery''s behavior, which unconsciously attracted the favor of others. Despite the fact that Princess Kreshcenta was here, the current atmosphere was Bery''s. She drew the attention and affection of those around her, making them want to protect her. What could be done to manipte that atmosphere freely------ Kreshcenta was always thinking about that in her life, and that was what she was looking for. ----However, she still felt dissatisfied after all. Currently, during this journey, it''s clear that Bery was attracting more interest and favor than Kreschenta, and she didn''t like it. The princess----it was a very grave situation for a servant to gain poprity and attention while she was the one who will be the queen of the kingdom. Unaware of her own dissatisfaction, she puffed out his soft cheeks. Bery, who noticed her, smiled wryly and patted her cheek. *fyuu~* The air leaked out with a pitiful sound. "Fufufu, it''s not the time to be worried huh." "... That''s right, Argan-sama. I''m more worried about Argan-sama getting sick from worrying too much about Onee-sama. I don''t know what Onee-sama would say to me if that happened." "... Yes, I''m sorry." Bery wiped Krechenta''s mouth that had be dirty with a handkerchief and Krechenta blushed. The men looked at each other. Krechenta, who was a young girl but behaved in a respectable and splendid manner, seemed to be a little selfish to Bery, just like how she looked on the outside. It made them feel closer to the burden she carried on her delicate shoulders, and today too, she gained more of their respect. But Krechenta was unaware that what she sought was right beside her. And today, she was still frustrated and felt defeated and her one-sided rivalry became even stronger. Minor dissatisfaction and joys. The journey of the young princess and the servants who supported her was progressing smoothly today as well. Chapter 87: Innocent Princess and Animal (Her) Trainer Chapter 87: Innocent Princess and Animal (Her) Trainer ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 87 Innocent Princess and Animal (Her) Trainer*** Arna Imperial State was nked by mountains to the east and west, with a wide coastline facing the sea to the north. The territory itself was not veryrge, only about the size of a slice of the northern part of the Kingdom, but trade with the northern ind states was prosperous and rich. It can be appropriately described as a maritime nation by nature. The area where the northern part of the Kingdom was blocked by the mountains to the east and west was the border between the two countries, and a checkpoint was set up on the border. There was a distance of about three ri (1.2 km) between the two border posts, where merchants established a marketce where they sold countlessmodities. From caravan escort mercenaries and thugs to well-known merchants. Due to the rtionship between the two countries, imports and exports were naturally subject to tariffs, butmercial transactions were very active between the two countries, which have close ties. And there was no way to control every transaction. It was amon urrence here to trade items that had been purposely overlooked by the officials of the checkpoint, or hidden money and goods and other items. It was extremely difficult to tell the difference between the sale of goods that are not subject to tariffs and such illegal transactions, and there was arge aspect of unspoken understanding between the two countries that both sides are turning a blind eye to it. These kinds of trade were trivialpared to the whole, and it was often merchants and aristocrats with huge assets who make profits from it. It was difficult to cut off such dark parts that had taken root in the country so long ago, and neglected. This was not only a bad thing, considering thatmerce between the two countries was thriving as a result. With just one seal and signature from Princess Kreschenta, They were able to pass through the checkpoint without the luggage being checked. Impersonating royalty was punishable by death without question, as well as confiscation of private property. No one would suspect it, and as they had been informed in advance, there was no problem. "... It''s the first time I''ve left the country. It''s crowded, isn''t it?" Bery looked out the small window with interest, and Kreschenta, who was held in herp as usual, looked at her and sighed with dissatisfaction. "There are some things I wish to do about this ce sooner orter, but isn''t this just awless area?" Kreschenta did not tolerate any injustice except her own. Chaos against the rules often had consequences that Kreschenta could not predict. Exposing corrupt nobles and confiscation of their private property. Her eyes were already nning for the end of the civil war. In her mind, the country was already hers. Berry smiled and sped Kreschenta''s puffed-up cheeks between her hands. fyuu~, Bery smiled as she enjoyed the sound of the escaping air. "What kind of country do you want to create, Kreschenta-sama?" "A country where I can control everything. ...Please stop that." Smack. She pped Bery''s hand. However, contrary to the sound it made, the strength was quite gentle. "I will sweep away the corrupt Noble and clean out the stagnant and rotten parts. My uncle will be spending a lot during this civil war, so I will confiscate his property to make up for it. Then I''ll turn it over to the state. There are too many loopholes in the current state of the countryw, so it will be quite busy in the future." Bery listened with admiration and stroked her head. This time her hand was not pped away. "Enrich the people and increase the power of the country------the nobles have too much power right now, so I want to do something about that as well. We also need a mechanism to raise the intellectual level ofmoners and recruit talented people. Right now, most of theme from career advancement from the military and hereditary ipetence." "Fufufu, isn''t everyone an idiot to Kreschenta-sama?" "There''s a difference between an idiot who can be talked with and an idiot who can''t." ''Please don''t interrupt me, she grumbled, and pressed the back of her head against Bery''s jaw displeased. Bery just smiled pleasantly. "But that''s nice. Was it a school that provided primary education formoners? I heard there is one in some countries." "It''s in the Republic of Nerka, a long way south of Gulshan. In the Christand army, we send people who can do arithmetic to the logistics department, but I think that even an idiot can understand that level of calction even if you teach them lightly. If we can put the money and equipment andws in ce. If themoners as a whole be smarter, I think we will see an increase in national strength in all areas, includingmerce." ''Though It''s something that should be seen in units of tens of years'', her cheeks puffed up again. "I''ve always thought it was a waste to spend all that money on vases, paintings, art, and other useless things. I wonder if I should just clean the royal pce of junk this time." ''Humph, humph'', Kreschenta said discontentedly, and Bery who crushed (tten) her cheeks once again told. "I don''t think we should do anything too extreme but..." "It''s not a problem if you give a reason, such as financial difficulties. If the royal family refrains from extravagance, putting aside the merchants, it will surely attract the attention of the people. On top of that, if you give it to the people, it will be easier to grasp their hearts, right? ------It would be outrageous if the royal family spent extravagantly even after I became the master." ''Please stop'', she pped Bery''s hands again and swung her legs in a good mood. While stroking the girl''s cheek, Bery smiled. She didn''t take pleasure in luxuries, she didn''t take pleasure in hurting people------even though there were many problems, she was certainly trying to lead the kingdom in a good direction. Even if she couldn''t say whether she was good as an individual, her purpose was legitimate, and like Krische, her desires were purer and more beautiful than anyone else''s. "......That may be the case" "It will be. Of course, there will be various problems, so we will have to wait and see, just like Argan-sama said but...first of all, I will start, with the confiscation of private property from corrupt nobles. I''ve already set my sights on it." Kreschenta continued happily. "If I build up national power like that, Onee-sama won''t have to do that kind of work either, and at that time, I wonder if I should hire Onee-sama with the pretext of bing my exclusive bodyguard. ...Fufun, Argan-sama should just stay in the estate and wait impatiently for Onee-sama and me to return." "Fufufu, though I''m sure that when she''s not working anymore, Krische-sama will want to cook with me." "Muuu..." Kreschenta shifted her position on Bery''s knees and red squarely at Bery. Bery smiled. "... Don''t think that things will always go your way, Argan-sama. At that time, I will already be called Her Majesty the Queen." "Yes. However, at the same time as being a vassal of Kreschenta-sama, I am also a servant of Krische-sama. ...If Krische-sama wants that, I have no choice but to give up, but if not, Krische-sama will be next to me. And it is the servant''s duty toply with the master''s wishes." Implicitly, it was a deration that she was the number one to Krische. Bery smiled at her. Kreschenta, who was ring at her, wrinkled her brow. "And I wonder just who is manipting Onee-sama''s intention so as to match with their own. It''s despicable, I know that most of the reasons why Onee-sama is silly is because of Argan-sama." "I always put Krische-sama happiness first. I think she''ll have a lot more fun if she''s just a little bit silly, so I''m just teaching her that. I have already sworn ande to terms with everything, so I don''t care what anyone says." ----Because I decided to love like that." Kreschenta frowned. Bery smiled happily and caressed her cheek. "If possible, I would like to ask Kreschenta-sama to be a little more honest about that kind of silly happiness." "I don''t want to be an idiot." "Fufufu, Kreschenta-sama is a very stubborn person, isn''t she? That might be the biggest difference from Krische-sama. ...But that part of you is also cute in a different way" "...Cute is a taboo word. You''re making fun of me, aren''t you?" "My! But it''s true, look." *Mugyuu*, Kreschenta''s face was pressed against her chest, and Bery held her head and stroked it. Kreschenta was torn between a sense of happiness and pride, and although she struggled to resist, she was gradually swept away by thefort and her resistance weakened. "You should honestly say that you like being treated like this." "S-...so this is how you ensnared Onee-sama. Coward...j-just wait when my chest gets bigger." "...Looking at Krische-sama''s chest, Kreschenta-sama also----" "I will grow up big! ...Then, even Onee-sama will hug me." "Fufu, is that so? I''m looking forward to it." Kreschenta was frustrated by the remarks that ignored her, but there was a high possibility that it would end up as Bery said. Without being able to say anything, she was stroked on the head and rxed. The feeling of being stroked and patted on the head was something that shook one''s instincts. She recalled the memory of her being treated like a dog and being humiliated, and her gaze wondered. There was an unnatural pause in the conversation. And it''s not like she''s sleepy. She was slightly hungry. When she nced at Bery, she saw Bery narrowing her eyes somewhat amusedly. Sensing that she was thinking about the very actions that worried her, Kreschenta red and averted her gaze. "I don''t know what you are thinking, but I will never let you do what you want today." "My, making Her Majesty the Queen do as I pleased, what a transgression!" She chuckled and pulled out a basket she had in a corner. She knew the sweet apple scent that wafted from it. This must have been what she had prepared this morning. And calling Kreschenta, Her Majesty the Queen in such a deliberate tone was the prelude. "Since I am a servant, all I can do is fulfill my master''s wishes. ...Oh, what''s wrong?" Berry meaningfully caught the fact that Kreschenta turned her gaze to the basket. "Speaking of which... usually at a time like this, to relieve Her Majesty''s boredom, I would do something with Her Majesty-no, I don''t think I would do such an outrageous thing to Her Majesty. Am I wrong?" "Uuu..." "No way, no way, Her Majesty the Queen would imitate a doggy. ...I think I might have mistaken it for Krische-sama. The queen is not supposed to like treats..." A really deliberate tone. As if inviting, she opened the cloth covering the basket. The sweet smell of apples intensified, tickling her nostrils---- "Actually, I secretly baked a sweet apple pie this morning as well because of that misunderstanding but------" And so, together with her vain resistance, the princess fell today as well. The group passed through the checkpoint and entered the Imperial State. However, they did not visit the residences of the nobles. Although they had sent horses to the important checkpoint, it would not be good for either side for them to visit the residences of the nobles, as the Imperial State had not yet decided their policy. The reason was that they might be suspected of asking for political cooperation from the Imperial State nobles, and the nobles who received their visit might be suspected of being in collusion with them. Normally, the royal family of a friendly country would have been weed as much as possible, but today as well, they were camping in a tent. The winter was near. If you go north, the cold will naturally intensify, and it''s hard to say that the cold tent was veryfortable----but. "Fufu, are you warm?" "Woof!" Kreschenta was reallyfortable, hugging herself with a nket and Bery, sipping tea that had be warm due to the excessive use of milk. "Shall we take a rest after drinking? We need to move early tomorrow after all." "Woof..." The Kreschenta that rubbed up against Bery''s body was a dog. She was born a princess. Kreschenta was truly a sheltered girl. Naturally, she was very sensitive to the cold. Very very weak. It was natural for royalty to spend time in a warm environment----on a cold day like this, it was only natural that they needed to keep their skin warm to keep their bodies from getting cold. But on days like this, Bery would just look at Kreschenta cheerfully and say, ''Now,e here. It''s cold, isn''t it?'' In short, Kreschenta could not keep away from the warmth of Bery''s body. It was frustrating to be pampered by Bery. But it was cold. Very cold. In less than a quarter of an hour, there were three internal meetings in her head, and the council was in turmoil------and finally came to the unanimous conclusion that she needed to keep warm to maintain her health. However, to say something like, "I want you to hug me and make me warm!" in front of Bery, who seemed to be fine with the cold, will inevitably lead to further attacks. Surely Kreschenta, forced to absorb body heat for warmth, would have to repeat her begging request, and the wicked servant would look down at her. And in the end, she would be forced to imitate a dog------What a humiliation! ----If so, reverse the idea. It would be fine if she just became a dog from the beginning. Kreschenta''s lucid mind was clear even in the cold. Although the meal was interrupted, Kreschenta had already been forced to imitate a dog today. And she was humiliated enough at that time. There was no reason for Kreschenta to feel humiliated by being forced to imitate a dog again since she was already humiliated during the day. "Kuun.." This was certainly not her intention. It was this servant who was at fault. Her precious sweets were being held hostage and she was forced to imitate a dog against her will, not that Kreschenta wished to imitate a dog. As expected, Berypiled, just by rubbing up against her and making a single ''woof'' sound. She lured Bery into the nket, then Bery poured her another cup of tea, held her close, and cuddled her while stroking her head. All Kreschenta had to do was woof and purr. It can''t be helped because she''s forced to imitate a dog, whether it''s snuggling up to her forfort or burying her face in Bery''s chest and having her head stroked. At this moment, she was a dog. By believing that, the shame was pushed to the back of her mind----Kreschenta was left to her instincts. "Waafu..." "My, you''re quite spoiled today. Fufu, good girl, good girl." "...Wauu." Her head was gently stroked, and her head melted in euphoria. It was the ultimate happiness to be hugged and stroked on the head while drinking sweet tea. It was ridiculous that she had been shivering in the cold until just now. She loosened her cheeks and rubbed her head against hers----it was normal for a dog to do this. She couldn''t help it because she was being forced to imitate a dog. It was a despicable coercion, but it was never of her own will. After finishing her tea and setting it down on the simple desk, she looked up at Bery. She adjusted the position of her body and rubbed their cheeks together and whined. If she had a tail, she would be wagging it from side to side. It was an appeal for Bery to take her to bed. "Okay. Shall we take a rest then?" "Woof!" Bery was an excellent owner who never misunderstood what her dog wanted. Drowsiness and a warm body. Kreschenta was entranced and---- "Your Royal Highness, pardon me for asking this when you''re about to rest but, may I have a moment?" Kreschenta jumped up as soon as she heard such a voice from outside the tent. She adjusted her sitting posture and switched to princess mode. "Yes, it''s fine. Is there something wrong?" "A messenger from the Imperial State hase. They asked for an audience." "... Understood. Please wait a little while, I''ll be there soon." The voice was clear----but the timing was... Her face was puffed up with irreparable dissatisfaction. Bery smiled wryly and wrapped both of her hands around her cheeks. *fyuu~*, a pitiful sound echoed in the tent. Chapter 88: The Kingdomâ€™s Princess Chapter 88: The Kingdom¡¯s Princess ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 88 The Kingdom¡¯s Princess*** Arna Imperial State was and with a strong belief in the Holy Spirit and was a matriarchal state with a queen as the highest authority from generation to generation. The queen was a priestess of the Holy Spirit, whose main deity is the Ancient Fragon Yagernaus. In other words, it was a theocracy. The Imperial State had a Miko (shrine maiden) at the top, and the aristocrats below it were officially a Shinto priests. The Ancient Dragon now didn''t actively interact with humans, but it''s more than convenient that an object of worship certainly existed. This was the reason why the system had been in ce since tribal times without any confusion. The authority was guaranteed by the belief in the ancient dragon, and there has been no civil war for hundreds of years. The mystique of the high-ranking priests was firmly maintained, and they were all revered by the popce. "... I was surprised to hear that the high priest was here." "...If Her Royal Highness the First Princess of the Kingdom of Alberan is here, then I can''t just send anyone to pick her up." White cloth with gold embroidery. He wore a robe made of manyyers of it, and a golden kanmuri like a helmet on his head. Iid in the center of it was a blue jewel, signifying a High Priest, and in His hand was a scepter taller than his height. The third rank from the top of the Imperial State----the high priest. Considering that the second rank, the archbishop, ys a supporting role for the Miko in the center of national affairs, he was the highest-ranking person that coulde out to meet her like this. The old man looked at Krescenta with a soft smile on his wrinkled face. "My name is Zanalibea, Her Highness First Princess Kreschenta. It''s been two years since then...Was it at the Holy Spirit Festival?" "I remember, Zanalibea-sama. It''s been a while, and I''m d to see you again." Kreschenta forgot that she was a dog until just now and turned her pretty princess smile to Zanalibea as she bowed her head. When one bes a priest, one loses their family name. In such cases, it was fine to call them by their first names. "However, why did Lord Zanalibea go all the way here? It seems to me that you have very fewpanions for it to be my reception." She knew the reason. Kreschenta raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips in dissatisfaction. "I understand your position, Zanalibea-sama.... But I can''t go home until I have an audience with Miko-sama." The Imperial State did not want a meeting with Kreschenta. The Kingdom''s tops that were in the midst of a civil war. Having contact with one side was inconvenient if the other side ended up winning. If possible, they would want to have Kreschenta go home as it was. The number of people he brought was ten escorts. The reason he showed up at night like this was because he didn''t want to make things too big. They didn''t want to diplomatically refuse a meeting with a Princess of an ally. They wanted to say that Kreschenta had voluntarily canceled the audience due to her own circumstances. Nevertheless, they had sent a high priestess who could make important decisions rted to national politics. This was not a mere diplomatic courtesy. It was to make some kind of decision. In this case, whether or not to bring Kreschenta to the Miko---- Using tears. No, it wouldn''t work for this person. The old man''s eyes were calm and observant. If the Imperial State was a country that''s moved by emotion, it would have already joined Kreschenta. "Fufu, that''s right. If Miko-sama doesn''t want to meet me, I can travel more grandly. Visiting every city and giving a speech. Let''s show it, not to the Miko-sama, but to the people of this country. Communicate the Kingdom''s plight and draw attention----until you can''t ignore it." Zanalibea furrowed his eyebrows at the words she said with a mischievous smile. The actions Kreschenta announced were unbing behavior for a member of the royal family, but for that reason alone, it would have a great effect. "I''ve been prepared to throw away my pride for a long time.... Even now there are still people who risk their lives to fight for me." She looked straight at Zanalibea. She yed as a young but intelligent princess. She needed to be the kind of person that made him want to bargain instead of pitying her. "......I''ll be straightforward. What is your purpose? You are not sincerely asking for our help, are you?" Zanalibea was unsure of the value of this princess. Among the four high priests, Zanalibea was the one who had strong connections to the Kingdom. It was no exaggeration to say that he knew the inner workings of the Kingdom better than the Kingdom''s people. ----The Cursed Child Kreschenta. He also knew a lot about her from rumors that were secretly told in the royal pce. The story of a baby who never cried----the Cursed Child of the royal family was rather well-known in the Imperial State. The baby who never cried had been an existence that had brought chaos and development to the Kingdom of Alberan since ancient times. They were said to be extraordinary men of exceptional talent, yet devoid of humanpassion and ethics, and their reigns were marked by great development and destruction of the Kingdom. When Alberan, a great power, split with the Holy Elsren Empire, it was said that the cause was Queen Grabaraine and Princess Elsleine----the two babies who never cried. After the reign of Grabareine, who had imposed a harsh reign of terror, ended, the royal family treated the babies who never cried as a Cursed Child----much more was recorded in the Imperial State archives than the Kingdom''s, which prohibited the recording of that part as a disgrace to the royal family. However, the girl in front of him did not seem to have the abnormality that the records spoke of. As such, only rumors floated around her. Rumors that she was an evil Cursed Child and that she had been killing everyone around her, including her younger brother Prince since she was a child. As a matter of fact, since her birth, her surroundings have been filled with unnatural deaths. Which one she was an important question. The choice here could affect the future of the Imperial State, depending on the situation. And the Imperial State was not monolithic either. Even among them, there were two factions, the Royal Prince faction, and the Princess faction. This was the reason why the Imperial State had been unable to make a move. If done poorly, the empire itself could be split up----Even for the empire, which had long been allied with the kingdom, this civil war had be a very big problem. The Kingdom was a shield that blocked aggression from the powerful nations that spread to the south. The presence of the Kingdom was very important to the Imperial State. "...... It is not good to discuss such an important matter standing around. Pleasee to my tent. Argan-sama?" "Yes, I have already made the preparations, Your Highness. ...High Priest Zanalibea,e this way." As expected, Bery had prepared the tent for the meeting before going outside. nkets were piled high on the bed, and cookies and pies were on the desk. As expected, it was impossible to invite guests from other countries to a tent that looks like Kreschenta''s House (kennel). Bery quickly cleaned up the area, boiled the water again to serve the tea, and put the tablecloth back on. "Muu......" Bery led the way without worrying about Kreschenta''s somewhat displeased look. Zanalibea admired Bery''s elegant series of gestures, thinking that she must have been born into a good noble family, and thought that he was overthinking Kreschenta''s subtle changes in her expression. At least she didn''t seem to match the Cursed Child----the ruthless ruler described in the history books. Before she knew it, Kreschenta''s rxing space had be simple and somehow cold, and for a moment, Kreschenta seemed to be stunned. Bery told her with a nce that she will put it back properlyter, and Kreschenta nodded her head dissatisfied. Watching the quiet exchanges before his eyes, the Zanalibea grew relieved and narrowed his eyes at the mor of the fragrant tea leaves from the pot. "Is this Aceram?" "Yes, High Priest Zanalibea. On a chilly night like this----I thought milk tea would be better than straight after a long trip." Acerum had a faint sweetness and richness and was a tea leaf that goes well with milk. Kreschenta has about three types of tea leaves with her, but since she basically only drank milk tea, she usually used this tea leaf when she brewed tea. "... Thank you for your consideration. Though I look like this I like ck tea more than alcohol." "I am very grateful for your kind words. Excuse me." She poured the milk into the Zanalibea''s cup then a tea. Then she drizzled an appropriate amount of honey and stirred it, then turned to Kreschenta. Although the milk was modestpared to usual, Bery poured in plenty of honey while hiding it with her hands, and Kreschenta was delighted. However, Zanalibea''s sharp eyes cannot be fooled, and he obtained information that was quite meaningless that Kreschenta had a sweet tooth. But this little aspect of Kreschenta''s personality also made a favorable impression on him. At least she had a very good rtionship with her closestpanion, her personal servant, and received her heartfelt service. It was often said that the quality of a servant indicates the dignity of the master. Her calmness regardless of the sudden visit----this servant was perfect as the princess''s servant in that respect, but what should really be seen, however, more than the servant''s ability was the rtionship with the master. How a servant viewed their master was a clue to getting to know the person. Do they fear their master or make light master? Is there respect or affection?------Those feelings can be glimpsed from trivial gestures. The care that the servant showed in this short time, and the feelings between the two. There seemed to be a connection between them that went beyond their position as princess and servant, which was Zanalibeia''s idea of the ideal rtionship between master and servant. Whether she was a Cursed Child or not. At least Princess Kreschenta did not put on air toward her closest servants, and usually showed her age-appropriate behavior. Zanalibeia was beginning to solidify his opinion of her at this moment, even if he did not realize that the princess was being treated like a dog. Without saying a word, Bery gave Kreschenta ap nket and asked Zanalibeia with her gaze. Raised in the Imperial State, Zanalibea was ustomed to the cold. Zanalibeia raised his hand lightly in response, and Bery lowered her head deeply and stepped back. "...Opinions are divided even in the Imperial State. What should the Imperial State do is the question." Zanalibea''s words were the result of his observations up to that point. Zanalibea had also let his guard down to the extent that he was willing to open his heart a little. Kreschenta silently stirred the tea with a spoon, as if examining those words. She was only judging whether the tea was at a drinkable temperature by the heat transmitted from the spoon. "The question is whether we will support the Royal Prince or the Princess. If the situation intensifies, the Imperial State could also be split in two by your civil war." "That''s why my audience is not desirable." Zanalibea nodded at Kreschenta''s words. "I see. ...The fact that you are telling me this means that Zanalibea-sama is leaning on my side------Is it correct to think so?" "I wonder. I am a retainer of the Imperial State... I wish for the peace of the Imperial State. That''s all I''m always thinking about." He sipped his tea, without stating it. "I intend to remain neutral on this matter. Looking at the current state of the Empire, any move is too dangerous. ......It all depends on what Her Royal Highness the Princess is thinking." "... It seems that there are many people in the empire who have leaned towards uncle." Kreschenta said exasperated. Kreschenta could not move much in the royal pce. She was too young to plot politically, and she didn''t have the power to sneak a spy into another country. So she tried to make allies within the royal court------but Gildanstein wasn''t so. His spywork was wide and deep, even being hidden inside other countries. "On top of that, if you say you''re neutral, then I''m going to think that Zanalibea-sama is on my side after all. My wish and Zanalibea-sama''s hope aligned after all." "...That, what is it?" "What I want is bnce and stillness within the Imperial State. ......As you said, I''m not asking for Imperial State help." Zanalibea examined her words, and Kreschenta smiled and looked thoughtfully at the tea. The tea was at a drinkable temperature. "You seem very confident. From what I have been informed, the Christand seems to be in a very precarious position." "Certainly, the loss of Margrave Christand is a big loss....But in return, we obtained a sharper de than anything else." "......de?" "Yes. The one I trust more than anyone else------I know." Kreschenta smiled wickedly as she traced her soft lips with her fingertips. "How about this? How about a bet between Zanalibea-sama and me?" "A bet, is it?" "I can see why there are differences of opinion in the Kingdom. The priests of the Empire, who value their faith, are probably concerned about my origins." Zanalibea''s eyes widened. He had not expected her to mention it herself. "In addition to that, there is the current situation where the dragon''s jaws have been taken away from. --The royal prince faction probably has the upper hand within the Imperial State. The current situation is that there are growing calls for the Imperial State to join Gildanstein and kill me, and Zanalibea-sama is a moderate who is moving to avoid that." As the old man gazed at her, she already had the air of a monarch. Her sweet voice was full of spirit, and the look in her eyes was that of absolute confidence. There was an inexpressible power in her that would make the other person prostrate as if it was only natural. "I am sure it was Miko-sama''s intention that you''re here, right? Miko-sama also thinks that they should not move now, and she is afraid that me entering the royal capital will break the bnce." "Haha... it sounds as if you saw it." "I can imagine it." Kreschentaughed like a little girl. "I know a lot about my uncle''s notoriety. It''s difficult to make a just cause for taking part in it, the people will not be convinced even if you join him and win the war. They will not understand the royal family''s situation even if they call me a Cursed Child." With a chuckle, Kreschenta looked at Zanalibea straight. "The Imperial State prioritized profit, not reason, and lent a hand to the infamous Gildanstein. And I am a poor princess dancing atop that palm....Fufu, The Imperial State is better off staying out of it and riding the eventual winner." ''It''splicated, isn''t it?'' Kreschenta sipped her tea, and Zanalibea sighed. Kreschenta had a clear understanding of the internal affairs of the empire. Considering her age, she has a certain intelligence that cannot be underestimated. "Maybe Zanalibea-sama thinks it wouldn''t be a bad idea to support me after considering the public sentiment in the future?" "...... Can''t argue with that. But------" "The only thing that concerns Zanaribea-sama is whether or not it is possible for us to get the Dragon''s Maw back. ...right?" Zanalibea felt that he was being swallowed by her pace. She was in control of the flow of the conversation. They were the ones with the upper hand------but she had grasped the Imperial State, and Zanalibea''s thoughts. He visited without contact and chose the night before bedtime. Even then Kresca, her words were steady and fluid, as if she had been preparing for them. Zanalibea nodded as he felt drawn in. "That''s what the bet is about. We''ll be staying for a while in a town chosen by Zanalibea-sama. Right, it will be fine if you say that you''re having us wait while you prepare to wee me, isn''t it?" Furrowing his brow, Zanalibea probes the young princess''s intentions. Not just words. Kreschenta had a bright, beautiful, captivating smile. She had an unbelievable sex appeal for a girl, and she attracted the gaze of others. Zanalibea felt such a presence that might make him nod his head unconsciously, and he tightened his resolve. "The Dragon''s Maw Preliminary Battle------The next opponent is probably General Marcellus. The Christand will not have a tough fight, and he soon announces an overwhelming victory against tens of thousands of opponents.... The Christand has no enemies, So much that Zanalibea-sama will think so." "A bet on that oue?" "Yeah, if it doesn''t turn out the way I expected, I will return to the kingdom quietly. Of course, it will be because of our side circumstance. ......Even if it was a victory, it would be the same if Zanalibea-sama could not ept it. The one who decides is Zanalibea-sama, how is it?" Zanalibea groaned quietly. He must have understood that he had been granted full authority over her audience. She had dered the gamble with the decision would be his to make. It may look like an advantageous offer, but it was not. Since she said this, she must have a n for certain victory, and if so, nodding to her words would be the same as half-eptance. Nevertheless, he was drawn in. There were no absolutes in warfare. It was hard to believe that this brilliant princess did not know this. She had just suffered a crushing defeat the other day. But then, she deres with absolute confidence that there would be no defeat. Defeat was impossible, she said. In the imperial army, the royal prince who had the Dragon''s Maw in his hands was seen as having an overwhelming advantage. In fact, even Zanalibea, who was knowledgeable about military affairs, thinks so. From here on, the only way for the princess faction to recover was with the help of the Imperial State. But the way she spoke and the confident smile on her face. He couldn''t help but feel that she was seeing a victory that was already part of the predetermined course of events. "Just because I won, it doesn''t mean that I am demanding an unreasonable demand from Zanalibea-sama. Being allowed to have an audience by Zanalibea-sama, and granted an audience with the Miko-sama... From there, it will be the Miko-sama who decides everything, right?" Zanalibea found himself engulfed by this young princess. Her sweet voice crawled to his ear and melted. "...In the Kingdom, in Christand I know that there are many renowned warriors. ...Nevertheless, how can you have such a good chance of winning after seeing the recent defeat? The de, you said. Who is it?" "...I''m sure you''ve heard the rumors. I''m sure it is the one Uncle fears more than anyone else right now." A word that Gildanstein spread in order to justify himself. Her princess Kreschenta was a Cursed Child, threatening the body of His Majesty the King with her evil desires, leading to his death. And the reason why Christand joined with the evil Kreschenta was---- "...Krische Christand." The young princess didn''t respond to Zanalibea''s words, and smiled. "The news of victory wille soon. ......Wait for that, is that fine?" She said this in a tone of voice that didn''t affirm or deny him, and as if it had been decided. ----And so, after they finished talking for a while, in the tent after Zanalibea left. "Woof" "Fufu, you were really splendid, Kreschenta-sama, you were so cool. Please wait a moment, I''ll prepare a warm nket for you soon." "Kuhn..." Kreschenta returned to being a dog while having herfortable space created again. Chapter 89: The Crescent (Chipped) Moonâ€™s Cradle Chapter 89: The Crescent (Chipped) Moon¡¯s Cradle ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 89 The Crescent (Chipped) Moon¡¯s Cradle*** Please read the TL note for some exnation about the crescent moon used in this chapter. The teachings of Leine''s heaven passed down in the Holy Empire. ording to their belief, there exists a paradise in heaven created by God, the creator of the world, where perfect human beings----angels live. They are untainted, beautiful, able to fly freely, and free from hunger and suffering. Although she wasn''t fond of their faith, she liked the religious paintings that depicted it. "... It''s almost noon." Angels and their world, created as beauty itself. There was something about them that drew her in, but----now she knew something more beautiful than that. She stroked her smooth cheeks and tickled the tip of her nose as she quietly breathed in her sleep. She wriggled, as if itching, and opened her eyes thinly. The purple gem that looked like it was framed by silverwork, stayed still as it reflected her. "Wafu...." She rubbed up against her and kissed her while imitating a dog. Her cherry-colored lips were iparably soft, and the silver hair that touched her hand was so thin and soft that it tickled and flowed smoothly. "... idiot" When she gently pinched her cheek, she hugged her with a gentle smile. Krische''s smile was more beautiful than any angel in any painting. "Nfufu... good morning~..." "It''s not early, but good morning." The muffled voice tickled her ears, and Selene smiled and kissed back. "There will be a meeting soon... will you be fine?" "Yes, Krische will sleep againter..." When Selene got up, Krische also got up from bed, and when Selene stretched, Krische also stretched, copying her ''Don''t copy me'', Sereneughed, and Krischeughed too. The sun was at its zenith, shining through the tent and telling them that it was daytime. It was already quite lively and noisy outside, but inside the tent, the air was clear and quiet, with only the sound of quietughter and the rustling of clothes. "Can I have some tea, please?" "Yes, is something sweet fine?" "Yes, the same as Krische''s is fine." "...Okay" Krische brushed her messy hair a little, put back the loose shoulder straps of her dress, and wrapped a nket over it like a shawl. Her gesture made her seem like she was a child of a good family, and now Selene looked like the more sloppy one. Her education in the vige must have been quite good. Krische had always been particr about her appearance and cleanliness, but spending time with Bery had polished her even more. She poured hot water into the pot and cup, warmed it up, then threw it once. She took care of those little things that Selene wouldn''t have cared about. And she seemed to enjoy it, just like Bery. A sight Slene never got tired of seeing. Perhaps she liked watching her make tea even more than drinking tea. Krische poured milk then the tea and put a lot of honey in it. She nodded in satisfaction and invited Serene to the table. To make the tea taste as good as possible. No, it''s probably to make her happy even just a little bit. It was that kind of care, that kind of love that Krische learned. "... It''s delicious. I wonder if I''ve be a sweet tooth while I''m with you." "Ehehe..." As Selene stroked her head, Krische smiled happily and moved her chair closer, and leaned on her shoulder. She''s so close to the point where it''s hard to drink, she just thought ''what spoiled child'' and didn''t mind it. Krische was a bit of an idiot. "How are Bery and Crescenta doing?" "I received a message saying that they were allowed to have an audience. "......Is that so?" Selene smiled wryly at Krische''s thoughtful face. "They''ll be fine. Kreschenta is smart and Bery is with her. They won''t do anything reckless, I''m sure they''ll be fine." "... Kreschenta can be stupid sometimes, so Krische is a little worried." "Well...... that goes both ways." Selene was exasperated by Krische''s older sister-like words and continued. "Krische too, you can''t sleep during the meeting, okay? Tomorrow you will be able to rx a bit, so be patient." "... Krische isn''t that much of an idiot." Krische puffed up her cheeks, saying ''That''s rude''. "----ta-sama, Kreschenta-sama..." Kreschenta wasfortable. Luscious snacks, delicious meals,fortable carriages. All the elements that make a long journey painful have been removed by Berry. Both meals and snacks were wonderful, and the carriage, which used to cause her a sore buttock, was made into a superblyfortable space with the finest cushions called Bery and countless nkets. The swaying of the carriage was like a cradle, and her thoughts were already focused and spinning at full speed on how to make the most of this situation----in other words, her intelligence had deteriorated to the point of being inferior. "Wuuu..." Kreschenta shook her body and expressed her dissatisfaction. She replied in a doggy-like voice as if to say, she still wanted to sleep, but the other party was insistent, too. Rubbing her cheek against Bery''s chest, Kreschenta finally opened her eyes with a clear expression of dissatisfaction. What she saw was the rigid petrified captain Ehran staring at her from the small window of the carriage. Kreschenta, seeing that, also stiffened like a stone. "...w-why didn''t you wake me up?" "E-erm... ahaha, um... I had a hard time waking Kreschenta-sama up. Looks like the lock on the small window was loosened by the vibration. I didn''t mean to open it, but it opened on its own." "Ugh..." : The center of the Imperial State----Nauthiana. It was famous as a fortified city built on the back of a cliff. The castle, which was built from the cliff face, functioned as a huge defensive facility and was equipped with countless catapults and numerous mechanical bows. The castle town was also covered with threeyers of castle walls, and countless waterways run throughout the city. While Albenaria, the royal capital of the Kingdom was called the White City, Nauthiana was the City of Water. It was a city of extreme functional beauty, pursuing practicality as a defensive position. The news of the overwhelming victory over Marcellus'' army arrived the other day. The victory of Chrishtand''s army, which could be said to have taken the whole enemy''s army as prisoners----Krische''s victory forced Zanalibea to grant him an audience, and a few days ago Crescenta finally resumed his journey. And it was today. The cavalry captain Ehran was about to tell Kreschenta that they would soon be in Nauthana, but Kreschenta was sound asleep. She was sleeping peacefully, hugging Bery. Bery tried to wake her up, but in some mischief of fate, Ehran tapped on the small window, which opened, and the tragedy happened. Ehran, who had not expected to find the princess, whom he looked up to as his lord and master, asleep in the arms of a servant, was indescribably bewildered, but it was not surprising considering Kreschenta''s age. She was a girl who was not yet thirteen. Her father, His Majesty the King, was killed, and she was driven out of her royal capital----her responsibility, which was iparable to that of an ordinary person, was carried on her young shoulders, and she did her part withoutining on the long, harsh journey. She couldn''t be med for showing servants the affection of a mere girl in a ce where no one can see it. Rather, when he thought of her circumstance, it was truly heartbreaking. Ehran, who had a deep sense of loyalty toward the royal family from the beginning, now respected her even more----but Kreschenta was the exact opposite. She was groaning, ''Aaah, uuuh,'' to herself that she had made such a foolish appearance. "T-the image of a princess that I have created is..." "Um, it seemed that he was rather moved, but..." Bery, who was looking at Ehran''s apologetic face and tear-filled eyes, said so with a wry smile. But Kreschenta was not convinced. "It''s all right. Kreschenta-sama is usually too serious, so it will probably be easier for others to feel closer with Kreschenta-sama if you show your clumsy side..." "It''s not okay! Rather than a princess I just looked like an idiot!" "My, puffing up your cheeks like that. Here, Kreschenta-sama, say aaaah." "Nmu..." It was a cookie made at the estate where they were staying. Kreschenta was forced to eat it and was physically blocked from speaking. Munch, munch, Kreschenta couldn''t do vulgar things such as opening a mouth while chewing, and all she could do was re at Bery. After she swallowed it the next cookie came. Kreschenta wanted to object, but the enemy was also a formidable one. It was a stance that would not allow Kreschenta to counterattack at all. Naturally, Kreschenta had no choice to not eat the cookie she was given. She was truly a dignified royalty as she took the enemy''s attack head on----the time it took for Kreschenta to calm down after being patted on the head and given a cookie was 4 cookies. "... It''s Argan-sama''s fault." "Yes, I''m sorry. It''s my fault." Bery, smiled and said without any guilt, Kreschenta who clearly expressed her dissatisfaction, swallowed her anger along with the cookie. As her swollen cheeks were gently caressed and the air expelled, Kreschenta leaned her head against Bery and sighed, as if she felt it was ridiculous. "Nauthana does not have anything like a royal residence in the capital, so please let me change my clothes here. Even a poor servant can do that much, right?" "Fufu, leave it to me. What color should we wear?" "Anything other than blue is fine. Blue is a sacred color in Arna, so avoid blue for decorations and use other colors...you understand right. Please don''t disappoint me anymore." "My, the kanmuri, right? Look, smile." Bery chuckled as she lifted the edge of Kreschenta''s mouth with her finger. "...I understand. Argan-sama, you''re toying with me right?" "My, toying with Her Royal Highness what a sphemous thing. Fufu, though my intention is to take care to not let Kreschenta-sama got bored of the long trip..." Kreschenta sighed again as she was once again hugged from behind. "... That''s enough. But be prepared. One day when I get Onee-sama, I''ll turn Argan-sama into a dog." "Oh my, that sounds scary." Bery took out ab and lovinglybed Kreschenta''s hair. The hair was just a little disheveled, but it flowed smoothly and without resistance against theb. Her fine golden hair shone red in the light and was weightless. Touching her hair, Bery thought that they were sisters after all. She was gradually bing more and more spoiled, just like Krische. The two princesses seemed to ovep, and she looked at her lovingly. "... I like the *crescent moon* hair ornament." "A crescent (chipped) moon is not a good omen. I don''t like the name Crescenta." "I like it. The moon''s face shows many faces, but now it''s the best." Bery answered with a smile. "Because it''s not perfect, it hopes for more and shines brighter every day------the moon is ever-changing. The *crescent moon* is a shape that embraces the radiance of the future after all." "I''m sure my father named me for a different reason. It''s the name of a Cursed Child." Kreschenta said absentmindedly. "If something is missing, you can throw it away at any time.... A royalty name must always be perfect. There is not one other name left in the history books. Most of them were probably burned away." A trivial word, a trivial meaning. Something she was born with and something she could not have. The girl must have been tormented by these things. "Krische------crescent (chipped) moon, what a name. I almostughed. We are like that wherever we go. ...Everyone says we are ''different with something missing (chipped)'' when referring to us." ''------That''s why we want something perfect.'' Kreschenta said and leaned her body. She was as light as a bird''s feather. "The birdcage that Onee-sama thinks of is very beautiful. It''s a perfection created by dividing the inside from everything else. That world was filled with no cracks. She''s a bit of an idiot, however, we still want the same thing." She reached her hand into the void and grasped it. The way she did so wasical, and the way she wished for what she couldn''t get seemed endlessly earnest. "...I''m going to throw away all the imperfections and make that birdcage together with Onee-sama. It can''t be helped, so I will let you in." "Fufu, thank you." She gently embraced her body and kissed her head. "But, Kreschenta-sama" "What is it?" "There is no human being who is notcking (chipped). There are only people who strive to be like that." Even her beloved sister was not perfect. She was just striving and trying to be that way. That is why she looked so beautiful. "Kreschenta-sama, Krische-sama, me and Selene-sama are all imperfect. But I think that''s fine. If you think that the way it''s missing (chipped) is beautiful, it will look beautiful after all." Krische, Kreschenta, Selene, Lazura and Bogan. Everyone around Bery was a hard worker. That way of being was indescribably beautiful, and it always looked shining brightly to Bery. "Just like how I think of Krische-sama, the way Kreschenta-samacked (chipped) and the way she tries to fill it is admirable, and I think it is lovely and beautiful. I don''t think it''s necessary or that you need to aim for perfection too much." "...That''s just because you''re a weirdo." "Fufu, it might be so. ......But I recently realized that in the end, I have to rely on someone to fill in the parts I can''t fill myself, so I would love it if Kreschenta-sama would share it." She smiled as she finishedbing Kreschenta''s hair and put away theb. "Don''t rush, don''t overdo it, take it slow. It seems to me that Kreschenta-sama is rushing, so I''m worried." "............" "Until Kreschenta-sama gets what you want. Until then, when you are tired, you can always rely on me and be pampered. Hmmm, it''s like a snack between meals." Kreschenta put her hand up and, without looking at Bery, put her hand on Bery''s cheek. It was a caressing, confirming touch. "...Seems like you''re a servant who likes to preach. To think that someone like you will be with me forever, my ears are likely to rot from your preaching." "I''m sorry. It''s my nature." "Don''t think you can get away with just apologizing. The stupid Onee-sama, may be happy with that, but please don''t think it will work on me." The hand that hit her cheek was very gentle. Kreschenta''s ears were slightly red as she stubbornly refused to look at her. Bery quietly smiled. "By the time the audience is over, make sure the room is exactly the way I like it. Then, well, I will forgive your rudeness just now." "Yes, certainly." "I had the worst wakeup experience because of you. I''m going to sleep again until night, so you''ll have to prepare properly for that." "Yes, Kreschenta-sama. ...As you wish." And so they entered Nauthiana. It was a chilly but sunny day. Chapter 90: Ensnaring Princess Chapter 90: Ensnaring Princess ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 90 Ensnaring Princess*** A/N: 1 shaku = around 30cm "Well then, Kreschenta-sama" "Yes." Carved out of a cliff------something that could be called a castle or a temple. Once inside, she parted ways with Bery, apanied by a few guards, all of whom were noble. It was a structure that was hollowed out of a cliff, but the feet and the middle of the wall----to a height of about 6 shaku, was stered with pure white wrought rock. The white light from the ever-present magicmps illuminated the surroundings, while the ceiling and the walls at the ceiling''s edge reflected a pale blue light. Mixed in is the brilliance of the magic crystal itself. Originally, this pce was also a mine that produced a lot of high-quality magic crystals, so it was appropriated into its current form. Therefore, one could see the magic crystal exposed here and there on the rock surface. Crystals of magical power flowing through the earth''s veins. Magic crystal was said to be like that, and maybe because of that, she felt a lot more floating magic mixed in the atmospherepared to the kingdom. This was especially true inside the pce. She followed the guards leading the way while wondering if it could be used for something. The Dragon Miko''s room----it was the ce of the audience. The gatekeeper slowly pushed open the massive door, and what appeared behind was a vast space. The ceiling was hazy as one looked up, and a forest of pirs lined up neatly. The walls glowed dimly with the phosphorescence emitted by the magic crystal, and the soldiers following Crescenta stopped breathing, momentarily lost in this fantastic sight. A path of wrought rockid out in the center----behind it was a waterfall of spring water and a magic crystal altar in the shape of a giant dragon. And a woman wearing a pale blue veil. Those who worshiped dragons also had a sense of nature worship and often did not use a chair, only putting a rug underneath. The same goes for her, who is at the top of the country. She did not use a chair, but sat in seiza, looking at Kreschenta. The sound of the flute that weed her echoed, but it sounded somewhat quiet and lonely, unlike that of the heroic tune of the Kingdom''s. The soldiers were listening to it----Kreschenta did not care about it, but only moved forward with dignified steps, and thus stood alone in front of her. On both sides that were hidden by the pirs, there were the Archbishop and four high priests who served as the Miko personal attendant. And an orchestra and dozens of female priests were standing. The row of white figures----only Kreschenta, in the center, wore a red dress that represented a bright rose. Her golden hair shimmered in that graceful red, and she wore a silver tiara with a crescent moon ornament on the left. Her figure stood out in the space made of white and blue. "It''s been a long time, Miko-sama. I am more than happy to have the honor of being granted an audience with you like this." She did not bow her head. She stands resolutely, with her dignity, facing her. Kreschenta acted not as a princess, but as the legitimate heir to the royal family. She could see the priests lined up on her left and right looking at each other, but she didn''t care. Whatever the means, she first grabbed their attention and pulled their awareness to her. She would bind those gazes and dominate the ce. That was the technique of the royal family to control people''s hearts. "Yes, it''s been a while, Princess Kreschenta. You''ve grown a lot since Ist saw you." Her face, hidden behind a pale blue veil, smiled. She had long, dark hair and a mole under her eyes. She was not young, but she had a well-developed face, long slit eyes, and a slender height that can be seen even when she was sitting down, which gave her a dignified charm. The pale blue and gold robe she wore was simple and not showy, but the elegance of the robe, which clung to her skin and was a bit transparent, gave her a sense of mystery. At 15, she was the highest-ranking person in thend, and her reignsted 40 years----she was the Miko. "I have heard of the plight of the kingdom. Your Father----I was deeply saddened by the death of His Majesty the former King. I have been thinking of what words I should say to you, ...but in the end, even after reaching this point, there was nothing I can say." She did not have a name. When she became a Miko, her name was lost and she was simply bound to her role. Although she was human, she was not treated as such, and she was the closest to the gods in the Imperial State. Despite the mere sound of her voice, the men at Kreschenta''s side felt the pressure, and tension ran through their bodies. Such was the air of those who were born and raised to be rulers. The mere presence of such a being made ordinary people shrivel up and be subservient to them. "Thank you very much. Even if it''s an unwanted death, I''m sure that His Majesty the King Father will be happy with the feelings of the Miko-sama, in the mixed blood." She was the only equal in the room. It was a standardized exchange----the silly kind of greeting that Kreschenta detested the most but it was also a bother that she couldn''t ignore. She did not show a shred of her inner feelings and said in a matter-of-fact manner. "That''s the reason why I came to this ce like this. I think Miko-sama has already heard from Zanalibea-sama to some extent." "Yes, I have heard. That you asked for the help of the Imperial State." Kreschenta smiled and said nothing. A momentary silence spread, and while the Miko had doubt about Kreschenta who didn''t say anything, she continued. "... However, the circumstances being what it is. In the case of the recent invasion of the Holy Elsren Empire----in the case of such a war with another country, the Imperial State will dly lend a hand in ordance with the friendship and alliance treaties we have had thus far. I promise you that we will do everything in our power for that purpose, I swore it in the name of the Holy Spirit." Kreschenta did not open her mouth but waited for her words. The Miko continued. "But this war is an internal affair of your country. We are outsiders, regardless of the legitimacy of either side. Out of respect for your country''s history, we have no choice but to refuse to participate in your civil war. Both sides are a nation with independence and autonomy, each with its own politics and beliefs. Interference with that will leave asting mark." Sorrowfully andpassionately. The Miko looked at the young princess. "Princess Kreschenta, personally it''s not like I don''t feel anything about your current situation. However, I am also one who is in charge of the Imperial State... I am not allowed to make decisions based on emotions. I understand that it would be cruel me her to give such an answer to Princess Kreschenta, who came to see me through a dangerous journey but" Even if Kreschenta appealed to her emotions, she couldn''t respond. That''s what the Miko implied. If she only considered the information she had heard, the Miko feels that the justification is on her side. In fact, she felt pity for her, but----that did not mean that she could take her side. The princess faction had lost its hero, Christand, and was cornered. It''s one thing if the princess faction was the one who had the upper hand, but if the Miko lent her a hand in this situation, and if she''s to be defeated, even the stability of the Imperial State would be at stake. She couldn''t support her. At present, the superiorityy with the Royal Prince. The Miko, who had spoken in an official stance, looked at Kreschenta and frowned. Kreschenta, who had heard her words, smiled. "...Hearing that made me feel at ease." "...?" "To ask for help from the Imperial State, thus I requested an audience. ...I guess that''s a little inurate?" ''----Like Miko-sama, I wish for the quiet viewing of the Imperial State.'' The purple eyes narrowed, and her lovely beauty took on a somewhat seductive demonic quality. "I''m not here to talk about the civil war, but about the post-war period, Miko-sama." "......That is?" The surrounding priests looked at each other and showed agitation. Zanalibea mmed his scepter into the ground as the other High Priests looked at him to see what''s going on. "I believe that once this civil war is over, some other country will make a move. That is the reason why I asked for an audience with the Miko-sama regarding the continuation of the alliance and how to deal with it. ...It''s not wrong in the sense that I''m asking for help, but fufu, it''s a bit of a misunderstanding." ''How troubling'', Kreschenta said with a deliberate face. The cavalry captain Ehran and even his men were puzzled by the young princess''s words. They also thought that she hade to the Imperial State to ask for help in the recent civil war. "But I was relieved to hear that Miko-sama would continue to lend your strength to the Kingdom. I feel like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders." "...So you don''t need help with the civil war, is what you mean?" "Yes, Miko-sama. What I''m asking for is help after the war." Smiling without any guilt, Kreschenta said that calmly. Dodge the opponent''s expectations and seize the initiative. She read the thoughts and logic of her opponents and left them defenseless. Kreschenta was always the one who deceived, derailed, and manipted. Kreschenta thought only of making all others dance in her palm. One of the ways she did this was by making them speak and remained silent, knowing that they misunderstood her. In exchange for refusing to help in the civil war, the Miko assured her that she would help her in a war against other countries, and she obtained a contract with her. Royalty made no mistakes. And it was the same for the Miko. Once she had spoken out, she could not withdraw it. "There''s a limit to rudeness, Princess Kreschenta. Of all things, you dare to scheme Miko-sama..." "High Priestess Halvis, watch your mouth. This is the Hall of the Holy Spirit." The Miko coldly rebuked the high priest who raised his voice, but the dead tree-like high priest didn''t stop ring at Kreschenta. But Kreschenta was unmoved. She was not afraid of the intimidation of those of lower ranks. "... It seems that I made a hasty conclusion on my own from your country''s circumstances. How embarrassing." "No, it was my clumsiness that caused the misunderstanding. It was a sudden visit, like chasing after a fast horse. It was my fault... I apologize for being rude." Kreschenta said so with her mouth alone. She didn''t believe that crying would work with the Miko. In that case, she just needed to use another means to disturb her opponent. Even if there were some problems with the means, once the Kingdom settled down, something like the Imperial State would be no trouble. Their national power was different from the beginning, and the Imperial State cannot help but rely on the Kingdom as a shield due to its location. "However, the reason why I asked for an audience is as I said. If the Kingdom is exhausted by this civil war and loses the strength to maintain its territory, there is no doubt that the surrounding beasts will soone to devour it. ......So, in order to prevent that from happening, I havee to ask Miko-sama to prepare for it." "......I see" The Miko finally realized the true nature of the poor princess named Kreschenta. She shouldn''t have looked at her looks or age. She should have seen her as a cunning, decades-old leader. ----Cursed Child of Alberan. She was exactly that. She visited a foreign country by herself, stirred up the other person''s heart, and still had the courage to keep smiling calmly. At the very least, she was no mere child. She was clearly abnormal. "In a few days, we will receive a report that the Dragon''s Maw has been conquered." Kreschenta announced as if it was a matter of fact. The attack on the dragon''s jaw was the starting point for all actions----it was the point that Krische and Selene decided to focus on the most, so there was no need to take their time. Failure to do so would mean Christand defeat. Because of her absolute confidence in herself, Kresca also had absolute trust in her sister. "And in less than a month, we will defeat His Majesty the King''s enemy------the usurper Gildanstein. At the very least it won''t be long." "It looks like you have a pretty good chance of winning. The hero of your country--Margrave Christand, we also know his military fame. I heard that Princess Kreschenta was at a disadvantage without him." "Yes. Therefore, even if I ask for help from Miko-sama, I also think that Miko-sama will not be able to make a decision." Kreschenta pped her hands and tilted her head. "How about this? Even for Miko-sama, it''s such an important matter that Miko-sama also can''t rush to a conclusion either. I think it''s fine even if it''s after you see whether my odds of sess are true or not. Even if I try my best to speak, there are things we cannot understand without seeing." "That''s right, honestly... I would like to have time to think." "Yeah, that''s right. Let''s do that. The main problem will be after that." Kreschenta continued in a good mood. "...However, it is true that the defense of the kingdom is still a concern. Therefore, if possible, I would like Miko-sama to prepare in advance so that the army can move along with the decision of Miko-sama." "...In advance?" "Whether I win or lose, from the point of view of Miko-sama, the stability of the Imperial Kingdom should be prioritized above all else. I think we should proceed with preparations for the dispatch of troops." The Miko narrowed her eyes and examined her proposal. Whether Crescenta wins or loses------either way, the Kingdom will need reinforcements. And the word ''along with her decision''. It did not mean the end of the civil war. ------She was saying that when she thinks Kreschenta could win, she should entrust the army to her. It was in effectplicity in the civil war, only with a change of words. But in name, the army would only serve to fortify the defenses of the exhausted Kingdom. There would be no political problems, and they would be able to make the Kingdom owe them. The people of the Imperial State also had a lot of pity for Princess Kreschenta, and they considered the army to be for the princess. They will be satisfied that the Imperial State had done justice. It was not a bad proposal considering public sentiment, political interests, and the overall aspects. "There is a considerable distance to the kingdom from the Imperial State. ...I think it''s better to start moving early." The smiling princess''s eyes----that inorganic purple color reflected the Miko''s eyes. She was not a twelve-year-old girl. They were not even those of the same human being. They were eyes with a devilish quality. They looked frightening, yet she did not take her eyes off of them. A leader was driven by practical interests, not by personal feelings. Because of this, the Miko suppressed her emotions and simply answered in her role. "I will think about it, Princess Kreschenta. ...Please stay here for a while. If there is any inconvenience, please give orders to those around you at any time." "Yes. Thank you, Miko-sama. ...May the ties between our two countriesst forever." "...Yes. Of course, I also hope so." ----Alberan''s Cursed Child, Kreschenta. Etching her existence deeply, The Miko nodded at her. When she was shown into the room, Kreschenta first let the imperial servants out because of Bery''s presence. Bery, who had a troubled look on her face, didn''t say anything, and when she was alone with her, she changed her dress and asked Kreschenta. "How was it?" "Don''t you think it''s rude to ask that question? There''s no way I''d make a mistake." "Fufu, that''s true." "...More importantly, Argan-sama, I''m tired." Kreschenta in a white one-piece dress said somewhat dissatisfied, and Bery apologized and prepared a chair. And she began to prepare tea------but Kreschenta didn''t sit down in the chair during that time. Bery finally understood her intentions and smiled wryly, then sat down ahead of her master. As if waiting for that, Kreschenta jumps on top of her. "Fufufu, good girl, good girl, you did your best. Shall we take a rest after drinking sweet tea?" "............" "My, you don''t seem to have a lot of energy today. If it''s the doggy Kreschenta-sama, she would have rubbed up against me in no time." Kreschenta red at Bery who was behind her. Berry, who had an artificially surprised face, said troubledly. "...Ah, maybe it''s Her Royal Highness who''s here right now. What a discourteous thing for me to pet Her Highness, I need to confirm it." Bery took out a cookie and waved it from side to side in front of Kreschenta. "It seems that Her Royal Highness doesn''t like it very much, but the ''Doggy Kreschenta'', loves sweet honey cookies. I wonder which one it is today...?" "Wo..." "Wo?" "...Woof." With a chuckle, Bery gave her the cookie and gently stroked her head. It seemed that this cute Krische''s sister named Kresha had a tendency to be unable to be honest no matter what. She needed a pretense that the cookie was being held hostage. Kresha squealed and pressed her face against Bery''s chest, her cheeks rxed, and Bery smiled happily. Then, holding her young body, she poured the tea and looked out the window. The blue sky was reflected in her eyes, and she thought about Krische, who was far away. Chapter 91: Festivities Chapter 91: Festivities Two days after the conquest of the Dragon''s Maw. They moved their base to the vicinity of Mirskronia in the south, and reorganized the army----for a little rest there. The Christand army, which still had spare strength, quickly finished epting prisoners, and Selene and the others, which had prepared in advance, had no problems at all. By the morning of the second day, most of the work was done, and with departure scheduled for tomorrow, the soldiers were given half a day off. While there were many people ying in Mirskronia, and the market was showing more energy than usual, there were also a fair number of people resting in the military camp---- "Okay, I''m ready, General." "Is that so? Anytime is fine." Some of them were standing in a circle watching the event taking ce in the corner. The young general, Selene Christand, with her elegant golden hair tied back and swaying. In contrast, Kalua Belyus, a woman with ck hair that swayed like a horse''s tail. Both of them were holding wooden swords. Selene wore her usual cross armor and her baggy trousers and gauntlets, while Kahlua wore only her ck-painted gauntlets and leg armor. What was about to begin was a spar between the ck Century''s----Its schock corps leader, who has be famous for her achievement, and the General of Christand herself. Selene who looked somewhat happy. Krische, who sat in the seat of honor that had been prepared before she knew it, stared at her and loosened her cheeks. Next to her, Anne was offering tea and sweets, making it a veryfortable seat. Among those gathered around, bets were made on who would win, with many of the younger soldiers and ck Century betting on Kalua, and the older soldiers betting on Selene. Those who have known Selene since she was a child know her ability well. Her swordsmanship, which she had practiced with Krische and Bogan on a daily basis, was sophisticated, your average skilled warrior wouldn''t even be her match. Some of the veterans, however, valued realbat experience more and bet on Kalua the ck Century, who had racked up countless achievements on the front lines. At present, it was impossible to say which side would win----the bet rate was fairly bnced, with Selene having a slight advantage in terms of name recognition. "Krische-sama, who do you think will win?" Arne asked, intrigued by the betting. "Hm...Selene, I guess?" Krische, who was watching from the special seat, was not interested in who would win or lose, and was in a good mood, saying that it was good that Selene seemed to be having fun. However, when asked which one, Krische replied. Sparring, practice. They''re for the purpose of improving one''s technique. Without getting hurt, and without hurting. Putting aside if it''s killing each other seriously, Selene would have the upper hand in this spar. Kalua''s sword was self-taught. It is a sword technique that excels at killing opponents rather than forms (in martial arts, sports), it has a rough edge. Although the rules were that anything goes, the roughness of the sword is fatal to the match, as they were fighting while trying to avoid injuring their opponents. This was because Selene had put a lot of effort into eliminating waste, and used the swordsmanship and body techniques she had honed. Bogan''s specialty, Lorka style. The exact opposite of the Lorka method, which focuses on counterattack----The Zain style, which specializes in attacking. In addition, having learned the main points of Krische''s acrobatic and Selene''s sword that freelybined them, was already beyond the ability of ordinary people to discern. Kalua would be able to figure it out, but it will be an uphill battle. Even considering Kalua''s excellent physical ability and sense, Selene was still slightly superior in the current situation. "But Krische thinks it will be a good match. It''s just right between the unskilled (noob)." "C-corps Commander..." Mia, who was listening next to her, scratched her cheek at the frankness of the remark. Even if she was her older sister, she was still suprememander, the General. "... Krische, I can hear you." Selene said, exasperated, as she held her stance in Lorka style, and red at Krische. ----It was at that moment that Kalua moved. A momentarypse of guard, a deration ofmencement. The battle has already started. A momentary gap in the midst of a stand off------Kalua, who had be just a single warrior, did not miss it. She leaned forward as if she was kicking the earth with all four feet. The beast''s speed, which eliminates waste, instantly closed the gap that existed between the two. The wooden sword that scrapes the ground was swung like a whip from the lower right, aiming at Selene''s armpit. It was a cut up from a rush, which is Kalua''s forte. Swordsmanship is centered on upper and middle stances. This was because the power will be stronger that way, and it will always be a fatal blow to the opponent. Naturally, the opponent also develops a counterattack for it------which was why she prefers to attack from the bottom. Almost no one can handle a sword that is swung from almost directly below. Selene caught it at the edge of her vision, but didn''t panic. She did not consider Kahlua''s surprise attack to be cowardly. It was Selene who intentionally created an opening and invited Kalua. Pivoting her left half body------she pulled her left leg back to dodge the opponent''s sword that passed through right in front of her. "!" It didn''t end there. Kahlua''s wooden sword shed in front of her------and she mmed it into the air with her own sword. With the added force of inertia, Kalua''s wooden sword was raised high above her head, and her stance copsed. An opportunity------but instead of taking advantage of it, Selene frowned and jumped backward. Kahlua''s heel passed in front of Selene''s eyes as if splitting the wind. Though she lost her bnce, she didn''t care about it. She used her momentum for a backward roundhouse kick. "Hey, that''s scary." Kahlua, who was supposed to have lost her bnce, held up her sword as if nothing had happened andughed. "Good." It was a beastly smile that lifted her cheeks. A natural sense of bnce and athleticism. Kahlua''s wild, self-styled sword is supported by her ingenuity------the physical technique that goes one step beyond the reach of ordinary people was reminiscent of Krische''s. The men around them gasped at the sight of this momentary exchange. The battle started in a rtively friendly mood, but when the lid was opened, it turned out to be a serious affair with no gaps for words. The sharpness and skill of the two''s sword skills, unimaginable from their appearance, left all but one in awe. "Anne, honey..." "Y-yes" She had poured tea and milk, but not honey. Anne, who had been absorbed in watching the game with a pot of honey in her hand, hurriedly poured the honey. Mia was amazed at Krische, who seemedpletely uninterested in the evenly contested battle. Nevertheless, the two there were serious. Both of them looked at their opponents with serious eyes and calmly considered their next move. What was in Kalua''s mind was admiration. The response to the cut up from a low position------not to receive, but to avoid it easily, and on top of that, Seleneunched Kalua''s sword. Even though she avoided it, it would be better to describe it as a dodge to finish Kalua off, rather than a dodge to gain distance. This youngdy was a simr type of person to herself------she looked defensive, but in reality, she was aggressive. This young general named Selene was definitely the type who liked to forcibly create openings in her opponents and push in. Kalua was d that she was able to discern it here. Misreading was fatal in this battle. In any case, as Krische said, Selene had the same level of strength as Kalua, and on top of that, her skillful swordsmanship----the one at a disadvantage was probably Kalua. If Selene had taken the blow, Kalua would have been able to follow it up, and if she had avoided it by jumping backward, she would have been able to finish her off with her next move. If she didn''tunch the sword, she could be pushed in with a series of attacks. However, Kalua, who had lost her bnce there, had no such technique, and that is why she twisted her waist and kicked backward. Even so, she would still receive a painful blow----that was what Kalua thought but Selene was calm. She gracefully withdrew and the match went back to square one. ----To handle that surprise attack so easily. She understood that she had been invited to attack from the beginning. Nheless, she had approached at a speed that seemed to be enough, and she swung up with her full power. Kalua wondered why she could do so so skillfully, but then she remembered that Selene was Krische''s older sister. Krische''s swordsmanship, which was also based on a lowered stance, was also centered on attacks from the bottom. Her de swung as if scraping the ground from further below Kalua''s. Selene was able to easily respond to this because of her experience with the Krische sword. Selene must have seen and spar more than Kalua did with Krische''s sword, which was apt to be called infinite variety (innumerable change). In other words, she would not be surprised by Kalua''s sword, which she has learned from Krishce. ''Now, how to attack''----Selene squinted at Kalua who was thinking that. "It''s my turn next." Saying that, Selene lightly stepped in. She stepped forward and lowered her posture. But not with full force. She closed the gap with a rxed movement, and right before she slide into Kalua''s de range----she sank her body deeply. The same cut from the below to above as Kalua''s. Kalua brushed it off, as payback for before, and when the sword stopped at thest moment, she twisted her waist. The sword, which seemed to be cut up, changed its trajectory in the middle and changed into a thrust. Kalua dodged the thrust aimed at her heart. But it didn''t end there. Selene didn''t stop her momentum and mmed Kalua''s body with her shoulder. "Hh!?" The distance between the two slightly opened. ----The distance between the two was just enough to swing the sword. Selene swung the de that was drawn at the same time as mming the shoulder, and the next thing was a lower left sh. Unable to defend it, Kalua had no choice but to jump backward. And Selene followed suit. The wooden sword aimed at the neck in a horizontal sweep. If she dodge, she will be hit by a blow from the sword''s handle. If she drew her sword, it would strike her in the neck again. Torso, robe, neck, arms, legs. The speed of the sword drove Kalua backward without allowing her to counterattack. Selene unleashed a countless number of des as she calmly interspersed feints within her consecutive attacks. The returning des piled up, leaving countless afterimages in Kalua''s eyes and confusing her. Selene imprisoned her opponent in a cage of swords. By engaging in feints, her sword and posture will have some spare strength, which can be used for the next strategy. Continuously gain a slight advantage, then achieve a decisive victory. Krische who always avoided Selene''s full-body blows. ----It was a sword that was created to capture her. Selene, who saw Kahlua''s blow earlier, realized that she was an opponent that should never be allowed to move freely. She had the physical strength to keep on avoiding without running out of breath, and her dynamic vision. Her movement was without waste. They were equal in ability----a formidable opponent. But once she took the initiative, she knew the limits of Kalua''s push. The opponent was not Krische. That alone was enough to rx Selene''s mind. While wielding her de, Selene constructed the future within her head. Just as Krische would do, she would drag her opponent into her own pace, restricting and guiding his movements with her de. ----Three more shes. She hunted Kalua as if enjoying a game board---- "Huh?" At that moment Kalua bent her upper body in sync with Selene''s horizontal sweep. The gap was too big. She would not regain her posture from here. That thought onlysted a moment------a shock ran through Selene''s chest. "Ugh!?" The blow came from Kalua''s leg. Kahlua, who had turned her upper body, thrust her hands into the ground and used the recoil to release them------blowing away Serene''s body with both feet. Kalua stood up skillfully while kicking Serene away. She did not miss the opportunity. She attacked furiously and swung her wooden sword from the top. "It''s my - Ueh!?" But it was Serene''s wooden sword that was thrown in front of her. Her body with the momentum------naturally Kahlua had no choice but to parry it, and it was a fatal opening. Grabbing Kalua''s arm, Selene pulled her over her shoulder and mmed her to the ground. She then sealed her right arm, which held the sword, with her knee. Kalua put her left hand on the back of her head, giving up and rxed her strength. "That hurts..." "Phew...Guess it''s my win for the time being?" Although Kalua could have fought from that position, of course, this was only a training, a mere spar. It was not intended to be a violent life-and-death fight against each other. "Uu... it''s my loss, General." "That''s so, thank you." Serene smiled as she pulled Kalua''s body up. If you look at the situational advantage, Selene won, but you could also see Kalua''s physical ability. The game was not clear even from this situation, but as far as the victory or defeat of the game is concerned, it is enough if both parties are satisfied with the result. The two shook hands amidst the cheers from the soldiers who were watching the match. It was a good distraction for Selene as she had a lot of clerical work recently. She didn''t have many opponents of equal skill, and she didn''t have many opportunities to fight, so she genuinely enjoyed the opportunity given to her by Krische. Besides, the soldiers would also be happy to have a little entertainment like this. As far as Serene was concerned, she didn''t really care if she won or lost as long as she didn''t suffer a miserable defeat, but regardless felt good to win on a spar like this. "Good skill. If this was a real sword on the battlefield, I might have died. I''m already out of breath." "I am most honored by your words. I had heard about it from the Usa-ch...Corps Commander, but it truly had a great fight. I''m really d that the General personally sparred with me." "It was a great distraction for me too. I haven''t yed sparring for a while, so I feel refreshed. I hope you will continue to take care of Krische, Kalua." "Yes ma''am." Kalua saluted, and Selene bowed in reply. Amidst the apuse and whistling, the two went toward where Krische was. Krische, who had been watching them while eating a cookie, looked at Selene and sighed. "Selene is a bit out of shape. Being out of breath just from something like this. If you don''t exercise a little more, you''ll get fat you know." "Shut up, I don''t have much time for that." Squish, Selene pinched Krische''s cheeks and smiled. Krische brought the cookie to Selene''s mouth, somewhat happily. "Nn, it''s delicious. Anne, can you make tea for me too?" "Ah, yes... erm, straight?" "Yes" Selene sat down on a chair that had been prepared by some soldier before anyone knew it. The soldiers around them were excited, and one of them stood in the center and called for a match, and someone else went to the center in response. Selene gazed happily at the soldiers who were having fun, and Krische looked up at Kalua with satisfaction on her face. "Krische would have originally punished Kalua for losing despite being Krische''s direct subordinate. But Krische''s going to make a special exception for today." "Ooh, as expected of Usa-chan." "Selene is happy, so Krische will give a cookie as a reward." "Yes~" Kalua took the given cookie with her mouth, geez, Mia reproached her rude behavior with her eyes, but did not say anything. Kalua jumped over the crowd, randomly brought out two chairs, and she nonchntly sat next to Krische and invited Mia. For the time record, this was a special seat made for the Corps Commander and the General going by the atmosphere. Mia was reluctant, but she ended up being forced to sit next to her, as usual. What was just a match between Selene and Kahlua turned into a festive asion. A tournament was held with participants, and some even brought chairs and desks to sit around Krische and the others. Merchants who had taken advantage of the opportunity to visit the encampment began selling food and liquor, and before long, Krische and the others had piles of liquor and snacks on their desks. As evening approached, some of the soldiers returning from the market joined in, and in the second tournament that began in the evening, Kolkis, the Second Corps Commander, who had heard themotion, joined in. After defeating Kalua, the favorite to win the tournament, he won the right to challenge Krische, who had somehow be the prize. With Selene''s instructions to read the atmosphere of the ce, Krische didn''t attack and continued to dodge the sword swung by Kolkis''s strong arm for more than half a koku. As a result, the battle was settled by Kolkis''s deration of defeat, but Krische, who was in a tipsy mood, gave Kolkis a sermon thatsted half a koku, telling him that this was not good and that this was not good and then gave a demonstration. From there, it was a solo performance by the ''Dancer Krische''. "Uum, this is also the case with Corps Commander Agrand, but everyone uses too much power on their bodies. You need to bend your body... um, whip, yes, like a whip..." White shirt and ck skirt. Her white thighs peeked out from her skirt from time to time as she fluttered and danced. Her shirt, slightly wet with sweat, showed a thinyer of skin in the bonfire and heat. The audience was at its peak of excitement as Krische danced and wielded her sword as if she were dancing as usual. If it was the usual, Selene would have naturally stopped it when she saw it, but Mia and Anne''s useless care continued to pour liquor for her and she was already crushed, Kalua, who was also drunk, was swallowed by the surrounding heat. One more time, one more time. The call for the dancers never ceases. Krische, who was supposed to be teaching swordsmanship, was also in a good mood because of the enthusiasm of the soldiers. Puffing out her chest, she said, ''This is like this,'' while exining to the soldiers around her in a big sister-like tone, as she smiled. She danced on and on until Terrius Melchikos, the Third Corps Commander, who was looking for Selene for some errand, showed up. Their night, filled with the excitement of victory, went on. Chapter 92: Good Girl Krische Chapter 92: Good Girl Krische ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 92 Good Girl Krische*** The next day was a rare morning where Krische was the one who woke up the hungover Selene. Krische''s army and Verreich''s army formed a column and headed south. They made a temporary base at Kielzaran, from where the two armies would move. Selene remained in Mirskronia, leading the corps under hermand to stabilize the rear. Depending on the opponent''s move, she would move to support Krische and the other, or acted as the rear guard, but either way she would temporarily leave Krische and the other and stay behind. Krische and Nozan went to the capital. The battle would be the final battle in the civil war. Was how they would move, but it was a while before that. "...So, what do you want Bald Eagle? Krische should have already ordered Bald Eagle to be sent to the rear right." "This operation----I''vee to ask Krische-sama to allow me to apany Krische-sama." In the tent were Krische, Selene, and Anne. Mia and Kahlua''s 1st Squad joined by Corinth and Tagel. And Birza''s 17th Squad, which was taking care of Dagra. And in front of Krische, who had her arms crossed and a grumpy face, was the ck Centurion----Dagra, kneeling on one knee and bowing his head. "...Birza, Krische should have entrusted you with the Bald Eagle. Krische ordered so. If that order has not been carried out, this constitutes a vition of order." "Please wait. I''m the one who ordered him, Krische-sama As his superior, I ordered Birza to bring me here----" "Krische has no intention of retracting that order. Usually, unless another order is given or an urgent problem arises, it is Krische''s order, the superior, that takes precedence. Krische''s sure the squad leader should have been well-trained about this." "Be quiet, Bald Eagle", Krische said as she red at Birza Birza, who did not feel alive because of Krische''s re, swallowed his spit and looked at Krische without looking away. "......Yes ma''am. I certainly understand the orders and am aware of the basic principles. However, I judged that Captain Dagra was in a condition tomandbat, and on that basis, I considered sending him to the rear to be unjustified by my judgment, and I sent Commander Dagra here to seek a new judgment. That judgment and responsibility belong to me, as the leader of the 17th Group." Birza, the slender young man, made an effort not to let his voice tremble as he saluted. After persuading Dagra, who wanted to visit Krische first, Birza and the others visited the ck Century before visiting Krische and asked for their cooperation. There, together they held a light ''Krische persuasion reasoning meeting'' where they came up with a n to deal with multiple situations, ignoring Dagra, who insisted that they speak their minds and be honest. They came to the conclusion that it was not a good idea to appeal emotionally to Krische for understanding. They all knew that Krische was a sweet, young girl by nature, but they also knew that she was very concerned about the rules of the military organization. They knew this was going to happen, so they had to answer her with ''a very ambiguous answer that can''t be said to have vited her orders''. There were many rules in the military, but not all of them were clearly defined and there were many vague parts. ----Due to the change in the given situation, they sought a new judgment and brought Dagra to Krische. With this kind of argument, they didn''t need to fear Krische getting angry. Krische''s order was to send the injured Dagra to the rear because he was deemed unable to continue fighting. However, what a surprise, he recovered quickly, and if he is recovering so well, it can be assumed that the judgment that he was incapable of continuing the battle which acted as the premise of the order was a mistake, and that a new judgment should be sought. ----Birza''s indescribable excuse that this should be reassessed was one that Krische had the most trouble with. Although Krische adhered to rules that were clearly defined and was strict about them, she often became frozen when it came to judgements that were neither good nor bad. Kalua, for example, often took advantage of this and slipped away from the brunt of Krische''s anger. If that was the case, then------they were sweating badly because of the tension, but at least they seemed to have guessed the correct answer. Krische sat down on her desk examining his words, putting her hand on the chin and swoosh swoosh swaying her legs. It was ill-mannered to do so, but it was a habit she sometimes exhibited when she was concentrating on something. In that case, she no longer paid attention to the gazes around her. The way her legs swayed swoosh swoosh and her lips pouted in dissatisfaction was like that of a child, Mia looked at her troubled, while Kalua and Selene stared at Krische exasperated. "Bald Eagle, your stomach" "Yes...?" "Please show it." "...Yes ma''am." Dagra stood up and turned up his shirt, pointing to the area of the scar. The bandages wrapped around his well-trained abdominal muscles wesyered and brand new. Krische furrowed her brows. "!?" ----The curved sword that was pulled out urately tore only the bandage with its cutting edge. Everyone''s reaction was dyed for a moment, and only Kalua eximed, ''Oooh'' as if impressed. The bandages drooped, and the wound on the side where it had been sewn was visible. A wound that couldn''t be said to have fully healed yet. Krische pouted her lips displeased. It was such a deep stab wound. It would take at least a month for the wound to healpletely. It hadn''t even been a week yet. She thought that perhaps the treatment had gone quite well, but the way it looked, it was hard to believe that he waspletely healed. Krische had only applied pressure and tourniquets to the internal wounds. "Is this in a state where you canmand battles? Birza" "N-no...it''s, uh" "----Krische-sama!" Dagra raised his voice and kneeled again. "I certainly can''t say I''mpletely healed. There are still some pains. But I assure you that I am ready to pick up my sword and fight, and it is not affecting my ability tomand." "...That''s not the point." "The next battle will decide the fate of the kingdom. If that''s the case, something like this...if I couldn''t even support Krische-sama by her side in such an important battle, and is only resting leisurely on my bed. I will regret it for the rest of my life. If Krische-sama can''t trust me, I don''t care if it''s just as a soldier or a mere squire. ...I beg you, please allow me to apany you." Hearing those words, Krische groaned ''Uuu'', and *swoosh swoosh* swayed her legs, as she thinks. Anne, who was watching it, was moved by what seemed to be some kind of heroic tale, and watched over it, while Selene watched quietly without saying anything. As her older sister, she was more than happy that Dagra had pledged his loyalty to Krische, and also knew that, in truth, was not really angry. When Krische brooded with this ill-mannered behavior, there was more frustration than anger, and it was usually when something was troubling her. And if she looked at this situation, she could understand why. Krische was endlessly kind to those who showed goodwill to her. On top of that, it''s what Krische should judge herself----if that''s the case, there''s no need for her to intervene. Mia and Kalua were generally the same as Selene. They know that Dagra is Krische''s favorite, and although it was true that their behavior was close to viting orders, they did not believe that she would treat Dagra cruelly. Mia looked at Krische, wondering what she would do as she looked at Dagra with concern, and Kalua looked at Krische''s troubled face with a wry smile. After a moment of contemtion, Krische looked at Dagra''s wound and answered him. "No." "But----" "Please, we beg of you, Krische-sama. Please allow themander to apany us." Corinth and Tagel----the two captains stood side by side with Dagra, kneeling and bowing their heads, and Birza and the others who were behind them followed suit. ''Uuu'' Krische groaned again, then sighed and said. "Um, well... First of all, it''s not a matter of whether Krische can trust Dagra or not." She pointed her finger at Dagra. "Bald Eagle is Krische''s excellent Centurion. That''s why Krische needs Bald Eagle to continue to work under Bald Eagle as he has and have him do his best under Krische for a long time. Uhh, Let''s see, yes, such a long time, until Bald Eagle get old and couldn''t even hold a sword anymore." Krische got off the desk, crouched down, and put her hand on Dagra''s head. Surprised, Dagra raised his head and looked at Cliche. "After the civil war, the Kingdom will be unstable. There may be many battles instead of just one. During all that, Bald Eagle has to fight under Krische. Krische will order the healthy Bald Eagle to do this or that, and Krische wants Bald Eagle to do his best at that time." "...Krische-sama" "But after participating in the next battle, Bald Eagle''s wounds got worse and ended up dying. Then not only will Krische lose Bald Eagle, Krische would also have to raise Mia, that the Bald Eagle has raised half-heartedly. This is an inexcusable dereliction of duty." ''Ugh'', Mia groaned with an indescribable expression, and Kaluaughed happily. Anne looked at Mia, who felt a mysterious sympathy from yesterday''s festivities, and she felt like she had made arade. "In some cases, soldiers need to die on the orders of their superiors...But Bald Eagle is Krische''s direct subordinate, so the only time Bald Eagle can force himself and die is only when Krische ordered Bald Eagle to die." She said this with a serious face and pointed her fingertips at Dagra. "Until then, it''s Bald Eagle''s duty to take care of your health and live a long life that needs to be followed. It''s an order, okay." Krische''s words. Seeing her said that Dagra lost his words and put his face down and his hands on his face to hide something that was rising in his eyes from those purple eyes. "Do you understand?" Dagra did not answer, he could not answer. For a moment he was silent then slowly opened his mouth. "...Yes ma''am. Until this body rots away on the battlefield.... Until then, I will be by Krische-sama''s side----I swear by this name." Without looking up, without getting up. Showing a salute with his hand on his heart, Dagra answers. Krische''s cheeks puffed up saying, ''Didn''t you hear what Krische said?''. "Like Krische said, don''t just rot away on your own. If Bald Eagle turns into a wimpy old man and bes useless, then Krische will drive Bald Eagle out of the army, so please wait until then if you want to die. Skeleton is already nearly 100 years old and he''s still active, so even Bald Eagle should at least try that hard too. "Yes ma''am. ... I''ll etch it deep in my mind." Selene smiled approvingly at Krische''s words and quietly sipped her tea. The people around her were delighted to see the meaning of her words, and Anne was moved to tears just by watching the beautiful scene of their master-servant rtionship. She was supposed to be the only one who was aplete outsider, but perhaps she was overwhelmed with emotion, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "Ehehehe, Usa-chan is a good girl." "Huh? Ah..." Kalua hugged her and stroked Krische''s head. Puzzled, somewhat annoyed, but a little pleased, Krische red at Kalua----Selene, who had been quietly drinking tea, froze for a moment and stared at the two of them. She had noticed from yesterday''s festivities, that Kalua cares a lot about Krische, and Krische seems to be quite attached to Kalua. Seeing how she can do things like ''say, aaaah'' to Krische with a calm andposed attitude, she guessed Kalua was a pushy type who didn''t care what other people think. ording to Krische, she even slept together with her and an adjutant named Mia while Selene was not with her. Following Bery, who had been liberated (from her restraint), a suspicious presence appeared out of Selene''s sight. Selene was somewhat restless. If she had praised her first----no, Selene''s position would not have allowed it. "Fufufu, Onee-san too is d that she''s Usa-chan subordinate." "Ehehe, is that so?" Krische nuzzled her head, her cheeks loosened and happy. Whatever the case, Krische was supposed to be the superior officer, but Kalua didn''t seem to mind it. Selene was feeling fuzzy. She wondered if she should say something. If she criticized Kalua''s attitude toward her superior, she would end up denying Krische, who had worked hard to build a good rtionship with even though she was not very good at socializing. Krische was fine like this. But, but. Selene, who was looking at the two of them and searching for words, looked at Dagra, who was still on his knees, and finally called out. "K-Krische, it''s pitiful for Dagra and the others to stay like this all the time." "Oh, right. You can raise your head." She pulled away from Kalua and patted Dagra on the shoulder signaling him to get up. There were already no tears on his face, and he had a bright smile on his face. "Yes ma''am." "Dagra, please take a seat. Before the meeting, Krische would like you to know what Corps Commander Faren and Corps Commander Varkus think. Bald Eagle has a general idea of the situation, right?" "Understood." "...Krische too, here." "Yes." *Trot trot* Krische strode over and sat down next to Serene, pulling her chair closer to her, putting their shoulders closer. Selene breathed a sigh of relief. Kalua, who tilted her head at Selene''s strange appearance, made eye contact with Selene, who also saw Kalua. However, Selene quickly averted her eyes, feeling awkward. *Pon* Kalua pped her hands as if she just understood something. Then she smiled wryly and returned to her position and smiled as she looked at the General''s youthful profile from the side. In therge tent built in the center, the main princess faction General, corpsmanders, and battalionmanders gathered. Selene Christand sat at the top of the rectangr table. Krische and other Christand army corpsmanders were lined up on her left, and Nozan Verreich and his corpsmanders were lined up on the other side. Garren folded his arms behind Serene, satisfied with the powerful eyes of the corpsmanders. Two battalionmanders from each corps were selected and allowed to be present, and they lined up at the entrance to the tent. As usual, the ck''s 1st squad and Anne were preparing ck soybean tea, etc. for all of them, but as expected, there weren''t enough people, so Selene sent around five attentive soldiers to help. Behind Selene was a map with an overview of the Kingdom. And on the desk, a central map depicting the surroundings of the royal capital was spread out, and several small pieces were ced on it. "----As I have just said, we had a meeting with General Verreich in advance and decided on a certain policy. Corps Commander Varkus, Corps Commander Faren, are there any problems?" "Nothing from me." "In general, it''s fine. General Verreich is responsible for the sword, and Selene-sama is responsible for the shield. There is no question about that policy." The two nodded, but Eluga continued. "However, wouldn''t it be better to have the number of soldiers a little more even? Selene-sama has 25,000, and General Verreich has 37,000, including Krische-sama. However, I have heard reports that His Highness is preparing 70,000 soldiers------or even more, depending on the situation. The mish mash rabble------putting aside its proficiency, the advantage in numbers is great." Serene acted from the southern part of Kierzaran to block the enemy''s detour, while Nozan moved further south with Krische, aiming for the royal capital as the main offensive. Considering the abilities of Nozan Verrich and Krische Chrishtand, it was certain that they would be able to defeat the enemy in a head-on confrontation------it was because they thought that. However, no matter how capable the Generals were, their numerical inferiority couldn''t give them an advantage. If Gildanstein came to shing to them with all his strength, the Verreich army would have to fight an opponent that doubled his number alone, and even if Selene were run hurriedly, it would take two days to arrive. In short, he would have to hold out for two days in that condition. There were certainly means to win against an enemy with superior forces. Heroic tales depict innumerable figures of heroes defeating multiple enemies, but in reality it is not an easy task, and the basic principle in battle was to secure numerical superiority over the enemy. Equipment, proficiency, and such things can be a means of oveing a slight difference in numbers, but unless there was a significant difference in power, they will never be a means of oveing an enemy who doubles their own. And Gildanstein was not ipetent, but a great General who defeated the hero Bogan Christand and made a great contribution to the expansion of the eastern part of the country. It was the height of folly to expect ipetence from the enemy and to challenge an enemy who was twice their size. The reason for this was that the area around the Royal Capital was a in, and there was little terrain that could be used for the scheme. "I think it would be better to have another corpsmander in addition to Krische-sama, to be directed towards General Verreich. By no means do I doubt General Verreich''s ability, but..." "Yeah, I understand. I can understand the concerns of Corps Commander Faren. It''s true that if the entire armyes here, it will be a big problem but------" "Skeleton, it''s Krishe''s suggestion." A young girl''s sweet voice resounded in the tent. Eluga looked at Krische. "A decisive battle with a head-on confrontation------certainly, there would be various problems if His Highness was to choose that, but Krische wouldn''t let His Highness choose that." "...Now, why is that?" "It''s not a tactical problem, but... Krische met His Highness once in the Dragon''s Maw. Krische killed some guards, but Krische... uhh." Krische embarrassedly ryed her conversation with Gildanstein on the cliff. "... As a result, Krische fell for His Highness'' words, and let him go. That''s why Krische''ver decided to definitely kill him the next time Krische saw him. If he appeared in front of Krische, it would be easy, and if you create such a situation----Krische will surely kill His Highness." A cold voice echoed and filled the quiet tent. Aftering this far, no one could argue that her words were conceited. For everyone knows she was that kind of being. Even if there were those who doubted it, seeing that Nozan, Kolkis, and Granmeld------the three men who were famous for their martial prowess had no doubts about her words, there was no one who would dare to intervene. "Krische doesn''t think that His Royal Highness, who once fled without fighting Krische, would want to fight Krische head-on. He doesn''t look like the kind of person who would challenge a battle he doesn''t have a chance of winning. That''s why, if you think about it normally, Krische thought that His Highness would be aiming for Selene." "...Selene-sama." "However, if Krische goes to Selene''s side, there is a high possibility that he will challenge General Verreich to a decisive battle with all his might. On the other hand, if we go in a decisive battle stance from the beginning, there is a high possibility that the rear will be threatened. In terms of logistics, His Highness, who can connect the logistics from the royal capital on the side, has an overwhelming advantage." Krische traced her finger across her lips as if troubled. "Of course, the basis is Krische''s imagination... Krische is not very good at thinking about such things, so Krische can''t be sure, but... Krische felt that this was fine. Actually, it would be nice to let the Skeleton take all possible measures but." If Gildanstein split his army, they wouldn''t be able to cooperate. There was also a proposal to leave Krische, Selene, and Kolkis behind and attack with a small number of soldiers, but if the same or slightlyrger numbers were directed against them and a thorough dying battle was conducted, the Verreich side conclusion would be doubtful. On the other hand, even if the forces were concentrated on Selene''s side, it would be difficult to challenge the overwhelmingly superior enemy with around 15,000 without receiving support from the Verreich army. Gildanstein was a man of extraordinary valor, and now that he has taken control of King''s Landing, he had a good quality ofmanders. ------When she met the enemy, she was sure to kill them, no matter what kind of heroes they were. Although she was a mere individual, Krische de, which unterally hunts down the heads of enemy generals, was very important at this strategic meeting. In order to tilt the 50-50 battle that the Verreich side was forced to challenge to victory, it was an essential element for Krische to be on that side. Possessors of magical power beyond a certain realm------to confront a monster, you need a monster to match it. Although Nozan, Granmeld, and Verreich forces all had the ability to deal with Guldanstein, it was a 50-50 bet that they would be able to achieve a sure victory over him. There was some debate as to where Krische should be ced, but it was decided that Selene''s army should be thickened and Krische to apany Verreich''s army. "...I see. I understand." "Krische wants Skeleton to properly support Selene at Selene''s ce. If Skeleton is there, Krische can rest assured." "Haha... This is a serious responsibility. Certainly." Elugaughed with a cheerful------very wicked smile and Krische epted it with a smile too. The naming ''Skeleton'' that would be more apt to be called abuse. Mysterious rtionship of trust. Everyone was puzzled by Eluga''s wicked smile, known as the ''misanthropic, ruthless, and terrifying corpsmander'' and the implications of that smile. However, no one could ask him about it at a serious meeting. Even though everyone was concerned about the name, they only looked at each other in silence. Since the other day, the name ''Skeleton'' has beening out of Krische''s mouth------and the same applies for General Nozan too, who was intellectual and serious and was currently fixing his eyes on the map. Every time the word ''Skeleton'' came out of Krische''s mouth, his body twitched secretly. It was something that bothered him, but there was no way he could ask what Skeleton meant in front of Eluga who was once his superior and mentor. On top of that, it''s ridiculous for a general to be so intrigued by a single name like that that he can''t resist asking------It will affect his honor. The pride inside Nozan would not allow it. "......But even our enemies have their own famous heroes. It''s very exciting. His royal Highness is so too, but I have also heard that at the time of the attack, the stalwart Nakhilu Felizar and Walter Zagan, the heir of Elmer-Zein, were also at his side." "Don''t get hung up onpeting too much, Granmeld. What we seek is victory." Nozan said, reprimanding the gleeful Granmeld, and Krische tilted her head at the familiar name. "Hm... Zagan?" "Sounds familiar? He is the legitimate heir to the Zain style of swordsmanship. He is renowned as one of the best swordsmen in the Kingdom. Perhaps he might have been by His Highness'' side when Krische-sama confronted His Royal Highness..." Hearing Granmeld''s words, she nodded and pped her hands. "The uncle who was on the side of His Highness was also called by that name. He was in the way, so Krische killed him but" "............is that so" "Krische ended up stealing Woof Woof''s fun" Everyone froze at Krische, who said troublingly. Along with the Lorka style, there are many soldiers who learn the Zain style. They were perplexed by the death of the master, the legitimate sessor, who was killed so easily, and so was the name given to Granmeld. In an instant, the air was frozen. "Ah, uh, Krische...? Woof Woof is..." Serene asked, even as she thought ''no way''. Krische answered happily. "It''s a nickname that Krische thought up for CorpsCommander Varkus. Ehehe, his smiling face looked just like a dog, so Krische named him Woof Woof." It was a child''s idea was at the level of an insult. However, Krische was in a good mood, as she put her hands on her cheeks and a reddish blush on her face. As usual, she, alone, didn''t notice the frozen air, and seemed to be enjoying herself. However, everyone knew the man named Granmeld. He was originally a ruffian and a thief, and it was said that no one had lived after mocking him. ------and she called him Woof Woof. They were all looking at Granmeld in astonishment. "...Uhh, Commander Varkus, if you don''t like it, you can honestly say no, okay? This child is stupid so she doesn''t really understand..." ''Krische is no stu------'', Selene ignored Krische who puffed up her cheeks. "... No. Well, I can''tin if someone like Krische-sama named me that." The voice sounded as if it was trying to seal everything in its heart. She was stronger than him, and it was without any malice------rather, it was pure goodwill. Her despairing naming sense was unbearable, but even Granmeld hesitated to throw cold water on the cheerful Krische. "...only when ites to Krische-sama." He gave a piercing re to those around him, and those who were watching him looked away. Eruga is the only one who smiles------smiling and nodding with a face like those of a skeleton permeated in evil. "What, Corporal Verkus. You''ll get used to it soon enough." "... Haha, when you''re the one who says it, it sure is heavy." Gallen, who was watching with a wry smile, nodded once and said nostalgically. "My my, the man who was called a mad dog has be softer than he used to be. I think it''s a good thing but." "... I had intended to choose carefully who I was biting since a long time ago though." "Haha, I guess so. Anyway, she''s this kind of girl. Treat her well." With a smile on his wrinkled face, she stroked Krische''s head. ''Ojii-sama'', he nodded to Krische who seemed happy and said that, then he pped his hands. "We''ve digressed from the topic. The board movement is fine, but we have to work on the details. Isn''t that right, General?" "Y-yeah... that''s right. Then picking up from where we left off----" And so the meeting proceeded smoothly, albeit with some problems. ''Skeleton'' the name that he had been secretly curious about. Nozan, who found out how it was born, seemed to have been convinced and satisfied in his heart. Chapter 93: Act of Compensation Chapter 93: Act of Compensation ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 93 Act of Compensation*** "Then Bald Eagle, rest and heal well until Krische summon you again." The next morning, in front of the carriage headed for Bergash Fortress, Krische, her Century, and Begil, the First Battalion Commander, who was on good terms with Dagura, stood to see him off. "Until then, Bald Eagle should stay at home and stay still, uuhh let''s see, Bald Eagle shouldn''t train for about three weeks." "...Yes ma''am. I''ll rest well, Krische-sama. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen my family''s faces, I''m sure I''ll be better very soon." Dagra saluted with a cheerful smile and looked at Mia. "...Mia" "Y-yes sir!" "You''re stubborn, rough, and sloppy. You talk back to me when I give you orders, and you arete in the morning even though you are the adjutant. Frankly, as military personnel, you''re not even worth being evaluated." "Eh, eeh...?" The sudden words made her chestnut hair shake, and Mia froze as if in shock. Those around them couldn''t help butugh. But Dagra gives a rare (for him)--- ---soft smile and continued. "...not that you don''t have many problems like that, but, nevertheless, I appreciate your talent more than anyone else. And that innate cheerfulness and atmosphere you possess are now indispensable in this squad, if not in other squads. ...I also have high hopes that you will eventually surpass me as amander. "Y-yes..." ''Even though I''m not good at this kind of atmosphere'', Mia muttered mutteringly, and Dagra pped her head exasperated. "That''s what''s wrong with you, you idiot. You talk too much about what you think." "Uhh...yes" But Dagraughed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Well, whatever. I''ll leave the squad to you. I thought I could trust you because you''re you. Will you do it" "...Yes, Commander." Mia also responded with a soft smile. She had the smile of a vige girl who didn''t look like a soldier. "Corinth, Tagel. ...Whatever the case it is certain that she is inexperienced. Please support her well." "Yes sir!" They saluted in unison. In contrast to Mia, it was a respectful salute like that of a soldier. "Kalua, you take care of the unreliable Mia." "Ro~ger! Commander" "...you would be a great soldier if it weren''t for your antics." Exasperated, Dagra held his eyebrows and smiled wryly. "No...for a unit under the direct control of Krische-sama. Maybe it''s just as well that we have a few oddballs here and there." "......?" Krische, oblivious that she was being referred to in a roundabout way as an oddball, tilted her head and the soldiersughed again. "I leave it to you guys. Well then..." With that, he turned away, walked toward the carriage, and stopped. Then he looked up at the sky for a moment, looked back, and said, "...Krische-sama, may the God of valor Koreis guide you. Even if I can''t apany you, I sincerely wish you good luck in battle." "Bald Eagle doesn''t have to do that, please worry about yourselves and pray to the doctors, geez." Dagraughed as he saluted, and Krische, with her hands on her exasperated, continued. "Then see you soon, Bald Eagle." "Yes ma''am!" Dagra got into the carriage, and the carriage departed, whereupon Krische announced dismissed. From here, the next stop was Kielzaran. The "things left undone" was there. Kalua hugged Cliche and patted her on the head. Krische puckered her lips happy but displeased. "Geez, Krische''s hair will be a mess." "Commander Bald Eagle, no longer here, Krische lonely?" "Kalua. Seriously, as soon as themander is gone, you call him like that..." Krische thought a little about those words and answered with a troubled face. "... it, might be a little lonely" "I see. Fufuf, shall Onee-sanfort you?" "but......" "Hm?" Krische smiled happily. "Bald Eagle is lively, Krische relieved. That might make Krische happier." The little girl smiled embarrassedly, like a blooming flower. Kalua, who was watching from up close, lost her words and pressed her to her chest. "Mugu" "Ooh, ah, what an admirable maiden you are. Onee-san worried that bad bugs will stick to you, geez." "... I feel like Kalua is the bad bug though." Mia said exasperated and smiled at the crushed Krische. The others did the same, letting out theirugh. In the midst of all this, the red sunrise light continued to shine brightly on them. She was a cute little sister. The other younger sisters were cute too, but she disliked their nagging, so she thought Elvena, who adored her calling her ''One-san, One-san'', was even more so. She followed Kalua everywhere she went, imitating everything Kalua did and sticking close to Kalua all day long. Goodmannered, obedient, and a hard worker. She was the kind of child who was loved by everyone in the vige. She was happy that she was attached to her, so she wanted to spoil her all the time. But they could not stay that way forever. Kalua had to study for the future and she was going to leave home. What would happen to her sister, who always stuck to her like a ko, if she were to leave? Feeling uneasy about it, she began to distance herself from Elvena at some point. ''Elvena, I have to go with a merchant in the city to study next year. You''re no longer a child either, so you can''t follow me around.'' ''...Then I also want to go with the merchant.'' ''Don''t be selfish. ...Elvena will be an adult from now on, so you can''t be like that. Be reasonable.'' Thinking about it now, she thinks it was much too sudden for a child who was barely ten. If she had made more time, made her understand and convince her little by little, and had done it that way, Elvena might have felt differently. Even though she was crying ''One-san, one-san'', be an adult, sating just that would have been too abrupt for her. Even when the other sisters said it was too cruel, she stubbornly said it was for Elvena''s sake. She wished she had told her more about her intentions toe back and how much she love her to Elvena. ----Don''t go, take me with you. Looking back, that was the first selfish thing Elvena said. But at the time, she was too busy studying and worrying about the future to make time for her. She didn''t like seeing Elvena cry, so she avoided talking to her. She was a little relieved when Elvena stopped approaching her. she thought maybe she hated her, but she thought it was better for her, so she didn''t mind it. Sheter learned that Elvena had been reading books and secretly studying business. A good and obedient girl----She didn''t think that Elvena would think of such a thing, so she didn''t mind that she didn''t show up to show her off. She didn''t even realize she had gone with her until two dayster when her father came running by horse. She must have nned toe to Kahlua after the carriage had returned. To avoid being taken back. All she had were regrets, so she threw everything to save her. Looking back, she wonders what she, who was into a vige chief''s family and raised in a greenhouse., thought she could do. She should have known that it wouldn''t work out like in the fairy tales. ''......What is One-san doinging back now after speaking that furiously and abandoning your home? ,..Not only did you let Elvena go through all that, but you''ve caused trouble in so many ces and homes that......Are you still going to cause trouble?'' ''I just wanted to make sure. ...I''ve finished my business, I''m leaving now.'' ''There''s now she hase back right? ...It''s One-san fault after all'' ''...Yeah, you''re right'' ----Just like that, how many years ago was thest time she saw her home? She was deceived by many people, killed many people, learned many things, and got tired. She went back home to see if maybe she was there, and she wasn''t. However, that wasn''t really all there was to it. It''s because she was just a bit little tired------she had a faint hope for the house she discarded. Because the only things that piled up were unpleasant memories that she didn''t want to remember and wanted to throw away. She had a faint hope that they would let her to rest for a little while. But perhaps that was for the best. Thanks to that, she finally understood that there was no ce to return to. She couldn''t stop herself anymore, because she knew that she had no choice but to continue even if only by inertia. The first ve trader who bought Elvena was tracked down, tortured, and killed. That was the end of the first two years. It was a waste of time. Even the ve trader did not know where the ves they sold went. She found the second one and tortured and killed him. After that, she got information of the third, tortured him, and killed him. The fourth had already died because of his life span. With all leads gone, she returned home in faint hope, and then she was at a loss for a while. But she couldn''t give up. Because if everything up to that point had been in vain, she would have nothing. She kept moving with that kind of inertia. She got better at doubting people and stopped making mistakes. Her entertainment was fighting. Killing bad guys was enough to satisfy her sense of justice, and it makes her a little refreshed. At least he didn''t give up even if it''s only because of the inertia, and she thought she was doing her best. Even though she knew it was just an act of pleasuring herself, she immersed herself in it. ----Or perhaps she herself wanted to die in the process. Because then she could rest. Because she would be allowed to give up, without thinking about anything and without being gued with regrets. He willingly took on dangerous jobs as a bouncer and traveling escort. The payoff was good, and she felt more at ease doing dangerous work. While she was swinging my sword, that was all she needed to think about. It was around that time that there was a recruitment. She thought it was just right. The opponent was a familiar name----the notorious Gildanstein. It seems that he was famous among ve traders for ying with ves. She remembered the name after hearing it several times, so she epted the invitation and joined the army. It had been a long time since she could find any clues, so anything was fine. If it gave her a reason to fight, then anything is fine. ''----The second one from the right is ck.'' The Century was a strange group. A farmer who had never even wielded a sword, a merchant''s third son, and a group of amateurs. Themander was a young girl, no more than 15 years old. It was a strange ce, different from the army she had imagined. As she spent her time there, she came to think that it was wrong. The sensation of knowing that her feelings will wither away. The most problematic thing was that the monster girl named Krische, a crazy but clumsy girl. The ck Century, with few military personnel, was more like a town pub than an army, and her unique sensibility and purity added to the situation. There was a sense that her reason and purpose were getting farther. A feeling like she no longer knew her own core. Or perhaps, since the beginning, she no longer knew herself from a long time ago. Because in her heart she already gave up. ----Perhaps, this is an act ofpensation. "Ehehe, it''s warm." "It''s getting cold after all. Usa-chan is prone to catching a cold, so you have to be careful." Although the weather was clear, the air was mixed with winter. Walking on the in, not on the street but a little off the beaten path, she wrapped Krische inside her cloak. She was a child who could not be left alone. She was young, even in terms of her age. She is sharp-witted and has no equal in swordsmanship, yet inside she is more like a child than a little girl, and just looking at her makes her uneasy. She seems to have a hopelessly serious temperament, and even if she caught a cold and developed a fever, she would move around with a calm face, coughing loudly and not resting. In her sensibilities, which were not well understood, it seems that catching a cold or showing fatigue was something to be ashamed of. She insists that if her body can move properly, it''s not a cold, and she thought probably the phrase ''fools don''t catch colds'' was used to refer to people like her. She was strangely stubborn in this area, and she also got sick often, making her exasperated. "Kielzaran, are you sure we don''t have to do anything?" "It seems that the Skeleton spy and Dagris------Rnd''s former spy are making good preparations. Krische doesn''t matter if Kalua and the others are resting." ''That''s why Krische said it''s okay if you don''t follow Krische'', Krische said embarrassedly. At first, Krische was nning to go to Kielzaran alone, but she would need someone to act as a contact in case something happened the 1st squad------Mia and the others advised to apany her. And so the six of them were walking together. The situation was stable. There was no particr problem with splitting up the group, and since Krische understood that Mia and the others were saying this out of good intention and goodwill toward Krische, she agreed, but she also suggested, goodwill, that it would be better if they rest. "Hmm. Usa-chan says this, but what do you think, Squad Captain Mia?" "M-me?" Mia, who was walking absentmindedly next to them, was confused when the conversation was suddenly pointed at her, and she groaned and answered. "But as expected, when Corps Commander need someone, it will be inconvenient if no one is there... and even if we stayed back we don''t really have any particr business." "Hmm...Krische is fine either way. If you want toe, you cane, but Krische think there won''t be anything particrly interesting, you know?" "Even if I stay in town, I have nothing to do, so I''ll just follow you. If left alone, Usa-chan will probably follow strangers after all." Certainly, and so on, the other three agreed, and Krische puffed out her cheeks. "...Krische isn''t a child." Krische said displeased, and Kalua chuckled. "Geez, Kalua. She''s more or less the corpsmander, so don''t say things like that. You were like that even in front of the General, I was sweating cold sweat inside you know." "I don''t think that Mia can say anything about other people when you also use that ''more or less''. Corps Commander, Mia may think that the corpsmander is an idiot in her heart." "Muu... is that so? Mia" "I don''t think so! ...Kalua, if you keep on instigating the corpsmander like that, I''ll get angry, alright" Kalua happily holds Krische in her arms, waving her hand and saying ''don''t get angry, don''t get angry''. Mia sighed and suppressed her anger. "Well, anyway, I''ll go with you. Are you happy, Usa-chan?" "Huh? ......Hmm, Krische might be happy." "Fufu, it''s nice to be honest." Sheughed and said that while patting her head. In her heart, she realized that it was apensatory act, but now, however, it was also a reason for Kalua. Chapter 94: Miss Look-Alike Chapter 94: Miss Look-Alike ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 94 Miss Look-Alike*** Arriving in Kielzaran does not mean entering from the front openly. Jumping over the back wall, they first met up with the spy under Eluga. With the spy guidance, they visited Rnd''s spy----Dagris. At a corner of the red light district lined with brothels. What Dagris specified was a brick apartment there. Krische and the others walking in the red-light district with cloaks over their heads were obviously suspicious, but there were a certain number of people who did the same. Don''t pry into people like them, and don''t get involved. That''s the basic rule of this town, and no one would involve themself just because someone was suspicious. Krische was especially conspicuous from the outside, wearing a muffler that covered everything from her eyes down. They visits one of the room in the apartments, careful not to be spotted, and removed it as soon as she was guided inside. "It''s suffocating, really." "...Hmmm, I think it would be safer if Usa-chan always dressed like that when walking in ces like this. So no one called out to her." "Well, certainly..." Mia smiled wryly in agreement, and Krische, who was slightly aware that she was being made a fool of by those words, puffed out her cheeks and red at Kalua. Kaluaughed and said ''don''t get mad'', and pulled Krische''s cheeks from her back toward the front. The room was a simple one-room apartment, seemingly a ce only to sleep or rather it looked like more of a storehouse. nkets were on the floor, and medicine was on the shelves. Various kinds of weapons such as knives and bows were leaned against the shelve. The structure of the room itself seems to be reasonably sturdy, with thick doors and walls, and solid floorboards. The back window leads to the back alley, and even if the enemy was waiting below, you can use the opposite wall to jump onto the roof. One person was in the room. He was a mature man of medium height and build, with no characteristic features or shape. Watching Dagris sat on a barrel, Krische looked up at the ceiling and narrowed her eyes. The echo of the sound----Although it was hidden by the seam, the ceiling, which was directly above the Eternal magicmps, seemed to be a loophole to the upper floor. If you pull on the Eternal magicmps, the ceiling wille off along with the chain that connects it. Krische was impressed by how much thought went into this. "It''s been a long time, Dagris-san." "...Yeah. I heard about the overwhelming victory. It seems I was right about you." The victory over the general of the west------Aurugorn Hilkintos has already been announced. And the victory in the Dragon''s Maw. Everyone could not believe their ears at the rapid advance of the Krishtand army------which had lost their hero and was at disadvantage. So did Rnd, his former master. However, Dagris was not surprised. Because he already knew about the monster in the shape of a girl in front of him. Though is logical mind told him that Christand''s chance of victory was harsh, but it was in a way his instinct. A part of Dagris, the beast part that remained in human, was convinced that she would win. He spread his arms in amazement and took a breath. "The letter I gave to Hilkintos was a forgery. Here is the real one that Rnd sent out." He then took the letter from his bag and tossed it to Krische. Krische received the letter, opened it, lightly inspected the content, and handed it to Mia behind her. "Also, I havepiled out Rnd''s bad deeds to some extent. I''ve given it to Earl Faren''s spy, but..." "Krische have heard it. It would be good if there''s something like a ledger though." "You can ask him for moreter. If you hurt him lightly, he''ll spit it out before you can cut off a finger. He''s a bastard who''s done well, but he''s not used to violence. Dagris said as if it were a simple matter, and Krische nodded as if it were a simple matter saying ''That''s true''. While Mia thought absentmindedly, she didn''t want to be present during the torture. Krische didn''t feel guilty about hurting people. She''s a young, cute and childish corpsmander, but her head was crazy (illness, disease). She could see her calmly skinning people alive. "We will recover all of Rnd''s ostensible assets, but we can give you a reasonable amount of the various troublesome things. That''s why------" "I understand. Without hiding anything, let''s properly investigate and confirm that area. ...Will you keep your promise?" "Yes, as Krische said, Krische is not interested in your world. Krische doesn''t care who you kill or who you kidnap, as long as you maintain a certain degree of moderation and do no harm to Krische as a result." Mia looked sideways at Kalua, who reacted slightly. A necessary evil------she can understand the reasoning. Thew is not omnipotent, and it was practically impossible to close all loopholes. The country has no choice but to leave them alone. If you carelessly put your hand in there, it will increase confusion, chaos will ensue, it will be out of control and you will not be able to hold the reins, it would be better to entrust the management and supervision of the such part. That''s what this deal was about, and she could understand that kind of reasoning, but Mia, who heard Kalua''s story, felt indescribable. Kalua, noticing her gaze, gave a wry smile and gently patted Mia on the head. "Ah, right, right. How will the ves at Rnd''s estate be treated?" "Ah... well, they''re not Rnd''s belongings, is it? The credit is held by someone else, and it''s in the form of the ves working (live in domestic service) in Rnd''s mansion. The creditors are scattered and somewhat troublesome but... what about it?" "Nn...their treatment hasn''t decided yet so. That would be troublesome." Krische thought for a moment, and Dagris replied. "If you say you have trouble deciding (because of uneasy conscience), I''ll do some arrangements on my part. They are all good women. I have some idea of a conscientious shop, so if they work there for two or three years, it will somehow work out. It''s not a huge amount of debt to begin with." "Really?" "Yeah, the debt is just a chain, the point is that they won''t even be able to pay the interest if they''re doing a proper job------that amount of debt is enough. The debts they owe are like insurance, so there will be individual differences depending on their ability, but the bigger the amount, the more the government will look at it, so most of them are not that much." ''The important thing is after that'' heughed. "After that, you introduce them to a bastard like Rnd for a job and have them work (live in domestic service) there. It is at that point that the buying and selling take ce, but it has nothing to do with the amount of the debt. ...After using them like that, when they get old, they are just thrown out on the street. Or if you''re conscientious, though, they can sometimes get their debt canceled too." A conscientious shop, thrown out on the side of the road------an inn prostitute or a street whore. While misunderstanding such secret words as literally, Krische showed moderate understanding and nodded as if she understood it. She didn''t quite understand what was conscientious, and she took it for granted that if it''s a store would be like in a tavern or a waitress. Mia and the others obviously realized that Krishce had misunderstood, but did not interject. Because they knew that she was not mistaken generally. "Then I''ll leave that part to you. ...And well, let''s talk about the rest after it''s over." "That''s good. Is it okay to start now?" "Yes. It''s always better to get the trouble over with as soon as possible." "...Indeed" ''Kuku'', Dagris nodded with augh. "Then shall we go?" "Oh, that''s right. Dagris-san, right, is there a ce around here that sells clothes? Something appropriate (random) for women. "Yes, there is, but------" As expected of a big merchant----the security was quite thick. The basic structure consists of two guards at the main gate, the back gate, and the four towers built on the walls surrounding the mansion, and two guards in the hut-like guardrooms. In the gardens, there were three pairs of guards patrolling in pairs. At the roof of a private house----looking down from its shadow, Krische grasped the movement of their gaze. "...They seem pretty good. They''re also paying attention to the roof." "There is no human who makes a living out of assassination and cannot handle magic. Of course, they wil be cautious." Dagris answered Kalua''s words. "However, the two in the middle of the garden are the really skilled one. Speaking of the Hallza brothers, they are quite well known in this city." The duo of magical power holders. There are also two other people who appear to be like that, but they are a little inferior to the two in the center of the garden. However, all of them, including those who couldn''t use magic power, stood with a posture that showed their skill and were on their guard, not letting out even a single sigh of relief even in the moonlit night. It was just as Kahlua said------the quality of the guards was not bad. Bells were installed at each point, and there is nothing to block the view from tower to tower, and from tower to garden, so it''s not bad for a defensive arrangement. "Hmph. More importantly, you didn''t bring any pawns with you?" "If you act too openly, your reputation will be damaged. No matter what, Rnd was my client... it would be troublesome if I used a pawn to betray him. Considering that there may leak, I''d be better off alone." After saying that, she looked at Krishce. "Besides, I don''t feel the need. Here is Christand Headhunter-sama. Even if it''s extremely difficult for me to do it alone, the youngdy here can handle it alone. Right?" "Right. After all, Mia and the others it''s fine if you take a rest you know?" "I would love to, but there''s no way we can do that aftering this far, corpsmander." Mia said exasperated, and Bagu behind herughed. "Is this what''s called ship already embarked? So, where is this bastard Rnd?" The 1st squad, the most elite of the ck Century. However, the only ones who arepletely calm are Kalua and Bagu, who are used to the unique atmosphere of the underworld. Mia, Kels, and Adol, who have lived rtively upright lives, on the other hand, were somewhat nervous. It''s only natural for Mia, who was born as a farmer and has lived without fighting, while Kels and Adol, mainly earned money as bodyguards and caravan escorts, and only learned to attack after joining the Century. Putting aside when they act as a unit as part of the military''s actions, they can''t be as usual in this different situation. "Third floor, the second room from the right, probably. Considering the time he''s probably ying with a women." "That makes it easy." Bagu told Krische after seeing all three other than Kalua. "I feel a little bad for them since they''re only doing their job, but we two can also kill them all." "Hmm... that''s right." It was a word of concern for Mia and others who were not used to it, but Mia shook her head. "No, it''s okay if you don''t mind us. After we''ve followed you, the three of us will take a look at the corridor. Then it will be as usual." Krische looks at Mia then looked at Kalua. Kalua nodded after thinking for a moment. "I don''t think the rest of them wille to us after they kill our best men in one breath. So we''ll be taking their employer hostage." "Well, as far as I''m concerned, I''d like to keep the deaths to a minimum. There''s the aftermath after all." Krische thoughtfully nodded at Kalua and Dagris'' words. Then she looked at one of the towers. "First, we''re going to target the two in the nearest southeast tower from here. Kalua, Bagu, can you go?" "Okay, leave it to me" "yes" "Mia and the others are behind Krische appropriately (randomly, as you like). If anyone gets in the way, kill them." "Roger" Kalua and Bagu jumped down from the back and Kalua took off her cloak. Inside was a simple white dress. She had bought it at a store earlier. She tied her hair, which was usually tied high above her head, by the side of her neck, folded her overcoat, and draped it over her shoulders like a shawl. It was enough to deceive people''s eyes at night. Her long eyes, straight nose, well-shaped eyebrows, and lips. Even without lipstick, her lips were glossy, and Kalua transformed into thedy she looks like in one breath. Her standing posture and her atmosphere were neat, dignified, and elegant. Although Kalua was not a noble, she was originally born as the daughter of a wealthy vige chief. Her innate grace is certainly there, and her dexterity makes it easy to switch between the faces. "...What are you doing, Bagu. Did you fall for me?" "N-no, Ojou-sama..." Bagu, whonded together, started to stiffen due to the change, but Kalua urged him to walk in front of her. The legs slightly peeking out from her long-hemmed dress. Her steps were graceful, and Mia, who was watching from above, felt a sense of defeat. The usually a rough, sloppy, and random Kalua, but if she feel like it, she can be like this in no time. The difference is obvious whenpared to herself, who is a small vige girl no matter how you look at it. No matter what was said, in the end, Mia was a woman after all Precisely because she was born in a rural vige, she had a secret admiration for noble and elegant demeanor----like those of a princesses and youngdies. That said, it was just a faint yearning to be like that. Seeing her best friend, Kalua''s sloppyness, there was a part oh her that was relieved thinking that ''normal women are like this'', but seeing her now, she suddenly felt like being hang dry by her friends. She had always felt that she was beautiful not only in her appearance, but also in her standing posture but also her asional gestures. However, when Kalua''sdylike, womanly figure was so tantly disyed, she felt ashamed of herself who is a country girl no matter how one see it. She had taken great care in her appearance and tried hard to be elegant secretly, so the betrayal of her best friend came as a great shock. Krische looked at Mia with a sideways nce andpared her to Kahlua walking below and muttered, "Mia is not only has a bad sleeping habit but also bad-mannered overall, so it might be a good idea to ask Kalua to teach her various things from now on." "Ugh..." "Look, she''s usually carefree, but Kalua can do that much if she puts her mind to it, so Mia should try harder. Krische''s mother said this. People who take courtesy and manners lightly will be seen lightly by others. It seems that sses from the heart, so Mia should try to behave better than usual." "Uuhh..." The memory of being woken up by a back fist from slumber was still fresh in her mind. Krische''s follow-up blows, of retelling her mother''s saying, were extremely effective for the shocked Mia. "Kuku...... but she''s quite good. I thought she was a simple soldier but seems she''s a very versatile subordinate." "Yes. Kalua is reasonably good at what she does, so Krische doesn''t have to worry about her." She''s quick-witted and her skills are better than others. Kalua is a talented enough person to ''somewhat fulfilling Krische''s standard'', and in that respect, she is trusted as a soldier next after Dagra. As amander, she would have some problems because she prefers to work on her own, but as a soldier, she was a head and shoulders above the rest, and even in personal rtionship, she''s likeable to Krische. Krische honestly liked her. "I see. So this time it''s time to see your subordinate skill, huh." The two naturally approached the mansion. From the main street, they approached the southeast tower and took a side street, which led them a little closer to the wall. The men standing guard on top of the tower didn''t seem to care about Kalua, who looked like a youngdy, and Bagu, her bodyguard, and didn''t notice them ring their blind spots. When they were sure the guards didn''t notice them, Bagu leaned back against the wall, folded his hands, and held them out in front of Kalua''s feet. "After you, Ojou-sama. Here are your feathered shoes." "My, how kind of you." Kalua smiled and put her foot on it and took a deep breath. Bagu lifted her body in one go and throws Kalua over his head, and Kalua bent her body like a springs into the air. From there, it happened in an instant. Leaping silently to the top of the tower, Kalua wields her dagger and killed the two men in the blink of an eye. She then pulled out the swords the corpses had at their waists and snatched them away, "Usa-chan" She then throw the short spear that was the corpse''s hand into the air. "yes" ----The one who grabbed it was a silver shadow that seemed to split the wind. It was Krische, who, as if flying from the roof, had invaded into the wall at once. Without any kind of advance arrangement, but as if it had been decided from the beginning. Krische used her momentum to twist her body in the air as if that movement was aw. Her target was one of the two men in the center of the garden. She bend her back as gracefully as the waning moon and released from the drawn body bow was a deadly spear with the utmost inefficiency. The initial velocity of the spear, which spiraled through the air, rivaled even the speed of the rushing sound. The siege spear pierced through the body of the man who can''t even react. The man''s well-trained body instantly turned to minced meat, and his whole body and organs were scattered. Even after piercing the man, the spear gouged and smashed the stone pavement, and the other one who noticed it leaped as quickly as they could. Even though his own brother, with whom he has spent many years together was instantly reduced to a lump of flesh and blood, he calmly reads the situation and pulls out his sword. Then he caught sight of the attackers. If there were ten of them, ten would probably die without understanding what had happened. In such a situation, he instantly understood his critical situation and took action, a feat of mental strength and judgment made possible by his experience and acumen in passing through numerous deadly situations. It was the crystallization of skills that only a handful of people in the underworld possess and what should be called supreme treasures. ----But that was all he could do. In his final moments, all he could see were the cold, shining purple eyes and the gleam of a twisted, obscene curved sword------heralding his inescapable death. Krische spun around behind the man with blood blooming from his neck. She then released the sword she had pulled from the corpse and threw it through the air. The de, elerated by centrifugal force, severed the legs of the man who wasing toward her, and Krische stepped toward the remaining one. With the naturalness of a mowing agrass, she swung her curved sword and cut off her neck to take his life. It was so extraordinary that those who watched forgot to blink. The guard of the mansion, seeing the ughter, forgot to ring the bell and knew that the assant was a monster they could not stand against. Dagris and Mia and the other finallynded behind her, slightly wary of those who stared at Krische dumbfounded. "Dagris, inside the estates is?" "... Rnd won''t let the escorts inside unless he has some business." Dagris felt a chill run down his spine, but on the other hand, he exuded joy. Serving was under her------because he was convinced that the choice was right. A being that cannot be touched and cannot be threatened by anyone. Her power was mythical, not something that can be reached by mortal man. His recent defeat. His own physical decline was not worth considering. She is the Absolute, and there was no room for Dagris, who is a human being to defy her to begin with. Although he was hesitant to betray his client out of a sense of professional ethics, but he rejoiced above all in his good fortune that he epted his defeat without going against his instincts. Walking before him was a dragon-like creature in the form of a girl. She will took up her sword even against a storm as if nothing could stand against her. That''s what she was. "Mia, from the hallway. Krische goes through the window." "yes" "I''ll follow from the window. It would be easier for Rnd to understand the situation." Krische nodded and leapt. She puts her feet on the slight bumps in the wall and her cloak fluttered like wings. Twisting in mid-air, she kicked the bay window with his heel and stepped inside------ "W-Who...!?" A questioning voice. Was he just about to change into his clothes when he heard the sounding from outside? There was a man in the room who was grabbing his underwear and pants, exposing his bby,id naked body. And another, also in revealing ck underwear, covering her body with a sheet as she screamed cutely at the intruder. Elvena was there. "Ah, so Elvena is here too." Paintings and vases of art decorated the room, and a fire gleamed from the firece. Krische reflects on herself that he might have hurt Elvena, as the broken pieces were scattered on the side of the bed with a canopy. The two were perplexed by the very natural Krische. Krische remained calm even after seeing Rnd''s shriveled and ugly things. Krische checked to make sure there were no other people in the room and smiled. "Long time no------hmm... no, short time no see. We just met previously after all." "The Christand''s..." Rnd, who had been frozen by the situation, put on his underwear as if he had just remembered. Krishce tilted her head at the sight of Rnd putting on his underwear, and not even picking up a sword in such a situation, but thought whatever and started talking. Just then, Dagris followed from behind. "You are......!" "I''m sorry, but that''s how it is. Your letter is on Krische-sama." "This traitor! ...how much do you think--Ah!?" Krische approached casually and grabbed Rnd''s neck on the bed. She then mmed his huge body against the carpeted wooden floor. A scream echoed. While staring coldly at Rndo''s fainting in agony------with a somewhat satisfied expression, she let the point of her curved sword run down his ckened neck. "...as long as they are neutral, as long as what they do is legitimate as a business deal, it''s hard to get rid of merchants. But not this time. ...You threw away the neutrality that you should have as a merchant and joined His Royal Highness as a military intelligence agent. The result is the death penalty for you." "Cough, W-wait... there''s a reason for that-" "Don''t worry. Krische isn''t going to kill you here and now. This is an execution, so we will interrogate you, torture you, listen to what you have to say, and then decapitate you in the town square. You will be allowed to live a little longer." Krische smiled and traced her own lips with her fingertips. "Mmm, Krische wants to finish the matter before Selene arrives, so you be executed tomorrow. Rx. The torture that the military will be leading will be very extensive, and Krische will help you o that you can speak honestly. You can take some time to rest. Krische wants to sleep at night too after all." "Hie!!!" The silver-rimmed purple eye narrowed. Today was a really good day and tomorrow will be even better. The man who made Bery ufortable can be killed in the name of justice. Bery would never see this man again, not even by ident. And best of all, she could do it without Berry knowing it. The gentle Berry will be saddened that Cliche would do such a thing. But if she didn''t know, she will remain as usual. Unbeknownst to Berry, one unpleasant thing disappears from the world she liveb in, and it bes just a little bit cleaner. This was basically ''cleaning''. It is good to keep dirt and debris clean out of sight, and cleaning is something you do naturally. There was no need to think about whether it is good or bad. This was a job that should be done by the military Krische, and it was a punishment that leaves no room for personal feelings. "Dougris, who is the appropriate (random) witness?" "That would be Elze. He''s Kielzaran''s first legal officer. He''s a man who has a rtionship with Rnd, so it would be good to threaten him." A town and a vige------ One of the big differences was the existence of a judicial system. At least onew-expert government official elected from the nobility resided in the city. Thew officer with the First in front of the title is at top of the city''s judicial system. He was the perfect witness to torture. "Nn... Krische''s sorry Krische surprised Elvena a little. Um, there are other peopleing, so it''s better to wear clothes but..." "Ah, um... circumstances, I understand, but..." Like Rnd, Elvena, who was at the height of confusion, finally understood the situation. However, it was only natural that once she understood it, more questions would arise. "In that case, we..." She looked at Krische anxiously as she hugged the sheets. Krische didn''t seem to be the same person as the girl Ishesaw the other day, but the girl had the same soft smile as she had the other day. "It''s a bit of a difficult question, but------" "Usa-chan, is it here?" The doorknob turned lightly, but there was the metallic sound of a lock blocking it. An irritating ttering sound, followed by silence and then a blow. The sturdy door was kicked down. "... Geez, Kalua. What would you do if the Corps Commander was behind the door?" "Usa-chan will be fine. ...is it over?" "Yeah, this is the Rnd we''re going after. After this, take him with us and we''re done." "That so. It doesn''t look like anyone is approaching. Well, it can''t be helped if you see that." Kalua looked at Krische in amazement, then to Rnd who rolled over. Her eyes narrowed in disdain, then onto the bed. It was directed at Elvena, who held the sheet to her chest and hides her body. "Ah, I''m sorry. It''ll be over soon, so be quiet----" She stopped mid-sentence. And her eyes widened and stiffened----so did Elvena. "Nee...san?" The two faces mirrored each other. Surprise appeared on each other''s faces, and Mia and the others were at a loss for words when theypare their faces, and even if they don''t know Kahlua''s circumstances, they immediately understood their rtionship. "What''s wrong? Kalua" Comparing their faces again, as expected it was a rarely seen miss look-alike. ''Coincidence is a terrifying thing, and Krische should be careful not to mistake someone else'' ----Only Krische, who was impressed, tilted her head curiously and stared at Kalua. Chapter 95: A Maidens Play with Meat (Flesh) Chapter 95: A Maiden''s y with Meat (Flesh) ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 95 A Maiden''s y with Meat (Flesh)*** "Hmmm......" In one of the dimly lit rooms----the interrogation basement in the government office in Kielzaran. The witness, an old man, Elze, the first legal officer, was blue in the face and had already vomited what was in his stomach twice. ''Hmmm'', ''Uhh'', Krische crossed he arms and groaned quietly, asionally swinging her arms. A muffled scream rose as her dagger ripped shallowly through the fat. Dagris silently leaned against the wall and watched the situation. "30,000 pumpkins..." This was Elvena''s price on record. It was a price that would buy three of Krische''s swords. It''s quite a lot of money to raise from Krische''s ''pocket money''. The amount wasrger than expected, and Elvena was apparently a very expensive ve. She was well-educated, good-looking, and obedient. She had a good memory, a solid knowledge of etiquette, and unlike a mere vige girl, Elvena, who was born into a good family, cannot be said to be a bargain. It seems that the pretext used for her debt was destroying expensive works of art at her former ce of apprenticeship, and the amount of debt she owed was more than ten times that of normal ves. "Hmm... 30,000 pumpkins..." "Mu, gu... ... N, ga------!?" While thinking, she toyed with the flesh with a dagger. The sound of sticky flesh and dirty screams. While listening to middle-aged man''s screams while gagged, Krische''s mind was in space. She put her finger to her cherry-red lips and thinks. The debt borne by the ve must be paid at least by the purchaser, even when (political) power is being used like this time and the ve was bought. For the time being, it was ostensibly legitimate------because it''s a legally recognized debt. The ''minimum guarantee price for ves'' was set by the ve trader, and since it is a fact that they have debts no matter what, If the purchaser tried to free the ves, the purchaser will inevitably need to take over the debt. The only other way was to go to court and look back through the records to prove that the debt was incurred through fraudulent means, but that, too, would be difficult. Of course, the ve traders had also considered this, so considering the amount of effort required to prove it, it could cost them a lot of money. The reason ve trader was passing the ve around was that they were trying to create a position as a bona fide third party. A person who purchases stolen goods without knowing it, will not be charged with a crime, and even if an order is made to hand over the stolen goods, it was of course necessary, to guarantee the money spent on their purchase with respect to a bona fide third party. Just thinking about investigating ve traders one by one to find out if they really had good intentions------that they bought bonds without knowing that they were ''debts owed by unfair means'' was a chore. After all, considering the circumstances, paying the money would be a straightforward solution, but it was 30,000 pumpkins. Krische was at a loss. Of course, there were violent means. Regardless of how he could legally get away with it, the merchant was as close to ck as he could get, and even if Krische just randomly torture them, she would be able to clear the debt in no time. They might give it away for free if she threatened to catch them. Or even kill them in the end. But that would be an illegal means, such as bribery, extortion, or embezzlement, and Krische had a somewhat skewed sense of ethics. She thinks that method was bad. For Krische, the rule ofw is basically something that should be obeyed, and it can only be broken if it is not exposed anywhere. Bery prefers a ''good girl who follows the rules'' to a ''bad girl who doesn''t follow the rules'', and of course, Krische''s goal is to make Bery like Krische a lot. With that rule------the idea of breaking thew to get out of Elvena''s debt does not exist in the first ce. Christand''s financial situation is not asfortable now as the war continues. For Krische, who had talked to Skeleton and thought that it was a pity for Elvena, but couldn''t be helped, it''s just that much more troubling. Of course, looking at the whole thing, the amount of money for Elvena is insignificant, but it is still an amount that can feed tens of thousands of soldiers for a day. Was it okay to ask Selene for such arge amount of money? ''Uhhh'', ''ahhh'', she thought about it and tore the skin open, damaginf the fat with her dagger without damaging the muscles. Elze, the witness who couldn''t stand it anymore, screamed and vomited into the wastebasket. The space was filled with the stench of filth. With a cute and troubled look on her face and two silver tails wagging, Krische''s purple eyes recalled Kalua. ----Why was she here? That was the first question that came to Kalua''s mind. She wondered for a moment whether it was real, but there was no way to doubt it. She had grown much taller and more beautiful than before, but there was still a trace of when she was young. Her face looked just like hers. Much morepared to the old days when she was a child. Her hair was still arranged at her shoulders, just as it had been in the past. There was a time when she tried to grow her hair long because she admired Kahlua, but it was her hair was a bit quirky. She could remember as if it was only yesterday that she was crying because she couldn''t be like Nee-san. She was a little different from the one in her memory. It had been many years. But the girl in the bed was the little sister she had been looking for so long. "......Elvena." The hair was disheveled and there were a few whip marks on her white skin. She was dressed in obscene ck underwear that emphasized her breasts and revealing. She had a tattoo on her left shoulder indicating her status as a ve, and she was in bed. When Elvena became aware of Kalua''s gaze, she quickly covered herself and kept her eyes down, as if ashamed of herself. This seemed to be a bedroom. What was she doing on that bed, and what was being done to her? Kalua''s gaze turned to the man wearing only underwear. A lump of dirty fat. A repulsive figure----Aah, I''ve seen this kind of bastard many times, she thought. She know what kind of man he was. And now he was right in front of her, and in her right hand was a sword. "To Elvena...!" Her head was pure white. In a single breath, she stepped forward and swung the straight sword down from overhead. She was going to rip his hands and feet off, torture him up, and kill him. ----However, the de was stopped halfway through. A slender hand was holding Kalua''s arm. The hand was on the elbow of the arm that was swinging the sword down----the foot held the knee that had stepped forward. The origin point of the movement was blocked, with unerring precision. "Kalua? You can''t kill him here." Her eyebrows lowered as if troubled. Krische tilted her head slightly and looked at Kalua. "... Usa-chan, get out of the away." "U-umm..." Krische bes more and more confused. It was the usual air-headed, dense Krische How could she exin it to her so that she would understand? But the murderous intent and impulse moving her body----couldn''t afford to do so right now. "... I''ve been looking for him for a long time. To kill him, all this time." Right now, Krische''s denseness was annoying. Keep her distance and catch her breath. "To Elvena, the one who did cruel things to my little sister. I decided to kill them absolutely... I''ve traveled for many years. So, or now just shut up, get out of the way..." "H-huh...? Little sister..." Krische''s questions only increased. Her frustration grew, and her hatred for the rolling man grew stronger. "Putting that aside, you can''t do it now. If you torture or kill someone without a witness, it will be a lynching. We have to properly follow the procedure." It didn''t matter what thew says. In this ce----it was impossible to get her to understand with Kalua''s emotions. "Kalua, calm down... Ubeh!?" Mia panicked and tried to hold Kalua down, but Kalua dodged her. Mia, who was dodged, rushed into bed, and Krische looked at Mia exasperated ------and Kalua moved at that moment. Only Rnd was reflected in Kalua''s eyes. Aiming for the momentary gap that urred, she jumped above her head. Using the ceiling as a scaffold, she moved like a spider. In a single breath, he moves behind Cliche and tries to bury his de into Rndo''s flesh------only to have her sword cut off in the middle. Without needing to see it, without needing to feel it. It was Krische''s sword that tore through the steel. She bent her body like a whip, and all the speed generated there elerates to the tip of her sword. The de slid against the steel to prevent the de from spilling, and the friction caused the sword to crack. Then she cuts it at a slight angle------an artistic de where everything was calcted. Krische easily bisected Kahlua''s full-powered sword, as if she was a child wielding a twig. But it was to be expected. She knew it was impossible toe ahead Krische with just one gap. She immediately let go of the sword and moved to thrust the dagger she had already pulled out------whereupon Kalua''s body softly mmed to the floor. "Geez, What is wrong? What Kalua is doing now is a vition of orders...uhm, well, it was a job that didn''t require you toe this time, so let''s just say it''s outside of military business for the moment. Anyway. Krische will get angry if you don''t stop it, okay?" No shock, no pain. She just put her knees on Kalua''s arms and took away her freedom. The girl who is younger than anyone else here, as if she were dealing with a child, said that to her. "Hg..." It was pathetic. With all her might------still her de didn''t reach. A girl who was not even serious about her, she wasn''t even her opponent. ----Ah, she remembered. No matter how desperately she try, what she always got was just vain effort and going in circle. She knew that feeling well. She had experienced it so much. She knew very well about what a woman with neither money nor skill could do. So she threw away all kinds of things, did everything she could, and desperately made an effort, but she could not find a single clue, herical self. Finally, she happened to face her enemy, and still, she could not do anything. A lot of things up until now seemed to ovep there. This figure now was the culmination of theical path she had walked. The silver hair in front of her and the purple eyes too be blurred with tears. "...please, please, let me kill him. ...please" "Eh, uh...? K-Kalua?" She could see Krische panicking. She was so pathetic, there''s no helping her. "...Nee-san, it''s okay. I''m fine, so..." Elvena''s voice who rushed over. Her head embraced, Kalua stifled her voice and sobbed quietly and unbearably. Krische''s processing capacity had reached its limit while straddling her. Seeing Kahlua and Elvena in such a state, only one person was confused. "... Mia, what happened?" She finally asked Mia, who had hit her head on the edge of the bed and was holding her forehead. 1, Kalua had a sister who was kidnapped and enved. 2, She''s been desperately looking for her for years, but she never found her. 3, When she finally found her here, she found out that she had been enved by Rnd. 4, Please understand Kahlua''s feelings for wanting to kill Rnd. For the time being she entrusted Rnd to Dagris, and after listening briefly to Mia, her main point was something like that. ''She looks that much like her, but Corps Commander didn''t realize that Elvena was Kalua''s rtive when you met before? If you had said something at that time, it wouldn''t have happened------No, even supposing so, you didn''t understand it even in that situation?'' Krische, who received a shocking and using look from the four members including Mia, argued that there was no way Krische could understand it without knowing 1, 2, or 3 (without warning/hint/sign), however, even saying that Bagu, Kels, and Adol, who know the same information as Krische, seemed to have figured it out from the conversation at that time. The situation clearly indicates, Krische''sck of understanding (denseness) was the problem, and she had no allies. Krische was not very happy with the atmosphere, as if to say that Krische''sck of understanding (denseness) was too severe but putting that aside. Mia and rhe other three people who heard Mia''s story likewise asked if she could do something about Elvena. Krische understood the reasoning, but the scales were still undecided in her head. Need to be noted that Krische''s first priority was Bery, Selene, and Kreshcenta. Krische would not allow anything that would be detriment to them. Money is a concept that generates definite gains and losses, and using Christand''s money is ultimately a disadvantage for Bery, Selene, and Kreshcenta. Personally, she liked Kalua, and Elvena was also a person that Krische preferred, although they had only a brief rtionship. If the money was only for Krische, she would have agreed to it in a beat, but the fact that it was ''Christand''s precious money'' was problematic. That is why it was so troubling for her. While ying with the flesh with the tip of the dagger, Krische thinks while listening to the scream. What she recalled was the crying Kalua. Putting aside if it was Mia, it seemed like a big deal for Kalua to cry she thought. Somehow, her mood bes restless. It should be sorted first, she thought as she cut the flesh. Screams arose. She crouched down and gave the detached pieces of flesh the names Krische, Bery, Selene, and Kreschenta. Krische, of course, was willing to pay for it. She wondered what Bery would think then, if faced with the same situation. Bery would surely say she would want to help. Berry was helped by Bogan in a simr situation. That''s how she met Krische, and she said that she was happy even though she had painful memories. It was that kind of fortuitous encounter she said. ----Fortuitous meeting. Bery would surely try to help, Krische smiled thar the Bery in her imagination and her thoughts was the same. What about Selene? Selene, who respected Bogan more than anyone else, wouldn''t she, even as she thought about merit and demerit, would try to help her subordinates, who were reasonably excellent, if they were in trouble. All being said Selene was very kind after all. Kreschenta was stupid, sloppy, didn''t have kindness, and was quick to kill, but----but she properly thought about profit and loss. ''Isn''t it fine if she just works properly proportional to the money spend'' was what she would say "Aah, that''s true, too." She nodded her head and said, ''Kreshcenta is a great girl,'' and tapped the lump of flesh she had named Kreschenta with the belly of her dagger. ''Kreschenta'' shivered with joy, and Krische smiled. Dagris, who was watching the event, was bewildered, and Elze, who was witnessing the event, emptied his stomach and stared with frightened eyes at Krische''s maniacal smile as she interacted with the piece of flesh. Of course, Krische didn''t notice the gaze and just remembered Bery''s words. ''I hate Rnd-sama. But thanks to that, Nee-sama met (fortuitous meeting) Gotoushu-sama, I met (fortuitous meeting) Ojou-sama, and finally met (fortuitous meeting) Krische-sama. That''s why I''m so happy right now, and even if I could go back in time and choose a different present, I''d still wish for this present where I can meet met (fortuitous meeting) Krische-sama like this.'' ----Fortuitous meeting. Abandoned from the royal pce, her parents were killed in the vige, and many things happened, but there was the present now. It was a coincidence that she met Berry. ''If Krische-sama was concerned about me, ......If meeting me was a fortuitous meeting for Krische-sama, then just like that...'' She met Kalua by chance (coincidence), and she met Elvena by chance. ''With me... from now on, I hope Krische-sama will continue to be with me forever.'' By chance, by chance. But because she thought it was a fortuitous meeting, that Krische always stayed with Bery. ''......Among the various Krische that Bery said, the Krische that the Krische wants is the Krische that can properly return Bery''s love.'' It was a strange feeling that makes her heart go *kyu*. She didn''t know whether it was love (affection) or not, and she didn''t know if she was happy or not. But she''ve already decided that for her it''s happiness----that''s why the by chance fortuitous meeting keep continuing and she''s always happy. Meeting Kalua was also a coincidence, but Krische thinks it was a fortuitous meeting. It''s the same with Elvina. They might think so, too. Then, after all, such fortuitous meeting need to be cherished. She met Kahlua by chance, and that''s a fortuitous meeting. And by chance Krische had the power to help Elvena. "Ehehe, let''s put it that way." ''Yeah'', ''Yeah'', she stood up and nodded then looked at Rnd, who was writhing in intense pain, tears and snot dripping from his nose. The skin and flesh on his body had been scraped away, revealing exposed muscle fibers here and there. "Huh? You''ve lost a lot of weight without realizing it. But it''s not bad if you think about it, being overweight isn''t good for your health." "...Krische-sama, if you go too far, he''ll die..." "It''s okay. ...Noe then, Krische''s thinking is over. Krische want to finish it quickly, so please answer honestly to what have been asked. Krische will be troubled if you don''t live until tomorrow''s execution, do your best. Dagris, shall we begin the interrogation?" "Atst...though it doesn''t look like I''ll have much to do.'' Dagris approaches, took off the gag, and pped Rnd on the cheek as he was about to faint. Krische was probably choosing the part of the body to tear. The bleeding was not as bad as it looks. If left untreated, he would probably bleed to death, but he would stillst for a while. It was a technique that put a skilled torturer to shame. ''Kill me, kill me,'' Rnd said, in derilium, and Dagrisughed. "If you answer my and this ojou-sama''s questions honestly, I''ll let you rest. First Law Officer Elze, I''d like to ask you to be a witness." "I-I understand..." The old man Elze''s voice was hoarse. In front of Krische, who was satisfied with the answer to the question she was hesitating about------Rnd''s hell had just begun. Chapter 96: Usa-chan Chapter 96: Usa-chan ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 96 Usa-chan*** Rnd''s mansion, in one of its rooms. It was probably one of several parlor rooms. There was a table in the middle, a sofa facing each other, and liquor on the shelves. In the room were Kalua, Mia, and Elvena. The other three were outside. A short time after the raid, the city''s patrolmen, hearing themotion, are dispatched and arrive. Since Eluga''s secret agent had already spoken to Baron Cornal, who ruled the town, it did not turn out to be a big deal. Baron Cornal, though a noble, was merely a city lord, an opportunistic noble who bow to the powerful. This man, who was stationed in Kielzaran was deeply entrenched in corruption, and imed to be neutral in politics------in short, he was a fool who was only wrapped up in the corruption that''s already happened long ago. Cornal, obsessed only with money and position, easily cut off Rnd, with whom he had a long rtionship, and as soon as he was shown Rnd''s letter, he immediately wagged his tail at Christand. The patrol corps under his patronage carried out a perfunctory inspection of the scene------the cleaning of corpses in the garden, and never set foot inside the mansion. It had been a while since Krische had taken Rnd away. The estate was quiet. The other three had left the room, telling Mia and the others that they would check on the patrolmen and leave first. In reality, however, that was just a pretext. In truth, they left it to Mia, who was particrly close to Kalua. And just in case something happens, they didn''t go back and stay nearby. In order to prevent Kahlua from being reckless------in other words, to prevent her from running away with Elvena. In any case, Elvena was in debt, and that has to be dealt with. However, the amount of money was not something that could be paid by a single individual, and there was a good chance that Kalua would take Elvena and run away with her. The long-lost sister------they understood the situation when they heard the story from Mia Such stories were not umon. Even if it wasn''t their rtives, there were people around them who were kidnapped like that, and Bagu who was originally involved in dirty works knew the dark side of the country very well. They were as sympathetic to Kahlua as Mia and worried about her, theirrade. In this country, there was no discrimination based on gender in work or any other matters. This was due to the political structure of the country, in which the queen was crowned in some cases, though men were preferred in the hierarchy. It is not unheard of for the head of a noble family to be a woman, and it is not unusual to find a woman among the soldiers. Nheless, it was clear that it was harder and more difficult for a woman to search for her sibling alone throughout the country than for a man. Especially if it was Kalua, a good-looking woman, the danger could not even bepared to what a man would face. Kahlua''s swordsmanship was unmatched by ordinary men ------Considering how it was cultivated, it''s easy to imagine the harshness of her journey. Then she happen to find her sister by chance. It would have been nice if it had ended with a happy ending, but the circumstance as is, wouldn''t be so simple. ------They wererades, brothers in arms, who they entrusted their back to each other, ate the same meal, and went through live and dead together. Exactly because they are in the same squad, their feelings for her were strong. There are many who fall in love with her for her strength, and many who fall in love with her for her personality. If push came to shove, they would cooperate to help her escape------They had enough feelings for Kahlua to feel that way, but at the same time they also had feelings for Krische. There was no denying that Krische was distorted and abnormal. But her purity and the kindness she possessed were known to everyone in the Century. It was the same when they heard about her story some time ago, and so was the other day when she responded to Dagua''s unreasonable request, she responded with pure goodwill and affection. Although she is an extremely serious person who values rules and regtions, they also felt that she would save Kalua. However, it was still a dilemma after all. The moment Krischees back and said no, and once Krische decided to do so, Kahlua can no longer run away. That''s why they were wondering if they should let Kalua go now. "... I know that Usa-chan is a good girl, but the price being what it is. Do you think she would spend that amount in a war, right now, for a single soldier?" "but......" "And even if you help us, it''ll end up causing trouble for Usa-chan. But if I go now, I think even Usa-chan won''t chase after me... I think that''s better after all." Kalua''s words made Mia think. Elvena''s price is enough to feed tens of thousands of soldiers for one day. Not only for individuals, it''s something that can have a slight impact on military actions, and at least it''s not an amount that Mia could easily believe Krische would pay. It went beyond the realm of goodwill to a mere one soldier. Mia had told Kalua to wait for Kalu, which Kalua rejected. It was Elvena who opened her mouth, looking anxiously at her sister and Mia. "...I''ve heard, Dagris-sama will prepare a job for us." "Elvena, stop it." Kalua lowered her eyes and put her hands on Elvena''s head. What Elvena wore was a revealing waiter''s outfit. It is the only proper outfit she has been given, and she wore herself in it with a look that show she''s used to. "... I feel like I''ve been saved just by meeting Nee-san again like this. It''s what I''ve been doing until now, and I''m already used to it." Elvena said so and smiled. She had a beautiful smile that epted many things. The cleavage of her breasts peeked out, and the skirt too was short------she hadpletely grown ustomed to such a vulgar outfit and wore it as if it was her everyday clothes. While she was far away, Elvena spent time in such a ce, and she grew up and became an adult. The kind of adulthood that embraced resignation. Kalua bite her lip and shake her head. "I understand what kind of person Krische-sama is. From what I have heard from everyone, and from the way we met the other day------though it was only for a short while. And Also, about everyone who was worried about Nee-san." Elvena leaned closer to Kalua and smiled. "I''m fine. Just as always, but now I have hope. That Nee-san wille to pick me up someday...if it''s okay for me to be selfish like that, I''m fine with it. Rather than throwing away various things and running away, it would be much nicer to be able to live with Nee-san without any worries after a few years." "Stop, Elvena. ...I don''t want to make you do that anymore." With her anguished expression, Kalua said so, and Elvena caressed her cheek. "Even I, don''t want to make Nee-san do painful things. That Nee-san never forgot me and worked hard all this time not at least I knew that." Kalua''s skin------old scars faintly remained there. Kalua''s once beautiful body had countless such scars, and her once soft palms were now those of a warrior holding a sword. The blister had been crushed, bled and hardened many times, showing her how Kalua had spent her life over the years. She would never have held a sword before. If Kalua really wanted to run away with her, that''s fine. Of course, she did not want her older sister to go off to war. Quietly in a ce unrted to that kind of ce. It seems like a wonderful life when she thinks backpared to today when so much has happened. But after listening to her story so far, the answer is different. Kalua had feelings for where he was now, and she knew deep down she cared for them. She has a simple personality, and at first nce, she seems to be broadminded, but in reality, she was verypassionate and kind. That''s why Elvena loves her sister more than anyone------that''s why she said. "In the first ce it was due to my stupid... reckless behavior. I don''t want Nee-san to be shackled because of me anymore. After all the Nee-san I look up to is freer and cooler than anyone else." Kahlua clenched her fist, unable to answer, and Elvena put her hand on top of hers. After hearing that, Mia looked at Kalua and said. "...No matter what happens, at that time I will cooperate as much as I can. Like I said. Even if we can''t do anything about your debts, the corpsmander might just find a way." "Mia..." "The corpsmander, erm... she doesn''t havemon sense, she''s a bit, or rather, really silly... but she''s really kind------" "...... who''s silly and has nomon sense?" "Hie!?" She noticed the voice and looked at the entrance door, standing there was Krische. It was quite a quick return. Krische decided to end Rnd''s interrogation when the Eruga spy arrived, leaving the rest to the spy and returning. Rnd had be so obedient and had divulged so many things on his own that no further threats or torture were necessary. In Krische''s mind, Kalua was more important than Rndo, who was already a dead man to her. But as she hurried over, she suddenly heard Mia''s words. She furrowed her brows in a bad mood and put her hands on her hips. Then she casually approached Mia and pinched her cheek. "So Mia thought about Krische like that huh." "Uuu, n-no...it''s, a figure of speech so..." "Putting aside whether it''s what Mia thought or not, what Mia said is an insult to her superiors. Do you understand? Krische, now understands well what Bals Eagle said about Mia''s fault for speaking too much. Geez......" "T-that''s not it, corpsmander..." ''Geez'', Krische put her hands on her hips and sighed imitating Selene. While saying that ''Krische sure had a troublesome subordinate'', she looked at Kalua and Elvena. The more you look at them, the more they look alike. If one says that they are sisters, then that''s enough to convince you. She alone nodded her head, thinking that that was not enough reason to treat Krische as a fool. "Kriche thought about it for a while. As a result, Christand cannot pay off Elvena''s debt. It''s a lot of money after all." "...I see." Kalua smiled resignedly, not even raising her voice. Krische continued regardless. "However, Kalua has been working hard and has been very nice to Krische. If even with that Krische doesn''t do anything, then the scale doesn''t match, so considering the amount of repayment for up until now. Krische decided to buy Elvena''s bonds for now." "...Huh?" Krische smiled. Then she raised her finger and said happily. "The problem with paying the money back is the interest, so we''re going to do something about that. If Krische buys the debt, Krische can reduce the interest rate to 10% of the current interest, a much lower level." Kalua and Elvena were stunned. Krische thought for a moment, realizing that they did not understand what was going on. "Umm, let''s see, specifically it''s about a tenth the current interest." ''It''s not a charity, okay'', Krische said. "To put it simply... the interest is about the same amount as returning a pumpkin per day. If you return about 11 pumpkins a day, you will be able to pay off the debt in less than ten years. Considering the rewards on top of the sry as a soldier, Kalua earns a decent amount, so if you do your best, you can pay it back." Krische recalled her life in the vige and told them. "Krishe was a family of three in the vige, but we usually lived on about one pumpkin a day. As long as you refrain from luxuries, you can live a decent life. Well, if you think about living in the city, you might have to pay two or three pumpkins for rent, but Kalua makes a decent amount of money, so it''s okay." The two were still dumbfounded. Krische was ''Huh?'' and continued. "Um, and looking at what happenedst time, Elvena is quite an excellent servant. Considering that Anne, who lives in Christand, earns about two pumpkins a day, even if Elvena doesn''t have to do hard work, Elvena can earn about three or four pumpkins. If you two work really hard, you might be able to pay it offfortably in about two or three years." No matter how long she waited, there was no reaction. Krische looked at Mia, troubled. Mia smiled happily as she noticed Krische''s gaze and bowed her head. "...Is it okay?" The voice belonged to Kalua. Krische nodded. "Yes. If wemunicate in writing and wait for the payment for a while, Selene won''t get angry for the time being......probably not that much. And the war will be over by then. It seems that there are creditors in this town, so after the execution tomorrow, let''s go to the creditor''s ce." ''If you two ept that condition then Krische will agree'', then she continued From what she has heard from Rnd------I knew that it''s involved in some illegal transactions, and she''s confident that he won''t try to overcharge the purchase of the bonds. "But it''s not that the debt is gone, it''s just that the owner of the bonds has changed to Krische. Krische is very strict with collections and won''t allow you to get behind on your payments, okay? We are spending Christand''s precious money, Krische won''t allow not paying the bill allr------wah." Kalua stood up and hugged Krische Krische looked at Kahlua, surprised, and tilted her head. "......thank you" "Umm, the debt isn''t gone yet, okay? For reminder, the minimum interest will be deducted from Kalua''s sry, okay?" "Fufu, it''s not about that though... But I like that part of Usa-chan." Kalua said honestly, and Krische smiles when she sees that she seems pleased. She might get a little nagging from Selene, but she won''t get so angry because the Christand will get some profit in the end as interest. Even if she got angry, Krische thought, it shouldn''t be that much. Kahlua was a good subordinate and she wanted to maintain a good rtionship with her, and Cliche would not want to see her rtionship with her deteriorate and have her leave the Century. Spinning her mind, ultimately Krischee up with a rationalized argument that she should help Kahlua after all, because it would be beneficial for Selene to maintain a good rtionship with Kalua, who was moderately excellent. ''It''s okay, it should be okay'', Krische nodded. To tell the truth, she wanted to discuss the matter after Selene''s arrival and make a decision. But if by some chance Selene said no, Krische would have no choice but to follow what she said. It''s because Krische''s priority was Selene''s interests. For Krische, Selene''s wishes should be fulfilled and obeyed without the need thinks over it. She cannot go as far as to do something to/for another person on her own initiative if it means going against that. That was why she decided to take the form of ex post facto consent. Although it was a gray area for Krische, she acted on the vague judgment that Selene would probably forgive her. Nevertheless, it was a decision that required a great deal of deliberation on Krische''s part. From now on, Kalua will have to work even harder than before to prove it to Selene. "Listen okay? Krische is even prepared to apologize to Selene. So, Kalua needs to work a lot more from now on. As long as the debt remains, Krische needs Kalua to do her best under Krische, okay." "......yes" Kalua replied as if it was something natural then she smiled wryly then let go of Krische''s body and kneeled. She took Krische''s hand and kissed it. "As yourmand... I swear by this name and sword, I promise." "Ehehe, then it''s a promise." Krischeughed and Elvena approached her. Elvena said thank you and bowed her head with tears on the corners of her eyes. "Hmm... well, what are we going to do with Elvena, who has be unemployed? Do you have a destination?" "No..." "ording to what I heard, the ce of work that Dagris mentioned seems to be a live-in. If Elvena is fine with it, it''s good there too..." "Huh? Eh, umm..." "C-corpsmander... that''s no good..." "...?" Krische still didn''t quite understand that what Dagris meant by a conscientious shop was simply a conscientious brothel. With this kind of flow... Krische ended up trying to get Elvena to sell her body again, albeit unwittingly, Mia forgot her excitement and held her head. "Ah, um, Usa-chan...? Ummm... how do I say it, that job..." From there, Kalua went to great pains to make her understand that the job description was not very good. Despite Krische''s knowledge of animal mating, she was dealing with Krische who had very different values from those of ordinary people------and a girl so mentally innocent that she would believe it if you told her that a stork brought a baby to you. It took me quite some time to convey that it was a ''bad job'' while avoiding a direct expression and in a round-bout way. Then half a koku passed (~1 hour) It waste at night when Krische began to doze off and the meeting was over. There were many rooms in Rnd''s estate to entertain guests. For the record, they had secured an inn in the city, but it seemed foolish to bother going therete at night, so Krische decided to use an empty room in the estate and went to bed. Mia took the sleepy Krische with her, while Kalua looked up at the ceiling in the room assigned to Elvena. "Fufu, she''s really a strange one... I''ve thought about it since before but." "Usa-chan is a little weird...but she''s a really nice girl." She caresses the giggling Elvena on her head and smiled. "......Usa-chan" "Ah, I wonder who said it. The current unit was created by that girl, but the training was incredibly strict. On top of that, she never smiled at all, and all she said was that we had no guts, and didn''t try hard enough, that kind of demon instructor." She narrowed her eyes and smiled wryly. The training was to learn how to handle magic power------it was called that but she thought it was harsh and severe training. Even Kahlua was so exhausted that she could not even eat properly for several days. They were literally forced to train from morning until nightfall, to the limit of their ability, and some of them even copsed. After a short break, they were made to carryrge barrels of stones. It was still better for people like Kalua who could unconsciously use magic from the beginning, but for those who didn''t, it was truly torture. Krische, who came to the ce where they couldn''t even eat properly, casually ate a cookie and said, ''Dagra, you''re not pushing them hard enough, are you? They''re still relying on their muscles. Krische thinks you should tire them out a little more.'' Because she would say things like that without any hesitation, at that time she was terribly resented. "She was so cute on the outside, and yet she trained us to the point of spitting up blood without a care in the world------so someone started calling her a crazy rabbit." But that was only the beginning. The General''s daughter Serene and her servant Bery were the most popr among the soldiers. When she was around them, Krische was like a child,ughing and being spoiled, and to their surprise, she was in a good mood. Seeing and hearing her like that, everyone gradually began to realize that she was a little younger than she looked. Her rigorous training was just a matter of course for her, and it wasn''t meant to be malicious. As they became able to handle the harsh training more normally, the hatred toward her began to diminish, and the derogatory name ''Usagi (rabbit)'' became a term of endearment. Even so, there were those who said things like, ''I''m going to make that crazy rabbit pay someday'', but in the five-on-one mock battle, they all had their spirit broken. Bagu the one in the same squad used to be one of them. At some point, even those guys fell for her Krische''s pace------ "After that, everyone came to understand that she was just a serious and young girl, so it became something like a nickname. I''m the only one who''s openly calling her that though. Fufu, isn''t it cute, Usa-chan?" "Heeh..." Elvena brought her face closer and stroked Kalua''s cheek. "I was, thinking. It''s fine if Nee-san speaks in a way that''s easy to talk to, you know, like to Krische-sama or Mia-sama." "Nn... it''s kind of embarrassing." "Because, inparison, it seems like Nee-san is acting distant. It''s nice to feel like we''ve be much closer to each other if Nee-san talk casually." "That so, ...what a strange child" ''Either way is fine though'', saying that, Kalua likewise stroked Elvena''s cheeks as if to confirm it. Elvena leaned closer and buried her face in Kalua''s chest. "... from now on, can we stay together forever?" "Don''t you have to go back home?" "If Nee-sanes back... then I''ll follow you." "I can''t go back. I''ve been disowned." She hugged Elvena, saying that she''ll do her best at Usa-chan''s ce for a while. "Nee-sa------" "Don''t worry about it too much. I can''t say I''ve never regretted it, but it''s thanks to that that I was able to find Elvena like this now. Happy ending." "......, yes" She nodded happily and looked up. She clingingly grabbed Kalua by her shoulder and peered into her eyes. "Even if I go home, I''m sure I''ll be treated like an outsider. I''m sure I won''t have a ce to belong... If Nee-san is like that, I won''t go home either." "...That so." "So... if Nee-san doesn''t mind me being selfish, this time I want Nee-san to take me with you. No matter where Nee-san goes, I''ll be with Nee-san.... I''d like to stay with Nee-san forever." Kalua nodded and pressed her forehead against hers. "... If Elvena wants to, I promise." "yes......" "And......" Kahlua''s eyes wavered slightly hesitantly, and her long eyshes slowly closed. She opened her eyes again with her eyes slightly teary eye, she said. "... I''m sorry. Next time, I''ll properly take you with me." Elvena squinted her eyes for a moment as if looking into the distance and smiled. "I''m sorry too. For being a hopelessly selfish child. ...But it hasn''t changed much even now." She chuckled and stared at Kalua. "I feel like I''ve been waiting for a long time... wanting to hear those words." "... I see. Guess I made you wait." "... Yes, I''ve been waiting." ------So I won''t let you go. She continued to hug her, then she closed her eyes and said good night. In her smiling sister''s arms, the girl truly fell asleep for the first time in years. "Yeah... Good night, Elvena." ------next morning. "I-I''m sorry, corpsmander..." "......This is the first time in Krische''s life that she has been head-butted in her sleep. Krische forgave thest back fist as an ident, but this is now intentional. ......Do you have any grudge against Krische? " Krische woke up in the worst way. Chapter 97: Spiral of Light and Dark Chapter 97: Spiral of Light and Dark ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 97 Spiral of Light and Dark*** It was at the public square in Kielzaran. There, people form a circle with a distance between them, and in the center were five people wearing ck-painted armor and a girl with silver hair. They hoisted the g of the crescent moon skull high as if showing their authority, and simply stood on the elevated tform that had been hurriedly constructed in the center. Baron Cornal, the chief of the city of Kielzaran, a lean man with a figure-eight mustache, was present, and in front of him a pale-faced old man, the somewhat gaunt First Legal Officer Else, brandished a letter and gave a powerful speech that sent his spit flying. In his hand was a letter Rnd sent to the Hilkintos army. A merchant who put business first and valued profits more than honor should not have power, and should be a neutral entity that cooperates with those in power only through contracts----at least, merchants were treated that way in the Kingdom''sws. It is not permissible to pretend to be a coborator and betray the enemy, and that is why the lowly merchant Rnd, who broke it, would be executed here. Else desperately screamed out the words he''s been thinking about without sleeping sincest night, as a ''righteous guardian of thew''. It was Krische that he asionally nced sideways at as if to see what her reaction was. Indifferent and tedious. She looked at Else with her inorganic purple eyes, not moving her beautiful face. It was difficult to know whether she was satisfied with Else''s words or not. Witness----for Else, who had received some kind of bribe from Rnd, he understood that it was just an example to himself. It was his role to inform the people that this execution was not a result of Christand army''s violence, but a justified execution, and he feared that he might suffer the same fate, depending on how well he delivered his speech. And even Baron Cornal, who witnessed his desperation up close, was afraid of the Christand''s youngdy, who stood next to him----the Cursed Child, Krische. He was aware that Else was at the ce where the torture took ce as a witness, but his behavior was not normal. But he could at least understand that a great deal of fear must have befallen him. Cornal has ruled Kielzaran for a long time, because of his position. He had a close rtionship with the merchants of this city, and Rnd was naturally no exception. Naturally, it could not be said that there was absolutely nothing shady going on there. He knew that there were various ''businesses'' being conducted by corrupt merchants like Rnd, such as ve trading and smuggling, etc., and that he, who had tacitly approved and epted bribes, was in the same position as Else. If the Christand were to triumph and Princess Kreschenta were to sit on the throne, there was a fear that his head would fly because of the single mental image the Cursed Child have about him. He had thought that he would be as irrelevant as possible in this civil war as long as he was not required to im neutrality, but he changed his mind. He turned his attention to his own assets and wondered how much he could give to them. He turned his thought only to that question. "----Therefore, from now on, under the name of the blood and the spirit of the heroes that are connected to the kingdom, by Kielzaran''s first legal officer Farkus Else, the execution will begin!" There was a frenzy in the square. Most of the people who came here were simply people who came to watch the execution. They only listened to Else''s words as half-truths, and people just wanted to see the heads fly off. There were some who had a grudge against Rnd, but that was only a small percentage, and most were simply looking forward to the execution as mere entertainment. ----What is fun about executions? Listening to Else''s long and loud (noisy) talk, Krische tilted her head and bit her lip holding her yawn. Having been woken up by a head butt, she wanted to go home early and get a good night''s sleep. Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed sleepily. It''s finally over---she frowned sullenly to ovee her drowsiness. Cornal, who saw it sideways, felt danger and took a step forward. "I am Fanaktoa Elbekir Cornal, the custody of Kielzaran. I would like to exin once again what happened----" Just when Krische thought it was finally over, Cornal''s speech began. Krische was left astonished. ''Isn''t it over yet?'' Krische red at Mia, Mia looked troubled, and whispered, ''Probably just a little more.'' The rest of the group, except for Krische, could generally tell from Else''s and Cornal''s appearance what was on their minds. Krische was the only one who was angry at the length of the speech. And so, after Cornal''s speech, whichsted for half a koku and was filled with flowery word to Christand and Krische, finally the cage that was ced behind------its nket was removed, and a man was taken out. Rndo screams as he was lifted from both sides by ck-masked men. Krische has not h armed him in any visible. Wearing cks and a jacket, On the surface, Rnd appeared unscathed, but even his thick clothes were spotted with spots where blood was slowly seeping out. His hands and feet were tied tight at the base to stop the bleeding, and his gouged torso was tightly wrapped in styptic and bandages. However, it was dying breath------his face was sweaty, and his eyes were hollow. His face was pale, and his breathing was somehow strange. Krische, who saw that, smiled in relief that Rnd was alive, and Else and Cornal who saw that smile became even more frightened. Else, for example, had seen Krische when she tortured Rnd and had recognized her as a deranged pleasure killer. He prayed to God that he would not bear the brunt of it. Rnd, unable to walk on his own, was dragged up the stairs to the execution tform where Krische and the others were. Their gazes crossed for a moment as they passed each other. Rnd''s eyes were clouded with fear, regret, and despair. Krische inorganic purple eyes narrowed a little as if she was happy. And then they passed. His upper body was ced on the tform that was set up there, and Rnd let out a scream and exhaled like a pig. The drifting smell of blood and feces. Everyone there frowned, and Krische was the first to left. During an execution, it was a ce reserved for the guilty and the executioner. Krische was no longer interested in the dead Rnd. A few momentster, she hears the sound of the executioner mming the de and a mad cheer, and she leaves the ce as it is, with the ck-d soldier in tow. Her steps were light, and Krische''s mind was already on what for lunch. A smile appeared on her lips. Everyone who passed by Krische stared at her with frightened eyes. "Hmm, it''s looking good." Evening, after finishing various chores. Rnd''s mansion----in the kitchen. Krishce smiled as she put the pie in the oven, and then begins to work on the next task. Elvena, who was watching, handed her a hand towel and thanked her for the help, cleansed her hands, and stirred the pan to see what was happening. "...Thank you very much, Krische-sama." "It''s been the fourth time since yesterday, Elvena. And unlike the other ves, it''s not that the debt has be nulled, it''s just that the owner has changed... The story was a littleplicated and difficult." After the execution, they had lunch and went to see Elvena''s owner. When she brought up the talk about credit to the man who looks frightened, the man who had heard the rumors prostrated himself. He took the initiative to say that he would give away the debts for nothing. Although the merchant owned the credit, Rnd had already purchased the ve named Elvena. The credit was only a formality for him, as it was purchased by Rnd as a business convenience or discount, etc. Of course, since the credit itself exists on paper, he could use it to make money from Krische, but seeing Rnd, who was executed in the blink of an eye, he loses his gut. First Law O fficer Else. Baron Cornal, the noble who manages the city. As long as the two werepletely submissive to Krische, he, a merchant, did not have the courage to do such a thing. If Krische used Rnd''s back ledger and put effort into it, she would be able to judge many of the merchants in this town who were associated with Rnd by thew. It was easy to imagine that such a move would cause a great deal of confusion, and since she did not have the time or money to devote to it, she decided to leave it to Dagris, but that did not mean she couldn''t do it. For him, Krische was the kind of person who can easily cut his head off if she gets into a bad mood, and of course, he has no intention of going against her. In fact, he would have jumped up and down if he could have been pardoned with a single credit. However, the opponent was Krische----things don''t go as the merchant expected. If an unscrupulous merchant were to give something away for free to a noble like Cliche, it would be a bribe. The difference between a gift and a bribe, in particr, was a veryplicated distinction in thews of the kingdom, and it was probably a problem that this is the area in which Krische, who hates ambiguity, was most bad at. ----I will hand over the debts, so please be considerate'', since he had said things like that, Krische recognized it as a bribe from the standpoint of a royal noble. The result was that the Krische dismisses the credit as something that has mary value, saying that as a noble, Krische naturally had to paypensation. That said, the merchant was also desperate. At that ce, a merchant was trying to hand over the credit to Krische by any means. While Krische was trying to pay him by any means as part of the business transaction, and so the chaotic discussion ensued. The man, though a merchant, did not try to extract concessions from others, but simply repeated his concessions. Other than Elvena----he said he''s going to try to talk to the other ve credit holders from, and make the term as favorable terms as possible, and cooperate with the Christand to transfer the credit, but Krische did not nod her head, saying that it would be a bribe either way. What the man had was despair. He felt as if his future on the executioner''s block was inescapable. ----The one who saved him was Dagris, who was apanying her. As expected, he also had some slight understanding of the person named Krische. The merchant who was so desperate that he was willing to expose himself----there was no doubt that Krische would kill this man if things continued as they were. Considering the fact that he was going to get the city, he wanted to minimize the chaos in Kielzaran as much as possible. For his own benefit, he decided to offer his help. ''Krische-sama, it seems that the two of you are not on the same page. Can you leave it to me to clear up some misunderstandings?'' ''......Huh? Well, that''s fine but.'' Tired of repeating the same questions and answers over and over again, Krische let him handle it. Daglis approached the man and told him that his methods were bad. He told the man to that it would be fine if he helped with the logistics of Christand army, and that there would be no problem as long as he deducted the ve''s credit from the amount. The merchant was so intimidated by Krische that he perceived Krische''s refusal of a bribe as a request for further concessions, not realizing that the problemy in something much simpler. In short, it was a problem because it was a method that looks like a bribe. You just have to make a deduction with the price of another transaction and make it like Krische bought it on the surface. Dagris exined that on top of that if the price was cheap, and if the merchant did the concession he said earlier, then she would be satisfied. The discussion, which was extremely confusing, came to a conclusion. The man suddenly said that he had always wanted to be of service to Her Royal Highness and that he was a merchant burning with lofty ideals who wanted to cut offwlessness from the country. He then told her that he would take care of everything regarding Rnd''s ve. He defended himself, saying that although he could not go against him because of the power rtionship in business, he was deeply distressed by such ve treatment, and in fact, he had been forced to have Elvena serve him there. He then quickly drew up a contract and approached Krische, saying that Elvena''s credit would be deducted from the price of the military logistics support. Krische was perplexed by the change, but the price of the contract for logistical support of the army----arranging food for the soldiers, etc., was remarkably cheappared to the market price. There was nothing wrong with the contract he had quickly drawn up. The question was that the price was so cheap that the price of Elvena''s credit seems to be not included in the bill, The merchant replied, ''I want to do my best for Her Highness, so I''m willing to do business that barely cover the cost.'' Naturally, the merchant did not consider Elvena''s credit on the bill. Even with that, he set the price that it was still really cheap. The merchant was desperate not to be killed. ''Hm... well, if mister merchant wants to work for Her Highness so much, then that''s fine with Krische too.'' In theory, this was not a bribe or ckmail. Krische was not threatening or offering favors, but he simply voluntarily spend his own money to help. Krische nodded after thinking for a moment about whether there would be any legal issues. The reduction of the price or the offer of money for the support of the military action is simply a donation and cooperation as a citizen and does not constitute a bribe in the first ce. Either way, it was a bargain for tKrische who needed to make such deals with the merchants of the city. As long as there were no legal problems, it did not matter to Cliche whether the merchant was a bad person or not, as long as she could purchase Elvena''s credit through legal procedures on paper. The only problem was that the credit was personally transferred to her, who was a noble. Then, bypleting Elvena''s credit purchase procedure and the contract for the transport rtionship in writing at the same time, the man was finally released. The man, who did not want to go through any more hellish negotiations with Krische, showed his deepest relief----and Krische who was remembering that, tilted her head while holding adle in her hand. "But, as expected, something seems strange..." In any case, ording to the merchant, all of Rnd''s ves would be released as a result. The merchant is very emphatic that he will take care of it for her, and although she didn''t know why, he said he''ll do his best. Krische grumbled that perhaps he was as good a person as he. It''s fine to think of that as a happy thing, butpared to the girls who are supposed to be released free of charge, it seems that only Elvena, who in a sense remained in debt, suffer a loss. For Krische, this was a result that was somewhat unconvincing. However, when Kalua and Elvena heard this story, they both justughed and expressed their gratitude. Krische sighed saying she didn''t quite understand it, and Elvena chuckled. "I was a little worried about the fact that I was the only one who could be saved... so I am very happy. I am grateful to Krische even if it''s just purchasing the credit." "Is that so? Though that''s more important than anything else." "...I''m sure, the others will be grateful to Krische-sama too when they learn the truth." They didn''t tell the other ves about this. Krische could not be certain of its release anyway, so Elvena exined to Krische that it would be better to keep quiet because it would be painful if they were not released due to some mistake. Anyway, the idea was that if they were truly freed, they would naturally find out why. "In that case, Krische feels like yhey should be grateful to the merchant, not to Krische..." "I... wonder about that...?" Elvenaughed as if she was troubled. The owner of the debt----Elvena, who personally knew the merchant, was clearly a viin, but even so, she didn''t bother to exin such a thing to this girl. It would only be likeining to a child. To Elvena, the girl seemed very precious, so she did not want to do anything that would tarnish it. "Hmm, well whatever." She sipped at thedle of soup and smiled. "... Really, Krische sure likes cooking." "Yes. When Krische is on the battlefield, Krische doesn''t have many opportunities to cook things properly like this, so it''s fun." ''The kitchen utensils are also very well equipped'' and she stroked the kitchen knife. "Aside from that, is it okay? It''s dangerous to apany Krische and the other, you know?" "Yes, if Krische-sama would allow me. I have nowhere to go, and in that case, I would like to return Krische-sama''s favor even if just a little." "Half of it was payback for Kalua, so Elvena doesn''t have to worry about it. Kalua, has done a lot for me Krische after all." She stroked Krische''s head, who said that as if she was troubled. Then she bends her back slightly and matched her gaze, Elvena said. "The kindness I received from Krische-sama is so great that I will never be able to pay it back." "Ehehe, Elvena is exaggerating." "Even if it''s trivial for Krische-sama, that''s just how it is." "Is that how it is?" "That''s how it is." Elvenaughed and run their fingers through Krische''s silver hair. The Krische she saw in her roomst night looked horrifying, but when she saw it the other day, and today----her figure was endlessly adorable. She was a twisted, strange, and simply a beautiful girl. "Elvena looked a lot like Kalua after all, but somehow, Elvena looked just like Bery." "Bery..." "Um...Krische has said it before, it''s Krische''s favorite servant." "ah I see" "Fufu... When Krische did this, it reminded Krische." Krische leaned her over to Ervena, narrowing her eyelids just a little. And she had a somewhat lonely expression, Elvena strokes her head. "... Then, I have to make sure that Krische-sama doesn''t feel lonely. Fufu, though I don''t think I can rece that Bery-sama." The girl nodded a little bit happily. She was a girl, younger than she looked. She could see why her sister liked her so much. She had a weakness for little girls like this. "Shall we take a bath together today? I''ll wash Krische-sama body away just like before." "Yes, because Elvena was good at it. Ah... but." Krische thrust her finger and said with a serious face. "You can''t y pranks like before okay, really." It was a figure that somehow made her rx (her strength leaving her). Like her sister, she might be weak to her, she said wryly. "Fufu, if Krische-sama said not to do it, it just makes me want to tease Krische-sama more." "Muu..." It was a little strange, but she was grateful for the fortuitous encounter. Chapter 98: The Young General Girl Chapter 98: The Young General Girl ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 98 The Young General Girl*** It was at the main tent of Christand. Inside was Selene, sitting on a chair with her chin on her hand on a simple desk, and Gallen with his arms crossed. And Anne stands next to them, looking confused. In front of them were Krische, Mia, Kahlua, and Elvena. Also, Eluga, who happened to havee to see Krische on the pretense of having some business, sitting in a chair with a wicked smile seemingly joyful. Next to him was Quinez, who was backing away from his superior''s evil appearance. Selene looked down at the contract in her hand and massaged her eyes. "Well, you didn''t hurt the merchant or do anything like that, did you?" "Muu... Krische didn''t do that. After talking to him properly, he came up with the idea on hhis own. That merchant seems to want to do his best for Kreschenta..." Rnd''s executiones out of the blue. Elvena''s bond purchase, and instation of logistical support. The story she heard upon her arrival gave Selene a headache. Although the detailed contract stated that the purchase price of Elvena''s bonds was included, it was clear that it was only a formality. The price on the contract was two-thirds of the market price¨D¨Da figure that makes one doubtful whether the merchant could even make a profit. It was clear that the contract was made under threat, but since Krische insisted that mucu, at least she did not do it consciously. She just unconsciously threatened the merchant. "Haha, isn''t it just fine? The result is good. Regarding Rnd, It was my fault that I forgot to tell report it." That¡¯s what Eluga said, and Serene red at him. It seems that this old man was also secretly cooperating with the clich¨¦, and he was quite familiar with what was going on in Kielzaran. "Certainly, that''s true, but you have a bad personality, aren''t you, Commander Faren, I wonder if you kepr me the general out of the loop?¡± "No, I didn''t mean to. That''s why I''m here to report. I could not contact you with the situation dividing the north and south, so please don''t scold Krische-sama. Regarding the execution, it was our consensus who was in the south.¡± Seriously, Selene sighed and pinched Krische cheek across the desk. "Uuu..." ¡°It¡¯s quiteplicated dealing with merchants. They have a wide connection after all. This time it can''t be helped, but from now on you should talk to me properly." ¡°¡Yeas¡± Selene smiled and put her hand that had been pinching Krische¡¯s cheek on her head. ¡°However, that is as the family head and as a general. ¡As a sister, I''m happy that you worked so hard for someone else like that." "... Selene" "To tell you the truth, I wanted you to wait until I came and then talk together.... I understand how you feel, but please trust me more." "...Yes. Sorry." Kalua and Elvena. She must have wanted to help these two people no matter what. But if Selene says no, Krische would not be able to do it. In that case, Krische would surely give priority to Selene''s conclusion. That¡¯s why Krische took the form of ex post facto consent. Looking at it negatively, it could be said to be a cunning way of doing things, but even with such a cunning way of doing things, Krische still wanted to help the two of them. She was very happy that Clich¨¦ thought of others that way, but that was from an adult''s point of view. Personally, Selene still wanted Krische to rely on her in such situations, which was why her feeling was a bitplicated. Krische is serious, and honest, and usually doesn''t say anything selfish except to be pampered, so Selene wanted her to be more selfish with her. "...Thank you, General." Kalua bowed, followed by Elvena and Mia. Selene waved her hand and sighed. ¡°You can thank Krische. ...And don''t worry about the debt, since the amount was the same as nothing." "yes. However, I have made a debt that I can''t ever pay back after all, so I will pay it back with my work." Kahlua smiled and Selene nodded. "I''d be happy if you did. Please take of Krische." ¡°Yes.¡± Krische turned to Kahlua, who salutes. "Hmm... the way it ended was somewhat unsatisfying, for Krische, so you really don''t have to worry about it, you know?" "Fufu, don''t say that. From now on, I''ll do my best for Usa-chan." Kalua stroked Krische¡¯s head. Krische looked a little annoyed, but smiled happily and leaned closer. Eluga and Gallen nodded their heads in delight at the fact that Krische was being so genuinely favored by her subordinates, while Selene stiffened again, just as she had the other day. "Ah, also, it seems that Elvena has nowhere to go right now, so Krische is thinking of asking her to be a servant (attendant) like Anne..." "E-Elvena..." *nce*, Selene looked next to Krische. Elvena who looked nervous being looked at¨D¨Dher face looked just like Kalua who was stroking Krische¡¯s head in front of her. "Yes, she''s very attentive, and she''s excellent, so Selene can rx. She''s also good at making tea, and she can help with cooking. She takes care of her personal belongings perfectly..." Krische nced at Arne. It was a nce crammed with meaning. This time, Arne stiffened. "Anyway, Krische think I''ll treat it like that until this battle is over, but" "Y-yes... I don''t mind." "Ehehe, that''s good. Well then, Krische will in your care for a while, Elvena." ¡°Y-yes¡¡± Krische leans towards Elvena and smiled. Elvena gave a wry smile and smiled at Krische saying, ¡®Thank you¡¯. An indescribable feeling danced in Selene''s heart. ¨D¨DTomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be devoted to reorganization and the rest of the soldiers, and they will depart in three days. And that will be the end of this civil war. For Krische, it was her final rest. Once this is over, she would say goodbye to Serene for a while again¨D¨Dit was only natural to think that she would be spoiled by Selene as usual. However. ¡°U-umm Selene¡?¡± "what?" "Hamu..." The two of them were alone¨D¨Dthey moved to Serene''s tent, Krische was made to sit on Selene''sp and was given as many cookies as possible, which Anne had bought in the city. Her head was stroked so much that Krische could felt a slight heat. For a whole koku (~2 hours), Krische¡¯ hands were held down by a hug from behind, and she was transformed into a cookie cracker doll, unable to move even a twitch. For some reason, today''s Selene was so kind, enough to make Krische feel uneasy. The situation, which filled her head with question marks, left her in a state of intense bewilderment. If anything, it wouldn''t be strange for Krische to be scolded by Selene for doing various things on her own. She was prepared for Selene to be little bit angry and a bit of scolding, but before she knew it, she found herself in this situation. Truly sugary sweet¨D¨DKrische was so thoroughly pampered that it made her pure white skin blush, causing unprecedented chaos within Krische. She loves Selene, butpared to Bery, she was a strict person by Krische¡¯s standards. Basically, Krische is spoiled by Selene, but Selene doesn''t do that for her very often, but Selene was strange today. Selene ordered Elvena to rest first, saying that the sisters must have a lot to catch up on each other. Anne, who had been fearful of the appearance of a new strong enemy, was also kicked out, telling her to go to Gallen, who looked tired today. Normally, Clich¨¦ would have brewed the tea, but Serene said, ¡®I''ll brew it today,¡¯ and moved quickly¨D¨DIt''s been like this since then. Krische was both delighted and feared that this was a harbinger of something toe. "delicious?" "Y-yes. It''s a cookie made with Serish nuts, Selene''s favorite. It''s delicious to eat once in a while." The acidic serish berries are small berries that you can pick up with your fingers. They resemble lemons, but the aroma was rather sweet. Selene was especially fond of cookies made with serish. "I''m d. Krische has been working hard for a while, so I thought I''d take care of Krische once in a while." "I-is that so..." ¡°What is it, hate it?¡± ¡°Not hate it¡Uhh, Umm¡¡± Krische twist and turned her body and asked. ¡°Selene, you sure you''re not angry?¡± "... why doed Krische think I¡¯m angry?" "Um, Krische, selfishly..." ¡°I told you. I''m not mad at you for trying to do something good for someone.¡± Selene sandwiches Krische¡¯s cheek with her hands and asked. ¡°Do I look that scary to you?¡± "That''s, not it, but Selene, today is kind of a Bery, so sweet..." Serene looked a little unhappy at the word berry, and her well-shaped eyebrows twitch. She then brings her face closer and fix her gaze firmly. ¡°Humm, unlike Bery, I¡¯m always scary?¡± ¡°No, i-it¡¯s not¡uuu¡± That''s what makes Selene a bit scary. But keeps those words in the back of his mind. Even Krische could understand such worldly wisdom. "Well, Bery is very kind, can do anything skillfully, and is good at cooking, which Krische loves,pletely different from the clumsy and scary me. She''s much kinder to other people than I am, and I''m just a scary big sister after all." ¡°T-that¡¯s¡¡± "Don''t lie. Krische must be thinking that I¡¯m scary after just me pampering you like this already enough to make you scared. You must be thinking that it''s strange that I do this." That was half-true, but she still kept her mouth shut. Krische thought he wasn''t angry, but she still felt like Selene was angry for some reason. Even though Selense said she wasn''t angry, was she still angry after all¡ª¡ªbut Krische hesitated to ask that. ¨D¨DWhat should she do? Whates to her mind was the words her mother used to say. ¡®Krische, honesty is a virtue. The most important thing is to be honest with yourself. Of course, you shouldn''t be selfish, though¨D¨D¡¯ And Bery''s words to Krische, who was wondering what to say to Selene, who was worried about Bogan on the battlefield. ¡®Krische-sama, honesty is the greatest treasure. Even if Krische-sama have difficulty saying, there is no one who will dislike your words if you sincerely think about the other person. That feeling, properly, to Ojou-sama¨D¨D¡¯ Krische recalled those words and said to Selene. "I-it''s not a lie, it''s the truth? K-Krische was, just a little bit scared, but... Krische loves Selene, so this kind of thing makes Krische very happy, and Krische is just a little bit suprised..." It was not just a little bit scary, but quite scary, but Krische had learned a bit of the art of softening her word. Selene narrowed her eyes when she heard those words, although it was a bit, in truth it was not wrapped at all. "... what part does Krische like?" ¡°W-what part?¡± Krische¡¯s eyes swam around, and Selene''s eyes narrowed even more. "Um, uh... Selene is really kind to the Krische, she works hard for the cliche, she''s trying to do a lot of things, t-that''s why Krische loves Selene¡¡± Falteringly, awkwardly Krische said, and she nced at Selene''s face. Selene''s cheeks were slightly red, but she was looking at the Krische expressionlessly. And said. "One more time. What do you think?" ¡°K-Krische love Selene?¡± "¡again" ¡°K¡Krische loves Selene.¡± "¡¡again" ¡°Krische loves, Selene.¡± When Krische told her, Selene finally smiled and kissed her. ¡°Fufu, I love you too.¡± Silver mixed with gold, and Selene intertwined her fingers with Krische¡¯s hand. She smiled happily and pressed her forehead against hers. "I''ll be strict when it''s needed, but I also love Krische. That''s why I want to make Krische happy like this. Is it strange?" "...it''s not strange." "That so. Then please understand that I love Krische." ¡®Understood?¡¯ When asked, Krische nodded and smiled. Reassured that Selene doesn''t look angry for the time being, she presses their lips together and smiled. "Yes, Krische understand¡¡" "Good. If possible, I would like to let Krische be pampered, you know? I wonder if I look so angry all the time?" Hugging her tightly, Selene asked. Krische¡¯s eyes swam around. "Th-that''s not true, but...uuu." "... you''re really bad at lying. Though I would be troubled if Krische got good at it.¡± She chuckled and continued. ¡°I have a little time tomorrow afternoon, so why don¡¯t we take a quick look at the market and do some shopping?¡± "Ehehe, yes..." "happy?" "Yes, Krische is happy." "That so. Krische can be as selfish as Krische wants tomorrow, and It¡¯s Krische¡¯s reward for your hard work.¡± Selene, seeing Krische jumping, Selene breathes a sigh of relief at the definite response. She was exasperated at himself, wondering what she was fighting against, but when she saw Krische¡¯s smiling face, she thought ¡®Oh, well¡¯ and be convinced herself. ¨D¨DThen the next day. "Here, Selene, say aaahh." "A-aaaah..." In Kierzaran, the appearance of the General who kept eating fruit fed by Krische while her face turned bright red became a hot topic. The cheerful Krische who didn¡¯t care about the eyes of the guard soldiers or the citizens around her. Selene regretted what she said, but Selene somehow seemed happy. She grabbed Krische¡¯s hand and slowly walked around the market. Chapter 99: Painting Maiden Chapter 99: Painting Maiden ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 99 Painting Maiden*** Silver armor engraved with wings and the flicker of the wind. With her helmet under her arm, the one who wore it was a beautiful girl with graceful golden hair. She was Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand Therge man standing next to her was Kolkis Agrand, the corpsmander of the Second Corp. The man with bald head, and thin body as if there¡¯s only bones in it was Eluga Faren, the corpsmander of the Fourth Corp. And with a blue vein showing in anger, Terrius Melchikos, the corpsmander of the Third Corps. His aquiline nose is deeply wrinkled, and he looks at the man in front of him with eyes that were ready to shoot him. Behind her was a line of 25,000 soldiers, and against them was the former Adjutant of the Third Corps Commander of the Christand army¨D¨D "... It''s been a while, Selene-sama." "Yeah, it''s been a while. Though it hasn''t been that long." It was Salva Rinea Caldera His grey-brown hair wasbed, and his skinny body was wrapped in rugged, well-worn armor. Next to him was a beautiful young man with ck hair and blue eyes, and behind him was arge army of 35,000. He stood boldly before Selene''s eyes as an enemy general. "... I got a chance to take my father''s revenge with my own hands after all. So, I''m happy you came here." Selene''s eyes narrowed sharply. Her father''s enemy¨D¨Dbut she kept her cool, her mind was at peace. "Your anger is justified. I¡¯ll honestly face it. But... even if it''s Selene-sama, now that we''re facing each other with sword in hand, I won¡¯t let you easily cut off this head." ¡°You sure said it.¡± ¡°Yes. ¨D¨DIn this battle, I see that the righteousness lies with His Highness the younger brother. That is Her Majesty the Princess¨D¨Dand her older sister who has been wiped from the royal lineage, Krishce-sama. The upheaval and tragedy are caused by the two Cursed Child." Selene furrowed her brows and Salva closed his eyes. "The abnormality of the Krische-sama is well known to all of you here. Haven''t you ever thought that she was much too skilled? Do you really think that His Highness nned to usurp the throne at that time? ¡Then why was General Verreich given the position of Eastern General? If this was a well-thought-out plot by His Royal Highness, then such a thing would be impossible.¡± Although the king held authority over military personnel, Gildanstein''s power was also significant. It is said that the king''s illness worsened, and he was in a state where it was difficult for him to carry out government affairs properly. Although he appeared at the ceremony conferring decoration, it was Gildanstein who delivered the speech. The hand that held the sword was trembling slightly, and the King''s face was covered with makeup, perhaps to hide hisplexion. Gildanstein, who had a strong connection to the military, could have put someone else for the Eastern General, not Nozan Verrich, who was Bogan''s confidant, but someone else who was on his side. Then, as soon as the East was ready, he could usurp the throne. ¨D¨DIt was much too sloppy. If Gildanstein had started this civil war, it was all too short-sighted. The reason why Kreschenta took refuge with Christand, the existence of Krische, and the unexined illness of the King. Of course, even Salva knew of Gildanstein''s notoriety. He was not a man to be respected. But more than that, Salva, who knew Krische, cannot think of Princess Kreschenta as a tragic princess. He recognizes her as a Cursed Child, like Krische. "It''s not toote even now.... Surrender. I swear on my name, with my life, I assure you that I will not let anything bad happen to you, even if the opponent is His Highness.¡± Salva''s voice was filled with sincerity. A moment of silence¨D¨Dit was his former superior, Terrius, the Third Corps Commander, who broke it. ¡°Kuku, surrender? ...How abominable. I don''t even want to remember that I had a shameless man like you as my adjutant. Just when I thought that you¡¯re going to give long drawn-out apologize, You mocked Her Highness, and mocked Krische-sama¨D¨Dwhat a traitor, I can¡¯t even say I¡¯m shocked.¡± "...Corps Commander Melchikos" "Don''t call my name, Salva, my name will be defiled. ¡Far from repaying kindness to Margrave Christand, who once saved us from a predicament, you took his life away, and is now still breathing peacefully. It can never be forgiven.¡± Terrius clenched his fists in anger. "Don''t think you''ll die easy, Salva. You did just that much." "...Of course, I understand." Selene, who saw Salva who took that anger head on, thought of Krische and Kreshcenta, and then Bogan. Salva''s words¡ª¡ªthere was a mixture of various emotions in my heart. Righteousness, justice, anger, hatred, love, pity. Which one was the correct one? Such emotions and rationality, as if wishing to be at a lost. But she shouldn¡¯t be. After making that decision, Selene picked up the sword again. If she had to choose one of them¡ª¡ª "The answer is already decided. You don''t think those words would end the fight, do you?" "I was hoping for that... but the answer is no." "Yes. I will thrust my sword at you for the sake of your Highness the Princess¡ª¡ªfor Krische who you called Cursed Child. And I will avenge my father. That''s all I have to say to you." ¡®Negotiations broke down¡¯, Selene said and turned her back. ¡°I wish you good luck. I don''t want to see the person who killed my father¡ª¡ªdie an unsightly death.¡± "...Thank you, Selene-sama. I wish you good luck in battle." The two then turned their backs, and the surroundings followed suit. Two people remained. Kolkis Agrand. and Gran Agrand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Gran, I will definitely kill you.¡± The handsome young man flinched at those words for a moment, but returned his gaze as if to challenge him. ¡°Please don¡¯t underestimate me too much, Father.¡± "Haha, as a father, I''d be happy to see my feeble son challenge me head-on like that, but I''m sad to think that this is the end. ¡I¡¯m begging you, just don¡¯t show me a stupid death. If you, who betrayed the General and left home is like that then..." Like a rock. The muscles of his face contorted in anger and hatred, and his eyes, like those of a hungry tiger, turned to the young man. "... I have to live with this anger for the rest of my life." Gran flinched but looked back at his eyes. "... don''t underestimate me as a coward forever." And with that, he turned on his heel. Kolkis who saw his back figure also turned his back. 20 ri (~8 km) east of Kierzaran. That''s how the Battle of the Dorval ins began. "I have a report. Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 troops are heading towards Dorval." A small tent in the camp. It was about 100 ri (~40 km) south-southwest of Kielzaran where Krische heard the report. The enemy split in two¡ª¡ªone of them detoured far east. It avoided them and went to Serene. "Checking the g, the crest of the Caldera family¨D¨Dthe enemy general is likely to be Salva Caldera." The presence of Gildanstein has been confirmed on this side. The contact with the enemy will be tomorrow. An army of about 50,000¡ª¡ªif that''s all their number, then the total number of soldiers Gildanstein has amassed was 80,000 or 90,000. It was a little more than expected, but it was still too early to conclude the conclusion. Information is ambiguous, and amander must always think of all possibilities. "Understood. What about General Verreich?" "Two koku (~4 hour)ter, after finishing the meal, he would like to hold a meeting." "Thank you. Do you have any other missions?" "Ah...Yes ma¡¯am. Nothing was given." The messenger was awe struck, or rather bewildered, by the intelligent Krische¡¯s good looks¡ª¡ªor, more precisely, by her posture. She sat on the servant''sp while her hair was braided. There was not a shred of dignity in it. It''s a serious report, but somehow there was no tension. The messenger had visited Krische many times, but when he came to report here, Krische always looked rxed, as if she was not in the middle of a military action, which made his tension drained every time he came here. He was a serious man, loyal to his military duties, so he doesn''t talk about it, but he was dismayed and about the various rumors around the girl¡ª¡ªamong which was that she is an entric child which was at least true. A monster, stronger and more ruthless than anyone else¡ª¡ªhe also knows how she was on the battlefield. She may indeed be such a being, but if anything, calling her an innocent child seems closer to the reality of the situation. He feels that her ruthlessness lies in that, like of a child killing an insect by ripping its limbs off. ¡°Please tell the battalionmanders the same information. They should also attend the meeting. Just use any messenger who is there freely.¡± "Yes ma¡¯am. Understood." "You may go." The messenger saluted, said goodbye, and left the tent. As he left, Elvena, who was holding Krische on herp, exhaled her nervousness. For Krische, the inside of her tent seems to be a ''rxing space''. She seems to be taking care of herself to some extent when outside, but when someone visits her in her tent, she was always like this. Krische¡¯s favorite was to sit on herp, and it''s not too hard as she was as light as a feather, but that does not it''s not hard for her when Krische was listening to a serious report while sitting on herp. Krische smiled contentedly as her hair, which hung down to her left fringe, was tied back up. "Ehehe, Elvena is good at it." "... Yes, in the past, I used to braid Nee-san¡¯s hair a lot." Kalua got tired of doing it on her own at some point, so Elvena often yed with Kalua''s hair. Krische¡¯s long, silky hair is easy to braid, and when she unties her hair, she loves how it flows smoothly and¡ª¡ª ¡°All done." Whilebing Krische¡¯s hair on her knees, her hands moved on its own. Although it should have been tightly braided, Krische¡¯s braided hair was so soft that she couldn''t believe it was braided. It seemed as if it woulde undone at any moment. She smiled wryly, saying that Krische¡¯s hair was so silky that it has no cohesive (can¡¯t be bundled), which was troubling. "Nn, Krische is also pretty good at it. Krische¡¯ll do it for Elvena." "Umm, mine is short so..." "It''s okay, Krische has tied about 30 braids with that length before." "A-ahaha...at least please make it just two..." Krische happily remembered Bery''s braided hair. She pulled his face close and moved her finger dexterously. The other day, the Krische when she stepped into the bedroom¨D¨Dthe figure that grabbed Rnd''s neck. Her innocent appearance now was so lovely and pure that it was hard to believe she was the same as the girl at that time. She was the inhabitant of a painting that had been cut out, leaving only beauty. For example, she was like that, and she had an even more mysterious charm because she¡¯s flesh and blood here. The purple eyes that seem to suck you in seem to see the world as if it were a flowery paradise as if looking at a deste, lightless wastnd. She wondered if this purity too would soon be stained by the mundane world. "... When I look at Krische-sama, it reminds me of Leine''s heaven." "...?" ¡°It''s a religious painting of the Holy Elsren Empire. It seems that the first emperor, Elsleine, had a hobby of painting¡¡Rnd liked to collect them.¡± The former Queen Grabaraine, who annexed neighboring countries in an instant and made Alberan''s name known to the surrounding world. Her daughter, Elsleine, the emperor of the first Holy Empire, suddenly rebelled against her. Elsleine was praised as a beautiful ruler and a great leader, but she rarely appeared in public and apparently did not give speeches. Instead, she showed countless paintings. Her exquisite technique was said to be unrivaled whether in the past or future toe. The paintings were painted to a morbid (obsessive) degree, and theyers andyers of paint created a heavenly paradise. There was no misery, no warfare. The fruits that grow on the tree are picked and shared, and everyone holds hands andughs together. The people were shown only such a paradise of unsoiled beauty and happiness. Except for one of herst moments, Elsleine continued to paint just that throughout her life, and it was said that the total number exceeds several thousand. "It''s a very beautiful picture... When I look at Krische-sama, I feel like Krische-sama was a resident who has escaped from the world of that picture." Innocent children¡ªAmong them, Elsleine often painted pure maidens. Exactly like Krische. "Hmm...?" Krische¡¯s face was grim, as if faced with a difficult task. Elvena chuckled. "It''s an analogy. I want to say that Krische-sama is very beautiful." ¡°Haa¡¡thank you very much.¡± She tilted her head as if she still didn¡¯t understand, and Elvena cast her eyes down as if remembering. In the beginning paintings, men and women of all ages¨D¨Dat first, there were many adults in paradise, but after a certain time, Elsleine stopped drawing adults. Only young things were drawn there. At the same time, her reign was overshadowed, and corruption and injustice were rampant. After painting herst work, she died. It is said that the beautiful emperor fell ill ormitted suicide. Her paintings, which was said to be the light in dark night, was white painting that was painted over with rough stroke of ck. ¡®What do you think? Even though it is a forgery, don''t you think this is quite intense? I would love to see the real thing, thest work left by such an aplished painter.¡¯ From an adult to a child, and finally to a light produced in darkness. This shows reincarnation, said the Pope when he seeded to the power. Even when age of darknesses, the rightious faith will always lead us to paradise¡ª¡ªthat''s what Elsleine is telling us he said. She''s there ahead of us, waiting for us. ¡ª¡ªThe history of the Empire. While she was cleaning, she read Rnd''s collection in her free time, now Elvena could finally understand the feelings that arose when she saw those paintings. A beautiful, yet somehow sad, imaginary paradise. A fantasy world without any substance, where all the impurities have been removed. She thought that Elsleine was probably the purest and loneliest person. She could only find happiness in the paradise in the picture, in the longing (yearning). She turned her eyes away from all kinds of impurities, but she could not escape from them. So, he turned his eyes only to the innocent¡ª¡ªand in the end, she despaired of everything. She gave up even dreaming of that paradise. That picture looked like a paradise that was painted over (crushed). Elvena thought that her final moments must have been suicide. "Ehehe, it''s done." "Oh... Krische-sama is really good at it." When Elvena looked at the finished braid and said so, the girl smiled softly and leaned her body against her. And then her eyes turn somewhat cold and downcast. "... the meeting is probably going to bete... cliche, can she take a break until dinner?" "Of course. Would you like to sleep in the bed?" "Uhh¡¡" She chuckled and nodded. "...then let¡¯s rest like this." "¡yes, good night" She stroked her head as she closed her eyes and silently wished her a good night''s sleep. She hoped this angelic girl could find a certain peace in this world, even if only for this one moment. The kind of happiness she had given her. Thinking of that, Elvena ran her fingertips through her silver hair. Chapter 100: Cage of Hatred Chapter 100: Cage of Hatred ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 100 Cage of Hatred*** In therge tent, Nozan was seated at the top. And the corpsmanders sit in two lines around the long side of the long table. Krische and Grunmeld sat closest to Nozan, the rest, four people took their seats in the order of their corps number. One of Nozan¡¯s opponents in the first battle¨D¨Dthe corpsmander who was under Kuraray Marcellus, has been added, and the Fifth Corps has been newly established. Arge number of recruits¨D¨Dhow to distribute them to each corps was a problem. The total number of soldiers was 33,000, excluding Krische''s 4,000. There was also a suggestion to increase each corps number to about 7000, with Nozanmanding 5000, but fundamentally increasing the number of soldiers in a corps wouldn¡¯t bring about the effect of numbers. The 5,000 per corps¨D¨Dthat was a fixed number that had been hand-crafted over the course of many years of history. Although it fluctuates with the times, it was a figure that has been determined by continuous searching for the most efficient number of personnel in a corps, the basic movements and tactics of the corps were built on the premise of 5000 soldiers. An increase in the number of soldiers would create disorder inmand and elerate the difficulty of control¨D¨Das a result, there is a possibility of disrupting the cohesion of the entire organization and causing a decline in its capabilities. Rather, the increased manpower will weaken the corps unless it had the capability to swallow it and maneuver easily. In particr, Noxan has been assigned to the eastern part of the country as a general only for a short period of time and was participating in this civil war with no time to let his force mature. There was some concern about the proficiency of bothmanders and soldiers, so Nozan thought that it would be better to solidify Kuraray''s defeated army to some extent and incorporate it in the form of a new unit. The former remnants of the defeated soldiers would feel differently if they were incorporated in such an independent manner. As long as they showedpetence and loyalty, this general would ept them even if they had once opposed him, and he would have the depth to appoint them tomand positions¨D¨Dif he could make them think that way, then their morale would naturally rise. In fact, the morale of the newly established corps members was good, and they felt that they could be operated adequately as a solid military force. Nozan looked at themander of the Fifth Corps. He has good posture but was not nervous. He was an experienced corpsmander by nature, and he was showingposure in the face of the impending decisive battle. ¡®Not bad¡¯, he nodded and looked at Krische. "It looks like everyone is ready. ¡Krische-sama, shall we start? ¡± "Yes, Krische is ready anytime" Krische nodded as Elvena made her a cup of tea. Nozan was more loyal to Christand as a nobleman than as a soldier. In terms of position, Northern is a general, and Krische was just a corpsmander¨D¨Dhe had the power to make all the decisions in this army, but she''s the one to whom he allegiance. As he does with royalty, Nozan first checked with her. There also had the implication to make her position known. Her childish looks and the rumors surrounding her¨D¨Dmany of them weren''t very positive, which was why he had to show them where she stands here. ¨D¨DRegardless of rumors, She is the one to whom Nozan Verreich, the suprememander of the ce, owes allegiance. By first getting her consent, he implied that he would not tolerate disrespect to Krische Christand. This way, even if anyone had any dissatisfaction or ill feelings toward her, they would not be able to express them outwardly. He deliberately showed an overt attitude on this asion, as a check and a pose to keep things moving smoothly. Especially since Krische waspletely indifferent to such aspects, even a small word like that was important. She was the strongest as a warrior¨D¨Da genius without equal, but as a soldier, she has many dangerous points, and it was Nozan¡¯s role to follow her up on that. Nozan looked over the corpsmanders and Krische¡¯s battalionmanders who were allowed to participate in the conference. While some were surprised, they probably understood Nozan¡¯s intentions. ¡®Why did he ask Krische?¡¯ the girl wondered. They looked at Krische who was like that, then immediately put on the face of a soldier without any personal feelings, as they should have. Nozan was pleased to see that, and now he opened his mouth to the whole group. ¡°First of all, as it is currently confirmed, His Royal Highness¡¯ army consists of ten corps. The second inmand is Felworth Keithriton. I think everyone is familiar with that name but¡¡± He was a little older than Skeleton¨D¨DKrische searched her memory. Even among the old veteran generals he was on the older side. At over a hundred years old, he was the oldest general in the kingdom. It had been thirty years since he had appeared on the battlefield like this¨D¨D ¡°Two generations ago, he was the right-hand man of His Majesty King Alvarza, famed as the Martial King, and built an era. It has been a long time since he has been out of the public eye, but I hear that even in his old age, he has not lost a shred of his intelligence and skill. Like His Royal Highness, he is a formidable opponent.¡± In an era of fiercer turmoil than now¡ªthe king of two generations ago, Alvarza, took up the sword himself and defended the kingdom''s territory to the end. Felworth was a fierce general who made a name for himself at that time. Although he has long since retired, his name is still mentioned by the generals and soldiers of the kingdom as an outstanding warrior to aspire to, and he was the bestmander that Gildanstein could bring. Although he was in the position of second inmand of the army, it was practically like facing two independent armies. In some cases, it was expected that the other side would divide its forces and move independently as two armies led by powerful generals. "We should be happy that they didn¡¯t head to Selene-sama. I think it''s safe to assume with the current situation that they¡¯re not Selene''s opponent, but our¡¯s." Northern looks at Krische. Krische nodded. "Looking at the current situation, probably. ¡However, depending on the situation, there¡¯s a possibility they divided the army to stall us.¡± "Yes. The ce of the nned decisive battle was the Dorval ins¨D¨Dwe¡¯re aiming for a hill here, but there¡¯s a concern that His Highness would have brought out all his soldiers here." Nozan pointed to the map¨D¨Dat a hill on the Dogra in and from there to the north. He pointed to the area where the tent is now located. This camp also exists on a gentle hill. ¡°¡We will lose our tactical superiority, but I think it would be best to avoid going further south and stay here.¡± The further south they went, the greater the distance between them and Selene¡¯s Christand forces, and the more difficult it would be for them to respond if the enemy split their forces. If you go south from here, the road gets a little worse, and it is difficult to move quickly in an emergency. It was a sound decision. The closer the distance between the two armies, the narrower the options for detours. It was not a bad option in that it would make it easier to deal with the situation, and he had originally intended to make a decision on whether or not to proceed south after seeing the scale of the enemy. No one interfered. "Messenger, entering!" Along with the whine of horses. A messenger entered the tent with a loud voice. Breathing heavily, he saluted and looked at Nozan. "What is it?" ¡°This morning, about 120 ri (48 km) south, the enemy changed course to the east with a corps of about 5,000. It seems that they are aiming to detour here and reinforce towards Kielzaran, or to cut off the supply route with Kielzaran.¡± "... one corps. What about His Royal Highness?" ¡°We have since confirmed that as of just before noon, he was acting together with General Keithriton. Looking at the g, themander of the divided corps must be themander of the Nakirus Felizar corps¡¡± ¡°...Felizar¡± Nozan folded his arms and thinks. Strong-armed Nakirus Felizar. He was not the bestmander, but he was known for his bravery. He''s a naturalbat maniac who likes to wield his de on the front line¨D¨Dsimr to Granmeld in that respect. He was recognized for his military exploits in the eastern invasion led by Gildanstein, and was a person who ran up from a centurion to a corpsmander. The rear division¡ªits line was thin. Cutting lines ofmunication was an action that required a high degree of strategic judgment and flexibility. He didn¡¯t think Nakirus, a pure fighter, would be able to do such a thing. "It''s better to see it as reinforcement. Send a messenger to Selene-sama. Have her prepare first, and tell her toe here as soon as she¡¯s ready." ¡°Yes sir!¡± One of the men saluted and runs out of the tent. "Other than that?" ¡°All right, thank you. Get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± And when the messenger also left, Krische who was thinking asked Nozan. "... which one do you think?" ¡°Reinforcements. The objective is to catch us by surprise and confuse us. Felizer is good at fighting, but he''s not good at discerning weak points. It''s not an impossible story to cut off, but..." Which one was the real deal? It was a shake that made them think so. Krische looked down at her tea and squinted. ¡°General Werreich, shall we stop the transportation this time? We currently have 20 days worth of provisions, so Krische doesn¡¯t feel the need to replenish. If threy try to block it, the current escort will die in vain. It''s insignificant, but let''s use it as Selene''s military strength from now on." "... hmm. Any reinforcements from here?" "Let''s go without them. The increase of about 2,000 troops used for transportation is sufficient. Although there was nock of anxiety, Selene only needed to prevent the enemy''s offensive. Selene''s role is essentially to deal with the enemy''s rear disturbances, not to destroy them. ¡°With this, the enemy sent 40,000 toward Selene. Conversely, Krische and the others have be much easier to do. Since the purpose is to kill His Highness here, there is no strategic problem. With this, they can no longer pull back from us.¡± The greatest fear was that the enemy would use a thorough dying action against them and cut off the rear. For that reason, the army was divided into two, with the Christand¡¯s army left behind in Kielzaran and the Verreich army going south. If she fight, she would win¨D¨DKrischehad no doubts about her ability. Gildanstein had no choice of retreating, as he had sent 40,000 soldiers against them. If Gildanstein were to retreat, they would be able to wipe out those 40,000 with their two armies. Now all she had to think about was how to crush the Gildanstein army standing in front of meher The biggest question is whether the Kurishtand army will be able to hold out until we win, but Kuriche does not underestimate its ability against Serene and the other corps leaders, not to mention Eluga. The biggest question was whether the Christand army would be able to hold out until they win, but of course, Krische was not underestimating Selene or the other corps leaders, not to mention Eluga¡¯s ability. Defending against the opponent''s offensive¨D¨Dif she thought in terms of that one thing, she thought there would be no problem for a while. If they could strike a major blow before the reinforcements arrived, Selene and her team could win the war. Krische, who was overprotective toward Selene, was not without concerns, but she judged that it was inevitable as long as she was on the battlefield and her calm side judged that it would be fine. In short, it would be better to end it quickly. "...Certainly, we have 37,000, and the enemy has 45,000. The difference in strength has been greatly reduced. Although I don''t think it''s a good idea to impose a burden on Selene-sama, I also agree with that opinion. ... anyone have any objections? " "Yes sir. There isn¡¯t, but if we''re going to set up a camp here, I''d like to prepare a defensive formation to some extent tonight." It was Sardan,mander of the Second Corps. Nozan thought for a moment and ordered. "Yes. Send out soldiers from each corps, but don''t tire them out." ¡°Yes, sir.¡± A voice calling for messengers and ordering their men. Listening to these voices, Krischesipped her tea. Tomorrow, the battle will be decided. This battle will be thest. It feels like it''s been a long time, but it''s the end. ¨D¨DThis time, she will not let him get away. Remembering Gildanstein''s face, her inorganic eyes turn cold. "General Verreich, where will Woof Woof be assigned?" "... For now, I''m going to put him in front of His Highness." The name ¡®Woof Woof¡¯ almost made him feel something for a moment, but he held his ground. The name Woof Woof¨D¨DGranmeld noticed his superiors'' question, but tries to ignore them. ¡°Krische will also apany Woof Woof. The enemy has gathered this much, in other words, the enemy will surelycks training. In terms of quality, they will be far inferior to the Woof Woof¡¯s soldiers.¡± "...then the purpose is" Grammeld''s consciousness was directed not toward the nickname (verbal abuse), but rather what she was saying Like a wolf, a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. ¡°It depends on when the battle starts¡ but before the field bes a stalemate before the soldiers get tired, we should make a quick decision.¡± Krische puts the tea on the table, "--Frontal assault. If possible, on the first day, Krische will take His Royal Highness¡¯s head. She said this as if it were a matter of course. The sun begins to tilt from the zenith and dusk approaches. The time when the shadow stretches out as if blotting out the sky. Verreich''s army of 37,000 troops was positioned on the hill. Surrounding them in a slight semicircle was Guilderstein''s army of 45,000. And in the center, between the two armies, were four people. In the center was a young general, Nozan Verreich, wearing silver winged armor. On the other side was Felworth Keithriton, an old general with arge body wrapped in a dragon-shaped helmet and armor. ¡°..It''s been a long time, General Keithriton.¡± ¡°Umu, it¡¯s been a while, Verreich. Thest time we met before--" "It''s the victory party fifteen years ago." "Right. You forget it as soon as you get old¡ Your youthful countenance is now gone, you''ve got a good face just like Bogan." A de wound extending from his forehead through his eyebrows to his cheek. Under the deep wrinkles of his face, there were countless such scars. A scar of military exploits that only those who survived fierce battles can obtain. He was ying with his long white beard and looking at Nozan with narrow eyes that may or may not be open. ¡°What is the cause and effect of facing each other in such a different position? Even after reaching this age, how troubling. ¡ Anyway, now that we¡¯re facing each other like this, I won¡¯t cut corners.¡± And then he looked at the girl next to Nozan. "¨D¨DIt doesn''t seem like she''s the kind of opponent you can cut corners with." There were two more people there. One was a man who wore a ck iron lion armor, showing his dignified appearance¨D¨D ¡°¡It was since the Drago¡¯s Maw, Cursed Child.¡± ¨D¨DGildenstein, the king''s younger brother. The edge of his mouth hangs up with malice on his beautiful face. "Yeah, it''s been a while, Your Royal Highness." Standing in front of him was the most unsuitable girl in this ce, wearing no armor. Exposing her beautiful silver hair, her cloak highlighting her delicate shoulder line. A dagger on each side of her hips, and a small barbarian sword for self-defense slung behind her hips¨D¨Dit was a figure of a girl that shouldn¡¯t have been on the battlefield, but no one had any doubts of her being here. Just standing there like that, if you are familiar with her skill, you would understand. There was no fear there, yet there was also no carelessness or conceit there. A cold purple that seems to see through everything. It was a feeling that had long since gone. Like how he felt about his master when he first held a sword. An opponent who is far stronger than himself¨D¨Dthat''s what happens when you see it. The girl just smiled. ¡°Krische is d to see that you are well.¡± As if ying with the hilt of her savage sword on her waist, "¨D¨DAs promised, this time Krischewill kill you." Krische said. "Kuku, I''m just going to say that my spine shivered. I''m also happy that you came out to this ce like this. ...lured by the bait, me." Gildanstein sneered. Krische frowned displeased at his response. "I won''t fall for that anymore...Selene''s army is more than enough for your miss-mass army." ¡°...... not a very interesting one, are you? I thought you¡¯re a little more fun to tease with.¡± ¡°Krische will not make the same mistake.¡± ¡°If only it was a mistake this time.¡± A nasty man¨D¨Da grating voice. The anxiety that Krische tried not to think about. The man''s words stimted it. Thest time this man spoke to her like that, Krische let him go. She got scared and ran away. She remembered herself the other day and the image of Selene with tears in her eyes. The man who was just smiling with amusement¨D¨Dthe most unpleasant person Krischehad ever met. Despite his hostility toward Krische and those around her, this man was not dead yet. He was stillughing as if mocking Krische. The distance between them was only two ken (~4m). She wanted to silence him if possible. ¨D¨DNo, should Krische do it right away? As soon as she thought that, Krische stepped forward and drew her de to his neck¨D¨Dit was only a split second. With the de perfectly aligned, she traced a gap in the armor. Gildanstein did not move. And neither did the two men who were there. Only the soldiers who had been watching from afar rustled. "...Krische is stronger than you." Purple eyes pierced Gildanstein''s eyes. Gildanstein smiled calmly. "I guess so. ... Let''s admit it, you''re the one who''s stronger with the sword." "Your Highness sill calm huh. Do you really want Krische to kill you like this?" Krische was not lying. Really, right now, she could kill him in the blink of an eye. But this man was not afraid. "Try it, if you kill me and Keithriton here, you win. Just hold thr head up high and shout that you won, if you want to do it." Krische looked annoyed, her eyes turned even colder. "... you are a beast. That mixed in among humans." This ce was created by mutual consent through the Holy Spirit Covenant. If she killed him here, she would irrevocably stain Christand¡¯s name. The Holy Spirit Covenant was a rule that is deeply rooted in the military and cannot be separated from it. Taking advantage of it to take a life was unforgivable, and it would certainly have an uncontroble negative impact not only on the Christand but also on those around her. ¡°No matter how strong a beast you are, you are still a beast. No one will recognize you. You are a twisted deviant and should not be in a human society. You understand that, don''t you?" "...Krische doesn''t care what anyone thinks about Krische." "Kuku, everyone you loved will go away if they noticed it... Selene, and that servant. They¡¯re just misunderstanding you now." Difort swirled in her chest. She couldn''t help but want to kill him¨D¨Dhow nice it would be if she could do that. ¡°Ah, no¨D¨Dthere¡¯s still Kreschenta. As for that one, she''s your kind, you may rest assured." Gildansteinughed merrily, ¡°...that''s enough of that, Your Royal Highness." Nozan said. "From my point of view, there is no other beast like you¡ In your heart you¡¯re afraid. That you couldn''t win against Krische-sama in a straight fight, so you taunted her like that¨D¨Dit''s deplorable." Nozan drew out his sword and pointed it at Gildanstein. "I can understand without looking. It''s you we¡¯re talking about. You must have taken the General''s life with such a cowardly means, but...Whatever further impudence you have shown, you will dishonor even the General''s name." ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°If you would rather cling to your filthy life and show even more unsightly than that¨D¨Dtake up your sword and fight me. I will give you an honorable death as a warrior at least in your final moments.¡± He turned his eyes full of hatred and his words full of anger. Gildanstein''s cheeks lifted in amusement. ¡°Do you think you can beat me, Verreich?¡± "Yeah, of course....I''m Christand¡¯s sword. If I had been there, I wouldn''t have let someone like you take the General''s life. If you doubt it, let¡¯s do it now. I''ll show you that with this sword." What stopped the two of them, ring at each other was a quiet voice that seems to even echo through the earth. "Stop it, Werreich. ¡You too Your Highness.¡± Felworth said with a wry smile and continued. "While leading such arge army, do you intend to settle the matter simply by swinging a stick? ¡¡It''s not just a brawl between kids." Those narrow eyes that are hidden by the long eyebrows be even sharper. "Despicable if fine¨D¨Da soldier is only there to win. At least Christand would say so." Nozan furrowed his brow, Felworth nodded. Then continued. "The beliefs are different, the means are different. And of course, I don''t deny the resentment and hatred that arises there. But we are soldiers¨D¨Dand together we are here as generals to lead the army. If Put your wits into action, mobilize your soldiers, and settle the fate that arises on the battlefield under the pressure of that¨D¨Dshouldn''t you settle the matter on the battlefield as themander who unifies the soldiers?" He seems to tell Nozan, but also as if directed at Gildanstein. A moment passes, and Felworth smiles wryly again. ¡®That''s all I can say¡¯, he then turned his gaze to Gildanstein. ¡°Your Highness. Putting aside the reason, I followed you and entered the battlefield. I won''t deny your way of doing things, but... if you do thing that even I can¡¯t let go, then I will also have an idea. It would be better to stop there." "... you''re a still nagging old man." "There is no one left to scold you after all." Saying that it''s his role, he turned his gaze to Krische. Krische, who hadn''t lowered his sword yet, sheathed it and looked back at the old man with cold eyes. "... I met you once when you were a baby. You''ve grown quite a bit." Krische furrowed her brow. She didn''t remember. However, her vision as a baby was uncertain, and she spent most of her time asleep. It was no mystery. ¡°Please allow me to point my de at you from a different standpoint, Her Royal Highness the First Princess.¡± "You don''t have to worry about it... If you get in my way, Krishce will just kill you." Her voice was tter than usual. Unpleasant¨D¨DKrishce only felt unpleasant. She couldn''t help but want to do something about the difort that crawled in her chest. All she could think about was how good it would be ifsheI could kill the two of them right here. ¡°Haha. that''s so simple and clear. I will do my best to avoid being killed.¡± "... if it''s that¡¯s true, then it won¡¯t take a long time." Krische turned his gaze to Nozan. ¡®Krische doesn''t want to stay here any longer.¡¯ Was he thinking the same thing or did he read that intention? He nodded back at her gaze. "... I created a ce just for the sake of courtesy, but it was a waste of time. General Keithriton, godspeed. I hope His Highness will try not to humiliate himself on this asion." Nozan turned on his heel. Krische red at Gildanstein onest time. Gildanstein onlyughed in amusement. Not much time remained until nightfall, and her mind was in turmoil. Concerned about Krische¡¯s state of mind and the possibility that the battle might drag on into the night, Nozan decided to let the day run its course, and Gildanstein remained on the defensive as well. The day ended with neither side making a significant move. The battle was set to begin the next day. Chapter 101: A Worried Child Chapter 101: A Worried Child ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 101 A Worried Child*** ¨D¨DTwisted and abnormal. That¡¯s how she was in society. She''s known it for a long time. That at least she¡¯s different from everyone else. She couldn¡¯t understand their funny story and jokes. Even if other people are sad, angry, or in pain, it doesn''t matter as long as it didn¡¯t affect her, and even if humans turned into just lumps of meat, she didn¡¯t think anything of it. She didn''t really understand the obvious thing that ¡®normal people¡¯ felt. In truth, she was fine with that. Emotions undermine calmness. Emotional people were the exact opposite of what Krische thought as excellent people, and she didn''t really feel the benefits of being closer to ¡®normal¡¯. However, it was an important element for maintaining good social rtionships, so she wanted to learn how to pretend to be ''normal'' if she could, but if she couldn''t, then that was also fine. There was no doubt that she was better than anyone else, and even if she gave up on mixing with society, in the end, it would still work out. What made started to go wrong was¡ª¡ª ¡®¡¡I also do not think that Krische-sama¡¯s differences are weird or creepy. In fact, I think those are Krische-sama¡¯s charming individuality.¡¯ ¡ª¡ªFrom that day on. Since then, Krische had be strange. ¡°...¡± She opened her eyes thinly in the nket and pressed her face against Elvena''s chest, as if seeking warmth. Warm. Comfortable. Calming. Reassuring¡ª¡ªOverflowing emotion that she couldn¡¯t handle. It used to be much simpler. Thermoregtion, cushion. That was about it. But now she was dependent on being hugged like this. It made her happy, but when she slept alone, she felt restless and couldn¡¯t sleep soundly. In the past, it didn''t seem like much of a problem. The only thing she needed to endure was the cold. ¡ª¡ªShe felt as if she had be much weaker. Things she used to be okay with were no longer okay, and her emotions were shaken by things she used to not care about. On the other hand, her joy had grown so great that she couldn¡¯t imagine it disappearing. What was inside her now was an inescapable instability. ¡°...Bery.¡± Krische is helplessly dependent on Bery. She had learned a lot of words like ¡®I like you¡¯, ¡®I love you¡¯, and so on. But there was so much more than that, so much more than she could ever express, that she felt like she was losing her mind. Berry didn¡¯t ask for anything from Krische. She simply told her that she was fine just the way she was. But Krische wanted to do anything for Bery. She was at a loss as only the ''returns favor'' that I couldn¡¯t pay back kept umting. That''s why, so that Bery likes her, so Bery did not hate her, to not make Bery sad, and to make Bery happy. She wanted, not to just pretend to be ''normal'', but to be truly ''normal'' someday. If she could, she wanted to be the best Krische that Bery wished. ¡®... you are a beast. That mixed in among humans.¡¯ She knew without being told. Bery said it¡¯s her individuality. Bery said he likers Krische. Shee said she loves her. But she was always worried. ¡®Kuku, everyone you loved will go away if they noticed it... Selene, and that servant. They¡¯re just misunderstanding you now.¡¯ She could say that it¡¯s fine right now. She can be certain that everything is fine now. But what about next year, or maybe ten years from now? Krische was abnormal There was no guarantee that they would continue to like that kind of Krische. That¡¯s why, she made more and more efforts to make them like her¡ª¡ª¡®Ahh, I''m going crazy after all.¡¯ Now it''s a battlefield. It''s irrelevant now. What she should be thinking about now was today''s battlefield, and yet the irrelevant small anxiety crawled around inside Krische¡¯s chest. It was just unpleasant. She imagined Gildanstein''s face and presses her face against Elvena¡¯s chest. She exhaled. Then her head was suddenly stroked and when she turned her face up, Elvena looked at her with a worried expression. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°...Krische kind of woke up.¡± She ate and went to bed early. She only did that when she felt restless. But her sleep was shallow, and she woke up several times. The sun had not yet risen. "... We''re in the middle of a war after all. It can''t be helped." Elvena said and put her finger on the evesting magicmp. If it was the type ofmp that has built-in magic power, it can be turned on with a small amount of magic power that anyone can have, even if they do not possess magic power. However, themp that Krische brought with her was not a built-in type. She was a little surprised that Elvena was able to turn it on so easily. It is easy for those who have learned hoe to use magic power to send thair magic power into the magic crystal, but it was difficult for those who have not. "Elvene sure is skilled" ¡°...Huh?¡± Elvena tilted her head and then smiled as she noticed Krische¡¯s line of sight. "Oh... I was made to take care of these things, so." The type of evesting magicmps that do not have built-in magic power are not mainstream and are a sort of testing equipment. It is said that in the days when the quality of evesting magicmps was poor, they were used among the nobility to measure the ability of their opponents. For this reason, there were also evesting magicmps that were intentionally made to be difficult to emit light. Not too much, not too little. If the appropriate amount of magic power is not fed into themp in a stable manner, themp will flicker. If the magic power needed to emit light is not sent in the ideal distribution, it will take time. The quality of the magicmp itself has improved now, and its role as a tester haspletely disappeared, but in this way, it functions well enough to measure others'' power. In this respect, Elvena was careful and to some extent sophisticated. As if turning away from unpleasant things, Krische turned her attention toward that. "...After the battle is over, if it looks like Elvena won''t be able to find a good job, you can be Krische¡¯s assistant. Elvena is very attentive, and seems to be a quick learner." After saying that, Krische nodded thinking that was a good idea. If you think about it, she''s Kalua''s younger sister who was ¡®fairly good at handling magic'', so it might be better to do that than just have her as a servant. Basically, Bery and Krische were more than enough to take care of the estate. ¡°... Assistant?¡± "Yes. Once the country settles down, Krische wants to do some research, so Elvena will be helping out with that. It''s a work involving magic crystals." It was what she thought when she saw Bogan and the injured Dagra. If it went well, she might be able to create a system that can properly heal those wounds. She was able to do that much on a whim after all, so as long as she study it properly. "The battlefield is inconvenient in many ways, and injuries and problems ur frequently. Krische hoped something can be done about that.¡± "... I''m afraid I''m not educated, so I may not be of any use." "Krische hasn¡¯t studied anything about it too, so don''t worry about it. It will be fumbling around ." The truth was that Bery would be the best. She was smart, second only to Kreschenta in handling magic, and was the best partner for her, but Krische didn¡¯t want to take away Bery''s precious cooking time. If you think that way then, it would be difficult for Bery after all, but Selene and Kreschenta were also busy. If it were a suitable (randomly) partner then it would be Elvena after all. ¡°Krische intends to end this battle today, but the war may continue for a while. Krische wants to make sure no one around Krische will die." "... If that''s the case, then I don''t mind. Anything I can do to help." Elvena smiled. A face like Kalua''s, a smile like Bery''s. She lifted Krische and put her on herp and gently hugged her. "... It seems that your mind has be clear, shall we brew some ck tea?" "Ehehe ...yes. Is Elvena not sleepy?¡± "yes. In the first ce, a short sleep is enough for me." ¡®Did something on the battlefield?¡¯ She knew that Krische was restless. She had looked somewhat agitated since her return, and even after going to bed, she seemed to be unable to sleep. But that said she couldn''t even ask Krische who didn''t say anything about it, after Krische had given up sleep altogether, Elvena thought to distract her from her battlefield so that she might have some peace of mind. ¡®What would be a good topic of conversation?¡¯¨D¨D the only thing that came to mind was the servant named Bery. She thought it would be a good idea to talk about Bery, since it was a name that Krische kept mentioning and she always seemed happy when talking about her. "You know, Bery¡ª¡ª" That was the start of it. And so it began, an endless bragging that made Elvena stumped. Her cooking skill was iparable to Krische, and she seemed to be a perfect servant who did everything in the mansion all by herself. She was first-rate in everything she did, and anyway, Krische would drag out countless episodes from her memory, raving about how kind, smart, and amazing Bery was. Krische was at least the best cook Elvena had ever seen. She was quick and dexterous, and her skillfulness in doing multiple things in parallel as if it were a matter, of course, was unmatched even by professionals. That Bery¡¯s cooking skills are iparably better than Krische¨D¨DElvena was skeptical about it and the fact that she knew the amount of work involved in taking care of an estate when doing it alone made her think that it¡¯s a dubious tale, but it was Krische who was talking about it, so it was probably true. What Elvena imagined was a superhuman person who even exceed Krische. What kind of person would make the superhuman Krische praised so unreservedly?¨D¨DThe Bery in Elvena''s image was Krische (ver. BIG). "Bery said, she loved Krische, ehehe, and then..." And so the conversation turned to an innocent love bragging story that made Elvena, who was listening to it, blush. Around this time Elvena started to regret starting the subject, but that didn''t stop Krischefrom talking. Watching Krishe talk so shyly about how like like, really like, loved her, and so on, Elvena''s mischievous spirit was tickled, she, however, restrained herself and just nod along. As she listened to him, Elvena unknowingly hit upon the truth that the reason she was unmoved by the kiss the other day was probably due to the fact that such behavior was more of a routine for her than because of her innocence. Krische''s story was truly that of a child. She didn''t make any logical sense of nor was there any pause in between her story. A narrative tone led around by her emotion as if to simply pour out her feeling about what had happened. The only thing thates across was that she liked Bery and that her life at the ¡®estate¡¯ was filled with happiness. It was not interesting, and rather than fun, it was rather boring. The story was so poorly told that in some ways she might have enjoyed it more when Rnd had bragged. That said¨D¨Dhow great Bery was, how much Krische cares about her. But the way she happily talked about it from beginning to end was so lovely and heartwarming. Just listening to her generated a warm feeling in her heart, and Elvena patted Krische¡¯s head, asionally giving a nod. She has had guests whispering their love to her. She also remembers her feelings at that time, which she had ignored with her mind that had realized the reality and resigned. But how would it feel to be whispered with unadorned love like this by this girl who looked so frighteningly lovely? "Bery-sama sure is fortune, to receive that much feeling from Krische-sama." ¨D¨DSurely, it was the happiest thing to be thought of like that. Without thinking deeply, Elvena''s words simply came to mind. "...is that right?" Krische reacted to that, and Elvena tilted her head. ¡°Is there something?¡± ¡°...No. Krische just hoped that¡¯s true.¡± Krische fell silent as if the fire had been extinguished as soon as she said that. ¡®Was there something she¡¯s worried about even after bragging so much (about spouse/lover/love¡¯s affair)?¡¯ Elvena thought for a moment and said. ¡°Fufu, I am sure there is no one who wouldn''t be pleased to receive such a favor from Krische-sama.¡± In truth, that was not necessarily the case. However, if it''s her, it''s not like anyone would be annoyed by being told that she liked them. And there was no room for doubt if it was the woman named Bery who was so loved by her. "Well... if Krische-sama told me that she likes me like that, I''m confident that I''ll be happy my whole life. I''m sure Bery-sama is the same." "... somehow, Krische feels like Elvena is exaggerating a lot." "That''s probably because Krische-sama is underestimating herself." *Giggle*, she smiled and caressed Krische¡¯s cheek. "... After the battle is over, you''ll understand if you ask directly. Surely, no, I''m absolutely sure Bery-sama thinks of Krische-sama like that." ¡°¡Will it continue to be like that from now on too?¡± "Yes, of course" She chuckled and looked at her well-groomed face, wondering why she had no self-confidence in herself. She''s so pretty and can do anything, but she''s helplessly clumsy, such a gap. It was a funny, weird feeling. ¡°Because Krische, umm¡, not normal¡± And hearing her say that, she was convinced¨D¨D¡¯Ahh¡¯. She knew some of the rumors¨D¨Drumors that have cut out just one side of her. Maybe she was told something when she was on the battlefield. As enemies, they would probably say some heartless words to each other. ¡®What should I say¡¯¨D¨DElvena stared at the purple eyes and told her. "Everyone has a good side and a bad side. Just as Krische-sama recognizes that being not normal is her w, so do I, Nee-san, and I''m sure Bery-sama also has such w." Krische¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡¯, Elvena grabbed a lock of her shoulder-length hair. The curl was just a little bit inward¨D¨Dwhen it''s short, it didn¡¯t bother her, but when it''s long, the curl intensifies and gets tangled up. "For example, I really dislike the way my hair curls loosely like this, and I think it''s one of my faults. How does Krische-sama feel about it?" "Huh? No, it''s not strange at all¨D¨D" "Fufu, that''s right. Other people don''t care about your shorings more than you think they do. If it''s someone like Krische-sama, it''s even more so...of course, there is some degree to it, that said it''s a problem if you don''t care about your own ws but." It''s the same with Krische-sama, said Elvena. "ording to the book, to like someone is to find the good part in others, and to ept their bad part is love (sffection). A long time ago, Nee-san told me that this hair, which I disliked, was cute.¡± ¡®I was so happy¡¯, she smiled and gently stroked Krische''s head. Her hair was so smooth and beautiful that she admired it. "It''s a little different, but it''s simr... I think Bery-sama thinks that Krische-sama''s unusual side is very endearing. I''m sure she''ll ept that and still love Krische-sama." Krische blinked her eyes for a moment. Then she lowered her eyes and pressed her face happily. "... Ehehe, after all, Elvena is simr to Berry. What Elvena say is also somewhat simr to Bery¡¯s. Krische feels like Berry would say something like that." ¡°If you think about such things by yourself, you will generally end up thinking in the wrong direction. If you talked about it, it will turned out to be no big deal." Ervena said as if she was mocking herself. "...Because I was like that too. Nee-san must have already forgotten about the idot me, thinking about such things by myself, deciding it was that way by myself, giving up...But Nee-san always thought of me and desperately looked for me." Then she hugged Krische and pressed her face into Krische¡¯s hair. "It''s rude and stupid of me to think that way to Nee-san who was doing her best. I think it''s much more painful and sad for Bery-sama for Krische-sama to be worried like that, to be doubted. Thinking of the worse, thinking of the worse... Does Krische-sama always doubt the Bery-sama whom you love so much every time you are alone?¡± "¡¡that¡¯s" "That''s my advice to Krische-sama, who was worried and thinking about silly things like me." Sheughed mischievously and continued. "... If you''re worried, me who is by Krische-sama side, or someone else. There may be people who hate Krische-sama, but there are also many people who love Krische-sama. They will all say the same thing as me. It''s just a simple worry that will be blown away by just that." "¡¡Yes, thank you" ¡°It¡¯s the Bery who Krische-sama loves so much, that kind of worry will disappear as soon as you two meet again. So please rest assured.¡± Krische nodded and hugged. She smiled a small smile as if savoring the words she had just heard. After a while, he looked up at Elvena as if troubled. "Um, Elvena... Krische feels a little relieved, then..." "Fufu, yes. Shall we go back to bed again? I''ll wake Krische-sama up in the morning, so take it easy until then." "¡¡yes" She smiled wryly at Krische who hugged her like she was spoiled, and picked up her small body. "Krische''ll finish it quickly and go see Berry." "Yes, yes. ¡¡For that, Krische-sama has to take a good rest.¡± In her arms, Krische smiled as if he had an idea. "Once the battle is over, Krische''ll give Elvena a rest for a while. Krische will also give it to Kalua and the others, so you can rx together. Krische will give the Century an allowance and have theme to Royal Capita, so you can look for a home randomly.¡± "... royal capital" "It''s the royal capital. Since Kreschenta is here, we have to move out of Christand¡¯s estate..." At those words, Elvena tilted her head for a moment and remembered the name of the princess. And now she understands the fact that Krische used to be royalty. From now on she will serve a girl who called the princess by name. It was quite the promotion starting from being a ve, so much that it didn¡¯t really sink in yet "Krische has a lot of things to do, and it''s tough. Let''s finish today quickly, and then..." As she yawned, her delicate body was warm with drowsiness. Elvena chuckled and stroked her head. "yes. I pray for Krische-sama safe return.¡± "Krische won''t get hurt, so it''s okay..." While looking at Krische who immediately fell asleep, she stayed just like that. Elvena looked at Krische like that until the sun rose. Chapter 102: Storm and Beast Chapter 102: Storm and Beast ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 102 Storm and Beast*** As the morning sun rose, the second day of battle began¨D¨Dthe soldiers defending the Royal Prince, Gildanstein were confronted by Verreich¡¯s army First Corps, led by the Great Wolf Granmeld Varkus. Its military fame and the howling wolf banner alone had the power to intimidate those facing them. On the other hand, many of Gildanstein''s soldiers were just mish-mashed together. However, the front of the main camp was naturally fortified with veteran and experienced soldiers, showing that they would not back down a single step even against the valiant Granmeld. Gildanstein was on the left wing and Keithriton on the right. They were positioned so as to widely surround the Verreich army, which was stationed on a gentle hill. Gildanstein divided the nine Corps into two, five for himself and four for Keithriton¨D¨Deach as a general of one army. He must have been concerned thatmanding the two wings as a single army, which were too far apart, would create a dy inmand. Their aim was the center of Verreich''s army. Gildanstein''s right wing and Keithriton''s left wing were each lined up vertically with two corps, giving them double the thickness of the enemy¡¯s line. They were aiming to break through the center of Verreich''s army due to the difference in numbers. This formation that seems to purposely show its aim¨D¨DThere was a meaning here. Because the soldiers of the Verreich army were stationed on a hill with good visibility, the state of the enemy was clearly visible to each of Verreich¡¯s soldiers. No matter how superior the quality of Verreich¡¯s soldiers was, the fatigue of battle would consume even Krische. Anticipating the uninterrupted enemy offensive even after killing numerous enemies¨D¨Dwould have a great impact on the morale of the soldiers. ¨D¨DThe advantage goes to the one who takes the high ground. Many blindly believe this, but in reality, taking the high ground does not always bring an advantage. When we look at war, we tend to look only at its violent struggle¡ª¡ªthe physical energy, but the war¡¯s essence was much more spiritual and psychological. It was not merely killing each other, but a battle among tens of thousands of people. What decides victory or defeat is morale, control, and organized fighting ability, not the number of dead. The morale of the central Verreich forces, positioned on the hill and observing the enemy lineup from above, was lowered by the tant enemy lineup. Visual effects can''t be underestimated. Not many soldiers want to find themselves in a tight spot in a life-or-death battle. Everyone wanted an honorable life, not an honorable death. Knowing one''s superiority boosts one''s morale while knowing one''s inferiority lowers it. It''s a natural providence, and themander must skillfully manipte the information that is conveyed to the soldiers. In that sense, the information given to the soldiers by the good vantage point of the hill, and the negative impact of this information, is too great to be ignored in this situation of number inferiority. Gildanstein forces were aware of this and intentionally concentrated their forces. To crush that fighting spirit even before the fight. The Verreich army on top of the hill has the advantage of being able to use its potential energy. However, considering the psychological pressure on the center, while it couldn¡¯t be said to be a disadvantage, it was also hard to say that it was an advantage. The two sides were evenly matched in terms of battle formation. The center and the left wing of Gildanstein''s main camp need only prevent the enemy''s right nk from nking and breaking through. Gildanstein''s right wing, and Keithriton''s left wing. Their role was to defend against the enemy''s offensive until the central breakthrough waspleted. In front of the Great Wolf who led the right wing of the Verreich army, Granmeld Varkas¨D¨Dthe reason why they were showing an undisturbed stance against the famous ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯ was because of that sense of security. ¨D¨DHowever, a girl who appeared in front of them changed the atmosphere. A man wearing a wolf helmet and carrying an iron clubrger than an ordinary man''s height appeared as if splitting the waves of soldiers. Appearing from behind Granmeld was a girl who was out of ce on the battlefield. She had silver hair, a cloak, and countless white spears in her hands. That was all they could see from a distance, but, ¡°...Cursed Child¡± Someone muttered in horror and even those who did not know who it was recalled the gossip they had heard. The head-hunter of Bernaich, Christand¡¯s monster. It didn''t matter to her whether you were a skilled soldier or a renowned general of an army. That abnormality wielded a barbaric sword and tore the necks of the most famous and fierce men as if she were cutting the grass. Yes, necks¨D¨Dit was said that she had a morbid fondness for cutting off heads and smiled while looking at her collection of heads of those she had killed. The voice of the centurion flies out, telling them to be quiet. The girl throws the spears she had been carrying. The spears flew through the air. It drew a parabolic line as if to show the way forward. The spears, which seemed to be thrown at random, were lined up directly in front of them, and all of them stood, piercing the earth. What was she going to do? Until that moment, no one could understand. From a distance that even the arrows of both sides couldn''t reach each other, the girl danced alone. Her initial velocity surpassed even that of a horse, the girl that sprinted and grabbed the spear seemed even faster than flying arrows. Then, her body turned and spun around, "H¨D¨D!" ¨D¨DThe spear shot from her hand and pierced the wind with a thunderous roar, ripping apart countless pieces of flesh. Looking at the enemy headquarters from the top of the hill¨D¨Da man in ck armor, Granmeld, who was next to her, asked. "A spear?" ¡°Yes, it is good for creating an entry point, Krische wants to disrupt the wall of heavy infantry in the enemy''s front line.¡± She was holding eight 6 shaku (1.818 m) spears in her hands. Granmeld held out his hand in amazement, but Krische said she was fine and continued walking. Eight spears were too much baggage for the small Krische, and somehow, she also looked not fine carrying it. Compared to ordinary people, she has far more physical strength, but there was still a limit due to her physique. Although she said she was fine, in reality, it was a big load for Krische to carry. ¡°Keith, I left Woof Woof¡¯s to you.¡± "Yes ma¡¯am! Leave it to me." She told Keith, the Third Battalion Commander that, and went to the front. She slowly made her way down the hill. The soldiers looked back to see what was going on when they saw Krische¡¯s luggage, but Krische didn¡¯t really care. Granmeld leads the way, making sure her spear doesn''t get caught or stuck on other soldiers, and made way through the soldiers. He wondered if eight spears would be enough, but he was convinced that if Krische was fine with it, he could leave it to her. Throwing javelins were originally used just before they rushed in¨D¨Donly by throwing all at once onmand, it would be effective. As amander, he thought it was meaningless, but as a warrior, Granmeld had strong confidence in Krische¡¯s words. Against the line of battle that has been set up. He wanted to see her javelin, which she said was effective even against an army. In the battle against Hilkintos, Granmeled had missed it. "Okay, move. Our princess is on her way." As they came out to the front of the line, Granmeld went to the front row along with Krische. A battle line with no gaps between the archers deployed in front and the enemy soldiers lined up in the back. A shiver runs up his spine. The fear of death was what always stirred Granmeld¡¯s fighting spirit. "So, are you really going to run alone?" ¡°Yes. Krische will disturb them appropriately (randomly), so please follow me appropriately (randomly) and pry it open.¡± Untying the strings that bind the spear, Krische had no shred of fear. Facing the front row, against 10,000 enemies¡ª¡ªwhile intending to rush in first. ¡®Crazy¡¯, Granmeld smiled. Even Granmeld, who boasted that he was a natural battle fanatic, seems impure in front of this girl. As if walking through the encampment, she was unaffected by the current situation and behaved as she normally would. Absolute confidence¡ª¡ªshe has something that cannot be measured by Gran Meld''s standards. He had seen many stalwarts and fearless warriors, but he didn¡¯t know a single person who was as confident as she was. "Woof Woof makes the way, Krische takes His Highness''s head, and it''s over." ¡°Ha, in and simple is good.¡± "Yes, that way Krische doesn¡¯t have to hold back. Simple is best." Saying this, Krische threw the spears. From far away, gradually closer. The spears that drew a parab mysteriously pierced the earth at the same time, ¡°Well then¡± Krische ran as if tearing the wind. She lowered her posture one step, and by the second step, she was already at top speed. The eleration was spectacr, but that''s not the point. Her body, which had elerated and leaned forward excessively. As if applying a sudden brake, she turned her upper body and kicked the ground in front of her with her heel. Her knees softly received the impact that could have blown her whole body away, and her rampaging upper body forward¨D¨Dthe spear that was set up was shot from far behind along her body with a roaring sound. Even arrows fired from a strong bow cannot keep up with the speed of this spear. It was so fast that even was left behind. After a beat, the melee spear bullet that caught everyone''s eye pierced the line of archers from a distance that even arrows could not reach. And further behind, crushing the heavy infantry along with therge shield they were holding¨D¨Dcreating a hole in the massive front ranks. Granmeld, who was watching from up close, was stunned. ¡®Since she was saying that far, she must be able to fire a spear stronger than me.¡¯ That was the extent of his thinking, but Krische¡¯s spear throw was enough to take on an army¨D¨Dliterally, t was more than enough to take on an army. It was truly an extreme individual skill, far beyond his imagination. Despite her broken bnce and inertia, Krische put her hands on the ground and spun like a cat. Reaching for the next spear, she elerates again, then brakes sharply¨D¨Deasily unleashes an insane battering spear. Slightly to the left of the previous point¡ª¡ªcrushing the wall of flesh. ¨D¨DWhat resounded on the battlefield were the screams of the enemy that shook the air, and the loud cheers from the top of the hill. From an overall perspective, a single shot would have only killed a mere dozen to two or three dozen. Even if she fired all of them, the number of enemies she would kill would not reach two hundred. From the total 45,000 troops, the damage she would inflict would be negligible. However, it was only one person¨D¨Da mere individual achieving that results on the battlefield being show to all soldiers. Its morale-boosting effect was alreadyparable to that of 10,000 soldiers. Even the soldiers in the central formation, who were frightened by therge army in front of them, burned into their eyes the spectacle that had urred on the right wing from the top of the hill and screamed with joy with their whole bodies. On the contrary, what it gives to the opponent was fear toward the aberrant transcendence. The fear of having their strong vanguard crushed by a single girl, without a moment''s thought. It was not anyone''s instruction, but as if by mutual consent. Countless arrows rained down on the dancing girl. The countless bows that should have been aimed at the army were simply aimed at the charging Krische and fired. A storm of arrows covered her sky in ck and aimed at the girl, but the girl walked in front of her as if nothing had happened. She elerates through the rain of arrows as if it were natural. She weaves through the gaps with minimal movement. To those who fired their bows, it looked as if even the arrows were frightened of her - as if they were deflected away from her. When she grabbed the third spear, they were even more terrified. ¨D¨DThe air on the battlefield changes in a moment due to a single individual. The corpsmander, the battalionmander, and even Northern Verreich, who were watching from the top of the hill, couldn''t help butugh at the individual warrior outside their normal logic. The girl embodied the old savage valor, the prototype of the warrior, who should have died before control, battle lines, and organization. Now there she was the figure of a matchless hero who has be a fictional story¨D¨D ¡°¨D¨DSurely there¡¯s no longer any need for my order here!" And Granmeld who saw it up close, raised his voice with the frenzy that ran up his spine. ¡°I''m going, you guys follow me! Show them who''s behind that crazy princess¨D¨Dshow them!" A third roar echoed, and before Krische could grab the fourth, Granmeld advanced. Sprinting without worrying about keeping pace with his subordinates¨D¨DGranmeld turned into a beast. But no one cares about it. ¡®Wolves¡¯¨D¨DAll they knew from the beginning was to follow the back of their leader and eat the flesh of their enemies. Among the veterans, the one who possesses the fastest magic power followed Granmeld''s sprint. The slow ones bring the soldiers left behind under theirmand by brutal means. It was not unusual for their chief to leap out like this. A suicide attack with abandon, an offensive without leadership. By eating the flesh and blood of their enemies, wringing out their lives, and going through hell many times, they had be Christand¡¯s strongest¨D¨Dthe name of the "Wolf Pack" has been known to the surrounding countries. They had already lost their hesitation, and their morale had swept over the top. Themander of the Gildanstein archers understood the situation and raised his voice. But his men were unaware that they are about to be crushed by a pack of wolves, and they continue to aim at the prominent symbol of fear, the silver monster. If you don''t kill, you''ll be killed¨D¨Dthat kind of mass hysteria has swallowed them up. The power of the spears firedpletely shattered theirmon sense and rationality as soldiers¨D¨Dthey had changed from an organizational part of the army to mere pitiful individuals. The spear of destruction is released, and the girl grabbed the next one. The girl''s lovely appearance made them lose their sense of reality. The archers on the edge were quicker to realize the presence of the enemy forces closing in on them and recovered their spirit, but the center, targeted by the out-of-the-ordinary spears, was out of control, ¡°Bas¡ta¨D¨Drd!?¡± The situation was exacerbated by Krische that cut down themander as she passed by. She spun her body and dodged, her movements more like a dance than a sword fight. Krische danced into the line of archers. Blood smoke swirls and screams echo through the air. As if slithering on the ground, she disappeared from sight and closed the gap like a snuggling cat. Everyone was wary of her, yet they lost sight of her and only recognized her presence when the blood blooms. The corpses were all fierce men who had not lost their reason in this situation, and all of them were dead, their necks ripped open from the middle. Their hell would not end even after she passed by. What resounded was a dull roar that could not have been caused by humans. A helmet that looks like a wolf stands tall in the crowd. Holding high in the sky with one hand was arge iron staff of six shaku and seven sun (~2m) that ordinary people cannot even hold. Dancing in the air was an allied archer¨D¨Da distorted mass of flesh. ¨D¨DGreat Wolf Granmeld Varkas. And behind him, like him, were fierce men who almost surpassed the realm of humans. The wolves, who have passed through countless battlefields and hells, now stopped the fleeing archers and advanced through the line. And behind them was a further army. The central archers werepletely demoralized¨D¨Dthey have lost any sign of control. Krische no longer saw them and grabbed thest spear. The effect of releasing so much in such a short time is not small, her body felt tired. Her breathing was ragged. Her muscles, being stretched in a strange way, hurt and she frowned a little, but that was not worth Krische¡¯s attention. No matter how tired or sore she was, as long as she did not lose consciousness, she could function. She could fight just as usual. The pain and fatigue she felt were not important to her. What Krische seeks and protects¡ª¡ªthis was the battle for it. She was always willing to go to great lengths if it is for the sake of someone else. Same as before. She simply puts the kic energy that could blow her away into the spear in her hand. The spear was released and dove into the enemy''s front line, which had already copsed, ending the countless lives that were there. Fleshes were crushed, gouged, and popped off, and the surviving soldiers looked at her with frightened eyes. Krische didn''t care. ''Other than that'' has always been unimportant to her. Originally, most things in the world didn''t matter to Krische. She would only do her best for the few precious things that were important to her. Like pulling weeds out of a flower bed. Like brushing the dust off her clothes. She just cleaned up what was in front of her eyes without any emotion. "Hahaha!! I''ve finally caught up!" From Krische''s right side, the outgoing Granmeld wielded an iron club. A dozen others soon followed. "It''s the best assault. I might get addicted to it!" "... that¡¯s good then." Granmeldughed at Krische, who seemed a little tired, and told her to leave it to them. "I''ve been set up for this much. Just take a break until we¡¯ve reached it. From here on, my corps will be enough." ¡°Nn¡Krische will take Woof Woof word for it." Krische nced at the frightened crowd of enemies and retreated from the front into the middle. Instead, the pack of wolves rushed out¨D¨Dthe most elite of them. The quality of Granmeld''s subordinates was higher than that of the ck Century. The way they¡¯re used to being on the front line was different. If they were in the ck Century, they would all be top of the line. There were dozens of them¨D¨DKrische was impressed that Granmeld''s army was still of good quality. In terms of breakthrough power and offensive power, the ck Century was inferior if they fight with the same number. They are outstanding in terms of the military prowess of their individual soldiers. Seeing that even the battalionmander, who had abandoned hismand, was mixed in with the group, it was only natural, but even so, there was no doubt that they were very strong. "Thank you very much, Princess!" "Please be careful." When the neck of the enemy who was approaching the soldier was cut shallowly, he said so and returned to the center. Krische looked at the surroundings. However, there were still some bad aspects in terms of coordination and defense. They charge in and kill the enemy without regard for their allies. Morale is high, and as a result, they have overwhelming offensive power, but because they do not emphasize coordination, they have a problem in terms of staying power. If all the members are of the Granmeld ss, they might be able to handle it, but otherwise, the magic possessors are just soldiers who are better than the average person. Their fragile bodies that die if stabbed or cut¨D¨Dtheir attrition rate is bound to be higher than that of the ck Century. "Rear ranks! To the front! Granmeld''s voice echoed next to her, and Krische covered her ears. Along with the voice, the following people increased their speed and reced the mana possessor who was in the lead. There are almost no magical power holders in the rear. However, in exchange, they were very good soldiers as light infantry. In this melee, a certain degree of control was established, and individual skill was also excellent. And in ce of the magic possessors who had been reced¨D¨D "Hi¨D¨D!?" *Squash* The sound was the distorted meat drum yed by Granmeld. Swinging it left and right, the enemy''s bones and armor shattered left and right, and flesh scattered. The handling of the iron club was rough and forceful, but it seemed very efficient when dealing with mere soldiers. If you let the magic possessor to the front, Granmeld would rest and wille forward when they rest. As a result, the impact of the charge was not lost, giving the enemy no time to rest and regroup. Krische was a little impressed thinking ¡®So they are notpletely foolhardy.¡¯ The army of the powerful Granmeld was surprisingly adhering to a fine rhythm and pacing of attack. Using himself and those who possess magical power as a spear, and using a soldier who does not as a shield¨D¨Dhe used them well. Krische jumps lightly, checked her surroundings, and dove into the sea of people. What she saw was the corpsmander--and the next thing that surfaced was, ¡°A-gh!?¡± when she cut off a neck. As she cut the neck of the adjutant, Granmeld quickly caught up and lifted the corners of his mouth. "I''d be happy if you could leave some for me too." ¡°If you want the credit, Krische can pretend that Woof Woof killed him. Krische doesn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not like that¡well, Krische-sama won¡¯t understand it!¡± Kicking off a nearby soldier¡ª¡ªand that''s it. It was less than half a koku after the war started. Krische Christand and Granmeld Varkas dealt with them single-handedly. They overwhelmed and devoured the soldiers in front of the enemy''s main camp. Dancing out of the line of soldiers was the enemy''s main camp¡ª¡ªthe royal banner of Gildanstein, the Royal Prince, could be seen. Krische was ahead of everyone else, followed by Granmeld. The soldiers who saw this ¡ª¡ªand in the back, Gildanstein, who was on horseback, jumped off his horse. Krische calmly stepped forward, tinged with cold emotion. She plunged head first into the line of cavalry that was running in, killing and crushing its first three riders and toppling the rest. Everything around her¡ª¡ªall movement seemed to stop for Krische. She snatched the spear from the cavalryman''s hand, then to the front. She pierced the obstacle that formed a wall with the spear. Krische stepped forward, heedless of the shattered pieces of flesh. There was nothing but pure killing intent. Everything she faced was stared at by her inorganic purple, leaving them speechless and their fighting spirit froze. She was a storm of violence. Clothed in thunder and storm, she ripped and devoured everything in her path. She charged in and left the wind behind. Even the consciousness of those watching her looked at nothing. Only those skilled enough to barely keep track of her can catch the sh emitted by the de. The de was less than two shaku long, A de that was too small to handle on the battlefield. The de bent on the side of the de, looked like a polished machete, and yet the de''s range seemed equal to that of a spear. It was as if her arm itself was a sickle or something, and her human head was a red flower. Each time the de was swung, it scattered afterglow and blood rain around. it wasn''t a fight. The girl shed her sword, which was barely held in ce by a skilled swordsman as if slipping through. And so, one hero''s lifees to an abrupt end. Whether one was a young amateur or a master who had spent decades with the sword, all were equal. The girl''s de was beyond human reach. The wall in front of the girl¨D¨Dit was a lump of human flesh that broke it further. Just by force, Granmeld threw the corpse he had grabbed onto the battle line. ¡°Make way!!¡± His physique looked exceptionallyrge at that ce. Was it the vortex of magical power bursting out making it so? Just with his grip strength, he crushes the soldier''s skull along with his helmet andughed maniacally. A pack of mad wolves followed behind¡ª¡ªhe was the Great Wolf. Before them, a soldier was only an obstacle that could scream. They force their way through, overwhelming tactics and everything in their path. ¨D¨Dand then. "¡¡It is the end" The girl with two shaking tails thrust the stolen sword into the ckened lion armor¨D¨DGildanstein''s heart. Everyone was a bystander to the scene, and there was nothing to stop her rampage. However¨D¨D "Again, like this...!" Anger seethed in her beauty, which had remained calm at the front line. She irritatedly stepped through the corpse''s armor, crumpling its torso and snapping a rib. Granmeld noticed the situation and looked around. Fear and relief on the faces of the soldiers. "...Even after this all this, you''re using a body double, huh¨D¨Dpiece of shit!" Granmeld shouted while smashing the skull of a nearby enemy soldier. "The Royal Prince, Gildanstein, was frightened of us and ran away!! Behold, the deception that you worshiped as your king!!¡± Grabbing the corpse of the body double that Krische killed, he easily ripped off its head and raised it above his head. Whatever the case may be, if they haven''t achieved their goal, they will just continue until they achieved it. Now that the enemy has been cut in half, the left wing of the Guildenstein army¨D¨Dthere was no way for the 10,000 to survive. "... Krische-sama, it can''t be helped. We''re going to crush the enemy''s left wing with our right wing." "Wait a minute... please." Krische clenched her fists at the end of her thoughts. Why did he go out of his way to show his face to Krische and provoke Krische like that¨D¨D ¡°...So that¡¯s how it is¡± Yesterday''s battle was scheduled for noon. The day before yesterday, when it was reported that the army had been divided¨D¨Dthe distance between them was 120 ri (~48km) as of this morning. The army could march 80 ri (~32km) if it had time to spare. Therefore, it was expected that the two armies would meet before noon at the earliest, or afternoon at thetest. However, as a result, Gildanstein arrived well past noon and near evening. Considering the fatigue of the soldiers, they avoided collisions upon arrival. They had even more leeway because Krische and the others did not move southward, but instead took up positions at their present location. This was how they thought of their actions. But then, they could have dyed the time further, even at night. Because it''s up to them to choose the timing of the battle. Why did he bother to show his face that evening? ¨D¨DIt was also thought that he wanted to measure the difference in power between both sides and to let the hodgepodge of soldiers get a taste of the battlefield atmosphere, but that''s not the case. He purposely waited until evening to show his face so that she wouldn''t notice until morning. To reassure Krische that Gildanstein was here. "... He never intended to fight Krische from the beginning." Within the night of his appearance, Gildanstein moved¡ª¡ªand joined Nakirus-Felizar''s corp as reinforcements. Naturally, the aim was "... Selene" Krische gripped the hilt of her sword painfully and muttered to herself. ¨D¨DThe next day, Dorval in. "... So it really was His Royal Highness." Christand army main camp. Selene Christand looked at the man who broke through their defense. "I''ve given it some thought, but fighting that thing is a risk. I thought about what I should do to make it docile, and I decided that I should follow my principles and exploit its weakness.¡± He was not wearing ck lion armor, but dull armor that had been bathed in a great deal of blood. A lightweight half te that protected important points. He looked like a mere captain¨D¨Dbut he carries a war ax over his shoulder. Most of the ones he brought with him were held back by their defenses, but the few around him were the elite. "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. It won¡¯t make sense to do that to a hostage. I have a tentative promise about that as well.... So here''s a proposal." Gildanstein smiled and indicated the situation around him. Kolkis had cut deep into the enemy''s right wing. Eluga was in front¨D¨Dhe was aware of the situation, but Gildanstein''s checks were working. "As themander of this army, I ask you to surrender. If youply¡ª¡ªGildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan, swear by this name, swear by the blood of the kingdom, this civil war¡ª¡ªPledge to show it as the final bloodshed... You don''t want to cause unnecessary deaths, do you?" ¡°I appreciate your words, Your Royal Highness.¡± ¨D¨DHowever, she continued. She drew her sword and thrusts it. It was Bogan''s long sword. "However, as a general of an army¡ª¡ªone who has sacrificed so much blood and blood... and as a patriarch who protects the family, I cannot nod my head at your invitation." Blue eyes unwavering, to the core. Selene stared at Gildanstein. Gildanstein justughed happily. "... Stubborn aren¡¯t you. Kuku, I like it.... I can even make you the queen." "If you can that is. ¨D¨DAlso, Your Highness is misunderstanding one thing." Selene also had a faint smile on her beautiful face under her helmet. "... the result, that is your death is still left in this ce." The line of soldiers was split. The shadow that jumped out swung its de. Naturally, Gildanstein blocked it¡ª¡ªhe quickly distances himself. Countless shadows leap out at the spot where he was. They weren''t wearing ck armor¡ª¡ªbut they were all magic possesor. The woman who shed at him, her ck hair swinging from under her helmet, stood in front of Selene as if to protect her. And dozens of soldiers followed suit. What was hoisted in the sky was the crescent skull-shaped centurion g¨D¨D "It takes a certain amount of ordeal to kidnap a princess, Your Highness. Didn''t you know that?" "I see, that unit¡ª¡ªthe ck Century was it?" ¡®Kuku¡¯, said Gildanstein,ughing, raising his battle-axe, "... Is it your idea or is it the cursed child''s idea...that''s a nice idea. Not bad for closing a battle. ¨D¨DAll right" Just like when he faced the hero Bogan Christand. "...I will taku you on, small fries." ¨D¨DA huge amount of magical power erupted from his entire body. Chapter 103: Obsession With Life Chapter 103: Obsession With Life ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 103 Obsession With Life*** The right wing of the Christand army was the Second Corps led by Kolkis, 7000 strong. And on the left wing was the Third Corps led by Terrius, 6,000 strong. Selene leads the 5000 on the central rear and sets up camp. In contrast, Salva¨D¨DCaldera''s army was 12,000 on the left wing against Kolkis. 8,000 in the center and 10,000 on the right wing. The main line of 5,000 was positioned near the right wing and headed for Selene. From the position of the enemy''s main camp, Christand army judged that the enemy''s attack would be made mainly on the right wing and in the center. Salva knew the Christand army. Kolkis led a small group of 7,000 out of 12,000¡ª¡ªbut he knew that more than half of them were veteran fighters who have passed through numerous battlefields. Naturally, the Christand army thought that he would not make the foolish mistake of aiming for a frontal attack here. The 12,000 were led by two corpsmanders, one of which was Gran Agrand. It is reasonable to assume that they are bait to nail Kolkis, which in turn means that the enemy was forced to stick 12,000 troops to the 7,000 Kolkis¡¯s corp. It''s not a bad story, Selene and the others epted the enemy''s invitation. As a result, the enemy''s losses were about 5,000, while their losses were about 2,000. If this battle was considered as a battle to maintain the front line until Verreich¡¯s army defeated the enemy, the current situation was favorable. ¨D¨DThis was the night of the day when Krische¡¯s assault seeded and decapitated the body double. It happened at a meeting. "...Nakirus Felizar. In this situation, an increase of 5,000 high-quality troops is painful." "It''s my responsibility. ¡If I had made a breakthrough today, the situation would have changed.¡± "My decision was slow. It''s not your fault. ¡And the result is satisfying." A messenger from Nozan informed them of enemy reinforcements this afternoon. At least, the situation was not a problem if only defense was considered. and Selene, who was wondering whether to go on the offensive or go on the defensive, decided to attack based on the report. She ordered the right wing and center¨D¨DKolkis and Eluga to counterattack. Nheless, the enemy must have expected that they would counterattack like this while they were on the offensive. The enemy was rather poised to take a mobile defense as if inviting them. They wanted to lure them in and take out Kolkis. In the end, without much time left, just cutting down on the enemy''s protruding military force was the best they could achieve¨D¨Djudging from the flow of the enemy''s movements, it was safe to assume that the enemy''s reinforcements had been nned from the beginning. And they had read how the Christand would respond to their reinforcements. It was troublesome. Many of the current problems were due to the existence of Salva, the former adjutant of Terius, themander of the Third Corps, and Gran, Kolkis¡¯s son. The two were originally close to each other, so they know Terrius and Kolkis''s moves, and they also have a deep knowledge of Christand¡¯s tactics. "... Phew" Selene sipped on the strong ck soybean tea, its bitterness rxing her mind. Strong ck soybean tea. The tea was made by Anne, who was careful because it is nighttime, but it was still very strong even for waking up from sleep. It was quite a hardship to drink it, but it was the only drink in front of Selene. After finishing the drink, Anne immediately poured another ss into the empty cup. Naturally, it was thick. The drink''s refill speed felt half like harassment, but Selene interpreted it very favorably, thinking that it was not bad because it had a punch to wake her up from sleepiness. Gallen, next to her, drank the thick ck bean tea with apletely calm face and even nodded to Anne as if he was impressed by her thoughtfulness. And Anne was also Anne, her cheeks blushed as if embarrassed, and seeing her like that, it was quite difficult to ask her to change the tea. Sighing, Selene moved on to the main subject. "I wonder, what is the reason for moving the 5000 to me instead of General Verreich?" ¡°First and foremost, to disturb General Verreich¨D¨Dand maybe if they were lucky, Verreich will send some of his force over here as reinforcements?¡± Eluga folded his arms and stroked his chin. "¨D¨DHowever, considering today''s movements, it might be better to assume that we¡¯re the target from the beginning. Today''s defense was not improvised, it was well thought out." The enemy was in a mobile defensive posture, deliberately opening holes in the middle guard, rather than simply blocking their offensive. The mobile defense was an offensive defense that intentionally creates holes in the defense to lure in and strike back at the enemy¨D¨Dthe same tactic that Krische had used in the retreat from Bernaich. Eluga, who had noticed this, immediately sent a message to Kolkis not to pursue too far during the attack, and Kolkis, who had also felt a sense of unease, quickly switched tactics and escaped the situation by cutting down the enemy¡¯s troops instead of breaking through. The mobile defense, if sessful, would inflict the greatest damage on the opponent, but since it intentionally created a hole, if it was read, the vanguard would simply be isted, and the defender would suffer tremendous damage. It was only because Eluga, who was skilled in tactics and had a broader vision than anyone else, that he was able to notice the situation at thest minute, but even so if they had made a mistake, they would have suffered a major blow. The enemy''s tricks were that clever. ¡°Blindly going offensive¨D¨DI thought it was just ipetence on their part, but the enemy must have been luring us to let our guard down and counterattack. That We''re going to counterattack after receiving a report of reinforcements¡ª¡ªthey must have read that and prepared meticulously.¡± "Do you think so too? Though, I also thought it was going too well." Eluga nodded. Terrius,mander of the Third Corps, made a frown and said. "The policy for tomorrow should be decided based on that. Offense or defense¡ª¡ª?" "...or retreat" It was Gallen who said that. The corpsmander and their adjutant¡ª¡ªmost of the eyes in the room turned to him. "It''s not just a retreat, after going to the west within today, we''ll see the movement of the enemy again after passing Kielzaran." ¡°...Gallen, are you going to let them tear up the rear?" "Depending on the situation. Let''s keep the distance at most 40 ri (~16km)¡ª¡ªhalf a day." Galln pointed with his finger to the hill where Krishce and the others were stationed. ¡°The whole point of this battle is to hold out until General Verlich wins. We don''t need to cross des for nothing, we just need to keep a reasonable distance and buy time. Even if the enemy raids the rear, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re another country''s army. If they loot, they will lose their just cause, so they will keep it in moderation." Garren''s eyes sharpened as he manipted the pawns that marked his army and the enemy''s. "If the enemy is aiming our rear, we can keep them at a distance where they cannot haveplete freedom, and let them follow them around our tail. The purpose is to seal the enemy army. Then the 5,000 reinforcements would also be meaningless. ¡In that case, His Highness¡¯s army will just be wasting their 5,000 soldiers. And General Verreich can face the enemy in a better situation than expected." "What if they chase after us, Gallen-dono?" When Eruga asked, Gallen replied that it was the same. ¡°We will use that ce as a ce for a rematch. If we move at night, the soldiers will be able to endure it. We can let them rest until the enemy arrives. Whatever the case may be, it will give us half a day''s time without crossing des with the enemy, even if they are chasing us.¡± "... That''s a nostalgic tactic." Kolkisughed. The idea was to lure a portion of the enemy, draw them away, and then attack the main target with the main attack. It was a guerri tactic in the woods with small units of one hundred to a few hundred men, but it was something Gallen used to do when he was leading his unit. At that time, Gallen was mainly responsible for attracting the enemy, and Bogan was responsible for the main attack¨D¨DGallen, as amander, focused on avoiding unnecessary battles. ¡°Whatever the enemy is thinking, they suffered a painful blow today because of the failure of their n. They will not be in a state of mind to make a night pursuit without waiting for reinforcements¨D¨Dthey will definitely be wary of our movement as a trap." "So you''re saying that it''s fine to grab the supply when we¡¯re near Kielzaran?" Eluga examined Gallen''s proposal and sipped his ck bean tea. The idea was more of abat technique than a military strategy or tactic¨D¨Dbut it was too good to just dismiss with augh. Gallen was a trained soldier with no experience inmandingrge armies, and while there were points where he was unsure of how to judge his abilities, his thinking was surprisingly flexible. Moving a unit is very different from moving an army. However, Gallen understood the difference and managed his army to operate in a unit that he was good at. A centurion to whom Bogan has the utmost respect¨D¨Da (step) grandfather to whom Krische held dear. As an individual, Eluga felt a sense ofradery for him who doted on the same girl, but he once again recognized that Gallen was an excellent soldier. "... In that case, shall I act as the rear? If they¡¯re going to chase, then I will just lure them and openly show the trap that the other side will be worried about." ¡°I don''t think Gallen''s suggestion is a bad one either. ¡Well, I''m not sure I''d like the idea of showing our ass to that brat, but¡¡± Kolkis folded his arms and said. ¡°If I had to say one thing, it also wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to go out and just attack like this. If we can receive the same kind of support from Corps Commander Faren tomorrow, we can easily break through the right wing. Enemy reinforcements are at most one corps¨D¨Dif we attack before they can gather their pace, there is a good chance that this battle will end.¡± "... If anything, I agree with that. After the enemy flunked their n and received a heavy blow¡ª¡ªthey should be busy regrouping themselves right now. Now is also the chance." Terrius agreed with Kolkis. Both ns had their merits, and the ce was divided between Gallen and Eluga, and Kolkis and Terrius. Speaking of when the chance to annihte the enemy, they can¡¯t miss tomorrow morning. That said they were to retreat, there was no way they could miss today. Selene, who had been pondering her options, leaned back against the backrest. She raised her hands and stretched gracefully. Perhaps because she has spent so much time sitting these days, her hips quickly be stiff. "...Corps Commander Faren, How¡¯s the reinforcement Felizar?" ¡°He¡¯s a boar. ¡That said, his ability is certain. If the enemy''s target is Selene-sama, then it''s better to regard the unit he leads as the elite." "That so. On top of that, Commander Agrand, what are the chances if the enemy sends the reinforcements to the left wing?" "It will be difficult to break through ...If I can get reinforcements from the main camp, then I can aim for Ferizal''s head. We have met on the battlefield several times. If we fight head-on, I can kill him. In terms of the quality of the troops, my corps will have no problem with that." The possession of magical power beyond a certain realm, no matter howrge or small, could sway the battlefield. If they''re going to fight, they''ll have to get rid of the well-known Felizar as soon as possible. And conversely, it was absolutely necessary to avoid a situation in which Kolkis would be defeated. Kolkis might appear to be a simple man, but he had the ability to calmly assess the difference in power between his opponent and himself. Otherwise, Bogan Christand, who was aplete meritocrat, would not have entrusted the corps to him. She had a certain amount of faith in his words. "Then what about you?" "I don''t have the confidence of General Agrand. I can''t boast that I can go out and aim for Felizer''s head." In the center was the strategist Eluga, and in the rear was the main camp of 5,000. It was unlikely that the enemy would target this area¡ª¡ªin that case, it would be the Third Corps of the left wing. Terrius traced his eagle nose and said. ¡°However, there should be no problem if it is just to stop the breakthrough. Until Commander Agrand prates the enemy, it is possible to stop them even if the enemy concentrates their force here.¡± "Your former adjutant is the enemy, you know? In that case, the Corps Commander Faren in the center will support Corps Commander Agrand, so please think that I''m the only one you can rely on." "I see a certain amount of leeway. Please rest assured." Those powerful words. Kolkis and Terrius. The biggest problem was that these two might be too enthusiastic about this battle. A son and a former adjutant¨D¨Dif those two were to be opponents, they would definitely put their minds to it. The problem was whether the two of them have calmness andposure. Naturally, if they could defeat the enemy here, then that''s fine. That''s the best answer, and the best result that Selene wanted. ¨D¨DIf it was Krische, she would surely choose that without even having to think about it. Krische was so talented and can do anything. She thinks Krische''s more adorable than anyone else, but at the same time, she''s a rival topete with. Krische would fight. She didn''t even have to think about it. She wanted to catch up with her. Then, what should Serene do? The desired result with the best possible result¨D¨Dbut was Selene Christand¡¯s current ability worthy of being evaluated to the extent that she can make the same choice as Krische? ¡°¡If the person sitting here is Krische, she will surely choose to counterattack without even thinking about it. The worry that I think of¡ª¡ªno matter the worst-case scenarios I imagine, I¡¯m sure Krische would be able to handle them without any problem at all.¡± That the enemy''s objective was here, and the reinforcements were sent with every conceivable elite to take her head. Furthermore, that the information that Gildanstein was over there was wrong and that he was actually here. If she assumed the worst, then the worry and anxiety would be endless. "Mia, why are you here?" ¡°!? Y-yes!¡± Mia, who had turned into a stone statue at the edge of the tent due to the situation where she couldn''t intervene, jumped and saluted at the sudden words. Kahlua, who was standing next to her, looked down, wanting tough but unable to. "I-in case of emergency, protect the General." "What kind of situation is it?" ¡°The situation is such that arger-than-expected force is heading toward us, making it impossible to maintain our defense. Um, I was ordered to always consider the possibility that His Highness would go this way, and to not leave the General''s side." They didn''t think the information that the messenger conveyed was a lie. Over there¨D¨Dat the time of separation from Felizer, the figure of Gildanstein walking with Felworth Keithriton certainly existed over there. However, information is always dyed. The information they have now was from the night before yesterday¡ª¡ªmilitaries always focused on hunting each other''s messengers. Especially in the current situation where the enemy is sandwiched, it was necessary for the messenger to bypass it to run a long distance. In terms of a straight line distance, the distance was about 100 ri. The distance would have taken half a day if the messenger had been on foot, but a whole day was taken up by the detour. There have been no reports since then, but it was not clear whether he was still over there, or whether a messenger was in the process of running here. It was not certain at this time. Information is always worth considering. But there was nothing more foolish than to rest on one''surels and be reassured by a dyed information. ¡®¨D¨DDoubt your power, Selene. What can you do and what can Iyounot do? Whether or not you can win a bet, and even if you lose, whether or not you can make up for it. Always spend time questioning everything you are capable of. A general can never be overconfident or careless. Do you understand?¡¯ ¡°A war is not a duel. If you can win by running away, don''t be ashamed to turn your back on the enemy. It is not a glorious and honorable defeat that we should seek, but a humiliating and unsightly victory. ¡I''ve been told that so many times by my father that my ears are breaking.¡± Selene muttered her father''s words and sighed. If it''s Krische, she would fight here. Even her father might do the same. She turned her blue eyes toward the ceiling and picked up a tuft of her flowing golden hair. She let it spills from her palm. Here is golden hair, different from Krische¡¯s. ¡®¨D¨DSelene, what will you do?¡¯ She asked herself and pull out her answer. ¡°I''m still inexperienced, and I''m still dependent on all of you. I am a general in name only, and I am too weak to help you both if something unforeseen should happen.¡± She was still being carried¨D¨Dyes, to them and to Krische. She took a breath and looked at the three corpsmanders. They all looked Selene in the eye. ¡°If it had been Krische here, or father, they might have chosen to fight. But I am a coward, and I am not as capable as the two of them.¡± She wanted to live up to their expectations. She wanted to say that she''ve got their backs and that they can rest easy. To them¡ª¡ªto Krische too. But she was still too inexperienced to tell them that. "... As Garen suggested, if possible, I would like to buy time without fighting, even if it is half a day. What do you think?" What she should seek now was not the best result. Just survive until Krische¡¯s victory¡ª¡ªsuch a miserable, minimal result. Eruga smiled wryly and nodded, and Kolkisughed. "Haha, I, who served a hero, can assure you that Selene-sama is a more splendid general than anyone else.... I have nothing to say about Selene-sama''s decision." Terrius made a reluctant face, but then rxed and smiled softly. ¡°¡ª¡ªSelene-sama must have her reasons for concern as well. Compared to me, Selene-sama thinks about this battle much more calmly." "... I''m sorry. However, if theye here after half a day¡ª¡ªI personally think it''s more likely that the enemy wille towards us rather than aiming at the rear. He came to target me because he thought he couldn''t beat my little sister." Serene smiled like a little girl, a smile like that of a big sister. "I trust clich¨¦s as much as I believe I''m immature. I''d rather bet on her winning than on me going head-on and winning here. Please protect me until then... I''m sorry for relying on you all the time." "Yes ma¡¯am, I have no objection." Terius smiled wryly, and Gallen pped his hands. "¨D¨Dseems it¡¯s settled. If we move, the sooner the better." "Yes. As I have said, I¡¯ll be the rear. If something happens to the General, I won''t be able to face Krische-sama.¡± "Fufu, I¡¯m counting on you. Guess I have to tell Krische that Corps Commander Faren worked very hard." "Kuku, then I have to make an effort not to make that a lie." He lifted the corner of his mouth. Countless wrinkles were carved deeply, and Mia, who had been watching from afar, slowly stepped back. Anne, who was also frightened by Eluga''s evil appearance, quietly swelled with a mysterious sense ofradery seeing Mia like that. Eluga stood up and ced his hand on Serene''s shoulder as he walked to her side. ¡°¡In a ce like this, there aren¡¯t many people who can say that clearly without being overwhelmed by the situation or being dazzled by honor. I think that cowardice is yours is a virtue that should be cherished above all else." "...I wonder if father would beughing if he was watching?" "Haha, he might beughing...but that would be augh of pride, boating about his daughter.¡± He had a scary face¨D¨Dbut it''s understandable why Krische like him. Selene nodded and said thank you. "I''ll leave it to you, Corps Commander Faren." ¡°Of course. Leave it to me. ¡and Gallen-dono.¡± "...? What is it, Corps Commander Faren." Eluga told Gallen, who was looking at him with a good-natured look on his face. ¡°I''ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time, actually. After the war is over and havecalmed down a bit, perhaps we could have a drink together?" "Haha... that''s a very wee invitation. Corps Commander Faren has been kind to Krische... I wanted to thank you once again. I will dly ept it." "Yeah, we''ve got plenty of side dishes to go with the sake. Let''s do our best as fellow old people to not lose to the youngster." Eruga, who was close to 100, and Garen, who was about 60. There was an age difference of about 40 years, but there was no difference in appearance from Eluga, who possessed magical power. Looking at his wrinkled hands, Gallen smiles wryly. It was a trivial thing. There have been many things that were more than enough to make him feel his age. "Certainly. There are enough sake dishes. ¡¡It seems that the day when I be a side dish for sake is still a long way off.¡± Gallen nodded, smiling sadly, and nostalgically. Chapter 104: Obsession With Honor Chapter 104: Obsession With Honor ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 104 Obsession With Honor*** A/N: *1 jou = 10 shaku: about 3 meters; How to read: ´ä»¢ (suiko; Green + Tiger) ¨D¨DGran Agrand respected his father. Christand, the strongest in the kingdom, and his father was one of its corpsmanders. His father, who went through numerous battlefields as one of the hero''s trustedpanions, was more brave than anyone else and was truly a warrior. ¡®Too slow! Do you think the enemy will justugh and wait for you!!¡¯ ¡®I''m sorry, Father.¡¯ ¡®Don''t apologize. If you have time to apologize, then point your spear instead!¡¯ The training was harsh. However, that severity was for himself when he went out to the battlefield someday. It was with this in mind that he continued his effort. Day in and day out, he practiced with his sword and spear. He opened books to learn tactics. As the eldest son of Kolkis Agrand, in order to be himself without shame. Although he was not blessed with a good physique, he still strove for excellence. He honed his skills and umted knowledge. In order to win over his father someday, to be recognized. ¡®...I want to take you to the next battle. Your mother says you are not ready, but I was on the battlefield when I was younger than you. I think you''re smarter and more capable than I was back then. What do you think? I''ll leave the decision to you.¡¯ That''s why he was more than happy to be recognized by his respected father. Persuading his dissenting mother, Gran thus entered the battlefield. He had no fear. He was Agrand''s sessor. He had put in the effort to match it and had built up the strength to do so. All he had to obtain was an opportunity. And the honor that only arises there¡ª¡ªbut Gran was swallowed by the atmosphere of the battlefield. It was a battle with the Kingdom of Eldnd in the west. It was when the Christand headed west as reinforcements for Aurugorn Hilkintos. The terrain was a deep forest¨D¨Dif he had to make an excuse, it was that too many bad things happened. He was the adjutant of the Fourth Battalion, in his father¡¯s Second Corps. Gran, who entered the battlefield in such a position, achieved passable results there. Gran, who was recognized for his abilities, was then entrusted with a detached force of 500 soldiers and advanced through the forest. It was a special attack unit with the purpose of bypassing the enemy''s right nk,unching a surprise attack on the nk, and assisting the main force in breaking through the right nk. It was a big responsibility, but the honor that woulde with it was unparalleled. Gran prepared carefully. Just to be recognized by his father. ¨D¨DThe day he left, it was raining heavily. Using all the knowledge he had umted up to that point, Gran cleared out the enemy sentry and moved forward in poor visibility. There was a risk of going the wrong way, but the rain was drowning out the sound, and the visibility was just as bad as the enemy. They reached the nk, albeit with quite a detour, and were making good progress up to the halfway point. *¡®Should I go further and aim at the rear, or should Iunch a surprise attack from the nk?¡¯*¨D¨DThat was what he was thinking while on a short break. The one who attacked the unit was Suiko (written with Green + Tiger)¨D¨Da magical beast. A jaw that cuts through a person''s torso together with its armor. ws that tear through leather armor and break bones with ease. Its shoulder height easily exceeded the height of a person, and its body length was more than two jou. His strong body was strengthened with magical power, making him a being of a different dimensionpared to a mere tiger. It snapped trees and leapt about in all directions, easily taking the lives of soldiers along with their armor from overhead. The ck and green hair of its body blocked shes like wires. They were tigers mutated by magic power, just as some humans possess arge amount of magic power. In addition to their original physical abilities, their magical power was even greater than that of humans. The force and spring generated while they were using it were iparable to humans. ¨D¨DThe unit naturally fell into chaos. It was only after dozens of soldiers had been killed that he was informed that the opponent was Suiko. It happened in the blink of an eye. There were rumors that a Suiko would appear in the forest, but it was extremely rare to encounter a magical beast with a small poption. It can only be said that it¡¯s bad luck that it appeared at the worst possible time. In the worst visibility of the torrential rain, Gran was forced to make a decision. Should he abandon the attacked century and fulfill his original goal? Or should he give priority to saving them first? And so, he chose thetter. Unwilling to abandon his soldiers, Gran decides to move to hunt the Suiko. With a difficult opponent and low visibility, Gran regained control. However, what appeared there was an enemy detachment that seemed to be thinking of a detour as well. Gran realized at that moment that he had failedpletely and decided to retreat, retrieving the survivors. He couldn''t bring the Suiko to the main force, so he prioritized leaving the scene. He spent a whole day wandering in the forest, and the Suiko attacked twice after that. On the third attack, they seeded in driving it away, but in the end, the number of casualties was close to 200. About fifty men got lost along the way and were taken prisoner by the enemy. With no support from Gran for the main force, the breakthrough on the right nk naturally had to be done by force. While Kolkis seeded in forcing his way through, he was angry with Gran when he returned. The enemy''s detachment¨D¨Das Gran judged from his subordinate''s report was not a detachment, but simply a reconnaissance toon. In the confusion, the soldiers had misidentified it. The enemy was a force that the unit Gran had led would naturally have been able to destroy and break through. ¡®A misidentification of enemy forces due to confusion? The visibility was poor due to the heavy rain? Is that your excuse?¡¯ ¡®...I''m sorry, Father.¡¯ Whatever the reason, the result was that there were no results. Gran couldn''t even defeat the Suiko, causing unnecessary damage and running away. ¡®Haa, sorry is it? I think you''ve made enough excuses.¡¯ ¡®Father¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®Shut up.¡What you did was let a skilled soldier die in vain, and then you ran away from Suiko with your tail between your legs. That''s it, right? And on top of that you came back when it was all over?¡¯ ¡®N-no, however¡¡¯ ¡®Shut up!!¡¯ ¨D¨DHis father yelled as if howling. ¡®You have nothing but excuses! Your powerlessness made you unable to abandon your troops to achieve your goal, and all you could do was run around causing more damage!¡¯ The best result was to defeat Suiko and aplish the surprise attack. The next best result was abandoning the soldiers and aplishing the objective. The minimum was to defeat the Suiko to prevent an attack on the main force while they were on the run. Kolkis was furious that Gran had been unable to aplish anything. Kolkis, who lost a lot of soldiers due to the unsupported frontal breakthrough, must have been frustrated. ¡®...I misjudged you, Gran. I believed you could do it, entrusting it to you¡bringing you along was a mistake.¡¯ The words were spoken as if being wrung out. At that moment, Gran felt that his father had abandoned him. The Suiko that Gran failed to subdue waster hunted by Kolkis himself. There were more than a dozen wounded, but they were all minor injuries, and no one died. He only showed Gran the results, and his father said nothing to him. ¨D¨DThe front-linemand was a heavy burden for Gran. Kolkis told Bogan that, and Gran was then to work as Bogan''s messenger, but he knew what he meant. He implied that he was unfit to follow in his footsteps. ¡®¨D¨DIt is not good to be cowardly. Isn''t it said that Krische-sama easily killed more than a dozen thieves?¡¯ And he waspared to Krische, who should be called a genius. ¡®Selene and Krische seeded in prating the mountains, killed a general adjutant and his aide, and captured an aide to the general alive. ¡How long will you continue to stay like that?¡¯ Selene, a youngdy who began to make her mark at a young age. Kolkispared Gran to the two of them. ¡®The General Staff Department has a vacancy that the General has in mind¨D¨DI''m thinking of having you go there soon. Either way, you''re good with your head. Just the person the General seeks.¡¯ ¡®Father, give me one more chance.....In the next battlefield, I''ll be sure to¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®..... Stop. I''ve thought it over and made my decision. You are better suited to this than to wield the spear with the army. If you disagree with me, go out there and show me your results.¡¯ Since that blunder, he had made more bloody efforts than ever before. He spent every waking moment wielding his spear and sword. However, those words were a sign of resignation towards Gran. ¨D¨DGran Agrand respected his father. And as the sessor of Kolkis Agrand, for him to be a son who wouldn¡¯t bring shame, he ¡®Gran, sorry to bother you at this time of night, but I need to talk to you.¡¯ ¡®...Adjutant Caldera?¡¯ It was around that time that he was approached by Salva. ¡°¨D¨DPermission to pursue. If it''s now." ¡°It''s pointless. Naturally, the enemy is prepared for it.¡± Dismissing Gran''s words, Gildanstein took off his disguised messenger''s armor and sat down on the seat of honor in the tent. Night¨D¨DChristand''s army prepared to retreat from this ce. "Our soldiers are inferior in quality. They''re a hodgepodge. If the sun is out, the number of soldiers can be deceived, but if it''s a night battle, the difference will be noticeable." "But they¨D¨D" "Gran, stop. Putting aside if it''s a normal enemy, it''s difficult to pursue the Christand army. It''s not like you don''t know how many enemies you''ve trapped with camouged retreats." Salva interjected. In today''s battle, they were pushed by the enemy. The morale of the soldiers was not high. Pursuing with exhausted and demoralized soldiers¡ª¡ªIt¡¯s one thing if the opponent was an average opponent, but the risk was too great against the Kristand army. If it was only 5,000 units that came as reinforcements, it would not be impossible to move them. In that case, it may be possible to bite the enemy''s buttocks, but this army corps was the trump card. There was no sense in cutting the winning ticket here. "Calm down a little. Don''t lose your calm." Salva looked at Gran. Gran was excellent. He entrusted one corp not only as bait against Kolkis but also because he thought he had enough capability. But he was still young, and there were still many aspects of him that were mentally immature. "The enemy was stronger than expected, that''s all." ¡°...Yes sir.¡± Reading that Kristand would go on the offensive after learning of the reinforcements, today he used a n that Gran had been working on for some time in order to lure Kolkis and take his head. A mobile defense that deliberately opened holes in the defense and lured them in. However, the enemy noticed it and it ended in failure, and Gran was desperate to make up for that mistake. It was not Gran''s fault. It was just that the enemy was better. He would have done well enough against another army, and the camouge itself was not bad, even from Salva''s point of view, and the odds of sess were good. He may have seeded with just one timing. This way of taking failure too seriously wasmon among young people. ¡°Do you consider this an invitation, Your Highness?" "... No. Retreating at this timing¨D¨Ddespite them having the advantage. It''s to buy time. Perhaps they realized that they were the true target." "It''s not impossible." "Even so, that decisiveness is impressive... Bogan''s daughter isn''t too bad." Gildansteinughed, his beautiful face distorted. He brushes back his golden hair. "You and Gran, a former adjutant and a son. I thought Agrand and Melchikos would get hot headed and wanted to fight you two.¡± It had all been thought out from the beginning. That was the reason why Salva and Gran were ced here. Kolkis,mander of the Second Corp, and Terrius,mander of the Third Corp, were two of the proudestmanders of the Christand army. Disturb them and prompt their thoughts to a decisive battle. Though Selene was a brilliant general, it hadn¡¯t been long since she became a general, and at only 15, she was too young. She wouldn¡¯t be able to be independent in the presence of a seasoned corpsmander. Being swept away by the two men, who were naturally reluctant to flee, she would be forced into a head-on collision tomorrow morning. This reinforcement was a corps of 5,000 selected elites. He would lead an army that had readied all the cards they could muster, and by tomorrow the battle would be over. That was the n, but here the schedule went awry. Selene''s retreat was unexpected. "They shouldn''t be expecting that I¡¯m here..." There was no way she could have gotten word that Gildenstein was here. They were putting even more effort into blocking messengers than usual this time. Their messenger was forced to make a big detour¨D¨Dconsidering the time it was doubtful that they even had received the information that he had shown his face. "... It''s not aplete retreat after all. They just want to increase the distance and buy time for a head-on collision." The enemy thought Gildanstein was in the South. Considering the possibility that they were the target, they just needed to open up the distance. The Christand army realized that if they retreatedpletely, a thorough dy tactic would be carried out in the south, and his army would ravage the rear. The original purpose of the Christand army here¨D¨Dto prevent them from bypassing them and preventing them from disrupting the rear cannot be abandoned. "It''s troublesome to buy time. Tomorrow we will move before dawn." "Yes sir. How do you n to attack tomorrow?" ¡°If you think about which corps to defeat, the most troublesome is old ma Faren¡¯s who was stationed in the center. He''s an old man with one foot stuck in a coffin, but I''m sure he won¡¯t hand over his head easily on the battlefield. If both sides take the same formation, there is also support from both wings, out. ¡ In that respect, Agrand is easier to kill because hees forward but¨D¨D¡± Gran reacted, but Gildanstein only gave a wry smile. "However, his soldier. Even if we kill Agrand, they won''t be crushed. Rather, it''s highly likely that it will raise morale and cause trouble. It''s a process of elimination." "Then¨D¨D" "The Third Corp, we will kill Melchikos. Gran, I''ll leave your father to you." Gran gasped at those words and saluted. "As for me, I want to finish it before the Cursed Child arrives. If it¡¯s a monster, I know a few people who are capable enough to be called monsters and monstrosities, but that thing is a literal monster." He held out his hands in exasperation and looked at Gran. "I won''t think about defense this time, I won''t leave any reserves, I will just do my best to break through the Third Corps. Hit the 2nd Corps on your own. Torval, Giska, you guys too." The other man on the left and the corpsmander in the center also saluted. "This battle is simple. Either my head falls off, or I kidnap the enemy princess. All you guys have to do is stick to the enemy. Nakirus, isn''t it fun?" "Hahaha, indeed." Taller than Gildanstein, taller than even therge build Kolkis, at 7 shaku. Arms like logs and a face like a rock. With his beard growing messily, Nakirus Felizar was the kind of man who looked like a bandit. ¡°But I certainly wouldn''t want to be on the other side of that thing. Even Walter Zagan couldn''t buy us any time.¡± ¡°It''s a painful loss¡± The Dragon¡¯s Maw¨D¨DKrische¡¯s surprise attack, which came running up the cliff. At that ce, there were high-ranking officers, including a famous centurionmander, battalionmander, and corpsmander. The ten or so men we lost when we killed Bogan¨D¨Dhe considered this an unavoidable loss for the result, but the ones killed by Krische were still regrettable. Walter was the one he trusted the most. He was the heir to the Zain style of swordsmanship and the royal family''s instructor in swordsmanship. As a single swordsman, he did not seek advancement in the world, so he remained in the position of corpsmander, but he was a powerful general. If he had been here, he would have felt more secure. However, it was a matter of perspective. It was precisely because Walter was killed so easily that Gildanstein was able to immediately understand Krische¡¯s ability and jump behind. If you think about it, you can say it was a sacrifice that couldn''t be helped. "Well, it''s no use regretting what is already over. Time only flows forward." Gildanstein said, looking around. ¡°We''ll get it all done before the sun goes down from its zenith. Fight with that in mind.¡± ¨D¨DChristand took a course to the west, crossing Kielzaran. As Gildanstein read, they just kept their distance. It was not difficult to catch up with them, as they had advanced about forty ri (~16 km) to the west. The reason was that Christand had set up camp on the spot and did not move, nor did they move any further distance. As Gran looked at the enemy line, he thought of the face of themander. Golden hair¨D¨Da beautiful youngdy. Selene Christand was born with everything. Beauty, family background, and talent¡ª¡ªsomething that could be called charisma. She never backed down even against those older than her, and she had been ahead of the pack in tactical ss since she was a child. She took up the sword alongside the adults and stood up with tears in her eyes no matter how many times she was struck down. She never became arrogant or conceited since birth. As a woman, she was never spoiled, never giving up. If only she was not a woman¡ª¡ªshe shoved aside the voices of those who said that and showed her ability. She worked hard to be the sessor to the General and had her achievements recognized by those around her. Everyone admired her. Gran was once one of them. But at some point, he felt a dark emotion toward her as she continued to advance in front of him. *¡®Me too. If only I hadn''t made that mistake, I would be like this¨D¨D¡¯* He stood still and she moved forward. At some point, the gap between the two would surely be so great that it would be impossible to close. Even though he understood that it was just jealousy, it never went away, and it tortured him. And so now she was in front of him as a General, leading an army. The morale of the Christand army was high. The General Serene Christand was the daughter of a hero, and as a young hero, she was loved by her soldiers more than anyone else. Even after losing her father, she still had the strength of mind to pick up a sword and show herself on the battlefield with dignity, which was more than that of a 15-year-old girl, that''s why her soldiers respected her. A tragic heroine who lost her father. And yet she stood up for herself. That was a heroic tale there that the soldiers liked, and they valued that kind of story. As fate guided her, the human heart was swallowed up in its flow. ¨D¨DSuch a story will never lead him, a traitor, forever. Gran understood this and closed his eyes. "Corps Commander, the deployment is ready." "Understood. ¡The enemy will think about breaking through. That''s what we will be aiming for." His current self was the armymander of traitors. The girl who was once at his feet, now he needed to look up to look at her, the difference was clear. However, this was not the end of the story. Traitor¨D¨Dhe needed the results and the power to overthrow that word. *¡®I can do it.¡¯* *¡®I will show them.¡¯* Gran clenched his fist and turned his gaze from the center of the enemy line to the front. The coat of arms of Agrand, the shape of a tiger. His father''s g was there. Gran knew about Kolkis¡¯s tactics more than anyone else. It had strengths, weaknesses, everything. He had always admired all of it. That''s why he pointed the de at his father¨D¨Dand that''s how it all began. Everything that had stopped inside him. "Only move when the enemy has charged in. Tell everyone to wait for the signal." ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¨D¨DThis was the first step that came toote. "Cavalry, I''ll lead the way. Follow me when we move. ...Victory lies ahead that path." To seize the honor that he lost again. Chapter 105: Father and Child Chapter 105: Father and Child ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 105 Father and Child*** The dawn had ended, and the sun rose illuminating the earth. Pure white clouds high in the sky dotted the blue sky. Christand¡¯s army maintained the same formation as the day before, and so did Salva Caldera''s. The only difference was the presence of reinforcements on the right wing of the Caldera army¨D¨DNakirus Felizar''s corps of 5000. Selene sent 4,000 of the 5,000 under hermand to the left wing, to Terrius, themander of the third corps, which was to oppose the enemy''s right wing. The marching banner was waved, the trumpets sounded. And both armies began to move at the same time, as if it were a mirror. Both sides moved their right wings, then the center, and then the left wing. Advance with one wing as the main attack, and dy contact with the other wing. ¨D¨DIt was an oblique formation. However, there was a clear difference in the skill level of the soldiers. The diagonal march, where the timing is different from the one next to you, is especially difficult, and the quality of the corporal and corporal, in addition to the training period up to that point, is what counts. Compared to the Christand army, which drew a perfect oblique line with no gaps, the Caldera forces'' line was distorted in many ces. Considering that the distortions that urred became clear gaps and created vulnerable points, it was not a tactic that the Caldera army should have chosen. "...That''s an unsettling move." "Kolkis-sama?" Kolkis, who was on the right wing, murmured when he saw the enemy''s left-wing movement from his horse. Aical oblique (diagonal) formation. It was as if they were asking him to break through. It was hard to believe that the prudent Salva would make such a move without any measures. He had expected that the other side would concentrate its strength on one of the two wings, but. Kolkis stroked his chin as he watched the soldiers from Selene''s main camp move toward the left wing. ¨D¨DThere was a danger that the enemy would concentrate an extreme force on our left nk. It was highly likely that the enemy was thinking of a short-term battle. "... As expected of Corps Commander Faren. He moves quickly." The Central Fourth Corps undted the advancing vanguard formation. In the oblique line, creating a convex on the left wing and gathering the archers there. The moment he realized that the enemy would not be concentrated in the center, he set up an improvised firing position on the convex part he had created, and changed the formation so that he could cover the targeted left wing. Eluga Faren trained his men, emphasizing control and coordination above all else. As a result, it bes possible to transform the formation into an irregr, acrobatic formation. While honestly praising the speed of his decision, he was aware that the tant move also contained a message to Kolkis. ¨D¨DDon''t expect any cover. Eluga sensed the danger on the left wing and decided to concentrate his efforts there. The irregr formation naturally created a weakness. The protruding convex would be an easy target, and Eluga would have to focus on defending it. It was better to assume that there wouldn¡¯t be any cover for the right wing, where Kolkis was located. "However, Corps Commander Faren sure is unreasonable. Though it doesn''t feel bad if I think that he trusts me." "Haha, but don''t these situations make your blood boil?" "Aah, certainly. ¡Fortunately there doesn''t seem to be a problem." Kolkis turned his attention to the front. It¡¯s about time they will be within range of the enemy archers. Since the archers were concentrated in the center and left wing from the beginning, they wouldn''t be conducting shooting at the approaching enemy. ¡®Considering the damage, should we take full readiness to defend, or should we close the gap at once?¡¯ ¨D¨DThe enemy was poised for a short battle. It was obvious. "We will charge, I will also go. The enemy is in a stupid nted line of fire, it will be easy to break through. Ignore the fools Gran, charge through and take their back." The objective was to get near the center of the enemy''s left nk¨D¨Dthe disorder there was the greatest. It was probably the joint between the two corps that separated the enemy''s left wing and center. Take the head of the corpsmander of the inner left wing near the center and divide them. After that, a detachment unit would be formed to target the enemy''s main camp or the rear of the right wing. There was no tactical value in a Gran who was divided from the center. Just pin him down and leave him alone. The important thing was the enemy''s offensive against the left wing, Terrius. "I''ll head for the left nk then. I''ll leave Gran to you." "Yes sir!" Gran closed his eyes for a moment when he saw Kolkis movement. Then he gave the order. "¨D¨DThe enemy has moved, let''s go. Follow me." There was no figure of his father charging straight to him. He was in the lead, aiming at the seam of the army. He had the slightest bit of hope. That his father would point his spear at him directly. Granmanded the cavalry and took the lead. The light infantrymen, who were the most capable among the ragtag of the corps, were givenrge shields and pulled behind, and they advanced from the far-left wing. On Kolkis¡¯s rightmost wing were pikemen. As the nk defense against cavalry, Kolkis always had long spearmen in reserve and on the right nk. And it was the same today. It was the same father he knew¨D¨Dthe same troop deployment as usual. ¨D¨DWhen one thinks about the corpsmander named Kolkis Agrand, what was the best thing about him? It was not Kolkis¡¯s own military prowess, but his skill in military drill. Kolkis¡¯s rigorousbat training turned even amateurs who had never held a sword and spear into valiant warriors in a matter of months. And with the strength of his soldiers, he easily aplished otherwise unsessful assaults and defenses. The reason Kolkis did not useplex tactics is that he always prioritizes simple and clear orders that maximize the strength of his trained soldiers. ¡®The only thing they understand is to move and stop. No matter how much we twist and turn our brains to develop tactics, the soldiers cannot understand a single piece of it. ¡In the end tactics are nothing more than the art of creating decoys and disturbing the opponent. The soldiers who are used as decoys are not happy and their morale will lessen.¡¯ Kolkis'' battlefield philosophy that he was told as a child. He had not forgotten it, word for word. ''Rather than that, move forward and defeat the enemy, protect this ce and take revenge, these orders are easy to understand. The orders given to everyone, and the situation are equal¨D¨Dthat''s why you canpete with other squads and boost morale. And that''s how I teach them.'' It''s not tactics, but strategy, Kolkis said. ¡®Train your men to be the best warriors, and then build your army with the best warriors. In every age, it is the superiority of force that determines victory or defeat. If you build an army that can overwhelm the enemy head-on no matter the tactic, then the battle will be over. ¡Tactics are superficial techniques. It''s natural to know it, and it''s not the essence of fighting. Don''t rely on it too much and neglect the basics." ¨D¨DHe read through all of his father''s battle records. His father''s fight was always in and simple¨D¨Dhe confronted the enemy head-on, seeded in making a breakthrough that could be called reckless, and repeatedly avoided hopeless situations against the opponent''s offensive. Gran, who was vaguely aware that his father was strong, was first surprised by Kolkis¡¯s words, and then understood the true nature of his strength and eagerly learned his tactics. Once he learned that sword and spear weren''t everything, he even kept his sleep to a minimum. Just like his father. Just to follow his back. Gran''s life has been like that all his life. There was no other opportunity to overtake him other than now. "... Yes, this is the first andst time." He mounted his horse and galloped to the enemy nk. The number of cavalrymen he led was 300. The enemy''s far right wing stops and thrusts its long spear here in preparation for the cavalry charge. Their reaction was quick. From this vantage point, he could see most of the battlefield. A rain of arrows dyes the sky ck. The unbroken line of battle far in the distance. A resounding roar¨D¨Dand then a collision of flesh, a metallic sound, and a scream. Those sounds increased in number over time, swelled up¡ª¡ªand the battlefield music began to y across the vast in as far as the eye could see. With each sound, human lives scattered like a flower, signaling the end of life. It was not a life that should have been valued. The battlefield, filled with madness, there was only one truth¡ª¡ªeverything was working to win the war. On this battlefield, one''s own life was trivial. If you face it, you will be overwhelmed. Even his father''s army, with such pressure, was a small world from the perspective of the entire battlefield. All Gran had to do was to win a small victory in that small world. ¡ª¡ªHis heart was calm. The fear in his body disappeared, and the blood in his head, which was threatening to boil, finally began to circte throughout his body. The enemy cavalry and reserve pikemen appeared from the front. It was a detachment to block their detour. Then he turned his horse to the left. Then he pointed the spear at the infantry that followed. "¡ª¡ªThe way to victory has been created! That''s where we should aim!" The cavalry led by Gran caused the enemy''s rightmost wing to take stance with their pike, and the result was a slight gap between them and the advancing vanguard. In order to create this gap, Gran had led the advance. The light infantry following behind changed direction. They run up to the enemy''s nks withrge shields. Then they throw their javelin and m their body into the disordered pikeman. Following them, led by the lightly infantry, were approximately 4,000 men¡ª¡ªalmost the entire force of Gran''s army. Assuming that Kolkis would break through, they would charge into the second corps from the nk with all their strength, splitting it into front and back. This was Gran''s n, putting everything on the line (’Î¤ÆÉí = throw away + body). Kolkis¡¯s Second Corps could never be beaten in terms of the quality of its soldiers. If they went head-to-head, they would lose. Because that army was the strongest army created by Kolkis, whom Gran respects more than anyone else. He won¡¯t win with the quality of the soldiers. However, no matter how strong the army was, it was vulnerable to attacks from the nk. Completely deprives the pikeman ofbat ability with a saturated attack and cuts deep into them. Literally throwing himself away¡ª¡ªif he failed, there''s no after for him. But he was sure of its sess. That was because Kolkis ignored Gran and charged towards the center. As a result, the vanguard of the Second Corps missed their attack against Gran''s corps and waspletely nked and hit in the back. Gran smiles a smile of satisfaction. But it was not over yet. The enemy cavalry was closing in on them. They were heading toward them with desperate expressions on their faces to prevent them from rushing in. At this stage, a charge from their nk would have ruined everything. Naturally, Kolkis¡¯s rightmost pikeman¨D¨Dskilled soldiers were in charge of that. It takes some time to get through itpletely, and in order to earn that time, their cavalry must be stopped. Once again, Gran reversed and turned to face the enemy cavalry. Then he sprints with his spear at the ready. "All men, follow me!" ¨D¨DA head-on collision. The opponent who noticed it flinched slightly, and Gran lifted his cheek. With his horse galloping, Gran swung his spear. Compared to Kolkis¡¯s, it was short and thin. But it is arge spear with a steel core¨D¨Dit was powerful enough. With all the strength in his body, he twisted his upper body and mmed the belly of the spear into the lead cavalryman. The enemy cavalryman tried to parry it, but their quality was different. The enemy cavalryman''s spear was snapped, the steel of his breastte cracked, and Gran''s great spear shattered his armor and his bones, killing the enemy cavalryman. The body was blown off, disrupting the horses that followed. With that blow, Gran dissipated the opponent''s momentum and took down the disordered cavalry. The cavalry who had stopped wouldn¡¯t be a problem no matter their number. He smashed their skulls, pierced their hearts and necks¨D¨Dthere was no one there who could stop him. And the following soldiers shouted in glee and followed Gran. "I''ll leave the rest to you! Bz, follow me!" "Yes sir!" After half-destroying the enemy cavalry with a single exchange, he leaves the rest to him and leads 100 cavalries to the enemy line. Meanwhile, the enemy pikeman was sufficiently disorganized that they no longer had the strength to prevent a cavalry charge. "Surely there are no idiots who wanted to be speared here. Let''s go!" "Yes! All hands¨D¨Dcharge! ¨D¨DThe horse ran. His horse was in good condition. It was exciting, but calm. He looked at the enemy in front of him. They didn¡¯t have their spear. Even those that had readied it have a look of fear on their faces. A spear without proper stance will not take the life of a horse. The distance between us rapidly shortened, and they were crushed¨D¨Dwhat ran through them was an impact. Since the birth of the saddle and stirrup, the cavalryman, even if unarmed, was itself a deadly weapon. With a mass nearly ten times that of a man, its entire body was covered with tough muscr armor. As they galloped, their entire bodies converted all of their kic energy into impact¨D¨Da human body would be crushed like a twig. If a hundred of them were to join together, the impact would ripple through a thousand soldiers, paralyzing their control for a moment. Countless dull sounds echoed. Breaking the bones of the recumbent soldiers, Gran takes a moment to look at his beloved horse. The horse had countless wounds¨D¨Dhe had made it do something reckless. This battlefield would probably be itsst. But even now, his beloved horse continues to run forward. Kicking enemy soldiers. To respond to its owner¡¯s desire to move forward. It was a good horse. Perhaps the best horse he had ever met. This horse''s temperament was a gentle one¨D¨Dbut in this ce that his master wanted, it was demonstrating its best power as a cavalry horse. He swung the spear as if responding to the voice of his beloved horse. The horse kicked away the enemies that clung to him and moved forward. ¡®If this beloved horse survives, even if it can no longer run, I will definitely take care of him until he dies.¡¯ He looked behind. The cavalry that followed was desperately chasing them. To his right side were his soldiers who were charging toward the enemy. His father''s¨D¨Dthe mightiest second corps, had bite off toward its middle. ¨D¨DAfter dividing them, they will defeat the isted frontward group, Kolkis. It was a breakneck march. The Second Corps, all of its soldiers were valiant. Even after being cut down so much, they did not copse, and they were heading toward them even though they were being cut into pieces. Every single one of them was a warrior. What arose was a sense of awe for his father, who trained the soldiers to such an extent. Gran led the way as long as he could, switching several times. His cavalry was already cut down by half. But they followed after Gran. They looked respectfully at theirmander¨D¨Dthe brave Gran, who was always in the lead, and pushed his body forward. A look that had not been there before the battle. At least at this moment, the eyes of disdain for Gran, who betrayed his master, did not exist. As he leads the infantry, as he cuts open the way. And so, Gran splits the enemy line diagonally, and¨D¨D "!?" What was there was not an army of allies. ¨D¨DIt was a spear aimed at himself. He immediately jumped off his horse and rolled over. The neck of his beloved horse was snapped off, and fell to the ground without even a scream. A heroic armor in the shape of a tiger. Hisrge, muscr frame almost ripped the armor from the inside, and the spear he held in his hand was a heavy spear 8 shaku 3 sun (~2,5 m) made entirely of steel. The tip of the spear resembles a thick small sword and the but end would even easily crush rocks. The heavy armor was not meant to protect him. It was a weight to wield the extraordinary spear. Just by walking, his feet would leave deep imprints on the earth. He was probably the best spearman in the Kingdom, both in name and in reality. Kolkis Nactra Rinea Agrand As an extraordinary enemy. "You''re sure energetic. I think I underestimated you too much, Gran. ¡That¡¯s quite a fast advance." "¡Father" Gran looked to his right¨D¨Dto his allies who were supposed to have charged to the left wing with him. It was already in a state of falling apart. Then he understood. Kolkis, after breaking through the left wing, sensed his intentions from Gran''s movement who was piercing through the army¡¯s nk. Then he decided to turn back immediately, and then, taking advantage of the opportunity, pierced the remaining left wing from the rear and twisted it into a pulp. He was confident that Gran would not intervene. It was the best side attack Gran could think of. It was ideal, without anything amiss , and it took only a fraction of the time. ¡®¨D¨DThere was no way father could have returned in such a short time. After destroying a whole corp at that.¡¯ "Hey." "¡Yes sir." At Kolkis¡¯s signal, the soldier next to him threw something. What rolled in front of Gran''s eyes was a head. It belonged to Torval, the corpsmander who was supposed to be inmand of the left wing. "However, the fact that we were able to break through was the reason for your defeat. Did you think that I would have trouble with the opponent who would turn their back, Gran? Did you think you could handle my army with your ragtag group and little tricks?" One step closer. Kolkis feet sunk into the ground. To Gran, the figure of his father in front of him looked like a giant. "And now your feet have stopped. What will begin here is not a tacticalparison, but simply a contest of strength. ...Gran, don''t cause your father any more grief." "Gh...!?" He avoided the swinging spear just in time. A roar echoed through the air that was hard to believe it was caused by a spear. Like tearing the wind¨D¨Dthat word was not even enough to describe it. It was a blow that crushed and squashed the space in front of him. Before he knew it, the soldiers around him were backing away and forming a circle. Father and child¡ª¡ªKolkis and Gran. There were only two people inside it. The soldiers he had brought with him had lost their will to fight at the sight of Kolkis. Realizing their clear defeat, they have lost the high spirits they had earlier. It was as if they realized what was about to happen. "Do you have the luxury of worrying about your surroundings?" "Ugh!?" ¡ª¡ªThe spear pierced far backward as it thrusts out. The blow could easily pierce armor, pierce flesh, and shatter bone. It was an extraordinary blow, yet it was merely a check. Each and every one of the countless thrusts¡ª¡ªeven calling each of them a killing blow was stillcking. The spear, with its extraordinary weight, was like a mere hand spear in his hand. The center of gravity was stable, and the core of the body was always maintained. Only the spear moved with a fluid motion that defied gravity, cutting away Gran''s lifespan and heart. The tip of the spear bisected Gran in two. The steel handle crushed bones along with Gran''s armor. The butt end of the spear shattered it just by grazing it. Gran''s steel spear¡ª¡ªeven that spear that ordinary people couldn''t wield seemed like a twig in front of the Kolkis¡¯s spear. Even those watching could not utter a single word. The roar of Kolkis''s spear¡ª¡ªthe wind pressure. How many spears swung in the blink of an eye? Gran, who continued to dodge it, also wasn''t an ordinary warrior¡ª¡ªbut he already knew the result. Even in this fight, Kolkis was holding back. Swinging the hilt up, Kolkis broke Gran''s spear, who had no choice but to receive the strike. Blown away and rolled over, Gran quickly rises to his feet, draws his sword, and closes in again. "Not yet¡!" Gran shouted. He stepped forward into a leap that seemed to bite into his prey''s neck. Still, Kolkis¡¯s spear was faster. Gritting his teeth, but without mercy, Kolkis snapped his sword. ¡ª¡ªThe sword that Kolkis had once given to Gran for his first battle. Gran''s body was flung away and rolled again. The sword was less powerful, but his arms and ribs were also broken. Unable to get up this time, Gran only raised his face to look at Kolkis. Kolkis¡¯s face was filled with emotion, "...I''m sorry for being such a worthless father. No matter how it is... I feel sad." "Ah¡" Kolkis then thrust his spear through Gran¡¯s armor then pulled it out. Kolkis was petrified for a moment in front of the corpse. He remembers the feeling when he held him when he was a baby. "¡ª¡ªYour corpsmander, Riva Torval Gran Agrand is killed by this Kolkis Agrand!" He then shouted, as if roaring. "On top of that, if there is anyone who wishes to be killed by this spear, thene forward! I will tear them to pieces, no matter who they are¨D¨D!!" It shook the atmosphere and echoed through the earth. Many lowered their swords at the sound of his voice. But then, a voice broke through the ranks. "¨D¨DCorpsmander, the g of the main camp!" Kolkis turned his attention to it. There were six yellow gs facing them from the right, and one red-ck-red on the far left. Only the generals, battalionmanders, g bearers, and some of the messengers in the army knew what it meant. They were supposed to do so, considering it could lower the soldier¡¯s morale. "¡Corps Commander Melchikos is" Kolkis widened his eyes and clenched his fists. It was the g announcing the loss of the left wing corpsmander¡ª¡ªthe death of Terrius Melchikos. Chapter 106: Obsession with Victory Chapter 106: Obsession with Victory ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 106 Obsession with Victory*** Fifteen years ago¨D¨Din the East. A fierce battle was fought there. The objective was to invade the western part of the Holy Empire of Ern, led by Gildanstein. While the kingdom was advancing at a breakneck pace, the Holy Empire was implementing a scorched earth strategy. After the Empirepletely cut off its western part and umted strength, theyunched a simultaneous counteroffensive. The Kingdom''s northern general, who had participated in the battle, was killed, and the Kingdom was pushed back at once, leaving the eastern invasion force in a temporary predicament. The Holy Empire broke through the north side, and to the eastern force, it became a form of being attacked on the side and back. ¨D¨DThere, Terrius Melchikos was on the verge of death. ¡®¨D¨DWhy did you save me, Christand? If you didn''te to rescue us, you would have been able to withdraw your troops without any problems.¡¯ To the southeast from the Great Sea of Trees that spreads to the northeast of the kingdom. The corpsmander who was defending the fort built on the edge of the mountain range¨D¨DTerrius was left behind as his allies retreated. The message ordering the retreat was dyed and then intercepted by the enemy. ¡®And you should have been under His Highness''smand¡at the center. Why are you out there like this?¡¯ ¡®Of course, it is for your rescue, Corps Commander Melchikos.¡¯ Bogan Christand. He was an upstart, born to a poor noble family. Perhaps he was reluctant to buy new armor, the armor he wore was full of scratches¨D¨Donly the leather and metal fittings that held it together were new. It had no carvings, and although it sounded good when it was said to be simple and robust armor, it was just a scrap. The gauntlet was also noticeably slightly off in size, so it was probably not even custom-made armor, but rather second-hand items that had been modified and used. Even though he had risen through the ranks and be a corpsmander, he was not ashamed to expose his poverty-stricken appearance that showed just how much of an upstart he was. He hasn''t liked him since the first time he met him. The first time Terius saw him was when he was a battalionmander¡ª¡ªwhen he saw Bogan being called out as a centurion for his achievements. When Terrius became an adjutant to a corpsmander, Bogan had been promoted to battalionmander under Eluga Faren''smand and he saw him being praised by the general at the time for his war achievements. Whenever Terrius saw him, Bogan was being praised. In contrast to Terrius, who achieved steady military results, Bogan was a man who achieved spectacr results. However, such a person always disturbs the ce. In each case, the results were achieved by using one''s own judgment and doing something close to viting an order. It could be said that it would be good if it produced results, but if not, that would have resulted in beheading¨D¨Dselfish movements would put others in danger. Eventually, he would no longer see his face. That''s what he thought, but when he saw him again in this battle, Bogan had be a corpsmander and had been promoted to the same position as Terrius. ¡®I don''t like it. You are here to protect his Royal Highness.¡¯ ¡®His Royal Highness seems determined to turn the tables from here, no matter what.¡¯ ¡®...Did he get blinded by his previous achievement?¡¯ The other day, in the retreat, Gilldanstein himself took the head of themander of the enemy pursuit force. Together with this man. ¡®He is not that kind of person. At least as a general, I feel that he is a respectable general who is clear-headed, has excellent decisiveness, and has the strength to take the lead. Regardless of the rumors, as a soldier, he greedily seeks victory even if it¡¯s a victory covered in mud.¡¯ ¡®...He is only reckless. He is drunk on blood and glory. ¡that¡¯s enough. How are you going to get out of this predicament? The enemy has 15,000 men facing us, and they have more cavalry than we have. Even if we run now, it''s a gamble whether we can survive.¡¯ Terrius crossed his arms and thought for a moment before telling him. Personally, he didn¡¯t like him, but he came to the rescue of the now-abandoned Terius¨D¨Dthe favor needs to be repaid. ''I will return the debt. I''ll take care of the rear here. ..Salva, I''m sorry, but you may have to die with me. Is that all right? ''Yes sir. I will go with you.¡¯ Salva smiled and saluted. He had a good, determined look on his face. ''Krishtand, if any of my men have survived, please take care of them.¡¯ ¡®Haha, what are you misunderstanding? Our purpose is not behind¡¯ Bogan said with augh. ¡®I and your army¨D¨Dboth of us will lure the enemy to the mountain and destroy it. Then we will break through here and strike the enemy general who is positioned in front of His Highness. As I said¡our aim is to reverse the situation from here. And I havee to you like this to ask you to help me with that.¡¯ ''...... are you insane?¡¯ ¡®Haha, I¡¯m perfectly sane. My men are all strong. You and your men are not demoralized by this situation. They are all prepared to die¨D¨Dgood soldiers andmanders. If we are all going to be dead soldiers, there is nothing we can''t do.¡¯ Boganughed like a beast. ¡®The enemy is now certain of victory, and their mind is already far from the battlefield. Thinking about post-war rewards, their heart is far away¨D¨Dand cowardice prevails. That''s why we should aim at this timing when we are in a predicament.¡¯ ¡®...As I thought you¡¯re crazy, aren''t you?¡¯ ¡®It''s a battlefield, and you can''t do it without being a little crazy. ¡How about it? If you''re going to be crazy, I think it''s more fun to be crazy with blood and victory than with fear.¡¯ He didn¡¯t like this man from the start. But when confronted like this, the temptation gives off a powerful heat that makes his blood boil. ¡®All right. Anyway, since the situation is like this, I''ll go along with your recklessness. ¡After that, as a fellow corpsmander, there will be a sermonter for us, so don¡¯t run away.¡¯ ¡®Haha, I want to listen to that sermon while getting drunk on the sake of victory¨D¨D¡¯ ¨D¨DNostalgic, Terrius recalled the old days. On the battlefield, blood and iron danced, and the air was filled with screams and hard metallic sounds. The enemy force of 5,000 was positioned in the front. In addition to that, 5,000 reinforcements from Nakirus Feliza and the main enemy unit¡ª¡ª5,000 from former adjutant Salva. The enemy was clearly moving to overtake Terrius and was moving to decide the oue. Of the 4,000 entrusted to him by Serene, 3,000 were to be used to stop the detour, and 1,000 were to be used as a reserve against a breakthrough. He had no fear of the enemy. He was grateful that his anger had not dulled his thoughts, and that he was able to remain calm in this situation. ¡®¨D¨D I''d rather bet on her winning than on me going head-on and winning here. Please protect me until then... I''m sorry for relying on you all the time.¡¯ It was Selene who gave it to him. She, who should have wanted to avenge Bogan more than anyone else, was only aiming at victory rather than being swung around by her personal feelings. She said she''s inexperienced¨D¨Da word that could be taken as a weakness in a sense. It must have taken a lot of courage to say that at that moment. Come to think of it, whether it was Kolkis, Terrius, or Eluga¨D¨Dwho seeded Bogan, and tookmand of the Cheistand army, anyone would do. Nevertheless, they unanimously recognized the still-young Serene as themander and rmended her because they all recognized her personality. She was not conceited, was not prideful, and was a dedicated hard worker. Although inexperienced, she made up for it only by hard work, and performed her military duties vigorously, showing that she quickly recovered from her father''s death. That was how the 15 year old girl showed herself to them. In that case, they cannot allow themselves to be swept away by personal grudges and emotions. She was the symbol of Kristand¨D¨Dand was asked to y the role of stopping many rampages, including Kolkis and Tereius. But even though he understood this, he had almost lost myposure after meeting Salva again. Her words were also an admonition to him. Terius recalled that and smiled wryly. She was just a child. And he was reprimanded by that child. ¡°How pathetic, even after reaching this age.¡± "... Corps Commander?" Selene only had as much military knowledge as a 15-year-old girl could gain. As a general, she was stillcking¨D¨Das a corpsmander she barely qualified. She was still very excellent for a 15 year old girl, but she was not worthy ofparison to Krische, who has the power to take out great generals without a second thought and solve everything forcefully, andpared to themander of Chrishtand''s army, her inexperience, and weakness in the battlefield were a hindrance and she was far behind in actualbat ability. But she''s more fit for general than anyone else here. She clearly admitted that her own abilities were immature, and on top of that, she was not conceited of her position, nor was she overly humble, and could rely on and use her surroundings with dignity. It was a talent of sorts. Something that a young person would not normally be able to do. That said, even among seasoned military personnel, not many could do it. Everyone has pride in their abilities, and the more talented they are, the more likely it is to do so. The most obvious example of this was Krische, who was an undeniable genius, whose behavior sometimes could be called arrogant. However, while Serene''s talent blossomed, as amander she did the exact opposite of her sister. Fame and honor abound. Even after she started being called a hero¨D¨Deven though she had more power than anyone else, she was never conceited and kept her own discipline, just like Bogan. She was Bogan''s sessor after all. ¡°Felizar seems to be aiming for our right wing¨D¨Dthe seam with Corps Commander Faren¡± ¡°Yes sir, It looks that way.¡± ¡°Tell Corps Commander Faren that we leave that one to him.¡± ¡°...Will that be fine? The burden on the center¡¡± "Farren''s corpsmander is skillful at handling such people. Even in this situation, it''s enough¨D¨D" Just as he was about to say something, a messenger with a red g ran towards him. "Message from Corps Commander Melchikos and Corps Commander Faren. ''Leave the boars to us and focus on the front.''" ¡®Kuku...see. Any objections, Nertus? "No. g-bearers put the g roger in the center." Laughing at his new adjutant''s stunned expression, Terrius looked to the front. With this, in the front was 10,000¨D¨DHe needed to say thank you to Erugater, he said, moistening his throat with water and thrusting out his sword. "Left wing prepares to charge. Break their formation!" ¡°That old man. What a nuisance.¡± The center of Christand''s army maintained its oblique line and then made a curvature in the line of battle. The archers were ced on the convex part of the line, and countless arrows rained down on Salva¨D¨DGildanstein army¡¯s nk. Even though the arrows from the front could be defended to some extent, the addition of arrows raining down from the side would increase the loss of men at an elerated rate. "... Your Highness, what should we do?" "We''ll just ram it in. We''ll pull Terius from the front. There''s no other chance of victory, and you and I did everything we could to do that. Isn''t that right?" ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, If you die, then that''s it. Just take it easy.¡± ¨D¨DHe''s crazy. Salva looks at Gildanstein, who wasughing at this situation. This assault will literally be the first and thest. Gildanstein said so. Throwing out all safety measures, break through the enemy or die¨D¨Dthat''s what this assault is about. The walls of the Third Corps are thick. Salva knows that better than anyone else. To him, Guilderstein''s action seems more reckless than daring, but the man assures him that it was possible. ¡®Ah¡¯, Salva remembered. If there is one thing Salvacked, it was the insanity to give up everything for victory. They would sacrifice thousands or tens of thousands of men for victory, and if that were not enough, they would even offer their own life as a bargaining chip. And after making that decision, they could calmlyugh. Bogan, Nozan, Kolkis, Terrius, Eluga. It was the same for everyone in the Christand army. Although he dreamed of his career advancement, he reluctantly settled as an adjutant because he knew he wascking. He was not ipetent, but rather excellent¨D¨Dbut there were others who he couldn¡¯t match. He always had undeniable respect for them. ¡°No matter how brave you are, how much of a trash you are, how resentful, how passionate you are¨D¨D if you die, that''s the end of it. In a way, isn''t death even refreshing?" "Not so for many, I suppose, but I''ve also been thinking like thattely. Salva answered while parrying off the raining arrows. Even if they win, the stigma and dishonor will follow him for the rest of his life. Whether he was right or wrong¨D¨Dhe will continue to wonder about it until he dies. Such was the future thaty ahead. In a sense, death was salvation, and he was not inclined to deny it. "This world is like a pit of manure. If you are born, you will sink into filth, even if it is a jewel. Everyone is surrounded by ugly shit. Everyone is covered in ugly shit, and theypare andpete with each other to see who is dirtier. There are things that make meugh when I look at it. Howical, I gradually came to enjoy the dung-fest¨D¨Dbut when it''s over, it''s over, and that''s a good thing." It is said that before he went mad, Gildanstein had everything that was required of him as a member of the royal family at a young age. His older brother, Prince Shervarza, was by no means ipetent and well-qualified as heir to the throne, but none shined as brightly as his younger brother, Gildanstein. ¨D¨DGildanstein, not his older brother Shervarza, was the one who was more suitable for the throne. It was secretly reported that the reason why Guilderstein started ying out of the ordinary was because of themotion that took ce in the royal pce. Things in the royal pce¡ª¡ªSalva, who was young at the time and a soldier, didn''t know much about it. For most nobles, the royal court and royalty were things above the clouds. It was only after the betrayal was brought up that they had a proper conversation¡ª¡ªeven then he doubted that Gildanstein was as crazy as rumored. He was certainly an unruly viin and someone he could not respect. However, if you say that all of him was a viin, then he didn¡¯t think that''s true. ¡°...I don''t know what you are talking about. However, a treasure is still a treasure even if it is in a cesspool of manure. At least that''s part of the reason I''m here now as a military man." Gildanstein looked at Salva suspiciously. He had thrown away his royal armor, which had been custom-made for him, and was now unreservedly wearing a simple armor of Salva''s adjutant If you call it cowardly, it was cowardly. If you call it despicable, it was despicable. The appearance of Gildanstein, who had no pride as a royal family, and was covered in vanity-¡ª¡ªbut even so, what this man sought was a victory. There was something about that pureness that appealed to him as a soldier. ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t that so?¡± "...Well, I wonder." ¡°Well, it doesn''t matter either way. ...At least in this ce, I''ve decided to be your shield and sword and live and die together." Gildanstein twisted the corners of his mouth in amusement. "Kuku, I see. You''re a better weapon than I thought....If you don''t break after the battle,I will use it for a long time.¡± "... I might point my de at my master someday, if that''s all right." "That''s what the legendary cursed sword is like. I longed for it when I was a kid..." He smiled and looked ahead. "The enemy has moved the leftmost wing. What do you think?" ¡°They are nning to stop the spear and surround it. In this case, it is safe to assume that the leftmost nk is skilled. It would be impossible for our rightmost wing to stop it. "In other words¨D¨D" "¨D¨Dwe will break through the thick wall in front of us with all our strength. That is the simplest and best way. ...If His Highness doesn''t get through, you''ll just die." "Hah, you sure say it ¨D¨DI will go, Salva, just pray that the soldiers will follow in this rain of arrows." And then¡ª¡ªat the moment of contact, Gildanstein stepped forward. In front of him was a pikeman. The wall of spears was a symbol of death for the soldiers on the front line, who could not escape. More than half of the front line would surely be killed by them. The dense formation of long spears always demands an enormous amount of blood against the enemy in front of them. Only a long spear can face a long spear head-on. Even so, Gildanstein had sword soldiers withrge shields in the front ranks. The skill level of the pikeman was the key to their collective action. The long spear is a powerful weapon because of its unwavering control. If they were to sh head-on with a mishmash of untrained soldiers, they would be the ones who would lose, and a sh with pikeman would waste a great deal of time. This must be avoided. Time¡ª¡ªbecause everything had to be settled before Colchis finished eating his own son. Kolkis, the corpsmander of the Second Corps, was a solid warrior. If they went head-to-head, even if they were in perfect condition, even if it wouldn¡¯t be aplete defeat, it wouldn¡¯t be able to be called a victory either. And once such a battle was fought, it would mean Gildanstein''s defeat. The Third Corps in front of them was an unquestionably formidable foe, and Giildanstein believed that it would be impossible to overtake it without putting everything he had into it. As a result, this attack was a desperate assault using even the main reserve. The fact that the center and left wing would be destroyed by Eruga and Kolkis had already been factored in¡ª¡ªboth were nned to be discarded from the beginning. If they failed to grab Selene, it would be impossible for them to regain their footing. That''s why it''s time. Gildanstein just had to do everything in his power to achieve his goals. ¨D¨DIn the name of victory. He passed the soldiers in the front row and danced to the front of the line. Strangely enough, he stood in front of 10,000 enemies and charged, just like the one-man show Krische did. ¡°Get out of the way, you miscreants......!¡± To show off to his own soldiers behind him. On the verge of crashing into his foe, he swung his great war ax with all his might. A heavy ax with a steel core¨D¨Dpoised, swung, and fired with all his might. The deadly weapon, which had left his hands, roared and flew away with the wind in its wake. "Huh, ah!?" The storm of steel snaps the long spear, shattering it, and punches a hole in the enemy''s line of battle. The great war ax released all of the energy given to itself for destruction. Then Gildanstein drew his sword and charged in immediately. A sword stance that thrusts the great sword high into the sky. It was the exact image of the kingdom''s coat of arms. He drew a spiral with his body and swung it sideways. The armor of tanned leather was no different from a naked body in front of Gildanstein''s mighty sword. Wielding, transmitting, and swinging the power of the whole body is the fastest¨D¨Dthe King Sword Using technique to target gaps in the enemy and pierce it, but these are not the essence of the sword. To overwhelm by force¨D¨Dto overwhelm. That is Gildanstein. ¨D¨DIt was the de wielded by a King. Guildenstein swung his de as if to widen the entry point, as if to disrupt the enemy''s spear wall. A battle cry mixed with cheers roared out, crushing everything in its ce. "Go forward!! Victory lies ahead!!" Raising his voice, Gildansteinughed. He sheathed his sword, still covered in blood, and grabbed the great war ax lying on the ground in his hand. What he had to do was the same. Once they break through the pikeman and get out, sword soldiers were assigned there. Soldiers specializing in melee battles with small swords and medium shields. But they were not Gildansein¡¯s¨D¨Da King¡¯s match. Remind those who stand in front of him. He crushed them. Made them realize that they were no match for this man, and feared him. Take control. The important thing was to be the ruler of the ce. He would pick up one of his emotions or rationalizations and demonstrate his position byw, by word, and by violence. ¡®King¡¯ is not something that is simply shaped by political power. It is always built by power, and it is a word that indicates the possession of such power to take control of everything around them. His honorable older brother¨D¨DKing Shervarza, was killed by Kreschenta. But deep in his heart, he did not resent her. His brother was too kind-hearted and too weak to stand as king. Being killed is the responsibility of the killed, nothing more. And Kreschenta moved and acted to be king herself. She found her pawn, Krische, and, confident of victory, she challenged Gildsnstein to a match. The form was simple and clear. What they have here was such a match. Which of the two was more fit to be king? This was a contest between two royal families, a contest for their very existence. There¡¯s no such thing as deception, trickery, or cowardice. When challenged to a match, they will act only in pursuit of victory. Power, emotion, will, and ability - the strength of all of these factors will bring about results and make a ¡®King¡¯. Kreschenta used Bogan and his army. His pawn, Hilkintos, was easily defeated, and as a result, his side was at a disadvantage. That one surpassed Gildanstein in terms of ability¡ª¡ªbut it''s not over yet. The match would continue until one of them no longer able to move ¡ª¡ªAnd the result would not be known until then. "Adjutant-dono, please stand back! We will pave the way for you¡!¡± The nameless centurion who had caught up with him shouted. Adjutant¡ª¡ªhe must have judged it from the armor that Gildanstein was wearing. ¡°Time is of the essence. If you want me to stand back, then go ahead on your own.¡± "Yes sir! Did you hear that!? Groups 1 to 7 will move forward, and cut from the right! Group 10 and Group 12 behind!" He was just amoner, not a magic possessor. Even though he was approaching old age, his voice was full of tension and spirit. He had the air of someone who has devoted decades of his life to the battlefield. ¨D¨DQuite a good warrior. "What is your name?" "I''m rias, a centurion who belongs to the 2nd battalion under the directmand of the General, adjutant." "I see, don''t die rias. If you survive, I''ll prepare a reward, enough for you to y around for the rest of your life." "Haha, thank you very much for your kind words....But you sure say something difficult!" He stabs the enemy in front of him with his sword, as if he were to strike him with his entire body. When he saw that it was impossible to pull out his sword, he pulled out the sword at his opponent''s waist. His skill and judgment are good¨D¨D but the enemy is just as good, or close to it. ¡°I don''t think I have time to think about the future in this situation!¡± "I see, that''s for sure. ¨D¨DHowever, your work ends here." To the left is the gap created by them charging to the right. He looked behind him. There was Salva, and he was seeing the same thing as Gildanstein. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± It was Salva who answered Gildanstein''s gaze and charged in. The base was wide, and the further it went, the sharper and thinner it became. The center of gravity was in the hand while remaining robust¨D¨Da longsword suitable for piercing, while still maintaining its sturdiness. When he stepped forward and swung it, it pierced through a gap in the enemy''s armor and took his life. And following in line with him are the elite of the general''s guards. He looked in that direction, smiled, and told rias. "The general is facing the front. We will continue on like this and nk the enemy corpsmander." "To cover the general¨D¨D" "It doesn''t matter. The enemy''s attention will be drawn that way. All you have to do is to advance through the disorganized enemy lines in the meantime and greatly disturb them. I will lead the way, follow me.¡± Once past the first wall, the pikeman reappeared at a distance. Archers danced through the gaps in the line, firing from the nks without a pause. It was like attacking a fortress. If they broke through the pikeman in a hail of arrows, sword soldiers would be waiting for them inside. In addition, A salvo of archers, albeit few in number, awaits them from the nk. Terrius Melchikos, Commander of the Third Corps of the Christand Army. This man is a master of field fortifications, and even in mere field battles, he uses human flesh to build fortifications in ces where there was nothing. He would break the enemy''s hearts and minds by making them run in a path called gap, creating a killing zone, and then rounding up the fiercest of the fighters who slipped through. His skill in building a two-tiered or three-tiered defense wall while leaning heavily in an oblique line formation was so impressive that most enemies will lose their will to fight when they break through pikeman and then face pikeman again¨D¨Dand arrow from the nks. There was not a single ipetent person among the Christand armymanders. That''s why Christand had be known as the strongest in the kingdom¨D¨Da matchless army led by a hero. More than ten years have passed since Bogan was appointed as a general. Gildanstein had heard many times at the royal pce about the sesses of Bogan and the army he led. Over and over again. Maybe if he had been a mere noble instead of royalty¨D¨Dwould he have been able to think nothing of it and just be like a sword? ¨D¨DFor example, like Bogan. "Get out of my way!!" With his great war axe, he cuts down both long spears in front of him. Shattering and snapping the spear, he disrupts it and moves forward. Feeding on the flesh and blood of the frightened enemy. At least for now, he could go on without thinking. ¡°Adjutant-dono, you are being reckless!¡± ¡°I''m in a good mood. I''m really enjoying myself.¡± "Haha, I didn''t know there was such a brave person among General Caldera''s adjutants... I didn''t study enough. What''s your name?" "It¡¯s Gildanstein, rius." ¡°Huh¨D¨D?¡± There was no longer any distance to escape. There is no need to hide it. "I''ll give you the honor of fighting beside the king. I''ll leave my back to you." The centurion stiffened for a moment and immediately understood the situation. The Royal Prince Gildanstein¨D¨D the ck lion wielded a great battle ax. Everyone knows that much. "Yes sir! Understood!!" He shattered the long spear and flipped off the heavily armed infantry behind him. Salva was already confronting Terrius. ¨D¨DAnd so, Gildanstein caught the Commander of the Third Corps at a distance. "¨D¨DI can''t say I was surprised. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were able to break through, right?" A sculpture that resembled a fortress. Wearing shining, polished armor, Terrius dismounted, drew his twin swords, said that to Salva, who appeared in front of him. His breathing was heavy, blood staining the polished, uncarved te mail. But certainly, there he stood, confronting Terrius. Twoyers of pikeman and threeyers of heavy infantry. By creating a space between them and interlocking the archers, they lure in the enemies who have broken through and destroy them. Like a fortress that narrows the road, forces the enemy to run, and kills them with a hail of arrows and traps, the fortress of flesh that Terrius builds¨D¨Dnot many people can break through it. However, Salva divided his squad into two squads and used one as a decoy to hinder the interlocking of the archers. Amazingly, he had pulled through the triple barrier and arrived here. Terius praised him honestly. Salva, who had been an adjutant by his side for a long time. Considering the fact that he was going up against it, he had adjusted the details of the formation. Salva wouldn¡¯t be able to break through¨D¨Dthey wouldn¡¯t confront each other like this. However, that judgment was probably a result of his own conceit. Salva was a calm¡ª¡ªa rather passive person. He is not the type of person who would take the initiative and split the ranks. Surprisingly, he also felt happy about it. Somewhere in his heart, he also wanted Salva to appear in front of him like this. "Now that I think about it, it''s been a long rtionship¡ª¡ªbut this is the end, Salva. Are you prepared?" Sensing that the enemy were breaking through, Terius immediately gathered an army. To kill Salva, who had just rushed in. At most 500 were with Salva. While he had 1000 here. Salva and his men were exhausted. This was the end. "I will not forget the years I fought as your adjutant." "It''s you who threw it away, it''s a pity....Archer!" Salva, having broken through¨D¨Da salvo of archers greeted him. But¨D¨D "Corps Commander, the enemy...!?" Just before that, another great war ax appeared. A decoy¨D¨Dbecause it was a small unit of around 100 people that he thought so. "Everyone, forward! Corps Commander Terius Melchikos''s head is right in front of us!" When Salva shouted, the archers fired. However, the enemy, who had appeared from the left nk, waspletely out of position. Terrius quickly turned to face it and realized what was happening. "... Your Highness!" "It''s been a long time, Melchikos. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have you die." He carried a great war ax andughed under his helmet. Gildanstein narrowed his eyes. "¨D¨DI''ll kill you myself." Chapter 107: Old Soldier Chapter 107: Old Soldier ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 107 Old Soldier*** A/N: 1 ken = 6 shaku = approx. 1,8 m He shred the earth, causing a sandstorm¨D¨Doverwhelming everything with his strong arms. The opponent was the ck Lion Gildanstein. It was certain that Terrius was no match for him. "...You''re pretty good at dodging, aren''t you?" "Even though I can''t win, I can''t just die." Even with a sword as a shield, it was impossible to receive a single blow from Gildanstein. If he did that, Gildanstein''s great war ax would easily bisect Terrius along with his sword. All Terrius could do was dodge. He had no chance of winning. But he cannot escape. If he escaped, the left-wing would copse, and the entire army led by Gildanstein would avnche into Selene''s position. To prevent that from happening, Terrius had to buy as much time as possible. He had to buy time for Kolkis to notice ande back. ¨D¨DBut that would no longer be possible. "Guh!?" Failing to dodge, his left arm was cut in two along with his sword, and flew through the air. Severe pain that almost made him faint¨D¨Dhe clenched his teeth to endure it and stood up. There was no way to buy much time from this point on. The men defending Terrius were reduced and whittled down before Gildenstein''s de¨D¨Dthere was no leeway left. "It is over. Surrender and your life will be spared, Terrius. This is the end of this war...If you think about what happens after the war, you are a piece I want to keep." "Haha, thank you for your kind words...but" Dripping blood and shaking his head, Terrius shouted to the heavens. "My valiant Third Corps, without being perturbed by my death, continue to fight back! If you buy time, we will have a chance to win, do not give up, exert all your strength! The Royal Prince Gildanstein, the head of the enemy general is here!" Terrius let out a howl andughed. He heard the roar of the soldiers as a response and looked at Gildanstein. "This is the answer, Your Highness. Even if you kill me, the soldiers I have left will not disappear." "...How troubling. That I have to kill a man like you." He said boredly and readied himself again. Terrius, too, readied himself with one arm. This is thest one¡ª¡ªHe would be cut down without even scratching him. But he must not die a vain death. A soldier should avoid meaningless deaths. "...Your Highness!!" He stepped forward, ran, and arge single swing. Gildanstein, who responded only after seeing it, was faster and quicker. Skill, strength, talent¨D¨Din none of them could he beat Gildanstein. However¨D¨D "!?" Entering the great war axe range Terrius threw his sword¨D¨Deven as his torso was split halfway. The de that was thrown shallowly cut through Guildenstein''s thigh. What appeared on Terrius¡¯s face was a satisfied smile. And that was the end. Terrius'' body that was bisected, flew through the air, scattering his organs. The graceful armor of the fortress shattered. "... Bogan, you have a good set of pieces." He said, happily. Gildanstein lightly pressed the wound on his thigh. It was Gildanstein''s great war axe that hit Terrius first. Terrius'' sword changed its trajectory because of it and only lightly cut his thigh. There was pain and a fair amount of bleeding, but not so much that he couldn¡¯t move. "Your Highness! The wound¨D¨D" "No need, it''s just a scratch." There, Salva finally got through Terrius'' guard. He approached Gildanstein and eximed seeing his wound, but Gildanstein waved his hand, saying there was no need to treat it. Time was too precious for that. "They¡¯re good soldiers. It may be meaningless but tell them about his death just in case." "...Yes sir." Salva turned his attention to the gruesome corpse of Terrius and offered a moment of silent prayer. Then he raised his voice. "Your Commander, Commander of the Third Corps of the Christand Army, Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos has been in by the Royal Prince, Gildanstein Alberan! There is no longer any need to resist, throw away your sword and surrender!! Know that it is the Kingdom that you pointed your swords at!!" Gildanstein raised his voice as soon as he saw the situation. "We will immediately continue. How many have slipped through?" "It''s probably around 1500." While Gildanstein was dealing with Terrius, Salva was expanding the breakthrough. 500¨D¨Dtheir military strength, which was about 600bined with Gildanstein, has increased by another 1000 men. From this point on, it was possible to further increase the number of men if they waited, but. "¨D¨DIt''s troublesome if the old man in the centeres after us. We''ll go right away." "Yes sir! Everyone, the target is the enemy general, Selene Christand!! Leave everything behind, and immediately head for the enemy headquarters!!" It was hard to believe that Eluga Faren in the center would allow them such a leisurely action. In the worst case, until Kolkis returned, they would be forced to waste their time stuck with the Third Corps. Themanders of all the corps and even the battalionmanders in Christand were excellent. The speed with which they were able to regroup was unmatched by ordinary armies, and there was no other way for them other than to aim for a momentary paralysis. Luckily, the enemy main camp was short on men because of the reinforcements sent to Terrius. It was possible to get through enough men. Advance and overwhelm. The road beyond Gildanstein had only been there since the beginning. ¨D¨DThen they advanced to the enemy main camp, "...So it really was you, Your Highness." Confronting Selene Christand, the enemy general who would decide all victories and defeats. ''--Because the bigger the weapon, the bigger the opening. To kill someone, you only need to wound them a little, so a small one is better.¡¯ When asked if she would really go into battle with such a small sword, Krische responded with those words. ¡®Krische is confident that she can use a weapon that''s as heavy as Krische¡¯s body, but the weapon¡¯s centrifugal force Krische wielding will pull around Krische''s body, and Krische will end up being swept away. If Krische moves using centrifugal force to use it efficiently, this time Krische move will be more predictable... erm.¡¯ Standing in front of a mirror, Krische pointed her de at her reflection. ''When Krische confronts Krische, Krische thinks about which one is the strongest, Krische still thinks a sword like this one is just right. Deliberately deviating the center of gravity and wielding arge weapon gives it more power, but Krische thinks it''s too much to kill people. A sword that fits Krische''s body and is light enough to keep Krische¡¯s center of gravity stable is the best.¡¯ But even so, Krische using that sword was too anxious for her. Selene was worried, but Krische did exactly what she said and did everything with just that sword. Not with a spear or an axe, but with that sword she easily cut down soldiers wearing full armor. Krische¡¯s logic was beyond theprehension of ordinary people. A superhuman technique that allows her to aim at gaps in armored opponents using a single small sword¨D¨Doverwhelming power. It was a logic that was based on that, and it was a realm that Selene couldn¡¯t understand. Even though she gave up understanding her logic, the words remain stuck in her head. ¡®When surrounded by multiple people, Krische thinks that the gap created is greater than anything else. It''s only when the opponents are fleeing enemies that you''re strong by wielding a big weapon. The opponent who doesn''t run away will definitely target that gap, so bnce is important. When Krische deals with multiple opponents, Krische make sure not to be surrounded¨D¨D¡¯ And now she finally understood the logic she was talking about. In front of Selene''s eyes, there was the figure of Gildanstein surrounded by the ck Century. The great war ax wielded caused a roaring sound¡ª¡ªkept the skilled century at bay. Its range and power are terrifying, and it''s difficult to get close to it, as even just a scratch can cause fatal injuries. Gildanstein was strong. At leastpared to Selene, it was overwhelming. "But...he¡¯s not invincible." The roar¨D¨Dthe sound of the wind made by the great battle axe. The power of the axe pulling your attention makes your body stiffen. Causing one to lose theirposure. However, if you look at it calmly, you can see something. By skillfully shifting his center of gravity, Gildanstein aligned his body with the mass of the swung great battle axe. But each time he swung, his body was swept away by the centrifugal force generated by the tip of the massive axe. Gildanstein''s body seemed to glide across the meadow¨D¨Dno, he actually did. Gildanstein''s great war axe. Its whole body was steel, and at the tip was a heavy axe. If you just look at it in terms of weight, it would be heavier than Krische. Therefore, to some extent, he leans on its centrifugal force and moves his legs without defying the inertia. Gildanstein''s body was physically unable to withstand the centrifugal force generated by the great war axe. "... There is a gap" Kolkis¡¯s heavy armor also served as a weight. It was not umon for magic possessors to prefer abination of heavy armor and heavy weapons. Magic possessors have the potential to wield weapons that ordinary people cannot handle, but their bodies were too light to wield them. Many of them wear built up muscle and wear armor of steel to keep their center of gravity forcibly at the core. Perhaps the same was true of the ck lion armor that Gildanstein wore¨D¨Dbut now Gildanstein was not wearing that armor. Gildanstein was clearly not heavy enough to wield the great war axe. Even so, the way he easily wielded the great battleaxe without losing his stance was magnificent. He was not an opponent to be taken lightly¨D¨Dbut if you look closely, you will see thew. Gildanstein''s opponent was the ck Century. Most of them were moving to stop Gildanstein''s guards, and they had only three squads, but they did not lose their cool in this situation, they were not in a hurry, and they did not take advantage of the invitation¨D¨Dthey were the best of the best among the Century. Thanks to this, they could afford to observe Gildanstein''s movements for a long time. "Kalua!" "Roger!" Kalua charged in. Gildanstein''s reaction to it was sharp. He twisted his entire body and performed a horizontal sweep toward Kahlua, who was approaching from directly behind him. It was a move that made it seem as if he had eyes behind his back as well. Though he probably didn¡¯t actually see it. By remembering the cement of all the enemies in his memory and predicting their movement, he was able to urately handle attacks from behind which should have been defenseless. Talent, experience on the battlefield, brains, and ability. All of these things arebined to produce a super reflex. Even if Selene were to go head-on, she would be no match for him. If it were simple power, Gildanstein was at a far higher level than Selene. However, in this situation, she was not alone. She had the strongest unit left by her little sister. Kalua immediately leaps backward to avoid Gildenstein''s great war axe. However, Gildanstein cannot stop the propulsion of the great war ax being swung. The direction in which the body flows¨D¨Da point where a gap appeared. Stepping in time to react, Selene aims her sword at that point. "Tch" Gildanstein clicked his tongue. The chainmail on his shoulder was ripped shallowly with the tip of the sword. But she didn¡¯t stop there, she wouldn¡¯t let it. ¨D¨DShe stepped in further. Gildanstein lost his bnce¡ª¡ªshe aimed for his nk. It was the gap in his breastte. Gildanstein twisted his hip. Dodged. Third sh. A side cleave to the thigh. Dodged. Fourth sh. A thrust to the neck. Dodged. Fifth sh. sh to the upper arm. It cut the flesh shallowly. No stagnation, without stopping. Not as skillful as Krische. Not as fast. Not as observant. Still, she learned the sword Krische. Krische was never on the defensive. If the opponent swings their sword, she swings it at the same time to finish them off first. Dodging it, making the opponent miss. If the distance was too far and she was at a disadvantage, she would rearrange them to create a pace and rhythm that was to her advantage. When viewed as a magic possessor, the only thing that set Krische apart from the pack was her eleration and stepping in. There were many opponents who were stronger than her in terms of strength. There were many opponents who are faster than her in terms of maximum speed. Her reach would be counted from the bottom of the list. There was a limit to her small body and physical ability. Even so, the reason why she was so dominant was because she always thought only of maintaining her own advantage. She abruptly closed the distance and in one breath the enemy was already within her range. She minimized the time it took to cut the gap by taking advantage of her unusual stepping speed. If there was danger, she would not step in and lure the opponent¡¯s sword. With her right hand, left hand, foot, fist, or projectile. She changed her stance ording to her opponent''s movement and posture, and always attacked in a way that the enemy cannot respond. Without allowing a counterattack, the opponent was forced into a defensive position. Never letting the opponent attack her, she just attacked and kept attacking. She admired the infinite variety (senpen banka) of Krische¡¯s sword. It was smooth, beautiful like a dance, and vibrant. If she had such talent, she could have finished off Gildanstein in an instant. Selene doesn''t have that kind of talent, but it¡¯s enough. She wasn¡¯t alone, she had the ck Century with her Three shes swung aiming for an opening. Gildanstein barely avoided it. But behind him, "¨D¨Dthe end." Kalua swung a divine-speed sh. A curved sword like an ax approached his body as if licking the earth. ¡®I got him¡¯¨D¨Dthe moment she thought so, "!?" Gildanstein, who had let go of the great axe, grabbed Kalua''s arm just in time. Unexpected movement. Selene''s sword was also mistimed and swung through the empty air, and Gildanstein swung Kalua''s body around and mmed her into Selene. ¨D¨DShock ran through her body. The human body that was swung around was itself a lethal weapon. Selene''s body is blown away by Kahlua for more than three ken (~5.5 m), and she coughed without being able to ukemi (technique how to take a fall safely, eg. rolling, etc). Before she had time to regain her footing, she saw Gildanstein in front of her. He was raising his fist, which was encased in a gauntlet. "...it¡¯s the end" "!" Gildanstein had no intention of killing Selene. His purpose was to take Selene hostage. But that one blow was enough to knock Selene unconscious. The sword she swung at once was in a bad position and was caught by the de¨D¨Dbut. "Tch, getting in my way...!" Gildanstein took a big leap backward. The ce where his body had been was pierced by the sound of the wind. It was an arrow fired by Gallen. "Selene, retreat!" "Y-yes! Kalua!" Selene leapt, grabbing Kahlua by the waist, who wobbled, perhaps with a concussion. Gildanstein couldn¡¯t close in. Arrows were shot one after another to restrain his movement. "Salva! Kill that old man over there!!" "Yes sir! Willits, lead some of the fast guys! The opponent is the general''s adjutant!" A voice responded¨D¨Dthe price of making Gildanstein go back to square one. There was a gap in front of Gallen''s watchtower, which was disturbed to make the line of fire. Five magic possessors headed there in response to Salva¡¯s voice. At this rate, they would reach Gallen without colliding with his guards. Selene immediately tried to run to him, "Selene, go! Leave this to me!!" "! ¡Yes!" Gallen''s voice stopped her. ¨D¨DAnd Gallen knocked the next arrow. He was old. His instincts have not dulled. Faster than a cavalry assault¨D¨Dthe five people heading his way seem to be skilled magic possessors. However, without being frightened, his heart was calm as if it was frozen. The bow that was being drawn felt endlessly heavy. A strong bow that should have been easy to draw in the past. His eyes, which once boasted that he was as strong as a hawk, were blurred and distorted. But he had not lost the sense that had be ingrained in him. His arm, which could even shoot down a bird flying in the sky, was still alive. The strings sounded, and the arrow was released into the opponent''s neck as if they were sucked in. Shoot and kill the first person, then start again. The opponents were five magic possessors. The distance between them was 20 ken (~36 m). And in his hand was a bow. ¨D¨DIn that case, it would be natural to win against all five of them. What was the purpose of him being here? If he thought about it, he wouldn¡¯t miss it. ¡®¨D¨DCommander, I truly believe that being able to fight under the Commander¡¯s side is the greatest honor.¡¯ ¡®You will soon overtake me. You can even be a general.¡¯ ¡®Haha, as for me, I would like Commander to be the general, and me working under Commander¡as your assistant. Commander is the one who fits the title of General.¡¯ Bogan had gone first. Leaving behind many. ¡®Geez, father, why don''t you leave your job in Gorka soon and do some field work? You¡¯re already old, and if you get hurt then Krische will be sad.¡¯ ¡®Gorka is still a greenhorn if you ask me. It''s dangerous, I''m worried so I want to continue watching after him for another five years at least. ¡It would be a problem if Gorka were to do something stupid and make Krische sad.¡¯ ¡®Haah¡though father said that, father will just continue working right?¡¯ Both his beloved daughter and her husband, who he put his hope on. Both died young. ¡®Ehehe, Krische got some pumpkins from oba-san, so Krische made pumpkin soup today! Also, oba-san taught Krische how to make pie¡¡¯ ¨D¨DLeaving the young Krische. Not the already old Gallen, but the one who had to live, died. What role did he have left to y? He quit the army and returned to his vige. If he hadn¡¯t let his skill rust, neither the bandits nor Gildanstein would be able to take it away from me. When he was young, he joined the army because he wanted the power to protect what was important to him. The reason he returned to the military even after he was old was to never let anything be stolen again. If so, what he had to do here had already been decided. ¡®...I won''t miss even one shot, you little bastards.¡¯ Shoot, then knocked the next arrow. He did not even turn his awareness to the fact that he had killed one more person, he indifferently aimed at his next prey. A distance of 20 ken¡ª¡ªhe killed three people advancing toward him, and pierced the leg of a man holding a shield. Once the distance was closed, he threw away his bow. His body still remembered everything on the battlefield. He had not forgotten all the humiliation and regret. His long white hair shook, he drew his small sword without hesitation and stepped forward. ¨D¨DMagic possessors. What they possess was overwhelming physical ability¨D¨Dtheir body was fundamentally different from the old Gallen. When they charged in, their athletic ability was several times greater than his own, just like the galloping beast. But even after factoring that in, he was convinced that he could still do it. The soldier whose leg pierced was knocked down, and the remaining one brandished his longsword in fury. The speed of the man was probably three times his own¨D¨Dbut that said, not many could use that speed at will. eleration that exceeded the human range disturbs their posture and created an opening. The opponent''s swing was slightlyrge, and his torso was open. "¡¡Do not get in my way!" He dropped to his hip and stepped into the swinging de. The sword hit Gallen''s back¨D¨Dthe leather armor. A sword that missed its trajectory has no power. Just like that, he grabbed the man''s waist and got up, and flipped the body far behind. Against those who possess magical power, use their power to crush them. This was the fighting style of the have-nots. Without looking at the opponent who had been sted backward, he turned toward the man who had been knocked out of his stance. The de that was swung panicked had no power, and when the de passed right in front of his eyes, he kicked the man in the jaw. To Gallen it was like taking candy from a baby. Most magic possessors were not good at and were not ustomed to unrefined fights. To avoid losing their athleticism and dominance in a battle where both sides had magic possessors. Aside from being a genius like Krische, just because someone possessed magical power didn''t mean they can always use that magical power in a stable manner. Strengthening the body required a certain level ofposure and concentration. There were not many people who can fully handle their magical power in the midst of a tangle of battles and chaos. That was why everyone feared and disliked losing their advantage, and naturally insisted on a ¡®clean fight¡¯ that maintained a certain distance. ¨D¨DA clear difference in awareness. Inevitably, their reactions to the sudden attacks would slow down. What he had was an old body. Gallen would have been killed if the man had chosen to grapple with him. But the man chose to keep his distance with his sword. He subconsciously chose to keep his distance, avoiding the entangled melee. Therefore, the man died. He thrust his small sword into the neck of the man who had rolled and struggled and looked behind him again. The man, who had braced himself with ukemi, immediately turned to Gallen. His face showed confusion at being thrown and having everyone else being killed abruptly. However, he didn''t even have time to recover his disturbed mind and was heading toward Gallen. He was still young and probablycked experience. Gallen pulled a sword from the corpse, threw it at it, and charged toward him. The man''s legs stopped as it was hit by the sword, and Gallen stabbed him through the body with his small sword as if to m him. The seam of the armor¨D¨Dgoing through the gap between the ribs from the side. "Don''t underestimate me just because I''m an old soldier, little bastard. ¡¡Did you think I couldn¡¯t get past this level of fight?" Spitting out with a voice that seemed to crawl from the bottom of the earth, Gallen took up the bow again. If his life was to end here, what did he have to survive for? Why was he still here even after so many young and promising lives were lost? Not one to be easily killed, Gallen returned his prime, even as he breathed unevenly. ¨D¨DThough he was old, his soul has not dulled. "If you want to kill me, then send ten times the men! This life isn''t cheap!!" An old soldier with no magical powers¨D¨DGallen roared. The sight of the old soldier who killed five people in a blink of an eye caused the surroundings to roar and cheered. "Nais, turn your squad around from the left! The Third Corps has not crumbled. Cut off the rest and iste His Highness!" "Yes! Gallen-dono!" Salva looked back at Gallen, who was holding up his bow as if chewing something bitter. Surrounding Salva mixed with regr soldiers Krische¡¯s soldiers¡ª¡ªthe ck Century. The one that he was able to send at that timing was the best he could do. The opponent was a single old soldier who could not even handle magic. Five magic possessors were sent there. He had thought there was no chance of failing. Bogan Christand, Nozan Verreich. And Kolkis Agrand, Granmeld Varkas. The old soldier, Gallen, was originally a centurion who led such monsters. He knew he was smart and strong, and he had heard of his former fame. However, that was in the past, during his golden days as a centurion, and his war record was that of leading a group of talented men who could be called monsters. He had never imagined that even in his old age, he would have the ability to defeat multiple magic possessors. Bogan Christand was an absolute meritocrat, and he did not give position or status to those who were not capable. He had no intention of underestimating nor did he think that the old soldier was stationed as an adjutant because of connection. However, even while aware of that, Salva must have underestimated him. Despite having no magical powers, the old soldier, Gallen, was an existence that those monsters looked up to. His arrows were urate and unmatched¨D¨DSalva dodged. The soldier behind him was pierced. From a distance of 20 ken, Gallen''s arrow easily pierced the life of a soldier who was in disorder. On top of that, he took control of the surrounding soldiers and masterfully manipted everything in this turbulent field. He was never outspoken in strategy meetings and never interrupted any strategy or tactics. He was not a man who stood out, and he had no mor. Yet, Gallen''s presence in this ce felt like a more powerful adversary than anyone else. Gallen, the old soldier who led the heroes¨D¨D the forgotten hero. Salva felt an unpleasant sweat on his back in the presence of this unexpected foe. He shouldn''t be left alone. This chaotic melee was exactly where the centurion would be able to demonstrate his true abilities. But with ordinary soldiers, it would only be a repeat of the previous battle. If he was to go, va had no choice but to go himself, and since Gildanstein was aiming for Selene, Salva had to do his utmost tomand the situation. "Squads 4 to 7! Circle around from the right! 12 to 15 to the left! The rest are in the current vanguard and retreat!" ¨D¨DInferiority. Krische¡¯s century that he was dealing with was very strong. A unitposed entirely of magic possessors. They were not mere soldiers, but their mobility and strength were far beyond the standard of ordinary soldiers. Despite that, the femalemander was using their abilities to perfection. For amander, there was nothing more difficult than leading a melee. Instructions were drowned out by the surrounding noise. In the midst of a mix of friend and foe, it was difficult to grasp the position of the enemy. On top of that, her outstanding ability that could make use of the superhumans, the magic possessors, at will. He had seen her face before. She was an inexperienced girl from a vige. She was the century¡¯s adjutant chosen by Krische. He had been puzzled by the appointment of such a girl, but here she was, as a front-linemander that was notcking anything. He knew that was not directly rted to ability. But even knowing this, he was still amazed by her appearance. Kuraray Marcellus. Aurugorn Hilkintos. Gertz Wirling. He thought about the three armies that were crushed by Krische. From the Dragon¡¯s Maw, they must have been on the front line with Krische. The rich experience can turn even a vige girl into a warrior. In this case, he had no choice but to exert himself to the utmost of my strength. From the looks of it, her skill with the sword was inexperienced. He looked from a distance for an opportunity, looking around¨D¨D "Ha.." "Looks like I made it in time, Salva-dono!" And then, a giant appeared on the scene, his whole body wet with blood and holding a great axe in both hands. Raising his cheek like a wild beast and carrying his right-hand great axe upon his shoulder. "... I''m d you''re safe. Now, give me instructions!" It was the Strong Armed¨D¨DNakirus Felizar. Chapter 108: Battlefield Maiden Chapter 108: Battlefield Maiden ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 108 Battlefield Maiden*** The main camp of the Christand army was in chaos. Breaking through the Third Corps on the left wings were 1,500 led by Gildanstein and Salva. On the other hand, Selene had a battalion of 1,000, cavalry of 100, and the ck Century. Selene immediately deployed a battalion against Gildanstein, who had broken through from the left wing. She had them form up, but Gildanstein quickly seeded in breaking through the main camp¡¯s defense. However, since only breaking through was given priority, at most 100 people seeded in breaking into the main camp. Blocked by Gallen they couldn¡¯t chase after Selene, and the ck Century guarded Selene again. The 100 soldiers brought by Gildanstein were all excellent soldiers, but as expected, they were at disadvantage against the ck Hundreds, and they had trouble capturing the important Selene, and the Selene side managed to get the situation under control, albeit in a delicate situation. However, 300 new soldiers led by Nakirus Felizar appeared there. Using almost all of his 5,000 troops as a bargaining chip, he ignored the Fourth Corpsmander, Eluga Faren, and made a forceful breakthrough. Against the forces that appeared through the gap between the center and left wing, Selene dispatched the 100 cavalry. Cavalrymen with a longer training period than the rest. Among them, the quality of the cavalry escorting the General was high, and they were strong enough to easily crush ordinary soldiers, but they were up against a strong-armed Nakirus Felizar. They were not enough to stop his advance. Thus, the situation tilted heavily toward Gildanstein''s side. "¨D¨DSo stubborn. Why don''t you give up, Selene?" "That''s quite a tantalizing offer." In response to his words, Selene tried hard to smile while breathing heavily. Gildanstein''s breathing was only slightly disturbed. He was still calm. There were countless wounds on his body¨D¨Dbut they were all shallow. In fact, the wear and tear on their side was more severe than Gildanstein. Although they avoided fatal wounds, the fourteen members of the three squads guarding Selene exhaustion was at their limit Mia, who was a little further away andmanding the other members of the Century, was also doing well, but thanks to dealing with elites including Salva, there were many dead over there. On top of that, Nakirus Felizar broke through Eluga. They were busy dealing with that and couldn¡¯t spare any more hands. Neither Mia nor Gallen could bear any more burden. "......We''vee this far, and we''re being cornered one sidedly. It will be a while before Corps Commander Agrand arrives. I guess you could call it a dead end." Seleneughed. For herself and for those around her. Her body had a dull ache from the bruise from being hit by Kalua''s body. Her left arm was in a bit of bad shape. It might have been cracked. It was a fortune that Kalua next to her was not hurt. The previous concussion was brief. She might be pushing herself too hard, but her eyes were not dead yet. The others were the same. That was exactly why this would be the time to call it quit. "Therefore, I would like to follow the example of His Highness, whom I respect and admire." "Nn...?" Selene smiled broadly, "Running away from strong enemies." ¨D¨DAt the same time as she spoke, she turned her back. "Mia! Selene has gone!" Gallen voice. "Yes! Everyone, don''t let His Highness follow him!" Mia looked at Selene for a moment. They were headed to the frontline¨D¨Dto Eluga who was in the center. "Corps Commander Felizar, this ce is fine! Go protect His Highness!!" "I know, but¨D¨Dtch!" Miamanded the Century in front of Felizar who was about to run. "We¡¯re going to buy some time until Corps Commander Agrandarrives. Okay?" "I understand, Commander Mia." "Roger~, leave it to usmander." There were 53 men. About twenty of them were either too badly wounded to move or dead. She didn''t know how long they could hold out from here. This was the critical moment. ¡®¨D¨DIf this attack is their real aim, if they came all the way here for me, I think their only goal is to take me alive. If things take a turn for the worse, I''ll buy myself some time by running away. If they areing after me, they will do everything in their power to finish the job in a short time. There is a high possibility that it will be a big, uncontrolled battle.¡¯ Shortly before the start of the war, Selene gathered the corpsmanders and some of the battalionmanders. ¡®At that time, I will abandon the main camp and escape to the corps that still maintains control. I¡¯ll leave the main camp to Gallen. For the corpsmander who I will run away to, please protect the miserable general with all your might. Well... if you can do it, of course, it''s fine if you manage to kill His Highness here. Then I canter say that it was not an escape, but a n.¡¯ In front of the bravemanders who had passed through countless battlefields, she spoke these words. Bravely, proudly without shame¡ª¡ªsimr to the pompous gestures that Krische often makes. Naturally, the words she spoke should have seemed pathetic, but Mia thinks she looked cool. She admits her own weakness and immaturity, and yet she did so in an unabashedly joking manner. Selene Christand was truly a general to be admired. No one spoke ill of her. Everyone spoke of her as a Lord who should be protected. Christand was famous even in neighboring countries. She didn¡¯t have much of a track recordpared to themanders there, and she was 15 years old, much younger than Mia. Yet everyone recognised and epted her as her general. She thought that she was amazing. Mia honestly respected her. She almostpared herself, but shook her head and told everyone. ¡°I remember when the corpsmander said, ''Your order is for you to protect Selene without dying. Corps Commander is strict, and vitions of orders are sure to be severely punished¡ª¡ªso, umm¡ I''d be happy if you guys could make sure the Corps Commander doesn¡¯t get mad at me.¡± As she was saying this, she received a questioning look, and Mia couldn''t bear it, so her tone weakened. Those who saw this burst intoughter, which spread throughout the room. One person shouted. "That''s right! In exchange, if shey an active role and survive, Captain Mia, who has escaped punishment, will be given a kiss as a reward she said!¡¯ "Wait, she didn¡¯t¡ª¡ª" The surrounding soldiers whistled and cheered. ¡®Uuu¡¯, Mia groaned, then her face still red she shouted "Don¡¯t talk nonsense." "... I''ll leave General Caldera to Adjutant Gallen! You guys will take care of the reinforcements! Got it!?" After replying ¡®roger¡¯ whileughing, they charged. They too were fatigued. Many will die, that''s for sure. After giving the order, she closed her eyes for a moment and switched. "The instructions are the same as before, everyone charges¡ª¡ª!!" ¡ª¡ªNakirus Felizar''s eyes narrowed. This enemy was no mere elite. At the very least, they could be counted among the best Nakirus had ever dealt with. The individual abilities of the magic possessors were of a medium level. None of them were that outstanding. However, because they are allposed of only magic possessors, and because they are a unit based on such a premise¡ª¡ªthey were able to form a well-coordinatedbat cooperation. For the enemy, there is nothing more frightening than this. Even though he might have an advantage over small army soldiers who cannot use magic, he lost the advantage of his physical abilities when he was fighting against other magic possessors. The basic principle ofbat was to send a magic possessor against another magic possessor in order to keep them from wreaking havoc, and those magic possessors who are out of step with their surroundings inevitably find themselves repeatedly engaged in pseudo one-on-onebat. Which of the two will outperform the other in terms of cultivatedbat skills? Usually the battle was won or lost on the basis of differences in individual skills, creating the flow of the battle. However, this unit was made up of only magic possessors. Bypletely eliminating impurities that do not match, the purity was enhanced, and what became possible was a unique, high-speed coordination. The soldiers who cannot handle magic power were no match for them, and the isted magic possessors on their side lost the advantage of physical ability, and were forced to fight two against one or three against one. The skillful people he brought him in were targeted intensively, and in that way they were defeated one by one. This unit was specialized only for hunting magic possessors. A unit under the direct control of Krische Christand,posed only of magical magic possessor. He had heard about the ck Century. He had a vague idea that they were strong. But only when he saw them in front of him could he truly understand how terrifying they really were. "Salva-dono, I can''t go to His Highness'' ce unless I clean this up. I''ll crush this first." "¡¡Understood" Paralyze it temporarily. Then get out. The obnoxious little girl who seemed to be themander¡ª¡ªthere was no other way out in this ce other than to crush her and move forward. Otherwise, the damage would only increase. "Bl, brace yourself. Don''t let my ass be taken." "Yes sir!" He told his adjutant, and then, clutching both axes, he charged in. It was not impossible to pull it off. At least if they fight head-on, there was no opponent here who can stand against Nakirus. The only problem was focusing only on that and being attacked from the side. Allowing the enemy to do so would be fatal even for Nakirus. "Get out of my way!" Swinging the axe in his right hand, he cuts the enemy soldier from his shoulder to the torso. Skill, ability, experience. From the front, there was no way Nakirus could lose. The feeling of the flesh, bone, and armor being cut. The feeling of a life to be honored being shredded like a piece of paper. Nakirus lifted his cheek. He held an axe in each hand because he fought on the assumption that he would be surrounded. He was always at the front of the line. Enemies in the range of sight¡ª¡ªfrom there he could deal with any attacking to him. sh his left hand great axe horizontally, widening the distance between him and his foe, and use the recoil. With the momentum, he struck the axe in his right hand, and then his left again. Its centrifugal force lifted his gigantic body and eliminated the gaps unique to heavy weapons. Taking full advantage of his seven shaku frame, he did not allow his opponent to step into the area of the de as if to widen it. Nakirus''s unique great-axe technique was designed to be used against arge number of opponents. Snapping swords and breaking bones. Once he had his sights set on a target, he would not stop. He would advance as if sinking his foot into the earth. The soldiers would cover his nks so as not to be targeted, while desperately chasing after him. "!" The shadow of the enemy looms from the edge of his field of vision as he cuts his torso in two from right to left. He uses his left axe for checking and shifting his weight, and his right axe for attacking. He must have been watching Nakirus move. The opponent seemed to be one of the best even in the squad. ¨D¨DBut of course, it was a bait. In front of the approaching man who raised his sword, he let go of the ax in his right hand. A momentary gap appeared ¨D¨DHe cut his torso up with his left axe. Nakirus'' dominant arm was his left arm. It was faster, sharper, and more powerful than the axe swung by his right arm. He used his right arm mainly as bait to strike back at the enemy''s skilled fighters when he saw an opportunity. Experience and skill in the battlefield. In all of these, his own skill surpassed his opponent''s. There was no element of defeat. There was no way he could lose. "Get out of here, you small fry! Don''t get in my way!" If one was to describe him, he would either be a huge boar or a raging bull. Advance forward. A mass of armed forces specialized for that purpose. I looked into the eyes of the chestnut-hairedmander¨D¨DMia, who looked far away. And Mia, too, looked into Nakirus'' eyes. "!" Nakiruls'' choice was a head-on breakthrough. The speed of the attack was extraordinary. The timing of the pincer attacks of the teams divided into two wings slipped, allowing aplete breakthrough without even breaking through the enemy soldiers who had strengthened Nakirus'' nks. ¡®Okay, Mia. Double nk siege is a great tactic, but looking at the records, there are a lot of idiots who stick to it and pass the center. Mia is also pretty stupid, so make sure you understand your strength and your opponent''s strength so that it doesn''t happen like that.¡¯ ¨D¨DA misjudgment, Mia thought. She was truly an idiot as Krische said. She had misjudged Nakills'' ability to break through. This was the moment she should have hardened the troops. Her legs trembled and she took a step back. But she didn''t take a further step back and gripped her sword. ¡®Well, whatever the case. I''ll leave the squad to you. I thought I could trust you because you''re you. Will you do it?¡¯ Here was an army entrusted to her, a battlefield entrusted to her. When she came to the army, she had no intention of fighting on the battlefield. She never imagined it. There were many things and time she wondered why this happened, but she was entrusted with it. ¡®...Yes, Commander.¡¯ Whatever the case, Mia agreed and here she was. She must not run away from it. She thought about Kalua just a little bit. She wondered if she was okay, if she managed to escape. Her only regret was that she couldn¡¯t confirm that. But¨D¨D ¡®¨D¨DThen I will wield my sword for the corpsmander and for you.¡¯ ¨D¨DShe won¡¯t forget her promise. It''s not toote yet. The enemy was in an arrowhead formation. A centralized type, with the powerful corpsmander at the tip. Was there a force that could oppose it¨D¨Dthere was none in the current unit. It cannot be countered in meleebat and can only be responded to by siege or ranged attacks. There are four groups on each of the two wings. These eight groups will continue to attack. Seven squads were at hand, three of which were about to be breached. "2nd, 9th, 11th squad retreat, pick up the fallen weapons! 8th Squad, to the front. Take position just before contact!" "Roger!" Encirclement was impossible, and the enemy''s breakthrough power was high. She will assemble with the basis that the enemy''s breakthrough couldn¡¯t be prevented. What should she do if the enemy''s central breakthrough cannot be prevented ¡®Krische would leave some archers behind from the beginning. The effort of a frontal breakthrough is always great. Unless you do a very poor job, the enemy will be fatigued and distracted.¡¡Put the pikeman in front of the point where they will break through, attract the attention of the opponent, and strike with archers from the side.¡¯ Breaking through the enemy¨D¨Dalthough the ck Century¡¯s abilities stood out from the rest, breaking through the enemy''s walls was still hard work. If you cut your way into a crowd of enemies, your mind would only think going forward and forward. Being surrounded by enemies was terrifying. So they moved forward to get out of it. The slight sense of relief they get when they break through. Everyone wanted it. ¡®It''s always important to put yourself in the other person''s shoes, Mia. Bery also said to stand in the other person''s shoes and think about what you would hate the most if it were you...hmm, no, in this case it''s like the opposite. ...hmm, it''s kind of different...well, whatever. Anyway, that''s how it is.¡¯ She recalled that, and chuckled. Mia didn''t think she could understand that giant man''s feelings, but she could imagine it. The giant man¨D¨DNakirus¡¯s side and behind was firmly guarded by soldiers. Even that ferocious man was afraid to be surrounded by this unit. The reason the enemy was making breakthrough a top priority was not because it was easy. It was because they are that much threatened by this Century. He thought they must force a breakthrough, finish them off himself, and destroy this Century squad. One squad was ced in front of the enemy, who had broken through, to make them pay attention to that squad. The remaining three squad were to throw weapons in their hands from the side. If they stop moving for a moment, then "¨D¨DNik! Even a little bit is fine, be an archer!" "Yes sir!" Gallen''s voice made her look in that direction. Several archers nearby were responding to Mia''s movement. He must have been looking at their situation while takingmand of the entire main camp. The breadth of his vision waspletely unmatched. Mia had her hands full just with this Century. She had nothing but gratitude. Four more people were killed by the great axe in front of her. Everyone in the Century knew each other. Some people even knew their faces, their names, their hobbies, their lovers, even their daughter''s name. But they were dead. A noble sacrifice¨D¨Dor maybe, if it was Dagra, it might have been a little less. How many times has she failed today and how many times has she been helped? Seeing the figure of therge man who came out, She ordered. "8th squad disperse." "Spread out!" The 8th squad leapt backward just before contact. As if on cue, swords and spears were thrown from the side. The speed and power of the projectiles were on a different level from those thrown by ordinary soldiers. "Tch!?" He swung both axes and swatted them away. ¨D¨DThe strong-armed Nakirus Felizar. The nickname given was not false. He swings his huge axes as if he was wielding a small sword, repelling and smashing the flying weapons. But¨D¨Dafter all, he only had two arms. It''s impossible to knock down all the flying objects that can reach twentybined with the arrows. The shoulder, arm, and leg are gouged, shaved, and thrust forward. Even with armor, it is impossible to defend against all the arrows and projectiles thrown by a magic possessor at close range. ¨D¨DHe stopped moving. Mia was convinced of this, "Tch, ¡don¡¯t underestimate me!!" But Nakirus roared and still went on. He was spewing blood and magic power from all over his body, but he was still moving forward, toward Mia. One of the people who came to stop him was cut in two. Even in this state, his will to fight did not wane. He was still willing to fight. Status, honor, or will¨D¨Dsomething Mia did not understand. That''s what drove him forward. Her legs trembled at the prospect of death. She would probably die from this. "E-everyone, aim for this man''s back! Don''t let him go to Kalua''s ce!" She raised her voice. Put strength into her leg "Mia" "¨D¨DThat''s an order! If I die, the actingmander will be the second team''s 2nd squad leader, Koza!" *¡®The target is themander herself.¡¯* *¡®No matter what happens, I won''t let him go.¡¯* *¡®Even if I die, I can''t let him go.¡¯* *¡®Otherwise, I won''t be able to face anyone.¡¯* It was not the position she wanted to be in, nor was it what she wanted to do. But, only the responsibility she epted was hers. A man like a giant. She had never imagined in her ordinary life that she would ever have to deal with such a man. But she had to do it ¨D¨DAt least, even if it¡¯s just a little bit of time. "...!!" With that thought, she charged in with trembling feet. The giant raised his axe. Overhead. The distance was still too far. Why? "Ah¡¡" Immediately after, he swung his arm with a roaring sound, the great axe was in front of Mia''s eyes. It cannot be avoided. Mia stepped forward with all her might. She immediately puts her sword in front of her¨D¨D¡¯Ahh, it¡¯s no good¡¯. The whole sword would be cut in half. It''s like a twig in front of a big axe like that. *''I''m used to the pain. But will this literally hurt like death.¡¯* *¡®At the very least, a beautiful way to die, no, if possible, a painless one¨D¨D¡¯* For a moment, she thought about that. "Stupid." ¨D¨DThe great ax that was approaching her eyes disappeared with a metallic sound. "¡Huh?" Instead, in front of her face, was a pair of brown boots reinforced with steel. She could see the skirt that you didn''t often see on the battlefield, and the ck cloak fluttered. Two silver strands swayed from side to side¡ª¡ªlong hair, like a tail. "Really, this is why Mia... Krische will give you a sermonter." Everyone there looked at the little girl. Suddenly, a cheer resounded. Mia''s vision also blurred. "Uu, corpsmander..." In front of Mia was themander of the First Corps of the Christand Army. The ck Century¡¯s Sword Princess. "......Please don''t give Krische too much trouble. Krische is busy." ¨D¨DIt was Krische Christand. Chapter 109: One Who Flutter and Dance Chapter 109: One Who Flutter and Dance ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 109 One Who Flutter and Dance*** A/N: * 1 shaku is about 30 cm, 1 ken = 6 shaku (about 1.8 m), 1 ri = about 400 m Verreich''s army concentrated its forces, Krische and Granmeld, on the right wing. They defeated Gildanstein''s body double and cut off nearly 10,000 of the enemy''s right wing on the first day. The Central Verreich Army, which was the problem, saw Krische one-man show, and their morale was at its peak. It shows desperate resistance without copsing against the fierce attacks of the enemy who was double their number. The problem was the left wing. Hearing the sess of the right wing, they toounched a fierce attack, but their momentum was killed by the old general, Felworth Keithriton, and they suffered a painful blow. Verreich''s army of 37,000 was reduced to 30,000. Gildanstein''s, or rather Keithriton¡¯s army, were reduced from 45,000 to 32,000. They cut each other down in the center and both sides won on each wing, but overall, the Verreich army had the upper hand. The enemy''s losses were 13,000 while theirs was 7,000. The difference in troop numbers was 2,000. Although the Keithriton¡¯s forces still had the advantage in terms of the number of troops, Verreich''s forces were superior in terms of the quality of their troops. If the gap narrowed, it was the Verreich army that would inevitably overwhelm them. At the night military meeting, everyone, including Nozan, praised Krische and Granmeld for their sess. The two of them made a brilliant breakthrough through the center of the enemy line. Krische¡¯s single-handed "performance" boosted morale in the center of the battle, and in some respects, it made the center fight on even ground. The results of the battle were two corpsmanders and a body double¨D¨Dthe acting general, Krische¡¯s military deeds today would surely be etched in history, "¡Thank you but it was Woof Woof who did the hard work. Krische only helped the breakthrough.¡± However, the person in question seemed troubled. ¡°I''m troubled if Krische-sama said that but¡.it is true that it was my corps that came forward, but it was thanks to Krische-sama that we were able to break through so easily. You can say it''s only a help to break through, but Krische-sama is the only person in this world who can help like that." Granmeld replied exasperated, and Krische pouted her lips. "Because, unlike Woof Woof, Krische didn¡¯t achieve her goal." However, no matter what words they said Krische had no interest. She was indifferent, only lightly thanking her. The great results she achieved¨D¨Dfor Krische, it was the bare minimum, nothing more. The fact that the original goal of defeating Gildanstein was not achieved, it was not something that was praiseworthy by Krische¡¯s standards. "...Krische is a little worried about Selene." And they still didn''t know where Gildanstein was. Krische shook in her chair restlessly, her eyes downcast. "I understand how Krische-sama feels, but... we have no choice but to wait for the report." "... I know. Even Selene should already have a proper contingency." Granmeld also crossed his arms as if he was thinking about the battle results, instead of showing a happy expression, concerned about Krische¡¯s condition. It would be important if Gildanstein ran to Selene''s side¨D¨Dbut they can''t let that sway them. It was more than possible that he was hiding here under the guise of doing so. Krische remained here to await the report. Nozan was cunning. Gildanstein''s army, which recruits soldiers regardless of their origin and who doesn''t mind money, has many spies, ranging from logistic personnel to individual soldiers. At least by this evening, they will bring highly reliable information. But¨D¨Dit was half out of a concern for Krische that Nozan was holding her back in this way. 30,000 vs. 32,000. The gap had narrowed considerably, and Nozan could see victory. Even if Gildanstein had remained hidden, he was confident that he would no longer lose. In truth, there was no need for her to stay behind. The results she has achieved today have been so sufficient. Her power as an individual had reached its extremes. If you look at her individual performance this time in terms of her influence on the battlefield, she alone would rival a mighty corps like the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. She was, literally, a monster beyond measure. But of course, in proportion to her sesses, the burden on her body was certainly true. Together with Granmeld, she ran around the battlefield without much rest. The absence of the ck Century, a unit under her direct control that she could work with, must have taken a toll on her as well. Even on her expressionless face, she could not hide her fatigue. The reason why he told Krische, who wanted to run to Selene, was to wait for the report from the spy¨D¨Dto give her rest. ¡®¡I know it''s pathetic, but please take care of that girl''s health. She looks like a superhuman, but her body is just a normal girl. She''s good with magic, so she can fake it, but she doesn''t have as much physical strength as you guys. She''s stupid, so she just goes through the motions with a nonchnt expression on her face.¡¯ ¡®Haha, does Selene-sama always talk about Krische-sana here and there like that? Should I call it overprotective¡ It''s a beautiful family love." ¡®Ugh, shut up. It''s okay, it''s about my little sister after all¡¡¯ Krische¡¯s first battle¨D¨Dthe battle against the Holy Empire the other day showed tremendous sess. He knew that after that, Krische developed a high fever and was sent back by Bogan, who took that seriously. A person who possesses magical power maniptes the magical power in their body. Although they are stronger than ordinary people, in the end, it was their bodies that formed the basis. There are various reasons why people train their muscles and train their bodies, even if they could use magic power, but one of them was to maintain their health. It could also be used to store energy. In terms of weight, she probably weighs less than half of Nozan¡¯s weight. She was thin and not tall, and her body was not meant to withstand the battlefield. Without the use of magic, it would be difficult for her to even handle a long sword wielded by a soldier. That she could achieve the impossible was only established by her resourcefulness and magical power. The same Granmeld, who was also running around on the front lines and fighting wielding a great war cudgel, had more stamina to spare. The degree of perfection of the body was too differentpared to Granmeld who had fought through the battlefield for many years. There was no doubt that she was more heavily fatigued than she appeared. At least she was the kind of person to put herself second, and it seemed that she would run to Selene without even eating or resting if she was allowed to. He had no doubts about Krische¡¯s ability, but He did have some concerns when she was not feeling well. He should have let her rest a little and let her calm down. He couldn''t let her go on this condition. Taking care of one''s health is the basics. This was something that a soldier should learn first and foremost. In that respect, Krische was still a child after all. She was incredibly strong, yet dangerous (unreliable when ites to herself) and he couldn¡¯t help but think she¡¯s a strange girl. ¡°I don''t have any major problems with tomorrow''s policy. In Krische-sama¡¯s case, it would be better for Krische-sama to recover your strength first. Take a rest for today. I will report tomorrow morning, anyway, Krische-sama will only leave here after that." "...Yes. Keith, if Krische goes out, Krische will order you to be acting corpsmander. Keep that in mind." "Yes ma¡¯am. Understood." Nozan nodded and told Keith. "You can stay like this. We will work out the details." ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Well then, Krische-sama¡± "Yes. Thank you, General Verreich." Krische said so and stood up from her seat and left the tent. After seeing her off, Granmeld said. ¡°¡I''ve seen her fight and charge side by side, seeing her like that, I couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯s the same person. How should I say, it''s out of tune." ¡°She was rather gentle in temperament, you know. Rather that side of her, is how she normally is..." Nozan said, mocking himself. "And we had that child carry us on her backs. If it weren''t for her, we wouldn''t be doing so well from the Dragon¡¯s Maw to here. ¡It¡¯s something to be ashamed of." "Certainly.... I can''t show any more pitiful side after having the situation being set up like this. My corps can move tomorrow. Keith, how is yours?" "Yes sir. Our First Corps has minor damage and little fatigue. There is no problem even if we put it in the front." Granmeld grinned and bared his teeth like a wolf. ¡°Good, that''s what I''m talking about. General, give us the main attack again. We''ll surprise that old man." "It''s not an old man, it''s General Keithriton. Even though he¡¯s an enemy, watch your mouth, Granmeld. ¡That said, fine, we''ll use you again tomorrow. If you go, go with the intent to settle it.¡± "Yes, of course. I''ve grasped the quality of the soldiers today. I¡¯ll show them." ¨D¨DThe next morning, Krische received a report. Krische prepared herself and put on her cloak even before dawn. After a night''s rest, Krische had somewhat recovered from her fatigue. She had a slight fever, probably from fighting without rest yesterday. She was feeling a bitnguid, but there was nothing to worry about. The slight irritation and anxiety that had been present during the rough period had calmed down considerably. Her thoughts were clear. There was no end to her anxiety, but she also thought that no matter what happens, Selene wouldn¡¯t be killed. Gildanstein''s relentless pursuit of Selene was intended to take her hostage against Krische. Gildanstein was an unpleasant man, but at least he was not a fool and seemed to be a practical man who thinks in terms of profit and loss¨D¨Djust like Krische and Kreschenta. He takes profit over just cause. He was a man who uses a just cause for profit. There was no advantage for Gildanstein to kill Selene, only disadvantage, so that man wouldn¡¯t kill Selene. If it is toote, then, the war¨D¨DKrische will give up on Selene¡¯s and Kreschenta¡¯s dream. She will hide and let the flow take its course and rescue Selene. Takes Bery and Kreschenta and runs away to a mountain somewhere. It might be inconvenient for a while, but that''s okay. They could do whatever they wanted to do after that. That thought calmed Krische¡¯s mind. Krische told Nozan that she''s heading to Selene''s ce, and showed her face at Keith''s ce for a moment. She then borrowed one of the First Corps''rge horses and strapped on a light baggage. Most of the luggage had been preparedst night. "Well then, Elvena. It''s dangerous, so don''t move around too much." "Yes, Krische-sama. Krische-sama too please take care. ...I will pray for your fortune." After a brief exchange of words, Krische mounted her horse and started to run. She was faster than the horse, but it was still 120 ri (~48 km). Her stamina was not infinite. If she were to sprint at full speed, Krische¡¯s fatigue would be great. So she decided to use a horse with the intention of abandoning it halfway through the ride. The horse''s saddle was covered with plenty of cushioning to prevent pain in the buttocks. The short, open-hemmed skirt made it easy to straddle the horse. With everything ready to go, Clich¨¦ galloped across the meadow. Her figure galloping in the morning glow, looked like a painting¨D¨Dthat was how it was supposed to be,, but then she ran into trouble. The wind was making her skirt p around in a bizarre manner. "Ugh... Geez" The wind was blowing hard, and the fact that she was wearing a short skirt was probably also a problem. With one hand, she held the skirt that pped up and fixed her sit down on the horse again and again. She looked like a fool, but she was a girl who aims to be a well-behaveddy. Her aesthetic would not allow her to run with not only her thighs bare but also her underwear exposed. In the meadow, even if no one was watching, Krische was watching. If so then, she will notpromise. While letting the horse run at its maximum pace, Krische desperately grappled with the fluttering skirt. Short and wide at the bottom¨D¨Dthe way the skirts for riding horses run wild, it was as if that they existed here to show off her underwear. For a moment, she thought of the riding pants she had left behind at the fort. ''Just take them with you in case, already. Though I know you don''t like it.¡¯ ''Krische will go on a long-distance trip, so it''s better to have less luggage, and Krische doesn''t ride horses, so it¡¯s fine. And it''s scratchy between the thighs. ¡trousers are for men to wear.'' ''You...ahh, geez. Whatever, just do as you want. You''re so stubborn in the most trivial ces, I won¡¯t care if you regret it.¡¯ ¡®¡Krische won¡¯t regret not wearing trousers.¡¯ Remembering the exchange, Krische shakes her head. She had no regrets, she told herself. A stack of cushions. She realized halfway through that this was affecting her hip height and making the wind worse, but this was her lifeline for Krische. Riding on horseback¨D¨Dfor Krische her biggest enemy was the impact on her buttocks that have thin flesh. She couldn¡¯t throw away her cushions when she rode a horse. Still, running around with her underwear exposed was not a good idea either. "Muu... it can''t be helped, let¡¯s abandon the horse as soon as possible." That was the conclusion. She didn''t really like horses. Let the horse run further to the limit and then abandon it. A little fatigue was just a little fatigue. She wanted to run from the beginning. Once the distance was gained to some extent, the horse''s role¨D¨Dshould have ended, but. "...you''re doing your best, aren''t you?" ¨D¨DThe problem was the horse. Horses are tough, but they are still not more than living creatures. They can run 200 or even 300 ri (80 to 120 km) a day, but if they were to run at full speed, they would run out of strength in less than 10 ri (4 km). Therefore, it was normal to make the horses run at a gallop and asionally rest at a brisk pace or at a walk so as not to tire them out. However, Krische, who was determined to ride the horse to exhaustion, forced the horse to run at top speed¨D¨Dmake the horse gallop and rest at canter pace, a practice thatcked anypassion for the horse. At best, it should be about one-fifth of the distance. She thought that if the horse ran that much, it didn''t matter if the horse''s leg broke or it died, but the horse that Krische randomly selected was a rare and excellent horse. It''s stamina that seems to be inexhaustible¨D¨DIf she tried to abandon it because she thought it was at its limit, it would run like the wind through the grasnd as if to say that it still has a long way to go. Krische skirt fluttered violently against the resistance of the wind. Perhaps, harassing Krische was its objective. The horse was so tough and excellent that Krische could have been fooled into thinking like that. ¡°Uuu¡¡± She was half the weight of a man, or even less. The horse was a very strong horse, and it was a very good runner. No matter if the horse said it can run, she couldn¡¯t get off just because the skirt was turned up. For the purpose of preserving physical strength, the horse had put in more than enough effort. And so the battle between the horse and the wind¨D¨Dand the fluttering skirt continued for a long time. The end of the battle was in sight when she heard the sound of a sword fight. In the distance, she could see their side¡¯s¨D¨DSelene''s messenger. Attacking the messenger were cavalrymen from Gildanstein''s side. There were two enemy cavalrymen, probably scattered to hunt for the messenger. The messenger was alone. Now that she had seen them, she could not just leave the messenger behind. Krische rode her horse in that direction, jumped down, and cut the cavalryman''s neck. After disposing of the two men, the messenger thanked Krische for saving him. ording to the story, Selene''s army was moving westward from its original position. Seeing that the enemy army also moved west along with it, he went straight through, but unfortunately he was caught by the messenger-hunting cavalry scattered in this grasnd. "Krische understands the situation. Then it seems that Krische has quite gone to the east." Selene and the others had originally been fighting in the east of Kielzaran, so she was running toward that direction, but their current position was directly opposite, on the west side. However, if she had not run to the east, she would not have met the messenger here. Considering that it was a waste of time after all, it could be said that it was good to notice it early. "Yes, the road is¡ª¡ª" "It¡¯s fine. Krische remembered. ¡Oh, that''s right." Krische looked at the horse she had brought. Its breathing was rough, and it must have used all its strength. But there was still power in its eyes. "Please take this child back, too. Krisch doesn''t know much about horses, but he seems to be a very good horse." She had nned to ride it until exhaustion (death), but horses are very expensive. She thought it would be a waste to ride a horse that could run that much to exhaustion. "Okayy, but Krische-sama..." "Krische will run. Your report is not that important to this side either. You can take it slow from here." It was mainly regarding military movement and logistics. The messenger''s report was of no immediate importance now that Krische had arrived. It was just a good opportunity to bring back the tired horses. She was fed up with grappling with the skirts, so she suggested that he should take it along with him. But¨D¨D ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Thank you very much. But...I can''t let Krische-sama run. Please use my horse." "Eh, umm...Krische is fine with running..." ¡°Even though the start of the battle was dyed, the battle will have already started by the time Krische-sama arrived. Considering Krische-sama fatigue it will be better this way.¡± His point is quite valid. Krische had a bit of a fever, too. But she didn¡¯t want to ride horses anymore. She felt like she had already ridden for a lifetime. She thought of a counterargument and looked at the horse. The saddle of the horse had a family crest on it. The man was a noble of some sort, and the horse was his personal property, not the property of the army¨D¨DShe came up with a brilliant idea and pped her hands. "Oh, that''s right, um, Krische is running a horse with the intention of riding it to exhaustion (death), putting aside if it''s an army property, riding your precious horse is¨D¨D" "No, don''t worry about it" "Eh, uh...umm..." ¡°The soldiers will be very excited when they hear that Krische-sana has arrived. If it is for Krische-sama, to this horse, Furnas, there¡¯s no greater honor than that. It pains me to know that I can do nothing for Krische-sama after you saved my life in this way. So please use him." With a serious look, the man held out the reins and said that to Krische. ¡®Uuu¡¯, Krische¡¯s eyes swum around. The second horse, Furnas, also ran very well. She forgot to rece the cushion and had a dull ache in her buttocks. Thinking that she would never ride a horse again, she abandoned Furnas, which had reached its limit, and ran for a while. Fortunately, it was not even noon. The time could be considered morning. It shouldn''t have been that long since the battlefield began to cross swords¨D¨Dbut when she got close to the battlefield, she could see the chaos. "... the situation is progressing too fast." How early did the fight start? At least Gildanstein would have moved during the night, regardless of the fatigue of his soldiers. Krische approaches from the east¡ª¡ªthe left wing of the Christand army. The Third Corps on the left wing had been overtaken by the enemy. However, it had not lost its organized fighting ability and was holding back the following forces. Probably the corpsmander, Terrius, was still alive. It was definitely Gildanstein who broke through, ignoring Terrius. The g of the main camp had not fallen, but the enemy''s g was also visible. Selene was safe. But she was in a dangerous situation. She increased her speed. Coming this far, she didn''t have to worry about her physical strength. ¡°! Krische-sama¡ª¡ª¡± A soldier noticed and shouted, but Krische moved forward without care. The third corps was right in front of her. The soldiers of the main camp seemed to being this way to reinforce the third corps. Probably one battalion, about 1,000 men, was left in the main camp. Such arge-scale rearrangement of positions¡ª¡ªthere was no doubt that Selene and the others had realized that the enemy were aiming for a concentrated breakthrough of the Third Corps even before contact was made. It could not have been aplete surprise attack. Some sort of contingency must have been taken. Right wing, Kolkis¡¯s g was deep in enemy lines. They were aware of the attack on the headquarters, but they haven''t returned yet, or were they on their way back? Whatever the case, the battle continues. Gildanstein has not been able to capture Selene, and Selene has not finished off Gildanstein either. In this situation, Gildanstein was devoting all his energy to capturing Selene. It was such a desperate attack (throwing his life). If Gildanstein died, the army would be finished¡ª¡ªthe man''s survival was certain. "In the way." ¡°!?¡± Gildanstein army had just passed through the Third Corps, and was facing away from her. She jumped to a soldier¡¯s shoulder and leapt. It was too dense to cut through. It would be faster to get through from above, and it would also be more convenient for her to check the situation. ¡°¡Ojii-sama.¡± The first thing she saw was Gallen standing on top of themand tower, holding a bow and giving orders. Then it was Mia who was fighting a big man. Encircled him from both wings using the Century¡ª¡ªbut the big man was quick on his feet and was about to break through the center. She must have misjudged the strength of her enemy. ¡®Idiot¡¯ Krische frowned. Mia, who seems to have realized her mistake, has her soldiers pick up weapons, aiming to concentrate firepower on the big man. "Selene is..." Krische looked from side to side, searching for Selene. Selene''s armor¨D¨Dshe could see her back. Selene was running towards the center, to Eluga. Kalua and the others were by her side, but behind them was a tall man with a great war axe. ¨D¨DIt was Gildanstein. And over there was¨D¨D "... First, Mia." Returning her gaze from Selene''s ce, Krische ran to Mia. The big man raised his axe, and seeing the distance, Krische elerated. She could even afford to cut through the gaps and decapitate a few enemies along the way. The great axe was released¨D¨Djust before it reached the dumb-faced Mia. She kicked the belly of the spinning de away with her reinforced heel. ¡°stupid¡± Then, with a sigh, hse continued. "Really, this is why Mia... Krische will give you a sermonter." Silence all around. A short pause, and then cheers erupted from those who saw her. She frowned at the loud noise and looked at the big man. Krische''s sudden appearance made everyone around her forget about the battle, as if time had stopped. The same goes for the big man¨D¨DNakirus, who was covered in scars. He stopped his steps when he saw Krische, as if he had seen someone he could not believe. "Uu, corpsmander..." ¡°......Please don''t give Krische too much trouble. Krische is busy." "B-but, I-I too tried my best..." "¡¡stupid" "Ouch¡¡" With her gauntlet Krische mmed her hand to Mia¡¯s helmet then turned to Nakirus. Nakirus gasped and readied himself. "¡Krische, remember you. You¡¯re the one next to His Highness at that time." "Yeah, it''s the second time I''ve met you. ...but it doesn''t seem like there will be a third time." Nakirusughs and holds the remaining great axe in his hands. The moment he saw her, the moment she lightly kicked his deadly great axe, he understood. The skirt flutters on the battlefield, and the blood-soaked curved sword dangles without tension and without posture. Despite her carelessness and gaps, the purple peeking out from her silver hair was endlessly inorganic, and she looked at Nakirus as if she could see through everything. He imagined him shing at her. He imagined him being killed. He couldn¡¯t picture himself triumphing over the girl. He would not be able to go to Gildanstein again. It was certain that he would die here. That was why he prepared himself to throw himself away, and on top of that, Nakirusughed. Just one of her arms, one of her legs, or at least even one scar was fine. Without hesitation, Nakirus decided to dedicate his life to that end. "That''s true. We won''t see each other again." ¡°¨D¨D!¡± At the same time as she spoke, Krische prepared to charge. ¡ª¡ªEarlier than that, Nakirus kicked the ground. "What!?" But it was an invitation. It was after that that Krische moved. She reached for Nakirus'' great axe, which sticks into the earth, and pulled it out. Then, with the momentum of pulling it out, she bent her body and threw it at Nakirus. A desperate charge with throwing his life. He could no longer change direction. The great axe was right in front of him. Even as Krische rolled to kill the recoil, she had alreadypleted the jump. There was a cold glint in her purple eyes. It was as if she had read that Nakirus was going to approach her with abandon. No, it was not like she had read it, she had read it. After seeing through all of Nakirus'' movements and intentions, he took measures to ensure her safety. Taking into ount the overwhelming difference in ability between the two, in order to take away even the one in a million chance. The girl in front of him was cool-headed all the way through. It is possible to catch the great axe. But if he received it with the great axe, he would definitely be killed by this monster. This was a projectile aimed at that. ¨D¨DIn that case, there is only one answer. With the great axe in his left hand, he thrust out his right arm. The flying great-axe severed his arm along with the armor. The pain was so intense that Nakirus felt as if he was about to faint¨D¨Dhis eyes were bloodshot, he gritted his teeth. The great-axe''s trajectory changes, and at least he avoided a fatal wound. But Krische was still calm. Far from being surprised that he had sacrificed his arm to prevent it, her expression didn''t change at all. The distance was four ken (~7 m), still too far. Nakirus twisted his waist and swung his left great-axe with all his strength. The distance was three ken (~5 m)¡ª¡ªstill far. But that''s okay. He swings the great axe sideways and throws it. ¡ª¡ªThe target was her leg. With a roaring wind noise, the released great ax approached Krische''s feet. He didn¡¯t dream of such convenience, that this blow would sever her leg. The monster in front of him would easily avoid the great axe, which was fired from a distance of only two ken (~2.6 m). In the chasm between life and death, in the depths of his being, Nakiles'' intuition, like a premonition of the future, was at work. However, the de was released in a horizontal spiral. The aim was at the ground. It was impossible to dive for it or avoid it sideways at this distance. If she wanted to make it through unscathed, all she could do was leap upward. And in the air, there is only so much you can do, no matter how strong you are or how skilled you are. m this left fist into her¡ª¡ªthat was all Nakirus thought. She lowered her posture and appeared to take a leaping stance¡ª¡ª ¡°!?¡± She grabbed the handle of the axe, which was spinning at high speed, as if it was only natural. She didn¡¯t go against the centrifugal force, and her petite body was swung around like a toy. But she slides on the earth, dances, flutters¡ª¡ªtakes control and dominates everything. She neither catches nor kills the attack that Nakirus put his whole body and spirit into. Just to use them. She created a whirlwind. The dance was instantaneous¡ª¡ªthe return was the roar of the wind cutting through the air. When he noticed the axe was in front of him, he could feel the wind pressure on his skin. Quickly, he reached out with his remaining left hand. It was severed. ¡ª¡ªAnd now, the torso too. ¡°A..gh¡¡± Ahead of his gaze as he fell, he saw his lower body that used to be his own. There was no feeling from the waist down, both of his arms no longer existed, ¡°Goodbye¡± Before he knew it, the girl was standing beside him. Looking down on Nakirus with her violet eyes, she casually swung down her curved de. His neck was cut, she moved away from it as if she abhorred even its blood, and cut off her gaze as if she had lost interest. The ferocious man who had dominated this ce for a time was thus transformed into a mere lump of meat. Regardless of friend or foe, everyone understood and was in awe of the Nakirus'' ability in this ce. A monster that overwhelmed the superhuman Century with only his savage bravery and rushed forward even while receiving arrows and speared with his body. Nakirus was undoubtedly the one who had dominated this ce until just now. Such a fierce man was abruptly killed¡ª¡ªseeing the one-sided battle, even those who were relieved at Krische¡¯s arrival were stunned. Nakirus was wounded. Krische was strong. But even so, everyone thought there would be some degree of even fight between the two. Even if Krische won in the end, they still thought it would be a good fight. But when they looked. What existed between her and Nakirus could not be expressed in words such as a difference in ability. What happened there wasn''t even a battle, just a one-sided massacre. Cursed Child Krische¡ª¡ªHeadhunter of Bernaich. Warriors, brave men, and heroes were irrelevant to the girl. Monsters (kaibutsu) and monsters (bakemono). She easily eats even those who are capable of being called so. She will put an end to them. Regardless of any effort, tactics, skill, or will, she makes everything worthless. She was the embodiment of unstoppable violence, crushing everything that stands in her way. ¨D¨DIt was an absolute being in the form of a girl. The girl who stood there without a drop of blood on her face, not even looking at the corpse of the fierce man whom everyone feared. She looked around lightly and opened her mouth. "...the battle is over." What resounded was a sweet voice like those of a bell. She did not raise her voice. However, in this ce where silence had fallen, the voice carried well. Emotionless purple eye¨D¨Dher gaze ran through their neck. Some were frightened by her gaze and dropped their sword. The battle was over. As she said, before this girl, the battle ceases to be a battle. That was what they understood. There was no one who could beat this monster. The miserable corpses of the great warriors lying on the ground showed this more than anything else. All life in this ce was in the hands of that little girl. "Bastard, how dare you¨D¨D!¡± Was it Nakirus'' adjutant who shouted with a greatsword in his hand? The well-built man raises his voice and shows murderous intent to Krische. Just as he was about to step in, the man was decapitated before he could take that first step. The smooth and distorted curved sword was small, but it cut flesh without any resistance. Krische kicked the ¡®corpse''s¡¯ torso so that she didn¡¯t get soaked in blood. The corpse of the fierce second-inmand blows up, rolls over, and sprayed blood a beatter. That was thest time anyone defied her. There was no one brave enough to follow in his footsteps. Silence returns again. As if time had stopped, no one could move. Only one person¡ª¡ªonly the girl who was allowed to do so walks calmly. "Mia, the rest is up to you (randomly). It''s dangerous, so please send someone go to Ojii-sama¡¯s ce." Krische told Mia and looked around again. At least things have calmed down. This is the main camp¡ª¡ªthey have the upper hand. No problem. "Y-yes..." She was almost killed, and then her opponent was cruelly murdered. Her situation changed at a dizzying pace, and Mia, who was half-stiffened around her, regained herposure by the voice that was speaking to her. "Also, Krische''ll give you a sermonter. So please stay alive, okay." In her big sister''s tone, Krische pointed her finger at Mia''s eyes. The usual exchange. A sermon. The end of a hopelessly hellish time. She wiped her tears, "Ugh...Yes!" and answered her with a smile. Chapter 110: One Who Obstructed Chapter 110: One Who Obstructed ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 110 One Who Obstructed*** A/N: *1 shaku about 30 cm, 1 ken = 6 shaku (about 1.8 m) Selene fled from the main camp, and Gildanstein chased after her. However, Selene was still unable to join up with the Forth Corps. Somehow some of the soldiers brought by Nakirus recognized them and moved ahead of them, even though they were in melee. Three fast-footed magic possessors and fifteen cavalrymen. Selene and the others changed direction heading to the right wing, but the soldiers of the Fourth Corps who were heading for the rescue here were also swung around by it. The Fourth Corps archers were already in firing position and waiting, but Selene and Gildanstein were too close for them to provide cover. "Hey, 10th Squad, you ready?" "Anytime, Squad Leader." The squad members answered. Selene understood the meaning of the question and made a frown. "¡You guys." "I don''t feelfortable with only the 10th squad, Kels, how about it?" "Aah, okay." 1st squad, Kels answered Adol''s voice. Kalua and Bagu red at them. "It''s a division of roles. I''m not going to die. We''re just going to take that crazy son of a bitch¡¯s head with us. The 3rd squad, who still have some physical strength left and Kalua, can just continue running around while watching us take the glory. ...Isn¡¯t that so, Kienitz?" "Ahh, of course. That''s how it is, General. Your permission." Selene clenched her fists as she ran. Everyone listened to the proposal with the same face as Selene. Although they were interrupted, it was almost a fifteen-to-one fight. Even so, they were unable to finish off Wildenstein, and realizing their disadvantage, they were running away. Just half of them were certainly no match, and death was inevitable. "... Understood. Thank you." She thanked them. Selene couldn''t think of anything else to say. "Bagu, you know right, don''t you dare steal a march on me!" "Tch, bastard. I know!" Bagu shouted, trying to hide his tears. Kalua''s eyes were downcast and sheughed. "¡If youe back alive, I''ll at least give you a kiss on the cheek." "You''re a terrible woman until the end.... I leave General to you." "¡¡yeah" "¡Let¡¯s go" Adol and Kels leave at the sound of Kienitz¡¯s voice. And immediately, Adol shouted. "Fourth Corps Archers!! Don''t worry about us¨D¨Dshoot!!" Adol and his partner, Kels, followed the 10th Corps. His heart was calmer than he had imagined. He looked at Kels next to him. Kels was also looking at him with a somewhat calm look. It seems like a long but also a short rtionship. They met by chance when they were escorting a merchant and hit it off at a bar. For several years after that, they formed a pair and worked together. Thinking that they could earn a living with their skills, they volunteered for the army, ¡®Second and third from the front are ck. It''s nice to have a lot of ck today.¡¯ and joined the ck Century. Directly under themand of the adjutant corpsmander, the Special Century unti. Laughing that this was a good start, they could see sess in life. But here was the ending. Honor and just cause didn''t matter. Money. They should haveughed together saying that it would be fine if they could earn money, but why was this happening? He didn''t understand himself. It was a wonder that he was so calm. "If you survive this situation, I¡¯ll give you a kiss, she said. What a stingy woman!" "I would have changed my mind if she had offered me a night, but that being the reward, right?" Kels smiled and answered. "I don''t feel like going back, I''ll go first, Adol." "Ahh, I''ll be right there." Adol alsoughed and nodded. The close encounter¨D¨DGildanstein was in front of them. Seven men directly in front of him. Even so, he didn''t feel like they could win. Running up from the right hand side were cavalrymen and magic possessors. Both were elite and would get in the way. "Hey Kienitz!" "I know! Lando, Rakul, right!" "Understood!" Two men from the 10th squad jumped out and headed that way. Three magic possessors. Fifteen cavalrymen. The two of them were ordered to stall the enemies with the premise of their death. However, it was the same for all of them. Everyone here was a dead soldier. Behind them¨D¨Dthe 4th Corps archers were drawing their bows. To buy a moment for it to be released¨D¨Dbut they will collide with Gildanstein before it. "....get out of the way.'' It was a voice that sounded like it echoed from the depths of the earth. Gildanstein didn¡¯t raise his voice, but it resounded well. Command, execute, coerce. The intimidating ambition of the king makes his voice resound in their gut. In response to their side who stepped forward, Gildanstein held his great war ax with a big swing¨D¨D "Tch¡ª¡ªKienitz!?" The next moment he felt this, he was swung out of the way. The 10th squad¡¯s leader torso was split in two, and Gildanstein passed through the gap. The reason they were able to even fight against this man was because they were in a 15 to 1 situation. It was because they maintained their coordination without forcing themself to buy time. In this situation where that situation had copsed, he understood once again that there wasn¡¯t even one in a million chance of winning. 1st squad, 3rd squad, 10th squad. They were not chosen at random. The top five of the 20 squads in the ck Century were chosen. In addition, Kalua, who was even better than the rest, and Selene, who was on the same level as Kalua. They thought they could kill him if they were lucky, but their calction was naive. Those who possessed magical power that crossed a certain line had a power that separated them from the rest. They created an atmosphere in which they are at the top. They alone can change the flow of the battlefield and pull those around them. They create a raging storm on the spot. He was aware that they had been stalling for time earlier, and his heart had been grinded all the while. How many times had he almost died his heart was exhausted, leading his body to the easy road. He thought that it would be easier if he just let that storm take him down and killed him. If Selene had not decided to escape, it would not have taken him long to fall prey to that temptation. ¡ª¡ªAnyway, he was relieved that he was able to avoid a vain death. A little further away, he heard strings being plucked all at once, and countless wind noises echoed in his ears, and he yelled out. "Kels!" "Oh!" Kels from Gildanstein''s left hand. And before his best friend''s sword could reach Gildanstein, the great war axe roared. A sound like a popping tomato¨D¨Dthe body split in two. He understood what the sound was. He also understood who had be it. But he didn''t pay attention to it. He''ll be there soon. Throwing the sword he was holding, he stepped in and headed straight ahead. As Gildanstein swung his great war axe, the throne sword was dodged. When he judged that it would work, "Ggh!?" At that moment, a sharp pain ran down his leg. The hilt of the great war axe had swept off both legs. His posture copsed. There was no strength in his legs. It was broken. But still he reached out and grabbed Gildanstein''s leg. He held on with all his might and stopped his movement. Now there was no way to avoid the hail of arrows. "Tch¡" He was gone from the waist down. He didn¡¯t even know what happened. Perhaps he was torn off by that great battle axe. But even so, Adol clings on. Stopping his movement. He was barely conscious anymore¨D¨Dand yet, ¡®At least until these arrows rained down¡¯. The sound of strings being plucked all at once¨D¨Dthe sound of wind. Selene and the others turned their backs while listening to it. Momentster, countless arrows pierce the earth and screams echoed. They didn''t know how many of it were theirs. But thanks to them, they can keep their distance. "!?" "Stop them!! His Highness is still alive!!" Countless spears were thrown in front of Selene and the others. Look ahead to their left. The one who shouted was a centurion of light infantry. Dozens of cavalrymen. There was no doubt that they would collide before they could join up with the Fourth Corp. "... Can''t outrun them. I''ll go through from the front on the left. It''s better than being nked." "Roger. Leave the front to me." Charge, move forward. It was also physically exhausting. But if she did not run, their earlier sacrifice would be in vain. They couldn''t afford to take too much time. With a jerk, Kalua''s head disappeared and went even deeper. Kahlua, who was standing next to him, elerated in a posture as if she was scraping her chin on the ground. Bagu followed first, followed by Selene and the others. The contact was instantaneous. Kalua, charged in from a low posture at once, cuts the horseman''s legs with her great curved sword. Beyond that was a spear aimed at Kahlua¡ª¡ªa knife fired by Bagu killed its wielder. "Ha, I was worried about being thrown away, but you''re doing fine, aren''t you?" "Of course. Who do you think I am?" Kalua said, then swung the sword sideways. First, the cavalry robbed them of their momentum. Once she broke the lead and clumped up the ranks, the cavalry would cease to be a threat. She turned her attention away from the men who had be the rear. Cutting in and advancing. That was all she could do, and that was all she had to do. Side cleave. Cutting off the horse''s head. Cutting off the soldier in front of her, she grabbed the neck of the man who was about to roll off the horse with her left hand. Crushing is as it is. The flesh of his neck was crushed, and the resistance was lost. She mmed the lump of flesh back down to the enemy in front of her, who was holding up his spear. The corpse pierced the tip of the spear and the enemy stopped moving. Kalua let her body sink. Before the corpse hits the ground, he dives under it and cuts up. Then return. Kill them both and move forward. She grabbed the enemy soldier''s face and used it as a shield against sword. The flesh shield screams and turns into a corpse. Blood stters. Sttering on her face. It didn¡¯t matter. She mmed it down as it was. The sound of bones breaking, killing one more. ¡ª¡ªThe irond rule of the ck Hundred is coordination. But she was more used to this way. Risking one''s own life to kill multiple opponents. She had been doing that for a long time. "You¡¯re too forward, idiot." The enemy next to her died. The one that took his life was a small sword¡ª¡ªBagu''s. "I don''t want to be called an idiot by an idiot!" Therge, curved sword swung sideways. Heavy and sharp, it can cut through armor. It was easy to use to swing around. "...Adol and Kels had gone ahead. What are we doing if we¡¯re not going first?" "Really, you make me fall in love with you" "Like I said before, I won¡¯t fall in love with you, you know? It''s not my thing." "¡You!" Bagu sighed in amazement and hunted down the enemy that approached Kalua. Bagu was the man who tried to force himself on Kalua on the third day of his enlistment and was beaten up. Bagu, who had just started working a dirty job, then changed his mind and set his sights on trying to win over Kalua¡ª¡ªthat was the running joke story of the Squad with half-truth. "Well, you''ll notice my charm eventually." "I think you should look in the mirror before you say that." "A man is what you look like on the inside." Kalua snorted and stepped forward. In 1st squad, Kalua and Bagu were the advance group, while Adol and Kels were Mia''s guards. It was Bagu¡¯s role to support Kalua who was reckless, and if Kalua advances, Bagu will guard her side. Bagu¡¯s ability to skillfully wield two short swords was one of the best. He has a wide field of vision, which was one of his greatest strengths. Despite what she said, she trusted him. Kalua stepped in and shed down. A sh that emphasized power and speed, specializing in killing even more than before. Bagu¡¯s de thrusted into the neck of an enemy, who was aiming for that opening. They were in harmony, intentionally creating a gap where the enemy''s skill can be aimed at, let herself be targeted and let the Bagu take care of them. The duo of the 1st squad could not be stopped by ordinary soldiers. But even so, they had too much momentum this time. The deaths of Adol and Kels. Kahlua''s sword was sharper than usual, and she took a half-step deeper, while maintaining a calm demeanor. It was a bad eleration. Bug looked back, concerned about being isted. "You should watch your back a little¨D¨DKalua!" "Huh?" Then Bagu pushed Kalua away. Before she couldin, though, his body blew up. The top and bottom of his torso split in two, and rolled. And the enemy soldier in front of her was also shredded to death as coteral damage. What went through was a steel great war axe. The rolling Kalua paused for a moment and looked back. There were countless arrows in his arms and legs as he breathed heavily. Though he was bleeding profusely, he pulled out the great sword from his waist and killed one person on Selene''s side. She looked at Bagu¡¯s corpse, who had been talking energetically earlier. Understanding what''s happening, she pushed all of her emotions to the back of her mind. Fortunately, the great war axe killed Bagu along with the enemy soldiers. Seeing that the enemy was also confused, Kalua took advantage of the situation and returned to the rear. She went next to Selene, who had distanced herself from Gildanstein. "¨D¨DNo matter how it ys out, this is where it''s going to end up." Gildanstein holds up the royal greatsword. Without waiting for a response, the sword shook. Before one more person had time to react, his torso was ripped open. From the left shoulder to the right nk¨D¨Dcutting bone and leather armor like butter. The sword that Gildanstein held in the middle was still the King¡¯s Sword. It was the fastest sword that could easily take the life of an opponent who held a sword without giving them a chance to swing it, and it was a violent sword technique that tore the opponent along with their armor. He was wrapped in simple armor that was far removed from nobility, and his whole body was covered with wounds that were overflowing with blood. Even so, he still had a spirit and a glint in his eye that awed the opponent before him. "Disperse!!" Kalua yelled, everyone released from their shock and jumped, opening up the distance. Gildanstein''s sword was still alive. They all take their trained positions around him. Kahlua in front¨D¨Dbut Gildanstein charged in anyway and wielded his sword without a care. The sound of the wind roaring. The roar. The pressure of the sword. How much power was put into the sword? It could cut her in half from the head and the helmet and down to the groin, and still not stop. It was a sh that she couldn''t imagineing from an injured person. She quickly leapt backwards to avoid it¨D¨Dan impact was felt in the side of her body. "Wha!?" It was Selene who kicked Kalua¡ª¡ªher body drifted sideways, and a shadow passed in its ce. "¡Have you lost your mind Faren?" "Haha, this old man has a promise to keep, and thus Ie before you." Same as Gildanstein, he wore armor that even looked simple, and smiled with his wicked face that made his bones stand out. Eluga Faren stood with a longsword in his hand. "Do you think the like of you can buy time against me?" "It''s impossible, isn''t it? My hands were shaking just after one exchange... Maybe it''s been a long time since I ran, so my bones are starting to creak." ¡®Kakaka¡¯, Heughed and waved his arm. Fast and sharp. Although it was a surprise attack, it was a blow that Gildanstein had no choice but to receive. It was a long time ago that he was able to swing it fully. Eluga had no second chance. Even knowing that, Elugaughed. "But His Highness, too, that injury¡ª¡ªdoesn''t seem to see the situation. ...I had already bought us enough time." And his finger points to the main camp. There were cheers in that direction. Gildanstein turned his attention for a moment, "!" He leapt. From the exact opposite of the direction, he turned his attention to. What came flying was a white soldier spear from the ranks of Eluga''s Fourth Corp. It pierced the earth where Gildanstein had been, and at the same time, a man ofrge stature broke out of the line of soldiers. Blood-stained silver armor in the shape of a tiger. What he held in his hand was a full-body steel great war spear that ordinary people cannot wield. He dips his feet into the ground as he sprints andes in front of them. "My, it looks like I made it in time. If I couldn''t make it, I wouldn''t be able to face the General either." Kolkis Agrand smiled broadly. Selene breathes a sigh of relief and steps back. "You''re too slow, Kolkis." "I''m not very good at running, I''m stuck in the ground because of my armor...well, but don''t worry, Christand¡¯s watchdog will drive away its master''s danger." "Fufu, That''s reassuring." Seleneughed and narrowed her eyes. There was Gildanstein, still holding his sword and still ready to fight. He was wounded by arrows, and his body was bleeding¡ª¡ªreminding her of her father''s corpse. There were countless scars. Probably her father too. The hero Bogan Christand must have fought while being covered in wounds like this. "...This is already over, Your Highness. Surrender. No matter how strong you are, Commander Agrand has appeared, and you are injured. There is no chance of winning in this situation." Serene asked for a token surrender. She knew that he would not nod. Even as he spouted blood, he didn¡¯t give up and picked up his sword. Was the reason pride or something else¨D¨D "I would not be able to face your father if I surrendered with just this level of wounds and circumstances." At least, in front of her was a warrior. "That was a good fight. You can be proud, your father was a true hero¡ª¡ªa warrior." At the very least, her father must have fought this man as a warrior. ¡ª¡ªThat''s why, in the end, those eyes looked like they were smiling without any regrets. "Your Highness!!" The one running toward them was the battered century who had blocked them before. Kalua and the others quickly took up a position in that direction, "... That''s fine, rias." Gildanstein held his hand toward them, stilling them. "You guys are the witnesses. ¡ I said that I would prepare a reward, enough for you to y around for the rest of your life if you survived, but I don''t think I can fulfill that promise. Just think that you¡¯re lucky to be able to keep your life" "...Your Highness." Gildanstein chuckled and carried the great sword on his shoulder. Kolkis takes a step forward with a serious face. "The General¡¯s enemy¡ª¡ªthat man¡¯s final moment was not unsightly, from the bottom of my heart I am d for that. ¡I will be your opponent, Your Highness." Gildanstein looked at Kolkis, and Kolkis thrust the tip of his spear at him. Everyone on the spot held their breath, but. "You''re not a good enough actor for me, Agrand." "...what?" "On the battlefield, there is only one thing, victory... you are not the one who stopped me from achieving that goal. As my greatest enemy, you are not the one standing who obstructed me." Gildanstein looked up at the sky and squinted at the sun approaching its zenith and continued. In the wintery sky there was a heat, and the hot wind caressed his body. "¡ª¡ªThe cheers I just heard. I wondered what it was like." Gildanstein continued as he reached for that sun. "If Nakirus seeds in breaking through, the oue of this situation is still unknown. I still have my eyes on victory. But that''s your main camp. Nakirus brought a small group¡ª¡ªhis breakthrough won¡¯t raise that much cheer. Even if that were the case, he should have already been here." He clenched his fist, as if trying to catch the sun. "That¡¯s to say, Nakirus is dead." Gildanstein said so. "But Nakirus is a man I trust. At the very least, I don''t think he''ll be killed in that situation. He''lle crawling if he has to. ¡That is unless there is another reason." Then his cheeks contorted. "No way, I didn''t think you were already here yesterday, but...did you already defeat my body double on the first day? I certainly never underestimated you, but..." A shadow dances out from the main camp. Without wearing any armor, the silver hair and cloak swayed. It ran through the distance to here in a sh and stopped. Gildanstein looked back. ¡ª¡ªHe was determined to win. Once he had struck Bogan in the Dragon¡¯s Maw, victory was his. With the pce in his grasp and soldiers and generals in his hands, victory was already in sight. But Kuraray Marcellus could not stall for time. The undefeated general Aurugorn Hilkintos was defeated. The Dragon¡¯s Maw, which he had risked his life to obtain, was lost in a short time. And today, he was slowed down by the centurions she made, eating up a deadly amount of time. That''s why this girl¡ª¡ªKrische Christand stood here as the one who obstructed Gildanstein. The girl, her skirt swinging, tilted her head slightly, frowned, and looked at Selene. "Selene, is he surrendering?" "...No. He wants a duel with you." "¡duel?" More and more iprehensible and mysterious. Krische narrowed her purple eyes coldly and fixed her gaze on Gildanstein. "It''s a bit surprising after running around for so long. Krische didn''t think you were that kind of person who stuck to such puzzling aesthetics." She spun the curved sword in her hand and smiled. "But don''t worry, Krische will properly keep her word. No matter what you nned, what kind of person you are¡ª¡ªKrische will kill you." Her inorganic eyes shone. Even though she smiled, her eyes didn¡¯t smile. Only cold-blooded murderous intent oozed out. "That''s fine. ¡ If you fight, you will win. Even so, you are the opponent I should bet my life on in this ce." Laughing, Gildanstein drew his sword. Seichu (at the exact middle/center of body), Seigan (pointing sword to opponent¡¯s eye; kendo¡¯s stance). His hands on the hilt of the great sword. A phantasmagoric sword trajectory. ¨D¨DThe right hand that manipted it was heaven. The hilt that bes the axis and the foundation. ¨D¨DThe left hand, which brings harmony to the sword, was earth. Seigan, which can respond to any attack, was the sword against all enemies. The King''s Sword was based on the concept of containing all of heaven and earth in its sword. Gildanstein''s stance was stunningly beautiful, and could be called the stance of a King. "I see. If you don''t run away, it''s best. Krische is already tired of this fight." Krische, on the other hand, held her sword in her right hand, but did not take a stance. The heavens and earth that he creates, a natural stance against the world. She was innocent and formless against the King¡¯s Sword that rules the heavens and the earth. Her sword was a sword that couldn¡¯t be caught by anything. It was outside the principle of the heaven and earth created by Gildanstein, the person called King. She was void. She was not mastering a technique. She did not have power in her hands. She transcends all swordsmanship and brings forth the best move in the moment. Formlessness¨D¨Dthat way of being itself is her principle. "If Krische kills you, it''s all over¡ª¡ªand then all will be fine." Her steps were smooth, as if she was sinking into the earth. The space between the two was five ken (~9 m). ¨D¨DIt was already within Krische¡¯s reach. An ordinary swordsman would have had his head chopped off by the time he realized it. Her steps were not wild, but simply tranquil. The change from stillness to motion seemed nonexistent, and even though she was moving, she did not seem to be moving. Slipping through the gap of his perception, it was as if the distance between him and her¨D¨Dthe space itself was shrinking. However, Gildanstein, on the other hand, could barely see it. A feeling of time being stretched out. A body that feels heavy as if he was in water. He had wounds all over his body, was exhausted, and was probably in the worst possible condition. But that was why he was able to abandon the rest of his life and focus all his attention on this situation to the utmost limit. No sound was heard, and his vision seemed to fade. His body, all the abilities he had cultivated so far, were directed solely toward Krische¡¯s movements. His reaction to Krische¡¯s smooth step was dyed, but he quickly realized. It was not a fatal dy. With one step, Krische closed the gap of 3 ken (~5.4 m). If she had wanted to, he could have easily closed a distance of 5 ken. The reason she stepped in until there was in order to be able to respond to any of Gildanstein¡¯s attack. That''s how Gildanstein understood that she was always ahead of him. She was directly in front of Gildanstein, and there, on the ground, was her left foot. Gildanstein swung the tip of his sword to the right, and Krische instantly reacted. The destination was the left side of Gildanstein. ¨D¨DBut it was a feint. As she positions herself to step onto Gildanstein''s left side, then reversed. Gildanstein tilted his sword to the left. She was on her left foot. In that state, her center of gravity was tilted to the right. There was no more escape to the left. Gildanstein put all his might and soul into horizontal sh. It was the shortest and fastest, putting everything he has cultivated up to this point into it. A blow she should not be able to avoid. She had no choice but to receive it with her sword¨D¨Dbut then she leapt. Without touching the ground with her right foot, she jumped with her left foot. And she used Gildanstein''s greatsword, which was swinging toward her, as her foothold. The belly of the sword, which was shed horizontally, was pointed upward. She stepped down as if to m her right foot there. "¨D¨D!?" Gildanstein tried to endure with his superhuman strength. Krische¡¯s weight was light. He should be able to hold on. But Krische had always learned how to use everything to the maximum. The force applied to the leap was minimal, just enough to bring her to a height where she could step on the sword. She concentrated all of her weight on one point on her right foot¨D¨DGildanstein''s sword dug into the earth. ¨D¨DAnd she stepped on her sword with her left foot. She saw the King¡¯s Sword as the earth, as a foothold. To convey the full power to the curved sword she held. Before he knew it, there was no sword in her right hand. The sword in her left hand was sharp and ran its de through Gildanstein. The twist of her waist, the spiral of the de drawn by it. The beautiful trajectory of death was drawn on the de without any loss in the de. Their gazes met. The inorganic purple color of her eyes widened and captured all of Gildanstein. As if she could see through it all. The de touched his neck, cutting through it. The far away Kingdom¡¯s banner was reflected in his eyes. ¨D¨DThe crest of a sword thrusting toward the heavens. However Gildanstein''s sword was not in the heavens, it was in the earth. The girl in front of him stood on his sword, as if to trample it. For the first andst time since his birth. It was a moment of such defeat. Before his head was cut and his consciousness faded away. He looked at everything in the world andughed. What should be, just as it was. Everything he believed in, everything he was betrayed by, everything, everything, fades from his mind. Only in the midst of it all, he looked at the one who killed him. She was precisely the Child of God¡ª¡ªthe Cursed Child named Alberan. ¡ª¡ªThe founder of the distorted and mad royal family, its rightful heir. The girl cut hishead and jumped. Gildanstein kneeled down, and just smiled silently. The figure of the girl who tilts her head looking at his smiling self, was infinitely beautiful. She was enchanting, innocent and devilish. Since he met her in the Dragon¡¯s Maw, he had risked everything to challenge her. To win against this girl, he had to give up everything else. But even that wasn''t enough. For the sake of her own desire, she would overthrow everything that stood in her way. A king is power. If it''s this girl, she''ll even thrust her sword into the heavens. He justughed at himself that was a mere imitation¡ª¡ªand then let go of his consciousness. ¡ª¡ªSelene saw the momentary fight that took ce in front of her, and closed her eyelids. Silence filled the ce. The ending that seemed obvious. Much too abrupt, too easily¨D¨Dthe enemy who had tormented Selene fell to the ground. "Ehehe, it''s over, Selene." Krische jumped on Selene, not caring about the corpse. She pinched Krische¡¯s cheeks as if to scold her, and looked around. Kahlua stared nkly at Gildanstein''s corpse, clenching her fists. Her mouth tightens and her face down. One person patted her on the trembling shoulder. Kolkis picked up Gildanstein''s sword. Even in this situation, Gildanstein is the Archduke of the Kingdom. He is the Royal Prince. He was a member of the royal family, and it was not permissible for members of the same Kingdom to expose his neck. Eluga was quietly urging the dejected surrounding enemy soldiers toy down their weapons Thinking of her father, she closed her eyes. Selene called out to Kolkis while stroking Clich¨¦''s head. "...Kolkis" "Yes ma¡¯am!" When she called out to him, Krische instantly stopped hugging her and covered her ears. Kolkis voice echoed through the air. "After a legitimate duel, the head of the Royal Prince was taken by the daughter of the hero Bogan Christand¨D¨Dthe First Corps Commander of the Christand army, Krische Christand, took revenge with her own hands!! Know t any subsequent battles will be an insult to the two of them who have decided the battle in a dignified duel!! From now on, all further fighting is forbidden, both sides are to put down their swords and cease fighting immediately!" Then, after a short pause, he shouted, "This battle is a victory for Her Royal Highness the First Princess of Alberan and us¨D¨Dthe Christand Army!!" ¨D¨DAt that voice, cheers shook the earth. Chapter 111: The Sensation of the End Chapter 111: The Sensation of the End ***Arc 5 The One Who Obstructed, Chapter 111 The Sensation of the End*** ¨D¨DGallen took a deep breath, and so did Salva on the other side. A cheer was heard. Krische must have struck down Gildanstein. Gallen softened his face and lowered his sword. ¡°...It''s a pointless fight beyond this. Surrender." Mia did not let her guard down, and she set up a perimeter. Salva''s military strength was small, and victory and defeat were already obvious. There was no way or reason for them to regroup from this point on. "... it seems so." At these words, Salva lowered his sword. He then took off his helmet and kneeled down, cing his hands on his thighs. "¨D¨DEither way, I''m not just a rebel, but a traitor, and I''m guilty of the death penalty....If it''s possible, I''d like to be killed by you as a warrior on the battlefield." Gallen heard those words and replied with ¡®I see¡¯. Then he approached Salva. "As an enemy in the final battle... I am honored to have fought you. I understand why General Christand called youmander." Gallen remembered the dead Bogan, then looked at Salva in front of him and sighed. ¡°... enemy, ally. Good men, regardless of their beliefs, are lost. Year after year, I feel suffocated with so much piled on my shoulders. ...This is why I don''t like war." "...Sorry for taking up your time." ¡°No, this too is my duty...and that is what I am destined to do.¡± He took Salva¡¯s sword. Gallen''s small sword was light enough to cut off a man''s head. ¡°Do you have anyst words?¡± ¡°...if possible let the me be mine alone. My family was only caught up in their father''s folly.¡± Salva bowed his head and exposed his neck. ¡°Thank you." "¡aah" Gallen swung his sword up and down. The de passes through a gap between bones and the head rolled. The soldier at his side hands him a cloth, and Gallen wrapped his neck in it. "... Raise the banner of victory. The war is over." ¡°Yes sir!¡± Gallen approaches Mia and taps her on the shoulder. "No matter what anyone says, you are the ones who deserve the most honor in this battle....You did a great job. You can rest." "¡¡yes" Mia trembled, but clenched her fists and began to give out instructions. Dusk¨D¨DKeithriton¡¯s main army camp. "Let¡¯s go Carliss!! Leave the right side to Keith''s corps, you''re behind me!" ¡°Yes Sir!! At the sound of Granmeld''s voice, the First Battalion made a breakthrough. The enemy''s main camp, thest defense. There was no one left to stop Granmeld, who had broken through the enemy vanguard. With a swing of his great iron club, he knocked down all obstacles in his way. The wolf pack follows in his footsteps. ¨D¨DAnd then. ¡°Should I say, as expected? ...This army was too bad against Verreich. To think it didn¡¯t evenst a day.¡± "Well, I feel sorry for you. To think you''re stuck with my corps with soldiers of this level. That said... this is a battle, there''s no excuse. I''ll have you die here." Against the wolf is silver armor that represents a dragon. The old general Felworth Keithriton stroked his long white beard and nodded with a calm and satisfied look. "Haha, that''s what a warrior is all about. You guys won this fight." "Hah...? ...Does that mean you''re going to surrender?" "At the very least, our reason for fighting seems to have disappeared. Look." Granmeld frowned and looked at the hill. The main camp on the hill¨D¨Dthere are three blue gs demanding a halt to the battle. It is used when one wish to negotiate based on the Holy Spirit Covenant¨D¨Din this case, "It seems that His Royal Highness has been defeated. ¡ The Christand lost Bogan, but they didn''t lose their strength.¡± The significance of the battle disappeared. It was to let them know that the fight at Selene''s side had settled. ¡°...g bearers, send out the blue gs too. We ept the ceasefire." ¡°Yes sir!¡± Granmeld sighed in frustration and dropped his shoulders. "Tch, Even though I''ve finally made it to the main camp, it doesn''t feel right..." "Kuku, it seems you were toote. It seems that this old man''s neck is protected by the Goddess protection." "Haaah... I don''t even know I was doing, rally. Carliss, be careful not to let my soldiers kill. Calm them down.¡± "Yes sir. ...Totally, it''s a disaster, isn''t it?¡± "Ah, I feel like I want to pay back Krische-samater for this." And so the battle on the Verreich¡¯s sidees to an end. The Alberan War of Kingship, which resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and the loss of many generals. The battle ended with the death of the Royal Prince, Gildanstein, and the victory of the first princess, Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan. The Christand side served wine to the defeated soldiers and held a grand banquet. Although they were allies and enemies, they were all citizens of the same Kingdom. Although the gs were different, there was no sin there, and the chaos was kept to a minimum. The same was true for themanders, who were very lenient in their treatment of the rebels. This was in the name of mercy of Her Highness, but the Kingdom had lost so much in the civil war. They wanted to avoid further losses. The kingdom could not afford to inflict a just (proper) punishment. It had been agreed in advance that punishment would be kept to a minimum, and they followed this policy. "Just when I wondered where you had gone¡what are you doing, Kalua?" ¡°Oh, Mia, nothing, I just wanted to have a quiet drink." When Mia entered the tent, Kalua was sitting on a barrel instead of a chair, sipping her drink alone. Kalua¡¯s face was red, as if she had already drunk a considerable amount. Unusually, she was quite drunk. A feast to celebrate the victory and to send off the dead. Tomorrow, the corpses collected would be burned together. Krische joined in, and the banquet was surprisingly cheerful¨D¨Deveryone wasughing while pushing themselves. The main topics of conversation were the dead and Krische. It was probably out of concern for keeping the mood from bing too somber. Everyone praised Krische for her achievement. Perhaps it was because they thought of their own helplessness¨D¨Dthey had suffered so many deaths, were at the mercy of Nakirus, and were unable to defeat Gildanstein. There was no one who could boast of their achievements while surviving that many deadly battles. However, ¡®Krische was just helping out a little at the end. At that situation, even without Krische¨D¨Dthe situation was at our advantage, and that was because of the work of this unit. You guys did your best to fulfill Krische¡¯s order to protect Serene.¡¯ Krische said so, ¡®It''s a pity that Krische can''t tell that to the one that died. They ignored Krische order and died after all, even though Krische wanted to praise and scold them. ¡Idiot.¡¯ She continued. She tilted the sake which was closer to juice than alcohol and lowered her eyes. Expressionless as usual, but no one misunderstood the meaning of the word ¡®idiot¡¯. Mia also finally realized the true meaning of the word ¡®idiot¡¯ that she said. Krische was apparently not feeling well. Kalua, who had noticed this, took her out with a exasperated look and told her that she was taking her to the general''s tent. Kalua did note back even while Mia was being teased here and there about her reward, chu~. Mia noticed it on the way and came back to the tent looking for her so that she could escape from the ce. Kalua poured and stirred the sake. There were several empty sake bottles on the floor. No matter how one look at it she was drinking too much, Mia grabbed the bottles and put them out of Kalua''s reach. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You''ll break your body if you drink that much. That''s why I confiscated it.¡± "One day is fine. I want to sleep soundly." ¡°¡You''ve had enough.¡± "Not Enough" Mia red at Kahlua, grabbed the bottle of liquor, and tilted it all at once. She drank the entire bottle, emptying it with just a few spilled, and set it down in front of Kahlua ¨D¨Dmming it down on the keg that served as a table. "... this is the end" "Haah...what are you getting so worked up about?" Kalua said dumbfoundedly, and Mia looked back at her. "I''m upset because I''m worried about Kahlua." Kalua paused for a moment and looked away from Mia. It was the gesture of an angry child. The opposite of usual. "¡¡talk to me" Mia said, kneeling down. Kalua said nothing for a moment. The report she made to Mia after the battle was a simple one, just a business report. Mia didn¡¯t even know what happened. After a while, Kalua opened her mouth as if she had given up. ¡°Adol and Kels, together with Kienitz and the others, died trying to stop Gildanstein. Telling the archers to shoot them together. It''s a cool way to die, isn''t it?¡± Kahlua said in a tone that suggested she didn''t think so at all. They have been working together ever since they formed the squad. Losing such a friend in front of her eyes, there was no way she can be calm. "It went well, but it looks like they couldn''t finish him off. Even though he was covered in wounds, he was still chasing after us, and Bagu protected me, who couldn''t see my surroundings, and was bisected. ...If you''re in love with me, then he should have survived and showed me his cool side.¡± She smiled bitterly and lowered her eyes. ¡°After that, the Skeleton Corps Commander came, followed by Agrand Corps Commander¡ Usa-chan easily killed Gildanstein, the end. ¡that¡¯s all of it.¡± "...that''s not what I want to hear." "What more do you want to hear?" ¡°What Kahlua is holding back¡± Mia said and then she held Kahlua''s head. A solid swordsman''s body. But now she felt a it was somehow fragile. "What? Revenge for the usual? Do you want to make me cry?" "I want to make you cry. Is that strange?" ¡°...strange." Kalua giggled and put her hand on Mia''s back. "If you willfort me anyway, I''d rather you have a little more cushion on yout chest. My face hurts a little because it''s t." "...Shut up. Don''tin." "... Fufu, it can''t be helped since it''s Mia." Kalua said happily, and she took a deep breath. "Honestly, I thought I could do more, so it''s frustrating. ¡¡I didn¡¯t even think that I would end up running around with 15 people against a single opponent.¡± ¡°¡I see.¡± ¡°I knew he was strong. I also thought I wouldn''t be able to win alone. ¡But the general is there, and even the Century was gathered together¡and I was there too. I can''t beat Usa-chan, but, I thought I could do better." She stroked the slightly damaged¡ªbut beautiful ck hair. Kalua''s hand gripped her back, the strength on her hand was strong. "Usa-chan came and Gildanstein was killed easily. When it was over, sheughed like a child and hugged the General....She said help, but it was really that easy for Usa-chan." Sheughed and continued, ¡®She''s in bed with a fever right now, though.¡¯ "We weren¡¯t a match at all, and against the opponent that we sacrificed ourrade and ran away from, that easily. Usa-chan would easily win even against such a monster. ¡If Usa-chan was there instead of me. I knew we would have won without anyone dying." "¡¡yes" "I wondered just what was I doing.... Even if it wasn''t like Usa-chan, if at least I had the power to stand up to Gildanstein, at least no one there would have died. " Her face was pressed against her and something seeps into her chest. The trembling shoulders looked small, she hugged her tightly. "...It''s not Kahlua''s fault." "Don¡¯tfort¡ª¡ª" ¡°No. It was my failure.¡± Mia said in a strong tone. ¡°I should have sent one more team to Kahlua. But I couldn''t. ¡I could have at least until the enemy... Nakirus was it, the big guy, came. I''m sure themander Dagra-san¡ª¡ªwould have been able to do it. Then we could have finished the whole thing without needing the corpsmander saving us." ¡°That, just hindsight.¡± "Yes, hindsight. But the moment we struggled with Gildanstein, I should have made that judgement. I had some leeway at that time. I had my priorities wrong. I should have prioritized General and Kalua over everything else in that situation." ¡®understand?¡¯ Mia continued. ¡°I am themander. I am responsible for all those who died. My responsibility in directing the fight. It was definitely not your responsibility as a soldier. ¡°¡Don¡¯t say things that¡¯s so unlike yourself.¡± ¡°It''s Kahlua who always puts the me on me, isn''t it? I can''t even remember how many times I''ve been hit on the head by themander and corpsmander because of Kalua.¡± Mia smiled and tightened her hand. "Only in times like this, it''s sly. Kalua¡¯s the one who isn¡¯t herself. ¡Troubling me, put the me on me, Kalua is fine just like that.¡± "... Is Mia a pervert?" "Shut up...uuh" At that point, the strength left her hand, and Mia slumped as it was. Her face was bright red and her eyes were moist. "...Even though you¡¯re not strong, you drunk it all at once." "Because..." "Guess can''t help it, geez" Kalua wipes her eyes and picked her up. She carried her to a simple bed with just a nket on it, and she gently set her down. "Which one is causing trouble now?" "...Ehehe, do you want me to sleep with you?" Mia hugged Kalua while saying that. Kalua smiled wryly and stroked her soft brown hair. "Really, Mia has a habit of hugging when she gets drunk. Onee-san worried about you." "There''s no such thing.... Are you going to sleep? Not sleep?" "... Yes, yes, I understand." As Kaluay down, Mia rxed her cheeks and smiled happily. "... Kahlua, just making fun of me like that is fine." "Huh... do you know what you''re saying?" "Maybe I don''t understand... Hmm... Anyway, that''s fine." Kahlua smiled wryly and pressed Mia¡¯s lips. Mia nodded and pulled her face close to Kalua¡¯s after she told her exasperatedly to stop talking and go to bed. ¡°!¡± "¡¡good night." She said so softly and closed her eyes. Kalua''s face turned bright red, holding her mouth tight and ring at Mia, who was in her sleep. After she looked at her sleeping face for a while she sighed, ¡°¡I have to make sure Mia doesn¡¯t drink alcohol from now on.¡± Kalua also closed her eyes, poking Mia''s forehead as she slept with a carefree face. ¡ª¡ªTwo dayster, in Selene''s tent. "Haa, really. Even though the fever has just subsided. ¡Wait a little longer, they¡¯re heading this way after all." ¡°¡We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time.¡± "You''re overreacting. It''s only been a month.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been a month.¡± Krische¡¯s lips pouted, and Selene pinched her cheek and pulled it. "... Hmm, do you really want to go? Leaving me busy and having a hard time, Krische go because she wanted to be spoiled by Bery?" ¡°Uu¡¡± ¡°I know, even though you said this and that, in the end rather than me, Krische like Bery more after all right? In truth Krische hated me right?¡± ¡°N-no¡¡± Her gaze instantly drifted and she began to hesitate. Selene chuckled, stroking her head. "Just kidding. Krische has done more than enough. Take care of your health and go." "... Selene" "Let''s meet again in the royal capital. Please tell Bery and Kreschenta that I¡¯m doing well." "¡¡yes" Krische stretched and kissed her, her cheeks rxed, and she smiled. Serene did the same, stroking her silver hair regretfully. She was sad to see him go, but she still had a lot of work to do. Before Kreschenta arrived, she needed to get the pce in some semnce of order. "I leave the corps to Keith. If anything happens, Keith will take care of it." "Yes. Speaking of which, what about Elvena?" ¡°Elvena is getting Krische¡¯s stuff ready. Elvena is going to rest for a while to along with Kahlua¡¯s¡ª¡ªThe ck Century¡¯s vacation, so until then, use her at Selene''s ce. The ck Century lost nearly half of their man they were operating here. Although it was already originally nned, she would like to give them a short break. "When things calmed down a bit, I''lle back and say thank you againter. I think I was saved a lot, or if it wasn''t for that squad, I would have lost." ¡°Yes. Even though it was the worst case scenario Krische had imagined, Krische had forced them to push themselves too hard. Considering the situation she heard, the ck Century were working more than expected. Nevertheless, while making sacrifices¡ª¡ªa number of familiar faces have disappeared, and she had an indescribable feeling. She could thought as much as she wanted about the consequences of what she should have done, but that was a gamble in that situation. In the end, theck of options forced them to choose safety measures, and naturally damage was done. ¡°As a result of each of us doing our best, we have no choice but to conclude that it can¡¯t be helped to some extent. The loss of General Melchikos is painful, but..." Selene sighed. The Third Corp continued to resist¡ª¡ªKrische judged that Terrius was still alive, but apparently he had been killed. A corpsmander who supported Christand for a long time. The impact of his death was by no means small. "...Krische is d Ojii-sama didn''t die." "Really. Gallen-sama also helped me a lot. I''ve been saved all the time... Krische also went to see how he is, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Anne more or less worked hard for the time being.¡± Gallen must have pushed himself too hard, and just like Krische, he got a little sick. Anne, who was strangely motivated, was taking care of his personal belongings, saying leaving it to me, she kept saying that. "Anne said, ''Leave it to me,'' but...Krische is a little worried that she¡¯s causing trouble for Ojii-sama." "... Gallen-sama seems to like Anne a lot, so I think he''ll be fine." Gallen sees only the virtue in Anne who did her best no matter what she did, and he praised her as a well-behaved girl. He had seen Krische and Bery, who were too good for their own good, so he was more able to easily got along with an ordinary girl like Arne. Gallen had no interest in food or drink other than alcohol, and since Krische¡¯s mother, Grace, was clumsy, Gallen¡¯s standard for normal is a low one. Naturally, Anne was very attached to such a Gallen. Having grown up watching a servant named Bery all the time, Selene, who was discerning, was not without some exasperation against Anne, but if the person she was taking cared of was satisfied, then it was fine. "Well, it should be fine. ¡ Anyway, you''re not going to walk, are you?" "Krische is going to borrow a horse to carry the luggage, but... Krische is tired of riding a horse. Using a carriage for personal business is also a problem..." "If you¡¯re avoiding it like that, so no matter how long it takes, you won;t get used to it. It hurt at first, but it¡¯s fine once you get used to it." "...Krische doesn''t want it to hurt until Krische get used to it." ¡°What an obstinate child.¡± She pinched Krishce¡¯s cheek, and she groaned ¡®Uuu¡¯. A person who would be a soldier would normally get injured many times and be stronger in pain, but Clich¨¦ never gets injured during training. That probably had an effect. Krische never got used to pain, and she was only good at holding it in . She was also stubborn and did not like to put up with pain unless she had to, which was probably one of her cute faults. ¡°Krishce-sama it¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡± Elvena''s voice came from outside the tent. She also heard the horse''s snorting and left the tent with Selene. Krische then stopped in her tracks. The one pulling the horse and saluting was a familiar man. It was the messenger who she had saved the other day. ¡°............" And that well-built horse also looks familiar. "Thank you for your help the other day. I heard Krische-sama is looking for a horse, so please take the horse from the other day. No really, it seems that the horse was famous as an uncontroble rampaging horse... it was really hard to bring him back." "I-is that so..." The other day, Krische-samae in a brilliant ride and was really dashing ...... I can still see it in my mind. The horse was really excited just a few minutes ago, but when it saw its master like this, it immediately calmed down¡¡± Krische turned her gaze away from the horse as the man spoke heartily. "...Krische is not the owner of that horse." "Hahaha, no need to be humble. To be recognized by a horse like this is a natural talent." The horse stepped in front of the reluctant Krische and showed its nk. Then, with a heavy snort, he pointed to the saddle on his back with his neck. ¡°For the time being, I imitated the cushion that wasid in front previously. I''ve heard that it''s only used for transporting goods, but that would be a waste, so if it''s this horse, you should definitely bring it with you on your trip." The reins was pushed out. She was somewhat tempted to take another horse, but with the luggage strapped to it, she couldn''t say no. After reluctantly epting it, Selene asked he. ¡°The size is a little different, but should I lend you a trouser?¡± "It''s okay, Krische won''t ride it after all." As if understanding thenguage, the horse lurched and showed the saddle. Then, he leaned forward. "...K-Krische not going to ride it." Krische red at the horse and said so. ¨D¨DAfter that, Krische yielded to the horse, who repeatedly appealed as though Krische was slow to walk. Krische ended up riding it sideways. ¨D¨DAfter that, a few more days. Passing beside Bergash Fortress was a marching column that seemed to reach the horizon. The Imperial State army, a column formed by 40,000. In that column, in a box carriage surrounded by soldiers and cavalry in ck armor¨D¨D "...it''s boring." "It''s almost noon, so why don''t Kreschenta-sama take a rest?" "I''m tired from sleeping too much!" There was the first princess, Kreschenta, puffing out her cheeks and pping her legs. She gripped her red and shimmering gold hair with both hands and red at Bery sullenly. In contrast, Berry, the red-headed servant, looks down happily and moved her hands. It was a muffler sewn with woolen thread. Each one was carefully dive and shaped. "Hmmm...then how about this Kreschenta-sama?" "I don''t like it, it''s troublesome. You can buy something like a muffler." ¡°I like the troublesome of it. It''s self-satisfaction, but... I''m carefully thinking about the feelings of the person who will wears it... Fufu, it''s getting colder, and I think the white muffler will surely suit Krische-sama." "... How many are you nning to make?" ¡®It''s going to be cold¡¯, with that reason Bery had already knitted several scarves. She said greys, browns, greens¡ª¡ªeverything looked good on her, she seemed like she could cover most of color if left unchecked. "You just want to earn points form Onee-sama, don''t you?" "Is it strange to earn points to please the one you love?" Kreschenta red at Bery more and more displeased, and Bery smiled happily. Bery poked Kreschenta¡¯s puffed cheeks with her fingers and said while smiling, ¡®Don''t do that¡¯. "Your face is ruined, smile, smile." "...You sure are having fun. You looked gloomy the whole time, but as soon as you found out that yOnee-sama won, you smiled the whole time. I wonder if I should have told Argan-sama to keep it a secret. " "My, saying something so mean. ¡¡Hmm, this about it.¡± Lift up the scarf, unfold it, and make sure there are no loose ends. It is not particrly patterned, justced at both ends. It was simple and sturdy. Krische prefers simple¡ª¡ªpractical things, so she thought it would be better like this than to be overly concerned with decoration. Nodding at the result, Bery turned her attention to the window, which she had left closed. ¡°¡Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No¡¡± She just looked that way for some reason. However, after a while, a horse''s voice echoed, the surroundings became noisy, and the soldiers raised their voices. The voice contained a little girl''s name, "Geez, Bururun, stay still for a moment.... It''s been a while, Kilik, please take care of Bururun for a bit." ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Bururun is¡uh.¡± "That''s the horse''s name. It was inconvenient to call it without a name, so Krische named it." Bery hugged the muffler tightly to that voice. Then she opened the carriage door. "...!" Krische was just about to hand over the reins to the escort squad leader. And when she recognized Berry, she smiles like a flower. Without even a run-up she jumped up into Bery''s chest. The force of the leap make Bery sat on the chair¡ª¡ªKreschenta¡¯s thighs causing her to scream. "Bery, how are you?" "... Yes. Krische-sama, are there injured?" "Ehehe, Krische is fine" *Gyuu*, Bery put strength into her hand and embraced Krische¡¯s delicate body. It''s painful, but she smiled happily. The people around them who saw it also realized the victory of the civil war, andughed at each other¨D¨DOnly Kreschenta, who was crushed by Bery''s buttocks and back, raised a voice of agony. ¡°¡From now on, we will be together forever. Krische want to cook a lot.¡± "Yes, of course. Fufu, while Krische-sama was not here, I learned various imperial dishes, together with Kreschenta-sama¨D¨Dah." When Berry finally noticed, she sat up and found Kreschenta there, her face red with anger. "Y-y-y-you, as a servant, to put your butt on me¨D¨D" "Ah,e to think of it, it''s been a while, Kreschenta." e to think of it¡?¡± Kreschenta stiffened and her eyes watered. Krische didn''t show any sign of caring about it. "O-Onee-sama! Just how much does Onee-sama think I¨D¨D" "...what are you angry about? Geez, that¡¯s no food.¡± Krische said, closing the door and kissing Kreschenta. She stroked her head as she straddled Bery''sp. "Good girl, good girl" "...I-I won¡¯t be happy with just that..." Even though she said that, half of her anger had already disappeared. Kreschenta looked at Krische¡¯s hand as she stroked her head with upturned eyes and red cheeks. "I-I''m sorry, I didn''t notice I..." Realizing what she had done, Bery, her cheeks flushed, apologized, "... do you think you''ll be forgiven just by saying that?" Kreschenta red at Berry, ¡°Kreschenta¡± Krische tells her with a sideways nce. Kreschenta fell silent. As if she just remembered, Krische pulled out a candy from a small bag around her neck. "... properly, Krische brought it back to Bery." "Yes, I''ve been waiting for Krische-sama for a long time." Then pressed it against Berry''s lips. With a chuckle, Krische put it in her mouth and wrapped thepleted scarf around Krishce¡¯s neck. Krische confirmed the strange feeling with her hand, put it on her cheek, and smiled happily. ¡®It''s warm,¡¯ she pressed her face against Bery''s chest, "¡¡I''m home" Then, after a short pause, she continued, leaning back. Bery''s eyes welled up at these words, and looked down and wiped the tears that were about to spill out. She nodded and raised Krische-¡®s body, and put her hand on her cheek and smiled. "yes. ¡¡Wee home, Krische-sama.¡± She closed her eyelids, her longshes fluttering, and slowly moved her face closer to hers. The kiss was long, as if to show that there was no falseness in her words. The honey of the blotted candy smelled sweet. The kiss sweeter than any fruit was special and full of love. ¨D¨DFor Krische, it felt like the end of a long war. Chapter 112.1: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 5 (Part 1) Chapter 112.1: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 5 (Part 1) Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 5 (Part 1) Mostly the same as for arc 4 with the added Battle Command attribute and some changes. Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half - 159 Kreschenta - 130, first half - (I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 159 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 5 ? Died by the end of Arc 5 - ------Major Character ¡õ Krische Rinea Christand --- Order Evil Krische Rinea Christand is an unhinged girl who can kill people without hesitation. She is the adopted daughter of the Christand House and is considered the main character of the story. Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry¡±, and is the Cursed Child of the royal family. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. She can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce. No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Therefore, she tends to demand of herself an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others. However, she has the nature of sparing no effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. **As an individual, she is an overwhelming existence that no one can match, but she is dependent, mentally young, and fragile. The more she deepens her rtionships with those around her and the more human happiness she gains, the weaker she bes mentally. Compared to the time when she was mentally independent and did not value others, she has gradually drifted away from the "perfect existence" she had hoped for.** ?**Combat Command** ****Extremely** aggressive in bothbat and tactics. Amander with the disposition of a hunter who ces the highest priority on mobility to inflict fatal damage on his opponents, always uses his mobility to confuse the enemy, trap them, and never fight in a disadvantageous situation. She makes the most of the strongest piece (pawn) that is herself, preferring the "headhunting tactics" to prioritize enemymanders and eliminate them without question, She boasts overwhelming strength against enemies that fight her head-on. Fundamentally, other than the bare minimum she demanded of her subordinate, she doesn¡¯t expect anything else from them, and she assembles tactics to win that that in mind, despite that, she has a bad habit of always not being satisfied if she didn¡¯t aim for maximum results.** Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. Armor: casual wear, gloves, reinforced boots. ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. She thinks she might be ''a little'' more spoiled and gluttonous than most people. Strong points: Murder. Magic. Calction. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be spoiled. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring others. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. **Worries: Addiction to Bery. Anxiety caused by withdrawal symptoms.** ¡õ Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand --- Neutral Good A serious and affectionate girl, head of the Christand House and a General, the only member of the Christand main House. She works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. She is a hardworking girl who has aplex about being a woman and works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. Until a few years ago, she cursed herself for being a woman instead of a man and put in so much excessive efforts, enough for the people around her feel uneasy until she met Krische who was overwhelmingly talented. As she takes care of her, who is young and likes housework in spite of her talent, she broadens her horizons, which had only allowed her to see herself as the daughter of a general, and she begins to cherish the small things in her life. Though she is talented, hardworking, and because of that she is extremely excellence, she is basically a hard worker who tends to push herself too hard. Her father, the Hero Bogan, and his subordinate, as well as Bery and Krische. Due to growing up surrounded by gifted people, she tends to underestimate herself. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable effort on herself. With a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and work whenever she has free time. She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. **She feels that it is her own inadequacy faults that Krische had to fight, and it is her goal to help her lead a peaceful life away from the battlefield. She hates herself for relying on and taking advantage of Krische.** ?**Combat Command** **She is aggressive by nature, but she always doubted her own abilities and will not overdo it. She ces importance on making the most of the abilities of her excellent subordinates, constructing her tactics from the exact opposite of Krische¡¯s point of view.** **She prefers basic tactics and coordination that push through with the quality and numbers of her troops, rather than any kind of surprise (strange) tactics, and ces great importance on securing superiority at the strategic stage.** Appearance: Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Average chest. Graceful. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú Krische: Stupid and clumsy child. Adorable. I want to let her live like a normal child. Strong Points: Horseback riding. Command (army). Likes: swordsmanship. Reading. Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. Her powerlessness. **Concerns: no longer able to smile anymore when seeing Krische being spoiled by another person.** ¡õ Bery Lipus Argan --- Neutral Good A slightly sickly, motherly woman, Kreschenta¡¯s servant. Selene''s aunt and the daughter of Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. Originally sickly and weak, because of this she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She worries about the trouble she causes others with her body and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her. Even after her family''s downfall and her physical problems are resolved when shees to Christand, her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische with her pure affection and goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. Despite her talent and genius, due to her temperament she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, which Bogan, Selene, and others feel is a waste. She may look gentle, but she is stubborn and though she looks like a logical person she is in the feels/intuition faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she tends to prioritize her emotions over her reasoning. **She has a strong affection/love for Krische and puts her happiness first, but her possessiveness is growing stronger.** **Her strong self-loathing and introverted nature, and her affection/love has a strong dependence nature, but because Krische who is the target of her affection/love also has the same disposition, there¡¯s no one who could handle it.** **She has recently be addicted to thinking of what makes will make her happiest, and seeing Kreschenta''s joy at being treated like a dog, she found out the truth¨D¨Dmaybe.** Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. Sweet baby face. Armor: Maid''s uniform. ¡ú Krische: Honest and pure. Purpose in life. I want to be by her side all the time. Strong points: Household chores in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. Likes: Household chores in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. Dislikes: Selfish people. Herself. **Worries: Addiction to Krische. Connecting everything to Krische when in withdrawal.** ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil Unhinged girl who poisons people without hesitation. First princess of the Alberan Kingdom. Known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse for killing others for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her sister, Krische as the only equal being to her, and feeling that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the King''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. **She has be more softer in recent years, partly because she has realized the happiness that can onlye from emptying her head, but she has not lost her essential nature or her obsessiveness.** **She is even more obsessed with safety and peace of mind than Krische.** Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. ¡úKrische: The only being in the world who is on the same level as her. She is a bit silly, so I¡¯m worried. Strong points: Poisoning. Plotting murder. Lying. Acting. Grasping people¡¯s hearts. Calcting/Scheming. Likes: Herself. Being pampered. Skinship in general. Dislikes: Anything that threatens her safety. **Worries: The contradiction of not liking Bery but liking her.** - ------Characters close to Krische or Christand Family ? Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of unwavering integrity and decisive action, he was Selene''s father and Bery''s brother-inw, now deceased and known as "The Thunderbolt". The Kingdom¡¯s hero, rising from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a squad leader to a general. His experience climbing up from the bottom gave him unique insight into the various problems of the army, he has seeded in raising the level of Christand abilities by assigning several tactically intelligent adjutants to each militarymander and dividing the workload among them. Although known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, he firmly believed that the strength of Christandy not in on-the-spot tactics, but in the ability to process information through advance preparation. **Although he is calm now, in his youth, he was reckless and loved to wield his sword on the front lines, He was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers because of the countless enemies he knocked down with his wild swordsmanship and the way he pushed forward.** **Unusually for a nobleman, he is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine.** **He died in a duel against Gildanstein, the Royal Prince.** **?Battle Command** **He was originally an excellent front-linemander with an aggressive temperament, but after having a wife, he refrained from this and always emphasized the importance of being amander who makes the most of his subordinates'' abilities.** **He believes that what a general should do is to identify the qualities of each individual, creating extreme chaos (disorder) that change the battlefield to the advantage of his allies through bold offensives and retreats.** **In order to aplish this, he believed that it was important to raise the level of ability of eachmander, and he always trained his subordinates with a training that is one rank above them so that a centurion would have the perspective of a battalionmander, and a battalionmander would have the perspective of a corpsmander.** **He is very good at reading the moment of withdrawal and has never failed in a retreat battle, even when the odds were against him.** Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce dace. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. Distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Worriess: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ¡õ Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere man, known for his blunt honesty. Krische¡¯s grandfather and Bogan¡¯s former superior, currently serving as Selene''s adjutant. He was once a genius centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier, and despite hisck of magical powers, he performed numerous military exploits with Bogan. He was respected by his men and had the ability to aim to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army after regretting the burning of a vige on his superior''s orders. Following his resignation, he returned to his hometown of Kalka and worked as a hunter, leading a peaceful life with his daughter, her husband, and his adopted daughter Krische. However, tragedy struck when his family was killed in a bandit attack, forcing him and Krische to leave the vige and seek refuge with Bogan and return to the army. He is a diligent worker who finds happiness in Krische''s contentment and the fact that she has found someone who understands her in the Christand household. **He had his own feelings about the people around him who had preceded him in death, but he hase to realize that he has a role to y because he has survived, and he continues to work hard.** ? **?Battle Command** **Never pushing it and never pursue too far.** **He has the nature of a hunter, waiting for an opportunity to create a decisive disadvantage for the enemy. Withdrawal, retreat, surprise attack¨D¨Dhe is a born hunter, the opposite of fair and square, and prefers to build tactics that target the opponent''s carelessness and openings.** **Killing his opponents without killing his troops. He hates unnecessary losses more than anything else, but when he sees an opportunity, he will turn around andunch a desperate offensive.** **He has a wide field of vision and is skilled at leading in melee battles.** Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fierce face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A little different from others but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. Strong points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: Drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust (inhuman). **Concerns: self-control when Krische brings her marriage partner. Pity for Anne, who ispared to Bery and Cliche, who are too excellent.** ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good A clumsy girl in thete stages who serves the Christand house. She is the daughter of a Marquis and was given an education for gifted children by various tutors, but it did not go well. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her to serve as an apprentice in the Royal estate. However, there she encountered Bery, a servant of the Christand house, and became so enamored with her that she threw off her position as a servant in the Royal estate that her parents had begged for her to ept, and became a servant of the Christand house, even as she was on the verge of being disowned. While she is notcking in intelligence or ability, her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic-thinking often lead her to make mistakes at crucial moments, which often irritate those around her. Despite this, she is serious and good-natured,es from a good family background, and has good looks. If only she could sit still, she would be a favorite, but her temperament prevents her from doing so. Recently, she has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. **She misses Gallen, who always praise and kind her, she secretly wants to talk to Mia, who has a simr atmosphere to her.** Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. ¡úKrische: A sweet kiss demon. The master of a servant she respected and the center of her delusion. Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Interpreting situation favorable. Bad timing. Likes: Delusions. Dislikes: Her own failure even at the best of times. **Concerns: the arrival of Elvena who is excellent, a seemingly brilliantpetitor.** ¡õ Elvena --- Chaos Good An unlucky beautiful woman ve. Formerly Rnd¡¯s ve. Christand¡¯s servant. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. The youngest of four sisters, Kalua¡¯s younger sister. She followed her sister out into town and rode in her sister¡¯s carriage, While she was lost is searching for her sister, she was unlucky enough to be caught by a ve trader who sold her body because of her good looks. Rnd was a customer of the ve trader and was now bought by her to work as a servant in his mansion, but she was saved by Krische, who gave her a job as a servant at the Christand. She has a temperament of goodness, but her sense of ethics is a little broken due to the environment she has lived in, and she has a devilish (temptress) disposition. She has a strong sense of gratitude and fondness for Krische, but when she sees Krische, innocent and unguarded like a chicken dancing next to a pot, sometimes her desire to tease here out. She is not fond of the opposite sex because of her past history, but on the other hand, she has little resistance to such activities, and her skinship is wide-ranging. She has always been strongly attached to her older sister, Kalua, but this has been exacerbated by her life up to this point. Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Graceful (beautiful). ¡úKrische: A benefactor. Pure and lovely. So beautiful in many meaning that her desire to tease here out. Strong points: Household chores in general. Likes: cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. Dislikes: Sleeping with guests and her master. Concerns: sometimes she feel like the senpai (senior) Anne is staring at her. ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalistic girl with a steel mentality, she is the wife of Margrave Christand and Bery''s older sister. Daughter of the Argan family, which fell into ruin due to business failure. Selene''s mother. Despite her family''s downfall, she possesses a bright personality that stands in contrast to Bery''s reserved demeanor and is known for her strong-will and vivaciousness. She is a nonconformist who forges ahead without worrying about social rules, so long as she believes it is right. When the Argan house fell, she selflessly sacrificed herself to protect young Bery from the malice of merchants and nobles. Always kind and earnest, she prioritizes Bery''s happiness even when confronted with her sister''s obstinacy. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she worried about Bery following in her footsteps, which led her to entrust Selene, not just out of concern for her child as a parent, in Bery''s care. Her second child was stillborn, and sheter sumbed to postpartum fever. Like Serene, she is clumsy and rather crude. Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: Words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: Rich people. Concern: Not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind. - ------ck Century ¡õ Mia --- Neutral Neutral A pitiful girl who is treated poorly in spite of her excellence. The adjutant of the ck Century. The leader of the 1st squad. Hailing from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom, it is adjacent to Kalka, where Krische was picked up. Initially, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, hoping to leverage her exceptional stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army. However, Krische, who saw through her magical talent and exceptional skills, recruited her, and before she knew it, she was fighting on the front lines. Despite being uneducated and possessing only the knowledge of a country girl, she is quick-witted and has a sharp mind. She is a natural talent, having learned to build virtual muscles with magical power without any guidance. However, perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, she ranks lower in swordsmanship skills among the ck Century that it would be faster to count her from the bottom. She often gets absent-minded at the most critical moments and is prone to backtalk. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she is easy to pick on, and she is often unreasonably yelled at. Despite her poprity in the vige, she suffers from low self-esteem and is dense. Several men in the vige have confessed their love to her on multiple asions, but she has let them all slip without realizing it. ?**Battle Command She has learned basic tactics, has a clear mind and a broad vision, and is very capable as a centurion. She has learned how to conduct a melee battle with a unitposed of magic possessors, and is able to fully manipte their abilities, which are different from those of mere soldiers. However, she always move with the assumption that the quality of the soldiers in the unit is superior, and often misjudge opponents with equal or greater strength that would cause the unit to lose its superiority, making them vulnerable to unexpected situations. She emphasizes stability through cooperation and operating tigether by utilizing the abilities of the troops.** Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion (chest). Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. Strong points: Tact. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position. Bad timing. Likes: Sleep. Bathing. Beautiful women. Dislikes: Unreasonableness. Worries: The current situation in which she got scolded for some reason. Her sleeping position. **Her stupidity.** ¡õ Kalua Belyus --- Chaos Neutral A dangerous girl who loves fighting with sword. She is a member of the first group of the ck Century. She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough, and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein¡ª¡ªa member of royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. **She¡¯s the only person who calls Krische ¡®Usa-chan¡¯ to her face, and he often takes care of her like a child that she can''t leave alone. There was also an aspect of a act ofpensation thinking of the kidnapped Elvena, but now that she saved her sister, she pledges her heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to her.** Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Unexpectedly weak to being pushed (weak-willed). **?Battle Command Her head is very good and her on the moment quick wit is good, and has aptitude as amander. In terms of coordination at the individual level, she is one of the best, and can coordinate instructions and move with other soldiers on the spur of the moment.** Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it¡¯s scary. The person to whom she has pledged her eternal loyalty. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. Nap. Children. Dislikes: ve traders. **Worries: Krische is too naive to be left alone. Mia''s drinking problem.** ¡õ Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. The ck Centurion. Bald Eagle. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses, He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and is favorable towards Krische. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there and was nominated as the squad leader of the ck Century a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was excessively afraid of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Christand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He shaved his bald head every day to keep clean even in military service, and there is not a single loose hair on it, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. He admires Krische concern for his health and her refusal of him apany her, and is prepared toy down his life for Krische, whether in public or private life. If he had apanied her, there is a high probability that he would have died, but it was possible that they would have defeated Gildanstein before Nakirus'' arrival. ? **Combat Command Experienced,ing from a light infantry unit that often operates under special circumstances such as in the mountains, he returns to the basics in any situation and does not make errors in judgment. He is ustomed to fighting in numerically disadvantageous situations, such as surprise attacks, maneuvers, and diversions, and he fully demonstrates hismand ability even in a chaotic situation where he is cornered. Unlike Mia, he wasn¡¯t purely cultivated on a unit where all of its members are all magic possessors , so he often chooses the safe side based on his experience when dealing with troops. However, because of this the amount of wear and tear is small, and the ck Hundreds under hismand are very stable.** Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. ?Battle Command. Inspiring troops. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Dislikes: People who break the discipline. Dropouts. **Worries: Every day his wife scolds him when he tries to pretend he can''t sleep (restless) on the bed.** ------ Members of the ck Century------ ? Bagu --- Chaos Neutral A young man who couldn¡¯tpletely be a viin. A member of the 1st squad. A war orphan, he grew up in a slum and resorted to stealing from an early age. Despite being skilled with his hands and rough work, he was ridiculed by those around him because he couldn''t perform jobs such as kidnapping and robbery. He fell in love with Kalua at first sight, and when he tried to approach her by force, she turned the tables on him. Since then, he has been making efforts to win her over through a straightforward approach and has been striving to be a serious soldier. Thanks to his abilities in acrobatics and his ambidexterity, he is often paired as a follower of Kalua, who relies on brute force, **but he died protecting Kalua.** ? Adol --- Neutral Neutral An older brother-type man who seems to frequent bars. Member of 1st squad. He was the eldest son of a farming family, but he got fed up of working in the fields and came to the city. He is confident in his skills, which he puts to good use as a caravan escort, where he meets Kels, and they hit it off. After teaming up with Kels, they became well-known and joined the Chritand Army, where they thought they would be able to rise in the ranks. **Along with Kels, he is the most powerful person in the squad, but in order to buy time, he desperately tried to hold down Gildanstein and died.** ? Kels --- Neutral Good A boy whovishly spends his money in a day. Member of 1st squad. Like Adol, he is the eldest son of a farmer, and left the vige out because he got fed up with field work. He is a caravan escort for the same reason as Adol, and he and Adol hit it off when they meet by chance. Their reasons for leaving home, the way they spend their money, and the way they work. All of them miraculously matched, and they formed a pair, thinking that if they were to team up, it would be with this guy. **His swordsmanship is as strong as Adol''s, but he challenged Gildanstein, throwing his life, to create an opening for Adol''s sake and died.** ¡õ Koza --- Order Neutral A family-oriented person, the kind that Krische would even smile at. The leader of the 2nd squad. Despite having a fierce face with old scars that stand out, he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische holds him in high regard. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which in case of an emergency, he acts as themander. **In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia against Nakirus.** ¡õ Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type of boy, squad leader of the ck Century''s 3rd squad. Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted and is an excellent talent. He is an impable person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality. However, hisck of ws is his only w, making him a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He usuallymands the 2nd to 10th squad. **In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Selene facing Gildanstein.** ? Kienitz--- Chaos Good **The type of men you could leave your rear to. Leader of the 10th squad. He once retired from the army but returned to the army to repay his debt to Christand, who stood up for Princess Kreschenta. He had always been an excellent soldier, but he had a rough personality and was constantly fighting with his superiors and colleagues due to the difference in ability between himself and those around him, which was one of the reasons why he left the military. However, after joining the ck Hundred, he learned about magic, and seeing hisrades following him as a matter of course, he decided that this was the ce he wanted to be, and he was resolved to die here. Although his rough personality never disappeared, he worked energetically as a group leader and was a good leader who was loved by his subordinates. In the final battle of the civil war, he was killed by Gildanstein as the rear with his men to buy time for Selene.** ¡õ Corinth --- Order Good He is a calm veteran nonmissioned officer. Squad leader of the ck Century''s 11th squad. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra and held the position of captain. Although his ability as a magic possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a wide field of vision. He has the mental strength to keep calm in any situation and is deeply trusted by Dagra. He usuallymands the 11th to 20th squads. **He fought alongside Mia in the final battle of the civil war but was wounded during the battle and is currently recuperating.** ¡õ Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. Squad leader of the 11th squad. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young, he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strength, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century and with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the joy of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He is scruffy in appearance. **In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia.** ¡õ Birza --- Neutral Good A "ck doctor" type of guy. Squad leader 17th squad. He was born into a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a caravan stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very skilled with a sword. However, he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people who were not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. **In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia, and was in charge of treating wounded soldiers.** ¡õ Kilik --- Neutral Neutral A craftsman-type man with dexterous hand. Squad leader 19th squad. He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard. Because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages and was chosen as Kreschenta¡¯s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battles. Many of his team members are also craftsmen - ------Christand Mlitary ¡õ Nozan Nerle Wolferinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic and the formermander of Christand Army First Corps. The Kingdom¡¯s current East General. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born into the same baron family as his superior, and he has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade Nozan to be a general whenever he had the chance. However, Nozan was concerned that the strength of the Christand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Christand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized, and he cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. **He has a simr temperament to Selene and is a serious and hard worker. When ites to Krische, he pays more attention to her than to anyone else, and there are many things that he¡¯s worried about things that usually he doesn''t need to be worried about.** **He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and longsword. His skill in sword is about half that of Gildanstein, and he is also a versatile fighter with excellent wits and dexterity.** **Overall, he is the most outstanding general in the Kingdom¡¯s Army, with the exception of Krische.** ?**Battle Command Amander without any gap that possesses both rigidity and flexibility, he is capable of flexible tactical responses under any circumstances. Like Cliche, he prefers "headhunting tactics" that emphasize the elimination of enemymanders, and in some cases, he may even lead his troops into enemy lines himself. He is skilled in psychological warfare and has mastered the art of attracting and manipting the enemy''s attention.** Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Eyebrows are well defined. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. Wine. Dislikes: Anything that mocked Bogan. Gildanstein. **Worries: Himself who always almost burst outughing at the nickname Woof Woof.** ¡õ Grunnmeld Rinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac with a scaryugh. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps, leader of the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. Formerly a bandit, he built arge group of thieves with just one iron club and rampaged through the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom. During a fight with Gallen''s corps, sent to subdue them, he had a one-on-one battle with Nozan and was defeated. However, he epted Northern''s invitation to join him as a subordinate due to his strength. Initially, he nned to escape at the earliest opportunity, but he came to realize that the battlefield was where he wanted to be. Through his military exploits, he became Northern''s confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. Although he has a lively and refreshing personality, he won''t tolerate being mocked. ?**Battle Command Adept at offensive tactics, he is themander of the ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯, a light infantry group that can be said to be the strongest in the Kingdom, especially when ites to frontal breakthroughs. He believes that "strength that cannot be demonstrated in actualbat is meaningless," and he trains his troops by repeating grueling groupbat training in the form ofpetitive matches, with almost no marching training. This also has the aspect of selection and sifting out those who do not meet his standards, thereby raising the quality of his soldiers to the highest level possible, and he always maintains his troops at near peak fighting ability. He is amander who shows unparalleled strength in attack, but his character is averse to defensive positions, and he is not good at long battles.** Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. Deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful and lovely looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. **It feels good to fight side by side with her.** Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down on. Concern: Woof Woof ¡õ Sardin Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious and straitced man, Commander of the Verreich Army Second Corps, a soldier who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Granmeld in the Verreich army and is responsible for maintaining discipline within the army. He feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, which has dyed his advancement in rank. However, he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often admonishes Granmeld for his arbitrary actions. Although he may appear scary and strict, he is kind and loves children. ?**Battle Command He is an intelligent general with a good bnce of offense and defense. Although hisbat skills themselves are not high, he has a brilliant mind and is particrly good at tactics where he readied his troops to stop the enemy to break through or detour.** Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: Organizational management. Control (Regtion). Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children in an orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. **Worries: When he sees Krische, somehow, he can''t leave her alone.** ¡õ Kolkis Nactra Rinea Agrand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. Commander of the Christand Army''s Second Corps. After a losing battle with massive losses, he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier when he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. Although he prefers basic tactics and is not fond of quirky strategies, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked for his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Due to his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. **Due to his son''s betrayal, he has once again pledged allegiance to Selene, and has decided to fight under her umbre for the rest of his life.** He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. ?**Battle Command He values drills above all else and believes that the quality of his men will bring victory. He emphasizes individualbat ability and coordination, and he believes in maximizing the power of his soldiers by simplifying his orders. He crushes the opponent with a assaults that was originally impossible, and if he defend, he can easily repel the charge of arge army. In terms of the quality of the army as a whole, it can be said to be the best in the kingdom, but its movements are easy to read.** Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: Genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. **The strongest warrior in the kingdom.** Strong points: Combat. Inspiring troops. Loud voice. Likes: Simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. Concerns: want to be as strong as Krische. ? Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral Seems to be a man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, even in battlefield, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan''s highly regarded his defensive abilities. **He was defeated by Gildanstein, who was dressed as Salva''s adjutant.** His hobby is building shelves. ?**Battle Command A master of field castle-building, he is amander who excels in defensive battles. Even in field battles on the ins, he devises theyout of the battlefield to create a line of soldiers that resembles a fortress. He is good at maneuvering and defending to lure the enemy into a position where he can turn the tables on them. His offensive tactics aren''t all that great, but they''re above the norm.** Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous (precarious). Strong points: Field battle fortification. Defensivemand. Weekend carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fortress. Architecture. Woodworking (Do It Yourself; DIY). Dislikes: Unprepared sudden event. Worries: His adjutant defected to the enemy ¡õ Eluga Giglite Rinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate, and he was also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course, and those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, which results in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer anyway for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone of voice. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, Bogan, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all working toward the same goal. **He loves (dote on) Krische very much, and she is his joy in life these days. When he smiles wickedly without any reason, he is usually thinking of Krische.** ?**Battle Command Attacks, defenses, and engagement. He has extremely high tactical ability in all of them, especially in themand and management of soldiers, which is outstandingpared to others. Although he is a genius who can easily execute risky and deceptive measures, he believes that the simple movement of soldiers is the essence of tactics, and in training, he is most thorough in marching training, including assembly and dispersal. He is the type of fighter who overwhelms his opponents by umting small victories and gaining the upper hand, emphasizing the basics of parrying the enemy''s strong points and targeting only the weak.** Appearance: Skinhead. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes. Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: Ipetence on the battlefield. **Worries: after the war is over, he will see Krische less and less.** ¡õ Quinez Nea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. He is the adjutant of 4th Corps Commander of the Christand army. He is a small, fat adjutant who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior, Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. ?**Battle Command Having studied under Eluga for many years, he has excellent tactical skills and can adapt to any battle situation. He is a man of character who hates to take on too much and always puts his own safety first, but he is often asked to do reckless things by Eluga, who sees through his character.** Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark grey flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superiors are crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. Sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. Worries: The obvious difference in attitude between his superior''s response to Krische and his own recently makes him sad. ¡õ Bagil Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type of man. The first battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. He worked his way up from a single soldier. He was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkus. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. He is a very capable fighter and has been fighting in frontline battles for many years without serious injury, and is one step ahead of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. ?**Battle Command Originally from the wolf pack and Granmeld¡¯s adjutant, he has a hedonistic nature and is abat maniac. He is a maniac who ys his enemies with augh, is skilled at cutting through gaps in his enemies, and is outstanding in his ability tomand melee battles. He prefers to fight using his mobility, and is not motivated by defending his position.** Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who can cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs that he can see from her skirt. She is defenseless. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring troops. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Worries: Krische¡¯s unconscious fan-service mentality. He can''t concentrate when he is face to face with her because of her skirt. ¡õ Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. The second battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. A member of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkus, he has been a subordinate since their days as bandits. Like Granmeld, he is abat fanatic and enjoys risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He had fought against Krische during training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skills and decided to join the Christand Army with her. Instead of fighting to the death, he prefers topare skills and often challenges talented individuals to a match. ?**Battle Command He prefers head-to-head battles above all else, and he likes pushing each other to the utmost of his strength. He likes the word "adversity," and the more he is backed into a corner, the more power he exerts, but he is not dodging (fend off) attack. He is also good at disrupting the rear because of his background as a bandit.** Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her tactical skill. Strengths: Lorca style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). Weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. Worries: These days, other people often dislike sparring or contests of skill with him. ¡õ Keith Sale Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn, man. The third battalionmander of the first corps of the Christand army. He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no particr outstanding abilities, he has a broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that Krische likes. ?**Battle Command Amander who has a broad vision and never loses his cool. He believes in umting small victories to win big victories, never taking on too much. He does not excel in anything in particr, but on the other hand, he has no weaknesses and can respond flexibly to any situation. He is often asked to take charge of a project because of his sense of safety and stability, which is favored by Krische.** Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. A cold-hearted person. She''s as childlike as she looks. Strong points: Command operation. Training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. Worries: He doesn¡¯t really understand Krische as a person ¡õ Varga Nea Kurtos --- Order Neutral A hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice. Themander of the fourth battalion in the First Corps of the Christand Army. He hails from the same corps as Nozan Verreich. Hees from a lower-ss noble family and admires the Hero Bogan Christand, as well as Bogan''s daughter Selene. Although his abilities are excellent, his sense of justice is so strong that he cannot tolerate injustice and dislikes those who view soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, he pledges strong loyalty to Selene but does not get along well with Krische. A deep rift formed between him and Krische when Krische used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy while he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. ?**Battle Command A well-likedmander. Whenever he orders his soldiers to do something reckless, he makes no exception for himself and he spills blood along with them to inspire them. He has high individualbat ability and physical strength, and many soldiers are drawn in to him, so even if the soldiers are a new recruit, he raises their abilities and makes them achieve results through morale. He has a problem with Krische, their personality is like oil and water.** Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius, but without a human heart. A freak. Strong points: Inspiring (raising morale) troops. Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: Training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. Worries: That the 3rd Battalion was used as a decoy causing the loss of many brave soldiers'' lives. ¡õ Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous-looking man who appears old, serving as themander of the fifth battalion in the First Corps of the Christand Army. He hails from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. As a hunter whomands mainly archers, he is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. However, his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his intelligence andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious, and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter and is respected by the other battalionmanders of the First Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks jokes about anything, although sometimes they fall t. ?**Battle Command Don''t overdo it, but don''t miss the opportunity. He is a simr type ofmander to Gallen, preferring ambush and surprise attacks and disliking head-on confrontations. He understands the tactical thinking of Krische, who is of hunter origin, and is an easy-to-use battalionmander for Krische.** Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword (dagger) technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. Fishing. Tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. Worries: Trying to figure out what kind of joke Krische would understand. Chapter 112.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 5 (Part 2) Chapter 112.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 5 (Part 2) Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 2) - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 6 ? Died by the end of Arc 6 - ----Royal Prince Faction ? Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ?;Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Worries: None ? Salva Rinea Caldera -- Order Good An old-fashioned noble who respects tradition. Former adjutantmander of the Third Corps of the Christand Army. Born into a middle-ss noble family with a long history and has long served as an adjutant under the Third Corps Commander, Terrius. His ability can be called excellent, and although he is capable enough to fight as a general, he has been buried in the Christand Army, which attracts excellent human resources. He is not on good terms with Krische, and is very concerned about her young age and ruthlessness, and while he strongly admires her talent, he believes that she should not be allowed to have (political) power. A man who would have pledged loyalty to Christand for the rest of his life if it weren''t for Krische, as it is fair to say that his apprehension (anxiety, worry, insecurity) towards her caused him to betray Christand. He understood his defeat after Gildanstein''s death, and voluntarily gave his head to Gallen. ?Battle Command His ability itself isparable to Terrius'', and he is very good. He has enough ability to be a general. However, hecks a certain kind of madness to rise to the top in Christand, and although he is not indecisive, hecks boldness and is small in some respects. This is especially true when he is cornered, and while he is an excellent assistant, hecks a great deal as a general. Appearance: Dull brown hair mixed with gray. Blue eyes. Thin build. Thin beard. Sharp eyes Armor: Silver te mail. ¡úKrische: Beloved daughter of his master, Bogan. She is a genius, but a deviant with no sense of logic (reason). Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. organizational operation. Likes: Fighting for a good cause. Honor. Battlefield. Dislikes: Those who neglect troops and people. Worries: The family he left behind. ? Nakirus Rinea Felizar -- Chaos Neutral Loyal to his master, a watchdog type of man. A Commander of the Alberan Kingdom''s army. Nakirus the Strong Armed. A man who has served as Gildanstein''s right-hand man for many years. Despite knowing his notoriety, he was charmed with Gildanstein''s virtues as a warrior and swore allegiance to him. Although not particrly interested in torture as he is, they have a close personal rtionship and often drink together. He possesses a strong arm that can wield two great axes at will, and hisbat ability is extremely high, making full use of his 7-shaku physique. He was able to break through Eluga''s lines and defeat the ck Century head-on, but was overpowered by Krische¡¯s overwhelming military prowess. ?Battle Command He prides himself on being a warrior, and has the willpower to seed in carrying out orders given to him, literally at any cost. When he is ordered to break through, he will break through without fail, when he is ordered to defend, he will defend without fail. And for that sake he would calmly throw away his life, that force of will is his strong point, and he is trusted by his soldiers, and morale is always high in his corps. However, he is not suited for continuous battles due to his ability to push through the impossible. There have been many instances in which his troops have been annihted. Appearance: Short ck hair. Blue eyes. Large build (7 shaku). Messy beard. Sharp eyes. Face like a boulder. Armor: Rugged, heavy te mail. ¡úKrische: A literal monster. Strong points: Unique dual-axe technique. Commanding a melee. Likes: Reckless Order. Fight as a warrios Dislikes: waiting (Stand by). Worries: Being defeated by Krische without inflicting even a single scratch. ? Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza, and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shervaza, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. Worries: Anxiety about Kreschenta reign. ? Kuraray Draz Rinea Marcellus -- Order Neutral A man who is always gossiped about in the shadows. The Kingdom¡¯s central general. A Duke. A brave and daring natural-born warrior, he is a noble with a high regard for honor. Because of his bloodline of a duke that was connected to the royal family, he rose quickly in life and became a general just like his father. He is a man of valor, not ipetent, not stupid, and notcking in poprity. He has some qualities as a general, but in a kingdom full of very good generals and militarymanders, he is not so good, and would be counted from the bottom of the list. It was most unfortunate that he had to deal with three heroes at the same time: Nozan Verreich, whose talent was said to surpass that of Bogan, his mentor, the outstanding Eluga Faren, and Krische Christand. During the battle in the southern part of the Kurail Mountains range, he was decapitated by Krische who attacked from behind. ?Battle Command As was said behind his back, he is amander who has learned general tactics, but is stubborn andcks flexibility. He shows average ability as a general in terms of fairness and head-on fight, but he is weak in aiming backdoor and weak point and is shallow in his thinking. Due to his personality, he is not suited formanding arge army and is best suited as a battalionmander. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Skinny build. Wrinkled. Armor: Full silver te of an eagle lion. ¡úKrische: Daughter of Chritand. She is said to have achieved some sess in the war against the Holy Empire. Strengths: Battlefield spearmanship. Inspire (raising morale). Likes: Battlefields. Liquor. woman. Dislikes: cheap tricks. Worries: Huh, why did youe from over there? ? Aurugorn Sakizren Nirkrinea Hilkintos -- Neutral Evil A reptilian male who had a badbability with the enemy. The Kingdom¡¯s west general. A Margrave. Born into the venerable Hilkintos family, he became the general of the western kingdom, following his father''s footsteps. Aurugorn, blessed with a gifted mind, has experienced countless battlefields as his father''s adjutant since he was a young man, and since he himself became a general, he has single-handedly undertaken all of the invasions from the Kingdom of Elderand in the west of the kingdom. With the knowledge he has gained from his vast experience, and his brilliant mind nurtured on the battlefield, he has been undefeated in all battles since he became a general, with the exception of hisst battle. He values superiority in terms of military strength and terrain, and has the strength and cool-headedness to create a favorable situation for himself by avoiding his opponents until the conditions are right. His tactics, which are focused only on the ultimate victory, have always resulted in more sess than the damage he suffered, but his nature was taken advantage of and was defeated by Krische. He is extremely proud, putting himself and his honor first before the people and the cause. Bogan does not share his fighting style, which sometimes uses the weakest of the people as bait in order to win, and he does not get along well with Christand¡¯s faction. He was killed by Krische after being dismembered as an example to her enemies. ?Battle Command He hates defeat and is greedy for victory. Like Gildanstein, he is a cold-hearted man who will sacrifice anything and everything and any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. He can be said to be a strategist that works hard to create a situational advantage regardless of the battlefield, and his talent and many years of experience make him highly capable. He is a person who would have be a mighty enemy if it weren''t for Krische. Appearance: Short brown hair with a hint of gray. Blue eyes. Tall and thin. Scarred cheeks and squinty eyes. Armor: Full te of a goddess visor. ¡ú Krische: An obnoxious adoptive daughter of Bogan. Good looking. Strong Points: Retreat tactics. Scorched earth tactics. Field fortifications. Likes: Victory. Glory. Status. Women. Dislikes: Defeat. Christand faction. Ipetence. Worries: Being killed. ¡õ Gertz Nesararius Rinea Wiring -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s central general. Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A ruthless killer. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. Worries: the death of the promising young man who is like a son by Krische. ? Gran Nea Agrand -- Order Good Thin eyebrows and thin presence type of man. Kolkis¡¯s son. Formerly General''s messenger in the Christand army. Although he was not as physically gifted as Colchis, he inherited his military prowess, and is an excellent young man who is not conceited about it but is serious and puts in a lot of effort. Unlike the heroic Kolkis, however, he is a sensitive young man and his mother''s blood is strong in him. He is a worrier and indecisive in his decisions, and although he is intelligent and resourceful, he is vulnerable to sudden events. Because of his strong respect and dependence on his father, and the belief that he had abandoned him, his heart suffered resulting in his betrayal and Bogan¡¯s death. He has been training tirelessly since childhood, and his fighting ability is very high due in part to his original military prowess, but it is not at the level of Kolkis or Nozan. ?Battle Command Because of his sensitive nature, he is the type of person who prepares carefully for battle. However, he is not a man who is afraid of adventure and keeps to himself, and when he sees the odds are in his favor, he will choose bold tactics, and as amander he is an excellent leader with a wide range of tactics. On the other hand, when things do not go as he expects, he is slow to make quick decisions, which often leads to a situation where it is toote due to his weak decision-making ability. He is more suited to be an adjutant, an assistant, or a general staff member rather than a leader. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Rtively tall. Good eyebrows. Armor: Silver scale mail ¡úKrische: Dazzling presence. Jealous and envious of her. Strong points: Spearmanship. Tactics. Horsemanship. Likes: Father. Spears. Horses. Effort. Dislikes: Unforeseen circumstances. Worries: When he got through the ranks of troops, he saw Kolkis. The spear swung. He was killed. - ----Holy Ersleen Empire ¡õ Aleha (us Schwindel Sarchenka) -- Order Good A hero chasing a young man. Former general of the Holy Ersleen Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. ?Battle Command He respected Bogan as an enemy and read and absorbed his battle records. Due to his natural ingenuity, he possesses excellent abilities that are notcking as a general of an army, but due to his youth, a na?ve side of him still remains. His overall ability is close to that of Nozan, and he is an all-around type. He has no weakness in any situation and delivers above-average results, but he is more suited to attacks where he can easily take the initiative. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. Armor: Full te of silver angel. ¡úKrische: Daughter of a hero. He suffered a crushing defeat by an ingenious lure. She saved Waltza''s life. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. Worries: a fresh start in the future. ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for a young master. He is a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsaren. Former military leader of the Sarshenka family. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarshenka family, and an excellentmander. He was capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarshenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarshenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was severed by Krische. ?Battle Command He is a military instructor, and his tactical knowledge is broad and deep. His primary purpose is to assist Aleha, so he does not appear in public (surface), but he has the ability to be an excellent general. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A foe but an admirable opponent. A young and unhappy girl, despite her abilities. Saved his life. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Trainingmand. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarshenka family. Worries: The young master restart has been worse than he imagined. ¡õ Bado Keetas -- Neutral Good A boy who is afraid of the silver monsters. Messenger of the Holy Ersleen Empire. A young man born in the lower aristocracy and the eldest son of a branch family of the Dakrasha family. He''s not exceptionally talented, but he''s the type to do everything wlessly, has a sharp eye, and is an excellent young man. He has had a strong interest in swordsmanship since childhood, and has studied several schools of swordsmanship. During the Krische surprise attack on themand post in the mountains, he was seriously injured, but fortunately escaped death. Appearance: Blonde. blue eyes. Slender. fearless. Armor: leather armor. ¡ú Krische: Silver hair is scary. Strong points: Folka style, Elcafalest style, Lorka style and two other sword techniques. individualbat. Likes: Sword training. Dislikes: Archery (bows). Worries: gets scared every time he sees silver hair. - ----Arna Imperial State ¡õ Miko (Shrine Maiden) Princess -- Order Neutral A woman dressed as a young beautiful girl in a see-through costume. Leader of the Arna Imperial State. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Jagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom, but does not consider it important in and of itself, and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Preparation. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. Worries: The two Cursed Child of the Kingdom. ¡õ Zanalibea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Jagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of her Kreschenta with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. ¡ú Krische: A Cursed Child like Crescenta. Curious what kind of person she is. Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. Worries: can''t forget the cookies Bery served. - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Worries: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he worries about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: ouws. Worries: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. Worries: Not being able to protect Krische from the gossip in the vige. ? Gado -- Neutral Evil He has an unrequited love. He is the hunter of Karka. A childhood friend of Grace''s, he has been in love with her since he was little. Grace is unaware of this and only sees Gorka, he is bitter about their marriage. He was unable to beat Gorka in a hunting contest held at a festival, and as a result, he developed an irrational grudge against Gorka, and betrayed him during a bandit attack, attempting to kill him and steal Grace. He realized that Krische is abnormal, and in his fear, he killed Grace, whom he had taken hostage. He is the one who destroyed "The Slow Life the Maiden Wanted¡±. He was beheaded by Krische. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Skinny build. ¡úKrische: A beautiful but creepy girl. A deviant. Strong points: Archery. Forest. Peeping. Likes: women. Money. Dislikes: Living a life that doesn¡¯t change (for the better). Worries: He identally killed the hostage. ? Garo -- Chaos Evil A sexual harasser that was hated. Karka''s vignte. He became a soldier at the age of fifteen, aiming for a sessful career, but he couldn''t stand the battlefield full of death, so he ran away and returned home. He was not a bad fighter, but he is mentally fragile and is addicted to alcohol. He taught swordsmanship to the vigers in his vige as one of the neighborhood vigntes, making use of his swordsmanship after returning from the battlefield. However, as Krische bes more and more beautiful, the devil begins to get the better of him, and he begins to touch her body while pretending to teach her swordsmanship. She initially didn¡¯t suspect him, and at first she is very fond of his enthusiasm for teaching her swordsmanship, but as he makes more and more non-sword rted contact with her, she bes ufortable, and eventually she takes him out into the woods to be killed by her. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr. Rough face. ¡úKrische: The most beautiful girl I''ve ever seen. She is a bit of a creep, but she''s just timid and has a restrained personality. Strong points: Touching. Bragging. Likes: women. Meat. Dislikes: the vige of Kalka, which doesn¡¯t have a red light district (brothel). Worries: Won¡¯t stop, can¡¯t stop. ? Zar Nea Karka -- Order Neutral He is the advisor of the vige. He is a former captain of the Christand army''s Third corps. He is the advisor of the vige. He is a former captain of the Christand army''s Third corps. He is an experienced soldier who spent many years in the military. After retiring from the front line, he became a training instructor for soldiers and taught swordsmanship and is also the leader of the vignte in the vige. He respects Gallen, and he really wants him to be the leader of the vignte, but he knows the circumstances of Gallen''s resignation from the military, so he is unable to say it too strongly. He is an expert in Lorca-style swordsmanship. Killed by a bandit chieftain after being stabbed in the back. Appearance: Short gray hair. Blue eyes. Lean and muscr. Wrinkled, chiseled face. ¡úKrische: A child prodigy. She is a master of swordsmanship in a thousand different ways. She is a terrifying person. Specialty: Lorca-style swordsmanship. toonmand. Teaching. Likes: self-discipline. Regr life. Juice. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs harmony. Worries: Being Krische¡¯s partner is hard. - ----Others ¡õ Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Worries: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische : A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. Worry: Although his skill is not dull, he is physically old. ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. She was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Profit-driven business. Worries: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Chrissie, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Kreschenta was her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Worries: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. Chapter 113: â€» Main character image Chapter 113: ¡ù Main character image ¡ù Main character image I (the author) used CHARAT to create the characters image. I feel that the atmosphere of the character is urate, but in some cases, it may spoil the image you (the reader) have, so be warned. If you want to see them, please scroll down. (T/N: character description is from Krische point of view) - Krische Aruberinea Christand (T/N: don''t know why it''s different from the previous one) - Fighting strength: Pretty strong. - Skillfulness: Quite good. - Smartness: Very smart. - Character: Krische is a hard worker but might be a bitzy. ![](https://img1.mitemin/go/yn/i3r3eqn1kvg97k15szcjjrligfk_109w_bo_bo_2bz7.jpg) - Bery Argan - Fighting strength: Bery shouldn''t fight - Dexterity (skillfulness): Bery is very good at cooking, so she is very skillful. - Wise: Bery is very smart - Character: Bery is very kind and serious, and a hard worker who can do anything. ![’·½}(By /XqJI_RGybcpKPJ8U5dh_475wMbcAqkAeClQC1BiJUa5INfZxil4bDI12ymqM5CoA2WGuKXH9YUMb7k0kX12JebYzRs1CU94tpjhK5k-e9vXinAfGEV5O4lOaI5fwRRg3FqcP3zttYm3TFSpYj_ek) - Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand - Fighting strength: Quite good among the unskilled (noob) - Skillfulness: Very messy and clumsy - Smartness: Good at talking with many people. - Character: She''s very kind, but sometimes a little scary. ![’·½}(By /DtPtuObl1wwesqxS4nmqlU1xPziCAZc5trswTwpZhY8LZvg3zlXCQEDhoAGVDX4kQVpGuK7gsTer87q2chleCafSzHeQCUY61qvk_pNe5e2kcvW1OqRI5sLirqdEtogSVwoaOjFpTjCTjtTDKE3m)![’·½}(By /WZxOgUv91WGaAixB5wE5K_sp2C8nDHYZNLYVrfvRGXORu5u334zcTiA5HxUarju_D-Pk48vOXrw8MrGlBubT1iT8ulrlZUKqLYO1HYSH_f285NoMy_gP5p3TCe3h94ijqaOisjDqP6yOWtlGGoZX) - Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan - Fighting strength: Even though she''s Krische''s sister, she''s very very weak - Skillfulness: Quite good. - Smartness: Even though she''s very smart, she''s a bit of an idiot. - Character: A child who always wants to be spoiled, also a bad child who always bad mouth about Bery. ![’·½}(By /getaeq_L7qPwoQL252P_sYe2IGxelsWSo3RjS3vIpqa5SN_gj1muwnC9arPR3Hw6uGlAIxnn6_j49a1PdGmmRyGzGLwky695Tn_dkmKdbmIKyTA6xRCF_Js3ogn-l-uh1Zq3-6JczEsw4P) - Anne Giterns - Fighting strength: Very weak. - Skillfulness: ...is serious and hard-working - Smartness: ...She remembers what Krische asked, more or less. - Character: Lively and full of energy ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh5.googleusercontent/FGMKsvTRK83YNGpJQ4IMggARqeqdR3r-JVhxFWpFPNukgCOPFUHN7kYW0Bng8LfpbjUM8UiMWYlXW8W7r5M0q6PPcC3Jy6agQGuAtgkxtJXwXN3JvFdJ5jVw3ho2b4bwtaL1tOpsxf_vynlkWayV) - Kalua Belyus - Fighting strength: Her swordsmanship is very rough but is quite good among the unskilled (noob) - Skillfulness: Surprisingly she is very skillful, but she doesn''t like to be bothered with small things, so she often tries to skip work. - Smartness: Not so stupid so as to be called an idiot - Character: She is very kind but always treats Krische like an idiot ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh4.googleusercontent/GCTO-ZvDafN0vKViNVsUdBk9FrikXQ3hOA8lWw5kQmELiDvOUmyzNTJheWK2us6jVgjJ5C8wrdnoiC7Ha8jwPLsZZrG0v93pgp--zsGa9wizhMu_-_C7KAt9JYoYCQQ2XcGNo2YNyyzUROjjocqV) - Mia - Fighting strength: For an adjutant, she is unimaginably weak. - Skillfulness: Hopelessly clumsy - Smartness: sometimes unbelievably stupid - Character: Not enough effort in general ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh5.googleusercontent/vJW9xUdtNLi3bOJakI1gaawSKIa-ZpqxsYz1zTfM-CY6ShqEGOFe2e-t8vg6IeaDxt3T1JCYAmUh_uhkG5NQPodS-EoEkqPXy8JPNRCsZjEUIvXCKli6UOXLHRrbUw5JYjNVEmT9i-s-5RQxjtH9) - Elvena Belyus - Fighting strength: Very very weak - Skillfulness: on the more skillful side - Smartness: seems to be able to be trusted to a certain extent - Character: Kind. But teasing is a no no ![](https://img1.mitemin/bm/x3/gnq42mh48p5p1afyfnfmm2pb5p1c_t7_bo_bo_29ni.jpg) Chapter 114: A Nightmarish Ceremony Chapter 114: A Nightmarish Ceremony ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 114 A Nightmarish Ceremony*** Forged Stone shining in the sun¨D¨DAlbenaria, the White Capital. A grand festival was being held in the royal capital. Half a month had passed since the struggle over the right to the throne, and today was the throne session ceremony of Her Majesty Queen Alberan. The young princess, who had crushed the evil royal prince who was trying to usurp the throne, and the warrior who protected her¨D¨Dthe voices of praise for Christand resounded in the royal capital. A throne set up on top of an extraordinarilyrge and luxurious carriage. Sitting there was a young girl dressed in the same white as the royal capital¨D¨DKreschenta Fana Vera Alberan. Her golden hair shone red in the sunlight, and her appearance was that of a goddess, even at such a young age. The people of the royal city saw the princess they had heard so much about, and all praised her beauty. It was said that it was the new queen''s will to show her true face without a veil. She wanted her reign to be closer to her people, and to lead them to happiness as the blood of the same kingdom flows through their veins¨D¨Dthat''s why she didn''t hide her face with a veil and showed her true face as a fellow human being. The appearance of Kreschenta was different from the previous kings, and there was a sense of intimacy. She smiled softly and prettily and waved her hands from side to side. A king is a lineage of a god. The king and the people do not touch each other, nor does the king smile at the people. The king was above the clouds to be revered. In spite of that, everyone thought that the figure of the young and beautiful queen who smiled at them was that she was truly trying to go beyond her position and give her heart to the people. There were other differences from the usual ceremony. On the same carriage as the young queen, a silver-haired girl stood diagonally to her left. The girl who stood in the carriage where the king should be alone, wore a white dress with ck lines and red roses on her chest, and she looked restless as she put her hand on her stomach and looked from side to side. The petite girl''s beauty was tranquilpared to the queen, with her flowery smile. However, her beauty was no less than that of the queen. She looked like a grown-up version of the too-young queen. The people whispered to each other who she was. What they eventually came up with was a rumor that had been heard during the civil war. Krische, the Cursed Child¨D¨Dthe princess who was erased from the genealogy. A peerless swordsman who led a young princess to victory, and a monster who took countless heads and defeated the ¡®ck Lion¡¯, the Royal Prince Gildanstein. Comparing her beauty to that of the princess, one would have thought that she was indeed a princess. Saying they werre sisters, that''s certainly true, because their faces were identical. That was Cursed Child¨D¨Deveryone was surprised at that, but she was simply beautiful in her dress. She was a maiden like a fairy, the exact opposite of what they had heard. Considering the image of a giant woman over six shaku tall and a monster with a strong arm, they couldn''t help but say that it was a letdown, and most of them were fascinated by her beauty. ¨D¨DShe seemed to be an unfortunate princess who was just caught in the middle of the pce''s internal turmoil. The man with the featureless face whispered something like that to those who are concerned about her. ¡®I see, I see,¡¯ the people took his words seriously and nodded. The reputation of the Royal Prince was terrible to begin with, and there was nothing evil in the appearance of the two who were called the Cursed Child. When put that way, it made sense. From the beginning, things in the royal pce¨D¨Dthere were many things that people in the lower ranks didn''t understand. Some of them were even indignant that they were called Cursed Childs. In the line of people, such "well-informed" people appeared here and there, whispering to those who was confused. ¨D¨DYou heard it too? I knew it was strange. Later in the tavern, as they talk and talk about the ceremony, they will ept the ''new rumor'' as the truth. People like to ept the ¡®stories (tale)¡¯ they like as the truth. The story of the exiled princess¨D¨Dwho stood up and took up the sword for her sister, whom she had reunited with after being chased out of the royal pce. Together, the two princesses joined hands and, despite the loss of their Hero Christand, became the new heroes of salvation themselves, defeating the great evil¨D¨DGildanstein. The question of whether Krische had in truth taken credit for what she was said to have done in was a trivial matter. Having lost their hero Bogan Christand they just kept on cheering, hoping to wee a new hero. Thus the heroic epic that a maiden wanted bore fruit in this way. In front of the two princesses are two generals, Selene Christand and Nozan Verreich, both wearing beautiful armor. Behind the line are the gant figures of the corpsmanders. They follow behind them, showing that the kingdom''s military might has not been lost. Having won their victory through military prowess and righteousness, they head toward the royal castle with praises. Even as they passed by, the city was still enveloped in an unending stream of cheers. ¨D¨DA few Koku before "I told you, it''s ck!" "You really don''t understand. Today is white." "Uu..." Selene held her anger at the scene and held the ck dress in front of her. Berry faced her gaze head-on and held the white dress in front of her. Krische and Kreschenta stand between them. And there was Anne and Elvena who were rushing back and forth. The dress war that has been going on sincest night¨D¨Dit is still going on even now. Krische enjoyed a "pre-breakfast" before eating, picking up leftovers from the previous night. After returning from the battlefield, Krische¡¯s daily life was in a state of degradation, and she was enjoying her days while flirting with Bery. She ate between meals and ate five times a day. She bathed and washed with Berry. When the sun went down, They would go to bed and get a good night''s sleep together. The happy life that had just returned was short-lived¨D¨Dthe tragedy that struck Krische in the estate given to her by the royal family crushed it all. As if it¡¯s a routine, not only was breakfast skipped today, but also the pre-breakfast, and she is holding her stomach in hunger. "Today is also an unveiling day! Anyway, Krische is a corpsmander, and on top of that, she''s a warrior with more feats than anyone else! I even agreed to let her wear a dress instead of armor, and now you still want to be selfish!" "Today is an important day that will determine the people¡¯s impression of Krische-sama. ¡¡Being called a Cursed Child, in order to correct such evaluation, it is natural to think that white is better than ck because it shows integrity and innocence." "I''m telling you, that will ovep with Kreschenta. Look, it will be all white!" Selene pointed a finger at Kreschenta. Kreschenta was also Kreschenta, she was suffering the same pain as Krische. Yesterday, after a hard day of political work, they were having dinner¨D¨Dand even then, she sensed a turbulent atmosphere. Bery smiled and invited her to take a bath together with Krische, and just when she thought she was being strangely kind to her, she was dragged into this dispute. Kreschenta had been dressed in a dress since early this morning. She haspleted her preliminary handwork and is free from paperwork today. Today was a busy day with the coronation, parade, and victory ceremony all taking ce on the same day, so she was free from such chores and ns to carry out her long-nned ¡®Spending the ceremony alone with Onee-sama Operation¡¯¨D¨Dhowever that n was thrown out of order. In addition to her own hunger, Krische was like a stone statue waiting for the storm to pass, not even looking at Kreschenta. Kreschenta¡¯s ¡®Spending the ceremony alone with Onee-sama Operation¡¯ had already failed. "Last night, Kreschenta said that it would be nice to match. Isn¡¯t that so?" "...I-I said that, but" Certainly Kreschenta said that. Yesterday, in the bathroom. The reason she was pleasing Kreschenta was to get her words. Bery was a cunning woman. "Then it is settled, isn''t it? Your Royal Highness¨D¨Dno, Her Majesty the Queen desired it, so today it will be matching¨D¨D" "That''s how you''re cheating! I''ve known it since before, but you''re too cowardly! If you''re a servant of Christand, why don''t you face me fair and square!" *Bang*, Selene hit the desk. *Haah*, Bery shook her head. "To think Ojou-sama would call me cowardly. ¡so when troubled, Ojou-sama criticizes other personalities huh. Ojou-sama hasn¡¯t changed since you were young. I''ve seen you since I was little, but I''m exasperated. How about growing up a little?" "Why don''t you do something about your condescending attitude!?" "...Geez! It doesn''t matter which one! It''s silly to think about the color of the dress!" ¨D¨DThe hunger and the pointless arguments. Therefore, the third force, Kreschenta Alberan (Queen from today, very great) who has exhausted her patience decided to enter anew. The ¡®I don''t care, I want my breakfast as soon as possible¡¯ alliance includes the center of the agenda, Krische Christand (ex-royalty, quite noble), who is reluctant to be a part of the group. The center of the agenda, Krische-Christand (ex-royalty, rather noble) expressed passive participation, or rather, stared at her little sister with eyes of expectation. "Ridiculous? It''s even more ridiculous that you can''t even put up with one breakfast! Are you still the queen if you can''t stand it just because you''re hungry?" "I-I never said I was hungry¡" "No? Then it''s fine." "Eh, uuh..." However The "I don''t care, I want my breakfast as soon as possible" was dismissed by Selene Christand (daughter of a hero. General), the leader of the "Krische dress should be ck council (one member, only the chairman)". The alliance rapidly loses momentum due to theck of a cause, and Krische hopes along with the alliance, which she had expressed passive participation, were also devastated. "No, it''s certainly ridiculous." However, the one who extended a helping hand to such a third power was Bery Argan (servant), the leader of "Cute dresses are the best for Krische-sama (assertive fundamentalism)". At Bery''s words, Krische''s cheeks broke into a smile as if she were looking at God. "Kreschenta-sama has already expressed her hope that white is better. Her Majesty¡¯s awe-inspiring words¡ª¡ªthere is no such thing taking it back, and it can be said that the conclusion of this discussion has already been decided." However, heresy. Krische¡¯s God was steeped in self-interest. "You, so how many times do I have to tell you how cowardly that is!" "You are the one who is being obstinate with what has been decided, Ojou-sama. Even if it were a majority vote, the white side would win by two to one." Naturally, the discussion became extremely chaotic. Anne couldn''t even interject because of her previous blunder and watched the progress, and Elvena was terrified by the content of their remarks, which did not even consider the Queen to be the Queen. A servant¡ª¡ªBerry, who is supposed to be the lowest rank among them, always takes the initiative and takes control of the situation. She was shown the extreme of hypocritical courtesy. She even wondered if the soft appearance when she interacted with her for the past few days was a lie. The superhuman she imagined based on what she heard from Krische was there. ¨D¨DThen, the sound of knocking rang out. When Anne asked who it was, it was Gallen who appeared. "... Her Majesty the Queen, please excuse me." "Y-yeah..." Gallen frowned as he felt the unusual atmosphere that had been drifting from before entering the room. "Selene, Bery, what are you doing?" "...We''re In the middle of choosing a dress, Gallen-sama. We''ve been arguing sincest night." The tired Kreschenta said that, and Anne whispered in his ear to supplement. Though he couldn¡¯t grasp the situation from that, Gallen understood that it seemed that they were arguing over the color of the dress worn by Krische, whether it was white or ck. "I see... I don''t know, but she''s a big deal for a noble woman. Which one does Krische want?" "O-ojii-sama, Krische, uh..." "Krische?" "Krische-sama¡?" The old man couldn''t read the air. Feeling their eyes on her, Krische shook her head hurriedly. Krische didn''t want to be the brunt of this endless debate anymore. "Haha... well, Krische is not really interested in it, right? I don''t mind." Gallen withdrew easily. If the old man thinks that Krische is interested in dressing up, it¡¯s not the old man who dotes on his grandchild, or not. "That said, time is limited. There''s a reason for both, and both can''t back down... There''s a good way to do it in times like this." "What''s the best way...?" "It''s a coin. In most cases, we decided on head or tail." "Oh¨D¨Dthat''s a good idea." Bery pped her hands happily, took out a coin, and ced it on her thumb. Selene frowned. A vivid flow¨D¨DBery, who had the upper hand, suddenly surrendered to luck. Is such a thing possible¨D¨Dno, it¡¯s not. "Now, Ojou-sama, head or tail¨D¨D" "Wait, I have a bad feeling about this. You''re so skillful, I feel like you''re capable of manipting both sides at will." "... Ojou-sama sure doubts me." "Of course." Selene red at Berry, who sighed quietly and dropped her shoulders. Saying ¡®guess can''t help it¡¯, she flipped the coin. With a very precise trajectory, the coinnds in Selene''s hand. It was a very brilliant handling of the coin. "... I knew it. I thought it was strange.... I will flip the coin. When I catch the coin, you will dere whether it is heads or tails. What do you think?" "... Yes, let''s decide with that." Bery¡¯s appearance as if she had given up¨D¨DSelene was relieved. For the time being, the situation would have been restored to fifty-fifty. All that was left was luck and a fair fight. Serene handed the dress she was holding to Kreschenta, who was standing next to her. Taking a deep breath, she prayed to God for victory, stared at Berry, and flicked the coin vigorously with all the strength she could muster in her fingertips. But at that moment, "¡ª¡ªI thought if it¡¯s Ojou-sama, you would say that." "Huh?" The look of disappointment fades from Bery''s face, and her eyes filled with triumph. Her gaze was on the spinning coin¡ª¡ªcatching its exact turn and trajectory. With ruthless ease, the coinnded on the back of Serene''s left hand, and she covered it with her right hand as a conditioned reflex. But it was toote. Everything was toote. As if to indicate this, Bery smiled. "¡Head. Fufu, I''ve mastered most of the games that can be yed without going outside. It was a mistake, Ojou-sama should have had the one who flipped the coin and Ojou-sama the one who guessed head or tail. ¡But Ojou-sama, who doubted me, chose to flip the coin herself¡" "..." "Now, go ahead, head or tail¡ª¡ª" As she said that, Bery handed Krische the white dress, ¡®Okay, Krische-sama, here is today''s dress.¡¯ She was sure of the coin on Selene''s hand before it was even opened. A sense of defeat arose and the word coward came out¡ª¡ªKreschenta, who was watching the situation as if she really didn''t care either way from the bottom of her heart, asked Gallen. "Um, more importantly, Gallen-sama, what do you need here¡" "Ah¡ I want to check the cement and route again. Just to make extra sure I''d like Her Majesty to join us and have Krische and Selene take a look at it. While receiving the white dress from Berry. Krische stiffened at the words she heard. Chapter 115: The Queen and Alberinea Chapter 115: The Queen and Alberinea ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 115 The Queen and Alberinea*** The Queen''s coronation ceremony continued while listening to the civil officials¡¯ long, drawn-out, flowery words. After finishing the ceremony, there was a short break, and the victory ceremony began. The reason for doing it on the same day was a financial problem. Musicians, chefs, the nobles'' transportation, for when a single ceremony is held, a huge amount of money will be released. If they were held together, the amount of money needed would be reduced by half, and even if it was not reduced that much, in a time where the Kingdom was in a in turbulent situation, she wanted to avoid a situation where the leading nobles involved in the defense of the country gathered in one ce as much as possible. The coronation¨D¨Dthe sacred ceremony to wee the new queen. Although there were many who opposed the inclusion of another event on that day, Kreschenta insisted that her coronation was not due to her own efforts, but due to the efforts of all her subjects, and the ceremony became like this. Speaking honestly, Kreschenta would have preferred to avoid such a ceremony, but it was necessary for the sake of formality, both domestically and internationally. And if it had to be done, made it be done in the most meaningful way possible. Since the spies in the pce were not to be trusted because of their close rtionship with Gildanstein, the control of the popce consisted of Eluga''s personal spy organization and Dagris of Kielzaran, who pledged his allegiance to Krische. In the parade, they spread the word Krische as a poor princess who was forced out of the royal pce as a Cursed Child due to trouble within the royal pce. First impressions mattered more than anything else. Dressed in her finery, Krische was more than good-looking enough to be a princess. At the very least, she did not look like an evil Cursed Child, so it was easy to make that kind of impression. And once she made an impression like that and made them think, ¡®That¡¯s a Cursed Child?¡¯, even if a groundless rumor that she is a Cursed Child is spread again, the people will not ept it. Gildanstein had already spread the rumor once. Inevitably, the second time would have less effect. On top of that, Kreschenta wanted to restore Krische to the rightful royal family and make her a queen (decoration only). She would be able to enhance her own reputation as a princess who did not desire (political) power and who supported her sister through righteousness, and she also would be able to move around more easily both politically and diplomatically. She would also be able to spend more time with her sister. Although there were advantages in many ways, bing a queen would also mean that Krische¡¯s freedom would be restricted, and she would not be able to fully utilize her power. And there was also the problem of Krische¡¯s personality. ¡®Kreschenta should be the one to handle such troublesome matters. That''s what Kreschenta said from the beginning, and Krische has her own job to do.¡¯ Even as she had anticipated Kreschenta''s offer, it was quickly turned down. Cooking and doing housework with Bery. And military service. Krische had no desire for power in her head, and spending time with Bery was her number one priority. The angry Kreschenta was soothed with three cookies and two pets on the head, and in the end she gave up. Still, the idea that Krische should have some degree of (political) power was still present in Kreschenta¡¯s mind. She was young, of course, but she also had an extraordinary record of sess that cannot bepared to anyone else. As far as she had heard, her poprity as amander may be a problem, but she had the power to overturn even a strategic disadvantage all by herself. She should be ced in a special position, separate from other generals, and should have the power to eliminate problems that may arise when she tries to create something new based on her own ideas. The position of the army¡¯s suprememander is highly problematic considering Krische¡¯s character. A position without her losing her freedom, without being bound, yet in a position of power¡ª¡ªthe right-hand man and adviser of Queen Kreschenta. Kreschenta decided to establish such a standing position. A great white hall with countless towering pirs. In the center of it¡ª¡ªon the crimson carpet, themanders who yed an active role in this war were lined up, and on the side were the civil official nobles who were in charge of government affairs and the musicians. In front of the carpet was a small staircase and a throne, and seated on it was the young Queen Kreschenta. "¡ª¡ªPlease open your eyes." She began by speaking about the people and nobles lost in the civil war, followed by a moment of silent prayer. Breaking the silence, Kreschentamanded in a sweet¡ª¡ªand somewhat cloying voice. ¡°The dead are mingled with the Kingdom¡¯s blood, and we will carry on their will. Despite many sorrows, we must not just look toward the past and stay still. We must look to the bright future of the Kingdom." From her appearance, Kreschenta showed an unimaginable calmness. She received a lot of stares, but she didn''t show even the slightest hint of tension. From the moment she sat down on the throne, she was already a queen. As if boasting of centuries long reign, she presented herself with dignity. ¡°From now on, it will be time to honor those who have served with distinction in this war. But first, I have something to tell all of you here. ¡it''s about my sister (aneue)." She continued without paying attention to the slight buzz in the air. She had already spoken about this to the influential nobles. "The original first princess who was chased away from the royal pce as a Cursed Child and erased from the family tree¡ªe this way, Krische Rinea Christand-sama." With the sound of her voice, Krische stood up wearing her white dress. She then walked forward and climbed the stairs and stood next to Crescenta. The ce where only royalty is allowed to set foot. One of the civil officials was distraught, but was reprimanded by the other civil servants. ¡°Not a few of you know what happened to my sister. How my sister was treated and how she ended up being chased out of the royal pce. ¡I will not say much about the failure of the royal family at this time.¡± Royalty does not make mistakes, and is an infallible existence. But Kreschenta dared to use the word failure. The previous civil war¡ª¡ªwhatever the truth is, on the surface it was a civil war triggered by the usurpation of the throne by the royal prince and was the most serious of royal family failure. Since he had already caused a failure that could not be concealed, there would be no problem to put Krische¡¯s problem in this way as well. ¡°Originally, my sister should be the one to sit on this throne as the first sessor to the throne. ¡However, in order to honor the one who picked her up and raised her, the patriotic Hero and the former Margrave Christand¨D¨DBogan Christand-sama, As a noble of the Christand family, she pledged the other day that she would support me as a warrior, and has relinquished the throne to me." Of course, Krische had never said such a thing, but he kept quiet. ¡®I will proceed appropriately so Onee-sama just stays silent and stands when called¡¯, and as Kreschenta wished, she stands there with the figure of ady. After the parade, she was allowed to eat a cookie or so, but her face was somewhat sad as she endured her hunger, which fit well with the atmosphere of the asion. She also looked like she''s mourning the death of Bogan, her predecessor, the appearance is not bad. "She was caught up in a foolish conspiracy that derailed her destiny. ...My elder sister said that. However, as a member of the royal family, as a queen, I think it is unreasonable to treat such an older sister as a mere noble and vassal.¡± Kreschenta looked at those kneeling on the red carpet. Selene, Nozan, Kolkis, Granmeld, Eluga¨D¨Dall of them were people who knew Krische well and that she will also receive a conferring of decoration today. Of course, she had already spoken to them. ¡°Even if not, there is no one here who does not know of her achievements as one of the Christand army corpsmanders. With her natural talent and skill with the sword, although she is not much older than me, she wields a sword on the front lines, defeating countless enemymanders, as well as those of the traitorous generals¨D¨DAurugorn Hilkintos, Kuraray Maelus, and even the usurper, my uncle Gildanstein with her own hand, and led us to victory The number of heads of corpsmanders she took directly in this war was seven, and the number of heads of battalionmanders would reach even twenty. The number of the heads of the centurions would be too absurd to even count it, and Krische¡¯s prowess in relentlessly hunting down the leaders was extraordinary. Two of the enemy generals'' achievements belonged to battalionmanders Bagil and Nozan, both of which were greatly influenced by her, and one of them was the enemy''s suprememander. It was not an exaggeration to say that she had led the princess to victory, it was indeed an unquestionable fact. Even Kreschenta, who believed in her sister''s sess, was astonished at the results. No one here would question this. ¡°Considering only military exploits and abilities, the position of Supreme Commander, Field Marshal would be appropriate¡ However, due to her age and her loyalty to the current Margrave Christand¨D¨DSelene-sama, she said that she could not ept it. However, considering all the circumstances, it is not possible to put my older sister just to the position of amander of an army. ¡Therefore, along with my coronation, I have decided to establish a suitable peerage.¡± Kreschenta smiled. Krische¡¯s lips pouted slightly. ¡®Then Onee-sama should be the suprememander! Definitely!¡¯ ¡®Krische is not good at that kind of thing, so Selene should be the one to do it. Krische has to go here and there, so Krische should just stay in the Christand army and¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®Idiot, if people even have doubt about Krische being the field marshal then they will definitelyin that I¡¯m too young to be a field marshal. At least General Verreich¨D¨D¡¯ It was the end of a long debate. ¡°Rinea, a word which represents warrior in the oldnguage¡ª¡ªa true knight. A one-generation title that can only be obtained through military exploits on the battlefield. Even if you look at the history books, you can say that her military deeds are unparalleled.¡± Kreschenta stood up and picked up the treasured sword leaning beside her. It was Bezeria, a great sword that only the King was allowed to wield. And solemnly, Kreschenta held it out to Krische. Krische epted it while standing, without kneeling. She was equal to the Queen, Kreschenta¨D¨Dat least, it was a sign that Kreschenta would treat her as such. "As mine... as the Queen''s sword. As a symbol of that might. As the half of me that possesses the will and power to crush foreign enemies and protect thend. Sister (aneue) will receive the title of Alberinea¨D¨D¡¯Heavenly Sword¡¯, the highest rank of military officer alongside that of marshal.¡± Knight of the Thunder¨D¨DVezrinea. As Bogan had, it is amon practice to add a name to honorary titles to reward those who have achieved military feats beyond that of a regr knight, as a sign of their valor. Nicknames such as Nirkrinea, which means ¡®Guardian¡¯ in Aurugorn case, and Sarcarinea, which means ¡®ck Lion¡¯ in Gildanstein case, were often given aliases to indicate their valor. But this was not the case this time. ¡°She will serve as the Kingdom''s military advisor standing alongside the Supreme Commander¨D¨Dthe Marshal. The actual authority will be the same as the Marshal so far, but the highest authority holder will continue to be the Marshal. It would be a position simr to that of an Supreme Commander¡± That too¨D¨Dthere was a civilian officer trying to argue, but Kreschenta¡¯s purple eyes were soon turned to them. ¡°Due to Margrave Verreich¡¯s turning down the position, Margrave Christand, who has also made a great contribution to the civil war at a young age, will be appointed Marshal. As an assistant, I will appoint Count Faren, who has a long military career and has performed numerous military exploits.¡± Those kneeling on the red carpet took these words as only natural. If one was to be the marshal, the best candidate would be Nozan. However, he cannot leave the east under the current circumstances where rtions with the surrounding areas are in jeopardy. Since the current civil war broke out shortly after he was posted to the east as a general, the rebuilding of the east has ended halfway, and it is not possible to have someone else take over in this state. If that¡¯s the case, then it would be Selene, who was the other general. Despite her youthfulness, she has a knack for using people, and if the experienced general Eluga Faren were to assist her, he would be able topensate for her youth and fulfill the role sufficiently. In fact, there was no one else who could be said to be suitable. The old General Felworth Keithriton was the most likely candidate, as he had originally been a general, but he had joined the side of Gildanstein and was under house arrest. Naturally, at this point in time, he could not be in a position to hold all the real power in the army as the suprememander. From the point of view of those who fought together, the personnel affairs were justified¨D¨DHowever, this is not the case for the case for civilians and military officers lined up to the left and right, in short, those who did not participate in this civil war and just waited and watched, or even passively cooperated with Gildanstein. Selene and Nozan, who were named, had just be generals, while Eluga and Krische were originally corpsmanders. Even if one could consider Krische as royalty and ept it, there was dissatisfaction with the other appointments. Those who had originally held the rank of central general naturally viewed the appointments as those of her own people. Kreschenta looked at the situation and said, "I know there are people who are dissatisfied, but I have decided this on top of acknowledging that." When she looks around with her purple colored eyes, she can easily see it. Hostility, repulsion, suspicion. Kreschenta''s eyes have only captured that since she was born. Facial expressions, gestures. Without spilling such subtle emotions, she identifies the individual and takes it into her head as information. Eventually, it was to get rid of them. ¨D¨DKreschenta does not tolerate those who directed their malice at her. ¡°......The uprising. I have had many people try to kill me, and in the process, I lost my servant Nora, who had helped and supported me since I was born. .... I didn''t know who to trust, nor who to ask help from. I spent my days in a situation where I didn''t even know that." She cast her eyes down. So she looked sad. If that will make them drop their guard, she will y the weak. And even bow down. Kreschenta doesn''t hesitate or feel guilty about deceiving people like that. ¡°Everything is the result of myck of capability¨D¨DI''m not going to use my age as an excuse. However, I didn''t know much about everyone who served me, and I became frightened and terrified, and as a result, I ran away from the royal pce. ¡And, I was saved by the previous Margrave Christand¡ With the help of my sister and many people, I was able to return like this, but even now..." She wiped away the tears that had ¡®welled up¡¯ and looked up. A princess who was frail and young, but had a strong will. She should look like that. "--Just for a little bit, I''d like to ask for your patience. Who is this person, what does he excel at, and how should he be treated? Time to find that out. ¡I am aware that it may be seen as a tant intentional choice from those who have sided with me in this battle¨D¨Dbut please, please forgive my immaturity.¡± Kreschenta continues. "...... I ask you to endure it for now. I will surely respond to your sincerity in time. I will be a king who can reciprocate. Until then please" With the face of a weak queen, she invited pity from those who saw her. Chapter 116: Ceremony Once Again Chapter 116: Ceremony Once Again ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 116 Ceremony Once Again*** ¡°Here, Kreschenta.¡± ¡°Ahhhhn¡ehehe.¡± From the victory ceremony to the banquet, there was a short break. The victory ceremony was followed by a brief interlude between the victory ceremony and the banquet, during which Selene, the chairperson of the ¡®Council of Krische Dress is ck¡¯, suggested that Krische should change her dress, and for a time it looked as if the country might once again be in the throes of civil war. However, Krische Christand, who belongs to the ¡®whichever is fine just, I want to have breakfast as soon as possible alliance¡¯ proposed a truce, saying that she felt sorry for Kreschenta, who could not even eat properly at the dinner party, and suggested that they have a snack time. This is only for the queen, Kreschenta¡¯s sake. However, there was a sophisticated scheme hidden in this proposal, if she spoiled Kreschenta, the leader of the alliance, and pamper her until she¡¯s full, she would be able to go around the dinner party with Bery without anyintster. Suggestion while leaning against Berry¨D¨D¡¯A cute dress is the best for Krische-sama¡¯ leader, Bery also agreed saying ¡®It''s true that Kreschenta-sama will be busy after all¡¯ as there¡¯s also a benefit for herself. Thus, the civil war was averted. Kreschenta, who was in the middle of changing clothes, was in her underwear, sitting on Krische¡¯sp, and she was pleased to be feed by Krische herself. Apart from Serene, who was somewhat displeased with the situation, the scene was peaceful. ¡°Kreschenta -sama, how about this one?¡± "Nn... anything is fine." ncing at the ck dress Bery showed, Crescenta answered. Her body, which didn''t show any growth of a woman at all, was hidden by her grown-up pale pink underwear, and Kreschenta rubbed her cheek against Krische¡¯s chest. It seems that it''s her true intention that she didn¡¯t care about the dress and was only focusing on being spoiled by her older sister. ¡®Kreschenta sure is a spoiled kid¡¯, said Krische putting on a big sister air while petting her head and asionally letting out a small yawn. She woke up very early in the morning, and the ceremony was not only a little sleepy, but also not very interesting. Krische is a little sleepy, and Bery chuckled when she saw that. "Haa... Marshal. I feel heavy now." "I mean, there is no other suitable person other than Selene-sama. It can''t be helped." She climbed on her sleepy sister. She puts her chin on Krische¡¯s shoulder and said to Selene seated behind Krische, who was leaning back on a chair. ¡°Having the real power in the military is the most important thing. So that when ites to is, we can use its strength. In order to let everyone, know that we can take such measures, I personally find it easier for Selene-sama to do various things than General Verreich.¡± It was politics. Kreschenta is too young and has no track record. It is only natural that people would underestimate her. If they underestimate her, they will turn hostile. Some would try to take advantage of her. It was always violence that silenced those kind of people without question, and that violence is the military. Naturally, it was more convenient to have Selene, who has closer rtions with Kreschenta, than the general Nozan, when she need to exercise the power of the military. If all they wanted was to proceed peacefully, she could have put the marshal position on hold and let Krische temporarily assume its role as the ¡®Alberinea¡¯. Later, a marshal in name only would be chosen from among those who were dissatisfied with Kreschenta¨D¨Da random suitable candidate and used as bait to establish order in the royal court. But Kreschenta wants to seize power over the entire royal pce as soon as possible. Considering that she would have to resort to forceful measures to achieve this, it was more preferable to take advantage of the situation of the end of the civil war and keep the military as a whole under her under the cover of confusion. Kreschenta intended to eventually rece more than half of the civilian officers. She hated wasting time and money on them. "And whatever the circumstances, it is an oath I have with your name that I will repay this favor. Moving the Margrave as the leader of the nobility and the marshal to king''s territory. I want to spend time with Onee-sama in the safest ce. At the very least, the benefits should be worth the responsibility and hard work.¡± "I know. My head just hasn¡¯t catch up yet." *Haah*, Selene sighed. Her first battle was against the Holy Empire. In order to not bring shame as Bogan''s sessor, she took the first step as a military officer¨D¨Dsince then, in just half a year, she became a military officer''s highest rank, marshal. It''s not just a matter of promotion. The only people who were not perplexed would be the idiots here, Krische and Kreschenta. "Krische think it¡¯s good, but Selene is slo¨D¨Dbecause she take her time to think, it''s better to be in the back where she can calmly think about things... Uuh." "Shut up. I know." Selene pinched Krische cheek from behind her and pouted. umtion of experience ys arge part in the ability to judge and make decisions on the fly. At present, Selene was still weak in such areas, and cannot be said to be first-rate as a front-linemander. Although her tactical and strategic thinking itself is excellent, her sense alone cannotpensate for his inexperience. She still remember being lectured by Krische that if she couldn''t kill him with fifteen men, she should have dragged more of the ck Century¡¯s member and killed Gildanstein even if it¡¯s really pushing it. Combat is always to the minimum, and on top of that, one should aim for the shortest. Krische had a point when she said that if everything will be over by defeating Gildanstein, the highest priority should be to put all her efforts into the fight and settle it quickly. From the start, in that situation even without Krische, just 5 minutes¡ªjust a little more, and with a trivial move, she might have been able to obtain victory without relying on Krische. There were many sacrifices, and the battle left her with nothing but regrets. Even if she tried her best, the result was not the best, and it was a result born by Selene''s inexperienced. Because she understood her inexperienced, she also had the feeling that she wanted to continue to study for a while, and that''s why the position of Marshal, that fell on herp suddenly, was very heavy. ¡°Regardless of how Ojou-sama feels¡¡As a servant, I am happy that Ojou-sama is away from the front lines.¡± Bery said quietly while checking the dress for any frays. When Serene red at her, Berry smiled wryly and shook her head. "I don''t know the battlefield, so I can''t say anything arrogant. I don''t think that Ojou-sama is inexperienced, in fact, I think Ojou-sama is doing the best she can.¡± ¡°That''s no constion you know.¡± Selene pinched Krische''s cheeks muni muni. *Uuu, uuu*, Krische groaned. ¡°Ojou-sama is stretching yourself too much. Since Ojou-sama is the sessor of Gotoushu-sama, Ojou-sama probably want to fight like Gotoushu-sama, but that will surely note true.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°Gotoushu-sama as blessed with ingenuity, skill, and luck, running through countless battlefields for decades, continuing to demonstrate military exploits, and surviving through many crisis¡ª¡ªhe was truly a Hero.¡± Bery smiled as she recalled. ¡°Is the Ojou-sama intending to overthrow the various things that the head of the family has built, with a mere few years of effort? Is Ojou-sama¡¯s, the Gotoushu-sama respected by the officers and soldiers of Christand, such a small goal?¡± "¡that is" "Of course, there may be many things to learn on the battlefield. If you don''t learn it, you may not be able to surpass Gotoushu-sama. But isn¡¯t that fine. Gotoushu-sama and Ojou-sama are two different people, and their lives and what they can learn from them are also different.¡± Bery ced the dress on the table and gently stroked Selene''s head. Selene made a frown, but did not resist. ¡°Even if the Ojou-sama can¡¯t learn what Gotoushu-sama has learned, there will be times when Ojou-sama can learn things that Gotoushu-sama was unable to learn. I think that it will be fine, if someday, Ojou-sama can achieve something that is not inferior to the head of the family in some way.¡± Her hands are tender and loving, just as her mother did to herself when she was a child. Bery always treats Selene like a child. ¡°Especially since the position of marshal is not something that Ojou-sama wishes to obtain, it should rather be seen as just a stroke of luck. ¡¡I believe that Ojou-sama can fulfill such a responsible role better than anyone else, so I do not feel uneasy about that.¡± ¡°......You mean to tell me that you''re worried about me being on the front lines?" Selene said that and Beryughed happily. "Fufu, you shouldn''t look at it like that. Well, I can''t say that I don''t have that kind of feeling from the point of view of someone who could only wait, but it''s not limited to the youngdy." She moved her hand that was stroking Selene¡¯s head to Krische¡¯s, and she narrowed her eyes. Krische mouth rxed, and Serene removed her hands. "...It¡¯s my selfish desire. Please forgive me." ¡°How can you say that when you don''t even feel bad about it at all, really¡± "My, did you find out?" Beryughed mischievously and picked up Kreschenta who was in her underwear. Kreschenta, who had been enjoying the pleasure of being on Krische¡¯sp, looked up at Bery and red at her. ¡°Now, it''s time for you to get dressed, Kreschenta-sama.¡± "...we still have a little time. Please let go." "Krische-sama, once you''ve finished changing your clothes, let''s take a little nap, shall we?" "Yes... Kreschenta, change your clothes." ¡°Y-you coward.¡± Bery gets her dressed, regardless of Kreschenta¡¯sints. Krische also helps with that, happily. Selene, who was staring at that scene, smiled wryly and sat down in her chair again. following in her father''s footsteps. Be a worthy sessor to her father. What was important to her¡ª¡ªSelene thought about it, and just looked at them. The madder twilight streamed into the ss-enclosedrge hall, and the many wonderful dishes seemed to shine in that light. Same dining format as before. Selene with Elvena, Kreschenta with Arne, and Krische with Bery. As expected, it didn¡¯t go like before. Naturally, Selene, who had be the highest rank of military officer, and Krische who hold position equal to that, were greeted by aristocrats whose faces she didn''t even know from here and there. Krische was starting to get fed up with it but, it was Eluga who came to the rescue. "Haa...Krische is hungry *(peko peko)*." "Haha, as one would expect it''s hard to eat after bing Her Majesty''s sword." Eluga called out to the two of them under the guise of an important conversation, and he took them out to the balcony. Since Eluga had the title of assistant to the suprememander there were only a few people who could interrupt him. A Koku and a half after the dinner party began, Krische was finally able to have a decent meal. Next to Eluga was a slender noblewoman¨D¨DEluga''s wife. Her eyes were slightly wrinkled, but she was a tall, tight-fitting beauty with elegant golden hair. Their age seems quite separated, but the way her arms are around him was harmonious, and she looked at him a few times, as if she is troubled. "Oh, excuse me, I haven¡¯t introduced her yet, have I? This is my wife, Vanate.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, uhh..." Vanate looked Eluga seemed even more troubled. As a daughter of the Christand family, it would be better to call her Krische-sama. However, the head of the family is already Selene, and Krische on her own was a great noble who has been given the title of Alberinea. It seemed inappropriate to call her that. From what she had heard, Krische was originally the first princess, if that is the case, she felt that the appropriate way to call her would be Her Royal Highness¨D¨DIf she were to attach her peerage she felt that it would be appropriate to call her as Grand Duchess Christand. However, she was not officially granted the status of Grand Duchess as a sibling of the King¨D¨DVanate was at a loss as to how to treat this girl. Krische tilted her head, and Eluga also tilted his head at the state of his wife. Only Berry nodded as if she understood and told her. ¡°I have heard that Margrave Faren shares the joys and sorrows on the battlefield with Krische-sama and has a rtionship that transcends position. Please don¡¯t be reserved, I hope that Krische-sama have the same rtionship as before." "Is that so... pleased to meet you, Krische-sama." Vanate bowed gracefully, and Krische responded. Finally, Eluga noticed and chuckled, feeling bad about this. "I''m sorry. Krische-sama is not very particr about this kind of thing. Take it easy." "...I would appreciate it if you had told me that first." Vanate nced at Eluga somewhat sullenly, then turned her gaze again to Krische. She looked at her hair and beauty and smiled happily. "I heard from my husband, but Krische-sama really is beautiful. That¡¯s a nice dress, it suits you very well." "Umm, yes, thank you very much. Vanate-sama''s dress is also very beautiful." Krische¡¯s eyes were ncing at the food she had brought to the table. When Vanate sensed her gaze and smiled wryly, telling her not to worry. Krische looked at Eluga and Bery as if she was a little troubled, and they both smiled as well. "It looked like you couldn''t even eat, so I called out Krische-cama. Please don''t worry about it." "Hehe, yes. Do you want to eat too, Skeleton?" ¡°Hahaha, I''m a small eater...but guess I''ll have some.¡± Vanate stiffens at the mention of ¡®Skeleton¡¯ and Berry looks at her apologetically. She was embarrassed to be in Vanate, but she was dumbfounded by the look on her husband (shujin; head (of household)) face, and shook her head, giving Bery a wry smile. "It seems like it''s true that their rtionship surpassed their position... Fufu, skeleton..." Vanate shook her shoulders in a funny way and looked at Eluga, covering her mouth. Eluga must have assumed this would happen when he brought his wife. He didn''t seem to care about it in particr, as he ate the meal with Krische with the looks of a good-natured old man, which should be called the look of an evil look of a god of death. "Even though he¡¯s bothered by it care so much. Every time our son sees his face, he would cries... Aftering back, I thought he is in such good mood, so this is why." "Krische-sama also said that he was very good to her on the battlefield." "With this face, I wasn''t worried about cheating, but... I''m convinced. He might look like this but he like children¨D¨DAh, no, it''s rude to say that." "No, fufu, Krische-sama is that kind of person." When she smiled wryly, Vanate returned her smile and stared at Bery''s face. "Could it be, Lazura-sama''s..." "Ah, yes. Sorry for the dy, let me introduce myself, I¡¯m ger younger sister, Bery Argan." "I see, no wonder I thought you two looked alike. I''ve met Lazura-sama several times, and we''ve been on good terms with each other, but...both sure sisters are all beautiful, aren''t they?" ¡°No¡¡± Berry shook her head, troubled, and Vanate approached her face with concern. ¡°I don''t know if this is the right thing to say at a celebration, but I''m sorry for your loss.¡± "thank you. It was a painful thing, but... I''ve sorted out my mind." ¡°I''m d to hear that...but please don''t take it too hard. Please rely on me at any time. I''ve heard a lot about Bery-sama from Lazura-sama, so I can¡¯t think about it as just someone else''s problem." Vanate grabs Berry by the shoulder, and looked at her face. ¡°I''ve heard about you from Lazura-sama, but it''s such a shame that such a beautiful woman is only a servant. What do you think, are you interested in a marriage proposal?" "Um, that..." She was small in stature, withrge brown eyes framed by longshes, which made her look very young. However, her face was very well-groomed, and her gestures and facial expressions were calm and somewhat mature. That gap was attractive. Berry has an indescribable charm. She is a talented person who can''t be left alone for Vanate, who has been a match maker for many people¨D¨DVanate brings her face closer. "Even like this I have many connection. I''m sure I''ll find someone who fits Bery-sama¡¯s preference. If it¡¯s someone as young and beautiful as Bery-sama, you will surely be popr, please leave it to me." ¡°Umm, I''m not that young... I''ll already be thirty soon..." Even though Berry answered with a troubled look, she brought her face even closer. "I was thirty-five when I became my husband¡¯s (shujin) wife, Bery-sama is still quite young. Don''t worry." "Ha, ha..." Berry takes a step back and leans back slightly. Vanate stepped further, ¡°This is a bad habit, Vanate. Stop it." It was Eluga who stopped her. Vanate res at Eruga, and she sighs as she puts her hands on her hips, saying ¡®even though we¡¯re having fun¡¯. "Really, how troubling. Why don''t you calm down a little?" "I think it''s a great loss for someone like Berry to be single. Though you might not understand it." "It''s just your hobby right....I apologize for my wife." ¡°N-no¡¡" Vanate asked Berry, who had a wry smile on her face. "But are you really not interested in marriage proposals? I''m not lying in what I said, though I think Bery-sama would have a lot to choose from." "That''s, umm..." Bery lets her gaze wander to Krische, who has been watching events unfold as her cheeks puff up with food. When Krische noticed her gaze, she staggered over to Bery, entwined her arms and loosened her cheeks. ¡°Bery will be together with Krische forever, so she won''t get married. Right, Bery." "...Fufu, yes." Bery smiled happily and she caressed Krische¡¯s cheek lovingly. Krische happily pressed her body in Bery¡¯s arms and squinted her eyes. ¡°I am content with my...present life in Christand, so I have no connection with such things. ¡I am sorry for your concern." When Bery bowed, Vanate looked at Krische and Bery, "...I see, it seems that it was unnecessary concern." She nodded as if she was convinced by something. Chapter 117: Place to Return To Chapter 117: ce to Return To ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 117 ce to Return To*** The undergroundboratory of the royal pce looked a bit like arge warehouse, with countless books on the shelves. There were countless books on the shelves, metal rods of unknown use, and piles of magic crystals ced here and there. Elvena finished sorting the piles of magic crystals and duplicate it then turned her attention to her master. ¡°Krische-sama, I''ve finished with the whole process but¡¡± "Is that so? How many did you make?" ¡°Twelve. If you include the ones from the other day, that makes 56.¡± When the finished magic crystal is packed in a dedicated box, Krische crossed her arms and turn to the object in front of her. There was a doll made of a metal rod and a birdcage lying on the table. It had four limbs and a head as if it were a simplified human body, and each joint of the four limbs had a total of 24 magic crystals. There was onerge magic crystal in the birdcage-like body and another in the head cage. Each joint was connected by a chain, giving the figure the appearance of a poorly made model. The seven shaku frame looked creepy, and the cold blue glow of the magic crystal was chilling. "That ... Krische-sama" "It seems that minimal movements can be done." "...will it move?" "It moves" Krische gets on the small pedestal, she puts her finger on the fusge¨D¨Dthe magical crystal of the heart on the table. Blue light shines through each magic crystals as if propagated by the magic power sent from her fingertips. *nk, nk*, the sound of the chain echoes, ¡°!¡± The doll rose and stood up. The body of the seven shaku is likely to hit the ceiling in this basement, and Elvena braces herself a little at the sight of something non-human moving in front of her. Clinging to its metallic body were imaginary muscles formed by blue magic. Though its body was thin, there was a strange sense of intimidation. The doll move one hand of its hand to the front and put it on its chest. It makes a saluting motion. "... After all, the joints of the legs and arms shouldn¡¯t be chains, it is better to connect it properly to some extent. The loss of magic power is great.¡± Krische narrowed her eyes and looked at the doll''s limbs. The doll walked around the table in a circle. *nk, nk*, every time it walked, the chain, metal, and the sound of the floor echoed. It is something that will never be injured and will never die. It was an iron soldier that will continue to fights as long as it had magic power. ¡°There is still some problems when ites to fighting, but it moves properly, right?¡± ¡°¡It moves, yes¡± When finished, this strange doll would kill her on the battlefield with sword, axe, and spear. A weapon for murder¨D¨Dthe bizarreness of what the girl was making in between her free time of household chores gave Elvena an indescribable chill. It had been less than a week since they had begun work on it. But it was already taking shape. Imaginary muscles created and worn by possessor of magic power. Its deployment and processing were reced by the magic crystal, which be the flesh and blood that moves a metal dolls that do not speak. The form engraved on the magic crystal was borate. It is inscribed with aplex form that is beyond Elvena''sprehension, and she didn¡¯t even know what was functioning what. This doll was made of something that she could understand logically (theory, reason) but couldn¡¯tprehend. "If we want imitate the human body, it may be better to distribute the load with two bones that are thinner than one. In particr, considering that its feet are heavier than humans¡it seems better to expand the ground area a little more. It seems like it would be stuck in the ground. " Krische took a piece of parchment and writes down the information on her mind. She did not use any kind of measurement, but her drawing was precise and urate to thest detail. The orders for its parts were dispersed among multiple craftsmen. This was partly to prevent information leakage, but more importantly, it was simply more efficient to distribute the orders. After a while, the doll returns to the stand, and when it lies down again, it stops. Silence reigned once again, as if nothing had happened. ¡°Any problems with the duplication crystal?¡± "Ah, yes ...Depending on the quality of the magic crystal the result will be a little wierd, but if you use it for magical measurement, there is probably no problem. I''ve tried to fine-tune the ones that I can fix, but I''m not sure if I''m getting it right...¡± "which one?" "These three" When Elvena handed it to her, Krische nodded and returned it with a nce. "It''s enough. Let¡¯s finish with what we made now." ¡°Yes.¡± "Elvena, can you deliver this? That''s the end of Elvena¡¯s work¡hmm, Elvena can go home and rest for three days.¡± "Are you sure?" "Yes, it''s a reward because Elvena did her best. It''s dangerous, so please take an escort." Elvena bowed her head happily. ¡°I''ll probably be at home, if Krische-sama need anything please just call me.¡± ¡°Krische doesn¡¯t think there will be anything, but Krische will let you know if there¡¯s anything. Please have a good night''s rest.¡± One of the small estates in the royal territory¨D¨Dused as a ce to prepare for guests, was given directly to Christand family and had be the Christand estate cum the princess''s bedchamber. Although it is somewhat smaller than the original Christand estate, there are at most six of them staying there, including Elvena, who often goes back to Kalua and Mia''s house outside the royal domain. The small estate was more than enough space for all six of them. Krische, Kreschenta, and Bery sometimes use the same room, and even considering guest rooms you could say there was too much excess room. "Ehehe, today was a critical pumpkin pie. The pumpkin is better in the royal capital." "Yes, all the foods are all good... shopping is fun, though sometimes it feels lonely." As usual, Krische was on Bery''sp on the sofa. The two of them, after taking a hot bath, were dressed in negligee as usual¨D¨Dthe distance between them had long since disappeared, and they were in no condition for outsider to see. The texture of the fabric, which reveals a thinyer of skin, wasscivious, and Krische, wrapped in a nket draped over Bery''s shoulders, asionally changes position to bury her face in her chest, hugging and kissing her. The two of them were alone in the decadent space, and the civil war, which has been over for less than a month, was a distant memory. The only word to describe Krische when she was in her room was depravity. When she woke up, she had a ¡®pre-breakfast¡¯ consisting ofst night''s leftovers and prepares breakfast. After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, she heads to the royal castle with her lunch box, where she does some ¡®work¡¯,es back during snack time to help with cleaning, then cooks dinner, eats it, and then takes a bath with and gets a good night''s sleep with Bery. Krische life cycle was like that, and her schedule was set up so that she spends as much time as possible with Bery. Compared to Selene and Kreschenta, who were busy with paperwork and political affairs after dinner, Krische¡¯s appearance was more depraved, but the reason for this was the meeting with neighboring countries scheduled for the next month. The meeting was to be held under the guise of unveiling the new queen, it is a regr event that is held every time the king changed. The Kingdom of Erna in the north is a given, but the Eldnd Kingdom in the west, the Galshan Republic in the south, and the Holy Elsren Empire, which had only recently recovered from the recent war, have also been invited to attend the meeting, and letters have been received from each country stating that they will participate. Although only the Holy Empire of Elsren has yet to reply, it would be diplomatically difficult to attack the Kingdom now as long as the other three countries have expressed their participation. The kKngdom had at least two months of peace. Despite the kingdom''s exhaustion, the possibility of an invasion at this time of year, when winter was about to begin, was not high to begin with, but now that the seeds of such an invasion had beenpletely squashed, time could be devoted to repairing the country. The reason why Crescenta was the first to present herself to the neighboring countries after she became queen was for this purpose, and the attempt was going well. "Oh, that''s right." ¡°¡?¡± Krische gets off of Bery and pulled out some magic crystals from her bag. She then ced them on the table, picked one up, and showed it to Bery. "this is?" ¡°It''s a duplication magic crystal Krische made as a trial. It seemed practical enough, so Krische thought to give one to Bery.¡± "Duplication..." Bery, who did not seem to understand what it was, picked it up and looked at the form engraved inside. Inside the crystal were countless lines forming a geometric three-dimensional pattern. The only thing that can be read at a nce was that this was a form that affects something else, and she could only understand that it was a very sophisticated form. "It''s okay to duplicate the evesting magic light right?" Elvene held up one of the magic crystals¨D¨Dbringing it closer to an evesting magicmp. ¡°Attach it to themp and let the magic flow through it.¡± ¡°...... like this?" The magic crystal in her hand was ced against themp in Krische hand, and magic power is poured into it. The duplication magic crystal in the palm of Bery shone, and a small new form was engraved inside. It was a simple form for the evesting magicmp, which only emits light. "So it can remember the form of the evesting magicmp, and the same procedure was used to make a new magic crystal.¡± Then, Krische held a new nk magic crystal. She pressed it against Bery''s magic crystal and looked at her. Bery understood the intention and poured magic power into it, "¡¡I see" In no time at all, the form for the Evesting Magic Lamp was engraved on the nk magic crystal. ¡°It is a magical crystal that temporarily store a form and then write it. Elvena has been named a duplication crystal, so Krische call it that for now." "Duplication crystal ..." "This time is a simple evesting magicmp, but Krische think it''s quite convenient because it can be used for moreplex ones.¡± It is not that difficult to carve a new form into a magic crystal. If it is a simple one like evesting magicmp, Bery can made it from scratch. However, this was kind of like making a sculpture using magic power. The more advanced it bes, the more difficult it bes, requiring the help of a magician or sorcerer who specialized in that field. It was can¡¯t just be described with a single word, convenient. "It''s amazing ... this is" The first thing thates to Bery¡¯s mind was the magic of the past and she frowned. Krische was always a few steps ahead of the time. She is talented but her idea was always one generation ahead. ¡°Don''t worry. Krische give this only to Bery.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°It is designed to react to the magic power that is poured into it for the first time and engrave it inside a special form. The replica crystal is not designed to work well for anyone other than Bery, and aside from Elvena, who uses it for her work, Krische and Bery are the only ones who have it.¡± Krische smiled as she sat on Bery''sp. "Krische can actually make it easier, but Krische thought about it and made it that way. If it¡¯s this way, Krische thought Bery will not mind it. " "¡¡is that so" Bery also smiled and gently stroked her head. ¡°Once memorized, the form can also be erased by magic, Krische made so only Bery can know how to erase it too.¡± She waved her fingertips to draw a form in the air andbined it with the form of the duplication crystal. Thebined effect is that the evesting magicmp form engraved inside disappears. It is not that difficult. After watching and memorizing it, Bery asked. ¡°......that, can I really not help?" She had heard that Krische was making something together with Elvena using magic crystal. Bery taught Elvena about the elementary magical crystal knowledge, instead of the exnation from Krische, which is too difficult and intuitive. It was certainly not because she wouldn¡¯t be able to help. However, Krische chose Elvena, not Bery, as her assistant. Bery was busy with the estate. She knew Krische was being considerate of her. ¡°Now that Anne-sama is here¡the mansion is also smaller than before. If Krische-sama needs help, I... can I help you?¡± There was something in her heart that she couldn''t understand, and it suddenly leaked out of her mouth. Krische looked up at Bery, lowered her eyes and hugged her. "...Eh, of course, it would be best to have Bery help Krische, but, how should Krische put it..." Krische stammered as if at a loss for words. stammered as if at a loss for words. Bery couldn¡¯t see her face, only her silver hair. But Bery shook her head, seeing that. ¡°¡I''m sorry for asking such a strange question. I''ve heard it before.¡± "Um, it''s not that Krische doesn''t like Bery or anything like that..." "It''s okay, I understand." She looked up at Bery and shook her head, as if she wanted to say something. Then Krische hurriedly told her that it was her selfishness. ¡°selfishness¡?¡± ¡°......Krische kills a lot of people. Krische will also kill a lot more in the future. But because Krische is weird, Krische doesn''t really feel sad or pained when Krische kills people. Krische is fine with it. But when Bery sees Krische like that, Bery feels pain and sad, right?" Bery opened her eyes wide and took in her words. Krische pressed her face against her chest again, sighed and told Bery. ¡°Krische...in the pce, is thinking up tools for war and stuff. Krische is always thinking about how to easily win without any harm and kill a lot¡Krische is only thinking about war... killing people. That''s why, umm¡Krische doesn¡¯t want Bery to see that kind of Krische, so..." ¡°¡Krische-sama¡± "That''s why Krische want Bery to stay at the mansion. When Krischees back from the castle, forgetting about it as much as possible, cooking with Bery, helping Bery, and doing things like always¡umm, just like before, Krische want it that way." Bery squeezed her small body and pressed her lips to her head. There was an indescribable feeling inside her, and she just stroked the girl''s head. "..Understood, Krische-sama. I won''t ask it again." "Um, um, it¡¯s not like Krische doesn''t like being asked, or anything like that¨D¨Dnhm" The soft lips of the girl who raised her face. She held it with her thumb and traced it, and she smiled. "I don''t think so. I was the one who asked the silly question. ...Can you forgive me?" With her lips still pressed down, Krische nodded in embarrassment. Without urately conveying her intention, and without any intention to convey it. But that''s fine. Bery stroked her cheek and put their lips together. Krische was not surprised, as if he had expected it, but she also rxed as if relieved. After that, Bery hugged the girl''s body for a while. Chapter 118: Black Flag Special Force and the Naked Princess (the Princessâ€™s New Clothes) Chapter 118: ck g Special Force and the Naked Princess (the Princess¡¯s New Clothes) ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 118 ck g Special Force and the Naked Princess (the Princess¡¯s New Clothes)** A/N: ü\ÆìÌØ„Õ(ck g Special Duty): Official reading ¡®Kokki Tokumu¡¯, normal reading ¡®Kuroha Tokumu¡¯. Either is fine because it is not originally a kanji. Outside the walls of Albenaria rampart. Arge-scale training ground was built there. The barracks can be seen in the distance, and the surrounding area was a grassy in. There, soldiers repeatedly marched in line then stop, or swung their des at the training scarecrows. Soldiers overflowing with enthusiasm. The sky is clear. However, the cold wind was still chilly, signaling the arrival of winter. Standing there is a girl with the heavenly sword, Alberinea. There she, Krische Christand showed her majestic gant figure¨D¨Dnot. She wears a brimless hand-sewn hat up to her ears, a long white scarf wrapped around her nose, and hand-sewn gloves. She was there, with her fluffy, lumpy look, the second-ranked general from the top in the Kingdom. "Bald Eagle, are you sure your stomach is okay?" Krische, apanied by Elvena, asked with a sharp, doubtful look in her eyes. Ny percent of the pressure has been lost from what was supposed to be a re to Krische, her figure made those around her loosen their tension instead. Dagraughed and pped his stomach. ¡°Haha, as you can see, I''mpletely healed." ¡°¡Lie is no good you know?¡± "Of course, I''ve been resting for more than a month, so I''m rather full of energy." Krische stared at him then, nodded, and looked around her. There were quite a few members of ck Century there, but there were also some who were strange for them to be here. Some were missing one arm, one leg, or limping¨D¨Dit didn¡¯t change that they were members of ck Century, but they were wounded soldiers who could no longer fight on the battlefield. ¡°Mia, is this all of them?¡± ¡°Yes, the rest are still recovering or have already left the army and returned to their hometowns.¡± ¡°Please make sure to send a letter to those who have returned home too. There¡¯s a jobs.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fortunately¨D¨D46 soldiers escaped with minor injuries or at least no permanent damage. If we count only those who survived, the number would be around 70. The number of wounded soldiers here was about 15, but it could be said that the number was enough for Krische¡¯s request. The reason they were brought together was to give them their next assignment. Although they could no longer fight on the front lines, they were soldiers who could be trusted to a certain extent, and above all, they were valuable human resources who could handle magic power. Krische didn¡¯t want just let them go like that. Although there was some affection and good intentions for them in Krische, to not waste the cost of the training was a big aspect of it, and the reason she called them here was purely for her own benefit. Nevertheless, everyone was happy that she was willing to take care of them, who would find it difficult to do normalbor, and they looked at her happily. They had been treated as special soldiers in the past, but they felt that it wasrgely due to their strength in battle. However even for those who could no longer fight, she was willing to do her best for them. Even if they got injured and could no longer go out on the battlefield, she''s willing to take care of then¨D¨Dnaturally, such reassurances led to loyalty to her, and their liking and respect for Krische deepened more and more. "Among the injured, the only ones who is literate are...Nagar and Zatz. Anyone else?" "Yes ma¡¯am, me too." "And, Argen. The one that was born in cksmiths and craftsmen family are, Kiris and Pell, but...can you do simple crafts? like measuring armor, that sort of thing, that kind of thing." "If that''s the case, I can do it even with one arm..." ¡°I can do it too.¡± Krische nodded, and told them as though she had juste up with an idea. ¡°Necki, you are also reasonably good with your hands, right? You will also be a member of the crafts unit, just like the others." ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± One hundred subordinates¨D¨DKrische knew their brief profiles and special skills as if it¡¯s a matter of course. While sitting on the ground with one leg, Necki saluted happily as he was called. ¡°The crafts team will be helping Krische to make something. Krische¡¯ll tell you ahead of time, be very careful with the information. Don''t tell anyone about what you are doing, including to the ck Century, friends and family, unless you have permission to do so. Understood?" Each of them raises their voices and saluted. Krische turned to the ck Century as well. ¡°You guys too are not to ask what the craft team is doing. In principle, this will be treated as a serious leak of information, and anyone who leaks it will be punished ordingly.¡± The words she said contained a very serious meaning. The term serious information refers to information that could have a significant impact on military operations, tactics, etc. If it was leaked, regardless of whether it was intentional or not, the punishment would be the death penalty. Although Krische was usually very lovely, she also had a cool-headedness that made her not think of life as a life. Because they know that, she didn''t think there will be any need to be concerned about it. ¡°Later, the wounded soldiers will sort out the cks. Last time it was urgent and Krische had no choice but to do it, but it is not practical for Krische to be present all the time at the recruitment so the wounded will rece Krische.¡± When Krische told them, those who had not been called looked at each other. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Krische asked, and one of them opened his mouth. "I know it''s an honorable mission, but¡for us, to determine who possesses magical power is..." "It''s okay, Elvena." "¡¡yes" Even though Kalua, Mia, and Krische were present here, still she was in front of soldiers. With a slightly nervous look, Elvena hands them the baskets one by one. They looked at the magic crystals and then at Krische, puzzled. "Daz, flow magic power through it and apply it to Elvena''s hand." "¡¡? Yes ma¡¯am" The one-armed soldier did as he was told and pressed the magic crystal into Elvena''s hand, ¡®Excuse me¡¯ , ¨D¨Dthen he frowned for a moment in surprise. ¡°The tingle (piri), ite right?¡± "Yes ma¡¯am, I feel a little shock..." ¡°Though we call it magic power possessors, everyone possesses a weak magic power. The difference between humans that can actually exercise it as imaginary muscles and those who can¡¯t are the amount of magical power, but Krische doesn¡¯t think you guys can judge that." Putting aside if it was actually used as an imaginary muscle, it is difficult to sense the magical power that is hidden. Naturally, it wouldn''t be impossible for a person skilled in handling magic, but only Krische would be able to sort out hundreds of people like that. Even to Krische it¡¯s work that need a lot of focus, of course she didn¡¯t think they could do it. That''s why she created this. ¡°It is a device that notifies the bearer of a certain amount of magical power by sending a tingling (piri piri) reaction to the bearer. You will carry it with you during the recruiting process, and you will select the new members one by one.¡± Krische crossed her arms and looked around at the ck Century. ¡°Naturally, Krische wants to replenish the reduced number of personnel, but Krische also wants to increase the troop to 200 men by the end of winter, yoday at noon, there will be a meeting with the officer in charge of recruitment under the pretext to sort out the new recruits, and I will be there from around the day after tomorrow. Daz will be the leader, and Krische''ll give you the right to appoint the assistants. After that take care of the rest to Mia appropriately (randomly)¡ Please ask Elvena about how to use it after this.¡± As usual Krische threw it wholesale to others then pointed to the magic crystal. "That piririn has been reconfigured for the first person to use it and is made so that others won¡¯t be able to use it. However, not losing the supplies is the basic of basic as a soldier, so please don''t lose the things that Krische took the trouble to made." "Piririn..." "Fufu, it''s a good name right. It''s piririn because it''s tingling (piripiri)." In response to Mia''s stunned murmur, Krische confidently said that, putting her hand on her waist and sticking out her chest. Kalua looked at Elvena, but Elvena shook her head as if troubled. ¡®Then since that one is a duplication crystal, so that this one will also be easy to understand inspection crystal¨D¨D¡¯ ''No, Krische just got a revtion. Krische came up with a good name¡¯ ¡®A good name...is it?¡¯ ¡®yes. ¡Piririn. You see, your hands will feel tingly and Ktische think it''s very easy to understand. See, what do you think? Krische think it''s really good, but¨D¨D'' Elvena, too, had her own thoughts about the name given in front of her, but that did not stop Krische. At the very least, it is certain that the various things Krische makes are not ¡®public product¡¯. The inspection crystal¨D¨Dthe one Krische name piririn was also a special magic crystal that is not generally distributed, and was a special tool used to select the ck Century under hermand. Then, of course, its existence should be kept secret, and in that sense, it didn''t seem bad to give it a silly name that you can''t imagine its use from. Although it''s far from what Krische called ¡®very easy to understand¡¯, it makes more sense to name it piririn as a kind of cryptic word rather than an easy-to-understand name such as inspection crystal. ¡®Th-that''s right, it''s good... I feel like it''s a good name. I-it sounds cute too¡¯ ¡®Right, the name justes to Krische.¡¯ Elvena herself could not decide whether she did not want to dampen Krische¡¯s who was ¡®fufun¡¯ confident of herself or whether such rational reasons were more important, but whatever the reason. The inspection crystal was named piririn, at least in Krische¡¯s mind, it had taken root. ¡°Since this cannot bepletely concealed, the handling of information is different from that of the craft team, but please refrain from spreading it yourself. If other countries develop something like piririn, our advantage will fade. Piririn team should keep this in mind." "... Krische-sama, that Piririn team?" The one-armed soldier Daz turns a half- grasping at the straw eye at the indescribable name. "...? It''s about you guys. Officially, it''s the 1st Piririn Squad of the ck g Special Forces Company under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. From now on, you will be the 1st Piririn Squad Leader, Daz." The powerful word of the 1st Piririn Squad Leader, made Daz stiffen. The people who were watching looked at him with pity, and some of them burst outughing and shook their shoulders. The former 8th Squad Leader¨D¨Dman of valor who had faced Nakirus Felizar even as he lost one of his arm, precisely because of that that the gap was so big. ¡°Ah, Krische forgot to mention, but there are ns to augment the Century, so from today onwards, we will nominally upgrade it from a Century to a Company. ¡Krische wanted to name it cky (kurofuyo ¨C ck spot ¨C cky / spoty) Company since it was a good opportunity, but Selene strongly requested it to be called ck g Special Force. That''s what we''ll call ourselves from then on." However, even those who had beenughing were chilled by the words that she said in a dissatisfied tone. If we were leave the naming rights to her, then tomorrow it would be my turn¨D¨Dtoo horrifying. If it had been originally under the direct control of Alberinea of the Royal Central Army, there is a possibility that the military would have created the First Piririn Squad of the cky Company. Everyone deepened their appreciation for Krische¡¯s older sister, the Kingdom Marshal Selene Christand. Dagra rubbed his eyes at the many words he heard after returning for the first time in a while. "E-everyone is delighted with the honor of being personally named by Her Excellency the Marshal." "Is that so? Hmm, cky Company is..." "However... that''s right, to be given names directly by Her Excellency Marshal and Krische-sama is much too august, and I dare say it is an excessive reward for these people. People would think that it¡¯s favoritism. After this, if you can leave trivial things like naming the new squad to us... the reward of being given the right to name them is more than enough for these people, and that alone will boost their morale." ¡®Hm, hm¡¯, Krische nodded and examined the proposal. Dagra is basically a man who never says the wrong thing. In that sense, Krische could trust him. "Hmm... Bald Eagle certainly have a point. Is it a problem if Krische treat you too special?" ¡°Of course, all the members of the squad are deeply grateful for Krische-sama thoughtfulness. However, jealousy is everywhere. That, I think it would be better to use the name Piririn Squad only within thepany, and to use some random¡another name, for the public.¡± ¡°¡Is it no good?¡± Krische looked up at Dagra with puppy eyes. There was something about the sad girl''s gaze that made it hard to say no. "I-it¡¯s not that it¡¯s no good... I, yes. I feel that it''s a very wonderful name, but as expected, I''m worried about the envious gazes of those around us, that''s just for the sake of convenience...publicly calling it selection squad for example.¡± Dagra red at Daz. "Daz, isn¡¯t that so? Don''t you think that such a name is too much of an honor?" His eyes told him to go along with his story, and Daz saluted as quickly as he could. "Yes sir!! That''s right, Krische-sama! S-something like, no, Piririn Squad, is much too wonderful, calling it that outside, might cause the other soldiers to envy us and bear a grudge against us.¡± "As Krische-sama can see. Of course, that¡¯s only for publicly, we all consider it a great honor, so we do not deny Krische-sama calling us that. ¡How about it?¡± Krische scarf-wrapped lips pouted in discontent, but she it¡¯s not like she couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. ¡®No! Absolutely not! Idiot! No one wants to call it cky Company in public! You''re going to embarrass the whole kingdom! Hah...let¡¯s see, let''s make it the ck g Special Force, it¡¯s final. Okay? cky Company is no good, okay? understand?¡¯ Unlike Selene, who ignored Krische consent or refusal, Dagra and the others repeatedly praised Krische¡¯s naming as too wonderful and too honorable. ¡®I see. They must be heartbroken too.¡¯ Understanding their feelings¨D¨DKrische, who thought she was doing that, nodded with a serious face even though she was dissatisfied. "Understood....it can''t be helped." ¡®Krische think that Selene''s sense is a little strange after all, but to acknowledge and ept your partner''s bad points is also affection.¡¯ Krische swallowed her dissatisfaction, partly because Selene was above her in terms of the militarymand system. "Well, anyway. Daz, the role of the Piririn team is the most important and important for the ck g Special Force that was worn out in the civil war the other day. There are nine of you, so please make a proper schedule and make a serious selection.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡± "As for Bald Eagle, while considering a newposition in anticipation of an increase in personnel, and train appropriately. As always, when new recruitse in, teach them how to use magic and make them soldiers who can withstand actual battles. The personnel authority within the unit is entrusted to Bald Eagle, no permission is required." Dagra and Mia saluted, and Krische continued. ¡°Perhaps we should give some name to the training of mana usage¡ Hmmm, fuyofuyo¨D¨D¡± "¨D¨DKrische-sama, please leave that to me. I don''t want to cut Krische-sama¡¯s busy time with such trivial matters." "...And just when Krische thought Krische coulde up with something. Well, that''s fine." Phew, Krische let out a sigh. Everyone except Krische was the one who wanted to sigh, but of course she didn''t notice. ¡°Also, as Krische thought from the operation so far, we¡¯re a squad that tends to act alone and fight without support. Bald Eagle, Krische¡¯ll arrange for the doctor toe over for a few days from tomorrow. Please make sure that the instructor trained all of you well in first aid, including the treatment for the seriously wounded.¡± "Yes ma¡¯am. Now that everyone has experienced actualbat, everyone will be more serious. I am grateful for your consideration." "Well, if they were treated quickly, there would be people who wouldn''t have died or lost their limbs. Thispany is expensive, so please be aware of that and cherish your life. Birza, please let your team take the lead in this training." Birza, the 17th squad leader who was born as a pharmacist, was mainly in charge of first aid in thepany. However, in terms of knowledge, he was no match for someone who has studied medicine in the city. He should have been given a proper lecture at least once. "The purpose is to raise the overall technical level, but it''s a good opportunity. Learn what you can learn." "yes. This time I realized myck of strength..." ¡°17th Squad will continue to operate as an official emergency medical team. If necessary, please prioritize your studies overbat training. Krische will lend you an easy-to-understand medical bookter.¡± Birza saluted¨D¨DKrische nodded and looked around at the soldiers. "Krische have also read a lot, but after all injury is the most important thing in the beginning. No matter how good your skills are, you can''t do anything if it''s toote. It is important that everyone has some level of knowledge. Face your training with that in mind.¡± ¡¯ ¡®Understood¡¯, Krische asked, and everyone saluted. It was a nice answer. Chapter 119: Homecoming Chapter 119: Homing ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 119 Homing*** The royal capital was roughly divided into three parts: the castle walls that surround the royal territory, the high-ss residential area within the walls, which was generally called the first-ss city, and the castle town that spreads out around it. Due to Elvena''s work in the royal territory, they decided to rent a room in a housingplex in the first-ss city because it would be problematic for her to travel back and forth between the city and the royal territory. Although it was a housingplex, it was in the first-ss city. The building was good and the rent was reasonable, but there was also a rent subsidy given to the ck g Special Force on the condition that they live in the royal capital, so Kalua, Mia, and Elvena will have no financial problems renting a room together. "Ahahaha, no I mean, Usa-chan is funny in many ways, but the thing that blew me away the most is her naming sense." "It''s noughing matter, geez. The army¨D¨DI was wondering what to do when Krische-sama said, "Okay, let''s name the new unit cky (Kurofuyo) Company. Just imagining what would have happened if the Marshal hadn''t stopped her when she submitted the documents gives me shivers..." Mia red at Kalua who was lying on the sofa and sighed. With a wry smile, Elvena puts the food basket she bought in the castle town on the table. Most of the items sold in the first-ss city were high-end items to the three of them, so usually they went shopping in the castle town. Dagra''s family, who also moved in¨D¨Dhe''s highly paid even in the ck g Special Forces, has set up a house in the castle town because the cost of living in the first-ss city was higher than the rent. That said, when Elvenaes back to their house instead of staying at the estate, Krische and Bery usually give her some ingredients to take home with her, so it was not that inconvenient for them. "Elvena, do you need help?" "No, please rest. More than that, Nee-san do you have any injury?" "Don''t worry, Usa-chan won''t injure anyone during training." For the first time in a long time, Kahlua was being trained by Krische. She was thrown and knocked over dozens of times, but the only injuries she suffered were scrapes. She didn¡¯t even have a bruise. Krische always stopped her sword at thest minute, and even when she threw Kalua, she held back so as not to injure her. The fact that there is such a difference in ability¨D¨Dthat in itself was a fact that she didn''t really want to wee, but Kalua also didn''t just lose. She learned what she needed to learn, and she was able to cope with Krische¡¯s attacks better than before. Of course, this was with Krische¡¯s holding back, but even so, she was making progress little by little. "It¡¯s not okay. If you leave it alone, it might leave a mark, right? Take off your clothes. I''ll apply some light medicine on it for now." "I think it won¡¯t matter much having one or two more though..." Kalua did as she was told, took off her clothes and exposed herself in her underwear. Her abdominal muscles could be seen slightly, her body well-proportioned and supple¨D¨Dwith scars here and there, but a beautiful body nheless. Mia groaned and red at her perfected physical beauty. "It''s a shame that such a beautiful body is treated so roughly. It''s not just a scratch or two. Even though some of it can''t be helped, Kalua should take a little better care of her body." "Yes, yes." "¡Geez." Mia cleaned off the dirt and dabbed some cheap spirits on the wound. It was tough and tasteless to drink, but it seemed to be the best way to get rid of the miasma, and since Dagra was injured, Krische had strictly ordered everyone in the squad to carry a small bottle. Elvena, who was watching the situation closely, said to Mia. "Later, when we wash, I''ll apply the medicine to her." "Is that so? Then please, Elvena, if I do it will be sloppy so..." "¡¡Yes" Even though Elvena nodded, she kept her eyes on Mia for a while. She stared at Mia''s face for a long time, thinking about something. It was Mia who was puzzled. "Umm, Elvena, what''s wrong...?" "No, Nee-san doesn''t really make any specific (special) friends, so it''s a little fresh." "Hmm, is that so? Kahlua." Kahlua, lying sloppily on the couch in her underwear, thinking. "Hmm, I wonder? Well, there was no weirdo like Mia in the vige." "I''m not a weirdo!" "Mia sure doesn''t know how she is, Mia smells like Usa-chan." "I didn''t! In the vige, I was called the serious and hard worker Mia you know." Elvena watched the exchange observantly, and she asked Kalua. "Did both of you know each other before joining the army?" "No, after entering." Kalua smiled remembering it and said. ¡°I think I''ve told you this before, but when we formed our current unit, we didn''t even know what we were going to do. It was a pretty dangerous ce with mostly amateurs, with different origins and no coherence, but... Mia alone acted suspicious as if she was asking to be attacked. I think the beginning was when I called out to her because it was dangerous." "¡I didn''t want to be a soldier because I liked it. I was just thinking that there might be a job for me like carrying cargo or something like that, and then suddenly I was thrown in there." She was definitely a countryside girl¨D¨DMia didn''t have a shred of sex appeal, but she was good looking and could be described as naive and pretty. Most of the people who be soldiers are rough people. Even though the century consisted mostly of second and third sons of merchants and farmers, Mia was like a chicken that was carrying its own pot and vegetables. Dagra was a very strict man, so discipline soon set in, but even so, there were many dangerous moments. "Mia was cute like a chick back then you know, she always followed me around wherever I went." "Shut up." "Fufu, now that I think about it, you''re just like Elvena in the past." Elvena blushed and Mia red at Kahlua. ¡°Anyone would be like that, in my position.¡± "...But why is Mia working outside the vige¨D¨DAh, I''m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked." Elvena bowed her head in a panic. Mia looked lovely and still did her job well as a second-inmand. She was a good-looking, hardworking person with a good personality, so she would be a sought-after person in the vige. The reason why she had no choice but to leave the vige and find a job for her¨D¨Dshe shouldn''t have asked it lightly. "Uhm, it¡¯s just a normal migrant worker, so I don¡¯t think there is such a deep reason¡" "Migrant worker, is it?" ¡°Yeah, I had a lot of families and...I didn''t have any kind of connection, I also didn''t think it would be a good idea to stay at home all the time. Just then, it was in the middle of a big recruitment drive for the Christand army, so I thought there might be a lot of work avable." Elvena tilted her head. She wondered if a vige where someone Mia had no connection to love affairs would be a vige full of beautiful women or something. "If it¡¯s someone like Mia, surely there¡¯s many people who would want to take your hand." ¡°You''re teasing me, aren''t you?¡± "No, I''m serious, but..." When she said that, Mia red at Elvena. Elvena looked at Kahlua as if she''s troubled, and Kalua waved at her in exasperation. Although the form was different, Elvena''s question was already a road that Kahlua had gone through. Mia said, "For some reason, I had a lot of guys who were really nice to me, but they were all just friends. This child is a big airhead..." "I¡¯m not! And just what¡¯s with the way you say it." "If you¡¯re not, you would probably still be living happily in the vige¡" From Kalua''s point of view, Mia¡¯s case was pretty serious. "It looks heavy, I''ll help you." "It¡¯s fine, I might look like this, but I''m strong¨D¨Dah, Do you want me to take that too?" ¡®......¡¯ "Mia, what do you think of me?" "Hm¡? Hmm, ah, maybe you should put on a little more muscle. After that, you should first do your own work properly rather than helping me." ¡®.........¡¯ "¡¡I want Mia to cook at my house every day." "...? Is oba-san feeling unwell?" "No, no, that''s not it...with me¡" "You know, it''s no good. If your aunt is having a hard time, you have to take care of her. ...But she''s not feeling well...I have to go visit her. What does your aunt like?" "..............." In this manner, Mia had unknowingly sunk countless men. In a vige where people usually get married at 15 or 16, Mia was already over 20¨D¨Dshe seems to have left the vige abruptly following the soldiers who came to recruit her, thinking it would not be a good idea to continue to cause trouble for her family. ording to Mia herself, this was the result of considering it seriously, but those around her are probably even more deeply troubled by her decision to leave the vige. Kalua''s words seemed to have convinced Elvena, and she nodded her head as she looked at Mia. She had gotten a general idea of Mia''s personality over the past month or so. "... Making a fool of me. Humph, I''m a country bumpkin after all." "So quick to sulk. Well, if you had the chance to go back to the vige next time, I''m sure you''d know I wasn''t kidding you, but...the northern vige was it?" "Yes. A rural vige in the woods. ¡ Well, I don''t think I''ll have a chance to go back, it''s a long way from the royal capital." Although light remittances were made through the firm, there was still a considerable distance. Mia said that she would not be able to afford to return home herself for some time¨D¨D ¨D¨DBut the opportunity came unexpectedly quick ¡°Hmm...homing is it?¡± "Yes, the Oba-san who took care of Krische in the vige seems to be a little unwell... Krische won''t be able to get another chance like this for a while, so Krische was told to go." A few dayster, in a room at the training ground¨D¨Din a small office assigned to the ck g Special Forces. In addition to Dagra, Mia, and Kalua, there¡¯s a few others in the room, working on training ns, prepping for the new organization''s deployment, and doing some simple paperwork. "We''ll probably be on snow-covered roads in the middle of the trip, so I think Kilik''s squad, which can do a lot of things, would be the best choice for escorting. Unless the Bald Wagle has a need for them, Krische will borrow them for escort and chores.¡± Depending on the depth of the snow, the wagons would also switch from wheels to sleds. Because of the abundance of snow in the winter in the Kingdom, there are many carriages that are designed to use both wheels and sleds in summer and winter, but since it takes some time to rece the wheels, Kilik''s squad, which includes several craftsmen, is the best choice. Kilik, who had apanied the team on its recent trip to Nauthana and had originally served as a caravan escort, was also somewhat familiar with the task of escorting carriages. "I see, if that''s the case... but how far will you go?" "It''s Kalka. Northeast from Gargain... it''s a ce where rock salt is mined." "... Kalka" It was Mia who muttered that. When Krische tilted her head, Mia said. "So Krische-sama was from Kalka. I''m from Kilnan, so it¡¯s just the next vige over. ¡There is quite a distance to call it next to each other though.¡± In terms of location, it was between Kalka and Gargain, where the Christand¡¯s estate was located. The salt that was usually used in the vige was Kalka''s rock salt, and she had heard the name often, and in addition to the peddlers, the wagons from Kalka to the city would stop at Kirnan on the way to the city to wholesale salt on a regr basis. "Is that so? When Krische went to Christand¡¯s estate, Krische stopped by briefly." "Eh... um, was it about two or three years ago?" "Hmm... that''s right." Mia explores her memories. The Kalka carriage, which usually stops by twice a month back and forth, was as much a deliverer of letters and other items as it was a peddler. Every time they visited, there would be some talk of¨D¨D ¡®The Kalka carriage had a girl on it today. I didn''t get a good look at her because she was wearing a hood, but she looked quite beautiful.¡¯ ¡®Is that so. A beautiful child¡wait, that¡¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know the circumstances, but maybe that¡¯s what it means. I heard that the vige was attacked by bandits and quite a few were killed...¡¯ There were also things she remembered. Mia had imagined on her own that she was an unlucky beautiful girl who lost her family and was sold to an aristocrat but¨D¨Dperhaps, or rather, she was definitely Krische. Later, rumors circted that a girl who had killed a number of bandits had been kicked out of the vige as an abnormal person, but no one believed them because it was too absurd, and the men in the carriage denied it saying it was an oundish story, so they soon disappeared. But if it was Krische, then it must have been true. "Krische-sama has always been Krische-sama huh..." "...?" "No, it''s nothing." Mia said as if she was astonished. Kalua, who was watching the exchange, thought for a moment and then opened her mouth. ¡°Mia, why don''t you go together? It seems that if you miss this opportunity, you will rarely have a chance to go to the north of the kingdom. ......¡± "Hmm, I also have a lot of things to do..." "No, don''t worry about it" Dagra interrupted. He folded his arms and chuckled at Mia. ¡±It would be nice to at least show your face to the family back home. Originally, what we had to do was not so different from that of an ordinary century. I can go around by myself even without my adjutant." "but¡¡" ¡°I told you to stop with the ¡®buts¡¯, really. ...While I wasn¡¯t there, you did your best in a tough battle. On top of that, you¡¯re here safe and sound with all limbs intact... this must also be some kind of fate." Dagra said and turned to face Krische. "Krische-sama, if possible, please let Mia and Kalua apany you." "Yes, then Kilik''s squad, Mia and Kahlua, that makes it seven people... including chores it will be enough. It will probably be about a month.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡± "Well then, Krische has a lot of things to do. Mia, please prepare appropriately (randomly). Krische¡¯ll prepare food, so Mia¡¯s everything about the camping." "Uhh... yes." Krische said so and left the room, and Mia pondered with a reluctant look. ¡°Mia, go and arrange for a carriage. I''m going to go to Kilik''s.¡± "Ah, yes. Understood." Mia left the room with an ¡®Ohh well¡¯, and Kalua looked at her from behind. "Commander, can I talk to you for a moment?" "... Hmm, ah" And while thinking a little, she called out to Dagra. Chapter 120: The Million Pumpkin Woman Chapter 120: The Million Pumpkin Woman ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 120 The Million Pumpkin Woman*** That was when the four of them were rxing at night. Kreschenta who was, woof woof-ing, kunn, snuggled up to Krische, who was sitting on Bery''sp. Spooked by the visitor''s knock that was too energetic, she flew and sat down on the chair next to Selene¨D¨DAnne who opened the door strangely energetic and entered the room without even waiting for their approval and said, "Come in! Come in!" It was Gallen who followed her into the room with a wry smile. She was so excited that she didn''t even bother to knock, but no one bothered to tell Anne. Bery stood up with a wry smile and invited Gallen to his seat. "¨D¨DOba-san?" "Yeah, I heard she''s been sick a lottely, but she seems to have copsed in the middle of field work the other day... well, it seems it was about two weeks ago though." When Krische asked what happened, Gallen showed the letter and said that. It is quite a distance from the vige of Kalka to the royal capital. It would take two weeks for the letter to reach him. "I thought about going to see her, but... after all, what would make G the happiest is Krische. Of course, there is the matter of Krische¡¯s work." Both Gallen and Krische have work to do in the royal capital. That said, with Selene as the Marshal and Eluga as her assistant, Gallen became Alberinea¡¯s¨D¨DKrische''s adjutant, which means that half of the military''s work was Gallen''s. Krische hadpleted the paperwork rted to the reorganization of the army earlier than anyone else¨D¨Din short, she was ready to leave everything to Keith and the others, so there was no particr work to be done in that area, and as long as Gallen remained in charge of the details, there would be no problems. Gallen''s concern was about Krische¡¯s other work. However, there was no urgent schedule on that side either. The basics of the project had already beenmunicated to the crafts squad, and it would take a certain amount of time to produce the parts. The work that Krische had to do had already been done, and there would not be much of a problem if she continued after she came back. "G-san, is..." "She''s the one who used to take care of Krische a lot. She taught Krische how to bake pies, remember¡" The scales tilted inside Krische, and she was a little lost. A round trip would take about a month. It was certainly not close. Although there was no problem with leaving the royal capital, there were things she could do as much as she wanted. Of course, she loved G, who had taken care of her ever since she was little, but was she the kind of person who she should throw away her works for?¨D¨DKrische pondered it. "I see. That''s worrisome..." Bery''s vague words. Hearing that, Krische immediately drew her conclusion. "Okay. But is Selene okay?" "It''s okay. I''m busy, but it¡¯s not like I need Krische help... the Marshall adjutant is doing his best after all." The kingdom has lost a lot in the civil war, and the entire army is currently being reorganized. The Imperial State troops brought in by Kreschenta were sticking to the western and eastern parts of the country, where there are particr problems, so while there were no problems in terms of national defense, it was not so easy to fill in the lost generals and corpsmanders. Although they could pay money to recruit soldiers,manders cannot be reced. While dealing with these issues, Selene saw it as a good opportunity to establish a military school in the capital. The foundation was created by taking the structure of the General Staff Department, which was originally located in the northern part of the country and was in the process of nning, and was now recruiting from among the nobles. The purpose was to reeducate the second and third sons, who were capable but unable to take over their families, as assistants to generals, corpsmanders, and battalionmanders, and to have thempete with each other to incorporate the top performers into the army as general staff members. It goes without saying that weak and small nobles, even amongrge nobles, if they were the third and fourth sons, their career would at most be a corporal or a centurion¨D¨Din the front line. Naturally, the casualty rate is high, and the loss of personnel who have received advanced education from an early age in noble families was a significant disadvantage. There have been many cases of people with superior brains but poor sword skills being lost for nothing, and this had been a long-standing problem in this area. The purpose of this project was to create a ce where such hidden gems could be given opportunities. Contrary to them, there were manymanders in the military who excel in valor and rose through the ranks, but who rely on their intuition and do nothing but recklessly. There were two types ofmanders in the military: those who excel in valor butck brains, and those who cannot wield swords but excel in brains. If youbine the two, you would be able tobine each good aspect to some extent, supplement thecking parts, and be a first-ssmander¨D¨DBogan''s idea was to create a greatmander using multiple people, and to further strengthen and stabilize the army. Originally, the military demanded an excessive amount of processing frommanders, and no matter how good a general was, if the war dragged on, their performance would decline. Besides the adjutant, an assistant officer was necessary to reduce the burden, and Bogan believed that a major improvement in the military organization was necessary, and the existence of the staff officer was born there. Depending on the situation, unlike the adjutants who takemand themselves, they create new people who were in charge of strategy nning and clerical calction work based on that knowledge. This would reduce the burden on themander, thereby simply improving hismand ability, and stabilizing the tactical side of the operation by having a general staff member in charge of strategy nning. It was Eluga who showed strong motivation for this. Originally, he was the one who put the most effort into the General Staff under Bogan, but the problem was theck of funds and the number of people who were interested in the project. This time, however, he had the queen''s backing. These problems had been solved, and many letters had already been received expressing interest in this endeavor. The problem was the currentmanders who were satisfied with the current system. The question was how to treat the general staff as a rank so that they didn¡¯t be a threat to their interests, but they were still in the process of turning one building into a school and bringing in books. It was still a long way off¨D¨Dit would be a few years before it would take off and take solid shape. For the time being, the best of the personnel gathered there would be thrown directly into the military, and they will be assigned to themander who has been promoted through this reorganization andcks ability, as a temporary staff officer treated as an assistant to the adjutant general. The current goal was to minimize the deterioration of the military''s capabilities, and since it''s still in the recruitment stage¨D¨Dbefore it gets busy, it''s fine to think about the detailster. Fortunately, many of the nobles were enthusiastic, Kreschenta''s willingness to step forward was probably one of the reasons for this. "The Hero¡¯s, thest dream entrusted by former General Christand¨D¨DI must return the debt and loyalty I received from him." She did not know that Bogan had such an idea in mind when she said she wanted to create something like this, but when it came time for the meeting, she made up a long story and pushed it through, saying that it was a dream that Bogan had told her once upon a time. She was a queen made up of nothing but lies and acting. Her Majesty the Queen was sitting next to Selene, pouting her lips and alternately ring at Bery and Selene. ¡®Argan-sama is so unfair!¡¯ and so on could be heard from her gaze. If Krische goes, Bery will naturally follow. She was probably not happy that they are going on a trip together for a month. Selene patted her head so that Gallen wouldn''t see it, and this time her cheeks puffed out. She was aplete child, a different person from the one she had been during her political duties. Selene said to Krische with a wry smile. "It will be unveiled next month¡if you miss this chance, you won¡¯t be able to go home soon, so go now. I also have something I want to ask of Bery." "The luggage at the estate, right?" Bery nodded. Although they brought some necessary items such as clothes from there, almost all the furnishings and furniture were left behind in Gargain''s estate. As expected, they couldn''t leave all the household goods, including luxury items, to someone else, and were putting off what to do with it. This would also be a good opportunity. "Incidentally, can you also help me with the...sale of the estate?" "¡¡yes" For Selene, it''s where she spent her whole life¨D¨Da home full of memories with her parents. It was probably the same for Bery. Nheless, leaving a mansion without living in it would only hurt and cost money. It''s too big to leave for sentimentality, so it''s much better to sell it for money and have someone live in it. "You can choose what you want to bring, at a minimum. You can sell the rest. I know you''re not one to do it, but don''t bring too much of this and that." "I understand. The house has a lot of decorations to begin with and ...... I''ll try to keep as few as possible. What would you like, Ojou-sama?" "All of the books...and my father''s liquor. I''d like to give it to my father''s acquaintance." "Yes, Ojou-sama." Gallen nodded and smiled. A softness came over his wrinkled face. "I''m d that you have some business over there too. As expected, I was a little worried about just visiting (sick visit) for a month, but..." "It was quite hectic until a little while ago after all. Thanks to you, we''ve reached the finish line, Gallen-sama." Selene smiled back and looked at Krische. "Well, I hope you''re not stretching your wings too far and getting any dumber." "... Krische is not an idiot." "You''re the only one in the world who would tries to name an elite unit as cky Company, really. It would have been dangerous if I hadn''t noticed." The name of the unit that was written among the documents submitted for the reorganization of Krische¡¯s army was a mysterious organization called the cky Company under Alberinea''s direct control. Selene suffered from headaches. She was d from the bottom of her heart that she had not stamped the seal on the document. Still bitter and dissatisfied, Krische lips pouted and Bery said ¡®that¡¯s no good¡¯ then she chided Serene with a wry smile, "Don¡¯t dig up what''s already done like that. Doesn¡¯t Ojou-sama feel sorry for Krische-sama." "It''s your fault for neglecting it too much. Bald Eagle, Skeleton, Woof Woof, I was still patient with thinking it would be okay if it was just a nickname, but¡" "Bald Eagle, Skeleton, Woof Woof, all three of them love the nicknames Krische gave them." Muuu, Krische puffed out her cheeks, objected, and Bery stroked her head troublingly, repeating to Selene that it was no good. "It''s a problem for you to pamper her like that, isn''t it?" "I''m always on Krische-sama¡¯s side." "Kuku, it''s good that you''re on good terms." Gallen said happily and stood up. "Krische, if you''re going to Gargain, why don''t you pop over to Korze and say hello. Tell him I''m doing well. I don''t think I''ll have the chance to go." Korze was a former subordinate of Gallen and a skilled cksmith. He was the one who had forged Krische''s sword. Remembering his aged face, Krische nodded. "Yes, Krische understand" "thank you" ''Well then, Your Majesty¡¯, Gallen bows and leaves. Anne went out to see him off¨D¨DKreschenta immediately jumped to Krische. Then, while hugging Krische, she red at Berry. "It''s unfair, it''s just the two of you traveling." "I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but..." "Even Kreschenta was with Berry the whole time during the civil war, right?" "That''s fundamentally different! I don''t want Argan-sama, I want to be with Onee-sama!" "What a selfish child. Look, it''s a cookie." "Uh...ahm" She couldn''t help but to eat while ring at her. This Kreschenta doesn''t have the option of not eating the given cookie. An attack to make herself docile¨D¨Dher figure that epted the cookie head-on despite knowing that it was truly the majestic royal family, the Queen of Alberan. She swallowed one, then the second. "Idiot" Selene said exasperated while looking at the sight of Kreschenta happily *mogu mogu* while loosening her cheeks. "If you''re going there, you should have another sword forged." "Sword is it?" "That''s right. It''s not something you can make right away, and if the one you''re using now breaks, wouldn''t it be a problem? It''s not an ordinary sword that can be obtained on the fly, so a spare is necessary." "¡Krische won¡¯t break¨D¨D" "You''re going to have it forged. Do you understand?" Her tone was final. Krische nodded while groaning. 10,000 pumpkins¨D¨Dfor a spare sword, paying such arge amount of money would be a waste of money for Krische. "Bery, I''m sorry, but I leave that to you too." "Yeah. If we¡¯re this far away, we can''t even continue like before..." Starting from Nozan and Kolkis, as well as Bogan''s subordinates, they usually had their swords forged at that store, but now they''re all scattered. Sales will drop significantly. It was only polite to offer them a little extra for all the help they had been given. He has helped me in many ways, not only in business but also in other areas, such as giving them a sword for free to one of Bogan''s men who had no money to begin with. Three small gold coins¨D¨DBery paid the price that a normal person would be able to spend five or six years without working, in order to repay such an ¡®invisible debt¡¯ only for one of Krische swords, but Krische was still unfamiliar with that kind of amount. "Selene, Krische sword won¡¯t break, so..." "......You always have poor thinkin in that area, huh, really." "...? Why is Onee-sama so stubborn about that?" Kreschenta tilted her head and Krische sighed. "Because... it''s a waste of money to buy 10,000 pumpkins for one sword, after all... putting aside the first one, for the second one is" "10,000 pumpkins..." Kreschenta thought for a moment and looked at Krische exasperated. "What is Onee-sama talking about when it¡¯s only two or three small gold coins? Onee-sama, who do you think you are, Onee-sama is the first princess and the second-ranked general in the Kingdom, you know?" "Haah...listen here, Kreschenta? In the vige, a family can livefortably with two pumpkins a day. 10,000 pumpkins is a huge amount of money¨D¨D" " Onee-sama, please look at this." Saying that, Kreschenya pointed to her own head¡ª¡ªa silver hair ornament shaped like a crescent moon. It is like a barrette, a small one-piece. Krische tilted her head to asked what it mean, and Kreschenta said "This one cost ten gold coins." "¡Eh?" Next Kreschenta showed her left wrist. There is a bracelet made by intertwining two types of metal, gold and silver. "Next is this bracelet, a very fine piece of gold and silver work, with some gemstones scattered¡let me see, it will probably cost more than two or three dozen small gold coins." "Eh, uh¡" "This ne also has a brightly colored scarlet stone attached to it, and it¡¯s also fairlyrge¡this will usually cost 50 pieces. Depending on the situation, 70 to 80. ¡The one-piece dress I''m wearing right now can easily exceed three small gold coins, and it''s made by a famous tailor who has a long rtionship with the royal family." Krische was stunned, and Kreschenta, exasperated, said to her. "For a Tiaras it can''t be priced just at 100 or 200, and if I''m going to a formal banquet, one of my dresses can easily cost a few hundred small gold coins¡ª¡ªsometimes over a thousand. ¡¡ Do you understand? It''s embarrassing for me to see Onee-sama who was so active only using a sword worth three small gold coins." Krische was surprised and puzzled by the amount of money that Kreschenta had embraced. Even the current amount was roughly 300,000 pumpkins. Kreschenta was a bit of an idiot, goofy, and spoiled¡ª¡ªbut she''s the million pumpkins woman. What Krische had was astonishment. She was stunned by the truth. "... Seriously, onee-sama. Why don''t you think about your position a little more? Considering your current position, onee-sama''s sword is too cheap, geez." Bery, who was listening behind them, gave a wry smile. Kreschenta¡¯s statement was a little excessive as a royalty, but Krische was also Krische and was too stingy. It was good for her to cherish things, but it was a problem to be reserved and not ept even necessary things. Especially when ites to weapons, she would like her to have at least a spare sword to protect herself. "Well, that''s right. Krische has almost never touched the sry and the rewards she received... Considering that, one sword is trivial." "Uuu..." The kingdom provides subsidies for the corps that Christandmands to organize, and it covers most of the maintenance costs for the ck g Special Force andmanders that they employ on a permanent basis, and the sry is only a small supplement. The cost of living was low because Christand now has two breadwinners, Selene and Krische, a few servants, and Krische, who hates to waste money, saves most of her wages. The rewards from the war with the empire and the recent civil war are still untouched, and the savings only kept umting, partly due to Krische¡¯s character of only paying for what she needed. She was not particr about ornaments or what she wore, and the only thing she spent money on was things rted to cooking. Although there were expenses for work recently, they were still trivial, so there was no need to hesitate to buy a few swords. That said, it''s probably just a matter of personality. Krische was the type to save money and was too reluctant to spend money. Although it would be a shame to see her get into the habit of spending money, Bery thought it would be good for her to learn how to spend money in a more noble way. Krische''s sense of money was at best those of a town girl who loves cooking, and was far from her current status, which could be said to be a great noble. "... If Bery says so, then" "Yeah¡just like what was said in the past, the reason nobles receive so much money is to distribute it to various people. Of course, it''s good to save money for future big expenses, but that shouldn''t be the goal." "¡¡yes" "Fufu, if Krische-sama understands then that¡¯s fine." Bery stroked Krische¡¯s head, and Selene looked at them exasperated and sighed. "You¡¯re so honest when Bery is the one who is saying it huh, really". "It''s all about your usual attitude, Ojou-sama." "You''re just spoiling her, geez." "That''s right, Argan-sama always just takes the best... Argan-sama is cheating, nmu." "No, Kreschenta. If you leave her alone, she will immediately try to speak ill of Bery after all. Kreschenta may only speak woof for a while." *Uuu*Krescenta red at Berry while chewing on the cookie. When Krische called her name once more, Kreschenta reluctantly let out a woof. "That being said, Kreschenta, you say it''s cheap, but do you know how many cookies Kreschenta is eating right now worth for one pumpkin? On the contrary, Krische thinks Kreschenta should understand the value of pumpkins a little more." "I-it¡¯s not like I bought it¡ª¡ª" "¡Woof" "Uuu¡woof" She was taught by her younger sister about the value of money in a condescending manner, a frustration that lingered in her heart for some reason. From there, Krische passionately exined the value of pumpkins to the millions of pumpkin women¡ª¡ª Kreschenta, who could only say nothing. Chapter 121: Front, Back, and Middle Chapter 121: Front, Back, and Middle ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 121 Front, Back, and Middle*** The reception room of the royal pce. There was an old man with arge stature. His hair brushed back and his long beard had turned white, and his face was deeply wrinkled. Even so, his narrow eyes were somehow tinged with sharpness, and something that should be called a vigor seemed to rise from the old man''s body. Seated directly in front of him with reddish-gold hair¨D¨DQueen Kreschenta wearing a pale blue dress. Next to her sat Krische, who had taken off her overcoat, in a one-piece dress. "Before Onee-sama leaves for the fun trip I would like to ask you, Onee-sama, to be present." The day before Krische left for her trip, she was invited by Kreschenta to be here. The person who wished to meet Krische was the old man in front of her, Felworth Keithriton. A Hero of the kingdom who once made a name for himself¨D¨Dand had once turned his de against her. "I am d to see you are well, Your Majesty. And you too, Krische-sama." "Yes, Duke Keithriton. You look lively too. What is your business today?" ¨D¨DThe rebel who pointed his de at the princess. However, Kreschenta ordered him to be confined rather than executed, iming that he had been taken hostage by Gildanstein and that he had gone to war unwillingly. She felt that it would be a shame to kill a man who was still so influential and prestigious in the army. He was a skilled general and had originally held the rank of marshal before retiring from the military. His return was desirable for the Kingdom that had lost many generals. Kreschenta had received a letter from him stating that he wanted to talk with Krische as well, and Kreschenta was not sure what to do, but when she knew that Krische will be leaving the royal¡¯s territory, She epted it. One of the reasons was that she wanted to carry out ¡®Operation I''ll show Onee-sama my cool side as a queen¡¯ to raise Krische¡¯s opinion of her before she left for her trip, but aside from that nothing would happen if she just spent a lot of time worrying about it. She wanted to decide how to deal with this man as soon as possible. If he obediently became her pawn, then fine, and if he didn''t, then that''s the end of it. She would kill him sooner orter. That''s all there was to it. "First of all, I want to thank you for your efforts to save my life." "I don''t mind. You are the general who has contributed to the kingdom longer than anyone else¨D¨DI felt that it was a pity to lose your life for something like this. You also had your own convictions...it''s a pity that it wasn''t on my side." Kreschenta¡¯s eyes were downcast with the princess''s face. Krische wanted to go home early and do something about the estate, but she nibbled at the cookie, sensing that it seemed like it would be a long story. She and Felworth had been enemies on the battlefield, but now that it was over, the man was of no importance to Krische. She did think he''s an excellent general when she heard the details of the battle from Nozan, but that''s it. If he was going to be an enemy, she would kill him, and if he was going to be an ally, she would just let it be. She had no interest in him personally. Felworth smiled at Krische, and Kreschenta opened her mouth. "But it''s all over. Let''s let bygones be bygones for the time being. I would be more than happy for you to talk to me in the same way as before." For a while after that, it was more like a chat. Kreschenta talked to him about his rtives, his health, and other topics of casual conversation without going into too much depth. Kreschenta remembered everything from his family structure and servants to the names of his pets and the number of horses he had. It was easy enough to make a topic out of it, and she asked him a series of easy-to-answer questions to lighten the mood. She didn''t want him to forget that he turned the de on her once, but if she was going to make him her vassal from now on, she also didn''t want him to feel too much guilt about it. Especially a warrior like Felworth is a creature who ces more importance on appearance than on his own interests. If she made him feel too much guilt for being a traitor, there was a possibility that he would be too self-punishing and voluntarily seek punishment, such as giving up his title as a nobleman. Naturally, there will be no benefit there, only the loss of one talented person. For now, Kreschenta decided that it would be better to ease his tension and guilt with an appropriate topic for the time being, and then move on to the main topic. Nheless, what worried her was Krische, who was bored next to her and turning into a cookie cracker. Seeing this, Kreschenta felt a sense of unease that continuing this conversation would not only raise Krische rating of her, but rather lower it, so she cut it off at an appropriate point and went to the main topic. After finishing her question, creating a slight silence, and nudging Felworth subtly, the old man began by saying why he had joined His Highness¡¯s side. "...I''ve watched His Highness grow since he was a child. Teaching him how to use the sword, teaching him tactics... I should say it''s more parental affection than conviction." "parental affection?" "I had initially nned to sit out the civil war, since I had long since retired from the service of His Majesty King Alvarza, whose death marked the end of my service to the Kingdom." Alvarza was Kreschenta¡¯s grandfather. Felworth was a general who fought alongside King Alvarza, who was known for his bravery, and retired from the field shortly after his recement. "I know the circumstances better than others. His Highness has his arguments, and Her Majesty the Queen has her arguments¡ª¡ªwhich one is right, which one has a greater cause? However that¡¯s a trivial matter... and at all times the winner is always right in the end. To begin with, I am not interested in the truth. ...The usurper is His Highness, and Her Majesty the Queen is the new king of justice who defeated him¨D¨Dthat''s fine." It was as if he was implying that the real usurper was Kreschenta. But Kreschenta listened calmly, and Felworthughed quietly. "His Highness must have understood that. It was just one word¨D¨DHe asked me to cooperate in the fight that he betted his being on. He just wanted to have pure power and fight to decide who was worthy of being a king." "Whether or not there is a future in this ridiculous life of mine¡it¡¯s a gamble. I just don''t have enough hands to beat the game. I need you, Felworth. ¨D¨DCome with me." "It is not that I saw a just cause in His Highness, or that I had any ill thought for Her Majesty...but simply obligation, and the parental affection of one who has seen his everything up till now. It was simply sentiment that made me turn the de. Hence, I helped His Highness." Felworth smiled sadly and looked at Krische. Krische frowned and tilted her head, Felworth asked. "What were His Highness''st moments like?" "...? Krische killed him by beheading him. Krische thought he would give up at thest minute after running around that much from Krische, what an iprehensible person." "He was still smiling even after he died", Krische added with a nonchnt look. Kreschenta looked at Felworth at her older sister''s words, which were tinged with dislike for Gildanstein, but the old man only nodded, smiling, ¡®I see¡¯. "Then good. I''m sure it was a satisfying end." With those words, silence flowed for a while. Kreschenta pondered how to use him as a pawn, and Krische cursed her misfortune for being forced to participate in this iprehensible discussion, pricking her lips. Krische looked at the two who fell silent while she ate a cookie, and then opened her mouth. "Umm, if the talk is over, Krische would like to go back to the estate to help Bery." "O-Onee-sama, please wait a minute. Just a little longer..." Kreschenta held Krische as she tried to get up, and Felworth, a little startled by Kreschenta appearance, asked, "Bery is? "Christand¡¯s servant...Krische was supposed to clean up the estate with Bery today, but Krische is here after being called by Kreschenta." Disgruntled, stared at Felworth, and the old manughed. "Kuku, the Alberinea, second only to the Marshal, is cleaning up together with her servants?" "For Krische, that''s the bonus. Krische is just in the army so that it doesn''t get in the way of Bery¡¯s cooking and cleaning the mansion." Krische said Felworth looked at Krische for a moment, and then seemed to be convinced. "I see, a bonus is it" "That''s right...Are you done with what you want to ask Krische? Krische heard that Duke Keithriton was the one that called Krische." "...Truly. There was something I wanted to ask Krische-sama." "But it¡¯s something that I¡¯ve half-heard", he smiled wryly. "I wanted to ask Krische-sama what you are fighting for. Why did you take up your sword and stand on the battlefield¡ª¡ªwhat kind of person are you? I wanted to know that, so I put Krische-sama¡¯s name in the letter." "... Krische is on the battlefield for Selene and Kreschenta. Krische doesn''t really want to go to the battlefield, and if the two of them is fine with it, Krische''d like to live quietly somewhere in the mountains where we won¡¯t be rted to that kind of thing." Krische crossed her arms grumpily. In Krische¡¯s short life, the worst person she met was Gildanstein. He was a man she hated to the extent that she didn''t even want to remember him, and he was so unpleasant that she wished she could have hurt him more before killing him. As a military man, she didn¡¯t care to be divided between friend and foe, and she had nothing against Felworth, who was her enemy in that regard, but the way Felworth seemed to mourn him was unpleasant to her. Gildanstein deserved to die for Krische¡ª¡ªhe was the one she had decided to kill without fail. What was the reason for repeating such talk in front of Krische¨D¨D "Krische doesn''t really understand the aesthetic sense of just cause you''re talking about, and Krische doesn''t care about your rtionship or the dead His Highness. ¡¡He killed Gotoushu-sama and make everyone sad. From Krische¡¯s point of view of the, he¡¯s an eyesore and an unpleasant one¡ª¡ªhe deserves to die." Krische turned her inorganic purple eyes to Felworth. Kreschenta hurriedly called out, but Krische continued. "Krische killed him because he deserved to die. If you don''t like it, just say so clearly and point your sword at Krische. If you do, Krische will kill you just as quickly after all." Felworth looks into her cold eyes and smiled wryly. Then he sipped his tea and shook his head. "...I''m sorry if I made you feel ufortable. Certainly, from Krische-sama¡¯s point of view, he is an enemy¨D¨DI didn''t give enough consideration." But Felworth continued with a smile. "No life deserves to be attached to an old man like me. Threats are meaningless to those who don''t fear them¡ª¡ªremember it." "Whether or not it''s meaningless is for the clich¨¦ to decide. ...Because at least Krische will be refreshed just by making you unable. The point is whether Krische can tolerate it or not." When Krische told him that, displeased, Felworth smiled pleasantly. "Haha, I see. There is that way of thinking. Simple is good. So, I was just oveplicating simple things huh." Where the fun was in this conversation was iprehensible to Krische. Kreschenta looked at Krische and Felworth in a situation where she could no longer interject in any way, and then acted restlessly as if she wanted to say something. Krische sighed at Crescenta''s restlessness and picked up a cookie, shoving it into her mouth. Kreschenta bit it as a conditioned reflex. "Please forgive me. I don''t hold a grudge against Krische-sama, nor am I ming Krische-sama for killing His Highness. Rather, I am grateful." "... Grateful?" "Yeah, after exhausting all of his ingenuity, it ended in one-on-onebat¨D¨Dthat would be more precious than any kind of death, and it would be the deepest desire of a warrior. For His Highness, who cursed for being born into the royal family, above all else his death was his salvation. Of course, for Krische-sama, he was a hateful opponent... and that salvation was unwilling, but even so, I, who have seen His Highness since he was born, think it was a good thing. " Felworth continued. "Still, it is true that Icked consideration. If you say that you cannot forgive me, I have no hesitation in atoning for it with my life." "... He''s a troublesome person. At any rate, Krische hates him so much that Krische wishes Krische could kill him three times... no, four...uhh, about five times, so please talk about that kind of thing when Krische isn¡¯t there." "Haha, I''ll keep that in mind." Krische said with a clear expression of dissatisfaction. "It''s troublesome, so Krische will ask, but Kreschenta wants you to return to be a general. That''s the reason why Kreschenta didn''t judge the officers and soldiers who joined His Highness this time. The reason why you joined His Highness is irrelevant now, and all Krische wants to ask is whether you will be our force or not." Felworthughed and stroked his long beard. Too direct¨D¨DKreschenta, who was eating a cookie, looked at her sister as if to say that would not be good, but the cookie was in her mouth. She couldn¡¯t even physically interject. "Irrelevant...Krische-sama doesn''t have any feelings of resentment against antagonizing you?" "It''s just a matter of fighting under a different g. The war''s over, and Krische doesn¡¯t care unless you bring it up. Fortunately, Selene, General Verreich, and Ske¡ª¡ªDeputy Marshal Farren don''t seem to have anything against you, so there''s no particr problem. ¡If you say that you are grateful, Krische thinks you should work as hard as you can to return that gratitude." Felworth observed Krische. Krische picked up the cookie grumpily and gave it to Kreschenta. It was a strange situation, not knowing whether it was a serious discussion or not, but Felworth nodded slowly. "I guess I should say she''s a clear cut person. There''s danger, but there''s nothing to worry about... Do you hate war?" "I don''t like it.... There are people who are willing to fight, but Krische would rather cook with Bery than wasting time with that." "Haha, is that so? I''m so used to the battlefield that I felt a little nostalgic the other day. In some respects, it''s a charming ce, but... but it''s true that it''s not a good ce either. ¡¡If Krische-sama was someone who would be fascinated by it, I would have some thoughts about it as well." Felworth smiled. "It was just as Margrave Faren said. Please forgive my repeated rude questions." "... Skeleton? Ah, did you meet with the Deputy Marshal?" "Yeah, the other day. ...So you really are calling him Skeleton?" "Yes, it''s a nickname." Felworth nodded happily and stood up, saluting. "After meeting Krische-sama, I was convinced. I will ept that offer. I¡¯m not long for life¡ª¡ªI can''t say that it will be decades from now, but if I can still be of help then it¡¯s my pleasure." "Hmm... Yes, well, if you say so, that''s fine... Kreschenta, do you still have anything to talk about?" "Uu...no..." Kreschenta, who was endlessly inserted cookies, finally swallowed everything and looked at Felworth. Her dignity as a queen has already beenpletely chewed up along with the cookies. She was not sure what kind of face she should make, but for the time being she told him as a queen. "T-the marshal will give you instructionster. Until then." "Yes, understood. ...But Your Majesty and Krische-sama seem to be on very good terms with each other. You seem to have a good rtionship, and your face is softer than before." "... I didn''t mean to look scary but." "Emotions are something that will ooze out¡ª¡ªit''s difficult to cover up everything. Those who know will understand it...However, if it''s the way Your Majesty is now, there''s nothing to worry about." ¨D¨DSurely, the kingdom will be a good country in the future. Felworth said this as if looking somewhere with distant eyes. "What kind did you say? What a straightforward question." It was originally the estate of Central General Kuraray Marcellus. The death of the head of the family, after being defeated in a civil war. The Duke of Marcellus ¡®donated¡¯ most of his assets to the kingdom, and although the house was not demolished, he sold some of the estate he owned to make up for it. The mansion in the first-ss city is one of them, and it is currently being used by Eluga as the residence of the Faren house. It happened the other day when Eluga was weing Felworth, who was visiting there. Felworth asked him about Krische. "I know a fair amount about the royal Cursed Child. I have seen His Majesty King Alvarza the First, who wept, and whoid his own son in his hands as a baby who doesn¡¯t cry." ¡ª¡ªThat was about 300 years ago. When the lords who ruled the provinces became powerful, and the shadow of royal authority began to wane, it was said that a baby that didn¡¯t cry was born. Leine¡ª¡ªA beautiful princess named Strong Light became queen at fifteen and took the Duke of Gasle, a powerful nobleman at the time, as her husband. A few yearster, the duke died a suspicious death, and she took advantage of this to absorb the Duke of Gasle as a foothold, seizing power from the lords either peacefully or by force, and in just ten years, she reshaped the kingdom into what it is today. She thenunched invasions of neighboring countries, greatly expanding the size of the kingdom''s territory¡ª¡ªshe might be called a great lord for that aplishment alone. However, contrary to her glorious achievements, she had a lot of dishonorable rumors. She was a lecherous person, and used her appearance tomit many infidelities. She used her power to ruthlessly murder all of her subjects who opposed her, and even took the Duke of Gasle as her husband to gain control¡ª¡ªit was rumored at the time that she was the one who killed him, and was said to be a freak who would do anything for her own benefit. "No matter how big or small, the baby who doesn¡¯t cry is said to have excellent intellect and sensibility that differs from that of ordinary people. At one time they left behind great achievements, and at other times they disturbed stability and harmony¡ª¡ªHow about history?" "I just looked at the book briefly." "Right. Are you aware of the split with the Holy Empire?" "yes. Just about what was written. There are few books written about that era in the kingdom''s books." Another baby who didn¡¯t cry to Leine, who had many children. She was also named Leine by the Queen, and with her birth, the Queen became the great Leine¡ª¡ª Gravaleine. Born she came to be called Elsleine, little Leine. Gravaleine strongly loved Elsleine, who was superior to all her other children, but unlike her who is cheerful, Elsleine was a quiet and gentle princess who liked to paint. Was it political or was it because of their individual personality? At some point, the rtionship between the two became strained, and Elsleine rebelled with many of her subjects, who were dissatisfied with the Queen''s reign of terror. The kingdom that held a vast territory was split in two, and Elsleine created the Republic of Elsleine¡ª¡ªa ''little paradise''. The Kingdom naturally turned its forces against the Republic, and the war was expected to end soon. The republican system that Elsleine established was headed by a parliament. If there is a difference of opinion, it is natural that the response will be dyed ordingly, and Gravaleine was a queen full of decisiveness. There was no reason not to exploit this vulnerability, and the republic was forced into a position of inferiority due to the difference in military power. However, the Republican Assembly loses its original form as it was cornered, and when Elsleine, who led the rebellion, was given real power again, the Republic gradually begins to resist the invasion of the kingdom. Elsleine spread her teachings, based on the utopia depicted in her paintings, and once she had won the people over to her side, they began to call themselves the Holy Empire with her at its head¡ª¡ªand from there the battle was even andsted for several decades. The kingdom lost much of the territory it had held until then, and although peace was made between the two countries following the assassination of Queen Gravaleine, all that was left were destends and people. For this reason, babies who don''t Cry were considered taboos in the kingdom. "...the kingdom and the empire¡ª¡ªthe two leaders of each were said to have been Baby who doesn¡¯t Cry, and it was said that the royal family decided to kill the children born in such a way as a Cursed Child. I investigated the Cursed Child during the time of His Majesty the former King Alvarza. Luckily, I had a connection with the Imperial State, so I was able to see it¡ª¡ªwhether it was good or bad, should I say that it was a painful decision made for the sake of the stability of the kingdom?" "It''s a ridiculous story." Eluga said, moistening his lips with alcohol. He loves Krische and he thought so from the bottom of his heart. "Cry or not cry¡ª¡ªeven if you can tell the difference, where is a human being who can discern the good and bad of the baby? All people have both good and bad sides, and if there is something that can be said to be true goodness, I would like to see it." Everyone has a good side and a bad side. There were those who tried to be good, but there was no such thing as true goodness. The same goes for evil¡ª¡ªEluga thought that the two sides of a coin were still just one piece in the end. "Krische-sama is certainly different from humans. Some would call her a deviant. But she at least tries to know good and evil, and respects what is good. She has a much purer heart than a fellow with stupid wisdom." "... Hmm. Are there no worries?" "If there is anything in this world that is free from anxiety, it must be the one that has weed death. At least I will use the rest of my life to help Master Cliche. Even if I can''t say she¡¯s safe, as long as she has someone watching over her, that''s fine." Felworth stroked his long beard as if surprised by Eluga''s words. Then he said, ¡®How surprising¡¯. "I didn''t expect you, a misanthropist, would say that far." "What a misanthropist. I like innocent people more than anything. It¡¯s because of my face, children are often scared of me..." Eluga smiled wryly and continued. "Haha, but now Krische-sama calls me Skeleton. In the past, I used to worry about it, but when that person called me that, before I knew it, this face seemed like something isn¡¯t that bad. ...She is a troubling person and a mysterious person." Felworth was troubled as to what to say, but Erugaughed. "Anyway, it would be nice to meet her once. Whether you like it or not, personal likes and dislikes are divided, but she''s a pleasant person....At least, she''s not a bad person." The words told with a wicked look on his face did not feel like a lie. When Felworth heard that, he nodded deeply. Chapter 122: Belgash Civil War Chapter 122: Belgash Civil War ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 122 Belgash Civil War*** Once one crosses the Dragon''s Maw and enters the north, one will find a silverndscape. The whole area was covered in white snow, shining brightly in the sunlight peeking through the clouds. The snow must havee early this year. It was a beautiful sight to behold, but on the other hand, it was not convenient for travel. "Sorry to keep you waiting" "It''s okay, it can''t be helped" Removing the carriage wheels and recing them with a sled. If it were possible, they had wanted to let itst until the Belgash fortress, but if the wheels were to be buried, then they had no choice but to change it. Kilik, Mia, and the others unloaded the wagon and sweated as they reced the wheels. Krische was feeding the horses, wearing a nket over her shoulders and over her thick, fluffy clothes. A particrlyrge horse¨D¨DBururun devoured the carrots, and brought its muzzle to Krische. Krische helplessly gave him another carrot. This horse had strangely grown attached to Krische. She had no choice but to bring it back to the Royal¡¯s territory, but since it was so attached to her, they ended up keeping it in Christand. The main reason Serene decided to keep it, was to make Krische ovee her dislike of horses, but although Krische and Bery took care of it, she would not get on the horse''s back. However, Krische also felt that it would be a shame for the horse to be left as a mere ornament, so she sent the horse out to help pull the cart. Originally, the kingdom''s horses had many breeds suitable for pulling horses. Because they are often ridden by heavily armed nobles, most of the horses in the army were heavy breeds rather than light breeds, and slender horses like those used by nomads in the southeast were not that preferable. Bururun was no exception to this rule and was big enough to pull a carriage, and he pulled the carriage in which Krische was riding without any particr reluctance. "Bururun sure eats better than others. It looks really lively. Isn''t it cold?" "I don¡¯t know¡ maybe they are more resistant to the cold than humans." Bery looked at the fluffy cliche and chuckles. Bery was in her usual apron dress. The only protection from the cold she wore was a pair of leather gloves and boots, and the rest was just a cloak. The others were also wearing slightly warmer clothes, and Krische was wearing too heavy clothes, but she was still cold. Berry stroked Bururun''s neck after adjusting the clich¨¦''s slightly misaligned muffler. "But really, he¡¯s an obedient child, isn''t he? I heard that he was quite violent when Ojou-sama rode it." "Nn... Selene is a bit rough for some reason after all." "I guess it''spatibility..." The other day, Selene''s horse was out ofmission due to poor health, so she rode Bururun as a substitute, but it seemed that Selene had a lot of trouble. ¡®What is with that horse!¡¯ but as far as Bery saw it, it didn¡¯t seem like a particrly problematic horse. Bogan''s horses on the battlefield often had some quirk, and Bery, who had been taking care of them, felt that horses had their own personality. But from her experience, Bururun was a good, though too energetic child. It was originally a rambunctious horse, and Bery wondered if she would be alright, but he soon took to her and was obedient now. It was very docile. "Get along well with other child okay, Bururun. Don''t fight with the child next to you, okay." When she imitated Bery and hit the neck with a pop, it let out a gant neigh. Bery, who saw the situation, chuckled. Krische was truly a child, acting like a big sister to the horse, and it made her smile. Then she looked up, noticed the position of the sun, and said, "Looks like we will stay at Belgash Fortress today. If we go until Gargain, it will already be pitch ck by the time we arrive..." "Yes. Ehehe, but the kitchen there is quite splendid, and it''s been a long time since Krische has been able to cook properly." ¨D¨DBergash Fortress. After the war ended, many soldiers returned to their hometowns, and this fortress, which was once overflowing with soldiers, was deserted. All that remained were the minimum number of soldiers to defend the fort, many of whom would serve as guards here until they were no longer able to fulfill their duties. For them, this fortress was like amunity like a vige or a town, their home and hometown. Naturally, they all cooperated with each other, trying to make life here as good as possible, and enriching their daily lives by caring for each other. However, the peace and tranquility of their lives was suddenly disrupted. In the kitchen, which had been strict but peaceful, a civil war broke out. "Hmm, how is it?" "Let¡¯s see... Shall we put some Nerip in it?" "Yes" Her elegant silver hair was tied up and swayed like a horse''s tail. The enchanting princess Krische Christand moved around the kitchen. Second in rank in the Kingdom¨D¨Dher great exploits on the battlefield earned her the title Alberinae, second only to Marshal, and now she was happily chopping herbs with a kitchen knife instead of a sword. She was dressed in a clean white one-piece dress. The way her long hem fluttered, and she asionally stretched out and reached for the top shelf was truly sweet. The fairy of the kitchen was exactly this girl. "Is this much fine?" "Hmm, it might be better to chop it a little coarser." And the one showering that girl with her affectionate smile was as if a water spirit inviting travelers. She was the red-haired servant Bery Argan. In contrast to the lovely girl who moved around with a trot, her movements were graceful, rxed and calm. She was a noble figure that lived up to her status as a noble. Her low, friendly demeanor, yet elegant gestures from time to time, her small stature and bountiful chest, and her tight waist¨D¨Dthere was a pureness that suddenly made those who were captivated by them feel ashamed of themselves. Even the sight of her tasting the food with adle in her hand was sexy, but there was something about her ying and whispering with the fairy that made her lose all sense of reality. Baking in the oven was a whole roasted chicken. The belly was stuffed with herbs and vegetables, and the outside was carefully rubbed with salt, pepper, and garlic, etc¡ª¡ªthe skin was repeatedly smeared carefully with dripping meat juices, giving it a jewel-like luster. In the pot, the beef was slowly simmering with vegetables, and the stew with red wine was making a ttering sound. Watching them from a distance were the men in the kitchen. On a snowy night, when they had already finished their work and were taking a break before cleaning up¡ª¡ªtwo princesses and ck-d soldiers suddenly arrived at Belgash Fortress. They told the fort''s soldiers that they had given up on reaching Gargain today because of the snow, and asked to borrow the kitchen. ¡ª¡ªA visitor was more beautiful than snow. When the head chef Zalbach heard the report, he immediately ordered the kitchen to be cleaned up, and by the time they arrived, he had cleaned the corner that they would use as much as possible and polished it to the point not a single speck of dust was lest Now they were conducting a follow up cleaning, but that chore was only a front¡ª¡ªmost of their attention was focused on the two little cooks. Their culinary skills were brilliant. Those who cooked as their job have much to learn from the two of them. But they were more interested in feast for their eyes. For those who work in the fortress, where there was nothing to do unless you go into town, there was no better pastime than watching the two cook. "Bery, the meat is almost ready..." "Yeah, the sauce looks good too. Cut it up and put it on the te... ah, can someone please¨D¨D" Having used this ce for a long time before, Bery also knew where the dishes and utensils were located. However, there were seventeen tes in the ce where dishes were usually ced. One te for each person to serve the meat, nine tes for nine people. And one more te for serving the whole roasted chicken and putting down the bread, for a total of eighteen tes. There was one te missing there. Tension ran high in the kitchen. ¨D¨DThe head chef, Zalbach, was the first one to react. He instantly grabbed the te he had just finished washing, wiped off the remaining water droplets, and took a smooth flowing step toward the girls. He spun the te at high speed so that the two wouldn¡¯t see it, and even the smallest drop of water that cannot be wiped off was flicked away¨D¨Dwhat he was holding was the supreme te. He moved faster than anyone else, however he did not want to give them an imperfect te, so he used his years of experience and skill to create the perfect te. As if it had been prepared from the beginning, Zalbach''s movements were smooth and steady. The head chef Zalbach wouldter recall¨D¨D ¡®Was I fully prepared to wee them¡ I have done what I could in that situation, but I felt like I couldn¡¯t say it was perfect. We had to clear the ce for them in a hurry, and we were all struggling to get the dishes washed and cleaned from there. So, I kept all kinds of tableware on hand so that I could respond at any time, and I was ready to move at any time. It was half reflex the moment I grabbed the te and stepped toward them. I was so focused that time seemed to have stopped¨D¨D¡¯ The prediction based on experience was only possible for Zalbach, who had been in charge of this kitchen for many years. A sudden visitor wasn''t such a rare story. Remain calm in any situation, and do not neglect the minimum preparations so as not to becking. That was the basic among the basics that the kitchenmander should have, and this man Zalbach was one level above that. No matter what situationes up, no matter what difficulty arises before him he will solve it all. His will made his body moved before his thoughts could catch up. It was a step that left the time behind. It was the fastest and most flexible step¡ª¡ªthat was exactly what Zalbach achieved at that time. Precisely because it was Zalbach, no It was the fastest step that only Zalbach could make. ¡ª¡ªNo one else could match it. However, a man at the corner of Zalbach''s vision, smirked. Closer to the girls than Zalbach himself, there was a young man with a scowl on his face, it was Kurt. He was a young man who managed the food distribution of this fortress with his excellent brain, and in his hand was a te that had been polished. And behind him was a wagon with countless dishes lined up neatly. ¨D¨DThe young man, Kurt, was fed up at the sight of Zalbach, who had never grown up. He was the king here, and he admitted that he had good reactions and judgment. However, what Zalbach was able to do was only after the fact¨D¨Dhe could only react after the opponent made a move. For Kurt, he was much too slow. When he learned of their visit, the first thing he did was to confirm the information. He first asked the soldiers who were called out by them how many guards there were, and put the information in his own hands. Then, he suppressed the information so that Zalbach would not know about it. ¡®Suppressing it? Haha, no way. I just thought I didn''t need to inform him. I never thought that the head chef wouldn''t have enough tes for them to use. That said, there are 17 t tes in the cupboard¨D¨DI thought it wouldn''t be enough if they use two tes per person, so I prepared some, but, well, it was a coincidence¨D¨D¡¯ As soon as Kurt entered the kitchen, he checked the cupboards. There were enough bowls for soup and a tter for the whole roasted chicken. However, the number of t tes is a little dangerous. Nine, eighteen, twenty-seven¡ª¡ªknowing how many of them there were, he understood the number of tes they would use was one of them. And the nature of these women. Their bodyguards were soldiers¡ª¡ªthose ustomed to simple meals. They didn''t care about reusing tes. They would have no problem putting the meat on one te and using it for sharing. But the two fairies¡ª¡ªthey were particr about their food. He was sure that they would divide the te use. All that remained was the timing to hand it over. Kurt, who had already prepared the tes, was one step behind Zalbach in this, but he was the first to arrive. The talented Kurt was still excellent even in food distribution¡ª¡ª Zalbach red at the fearless Kurt with a scowl on his face, as if he were a parent whose child has been murdered, and thenughed. ¡ª¡ªYou know what you''re missing, you brat? ¨D¨DKuku, what are you talking about? You''re behind the times, just leave it to the young like me. Zalbach thought as he looked at Kurt. The difference between the two was four steps¡ª¡ªZalbach felt his own aging and though pleased with the growth of the young talent who was always trying to get ahead of him, he gritted his teeth, thinking that he cannot be defeated yet. That one was faster. But that was also because all the conditions are right. After much thought, Zalbach came up with a secret n¡ª¡ª "Oops." ¨D¨DHe pretended to stumble in an empty ce. A momentary forward tilt and a jump. Kurt frowned, fed up with it. The same thing over and over again, the same stupid obstruction. Four steps away. His body and preparation were perfect. It didn''t matter what despicable deeds this old man did. ¡®What are you going to do this time?¡¯¡ª¡ªThere was something already flying in front of Kurt, who was thinking so. It was a drop of water. It was a move that would destroy Kurt''s perfection. Zalbach, who had just been washing dishes. There was still water on his arm. Zalbach made an attack that was disguised as a jump¡ª¡ªthinking that the te Kurt was holding would be ruined by a ssh of water. It was too cowardly. Kurt''s eyes were filled with astonishment. He could see the emotion in his eyes ¡®You¡¯re going to go that far!?¡¯ ¨D¨DBut even there Kurt was calm. He quickly turned himself around and caught the spray with his back to protect his te. But even Kurt knew. In that one moment, he had lost his advantage over Zalbach. With a scowl on his face, Kurt red at Zalbach as if he were a son whose father had been murdered, andughed. ¨D¨D-I''m surprised you would go this far, shitty old man, I''m amazed at your despicableness ¨D¨DHmph, you can think about it by putting your hands on your chest first. Which one of us is the coward? The two men were so close in their contest that the others, unable to intervene, had to watch with bated breath. A showdown between the two chiefs. It was a holy war. But once again, the deciding factor was blocked by the presence of a more powerful person. "Wow, it smells delicious. Krische-sama, shall I help you serve the food?" The one who showed up at the right time was Mia, the adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. It''s about time the food was ready, Mia checked it out, and so on, without any respect at all. When they were improving the carriages for the snow-covered roads, the clumsy and free adjutant was assigned to chores. She said she had no choice but to visit the kitchen and her timing was impable¨D¨Dno calctions, no aiming, she always had bad timing. "Yes, it will be finished soon¡ Mia, a te please." "Yes, um, ah." Mia saw Kurt right next to her. "I''m sorry, thank you very much." "ah¡¡" She was no less bold than Anne, but she is somewhat out of it, and she understood and judged on her own that the te was offered to her. She handed the te to Krische as if nothing had happened, thought for a moment, and turned around. "Ah, sorry. Can I borrow a wagon as well?" Unfortunately, she was also used to using people. As she ordered Kurt, who stood still in a daze, Krische let her taste the soup and her cheeks pouted. "Hmm...looking only at this, Mia is quite safer than Anne. She doesn''t throw the te away." "...Throw the te away?" "A-ahaha... Mia, it''s nothing, so please don''t worry about it." "O-okay..." The two quickly put the dishes on the te, and Mia took the wagon from Kurt as if it were a matter of course, and she happily put the food on it. The three of them carried the wagon while chatting andughing, and Berry bowed gracefully while looking curiously at the hardened cooking team. Krische followed suit and bowed politely, while Mia bowed respectfully in a strange manner. Then the three of them left the kitchen. The men looked at Zalbach and Kurt, who were still frozen, looking at them with pity. Chapter 123: Gargain Chapter 123: Gargain ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 123 Gargain*** From swords and spears to axes. Every kind of de wielded on the battlefield was on disy in the store. At the counter there was an old man with a bald head and a stubble, and a young man looking at him with frowns. Mia and the others looked around the store, while Kalua waited with Berry next to Krische for the old man to open his mouth. The old man''s eyes sharpened and he gazed earnestly at the sword. It was a curved sword, twisted from the base to the side of the de¨D¨Da sword that the old man had forged himself about three years ago. However, the de was much thinner and thinner than when he had given it to Cliche. The de itself had shrunk slightly. The belly of the de had numerous fine scratches, and there were signs that it had been sharpened repeatedly, it was possible to guess that it must have been scraped to fix the nicks on the de. The wood of the hilt was soaked with blood, and even though it had been carefully wiped, there was faint and mottled discoloration¨D¨DAs if the sword had been used for several decades, it spoke of the dense time it has been in use. The battle with the Holy Empire¨D¨DAfter that, it was this old man, Korze, who sharpened the sword. The burden was ced only on the tip of the de, and there were only a few nicks. The skill of the person who wielded the de was reflected in the way the de was damaged in a way that Korze had never seen before. It was such a strange and surprising sight, that he would be convinced if someone told him that it had in 200 people¨D¨Dbut when he saw how skinny it had be, with no trace of its original form, it sent chills down his spine. Just a few months. How many lives had this sword taken in that time? Korze groaned, and Krische looked at the old man apologetically. "...Sorry. Even though it''s a sword that Korze-san worked so hard to forge...Krische nned to cherish it for the rest of Krische¡¯s life but." "Ah, no, don''t worry about it. If you use it this far, you could say that it''s a sword long-cherished desire. Originally, the sword was a consumable item, and the more you sharpen it, the more it will decrease after all." He told Krische, who seemed to say what she really felt. Yes, swords were consumables. This was the way it should be. Rather, it''s a miracle that she used it this far without breaking it, and there was nothing to me her for that. "From the beginning, it could be said that it was a little too slender for use on the battlefield. It''s my mistake." General''s Daughter¨D¨DIn that position, Korze never thought she would wield her de on her front line. It was only for self-defense, in line with Krische''s wishes. It was designed with portability and other aspects in mind. It was never intended to be used to y hundreds of people. "¡It would have been nice if Krische was a little more skillful with swords." "Hahaha... I have never heard of a swordsman as good as Krische-sama. Krische-sama fame is well known even in Gargain." The silver princess leads a ck-d century to y enemy generals. The exploits of Krische Christand were repeatedly mentioned by wounded soldiers and soldiers returning from the battlefield. During the civil war, there was also the death of the hero Bogan, and although at first everyone suspected that this was a lie to keep people from paying attention to the fact, the soldiers'' tales of the girl''s swordsmanship gradually came to be epted as fact. ¨D¨DShe is a peerless swordsman who even monsters like Gildenstein and Nakirus couldn¡¯t match. There were many who had seen her up close and personal, not just those who had heard about her from others, and there was no one, at least not here in Gargain, who doubted her ability. Kalua, who was standing next to her, was exasperated by Krische¡¯s overly humble words and looked at the sword. She must have really thought that she was inexperienced. She had a power that no one, no matter how fierce they were, can match, but she still thought she was not good enough. Kalua sighed thinking that she would probably never be satisfied for the rest of her life. She had in many times more enemies than Kalua, yet there were no fatal wounds on her sword. It was a far cry from Kalua, who had damaged the sword she had just bought in thest battle¨D¨D¡¯I should probably learn from Usa-chan sword even a little bit¡¯ "Should we make the edge of the next sword a little harder and thicker? If you have this much skill, it''s better to increase the strength of the de itself than to think about ease of sharpening." "...Yes. Umm, putting aside the length, something a little stronger would be... after all, sometimes it needs to cut bones and tear armor..." It''s strange to be able to cut while avoiding the bones, and it''s not like the sword was to rip armor either. It was not a ughterhouse where she wielded her de, but on a battlefield where lives were exchanged. It was abnormal in the first ce to tear only her flesh, but Korze didn¡¯t voice it. The young man who was listening, Keiz, the son of Korze, also had a bewildered expression on his face. The de was thin, with an unusual bias toward the cutting edge. This was the result of making it unbreakable, tenacious, and suitable for maintenance. On the other hand, if the wielder was as insanely strong as she was, thicker steel wouldst a lot longer. The harder (stiff, though) it was made, the more easily the sword would break, and the harder it became to push it. But, if she could abuse this slender de to this extent, then it would be no problem. The gentle unevenness of the tip of the de, although sharpened, looks more like a trace of a crushed de rather than a chipped de. "... It seems that the person who sharpened it was also a good craftsman. The de is still alive and well." "Hmm, yes¡ when Krische tattered it once, he cleaned it up very nicely." "It¡¯s a great thing." Although she usually did her own sharpening, it had been sent to the sharpener on several asions. It was because the sharpener in the military was very skilled. While thinking for a moment whether she should thank him again in writing or other ways, she continued. "It is good that it is heavier, but the bnce of the weight should be about the same as before. It is inevitable that it will be heavier as a whole, so Krische feels that it would be better if it had a little more weight. "I understand, that would be better. When will you be going back?" "Probably in a week or so..." Krische pondered for a moment, and Bery next to her said. "It''s not urgent, so please send it to the royal capital after it''s finished. Of course, we''ll pay for it." "Thank you very much. I''d like to be given a month''s time toplete the work. ......Because it''s the sword that Krische-sama will be using, I can''t give something that is subpar." "¡¡thank you very much." Krische and Bery bowed their heads, and Bery reached into her leather purse. Six gold coins were taken out¨D¨DKrische stiffened. "¡¡this is" "Ojou-sama... No, from Gotoushu-sama, thank you for everything you''ve done so far. Of course, Christand intends to remain in the same rtionship as before, but since we left the north, it will not be the same as before. Thank you for your kindness so far, please ept it." "If that''s the case...thank you. I¡¯ll deliver the best sword." A 20,000 pumpkin sword was about to bepleted. Krische involuntarily recoiled at this fact. She had intended to have one sword forged, but it was actually two. It wasn¡¯t like that but Bery didn¡¯t say anything while smiling wryly at Krische¡¯s state. Even Kahlua was surprised, but even this was normal for nobles¨D¨Dif it was as good a user as Krische, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to spend 100 gold coins. As she watched the exchange. Kalua looked back to see Mia holding her sword in her hand and grunting. "What''s wrong, Mia?" "Eh, ah... I was thinking maybe I should bring at least one sword. Everyone has it, but I, the adjutant, was only carrying the sword from provision..." There were several candidates for Mia, mainly strong and long swords. Kalua chuckled. "I''m telling you, but there''s no sword long enough to sh the enemy before the thrown axe reached you, you know." "Shut up." "Well, it might be better for Mia if it''s longer to some extent." Kalua giggled and knocked her head. "Well, it looks like Bunny is done, and if you''re not sure, why don''t you just stop by again on your way home?" "Hmm, sure. When ites to buying it, I don''t really have a preference." "Mia isn''t very good at swords in the first ce." "Geez, making fun of me" Krische and Bery looked at those two and the other members. "Since you know the location of the estate, isn¡¯t it fine after we go shopping?" "No, I''ll think about itter for now. What about Kilik and the others?" "Nothing particrly¡this one has never been used since I bought it." Kilik''s squad, which was assigned to Kreschenta¡¯s escort, had no wear and tear on their equipment. Krische nodded, grabbed Bery''s hand, and smiled. The baggage to be taken from the estate was not much. The furniture could be sold off as an addition to the house when it was sold, and most of the furnishings were of the same type. When Bogan took over the debts of the Argan family, he had sold what could be called family heirlooms, so there was nothing of historical value. Most of the vases and paintings that were here today were from before he bought the house, and he purchased only a few of them. There aren''t many things that can be called memorabilia, so after helping put together the books and alcohol, Mia and the others who apanied the escorts were assigned to the guest room to rest. When they went out to buy dinner, Bery was worried about the reaction of the people in the town, but should she say it was unexpected? Bery was more than happy to see that they are responding to Cliche in much the same way as before. As usual, they called out to her ¡®Krische-sama¡¯, shared some fruit with her, rmended some good ingredients, etc¨D¨DOf course, everyone talked about her career and Bogan''s death, but above all, they were relieved to see Krische the cooking-lovingdy who they hadn''t seen in a long time. The people of Gargain were kind-hearted and good-hearted. Of course, it was because of the rtionship they had built up over the years, but she was very happy to see that they were taking such care to keep things the same as before. The more she thought about how nice this town was, the more sentimental she became, and Bery''s heart was filled with a sense of loneliness that she had been trying not to think about, and various memoriese back to her. ¨D¨DShe had spent more than half of her life here. There were too many memories to cut and throw away so as not to think about them. "This is the wound that Ojou-sama made when she was swinging Gotoushu-sama¡¯s sword in her room while talking about sword training. ¡Fufu, at that time Gotoushu-sama was troubled." "...What an idiot." "Well, Ojou-sama was really small at the time." Bogan''s room was simple and mostly just books and liquor. Bery traced the scar on the pir and smiled. Selene said she wanted to learn swordsmanship from her father, and decided to stop it, saying at least wait until she¡¯s a little older, resulting in a fight. Selene, who was reprimanded, didn''t seem convinced, andter secretly went to Bogan''s room and pulled out Bogan''s sword. Apparently she wanted to show that she could handle the sword properly. However, although it was good up to that point, the sword was a heavy longsword. Unable to swing it, she stumbled and mmed it into a pir¨D¨Dwhen Lazura saw this, she turned unusually pale and pped Selene''s cheek. ¡®Stupid! What would you do if you got irreparably injured because of your silly stubbornness!¡¯ After that, she lectured Serene in a rage that even Berry had never witnessed before. Bogan''s indescribably troubled expression upon his return was so funny that she stillughed when she recalled it. The house was filled with many memories. When she thought about leaving, the scenes of Lazura, Bogan, and small Selene appeared here and there then disappeared. "Is Bery lonely...?" "Just a little bit... If I leave here, those memories will gradually fade away. I think that''s a little lonely." "...Forgetting is something Krische doesn''t really understand. Memories are always in your head..." There was no memory that Krische couldn¡¯t recall. If she ever wanted to remember, all her memories woulde back vividly. The countless books she had read so far¨D¨Dwhat was written on what page and what line. What was the face of the first person she killed on the battlefield, and how did she kill them? Everything from trivial things to. Berry, who knew this, smiled a little troubled. "That''s probably because Krische-sama is much smarter than I am. Unfortunately, even the important things are lost little by little when ites to the past." "B-Berry is much smarter than Krische." "Fufu, I''m d Krische-sama feels that way...but you shouldn¡¯t lie." She pressed her fingertips to her lips and smiled. ¡®Uuu¡¯, Krische said silently, and Bery stroked her head. From Krische point of view, Bery was a lot smarter than most people. Not only could she calcte, but she has a broad and dexterous view of the world, and she can handle anything with ease and without waste. She was the best, even without favoritism, excluding Kreschenta, but if she thought about it calmly, she couldn¡¯t say that she was smarter than her in terms of simple intelligence. Krische respects Bery and loves her more than anyone else. That''s why the feeling she wanted to be so much higher than she existed in her heart, she wants to think that Bery is better than anyone in the world was. Bery was more than happy to hear that. However, she also believed that it should not hinder her growth. "It''s not like such a simple point of view who¡¯s inferior or not inferior will create a good rtionship right. Krische-sama already knows that, don''t you?" "¡¡yes" "Facts are facts, and that¡¯s fine. ¡Fufu, but I¡¯m very happy that Krische-sama thinks so. I must do my best not to disappoint Krische-sama expectations." Bery lightly pressing her lips against hers, Krische hugged her, her cheeks blushed. "...Berry is always better than Krische thinks." "That''s because I''m stretching myself so that Krische-sama thinks so." "Stretch?" "Yes, I''m stretching myself because I want to show only my good points to Krische-sama. Bery is amazing and splendid, and I''m d that Krische-sama thinks so, so I¡¯m just doing my best to make it look that way." Berryughed and patted Cliche, saying that she herself was just as stubborn as Ojou-sama. Krische thought of Selene, the hard-working girl, and thought of herself against Bery. She then stared at Bery and she said a little shyly. "... Krische might be showing her stretched out much more than Berry." Krische stood on her tip toe and stretched, bringing her face closer. She was less than five shaku one sun. Bery was petite even for a woman, but Krische was even a little shorter than Bery. When standing together, Bery would either bend down or Krische would stand taller. Then the heights finally matched and the difference between the two became zero. After enjoying her soft touch, Krische said troubledly. "Bery always bends over for Krische, but it''s not easy when Krische stretches." Bery let out a giggle saying ¡®that¡¯s troubling¡¯, and stood on her tip toe. As she stretched, she bent down slightly and kissed Krische lightly. "Is it always like this? Fufu, if someone looks at it from the side, it must be a stupid sight." "... Yes, it might be a little stupid." Bery smiled and put her heels down and caressed the girl lovingly. Krische, too, was relieved to ce her heels on the floor and pressed her face against Bery''s. Berry looked around the room. One more memory, but a memory is a memory¨D¨Dthere was nothing more important than the present. Bery said goodbye in her heart and took Krische''s hand. "Well... it''s settled to some extent, so let''s take a bath soon." "Ehehe, yes. Umm... can I make cookiester? For Oba-san, uh..." "Yes, of course. I am sure she will be delighted. ...Thest memories of this estate." Bery smiled a little sadly, but happily. Chapter 124: Kalka Village Chapter 124: Kalka Vige ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 124 Kalka Vige***Chapter 124 Kalka Vige A few more days after Gargain, Mia and Kalua separated from Krische and the other at Kilnan, and Krische continued northeast for about a day. About a dayter, they saw a road leading into the forest from the middle of the road. It was such a narrow road that it was impossible for carriages to pass each other. Proceeding further down the snow-covered road, she finally arrived at a familiar ce. Snow piled up on a simple protective fence that didn''t have much meaning, and a vignte man and a boy with bows stood on a small watchtower that could be called a tform that was only slightly taller than a person. When they saw the carriage, they rang bells and shouted. With that, the vigers came out of their numerous hut-like houses as if in a panic. "Bery, please be careful." "... I''m the one who¡¯s supposed to say that though. Fufu, thank you." The one chuckling was a beautiful red-headed servant. The first person to step out of the carriage onto the snow to hold her hand was a girl they also recognize. Rare silver hair. Her eyes, framed by her long eyshes, were jewel-like purple. She was a little taller than she had been a few years before, and her figure was no longer that of a child. She was dressed in a hand-sewn hat and scarf, and was quite fluffy, but her hair was carefully arranged, and her cloak was simple but of a high quality that could be recognized at a nce as that of a nobleman. Her inner white shirt and ck skirt peeking out from within were also quite different from what a vige woman would wear. The girl, who was beautiful to begin with, was clothed in the noble atmosphere of a born noblewoman, and had be so beautiful that women who looked at her from a distance admired her at first sight. "Krische ne-chan!" An androgynous voice in the transitional stage of voice change. The boy jumped down from the watchtower and stood in front of Krische, a big smile on his face. "...Um, Pell was it?" "What, did you forget my face?" "It''s not like that,...... but it''s been a long time. It seems you''ve grown up a lot." "Of course, it''s already three years ago." He was the boy Krische used to teach swordsmanship. He was two years younger than Krische. He should have been as tall as Krische at the time, but he''s a head taller than Krische, who should have grown since then. "I guess you didn''t grow tall at all, Krische ne-chan." "Hmm... Krische thinks Krische has grown quite a bit though." Physically, she should have grown. That being said, seeing how the boy in front of her was so taller than her, it might be that she didn¡¯t grow that much. She patted Pell on the head, wondering if she would grow a little more in a few years. Pell frantically blushed and pulled back. "It''s hard to pet Pell head when Pell has grown this big. It used to be easy." "Humph, I think I was already bigger by the time Krische ne-chan left the vige. Besides, I''m not at the age to be petted anymore." The closer the distance, the more beautiful Krische was, and it was a poison to the eyes of a boy who had entered puberty. The vige also has some cute girls in the same age group, but Krische¡¯s beauty was no longer within the range of being the most beautiful in the vige. Pell distanced himself from Krische, who seemed to be in too good a mood as before, realizing that she could never be the same as before. Pell distanced himself from Krische, who didn¡¯t change at all from before, realizing that he could never be the same as before. He had seen her cut down bandits up close and heard of her exploits on the battlefield. Furthermore, she was a noble¨D¨Dhe was worried that she might be a different person now. But while Pell was relieved to see that she looked the same as before, he couldn''t help but look away, unable to suppress his throbbing. At the end of his line of sight were five people wearing ck armor. Everyone looked like they were soldiers and had a sense of intimidation. He assumed that this might be the rumored ck Century, and turned his attention to the out-of-ce servant "girl". She didn''t have Krische¡¯s dreamlike beauty that made one lose a sense of reality. Her face was young for a face that was bright and gorgeous. Her height, which is not so different from Krische¡¯s, and herrge brown eyes probably make her look that way. However, if you look at her, you can immediately tell that she had a very well-proportioned face, and the eyes that looked at Krische standing next to her were endlessly kind and charming. Even through her apron dress, he could see her full plumpness, andpared to the slim Krische, there''s something more mature and feminine about her¨D¨Dher eyes suddenly nced at Pell. "...?" The red-haired girl looked at Pell curiously as their gazes met, then giggled and put her hands in front of her. She gave a slow and beautiful bow. "Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Christand family¡ª¡ªKrische-sama¡¯s servant Bery Argan." "Ah, ya, nice to meet you, I''m Pe-Pel! Um, thank you, uh, taking care Krische-nee-chan..." Bery smiled as if she was troubled by the voice that was cracking, but to Pell, it looked charming. The tension in him grew stronger and stronger. The fact that she gave her family name naturally meant that she came from a good family. Perhaps she was a noble. Pell spoke to Krische, who was now a great noble, in the same tone as before, but he couldn''t do that to her who he just met for the first time. The soldiers guarding her let out an unbearableugh, and the one-eyed man said "Argan-sama seems to be a poison to this boy''s eyes. He''s so mesmerized that his voice cracked." "Such a thing. He¡¯s just nervous." The red-haired girl said reproachfully, and Krische furrowed her brows and red at the one-eyed man¡ª¡ªKilik. "Kilik, how can you say that Bery is poisonous? Even if it¡¯s you, Krische won''t forgive it okay." "Ha, no, no, I didn''t mean it like that..." Kilik stiffened at the unexpected retort. Bery hurriedly tried to stop the misunderstanding, "K-Krische-sama, um... that poison for the eye is..." Bery knew that her appearance was better than average, and she is used to being looked at and told in that way. But when it came time to exining it, it was nothing short of embarrassing, and Bery blushed stuttered while blushing. Kilik, aware that he had put this beautiful servant in a tight spot, hurriedly straightened his posture at the sight of her. He saluted and told Krische. "E-even good medicine turns into poison if you take too much of it. In turn, he was so mesmerized by Argan-sama''s beauty that he couldn¡¯t concentrate. It was not, in the sense, to disparage Argan-sama¡" "...Is that so? Bery" "Eh, um, that... yes..." ¡®Is she trying to embarrass herself¡¯¡ª¡ªeven though Brey knew that¡¯s not true, she was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t help but think so. Bery''s white cheeks were flushed, and even her were dyed red. Krische also realized that she had misunderstood something, and while she nodded while thinking there was such an expression, she turned to Pell. "It''s not good. Pell is not allowed to look at the Bery while Krische is around, do you understand?" "Eh? Huh? Ku-Krische-neechan, I-I''m not..." "Pell must have been fascinated by the beautiful Bery. Right?" "N-no, uhh..." What arose was nothing short of a tragedy for the adolescent boy. Kilik and the others looked at the boy''s who were mesmerized over Bery, who looked embarrassed, in pity. "Krische-chan!" It was a loud voice. A well-dressed woman ran toward her, and Krische, seeing her, left Pell and ran toward her, "Oba-san, it''s been a long time¡ª¡ªmugg." "It''s been a while, you''ve grown so much!" Krische was crushed in Gara¡¯s arm, whom she had not seen for a long time. Kilik and the others were taken aback, and Berry seemed to panic a little. However, seeing G''s happy smile with tears at the corners of her eyes, Bery and the others understood who she was, and were convinced. "Oba-san, it hurts..." "Oh, I''m sorry, I was so happy." "No... Ehehe, long time no see, Oba-san." Krische smiled, and G smiled, too. "Oh, wee home Cliche. How are you doing?" She smiled, her smile was gentle and full of affection. "Yes, I''m fine. I heard that your Oba-san copsed..." "Aah, I''m sorry for worrying you." G smiled as usual but went to her house¨D¨DIt didn''te to that. A short old man appeared, wading through the crowd that G hade through. He was the vige chief. "Kri...No, Alberinea-sama, wee to our vige.." "...Mr. Vige chief. It''s been a while." "Yes, yes... for now, this way." The vige chief lowered his head and pointed hisrge house to Krische. A reunion with G¨D¨Dthat was the purpose of this trip, but even so, there was her position and courtesy to go through. The first thing to do was to greet the vige chief, who will be taking care of her in various ways during her stay. "Umm... that''s right. Oba-san,ter..." "Ahh. Come overter, I''ll be waiting for you." "¡¡yes" The same gentle face as before. Krische smiled and nodded at G, ordered Kilik and the others to move the carriage, and followed behind the vige chief. When they visited the vige chief''s house, they would serve the town¡¯s sweets and tea, which they had never seen before when they lived in the vige, and wee the other party with beautiful words and words of wee. In contrast to Krische, who has now be a great noble of the kingdom, the faces of the vige chief and the men were indescribable¨D¨Dwith an air of fear about the way they had treated her in the past. He told them that he would host them with a grand feast tonight, and was desperate withKrische, who told them not to worry about them in particr. Given the power that Krische now held, she could do whatever she wanted with a small vige like this. For them, offending Krische who were in control of their life and death, meant death. Considering this, it was only natural for them to show such hospitality. In addition, they also have a certain sense of guilt and debt about what they have done. It couldn¡¯t be said that they weren¡¯tshing out at her in order to drown their sorrows over the death of so many vigers. Many expressed remorse for what they had done too harshly, and some of the men apologized personally. Quite different were the women and children, who were simply delighted to see her growth and weed her reunion after so many years, seeing her even more beautiful. They had heard about her performance on the battlefield. The peddlers and the men who went out to Gargain, in particr, have often delivered rumors about Krische, so there was some uneasiness, but Krische herself is the same as she was before. More than anything else, they were delighted to see the girl, who was a little strange and cute, just like she used to be. She greeted familiar faces over and over again until they reached G''s house, and it was well after noon when she was finally able to settle down. Kilik and the others were pulled away by the children who wanted them to teach them. At G''s house there are three people, Krische, Bery, and G. Bery was a bit bewildered by the first experience of sitting directly on the floor, but she brewed a pot of tea in the tea kettle she had brought and put the cookies they had made on a te. G was talking to the two while admiring Bery''s polite response to amoner despite being a noble herself. "Even so, you''ve really grown..." "Pell said Krische was small. ...Many of the children be bigger than Krische." "Hahaha, I guess you can''tpare it to a man. But you have really be a beautiful woman.... I guess going to the city was the right choice after all. It suits you well." A simple linen robe worn by women in the vige. Her beauty was out of ce since the time she wore it. But in this way, she felt that it really suits Krische as a noble, and that she shouldn''t have spent her time in a vige like this. She heard all the rumors about her. That she went to the Christand family and spent time as their adopted daughter. That she went to war and her exploits. That she was also born into a royal family that was abandoned as a Cursed Child. For some reason or another, she was picked up in this vige, but she should have lived in a morous ce. G again felt that she had made the right choice. The red-haired servant who Krische leaned on as if asking to be pampered¨D¨DLooking at her rtionship with Bery, she could feel that she was happy now, and that made her happy. Of course, to G, it was a little lonely, but she''s d from the bottom of her heart. "Krische doesn¡¯t think Krische''s face has changed much, though. Rather, is Oba-san''s body really alright?" "Ah, as you can see, I¡¯m perfectly healthy. Because I was able to meet Krische-chan like this, all the bad things were blown away." It''s true that she was unwell, but one of the reasons was her anxiety. Civil war¨D¨DThe Christand army, which has lost its hero and was in an inferior position. G had been worried about Krische, who was fighting there, and just at that time she fell ill with an epidemic and copsed. The other day she had copsed while working in the fields, though not perfect, she didn¡¯t have a fever and was stable now. G nced at Krische as she looked at the cookies on the te, smiled, took one and put it in her mouth. The cookies were not the nut cookies that G used to make, but the sweetness was probably honey. It''s just a little too sweet, but she knew exactly whose taste it was. "... It''s delicious. Did you make these, Krische-chan?" "Yes, together with Bery, for Oba-san... Bery is a very good cook. Bery taught Krische how to make these cookies..." "Fufu, is that so. Guess I''m no match for Krische-chan anymore...I wonder if it¡¯s because the teacher is good." Bery chuckled at the excited Krische, and G looked at her. "No, I¡¯m really good. I have to say thank you to Bery-san... Thanks to you, Krische-chan looks very happy." "No, it''s more like Krishe-sama is the one making me happy. ...I''ve always thought that she must have grown up surrounded by good people in the vige." "I''m a country girl, so I''ll take your ttery seriously. However, if it''s a good person, this child''s mother is the best." Sheughed nostalgically. "She was clumsy and scatterbrained, but she was really a good kid. She''s my proud little sister¨D¨Dshe''s called Grace." "I¡¯ve heard from Krische." "...It''s true, Mom, was really clumsy." When Krische said as she recalled, G smiled a little relieved. She was a little worried that Grace''s death might be difficult for her to ept. Krische, on the other hand, recalled Grace''s clumsiness and frowned. She said she will help Krische, but she put too much salt in the pot, and she insisted she couldn¡¯t just leave the cleaning to her daughter alone, and blew away the dust Krische had collected. Her clumsy appearance¨D¨DFor some reason, Anne came to her mind. She was a very respectable and kind mother, but her clumsy behavior was simr to Anne''s, and she was probably close in terms the same kind of person. There was something inside Krische that didn¡¯t want to admit. "Like Bery-san now, Krische-chan was always attached to her... fufu, I can remember it like it was yesterday." "Is that so... I have to visit the graveter." "Haha, Grace would be happy to hear that Krische-chan has a sister like Berry-san." "Sister¡¡" Bery smiled wryly, as if troubled. "Uhh, for the record I''ll be 30 soon, so being called an older sister is" "......Hah?" G¡¯s eye opened wide and stiffen. Then she furrowed her brow and brought her face closer to look at Bery. No matter how you look at it, she was at best just a little older than Krische. "Nobles are often mistaken because they age slowly¡" "I-Is that so? You''re not that different from Grace... No, but, thirty..." Grace married Gorka at 14, and was 30 when she died. Even Gara was about two years older than that, not so different from Bery. She looked like a girl, who was not even twenty, though she thought she was quite a calm and thoughtful child, she was convinced of the reason. "It''s strange, isn''t it like that..." "Nobles deal with something called magic power, so I''m told it has an effect on them." "That means, Krische-chan too." "Well, it seems that there are quite a few individual differences depending on the person..." Even those who possess magical power can begin to age somewhat at the age of 30, but Bery was much slower in this respect. ording to research, the aging process slows down in proportion to the amount of magic power used in daily life, and this effect was probably stronger on Bery, who was originally weak and relied on magic power in her daily life. She even wondered if Krische, who relied more on magic than Bery, would even grow old. "Heeh, you¡¯re married?" "Um, uh, yes. Um..., the circumstances around that area seem to be different from those in the vige." Bery looked at Krische for a moment, her cheeks blushing and answered vaguely. Most noble women were married before they turned 30. There are a good number of those who marry beyond that, like Vanate, but they are generally consideredte. Bery, not wanting to get into that area too much, replied like that. "Ehehe, Bery won''t be a bride, so she''ll always be with Krische." "Haha, I see... this must be difficult." G gave a wry smile and stroked Krische. "It must be hard¡ but I¡¯m still happy." She guesses that Bery probably won¡¯t leave while taking care of Krische. G was convinced of this. But that''s a misunderstanding¨D¨Djust like Krische said, Bery intended to do that, but Bery smiled vaguely while understanding the misunderstanding. She felt a little guilty, but she couldn''t openly say that she offered her name to Krische. She sighed in her heart as thinking it couldn¡¯t be helped. "... If someone like Bery-san is by Krische-chan''s side, then I¡¯m relieved. A lot has happened, so I want Krische-chan to be really happy." G nodded deeply as she listened to the flute outside. They must be practicing before the banquet. The sound wasing from everywhere, as if the vigers were rushing around to prepare for the banquet. Everyone had been informed That Krische wasing, and it had been decided long before that a banquet would be held to coincide with that. Naturally, preparations had already been made, but it was still a journey after all. It was only natural that the schedule would be disrupted for a day or two depending on the weather, and in the end, full-fledged preparations could only be made on the day of the event. Because of that, the whole vige was rushing to prepare for it. "There''s a lot ofmotion for the banquet today. Actually, the first thing I should do is go and show Grace-chan how Krische-chan is doing, but... We''re talking about leaving the day after tomorrow... Krische-chan, shall we visit the grave tomorrow after the vige settles down?" "Yes. If it¡¯s preparing for the banquet, Krische would like to help as well." "Haha, it''s kind of strange for Krische-chan to prepare for a party to wee Krische-chan. Well, if Krische-chan says so, I will take you up on it." G happily smiled at Krische, who was still the same as before, and stood up. "Today, as usual, I n to bake a lot of pies in my oven. Can you help me?" "Yes, do you want to make pumpkin pie too?" "Of course, Krische-chan''s pumpkin pie is the best after all." Bery smiled at Krische¡¯s happy face and stands up. "If that''s the case, please let me help you. I don''t know if I can be of much help, but..." "That''s reassuring. The confrontation of Krische-chan''s old and new cooking teacher. I need you to show me your skills." "Fufu, yes. I heard that G-sama taught Krische-sama the basics, so I won''t hold back either." "Stop calling me -sama, it''s so embarrassing." Gughed and nodded. Chapter 125: The Moon on The Water Surface Chapter 125: The Moon on The Water Surface ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 125 The Moon on The Water Surface*** Snow was lightly removed from the vige square, which was brightly lit by a bonfire despite the night. There, the sound of flutes and drums echoed, and the snow falling from the sky sparkled and shimmered on the bonfire. "Here" "A-ah...thank you." Krische joined the women of the vige in distributing the meal. The man who received the pie looked very uneasy, but he obediently epted the pie and thanked her. In the first ce, it was a banquet for Krische, but the women didn''t have much doubts about her wanting to help. At vige banquets and festivals, the vige women cook and serve the food. Since Krische always spent time with her mother Grace and G on such asions, it was morefortable for her to work in this way than to sit in silence. Besides, Krische¡¯s interest was always in food. She was happy to serve the food and nibbled on the various dishes, she was enjoying the feast well before the event began. Bery smiled wryly at her, and of course she also helped the women. And if Krische was to work, Kilik and the others would start helping out, so the entertainment did not even begin and the banquet began to fall into chaos. Finally when Pell called out to Krische, she finally took a seat at the table that had been prepared for her. For the time being, it''s treated as the seat of a guest of honor, but it''s a simple one with just a chair and a table. When Krische climbed onto Bery''sp as if a matter of course, Bery smiled a little troubled, but left it as it was, assuming that there would be no problem after looking at the surroundings. Pell sighs exasperated. " Krische-nee chan is still the same in many ways, huh...doing whatever she pleases, or rather, Krische-neechan is the main character today." "Even if Pell said Krische is the main character, Krische was not told what to do..." "If it''s a wedding or something like that, the star of the show is the woman sitting there, not working. It''s their job to sit down. ...haah, and the aunties also won¡¯t say anything about it either." "Haha, no, it''s been a long time since everyone worked with Krische-chan... so." G gave a wry smile, and Krische picked up a small fruit and pushed it into Pell''s open mouth. Pell backed away greatly while his face turned bright red. "W-what are you doing¡¡!?" "Getting angry over small things like that is a no, no. It''s a rule that everyone should have fun at festivals and banquets." "Y-You know..." "It still doesn''t seem to work huh. If Krische remembers correctly, Pell when he''s angry or crying, he should have calmed down if Krische let him eat fruit..." "...Just how long ago do you think that was?" Bery, holding Krische, chuckled happily, and Pell blushed more and more. And it was Krische who noticed it. "Muu...Krische said not to, but Pell looked at Bery again. Krische might have to tell Pell''s mother about this and get her to spank you." "No, stop! I''m not at that age anymore!" "Pell is two years younger than Krische. ¡When Krische thinks about it, Krische from two years ago was still a kid, so Pell is still a kid after all." "I''m sure I¡¯m better than Krische-neechan, who''s still a child even now!" The women who were watching alsoughed as G held her stomach at the sight. Bery alsoughed and lightly embraced Krische''s body, saying, ¡®that¡¯s no good Krische-sama.¡¯ "Please forget about poison for the eyes. It''s embarrassing even for me. It''s just a joke from Kilik-sama." "Joke... but it¡¯s true when Pell is looking at Bery, it seems like he''s absent minded..." "Anyway, let''s stop talking about that... Krische-neechan is too extreme. Look, the vige chief is here." The vige chief, who was wondering what to do since the guest of honor, Krische, had not taken her seat, seized the opportunity to give a light greeting. He told everyone about the purpose of the banquet, treating Krische and Gallen as heroes who have left the vige and saying that he was most happy to wee them home. He did not touch on the circumstances of Krische¡¯s departure from the vige, and the content of the speech was harmless stuff, but his worry was evident in every word. As he finished, the tone of the flute changed and the hunters with bows stepped forward. They lined up, facing the forest with their bows poised, and with the elerating music, they pulled the strings. It was an archery ceremony that showed gratitude to the forest. They asked for permission tovishly use the bounty of the forest for the feast, pray that they will continue to receive the same bounty, and released their arrows. As the strings sounded in unison with the beat of the drums and the arrows disappeared into the snowy forest, the tone of the flute changed once again. That signaled the beginning, and what followed was an entertainment contest. The vige''s best men gather to decide who was the best in the vige in a variety of events. There were several categories, such as hoisting alcohol barrel contests to test one''s strength, a g-capturing contest in which contestants ran to capture the g at the finish line, and a target shooting contest to test their archery skills. The target shooting was especially exciting because it was a battle between hunters of high status in the vige, but now that the undefeated champion Gallen is gone, everyone seems to be even more enthusiastic than before. The most exciting battle was the sword fight. The poprity of this event was also high because of its shy appearance and the fact that the winner was clear-cut. The fact that any man, as long as he was not a child, could participate in the event was also a big factor. "Yeah, just you see. I''ll be able to participate from this year." "Be careful, okay. Pell gets injured a lot after all." Forcibly invited by the men of the vige, the one-eyed leader of the 19th Squad, Kilik, joined as the representative of the ck g Special Forces. About twenty people participate in the swordsmanshippetition. Pell narrowly won the first match, but was beaten by the favorites in the second. However, the candidate for the championship was also defeated by Kilik in the next match, and in the end, an outsider won the sword fight contest, and the atmosphere became awkward. Kilik''s swordsmanship was second only to Kalua''s in the ck g Special Force. The vige''s best men weren''t an opponent to him, but even so, as long as Krische was watching, they couldn''t cut corners, and the result was a tragedy. After thinking about how to deal with the atmosphere, he called out to Krische. As a reward for being the winner, he asked her to a bout for the first time in a while. Kilik, who doesn''t know the circumstances behind Krische departure from the vige, thought that seeing her sword skills would make the ce much more lively, but it had the opposite effect. That suggestion made the ce feel even more awkward, but Krische was not a man who could read the atmosphere. As a reward for her subordinates, she stepped forward without being concerned about it. Krische sword, which had in the bandit. No one had forgotten it, and for a moment the atmosphere became delicate, but once it began, however, the banquet became quite lively. The dance-like Krische¡¯s swordsmanship, when performed in a ce like this, was exactly what you would call a sword dance, and it was more beautiful than it was terrifying. From Krische¡¯s point of view, it was like giving training to her soldiers. Not decide who wins or loses, but to point out what was wrong and lure him to swing his sword. The battle between the two was a spectacr performance. Although Kilik showed overwhelming power, he was like a baby against Krische. He desperately chased after her, but his sword cut through the air without catching her. Nevertheless, the sound and power of the sword was so powerful that even if it had been avoided, it would have been powerful. The vigers, watching with bated breath¨D¨DBery watched the battle from her seat, smiling wryly at G, who looked at Krische with concern. Even that Bogan became no match to Krische in a short time. She knew this, so she had no worries and could watch on with peace of mind. "Well, I really think she will be fine, but I just can''t help it." "Fufu, at first I was worried too, but I got used to it. ¡That said as expected, when it¡¯s time for her to fight on the battlefield, I¡¯m still worried." G stared at Bery, nodded, and told her worriedly. "Actually, it would be great if she didn¡¯t need to swing the sword and just live normally, but¡ I guess I can¡¯t say that." "...that''s true. Krische-sama is...strong after all." Bery nodded and answered. Cleaning the mansion and tending the orchard. Then spend the days in peace. Krische was too strong to hope for such a life. Even the kind of opponents that Bogan and Selene needed to bet their life on, helplessly fell¨D¨DKrische¡¯s strength was much too strong. She has too much power to spend her days as a normal girl. That was both her strength and her misfortune. "¡¡Long ago, I lost my son in an ident." "ident¡?" "He fell with his friend, being chased by a wild boar. ¡It was around the time my husband died, so I didn¡¯t even know what I should live for¡Honestly, I even thought about dying." G sipped the sake and lowered her eyes. "At that time, because I had an oven in my house Krische-chan came to bake pies almost every day. ¡¡At first, I thought, please give me a break, but as I spent more and more time with her, I began to look forward to hering to visit me. I couldn''t help but find her adorable before I knew it. Gazing at the reflection of the sparkling surface of the water in the carved wooden cup. With a wry smile, G continued. "I always knew that she was an unusual child, so at first, I was wondering what her intentions were. Maybe she just wanted to bake a pie, or maybe she really came tofort me. ¡¡My child hated that child, and he said a lot of cruel things, so I wondered one thing and another, such as whether that child might have something to do with it over and over again." Having said that, she suddenly rxed her shoulders. "But... When I saw that girl''s happy smile when she baked a delicious pie, I didn''t care about that kind of thing anymore. I got better and better, and we started to bake pies together... it''s thanks to that girl and Grace that I''m alive now." "¡¡is that so" Berry sipped her drink, unable to say anything. She had a feeling that G didn''t particrly want a response either. It was just a reminiscence. "It''s funny, at first when Grace told me she was going to raise Chrissie, I was more against it than anyone else because I thought she might be an abandoned child of some noble. But now she''s more important to me than anyone else. Strange things sure do happen." "Fufu... But isn''t that what life is like? Things we don''t understand umte and gradually be irreceable." "Yeah, certainly. ¡Maybe that¡¯s how it is." Anyway, said G. "...I want that child to be happier than anyone else. But as expected, with this much distance between us, all I can do is pray, so I was troubled. ¡So, can I entrust you with that child? " "... yes, definitely" Bery nodded. For that reason, she had already vowed to live, so she had no hesitation or doubt in answering that. G smiled with satisfaction when she heard the answer. "Haha, if it¡¯s you, I¡¯m relieved. If Krische-chan got married, I thought I''d beat him up, but I''d definitely like to leave that to you." "B-beat him, is it...?" "Ahh, I won¡¯t forgive people who try toy their hands on a pure childlike Krische-chan. I was worried some bad bugs might hover around her, so I¡¯ll leave that to you, okay" "Wah." She was pped on her back, and Bery answered yes with a troubled face. If she thought about who the worst insect was, Bery had someone who came to her mind more than anyone else. Her cheeks reddened and said, ¡®I will take it to heart.¡¯ "Having said that, if it makes her happy, there¡¯s nothing more to say¡At the very least, I think Grace wanted that child to have that kind of happiness." G traced the rim of the cup nostalgically. She drew arcs and traced them. "Did you ask that girl about her name?" "The chipped, arcing moon .....wasn''t it? It''s a lovely name." "Yeah, it''s a good name that can mean a lot of things. Well, Grace didn''t give it that much thought. She''s a simple girl." "...simple, is it?" Reflecting the bonfire, the water surface on the wine cup drew a crescent moon (ÈýÈÕÔÂ). Gughed and nodded. "It¡¯s simple. Seems she¨D¨D" "Krische is back" Before they knew it, the bout was over. Berry was surprised when she jumped on herp, and then hugged her with a wry smile so that she wouldn''t fall. "Wee back, Krische-sama." "I''m home. What were you talking about?" "Oh...some old memories. Krische-chan is thirsty right, would you like some juice?" "Yes, thank you" When Krische nodded, G poured the juice and said, "Oba-san just said that Oba-san is very grateful to Krische-chan. That''s why I asked Bery-san to take care of Cliche-chan." "grateful..." Krische smiled as she thought about it. "Ehehe, Krische is also very grateful to Oba-san. Oba-san taught Krische how to use the oven, and how to make pies... Oba-san was always nice to Krische." "Haha, that''s so. That makes me happy." She stroked Krische''s head and Krische narrowed her eyes happily. "Yes, so please tell Krische anything. Krische also loves Oba-san, so Krische wants to thank Oba-san a lot... That''s why Krische wants to do a lot of things that make Oba-san happy..." Then, as she was about to say something, she stopped. She pondered something, stared at G, and then looked at Bery. "What''s wrong?" "...?" Bery also tilted her head and looked at Krische. Krische shook her head, her eyes downcast, sipped at her juice, and G chuckled. "Isn''t Krische-chan getting sleepy by now? She''s been moving around so much, and she''s always been a good sleeper." "Certainly... it was early this morning. Are you going to take a rest?" Krische nodded hesitantly. Beryughed with G and picked Krische up. "Despite your appearance, you¡¯re quite strong. Are you okay?" "Yes, I''m used to it. Now, Krische-sama, shall we go?" "¡¡yes" Krische nodded quietly and pressed her face against Berry. The next day, they prepared in the morning and went to visit the graves in the snowy forest. Last night, Krische had been acting a little strange until she fell asleep, but this morning she was back to her normal self. Bery was relieved to see that, changed her clothes and waited for G. G arrived home just when the morning glow settled down. Unlike the neatly arranged cemeteries in the city, in the vige, trees in the forest serve as graves. The burned bones and ashes were buried under the tree of their choice, and a wooden tag with their name written on it was ced on a branch. It was said that when the string on which it was hung naturally decayed and the wooden tag fell off, the dead person would be reborn in a new form. They have a close rtionship with the forest, and apart from the blood-worshiping beliefs of the Kingdom, which respects blood, they have an indigenous belief that has been handed down since ancient times. Flowers bloom, fruits grow, and seeds fall¡ª¡ªin the vige, people were said to live in this cycle, and death was not just death, but the beginning of a new life. It was probably created as a constion for the many hunters who lost their lives while hunting. Bery bowed to the tree, surprised at the unusual shape of the grave. Gorka, Grace. Two wooden tags hung there and tied to the same string had their names written on them, followed by something written on them. It didn''t seem to be the Western Common Language used in the Kingdom, but it seemed to be an ancient script that Bery couldn''t read. "Krische had them write words that meant that they may be husband and wife too the next time they were born. They were very close." "I see¡¡" "It seems that it was written as the same fate will be tied in the next life." G looked at Cliche as if she were a little surprised. "In the book that Gotoushu-sama had, there was something about the oldnguage used around here." "Haa... That''s amazing. If Krische-chan was in the vige, she might have be a priest. I heard that learning thenguage is quite difficult but." "Hmm... there are quite a lot of words with simr meanings, so Krische is not sure if Krische properly understood it..." "No, no, no, it''s great if Krische-chan can even read that much. Krische-chan has always been smart after all." G approached the wooden tag and looked at the string. The string was a bit deteriorated and already had some fraying. The ropes were woven in different ways depending on how the person died. In the case of old age or the death of a parent with young children, the cord was woven like a firm rope so that the parents could stay in the vige for a long time and watch over their children''s growth. In the case of an unfortunate death, a thin rope was woven on purpose so that the person could leave early. In this sense, it was a little difficult to choose the right rope for these two. She felt that a thicker rope would be better for them, but the reason it became a little thinner was because Krische said she was fine alone. At the time she wondered how it would be, but looking at Krische now, G thought that this was fine. There are those who wish for a thicker cord because of their unfulfilled love for the dead, but no matter what happens, what is lost will note back. Rather, it was considered better to wish for the rope to break quickly and for the dead to depart. "...Are Kaa-sama and the others really here? Reincarnation, Krische can¡¯t really believe it." "Well, who knows. but if you think they are here, they are here, and if you think they are not, they are not." G said and looked up at the tree. "But for now, Oba-san thinks that she might be watching Krische-chan from there like this. Whatever the truth is, I hope it''s true, and I''m d it is. ...They say people have a soul, but Grace and Gorka are watching over Krische-chan." G smiled and stroked Krische¡¯s head. "You interpret what you don''t understand in the way that makes you happiest, not whether it''s right or wrong. It''s not about whether it''s right or wrong, it''s about how it should be. I believe that''s what faith is all about." "... Is that so? But it''s hard to hang around here without a body, so Krische wants Kaa-sama and the others to go on a journey soon and be happy." "Hahaha, well, that''s true. If Krische-chan said that, then Grace and Gorka would be relieved." Krische bowed to the tree and Gughed happily. Bery chuckled at Krische and bowed to the tree once more. There was so much gratitude that she couldn''t put into words, and she really wished they were still here to watch over Krische. After doing so for a while and looking up, G said. "I''m sorry, but can I finish it too?" "Yes, it was close, right." "Yeah, that tree over there. Um..." G continued on her way, stepping on the snow, and Cliche pulled Berry''s hand, who was not used to this. Just as she had said, the tree G was aiming for was right nearby. Just¡ª¡ª "...the wooden tag" When G saw it, she paused and stared nkly at the tree. The tree no longer had a tag, only a degraded and wound rope remains. She closed her eyes for a moment and crouched down. G scraped the snow with her hand and searched under it to find a frozen wooden tag. "...It was still hanging in the summer but, ah I see. Because of the storm the other day huh" "That''s, uhh..." "Oh, it''s my son. They said he died in an ident." G looked at the wooden tag for a while, and she traced the name written there lovingly. Krische stared at G and then suddenly looked up at Bery. When Bery tilted his head, Krische shook her head and looked at G again. "He was stupid, selfish, and quick to quarrel¡well, he wasn¡¯t a good child, but I still feel lonely. No matter what I said, He was my cute only son after all." Bery was at a loss as to what to say to her, and couldn''t think of the right words to say. Giving a wry smile to Bery, G said that she was fine. "... Well, I thought it was about time. It was many years ago, and I''ve sorted out my mind. this is how he''s going to go, I''ll be more than happy to see him off with a smile on my face." Bery nodded and bowed to the wooden tag held by G. Krische stared at the situation and asked G. "... do you want to bury it?" "Oh, I will. Can you help me?" "Yes, uh... Krische¡¯ll bring a shovel." Krische ran to the house and immediately brought a shovel. She shoved a wide swath of snow under the trees, poked the shovel into the frozen soil, repeated it several times, and then took a step back without saying a word. G looked at the wooden tag for a while, held it to her chest, and wiped her eyes several times. Then she carefully undid the piece of string that remained on the tree, put it together with the wooden tag, and slowly and regretfully ced it in the hole Krische had dug. "Next time, please properly live a long life so as not to make your parents sad." She nodded to Krische, who then used the shovel to move back the soil, evened it lightly and covered it with snow. G bowed her head again, and Bery followed suit. Only Krische watched G bowing like that for a while. With tomorrow''s departure, Krische and Bery had some work to do. They parted ways with G, saying that they would see each otherter, and went through the procedures to buy food for the return trip. Krische seemed to have something to say from visiting the grave, and she seemed to be confused. When asked what was wrong, she just shook her head as if she was lost. It must have been around the time they entered Krische¡¯s house, which G had taken care of, Bery made a pot of tea, and took a break. Watching her face floating in the tea, Krische quietly opened her mouth. "...Bery" "yes" Bery smiled as usual. Somehow, faintly. She knew what Krische was going to talk about. She wouldn''t have thought so if it was just from what she heard from Gst night. But with what happened in the grave, the way her purple eyes were shaking and a little frightened now. It reminded her of when she tried to kill Rnd some time ago. She knew she killed bandits when she was in the vige. She also knows what she looked like when she tried to kill Rnd. If necessary, Krische has no qualms about killing people. She didn''t dare ask, but she thought maybe she had done something like that in the vige. Killing bandits¨D¨DBerry did not know if that was truly the only kind of murder she hadmitted in the vige. "...Oba-san¡¯s child, a long time ago, Krische killed him." What kind of person was the girl named Krische? So with all of that in mind, Bery could predict those words. Chapter 126: The Chipped Girls Sin and Punishment Chapter 126: The Chipped Girl''s Sin and Punishment ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 126 The Chipped Girl''s Sin and Punishment*** Kayle and Katias. The two boys could be described as childhood friends. In a word, annoying. When Krische was small, she was often dragged along in their fun. She was forced to go along with the unknown, make a believe fight, and roam the vige under the guise of exploration. After being scolded by her father Gorka for going into the forest once, she stopped going along with them. It seemed doing something that broke the rules was fun to them, and theirpany was nothing but a detriment to Krische, who sought recognition from others. "Kayle-kun and the others are ying, you know. I will do it, so Krische just go y." "They''re bad boys, so Krische doesn''t enjoy ying with them. Krische had much more fun helping Kaa-sama...'' "W-well, I know they''re a bit naughty and I know Krische is angry about the other day, but...it''s not good to ignore them. Whether you turn them down or not, you still need to talk to them." Grace told her that at least they were inviting her to y with them because they think it''s fun. Krische also thought Grace was right and went over to them and honestly told them she didn''t want to y with them because she didn''t enjoy ying with them. If they were inviting her to y with them as a favor, it would be bad to refuse each time. She concluded that it would be better if she told them clearly so that they didn''t have to ask her out again. "Ahh...t-that''s not what I mean, Krische." "...?" "Um, huh... what should I say..." "¡¡Um, more importantly Kaa-sama, the pot is boiling, is that okay?" "A¡¡" Her clumsy mother made a lot of mistakes, and Krische wanted to follow her up, and she also loved spending time with Grace. She had plenty of work to do if she wanted to help her mother, and she learned more than she would have with the two children. "Kaa-sama, um...the soup has too much salt even before the ingredients are added...a little, just a little bit...it''s hard for Krische." "T-that so...I''m sorry..." "Ah, no, it''s okay...Kaa-sama must be tired from a lot of work, so please sit down. Krische will make dinner tonight." Especially since she started cooking. After that, the two stopped inviting her to hang out, but instead, they rolled up her skirt, bad-mouthed her, and harassed her. It was unpleasant, but it was her who refused their favors. Krische decided to put up with it to some extent. The harassment at that time was trivial, and everyone understood that it was them that was at fault. Thinking that there would be no problem if she left it alone. She spent her days as normal. The trigger that changed that was probably after she showed up at the training ground. ¨D¨DWe never know when disaster will befall us. At that time, the only thing that can protect you is your own sword, and as we gain strength, we can protect those we love. Know that what you are wielding is not violence, but the power to protect others in times of need. One day, when she happened to pass by the training ground, the vignte leader Zar was telling the children such a story. She had always thought it was a good idea to learn to use a sword for protection, and she was interested in it, but since Grace hated violence, she found it difficult to bring it up. But those words seemed good to say Not just for herself, but for someone else. Learning violence to protect someone in an emergency¨D¨Dit was a convenient excuse to start learning the sword, and if not for Gorka and Gallen, who were great hunters, then at least for mother. If mother was in danger, the person who could help her would be her, the person who was closest to her. Krische told Grace that and asked her if she would be allowed to participate in the training. That night, thanks to Gallen and Gorka nodding their heads in agreement, she was allowed to participate in the training, despite Grace repeatedly telling her to be careful not to injure herself. Women were allowed to participate if they wanted to, while men were forced to participate once they were able to hold a sword. Naturally, Kayle and Katias were there as well, and when Krische visited the training grounds, she was harassed as usual. She was fed up with the harassment, which had been going on ever since she turned down their invitation, and it was annoying to have it interfere with her training. "¨D¨DIf Krische shows them that Krische is much stronger, it will surely disappear", she thought. He simply thought so, and after learning the basics of the sword lightly, she decided to show them that on the second day. The two of them were not good at giving up and challenged her many times, so she beat them again and again until they gave up¨D¨Dtheirck of giving up was not a bad thing as a training partner. Each time she would change her method, y her sword and make them fall, and continued until finally they both cried and left. ''Grace! What kind of education are you giving that child? No matter how much training it is...Katias came home crying, you know?'' "...sorry." "Stop Kanya. It''s a children''s quarrel, really. That idiot Kayle, your Katias must have been mean to Krische-chan. It''s a good lesson, it''s going to make them a little more mature. You were too energetic to begin with." The next day, Katsias''s mother stormed into the house. G took control of the situation, smiling and saying that Krische was not to me. Krische thought so too, and she didn''t hit them with the wooden sword, and she was a little careful when she made him fall. She didn''t understand why Katsias'' mother was angry. "¡Krische didn''t hurt them or anything. The two of them said they wanted to fight many times, so we just had a match." ''...Krische was angry with them, so you decided to make them cry, didn''t you?'' "...Krische didn''t want to make them cry. ...At first, Krische thought that if they found out that Krische was stronger than them, they might stop harassing Krische." After G and Katias'' mother left, Grace sighed troubled. "¡¡Is that so? I think both sides are at fault this time. Of course, it''s their fault for being mean all this time, and I think Krische is also a bit at fault to try to do something about it with force." "Krische is also bad?" "Yes. We have a mouth that we can use to talk properly, so if you want them to stop doing something, you should have a proper discussion first. If you use your power, the other person may listen to what you say, but if that''s the correct way to do it, the strongest person is the greatest, and he ends up being obeyed by anyone after all." She held Krische gently and stroked her head. The touch Grace gives always felt good for Krische. "When there really is nothing you can do about it, there may be situations where you need power, but¡ but that is only ast resort. I want Krische to be a child who can solve various problems properly by talking. ¡I know Krische is not good at talking, but I think Krische is a good girl who can do that kind of thing." "¡Good child" "Yes, Krische is my proud daughter after all. ¡If there is something that is difficult to say or that you cannot solve by yourself, I will always cooperate with you. I may be unreliable, but Krische should rely on me once in a while. I am your mother after all." Krische thought about Grace''s words a lot. But it seems to her that it was not wrong to think that the strongest person was the greatest. She thought it would be nice if she could be the strongest and that would solve all the problems. For Krische, this idea was more appealing than anything else. Children were troublesome when they cried. On the other hand, if it''s an adult to some extent, they probably wouldn''t cry and tattle. She trained hard against adults, and within a week she was losing less and less, and within a month she was losing to no one but Zar. When they began to have trouble fighting Krische, what she began to hear was malicious gossip about Krische. She''s creepy, she''s crazy. These were words she hadn''t heard in a long time, although they had been said to her often when she was a child, when she used to walk silently behind Grace. Strangely, they seem to be telling stories that she didn''t have any recollections of, such as that the chicken they kept died because Krische killed it, or that she took out the intestines of the rabbit and ate it. She then realized that it was Kayle and Katias who were spreading it. Maybe it wasn''t all. By that time, she had finally begun to realize that it would not be good for her reputation if she beat them too severely, even though it was a match, and she also understood that she had lowered her reputation a lot without realizing it. However, it was also troubling if it spread further The overt harassment had disappeared, such as the Krische''sundry being the only one falling to the ground, but they continued to harass her in the dark. She thought about having an opportunity to talk with them, just like her mother had told her. However, even if she was asking them to stop swearing and harassing her, there was no reason for Krische to bow to them in the first ce. She had turned down their invitations in the past¨D¨Dto go this far just for that reason was beyond "somewhat unpleasant". Even if she bowed down to them and asked them to stop, she thought that they would only be more impudent because of it. If she made them think that if they harass her, Krische will give in and act subservient, then the same thing may happen again and again. Krische said nothing to Grace. It was because relying on Grace and causing trouble was not something that could be tolerated within Krische. But Grace tried to talk to them for Krische''s sake, but she apologized with a troubled face saying they ran away. She looked at her face and thought for a moment. "...why is this guy here, Kaa-chan?" "Why do you say that? ...Today is for your 10th birthday feast. And Krische-chan said she will also help me." "...I will never eat that guy''s pie alright, it''s disgusting." "Kayle!" Boys who turned 10 that year were allowed to be apprentices to hunters, and as a turning point, they became the stars of the spring festival. G had been looking out for Krische for a long time and invited her to serve pies there. Maybe that would solve this nonsense, she thought. Krische, who had been wondering what to do, agreed. She thought she should at least make an effort for Grace, who had gone out of her way to help her. "I''m sorry, no matter how many times I said to that stupid son, of mine... I''m really sorry for Krische-chan." "No, Krische doesn''t mind." "¡thank you. I''m really sorry." It''s true that she didn"t care. For Krische, it was meant as ast resort, and if he was unwilling toply, so be it. An existence that makes Krische ufortable and brings disadvantages just by being alive. It''s just like the dirt and dust in the house. Simply, if you see it, you clean it up. At least they are not needed around Krische, and at least Krische has nothing to worry about even without them. The rule is just a rule, such as not to kill people. The only reason Krische kept them was simply for the sake of her reputation in themunity. If it would be a disadvantage for Krische, there was no need to follow it, and even if she killed the two of them, it wouldn''t be a problem if it wasn''t exposed. Krische had the power to do so, and once she killed them, there was no need to listen to them. They will have neither a mouth to speak nor limbs to harass her after all. She started preparing on that day, and a few dayster, she got rid of them. They would never be able to make her ufortable again. On the day of the murder, it took her less than half an hour to finish the job, and she helped her mother with her work, feeling refreshed. G was sad after the two bodies were found, but Krische didn''t particrly care. She had been allowed to use the oven in G''s house for a long time, but it was rather convenient because Kayle was always getting in the way. Every day she would go to her house, now that she was alone, to bake pies. "...Krische-chan. The oven again?" "Yes. Also, Kaa-sama said, if Oba-san doesn''t mind, would you like to have dinner with us?" "...If that''s the case, let''s have it together. I''m sorry, making Krische-chan worry about me." "No, Krische is also allowed to use the oven, and Krische is very grateful to Oba-san for being so kind to Krische¡?" G hugged Krische and shook her shoulders. "I''m sorry....can we stay like this for a little bit?" "Yes, it''s ok. Krische also likes to be squeezed by an Oba-san." Krische smiled at the sensation. Since then, G has been much kinder to Krische than before. Shortly after that Krische heard, Katias'' mother who wasn''t originally friendly to Krische, and was rather mean, had disappeared while picking edible wild nts. Many unpleasant things disappeared from the vige. From the bottom of her heart, she was d she had killed them both. She didn''t question it at the time, and didn''t think much of it afterwards. But¨D¨D ¨D¨DBery listened silently to the old story that was being narrated. ¡°Why is Krische-sama telling me this?¡± "... Krische doesn"t want to hide something... from Bery, so Krische decided to tell Bery properly." Krische continued. Peeking at Bery''s face. "...After that, Krische also killed the uncle who was touching Krische''s body even before the bandits came...but there was a good reason for both, and even now Krische still honestly doesn''t think Krische was at fault.¡± Krische waited for Bery to speak. Bery took in the situation and replied. "... Is that so? If Krische-sama thinks so, I think so too." ¡°Eh...?¡± Bery smiled at the confused Krische. "I''m always on Krische-sama''s side, so it''s only natural. If Krische-sama says it''s right from the bottom of her heart, I''ll believe in the same truth as Krische-sama." Then she leaned in closer. She looked Krische straight in the eye and put her hand on her cheek. "Please don''t worry. I won''t hate Krische-sama, and even if everyone in the world hates Krische-sama, I will still love Krische-sama. Because I made a vow and decided like that. ¡Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of being disliked by me.¡± "That... that is" "Whether it''s a sin or not, my number one priority is Krische-sama. If Krische-sama is to be med for that, I will say to that person that Krische-sama is right, and I will proudly say that." "W-wait, wait... please, that''s not what Krische meant." Krische said in a panic, and Bery, who saw that, chuckled and stroked her head. Then hugged her and asked. "¡Then, what was Krische-sama''s intention?" "Th-the truth is...Krische knew it wasn''t right, and it"s something Bery didn''t like." "Does Krische-sama want me to scold you?" "¡¡don''t know" Bery stroked the bewildered Krische''s hair and waited patiently. It''s not something that can be easily taught, such as what should be done this way, what should be done that way, and there was no correct answer. If Krische truly believes that the answer she had just given was the right one, that''s fine with Bery. But she just thought that it should not be something she could say without hesitation and without worrying about it. "What Krische just said wasn''t all a lie, Krische really thinks so. Even now, Krische thinks it can''t be helped at that time, but... Krische felt very, very bad that Krische made Oba-san sad... but that was a long time ago... So Krische, don''t know what to do." "...Is, what Krische-sama wants to know is whether she should apologize to G-sama who doesn''t know anything, or should she keep it a secret?" "¡¡yes." If there was such a thing as a brilliant answer, She might have wondered if she should tell her. But there was no such answer anywhere. "Krische is like Oba-san. Krische met her for the first time in a long time, and Krische wanted to make her Oba-san happy... but when Krische remembered that Krische made Oba-san so sad, Krische wondered if it was really okay or not..." It was not about killing people. What Krische felt guilty about was that she made G sad because of it. "Krische did it, knowing it was wrong. Krische thinks Krische should apologize properly. But Krische kept it a secret... so Oba-san didn''t know either.¡¡Krische thought that if Oba-san knew, Oba-san would be very sad, but, uh, Krische doesn''t really understand.¡± She didn''t think killing people was a bad thing. She killed if necessary. She was originally a person who did not even question it. She learnt the rules to fit into society, judged right and wrong against what''s ''right'' in those rules, and tried hard to be a good girl. She said she couldn''t help it, she said she knew it was bad. She regretted not that she killed someone, but that she broke the rules. And she regretted that she made G sad. And Bery sure that the reason she went out of her way to say this was because she was there. She knew she was dependent on her. She knew she was trying hard to be a good girl that she liked. So she seemed to want to be scolded by her in order to manage her guilt. She didn''t understand what was normal for people. The good, the bad, the right, and the wrong. She thought it was because she was abnormal and had given up. That''s why she needed guidance. She couldn''t see the bad things as bad, and she hated herself for that. "¨D¨DKrische is weird, so Krische doesn''t think it''s sad or painful to kill someone. Krische is fine. L¡¡But when Bery sees Krische, Bery feels painful and sad, right?" What this girl longed for was trivial and nothing, just a mere "normal". But she knew that her values were out of sync with the norm, and so she entrusted them to her. She was asking her, because she felt that what was right for Berry¨D¨Da normal sin was a sin, and she wanted to ept the punishment. "...Krische-sama sure is beautiful." "Bery...?" An old sin, even though she didn''t need to say it. Rather, if it was truly ''normal'', they would have stayed silent and pretended nothing ever happened. That way, they would not be hurt and the truth could be buried in the dark without causing trouble to anyone. But she was too clumsy to make such a choice. Because she wished more than anyone else, the natural normal. "If Krische-sama asked me anything, I will try to answer as much as possible." Sometimes she wondered what happiness meant to her. Bery was willing to teach her many things to make her happy, but what bothered her the most was probably the "normal happiness" that Bery presented. Was it really her happiness for her show righteous argument? If she did not know, if she had not been taught, she would have been happy without question. She was stronger and moreplete than anyone else, she had that much power and everything. She was sure she could have made her happier than anyone else. But she sometimes wondered if she was making her weaker and unhappier than anyone else, and that''s why she couldn''t answer her own question. "But, I still cannot answer that question." It''s easy to just say it, and if she presents it appropriately (randomly), it would solve her current troubles. However, it would only solve it, and it would be nothing more than a stopgap that did not lead to the resolution of the fundamental problem. She herself must have been a cowardly viin. She always pushed her selfish good intentions on her and always pushed her around. Even while recognizing that, "Like I said earlier¡ I think what Krische-sama thinks, worries, and feels right should be the answer." Bery told her so. Chapter 127: The Arcing Moon Chapter 127: The Arcing Moon ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 127 The Arcing Moon*** The sky was quite clear this evening. The stars were twinkling, and the cold wind was blowing gently. Rising in the sky was a beautiful crescent moon, chipped and arched. It shone in the middle of the sky, fleetingly, it shone silvery white and illuminated the surroundings. Slowly warming her hands with her breath, Berry looked up at the sky. Therge, chipped arc was distorted, yet infinitely beautiful. It waxed and waned repeatedly, far from the perfection of a perfect circle, and it seemed in danger of suddenly disappearing from the sky. ¨D¨DBerry liked the appearance of that moon. The crisp sound of treading snow echoed from behind her. The steps were just a little slow, erratic and unsteady. Bery turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. "Wee back, Krische-sama." "¡¡Yes." Embracing the little body by her side, shebed her silver hair, which resembled the moonlight. Then she stroked it gently. "...Krische couldn''t say." "Is that so?" Bery said, inviting her inside her own cloak. "Look, you can see a beautiful moon today." "¨D¨DLike Krische-sama¡¯s name, it is a very beautiful crescent moon." "¨D¨DIn order to atone for your sins, you could say that it is generally the right thing to tell them. But I can''t say it''s a good thing either. It can even destroy all the happiness you had before. You could say it''s self-satisfaction." Bery told Krische. "What is important is what Krische-sama wants to do and what Krische-sama thinks you should do on top of that. That''s all that matters, and it''s a matter of what''s in Krische-sama¡¯s heart. Just¡" Without telling her what to do, "I believe that Krische-sama is right in thinking that way, and that there is no mistake in Krische-sama¡¯s conclusion. Whatever it may be, at least I think so." She just left the choice to Krische. Krische spent the rest of the night wondering what she should do, but she had no answer. It was the same as Garo, who touched her body. She thought he deserved to die, and she felt refreshed when she killed him. She still didn¡¯t think it was aplete mistake, but now she felt bad for making G sad. Apologizing for it would probably be the right thing to do. But G didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t even notice. She seemed to have already epted her son''s death, and she had always had a good rtionship with Krische, and she loved her. G would be sad and angry if she knew that Krische had killed her child. Maybe she would realize that everything she had been through had been a sham, and she would be unhappy. She might think that her love for the abnormal Krische was a hopeless tragedy. It was right to tell, but it was not good. Maybe that''s what Bery was trying to say, and maybe she shouldn''t apologize. She never felt bad for the person she had killed. Because she never thought of that in the first ce. "What''s wrong, Krische-chan?" She had finished eating at G''s house and asked Bery to leave first. It was Krische who did the wrong thing, and Krische didn''t want Berry to be yelled at together with her. Bery would probably just take whatever abuse she was given in silence. She would not get angry at them for being unreasonable but would listen to them as if she was the one that hadmitted the sin. If she was attacked, she might not even resist. Bery always made an effort for Krische. For Krische¡¯s sake, she was willing to go to great lengths. That''s why she didn''t want her to be here. It was the abnormal Krische who was at fault, not Bery. She wanted to be the Krische that Bery loved with all her heart. She wanted to be the Krische who could see and feel the same things as Bery, and could honestly say that what Bery thought was good was good and what Bery thought was bad was bad. "... Krische-chan?" The trigger was all Bery Probably because she saw Bery happily talking to G. Bery must have been sad to see G wiping her tears in front of her grave. So she suddenly remembered something from the past that she didn''t even remember anymore. It was something that could have been kept a secret from Bery, but her chest was feeling foggy, and she felt like she had to tell Berry. One thing that came to her mind as to why that was. She didn''t want to create a lie in her rtionship with Bery. Krische couldn¡¯t understand other people well. Everyone was so ambiguous, had a pretext, and was full of lies. Krische¡¯s normal was not even their normal, so she could not understand them. That''s why Krische had spent her days worrying about her reputation, taking care of her appearance so that she could get along with them, trying to look like a good child. ¡®¨D¨DSo, please tell me about various parts of Krische-sama. Leaving aside other people, at least I want to understand each other with Krische-sama. If you havemon ground, you will enjoy more and more things, and you will be happier.¡Me and Krische-sama.¡¯ That''s why she was so happy to hear that. Berry was the only one who epted and tried to understand all of Krische¡¯s weird parts¨D¨DKrische didn''t want to lie to such Bery. She didn''t want to bring falsehoods into her rtionship with Bery by hiding things like that. "Uhh, there''s something Krische wants to talk to Oba-san about..." Krische began slowly. "No matter what kind of sin Krische-samamits in the future, I will continue to love Krische-sama. However, it is very painful for a loved one to sin without knowing it, so I taught Krische-sama various things to prevent that from happening. ¡I just want Krische-sama to live a happy life withoutmitting sin." Sin was something that must be atoned for. At least if you know it was a sin. If Krische felt it was a sin, that¡¯s how it should be. Bery taught Krische many things so she can be happy. She had always taught her about everything from empathy, love, and cooking¨D¨DBery always taught her something about spending time with others. At least it wasn''t for the fake rtionships that Krische had created. What she always offered to Krische was something to create an authentic rtionship. She didn¡¯t think it was self-satisfaction, nor did she think it was a good thing. G liked Krische, and Krische liked G. She thought it was a good rtionship, but it was a false one. There was nothing but a disadvantage to destroying it, but Krische felt that it should be done. Krische wanted to be like Berry. She wanted to see and rejoice in the same things, to see and grieve in the same things, to feel the same things. She didn¡¯t know what was right and what was good. However, if Bery was here, she would surely do so, so Krische spun the words. "It''s about Oba-san¡¯s...child." "...Kayle?" G''s eyes widened and she stared at the downcast Krische. "... Yes. To be honest... even though Krische said Krische didn''t care, Krische was concerned about Kayle and Katias saying bad things about Krische." G wrinkled her brow thoughtfully. "Krische was really annoyed that they were badmouthing Krische to so many people¡Krische thought it would be nice if they just disappeared." She closed her eyes as she listened to Krische¡¯s words. "That¡¯s why, Krische¨D¨D" Krische tried to continue her words, "Krische-chan, let¡¯s stop there." "...Eh?" But G stopped it. G sighed at the surprised Krische. "I''ve always thought it was strange when we were cooking and eating, because Krische-chan, who loves to cook and is such a glutton, looked so gloomy." "...Oba-san." Then she smiled and continued. "What I just heard convinced me, but I don''t want to hear more. So even if Krische-chan wants to talk more, please stop." "But¨D¨D" "It''s okay." G looked up at the ceiling and fell silent for a while. She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. Then she looked at Krische. "...I epted it a long time ago, and today, finally, Kayle has left too. Whatever actually happened, whatever it was...it''s over now. Oba-san doesn''t want to hear about it." G reached for Krische¡¯s head. Krische was frightened for a moment but held on and did not move. G just gently stroked her head. "Oba-san loves Krische-chan very much, and now, Krische-chan is like Oba-san''s purpose in life. No matter what the truth was at the time... Oba-san spent time thinking that way, and Oba-san had thought about various things and decided." While stroking her like that, "... No matter what Krische-chan says now, Oba-san won''t hold a grudge against Krische-chan anymore." G told her with gentle, slightly sad eyes. At the time, she suspected that Krische might have had something to do with this. She knew that her son had done terrible things to her, and she knew that the girl Grace had taken in was a little different from the norm. She couldn¡¯t say she never thought Krische might have done something to her son. But she never showed any sign of it, and she woulde over to borrow the oven and cook with her. As these days turned into her daily routine, those doubts disappeared before she knew it. She began to see only her good side much more than before. "...That¡¯s why the talk ends here." Krische killed the bandit to protect the vige. Krische who was spoiled by Grace and herself. Krische who was hardworking and polite, but also gluttonous and stubborn. Even now, the many images of Krische from her time in the vige would always float behind her eyelids. Whatever truth she was about to tell, G had found happiness again by loving her. Nothing more was needed. "But Oba-san..." "If Krische-chan isn¡¯t convinced, then my punishment for Krische-chan is for Krische-chan to do so and for to keep quiet. Okay?" "but¡¡" Krische was still not convinced. However, looking at G''s face, she nodded as if she had given up. "¡¡Y8es" "...Good girl. Come here." G held the downcast Krische and pressed her cheek against her head. G smiled as she caressed the silky silver hair. "... Oba-san has decided to love Krische-chan, for Grace''s part too. Even though Krische-chan came home, please don''t make that face." Krische said nothing and nodded. G continued. "You''re going to say goodbye tomorrow, but if it¡¯s like this isn¡¯t it sad. Oba-san wants Krische-chan to smile. Grace wants that too." "...Kaa-sama?" "Yes, Grace too." She patted Krische on the back, got up, and opened the closed wooden window. "¡It was cloudy all the time, but today is the day when we can see a rare and beautiful crescent moon." She looked at the moon, smiled, and returned to Krische. "On the day that Krische-chan came back by chance, Krische was floating in the night sky. ...Oba-san thinks Oba-san can hear Grace''s wish that Krische would always smile and be happy. Gughed at the bewildered Krische, asking if she couldn¡¯t believe it. As sheughed, she kissed Krische on the forehead. "Even if it''s a coincidence, it''s a wonderful thing that''s steeped in fate. Anyway, at least Oba-san believes so, and Oba-san thinks so....Oba-san wants Krische-chan to smile for Oba-san who believes so." "¨D¨DTomorrow, I want Krische-chan to go back with a smile and think that Krische-chan is d she came back here." G kissed her on the forehead again. Krische¡¯s eyes remained downcast, but she nodded firmly. "...Okay" "Okay, that''s fine....It''s alreadyte today, and Bery-san is also waiting for you. Now, go." The voice and face remained gentle to the end. The image of such G was burned into Krische¡¯s eyes. ¨D¨DKrische simply pressed her face against Bery without looking up at the sky. Bery listened in silence as Krische repeated G words to her, piece by piece. Bery smiled somewhat relieved and stroked Krische¡¯s head. "It''s what Krische -sama decided and what G -sama wanted....if so, that''s all that matters." After listening to the story, Bery said so and smiled. Krische was not convinced, but there was nothing more she could do now that she had been told not to talk about it. "Actually, the truth is trivial." Bery caressed her cheek as Krische lifted her face. "There is no way to know for sure what the truth is, it''s just a trick of words. We all live in a ce that is convenient for us, so we just choose what is usible and convenient among the deceptions." "¨D¨DIf that leads to the person¡¯s happiness, then that¡¯s fine." Berry said and looked at her own hand. "If you are forcing something they don''t want on someone because it is the truth and it destroys their happiness, then I don''t think it is a good thing to do." "Is that...so?" "Whether it''s true or not, at least I think so. People are creatures who choose and decide what is true for themselves." Sheughed mischievously and looked at Krische. "Krische-sama, how can Krische-sama believe that I love you?" "Eh?" "It''s not like Krische-sama can see what''s in my heart. But isn¡¯t it because Krische-sama thinks it''s usible, a convenient, and a happy truth?" "That is¡¡" When Krische suddenly became uneasy, Bery smiled wryly. "Likewise, I couldn¡¯t see what''s inside Krische-sama¡¯s heart, so I don''t know if it''s the real truth. But the reality that Krische-sama loves me makes me feel very happy, so I just believe that." She put strength into the hand that held Krische and kissed her forehead as she held her body close to hers. "... See, the truth is trivial, isn''t it? What is important is the matter of how the person perceives that truth." After saying that Bery turned her eyes to the sky again. A fleeting silver crescent moon in the sky¡ª¡ªgently illuminating the area. "Rightness and good and evil are all just interpretations that are convenient for someone. Socially, it would be said that the majority is right, and the minority is wrong. ¡In that sense, Krische-sama may be wrong and evil." Krische was frightened by the words, and Bery continued. "However, I feel that the answer that Krische-sama gave after worrying about it is a good answer. G-sama also thought about various things before telling Krische-sama not to say anything, and Krische-sama chose to take G-sama''s words to heart." She stretched out her hand as if to frame the moon and narrowed her eyes. "... The result of both of you thinking about each other. I think that the conclusion you should look at is not just something like in general, so I think that''s fine." Krische looked at her and let her gaze wander. She really didn¡¯t know if this was correct or not. Even so, Bery still affirmed Krische. She felt happy, scared, filled with iprehensible feelings. "Actually, just like Krische-sama is worried about it, I don¡¯t really understand it either.¡What is really right and what is good? I don''t know for sure." "Bery, too?" "Yes. ¡Some people may say that murder is a sin and should not be forgiven for whatever reason. I can''t deny that, and I can also agree with what that saying. There is a certain righteousness to it." Bery giggled and fell backward. She plunged her body in the knee-deep snow. "Bery!?" Krische was surprised by the sudden entricity, but Bery sprawled on the snow andughed happily. She giggled like a little girl, and put her hand on Krische¡¯s cheek as she crouched down, looking worried. "But I don''t really care about good and evil and righteousness.... I believe in Krische-sama more than anyone else." The feeling of snow on her cold body. She felt her mind, which had been pondering for so long, calm down. No matter how many years ago it happened, Krische should atone for her sin and be punished ording to thew. She didn¡¯t think that idea was wrong. If Bery told her to do it, she would do it. But Krische had strength, and political power as a noble. In fact, when she left the vige, it would be difficult for the vige to judge her, who had be a noble of the kingdom. Even more so now¡ª¡ªbefore that political power her sin at this small vige was the same as nothing. "... No matter what Krische-sama says, no matter what Krische-sama wants, there is no one in the Kingdom who can judge Krische-sama as a sinner." Even if she talked about the truth because it was the truth, it would only be unhappy for everyone. Then who in the world would judge this girl for her sins? "From the point of view of the Kingdom''s interests, there isn¡¯t even a need to weigh the vigers against Krische-sama. Thew cannot judge Krische-sama, nor will Krische-sama be judged..¡For example, even if Krische-sama finds me unpleasant and kills me here, even if Krische-sama burns this vige to the ground, Krische-sama will surely be free without being judged by anyone." "K-Krische, ...that kind of thing." "Of course, I don''t think that Krische-sama would do such a thing. But I''m just saying that Krische-sama can do it." Was it all right to kill in battle? Is it okay to kill people if they were bandits? There was no difference between killing someone because it is unpleasant. In the end, it was just a just cause for profit, the difference was whether it was afortable reason to listen or not. ¡ª¡ªMurder was not justified for any reason, and it was always unjust. " Krische-sama has the power to break any rule,w, or order. If Krische-sama wishes and wields her power, Krische-sama will be allowed to do anything. If you have as much power as Krische-sama, then that¡¯s definitely not a mistake." "...Eh?" To the puzzled Krische, Bery continued, saying it¡¯s simple. "After all,w is only a formality. It is nothing more than a statement that sounds good within the scope of thew and that shows such correctness....The very concepts of justice and evil, sin and punishment do not reside there." At least, she didn''t think it was that kind of formality that was important. She stared at the puzzled girl''s violet eye and narrowed her eyes. "I don¡¯t mind if Krische-sama kills me. Whether it''s the Ojou-sama or Kreschenta-sama, even if Krische-sama kills all the people in the kingdom, they will forgive Krische-sama. As long as Krische-sama doesn''t care about anyone, Krische-sama has the power to do so. I''m sure Krische-sama knows that, and it''s not wrong for Krische-sama to do so... But does Krische-sama not do so?" "... Because Krische doesn''t want to do that." Krische¡¯s gaze wavered, as if probing Bery''s intentions. Krische answered with a look of unease on her face, and Bery caressed her cheek to ease it. "Don''t want to... In the past, Krische-sama said that it¡¯s because there is aw against killing people. Do you remember?" "...Krische did. But... tha-that''s not it¡ª¡ª" Krische was about to say that it was different now, but it seemed as if nothing had changed in her mind since then. Krische loved Bery so Krische wouldn''t kill her. Same with Selene and Kreschenta. Krische didn¡¯t want to do anything bad because it would be sad for Bery and the others, and because it would not be good for Kreschenta. That''s all there was to it, and her vague thoughts didn''t turn into words, and she could not say that what she had said was a lie, a mistake, or anything else. She just wanted to do good and be a good girl. And she just wanted to be recognized as such. That''s why she stuttered without saying anything, and Bery smiled at her. "That''s all that matters. ...I think that the feelings that Krische-sama is feeling right now are what Krische-sama should cherish above all else." "...But Krische is not a good girl at¡ª¡ª" "At least, the current Krische-sama is trying to feel righteousness and good and bad, and is trying to cherish it. Krische-sama strives to be better for someone else, and the fact that Krische-sama thinks seriously about it is proof that Krische-sama is a good child more than anything else." Deep down, Bery thought so. That''s why she thought Krische was beautiful. She was too strong and better than anyone else. There was no one in this world who could judge her. No one can deny her righteousness by force. "...I don''t even know if Krische-sama''s choice is right or not." For her, who tries to live in a normal world despite being different from other people, it was a tragedy above all that there was no one to correct her mistakes. Shecked what she should be and if she still hoped to obtain the happiness that was only natural in the normal world, there was only one way to do it, Bery thought. "But I believe that Krische-sama is kinder and purer than anyone else¡ At least, I think that the answer that Krische-sama is seriously worried about and arrived at is not wrong." And Bery had decided to believe her. When Bery smiled at her, Krische¡¯s gaze wavered as if she were frightened. And, she muttered. "...Krische doesn¡¯t have confidence." "Didn''t I tell Krische-sama? Even I don''t have confidence." She rubbed Krische¡¯s cheek lovingly and continued. "¡It¡¯s not that the result is right. I just believe that it¡¯s the right thing for Krische-sama to think seriously about a question that has no answer. I believe that the most important thing is always the process." Beckoned by her hand, Krische fell to her as she sank into the snow. "If Krische-sama thinks it''s a sin, then bear the sin in Krische-sama''s own way, and if Krische-sama thinks Krische-sama should be punished, in Krische-sama''s own way receive the punishment. Reflect on yourself so Krische-sama doesn''tmit another crime, try to do something good for someone else... don''t stop thinking, don''t run away." *Pofu*, a somewhat silly sound resounded, and what she felt was warmth. "I believe that it is good to keep trying, and that it will eventually lead to the right thing to do. Of course, it will be very difficult. It may be especially difficult for Krische-sama.¡But I will always been on Krische-sama¡¯s side¡ª¡ª" The frosty coldness of the snow entuated her gentle voice and the sensation of her body. "Even if everyone in the world says that Krische-sama is wrong, I am the only one who can confidently assert that Krische-sama is not wrong. ...Yes, I will swear with confidence." "Is this not enough?", Bery said, smiling. Krische gasped. ¨D¨DEveryone in the world, no matter what they think. Bery often used that phrase to talk to Krische. These words were also the same word as what she said at noon. But it sounded like apletely different word. It was a threatening trust¨D¨Dfilled with overflowing love. "Bery is..." No matter how crazy Krische was, no matter how abnormal she was, no matter what mistakes she made because of it, Bery was ready to say it''s right in front of her. That''s how she intended to stay with Krische forever. No matter what Krische did, no matter how she said it, no matter how wrong she was, always. "... Terribly, scary." She was sure Bery knew Krische felt that way. So Bery surrendered all of her to Krische. There was nothing but reckless affection and trust there¨D¨Dthat''s precisely why it''s more scary than anything else. "That''s why I said it right. That I might look like this but I''m persistent." With a mischievous smile, she looked up at the sky. Krische, entrusting herself to her, suddenly looked up at the sky as if being guided by it. In the star-studded sky of ck indigo, the arc-shaped moon was floating in the middle of the sky. The moon and the starry sky. The wind was cold, but the touching skin was warmer than that. The inside of her chest was throbbing, burning, squeezing¨D¨Dsuch a strange feeling. But it''s not unpleasant, but rather the exact opposite. There was an tion that made her want to just roll over and run around, and a heat that made her heart leap with joy and happiness, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it. "...But I hope that Krische-sama will love me, and will believe in the vague happiness that I tell Krische-sama. I also love Krische-sama and have decided to believe Krische-sama¡¯s everything.¡¡So, please don''t hate me and always keep me by your side." ¨D¨DAhh There was something that came to Krische¡¯s mind with those words. The name Krische means this crescent moon. It was the one that was floating in the sky the night Krische¡¯s mother proposed to Krische¡¯s father. I hoped that the happiness I felt that day woulde to my daughter. May she be able to see that beautiful moon with someone. That was the name her mother had given her. For a long time, she had no idea what it meant. Krische did not feel anything when looking at the scenery, and did not think it was beautiful. Mother''s wish will nevere true¨D¨Dshe vaguely felt that way, but. She looked next to her. Red hair tangled in scattered snow. Her long eyshes glisten in the moonlight, and her big, gentle brown eyes surround her. A slender, well-shaped bridge of the nose and soft, pale red lips. As their gazes met, she felt her heart contracted, as if it were in agony. "Kaa-sama... maybe." "...?" After all, it was not unpleasant, but filled with an irrepressible sense of happiness. "...Maybe this is how she felt." Krische brought her face close to Bery¡¯s and put her lips to her lips. Silver hair mingled with red hair, and the moonlight reflected off the snowy earth, glistening. It''s beautiful, she felt so, for no reason. She didn''t know why, she didn¡¯t even know how, it just looked beautiful. The gentle, somewhat happy narrowed eyes, the heat, the touch, everything. It was happier than anything she had ever felt before, and without words, she savored the feeling. Without getting tired of it, letting it show something that cannot be expressed in words. Just like that, over and over again. It was snowing in her hometown. ¨D¨DIt was a day when an arcing moon was floating in the night sky. Chapter 128: Passing Each Other Chapter 128: Passing Each Other ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 128 Passing Each Other*** In the vige square, people were gathering waiting for Krische¡¯s depart. There were children and women, and even though there were few men there, they parted Krische reluctantly. "Pell, Krische told you not to look at Bery." "I-I didn¡¯t! Krische-nee-chan is so persistent, saying it every time we meet." "Because Bery is like poison to Pell''s eyes." Bery was embarrassed, while the others were just happily teasing Pell. Pell, whose face turned bright red, clicked his tongue and turned to face Kilik and the others. "Thank you for the training! When I turn fifteen, I will definitely join the army and aim for the ck Century!" "Haha, you sure are lively. But your muscles are quite good. Regardless of whether or not you join the army, you will be quite goodif you train. Do your best." "Yes!" Pell gives a mimicry salute, and Kilik responds with augh. But Krische groaned. "...Pell can''t enter cky (Kurofuyo), and Krische think it would be better if Pell didn''t go out on the battlefield and just work for the vige. If he goes out on the battlefield, he''ll die right away." "Krische nee-chan! Don''t say things like, just when I be really motivated!" Pell cannot use magic. No matter how good he is, he can''t enter the ck g Special Force. She only stated the fact, but Pell, who was suddenly frustrated with his start, stared at Krische. "Good grief, Krische nee-chan really doesn¡¯t change huh, still can''t read that kind of atmosphere since a long time ago." "Kuku, don''t get so angry Pel. Krische-sama is also worried. ¡Besides, it is important to work as a soldier, but it is also important to work as a vige vignte to keep the vige peaceful. All the more so if you know the tragedy ofcking strength." "... Well, that''s true but." "And it''s not just Krische-sama who''s worried." Kilik turned his gaze elsewhere. A girl who was Pell¡¯s childhood friend was staring at him. Pell looked at her, blushed, and turned away. She was a pretty girl who always followed Pell, and Pell was often teased about her. ¡°Not honest are you, reall.¡± Kilik chuckled, and Pell couldn''t say anything and kept his mouth shut. Then, the one who stepped forward was a well-built woman¨D¨DKrische was a little confused as to what kind of face she should make, but she put a slightly awkward smile on her face, and G smiled gently. She then handed her a wrapped pie that she had baked in the morning, and patted her on the head as she bended down and looked at her. "I''m sure Krische-chan is busy, and I don''t know if I''ll be able to see Krische-chan anymore if Krische-chan live in the royal capital, but... Krische-chan is wee toe back anytime when it has calmed down." "¡¡yes" "Auntie, along with Grace and Gorka, will always be watching over Krische-chan from afar so that she can live happily ever after." G said so, hugged her little body for just a moment before she turned her gaze to Bery. "I leave Krische-chan to you. If there''s someone like Bery-sana, I''ll be able to see off Krische-chan with peace of mind." ¡°Yes.¡± After bowing deeply to each other, G stroked Krische again. "Well then, Cliche-chan. Be careful when traveling... after the civil war, it seems that public order isn''t good." "... Yes, Oba-san too, please take care of your body." "Oh, of course. After seeing Krische-chan, all the ailments were blown away, so I''m sure I''ll be fine for the next few decades." G showed off her bicep andughed, and her eyes welling up. She wiped her eyes, took a breath, and smiled. Krische looked at her and leans in. "Um...Krische, love Oba-san so much." G nodded at that and replied, ¡®So does Oba-san.¡¯ "Just like Krische-chan, Oba-san thinks so too." "¡¡yes" Krische nodded happily and moved away. "Well then, see youter, Krische-chan." ¡°Yes, Krische wille back when Krische have time.¡± "Oh, I''m looking forward to it." Krische bowed her head and went to the carriage where Bery was. She wrapped her arms around her, leaned in and smiled. She bowed to them again as she get in, and then she and Bery walk into the box carriage. Unlike before, the people who saw them off did not break down in tears. They watched the carriage disappear into the distance with smiles on their faces. ¨D¨DA few days ago. Kilnan, a neighboring vige of Kalka, was not a veryrge vige, but it was a peaceful vige where handicrafts such as weaving thrived, and it was not particrly poor, with a close rtionship with the town. It traded with a vige a little to the south, turning wool into cloth and clothing for sale to the city, the men hunted and worked in the fields, and the women mostly devoted themselves to weaving, "Uu, Kaa-san, you don¡¯t have to hit me..." "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Be d, it¡¯s over with just that.¡± Mia grew up in arge family in such a vige. Her chestnut hair was tied back, and her features could be described as beautiful. Mia pouted her lips as she held her head that was hit by, her mother, Mirna who had a string-willed face. Kalua smiled at them as she followed them through the snowy vige. The two of them were wearing ck cloaks with crescent moon skulls embroidered on their chests, though they were not wearing swords or armor. Their hands were reinforced leather gauntlets, and their boots are rugged and sturdy. You could tell at a nce that they were a soldier, and were quite conspicuous, but there weren''t many people outside because of the snow. Only the faint sound of weaving looms could be heard from the huts here and there. The vige must have a well-equipped loom, which as rare for a country vige. Kahlua looked at the vige with admiration. "Kalua-san, was it?, did Mia cause you trouble?" ¡°No, on the contrary, she always help me a lot and we get along well.¡± Kalua sent a meaningful, teasing gaze to Mia. Mia stared at Kalua in annoyance but she only growled and didn¡¯t say anything. It seems that she was quite weak to her mother. "You can be honest, okay. She¡¯s clumsy and scatterbrained, and she can''t even weave a in cloth properly." "Fufu, I heard that in exchange, Mia-san was a hard worker in the vige. "Carrying luggage, right. ¡At that time I wondered how it would be.¡± A gracefuldy¡ª¡ªIt was Kalua who was wearing a mask. Mia was irritated by the artificially polite demeanor, but she didn''t want to provoke her mother''s wrath by yelling at her. So the three of them headed for a house that was a little bigger than the others in the vige. Mia''s house looked rtively well-off in the vige, and Kalua tilted her head. It did not look like the kind of house where Mia would have to go out to work. It seems her mother was a skilled weaver and her father was a good hunter. She was served a cup of tea as she was a guest, and as she looked around the room, she could guess what was going on. "Haa... I waspletely surprised. Just when she suddenly leave with a military carriage, a short timeter, she sent us arge sum of money. What are you thinking?" "B-because Okaa-san, said finances were really tight..." "I just told you that father was injured and it''s going to be hard for a while. we have some savings. Seriously...why are you in the army..." "Oh, it''s Nee-chan!" "Really, she¡¯s back!?" The two boys, maybe ten years old, emerge from the room. Mirna sighed and told them both. "We have a guest, so y outside for now." "Eeeh?" "Not eeeh. Now, go go!" As she drives away her children with her hands, she cut the fruit in front of Kalua, while saying, ¡®sorry about it¡¯. Kalua lowered her head and stared at Mia. "Wha...what?" "No, I just think it''s exactly as I imagined." "...that tone makes me annoyed." "Mia" Mirna called her name, exasperated, and Mia was startled and straightened her posture. Kalua quietly held back herughter. "Anyway, finally youe home. For a clumsy soldier like you, no matter how many lives you have, it won''t be enough. There''s no need to be migrant workers." "I-it¡¯s not like Ie bac... you know, Okaa-san, even like this, I''m the adjutant of a great unit under the direct control of Krische." "So what? I know that soldiers are great people who risk their lives to work for the country. But someone like you is ill suited for it." Mirna sighed again, crossed her hands and said to Mia. "It''s good that you happened to be safe, but how about you think from my position. Please don''t make me worry any more than this. What should I do if something happens on the battlefield and you ended up in a terrible situation? And, do you have the resolve to do so? ¡± "Yes, I have it now! Besides, I''m not an idiot either, so I''ve thought about various things and now I''m working in the military. I also have a responsibility, so I can¡¯t easily¨D¨D" "Mia, listen!" Mirna raised her voice and Mia red at her. "Even though I took the trouble to give birth to you so cutely, really this child." "What''s going on now! You''re always yelling at me about how clumsy, stupid and dumb I am! I can''t even weave a weave properly, you always told me that''s why no one would take me right! "So, what does that have to do with staying in the army!" "So I decided to do my bit for the family because you made it sound like I was useless. That''s why I left home! Don''t say things like that!" They entered the house and settled down, and then suddenly, out of the blue, a huge argument broke out. Kalua scratched her cheek, troubled. Mia was leaning forward on her desk, her face bright red and angry. "Okaa-sama is always like that! Because you''re criticizing everything I do! It''s a loss for me toe back!" "Wait Mia!" Mia stood up and hooked the sword on her waist to the door. She mmed the door and leaves, and Mirna sat down in her chair. She then bowed her head embarrassingly to Kahlua. "I''m sorry, she''ve always been that kind of girl." "Ah, ahaha... well, they do say they get along so well that they can fight." "It¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t have to be considerate" Mirna smiled wryly, and sipped her tea. ¡°ck Century is a name that can be heard even in this countryside. I thought my heart would jump out of my chest when I saw the money in Mia''s nameing from such a ce.¡± "Certainly, you will be surprised." "I heard, isn''t it a dangerous unit that fights on the front line? Is that kid really acting as the adjutant?" "Uu, yes. In fact, she¡¯s working very hard as n adjutant, and I don''t think there''s a problem with saying that...Mia-san is an excellentmander. Of course, I understand Okaa-sama¡¯s (referring to Mia¡¯s mother) feelings." Mirna shook her head tiredly as she rub her eyes. "You rtionship with Mia is?" ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since the time ck Century is formed, right around the time we were recruited. We were close in age, so that¡¯s why we have a connection¡for the record, we rented the same house in the royal capital for the time being.¡± "I see, I''m grateful. Or should I say, she''s a strong-minded girl, but also a timid person, but also strangely stubborn in the strangest ce. ¡If someone like Kalua-san is by her side, I can feel a little more at ease.¡± She looked tired¨D¨Din fact, she would be tired. Her daughter who suddenly jumped out was a soldier, and was fighting on the front lines. Kalua felt a little sorry for her. ¡°It might be a little rude to say this to Kalua, who is also a soldier and is a woman, but¡as her mother I¡¯m worried about her. More so since she¡¯s a difficult child.¡± "Ahaha... I feel it." "Can I ask how it was over there?" "Yes, of course." Kalua nodded and sipped her tea while looking at the door Mia had left. Showing her anger, Mia walks through the vige with a grumpy face as she steps through the snow. A thin young man called out to her. "What, it¡¯s Bazel" ¡°Oi, what was with that what, I was worried you know, you suddenly left." "It has nothing to do with Bazel." "... Ah, did you have a fight with Mirna-san? Well, I guess that¡¯s only natural..." "What the hell with that? I want to be alone though" The young man - Bazel, a childhood friend - was stunned by the fact that his first reunion in a long time seemed to be passed off that randomly, but it was always the case. He was used to this kind of treatment. "Why are you following me? What about field work?" "There''s no way I can do it with this much snow. The usual ce?" "... Didn''t you understand that I said I wanted to be alone?" "What a bad temper... well, that¡¯s how it always was huh." Mia walks off in anger and leaves the vige. On the side of the river a little further into the forest¨D¨Dthe rock there was Mia''s fixed position. After brushing off the snow and sitting down, Mia finally asked with a sullen face. "Oba-san healthy?" "Ah, she¡¯s fine. I''m being yelled at to find a partner quickly." "That so, I''m d to hear she''s okay.¡± He waspletely ignored, but this did not break Bazel''s heart. Bazel had learned patience. ¡°Is it true about the ck Century?¡± ¡°It''s true. I guess they are reorganizing now. I''m the adjutant, so I have some work to do, but Krische-sama is going back to her hometown, so I was allowed to apany her ande back.¡± ¡°Krische-sama¡you mean Christand?¡± "Yes. Ah..." "what is it?" When Bazel tilted his neck, Mia said ¡®I remembered¡¯. "Come to think of it, you said that there was once a beautiful girl in Kalka''s carriage, right?" ¡°Hmm, aah..." Bazel nodded while recalling it. "It seems that that pretty girl was Krische-sama. She''s from Kalka." ¡°...seriously?¡± "I was surprised when I heard that she¡¯s from Kalka, but guess that¡¯s how a coincidence is. Well, she sure is a very beautiful person. It''s a little...no, she¡¯s really strange." Mia chuckled happily, and Bazel admires the smile of his childhood friend, whom he hadn''t seen in a long time. Short chestnut hair that didn¡¯t reach the shoulders was silky, and her slightly childish smile was adorable. It was hard to believe that he had been in the battlefield as a soldier. And even more so when it was the ck Century, a unit under the direct control of Krische Christand. A young monster that led a civil war that was on the back foot to victory. Almost all of the major generals on Gildanstein''s side were either captured or killed by her. It is said that the number of generals and soldier she had killed with her sword exceeds 1,000 in total, and although there were some who im that the results are exaggerated, many soldiers who had actually seen her killings said that it was the truth. And shemanded a special elite unit called the ck Century. "...Mia too, uhh, in the twin mountain?" "Twin Mountains... Ah, you mean Bernaich?" The Dragon¡¯s Maw¨D¨DMirskronia and Bernaich weremonly referred to by as the twin mountain. In the military, it wasmon to call it the Dragon¡¯s Maw, so the unfamiliar sound was a little bewildering. "Yeah, it was tough...we were camped out in enemy territory for a whole week. Everyone was injured, some people died...and even Krische-sama was running a fever, but she still wouldn''t listen, saying just a bit more, just a bit more...¡± She sighed when she remembered it, exasperated. Bazel was surprised and asked. "Then...killing too." "... Well, it''s a battlefield. But don''t ask about it too much. I don''t want to be a heroic story." "Ah, ah... I''m sorry." She''s a hard worker, but was a little out of it, and was an airhead. He had known Mia since she was little¨D¨Dbut she seemed like a different person. She was not the kind of person who can kill people. If anything, she was a timid, fearful person. They say that the battlefield changes people, but perhaps it can also changes people like Mia. Bazel thought about it and patted her shoulder. ¡°...That was tough, you know.¡± "I didn''t think it would turn out like this...but, well, for whatever reason, I¡¯m not ufortable with it, so it''s okay. They''re all nice people, do their best." ¡®I made a best friend¡¯, she said, her lips pouting a little shyly, and she shuffles her feet and kicks up the snow. It was clearly a military society that did not seem to suit her. Bazel felt a sense of danger when she said that she wasn''t ufortable. "D-did you, have anyone you¡¯re interested in...uhh" ¡°Interested in...?¡± "... I mean, as a man, something like that." "Hmm... I''ve never seen it like that before. Everyone is always teasing me and making fun of me, geez." Bazel let out a sigh of relief. He even wondered if the time this woman will ever look at a man like that ever came. Mia and her older sister were probably the only ones who were this dense. He had nothing but regrets about Mia who left the vige abruptly. After all, no matter what was said, she was still cute and hardworking. He thought he had done everything he could to win her over who was really popr, but he was still naive. This was how she looked at him after a reunion after a long time¨D¨DNo matter how you look at it, Bazel''s treatment was just a childhood friend. She probably didn''t even have a silver of awareness that Bazel was trying to approach her. Against Mia has no choice but to deliver a straight ball. He was determined that if he ever had the chance again, he would definitely do it. ¡°You know, Mia¨D¨D¡± But the moment he spoke, she abruptly drew her sword from her scabbard. *shinn* sound resounded, and what appeared was a long sword with many traces of small nicks on the de. "Haa, what should I do?" "A-about what?" "No, I''m thinking of buying a new sword. This one is issued by the military, but I was able to buy and use any weapon I like." She looked at the sword while swinging it left and right and groaned. "I''m not very good with swords, but I still have a lot of opportunities to use them, so I''m wondering what to do. I think it would be nice to have a light one, but I often receive opponent''s swords with my sword, so I don''t think it''s bad to have a solid and sturdy one too." Looking at the sharpening marks on the de, he could tell that it must have been used in actualbat. He was puzzled by her talking about her new sword in her tone of ¡®What should we have for dinner tonight?¡¯ ¡°¡Isn¡¯t it fine if you don¡¯t buy it?¡± "why?" ¡°No, that...Mia doesn''t have to swing a sword.¡± "...?" Furrowing her brow, Mia tilted her head, wondering what he was trying to say. He was too roundabout. She couldn¡¯t read his intention at all. Bazel shook his head and tried to open his mouth¨D¨Dbut Mia pped her hands a second faster. "So that¡¯s what it means. Bazel is trying to says the same thing asmander?" ¡°Cmander¡mander, say same thing as me?¡± "Yeah...I don''t have to swing a sword she said" ¨D¨DDoes that mean that he will protect you? No way, a propose. Bazel''s heart was shocked. He had just asked if there was any man she was interested in. "...Commander, said swinging my sword is ast resort. I''ve been told so much that I''ve got calluses in my ears. That''s what you mean, right?" ¨D¨DThat''s not it. Bazel shook his head and sighed. "No, that¡¯s not it." "Yeah, this isn''t that kind of problem, it''s about what kind of sword I should wield as ast resort. I understand what you''re saying, but that''s not what I''m talking about right now." ¨D¨DShe didn¡¯t get it at all Basel was puzzled by the talk, which was clearly going in the wrong direction. Mia was leading the conversation in such a strange direction that he wondered if she was doing it on purpose. It was the usual urrence. Mia exined the importance of swords on the battlefield, and talks about what kind of swords should be used, the problem that currently dominates Mia''s head. A story of a dimension that Bazel, who usually lives by plowing the fields, couldn¡¯t understand. He wanted to interject, but he was unable to find the right moment to do so. "That''s why it''s better for me if it¡¯s lighter¨D¨D" "Wait a minute, don''t say anything for a while and just listen.." "¡what is it?" It was usual Mia. But Bazel was different. This time, he had made up his mind. He wanted to tell her clearly without going roundabout. "I''ve wanted to say something to you for a long time. ¡No, I''ve been saying this vaguely since longg ago, but it''s an important story." "...What is more important than the sword that protects my life?" "Um... I''m begging you to shut up, just for a minute is fine so." *Muu*, dissatisfied Mia folded her arms and looked at Bazel. She had a lot of (self) assumptions, was clumsy and scatterbrained, and couldn¡¯t see her surroundings when she concentrated. Mia was full of w. But she was bright, energetic, a hard worker, and a person who could do her best for someone else. A kind childhood friend who thinks of others before herself¨D¨DHe had always loved her. He wondered why I had been going at it in a roundabout way. Was it because he couldn''t ept his own love for her honestly, or was it because he teased her as a child and was beaten to a pulp? Was it because his rivals for Mia increased as she grew bigger and more beautiful? Maybe it was because theey have known each other since they were small, where discretion was non-existent from the start. But he was done with those excuses. Ever since she suddenly disappeared, he had regretted it. He won¡¯t regret anything anymore. ¡°Mia, I¡ª¡ª¡± "Oh, there you are...?" But at that moment, a beautiful ck-haired woman jumped down from the tree. Her long hair was pulled back and shiny, and she had a somewhat sexy beauty. She was a little tall for a woman, her body was wrapped in her cloak, but was feminine. "... Kalua, you make snow fall." "Ahaha, don''t mind, don''t mind.... A, did I disturb you two?" Kahlua looks at Bazel as if she justnoticed. When those catlike eyes of hers, she turned toward him, and Bazel''s heart fluttered. The appearance of a beautiful woman that Bazel saw for the first time¨D¨D "Hmm... you like Kahlua? Bazel, your cheek is red." ¡°I-I¡¯m not¡± "Don''t be mad and deny it. Well, Kalua is beautiful, and I think it can''t be helped." Mia looks at Bazel with disdain and said that. Kalua scratched her cheek, troubled, as she alternately looked at Mia and Bazel. "Umm, the childhood friend Mia mentioned?" ¡°Yes, his name is Bazel. ...Ah, so what''s the important talk is?" ¨D¨DThe atmosphere was clearly broken. No matter how he looked at it, it''s not in a state where he could confess. It was the worst when he fell in love with Kalua for a second. "... No, today is fine. You will be here tomorrow and the day after tomorrow right?" ¡°That''s my n for now.¡± ¡°Then I''ll talk to you againter." Bazel turned his back and left, swallowing his frustration. Kalua looked at his mncholy back and she let out a dryugh "Man...I went and did it..." "...? I don''t think you should worry about it too much." "No, I think Mia should be a little more concerned though." Mia red at Kahlua, who looked exasperated. "what?" "... various things. Mirna-san said be back by dinner." "Haa, geez. Mother is always like that." Kalua smiles wryly at Mia who was angry. "She¡¯s worried about Mia. I think she''s a good mother." "I know that, but you can''t say that. I thought about it and left for the house after all." "...Seems you won¡¯t be in a good mood for a while." "...there you go treating me like a child" "In reality, the way you get angry is just like a child." Kaluaughed and patted her head while Mia looks displeased. "...all the women in the vige are weavers. Among them, Okaa-sama is very good at weaving, and my older sisters are also very good at it....I''m the only one at home who is not good at it." "You¡¯re clumsy after all?" "Shut up. Are you making fun of me orforting me?" "Ah,forting you?" ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± "Don''t stare, don''t stare" Kalua patted her head and gently hugged her. Mia let out her anger with her sigh, she continued. "She thought she should work on something else, but in the end, women in the vige can make cloths and be independent. When I saw the children younger than me be proficient at weaving, I felt like I didn''t belong her." "Yeah" "I''ve always wanted to leave the vige, but I can''t go to the city alone. Just then, a recruiting carriage arrived...well, I never intended to be a soldier though." Mia said, but with some amusement. ¡°The battlefield is scary, the responsibility is heavy, and even though I still don¡¯t believe I¡¯m experienced enough to be able to do it properly¡Krische-sama and the captains said a lot of unreasonable things, and I was left in charge. Lately, I''ve been thinking that it¡¯s kind of nice." It wasn''t like that in the vige, she continued. Dropping her eyes, she clenched her fists. "I know what Okaa-sana would say. But... it might be a waste of time, but I''m doing my best, so if she talk to me like that, I get really angry..." "... Look, don''t make that kind of face. Isn''t your cute face ruined?" She took off her gauntlet and wiped her tears, Mia red at her again. "... There you go making a fool of me right away." "Even though I''m trying to be honest, geez. Come on, don''t cry. I''ll hold you tight until you stop crying." "That''s how you¡¯re making a fool of me." Even as she cried, she pressed her face against Kalua''s chest. Kalua smiled wryly and stroked her head. "It seems that it''s just right for me to make fun of Mia, so the adjutant-sama says." ¡°...I didn''t say that." ¡°You really said it though.¡± Kalua, amusedly. A little sadly said that. Chapter 129: One Who Felt Chapter 129: One Who Felt ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 129 One Who Felt*** Mia has two older sisters, two younger brothers, and a younger sister. Her parents were alive and well, her grandparents were in good health¨D¨Dboth of her sisters were married, but when Mia came home, they all gathered in the house, making the rtively spacious living room seem small. They usually use a desk and chairs, but when this happened, they shoved them into another room, and everyone sat down on the floor to eat. The two younger brothers were excitedly asking Kalua to teach them how to y the sword, and her younger sister, with her eyes twinkling at Kalua¡¯s beauty and fake grace was discussing about love life. Mia was a little grumpy with her two older sisters and mother for being scolded, but her father and grandparents kept the mood rxed. "...Mirna, I understand how you feel, but since it''s a ce to celebrate Mia¡¯s return, leave that kind of talk forter." "But Darza..." "Today is a celebration of Mia''s safe return. And also, Kalua-san is here." He was short but had a masculine face. Mia''s father was a calm man, with his muscr body and harsh facial features, he looked like a hunter. Mia sighed at the situation and proceeded with her meal. The second daughter approached her and said, "So, Mia, did you at least have a lover?" ¡°¡It has nothing to do with Mi-oneechan, right?¡± "Fufu, form that looks it seems Mia hasn¡¯t got a lover yet . Even though if you¡¯re in the military, you can pick all the man you want, even though Mia is so cute...¡± "...If you say too much, I¡¯ll get angry okay." Staring at the second daughter, who was stroking her head teasingly, Mia shook off her hand. The long-haired eldest daughter, who was somewhat gentle, tilted her head and looked at Mia. ¡°It''s true, isn''t it? Mia is very cute...¡± ¡°Uu...¡± "Mia is a hard worker and always doing her, fufu, well, Mia is a little clumsy, but... if Onee-chan is a man, Onee-chan think Onee-chan will definitely fall in love with Mia. The men around Mia doesn¡¯t¡¯ have eyes for women" In contrast to the teasing second daughter, these were words from the heart. Mia love this somewhat outgoing, kind, and beautiful eldest daughter, but that makes just it even worse. "... Mies-oneechan, you¡¯re overestimating me too much." "That¡¯s not true, Mia. ...Mia that is not good at that, Mia needs to be more confident. Onee-chan really thinks Mia is a very cute and my proud little sister. I wonder if Onee-chan should ask Tex if he can find someone good..." "Stop it, it''s embarrassing..." Tex was Mies'' husband. He was a talented hunter and a popr young man with a good face, but it seems that even for him, this easy-going older sister was a difficult prey. Years of earnest approaches to woo her passed, but he was ignored. She could still remember pitying his pitiful figure. Mies was kind and beautiful and was the object of admiration for the men in the vige. She sighed thinking there won¡¯t be anything good from cooperating with this kind of older sister. "Well, it''s not good to rush it. Onee-chan too, thought Onee-chan wouldn¡¯t have any connection to sort of thing, but Tex suddenly confessed to Onee-chan... that''s what marriage is about." Seeing her older sister nodding, the second daughter Mi sighed with exasperated face. "... I don''t think it was sudden at all thought." "It was sudden okay, Onee-chan was really surprised. After the festival, he suddenly, ¡®Marry me, Mies!¡¯...even though he didn¡¯t show any sign of that until then. I thought he was making fun of me." "It¡¯s just that Onee-san didn''t notice it, right? Haa, I say whether it¡¯s Onee-san or Mia, why are the both of you like this? I feel sorry for the other person." Mia furrowed her brow and red at the second daughter. "Don''t put Mies-oneechan and me together. We¡¯repletely different okay." "You''re the only one who thinks so. How about Bazel?" "Why Bazel? We just met though." "You know... didn''t he say something?" ¡°do you still don¡¯t have a partner he said? Haa, if he have the time to ask such things, I think he should find his own partner first though.¡± Without even noticing the flow of the conversation. Mi rubbed her inner corners of her eyes, and Mies called out to Kalua, who was looking at them while she was dealing with the children. "Kalua-san, how is there? Um... aren''t there any good people in the military?" "Well...I wonder." ¡°Kalua, if you say anything weird, I''m going to get angry okay." Mia grumbled and Kalua smiled wryly. There are several people who seem to be interested in Mia, but even so, it would be difficult to connect them. In addition to her Mia''s dullness, there were times when Dagra, who was strict with discipline, sees Mia as a daughter for some reason, and there was also a check betweenpetitor. "Anyway, that story is over. Other than that!" "You say you don''t like scolding, so bought out a different topic, so willful." "Mi-oneechan just wants to tease me right!" ¡®Anyway, it''s over¡¯, Mia forcibly cut off the topic. "...Haa, geez. Mi-oneechan has always been like that. Mies-oneechan is also Mies-oneechan." ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m envious of your happy family.¡± In one of the bedrooms. Kahlua stroked Mia''s sleeping sister''s head and smiled. The two rooms for the children and one for the parents. The house was quiterge, with three rooms, not including the living room. "It''s a nice home. In mine, we neverughed like that when we were eating." "Really? Every house here is like that though." "Maybe it depends on the vige. The atmosphere is quite different depending on the ce... it''s kind of fresh." *chuckle* Kalua chuckled, and Mia puckers her lips slightly dissatisfied. "Well, I guess that''s the case with Kalua, the guest." "Do you think it''s different if you live here? Fufu, Mia sure is luxurious." "... Noisy. Well, it''s fine, it¡¯s just for a few days anyway." Mia said while also stroking her little sister''s head. "Yeah, when I get home, I''m sure they''ll say a lot of things. Like, insisting that instead of working alone I should take it easy at my parents'' house. How should I say it, I also felt bad leaving all the work tomander...¡± "Well,mander Bald Eagle seem to be itching to work." "But he just recovered after all, so I''m worried if I don''t follow up properly. ¡Also, don¡¯t call him Bald Eagle, I get yelled every time because of it okay.¡± She reaches out and tugs at Kalua''s cheek. Kalua smiled wryly and told Mia ¡®it¡¯s okay isn¡¯t it¡¯. "Since you''vee back to your hometown, why don''t you forget about work and take it easy during that time?" "Well, that¡¯s true. ¡¡Somehow Kalua, you¡¯re acting weirdtety.¡± "strange?" "Nn... like, strangely gentle, something like that..." She blushed, embarrassed as she said that. Kalua smiled at her mischievously. "I think I''ve always been kind to Mia though. How sad... oh no, Mia is a bit perverted, so she likes being teased was it?" "...I withdraw my previous statement. It''s the usual Kalua." Mia said so andy on her back and closed her eyes. Kalua looked at her profile. "Tomorrow, why don¡¯t you show me around the vige." "Even though it''s snowing?" " Even though it''s snowing. It¡¯s fine isn¡¯t it, I want to see what Mia''s vige is like. Mia aside, I may not have another chance." "Well, that''s fine. There''s nothing unusual about it, you know?" "I don''t have any expectations. Fufu, I just want to see Mia, the Kilnan''s guide." ¡®You¡¯re making fun of me again¡¯, Mia pouted her lips. Kalua smiled happily and replied that she was not making fun of her. "I make fun of people, but I don''t really lie." "Which one is that? ¡That way of saying it already sounds like a lie, and you¡¯re making fun of me again aren¡¯t you.¡± "Ehehe, well then, I leave it to you" The next morning Mia woke up to the sound of her younger sister crying as she was hit on the forehead with Mia''s elbow. Including today, they have three more days, and the day after tomorrow, they will go out to the street and meet up with Krische and the others. However, it''s not like they had any business in the vige, and they spent their time rtively leisurely. "Ehehe, hit! It¡¯s for hitting Milia on the head this morning." "Okay, now! Let¡¯s go!" They had promised to y with the children, and the n guide on this day, was snow fight. Mia, who was being thrown snowballs by the three and Kalua, ran around on the snow, trying her best to avoid them. "Wait, Kalua! Why is Kalua throwing it at me too!?" "No, it''s just the air... you see, if it''s just children, Mia will avoid everything." ¡°T-that doesn¡¯t mean...!¡± The opponent was children, as expected she can''t use magic power. Mia, who was thrown with snowball from multiple directions, rolled away covered in snow. They ended up spending the day with the children ying in the snow until they were exhausted, even at dinner, Mirna didn''t say anything in particr, and Mia ended her second day in a good mood. On the third day, Mirna stopped the children, telling them to restrain themselves a bit, and Mia guided Kalua around the vige as had nned. At first, she wondered what was so interesting about it, but it seemed that she started to enjoy it as she toured around the vige and went around various ces, Mia was in a good mood. ¡°The weavers are up to this house, and from this area on there are many craftsmen and artisans. The rest are butchers, warehouses, that kind of thing. There are some fields over there but.¡± "Ah, well, I understand. It''s all snow." The area where the field was located waspletely covered with snow andpletely white. In order to give thend a rest, vegetable scraps were thrown in at the beginning of fall and remained there until spring. (T/N: take time for vegetable scraps to be turned to fertilizer) Many of those who had been working on the farm went to help the artisans or to work in the city or in the army. ¡°It snows a lot, doesn''t it?¡± "Really? It''s almost always like this here¨D¨D" Mia sat on the fence watching the snow falling from the sky. But it must have rotted. The fence snapped, and Mia fell backwards and buried herself in the snow from the back of her head. "... Really Mia is cute. You''re stupid." "S-shut up... ahh, if they found out, I¡¯ll get scoldedter." Kalua smiled wryly and looked at the fence while pulling Mia''s hand up. The fence is a simple one with a board attached to a wooden stake. It marks the boundary between fields. "If it''s just this much, why don''t you fix it yourself? It was rotten anyway." "Oh, well, that''s true. Help meter." "Yes yes" Mia sat on the fence, this time carefully checking to make sure it was not rotten. Kahlua jumped onto a nearby tree branch and sat down, her eyes looking at the vige from side to side. On the ground and on the roofs too. It was beautiful, with bright white snow falling. The sounds of nking metal fittings and the sound of weaving. The asional sound of conversation. Kalua and Mia were the only ones who liked to walk outside on a day like this, except for the asional frolicking children. "Doesn''t it snow at Kalua''s ce?¡± ¡°It''s quite a bit south of Royal¡¯s territory. In my experience, it doesn''t snow this much unless you cross the Kurail.¡± The Kurail Mountainrange lie east of the Dragon''s Maw, separating the northern and central parts of the Kingdom. Although the temperature was cold everywhere in winter, it was north of there that knee-deep snowfalls aremonce in winter. It was probably a matter of climate. "Even though Usa-chan grew up in such a snowy country, why is she sensitive to the cold?" "Fufu, true. It''s so cold, isn''t it? Even with the cloak that thick, she felt really flufy.¡± ¡°Well I know how Usa-chan feels. After all, I''m cold too." "fufun" Miaughs happily and jumped to Kalua''s branch, she sat down and looks into her face and told her. "For Kahlua-san who is sensitive to the cold, shall I warm you up?" ¡°Y-you know, Mia..." ¡°Eh?¡± *snap* A cracking sound was heard from below, followed by a crashing sound. The branch carrying the two fell straight down. "... Mia sure is child that doesn¡¯t learn" Covered in snow, Kalua sighed and with her bottom still in the snow shemented. ¡®Uuu¡¯ Mia¡¯s groan could be heard, and she reluctantly pulled her up. "Mia should think a little more before acting, you can tell just by looking at it that two people can''t sit on it." "I-I thought it could handle it so..." Kalua smiled wryly as she brushes the snow from Mia''s hair. And just like that, shey down. "Somehow, it''s really peaceful. It seems like it was a lie that I was fighting on the battlefield until a while ago." "Fufu, well, it''s so peaceful there¡¯s nothing to do." Mia alsoy down. ¡®Just when I brushed of the snow¡¯ Kalua said and Miaughed and asked her to do it againter. "... I like it. I want to rx in this kind ce when I''m old." "Don''t you like the city better, Kalua?" "Well, yes. You know, I''m used to living there but. I think it''s nice to feel like time is passing slowly." ¡°Hmm, is that how it is?¡± "That¡¯s how it is" Kalua narrowed her eyes as snow fell on her cheeks and nose. "What about Mia?" "Me? Hmm, I''ve never thought about retirement or anything like that, so I have my hands full right now... I''m not as skillful as Kalua." "...I don''t think it has anything to do with being skillful or clumsy though." "T-that''s not it...how should I say it?" Mia thought a little and told her. ¡°Unlike Kalua who was searching for Elvena, I didn¡¯t leave the vige for any particr purpose¡ I just had this vague feeling. I wanted to change my current environment, that¡¯s why I leave the house and was swept away by the current. I do have admiration for Okaa-san and Onee-chan but¡¡± ¡®It¡¯s just a vague feeling¡¯, Mia continued. Her gaze was far away, like she as watching snowkes falling from the sky. "What I want to do, or what I wish to do, it''s not clear, so...I don''t really understand. Well, but right now I have a little goal or purpose, or something like that." ¡°...Purpose?¡± Mia looked at Kalua when she asked andughed meaningfully. "Fufun, what do you think?" ¡°Then I won''t ask.¡± ¡°Why!" Kalua chuckled and hit Mia on the head. ¡®Muu¡¯, Kalua poked the ring Mia''s forehead and raised her body. "...Mia¡¯s guest I guess?" ¡°huh?¡± Mia also sat up, and two young men were in Kahlua''s line of sight. One was Bazel and the other was Tex, husband of the eldest daughter Mies. The two of them looked at them and talked to each other as they approached, then Tex pped Bazel on the back vigorously. Even though Bazel was about to fall over in the snow, he regained her posture and headed over to them alone. "... hmm, Bazel?" "Didn''t you say he had something important to say to Mia?" "Ah...e to think of it." It''s not an umonbination. Ever since Tex married Mies, Bazel has been going to Tex''s house for some reason. She thought he was having a romantic crush on Mies, but it didn''t seem that way, and Mies seemed to be told by Tex that ¡®If Mies join then it¡¯s going to be confusing, so we will talk alone¡¯. She didn¡¯t know whether it was simply because they got along well or nor, but anyway without thinking there¡¯s anything unusual, she asked him as she sat down. "Bazel, what''s wrong?" "Oh... I wanted to continue the talk from the day before yesterday, um, it''s an important story." "Haa... Well, that''s fine. What is it?" Kalua looks exasperated at Mia and then looked at Bazel. Bazel was looking at Kalua with pleading eyes, and Kalua smiled wryly as she stood up. "Hmm, it looks like I''m in the way, so I''ll go home first. It''s cold anyway." "Huh? Ah, ok." Kalua said so and walked toward the house. Mia watched Kalua go, tilting her head, and the two of them were left alone. Mia tilts her head at the brooding Bazel, who bowed his head to Kalua''s back then turned his face to Mia. "What happened to Tex?" "No, I¡¯ve been asking him for advice for a long time. He gave me a push." ¡°...a push?¡± "No, let''s not talk about the details. It''s off topic.... How many times have I been dodged like this?" ¡®Haah¡¯, Bazel shook his head and looked straight at Mia. "Since it''s about you, you won''t understand even if I say it in a roundabout way, I''ll tell you straight." "... Um, are you making fun of me?" "Listen... I want you to marry me, Mia." ¡°.........Huh? Mia stiffened at the sudden words and frowned. "Um, as I thout you¡¯re mak¨D¨D" "I''m not kidding! I''m not even silly. I''ve always liked you. I''ve been approaching you subtly for a long time, but you just didn''t notice. ...I said I wants you to marry me." It is an unmistakable straight ball. Mia''s head fell into chaos. "Eh, um... hmm? Wait a minute, I¡¯m sorting out my thought..." "I won¡¯t. How many years do you think I spent waiting." "I heard it for the first time today though..." "It''s because you''re helplessly dull." Bazel scratched his head while his face turned bright red, and Mia blushed her cheeks slightly and her eyes watered. At least, it was her first experience such as confession. In her mind that is. "....Well, I know I''m not your type. I''m not as handsome as Tex, and I''m not a good hunter or craftsman. There are plenty of better men than me in the army, or even in this vige. ¡°...true.¡± Bazel grabbed Mia''s shoulders who was nodding, thinking that she shouldn''t nod her head there. "I know. But, but... I swear that I''ll make you happier than anyone else. I will never make you suffer. Even if I can''t be the kind of man you like, I swear I''ll be your best husband." ¡°...I-I see.¡± "Don''t brush it off, I''m proposing here." "F-for the time being let me goe." Mia shook off Bazel''s hand, stepped back and regtes her breathing. Inhale and exhale quietly. After calming herself down, she looked up. "You know, Bazel, I''m happy, but I''m have position of responsibility in the army. So¨D¨D" "I want you to quit the army and marry me. Of course, it might not be right away, but it¡¯s not like you¡¯re not allowed to be discharged right? ¡± "That''s right, but..." Bazel sighed and said he knew. "It¡¯s a bit sudden for you, and you won''t be able to sort it out. ...You can let me hear the answer, tonight." "... eh, uh, yeah" "That''s all I want to say. I''m serious about what I just said. I''m not joking or making fun of you, okay?" "... I know, you don''t have to say that much." "I''m telling you because that¡¯s likely to happens if it¡¯s you." ¡®See you tomorrow,¡¯ Bazel said as he left, and after waving him off, Mia sighed. "¡¡what a shock" And, she just squatted on the snow. ¡®¨D¨DI know Mia is excellent. But she didn''te because she was having trouble with foos, or because she had some unavoidable circumstances...¡¯ ¡®...I understand what you mean. But what you just said isn''t Mia''s wish, right?¡¯ Dagra said as he rubbed his aquiline nose (eagle nose). Kalua nodded with a serious face. ¡®yes. ¡¡It¡¯s not like I¡¯m forcing it or anything. This is also my selfish idea.¡¯ ¡®The severity of that battle can be understood more than anything else by looking at the wear and tear of the unit. ...And many died. You must have your own feelings about it.¡¯ ¡®¡Yes. I''m not saying absolutely... but if Mia wants to quit the army and live a normal life when she returns to her hometown, I want the captain''s permission so that she can quit. It''s hard toe back here, and if wee back, Mia seems like she''s going to cancel it.¡¯ Dagra sipped his ck bean tea and nodded his head in agreement after a short pause. ¡®¡¡thank you¡¯ ¡®I understand how you feel. She¡¯s a good girl, there are many ways she can be happy without being on the battlefield. If that happens, I will tell Krische-sama that it was my responsibility. I''m sure Krische-sama would agree if I said the reason.¡¯ ¡®It''s certainly a shame as a war force but¡¯ Dagra continued. ¡°You are free to choose how you want to live. I have no right to bind it. ¡¡If Krische-sama hadn¡¯t found her by chance, she would have been returned as unsuitable as a soldier. She¡¯s here by a series of coincidences... but, well, I don''t think it''s a good idea to dedicate your life to the army out of inertia. I guess this coincidence also means that the time hase to think about it once more.¡¯ ¡®yes. I feel that way too.¡¯ ¡®Anyway, it is Mia who will decides. You, her closest friend, should watch over her.¡¯ ¨D¨DRemembering the conversation with Dagra the other day, Kalua looked at Mia crouching down from the shade of the tree. and Kalua nodded a little lonely. ¡°...This is fine.¡± Clumsy and awkward. But is a caring and kind child. Mia, was too good to be on the battlefield. In such a nice vige, making a family and be happy. If there was such a future, Kalua thought, what could be better than that? ¨D¨DMia will surely be happy. Saying that in her mind, she returned to Mia''s house. Chapter 130: Stubborn Chapter 130: Stubborn ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 130 Stubborn*** Mirna prepared the foods, and the children were clinging to Kalua. After saying ¡®I''m home¡¯, Mia took off her coat and put her sword without saying a word. Mia¡¯s lip pouted when Kalua asked how the confession went. "... how do you know it''s a confession?" "...Haa, normally you would notice it at a nce alright. Mia is super insensitive, so she may not have noticed, but ''I likes Mia¡¯ is clearly written on his face¡± Mia red at Kahlua, and Mirnaughed in a good mood saying it¡¯s a celebration tonight "You don''t have to. Because I will turn him down." "Haa? What are you talking about?" Mirna frowned and looked at Mia. "Is Bazel really not to your liking? Well, I guess he doesn''t look handsome, but he''s a nice guy right. I''ve been watching him since I was little, and I¡¯m quite pleased with him." "That''s right... but that''s not it. I already said I''m the adjutant of my unit right, I can''t quit so easily because I have a responsibility, and... I like it there." "Haa... don''t be silly" Mirna put her hand on her forehead, exasperated. "For the sake of your duty, you would even waste this precious opportunity. What are you going to do from now on?" "I''ll think about it again in the future." "You... are you saying that you''re going to give up all your happiness as a woman and devote your life to the military without getting married or starting a family?" "Even if that¡¯s so, what are you going to do about it?" The two of them red at each other for a while, and the children, seeing the tense atmosphere, returned to their rooms. However, they were curious about the content, so they secretly opened the door and eavesdropped¨D¨Dthough it waspletely obvious. "...I respect Okaa-san. Okaa-san is good at weaving, has a family, and raised us... the same with my sisters. I think they¡¯re really very admirable, and that more than anything else, might be what makes me the happiest as a woman but..." Mia said with a serious face, keeping her eyes straight. "But I don''t think that''s the only happy future for me.. At least, I think I''m very happy right now, and I''m satisfied with my life in spite of all the things I''m going through. "Huh...really. Then, what, you went to the battlefield for your country, and even if you were killed or face something horrifying, can you still say that you had a satisfying life?" "I think Okaa-san is fundamentally misunderstanding the military." Mia shook her head. "I will fight as a soldier so that I don''t get killed, so that Kalua and others don''t get killed. ¡¡I can¡¯t be satisfied with being killed, and if you ask me if I¡¯m really prepared to die, to be honest¡¡I don¡¯t really understand.¡± She remembered well when she was actually nearly killed. She was hopelessly scared and would have died if Krische hadn''te. But even after all that, Mia still wanted to work in that unit. Because she felt that it was worth it. "But there''s a meaning to me fighting like that, and I feel like I can find something that only I can do. ¡Of course, I might change my mind in five or ten years, but at least that¡¯s what I think right now.¡± Mirna looks into Mia''s eyes and sighed. She rubbed her eyes and lean back against the wall. "... I understand what you''re saying. It''s my loss. It seems you have your own resolve." ¡°Okaa-san¡¡± "But, even then I''m still worried about you, you know." Mirna stroked her own belly. Nostalgically, lovingly. "You were in my womb for almost a year, it''s big, it''s heavy, and I have to be careful, and it hurts when I give birth. It¡¯s not something you can get used to it even if you had given birth to two baby before, at that time I screamed e out quickly, you idiot.¡¯" ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± ¡°...But once you were born, you were so cute. The first time I you them crying, I was so happy. I''ve been watching you get bigger and bigger little by little since then. Of course,pared to the older two, you were a lot slower and took a lot of work, but you were still cute my child.¡± Mirna looked up at her. She just stared at Mia with the face of a mother. "It''s an honor to serve the country as a soldier. But rather than risking your life to work in a dangerous ce and gaining such honor...it doesn''t matter if it¡¯s not honorable, I want you to make a family with a man who likes you and be happy.¡± Mia averted her eyes from her gaze. She couldn''t say she understood her mother''s feelings, but she could believe that what her mother said was the truth. Despite her nagging and yelling, it was her mother who had cared for her. Her mother''s earnest words had a certain weight to them. But. "... I''m sorry. But I¡ª¡ª" "Mia" The one who called her name was Kalua, who had remained silent. "Honestly, I wasn''t sure if I should intervene, but... I think you should think over about it once." ¡°¡Why is Kalua saying that?¡± "Because I think it''s that kind of opportunity." Kalua pointed to the sword leaning against the corner of the room. There were two swords, Mia¡¯s and Kalua¡¯s. "I can''t throw away my sword because I have to repay my debt to Usa-chan. But that''s not the case with Mia. Even if you don''t do anything dangerous, you can still choose to live a peaceful life in this vige. ¡¡I think that is a happy thing after all, so I think that if you have the choice, you should choose it rather than a battlefield where you can die at any time.¡± Kalua looked at her own hands. with a slightly distant eye. "I''ve done a lot of dirty things, and I''ve killed quite a few people outside of the battlefield. I can''t go back to the vige anymore, and I ended up with Usa-chan. I''m satisfied with that. But there are many paths for Mia, and I think it''s fine not to force yourself to find a ce in such dangerous ce." ¡°¡Are you saying that I should quit?¡± Kalua hesitated a little, then lowered her eyes and nodded. "Well, I guess this time I¡¯m on Mirna''s side....because I think Mia has a proper ce here." "Hg..." Mia banged the desk and stood up, "Kalua, you idiot!!" With her cloak and sword in one hand, she ran out of the house. Kalua sighed quietly and scratched his head. "...I''m sorry." "No. ¡I was thinking the same thing as Mirna-san." She picked up her sword, which was leaned against the wall, and wrapped it around her waist with a belt. Sheughed as she saw Mia walking out with a sword, thinking that the habits of the battlefield were alreadyingrained in her. ¡°I''m going out for a while too.¡± "Ah, can I ask you? Kalua-san would be better off than me. ¡she resembled me in a strange way, and became stubborn. Even though it¡¯s okay if we¡¯re not simr at that kind of part." ¡°Fufu, well¡her stubbornness is cute so I like it.¡± She smiled happily. Then, suddenly, she makes a lonely face. "...she''s a good girl after all. It''s rare to be like that... but that''s precisely why I want Mia to be happy. This is really a good vige." "...I''m sorry, pushing the hard role on you." ¡°No, I came here with the intention of doing so if there was an oppurtinity.¡± Mirna gets up and bowed her head, and Kalua nodded. Then she put on her cloak and went outside. The sky was a madder red at dusk. The thick clouds had mysteriously disappeared and the sky looked crystal clear. The snow tinged with sunset was endlessly beautiful, but there was also something lonely about it. Kalua followed Mia''s footsteps. The widely spaced footprints, characteristic of people with magical powers, led straight into the forest. There, she probably jumped on a branch and the footprints disappeared, but there were traces of fallen snow on the branches and leaves. Is she trace it, she¡¯ll probably be where she was on the first day. She deduced that and headed in that direction, "¡ª¡ªMia" She found her sitting on a rock. Mia ignores her voice and turned away, Kalua smiled wryly as shee closer, picking up the snow and harden it with her hands. She then walks up to her side and put it on Mia''s head. Mia red at Kahlua for a moment as if to say something, but quickly looked away as if determined to ignore her. Kalua puts another snowball on her head, drew a face on it with a fallen branch, and sticks it on the left and right sides of the torso. "... Um, I''m angry, you know." Mia, who couldn''t stand it anymore, opened her mouth. "Fufu, I know." ring at Kalua, she lowered the snowman on top of her head and looked at it. Mia put it on her side while wondering whether to throw it away, it was bad and extremely ugly. ¡°Originally, Mia was never one to wield a sword on the battlefield. You¡¯re a good girl after all.¡± "If you say that, so does Kalua. You¡¯re a beauty, a youngdy, giving up everything for her little sister¡ª¡ªwhat''s the difference between Kalua and me?" "Elegance and a bigger chest?" "... Kahlua, are you seriously listening?" ¡®I know¡¯, Kalua said again. Kaluaughed troubledly, smiled kindly and patted her head. ¡®As I thought Kalua is beautiful when she¡¯s like that.¡¯ Even though she was a manly woman, the way she smiles was elegant. Each gesture was strangely beautiful and mesmerizing. Her shiny ck hair shone in the setting sun, and her cat-like eyes, wrapped in eyshes, were mischievous, yet kind. "Even if you don''t make a ce for her on the battlefield, Mia has a ce to return to. This is a nice vige, Mia''s family is good people and good children, and if Bazel-kun is like that, I''m sure he''ll make Mia happy. ¡I think that''s more happiness than Mia thinks." "So you want me to stay here?" "Yes. ...do you hate this vige?" Mia shook her head. Kalua continued. "I also talked to themander. He said that if it''s Mia''s happiness, then that''s fine. Usa-chan is a good girl, and I''m sure she''ll understand. I''m sure the people in the squad are the same." ¡°What does Kalua think?¡± ¡°I told you earlier, didn''t I?¡± "No. ¡I want to know Kalua''s own feelings." Again, as if troubled. Kalua yed with her hair, which hung down like a horse''s tail, and pondered for a moment, "... I want Mia to be happy in this peaceful vige, I think?" She untied her hair. Her long hair swayed in the wind, glistening and scattering. "It''s a little lonely, but I think it''s good." She pulled Mia''s hair back and carefully tied it into a knot. Kalua chuckled and patted her head. Mia cast her eyes down. ¡°Adol and Kels were unnecessarily motivated saying things like ¡®leave this ce to us and go ahead¡¯. There was also Bagu that seem to not die easily even if you kill him, so easily. I was made aware again that the battlefield that kind of ce. I am not very strong, I have no power. ¡I can¡¯t say with confidence that I will protect Mia. That''s why¡ª¡ªyeah, I think, I''m scared." Kalua said, breathing quietly. "That atmosphere is unique. You could throw away things you would normally cherish without any hesitation." For friends, for honor, for stubbornness. The battlefield was full of various reasons for throwing away one''s life. The temptation of madness¡ª¡ªeveryone offered their lives in that way. In a crazy world, you have to be crazy to survive. "That''s why, I don''t want Mia to be there." She didn¡¯t hink she should be in such a world. Her life, which was cherished by so many people, should not be treated that way. "... so you want me to be happy, huh?" Mia took a deep breath and stands up. Then, slowly, she pulled out her sword and pointed it at Kahlua. "Let¡¯s fight, Kalua" "... Mia?" Mia lowered her sword and slowly walked away, smiling. "Until I win. If I give up standing, Kalua wins, and I''m going to stay here, just as Kalua says. Simple, isn''t it?" Kalua stared at Mia, then sighed. She pulled the sword from her waist, slung it over her shoulder, and opened her mouth. "Okay, I¡¯ll go along with you until you''re satisfied...if Mia is satisfied with that." "I''m satisfied, I''m definitely going to win after all." "..You sure said it, I won''t go easy on you like usual." "I¡¯m saying even then I¡¯ll win." Mia smiled at her confidently. She held up her sword and charged. A simple wooden structure with mud walls¡ª¡ªmore like a hut than a house. But the furniture in it makes it look more like a house, and inside were two young men and a woman. "Well, whatever it is, you''re doing well. Be confident." ¡°Thank you very much, it¡¯s thanks to Tex-san for supporting me. I don''t know if I''ll get a good answer yet, though." This was the home of the eldest daughter, Mies and Tex. ¡®Haa¡¯, Bazel sighed, and Tex tapped him on the shoulder whileughing. "It''s up to Mia-chan, but I think you''ll be fine.." "Is that so?" "Yeah... you''re not a bad guy. I''ve been watching you for a long time, so at least I think so, and you know it''s Mia-chan." "¡¡thank you" Texughed, saying, ¡®no need for thanks¡¯ to Bazel, who bowed his head. Mies, who was watching the two of them, tilted her head and groaned. "Both of you are mean. If you had told me sooner that you liked Mia, I would have cooperated properly¡¡¡± "It looks like it''s going to beplicated if you ger involved so..." Tex sighed. They were indeed silent about it, but Tex had been consulting with Bazel for nearly two years. From Mies'' point of view, it was only natural that she should have guessed and noticed, but just like he guessed¡ª¡ª ''Huh? Bazel-kun confessed to Mia? Uh, eh...? Did you like Mia?¡¯ It seems she didn''t even notice a silver of it. What a terrifyingly denseness. Tex spent ten years trying to get her to marry him. This was the reason why Bazel approached Tex for advice, and they have been friends since Bazel asked for advice from the predecessors (Tex) in order to seduce Mia, who was also extremely dense. Until then, he was a young man with whom he had no connection, but now he loved him like a younger brother. "Well, above all, I''m d you were able to tell her. A burden has been lifted from my shoulders." ¡°Yes, thank you very much. Well then.¡± "Ah. I''m waiting for good news." "yes" Bazel bowed deeply and left their house. After dinner, the sun hadpletely set. The crescent moon was floating in the clear sky, as if to bless him on his day. Bazel headed for Mia''s house, thinking it was about time. "Ah, Onii-chan!" "Oh, Milia. What''s wrong, standing outside like this. Did Mirna scold you?" "No, geez... I won''t do anything to get scolded for." Standing in front of the house was Mia''s younger sister Milia. She looked around as she hugged Bazel. "Mia-oneechan and Kahlua-san didn¡¯te back even after we finished eating, so I was looking outside for a while." ¡°Mia is?¡± "Yeah... Onii-chan, did you confess to Mia-oneechan?" "Hmm? Ah... by any chance, did something happen?" Milia nodded and told him the talk between Mia and Mirna. Bazel frowned and sighed. He stroked Milia''s head. "Is that so...that guy won''t listen once she decide on something. "Onii-chan, should Ifort you?" ¡°Don ¡®t talk nonsense, I can''t give up so easily. I''ve been trying for years now...I''ll go and tell her one more time and make sure she gets it right." Miria stared up at Bazel, and Bazel tilted his head. She who was about as tall as Bazel''s chest, nodded and smiled. "Then, if Mia-oneechan dumps me, I''ll be your bride." ¡°Haha...don''t say such an unlucky thing. Well, thank you.¡± "...even though I''m serious." He stroked Miria''s head as she puffed out her cheeks, smiled wryly, and went straight to the forest. Mia was probably over there. He jogged a bit, trying not to get his feet caught in the snow. ¨D¨DAnd then, what resounded was the sound of swords. Two women were holding swords. The beautiful woman with long ck hair was swinging arge curved sword, which she was freely maneuvering to catch the de. In contrast, the chestnut-haired woman, with a straight sword in her hand, ran around the area and swung her sword through the air, blowing snow away. There was no sky or earth with trees as a foothold. The leap was so high that it was iprehensible. She kicked a branch and plunges head first into the snow. The ck cloak she wore¨D¨Dthe crescent skull engraved on her chest was a reference to the famed ck Century. It was apletely different dimension from the battles he was in vignte training. He was sure she was Mia, but for a moment he didn''t even know who she was. Kalua, the beautiful ck-haired woman, lightly catches Mia''s sword and threw her off her feet. "... This is the fifty-fourth time. Do you still want to do it?" But Mia stood up, her whole body covered in snow, her breathing ragged. Her sweat was like steam. The clinging snow quickly melted and wets her body. In contrast, her best friend is not even out of breath. The great curved sword she carries on her shoulder. The standing figure seems full of gaps, but there was a strange sense of intimidation. "cough...I''m still not done." "You can''t win even if you continue like this a 1000 times." "You never know the 1001 time." "...really stubborn" ¡°!?¡± Kalua charged. A gigantic beast-like sprint that nlew away all the snow under her feet. Without minding the snow. In the fog of snow like mist, the sword that twisted made a roaring sound. Behind Mia, who was barely able to avoid it¨D¨Dsnapping a tree there, Kalua twisted her body and delivered a kick. Without any hesitation or reverse. Mia barely caught it with the belly of the sword and was blown away, rolling again. "This is fifty-five times. Next time is fifty-six times. ¡You won¡¯t stand up?" Kahlua said uninterestedly and approached Mia, who was unable to get up from the shock. At that point, Bazel''s stiffness was broken, and he immediately jumped out onto the spot. "W-wait! I don''t know what''s going on but calm down a bit." "I''m calm, at least I am." ¡®Haah¡¯, Kalua sighed and slung her sword over her shoulder again. Coughing, Mia stands up behind Bazel. "Bazel, move." "You think I will. What are you thinking, doing this... anyway, stop it. What will you do if you get hurt?" "It''s important to me" Exasperated, Kalua jumped to Mia. She pushed her down and thrust her sword into her neck. "Fifty-sixth time. Do you think you can really win if you continue like this? The difference in experiences between Mia and me. You know that there is a difference that can''t be make up with effort." "I don''t know. All I know is that Kahlua will go along with me." ¡°Opps¡± Mia tried to throw snow at her, and Kalua jumped to dodge it. Mia exhales her breath roughly as she rises, brushing the snow off her body and readying her sword. "If you let me faint or do anything and seriously try to win, Kalua can always beat me anytime. That Kalua doesn¡¯t do that, mean I''m already winning." "You know, that statement is cowardly..." "Because I won''t give up until I can''t no longer move." Kalua let out a deep sigh and nodded in agreement. "Then I''ll do as you say. It¡¯s the end that¡¯s fine?" ¡°You¡¯re not going to use force to end it?¡± "... If you say you won''t give up if I don''t that, then I will." Bazel again stepped between them and raised his voice. "Wait! Calm down for now... Kalua-san, what do you mean?" "Haa... If I win, Mia will stay in the vige. It¡¯s that kind of match. As you know, this girl is stubborn." "ah¡¡" Bazel held his head with an indescribable face. Then he looked at Mia. ¡°Mia, do you hate me that much?¡± "... it''s not. That''s not it." ¡°Then, what''s no good. ¡I''ll definitely make you happy, just like I said. I''m not lying, I really believe that from the bottom of my heart. I¨D¨D" "That." Mia clutched her sword and looked at Kalua and Bazel. "I was surprised that Bazel said that, but of course I''m happy. But it''s different." Then she shook her head and smiled. ¡°¡¯Be happy, I want to make you happy¡¯, Okaa-san, Bazel, and Kalua all say things like that,...but I''m more than happy enough now.¡± "... Mia" ¡°It just so happened that I became a soldier, and it was really hard at first, but I worked hard there, and was recognized and entrusted with many things¡ I was very happy. For the first time the clumsy, awkward, stupid me, I felt like I was able to obtain something like that with my own hands.¡± Mia looked straight at Kalua. "Krische-sama,mander, everyone... Kahlua, I¡¯m really happy to have met everyone. It''s just a chance encounter, but it''s very important. That''s why I want to continue working in that ce with everyone...that''s why I''m being so stubborn." Then she stepped forward and approaches Kahlua. "I told you once right, I wield my sword for Krische-sama and Kalua. I don''t know what Kalua thought about it, but I¡¯m serious about it. I really wanted to be that kind of person I seriously think so." Kahlua also looked back into Mia''s eyes and then looked away. Mia moved further forward. To Kalua''s side. "Kalua, If you think that''s annoying, you can do whatever you want....I''ll give up if I lose this time." Mia said that. The woman in front of Kahlua was open and unresisting¨D¨Dwinning is easy, easier than taking a candy from a baby. But more difficult than anything. "... after all, it''s kind of cowardly." Kalua didn''t answer and dropped her shoulders. "I know that Kahlua is kinder than anyone else... I was told that the basics of tactics are to understand your opponent and target their weaknesses." Mia said and thrust her straight sword into Kalua''s center of her chest¨D¨Dher heart. Then, like a child, she smiled broadly. ¡°Now I''ve won. See, I was right, wasn''t I?¡± "... yes yes, Mia-sama¡¯s win." As she gave up, Kahlua wiped her curved sword with her cloak and put it in the scabbard. Mia hugged Kalua happily andughed while looking tired. "I''m sorry. ¡I love that part of Kalua." "How should I say it, geez." Kalua sighed exasperated and pulled Mia''s cheek. Still, Mia smiles happily, and then she turned to Bazel. "... I don''t hate Bazel. It''s true that I was happy... But I have something I want to do now. So¨D¨D" "Don''t apologize, it will make me miserable" Bazel falls on his buttocks as it is and, like Kalua, sighed with his shoulders slumped. ¡°Would I have had a chance before you left the vige?¡± "¡Might be" ¡°...I see. That''s all I need to hear.¡± Saying that, he closed his eyes and stood up. Heughed and said ¡®to not to leave any regrets behind¡¯. ¡°I''ll take that as a lesson. Next time, I''ll start from the beginning and go straight from the front.¡± "Hmm... No, I was really surprised because it was too sudden, and I think it''s usually better to take a small step first..." "... you" Exasperated, Bazel scratched his head and looked at Kalua. "...I¡¯m leaving Mia to you. Even if I fight, I wouldn¡¯t even reach Mia''s feet, so it''s stupid to worry about Mia like this... but I want to say it." "O.K. I understand. ¡Fufu, Bazel-kun sure is a good man.¡± She chuckled and hit Mia on the head. "If it''s Bazel-kun, even if it''s not Mia, I''m sure you''ll find a good girl." ¡°Haha¡there are hardly any people of the same age left in the vige.¡± "Ah... that''s a pity." ¡°Haah, should I just mix in with the carriage escort and go to the city.'' Kalua smiled wryly, and Bazel also smiled. Then Bazel looks up at the sky and nodded once. "Well then, see youter. You''re leaving the morning of day after tomorrow, right?" "yes" "I''m going to see you off" Saying so, Bazel turned his back and walked away. Kalua looked at Mia exasperated. "...it''s a waste. Even though he''s a good guy. Even though you might never get another chance." "Shut up... even though Kalua will miss me when I''m gone." "Hmm... that''s right. Well, I won''t deny it. I''m lonely." "Y-yeah..." "...why are you embarrassed when you said it yourself?" "S-shut up¡± Lightly tapping Mia''s head whose face reddened, Kalua held out her hand. "Let''s go home" "¡¡yes" Taking her hand, Mia smiled. Kalua sighed several times today. "Mia should exin it to Mirna-san. I''ll pass." "Why!? Let''s persuade Okaa-san together." "It''s okay if it''s the Mia just now, you;ll be fine....I''m tired anyway, also I''m an outsider." "It''s cunning to suddenly be an outsider like that!" "Who is the cunning one here..." And so the two of them walked on. The night road shining in the crescent moon. In the gray forest, only the beyong seemed to shine. Chapter 131: Old Enemies and Putting it Off Chapter 131: Old Enemies and Putting it Off ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 131 Old Enemies and Putting it Off*** Leaving Kalka, they picked up Mia and Kalua. If they passed through this forest, they would reach Gargain, and today they would spend the night in this forest The members of the ck g Special Forces took turns walking in the snow, warming their hands against the cold. In the carriage, as usual, there was a girl wrapped in a nket and snuggling on the servant''sp, "Ah, uh... Krische-sama?" She stared endlessly at the servant''s face. It''s not like she''s that bad with the stare, but when someone stared at her like this, it made her feel strangely embarrassed, wondering if there was something on her face. When Bery tilted her head in embarrassment with a blush on her cheeks, Krische happily hugged her. "Ehehe, Bery so warm." "...Is that so? ¡that¡¯s good then." If Krische had a tail, it would be wagging from side to side. Three days after leaving the vige, she was in a very good mood. And Bery couldn¡¯t say she had no idea about the cause. Perhaps it was her eptance of her rtionship with her G. Perhaps it was the fact that she was so pleased with her words. Regardless of whether she was different from others or not. Even if she could guess what other people were thinking, in the first ce it was impossible to understand everything. Bery, appropriately convinced her, lightly kissed and hugged Krischeas she raised her head expectantly. While repeating ¡®like, like¡¯, Krische snuggled her body against Bery. For the most part, it''s the same as usual¡ª¡ªthe problem was her defenselessness, which always tested Bery''s reason. How could she be so defenseless? It was frightening. Remembering the exchange the other day, and although she was not in a position to speak for others, she still found this affection and trust painful. The distorted affection, mischievousness, and other et cetera in Berry''s heart. As if to contain it all with her reason, Bery groaned and looked out the window. Outside, the sun was shining through the clouds, and if you catch the shadows on the trees, it was just before noon. It was about time to take a break and prepare for lunch. In the vige, they refrained from taking the shared precious meat, and all that was left was dried meat. As expected, it will be soup again today. Fortunately, vegetables were plentiful. ¡®It might be better to mix dried meat into small pieces and mix it to make dumplings¡¯¨D¨Dshe was thinking that when, "W-What''s the matter?" Krische suddenly jumped to her feet and looked to the left and right. Focusing on the ear as if trying to listen to something¨D¨DLike doggy-like Kreschenta, she had such rude thoughts, but when she looked at Krische, she was very serious. Her purple eyes were icy and puppet-like. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she took the sword at her side and looked at Bery. "Krische can hear the sound of swords shing and cursing.¡It''s a little further ahead." "Bandits, perhaps?" "Maybe. Maybe some wagons are being attacked. Bery, umm..." "...Yes. Please be careful." Krische smiled and nodded, then stepped out of the carriage. A nket of snow. Krische¡¯s feet sunk into the snow. Outside, Kalua and the others seemed to have noticed and had grim expressions on their faces. "Can you see it?" "From here, no. Perhaps a carriage somewhere is being attacked by bandits. There were originally many around here..." "Really? I haven''t heard much about that." Kalua tilted her head and Kilik told her, "When I was young, there were a lot of bandits in the area. The reason it was so safe was because the previous General Christand regrly held training here to maintain public order. It¡¯s close to Gargain after all." "Ah, I see... the northern part is just vacant right now." Kalua nodded in agreement. Krische thought for a moment as she surveyed the forest to his left and right. There were no enemy shadows around her. The scale of the enemies was unknown. If the enemy had noticed their side¨D¨Dthinking of the possibility of the scale being evenrger, it would be better for a number of people to remain here. Bery shouldn''t be hurt in any chance, and if that''s the case, there''s a risk that Krische alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. Krische assumed the worst case scenario and thought about how to move. Even if it''s just that the caravan was being attacked, if Krische was going alone, she wouldn''t get hurt. "...How troubling. Krische is going to see it, but we don''t know how many enemies there are, so you guys need to protect Berry. I won''t forgive you if Bery gets even one injury okay." "Ahaha..understood." "Yes ma¡¯am!" After Krische said that, she pulled Mia''s cheek, who was groaning alone. "... Mia, are you listening?" "Uu, yes. No, um... I was impressed that everyone could hear that kind of sound." "It''s a problem that Mia¡¯s hearing is bad. Should Krische make Mia live blindfolded for a while when we get back?" "Eh...?" "Anyway, Krische left it to you." Krische said and leaped up into the tree. It was not good to have her feet caught in the snow. She didn''t want the snow to enter her boots. She looked for a dead tree without leaves and jumped over it, moving through the forest. The source of the sound was right through the trees, "!?" "It''s not a bandit. What''s going on?" By the time she arrived, everything was already over. Three sleigh wagons, three merchants, and three guards. One of the escorts seemed to have a minor injury and was being treated by the other, but the wound didn''t look that deep. He wouldn''t die even if left alone. Four guards. Of the four, thetter two were a handsome young man with brown hair and an old man with one arm. Both were d in sand-colored cloaks and seemed to be magic possessor. She tilted his head for a moment, wondering if the old man''s arm had been cut off, but he did not seem to be in pain. He must have been one-armed since the start. Both of them looked at Cliche with a stunned look on their faces, and Cliche pondered for a moment before saying, "I thought it was a bandit¡¯s attack and came to the rescue from the other side¡ huh?" "Watch ou¡ª¡ª" Before the young man could shout, Krische twisted her hip. The survivor of the bandit who was trying to grab her from behind¡ª¡ªKrische, without looking over, kicked him back, sinking his sternum with the heel of her reinforced boot. There was no scream, only a dull sound, and the bandit''s body mmed into the tree behind and copsed. His heart ruptured, and he died instantly. "It looks like it''s almost over. Is everything alright?" A silver-haired girl with a white woolen hat covering her ears¡ª¡ªThe young man who was about to jump out to save Krische froze in ce. The others who saw it also froze. Only the old man recovered first and slowly opened his mouth. "You are¡" "Aah, I hadn¡¯t given my name yet. I¡¯m Krische Alberinea Christand. I''d like to ask about the number of bandits but...?" The face of the old man who stepped forward was familiar. ¡®Who was he?¡¯¡ª¡ªChecking the whatever (don¡¯t care) list in her memory, Krische pped her hands. "What a coincidence, Grizndi-san. I''m d it seems like you lived properly." "Oh... did you remember?" "Yes, I remember. Krische was the one who cut off the arm after all." The young man next to him looked at Krische with even more surprise, and then looked at the old man¨D¨DWaltza. Waltz del Grizndi. He was an assistant general of the Holy Elsren Empire and the old man whose arm Krische had cut off. The memory of their polite greeting all the way to the battlefield was still fresh, and he was remembered in Krische¡¯s mind as one of the strange old men. The old man ced his remaining right hand on his chest and saluted. "Haha, to be able to meet in a ce like this... should I say it''s a God¡¯s prank? I''ve always wanted to thank you for that time... Young Master, this girl is." "...Krische Christand" The figure that didn¡¯t show any turmoil in a surprise attack from apletely blind spot, and counterattacks without changing even a change in expression. Ability that does not match the appearance of a little girl. Surprised and confused, the beautiful young man with brown hair¨D¨DAleha nodded and took a deep breath. "No need to thank you. This person is the Young Master huh. That said..." Krische tilted her head troubled. "Why are the Empire¡¯s soldiers in the Kingdom? Depending on the reason, Krische will need to capture you... but this time not as a prisoner of war, so he will be in prison instead of house arrest, alright?" She put her right hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist and toyed with it. Military personnel from another country in the Kingdom for no official reason. It is reasonable to assume that they are there to obtain inside information or n some kind of sabotage, in such cases, they are usually tortured and disposed of without ever seeing the sun again. Ostensibly, they are people who should not exist, since there was now that allows military personnel to cross borders without official reason. They were not treated as military personnel and were not in vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant and just like bandits, any punishment was permissible as long as it was within the scope of thews of the Kingdom. Even if it was for private purposes, if they were using official documents to inform the Kingdom of their visit, they should have some kind of government official on their side, but if they didn¡¯t have one, they were illegal immigrants. ¡®A little more troublesome than bandits¡¯, Krische narrowed her eyes. Whether it was interrogation or torture, she needed to take them in a condition where they still can talk. She considered severing the tendons in both hands when Waltza dropped his sword to show that they were not hostile. "I am a human who has already abandoned my status as an Empire noble. Same with the Young Master¨D¨Dwe¡¯re no longer the Empire soldiers. Right now, we¡¯re just travelers... the empire should have officially issued a letter of emunication, so if you check that, I think you''ll understand." "... Emunication? Do you mean deprivation of peerage?" "You can think of it as something more serious than a deprivation of peerage. It''s not possible to have it reinstated. For the time being, I would like you to believe that statement...but now we are mere travelers. I have already abandoned my family name, but still, I swear by this name that remains, I am not lying." "Muu... that''s even moreplicated..." Krische groaned and turned her gaze to the driver who looked frightened at her. "Just go straight back down this road a little way and tell Krische¡¯s carriage toe this way. It has the Christand¡¯s banner so you''ll know." "Y-yes! Immediately...!" A beautiful girl with silver hair¨D¨DKrische Chrishtand, as the gossip said. And the bandit who tried to attack her and died instantly. It was like killing an insect or something. The appearance of the girl who calmly talked to them as if nothing had happened reminded him of the various rumors about her and made him recognize it as true, and he immediately ran to his feet. A frightened coachman was running, his feet caught in the snow and rolling. Krische nced at it sideways wondering if he was okay. "Well, that''s fine. For the time being, Krische and the others are nning to have lunch, so let''s go a little further to prepare and talk after lunch." "Y-yes...?" Krische decided to prioritize joining and eating before the long talk. There was snow on the ground and the ground was frozen to even bury the bodies. After meeting up with the others, they had no choice but to throw the bodies into a small area of the forest. It wasn''t a good feeling to eat in a dirty ce with blood sttered all over it. Krische, who dislikes dirt, also has general sensibilities in that area, so it was decided to have a meal a little further in the carriage. She put off the talk with the two of them forter,id arge wooden board on the snow, stepped on it, and set up a bonfire. It was too much trouble to dig out the snow every time, so they often used the wooden nks as a floor, except at night. The me went up. The wooden nks were only slightly charred, and they were stable enough to be used as a cooking area if you stepped on them with the snow. If it was just to boil water, they can use a magic crystal stove, but to keep warm due to the temperature, it is better to cook over an open fire like this. "Um, is this okay...?" Bery nced behind her with a troubled look on her face and asked Krische. In the same way, others were setting up bonfires behind them, and of course, the ck g Special Force and the coachmen, even Aleha and Waltza, were joining them withoutining. The ck g Special Forces have been told by Krischeto to keep an eye on the two, so Kalua and Kilik have been keeping an eye on them for the time being, but they don''t know what to say about this situation. Only Mia, who was working hard to build a fire, looked the same as usual. In case of suspicion, they are naturally allowed to detain them, but they have dered that they have resigned from the Empire military. Swear by name, were heavy words for nobles. Krische lightly exined the situation to everyone, including Bery, to see how they would react, but there was nothing suspicious about the two men''s attitude as they honestly surrendered their swords and said they wouldply with the restraints. Everyone agreed that there would be no problem, and Krische followed their lead. If what Waltza said was true, they were simply innocent travelers. Krische concluded that it would be ¡®wrong¡¯ for her to detain innocent people and that she would leave them under surveince for the time being, taking only their weapons. The two men were unarmed, and Cliche was on Berry''s side¨D¨Dshe was confident that she could do anything even if they suddenly attacked her. As a result, the priority in Krische¡¯s mind was to prepare a meal rather than to have a talk with them. The other party was a former empire soldier, a former general, and a former assistant general. It was Areha Sarchenka who easily defeated Kalmeda, the general in the eastern part of the Kingdom in the previous battle. Even though he was defeated by Bogan, his military fame was well known throughout the Kingdom, and everyone was exasperated that Krische was putting off such an opponent because she was hungry. "Krische told them we¡¯ll have a talk after preparing and eating lunch, so it''s okay." "I-is that so..." "yes. Ehehe, more than that, it¡¯s good that they shared the meat." The merchant just had salted pork, and he gave it to them. Thanks to that, Krische was in a good mood without worrying about the two of them. Bery gave a wry smile, wondering what to do, but tried not to worry, thinking that it was better than having a bleak mealtime. "Well, it looks like it will be much tastier than dried meat." "Yes. Krische will knead the dumplings, so Berry needs a kitchen knife." "Are you sure? It''s cold, isn''t it?" It was Krische that was especially bad with cold. ¡®Uuu¡¯, Krische snuggled up to Bery while groaning. "Krische always lets Bery deal with the cold so... today Krische will handle it." "Fufu, Krische-sama doesn''t have to worry about it, but...then, can I ask Krische-sama to do it this time?" While smiling Krische, Bery said that. Red and silver, the appearance of the two huddled together was indescribable, and the others were looking at them with indescribable expressions. They are always so close to each other that it is beyond the level of being close, but no one says anything about it now. Aleha, Waltza, the merchant, and the other guests who were watching the scene were also ncing at the immoral-looking couple, but there was no way they could say anything. There was no conversation except between the two, and a very awkward atmosphere was drifting between them and those left alone. The 19th squad leader, Kilik, who was trying to change the atmosphere, opened his mouth. "B-but... what a coincidence to meet the famous Aleha-dono in a ce like this. I feel honored." Brown hair, brushing off the snow on it, Aleha, who should be called a handsome young man, went along with it. It was a gentle voice. "Honor you said... I thought I was hated by the kingdom. And no need to thank me, I am already neither a soldier nor a noble." "Haha, even so, if you be a former general, you won''t be able to speak normally. If Aleha-dono is concerned about the fact that you were originally a soldier of the Empire, please rest assured." Kilik looked at the other six and said. "There is no one here who participated in the previous battle. Everyone joined the army during the civil war the other day¨D¨Dthere are those who respect you as a warrior, but there is no one who holds a grudge against you as an individual." "I see, I''ll be grateful and ept it obediently. But... from the civil war?" With a hand on his chin, Aleha looked at the seven. Seeing that standing figure and the fluctuation of magical power that seemed to cling to their body, his clever eyes frowned. And as if he realized something, he muttered, ¡®I see¡¯. "An elite unit under the direct control of Krische Christand alongside the Wolf Pack of Granmeld Varkas¡¡I heard rumors about the name of the ck Century¡Was it you guys?" "yes. Right now, we¡¯re escorting Krische-sama." The ck leather armor they wore and the ck cloak with the crescent skull emblem painted darkly on their chests. All seven of them were magic possessors¨D¨Dit was easy to understand that they were no ordinary soldiers who were escorting nobles. But there was something strange about them. Usually, nobles were chosen for such missions due to their credibility, ability, and various other points of view, but they didn¡¯t look like nobles. If this was the case, they were private soldiers, and the answer was easy to find, based on the rumors he had heard. "... It seems I¡¯m the one who should feel honored." The Sword Princess, Krische Christand, who was said to have led the civil war to victory. Along with her was the elite ck Century, said to be elected from among themoners. The people were very pleased with the sess of this group ofmoners. Aleha felt that there was some exaggeration in the greatness of their achievements, but realized that this was a misunderstanding. The answer to this dubious tale lies in the soldiers in front of him. The ck Century was probably a unitposed entirely of magic possessors. By beingposed entirely of magic possessors, the ck Century was uniquely specialized to create a high degree of coordination, enable maneuver warfare, and create an overwhelming localized advantage. More flexible than cavalry, they can traverse any terrain. They can hide in the lines of battle and in the woods. And with its unrivaled head-onbat power, it is capable of single-handed headhunting tactics against a corps-sized opponent despite being a small elite unit of a century. All of them are made up of magic possessors¨D¨DAleha immediately understood the terrifying meaning of that. If they had been there during the battle of the Arzulen River, there was a possibility that they would have fallen into a situation where they would not even be able to withdraw. "I''ve heard that the military name of the unit was quite active. I heard many times during the trip that you were the strongest century of the Kingdom." "Thank you for your kind words. That being said...it''s not like we¡¯re being humble, it''s not because of our credit, but because of that person''s strength. Both in name and reality, Krische-sama has no equal in the world, though it might not seem like it." Kilik turned his gaze to Krische, happily cooking with Bery. Her two tails of silver hair sway from side to side, and she wore a lovely woolen white hat up to her ears. Her back figure was that of a simple, excited child. As Kilik said that, it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have thought about being the representative of the Kingdom¡¯s strongest warrior, but if that was the normal her, then it couldn¡¯t be helped. However, Aleha showed a straightforward understanding of his words, and so did Waltza, the old soldier next to him. He knew that she was the one who had led him into a trap and lured him into the mud with her army of 30,000 men and brought about his defeat. She built a vicious fort in front of the river, bypassed the mountains, and attacked themand post. She took the heads of the adjutant and assistant adjutant generals. In front of Waltza and his elite, who came forward as the rear, she appeared alone, cut off his arm, and took him as a prisoner¨D¨Dhe has never forgotten her name. Defeated on the battlefield. It was just that she was the strong one and he was the weak one. He didn''t mean to hold a grudge, but it should be said that it was God''s arrangement that they were able to meet like this. He had a strong interest in what kind of person she herself was. He owed her a debt of gratitude for letting Waltza live. "The tragedy of the Arzulen River, huh... fufu, I''ve never forgotten that time. I thought that if possible, I would like to meet and talk with her. It may have been a fortune to have chosen the kingdom as our destination, Waltza." "...indeed. I should say that it was God''s guidance, Young Master." With a slightly serious face, Kilik timidly asked. "Travel... but why are you two in the kingdom?" "We asked to take responsibility for the defeat. I was emunicated from the Curia¨D¨Dwell, what you would call deprivation of peerage. Unable to remain in the empire, I wondered where to go, so I came here¡ to visit a grave." "... visiting a grave?" ¡®Yes¡¯, Aleha nodded and looked at the thunder and hawk crest on the carriage. "Yes¡ª¡ªa private grave visit." Minced meat and vegetables wrapped in cabbage leaves are thrown into a tomato-based soup. It was a simplebination of soup and bread for a lunch meal, but the aroma of herbs and the vor of the meat and vegetables melting into the soup stimted the stomach from the olfactory sense. "It''s delicious... Ehehe, Krische¡¯s d the vegetables were finely chopped, and they melted properly even in a short amount of time." "Fufu, Krische-sama, you can''t test-taste it anymore. It''s time to eat." "Uh...yes" The soup served on the te was distributed to everyone. The soup was quite borate considering that it waspleted in less than an hour from the start of the instation work. As usual from the familiar ck g Special Force, the others take it in amazement. After confirming that it had reached everyone, Krische couldn''t wait and said, "Shall we eat then?" She takes a sip of the soup and begins to eat it happily before anyone else. Aleha also followed suit and sipped the soup, nodded at the taste that didn''t seem to be outdoors, and called out to Krische. "General Christand¡ª¡ªor what should I call you?" "Hmm...whatever you call it...ah, but if it''s the family name, it''s hard to tell with Selene, so Krische thinks Krische would be better. Krische¡¯s even not sure if Krische could be called General." "Then, Krische-sana.... About the reason we visited the kingdom earlier." Aleha cuts in with a serious face. What would former Holy Empire General Areha Sarchenka say? Everyone waited with bated breath¡ª¡ªbut Krische¡¯s reaction was quicker than anyone expected. "Please wait, that''s going to take a long time, and the soup is going to get cold¡ª¡ªah no,ter, after we''ve settled down. It''s going to be very troublesome¡ª¡ªAhem, Krische feels like it''s a very important and serious topic, so Krische thinks it probably shouldn''t be done during meals." Aleha and those who were listening, Stiffened at Krische¡¯s words, which were not round-bout at all. Chapter 132: On the Road Chapter 132: On the Road ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 132 On the Road*** In the end, Aleha was only able to talk after dinner, which was not the case. Krische muttered that the sky was a little suspicious, and told Aleha that she wanted to move quickly and arrive quickly at the nned location. Certainly, the sky looked like it had changed, and Aleha agreed. He watched Krische happily tidying up with Bery. Then, as for during the trip, there was always the possibility that the one in a million chance may happen in the enclosed space of the carriage. Krische did not want to wee the two of them, but the thought of talking with them while walking in the cold outside was not an option for her. She put it off saying that we should talk until we arrived at the scheduled ce¨D¨D ¡®It''s going to be windy today, and we need to finish our meal early.¡¯ And just like that she put it off again. The reason was certainly clear. However, around here, both Aleha and Waltza naturally understood that the girl wasn''t interested in them at all. Even though they knew she felt it was bothersome, it was impossible for them not to talk to her about it. How they will be treated in the future was a very serious matter for them at least¨D¨Dat the very least, it was necessary to have her to listen to their story. Considering the appropriateness (randomness) of the situation, it seemed to be a deration of intention that there was no intention to do anything wrong, but clear words are always important. After finishing the meal, Krische yawned, and said ¡®Let¡¯s rest early today, see you tomorrow¡¯¨D¨Dtried to postpone the story, Bery extended a helping hand, thinking that it was pitiful for the two of them. ¡®Kri-Krische-sama, wouldn¡¯t it be better to talk about the future of the two of them for the time being..¡¯ Finally, in the evening, a ce for discussion is finally created. The fire glowed brightly in the tent, which was firmly roped to the trees and had arge venttion opening. Sitting on top of Bery who was sitting on a box right next to the bonfire, Krische looked at them as she put her hand to the fire Krische and the others slept in rtively well-insted carriages, so this tent was for others. It was nned to be used by everyone, including the coachman, and although it was made spacious, it would be cramped for 14 people. With the exception of Kilik, two others, and one of the injured people, who were on guard duty at night, they were asked to go outside for now. From the front, Mia''s voice could be heard whispering to Kalua, who has taken up a position by the fire. "For now, It''s not like your suspicions have been cleared for the time being, but you two will not be restrained. Krische and the others will keep the sword until we get confirmation, but we will take care of it and return it as soon as the suspicions are cleared up. Any questions?" "No, it''s a natural procedure." Nodding as if satisfied with Aleha''s answer, Krische continued. "Krische and the others are just about to return to the Royal¡¯s territory, so you will apany Krische and the others there. Krische knows you have your own objectives for the trip, but the priority is to prove your innocence. Krische understands the inconvenience, but in the meantime, you will not be allowed to go alone. You must understand that you will be supervised at all times." ¡®l"That''s all", said Krische, looking up at Bery with satisfaction and trying to stand up. As if to say that this was the end of the conversation¨D¨DKrische was ready to go back to the carriage and go to bed. Bery smiled wryly as she was troubled, and held Krische by the waist with both arms, preventing her from standing up. The other side seemed to want to talk about something, and as expected she would feel sorry for them if they were being put off again, and again. She looked at Aleha, who was looking exasperated, bowed lightly to Bery and opened his mouth. "I heard that Christand¡¯s mansion is in Gargain....If you don''t mind, I would like to offer flowers in front of the grave of the former General Christand." Krische, who was embraced by Berry, looked at him strangely, pondered over his words and told him. "Christand¡¯s grave is not Gargain, but the Royal Capital. Christand has moved from the north to the center. It would be best if the destination is the same. Shall Krische show you around when we get there?" "...Is that so? Well then, thank you." Krische, seeing Aleha thanking her, looked up at Bery again with satisfaction. The conversation was over, and it was time for Chrissie to go to sleep. She made an appeal to Bery to go back to the carriage, but Bery, understanding her appeal, put a cookie in her mouth to stop her from moving. "Although he was an enemy, General Christand was a warrior I aspired to be and respected. Even though death on the battlefield is the fate of a warrior, I would like to express my deepest condolences." "Mugu, um... Thank you...?" "If it was possible, I would have liked to meet him once and talk to him directly, but¡even if I regret it, it can¡¯t be helped." Krische was on Bery''sp, listening to him as she was having trouble figuring out what to do. Aleha didn''t care and continued. "I crossed des with General Christand several times before I became general. Each time I was defeated, and out of frustration I repeatedly read battle records of General Christand, learned from it, and developed countermeasures and tactics. ...Then I became a general and had my first confrontation with him¨D¨DI had the superior force, and when I think about the efforts I''ve made for that, I don''t think we can lose...but even so, we were defeated." While looking at the girl with silver hair. She was a girl who was held on thep of a servant, wearing a woolen cap and tightly wrapped around a scarf. Usually noble¨D¨Deven military personnel, are concerned about their appearance, but this girl didn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all and was warming her hands over the fire in a fluffy outfit. Sweet and childish. She showed not a shred of interest in her enemies, Aleha and the others. Her looks and her temperament, however, betrayed her ability, that made her look like a genius. She was not an experienced soldier like Bogan, and her appearance was too far from the ideal of a soldier. What this girl had was only a remarkable talent to the point of being distorted, and Aleha felt that this was why he had failed so miserably. Even if he attacked her now, he would be cut down with a single swing. Even though she was sitting there, her sword was by her side, and she was not the slightest bit careless or careless. "The reason I set out on this journey like this is to reexamine my conceited self. I have learned many things as a soldier from my men and from General Christand. That is why I thought that the Kingdom was the right ce for this journey, and here I am." He never felt that his talents were inferior to others. Despite his misgivings, he ultimately went ahead, overconfident in his own abilities and talent¨D¨Dthe cause of his defeat was probably his conceit. That was why Aleha lost when she had to lose. She was defeated by this little girl. "It could be said that I was most fortunate to have met Krische-sama along the way. ...First of all, thank you for saving Waltza without taking her life." Aleha stood up, and so did Waltza. The two bowed their heads deeply. Formerly though they were, it was rare for a noble to bow his head like this. Bery looked at it with a bit of surprise, and Krische groaned ¡®Uuu¡¯ looking troubled. "The battle at that ce was in a state where it could be said that it was over, and Krische was onlyplying with the Holy Spirit Covenant. Krische may have treated him, but it was also Krische who cut him down, and Selene was the one who decided to take him prisoner. If it''s a thank you, Krische feels like it''s better to say it to Selene..." "Even so, there aren¡¯t many people who can help someone with whom they have crossed swords without hesitation. ¡¡Waltza was like a parent to me, so I am deeply grateful to Krische-sama for saving his life." Aleha said that and raised his face. "Perhaps it is God''s arrangement that we meet in a ce like this...to return the favor. I''m no longer bound by any ties¨D¨DI''ll return the favor in some form or another." "Hmm...thank you..." Since he said he''s grateful, that''s probably a personal problem. While thinking that something was strange with Krische being thanked, she turned her gaze to Waltza. The bearded old man''s eyes squinted softly, and his gaze turned briefly to Bery, then to Krische again. "To return to the mansion, cook and have a tea party¨D¨DWhen I asked Krische-sama what you were fighting for, you said so." Then, following his master''s lead, he spoke in a somewhat more polite tone. "¡¡? yes" "Since then, there has been a civil war, and there must have been some hardships¡ but now that wish seems to havee true, more than anything else I am d Krische-sama is happy.". Her appearance on the battlefield. He had never seen a warrior like that. Even if the enemy he faced was the leader of the wolf pack, the famous Granmeld, he was confident that he would be able topete, that¡¯s just how much he had studied. ¨D¨DNo matter what kind of opponentes out, he won¡¯t just lose without doing anything. Walzta, who had made up his mind to do so, was pushed down by force. More than surprising, it was to the point that it was refreshing. When he asked why the girl would do such a thing, Waltza was speechless at the answer he received. But the way she was looking at him now, it made sense. Her true nature must be here. "Ehehe, yes. Krische is very happy right now. Right, Bery." Krische said and pressed her face against Bery''s chest, and Bery gave a wry smile. And when Aleha saw Krische yawning a little, he said. "I''m sorry for keeping you associated with us. This is the end of the talk, putting it in one word, I just wanted to say thank you." "Is that so? Hmm..." Krische got off of Bery and stretched, while holding Bery''s hand as if to tug on it. After pondering for a moment, she said. "The kingdom has a lot of vacancies due to the civil war, and Aleha-san is a former general, so if you need a job after visiting the grave, it might be good to work for the royal army. Selene is alsoining about theck of people, so it might be a good way to return the favor." "Um... Haah?" "Aleha-san lost to Gotoushu-sama, but Aleha-san was able to put up a good fight against Gotoushu-sama...Krische thinks Aleha-san is enough. Well, unless Aleha-san and the others have ns." ¡®Then see you tomorrow,¡¯ said Krische as she hurriedly pulling Bery''s hand out of the tent. The former general of the enemy country was at a loss at the very simple solicitation, and Kilik and the others who were listening to it also froze. Three days passed. They stopped at Gargain, loaded up their belongings, and headed home. Mia was very happy after purchasing a sword at the Korze¡¯s cksmith shop. She was so happy that Kalua had to confiscate it before she went to bed after she smashed the sheath on her head of who was sleeping right next to her. Aleha and Waltza finally began to know them well, and the trip went without any particr problems. "It seems Adjutant Mia has some strange habits." "habit¡¡" Night¨D¨Da snowfield glistening in the bonfire and moonlight. Aleha, dressed in the same sandy colors as Waltza, was taking part in a light sword training session and giving instruction. The lecture by Aleha, who had been trained in the fundamentals of swordsmanship from an early age, was easy for them to understand. "You¡¯re swinging my sword with all your strength too much. It¡¯s like that your body was pulled away and so it lost its bnce." After all, he was a former general¨D¨DKilik and the others told him that using a polite tone of voice would make him look more dignified, so he was now speaking as usual. And if there was a possibility of bing a superior officer in the future, it is good to avoid confusion. Enemy General. Moreover, less than a year has passed since thest battle. Inviting such an opponent to join the kingdom''s army was astonishing, but Krische¡¯s position was the kingdom''s second-ranked military officer, and she had a close rtionship with the queen, Kreschenta, and the marshal, Selene. They could easily imagine that if Krische wanted to, Aleha would eventually be judged ording to her wishes, even if he did not suddenly be a general. "...It''smon when you''re just starting out, the more you want your sword to be faster the more you will only swing with your arms, putting unnecessary force on your body. If the body and the sword move separately, the sword will slip. And a copsed center of gravity will create a clear gap, inviting the opponent''s sword." Aleha borrowed Mia''s thick sword and showed a sample. He stepped in, swung, and thrusted. The series of movements was solid and had a flowing beauty. Kilik, Mia, and the others were impressed, while Kalua looked at him with a slightly pursed lip and a re. Kalua lost in a match the other day, after being pointed out that her sword was too rough, and she was now trying to somehow find a strategy against Aleha''s swordsmanship. Kalua has a certain amount of confidence in her sword. Putting Krische aside, losing to other opponents was extremely frustrating. "On the battlefield, you use a more practical, rough sword. I understand that''s what Adjutant Mia was taught, but... it''s also important to learn the basics." Putting a hand to his chin as if in thought, Aleha continued. "Right... how should I say it? The basics are just the basics. I don''t think there will be many opportunities to wield a sword ording to the basics in actualbat. However, by repeating these basics and soaking them into your body, your body will gradually remade itself into something that can be used to wield a sword." "... remade, is it?" "Yes. In any kind of swordsmanship, the basic stance is usually focused on keeping the body axis centered. So that the power of the sword you swing doesn''t overwhelm your body, so that you can always swing the next swing with stability. " Next, roughly with one hand. The sword swinging up and down and left and right while scattering snow particles as it steps in was almost impossible to see. The roar of the sword was so powerful and violent that it was hard to believe it was a sword, yet there was no stagnation, no pause. "Maintain your own axis. If you let your body remember this, you will be able to unconsciously maintain your ideal bnce no matter how tired you are." "... That''s amazing. I see, the basics." "That''s right, Mia. Mia should practice about a thousand times a day." "Eee...?" Krische, who finished washing the dishes, told Mia while trying to return to the carriage. "Mia ''s hands and feet are disconnected, and Mia¡¯s sword cannot even bisect leather armor. Mia has to be more conscious of the ellipse and be able to use her whole body." She was wearing a brown woolen hat and wrapped the scarf tightly. The fluffy Alberinea, who only came out when she''s cooking, put her hand on her waist and looked at Mia. "At the very least, Krische''d like everyone the ck g Special Force to be able to bisect sheet metal armor, with the adjutant, Mia like this what are you doing? While investigate tactics, Mia should also do it seriously." "E-even noe, I''m still working hard on various things, but..." "Mia should work ten times as hard as she does now." "Uuu..." Mia looked at Kalua, Kilik, and the others as if asking for help, but everyone had a nk look on their faces. Even though they were magic possessors that were several times stronger than normal humans, only Kalua and Kilik could say that they could cut through sheet metal armor even if it is stationary. There are only a few that can be counted in the entire ck g Special Force that could do it. Bery looked at Mia with a little pity, but for a soldier, training was directly linked to life. Unable to interject, she watched the situation with a vague, troubled smile on her face. Aleha opened his mouth. "I heard that Cliche-sama¡¯s swordsmanship is unique, but¡I¡¯m interested. If you don''t mind, can I ask you for a light match? " "A match?" "Yes, a light exercise after meals." Krische looked at her feet. It was snowing. Chilly and cold. Cold. Snow on her clothes. "Another time..." "Ussa-chan! Take vengeance for your cute apprentice! I want you to show them Usa-chan''s self-taught swordsmanship!" Kalua hugged her from the side while she was about to say it. Krische looked at Kalua with a sideways re. " Krische, doesn¡¯t remember making Kalua Krische¡¯s apprentice. Besides, it''s true that Kalua''s sword is unskillful and rough...even if it''s not here." "Usa-chan! I think there will be battles in bad conditions like this in the snow. Isn''t it very fruitful for Usa-chan, the leader, to show an example directly? Look, Mia also wants to see how to move on the snow." ¡®Uuu¡¯, This time the clich¨¦ groaned. Mia red at Kalua. "... I didn''t say that." "Mia doesn¡¯t want to see it?" "...A bit." Kalua looked at Kilik and the others and asked for their consent with her eyes. She gripped Krische¡¯s weak point¨D¨Dthe ability to manipte the air at will and sophism. And Krische was basically a girl who couldn¡¯t say no. With a pout of her lips, she stepped forward, and said ¡®Just one time, okay.¡¯ Chapter 133: Boundless Sky Chapter 133: Boundless Sky ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 133 Boundless Sky*** A moonlit snowfield. Confronting each other was a young man with brown hair, Aleha Sarchenka, a general who once obtained the title of Holy Knight at a young age. And a petite silver-haired girl who was no taller than his chest. She was the kingdom''s strongest Alberinea, Krische Christand. The two readied themself and faced each other¨D¨Dnot . "¡umm?" Aleha was perplexed by the girl who held her curved sword in her right hand and continued to stomp the snow beneath her feet. She really didn''t want to get snow in her boots. The girl was absorbed in her work without paying any attention to Aleha. "...? Anytime is fine, you know?" "Even if you say so, how do I say it..." It''s hard to do anything about it. When Aleha called out to her, Krische tilted her head curiously and continued her work. "Krische doesn''t particrly have any stand, so anytime is fine. Krische wants to get back to the carriage as soon as possible." She bit off a small yawn and didn''t even have a shred of motivation. She was dealing with Aleha as if she was dealing with a child. In fact, that''s probably what she was thinking. Excessive attitude¡ª¡ªas expected of the mild-mannered Aleha, felt a slight irritation. He had a certain amount of pride in his sword, which he has trained since childhood. He knew that this girl had easily in the elite led by Waltza, but she was too careless. "...Then, without reservation." His sharp eyes narrowed and he readied his sword. His left stance with his left foot forward, and both hands above the head¡ª¡ªDaijodan (overhead swing stance, the one usually seen on anime; kendo stance). He was of medium build and height, and could be said to be average height for a man, but his slender arms and legs were long, and when he stood up like that, he was apanied by a certain intimidating feeling. The distance separating the two was three ken (~5.5m). The distance of one swing. Her brown-gold hair and sand-colored cloak swayed in the wind and powdery snowkes danced in the air, ¨D¨DAt that moment, Aleha stepped forward. He creates a white storm, ignoring the snow up to his knees. Theplete opposite of his usual calm demeanor, a step towards liberating his violent fighting spirit. Without even a blink of an eye, he was in front of Krische, swinging his de down. Step in and swing down from overhead. The daijodan was an easy-to-read stance, but by eliminating the upswing action, the thing that could be obtained was a tremendous sword speed. Speed and weight, one wouldn''t even be able to receive a single stroke that has received the benefits of both. A normal opponent would be cut in half without even being able to react. However, Aleha was convinced that this girl would surely dodge it. Therefore, this was not a swing to bring her down. A follow-up attack with an upward sh¨D¨Dthat was what Aleha was aiming for. With this two-stage attack, Aleha had cut down many fierce fighters. A scream-like voice rose from those who were watching, but. "!?" At that moment, Aleha saw Krische¡¯s back spinning around. Why¨D¨DBefore he could think further, the feel of the sword disappeared from his hand. A dull metallic sound echoed, and what he saw was the right heel of her boot. It was a backward roundhouse kick that was twisted from her hips. She kicked away Aleha''s fastest sword with her heel from the side, "...Geez, the snow has gotten inside now." Before he knew it, she had switched to her left hand and had the curved sword crawling down Areha''s neck. "T-the sword I just bought is...!" "Yes, yes, sit down." Mia''s screamed voice echoed, but it did not reach Aleha''s ears. Krische ps her cloak, removes snow from scarves and hat, and looks at Aleha. There was no surprise in her violet eyes, but rather, they had an emotionless, cold gleam in them. "It''s fairly fast, but that it¡¯s too easy to read is the problem. Aleha-sana may have intended to decide with a subsequent sh or sweep, but Aleha-sana should consider the possibility of being matched from the side. Even if it¡¯s not with their feet like Krische like Krische some peoples... Hmmm, sometimes there are people like that." Aleha was stunned by surprise, but soon recovered from his loss. "... I see. You seem to be out of my imagination." "That''s right. You lose because you can''t imagine your opponent''s ability." Krische said as if it was a matter of course and adjusted her hat. It''s not that she moved terribly fast. Rather, it appeared rxed and minimal. She saw through Aleha''s sword and just matched it. uracy of movement and insight. She is so far above the rest that she could easily match her heels with the sword as it was being swung. "For a small opponent like Krische, it would be better to swing the sword more finely at the very edge of the range. Like hooking the tip of the sword... You¡¯re too forward, rushing the match too much." "What if I stepped in even further? With the momentum of hitting your body." "Hmm, then it''s like this." Passing through the left side of Aleha. The de was perfectly aligned with his neck. "From the left stance in front of the left foot, the sword swings inevitably from the upper right to the lower left, so before that, pass through the left side and take the neck. If you switch legs, do the opposite. If you step in that much, you won''t be able to kill the eleration and you won''t be able to stop it." Krische puts her finger to her lips and thinks for a moment. "Even though they possess magical powers with excellent athletic ability, they cannot defy thews of physics and the human body structure, including joints. If you determine the opponent''s maximum speed, maximum eleration, and the width of the de range, you will inevitably find an answer as to what to do." It''s all calcted, Krische continued. "The sword swing was pretty good, so Aleha-san might want to use your head a little more in that area. You don''t have to be decisive, but rather calcte and execute the best move on the spot. That is the most important thing after learning how to swing a sword. The words he spoke were simple and clear, but that was the ideal of the sword¨D¨Da mindset that could be called a secret technique. Determine everything in a moment''s time and take the lead. It was easy to understand in words, but difficult to implement. But she was precisely in that state. "¡¡Can I ask you one more time?" "Eh...? Krische looked at the carriage and tantly showed she wanted to return, but Aleha picked up the sword regardless. Feeling an overwhelming difference in power¨D¨Dit was the first time except for when he was a child. It wasn''t that I was mad, but something inside him just boiled over. "please" He raised his sword and fixed his eyes on the girl. "Oh dear, aplete defeat, Waltza. To think she was that strong." Inside the tent, Aleha announced with a fresh smile on his face. After that, they had seven matches in a row, and personally he wanted to continue, but Krische seemed to want to return to the carriage as soon as possible, so he had no choice but to give up. Still, one could say it was a rewarding time for him. "Compared to when I saw it before, it looked like her movements were even more polished. If that battle had happened a littleter, I wouldn''t have been able to get by with just my arms either." Walztaughed gleefully and pped his severed left arm. Aleha nodded saying it was a fortune and Kilik, who had been listening to the story, said. "But still, it was a really brilliant swordsmanship, if it were not Krische-sama, there would be no one who could match Aleha-dono." "I''m proud of myself, but there are still many warriors in the kingdom. I once had a fight with Kolkis Agrand, but...against such a splendid warrior, I still have much to go." "... With Agrand Corps Commander" Aleha nodded. Back when he was also leading a single corp, Alehaunched a surprise attack on Bogan''s left nk and pierced his nk. He cut his way through the mighty ranks of the Second Corp, where he met with Kolkis. It was a battle that could be said to have been evenly contested as it was not clear which side would fall, but if they kept fighting like that, Aleha would probably have lost. "Not to mention his military drill, he also can freely swing his full-body steel war spear¡ On the battlefield, he is like a giant. I was unable to approach the main camp, and the main camp on my side was destroyed by the Nozan Verreich¡ª¡ªthe First Corps, so I withdrew." He casted his eyes down as he thought back. "I have not achieved my purpose, they have achieved their purpose. Considering that it was a surprise attack, it must have been aplete defeat for me. If the timing was just a little bit different, we would have been cut off from retreat and killed." "It''s nostalgic, it''s rare that a Young Master would drown in alcohol." "Kuku, it was a close call. Putting my own ipetence on disy and showing an ugly appearance." ¨D¨DRather than spectacr victories in various ces, whates to mind was the battle with Christand. He could remember every battle as if it had happened only a few days ago. "The thunder and the hawk is the strongest in the kingdom¡ª¡ªthe unrivaled army led by the Hero Christand. To me, they were a hateful opponent who had humiliated me countless times, and a goal to ovee...at the same time, they were also my admiration. With the loss of General Christand, I felt like I had lost my way, but..." Long silver hair. Jewel-like purple eyes. A petite and lovely¡ª¡ªa fairy-like girl was drawn in his mind. "But I''m honestly ted to know that''s not the case. Christand¡¯s Alberinea will make the thunder and falcon crests shine even brighter. ¡¡Just as the height of the sky is unknown, I cannot measure it with my ruler." He clenched his fists in glee. He then looked at Mia, who was eagerly looking at the sword to see if there were any scratches on it. "I''m sorry about the sword you lent me." "N-no, it''s okay." Mia jumped up and answered. Kalua looked at Mia sideways, exasperated. Sword is a consumable item, she sighed as she wondered what to do with minor wounds. "But it looks like you''ve got a good sword. The center of gravity is in your hand, and the thickness is thick enough to swing lightly. Even with your physique, it''s easy to use." "Right! It''s a good sword, isn''t it!" "Y-yeah..." He smiled wryly while pulling back at Mia who bit the topic eagerly. "It''s about when I was a child, but I understand how you feel. The first sword you hold in your hand looks like a jewel. ¡you can rest assured, it had been sent flying so spectacrly, but even like that she held back." "...... Is that so?" "Ah, though you could also say that there was that much of a gap between me and Krische-sama in terms of ability." Alehaughed happily, and Kalua, who saw that, pricked her lips, looking bored. "Even though you lost that badly to Usa-chan, you don''t seem to be vexed huh." "Of course I''m vexed. But more than that I''m d to see that there''s still a long way to go." He returned Kalua''s sarcasm with a refreshing smile and looked at his own hand. "I''ve been wielding a sword and learning tactics for 30 years since I was able to hold a sword. I thought I had put in as much effort as I could, and I had a certain amount of pride in what I had built up. Someday I think I will be able to reach a higher ce than anyone else." Blessed with talent. He worked hard and gained a lot of experience. So he thought he would eventually make it. "But the sky is more boundless than I imagined, and I may never reach the moon or the stars, even if I bet my whole life on it. She taught me that I still have to work hard and that I can go even higher. I guess it should be something to be happy about." "Haa...what a strange person¡ª¡ªoh no, what a great hard worker!" Mia hurriedly apologized, and Aleha smiled wryly. Kalua also looked at Aleha in amazement and put her hands behind her and bent back. "Thirty years huh... it looks like there''s still a long way to go." "You look young... how old are you?" "Twenty... three or four." "I see, but for your age, you¡¯re pretty good at it. I''m sure that if you work hard and don''t cut corners, you will be able to reach even greater heights." ¡®Kuku¡¯,ughing, Kalua looked outside over the tent¡ª¡ªtowards the carriage. "Even so, Usa-chan¡ it seems that she is quite fond of her." "Well, she''s a bit strange, but he''s a good child, and as amander, there¡¯s nothing shecked. The ideal superior¡ª¡ªsome people are scared of her, but she''s a very kind child you know." ¡®As you can see¡¯, Kalua continued, Aleha nodded. "She certainly doesn''t look like a soldier. ¡¡A kind child, huh? Aleha smiled and turned his face to Waltza. "It probably won''t go smoothly, but my heart is made up. If she seeks my power, I will pick up the sword for the Kingdom. You don¡¯t mind right, Waltza? " "Of course, Young Master, the purpose of the trip is there after all.... I can''t go to the front line anymore, but please let me assist you even if it''s just a little." "Oh, I''m counting on you. You''re worth a thousand soldiers even with just one arm." Alehaughed and said that, looked at his palm, and grasped it. Putting something that he obtained earlier than he imagined along with various emotions. Chapter 134: Pandemonium Chapter 134: Pandemonium ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 134 Pandemonium*** The White City¨D¨DAlbenaria, the royal capital. A meeting was being held in the audience chamber of the royal castle. "I''m afraid it''s too tyrannical, Your Majesty." A series of pirs support the ceiling that one must look up to see. The red carpet reminiscent of blood was trimmed in gold. The nobles lined up on the left and right were all well-known and prominent in the kingdom, and at the far end of the center¨D¨Don a throne at the top of a small staircase, sat a petite girl with an upright posture. Her golden hair dyed red by the sunlight shining in, her intelligent purple eyes. Dressed in a white dress, her figure was absolutely beautiful. Queen Kreschenta tilted her head at the words of her vassal¨D¨Dthe Duke of Arkasakos, and gave her a troubled look. "However, we need everyone''s cooperation to rebuild the kingdom''s finances that Oji-sama had wasted. From the point of view of the Kingdom''s national defense, armaments reorganization is an urgent matter. You understand that right?" "But that doesn''t mean we should lower our quotas." Among the nobles, there are those who are entrusted with some areas as administrative territories. Nheless, it''s just management - all thend is officially owned by the King, and the tax revenue obtained there was also the King''s. Quotations were part of the tax revenue given to nobles who had territories under their management. Kreschenta was trying to fix the country''s finances by lowering that, but of course the nobles will not unanimously agree to this. Thenky old man with a long beard¨D¨Dthe words of the Duke of Arkasakos were predictable. "Her Majesty the Queen is putting effort into new endeavors in various ces, including the establishment of military academies, but¡when looking at finances, I think that is the first point that needs to be reconsidered. If our quotas were lowered on the spur of the moment, we wouldn''t be able to make ends meet." "Thankfully, the military academy receives donations from many nobles, so it seems like the kingdom doesn¡¯t have any financial expenditures¡As for the Citizen Elementary School, it is basically only the system that had been created. Expenditures are trivial subsidies, they are insignificant." Citizen Elementary School¨D¨Da system that could not even be called a school built in the city. Most towns have some sort of facility, such as a conference hall owned by the country. These facilities, which were only used once a month or so, were provided as educational facilities, and teachers recruited from the general public were asked to teach writing and arithmetic. It was not obligatory, and was only encouraged. The teachers would be paid enough to keep them fed, and the children would be offered a loaf of bread if they came to the sses, which would help the people reduce their food expenses. It was thought that a certain number of children would be attracted to the school. Those with administrative territory would be ordered to implement the system and pay for it out of their own pockets. It would be an act of charity for children who had never had the opportunity to learn, and no one could refuse it outright if they were told that it was intended to increase national power in the future. The establishment of a school would have an impact on the country''s finances, but the expense would be minimal. Donations will probably be collected for this as well, and as long as they put a little money as initial investment, the school will develop on its own. Once it takes shape to a certain degree, a school can be built. In this way, the intellectual level of the people will be raised, and eventually, the ipetent nobles would be reced with new ones by means of examinations. This was a n that would take several decades toplete. Kreschenta nced at one of the nobles with no intention of making aint. "Ah, Duke Arkasakos, your words are too much for Her Majesty the Queen." "¡you" "I am sure we are all satisfied with what has been done. I think that the reduction of our quota is unavoidable, as Her Majesty the Queen has said. Our rtions with the three neighboring countries are still not secure, aren''t we supposed to put the Kingdom first? " The young margrave who raised his voice was pale and had cold sweat on his face. He red at Arkasakos as if he were about to shoot him, but he never looked in his direction. And along with his words, several others agreed with him. Everyone that spoke had a rtionship with Arkasakos, and the old man''s face was dyed red. He clenched his fists so tight they turned white as he said, "You betrayed me." Kreschentaughed inside her heart. The secret ledger of Rndo Seva, a major merchant who was dealt with by her sister. The legacy he left behind in the center of the Kingdom central was quite useful. The names of many of the Kingdom''s leading nobles were recorded there. From the ve trade to the trade in stolen goods, including illegal drugs¨D¨Dthe secret ledger was the most useful evidence to undermine the power of the Arkasakos faction that rebelled against Kreschenta. "I, too, have made a difficult decision. Of course, if the country is revived, I promise to return it to its original state. Ten years at most, for that long¡ª¡ªwould you please cooperate with me?" "... It seems I''m the only oneining that he can''t ept it. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Queen." Trembling, Arkasakos bows his head. Kreschenta looked at him with a smile. "No, I''m the one who''s being unreasonable. Please raise your head." "...Yes Your Majesty." Kreschenta looked at his anguished face with a queen''s face. "I swear that in time I will repay your loyalty with what it deserves. ...Even if it¡¯s painful right now, please ept that." ¡ª¡ªThough when that timees your face won''t be here. Continuing in her heart with a sneer, Kreschenta turned her attention to the future. The ce was a mansion built in a prime location in the Royal city¡ª¡ªin its office. The furnishings on the shelves and walls were of the highest quality, as were the chairs and desks. "Damn, that Cursed Child! Each and every one of them being ensnared by that damned Cursed Child!!" On that desk. mming his favorite sake cup on the desk, the old man with a long beard¨D¨DArkasakos raged. Shards flew off and the servants screamed, but Arkasakos ignored them. "Calm down Father, don''t lose yourposure." "Calm down!? Is this a situation where you can be calm!" The old man''s voice was a shriek, his wrinkled vocal cords trembling and his voice almost turned inside out. The old man barked at the servants, with veins appearing on his forehead, ¡®Alcohol!¡¯ "No matter how you look at it, that Cursed Child is trying to kick me out of my position. ¡If that happens, you will have the same fate, Farre." "Of course I understand. I have made some ns as well." Farre Arkasakos¨D¨Da thin man who looked to be in his prime, sat on the center sofa, sighing, his brow furrowed at his father''s disgraceful behavior. The old man also violently sat down on the opposite sofa as if he was venting out his anger, and fanned the alcohol cup brought by the servant. "It seems that Rnd Seva''s secret ledger is in Her Majesty''s hands." "Rnd¨D¨Dthe pig merchant?" "Yes, it seems that the Christand Cursed Child got rid of him in the chaos of the civil war. It''s probably a decision that took into ount post-war politics. She is surprisingly intelligent for someone who seems to be all about war." "So it¡¯s all because of those Cursed Child huh, damn it." He cursed and pointed the empty cup at the servant. The young servant trembled as if he was frightened, but slowly poured the sake. Farre told the servant ¡®me too¡¯, and the servant panicked. He was young, but he was a member of a branch of the family¨D¨DIt doesn''t matter if he listened to them. "...I see, however, if you think of the face of the traitors, it is not hard to understand. This is what happens when even though you''re a noble, you associate with pigs, those scum." "However, we are in a bit of a quagmire. We have to start building rtionships from scratch again." Arkasakos snorted at Farre''s words. "Oi, that''s enough. Put down the alcohol and go outside." Arkasakos drove the servant out. Farre frowned and looked at his father. "Too naive Farre, if we fall behind, we''re already stuck. If we are passive, we will be at the mercy of that Cursed Child." "... but there''s no other way to do it. Any clever n?" "Ha, such a clever n. It''s simple." Arkasakos spread out his hands. He turned around and smiled cheerfully. "Less than half a year has passed since the civil war, and the kingdom is in the midst of turmoil. The remnants of the younger brother''s faction, the turbulent castle¨D¨Danything can happen, don''t you agree?" "... No way" "From the beginning, the royal family has a bloody history. In ten years, no one will care." Arkasakos said as if it were a matter of course and sipped his wine. "The previous King was also a worthless man, but in this case Gildanstein would have been better. It was all well and good until he took down Christand, but...humph, making us waste our time." Farre nodded with a sigh while looking at the old man who was speaking in disgust. "... OK. Let''s move like that." "Oh, but... don''t aim for the throne, it''s too tant. Don''t be greedy. That''s how the House of Arkasakos continues to this day." "I know. When?" "Up to you. But within these six months." Arkasakos orders Farre to go, and he leaves the room. Arkasakos, who was left alone, folded his arms and told him to spit out his word. "Damned Cursed Child. I''ll make you regret underestimating me." While imagining that doll-like beauty. "Onee-sama! If you''re back, why didn¡¯t youe to me fir¨D¨D" Her reddish-gold hair was shaking and she was chagrined. The Queen, as if expressing that, returned to the estate and immediately went to the living room where she could hear voices, leaving Anne behind, and threw open the door in front of her. "Kreschenta, you''re a nuisance. You''re being rude." She stiffened on the spot. There was a beautiful young man with brownish-gold hair and an old man with one arm, both of whom were unfamiliar to her. Selene was holding her hand to her head as if she had a headache, Krische was ring at her younger sister''s misbehavior, and Bery was smiling with a troubled look on her face. No matter how she looked at it, they were dealing with guests. Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks were flushed when she saw it, and Anne, who was chasing the fast-paced Queen while holding her package in her hands, was ¡®Kreschenta-sama?¡¯ called her from behind. "..." Kreschenta mmed the door shut and quietly closed her eyes. After catching her breath several times, she stared at Anne as if to tell her to open the door. "Eh, uh... huh...?" While Anne wondered why she closed her door, she opened the door quite normally and urged Kreschenta. Queen Crescenta smiled elegantly, "Oh, there was a visitor. Excuse me." Then she entered the room as if nothing had happened. The elegance in the air, the grace in her steps and smile, as if she were the queen herself. The two men are taken aback and look at each other in bewilderment. "Onee-sama, can you introduce them to me?" "Aleha-san and Waltza-san. Krische met them by chance on the way home and brought them back... Anyway, who are you trying to deceive? What would you do if the door got damaged¨D¨DMugu?" "K-Krische-sama, for now, let¡¯s leave it there..." Bery looked at Kreschenta, who was desperately trying to keep up her appearance, and stopped Krische¡¯s mouth. The two were puzzled, and she whispered to them of her position as the Queen. Immediately, the two stood up in a panic, put their hands on their chests and saluted. "It¡¯s an honor, Your Majesty. I am Aleha, this person is Waltza, and we do not have a family name. During our journey, we met Krische, and due to fate I was invited to this estate. " "Due to fate...? Is that so? Please enjoy your stay." "Ha, thank you for your kind words. However, the sun has already set, and I¡¯m afraid we will only be bothering you. We will take our leave now." Kreschenta tilted her head to look at Selene. Selene nodded as if tired. "I am done talking with the two of you. I have to ask Her Majesty the Queen about something, ...so I will ask you two to leave now for today. ...I will send someone outter, and when you have found a ce to stay, please inform me of your whereabouts." "Understood." "Just give Christand¡¯s name at the inn...wait a minute." Selene took a piece of parchment from the shelf, wrote in it in a neat stroke, and handed That was enough. No one in the royal capital would have the guts to pretend to be a marshal of the Kingdom just for the cost of lodging. "Thank you very much. Now, if you''ll excuse me." "Yes. Anne, sorry, but please see them off." "Y-yes,e,e this way..." The two bowed deeply before leaving the room and left. Selene let out a deep sigh that echoed throughout the room. "...Really. I want to see what''s stuck in your head." "...? It''s the brain." "That¡¯s not what I mean." "Uuu..." Selene stood up and pinched Krische¡¯s cheeks and stretched them. Kreschenta asked curiously. "What''s wrong with those two?" "Before the civil war, there was a war with the Holy Empire, right?" "Nn... there was." "Aleha Sarchenka, the general who fought against the Christand army at that time, and Waltza Grizndi, the assistant to the general¡ª¡ªthey are people that this child brought along." "...Haah?" Kreschenta stiffened for the second time today. She looked at her older sister as if she was doubting her sanity. "No way... even Onee-sama wouldn¡¯t do such a thing." "It¡¯s that no way. I wonder what kind of nerves she has to be able to do such a thing." "Gumu... if it doesn''t work, then Krische is fine with it." Krische, who seemed to be being med for something, looked at Selene dissatisfied. "Krische, heard that they want to repay Selene, so Krische only brought them here, and if it doesn¡¯t work, Krische thinks we should just say goodbye." Selene sighs at Krische who told her that while pouting her lips while going ¡®humph, humph¡¯. "That¡¯s not how it is. If they asked for a way to return the favor, refusing it would be dishonorable." "Hmm... Then what should we do?" "... Well, it can''t be helped, what¡¯s done is done. The Empire will attack us no matter what the reason is." "Nn... that''s true. Either way, the result will be the same." Kreschenta snuggled up to Krische and sat on the couch holding her arm. With that, a cup of tea was ced in front of her, mixed with plenty of milk and honey. She continued, looking unhappy at Berry''s usual appearance. "Aleha Sarchenka¡I heard that he was an excellent general who received the title of Holy Knight at a young age. General Kalmeda in the East was easily killed. It doesn''t seem that bad if you look at it in terms of strength." "That''s right...it was the opponent that even father was careful with...it''s better than having such a person taken by another country." Above all, the empire''s strength lies in its nomadic cavalry. Skilled light cavalry who could easily handle bows on horseback¨D¨Dfurthermore, the enemy had an advantage in numbers, and themander was Aleha Sarchenka, who easily defeated the eastern general Kalmeda. The fact that even the Kingdom''s strongest army, the Christand, chose a cautious n and avoided settling the battle in the field because of his superiority. If it wasn''t for Krische, Christand would have been stuck there. "If there¡¯s a problem then it¡¯s the internal I guess... It''s not a very good time to attack at that kind of ce, and it''s a bit troublesome." "¡Time?" Kreschenta nodded to Selene and sipped her tea. And rubbed her cheek against Krische. "Thanks to the ledger Onee-sama gave, things have be quite stable, but...the problem is Duke Arkasakos. They¡¯re unexpectedly troublesome not showing a single gap. If Onee-sama can help me, there''s a very easy solution." "Krische¡¯s help, is it?" Krische tilted her head and Kreschenta smiled. "I want Onee-sama to get rid of the Duke of Arkasakos. He¡¯s really a nuisance." She said with the face of a lovely girl. Chapter 135: The Royal Capitalâ€™s Black Wing Chapter 135: The Royal Capital¡¯s ck Wing ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 135 The Royal Capital¡¯s ck Wing*** Pale in the moonlight. The royal capital of Albenaria¨D¨Dthe white city was filled with silence, even the cold air was hard. A red-roofed mansion in the first-ss city within the city walls. There was arge mansion of the Duke of Arkasakos, which was one hundred and fifty shaku high (~45 m) ¨D¨Da shadow overlooking it from the Great Bell Tower. Wrapped in a ck cloak, peeking out from the hood were silver hair and white beauty. And the jewel-like purple eyes. "¡¡It¡¯s cold" Burying her nose into the ck scarf, Krische nced at the structure of the mansion below her. A U-shaped two-story building. Arkasakos'' bedroom is said to be in the west room, opposite to the east where Krische was. There was an orchard in the front yard, but there was no other ce to hide. It was probably purposely made to have a good field of vision. There were about ten armed guards with torches in pairs. Despite the cold weather, several windows were open and human figures could be seen. They were probably monitoring the surrounding area. The level of vignce was unusual for a first-ss city with a high level of security. Maybe they are aware of the fact that they were being resented, or maybe it was their personalities. Either way, it didn''t matter. "Let''s finish it quickly." One yawn. She threw herself out of the big bell tower and kicked the wall vigorously at about the halfway mark of the Great Bell Tower. Converting the eleration of the fall to the horizontal direction, she grabbed the hem of her overcoat with both hands and glided in the wind¨D¨Djumped onto the mansion''s red roof and rolled over. After breaking in unnoticed, she walked across the roof to the west. This was the tallest mansion in the area and had arge garden. Even those with magical powers could not jump here from the roofs of other houses, so no one cared about the sky, and no one seemed to think that anyone would jump from the bell tower. Looking at the men who were wary of the surroundings with a serious face without even chatting, she gave a harsh evaluation that although they were excellent guards, theycked imagination. Perhaps the ck g Special Forces should be given more advanced training that requires more imagination. With the grueling training schedule in her head, shended on the balcony where the bedroom was. There were also four men here who were vignt outside the iron fence, looking down at the back of the heads of the men who were walking around seriously about their job, thinking there was no problem. She looked at the door from the inside. It was a whitewashed double door with a bar lock on the inside. It seems to be of high quality and there are no gaps, normally there was no way to open it, and she put her hand on it By manipting the metal fittings with magic to remove the lock, she slid inside as if nothing happened and pulled out the knife. There was an old man sleeping quietly¨D¨Dthe figure of the Duke of Arkasakos. Kreschenta told Krische while tightly embracing her arm. "If we leave him alone, he will eventually try to kill me. It''s safer and more convenient to get rid of him before that. I thought it would be easy for Onee-sama¨D¨Duuu." "You idiot. Please don''t ask Krische to do that kind of thing." Selene sighed again and pinched the happy Kreschenta¡¯s cheek. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Kreschenta shook off her hand and red at Selene. "Why are you and Krische so short-sighted..." "I thought about it properly you know, how rude." She inted her cheeks. Kreschenta told Selene as she sat on Krische¡¯sp. "There''s no absolute defense against assassination. It''s good that Onee-sama and Argan cooked for us, but what if the ingredients thate here were mixed with poison? Well water, cosmetics, what if something was nted in the finished dress?" Kreschenta pulled Krische¡¯s hands and held her waist while she held up her fingers. "Selene-sama, who grew up in the military, may not understand, but if there¡¯s anxiety left in the royal pce, you will have to be suspicious of such trivial things. I think it would be fine if I could be dismissed by political means, but it seems like it will take time and is troublesome. It''s quicker this way." Kreschenta turned around on her knees and hugged Krische, saying, ¡®It would be quicker to kill him.¡¯ Krische stroked her head and thought. "Did he do something bad?" "He''ll do it from now on. He¡¯s hiding it on the surface, but I''m sure there''s a lot of bad things. Otherwise, He won¡¯t stay in the center of the royal pce that was so chaotic." Krescehnta raised her finger. "If it''s a battle, you''ll kill the enemy standing in front of you, right? It''s the same thing even if you don''t point your swords at each other. There''s no point in putting it off. If there is a problem, shouldn''t it be taken care of before it grows?" "But, Kreschenta, Krische doesn''t think assassination is a good way to go. If your opponent is following the rules on the surface, you should also follow the rules on the surface, right? " "Onee-sama, can do it without being noticed. There¡¯s no problem, right?" ¡®The dead don''t talk,¡¯ Krescehnta said naturally, putting her hand on Krische¡¯s cheek. "I do my best for Onee-sama. Onee-sama too do her best for me. Only then will the birdcage be perfect. Onee-sama should understand that even the slightest crack will threaten it." "...It¡¯s Kreschenta¡¯s bad habit to try to kill people right away." "I''m sure I didn''t kill even one-hundredth of One-sama¡¯s, you know?" ¡®Muu¡¯, Krische pulled her little sister''s cheek while looking at Bery. Bery was making a fresh pot of tea, seemingly unconcerned. Bery had decided to just trust Krische, so she didn''t say anything. She neither advised her nor encouraged her. T Krische, who knew that, thought and said. "If you do bad things, you can easily solve various problems. But Krische wants to try to do good things rather than bad things as much as possible. Krische thinks , Krische wants Kreschenta to be like that too." "Being fixated by that, what is Onee-sama going to do when it bes toote?" "Certainly, it worries Krische too. So, apromise... the point is, making him think to not do bad things right?" Selene, who was silently listening to the story,¡¯ what are you going to do?¡¯ Tilted her head. "Simply tell them that you can kill them at any time. If that''s all Krische has to do, Krische will go." It''s very cold today. Krische pouted her lips and looked displeased, but said it can''t be helped. Kreschenta happily rubbed against Krische''s cheek and smiled happily. "Ufufu, I thought you would say that to me." ¡®Uhh, where was it?¡¯ As if trying to remember, Kreschenta looked towards the door. She beckoned Anne, who had just returned, to bring some kind of package. While everyone looked puzzled, what came out of the package was parchment and a knife that had been rolled up and tied with a string. It was getting more and more puzzling, and Krische asked. "... what is that?" "A little letter and a knife. I have already prepared it. Please put it by his pillow along with the knife." Cheerfully, Kreschenta showed the knife. The knife is exquisitely crafted, and the crest of a rooster was engraved on the knife. The rooster was the coat of arms of the House of Arkasakos. A personal item with a family crest on it¨D¨Dand when ites to a knife this splendid, the ones that have it are limited. It probably belonged to someone close to the head of the Arkasakos family. Krische did not know how she had obtained it, but it was not something that could be easily obtained. No matter how she thought about it, it must have been prepared in advance in anticipation of what would happen. "It says ''I''m always watching from your side in a world where you don''t know who''s your enemy''. The knife belongs to the son of the Duke of Arkasakos, and although it was a bit difficult to get hold of, if you leave it together, the rtives will make a fuss on their own." "... you''re pretty well prepared." Kreschenta smiled when Selene said that exasperated. "Of course, the best thing is to get rid of him but I¡¯m sure Selene-sama and Argan-sama will get in the way. So the next best thing is important." "Muu..." "Unya" Krische pinched Kreschenta¡¯s cheek with some dissatisfaction. It''s sly, she said, as she pulled Kreschenta soft cheek with both hands. "It makes Krische, who had seriously thought of apromise, look like a fool." "Fuefunya, iks fanyi if Onfee-cama krilr hum yui kmuy." "Killing is on hold for now. Krische has decided to be a good girl for now." Krische let go of Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks and kissed her on the mouth, looking into Kreschenta¡¯s eyes. "Krische wants Kreschenta to try to be a good girl too¡" "If we can live with that, it might be a great thing, but we should do what we need to do before we be a good child. Argan-sama''s head is a little flower garden. Please don''t be affected by her too much." ring at Bery with moist eyes, the red-haired servant just chuckled. "Well, if you say it''s a flower garden, I can''t deny it. Maybe it¡¯s as Kreschenta-sama says..." "... I don''t like that rxed feeling. I''m being sarcastic though¨D¨DMugu." "Krescehnta is really a bad girl. First of all, we need to start with that bad mouth huh." What does it mean to have a flower garden in your head? Krische, who had been pondering for a moment, mped her hand over her sister''s mouth and raised her eyebrows slightly. Kreschenta turned over again, leaned her back on Krische, and took her hand. "It''s a fact after all. Even if I overlook Onee-sama sister to Argan-sama at this time, it''s necessary to make efforts so that Argan-sama, whose head is a flower garden, can live safely and securely, right? Please wait until then to corrupt Argan-sama." Thinking that it was reasonable, Krische thought a little. Kreschenta hugged Krische again as if to say that she had a good idea. She was a Queen who had been restless on Krische¡¯s knees since a few minutes ago. "That''s right. If I let Onee-sama be my escort for a while, most of the problems will be solved. Argan-sama will take care of the small things in the mansion, and then I will be a good child." "Krische doesn''t like it because it''s troublesome. Krische has a lot of things to do, and Krische wants to cook with Bery." "Ugh... it''s cruel, always Argan-sama, it¡¯s unfair." Kreschenta, who answered immediately, red at Berry with sideways nces dissatisfied. Krische stroked her head and said, for the time being. "...It can''t be helped. Anyway, Krische''ll finish Kreschenta¡¯s request by today. Wouldn''t it be a little easier then? Really..." Krische had just returned today, said as if to say that the journey had been difficult, but Krische, who was snuggly in the carriage and clinging to Bery, had no troubles along the way. Bery, who was listening to the conversation,ughed, and Kreschenta looked up at her sister as if she were troubled. "I''ll stay up and wait until Onee-samaes home. Please leave it to me." ¨D¨DKrische recalled the exchange. Krische put the drawn knife and the letter by his bedside. She thought it might be a good idea to kill him, as Kreschenta said, but again, that¡¯s not good. Duke Arkasakos was troublesome¨D¨Din other words, it took time and effort to oust him from the royal pce. It''s not that he couldn¡¯t be handled. After worrying about it a little, Krische leaves the ce. Just as when she entered, she closed the balcony door and jumped onto the roof and looked around again. She looked at the back of the men''s heads and nodded that there¡¯s no problem, yawned and shivered because of the cold. Then she lightly made a run-up, flew in the air, then she ran along the roof and lightly ran up the castle wall and headed to the estate. It did not take her long to finish the work and return. "K-Krische-sama must have been tired, umm... well, K-Kreschenta-sama really did her best to wait for Krische-sama but..." Kreschenta was happily curled up in bed snugly asleep. Krische, who had been battling drowsiness and working in the cold, silently pulled her cheek. The Queen was fast asleep. The next morning, screams rang out in Arkasakos'' bedroom, and the queen''s excuses rang out in the royal estate. In the capital, a trivial rumor about the sighting of arge bat, a magical beast, dancing in the darkness of the night, was passed on as a funny story. Chapter 136: Loyalty Chapter 136: Loyalty ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 136 Loyalty*** Aleha and Waltza were temporarily assigned to work with Dagra and the others as ck g Special Force training instructors. If possible, they would like to use them as generals or corpsmanders, but considering the trust of others and the reputation of the Kingdom, they cannot use them openly for the time being. Selene and Kreschenta agreed that it was best to avoid troubles in the current situation where meetings with each country are scheduled to coincide with the unveiling. The problem was the Christand¡¯s corpsmander who crossed swords with him. It was necessary to talk to them about this, so they gathered at the Christand¡¯s mansion for a face-to-face meeting but¨D¨D "Hahaha, it''s the first time we''ve met like this... but I remember it well. Even though you¡¯re young, you¡¯re skilled, if I have the opportunity, I would like to cross des with you again." "Yes, by all means. I would also like to have the opportunity to rematch." "The general also regarded you highly, I am sure he would be surprised to hear that Aleha Sarchenka is here like this." Laughing happily was arge man whose face was made of muscles¨D¨DSecond Corps Commander Kolkis Agrand. Next to him, smiling wickedly, was Eluga Faren, former Fourth Corps Commander and assistant to the Marshal. While smiling at Krische, who sat next to him and continued to eat cookies endlessly, he turned his gaze to Selene, next to Aleha and Waltza, who were facing him. "General Verreich won¡¯t be particrly opposed to what Selene-sama and Krische-sama have decided. He''s a refreshingly straightforward person in that area." "Yes, I was a little relieved. I was wondering if you guys will be against it." Putting aside the surroundings, if those who had been with the Christand and her father¡¯s subordinate were against it then she thought she would need to think it over again. Although Aleha has the potential to be an excellent general, if it bes a source of discord, the problem that it would create would be greater. The problem was that Krische didn''t care too much about it. Even if she was killing each other, she would smile and say hello toward the other party when the battle was over. In a sense, it could be said to be a healthy and wholesome way of being, but it was much too healthy and wholesome for the people around her to keep up. Relieved to see the two reactions to it¨D¨DSelene finally felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Leaving the talking to Selene with the aura of ¡®it was no concern of mine¡¯. Krische, who had turned into a cookie cracker, finally opened her mouth. "For the time being, both of you will be appointed as aides to the ck g Special Forces. Due to the increase in personnel, there will probably be a shortage of people who canmand...Krische is thinking of entrusting the Fourth Corps if there¡¯s a chance." "That would be good. Command and operation skills¨D¨Dthey have more than enough ability for it." The First Corps would be led by Keith, formermander of the 3rd Battalion, to whom Krische had entrusted various things in the past. The Second Corps will be Kolkis, same as before. The Third Corps will be led by Bagil, formermander of the first battalion. Since in the first ce Bagil had that much ability. But the problem was the Fourth Corps, which needed to be reorganized. Assistant Marshal¨D¨Din some cases, Eluga, who travels around various ces as Selene''s hands and feet, also needed some war potential, and the former Fourth Corps officers and soldiers were reassigned together with him as they were. Since the Christand Army led by Krische would move to support the central government in various areas, there would be no major problem with the absence of one corps, but she wanted there to be four corps eventually. However, there was no one who was suitable for the job. The fourth battalionmander, Varga, did not get along well with Krische, and he was assigned as Keith''s second-inmand to assist him. The second battalionmander, Fagran, seems to like his position as battalionmander and was now under Bagil¡¯smand. In addition, he apparently did not like the idea of being in the same position, as corpsmander as his former superiors in the wolf pack, Bagil and Granmeld. Themander of the 5th Battalion, Gaines, was also excellent, but he declined because he was a hunter and had little tactical knowledge, so he refused to be themander of the 4th Corps. They could have been chosen from the Third Army Corps led by Terrius, but the most important people were transferred to Nozan in the east, and Felworth in the west, who urgently needed to recover their strength. There were many excellent officers, but when it came to entrusting a corpsmander, the only ones left were those with poor track records. It was Aleha who appeared right at that moment. Originally, he was of General rank¨D¨Daside from the various circumstances, he was a person who she could give a stamp of approval in terms of ability, and as a corpsmander, he was the most suitable. She had nned to use him as a general in the future, of course, but it takes years and a proven track record to be a general, and he had been an enemy general, so he needed to gain the trust of those around him. However, the situation was still veryplicated, with the reorganization of the 4th Corps not yet in sight, and the royal court was still in turmoil. For the time being, they would be working under Dagra as an assistant to Krische and as a trainer for Mia and the other members of the ck g Special Force. "It is quite a bold move to put a former general of an enemy country in the position of corpsmander but..." Eluga looked at Aleha and Waltza. The two of them slightly adjusted their posture in the face of the cold and guileful gaze. Although he held the position of corpsmander until the other day, his military career and sess on the battlefield were glorious. The soldiers sometimes showed as much strong respect for such experience as those in high rank. Having fought as enemies many times, they know that Eluga Farren was a powerful person who was notcking for his current position. That attitude was natural. "He was not lying when he said that he had learned his tactics from Christand and respected Bogan as an opponent to be surpassed. I have always sensed that he had an extraordinary obsession with the tactics he used." Eluga recalled. "Even if I see them like this, they have clear eyes, I feel that these two men are worthy of trust." "Is that so? Ehehe, Krische thought it would probably be okay, but if Skeleton says that, then Krische can rx." Krische looked up at Eluga with a smile, and he gave back a wicked smile and stroked her head. He was puzzled by the naming Skeleton, but when he realized that he seemed to have survived for the time being, Aleha bowed his head in relief and thanked him. "If it''s thanks then just say it to Krische-sama...just one thing." "...what is it?" "Krische-sama is more talented than anyone else and is an excellent warrior. And she is also a kinder and purer person than anyone else. ¡Will you pledge your loyalty here and now to never betray that trust, no matter what happens in the future? " Eluga deepened his smile at Aleha, who looked a little surprised. "I n to live a long life for Krische-sama, but I am also old. I want to be able to face my final days with peace of mind." As if convinced by those words, Aleha nodded with a serious face. He then stood up, walked over to Krische¡¯s side, kneeled down, and put his hand on his own chest. "...Without forgetting this favor, I will dedicate this sword for the rest of my own life¨D¨Das the sole warrior, I swear on this body, this name of Aleha." "Uhhh...?" Krische looked at Eluga as if troubled. Elugaughed and told her. "I take thy oath to my heart, is the form for such cases." "Haa...I take thy oath to my heart." When Krische said that, Aleha said thank you and looked up. "It''s a bit old-fashioned. It''s good to remember it now, in case something like this happens." "Hmm... there is a lot to it huh. There''s not much about it in the books, and Krische is not very... Ah, you can sit down?" "Yes!" Krische said and then looked at Bery, who was standing next to her with good posture, as if she remembered something. Berry tilted her head, her cheeks flushed slightly at the mention of the old etiquette, and held up a finger in front of her mouth. ¡®It''s a secret," her mouth moved silently, and Clich¨¦ smiled somewhat happily. Selene stared at the secret exchange with a sulking tone, exasperated. The undergroundboratory of the royal pce. "The framework isplete, Krische-sama." The ck g Special Force Craft Squad, led by wounded soldier Nagar, nodded at the workmanship of thepleted doll and called out to Krische. In front of Krische, transparent ss and small bottles filled with powder and mysterious liquids were lined up, and looking or holding up the magic crystal, not much involved in making the doll. Krische nodded and stood up when she was called out, and looked at the table in the center of the room¨D¨Dthe iron doll lying there. Elvena, who was by her side, also followed her master. It''s something like an iron skeletal specimen with its body and head reced with a birdcage. Unlike the previous version, which was chained together, it used spherical joints, and magic crystals were inserted inside the joints. Its limbs were roughly the same as those of the human body, but its legs were made thick in particr to withstand its weight, and two thick springs were attached to the Achilles tendon. Considering the weight of the body, it was thought that the greatest burden would be ced on the legs, and this was an attempt to relieve that burden. Its feet were about twice the size of a human and slightly crooked, and it was already wearing big wooden shoes. Its shape was quite awkward, it would distribute the load better. "I scraped and adjusted the finer details, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems." "Is that so? Krische will start." Krische held up the ne and let her magic power flow. The magic crystal on the pendant repeatedly blinked irregrly, and the magic crystal in the birdcage on the head¨D¨Dthe core also blinked in a slightly different way. The heart emitted light in a chain reaction, and the magic crystal emitted blue light as if it were connected to the limbs from there. Krische told the Nagar to stay back a little and continued. "First, let''s do some warm-up exercises." Krische¡¯s magic crystal flickered again, and the core reacted. With a ¡®gigi¡¯ sound, the iron doll raised itself up and stretched out on the spot, bending back at the waist. This was amon action for Serene. As soon as it got off the tform, it twisted its waist, bent its waist back and forth, left and right, and began to bend and stretch¨D¨Dit repeated such stupid movements, but the appearance was far more eerie than funny. Elvena backed up slightly and hid herself behind Krische¡¯s back. The others watched in amazement. "... What a strange thing. What should be for this to be like this, Ipletely have no idea." "The waves of magic power are sent to each other. Long wave emission and short-wave emission¨D¨Djustbine them to create a pattern and operate it. The mechanism is simple." Krische made it flicker again on the pendant¡ª¡ªthe transmitter. that moment, "Huh...!?" "Kyaa!?" As if suddenly baring his fangs, the iron doll swings down its sword at Krische. But it stopped just before the sword hit her, and the iron doll froze. "The human body itself isn''t difficult when ites to movement. Muscles either contract or rx, and it''s not difficult to move, is it? All you have to do is tell a specific part whether to stretch or contract the imaginary muscle, and the timing and strength." "...Haa, I kind of understand but also not at the same time." However, whether you can understand it or not is another thing. Thinking about how vast that pattern would be, the only one who could grasp it was this girl in front of him. Elvena, who was about to sit up, shook her head at Nagar¡¯s gaze while clutching Krische¡¯s shoulder. She, too, has little understanding of the pattern. When the transmitter flickered, the iron doll straightened its posture and saluted, making a ¡®jaran¡¯ sound. The sound was made by the chains that had been extended to hold the spherical joints in ce. Krische thought for a moment and pped her hands. "Let''s make it a Jaragasha." "... Um, Krische-sama... that''s" "Look, the chain is jingling (jarajara), and the sound of walking is *shan gashan*. It''s a very easy to understand name." Krische nodded and looked at Elvena. "Elvena was also at a loss as to what to call it, so it¡¯s just right, right?" "Y-yeah... Jaragasha..." Elvena was dumbfounded as she looked at the doll that was named dumbly with pity. Krische, who seemed satisfied with her reaction, told Nagar. "This is just the temte model for the time being. From now on, it will be able to connect directly to the weapon without making the hand, so Krische thinks it will be a little easier." "...? We won¡¯t make the hands?" "The number of parts will increase, and it''s tooplicated, so it''s likely to break as soon as it''s put out on the battlefield. The weapons will also berger than those that ordinary soldiers can use... and durability will also be a problem. Krische had a different purpose this time, so Krische made it." Nagar and the others tilted their heads, and Krische pointed to Nagar''s left wrist and to the feet of the seated work crew. Those were parts of the body that had been injured and lost on the battlefield. "It''s inconvenient to have no limbs, so if you don''t have them, Krische thought it would be good to make them fit your body. You guys can use magic, so if we adjust the size of Jaragasha''s arms and legs and use wood or something else, you can use them as temporary arms and legs, right? " ; ¡®It might be hard until you get used to it though,¡¯ Krische said as if it was nothing. Nagar and the others looked at each other, speechless. Krische tilted her head and looked at Elvena. Elvena, who had heard about it beforehand,ughed and told her they were surprised. "...Going that far, for us?" "What such a thing. It''s a private army that Krische maintains at her own expense, so it''s only natural to try to improve efficiency. It''s troublesome that Krische has to help with everything, even carrying luggage, and even if it''s temporary, if you have hands and feet, you can work a little more, right? In the end, Krische''d like to leave all this troublesome work to you guys." ¡®Otherwise, there''s no point in hiring you guys¡¯, said Krische, putting her hand on her waist. Nagar and the others looked at each other again and nodded to each other. They clicked their heels and saluted in unison, though their arms were on different sides. Some of them were so moved that their eyes welled up. "Thank you. ¡¡This debt, let us all dedicate our life to Krische-sama." "Acting like Bald Eagle... Krische''ll kick you out when you be old and useless, so you don''t have to devote your life to Krische. Please work as hard as you can when you can." "Yes, of course. ¡¡Nevertheless, we will serve Krische-sama with such feeling." The one-armed man supporting the one-legged man patted him on the head saying ¡®What are you crying about¡¯ However, the man''s eyes were moist, and when it was pointed out, the sound ofughter resounded. Staring at such a spectacle, Elvena told Krische. She whispered with a gentle smile. "I am also proud to have been able to serve Krische-sama." "... You¡¯re all weird people huh." "Krische-sama is the weirdest one you know." She let out a lovely smile and gently stroked her small head. Then there was a knock. "Krische, it''s me. May Ie in?" "Ah, Selene" Krische approached the door and invited her inside. Four people appeared. The four of them were Marshal Selene Christand, Marshal Assistant Eluga Faren And the Queen of the Kingdom, Kreschenta Alberan. Everyone stiffened at the sight of the faces who opened the door, and clicked their heels again in a panic and straightened their posture. "Now now,e in Your Majesty." And then, a shadow danced out before anyone else. Everyone except Krische and Elvena saluted at the House of Christand''s, who was now the greatest noble in the Kingdom,¨D¨Dservant, the buttocks of Anne Gitern. Chapter 137: Jarea Gashea Chapter 137: Jarea Gashea ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 137 Jarea Gashea*** ¡°...This is the weapon Krische was making." In the undergroundboratory of the royal pce¨D¨DSelene approached the iron doll with trepidation. The body was nearly eight shaku (~2.4 m) tall. Its build wasrger than therge Granmeld and Kolkis, probably because of its body made of iron. Even in its skeletal state, it had an oddly intimidating appearance. When Krische shed the transmitter, the iron doll suddenly dropped to its knees before Serene''s eyes, ¡°Hg!?¡± Surprised Selene immediately jumped back. It was just a consideration to make it easier to see the whole, but Selene''s hand was hanging on the sword on her left hip because of her surprise. Krische looked at Selene, exasperated at that excessive reaction. "... what are you doing?" "S-shut up, I was just a little surprised." Blushing embarrassedly, Selene approached the iron doll again. Eruga also looked more serious than usual, wrinkling his eyebrows and looking at each part of the iron doll. Somehow the presence of something evil emanating from him. The frightened Anne slowly hides behind Elvena''s back and grabs her sleeve, and Elvena nced at her unreliable senior with a troubled face. Although she knew that Eluga was probably not a bad person, Elvena was also afraid of him. "So the orders is sent with that magic crystal. Is it a pattern of short and long emission?" Kreschenta, who seemed to have understood the principle immediately, snuggled up to her sister and entwined her arms. It was her pretext to approach her sister rather than her question. Once she understood the principles, even Kreschenta could easily imagine the rest. The magic crystal memorized countless patterns, and the magic crystal on the head, which acted as the control tower, transmitted the information to each part ording to those patterns¨D¨Dthen, as long as there was magic power through mutualmunication, a certain action would be repeated until another order was given. She was impressed with her idea of using magic by sending out magic, but that was all. There was no surprise in her like in the others. ¡°It¡¯s pika piika (glint gliint). "...umm?" "Pika (glint), pikaaa (glinttt) (short and long wave), is how the orders are send, so Krische gave it a name that is easy to understand. Please call it Pika Piika (glint gliint) from now on." Rather, what surprised her was the naming sense. She knew that Krische¡¯s naming sense was devastating, but her sister''s sense was literally equivalent to that of a little girl (kid). Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks twitched. ¡°I-is that so...¡± "Krische named this iron doll Jaragasha. Fufun, it''s a good name right." Her older sister who said that proudly. Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks twitched and she looked at Serene, asking what should we do. Selene looked back to Kreschenta as if saying ¡®do something about it¡¯, and Kreschenta¡¯s brilliant mind went into a never seen before full speed¨D¨Dsearching in her own database. And she pped her hand. "T-that''s a nice name. Jarea Gashea¡ª¡ªYes, it''s a very nice name." "...? Um, the pronunciation is a bit strange...it¡¯s Jaragas¡ª¡ª" ¡°The Iron of Victory¡ It¡¯s rugged, but also a very gant name. Pretending that she couldn''t hear her older sister''s words, Kreschenta looked at Selene. From the pronunciation, she applied it to random words in ancientnguage in her knowledge. Jarea is to defeat, superior, excellent. Gashea is one that is dull and shiny, ore (mineral, crystal). They are often tranted as Victory and Iron, respectively, which aren''t a bad, even if not great name for this iron doll. "Jara¡ª¡ªJarea Gashea, that''s an unusually good name, Krische, I''ll give you apliment for this one." Selene nodded to Kreschenta, who had invented a name that sounded all right. She nced at the craftsmen as if ring at them. "... You guys think so too, don''t you?" "Y-yes ma¡¯am! I think it''s a wonderful name. Jarea Gashea...what a gant name." A farce that suddenly began. The soldiers felt that their Lord¡¯s hope, to whom they had just pledged their allegiance, was being distorted, but they could not resist the flow. The men, as if it was already arranged beforehand, said to each other that Jarea Gashea was a good name. Krische was ¡®huh?¡¯ tilted her head and opened her mouth. "Um, it''s not Jarea, it¡¯s¡ª¡ª" "Onee-sama, rather than that it seems that the two of them want to know about this ability." "Um... Hmmm, somehow...muuu..." tant. It was aplete misdirection. As expected even Krische started to doubts it, but Selene intervenes. "That¡¯s true, rather than the name, I wonder what the purpose is. We have to think about various things such as cost, deployment, and production, so I''d like Krische to exin that first. Can you do that for me?? ¡± Selene approached Krische to cheer her up and stroked his head. "Ehehe... that''s true." Krische was shy and was easily deceived. "Jaragasha is a weapon for short-term decisive battles aimed at breaking through enemy lines." Therge wooden board by the wall was covered with a cloth, and Krische drew a diagram on it with charcoal while standing on a box. The lines of battle facing each other are drawn, with the enemy army on top and her own army on the bottom. A battlefield with the same number of soldiers was depicted with symbols. ¡°Basically, it is ced in front of the battle line. It can be said that it is a weapon that specializes in disrupting and breaking through the enemy line of battle by having them charge ahead of the soldier¡¯s assault. It can''t get hurt or die from arrows, that it can be handled roughly, is probably one of its advantage.¡± ¡®It outperforms the armored cavalry in that regard¡¯, Krische continued. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s heavy, so it¡¯s not good with a loose foothold, but you can use heavy weapons for that, and even if you us it to rush in like Woof Woof, you can knock down the enemy¡¯s heavy infantry. A long spear is meaningless in front of this weight, , and even in a battle with the same or inferior numbers of troops, it will be possible to defeat them head-on if you have a certain number of them.¡± The model for Jaragasha was Granmeld. Wielding arge iron club, he proceeded to crush the enemy from a top their shield. From Krische¡¯s point of view, it was a violent and forceful way of fighting, but that was enough to deal with themon soldiers. If they were simplypeting on the number of kills, Granmeld was overwhelmingly more efficient than Krische¡¯s fighting style. The idea that it would be easier if there were a whole bunch of Woof Woof was at the root of the direction of this iron doll, the direction in which it was headed. Jaragasha cannot literally fight like Granmeld, and its behavior was patterned to some extent. Even if detailed instructions are given, it wouldn¡¯t be as flexible as the flesh-and-blood Granmeld. However, if they put on armor, their total weight is equivalent to that of five adult men--with their weight far exceeding that of a man, their monstrous strength, and their simple armored strength,mon soldiers who just readied themselves in a line of battle were no match. This is made with the simple idea that skill and responsiveness should bepensated for by with pure basic body¡¯s strength. ¡°By filling the heart of the chest with magic power, the will be about a koku and a half (~3 hours) inbat maneuvers. Of course, you can simply increase the operating time by adding spare magic crystals but considering that each one requires about three magic possessors, the cost efficiency is notpatible with the current situation.¡± "...a koku and a half. That''s short." ¡°We can make it longer, but it will reduce performance duringbat maneuvers. This is only for a short-term decisive battle¨D¨D¡± Krische answered Selene while writing on the diagram. "It''s not meant for skirmishes, it''s meant to crush enemy lines with a single blow. If it¡¯s first move is definitely sessful, then its role is over, and if the first move is sessful, then we win, so we don''t have to worry too much about how to dispose of the remaining soldiers. "That way of thinking.... I guess it''s like an elephant that is handled in the south." A huge monster, twice the height of a man, with a long snout and tusk. She had never seen the real thing, but she had heard that such creatures were used in the South. ¡°That¡¯s right. Krische think they are simr in operation. Krische think this one is more flexible, and feels it is superior in terms of maintenance, transportation, and defense.¡± There are detailed records of elephants in the time of the Gravareine. Its intimidating appearance terrifies the soldiers, and its superhuman strength mowed down the battle lines. They had tough, thick skin that could not be pierced by a spear without full strength from the waist, and it was considered foolhardy to challenge them head-on in battle. However, it seems to be a timid creature by nature, and it is not nimble or smart. Once they started running, they could only go straight and immediately ran away. The way to deal with them had also been established make a path for them to run, and to thrust spears and arrows at them from the side, which was a well-developed strategy. The mighty general of the south, Dagren Garka, seems to have fought with it several times, and she remembered hearing him brag about it at a dinner party at some point. "Hmm... interesting. But wouldn''t it be tough for it to deal with magic possessor? ¡± Eluga, who finished observing the iron doll¨D¨DJaragasha, asked Krische. "It will be tough when the opponent is on Woof Woof¡¯s level. But this is to break through the battle line, and that¡¯s not its purpose, so it doesn''t matter. The purpose is against the general soldiers who make up the battle line." ¡®besides¡¯, Krische continued. "Right now it''s just the skeleton, but after this we''ll wrap it in cloth to make it thicker, and cover it with sheet metal armor. It''s very strong against shocks, and it''s sturdy because it can wear armor that''s thicker than normal. If it''s an opponent with a low degree of magical power, it can easily defeat them. ¡If it¡¯s just to defeat Selene, it might be able to do it if Krische tired her best, it doesn¡¯t seem like Selene¡¯s skill can cut moving iron.¡± ¡°Y-You know...¡± Selene, who felt as though her skill was being casually criticized, red at her in half exasperation. There are only a handful of people in this world who could bisect their enemy along with their te armor. With the exception of superhumans like Kolkis, she was confident that she was quite strong, and it was somewhat unreasonable to bepared to them. Krische was just stating the fact. Krische¡¯s cheeks were pinched as she tilted her head curiously, wondering if she had said something funny, and Eluga, seeing this, smiled pleasantly. "Kuku, I see. Well, it''s true that with heavy armor like that, there are only a few people who can take on opponents...even without thinking about it, it won¡¯t be a problem huh?" "Uh... that''s right. Basically, it won''t stop unless the heart or the magic crystal in the head, which is the control tower, is broken, so even if such an opponent were to target it, it would probably work a little." Krische answered while rubbing the cheek that was pulled by Selene. It hurts a little, but she recognized that pinching and pulling her cheek is also Selene''s way of showing affection. While puffing out her cheeks, Clich¨¦ seemed to be subtly happy, and Kreschenta, next to her, was puzzled by her older sister''s reaction to being pinched on the cheek, which she doesn''t understand, and was worried about her future. Only a pervert would be pleased by something painful. Asserting that it was all the red-haired servant''s fault, Kreschenta reached out and rubbed her older sister''s cheek. ¡°The weak point is the head huh¡ I guess it¡¯s easy to understand.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped here because it needs to be exposed to some extent in order to distinguish between friends and foes. Krische made it taller to make it less vulnerable to attacks, and it¡¯s quite fast, so Krische doesn¡¯t think it will be a problem to some extent.¡± "Fast? This" "Decent" Krische said that and held up the transmitter¨D¨DPika Piika (glint gliint). The head core of the iron figure emited light, "Hg...!?" At that moment, with surprising agility, it charged toward Krische. A thunderous roar and wind noise shook the basement. ¨D¨DA fist pierced slightly to the left of Krische¡¯s well-organized face. ¡°Hoh ...... this fast, that''s more than I expected.¡± Eluga smiled wickedly. Selene was surprised, but she certainly agrees with Eluga. Despite being huge, its speed is not much different from that of a magic possessor. "Useful... or rather, it''s amazing. This size and this speed... If mass-produced, we will have an overwhelming advantage over other countries..." ¡°I agree. The problem on the battlefield is that it is so revolutionary, how do we incorporate it into our tactics?¡± "... that''s right" Elvena, who was behind Krische, leaned back, and Anne pulled her back and hugged Elvena¨D¨Dthe two of them supported each other and made the character ofÈË (person). Selene looked at them with pity. Basically, Krischecked consideration. ¡°¡Putting aside Krische, it seems to be difficult for other people to handle. Even from the General''s point of view, I feel uneasy about suddenly entrusting it with the front row, and it will take some time before the soldiers ept it." "Hmm, the mechanism itself is simple, and if it starts moving, it will automatically do the work but." "Test operations is important, Krische. It may be perfect and very useful in your head, but it might not be that way other people." Selene put her hand to her chin and looked at the distorted iron figure. "It took decades for the usefulness of ranks, which are nowmon knowledge, to be recognized, and even things that are easy to understand, such as stone throwers, became popr in the form of test operations, and everyone was made aware of their abilities. Military personnel in particr are conservative because they value experience." An era when personal prowess was considered the most important thing. The small tribe that was the origin of Alberan could be said to be weak, and if anything, they were on the side of being exploited by other tribes, but they possessed wisdom and skills that were second to none. They shot out at the enemy heroes with well-coordinated arrows, lined up their shields and unleashed their spears, and built fortresses to keep them at bay. They found a way to defeat the enemy tribe, which should be called a pack, through tactics, and in the blink of an eye, they swallowed up the smaller tribes around them. Even if they felt the usefulness of their tactics, other tribes could not ept it due to their pride and perished¨D¨Dwarriors are sometimes paralyzed by honor and pride, and die clinging to old ideas rather than new principles and order. This was not a rare urrence, but amon urrence. There will probably be a fair amount of people who show disgust at this ¡®innovative and amazing weapon created by Krische¡¯ that could deprive warriors of their ce of activity. The possibility of problems arising from this was foreseeable. Since Krische had no such imagination, Selene and the other had to be careful to avoid any negative consequences, and they had to carefullyy the groundwork for the project. "That''s why my father was having trouble establishing the General Staff Department. Even if it''s inefficient, no one wants their status and power to be reduced. This is certainly a wonderful thing, but there will always beints from those who have risked their lives to make a name for themselves. ¡On the battlefield, where the heroes fight, ¡®How can we let a doll like this lead the way in the battle of warrior¡¯¡ª¡ªsome people willin.¡± "...Krische doesn''t understand." "Hmm... let¡¯s see..." Selene thought for a moment and raised her finger. "Suppose you could create a doll that is very good at cooking, what would you think if that doll took the job of cooking from Krische or Bery?" "As if some puppet could take Krische and Bery¡¯s¡ª¡ª¡± "...It¡¯s just a hypothetical. Think in terms of what ifs.¡± Krische thought for a moment and replied that she might not like it. Selene nodded in satisfaction. "That¡¯s probably how they will feel. That''s why we need a little consideration and time for that kind of thing... Look, don''t sulk. I''m not saying that this child is no good." Selene tugged at Krische¡¯s cheek, who pouted her lips. Krische was a little unhappy, as she seemed to think she was being criticized. "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m specifically talking about this kid, at least I and Assistant Faren think they''re very useful. Personally, I would like to put mass-produce it immediately, train personnel and build a production system as soon as possible, but¡¡± Selene looked at Kreschenta. ¡°Unlike school-rted, it seems like it will cost a lot of money. Donations will be collected for school, so there won¡¯t be a problem on that side but¡ Onee-sama, what is the production cost?¡± "Hmm... it''s the first one, so it''s pretty expensive. Pump¨D¨D" "Onee-sama, I don''t need to convert it into pumpkins, so please tell me the amount." Unlike her older sister, Kreschenta wasn''t familiar with the current pumpkin market, and she''s not interested. She cut it short beforehand, exasperated. ¡®Even though Krische made it¡¯, she sat down on a random chair and put Kreshenta on herp. The soldiers were perplexed by the fact that Krische had just put the Queen on herp, but they weren''t particrly upset because of it was Krische. ¡°If you add up the cost of this alone, it will be 3 small gold coins and 4 Ps silver coins. From now on, we will reduce the number of extra parts, and if we continue to order from the ce we ordered, Krische think it will be reduced to around three small gold coins.¡± "Oh, it''s quite cheap, isn''t it?" Kreschenta was a little embarrassed by such gazes, but she couldn''t reject Krische. She blushed slightly, but she didn''t show any particr reaction, and acted like it was natural. "Since it''s the cost price, Krische didn''t include thebor cost of the craft team." From the Krische¡¯s point of view, this was also a luxury item, but even so, most of it was for the processing cost of the magic crystal and iron. It takes a lot of time and effort to make it purely by forging an iron bar, and there was also the raw number of magic crystals. Since it was not a purchase for private use, Krische thought that it was inevitable as an expense. Whether it is a few swords or leather armor that he lends to his soldiers, the cost was trivialpared to the amount of money that the military swallows on a daily basis, from paychecks and rations to everything else. It was a small price to pay considering the low cost of maintenance and the fact that one of them could match dozens of the best soldiers in the army. As a military man, Krische also has a proper sense of propriety in this area. "Finally, how many do you need for one army?" ¡°¡That¡¯s right. In the end, Krische is thinking about 10 per corp, so 40. Putting aside that the production cost is quite high, and the maintenance cost itself, it takes three magic possessor to replenish it, so that''s the realistic limit." Krische hugged Kreschenta waist saying, ¡®It''s still a bit difficult at the moment.¡¯ ¡°For the time being, I¡¯m thinking of deploying about 10 of them in Krische¡¯s army and using them until some sort of system is in ce. "That''s fine. Just like Selene said, it''s easier for Krische to do various things and prove its abilities in actualbat." Kreschenta, seemingly having given up worrying about her appearance, grabbed Krische¡¯s hand and yed with it. Two lovely girls¨D¨Dthey were too out of ce in this cold basement. ¡°If there is no problem with the craftsmen, please tell them that there will be long-term orders from the kingdomter. It will probably make it a little cheaper, and the craftsmen will be enthusiastic.¡± "Yeah, understand." ¡°It might be better for the country to put a little more effort into securing magic possessor. There are people who are researching magic crystals, and we need to think about how to select the best ones from among the citizens... Once the royal pce is settled down, I will think of various ways to improve efficiency." Kreschenta looked up at Krische with expectant eyes, and Krische patted her little sister on the head. The younger sister happily rubbed her cheek against her older sister''s modest chest. Although it was under the direct control of Krische, Selene wrapped her hair around her fingertips and sighed, exasperated at Kreschenta, who easily threw away her appearance as a queen in front of the soldiers. As long as she was being pampered by Krische like this, this queen was also an innocent child¨D¨Dat least it wouldn¡¯t give off any bad impression. ¡°For the time being, is it okay to proceed this way?¡± "Yes, I trust Onee-sama more than anyone else regarding this kind of thing. If that Onee-sama says it''s useful, it''s also useful for me... I don''t have the option not to proceed." "Haa, is that so?" ¡®Of course, we might have to wait for various reasons though¡¯ Kreschenta continued. "For the time being, it will be Onee-sama personal thing. However, in the future, I will move with the idea of deploying it for the entire army under the initiative of the Kingdom. Selene-sama and Assistant Marshal Faren will also think about that and consider various things in that regard. Onee-sama is not good at such details." "Well, that¡¯s how it is. I''ll think about it." "Yes ma¡¯am understood." The Iron Machine Soldier that ruled the world for hundreds of years after that¨D¨Dits prototype. Jarea Gashea was born quietly in the basement of the Royal Pce. "... Um, now that the conversation is over and has calmed down, it''s about the name... but Krische think it''s a little weird after all. What Krische said was Jaragasha, not Jare¡ª¡ª" "Krische, you''re done with your work for the time being, aren''t you? Isn''t it time to go home and have tea with Bery?" "Ah, right, it¡¯s almost time... hmm? Uhh...?" Hundreds of yearster¨D¨Dthe process of its birth was described in many books, from memoirs and schrly books to entertainment novels, with imaginative influences. "What''s wrong? We were also thinking of taking a break at the estate today, so why don''t we go together? How about you, Faren?" "Y... yes, of course, if you will have me." "Um, somehow... muu..." Jaragashan. The true origin of the name was never written. Chapter 138: Pet Owner and Dog Chapter 138: Pet Owner and Dog ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 138 Pet Owner and Dog*** "Even though you''re descended from the Arkasakos family, you¡¯re toox! Do you understand Fare!" The old man spat and howled at Fare Arkasakos, who kept bowing his head. The other day¡ª¡ªa knife by Arkasakos'' bedside. Since then, the rtionship between the two, who had never been good to begin with, had be even worse. He never had any rebellion against his father. Fare''s exnation that the knife had been stolen finally convinced him, but the criticism became more severe than before, and Fare who bowed his head was fed up with it. "Yes, father. I''ll be careful from now on." "Be careful you said? Don''t let this happen again!! Don''t disappoint me any more than this." He wondered how many times had he responded to the old man''s unreasonable demands, prostrating his head Remembering that, , he felt agitation in his gut, but he didn''t show it. He had spent several decades under the old man''s care in that way. It was meaningless. Seeing that the old man''s anger had finally calmed down, Fare lifted his head. "...Father, about the Queen." "You know we won''t be able to move for a while right. That''s the message." "... it''s troublesome" "Entering the mansion without anyone noticing, putting a knife on the neck of the Duke of the Kingdom...among those guards. At least the Queen has a piece that could do that." He said as if spitting it out. Arkasakos suspected an inside job first, interrogating everyone from the servants to the gardeners who came and went¡ª¡ªFare was, of course, no exception. With Fare¡¯s confirmed session to the family, there was no sense in him betraying his father, and there was no merit in it. It was something that was obvious after a little thought, but even so, the old man was still not convinced. He looked down on everything and was frightened of everything. The Duke of Arkasakos of the Kingdom was such a small human being. ¡°The Cursed Child Krische¡ if the rumored ability is true, then it must be her.¡± It was a trivial gossip in the city that led them to believe that Krische Christand might have been responsible for this incident. It was a silly talk about a giant bat flying over the royal capital. Although it was not impossible because of the existence of magical beasts, there had never been a case of a magical beast appearing in the royal capital. They live in deep forests and mountains, and rarely appear in human settlements. However, assuming that the sighting was not a mistake, and that there was indeed something flying in the skies of the capital, it would be safe to assume that it was a human who was a magic possessor. It wasn''t unusual for an assassin to invade a mansion along the roof, and above all, the origin of the rumor was in a first-ss town, so the relevance to this case was high¡ª¡ªand there was only one person thates to mind. The Arkasakos family''s connections were deep and wide. The house was well built, with first-ss guards and a good view. An assassin with the skill to get in and out without anyone noticing. If there is a person who is that skilled in the underground business, they would have already spent money on that person. Even if they were not, it was impossible that they did not know of that existence. This was a warning from Queen Kreschenta. The implication that if they disobey, she can kill them anytime. "Her Majesty the Queen seems to be exactly as rumored. Considering this case, it''s quite difficult to kill her without being killed. What are we going to do? ¡± The Duke of Arkasakos rubbed his eyes and said. "We can''t move right away. But if we don¡¯t move, we¡¯ll just get out limbs unterally ripped off. We need to change the board." ¡°The meeting in two weeks'' time¡ª¡ªthat''s where we will sow the seeds. Once the kingdom is stable, it can no longer be stopped. That must be avoided.¡± Once the Kingdom is stable, it would be fine even if Kreschenta only look inward. She will move to cut off what is inconvenient for her. Of course Arkasakos'' head would also be included in there. But in the event of war, Kreschenta would not be to easily move. If she disturbed the royal pce in the middle of a war, they would be at the mercy of other countries, so she would not be able to do anything to cut off Arkasakos, even if they were an eyesore. The Arkasakos family, which has been at the center of the royal pce since ancient times, had a wide and deepwork of contacts. That would bring benefit to the Queen, and Kreschenta would probably think of disposing of the Arkasakos family only after she had taken control of their personal connections. It was reasonable to think that that was the reason why she gave a warning instead of an assassination, if so there was some leeway. ¡°......Another war after the civil war is over? It could be a double-edged sword.¡± "The royal capital will not be attacked. Even though they are exhausted, the royal army is strong. They will fight well for the sake of the kingdom." The old man let out a viciousugh, which Farre stared at with sober eyes. ¡°...It''s about time for father to retire.¡± A reception room decorated with gorgeous furnishings. It was the drawing room of Count Nalkes in a first-ss town. Count Nalkes used his mansion as a meeting ce, and many nobles used it to conduct transactions that could not be disclosed to the public. Whether it was meeting for underground business or anything else, nobles had their reputation to consider. To avoid suspicion or leave no evidence behind. It ismon for them to use intermediaries in this way, and Fare was one of them. "¡¡that¡¯s" "That''s right. There is no way to confront that Queen." That said, this time he was talking to Count Nalkes himself. The Nalkes family itself was noble family appointed by the Duke of Arkasakos, but after Fare began to take over various jobs on his behalf, embraced it over time and was taken in hand as Fare''s own prot¨¦g¨¦. The informationwork of Nalkes, who acted as an intermediary, was extensive, and it was just the right means to counter his father, who controlled the informationwork of the Arkasakos family. ¡°If Father continues to cling to power, the Arkasakos family will surely be destroyed. What the Queen wants is a blind servant... someone who is too self-willed won''t be able to survive in the kingdom after this." He sipped his wine and looks at Nalkes'' face. Nalkes was examining Fare''s words and thinking. He was now considering whether it would be better for him to follow Fare or his father, the Duke of Arkasakos. For many nobles, self-preservationes before anything else, and this man was no exception. They appeared to be in their mid-thirties¡ª¡ªFare and Nalkes, who turned 60 this year, were close in age, and perhaps their rtionship was close to that of childhood friends because of their parents'' rtionship. When they were young, they often talked about their dreams and ideals, and they knew each other well, from each other hobbies to what kind of women they liked. They had what could be called friendship, but they would easily throw it away like garbage for the sake of profit. They can never let down their guard That is the nature of nobles, otherwise they would not be able to survive in Royal¡¯s territory. In some cases, this man could easily betrays him, and he himself could easily discard this man. It seemed like an endlessly cold rtionship, but that was the kind of friendship that noble had. "...Nalkes you sure have aged. Your gray hair stands out a lot." "Huh? Ah... that''s right, you age quickly." Nalkes stroked his hair, which he brushed back. Gray hair¡ª¡ªCompared to Farre, who still looks like he''s in his mid-thirties, Nalkes looked old. In terms of age, he should be a few years younger than Farre, but was it a constitutional problem or the effect of fatigue? Heughed as he recalls the days when he hid from his parents and went out to buy women. The handsome man of those days was gone. He was quite strong in such matters, and even pulled Fahre over¡ª¡ªbut the long years since then were reflected in his hair. ¡°In the past I used to mock you for not being greedy, but I guess I''m getting old, I¡¯m thinking the same thing. ...I¡¯m a little tired." "... Farre-sama" "I don''t have the lust for power that my father has. It takes a lot of hard work to stay in the high branches of the kingdom, and what you get for doing so is meager.¡± ¡®Let''s talk now as friends¡¯, Farre said. "In any case, the Arkasakos family has no future, and it will be difficult to maintain it as it is. It means that the time hase for both you and I to think about how we should behave in the future." ¡°Haha¡¡rxing in the countryside, huh?¡± "I don''t think that''s a bad thing these days." ¡®Kuku¡¯,ughing, Farre sank into the sofa as if tired. "It''s difficult to kill my father with these hands. It is highly probable that I will be retaliated against. ...but there''s an easy way to do it." ¡°...An easy way.¡± "Give that queen a reason. That will be easy." He sipped his wine and squinted. "Isn''t there a job he¡¯s already working on? It''s fine to use it.... Then the Queen will easily kill my father." ¡°...you mean¡± Nalkes leaned forward, propped his elbows on the desk, and looked at Fare. ¡°The assassination was a failure¡ªthat¡¯s fine. The point is, all we need is the fact that it happened. ¡¡Originally, great care was taken to avoid suspicion of the involvement of the Arkasakos family. Even if the Queen cannot punish the Arkasakos publicly, she won¡¯t ignore it either. It''s reasonable to think that Father got into a frenzy out of fear, so it''s reasonable to dispose of him for the sake of the future." Fare looked straight into his eyes and continued. "At best, let them kill each other as they like. After that, if we show my submission and show our stomach... the Arkasakos family''s connections also wouldn¡¯t be bad for the Queen. Whatever form it takes, we will be able to continue to breath." His father was an eyesore to the Queen. She would probably want to kill him if she could. The only reason she didn¡¯t choose to do so was because she saw value in the Arkasakos family. If Fare offers it and showsplete obedience, the queen will not do such pointless thing as destroying the Arkasakos. Prostrating his head¨D¨DIt was no longer a hardship to live that way this in the game. It would be a little better than bowing to that old man. "...Until a little while ago, I was doubting if that queen was really a Cursed Child, but... in truth, she''s a monster after all. The deaths of the young princes were also her doings... Considering that, the road of hostility against her isn''t long. No blood, no tears, no empathy, Cursed Child is such a creature. Now that such a thing has won the throne, we should think about how to wag our tail." ¡®It''s the same as before,¡¯ said Fare with a wry smile, and Nalkes alsoughed. "surely. ¡¡Nothing has changed from before, for me and for you.¡± "Yeah. Only the owner can change... but if everything settle with that, there''s nothing to say." Nalkes nodded at Fare, who seemed somewhat tired. ¡°Ouch!?¡± ¡°Okay, Kreschenta lost. Krische thought Kreschenta would remember a little better but......¡± Krische, who had just put flick to Kreschenta forehead, ¡®hmmm¡¯ed and ¡®uuhh¡¯ed with her long sword in her hand. Holding her forehead and getting teary-eyed, Kreschenta looked at her older sister with dissatisfaction. It was a spacious indoor training room in the royal pce. Kreschenta always tries to find some way to spend time with her older sister. So what she set her sights on was her self-defense training. ¡®Considering the danger of my life being targeted, it was better to learn a sword to the extent that I can protect myself, that way, Onee-sama can feel a little more at ease even when Onee-sama isn''t around.¡¯ ¨D¨Dand so on were enough reasons to persuade Krische. As expected, even Krische couldn''t refuse this request, with saying it¡¯s troublesome, so they were supposed to do light training like this once every three days. "... From my point of view, I think it''s a great improvement." Berry, who was observing while preparing tea, said with a troubled expression, and Krische tilted her head in dissatisfaction. Kreschenta¡¯s improvement, who had never held a sword properly, was unbelievable for ordinary people, but for Krische whopared her to herself, it''s not so. "Uu, the sword is heavy after all. My hand hurts too... and Onee-sama hits my forehead..." "It''s because Kreschenta doesn''t take things seriously. Do you know? When you train a dog, you have to hit it and tell it that what''s no is a no." "... I''m not a dog." Kreschenta¡¯s purpose was to have fun practicing with her older sister. Kreschenta was happy to be taught every step of the way by Krische, and naturally didn''t put herself into training. Even so, her growth was more than enough for an ordinary person, but Krische was a very stoic creature when ites to self-improvement. Krische was not willing to allow her little sister ck, and after thinking about how to motivate her, she decided to give Kreschenta a strict discipline: every time she lost a bout, she would do one flick on her forehead. "Really, Kreschenta shouldn''t be so unserious. If Kreschenta charged like before, first..." "Ehehe, what should I do?" However, it was a bit tricky to say whether there was an effect. It certainly hurts to be hit on the forehead. That being said, even that was within the limits of what she could endure, and the reward of being taught how to do things after that was bigger for Kreschenta. Krische¡¯s disciplining didn''t go very well. Kreschenta asked this and that while pretending to be enthusiastic. Basically, the lecture time was longer than the sword swing time. She was dressed in a dress that made it difficult to move around¨D¨DKreschenta, like Krische, has simr sensibilities in this area and dislikes pants¨D¨Dand it was adorable to watch her rub against her sister and smile. Bery smiled wryly at the sight of that Queen. Kreschenta, who was spoiled by clich¨¦s, looked very happy, and seeing her like that makes her smile. Bery was aware that this training was an excuse for Kreschenta, but she said nothing about it. Even if it was a one-sided effort, the results were more than enough, and as long as she was happy, that was all that mattered. But of course, he also thought that if he was going to do it, she would prefer something a little more fruitful. "Hmm... that''s right, Krische-sama. Isn''t it better for Kreschenta-sama to learn pure self-defense techniques rather than handling sword?" " self-defense¡¡" ¡°Yes, there aren¡¯t many opportunities for Her Majesty the Queen to wield a sword¡it¡¯s more about fighting with bare hands and daggers. The handling of the sword is more than enough even now..." "That''s right, Onee-sama, I prefer that one." Kreschenta said and immediately put the long sword she was holding on the shelf. She could wield the long sword, but it would peel the skin off her hand. Naturally it hurts. And Kreschenta did not like pain. Even though she started it herself, Kreschenta thought was there anyway she would be able to let go of this sword or not, so she immediately decided to go along with the proposal of the hated Bery. ¡°asionally, Argan-sama also says good things huh. That makes a lot more sense." "I see. Thank you." Bery chuckled and Krische pulled Kreschenta¡¯s cheek with a troubled face. "It''s true that it¡¯s as Bery said, but... it''s difficult to hold back. Krische doesn¡¯t know how self-defense techniques should be taught... If Kreschenta just dodge Krische¡¯s sword, it will only be a game of tag." "Simple hand-to-handbat or something... umm, that''s right..." Bery approached them and beckons to Kreschenta. She called out to Kreschenta who tilted her head and approached her, saying please excuse me, and took Kreschenta¡¯s right hand, "Uaahh!?" She twisted it lightly as it was. Kreschenta¡¯s right arm was fully extended, and she lightly pressed down on her shoulder to block her movement. Her arm waspletely jointed, and she lost her bnce and was on the verge of falling¨D¨DKreschenta screamed as she tried to resist. "Ah, I''m sorry. It''s been a while and I''m a little sloppy..." "W-what are you doing!?" Uuu, holding Kreschenta¡¯s arm from behind, and stroking her head to cheer her up, Bery looked at Krische. Krische nodded with a little admiration. "Oh, so that¡¯s how it is. Krische, doesn''t do that very often, so Krischepletely forgot about it." "Fufu, I think it''s appropriate way to deal with an attacker. I''ve only learned a little from Gotoushu-sama, but it''s very theoretical." Krische basically thinks only about killing the opponent. It was a simple and very easy way to eliminate danger, but it would be difficult for Kreschenta, who usually wears a dress and doesn''t have a weapon. Even a single kick can be used as a lethal means because Krische usually wears reinforced boots, but not Kreschenta. Kreschenta¡¯s attack power may be insufficient against a trained opponent, let alone against an amateur. If you can''t kill them with a single blow, attacking was rather risky. It was obvious that the side with inferior physique would be at a disadvantage if the opponent grabbed them. If so, the next step should be to block the opponent''s movement, and that was what Bery suggested. If she could master the joints, she would be able to handle even an opponent with far superior physical ability. ¡°I thought that something like this would be easier for Kreschenta-sama to remember this than something intuitive. ¡If you practice the sword every day, you will improve quickly, but this one won''t take much time, and once Kreschenta-sama learn the logic, it will be easier for Kreschenta-sama." ¡°Uu¡¡please let me go.¡± Bery smiled happily while holding down Kreschenta, who was twisting and writhing. Krische nodded as she poked at Kreschenta¡¯s cheek. "Then, let''s start with the structure of the body. One by one, such as joints and muscles¨D¨D" ¨D¨DAnd then, about an hourter. When Selene, who heard that they werepracticing swordsmanship, entered the room with Anne, "Uhh, what are you doing?" ¡°Mmm-Mmuuguu!?¡± There was Kreschenta rolling on the couch with her hands and feet tied. Krische tilted her head and looked at it, and Bery looked at Selene with a troubled look. "Uh, uh... We''ve changed direction a little from self-defense training to how to get out from the rope..." "Look, Kreschenta. Selene has arrived. Krische''ve made it so that if you remove the joint properly, you can get out, so do your best. Otherwise, you won''t have snacks." "Mugu, uh..." Selene pressed her forehead and sighed deeply. Anne stared at the bound Queen while her face is red. In her mind, Christand¡¯s immorality had now advanced to the point of no return. Chapter 139: Mad Innocence Chapter 139: Mad Innocence ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 139 Mad Innocence*** The meeting, which also served as the unveiling of the new Queen, was soon toe. Even the Holy Elsren Empire, which had not replied, eventually announced its participation, perhaps to keep pace with neighboring countries, and the royal capital was a bit hectic. Vice Chancellor Orugan from Gulshan, High Priestess Zanalibea from the Arna Imperial State had already arrived in Royal¡¯s territory, Prime Minister Krolus from the Elderant Kingdom, and Archbishop Elbebert from the Holy Elsren Empire had visited the nearby area. While people of the second or third rank in each country were visiting, only the archbishop of Elsren was of a somewhat lower rank. This was an expression from the Holy Empire that they were above the Kingdom. This was the unveiling of the Queen who rules the Alberan Kingdom. Normally, instead of sending an archbishop who oversees the bishops of the western region of the empire, it would have been logical to send the supreme archbishop who oversees all archbishops, or a cardinal, but the reason for not doing so was probably for the purpose of demonstrating. From the empire''s point of view, it''s like saying that the Alberan Kingdom was no different from a small country on the western frontier or the inauguration of a single feudal lord. Some of the nobles of the kingdom were dissatisfied with this, but Queen Kreschenta did not care in particr. The only thing that mattered to Kreschenta was that the meeting took ce. The goal was to buy time to restore the kingdom''s finances and reorganize its armed forces. The conference purpose was to buy time for that, and it was not a big problem what kind of attitude other countries take toward the kingdom. Once they chose to show up for this unveiling, the Kingdom managed to obtain another six months of time. It''s because a customary thing, while blessing the auspicious event like the inauguration of the new ruler like this, fundamentally such ill-mannered conduct like immediately sending their armies to that country wouldn¡¯t be taken. This was not explicitly stated in the Holy Spirit Covenant, but is a kind of diplomatic etiquette. At the very least, with this, it means the Kingdom could rest assured that they won''t be attacked until the next autumn¨D¨Dthe harvest season. It was especially important for the Kingdom to have a stable harvest next season from the breadbasket areas in the south and southeast region of the Kingdom. "Wee Zanalibea-sama, thank you foring all the way from afar. I wee you." "Yes, Your Majesty the Queen. First of all, please let me congratte Your Majesty from the bottom of my heart on this asion." "Thank you. I''m happy to hear that." Shaking golden hair that glitters in red. Kreschenta smiled with her queen''s mask. It was only natural to greet once before the conference, and such trivial groundwork around will be effectiveter on. The meeting conference, any discussion, was all ultimately a mere farce. 90% of things have been decided through prior discussions. "...thatdy over there, perhaps?" "As you can guess, she¡¯s Krische Alberinea Christand my esteemed older sister (anegimi)." Krische, who was politely standing behind Kreschenta, wore a white one-piece dress that was a little more elegant than usual, and bowed gracefully ording to the etiquette. She looked at Zanalibea with her purple eyes disinterestedly and then looked at Bery, who was standing next to her. Bery quietly whispered, and Krische did as instructed and sat down next to Kreschenta, saying, ¡®Excuse me¡¯. When Krische minded her manner, no matter how you look her manner was perfect. Her tranquil beauty was just like that of a doll princess, and she was theplete opposite of the bright and lovely Kreschenta. However, her fairy-like appearance and the atmosphere she wears seem to ovep with Kreschenta¡¯s in every way, and if it was said that they are sisters, it would immediately make sense. Although her rumors of being a matchless warrior and general were at odds with her appearance, Zanalibea, who knew Kreschenta¡¯s intelligence and boldness did not match her appearance, had no desire to underestimate her. "My, my, it''s nice to meet you. My name is Zanalibea, Alberinea. It¡¯s an honor to be able to meet the patriotic warrior who saved the Kingdom." It was generally preferable to use their honorary peerage as a title of honor for those who do not have the title of Duke or Margrave, but have a unique honorary peerage. As a courtesy, Zanalibea extended his hand, and Krischeplied. Zanalibea felt the hardness of a sword in her small, slender hand rather than its softness, and understood that this girl was unmistakably a warrior. He thought that she shouldn''t be taken lightly after all, but didn¡¯t show it on his face. "Yes, Krische is also hono...red? Krische nced at Bery pouring the tea beside her, met her eyes and smiled softly at each other. He guessed it from the fact that she was on the Queen''s side before, but she must be a very trusted servant. A servant who could attend to this kind an event calmly must have been born into a good family, or perhaps¨D¨D Zanalibea stroked his chin. There have been many people in history who, while ostensibly serving as servants to the side, have acted as advisors to the government, manipting and controlling it behind the scenes. A person who can be trusted so much by the two Cursed Child¨D¨Dhe returned his gaze to Kreschenta, thinking that if he had the chance, he might have to look into it. "Thanks to the Arna Imperial State, we were able to keep other countries in check...it was really helpful. It was thanks to the help of Princess Miko-sama that we were able to grasp peace for a while. Please convey our thanks." "I understand. Princess Miko-sama will be pleased with Her Majesty''s words." With the decision of this conference, the Imperial Army had already pulled out. At the same time as the end of the civil war¨D¨Dthe role of the Arna Imperial State, which appeared as reinforcements, was extremelyrge, and that was probably the reason why Gulshan in the south, which was apparently showing some disturbing movements, gave up on the invasion. She was right when she said that it was only with Arna''s help that they were able to hold conferences like this, and their achievements were very significant. Kreschenta thought that she would have them carry the kingdom for the time being and use them conveniently. "However, there may be times when I will ask the Arne Imperial State for help again soon. Perhaps next year, this peace will crumble." "I guess, unfortunately. A five-year armistice was also signed between Elderant and Gulshan." A truce was recently concluded between the Kingdom of Elderant and the Republic of Gulshan, which were at war. Gulshan was dominant in the beginning, but gradually showed a stalemate. They probably thought that it would be more disadvantageous for both of them if they continued. Besides, above all else, the delicious prey, the Alberan Kingdom was lying right next to them. It is more beneficial for both countries to aim for this than to fight in a stalemate. "Considering that Elsren came here, it''s possible that the three countries will attack at the same time." "It will probablye to that. If that happens, it will be difficult." Kreschenta showed agreement with his words. The conference was, in effect, a truce. If there was no merit toply with it, they would not participate in such a ridiculous event as the Queen''s unveiling. If you''re aiming for the kingdom, there''s no better chance than now. If they were abandoning that choice that and agreed to the conference, the possibility that could be thought of be clearer "Regardless of whether or not they form an alliance, at least the two countries of Elsren and Gulshan will move, and it seems will be...difficult to defend the whole country." Simultaneous invasion by coordinating with other countries¨D¨Dit was very clear that it was for that preparation. The problem in attacking the kingdom was the Arna Imperial State. As long as it is intact, the other countries will always be forced into a two-on-one situation against the Kingdom. The only way to deal with this is to invade with arge force, as Elsren did the other day, or to invade simultaneously. For Elsren, the defeat the other day couldn''t have been painless, and seeing that they hadn''t attacked during the civil war, they shouldn''t have been in a state where they could make another solo invasion. The same went for Gulshan, who had skirmishes with Elderant¨D¨DIn that case, it was more than likely that these two countries wouldmunicate behind the scenes and n a simultaneous invasion. "It would be great if we were to hold each other''s hands and celebrate peace, but ...... that''s not the case, is it?" Kreschenta said with a troubled expression, and Zanalibea gave a wry smile. "Things certainly won''t go that convenient. War will be inevitable. We are also preparing for the expedition, assuming every possible situation." "Thank goodness. How about a joint military exercise in the north during the next harvest season?" "... it''s not bad as a restraint." Zanalibea narrowed his eyes. The distance between the kingdom and the empire means that in the event of an emergency, they would still be one step behind no matter what. Under the guise of exercises, it can be considered as an option to keep the army in the kingdom ahead of other countries as a check. The most important problem for the defense of the kingdom was the loss of the northern Christand army, which was the key to the defense of the kingdom. The armies of the North are the cornerstones of defense against attacks from the east and west, as well as Elderant and Elsren. It is only because of such northern movements that the territory of the kingdom has been protected, and in the kingdom, the northern generals are considered more important than the generals of the east and west, just like the generals of the south, who are in charge of the longest front line. As a result of the loss of soldiers in the civil war, the Imperial State was also concerned about the northern part of the kingdom, which was left nk, and was thinking about some countermeasures¨D¨Dthen, Zanalibea suddenly frowned. Why was the important north region still vacant? Thinking about it again, he began to understand Queen Kreschenta¡¯s intentions. "No... was that Your Majesty¡¯s intention from the beginning?" "... what are you talking about?" With her red glittering golden hair swaying, Kreschenta deliberately tilted her head. Even if the ability was insufficient, the Kingdom will have a problem if someone was not appointed as the northern general. Otherwise, the army would not be able to take action when the time came. However, to the north of the Kingdom is Arna Imperial State. If Arna moved to defend the Kingdom, there was no doubt that they would inevitably stay in the north and send reinforcements to the east and west. This Queen waspletely relying on that and waspletely neglecting the north. There may be a reason that there was no suitable person to be appointed as the northern general. However, her primary goal was to cut military spending¨D¨Dby operating the Arna Imperial State as a temporary "Northern Army", she was trying to save the northern region''s enormous military spending. It was a half-dumbfounded idea for one nation topletely entrust the key to its national defense to another nation. Even though she didn¡¯t have even a shred of pride, this Queen probably doesn''t even feel ashamed of it. She just goes to great lengths to pursue her own interests¨D¨Dshe was that kind of creature. For Arna national defense, cooperation with the kingdom is essential, and they had no choice but to send out their army to protect the kingdom, no matter what. Even if they felt dissatisfied with this tant use of convenience, there was nothing they could do about it. If the Kingdom sinks, the Imperial State will sink with it, and she was taking advantage of it. Kreschenta looked at Zanalibea, who was thinking what to do, had a sour look on her face, and let out a giggle. "Fufu, it''s just a joke. Of course, the kingdom will not forget this favor. We are willing to make the necessary concessions regarding tariff relief that you have been proposing for some time.." "...Really, I''d like to ask for your forgiveness for such heart-breaking teasing." Zanalibea sipped sweet tea and took a sip, thinking that in exchange for the rxation of tariffs it might not be a bad idea. The Arna Imperial State is a major producer of magic crystals and other ores, and it also puts a lot of effort into the crafting and processing of these ores. Thergest proportion of the country''s exports was such processed ore products, but since there were also a good number of mines in the northern part of the kingdom, theypeted with each other and there were problems with exporting to the kingdom. The ones from the Imperial State were of better quality, the craftsmanship was better, and the prices were even cheaper¨D¨Dit could be said that it was inevitable that a high tariff would be imposed from the perspective of protecting the mining and processing industries within the Kingdom. Although exports were carried out by sea too, the sea route was not as profitable as expected due to the risk of sinking, and the domestic market was already saturated and prices were falling. In this circumstance, the tariff rxation from the Kingdom was a very big deal. Although they had been sounding it out for a long time, the kingdom had shown reluctance about the tariff rxation. Looking at the long-term benefits that woulde from the temporary burden of the imperial army''s expedition, it wasn''t a bad deal. "It''s just a bit of mischief." Kreschenta said, gazing happily at Zanalibea''s relief. If research using magic crystals continues to develop, centered around Krische, including Jarea Gashea, the value of magic crystals would skyrocket, especially within the Kingdom. Under the pretense of deregtion of tariffs, she was nning to buy arge amount of cheap and high-quality magic crystals from the Imperial State now, though she wouldn¡¯t say it. "In exchange, I would like to receive military assistance from the Imperial State for the next few years with appropriate reasons such as cultural exchanges. It is a good opportunity for me to enact various policies in the country, but I¡¯m not in a position to do so at present. And there are only a limited number of people in the center who can be trusted at the moment..." Kreschenta looks up at him with a troubled puppy eyes look in her eyes. The price for the dispatch of troops was a good pretext for easing tariffs, as if it was too sudden it might raise suspicions. The Kingdom''s profits, including the military expenses that would be saved, would be enormous since the Imperial State would dispatch troops to the kingdom, not only free of charge, but alsoe with a bonus. Kreschenta had a big smile on her face. "Well, it can''t be helped. I understand the situation in the kingdom very well." "It''s really helpful to hear that. It''s much safer to entrust the north to the Imperial State than to leave it to someone who doesn''t know if you can trust. It''s not like I''m using it for convenience, okay?" Zanalibea couldn''t say anything and smiled wryly. In truth, they were being used as a handyman. But Zanalibea also had some understanding of the situation in the kingdom. The terrible thing about civil wars was that, more than anything else, they cause discord within the country. It would create further sparks, and if one misjudged the personnel to be ced in the position of northern general, it would be a great fire that would destroy the kingdom in the worst possible way. It is a reasonable and rational thing to want to move cautiously at this time. Not realizing that they were being preyed on instead of being used as a convenience, Zanalibea looked at her situation sensibly and was convinced that there was nothing to be done about it. "We will talk about tariffster, but for now let¡¯s talk about national defense. Onee-sama" Kreschenta turned her attention to the cookie cracker¨D¨Dher older sister Krische. Krische tilted her head as she ate the cookie. Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks puffed out in exasperation with a ¡®Geez¡¯. "We are talking about the military situation in the north. Zanalibea-sama is also very knowledgeable in that area, so Onee-sama can talk about it with him." "...Krische thinks Selene would have been better after all." Krische said a little dissatisfied and turned to Zanalibea. Selene was better suited for this kind of discussion. Krische¡¯s presence here was half because of Kreschenta''s selfishness. "Umm, is Zanalibea-sama, okay?" "Yes, Alberinea. Nice to meet you. First of all, I would like to ask you how many troops you have in mind." A sweet voice that echoes quietly. Unlike Kreschenta¡¯s somewhat dignified voice, there was no vigor. Whates out of Krische¡¯s mouth is the voice of a girl, just as she looked. It''s probably a matter of temperament. As sisters, the two looked alike, but they also seemed to be opposites. From her, it seemed as if shecked everything needed to run an army, which made Zanalibea a little uneasy, "Krische hoped for about 1,000 or 2,000 men. However, Krische would like you to select some personnel above the centurion so that onemand army can be deployed on two fronts." The words that follow were even more iprehensible. "... 1,000 or 2,000?" "Yes. As for the soldiers, they are avable, and that amount is enough for the personnel from the Imperial State Army. In the north, there is only ack ofmanders, not ack of soldiers itself." "I feel there will be many problems with using the kingdom¡¯s soldiers. Besides, that number wouldn''t be a restraint on other countries, would it? " Krische nodded at Zanalibea, who wrinkled his brows more and more wondering what she meant. Kreschenta, who was listening beside her, was also drinking lukewarm tea and ncing at her older sister. "That''s fine. It''s more convenient to be attacked without it being a check. Besides, if the Imperial State dispatches arge army, there is the problem of maintenance costs, so we won¡¯t be able to maintain it for a long time. All the enemy has to do is wait a bit, and if it''s Krische, Krische will either attack after the Imperial State withdraws or after the financial burden hits the kingdom." "...Certainly, that may be so but" In peacetime, the Kingdom''s army is reduced and maintained by a fraction of its size, in some cases it¡¯s even less than a tenth. Fundamentally, the constant employment in the kingdom is for officers above the rank of centurion, and the amount deposited by the center of the kingdom to each region in the name of military maintenance costs is only enough to feed a captain or above at best. Of course, the amount would vary greatly depending on the importance of the region and the level of tension, but regardless of the situation, the financial burden of supporting a 20,000-strong army was significant, and the kingdom did not have the strength to maintain a standing army of 20,000 troops for a region. If the imperial army were to bring arge army here, food and maintenance costs¡ª¡ªeverything except wages would be borne by the kingdom, but being a soldier of the empire would be a big problem. Since it is an expedition from the Imperial State, it is impossible to downsize the army there, no matter how heavy the burden may be. Putting aside if it¡¯s a temporary reinforcements, but if it was a long-term expedition, the financial burden was sure to be too much to ignore, and if the enemy chose to wait, that would be a situation where they cannot send back the army. If they pulled out their forces, they would be attacked. However, if left unattended, the finances will copse. They need to avoid being forced into such a situation. Therefore, the number of personnel should be kept to a minimum. We will use the soldiers of the Kingdom for training under the guise of military exchange, and have their generals and officers fill in the gaps during their stay in the Kingdom. We don''t think too much about actual warfare; a certain amount is enough. It''s a mock army." "...a mock army" "Yes. There is no way to invade the north from either the east or the west. Just with the Imperial State dispatching an army to the Kingdom, the enemy''s possible actions will be narrowed down." "I see...if they target the north, the enemy will have to fight the Imperial State itself." "That¡¯s how it is." If the enemy were to target the north, even if the Imperial expeditionary force deployed in the northern area were defeated, it would be the main body of the Imperial State that would be waiting behind it. No one would be foolish enough to aim there. Therefore, it did not matter if the imperial expeditionary force was vulnerable, that was the implication. The anxiety and bewilderment he had earlier had disappeared from Zanalibea. Already more than enough, this girl has future battles in her mind. "The important thing is that the Imperial State is leading the army. It''s enough if that is fulfilled. Besides, if other countries are frightened by the empire''srge army, the tension will continue and it will be difficult... if they want to attack, it''s easier if theye early." "Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient for the kingdom to buy more time?" "In that case, the Imperial Army''s maintenance costs will be heavy, and in the end they will attack in a few years, so the result will not change anyway." Krische continued, ¡®They won''t miss a great opportunity to attack the kingdom.¡¯ No matter what, there was no doubt that the enemy would attack before the kingdom waspletely stabilized. It was a decisive decision that there was no point in dying it a little. "... Alberinea seems to have a lot of confidence. The currentplicated situation of the kingdom being targeted by the three countries... If I were in the kingdom''s position, for example, in your position, I would have a stomach ache from anxiety and I wouldn''t be able to eat." And she could be said to be a very confident type. The situation was dangerous, even if it is understated, the three surrounding countries could attack. Even in the Imperial State, tensions were rising about the future of the Kingdom. Even so, the silver-haired girl tilted her head curiously, picked up a cookie, and swallowed it.. "Nmu, if all three countries are going to attack, all we have to do is crush them one by one. Then there will be peace... nothingplicated, right?" "Rather, I think it''s a very simple thing though", she replied with the face of an adorable little girl.. She never hypothesized that she would lose. She had no doubts that she would win. ¨D¨DIf she didn''t feel that it was natural from the bottom of her heart, she wouldn''t say such words. "...I see. I can understand why Her Majesty the Queen trusts Alberinea." Precisely because it was such a perfectly natural word, she seemedpletely insane. Chapter 140: Noble and Vulgar Chapter 140: Noble and Vulgar ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 140 Noble and Vulgar*** "Ehehe, is Krische cute?" "Yes, it suits Krische-sama very well." Krische Fluttered the skirt of her dress. Krische, the dress-up doll, spun around happily, showing off her dress. Bery, even as she imagined that Selene wouldterin that she was cowardly, smiled softly at the pretty figure of Krische. The prelude to the dress war in anticipation of the conference had already begun. "Um, Krische, would like to choose the dress Krische is going to wear next time..." No breakfast, no pre-breakfast, and no choice but to watch the end of the battle between her sister and servants. It was in the morning that she told Berry this in order to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Naturally, this is the best proposal for Berry. If she could choose everything from the dress to the decorations in advance under Krische¡¯s consent, you will have an overwhelming advantage in the uing battles. It was very important that the one that had made the proposal was Krische. Even if she was called cowardly and despicable, there was no need to be concerned because she had the just cause of having been told to do so by none other than Krische. As expected if it was Krische''s will, Selene would not be able to go on the offensive in that direction. It was a vicious, cowardly, and despicable thing to do to Selene, who was too busy to make any advance arrangements, but in the servant''s mind, it was a perfect rationalization. Bery basically never bends to her will, no matter who she was dealing with. Although she was gentle and soft-spoken, and at first nce appears to be a wise woman to be reasoned with, Bery Argan at her core was a very stubborn and self-centered woman¨D¨Dfull of aristocratic sensibilities. It was to the point that her rity in cutting and throwing everything for her own wishes was all the more refreshing, and she was more suited to be a military man or a politician than a cook. "It¡¯s quite unusual for Krische-sama to say something like this? I''m very happy that Krische-sama cares about her own dress and costume like this but..." "Ehehe, Krische, recently also feel like havee to understand what pretty is." Krische put her hands on her hips and puffed out her modest chest. Krische¡¯s appearance in the light blue dress was endlessly adorable. Bery was a little surprised, as she eximed ¡®my¡¯ , and gentlybed her silver hair. "Krische feels like it''s a bit difficult to put into words..." Krische approached and snuggled up to Bery and looked at her with upturned eyes (puppy eyes). Krische was even a little smaller than the already small Bery, and her every natural gesture was charming and endearing. Her sparkling purple eyes. Bery had read in many books that upturned eyes are attractive to gentlemen, and she could understand why. Bery could also feel it when she saw Krische in her everyday life. If a pretty girl like Krische were toe up to you like this and ask you for a favor while looking up at you, wouldn¡¯t anyone would be willing to risk a life or two for a chance to see her¨D¨Dprecisely because there was no hidden motives that Krische¡¯s innocence was demonic. "It may be something like that. It''s very difficult to put into words the feeling of being beautiful. It''s just beautiful..." "If I¡¯m a poet, it might be different though." Bery said embarrassedly, and Krische holding Bery cheeks between her hands, said ¡®so it¡¯s difficult even for Bery¡¯. She stood on her toe a little bit and kissed her happily, then loosened her cheeks and fluttered her dress. To say the least, Krische was impossibly cute. At least to Bery this creature could only be described as beautiful or cute. ¡®It''s hard to put it into words¡¯, even as she said that, Bery was blushing. "But, after all, I think it¡¯s close to the kind feeling of being happy, so if Bery thinks Krische¡¯s is pretty, then Krische will be happy too¡so, Krische will be together with Bery as much as Krische want."" "Fufu, thank you." Krische¡¯s beauty was probably a reflection of her feelings toward Bery, but Bery rather than questioning what her beauty was for, she was more pleased that it was a good thing for Krische. Because her growth is the most important thing for Bery. Whatever the case may be, it is good to know that Krische was beginning to take an interest in her attire rather than some obsession (skirts, stubbornly), so she did not ask those questions too deeply. Though it was also because it was difficult to put into words. "Ehehe, Bery too always very beautiful."" "Thank you very much. But Krische-sama is much more beautiful than me."" Self-absorbed and gifted in many ways, but with basically low self-esteem, she was unable to connect those feelings of Krische, who had recently always been staring at her face¨D¨DBerry was basically insensitive to good will from others. This may be due in part to the fact that Krische¡¯s goodwill and skinship had long been, and generally were, excessive. And Krische also thought that there was no need to ask Bery to exin her feelings again, and was more than satisfied with the current situation. Bery said Krische was beautiful, and Krische thinks she was beautiful, too. In Krische it was mutual¨D¨Din the Krische there was the teaching of the Bery scriptures that the truth is trivial. In light of this, there is no need to confirm each other''s words. Originally, the rtionship was so physical that other people even doubted the nature of their rtionship, and now it just has be more bnced from both sides. Krische was more than satisfied. "Ah, that''s right." Krische headed for the shelf as if remembering. Then she took something out of her bag. A magic crystal¨D¨Da thing covered with metal and processed. A rather thick string was attached to the metal fittings, it was probably a ne. Although it''s a little rough, the magic crystal''s blue glow was beautiful. "Kreschenta said something about poison, so Krische thought I''d give it to Bery just in case."" "Poison¡¡" "Yes. Krische gathered the poison that exists around here and made Poison Piririn that reacts to poison. It''s easy to use, just bring it closer and let the magic flow, then it will sound piripiri." "Haa..." Berry took it and looked at it. Theplex magic form engraved on the magic crystal changed and transformed over time. ording to Krische, the Uneune¡ª¡ªElvena named cryptographic engraving, taking from the word code (password, cipher) used in grimoires. It absorbs the surrounding magical power, and that magical power rewrites the surfaceyer of the form over time, protecting the inner core of the form. When touched by a magic possessor like Berry, it would be further activated, and the undting (uneune) geometric patterns change within the magic crystal. It was a mechanismpletely beyond Bery''sprehension. To disable this, draw a magic form in the air¨D¨DIt seems that you have to use magic to undo the drawing, but even Berry, who knows how it works, can''t tell how many years it will take to disable it by fumbling around. Naturally, she had no idea how this magic crystal would work. "How can it tell if something is poisonous?" "It was a little difficult for Cliche, too. When you analyze something, it is made up of small grains, and these grains arebined making up various things. They are all attached to each other and be various things but......"" Krische pointed to the ceiling and walls. "Look, it¡¯s like how the estate is made of wood and stone."" "Grains..."" "It''s grains. Krische and the other¡¯s bodies are also made of a lot of those grains gathering." ¡®It''s hard to exin,¡¯ Krische said, resting her hand on her chin in contemtion."" "The heart, the blood, the things that move the body are all made up of grains like that, and the poison is made up of the same grains. When it enters the body, the grains of poison do bad things to various parts of the body, and it seems that people get sick or die from it...there are many kinds of poison, so Krische doesn''t really know which one affects which one, or whether it works because it''s too enormous." ¡®how troubling¡¯, saying that Krische raised her finger. The magic power shook and swayed. "If Krische know it, Krische might be able to create something like an all-purpose healing magic crystal, but it would require tens of thousands, tens of millions of experiments, so Krische gave up and decided to look in a different direction."" "¡Magic power, is it?"" "Yes. Magic power can interfere with those grains and dpose or reconfigure them, so Krische made it memorize and identify specific grains configurations, and for the time being, Krische was able to make it detect the poison that is used around here. It¡¯s like even with your eyes closed, if you touch it, you can tell it''s a pumpkin, probably?" It was both an easy-to-understand and a weird analogy, but she understood what Krische was trying to say. Despite the way she spoke about it, it was very sophisticated¨D¨Dit¡¯s like the mechanism of this world. It was as if she had touched on a part of it. Something small and invisible makes up everything in the world. An interesting idea¨D¨DNo, it must be true if Krische said so. She remembered the contents of the book she had read before. "¡Krische had read a book about the hypothesis that the world is made up of magical powers, right"" A phenomenon that urs when physical expansion or magic crystals are used. Objects were heated and moved without being touched¡ª¡ªmatter is born from magical power, and that''s why magical power can interfere with all kinds of things. Such a hypothesis was written in an old book. "Hmm, you might be able to say that. Magic power bes small particles, and small particles can be magical power. It''s a story about whether magic power came first, or matter came first." "Which came first, the egg or the chicken, huh..." Bery chuckled happily. When she was a little girl, she was thinking she wanted to do that kind of research. "This is kind of fun, isn''t it?" "Is it fun?" "yes. I find it very interesting to learn about things I don''t understand." Berry smiled, Krische also smiled. "Ehehe, Krische also likes to learn new things. It¡¯s Empathy (¹²¸Ð = together + feeling)." "Fufu, it''s the same." Bery stroked Krische¡¯s head that was hugging her tightly and looked at the magic crystal in her hand. The swaying geometric patterns were beautiful and vivid. The magic crystal''s blue glow was so beautiful that it seemed to draw her in. Bery tied the string of the ne around the back of her neck and let it hang. Berry didn¡¯t particrly like essories, but this was something special. "... I will take good care of it. Thank you." "Ehehe, it really suits Bery." Even if it was a simplepliment, it felt different when it came from Krische. She gently kissed her forehead. Even as she felt tickly, Krische was ¡®muu¡¯, and pouted her lips "But it was a little big. It might get in the way of work. Should Krische make it a little smaller? "" "It''s okay. It''s not good to show off too much, so I usually keep it inside." Saying so Bery take the ne from the neck to the inside. The ne dropped into her abundant chest. Krische stared at it and said with a serious face. "...It might be useful to use it like a pocket if you have arge chest huh." "K-Krische-sama..."" Berry blushed and gave a wry smile. Krische joyfully rubbed her cheek against Berry''s breast, saying that she loved Berry''s breasts because they were so soft. And shyly, Krische raised her face. "A-about what Krische was talking about earlier..." "earlier?" "Umm, it''s not just because Krische''vee to know what is pretty... um, well, Krische want to do something about Bery and Selene arguing about choosing Krische dresses every time..." "Oh, I see. Fufu, it''s like a little yfulness." Bery chuckled and told Krische "Doesn¡¯t it feel like peace?" "A dress is such a trivial thing, but it''s wonderful to be able to argue with each other that this is good. ¡¡When ites to battle, you have to worry about life-threatening exchanges, but the only thing you lose in the dress quarrel is the desired Krische-sama outfit. I''m sure Ojou-sama thinks it''s fun to argue over such nonsense, and so do I. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about, Krische-sama."" Berry put her finger up and smiled saying ¡®Don''t worry¡¯. Bery spoke to Krische to relieve her, thinking that she was probably worried because the exchange between the two¡ª¡ªher sister and servant looks like a fight. Rather, Krische¡¯s concern was the breakfasts that would be lost because of it. Krische was not at all worried about their quarrel, and Bery''s exnation waspletely off the mark. However, the Krische aesthetic sense did not allow her to say shameless words such as ¡®Krische want to do something about not being able to eat breakfast¡¯ without roundabout ways. "Eh, uh... yes." "Worrying about trivial things with all your strength, arguing¡ it¡¯s the most wonderful thing to be able to have this kind of leeway, and it¡¯s a time that can be obtained only because it¡¯s peaceful. Neither I nor the Ojou-sama hate each other, and after all it''s just a little yful¡ª¡ªso don''t worry. We¡¯re not really arguing, okay? "" Krische nodded as Bery gently stroked her head. As expected even Krische did not think they were really fighting, but she knew agreeing with Bery here was also a worldly wisdom. Krische couldn''t say that she didn''t like the fact that she was hungry because of the two of them, who were using all their strength for that yfulness. Especially if Bery was enjoying herself¡ª¡ªKrische¡¯s first priority is to make Bery happy. "Well, I feel like my victory has been decided this time... it''s a bit disappointing." "I-is that so..." As Krische said, she convinced herself that if she decided on a dress first, there wouldn''t be any problems after. This time, she would not go hungry on the day of the wedding. She was sure Selene would also quietly withdraw, and though Krische thought Selene looked a little pitiful, for Krische her own breakfast was more important. "You know, it''s absolutely ridiculous that Krische, who holds the same position as a general, would be wearing a dress! As a nation, who are you going to show to, a soldier wearing a cute dress! Aren you an idiot?"" "Ojou-sama¡¯s personality of being so quick to criticize is... really. Even if Krische-sama is wearing a splendid and pretty military outfit, people in other countries, not to mention fearing her, would look down on her. Rather than showing something inconsistent, isn¡¯t it obvious that it is much better to face the asion in a dress as royalty. No matter what you do, she can''t look like a brave general, so don''t you think it would be much more appropriate for her to wear a dress that would raise the morale of the soldiers?" "It''s not your hobby! Krische is a warrior with the highest honorary title, Alberinea, in the kingdom! If it needs to be a dress, there''s a dress that seems more like a warrior isn¡¯t there!" "I return those back to Ojou-sama, isn¡¯t that just a hobby of the Ojou-sama. Look, this is the dress that Krische-sama chose for herself. Shouldn''t we put the wishes of none other than Krische-sama first here?" "That''s why what you''re doing is cowardly and insidious! Just because I''m busy with military duties, are you still a servant of the noble Christand family like that!?" "I am a servant of the Christand family, but I am also a personal attendant of Krische-sama, so my first and foremost priority is Krische-sama...what do you mean cowardly? It is the role of a servant to do their master''s bidding...and to call that role cowardly is a bit too much to ask, don''t you think?"" "Then I''ll ask Krische. Is that okay with you? You''re not interested in my opinion, you don''t need it?" "Huh? Uuu..." "What a cowardly thing to do."" "Which one is the coward here!?" But the unexpected future shattered Krische¡¯s relief. Chapter 141: Meow Meow Chapter 141: Meow Meow ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 141 Meow Meow*** There was no particr substance to the unveiling ceremony. Congrattory messages from various countries were read aloud for Queen Alberan''s coronation, and appropriate gifts were received. Flowery phrases¨D¨DThere was nothing more than a trivial exchange of rhetoric, and superficiality. What was important was the conference that followed. In the meeting room of the royal castle, Queen Kreschenta, High Priestess Zanalibea, Gulshan¡¯s Vice-Chairman Orugan, Chancellor Krolus of the Kingdom of Elderant, and Archbishop of the western Empire, Elbebert were gathered around a rectangr desk. From other countries, they were the country''s number two or number three. They were the ones who had the authority to decide the future of the country by their own will. Elbebert, who had no authority and was several ranks lower than the others, wiped away cold sweat as his face turned blue. It was as if he had been drawn the short end of stick line for the the upper echelons of the country¡¯s face. This was a ce for discussions between countries. Originally, a small item like Elbebert¨D¨Dnot a high priest who governs the parish of the western region, but a chief high priest or a cardinal should have been the one sitting here. Obviously, he would not have the right status to be present at such a ce. Elbebert as if he didn''t feelfortable and hoping for it to be over soon, behaved a little suspiciously and looked next to him. A small country in the southwestern part of the Kingdom¨D¨Duze, the Royal Prince of Kusn Kingdom, which is far inferior to these four countries, was sitting there. However, should it be said as expected of Royalty, he looked dignified even in this situation. There were no Elbebertpanions here. "However, Your Majesty. You say peace and peace, but if you say that, first of all, shouldn''t you settle the barbaric acts of the Kingdom so far?" It was Gulshan¡¯s Vice-Chairman, Orugan who opened his mouth. Kreschenta looked at him. A vulgar face full of beards that resembles the mighty general of the South, Dougleen Garhka. He seemed more like a bandit than anything else. However, even though he looked like this, he was originally a member of the royal family, so it was surprising. Gulshan became a republic only about 20 years ago. Until then, it was a monarchy like Alberan, but for some reason, this man, despite being a member of the royal family, started a rebellion to correct the corruption of the royal family. As a result, the royal family was overthrown and a republic was established. Even after the republic was established, he took the position of vice-chairman, saying, ¡®Me Sitting in the chair is no different from me just usurping the throne.¡¯ ¨D¨DHe''s a weird person who Kreschenta didn¡¯t really understand what he wanted. At any rate, for the time being Kreschenta disliked him because of his loud voice. ¡°Twenty years ago during the civil war¨D¨Dthe northern territory that the kingdom plundered. The grief of the dispossessed people has not yet disappeared. What are your thoughts on that? " Kreschenta tilted her head as if troubled. "That war was a request from the Gulshan royal family at the time. It was certainly not an invasion... Besides, the talk about that should have ended fifteen years ago with your country''s acknowledgement." " acknowledgement. I see. Are you saying that was a legitimate discussion? A meeting that threatened military power against our weakened country?" Orugan asked, as if challenging her. This was before Kreschenta was born. How could she possibly know the details? "Of course, it''s about the generation before her. It''s not like I have anything to say about it to the current Queen. However, as the heir to the Kingdom of Alberan, I think that before talking about peace, you should first settle the ounts that Alberan has done so far....that is if Her Majesty the Queen truly desires peace." ¨D¨DOtherwise, even the people who were driven from their homes would not be able to be satisfied with it. Orugan''s words were a clear threat. Kreschenta parried it with a smile. ¡°I see. So, if I pay you, it will be fine?¡± Kreschenta continues, before the frowning Orugan could speak. "No, right. The hatred and resentment that arises in battle is like that, they don''t just disappear the next day that easily." Once you show your weakness, it''s over. In diplomacy, you will only be preyed upon. It was necessary to always take advantage of the atmosphere and words of the ce. ¡°Gulshan and Alberan have fought many wars over the years...all the resentments that arise from such killings cannot be resolved with a temporary amount of money, can they?" Kreschenta continued. "If you go back a few decades further, thatnd belongs to the Kingdom of Alberan. The people who were forced to flee their homnd, as you say, were destroyed and ruled by Gulshan in the time of your grandfather. We are repeating such things. Don''t you think it''s unproductive?¡± "Are you bring up things a thousand years ago next?" "Fufu, that''s not it." Kreschenta smiled happily. "Orugan-sama''s feelings for the people are wonderful. But I think it will take a long time to resolve it.¡± Orugan crossed his arms and looked into Kreschenta¡¯s eyes, wondering what she wanted to say. ¡°...If there are people who want to return to their homnd, and if that person is truly from thend, the Kingdom will do its utmost to amodate them. The southern part of the country is a richnd, and there are many projects to be undertaken, ces to live and jobs to be found. We may not be able to recover what we have lost, but we can make a new home for ourselves.¡± Kreschenta looked back into his eyes and smiled more and more. Somehow, she had an arrogant smile on her face. "The only things that will be needed after this are the cooperation of the two countries, and the time it takes for the hatred to fade away and get used to a new life.... What do you think? If we put the people first, then this should not be a bad proposal for both countries. Of course, that is only with the proviso Orugan-sama genuinely wishes for peace." The young Queen gleefully answered Orugan''s words. She then sipped the sweet tea brewed by the red-headed servant¨D¨DBery behind her. The young Queen''s words were half provocative, and the nobles present were startled, but what resounded wasughter that shook the room. "Hahaha, my my, forgive me that was a rude question. Even though the Queen is young she isn¡¯t disturbed and has dignity. Your Majesty seems to be a very intelligent person. I beg your pardon.." ¡°Don''t mind it. I''m d to hear you say so, Orugan-sama.¡± Shaking her red glittering gold hair. The queen, like a fairy, had a soft smile on her beautiful face. Inwardly, she resisted the urge to cover her ears from the loud voice. The question was probably intended to gauge Kreschenta. If Kreschenta was merely an idealist¨D¨Dafraid of war and willing to do as she was told and give money, he was willing to squeeze her before the war. It would be far more profitable than a costly war. After reducing the power of the country, they could then invade and take thend. ¡°Against that ck lion¡ª¡ªI was surprised when I heard that Your Majesty had defeated the Alberan¡¯s Grand Duke and assumed the throne, but I can understand. It looks like the future of the kingdom will be bright.¡± As proof of that, Orugan ignored Kreschenta¡¯s proposal byyering up flowery rhetoric. He had no intention of doing anything other than making an arrangement that puts Gulshan in advantage¡ª¡ªand attacking Alberan was probably already half fact. Kreschenta was not particrly concerned, and went along with it. "Thank you. If peace can be brought to the Kingdom in the future, I would like to make it reality.¡± "I can¡¯t let those word slide." Krolus, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Elderant, intervened from the side. The old man yed with his long beard and red at Kreschenta. "It''s as if anything that what disturbs the peace is from outside. Looking at history, it''s clear which country will spread disaster to neighboring countries in any era." "You mean Alberan?" ¡°Yes. The word peace that Alberan speaks of is nothing but a preparatory period for its next invasion. Just how many times have we been burned by their words?¡± Kreschenta smiled, even as she thought what he said was absolutely correct. Although the Kingdom of Elderant called itself a kingdom, unlike the absolute monarchy of Alberan, it was more like a barbarian n alliance. Rather than a feudal state, it was more of a confederation, with the powerful tribal chiefs serving as allies and calling themselves the kings of Elderant. Once a king was decided, the chiefs of the tribes will be loyal to the king, but the rtionship between the tribes is naturally not good, and civil wars weremon. Furthermore, every time a king died, powerful tribes would fight over the next king and reducing each other''s power¡ª¡ªand evetime Alberan would always have on reason or another to seize their territory. "You may be reciprocating my words, but in the western part of the kingdom, not a day goes by without hearing provocative border crossings and looting by the Elderant army. If we heard such a report, we also have to deal with it¡ª¡ªfirst of all, I would like to ask for your cooperation so as not to create a spark of war between our country." ¡°You are simply ming our country for the raids of bandits.¡± Of course, there is no way they would admit such a fact. Elderant has a territory that is the same as the kingdom and extends to the mountains in the west, but it was probably due to such internal disputes that it fell one step behind the neighboring countries. Technically and culturally, they are civilized in their own way, but in her head they were uncivilized race. Barbarians. They were a group of bandits in the shape of a country, and a very annoying presence. However, the rich ins bordering the west have been taken by the kingdom, and all that remains were forests. Since most of Elderant was forest, it was difficult to attack and destroy them, and the return for it was small too. That''s why the country still exists, and Kreschenta resented the previous kings, thinking that it would have been better if they had destroyed it before it became her generation. The current King was from the eastern part of the Elderant and was naturally not favorable to Alberan. Looking at this prime minister''s bullish appearance, it''s certain that they would attack. In the end, both the south and the west were the same, there was no reason not to attack the Kingdom. Elsren in the east had also sent apletely meaningless messenger, and it seems that there were no other ipetent people in the region. Thinking that it would be difficult to recover from this, Kreschenta quickly gave up trying to avoid war, and hoped that this meeting would end soon. "That queen is quite a masterpiece." "did you like it?" "Oh, I like it. I''ll prepare for the army when I get back." ¡°Are you going to attack because you like it¡ but still, starting the preparation from now?¡± A white corridor made of transmuted rock¨D¨Dthe tall and slender Military Chief Zalvag made an exasperated face at the words of Vice-Chairman Orugan in the middle of the passage. A featureless face with nothing particrly worthy of note¡ª¡ªAlthough he was in the position of Chief of Staff, Gulshan, the head of the military officer, Zalvag''s face wasckluster. Originally, he was not a noble, but amoner and a shoemaker. He joined the rebel side during the civil war 20 years ago and rose through the ranks on the battlefield and be Orugan¡¯s assistant, and he was Orugan¡¯s most trusted military man. He was also apanying us on this visit as the Chief of the bodyguard. Although Orugan himself has no interest in power, Gulshan''s government was based on his poprity. Putting aside his position as vice chairman, he was the de facto head of Gulshan, an existence that must never be lost. It was only natural that Chief Military Officer Zalvag would guard him with rigor. ¡°If you''re going to attack, that Garhka is the opponent. It would be good to prepare in term of several years.¡± Dougleen Garhka He was a fierce general who had defeated Gulshan many times. That man was the only one who can fight against wild animals such as elephants that much. Despite his impregnable formation, he did not lose his flexibility, For Gulshan, the first thing thates to mind when speaking of the Kingdom''s army was that man. The reason why Orugan, end the battle in northwestern Elderant early after hearing of the recent civil war, was unable to move despite actively looking for an opportunity was because Garhka was watching the south without letting his guard down. He was a dangerous opponent to challenge with Elderant''s forces split. The reason why he took up Kreschenta¡¯s invitation this time was partly because he wanted to see Kreschenta once, but above all, it was to prepare the position of Gulshan. A country will not fully recover from the civil war in a few months or a year. Unlike mere warfare, all the wear and tear on both sides caused by a civil war puts a burden on the finances of the country. It was only natural that Gulshan, which originally had more strength, would have the upper hand, even if it was only for a few months. Before he left Gulshan, he was approached by the Empire. Perhaps, unlikest time, this time it would be a joint operation. The same request had been made at the time of the previous empire invasion, but he had turned it down at the time because he felt ufortable as it seemed like an attempt to aim for when Gharka was absent. Orugan knew nothing more exciting than a battle of life, death, and pride. He didn''t want to resort to despicable mean as to strike Garka, whom he had chosen as a whorty opponent, from the back. "...... hmm?" Orugan turned his attention to the courtyard. There was arge man and a beautiful silver-haired girl in a light blue dress. "Hmm, this is..." ¡°Hahaha, isn''t it beautifully crafted? This was made by the same craftsman who made Bogan¡¯s, after being yelled at by the Corps Commander Melchikos a long time ago to at least pay attention to the armor......¡± Kolkis was wearing his armor at the ceremony and happened to run into Krische, who was waiting for Bery who was attached to Kreschenta They talked a little while they waited. Krische showed an interest in the heroic helmet, which was modeled after a tiger. Kolkis took off the helmet and showed it to her, exining its history. "As you can see, it¡¯s a tig¡ª" "Meow Meow" Krische looked up with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°Ehehe, it''s a cat, isn''t it? Bery likes it. Meow meow meow right. Does Kolkis like it too?" "... Huh? Ah, no, it''s not a cat..." "......It would certainly be nice to call Kolkis instead of Corps Commander Agrand,...... but, as a matter of fact, among the soldiers of the army, nicknames that convey a sense of familiarity is popr right now.¡± ¡°N-nickname is it?¡± "Yes, look, like a skeleton. Hehe, Krische nicknamed Skeleton. His face look like a skeleton right." ¡°R-right...¡± The only person who called Eluga by that horrible and unmentionable nickname was Krische, and the nickname is only popr within Krische, not the military. Kolkis took an extremely mature approach. ¡°Krische wanted to give Kolkis, who was going to work under Krische, a nickname instead of calling by first name. Krische couldn''t quite think of it, but now it suddenlye to Krische. From now on, Krische will call Kolkis Meow Meow." ¡°......ha?¡± ¡°Corps Commander Varkas is a Woof Woof, the atmosphere is a bit simr right. It''s very nice to call both Woof Woof and Meow Meow together, besides it¡¯s easy to say.¡± *hop hop* While making a small jump. Krische was in a very good mood. Krische¡¯s overflowing smile, which had never been seen since their first encounter¡ª¡ªhad the power to make Kolki, who was known for his bravery, flinch. "Here, Krische''ll return Meow Meow¡¯s helmet." Krische stretched out, took a small leap, and ced the "heroic helmet in the shape of a tiger" on Colchis''s head, and Krische nodded repeatedly, as if satisfied. Kolkis nced at the pond on his side, and saw the reflection of the giant man in armor. The body of a warrior, covered in muscle and steel armor. That''s Meow Meow. It was insanity. ¡®¨D¨DI see, so this is how Assistant Marshal Faren and Granmeld were done in by this.¡¯ ¡®I won''t make the same mistake.¡¯ Kolkis uttered as if he was in a hurry. "N-no, please wait Krische-sana, th-that nickname is as expected..." "...Huh, is someoneing? Is it an acquaintance of Meow Meow?" But Krische¡¯s interest was already elsewhere. The sound of a sweet voice calling out him, Meow Meow¡ª¡ªthat naturalness seemed to Kolkis as if to indicate that it was irreversible. "Nn... the person who came to the conference just now, right? Gulshan''s Vice-Chairman Orugan?" As expected, his physique was inferior to that of Kolkis, but it could be said that he is still a sufficientlyrge man. A middle-aged man with a beard walked in a dress that looks like as if his muscles were going to burst. "Oh, this is a face I''ve seen before. Christand¡¯s..." ¡°It¡¯s Corps Commander Agrand, Vice-Chairman.¡± Kolkis immediately straightened and clicked his heels. He folded his hands behind his waist to indicate that he meant no harm when addressing foreign dignitaries. "That''s right, Christand¡¯s corpsmander. It''s been a long time ago, so my memory is vague. But then, people like you are not so easily forgotten at a nce." While watching Kolkis, Krische slightly lifted her skirt and bowed. She looked like a princess and had a graceful appearance. You wouldn¡¯t think that it''s the devil who had just tried to force her subordinate to be called Meow Meow until just now. ¡°...If I¡¯m not wrong, you were the on next to Her Majesty the Queen" "It''s Krische Alberinea Christand-sama." Kolkis answered without hesitation. Krische did not mind, but it is a rule that royalty do not name themselves. In this way, it was natural for someone by her side to introduce her, and for the time being Kolkis was treating Krische as a member of the royal family. He was also a little uneasy about letting the VIPs of other countries speak to Krische. "... Alberinea" Who was the woman standing next to Queen Crescenta¡ª¡ªthere was no introduction, and everyone was wondering about it. The Queen had an older sister, and rumor had it that she was the hero who had defeated the generals who had sided with Gildanstein in the civil war, and had cut him down. Everyone thinks that ¡®could it be?¡¯, but no one could openly ask anyone about it. It was the height of rudeness and impoliteness in any country to ask for the names of royalty. Basically, they had no choice but to find out the name beforehand or wait for the other side to introduce it to them, as they are doing now. It was usual for the other party to took care to avoid embarrassing the guest. Rinea was an honorary title that indicates a knight of the kingdom, and Alberinea, an unfamiliar title that was probably taken from the name of the kingdom. This was exactly what this girl was. She had a doll-like expressionless face, and only the purple eyes that were observing him were shining inorganically. No affection, no cheerful smile. She looked like Crescenta but was nothing like her, with a somewhat chilling beauty¨D¨Dthe magical power she wore could be described as serene. An extension of the body¨D¨Dimaginary muscles with magical power. He frowned when he noticed that it was already deployed. He wondered if she was wary of him, and intuitively sensed that was not it. There was no tension in her stance, no muscle tension or strain. She must have always been that way on a daily basis. It was a frightening concentration and stability. It is very difficult to handle magic on a daily basis. A force that was too strongpared to that of the body¨D¨DPutting aside if it was on the battlefield, it was difficult to make even the slightest adjustments. Orugan was half skeptical when he heard rumors of another Alberan princess. The sword princess who had defeated the ever-victorious and undefeated Aurugorn Hilkintos and the ck lion Gildanstein Alberan all while losing Bogan Christand, the kingdom''s hero whose name had made its mark even in Gulshan. When he looked, it was a girl who was less than fifteen. A battlefield is not sweet enough for such a girl to dance on it. Because he knew the battlefield better than anyone else, Orugan doubted it. He thought that she was most likely trying to take the credit for the victory. However, when he saw the girl in front of him, he felt that it was not impossible. The girl''s appearance was so strange that it gave Orugan an indescribable sense of uneasiness. She was different from any warrior he had ever seen. Nor was she oppressive like Kolkis. A tingling sensation down his spine¨D¨DIt was the same feeling that he had felt as a child when he was up close and personal with a captured magical beast. The fear that came from instinct. ¡°... I see, Alberinea¨D¨Dif one look closely, one''ll understand. It seems like the rumors are true." Orugan held out his right hand. Krische looked at it curiously and held out her hand a little reluctantly. Like his face, the back of his hand was hairy. It looked filthy. ¡°As a fellow warrior, I am honored to be able to meet you like this. We may meet again someday in the not too distant future." ¡°Haa¡¡thank you very much.¡± With her right hand being help, Krische bowed lightly while thinking about how to kill him if he attacked. Fundamentally, she didn¡¯t like handshakes that take away the freedom of one hand, and his hands were also hairy and slightly sweaty. It was filthier than normal. Already inside Krische, Orugan¡¯s evaluation was leaning towards dislike. As soon as he let go of her hand, Krische immediately pick up a handkerchief and gently wiped her hand. Orugan didn''t care, but the faces of Colchis and Military Chief Zalvag were perturbed. It was so rude and extremely disrespectful. In some cases, it was a rudeness that could develop into an international problem. Nheless, Krische was a self-proimed good-natured girl¨D¨Din her mind, it was a logical etiquette to wash your hands after touching something dirty, and it was rather a clean and sensible manner.. Rudeness that was not in her knowledge did not count for her. Without questioning anything, she carefully cleanses every corner of her right hand that she shook hands with. Kolkis and Zalvag looked at her dumbfounded. "Gulshan has a variety of beasts that cannot be seen in the kingdom. In that case, by all means, I would like to show it to Alberinea.¡± "Um... Thank you...?" It was a deration of war of some sort, but Krische tilted her head, simply wondering if it was that kind of greeting. He said he''ll show her all sorts of beasts, so she should say thank you for now. That was the extent of his understanding. He did not understand that he was saying, ''See you on the battlefield¡¯ in a roundabout way. "Well then, see youter. Let''s go Zalvag." However, unaware that Krische did not understand his meaning at all, Orugan walked briskly, flipping his cloak as if to say that he had already dered war. Zalvag soon followed. "Look, Salvag. That''s a monster to be reckoned with." "... That''s certainly amazing. Something like shaking hands and suddenly wiping it with a handkerchief." ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. ¡ Did you like that one too?¡± "I like it. Kuku, isn''t the kingdom interesting? ¡¡This sure is getting exciting.¡± Laughing like a beast, Orugan smiled like a beast. "What''s wrong? Meow Meow" "No, no, it''s the same as the name... but that''s bad. Wiping your hands suddenly after shaking hands." "...? Krische, want to keep Krische¡¯s hands clean." "N-no, it¡¯s not like that..." It took him half a koku to convince Krische that it was rude to wipe your hands after shaking hands. Chapter 142: Royal Palace Incident Chapter 142: Royal Pce Incident ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 142 Royal Pce Incident*** For example, you can''t kill the skirmisher with only heavily armed infantry. They will not be able to catch up with the lightly-armed infantry, and they will be unterally swatted to death. However, skirmishers alone cannot resist cavalry. They have no armor to protect them when pressed at speed and in hand-to-handbat. However, the cavalry cannot kill infantrymen with spears. Even if they n to charge using their speed and weight, the tip of their spear will pierce the horse itself. Each one is in a three-way deadlock, and that''s why the army has everything. Cavalry against enemy skirmishers. Hit the opponent''s cavalry with spears, and shoot arrows at spears. But the ck g Special Force was both a horse and a spear. They already have both at a very high level, and if one-sided shooting from a distance was added, there was nothing that could counter them. Outside the walls of Albenaria. The ck g Special Forces were training at arge-scale training site built there. The ck g Special Forces training site was basically in a corner of the training grounds, on the side of the city walls. A corner surrounded by trees that can hardly be called a forest was allocated for their training. In the grove, the spears thrown by the ck g Special Force soldiers pierced through the trees and thundered¡ª¡ªand the crackling of the bowstrings echoed here and there. "How are things going, Bald Eagle? How''s the training going?" "No problem. It''s going very well. Krische-sama, Gallen-sama." Gallen, apanied by Krische, looks at the situation with interest. They had been on a tour, seeing the corps, and this is thest one. It was the first time he had seen ck g Special Force training, which was basically under Krische¡¯s direct control, and everything felt new. Although it was a training for new recruits, there was no sign of any basic training, such as marching in formation or defending formations. "It¡¯s probably because their names have be known due to their sess in the civil war. The recruits sent by the selection team are all full of motivation, saying they were selected as the most elite of the kingdom." "...Hmmm, that''s good. That looks like spear throwing training, but what you have is a little different." The roar of gouging trees echoed from earlier. What the ck g Special Forces soldiers grabbed and threw at the tree was a dull shiny iron bar¡ª¡ªthe handle was wrapped in linen, but the whole body seemed to be made of iron. "It''s just a bar of iron. Ordinary spears will break a lot and the expense isn¡¯t light, so Krische-sama said she would think about something. Mia." "Oh, yes" Mia grabbed the iron rod that was standing around and brought it to Gallen, and presented it to him. Gallen who received it instantly put his strength and endured it. It was too heavy for Gallen who didn''t handle magic. "...Are you throwing something this heavy? Magic possessors have physical abilities sure are different. I can''t throw it at all." Gallen returned the iron spear to Mia in amazement. The girl, who was much smaller and more delicate than Gallen, received it lightly and bowed her head. It''s probably due to the amount of magical power she was born with. Her sword skills aside, Mia was one of the best in the squad. "Haha, even among us, there are only a handful of people who can throw this properly. Rather than throwing javelin training, it¡¯s more apt to say that what we¡¯re doing here is mastering body maniption." Although slender, the iron was nearly six shaku (~1.8m) long. It''s not something that can be thrown with human strength, and it''s not even easy to swing around. Only by manipting the body using magical power and stabilizing the body, will this iron spear fly to the target for the first time. Most of the people training with this iron spear here are new recruits, and the main purpose was to teach them how to use their imaginary muscles and bodies. Once they learned how to use their bodies without relying on their physical muscles, they could apply it to their actual spear throwing and sword fighting training. "Since the number of personnel has increased from the century, Krische would like to train them to be able to do various things other than hand-to-handbat." "Archers?" "Yes. Kurofuyo often acts independently, so Krische¡¯d like to be able to coordinate actions in the corps from a distance. Krische heard from Meow Meow that Ojii-sama used to do that." "...Meow Meow?" "It¡¯s Kolkis." Gallen''s eyes widened at the words, then paused for a moment andughed merrily. "Kuku, Kolkis is Meow Meow. I see, it''s a very pleasant name if you look at it together with his appearance." "Ehehe, that''s right, Ojii-sama! Krische thinks Meow Meow is a really good nickname." Hearing the name Meow Meow given to his former subordinate Kolkis, Gallenughed happily and petted Krische''s head. Gallen had no problem with the terrible, punishment-like name given to Kolkis. What his cute grandchild would do¡ª¡ªGallen is strict with himself and others, but he makes an exception for Krische. Krische, who thought she''d beenplimented, snuggled up to Gallen and happily rxed her cheeks. She was in a good mood, saying, ¡®Ojii-sama understands me very well, after all¡¯. What ensued was a negative spiral. Seeing her grandfather''s reaction, Krische bes more and more confident that her naming sense was not so bad after all. With a hopeless naming sense, a mysterious confidence and the power of Alberinea, Krische was like a sudden natural disaster¡ª¡ªwith increasing threat day by day. Bald Eagle¡ª¡ªDagra looked at Mia beside him with pity for the new victim, Kolkis, and any future victims. *swoosh swoosh* Mia shook her head as if to say, ¡®It''s not my fault¡¯. ¡®It was Kahlua who was at fault, and certainly not me.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s too unreasonable to be med for this.¡¯ "...Certainly, there was such a thing. During the withdrawal battle, I gathered the defeated soldiers and created a temporary fire support unit." It was when he was leading Bogan and his men. At that time, they lost the battle due to the general''s ipetence, were heavily pursued by the enemy, and had no choice but to leave the rest to luck. ¡®In that case¡¯, Gallen thought of avenging themander of the enemy pursuit force. For he could see that the enemy wascent about victory. Gallen sent Bogan and his men on a run to gather the remnants of the defeated army¡ª¡ªthus creating a small force of spear throwers and archers. If spears and shields create the bnce in warfare, ranged weapons create the advantage¡ª¡ªan advantage so decisive in a small battle that a one-sided attack can decide the oue. Even if the whole army has an advantage of 2,000 more soldiers against 10,000 enemies, nothing will change, but the difference that was bought when just 20 people cut off 100 enemies in front of them, has a tremendous impact on the soldiers of the enemy and allies. In a battlefield where more than 10,000 lives collide, it was trivial, but the only thing anyone can feel is the superiority and inferiority created by the dozens of people around them. People with low morale were given spears, and as spear throwers, and they were forbidden to engage hand-to-hand. Even a poorly thrown javelin, a cavalry that is chasing them is a huge target. Above all, it was important to have a huge amount of it. Using themselves as bait, they would stand in front of the enemy and fire a volley of shots at the point where the enemy was lured into a charge. Cut the advantage in this way, and attack the disturbed enemy¨D¨D "While it is a strong shield, it also possesses decisive breakthrough power¨D¨DI see, and after that, if you have archers who can create an advantage, there will be no gaps." What Krische was trying to create in the ck g Special Forces was a mini army. Since the ck g Special Forces are all magic possessors¨D¨Dthey are the best infantry and they also serve as powerful cavalry. Add in the ability to shoot from a distance to create an even greater advantage, and no enemy will be able to oppose them. "The problem with Kurofuyo is that they¡¯re generally terrible with the sword, so Krische wanted a way to unterally defeat an opponent who Kurofuyo lost to purelybat ability; a lot died in thest fight after all." "... I''m sorry. If I had been a little resourceful, I might have been able to reduce the damage a little more." "It¡¯s not Ojii-sama¡¯s fault. Krische heard from Selene that Ojii-sama was doing a great job." While acting asmander of the whole and bringing the whole to a stalemate, he personally killed five people who were magic possessors¨D¨Din a sense, Gallen achieved the greatest military results as someone without magical power. There was no one in the world who could me the old man. For Krische, much like Bery, she was a kind grandfather who taught her many things and who always gave her love. Even if her mouth was torn, she could not me Gallen, the ''admirable Ojii-sama¡¯ she respected¨D¨Din short, just like her grandfather, his grandchild, who was both moderately strict with herself and others, was very lenient with her grandfather. "Don''t make that face. Krische-sama isn''t ming you." "¡¡yes" Dagra smiled as he hit Mia, who was depressed by Krische¡¯s words, on the head. "There was damage. Many died. But even in such a harsh battlefield, it''s because you yed your part that the squad survived, and now it''s being reorganized like this. If you look like that, it''s an insult to those who died under yourmand. It is your role to reflect on your experiences, but not to regret them, and to aim to be an even bettermander than you are now. Be proud of yourself." Dagra said and looked at Krische. Seeing Mia''s despondent face, Krische, who seems to have gotten the message, pondered for a moment and then says, "Hmm... Krische was a little worried that Mia would wipe out the squad, so the result is still better if you think that way. Mia did her best to the extent that Krische could give a 3 on a 10-point scale, so Krische isn''t angry." "Thr-3 out of 10..." "The usual Mia is about 1.5 points, so considering that it''s enough." Krische nodded. Mia was even more shocked. "I-I¡¯ll do my best..." Gallen, who was listening, chuckled and patted Krische on the head. "Krische sure is though... But from what I''ve seen, it was a goodmand. Just like Dagra said, be proud of yourself. There is no such thing as a battle without reflection. Learn from the experience one by one and connect it to the next. You still have a long way to go." "Yes, thank you, Gallen-sama." Mia bowed her head happily. After finishing the conversation in a lighthearted manner, the next step was to go to archery training. Originally used for hand-to-hand spears, the bow made of hard and sticky Argana wood was 4 shaku (1.2 m)¨Dpared to the 8 (2.4 m) shaku longbowmonly used in the military, it was rtively short, and good maneuverability was prioritized over range. Even among the archers, the bows were from a special unit, and they were provided on a loan basis. About 50 of the soldiers were training here¨D¨D "...What are you doing? Kalua" There was Kahlua crouching down, holding her right breast. "Ah, no, she said she wanted to try it, so I lent her a bow, but it seems the string hit her in the chest..." A soldier from the archery battalion next to Kalua answered Krische¡¯s question. The cause was probably that she was holding a longbow, as opposed to a short bow with a short drawstring. Kalua, who had been crouching, stood up with tears streaming down her eyes. "Uh... it hurts, it¡¯s not a normal pain..." "...idiot." "Uwaa... uncool..." Kalua frowned as Mia continued after Krische showing her agreement. "¡unlike Mia, I have breasts after all." "... I think it''s really rude to say that." "Ah, I wouldn''t have felt this pain if I had a chopping board with a t chest like Mia''s..." "This, this...!" "Certainly, even if Mia failed, it doesn''t seem like it will hit her chest." "Uuuu..." Krische nodded,paring Kalua''s ample chest to Mia''snky bosom. The other soldiers also looked at Mia''s chest and agreed. Mia''s face turned bright red and she red at the soldiers. Gallen smiled wryly and stroked his chin. "Well, that''s one of the reasons we don''t have female hunters. It would be a hindrance to drawing a bow. Once you get used to it, it won''t be a problem but¡" Bows and breasts were not a good match. While ample breasts were often favored as nurturing good children, they were only a hindrance when ites to the hunter. In particr, female apprentice hunters, who learn from their masters from an early age, are often unable to draw a bow as a result of physical growth, just like the division ofbor that gradually took ce in the vige of Kalka. Although it was possible by shooting a bow in the correct stance, it was not always possible to do so. Especially on the hunting grounds or battlefield, it is not always possible. In archery, which requires concentration, breasts were not a benefit. "However, a breast hit is a matter of stance and skill...show me your stance." "Eh...y-yes" Kahlua felt like she never wanted to touch a bow again, but it was Gallen, the general''s adjutant, who told her directly. She held the bow and arrow in her hand and lightly pulled the string. "Don''t try to pull it with your arms. Open your shoulders and be conscious of using your back. It''s a bow that even this old man can pull." "Yes...l-like this?" "Well, you have always had good posture, so just be natural. If you try to pull with your arms because you have the strength, it will copse and your stance will shake, and as a result the string will move unexpectedly." Gallen manually fine-tuned Kalua''s arms and shoulders, and although the soldiers who were looking at him enviously, Kalua couldn''t afford to worry about that in front of Gallen''s serious face. Only Mia was giving the soldiers a look of disdain. "Turn your body as it is. That''s the basic posture of the upper body¨D¨Dwithout moving it." "...yes." Kalua let go of the string and it was as if the target, which was made of a simple piece of wood, sucked the arrow¨D¨Dnot, but it was thrust near the center of the target. Kalua, who was a little nervous, let out a voice of admiration, as if surprised herself. Gallen smiled happily and patted her on the head. "That''s good. Don''t forget the feeling." "Y-yes, thank you very much..." Kalua looked up at Gallen, a little embarrassed wondering how long it''s been since she''s been hit on the head like this. With roughly stretched gray hair¨D¨DEven though he was old, his face was masculine, and he had a calm charm. She nodded her head, evaluating that he must have been very popr in his younger days. "Ehehe, this is what Krische wanted my Ojii-sama to see. Krische had Gaines'' archer battalione to see but, Krische was wondering if Ojii-sama could give out some good advice... Krische could teach them, but Krische is not very good at teaching other people so..." If you keep your body straight like this, if you release it with your body like this, it will fly straight¨D¨DKrische''s exnation was very intuitive. Naturally, it was unpopr with the soldiers. "I see. If it is a bow, then surely there is something I can teach you. I¡¯ll think about it." There was no way he could refuse a request from his adorable grandchild. Gallen responded with a friendly old man''s face. Krische happily took Gallen''s arm, and Kalua, who was watching such a situation, suddenly looked up at the sky. The sun was already slightly tilted. Normally, Krische would have been happily returning to the estate. "Even so, it sure is rare for Usa-chan to show up at this time of the day." "Because Bery has been with Kreschenta all this time, dinner is a littlete." "Ah, the conference huh..." "Yes, it seems that everyone will finally return tomorrow." The conference itself is over, but not all the people who came here have returned to their countries. By setting up a ce for private discussions and having dinner, naturally Kreschenta needs to show up here and there as apanion. As expected, Kreschenta asked her not to put Anne in such a situation, so Bery was always present as her attendant. Elvena can''t help because she''s busy with Krische¡¯s errands. Theck of servants was a problem in such a situation, even if it was not a problem in everyday life. "I see, it seems like I''ve heard some good news." A youthful voice. The two men who emerged from the bushes were an old, one-armed soldier and a beautiful young man. Aleha Sarchenka approached Krische, sword in hand, and smiled. Krische did the exact opposite, taking a step back from him and looking away from him. "I heard Krische-sama wasing, and I was wondering if Krische''d be willing to join me for a spar but...I''m d it seems Krische-sama has some time today." "...Uuuh" Since then, Aleha has been earnestly wishing for a match at every opportunity. To Krische it was bothersome and she had escaped using one reason or another, but today she had said it Krische told him while her eyes were swimming. "Ku-Krische, seems like I have something to do today... Ah, B-Bery might be back soon and Krische''ll need to prepare the food..." "I see. But it''s a rare opportunity for me as well... it''s okay, it won¡¯t take much time. Please, can I ask you to join me for a spar?" Krische made excuses, but the enemy was no different. Aleha, who already understood Krische¡¯s character, boldly pushed. She was a person who found things to be troublesome, but he knew that she was basically incapable of refusing requests from others. "In order to improve the skills of these unskilled subordinates¨D¨DI would like to receive guidance from Krische-sama." "...G-guidance." It was the killing sentence. He was saying that a subordinate under her direct control wanted to ask for guidance from her. Krische, a self-proimed serious and hardworking person, could not easily refuse the request. "Th-that... uh, just one time, okay? Twice or three times is no good, okay?" "Yes. I promise you, at the very least, until the sun goes down." "... Huh? Um, just one time..." "Now,e on. Please prepare yourself." He made no promises, but she couldn''t ask any more questions with his sword at the ready. Krische turns to him, still feeling unconvinced. ¨D¨DIt was a time like that when they were having such a silly exchange. "¨D¨DKrische-sama!" Running toward them was a man with one arm and a prosthetic hand¨D¨DNagar of the crafts team. Krische frowned and put her hands on her hips. "...... Nagar, Krische told you not to wear the prosthetic arm outside yet, right? "I''m sorry, it''s urgent." "...urgent?" "Please go back immediately. Bery-sama¨D¨D" "Haa, the boring discussion is finally over." "Fufu, thank you for your hard work." Bery smiled at Kreschenta who pricked her lips as she walked through the corridors of the royal castle. In fact, Kreschenta was so busy with personal meetings with dignitaries from various countries that she had no time to catch her breath, so it seemed inevitable that she was fed up with it. In his spare time, he read and signed various documents¨D¨Done of the reasons why she was so busy was that she wanted to spend the night with Krische, but the schedule until the sun went down was so busy that it would not be strange for her to copse. The reason why she can do it was probably because she had a genius brain that could easily find solutions to any difficult problem. Her diligence in government affairs, coupled with her insistence on perfection, made her look like a great ruler, and Bery was more than happy to see that. If the people are impoverished, it would affect the country''s finances and development. Therefore, she wanted to provide a better life and livelihood for her people. Her logic was always based on numbers, not good intentions or conscience. However, she hates luxuries as waste, and in some cases, selling royal treasures for the people and giving alms to them is something that should be called her a wise ruler, and at least Bery was proud of that figure. A little peace, a little happiness. What this girl wished for was the same thing that Bery loves from the bottom of her heart¨D¨Dsomething purer than anyone else in this world. Berry''s face breaks into a smile, knowing that if it¡¯s like this it would be all right. The whole discussion is over. Tomorrow, all the messengers from other countries will now return to their countries. The little queen has done her job, and Bery''s job is to give this girl some peace. "I''ll go ahead and prepare tea in the room." "I''d like to have some cookies, too." "Yes, of course." Kreschenta had some business to attend to, but it did not require Bery. In such cases, Bery always prepared the room ahead of time. She prepares milk, boils water, lights the firece in the room, and examines today''s tea leaves. More than anything else Bery loved the time and effort of doing this for someone else. With a joyful smile on her face, she grabbed some milk from the kitchen of the royal castle and headed for the office, "Intruder. After him!" ¨D¨DHowever, when she approached Kreschenta¡¯s office, that voice resounded. The guards that should always be there in front of the office weren''t there, and Bery frowned at the odd situation. The voice that echoed was a long way ahead¡ª¡ªat least not in this area, but listening to the footsteps, they were probably chasing someone. There was a flurry of noiseing from the end of the corridor. Perhaps the guards had also followed the intruder¡ª¡ªin any case, it was not a good situation. She tried to hide herself in the office for the time being, but "Ah..." There was a visitor. She was a female servant who she remembered seeing several times in the royal castle. "Did she escape on the spur of the moment, just as I did¡ª¡ªeven so it¡¯s strange." The inner lock was not locked, and she was somehow by the tea set. The moment she saw Berry, she looked frightened and separated from the tea set. "I-I''m sorry... when I saw a strange man running, I rushed to Her Majesty''s room..." Was it something she thought of on the spur of the moment¡ª¡ªit was unnatural. There was always a guard standing in front of the office. If a suspicious person came running in front of the office, they would surely be there. Usually, you won''t bother to hide yourself in the office, but behind them. She saw the guards disappear from in front of the office and went inside. It made more sense to think so. A slight disturbance in the ced tea utensils¨D¨DBery didn¡¯t overlook it. She took out the magic crystal given to her by Krische from her chest and brought it closer. A tingling sensation of numbness was conveyed from the faintly emitting magic crystal. "Yes. Krische gathered the poison that exists around here and made Poison Piririn that reacts to poison. It''s easy to use. Just bring it closer and let the magic flow, then it will sound piripiri." Bery sighed and told the bewildered woman. "...If you are willing to turn yourself in now, I will petition Her Majesty the Queen to spare the lives of you and your rtives. From your appearance, I don''t think this is something you did willingly." "!" The woman paled at those words and shuddered. To attempt the life of royalty, the death penalty of dismemberment is handed down. Even rtives are implicated and hanged¡ª¡ªthe most severe punishment imaginable. A servant who has worked in the royal castle for many years¡ª¡ªthere¡¯s no way she''s a person working behind the scenes. And it''s not like she didn''t understand the weight of their sins. She probably did this because someone threatened her. "Therefore, please turn yourself in." "I-I¡¯m not." "...I swear to this name what I just said. Her Majesty the Queen is a kind person, so I''m sure she will understand." Surely this woman would be dismembered if she did not plead for her life. Kreschenta¡¯s innocence makes her the most ruthless girl ¡ª¡ªyet she believed that if she asked sincerely, she would be granted her wish. The woman trembles with fear, her tears covering her face. Berry approached her slowly so as not to frighten her. "It''s all right, please calm down. The one who should be punished is the one who made you do it--now sit over there." She knew there is malice in the world. However, Bery did not doubt that everything was so, rather she was a person who believed in human¡¯s goodness. That''s precisely why it could be said that what it invited was a tragedy. She believed that the other party would believe her words. "Ah..." She didn¡¯t. She realized that after the de pierced her abdomen. "T-there''s no way I''ll be forgiven!" Clutching the blood-soaked knife, with her face stiffened with fear, the woman screamed and turned her body. "T-there¡¯s no way that Cursed Child will let me liv¨D¨D" Bery reacted to the words she heard and grabbed her arm as her face contorted in her pain. "¨D¨DHi!?" And m the woman¡¯s body into her floor, knocking her unconscious, but until there. She fell down on top of the unconscious woman and squats down holding her stomach regretting her carelessness. "...Krische...sama." The only thing that came to her in her hazy mind was the face of her beloved girl. Chapter 143: Royal Capital of Blood Chapter 143: Royal Capital of Blood ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 143 Royal Capital of Blood*** The doctor stood up and looked at Kreschenta and Selene. "... For the time being, there¡¯s nothing more that can be done. Your Majesty the Queen has dealt with it well, and I''ve done all I can... but whether or not she can make it through tonight we can only pray." "Thank you. You may go." "Understood. Then please excuse me." Lying on the bed was a red-haired servant. She was unconscious, just asleep. At her side, Cliche just looked at her face. Anne and Elvena watched the doctor get up and leave, and Kreschenta looked at her sister''s expressionless face. "Um, Onee-sama..." Until now Krische hadn¡¯t said a single word. She just caressed Bery''s cheek as she slept. "The woman had been caught. She doesn''t seem to know anything, but I''ll soon find and catch the one who did this. So, uh..." Kreschenta had a frightened look on her face. It was none other than Bery who had been stabbed. She didn''t know what her sister would do. The knife contained a deadly poison called ¡®A Drop One Night¡¯. It is a well-known poison in its own right, and Kreschenta also had the antidote in her possession. Kreschenta rushed to the scene and immediately made a judgment based on the symptoms, and gave him first aid, but poison is not something you can let your guard down. Rather, it''s more likely that Bery will die at this rate. In the first ce, the poison was aimed at Kreschenta, and in a sense, the cause was her own. That''s why Kreschenta was afraid of her older sister. Krische¡¯s purple color nced at Kreschenta. Kreschenta¡¯s body stiffened. "It''s okay, Kreschenta. Bery won''t die." Krische said to the frightened Kreschenta and stroked her head. Krische puts her hand on Bery, seemingly oblivious to the confused Kreschenta. At that moment¨D¨Da pale magic surged out from her hand. Selene''s eyes widened and Kreschenta frowned. What emerged from Krische¡¯s hand was a geometric pattern of magical power. It was simr to the technique used to engrave magic crystals, the main difference being the unusual density of the patterns. And that it was being drawn in midair. Lines and lines that emit a bluish-white light drew arcs and acute angles, crossed each other, and were connected. The pattern that was drawn grew at an elerated rate and filled the room. Selene, Anne and the others had no idea what was happening, and only Kreschenta understood the meaning of the patterns created by her older sister¨D¨Dwhat it meant. The magic that covered the room converged, and a blue-gray sphere enveloping the bed¨D¨Da semi-transparent sphere was created on the spot. "Krische, what are you¡ª¡ª" Before Selene, who could not hide her surprise, could ask, the staggering Krische copsed on the spot. Kreschenta immediately supported her. "...Onee-sama drew a form in the air. Engraving the form on her own magic... the principle is the same as the magic crystal." Holding her mouth as if she was nauseated, Krische wrinkled her eyebrows and shook her body. The reason she seemed so weakpared to usual was probably because she had spit out all the magic from her body. The amount of magic released in that instant was so huge that it could not bepared to the physical strengthening. Suspension, stagnation, immobility, maintenance¡ª¡ªthat''s about all the form Kreschenta could read. However, when she saw Bery wrapped in a sphere, she could understand what had happened. The breathing that had taken ce until just before was gone. Bery''s chest didn''t move up and down, and it seemed as if she was dead. But no. Even the tiny dust particles floating in the air stopped inside. It wasn¡¯t just as if, but literally time had stopped. "Onee-sama probably stopped time..." "¡¡time?" Serene approached and reached for the sphere. There it was, hard and smooth as ss. It''s a strange feeling, like there''s an invisible wall. "Kreschenta" Kreschenta was embraced by Krische with a weak force. Without her magical power, Krische was nothing more than a little girl as just she looked. "¡¡Just a bit" "¡¡? a¡¡" Her magic power was sucked up from the part where it made contact, a strange sensation. Kreschenta did not resist and let Krische do as she wanted. Soon it was over and Krische took a deep breath and raised herself up. "Krische cut out that space and made it a different space. With this, the Bery won''t die." "Different space..." "It would be too long to exin in detail but" Krische said and looked at Elvena. "Krische''ll do something about it during this time. Elvena, please help." "Help...is it? What should I do¡ª¡ª" "We¡¯re going to do some research in the archives. Let¡¯s do what we can for now. Anne, please make dinner. "Y-yes...I understand." Anne nodded while correcting her posture even though she was confused. Krische¡¯s word, who they thought would be more shaken than anyone else, were so clear that even the confused Anne recovered from her powerful words. "Selene and the others are fine as usual. Krische will take care of everything, so don''t worry about it." "... Even if you say so. Is there anything I can help you with?" "Hmm... Please take care of Jaragasha and Krische¡¯s army for now." Saying that, Krische quickly left the room. Elvena soon followed her, and Selene and Kreschenta looked at Bery sleeping. "... even if you say to do what we can..." "We have no choice but to leave it to Onee-sama until she is satisfied." Kreschenta sat down in her chair and breathed deeply. Then she looked at the sphere and narrowed her eyes. "If it''s possible, Onee-sama will definitely try it. Rather, if we don¡¯t let One-sama, we wouldn''t know what will happen in the future." "...seems so, huh" "I wonder if Argan-sama knows how important her body is to the Kingdom. Now matter, to think she would get herself stabbed, how imprudent." While ring at the sleeping Bery, Kreschenta stood up. "Selene-sama, just do as Onee-sama said. I have a little something to do, so I will excuse myself." "Okay, I understand. Please be careful." "... who do you think you are talking to?" Kreschenta pouted her lips and left the room. The escorts, Kilik, were waiting outside the mansion, but Anne followed them in a hurry to see them off. Left alone, Selene sat on the bedside chair, covered her face and sighed. "... I guess I''m the one who''s the most upset when you''re like this.... how pathetic huh, Bery." Then, as if to hold back the tears in her eyes, she pressed both of her palms over her eyelids. In the basement of the royal castle, there is a prison where criminals, including royalty, who cannot be shown to the public, were held. It had not been used for a long time, but this was where the woman was currently being held. "Dagris, you didn¡¯ty your hand on her right?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Rnd''s former spy¡ª¡ªDagris was now the Queen''s eye and limbs. The underground people who have been used in the royal pce for a long time basically have various ties and troubles. The man who Kreschenta ordered for her personal errands was basically this man who seems to have pledged allegiance to Krische. Kreschenta was satisfied with Dagris, who was not greedy and had no shortage of ability as a secret agent. "Y-your Majesty, forgive me, f-forgive me..." The woman tied to the chair trembled at the sight of Kreschenta, and Kreschenta smiled. "Well, well, to think you did the most troublesome thing possible. I''m a pretty mild person, but this time I''m pretty angry." "Hi..!" "I''ve been thinking about how to hurt you and kill you, but I''m not into vulgarity, so I''m going to keep it simple this time." The woman''s features were rtively well-groomed. Many perverts would be happy if she ordered them to torture her, but that''s not Kreschenta¡¯s hobby. Considering that the more people she used, the more trouble she would need to deal with, it was best to do it in secret. Why this woman wanted to kill her¡ª¡ªthere were too many reasons that came to mind, and she was not particrly interested in that. She won''t spit out much information even when tortured. The one that was used was a drop one night, this well-known poison was too popr, and it was difficult to pinpoint the route to obtain it¨D¨Dperhaps it was used precisely because of that. She was a royal servant, and the number of nobles she interacted with on a daily basis was enormous. It is unlikely that the culprit on the other side of severalyers of cushions could be identified from this woman''s testimony. In short, this was pointless torture. For Kreschenta, this was a rtively unusual action. Killing her would have been the end of it¨D¨Dshe didn¡¯t even need to dirty her own hands but in this case, if she didn¡¯t she won¡¯t be able to settle down. At least this woman did the worst thing she could do. The woman''s hands were spread out on the table. Kreschenta picked up a hammer from the tools Dagris had prepared and smiled at the woman. Then, she suddenly mmed the hammer down on the woman''s finger. Her fingertips were shattered along with her nails and bones, and a loud scream erupted. Kreschenta frowned as the sound reverberated through the prison, and the woman begged for forgiveness, saying that she will tell her everything. Kreschenta smiled and gagged her. "Don''t worry. I''m not interested in the information thates out of your mouth. You probably don''t know much anyway, and it''s pointless to ask. It''s your role to feel pain until I''m refreshed and tired of it, and then die." "¨D¨D!?" Kreschenta had no hesitation. After she gagged her, she swung the hammer down and crushed her fingers as naturally as she would massage it. She did not have the proper nerve to have her conscience pricked at the thought of hurting someone else. "The Duke of Arkasakos, I suppose. But still, it''s a little sloppy." "...Certainly, it''s a little strange. It''s like asking to be killed. It''s also possible that the threat didn''t work but." Dagris responded to Kreschenta, who naturally opened her mouth while crushing the woman¡¯s fingers. He already knew that the lovely princess, who seems wouldn''t even kill an insect, was in fact a deviant. Simple, as she had said, the torture of crushing her fingers was also something her was familiar with from years of experience, and Dagris did not particrly care. Dagris was also crazy to the extent that he could eat while torturing people. "I wonder if the method was a bit naive. After all, it might have been better to kill him early. Above all, Argan-sama." After crushing the fingertips of her left hand, she moved on to the woman¡¯s right hand. She sighed while making a pleasant sound. "If Onee-sama goes to your ce, cooperate as much as possible. Regardless of what happenster, it''s fine. If you disobey, you will probably be killed. Onee-sama is furious right now." "To disobey... I understand the terror of thatdy firsthand." Dagris recalled her appearance in an alley in Keluaran and said that. It was mere suicide to make an enemy of Krische. And Dagris had no suicidal thoughts. "In a sense, it seems like it will make the job a lot easier. No questions asked." "I''m a little disappointed that my efforts so far seem to be in vain." Kreschenta pressed her fingertips against her cherry-red lips and made a troubled face. Then she casually smashed thest finger of the woman¡¯s right hand. "If anything, I prefer the image of a good and respectable ruler who is kind to the people. The people are more willing to give their lives that way right? " "Well, I can''t deny it. From the point of view of seizing power, I don''t think it''s a bad way to tie them down with fear but" "That kind of method will make enemies. Do you know Grabaraine?" "I don''t know the details, but... was she poisoned at the end?" Kreschenta nodded and crouched down. When she was done with the woman¡¯s hands, now it was her feet. She took off the woman¡¯s shoes, leaving her barefoot, and swung the hammer down again. The woman¡¯s fingers were crushed. " Even a queen who has built an invincible superpower ends up like that. I don''t want to go through the same thing. So, I''m trying to be careful not to make the same mistake. Of course, it''s certainly easier to do that." She rhythmically crushed the woman¡¯s fingers and pricked her lips. "I could smash this woman''s face, cut off her limbs, and send the finished product back to the house where she was born, but that would only cause unnecessary resentment, wouldn''t it? For a while, they might be afraid of me and obey me, but that kind of hatred won''t disappear with time. It would be better to say that she died in an ident during the torture, so that there would be no repercussionster. It is inevitable that a person who wants the queen''s life should be tortured and die as a result." Kreschenta smashed both toes, then went back to the woman¡¯s hands. Next she picked up a pair ofrge, blunt scissors. The woman who had nearly fainted from the pain and fear increased her resistance again. "I want to punish her as much as possible, but I want to settle it that way. Well, at this point, I don''t care about the noble." She put the woman¡¯s fingers between the gaps in the de, and without hesitation she tightened her grip on the handle. Even as she was gagged, the screams filled the room and echoed. "The problem is the public''s feelings, is it?" "That''s right." Kreschenta turned her gaze to Dagris, wondering if he had any good ideas. Dagris thought for a moment and opened his mouth. "If Your Majesty wants to avoid dishonoring Your Majesty¡¯s name, then Your Majesty probably needs a substitute." "I wonder if that will be the case after all." Kreschenta¡¯s lips twitched in dissatisfaction. The only thing that makes her look like a child is the way she did that while cutting off the human fingers with scissors. "Well, it depends on what happens." "Argan-sama is a brake for Onee-sama. It¡¯s obvious." Kreschenta said exasperatedly, "Borrowing everyone else ''s, Onee-sama originally had the same disease as me." while pointing to her head. For several days, Krische and Elvena had been locked in the library of the royal castle. The books piled up in front of her, she quickly put them away and brought a new one. She digests the books at a speed that makes it seem as if she is just rolling up the pages, whether she is reading them or not. The librarians in the library were all mobilized, and they were just working for her. A hectic time continued until she finished reading a random one from a collection of over 10,000 books, and when she was done, Krische drank the tea Elvena had brewed and crossed her arms. Surprisingly from Elvena''s point of view, Krische seemed calm. Considering her usual appearance of being spoiled by Bery, it felt unnatural, and even when Elvena asked her to rest and eat, she obediently responded without any particr resistance. "There are 3,875 items that are described as secret medicines or elixir and have such descriptions. If we exclude those that are considered to be identical or the same, there are 37 of them. Of these, 23 are probably no more than mere medicines, and 12 are of doubtful existence. That leaves two that Krische thinks are worth trying." ¡®Less than expected¡¯, Krische said. The librarians were bewildered by her unusual words, but Elvena was no longer surprised. Her intelligence was on a level that couldn¡¯t bepared to that of a normal human being. "... two" "It looks like it will take some time to find the ingredients for the first one, so let¡¯s leave it forter. First, the other one... it looks like it can be done right away. Krische knows where it is." "¡¡that is" But even Elvena widened her eyes at those words. She understood what the two, that Krische was talking about. "Krische-sama, that''s¨D¨D" "Krische¡¯s only doing what is worth trying." It was the coldest voice she had ever heard. There was no room for objection, and Elvena finally realized there that Krische was only pretending to be calm. "If Selene hears it, she''ll say no, so please keep quiet until Krische goes." "¡¡yes" Krische caressed Elvena''s cheeks as if troubled. "Krische, doesn''t want to get angry at Elvena, and Krische doesn''t want to fight with Selene, so please promise Krische, okay?" "..Understood. As Krische-sama¡¯s will." "Until Krischees back, please share the workload with Anne and take care of Kreschenta and the mansion." With that, Krische turned away. " Krische -sama... are you leaving now?" It was night when the sun had already set. The moonlight was hidden behind clouds, and darkness spread outside the window. "Nn... Krische has some business to do, so Krische''ll leave the capital after finishing it. It''s more convenient at night anyway." The woman ended up hurting the servant. They didn''t want her to seed, so you could say that she did well. "Well, the failure is as nned¨D¨Dthe rest is how the Queen will act." Farre Arkasakos sat down on the sofa and sipped a ss of wine. The restless Count Narques looked at Farre in amazement. "Haah, how can you be so calm" "In the end, it¡¯s just what¡¯s going to happen. Whether you expect it or get anxious, it doesn''t mean that the card you''ve put down will change. You can think about what will happen after you flip it up. Don''t you agree?" "... You may be reluctant, but you resemble your father in that way. I can''t do that." Narques, looking even older, takes a sip of wine and sighs. "Don''t rot like that. I need someone like you on my side. I want to cherish someone who can see things objectively....Father didn''t have that kind of existence, so as he got older, his pride grew." Farre said, pouring down the wine, rolling it on his tongue and tasting it. "It''s going well, there''s no proof. Even if it didn''t go well, my father wouldn''t think it was our fault." "I hope so." Narques, perhaps wanting to change his mood, headed to the window and Farre smiled wryly. "Once everything is over, I''d like to take it easy and go hunting for the first time in a long time. I''m not very good at it, but you must have been good at it right." "Hunting. ...... sounds good." Narques opened the window and answered. Farre wasn''t good with swords or bows, but Narques was different. They have different personalities and likes and dislikes. But strangely enough, they got along well. Friendship is not about ability, it''s probably something you feel in a different part. Decades of throwing away various things¨D¨DFarre wanted to regain even a little of that. "Deer are good. That one I ate when I was young was exceptional.... I''m sure the meat was tough but" This time there was a short pause. There was no reply, instead a thud sounded. He frowned and looked at it. Narques was lying on the floor. Farre furrowed his eyebrows thinking he shouldn¡¯t have drunk enough to be dead drunk. ¨D¨DThen he felt a hard sensation in his throat. Silver flickered at the edge of his vision. Under the fallen Narques''s neck¨D¨Dhe could see a pool of blood spreading there. Farre''s breathing almost stopped. "W-wait, do you know who I am¡ª¡ª" "Farre Arkasakos. Heard you are the legitimate son of the Duke of Arkasakos." The voice that tickled his ear was somewhat childish. It was a voice very simr to that of the Queen. The silver hair that''s been glimpsed in the edge of his vision¡ª¡ªFarre finally understood who''s behind him. "W-wait. Why, why me. I swear, I have nothing to do with this incident." "Is that so, but either way is fine." "Wha, kha¡ª¡ª?" Suddenly he couldn''t breathe. He couldn''t even speak, instead an eerie thumping sound resounded under his chin. Farre rolled over, feeling a burning pain in his throat. "Don''t worry. Krische¡¯s just killing the nobles of the royal pce who don''t follow Kreschenta right now as disobedience to the royal family. It¡¯s not like Krische decided on her own that you''re the culprit. The bad (worst) person will die together properly." A sharp pain runs through his right shoulder and he writhes uncontrobly. "Krische doesn''t really know who the bad person is, but if Krische does the same to all of you then that''s it." He realized a littleter that he had lost feeling in his right arm. "I''m doing this because treason is a dismemberment, but if it was not, Krische might think it was a bit excessive as a punishment for disobedience. ...But don¡¯t worry, Krieches¡¯ll let everyone go through the same thing. It''s not like you''re the only one who hurts." He stretched out his left arm as if crawling to escape and was immediately amputated. Like a hot knife cutting into a hot butter, Farre lost both arms without any resistance. "Ah, but Krische killed Count Narques first, huh? Isn¡¯t that a little unfair¡ Well, Krische¡¯ll do the same for himter, so after bing a corpse, both will be the same." Without uttering a single word, he turned around with only his neck. A beautiful silver-haired girl¡ª¡ªher eyes sparkled like jewels, purple. "Krische just wants to prevent something like this from happening again. Look, if the room is dirty, you''ll clean it, right? Just like that..." There was a smile on her lips. Her eyes were icy, full of anger and hatred. "Clean up all the bad things, and then Krische can rx." Then his leg was severed. ¨D¨DKingdom history years 458. Shortly after the coronation of the new Queen on this year, an unprecedented big incident urred in the Royal Capital of Albenaria, in which 17 nobles were ughtered and their limbs cut off in one night. The culprit was never caught, and there was no eyewitness testimony. There is also a description that all the victims were conservative aristocrats who did not show allegiance to the new Queen Crescenta, and despite the grave murder of the aristocrat, the subsequent investigation was discontinued. For this reason, there was a strong opinion that it may have been caused by Queen Alberan, whose evaluation is still divided, and it is often called the Great Purge of Kreschenta. Many memoirs suggest that the main culprit was Kreschenta¡¯s older sister, Krische Christand, but there was no official record of her being tried. Chapter 144: One Who Pierced Through Chapter 144: One Who Pierced Through ***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 144 One Who Pierced Through*** ´ä»¢(Green + Tiger) = Suiko; Ë{Â¹ (Indigo + Deer) = Ranka; ¹Òí (Storm + Wings) = Ranyoku 1 shaku = about 30 centimeters, 1 Jou = about 3 meters. 1 ken = 6 shaku, or about 1,8 meters. The Suiko is 2.4 meters high at the shoulder, and its total length, including the tail, is about 6 meters. Located northwest of the Kingdom and southwest of the Imperial State, Mount Arbyagel was home to the Kreisharana n. They were the descendants of the bravest and most powerful of the tribes that once flourished in the northern part of the Kingdom, around Gargain. A war of aggression against the Kingdom of Alberan that took ce about 500 years ago. Defeated, they were driven from theirnd and fled to this Arbyagel to continue their resistance, but eventually they were exhausted by the endless battle. The mountains, their natural fortress, and the power of the griffins who were their friends, could protect them, but they were worn out after losing the battle and losing the rich ins. The certainty that they will be defeated and destroyed, and the kingdom, knowing this, continues to reject Kreisharana¡¯s offer of peace, saying that they will not talk to the barbarians. So, risking the survival of their n, they pleaded with the dragon that lived in Arbyagel¨D¨DYagernaus, to mediate peace. The dragon listened to the words of the people of Kreisharana, and what is known as the Holy Spirit Covenant was said to have originated from this peace agreement between Alberan and Kreisharana. The founding king of Alberan, who was forced to give up a war that he could win due to the absolute power of the dragon, was not happy that Yagernaus was only joining Kreisharana, so the king gathered the heads and kings of the surrounding countries and held a conference with the dragon. The purpose of the conference was to bring harmony to a world without order, with the dragon as the absolute backing. The great achievement of Bazariche, the founding king of Alberan, who created the Holy Spirit Covenant with an ancient dragon, was spread throughout the continent by the invasion of the powerful Queen of Alberan, Grabaraine, and the Holy Spirit Covenant was now recognized as an absolute rule in the struggle between nations. Since the start there was no one who did not know the existence of the absolute being who once ruled the world¨D¨Dthe dragon. The name of the dragon was convenient for conquerors to use as a means of drawing uncivilized barbarians to the negotiating table, and for weaker nations to force conquerors to put down their swords and join them at the table. The reason why the Holy Spirit Covenant is still recognized today was probably due to the fact that its contents are fair to all, and more than that there is the threat that the dragon will burn the entire country to the ground if the Holy Spirit Covenant is vited. At present, there was no story that the dragon Yagernaus actually destroyed a country that did not keep the Holy Spirit Covenant. Because of this, though the Kreisharana were well known along with Alberan, their lives were modest. They now have a religious rtionship with the former traitorous Arna Imperial State, and although they have not abandoned their ancient customs, they are not an uncivilized barbarian tribe. However they were born in the mountains, grew up in the mountains, and buried their bones in the mountains without leaving the mountains. They lived a peaceful, if not prosperous, life. "I''ll feed you meatter, but don''t eat this." In the forest. A figure with a lot of exposure, with a simple cloth wrapped around her chest and waist¨D¨Da girl with short ck hair tied behind her ears and a lovely face said that. She lightly tapped the head of the creature that was about to stick its head into the basket, and scolded it. What was there was a strange creature. It has the face of a bird of prey, like an eagle, and the body of a lion. On its shoulders sprouted a pair of massive wings. ¡ª¡ªGriffin. They were the beasts used in Kreisharana that once tormented the Kingdom. Its shoulders were as tall as a girl''s waist, but it was probably still a child. The figure that cried "Kyuruu" was somehow pathetic, contrary to its majestic appearance. "If you''re going to eat it, at least eat the one hanging on the branch. You can fly, so why are you trying to eat the fruit I''ve worked so hard to pick?" The girl held up her finger as if teaching a child. Naturally, they can only understand the cry (sound anime), but they are somewhat smarter than horses. If she kept teaching it like this, it would eventuallye to understand, but it was still a naughty child who did not listen to her. That said it was one and a half years old. "Well, it can''t be helped", she sighed. The griffin was the first child her brother let her take care of. She had been taking care of it since it was born, and she really thinks of it as if it was her little sister, The girl¡ª¡ªLira smiled while scolding it and gently patted its head. Then she gave it one of the fruits from her basket. The griffin¡ª¡ªLarnell squealed with delight and sucked the fruit into his mouth. One might say she was spoiling it too much again, but it was still a child. Lh thought this was just right, it was not a warrior griffin for fighting, but a female for breeding after all. She patted Lanell¡¯s head as she ate the sweet fruit, thinking that everyone was being a little too strict with discipline. "... Even so, guess we went a little too deep into the woods. Thanks to that, I was able to pick a lot of fruit though." The abundance of fruit means that no one hase this far. At least, it was a ce where one could feel safe as usual. If it was just tigers and wolves, it was fine, but demonic beasts like Suiko, Ranka, and Ranyoku also lived in this mountain. Even the best-selected warriors of the vige would risk their lives if they fought against them. If she were to encounter such a beast, she would not be able to escape even on Larnell¡¯s back. "Let''s go back, Larnell. It looks kind of dangerous here." With a ¡®Kyuru¡¯, as if understanding. Larnell lowered its posture and turned the saddle on its hips toward Lira. "Fufu, good girl, good girl. When we get home, I''ll give you some deer meat." It was when L said so and was about to straddle Larnell. "Wha!?" Suddenly, Larnell jerked up and spread her wings as wide as she could. "What are you..." The roar was lower than usual. Lira soon realized what it meant. It was the voice of a griffin, indicating rm, intimidation, and hostility. Larnell walked over and stood in front of Lira, and beyond it, breaking through the bushes, it appeared¡ª¡ª "...Suiko" It was a tiger monster with beautiful green fur. It has a shoulder height of eight shaku, arge mouth that can eat a person''s entire upper body, and log-like limbs. The body, which looked supple, was more than two Jou long, including the tail. Slowly and without any caution, the Suiko stood in front of Larnell. Lira was frightened by the sight of a Suiko for the first time, and fell to her knees on the spot. Not even a wild griffin could stand up to it, and she had no choice but to run for her life. The still young Larnell was no match for it, and the Suiko seemed to understand that. The king of the forest approaches the intimidating Larnell with ease. The distance between them was 20 ken. There seemed to be some distance, but it was already within the Suiko¡¯s range. If they tried to escape into the sky, they would be caught. Despite its huge size, Suiko¡¯s movement was said to be iparable to that of a mere tiger. If you are going to hunt a Suiko, you have to deal with it from the sky with a javelin. Even then, the Suikos can leap higher than the trees and prey on the hunters. L''s brother told her that no creature could match a Suiko at close quarters. "La, Larnell, run away. Leave me and..." Standing on trembling legs, Lira told Larnell. There was a decoy. L could not escape by using Larnell as a decoy. Then Lira should be the one to do it. Larnell is a griffin entrusted to her care by her brother. She could not let Larnell be killed. Determined, Lira stepped in front of Larnell, but again she stiffened. From the direction of Lira''s left hand¡ª¡ªthe one that appeared from there was a new Suiko. The Suiko in front of her jumped to the side as if on alert, and turned its gaze over there. The magical beast is the ruler of the forest. No two of them can exist in the same ce. The newly appeared Suiko groaned and bared its fangs at the previous Suiko. ¨D¨DA territorial dispute? "Larnell! On second thought I take it back! Run away with me!" Lira hurriedly climbed onto Larnell''s saddle, "Hh...!?" ¨D¨DBut before she could jump up, there was a roaring sound. On the side where the new Suiko appeared, something flew through the bush and pierced the body of the first Suiko. A cloud of blood danced in the air, and the Suiko shrieked as it rolled away. A single spear pierced its belly. For the third time, Lira waspletely frozen in surprise. On the side of the new Suiko, a silver shadow that danced out of the bush in her left hand¡¯s direction kicked through the stabbing spear that had pierced the fallen Suiko¡¯s chest with its heel as if pushing it further. A high-pitched metallic sound, the heel of the boot sparks with the butt end of the spear, and the Suiko¡¯s body convulses. The forest supreme ruler did not move again. "Hmm, there are a lot of big meow-meows here, and they''re ferocious." It was not thenguage spoken in Kreisharana, but thenguage of the ins. "It''s good, Krische''ve made a meal for Gururun. It''s a big game and it''s just right." The Suiko that appearedter groaned and approached the girl. Thinking the girl would be eaten, Lira stiffened for the fourth time. But the Suiko did not show its ferociousness and rubbed its nose against the girl''s arm as if asking to be pampered. A littleter, arge horse carrying arge amount of luggage and countless spears approached the girl, and the girl patted it gently on the neck. Then she finally looked at Lira. "Are you okay? A littleter and you might be eaten huh." "Eh, ah... n-no..." Lira answered while straddling Larnell. L, who couldn''t keep up with the sudden development, looked at the Suiko and the horse by the girl''s side and got off Larnell wondering if it¡¯s safe now. "Th-that Suiko... is it okay?" "Suiko?" The silver girl tilted her head and she stared at the Suiko , rubbing its own nose against her. And the girls went ¡®Ah!¡¯ pped her hands together like she finally understood something. "Speaking of which, it matches the characteristics written in the book. Krische thought it was quite a big meow meow, but is this the one called Suiko?" "I think no matter how you look at it, it¡¯s a Suiko and not a cat though..." The horse''s baggage suggested that the girls were traveling. She looked young to travel, but you can''t tell someone¡¯s age just by their looks. She was wearing a beautiful cloak of fabric and a dress through this bush. Fluffy white hat and muffler. She did not look like a traveler at all, but Lira didn''t know what life was like on the ins. It might have been normal to travel in such an outfit. She remembered seeing Princess Miko of the Arna Imperial once, who also wore a fluttering outfit like this. "Oh, um, thank you very much. For saving me." "Krische just wanted to feed Gururun, so please don''t worry about it. Ah, there should be a river around here but...do you know it?" "River?" "Yes, Krische wants to draw some water, bathe, and cut the meat... if you know, Krische''d like you to guide Krische. The map wasn''t very reliable, so Krische is a little lost." L nodded at those words. "In that case, it''s probably nearby... Ah, I''ll guide you." Having the Suiko drag the Suiko¡¯s corpse. Once on the side of the river, the girl ripped open the belly, removed the entrails andid them in front of Suiko¨D¨Dwhich seems to be called Gururun. She then wrapped a rope around the hind legs of the gutted Suiko and tried to hang it from a thick tree trunk, but it seemed to be too heavy, so she quickly split its body in half and hung it up separately. She wields a curved sword simr to the warrior''s sword used in Kreisharana, and it was possible that she may have a close rtionship with the vige. Beautiful silver hair. Her face was beautiful to the point of being mystical, and her jewels like purple eyes. The clothes she wore were all of high quality, and the Suiko hunt she just witnessed was truly just a hunt. It was not a fight. She remembers the legend of the hunter god-fairy of Kreisharana, and Lira looked at her beautiful form, wondering if she was the fairy of that legend. "Even though it''s winter, it''s pretty warm here. There''s no snow." Her skin was like snow with no tan. The girl said while carefully wiping it. Her well-shaped breasts and buttocks, her tight waist, and her long, slender limbs. Her nude body was also like a work of art and was something you couldn¡¯t help but admire. "Well, it''s very hot in the summer, but in the winter it''s always like this." "...does that mean it''s close?" "...?" The girl said, when she got out of the water, and put on her clothes, after them with a dry cloth. And she shook her body a little and warmed her body by the fire, drying her wet hair. "But, as expected, it''s cold after all." "S-so, you''re a normal person in that way...." Lira was a little relieved to know that even though she was a fairy, she could still feel cold. "A normal person?" "No, no... um, you have the Suiko tagging along with you, and the techniques you used to hunt earlier... I wondered if it was Rasherna-sama, who was said to be the god of hunters..." "You got the wrong person. Krische is not..." The girl looked at Lira and went ¡®Ah¡¯ as if she understood something. "Krische haven''t tell Krische¡¯s name yet right. Krische''s name is Krische Christand." "Krishe-sama... My name is Lira Sharana." Lira stood up in a panic, and she bowed her head deeply. "Krische met Gururun three days ago, and it''s strangely attached to Krische, so Krische brought it along. There are a lot of Suiko around here. There''s also a big, blue deer... Maybe it''s because the area around here has a lot of fluffy fluffy (fuyo fuyo; Krische¡¯s name for magical power)." "...that''s probably Ranka." A deer magical beast as tall as a hut. It was a genuine monster that could knock down trees just by running. "I see, there are a lot of magic beasts that Krische''ve never seen before. It''s good that they''re big and have a good vor, but it would be nice if the meat was a little softer. Gururun was very happy to eat it though." This Suiko was what Krische met three days ago when she was dismantling a giant blue deer¨D¨DRanka. A big meow meow that threatened her even while looking frightened. Krische had already encountered and killed several of them, but the meat was tough except for the belly, and the amount was too many, so Krische didn''t really want to kill it. For Krische, who grew up in a hunter''s family, it''s not very pleasant to kill an animal that she couldn''t even finish eating. The deer she had killed wasn''t small enough to be finished all by herself, so she cut off some of its meat and gave it to the Suiko as a test¨D¨DAfter that, she spent three days with this Suiko. Lira looks at the girl in amazement. Due to itsrge size, Ranka was a more formidable magic beast than Suiko in some cases. But this girl probably hunted it all by herself. Krische skinned the tiger hanging from the tree and cut off the meat from its girth and roasted it on the fire. The limbs were stringy and hard, but the belly meat was reasonably tender and fatty. "Do you want to eat too Lira?" "Eh, um...if I may" When someone hunt a magical beast, a feast would be held in the vige. The meat was usually eaten by the men, as it was believed that eating the meat of the beast will give you its power, and Lira never tasted it. Krische sprinkled salt and spices over the meat to slightly adjust the vor and adjust the heat. The fat dripped and bounced on the fire, and the smell of the meat tickled her nostrils, making Lirah''s stomach rumble. "Um, does this bird eat child meat too?" "Huh? Ah, yes... Griffin is an omnivore, but they would prefer to eat meat." Krische cuts off one of Suiko corpse¡¯s legs and ces it in front of Larnell. The precious Suiko meat¨D¨Dit was so luxurious that Lira looked at Krische ufortably, wondering if it was really okay. "This is a griffin... it flies in the sky, doesn''t it?" Krische ignored the gaze and looked at the griffin''s wings and waist saddle. "Yes, she is only one and a half years old, but she can fly with someone my size. Compared to adults, her flying still has a long way to go though." Krische nibbled at the grilled meat while looking at Griffin with interest. As if waiting for that, the Suiko finally took a bite of the meat that was ced in front of it. Even as Lira was surprised that the Suiko seems to havepletely recognized Krische as its master, she receives one of the skewers and bites into the meat. The fat-dripping belly meat has a rich vor, with just the right amount of salt and tangy spices. It probably had to do with how it''s cooked. It tasted better than any meat Lira had ever eaten. "delicious¡¡" "... Hmm, it smells a bit... Krische didn''t drain enough blood. It would have been nice if Krische could have caught it alive." It was insane to catch a green tiger alive. Lira withdrew a little, but she was dumbfounded by Krische who calmly said that. She regarded the green tigers that the warriors risk their lives to challenge as mere prey to hunt. Lira was getting more and more confused about this girl. She wasn''t a normal human being, and it was easier to be convinced if someone told her the girl was a hunter god, just as L thought she was. The girl took a frying pan from her back while giving the horse a radish. She melted the fat in the frying pan, and then roasted the cut pieces of meat over the fire. The rich aroma of the meat tickled Lira¡¯s nostrils again and made her drool in her mouth. The technique was brilliant, the meat was lightly seasoned and cooked, and the juices were transferred to another pan, where they were used to make a sauce with wine, honey, and fruit. Then the meat was cooked again, ced on a wooden te, cut into pieces, and topped with the sauce¨D¨Da full course of the most exquisite meat she had never tasted in the vige. The seasoning, the degree of cooking, all of it was so delicious that her cheeks might fall off. Krische continued to cook, looking happy to see Lira eating the delicious, delicious meat. First appetite rather than trivial questions. Lira tasted the meat with Krische until she was full, and then she wondered about the family name, Christand. The name Christand did not sound familiar to her. However, none of the Imperial State people who visited here had a surname. "Um, is Krische-sama by any chance...someone from the Kingdom?" Even though a person from Kreisharana hates luxury and usually wore simple clothing, they could tell if the clothes the other person was wearing were of high quality or not. The hat and scarf are hand-knitted of woolen yarn, but the wearer wore a smooth, seamless, high-quality cloak and dress. At the very least, she is not a meremoner. She must be a member of the upper ss in her circle. However, the upper ss of the Imperial State¨D¨Da priest, doesn¡¯t not give their surname because they have abandoned their surname. That said, she didn¡¯t look like a merchant, it was that kind of process of elimination. "...? Yes." "I-I knew it..." Lira made a troubled face. People of the Imperial State were allowed to visit here, but not people of the kingdom. It was 500 years ago¨D¨Dbut there were still many people in the vige who showed disgust and hatred towards the people of the kingdom. Kreisharana does not tolerate the people of the kingdom, even if they are travelers. "This is thend of Kreisharana. I don''t know if you know it, but the people of Kreisharana hate the kingdom, so you better get off the mountain early." "That''s just right. Maybe Lira is also someone from Kreisharana, right?" "Huh? Um, yes...just right?" Could she be a messenger of the kingdom or something? Lira hastily straightened her back. "Krische, is looking for a dragon now." "..Yagernaus-sama?" "Yes, I was wondering if someone from Kreisharana knew. Krische knows the dragon is in this mountain, but Krische doesn''t really know the exact location." An audience with the Holy Spirit. This was a big deal. Even the people of the vige were not allowed to approach it except when offering tribute. "If you want an audience with Yagernaus-sama, you must first ask the elders. Besides, even if the Kingdom suddenly asks for an audience, whether it will be granted..." "I see, it''s not an audience, but it seems troublesome after all." Krische put her fingertips to her lips and stared at Lira It''s a cute gesture, but somehow a chill ran down her spine. "What do you mean it''s not an audience?" "Krische wants to ask Lira for guidance. ¡¡Krische came to kill that dragon called Yagernaus." "... Huh?" "Krische wants the heart of a dragon", said Krische. With a snap, the de was pressed against Lira''s neck. She moved so fast that Lira didn''t even notice that the de had been pulled out. "Krische doesn''t want to kill Lira, who Krische just helped out, and Krische also doesn''t want to be killed by Lira, That''s why Krische wants Lira to respond honestly." "Eh, uu...K-Krische-sama, you''re joking, aren''t you?" "No. Krische is not joking, Krische is serious." With a troubled face, the girl named Krische looked into L''s eyes. The jewel-like purple color just let out an inorganic sparkle. "If Lira can''t guide Krische, Krische ''ll have to go and ask each and every one of the people in the Kreisharana n. Please think about which is more important, faith or vige, and decide what to do." Lira recalled the figure of the girl who killed Suiko as if she was hunting a rabbit. Faith or vige¡ª¡ªshe was asking seriously. Larnell noticed the situation and spread her wings and roared menacingly. In front of Larnell, the Suiko was standing in its way. "Krische doesn''t really want to do bad things. But if Krische were to look around randomly, Krische sure Krische''d run into one of you and end up killing each other, right? Krische would have to kill them if they got in Krische¡¯s way, that''s why as much as possible Krische is asking Lira to do this to avoid that." The de didn''t even twitch. It was really not a joke or anything. The strange look she saw earlier told her that the words weren''t just a joke. She was serious when she said that. "Krische¡¯s aim is not to Kreisharana, but the heart of a dragon. But if Lira says that she won''t guide Krische, Krische can only think it can¡¯t be helped... so please think carefully before answering." Lira gulped. A dragon is not just a mere creature. It was a fundamentally different existence from magic beasts. Its power can destroy even nations and distort and change the terrain. ¡ª¡ªA dragon yer. It was not a sane behavior. It was a reckless barbaric act, like stabbing a de into the heavens. But she said that she was going to kill the dragon on top of being aware of that. "Please reconsider. No matter how strong Krische-sama is, challenging Yagernaus-sama is too reckless. If you touch Yagernaus-sama¡¯s wrath, even the kingdom you live in will perish." Lira imagined the catastrophe that would happen in the future and said so. It was not just about her own life. In some cases, the enraged Holy Spirit could destroy everything in the vicinity. "It''s okay. You don''t have to worry about that. A dragon can''t do that." as if it were an indisputable fact. As if it were an absolute principle. The girl, just, asserts with her purple eyes. "Because that dragon is going to be killed by Krische." L didn''t know. The words were not a joke, nor were they reckless - it was the distorted and crazy Alberan in front of her. For what she desires, the only one who would not hesitate to thrust her de into heaven. She is the one and only cursed sword that pierces everything that stands in its way. Chapter 145: A small introduction to settings, etc Chapter 145: A small introduction to settings, etc ***Chapter 145 A small introduction to settings, etc*** ¡ö¨D¨DSettings Note: The settings discussed here are basically the information that is currently avable to people in this world. ¡ðMagic Power A power that has existed since time immemorial, a mysterious particle that floats in the body and air. It reacts to the will of living things and takes the form of semi-material spiritual matter. It usually floats in the atmosphere, , but it is sometimesbined into a liquid, or crystallized underground into a form that can be called magic crystal. In the atmosphere, they tend to dissipate, and in stable water or soil, they tend to attract each other, but sometimes they show contrary behavior, which still puzzles many researchers today. At the very least, it appears to have the power to interfere with, disintegrate, or create matter, but again, the detailed principles of this have not been elucidated. Some researchers believe that it is a force thates from another ovepping world or that the world itself is shaped by magical power, but none of these theories is beyond the realm of spection based on the nature of magic power. ¡ð Magic Possessor There is no creature that does not have magical power in their body, but among them, a creature that is imbued with magical power to the extent that its body is transformed is defined as magic possessor. In a broad sense, however, this definition also includes animal and magical beasts imbued with magical power. As mentioned above, the bodies of creatures called magic possessor have undergone alterations, and it is said there are spiritual organs that are powered by magic. This organ breaks down and converts the food and waste that enters the body into magical power¨D¨Das a result, their bodies do not perform excretion acts, and there are physical changes from ordinary creatures. The effect of magic power on the body is significant, and aging is basically gradual. Their bodies stop growing during their adolescence, and they often begin to age slowly after the age of 30. However, there is a great deal of variation among individuals, and it is said that there were people who remained unchanged even after reaching 50 years of age. In addition, many of those who possess magical powers have stronger bodies than normal individuals, such as being less susceptible to disease and more resistant to poisons and alcohol. On the other hand, perhaps it should be said that this is the price to pay, basically those who possess magic suffer from infertility more often than those who do not, and the birth rate tends to be low among nobles who mostly possess magical power. This tendency is weakened when one of the partners is not a magic possessor, but such marriages are generally not favored, especially by nobles, who often have a physiological aversion to their fast aging and need to defecate. Many magic possessors are caused by blood lineage, but there are also cases of sudden birth, and since there are many magical beasts deep in the forest where magical power is dense, there are researchers who believe that the concentration of magical power in the surrounding area may have an effect. ¡ð Magic Crystal A crystalline body that closely resembles a crystal, said to have been created by the crystallization of magical power in the earth. Its physical properties are simr to those of a crystal, but inside this crystal, magic can be handled as if it were inside the body, and by engraving a pattern called a magic form, various physical interferences with magic are possible. It serves as a light source, emits heat, cools, and attracts water¨D¨Din some cases, it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as emitting energy to burn and destroy objects, but it is not often used as a weapon due to its magical power efficiency. In the past, extensive research has been conducted, but it is difficult to use them for military purposes due to their efficiency, and currently only a few researchers called sorcerers are inventing and devising new techniques for their personal research. They also have a strong aspect as magical engineers specializing in the creation of magic crystals for daily use, and nowadays, sorcerers and magical engineers often get mixed up. Techniques for manipting and acting on magical power in ces other than the body and magic crystals¨D¨Dmany sorcerers have been researching "magic" from the past to the present, but it seems that they have not yet found a clue. ¡ð Imaginary Muscle A type of magic that can be used by those who possess magical power. It is also called physical augmentation (ÈâÌå ’ˆˆ = the body/the flesh + expansion/extension ), and indicates the enhancement of physical abilities through magical power. It is a technique to manipte the body, amplify muscr strength, and obtain high physical ability by constructing a spiritual body superimposed on oneself, and this itself is not a very advanced technique, as it can be used unconsciously by those who possess magical power. However, the more consciously one tries to use this technique, the more it requires a high level of concentration and mental stability, and the degree of difficulty increases dramatically. Depending on the situation, it could be a double-edged sword, such as being unable to fully control one¡¯s own high physical ability and injuring themself with the recoil. Especially in the extreme conditions of battle, it is difficult even for a skilled mana possessor to manipte it freely, and it is no exaggeration to say that the skill of manipting it determines the value of a magic possessor. Many of those with magical power who stand on the battlefield train their bodies and wear muscle armor, but most of the reason for this is to absorb such recoil and control excessive power. Sometimes, in order to stabilize themselves, they often wear armor that is too heavy for ordinary people to wear, but there are many warriors who believe that these efforts are actually pushing them away from their ideals. ¡ð Magical Beast A beast (animal) possessing magical power. Many of them are existing creatures born with magical powers, and are generallyrger than the original beasts, and their body color tends to be bluish. Without exception, they are skilled in the art of manipting magic power, and their physical abilities are unmatched by those of humans possessing magical powers, and are often feared as beings of terror around the world, or as indigenous gods. Although it is unknown why humans possessing magical power do not grow in size, there are researchers who believe that they will influence their magical power and unconsciously suppress it, and this is a rtivelymon view. The magical beasts are thought to be long-lived, as usual, but this has not been verified due to their dangerous nature. There are many magical beasts that inhabit mountains and forests, such as tigers, wolves, hawks, and wild boars, but there are other examples, and it is believed that magical beasts can be born from any kind of beast. Many idents on the seaways are also believed to be caused by demonic beasts, and many maritime nations are working on countermeasures to deal with this problem. ¡ð Dragon They are also called ancient dragons and the Holy Spirit. It is a wise beast that is said to have once ruled the world, and is notable for its enormous magical power and massive size. Its body is said to be like a fortress, its scales like ore, and its magical power is said to be iparable to that of magical beasts, and old records say that a dragon''s roar can change the terrain. A territorial dispute between dragons that is said to have urred in the distant past--in the dragon war, countless dragons rampaged, and it is said that many civilizations were destroyed as a result of it. The name of the Lucheran Empire, which was once extremely prosperous but was destroyed by the wrath of a dragon, is probably well known. However, since there is no record of seeing a dragon flying through the sky in the past several hundred years, anecdotes about dragons are often seen as mere fables, and although they are still the object of belief in some regions, there are those who doubt their existence and abilities. It is said that strong power resides in its flesh and blood, and there are many legends that say that those who eat it gain great power, and its body is treated as a kind of elixir. ¡ö¨D¨DSimtion game-style country description (as of the start of Arc 1) ¡ð Alberan Kingdom Difficulty level: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï A former superpower located in the rtively northwestern part of the continent. In the past, there was no country on the continent that did not know about Alberan, a nation that ruled half of the continent, and who signed a spirit pact with dragons and spread it as internationalw. Although it lost a lot of territory after splitting with Elsren, it has not lost all of its former power, and is still one of the powerful nations with a powerful army, high technology, and economic strength. However, it should be noted that it is surrounded by strong powers such as Elsren to the east, Elderant to the west, and Gulshan to the south, and their rtionship is also tense. Furthermore, in the main scenario, "Two Cursed Children", the current King is afflicted with an illness of unknown cause, and there is a hidden battle between the princess and the Royal Prince over the right to seed to the throne. For that reason, there is a disturbing atmosphere in the royal pce, and if one makes a mistake in dealing with it, one may find themselves in a predicament at once rtively early on. Although it is a powerful country, it is a country that needs to be taken into consideration in many ways. Also, people with unusually high abilities appear in this country from time to time, so be careful. It''s hard to spot, but keep in mind that in many cases their personality is so deeply wed that it can be a double-edged sword if mishandled. Since the country''s human resources are originally excellent, it is a good idea to get rid of these people as soon as possible. In the scenario after the split with Elsren, the policy "Culling Cursed Child" is supposed to eliminate these talents when they are born, but it is not perfect, and it is better to remember that this policy has many disadvantages..Their excellence could lead to them to bare their fangs. Use them or cull them. That alone makes for an interesting country to y. ¡ïRmended Military ss Light Infantry As a former superpower, the average military capability is generally high-spec. They have conquered half of the continent and have umted a vast amount of knowledge and know-how. The military structure built up from this is still suitable for a champion''s army, and it has a high level of redundancy (in engineering meaning). Alberan''s appeal is that it exceeds the standard in every aspect. If one had to pick one among them, it would be light infantry. Alberan is geographically rich in forests and mountains. This country''s light infantry, nurtured in that environment, is extremely capable, andbined with the aforementioned redundancy, it enables extremely advanced tactical coordination in a stable manner. However, their defensive capabilities are no different from those of the light infantry of other countries, so be careful when handling them. ¡ð Elsren Holy Empire Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï A country split from Alberan, with and area more than twice that of Alberan. It was the cause of the copse of the superpower Alberan, and has acquired much of the territory that Alberan once possessed. With its tremendous economic power, poption, and a wide variety of military units, this country can be said to be the best on the continent at present. The country has been expanding and dominating by invading, subjugating, and spreading its national religion. The problem, however, is the friction between the papacy, which has be powerful, and the parliament, led by the emperor. Aside from the surface, there are many conflicts under the surface, politically unstable. In addition, there is a wide disparity between the rich and the poor, and corruption and decay in religious organizations are rampant. Because the feudal lord''s power is strong and there is always the danger of rebellion, it will be necessary to periodically conduct wars to vent their dissatisfaction. In terms of national power at the start, it was second to none, and it has abundant human resources. However, if you don''t always keep an eye on the domestic situation, you may find yourself in a predicament all at once. ¡ïRmended Military ss Nomadic Cavalry This country, which boasts of its vastnd area, is equipped with a wide variety of military units, making it possible to organize an army thatbines the strengths of each of its provinces and states. It can be said that it is a strength that overwhelms other countries, but if I dare to say it, the unique unit of the countless nomadic powers in the country, it¡¯s the nomadic cavalry is the best. Their horsemanship, which is said to be that their motion of mounting the horse is faster than standing up, is iparable to that of other countries, and if the battlefield is a in, they can easily defeat most opponents simply by shooting from horseback. The cavalry itself is also excellent and numerous, and if you can take advantage of their mobility, it''s an easy game. ¡ð Elderant Kingdom Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï A tribal federation with most of thend upied by mountains and forests. A collection of tribes that were once ruled by the Kingdom of Alberan, and although it calls itself a kingdom, its reality is more like a tribal federation than a kingdom. In terms ofnd area alone, it is simr to Alberan, and it owns countless mines, but on the other hand, it has few ins and not muchnd suitable for agriculture. As a result, the country as a whole often suffers from food shortages, and apart from the capital city, there are norge cities, and the economy is not veryrge. The country is divided into numerous tribes living inrge areas, but the tribes do not get along well with each other, and there are always disputes between tribes, and their technology is probably inferior to that of the surrounding countries, which are all powerful nations. In general, it is an outdated nation with old customs and forms that remain deeply rooted, but its advantage is the number of people it can mobilize. Because the social concept of a warrior that ces power above all else remains strong, all men, even peasants, be warriors as soon as they pick up a sword, and can stand on the battlefield without the need for training. Their primitive way of life maintains their strength as creatures, and their madness in charging without fear of arrows despite their light armor is sure to instill fear in their enemies. Although a backward country in terms of civilization, it has extremely high potential, and it is a fascinating and challenging country that can change drastically depending on the way you lead them. ¡ïRmended Military ss Light archers Compared to other countries, there are more hunters among them who live in the forest, and many soldiers who normally fight as light infantry can switch to archers if they wield a bow. Although they mainly use short bows and thusck range, their archery ability is outstanding, and their arrows are unmatched in uracy even in forests where visibility is poor. Even in hand-to-handbat, if both sides have the same numbers they are capable of striking back, and if they are in a forest where it is difficult to form a line, they will have an overwhelming advantage over the enemy. ¡ð Gulshan Republic Difficulty: ¡ï A multi-ethnic nation that owns vastnds in the southern part of the Kingdom of Alberan. It used to be a vassal state of Alberan, but when it split with Elsren, they abandoned the exhausted Alberan and became independent. The southern part of the country is mostly wilderness and desert, but regr heavy rains in the hignds and the resulting floods have deposited rich soil in the areas around the rivers, and the wheat harvest is outstanding. The country''s name, Gulshan, is derived from the heavy rains that bring blessings to thend every year and Gulshan is a word that means strong rain. It has its own religion called rain worship, which regards rain as sacred. Taking advantage of its abundant wheat production since ancient times, it has signednd and sea trade agreements with variousnds on the continent, and conducts business in a way that allows for a mix of many races. It is economically blessed as a major trading power, and since its transition to a republic, there has been no turmoil and its internal politics have be stable. Do you want to eat Alberan or Elsren first, which can be said to be a thorn in your side, or ignore them and expand?¨D¨DThere are many ways to do it, but no matter which you choose it won''t be difficult. ¡ïRmended Military ss Beast Soldiers Gulshan have epted arge number of ethnic groups and adopted various cultures, but the most prominent of these is the military use of beasts. They have acquired the beasts used in various regions, learned how to use them, and tamed a variety of beasts like horses. The existence of beast soldiers is due to the fact that they have encountered and shattered every culture and absorbed all of it¨D¨Dbeasts that are stronger than humans, and if they are used to the fullest, they cannot be defeated head-on. Formation tactics andbat techniques, after all, all are designed for humans. The beast soldiers will strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, and with a single move, they will be able to knock them into a vortex of chaos. ¡ðArna Imperial State Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï A maritime nation located north of Alberan. It has been an ally of Alberan since ancient times and has been working together with Alberan for many years. Surrounded by mines to the east and west and the sea to the north, it is a technologically advanced country that has developed metalworking and shipbuilding technologies due to its location. Although thend is small, it has a very high economic power due to maritime trade, and arge amount of high-quality magic crystal is mined, its magic crystal processing technology is the best in the continent.and ounts for arge portion of its exports. However, the small size of the country makes it impossible to organize arge army, and to the south is the allied country of Alberan. Although it is an excellent location from a defensive point of view, it is difficult to carry out a war of aggression overnd. With its strong navy, the country would like to go by sea, but this, too, is a difficult task. A political system that should be called a theocracy that apanies their strong beliefs in the Holy Spirit. A government that values stability and harmony based on faith is unlikely to embark on aggression, and if it intends to overrun other countries, it will first need to change from within. ¡ïRmended Military ss Crossbow/Heavy Crossbow Soldier They have seeded in disassembling and improving the crossbow, which they obtained from the far east through maritime trade, and their remote shooting is heavily weighted toward crossbowmen. Although there are various problems with the crossbow, such as inferiority in shooting interval, direct fire, short effective range,plicated mechanism and high costpared to the bow, it can be used without training, and its high power to prate armor at medium range and high uracy are advantages that more thanpensate for it. Especially for those who are not nning to invade but to defend themselves, there is no better weapon than this. In Arna Imperial State, all people, young and old, men and women, are regrly trained in the use of the crossbow, so it can be said that all citizens are potential crossbowmen, which fits well with the small poption, high economic power, and technological strength of the Arna Imperial State. In the field, their excellent engineers can userger and better quality continuous-fire floor crossbows and stone throwers, which makes their battles uniquepared to other countries. Naturally, these can also be used for invasions such as siege warfare, and it can be said that they have the potential to dominate the surrounding world with their technological capabilities alone. ¡ð Kreisharana Difficulty: ¡î¡î A descendant of warriors who once boasted of their prosperity. In the past, the tribe ruled over the northern part of the present kingdom, but after losing the war with Alberan, they fled to the mountains of Arbyagel in the northwestern part of the kingdom, where they live in seclusion. It is a society of extremely strict warriors, and the old customs still remain strong, so men are brought up under extremely strict battle training from childhood. Therefore, even a man who normally tills fields and crafts daily necessities has the ability to overwhelm the well-trained regr soldiers of other countries when he is called upon to fight. It is no exaggeration to say that the immediate threat of magical beasts and their ascetic and harsh environment have forged their strength as warriors, and the average ability of their individual soldier is probably one of the best or the second best on the continent. However, the problem is its poption. Although they can mobilize an unusuallyrge number of soldiers rtive to their poption, their total military strength does not even reach 1,500 at the maximum. With less than 100 lion-eagle cavalry that rule the skies, it is hopeless in terms of invading other countries. If they were to be invaded, they would be overwhelmed by the number of soldiers, no matter how strong they were. Although Alberan has not been invaded due to the Holy Spirit Covenant and the Non Aggression Pact that was once signed with Alberan, it is currently on the road to gradual destruction. However, serving the Holy Spirit who helped them in the past, and heading towards destruction might be the path they desired. ¡ïRmended Military ss Griffin Cavalry (ª{×Ó ú òT±ø = Lion + Eagle + Cavalry) In addition to the abilities of individual soldiers, what deserves special mention is the ferocious beast Griffin that they train and ride. With a body of 5 shaku tall,rge wings, a bird''s beak, and the body of a lion, this beast can soar freely through the air, and the griffin cavalryman who rides it creates a new axis on the t battlefield. The double nk detour by cavalry is powerful in any era, but there are many ways to counter it. However, no army can interfere with them as they bypass the skies, and the warriors who straddle them are also the most elite. If they strike when the enemy lets their guard down, they will be able to deal a fatal blow even against arge army. It is no mistake that the key to their victory will be held by this griffin cavalryman. Chapter 146.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 1) Chapter 146.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 1) ***Character 146.1 Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 1)*** T/N: Mostly the same as for arc 5 with the addition of new characters. Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half - 159 Kreschenta - 130, first half - (I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 159 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 6 ? Died by the end of Arc 6 - ------Major Character ¡õ Krische Alberinea Christand --- Order Evil Krische Rinea Christand is an unhinged girl who can kill people without hesitation. She is the adopted daughter of the Christand House and is considered the main character of the story. Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry¡± and is the Cursed Child of the royal family. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. Fundamentally she can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce. No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Therefore, she tends to demand of herself an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others., and, she has the nature of no sparing any effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. As an individual, she is an overwhelming existence that no one can match, but she is dependent, mentally young, and fragile. The more she deepens her rtionships with those around her and the more human happiness she gains, the weaker she bes mentally. Compared to the time when she was mentally independent and did not value others, she has gradually drifted away from the "perfect existence" she had desired. **However, her obsession with being perfect is fading, and she wants to be a person who can feel various things like a normal human being than be perfect that has cut out many things. Ever since she left Kalka Vige, her hobby has been to appreciate Berry''s face. she is beautiful ** ? Combat Command Extremely aggressive in bothbat and tactics. Amander with the disposition of a hunter who ces the highest priority on mobility to inflict fatal damage on his opponents, always uses his mobility to confuse the enemy, trap them, and never fight in a disadvantageous situation. She makes the most of the strongest piece (pawn) that is herself, preferring the "headhunting tactics" to prioritize enemymanders and eliminate them without question, She boasts overwhelming strength against enemies that fight her head-on. Fundamentally, other than the bare minimum she demanded of her subordinate, she doesn¡¯t expect anything else from them, and she assembles tactics to win that that in mind, despite that, she has a bad habit of always not being satisfied if she didn¡¯t aim for maximum results. **Although she is usually covered by the ck Century, she often falls ill due to the excessive burden on herself, and yet she always pretends to be fine, which is not good for her. She is an annoyingmander who will copse if others do not follow her lead. Her only w, which makes her the strongest, is a very elementary one¨D¨Dshe is too stubborn and childish to manage her own physical condition properly.** Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. Armor: casual clothes, gloves, reinforced boots. ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. **Maybe a little stupid.** Strong points: Murder. Magic. Calction. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be spoiled. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring others. **Watching Berry''s face.** Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. **War.** Worries: **Bery.** ¡õ Selene Argalitte Rinea Christand --- Neutral Good A serious and affectionate girl, head of the Christand House and a General, the only member of the Christand main House. She works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. She is a hardworking girl who has aplex about being a woman and works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. Until a few years ago, she cursed herself for being a woman instead of a man and put in so much excessive efforts, enough for the people around her feel uneasy until she met Krische who was overwhelmingly talented. As she takes care of her, who is young and likes housework in spite of her talent, she broadens her horizons, which had only allowed her to see herself as the daughter of a general, and she begins to cherish the small things in her life. Though she is talented, hardworking, and because of that she is extremely excellence, she is basically a hard worker who tends to push herself too hard. Her father, the Hero Bogan, and his subordinate, as well as Bery and Krische. Due to growing up surrounded by gifted people, she tends to underestimate herself. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable effort on herself. She has a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and work whenever she has free time. **Since she became a marshal, she has be a habit of saying that she is too busy, but she is full of motivation because she was able to fulfill her father''s wishes, such as the establishment of a military school.** She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. She feels that it is her own inadequacy faults that Krische had to fight, and it is her goal to help her lead a peaceful life away from the battlefield. She hates herself for relying on and taking advantage of Krische. ? Combat Command She is aggressive by nature, but she always doubted her own abilities and will not overdo it. She ces importance on making the most of the abilities of her excellent subordinates, constructing her tactics from the exact opposite of Krische¡¯s point of view. She prefers basic tactics and coordination that push through with the quality and numbers of her troops, rather than any kind of surprise (strange) tactics, and ces great importance on securing superiority at the strategic stage. Appearance: Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Average chest. Graceful. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú Krische: Stupid and clumsy child. Adorable. I want to let her live like a normal child. Strong Points: Horseback riding. Command (army). Likes: swordsmanship. Reading. Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. Her powerlessness. **Concerns: Bery getting stabbed and Krische who is going to kill a dragon.** ¡õ Bery Lipus Argan --- Neutral Good A slightly sickly, motherly woman, Kreschenta¡¯s servant. Selene''s aunt and the daughter of Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. Originally sickly and weak, because of this she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She worries about the trouble she causes others with her body and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her. Even after her family''s downfall and her physical problems are resolved when shees to Christand, her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische with her pure affection and goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. She is a genius and has a talent that is too good to be left as a servant, but due to her temperament, she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, which Bogan, Selene, and others feel is a waste. She may look gentle, but she is stubborn and though she looks like a logical person she is in the feels/intuition faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she tends to prioritize her emotions over her reasoning. She has a strong affection/love for Krische and puts her happiness first, but her possessiveness is growing stronger. Her strong self-loathing and introverted nature, and her affection/love has a strong dependence nature, but because Krische who is the target of her affection/love also has the same disposition, there¡¯s no one who could handle it. Recently, she has had a breakthrough and feels that what Krische wants is what she wants. She feels that it is right, and believes it is not a big mistake. Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. Sweet baby face. Armor: Maid''s uniform. ¡ú Krische: An existence that is prettier than anyone else. Purpose in life. I want to be by her side all the time. Strong points: Household chores in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. Likes: Household chores in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. Dislikes: Selfish people. Herself. **Worries: About Krische after she¡¯s gone.** ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil Unhinged girl who poisons people without hesitation. First princess of the Alberan Kingdom. Known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse for killing others for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her older sister, Krische, as the only equal being to her, and feeling that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the King''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. She has be more softer in recent years, partly because she has realized the happiness that can onlye from emptying her head, but she has not lost her essential nature or her obsessiveness. She is even more obsessed with safety and peace of mind than Krische. Her willingness to kill stems from a strong attachment and obsession with security, and she is not a pleasure killer. Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. ¡úKrische: The only being in the world who is on the same level as her. She is a bit silly, so I¡¯m worried. **She got the wrong person to pamper.** Strong points: Poisoning. Plotting murder. Lying. Acting. Grasping people¡¯s hearts. Calcting/Scheming. Likes: Herself. Being pampered. Skinship in general. **Cookies. Rewards.** Dislikes: Anything that threatens her safety. Worries: everything that would happen after Bery got stabbed. - ------Characters close to Krische or Christand Family ? Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of unwavering integrity and decisive action, he was Selene''s father and Bery''s brother-inw, now deceased and known as "The Thunderbolt". The Kingdom¡¯s hero, rising from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a squad leader to a general. His experience climbing up from the bottom gave him unique insight into the various problems of the army, he has seeded in raising the level of Christand abilities by assigning several tactically intelligent adjutants to each militarymander and dividing the workload among them. Although known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, he firmly believed that the strength of Christandy not in on-the-spot tactics, but in the ability to process information through advance preparation. Although he is calm now, in his youth, he was reckless and loved to wield his sword on the front lines. He was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers because of the countless enemies he knocked down with his wild swordsmanship and the way he pushed forward. Unusually for a nobleman, he is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine. He died in a duel against Gildanstein, the Royal Prince. ? Battle Command He was originally an excellent front-linemander with an aggressive temperament, but after having a wife, he refrained from this and always emphasized the importance of being amander who makes the most of his subordinates'' abilities. He believes that what a general should do is to identify the qualities of each individual, creating extreme chaos (disorder) that change the battlefield to the advantage of his allies through bold offensives and retreats. In order to aplish this, he believed that it was important to raise the level of ability of eachmander, and he always trained his subordinates with a training that is one rank above them so that a centurion would have the perspective of a battalionmander, and a battalionmander would have the perspective of a corpsmander. He is very good at reading the moment of withdrawal and has never failed in a retreat battle, even when the odds were against him. Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce dace. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. A distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Worries: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ¡õ Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere man, known for his blunt honesty. Krische¡¯s grandfather and Bogan¡¯s former superior, currently serving as Selene''s adjutant. He was once a genius centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier, and despite hisck of magical powers, he performed numerous military exploits with Bogan. He was respected by his men and had the ability to aim to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army after regretting the burning of a vige on his superior''s orders. Following his resignation, he returned to his hometown of Kalka and worked as a hunter, leading a peaceful life with his daughter, her husband, and his adopted daughter Krische. However, tragedy struck when his family was killed in a bandit attack, forcing him and Krische to leave the vige and seek refuge with Bogan and return to the army. He is a diligent worker who finds happiness in Krische''s contentment and the fact that she has found someone who understands her in the Christand household. He had his own feelings about the people around him who had preceded him in death, but he hase to realize that he has a role to y because he has survived, and he continues to work hard. ?Battle Command Never pushing it and never pursue too far. He has the nature of a hunter, waiting for an opportunity to create a decisive disadvantage for the enemy. Withdrawal, retreat, surprise attack¨D¨Dhe is a born hunter, the opposite of fair and square, and prefers to build tactics that target the opponent''s carelessness and openings. Killing his opponents without killing his troops. He hates unnecessary losses more than anything else, but when he sees an opportunity, he will turn around andunch a desperate offensive. He has a wide field of vision and is skilled at leading in melee battles. Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fierce face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A little different from others but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. Strong points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: Drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust (inhuman). Concerns: The ughter of the nobles in Royal¡¯s territory. ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good A clumsy girl in thete stages (no longer aughing matter) who serves the Christand house. She is the daughter of a Marquis and was given an education for gifted children by various tutors, but it did not go well. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her to serve as an apprentice in the Royal estate. However, there she encountered Bery, a servant of the Christand house, and became so enamored with her that she threw off her position as a servant in the Royal estate that her parents had begged for her to ept, and became a servant of the Christand house, even as she was on the verge of being disowned. While she is notcking in intelligence or ability, her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic thinking often lead her to make mistakes at crucial moments, which often irritate those around her. Despite this, she is serious and good-natured,es from a good family background, and has good looks. If only she could sit still, she would be a favorite, but her temperament prevents her from doing so. Recently, she has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. She misses Gallen, who always praises and kind her, she secretly wants to talk to Mia, who has a simr atmosphere to her. Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. ¡úKrische: A sweet kiss demon. The master of a servant she respected and the center of her delusion. An amazing person. Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Interpreting situation favorable. Bad timing. Likes: Delusions. Christand House. Dislikes: Her own failure even at the best of times. **Concerns: Berry got stabbed.** ¡õ Elvena --- Chaos Good An unlucky beautiful woman ve. Formerly Rnd¡¯s ve. Christand¡¯s servant. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. The youngest of four sisters, Kalua¡¯s younger sister. She followed her sister out into town and rode in her sister¡¯s carriage, While she was lost searching for her sister, she was unlucky enough to be caught by a ve trader who sold her body because of her good looks. Rnd was a customer of the ve trader and was now bought by her to work as a servant in his mansion, but she was saved by Krische, who gave her a job as a servant at the Christand. She has a temperament of goodness, but her sense of ethics is a little broken due to the environment she has lived in, and she has a devilish (temptress) disposition. She has a strong sense of gratitude and fondness for Krische, but when she sees Krische, innocent and unguarded like a chicken dancing next to a pot, sometimes her desire to tease heres out. She is not fond of the opposite sex because of her past history, but on the other hand, she has little resistance to such activities, and her skinship is wide-ranging. She has always been strongly attached to her older sister, Kalua, but this has been exacerbated by her life up to this point. **She is second only to Krische in knowledge of Jarea Gashea, and is bing an important figure in the kingdom without realizing it.** Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Graceful (beautiful). ¡úKrische: A benefactor. Pure and lovely. So beautiful in many meanings that her desire to tease here out. **Dependent on Bery.** Strong points: Household chores in general. Likes: Cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. Dislikes: Sleeping with guests and her master. **Concerns: Krische who went to kill the Holy Spirit for Bery.** ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalistic girl with a steel mentality, she is the wife of Margrave Christand and Bery''s older sister. Daughter of the Argan family, which fell into ruin due to business failure. Selene''s mother. She has a bright personality that is theplete opposite of Berry, and she is a strong-willed and lively woman. She is a maverick woman who will go ahead with what she feels is right, without regard to social rules, and is willing to sacrifice herself if she feels it is necessary. When the Argan house fell, she selflessly sacrificed herself to protect young Bery from the malice of merchants and nobles. Always kind and earnest, she prioritizes Bery''s happiness even when confronted with her sister''s obstinacy. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she worried about Bery following in her footsteps, which led her to entrust Selene, not just out of concern for her child as a parent, in Bery''s care. Her second child was stillborn, and sheter sumbed to postpartum fever. Like Selene, she is clumsy and rather crude. Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: Words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: Rich people. Concern: Not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind. - ------**ck g Special Forces Company** ¡õ **Mia Nair Kilnan**--- Neutral Neutral A pitiful girl who is treated poorly in spite of her excellence. The adjutant of the **ck g Special Forces Company.** Hailing from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom, it is adjacent to Kalka, where Krische was picked up. Initially, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, hoping to leverage her exceptional stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army. However, Krische, who saw through her magical talent and exceptional skills, recruited her, and before she knew it, she was fighting on the front lines. Despite being uneducated and possessing only the knowledge of a country girl, she is quick-witted and has a sharp mind. She is a natural talent, having learned to build imaginary muscles with magical power without any guidance. However, perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, she ranks lower in swordsmanship skills among the ck Century that it would be faster to count her from the bottom. She often gets absent-minded at the most critical moments and is prone to backtalk. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she is easy to pick on, and she is often unreasonably yelled at. Despite her poprity in the vige, she suffers from low self-esteem and is dense. Several men in the vige have confessed their love to her on multiple asions, but she has let them all slip without realizing it. A childhood friend, who had made a passionate approach to her, confessed to her again when she returned home, but she refused, prioritizing her duties at ck g Special Forces, while giving grateful advice that he should take it a step further at an earlier stage. Since her return home, she has felt a greater sense of belonging to the ck g Special Force, and she has been training vigorously. ? Battle Command She has learned basic tactics, has a clear mind and a broad vision, and is very capable as a centurion. She has learned how to conduct a melee battle with a unitposed of magic possessors, and is able to fully manipte their abilities, which are different from those of mere soldiers. However, she always moves with the assumption that the quality of the soldiers in the unit is superior, and often misjudge opponents with equal or greater strength that would cause the unit to lose its superiority, making them vulnerable to unexpected situations. She emphasizes stability through cooperation and operating tigether by utilizing the abilities of the troops. Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion (chest). Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. Strong points: Tact. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position. Bad timing. Likes: Sleep. Bathing. Beautiful women. **ck g Special Force. Kahlua.** Dislikes: Unreasonableness. Worries: The current situation in which she got scolded for some reason. Her sleeping position. Her stupidity. Krische that had gone somewhere. ¡õ Kalua Nea Belyus --- Chaos Neutral She seems to be easy-going and is rtively easily pressured. Squad leader of the ck g Special Force. She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough, and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein¡ª¡ªa member of royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. She¡¯s the only person who calls Krische ¡®Usa-chan¡¯ to her face, and he often takes care of her like a child that she can''t leave alone. There was also an aspect of act ofpensation thinking of the kidnapped Elvena, but now that her sister had been saved, she pledges her heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to her. Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Unexpectedly weak to being pushed (weak-willed). ? Battle Command Her mind is very quick, she has quick wit, and she has aptitude as amander. **In terms of coordination at the individual level, she is one of the best, and can coordinate instructions and move with other soldiers on the spur of the moment. However, she prefers to wield a sword by herself and is prone to narrow vision, so in order to make the most of her abilities, she should be ced in the back of the center rather than at the head of the line. She is one of the best in terms of individual level cooperation, and she can immediately give instructions and cooperate with other soldiers.** Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it¡¯s scary. The person to whom she has pledged her eternal loyalty. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. Nap. Children. Dislikes: ve traders. Worries: Mia''s drinking problem. **Krische, who had disappeared since Bery was stabbed, and Elvena, who had been depressedtely.** ¡õ Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. The ck Centurion. Bald Eagle. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses, He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and the type of military man that Krische likes. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there and was nominated as the squad leader of the ck Century, a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was excessively afraid of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Christand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He is not particrly bald, he shaved his head every day to keep clean even in military service, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. He admires Krische concern for his health and her refusal of him apany her and is prepared toy down his life for Krische, whether in public or private life. If he had apanied her, there is a high probability that he would have died, but it was possible that they would have defeated Gildanstein before Nakirus'' arrival. **He is motivated by the fact that he has been entrusted with apany and two very talented subordinates, Aleha and Waltza, had joined them.** ? Combat Command Experienced,ing from a light infantry unit that often operates under special circumstances such as in the mountains, he returns to the basics in any situation and does not make errors in judgment. He is ustomed to fighting in numerically disadvantageous situations, such as surprise attacks, maneuvers, and diversions, and he fully demonstrates hismand ability even in a chaotic situation where he is cornered. Unlike Mia, he wasn¡¯t purely cultivated on a unit where all of its members are all magic possessors, so he often chooses the safe side based on his experience when dealing with troops. However, because of this the amount of wear and tear is small, and the ck Hundreds under hismand are very stable. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. Battle Command. Inspiring troops. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Dislikes: People who break discipline. Dropouts. Worries: Krische, who had been missing since the tragedy in Royal¡¯s Territory. ¡õ Aleha (us Schwindel Sarchenka) -- Order Good A hero chasing a young man. Former general of the Holy Elsren Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. **Adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. ** Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. **Later, during his travels, he met Clich¨¦ and was invited by her to join the kingdom''s army. After Bogan''s death, he had lost sight of his purpose, but through meeting her, he found a new purpose and a reason to fight, and he once again embarked on the path of a warrior. His natural ambition leads him to request mockbat whenever he meets Krische, and Krische basically avoids him. He is so determined that he tries to create a situation in which Krische cannot escape, and drags her into his endless training whenever he has the chance.** ? Battle Command He respected Bogan as an enemy and read and absorbed his battle records. Due to his natural ingenuity, he possesses excellent abilities that are notcking as a general of an army, but due to his youth, a na?ve side of him still remains. His overall ability is close to that of Nozan, and he is an all-around type. He has no weakness in any situation and delivers above-average results, but he is more suited to attacks where he can easily take the initiative. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. Armor: Full te of silver angel. ¡úKrische: An entric girl and quick to find things troublesome. She is a good person at heart. Goals to aim for. Beautiful. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. **Mockbat with Krische** Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. **Worries: the missing Krische**. ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for a young master. He is a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Former military leader of the Sarchenka family. Training instructor of the ck g Special Forces Company. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarshenka family, and an excellentmander. He was capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarshenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarshenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was severed by Krische. **He was invited to join the Kingdom¡¯s army along with Aleha, and he serves as an instructor in the ck g Special Forces Company, where he sees to the training of swordsmanship and spearmanship. He was originally a military instructor for the Sarshenka family, so he is an excellent training instructor, and he actively educates them for Krische¡¯s benefit.** ?Battle Command He is a military instructor, and his tactical knowledge is broad and deep. His primary purpose is to assist Aleha, so he does not appear in public (surface), but he has the ability to be an excellent general. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Contrary to her ability she is a young and unfortune girl. Benefactor. Young Master¡¯s favorite. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Trainingmand. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarshenka family. Worries: **Difficulty in setting an example to the soldiers. The ughter in the unsettled capital and the missing Krische.** ------ Members of the ck g Special Force------ ¡õ Koza --- Order Neutral A family-oriented person, the kind that Krische would even smile at. The leader of the 2nd squad. Despite having a fierce face with old scars that stand out, he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische holds him in high regard. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which in case of an emergency, he acts as themander. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia against Nakirus. He is not particrly talented in archery, but after the war he was evaluated for his wide field of vision and was appointed as an archermander. An archer captain is equivalent to a normal captain. ¡õ Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type of boy, squad leader of the ck Century''s 3rd squad. Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted and is an excellent talent. He is an impable person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality. However, hisck of ws is his only w, making him a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He usuallymands the 2nd to 10th squad. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Selene facing Gildanstein. **Having survived the fierce battle, he was promoted to centurion in due course.** ¡õ Corinth --- Order Good He is a calm veteran nonmissioned officer. A centurion of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra and held the position of captain. Although his ability as a magic possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a wide field of vision. He has the mental strength to remain calm and not panic in any situation, and is highly trusted by Dagra, is also admired by Tagel as a senior captain. Basically, he oftenmands the 11th to 20th squads. He fought alongside Mia in the final battle of the civil war but was wounded during the battle and is currently recuperating. **He suffered no permanent injuries and became a centurion after his return.** ¡õ Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. Squad leader of the 11th squad. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young, he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strength, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century and with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the joy of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He is scruffy in appearance. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia. **Because of his skills, he has been promoted to the rank of captain, and at the same time, Krische has ordered him to serve as a culinary instructor for the ck g Special Force. He is a little happy inside.** ¡õ Birza --- Neutral Good A "ck doctor" type of guy. Squad leader 17th squad. **A ck doctor type of guy. He is the head of the medical team of the ck g Special Forces Company.** He was born into a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a caravan stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very skilled with a sword. However, he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people who were not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia, and was in charge of treating wounded soldiers. **The former 17th Squad has now been assigned to the ck g Special Force¡¯s medical team, and is currently working on a medical book loaned to him by Krische.** ¡õ Kilik --- Neutral Neutral A craftsman-type man with dexterous hand. **the leader of the ck g Special Forces Squadron''s escort team.** He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard. Because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages and was chosen as Kreschenta¡¯s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battles. Many of his team members are also craftsmen. **As Krische¡¯s trusted soldiers, they are basically assigned to act as Queen Kreschenta¡¯s bodyguards during the war, and are unlikely to be seen on the battlefield.** ¡õ **Daz --- Order Neutral A somewhat pitiful Piririn-type guy. Leader of the 1st Piririn Squad. The former leader of the 8th Squad, known for his fierce look. Originally a bouncer at a bar, he was used to roughing things up and was a brave captain who was looked up to by the soldiers. However, he lost his left arm in thest battle of the civil war, and as a result, he was put in charge of the 1st Piririn Squad. He considers the selection work of the Squad Unit to be a prestigious job, and he is very grateful to Krische, but he does not allow anyone other than Krische to call it the Piririn Squad, and he will be furious whenever he is called the Piririn Squad leader by other members of the squad.** ¡õ **Nigel --- Order Neutral A wounded soldier who is not pitiful. 1st craft squad leader. He was born as the third son of a merchant and is rtively rare in the ck g Special Forces being able to perform literacy and arithmetic. He is not a soldier selected from the general soldiers, but from the new recruits of the logistics department, and although he was not the leader of the unit, he is well-liked by the soldiers because of his good-natured personality. He is an excellent soldier and a swordsman, and for someone who had never wielded a sword, he had made remarkable progress, but in the final battle of the civil war, he lost his left wrist. When he was looking for Elvena for paperwork, he encountered an assassin ruckus in the royal castle and immediately went to call for Krische.** - ------Christand Military ¡õ Nozan Nerle Wolferinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic and the formermander of Christand Army First Corps. The Kingdom¡¯s current East General. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born into the same baron family as his superior, and he has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade Nozan to be a general whenever he had the chance. However, Nozan was concerned that the strength of the Christand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Christand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized. He cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. He has a simr temperament to Selene and is a serious and hard worker. When ites to Krische, he pays more attention to her than to anyone else, and there are many things that he¡¯s worried about, things that usually he doesn''t need to be worried about. He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and longsword. His skill in sword is about half that of Gildanstein, and he is also a versatile fighter with excellent wits and dexterity. Overall, he is the most outstanding general in the Kingdom¡¯s Army, with the exception of Krische. ? Battle Command Amander without any gap that possesses both rigidity and flexibility, he is capable of flexible tactical responses under any circumstances. Like Krische, he prefers "headhunting tactics" that emphasize the elimination of enemymanders, and in some cases, he may even lead his troops into enemy lines himself. He is skilled in psychological warfare and has mastered the art of attracting and manipting the enemy''s attention. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Eyebrows are well defined. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. Wine. Dislikes: Anything that mocked Bogan. Gildanstein. Worries: Himself who always almost burst outughing at the nickname Woof Woof. ¡õ Grunnmeld Rinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac with a scaryugh. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps, leader of the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. **Woof Woof.** Formerly a bandit, he built arge group of thieves with just one iron club and rampaged through the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom. During a fight with Gallen''s corps, sent to subdue them, he had a one-on-one battle with Nozan and was defeated. However, he epted Northern''s invitation to join him as a subordinate due to his strength. Initially, he nned to escape at the earliest opportunity, but he came to realize that the battlefield was where he wanted to be. Through his military exploits, he became Northern''s confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. Although he has a lively and refreshing personality, he won''t tolerate being mocked. ? Battle Command Adept at offensive tactics, he is themander of the ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯, a light infantry group that can be said to be the strongest in the Kingdom, especially when ites to frontal breakthroughs. He believes that "strength that cannot be demonstrated in actualbat is meaningless," and he trains his troops by repeating grueling groupbat training in the form ofpetitive matches, with almost no marching training. This also has the aspect of selection and sifting out those who do not meet his standards, thereby raising the quality of his soldiers to the highest level possible, and he always maintains his troops at near peak fighting ability. He is amander who shows unparalleled strength in attack, but his character is averse to defensive positions, he is not good at long battles. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. Deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful and lovely looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. It feels good to fight side by side with her. Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down on. Concern: Woof Woof ¡õ Sardin Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious and straitced man, Commander of the Verreich Army Second Corps, a soldier who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Granmeld in the Verreich army and is responsible for maintaining discipline within the army. He feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, which has dyed his advancement in rank. However, he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often admonishes Granmeld for his arbitrary actions. Although he may appear scary and strict, he is kind and loves children. ? Battle Command He is an intelligent general with a good bnce of offense and defense. Although hisbat skills themselves are not high, he has a brilliant mind and is particrly good at tactics where he readied his troops to stop the enemy to break through or detour. Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: Organizational management. Control (Regtion). Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children at the orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. Worries: When he sees Krische, somehow, he can''t leave her alone. ¡õ Kolkis Nactra Rinea Agrand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. Commander of the Christand Army''s Second Corps. **Meow Meow.** After a losing battle with massive losses, he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier when he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. He was charmed with Gallen¡¯s and Bogan''s way of life and pledged his loyalty. Although he prefers basic tactics and is not fond of quirky strategies, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked for his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Due to his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. Due to his son''s betrayal, he has once again pledged allegiance to Selene, and has decided to fight under her umbre for the rest of his life. He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. ? Battle Command He values drills above all else and believes that the quality of his men will bring victory. He emphasizes individualbat ability and coordination, and he believes in maximizing the power of his soldiers by simplifying his orders. He crushes the opponent with an assaults that was originally impossible, and if he defend, he can easily repel the charge of arge army. In terms of the quality of the army as a whole, it can be said to be the best in the kingdom, but its movements are easy to read. Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: Genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. The strongest warrior in the kingdom. Strong points: Combat. Inspiring troops. Loud voice. Likes: Simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. **Worries: Meow Meow.** ? Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral Seems to be a man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, even in battlefield, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan''s highly regarded his defensive abilities. He was defeated by Gildanstein, who was dressed as Salva''s adjutant. His hobby is building shelves. ? Battle Command A master of field castle-building, he is amander who excels in defensive battles. Even in field battles on the ins, he devises theyout of the battlefield to create a line of soldiers that resembles a fortress. He is good at maneuvering and defending to lure the enemy into a position where he can turn the tables on them. His offensive tactics aren''t all that great, but they''re above the norm. Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous (precarious). Strong points: Field battle fortification. Defensivemand. Weekend carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fortress. Architecture. Woodworking (Do It Yourself; DIY). Dislikes: Unprepared sudden event. Worries: His adjutant defected to the enemy ¡õ Eluga Giglite Rinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate, and he was also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course, and those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, which results in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer anyway for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone of voice. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, Bogan, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all working toward the same goal. He loves (dotes on) Krische very much, and she is his joy in life these days. When he smiles wickedly without any reason, he is usually thinking of Krische. ?Battle Command Attacks, defenses, and engagement. He has extremely high tactical ability in all of them, especially in themand and management of soldiers, which is outstandingpared to others. Although he is a genius who can easily execute risky and deceptive measures, he believes that the simple movement of soldiers is the essence of tactics, and in training, he is most thorough in marching training, including assembly and dispersal. He is the type of fighter who overwhelms his opponents by umting small victories and gaining the upper hand, emphasizing the basics of parrying the enemy''s strong points and targeting only the weak. **When ites to tactic he ispatible with Krische, and as a result it is easy for them to augment each other**. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes. Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: Ipetence on the battlefield. Worries: Worried about Krische that went out to y a dragon. ¡õ Quinez Nea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. He is the adjutant of 4th Corps Commander of the Christand army. He is a small, fat adjutant who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior, Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. **He is the adjutant of the Central Independent Corps led by the assistant marshal, and although he has made a big step up from a mere adjutant corpsmander, he is unable to escape from Eluga and feels indescribable.** ?Battle Command Having studied under Eluga for many years, he has excellent tactical skills and can adapt to any battle situation. He is a man of character who hates to take on too much and always puts his own safety first, but he is often asked to do reckless things by Eluga, who sees through his character, **his tactics be sharper the more danger he is in.** Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark grey flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superior is crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. Sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. Worries: Ever since Krische disappeared, his superior''s face has been grim. ¡õ Keith Sale Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn, man. **First Corps Commander under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no particr outstanding abilities, he has a broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that Krische likes. During the civil war, he was given the corps with the equivalent authority of an adjutant and is now recognized as the first corpsmander, and his attitude toward Krische has softenedpared to before, when he felt that Krische disliked him. ?Battle Command Amander who has a broad vision and loses hisposure. He believes in umting small victories to win big victories, never taking on too much. He does not excel in anything in particr, but on the other hand, he has no weaknesses and can respond flexibly to any situation. He is often asked to take charge of a project because of his sense of safety and stability, which is favored by Krische. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. A cold-hearted person. She''s as childlike as she looks. Strong points: Command operation. Training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. Worries: He doesn¡¯t really understand Krische as a person ¡õ Varga Nea Kurtos --- Order Neutral A hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice. **The First Battalion Commander, who is equivalent to the First Corps Commander¡¯s adjutant under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** He hails from the same corps as Nozan Verreich. Hees from a lower-ss noble family and admires the Hero Bogan Christand, as well as Bogan''s daughter Selene. Although his abilities are excellent, his sense of justice is so strong that he cannot tolerate injustice and dislikes those who view soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, he pledges strong loyalty to Selene but does not get along well with Krische. A deep rift formed between him and Krische when Krische used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy while he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. **Even now, not all of the fear and animosity he felt toward her at that time has disappeared, but after seeing her make Keith, themander of the Third battalion, her adjutant and then promoting him to the position ofmander of the First Corps, he is trying to rethink that that may not have been the result she wanted. Due to the shortage ofmanders, he is also the adjutantmander of the First Corps whilemanding the First Battalion of the First Corps.** ? Battle Command A well-likedmander. Whenever he orders his soldiers to do something reckless, he makes no exception for himself and he spills blood along with them to inspire them. He has high individualbat ability and physical strength, and many soldiers are drawn in to him, so even if the soldiers are a new recruit, he raises their abilities and makes them achieve results through morale. He has a problem with Krische, their personality is like oil and water. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius, but without a human heart. A freak. Strong points: Inspiring (raising morale) troops. Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: Training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. Worries: About Krische as a human. ¡õ Bagil **Aronia** Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type of man. **Commander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** He worked his way up from a single soldier. He was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkas. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. His ability is extremely excellent, and after joining the "Wolf Pack", he has fought tough battles on the front lines for many years without any major injuries and is a fierce fighter who has survived the battlefields of Hell, and is a powerful person who is just one step short of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but he is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. He was originallypetent enough to be appointed as amander of a corps, and was promoted tomander of the Third Corp in due course after the capture of Aurugorn Hilkintos. ?Battle Command Originally from the wolf pack and Granmeld¡¯s adjutant, he has a hedonistic nature and is abat maniac. He is a maniac who ys his enemies with augh, is skilled at cutting through gaps in his enemies, and is outstanding in his ability tomand melee battles. He prefers to fight using his mobility and is not motivated by defending his position. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who can cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs that he can see from her skirt. She is defenseless. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring troops. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Worries: Krische¡¯s unconscious fan-service mentality. He can''t concentrate when he is face to face with her because of her skirt. ¡õ Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. **The First battalionmander, who is equivalent to the adjutantmander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** A member of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkas, he has been a subordinate since their days as bandits. Like Granmeld, he is abat fanatic and enjoys risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He had fought against Krische during training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skills and decided to join the Christand Army with her. Instead of fighting to the death, he prefers topare skills and often challenges talented individuals to a match. Considering his past achievements, he could have been promoted tomander of the Fourth Corps, but he feels that he is not capable of such a promotion, and he wishes to work under his former superior, Bagil. ?Battle Command He prefers head-to-head battles above all else, and he likes pushing each other to the utmost of his strength. He likes the word "adversity," and the more he is backed into a corner, the more power he exerts, but he is not dodging (fend off) attacks. He is also good at disrupting the rear because of his background as a bandit. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her tactical skill. Strengths: Lorca style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). Weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. Worries: These days, other people often dislike sparring or contests of skill with him. ¡õ Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous-looking man who appears old. **Commander of the Royal Archery Battalion under the direct control of the Alberinea Central Army.** He hails from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. As a hunter whomands mainly archers, he is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. However, his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his intelligence andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious, and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter and is respected by the other battalionmanders of the First Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks jokes about anything, although sometimes they fall t. **He has been promoted to the position ofmander of a battalion of archers under Krische¡¯s direct control, away from the chain ofmand of the various corps.** ?Battle Command Does not overreach, but doesn''t miss the opportunity. He is a simr type ofmander to Gallen, preferring ambush and surprise attacks and disliking head-on confrontations. He understands the tactical thinking of Krische, who is of hunter origin, and is an easy-to-use battalionmander for Krische. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword (dagger) technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. Fishing. Tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. **Worries: Trying to make Krischeugh.** Chapter 146.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 2) Chapter 146.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 2) ***Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 6 (Part 2)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 6 ? Died by the end of Arc 6 - ----Royal Prince Faction ? Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ? Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Worries: None ? Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his heart suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shervaza, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. In ce of Aurugorn Hilkintos, who died in the civil war, he is now entrusted as the West General of the Kingdom. ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. Worries: His own lifespan. ¡õ **Gertz Rinea Wiring** -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s former central general. Former Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. **Originally, as a central general of the kingdom, he was just a general who followed Gildanstein, who was a marshal, and is now under house arrest because of his surrender. Although he lost his territories and had some of his personal property confiscated, Selene is satisfied with the result, and Selene is thinking about having him be a teacher at the military school once his mind and body settle down.** ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A ruthless killer. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. **Worries: Losing his meaning of life**. - ----**Other Kingdom¡¯s Noble ¡õ Dougleen Nakul Dogalinea Garhka -- Chaos Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance. A General in the southern part of the Kingdom. A Duke. He was born as the eldest son of a noble family with royal blood, but he dislikes the noble way of being bound by various things, and spends his days drinking withmoners in bars. As a result, he was shunned by his father and was thrown into the battlefield at a young age in a state of partial disownment, but there he demonstrated a rare talent and rose to be a general entrusted with the southern part of the Kingdom. He loves the battlefield environment more than anything else, and he prefers drinking with his soldiers above all else. His personality, which doesn''t care about his social status, is well received by the soldiers, and they have a strong sense of loyalty to him. He has had several drinks with Orugan, the famous general of Gulshan who uses various beasts, and is his most important ymate, even though they are enemies. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. Although his rtionship with Gildanstein was not so bad, he was not interested in the civil war and refused to participate in it out of concern for Gulshan in the south and his debt to Christand in the war against the Holy Empire. ?Battle Command He is a fierce general who loves war itself and sometimes fights on the front lines himself to capture victory. His character as amander is simr to that of Kolkis, he values drills above all else and prefers straight-on, simple tactics. However, because he often has to deal with Gulshan, who handles a variety of beasts including elephants, unlike Kolkis, he does not incorporate much heavy infantry, but rather increases the ratio of light infantry to increase the ability to deal with various situations. Appearance: Hard ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr build of 6 shaku (~1.8 m). Bearded face. Armor: temail with lion carvings. ¡úKrische: A genius acknowledged by Christand. If can he wish she would be his son¡¯s bride. Strong points: Battle axe. Zain swordsmanship. Face-to-face confrontation. Likes: Sake. Woman. Battle. Personalbat. Elephant hunting. Dislikes: Opponents who avoid fighting head-on. Worries: Being ordered to reduce the southern defensive line.** - ----**Gulshan Republic ¡õ Orugan -- Neutral Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance No. 2. The vice-chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan. Former royalty. Although he was born into the Gulshan royal family, he disliked the widening disparity between rich and poor and the appearance of the royal family drowning in luxury, he stood up for the people and led a rebellion to establish a republic. Having given up his status and power as a member of the royal family and fought for the people, he was a hero of Gulshan and had the power to take over anything he wanted, but he turned down the offer to be chancellor because he felt he would lose his original ambition if he himself, as a royal, was in the highest position. His words were half true, but they weren''t correct, and there was a strong part of him that simply hated being tied down by authority. He preferred the battlefields where warriors fought with their pride above all else, and his subordinates, who knew him to be a war-mad maniac, believed that he rejected the position of chancellor because he didn''t want to miss the battlefields. Dougleen, a general in the southern part of the kingdom, is his favorite opponent, but their sympathetic upbringing and personalities make them friends, and they drink with each other after every skirmish. However, they are war fanatics, and once they get into a fight, they can smile and kill each other. ?Battle Command He is a masterfulmander of elephants and other beast soldiers in the army. He prefers a bold head-on breakthrough by disrupting the enemy line with an elephant, but if that does not work, he will use surprise, ambush, or any other means to win the battle. He believes that war is fought to win, and he uses all kinds of tactics to hunt down his enemies, but he does not surprise attack (foul y). He is a hero in Gulshan, and his army maintains extremely high morale, even among conscripts. Appearance: Stiff ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build of less than six shaku. Bearded. Hairy. Sweaty. Tanned skin. Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: The opponent who reminded him of the fear that was about to be forgotten. A great enemy. Strong points: Great curved swordsmanship. Operation of beast soldiers. Likes: Drinking. Fighting. Personalbat. Strong man. Dislikes: surprise attack (foul y). Worries: Worried that Elsren will interfere with his fight.** ¡õ **Salvag -- Neutral Neutral A hard-working man with a very difficult boss. He is the chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Gulshan. Formerly a shoemaker. He used to be the son of a humble shoemaker, but when his young sister was killed by a nobleman, he swore revenge and joined the rebel army. He had never held a sword before, but his prodigious talent with the sword awakened on the battlefield, and he became the head of the Gulshan army and itsmander countless times on the front lines. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. He is mild-mannered and does not like to do rough things, but he has sworn allegiance to Orugan, who rebelled against and defeated the royal family and nobles of the time, and after the war, he continues to work to support Orugan as he has done before. He is a man of ordinary appearance andcks ir, but he has a brilliant mind and can speak fournguages other than his nativenguage Shaan. ?Battle Command Although he is more gifted as amander of a century than as amander of arge army, he ispetent enough tomand and operate an army. He usually spends most of his time as Orugan¡¯s assistant and bodyguard, which gives him a wide field of vision. He hates to see his troops die in vain and is cautious by nature, but when he leads his own troops, he shows a different kind of aggression. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Bearded. Thin face (presence). Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: An amazing girl who cleaned her hands in front of other dignitaries after shaking their hands. A skilled swordsman. Strong points: Curved sword swordsmanship. Caring for shoes. Likes: Sweet food. Self-discipline. Dislikes: nobility. Worries: Orugan is looking forward to war with the kingdom.** - ----Arna Imperial State ¡õ Miko (Shrine Maiden) Princess -- Order Neutral A woman dressed as a young beautiful girl in a see-through costume. Leader of the Arna Imperial State. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom but does not consider it important in and of itself, and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Public Face. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. Worries: The two Cursed Child of the Kingdom. ¡õ Zanalibea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big, sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of Kreschenta rtionship with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. **¡ú Krische: A girl who exudes the power to push through the impossible. Sweet tooth. A sweet Cursed Child.** Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. **Worries: Cookies from the imperial State doesn''t satisfy him these days.** - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Worries: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he worries about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: ouws. Worries: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. **Although she learns the truth about the past because of Krische¡¯s returns, she understands that she couldn''t hold a grudge against Krische, and she still shows Krische, unchanging love on behalf of Grace and the others. Krische had already be such an existence for G.** Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. Worries: Disappeared. ¡õ **Pell --Neutral Good Boy whose first love is Krische. Kalka''s vignte group. A boy who loved Krische as "the neighborhood''s beautiful One-san". Krische¡¯s character was quite different from others, but he took good care of her and honestly liked her. Whenever Krische shows up at the vignte training, he always gave her sword lessons, and after she left, he realized that it had been a faint first love. His dream is to be a soldier and be a hero, but he eventually gives up after his childhood girl friend cried and he will probably lead a peaceful life as the leader of the vignte group in the vige of Kalka, that kind of boy. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Quote a good face. ¡úKrische: A beautiful neighborhood girl. His first love. Very strong. Quite different from others. Strong points: Swordsmanship. Brawl. Likes: self-discipline (self-improvement). Heroic stories. Dislikes: Bandits. Adults who made Krische as the bad guy. Worries: love at first sight for Bery.** - ----**Kilnan Vige ¡õ Mia Family £¾Mother, Myrna < A fine mother who raised six children! She is the best weaver in Kilnan! She may appear strong-willed and straightforward, but in fact she is a surprisinglypassionate and admirable mother! Despite her appearance, she is crazy about her husband Durza! When she was young, she made a tremendous approach to Durza in order to win him over!** **>Father, Durza< A splendid hunter father with good skills! He was very popr when he was young! He looks like a fearless, masculine and impable father, but he''s actually very dense! In his youth, he ignored the appeals of many women, including Myrna, thinking if they were joking around!** **>Eldest daughter, Mies< Beautiful and a genius weaver, she is a high-spec sister who has inherited the parents'' charm to the fullest! Older sister is kind and can do anything, the older sister among older sisters, Mia¡¯s admired older sister. But unfortunately, she has alsopletely fatally inherited the ws of her insensitive father! Most of the men in the vige had their pure heart trampled on by Mies'' denseness! She may look kind, but she''s an incredibly wicked woman!** **£¾Second daughter, Mii< Compared to Mia''s concept of model older sister, she''s a general-purpose older sister without any sharp edges! She is smart, beautiful and skillful! She''s a witty and kind person, but sandwiched between Mies and Mia, who arepletely out of the ordinary, she has a lot of hardships! She found her favorite partner earlier than Mies, got married normally and left home!** **>Two little brothers< Their name is Daz and Korda, in case you were wondering! The two are mischievous and naughty. asionally, they learn about a hunter from Durza! Maybe it''s because they¡¯re surrounded by strange sisters, but they have a lot of misconceptions about women!** **>The youngest child, Melia< She can be said to be the culmination of Mia family, she is a very clever and talented woman! Perhaps because she was born properly, she has be an a promiscuous kid who is exasperated at the denseness of Mies and Mia! Unusually for the Mia family, she is extremely active and a little devilish! She''s a bit of a strange girl who likes guys that don''t seem to be able to get up! She''s madly in love with the gentle Bazel and desperately appeals to him, but she''s still too young to be taken seriously at all!** ¡õ Victim **>Bazel< A kind farmer, Oni-san! He''s the poor guy who have always loved Mia since he was a kid but was kept being ignored at every turn! He''ll be consoled by Melia, and someday she''ll make an undisputable fact and make him happy!** **>Tex< He is one of the best young hunters! He was a student of Durza and fell in love at first sight with his daughter, Mies! But when you open the lid, shock, a natural wicked woman! It took him ten years just to make her realize he was hitting on her! But now that he have managed to seduce her, he''s very happy! He doesn''t think of Bazel as a stranger, and love him like a younger brother!** - ----Others ? Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Worries: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. Worry: Although his skill is not dull, he is physically old. ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Profit-driven business. Worries: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Chrissie, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Kreschenta was her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Worries: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. ¡õ **Vanate Faren¨C Chaos Good Nosy, rtives woman type. Margrave Faren''s wife. Eluga''s wife. She was born into a powerful noble family. She is beautiful and above average in everything she does. She is a woman of talent and beauty, but she is very strong-willed and dislikes the closed-mindedness characteristic of noble society, and perhaps because of her birth, she is very strong-minded and idealistic. Because of that, she was sent back after three days from where she married and was treated as a tumor in her parents'' house. Her brother was a corpsmander in the same army as Eluga, but he disliked him, and out of rivalry with him, he took a solo action that was close to viting an order, and as a result, he fell into a dangerous situation and was saved by him. However, at that time, he resented the fact that he had been judged ipetent because of that and worked to block Eluga¡¯s career¨D¨DKnowing that fact, Vanate personally went to Eluga and apologized to him. Because of that connection with him, She was intrigued by Eluga¡¯s face and gentle nature, which was different from what she had heard about him and visited him every once in a while. At some point, she realizes that it has turned into love and presses him to marry her. Eluga refused saying that the age difference is too big, and that her house wouldn¡¯t allow it, but she threatened that if she was rejected by a man with an evil appearance like Eluga, it would be a shame for life, and that she wouldmit suicide, and so she married him forcefully. Although she was disowned after a dispute with her brother who inherited the family, she herself is satisfied and doesn''t particrly care. She often hurls harsh words at Eluga without any reservation, but that was just her not being able to be honest in truth she has a strong affection for him, and she basically respects his opinion whenever there is a dispute. She is prouder than anything that she was able to achieve a love marriage, and her hobby is to meddle here and there about how a marriage should be and is a walking marriage counselor. She also matched Berry''s older sister Lazura in personality and got along well with her. Appearance: Long, graceful blonde hair. Brown eyes. Slender and tall. Normal breasts. A beautiful woman with tight proportion who is beginning to show some signs of aging. ¡úKrische: A young beautiful girl that her husband seems to be taken to. She has an air of more than just being on good terms with Bery. Strong points: Quibbles. Love Consultation. Likes: Love consultation. Love story. Dislikes: Restrictions that bind emotions. Worries: Her son cries every time he sees Eluga¡¯s face. It''s even worse because he''s been making difficult faces all the timetely.** Chapter 147: Those Left Behind Chapter 147: Those Left Behind ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 147 Those Left Behind*** The royal pce had been buzzing since morning. The unsettled vassal looked at each other until Queen Kreschenta appeared in the audience room, whispering about the unusual events that had urredst night. When someone mentioned that someone seems had been dismembered and murdered, a voice would say that it must have been a false report and saying that they had heard it was a different person that had been dismembered and murdered. No one had the full picture of what happened. Not one of them had thought that great nobles had been murdered in one night. But as the time for the meeting approached, the missing people became more and more conspicuous. It was only then that they realized what was happening. Led by Duke Arkansakos, there are 17 famous great nobles who had the status to appear in the audience hall. None of the people whose names had been mentioned in the conversation up to that point had shown up. Of course, they are allowed to take time off for various reasons such as poor health, but it is notmon for them to miss a meeting in front of the queen. Nearly half of the faces disappeared, sending a chill down everyone''s spine. If you put all the stories together and look at the situation as if everything really happened, there were 17 people ughtered in a single night. It was the biggest incident since the beginning of the kingdom''s history. Just as their confusion reached its peak, a solemn trumpet sounded. Kreschenta enteredte as usual, proceeded down the bloody carpet as usual, and arrived at the throne as usual. A lovely, kind smile was on her face, as usual. ¡°Good morning. It seems that everyone has gathered.¡± Queen Kreschenta simply said so. "Y-Your Majesty the Queen. I had just heard..." ¡°I already know about the Dukes of Arkansakos. Led by the Duke of Arkansakos seventeen people were killed. It''s a grave situation." Kreschenta made a troubled face and said that. ¡°This is probably the work of an assassin from another country. Trying to further disturb the core of the Kingdom, which was already in turmoil due to the civil war...how terrifying." cing her hands on her cheeks, Kreschenta said in a deliberate tone. A chill ran down everyone''s spine. Seventeen people at the same time¨D¨Dthis is not something that a mere assassin can do. If there is a country that can do just that by sending assassins to the capital of another country, that country will probably already rule this continent. "But it''s times like these that we have to unite. It''s times like these that we have to look ahead to the future of the kingdom and move forward. As for the investigation... that''s right, I''ll leave it to Marquis Milkires." ¨D¨DThis was a show of restraint. Everyone thought so. Among the murdered nobles, there are those who probably had nothing to do with the recent assassination fiasco. The reason they were killed was probably because they were conservatives¨D¨Dpeople who stood in opposition to the Queen, who was embarking on a reform of the kingdom. "Yeah... I understand. Your Majesty the Queen..." Marquis of Milkires¨D¨Dthe young Marquis, once a prot¨¦g¨¦ of Arkansakos, bowed his head, trembling at the Queen¡¯s purple eyes. He knew what the Queen means. To leave it to him meant to end it with some random appropriate reason. It''s not like he was being asked to find the criminal seriously. Everyone here knows that this was a purge by the Queen. Thinking about the meaning of his former master, Arkansakos being killed, and himself being kept alive, the young Marquess simply bowed as if to show obedience. ¡°Perhaps after this, rumors will be circted as scandals about the royal family based on rumors uncle had spread. That''s how they will disturb the royal pce and confuse people''s hearts... Everyone too, please be careful. Rumors spread from trivial words, so I would appreciate it if everyone could cooperate in dealing with this.¡± It was a tant attempt to keep them silent. "It''s such a big incident. You can''t tell where the spies are....isn¡¯t that right?" Kreschenta said that, then looked at their faces. There wasn''t a single one that didn''t get what she meant. But even though it was inevitable, it was not enough to only make them afraid. ¡°The head of the family is lost¡ we have to reconsider the management territory. Regarding that, please consider that there will be another distribution at ater date. The number is enormous for all of it to be managed by the royal family. I think we will have everyone cooperate." Take some of thend from the dead nobles and distribute it to the nobles here. After the whip came the candy. It was half hush money, but no one objected to it. Seventeen people in one night. In the heavily guarded mansion, every single one of them was dismembered and killed. Disobeying the Queen who possessed such a pawn was just suicide. "Well then, let''s talk about magic crystal research first. I would like to gather magic crystal researchers who are currently doing individual research and establish a magic academy specializing in magic research in the future. About that budget¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Really, even Selene-sama copsed. Isn''t taking care of one''s health a basic requirement for military personnel?¡± ¡°¡Shut up.¡± Kreschenta puffed out her cheeks and behaved badly. She was sitting slouched in a chair, her feet on Selene''s bed, drinking tea. Lying on the bed, Selene puts the back of her hand on her forehead, and sighed deeply. Not only was Bery in such a state, but Krische had also gone off to y the dragon without a word after killing more than a dozen nobles. Selene''s anxiety reached its limit, and her physical condition deteriorated¨D¨DEluga, who was worried about the situation, forced her to take a rest. In fact, once shey down on the bed, she had no energy to move. ¡°I''m sorry..." "It''s not for you to apologize, Elvena. ...It¡¯s Bery after all, even if someone tried stopped her, she wouldn''t have listened." Elvena bowed her head, looking like she was about to cry. Elvena felt a deep sense of remorse as she felt she was the one who was in the best position to stop Krische. ¡®You don''t have to be bothered about it¡¯, Selene reiterated, and sighed. It was probably obvious that this was going to happen when Bery was stabbed. The murder of the nobles was a big deal, but even that was a minor matter now. The biggest problem is that Krische¡¯s target is the Holy Spirit¡ª¡ªthe Dragon. "No matter how it y out, there¡¯s nothing we can do, Kreschenta." ¡°...it''s useless to think about it." Kreschenta said exasperated. It''s not about whether Krische can kill the Dragon. The very act of pointing her de at the Dragon was bad. Dragons are the object of worship in the Arna Imperial State. Even if Krische was able to kill the dragon, she would surely make an enemy of the Arna Imperial State. And the deeds will be known to neighboring countries. Above all, it was the best excuse to invade, if that happens, kingdom would make enemies of all the countries to the east, west, north, south, and west. The dying maneuvers, including the conference, would be meaningless, and the barbarians holed up in the mountains would be furious and attack. The fall of the Kingdom was imminent. ¡°If that happens, we will have no choice but to seriously abandon this ce and flee deep into the mountains. I think that''s what Onee-sama is going to do when there¡¯s nothing we can do anymore.¡± "You know... are you really thinking about it seriously?" ¡°I am thinking about it seriously. How rude." With her lips pouted, Kreschenta continued. "Onee-sama''s first choice is Argan-sama. There''s nothing we can do until that''s resolved. Can Selene-sama be able to go after Onee-sama'' and convince her now? If you can then don''t sleep like that, and go do it now." ¡°...shut up." Selene replied sullenly. Bery is the most important thing for Krische. Selene knew that better than anyone else. "Whether Onee-sama kill the Dragon or is killed by the Dragon, it''s all over. Though if Onee-sama bes friends with the dragon ande back together holding each other hands, then I have nothing to say about it.¡± "¡¡you" Selene red at her in amazement, and Kreschenta pouted her lips again. "I can''t do anything about it either. Please don''t vent your frustration on me." Her feet mmed the bed, and swaying Selene''s body that is lying on the bed. Selene who was shaken let out a ¡®Uuu¡¯, and looked away from Kreschenta. She was certainly venting on her Just like Selene can''t do anything about it, Kreschenta can''t anything about it either. ¡°Thinking about the situation in case the empire attacks, Selene-sama, please think about various things for the time being. If Onee-samaes back safely, she will be an unprecedented Dragon yer. With that prestige, we might even be able to hold on to the center of the Kingdom. It''s not the time to sleep like azy bone." "... I''m not sleeping leisurely you know." It didn''t matter whether the matter was right or wrong anymore. Everything is toote¡ª¡ªSelene and the others have no choice but to wait. And just like Kreschenta said, there is nothing else to do but to believe that Krische wille back and take some measures. There was no doubt that some of the kingdom''s nobles and soldiers, who were now showing allegiance, have faith to the Holy Spirit, and they would have to think about who they could trust and make a choice¡ª¡ªthere was a lot to think about. Nevertheless, her already red-hot head was unable to think straight, and Selene''s head was appealing to her to give herself a break. As Selene sighed deeply, Kreschenta yawned and jumped into bed. Then she crept over to Selene''s side. "I''ve been busytely and I''m a little sleepy. Elvena-sama, please wake me up when dinner is ready." "Eh, ah...y-yes" "... you" "It''s unfair to sleep alone. I''m tired too okay." She tugged on Selene''s arm and used it as a pillow. Kreschenta fell asleep quickly, and Selene sighed again and stroked her head. The size of the beast, which was neither lion nor eagle, was five shaku tall at the shoulder. The griffin soared through the air with its huge wings, manipting magic and the air at will. They were close to magical beasts¡ª¡ªor rather, they were the existence of magical beasts themselves. Though gigantic, their wings were small and able to keep their huge bodies afloat. However, their wings use magical power to control the wind and soar through the sky. What makes them different from magical beasts was that they was to people and can only use their magical power to fly in the sky. If one were to study the principles of their fly, it was certain that one coulde up with a magical form that could be drawn in mid-air, an idea that would lead to magic, but their habitat was Kreisharana, an uncivilized area far from human habitation. At least in this era, no one questioned the fact that they could fly in the sky, and it was simply understood that they were such unique beasts. There is nothing more difficult than questioning an obvious fact. Even a small bird can fly if it ps its wings. If so, it was not unnatural for a griffin with huge wings to fly its huge body, and even if it did not know the principle, it still can fly so it doesn¡¯t matter. The one who looks at the logic of a phenomenon that everyone know is the one who should be called a genius. In particr, the people of Kreisharana, who reject civilized progress and are cut off from the outside world, have no doubts about this, and to them griffins are no different than horses that can gallop in the sky. Unlike horses, they fly in the sky, their lion-like physique overwhelms that of humans, and they are not intimidated in the face of spears. For them, a griffin is such a close friend that they don¡¯t question it. A heroic male griffin. The three men straddling that waist¡ª¡ªthe warriors of Kreisharana looked down and their faces were filled with surprise. "Hey, this guy is..." ¡°Ranka?¡± ¡°Be on the lookout, there are signs of something ate it.¡± A forest covered thend, but only there was arge open area. There were broken trees and a huge lump of meat lying in the middle. The men descend from the sky, spears poised and alert. "... It''s definitely a Ranka." The tall man who seemed to be the captain had a grim expression on his handsome face. He wore an iron breastte, hand and leg armor, and a thick, riding pants that bulged at the thighs, but it was probably normal for him to wear no clothes on top. He wore nothing under his breastte, revealing his ripped abs. Even though he is called a warrior chief, he is no different from other warriors. Apart from the red cloth tied around the griffin''s tail, their armor and clothing were the same, as was typical of these warriors, who dislike unnecessary decorations. He lowers the griffin while keeping an eye on his surroundings, and the closer he gets to the mass of meat, the darker the wrinkles on his brows be. A grim expression begins to appear on his face. Not to the rotting smell of flies. It was because the body looked too strange to be the result of a territorial dispute between magical beasts. Even a Suiko wouldn''t go near a Ranka that was as big as a hut. If there was, it would only be if the Suiko was very hungry, but this year the mountain was rtively fruitful. Naturally, there are many beasts, it was unthinkable for a Suiko to have trouble to eat. The strangest thing of all was the appearance of the corpse. There was a mark on the neck as if it had been gouged out by something. Clearly it''s not Suiko''s. And if you look at the flesh where the flies were hanging, it looks as if someone had cut it into pieces. The thick skin, mottled with blue and white body hair, had been cut by something sharp, and there were no internal organs, which had apparently been dragged out. A piece of meat ced a little farther away¨D¨Dthat seemed to be the remains of the internal organs. Traces ofrge fangs, the one who devoured them was probably Green Tiger. "Chief warrior, this is...¡± "... It''s the work of humans." ¡°Did they eat the Ranka that a Suiko killed?¡± "Probably the other way around. But there are too many strange parts. I don''t understand why they leave so many leftovers. Daje, take a look around." ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Assuming that a human killed it, and if the Suiko ate the corpse of the Ranka, the Suiko would probably spend some time here. Arge amount of meat that has yet to fully dpose. the Suiko would not leave this behind to look for new prey. But the Suiko was gone. However, the reason why the corpse was not devoured by other beasts and was left as it was was probably because the Suiko was here. Tigers and wolves are sensitive to the smell of Suiko. They will never go near the direction with that scent. Or the order was reversed¨D¨Dwhich is also inconceivable for the same reason. There is no way that Suiko would allow its prey to be stolen by humans. And there was no trace of a fight between a human and a Suiko, nor was there a corpse. The broken trees are definitely the Ranka¡¯s doing, and this had nothing to do with it. If there had been a fight, it would have been after the Ranka¡¯s death, so there should have been some evidence of a battle. But none of those things existed here, and it was impossible to imagine what happened from the situation. "...Even if you say it''s the work of a human, this is a Ranka, right? If a Ranka went berserk, there should have been more damage." "Even if they fight with the Suiko, the damage to the trees is too small. ¡The wound on the neck is probably from a spear. At the very least, they must have killed the Ranka with one blow. Though it''s unbelievable." "No way" "I can only think it¡¯s that ¡®no way¡¯. The way the belly was split open, and the meat was cut off¨D¨Dit waspletely done by human hands. Seeing that there are only traces of battle there, I have no choice but to think so." the Chief Warrior¨D¨DVinthril folds his arms and says so. He had once seen a live indigo deer rampaging through the trees. Bringing down that with a single blow. He wonders if he can do the same thing, and immediately shakes his head. If the person who really did this was a human, they would not be an ordinary person. ¡°Chief Warrior, there are traces of a bonfire in the bush over here. It¡¯s small though¡± "Yes, probably only a few people were using it." Vinthril headed that way. A small bonfire was there, he look down at his feet and furrow his brows. "A horse''s hoof." "... a horse. That means" "It''s probably a person from the kingdom. If they were from the Imperial State, they wouldn''t pass through this area.¡± The people of Kreisharana do not use horses. The presence of horses means that they are definitely from the ins. He looked at the surroundings. By looking at the way the leaves and grass fell, he could tell how many people were sleeping there. The traces were for one person. "... Lyra-sama was probably caught by this guy." "At least, I hope so. In that case, at the very least, her life should not be taken away." He hade to search for his sister Lyra, who had not returned since yesterday. Lyra has Griffin with her. There was no reason why she could not return home even if she lost her way. If so, he could only assume that she was attacked by a Suiko or something, and this search was half intended to avenge and find her belongings, but this situation was confusing him. "Anyway, the tracks here are for one person. At least from the traces here.... It''s a bit dangerous, but I want to follow the tracks of this horse. I''m worried about L, but we can''t leave this alone. ¡± "Understood. Daje, please report once." "Yes sir. Then¨D¨D" "Chief Warrior!!" A voice from the sky. Returning to the ce where Ranka¡¯s corpse was, a man descended with Griffin. "¡¡this is" The man on the griffin frowns at the corpse and turns to Vinthril as he approaches. "...Two Suiko were found hunted by humans, so I came to report in a hurry." "How shocking. ¡¡It seems that this Ranka is also hunted by that guy.¡± "I''m confused here too. There''s no trace of fighting against the Suikos... one had its head smashed and a broken spear was lying beside it." "Is it a javelin?" "No, it''s a hand-to-hand spear. It''s a strong one with an iron core on the tip... even the tree behind it broke. How can I say it, it''s hard to believe that a human did it." The man speaks while he himself couldn¡¯t believe it. Vinthril furrowed his brow. It was certain that that person was not normal. ¡°It seems it¡¯s not a mere tourist from the Kingdom," ¡°Haha, and it¡¯s not like they¡¯re here to shake hands and make peace with us. The one in the mountains right now is a monster, above Suiko.¡± The man said jokingly, but with a serious face. Vinthril also asked with a serious face. "... is it not the kingdom''s army?" "No, I''ve sent some people to see the in just in case, but at least there''s no such atmosphere at the moment. There were traces of someone staying, but they were small." Vinthril felt a little relieved. However, they can''t let their guard down. ¡°I will continue to follow these footsteps. I''m sorry, but please go back and tell the patriarch to be on guard. It would be better to secure the women somewhere so that they can deal with whatever happens.¡± "Okay. Immediately." The man went up into the sky. Two people who were perplexed by Vinthril who saw him off asked. There was some fear in their eyes. It was not that surprising, it was someone who could easily kill Suiko and Ranka. "You guys should search with Griffin from above. I''m from below. ¡¡Don¡¯t worry, I will be more careful.¡± "...yes sir." The two men straddle Griffin and take to the air in low altitude. Vinthril sits on his beloved bird and pulls its reins while watching the horse''s tracks. "Fly as soon as you feel something, Litgund. I¡¯m counting on you okay." Vinthril drives the Griffin through the trees. He gripped his beloved spear, wondering what lies ahead. Chapter 148: Beautiful Chapter 148: Beautiful ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 148 Beautiful*** Kreisharana was a peacefulnd. The atmosphere is rich in magical power, which is why there are so many magical beasts. Of course, there was a lot of damage due to that, and it can be said that the environment is harsh even though there is a rich harvest. However, the presence of magical beasts is also a shield against external enemies, and thanks to them, there have been no wars for the past several hundred years, and peace has been maintained in this mountain. L, who was born fifteen years ago as the daughter of her chieftain and has lived in thisnd, also loves Kreisharana. There is nothing new or different about this life, and it is hard to say that there is no boredom in it. The life on the ins, as described by the imperial state people, is rich and full of various things ¨D¨Dalthough she admires the splendor they describe, she also feels that this was good enough. The grudges spoken by the elders¨D¨Dthe hatred of war still spoken after 500 years. For this peacefulnd to remain peaceful, it seemed an unavoidable sacrifice. She spent her days giving gratitude to the fruit of the mountains and the Holy Spirit. One day, she would marry and raise children together with her beloved partners, and everyone will weave a peaceful future together. Days so boring and without change. But she understood the preciousness of these days, and knew that it was a tranquility that should be protected and preserved. A small world closed off from the outside world. From the Kreisharana, where time seems to have stopped, more and more people were descending to the ins. Kreisharana was slowly heading toward destruction. But not today, not tomorrow, not dramatically. That''s why tomorrow will be the same as yesterday, peaceful days will continue as usual. Lira thought so until just a moment ago. "It seems difficult to reach the dragon''s dwelling ce by the end of the day if we had to go this far through the forest. Krische thought it would be much closer.¡± The fire was out and dusk was falling. The silver-haired girl¨D¨DKrische stopped and looked back. Lira nodded nervously. Her body was not even tied up. Lira''s griffin, Larnell, was also walking normally. But the girl thinks that''s enough. She tried several times to escape, and each time she gave up. Her purple eyes¨D¨Devery time she looks into them, her body stops moving as if refusing to run away. She could use magic. She had a certain amount of skill in martial arts. She also had Larnell with her. Even so, her body understands that she cannot run away from the girl. "...Even demonic beasts fear Yagernauss-sama. People cannot live in such and." In the first ce, the Holy Spirit is a creature of a different rank from people and beasts or animals. Even the most vicious demonic beasts will not approach the Holy Spirit. Naturally, there are no beasts around it, and it is unable to obtain its daily sustenance. "Ah I see" She was guiding the girl in this way, breaking a taboo, in the faint hope that when she saw the Holy Spirit, she would understand how reckless what she was about to do was. No matter how strong she was, the Holy Spirit was of a different caliber to begin with. Even if she were a hunter who could easily kill even a Suiko, one look at the Holy Spirit and you would immediately understand that it would be impossible for her to fight. "Krische-sama is, why is Krische pointing your de at Yagernauss-sama?" "why?" "You said that what you want is the heart. ¡a myth is nothing but a myth, and it¡¯s not like Krische-sama us doing this terrible thing to make a name for yourself right?" It was not that there were no such people. Every few years, such people woulde here. Arrogant people who overestimated their own power. Or those whoe here to prove that there is no such thing as the Holy Spirit¨D¨Dthat it¡¯s only an idol only spoken of in myth. But at least she didn''t think this girl was that kind of person. Her arrogant words about ying dragons and the ability to convince that arrogance. On the contrary, her demeanor was soft and she seemed quite calm. The same was true of her appearance yesterday when she was happily cooking, and the way she loved the horse and Suiko was also gentle, making her seem somewhat mentally young. Even after she threatened Lira, she did not act roughly, but was very considerate. When he saw a fruit that seemed unfamiliar to her, she asked what it was and what kind of food was served here, as if she was on a sightseeing trip. The fear and wariness she had felt when she was confronted with the de gradually faded away, and she was able to afford to ask a few questions. L was a little nervous as she waited for her answer. She would probably rest here today. Krische, who was unloading her luggage from the horse''s back, nced at Lira and pulled out a knife. Then she threw it into the bush ahead. A dull sound and a small scream¡ª¡ªhiding there was a small rabbit. Krische picked it up and put it in front of Suiko, ¡®here is your meal¡¯. It was after that that she answered. "Krische heard that the dragon itself is a beast with strong magical power." Then she took the smoked meat from the back of the horse, cut it into pieces, and handed some to Lira. "It looks like a bat-like winged lizard. But it''s as tall as a fortress, and its scales are as hard as ore. If you let out a roar and emit light, you can destroy a mountain and even a city in a single breath." Krische bit into the smoked meat with relish, and then plucked a nearby fruit. She cuts it into pieces with a knife and hands some to Lira. Lira shakes her head, and Krische puts it down in front of Larnell with a troubled look on her face. Griffin''s diet was fine. If he had to eat only fruit every day, his body would be damaged, but there¡¯s no problem going without eating meat if it¡¯s only for a few weeks. "The creature called a dragon in folklore is certainly an amazing creature. It was said that the Dragon''s Maw was split into two due to the dragon''s roar that was released at that time, but it is not an impossible story when looking at the cliff section and the exposed strata¨D¨DAlthough there are dramatizations in the myth, but Krische thinks generally what was written down was the truth.¡± "...Dragon¡¯s Maw" A war once took ce between the Vagsarid n, the predecessor of the kingdom, and Kreisharana. It was a ce that was considered to be an important base. Kreisharana stopped the kingdom''s invasion with Griffin, and the blood of many warriors was spilled there. Despite the bravery of the warriors, Kreisharana was eventually defeated by a nking attack through a cowardly betrayal¡ª¡ªit was a ce that even children in Kreisharana know. Lira knew the name, of course, although she had never seen it. "If that''s the case, it''s probably pointless to lead an army. It''s a beast with enough power to easily destroy a city, so it will only be useless deaths. It''s true that it''s a very amazing creature." "... Even though Krische-sama understands that much, why?" "If that''s true, then the dragon''s body is a wonderful source of magical power." ¡®Krische wants that body¡¯, she continued. "¡¡body?" "¡Dragon blood and flesh are said to have the power to heal illness. Krische doesn''t know the reason, but it''s surely due to the enormous magical power that dragons are said to possess. Humans unconsciously have the power to protect themselves from miasma with magic, but Krische believes that perhaps there is something in the flesh and blood of dragons that amplifies this power." Her long eyshes swayed sadly, and her once inorganic purple eyes swayed from side to side as if tinged with color. "... If Krische¡¯s guess is correct, it could be called an all-purpose elixir. Even if Krische¡¯s guess is wrong... Krische can produce it by using the enormous amount of magical power created by the dragon''s heart. that''s why¡¡" ¡®That''s why Krische came to kill the dragon¡¯, she continued. It was as if she was saying that to herself. "Krische-sama... are you here to save someone?" The girl nodded. Seeing that, Lira lowered her eyebrows thinking that was the reason. Like the people who seeks the Holy Spirit for the sake of fame. To help someone who is dying¨D¨Dpeople like her, who have learned the myth, have visited this mountain many times in the past. Kreisharana would not allow this, and the warriors continued to eliminate those who did so. To protect this closed world so as not to incur the dragon''s wrath. "I know that Krische-sama is iparably stronger than the warriors of Kreisharana. Still, I don''t think Krische-sama can match Yagernauss-sama." L said that even though she knew she wouldn''t just give up. "¡The myth that Krische-sama knows is not just a fairy tale. There isn¡¯t a single exaggeration in it. Yagernauss-sama is exactly like what Krische-sama knows ording to the myth." "... If it scales as small as ore, Krische can pierce through it. If it''s as big as the myth says, it won''t be possible to catch Krische at close range. Once it can''t fly anymore, that''s it." She replied as if it were an undeniable fact. Her words exuded absolute trust in her own abilities. "The magic power mixed with the atmosphere here is especially high, so Krische will probably be much less fatigued than on the ins. It doesn''t matter if it''s a whole day, or how a few, or how much time it takes until Krische kills it... if it''s Krische, Krische''ll definitely kill it." There was a fear that made even L, who knew the Holy Spirit, think that that was indeed possible if it was her. She was unstoppable. Understanding this, Lira cast her eyes down. The warriors of Kreisharana continued to eliminate those who wished for the flesh and blood of dragons. She who visited this time was also the same¨D¨Dbut different. She was the kind of person who could achieve it with just her power alone. There was no way to stop her. If they wanted the same apple, they had no choice but to fight for it. Kreisharana had done so in the past, cutting off countless wishes with their sword. This time, the positions have just been switched¨D¨Dor was that also fate? Just as faith in the Holy Spirit was a non-negotiable one for the people of Kreisharana, she came here with something she can¡¯t yield about. "... I understand Krische-sama''s purpose." This someone must be very important to her. The reason for this was not hard to understand, regardless of what she was trying to do. "Krische-sama has something that cannot bepromised, and I''m sure not even the warriors of Kreisharana will be able to stop Krische-sama. ¡Therefore, from now on, I will cooperate as much as I can for an audience with Yagernauss-sama.¡± "¡an audience?¡± "Yagernauss-sama is not a heartless beast. That said, I can''t say whether Yagernauss-sama will listen to Krische-sama''s wishes or not... But first, before Krische-sama'' point your de, I''d like Krische-sama to exchange words first. ¡± Lira bowed her head deeply. "If Krische-sama defeats Yagernauss-sama as Krische-sama hoped, the people of Kreisharana will lose their hearts. If not, once Yagernauss-sama is angered, the vige, the kingdom, and everything around it will literally be destroyed. I would like Krische-sama to at least look at ways that prevent that from happening.¡± Krische looked a little surprised, but still stared at Lira thoughtfully. Then she gave a soft smile. "¡Lira is very kind.¡± Then Krische told her, ¡®I''m sorry,¡¯ as if troubled. "Krische is happy to hear those words, but... but Krische can''t make a promise by swearing on Krische¡¯s name. There''s no guarantee that Krische''ll be able to keep it, so Krische has no choice but to tell Lira this." Her facial expressions and words. At least, it was the best she could do. Strangely, that vague answer seemed more trustworthy than an assurance of a promise. L nodded as she felt it was literally the best possible concession for her. "That''s fine. ¡I am Lira Sharana, the priestess of the Holy Spirit, the daughter of Kreisharana chieftain, Alkierence¡± Krische tilted her head and smiled thoughtfully again. "The chieftain¡¯s daughter...so Lira is a princess, right? Does the princess in Kreisharana also work by picking fruit?" "It''s a little embarrassing to be called a princess. In Kreisharana, it is like that. In a diplomatic ritual it has some meaning, but in everyday life, I¡¯m no different from an ordinary woman.¡± In Kreisharana, warriors were respected. The chieftain was chosen through a duel, and his daughter, Lira, although couldn¡¯t be said to be entirely on the same level as other people, she is only the daughter of the chieftain, and there is not much difference in status. Just as a man is expected to be strong, a woman is expected to be able to obtain many fruits. Even though she was the daughter of the chieftain, it was believed that a woman who could obtain many fruits would rear good children, and she was expected to work like any other woman. "It''s not much different from the vige where Krische lived in the past huh. Even in the northern part of the kingdom, it was a rural area, so the origin may be closer to Kreisharana." "... Ah, that¡¯s why Krische" Lira gave her a smile as if she was convinced. "I thought it was an unusual name for a nd person. It''s a beautiful and good name." "Ehehe, yes. ¡¡It seems that Kaa-sama named Krische, Krische so that someday Krische could feel as happy as she does.¡± Krische also happily smiled at her, "Kaa-sama was kind and always smiling and seemed very happy, so someday Krische would like to be like that..." But along the way, the words disappear. She seemed to be a little worried and thoughtful. She then looked up and turned her gaze to L. "...But, Krische is different from Kaa-sama after all, it¡¯s no good. Krische is still threatening Lira, who hasn''t done anything wrong, to guide Krische." She then said, troublingly, ¡®this is no different from being a bandit huh¡¯. Then she reached out and caressed Lira''s cheek. "Krische knows what kind of existence dragons are like. Krische knows this is a bad thing. But even knowing that Krische still came here." ¡®¨D¨DSo, sorry.¡¯ Krische said sadly. "Krische may not be able to keep the promise... but at the very least, Kriche¡¯ll do her best not to hurt the people of Kreisharana. If it¡¯s a promise like that, Krische think Krische will be able to keep it." "¡¡thank you very much" "Lira doesn''t need to say thank you. It''s just a bandit robbing someone but didn¡¯t kill them...Rather, Lira should be angry at Krische." She was a strange girl. The girl¡¯s troubled face was a little funny, and Lira couldn''t help butugh. How could there be a bandit who would say something like this, she wondered. "... it''s toote to say that" "...?" "Even if I want to be angry, I can''t feel like it." Lira had mixed emotions. In order to save the people she loves, that''s¨D¨Dthe only reason she came here, and she couldn''t hate her for that either. Her wish is, above all, pure. She had given up, and she was also feeling a sense of regret. That''s what Lira said to her. "... Let''s finish the talk here. Can you tell me about the kingdom?" "About the kingdom?" "Yes. Listening to stories outside is my little hobby." And so they spent the night talking a little about each other. Krische was interested in the unusual griffin, Lira was curious about the kingdom. Since they had seen griffins flying in the sky several times, they did not light a fire. Krische leaned her back to Suikp, and Lira to Griffin. It doesn''t get that cold even at night, so the body temperature of the two of them was enough to keep them warm. Krische feeds the horse¨D¨Dwhich was apparently called Bururun¨D¨Dand said to Lira. "There''s a lot of magical power in the atmosphere, but Krische feels some kind of interference. The warmth around here is probably due to the influence of the dragon. Though Krische doesn''t know why." "Yagernauss-sama''s..." "Originally, there should be a lot of snow around here, so maybe the dragons don''t like the cold." The northern part of the kingdom was covered in snow¨D¨Deven though thisnd in the mountains was quite warm, the temperature was like summer. "... I''ve never seen snow before." "It''s fluffy, white and cold. Krische doesn''t like it cold, so Krische doesn''t want it to snow too much." Krische untied the muffler that was wrapped around her neck and carefully folded it back. And put it in the bag that Bururun was hanging, and her hat as well. While adjusting her slightly disheveled hair, Krische stared at L. A cloth was tied around her waist over simple underwear, and severalyers of cloth were wrapped around her breasts. Her thighs and belly were visible, and from the Krische¡¯s point of view, it didn¡¯t look much different from underwear. "Are all the women here dressed like that?" "...? Ah, yes. From my point of view, I can''t believe Krische-sama is wearing such heavy clothes.¡± "Is it because of the local climate?¡± "Well, it is warm after all. Warriors who have to go far from home wear furs on top of their clothing...but they usually don''t wear any ornaments.¡± She stretched out her legs and looked up at the sky. "Ornaments are conceited and will be a de. The beauty of the body does not reach the Holy Spirit. That is the teaching.¡± "teaching?¡± "Yes. A long time ago, the battle between Kreisharana and the kingdom¡ª¡ªthe reason why Kreisharana was defeated in the past was because of Kreisharana¡¯s pride." Lira recalled a story she heard over and over again and pointed to the earth. "...It was said that Kreisharana used their military power to subdue the tribes around them, and took their property and made it their own. That''s why, in the end, they were betrayed and Kreisharana fled to this mountain." ¡®It''s a cautionary tale¡¯, Lira said with a wry smile. "If one''s heart is absorbed by precious metals and ornaments, the richness of form will grow into greed, which will eventually be conceit, which will be a de within one''s own body. If we spend our time with a pure heart, modesty, and sincerity, even the Holy Spirit will know our hearts. Therefore, rather than desires, we should respect a pure heart and body. ......That is the teaching that originates from the Holy Spirit Covenant with the Holy Spirit, isn''t it?" "Hmm... it''s a bit difficult for a cliche." Krische pondered troublingly. "Krische is not good at talking about vague things like that. Is it something like if you act like a good girl, good things will happen?" "Fufu, to put it simply, it''s something like that." L chuckled. "But after all, everyone likes beautiful things, so at festivals, all the women dress up in many different outfits as if they werepeting with each other, forgetting the teaching.¡± "...It was the same at the time of the festival in Krische¡¯s vige. Krische didn''t really understand the word beautiful in the past but" As the girl recalled, she took a flower decoration from her tied hair and took it in her hand. "Recently... Krische''vee to understand it properly." She looked at it for a while and shook her head. Then, with the hair ornament clutched to her chest, she cast her eyes down. Under the moonlight, her long silvershes that wrapped her jewel-like eyes swayed. Her silver hair shone brightly, and her pure white skin shone somewhat dimly. She was so fragile and beautiful that even Lira, a woman, could not help but admire her. She had a fantasy-like beauty that it was hard to believe that it was real. The girl who will destroy Kreisharana was iparably beautiful. Or perhaps destruction was such a beautiful thing. "The beauty of the body does not reach the Holy Spirit¨D¨DIt¡¯s not like I can understand it but¡± Lira muttered. It was half unconsciously. "... I think it would be nice if Krische-sama¡¯s beauty could be conveyed to Yagernauss-sama.¡± The girl raised her face and tilted her head. She thought for a moment and smiled. "Ehehe, Lira is being considerate of Krische, right?" Her purple eyes sparkled and showed a variety of glints. As if frozen, as if like a snake or beast. As if the eyes of a mere girl. "But Krische knows someone much more beautiful than Krische, so it''s no good." "¡a beautiful person" "Yes, She¡¯s called Bery." The girl said happily. A whispering, but feverish voice. "...Krische had received so many things from Bery, and she hadn''t been able to repay her at all,...... so if it would make Bery delighted, if it would could Bery happy, Krische would do anything. That¡¯s why, for that reason, but...." Her long eyshes shook and she looked down again. "How troubling. Killing a dragon won''t make Bery happy. It might make her feel sad... but even then Krische is still trying to do such a bad thing." ¡®Surely the truth is it doesn¡¯t matter to Krische,¡¯ she continued. "The good and the bad, thew and the rules, the right thing¨D¨DKrische learned a lot from many people, but surely within Krische, it doesn''t really matter. It''s good if there are people who like the Krische, and if that person stays with Krische then... that''s why Krische will protect them, and Krische can¡¯t then, no matter what kind of bad things Krische do, even if it¡¯s killing dragons, even if Krische need to kill every person on the world, the truth is, it doesn''t really matter." She looked up at the sky and saw the moon. A chipped, distorted, arcing moon. It was the moon that bore her name. "...In the end, Krische only thinks about herself." The distorted moon was beautiful like a sharp de, shining coldly at its zenith. It is not as warm as the sun, but it is what the moon is. "Krische¡¯s beauty is probably just n ornament, it¡¯s not the same beauty as Bery¡¯s. All of it, all of it, is for Krische own sake--that''s what Krische¡¯s heart is all about, and that''s why Krische is probably the farthest person from what Lira said is the Kreisharana¡¯s teaching." Something that is just beautiful. As if it was only natural, it was born beautiful. And precisely because it was that way, without being aware of itself¨D¨D "... No, at least I don''t think so." Krische looked at Lira curiously, and Lira smiled sweetly. "The moon is ignorant of itself, and your own beauty is like that. At least, I don''t think that Ms. Krische''s heart is ugly. ¡Of course, I can¡¯t say that my wishes and hopes aren¡¯t mixed there.¡± She said with a wry smile, and then cast down her eyes. Dragon is a great being. Humans are like winged insects in front of dragons. Dragons have no interest in humans. Even so, if you show respect and appeal sincerely, they will at least listen to what you have to say. At least so far, the history between humans and dragons has continued without incident. And hopefully this time too. As if praying, she intertwined her fingers and joined her hands. "¡I believe it will be good if it¡¯s that way.¡± Krische stared at L and smiled softly again. "...Lira might be a bit of a strange girl." "S-strange..." "It seems like Krische is going to rewind what was said but... Lira is in the position of being forced to guide Krische, so it feels a little strange for Lira to say that." Krische somehow happily, "But Lira is kind. ¡¡When someone says beautiful, Krische thinks they¡¯re referring to a girl like Lira.¡± ¡®¨D¨DKrische is d Krische doesn''t kill Lira¡¯, she continued. Chapter 149: Fragile One Chapter 149: Fragile One ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 149 Fragile One*** Between the Kreisharana and the Holy Spirit''s forbidden area lies a rugged wastnd. Countless cliffs and precipices, not even trees grew around there, the air was dry. There were no rivers or springs, and the terrain was convoluted. Once lost, there is no way to return home alive, and the only way to reach the Holy Spirit is through the wings of a griffin or along a path that leads to a forbidden area. There was no gate at the entrance to the road, but the ce was always guarded by three gatekeepers. The guardian of the Forbidden Lands was the warrior Vervas, whose skills rank alongside the chief warrior in Kreisharana. "Following Lira-sama''s disappearance, it¡¯s an intruder now?" Arge man with Suiko w marks running down his cheek. Vervas saw off the messenger who came to report from the top of the cliff and spoke to his subordinates. Below them was the cliff where they are located and a three-kilometer path between the cliffs. It was the only road leading to the forbidden area. "Skilled enough to kill Suiko and Ranka without a fight... I can''t believe it." "Isn''t there some kind of misunderstanding? Like the number of people, or the circumstances." ¡°The news about Ranka was Vinthril¡¯s investigation. No way, that man will make that kind of mistake.¡± Chief Warrior Vinthril. He was the son of the chieftain and was a little over thirty. He was the best warrior in Kreisharana, both in name and in reality, and was rumored to be the next chieftain. A ferocious man who won the title of chief warrior from Vervas after a fierce battle in the sky thatsted for one koku. To Vervas, Vinthril was an age that was like a son to him, but now that they had talked to each other with their spears, Vervas himself recognized him as the chief warrior and trusted him as a friend. "... I don''t think there are people who could do that in the ins." "We are driven into this mountain and live here because of the people of that in. Don''t be arrogant." Kreisharana was and still is a n of warriors. They valued valor and once believed in spears and swords. No one stood against the Kreisharana, who conquered the surrounding tribes by force, and since they had the griffins as their friends, they no longer had any enemies. A single warrior could cut through ten men and rule the entire sky. The one who defeated them was the Dragon''s Maw¨D¨Da former weak tribe that fled to the south and gained strength. Never forgetting the humiliation of their past defeat, they gathered their strength and turned their des toward their enemy¨D¨Dthe leader of thatrge army is the great chieftain Bazariche, who imed to be a Child of God. And the two arms, Mirskronia and Bernaich. They built a strong fortress in a ce where there was nothing, armor and shields for all the soldiers, and walls by battle lines. From far away, they used a stone-throwing machine to break down the tower and wall,unching an unrestrained offensive. They were supposed to be weaklings, but they had mastered the art of fighting against the mighty. But even so, the great heroes of Kreisharana were not to be outdone. While gradually being pushed back, they risked their lives to repel their offensive. However, Bazariche realized that they could not cross the Dragon''s Maw''s head-on, they avoided fighting the warriors¡ª¡ªor perhaps that was the reason they were fighting there from the start. Many of the men of the tribe who had followed Kreisharana had died, and their people had be reluctant to fight. The fight was not to pull out the Dragon''s Maws but to disturb the tribes that followed Kreisharana. Bernaich rode into the north alone, and went around the tribes in various ces, estranging them, and targeting the women and children of Kreisharana. The battle, which would have barely remained even if it had been fought head-on, was over. Kreisharana allowed them to advance north, had their chieftain killed, and was driven to this mountain, home to the griffins. That battle was now a lesson for Kreisharana. They didn''t value harmony, only respected valor, and that''s why Kreisharana was defeated. ¡°The smallest of emotions can cause a breakdown. It is because of this that Kreisharana was defeated in the past. ...Remember that no matter how much you hone your spear, it is your heart that controls the tip of the spear." "...my apologies, Vervas-sama." Kepis was young and skillful, but his mind was still immature. But he would make a good warrior in time. While nodding at his words, Vervas put his hand on his chin and thought. "If they''re that skilled, the target should be Yagernauss-sama... How stupid." Pointing your de at the Holy Spirit. They probably didn¡¯t realize how big a sin it was. They didn¡¯t realize that all human activities exist because it was permitted by the Holy Spirit. "Shouldn''t we look around?" "Yeah, I''ve already told some people to fly around the area, but we''re here." Vervas said "We''ll take precautions. If it was an opponent who could easily kill a magic beast there will always be some worrying factor. Reducing the number of people here is¡ª¡ª" Involuntarily, he gazed at the forest and recognized the shadows that danced out of it. Even from a distance, he understands who the girl who was heading this way with Griffin is, and when he saw the person behind her, he immediately said. ¡°Kepis, sound the whistle!" Lira exined that they would arrive when the sun shows the sky. It must have been around the time when the sun began to rise after advancing through the rugged bushes. They finally get out of the woods. There were fewer trees on the road ahead, and it seemed that it would be much easier to proceed. However, there was also a downside. Good visibility didn¡¯t bring much good in this situation. The thick forest was far below. As Krische and the others emerged, three Kreisharana warriors astride griffins stood blocking the road in front of them, their flutes echoing in the air. They must have been waiting on the left-hand cliff. The three were surprised to see Lira and turned their attention to Krische, her horse, and¡ªSuiko, who were following behind her, showing obvious rm. The griffin is a ferocious beast that flies freely in the sky with its huge body, five shaku tall at the shoulder, and could easily leap over human bodies. Even for those riding on it, the Suiko was an opponent they should feel wary about. Vervas, the chief of the guards, gripped his spear at the bizarreness. It was L who stepped in front of him. "Lira-sama, so you''re safe... everyone was looking for you. But..." With a nce, he asked what this means. What was being spoken was what the kingdom called an ancientnguage¡ª¡ªanguage once spoken in the north of the kingdom. Vervas, who had the opportunity to interact with the Princess Miko of the Imperial State, was not ignorant of the words of the ins, but there was no point in using them here. The figure of the girl in the back¨D¨Djudging from what she was wearing, she must be a person from the ins. He had no intention of letting her hear this conversation. "Vervas, I''m sorry. Please don''t say anything and let me through here." "... this is a forbidden area. Even if it¡¯s Lira-sama it is not allowed to enter without permission. You should understand that. And..." Vervas nced behind Lira and looked at the girl and Suiko. The Suiko growled, but the girl patted its head unconcernedly and just looked at them. Putting aside if it was a dog or a cat, it was clearly a bizarre sight. ¡°We have received reports that countless magical beasts have been killed by someone who has invaded the mountain. Behind you¨D¨Dthat girl who seems to be bringing Suiko with her, could it be?¡± The guardians of the forbidden area where the Holy Spirit resides. Its leader, Vervas, is one of the vige''s best warriors. That was why he knows more than anyone else the horror of magical beasts. He had never heard of anyone capturing a Suiko alive. Much less, those who obeyed them. "Come here, L-sama. Kepis, you should let Lira-sama escape first. She has Suiko with her. I don''t think that girl is what you think. First of all, let Lira-sama escape to safety." "Yes sir. Lira-sama¨D¨D" ¡°Wait.¡± Stopping Kepis, who was about to step forward, Lia told them. ¡°¡She¡¯s not someone you can do something about with violence. I don¡¯t doubt Vervas¡¯ abilities, but she is someone who can hunt and tame the Suikp like a rabbit. ¡¡Nii-san¨D¨DEven the chief warrior can¡¯t be her opponent.¡± Lira''s expression was serious. They knew she respects her older brother Vinthril more than anyone else. And she of all people told them that even her brother is no match for that girl. Indeed, it''s not normal. The way she stood there, looking as if she was full of gaps. There was no tension at all in this situation. The serenity of the magic power that covers her body shows the high level of her ability. And filled with rich magic that can be said to be the blessing of dragons. Most of those born in the vige of Kreisharana possess magical powers, and from an early age, they learn the art of manipting them. Naturally, many of them are skilled in handling magic, but evenpared to them, the serenity of the magic that the girl d in was magnificent. It was as Lira said, they also didn¡¯t think she was as strong as she looked. Just being in front of her like this sent a chill down her spine. Against a girl who is not as tall as his chest, rather than her Suiko. "I''m begging you, let us pass without saying anything. I''m just asking for an audience with the dragon...if you don''t try to stop me, nothing will happen. So¨D¨D" The Suiko, who was standing behind, snarled. The silver-haired girl strokes its forehead soothing it again. Vervas stares at her and frowns with increasing rm. It was certain that Lira was threatened by her. He knew she was concerned for their safety. However, when he saw the countless melee spears hanging from the backs of horses behind them, he couldn''t just nod. It was clear that her objective was the Holy Spirit. "¨D¨DExcuse me, Lira-sama." Vervas thrust his eight-shaku spear forward, "¡eh?" He then thrusts it into Lira''s side¨D¨Dpushing her off the cliff. Naturally, Lira''s body was thrown into the air, "Larnell!" Vervas immediately roared. By the silver-haired girl¡¯s side¨D¨DLarnell moved immediately, but the girl did not stop her. Larnell jumps off the cliff to pick up Lira''s body, and Vervas steps forward with the griffin. "Please run away, L-sama. At least I''ll buy you some time until the otherse." "but¨D¨D" "Please run away. In any case, we can''t let anyone through here. Let alone those who want to harm the Holy Spirit¡ª¡ª" "Hmm, well after all, it''s going to be like this, isn''t it?" It was the sweet girl''s voice that resounded. Lh''s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the girl¡ª¡ªKrische. The words that came out of her mouth were Kreisharana¡¯s slightly quirky words. ¡°Sorry, Krische heard what you said. Krische just wants to go to the dragon. If you guys don''t do anything, Krische won''t do anything either, just like Lira said." "¡¡you" "It would be nice if Krische''s word get through. Krische¡¯s only seen it in a book, so Krische is a little unsure of the pronunciation..." ¡®By the looks of it, it seems to be getting through¡¯, Krische said, smiling. Krische looked at Vervas, who was bing more and more wary, and told the Suiko beside her, Gururun, to be quiet, before stepping forward. She walked slowly, almost carelessly, "Excuse me for a minute." "Hg...!?" Suddenly, her body disappeared. Only Vervas reacted immediately, pulling on his reins and sending the Griffin into the air. She didn''t disappear, she just sank deep. A smooth step and tremendous eleration, so smooth that even if he could see it, he didn¡¯t notice it. The distance between the ten ken (60 shaku, ~19 m) was easily closed, and the target was the man behind Vervas on the right¡ª¡ªKepis. Leaping after sinking¡ª¡ªKrische kicked the cliff wall on her left and quickly and easily grabbed the spear wielded by Kepis. And cut the reins he held in his hand with a curved sword drawn from her waist. "Guh!?" She kicked Kepis'' body off the griffin and took the spear from him. To the other one, who was poised to jump up to open the distance¡ª¡ªshe thrust the tip of the spear at Reedle''s neck and turned his gaze to Vervas. "It''s easy to kill you guys. It won''t even be stalling." The griffin on which Krische was riding went on a rampage, and she jumped off like she was troubled. Reedle, who was leaning back when her spear was pointed at him, got down from the griffin, as Krische pushed the tip of the spear to his neck. "Please stop doing meaningless things. It''s fine if you just pass and let Krische normally." With the curved sword in her right hand, Krische ripped open both of the saddle sps on the griffin''s waist. Unlike a horse, without a saddle, it would be difficult to mount this griffin and escape. "You..." The man who raised his voice at that moment was Kepis, the man who she had kicked down earlier. He pulled a curved sword from his waist and approached Krische. At present, all of them here were magical power holders¨D¨DWas it the influence of magical power in the atmosphere? Kepis'' movements were not slow and his steps were not bad. But when ites to Krische, everyone is alike. Krische twisted her hips. The opponent was lightly armed, with armor on his chest and legs, and an unprotected stomach. She turns around and digs her heel into his exposed belly. Even though she only put moderate force in it, the heel of the boot was reinforced with steel. The man''s exposed abdominal muscles are pierced, and he rolls over, faints in agony, and then crouches down to vomit. While frowning at the smell of vomit, Krische looked again at the man who seemed to be the captain flying in the sky¡ª¡ªVervas. "As you can see, it''s the same thing even if you''re flying in the sky like that." Krische suddenly leaned forward. The first step is to charge, and the second is top speed. A movement optimized to the limit¡ª¡ªit was a spear of destruction that was released from there. Even on a narrow foothold and with a spear thatcked a run-up, the power of the spear was out of the ordinary. The roaring sound that engulfed the wind, and pierced through, was not that of a mere javelin. Even Vervas, who had been on guard, could not even react¡ª¡ªwhen the spear pierced the side of his face, he lost his posture due to the wind pressure. His griffin screamed and for a moment the look in Vervas'' eyes was one of fright. But the eyes of the warrior Vervas had not lost his will to fight even after feeling it up close. He was not someone who would back down at the slightest threat. Krische pouted his lips and she lightly struck Griffin, who was standing rigidly next to her, on the buttocks with her spear. The griffin screamed and took off, trying to run toward Vervas, "Ts!" Krische jumped as if to stomp its back. It''s over a cliff. It waspletely in the air. But her face was calm, not a trace of hesitation, not even a hint of tension. Vervas was astonished to see the girl leap toward him, but he was a warrior. This is the sky. This is a world ruled by the warriors of Kreisharana. No matter how strong one was on the ground, you lose your freedom in the sky. He knew this all too well. He pulled the reins and gave themand to swoop down. The trained pet bird instantly understands its master''s intentions and ps its wings just once. With that, the girl would lose her aim and have no choice but to fall into the forest far below. The trees would serve as a cushion. He didn¡¯t think this crazy girl would fall to death. But for now, as long as he could buy some time, that was all that mattered. The girl leaping from the griffin as a foothold had tremendous speed, but that was also fatal. Overhead of the swooping Vervas, she advanced, "Wha..." Twisting herself to kick the sky, she flipped her cloak. Her feet to the sky, her head to the earth. She catches the atmospheric wall in front of her with her back, kills her momentum, and descends as if she were kicking at an invisible wall. Her aim, of course, was the fleeing Vervas below¡ª¡ªshe was alone and in the air, forcing even the skilled Griffin (Lion-Eagle) Cavalry to be contained within her reach. The turbulence of the wind is caused by the pping of the griffin''s wings. Taking advantage of all that. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t dodge, Vervas immediately unleashes his spear. He was a first-ss warrior. No matter what the situation, he can demonstrate all the power he has acquired. However, the girl goes beyond that. She sees through the wind as a matter of course, twists herself around, and shes the curved sword from her hip. What arises in Vervas'' chest is no longer astonishment but admiration for her. ¡ª¡ªThis girl has a different level of strength. He knew his strength thus what arose was her awe and respect. With his certain defeat¡ª¡ªand perceived his death, he looked at the girl. But her curved sword did not take his life. Severing the reins he held, she grabbed his spear-wielding arm and threw him far backward. Using the griffin as a foothold, she leaps after him. He rolled over and mmed into the cliff wall, his right arm held by her foot and her sharp curved sword against his neck. Vervas coughed, wrinkled his brow, and red at Krische. "...why didn''t you kill me?" ¡°Krische promised Lira that Krische would not injure Kreisharana as much as possible.¡± ¡®Well, now you understand right¡¯, Krische said, then looked at Lira. The body mmed into the cliff wall. At least this guy can''t move for a while. "... Lira, let''s go." When Lira was called, she hesitated for a moment but soon came to her side. Krische quickly turned her gaze away from Lira and looked down at Vervas. ¡°The bad guy is Krische in this case, and Krische doesn''t mind if youe after Krische. ... in a way, it might be convenient for Krische. Bururun, this way. You cane too, Gururun." The two animals approached their master, looking slightly wary, and Krische smiled. Krische grabbed Vervas and the other''s spear and put them on the back of an approaching horse. The number of spears she could carry was limited. It was troublesome for Kreisharana¡¯s warriors to attack her, but it might not be a bad idea considering that each one of them would carry a spear like this. Thinking something like that, she nodded to herself. Even Vervas, who had heard it up close, couldn''t understand the meaning of her words. Even skilled warriors were only spear deliverers for her. Her strength, which was out of the ordinary, was already beyond humanprehension. "Li-Lira-sama..." The only unharmed person. Reedle drew his sword and cried out, trembling at what could hardly be called a battle in front of him. Lira shook her head. "I''m begging you, don''t resist any longer. I''ll take full responsibility. Please take care of Vervas and Kepis." "Hg... yes" ¡°...Vervas, she¡¯s not the kind of person who you can do anything about with violence. I want you to tell anyone whoester that I said so." "But Lira-sama..." "Please, Vervas. I don''t want to see you killed." Krische looked at them and said in the Common Western tongue, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up a bit, Lira. ¡ No matter what the oue, it would be better to avoid too many people gathering.¡± "¡¡yes" Krische continued to run at a small pace, and Lira looked back at them for a moment and made Griffin run. Naturally, the two follow. When they disappeared, Lira said. "¡¡thank you" ¡°Krische said it yesterday, but Lira doesn¡¯t need to thank Krische.¡± "Nevertheless, to forgive someone who pointed their de at you, I must express my gratitude." Krische runs with a troubled look on her face. "Krische said Krische wouldn''t hurt them as much as possible after all. It¡¯s only self-satisfaction." Krische said while thinking a little. ¡°Krische is just doing it so that the people Krische loves won''t hate Krische.¡± She narrowed her eyes just a little. "Even though Krische is trying to do something bad like this, it''s toote to say that huh." Lira''s eyes were downcast, not knowing what to say. "When I was little, I lost my mother to an illness. That''s why¡I can''t say that I understand how Krische-sama feels, but ¡ I also sneak out at night to ask Yagernauss-sama to help my mother who was suffering from an illness." She was soon found and brought home, and her mother also hit her in the cheek. ¡®This is preordained ¨D¨D there is no such thing as a person who does not die¡¯, and after that, she hugged Lira, who cried, and repeated such things to her. She remembers hearing those words and not being convinced by her. She wondered why her mother, who was so good and kind, had to die. The reason why she couldn''t think of this girl as a stranger was probably because she had such memories. Because the feelings she had in her childhood were still in her heart. She suddenly realized that she had left Krische behind while running next to her. ¡°Bery is different from Lira''s mother. ¡She won¡¯t die.¡± Cold words and somehow ooze with anger. Lira quickly realized her gaffe and she hurried to her side as she stopped. "... I''m sorry. It was a thoughtless word." "...No, L isn''t bad. It¡¯s just that... Krische is weird." Her purple eyes swim to her left and right. "Krische knows that people die. ¡But, just like when Tou-sama and Kaa-sama died, when Krische thought that Bery would disappear, that Krische wouldn''t be able to see her again, Krische, can''t imagine it and" The girl then covered her mouth, ¡°¡Even when Krische found out that Bery was stabbed, Krische¡¯s head went nk¡ Krische, also, doesn¡¯t know herself. Krische didn''t want to think about it, so Krische decided to do what Krische could for the time being, and then..." Then she put her hand against the cliff wall to stave off her nausea. "¡¡I¡¯m sorry" L said and stroked her back, the girl shook her silver hair and her head for a while as she calmed her breathing. What was there was like a statue made of sand. It was as if she touched it, it would fall apart, that kind of perilous state. The girl¡¯s back was so small that it was enough to make her forget the strength she had seen in the girl earlier. Chapter 150: God Slaying Spear Chapter 150: God ying Spear ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 150 God ying Spear*** The glory of the past was long gone. Kreisharana now was a tribe with a poption of about 3,000. They had not abandoned their traditional way of life, and instead of building towns, they had scattered small viges and lived here and there throughout Arbyagel. The Griffing (Lion-Eagle Cavalry), which once numbered a thousand, numbered less than a hundred, and their world, which seems to have rejected the current of the times, is in unmistakable decline. There was no entertainment, only warriors were respected, and as the years went by, more and more people left, fed up with such a world. Those who still remain there are those who live with their dusty pride. ¡ª¡ªThat was Kreisharana. Rows of stilt-style houses made of wood stand in arge settlement called vige (Àï = sato; vige, hometown, homnd, one¡¯s origin) in Kreisharana¡ª¡ªat the square in the center. "After Suiko, now it¡¯s Ranka..." An old man with a white beard raised his eyebrow at the report. Kreisharana¡¯s Chieftain, Alkierence. He was the man who stood at the top of thousands of warriors who were left behind by the times and believed in the martial arts they once held. Hearing a report that came in a while ago, he went out to the za and directed the information gathering himself. He crossed his toned arms and looked grimly at the messenger. "Yes, all of them probably filled with one blow... The chief warrior is now chasing the footprints left on the spot." At first it was a search for his daughter Lira, but now his purpose has switched to investigating the cause of the anomaly in the mountain. "Vinthril is, huh" "ording to the chief warrior, in preparation for unforeseen circumstances, the women should be prepared." Hearing those words, Alkierence had an even more stern expression on his face. If a demonic beast was seen near the vige vicinity, in order to avoid confusion during the battle, those who cannot fight were grouped together. This was because the confusion could be fatal when dealing with a Suiko that runs across the earth and trees in all directions. The ce where the traces had been left behind was a long distance away, but even so, it was an opponent to be that careful about. Vinthril was the strongest warrior in the vige, the chief warrior. He became a warrior at the young age of 13 and has killed more than 10 magical beasts with his own hands. Since bing the chief warrior, he has not allowed a single magical beast toe near the vige¡ª¡ªand that Vinthril thought so meant there is no doubt that it¡¯s an emergency. "Dretar! Gather all the off-duty Griffin cavalry. Ring the tiger bell!" "Yes sir!" The warrior called Dretar flies to the bell tower with his griffin. He then rings the loud bell, which echoed through the mountains. Countless bells resounded from distant viges as if responding to it. Once the tiger bell resounded, all the men, except for the griffin cavalrymen, stopped their work and grabbed their spears. The ones not selected as Griffin Cavalry, who were not warriors of Kreisharana by profession, but called squires, were fanatics of martial arts who dedicate all their entertainment to their training. They fortify their settlements, which are scattered here and there in the mountains. The women were confined to a predetermined nearby storehouse¨D¨DThey, who were constantly exposed to the threat of magical beasts, were, in a sense, moving even faster than those of a trained army. The reason why their warrior society still exists and had not lost its power was because of that threat, and depravity/corruption was a word that has no connection to Kreisharana. The air was tense with the sound of bells, and men and women, young and old, rushed about in a flurry of activity. "Alkierence, what is the situation?" "It looks like an intruder is in the mountain, elder. ¡It seems that they are either alone or in small numbers, but it is said that the intruder is skillful enough to kill Suiko and Ranka." A bald old man with a chest-length beard. Elder Bekirs, the previous chieftain, thrusts his staff andes before Alkierence, supported on his shoulder by one of the warriors. It had been a long time since he had appeared in public like this. His skinny limbs seemed to tremble, but his eyes were sharp. The old man, who looked as if he would fall over if pushed lightly, still had a certain vigor. "It¡¯s not the military right?" "Yes. Though from the traces, it looks like they are from the kingdom." "... If that''s the case, is the target the Holy Spirit?" "I can''t say for sure, but...it¡¯s a strong possibility. So far, no such reports have been received but" The ce where the beast was found was far from the forbidden area. And warriors were already flying here and there to find Lira. If an intruder wandered around looking for the forbidden area, he or she will eventually be located. Only some high-ranking priests of the Imperial State and the people of Kreisharana know where the forbidden area is. There was still some leeway if the intruder did not aim for the forbidden area in a straight line. "....just to be on the safe side, Let¡¯s send some of the warriors to the forbidden area first to be on the lookout. Arban! Take six men and go ahead and watch the road to the Forbidden Zone with Vervas." "Yes sir! Immediately..." At that moment, a high-pitched whistle sounded from the sky. Looking up at the sky, they saw a warrioring from the direction of the sanctuary. The griffin glided down in front of Alkierence. "Elder, Chieftain. The sound of a flute from the entrance of the forbidden area is" "¡what?" "Right now, the two people who were with me are heading there to confirm it, but probably someone is¡" Alkierence widened his eyes and immediately howled. "You go and call for Vinthril at once! Arban, I will alsoe. Detar! After gathering all the warriors, leave the minimum for protection and bring them to the forbidden area! Immediately!" "Bery, this time Krische is really confident, is it delicious?" "...... is this phylix? It''s good, it has a little bit of sourness and sweetness...it¡¯s really delicious¡¯ I hope the people she likes think it¡¯s delicious." "Ehehe, is it cute?" "Yes, it¡¯s really cute." Having the person she liked think she was pretty. A small extra effort to make her feel even a little bit of happiness. She was there to make Bery happy, and Bery''s happiness was her own happiness. There was always so much happiness that it was overflowing, and it will always be there, and it will always continue. She had thought that way all this time, and when it seemed like it had suddenly disappeared, for a moment everything became didn''t matter anymore.. She couldn''t think. She had a feeling that she was going to¡ª¡ªthat''s why she thought she¡¯d make it continue. She thought about what she should do to keep it going, and turned her attention to what she needed to do. At least while she was looking at what she had to do, she could not-look at everything else. It didn''t matter if this was the right thing to do or not. If there was a possibility, it should be done, and as long as there was a chance, she could continue to pursue it. That was all that mattered. She knew that there was no eternal life. Someday surely that would happen. But that was in the far future, at least not now. At least it wasn''t supposed to end like this. That¡¯s why it will continue. At least while she was doing so, she could only think about that. If she did so, she could believe that the usual daily life will be repeated again. "... Krische-sama, we¡¯re almost here." If they continue further along the forbidden path by the cliff, they will pass over the cliff and graduallye to a gently sloping hillside. It seems that the Dragon was beyond this. Since then, there had been two more attacks¡ª¡ªafter incapacitating about five Kreisharana warriors, now she had four more spears. The eight-shaku spear looks light and slender for its length, but it has an iron core about one shaku inserted into the tip. It looked simple, but was surprisingly durable and of good quality. If the opponent was as the myth says, no matter how many spears she had it wouldn¡¯t be enough, and she should be happy to get an additional one here. The Suiko who has been following her so far seems to be frightened, and his pace tends to be slow. Perhaps it was because of the presence of the dragon. The temperature rose as they got closer, and this area was filled with strange magical power. Concentrated magical power that would make even Krische feel dizzy¨D¨DWhen she thought about the existence that gives rise to this, it is no wonder that the Suiko, a mere beast, was frightened. That said, it¡¯s fine even if it didn¡¯t follow her. "You can go home, Gururun." When she said that and left it there, the Suiko followed Krische even though he seemed to be hesitant. Was it because it felt indebted to her for the meat, or was it simply because it was attached to her? It was a good thing, but also troubling. It''s not like she would be relying on it in battle. Considering that it might get caught up in it, it might be better to force it to leave her here. Dying even though it had no rtion to the fight, she felt it was pitiful just like the Kreisharana. At least as a ''good boy'', she felt sorry for it¡ª¡ªthinking that way was probably normal. But there was no longer any time to think. After crossing the hillside, Krische looked below her. There was a huge depression that seemed to be at least 2 ri (~800 m) in all directions. On the other side of the depression, there was a huge cliff with a great number of magic crystals exposed. ¡ª¡ªIn front of the shining blue wall was something that looked like a rocky hill. It was gray and as big as a small mountain¡ª¡ªit''s very body radiated blue light. "... that''s the Holy Spirit, Yagernaus-sama." Lira said in a quiet, nervous voice. Krische¡¯s eyes widened, and she continued to stare at it without any emotion for a moment. Krische stayed still, she didn''t say anything. Even though Lira was puzzled, she looked at her. She wondered if she had changed her mind. ¨D¨DNo, it''s not like that. "Bururun, the spear." Krische throws all the spears on the horse''s back toward the depression. "... Um, Krische-sama." The slope of the depression was steep. While it could climb down, it would be a little difficult to climb up with the horse''s body. It was probably just in case¨D¨Dshe thought so, but countless spears were thrown into the depression. Lira looked at her pleadingly out of anxiety and grabbed her sleeve. "... If the talk fails, Krische seems to won¡¯t have much leeway. This is the bare minimum." Saying that, Krische jumps down into depression. The Suiko continues after her, and Lira continues with some hesitation. How would one feel if something huge swallowed you whole? The magic in the depression had gone beyond the dimension of being dense, and its concentration was now as inside a body. When the two approached the body of a dragon that looked like a rocky mountain¨D¨DThere, huge reddish-purple eyes appeared, "Hg..." For a moment, even Krische¡¯s body felt a chill that made her body stiffen. The dragon''s head, like a tower, was lifted. And as if to show the natural reason/principle, it looks down at Krische from a far height. Like a rabbit facing a wolf. Like a frog facing a snake. Something that urs when the instinct understands the difference in ss. At least, that was the first time in her life that Krische had ever felt that way. A tingling sensation runs down her spine¨D¨Das soon as its eyes open, it bes a gooseflesh all over her body. Even the Suiko, who had barely followed her, turned its back to keep a distance as if screaming, and curled up, frightened. ¨D¨DIts jewel-like reddish purple eye was endlessly inorganic. Not threatening, not mocking. Its eyes distort even the atmosphere just by looking at it. With just a nce, it stirs up all the magic around it and disturbs the harmony of this world. How much magical power was overflowing from its body? Even if there were 1,000 Krische, even if there were 10,000 Krische, it would not be possible to reach the magical power of the being in front of her. This was exactly what should be called the embodiment of Divine Will (Providence). Like a thunderous storm, like a tsunami swallowing the earth. It is not a beast, nor should it even be called a living creature. It is the only one that sits at the unquestionable apex and is allowed to look down on all living things from birth. The only one that reigns just by its existence, the only one that is equal to God. ¨D¨DThat¡¯s the existence of the Dragon. "For..." Lira climbed down from the frightened Larnell and kneed. Then she dropped her head to the ground and opened her mouth with a trembling voice. "Forgive, my sudden...rudeness, Yagernaus-sama...'' As a miko, Lira had visited this ce several times. But the atmosphere was clearly different. Something was clearly different from the usual. ¡®What should I say?¡¯ Forgetting even what she was thinking, her body froze with terror, unable to think of what to say. The dragon raises itself up without answering. Its rocky scales begin to move, and its giant bat-like wings that were iparable to bats, spread out. When the dragon raises itself, its head almost surpasses the cliff wall behind it, and its stature was like a fortress¨D¨Dthe myth written in the ancient books were not false, there were only facts there. Its eyes were directed at the one person who was facing it. Those reddish purple eyes just caught the girl''s inorganic purple eyes. The dragon did not move any further, nor did Krische. There was an unnaturally long silence. It was as if two predators who met by chance were waiting for each other to make their move. If one moves, the other will surely move as well. A feeling akin to conviction¨D¨DLira sensed it instinctively, unable to lift a finger. As if to show that she meant no harm, Lira could not look up and could only continue to press her forehead against the ground. ¨D¨DAs if to break the bnce, what resounded was the Dragon''s voice. *"Oh, there seems to be a rare visitor. ¡Even though it is a small one, I feel a fluctuation that I haven''t tasted in a long time."* It was a voice and not a voice, that seems to be scratching directly at their head. The dragon spoke without opening its mouth. The voice did not travel through the air, but rather it travels through the magic power and permeates directly into the skull. Just by its voice, the surrounding magical power trembled and distorted. An indescribable difort, as if they had entered another person''s body. *"Those eyes are different. It is not to be underestimated. It''s not conceited. ¡It¡¯s one that, even after understanding my power, asserted that with that small body, you can kill my body."* This ce was already right before the Dragon¨D¨Dit was as if they were already inside its stomach. The sky was high above and their bodies were in the outside world, but what they both felt was the helpless sense of entrapment. *"You...think so too, right?"* ¨D¨DTruly, how interesting. The dragon continues, turning its gaze to the surrounding spears. And It turned its eyes to Krische again. *"¨D¨DAre you going to kill me with the like of that twig?"* It was a somewhat happy tone. Like a predator in front of its prey. If one had to express it, one should say it was joy. Krische calmly stepped forward even as she heard those words echoing in her head. "...Yes, though Krische thinks it would depend on the situation." Strangely, her body was stiff enough to tremble. That she would be killed by someone¨D¨Dshe had never thought of that. With the exception of when she was a baby, it was not difficult for her to escape from any opponent, and now she was confident that she would be able to turn the tables on anyone who turned hostile against her. However, the opponent in front of her was an exception. ¨D¨DPerhaps, she was frightened. Krische observed that feeling with the sensation of observing from afar. All she could think about was escaping. But the other party has already recognized her presence. There was no way she could escape from here. If she kept her distance, even the chances of victory that should have been possible would be lost. And¡ª¡ªthat was only a chance to win, not a victory. She had no intention of underestimating it, but when she got up close and felt its pressure, she understood that this was a tougher opponent than she had imagined. "Krische hase to ask if you can share your flesh and blood." Despite that, she wondered why she was so calm. If it had been her from three years ago, she probably wouldn''t have been able to stand like this. She would have run away as soon as she got close to it, before it noticed her. There was nothing she was more afraid of than being killed. ''¨D¨DThat¡¯s why, please don''t be reserved and always keep me by Krische-sama''s side.'' She thought of that red hair and that smile. When she thought, it would be lost. ''Aah¨D¨Dperhaps Ka-sama might have felt this way.'' There was something more frightening than her own death. ''I, I¡¡I¡¯ll, do anything¡¡so please, let this child go.'' That''s probably why she stepped in front of Krische that time. If that will happen then, rather than for that to happen. She may have thought that she didn''t care what happened to her. Because she surely loved Krische that much. "At first, Krische was going to kill you and get your heart, but Krische thought that if you would ept Krische¡¯s request, then that would be fine...Even for Krische killing you seems to be quite difficult." She was sure that the reason she was not afraid, even though she was afraid, was because she felt that way. Believing that made her feel very happy. she felt that her distorted self had be normal, even if it¡¯s just a little, "...But looking at the situation, Krische doesn''t think you''ll honestly say, ''Yes, here you go¡¯. Even if Krische was in your position, Krische too surely wouldn''t say yes...Krische thinks it''s an unreasonable request." She hoped that her guess was correct, "So, on that basis. The words that Krische should tell you are: if you don''t want to be killed, then do what Krische says." To a being who is equal to God, so the girl said. "Krische can¡¯tpromise, and Krische will not give up.... Then there is no point in asking any more questions, right?" After seeing its immense magical power and majesty. Her words didn''t even have a shred of awe and fear. Her quiet voice was powerful to the end, "Die or obey, the choice is yours." Her intention was clear. She was willing to trample on all creation and heavens, and even point her sword at them. If it''s for her desire, if it''s for what she wanted, she would trample down and rule over everything in the heavens and earth. ¨D¨DOne that is arrogant. That was the essence of a beast called a human, *"...No scales, no fangs, no wings to fly in the sky"* And she was the most extreme one among them. *"Are you threatening me with that puny body and magical power?"* The voice was followed by intermittent waves of magical power that did not even take the form of a voice. It somehow resembled humanughter. *"... I see, interesting"* The dragon spreads its wings wide before the fearless beast. A gigantic wing that transcends the boundaries of living creatures and wasrge enough to swallow a small vige. Just by opening it, the wind swirls around, and a huge amount of magical power distorts and well up. *"Then. ¡¡Whether you can kill me or not, why don¡¯t you try it yourself."* And the dragon pped its wings once. ¨D¨DWhat struck that calm world was a gust of wind that would knock down the trees. With a single p of its wings, the wind gouged the earth in a storm. The undergrowth was torn up like nks, even pebbles turned into deadly weapons¡ª¡ªfill the two square spaces with death in a single movement. Even then the girl was still calm. "...sorry. Krische thought it would be like this from the beginning." "Hg¡ª¡ª!?" Saying that Krische grabbed Lira''s arm, and threw her to the back. ¡ª¡ªShe won¡¯t miss. A pebble rips shallowly through her cheek. She didn¡¯t care about the pain, and just kept moving forward into the storm. Contrary to her frightened body, her heart remained calm as usual. She leaned forward as if tracing the ground with her jaw. The turbulence that urs on the surface of the earth¨D¨Das if diving down through that gap. She read the movement and speed of the wind and calcted all the measurement errors caused by it. She was always the one who unravels, controls, and uses all creation in the universe. She never doubted her abilities. What was there was a self-esteem filled with madness. Deep down in her heart, she believed that nothing was impossible for her, and she executed it. She kicked the earth with her heel. Sudden braking, and eleration all of it to her upper body, to her arms, and to her spear. What she needed to do was the same as usual. A tornado is no obstacle in the face of the spear that she unleashed. Whether the thing in front of her is an army or a rampart¨D¨Deven if it was a Dragon or a god. ¨D¨DWhat she always released was a spear that pierced everything that was in her way. the body of the little girl. Her whole body bends like a whip, and the spear that was fired now flew toward the Dragon''s body with a roaring sound. It traveled nearly one ri in an instant, easily piercing the ore-like dragon scales. It pierced and gouged the flesh at the root of the left wing. The power of the spear, which did not stop there, shattered the cliff behind it and the wall of magic crystal there. The magic crystal that became particles mixes with the red blood smoke¨D¨Dthe color that arises there was purple. Behind the girl. ¨D¨DThe first thing the warriors saw after crossing the hill was the god-ying spear unleashed by the girl. Chapter 151: The Light that Tears the Heaven Chapter 151: The Light that Tears the Heaven ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 151 The Light that Tears the Heaven*** A/N: 1 ken = around 1.8 m ¨D¨DIntruder in the forbidden area. Even before hearing those words, Vinthril flew into the forbidden area. Vinthril, who lost sight of the footprints on the way, thought that the intruders were headed for the river from the footprints so far, and there he was convinced of the existence of Lira from the traces he found. A Suiko that was torn in two and hung, and a griffin''s feather that fell there. The feather was not that of an adult, but definitely that of Larnell, who had left it in Lira''s care. The intruder, at least, had spent time there with Lira. And perhaps the target of the intruder was the Holy Spirit. There were no signs of torture, but if the intruder had been a good person, Lira would have already returned to the vige. It was better to think that they had somehow extracted information and were on their way to the Holy Spirit. After instructing one of his men to report back, Vinthril immediately headed for the forbidden area, and on his way, "You''re fast, Vinthril!" "Chieftain!" On his way to the sanctuary, he meets his father¨D¨Dthe Chieftain Alkierence, astride a griffin. Alkierence took twenty-odd warriors with him, and he even saw a few more flying up from the distant vige. The chieftain himself, holding a spear. He was probably going to mobilize all the warriors who could move. With that alone, Vinthril understood the seriousness of the situation and lined up next to him. "Lira is probably with the intruder." "...Is that so? It seems the whistle sounded from the forbidden area." ¡®It''s the worst possible situation,¡¯ said Alkierence. The whistle of the sanctuary was only sounded when a magical beast appeared or there was an intruder. The other party was a madman who hunted magical beasts as mere prey. He knew the strength of the chief guardian Vervas, but he had to say that the guardians alone wouldn¡¯t be good enough. It was probably best to assume that the intruder had already broken through. "¨D¨DIt''s not an ordinary opponent. They could hunt magical beasts as if they were rabbits. Most likely, The forbidden gate has been broken through." "I haven''t let my guard down since I got the report. Even if we can''t make it in time, we still need to do our best. There''s no other way. We can only take the intruder down as soon as possible and hope to not buy Yagernaus-sama''s wrath." ¡®¨D¨DOtherwise, it wouldn''t be strange if this mountain disappeared, literally.¡¯ Vinthril nodded at the words that followed. The question of what about Lira waspletely overlooked. At the entrance to the sanctuary, two men were being tended to. One of them was Vervas. When he recognized them, he pushed aside the warrior who was tending to him and flew up into the air astride a griffin. His wounds did not seem to be serious. He was probably waiting for them to arrive, thinking it was impossible for him to pursue the intruder alone. Vervas was a calm warrior who did not mistake courage for recklessness. "...I''m sorry, Chieftain. All responsibility is¨D¨D" "No need for excuses. Who is the intruder?" "A horse...and a girl who is apanied by a Suiko. Along with Lira-sama." "Suiko with...a girl?" Vervas nodded. "She looked very young. But I did not underestimate her by her appearance. I gave it my all, and even then, I was no match for her and lost. ...Even if I fight ten time the result would be the same" He looked serious. Alkierence and Vinthril wrinkled their eyebrows. The words of Vervas, the chief guardian, were more heavy than from anyone else. "The reason I''m still alive is the consideration of the opponent....I know of the shame of showing my face in front of you with such disgrace...but please allow me to apany you." "Pardoned. Anyway, now we need as many fighting strengths as possible. Various judgments will be made after everything is over, show your pride as a warrior." "Yes sir" Vinthril thought for a moment and asked. "What is the other party up to? I''m d you''re alive, but it''s too mysterious." "... I don''t know. Lady Lira, who was apanying that girl, said that she was seeking an audience together with her. If we don¡¯t intervene, she won''t bring any harm to Kreisharana, she said." "It¡¯s The same thing. What are you thinking, Lira?" Vinthril closed his eyes for a moment. Although she is the miko, it was still an unforgivable sin. Lira should have known that. Lira is a kind girl. Has she been moved¨D¨Dbut considering the severity of the crime, he can¡¯t think of it as a sane decision. All would be lost if they incurred the wrath of the Holy Spirit. "...I don¡¯t think Lira-sama would do such a thing for her own self-preservation. Considering the words and the way they spoke, perhaps the intruder threatened the people of Kreisharana. ...The other party has more than enough ability to threaten the entire vige." "...How foolish." No matter how many people of Kreisharana die, even if they were destroyed by the intruder. It was better than incurring the Holy Spirit''s wrath. Vinthril shook his head and Alkierence announced. "It''s over, Vinthril. For now, just focus on what you need to do." "...Yes sir. My apologies." Several other warriors joined Vervas and the others on the way to the Hollow of the Holy Spirit. The wounds were not deep and everyone was alive. What was surprising was not so much the fact that the intruder let them live, but the fact that they could afford that kind of consideration. In battle, it was far more difficult to keep the opponent alive than to kill them. Against the well-trained Kreisharana warriors, moreover, against the Griffin cavalry that ruled the skies, to only take away their resistance without taking their lives¡ª¡ªthat would have been impossible unless there was a significant difference in strength. He let the Griffin p its wings while thinking about what kind of monster it was. And so as they proceeded, and arrived at their destination. The hill of the Holy Spirit appeared before them, and all they could see was the swirling atmosphere. ¡ª¡ªIt was already toote. Perhaps before the Holy Spirit, the monster was there. "Vinthril!" "Yes sir! Everyone get ready! The battle has already begun! The enemy is no ordinary opponent, don''t get too close. The situation being the situation, throw the javelin to end it quickly!" Grasping the spear and pulling the reins. The Griffin¡ª¡ªLitgund whipped his neck up and flew up over the slope of the hill in one fell swoop. The hollow beyond the hill¨D¨DRising behind the magic crystal cliff wall was the figure of the Holy Spirit, which looked like a fortress. With a single swipe of its tail, it could wipe out an entire vige. Even a towering castle would crumble before its ws. At the end of its long, serpentine neck was a huge jaw that could swallow a hut whole¡ª¡ªand its icy reddish-purple eyes. He had faced the Holy Spirit seven times before, but he had never seen the Holy Spirit rise its body. The enormous magical power and intimidation¡ª¡ªthe air in this ce was all different. Even though they were separated by a distance of two li, Vinthril trembled with fear. Even the valiant Litgund was frightened by the pressure exerted by the Holy Spirit and wanted to leave the ce. ¨D¨DThe dragon was an existence that should be called a god from mankind¡¯s point of view. Comparing the two was likeparing a human with an insect, and there was such a gap between a dragon and a human. A single whim could destroy a city, or even a whole country. In the first ce, dragons and humans are different in terms of existence. It would be the height of folly to point a spear at them. The storm was caused by its wings. It was a localized storm. He caught sight of Lira rolling toward his direction and Larnell chasing after her, perhaps caught in the storm, and recognized a Suiko, who was frightened by the Holy Spirit in the corner of the hollow. And there was only one person in that hollow¨D¨D "What is she¡?" ¨D¨DIt was a bug with silver hair that confronted God. The ck cloak fluttered. In front of the dragon, she grabbed a twig-like spear and defied the storm that arose. From the excessive forward leaning step, the upper body was bent and the spear was ready¨D¨Da momentary flow that even felt beautiful. But what is released from there is a torrent of power that could no longer be thought of as a spear. With a roaring sound, the spear pierced through the storm of sand that covered the eyes. Prying open the wind barrier in front of, turns the distance of 1 ri into nothing¨D¨DEven after piercing the base of the dragon''s wings, its scales and flesh, the spear wouldn¡¯t stop. Along with the ferocious sound of breaking ss. Behind the dragon, the cliff wall copsed with a blue glow. Mixed with the dragon''s blood, the resulting color was a purple color. ¨D¨DThe insect-like girl unleashed a blow that could kill even a god. Vinthril, Vervas, and Alkierence. All those present stared at the girl, forgetting to breathe and think for a moment. They had expected her to be no ordinary opponent. They were prepared for it. However, that figure of hers was far beyond their imagination. The girl regained her bnce as she rolled, and once again grabbed her spear in her hand. Finally, Vinthril, who had been standing still, was allowed toe to his senses. "...Don''t hear me throw the next spear! Aim from behind!" And then, he screamed, took the reins and forced the frightened Litgund to p its wings. ¨D¨DThe scales were like ore, and they certainly didn''t lie. She intended to shred the wings with a single blow, but the scales were harder than she had imagined. They were tougher than a simple rock¨D¨Dbut not as tenacious as metal. If so, a spear would be enough to inflict a wound. It would not be impossible to kill it. Without going against the wind, when she grabbed the spear, leapt behind. Even if it''s Krische, she couldn''t get through all of this storm ande forward. It was troublesome. After all, it was better to do something about those wings first. There was also the danger of escaping into the air. As she had judged from the way Griffin flew, whether consciously or not, the Dragon maniptes the wind by manipting magic power without relying on magic crystals. With that much magical power, it would be easy to levitate that giant body. It was necessary to act so as not to give that opening. If it escaped far into the sky at this time, there is no chance of winning even if it was Krische. She moved her body forward again. The dragon noticed and moved its arm as if to hide the base of its wounded wing. It clearly understood what she was trying to do. While correcting the information that its reaction is quick for the size, she shoots the spear regardless. That gigantic body¨D¨Dshe knew from the beginning that she couldn''t kill it with a single throw of the spear. The spear pierced the dragon''s scales, gouged out its flesh, and thrust into its arm. It did not prate. The flesh itself must be tough. "Hg..." Rolling over, she got up, and Krische immediately jumped backwards. The dragon turned away from her¨D¨Dwhat swung was its huge tail. in and simple, the movement was readable. However, the tip of the tail came faster than the sound, bursting the air as it headed towards her. In front of its power, a person''s body would easily be scraped off along with the earth. She avoided it by jumping around three shaku from the tip of the tail. However, the crushed earth crumbled and headed to Krische. Even a single stone could be fatal if dealt with incorrectly. It had such power that it could make a human body explode even if they were covered with armor. She kicked away only the ones that would hit her from among the countless bullets, then roll upright. The dragon was a huge body that was beyondmon sense, but it was faster and sharper than she imagined. Considering its apparent weight, it was an incredible speed. "Aim!" Kreisharana¡¯s words resounded from behind Krische. They must have caught up. The spears were being fired at her¨D¨Dthe sound of the winds, the number of spears was twelve. However, the storm caused by the dragon still remained. The trajectories of the spears were disordered and distorted, and only two of them would hit her. ¨D¨DAs if she had eyes on her back. Krische grabbed only those two and without turning around and threw one. It was a simple task, and there was only one thing to do. Grab the spear, throw it. Repeat. Even if the wound was as small as a needle''s hole to the dragon, it would eventually be impossible to ignore it as the wounds multiplied. From forward leaning eleration, she kicked her heel to the ground in front of her and suddenly stopped. She seized the power of the rampaging force and transmitted it to the spear in her hand. A true, full-force throwing javelin¨D¨Dit doesn''t matter if her stretched muscles and joints hurt. It was the same as having no pain as long as it didn''t pop off. The spear pierces the long neck¨D¨Dits base. From the bottom jaw to the tail¡¯s ventral, there were no scales. The skin was thick, but she expected, its strength was only that of tanned leather. The spear bursts through the flesh, and arge amount of magic-filled blood sprays out.. She had thought that if it went well, she would be able to prate it, but it didn''t go that well. She continued forward, trying to grab the second spear, "¨D¨DI won¡¯t let you!!" A shadow descends from overhead. A young man astride a giant griffin blocked her view as if shouting. The living hero of Kreisharana¨D¨DChief Warrior Vinthril. His hand wielding a spear that had killed many Suiko. But the girl easily avoided the blow by leaping backward and keeping her distance. "I can''t allow any more sphemy.... I¡¯ll take your life!" A surprise blow from overhead, a blind spot. But it was still not enough. Reaction speed, athletic ability, and breadth of vision. Vinthril once again understood that all of them were far above his own. Silver hair that shone like the moon. The beautiful girl¡¯s eyes, devoid of any sense of reality, seem to see nothing. But the color that captures everything was purple. ¨D¨DIt was the eyes of the Absolute, simr to those of a dragon. The mere sight of her sends chills down his spine. He instinctively understands that someone like him would never win. The arrogance, filled with madness¨D¨Dunafraid to point its de at the dragon, even to the heavens. Even though she is a human being, she stood outside of human domain. The wind stopped and there was silence for a moment. Along with themand of the chieftain, Alkierence, countless wind noises rained down on her. The girl danced in the storm of spears that could easily turn even a Suiko into pieces of meat. As before¨D¨Dshe did not even look back. She captured everything around her with just the sound of the echoes. Twisting her body, she glided across the earth in an arc. As if in a dance, she easily grabbed one of them. Without even letting her cloak scrape against it, it was a celestial dance beyondprehension. There was a beauty that made him forget that he was in battle and be captivated. "Litgund!!" Litgund lowered its stance and pped its wings once. It leapt as if to strike the girl with its entire body, and then attacked her. As if to cover her vision, Vinthril also leaps and turns from the side. A moment of defenselessness and time. He didn¡¯t even think about winning. Prioritizing stalling time over killing her. If he could inflict wounds and even steal the time to shoot the spear, this girl would eventually reach her limit. With Litgund as a wall, passing through the side, what he found there was a forest of spears thrusting the earth. In it, he catches the figure of a girl jumping behind and charging in. What she unleashed was a thrust with all her might that pierced even rocks. "...!" But the girl no longer even looked at him. Twisting at the waist, she ducked Vinthril''s spear at the back and grabbed the hilt as if pinning it between her left armpits. And without killing her momentum, she spun around and draws Vinthril in¨D¨D "Ugh!?" ¨D¨DThe impact that urred was instant. The girl''s right heel pierced Vinthril''s nk as she elerated. A momentter, a severe pain runs through him, and his thoughts stop. Vinthril''s body was lifted by the impact and mmed into Litgund''s body. The extreme pain cuts off her thoughts, and the edge of her vision that even loses her color. Looking helplessly at the girl running towards the Holy Spirit, Vinthril couldn''t hold back and vomited. "In this world... to think such a warrior existed." The roaring sound that continued to echo was the sound of the Holy Spirit¨D¨Dthe spear that broke the scales of Yagernaus and pierced the flesh. Facing the countless javelin as if it didn¡¯t exist, and easily dodging Vinthril¡¯s desperate blows. Naturally, the spear that she shot with aberrant power pierced even the Holy Spirit. There was no one who could me Alkierence for his weak mutterings. Even as it was in front of him like this, he couldn''t believe it was real. As Kreisharana¡¯s warrior who spent his entire life in training, he knew the limits of humans. The girl''s physical ability certainly didn¡¯t surpass theirs. Even so, the girl toyed with dozens of warriors and even set her fangs against the Holy Spirit. It was a foreign object that could not be described withmon words such as monsters. Throwing a javelin would be meaningless against such an opponent. Rather, it was a big advantage to the opponent. "Huf, from now on throwing spears is prohibited! Us our flesh and blood as a shield for Yagernaus-sa¨D¨D" It was not his own volition to stop talking. It was because the atmosphere suddenly changed into something different. ¨D¨DYagernaus pped its wings once. A storm erupted again, and the body of the girl who was close to it floated in the air. What was different from before was that, the Dragon as if pointing it to the heavens, its maws were wide open. A radiance like the sun had risen in front of its maw. "¨D¨DEveryone, get out of the way of the front and into the sky!" He only knew this from the myth. He had never seen it before. But he understood that this was exactly what was happening right in front of him. It tore up the mountains and changed the terrain. A roar of doom that destroys even nations. ¨D¨DIt was called the Dragon''s Roar. The violence was undoubtedly directed at the lone girl who was still up in the air. At the training ground in Albenaria, the royal capital, Selene and Eluga were there. "Don''t push yourself too hard. If Selene-sama also copses, what will Krische-sama think when she returns?" "I¡¯d be more at peace if I work when I¡¯m a little tired, Faren. When I have free time, all I can think about is bad things." ¡®Haa¡¯, Selene sighed and said. Outside the ramparts¨D¨Dthe second building of the military academy was newly built in this training ground. A building owned by the kingdom in the first-ss town was used as the school building, but as expected, only ssroom lectures could be conducted there. For practical operations, it¡¯s better to learn how to make use of soldiers, so a simple school building was built beside the training ground, which was to be used as a ce for practical education. A chess exercise on the board. Tactical education as knowledge. All of them take shape only with practical operational experience. Whether it''s a war with the Holy Empire or a civil war. Selene, who felt her own helplessness more than anyone else, knew this better than anyone else. If she could set up a solid training facility and conduct thorough training, she would be able to reduce the possibility of a fool like herself leading the troops on the battlefield. Among the tasks assigned to her, Selene ced an emphasis on the military academy. "Even Kreschenta is being considerate to me. Really, I can¡¯t just stay like this." Kreschenta wanted to spend time with Serene for one reason or another. No Krische, no Bery. One of the reasons was that she simply wanted someone to spoil her, but she also had the intention to see how Selene was doing. She rarely shows her face in front of Selene unless she has something to do, but recently she has been showing her face in front of Selene saying she had something to do. "Kuku, Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s atmosphere is quite different from that of Krische-sama, but they are very much alike in their kindness." Selene smiled wryly while looking at Eruga''s evil face, exasperated. Kreschenta did not particrly care about other people''s faces. Naturally, the same goes for Eluga''s face. ¨D¨DDon¡¯t tell me this old man throws all people who aren''t afraid of his face into the kind category right? It''s not like Selene did not think of such a thing, but as expected that would be rude. As assistant marshal, Eluga and Kreschenta have had their fair share of contact. She also knew how Kreschenta cleaned up the aristocratic massacre that Krische caused. At the very least, he would not be misunderstood, thinking that she is a kind and pretty queen like she looked. "¡For the time being, I have spoken to the corpsmander Argand, and have also sent a letter to General Verreich. These two men should be fine." Eluga suddenly said. "Well, General Ghaka is a pure war lover¨D¨Dhe''s like an innocent child. He doesn''t look like a devout person who reveres the Holy Spirit. I think you can rest assured, too." "What about General Keithriton?" "I talked to him a little bit before he headed west, but he really liked Krische-sama. He said that as long as she didn''t make a big mistake, but... I''m a little more worried about the massacre of the nobles the other day. It would be nice if that didn¡¯t change his mind." The ughter of the great nobles¨D¨Dalthough it was not spoken of openly, there was no one inside the Kingdom who didn''t know about it. The criminal killed 17 people and left no evidence behind. The crime was so extraordinary that it is impossible to judge byw. However, because of its anomaly, rumors spread. The name that came up there was Krische, and the ck g Special Forces led by her. Of course, only those involved in the military know the power of Krische herself. For the masses, rumors were nothing more than rumors. Because the incident was so extraordinary, the general view was that only a few people were actually killed, and the rumor that 17 people were killed by having their limbs torn off was a false rumor. Kreschenta moved Dagris, ¡®Starting with the attempted assassination of the Queen, several malicious nobles fought behind the scenes and several of them died.¡¯ She was dealing with it by spreading such rumors, trying to deceive from the eyes of the masses. This was more usible than the truth that seventeen people had been dismembered and killed in a single night. Kreschenta¡¯s maneuvering had worked so far. However, if Krische were to return after killing the dragon, it would undoubtedly have a further negative impact on the current situation. For a human capable of killing a dragon, it wouldn''t be strange for them to be capable of that. If public order were disturbed by fear of Krische, it would surely spread to the whole masses. There was a good chance that someone like Felworth would make a move. "We should be wary of the north and the west...... interior, too. Whatever happens, it will be difficult." The battle between Princess Kreschenta and the Royal Prince Gildanstein¨D¨Dit was not a royal power struggle like the previous civil war. Whatever the reason, directing the army to the royal capital in the current situation was a high treason with no excuse. Though It would not be easy for soldiers to gather in a ce of rebellion, the discord in the current situation, where the neighboring countries were all trying to destroy the kingdom, was quite fatal. "Assuming the worst, I can''t see the victory. I intend to do as much as I can, but if that happens, it''ll be partially dependent on Krische-sama." "... half of this situation is her fault. You don''t have to feel responsible for it." Selene said exasperated. Will the dragon yer be infamy or fame? They wouldn''t know until they see the results. There are so many possibilities, for it to go in both a good or bad direction. ¡®¨D¨DNo matter what, at least I hoped that Krische woulde back safely.¡¯ War and everyday life. At least that''s where Selene''s future all begins. "Hmm... what is that?" "What''s wrong?" Eluga turned his eyes to the sky and narrowed his eyes. Selene tilted her head to look at it. A blue sky with sparse clouds. Was it north-northwest from there? Something like a glowing line faintly rises from far beyond the horizon toward the sky. When she was thinking about what that was, it suddenly started to move, "Huh¡?" ¨D¨DIt tore through the clouds above the royal capital in an instant.. From far beyond the horizon, beyond even the mountain range. The light passing over the royal capital¨D¨DSelene, a littlete, sensed that it was a torrent of power created by an unbelievablyrge amount of magical power. "¡this, is" She knew about the dragon myth. So she tried to understand it, but her heart refused toprehend. Even those who had been training around them stopped their hands and looked on in amazement. Selene does the same ¨D¨Dshe stumbled, and Eluga immediately supported her body. A vortex of magical power tearing through the clouds from thousands of ri away. It was an anomaly that made her want to refuse toprehend. However, only the two people present at the scene were aware of what kind of being had caused the event. And the existence that would have been the trigger. "...Krische" While being held by Eluga, Selene simply called out the name of her beloved girl with a trembling voice. Chapter 152: Heavenly Spear and Shield Chapter 152: Heavenly Spear and Shield ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 152 Heavenly Spear and Shield*** The light faded and the haze cleared. What was drifting in the air around them was a crater-like heat. The hills they crossed had already lost their original shape, and in its ce were scorching rivers that flowed from the hollows. There was no longer a single shadow in thend where the girl had been running around on. It had transformed into an extreme region that did not allow humans to survive. And this was not the only abnormality. The mountain that should have been visible in the distance has been scraped away, revealing a strange outline like a chipped (wane) moon. The ridiculous sight was unbelievable to anyone''s eyes, yet only those present were forced toprehend it. At the end of the magma, when they looked at the dragon standing there, they felt the heat that was still scorching the air. ¨D¨DWhen they remembered the light that was emitted from the dragon''s maw earlier, it was self-evident what had happened. "...This is, the Dragon¡¯s Roar." Alkierence muttered in a daze. Before the warriors pull the reins, the griffins instinctively choose to dodge. Perhaps because of that, it was fortunate that none of the warriors seemed to be caught in it. Some were unable to control the griffin and fell to the ground, some were burned by the hot air generated by the roar, and some were unable to control the runaway griffin and turned their backs, but the damage was light. Even if some were caught in it and died, it would only be one or two people. Vinthril was also in the air holding Lira. It was a blessing among the misfortune. However, this did not mean that Kreisharana had escaped the crisis. It no longer mattered whether the people here lived or died. If everyone here gave their lives, and if that alone would have been enough to be forgiven for this rudeness, then that would have been something to rejoice over. ¨D¨DJust a single roar. With just that, the veryndscape that had existed since the distant past was rewritten. Easily changing the terrain and destroying a country, they could no longer be called anything other than a natural cmity. No matter how one is a hero, no matter howrge one army is, they are nothing but insects in the face of a Dragon. It''s not an opponent that people can fight against, nor is it an opponent that humans are permitted to point their des at. ¨D¨DDragon is the Absolute. Innumerable myths often speak of these beings as equal to gods. Sometimes some people might be referred to as being like a storm. They might be described as a monster whose blow could shatter mountains. Much of it was an exaggeration¨D¨DHowever when ites to dragons, there is none. If they wanted to destroy something, they surely must be able to destroy even an entire continent. Possessing power turned capitals intokes, mountains into ins, if they wielded their power to the fullest, there would be no such thing as impossible. like a child crushing an ant''s nest, like breaking down a sand castle. It must be that easy for them. Human activity is merely permitted ording to their whims. Everyone who was there was mad to understand it once again, and feared it. But these prologue, "... don''t let your guard down! She''s still alive!!" ¨D¨Donly apply if one excluded the only exception. Along with Vinthril''s cry, a roar echoed through the mountains. It was the sound of an aberrant spear that pierced and gauged through the Absolute. "... Really, Gururun is an idiot. It''s dangerous, you know." If it was only a mere human being, it would have been unavoidable. Their body alone stirred the air, and what was released was something that pierced even mountains, the Dragon''s Roar. Krische considered manipting the wind with her magical powers. However, whether or not it can be avoided is a gamble, only by employing that she managed to bring the odds to fifty-fifty. It was extremely difficult to create a wind that could levitate a single body and can manipte it at will. Krische¡¯s magical power is fundamentally insufficient, and it was doubtful whether it can generate enough thrust to enable the evasion. She would be able to assert that it would be possible if she used the enormous magical power around her, however it would take time to grasp it. Unlike magic power that simply floats around, the magic power that exists there was magic power that originates from the dragon. The timeg was too long to turn the dragon''s colored magic power into something pure and make it her own, and the roar emitted by the dragon, which had already umted enough mana, would have been just a little bit faster. Magic is like paint. Each individual has a different color, and only one color can be drawn by one individual. If it is 2qw colorless and transparent like the magic power in the atmosphere, it was enough to simply dye it with your own color¨D¨Dhowever to use paint of other colors, you need to take steps to make it colorless and transparent first. Like when she sucked the magic out of Kreschenta, if she was concentrating solely on that alone, it would be fine, but it would be difficult even for Krische if she was both using the imaginary muscles and manipting the wind with magic all at the same time. The magical power that came out of the body naturally tries to return to a colorless state. Drawing magic in the air¨D¨Dthe most difficult thing when dealing with it is how to use it while maintaining one magical power as their own. Create a canvas with your own magical power to substitute for the magic crystal, and engrave the desired form on it. The technology of magic created by Krische required such a process, and as a result, a huge amount of magic power was wasted, even if the form was for something trivial. A griffin can fly by manipting the wind, using magic power far beyond that of a human to fly. Perhaps it was the same with dragons. With that much magical power, it would have been easy to keep its huge body afloat. Krische¡¯s magic maniption is far more precise than theirs. If she had the same amount of magical power as them, she would certainly be able to fly more efficiently even without wings. The only problem was that Krische did not have the magical power to perform such a feat. She had wondered whether the principle of griffins flying in the sky would give her any new ideas, but griffins do not use magic power to expand their bodies unlike Suiko. They were only able to fly by focusing their magic power on a single thing, and as expected, it was not helpful a reference for Krische¨D¨Dthus the result was a situation where she had to take a fifty-fifty bet. The one that jumped at that time was the Suiko, who should have been frightened in the corner Gururun flew at Krische who was hoisted up in the air and rammed into her with its body. Thanks to that, Krische managed to avoid the Dragon''s Roar in the nick of time. "Good boy, now please stay away. It''s dangerous, okay." Krische was a little surprised when she was rescued by the Suiko, who she thought was useless at first. Smiling in the midst of the battle, she lightly patted it on the head and made it go far away. ¨D¨DEven though it was so fluffy and Krische liked it The cloak that had been scratched was in tatters, but at this point, it couldn''t be helped. Her lips pouted a little, but without any anger, she threw the spear she had grabbed. The fact that she was able to dodge the blow just now without getting hurt was more important than anything else. Krische narrowed her eyes, feeling the magic around her. Several spears were caught up and disappeared. A scorching river had arisen and the footing was getting worse. But she could fight. She had a general idea of most of the dragon''s power with what she had just seen. The rest was an endurance battle¨D¨Dwhether the dragon would create a fatal opening, or whether she would arrive at her limit first. ¨D¨DDiving through the storm created by the wings. The storm whipped up theva, creating countless pirs of fire that crushed bones and melted bodies. Dodging fatal wounds to get through it, she grabbed and fired speer bullets. Scraping the dragon''s scales and piercing its flesh. Simply repeating that process The heat of theva consumed her body. She was thirsty and her whole body felt heavy with sweat. The change in terrain conditions drained her stamina more than she had imagined, and she could feel her thoughts slowing down. The storm created by its wings had increased in power. In this ce where scorching heat was flowing, the pping of the dragon''s wings was nowpletely deadly. With this much magical power, it was literally not difficult to fight for two or three days in a row, but before that, however, there was no doubt that she would be deprived of her physical strength here and reach her physical limits first. It was impossible for a human body to cope with this extreme region against a dragon. The end is near, but there¡¯s still meaning in buying some time. Ovee human while being human. Capturing all spears and terrains, seize all things in creation. Calcting all futures from everything caught in sight. Overworking and making her brain, which even if one unite a thousand or ten thousand people still wouldn¡¯t be enough, red hot. The cement of the spear, the surrounding griffins, the single grain of sand and the particles of magic that the wind stirs up, capturing all of it and ruling it. If she could imagine it, she could understand it. If she could understand, she could even capture the future. She, just through her wisdom, transcended even time and space. She read and dodge the valiant Griffin cavalry approaching from behind in the storm. She dodged the waving tails and dove through the storm of mes. The spear always pierced the dragon''s body. She ran freely across thend while avoiding scorching rivers. Although she had a body that could be blown away with a single hit, she is notcking against the dragon. "...This is a human you say." Vinthril mutters at the sight below him, sending shivers down his spine. ¨D¨DWhat was there was a reality that should no longer be called a myth. It was equal to battles in myth where dragons and dragons vie for supremacy. The ultimate product of human history, the crystallization of a warrior force that was no less than a dragon, was taking shape. The sun shakes from its zenith. By that time, even the men who had turned their des toward her revealed unmistakable reverence. As if they were worshiping a Dragon, a being with the power to be called a God. Or perhaps even more than that. They were in awe of her, the embodiment of the ultimate they were aiming for in human flesh. Diving through raging firestorms, and pointing her de at the embodiment of Providence. Even the impossible, even the reckless and meaningless things, the girl will change them to something significant Their reason only wanted to kill her, but at the same time, their emotion refused her death. That contrary things raged in their hearts, and they only hoped that she would stop¨D¨Dbut the end was near. The Dragon''s body was covered with countless spears. Its blood stains the earth red, but aspensation, there were only three spears left thrusting at the ground. It would be impossible to finish it off. The girl breathed heavily, and blood-red sweat dripped from her chin. The tattered cloak¨D¨Dand the one-piece dress underneath it, bleeding red could be seen. Even if she avoided direct hits, there was no way she could dodge all of them. Countless flying debris and small wounds piled up, and she was about to reach her limit. Still she moved, moving her body to the new spear. Vinthril, with a variety of emotions in his heart, raised his voice. Twenty warriors responded to his voice and alighted in the distance to surround the girl. Each dismounted from their griffin and took up a curved sword. The spear, her only weapon, was left with the young warriors remaining in the sky. The other two spears were already about to be recovered. ¨D¨DThat was her bottleneck. The dragon soared into the sky in response to them. Its maw raised to the sky, where it umted a vortex of unimaginable magical power. Vinthril opened his mouth as he felt the sun-like power gathering there. "...As a warrior, I admire your power from the bottom of my heart." The Dragon''s Roar from earlier¨D¨Dif one looks at its power, it''s over the moment you can''t prevent it from going up into the sky. No matter how strong this girl was, the dragon will make her disappear along with this terrain. The ones here were the suicide squad for that. If he thought of the aftermath, he thought it might be a good idea to help her and point her de at her spirit, but that would not be permitted. Kreisharana had once been allowed to live by the Holy Spirit. Even if it was a long time ago, it was unforgivable to return that favor with harm. For the tranquility of Kreisharana had been preserved by the mercy of the Holy Spirit. Such was faith, even if there was ruin ahead. "Such a despicable act against you, who alone confronted the Holy Spirit. I do not ask you for forgiveness. We have oaths to keep and favors owed to Yagernaus-sama." The girl turned her gaze behind her. When she saw the Suiko and the horse, she smiled and nodded to herself. "Krische is not angry, and Krische doesn''t think it¡¯s despicable." The girl put her left hand above her head as she said that. Pointing it at the dragon soaring in the sky. Before he could ask what are you, an enormous amount of magical power swirled around her. It was concentrated and released, creating countless blue lines in the heaven. The blue light intersected between her and the dragon in the sky, bends, and began to create a multitude of geometric patterns. "...!" What was umted there was the residue of the roar released by the dragon earlier. Magical powers that failed to convert into pure energy gather at the girl as if seeking an owner. From a dragon''s point of view, it''s a trivial magical power. But to a human being, it was an enormous amount of magical power. "...the conclusion of the battle, start now" Throwing spears and running around, what the girl had in her hands was power. Using the Dragon''s magic power to build the heaven¨D¨Da huge canvas covering the sky. What was drawn was a geometrical pattern, a canopy against the dragon. Stunned by the scene beyond theirprehension and they looked up at the sky in a daze. They intuitively understood that she was the one who created it. They also knew what she was going to do with it. However she, was going to face the dragon head-on, "Because, Krische¡¯s victory, still hasn¡¯t disappeared" She was trying to counter the Dragon with pure power. What was there was after all, nothing else but pure madness. As the dragon roared, it directed its power like the sun toward them. As if countless thunderps bursting forth.. ¨D¨DThe light that was emitted as a light that pierced even a distance of a thousand ri. A vortex of overwhelming violence that wipes out a city, a mountain, distorts the terrain, and mows down everything in front of it. What stopped it was the beautiful moon mirror floating in the sky. Its enormous power was blocked by the girl''s geometric lens, and the light bursts, dissipates, and scatters. "What...is..." The afterglow bounced back, piercing only the sky and clouds. The Dragon''s Roar, which was supposed to annihte the surrounding area, did not cross the canopy created by the girl¨D¨Dthe gap that should be called the world, and vanished as if reflected in a mirror. The girl did not stop there. She reached out her right hand as if thrusting it out, umted magic power in it, and carved a circuit. Again, a geometrical pattern that was beyond theirprehension was created on the spot. As if it was the wrath of the heavens itself, bringing forth thunder itself. ¨D¨DWhat she held in her hand was a gigantic spear of light bursting in the atmosphere. Once she stopped the Dragon''s Roar, the girl leaned forward while holding up a giant spear of light. Her run was short, but the speed of the spear was nothingpared to what it had been before. What she unleashed was truly the roar of a small dragon. The wall of the atmosphere, the distance was nullified. The spear, which pierced the dragon''s body like a sh, burst with a furious roar. The sky was covered with light for a moment, and the huge me generated scorched even the heaven. Like a bird pierced by an arrow¡ªthe Dragon covered in mes and fell. Its gigantic body crushed the magic crystal cliff, and ore-like scales sttered around it. The dragon''s giant body was swallowed by the crumbling rock wall, "...Just, like this." Seeing that, Vinthril put his hand to his mouth and let out a voice. So did the other warriors. A gap in the rubble¨D¨Dthe burned body of the dragon billows smoke. Its graceful wings were tattered, its scales mottled. Stunned, they drop their swords. ¨D¨DDragon yer. Despite being human, she twisted reason and logic itself. Seeing what the girl did, some even kneeled down. "............" But among them, only the girl who breathed hard never loses her fighting spirit. The wings swayed and the rubble stirred. It was buried in the rubble of the magic crystal, but it raised its sickle like a neck. Its abdomen looked scorched and gutted, and its wings were pierced. Its scales were shattered and peeling here and there, but its majesty was still there. Its reddish-purple eyes still carried a certain light. The pressure didn''t even fade, and she couldn''t see the bottom of its enormous magical power even after letting out such a roar twice. Even though it''s covered in scars, it''s a monster that reigned over the heavens. ¨D¨DThat was the existence called Dragon. Krische her brow and once again produces the thundering spear in her right hand. What she had in her hand was, after all, the remnants of the magical power released by the dragon. It''s like fetching water from theke, it would not make up for the difference between them. There was still an absolute difference in power. How many more times can she block that roar and release this magical spear? Would it be possible to kill this dragon? Even after all this, victory was still not in her hands How to kill this dragon? Krische only thought of that and organized her thoughts. Once again, silence fell over the ce, and intermittent waves of magical power distorted the surroundings. It was a fluctuation that resembled human¡¯sughter. Krische frowned slightly, and the dragon narrowed its eyes slightly. *"¡I see, I see. It seems I¡¯m the one who looked down on you."* Inorganically. *"I can''t believe I feel death from that small body."* But it uttered amusedly in a voice that was not a voice. The girl thought about piercing its skull right there, but unlike its belly, the scales there were thick. It wouldn¡¯t be killed with one blow. It was not a bad idea if it wanted to have a conversation. Time was of the essence to her, so she could gather the magic power. At least the surrounding warriors didn¡¯t look like they''re going to attack her now. *"Name yourself, little one"* Krische hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth without moving. "...Krische Christand." The dragon shook its head in satisfaction and looked straight at Krische. *"My name is Regve of Arbyagel. ...good, Krische."* The intimidating, yet somehow intelligent eyes looked at the girl''s small body. *"There is no lie in your words. Despite your diminutive size, you, solely through your wisdom, possess power to equal mine. Thus, you are equal to me¨D¨D"* As ifughing, the magic waved intermittently. *"¨D¨DIf you wish, I will give you the right to call my true name."* Everyone present there, gasped when they heard those words.. Chapter 153: The Dragon Laughs at the Young Child Dancing Around Chapter 153: The Dragon Laughs at the Young Child Dancing Around ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 153 The Dragon Laughs at the Young Child Dancing Around*** Yagernaus is not a name, but a title once given by man. A dragon''s name is what humans call true name, and it was used only when a dragon made a pact with another dragon who was also their equal. Naturally, it was never permitted for a human to call a dragon by its true name. That''s why all of them stared at the girl with astonishment. The girl heard the words, but did not erase the bizarre spear. Furrowing her brow, she looked up at the dragon. Tension ran through them. With this girl, any reaction was equally possible. Even if it¡¯s, pointing her spear to the Holy Spirit again even after hearing those words. Human beings were like worms in front of the Holy Spirit. That human being was thus forgiven for his rudeness and won the true name from the Holy Spirit. This is the greatest honor, and choice shouldn¡¯t have existed there. But, precisely because even as she¡¯s a human being, she¡¯s outside the human realm, it was doubtful whether she could understand what should have been obvious. It was impossible to measure her by the logic ofmon sense, and that was why the men were on high alert. That this girl kills the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit kills this girl. Whichever way it turns out, it was not what they desired. Whatever the case may be, they now have the same reverence for the power of the Holy Spirit¨D¨Dand for the warrior who faced It. That was why they hoped that those words would put an end to their hostility. But the girl, contrary to their hope, kept a grim look on her face. In her right hand, she held a spear like thunder, and she did not let her guard down. The sight of the girl made sweat trickle down their chins. Silence fell over the ce. After a while, "Thank you for your polite self-introduction. But, you know, umm...." Finally, she opened her mouth with a serious face, "¡What Krische wants is not the right to call Regve-san by name. ¡Krische, Krische think Krische said it properly at the beginning but" And such, she answered the dragon, appearing to not quite understand the dragon. Then once again, silence reigned over the ce. An amused, intermittent wave of magic resounded for a while. The one who broke the silence was the Chef Warrior, Vinthril, who knew thenguage of the ins. He sheathed his curved sword and kneeled before the girl, who tilted her head in puzzlement. "...Yagernaus-sama has recognized your power and has indicated wished to exchange friendship. Whatever your desires are, they will be granted as long as they are in moderation. That''s what I heard what it means when the Holy Spirit allowed Mina (ÓùÃû = name of God)." The warriors who saw Vinthril kneeled as if following suit. "...? Even though you were fighting just now... have Regve-san changed your mind?" Krische looked up at the dragon without putting aside the spear. *"Anymore and it will be until one of us dies, right? There is no benefit to you in death, and neither there is to me. Furthermore, I see no benefit in killing you."* "...That''s certainly true, isn''t it." She traced her cherry-red lips with her fingertips. After a moment''s thought, Krische let go of the spear in her right hand. The thunder-like spear dissipates into magical power and disappears. *"I had nned to kill the fool who didn''t know the difference in power, but now that I know how difficult it will be, I''m just going to honestly let you threaten me, is what I¡¯m saying."* A wave of magical power shook and resounded as ifughing. "¡Rejoice, Krische, even if you look around the world, you are probably the first small creature to frighten a dragon and make it swallow its demands." "Um... Thank you very much..." Krische tilted her head troublingly. "Suddenly being threatened, being pierced with a spear¡¡Isn¡¯t Regve-san angry?" "Compared to you, pain is a thing or nothing. It''s a trivial thing, the first pain in a thousand years is rather pleasant, it reminded me of a life that I had almost forgotten." Krische wondered idly if it was like having her cheek pulled and pinched, and nodded to herself that it was fine as long as it wasn''t angry. *"And that the one that gives that pain is not the same dragon but you, rather it was quite pleasant. I''m tired of most things, but now I''m intrigued. ......You say what you want is in my blood right?"* "Yes. Depending on the situation, Krische also wanted the heart, but if Regve-san will cooperate, then it¡¯s fine." Those who know thenguage of the ins had chills down their spines at Krische¡¯s absurd words. However, at Krische¡¯s words, the dragon only shook its magical power as ifughing again. *"What do you desire with my blood?"* "Krische wants to save someone...important to Krische. She was stabbed, her body was poisoned,...... and Krische saw in a book that the dragon''s flesh and blood contains enormous magical power, so Krische thought that if Krische used it, maybe Krische could help Belly." *"...it''s trifling. It should be possible."* Krische¡¯s eyes widened as the dragon spoke. "Really?" *"Aah. But... it''s too much for you guys. There are some who can¡¯t bear it. It''s too much power to dwell within that small body."* "... um, that''s" *"If they are the descendants of those who once ate our flesh and blood, then perhaps. Does that person, like you and these people, have learned to handle magic to some extent?"* The dragon''s words¨D¨Dprobing its intentions, Krische nodded. "In that case, yes. Regardless of whether she is a descendant or not, Bery is a person who is good at handling magic!" *"...then there shouldn''t be a big problem."* "Ehehe¡what a relief." Her silver hair shook and she smiled happily. Then she bowed her head politely and looked up. "Then let''s go right away. If you''re going to fly, then directly to the royal capital, Krische also wants to ride together. It''s quite a distance if you go down, so it''s hard¨D¨D" The people around her were taken aback by his fearless words, but Krische''s body shook. Vinthril immediately supported that body. "Ah...sorry, Krische, strength rxed." Clothes soaked in sweat and blood. The girl was full of scars and her gaze was hollow. Her fatigue must havee all at once because she was relieved. The battle that had just happened was just that intense From the corner of the hollow, the Suiko rushed to jump down from the top of what used to be a hill with arge horse with a load on it. Then it snuggled up to her side. *"...... you should rest a little. Treat her. It is not well to let the one to whom I gave my name to, die without fulfilling our pact."* "Ha, Yagernaus-sama..." Vinthril called for Lira from the sky, and Lira descended with a grim expression straddling Larnell. As she descended from Larnell, she bowed her head against the dragon. "....Thank you, Yagernaus-sama. I have resolved myself. As soon as this one is treated...this rudeness, with my life¨D¨D'' *"No need. Do you think it will please me to destroy a life like yours?"* "... no, that is" *"Both then and now. I have no interest in how you little ones live and die. If you are concerned about the contract we made in the past, then this time it''s good entertainment... I won''t take it as disrespect and I''ll forgive you."* A promise once sworn by the people of Kreisharana was to not disturb the Dragon¡¯s peace. Dragons had no interest in their activities in this world, and it was like insect repellent to avoid troubles. This was also the reason why Alberan''s founding king epted the Holy Spirit Conference, the Holy Spirit Covenant, and for this reason, the first that was written on the Holy Spirit Pact was somewhere along the lines of "never point your de at the dragon". What the people of Kreisharana feared more than anything else was breaking that covenant. *"Passage of time is such a funny thing. Even among small ones like you, something like this that could threaten our lives appeared. Thousands of years ago, it was unimaginable."* The magic power shook intermittently, and those who were there looked at Krische. Krische, who was listening, separated from Vinthril and sat down with her back leaning against Gururun reluctantly. As the dragon said, she was too physically drained to leave, at least right now. And if she went home in this dizzy state, Bery would be worried when she woke up. She didn¡¯t want to worry Bery too much. She didn''t want her to think that she had pushed herself too hard to help her. "...Krische thinks it''s normal to get angry if you get stabbed like that all of a sudden... but somehow Regve-san seems to be having fun." *"That would be normal because you are so frail and live such a short time, like a blink of an eye, this feeling would not be understood by the likes of you."* Krische pondered this for a moment. This dragon seemed to be quite happy even though Krische had thrown a spear at it and almost killed it. ¡®Onee-sama, it''s perverted to be happy when someone pulls your cheeks or hurts you. I don''t know what Argan-sama said, but please understand a little more that it''s obviously strange¨D¨D¡¯ She recalled Kreschenta¡¯s words. Pinching cheek is a form of affection. Krische didn¡¯t think it''s strange to be happy about it, but this dragon''s statement is clearly different. Krische had malicious intent and threw the spear with intent to kill. On top of that, this dragon was happy. She felt something click, and pped her hands together. "I see, Krische¡¯s little sister said it. Regve-san is the so-called pervert. That''s what you call someone who is happy when they¡¯re pain." Dragon''s Roar¡ª¡ªa battleground where the heat never cools down. Those who understood the content of the words froze at Krische¡¯s words. *¡®kukuku¡¯* Only intermittent waves of magical energy echoed through the ce. What she uttered went beyond a joke and was merely an abuse. The dragon showed no anger at Krische¡¯s words, which were no joke, and Lira and the others who knew thenguage of the ins were relieved. ¡®f-for the time being, the treatment¡¯, Lira begins to treat her in order to seal her mouth while her voice almost cracked. Krische, who was reluctant to take off her clothes in front of others, uses the body of the great Holy Spirit as a partition, cleanses her body with the water she brought, and asks her to wrap her in bandages. Vinthril and others who saw the girl''s condition thought it was dangerous to leave her by the Holy Spirit''s side and suggested to Regve that it would be better to take her back to the vige for medical attention, but Krische told him that it would be better here, where the magic was stronger, and Regve himself agreed. As a result, only Alkierence, Vinthril, Lira, Vervas, and others who knew thenguage of the ins, the leading figure of Kreisharana, remained to take care of Krische¡ª¡ªto monitor her words and actions. They feared that the disaster, which had seemed to be under control for the time being, would be shattered by the girl''s unprovoked remarks. After a while she fell asleep, but if left alone, ¡®Do all dragons look like lizards like Regve-san?¡¯ She was an abnormal person who repeated remarks that go beyond slips of words against the Holy Spirit. At first nce she looks like a pretty, polite, quiet girl, but she''s crazy. Was she trying to get the world caught up in this test of courage, she''s originally a madman who points her de at the Holy Spirit. They couldn''t let her run wild. It was after evening when Krische, who had fallen asleep, woke up. The heat of the molten earth had subsided, and the warriors had already done their misceneous tasks such as making campfires and fetching water. After waking up, Krische bites the smoked meat of a Suikp and pulls out a piece of spear stuck in the body of Regve. Perhaps due to the concentration of magic power, her body had begun to heal considerably after a short sleep, and new flesh was already rising from the small wound. At least there was no problem in moving, and among the warriors of Kreisharana, Alkierence, Vinthril, and the few who remained here timidly rode the dragon to help. "... Alberan''s first princess, is it?" "Yes, Krische suppose that''s the way it''s supposed to be in a manner of speaking. Since Krische¡¯s younger sister, Kreschenta, is the queen, it might be correct to call Krische the royal sister, but... Krische doesn¡¯t really know what''s going on in that area. Krische is not really interested in it either." During that time, Lira had a random conversation about small talk so that Krische wouldn''t blurt out strange things about the Holy Spirit, but there was a lot of strangeness in what she said. It was the name of her sister, a person named Kreschenta. It seems that the person named Kreschenta was this girl''s younger sister, but she seemed to be in charge of national affairs at a young age, and she was Queen Alberan, when asked in detail, Krische naturally exined that. Then who is this girl¡ª¡ªthe words that naturallye up were that. She sounded as if she did not have any interest in it, but it was true that she was a member of the royal family of Alberan. In short, even though she was a member of the royal family of the great country of Alberan, she took her own sword and came to y a dragon for her servant. Here lies madness at its peak. They were puzzled when they heard about what kind of country Alberan was. *"¡Alberan, a descendant of Bazariche?"* "If Regve-san -san is referring to the Founding King Bazariche, then that is probably the case? Regardless of the fact, it seems that we are rted to each other by blood ording to the record." *"Those purple eyes and silver hair¨D¨Dthe atmosphere is very simr. ¡Compared to you, she was a little clever, but"* Regve narrowed its eyes happily. "If you''re a descendant of that, then I understand. Even though it was small, it was arrogant, much like you. It was a pleasant thing, wanting to trade with me." ¨D¨DIt''s too much to support only Kreisharana. You should make a deal with us as well.Then, unlike these barbarians, I can promise you in the name of Bazariche that you will not be bothered with such matters for hundreds of years toe. Regve remembered that figure and Its magic waved as Itughed. "Hm... is it about the Holy Spirit Covenant?" *"Is that what you call it? It''s about that silly arrangement."* The little ones, who afterwards came to im the earth as their own, after every dragon got bored of fighting each other. They were one of the beasts that came to gather the carrion of dragons, but at some point they acquired wisdom and formed a herd, and Bazariche was, among such a race¨D¨Dthe slyest individual among humans. Humans didn''t get involved with dragons, and dragons didn''t get involved with humans. That''s all she proposed, and that''s all she asked of Regve. In any case, it wouldn''t be a bad thing for Regve to not have its sleep bothered with such a beast for the next few hundred years, and Bazariche used such Regve to make a rule for the surrounding world. The Holy Spirit Covenant was born that way, and we remember well how Bazariche even used dragons for her own benefit. *"Although it is a powerless beast, it is a clever one with a good head. ¡¡Someday our era will end, and it may be yours. That''s what I think when I see someone like you."* "Yagernaus-sama..." Chieftain Alkierence shook his head in bewilderment at Regve¡¯s cheerful words, and Krische jumped off the dragon''s back and thought a little. "...After all, Regve-san is a strange person... a dragon, isn''t he? Do you enjoy being killed?" *"I told you right. The way we perceive things is different from yours. If you live a few thousand years, you will understand our hearts.* Regve turned to Krische. *"Things that cannot be seen when living in a moment be visible. Your horizons will expand, and you will gradually be able to enjoy the changes in the world."* "Haa..." *"When we were young, we lived in the moment like you. Showing off our power and gettingnd. Repeat that kind of silly y."* Krische stands up and takes a chunk of smoked meat out of Bururun''s luggage. She dangled it in front of the Regve and waved it from side to side, but the dragon onlyughed. Lira and the others were terrified of Krische, who treated the Holy Spirit as a pet, but Regve had no anger, and seeing how happy the Holy Spirit was, they couldn''t stop her. She was free. *"As time passed, everyone got tired of it and began to spend their time looking at the world like I did. Most dragons probably feel the same as I do."* "... Krische doesn¡¯t really understand." *"If everything is temporary, you will eventually get tired of it. You are just young and don''t know it."* "Hmm... isn''t that just because Regve-san doesn''t know what fun rally is?" Krische smiled and waved the smoked meat. "The feeling of having fun probablyes from growing up, progressing, and that kind of change. Ehehe, in that regard, cooking is a lot of fun. Krische wants to eat something different every day, and every day Krische makes something different and delicious." *"...Fumu"* "Bery said that", said Krische, holding up her finger. "It would be nice if Krische could teach Regve-san the joy of cooking, but¡it seems a little difficult with such a big body." *"In the first ce, we don''t even have to eat anything like you guys do. anyway I don''t think I''ll ever understand the pleasure you''re talking about."* "...But I don''t think it''s very healthy to have such a perverted hobby just because it''s boring and painful." "K-Krische-sama..." "...? Aah, Of course, Krische is happy that Regve-san has forgiven Krische, but...from Krische¡¯s standpoint, it might be better for Krische to be d that Regve-san is perverted." Whilepletely misunderstanding L''s desperate voice, she made a supplement that didn''t serve as any follow-up. It was as if she was probing the dragon''s reverse scale. Everyone was afraid that this dragon, which happily shakes its magic, might actually be angry, but she was the only one who ignored that atmosphere. She may have no malice, but there was only malice within her words. If it were possible, they would have gagged this girl long ago. "...but still, Alberan." Chief guardian Vervas put his hand to his chin to bring the subject back on topic and looked at Alkierence and Vinthril. Vinthril also looks thoughtfully at Alkierence, the old man with a pure white beard. The royal family of Alberan itself broke the invibility and turned its de against the Holy Spirit. Considering the history of Alberan, what she had done was never forgivable. However, she had won the true name of the Holy Spirit, whom they believed in, with her power, and they had exchanged friendship. It is impossible to use her of the sin, and if they look at her as a single individual, she should be treated as a friend of the Holy Spirit, a guest of honor next to the Holy Spirit. If they were to look at her simply as an individual, that would have been fine. When it was all said and done, there was little or no damage, including to Kreisharana¡¯s warriors, at best burns and broken bones¨D¨Dat least none of them had life-threatening injuries. There were some who were caught in the wind, or who they were not sure if they would be able to return as Griffin riders due to the outburst of the griffin, but they were only wounds of honor sustained in battle. It was force majeure. They targeted her, but she did not take theirs. Looking at that fight, they couldn¡¯t criticize her. In spite of her tremendous skill, she went to great lengths and disyed unquestionable loyalty to fulfill the personal promises she had apparently made to Lira. As a warrior recognized even by the Holy Spirit, it was perfectly natural that she should be treated as a respected guest, and they have no objection to that. But if the opponent was royalty, then it was now political. Regardless of her own perception, she should be treated as Alberan royalty. To pay her the kind of respect that one would pay to the Holy Spirit, even privately, would be politically tinged, no matter what one thought. If she''s someone of the Imperial State it''s still fine, but, Alberan. It was a country that Kreisharana had been hostile to for hundreds of years. How to handle it was left to the will of the chieftain. "I will talk to the elderster. Whatever they think of it, it is someone that Yagernaus-sama has approved of. Then we will follow that will." Krische tilted her head and the dragon shook the waves of magic. *"You people are always worried about trivial things. Even though there are no individuals left who were alive back then."* "¡Unlike Yagernaus-sama, we are weak and we are one in a flock. Kreisharana and Alberan are still living like this, just like Yagernaus-sama spoke of in the old days." *"I see, so there is such a view."* Krische made a more and more puzzled face, and Lira, who was next to her, answered the question. "As I said the other day, diplomatic rtions between Kreisharana and Alberan have been severed due to an old grudge¡if Krische-sama is treated as an individual guest, we must decide what to do about that as well." "I see... it''s hard." Spoken like someone else''s problem. *"One who I have allowed my name to is Krische¡ª¡ªonly for this small one. What you do with it is none of my business."* "Ha, Thank you for your kind words... However, as Yagernaus-sama acknowledged, no matter what, Krische-sama is a warrior we should respect. Should that name be crowned with Alberan, I thought we should forget about the trivial things just as Yagernaus-sama said and just prioritize her as warriors. From now on, I will decide the future of the vige with that in mind." *"Do as you please. In the first ce, there is no one to force you to do anything."* "... Thank you." Alkierence kneeled and bowed his head, and everyone present followed suit. The only one who should be in the center of the topic, Krische, was petting the horse and green tiger, saying something like, ¡®It seems a lot of work,¡¯ and Alkierence looked at her, astonished. "¡There has been a rift between the kingdom and the kingdom for a long time. Even though we have maintained peace without interfering with each other for a long time, if you who has formed a friendship with Yagernaus-sama is a member of the Alberan royal family, the current rtionship cannot be said to be fine." "Hmm...Is that so? If it''s been peaceful up until now, then that''s fine¨D¨Dwell, if we can get along well, even Krische thinks that¡¯s better." Clich¨¦ looked troubledly at Alkierence. "It kinda gets unsettled, but aren''t you guys angry too? Krische has be friends with Regve-san, so it might be hard to say, but Krische kicked you guys and did a lot of terrible things... like, those people over there." Then she looked at Vinthril and Vervas. Vinthrilughed and shook his head. "It''s a battle. We''re also aiming to kill you. Now that it''s over... there''s no one to hate you for having fought such a battle and for being recognized by Yagernaus-sama for your ability. All we have in our hearts right now is respect as a warrior." Vinthril pointed to his chest and then to the side where Cliche had kicked him. There was a bruise. "Of course it hurts, but that''s just myck of training. It''s not your fault." Watching the men agreeing with him, Krische pondered. After a while, she bowed her head politely and turned her gaze back to Alkierence. "Krische''ll let Kreschenta know. Anyway, making up isn''t a bad thing." "Thank you. We will officially send a messenger at ater date." "Hmm, then it might be better to do it as soon as possible. Or maybe in a few years... The kingdom is in a dangerous period right now, it''s likely to attack the surrounding country, so as not to get caught up in it." "Attacked?" "The civil war has just ended and it''s unstable. It would be a disaster if Kreisharana were involved even though you guys are living peacefully, so Krische thinks it would be better to send a messenger from the kingdom after things calmed down." Alkierence yed with his white beard and looked at Vinthril and the others. Seeing them nod, Alkierence replied. "...we''ll take that into consideration, including how to conduct ourselves in the future." "Yes. Though it¡¯s not Krische¡¯s ce to say something like this since Krische herself made trouble for Kreisharana, but peace is something that should be cherished." Hearing those words from Krische, the waves of magic shook happily. The dragon narrowed his eyes. *"I don''t know if you''re smart or bad, Krische."* "...? Krische is very clever though" She furrowed her brows dissatisfied, put both hands on her waist, and stared at the dragon. The girl behaved like a child through and through. *"But, I guess it''s only because you¡¯re like that. ¡...What a pleasant one."* Only the voice of theughing dragon continued to echo in that ce. Chapter 154: Royal Capital and Dragon Princess Chapter 154: Royal Capital and Dragon Princess ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 154 Royal Capital and Dragon Princess*** What was there was not even a castle wall. In the watchtower of Fort Pirquet, surrounded by a high fence, stood two men. "I wonder what was that thing yesterday, Mirke-san." "Don''t ask me, Bigg. How should I know?. Fort Pirquet, which was built facing the mountains in the northwestern in of the kingdom, was a historic fort that existed hundreds of years ago to keep an eye on Kreisharana. However, it was only a surveince¨D¨Dit was too vulnerable to stop the enemy''s invasion. Even if the opponent was Kreisharana, which was now more like a tribe than a country, the fort would fall in less than a day if attacked. This fort exists only to raise the signal and announce their movements, and it was more correct to call it a messenger station rather than a fort to hold off an enemy''s invasion. There is no particr movement except for the asional sighting of Kreisharana¡¯s griffin cavalry flying over the mountains, who are probably here to check on the situation¨D¨Dthis was the least busy fortress in the entire kingdom. It had never been involved in a battle in the past several hundred years. The unprecedented incident that attacked this fort was yesterday''s sh of light. Scraping away the mountains, piercing the sky¨D¨Dthe humans who know the unknown power of magic cried out in terror saying that it was a mass of magical power or something like that. They told them that it must be the Dragon¡¯s Roar , and panicked that the ancient dragon Yagernaus, who had been silent for a long time, had awakened. Certainly, looking at the destructive power capable of carving out a mountain, both of them could understand that it was an extraordinary situation. However, it was too much of an event for them to really sink in. Although they''ve been standing watch since morning, the mountain was silent even at noon. In fact, they were vaguely thinking that yesterday''s light was just an imagination, and that andslide had simply urred. The two jumped on their shoulders at the sounding up thedder and straightened their posture. It was too early for them to shift. However, the number of people who can climb thisdder is limited. "Is there anything unusual?" "Y-yes sir! Marquis Giterns" What appeared was a nobleman with his ck hair slicked back. Argosh Wickel Giterns. He was not a military nobleman who fought with a sword, but he was the head of the old Giterns house. He was a noble who settled in Piels, a town not far from here, and ruled over this area. He was thin, but his eyes were sharp. Known for his shrewdness, he was not a military noble, but there was something about him that could make his opponents shrink. The two men nervously put their hands on their chests and saluted. "Nothing for now. Yesterday I saw the Griffin of Kreisharana flying a few times but..." "Today there¡¯s no sighting of it huh" "Yeah. I think it''s been reported, but I''ve been seeing Griffin a lot in thest few days. I don''t know the cause and effect of this, but..." Argosh looked ringly at the mountains of Arbyagel. "Something may have happened in Kreisharana. Don¡¯t let your guard down. I''ve talked with the fort manager, Coles, and we''ve decided to increase the number of guards. Keep up the good work for a while longer." "Yes sir!" Argosh smiled cheerfully and patted them on the shoulder. "I''ve arranged for some liquor to be sent here. You can drink it after your shift. Watching is a particrly stressful job." "! Thank you, Marquis Giterns." "Don''t need to thank me. But be careful to not drink too much." He softened his stern face. A serious and shrewd man¨D¨DMarquis Giterns who was such a person was likely to be hated by the soldiers and the people, but there was no one around here who disliked him as a noble. He tightens his grip when he has to, but at the same time, he also makes an effort to understand their various dissatisfactions and puts effort into resolving them. The head of the family himself ran around to various ces, and no one said anything bad about him, and his reputation was high. The two soldiers look at each other, pleased at their good fortune to be assigned to this fortress. Argoshe smiled at them, but then looked up at the sky and frowned. "¡That is" "¡something is?" Where Argoshe looked up¡ª¡ªsomething seemed to be flying above the mountain. It was not a griffin. It was far away and looked far more massive than that. And as he looked at it, the figure was getting even bigger. The three people who were there and those who had climbed the other towers stiffened. When something beyond theirprehension appears before their eyes, human beings freeze. A giant wing that could swallow an entire vige. The huge body that was like a fortress. "...A, dragon?" Argosh muttered dumbfoundedly. No one answered. Everyone was thinking the same thing. It didn¡¯t pass by this ce, but slowly descended. One ri away, the turret shook with the p of its wings. The umted snow fluttered up like a storm. In front of that huge body, this small fortress looked like a sand castle, and even soldiers could be seen falling on their back. "Tell everyone not to move. I''ll go." "But..." "Tell Coles that too. That¡¯s not an opponent you can manage with force." Argosh''s legs were shaking as well, however he was a noble. If it wanted to, it could blow up this little fort with a single p of its wings. And yet, they had gone to the trouble ofnding a ri away¨D¨Dperhaps it meant no harm. Feeling as if he were clinging to that spection, Argosh jumped down from the tower onto the snowy in outside the fence. He had mastered the art of handling magic, and as a noble, he has had the minimum amount of training. However, it¡¯s meaningless in the face of the dragon in front of him. To show that he meant no harm, he left his heirloom long sword in the snow and walked forward alone. The dragon shook the earth just bynding. Argosh was half-prepared for death. Otherwise, he would not be able to walk. The closer he got, the more he realized the extent of its massive size and that he would never be a match for it. Its long neck was taller than the towers built in the fortress, and its jaws could swallow a hut whole. The figure of a dragon that was only known through myth¡ª¡ªshould he be happy that he was able to see it before he died? Even from a distance, the enormous amount of magic power was apparent, and he understood that it was definitely this dragon that scraped away the mountain. As he got closer, he could see that its wings were torn here and there, and its scales were covered with patches of flesh. It seems to have been wounded in some way. However, this did not make him feel that this dragon was weak. Rather, he was growing fearful at the possibility that It might be irritated increased¨D¨D "!?" ¨D¨DArgosh frozepletely when he saw something leaping down from its back. A girl with silver hair swinging left and right like two tails came down. "Hmmm, it''s a bit of a tough and ufortable ride, that''s a bit of downside" *"If you think so, you should have peeled off the scales on my back a little more."* "Well, that would have stained Krische¡¯s clean clothes with blood." Then one¨D¨Da huge tiger followed after her. Green body hair, that huge body. At first nce, he understood that it was a Suiko, but the information in front of him had already exceeded Argosh''s processing limit. He remained rigid, looking at the back of the girl talking to the dragon¨D¨Dat the fur cloak. "Also Regve-san mustn''t say things like that, even if it¡¯s a joke. That''s maybe Regve-san''s hobby, but Regve-san should take better care of your body." Intermittently wave of magic, the girl told the dragon to wait a moment and then turned around to face him. Purple eyes peeking out from her silver hair. She approached with a trot and spoke to Argosh. "Nn... you look like a noble. Hello." "Y-you are..." "Krische Alberinea Christand. Krische stopped by for a little request." "Christand..." Argosh repeated dumbfoundedly, and immediately fell to his knees and lowered his head. "I-it¡¯s an honor to meet you, Alberinea, I¡¯m Argosh Wickel Giterns." "...Giterns? Ah, could it be Anne''s...e to think of it, Anne''s parents'' house was in Piels, it¡¯s right nearby." "T-thank you for taking care of my daughter." "Ehehe, what a coincidence, to meet in a ce like this. Nice to meet you, Anne is...well, um...yes, she¡¯s doing her best." Why was he greeting her daughter''s employer, a hero of the civil war, in a ce like this? Why did this girle down from the dragon? Why was a Suiko here as if it¡¯s normal? What he had here was a barrage of information that even the shrewd Argoshe could not handle. Shivering, the Suiko scattered the snow from its body and rubbed its nose against the girl in front of him, who was petting its head as if it was a cat or something. The fur cloak she wore, and the dress inside it, wad tattered. Bandages were wrapped here and there around her body, and the dragon, also covered in scars, and the words that echoed in his head earlier. That sh may have been caused by this girl¨D¨Dhis brain was deriving the correct answer itself, but his confused head couldn''t even put together a sentence to ask it. "T-thank you very much. I was worried that that poor girl was causing trouble for Her Majesty the Queen, Alberinea, and Margrave Christand." "Y-yes... it''s okay. Uhh, she¡¯s really doing her best and... she¡¯s doing her best." What came out of his throat was social pleasantries that didn''t fit the asion. What came to mind in her confused head was a letter from a silly girl who boasted something like, ¡®I made the right choice to leave the royal territory, and now I''m bing a first-ss servant, and sometimes I''m even entrusted with the care of Her Majesty the Queen.¡¯ He understood that his head was spinning out of control with confusion, but he could not get Anne''s face out of his mind. He didn''t even notice Krische¡¯s indescribably subtle reaction. "That...that''s good to hear. I know she¡¯s a clumsy girl, but please take care of her too from now on." What was he talking about in front of the Dragon? He wanted to punch himself in the face, but it was Krische who responded in a normal manner. In the face of such an unbelievable threat, Argosh was afraid to cut in on the conversation, and the words just came out of his mouth. Krische was the first to change the subject. "Well, we can greet each other at some point when youe to the capital. ...Krische has a small favor." "Hg, what is it, Alberinea? I will risk my life to do your bidding, whatever it takes." "No, you don''t need to risk your life, but..." Krische pointed to Mount Arbyagel, from which the dragon flew. "The people of Kreisharana are supposed to bring Krische¡¯s horse to here at ater date. Krische would like someone to take it to the royal capital from here." "Yes ma¡¯am. ...yes?" Argosh was willing to ept whatever it was, but the words he heard brought new confusion. He quickly reacted with a dumb reaction and held his mouth. Kreisharana added to the already numerous questions. Kreisharana was a country with which we have a non-aggression treaty and even diplomatic rtions have been severed. Why did the word Kreisharanae up there?¡ª¡ªKrische, who tilted her head, pped his hands to Argosh, whose head was filled with such questions. "Look, this Gururun¡ª¡ªSuiko can ride on the back with Krische, but it is difficult to ride on the back of a dragon with a horse''s body, so Krische had no choice but to go back separately. At first Krische thought of having it hang on Regve-san¡¯s hand or something but......" ¡ª¡ªBururun transportation n. The n was to hook Bururun on the fingertips of the Regve and transport it to the royal capital. It was an air transport n that was drawn up in Krische after only a blink of an eye to solve the difficult problem of how to get it back to the royal capital and was almost implemented. Krische was trying to make a hanging cloth to hang Bururun from, using the nkets and other materials she had brought with her so as not to burden therge Bururun''s body. However, the moment the n was discovered, Lira and the others stopped her and she had to abandon the project. That the Holy Spirit had allowed it. They were willing to look the other way and let Krische and Suiko ride on the Holy Spirit¡¯s back, but they begged her to at least pardon them seeing the Holy Spirit in such a silly way. Neither Regve nor Krische particrly cared about it, but they seemed to be very concerned about it, so she reluctantly responded to it¨D¨DAs a result, it was nned that they would carry Bururun all the way here. She came down here on purpose to tell him that. Even though she was trying to make it asfortable as possible for Bururun, who had worked so hard to carry the spear all the way up there, she was disappointed that her lips pouted. "They said no, so it became this..." "N-no, more importantly...why are the people of Kreisharana?" "...?" Krische thought again for a moment and pped her hands again. "Oh, right. Since Krische had be friends with Regve-san, Kreisharana wants to reconcile with the Kingdom. It''s a good thing." *yeah yeah* She nodded and put up her finger with a straight face. "Ah, but it''s still a private matter, so you can''t spread it around here and there. If Kreisharana decides on their rtionship with the Kingdom (decide on the banner they will wave = decide their affiliation), it would be terrible for them to get caught up in the future battles... it seems that they will send some messengers at ater date, but the details will be after that." The magical power rippled intermittently, and Argosh looked up at the dragon behind her in fear. *"Even though the banner they will wave is already obviously decided. You¡¯re really not very perceptive huh, Krische. It even makes me think, "I understand you, the human race more than you."* "Muu... As expected, Krische thinks Krische has a better understanding of human society than Regve-san, who is of a different race." *"That''s just what you think right."* Disgruntled, Krische puffed out her cheeks and red at the dragon. Argosh stiffened at her and the Dragon, a bizarre rtionship. What did it mean to be friends with a dragon? Why would Kreisharana propose such a thing now? His doubts kept growing. "Calm down Selene-sama!" "But...!" In the mansion, Selene, who heard the dragon''s attack with Kreschenta, immediately grabbed her sword and went outside the Royal Capital to go to the training ground where the dragon descended. The dragon that appeared in the royal capital had its scales peeled off and its wings torn¨D¨Dwhy did the dragon appear in the royal capital, and why was it injured? She knew the reason. This was probably what it means to have one''s mind go nk. The enormous amount of magic power, the huge body that rivaled the royal castle itself. Serene drew her sword against that opponent, who she had no chance of winning and just by looking at it made her feet tremble. She was stopped by Eluga, who had alsoe out from the royal city. While all the soldiers were frightened and stiffened, Eluga held back Selene, the only one who exudes hostility and hatred. The sh that pierced the clouds the other day¡ª¡ªKrische was probably killed by this dragon. Selene''s feelings were painfully understandable, but Eluga was not young enough to surrender to his emotion. A dragon that left the densely packed area andnded on an open training ground. Eluga, who thought that the Dragon had no intention of burning the royal capital right now, held back her desperate rampage. At least he had to avoid her being the trigger for it. The Dragon''s intentions should be investigated¡ª¡ªno, rather than that, calming down Selene, was what Eluga thought, but, "¡Hm?" "Eh...?" The girl and Suiko jumped on the dragon''s shoulders and descended through its arms. Seeing that, the two stiffened. She trotted through the snow and tilted her head as she saw Selene being held down by Eruga. "... Um, what are you doing?" Wearing her fur cloak, her body covered in bandages. Silver hair wrapped in a white hat and a muffler¡ª¡ªKrische asked the two curiously. "Could it be, before Krische knew it, the two of you became really good friends¡ª¡ªughu!?" "Krische!" Eluga''s strength loosened. Serene immediately threw away her sword and pushed Krische down onto the snow. "You idiot! I was so worried, you left so suddenly... what if..." Despite the strong pain from the pressure on her injured body, Krische stared at Serene dumbfoundedly. Her shoulders were shaking and her eyes were downcast as Serene pressed her face against her own chest in a tearful voice. "¡¡sorry" "If you think you can get away with just that, you¡¯re making a big mistake, geez, really¡" Krische stayed like that for a while, stroking Selene''s head as she hugged her and cried. Two soldiers, including the ck g Special Force, were staring at the dragon from afar, but without worrying about the gaze, Krische hugged Selene¡¯s head and raised her body. "Sorry, if Krische told Selene, Krische thought Selene would definitely stop Krische." "...Of course, you idiot. What do you think of your body, really, you don''t think about anything... you idiot." Hearing Selene reply, Krische stroked her back as if to soothe a crying child. Selene, whose face was crumpled with tears, red at Krische. Krische troubledly wiped Selene''s tears with the sleeve of her dress and repeated, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯. "Do you think if you say...sorry you''ll be forgiven." "Is...it, no good?" "Even if I apologize, I will be preaching all night today." "Uuu..." Selene finally smiled at that reaction and pressed her forehead against hers. She stared at her purple eyes, almost her nose, and repeated, "Idiot." Then she wiped her tears with her sleeve. She hid her face in her hands for a while to catch her breath¡ª¡ªand then finally looked at the dragon behind Krische, furrowing her brow and looking at Krische. "Haa... For now, I''ll leave my anger forter. So, what does this mean?" "Ehehe, yes. Uuu, you see..." ¡®Should Krishce start from the beginning or?¡¯ Krische pondered for a moment, and then a wave of magic resounded. *"That person single-handedly challenged me to battle and demonstrated her power. Thus, I have allowed her name as one who is equal to me, and exchanged a covenant¡ª¡ªI am here ording to that person''s wishes."* It was that strange voice that echoed in their head. A strange sensation that shook the magic in their body. Just by uttering a voice, just by being there was a strange intimidating feeling. *"I have no interest in the world of yours, little one. I will only respond to the covenant with that person, and once that is done, I will leave here. There is no need to be frightened, there is no need to panic."* ¡®Ohh¡¯, Krische nodded satisfactorily and looked up at the dragon. "Regve-san is quite good at exining things." It''s just to the point, and from Krische point of view, it''s an easy to understand exnation. It wasn''t easy for others to understand, but Clich¨¦ nodded and looked at Selene for the time being. "It''s like that. Krische asked Regve-san to help Bery, and Regve-san epted. Regve-san said that if Regve-san use its own blood, she''ll be fine." "Eh, uh...I, I see..." She understood that there was no malicious intent when she saw that The Dragon was bringing Krische, but it went beyond her expectations. Selene agreed for the time being while feeling indescribable. "Um, so Krische is thinking of bringing Bery here but" "You are really¡¡" "...?" "... Enough, go ahead." "Yes" Krische started running happily, riding sideways on the back of the Suiko that was chasing her, and ran towards the royal capital. Not only soldiers, but also many people gathered in the distance, and there was amotion in the surroundings. After all thismotion There is no need for a gag order. Serene sighed. Behind her, more murmurs spread, and when she turned around, she saw Kreschenta with Kilik and the others. As if troubled by her dress, she pinched her skirt and ran. She looked left and right, stood next to Selene, and she looked up at the dragon and whispered to Selene. "... As expected even if it¡¯s Onee-sama, I never thought that Onee-sama would reallye back and be friends with a dragon." "... Who would have imagined that, really." Even though Kreschenta looked stunned, after just saying that she took a step forward. As she swayed her white dress on the snow, she bowed her head politely. "It¡¯s an honor to meet you for the first time, Holy Spirit Yagernaus-sama. My name is Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan, Queen of the Kingdom of Alberan." With a graceful bow, she raised her face to look at the dragon again. Purple and reddish-purple intermingled, shaking quietly as magic rippled through the air. *"You look more like a Bazariche, though different in appearance. ''O chief of the little ones."* "My, it''s an honor to bepared to the great founding king." Kreschenta smiled and tried to continue her words¡ª¡ªbut the voice of the dragon preceded her. *"Like I said earlier, I have no interest in you guys. As promised in the past, you don''t intervene with me, and I don''t intervene with you. I¡¯m here now because of the covenant with that person, Krische¡ª¡ªAs long as you understand that you can spin whatever words you like. While waiting for that person, I will y along with you as much as you want."* Kreschenta tightened her smile a little, and then she deepened her smile even more. "Of course, I understand your position, Yagernaus-sama. I just wanted to say a few words of thanks to Yagernaus-sama, who came here for my sister''s sake, just out of friendship." Selene looked suspiciously at Kreschenta. It was clear that she had expected the dragon to be in favor of Alberan, but even before they exchanged a word, this vicious Queen''s true nature had been seen through. She didn''t know what kind of person the founding king Bazariche was, but the dragon''s words of her resemnce was definitely not apliment. *"No need. The covenant was exchanged between me and that person, an individual named Krische. No more no less. That''s what the covenant is."* This was what it means to have nothing to cling to. Kreschenta¡¯s inner self, who continued to smile, was theplete opposite of what she looked like on the outside. If she were inside the estate, she would have puffed her cheeks out and behaved like an indignant child. "Just with those generous words, you can know the depth of Yagernaus-sama''s heart. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart." With a smile on her face, Kreschenta lowered her head. Serene endured a wave ofughter that came unexpectedly, as Kreschenta quickly changed from indignation and tension. There was public attention. She couldn''t let herself burst intoughter here. But what resounded was an intermittent wave of magical power that was indescribable. The echoes echoed around without a voice, was it theughter of a dragon? *"You''re theplete opposite of that person, which is fun in its own way...even though you¡¯re quite simr, you¡¯re also quite different, it''s quite interesting."* "¡Is it okay if I take that as apliment?" *"Take it as you will. You little ones, is like that isn¡¯t it?* By her side, Selene could see Kreschenta eyebrows twitching. But she never loses her smile¡ª¡ªthe thickness of the skin on her face always impresses her. "I will do so, Yagernaus-sama. ...and one more thing" For the third time she repeated. Again Kreschenta bowed her head and sighed quietly. "This is just for me as an individual. No matter what kind of covenant was exchanged with Onee-sama, Yagernaus-sama granted that wish... As an individual, I would like to thank you for that. Anyway, Onee-sama¡¯s wish is also my wish after all." Selene looked at Kreschenta with a bit of surprise, she smiled quietly and bowed her head, and Eluga followed suit. The soldiers around them had no idea what her words meant, but as long as Her Majesty the Queen was bowing, they could not ignore it. The shaken soldiers finally got on their knees and lowered their heads. Kresca looked up and smiled. "As a mere individual, would you ept my thanks in this way?" *"If that makes you happy, do as you like. Even if you call out to a stone, it won''t respond, but if there is someone that would be satisfied with it, I won''t deny it."* The beautiful golden eyebrows glittering in red swayed with a twitch. Kreschenta kept her smile. "I won''t say thank you to a stone. Words only have meaning when they aremunicated with each other¡ª¡ªand now that we understand each other, I don''t think it''s meaningless." Magical power shook intermittently. The dragon narrowed its eyes and looked at her. *"After all, you¡¯re quite simr. ¡That¡¯s right, if you really want it then."* Then he brought hisrge face close to hers. *"Before you die, if you don''t change your mind, you should show up with that person. ¡At that time, I will ept your gratitude. I''ll take it as entertainment."* In short, he wouldn¡¯t receive it now, and he wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with it. Words with such connotations. Kreschenta¡¯s intention to somehow borrow the power of the dragon waspletely seen through. "¡¡¡¡Yes, Yagernaus-sama." Thinking about it normally, it was the most honorable invitation for the people living in this world, but there were two exceptions. As long as she can get through it now, she didn''t have to care about this unpleasant lizard-like, Kreschenta. The dragon''s lure was of no great benefit, and all she could feel was difort and trouble. Magical power rippled intermittently as if seeing through Kreschenta, who seemed to be deeply displeased with a smile on her face. Chapter 155: Dragonâ€™s Pledge (Contractor) Chapter 155: Dragon¡¯s Pledge (Contractor) ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 155 Dragon¡¯s Pledge (Contractor)*** The dragon''s voice was transmitted throughout the surrounding area. A strange voice that echoes inside the head rather than what the words mean. The people, who were panicked by the appearance of the dragon, became even more confused, and the castle town was in chaos. The appearance of Suiko, who was taller than a man, would naturally intensify the chaos. The Suiko was driven through the crowds, along the rooftops, and into the royal territory. Krische grabbed its fur as she rode sideways, using her voice and magic to tell it where to go. Despite being in an unfamiliarnd, the Suiko read Krische¡¯s intentions really well. In front of the royal territory¨D¨Dthe soldiers of the guard stiffened at the sight of the Siko and were rmed, but when they saw the girl riding on top of her, they quickly gave way. In the royal capital, there was no one who did not know her name. Once they had flown in through the gates of the royal domain, the estate was just a short distance away. "K-Krische...-sama?" "Elvena, it''s been a while." Elvena, who was waiting for Selene and the others to return in front of the mansion, almost copsed over by the huge green tiger that suddenly appeared in front of her, and leaned against the door. And she stroked her chest in relief at the sight of Krische jumping off the Suiko¡¯s back. "I¡¯m d¡you¡¯re safe. Uhh, the injuries..." She lowered her brows slightly, noticing the torn dress and bandages peeking out from her furry cloak. Seeing Elvena like that, Krische stretched, stood on tiptoe, and gently stroked her head. "Krische is fine. Sorry, Krische caused Elvena to worry.... But everything has been resolved properly, so please rest assured." "Y-yes, no...t-there''s nothing Krische-sama, should apologize for..." Even as she said that, her tears flowed, and she frantically wiped them with her fingers. Krische stared at her and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of the mansion." "¡¡yes" Elvena also smiled and nodded. "But, we''ll continueter...Krische has to go to Bery. Can you watch this child for a moment?" "T-this child..." "It¡¯s called Gururun. It saved Krische from a dangerous situation. ...is it called Krische''s favor cat?" "Is...is that so?" Despite its quadrupedal gait, it was considerably taller than Elvena. From the shoulders to its arm muscles, it was as big as Elvena''s waist. It is a fierce beast that can be recognized at a nce. That was not the kind of exnation she wanted to hear. But the reality of being left in front of such a ferocious beast, she could only nod in terror. No matter how she exined it to this girl, she wouldn¡¯t understand the fear she felt, and she seemed as if she had finished the exnation. "Gururun, you can''t eat Elvena okay. Stay still." Whether or not it understood that it''s going around, the wild beast groaned ¡®grrr¡¯ as if responding. The words she said while pointing her finger at it, stirred up Elvena''s fear even more, but Krische naturally didn¡¯t notice. Leaving Elvena in front of the Suiko, she leapt upstairs. The destination was the balcony of her room, where Berry was sleeping. She unlocked the lock from the outside using her magic power, and inside she found Anne standing in front of the door on the corridor side, holding a frying pan. She didn''t even notice Krische as she entered, both hands clutching the frying pan tightly. "¡¡What are you doing?" "Hi!?" Anne''s shoulders jumped and she turned around and slumped to the spot when she saw Krische. ¡®Krische-sama¡¯ she said miserably, and answered Krische¡¯s question idiotically. "W-when I heard that the dragon hade, I thought, I had to protect Argan-sama just in case..." What was she going to do with that frying pan against a dragon? What did she intend to do while standing guard in the hallway? Why was it a frying pan in the first ce? "Please return the frying pan. That''s Berry''s favorite... really. If you use it violently, Krische will get angry okay." There were many things she wanted to say, but she finished it with just that and approached the bed. Red hair, a well-defined face. Bery, whose time had stopped, looked the same as when she left. She didn''t think anything would happen to her in this state, but she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her. She turned her palm to her and drew a geometric pattern. Compared to creating it, the magical power required to release it was small. The invisible walls that separated the worlds disappeared, and Bery''s slightly rough breathing echoed through the room. She quickly pulled down the sheets and held Berry, still in her negligee, in her hands. Her brow was furrowed a little painfully and her body was terribly hot. Krische furrowed and put her cheek against her head. "Arne, the door" "Y-yes" In a panic, Anne opened the door and ran to the entrance, followed by Krische. She ran down the hallway, trying not to shake Berry''s body as much as possible, and then went through the stairs. Once out front, she told them both "Then Krische''ll go for a while. ...Anne makes sure to return the frying pan." Without waiting for an answer, Krische ran. the Suiko passed by her and looked back strangely several times at the slow running master, "Gururun is rough, so no." When Krische said that, it raised its voice and kept pace with her. A dragon that appeared in the royal capital. And Suiko, running leisurely through the city. Just like when she came, themotion was terrible, and it was a little troublesome. With Bery in such a state, it was impossible for her to walk along the rooftops. She wondered what she should do, but it gradually stopped once she passed through the first-ss city. "Krische-sama!" There were men in ck armor. The ck g Special Force is making way for Cliche on the main road in the center of King''s Landing, appeasing the people who are on the verge of chaos. Dagra appeared in front of them and ran alongside them. "As expected of Bald Eagle." A little further ahead she could see, Mia, Aleha, Tagel, and Corinth were leading the way in organizing the crowd. Krische ran down the road, honestly impressed. "No, it¡¯s a matter of course. I would like to ask for post-facto approval for this as a special mission." "...Yes, Krische will forgive you. But this time aside, you shouldn''t do this too much. It will be bad if we get scolded." "Ha. Of course. If not, I won''t be an example for my subordinates." Despite being rude, Dagra saluted as he ran. It was not permitted to move the corps under the guise of anything other than training without permission. Given the circumstances, it would have been possible to use an excuse under the pretext of suppressing the confusion of the people, and it would have been fine if only ex post facto approval was obtained, but it was not a desirable thing. It was a rare act for the serious man¨D¨Dbut now Dagra saw her not as a soldier, but as someone who he served for the rest of his life. He knew the servant Bery was stabbed. He imagined that was probably the reason why she disappeared after that, and then when he heard the dragon''s words he understood more or less what was going on. Then it was his role to help her. That was why Dagra arbitrarily moved her troops to pursue immediately. "But I was surprised to see Krische-sama return on the dragon''s back when I thought Krische-sama had suddenly disappeared. Even though I am already used to such surprises." Dagra looked at the girl-like woman Krische was holding, then looked at the green tiger, and frowned. That was the main cause of the increased confusion around them. It was his job to care about what Krische didn''t care about. "turn left down the alley. I''ll lead the way, we¡¯ve already cleared the area." "No, Krische leave it to you." Krische, led by Dagra, joined Kalua at the gate, where they were clearing the area. "Fufu, Usa-chan always surprised us." She walked through the crowds with the usual light-heartedments. ¨D¨DAnd then once again in front of the dragon. Dagra and Kalua stopped a little earlier. Krische stepped in front of Selene and Kreschenta and showed Regve, Bery who she was holding. "Regve-san, this is the person Krische wants you to save." Regve brought his face closer and stared at Bery for a while, then he slowly brought its left arm, one of its fingers closer. Everyone in the room held their breath, thinking that she might be crushed¡ª¡ªbut the dragon''s movements were surprisingly rxed. *"Open her mouth"* "Um... yes." Krische gently lowered Bery and supported her neck. Then, holding her chin, she opened her slightly pale lips. The dragon used its right hand and wed at its own left arm. The magic showed a blue glow, and the red blood turned purple. The blood bled and ran down from the tips of its fingers to the tips of its steel-like ws. A drop fell onto Sleeping Beauty''s mouth. The blood mysteriously disappears into her lips as if it had a will of its own, as if it is absorbed. Two drops, three drops¡ª¡ªthat was all it and the dragon to withdraw his arm. The blood has already stopped, and the droplets turned into a blue mist and disappeared. When Krische looked up at the dragon curiously, it was the voice of magic that shook and echoed. *"I told you, it''s too much for you guys."* The dragon showed the tip of its w. "Many of the little ones who once devoured our dead flesh with grees have died because they could not stand the blood. Any more would be too much." "¡Is it like medicine that is too strong?" Krische pondered those words, and the dragon narrowed its eyes. *"¡¡Even though it¡¯s a body that has be ustomed to blood after repeated crossbreeding, our body is different in the first ce. If you want to test it on that person''s body, I don¡¯t mind giving her more blood."* "... It''s fine. How mean." The magic ripples intermittently, as if having fun. Krische¡¯s lips pouted¡ª¡ªsuddenly the body in her arms moved. "Bery?" Bery held her chest painfully, and blue magic power arises and envelops her body. Krische immediately hugged her body, stabilizing the overflowing magical power. The seizure-like movements gradually abate, and Krische strokes Bery''s back and pressed her cheek against Bery¡¯s. No one opened their mouths. In front of the dragon, only looking at the two figures there. ¨D¨DAfter a while, what resounded was, "Krische...-sama...?" For Krische, it was a voice that sounded more familiar than anyone else. "Bery, good, properly..." She separated a little and looked at her. The big, dreamy eyes opened slightly, but surely, and looked back at Krische curiously. As if looking into the void, as if slumbering. But she smiled, and put her hand around Krische''s back. "... I can''t believe I can meet Krische-sama even in the afterlife." "Bery isn''t dead, she''s alive." Curiously, Berry tilted her head and looked to her left and right. Her dim eyes were still in her dreams, and it seemed like her head wasn''t working. But surely she opened her eyes and spoke to the clich¨¦. "Is that so...?" "Yes, that''s right. Ehehe, huh...?" She should have been happy, but suddenly her vision blurred. Confused, Krische wiped it with her hand. She wiped her overflowing drops many times and looked at it curiously. Berry pinches Krische¡¯s cheeks between her hands and carefully wipes it away for her with her thumbs. "But, either way..." Then, she brought the tips of their noses to each other. Slowly, their lipse together. Softly, gently. The same sensation of a kiss, that didn¡¯t change, as usual. After doing so for a moment, Bery smiled happily away and traced her thumb over Krische¡¯s lips. "If I could meet Krische-sama again then" She hugged Krische¡¯s body and closed her eyelids, her longshes swaying. "I¡¯m, fin¨D¨D" And there her words stopped. Instead, only her calm, quiet breathing echoed, and Krische gently hugged her body, smiling at her in relief. "... Ehehe, good night." Like holding something dear, she stroked her red hair, pressed her cheek and wiped her eyes. The soldiers watching from the side probably had understood what had happened. The same goes for the soldiers right behind Selene and the others. Selene and Crescenta were impressed by the scene¨D¨Dand then it changed in an instant. Selene tantly, and even Kreschenta slightly, their cheeks twitched. *"Your wish hase true. If you have no further need for me, I''ll leave with this."* "Ehehe, yes, thank you very much, Regve-san. ¡¡Actually, Krische would like to give something in return but" *"There is no shortage. The fun for the first time in hundreds of years, the price is trivial."* "Hm...but..." *"You and I see things differently, we measure things differently. I told you so right. There is nothing for you to worry about."* Krische tilted her head as if troubled, thought about it, and nodded as if something had clicked within her. "Ah, then Krische will give Regve-san nick¨D¨Dmugu." "¡¡stop it" Selene immediately covered Clich¨¦''s mouth with her hand and let out a sigh. Krische red at Selene with a little dissatisfaction. "Muu..." "It¡¯s not Muu right? Yagernaus-sama said there''s nothing to worry about, right? That''s forcing goodwill on other people, Krische. Even if you say you don''t want it, if Krische was given 10 or 20 pumpkins, wouldn''t Krische be troubled?" Krische¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in thought at Serene''s words, and Selene sighed again in dismay. She looked up at the dragon and opened her mouth. "... Thank you, Yagernaus-sama. I will never forget this debt for the rest of my life. I hope this rtionship with Krische will continue in the future." *"As long as the person doesn''t change her mind, there''s nothing to worry about. It will naturally continue."* Krische, who seemed to be satisfied with the exnation of the pumpkin for the time being, looked up at the dragon and smiled. "Ehehe, Regve-san aside, Krische is extremely grateful. Really, thank you very much." *"I''m going to rest my body too. ¡¡In the future, if you feel like it,e and show your face."* "Yes." After saying that, the dragon turned its back and started walking toward the north. The earth shook, snow flurries, and a distant blizzard rolls in as it flies away. The fluttering of the powerful wings, even with holes, was somehow graceful, the dancing snow scattering the sunlight, the melting drops creating a rainbow. Krische saw it off, as she pressed her cheek against the sleeping Bery. Just happily seeing off the dragon''s back. Chapter 156: Dragonâ€™s Blood Chapter 156: Dragon¡¯s Blood ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 156 Dragon¡¯s Blood*** The seventeenth civil war in Christand began when Bery woke up the next day. Krische immediately tried to hug her, but because Bery''s own body was frozen in time, only two days had passed since she was stabbed. Even with the blessings of the great Dragon, the wound in her abdomen was naturally still not closed. Her movements were stopped by Selene Christand, the head of the Christand house, and Krische¡¯s attempt to get into bed and hug Berry had to be abandoned. Then, what should be done¡ª¡ªthe one who came forward here was Queen Alberan, an honorary Christand, Kreschenta Alberan. She indicated a chair, saying that Onee-sama should sit over there, and nned to create a position for herself above her sister''sp. However, it was Selene Christand who rebelled against this. Using the pretense that Krische was also injured, she dered that Krische deserves to be on herp. The situation bes extremely chaotic, and in the end, Krische sat on top of Selene, who was sitting next to Bery on her bedside, and Kreschenta hugged Krische from the front, constructing a strange object d¡¯art on the bed. "Did you understand most of it?" Bery nodded as Selene patted Krische''s head while hugging her. What happened while Berry was sleeping¡ª¡ªalthough the content was rtively serious, the gap with theposition of what Bery saw was intense. "I''m sorry", Bery said as shey there with a vague, troubled smile on her face. "...Because of my carelessness¡ª¡ª" "Really. Because of your carelessness the Kingdom almost faced destruction. It''s not a problem that can be settled just by apologizing¡ª¡ªuuu..." "Kreschenta, the next time you say something like that, I will be angry, okay." Krische pinched Kreschenta¡¯s lips with her fingers. Selene reached over and lightly tapped Bery on the forehead. "Don''t be so sullen. You''re simply a victim, and if there¡¯s anyone that will hold you responsible for being stabbed in the stomach and nearly dying, bring them to me. Rejoice with confidence that your life was saved, and give thanks to this idiot and the Holy Spirit." Bery held her pped forehead and looked at the exasperated Selene. Sheughed like a little girl and deliberately folded her hands. "... Oh, dear, to think even Ojou-sama would say something like Nee-sama." "You¡¡" With Krische on herp, Selene pinched Berry''s soft cheeks and brought her face closer. "You look quite energetic huh. I wonder, did I make a mistake in being considerate?" "Fufu, my stomach hurts a bit... but my physical condition itself isn''t that bad." "That''s so. Well, I wasn''t worried though. ...I mean, you woke up and boldly kissed Krische in public." "Eh, uh..." Her face turned bright red in an instant and Bery let her gaze swim. And then she looked at Selene. "Ah, you see, uh, that memory is vague¡" "You don¡¯t remember? Krische, Bery forgot about kissing you¨D¨D" "U-it¡¯s a lie, I remember... but I thought it was a dream..." Bery looked embarrassed and her eyes watered. Selene smiled wryly and patted her on the head. "Really. So, are you really okay?" "Yes, um¡ I¡¯m a little hot. ¡Could I have some water, please?" "Ah yes" Krische reached for the jug and poured the water into the ss. Bery frowned as she tried to get up, and Selene helped her up. Slightly feverish and flushed skin. The line of her breasts and hips peeking out through the thin negligee had an indescribable sex appeal, and Selene stared at her in amazement. "You, it''s really a waste, isn''t it, in various meaning" "...?" The way she tilted her head is also very sexy. Selene sighed and shook her head from side to side as she sighed that she must be really overwhelmed. "No, it''s fine. You''ve been drinking a lot of water, how are you feeling? How about eating some?" "Um... Yes, I''ve calmed down a lot." Krische stirred the honey in a cup and handed it to Bery. Bery, who received it, looked at it for a while and slowly put it to her mouth. She lowered her eyes as if to savor it slowly. Then smiled at Krische. "Thank you, Krische-sama." "Ehehe, then it might be better to prepare a meal early¨D¨D" It was then that there was a knock at the door and Anne entered. As she gazed at the three-tiered beautiful girl objet d¡¯art in puzzlement, what Anne brought on the silver tray was Rak in honey. ¡®Ooh¡¯, Krische looked at Arne with a little admiration. It was as if the timing was deliberate¨D¨Din fact, Anne was standing in front of the door with the tray in her hand, waiting for the right timing. "Anne, it¡¯s as if Anne is a normal servant." "T-thank you very much¡¡" That word also indicated that she was usually not a normal servant. Anne was slightly hurt but, "Don''t say it like that. She''s been working hard while you are gone after all." "Hg!" She looked at Selene with tears in her eyes as if moved by her words. Kreschenta looked at Anne with suspiciously filled eyes, but showed interest in the honey-dipped Rak on the tray. Kreschenta has a sweet tooth. "Y-yes! I made the honey-pickled Rak that Argan-sama taught me before...how is it? Even if you don''t have an appetite, I think it will be easy to eat." Anne was there when Bery woke up. She naturally tried to take care of her, but when Krische did it, she was kicked out of the room¨D¨Dbut Anne is also strong. That didn''t stop her, and she had her secret n. These Rak, which she had been soaking sincest night, in honey. The white peach-colored fruit was covered in amber honey, giving it a beautiful glow. It was a simple dish that could not even be called a dish, just dipping the sweet Rak in honey after peeling the skin, but the result was not bad. Krische stared at the honeydew and looked back at Bery. "Bery, can you eat?" "Yes, I''d like to try it." "Good ¡ fufu, I¡¯m quite proud of today¡¯s result, I made it just as was taught by Argan-sama." "Fufu, thank you." Krische took a te from Anne, picked up some Rak in honey and stared at it. The fruit was cut with an incision, which was Bery''s way of doing things. Putting aside if they are soaked for several days, usually the sweetness of the honey will not permeate all the way through to the inside if they were just soaked overnight. So cut a slit with a kitchen knife and let the honey permeate the entire fruit¨D¨DKrische nodded and looked at Anne. "It''s quite good for Anne. It seems that Anne remembered what Bery taught." "Hg, yes! I''ve tasted it, and I think it''s the best I¡¯ve ever made but...I''m sure everyone will be satisfied with it." Seleneughed wryly at the appearance of Krische who acted all big and the happy Anne. It was an extremely simple meal for the sick. It was something that even a child, let alone the clumsy Selene, could make, but it made her wonder what kind of reputation did Anne have in Krische¡¯s mind. Except for the fact that she was extremely clumsy, Anne was a servant who can do everything reasonably well, but Krische and Kreschenta¡¯s evaluation of her was extremely harsh. Krische smiles contentedly, cuts a piece with a spoon, and brings it to Bery''s mouth. "Here, open wide" "Ah, haha..." Bery opens her mouth a little embarrassed, tastes the Rak¨D¨Dand freezes just a little. When Krische tilted her head, Bery shook her head, smiled and said to Anne. "It''s very delicious, Anne-sama." "Ts!" "Ehehe... Then Krische too" Krische said and brought the Rak to her mouth and her cheeks loosened. "The Rak has a slightly sour taste. It¡¯s delicious, though." "Um, umm, I thought Argan-sama would prefer it, so it¡¯s not overly ripe¡it¡¯s already sweet enough pickled in honey after all." "Thank you. It''s a little crunchy and has a nice texture." "...to think Anne could even properly select the ingredients..." Krische looked at Anne in surprise, and Anne smiled embarrassedly. "Fufu, please leave the cooking to me while you two are resting. While the two of you were away from the kitchen, I was secretly training." "...How surprising. Anne was able to make a proper effort." "Eh......?" Anne stiffened, and Bery reprimanded her with a bitter smile, saying that is no good. Kreschenta, who was watching the exchange with some envy, looked up at Krische and opened her mouth. "Kreschenta sure is a spoiled child, isn¡¯t she? "Hamuu..." Kreschenta savored the given Rak and rxed her cheeks, then nced at Anne with a serious face as if suddenly realized something. "It''s okay. It''s not bad." "Y-yes, thank you very much." Selene smiled wryly, received the te from Anne and picked up a Rak. It''s not without problems now¨D¨Dbut she smiled, relieved that at least this everyday life would continue as before. The Rak fruit was sweet enough to please Selene''s taste buds. "Bery, what would you like for lunch? Is soup okay?" "Yes. Can I leave it to you?" "Yes, Bery to get well soon after all... I''ll make a soup that is full of nutrition." "¡¡yes" Krische grabbed Kreschenta by the waist and lowered her onto the bed, then stood up. "Then Krische will prepare lunch. Krische is a little worried about whether Anne properly cleaned the kitchen..." "I-I cleaned it..." Arne''s gaze swam, and Bery seemed somewhat troubled. Kreschenta, who was put down on the bed, stood up, "I''m going too¨D¨D" "You have a meeting, don''t you? Are you keeping them waiting?" and tried to follow Krische, but Selene grabbed her by the neck. Kreschenta red at Selene, pouting her lips. "... the Queen being a littlete is just right." "Really, No. I also have a meetingter. Krische, we''ll be back at noon, so please make some for us too." "yes" Krische climbed into bed, kissed Berry, said goodbye, and left the room. Selene smiled wryly and stroked Bery while looking at Krische, who seemed to be in good spirits even though she was injured here and there. "... I can''t say that there aren''t many problems, but for the time being we were able to avoid the worst. So don''t worry, take it easy once in a while. I''m d you''re fine." "... Yes, I¡¯m sorry, making Ojou-sama worry." "I''m the one who always makes you worry, so it¡¯s even." Selene smiled, and Berry nodded back at her smile. "When you¡¯re healed, will you let me eat your delicious food again?" "...yes, of course." Bery''s gaze drifted slightly, and Selene tilted her head. She smiled wryly, holding her sides, and thenughed quietly, as if troubled. "No, I was trying to lie down, and my stomach is" "...Geez" Selene puts her hand on Bery''s back and she lets her lie down. "I''m sorry," Bery said shyly, and Serene red at her exasperated. "I''ll call the doctor againter. should I get some painkillers?" "Yes, I¡¯m sorr¡ª¡ª" "That kind of thing is prohibited. Once in a while, please let me take care of you. ¡You stubbornly stick to your position as a servant, but before that, we are family." Selene presses Bery''s cheeks with both hands. Berry stared at Selene and lowered her eyes. "Um...Ojou-sama?" "¡¡what?" "Geez, Selene-sama, how long are you going to keep me waiting?" The voice came from the door. Kreschenta puffed out her cheeks and red at Selene and Berry. "I''m going on now. ...Bery?" "No, nothing. Please go." "...tell me if you have something to tell me. I''m curious. now" Selene raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. Bery shook her head and smiled. "I''ll talk again when things settle down. Don''t worry, it''s nothing serious." "...Haa. Understood....Okay? Anything is fine, but you can''t think about this and that alone, okay?" "Yes. I''ll be careful." Then Selene also left her room, and Anne, who was left alone, tilted her head and looked at Bery to see what was wrong. Bery shook her head and smiled. "Anne-sama, I¡¯m sorry, but...could you bring me some fruit?" "Yes, of course. What would you like?" "Something refreshing... fufu, maybe I''ll get my appetite back after eating a little." "I''m d to hear that. ...Please wait a moment!" Bery saw off Anne who was leaving the room in a hurry and smiled wryly. Bery was alone in the room and she quietly got up. She scooped a spoonful of honey from the side table, dropped it onto the back of her hand, and looked at it. Feeling the faint fragrance, she sipped it. She rolled the thick honey around on her tongue as if checking something for a while. Then, she turned her eyes down. Chapter 157: Kingdomâ€™s Brave Woman Chapter 157: Kingdom¡¯s Brave Woman ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 157 Kingdom¡¯s Brave Woman*** The next day, Krische also had work to do. She had to check on Jarea Gashea, whom she had neglected, as well as attend a meeting that she had not been able to attend for some time. Of course, she did not always attend every meeting, but this time the topic being what it was. Krische obediently responded to the words of Kreschenta, Selene, and Eluga, who said that it was better to show her face on official setting. Of course, she wanted to spend time with Bery, but still even though it was for the sake of saving Bery, what Krische did was way too selfish. As expected, Krische felt sorry for Selene and Eluga, who was swung around because of that, and she was thrown into the bath on the day of her return, where she was lectured by Selene for a long time. Kreschenta, even if she didn''t show it on her face was pleased to see Krische showing a serious intention to participate in political affairs, something very unusual in the world. Kreschenta was overjoyed when she and Krische showed up together for the Council meeting that day. The nobles lined up looked at the usual Krische wearing a shirt, skirt, and overcoat, and fell to their knees while looking at each other. There are many who have seen the light that pierces the sky above the royal capital, and many who have seen the dragon itself albeit from a distance. She ughtered seventeen nobles without leaving any evidence, challenged the dragon and returned alive, and was allowed to use True Name. Once they realized that she was the Queen''s sword¨D¨Da monster without question - they had no choice but to stiffen up and beg for forgiveness. The Queen was happy seeing them like that. If she just assassinated nobles, that would still be fine, but now Krische was someone who had made a pact with a Dragon. The "flying lizard" was a very unpleasant creature for Kreschenta, but its prestige itself could be well utilized. ¡°Good morning, everyone. Please make yourselvesfortable.¡± Kreschenta called out to them, and they stood up from their kneeling positions and put their heels together. It was a more polite gesture than usual, as was customary in such ceremonies. Kreschenta had simplified the etiquette around it because it was troublesome, but she nodded that this was not a bad thing if it was done voluntarily. ¡°I think some of you had heard about it, but for some reason my older sister (Aneue) was away from the royal capital. I am sorry for not informing everyone of the situation and caused unnecessary confusion in Royal Capital.¡± Of course it wasn¡¯t like she really felt sorry, but if It¡¯s just saying it, then it''s free. Public attitude (official stance) has always been important. "However, as you know, my older sister (Aneue) has been allowed the Name (Mina; name of God) by the Holy Spirit Yagernaus-sama, and several hundred years after the past war¨D¨Dshe has also returned after forming a friendship with Kreisharana, who had broken off rtions with Alberan. The rtionship between the two countries will also be more brighter in the future.¡± Amotion spreads. They were all astonished. None of the nobles present here were unaware of the rtionship with Kreisharana. For Alberan, who could be called a victorious nation, this happened in the distant past¨D¨Dhowever, the hatred held by Kreisharana, who was driven into the mountains, still did not disappear, and for that reason, the severing of ties continued after the conclusion of non-aggression. If it suddenly became like this, it''s not surprising that they would show an astonished look on their faces. "As an Alberinea. Originally, my sister (Aneue), who was worried about the turbulent situation around the kingdom headed to Arbyagel alone to investigate the movements of Kreisharana but...if you just look at what my sister (Aneue) had achieved, it is exactly what you would call a heroic act. For the Kingdom, I think it''s something to be proud of." An inspection that doubles as a messenger to Kreisharana. Kreschenta decided to handle the matter in that way, ostensibly. In the process, she had an audience with the Dragon and built a friendship. Of course, the Dragon''s appearance and remark made it impossible to hide the fact that Krische had turned his de against the dragon, but this was only a rumor. Truth is a mere trick of words. People don''t care what the truth is, and they just believe in what they want to believe, being swept along by words that seemed certain or true. They have no way to confirm the truth, so they who think without any brain would take the most usible information as the truth. Compared to the Holy Spiriting to the Royal Capital with one who pointed their de to it on it¡¯s back, it was much easier for them to understand that they have established a friendship through an audience. "My sister (Aneue) is the kingdom¡¯s symbol of martial arts, Alberinea, and Kreisharana is a culture that respects martial arts above all else¨D¨Dalthough there is a gap of several hundred years, there must have been something inmon. Coincidentally, it ovepped with their festival, where she showed off her sword andpeted with them." It just so happened that Kreisharana was in the middle of a festival. Krische suddenly showed up there, but even though she was a member of Alberan, with whom they had a bad rtionship, she was invited to the banquet by them as an individual, and there she showed off her swordsmanship. ¡®Well, what a strong person, to think there is such a person in Alberan¡¯ and getting along like that, then performing a sword dance in front of the Dragon¨D¨Dand so a fictitious story such like that was, Kreschenta nced at Krische. "Umm... yes, that''s right. A sword... or rather, a spear and a leg..." "Fufu, my, Onee-sama. It''s the same thing." Kreschenta nodded with satisfaction. ¡°After that, my sister (Aneue) performed a sword dance in front of the Holy Spirit Yagernaus-sama¡ª¡ªafter that, it¡¯s as you all know.¡± She looked around. Everyone was confused, but at least there was no sign of defiance. It was only natural, because Krische killed all the people who rebelled. ¡°However, whatever the reason may be, considering the Holy Spirit Covenant, I can¡¯t say that what my sister (Aneue) did can be fully praised. My sister also said that she wanted to take responsibility for this turmoil, and although this achievement was a great contribution to the Kingdom, the reward and punishment would be deducted. There¡¯s no reward, that is to be the punishment for this disturbance.¡± If the situation was right, it would have been enough to hold a parade, but so far the Kingdom was in turmoil. Kreschenta wielded great force of the state, after the purge. It was appropriate to refrain and punish, even if only formally. Kreschenta wanted to seize absolute power, but she believed that it must not be a mere grip of fear. Ideally, she wanted a system in which all would be willing to even give their necks on their own. A world where people bow down in allegiance, obeying her word with all their heart. That was the kind of world she seek, and it was only through reward and punishment and discipline that she could create it. In order to create such a world, she need to at least make them think that she judged things properly and fairly. The injustice of dictatorships and terrorism bes a breeding ground for hostility and rebellion. It is important that Kreschenta herself punish Krische, who that they as a puppet of the Queen, otherwise the same thing will happen again and again. Inequality in the power structure is not the same as mere injustice. Kreschenta wouldn¡¯t mistake the two. The older sister standing next to her was the same as usual. She stood there with a face that understood that if she did something wrong, she would be punished for it, but Kreschenta smiled at her in satisfaction when she saw that foolishness. For the time being, she is free from all kinds of worries, and Krische was by her side. That was enough for her. ¡°That''s all from me. If there is nothing else, Duke Lakos, I would like you to give me your report.¡± "Ha. Your Majesty the Queen. Then from me¡ª" Kreschenta was in a very good mood that day. On the estate¨D¨Dthe carpenters were busily working next to the stables. They were driving stakes very quickly, and they were building a shed a little too big for it to be a stables, and what they asionally nce at was a wild beast yawning in front of the mansion. It was a Suiko that was half let loose. The house, which was used as Christand¡¯s estate, was originally fenced off to some extent, but what they were working on was the inside of the fence. And the beasts inside the fence were not just mere tigers or lions. Its gigantic body at shoulder-high was eight shaku. Its jaws were that of a demonic beast that could rip off a person''s upper body. Working alongside such a ferocious beast, they were uneasy, and the work, including the expansion of the fence, was being carried out at a very rapid pace. Standing in front of them were two beautiful girls of gold and silver. And there was a man with a good physique and a face like a rock, and an old man with an evil face like that of a skeleton. "Ehehe, it''s Gururun, Meow-Meow¡¯spanion. Over here is a two-legged Meow-Meow." The green tiger growled, ¡®gururu¡¯ while its head was stroked, looking sleepily at Krische, and at the two-legged Meow-Meow and Kolkis. Selene and Eluga exchanged nces at the existence of a new victim they knew for the first time, and Kolkis scratched his cheek with an indescribable expression. ¡°S-so, that nickname is already decided..." "...?" "No, it''s fine. Let''s just give up." Kolkis literally dropped his shoulders. Selene looked at this rock-like man with pity, while Eluga''s cheeks lift up in amusement, wickedly. "Kuku, that should be fine. Any fierce being is useless in front of Krische-sama." ¡°I feel ...... I''m the one who''s getting the short end of the stick though.¡± If Bald Eagle (vulture) and Skeleton were interpreted very favorably, they could somehow be caught as an alias. Granmeld is Woof-Woof¨D¨Dalthough it''s close to Kolkis, it''s clearly more pathetic whenparing Woof-Woof and Meow-Meow. ¡®Why me¡¯, he thought to himself, but it was Krische who he¡¯s dealing, she transcend beyond normalmon sense. He had no choice but to think that it couldn¡¯t be helped. The meeting with Kreschenta was over, and now it was time for the military meeting. Before that, Colchis asked to see the Suiko that Krische had brought home, so the four of them had gathered. Kolkis sighed and crouched down in front of the Suiko, careful so as not to irritate it, and looked at it. The Suiko being stroked by Krische was as quiet as a cat. If not for its bizarre physique, it would have been cute. "Just when I thought Krische-sama was riding on the back of a dragon and returned home, Krische-sama even tamed a Suiko like this... I don''t know what to say. I''ve hunted about three of them so far, but they didn''t seem like beasts that could be tamed." "Nn...Krische couldn''t eat all the Ranka, so Krische tried feeding them, but it was pretty easy... This kid is pretty quiet, you know?" ¡°Quiet¡¡Is it okay if I get a little closer?¡± "yes. Elvena had just give it its meal before.¡± "Haa... how pitiful" Selene thinks and sighed. When she came back earlier, she had just watched Elvena feed is, and she was frightened and almost cried. In her hunched position, she timidly took the lump of meat, ¡®Gu-Gururun-sama, it¡¯s youe meal here~? I... it''s not me okay...?¡¯ And like that, she put it in front of this Suiko. The smile on her cheeks twitched, and when the Suiko pounced on the meat, she was so surprised that she fell on her buttocks. Seeing that, Selene was so worried about her that she suggested that Krische take care of it but, ¡®No, no. It''s a child who will be raised here from now on, and as Krische-sama¡¯s servant, when I think of Bery-sama, who is currently recuperating, I can''tin about something like this...'' Elvena was truly admirable. She was trembling, but she held her hand tightly, her eyes full of determination. She was so admirable that it was pitiful. She too was a victim of clich¨¦s. "Oh...it¡¯s certainly quiet. But when you look at it like this, it sure looks cute. The impression you get is quite different from when seeing it in the forest." Kolkis nodded with a childish smile. ¡°Do you like animals, Meow-Meow?¡± "Hmm, ah... I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t suit my appearance, but I do like animals. I have several dogs at home. It''s also my wife''s hobby." "Dog. Ehehe, Krische also a dog, or rather, ying pretend doggy is¨D¨DMugu¡± "... please stop spouting stupid things." Immediately, Selene covered Krische¡¯s mouth and sighed. Kolkis and Eluga tilted their heads, and Selene shook her head, telling them not to worry. "Ah, Bery" That''s when Berry appeared from the second floor balcony. Unusually she was wearing an one-piece dress, not an apron dress. She was supported by Elvena, who was holding a nket over her shoulders. "Please excuse me being like this, Argand-sama, Faren-sama. Good morning." "Oh, Berry. I''m d you''re doing well. How is your body?" "Yes, it¡¯s fine." Kolkis smiled, and Bery also smiled and bowed her head politely. Krische jumped up, went to the balcony, took Bery''s arm and rubbed it against her cheek. Selene put her hands on her hips and red at Berry exasperated. "Bery, you..." ¡°Fufu, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just for a little bit¡± She smiled and strokes Krische¡¯s head, but Selene sighed holding her temple. "In your case, I''m afraid you''ll be working normally tomorrow after saying that. I tell you, don''t work until the threades off. I don''t know how effective the dragon blood is, but the wound in your stomach isn''t closed properly." "Yes, I will take it to heart." ¡®Do you understand or not?¡¯ Like a little girl, she smiled happily and looked at the green tiger. "I heard a happy voice, so I''m a little curios. Look, it''s not good for my health to be cooped up all the time, right? Even though it''s such a nice weather." "Ehehe, Bery, do you want to see it up close?" "yes. ¡Is it fine, Ojou-sama?¡± "...it can''t be helped, geez" With the support of Krische and Elvena, but Bery seemed a little troubled by the treatment of the sick. ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯ she said with a wry smile as they went out into the garden and stood in front of the Suiko. ¡°My¡ Bururun was also quite a big child, but this one is even bigger.¡± "yes. Ehehe, it''s a really big meow meow. It is said to be a Suiko. It can use magic, so it can runs faster than Krische." ¡°Faster than Krische-sama...¡± Even as she was surprised, she folds her skirt behind the knees and squated down. "Look, Gururun, this way." Then she beckoned as it was a cat. Gururun nced at the next clich¨¦, stood up while yawning, and slowly approached Bery. If the small Bery squated like that, the Suiko¡¯s big mouth will be exactly where her head was. If it opens and closes his mouth without thinking about it, Bery''s upper body will immediately fit in the Suiko¡¯s stomach. Elvena turned her face pale and took a step back. However, the Suiko brought his face to Berry''s head and smelled it. Exploring Bery''s body in that way, it stared at her for a moment, and then it lowered itself down. Slowly, Bery reached for its head, and it closed it eyes, absentmindedly, and obediently letting its head stroked. "Fufu, it''s big, but it really does look like a cat. It''s cute." ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a good and obedient child.¡± What happened to Elvena was astonishing. Selene looks at Bery in amazement while looking pitifully at Elvena, who seems to be in shock. No vignce against the fierce beasts feared by the savages¨D¨DBery was as usual. "Ah, but it''s no good if you stroke it against its coat. It''s pretty sting." "That''s true. I wonder should I use a stiffb when grooming it?" Krische also squatted next to her and started stroking Gururun. Lined up like that, they looked a pair sister, and the red-haired girl was a girl no matter how you look at her. Her apron dress makes her look a little more grown-up, but when she change into a dress, she looks just like a girl. It''s been more than ten years since they first met, and the three of them, except for Elvena, were half exasperated at the unchanging appearance of the beautiful girl¨D¨Dbeautiful woman, and Kolkis scratches his cheek approached Gururun. "However, Bery, you sure are fearless. Even if you look around the world, the only women who could say that the Suiko is cute when they see it for the first time are probably just you and Krische-sama. As expected, even I wouldn''t be so bold about it." While saying that, Colchis timidly reached out and stroked Gururun''s back. It was the first time for Colchis to caress the back of a living Suiko, and he let out a voice as if he was moved. Bery pressed her fingertips to her lips and tilted her head. "...Is that so? ¡¡But even dogs and horses can kill people if they feel like it. The only difference is whether they have a rough temperament, docile, or affectionate right.¡± Elvena, who was listening, widened her eyes in surprise behind her. ¡°Of course, if I had crossed the green tiger with the spear like Argand-sama, my impression might have been different, but¡just because I was bitten by a dog, that doesn¡¯t mean all dogs are like that,, it''s just one among many is like that. I think the point is how you perceive it.¡± Bery smiled while holding her finger up. Kolkis was bing more and more astonished and raised both of his hand. ¡°I can''tpete with her. It''s really a waste to keep her as just a servant. If you had used her talents to her full advantage, you would have be a famousdy of the court.¡± "Fufu, I''m d to hear that, but that¡¯s too much of an overestimation. I''m in my current position is appropriate, and working as a servant is all I can do." "That''s right, Meow-Meow. A servant''s job is very difficult. It''s not as easy as a sword or a spear." "... you''re the only one who thinks swords and spears are easy." ¡°unya¡± Selene pinched Krische''s cheek, and Elugaughed happily. ¡°Kuku, no, but isn¡¯t Bery-kun now a servant who supports Christand and Her Majesty the Queen, the greatest noble in the kingdom. Even if there is no brilliance disy there, from the point of view of the Kingdom, it can be said that she is the number one shadow contributor¨D¨Dit wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that she is the backbone of the kingdom.¡± "... Please let me off Faren-sama. If you say that, I will be so embarrassed that I won''t be able to raise my head." Bery''s face turned bright red and her eyes moistened. The way she held her cheeks with both hands was endlessly cute. Eruga is even more amused, and Selene looks at her with indescribable eyes. Even though she should have been twice as old as herself, she looked iparably more lovely than Selene. There should be a limit to the falsification age¨D¨Dwhile giving up on the fact that she would never be able topete with her in that area, she flicks Bery¡¯s forehead with her finger. "Ouch, what are you doing, Ojou-sama?" "...Just somehow. Don''t say stupid things anymore, it''s time to go. Come on, Krische too." "Ah..., muuu..." Selene grabbed Krische by the waist and lifted her up, tearing her away from Bery''s side. Krische pouted her lips but didn''t resist and smiled at Berr. "Then Bery, Krische is going now." "Yes, please take care." "Elvena, the food is ready, so when it''s noon, go to Bery." "Yes, understood" "Ehehe, Krische tried to dissolve a lot of ingredients so that Bery would heal quickly. Let''s get well soon and cook together." "Eh, uhhh¡¡" Bery¡¯s eye swam around for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "¡¡Yes, of course" "...?" Krische tilted her head and Bery shook her head, stood up, and dropped a kiss on Krische¡¯s forehead. "Take care, Krische-sama." "Yes." Krische wrapped her arms around Selene and waves her hand as they walk away. Bery waved her hand and looked away, silently lowering her eyes. ¡°B-Bery-sama!¡± It was Elvena who grabbed Berry''s hand with both of her hands. Bery startled leaned back and tilted her head, puzzled by Ervena''s face. "What''s wrong, Elvena-sama...?" "No, uh..., I was impressed by what Elvena-sama just said! I was just afraid of this Gururun-sama... I was afraid in my heart, and was reluctant to take care of it... but I was wrong. This will disqualify me as Christand¡¯s servant, I apologize." Elvena bows her head in the most apologetic tone, and Bery stared nkly at it. "Ha, ha...umm, there¡¯s no need to worry about it that much. Everyone has things they''re not good at, so it can''t be helped¨D¨D" "No. I have to do my best in exchange for Bery-sama''s too. Up until now, I''ve spent my time surrendering myself to the circumstances I was given, but... but I''m sure this is a fortuitous meeting. From now on, I will do my best to assist Bery-sama.¡± Beneath her dark hair were twinkling eyes full of respect. She''s smart, serious, a hard worker, has a good personality and gentle¡ªBery didn''t have anyints about Elvena, but rather thought she was trying too hard, but it''s hard to answer when someone looks at her like that. "Ah, thank you very much... but Elvena-sama is working hard enough. You don¡¯t need to..." "Yes. Please, your continued guidance and encouragement." Bery scratched her cheek with an itch and Elvena found something to aim for. "¨D¨DAnne-sama, I understand your concern, but no matter how one think about it you put in too much honey." "Y-yes, I''m sorry, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll immediately¡ª¡ª" "It''s enough, geez... I wonder why Anne-sama is always so extreme." Later, Anne was shocked by the awakening of her rival. Chapter 158: Unity of Will Chapter 158: Unity of Will ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 158 Unity of Will*** As if sandwiching the Kingdom Marshal Selene Christand and her assistants Eluga Faren, Alberinea¨D¨DKrische Christand sat in the back middle seats. Behind them stood a map of the kingdom pasted on a steel te, to which a number of mas had been attached by Gallen. A strategic map for the uing defense of the Kingdom. This was one of several meeting rooms in the royal castle. As usual, the squire were ck-g specials¨D¨Dthe content being discussed here was an extremely important military secrets. Even in the royal castle, not a single servant was present there, and apart from the three corpsmanders under Krische and Quinez, the head of Eluga''s independent corps, the only people gathered here were basically only the generals and their adjutant. If anyone inadvertently leaked the contents of what was said here, even if it is a general, they will be dismissed from they¡¯re post, and if it is malicious, their head will literally roll off their shoulders. Everyone here was serious except for Krische, who was enjoying the tea. The seriousness of the central generals, who had not joined either side in the civil war, was even stronger than that of Selene and the others. To be allowed to attend such an important meeting also means that a certain amount of trust was ced on them. They were also relieved. Although the punishment after the civil war was lenient, Kreschenta was surrounded by people from the former queen''s faction. For those who thought that they might be left out of the loop considering the recent purge, their participation in this conference was a very big deal. This was a chance to regain her trust. There was no way they will be absent, and were all are very motivated. ¡°The above is the basic strategy for the defense of the kingdom. Any questions?¡± Serene was also satisfied inside as she watched their expressions. The attempted assassination of the queen had led to the whip being used too much. She was concerned that it might gave them too much fear. However, looking at their condition, there was no need to worry about that. It seems that their gears had switched, and they were here to fulfill their duties and to produce results here. Serene was secretly relieved that her first concern had been resolved. "Your Excellency Marshal, may I?" "Please, General Gokhals." The man with the de wound over one eye and the tiger mustache was a man of good physique and manly appearance. He was probably the man with the most say among the five remaining central generals. Gokhals stood up, saluted, and said while looking at the map. ¡°It seems that your Excellency Marshal only envisioned a simultaneous invasion from the three countries. I understand your intentions and concerns, but isn¡¯t this response too timid?¡± What was nned this time was to reduce and rebuild the defense line focused on the central area of the capital, and conduct an internal line operation through that. By temporarily abandoning the eastern, southern, and western territories of the kingdom and shrinking the defense line, the n was to strengthen cooperation with the center of the kingdom and to endure against enemy offensives. The Kingdom of Alberan is rtively rich and can be said to be economically and militarily powerful, but it does not have the strength to take on two countries simultaneously. Even if they could gain the upper hand against one country, they would be at a clear disadvantage against two countries, not to mention three countries at once. This was the reason for giving up on the defense of the entire region from the very beginning. ¡°The other parties must also have different motives each. It is a rtionship that cannot be said to be on good terms, even if it is a ttering statement. Even if they form a temporary alliance, I don''t think they will necessarily take aplete joint step forward. I think it would not be a bad idea to firstpletely crush the invasion of one of the countries.¡± As he said, it was not a bad suggestion. At least Gokhals was not a stupid general. ¡°General Verreich to the east, General Garhka to the south, and General Keithriton to the west. They are all intelligent and brave men. If we can support them with a force from the center, it will not be impossible to defeat any one of them.¡± Selene smiled and nodded. His words were brave and full of motivation. With her elegant golden hair swinging, Selene nodded and opened her mouth. ¡°You are brave. It is reassuring to have a general like you on our side.¡± "Yes ma¡¯am" ¡°Your proposal is very attractive, What you are concerned about is that the kingdom will be driven into a corner due to the decline in national power due to the loss of territory. Right?" "Ha. You''re right, Your Excellency Marshal." Selene''s beautiful face was satisfied. Her look was too young to sit on top of the table, but her air of grace more than made up for it. "Of course, if we can have a head-on decisive battle, the method General Gokhals proposed is wonderful. However, if the opponent does not ept the invitation, there is a possibility that much of our force will be nailed there while holding a vast defense line in that direction. In this situation, we can''t take any measures without certainty." Concentrate on one country and invest your strength in it, then it will be a decisive battle. If they could defeat one country first, then that choice would bring the best results. However, if the opponent did not respond to the decisive battle¨D¨Din other words, if they withdrew their troops and went into an attrition war, that would be a major problem. The other side could show their willingness to attack and stuck their forces there, and wait until the remaining two countries attack the other two directions and break through, or until our endurance reaches its limit. Or they could ask the other two countries to cooperate inunching a nking attack. ¡°If ites to a battle of endurance, it will be three against one. The advantage will go to the other side. The objective of this operation, the first step, is to drag the enemy''s forcespletely into the Kingdom''s territory. ...Gallen¡± "Yes ma¡¯am" Behind Selene¨D¨DGaren moved the ma that indicated the enemy on the map. To lure them all into the Kingdom''s territory. ¡°Since the other side has stepped into our territory, they will have no choice but to inevitable to use a part of their force to upy it. At least they won''t be able to choose to withdraw easily." Officers would be dispatched from ce to ce to upy the enemy territory. Merchants and officers running around to establish local logistics. The reason they gave up their vast territories was to bind the enemies to thend. Once in motion, there was no way they could withdraw their troops just because the situation is a little bad. "Without a fight, we''ve taken possession of the territory, and Alberan is nothing to be afraid of¡ª¡ªboth the enemy''s soldiers and the popce will shout for further invasion. That''s what we''re aiming for." People are not so quick to let go of their gains. The wise may be concerned, but many are not. And the collective cannot resist the flow. ¡°General Gokhals, you said that our respond was a bit timid, but in fact it¡¯s quite the opposite,. As brave as you think you are, this is a strategy that will surely entangle the opponent and surely return the favor. Only the means are slightly different. ¡± Krische proposal for an internal line strategy. Based on that, Selene, Eluga and the others spent many days working out this idea. "... to retaliate" "Yes, in the end we will regain all the lost territories. Against the three countries." The Marshal¡¯s arrogant smile was somehow cute, yet powerful. "This is surely a major battle that will go down in the history of the Kingdom¡ª¡ªno, this great decisive battle will remain in the records of all the surrounding countries. Your names here will forever be engraved in the war history of each country. As the heroes who led the cornered Alberan to victory." As a soldier, she was a young girl of 15. However, she continues to look at the skilled warrior as if challenge them without being afraid. "Fufu, what do you think? Are you interested in the continuation?" Beautiful, yet wild like a bird of prey. The mismatched appearance was somewhat simr to that of the now-deceased hero.. Gokhals also responded. He smiled pleasantly, saluted, and nodded. "Kuku, the name of Thunder never dies. What a beautiful blow. Are you saying that my careless remarks have already been taken into ount since the beginning?¡± Selene''s smile deepened, and Gokhals did the same. "But what you say is really intriguing. Will you continue, You Excellency Marshal Christand?" "Yeah, of course.... Faren." ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡± Eluga smiled a smile that was etched on his evil face and stood up. Selene''s role was to grab hold of them. Against the three kingdoms, it was necessary to hit them with everything the Kingdom had, but the problem was the rift created by the civil war. Unlike Christand, who fought alongside Kreschenta, they were neutral. There was no doubt that they felt that the Queen did not trust them, and if they saw Selene, who was appointed as a general by her own people, they would felt that they were being slighted. Naturally, they would not ce their trust in Selene. The wounds created by such an awareness would be gaps, and in a state of war, these gaps could be decisive ruptures. The reason why they deliberately created a gloomy atmosphere in the meeting and made the respond look weak was to invite them. The reason for this was to make them realize that they were part of the same royal army that was participating in the meeting. And to turn that awareness to the young Marshal, Selene. Gokhals was a great speaker in that respect, and Selene caught the air beautifully. Eluga nodded with satisfaction that it was a good flow. And from here on, topensate for her youth. As an experienced assistant, Eluga opened his mouth to confirm her words. "Just as Her Excellency Marshal said, this is a lure. It''s a trap to ensure that the opponent is killed. They will inevitably use it as a foothold to invade the royal capital¨D¨Dand in order to block our movement, they will build a strong shell around the road to the royal capital.¡± The line of defense that protects the royal capital¨D¨DEluga showed three areas that will be the entrances to the royal capital area, including Wulfenite. ¡°We will have to break through that shell before we can make our move, but conversely, this means that we can definitely drag the enemy''s main forces into a decisive battle.¡± Each city outside the royal capital area was bait. Even if the upied areas could be upied without bloodshed, there is always the danger of rebellion. It was absolutely impossible to leave them unattended. They need to disperse their forces and public order through force.. If they crushed the army that made up the shell that is right in front of them, it would be possible to annihte them by defeating them one by one. Naturally, they will also be afraid of this, and therefore will strengthen their shell. And the stronger they make their shell, the greater the blow they could inflict to the enemies when they break through it. ¡°The Kingdom¡¯s Central Army will be divided into two. One is an army whose only purpose is to break through the enemy¡¯s shell, led by Krische-sama, and the other is an army whose purpose is to maintain and defend the front line. You guys will first deal with this side." ¡°Are you saying that all we have to do is maintain the front line?¡± Gokhals and the other generals frowned, wondering if they were still not trusted. Maintaining the front lines¨D¨Dthat alone is a very nd job, with no honor whatsoever. But Eluga distorted his evil face. ¡°You are jumping to conclusions, General Gokhals. First of all. It will rather be you guys who will be the ones to do the fighting." "...us?" "Yes. The four armies under the direct control of Alberinea and the east, west, and south, the four armies aim only to break through the enemy''s main force and release the shell. You will quickly break through the hole so created and prate the enemy''s rear at once¨D¨Ddestroying the enemy''s rear forces individually and extending the military gain. Your role is to deal a fatal blow to the enemy invasion force. Rather, in this battle, the supporting attack will be made by Krische-sama, and the main attack will be made by all of you. The exact opposite of before. ¡®Ooh¡¯, the generals looked at each other, but only Gokhals made a frown. "It¡¯s an Honorable role¡ª¡ªbut is that fine? So much¡ª¡ª" ¡°In times of national crisis, we must be united. I am sure that Serene and Clich¨¦, who are here, will agree with me.¡± There is no more rewarding work than expanding the military gain. In addition to always having the upper hand in the battle, a defensive battle such as this one will bring the admiration of the liberated city to them. The fame and honor gained from the popce is not something a warrior could easily discard.. Gokhals was therefore perplexed and looked at Eluga. "All we want is victory. We are the sword of the kingdom, of Her Majesty the Queen, and that is all the honor we need. First and foremost, we will do our best to win and take it. For that reason, the size of the achievement is trivial. Everything is about winning, that''s just the official stance." Elugaughed and looked around. ¡°You all must be very dissatisfied with the post-civil war appointments. Before the civil war, I a mere corpsmander, am now a vice marshal, and the Marshal is still only 15, and I''m sure that even though you think it''s inevitable, on the inside you¡¯re still unconvinced. ...right? General Gokhals.¡± "Kuku, you sure speak frankly." Like Eluga, Gokhals, who was questioned, looked at his surroundings¡ª¡ªthe Central Generals, and nodded at him. ¡°I would be lying if I said I had no feelings for you. I have no doubts about your ability to lead Her Majesty the Queen to victory against Her Royal Highness. I even admire him... but, reason and emotion are two different things. At least I regretted why I didn''t take part in that civil war." Gokhals jokingly opens his hands, and Eluga nodded in satisfaction. Then he continued. ¡°We are more than happy to be trusted by Her Majesty the Queen due to the civil war, and she is tempted to monopolize her favor, but what we have gained is too much. ¡¡We should not be arrogant that we alone can shoulder the future of this kingdom. For the future of the kingdom, we needpanions who will take the sword together with us¨D¨D¡± Eluga said, matching his gaze with each of the central generals. The eyes sharp and intimidating. The old man with the evil look was filled with a vigor that belied his old age. "¨D¨DThis is a contract for after the war. For the purpose of inviting you all to join us on the same ship. If you prove your power in this battle, we won''t question your position during the civil war in the future. And I ask Her Majesty the Queen to treat as such in the future as well. I swear by this name, and promise to reward you guys." Saying that far, Eluga lifts his cheeks. It was an endlessly wicked and powerful smile. "Originally, Noble is a warrior. Not a political position, respecting and valuing martial arts above all, andpeting only for beauty as a sword. Some may suspect that there is more to it than meets the eye, but it is simply a matter of restoring what has be distorted and deranged over time to its original form. At least that''s all I expect, and I hope you guys believe it. ¡How about it?" It was Gokhals who once again answered. Gokhals closed his eyes slightly, then saluted. "Certainly. At least until the end of theing war, I will forget the trivial matters and serve Her Majesty the Queen as a selfless sword. I swear by this name." Eluga returned the salute and turned to the others. The other generals also stood up, one by one, unevenly, some looking bewildered, but eventually saluting. Serene, who had been watching the scene, nodded in satisfaction and stood up to salute them¨D¨Dfollowed by the corpsmander, with only Krische sitting down with a cup of tea, looking at Eluga with admiration. Unity of will is the most important thing in a military organization. It is themon conception that connects each individual that maintains a world where even lives are turned into numbers. In particr, the biggest problem this time was not so much defeating the enemy as it was internal, but from what she saw of the central general, that area seemed to have been resolved to a great extent. Considering that they jumped over their heads and got promoted, they couldn''t be in a happy mood. They were dissatisfied with many dissatisfied elements, but both Selene and Eluga seemed to have done well. While thinking that it would be nice if Krische could do something like this well, she sipped her tea without joining in that atmosphere. She filled her cheeks with sweet tea. Mia and Kahlua, who were watching her from the side, looked at her exasperated, wondering if the day would evere when she would be able to do this kind of interaction in the future. From there, they exined the general movements and the division of forces. Talking about what should be emphasized in which a situation, and then they ended the meeting for the time being. At ater meeting, they would probably have some suggestions concerning strategy. Many of the generals in the center have little experience on the battlefield itself, but they were all from great noble families that have received a rigorous military education from an early age. Their knowledge and wisdom were not something to be scoffed at, and she had some high hopes for them. After the event was over, they left, and their faces were not bad. Selene nodded her head in satisfaction, and then she sat down on her knees and pinched Krische¡¯s cheeks, ying with them from side to side. "While things are calm, I''d like to pack up measures to deal with various situations." "Right. Let''s work out the details for the assumed situation at the next meeting. However... I underestimating him as a central general, but General Gokhals is not bad. He''s someone you can rely on." "Yes. Thanks to you, I was saved." Gokhals was a general who had never been in a big battle. However, he had a stable war record. Although he had been dominant in many battles, he had won countless victories in minor battles. Although there were still doubts about his ability, Eluga nodded his head and said that he was sure he could handle the situation. ¡°I hope he will be able to lead the center.¡± ¡°I hope so. Shall we talk to him directly at ater date?" "Please" Selene said and lifted up Krische. And Gallen called out to her. "Selene, can I borrow Krische for a bit?" "Huh? Yes... I don''t mind." Selene tilted her head and Krische asked Gallen ¡®what is it?¡¯. "I need to talk to you. If you don''t have anything to do, pleasee with me." "Um... Yes, Grandpa. Are you talking about the military?" "Well, including that too." Gallen answered, and Selene frowned worriedly. I couldn''t afford to take care of Selene, but recently Garen has always had a difficult face. Selene had no time to spare and could not pay attention various things, but Gallen always looked difficult these days. "Um, Gallen -sama, what happened this time¨D¨D" "Once again, I just want to talk to Krische. Don''t worry about it.... Krische." ¡°Yes.¡± Gallen walked ahead, and Krische followed, staring at Garen. Selene quietly whispered ¡®I wonder if it was all right¡¯ troubledly. "... Gallen-dono seems to be strict with himself and others, well I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. He loves Krische-sama very much." ¡°...I hope so.¡± "He have known Krische-sama longer than anyone else. Don''t worry about that." Lightly tapping Selene''s shoulder, Eluga gently distort his evil face. Mia, who saw it, leaned back¨D¨DDagra hit her on the head. Chapter 159: One Who is Watched Over Chapter 159: One Who is Watched Over ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 159 One Who is Watched Over*** *1 ken = about 1.8 meters, 1 ri = about 400 meters. Without saying a word, Gallen walked down the corridor to the snow-covered balcony. Krische followed behind him and looked up at Gallen. "Regarding the dragon incident, he heard the general details from Selene and the others. It''s not that I can''t understand the situation or your feelings. There''s another thing I want to ask you about...about the nobles who died in the capital the night you left.'''' Gallen looked at Krische, his eyes sharp. In Krische¡¯s memories, it was the first time he had ever looked at her that way. "Did you kill them?" "...Yes, Grandpa." "Then, close your eyes." She closed her eyes as was told. Even with her eyes closed, she somehow understood what he was going to do. The sound of a hand swinging¨D¨Dshe restrained her body, which immediately tried to avoid it, and endure it. "Hg......?" But she didn''t feel the pain she expected. Gallen''s hand only gently touched Krische¡¯s cheek. She opened her eyes timidly, and Gallen looked sadly at Krische. "Why don''t you avoid it? It should be easy for you." "...Krische, did something not good. If Ojii-sama gets angry because of it, Krische thought Krische should put up with it." Gallen sighed, rubbed his brow, and leaned against the door. "Did you do it understanding it wasn''t good?" What followed was a gentle voice, like a grandfather asking his grandchild. "yes. But...Krische doesn''t think it¡¯s a bad thing either. Krische simply eliminated the people who Kreschenta would one day judge first." Krische looked up and stared at Gallen. "If you see a wolf near a vige, kill it before it causes any damage. Even if it''s a baby, if you don''t do that, the wolf will eventually attack the vige and kill people. ...Ojii-sama taught me that long ago." "...I did say that." "Because Krische neglected to do that, Bery, who had done nothing wrong, was stabbed. It¡¯s not a good thing, but Krische thought it was necessary because the rules weren''t followed, and Selene and the others were also worried while Krische was away." Krische thinks for a moment, her gaze flicking from side to side as if searching for the words. "Even when the vige was attacked by bandits, Krische released them as bad people. If Krische had dealt with them quickly, Kaa-sama and Tou-sama wouldn''t have died...Krische actually thinks that would have been the best thing. There should be exceptions...shouldn''t we eliminate such dangers as soon as possible?" There''s nothing good about putting it off. As Kreschenta said, it was a theory. Things are irreversible. "Krische wants to be a good girl, but Krische still thinks we should do what is necessary before it bes irreversible, rather than what is right or wrong, or what the rules dictate. ......But Krische also thinks it''s natural to be angry because, and that it''s something Krische has to put up with, so Krische also thought that if Ojii-sama got angry, then Krische should take the punishment." Gallen listened to the words in silence, closing his eyes. Krische was silent as well, and silence filled the room for a while. Gallen was the one who opened his mouth first before Krische, who was hesitant. "...If you think it''s right, I don''t mind. I don''t think it''s wrong, and my personal thoughts aren''t that far off from yours." "...?" "When you see a wolf, kill it. Like you say, in fact, we lost a lot of lives in the vige by neglecting to do that. Even with Bogan, it might have been avoided if I had firmly held the side." ¡®Though it¡¯s all in the past¡¯, Gallen continues. When Gallen returned from the battlefield, he discarded his sword and became a mere hunter rather than a vignte. Or, if he had listened to the words of the vignte leader Zarl and made himself the center of the vignte group, he might have been able to deal with the situation better. Such regrets were piling up on his aging body. However, these were nothing but regrets, and they were the result of his own actions. Regretting now would not bring anything back to him. "I believe that sometimes there is more right and wrong than rules and social right and wrong. If you understand all this ande to a conclusion, then I have nothing to say. ...That''s one way to be a powerful noble. Gallen looked up at the sky. The sun was shining dazzlingly, but it was not enough to melt the snow. "Nobles are one who stands above others and sets the norms of things. Society and its right and wrong are merely what many nobles have created in the past. However, there was no great distortion in the structure, and the people were convinced of the nobles'' actions¨D¨Dand thus the society was maintained. Understand first that society is based on such understanding. In essence, it is no different from the rules that existed in the vige.'''' "¡The vige rules?" "Yes. Countries and viges have different scales. Therefore, their mechanisms and rules may seem to be very different, but they are essentially the same. It''s something that everyone agrees on." Gallen said, ¡®let me see¡¯, and started walking, leaning against the railing. "Krische, try to forget your existence once." "Huh...?" "For example, imagine you are Grace. You''re not smart, you''re clumsy, and you can''t even swing a sword like now. You wouldn''t even be able to defend yourself." "...That''s right. It''s impossible for Kaa-sama to do that." What did he want to say? Krische tilted her head but did as she was told. Krische nodded thoughtfully. "Laws and rules are, in the end, meant to help the weak spend their days in peace...The reason why the powerless are happy to be bound by them is because they believe that as long as they abide by them, they will be given peace of mind (relief). It may seem bothersome to you at times, but that is only because you have the strength and wisdom to resort to such measures." Krische approached Gallen, and Gallen stared at Krische and petted her. Gallen bent his waist and matched the height of his gaze with Krische¡¯s. "If you kill someone, they say you''re evil. But if you kill someone in battle, you''re a hero. Don''t you think it''s strange? What do you think is the difference?" "...A justification for protecting themunity or not?" "Taking it to the extreme that¡¯s how it is. Everyone is afraid of being killed, so killing someone is defined as evil.'' This is the logic of the weak¨D¨Dfor example, if everyone had enough strength to not be killed, it would not be treated that way. No one wants to be killed, and no one wants their rtives to be killed either. ...That''s why killing is considered evil.'''' At least that''s one answer, Gallen thinks. Right and wrong (good and evil) is like that, no such thing aspassion. It is caused by a selfish mindset. "But in war, the enemy wants to threaten our society, so it is rather just to kill them. Good and evil are simple things, they are made to suit the weak, and because they are convenient, they are epted by many." Krische remembered the vige of Kalka¡ª¡ªBery¡¯s word. Gallen''s words were probably close to that. "This time it''s the same. You broke thew and killed many nobles in order to protect the small world of Christand, the weak people around you.... You are certainly just on one side. It protected Christand from foreign enemies." It sounded like he was praising her, but his tone was not in aplimentary way. "But if you look at it in the big world of a country, you''re still evil after all. You must be a terrifying existence to many powerless people, thinking only of your small world and punishing those who cause you harm. At least many of the weak¡ª¡ªthe nobles must have felt their peace of mind (relief) threatened by you." Squinting his eyes sadly, Gallen continues. "And fear will always turn to hostility. They fear you now, and they will follow you. But it may be a root of disaster that will threaten you and your surroundings again in ten or twenty years time. That''s what it means to deprive the weak of the security of being protected by thew...Are you going to repeat the same thing every time?" "That¡¯s..." Krische wavered her gaze as if lost. *Thud*, as if touching her. Gallen hits Krische on the forehead with his fist. "That''s a stupid thing. You know that much, right?" "...Yes. It¡¯s stupid." There was no pain, but there was weight in it. The feeling of being hit for the first time made her head dizzy. The fact that she was scolded by the gentle Gallen was very shocking. At least, the shock resounded dully within her. "Bery was stabbed and the situation being what it was. At least I don''t me you. But don''t look at things shortsightedly. ...At least because of what you did, Her Majesty the Queen, Selene, Faren-dono¡ª¡ªvarious people were worried about your safety, and suffered various hardships on your behalf. That''s why the capital is so calm. First of all, be grateful for that." "¡¡yes" "¡¡good girl" Gallen smiled and stroked her smooth hair. He then raised himself up and put his hand on the railing. "Five years or ten years from now... anyway, I won''t have long to live. I want to watch over you forever in ce of Grace and Gorka, but life expectancy is the one thing you can¡¯t do anything about." "Ojii-sama..." Gallenughed, thinking that there wouldn¡¯t be much of this kind of nagging. "Then, when my lifespanes to an end, I want to depart without any regrets, thinking that you will be fine even without me. Many people, including Bery, care about you and support you. I don''t have that many concerns now, but..." Then he looked firmly into Krische¡¯s eyes. He gently cupped her cheek with his hard palm. "Regardless of whether you want it or not, you are no longer just a vige girl. From now on, think about things from a wider and longer perspective than just your surroundings. Also, take care of those close to you. That¡¯s what it means to be an adult." "¡¡yes" "You are fortunate to be surrounded by many people to learn from. They will all be good examples for you." After saying that, Gallen stroked Clich¨¦''s head again. Krische looked up at Gallen and wrapped her arms around him. "Well, it''s not something that will happen overnight....Your life has just begun, so you should take your time and think about it." "Ehehe... yes, Ojii-sama." That figure of his granddaughter was far from that of an adult. With a wry smile, Gallen started walking with her. When they returned, Selene looked relieved. After exchanging a few words, she went to her work. It seems that she stayed behind because she was worried about Krische, and when Gallen pointed it out, her face turned red and she ran away. The ck g Special Force personnel had already returned to the training grounds, and Krische then went with Gallen to look around the ce, which had been left unattended for a while. In addition to the first Jarea Gashea that had been left alone, two more had been assembled. Nagal, who told Krische that Bery had been stabbed, seems to have been worried about her absence for quite some time. He repeatedly muttered thank goodness, thank goodness, and lookedpletely relieved.After such a reunion, he put on his military face and enthusiastically showed the mass-produced Jarea Gashea, which had been stripped of its unnecessary parts. With the current workforce, they could manufacture at most two units per month. Regardless of whether or not an increase in personnel was necessary, they told her that there was a limit to the undergroundboratory, and that it was necessary to allocate new workshops. It seems that Selene has already dealt with this, and it seems that the tower where Krische was once imprisoned¡ª¡ªthe warehouse nearby will be used as a temporary workshop. It may eventually be too cramped there, but that''s for the future. In the future, arge-scale manufacturing nt will be built in Royal Capital, but it has not yet been used in actual warfare. That was enough for a while. After that, they headed to inspect the various corps and went to the ck g Special Forces training site surrounded by trees. "Aleha, it''s no good, you know. Krische is wounded, so Krische shouldn''t be doing any training for a while." Hat on, scarf wrapped around, and gloves. Fully protected from the cold winter Krische put her hands on her hips and red at Aleha as soon as she saw him. Maybe she really doesn''t like it, but it was a very rare line for Krische. Aleha smiled wryly while brushing his brown hair and shook his head. "Hahaha¡¡Of course, I would never do something like asking an injured person, Krische-sama, for help." "¡Then that¡¯s fine though." "After your injury is healed, please have a bout with me." But Aleha is a strong person. He took a step closer and said that. Krische took a step back "K-Krische is pretty badly injured, so it might be far in the future." "Then that means you can join us as long as the injuries are healed." "Eh, uh... th-that''s uhh..." "Because I missed the opportunity the other day¡ It''s been a long time since then. It''s partly to make up for that time, and even though injured, and couldn¡¯t train, the kingdom''s model for warriors, Alberinea¡ª¡ªKrische-sama, surely have been concerned about it. That, if it¡¯s like this, it won''t set a good example for the subordinates." The members of the ck g Special Forces look in amazement at the exchange that has be a regr urrence since he arrived. Alberinea, who usually swung around the people around her, is weak against rational pushes. "T-that¡¯s certainly true, but..." "Once Krische-sama injuries have healed, I''ll be your partner to your heart''s content. Please call me when you do." "Ugh..." "Adjutant Aleha, don''t pick on Usa-chan like that." It''s a Krische that could be sold who knows somewhere the next day if caught by a bad-natured pedant. Kalua sends out a rescue boat even as she was exasperated, hugging Krische from behind and ring at Aleha. "Saying such a scandalous thing. It''s just a normal conversation between a subordinate and a superior." "It looks really very criminal to me, though. Hey, Usa-chan, let''s leave the scary Onii-san here, and let''s go over there and reapply the bandages." "...? Kahlua, the bandages were just changed this morning..." Krische tilted her head troublingly, "Okay, stop there." "Agh" "If anything, Kalua is the one more criminal here, geez." Mia tugged at Kalua''s hair and sighed. "Uu, like I said, don''t pull like that." "It''s because Kahlua always says stupid things." Mia raised her eyebrows and tugged at the horsetail-like hair. Krische looked at Mia in wonder. "Mia, how is the squad doing?" "Yes, Krische-sama. The current number of personnel is 247. The selection for training archers has beenpleted, and a total of 67 people, 13 of whom are former hunters, are continuing to train as they are qualified. Most of them are new recruits, and based on Gallen-sama''s suggestion, Commander Dagra decided to mix it in with hand-to-handbat training and continue archery training in parallel." It takes time to be proficient with a bow. One month is enough to learn how to shoot arrows to a certain extent, but it takes a long time to improve one''s skills. After a certain amount of intensive training, it was necessary to continue training in parallel with hand-to-handbat. "It would be better to have them draw the bow every day, especially when ites to rapid training. At least until the sensation bes ingrained in their bodies. Krische knows why me and Gorka went into the forest every day, right?" Gallen, who had been talking with Dagra, said. The Kalka hunters would go into the forest at least once a day to draw their bows, even if they were not hunting for prey, unless there was a storm. This was so as to make their senses dull. Especially in the darkness of forests covered with trees and in the darkness of night when there is little light. In such ces, an optical illusion causes the aim to shift slightly above the target. It was necessary to make the body memorize this sensation, which was different from that of the ins during the daytime, and it was necessary to develop the habit of capturing the target not with a point (dot) but with a ne. "Yes. Um... Krische doesn''t really know how to adjust that, so Krische''ll leave it to Bald Eagle and the Ojii-sama." The first time she picked up a bow, she could hit the center of the target within the day. Krische did not understand the difficulty of the bow. The same goes for the sword¡ª¡ªKrische never touched the nning of basic training, leaving everything to his subordinates. She would present the minimum standards required, give them what they needed for that training, and that would be the end of it. If it was Dagra and Gallen''s decision, she would not interfere. "What about throwing spears?" "In particr, long distance throwing is improving steadily. Everyone is working hard." "Fumufumu..." Javelin throwing is supposed to be done at the end of training and in a state of fatigue, especially when throwing metal training spears¡ª¡ªThe so-called "Nightmare Ten Throws'''' was particrly unpopr with new recruits, but the training was highly effective. "Kalua was really surprising. Last week, she threw an ordinary throwing spear almost one ri away." "Eheh, now Usa-chan, praise me, praise me." "Hmm, what''s the average?" "About seventy to eighty ken (125~145m)." The effective range of the bow is at most 100 ken. If it''s an elite longbow, it''s about 120 to 140 ken. A soldier''s throwing spear average is 20 to 30 ken. If it''s a specialized light skirmisher, it''s a little over 30 ken. Nearly 1 ri¨D¨DIt''s not bad if she could throw 200 ken. That''s more than double the average of the ck g Special Forces, and was more than a longbow. Krische reached behind her head and patted Kalua appropriately while thinking about it a little. "That''s a passing score. Krische''ll praise you." "Well, I''m no match for Usa-chan though." "It''s no good if Kalua is satisfied with that. Kalua is taller than Krische and has more advantages, so Krische needs to be able to throw farther than Krische. Kalua still has a long way to go." Krische said to Kalua while patting who rested her chin on Krische''s shoulder. Considering the physical ability of a magic possessor, it is only natural that they can throw twice as much as an ordinary person. And for Krische, the definition of a good thrower is aplete theoretical value that utilizes toes to fingertips. Kahlua''s throwing spear, which was unimaginable for ordinary people, was still so-so for her. The new recruits who were listening to the conversation looked at her in bewilderment. They had heard that she, who looked very small, could throw a spear that could copse the castle walls, but after seeing Kalua''s spear, which made a roaring sound that could not be thought of as a spear, it was hard to imagine a more powerful spear. "Mia, that''s not a bad number, but as Krische said before, Krische¡¯s hope is to average over a hundred ken for the time being. It would be much easier if you could aim with a throwing spear from outside the archer¡¯s effective range, and you could incorporate it as a tactic even in a head-on decisive battle that does not rely on ambushes. Please make them work harder." The reason why the bow cannot strike a fatal blow in a frontal curved fire is because of its weight. If the arrow is made heavier, range ispromised, and if it is made lighter, pration ispromised. Arrows inevitably had their limitations. However, if it were spears, it would be able to inflict fatal blows beyond the limits of what themon soldiers'' armor and shields could prevent. Killing an opponent unterally without taking any risks. That was always the only result Krische was looking for, and what she was looking for was the means to achieve it. "Eh...?" "Bald Eagle always tells you not to talk back right. Mia, are you sure you''re doing everything you can?" "I-I''m pretty good at it, uh, I''d say it''s above average this time...I''m a pretty good thrower, okay?" "No. Kalua, you have to properly train Mia. This kind of thing won''t show unless the person instructing the training does it properly." "Hmm, Mia has a habit of doing things by force." "Kalua shut up. It¡¯s fine if it flies." "Let¡¯s do our best, Adjutant Mia. No matter how slow and dull Adjutant Mia''s motor skills are, I, the head of the Kalua special operations team, will teach her everything she needs to know. You can say ¡®Please teach me Kalua-sensei¡¯ you know." "You..." "Usa-chan, Deputy Mia says she can''t follow Usa-chan''s orders. She can''t ask her subordinates to teach her¨D¨DUhg." "I told you not to do that! Krische-sama will take them seriously..." Mia pulled Kahlua''s cheek and red at her. Krische was a little annoyed by the exchange going on behind her head, but nodded, thinking that it''s a good thing that they get along well. In Krische¡¯s mind, the tugging cheek was an affectionate gesture. "Well, things are going well in general. We''ve added more people to training...the Piririn team seems to be doing their job seriously too. Bald Eagle." "Yes ma¡¯am" "As Krische said before, this time we will take out the escort team Kilik and the others, and there will be up to 300 new Piririn. As soon as Piririn is finished, please give the Piririn team a suitable vacation. Clich¨¦ will give you another job. Krische will give them other duties, so please be prepared for that." "Understood. The selection team¨D¨Dno, no, I''ll contact Team Leader Piririn, Daz again.'''' Krische, who was dissatisfied with the name of the sorting squad, looked at Dagura who rephrased and nodded in satisfaction. "The official name is Piririn Squad, right? We allow people to call them that outside of the squad, but Bald Eagle have to be proper in these areas. It would be a problem if there were any misunderstandings about the name when giving orders, wouldn''t it?" "M-my apologies..." Unable to endure it, Kalua turned her face away and shook her shoulder, while Dagra red at her. Noticing this, Kalua immediately grabbed Krische¡¯s slender waist, lifted her up, ced her between herself and Dagra, and hid behind her. A shield against Dagra¨D¨Deven the Dagra cannot re at Kalua, who was right behind Krische. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. "...? Well, for now, please always use the official name when giving orders and reports. It''s a Piririn team, so the official name is New Piririn." "Yes ma¡¯am....I-I''ll be careful from now on, Master Cliche." Gallen smiled wryly at Dagra''s state, and Mia pitied the Pirrin group¨D¨DDaz and the others. Krische seems to like the name Piririn. In the end, from now on, they will always be called that by her. How Pitiful "If you understand, that''s fine. Guess that¡¯s about it..." Krische moved her lips and leaned against Kahlua. The sun was already beginning to set, and after walking around and looking at everything, even though it was an inspection tour, Krische¡¯s wounds were not fully healed. There was a little lethargy in her body. Kahlua patted her head and asked her if she was okay. "Krische is fine. But Krische''ve finished what Krische ness to do, so Krische will go home today." "I see. Well, Usa-chan had just recovered after all, so should I send Usa-chan home?" "It¡¯s okay." Krische says happily and smiles. "Usa-chan should have gotten some dragon blood too... Oh no, I guess that would make her too energetic. It did say something like it''s too strong... What about Bery-san?" "Um, better. She was out in the garden today...but, yeah, Krische didn''t think about it too much....Bery said she''s feeling better, so Krische think she''s okay but" Krische said worriedly, and Kalua was deep in thought. "Hmmm, she''s probably the kind of person who''s going to bear it and be considerate to others whatever happens, so Usa-chan should take a proper look at her. If she''s really fine, then that¡¯s fine, but" "...Yes. There''s a lot more fluff on her body than before, so there may be some strange things about it." That was probably the only visible change. The magic power is slightly different from the previous Bery. Maybe it''s because it mixed with the dragon''s magic power¨D¨DShe didn''t think there was much of a problem with the increase itself, but there might be a sensory issue. Especially since Berry''s body is not very strong, she uses magical powers on a daily basis like Krische and Kreschenta. If there was a change in magical power, it would have some effect on that part, but Bery didn''t say anything. Was it only an error or difort, or perhaps because she did not want Krische to be worried. Berry, as Kalua said, seemed like she wouldn''t say a word if something like that happened, and Krische needed to be more careful than usual. "Thank you. Krische was just told by Ojii-sama at lunch that Krische should be more aware of the surroundings. ¡Come to think of it, Krische was too happy to properly care about Bery more than anyone else." Krische said and lowered her eyes. Kalua smiled bitterly and pinched Krische¡¯s cheek. "Look, look, you can''t make that face. I''m just a little worried about her, and it''s more likely that we''re worrying too much. It''s a big blow to Bery-san if Usa-chan makes that kind of face. Look, smile, smile." Kalua smiled while forcing the corner of Krische¡¯s mouth to turn up. Mia looked at Kaluapletely exasperated. No matter how much Krische was a person who did not care about formality, she was still royalty and a military man with a rank second only to that of Marshal. She was essentially a being above the clouds. Yet, she waspletely treated like a child¨D¨Deven though it''s as usuals, is that really okay? However, that is one of the good things about her she thought. She giggled and looked at Dagra and Gallen. "Commander, Gallen-sama, is there anything else for Krische-sama?" "No. Anyway, it''s true that Krische-sama¡¯s wounds haven''t healed. It would be better for her to take a rest for a while...Krische-sama, at present, there are no problems and everything is progressing smoothly. If anything happens, I''ll contact you again. Please rest until your wounds heal." "Nn... yes. Bald Eagle should also take turns with Mia and Aleha and take a proper rest. You can''t overdo it, Bald Eagle had also been stabbed after all." Dagraughed happily and patted his side. "Haha, that was a long time ago. Don''t worry about it...However, I¡¯ll keep it in mind." Gallen also looked at the situation and nodded with satisfaction. "It''s part of the job to rest. Please tell that Bery next time you see her." "Yes, Ojii-sama. See you next time." "Yeah." After Krische finished, Kalua immediately took her hand. "Then Princess, I will apany you..." "Um, Kahlua? Krische is fine..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, Usa-chan is an injured person after all." Kalua said that and tried to pull Krische''s hand¨D¨DDagra called to Kalua in a low voice. "Kalua...I have a lot of things to say to youter. Don''t think you can always get away like that." "Ugh..." "Haa, really, why are you so... Well, it''s fine. For now, I''d like you to Krische-sama and go see your little sister''s face. I''ll leave the sermon after that." "Yes~¡¡" "Brief answers, you idiot." "Yesmander, Squad Leader of the ck g Special Forces Squadron, I will now be assigned to protect Alberinea." When Kalua clicked her heels and saluted him, Dagra rubbed his temples and sighed. If it weren''t for this, he would have nothing to say about her, but he had a headache looking at her. She was outstandingly talented, but this was a source of concern for Dagra. "Then let''s go, Usa-chan. I''ll ask Elvena to make some tea for me." "Yes." "...Kahlua is really cunning, isn''t he?" "Fufun, I hope you call me smart." "That''s what they call cunning." Mia also let out a sigh, just like Dagra, and smiled at the sight of Krische being led by her hand. Chapter 160: A Coward Chapter 160: A Coward ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 160 A Coward*** It''s not that she was particrly fond of cooking. It''s all the same as long as it goes in the mouth and fills the stomach. Nutritious or not, easy to eat or not. That was about it, and it wasn''t something she was interested in from the start. To pay Argan''s debt, Christand gave up most of his personal fortune. At the time, Christand could not afford to hire servants, and since she was going to be taken care of, she wanted to at least get those chores done. It all started with a simple sense of duty. The old estate, which had just been bought, was spacious enough for the three of them to spend time together, but Bogan had sold off most of the furnishings, except for his books. There''s just the bare essentials¨D¨Dvases and paintings with no-value. It wasn''t that difficult to manage such a cold estate, and one person was enough. For Bogan, who gave up a lot for her sister, she tried to at least make a living as before, and that daily life went quite well. Her older sister helped Bogan, who had just been promoted to corpsmander, with paperwork and other duties. Bery took care of things inside the estate. Seeing her happy sister was the most important thing, and there was no question about such a life. Doingundry, cleaning. While tending a small orchard and vegetable garden, she picks affordable items for dinner. Usually around that time, her sister would appear in the kitchen. "...Bery, are you making dinner already? Take a break, geez. I need you to leave a little something for me to do." "I mean if I leave it to Nee-sama, it will be a lot of trouble, especially the cooking¡" "You¡" Her silky red hair swayed, her hands on her hips disapprovingly. Her face was somehow full of charm, and Bery smiled sweetly. Lazura Argan was always beautiful, and was always a woman who Bery adored. "... I''m scared because you''ll get a fever right away when you say that." "Unlike in the past, my health is better these days. Since Gotoushu-sama taught me body enhancement, I''ve been less tired, Nee-sama is worrying too much." "In your case, worrying too much is just right." She hugged her from behind and put her chin on her head. Her silky hair tickled her neck and her shoulders, and she loved that sensation. "You''re still a child, so let Nee-sama pamper you." "¡¡It¡¯s already enough, I¡¯m too spoiled." "You¡¯re not spoiled enough. Raz Onee-sama is not satisfied, you know. You can be stickier and clingier you know. ...What are you making today?" "It''s a tomato-based soup. Since Nee-sama liked it." The older sister, somewhat happily, picked up thedle and sipped the soup. "Delicious. Fufu, no matter what you do, you''re the best little sister in the world, but when ites to cooking, you''re a great genius." "Nee-sama always praises me excessively. No matter what I make, Nee-sama always says it¡¯s delicious." "Bery works very hard to make it match my taste. How can it not be delicious?" She looked at her as she cupped her cheeks. She looked away in embarrassment and her sister amusedly. "Because I look forward to the food you make every day. ¡Making that face again, has Onee-sama ever lied to you before?" "¡There are a lot just by remembering a little." "Forget that. It''s just your imagination¡ª¡ªthe only thing that matters is now, Bery." "Always going with the flow like that." "Don''t say that. What a foul-mouthed child!" The trigger for it was probably something as trivial as that. It might be apliment to her servile sister, or maybe not. Just, she was happy to see her smile like that when she cooked for her¡ª¡ªshe made an effort to make her happy like that. Probably, she came to love cooking because it gave her confidence that she could make someone happy. She was unable to do anything, and cooking just happened to be the thing that she picked up. In truth, anything was fine. At least at that time, her life was to achieve revenge. In the meantime, she thought it would be nice if she could return the favor to the two of them, and that was one of the ways to do so. In the meantime, I thought it would be nice if I could return the favor to the two of them, and that was one of the ways to do so. "¡Huh?" "Did you think that the nice and fine Onee-sama that you respect can''t see through the fact that you''re thinking about stupid things? I will tell you, that¡¯s just self-satisfaction, Bery. If you think that it''s for me, you''re mistaken. I wouldn''t be happy even if you stabbed Rnd to death." "Hg¡but, I¡¯m¡ª¡ª" "No but." Her older sister put her hands on her hips and pointed angrily at her. "I''m not happy about it either, I wanted to tear Rnd to pieces. But it''s over and done with, it¡¯s in the past. I''m happy now that I met Bogan, Selene was born, and that I get to eat my little sister''s delicious food every day. I want to thank Rnd for that." "Such a thing¡ª¡ª" "It was just that kind of fortuitous meeting, Bery. At least right now I''m the happiest person in the world. If you are doing it for me, or for my sake, or for such a silly reason, please stop it." Her older sister stared at her and she looked away. Her sister always had a triumphant and kind smile on her face at such times. "If you, as a noble, cannot forgive the humiliation you have suffered, then I won¡¯t stop you. But if you, as my family, say it is for my sake, I assure you it is not. I don''t need to tell you why, right?" "¡But." "Look, don''t cry. Don''t talk back. I''m so d you feel that way ...As your older sister, I''m proud that my little sister loves me that much." Whenever she cried, her older sister would wipe it off. She hated herself for being so spoiled. "But if you feel that way about me, I''d be happy if you worked hard to keep me happy. You are my proud sister, and your happiness is my happiness, just as you think of me that way. Do you dislike your life now? Is it unhappy for you?" "No, that kind of thing, is" "Right? Fufu, your Onee-sama knows everything about you." She kissed her forehead and told her not to cry. Tears spilled helplessly, and her older sisterughed as if she was troubled. "I know all about your mean-spiritedness. I know all too well how you think you''re worthless and that there''s only so much you can do." Her sister red as she fell silent. "I may have what youck, but you also have what Ick. But you also have what Ick¨D¨Dyou are my other half. You do the housework for me, you cook for me.... I would be in trouble without you. Is that what you want, to annoy your beloved half, your Onee-sama?" She shook her head and her older sister hugged her and stroked her head. Her tears flowed more and more, how miserable (pathetic). "It''s a fortuitous meeting. Just like me, I want you to be grateful for such a fortune and to find your own happiness from now on." "You¡¯re the best little sister in the world after all", her older sister said with a mischievousugh. "I need you to be the happiest person in the world," such idiotic words followed. Her sister always repeated those words to the point of being excessive. "That makes me happy, and so does Bogan. If you''re good with knives, don''t think about stupid things and cook delicious food, understand? Are you sure you''re going to feed my sweet Selene some of my homemade food? I¡¯ll get angry if you say that okay." "¡Nee-sama, handmade food¡certainly I can¡¯t let her eat that." "Yes absolutely. I will be troubled if you won¡¯t cook for me." Her sister proudly said something shameful. She loved that sister of hers and. "I love you, Bery. ¡So, can you promise me? Until another happinesses to you someday, you''ll always stay by my side and do that." "...Yes, Nee-sama." "Fufun, I¡¯ll take your word for it. I won''t let you go back on it okay." "Yes. ¡I swear by this name." That¡¯s why, it was a means to an end, but before she knew it, it had turned into something irreceable. "¡¡Pretty" The rain has stopped and the moonlight shines through the clouds. She looked at Krische and Kreschenta sleeping next to her and stroked their heads. Silver hair and gold glittering red hair. Their hair was beautifully mixed together, and their sleeping profiles looked exactly alike. She gently stroked their hair and smiled. Then she slowly got up, gently put on her shoes and went out into the hallway. She walked down the stairs to the kitchen and looked around for a while. She looked at the cooking utensils lined up in the spacious kitchen and squinted. There was a memory in each of the tools that she collected over the years. She smiled wryly remembering that she spent a lot of money to challenge various dishes. It was half a hobby, half a waste of money. "Bery, this, how do you use this?" But she had no regrets about it, and she was okay with that. Because she could always remember her happy face. She looked at the condiments, took out each one, and tasted a little bit. From mere voring to secret seasonings¨D¨Dthe number of ingredients she has collected was probably asrge as those in the pce¡¯s kitchen, as well as the variety of cooking utensils. But all of them were like sand to the current Bery. Texture and aroma, that''s about all she could tell. She took each of them out of her memory drawer and understood it as she looked at them. Two weeks after waking up, she cooked the same food as before, with nothing but anxiety in her chest. She only made dishes that she was confident in and familiar with. And one she won¡¯t make a mistake with the seasoning. But she wasn''t sure how long that wouldst. Day by day, the slightest deviation piled up, and in a few months, it will undoubtedly be a deviation next year. When that happens, Krische will no doubt notice it. She didn''t dare try a new seasoning, and as she looked at Krische, who was happy, what¡¯s in her head was terror. Maybe tomorrow she will be cured. If not tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. Even as she thought like that, she didn¡¯t even have the courage to speak out. "¡As I thought, I can¡¯t be like you, Nee-sama." She thought she had grown a little more than before. A trivial thing saved her life, so it¡¯s fine. She shouldn¡¯t ask for more than that. Because of her own fault, Krische even challenged the dragon. Krische, who never gets hurt, even on the battlefield, was covered in scars all over. Even though she did not know how powerful the dragon was, she could understand just what that signified. It was thanks to that that she was still alive, and she didn''t want to make Krische, who had gone to such lengths to save her, sad. ¨D¨DNo, wrong. It was probably not that, but that in the end she was just afraid. She was afraid that the connection between her and Krische, Cooking, would disappear from inside her. She was just afraid of what Krische''ll think of her who was without sense of taste. Surprising her, making her happy. She wondered where the value of such her would be if she could no longer do those things. In the end, what she feared was her own interest. She was terribly afraid of letting go of the one thing that connected her the most with Krische. She knew Krische¡¯s kindness and her affection. She knew that she would never do such a thing, but she was afraid that she would be disappointed with her. That''s why she couldn''t tell her and kept putting it off. She was hopelessly pathetic and weak. "...Bery?" Hearing the voice, her shoulders jumped and she turned around. Krische in a negligee looked a little sleepy and was looking at her from the entrance curiously. "Krische-sama, what happened?" "... No, umm, when Krische woke up because of Kreschenta¡¯s sleeping position, Bery wasn''t there. What is Bery doing?" Relieved that she had put the condiments away, she smiled. "I got a little thirsty. So, I thought of making some hot milk." Krische stepped closer to her and leaned in close. Her body was warm, probably because she was just asleep. Even in the dark, her purple eyes shone in the moonlight shining through the window. Her sparkling, jewel-like eyes turned toward her, and she asked. "Bery, um, are you okay?" "Huh?" "Well¡ the magical power inside Bery¡¯s body has also changed, and Krische thought that Bery might actually feel pain or difort somewhere. ¡Krische heard that the blood Bery got from Regve-san is very stimting, so Krische is worried after all." Krische said and lowered her eyes. "Like I said before, the body is in better condition than before. It¡¯s true that I feel a little ufortable when manipting the body¡ but maybe because I have gotten used to it, it¡¯s easier than before." As she said that, she felt pathetic and wanted to sigh. Even after all this she was still afraid to say it. At that time, it might have even been better if she had confided in Selene. Day by day, her heart seems to grow frightened, and as the days pass, she loses her courage. "I¡¯m okay." She stroked her head and she nodded quietly. She felt guilty for lying to Krische, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell her. ¡®The worst¡¯ she thought to herself. "Well, if Bery feels something strange, tell Krische immediately. Krische will do something about it." "Yes. ¡Would you like to have a drink too, Krische-sama?" "Ehehe, yes" Krische nodded and smiled. Bery smiled too and went to get some cold milk from the fridge. As Krische turned to pick up the honey, she looked to the condiments right next to it. She froze, and Bery, with her back to her, didn''t notice it. Chapter 161: Cookie Chapter 161: Cookie ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 161 Cookie*** "A-already... Bery-sama, Selene-sama''s room is done." "Thank you, Elvena-sama. Hehe, since Elvena-samaes here, Elvena-sama finishes everything first, so I don''t have much to do either." Berry, who was supposed to be doingundry, was looking around, and she was already in the kitchen making a meal. By the looks of it, the soup was already finished. Elvena stiffened and thought over her work. After gathering underwear, nightgowns, andundry together, Bery did theundry. Elvena was in charge of cleaning the room. She cleaned the assigned room and Selene''s room. When she went to clean Krische¡¯s room¨D¨Dwhich in effect also both Bery and Krescenta''s, 3 person room, the cleaning was already finished. A neatly arranged bedpared to the morning¨D¨Dwhich aroused confusion. Berry should have been doing theundry. There must be a good amount ofundry because it had rained yesterday and they couldn''t dry it, and even though they had done it carefully, it was unlikely that she had finished in the time Elvena had spent cleaning the two rooms. But when she hurried to the courtyard, she found that theundry was already hung on a string to dry. No matter how she thought about it based on the water on theundry, it had been hung for a while. It must have already been hung to dry around the time Elvena started in the second room. Elvena was increasingly puzzled as to what was going on. For the time being, she picks up a mop to clean the entrance and back door she saw earlier. It had been raining all night yesterday, so the entrance was a little dirty. ¨D¨DBut there was already no trace of dirt to be found anywhere. It should have been there before she went out into the courtyard earlier¨D¨Dbut what was there was a polished floor. Where had Bery disappeared to? She rushed out into the yard and went to Suiko¨D¨DGururun''s ce. Sleepy and content, Gururun was rxing in the special hut that had been built. No matter how she looked at it, it had already finished its meal. The horse was also munching on some hay. At this point, it was no longer just a confusion, but a chill down her spine. It was not even noon yet. She looked at the kitchen from outside and through the window she noticed that steam was already rising When she ran into the kitchen, the soup was already ready. "Is something the matter? Elvena-sama." "N-no..." She was a young woman, perhaps even younger than Elvena, depending on how one saw it. Smooth red hair. Her head was a little lower than Elvena''s and herrge eyes were that of a young maiden. She looked young, with her voluptuous breasts and slender waist¨Dbined with her atmosphere, she seemed to be a calmdy, and she was a truly mysterious woman. Dressed in an apron dress and tilting her head slightly, she was mature, sexy, and pretty at the same time. ¨D¨DBut don''t let appearances deceive you. Despite her appearance, she was a superhuman no different from Krische. Sinceing here, she has basically been helping Cliche. She has only started working on the mansion on the side after Bery was stabbed. Taking care of the queen and taking care of the mansion¨D¨DShe divided the duties with Anne and worked hard in Bery''s ce, but that''s probably where things started to feel strange. This estate was toorge. Come to think of it, the mansion was in almost perfect condition no matter when Elvena returned. It was no different than when she was at Rnd''s mansion with itsrge number of servants. Moreover, Bery also worked a lot as the queen''s attendant, so there was no way she could have spent her days just managing the estate. She was also supposed to have worked on it on the side. On top of that, she was entrusted with managing Christand''s books, and she also calmly helped Krische and Selene with their paperwork. Considering that she coulde up with any number without a pause when asked, her brain must have recorded most of Christand¡¯s affairs. Krische¡¯s dubious tale of her taking care of the Christand¡¯s estate in Gargain alone. She should have understood it the moment it wasn¡¯t a mere dubious tale. She was the servant among servants¨D¨DBery Argan. The current Elvena is an opponent who couldn¡¯t even reach her shadow. "¡U-uhh, is something the matter after all?" Bery blushes slightly, and her gaze wanders all over her body, confused by Elvena''s serious face. Suddenly, Elvena noticed and shook her head. "Oh, Bery-sama. There''s hay on your head..." "Huh? Ah, that''s true. How embarrassing..." She picked up the hay and put her hand on her cheek embarrassingly. It was lovely, but she could not admire it. She must have been the one who fed the horses and Gururun. The slight possibility that they might have been fed by Krische or Serene when they went out was now gone. "Well...when I saw Bery-sama''s work again, I realized once again that I and others still have a long way to go." "Um... that''s not true, you know? Elvena-sama is more than..." "No, no. If youpare the amount of work, mine is only one-third of Berry-sama''s work... no, it''s less than one-fourth or even one-fifth. I realized how naive I had been until now." Elvena sighed, as if to say that she is truly pathetic. Bery approached her with a wry smile, looking troubled, and she gently stroked her head. "I just know how I should do it, and have mastered how to cut corners. The cleaning is minimal, and the amount of effort I put into each one will vary considerably. Elvena-sama seems to be working a little too hard, so I think it would be best if you rxed your shoulders a little more.'''' Her gaze slightly downward. But the smile on her lips was soft and graceful, full of feminine charm. When she stroked her head, she felt no difort, all she felt was a sense of security. Just, only, a beautiful person. "What is needed where it is needed. What takes up a lot of time, do it parallelly...The logic is simple. If you can rx your shoulders, get used to the work a little more, and be able to grasp the overall flow, I''m sure Elvena-sama will be able to do it right away." "...Yes. Thank you very much. Um...that, is it okay if I go around with you for a while tomorrow?" "Hmm... that''s right. Let''s go around together for a while." Bery said and separated from her, took herdle and poured soup into a small te. "May I ask you to taste it?" "Yes." Elvena smiled and nodded, epting the small te. The rich aroma of dissolved vegetables tickles the nose. The ingredients were tender (syrupy), and when you put it in your mouth, the rich vor will delight your taste buds. How did she do this while aplishing the housework? It was an artistic piece that was so carefully made that she couldn¡¯t help but wonder. "......The ingredients are blended together and today''s dish is also very tasty." "is that so" ¡®I''m d it''s delicious,¡¯ she said with a somewhat relieved smile. Elvena chuckled. She wondered what she was still worried about after making this delicious food. Her cooking was more delicious than anything she ate at Rnd''s mansion. Each vegetable, each meat. Was it because everything was processed carefully, because the seasoning was exquisite, or was it abination of them? Just one simple grilled dish is a work of art. If asked what makes such deep soups and other dishes so delicious, Elvena''s tongue had trouble exining. But even with such skill, she was not satisfied. Perhaps she perceived things in a dimension that Elvena doesn''t understand. "...perhaps in the morning?" "Yes, but I just set it up and set it on fire. Soak theundry in water with soap dissolved in it, it¡¯s after that" Elvena finally understood where the difference between her and Beryy. One by one, not serially, but in parallel. Bery must have a bird''s eye view of the whole and handle her work as a ne. It''s a fundamentally different way of looking at things. She thinks of everything, not just cooking, in the same way that she prepares food before the water boils. "See, if you ask me, it''s simple, isn''t it? It''s not that difficult once you get used to it. Make arrangements for how far you want to go today, and build your schedule ordingly. It''s just a repetition of the small things, like cleaning the house while theundry is hanging out to dry." "I see." It was easier said than done, but when she said it, it sounded as if it were a very easy thing to do. "So don''t overdo it. Take it easy, just think of it as a little bit of ying with building blocks." "...To me now, Bery-sama looks like a fairy godmother (wizard) in a fairy tale." "Saying things like that again. Fufu, but Elvena-sama will soon realize that the fairy godmother (wizard) is just a magician (sleight of hand). I''m not quite there yet." While looking a little embarrassed, sheughed mischievously. That part was a lot like Krische. ording to both of them, it was natural to be able to do it this well. Elvena was sure both of them have far too high standards for themselves. Oblivious to what others think of them, always looking only for the best, and therefore, helplessly insensitive to what others think of them. Whenever they receivedpliments, they both looked embarrassed andughed vaguely. The two of them must surely be attracted to such aspects of each other. Even though it''s okay to be proud of their abilities, both were still extremely modest. Krische praises Bery and Bery praises Krische¨D¨Dthey would probably never be satisfied with themselves in their lives. Their way of being is now that of a seeker (ÇóµÀÕß = one who seek the way), and when she thought about it, Selene and Crescenta both have that aspect. Christand was a group of such seekers. Elvena sighed as she realized what the insurmountable wall she had been vaguely aware of was. There was nothing she could do about it, because that wall kept running. Although she was half resigned, she smiled forcefully. "Then, I would like to begin by bing a magician (sleight of hand). I look forward to working together, Bery-sama." "Ah, uh... take it easy..." "Yes. I will do my best to reach that state as soon as possible." Even if she couldn¡¯t surpass it, keeping up behind it. That should be possible, and for that, it will need to work hard. In front of her, who looked troubled, she was only being serious. At noon everyone returns for a meal. Soup, bread, a light lunch, and cleanup. For now, today was the same as usual. There seems to be no problem with cooking. Krische seemed a little lethargic and not feeling well, which worried her a little, but she couldn''t stop her from going to work. She said she would finish it early, so she wondered if it would be better to eat less meat today and make something easy to eat and nutritious. From noon, she and Elvena would take care of the mansion''s business, and she would think about such things as opening the ount books in her room. "Would you like another drink?" "Thank you. Um... It¡¯s okay to take a little break, you know?" "No, today I n to take a look at you work Bery-sama." Elvena stood next to her in a proper posture. Her well-groomed features were sharp and alert, and her hair was glossy and carefully styled over her shoulders. It was perfect, and was exactly what a servant should be. Bery smiled and scratched her cheek. Anne was a diligent worker, and so was Elvena. She was even more serious these days, which made her feel a little troubled. That''s probably in her nature, but still she was trying too hard, and she was at a loss for what to do. Being full of motivation is a great thing in itself. However, she was worried that she might fall ill, and it was kind of itchy to be looked up to in such a sparkling and respectful way. She sipped the tea that was poured for her and took a deep breath. Even if she didn¡¯t know the taste, the warmth and scent will heal her somewhat. "Elvena-sama, pleasee here." "Uhh... yes." She stood up and took a teacup for Elvena and put it on the desk. She poured her a cup of tea, asked her to sit down, and closed the ledger. She thought to make some small talk to distract herself, but that was Bery''s weakest point. "A-are you used to life here?" "Yes. Everything was new... At first, I was a little confused. But there¡¯s no problem." "I see that¡¯s good..." Conversation breaks off, and her gaze wavers. Putting aside talk for greetings, work, cooking, or manners, small talk was quite difficult. Conversation without business or business¨D¨Dwhat should she talk about? ¡®Is it appropriate to talk about the weather?¡¯ ¨D¨DI''m d it was sunny today. ¨D¨DCertainly. The weather is pleasant. ¡®No, that''s not good enough. The talk would end there.¡¯ However, Elvena''s past is not a bright one. She couldn''t possibly about the old days, and that area would be taboo. Today''s work was finished. ¡®In that case, talk about tomorrow''s work¨D¨Dno, wouldn''t that make her even more nervous?¡¯ Elvena was staring at Bery''s face curiously. Seeing that face, a thought urred to her and she nodded. "Ka-Kalua-sama¡ umm, next time, I would be happy if you could tell her my thanks." "To Nee-san¡?" "Yes, umm, the gift I received the other day..." About two weeks ago, while sending Krische on the way to the estate, Kalua chose some fruit and gave it to Bery as a present. From there, some kind of conversation might continue¡ª¡ªBery thought so. But Elvena stared at Berry, thought for a moment, and smiled. "Understood. I''ll ry it to Nee-san." "Y-yeah...thank you..." Contrary to Bery''s ns, silence once again. *stare* Elvena quietly looked at Bery while sipping the tea, and Bery flicked her gaze from side to side as if searching for something. For Bery, it was a very awkward atmosphere. But it was only for a short while. What changed the atmosphere was Elvena''sughter. "Fufu, I think it''s rude to say something like this but..." "Ah...um?" "Bery-sama is such a lovely person. ...my apologies for being a bit mischievous." Elvenaughs happily, looks at the gaping berry, and wipes the tears from the corners of her eyes. "It''s okay, Bery-sama doesn''t need to be that considerate of me. I''m very happy just for the feelings.'''' Bery blushed as she finally realized that she had been teased. Then it became more and more amused. Elvena looked at Berry with a smile, and Bery opened her mouth shyly with her eyes downcast. "S-sorry... I''m not good at this kind of conversation." "No. Rather, I feel relieved... there are things that even Bery-sama is also not good at." "It''s just that Elvena-sama is overestimating me. I¡¯m just good at pretending, and there are many ces where I¡¯mcking." "Fufu, if Berry-sama''s is just a pretense, then what am I?" "Eh, uh..." When Bery was at a loss for her answer, Elvena''s smile deepened and she let out augh. Once again, ¡®sorry¡¯ she said as she smiled wryly. "But really, Bery-sama is very simr to Krische-sama in that aspect. Both of you are too modest..." "Putting aside Krische-sama, I, uh..." "Perhaps if I ask the same question, Krische-sama will say the same thing as Bery-sama." "Uu..." Berry''s embarrassed face was very much like that of a maiden''s. Contrasting to her usual calm demeanor, Elvena calmly observed that expression as her eyes were healed. Both the master and servant were two people who stirred her mischievous hearts to no end. "Forgive me. Looking at the two of you, I feel a little envious." "envious, is it?" "Yes, because you both look very happy." Bery blushed more and more at the words she said. She had no way of hiding how she and Krische usually spent their time together. They were witnessed on a daily basis, and her senses were somewhat numb, but she felt an indescribable embarrassment when it was said again. "I am not teasing. I mean it. It''s not about romantic feelings, but that such a rtionship itself is a wonderful thing, umm......" Elvena smiled bitterly as she said it herself. "I''m a little embarrassed too, but I''m very envious of a rtionship that is fulfilling like the two of you. How should I say it....just, I feel that it is very fateful that I have met a pair who is such a perfect match in this wide world." "Guess, I''ll never be a bard," Elvena said shyly. Although it was the flow of the talk, it was still an itchy phrase to say. But Berry thought deeply and looked a little uneasy. "¡Is that how it seems?" "Uh, uhh...don¡¯t tell me, Bery-sama isn¡¯t confident?" Elvena was confused by the unexpected words. Bery averted her eyes and opened her mouth. "No, uh... I, of course, love Krische-sama. More than anyone else." It was an affirmation. Elvena, who had seen their daily life up until now, had no doubts about this now, but when it was said like this, she felt an indescribable shock. Elvena blushed, her eyes watering, even though it was a topic she had brought up herself, and she remembered the time when she had asked Krische about Bery. "Krische-sama loved someone like me...I have no doubts about that feelings. I have vowed to dedicate my life to Krische-sama." "Y-yes..." Both master and servant were too simr. "But the real me is... a very pathetic person, and I sometimes wonder if this kind of me is really the best for Krische-sama, I''m afraid that one day she''ll be disillusioned..." Elvena had heard simr words from another person before. Terrifyingly pure. In that respect, both of them are simr to each other. "Y-you know, Berry-sama." "...?" "I¡ª¡ª" As Elvena was about to speak, a knock sounded. Holding Elvena who was about to stand up, Bery stood up and opened the door. "Wee home, Krische-sama." "I''m home, Bery. Elvena too...taking a break?" "Yes. We¡¯re having a little chat." Krische leaned against Bery as if pressing her face, and Bery embraced such Krische. Ervena is a little dumbfounded as to what she was worried about, she looked at the two of them, took a new cup and poured a cup of tea. Then, noticing that Krische was carrying a bag, she tilted her head and asked. "Krische-sama, that bag is?" "Um...um, these are the cookies Krische made as a snack over there. Krische made some to give to Nagal and the others, it¡¯s the leftover...so Krische bought some for Bery and Elvena." "Fufu, thank you very much. Elvena-sama, let''s eat it together." Bery smiled, let go of Krische and tried to pull her hand away. Before that, Krische took out a small, bite-sized cookie from her bag and without looking up brought it to Bery¡¯s mouth. "...Bery" Berry was puzzled by the situation. "Eh, uh, yes..." Looking shyly sideways at Elvena, Bery opened her mouth as if giving up for the moment. Then put the cookie in her mouth, chew it and swallow it. "Today''s cookies are very crisp huh." "¡¡Does it taste good?" "¡¡? Yes, very¡ª¡ª" The moment Bery said that, Krische¡¯s body stiffened and the bag was dropped. The cookies inside the bag made a crushing sound. "...Krische, -sama?" Bery also stiffened seeing such Krische. Krische took a step back and looked at Bery, as if frightened. Her beautiful face seems to be distorted with sorrow, and her purple eyes are wet and swaying like the surface of water. She shook her head over and over as she staggered. She only looked at Bery. "Hg, Krische-sama!" ¡ª¡ªAnd then she turned away and disappeared into the hallway. Bery immediately tried to chase after her, "¡¡ah" But soon she stopped and fell to her knees and covered her face. Her delicate shoulders tremble and shake. "Ah, um¡ Berry-sama¡?" Not knowing what happened. Elvena was puzzled as she approached and stared at Berry, who did not respond to her voice. Then she suddenly saw the bag of cookies on the floor and picked it up. She took one of the crushed cookies out of the bag, looked at it, and put it in her mouth. "Ga..." She almost choked and held her mouth. She found there almost none of the honey sweetness she had imagined. It just tasted like a salty cookie. At that moment, she understood everything. She just stared at Bery, who was lying on the ground, dumbfounded. Chapter 162.1: Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 1 Chapter 162.1: Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 1 ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 162 Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 1*** "...You idiot. What do you mean it¡¯s nothing serious." ¡°My apologies...¡± After a while, the sun went down. Selenees back to the estate with Kreschenta and Anne. Then, she immediately heard about the situation from Elvena, and then sighed deeply after hearing the story directly from Bery who was sitting on a chair with her face down. Anne looked unable to sit still after hearing the story and left the room to find Krische. Kreschenta wrinkles her brow and sighed as she looked at the two exasperated with her chin resting n her hand while Elvena makes her a cup of tea with lots of honey. ¡°Haah, Argan-sama is in some ways even more annoying than uncle (Ojii-sama). The one who is endangering the kingdom the most right now is Argan-sama, even more than the three kingdoms. Do you understand?" ¡°...my apologies¡± Bery simply replied. Without even looking up, her shoulders trembled quietly. Seeing Bery like that, Kreschenta¡¯s eyes swam around a bit. "Ah, this isn''t the time to apologize. What I want to say is..." ¡°Kreschenta, either shut up for a while or go to another room.¡± "...A-are you giving me an order?" "If you don''t, I''ll get angry for real." Being red at by Selene, Crescenta fell silent while looking dissatisfied. She sipped her tea and put it down rather roughly, perhaps because it was too hot. Selene turned away from Kreschenta and looked at Bery. Sitting down on a chair and keeping her face down. Her petite body looked even smaller and her slender shoulders looked even more delicate. There was none of her usualposure. But this must be Bery. She was a small woman who always tried her best to put on the face of a guardian. Selene went behind her and hugged her from behind. She stretched out her arms encircling Bery¡¯s body as her shoulder jumped and pressed her cheek against hers. Her golden hair flowed freely and slid down Bery''s neck. While looking at it, Selene quietly opened her mouth. "I wonder why you are like that. I told you to let me to take care of you once in a while and let me look after you didn¡¯t I. I wonder if I''m still that unreliable." It was the same when her mother died. She was always there tofort Serene as she cried, while doing various things as usual, and arranging the funeral. She was always a splendid servant. Bery spent more time with her mother than anyone else, and Selene¡¯s sure she was the one grieving the most. When Bery spent time with her mother, she seemed to be just a little bit spoiled. She looked just a little bit younger. She must have left all that behind a long time ago. ¡®If you keep being so silly, stubborn, and force yourself, you''ll be a child like Bery who can''t be spoiled honestly. Children should be like children and let their mother take care of them, really.¡¯ ¡®Nee-sama, um¡ I don¡¯t want to interfere in your daughter¡¯s education, but could you please stop using me like a bad example? It''s very tough for me...¡¯ ¡®Because it''s the truth isn¡¯t it. Fufu, you¡¯re wee to prove me wrong you know?¡¯ "...absolutely not." Selene recalled the two of them, and narrowed her eyes. "I don''t know how painful it would be to lose your sense of taste for someone who loves to cook so much...but I know that''s not the reason why you hid it." If it was just painful, she would have told them rather matter-of-factly. Saying it¡¯s not painful, that she¡¯s okay. As if as usual, with a troubled smile. She¡¯s that kind of person. The reason she didn''t do that must be something else. ¡°You were afraid Krische would be disappointed, weren''t you?¡± Bery''s shoulders jumped as she said that. Selene sighed in exasperation. "It¡¯s you after all, of course I can see through you. Do you know? I''ve been watching you ever since I was born." If it was her mother whom she respected more than anyone else, then it was her whom she admired more than anyone else. She had the talent to do anything, she is a hard worker, and yet she is neither arrogant nor conceited. She did everything with ease., as if it was a matter of course. She''s the same as Krische. She never once won against her at anything, and even when it came to problems that Selene would twist her head around, she would solve it without a second thought. Unlike her mother, who was somewhat gap, she was a perfect super human. She would answer anything she asked, and if she wished for something, she would make ite true. A different existence from her, she probably had nothing that worry her. Even if there was, it was something that Selene couldn''tprehend¡ª¡ªthere was a time when she thought that, but it wasn''t until Krische arrived that she realized that wasn''t the case. After Krische came, something seemed to be peeling off, she seemed in tatters. ''I hope...we will continue to be together like this for a long time toe.'' As they were heading to the royal capital, she heard the words, and she remembered well the earnestness of the words. She looked like she has everything, but she looked like she doesn''t have anything. ¡®¨D¨DBy Krische-sama¡¯s side. I suddenly realized that my meaning was there. In that case, I thought my name belonged to Krische-sama. ...That that¡¯s what I¡¯m for, that¡¯s what I desired.¡¯ She and Krische were simr in a way. She''s troubled by something she couldn¡¯t find an answer to, and seems to be drowning in it. That was probably because she had the ability to obtain anything with just a little effort. ¡°As far as I''m concerned, both of you is the same, Bery. You think you can solve everything by yourself, that there''s nothing you can''t do, and that''s the only way you think about things, and that''s why you can''t tolerate such trivial things, you idiot.¡± "that kind of thing is¡¡" "That''s what I think. Both of you, together both have high self-confidence." They don''t have a single little setback and they don''t even know any limits. That''s why the smallest ws within themself stand out so much, they couldn¡¯t tolerate it, afraid, and a coward. Even though they were more skillful than anyone else, but they were more clumsy than anyone else. "Does your worth disappear just because you lose your sense of taste? Does that mean that Krische will be disappointed in you and no longer love you?" ¡°That¡¯s...¡± "Really, what an idiot. If that''s what you''re saying, then what am I, can''t cook, can''t do housework, and even when I did my best at what I¡¯m good at it¡¯s just a ¡®so-so noob¡¯ to Krische¡± Selene spits out words like a storm and red at Krische. "If you say too much, I''ll get angry, okay." ¡°I-I won¡¯t. ...Unlike you, I can at least read the air.¡± Kreschenta, who was about to quip in, hastily averted her gaze. Selene sighed sullenly, and hugged Bery tightly. ¡°Even though you''re usually acting so high and mighty, lecturing us, I wonder why you''re so timid when ites to your own affairs. You have a habit of saying that you don''t care about Krische¡¯s ws, Kreschenta¡¯s ws, or even mine, but you can''t forgive yourself for your own ws? Are you saying that other people will never ept or forgive that side of you?¡± "Hg..." Kreschenta looks dissatisfied as she tried to say that she has no ws, but Selene res at her and silenced her. Bery kept her face down and silently listened to Selene''s words. "Are those words you say a lie?" ¡°It¡¯s...¡± ¡°In that case, please give me a little more trust. I think your cooking is wonderful, but your value to me goes beyond that, and no matter how many ws you have, you''re still my beloved family member and a sister I look up to and. Don''t you believe me?" Bery shook her head slightly and grabbed Selene''s arm. "It''s the same with Krische, you silly. Do you think she went somewhere because she was disappointed in you? You were stabbed, she risked her life to save you, and she cared about you so much that she even challenged a dragon. ...if you seriously think like that, then even if it¡¯s you I will p you, Bery." Bery''s hand, weak as a child''s, gripped Selene''s arm. ¡®Geez¡¯ Selene smiled, closing her eyes and leaning against her cheek. "Once you''ve calmed down a bit, let''s go look for her together. If you say you won''t go, I''llfort Krische gently in your ce, then I''ll sleep with her, saying all kinds of bad things about you. Is that okay with you?" "...That way of saying it is cowardly." "It''s because you won¡¯t obediently let me spoil you. Just so you know, I''m a little angry okay." Selene said and untied her arms. Then, crouching down, she wiped the tear drops that were dripping down Bery¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Is it really that humiliating to beforted like this by an unreliable Ojou-sama?¡± "...Maybe so." ¡°Y-you...¡± "But just a little bit... Ojou-sama looked like Nee-sama." Selene presses her forehead against hers with satisfaction and looked into her light brown eyes, wet with tears. "Fufun, whose daughter do you think I am?" ¡°Nee-sama¡¯s and Gotoushu-sama¡ fufu, Ojou-sama is simr to Onee-sama huh. Really clumsy...¡± Bery smiled and pulled away, wiping her eyes. "But acting all big despite that, really very simr." "You''re the one who''s always acting big towards your master, Bery. ...What a foul-mouthed servant." Her peach-colored lips softened into an innocent, girlish smile. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡after all the part Ojou-sama is simr to Nee-sama is all the parts I love.¡± Her red hair swayed freely. She kissed Selene''s forehead. Her young face had be somewhat mature, and there was the usual berry face there. Kreschenta, bad manneredly rest her chin in her hand, let out a sigh. "Just when I thought you¡¯re a little better, you''re also a crybaby just like Nora huh. I wonder if you''re not embarrassed." "My apologies, Kreschenta-sama. I showed you something embarrassing." "If you think so, you should reflect on it, really. ...I don''t care if you cry or scream, but I''m worried that Onee-sama might do something stupid because of it. You should reconsider your position and role." She crossed her arms dissatisfaction, puffing out her cheeks, and rocks her chair. "And... I wonder what you''re going to do with my dinner. No matter what the circumstances, it''s dereliction of duty if you don''t do it." ying with her gold glittering red hair, Kreschenta said while ring at her. ¡°If you''re done talking, go find Onee-sama quickly, and once that''s done, cook my meals and take care of my bath. It¡¯s only after that you¡¯re allowed to waste time like that. ...Really what a poor servant, that you won''t understand unless I tell you.'''' Bery widened her eyes a little and looked at Kreschenta. She then giggled and smiled. "...Yes, my apologies. It was disqualified as a servant." ¡°If you¡¯re aware of that than fine. One useless servant is enough. I hope you won''t expose your ipetence any further.¡± Elvena, who was standing next to her, looked at Bery anxiously after hearing the harsh words of the Queen, but she just nodded strangely and happily. Then she stood up and bowed politely to Kreschenta. ¡°Yes.¡I¡¯ll be careful.¡± "...Bery aside, you''re the one acting big the most, Kreschenta." "You don''t seem to know, so I''ll tell you. I''m the greatest queen in this country, and your role is to serve me wholeheartedly so that I can spend my timefortably¨D¨DI¡¯m not acting great, I am great." Selene smiled wryly and patted Kreschenta¡¯s head. "True, I forgot. I hope you will forgive me, Your Majesty." "...Are you making fun of me?" ¡°I am doing my best to serve you, my beloved queen.¡± Sereneughed and hugged her. Kreschenta snorts at her in dissatisfaction, but she didn¡¯t resist. At that moment, the front door was opened roughly and the sound of footsteps could be heard. Understanding who it is even before she opens the door, Bery quickly opens it. The one who jumped in was Arne¨D¨Dand, a littleter, Nagal, the Craftsman squad leader, saluted. ¡°A-Argan-sama¡¡± "...I''m sorry for your concern, Anne-sama." She bowed her head to Anne who looked relieved. Anne hurriedly shook her head from side to side, and Bery smiled and turned her gaze to Nagal. ¡°So, Nagal-sama¡¡± "Yes ma¡¯am. Giterns-sama told me that you were looking for Krische-sama...she showed up at our ce a while ago, so I¡¯m here to report it." "...Is she there now?" ¡°No. Krische-sama is now in a room in the basement of the pce that she used to upy.¡± "...Thank you. Ojou-sama, may I excuse myself?" Seleneughed exasperated. "Asking me that. And it¡¯s already night, so it''s dangerous to be alone, so I''m going too. Nagal, I''m sorry, but could you please tell Dagra that it''s time to search the surrounding area?" "Yes ma¡¯am. Your Excellency Marshal." ¡°Maintain standby, if there¡¯s no follow up order disperse in one koku.¡± Nagal saluted again. After hearing about the situation, Selene immediately informed Kilik and the others who were guarding Kreschenta, and sent them to search for Krische. ¡°I''m sorry for all the trouble I caused.¡± "If you think so, then let¡¯s go right away." "¡¡yes" "I''m sure you understand, but please don''t take it too big of a matter." Kreschenta said grumpily, and the two of them nodded. Then, as they were about to leave the room, Elvena called out. "... Bery-sama, um" ¡°¡? What¡¯s the matter?" Elvena nodded as she thought for a moment. ¡°I was just continuing the conversation we had before Krische-sama left..."¡± Then she smiled. Then they went to the royal pce. After confirming with the sentry soldiers, they entered the basement and proceeded through the dark corridor illuminated by the light of the constant magtern, and after a while, Selene stopped. ¡°...Ojou-sama?¡± "Go alone from here, Bery. It''s going to beplicated if I go." Selene folded her arms and leaned her back against the wall. "In the end, I think the problem is inside your mind. I''ve said all I have to say, it''s up to you how you want to take it. That''s the way it is, isn''t it?" She yed with her golden hair and stared at her. Selene smiled wryly. ¡°Honestly, I''m so jealous of you, Bery. You can do so much more than me, and you''re loved so much by Krische, even by Kreschenta. Easily aplishing things that I probably wouldn''t be able to...I respect you enough that if I could I wanted to be like you." ¡°...Ojou-sama?¡± ¡°I''m sure you''ll say that you¡¯re just pretending, but unlike you, I don¡¯t lie. You know?¡± Selene smiled mischievously and looked at Berry. Bery nodded quietly. "...That''s right. Fufu, that part of Ojou-sama is different from Nee-sama but is simr to Gotoushu-sama." Selene looked at her with satisfaction and pulled out the sword from her waist. She held it upright and held it out. "But no matter how jealous I am, I can''t be you, and I can''t be like father. You too can''t be like mother, and you are you and I am me. After all, we are different people, leading different lives and learning different things. ¡It¡¯s your words, Bery.¡± "¡¡yes" "...... I think you need convincing. And I''m sure that''s all you''re missing. So I have no fear, I leave it to you." Selene sheathed her sword. As she approached Bery, she stood on her tip toe just a little. She gently kissed her forehead. ¡°You gave and Krische receive. To me, this matter is as good as over. ...And you''re stubborn anyway. You''ve never listened to me, so you can do whatever you want.'''' Selene red at her and smiled. "I''ll do my best to protect you. Do whatever you want." Then she turned her back. Bery looked at it for a while and lowered her head. ¡°Yes. ¡ Selene-sama.¡± She whispered her name. She stayed like that until Selene was out of sight. Then she too moved forward. Chapter 162.2: Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 2 Chapter 162.2: Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 2 ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 162 Celestial Maiden, Dancing in the Palm Part 2*** She walks a short distance down a dark, deserted hallway to an undergroundboratory. There she prepared herself and knocked on the door. The faint sounds that had been heard became quiet for a moment. After a while, she heard quiet footstepsing towards the door. She knew who it was by the way she walked. "...Krische-sama, may I open the door?¡± From inside, instead of Krische¡¯s voice, there was a rat''s voice. ¡°Please wait a moment?¡± "¡¡? yes" The sound of footsteps echoed again, and the sound of cleaning up something. The rat''s small voice continues to echo, and then fades away. It was then that the door opened. When she came out of the room, Krische immediately hugged Bery and told her she was sorry. ¡°Krische, deceived Bery.¡± "It''s okay. I don''t mind it." Krische pressed her face into Berry''s chest and nods, then looked up at her. There was a smile on her face. "I''m sure Bery didn''t want Krische to worry. But it''s okay. There''s nothing to worry about." "Um¡¡" "Krische will heal Bery''s tongue properly in no time. So, uh...give Krische a little time, then Bery will surely be able to cook as much as before." A rat''s squeak came from the other side of the door. Frowning, Bery looked through the doorway into theboratory. There were several wooden boxes lying around, and sharp medical knives and scissors neatly lined up on the table. "...Um, is that a mouse over there?" "Yes, Krische just collected them... Krische thought it¡¯s better various things on the rats first. It seems like they''ll multiply quickly, and they''re the best for experimenting, uh... B-Bery might feel a little sorry for them but" Krische looked troubled, but headed inside. She took a mouse out of the box and showed it to Berry. The mouse looked surprised and let out a shriek¨D¨DKrische smiled. "But it can''t be helped because it''s a bad mouse in the pantry. It''s not a good mouse, it''s a bad one, so, umm..." It wasmon to use mice in experiments. However, wondering what he was going to do with it, she turned to the knives and scissors¨D¨Dother tools. "What are you going to do with it, Krische-sama...?" ¡°Krische saw it a long time ago, but it seems that there was an attempt, for example, to attach a severed arm. ...That experiment ended without going well, but the theory itself had an advantage, so Krische decided to apply it.'''' Krische grabbed another mouse and show it to Bery. "Look, swapping the right hand of this mouse with the right hand of this mouse. If you think about the theory that the wound will heal properly, Krische think it''s quite possible." It should be easy, Krische smiled. Then she put them back in the box. "Well, maybe because of the dragon''s blood, Berry''s tongue has be strange...but, in that case, it''s fine to just rece the bad part..." "...Krische-sama" "It''s okay. Krische won''t do bad things to other people, and Krische also won''t make any trouble. It will be just exchanged with Krische¡¯s." Krische was smiling as she said that. ¡°Krische think it probably have a good sense of taste¡ um, maybe it aren¡¯t as good as Bery¡¯s, but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for cooking.¡± Holding up her finger and she nodded. "Look, this might alleviate Krische gluttony, and Bery doesn¡¯t need to be worried at all. Krische also have been thinking for a long time that Krische need to fix that part of Krische." Krische was strangely cheerful as she said that to Bery. Bery''s eyes were downcast, and Krische shook her head as if in a panic. "It¡¯s true, okay> Berry doesn''t need to care about anything. Uhh, Krische also wants Bery to continue to make a lot of amazing dishes." Her tone of voice was higher than usual. Krische just put her smile on her face as if saying she had nothing to worry about. "Krische is just, wants to help such Bery¨D¨D, hg" Bery said nothing and hugged such Krische. She tightened her grip and pulled her closer. ¡°Ah, uh, Bery...?¡± Just embracing that body as if being afraid. As if panicked, after a while, as if in a daze. Only the rat''s cry and the two''s breath echoed in the quiet room. Krische¡¯s heart beats rapidly, like after a marathon, like a frightened bird or something. Bery quietly closed her eyes, ¡°...Sorry¡± Then she said that one word. Krische¡¯s body stiffens and she shook her head repeatedly. Tousling her silver hair. "Bery shouldn¡¯t apologized...K-Krische, Bery''s tongue..." ¡°Why, did it be Krische-sama¡¯s fault?¡± The little body was trembling and seemed to be trying to escape from her arms. She held it tightly as to not let it go. Still she shook her head. ¡°Krische, Krische heard it properly from Regve-san¡But, Krische didn¡¯t care as long as Bery was cured, then, and then¡¡± Her voice was shaking, almost like a cry. "Krische-sama tried to save me, right? In fact, I was saved like this, so why is it Krische-sama¡¯s fault?" ¡°Maybe, there are other ways to do it...Maybe, even if, Krische didn¡¯t do anything unnecessary, Bery might still¨D¨D'''' Mixed with her sobs, shaking her shoulders shook. Timid, Insecure, and Afraid. Bery closed her eyes, thinking what an idiot she was. All Bery could think about was herself. "That¡¯s in hind-sight. That said, why are is Krische-sama talking like that? Even if I could rece it, if Krische-sama ended up like this..." ¡°Krische, even if Krische can¡¯t eat delicious food again, it¡¯s fine¡± She should have known, she should have understood, there shouldn¡¯t have been no room for doubt. "Bery, is like this, and yet, Krische, saying delicious, delicious, delicious, like an idiot......." But she was just cowardly, obsessed with trivial things, and afraid. ¡°Even though Bery suffered, Krische, without paying Bery any attention, just having fun.¡± That''s why she ended up telling it to this beautiful girl in the most hurtful way. ¡°So...rry, Kurise, Bery¨D¨D¡± "...Please don''t cry. It''s not your fault, Krische-sama. I won¡¯t think Krische-sama unpleasant, much less hating Krische-sama." She was a helpless idiot. The world''s stupidest person is probably Bery Argan. ¡° ......I¡¯m more distressed than anything else that my beloved Krische should be saddened in such a way. "but¡¡" When Bery pulled away from Krische a little, she could see Krische¡¯s crying face reflected in her eyes. Her silver hair shone like the moon¨D¨DHer violet eyes peeking through the silver cracks filled with tears. The neat beauty, like a work of art that is beaty itself, looked distorted to the point of being unseemly. She looked as ugly as a sobbing child, and therefore, looked endlessly beautiful. ¨D¨DWhere on earth could there be such a happy person? The most beautiful girl in the world loved her enough to make a face like this. If you don''t notice that, after all you¡¯re the world''s stupidest person. She brought her face close to hers and kissed her crying face. There was the softest feeling, and it is certainly right there. Then everything seemed to be sufficient and she closed her eyes and savored it. She pulled away a little and repeated it, wiping her tears with her fingers. At least right now, she was the only person in this world allowed to do that. She hugged the girl who couldn''t stop crying and smiled. "...Krische-sama, let¡¯s cook together" ¡°Coo, king...?¡± "Yes. Dinner isn''t ready yet, so let''s do the cleanup for this ce tomorrow. Ojou-sana and Kreschenta-sama are also waiting for us." Krische didn''t answer, Bery repeated. ¡°Cooking.¡ Or can I no longer cook together with Krische-sama?¡± "That''s not¨D¨Dhg" "Tthen. Fufu, let''s go." Forcibly picking her up. Bery just smiled. The sun had alreadypletely set and the moonlight was spilling through the clouds. As they walked on the snow disturbed by the rain and headed towards the mansion, I said a few words to Anne who greeted then. They entered the kitchen, turned on the evesting magicmp as usual, and put down Krische. ¡°Today, shall we have your favorite pumpkin gratin and soup, Krische-sama?¡± With that, Bery got on the stand, and what she took out from the shelf was the winter pumpkin. Unlike the ones that are harvested from summer tote autumn, they are a little smaller and fewer in number. It''s a little more expensive than regr pumpkin, but it''s very sweet. They were Krische favorite, and she always kept some in the kitchen when it came in. But Krische never looked up and repeatedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Berry smiled wryly, bent down a little, gently wiped her tears with her handkerchief, and kissed her cheek. When Bery looked into her eyes, she averted her tear-filled purple eyes were as if frightened. Bery stared at her for a moment then she smiled, washed her hands, and gets to cooking. She poured water into the pot and took out the other vegetables. For a while, only the crisp sound of kitchen knives resounded. There are pork bones in the pot. some vegetables. After a while, adjust the magic crystal to weaken the heat. She took her time and rxed a little more than usual. "If you ask me if it''s okay, I''ll say it''s okay. ...But if you ask me if it''s difficult, to be honest, it''s a little painful. It''s really hard when you can''t taste it at all." Bery honestly said to Krische, who was crying and unable to move. ¡°I have a lot of things in my head, like trying new vors andbinations¡but I¡¯m scared if I make a mistake. The more I challenge myself in that way, the farther away I am from before, and before I know it, I''m afraid I won''t be able to cook even a single normal dish." Bery said self-mockingly and checked the aroma of the ingredients that soaked into the soup. What kind of vor is in these bones, what kind of vor is oozing out of these ingredients, what kind of vor is in this soup? The dishes was prepared only by experience and familiarity. ¡°...Maybe Ojou-sama and the other will say it''s delicious even if I make a dish like that. Even though I failed, it still tastes delicious today. Without me knowing they being considerate of me, but I''m being convinced of that¨D¨DMaybe that''s how the days will go. ...When I imagine something like that, it''s very scary." She scooped the soup into adle and took it to Krische. Let it cool down a bit and bring it closer to her cherry-colored lips. Krische sipped it without saying anything, savored the soup, and swallowed it. ¡°Krische think the vores out well. Krische doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s bad as a base.¡± Krische nodded. Bery smiled bitterly when she saw this. ¡°If Krische-sama says it¡¯s good, then let¡¯s remove the pork bones and add the pumpkin.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± "Hehe, this is what it is. It takes a little more to get the real vor, right?" Krische looked up, flicked his gaze, and nodded again. ¡°Right now, I can still clearly understand what it tastes like, from its aroma and appearance. But I''m sure I won''t understand it eventually, and at times like that, I won''t know it if everyone is being considerate of me. ...I can''t cook by myself anymore." "Hg, Bery" "But I''m sure it''s a trivial thing." Bery continues to remove the scum that floats on the soup. She repeated it carefully, until it bes crystal clear. ¡°Once it gets into your stomach, it¡¯s all the same. There was a time when I thought that way, and I still think that way. In a sense, cooking delicious food is a luxury, but also a waste of time. Don''t Krische-sama think so? ¡± "¡That¡¯s" Waste of time. Waste of food. But Berry went on, there was no doubt there. "It''s wasteful and meaningless¨D¨Dbut I think it''s not meaningless if there''s someone who would be happy with it. I''m happy when someone tastes my food and says it tastes good, so tomorrow I want to make something even more delicious." Even after the scum disappeared, she slowly stirred the soup. The aroma of the pale colored soup gradually became stronger and tickled her nose. ¡°Cooking is like that to me. I''m happy that I can make someone happy in this way, so I''ve been doing it like an idiot. I felt that my value was there, and that as long as I could create that value, it was okay for me to be there.¡± She needed a reason to even live. Because she was a weak human being. They say they look alike, but in reality they are the exact opposite. If Krische and Kreschenta were stronger than anyone else, then she was an infinitely weak creature who had to cling to something in order to survive. "It makes me happy when my loved ones say from the bottom of their hearts that it''s delicious... I will continue to do so. So Krische-sama suggestion is a thankless inconvenience." ¡°...anno...yance?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really annoying. ¡ I want to see Krische-sama say it¡¯s delicious more than anyone else, so the most troublesome thing is that if Krische-sama¡¯s tongue be stupid. I wonder if Krische-sama likes to trouble me. Bery puts down thedle and smiled mischievously. Krische shook her head, still unconvinced. "¡¡but" "I understand that Krische is ming herself. If it were the other way around, I might have said the same thing.... So, I¡¯ll punish Krische-sama to convince you." Krische looked up at Bery and nodded. She had innocent eyes, like a newborn baby. "... I want to cook a lot from now on, and I want to continue. But, after all, I''m in trouble if I don''t know the taste... So, Krische-sama." She thought it was the worst, but she also thought it was okay. There was something more important to Bery today than cooking, and it gives Bery more value and meaning than cooking. Humans are selfish creatures, and she herself is human. She can''t be a saint, she¡¯s no different from anyone else. "¨D¨DFrom now on, please be my tongue." It was also her own fault, that she had been lured into her hand. ¡°When Krische-sama is by my me, help me cook every day, test taste for me, and savor it for me. This is Krische-sama punishment, so even if you say no, we will be together forever. It''s a life sentence for the rest of Krische-sama life. With a puzzled look on her face, still red around the eyes. The girl who is more beautiful than anyone else looked up at her with a beautiful and unguarded look on her face. As if puzzled and a little troubled, she then opened her mouth. "Ah, uh, it''s not a punishment at all..." "Oh, if Krische-sama say that, I''ll take more and more, is that all right?" After trying to think a little about the teasing words. "... Yes. If Bery want it... Krische''ll give all of it." She was so beautiful that Bery wanted to look away from her when she calmly told her that. "Krische is Bery¡¯s...Krische''ll give Bery whatever you want." Krische gently leaned closer. "...Swear by this name. From now on... Krische is Bery¡¯s." She said this in a whisper. "So... from now on, please stay with Krische." A meltingly sweet voice. It was a temptation that was irrevocable and impossibly hard to refuse. Was it Bery who lured her in, or was it her who was lured in? Even that sounded as if it would dissolve into obscurity. Bery smiles wryly and bends her back just a little. "...I¡¯ve said before, but I''m d that Krische-sama isn''t a merchant." "...?" ¡°The way Krische-sama set their prices is so clumsy that it looks like Krische-sama ''ll end up losing money on business. Even now, it is a transaction with a huge loss...¡± Cupping her cheeks she brought her face closer to hers. She looked into her jewel-like eyes and drew closer to her, brushing the tip of her nose with her. "...But what a pity. I''m an evil customer, so I don''t care if Krische-sama loses a lot." Taking her thin, soft lips, she smiled. "Krische-sama is already mine. As I said, even if Krische-sama hates it, we will always be together from now on. Krische-sama might regret it someday if you get bought by a bad customer huh." "...Krische won''t." Krische said and kissed her too, happily leaning in. She rub her cheek, hug her tightly and close her eyes. ¡°Ehehe, Krische is bought by Bery.¡± "If you''re happy about something like that, Ojou-sama will call you an idiot again." "...Krische, might be okay being a little stupid." ¡°Fufu, I see.¡± Her eyes were still red, but a soft smile appeared on her cheeks. Her smiling face was always the best. ¡°Now then, the first Krische-sama is to help with cooking. First of all, it is a hardbor, cut the pumpkin in half and have hollow out the inside.¡± "Yes" Naturally, her cheeks soften, and Bery entrusts the pumpkin to her. ¡°Then there is the tasting of the gratin sauce that I make. This is also difficult because you have to tell them exactly what it tastes like. Be sure to answer honestly, because when you''re tasting it, it''s not enough just to say it''s delicious.'''' "¡¡Yes Krische will do her best" She like cooking because it makes people happy. She thought that was my worth. "But that doesn''t mean you need to put a stiff face on your face. Cooking is fun, and with that kind of expression on your face, even I might get nervous. The most important thing is your smile." "Uh... yes" But before she knew it, she started liking the process more than the final product, and that alone made her happy. Compared to that, things like that had be trivial. Think about the people who will eat it, imagine it, and make an effort to be skillful. With a person by her side who thinks about the same thing. As long as she have that, it''s a trivial matter. Cooking is a means to an end, not a value in itself. ¡°We''re going to use Krische-sama special pumpkin, after all so let''s make the best dish ever. That''s right today, let¡¯s add some chopped herbs to the gratin as well.'''' Everything is here, at least to her. "Then, that... nerip... it''s a little spicy." "...I see, it might be interesting. Let''s chop it up finely." "Yes" She was convinced of that, and that was enough. There was no doubt in her mind that this is what she was born to do. "Fufu, today is a very good day." "Umm...?" ¡°I realized that I¡¯m the happiest person in the world, and for the first time in my life I felt proud.¡± ¡®¨D¨DThanks to Krische-sama.¡¯ Bery continued, leaning her shoulder towards the girl next to her. Chapter 163: Viewing Party Chapter 163: Viewing Party ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 163 Viewing Party*** A gigantic beast with a body that far exceeds the height of a human. ck lines on its green fur. Its limbs, which were as long a woman¡¯s waist, easily mowed down trees. It could easily leap over the height of the trees and close the gap of ten ken (~20 m) with a single step. The speed at which the giant beast moves around, snapping the huge trees it uses as footholds¨D¨Dit is no longer something that an ordinary person can react to. The thinly fallen snow was scattered, and the branches and leaves that hit its body did not pose any obstacles to its body. The moment it makes eye contact with you, it is all over. Once it roars, its voice echoes into the sky, sending chills down the spine of anyone who heard it. The target of this magical beast, Suiko, was a girl with silver hair carrying a stick. She twists her body and uses the branches of the trees as footholds, undaunted by the rush of the beast that attacks her. She used all of the poor terrain to jump around freely. Even with her imaginary muscles that have been streamlined to the utmost, the Suiko¡¯s speed was even faster. But she is safe and didn¡¯t even let a nail scrape her ck cloak. Even if the tree she leapt from was snapped off at the base, she would not lose her stance. She dodged its next charge by jumping backwards, and then jumps on top of its giant body¨D¨D "It''s over." ¨D¨D*Pon pon* she patted it¡¯s head. About half a koku had passed since the first roar of the tree trunk and branches breaking began to echo here. The Suiko instantly quieted down and Krische lowered the stick. "Ehehe, you''re in a good mood after being able to run around for the first time in a while huh, Gururun." At the end of the stick in her hand was a lump of meat the size of a human head. She cyt the string with a curved sword and drop it in front of the suiko¨D¨DGururun. Its huge jaws devour it in a single gulp, and it rolled over contentedly to reveal its belly like a kitten. Krische jumped down and sat on its stomach. Stroking the back of his chin with the back of his chin, the adorable¨D¨Dnot, magical beast rubbed its back against the snow while making a meow¨D¨Dnot, but instead a frightening sound. "Recently, Gururun only eat and sleep. Gururun need to exercise once in a while." *gururr* The Suiko squirms around happily, and the cheerful Krische. The men, who were watching from a distance, looked at them as if half-terrified. One of the purposes of the event was to relieve theck of exercise for Gururun, who is constantly sleeping around, but it was not the original purpose of the event. It was a briefing about magical beasts. Gathered at this ck g Special Force training site¨D¨Dat the corner, were the corpsmanders, battalionmanders, and centurions under Alberinea''s direct control, in addition to Selene. For the captains and below were only those who wanted to attend, but quite a few people had gathered, and they formed arge circle and watched the scene from outside the group. ¡°Well, Gururun...uhh, the abilities of the magical beast called Suiko are roughly as you have just seen. It uses arge amount of magic power at this size, so its leaping and athletic abilities are more amazing than Krische, and records show that every time a Suiko appears, it causes quite a bit of damage. The only ones who seem to be able to defeat it by themselves if they try hard enough would be Meow Meow and...Bagil, Krische guess?" With so many people gathered around, she called out ¡°Meow Meow¡±. Kolkis, who had already given up, let out a sigh and opened his mouth while ring at those around him. ¡°Certainly, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s impossible but¡¡± Kolkis was wearing a military uniform, bursting with muscles. He looked at Krische and scratches his head, exasperated. "Honestly, I don¡¯t really feel like it. The risk is quite high." "...As Corps Commander Agrand army said. Besides, if unlucky, I''ll probably get eaten alive." Ex-First Battalion Commander of the 1st Corps, currently Commander of the Third Corps. Bagil followed up Kolkis words and spread his hand exasperated. Kalua''s face contorted and her lips pouted at those words. Bagil, who was once Grunmeld''s adjutant and has been trained for many years as a light infantry captain, is still a superior opponent to Kahlua. Kalua, who had been wondering whether she could beat it, heard Bagil''s words and realized that she probably still couldn''t do it on her own. Aleha, whose name was not called due to various circumstances, was looking at the Suiko with a grim expression on his face, just like the two of them. "I have also defeated one in the past, but the century I was leading at the time was half destroyed. It would be difficult to deal with them, considering that most of the battles are not head-on battles but surprise attacks.¡± Kahlua seemed dissatisfied, but there were probably only a few people here who were thinking about how to defeat a suiko like she was. Countless trees were torn down in the short battle. Mia and others were looking at Midoriya with pale faces, and many of them were showing simr reactions. Most of the people who had never seen a magical beast before were frightened by the suiko and Krische, who had easily defeated it, and their thoughts did not go beyond that. An extraordinary monster called a magical beast and a girl ying with it. The shock was so strong that it stopped their thought. "As you heard. Even Meow Meow and Bagil, who are fairly strong in this army, are like this. Even if there were people among you who said they were confident in their skill, Krische think they would have the same opinion." Krische holds up a finger, satisfied that she is attracting the attention for now, and continues. Most of them had not recovered from the shock, but Krische was not familiar with the subtleties of such emotions. She was pleased to see the stupefied gazes directed at her and the Suiko, and she was pleased to see that they were listening to her. ¡°It''s best for both side to not encounter each other, but if there is a battle with Elderant in the future, Krische think there''s a pretty high chance that we''ll encounter a child like Gururun. That''s why Krische showed Gururun today... First of all, Krische wanted people who didn''t know what kind of creature a magical beast is to gather to see it...'''' There are quite a lot of forests in the western part of the kingdom, and if Elderant invades from the west, there was a high possibility that those ce will be the battleground. Elderant is mostly covered with forests, and all of its soldiers are more familiar with forests than theirs. There was no reason why they would not choose it as the site of a decisive battle, and one of the problems that could arise in that case was magical beasts. There are more magical beasts in the forests of the western part of the kingdom than anywhere else. While marching or fighting, there is a great possibility of encountering magical beasts. "Well, that¡¯s all from Krische, next is Ojii-sama." Krische stroked Gururun¡¯s chin, who was in a good mood with his belly showing, and looked at Gallen, who hade to her side. Gallen nodded and looked at them. ¡°When you encounter them, it is usually a surprise attack, as corpsmander Sandika (Bagil Rinea Sandika) said. Don''t think that this kind of violence, mowing down trees, is all there is to a magical beast. They are intelligent and surprisingly cunning beasts. They will creep up to your side without a sound." Gallen especially turned his gaze to the centurions. It was not they, the corpsmanders or battalionmanders, who faced these threats. "And it will take reap of lives in a single breath. I hate to say this, but it''s something you can avoid. It''s an ident of sorts. What''s important is what happens after that¨D¨Dhow to deal with the chaos." Being attacked by a demon beast is just bad luck. It is impossible to avoid it unless you are very careful. Finding the beast that killed its presence is more difficult than spotting an enemy''s ambush. Gallen looked at the faces of the centurions, one by one, and continued. ¡°The loss of troops due to a surprise attack, the situation is the same as if you were ambushed. Run a messenger to the next unit, raise your voice and keep the unit in order and maintain control. Of course it''s not easy in that situation, but first of all, look at what you need to be done and what you can do." The centurions listened to those words with serious expressions and thought about it. Gallen nodded his head in satisfaction, seeing they seemingly had recovered from the shock. Gallen had never been directly attacked by this, but he had seen a neighboring unit being ambushed by a magical beast in the past. He was an excellent centurion, but it seemed that he was unlucky, he was the one who was targeted. With the sudden loss of theirmander, the century were scattered and consequently destroyed. Gallen was able to handle it without a hitch because of the presence of Bogan, Nozan, and his men including Kolkis and Granmeld, but most importantly it was because the first surprise attack was the neighboring unit, and he was able to maintain hisposure. As long as they can work together, even though its brutal, it¡¯s not impossible to kill. "If you don''t lose yourposure, you can do it. With its huge size, athletic ability, and hair that protects it from des, if you meet it in the forest, you might think it''s a monster that has no choice but to use someone as a decoy and run away, but it''s a creature with the same blood as us. If it bleed, it will die." The fear thates from the intimidating appearance and the confusion from the surprise attack. That was the most terrifying part of all. ¡°This body hair is strong against line shes, but not so strong against point attacks such as spears. Even arrows can bite into flesh at point-nk range. The same goes for throwing spears. If you use a sword, you should use it as a stabbing tool, and even an old man like me will be able to kill it. The point is whether you can handle it correctly or not.¡± The flesh is hard, but if you put your weight on it, you can pierce it. It was an opponent that could be dealt with by a century alone, if they cooperated calmly. ¡°A formidable opponent¨D¨Dbut if you all understand, you won''t just run away. And if you defeat it, a great reward is promised. If you do encounter one, take it as a kind of opportunity rather than bad luck. There is no way you can escape from a magical beast, and if you run away in fear, the damage will only increase. We have no choice but to fight, so it''s better to hold resolve yourself." Gallen''s stern face broke into a smile. "If you encounter one, kill it first and think about not causing damage to your allies. Even if the mission fails, if the reason is to kill the demon beast, everyone understands the situation. You¡¯ll even be praised as a hero." At those words, Kolkis remembered his son Gran and lowered his eyes. Encountering a green tiger while taking a nking detour, falling into confusion and making a mistake in dealing with it¨D¨Dthat''s how it all began. Gran, who was undoubtedly excellent,cked only the determination to aplish something. Amander who stands at the front line needs a kind of insanity, a kind of self-discipline. Like his mother, his delicate temperament was his fatal w as a warrior. Kolkis looked at Gallen, bowed lightly, and turned to the men behind him. "If you are in a situation where you cannot kill them, you can stick out your spear and throw it at it to make them wary and buy you time. Your opponent is wild beasts, they won¡¯t take any action that is not worth the risk. If you buy time in this way, the neighboring unit will soon arrive. If the enemy is close by, it would be better to just rush in and put them to the ground. Then, as a corpsmander, he lifted his cheeks. "Efforts to be able tough no matter what kind of adversity you face. As long as you have calm in your heart, you will have an infinite number of options. The point is whether you win or lose because of your own cowardice¨D¨DAs Gallen-dono said, there is no one who can criticize courageous actions. As you can see, a Suiko is an opponent that even I have no choice but to challenge with everything I have. There is no shame in being afraid. But to smile despite that is true warrior." Colchis said, pointing his palm towards the Suiko. "You guys are lucky. Thanks to the one and only Krische-sama, you can calmly see such a Suiko alive. You probably know this already, but normally you can¡¯t get this opportunity even if you want it. Take a closer look at your future achievement¡¯s neck. And when you meet them on the battlefield, show them augh. that magical beasts are nothing more than a mere beasts.¡± At those words, Krische got off the top of Gururun and nodded with satisfaction. "That''s right. Meow Meow said a good thing. The point is it¡¯s just a big Meow Meow¨D¨Da cat." Gururun rolled its body, which was toorge for a cat, clinging to the snow and rubbing against Krsische. She patted such Gururun, and it rose up, "This child is quite quiet, so it''s fine. Well, then, let''s start from over there." Krische said with a smile. Krische showed Gururun to each of the men, and once they realized that he¨D¨Dor rather, she (Gururun) was really quiet, they became more interested in her. The animal lovers were surprised to find her surprisingly adorable, and after asking for permission, some of them stroked her body¨D¨Dthe Suiko viewing party ended in a great sess. The fear of magical beasts as widely spread throughout the military, but not many people have actually seen them. There was no doubt that that was causing even greater confusion. That''s why Kolkis suggested showing off the Suiko when she saw Krische bringing Gururun along for a walk. The n was a sess, and after the Suiko viewing party was over, Kolkis and the others returned to their work with a satisfied look on their faces. Those who remained at the scene were Selene, Gallen, and the members of the ck g Special Force. ¡°K-Krische, it was quite tiring, so today is...¡± ¡°I see, so tomorrow will be fine.¡± ¡°Uuu...¡± Krische, who was sitting on Gururun, looked to the left and right as if asking for help, in order to escape from Aleha. "Ah" She stood up quickly as she recognized the red-haired servant walking toward them. If she had ears, it would have stood up straight, and if she had a tail, it would have swung from side to side. Krische rushed out and hugged her as if jumping on her. "Hehe, Berry, what''s the matter?" "Hehe, I have something to deliver to you. I just received a sword from Korze-sama." Berry said and lightly lifted the bag wrapped around it. The two soldiers guarding her looked at it with a wry smile, saluted her, and headed over to Dagra. It was the first time in a long time that the members of the escort team had met Dagra in person like this. ¡°Did youe all the way here to deliver it?¡± Selene stared at Bery exasperated. There was quite a distance from the royal territory to this training ground. "Yes, I thought it would be fer, but I heard that Gallen-sama is also here so" "ah I see¡¡" Selene nodded as if she understood. Krische, who was in a good mood, has her arm wrapped around her, and as she watches her seem happy, she suspects that she has simply made up an excuse for her toe see Krische. As expected, after the incident the other day, the two were very clingy wherever they go. She was invited by Krische, ¡®here, here¡¯ and sat in a chair¨D¨DGururun who acted as the chair, she smiled wryly, and the way their shoulders were pressed together was indescribable. However, they had kissed in front of the Dragon. The rtionship between the two had be a tacit understanding in the military, especially in the ck d Special Force. No matter what was said, it was toote to say anything, and Selene rubbed her eyebrows while looking sideways at Gallen. She doesn''t really know what Krische¡¯s grandfather thinks of these two, but judging by his kind expression as if he''s looking at something that makes him smile, he might not be too concerned. No matter what, Selene sighed because she didn''t feel like nagging in front of this elderly. "Maybe it''s because Gururun was able to go outside, she''s in a good mood today." "Maybe it''s better to let her y like this from time to time. She seems to be gaining weight from eating all the time." Bery smiled troubledly while looking at the broken trees behind her, and stroked the yawning Gururun on the head. The servant, who looked like a little girl, was sitting and chatting with Suiko, which even a big man would be scared of. The picture was indescribable and caused some embarrassment to the men, but the person in question care much and happily unwrapped the package. "Um... there is a letter, too." The sword was double wrapped. The first one was a letter, rolled up and stamped in wax with the seal of the scribe''spany. "Shall I read it first?" "yes" Berry breaks the sealing wax, untied the string and looked inside. A beautiful handwriting. Many artisans were literate to some degree, and some can write. Korze was no exception to this, but when sending a letter to a nobleman, unless one was extremely confident, it was normal to ask a scribe to write it. Even if it was a simple letter, there was a certain etiquette for writing letters, and if you want modified grammar, fixed phrases, and uracy, one need a certain amount of education. Inside the letter was an apology for being a littlete. It seems that the decoration, craftsmanship, and essories took a lot of time. The finished product was unquestionable, the best one yet, it said. "¨D¨DAlthough it''s meager, I hope that this will be a contribution to the Kingdom and to Krische-sama. I wish you good luck in the future. cksmith Korze and all the craftsmen of Gargain. ...That''s it." "Huh... seems promising." Selene, who had been peering into the letter, said, and looked at Bery''sp¡ª¡ªthe rest of the package. Bery nodded and handed it over to Krische. The surrounding men were also frightened by the Suiko, but they seemed to be interested and closed the circle. ¡°Krische, open it.¡± "yes" When Krische unwraps it, it reveals a curved sword wrapped in a unique sheath. And there was a belt with a little metal fittings. The first thing she picked up was the curved sword. The wide ck leather scabbard was engraved with a soaring hawk and thunderbolt, and the hard, dark Argana handle was also engraved with a camellia, perhaps to prevent slipping. The pommel was also dark gray¡ª¡ªit was a silverwork falcon. Unlike Krische, who looked at the sword with admiration, Selene frowned, and Bery and the other men widened their eyes a little in surprise. Krische pulled the sword out of the sheat. The solid weight of the sword, thick and sturdy, but with the graceful curve of a woman''s body, bends sharply forward from the middle, and curves back at the tip. A coulisse was cut into the waist of the sword, and along it were thin engravings of Alberinea and ancient characters. At the base, a chipped, arcing moon was carved on both sides. The bnce of weight was the same as before, and although it was solid, it felt strangely weightless. Although it was elegantly carved, it was not conspicuous as a whole, and the reflection was dull. The practicality of the sword was sufficient for her. It also seemed much stronger than the previous one. "It¡¯s a really good sword. It looks like it''s easy to use." ¡°...It¡¯s not just really good.¡± ¡°...?" Taking the sword from Krische, Selene looked at its workmanship. He must have asked for the help of craftsmen all over Gargain as he forged the de. The carving was more than superb, it was too good to be done for just six gold coins. From leather workers to craftsmen, just how many people put their efforts into this one piece? All of it were exquisitely crafted and artistically produced. If this were an ordinary sword¡ª¡ªeven if it¡¯s not, some would be willing to pay dozens of gold coins for it as an ornamental piece. "...All the craftsmen of Gargain, so is this what he mean?" Bery said in surprise, and Selene nodded. "Probably. How surprising." The best sword. There was no lie in those words, this sword was created by the best craftsmen in Gargain. "It''s not just a sword made by Korze, but numerous Gargain craftsmen made it for you. It''s a sword that''s worth not just six gold coins, but dozens of gold coins, so take good care of it." "Dozens...?" "It would take about that much to have it made normally." Selene said exasperatedly to Krische. Krische, who received the sword again, looked at the sword with a troubled look and looked at Bery. ¡°It means that everyone at Gargain made it for Mr. Clich¨¦, ignoring profitability, and not for business. I am sure that Korze-sama and his friends will be grateful if Krische-sama ept their kindness.¡± "...Ehehe, yes." Krische smiled and handed it over to Gallen, who was watching from the side. Gallen raised his eyebrows and groaned quietly, looking at with Dagra who was next to him as if ring at it. "The craftsmanship is wonderful, but above all, the body is good. It''s a splendid sword." ¡°¡Certainly. "He was a man who was good with his hands even when he was my subordinate...but cksmithing must have been his calling. I never thought that that brat would be able to create something like this." Korze was originally the only son of a cksmith. After quarreling with his parents, he became a soldier, suffered a serious leg injury, returned to his parents, and took over the store. In his younger days, he was exactly like a kid general (head of a group of kids), but this one sword seemed to convey everything he had been through since then. After he left the army, he had visited him several times, and the sword he was using now was made by Korze. The workmanship was also splendid, but this sword could be said to be the culmination of his life. "It''s a one-of-a-kind sword, made with all of his might. People change... I feel like I''m getting older." "Haha... But what makes me happier than anything is that his subordinates who quit the military are now mastering some kind of path." "Oh, I''m sure. Next time if I have a chance to meet him, I''ll have to bring some good sake with me." Gallen said happily and handed the sword back to Krische. Krische looked at it with satisfaction and muttered that it looks like it will be a little difficult to take care of because of the carvings¡ª¡ªSelene sighed when she heard this. Decorating a sword for Krische is like giving jewelry to a dog. Selene rubbed her temple but that said, she was happy for his thoughtfulness. Korze probably knew that Krische was only looking for practicality in his sword. But even knowing that he gone to all this trouble to give her what she deserved. He was surely not looking for anything in return. This was a sword made with his dignity. That said, it''s also awkward if they didn¡¯t do anything even after receiving such sword. "I''ll write you a thank youter, Bery." "Yes, Ojou-sama." ¡°I think I will allow a simple Christian emblem on their signboard. I think that would be better than money, but¡¡± "Certainly. At least Korze-sama won''t ept the money even we I give it to him." There are several crest (coat of arms), but simplified crest are those that can be used externally. Such a crest indicates that they were artisans or merchants recognized by that noble, and the noble''s name vouches for their skill and quality. Bogan, who believes that skill is better than name, doesn''t like it, and he had never allowed anyone to wear Christand simplified crest, but that''s precisely why the brand was significant. If you have the simple crest of Christand, who could now be said to be the Kingdom''s number one noble, at least you won''t have any trouble eating from now on. Korze, a genuine craftsman, was not a person who would be conceited because of it. Listening to their conversation, Krische picked up the belt from the package and looked at it. It looks sturdy, and on the inside is a thick patch that seemed excessive. The belt had more metal fittings than a normal belt, and the leather hung halfway down over the hips. Krische tilted her head and thought for a moment, "ah I see" She get down from the top of Gururun, removed her waist belt and put it on top of Gururun. "What''s wrong, Cliche?" "Krische thought it was a very strange shape, but it looks like it can hold two swords." The first one is the same as before, with two points on the left and right of the back waist. The other one has three points, two in the front of the hipbone and one in the center of the back hip. The weight of the second sword is distributed to the front as well, and the back is painless because the leather that matches its roundness presses the buttocks with its surface. It seemed that it was supposed to be worn without armor and with ordinary clothes. This was probably why the cloth lining looks excessive. Wrapping it around her waist, she lightly jumped around. Even when carrying two of them, it didn¡¯t feel that heavy, and the noise was low considering the amount of metal fittings. When she ran around, the sword would sometimes hit her buttocks and the belt would rub against her waist, which was sometimes painful, but it was not too bad, as it had been subsided to a great extent. The ability to draw the sword with both hands at the same time, right and left, was also very attractive. "Ehehe, how is it? Does it suit Krische?" Krische rolled up her cloak and shook her hips, and Selene let out a sigh. He probably custom-made the pants with the idea that they would be worn over regr clothes, rather than pants made of sturdy fabric. She felt very indebted. "Yes, you look good. How''s the waist?" ¡°Even if Krische carry two, it might not hurt as much as before. It''s a little better...¡± ¡°I''m d to hear that. However,...I still want to do something about it. Sometimes it rubs against the hip and it looks painful...¡± "It''s all a matter of dressing properly like a soldier, really. Maybe I should just make you wear a corset." The idea of carrying a curved sword in a skirt or dress was odd to begin with. Selene red at Bery and patted Krische on the head as she approached her, saying it looked good on her. Anyway, there were two swords. Considering that she would be on the battlefield with only that thin curved sword, Selene felt a little relieved. "A corset... Ah, that''s kind of a reversal idea in a way. Maybe it would be a good idea to have them make something like special underwear or underclothes so that it doesn''t hurt from rubbing against the belt." "...Haa. I guess you can do whatever you want." "Fufu, let''s do that. I have to order Krische-sama socks again." Perhaps because she wore heavy boots outside, Krische socks always torn quickly, and the consumption was intense. It''s also a cold season. Bery thought about getting her some long socks as Krische was sensitive to the cold. Waistcoat and long socks. No one could have imagined that a monthter, this idea would lead to the birth of the garter belt, which would be all the rage among noble women. Chapter 164: Snow Waiting For Spring Chapter 164: Snow Waiting For Spring ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 164 Snow Waiting For Spring*** From triumphant celebration to conference. An assassination attempt on the queen and assassination incidents on a nobles. Furthermore, there was no shortage of various topics being talked about in the royal capital, such as the dragon''s visit, and this one also probably wouldn¡¯t lose to any other incident. The 5 shaku tall body of the majestic lion. Its long tail wagged in the air. Its body hair simr to that of a lion, its color yellowish brown, however the head resembles that of a bird of prey or an eagle. The huge wings that sprouted from its shoulders were almost indigo, giving off an indescribable luster. It was a Lion Eagle¨D¨Da beast called Griffin. And astride them were men of valor, covering themselves with thick furs. They carried 8 shaku spears on their shoulders, and countless spears were bundled around their waists. The line of 30 riders, in an imposing, not elegant, but rugged and dignified appearance that could be called a warrior, advanced toward the royal castle. One person is one Griffin. However, there were two people straddling the first griffin. A young man with good features and a good physique, and sitting in front of him as if being embraced by him was a somewhat adorable girl with short ck hair tied in a braid behind her ears. The girl''s was were holding not the Griffin''s¨D¨Dbut a quiterge horse¡¯s as she looked from side to side. "Amazing...Nii-san. All the houses here are made of rocks." "Don''t act like a child, you idiot, you''re Kreisharana¡¯s Miko." Despite this, the young man¨D¨DKreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior Vinthril¡¯s face was kind, and his sister Lira smiled and replied to her brother, "I''m sorry." Compared to Kreisharana, which had only wooden houses, this scenery was truly magnificent. Lira looked around with herrge eyes shining. It was around that time, a little after entering the royal capital, that the cavalry leading them stopped. When Vinthril recognized the girl running from the front, he raised his left hand to signal to stop the march, then got down on the spot and knelt down on one knee on the cold stone pavement. Lira followed suit, and so did the warriors behind her. There was a murmur from the crowd around them. The fluffy girl wearing a hat up to her ears and a scarf wrapped around her stopped when she reached them, shook her silver hair, and tilted her head. Vinthril opened his mouth to her. "It''s been almost two months since then... It''s been a long time, Krische-sama." "Um, yes, it''s been a while... but, uh, aren''t you cold?" "If I''m to answer without shame, a little bit. It seems like the ins are pretty cold." "You don''t have to worry about formality too much, okay? Krsche, just came to greet you." "Ha. Thank you." With a wry smile, Vinthril stood upsentsends a signal behind him. They stood up all at once, and Krische, looking troubled, patted therge horse on the neck. "Hehehe, it''s been a while, Bururun. Lira too." "Yes, it''s been a while, Krische-sama." ¡®Bururu¡¯, Bururun rub the tip of its nose to Krische''s cheek. Krische smiled, and climbed on its back. Then she saw the warriors following behind the two. ¡°Even so, you brought a lot of people with you.¡± "Well, we¡¯re also going to have a look at the ins, but...we''ll see how it goes after thr audience with Her Majesty the Queen.¡± "...? Well, it''s okay, it''s cold, so let''s go." "Ha" Vinthril and the others again straddled the griffin, and Krische called out to the noble who had been leading them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Marquis Giterns. Did youe to see Anne?¡± "Oh... it''s been a while, Alberinea. As they¡¯re going to have an audience with Her Majesty the Queen, and I''m to be their guide...of course, I''m also going to see my daughter." Argosh Giterns replied, his face stiffening. The people of Kreisharana will bring Krische¡¯s horses, so Krische want someone to guide them to the royal capital¨D¨Dthat was all she said to him, but when the Kreisharana¡¯s peoplee, it shocked him. They told Argoshe that this was a request for an audience with Her Majesty the Queen from Kreisharana. A sudden situation without any preparation. However, the fact that the pass had Krische¡¯s name on it made it clear that they were telling the truth. In that case, there¡¯s no way he can assign guides without a certain level of status to guests from other countries. However, that area was in the remote northwestern part of the kingdom. The only people there were low-ranking aristocrats at the level of small officials, and there were no nobles of the rank who could guide guests from other countries. Normally, someone would have been dispatched directly from the royal capital to act as a guide, but it was too sudden. When 30 lion eagle cavalrymen suddenly arrived at Fort Pirquet without prior notice, there was no way he could sent them back just because there was no preparation. It would be a major crime to be disrespectful to a guest from another country, and in some cases, it could even result in the head of the person being beheaded. It was also a messenger from Kreisharana, with whom the Kingdom had broken off rtions a long time ago. Inevitably, he decided that there was no one else who should act as their guide but himself. If the pinnacle of peerage for military officers is margrave, then marquis is the pinnacle of peerage for civil servants. If the guide was the head of the famous Gittens family, it would at least not be a disrespect to them. However, it was essentially an act that went against etiquette. Sending messengers back and forth, deciding on a date¡ª¡ªnormally, an audience would be a tedious process. The permit they have may seem legitimate, but it was Krische who wrote it. Thinking of the girl who seemed to be so ignorant of politics, society, and diplomacy, she wondered if it was really okay to guide them to the royal capital, and with a sick feeling in his stomachs, he sent one letter of confirmation to the capital and five other letters to his acquaintances there. This was to ask their cooperation in case something happens. While weing them, he deliberately dyed his trip due to the bad weather and poor road conditions, but it was only when he arrived at Gargain that he finally felt relieved. It was only after he received a reply to his letter from the capital. "Ehehe, I see. Anne must be happy too." However, whates to Krische that plunged Argosh into the depths of fear was truly a smile of a little girl. "T-true..." Argosh was unable to even make a single sarcasticment to her, as she seemed to be quite please. Practically speaking, she was a member of the royal family, an existence above the clouds that was crowned Alberinea, and on top of that, his daughter¡¯s employer... Now that she has formed a friendship with the Dragon, and that the men behind him, the Kreisharana have personally sworn their allegiance to her, Argosh had no choice but to smile. ¡°Thank you again for guiding us so far, Giterns-dono. It was a much more peaceful journey than I expected.¡± "N-no, Vinthril-dono. I''m not used to things like this, I''m sorry to have caused you trouble." ¡°Haha, please don¡¯t be humble. We are ignorant of diplomatic protocol and etiquette and cause you trouble. Even then you chase away any danger and entertain us as much as possible. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated." Fortunately, perhaps because his their efforts, they seemed to have made a good impression of him, which was a relief. He sighed quietly, trying to ept that for now. Argoshe Wikel Giterns. He was a man born under the star of hardship. Red was the most noble color in the kingdom. The audience hall--Basically, only members of the royal family were allowed to step on the red-colored carpet, and it is usually reced with a different color when weing guests from other countries. Especially in the audience chamber, the red carpet represents the blood shed for the kingdom. Only the royal family is allowed to stand on it, and only the nobles of the kingdom with whom they have allowed blood to intersect. It is not often that people from other countries were allowed to enter there, and currently the only exceptions are the emissaries of the Arna Imperial State, which has been an ally for several hundred years. ''...... They want walk on the same road as us from here on out. They came to the Kingdom with that intention, and so do I. I have no intention of perpetuating a centuries-old grudge. From now on, I think we should forget the past, join hands with each other, and hope for a bright future. Naturally, it was assumed that they would follow the same old custom this time, but Queen Kreschenta had decided to wee them with the red carpet. She would make Kreisharana, with whom the Kingdom had dispute with for many years, a friend of the kingdom from now on, just as Arna was. It was a deration of intent, and there was no one who could refute it. The trumpet sounded, and the first to enter was Krische. Behind her was two men and women¨D¨DVinthril and Lira, followed by several men. The situation in the country and the incident the other day. The nobles obediently epted Kreschenta¡¯s decision, but when they saw these rustic-like figures dressed in fur and the bare minimum of cloth, some of them frowned tantly. To think that such a barbarian would pollute the historic path of the Kingdom. Some of themmented that the authority of the kingdom was being undermined. Krische, however, paid no heed to this atmosphere and went to the front to stand next to Kreschenta. The nervous-looking girl¨D¨DLira stepped forward and got down on both knees on the red carpet. ¡°Thank you for granting us this audience, Your Majesty Queen Alberan.¡± She then lowered her head and ced her forehead on the floor. The nobles were stunned and looked at each other. Kneeling down and pressing one foreheads to the floor. In their eyes, even for Kreisharana¡¯s manners it was much too subservient. They knew the culture of Arna, who sit directly on the floor instead of on a chair, but they would never sit outside. The men behind her were also sitting on the carpet with both knees on the carpet, and the sight seemed strange,ical even. Some looked at them condescendingly. There was a clear difference between kneeling on one knee and kneeling on both knees, at least in the Kingdom. Kneeling down on one knee is considered the top of a standing ceremony, but kneeling on both knees is considered seated ceremony. At least in the kingdom of culture where people sit on chairs, this is something that is only done under extreme circumstances, equivalent to touching your butt directly on the ground¨D¨DIf they were to press their foreheads on the floor on top of that, it would seem that they had no semnce of nobility or pride. It might be fine if they were amoner, but they were a messenger who is the face of the country. It is no wonder that they think it is so unbing of them to get down on both knees in a ce where one would walk with their shoes, even if they were trying to be courteous in their own way. The people of Kreisharana had never visited other countries¨D¨Dnaturally they were unfamiliar with diplomatic etiquette and manners. Normally, it would have been normal for the guide to mention some of the etiquette and manners so as not to embarrass the guests, but Argosh, who served as the guide this time, was neither a diplomat nor a civil servant in the royal court. They had only interacted with people form Arna Imperial State and were ignorant of the diplomatic protocols. This could be said to be the result of some kind of bad luck. As for who was the worst offender, it was not Argosh, but rather 80% of it was because of Krische. But it was Kreschenta who moved more quickly than anyone else. She stood up from her throne, lightly descended the small staircase, and dropped to her knees in her dress and bowed her head. A stir spread through the room, but she didn''t seem bothered by it. "Hehe, I wonder if it''s Kreisharana¡¯s etiquette to kneel down on both knees. Please raise your head, Kreisharana¡¯s Miko-sama." "Y-yes..." Lira looked up in surprise and looked into the violet eyes of Kreschenta, who was sitting on her knees. Elegant gold that sparkles in red. She looked like she had reached the peak of beauty, but a smile appeared on her young face. The white dress and ornaments she wore give the illusion of revealing her features. ¡°I''m happy for your feeling, but even though it''s carpeted, it''s a hard transmuted rock floor. Don''t worry about it and stand up. Even if Miko-sama would be fine with continuing the talk like, I who is not used to it, would end up be the first to stand up.'''' The young queen said jokingly as she stood up gracefully and holds out her hand towards Lira. L was surprised and a happy smile appeared on her face, and she took her hand and stood up. The men behind her, who were aware of their blunder and were ufortable with the gazes of those around them, also stared at the queen in amazement¨D¨Dand before they knew it, their anger had dissipated. "Please make yourselffortable, yourpanions too. Wee to Alberan. As its Queen, I wee you all." They looked at each other for a moment, then followed Vinthril¡¯s lead as he shifted to a kneeling position. The tension in the group eased slightly, and Kreschenta nodded in satisfaction. ¡°I am truly happy that the rtionship between our two countries, which has long been severed due to a sad past, has been approached in this way for the sake of a new future. I sincerely hope that we can move forward hand in hand...I believe that this time will surely make up for the long years that separated us." She look at Lira, looked at the men. Kreschenta spoke in a sweet voice. "Today is the first step towards that milestone. Let''s take a few days to talk to our heart''s content. I''m sure there are a lot of things we need to talk about." "...Thank you, Your Majesty the Queen." Kreschenta smiled back at Lira and returned to the throne. It was apletely a breach of etiquette, however etiquette is nothing more than a tool. By being coercive, or like this, ingratiating herself, she put herself in an advantageous position, and all subsequent negotiations would be more favorable. No good will or pity existed in her heart for those who had exposed their stupidity, but at least it was not meaningless if she could seize the air by doing so. She preferred nothing more than to appear like a good person if it meant result will follow. She nced proudly at her older sister, and Krische smiled at her and reached out to pat her on the head¨D¨Dlooked at the surrounding and stopped her hand. Kreschenta was satisfied with that. She whispered, ¡®Please give me lots ofplimentster¡¯, and sat down on the throne. "I had heard about the circumstance from my older sister (Aneue). Although I am d that we were able to get off to such a wonderful start, the fact remains that, although it was as an individual, a member of the kingdom''s noble had set foot in your country. First of all, as the Kingdom¡¯s Queen, I would like to apologize for any disrespect towards your country.'''' ¡°Don''t worry, those words arepletely meaningless at this point. Although human, she surpasses humans, and even the Holy Spirit recognizes her bravery and will. For those of us who adore the Holy Spirit and respect warrior, Krische-sama is a respected warrior on par with the Holy Spirit Yagernaus." Lira smiled, sensing the closeness between the Queen and Krische from the momentary exchange. The Kingdom ces a lot of importance on family origins¨D¨Dthere was some concern about that, but at least the two of them seem to be on good terms in public and private life. Feeling a small sense of relief, she continues her words. ¡°Standing before the Holy Spirit with no ornament, exposing your body and mind, without being ashamed or afraid. Just the way one is, her figure seen from my own eyes was exactly the ideal that we aspire to. ...In a ce like this, it may be seen as disrespectful to Her Majesty the Queen, the leader of the great power of Alberan, but we are loyal to Krische-sama, who is an ally of the Holy Spirit. This is something that is not bound by the framework of a country, but is something for each individual." The restoration of diplomatic rtions was decided at a meeting of influential people in Kreisharana. The words of the warriors who were present at the meeting, including Chief Alkierence, were significant, and the understanding of the elders who listened to them led to this decision, but naturally there were many who were reluctant to ept it. Even though Kreisharana showed respect and loyalty to the individual Krische, who had made a pact with the Holy Spirit, it was not towards the kingdom¨D¨Dthis time, she was given a strict order to neverpromise on that one point. ¡°Naturally, we will not hold your country responsible for this. Of course, the reason why we asked for an audience this time is to Krische-sama...However, that has nothing to do with the future rtionship between Kreisharana and Alberan.¡± The fact that they were allowed to open diplomatic rtions with them, despite the deep-rooted ties that still exist today, was a remarkable thing and something to be celebrated. However, she had been having a hard time deciding what to say, which could literally be taken as disrespectful, but the sight of the Queen eased her fears. She surely wouldn''t take such words as rude, and would understand the situation. "I understand, L-sama. This is just a chance, a long-broken rtionship between Alberan and Kreisharana. As a nation, we are about to move forward. ...However, I hope that this opportunity will be a sign of spring, melting the snow that has piled up between the two countries.'''' ¡®Even the season is perfect, right¡¯ Kreschenta said, pointing her fingertips to the sky. ¡°I''ve been looking forward to the spring when the snow thaw¨D¨Dit''s right about that time of the year. I''m not good with the freezing winters. ...How about you, Lira-sama?" ¡°I''m ashamed to say this is the first time I''ve seen snow up close. At first it was a bit of a novelty, however now Your Majesty word of longing for spring to melt the snow, now I really empathize it.'''' Lira smiled wryly, and Kreschenta smiled. ¡°The snow is still piled up so much that we need to look up at it. But as I said before, I am sure that we will be able to deepen our rtionship, if not immediately, then eventually. I believe so.¡± "Yes. I feel the same way, Your Majesty." "Hehe, I''m d to hear that. I hope that more and more people will share our feelings in this way." Kreschenta¡¯s somewhat dignified smile was different from Krische¡¯s, and was infinitely powerful. Although she was a young girl of only 12 years of age, she already had the appearance of a king. She knows a little about the situation in the kingdom from her interactions with Arna. She knew that the princess faction, which had seemed to be losing ground, had defeated the royal prince faction and won the battle for the right to seed to the throne. After learning of Krische existence, she thought it was only natural, but should she as expected of the older sister of that kind younger sister? Queen Kreschenta was far too aplished considering her age. She was strangely convinced that everything was led by necessity. ¡°Let''s start with exchange. think it would be a good ce to start by sending expatriates to each other and deepening mutual understanding...But today, it¡¯s just after a long trip. Let''s continue talking about practical politics tomorrow, today as a face-to-face greeting, and we will continue our discussion at another time." Kreschenta shook her graceful hair and asked as she broke off the conversation easily. ¡°I heard that the people of Kreisharana don¡¯t like to have very fancy or noisy banquets due to religious beliefs, but¡what do you think? We are preparing a small meal. I would like to express my gratitude as her little sister, and if you would like, I would like to personally invite you all but'''' "If that''s the case, I''d be happy. Thank you for your concern. However, we came with quite arge family, so..." "You don''t have to worry about it. It''s worth it for both me and my sister (Aneue) to have so many people." Everyone present, whether Alberan or Kreisharana, looked surprised at the Queen''s words. Only Krische and Kreschentaughed happily. ¡°Even though I look like this, I¡¯m pretty confident in my skill. It would be great if it suited your taste but¡± ¡°It would be the greatest honor to be able to enjoy the home-cooked food prepared by Her Majesty the Queen and Krische-sama. Everyone will be very happy with this arrangement.¡± "Then it''s decided." Kreschenta pped her hand and nodded to Lira. "Then, I''ll send someone to pick you upter. We have a lot to talk about while we eat. Until then, please take your time and heal the fatigue of your journey." "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your consideration." Lira bows her head deeply to Kreschenta, then turned her eyes to Krische. They exchanged a secret smile as their gazes met, and Lira bowed her head to her as well. Chapter 165: Cooking Chapter 165: Cooking ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 165 Cooking*** ¡°Kreschenta-sama, could you pass me some salt?¡± ¡°¡Which salt is it?¡± "Ah, my apologize. The one on the right please." There were more than 30 visitors, and it goes without saying that this was thergest number of guests that the Christand has weed since Bogan and his ancestors. As expected, with this many people, the kitchen was running at full capacity. Innumerable cooking utensils that utilize magical crystals¨D¨Dwhat Bery created was a crystal kitchen that could almost be called a workshop, adding Krische and Bery and on top of that, Kreschenta, it was busier than ever. Kreisharana hates luxury and seems to usually live like a rural viger or something. She thought of holding a banquet in the glorious halls of the royal castle, but that wasn''t to their liking. And there was also the problem of the noble. As was shown in the audience chamber, the nobles were concerned about dignity and appearance. It can be imagined that having them eat in the same ce would only have negative effects, which is why Kreschenta personally invited them. However, even though the circumstances was what it was, the treatment was exceptionally high. Overwhelming national power. It may be a mystery to many why the Queen wees these people, who can now be described as just a tribe of barbarians, and spared no effort for them Of course, Kreschenta had no childish desire to walk hand in hand with them, she is a calcting being to the end. Her goal was the magic crystal they possessed. When she heard about the dragon from her older sister, the first thing she focused on was the magical crystal cliff wall that existed behind the Dragon. The theory that dense magical power crystallizes over a long period of time and bes a magic crystal was widely known as a usible theory, and Kreschenta was of the same opinion. Like any other metal, a mine of magic crystal will run dry if it was mined. Even if they don¡¯t know the mechanism of the crystallization, at least it was certain that it didn¡¯t suddenly appear one day without any warning. A dragon with that much magical power. And Arbyagel, where that dragon resided for a long period of time. It was easy to imagine that, with high probability, many veins of magic crystal would lie untouched in thend of Kreisharana. Kreisharana hates luxury and was currently submissive to her older sister. If they deepen the friendship between the country, she''ll be able to obtain the mining rights to that vein in a deal that rarely happens. Magic crystal, like other ores, is a limited resource. If the value of its use increases rapidly through future research, it was likely that various veins of ore will dry up and the supply would no longer be able to keep up, and there was no doubt that in the future it would be a precious ore with a price simr to that of jewels¨D¨Dthe one who wins at that time is naturally the one who monopolizes it. Economic victory make the need for menial tasks such as war unnecessary. Sprinkle money into obedience, and then siphon off more than what was given from the subjugated country. Take away their power to resist and makes it impossible for any nation to exist without Alberan. War is just another means of diplomacy. It may be necessary for some to destroy countries that are as intelligent as club-wielding barbarians, but all of that is based on economic power. It is the abundance of money that maintains a strong army. What she seek in the future was a vast territory where the sun will never rest. A superpower that rules all of this world, where the sun never sets. One of the ingredients that would ensure this was Kreisharana, and that was why she went to such lengths to wee them. ¡°Kreschenta, it is coarse salt for grilling. If the particles are too fine, they will absorb moisture and dissolve quickly.¡± "I see. Ehehe..." However, that was only for the future. Everything she wanted was currently housed in this estate, and to be honest, it didn''t really matter to her, because that goal was infinitely closer to her pretense as a ¡°wise queen¡±. As a young girl, Kreschenta¡¯s primary goal was to be praised by her older sister. The figure of her leaning close to her sister and smiling happily, there was no queen¡¯s intelligence to be found there Since the audience, her older sister praised her endlessly, saying great, great and she was in an extremely good mood. Even though she was busy cooking, she was very satisfied. Although Krische never praised her for her political work, as she took it as it¡¯s only natural she could do it, she always strongly appreciated her attempts to make others happy. The purpose of her hospitality was the magic crystal, but now her head was full of rewards from her sister. Using all of her high spec abilities to please Krische, she was cooking more enthusiastically than ever. Looking at that Kreschenta, Bery happily and skillfully sprinkled salt onto the skewers. "Hehe, it looks good. What do you think?" Krische was oven cooking. Kreschenta was making soup. And what Bery was making was grilled foods. She grabbed two sticks and handed them to Krische. Since the guests not be ustomed to using knives and forks, the main focus today was on dishes that can be eaten with hands, with the exception of soup. After receiving it, Krische handed one to Kreschenta and looked at the skewers. It''s chicken tail meat with a sticky amount of fat. However the meat was grilled with a wire mesh, and the excess oil fell, giving it a golden sheen. She opened her small mouth and took a bite of the first piece. The oil that oozes out from the meat was high quality. The lightly sprinkled herbs reduce the weight of the oily meat, and only the vor of the meat was extracted. After eating one, she quickly finished one more, and swallowed it down. cing a hand on her cheek and smiling, Krische hugged Bery. "It''s very delicious. As usual, the seasoning is exquisite, and it''s really amazing." Bery smiled, picked up one of the skewers and looked at it. And bite into it. "Hmm, the grill is good. However, I feel like the oil is a bit sticky..." "...Is that so? Krische fells its good." "I wonder if it¡¯s because I can''t taste it, so the oil feels heavy? If I were to eat all this, it would definitely feel greasy, but if I''m just eating one or two, this is enough...it''s so-so." Kreschenta, likewise, told Berry after finishing the skewers. Berry''s ¡°so-so¡± rating for the food she cooks mean the best to her. Berry thought about it for a moment and nodded. "My senses doesn''t seem to be reliable. It''s going to be a little difficult until I get used to it." Krische body twitched as she hugged her, and Bery shook her head troubled. "It''s alight. It seems like I can feel the spiciness, and I can grasp if the oil is too strong or not. If I match my senses against Krische-sama¡¯s and Kreschenta-sama¡¯s, I''m sure I''ll get used to it, and things will get a little better." Krische, however, shook her head at those words. "Krische will restore Bery''s tongue to its original state... so Bery doesn''t need to get used to it." She tried medicinal herbs and used magic to elerate healing. She had tried all possible methods at the moment, but the results hadn¡¯t been good. She thought that a detailed examination of the tongue might reveal something, but the tongue itself is unique to each person, and its structure differs between Krische, Selene, and Kreschenta. Whether the tongue itself is normal or not¨D¨Dshe didn¡¯t know how to judge that and maybe even if the tongue itself was normal, another part was affecting it. There were so many things she didn''t know at the moment. Why do people die and why do they get sick? Even that was uncertain. All of the current medical care was nothing more than vague rules of thumb. It would take an enormous number of trial to determine this, and there was not enough manpower or time to do so. Krische was confident that she could easily figure it out if she use human, but she knew that Bery would not want her to do so. She had no choice but to do it steadily. ¡°...Definitely.¡± Bery smiled at Krische who said that and . "Fufu, yes." To Bery, this seemed like an unavoidable price to pay for her life, and it was too much to hope for more. She had no hope that it will ever heal on its own. Such expectations were painful. But if she was like that then, it was her role to believe in her. Maybe it will be ten years, twenty years, or maybe it will be a long time in the future¨D¨Dit might be when she became an old woman. Whatever the case may be, she would spend her time believing that she will make ite true. Bery was more than happy with that. ¡°But there¡¯s no point in worrying too much. As I said, I¡¯m fine, and considering that I got Krische-sama thanks to it, it¡¯s a cheap purchase. It will be a great loss for me if Krische-sama gets so worried you¡¯re your health deteriorates.¡± She smiled jokingly and hugged her delicate body. ¡°Working, cooking with me, taking a bath with me, pampering me, and be my pillow when we sleep together. Hehe, since you have such a busy schedule, I need you to prioritize that first, my Krische-sama.¡± "...Ehehe, yes." "...Onee-ama is not Argan-sama''s. Besides, is it okay? The meat will get burnt." "Huh? Ah" Bery turned the meat over in a panic. Kreschenta wrapped her arms around Krische¡¯s waist from behind and hugged her, puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "It''s already been decided that today Onee-sama is mine. To think you would take advantage of her Onee-sama¡¯s kindness, what a servant." "Kreschenta, if you say something like that to Bery, Krische''ll get angry, okay? Besides, it¡¯s not like, Krische promised Kreschenta anything like that..." "Sister, a promise is not something that can be determined by words alone. Just like a written contract, it can also be determined by the flow of events and the atmosphere of the ce." Kreschenta held up her finger and calmly presented a farcical argument. "At least...that''s what Onee-sama promised me in the audience room." Krische was obediently surprised by her little sister''s words, , and Bery smiled bitterly at the nonsensical word Kreschenta said. In any case, she knew that the reason Crescenta was showing such hospitality was to be praised by Krische. The sight of Kreschenta trying so hard to get her sister''s praise is so adorable and heartwarming. She had a distinct and harsh personality, was jealous and a bit selfish. She was also endearing in every way, both simr and dissimr to Krische. She smiles bitterly as she remembers that there was a time when her sister was saved and became attracted to by Bogan, and that she was jealous of him as well. Wanting to get her attention, she thought about this and that¨D¨Dbut gave up without actually putting it into action. Compared to herself, Kreschenta was probably much healthier. Bery giggled and bowed her head to Kreschenta without any sense of guilt. "Fufu, I ended up pulling ahead of Kreschenta-sama. I''m sorry." Kreschenta red at Bery as she teasingly said that. "I''m telling you, once your tongue heals, you have no right to restrain Onee-sama. The agreement between you and Onee-sama will no longer be valid." She puffed up her cheeks like balloons. She is strong-willed and doesn''t hide anything. At least Crescenta is free from her spiteful and gloomy thoughts, which was why Bery didn¡¯t have any particr reservations either. That''s what makes it so much fun, and maybe this was what the so-called love interest in the story was like Bery liked this kind of silly exchange with her very much. "Once this situation calms down, the kingdom will develop even more. Technology, and medicine too. If that happens, such silly aftereffects will be gone in no time, right away." Even though they were far apart in age, they were people who like the same person. Their personalities seem to be pr opposites, but there were some simrities between them, and they value the various things they share with each other¨D¨Dor perhaps they are closer to something that could be called friendship. If she said that, Kreschenta would probably get furious, but the kind of gentleness that she show from time to time was just as beautiful Krische¡¯s. "Thank you....However, I may not be able to think about losing Clich¨¦-sama, who came into my hands." "You should understand that showing weakness and trying to make Onee-sama yours is an extremely nefarious and fiendish act to begin with. Such a transaction is invalid from the beginning." ¡®Surrounded by such people, I¡¯m probably the luckiest person in the world.¡¯ She thought about this while smiling and showing an air of surprise. "My. Calling fiendish." "Did you think otherwise? From now on, you''ll have to understand more about what kind of person you are." "I see. But if you think that you could get Krische-sama by just going astray, maybe that''s not a bad thing..." Bery reached out to touch Krische¡¯s cheek, but Kreschenta stopped her by hugging Krische¡¯s body. Krische, who was pinched by her sister''s cheeks from behind, looked at Kreschenta troubled. ¡°Kreschenta is really a foul-mouthed girl huh. That''s what we call a bad mouth you know. Kreschenta should have more respect for Bery, Krische is Berr''s after all.¡± "Pleasee to your sense, Onee-sama. That is the result of a vicious deception." "...?" Kreschenta said while rubbing her cheek. "Argan-sama is very good at making up nonsense. Onee-sama is just being deceived." ¡°Nonsense¡ even so Krische was convinced, Krische doesn¡¯t have any problem with¨D¨D¡± ¡°I see, so let''s assume that this is a legitimate trade...In exchange for the tongue, Onee-sama sold yourself. If that argument is true, then if Argan-sama''s tongue is cured thanks to me, Onee-sama will naturally be mine...that¡¯s what it means right? ¡± "Hmm...? Um, that logic seems kind of strange." Kreschenta smiled as she tilted her head in thought. ¡°It''s not strange. It means that Onee-sama find equal value in herself and that of Argan-sama¡¯s tongue. Isn''t it logical that if I heal her tongue, I''ll get Onee-sama in return? ¡± ¡°Now that you said it, certainly that¡¯s¡¡± "And in the future, Argan-sama''s tongue will be healed thanks to me. It''s an established fact. In other words, Onee-sama is already almost mine, and the servant Argan-sama is also mine. This isn''t nonsense or anything like that." As her gaze flickers from side to side, Krische made her brilliant mind spin rapidly. But for her, farcical reasoning (sophism) was a blind spot¨D¨Dthere was no flexibility in her mind to deal with changing the subject. ¡°Somehow Krische isn¡¯t convinced¡ But, hmm¡Krische does feel like it make sense.¡± "Don''t worry about trivial things, Onee-sama. It''s my job to think about such things." Bery watching that unfold, shook her shoulders and smiled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that, manipting Krische-sama into something that suits you like that.¡± ¡°I don''t care who else in the world says it, I don''t want to hear that from you¡± Kreschenta furrowed her brow, looked back at Bery, and whispered to Krische. "You should think logically, Onee-sama. You should not be fooled by vague things such as emotions. This is the fair reward that I deserve." "Hmm...fair..." Was Kreschenta who tried to deceive Krische strange. She still covered her mouth and red at Bery, who continued to shook her shoulders, and Kreschenta smiled as if trying to pounce. ¡°Hmph, enough of your nonsense leeway now, Argan-sama. ...Then Argan-sama will be just a servant, doing nothing but cooking and watching me and Onee-sama with her fingers in the mouth. If Atgan-sama devote herself to us then, maybe I''ll let Argan-sama touch Onee-sama once in a while.'''' Bery amusedly and approached them. She hugged them both and patted Kreschenta on the head. "My, fufu... Your Majesty, how kind. As your subject, I am highly honored." "You''re just an extra. And if you''re saying that, then you should stop treating me like a child like this. I''m much better than you canprehend you know." Kreschenta red at her, but Bery couldn''t stop her cheeks from loosening. Beryughed even more happily and kissed her forehead. "My apologies. My hands seem to move on their own when I¡¯m happy." "You are also sick in various meaning huh. I think it would be best to find a cure for your head before fixing your tongue." "I¡¯m sorry but it¡¯s something I¡¯m born with. It may never be cured." " It''s calledziness if you don''t even try. I''m tired of thinking that someone like you will be stuck at Onee-sama side from now on." Bery was still smiling and looking happy. Krische, who had been listening to the exchange, reached behind her shoulder and squeezed her cheek. ¡°Hmm, Krische doesn¡¯t really get it, but in any case, Krische think Kreschenta has a bad mouth against Bery, so Krische think that should be corrected. Even if Krische bes Kreschenta¡¯s property, it is the older sister, Krische¡¯s role to raise Kreschenta to be a good child, so we need to keep things like this separate.'''' "Eh...?" "Hehe, as expected of you, Krische-sama, you say a good thing. I also think that having an older sister lead her younger sister is socially beneficial and truly admirable." "Ah, Argan-sama! That''s cowardly!" ¡®That¡¯s not good,¡¯ Krische said, turning back to Kreschenta, and pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°Krische¡¯ve always thought Kreschenta wasn''t honest enough. Even though Kreschenta must love being petted by Bery, the mouth only let out bad word. Be a little more honest...Ah, right, from now on, the rule is that Kreschenta will turn into a dog whenever she spends time with Bery.'''' "Ah, Onee-sama, it''s almost time for the oven..." ¡°? Ah, it''s still early. We need to bake it a little more...Um, Kreschenta, don¡¯t change the¨D¨D" ¡°Th-then, I''d like Onee-sama to taste the soup one more time¡± "...Taste?" "The Oita pumpkin should have melted better than before. I-I''m sure Onee-sama will enjoy this pumpkin soup." Kreschenta red at Bery as she told her to not talk. Bery yfully shook her shoulder and cover her mouth, sending help to the desperate Crescenta. ¡°Right, fufu, I would like to start arranging the dishes soon, Krische-sama, would you please give it a taste?¡± "Hmm...Yes, if Bery says so. Krische is still worried about Kreschenta¡¯s, Krische needs to check properly..." Krische, fooled by the sound of test-taste, approached the pot. Behind her, Kreschenta red at Bery from a position that cannot be seen. Her expression was truly vexed, as if to say she had just been sent salt by her enemy. Bery smiled back and patted her on the head again. It was an unchanging happy time for her, and everything was in it. Chapter 166: Hospitality Chapter 166: Hospitality ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 166 Hospitality*** It was the parlor, not the dining room, that was to be used for the dinner party. The sofas, etc. that had been inside were moved to another room, and the cold floorboards were covered with a carpet with no gaps. Today, the guests were to sit directly on the floor for the meal, in ordance with Kreisharana¡¯s tradition. Bery said that if they were going to show them their wee, they should first try to adapt to their culture. Kreschenta said that anything was fine, and the suggestion was fully adopted, and the food was more like country cooking than anything intricate. Pumpkin soup was a must, of course. A stew of beef stewed until tender, and a light, salt-based seafood soup made with fish and shellfish imported from Arna. Three whole chickens were roasted. They have been marinated with herbs and salt sincest night, and butter was carefully applied to the surface during grilling. The chicken, with its candy-colored luster, was like a jewel, almost like amber. Its belly was bright and colorful filled with ingredients, and a gorgeous aroma wafted from inside. Bone-in thigh meat covered in oil was arranged in a circle on the te as if it were a decoration. Toppings such as cheese and bacon were piled up on a t te so that they can be eaten with bread, and various skewers such as chicken, pork, sheep, and beef were arranged like a mound of needles. ¨D¨DIt was truly a warrior''s feast. There was so much meat that it looked even more primitive. The vegetables seemed to be served in the soup, and the sd served as aplimentary addition, but the star of the dish was the meat. "Wow...amazing..." Lira, guided by Elvena, instinctively raises her voice and covers her mouth in embarrassment. Vinthril and the warriors who followed also looked surprised. A dinner party invited by the Queen. And probably the Queen herself held the knife. Any fears about how elegant the dishes would be were instantly blown away by the heat of the meat filling the room, which made their saliva seep out and their stomachs rumble. Although there was a huge difference in cooking techniques, the food was close to what was eaten at Kreisharana¡¯s banquet. A carpet covered the entire surface of the room, and a low table was set up¨D¨Dprobably in consideration of the fact that the guests sit directly on the table instead of using chairs to eat their meals. Even the queen was already sitting on the floor. They were well aware of the fact that the people of the kingdom use chairs in their culture, and they understand that sitting on the floor as it is was "unbing" for them. And The leaders of a major powers did it to match them. In terms of reception, it was different from that of all the nobles ce they had stopped by so far, and it could truly be called a heartfelt wee. The journey so far had not been bad thanks to the efforts of their guides, but it was not without its unpleasant moments. There was also the matter of dress. There were few who looked favorably upon the fur-d people of Kreisharana, and some of the nobility, while professing to wee them, treated them with the same contempt as they would have treated filthy things. From the kingdom''s point of view, Kreisharana was just a barbarian. They were nothing more than country savages living in the mountains. Of course, they did not expect to be weed with open arms, and they were fine with that. Kreisharana¡¯s loyalty is to the Dragon''s Contractor¨D¨DKrische, not the kingdom. The state of diplomatic rtions should be resolved because it was the country in which she lives, and it was not essential to decide whether or not to form a friendship with the kingdom itself. They didn¡¯t mind if it bes a rtionship thatsts only during Krische¡¯s lifetime. There were many people who think so, and naturally, some of them were among them. However, the audience room and the hospitality they received gave a slightly different impression of them. At least, the queen''s words in the audience hall were not false, and the care and attention to detail proved it. The queen of this country must be different from the like of them. The way she sat with her shoulders close to Krische on her left waspletely different from the way they saw her in the throne room, and she seemed to be a pure and lovely girl to all intents and purposes. The softness of the atmosphere must have been intentional. She was implicitly conveying that this was just a dinner party without any formality. The woman sitting to her right looked like a girl, with her shining golden hair and clear beauty. She was conversing with an evil-looking old man, and another long-haired old man, as she gave a slight nod to them. Further to Krische¡¯s left was a man ofrge stature¨D¨Da clearly skilled warrior. His face was like a rock, his military uniform was taut, and he looked intimidating just by sitting there. He was no ordinary warrior. The man looked at them as if he were observing, "Meow-Meow, you have a bad look in your eyes. Why are you ring at the guests?" "N-no...I guess you could call it a warrior''s instinct." That warrior was being scolded by Krische like that. The warriors were guided to their seats one by one from the back, with Lira and Vinthril in the lead, and sat down. When everyone was seated, Kreschenta pped her hands. Standing up, they were first was a banquet greeting. After confirming that sake had been poured for each person, she ended the formalities simply and held up the sake cup. While there were minor differences in the toasts, the basics were the same. The toasts were performed in the same manner, with the queen¨D¨Dthe hostess drinking from a cup of sake filled with fruit juice to the point it can¡¯t be called sake anymore and after that, there was no reason for the others not to follow suit. The warriors also gulped down their drinks with gusto, leaving only Krische to sip and sip as she watched. As expected, the party started with a wait-and-see attitude. They talked about their journey to the royal capital while giving their impressions of the food. Surrounded by warriors, the guide, Argosh Giterns, who was looking ufortable at the end of the table, was drinking a tasteless drink while being scared inwardly by the story. He was their guide and also Anne''s father. Thanks to Krische¡¯s suggestion that he should be invited along, he was asked to attend the banquet hosted by the queen, and while on the surface he was smiling a nobleman''s smile, he was sweating cold sweat on his back. He was a marquis. His status as a noble was not low, but in reality he was just a noble who manages and operates a region in the countryside¨D¨Din short, he was nothing more than the head of local officials. He was fundamentally different from the noble in the royal capital who run the country and politics, and if possible, he would like to live quietly in the territory entrusted to him. The reason Giterns was able to continue their lineage so peacefully for such a long time was because they remained independent of politics, regardless of the royal pce. For Argosh, the very idea of being invited to the queen''s banquet was painful. "The climate and life are different, and I would be lying if I said that there was no inconvenience...but thanks to Giterns-dono, there was no shortage. We had underestimated the cold, so he arranged nkets for us, prepared a thick tent for us...he took care of our meals, our personal needs, and everything else. Without him, the trip would not have been as enjoyable." Lira and Vinthril just single-mindedly lifted Argosh up. It must be true that they were grateful to him. It was as if they wanted to tell Argosh''s master, Queen Kreschenta, about his aplishments and ask her to take care of him. Kreschenta sways her golden hair that sparkles with red, and turns her violet eyes to Argosh. "That''s right. I''m d that you did a good job despite not being an official guide, Marquis Giterns. I''ll have to give you a rewardter." "H-ha! As a subject of Her Majesty, I only did what was expected of me, Your Majesty. The special consideration given is much too excessive." ¡°Kreisharana, along with Arna, are friends of the Kingdom. That such people praise you so much and I didn¡¯t reward you anything, it would make makes them question my character. Please don''t hesitate to ept it.¡± It was such a beautiful smile. A Haki (spirit) that seemed to say she won¡¯t ept any objection was emanating from that small body. Or perhaps it was the dignity of a monarch. It was something that only a person who is born to reign over others possesses, something without form. Although her appearance was beautiful, and one could call her a child¨D¨Dat least no one would doubt that she was the queen who ruled the Kingdom. She had such a mysterious atmosphere. ¡°Although there was nothing morous in the northwestern part of the kingdom, I know that you are keeping a close eye on your territory. Tax revenue has increased slightly every year since you took over, and things seem to be going much better since the road maintenance. ...It seems that you are currently trying to focus on livestock farming, but how is the progress? ¡± Argosh stiffened. It was as if the queen was talking while looking at document. The northwest region can be called the countryside even in the kingdom, and there were no notable special products. They were certainly looking at livestock farming as a new industry, but they had only called in experts andpleted a survey of suitablend¨D¨Din fact, nothing had begun yet. They send a report to the government every season, but it was mostly a list of numbers. At least, it''s not something the Queen would look at carefully, and unless she scrutinizes the numbers for that purpose, there''s no way she''d have any idea what Argosh was trying to do. It is unlikely that she would have bothered to find out when she learned that Argosh wasing to the banquet. His participation had just been decided shortly before. Suddenly, Argosh saw a silver-haired girl next to the queen, chewing on a bone-in thigh and looking at her. Dragon''s Contractor, Hero of the civil war. What they had inmon was an ability that belied their age and purple eyes that resembled jewels. ¡®¨D¨DThis Queen, is she aware of the entire kingdom''snd financial situation and its detailed movements?¡¯ His doubts were now close to confirmation. ¡°Yes, so far it¡¯s going well...we have found several candidate sites that are suitable and are in the process of attracting livestock farmers. We will start from there and slowly expand.¡± As he answered, he frantically searched through the materials sent to the Kingdom to see if there was anything wrong with them. Even though he knew there shouldn''t be any, seems he couldn¡¯t help but get stomachache against this person. "Is that so. I hope it goes well." She was the queen of the kingdom, Kreschenta¨D¨Dan existence above the clouds. Considering that she was someone who could make his head fly off at the slightest whim, there was nothing but tension there. ¡°From now on, the northwestern region will also serve as a contact point with Kreisharana, so I would like to send some nobles to work under you. It feels like we don''t have enough personnel for what we''re trying to do... so don''t push yourself too hard.'''' "H-ha. Thank you very much for your consideration, Your Majesty the Queen..." "It would be a shame if someone as talented as you copsed from overwork. It would be a loss to the kingdom." Argosh bowed deeply as she sat down and thanked her. Anne, who was behind Kreschenta, asked her permission and then took a trotted offas if moved by the sight of her father being praised so highly. She went to her father''s side and held up the wine pitcher. ¡°Here, here, please, Marquis Giterns.¡± "...You, really." He epted it, sighing at the sight of his daughter with a big, happy smile on her face as she poured the wine. Ha had so much to say to her, but it seemed true that she was doing well here. Argosh smiled, relieved to see that she seemed to be in good health. Although the dinner party had many diplomatic intentions, both parties avoided the main topic for a while. This was probably because the food was so delicious. Then, after drinking a little and everyone''s tongues became lighter, it was Kolkis, who was talking with Vinthril, who caught the gaze of Gallen and Eluga. ¡°But even for a nation of warriors, there were quite a number of skilled men here. They seem to be the elite of the Krei Sharana. ...What is this about, Vinthril-dono?¡± There were too many of them to be mere messengers. It''s not like he was worried about being attacked by bandits who rode a griffin that could fly. The atmosphere changes at Kolkis words. The warriors lowered their voices, and Vinthril smiled. "It''s a little bit awkward to hear such words from a warrior like Argand-sama, who is so recognizable at a nce. It is fine if you use it as you normally would.¡± Kolkis turned to Kreschenta. "Today is just a dinner party. If Vinthril-sama says so, I don''t care either. I will leave the affairs of the warriors to you, fellow warriors." "Ha. Thank you." Bowing his head deeply as he sits, Kolkis turns his gaze to Vinthril again. ¡°To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t really like this kind of forma tone. I thank you. But if that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s the same for me. I think it¡¯s strange that I¡¯m the only one with an informal tone towards the guests, Vinthril-dono. ¡± ¡°I''m the one who should say thank you...Unlike Lira, I don''t have much confidence in the in¡¯snguage. When ites to serious conversations like this, I''m afraid of misunderstanding the meaning of the words. I''m d to hear you say that.¡± "That''s good...but I''m impressed by how fluent you are. I can''t even speak thenguage of another country, even if it''s just a greeting, so I honestly respect that." Kolkis let out a sigh and poured some wine into Vinthril¡¯s cup, then poured it into his own cup as well. They took their cups and clinked them together, and Kolkis urged him with his gaze. ¡°I heard from Krische-sama that the kingdom is in a situation where it is inevitable that it will be invaded by other countries...What is the reality?¡± "It¡¯s as you heard, there¡¯s no doubt about it. We are being targeted by three great powers, each with equal national power, in the east, west, and south." Kolkis said, moistening his tongue with wine. ¡°The three countries will probablye at us in unison. Even putting it mildly the situation is dangerous. I don''t doubt victory, but...¡± He said, as his gaze turned to Krische. Krische cheeks were flushed with alcohol and she was uninterested in such talk. She was pulling Bery''s hand to sit between him and Kreschenta. The beautiful red-haired servant looked troubled by the atmosphere in the room and chided her, whispering in her ear, but in the end she obeyed her beloved master and sat down like that. Alberinea was in a good mood, her arms wrapped sweetly around her. That figure of herscks the power of persuasion to say that he doesn''t have any worries as long as she was here. Kolkis rubbed his temple. "Kuku, don''t worry. I understand Krische-sama''s ability." "Sigh... that''s a blessing. However...it''s true that some soldiers are anxious. The situation is so bad that under normal circumstances it seems like there is no way to win.¡± He stirred his drink and took a breath, which Vinthril saw and refilled his cup. Kolkis thanked him and continued. ¡°ording to diplomatic custom, we think that the war will probably start in six months, but there was a possibility that it will be earlier. We are preparing our military, assuming that there is a good chance that the enemy will move from the spring when the snow thaws.¡± In fact, there was a high possibility that this would happen, but the reason was not stated here. A dragon had visited the royal capital¨D¨Dthe rumor has spread and has probably already reached the three countries. It can be used in any way as an excuse to start a war. ¡°I see, it was right toe early...¡± Vinthril put his hand on his chin and narrowed his wise eyes. ¡°We generally understand the situation in the kingdom. However, we cannot suddenly offer full cooperation. The rift between the kingdom and Kreisharana is deep¨D¨DOn our side there are many who don''t want to be friends with the kingdom.'''' He stirred the sake cup and looked at the empty vessel. Although he spoke to Colchis, his words were meant to be heard by Kreschenta and the others. Kolkis was simply a starting point. Both side knew that. ¡°At least on our side, the majority opinion is that we should avoid a situation where Kreisharana itself would be exposed to hostility. We shouldn¡¯t be the ones to bear the brunt of it.¡± "Of course. There''s no benefit to Kreisharana after all." Kreschenta said while Bery poured the juice from the fruit. From those words, Kreschenta already understood most of it. ¡°However, you cannot afford to do nothing for Onee-sama who is in dire straits.¡Is this supposed to be a military exchange or an inspection?¡± Vinthril opened his eyes and then smiled bitterly. Krische tilted her head and looked at her sister and Vinthril, while Kreschenta smiled. "What you''re looking for is a good cause for participating in the war. That what you''re dealing with is a rude person who invaded the kingdom without paying attention to Kreisharana during exchanges with the kingdom¨D¨DI wonder is that what you are aiming for? ¡± ¡°Exactly. What is necessary is a situation where our side don¡¯t have any choice but to ept it, Your Majesty.¡± Forcing the warriors of Kreisharana to shed blood for the sake of Alberan. Naturally, there were many who were reluctant to do so. In the normal course of events, it would be appropriate to remain quiet¨D¨Deven if it¡¯s for the sake of Krische, it would be foolish to get involved in this war, risking the very survival of Kreisharana itself. However, it was not a matter of profit and loss alone. "There are people who are dissatisfied with lending a hand to the kingdom, but it''s a different story if Kreisharana itself is being scorned. You can say we came here to create a reason for that." "I''m grateful...but is it okay? It''s not my intention to involve Kreisharana, who has been living peacefully for a long time." She had heard that the poption of Kreisharana is about the size of a city. It was true that the situation is such that they would like to borrow even a cat¡¯s hand, but it would be a bit of a problem if Kreisharana were to be destroyed. The same goes for mining magic crystals, but in the future she want to breed their griffins on arge scale in the kingdom. The possibility of losing that know-how is a huge blow. If many of them die in the war, Kreisharana will have no choice but to rely on the Kingdom, and this would remove a lot of friction in terms of subsequent mining, but that was not an urgent matter. The fact that they are willing to participate was not a bad situation. However, her true feelings were that it would be okay if they would just sit back and watch. ¡°Peace and peace are things we should respect, but first of all we are warriors. We believe in martial arts and dedicate our lives to improving ourselves. ...Krische¡¯s valiant figure, who showed off her might alone in front of the Holy Spirit, is still etched in my eyes." Vinthril said and looked at Krische. ¡°Despite being hindered by us, she fought on equal terms with the Holy Spirit and became its Contractor. She is truly worthy of respect and the image of a warrior we should aspire to be¨D¨DIt is contrary to our ideals to watch things like that and just sit back and watch, fearing the loss of peace and well-being. If we overlook this, we will lose our pride as warriors." Krische looked at Vinthril in confusion and then looked at Selene. Selene was exasperated, and she returned her gaze as if to tell her to give up. ¡°I''m betting on this pride, however small I may be. The numbers are small, and I wouldn''t say it''s a match for a thousand but let us show that each of us is a match for ten or even a hundred. If it doesn''t cause any inconvenience, please allow us to fight side by side with the Kingdom. And this is what Alkierence, the chief of the Kreisharana n hopes for, as well as a proof of our continued friendship.'''' Vinthril bowed his head on the spot, and the warriors watched. Kreschenta looked at him inwardly exasperated. There was no political maneuvering or anything. in and simple¨D¨Dthis was what the country would be like if a military man whose mind was made of muscle was entrusted with the helm. ¡°Please raise your head, Vinthril-sama. In fact, it should be me who is requesting it. To say the least, the country is in danger of extinction¡ª¡ªI have no choice of saying no when you are willing to lend Alberan your strength. ...I swear on my name that I will never forget this favor." However, wouldn''t it be nice if the person was someone who was easy for her to control? At the very least, it will serve as a check on Elderant in the west, and the ignorant people who don''t know that Kreisharana¡¯s national power was only about the size of a city will be very happy with that support. Even if it had rotted, the fact that a country would lend its power was more effective than what is in practice. It''s not like she could expect much from them as a military force, but it''s meaningful enough just to discourage them, and it''s also valuable in terms of alleviating the anxiety of the people as a whole. Kreschenta didn''t doubt his sister''s victory, but she thought that if it could make her sister feel at least a little bit morefortable and reduce her burden after the war, it wouldn''t be a bad thing considering the risks. ¡°Thank you.¡However, it¡¯s hard to even say Kreisharana is a small country now. It cannot make any major moves, and basically the only area we can cooperate with is to the west of the kingdom, which is Elderant. ¡± "That''s enough. Just removing Elderant''s consciousness will be a great power." The mountain range that extends from Mount Arbyagelextends far to the west, and touches the northern part of Elderant. If Kreisharana were to participate in the battle, Elderant would also consider the possibility of being threatened in the rear. In such a situation, it is difficult to concentrate only on the main attack. The small amount of help they received was more than enough considering their national power. Vinthril nodded, ¡°As I said earlier, our purpose is to create a pretext.¡± He looked back at Kolkis. "¡ª¡ªHowever, it''s just as Agrand-dono has guessed. What we have here is the very best of Kreisharana. Their purpose is to follow Krische-dono as her bodyguard until the end of the war, and fight as her de. ¡± The warriors of Kreisharana here were all volunteers. Some of them have a sense of reverence for the warrior who was even a match for the Holy Spirit called Krische, others are interested in fighting on the in, and there are many other reasons, but of course they are all the most elite warriors in Krei Sharana. Although they were few in number, Vinthril had confidence in them. ¡°On a battlefield made up of ten thousand soldiers, we are at most thirty horsemen, but everyone here is a skilled griffin cavalry. I have no intention of falling behind even against a thousand soldiers...I am confident that we will be able to be of some help.¡± Vinthril dered, and Colchisughed happily. "These are very brave words. But what''s most reassuring is that they don''t sound like nonsense." "It''s an honor to be praised like that by a warrior like you. If you don''t mind, we can also interact with each other, and I''d like to arrange a meeting at ater date but" ¡°I have no objection. Rather I was just about to request it.¡± Kolkis poured sake into Vinthril empty cup. And then they put together a ss of sake¡ª¡ªKrische, who was watching this, opened her mouth while hugging Berry''s arm. "Hmm...is it really okay? Krische think it''s best to be peaceful after all, and even if you doesn''t force yourself to cooperate...Krische feel like bit bad to involve Kreisharana too. ¡± "Now, it''s not like it''s just for Clich¨¦-sama. It''s a bit of a rough cure, but fighting together isn''t a bad way to bridge the gap with the kingdom. ...At least that''s what I thought after my journey to date. The same goes for the others.¡± Vinthril looked at Argosh who looked nervous and smiled. The rtionship between countries cannot be said to be good. However, if you look at each person individually, this was not the case. If they look at each of these small concerns, the things that are conveyed through each of these hospitality, those bad feelings would eventually disappear. ¡°The beauty of the body won¡¯t be conveyed to the Holy Spirit...If you look at it without the robes of country and without being bound by preconceived notions, you can see that we are the same people who can drink together andugh together. As Her Majesty said, Krische-sama is just the trigger. ...We just decided to take up the spear for the sake of the future of the kingdom and Kreisharana. Krische-sama has nothing to worry about.¡± Krische turned to Lira. Lira smiles and nods, following Vinthril¡¯s words. "It''s just as Onii-san said. ... A heart dwells in this kind of hospitality¡ª¡ªwe are truly happy with that." All of the dishes on disy were easy to eat for them who were not ustomed to using knives and forks, and the Kingdom took the trouble to move the chairs and spread out the carpet so that they could sit directly. The truth lies in the consideration that was taken as a matter of course, and it was of great value. ¡°This is not because we were involved, but because we wanted a future with the kingdom. From the beginning, we were given the discretion to decide it here. ... Just because it turned out like this, no matter what the oue is, Krische-sama shouldn¡¯t be worried by it.'''' "...Is that how it is?" "Yes, that''s just how it is." Krische nodded with a look as if unconvinced, as if she understands it and no understands, and looked at Bery next to her. Bery also silently nodded and smiled happily at her. Chapter 167: Cultural Exchange Chapter 167: Cultural Exchange ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 167 Cultural Exchange*** On top of a thinyer of snow. Two men fought in the center while hundreds of soldiers watched. Over 6 shaku tall and muscr. Dressed in military uniform, the spear wielded by therge man was surprisingly delicate considering its appearance. With the slightest movement, he parried and avoided the opponents'' spears, and naturally unleashed blows that would have been a certain kill for a normal person. At times, he dared to create an opening, inviting the attacker to deliver a counter. The 8-shaku spear, made of heavy Argana wood. The sound of the wind was like the swing of aa club, and the thrust was like that of an arrow, punching holes in the air¨D¨Dif swung wildly, even the handle of a spear could be a deadly weapon. On top of that, there was a solid set of theories supportinh it, and all of these things were within a well-calcted set of principles. However, the tall and beautiful man was just as skilled as he was. He also freely maniptes an 8-shaku spear, and his movements were fluid and dreamlike. Like water running through rocks, or wind rushing through the gaps in trees. The spear he maniptes is lean, evasive, and slips through the opponent''s guard. He continued to dodge the spear that would normally have been deadly, and even had enough time to counterattack. On a day when not even the wind was blowing, the scene was like a storm. Powdery snowkes flew up and down, tracing a silver on the trajectory of both spears. Kolkis Agrand, the best warrior in the kingdom. Vinthril Sharana, the best warrior in Kreisharana. More than half a Koku passed, with both sidesvishing their superhuman skills. The one who lost the will to fight from the tip of the spear was therge man¨D¨DKolkis. "My, my, it seems that I was unconsciously underestimating it as spear, that doesn''t know anything about the battlefield. At this rate, it doesn''t look like we''ll be able to settle the spar. At this rate we both will continue to wield the spear until we''re both exhausted.¡± "That seems to be the case. Although it''s only a spar, a match is a match. I was determined to win, but... it seems like I need to train even more than I do now in order to break down your defenses." Vinthril also released his stance, shouldered his spear, and said that amazed. Putting aside the like of Krische¡¯s standard, if it''s an opponent other than that, he should be able to win easily. But such thought must have been a conceit. Kolkis Agrand''s spear had an air of a skilled veteran, reminiscent of the spear of his father, Chief Alkierence, and at the same time, it also possesses a surging ferocity. Vinthril was giving his all in the fight, but he was not confident that he could corner Kolkis ¡°Underestimating, that''s our word, Kolkis-domo. ...I had assumed that people of the ins ustomed to would be affluence¨D¨Dthat Krische-sama was special, but I had no idea that there was a warrior like you in the kingdom." Vinthril called Kolkis by name. In Kreisharana, it was courtesy to call a warrior worthy of respect by their name rather than by their family name. "If you were born in Kreisharana, it would not be surprising if you were in the position of Chief Warrior. The world sure is vast." ¡°I must admit it¡¯s quite embarrassing embarrassed to be praised so directly.¡± Kolkis scratches his head and smiled bitterly. "Kuku, but there''s something disgusting aboutplimenting each other like this. Let''s stop here." "Indeed. More than words have already been conveyed." Vinthril approaches him with a manly smile on his handsome face. Kolkis also strides up to him and holds out his right hand. "Kolkis-dono, your abilities are sufficient. I could not ask for a better friend to stand side by side and fight under Krische-sama." "I think the same thing. I''m more than happy to have met a warrior like you, Vinthril-dono. From now on, I would like to work with you for a long time while honing our spear skills together." The two men sped hands, and cheers echoed around them. Although Kreisharana¡¯s warriors were not well received by the royal court nobility, this was not the case in the military, where military prowess and honor are held in high esteem. Since ancient times, strength as a warrior has been an object of respect that transcends rank and status. If one be warriors worthy of one against thousand, few would make fun of them and say that they are barbarians. A warrior whopeted on an equal footing with Kolkis, who could be said to be the best warrior in the kingdom, excluding Krische. Vinthril was, at the very least, someone that many soldiers should respect. Kolkis put a hand on his shoulder and roared for all to see. ¡°As you can see, the strength of Kreisharana¡¯s greatest warrior, Vinthril Shna, is equal to Kolkis Argand¡¯s! Remember that by making fun of this man and his subordinates, you are also making fun of me, who fought him with spears like this! ¡± And then, he looked at Krische, who as usual was sipping tea in a special seat while watching the match¨D¨Dnot but at Selene who was sitting between Lira and Krische. Seeing Selene nodded, Kolkis invites Vinthril to his seat over there and told the soldiers. ¡°From here on, it''s exchange session, so anyone who is confident in their skills cane forward as they please. From what I see, even if you exclude Vinthril-dono, all of the warriors of Kreisharana¡¯s skill are excellent. If you underestimate them, you''ll be embarrassed, so be aware of that." At the sound of his voice, a skilled warrior from the kingdom steps forward. He was a member of Kolkis¡¯s second corps. And one of the Kreisharana warriors too stepped forward. While looking at such a scene, they sat on the prepared chair, picked up the wine that had been poured, and exchanged sses with Vinthril. ¡°Thanks to you, I saw a good fight, Vinthril -dono.¡± "Thank you, Your Excellency Marshal Christand." "With one exceptions, Kolkis is one of the best warriors in this vast kingdom. Even though it''s called a warrior nation, I can''t believe that there''s someone in that mountain who could stand up to him on an equal footing." Selene said amazed and spread out her hands. In terms of poption, it would be less than one thousandth. Even though Kreisharana was a nation of warriors, it was surprising that its chief warrior was as powerful as Kolkis, who was near the top of the kingdom. It''s not like Kolkis cut corners to make him look good. As a matter of fact, Vinthril stood in a domain extremely close to Kolkis. Vinthrilughed and shook his head from side to side. "In the end, it¡¯s just a match. If it was a serious duel, it would have been a different story." He looked behind Kolkis¨D¨Dhis adjutant standing there, holding a full-body steel war spear. Kolkis was dressed in a light military uniform, and the spear was simr to those used by soldiers. Since it''s a match, he''s not in perfect condition either. ¡°No matter how you look at it, if he wear armor all over his body and get to wield that spear, I''ll lose. We won the previous move, and now we can finally see victory¨D¨Dif it were a head-on battle, we wouldn''t be evenly matched, but it would be my lose. I still have to work hard.¡± "If it''s a serious battle, you''d probably wear light armor that allows me to straddle a griffin. In the first ce, from the beginning our side is at an advantage since it¡¯s a fight with foot on the ground. In the end, we won¡¯t know who will win or lose.¡± Kolkis would probably win in a battle where he was fully armored. Using his armor as a shield to forcibly step in and use that to forcibly decide the match. A horse is just a substitute for transportation. In the kingdom, those possessing magical power mainly engagebat on foot, and were equipped with heavy weapons and martial arts geared to that purpose. For example, if it was Nozan or Gildanstein instead of Kolkis, the oue would be the same, but Kreisharana¡¯s warriors mainly focus on fighting while riding griffins. Hence the light clothing.. The means and purpose of fighting are different, so there is no way topare them in a simple battle. "Will you be able to use Griffin as a shield and take advantage of that opportunity to stab me? If we''re going to fight each other seriously, that will be the deciding factor in the match." "Then that would be two on one, Kolkis-dono. If we don''t know the oue of the match even with that then I''ll probably lose." Vinthril said happily. Was it because they were two people who could be called genuine warriors? The two of them got to know each other at a dinner party the other day, and their rtionship has be like that of friends. Lira looked on happily and took a delicious bite of the cookies ced on her table. She have had a lot of delicious food since she came here. Although she was afraid that she would not be able to endure it when she returned to my hometown, the temptations were too strong. "Is it delicious? Lira" "Yes, very much. I should refrain from being extravagant, but somehow... I''m embarrassed to say that I can''t stop." "Ehehe, I see. If you''d like, Krische''ll teach Lira how to make them next time. Cookies are pretty easy, and Krische¡¯s sure you can make them over there too." ¡°Is that true?¡± "Yes. It''s true." Lira happily nodded and thanked her, as she bowed her head. Krische also smiled with satisfaction and looks at Vinthril. ¡°Vinthril, are you okay?¡± "Yes, of course. Lira, don''t get too excited." "I-I know..." In the center, a man came out from Kreisharana, and the two men began to fight. The sound of cheers echoed, and it''s hard to decide which side to support. Cheers echoed and filled the ce. Krische, who was thinking about making cookies, turned her attention back there. Just as Krische enjoyed cooking, they enjoyed the art of killing each other and the exchanges. It seemed unhealthy, and it didn''t seem right¨D¨Dand that was somehow strange. Did they enjoy hurting others? Was it fun to show that they were superior? If it were thetter, it would be understandable, but now it seems that it was not healthy either. ¡°Anyway, why does everyone like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± ¡°Fighting¡± Krische answered Vinthril who asks curiously. While looking at the menpeting with each other with her somewhat inorganic eyes. ¡°Krische can understand why risking your life to pick up a sword in order to protect society is praised. Krische can understand it in the sense that there is apetition for professional ability and superiority. But perhaps there is more to it than just that... Krische thinks everyone thinks it¡¯s fun." ¡®There are a lot around Krische too, but¡¯ she continued, remembering Kalua. fundamentally, hurting people is bad. However, improving one''s skills is rather praised. To protect themselves from external enemies¨D¨DShe could understand the logic that Gallen said. However, that might not be all for them. "Just like Krische enjoyed cooking. Krische think everyone somehow thinks that killing each other is fun." Granmeld was like that too, and she had seen many people like that. ¡®Do they enjoy hurting people, or was there another reason?¡¯ There''s a joy in them that Krische don''t quite understand. ¡°Especially, don¡¯t all the people of Kreisharana spend their whole lives training to fight? Krische a little skeptical about what¡¯s fun about living like that¡¡± "...Krische-sama sure ask something difficult." Vinthril smiled bitterly, and Kolkis and Selene next to him looked at Cliche with exasperated faces. What do you people enjoy about life¨D¨Da question that was, in some cases, much too rude. ¡°But well, the truth is, it is probably fun.¡± However, there was no sign of any difort. After thinking about it for a while, Vinthril easily answered. ¡°Otherwise, wouldn''t the world already be a peaceful ce without conflict? Humans are creatures thatpare themselves to others and hope to gain advantage over other. ...Those who are envious, jealous, and feel pleasure in looking down upon other. I too can''t stay away from those feelings." "Is that so?" "Yeah. I''m just trying not to feel it or pay attention to it. I think it''s instinctual to want to be a superior being. Otherwise, I probably wouldn''t have be a Chief Warrior like this. " He indicated by tapping the curved sword he carried on his waist. "To demonstrate excellence... In that sense, strength is very clear. It''s simple and easy for anyone to understand. I think that''s why so many people enjoy it." ¡°...That logic is understandable even to Krische. But to Krische, it doesn''t really, like...in the end it''s a technique for killing people after all, and Krische doesn''t think it''s a very good to enjoy it and, so, Krische is a little confused.'''' Don''t hurt people thoughtlessly. This was a rule that everyone was taught when they were children. For military personnel, being strong is an essential part of their raison d''etre. As a soldier, she could understand it if it was for training, but she didn¡¯t understand how they could enjoy these battles as an event in of itself. "Enjoying it as a spectacle like this is not very peaceful in itself, it feels like it''s violent...somehow it''s hard to express it." Krische crossed her arms and tilted her head in thought. Vinthril smiles bitterly. ¡°Strength is a clear indicator. Because of that rity, being strong can lead to conceit, create arrogance, and as a result, disturb the peace¨D¨Dand as Krische-sama said, it can be dangerous. That''s why many of the rules of Kreisharana forbid this." Then he looked at the two fighting in the center. ¡°It is the nature of beasts to want more than others. We may have wisdom, but we are imperfect creatures just like beasts. That''s why I heard that it can only bepleted when ethics,w, and reason are in ce to govern it.'''' "¡¡Complete" ¡°Competing and wanting more is the irresistible nature of people. I know that abstinence alone has its limits, so we sometimesfort ourselves by letting it out like this. The skill of killing each other is truly idyllic when ites toparing skills with rules set like this. ...If it bes a pastime, a harmony, and a source of fulfillment like the food and other things that Krische-sama says, then there''s nothing wrong with it." He tipped his sake cup and let the high grade sake roll on his tongue. The sake too was delicious andforting. There was definitely a desire for more. Without a disciplined heart, one will endlessly seek more and more. If one seek beyond one capacity for anything, it will eventually lead to copse. ¡°Nature is nature, it is natural that it exists, and there is no point in thinking about it. The important thing is to control it, to know that it is sufficient, and to have the peace of mind to enjoy what it is. What humans aspire to is the Holy Spirit Yagernaus.¡± ¡°Regve-san?¡± Vinthril nodded and poured sake into the sake cup. ¡°If desire is a drink to be poured into, then reason is the vessel. If you seek beyond your limits, it will inevitably overflow and be uncontroble. However, if you keep it within the vessel like this, there will be no problem. I can''t drink the spilled sake, but as long as it''s in the cup, it''s mine.'''' Shaking the sake that was halfway poured, he sipped it again. He smiled as he tasted the sake. "You could say that the reason we train every day is to expand this vessel. ...For over a thousand years, Lord Yagernaus has been living quietly on that mountain. He just watches things change, doesn''t interfere, doesn''t ask for much¨D¨Din a sense, what Yagernaus-sama holds is a vessel like ake.'''' This was an analogy that she was particrly bad at. Krische listened to it with a frown on her face and a difficult look on her face, and Vinthril continued with a wry smile at her. ¡°Even though Krische-sama has the power to have everything, Krische-sama have learned that the trivial days are more than enough. Kreisharana¡¯s predecessors believed that the secret lies in Yagernaus-sama''s strength. ...If I train my mind and body, I will someday be able to possess such a skill, so I train every day." ¡®It''s still a long and difficult road though¡¯ Vinthril puts down his finished sake cup. Krische muttered, ¡®how difficult¡¯ still thinking. "...It''s very difficult..." "Haah... You''re supposed to be smart, so why are you so stupid?" Selene pulled Krisha¡¯s cheek from next to her and sighs. ¡°Just because you like being spoiled by Bery, if you spend all day being spoiled, you''re just a stupid spoiled baby. The Krische who is spoiled after doing what needs to be done is a Krische who is a good girl who can restrain herself. Then I won''t have to nag you, and the estate will be peaceful every day, and the world will be safe. Do you understand the logic? ¡± "I see¡¡" "I see, not. Maybe you should learn a little more from the people of Kreisharana. It''s been especially noticeabletely." "Uuh..." While pinching her soft cheek, Selene raised her eyebrows. The kingdom marshal calmly scolded a girl who was not afraid of even Dragon. Vinthril and the others looked at the two, half stunned. "If you can hold back properly, you''ll feel much happier when you''re spoiled than if you''re spoiled all day long, and I won''t get mad at you either. Look, which one is better?" "I-it''s better if Selene is not angry..." "That''s right, I don''t want to get angry either." She waves her elegant golden hair and smiled. She gently pat Krische on the head and look at Vinthril. "That''s a wonderful idea. I would like to emte Kreisharana¡¯s way of thinking." It was an excessive amount of y to be carried out in front of guests, but she didn''t really care. Although she was hidden in Bery''s shadow, she too waspletely numb to her sense of distance from Krische. "H...hearing the Marshal said that, it makes me feel a little relieved." Vinthril answered while feeling a little confused by the kingdom marshal''s appearance. ¡°From the perspective of people from the ins, our culture may seem strange.¡± "¡¡Is that so?" "Training is harsh. There is no entertainment. However, it is precisely in this harsh life that you can be satisfied with small pleasures, and as long as you think that is enough, such a life is certainly not bad." He spoke while looking at the royal capital behind, thinking deeply. ¡°...However, there are still many people who don''t fit into that lifestyle, yearn for the outside world, and go out to the ins. When we see the kingdom like this, we are left wondering if our teachings are absolute." Days dedicated to training. There were times in the past that seemed difficult, and he could understand the feelings of those who left their viges. Everyone who visited Kreisharana for the first time looked at the world of Kreisharana with strange eyes. From an outsider''s perspective, this was probably the world. ¡°Nowadays, we don''t pursue those who leave...However, there was a time in the past when people who tried to leave were severely punished. We don''t know whether it''s a good thing to impose something they don''t want, or what is the right thing to do.¡± "Well, it''s just a way of life for practitioners. It''s admirable, but the fact is that not everyone is that strong..." Selene continued, unconsciously ying with Krische¡¯s cheek again. "If diplomatic rtions are opened and more peoplee and go...Is there something a little scary about it?" ¡°There may be things that are scary. However, if we think about what we should aim for, it is something we should ept....And I also believe that it''s unlikely that we won''t be able to ept change and lose everything. Even if it¡¯s not in the form it is now.¡± Vinthril smiled bitterly and showed the curved sword at his waist. ¡°At the very least I''m satisfied with my current life and ept it. No matter what happens to the next generation, if this is the right thing to do, it will take root and remain, even if it''s tapering off. I think that''s fine. And that is the way to imitate the Holy Spirit." Then he looked at Krische. "I''ve gone off topic a bit. ...In response to Krische-sama question, it may not be clear, but guess this is what I personally think." "...Thank you. Krische is sorry that Krische also a little vague about what Krische wanted to ask..." She thought and tilted her neck again. ¡°Krische is just, that the world is full of people who enjoy killing each other, so Krische thought for a moment that there would never be peace¡so Krische asked the question before.¡± Vinthril words were very simr to what Bery and Gallen said. Regardless of whether it was right or not, it feels like it''s the right way to do it, so they worked hard for it. Although the ideas and methodologies were different, the goals were still simr. When she thought about it, it was true that an event like this cannot be called barbaric. ¡°However, Krische feel like that is a somewhat extreme conclusion, and it is somehow difficult¡± Krische smiled when she said that as if trouble "...But it''s true that if everyone was a pervert like Regve-san, ehehe. The world might be more peaceful. Krische feel like that''s one solution." "...That way of saying it is somehow...but at least it can be called an ideal world." Vinthrilughed and Krische nodded. "Well, it doesn''t seem like we''ll get an answer right away. Let''s think about itter." Hoping that someday there will be no more wars. That every day is peaceful¨D¨Dbut she¡¯s sure it''s not that easy. The reality is that one can''t even be satisfied with oneself. Changing the world must be much more difficult. At the very least, it would be pointless to think about it until they have had enough time. ¡°First of all, we have to do something about the enemy outside. Vinthril, Krische would like you to visit Krische¡¯s private army¨D¨Dck g Special Forceter." ¡°Yes, as Krische-sama wish.¡± ¡°Griffin is convenient because it can fly, so Krische thought we could use it together with the ck g Special Force. Selene, wouldn¡¯t that be nice?¡± "Do as you like. There are 30 cavalry, and all I can think of is having them fly as bodyguards or messengers." Selene stretches slightly and pulled her cheek with her fingers. Although they were skillful, thirty people were still insignificantpared to the entire battlefield. There are limits to what they could do. However, if it¡¯s Krisch who had it, she could use it as much as she like. She was the strongest warrior in the kingdom, and she had no shortage of limbs. "Yes. Krische, just thought of something better." "something better?" Selene tilted her head, and Clich¨¦ nodded. "Thirty cavalry should be enough. If things go well, even if the opponent has double the strength, we might be able to win with almost no damage." She showed a beautiful smile. Chapter 168: Kingdom of Ostentation Chapter 168: Kingdom of Ostentation ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 168 Kingdom of Ostentation*** It was the reception room of the royal castle. Anne stood attentively diagonally behind Kreschenta with , and the moment she finished drinking the tea, a new one was poured. Lira had obsession about drinking drinks was offered to her before it got cold, so she epted it while thanking her and took her fourth drink. Between the wrap around her chest and waist, her supple abdomen was exposed. The inside of it was full of tea. Argosh, who was next to her, looked confused as to what to say, and looked at Lira and Anne. Anne, who seemed to want to show herself as a splendid servant in front of her father, seemed to be in high spirits and Argosh was wondering how he should chide her and whether would it be fine to do that in front of the Queen. Kreschenta also looked indescribable and opened her mouth to Arne. "...Anne-sama, could you please make me some cookies?" ¡°Cookie is it?¡± Bery''s cookies were already prepared on the desk. She tilted her head and wondered what the reason was for this cookie. "I''m in the mood for something a little refreshing. Something with dried fruit would be good." "Yes. If that''s the case, I''ll do it right away." Anne leaves the room looking strangely nervous, and Kreschenta massaged her temple. As she requested for it to be with fried fruit, it would have taken some time. She won''t being back for a while. Seeing Anne leaving with a full of motivation, Argosh stood up in a panic and bowed his head. "M-my apologies. She wasn¡¯t considerate enough..." ¡°No, fufu, please don''t worry about it. Since her father was here, it''s no wonder she¡¯s more excited than usual. I quite like Anne-sama, including her hard work.¡± "I''m d to hear Your Highness say so...¡± Argosh was worried, but Kreschenta spun words to reassure him. She has bad timing, is inconsiderate, or cares too much¨D¨DArne is an extremely clumsy woman with a rainbow of ws. Feeling displeased was nowmonce, she was already used to it. However, she was useful in that she could be entrusted with things around to a certain extent, and Elvena, a safe servant who should have reced her, was also used for Krische errands. The evil and evil servant who has no respect for the Queen is mainly responsible for Christand¡¯s work, so she cannot usually use her, so she had no choice but to settle for it by the process of elimination. Herck of intelligence wasn''t a bad thing if she consider that she could feel at ease, and although it wasn''t correct to say that she liked it, it was fine from appearance standpoint. "Please don''t be so careful, Lira-sama. Excessive hospitality is a wee etiquette in the kingdom. It''s different from the culture of Kreisharana, so you might be a little confused though." "Y-yes...thank you." ¡°Hehe, I think your stomach is bloated after drinking so much.¡± Kreschenta giggled like a little girl and Lira blushed on her cheeks. When Lira heard that she was the queen of the kingdom, she had to make sure not to disrespect her¨D¨Dthat''s what Lira thought, but she was much more friendly than she had imagined. She must also be concerned about Lira, who was nervous. Despite being young enough to be considered a child, she was being considerate of her and has the grace and dignity of a queen. Lira bowed her head, feeling that she had much to learn from her. ¡°Well, let''s continue the talk. Once Marquis Gitterns'' inspection ispleted sessfully, we will start with simple trade. I think there are ces we can cooperate with regarding crops. Regardless of whether it''s a luxury item, it''s better to have a lot of fruit. In terms of climate, I think something thates from the south would suit the area perfectly.'''' Even when she spoke, she could clearly felt her intelligence. Her sparkling red golden hair¨D¨Dhow much information is being processed in that tiny head? ¡°Thank you very much¡but what we can bring out from here isn¡¯t that great.¡± "You can exchange it for the magic crystal you have over there. It probably won''t be worth much in trade with Arna, where there are good mines, but high-quality magic crystals can fetch a reasonable price in the kingdom." Kreschenta said troubledly. "Of course, there are mines in the kingdom, but... if it''s good quality, you can''t get much of it these days." Then she pointed to the Evesting Magic Lamp in the room. ¡°If it''s just this, it''s enough¨D¨Dthe quality of these things is not so important to people like me, but there are many people who are very particr about the quality of these things. We send seeds and you good quality magic crystals. I think a good ce to start would be something really simple, like trading between merchants.'''' "Yes. However, since I cannot decide on trade matters on my own, would you mind if I ask deliver respond at ater time? Of course, I am willing to work on it positively, but..." "Of course. I understand Kreisharana¡¯s situation." Kreschenta smiled beautifully and nodded. "Especially, there is a deeper-rooted problem there than in the Kingdom. Regarding this trade, it is okay to start from here. Depending on the situation, we may consider dispatching someone knowledgeable about agriculture beforehand. Please convey that." ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± "No, if you think about the future, it''s a trivial investment. If it will brighten the rtionship between our two countries, then I''d appreciate it." Her intelligent purple eyes softly narrowed, indicating the table, indicating the room. Then she looked straight at Lira. ¡°I think it is most important for people from both countries to have this kind of conversation. Trade is simply an exchange. It¡¯s just a rationale for us to feel closer to each other, and what''s really valuable is that, not the product.'''' ¡®Please forgive me,¡¯ Kreschenta said with a mischievous smile. ¡°I know that the people of Kreisharana don¡¯t like this kind of pretense and ostentation that hides true feelings.¡± "No, hehe...I wouldn''t call that kind of consideration a decoration. I''m sure Her Majesty''s feelings will reach others as well." Lira also responded with a big smile. ¡°I am truly happy to have been born in Your Majesty''s reign and to have be the shrine maiden of Kreisharana. I''m sure this is my role¨D¨DI hope I can do my best and be a bridge to that. I am most happy that the ties between our two countries are once again on the verge of being established." Standing up she bowed her head, and Kreschenta smiled bitterly. It was augh with great elegance. "Please lift your head. Fufu, Kreisharana¡¯s people is being so frank, it make me embressed..." When Lira looked up, Kreschenta was beside her, tilting her head slightly shyly. "You shouldn''t get too worried. As the ruler of the kingdom, I will cooperate as much as possible...let''s join hands and do our best, okay?" The young queen spoke in a voice as sweet as the ringing of a bell. She held out her small right hand to Lira. Lira took her hand in hers and smiled. She thought from the bottom of her heart that she was d that this young girl was the queen of the kingdom. That evening. After finishing talking with Kreschenta in the morning, she went to Christand¡¯s estate where she had been invited. She learns how to make cookies from Krische and Bery, and after a light tea party, Krische invites her to take a bath, and they end up taking a bath at the mansion. "Berry''s skin is really soft and feels good to the touch. Krische wants to wash it all the time." "I... I see. Thank you, Krische-sama." Arge bathtub and a spacious bathroom made of transmuted rock. Krische straddled Bery''s body, and as she carefully washed each other''s bodies with a thin towel, she turned to Lira. ¡°Ehehe, should Krische wash Lira too?¡± "U-umm¡¡" It was as if innocence was pasted all over Krische¡¯s body. Although she did not feel that the ¡®washing each other¡¯ that she and her servant had was truly like that a her child, there was nothing inappropriate about it, however. The beautiful girl''s body had womanly curves, and the naked body of the red-haired servant¨D¨Dthe woman named Bery, was also voluptuous, embodying feminine beauty with abundance of sex appeal. Although she had a childlike face like a young girl, her every gesture was that of a woman, and the way she seems somewhat embarrassed by Lira''s gaze was indescribable. The two women werethering up their bodies and washing each other in close contact. What she imagined was an impurity that cannot be imagined from the word ¡®washing each other¡¯. Was there something wrong with L, who was surprised by this and feels impure? No, maybe this kind of excessive skin-ship was normal in the kingdom. In any case, she was a country person to say the least. She never believed that she could urately measure things with her own scale, and she knew that people of noble rank bathed with their attendants. Based on her knowledge, this seemed reasonable. From what I''ve seen so far, her servant, Berry, is a very politedy, and her every gesture is beautiful, exactly like that of ¡°princess''s servant¡± she imagined. There is no way that she would show any semnce of intimacy with her master in front of her guests. ¡®¨D¨DAfter all wasn''t it a normal thing in the kingdom?¡¯ While trying to wash her own body, Lira froze at the sight in front of her and get lost in a maze of thoughts. Ever since she arrived here, she had been most grateful for their care. They must have studied more than a little about life in Kreisharana. On top of that, they wees them as well. Considering that, it''s her turn next¨D¨Dshe didn''t think this was the time to be fixated on shame. She was invited to another country and received much hospitality. Naturally, she shoulde to terms with it, and if this was the kingdom''s standard, then she should follow it and ept it. What''s morethe person who made the proposal to her was the same person to whom she should pay the same respect from now on as she did with the Holy Spirit¨D¨DKrische. She also knew her personality. She didn¡¯t think there''s any malice in it, and it seems like it''s a suggestion made with good intentions. No matter how she looked at it, there was no reason to refuse. Except for the emotion part. "...Perhaps it''s not good for people from Kreisharana to wash each other..." "No, no. There is no such rule... Um, Kreisharana didn''t have this kind of culture, so I was just a little confused... I-is it okay?" The bathroom was warm, but Lira''s face was blushing for another reason and she made up her mind. "Yes, ehehe, Berry is really good at washing, so it might be a habit you know." Krische stood up from Bery, took her hand, and moved to Lira''s side. Berry''s gaze flickered from side to side troubled, but she gave her a vague smile "T-then... umm, excuse me, may I? Lira-sama." "Y-yes..." "Then Krische, going to wash Lira''s hair." "¡¡thank you" Since her mother was alive¨D¨Dsince she was a child she never had people wash her body. How many years has it been since then? She suddenly thought to herself and lowered her eyes. She crouches down and Beryes into her field of vision. Lira''s breasts are ratherrge, but hers are bigger than that. Her breasts were well-shaped and full. The line from her surprisingly narrow waist to her well-fleshed thighs was indescribably curvy. From the viewpoint of Kreisharana¡¯s feminine beauty, a little more flesh would have been nice, but the imbnce between the slenderness and the richness in perfect harmony was still a kind of perfection. Although shecks the mour to be called a sharp beauty, her somewhat childish face withrge eyes was, however, very well formed. Even if it wasn¡¯t Krische, perhaps they would still be willing to challenge the Holy Spirit for this woman''s sake. Even though Lira was a woman, there was something about her that seemed to arouse her desire to protect her. When Lira was looking impolitely at her, their gaze met, and Lira panicked and looked away from her. Bery just smiled wryly a little shyly and took her hand, saying, ¡®Don''t worry about it¡¯. She wondered if the smooth feeling that slides over her skin was silk. The fiber was very fine, and the overly gentle touch was a little ticklish. Thefort seems strange to Lira, who used to scrub her skin with cotton towels. It was as if she were carefully polishing a piece of jewelry from the tips of her fingers to the spaces between them. Krische''s words that she was very good at washing seemed to be true. It was a far cry from the way she was washed by her mother when she was a child. Probably that''s what it is to be a royal servants, she thought. The politeness was so great that Lira were almost intimidated of it. She couldn''t mentally bear the thought of receiving service like this every day. A situation where her body was washed without a word. Immediately unable to bear it anymore, L opened her mouth to distract herself. "Umm... thank you for teaching me how to make cookies. I''m not good at cooking, but with that, I think I''ll be able to do my best even when I go back to the vige." In addition to the special cookies made with two types of wheat, she learned about cookies based on forest nuts, which are easily avable at Kreisharana. The main points were exined in an easy-to-understand manner, and the exnations, including examples of failures, were broken down in a manner that was easy for Lira to understand. The process itself was simple and didn¡¯t seem to require much skill. They probably knew that cooking was not her forte, so she taught her a simple recipe. "Fufu, I''m d to hear that. But I also learned about nut cookies from Krische-sama, so if you''d like to thank someone than thank Krische-sama..." "It''s mostly Bery who did it. Bery couldn''t make such delicious nut cookies until Bery taught Krische." Krische said, as if to cover her, and begins tother Lira''s hair from behind. "Ehehe, Bery is Krische¡¯s teacher. Berr is very good at teaching, and she can also do a lot of other things." Even though L can''t see her face, she somehow knew that Krische had a boastful face. Berryughs a little shyly and said. "Geez, Krische-sama you shouldn¡¯t do that. No matter what I do, I getpliments right away. If I keep gettingpliments like that, I might end up getting carried away." "But it''s a fact. And isn''t that a good thing? ...Bery is actually, in a sense, Krische¡¯s master¨D¨DMugh." It was a somewhat pleasant conversation, but suddenly she heard some disturbing words. "...!?" At that moment, what covered Lira''s field of vision and swayed were a bountiful twin spheres¨D¨Dher breasts. "I am Krische-sama''s servant. I understand what Krische-sama is trying to say, but, well, it''s confusing and can cause misunderstandings, so you can''t say things like that...do you understand?" "Um... yes...?" Big. Truly, it¡¯s big. Lira''s vision was obscured by the breasts, and what urred to her was sudden confusion. Berry''s excuse-like words spoken above her head flow from her right ear to her left due to the impact in front of her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that again after the guest leave¡ah.¡± Did she finally realized her position? Berry panicked and crouched down, clutching her breasts as her face turned bright red. Her well-shaped breasts seem to be squished. In fact, it looked more sexy when she hid it that way, and Lira blushed as she looked at her. "M-my apologies... for being so rude." "N-no¡¡" The way she looks shy was like that of a young girl, which waspletely different from the calm appearance of a servant. Krische also looks bright and child-like, much different from the quiet demeanor she had when she saw her before. She suddenly burst intoughter and shook her shoulders. "Both of you really get along well. Fufu, I''m really d that you''ve recovered. ...I''ve heard a little about Bery-sama from Krische-sama." Lira said and looked at Bery. ¡°I can understand why Krische-sama cares so much about Bery-sama.¡± "I-I''m sorry to show you something embarrassing, but..." "No, no. In fact, I felt relieved when I saw it. ...That the people of the kingdom are just normal people, just like us." When she decided to go to the kingdom as a messenger, she was a little nervous. This was because the humans of the kingdom were talked about as if they were malicious and evil people in Kreisharana. When she heard the story of the ins told by a messenger from the Imperial State, she thought that such a thing would never happen, but she had no idea what the reality was. Kreisharana had lived a long and peaceful life despite the harsh environment. As someone who grew up there, she had the impression that the kingdom was a bit barbaric due to its repeated wars. "My impression of the kingdom told in Kreisharana was not very good. After all, it''s better to touch than to hear. You can''t understand things unless you feel and see them yourself." "That''s a good word. But I''m also the same...I was thinking that the people at Kreisharana were all a little more difficult, so maybe we''re both the same. ...When you''re far away, you lose sight of even the obvious things." Bery said with a troubled look on her face, taking L''s left hand and slipping thethered towel on it. ¡°I couldn''t see even the trivial, obvious things, and my anxiety only increased. The human heart is vague and weak. There is a huge gap in years between Kreisharana and the kingdom, and I''m sure there are a lot of misunderstandings and assumptions because of that but..." Then she smiled a gentle, beautiful smile. ¡°What we aim for and what we seek isn¡¯t that different. Although I am just a servant, I am looking forward to the day when both countries face the same direction with smiles on their faces.'''' "Yes, ...thank you" "That''s what Kreschenta-sama intends to do, and Kreisharana has someone like Lira-sama¨D¨Dfufu, that day may be closer than we thought." ¡°¡even if it¡¯s just with my meager strength.¡± Lira also smiled and thought of the Queen''s face. ¡°However, Her Majesty the Queen seems to be an intelligent person who understands reasons. I am sure that with Her Majesty''s help, it will be a reality. I''ve also just been helped. I still have to learn from her.¡± ¡°¡Are you going to learn from Kreschenta?¡± "Yes. When I look at Her Majesty the Queen, I feel embarrassed and wonder what I''ve done up until now. Even though I''m here as the representative of Kreisharana." "Hmm¡¡" Knowledge and intelligence that cannot be imagined from her age. The way sheposes herself, the way she carries herself, everything about her was probably of a higher ss. Queen Kreschenta, like Krische, was also iparable to ordinary people. But she was, ording to Krische, still her little sister. Considering her high level of ability, it¡¯s inevitable that it would be difficult to evaluate her. ¡°From my point of view, that''s the kind of person she is. It is truly fortunate that I was able to have the opportunity to form friendships like this during the reign of Her Majesty Queen Kreschenta. I''m sure that someday, that person will be a great ruler who will leave her name in history, even though I am not a talented person, I too¨D¨D? ¡± That was when Lira was about to say something. The sound of rough footsteps echoed beyond the dressing room, and Elvena''s voice called out to, saying, ¡®Your Majesty please wait.¡¯ However, the owner of the footsteps echoing in the changing room made a rustling sound, as if she was taking off her clothes. "How cunning, Argan-sama! Leaving me behind and taking a bath with Onee-sama first!" The sound of the bathroom door being opened followed. "I''ve been thinking this for a while now! You''re seriously abusing your authority! You''re abusing your position as a servant, stealing Onee-sama away from me¨D¨D" Standing boldly in the steam. When the mist cleared, a beautiful naked girl was reflected. Her golden hair sparkles with red, and her body was smooth. The person who appeared was the Queen of Alberan Kingdom whom Lira respected¨D¨DKreschenta Fana Vera Alberan. "...Kreschenta, you''re behaving badly. The guest, Lira, is here." ¡°¡¡¡¡¡± Lira looked on in shock, Bery held her face in her palm, and Krische red at her with furrowed brows. The Queen remained stiff for a moment, then mmed the door shut. A moment of silence filled the ce, and after a while. The door opened quietly again. "Oh, Lira-sama, wee. Please take your time and rx." She hid her body with a towel and appeared with a nonchnt look on her face, just like a queen who just happened to appear in the bathroom. She reyed the performance as if the previous incident had never happened, and her appearance was exactly that of a dignified royalty¨D¨Da perfect presence with no faults whatsoever. "Y-yes...u-umm, thank you..." ¡°......Kreschenta, Krische''ve told you before but, you can''t just barge through a door like that..." ¡°N-now now, Krische-sama¡¡± She looked at her breasts, which were swaying in front of her again. That day, Lira felt as though she had learned the true nature of a country covered in ostentation. Chapter 169: Giterns Father and Daughter Chapter 169: Giterns Father and Daughter ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 169 Giterns Father and Daughter*** ¨D¨DIt is rare to see such a healthy baby. It seemed that those who watched her being born repeated those words in their mouths. The room was filled with the sound of loud crying. Naturally, there was no memory of it. It was a baby. Apparently, the name was chosen quicklypared to the two older brothers. Anne, named after Arnelius, the goddess of spring. Among the gods, she is a particrly gorgeous, lively, and bright goddess, and it is said that she was the perfect match for the lively Anne, who was born during the thawing of the snow. After she learned how to crawl, she crawled around the mansion by herself, and when she was able to stand up, she ran out of the mansion and was taken home by a neighbor. Arne was said to have been a very energetic and curious child. Her parents thought it would be best to give their tomboyish daughter who had too much energy something to do as soon as possible. Her parents thought that way, and so they arranged for her to have various tutors in such subjects as etiquette, violin, and academics, but it was a very cramped life. Arne, who wanted to y around, had nothing but frustration, and it was impossible to motivate her to learn. Although she now understands her parents'' reasoning, Anne thought that a child should have been allowed to grow up a little more rxed as a child. Her two older brothers were certainly talented. Although it can''t be helped topare her with them, she was still able to do things on par with other people. They should have let her be a little more after all. One day, in the midst of such a hard life, a bard came to the mansion. Entertainment that descends into boring and cramped daily life. During his several days stay, Anne remembers asking him to tell him stories over and over again. One of her favorites was the story of the princess and her servant. The servant she loved dearly was stolen from her by her evil mother, and she took revenge¨D¨Dthat''s the plot of the story, and the bard''s good narration probably yed a part as well. The servant tried to protect the princess from her evil mother''s attempts to educate her, but she was unable to do anything and was killed. When the princess learns of this, she was furious and takes up the sword only out of love for her servant. It was a tragic love story, and the end of the story was so sad that she cried a lot. The story was so memorable that she still get teary-eyed when she thought about it. It was after that that Anne developed a kind of longing for a servant. She puts a lot of effort into studying etiquette, and when she has free time, she helps the servants at the mansion and learns a lot. ¡®Arne, umm... I''m d that you''re motivated, but... you''re imitating a servant in your own estate is...¡¯ ¡®No, Father. After all, I am still immature. I thought it would be better to learn from my mistakes while I am being cared for by my parents, rather than causing trouble after I went out. Recently, I have fewer failures and I am making good progress!¡¯ ¡®Well, well, Argosh. I don''t really understand, but Anne is really motivating me to study in the future. Pouring cold water on it is...i-it''s true that she haven''t had many failurestely, and she¡¯s doing her best.'''' ¡®U-uumu¡¡¯ Mistaking them for weeds, she pulled herbs from her father''s vegetable garden, wiping a paintings dry. Mistaking the pattern on the vase for dirt and polishing it until it was smooth¨D¨Dshe made many mistakes in the beginning, but she learned a lot from the mistakes over the years, and despite some minor ws, she had grown to the point where she could handle most things. ¡®I''ve asked the other side to take care of it, but the royal territory is under His Majesty''s control. Try not to get carried away and do something unusual. There are many people in the royal mansion. Maybe someone who will like you¨D¨D¡® ¡®Yes, I will aim to be a splendid servant, father (Otou-sama)!¡¯ ¡®No, a servant is not what you should aim for...¡¯ ¡®Please leave it to me! I will definitely meet father¡¯s expectations!¡¯ ¡®N...now, Argosh, this kind of thing shoulde naturally...like it happened to me and you too. Anne, is fine like this.¡¯ ¡®U-uumu¡¡¯ Her efforts were recognized and her parents encouraged her to move to the royal territory. Perhaps because of the efforts she had made up until then, life there was not that inconvenient. She was a little bored, but that was probably due to the fact that she had learned too much beforehand. The life in the royal domain was a morous one, but not a different one, as she weed guests and took care of them. She learned the rules of the royal territory and got used to life there¨D¨Dalthough the life wasn''t bad, it felt like she was immersed in lukewarm water. As expected from the royal territory. All of them were a splendid servants, but she couldn''t meet anyone who made her feel that person is the one. It''s different from the ideal life of a servant that Anne had imagined. After all, longing is longing, and a story is a story. One day, while living with such resignation¨D¨D ¡®I heard that the Margrave Christand will be weed here, Anne. He will stay in this estate while he is in royal territory. ¡®...That''s rare. Margrave Christand...¡¯ ¡®Don''t tell me, you don''t know?¡± ¡®Of course I know, Giterns is also in the north.¡¯ There was no one in the north who didn¡¯t know Bogan-Christand, a hero of the kingdom who aplished many military feats. He was originally a baron or a count of a castle, a genuine warrior who rose from a lowly nobleman to be a margrave, the pinnacle of military service, in his own lifetime. He nowmands an army as a general in the northern part of the kingdom, was is said to have taken further credit for preventing a major invasion by the Holy Empire in a recent war. He was popr amongmoners and young nobles. However, it was rare for him to be assigned lodging in a royal estate like this. The royal estate was literally the king''s garden. Even if the estate was used as a temporary ce to change clothes, it was only guests from other countries or those who are members of the royal family that were allowed to sleep in the estate, and it was rare for a mere nobleman to be allowed to stay there, even if it¡¯s a Margrave. As she was pondering just how much of a military feat it was, ¡®...It seems like someone over there ordered it to arrange something like that.¡¯ A colleague who listened pointed to the royal castle and announced in a low voice. After all, it is the life of a member of the royal family. ¡®Be more careful than usual. In particr, Orthal-sama has told me to treat the servant Argan-sama as if she is the margrave''s wife.'''' ¡®A servant as the wife?¡¯ ¡®yes. It''s a famous story, but don''t you know it?¡¯ ¡®Um...not at all.¡¯ ¡®You really are¡¡¯ Margrave Christand lost his wife several years ago. He was a great aristocrat with a great reputation. If that happens, he will naturally be approached by people from all over the ce to find a new wife¨D¨Dbut it seems that Margrave Christand continues to refuse all such offers. This was a strange story considering that he had no concubines and only had a daughter and an adopted daughter. It was not unusual for a woman to be the head of the family, but such cases were usually due to unavoidable circumstances such as the death of a brother. It is not very desirable for a woman who is at risk of dying in childbirth to inherit the family, and it is normal for a woman to want a new spouse in order to have a male child in her direct lineage. In such cases, it wasmon to choose a new partner either by marriage or from among the servants, but this narrowed the focus. The situation with the Christand family, despite its size, there was only one servant¨D¨Dthe sister of the deceased margrave''s wife. She is in her mid-twenties, but it is not as if she has returned to marry someone else, and is said to be a beautiful woman, much like thete margrave''s wife. Considering these circumstances, perhaps the younger sister would take the older sister ce and be the margrave''s wife¨D¨Dthat was apparently the rumor among the noble. ¡®¡You really know a lot about that kind of thing huh.¡¯ ¡®You, knowing this kind of information is part of your job, Anne. Indulging in gossip isn''t justziness.¡¯ No matter how she looked at her co-workers who usually enjoyed gossip, she couldn''t describe them as anything other than cking off, but that aside. You have to be careful, she continued. ¡®To be the only servant in a great noble house like Christand, she must be a very difficult person. She might be surprisingly jealous.¡¯ ¡®¡I see, certainly.¡¯ If you think about it honestly, it would be strange to have only one servant in the mansion. The work inside an estate is enormous. There''s no way one could manage and maintain it by themself, and normally other servants would be involved. If the Margrave Christand was not an extremely stingy person, he probably had his own reasons for not having any servants. It''s quite possible that she doesn''t like people, and it''s also possible that she strongly dislikes her husband being leered at. ¡®¨D¨DWhat kind of person would it be?¡¯ Anne nervously waits for that day. ¡®Please don''t be so nervous. Krische-sama doesn''t really care about etiquette, and neither do I. It''s fine as usual.¡¯ In a way, it could be called love at first sight. A beautiful, silver-haired, fantastic youngdy and a glossy, red-haired, ever-so-gentle servant. Her demeanor was graceful and lovely. She had both an enveloping atmosphere and a somewhat ephemeral beauty. Bery Argan, the servant she met that day, was exactly the ideal servant that Arne Girtens had envisioned. ¡°¨D¨DFrom that day on, I aim to be a wonderfuldy and servant like Argan-sama, Father.¡± "I-I see..." After the various confusions had calmed down a little, Argosh Giterns met Anne in a room in the estate, courtesy of Christand. He held his eyes shut as his beloved daughter told him, endless stories about ¡®Arne Giterns'' past and future.¡¯ Of course, this was not due to excitement, but from fatigue. ¡®How and where did I go wrong?¡¯ Her daughter had gone off in some unknown direction, and his head was aching wondering what to do. Argosh had not sent Anne to the royal domain to help his daughter grow up to be an ideal servant. Both of his sons were married, both had grandchildren, and it was smooth sailing. Anne was the only one left to worry about. Personally, he would have been relieved if she had found a good partner in the royal territory and married into a family somewhere, but there was not even a hint of that. Even if the other party was not a noble, it doesn''t matter even if it¡¯s a merchant gardener. He thought it would be fine as long as it made his daughter happy, but¨D¨Dno love talk ever came out of Anne''s mouth. ¡®Haaa¡¯, he took a deep breath. He understand her words that Bery Argan is indeed a wonderful servant who can be respected as a woman, but that was a different story. Not as a noble, but as a parent, he was worried about his daughter''s future. ¡°Thus, now, Argan-sama is the number one servant in the kingdom who is deeply trusted by Her Majesty the Queen...and now I usually work as an attendant to Her Majesty, so my intuition was not wrong after all. ¡± "...I understand your point well. That''s enough." Argosh waved as he drank the tea her daughter had brewed. Almost in ck tea without even a teaspoon of honey. This was probably done out of consideration for Argosh, who didn¡¯t like sweets. As expected, he would like some sweetness in the ck tea, but to not notice such consideration, made him truly feel her daughter hadn¡¯t changed since before. ¡°But, Anne. Is that really okay?¡± "...?" "That''s right... I think it''s about time for you to think about marriage. Do you have a good partner?" "A good partner..." Anne tilted her head and shook her ck hair. "I don''t care who it is as long as it makes you happy. I''ll wee him even if he¡¯s not a noble. What do you think? Feel free to say it." "...Hmm, at the moment there are no." She never expected to be asked such a question. That''s the look on her face. Argosh also knew it well. Although she couldn¡¯t be called a gorgeous beauty, she did have a lovely face, simr to her mother, but why was there not even a single flirtatious story concerning her? Argosh was very doubtful. ¡°I had a busy life in the royal territory to begin with, and now it¡¯s even more so¡ since I work as a servant, I shouldn¡¯t have such ulterior motives¨D¨D¡± ¡°I see.¡ It was my fault.¡± In the first ce, the purpose of making her daughter a servant was for her to make connection and marry, but Anne''s idea that she should be a servant was certainly not a mistake. Argosh also knows that she was strangely serious. She must have taken it in the wrong direction. He sighed, remembering that her mother was simr to her. Improving herself as a servant. That in itself was not a bad thing. Her mother also used to be Giterns¡¯ servant. Although she wascking in some way, Argosh falls in love with her sincerity and her calm and kind personality, proposes marriage, and they be husband and wife¨D¨Dnot a bad oue if you think about it like that. But she was in Christand. The head of the family, Selene, a woman. Younger sister Krische, a woman. Servants, two women. No butler. It''s impossible to find a partner in Christand, where women live and not a single hint of a man, and if there was one, it''s probably from the guest. However, the problem here was that Anne usually works alongside Her Majesty the Queen. That in itself was an honor, but it was unlikely that any nobleman would have the courage to approach, Anne the Queen''s attendant¨D¨Dlooked like the Queen¡¯s attendant. Christand itself had be so prestigious that it is difficult for an outsider to approach its servant. Hid daughter''s future marriage seemed to be in jeopardy. Even for a royal attendant, it was difficult to get married. It was not umon for a woman in such a position to remain single for the rest of her life, and there was a good chance that this would happen to Anne in the future. "If that''s the case, Anne, why don''t you get her permission ande back to home?" ¡°To Peels?¡± "Ah. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand what you''re saying about wanting to find someone to emte as a woman and improve yourself... but if things continue like this, we won''t even meet each other. What do you think about getting married in the future?" "¡¡marriage" Argosh nodded and looked into her eyes. "Yes, don''t you want to be like your mother? You like children too, don''t you want to see your own son or daughter?" "I respect mother, and I certainly likes children. ...I might be lying if I said that I don''t have those feelings at all, but..." "There are plenty of marriage opportunities, and I know many good young men. Why don''t you meet them face to face?" ¡®Hmm¡¯, Anne tilted her head as if troubled. ¡°Compared to Argan-sama, I still have a long way to go. I doubt that I will ever catch up with her¡ But even though I am like this, I feel that I am thankfully needed here. There are only three servants, and although Argan-sama is a wonderful servant, she only has one body. Although she is by Her Majesty''s side, she cannot take care of Selene-sama and Krische-sama." There must always be at least one servant by Kreschenta¡¯s side. Not only that, but even as her time were tied like that, the mansion as well as small chores¨D¨D work that should normally be done by a dozen people is now being done by Bery alone. She couldn¡¯t put any more burden on Bery. "I''m d to father''s concern, but let''s put that aside for now..." ¡°You might say that, but if things continue like this, you might end up runningte. How many years has it been since you went to the royal territory?¡± ¡°¡About five years.¡± "Yes, time passes by in the blink of an eye. You''re already in your twenties...it''s about time you started thinking about things like that. You''re stubborn, and I don''t want to get into a fight like before. I won''t force you... but please think about this once again.'''' Argosh said to Arne and looked around the room. Even though it belongs to a great noble and was also where Her Majesty the Queen spends time, the furnishings were minimal. The room wasn''t extravagant, but considering their position, it seemed simple. ¡°I understand that both Her Majesty the Queen and the people of Christand are kind and wonderful people as nobles, and I am d that you are liked in this way. As the head of the Giterns family, I am honored that you are working like this.'''' "ts,....Father." ¡°However, as a father, I also want my daughter to have as much happiness as possible. If things continue like this, you may end your life as a servant of the kingdom. ...Of course, considering the situation in the kingdom, it''s a hectic time right now, and I won''t say it''s going to happen right away, but...you understand right?¡± Nodding deeply, Anne''s eyes immediately moistened and she wiped it with her sleeve. "...What are you crying about, idiot?" "T-to think Father would say something like that to me..." "What are you saying. Of course I''ll nag you, but...the reason I can''t leave you alone is because you''re my cute daughter." Argosh stood up, smiled bitterly, and gently stroked her trembling head. ¡°The reason why I was angry when you resigned from the royal territory is because I was worried about you. Above all, I''m d that you''re doing well now. But human beings are greedy, and when I see you in good health, I want to see what you will do next. ......How will you live your life from now on? Think about it again.¡± "......Yes, Father." ¡®I love you Anne¡¯, as Argosh said that, Anne pressed face into Argosh''s chest, wetting his clothes. There was a look in Argosh''s eyes as he reconciled with his daughter, with whom he had a falling out. He tried his best to hold it back and massaged the corners of his eyes. His tendency to be easily moved to tears was one of the countless ws that Argosh himsels was aware of. Chapter 170: A Kind World Chapter 170: A Kind World ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 170 A Kind World*** The silver-haired, fairy-like girl shamelessly rolls up the hem of her one-piece dress showing the inside to the servant. "Bery, what do you think? Does it suit Krische?" The ckce stood out against her white waist. From the waistcloth, which is too beautiful to be called a waistcoat, four sock sps hang down, pulling up and securing the long socks that go all the way to the thighs. She was wearing very neat light blue underwear with a pink ribbon over it. "Y-yeah, it looks very good..." Unbnced¡ª¡ªno, this in itself was a perfect harmony. Or rather, it looked much too perfect. It all started with Krische¡¯s waist belt. It all started when she thought about having a suitable belt made for her so that the belt she carried her sword on wouldn''t rub against her waist and hurt her. She asks the tailor that Kreschenta uses toe along and ask to make Krische¡¯s underwear and socks, and she talks about this and that. The result was this waistband with a sock sp¡ª¡ªa garter belt. She thought this waistcloth, which also doubles as a garter to prevent long socks from slipping down, would be good for Krische, who runs around a lot, but when she saw her wearing it in real life, it was quite something. "¡What''s wrong?" "N-no¡¡" In terms of whether it suit her or not, it did. However, it could be said that she looked too good on her in a way that wasn¡¯t entirely preferable, and there was something criminal about thebination of her healthy, fleshy thighs, ck socks, and garters. The situation where the hem of the one-piece dress was rolled up, exposing the lower half of the body and thus allowing Krische to show herself off, was probably not good either. Coupled with Krische¡¯s expression of tilting her head curiously, she couldn''t help but feel like she was looking at something worse than looking at a naked body. ¡®No, isn''t the problem lies with me thinking in that direction?¡¯ Bery''s thoughts go round and round. Krische was the same as always. She had no shame in this situation and is just reporting on thefort of her underwear as usual. The only reason she felt as if she was doing something wrong was because Bery herself had an evil thought in her mind. But it was never her intention to do anything obscene to her, and it still is. Then she should had nothing to be ashamed of, and she should face it dignifiedly. However, the more she look at it, the more Bery feel an inexpressible guilt arises within herself. ¡°Maybe, it doesn¡¯t suit Krische¡ª¡ª¡± "No, it''s not like that at all...I was so fascinated by how beautiful it was that I was captivated with it..." "Hehe, that''s good. It''s not too tight around the waist, so it feels good. The socks also don''t slip." The sight of Krische innocently swaying her hips with her hem rolled up was endlessly immoral. As expected, no matter how she tried to excuse herself, she was a devious person after all. Krische seemed to like it a lot, and if things continue as they were, she would probably show it off to Selene and Kreschenta in the same way. Bery, who had been the cause of the incident, was sure to get a cold look. She swept her gaze, wondering what she should say, however without being able to tell a lie¡ª¡ª "Hg!?" ¡ª¡ªShe heard a knock and she scrambled to her feet, sliding her body between the door and Krische. Krische tilted her head towards Bery and opened her mouth without hesitation. "...? You cane in, Anne." "Yes, please excuse me." It was Anne who entered the room. Krische looked at Bery curiously as her face turned red and stiffened. Arne also looked at the ¡®admired servant¡¯ who looked strangely panicked, and looked at her suspiciously. Anne''s gaze then went deeper into the room. Just what were they doing? She moved her gaze to Krische with the hem of her dress still rolled up, tilting her head¡ª¡ªAnne''s eyes widened as she immediately understood everything. And she instantly bowed her head. ¡°M-my apologies, interrupting your enjoyment, Argan-sama, I¡¯lle back!¡± ¡°Please wait, i-it¡¯s a misunderstanding, this is not what you think¡ª¡ª¡± "I-it''s okay! I understand the rtionship between the two of you very well, so¡ª¡ª" ¡®¡ª¡ªProbably I, saw something I shouldn''t have seen.¡¯ Anne immediately left the room as if to run away, but her opponent was Berry Argan, the kingdom''s most talented servant and a talented woman. Her physical abilities were on par with those of professional soldiers who use magical powers, and her quick judgment and reflexes were far beyond those of ordinary people. Anne started to run away, but Bery as if a Suiko was eyeing their prey easily apprehended her two steps away from the door, and she was immediately taken back to her room. "I-I see, that''s what you meant...s-so it¡¯s just my hast conclusion." "No, no. I hope you understand. It''s also my fault for causing the misunderstanding." After that, Anne was made on a chair and Bery had a pasted-on smile on her face, giving a detailed and threatening exnation, such as, ¡®This is the reason for this, and I was never doing anything obscene...¡¯, and Anne nodded her head repeatedly to her words. As for whether her exnation was correct or not¡ª¡ªit was really doubtful. Arne was well aware of the rtionship between the two, so even if some perverted act was being carried out here, it wouldn''t feel out of ce, and the frightening thing was that she herself didn¡¯t even have any doubts about it. The beautiful princess Krische was extremely obedient to her, and would not hesitate to do whatever Bery desired. Even if it is an act that would makes her blush just by imagining it, there was no exception to the rule, and when she thought of how Bery would felt being loved by such a princess, it would be no wonder if she was to sumb to the temptation. Anne had no intention of ming her for that, and she had already epted it. Various spections about what was really going on here shed on her mind¡ª¡ªbut at least she did not ask about it. Bery Argan, a respected servant who always showed calmness andposure, was distraught. The feeling of being seized in an instant, was exactly like that of a rat being attacked by a cat. Even the dull Anne instinctively understood that there were certain things that she should not ask. The right thing to do as a servant was to keep it to herself, after all. But Anne''s goal was to be a servant who takes it one step further. "...But, Argan-sama, don''t worry. Even if this is not a misunderstanding, the fact that I respect Argan-sama will not change." "Ah, uh... Anne-sama, like I said...it¡¯s really..." "No! It''s okay even if you don''t tell everyone. I''m proud that the hardness of this Anne''s mouth is better than diamond..." "...Ugh" The womanly, yet somewhat slender and petite body. As she hugged herself, her graceful face turned bright red, her eyes moistened, and her gaze flickered from side to side, like a young girl''s. Even though she thought it would be rude of her to think her superiors as cute, sometimes she turned out to be incredibly cute. "Y-you see..." "yes" ¡°Of course, it would be a lie if I were to say that it waspletely selfless, but really¡ what happened earlier was not what Arne-sama thought...¡± Her voice was thin, as if she was confessing her sin. As she had watched their interaction on a daily basis she couldn''t help but wonder why if there was still any need to be shy about it , but perhaps there was an important line that she drew that Anne didn''t understand. Her face was dyed red enough to match her red hair. Anne makes a sincere face, nodded and tells to her, half moved by how cute she was. "I understand, Argan-sama. On top of that, I will swear the same words as before this name, Anne. Please leave it to me." "......, haa" Bery sighed in resignation and sits down in the chair across from her. Krische, who was supposed to be one of the party in this conversation, looked at the two of them curiously and tilted her head, wondering what the they were talking about¡ª¡ªbut she quickly stopped caring. Naturally, she sat on Bery and begins to be pampered whileughing ¡®Ehehe¡¯. Bery too being Bery, as expected, she embraced such Krische tightly¡ª¡ªAnne once again thought the line Bery¡¯s drew was really a mystery. ¡°Anne, has Marquis Giterns returned?¡± "Yes, earlier..." When she is asked, Anne finally remembers the topic and stammered. Bery tilted her head. "What happened? Being that depressed." It was said that they had a big fight when she left the royal territory and came to Christand. It had been a long time since they met again, and there will be plenty of talk to be had. Argosh sometimes seemed very nervous in front of Krische, so she was considerate and left them alone, but Anne''s face didn''t seem that energetic. She wondered if it might have been a bad idea to leave them alone. "Could it be, another argument..." "N-no, that''s not it, umm...it would be a bit long if I talked about it but" Anne looked at Bery inquisitively. Bery nodded with a wry smile. "It doesn''t matter. I''ve finished my work. Don''t worry about it." "¡¡thank you" Anne exined the conversation she and her father had¡ª¡ª "The first thing I should talk about is why I decided to pursue the career of a servant..." "Huh? Eh, uh... yes..." Not, but instead, she began to re-tell Bery what she had talked about with her father since the beginning. From Anne¡¯s birth. How she be a servant and how she get to where she was now. The words were strangely exaggerated and difficult to understand, like that of a bard telling an epic tale. Although Bery regretted it a little, she continued to listen to the story, giving a moderate amount of response. ¡°¡ª¡ªIn addition to her beauty, Argan-sama is my ideal servant who had everything as a servant. It was as if I had been suddenly struck by lightning in a sunny day¡¡± "Ah, thank you... I-I understand how you feel, so please leave it at that..." "No, this has very important implications. Please listen to it." Bery had wanted to do something about the way sheplimented her with fancy phrases, but it seemed to be something very important to her. For Bery, the "Collection of Anne''s moving episodes¡«Argan Arc" that was halfway a torture was truly half a Koku. Only when Bery could no longer look up at her due to her embarrassment, did Anne get over that part and get to the point. Krische began to sleep quietly at the beginning of the story and was happily sleeping on top of Bery. "...I see, Marriage is it.¡± ¡°Yes, Father told me that it was about time to think about it.¡± Were all that preamble really necessary? She wondered so, but didn''t show it. Bery was at least a person who could show that kind of consideration, and she would like to avoid repeating that experience. "It''s a difficult problem for a noble. As a member of the Argan family, I think it''s natural to think about marrying somewhere else, having children, and rebuilding the family." Although the Argan family has copsed, it¡¯s not like it had been cut off by the royal family, and the Argan name still exists as a noble with no real substance. The small piece ofnd she had been entrusted with managing as a noble was voluntarily returned to the kingdom as she was unable to manage it, and the debt was shouldered by the Argan family. As long as they didn''t cause any damage to the kingdom, there was no reason for them to be punished. ¡®Father probably tried to recover from that point.¡¯ Although he fell in the middle of his recovery, he surely thought that he would be able toe back again as long as the debt problem was solved. Now that the debt has been resolved, it would be rtively easy. For example, if another child was born between Bogan and her olde sister Lazura, and if that child seeded Argan and achieved some kind of aplishments, it would have been easy to rebuild the family. Or if Bery do the same, or if they get a son-inw. If she think about it in terms of inheriting her father''s will, that should have been her first choice as a noble, but her older sister Lazura probably didn''t have that intention either. Of course, she would have been happy if her child had wished for the restoration of the Argan family, and she would have intended to leave it to him, but she did not want a second child just for that reason. It was probably a matter of temperament. In other words, both Berry and Lazura were not sincere as nobles. "Well, that¡¯s just in general, I think. I don''t think I can say anything about that. What do you think about it, Anne-sama?" "...I haven''t thought much about it. I''ve never met a gentleman that made me thought like that¡ª¡ª" Anne said, ncing at Krische and her cheeks flushed. Bery looked at her curiously, and Anne shook her head in a panic. "No...U-uhh...but, I do feel that a gentleman like Gallen-sama has this kind of...adult charm to him." "Ah...Fufu, Gallen-sama is certainly a wonderful person." Bery chuckled. She knew that Anne was very attached to Gallen. If one say he was attractive, it''s certainly true. Although he had a strict demeanor, he was a kinder man than one might imagine from his appearance. However he¡¯s old. And she didn¡¯t think Anne meant it that way either. ¡°...I like love stories, too, but when I put them in my own hands, I don''t really feel it. Marrying a gentleman and had a child...Of course, as you said, it''s only natural. I guess that''s true. If you say that there''s happiness as a woman in that, then maybe that''s also true." Anne said that and sighed. ¡°However, I doubt if I will be any happier than I am now. Serving Her Majesty the Queen, Selene-sama, and Krische-sama, and I have also learned a lot by living alongside Argan-sama, I¡¯m more than satisfied.¡± Bery couldn''t say anything. She listens quietly, waiting for her words. ¡°...When I think about the fact that many people are forced into arranged marriages, I am aware of how blessed I am. ...In the Giterns family, both of my older brothers are married and have children, so there is no particr problem with for the sake of the family, and father also said I don''t have to think about the family either.¡± ¡®Unnn¡¯ Anne tilted her head troubled. ¡°Even then father still told me to think carefully about how I should live my life from now on.¡± Arne was deep in thought, and Bery was also wondering what she should do. But there was one thing she knew. "You have a wonderful father huh. Thinking of Anne-sama first." ¡°...Yes, but I''m sure that he also wants me to get married and to see his grandchildren face. I think it''s the right thing for to do as a good daughter..." Anne lifted her head and looked straight at Berry. ¡°However, if I marry somewhere else, it will be difficult for me to work alongside Argan-sama, which is my lifelong goal, like I am doing now.¡± "I-I see..." It was an itchy word for Bery, but she gave up, feeling like the more she interjected, the further they would get away from the main topic. She was happy for her feelings, but Anne was sometimes too direct and it''s hard to react. ¡°Furthermore, considering what happened the other day and Her Majesty''s position, where there are only a few people she can trust, it would be difficult to find someone to rece me immediately. ...Given the current situation, there''s no need to think about it but" "¡¡I see" She must be thinking about Christand and Kreschenta¡¯s circumstances in her own way. Anne certainly had some ws, but she was a thoughtful woman. Although her thoughts were sometimes too deep and oftene out for the worse, Bery herself saw her as a hard-working, good-hearted, caring and good co-worker. Bery didn¡¯t think of herself a good enough person to tell her what she should do. If even than she need to say something to her, then what would it be? Bery think for a moment and opened her mouth. ¡°...I think of it as something like a river.¡± "river?" "Yes. We are like leaves floating on that river I guess. We are just floating, we are being carried away, we are drifting without knowing where we will end up... No matter how much we struggle or worry, we will eventually end up in the sea." Her sister said it was a fortuitous meeting, a fate. No matter how much you worry, you couldn¡¯t go back to the past, everything is irreversible, and things just flow. ¡°In life, the things we can choose are trivial. Should we go with the gentle current, throw ourself into the rapids, or try to flow down to another tributary?¡± In everyday life, in honor. Although the lifestyles may differ, what they seek were probably the same. "Or maybe...apanying the petals flowing by side." Bery smiled bitterly and tickled the tip of Krische¡¯s nose as she slept happily. She contorts her face, itchy, and Bery shakes her shoulders silently. ¡°In the end, I think what''s important is whether the scenery you see is beautiful or not. Just because everyone follows the flow doesn''t mean it''s the right flow...I''m a very twisted person, so maybe that''s just what I think.¡± Bery chuckled and continued. ¡°What Anne-sama should care about is her own happiness first and foremost, rather than that of others. I am very happy and grateful that you care about me and Her Majesty the Queen. However, it seems like a waste to be caught up and swept away by your role and position.¡± ¡°¡a waste.¡± "Yes. It''s much more satisfying to choose where you want to go with the flow, rather than just proceeding with inertia. Even if you regret itter on, if it''s the path you chose, you can at least be satisfied with it." The world will not change dramatically just by choosing something. The only thing that changes is the way it looks. And that''s what choosing is for. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what Marquis Giterns said to think about?¡± Bery said and looked at Anne. Her ck hair was tied back behind her, unadorned. However, that kind of appearance was probably her charm. ¡°No matter what choice you make, I believe that someone like Anne-sama will be happy. Anne-sama has that kind of atmosphere that naturally makes people around her smile.¡± It must be something she was born with, Bery lowered her eyes and smiled. At the very least it was something Bery didn''t have. ¡°If you change how you look at the constraints that you think exist, they are surprisingly trivial and don''t matter. Don''t worry about it. As long as Anne-sama makes a choice that she thinks is good for herself, I will support it, no matter what choice you makes. I¡¯m sure Ojou-sama and Krische-sama will too.¡± And when she looked up at her, ¡°¡So, please make the choice you want¡A-Anne-sama¡?¡± Anne, who was listening to her with a serious face, suddenly began to shed tears. Bery stared at her, shocked. Anne covered her face and shook her head. "I-I''m sorry. I-I was moved by something...I-I can''t believe Argan-sama would say something like that to me..." ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to say it with such a big deal¡¡± ¡°Both Argan-sama and father, to someone like me, when I think about how lucky I am, I feel¡ª¡ª¡± It was at such a time. Without knocking, the door gracefully opened and someone with golden hair that shimmered in red walked in. "The Queen is back you know Argan-sama, the tea..." Kreschenta, who entered the room with Elvena, looked at Anne, whose face was downcast with tears in the middle of her words, and then looked at Bery with a frown on her face. "What happened? I wonder if Argan-sama finally couldn''t stand Anne-sama anymore and gave her an ultimatum." "N-no. Kreschenta-sama, you shouldn''t say things like that." "Who do you think you are, giving me an order? But I''m in a good mood today, so I''ll forgive you. Elvena-sama, would you please make me some tea?" "Y-yes, Your Majesty." While Elvena was concerned about the crying Anne, she hurriedly took the teapot from the desk and went to brewed a new tea. "Um...is there anything that makes you happy?" "It¡¯s Elvena-sama, she''s very attentive. She doesn''t talk nonsense like Argan-sama, and I guess she''sfortable, she reminded me of when I was with Nora. I think I should have Elvena-sama as my side servant from now on.¡± "K-Kreschenta-sama..." What a bad timing. As she expected, Anne stiffened her body, and Bery hurriedly tried to follow it up. "Fuaah...that''s no good, Kreschenta. It¡¯s already decided that Anne will be by Kreschenta¡¯s side after all." Did she wake up because of the noise in the room. Krische, who was in Bery''s arms, said sleepily to Kreschenta while yawning. "K-Krische-sama..." Arne looked up, her tears still in her eyes, her emotion in her eyes. "Uh...I don''t like it, Onee-sama. I would like to exchange Anne-sama with Elvena-sama." She froze again at Kreschenta¡¯s words. ¡°Kreschenta, there are such things as a fortuitous meeting in this world. ...On Kreschenta¡¯s side is Anne, this is also another fortuitous meeting. Fuaah... Kreschenta should be more grateful for meeting the servant named Anne... Right, Bery.'''' "Well...that''s right..." What a convenient way to use the word fortuitous meeting. Krische, who shifted her position on Bery''sp and gave her a wake-up kiss, looked sleepy andpletely unconcerned. Bery gives an ambiguous smile as if troubled. "Krische-sama... thank you...!" "...?" Whatever the case may be, Bery couldn''t say anything, seeing that Anne was ovee with emotion. After being thanked, Krische tilted her head and told Kreschenta while hugging Bery. "... understand? Look, don¡¯t sulk, there, there." "Uuuu..." She beckoned to Kreschenta, who was dissatisfied, and hugged her, patting her head. "Anne, you''re Kreschenta¡¯s personal servant. Krische will gave you the day off today, so you''ll have to work harder from tomorrow onwards." "Yes" Anne wiped her eyes again at Krische¡¯s words and looks up at her with a look of determination on her face. Bery looked at her with an indescribable feeling and let out a sigh of resignation. Chapter 171: Trivial Days Chapter 171: Trivial Days ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 171 Trivial Days*** It was that evening that the discussion known as the Christand Trial was held. The person to be judged was Bery Argan (the used), a servant and the founder of the ¡°Krische-sama Cute Church" (aggressive fundamentalism, paganism), who is the shadow ruler of Christand. The red-haired servant, who was skilled in intrigue and had won every political battle with her skillful words, sat in a chair in the center of the room, face down, looking like a prisoner of war awaiting her verdict. Or perhaps she thought that even with all her brains, aeback from this point is impossible¨D¨Dshecks her usual high spirits. At her front. Sitting at a desk with her legs crossed and a sheet of underwear spread out in front of her was, the chairman of the "Christand Council for the Improvement of Public Morals (1 member, only the chairman)" and the Kingdom''s Marshal, Serene Christand (the Inquisitor). She took a close look at the mysterious underwear that is the garter belt¨D¨Dand then she turned her gaze toward Krische (victim, satisfied after the meal), the chairman of the ¡°After-Meal Discussion Promotion Committee (powerless)¡± who was watching the situation while drinking tea next to her. Selene looked intently at her sister''s face and closed her eyes. She said to Bery, showing off the garter belt in her hand. ¡°What on earth were you thinking, trying to make Krische wear something like this?¡± "Of course, it''s for Krische-sama¡¯s sake, Ojou-sama. Is there any other reason?" It all started after the dinner. Krische said that her new underwear was veryfortable, as she immediately showed off her garter belt to Selene. It was probably due in part to the skill of the craftsman. The tailor was Arica Saazbern, the third daughter of a great aristocrat. As a female tailor, she emphasizesfort first and foremost when ites to underwear and undergarments, not to mention the quality of the design. And that was also what Krische looks for in clothing. She also received a "Bery Bonus", the most important evaluation point, because "Bery went out of her way to order it for Krische," so it was no surprise that Krische was so pleased. However, Serene has a hard time epting the fact that her beloved sister is suddenly unting some kind of indecent (look like) underwear with such glee. It was also inevitable that she med Bery for taking advantage of Krische obedience to her to lead her in a bad direction. The name Arica Saazbern was well known. It seems that her tailoring business was not originally a business, but started as a hobby, starting with her own costumes and decorations. It seems that this was something that attracted the attention of noble women in social circles, and its poprity was due to its slightly mature and sexy design. The embroidery on this garter belt was also very elegant. She had no objection to the fact that it was really beautiful, including the design, but perhaps the purpose of this underwear was the same as the previous example the sex appeal of women. This underwear was intended to please those who saw it, and one could catch a glimpse of such an intention. She couldn¡¯t believe that she made Krische wore this kind of underwear. For Selene, who was usually defeated, this was the perfect material for ming Berry. "Really? I don''t think so. How can you prove that there isn''t some personal and devious desire involved?" "...? I don''t really understand why I''m being used like that." ¡°You¡are you doubling down on it?¡± ¡°Doubling down, isn''t it Ojou-sama who is saying strange things¡± Bery looked up at her and she smiled generously. "It''s just functional underwear, just a waist belt and a sock sp. Do you think it''s something obscene, Ojou-sama?" ¡°Well, maybe some youngdies would see this as something very obscene and questionable. To me, it just looks like a corrective device, no different from a corset.¡± "ts..." ¡®¨D¨DIsn''t it because you''re looking at it that way that you think it''s obscene?¡¯ Those who judge and those who are judged¨D¨Dthis was a way to reverse the positions. Bery Argan''s only move was to open up and rece her own weaknesses with those of her opponent. "D-don''t try sophism with me! It''s you who..." "Sophism, how can you say that. I''m just saying what I think. And I''m just worried about you...Ojou-sama treating Clich¨¦-sama more than just your sister¨D¨D" "I don¡¯t, you idiot! That''s you, you coward! You keep making nonsense..." "Criticizing another character when you¡¯re cornered...It''s even more suspicious when I see Ojou-sama getting angry." "You..." Bery sighed exasperated. And she was confident of victory. There was no doubt that Selene would me herself when she sees this. That said, she could not forbid Krische to wear this underwear just because it was too mature looking, as Krische was very satisfied with the situation. Selene was a Krische fundamentalist. She didn''t want to make Krische sad, and its original purpose was as a waist support for a belt, just underwear. There was no way she would show it to anyone even if she wore it, and she would feel sorry for not using something that was made for her because she thought it was visually inappropriate. She felt bad for Selene, but Bery could not back out any longer. "In this case, I''m afraid that the one who should be judged is not me, but the Ojou-sama. Please look at yourself. Which one is truly evil?" "...I see, you''re trying to say that I''m weird because this looks obscene." "...?" However, Berry frowned at Selene''s words. All that was left for her to do was to wrap up the furious Selene¨D¨Dthat was what she was supposed to do, but Selene, who was about to show her anger, turned around and red at Bery in a calm manner. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like that to you, and you are saying this is just normal underwear.¡± ¡°Yes.¡I have been saying that for a while now.¡± While answering, Bery''s gaze wavered as she noticed that it wasn''t going well. The initiative that was supposed to be in her hands seemed to be returning to Selene''s hands before she knew it. "...Yes. Then Bery, maybe I was wrong." Selene smiled, "But if it''s that good, why don''t you try wearing it too instead of just Krische? You seem to really like these underwear." "¡¡Eh" Bery stiffened. It was a natural rebellion¨D¨Dto put it bluntly, Bery Argan had won too many victories. One-sidedly andpletely, she achieved victory in every political battle. You could say that there was a certain kind of arrogance within her. She believed that Selene cannot win against her in an argument with her. Her absolute confidence in her own abilities¨D¨Dshe, like Krische, is someone who doesn''t understand the losing side¡¯s feelings. She was convinced that Selene had learned nothing from her previous defeats. But in order to beat her, Serene was examining the reasons why, alone, over and over again. Bery took the initiative by speaking some sophism, and then guided her thoughts by making her lose herposure. Bery sneaky ways were always like that, and she always got her way by making Selene lose her cool. What should she do to win? was is only one answer. Don''t be fooled by nonsense, don''t lose your cool, and make a move that your opponent won''t expect. In this case, she should just follow the other side¡¯s logic. "That''s right. I think Berry would look great in mature underwear like this. This is a good opportunity, but I think Bery should try her hand at thetest fashions once in a while." "I-I''m... I-I''m a servant..." "You don''t have to be so shy just because you''re a servant. Well, as the head of the Christand family, I''d like to give this to you, too, for always doing your best." Selene stood up and approached Bery, unfolding the garter belt. Bery groaned as her face turns red and her gaze swam around. She was an extremely attractive woman, but Selene was also well aware that she was not as good at showing off her femininity as anyone else. "...Or is there a reason why you don''t want to wear it? Could it be that you would make Krische wear something that you yourself would be ashamed to wear?" "Th-that''s..." "That''s right. Then there''s nothing wrong with it...Isn''t it nice that Krische and Bery matches?" Krische, who was suddenly hit, thought for a moment and smiled. "Ehehe, yes. Krische think it will be good to have matching pair with Bery.¡± "Uuu..." For the most part, Bery probably gave up on persuasion because she couldn''t keep bring herself to pour cold water on Krische¡¯s happiness. Selene too had thought she already given up on this and thought it was over. Anyway, Krische liked it. It''s already toote. However, she can''t let something like this happen again in the future, and what she didn¡¯t like most is she being talked into doing whatever Bery wanted. She has to punish her and give her her due. Selene was currently working just for that purpose. ¨D¨DIf it¡¯s Krische¡¯s demands, Bery surely couldn¡¯t say no either. This was her closure. It was more of a draw than a win, but it was going to hurt Bery a lot. Unlike Berry, who only wanted to win, Selene had given up on winning from the beginning, thinking only of inflicting a blow on her. The result was as follows, even if she couldn''t call it a win, she won the match. As if to prove that, Berry''s face turned red with frustration and her gaze darted around her. There''s a sense of contentment in her Selene¨D¨DHowever. "Onee-sama, please take a look. I''m matching too." Wearing a garter belt, with her body just in underwear. Hugged her sister in a good mood was, the leader of the third force, the "For Now Just Wear Matching Pair With Onee-sama Alliance (hedonism)" leader Kreschenta Alberinea (judge, satisfied after the meal). Ignoring Bery and Selene''s silly exchanges, Kreschenta was happy as Anne takes off her dress and quickly puts on a garter belt. She straddled herself on top of Krische and she happily shows off her outfit to her sister. ¡°It suits you, Kreschenta, how is it?¡± "This one''s not so bad. The garter ring was a bit of a nuisance because of the way it squeezed my thighs. The garter ring, which held the long socks on the thighs, was somewhat inconvenient. If loosened, they were meaningless, but if tightened, they would bind the thighs and make them tight. In that sense, Kreschenta was honestly impressed, saying that the idea of hanging it from the waist wasn''t a bad idea. The hanging garter was a little annoying, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Above all, it was important to Kreschenta because it matches her sister. "...Hehe, I''m d that Kreschenta-sama liked it as well." "¡¡you" Bery looked at the two of them, closes her eyes for a moment, and says so. Bery invited Kreschenta to take a bath before Selene returned. Of course, it was to get her on her side. As expected even if it''s Bery, she didn¡¯t think she can attack Selene and Kreschenta at the same time and gain the upper hand. If she was going to take them on, she was going to do it one at a time¨D¨Dshe had correctly followed the basic principle of dispersing enemy¡¯s forces and had begun to take action. When Kreschenta saw Krische showing off her garter belt during the undressing process, she naturally bit Bery. However, she had nothing against Berry, who has the strength of pleasing Krische. ¡°Actually, Your Majesty the Queen also received a free sample. What do you think? It will match with Krische-sama, and I¡¯m sure Krische-sama is going to be pleased. Why not try itter?¡± Same as the clich¨¦. Krische also rejoiced. Kreschenta¡¯s killing words. ¡®Well, Kreschenta also often wears long socks. She''ll probably like it when she tries it on, right? Ehehe, it matches with Krische.¡¯ ¡®A-a match...¡¯ ¡®yes. ...Kreschenta hate matching outfits? ¡® ¡®I-I don¡¯t hate it. If Onee-sama says so then...¡¯ From there, she lifted Kreschenta mood so as not to upset her. The timing of the after-dinner try-on was all Bery''s design. The oue was already decided before the fight. The fight, which had started unexpectedly, was all in the hands of this servant. Selene bit her lip as she realized that she had been set up. But still, Selene has no intention of conceding the victory to her. "...But if you think you can escape from this, you''re wrong, Bery. If this happens, I''ll make you wear it, no matter what." "Guess no helping it. The situation has taken a turn for the worse. I won''t struggle any longer." If Kreschenta had joined the fight a little earlier, she might have been able to wrap things up nicely this time as well. However, Berry sighed that everything is toote. She must had also looked down on Selene. ¡°However, if Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama, and even me, wear it then...¡± "ts..." Understanding this, Bery''s eyes shed with joy. ¡°Of course, the head of the Christand family, Ojou-sama, not wearing wear this...I don¡¯t think that would happen, right?¡± "W-why even me..." "What''s wrong with this situation? Maybe, Ojou-sama, do you have some dissatisfaction with the underwear? Is there a reason why Ojou-sama doesn''t want to wear them?" It was as if Bery was returning Selene¡¯s words, Bery said that with a malicious smile. Once she knew he couldn''t win, she resorted to a scorched earth strategy. Even if she couldn¡¯t win the fight, she didn¡¯t lose the battle. She was a gentle, intelligentdy in disguise¨D¨DBery Argan was, in fact, a helpless woman. "What do you think, Krische? If this happens, everyone will match." Her questions would definitely be answered in the affirmative. Selene could only listen to this in shock, and red at Berry in frustration. Arne Giterns (onlooker), who was watching the fight while holding Kreschenta¡¯s dress, watched with bated breath as she watched the stupid fight. With war on the horizon, even as the country was facing ruin. The Christand was peaceful. "In the first ce, you..." "O-Ojou-sama, please...I understand." The sun had set, and Krische and Kreschenta were already sleeping in bed, hugging each other. Anne was also sent back to her room, and Bery and Selene were awake in the room. The elegant golden-haired youngdy raised her eyebrows, red at Bery while drinking Bogan''s sake, and then attacked her. "You don''t understand. You''re always trying to mislead me like that..." Bery had already changed into her nightgown, and Selene also takes off her clothes and changed clothes. Meanwhile, Selene kept nagging her. Bery murmured with a wry smile that it can''t be helped. Perhaps because she was so frustrated, Selene went to bathe in hot water, then came back with two of her sake bottles and started drinking¨D¨DKrische and Kreschenta were allowed to sleep early, but Bery, of course, was still made to kept herpany like this. Selene grabbed her drink and poured it into the Bery¡¯s empty ss, mming it down in front of Bery. "It''s no use trying to run away, Bery. You don¡¯t want to drink your Master¡¯s alcohol?" ¡°I, don''t drink this kind of strong liquor...¡± "Drink" Bery took the ss with a sigh. The first ss was already, and her face was on fire. One of the bottles Serene brought was Bogan''s favorite northern spirit. It was said that the ind nation to the north of Arna has a thriving brewing industry, and it seems that sake is drunk there on a daily basis. The amber liquid was vored with herbs. It had a sweet scent, perhaps Pierim. Alcohol wasn''t bad in that she could enjoy the aroma, but if she sipped it even a little, the alcohol felt like it was burning your throat. She covered her mouth and looked at Selene troubled. "Ojou-sama is strong. If possible, I think I¡¯d prefer that but..." She points to the wine on the shelf. It was a nightcap that she always keep on hand for when she can''t fall asleep. Selene dismissed it as no good. "I''d like to see Bery drunk once in a while. You''re just as normal as ever. Saying ¡®I¡¯m a servant¡¯ and taking a step back." "That''s not true..." ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡± Selene said, standing up and sitting down on the sofa. Then she patted the area next to her. Beryplied with a sigh and sat down next to her. Seleneughed happily and leaned on her shoulders. "I really hate that kind of mature attitude of yours." "My, fufu, but in reality, I''m an adultpared to Ojou-sama..." "I don''t like that part. What kind of face do you have saying something like that." Selene took Bery''s cheek in her hands and looked at her face. Bery¡¯s gaze darted around troubled¨D¨Dno matter how Selene looked at her, her face was like that of a girl''s, calm yet childish. Selene pouted her lips. "If you and I were to stand in silence, I''d definitely look older than you." "It''s just the way I looks. I''m sure in another ten years I''ll probably be a little more..." "I don''t know. I feel like you''ll always be the same. There are famous stories of people who look the same even after they''re fifty." Selene grunted as she let go of her hand and sank down onto the couch. "And I''m sure I''ll be the only one getting old. Ahh poor me." "Even if you me because of your imagination..." "No, I''m sure it will. Maybe you should apologize now and say I''m sorry for giving you trouble." "Haaa... my apologies." "Hehe, I forgive you." She happily wrapped her arms around Bery and rested her head on her shoulder. "...I will try my best and not make this apologize a loss." And then it drips down. Bery reached her hand to Selene''s head and stroked her hair in a soothing manner. "Did something happen?" "...No. The strategy meeting was uneventful, and everything was going well without incident... It''s so peaceful that I can have a silly chat with you like this. The days are full and smooth sailing, and I guess I''m happy every day." She held her tightly in her arms and pressed her cheek against her shoulder. "But maybe that''s why...I keep thinking about things like whether I''ve overlooked something or whether I''ve really done was what I was supposed to do." "¡¡I see" A fifteen-year-old girl, the marshal of the Kingdom. It was decided by the flow, and it was inevitable. However, that would be too big a responsibility. Bery turned to her and hugged her slender body. "Originally, there is nothing we can do. We are in a hopeless situation, and the only thing we can rely on is Krische. There is no way we can do such a stupid strategy. We¡¯re going to do something that even an amateur know is impossible, fighting without losing against a force more than twice our strength three time.'''' Pressing her face into her chest, Selene takes a breath. ¡°My job is to push such a big gamble like it''s a well-crafted strategy and then sit back andugh. I hate my own ipetence.¡± ¡°Faren-sama and the others have all put their heads together toe to this conclusion, right? Then, it is the best conclusion¡ It is not Ojou-sama¡¯s fault.¡± "...Still, I wonder if there was something more I could have done..." Rub her back and close her eyes. Bery chuckled. "...How I think it¡¯s," "¡¡what?" ¡°I guess the conclusion is that overstretching yourself is not good after all.¡± Then she picked up Selene and stood up. She opened her mouth andughed at Selene''s moist eyes, and went straight to the bed where the two were sleeping. ¡°From today onwards, Ojou-sama will join us at night.¡± "What¡¯s that¡¡" Bery chuckled and sat next to Selene. She hugged her body. "See, at least this gives you some peace of mind, right?" "...Are you making fun of me?" "No. I recently realized that it''s not a good idea to think alone, so I just thought I should tell Ojou-sama straightly." She looked up from Berry''s breasts, her face sulking like a little girl''s. Bery stroked Selene''s cheek and smiled. ¡°Besides, it seems like Ojou-sama needs some time to rx. ...It¡¯s okay for Ojou-sama to be pampered without thinking anything, okay?¡± Selene red at Bery, her eyebrows furrowed angrily. "How long are you going to treat me like a child?" ¡°Hehe, you will always be Ojou-sama to me.¡± "I''m not like an idiot like Krische. If you''re so inclined, I''ll make it so you can no longer treat me like a child." Selene grinned mischievously and reached her hand to her berry breasts. Bery pressed her forehead against Selene''s as she shyly hides her breasts. "Geez, I have to stop letting Ojou-sama drink too much alcohol from now on. I have to protect her from bad alcohol after all." "...It¡¯s your fault for looking down me, Berry. If you continue to behave like that, I''ll turn you into a bad drunk. ......I also know that you usedforting me as an excuse to get away from my drinking." ¡°Guess Ojou-sama sees through it.¡± "Of course, always making fun of me. Really, just who do you think you are." She chuckled, hugged her and closed her eyes. "...But fufu. I love that part of you." Selene said in a whisper. "I know. ...Rest well, Ojou-sama." "...Yeah. Good night." Berry also closed her eyes happily. Then, the two of them fell asleep hugging each other. Chapter 172: One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason Chapter 172: One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 172 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason*** Clear skies as far as the eye could see and a warm breeze that felt like spring. South of the kingdom¨D¨Dthe Milhirrea ins. The invasion force formed by the Republic of Gulshan against Alberan exceeds 120,000 in total. And in this great invasion, 100,000 troops were gathered for this decisive battle that would determine the course of the entire campaign. Even looking at the history of Gulshan from the time when it was a kingdom, this was probably thergest number of soldiers to participate in a single battle. The Alberan army, which was positioned one ri (~400m) away from the enemy line, could not possibly exceed 50,000 troops. Of course, it was arge force, but the difference was obvious. Byying out the battle line with fortified city of Nakria as the left wing, rather than the rear, Alberan was able to defend against Gulshan¡¯s extended right wing who had superior number. However, thanks to that there were 20,000 of Gulshan¡¯s troops on the far left, facing no enemy, and were free. If a detour or nking attack were to take ce, Alberan''s right wing would be threatened not only from the front but also from the nks once the battle began. In the end, it was just a small trick. Even if Alberan narrowed the detour to only one wing, with its inferior military strength, it would not be able to hold out for long. Moreover, Nakria probably had only the minimum number of troops left to defend itself. This arrangement waspletely for defensive purposes¨D¨Dthere was no way that an immobile city could mount a counterattack, and the enemy hadpletely cut off one wing against their superior forces. The right wing being pushed and the left wing unable to move. Alberan had no choice but to try to break through head-on, and that was impossible. ¡°The kingdom seems to be very determined, Commander Bilkace.¡± When the young adjutant called out to him, Gal Bilkace, themander of Gulshan''s elite Earth Dragon Cavry, nodded. From inside the helmet that resembles a dragon''s open-mouthed fangs lined up above and below, he turned his sharp gaze towards the Alberan soldiers directly in front of him. ¡°Ah, even like this they didn¡¯t run away¨D¨Dthe soldiers of the kingdom are all warriors worth respect Elke.¡± The creature he straddled was a giant lizard. The sand lizard, also known as the earth dragon, was a fierce beast wrapped in a hard skin that could be called natural armor of brown color, and had a huge tail, sharp fangs, and ws. Although their legs were no match for horses or camels, they make up for it with theirbat power, and at least this cavalry unit has never been defeated in a head-on battle. No, Gulshan''s army was like that to begin with. By taming and employing beasts that transcend human beings, they supremely believe in a frontal attack to defeat the enemy head-on. Against cavalry, they use camels, which horses fear. Against skirmishers, they would set a swift and ferocious dog on them, and against the heavily-armed infantry, they use beast with hard horn or tusk. The myriad of beasts, making full use of their power to overwhelm the enemy army. "If you think about the number of beasts we''ll use this time...that''s right. If the number of soldiers had been reversed, it might have been a good battle as usual." Ever since Gulshan began taming beasts, they had never fallen behind on the ins against an opponent of equal or lesser size. Dougleen Nakuru Dogarinea Garhka. The fierce generals of Alberan, who have repeatedly held the brunt of Gulshan, understood this and always had more forces than them in battle against Gulshan. That was why he had continued to repel the invasion of Gulshan¨D¨Dbut not this time.. "You could call it the fate of a country. No matter how good a general is, they can''t reverse a diplomatic defeat." Elsren, Elderant. This time, a temporary alliance was formed between the two bordering powers and Gulshan. What is most difficult in an invasion is not the destruction of the enemy, but national defense. If you just want to win the battle, all you have to do is send enough troops to break through the opponent''s defenses. What is important is how to prepare for an invasion from another country so that the body that unleashed the spear is not targeted¨D¨Dand the alliance makes it possible to use the military force that would normally be allocated to the entire country without hesitation and to use it on the battlefield. Even a child who has not studied the art of war could understand the strength of being able to use defensive forces as invasion forces. If two people attack one person, who will win? Such thing is more aw of nature than an art of war, and is a simple and clear truth on the battlefield. Of course, battle was not that simple. It is not umon for a single genius to defeat a superior force of ipetence, but the one who leads the Gulshan army is the god of war Orugan, who was born into the royal family but stood on the side of the people and defeated them. Defeat was impossible, and what was about to begin was a predetermined and harmonious ending. Gal then looked up to his left. The line of battle on the right wing of Gulshan where Gal was, at the head of which was a man 20 shaku tall at the shoulder. Huge beasts with long snouts and tusks¨D¨Dsixty brave war elephants were lined up, but only one on the left wing stood out. Its normally gray skin was dyed blue, and its body was probably twice the height of an average elephant. It was now a moving fortress, its gigantic legs trampling horses rather than kicking them away. With just a flick of its long snouts from side to side, it mowed down armored warriors¨D¨Dfighting lines were meaningless in front of him. Alcazaris was a magical beast that was identally born in Gulshan during the breeding process. The monster named ¡°One That Lays Waste to Everything¡± carried a huge turret and soldiers on its back, and its eyes red at everything in front of it as if they were pebbles. "...No matter what, this will be thest battle with Alberan." "Yes...I consider it an honor to be able to participate in this battle by your side." "Kuku, those words sound like someone about to die would say." When Gal smiled bitterly. There was a murmur from the soldiers, and Gal turned his attention to where they were looking.. Sitting on top of an elephant, heading towards the center were Orugan and his right arm, Salvag, who wields a twin sword. And from the other side, astride a horse that looks like a puppy from an elephant''s point of view, is Dougleen Garhka. And¨D¨D ¡°¡Is that Suiko?¡± "It looks like that to me..." Green hair¨D¨DEven for a tiger, it has a huge body. Walking leisurely with its long tail swaying from side to side was a Suiko, and the person sitting on top of it was a girl. Silver hair, ck cloak. Someone who could be seen from a distance to be a girl was sitting on top of a magical beast that is said to never get used to humans. "...Alberinea of the kingdom. I heard that Krische Christand mount was a Suiko, but it seems like that wasn''t just a joke." Gal groaned and narrowed his eyes. A reinforcement from the center who takesmand of Alberan''s army along with Dougleen Garhka. The Royal Family¡¯s Cursed Child who had had numerous rumors about her. She was known far and wide, even in Gulshan, as an insane genius and a deviant. She easily defeated the Undefeated General, Aurugorn Hilkintos, and even the ck Lion Gildanstein, bringing an end to the civil war¨D¨Deven as a beautiful girl, her swordsmanship was excellent, and had killed countless people. The reason why the invasion of Alberan was hastened was also said to be because she had made a pact with the ancient dragon Yagernaus and invited Him to the royal capital. All of these stories were ridiculous, but if she could show herself in such a dignified manner, they wouldn''t be able to dismiss those rumors aspletely false. Gal wasn''t young enough to underestimate others based on her appearance. He''s proud of his trained physique and skills¨D¨Dbut he also knew that there are plenty of talented people out there who could surpass him at a young age. It was instinct. The girl''s figure reflected in the distance made him feel a sense of fear of the unknown. At the very least, his instincts told him that she was no ordinary opponent. Alberan''s army ced her in the center, recing the famous general Dougleen, who had repeatedly repelled Gulshan''s invasions. Was it for political reasons, or was there some tactical significance to this? Whatever the reason, there was a strong feeling in Gulshan''s army that she would not be as much of a threat as Dougleen. Therefore, everyone loudly shouted that putting pressure at the center, at Krische Christand was enough, and to defeat Alberan''s right wing with their overwhelmingly superior left wing, defeating Dougleen as soon as possible. Dougleen Garhka was a fateful opponent for Gulshan and its general, Orugan. Even if it was a bad tactical move, there were more important things for a warrior to focus on. Orugan told the soldiers that this battle will be the end of the long war with Alberan. If tactical convenience were to be added to the equation, there was no choice but to choose this option¨D¨DHowever, themander-in-chief of Gulshan''s army, Orugan, ced his emphasis on Alberinea, rather than on Dougleen, with whom he had crossed swords many times. The atmosphere created by its foreignness, the inexplicable actions of their master¨D¨Deverything including these told Gal that he should not underestimate Krische Christand. "...Elke, there''s a change of ns. Breaking through the enemy will be our top priority." ¡°Breaking through?¡± "It''s a breakthrough. It''s just a hunch, but it doesn''t seem like it''s a good idea to engage with that. Tell the g bearer." ¡°Yes sir¡± The earth dragon cavalry, who would run at the forefront with the elephants, were given a certain degree of discretion, and their role was basically to assist and rece the elephant soldiers. They would slip into the enemy lines disrupted by the elephant who were advancing through the midst of the enemy, with the aim of disrupting or expanding the breakthrough. This time, they were able to overwhelm the enemy with their military strength without overdoing it. He had thought that it would be enough to disrupt the enemy''s line of battle, but that seemed to be too passive against this opponent. Something that only those who had spent many years on the battlefield possesses descended upon Gal and sent him instructions. What was the reason for challenging a battle on the ins instead of a siege against a force twice as strong? He had thought there must be some kind of strange n, he thought it was nothing more than a desperate struggle of the cornered¨D¨Dbut was it really true? Warning bells were ringing in Gal''s mind, fearing that if he did something wrong, he would suffer a huge blow that he had never expected. In the center, the two generals finished talking and returned to their respective positions. Gal was staring at the girl, not at the enemy general, Dougleen, who was raising his voice in the front row. Without seeming to give any instructions, she passed in front of the troops while sitting on the Suiko¨D¨Da g with a crescent moon and a skull on it suddenly fluttered from the battle line. Several soldiers wearing ck armor appeared, approached her side, and handed her a spear. When she received it, she stepped down from the Suiko in the center¨D¨Dright in front of Alcazaris, leading them, and swung her spear around. "...How brave. The general herself intends to defeat Alcazaris?" ¡°It seems barbarous to me.¡± There was no one who was not afraid of Alcazaris'' gigantic size. Its tough outer skin was difficult to wound not only with arrows but also with spears. And it makes the earth tremble just by walking. A human being was a mere insect in front of Alcazaris'' huge body. She wanted to encourage the soldiers behind her who were still frightened¨D¨Dthey guessed that that''s probably why she intend to take the lead. "Even if it''s barbaric bravery, it''s bravery that should be praised. I hear she¡¯s quite young, but she understand war very well." War is about morale. It is the will to fight that transforms men from cowardly individuals into members of an organization called soldiers. All tactics and techniques were built on this, and morale is the foundation of everything in war. Facing an enemy twice as many and a gigantic beast¨D¨Dno matter what words you say to them, it would be like throwing water on a scorched stone. A soldier who was forced to prepare for an unwanted death was infinitely vulnerable. Once the army falls into a disadvantageous position, it would easily copse. What is required of a leader in such a situation was not deep intelligence or tactical insight. But the bravery to make the soldiers believe that they would do anything for thismander. Regardless of whether or not that attempt goes well, there was no doubt that her actions should be praised as a general above all else. And her appearance was good, too. Without her helmet on, her long silver hair swaying¨D¨Dshowing off her girlish appearance to the fullest this was probably to instill in all of her soldiers the recognition that she was someone they must protect. He had wondered why would she wore a cloak even though she was on the battlefield, but he was convinced that it wasn¡¯t a bad thing if her aim was to inspire the troops. She used herself as a symbol, and in that way she was probably the person who controls the army. ¡°She must be proud of his sword and spear in his own way. The attempt itself is not bad. ...But then again, that¡¯s only if she could get through the battle at the head of the line and move to the rear.¡± "There''s no way she will be safe, Commander Bilkace." "Ah. If she¡¯s seriously nning to charge at Alcazaris, she should have start at the side¨D¨D" The girl moved just as Gal was about to continue. There was a distance of one ri separating the two armies¨D¨Dfrom there the girl stepped forward and elerated. She was holding a spear. He could understand what she''s doing, but he couldn¡¯t read her intentions. Not only Garu, but everyone who was watching her furrowed their brows, wondering what the meaning of throwing a spear from that distance was. "Ts!?" A beatter, the sound of crushing echoed across the battlefield. What kind of sound should onepare it to? Like a trebuchet crushing a castle wall, or the bursting of a strained fruit. After a while, the dull sound of rain echoed around them. Red rain mixed with solid matter, staining the earth. For a moment, Gal saw something released from the girl''s hand a ri away. Although he half understood it, he couldn¡¯t ept it. Fearfully, he looks up to his left, Alcazaris. ¨D¨DAn obscene flower was blooming where her head should have been. A flower of flesh, luscious, glossy, and stained with fresh blood. The white reflection was probably the skull. Blood and flesh were spilling from the inside. A thick spear handle sticks out from the center like a pistil. The long, huge snout and fangs, and the huge body of the creature were barely a trace of its former self, but it was clear to everyone that it was no longer moving. The fantastic beast thatys waste to everything without fighting, tilted and copsed like a puppet with broken strings. The earth shook, and with a rumbling sound, the dead soldiers who had been caught were heard. Numerous screams echoed through the air. Gal slowly, like a rusted machine, turned his gaze to the girl. The girl who jumped on the Suiko again was neither happy nor proud. She simply turned her back to them, as if she had justpleted a simple task. The apanying g bearers waved their gs even louder, and the soldiers on their side shouted in a loud voice. After a moment of silence, a heaven-shattering cheer erupted from the enemy lines. In contrast to the soldiers of Gulshan, who were at a loss for words, Alberan''s soldiers roared so loud that even the beasts were frightened, and raised their spears overhead toward the girl as if performing an offering. The girl then proceeds along the path made by her soldiers as if nothing had happened and disappears. Everyone in Gulshan who didn''t know her understood in that moment. There was only one person in all of heaven and earth who twists and tramples upon reason (logic), and who was forgiven for doing so. "...That''s Krische Christand." ¨D¨DShe was the pride of the kingdom, Alberinea. A monster who, in spite of her human body, bare its fang on reason (logic). Chapter 173.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 1) Chapter 173.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 1) ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Character 173.1 Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 1)*** T/N Mostly the same as for arc 6 with the addition of new characters and animal + magical beast. Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Garlln Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half - 159 Kreschenta - 130, first half - (I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 159 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 7 ? Died by the end of Arc 7 - ------Major Character ¡õ Krische Alberinea Christand --- Order Evil Krische Rinea Christand is an unhinged girl who can kill people without hesitation. Adopted daughter of the Christand House. Main character of the story. **Alberinea** Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry¡± and is the Cursed Child of the royal family. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. Fundamentally she can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce. No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Therefore, she tends to demand of herself an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others., and, she has the nature of no sparing any effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. As an individual, she is an overwhelming existence that no one can match, but she is dependent, mentally young, and fragile. The more she deepens her rtionships with those around her and the more human happiness she gains, the weaker she bes mentally. Compared to the time when she was mentally independent and did not value others, she has gradually drifted away from the "perfect existence" she had desired. However, her obsession with being perfect is fading, and she wants to be a person who can feel various things like a normal human being than be perfect that has cut out many things. Ever since she left Kalka Vige, her hobby has been to appreciate Berry''s face. Beautiful. She¡¯s delighted, having be Bery¡¯s. ? Combat Command Extremely aggressive in bothbat and tactics. Amander with the disposition of a hunter who ces the highest priority on mobility to inflict fatal damage on his opponents, always uses his mobility to confuse the enemy, trap them, and never fight in a disadvantageous situation. She makes the most of the strongest piece (pawn) that is herself, preferring the "headhunting tactics" to prioritize enemymanders and eliminate them without question, She boasts overwhelming strength against enemies that fight her head-on. Fundamentally, other than the bare minimum she demanded of her subordinate, she doesn¡¯t expect anything else from them, and she assembles tactics to win that that in mind, despite that, she has a bad habit of always not being satisfied if she doesn¡¯t aim for maximum results. **Although she is usually covered by the ck Century, she often falls ill due to the excessive burden on herself, and yet she always pretends to be fine, which is not good for her. She is a troublesomemander who will copse if others do not follow her lead. Her only w, which makes her the strongest, is a very elementary one¨D¨Dshe is too stubborn and childish to manage her own physical condition properly. Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. Armor: casual clothes, gloves, reinforced boots. ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. Maybe a little stupid. Bery¡¯s. Strong points: Murder. Magic. Calction. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be spoiled. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring others. Watching Berry''s face. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. War. Concern: **Bery tounge.** ¡õ Selene Argalitte Rinea Christand --- Neutral Good A serious and affectionate girl, head of the Christand House and a General, the only member of the Christand main House. She works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. She is a hardworking girl who has aplex about being a woman and works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. Until a few years ago, she cursed herself for being a woman instead of a man and put in so much excessive efforts, enough for the people around her feel uneasy until she met Krische who was overwhelmingly talented. As she takes care of her, who is young and likes housework in spite of her talent, she broadens her horizons, which had only allowed her to see herself as the daughter of a general, and she begins to cherish the small things in her life. Though she is talented, hardworking, and because of that she is extremely excellence, she is basically a hard worker who tends to push herself too hard. Her father, the Hero, Bogan, and his subordinate, as well as Bery and Krische. Due to growing up surrounded by gifted people, she tends to underestimate herself. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable effort on herself. She has a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and work whenever she has free time. Since she became a marshal, she has be a habit of saying that she is too busy, but she is full of motivation because she was able to fulfill her father''s wishes, such as the establishment of a military school. She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. She feels that it is her own inadequacy faults that Krische had to fight, and it is her goal to help her lead a peaceful life away from the battlefield. She hates herself for relying on and taking advantage of Krische, **but the heavy responsibility and situation given to her doesn''t allow that.** Although she has a strong respect for Bery, she also feels a sense of rivalry and jealousy towards Berry''s abilities and behavior, and it is her dream to one day beat her. ? Combat Command She is aggressive by nature, but she always doubted her own abilities and will not overdo it. She ces importance on making the most of the abilities of her excellent subordinates, constructing her tactics from the exact opposite of Krische¡¯s point of view. She prefers basic tactics and coordination that push through with the quality and numbers of her troops, rather than any kind of surprise (strange) tactics, and ces great importance on securing superiority at the strategic stage. **Her underestimation of her own abilities has be a kind of virtue in the current position, and the way she honestly evaluates the abilities of others and assigns roles to them has no political overtones, she is beginning to be regarded as a pure militarymander of the kingdom.** Appearance: Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Average chest. Graceful. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú Krische: Stupid and clumsy child. Adorable. I want to let her live like a normal child. **Recently is dangerous.** Strong Points: Horseback riding. Command (army). Likes: Swordsmanship. Reading. Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. Her powerlessness. **Concerns: Stubborn Bery. Transition of War.** ¡õ Bery Lipus Argan --- Neutral Good A slightly sickly, motherly woman, Kreschenta¡¯s servant. Selene''s aunt and the daughter of Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. Originally sickly and weak, because of this she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She Concern about the trouble she causes others with her body and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her. Even after her family''s downfall and her physical problems are resolved when shees to Christand, her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische with her pure affection and goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. She is a genius and has a talent that is too good to be left as a servant, but due to her temperament, she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, which Bogan, Selene, and others feel is a waste. She may look gentle, but she is stubborn and though she looks like a logical person she is in the feels/intuition faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she tends to prioritize her emotions over her reasoning. She has a strong affection/love for Krische and puts her happiness first, but her possessiveness is growing stronger. Her strong self-loathing and introverted nature, and her affection/love has a strong dependence nature, but because Krische who is the target of her affection/love also has the same disposition, there¡¯s no one who could handle it. Recently, she has had a breakthrough and feels that what Krische wants is what she wants. She feels that it is right, and believes it is not a mistake. **Or perhaps she had found something that she was looking for in herself after spending time with her.** Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. Sweet baby face. Armor: Maid''s uniform. ¡ú Krische: An existence that is prettier than anyone else. Purpose in life. Want to be by her side all the time. Strong points: Household chores in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. Likes: Household chores in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. Dislikes: Selfish people. Herself. **Concern: Krische departing to the battlefield and Selene who tends to overdo it.** ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil Unhinged girl who poisons people without hesitation. First princess of the Alberan Kingdom. Known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse for killing others for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her older sister, Krische, as the only equal being to her, and feeling that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the King''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. She has be more softer in recent years, partly because she has realized the happiness that can onlye from emptying her head, but she has not lost her essential nature or her obsessiveness. She is even more obsessed with safety and peace of mind than Krische. Her willingness to kill stems from a strong attachment and obsession with security, and she is not a pleasure killer. Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. ¡úKrische: The only being in the world who is on the same level as her. She is a bit silly, so I¡¯m worried. She got the wrong person to pamper. **Should pamper me more** Strong points: Poisoning. Plotting murder. Lying. Acting. Grasping people¡¯s hearts. Calcting/Scheming. Likes: Herself. Being pampered. Skinship in general. **Cookies. Rewards.** Dislikes: Anything that threatens her safety. Concern: Anne is strangely excited and troublesome. Her older sister bing more and more dependent on the wicked servant. - ------Characters close to Krische or Christand Family ? Bogan Argalitte Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of unwavering integrity and decisive action, he was Selene''s father and Bery''s brother-inw, now deceased and known as "The Thunderbolt". The Kingdom¡¯s hero, rising from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a squad leader to a general. His experience climbing up from the bottom gave him unique insight into the various problems of the army, he has seeded in raising the level of Christand abilities by assigning several tactically intelligent adjutants to each militarymander and dividing the workload among them. Although known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, he firmly believed that the strength of Christandy not in on-the-spot tactics, but in the ability to process information through advance preparation. Although he is calm now, in his youth, he was reckless and loved to wield his sword on the front lines. He was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers because of the countless enemies he knocked down with his wild swordsmanship and the way he pushed forward. Unusually for a nobleman, he is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine. He died in a duel against Gildanstein, the Royal Prince. ? Battle Command He was originally an excellent front-linemander with an aggressive temperament, but after having a wife, he refrained from this and always emphasized the importance of being amander who makes the most of his subordinates'' abilities. He believes that what a general should do is to identify the qualities of each individual, creating extreme chaos (disorder) that change the battlefield to the advantage of his allies through bold offensives and retreats. In order to aplish this, he believed that it was important to raise the level of ability of eachmander, and he always trained his subordinates with a training that is one rank above them so that a centurion would have the perspective of a battalionmander, and a battalionmander would have the perspective of a corpsmander. He is very good at reading the moment of withdrawal and has never failed in a retreat battle, even when the odds were against him. Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce dace. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. A distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Concern: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ¡õ Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere man, known for his blunt honesty. Krische¡¯s grandfather and Bogan¡¯s former superior, currently serving as Selene''s adjutant. He was once a genius centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier, and despite hisck of magical powers, he performed numerous military exploits with Bogan. He was respected by his men and had the ability to aim to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army after regretting the burning of a vige on his superior''s orders. Following his resignation, he returned to his hometown of Kalka and worked as a hunter, leading a peaceful life with his daughter, her husband, and his adopted daughter Krische. However, tragedy struck when his family was killed in a bandit attack, forcing him and Krische to leave the vige and seek refuge with Bogan and return to the army. He is a diligent worker who finds happiness in Krische''s contentment and the fact that she has found someone who understands her in the Christand household. He had his own feelings about the people around him who had preceded him in death, but he hase to realize that he has a role to y because he has survived, and he continues to work hard. **Lately, he has been seeing his beloved daughter figure in the clumsy Anne.** ?Battle Command Never pushing it and never pursue too far. He has the nature of a hunter, waiting for an opportunity to create a decisive disadvantage for the enemy. Withdrawal, retreat, surprise attack¨D¨Dhe is a born hunter, the opposite of fair and square, and prefers to build tactics that target the opponent''s carelessness and openings. Killing his opponents without killing his troops. He hates unnecessary losses more than anything else, but when he sees an opportunity, he will turn around andunch a desperate offensive. He has a wide field of vision and is skilled at leading in melee battles. Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fierce face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A little different from others but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. Strong points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: Drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust (inhuman). **Concerns: How long he can continue to watch over Krische** ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good A clumsy girl in thete stages (no longer aughing matter) who serves the Christand house. She is the daughter of a Marquis and was given an education for gifted children by various tutors, but it did not go well. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her to serve as an apprentice in the Royal estate. However, there she encountered Bery, a servant of the Christand house, and became so enamored with her that she threw off her position as a servant in the Royal estate that her parents had begged for her to ept, and became a servant of the Christand house, even as she was on the verge of being disowned. While she is notcking in intelligence or ability, her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic thinking often lead her to make mistakes at crucial moments, which often irritate those around her. Despite this, she is serious and good-natured,es from a good family background, and has good looks. If only she could sit still, she would be a favorite, but her temperament prevents her from doing so. Recently, she has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. She became close to Gallen, who always praises and kind her, she secretly wants to talk to Mia, who has a simr atmosphere to her. **She is beginning to feel threatened by Elvena, a talented young woman who has emerged on the scene.** Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. ¡úKrische: A sweet kiss demon. The master of a servant she respected and the center of her delusion. An amazing person. Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Interpreting situation favorable. Bad timing. Likes: Delusions. Christand House. Dislikes: Her own failure even at the best of times. **Concerns: The main character Anne is cornered by her rival servant Elvena. But a helping hand came from an unexpected source. Although she was immersed in her thoughts, Anne who felt that she was required to grow further (** ¡õ Elvena --- Chaos Good An unlucky beautiful woman ve. Formerly Rnd¡¯s ve. Christand¡¯s servant. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. The youngest of four sisters, Kalua¡¯s younger sister. She followed her sister out into town and rode in her sister¡¯s carriage, While she was lost searching for her sister, she was unlucky enough to be caught by a ve trader who sold her body because of her good looks. Rnd was a customer of the ve trader and was now bought by her to work as a servant in his mansion, but she was saved by Krische, who gave her a job as a servant at the Christand. She has a temperament of goodness, but her sense of ethics is a little broken due to the environment she has lived in, and she has a devilish (temptress) disposition. She has a strong sense of gratitude and fondness for Krische, but when she sees Krische, innocent and unguarded like a chicken dancing next to a pot, sometimes her desire to tease heres out. She is not fond of the opposite sex because of her past history, but on the other hand, she has little resistance to such activities, and her skinship is wide-ranging. She has always been strongly attached to her older sister, Kalua, but this has been exacerbated by her life up to this point. She is second only to Krische in knowledge of Jarea Gashea, and is bing an important figure in the kingdom without realizing it. **Up until now, she had thought of her position as a servant as just a job, but recently she had set Bery as her goal, and is full of motivation.** Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Graceful (beautiful). ¡úKrische: A benefactor. Pure and lovely. So beautiful in many meanings that her desire to tease here out. **Recently she understand a bit why she¡¯s dependent on Bery.** Strong points: Household chores in general. Likes: Cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. Dislikes: **Not being good enough to help Bery cook.** **Concerns: Krische who went to kill the Holy Spirit for Bery.** ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalistic girl with a steel mentality, she is the wife of Margrave Christand and Bery''s older sister. Daughter of the Argan family, which fell into ruin due to business failure. Selene''s mother. She has a bright personality that is theplete opposite of Berry, and she is a strong-willed and lively woman. She is a maverick woman who will go ahead with what she feels is right, without regard to social rules, and is willing to sacrifice herself if she feels it is necessary. When the Argan house fell, she selflessly sacrificed herself to protect young Bery from the malice of merchants and nobles. Always kind and earnest, she prioritizes Bery''s happiness even when confronted with her sister''s obstinacy. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she worried about Bery following in her footsteps, which led her to entrust Selene, not just out of concern for her child as a parent, in Bery''s care. Her second child was stillborn, and sheter sumbed to postpartum fever. Like Selene, she is clumsy and rather crude. Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: Words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: Rich people. Concern: Not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind. - ------**ck g Special Forces Company** ¡õ **Mia Nair Kilnan**--- Neutral Neutral A pitiful girl who is treated poorly in spite of her excellence. The adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Hailing from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom, it is adjacent to Kalka, where Krische was picked up. Initially, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, hoping to leverage her exceptional stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army. However, Krische, who saw through her magical talent and exceptional skills, recruited her, and before she knew it, she was fighting on the front lines. Despite being uneducated and possessing only the knowledge of a country girl, she is quick-witted and has a sharp mind. She is a natural talent, having learned to build imaginary muscles with magical power without any guidance. However, perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, she ranks lower in swordsmanship skills among the ck Century that it would be faster to count her from the bottom. She often gets absent-minded at the most critical moments and is prone to backtalk. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she is easy to pick on, and she is often unreasonably yelled at. Despite her poprity in the vige, she suffers from low self-esteem and is dense. Several men in the vige have confessed their love to her on multiple asions, but she has let them all slip without realizing it. A childhood friend, who had made a passionate approach to her, confessed to her again when she returned home, but she refused, prioritizing her duties at ck g Special Forces, while giving grateful advice that he should take it a step further at an earlier stage. Since her return home, she has felt a greater sense of belonging to the ck g Special Force, and she has been training vigorously. ? Battle Command She has learned basic tactics, has a clear mind and a broad vision, and is very capable as a centurion. She has learned how to conduct a melee battle with a unitposed of magic possessors, and is able to fully manipte their abilities, which are different from those of mere soldiers. However, she always moves with the assumption that the quality of the soldiers in the unit is superior, and often misjudge opponents with equal or greater strength that would cause the unit to lose its superiority, making them vulnerable to unexpected situations. She emphasizes stability through cooperation and operating tigether by utilizing the abilities of the troops. Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion (chest). Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. **Friend with Dragon** Strong points: Tact. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position. Bad timing. Likes: Sleep. Bathing. Beautiful women. ck g Special Force. Kalua. Dislikes: Unreasonableness. **Concern: The asional unreasonableness. Going into a tough fight again.** ¡õ Kalua Nea Belyus --- Chaos Neutral She seems to be easy-going and is rtively easily pressured. Squad leader of the ck g Special Force. She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough, and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein¡ª¡ªa member of royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. She¡¯s the only person who calls Krische ¡®Usa-chan¡¯ to her face, and he often takes care of her like a child that she can''t leave alone. There was also an aspect of act ofpensation thinking of the kidnapped Elvena, but now that her sister had been saved, she pledges her heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to her. Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Unexpectedly weak to being pushed (weak-willed). ? Battle Command Her mind is very quick, she has quick wit, and she has aptitude as amander. In terms of coordination at the individual level, she is one of the best, and can coordinate instructions and move with other soldiers on the spur of the moment. However, she prefers to wield a sword by herself and is prone to narrow vision, so in order to make the most of her abilities, she should be ced in the back of the center rather than at the head of the line. She is one of the best in terms of individual level cooperation, and she can immediately give instructions and cooperate with other soldiers. Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it¡¯s scary. The person to whom she has pledged her eternal loyalty. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. Nap. Children. Dislikes: ve traders. Concern: Mia''s drinking problem. ** Elvena''s recent desire to bathe with her.** ¡õ Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. The ck Centurion. Bald Eagle. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses, He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and the type of military man that Krische likes. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there and was nominated as the squad leader of the ck Century, a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was excessively afraid of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Christand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He is not particrly bald, he shaved his head every day to keep clean even in military service, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. He admires Krische concern for his health and her refusal of him apany her and is prepared toy down his life for Krische, whether in public or private life. If he had apanied her, there is a high probability that he would have died, but it was possible that they would have defeated Gildanstein before Nakirus'' arrival. He is motivated by the fact that he has been entrusted with apany and two very talented subordinates, Aleha and Waltza, had joined them. ? Combat Command Experienced,ing from a light infantry unit that often operates under special circumstances such as in the mountains, he returns to the basics in any situation and does not make errors in judgment. He is ustomed to fighting in numerically disadvantageous situations, such as surprise attacks, maneuvers, and diversions, and he fully demonstrates hismand ability even in a chaotic situation where he is cornered. Unlike Mia, he wasn¡¯t purely cultivated on a unit where all of its members are all magic possessors, so he often chooses the safe side based on his experience when dealing with troops. However, because of this the amount of wear and tear is small, and the ck Hundreds under hismand are very stable. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. Battle Command. Inspiring troops. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Dislikes: People who break discipline. Straggler. Concern: **Whether or not the reinforced ck g Force will be able to be used effectively.** ¡õ Aleha (us Schwindel Sarchenka) -- Order Good A hero chasing a young man. Former general of the Holy Elsren Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. Adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. Later, during his travels, he met Clich¨¦ and was invited by her to join the kingdom''s army. After Bogan''s death, he had lost sight of his purpose, but through meeting her, he found a new purpose and a reason to fight, and he once again embarked on the path of a warrior. His natural ambition leads him to request mockbat whenever he meets Krische, and Krische basically avoids him. As a result, he use his wit, and all kind of tricks to create situations in which Krische cannot escape, and whenever he has a chance, he tries to drag her into her endless training. & nbsp; ? Battle Command He respected Bogan as an enemy and read and absorbed his battle records. Due to his natural ingenuity, he possesses excellent abilities that are notcking as a general of an army, but due to his youth, a na?ve side of him still remains. His overall ability is close to that of Nozan, and he is an all-around type. He has no weakness in any situation and delivers above-average results, but he is more suited to attacks where he can easily take the initiative. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. Armor: Full te of silver angel. ¡úKrische: An entric girl and quick to find things troublesome. She is a good person at heart. Goals to aim for. Beautiful. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. **Mockbat with Krische** Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. **Concern: Regarding the high probability of crossing swords with the Holy Empire.** ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for the young master. He is a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Former military leader of the Sarchenka family. Training instructor of the ck g Special Forces Company. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarshenka family, and an excellentmander. He is capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarshenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarshenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was severed by Krische. He was invited to join the Kingdom¡¯s army along with Aleha, and he serves as an instructor in the ck g Special Forces Company, where he sees to the training of swordsmanship and spearmanship. He was originally a military instructor for the Sarshenka family, so he is an excellent training instructor, and he actively educates them for Krische¡¯s benefit. ?Battle Command He is a military instructor, and his tactical knowledge is broad and deep. His primary purpose is to assist Aleha, so he does not appear in public (surface), but he has the ability to be an excellent general. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Contrary to her ability she is a young and unfortune girl. Benefactor. Young Master¡¯s favorite. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Trainingmand. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarshenka family. Concern: **How much can he support Areha on the battlefield.** ------ Members of the ck g Special Force------ Most of the people listed here have been informally decorated with the rank of Nea (quasi-knight). ¡õ Koza --- Order Neutral A family-oriented person, the kind that Krische would even smile at. The leader of the 2nd squad. Despite having a fierce face with old scars that stand out, he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische holds him in high regard. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which in case of an emergency, he acts as themander. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia against Nakirus. He is not particrly talented in archery, but after the war he was evaluated for his wide field of vision and was appointed as an archermander. An archer captain is equivalent to a normal captain. ¡õ Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type of boy, squad leader of the ck Century''s 3rd squad. Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted and is an excellent talent. He is an impable person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality. However, hisck of ws is his only w, making him a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He usuallymands the 2nd to 10th squad. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Selene facing Gildanstein. Having survived the fierce battle, he was promoted to centurion in due course. ¡õ Corinth --- Order Good He is a calm veteran nonmissioned officer. A centurion of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra and held the position of captain. Although his ability as a magic possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a wide field of vision. He has the mental strength to remain calm and not panic in any situation, and is highly trusted by Dagra, is also admired by Tagel as a senior captain. Basically, he oftenmands the 11th to 20th squads. He fought alongside Mia in the final battle of the civil war but was wounded during the battle and is currently recuperating. He suffered no permanent injuries and became a centurion after his return. ¡õ Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. Squad leader of the 11th squad. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young, he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strength, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century and with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the joy of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He is scruffy in appearance. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia. Because of his skills, he has been promoted to the rank of captain, and at the same time, Krische has ordered him to serve as a culinary instructor for the ck g Special Force. He is a little happy inside. ¡õ Birza --- Neutral Good A "ck doctor" type of guy. Squad leader 17th squad. A ck doctor type of guy. He is the head of the medical team of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was born into a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a caravan stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very skilled with a sword. However, he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people who were not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia, and was in charge of treating wounded soldiers. The former 17th Squad has now been assigned to the ck g Special Force¡¯s medical team, and is currently working on a medical book loaned to him by Krische. ¡õ Kilik --- Neutral Neutral A craftsman-type man with dexterous hand. **the leader of the ck g Special Forces Squadron''s escort team.** He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard. Because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages and was chosen as Kreschenta¡¯s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battles. Many of his team members are also craftsmen. As Krische¡¯s trusted soldiers, they are basically assigned to act as Queen Kreschenta¡¯s bodyguards during the war, and are unlikely to be seen on the battlefield. ¡õ **Daz --- Order Neutral A somewhat pitiful Piririn-type guy. Leader of the 1st Piririn Squad. The former leader of the 8th Squad, known for his fierce look. Originally a bouncer at a bar, he was used to roughing things up and was a brave captain who was looked up to by the soldiers. However, he lost his left arm in thest battle of the civil war, and as a result, he was put in charge of the 1st Piririn Squad. He considers the selection work of the Squad Unit to be a prestigious job, and he is very grateful to Krische, but he does not allow anyone other than Krische to call it the Piririn Squad, and he will be furious whenever he is called the Piririn Squad leader by other members of the squad.** ¡õ Nigel --- Order Neutral A wounded soldier who is not pitiful. 1st craft squad leader. He was born as the third son of a merchant and is rtively rare in the ck g Special Forces being able to perform literacy and arithmetic. He is not a soldier selected from the general soldiers, but from the new recruits of the logistics department, and although he was not the leader of the unit, he is well-liked by the soldiers because of his good-natured personality. He is an excellent soldier and a swordsman, and for someone who had never wielded a sword, he had made remarkable progress, but in the final battle of the civil war, he lost his left wrist. When he was looking for Elvena for paperwork, he encountered an assassin ruckus in the royal castle and immediately went to call for Krische. - ------Christand Military ¡õ Nozan Nerle Wolferinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic and the formermander of Christand Army First Corps. The Kingdom¡¯s current East General. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born into the same baron family as his superior, and he has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade Nozan to be a general whenever he had the chance. However, Nozan was concerned that the strength of the Christand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Christand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized. He cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. He has a simr temperament to Selene and is a serious and hard worker. When ites to Krische, he pays more attention to her than to anyone else, and there are many things that he¡¯s worried about, things that usually he doesn''t need to be worried about. He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and longsword. His skill in sword is about half that of Gildanstein, and he is also a versatile fighter with excellent wits and dexterity. Overall, he is the most outstanding general in the Kingdom¡¯s Army, with the exception of Krische. ? Battle Command Amander without any gap that possesses both rigidity and flexibility, he is capable of flexible tactical responses under any circumstances. Like Krische, he prefers "headhunting tactics" that emphasize the elimination of enemymanders, and in some cases, he may even lead his troops into enemy lines himself. He is skilled in psychological warfare and has mastered the art of attracting and manipting the enemy''s attention. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Eyebrows are well defined. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. Wine. Dislikes: Anything that mocked Bogan. Gildanstein. Concern: **How well he can do againstrge armies**. ¡õ Grunnmeld Rinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac with a scaryugh. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps, leader of the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. Woof Woof. Formerly a bandit, he built arge group of thieves with just one iron club and rampaged through the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom. During a fight with Gallen''s corps, sent to subdue them, he had a one-on-one battle with Nozan and was defeated. However, he epted Northern''s invitation to join him as a subordinate due to his strength. Initially, he nned to escape at the earliest opportunity, but he came to realize that the battlefield was where he wanted to be. Through his military exploits, he became Northern''s confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. Although he has a lively and refreshing personality, he won''t tolerate being mocked. ? Battle Command Adept at offensive tactics, he is themander of the ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯, a light infantry group that can be said to be the strongest in the Kingdom, especially when ites to frontal breakthroughs. He believes that "strength that cannot be demonstrated in actualbat is meaningless," and he trains his troops by repeating grueling groupbat training in the form ofpetitive matches, with almost no marching training. This also has the aspect of selection and sifting out those who do not meet his standards, thereby raising the quality of his soldiers to the highest level possible, and he always maintains his troops at near peak fighting ability. He is amander who shows unparalleled strength in attack, but his character is averse to defensive positions, he is not good at long battles. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. Deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful and lovely looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. It feels good to fight side by side with her. Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down on. Concern: Woof Woof. **Being forced to defensive battle, which is no fun.** ¡õ Sardin Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious and straitced man, Commander of the Verreich Army Second Corps, a soldier who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Granmeld in the Verreich army and is responsible for maintaining discipline within the army. He feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, which has dyed his advancement in rank. However, he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often admonishes Granmeld for his arbitrary actions. Although he may appear scary and strict, he is kind and loves children. ? Battle Command He is an intelligent general with a good bnce of offense and defense. Although hisbat skills themselves are not high, he has a brilliant mind and is particrly good at tactics where he readied his troops to stop the enemy to break through or detour. Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: Organizational management. Control (Regtion). Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children at the orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. Concern: Building a defense line around Wolfenheit. ¡õ Kolkis Nactra Rinea Agrand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. Commander of the Christand Army''s Second Corps. **Meow Meow.** After a losing battle with massive losses, he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier when he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. He was charmed with Gallen¡¯s and Bogan''s way of life and pledged his loyalty. Although he prefers basic tactics and is not fond of quirky strategies, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked for his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Due to his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. Due to his son''s betrayal, he has once again pledged allegiance to Selene, and has decided to fight under her umbre for the rest of his life. He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. ? Battle Command He values drills above all else and believes that the quality of his men will bring victory. He emphasizes individualbat ability and coordination, and he believes in maximizing the power of his soldiers by simplifying his orders. He crushes the opponent with an assaults that was originally impossible, and if he defend, he can easily repel the charge of arge army. In terms of the quality of the army as a whole, it can be said to be the best in the kingdom, but its movements are easy to read. Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: Genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. The strongest warrior in the kingdom. Strong points: Combat. Inspiring troops. Loud voice. Likes: Simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. **Concern: Meow Meow. Himself who is secretly enjoying going through the adversity together with Krische.** ? Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral Seems to be a man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, even in battlefield, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan''s highly regarded his defensive abilities. He was defeated by Gildanstein, who was dressed as Salva''s adjutant. His hobby is building shelves. ? Battle Command A master of field castle-building, he is amander who excels in defensive battles. Even in field battles on the ins, he devises theyout of the battlefield to create a line of soldiers that resembles a fortress. He is good at maneuvering and defending to lure the enemy into a position where he can turn the tables on them. His offensive tactics aren''t all that great, but they''re above the norm. Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous (precarious). Strong points: Field battle fortification. Defensivemand. Weekend carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fortress. Architecture. Woodworking (Do It Yourself; DIY). Dislikes: Unprepared sudden event. Concern: His adjutant defected to the enemy ¡õ Eluga Giglite Rinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate, and he was also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course, and those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, which results in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer anyway for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone of voice. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, Bogan, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all working toward the same goal. He loves (dotes on) Krische very much, and she is his joy in life these days. When he smiles wickedly without any reason, he is usually thinking of Krische. ?Battle Command Attacks, defenses, and engagement. He has extremely high tactical ability in all of them, especially in themand and management of soldiers, which is outstandingpared to others. Although he is a genius who can easily execute risky and deceptive measures, he believes that the simple movement of soldiers is the essence of tactics, and in training, he is most thorough in marching training, including assembly and dispersal. He is the type of fighter who overwhelms his opponents by umting small victories and gaining the upper hand, emphasizing the basics of parrying the enemy''s strong points and targeting only the weak. When ites to tactic he ispatible with Krische, and as a result it is easy for them to augment each other. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes. Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: Ipetence on the battlefield. Concern: **How to allocate and stabilize the military power of the entire kingdom.** ¡õ Quinez Nea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. He is the adjutant of 4th Corps Commander of the Christand army. He is a small, fat adjutant who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior, Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. He is the adjutant of the Central Independent Corps led by the assistant marshal, and although he has made a big step up from a mere adjutant corpsmander, he is unable to escape from Eluga and feels indescribable. ?Battle Command Having studied under Eluga for many years, he has excellent tactical skills and can adapt to any battle situation. He is a man of character who hates to take on too much and always puts his own safety first, but he is often asked to do reckless things by Eluga, who sees through his character, **his tactics be sharper the more danger he is in.** Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark grey flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superior is crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. Sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. **Concern: Haven''t been able to sleep welltely because his superiors have been working him too hard.** ¡õ Keith Sale Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn, man. First Corps Commander under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no particr outstanding abilities, he has a broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that Krische likes. During the civil war, he was given the corps with the equivalent authority of an adjutant and is now recognized as the first corpsmander, and his attitude toward Krische has softenedpared to before, when he felt that Krische disliked him. ?Battle Command Amander who has a broad vision and loses hisposure. He believes in umting small victories to win big victories, never taking on too much. He does not excel in anything in particr, but on the other hand, he has no weaknesses and can respond flexibly to any situation. He is often asked to take charge of a project because of his sense of safety and stability, which is favored by Krische. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. A cold-hearted person. She''s as childlike as she looks. Strong points: Command operation. Training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. Concern: How to evaluate Krische. ¡õ Varga Nea Kurtos --- Order Neutral A hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice. **The First Battalion Commander, who is equivalent to the First Corps Commander¡¯s adjutant under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** He hails from the same corps as Nozan Verreich. Hees from a lower-ss noble family and admires the Hero Bogan Christand, as well as Bogan''s daughter Selene. Although his abilities are excellent, his sense of justice is so strong that he cannot tolerate injustice and dislikes those who view soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, he pledges strong loyalty to Selene but does not get along well with Krische. A deep rift formed between him and Krische when Krische used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy while he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. Even now, not all of the fear and animosity he felt toward her at that time has disappeared, but after seeing her make Keith, themander of the Third battalion, her adjutant and then promoting him to the position ofmander of the First Corps, he is trying to rethink that that may not have been the result she wanted. Due to the shortage ofmanders, he is also the adjutantmander of the First Corps whilemanding the First Battalion of the First Corps. ? Battle Command A well-likedmander. Whenever he orders his soldiers to do something reckless, he makes no exception for himself and he spills blood along with them to inspire them. He has high individualbat ability and physical strength, and many soldiers are drawn in to him, so even if the soldiers are a new recruit, he raises their abilities and makes them achieve results through morale. He has a problem with Krische, their personality is like oil and water. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius, but without a human heart. A freak. Strong points: Inspiring (raising morale) troops. Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: Training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. Concern: About the human being, Krische. ¡õ Bagil Aronia Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type of man. **Commander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** He worked his way up from a single soldier. He was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkas. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. His ability is extremely excellent, and after joining the "Wolf Pack", he has fought tough battles on the front lines for many years without any major injuries and is a fierce fighter who has survived the battlefields of Hell, and is a powerful person who is just one step short of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but he is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. He was originallypetent enough to be appointed as amander of a corps, and was promoted tomander of the Third Corp in due course after the capture of Aurugorn Hilkintos. ?Battle Command Originally from the wolf pack and Granmeld¡¯s adjutant, he has a hedonistic nature and is abat maniac. He is a maniac who ys his enemies with augh, is skilled at cutting through gaps in his enemies, and is outstanding in his ability tomand melee battles. He prefers to fight using his mobility and is not motivated by defending his position. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who can cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs that he can see from her skirt. She is defenseless. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring troops. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Concern: Krische¡¯s unconscious fan-service mentality. Growing interest in garter belts, a fashionable undergarment. ¡õ Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. **The First battalionmander, who is equivalent to the adjutantmander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army.** A member of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkas, he has been a subordinate since their days as bandits. Like Granmeld, he is abat fanatic and enjoys risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He had fought against Krische during training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skills and decided to join the Christand Army with her. Instead of fighting to the death, he prefers topare skills and often challenges talented individuals to a match. Considering his past achievements, he could have been promoted tomander of the Fourth Corps, but he feels that he is not capable of such a promotion, and he wishes to work under his former superior, Bagil. ?Battle Command He prefers head-to-head battles above all else, and he likes pushing each other to the utmost of his strength. He likes the word "adversity," and the more he is backed into a corner, the more power he exerts, but he is not dodging (fend off) attacks. He is also good at disrupting the rear because of his background as a bandit. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her tactical skill. Strengths: Lorca style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). Weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. Concern: **that his superior, Bagil, has a serious, stern look on his face, but is actually concerned about the inside of Clich¨¦''s skirt.** ¡õ Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous-looking man who appears old. Commander of the Royal Archery Battalion under the direct control of the Alberinea Central Army. He hails from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. As a hunter whomands mainly archers, he is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. However, his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his intelligence andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious, and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter and is respected by the other battalionmanders of the First Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks jokes about anything, although sometimes they fall t. He has been promoted to the position ofmander of a battalion of archers under Krische¡¯s direct control, away from the chain ofmand of the various corps. ?Battle Command Does not overreach, but doesn''t miss opportunity. He is a simr type ofmander to Gallen, preferring ambush and surprise attacks and disliking head-on confrontations. He understands the tactical thinking of Krische, who is of hunter origin, and is an easy-to-use battalionmander for Krische. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword (dagger) technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. Fishing. Tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. Concern: Trying to make Krischeugh. Chapter 173.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 2) Chapter 173.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 2) ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 7 (Part 2)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 7 ? Died by the end of Arc 7 - ----Former Royal Prince Faction ? Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ? Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Concerns: None ¡õ Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his heart suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shervaza, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. In ce of Aurugorn Hilkintos, who died in the civil war, he is now entrusted as the West General of the Kingdom. ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. **Concerns: the troubles in Royal¡¯s territory.** ¡õ **Gertz Rinea Wiring** -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s former central general. Former Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. Originally, as a central general of the kingdom, he was just a general who followed Gildanstein, who was a marshal, and is now under house arrest because of his surrender. **He is currently under house arrest, having lost his administrative domain and had some of his personal property confiscated, but he epted the result, and Serene is considering having him teach at a military school once his mind and body have calmed down.** ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A ruthless killer. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. Concerns: Losing his meaning of life. - ----**Other Kingdom¡¯s Noble ¡õ Dougleen Nakul Dogalinea Garhka -- Chaos Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance. A General in the southern part of the Kingdom. A Duke. He was born as the eldest son of a noble family with royal blood, but he dislikes the noble way of being bound by various things, and spends his days drinking withmoners in bars. As a result, he was shunned by his father and was thrown into the battlefield at a young age in a state of partial disownment, but there he demonstrated a rare talent and rose to be a general entrusted with the southern part of the Kingdom. He loves the battlefield environment more than anything else, and he prefers drinking with his soldiers above all else. His personality, which doesn''t care about his social status, is well received by the soldiers, and they have a strong sense of loyalty to him. He has had several drinks with Orugan, the famous general of Gulshan who uses various beasts, and is his most important ymate, even though they are enemies. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. Although his rtionship with Gildanstein was not so bad, he was not interested in the civil war and refused to participate in it out of concern for Gulshan in the south and his debt to Christand in the war against the Holy Empire. ?Battle Command He is a fierce general who loves war itself and sometimes fights on the front lines himself to capture victory. His character as amander is simr to that of Kolkis, he values drills above all else and prefers straight-on, simple tactics. However, because he often has to deal with Gulshan, who handles a variety of beasts including elephants, unlike Kolkis, he does not incorporate much heavy infantry, but rather increases the ratio of light infantry to increase the ability to deal with various situations. Appearance: Hard ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr build of 6 shaku (~1.8 m). Bearded face. Armor: temail with lion carvings. ¡úKrische: A genius acknowledged by Christand. If can he wish she would be his son¡¯s bride. Strong points: Battle axe. Zain swordsmanship. Face-to-face confrontation. Likes: Sake. Woman. Battle. Personalbat. Elephant hunting. Dislikes: Opponents who avoid fighting head-on. Concerns: Being ordered to reduce the southern defensive line. ¡õ **Argosh Wikel Giterns -- Order Good Apetent but somewhat unhappy fatherly man. The Kingdom Marquis. He is the head of the venerable Giterns family, a civilian aristocrat who administers the northwestern part of the kingdom. The Giterns family is a family of academics, and he has studied economics and business since he was young, and since bing the head of the family, he has greatly developed the territory he has been entrusted with, and is known as an extraordinary astute man. He is vigorous in his work, and despite his position as a marquis, which is one of the highest in the region, he is willing to work hard, running around the estate all year round and not being at home for half of the year. He is a rare aristocrat who is sincerely respected as the people¡¯s ally, and there is even a song sung in his honor in Pirus, where he lives. However, he himself believes that this reputation is excessive, and his meticulousness in traveling around the countryside is a result of his understanding of his own shorings, that he is vulnerable to unexpected situations. He feels that the reason why he has to put so much effort into gathering information is because of his insecurity and his inability to make decisions without having a lot of information at hand. Due to his personality he is not suited for the battlefield at all, however he is a rare person as an internal politician. He is a rare loving husband, and their harmonious rtionship is well-known. He is surprisingly skilled with a sword. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Well-groomed beard. Armor: te mail engraved with numerous swords (a family heirloom, never worn). ¡úKrische: A beautiful princess. His daughter''s master. Natural disaster. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Negotiation. Arithmetic. Business. Likes: Wife. Daughter. Interacting with the people. Polishing heirlooms. Dislikes: Hisck of wit. Concerns: Krische, who showed up with a dragon and left after imposing unreasonable demands on him.** - ----Gulshan Republic ¡õ Orugan -- Neutral Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance No. 2. The vice-chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan. Former royalty. Although he was born into the Gulshan royal family, he disliked the widening disparity between rich and poor and the appearance of the royal family drowning in luxury, he stood up for the people and led a rebellion to establish a republic. Having given up his status and power as a member of the royal family and fought for the people, he was a hero of Gulshan and had the power to take over anything he wanted, but he turned down the offer to be chancellor because he felt he would lose his original ambition if he himself, as a royal, was in the highest position. His words were half true, but they weren''t correct, and there was a strong part of him that simply hated being tied down by authority. He preferred the battlefields where warriors fought with their pride above all else, and his subordinates, who knew him to be a war-mad maniac, believed that he rejected the position of chancellor because he didn''t want to miss the battlefields. Dougleen, a general in the southern part of the kingdom, is his favorite opponent, but their sympathetic upbringing and personalities make them friends, and they drink with each other after every skirmish. However, they are war fanatics, and once they get into a fight, they can smile and kill each other. ?Battle Command He is a masterfulmander of elephants and other beast soldiers in the army. He prefers a bold head-on breakthrough by disrupting the enemy line with an elephant, but if that does not work, he will use surprise, ambush, or any other means to win the battle. He believes that war is fought to win, and he uses all kinds of tactics to hunt down his enemies, but he does not surprise attack (foul y). He is a hero in Gulshan, and his army maintains extremely high morale, even among conscripts. Appearance: Stiff ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build of less than six shaku. Bearded. Hairy. Sweaty. Tanned skin. Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: The opponent who reminded him of the fear that was about to be forgotten. A great enemy. Strong points: Great curved swordsmanship. Operation of beast soldiers. Likes: Drinking. Fighting. Personalbat. Strong man. Dislikes: surprise attack (foul y). Concerns: Himself who get excited against a monster. ¡õ Salvag -- Neutral Neutral A hard-working man with a very difficult boss. He is the chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Gulshan. Formerly a shoemaker. He used to be the son of a humble shoemaker, but when his young sister was killed by a nobleman, he swore revenge and joined the rebel army. He had never held a sword before, but his prodigious talent with the sword awakened on the battlefield, and he became the head of the Gulshan army and itsmander countless times on the front lines. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. He is mild-mannered and does not like to do rough things, but he has sworn allegiance to Orugan, who rebelled against and defeated the royal family and nobles of the time, and after the war, he continues to work to support Orugan as he has done before. He is a man of ordinary appearance andcks ir, but he has a brilliant mind and can speak fournguages other than his nativenguage Shaan. ?Battle Command Although he is more gifted as amander of a century than as amander of arge army, he ispetent enough tomand and operate an army. He usually spends most of his time as Orugan¡¯s assistant and bodyguard, which gives him a wide field of vision. He hates to see his troops die in vain and is cautious by nature, but when he leads his own troops, he shows a different kind of aggression. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Bearded. Thin face (presence). Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: An amazing girl who cleaned her hands in front of other dignitaries after shaking their hands. A skilled swordsman. She has overwhelming military strength. Strong points: Curved sword swordsmanship. Shoe maintenance. Likes: Sweet food. Self-discipline. Dislikes: nobility. **Concerns: How to get Krische away from Orugan.** ¡õ **Gal Bilkace -- Order Good He is an experienced and sensiblemander. He is the captain of the main army of the Republic of Gulshan and Commander of the Ground Dragon Cavalry. He was born into a noble family that produced the best of Gulshan¡¯s cavalry during the Kingdom of Gulshan and lived afortable life, but he could not stand the corruption of the royal family and nobility, so he joined Orugan for the people. He is renowned as themander of the rebel army''s ground dragon cavalry, and in the civil war, he personally killed his own brother, who was themander of the kingdom''s ground dragon cavalry. His achievements and character have earned him the respect of the ruling ss, even among themoners in the military, despite his former noble status, and he is respected as the legitimate leader of the noble. ?Battle Command He has a deep knowledge of the operation of the earth dragon cavalry, and is tactful and flexible in his thinking. Because hemands expensive cavalry, he basically avoids overreaching and strives to maintain his forces, but hismanding nature is more suited to attack, and he is also good at feats of strength, such as sessfullyunching a seemingly foolhardy assault. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Dark skin. Beard. Chiseled face. Armor: te mail that represents a dragon with its mouth open.. ¡úKrische: A transcendent outside of the ordinary. A monster among monsters. Strong points: Cavalry spearmanship. Curved sword swordsmanship. Likes: Polishing the scales of sand lizards. Sword collection. Dislikes: nobility. Those conceited in their authority. Concerns: Facing monsters a never seen before monster.** - ----**Kreisharana ¡õ Alkierence Sharana -- Neutral Good A chief who loves Holy Spirit. He is the chief of the Kreisharana tribe. He is a powerful man who once held the position of warrior chief of Kreisharana, and was appointed as the chief by his predecessor and elder, Beekirs, and became the chief of the tribe. It seems that the other warriors had no objection to him bing the n leader, as he was a man of character as well as his skill, and he was promoted smoothly without being challenged to a duel for the position. Although he no longer wields a spear for hunting, he is still the top-ranking warrior in Kreisharana, and there are only a few people who can exchange spears with him properly. He is always thinking about the future of the vige and is a pacifist in Kreisharana. In its current form, he believes that it is impossible for Kreisharana to continue to exist, and he is seeking a new path while respecting the customs of the past. For this reason, he has made efforts to improve his rtionship with Arna since bing chief, and is not well-liked by the conservatives, with the exception of Beekirs. If the Kreisharana customs, which ce emphasis on improving the individual, are truly good, they will remain in the future even if it wasn¡¯t forced. However, the arrival of Krische, who was born in the kingdom that was supposed to be covered in conceit and falsehood, but is superior to anyone else as an individual, made him feel a new winding Sensing a new wind, he decided to re mend rtionship the kingdom and began steering toward a new future. ?Battle Command Through years of experience, he understands the strengths and weaknesses of the griffin cavalry and is skilled in the art of unterally defeating opponents from an advantageous position. The tactics of avoiding danger and unterally aiming for the enemy''s life are not very interesting, but for them, fighting is hunting. He values the idea that hunters should be as calm as possible, rather than something that should be enjoyed, and the calmness that allows him to do this can be said to be his strength. Appearance: Shaved head. Brown eyes. Muscr. A face with deep wrinkles. A rich white beard. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior who has attained the Holy Spirit with the body of a man. The embodiment of Kreisharana¡¯s ideal. A frightening girl who spouts nothing but verbal gaffe. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Taijutsu. Likes: Honey. Training. Dislikes: Lazy. Concerns: What will happen to Kreisharana? ¡õ Vinthril Sharana -- Neutral Good A seeker-type boy who loves warriors. Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior. The warrior chief candidates are made up of 12 people selected by rmendation from warriors who have been recognized for their ability and personality, and the one whopetes in martial arts andes out on top bes the chief warrior. He is the son of the current tribe chief Alkierence and holds the position of Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior, but that position is not hereditary and is based on his ability. He can be said to be the best warrior in Kreisharana, both in name and reality, and is respected by the warriors. He has a beautiful and good-looking lover, whom he has promised to marry after this battle, and her father has repeatedly threatened to kill him if he makes his daughter unhappy, even if he is dead. Having grown up under Alkierence, he has simr views about Kreisharana and hopes that the restoration of diplomatic rtions with the kingdom will bring about a new future for them. Quite a siscon. ?Battle Command He excels at instantaneous decision-making and is good at three-dimensional griffin cavalry operations. Compared to Alkierence, he has defeated countless Suiko through aggressive tactics, such as using decoys and taking out opponents from behind. If Alkierence is a hunter, his thinking is simr to that of a military man, and rather than relying entirely on the beast, he often uses the griffin as a strategy piece. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Tall and muscr. Well-rounded face. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior recognized by the Holy Spirit. The pinnacle to aim for. Sloppy in various way. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Swordsmanship. Likes Dueling. Training. Little sister. Dislikes: Not formed abs. Concerns: how well they can fight on the battlefield for the first time in hundreds of years. ¡õ Lira Sharana -- Chaos Good An easy mark girl from the countryside who is confused by the city breeze. She is the Holy Priestess of Kreisharana. She is the miko of Kreisharana who devotes herself to the Holy Spirit, and a priestess in the service of the Holy Spirit Yagernaus. She is a girl who is religiously equal or superior to the Miko Princess of the Arna Imperial State, and is treated with the same respect from the priests of the Arna Imperial State. In Kreisharana, however, she works and lives as any other woman would, due to the unique custom that "women are one who bring fruit¡±. The miko of the Holy Spirit is a prestigious role, but it is not a particrly rewarding one, and she devotes her life to the Holy Spirit and Kreisharana. Though there aren''t many people who truly want to be the mino, after losing her mother at an early age and being cared for by the priestess who preceded her, she decided to take over after her death. Although many people, especially boys her own age, desperately tried to stop her from making such decision at a young age, she herself is satisfied with her current position as the mother of Kreisharana, just like the miko before her. She speaks thenguage of the ins fluently and has an excellent intellect, but she is less cautious and insensitive to her own charms. She is somewhat like a certain adjutant in that she is somewhat out of it, but the costumes she wears, the feminine charm she possesses, and her naivete and unquestioning nature make her a dangerous girl in more ways than one. Somewhat a brocon. Appearance: ck hair in braids that hangs over her shoulders. Brown eyes. A toned body. Quiet arge breasts. Pretty. Armor: Overly exposed wraps and loincloth.. ¡úKrische: A pure person. Very beautiful and lovely. Marveled that this kind of skinship is normal in the kingdom. Strong points: Taking care of griffins. Collecting fruits. Likes: Delicious food. Washing. Older brother. Dislikes: thug. Concerns: her brother and warriors on the battlefield. Since she came to the kingdom, she has a bellyache. ¡õ Vervas -- Neutral Good I''m a warrior type of guy. Chief Guardian of Kreisharana. A warrior who was chosen as a candidate for warrior chief upon the appointment of Alkierenceas chief. At one time, he was considered a sure-fire for chief warrior, but was defeated in a duel with Vinthril and became the chief guardian. If the best warrior in Krei Sharana is the Chief Warrior, then the next best warrior is the Chief Guardian. It is a prestigious position, the gatekeeper of the path to the Holy Spirit, and he is not dissatisfied with the position, partly because it was the result of a duel, and now he and Vinthril have a private and public rtionship. However, perhaps because of their rtionship, his beloved daughter, who he dotes on, has developed a crush on Vinthril, andtely he has been poking Vinthril as a thief who is trying to steal her daughter away from him. ?Battle Command Like Alkierence, he operates with a focus on the Griffin''s flight characteristics above all else, and has a cold-hearted attitude that focuses only on pure victory rather than apetition of skills. Though he prefers fair battles, as he is in a position where he cannot afford to lose, he ces emphasis on winning and does not go on adventures. Although hismand ability is not outstanding, his individual ability is high, and in a fight between a small number of people, he will be able to utilize that strength to gain the upper hand from beginning to end. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. A rugged yet well-groomed face. Scar on cheek. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A great warrior. A transcendent person who he can¡¯t reach. A strange girl. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Taijutsu. Archery. Likes: Contest skill. Training. Warrior. Daughter. Dislikes: Bug (around his doughter). Concerns: He doesn¡¯t want Vinthril to die, but he also has a feeling in his heart that he want Vinthril to die.** - ----Arna Imperial State ¡õ Miko (Shrine Maiden) Princess -- Order Neutral A woman dressed as a young beautiful girl in a see-through costume. Leader of the Arna Imperial State. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom but does not consider it important in and of itself and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Public Face. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. **Concerns: the uproar that the Holy Spirit''s visit the royal capital.** ¡õ Zanalibea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big, sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of Kreschenta rtionship with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. Krische ¡ú A girl who exudes the power to push through the impossible. Sweet tooth. A sweet Cursed Child. Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. **Concerns: Krische, who is said to have made a pact with the Holy Spirit.** - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Concerns: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he Concerns about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: ouws. Concerns: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Although she learns the truth about the past because of Krische¡¯s returns, she understands that she couldn''t hold a grudge against Krische, and she still shows Krische, unchanging love on behalf of Grace and the others. Krische had already be such an existence for G. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. **Concerns: the war looming over the kingdom once again.** ¡õ Pell --Neutral Good Boy whose first love is Krische. Kalka''s vignte group. A boy who loved Krische as "the neighborhood''s beautiful One-san". Krische¡¯s character was quite different from others, but he took good care of her and honestly liked her. Whenever Krische shows up at the vignte training, he always gave her sword lessons, and after she left, he realized that it had been a faint first love. His dream is to be a soldier and be a hero, but he eventually gives up after his childhood girl friend cried and he will probably lead a peaceful life as the leader of the vignte group in the vige of Kalka, that kind of boy. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Quote a good face. ¡úKrische: A beautiful neighborhood girl. His first love. Very strong. Quite different from others. Strong points: Swordsmanship. Brawl. Likes: self-discipline (self-improvement). Heroic stories. Dislikes: Bandits. Adults who made Krische as the bad guy. Concerns: love at first sight for Bery. - ----Others ? Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Concerns: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. Worry: Although his skill is not dull, he is physically old. ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Profit-driven business. Concerns: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Chrissie, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Kreschenta was her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Concerns: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. ¡õ Vanate Faren¨C Chaos Good Nosy, rtives woman type. Margrave Faren''s wife. Eluga''s wife. She was born into a powerful noble family. She is beautiful and above average in everything she does. She is a woman of talent and beauty, but she is very strong-willed and dislikes the closed-mindedness characteristic of noble society, and perhaps because of her birth, she is very strong-minded and idealistic. Because of that, she was sent back after three days from where she married and was treated as a tumor in her parents'' house. Her brother was a corpsmander in the same army as Eluga, but he disliked him, and out of rivalry with him, he took a solo action that was close to viting an order, and as a result, he fell into a dangerous situation and was saved by him. However, at that time, he resented the fact that he had been judged ipetent because of that and worked to block Eluga¡¯s career¨D¨DKnowing that fact, Vanate personally went to Eluga and apologized to him. Because of that connection with him, She was intrigued by Eluga¡¯s face and gentle nature, which was different from what she had heard about him and visited him every once in a while. At some point, she realizes that it has turned into love and presses him to marry her. Eluga refused saying that the age difference is too big, and that her house wouldn¡¯t allow it, but she threatened that if she was rejected by a man with an evil appearance like Eluga, it would be a shame for life, and that she wouldmit suicide, and so she married him forcefully. Although she was disowned after a dispute with her brother who inherited the family, she herself is satisfied and doesn''t particrly care. She often hurls harsh words at Eluga without any reservation, but that was just her not being able to be honest in truth she has a strong affection for him, and she basically respects his opinion whenever there is a dispute. She is prouder than anything that she was able to achieve a love marriage, and her hobby is to meddle here and there about how a marriage should be and is a walking marriage counselor. She also matched Berry''s older sister Lazura in personality and got along well with her. Appearance: Long, graceful blonde hair. Brown eyes. Slender and tall. Normal breasts. A beautiful woman with tight proportion who is beginning to show some signs of aging. ¡úKrische: A young beautiful girl that her husband seems to be taken to. She has an air of more than just being on good terms with Bery. Strong points: Quibbles. Love Consultation. Likes: Love consultation. Love story. Dislikes: Restrictions that bind emotions. Concerns: Her son cries every time he sees Eluga¡¯s face. It''s even worse because he''s been making difficult faces all the timetely. ¡õ **Koza¨C Neutral Good A strong cksmith type man. Former subordinate of Gallen. He is a certified cksmith in Christand. Originally the only son of a cksmith, he joined the army to rebel against his strict father. He served under Gallen in several battles, but was wounded in the leg during one of them and discharged from the army after suffering a permanent injury. His final rank was corporal. He used to be a rowdy and violent person and was beaten up several times by Garren, but he feels a strong debt of gratitude to him because Gallen saved him many times when he was in danger. When he returned to his parents after suffering a permanent injury, the tears of relief shed by his strict father made him decide to take over the family business, and he has been training diligently ever since. Taking advantage of his experience on the battlefield, many of his swords are particrly focused on ease of handling and sturdiness, and although they are not shy, they are of very high quality, perhaps due to his natural talent. He and Bogan, who had just joined the military at the time, did not have a very deep rtionship as they had mostly reced each other, but theyter deepened their rtionship after being introduced to him by Gallen. Bogan, Nozan, Selene''s sword, Kolkis¡¯s iron spear, Grunmeld¡¯s war club, and other weapons of the Christand warriors are often struck by Koza. The small sword that Gallen wields was the first sword his father recognized, and even now, decadester, he still uses it with great care. Although he feels that his son Kays has more talent than him, hecks motivation and is troubled by memories of his former father''s rtionship with him. However, perhaps because of Krische, he¡¯s relieved that he seems to have started to get more enthusiastic about it recently after seeing his new swing, which can be said to be the culmination of his life. Appearance: Bald. Sharp brown eyes. Large and muscr. Stubble beard and his right shoulder is bulged with muscles ¡úKrische: His benefactor''s granddaughter. A girl with an unusual sword skill. The person to whom he gave the best swing of his life. Strong points: weapon smithing. fight. Likes: Sparks. Forging. Dislikes: Craftsmanship that ignores practicality. Concerns: Will he be able to pass on all of my skills to his son.** - ----Creatures ? Regve -- Chaos Neutral An ancient dragon that used to be talked about a lot. Regve of Arbyagel. Yagernaus. A survivor of a race of dragons that once swept the world. In the ancient territorial wars, or dragon wars, they killed many dragons and spread their blood all over thend Since there are no more dragons left to fight for territory, and everyone has grown bored of fighting and moved away, he now stays in Arbyagel to watch the world change. He is rtively close to people among dragons, and although he could be said to be an oddity among dragons, more or less all dragons surviving today spend their time in this way. As a dragon, he is also highly intelligent, but due in part to his original abilities, he does not make much use of them, and is content to devote his days to philosophical questions and answers. Treated as a pervert by Krische because of his strange propensity tough while being impaled on a spear. Appearance: Reddish-purple eyes. Rocky blue-gray scales. A huge body equalinga castle. Huge bat-like wings. ¡úKrische: A small but arrogant and pleasant one. A contractor. Observation target. Strong points: Emission of magic power. Likes: contemtion. Observation. asional little one that is outstanding. Dislikes: things that disturb contemtion. Things that bother him. Concerns: the existence of aplete dragon. ¡õ Bururun -- Order Evil Loyal, rampaging horse boy. Horse. A horse chosen by Krische as a recement for her foot because it isrge and seems to have a certain amount of strength. Originally owned by the Christand army, he was a rough and difficult horse to handle, but now he is owned by the Christand family because he has taken to Krische so well. Rather than being violent, he is smart and calm, but he seems to be particr about how he is touched and how well he is cared for, and he is very sensitive, and has very strong likes and dislikes. Although he has badbability with Selene who has a rough personality, , but treated with respect, he will easily be attached. He is a fine horse with a strong and seemingly inexhaustible physical strength, and can run as if flying, but he does not have many opportunities to make use of this strength. His temperament is more suited to being used as a fast horse than as a warhorse. His recent favorites are Berry and Elvena, who often take care of him and let him walk around the royal territory. He became a hot topic as a horse that galloped with Krische during Selene''s predicament, and is not aware that the spring mating festival wasing up. Appearance:rge stature. fawn color. Long mane. ¡úKrische: A two legged that sure know how to touch him. Feed him a lot and take care of him. Strong points: Running. Likes: Walking. Brushing. To challenge the limits. Dislikes: Sloppy two legged. Worry: Thoroughgoingly happy. ¡õ Gururun ¨C Chaotic Neutral A cat type girl who is used to people. Suiko. A Suikp from Arbyagel, a Suiko who was fed by Krische and became attached to her. She has lived afortable life in Arbyagel and has grown up happily andfortably, and even for a green tiger, she is ratherrge and highly intelligent. Perhaps because she was in a position of absolute power in a rich environment, it has never been hungry and is extremely wary of a wild beast. While gorging on the carcass and entrails of the Suiko left uneaten by Krische, she was following her scent out of territorial instinct, but the mystery deepens as fresh meat is offered one after another. What was left behind, moreover, was the most delicious offal. She wonders if this might have been left for her, and when she catches up with Cliche, she finds that she is also being offered the entrails of an Ranka. After getting her clear answer, she decides to work with the mysterious two-legged meat provider Krische. She seems to be enjoying the environment that somehow provides her with meat even though she does not hunt, and is very satisfied with her current life. Appearance: Green body hair with ck vertical stripes. A huge tiger with eight-shaku shoulders. ¡úKrische: Two legged that for some reason feed her. A Honorary Suiko. Tickles her maternal instinct. Strong points: Hunting. Likes: Walking. Sleeping. Eating. Dislikes: Her prey being snatched. Concerns: She has been eating and sleeping a lottely, so her body is heavy. ? Alcazaris ¨C Neutral Neutral A monstrous girl who came out to be killed. An Elephant magical beast. An elephant magical beast that was identally born in the process of elephant breeding in Gulshan. It was once used by the rebels in the civil war in the Kingdom of Gulshan, and was one of the reasons for the rebels'' victory. It was named Alcazaris, "the one thatid waste to everything," Because of its appearance of trampling and crushing the lines of battle, and after the war, it lived peacefully in the back for breeding. Tearful trial and error was made to create a special pedestal for the male elephants to hoist them up for breeding, but the breeding did not go well partly because of her huge size, and seven of them died rousing her anger, and dozens of people also deaths. Because of such damage, the elephants were pulled to the front by the order of Orugan, who saw no reason to save her for the decisive battle against the kingdom, but she was killed instantly by Krische spear throws. It was a monster that would have performed well in a battle without Krische, but in the face of Krische, who had fight against a dragon, it was only arge, pitiful beast. Appearance: Green eyes. Deep blue-gray skin. A huge body that could easily fill a two-story mansion. Long fangs and snout. ¡úKrische: Don¡¯t know. Strong points: Back kick. Stomping. Likes: Eating. Dislikes: Mating. Concerns: something flying over here¨D¨D.** Chapter 174: Magical Girl Magicalâ˜†Bery Reincarnation Chapter 174: Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation ***Arc 7 One Who Bare Their Fang on Reason, Chapter 174 Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation*** A/N: Due to the difficulty of describing war scenes and the fact that cruel scenes are not good for education, "A Girl''s Unwanted Heroic Tale" has been discontinued. Please enjoy "Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation" starting April 1st. ...It¡¯s silly April Fool''s joke. There will be character breakdowns, so please skip if you are concerned about it. It''s an autumn day just before the school festival. Selene was on her way home from the student council. Sparse clouds and a cold silver moon. After passing through a quiet, unpopr residential area, on her left she saw a park, thickly overgrown with trees, that looked a little eerie at night. She usually walk quickly through here every day, as she didn''t like to walk through this ce but, "¨D¨DI am the one who will destroy the rampant evil. Magical Girl, Magical Bery present!" Familiar voices and words. That was the reason why Selene went to the park that day. ¡°Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation¡± Prologue On the carpet in Selene''s room. Sitting in seiza while wearing a frilly pink Gothic Lolita costume was Selene''s aunt, and also house helper, who worked in the house, Arga Bery (28). In her right hand was what looks like to be a strange pink magical girl stick, and her skirt only reach above her thighs¨D¨Da strangely revealing outfit. The cleavage peeking out from her ample bosom and her well-developed thighs might be looked at favorably by her big friends, but they are quite revealing, to say the least. It was a rather painful costume for someone who was close to turning 30 to wear. "Ah, um, Ojou-sama...I''d like to get changed for now..." "Just leave it until we finish talking. You''re wearing it because you like it right?" "Uuu..." Dressed in such a costume, her face bright red and her eyes moist. A pretty aunt who looks younger than Selene depending on how you look at her, but in truth she¡¯s 28 years old. No matter how favorably you look at her, she was not at the age to be allowed to dress up as a magical girl and y in the park. ¨D¨DIt was a grave situation. The thought of the neighbors seeing her strange behavior sends a chill down her spine. The sight of her running around the park waving magical girl stick and shouting "magical spice" and "magical frying pan" at the top of her lungs into the void of nothingness was nothing short of crazy. No matter how she looked at it, it was clear that her head wasn''t in the right ce. "Bery, I too think I''m causing you trouble. Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re stressed...I think it''s my fault for relying on you for everything." She sighed and messaged her forehead. Bery became Selene''s guardian after Selene''s mother passed away at an early age. Selene also knew that this was the reason why she who is at the age to find partner as soon as possible had not had a boyfriend, nor had married. "And I don''t intent to criticize your hobby itself." "Um, Ojou-sama..." It was true that she had been spoiled by Bery''s kindnessshe was surprised that Bery would wore such a costume and yed at being a magical girl to rx, but everyone has a secret or two that they can''t tell others. She didn''t scorn her for that, and it didn''t change her feelings towards her at all, but. "...say it honestly. Have you been posting weird pictures on yourputer, or... having your picture taken while being dressed like that¨D¨D" "I-I didn''t!" That she wasn''t satisfied with just having fun at home and then crossing a line. She was worried about that. Berry, who she looked up to as an older sister, was so stressed out that she might have done something irreversible. "Really? On theputer, uh, esenes (SNS)... that kind of erotic photo like that..." "I didn''t, Ojou-sama misunderstood... no, that''s not true. It''s really not like that..." Hearing her denial, Selene looked straight at Bery. ¡°...if it''s not like that, then what is it? To put it mildly, Bery, what you were doing was insane. ¡°ts...¡± Bery¡¯s eye swam around. And as she looks into space, she begins to whisper to someone "Mr. Crescenta, are you sure? ...Huh? But...at this rate, I''m going to look like a pervert...Um, Ojou-sama is tight-lipped so..." ¡®¨D¨DAh, this is really dangerous.¡¯ Selene was convinced. After cosying and pretending to be a magical girl in the park, she now chat with imaginary friends. Perhaps, without Selene''s knowledge, she had gone into territory that should not be entered. Various regrets crossed her mind. ¡®Why didn''t I realize this earlier?¡¯¨D¨DSelene immediately hugged her body. "O-Ojou-sama...?" "...I''m sorry, Berry. I didn''t know that I pushed you so hard...I''m so sorry." She''s beautiful, cute, and the older sister she admired. She was surely the one who made her like this. "Ojou-sama, really it¡¯s a misunderstanding¨D¨D" "It¡¯s fine! Look, I''ll skip school tomorrow and go together with you. So let¡¯s go to the hospital together, okay?" "Uh... b-but... that''s..." "They say it takes courage to admit something like that... but it''s okay. I¡¯m on your side. We''ll be together for years¨D¨D" As she spoke, a bright light filled the room. ¡®eh?¡¯ Selene closed and, "W-what are you doing!? I don''t give you permission!" "B-but, Crescenta-sama, I''m really at my limit in this situation..." "What limit! It''s the worst! I can''t believe I''m showing my noble figure to such a lowly creature!" When she opened her eyes, she saw a small butterfly¨D¨Dor rather, something fairy-like. Her small, palm-sized body was wrapped in a dress, and her golden hair sparkled red. The mysterious creature buzzes in front of Berry''s face like a fly, raising her eyebrows and letting out a high-pitched voice as if she''s having a tantrum. "Ah, uh...? Berry?" "I-I''m not cosying or pretending to be a magical girl. I-I''m really a magical girl who fights evil..." "Ah! You said it! You broke your promise of absolute secrecy! You''re disqualified as a magical girl! I won''t forgive you at all¨D¨DMugu!?" Bery grabbed the fairy-like girl and sighed as she watched her flutter and struggle. Then she turned her gaze to Selene. ¡°It would take a little longer if I talked about it, but¡¡± The story goes back fourteen years ago, right around the time Selene was born. When Bery was 14 years old, Kreschenta, a princess from a fairnd, suddenly visited her. Bery was asked by her to be a magical girl in order to stop the ambitions of the Demon King Gilgil, who nned to take the life of the Fairy King and invade the fairy world and earth. After that, it was a long and hard battle¨D¨Dit was good that she managed to seal Gilgil with the magical power given to her by Kreschenta, but a few days ago, Kreschenta appeared before her again, this time as the queen of the fairy kingdom. It seems that the heart of evil is spreading in the fairy kingdom and the seal of the Demon King is about to be broken. At the same time, demons born from evil minds began to appear in the human world again, and the cadres of the Demon Lord, the Seven Pirs of Evil, led the minds of the humans on earth to evil, and by their power, the seal of the Demon Lord was¨D¨D "Y-yeah... that''s enough. I''m kind of full." "I-I''m not talking about this because I like it either...I mean, when I was fourteen, I did feel a bit of a sense of mission, but..." Bery lowers her face in deep embarrassment and speaks in a voice that seems to be dying down. Fairynd, demon lord, seal, heart of evil. It was certainly an impactful word for a woman in her early thirties to say. "All this is because you put the seal on randomly. It''s all, all your fault!" "...I''m sorry. This shouldn''t have happened." A flying insect that went on a rampage and slipped out of Berry''s hands¨D¨DNo, Kreschenta, the queen of fairnd, said that. It was a bossy creature as if showing she¡¯s angry. "Well, putting aside whether I believe it or not...do you have any idea why the seal has been loosened?" "No. It''s because some ipetent person with such big breasts cut corners." "Haa... I havebined the powers of the people of the fairnd and sealed away the Demon King Gilgil. Unless Kreschenta-sama and I have an evil heart, the seal will never be broken. but¡¡" "Evil heart..." Staring at Kreschenta, Selene frowned. "...What is that? You''re a hundred years too early to be sneaking a peek at my beautiful face you inferior creature. How rude." Rather, does this creature really have a heart of justice that does not tolerate evil? It may look beautiful, but there was an ugly creature there. No matter how she look at this insect, it didn¡¯t look like a benevolent creature. ¡°Um, what exactly is an evil heart?¡± "Ah, you see, it¡¯s so-called seven deadly sins. Pride, anger, jealousy,ziness, greed, gluttony, lust..." ¡°¡Magical Berry, I wonder if you still have more hospitality to offer to me than to talk about such nonsense.¡± "Ah, sorry. Um... is this okay?" Bery takes out a bag of homemade cookies from her pocket and hands them to Kreschenta. Kreschenta frowned displeasedly at her. ¡°Are you saying to cut it and eat it by myself?¡± "No. Um..." Bery broke a cookie that was bigger than her face into small pieces and ced it near Kreschenta¡¯s mouth. Kreschenta took it in her most grumpy manner, puffing out her cheeks like a hamster. ¡°Mugu, today is not too bad considering you are so ipetent...¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s good.¡± Berry continues feeding, and Selene looks at the insect in astonishment. It seems very bossy. Angry. It seems like she has aplex about her chest. She lookszy. She is also a glutton. "Also, tomorrow instead of hunting small fish, we''ll go hunting for big game." ¡°Eh, um¡ it would be better if we reduced their strength a little more.¡± ¡°The Fairy Broadcast I run will be on camera tomorrow. If we don''t show some of your sess, the sponsors won''t give us the budget. I''m taking the trouble to use you as a magical girl, so I need to earn some money now...¡± That is greed. "Is there a camera again? Um, to be honest, I get so anxious when they fly around my feet that I can''t concentrate on the fight..." ¡°What are you talking about? You''re not the only magical girl. It''s already been said that the seal is about to break due to the failure of Queen Alberan and Magical Berry. You need to add a little more sex appeal to attract people''s attention to Magical Bery...it''s just a showcase for your useless fat.¡± "Y-you..." "...I think I''ll improve the magical battle dress a little more so it''s more exposed." "...Kreschenta-sama, if it gets too bad, I won''t fight, okay?" Pride, anger, envy, sloth, greed, and gluttony. The insect has six of the seven¨D¨D "...Bery, isn''t this child''s evil heart a Richi?" (Richi: mahjong term 1 tile away from winning) "Ah, now that you said it..." "If we get rid of this kid for now...uh, what was it, the evil something something executives, won¡¯t they also disappear¨D¨D" "Please don''t say something stupid! Where is there evil heart in¨D¨D" In a panic, Kreschenta jumped up to the ceiling in an attempt to escape. ¡°Selene, is Bery here too?¡± At that moment, it was her step sister, Krische, who opened the door and peeked in. She shook her beautiful silver hair and tilted her head, looking at her and then at Bery. And her gaze fell on Kreschenta flying through the sky. She stared at Crescenta. Kreschenta also stiffened and stared at Krische. "...Why, is Onee-sama" ¨D¨DThe winged insects were stunned. The look on her face was one of bewilderment. She had thought it looked like someone, but when she take a closer look, she saw that her face looked just like Krische, and Bery tilted her head to the side, looking at her face. And what did she mean by Onee-sama? ¡°Ahh, and here Krische thought what the fuss is about...¡± Krische, who was staring intently at the insect, pped her hands and smiled. ¡°¨D¨DOnee-sama!!¡± In response, Kreschenta pped her wings wide and headed toward the Krische with her arms outstretched. "Please wait a moment. Krische''ll bring it right away." However, the door mmed shut in front of her, ¡°Ugh!?¡± ¨D¨DKreschenta crashes into her door and falls, clutching her forehead and rolling around on her ground. Thet could hear the pitter-patter of Krische¡¯s footsteps on the other side of her door. "K-Kreschenta...Are you okay?" In a hurry, Bery gently lifts her body with both of her hands, and Kreschenta presses her forehead, revealing her confusion as her eyes water. "W-why is Onee-sama mixed in with lower creatures...?" ¡°Umm... Onee-sama, do you mean Krische-sama...?¡± "That''s her name here, isn''t it? She''s my estranged sister who was banished from the fairnd... I never thought she''d be degraded and be a lower creature called a human..." "...You''ve been making a fuss about lower creature for a while now. If you say that, aren''t you just like an insect?" Kreschenta jumped from Bery''s hands and red at Selene with her purple eyes. "I felt like I heard something that shouldn''t have been said. Insects...did you say?" "Who else is there other than you in this room?" "O-Ojou-sama... please calm down. Kreschenta-sama too..." "Shut up, Magical Berry. I have to make this rude person understand a little more about her position." The wind swirled around Kreschenta like a fan, and a kind of static electricity fluttered through the air. When Selene stretched out her fingers, her fingers tingled a little. She stares at it in pure admiration, wondering if she can use something like magic¨D¨Dbut before she can do anything, the door opened again. ¡°O-Onee-sama¡!?¡± Crescenta noticed this and panicked, stopping the wind and electricity, and looked behind her. Krische, holding a can, gazed at the insect that seemed to be her younger sister, ¡°It¡¯s a strange insect.¡± There was no emotion there, and she was casual. She sprayed the insecticide she brought at the insects. And so the world bes peaceful... ¡°Kreschenta, don''t you usually think about all kinds of nasty things?" ¡°Uh...I didn¡¯t think about anything like that. How dare you ask a question to the Queen of Fairnd, you lowly¨D¨DNo, no, no, no, you can''t push that strange can! ¡± "That''s strange, the seal shouldn''t be broken unless our hearts are filled with the seven evils but...I have no idea either¨D¨D" "Ehehe, what''s wrong? Berry" "N-no, but..." "Wait a minute, you''re reacting very suspiciously." ¨D¨DNo way that would happen. This was the beginning of a long and painful battle for Selene and the others. "¨D¨DI am the one who will destroy the rampant evil. Magical Girl, Magical Bery present!" "Um, ehehe...Magical Girl, Magical Krische present." "...Ma-Maho Shojo...Majikaru Selene, present..." ¡°Magical Selene, your voice is so small! How many times do you think I exined to you that the loudness of your shouting voice and your willpower change into strength!¡± "Uh, shut up! You should just shut up!" Krische¡¯s voice saying that she can''t let Bery do such dangerous thing alone. As a result of this, Selene also bes a magical girl, "Hahaha, are you guys the rumored Magical Alberan? I''m one of the Seven Sins, ¡®Gluttony¨D¨D¡± "Magical Byunbyun" ¡°Guh!?¡± "O-Onee-sama you can¡¯t do that! The rule is that you have to listen carefully when they say their name! ...Please stop the camera for a moment." "...Is that the rule?" "That''s right. And if you don''t make it look like you''re struggling a little, the audience ratings... No, right, the final blow to this boss shouldn¡¯t be by a former fairydy but the human Magical Bery and Magical Selene. Otherwise, it won''t count as having defeated.¡± "Hmm...it''s kind of difficult.¡± They decided to throw themself into this harsh battle. "...Hey Berry, am I even needed?" "Eh, uh... I heard that the sponsors would be more happy with a trio..." "...I feel like destroying the fairnd would bring us closer to world peace." Violent monsters that disrupt the peace of the world. Evil flying insects fly around their feet in search of viewer ratings. "Um... then, Gluttony...what was it, anyway for nor Magical Big" "Uh... what...?" "Did something happen? Are you trying to catches us off guard. ...You''ve appeared, Seven Sins!" "Hmm? Umu... well, whatever. Are you guys the rumored Magical Alberan?" The battle to pursue peace while maintaining viewership ratings has just begun¨D¨D To Be Not Continued ¨D¨DA kind exnation of terminology by Her Majesty the Queen. ¡¤fairy A true apex with beautiful wings who lives in a fairnd. They are able to manipte extremely advanced magic, but their power is limited on earth, where lower beings who do not believe in magic are prevalent. If I go back to fairnd, I can cause a storm with just one finger. You''re in luck, Selene. If it wasn''t on this lowly earth, if I met a rude person like you¨D¨Dwait! Not that strange can! ¡¤Magical girl Wingless lower creatures that are used by fairies who cannot exert their power on earth to carry out their activities on earth...in other words, you guys. Normally it could be a male or a female, but you know we need to pay attention to looks, right? Physically, they have a body simr to that of a fairy, except that they don''t have wings. Naturally, better-looking females are more likely to be watched than males¨D¨DNo, it''s also easier to get instructions from the people. Wait, what are you staring at? It also has great benefits for you, such as slowing down aging. In ¡°Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation¡±, the rtionship with illegal magical girls is also a highlight, so if you get rid of the small fry, you can also fight them. O-Onee-sama, that¡¯s no good, grotesque things are unpopr! Since ancient times, there has been a rule in battles between magical girls that the one who tears the other clothes wins! ?Monster They are creatures that reproduce using the energy generated from your evil and vulgar desires. There are quite a few types, such as humanoid, mechanical, and beast... They can be divided depending on your desires, but I won''t go into that here because it''s too troublesome. The one I want you to defeat is especially the tentacle type. Even in fairnd, there is a strong interest in tentacle-type monsters. Prioritize that... Ah, but it''s no good to target small and weak individuals like this, right? We have to defeat therge tentacles that have grown...huh? There is no reason to miss it? Looks like it''s being farmed? Please don''t say anything stupid, it''s not like that! I am for justice... No, no! That child is still a young tentacles so¨D¨D ¨D¨DMagical Girl Magical Alberan ¡ðMagical Berry (28) Her public appearance is that of a housekeeper, but she was once a legendary Demon (Magical girl) Woman who sealed away the demon king Gilgil. (Ä§£¨·¨ÉÙ£©Å® ) Her unique fighting method¨D¨DMagical Maid Cooking to vividly cook monsters. In fairnd, it is very popr with everyone from small friends to big friends. Many of the images on Fairy show pinch scenes, and the support are different the little friends and the big friends are different. Since bing Reincarnation, she has be more attractive as an adult, and many people are happy about her return, but there are also those who say that her strength and stability have also increased, making it feel like in a rut. ¡¤normally A slightly strange person who wears Japanese clothes and Kappogi all year round. She is friendly and known in the neighborhood as Bery-sana of the mansion. She is very good at caring for old people. She prefers shopping streets to supermarkets and convenience stores, but she is basically a digital thinker. Despite her appearance, she makes a lot of money through stock trading. Her hobbies are cooking and collecting cooking utensils. She has a lot of unnecessary qualifications (certificate), but they are not used effectively and are a waste of time. ?Special magic ¨D¨DMagical frying pan It hits you with a huge frying pan that emits high temperatures made with magical power. If the opponent is humanoid, it is often mosaiced as R-18G. ¨D¨DMagical Slicer It vividly cuts into enemies with a huge, sharp knife made from magical power. If the opponent is humanoid, it is often mosaiced as R-18G. ¨D¨DMagical mixer It traps the opponent inside a mixer made with magical power and turns them into minced meat. Even if the opponent is not humanoid, it is often mosaiced as R-18G. ¨D¨DMagical Spice It fills the space with magical spices, robbing them of their vision, and if the enemy is a biological monster, it makes it difficult for them to breathe, and in some cases, it suffocates them to death. It was unpopr because the video was in and it was difficult to see her figure. ¡ðMagical Krische (13) A new magical girl who is rumored to be a princess of the once banished fairy kingdom. Her appearance, unselfconscious fan-service spirit, and overwhelming ability as a magical girl have made her a devoted fan, but there are strong voices that the battle bes one-sided when she appears, and the mainstream on the fair says that the demons should aim when she is not around. Basically, she is unpopr among big friends, but her everyday life scene is very popr among the big friends, many people say that it was a blunder by the queen to make her a magical girl. Recently, a setting has been added in which her lifespan is shortened each time she uses her power due to her immense power, making her a mascot. ¡¤normally She is a second-year student at Private Mochiei (Wanted Heroic) Middle School. She came to the Christand family by chance after her inws were killed in a car ident. Her step-grandfather Gallen is her legal guardian, and she used to be an orphan. She is a beautiful girl genius who can do anything. She is usually quiet, but has a childlike personality. She often joins club activities for short periods of time as a helper, but before transferring to a different school, she was said to have been feared by some people. When she goes home, she basically never leaves Berry''s side. A kiss demon. Her Japanese scores are slightly low because she can''t think about the author''s feelings. ?Special magic --Magical Bin-Byun (an old word meaning sharp pration) Throws a gigantic spear created with magical power at Mach 7. The opponent dies. --Magical Baumje- (an ancient word meaning expanding impact) She soars into the sky and bombs with bombs created with magical power. The opponent dies. --Magical Jarea Gashea (an ancient word meaning the iron of victory) It creates countless battle dolls and crushes the opponents with numbers. The opponent dies. --Magical Big Reverse time and revive the opponent. Broadcasting is not allowed. ¡ðMagical Selene (14) A new magical girl following Magical Bery and Magical Krische. Although her talent shines, shecks experience and is often cornered by powerful enemies. However, perhaps it is her mysterious appearance that attracts people, and the number of fans among the big friends is rapidly increasing. There are many people who are attracted to her as she shows off her fierce battles with all her might at thest minute, and these days, there are many people who would rather see her fight than the more stable Magical Bery. She is the only orthodox member of Magical Alberan. ¡¤normally She is a third-year student at Private Mochiei Middle School and the student body president. A pretty looking blonde girl as if from a manga, she is hardworking, has a good personality, and is both literal and martial. She is the human equivalent of the word "perfect," but in reality she is a stubborn, analogue-minded person who is very rough and not very good at handling precision instruments. she uses the smartphone that Bery persuaded her to carry as a portable phone, and considers the Inte to be a convenient but scary and dangerous ce. She is very popr among both her ssmates and her junior ssmates, but since she does not bring her cell phone to school, as is the rule, no one knows her address and it has not been exposed to the public. ?Special magic --Magical Sword sh the enemy with a long sword created with magical power. Pretty strong. --Rusu-ryu-hi-shiki Magical Sword and Shield Creates a shield with magical power and blows away the opponent with a shield bash. Quite hard. --Zain Style Magical Sword Extends a magical sword with magical power and pierces the opponent. Pretty sharp. --Magical Spray Creates a mysterious spray can with magical power and blinds the enemy. Misfiring to Kreschenta is extremelymon. Chapter 175: Military Man Gambler and Swindler Chapter 175: Military Man Gambler and Swindler ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 175 Military Man Gambler and Swindler*** Good news everyone! This series will be published by TO books on sale on January 15, 2024!! Below is trantion of Author''s Note on thestest chapter ***[Crescent Moon at Dawn I (*I have an important /n1184em/332/)*** 2023/11/10 17:25 A/N; I¡¯m very happy to announce that TO Books will publish a book version of this work on January 15, 2024! **¡°A Maiden¡¯s Unwanted Heroic Epic** **Author: ÙÄ¿ºÍÆß (TL: Saimewa Shichi take name pronunciation with a big grain of salt)** **Illustrator: Hanamoto** **Publisher: TO Books"** It will be released as a paper book and an e-book. Please check the afterword below for details (TL: Please check the Note section below the chapter, there''s an official illustration). ¨D¨DThe Kingdom of Alberan was trying to use the Holy Spirit to invade. This was the excuse why the joint invasion of the three kingdoms, which was expected in early summer due to the inauguration of the queen, took ce in spring when the snow melted. The Holy Spirit Covenant states the principle of not pointing des at dragons, however the rules regarding dragons are also wide-ranging, including the statement that its power should not be monopolized or used for national gain. As a special case, tributes based on faith are allowed, but acts such as asking for the dragon''s help are clearly in vition of this rule. The visit by the Holy Spirit Yagernaus to the royal city of Albeneria was proof that Alberan had vited this rule, and the three counties cried out loudly spreading their legitimacy. Messengers from various countriese to the kingdom''s friendly country, Arna Imperial Stet, to punish Alberan for viting the Holy Spirit Pact, and the high priest Zanaribea visited the royal capital to confirm this fact, but¨D¨D "This is the result of Onee-sama¡¯s audience, not as a country, but as an individual. It is not against the Holy Spirit Covenant. Besides, no matter the oue, is Arna really nning to turn their sword on Onee-sama who has be the Holy Spirit¡¯s contractor?" "However..." "If Alberan dies, Arna will be next. I''m sure it will happen sooner orter. We are in the same boat. Please interpret everything in a favorable way after all this time. ...... Of course, I feel sorry for Arna Imperial State, but" ¨D¨DNo matter what, it was already toote. The argument that the kingdom had nothing to do with an individual''s actions was not very usible considering Krische¡¯s position as a member of the royal family, but for the time being, Krische was treated as the adopted daughter of the previous Margrave Christand, rather than a member of the royal family. It also helped that she wasn''t officially reinstated as a royalty. Of course, Arna could have said, ¡®Then the individual Krische should be punished", but the oue is, she was the one who had be the dragon''s contractor. It was impossible for those who believed in the Holy Spirit to seek to punish those who are allies of the Holy Spirit, and from a religious standpoint, Krische was above the Miko Princess. The girl with silver hair, who was drinking tea and watching the proceedings, looked like she had no idea what was going on, and there was no way they could ask for judgment. Moreover, Alberan is Arna''s shield. Kreschenta¡¯s has a valid point and, "..... huh. Well, I guess there''s nothing I can say now. I can only hope that Your Majesty the Queen will not forget that word." And like so, they had any other choice but to ept the Kingdom''s arguments in full. Zanaribea,forted by Bery''s sweet cookies, runs around Arna with a stomach ache, bowing his head to other priests. The enemy''s goal was also to sow the seeds of discord. They probably did not think that such a level of maniption would encourage Arna''s defection. As a result, their maneuvering only caused minor discontent within Arna and had no major impact. If this war were tost for a long time, such seeds might sprout, but the kingdom had no intention of abiding by that. ¨D¨DShort-term decisive battle. That''s all the kingdom saw, and the three countries that inevitably approach will have no choice but to follow that choice. Therge armies of each country being formed cannot be hidden. After sending out a secret spy to read their movements, Kreschenta sent out an early warning to the entire country, calling for the people to evacuate to the center of the kingdom. The main focus was on people in viges and settlements that were not under the protection of the Holy Spirit Covenant¨D¨Dor in other words, were subject to looting, and for this purpose, even horse-drawn wagons were sent from the country. Naturally, Kreschenta had no semnce of goodwill, but this was a rarely seen humanitarian measure. As a result this action won the favor of the people, who had no means to escape, and enhanced her reputation as a magnificent young princess ruler. Although it had once again drained the kingdom of a huge amount of money since the civil war, it was not money that the kingdom now sought, but soldiers¨D¨Dit was easy to turn these refugees into soldiers, and the cause of regaining their homnd from the three vicious kingdoms for the sake of the young queen was more than enough to inspire their hearts. And the reason for removing them away from the vige was not just to train them into soldiers, but above all to lower the enemy''s morale. Tough marches, training, and battlefields where one is close to death. For soldiers who suffer from such suffering every day, the act of raping women and robbing money and goods was the best way to relieve stress. If the enemy soldiers were to be deprived of such things first, their dissatisfaction would surely increase explosively, and they would have no means to relieve their frustration if they were blocked from doing so. It was a problem of the size of the army. It was obvious that all three countries would form arge army, but in order to release the desires of thatrge army, the existence of a certain number of viges and settlements was a prerequisite. This is because towns with a certain poption size must be nominally protected from pige by the Holy Spirit Covenant. Even if prostitutes were hired for business transactions, there were clearly not enough of them to satisfy the needs of the soldiers. As long as they can raid viges, they can use all the young women for such "purposes," but the number of prostitutes they can get from the city is limited¨D¨Deven if they bring them in from their home country and use them tofort the soldiers, considering the size of the invading army there is a limit to it. Arge army inevitably has many problems with its logistics. Here, the fact that they took the Holy Spirit Covenant as a legitimacy backfired on them. They attacked Alberan for viting the Holy Spirit Covenant. There was no way they could vite the Holy Spirit Covenant. They had to behave more "elegantly" than usual in order to keep their official stance, and inevitably, the tightening of the rules greatly increased the discontent of the soldiers¨D¨Dthat was the reason why she evacuated mainly viges and settlements. Unfulfilled desires in the enemy''s country, they would drown and suffer for the sake of the higher-ups. And their discontent would surely drive the soldiers to invade the center of the kingdom. Themanders will try to convince them that once they were in the center of the kingdom, they can have all the women and money they want. Such a situation naturally causes them to be short-sighted, focusing their thoughts on a short term decisive battle. Arge dissatisfied army and a sustained war were not an option. That was the Kingdom¡¯s aim. "This is the first time I''ve been side by side with General Garhka." "Is that the case with Meow Meow too?" "Yes. The north and the south¡ª¡ªwe fought together in battles in the east and west, but that doesn''t mean we were on the same battlefield." Kolkis, who was astride his horse, ignored the nickname Meow Meow as if he had given up on it, and spoke to Krische, who was riding sideways on Suiko. A marching column heading south. Kolkis put his hand on his chin thoughtfully as he looked out over the vast in, where there was no need for alert. "From what I''ve heard, he prefers to fight head-on, rather than using cheap tactics like Assistant Marshal Farren and Bogan-sama...Well, he''s probably closer to me in nature. When we talk, we often agree on our views." Searching for records in her head, Krische nodded. "As Krische¡¯s thought. There¡¯s no detailed records, so Krische don''t really know what kind of person he is...Krische, had only talked a bit with him." Most records of past battlefields were stored in her head, but records are records after all. Although there were many records in the royal capital''s archives, there wererge differences between the authors. Some are overly embellished, while others were written in a too simple way, saying that they fought with tens of thousands and defeated them from the right wing. In many cases, it was difficult to decipher what the situation was. And most of Dougleen Garhka¡¯s records were thetter. Judging from the situation described on the battlefield and the way he spoke at the victory ceremony, she had a pretty good idea that that would be the case, but Krische pondered whether she was right. He is good at fighting head-on, but is weak at the rear. Although the attack was a little aggressive, there were no major failures, and it seems that he has an eye for opportunities. He was not undefeated in warfare, but even in defeat, he had kept his losses to a minimum and had never suffered fatal damage. Overall, he was a general with a sense of stability. "Then, does it seem safe to expect the strength of the soldiers?" "He has been fighting on the front lines for many years...you can trust him in that regard. Above all else, I hear he is respected by his soldiers. There is no doubt that they are all valiant." "Simr to the second corps?" "Yes, probably." The strength of the soldiers is significant. For example, Kolkis in board games and military chess exercises is likely to be weak. However, when ites to actual battle, the Second Corps is truly formidable, and with themand of Corps Commander Kolkis, it demonstrates a power that cannot be measured simply by calcting numbers. Dougleen was probably also a general who excels at this.. He ces importance on having the strongest soldiers and fighting to maximize their power. It was a different way of thinking. Tactics are methods of attacking the opponent''s weaknesses, or in other words, ways of fighting that weaken the opponent''s strength. However, Kolkis, for example, always moved his troops so that his forces could demonstrate their full potential. It could be said that there is a difference between aiming for 30 with 60 forces and aiming for 100 with 120 forces. Therefore, Kolkis sometimes attempt to break through head-on against the opponent''s main force, seemingly recklessly. Naturally, there were times when such a breakthrough would cause unnecessary damage, but there were also times when it would hit the opponent''s gap and bring about an unexpected great sess¡ª¡ªand therein lies the difficulty of tactics. Should they bypass the raging river to a distant bridge, or swim across it? Depending on the situation, that idea may not be a bad one. "Well, Krische is relieved that it seems to be quite strong. The enemy''s strength is over 100,000 as expected. Where would you like to be ced, Meow Meow?" "It''s already such a big decisive battle. If I could wish, it would be right in front, right in the middle." "Krische¡¯s d to hear that. Krische also thought that if possible, Krische want to put Meow Meow in the center." "Hahaha, that would be most appreciated." Mia, who was listening to the conversation nearby, looked at Kolkis with half-open eyes. The fact that he was willing to make such a wish in front of an army of 100,000 soldiers was already insane. The fortified city of Nakria, which is nned as a battlefield, is surrounded by a sea of trees on the west and mountains on the east. Although the central army had sent out 35,000 troops, only 15,000 will actually be under the direct control of Alberinea. Because to the west was a sea of trees. This was because there was a great possibility that Gulshan would infiltrate their forces from there and sneak around behind them. In order to prevent this, it was necessary to have sufficient military strength in the rear, and 20,000 troops must be entrusted to the general in the center for defense. And as far as she heard, Dougleen''s military strength was more than 30,000, and in total it¡¯s just under 50,000 at most. Of course, this was still arge force, but the other side had over 100,000 troops, which is literally an order of magnitude greater than theirs. It was iprehensible to her how he could be so happy to be entrusted with the task of facing such an enemy. All the soldiers are excited almost every night to protect their country and their families back home, but this was only to cover up their fear. Everyone was on tenterhooks, even the Christand army, which was considered one of the strongest in the kingdom. Being able tough like Kolkis in this situation was abnormal, and from Mia''s perspective, she couldn''t help but feel that there was a racial difference. "An adjutant of all people shouldn''t express their emotions so easily." "Ugh" ¡®Will I really survive?¡¯¡ª¡ªAs she was thinking about this, Dagra next to her knocked her from above the helmet. "You sure are a strangely brazen and timid girl who doesn''t really understand anything." "Ugh, I-I¡¯m not.." "Don''t talk back to your superiors. That''s what I call brazen, you idiot." "Guu" She was hit again with the back of his gauntlet, and looked up at Dagra with obvious dissatisfaction. Dagra smiled bitterly and let out an exasperated sigh. "We''ll just do what we have to do. Do you really think that Krische-sama will bring us to a fight with no chance of winning?" "...No." ¡®He doesn''t have to hit me twice.¡¯ Mia answered in a slightly sullen tone, and Kalua, who was watching this,ughed and grabbed Mia''s shoulder. "Comm~ander~, it looks like Adjutant Mia is still dissatisfied. She¡¯s thinking in her heart that you don''t need to knock her head twice." "Kalua! I-I don''t think so!" "...Haa, you guys are really" Dagra rubbed his temple, looking even more exasperated, and Kolkis who seemed to notice this andughed happily. "It''s better than looking down. Don''t me her like that, Dagra." "Yes sir. How embarrassing..." "I don''t care. Adjutant Mia was it" "Eh, y-yes, Commander Argand." Kolkis smiled at Mia, who immediately stood in attention, raised his hand, and tells her "If one person kills two people, it''s all over. What do you guys have to be afraid of, after you''ve shown the ability to kill ten people by yourself?" "Huh? Eh, uh..." "No matter howrge the army is, you''ll only be dealing with the one directly in front of you. It''s not like 100,000 people will attack you at the same time. You should understand that much right" It was an absurd logic. However, the logic is certainly true, and Krische exins it sourly. "It ismon for ordinary troops to fight in the mountains, such as facing 200 or 300 troops in a 100-man group. It is certainly a disadvantage, but I hope you remember what you and Krische-sama did at Bernaich. You all fought through against an opponent tens of times more numerous than you are now.'''' "Y-yes...that''s definitely true." "The situation is no different than that time. The objective at that time was to dy the enemy''s actions, and the objective this time was to capture the enemy''s main camp. The objective has simply changed, but what the soldiers must do is repeat local victories and maintain local superiority.'''' Kolkis knocked himself on the head. "Just think about it simply. There''s no need for you to worry about the future. As long as you only think about what¡¯s in front of your eyes, themander will take care of the rest so that you can win. That''s what the military is all about. ...And yourmander is the Kingdom¡¯s Alberinea¡ª¡ªwhere is there any room for doubt?" And then Kolkis looked to the side¡ª¡ªperhaps tired of sitting there, stifling her yawn and pretending to preen the Suiko, at Krische who was about to lie down on top of it. The exact opposite of what they were talking about, without a shred of tension or seriousness. Kolkis cleared his throat, feeling indescribable. "Well, that''s what I''m trying to say. There''s no need to worry too much. It''s not like you have to kill all 100,000 enemies. We don''t know how many we''ll actually fight" "Yes sir, thank you¡¡" Even though the final battle was about to take ce, Mia looked at the Alberinea, who was still acting as usual, and nodded for the time being. It''s true that she couldn''t imagine this girl fighting a losing battle. She did not have such noble thoughts such as abandoning herself as a stepping stone for the sake of honor, like nobles. She was determined to win, and even in this situation, she did not doubt it. "Mia is really such a worrier. She should learn from Meow Meow a little bit." "...Y-yes." Krische said that as shey down on Suiko and turned only her face towards Mia. Far from bravery, she had an unmotivated andzy appearance. Even though Mia was aware of her abilities, she still had a feeling of uneasiness as to whether it was really okay. "As always, what we need to do is simple. The objective is to destroy the enemy''s main camp, as Meow Meow said. If everything goes well, the battle will be over in half a day." "¡Half a day?" "Yes. If it went well, that''s it. It''s Krische¡¯s win." However, even as she looked like that, she dered that. Kolkis was the only one who nodded with an amused smile on his face. It''s the fifth day of the journey from the royal capital. The fortified city of Nakria, located in the southern part of the kingdom, was located in a ce that could be called the southern gate of the royal capital, sandwiched between the Bilfe Sea of Trees to the west and the steep Calbyas Mountains range to the east. There, there were countless soldiers walking around the Garhkafamily''s mansion, and countless maps were spread out in the reception room, making it look like a military conference room. "Have youe? Krische. No, should I call you Her Highness the Queen Sister?" "No, either way is fine. Krische, doesn''t really care about that." The silver-haired girl who appeared¨D¨Da bearded man who looked like a bandit or a banditughed when he saw the Krische Christand group. His six-shaku frame bulged with muscles, and his shirt opened at the chest, revealing a thick chest with chest hair. He was a man who didn''t suit his formal attire, but when he wore casual attire, it suited him perfectly, and his current appearance was exactly that of a bandit leader. Mia, who had followed Krische, was clearly taken aback by his appearance, and when Dagra red at her, she straightened her posture in a panic. The man''s name is Dougleen Nakul Dogarinea Garhka. Even though he looked like this, this man was a venerable duke of the kingdom, the head of the Garhka family, and a famous general who had protected the southern part of the kingdom for decades. "Kuku, but anyway, it''s been a while. I''m d from the bottom of my heart that we were able to meet again like this. Krische, just sit there." "Yes, it''s been a while." Krische did as he was told and without hesitation sat down on the sofa across from him and turned her attention to the map spread out on the desk. It was a detailed map of the southern part of the kingdom. "You too, it''s been a while, Argand." "Yes sir. It''s been a while, General Garka." Kolkis saluted, and Dougleen nodded and gestured to a chair, then also looked at Gallen. "I''d like you to sit down, too, Adjutant-dono. I heard that in the battle with His Highness, you fought in a great battle. Although you¡¯re an old soldier, you took on five men and easily defeated them." "It wasn''t easy. I just managed to survive desperately." Gallen looked a little surprised. He shouldn''t have returned to the capital, but he knows that Gallen, who was Selene''s adjutant, was now Krische adjutant. He probably knew what the final battle was like. Dougleen was extremely well-informed¨D¨Ddespite his rough appearance, this man has ess to countless pieces of information. "Don''t be so humble. Your life as an active-duty military man is something to be proud of as a warrior." "Yes sir. Thank you." Gallen narrowed his eyes even as he saluted. Dougleen Garhka is a bold and courageous general who was often described as such, but that was just a facade. There was always careful calction behind his actions¨D¨Dhe was a general who should never be underestimated. As prompted, Gallen sat down next to Krische, and Dougleen looked at him and nodded with satisfaction before looking at the other. They brought with them Dagra, Mia, and Aleha, as well as Keith, the 1st Corpsmander who had been promoted from battalionmander, Bagil, the 3rd Corpsmander, and his adjutant. Looking at their faces as if observing them, Dougleen nodded and told his soldiers to give them some alcohol. "First of all, let me apologize for being so quiet during the civil war, Krische. I have some debt against Christand and you, but I also have a long rtionship with His Highness the Royal Prince." After pouring a ss of wine and drinking it all, Dougleen rested his back on the sofa. "I can make the excuse that there was unrest in the south, but honestly, no matter which side I take, I have no sense of obligation and can''t intervene. As a result, Christand also died, and the debt from the other day can''t be repaid. I feel sorry for both you and the Christand for that.'''' Look up at the ceiling as if trying to remember. Although it was not an apologetic attitude towards Krische that are now considered to be of a higher rank as a military officer, he was also not acting haughty or arrogant, and there was no sarcasm in his attitude. Strangely, no one was offended by him, and of course neither was Krische. "...In short I owe you something." "Haa...is that so." Krische tilted her head to the side and answered his words in a way that could not even be described as a response. Eighty percent of her attention was focused on pouring plenty of milk and honey into the ck bean tea that was ced in front of her. Dougleenughed at this and continued. "There''s no need to hold back anything here. I don''t care about your age, and I don''t doubt your abilities in the war against the Holy Empire and in the civil war. I''ve been thinking about saying something like, ¡®If it¡¯s what you want, I''ll take on the role of being crushed but¨D¨D" Dougleen poured the wine into the ss again and stirred it. He lets out a breathced with alcohol, and his shoulders shake in amusement. "Kuku, by the looks of it, it seems that such concern was unnecessary. You don''t seem to be nervous in the slightest before this great war." She probably didn''t even listen to half of the story. It was Krische, looking at her ck bean tea, sandy-colored with milk, and looking pleased. Dougleen pinched his beard and narrowed his eyes. "However, Gulshan led by Orugan is quite something, Krische. The invasion force is 120,000. Even though they upy various ces, they will leave around 100,000 in the main body. They will be here in three days. " "Any possibility of some part of it detouring?" "No. 100,000 headed here." Dougleen asserted. "I''ve known Orugan for a long time. There''s no way he''ll avoid a decisive battle with me at this big stage. If he¡¯s going to attack the royal capital, I''m sure he''ll want to defeat me head-on." Then, his eyebrows furrowed and he red at Krische. "Of course, that¡¯s if our side also responded so, but¡Krische, it¡¯s up to you." "I see¡¡" "You¡¯re taking 15,000. What do you n to do with the remaining 20,000? First, I wanted to hear your intentions." "¡intention?" "yes" Dougleen put his elbows on the table and sped his hands together. Then, as if to challenge her, he turned his sharp eyes on Krische. "The southern front was reduced and retreated. I heard that this was for victory in a decisive battle, and I agreed if that was the case... but it was such an honest decision. An action that, while following the ethics of a warrior, goes against the logic of military tactics. Orugan will be happy and will definitely focus his efforts on us." "Yes, Krische would be happy if that happens." Krische tilted his head, wondering what he meant. However, everyone around her stiffened from the overwhelming spirit emanating from the fierce general Garhka. "At first, Orugan thought of this situation¨D¨Das he had been challenged to a decisive battle by me. He probably didn''t think that I was nning tounch a strategic surprise attack from his nk. ...And on top of that, Krische, you''re nning on challenging him to a head-on decisive battle, right?" The question was, how would she behave as a general? This situation could only have been created by the past battles between the two generals, Dougleen and Orugan. Normally, in this situation, Orugan would leave only the troops that would stick up for Dougleen, and send troops to the Great Tree Sea to create chaos in the rear. There was a possibility that he will continue to head west and target Felworth''s nk, helping the Elderant army break through. Of course, it''s not impossible that they pretended to do so and broke through Dougleen head-on, but in short, they had countless options to shake things up. However, Orugan did not make any moves to shake them up. There was no movement other than sending troops to each city, and all three armies formed in Gulshan were heading straight towards them. This was simply because Orugan is thinking of having a fair and square battle with Dougleen in order to settle the old fate. Taking advantage of this and trapping him was something that a warrior should not do. But as a soldier, should one only pursue victory for the sake of one country and be okay with resorting to despicable means? "Hmm, that''s right. Guess that''s what will happen." What would happen if the answer was wrong? Contrary to their nervousness as they watched her with bated breath, she answered him softly in a sweet, girlish voice. "Krische¡¯s hope is to defeat Gulshan''s army head-on, and with that one blow, crush their will to continue the war to the point where no organized resistance is possible. ...This time it will be a feat of strength. If they lose in a head-on battle even with twice as many troops, Gulshan probably won''t have the will to fight back, right?" Dougleen widened his eyes, surprise on his bandit-like face. "The 20,000 left behind is just to prevent detours. Krische has only spoken with Orugan-san a little while ago, and even if General Garhka says that, Krische can¡¯t feel at ease. Either way, the military strength is inferior, and 20,000 is just a drop in the bucket. Even we bring it, it won¡¯t mean we have military superiority.'''' She said it as if it''s a simple matter. She sipped the sweet ck bean tea and smiled with satisfaction. "Krische will win even without one, if you use the remaining 20,000 as a backup, that''s fine. It''s not something like an aim or tactic." Dougleen cheeks lifted at those words. He shook his unkempt beard, a look of pleasure on his face. "I twisted my head, but I thought it would be a draw at best. Out of ten, lose eight, and remaining two a toss-up.¡Are you saying otherwise?" Krische answered. "It''s Krische that created this situation, so if we lose because of it, Krische¡¯s just an idiot. Krische''ve already assumed that there will be 100,000 enemies, and it''s a given that we''ll defeat them with around 50,000 troops." She looked straight ahead with his jewel-like purple eyes. Naturally, she looked back at Dougleen. "Krische''ve already learned the lesson with what happened the other day. ...Krische doesn''t gamble, General Garhka." She smiled as if troubled. Chapter 176: Young Girl Krische and Messenger of Peace Chapter 176: Young Girl Krische and Messenger of Peace ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 176 Young Girl Krische and Messenger of Peace*** Gulshan divided their army into threerge groups and sent them from the homnd to Alberan. The biggest problem when moving arge army is logistics. Assembling an army of 100,000 soldiers is not that difficult. If it were arge country like Gulshan, it would be enough to just throw money around and recruit troops. But above all else, the problem was food to feed them. There¡¯s no way a vige with a poption of less than 1,000 could produce enough food to feed 100,000 soldiers. Simrly, even in arge city with a poption of 100,000, while it may be possible to satisfy them for a few weeks, the limit would soon be reached. Once arge army is formed, it is not allowed to remain in one ce. They be giant serpents, constantly wandering in search of food, and as their size increases, their hunger increases at an elerated rate. Even if they hire merchants to apany them, bringing cargos to survive starvation, arge army will inevitably create long lines. The first leaving at sunrise and thest leaving at nightfall could, the army could end up like so. In reality, it would be impossible to march 100,000 soldiers together, which was why the countries around Alberan had set the maximum number of troops for the march at 30,000 to 40,000. "General Elkarl and General Kilrea, both marches are going smoothly. There seems to have been some skirmishing during the upation, but there has been no major resistance. The rendezvous is proceeding as scheduled." Inside therge tent, a man was tasting the fruit wine of the south. He was a muscr man with dark skin, thick hair, and a beard. Less than six shaku tall¨D¨Dnot that big of a body, however there¡¯s muscles that could tear his clothes from the inside out and an animal-like viciousness. Vice Chancellor Gulshan, Orugan, possesses an iparably intimidating presence. "Umu. That''s good. Tell them once more to behave like a gentleman and not to do anything rough. Later on, it will be thend of Gulshan." "Yes sir." Elkarl in the east, Kilrea in the west. They fought alongside Orugan during the rebellion, and althoughpetent as generals, they were a bit rough around the edges. He would like to avoid the negative aspects of thising out and having a negative impact on the postwar upation and governance. There are several ways to conquer. Instilling fear and controlling through violence is certainly one method, but the opponent is not a barbarian but Alberan. It surpasses Gulshan in many aspects, including technology and schrship, and the people living there are also rtively intelligent. They should be incorporated into their own country as peacefully as possible, absorbing their knowledge and people; it was not a good idea to make them have ill feelings toward Gulshan. Gulshan was once a vassal state of Alberan, and because of this historical background, the southern part of Alberan originally had close blood ties with the Shaan people. It wouldn''t be that difficult to rule after the upation if they avoid violent means, and whether it goes well or not depends on what attitude they adopt toward them in the current invasion. "How is the Garhka movement?" A tall man came into the tent, recing the messenger. Turning to his right-hand man, Zalvag, who had returned from a reconnaissance mission, Allergan asked that. "Nothing particr. It seems like they''re training hard around Nakria. Just..." "Hm?" "A g of lightning and a hawk with the letters Alberinea engraved on it¨D¨Das the Vice-Chancellor had hoped, it seems that the one that came from the center was Krische Christand." "Is that true?" "What¡¯s there in me for me to lie." Zalvag replied exasperatedly to the amused Orugan, and sat down next to him, looking tired. The young squire hurried to pour himself a drink, "No need. If I drink alcohol when tired, I''ll probably fall asleep. ck soybean tea." "M-my apologies. Right away." Hearing Zalvaag¡¯s words, the quire run to get some ck bean tea. Zalvaag scratched his cheek and sighed, feeling troubled. Zalvaag had risen from being a meremoner to bing Orugan¡¯s confidant, and in a sense, he is treated with even more respect than Orugan by the civilian-born soldiers. For him, it was rather difficult to deal with this, and it made him ufortable. "Get used to it, Zalvaag. It''s fine as long as you act boldly." "If there is someone who can step up from being a shoemaker to this position and act with dignity, I sure would like to see him..." "You''re better at making corpses than you are at making shoes. Like rain falling on the earth, whether you want it to or not¨D¨Dthat''s just what a calling is." "...What an unpleasant calling." Zalvaag slumped his shoulders, and Organughed and pped him on the shoulder, amused. Then, amused, he stirred his drink and asked Zalvaag with a serious face. "So, what about the enemy army?" "From what I can see, it''s around 45,000. I''m counting by corps, so there may be an error of about a few thousand." 5000 per corps. In Alberan and Elsren, the army was basically divided that way. In Gulshan, which operates beast soldiers, the number of personnel organized varies greatly depending on the nature and purpose of the unit, however they were strangely particr about this fixed number. Probably due to operational reasons. "There''s one less army than expected. That¡¯s somehow concerning." "Hmm. Easily withdrew an army and invited us...I don''t think Garhka would do any tricks like this. But if that girl showed up, you wouldn¡¯t know. Guess it won¡¯t just be pleasant." There was a great possibility that they would take a detour through the sea of trees to the west and aim for their nk. If that happens, they will have to allocate their troops as well¨D¨Dthe battle will turn from a simple decisive battle to a contest of wits and strategy. Or rather, this battle itself was originally like that, and the scenario of a head-on collision was only a tacit agreement between the enemy generals Garhka and Orugan. "This is a troubling point. For now...hey, tell Kilrea in the west to be careful about infiltration from the Sea of Trees. Before the messenger heads out." "Yes sir" Orugan sent instructions and yed with his beard in thought. "Hmm, I¡¯d rather have a head-to-head confrontation without any tricks, but¡ no, I¡¯m sure Garhka would think the same way¡" "It can''t be helped. Vice-Chancellor is the one who invited Alberinea the other day, it¡¯s your own fault." Zalvaag said it as a matter of course. No matter how one looks at it, this battle began with Alberan at a disadvantage. On top of that, if they lose, Alberan would also be in a situation where their capital will fall. It''s natural that the Alberan side was desperately trying to wrest victory, and it was no surprise that they would use whatever means they could to achieve that goal. It would have been foolish to try to fight 100,000 head-on. The rtion of Orugan and Dougleen was probably secondary to the importance of the nation. "If you learn from this, you should be a little more restrained from now on¨D¨D" "No, I''ve decided, Zalvaag." "Ha?" Orugan suddenly said and stood up. "I''m going to question them about their true intentions. You shoulde with me." ".........Ha?" Zalvaag was dumbfounded and looked up at the face of his master. "This is such a great battle. It will be a battle that will go down in history, and it will settle the fate of me and Garka. Even if I die, I won''t be able to rest in peace if I leave my regrets here. If he''s just aiming for victory for the sake of his country, then I''ll give up and fight ordingly. However, there is a possibility that this is not the case." "No, Vice-Chancellor, are you sane?" "Of course I¡¯m sane. Don''t worry, no matter how it is, they won''t kill anyone whoes as a messenger." "...Please calm down a little. Besides, I just got back from scouting..." Zalvaag spoke with a feeling of reluctance, even as he had half given up. "The rain will not miss, and it will turn into fruit. The moment you set your mind is the moment to do it." However, Orugan smiled manly and cheerfully. The fortified city of Nakria was literally the border between the central and southern parts of the kingdom, surrounded by walls, and was a strategic point. A city was built outside the castle walls, and then another castle wall was built outside the city. Compared to the high inner wall, the outer castle wall, including the battlements, was at most 20 shaku long. There were cracks here and there, and the structure couldn¡¯t be called sturdy, but in its ce defensive towers had been built at equal intervals, and a small moat had been dug. Considering the size of the city, its defensive ability was enough¨D¨Dbut it couldn''t be called strong, and it wasn''t the kind of city that could fight a siege battle against arge army of 100,000 people. On top of such a tower¨D¨D "Usa-chan, if you don''t go back soon, it''s going to get dark and cold." "Fuu... Is that so?" Krische, who was taking a nap with Suiko as her pillow, was woken up by the exasperated-looking Mia and Kalua and yawned sleepily, and the Suiko also continued to yawn as if following her master''s example. It was still a while before dusk, but she stretched outnguidly as she watched the sun begin to set. There was not much to do other than a little training. The general n had been decided, and until the enemy arrived, there would only be a token of meeting. It seems that the soldiers were being taught about Gulshan''s beasts and how to deal with them by Dougleen¡¯s soldiers, but the corpsmanders have been left to their own devices in that area. Krische had nothing in particr to do, and was taking advantage of the opportunity to heal her tired body from the trip. The same is true for ck g Special Force, and apart from training so that their body doesn¡¯t dull, they were free. She had already taught everything that was needed, and there was no need to tell them again here. In the name of recovering from fatigue, she basically gave them the afternoon off. "...Haa, I think it would be nice if Krische-sama could give a little more guidance to new recruits if you have some free time..." "That''s the role of Bald Eagle, Mia, and Aleha. Besides, it would be easier if they were to flee now rather than running away in an emergency." The reason for giving them time off was partly to prepare them for a tough battle, but it was also a way to weed them out. It''s much better to have them run away beforehand than losing their footing due to cowardice when ites time to fight. She repeatedly exined that the role was extremely dangerous and gave them time off. It''s only natural that there would be deserters, and there have already been about three deserters among the new recruits in the ck g Special Force, but she was not particrly concerned about it. "Of course that''s true, but...if Krische-sama did that, I think the people who ran away would be a little more motivated to work harder." "Unlike other soldiers, cky will be in trouble if it can''t move properly. We don''t need soldiers who run away when the troops are outnumbered." ¡®Don''t talk back to your superiors¡¯, Krische said, pecking Mia''s lips with her finger. Kalua smiled happily and pat Mia on the head. "That''s right. It''s much better than getting caught up in something like that and having another soldier die." "Hmm...for now please don¡¯t mess up my hair." Mia smacked Kalua''s hand andbed her fingers through her chestnut hair. "Well, today we had a big show at General Garhka''s ce, so I think the number of deserters will decrease around here." Desertion can be punishable by death without any questions asked, but the severity is up to the superior. This time, as a warning, all members of the escapee''s squad begged for their lives to be spared, and they were all given a light whipping, and were forgiven. He then dered that from tomorrow onward, he would execute deserters by having people from the same squad beat them until they die. If it''s too strict, it would lower morale. On the other hand, if they loosen it too much, the number of deserters would increase. When Krische asked if it would be better to simply kill them, Dougleen exined that it was important to find a bnce. "Showmanship (as a warning) is also a very deep thing huh." "A-ahaha...well, I hope that''s effective but...?" While they were talking, the top of the castle wall suddenly started to get noisy. It was quite early for Gulshan to arrive. Krische tilted her head, stood up, looked south, and saw seven cavalrymening. A blue g was raised to indicate the messenger, and the other g was a thunderstorm surrounded by wheat on both sides¨D¨Dthe g of Gulshan. "...A messenger, perhaps?" "It seems like it''s Gulshan''s vice-chancellor and hispanion." "Vice-chancellor?" "Yes. He''s quite a great person." The messenger of Gulshan¨D¨DOrugan, wearing a white cloak that didn''t suit him at all, approached without any warning, and when he got to the south gate, he raised his voice. "My name is Orugan! I''m a messenger from Gulshan! I havee to see Alberinea and your general Garka. Open the gate!" With a small force directly in front of the enemy, truly being bold The guards were buzzing, and a messenger could be seen running towards Dougleen¡¯s mansion. "Wow... wasn''t Orugan the enemy''s general?" "That''s how it¡¯s supposed to be...how do I say it, he sure is brave." In ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant, a blue g was raised. However, Alberan was in a situation where it was cornered by the three surrounding countries, and on top of that, the reason they attacked was because they said Alberan vited the Holy Spirit Covenant. Coming here, something of a Holy Spirit Covenant, there''s no guarantee that they wouldn''t kill him. Even if they didn''t kill him now, they had the option of killing him on his way back, and there was also the possibility that they would just ignore the situation and push through. Fearless and reckless. It was an action that was well suited to such words. "Krische-sama, what should we do?" "Hmm... it seems like it''s a messenger, so let''s go for now. Gururun." Krische jumped onto the Suiko and went straight from the tower to the castle wall. Jumping over the frightened guards and reaching the top of the south gate, she then headed straight down. She jumped down right in front of Orugan, who was about to raise his voice again. "Ts!?" The gigantic body of Suiko appeared suddenly in front of him without even raising a dust. The horses they were riding started to neighed in fear, and the tall man behind Orugan on the right side, Zalvaag, immediately jumped off his horse and was about to pull out his sword. "Ah, Krische surprised you, sorry." However, he froze at the sight of Orugan¡¯s outstretched hand as if to stop him, and the girl''s voice, and his eyebrows furrowed. Long silver hair¨D¨Da beautiful face and purple eyes. A ck cloak with a dark pattern of thunder and a hawk drawn on its chest. Everyone''s eyes widened at the sight of the girl sitting on the Suiko, and only Orugan burst outughing. "...My, a personal wee from Alberinea, what an honor." "Krische heard that you came to see Krische and General Garhka. It¡¯s been a while, Vice-Chancellor Orugan and¡is Zalvaag-san, okay?" "Yes.¡But don¡¯t worry about me." Zalvaag looked into those purple eyes with a frown on his face. He realized that he was still holding the twin swords at his waist, and took a deep breath as he corrected his posture. He moves slowly so as not to provoke the rm of the ferocious beast in front of him. Even more than the huge magical beast in front of him, his body felt more of a sense of danger from her who was sitting on top of it. By releasing his stance, the oppressive feeling that entangled his body disappeared, and the somewhat inorganic gaze was also cut off. Sitting sideways on the Suika, her figure seemed to be full of openings. But what he felt was an instinctive fear, as if his life was in her hands. When he saw her in the royal capital, he already felt that she was an outstanding warrior despite her appearance, but when he actually felt her hostility with his own skin, it was apletely different thing. At the very least, she was not someone to be allowed to stand in front of Orugan on the battlefield. The men of the escort following behind also had grim faces, as if they were wary of the girl. "Your face is stiff, Zalvaag, and you guys too. She came here to talk, not to fight anything. If you look like that, Alberinea will probably wonder what''s going on." "...Yes sir. My apologies." "Please forgive the rudeness of my subordinates, Alberinea. At least today, I am here as a messenger not to exchange swords." "Hmm...it was Krische who startled you, it''s fine." Mia and Kalua, who had arrivedte,nded behind Krische, their hands behind their back. As her escorts, they straightened their posture. Orugan ignored this and looked at Suiko, narrowing his eyes. "However, even though I had boasted that I would show you magical beasts, I was surprised to be shown a beast first. With something like this, I should have brought at least an elephant." "Come to think of it, Orugan said that. But Krische will feel bad if Orugan brings an elephant all the way here just for Krische..." Krische tilted her head as if troubled. She was still Krische who did not understand the true meaning of the phrase ¡®I will show you magical beasts¡¯. Even at this point, she was literally thinking that he was trying to show her a rare beast to please her. ¡®Even though we¡¯re about to fight, Orugan sure is quite friendly.¡¯ He is someone who Krische didn¡¯t quite understand. "I''ve never heard of anyone being able to subdue a Suiko. Did you tame it yourself?" "Well, after Krische fed her randomly, she became attached to Krische...Ehehe, does Vice-Chacellor Orugan like meow-meow too?" "I''d be troubled if you asked me whether I like it, but...well, as a warrior, I admired strong beasts. It excites me when I see them being used as mounts." Oruganughed and continued. "...I''m really d. On this asion, I brought along a giant beast that I''m sure will entertain you. I was hesitant about whether to bring it or not, but..." ¡®Orugan-sama¡¯, a voice tried to stop their master from speaking, but Orugan waved his hand and admonished him. "They''ll find out eventually. It''s a beast of such a size that there''s no way we can hide it." "...?" "...It''s a rare elephant magical beast, Alberinea. It''s so huge that it could even straddle this castle wall. It''s currently behind me... but I''d like to show it as soon as possible." "A big elephant magical beast..." Even a normal elephant is something Krische has only seen in pictures. To such Krische, he is even willing to show her a particrly rare andrge elephant. "Thank you, Vice-Chancellor Orugan. Um..." "What is it?" "Krische, is just wondering why you were here before the battle¡" As expected, he was really friendly. At this point, why was he trying so hard to please Krische? Her fingertips traced the cherry-colored lips¨D¨Dthose were words that came after much thought. "Could it be that Vice-Chancellor Orugan is the messenger of Gulshan''s surrender?" Everyone present was speechless, and Krische smiled. She didn''t really understand the circumstances, but she¡¯s sure they understood that they couldn¡¯t win against Krische. Despite her contemtion, she didn¡¯t think deeply about the reason. Her thought was simple¨D¨Dself-centered, and more arrogant than anyone else. "If that¡¯s the case then no problem. You don''t have to worry about Krische." She didn''t even notice their stunned expressions and just nodded, looking really satisfied. "Krische is quite busy this time, so if we can avoid a wasteful battle, Krische would wee it. Krische is, erm... yes, really happy about the wise decisions of Gulshan and Vice-Chancellor Orugan." It would be appropriate if the 100,000-strong Gulshan urged and asked Alberan, who was less than 50,000, to surrender. However it was the opposite. Alberan, who is less than 50,000, speaks to Gulshan, who leads 100,000 to surrender, as if it was only natural. And she dismisses it as a wasteful battle. It was a clear provocation. "Bastard¡¡!!" "Even in this situation, you still provoke us..." Enraged by the obvious provocation, Orugan¡¯s escorts raised their voices one after another, cursing Krische. Krische tilted her head curiously. When she turned and looked at Mia, Mia desperately shook her head. Kalua¡¯s cheeks twitched, as even she was taken aback. Seeing their reaction¨D¨D¡¯where did Krische go wrong?¡¯ Krische didn¡¯t know that she was fundamentally mistaken. Krische showed a troubled look on her face and pped her hand in an epiphany. "Ah, sorry. Surrender isn''t the right way to say. In this case, perhaps a messenger of peace?" "You still intend to provoke us!" "Don¡¯t joke around...! It''s you guys who should surrender!" It was a natural reaction. Krische tilted her head even more, wondering what she did wrong. The escorts were furious that they had been mocked. What echoed there wasughter. Orugan, who looked taken aback, suddenly startedughing as if he wasughing, and pped his own thigh over and over again. Krische looked at him strangely, and the men who were raising their voices also looked at Orugan in confusion. Orugan continued tough for a while, then looked up and looked at Krische, wiping away his tears. "Kuku, good gracious, I can''t remember thest time Iughed this much. You never cease to amuse me, Alberinea." "Haaa...Krische didn''t mean to entertain though." Orugan said that with a wry smile at the slightly dissatisfied Clich¨¦. "I would like to talk to Garhka about this before the war. ...I would like to ask for your permission." "Yes. Well, there''s no reason to refuse...Do you want toply with the Holy Spirit Covenant?" "...I vow to the rain that will bring forth fruit." "Then, Krische will believe that and allow you to wear a sword and the escort to enter." Krische looked behind her, and in a panic, Mia signaled to the guards on the castle wall to open the gate. And like that, a meeting between the two generals would take ce in the fortified city of Nakria before the decisive battle. Chapter 177: Price of Courtship Chapter 177: Price of Courtship ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 177 Price of Courtship*** "Good to see you, Orugan! I''m d you look healthy." "You too, I was worried that you might have a stomachache, Garhka, but from the looks of it, I guess there''s nothing to worry about." One of the reception rooms in the Garhka family estate. As expected, it was in a separate area from the conference room, but it was indescribable to see two generals who were enemies hugging each other as soon as they entered. A squalid image¨D¨DAs if it had been promised, Mia took a step back, and Kalua looked on in exasperation, wondering if this was okay. Dougleen¡¯s adjutant¨D¨DDalkris, a warrior with countless scars on his face, was also rubbing his temple. With that, Dougleen patted Orugan on the shoulder and urged him to sit on the sofa opposite him, and after telling the servant to give alcohol to the escort as well, he sat on the sofa, and Krische too sat a certain distance away from him. Gallen was also in the room, looking at the two and Krische with an indescribable expression. "We parted the other day, saying we''d meet next time on the battlefield...but I never thought we''d meet like this before the war. I was a little surprised, Orugan."" Orugan stopped here on his way to and from the conference. They had a drink together, sharing stories of their past battles, and they parted ways, thinking that it would be theirst time together but, Dougleen was really happy. He poured wine into Orugan¡¯s sake cup. "I had that intention too, but there was something that bothered me...though that was already half resolved." Orugan took it and looked at Krische. Krische, who asked for tea from the squire, tilted her head to the side at that nce, and Orugan smiled bitterly. "I''vee to ask you how you''ll handle this battle. Do you want topete in a battle of wits¨D¨Dor a contest of strength? Either way, we have the advantage, so I''ll leave it up to you to figure out how to do it." "...Fumu" Dougleen looked at the Orugan with amusement. Both of them had grown beards and had bad looks like bandits¨D¨Dif these two people came face to face, this ce would be more like a gathering of bandits than a meeting. Looking at these two people, no one would think that they were born with noble bloodlines in both countries. The two of them were like brothers. Krische, who was obviously out of ce, poured honey and milk into the ck tea that had been poured for her, watching the story progress. "Right now, you are in a position where you are in a position to influence the fate of the country, and if you are trying to do everything you can topete with wits, it is unfortunate, but it cannot be helped. That is the correct way to be as a soldier." Even as Orugan said that he continued as if asking a question. "I won''t deny that, but... it''s rather boring to see the battle between you and me end with a small trick. At least that''s what I think. What do you think?" "I''m thinking the same thing, Orugan. What I wished for is the same as you...a head-on battle without any small trick." Dougleen''s answer was as he had expected, and Orugan nodded with satisfaction. "As expected of my friend. However, what concerns me is that you don''t seem to have any intention of doing so. Why are you conserving your troops in the rear? You probably still have an army-sized force left behind. Surely you¡¯re not nning to go head-to-head with me with your small army?" Then he stirred up the sake cup, ced it on the table, and red as if challenging Dougleen. "¨D¨DI swear to the rain that brings forth fruit. If Alberan wished for a head-on decisive battle, this Orugan would fight squarely, honoring the pride of a warrior, and bring all his forces to bear. ...Let''s wait a few days. Don''t think about political or strategic convenience, just give it everything you have, Garhka.'''' His voice was full of vigor. It was not a furious tone, but rather a calm one. However, his voice resonated so deeply that it threatened to break the metalwork in the room. All who heard it stiffened their spines, "Um...as expected, are you not a messenger of peace after all?" The girl alone said that as if she was troubled. A messenger before war. Krische, who had been slightly hoping that he hade for negotiations and a peaceful resolution, lowered her eyebrows as she realized that this was not the case after all. "Kuku, what a joke....What kind of general would lead an army of 100,000 soldiers and surrender to an army of less than 50,000? If you''re asking for a surrender, then know your ce." "If you think about the numbers, that might be true... but even if you have 100,000, it will take a long time to kill 50,000, and the war is a battle of taking each other''s head. If Krische take Vice-Chancellor Orugan¡¯s head before that it¡¯s over right?" It was a provocation as if throwing cold water in his face. "Krische was also quite (so-so) active in the civil war, and from Vice-Chancellor Orugan reaction before you seem to know that Krische is the stronger one..." These days, Krische were overwhelmingly sessful in "so-so" battles and are "so-so" celebrities. What''s more, when she met him previously, he was exactly as she had heard, and he even said that it was an honor to meet her as a warrior. He knew Krische¡¯s power, and on top of that, as a military man, he spoke in a way that evaluated Krische as above him. Judging from his reaction when confronted, it''s not like he was talking about socialmentary, but at least he understood that Krische was much stronger than she looked. "So, youing at this uncertain time was a surprise and Krische thought that you came to make peace because you¡¯re surprised Krische is here. If he wanted them to surrender, it would be fine to do it after the army arrives. Normally, one would visibly disy the power of an army of 100,000 men, frighten the enemy, and advise them to surrender while using his soldiers'' eyes as a shield. However, Orugan came here with a small force so as not to rm them. In this situation, where they have the option of ignoring the Holy Spirit Covenant and secretly getting rid of him, and as the ones holding his life and death¨D¨Dthere was no way that they hadn¡¯t imagined such a scenario at all. If Orugan was to stand as themander of the army, there would be no need or reason for him to go out of his way to expose himself to assassination, to act poorly, and to put himself in such a dangerous situation. Then, there¡¯s only sincerity. ¨D¨DOrugan probably came with some kind of offer or wish. More or less, Krische¡¯s idea was not very removed frommon sense. Of course, an ordinary person would be able to guess the reason to some extent from the connection between Orugan and Dougleen, and the fact that the enemy had twice the strength, but was marching forward with only the decisive battle in mind. However, Krische was not equipped with such a flexible thought process. The opponent made a poor move. They knew Krische was very strong. ¨D¨DI see, their purpose must be to make peace with Krische out of fear. She simply made a rational judgment of the situation as it was. There was no way that there would be a foolish enemy general who would visit the enemy''s camp for irrational reasons such as wanting to enjoy a fair battle to the fullest¨D¨Dshe had thought that just a while ago, but somehow, things didn''t look right. She had thought that the reason why he was so "considerate" of Krische, wanting to show the magical beasts was because he didn''t want to make an enemy of her, but looking at this situation, she thought that wasn''t it. It seems that the "Great Strategy to Dispel the Enemy by Making Them Know Krische¡¯s Strength" was not a sess. Krische wondered where she went wrong. Orugan looked taken aback. And the escorts were about to raise their voices again¨D¨Dand were restrained by Zalvaag¡¯s hand. After a while, Orugan startsughing again. "Kuku...I see, I see. What you said earlier was not a joke or a provocation after all." Then his eyes immediately narrowed, and he red at Krische. "...Do you seriously say that you can defeat me head-on with this difference in military strength?" "Yes. It''s not like it was a sudden surprise attack, and Krische thinks it''s much weirder to fight without any odds of winning...Is something wrong?" "No, but it seems like you have a lot of confidence." Orugan lifted his cheeks. An overwhelming victory against Aurugorn Hilkintos from a disadvantaged position. Easily defeating the ck Lion Gildanstein. In the past, she also faced the Holy Empire and received the rank of the Rinea in just one battle. There was so much strength floating around that you could see at a nce¨D¨Dan incredible amount of pressure you wouldn¡¯t think woulde from a girl. The somewhat inorganic purple color suffused with an arrogant self-esteem. It felt like he was being looked down upon from a great height. Her eyes give off a sense of something unfathomable, as if she was both human and non-human. ¨D¨DShe turned her de against the dragon, and her ability was recognized, and they made a pact. The trivial gossip that he would normallyugh off, he thought if it was this girl it might be possible. "...Individual ability is, after all, only an individual thing. It is true that there are anecdotes about your individual ability that leave no room for doubt, but in a battlefield where there are more than 10,000 individual warriors, your personal ability is insignificant. ...I won''t ask twice. On top of that, you are saying that you will directly defeat the army led by me?" Krische thought for a while before answering and smiling. "Hmm, Krische thinks it depends on the definition of straight battle...well, if it''s a simple one-on-one battle, then yes. Krische is much stronger and smarter than Vice-Chancellor Orugan." While verbally abusing is as normal as breathing. She again tried to find out why he was asking this, and her brilliant mind quickly came up with an answer. "Ehehe, are you finally willing to stop fighting and make peace?" "No. In fact, I should say I¡¯m full of motivation." "¡¡eh?" Orugan looked at Dougleen, who was smiling. "...Garhka, do you have any objections to that?" "I owe that girl a debt, and she''s more or less my superior. I have to keep her face. If that''s the case, and she¡¯s telling me to fight head-on, there''s no reason for me to refuse." Dougleenughed and held the wine bottle in his hand. "...And I saw the 50,000 soldiers that remained with that girl. From my eyes, thepetition is equal, and I have no disrespect or arrogance towards you." Then as if offering the sake cup, he told Orugan. "¨D¨DThen it''s up to you whether you ept it or not. It''s up to you, how a girl will appear in your eyes." Orugan stared intently at the sake cup. "...Okay, then I''ll ept this battle." Then he gave a beastly grin and looked at the girl who still had a troubled look on her face. "But there is a part of me that feels insulted. You make me ept this battle after all. Alberinea, if your confidence is just your own conceit, I will have your body." "...Hooh" Dougleen seemed amused, and his smile deepened. "Have Krische¡¯s body¡?" "I had no intention of marrying, thinking that it¡¯s the end of the royal blood but¨D¨DI really liked your arrogance. If you lose, I¡¯ll take you as my wife. ...With that much big talk surely you won''t say no, right? " Mia and Kahlua looked at each other in shock, and Gallen frowned. The others looked surprised, but didn''t seem to be that perturbed. It is amon urrence in war-torn worlds that the winner takes possession of the captured princess. Nothing strange about it¨D¨D "Umm...Does that mean that Krische will be Vice-Chancellor Orugan¡¯s bride?" "Right. Surely you didn¡¯t misheard?" "...Oohhh, Krische, this is Krische¡¯s first time being courted." However, it was Krische who looked the most surprised. She put her hands on her cheeks and shook her body as if she couldn¡¯t calm down. Judging from her previous behavior, he had expected her to respond calmly and immediately, but this reaction. Everyone looked puzzled at her child-like appearance without any nervousness. "Ah, I see. Krische finally understands." "...?" "Krische have been wondering why Vice-Chancellor Orugan was so considerate about Krische, we''ve only just met, but Vice-Chancellor Orugan said he wants to show Krische the magical beasts over and over again...so this is what Bery calls love at first sight. Krische, don¡¯t really know about that andpletely misunderstood..." Even now, Krische, who didn''t realize she was the only one who was still misunderstanding him, blushed as if ashamed of her own misunderstanding. "Well, Krische owe a debt of gratitude to the previous Gotoushu-sama for picking Krische up, right now repaying that gratitude is Krische¡¯s priority¡no, in the first ce, Krische, is Bery¡¯s, so¡hmm¡" And Krische who seemed to be thinking over how to reject it. Those who were watching looked at each other, and Kalua, who couldn''t bear to watch, whispered in her ears. "...Ah, Um, Usa-chan, if you lose, it means you will be his bride, so you don''t have to refuse. You''ll definitely win, right?" "Ah, that''s right. Krische didn''t expect to be proposed all of a sudden, so Krische was a little confused..." Krische said shyly, while Allerganughed amusedly. "Kuku, hahaha! What a pleasant girl! I feel like I''veughed a month in just one day today...Alberinea, what''s your response?" "Hmm... Basically, if you win against Krische, you want a reward by making Krische your bride, right?" "That''s it. Do you understand?" Krische nodded, but was a little lost in thought. And a look of obvious dissatisfaction appeared on her face. "...But, even if Krische wins, Krische feels like it''s a little unbnced for the prize to onlye from our side." Reward your opponent when they win. But even if Krische won there would be nothing. When she pouted her lips and red at Orugan, Oruganughed again. "Is that so? Do whatever you want. There''s no excuse when you lead an army of 100,000 people and lose to less than half of them. Boil it, burn it, whatever you want." "Hmm¡¡" "This Orugan won¡¯t go back on his own word. If you wish, I can walk around naked in front of the soldiers in a handstand. Everyone here is the witness." "Haaa¡ Vice-Chancellor." "Don''t stop me, Zalvaag, I won''t back down after receiving such a challenge. Or are you going to bet on me losing too?" Zalvaag spread his hand, exasperated. "...Krische, wouldn''t be happy even if Vice-Chancellor Orugan did a handstand naked." Muscr body and thick body hair. Krische seriously imagined and dismissed the madness of a naked Orugan doing a handstand. It''s not interesting and she didn¡¯t particrly want to watch it. No matter how you look at it, it didn¡¯t match with Krische. "It''s just an example, Alberinea. If you win, I swear to the rain and make all your wishese true. With the condition if it''s within my power that is." "¡¡wishes" Krische thought about it again and pped her hands together as if she had thought of something. "Then, right. If Vice-Chancellor Orugan is defeated then the Gulshan army will stop resisting and immediately withdraw the army from the Kingdom''s territory. What do you think?" "...Fumu?" "Then we''ll have a peace talk, and wait and see. What do you think?" When Krische told him that with a smile, Orugan narrowed his eyes and searched for her true intentions. Then he asked with a wry smile. "...It sure is a smaller wish than I thought?" "It¡¯s one thing if Vice-Chancellor Orugan is a king, but Vice-Chancellor Orugan is the vice-chancellor in the parliamentary system, and even though he is the overallmander of the invasion force, he is just a general. I thought this is what Krische could realistically hope for but..." Pressing his fingertips against his cherry lips, Krische tilted her head. It was just a game, but her response was clear and far-sighted. She saw her own victory as predetermined. "Before a battle like this, discussing seriously about what should you do if you lose isn¡¯t something you should do huh.'''' Arrogant¨D¨Dand infinitely confident. Oruganughed and sure. "...I swear to the rain that will bring forth fruit, this Orugan will take on that challenge." The escorts looked at each other, and Orugan ignored it and turned to Dougleen. Dougleen, who was listening to the talk,ughed and said, "I''d like to see you walking naked in front of the soldiers in a handstand, Orugan." "That''s going to happen to you if I win, Garhka. After I''ve decapitated you, I''ll hang you upside down naked." With a lighthearted reply, Orugan poured wine into his and Dougleen¡¯s sses. Without saying a word, they held out their sake cup and clinked it. Orugan opened his mouth saying that the talk was over. "As always, Godspeed..." And Dougleen, the one who concludes the poem. "¨D¨DAnd pray for death to you." They each stirred their cups and ced them on the desk, and Orugan stood up. "Let''s go, Zalvaag. ... See you next time on the battlefield, my friend. And Alberinea." Then he turned on his heel and strode out of the room. The escorts followed in a panic, and Zalvaag saw off his master exasperated. "¡¡Is something wrong?" He tilted his head and looked at the silver-haired Alberinea. "The Vice-Chancellor may look like that, but if ites to a battle, he will do everything in his power to take your life. Don¡¯t think this battle will be as easy as you thought." After saying that without waiting for a response, Zalvaag followed them. Krische just tilted her head and Dougleenughed. "You sure have made a nasty opponent take you seriously, Krische. Zalvaag is a vindictive, caustic man." "Hmm...Krische doesn''t think there are manymanders who aren''t serious about fighting." "Well, wouldn''t it be better if Zalvaag-san is aiming for Krische? If that''s the case, I''m sure he will actively move the reserves as well." Orugan¡¯s sword, Zalvaag. He is a person who rose from amoner to be Orugan¡¯s right-hand man with his sword skills and natural intelligence, and basically leads the reserves on the main camp side and solidifies Orugan¡¯s surroundings. He didn¡¯t wield a sword on the front lines that often, but the warriors hemands are brave. Once he is released from Orugan¡¯s side, he was almost guaranteed to achieve great results. Krische, who had heard from Dougleen about Orugan¡¯s trump card, answered calmly, "Krische sure it''ll end in vain though." A smile appeared on her beautiful face. Chapter 178: Sure Fire Way to Win Chapter 178: Sure Fire Way to Win ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 178 Sure Fire Way to Win*** The daily routine of sunbathing on the tower. As dusk approached, a man appeared¨D¨DNagal, craftsmen team leader, now jaragasha squad leader. ¡°Krische, the Jarea Gashea are ready.¡± Saying that, Nagal turns his attention to the west side of the tower. The Alberinea army and the Garhka army were already forming a formal formation just west of the Fortified City Nakria. Gulshan was to arrive before the end of the day. It''s not like a war would start today, but it was necessary to make some preparations to be ready for battle at any time, and that''s what Alberan''s army was doing. However, this Alberinea left these preparations to the corpsmanders and slept soundly on top of the tower saying it¡¯s in preparation for the night meetings. Nagal scratched his head with his glove-wrapped left prosthetic hand, wondering how to describe her brazenness before this decisive battle. Krische was already awake, but still sleepy. She looked up at Nagal pouting as she sat up while holding back a yawn. "...Jaragasha" "Y-yes...my apologies. I''m trying, but it just rolled off..." "It''s no good for Jaragasha''s team leader to act like that." Nagal puts his heels together and saluted Krische who is pouting her cheek. The pronunciation of Jaragasha was difficult for we whoe from the countryside and have strong ents, so we end up pronouncing it Jaleia-Gashea¨D¨Dthat was the excuse that Nagal and the Jaragasha team gave to Krische after thinking hard about it. As the war was about to begin, information was released to the veteran soldiers of the ck g Special Force, and this excuse inevitably came to be used by the ck g Special Force as well, and somehow "I¡¯m born in the city but my parents are countrymen" or ¡°I¡¯m born in a family of merchants that has been staying in the royal capital for three generations but my mother is a countrywoman," people with simr background gathered together at the ck g Special Force. Only Kalua and a few others were calling it "Jaragasha" with calm. Since the official name given by Selene was Jarea Gashea, Krische could not say much about it, but she was still very dissatisfied with it. She bes visibly displeased when it¡¯s called Jarea Gashea repeatedly, and often got angry like this. It seems that she was very particr about the name, and the members of the ck g Special Force also refrained from calling it Jarea Gashea unless necessary, opting to instead calling it ¡®that¡¯ or ¡®this¡¯. "I-it''s been assembled, and the exterior has also been installed. Operation has been confirmed to be normal. Please check it once againter..." "Understood. Krische will check it. Once that''s done, prepare for transport. We''ll move it overnight as nned." ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± During the transportation, the parts were disassembled due to their weight and secrecy, so it was a time-consuming process of assembling them and checking their operation. Along the way, due to improved efficiency and increase in number of personnel, now there was 12 Jarea Gashea. However, the time required for assembly and operation check took a day and a half this time. Krische believes that there is room for improvement in this area in the future, as the work inevitably need to done in a confined and narrow space, which takes time and effort. ¡°Vinthril and the others went inside during the night. Krische¡¯s feel sorry that they had to wait in the forest even though there is a town.¡± "Well, I guess it can''t be helped. Besides, Vinthril-dono and the others said that they''ve been too extravaganttely." "Hmm...Krische think delicious food is delicious, and afortable bed is afortable bed. Kreisharana¡¯s way of thinking sire is difficult." Krische tilted her head and crossed her arms. "...?" "...It''s noisy." ¨D¨DThe voices of the guards making noise. ¡®They¡¯re heading here¡¯, Krische said, standing up. They thrust their hands against the breastworks, as if lured by the soldiers'' voices, and turned their eyes to the south. The dark clouds of broken shadows, the sky beginning to burn red¨D¨Dthe horizon as far as the eye can see. When she listened carefully and concentrate on the sensation, she heard vibrations quietly echoing. And then the sound of flutes and drums¨D¨Dcountless shadows appeared from the other side. One, two, ten, twenty. No one would believe that the first one they saw was a person. It was more than a dozen ri away from where they were. The shadows were clearlyrge and intimidating even from a distance. "Nagal, there''s something big here." "¡¡That is" And what appeared was something much bigger than that shadow. "...Ah, they said there was an elephant monster, so maybe that''s what it is." Standing on the horizon, the giant beast was still clearly visible. She understood that those were elephants, but one of them clearly had a different size from the others. Compared to other elephants, it was more than twice as big. The frightened voices of the guards grew stronger when they saw the shadow of the elephant. The elephant''s physique was 20 shaku tall at the shoulders, which is the same height as the walls of this castle. And the elephant''s body was far more massive than that. It was sorge that it could even straddle the castle walls, to think that such a monster existed in this world. The guards were understandably frightened. Following that monster was shadows that almost filled the horizon. ¨D¨DGulshan''srge army, totaling over several hundred thousand people. The closer they got, the stronger the rumbling of the earth became, and the rhythm of the flute yed by the apanying orchestra filled the sky. The reason why they crossed the horizon at dusk was probably for demonstration purposes. Krische narrowed her eyes as she counted the elephants she could see. ¡°Nagal, are you scared?¡± "Haha, the only ones who aren''t scared in the face of battle are probably the most heroic Krische-sama. When one see that huge army like this, there''s nothing more frightening than that." Nagal answered honestly. "...double the number of troops. And a giant beast that we haven''t seen. However, at least from the perspective of the people who fought alongside us in the ck g Special Force, it''s not scary enough to turn Krische-sama an enemy." However, contrary to his words, there was a smile on his face. "To those who don''t know, we may look foolish, but to me, Gulshan is the foolish one. When the war begins, they, and our frightened soldiers, will understand that. The feelings I feel now will soon be reversed." The young man''s eyes held a half-worshipping fanaticism. Or perhaps his eyes were looking up to God. The look in his eyes was one of madness, of death-defying reverence for his one and only master. "It¡¯s my pleasure to spread it. ...Kalua''s proposal is not bad, but whether or not we do it will make a big difference in morale." ¡°Hmm, is that how it is? ...Well, it''s not a bad idea to show an example. There''s also arge target that''s easy for the soldiers to see." The Gulshan army stopped there. They would probably camp there today. Krische turned her gaze away from the huge one and sat down on the Suiko. ¡°Let''s go, Nagal. We have a meeting to attend, so let''s finish the final checks as soon as possible.¡± "Yes ma¡¯am. Jarea---" "...Jaragasha" "N-now, it''s time to unveil the Jaragasha. I can''t help but look forward to tomorrow too." The civil war in Gulshan twenty years ago. What threatened the rebel army led by Orugan more than anything else was the betrayal of their own rtives, not the Gulshan Kingdom''s army. Therades who stood up together to take down the corrupt royal family were cajoled by the royal family behind the scenes and bared their fangs¨D¨Das a result, the rebel army that initially had arge number of people and was superior in military strength, was forced to lose ground against the Gulshan Kingdom''s army. Based on that experience, extremely strict rules were now in ce regarding military secrets, and only a very small number of people were allowed to participate in the meetings. In particr, not even a single squire was allowed into the discussion called ¡°Commander Meeting¡±, creating an extremely insr environmentpared to that in the kingdom. The higher-ups think everything through, and the lower-ranking people simply carry out orders, regardless of their own will. Many opinions arise from countless brains. Flexible ideas that lead to the best will not emerge from this, however, if the general is excellent, there will be no major problems. The subordinates simply believe in the general and willingly to risk their lives. Although the political system has shifted to a republic that values discussion and the exchange of opinions, the military is still blindly strict. A hierarchical structure was maintained. Just south of the Fortified city of Nakria. There were only four people at the Commander Meeting held in the great tent of Gulshan. The civil war in Gulshan 20 years ago. Orugan, a hero who was born into a royal family but became the banner of the rebel army, defeating the corrupt royal family and established the republic. And as his right-hand man, twin sword Zalvaag, a genius with countless titles at a young age. To Orugan''s right hand was a bald man with a face like a rock. A fierce man with a superhuman physique of seven shaku¨D¨Dthe giant Elkar, Gulshan East General. And facing him, to the left, is a lean man who looks like a schr. Long, gray hair tied back, sharp eyes on a chiseled face¨D¨DKilrea, the swordsman and Gulshan West General. Looking at the two''s faces with satisfaction, Orugan yed with his beard and opened his mouth. "It''s been a long journey. The reports?" "There is no loss to the Eastern Army. Only skirmishes, Your Excellency." ¡°Same with Western Army, and also each city is surprisingly non-resisting.¡± Elkar and Kilrea answered in an uninterested tone. One could say it''s too disappointing. Initially, they expected it to take a month to arrive at Milhirrea in. This was because they believed that there would definitely be a move by the enemy general, Dougleen Garhka. The invasion was to be made in three separate armies, center, east and west of Gulshan. It would be natural to think that the enemy general, Garhka, would aim to destroy each of them before merging with them. The kingdom would probably deploy reinforcements from the center and use them as a shield, and then aim to defeat the armies of either the east or the west¨D¨Dif one think about the strategy from the kingdom''s point of view withmon sense, one''ll end up with something around that. Gulshan''s strategic policy for this invasion was designed with such movements in mind. However, as it turned out, the enemy general, Garhka evacuated the viges as soon as he sensed their preparations for invasion and retreated to Nakria. Their opponent was Garhka, who had given Gulshan many blows. They had been warned that there was a possibility that they might strike a blow to either the East or the West by a pre-emptive or counter-invasion, but it was anticlimactic. The movements seemed so weak that it made them wonder if it really was Dougleen Garhka. ¡°I wonder what the other side is thinking, Vice-Chancellor. It¡¯s hard to think it¡¯s a move by Garhka. Did it wag he tail in response to the stupid instructions from the central...I heard you met hum but how was it? ¡± Kilrea asked Orugan with grim face. ¡°I also want know, Your Excellency. Is their purpose to lose recklessly?¡± The same went for Elkar. All three generals, including Orugan, had exchanging spears with Dougleen Garhka. They knew the opponent¨D¨Dthat was why this move was iprehensible. They are well aware of the connection between Orugan and Dougleen. Thet also thought that at the end the other side would want a dignified head-on confrontation, but that would onlye after he had struggled as much as he could. It was against the principles of military tactics to lure 100,000 people to Milhirrea ins unharmed. Even if that was what they wanted, he should have prepared a suitable army, but no matter how many they estimated, it would be at most 50,000. "It seems like it''s neither of those things. Garhka is sane and wants to kill me with less than 50,000." ¡°...Impossible¡± The two look at Orugan as if searching for his true intentions. But it didn''t seem like Orugan was lying or joking. ¡°The princess from the center¨D¨DHe seems to like Alberinea quite a lot. He boasted that if the two of thembined their powers, they would be our equals.'''' Hearing Orugan¡¯s cheerful words, Kilrea folded his arms and thought. ¡°So, it¡¯s not a trap?¡± "At least if it''s strategically that¡¯s true. Garhka has no intention of doing so. Honestly, I have some concerns about the other one... but it doesn''t seem like that princess is deceiving Garhka. However, Kilrea... As a precaution, when the battle begins, we''ll send out lookouts in the sea of trees.'''' "...I don''t mind that but" If there is a strategic detour from the center, it must be through the sea of trees to the west. It was a question of number of days. If they did not go through there, they would not make it to this battle. In some cases, they had assumed that they had hid their troops in the mountains further west since the beginning, but in that case, the 10,000 troops stationed in the upied city would deal with this and hinder their movement. In order for Alberan to move its army and participate in this battle, it would inevitably have to pass through the Sea of Trees, and even if the other side did so, it could easily be dealt with as long as it could be detected in advance. The military forces of both side were different in the first ce. ¡°Is there a possibility that the people of Nakria will be armed?¡± Elkar asked that. Fortified City¨D¨DSurrounded by walls all around, Nakria was arge city with a poption of 100,000. There was enough ground for ten thousand people to be soldiers. "I''m not saying it''spletely impossible, but... at least from the information I received from the spies I sneaked in, I can''t imagine that happening. Even if they manage to get a nice amount, it''ll just increase the number of deaths unnecessarily." Orugan tly denied it. There appears to be no training taking ce at Nakria. Training is what turns a timid person into a soldier. Even if they were trained to use de and forced to fight as a militia, they would just copse in a short time and lowering the morale of other units. Militia could be at best be used in siege battles. Even in field battles, putting aside small skirmished inrge-scale field battles militia is useless. "It''s quite possible that they would use militia to defend Nakria. However, the possibility of them using it as a field force is extremely low no, I''d say¨D¨Dit''s impossible." After saying that, Orugan lifted his cheeks. "This is a clear invitation. I believe that they have a very secret n to close this gap in military strength and defeat us head-on. It¡¯s certainly not some small trick." "...Secret n" ¡°You can say that I¡¯m hoping for that, but¡¡± Orugan stroked his beard and squinted. "I heard an interesting story. During the civil war, Krische Christand found magic possessors among ordinary people and created a century made up only of magic possessors." "...Are you sure?" ¡°What good, is there for me lie?¡± Oruganughed, and Kilrea and the others furrowed their eyebrows. It was extremely difficult to determine magic possessors. Even if one have a very good eye and are a skilled magic possessors, it would be impossible to see through someone with talent unless you carefully observe them. Most of them would be able to be guessed from their physical abilities, and at best it¡¯s only distinguishing between those who have been trained as magic possessors from an early age and those who have not, it was a different level of difficulty to select potential magic possessors who did not know how to handle magic power. ¡°There are not many people who have magic power that you can recognize at a nce when recruiting. If you are lucky, there will only be a few... However, if a century was created all of a sudden during the civil war, it would be natural to think that people withtent magical power were picked up from there. I don''t know what methods they used, but this is a threat and this information that should be taken into ount." "So we should assume that some sort of selection method or intensive training regime has been established?" Orugan nodded at Kilrea''s words, "Probably. I can''t imagine doing anything other than slow, steady work. If I wanted to do it, it would take a lot of money and time. We''ll have to find out eventually... But, well, that''s not the important point.¡± Then he tapped his own the head with his finger. "The main point is this shows that the enemy''s princess, Krische Christand, has the ideas and brains to overturn conventional wisdom. I don''t think we should take this lightly." Even though he was smiling, his eyes are serious. Both Kilrea and Elkar''s faces became even more severe. "What do you think? Did anyone expect the princess to win the civil war in Alberan? At least I betted on Gildanstein. In fact, Gildanstein had the upper hand in the beginning¨D¨DHowever, at that time, an army leader with a force of at most 5,000 defeated that Hilkintos and killed Gildanstein.'''' He met Krische in the royal capital and did some research on the war history. It would be fair to say that she appeared out of nowhere. A girl not even twenty¨D¨Dthat¡¯s only natural. ¡°In thetter half of the civil war, the feats that Krische Christand was said to have aplished in just a month or so were extraordinary. At the young age of 14, she participated in the war against the Holy Empire as a special attack force, and killed the Empire''s vice-general and apparently she had taken the general''s assistant prisoner.'''' ¡°¡You sure that¡¯s not an exaggeration?¡± "No. Kilrea, you probably could tell by just looking at it. At least I feel that there is no lie in that incredible war record. That, that is truly Alberinea." The two of them looked skeptical, and Oruganughed and sipped the fruit wine. "Well, I''m not going to force you to believe everything... but she''s definitely not someone you should take lightly. She¡¯s not some decoration who came about because of silly political reasons, but an outstanding genius who was sent to help them win. Don''t be fooled by her appearances." ¡°¡Fumu, just like Zalvaag-dono?¡± "It''s more than that. Do you have any objections, Zalvaag?" "I don''t think so. At least, I feel that even in this situation, if I let my guard down, I''ll be in danger." Zalvaag, who had been listening to the story in silence, spread his hands while astounded. Neatly cut ck hair. Neither handsome nor ugly. His only characteristic was that he was tall. Born to a shoemaker''s son, he was supposed to lead an ordinary life, but his talent blossomed on the battlefield, and he rose to be the right-hand man of Orugan. The young man, who could truly be called a genius, was never arrogant and had a calmness in his eyes. "This is an opponent that should be eliminated above all else. As a general, I don''t know how good she is, but as a warrior, I honestly don''t think I can beat her either." ¡°...Houu." Kilrea and Elkar look at Zalvaag in surprise. Zalvaag was probably the best warrior in Gulshan when it came to sword skills. ¡°Rather than apetition of skill, it would be better to crush her by arge number of elite. For that reason, Vice-Chancellor, you seemed to be pleased with her but please give up on taking her as a bride.¡± "You''re a terrible person. Don''t you have any intention of making any effort?" "Look at yourself in the mirror. You don¡¯t match either way." Oruganughed happily and looked at the two of them. ¡°Well, Zalvaag is also like this. I don''t think it''s a good idea to spend a lot of time on this kind of opponent. If we use the advantage of numbers in an endurance battle, we will only give her time to think and move.¡± Even with the advantage of numbers, it seemed like a simple push would be a bad move. Fight safely and win safely¨D¨Dwith this overwhelming difference in military strength, there was plenty of room for choice, but he was so confident. There''s must be something. ¡°If the opponent adopts a formation like today, with Garhka on the right wing and Nakria on the left wing, then ce Alcazaris in the center. We will not hold back, ce the elephants and magical beast soldiers in the front from the beginning, and destroy the enemy''s center line with one move.¡± However, all ns and tactics are based on the conflict between the battle lines. It would be meaningless unless some degree of stalemate developed between the two sides. "Unlike Garhka''s army, our opponents is from the center. They''re probably not used to beasts. Elkar, your job is simple and clear." "¨D¨DBreak through head-on. My arms is itching." Elkarlughed, distorting his rock-like face. "Kilrea, I entrust you with another 20,000 from my army. Elephants and beast soldiers won''t do much but force them in numbers and force Garka to use their reserves. Make sure they can''t send reinforcements to the center. Of course, I don¡¯t mind if you kill Garka on the side.¡± "With certainty" Kilrea also nodded with a deep smile etched on his tanned, chiseled face. "Go with the intention of deciding everything with the first move. Don''t allow the opponent to make any moves and use your superiority in numbers to overwhelm them. It goes against my aesthetics, but that''s the situation and the battle they want." Orugan crossed his arms and continued. ¡°Also, if you feel something is wrong, report it right away. No matter how you look at this situation, it seems like the only way for the enemy to defeat us is to desperately break through the battle lines... but that confidence... No matter how much of an advantage we have, they will always have a way to sessfully break through somewhere huh, remember that.'''' Whates to his mind was the girl''s eyes. Its jewel-like purple color. Its jewel-like purple color. Alcazaris and 60 elephants¨D¨Dand a simultaneous assault by arge army following behind. If there were ten enemy generals, they can defeat all ten of them, even if it¡¯s Garhka. At the very least, they can push the opponent into an inferior position. However, he had a feeling that even if he forced them into such a situation, that girl would definitely break through. Hus instincts blocked out his logic, he even thought he was being too cautious. The girl''s appearance made Orugan though that, depending on the situation, she would not only break through, but would even defeat Elkar. ¡°I may be overly cautious, but I have a feeling that''s just the kind of opponent we''re dealing with. Be careful, Elkar.¡± "Yes sir. If His Excellency says so, I''ll believe it. ...However you know what''s going to happen if it¡¯s too anticlimactic right?" "At that time, I will give you as much sake as you want from my brewery. Do whatever you like." ¡°Then I have nothing more to say.¡± Elkarlughed, but his eyes remained serious. Orugan nodded with satisfaction. "...The enemy is taking advantage of our overpowering forces and hoping we let our guard down because we think we are winning the battle. First of all, get rid of itpletely from your." Then he continued. "If we don''t miss the slightest movement and read the opponent''s intentions early on¨D¨Dcrushing them with all our might, our victory will be certain. No matter how much of an advantage you have...don''t let up that vignce. That is what will ensure our victory.¡± "¨D¨DWell, if you think about it normally, they''ll probably make their first move with the intention of destroying us." While the Gulshan army was holding a meeting, the Alberan army was also holding a meeting in arge tent built at the rear of the army in preparation for tomorrow''s battle. "100,000 troops vs. 46,000 troops. A nking detour is impossible, and the only way for us to inflict fatal damage on the enemy is to break through the enemy''s lines, and of course they will think so too." A silver-haired girl sits on the upper seat and spoke in a calm voice. ¡°Krische, didn''t mean to do it, but Krische ended up feeling like I was provoking them...based on that, Krische sure they are confident that we have the means to break through their thick lines." It''s not like she intended to provoke him, but Krische''s remark to Organ was in fact provoking. The corps leaders under Garhka''smand were twitching and blue streaks appeared on their temples as Krische didn''t seem to understand how important this was. To unnecessarily make the other person wary¨D¨Deveryone knows the significance of that. When dealing with arge army, the only chance you have is when your opponent lets their guard down. Krische had made them lose that. However, despite this, she didn''t even seem to feel any responsibility for what she had done. The reason they tolerate her was because her attitude makes them think that she might have some kind of secret n. ¡°Therefore, there is no doubt that they will not give us a chance and will crush us all at once in the first move. However, Krische has a secret n to outwit Gulshan¨D¨D¡± Her beautiful face had a very serious expression on it. Seeing this, they felt relieved, wondering if her previous behavior was just a pretense. "¨D¨Dnot, what we need to do is to break through head-on. First of all, themanders of each corps should consider this to be the policy of the Alberan army as a whole." However, she said that without much motivation. Seeing her like this, themanders of the Garka army couldn''t bear her anger, but Dougleen reprimanded them with a look. Krische didn''t seem to notice this and continues to smile. ¡°50,000 against 100,000, it may seem difficult, but in the end, battle will depend on the flow. Which side will win the first move, and which will be pushed¨D¨Da t push, a siege, a single point breakthrough, or a sh between battle lines is like a stone fist?¡± She moves her hand rapidly, showing rock-paper-scissors, and held up her clenched right fist. ¡°The enemy is trying to crush us. Normally, we would do a mobile defense or block them and form a siege, but... Unfortunately, there are a lot of big beasts at the front over there, and Krische¡¯s sure whether it¡¯s scissors to paper, they will forcefully obtain victory.'''' Then she mmed her right fist into her left palm. Showing a paper being beaten down and fluttering her left hand under the desk. Her bodynguage was childish, as if she were teaching a child. Her subordinates who knew her very well¨D¨Dthe former members of the Christand Army were also looking at her with some exasperation. "How troubling. We can''t win if we continue like this. ...But the solution is simple." But suddenly, Krische ced her right fist on her desk. ¡°They are ¡®we will certainly win¡¯ rock. It would be foolish to challenge such an opponent head-on with a stone fist. So before we fight with a stone fist..." Everyone was captivated by the next moment and took their breath away. "...We just need to cut off their wrist first so they can''t use stone fist again." Before they knew it, a curved sword was pulled out and swung down. ¡°The opponent''s objective is to not give us any chance to use our tactics. That''s why they seriously set out to crush us. They believe that if they are at full strength, at least they won''t be defeated, so we will first overturn the basic premise. The very knowledge that they are not letting their guard down is what make them let down their guard.¡± Slightly above the fist¨D¨DAlberinea that was engraved on the de that stopped tight atop it. "¨D¨DIt''s the initiative that makes them lose the basis of their confidence, losing the initiative, and have the hegemony stolen. ... In a battle, it''s not the one with the stronger stone fist that wins, or the one with the bigger body that wins, it''s always simple and clear." As if it¡¯s only natural, the girl continued, pressing her sharp de against her own neck. The purple of the smiling girl as if glowing madly. There was no fear, no anxiety, no hesitation. There was only one thing there, ¡°The winner is the one who can get the opponent¡¯s head like this.¡± ¨D¨DIt was an absolute pride that could be called insanity. Chapter 179: Ceremony of Start of Battle Chapter 179: Ceremony of Start of Battle ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 179 Ceremony of Start of Battle*** Clear skies as far as the eye can see and a warm spring breeze. South of the kingdom¨D¨Dthe Milhirrea ins. But none of the Alberan soldiers there were enjoying the spring weather. Everyone pushed down the chills and shivers and simply stood facing forward as they had been trained and taught to do. Ahead of them was arge Gulshan army of over 100,000. In contrast, theirs was only 46,000 strong. They were standing in the very ce of death, everyone thought. They had understood this for several days. However, themanders kept repeating that their opponent was Gulshan''s soldiers were weak, and that if they could defeat the beast, they would have a chance of victory. And this is a battle where the survival of the kingdom was at stake, there was nowhere to run, and if they didn¡¯t win here, the entire kingdom would be overrun. There was no other choice but to fight on, even if it was a tough battle. They, too, mustered up courage from the words of their superiors and stood there to dedicate themselves to this noble mission. ¡®Even if I die, I will definitely stop this invasion¡¯, they were determined. Commanding the Alberan army was the fierce general Garhka, and the hero of the civil war, the Heavenly Sword, Princess Krische. They believed that there was no way they would be defeated unterally. ¨D¨DHowever, there was something standing opposite them that trampled on their small courage. "Against that thing..." "Don''t whine, it''s just a beast with a big body." The centurion chided the young soldier. Elephants, sand lizards, and rock-like unicorns. They had imagined the kind of beast they had heard about. They were also prepared for them. However, the one animal in the center was outside the scope of their imagination. One would have to look up if one gets close to it. Even from a distance, from Nakria, from the height of its castle walls even the gigantic elephant could be seen. It truly was a fortress. In fact, what it carries on its back is a gigantic turret. Its physique was like two giant elephants stacked vertically and horizontally, and the ground rumbled as it simply walked to form a line of battle¨D¨Dit was like a small castle moving. Even the centurion, who scolded his men for their weakness, could not quell his fear in the face of it. ¡®In front of such a monster, what is the point of the battle line?¡¯¨D¨DAn instinctive fear arises in his heart. It was easy to imagine that they would simply advance forward, reap the army''s ranks, and push through. For the sake of the kingdom, he would risk even his life. Even a noble soldier who is entrusted with leading the line did not want to die a dog''s death. ¡®If I can give some meaning to this life then¡¯¨D¨Dthat was why he was able to throw his life away. ¡®If even that is not possible, then what would I lose my life for?¡¯ There¡¯s no one who is not afraid of losing their life. There is no one who can endure the meaningless loss of life, even if they deceive themself into thinking that they can gain honor in exchange. The days of grueling training, and the deeds of valor earned on the battlefield. Family, lovers, and friends¨D¨Dthe weight of what they have worked hard for, won, and umted in their lives turns directly into their fear. Their instincts told them that they should run away somewhere amidst the chaos of the battlefield, and even their way is almost swept away by it. "Make way! Alberineaing through!" Two corpsmanders emerge from the ranks, ridingrge horses and leading the way. Kolkis Argand,mander of the Second Corp, wearing a majestic armor helmet shaped like a silver tiger. Likewise, the color of silver that reflected the sunlight. A slender man wearing a temail that represents the goddess, the Third Corp Commander Bagil Sandika. "Hahaha, if you don''t clear the road, you''ll be eaten. Focus more." Both had smiles on their faces that showed no fear. Bagir stroked his gray beard and what called out to him was a sweet voice. "Bagil. Gururun is a smart child, so it''s okay." "No, but there may be some unscrupulous people who might try to peek inside your skirt. You have to be careful." "...Bagil is strangely concerned about Krische¡¯s skirt. It''s long, so it''s okay." Then, a slight scream was heard, and from behind came a huge monsterrger than a horse. Eight shaku tall at the shoulders, easily exceeding the height of a human, it has elegant green and ck lines. On top of a demonic beast that could truly be called a magical beast¨D¨DAlberinea was naturally sitting sideways on it. Her long silver hair swayed in two tails, and inside her ck cloak was a white dress. She wore no armor, except for a pair of rather rugged boots and a pair of elegant cuirasses, showing off her fairy-like beauty¨D¨Dshe was there looking no different from her usual self. "Meow-Meow, Bagil, Krische''ll go and say hello, so do whatever you like." Passing between Kolkis and Bagil saluting from horseback, Krische headed to the center between Alberan''s and Gulshan''s armies. Kolkis and Bagil head to the front of their own army. "Look, Gururun, that''s the elephant. It''s tonight''s feast." While patting the Suiko on the shoulder, Krische said that, and the Suiko whether she understood or not. ¡®Gururu¡¯, groaned and headed forward. The pleasant sun made Krische yawn, and the Suiko followed her master''s lead and gave a sleepy, voiceless yawn as they walked. For Suikp who is basically nocturnal, they felt sleepy at this time of the morning. In the center of the room, Alberan and Gulshan met each other. The first person to speak was the generalmander of Gulshan, who wore armor shaped like a lion. It was the hero Orugan. "You showed up well without being scared, Garhka, Alberinea. First of all, let''s praise the courage of both of you." Heughed and jumped down from the top of the elephant, followed by Zalvaag, who was also wearing light armor with lion carvings. Orugan carried arge curved sword on his left hip. Zalvaag carried two curved swords on his back. Zalvaag silently red at Krische and did not move from his spot. Only Orugan stepped forward, and Dougleenughed when he saw him. "This is my line, Orugan. I thought you would get scared and just run away." As if matching each other, Dougleen was also wearing armor in the shape of a lion. Although the designs were different, they were all lions¨D¨DKrische looked at them with admiration. ¡®They must all love meow meow¡¯, Krische thought. "Do you know? Between Gulshan and Alberan, I''m always the winner in important battles." "If you think about the number of wins and losses, I''m the winner, Garkha. And this time, I will never let you escape." "Ha, the one whoughs at the end is the one who wins the war. It''s sad to be proud of victory in a skirmish." "If that''s the logic, then in a match with you, I would be the one who wouldugh and win at the end. It''s not a difference that can be overturned by small tricks." "...The two of you are really good friends after all." It felt like watching Bery and Selene fight. Krische looked at them troubled, then looked up at the elephant and narrowed his eyes. The outer skin seemed to be quite hard. As expected, it would be difficult to pierce through with an arrow at a curved angle. Its size and its power were clear. In a head-on collision, it is the soldiers who will lose. It would have been troublesome if handled incorrectly, but that was it. It was simply a single factor of the battlefield. "...Finally, I was able to show it to you as promised. I''m d that this day hase, Alberinea." "Um...thank you. But, Krische felt a little bad about killing it, even though Orugan took such pains to bring it here." "Kuku, don''t think it will be that easy. Even if that''s true for you, it''s probably different for the soldiers. ...Especially that, even for you it¡¯s not something you can handle carelessly." Orugan gestured to the huge body of Alcazaris¨D¨Da blue monster born from an elephant, and thenughed as he looked at Alberan''s army. "I can hear the voices of fearing from your army. You may be able tame a magical beast, but it¡¯s still just a tiger after all. It¡¯s no match for that." Despite Alcazaris'' huge size, it can run as fast as an elephant. Tough flesh and bones¨D¨Dthe power to break down even castle walls. No matter how good a magic possessor is, it¡¯s extremely difficult to get hold of Alcazaris once it starts running. The handlers and escort who rode on its back were also carefully selected, making Alcazaris a walking fortress. They made full use of siege bows and trebuchets, and it would have been impossible to defeat it unless it attempted to attack a castle. "Hmm... Gururun is just Krische¡¯s pet, so Krische didn''t bring it here with the intention of using it for something like that in the first ce... Krische just used it in ce of a horse because it''s easy to ride." While listening to those confident words, Krische vaguely thought about the horse she left behind¨D¨DBururun. Since it coincided with the breeding season, it was now the time when he¡¯s working hard to make babies. It was a horse that had a really nice physique and ran well¨D¨Dit was definitely a good horse, but it seemed like those rumors had spread from some noble messenger. It seems that his name was sold as a famous horse that ran as if flying, rode by Krische to Selene''s predicament, and he received such requests from all over, including Kolkis. He is also quite popr now. Thanks to this, Krische was able to leave him behind and bring Gururun along without worry. In terms of ridingfort and speed, Gururun is superior to Bururun, and except for its poor fuel economy, it was a perfect toppetitor. But as expected even for Krische, ever since Gururun came, she''s been treating him as useless, and since he seems to have free time every day, except for walks, she feels a little bad for him, so it''s just right. "...Pet?" "Yes. Krische would be troubled if she were to get injured...putting aside if it''s in the forest, but in a in like this, it''s no different than just a big meow, so Krische doesn''t have any intention of using her in battle." While patting her back, Krische looked at Alcazaris. "Also, from its looks it¡¯s just a bigger elephant after all¡ It doesn¡¯t emit magical power or fly in the sky." The jewel-like purple wrapped in silver eyshes narrowed. "Krische¡¯s sure was aimed at having a morale effect...but it¡¯s a failure. In fact, Krische was saved because you brought it to a position where Krische could easily aim from the front." "...?" "Vice-chairman Orugan seems to have misunderstood Krische.¡This kind of easy-to-understand coercion is a double-edged sword if it ends in failure. Soldiers aside, Krische won¡¯t be disturbed¡" Then her eyes turned to the Orugan. "¨D¨DIt''s just a big target for the clich¨¦." Her graceful smile made her eyes just look inorganic. The purple color of her eyes shone with absolute self-confidence and self-conceit. ¡®How serious is she? Is she insane?¡¯ He looked back at her searchingly andughed. "...I see. Then, first of all, let me take a look at how my future bride will be doing." "Krische won¡¯t lose, so it won''t happen in the future but...ehehe, but make sure to keep the promise okay. ...General Garhka?" Dougleen, who was listening with a smile, was criticized by Krische and nodded. Then his gaze turned to Orugan. "As you can see, she is a very confident girl. My feelings about her are not that different from yours, but...I put all my money on this girl because I thought it was a winnable game. It¡¯s better not to underestimate her." "Kuku, that¡¯s quite a gamble, Garhka. I don''t think you''re insane, but..." Orugan red back. "The match has been agreed upon. We can''t back down now, can we?" "Ah...that¡¯s mutual." After saying that, Dougleen turned on his heel and Krische did the same. The two who were left behind saw them off and jumped onto the elephant''s back. "How about Alcazaris?" "Don''t move now. I''m interested in what they¡¯re nning to do. First, let¡¯s just know what Alberinea is like." While watching Kolkis and Bagil give instructions in front of each army, the girl sitting on the Suiko advances in front of the battle line. The sight of him looking around at the battle lines waspletely unsuitable for a battlefield, and even the Suiko, who was supposed to be terrifying, looked somehow cute. "Krische-sama" "Bald Eagle, Krische''ve been looking for a while, geez. From now on, it would be better to take off the helmet when in a crowd so it will be easier to tell." "M-my apologies.... Just a few final confirmations." He lowered his head to Krische who was pouting cheeks, and immediately turned behind her. "Koza, g." "Yes sir!" Archer Captain Koza steps forward with a crescent skull g, the ck g Special Force banner. His tough, scarred face looked a little happy, perhaps because he was happy to have the role of hoisting the banner in front of a battle line of over 40,000 soldiers. Mia and Kalua followed, and Aleha, who was behind them, handed the spear he was carrying to Krische. "Wow, I can''t believe that Krische-sama will show us a sample in person. The soldiers will be motivated as well." "This is the job of lower-ranking people, Aleha should hone your spear-throwing skills more. Krische, really want to sit in the back and drink tea while takingmand." "Yes ma¡¯am, I will put in more effort in the future." Aleha saluted him with a smile on her handsome face, and Kahlua looked at Krische in shock. "...I can''t really imagine Usa-chan sitting silently in the back and calmly takingmand." "Krische has no choice but toe forward. Actually, Kurofuyo''s role is to quickly defeat the enemy and capture the head of the enemy general so that Krische doesn''t have to move." "I don''t think the day will evere when that request will bepletely met, based on Usa-chan''s standards..." Even if all the ck g Special Force members became superhumans like Kolkis, this princess would definitely voice her dissatisfaction. Above all, Krische¡¯s own evaluation of herself is limited to ¡®fairly (so-so) strong¡¯. Even though she was on equal terms with such a dragon, just what did she mean by ¡®so-so¡¯. Krische red at Kalua with dissatisfaction, and Kalua instantly ced Mia in front of her. "That''s what Mia said." "Eh...?" "Mmm...... Mia, that kind of thinking is no good. Mia gives up too quickly." "K-Kalua! Stop doing that¨D¨D" "Cough, Krische-sama, for now the sermon..." Dougleen was pained by the puzzled nces of the soldiers toward him. This normal appearance was not bad at all. Some of the soldiers who were listening to the conversation evenughed, and it was a good way to rx. However, even though a battle that would go down in history was about to begin, the three of them had no single trace of tension, and it hurts his head to see them like that to no end. "Hmm, aah...... I see. Mia, Krische''ll continue the sermonter." "Why, why me...." "Adjutant-dodno, it is unbing to talk back to your superiors in front of the troops." "......Uuu, you......!" Mia red at Kalua as if she wanted toin, but Dagra stared at her and held her tongue. Dagra sighed in exasperation, looked at Koza and raised his voice. "¨D¨DAttention, those who are looking down, lift your head!" Krische continues toward the right wing, and Koza waves the banner wide. "There are 100,000 enemies, and they are controlling a huge unknown monster. But there is no need to be afraid!!" Dagra followed, looking at each of the soldiers one by one. "My name is Dagra Rinea Arkus, Commander of ck g Special Forces Company! Just like you guys, I''ll be the first to cut down on the enemy!" And he smiled manlily. "But now I have no uneasiness in my heart, and I have no fear in my heart! Because I know that defeat is impossible. ...I''ll tell you the reason why I don''t doubt our victory¨D¨Dthe difference between me and you guys! " Dagra, who was not riding a horse, could only be seen by the soldiers in the front row, and many people could only hear his voice. "What kind of existence is Alberinea, who leads you all¨D¨DI know it, and you guys don¡¯t know it! That¡¯s the only difference!!" But that''s fine. He wasn''t supposed to draw attention to himself. "¨D¨DAs a proud centurion of the Kingdom, under Alberinea, I fought the war against the Holy Empire and the civil war. That''s why I know. If I follow this person, there is no such thing as defeat¨D¨Dthat experience teaches me that!" The eyes of those at the rear of the battle line were inevitably drawn to the g waving in front of them and the Krische sitting on the giant Suiko, and then further forward¨D¨Dtowards the gigantic monster. "First of all, take a close look and see for yourself! Then know! What it means for Alberinea tomand you!! Soon you will all have the same heart as me!!" While listening to those words, Krische moved towards the center of the right wing¨D¨Ddirectly in front of Alcazaris. "Alcazaris is famous for being ¡®one who tramples on everything¡¯, how ridiculous! They will soon regret bringing him in front of Alberinea." Krische jumped off the Suiko and twirled the spear that had been given to her as if to examine it. A melee spear as usual. It''s heavy enough that it fitsfortably in her hand. She nced behind her, and when she felt enough of the soldiers'' eyes on her, she switched the spear to her other hand. "Because¨D¨Dyou will realize that it¡¯s no different than a rabbit before Alberinea!" Listening to Dagra¡¯s voice. It was the same step as usual. Her posture was slumped low, as if she had just gotten dizzy. The angle of stepping was as perpendicr as possible, minimizing wind resistance. From one step in a stationary state, to the second step she took, she was already at her highest speed. What her body unconsciously embodies was the theoretical maximum efficiency. Alberinea''s essence was not strength. It was an insane uracy that brought out the best of all logic and theories without any doubt. Turning theoretical theory into reality. Her body easily reaches its physical limits. She suddenly brakes as if mming her heel down. The kic energy, which immediately loses its ce of destination, was absorbed by the knees and transferred to the upper body without any waste¨D¨Dlike a pendulum the body was bent and released from the tips of the fingers. ¨D¨DThe girl''s fingertips yed a sound of destruction that could even kill a god. A spear that pierced a ri in an instant. No one would have been able to follow it. However, what everyone could clearly see was the monster¡¯s skull being crushed, its inner flesh blooming, and the rain of blood raining down around it. The sight was almost like a fantasy, and after a moment''s dy, an indescribable sound of crushing echoed in the distance. At the same time, they slowly regain the reality that was left behind. Even the voices of themanders who were encouraging the enemy soldiers had disappeared. With just one throw, the giant beast copsed, making the ground rumble. All eyes on the battlefield were once again on the girl who leapt onto the magical beast. In response to her unconventional military aplishments, she neither boasts of her power nor cries out. It was a natural thing for her. ¨D¨DIt was as if to indicate that it was as trivial as squashing a bug. "¨D¨DWho is the truly terrifying one!" A voice spoke in ce of her. "If you understand, raise your voice! Offer your de!! You all deserve Alberinea¡¯s blessing!!" A g with a crescent skull was swung high above their head. Or perhaps it''s simr to an explosion. "¨D¨D¨D¨D!!!!!!" ¨D¨DA loud cheer filled the venue. Everyone raised their voices as if their previous fear was a lie, offering their spears to Alberinea as if they were raising their swords. Everything that clings to them disappears, and they simply surrender to the frenzy. Their eyes held a beastly quality that was even greater than the beast in front of them¨D¨Dthey now turned into beasts called humans. "Uh..." "Hahaha, that''s really shocking. ¨D¨DClear the road! Alberinea is passing through!" Alehaughed at Krische, who was holding her ears. He, like the soldier behind him, lifted his cheeks madly. "Leave the rest to me. As you requested, Captain Dagra and I will take care of the rest." "...Yes, Bald Eagle, Areha. Do whatever you like after that." "Ha! Leave it to us." Leaving Dou and Aleha behind, Koza, the g bearer, and Mia and Kahlua led the way. Krische sighed and crawled through the arch of the spear made by the soldiers with an annoyed look on his face¨D¨DAfter seeing him off, Dagra called out to Aleha. "Adjutant Areha, in this situation it will be difficult to signal with a g. I would like to leave the first spear to you." "Haha, it''s actually the second spear, but leave it to me. It seems like I''m remembering the past. I''ll keep the lizard in its tracks, and I''ll take control of the soldiers." "Understood. ¨D¨DAdjutant Aleha." "...?" Dagra stuck out his fist. "Even though we were once in a position where we fought each other...However, I am truly happy to be able to fight alongside such an honorable warrior like you." Aleha looked at the fist and into Dagra¡¯s eyes, surprise on his face. He smiled and reached out his hand. "Those are my lines. I never thought that someone in my position would be epted as a matter of course and entrusted with such an important role. ¨D¨DI have no choice but to repay this favor with a sword." and bumped their fists together, "...Tonight, let''s drink together in the delicious wine of victory." "Of course. ...I left the front to you." "I''ll take care of it, Commander Dagra." The two smiled at each other. Chapter 180: Alberineas Black Flag Chapter 180: Alberinea''s ck g ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 180 Alberinea''s ck g*** *One ken = approximately 1.8 meters. 50 ken is 90 meters. Unicorn ¡ú Rhinoceros-like creature. "Kuku, as expected, we can¡¯t recover huh. It feels like I''ve been punched in the nose." "...Is this a situation where you canugh?" From atop the elephant, Orugan looked at the dejected soldiers as he watched the Suiko and Krische disappearing into the battle lines beyond, with a strange look on his face. He raised his voice in an attempt to rebuild morale, but the soldiers were still in a state of confusion¨D¨Dno matter how Orugan words were spoken, they were not getting through. That gigantic body was not only used to intimidate the enemy, but also served as a spiritual support for the soldiers. During the Gulshan Civil War, this beast mowed down the battle lines and shattered forts, making a great contribution to the victory of the rebel army. The soldiers were very excited about Alcazaris'' departure, and were excited thinking that Alberan was not their enemy. For that reason, the impact this way of death had was tremendous. The shock to the soldiers'' spirits was probably even greater than the death of their bravemander. "Did you imagine that she would follow her words through? Haha, that huge body sank with a single throw of a spear from that distance. There can''t be a more hrious situation than this." However, Oruganughed happily. The deadly beast was easily defeated, and yet there was still power in his eyes. "I already said from the beginning that, if you can imagine it, you should reserve it you know." Zalvaag replied exasperated. "I wish they''d at least target us. That would have been better." "...Please give me a break,mander. This is not something I can handle." The elephant jockey told them with a look of heartfelt hate. It doesn''t matter if it''s Orugan or Zalvaag, there''s no way a jockey sitting on top of an elephant could avoid that. The rider pulled the elephant''s ears from the reins and made it walk toward the main camp through the gaps in the ranks. "Don''t be so rude. That''s just a show." There''s nothing particrly clear. However, the very act of giving the opening greeting means a fair fight. After that, it was a tacit agreement and etiquette that the battle would begin only after both generals had returned to their respective positions. The reason why armies were ced one ri apart from each other was because this was the limit of the effective range of the small trebuchets and crossbows normally used in field battles. It would be difficult for them to fire at each other effectively, and it would give an impression to allied soldiers that they were despicable for the damage they caused. No matter what, an attack would not normally beunched at this timing, which has only disadvantages¨D¨Dbut it would be a different story if a mere individual were to attack with a javelin from a ri away. Even if it is praised, there was no one who would criticize it as despicable. Of course the enemy was the enemy, but there were no soldiers here who would be angry about a pre-emptive attack from a ri away. The key was the atmosphere. If it''s a weapon made with that purpose in mind, it might be cowardly, but if it''s a warrior''s personal skill, even though it''s an enemy, they can''t help but say it''s brilliant. Even more so if it could be done with just one throw. "However, they sure did it. The enemy''s morale was at its highest, and our morale plummeted¨D¨Dthe enemy had gained a mental advantage. What is the enemy aiming for, Zalvaag?" "...Of course it will be a breakthrough. With that much excitement, there is nothing we can do. Soldiers with increased morale will stand up to the elephants." There is no beast stronger than a war elephant to deal with frightened soldiers. The mere sight of their bodiesshing out in front of them could devastate enemy soldiers who look up at them with a single breath. However, if the opponent offsets fear with enthusiasm and maintains a certain level of calm, the elephant is by no means an invincible creature. Still, the advantage will not change¨D¨D "If it¡¯s me, then I would aim at the hole that Alcazaris fell through. The morale of the soldiers is at its lowest, and the elephants around them are also scared." "...That''s a reasonable line." The Gulshan army was 55,000 led by Kilrea on the left wing against the Garhka army. Then, 30,000 led by Elkar on the right wing against the Alberinea army, and ced 20,000 of Orugan¡¯s main army behind them on the boundary between the two armies. Alcazaris was ced on the left wing of Elkar¡¯s army, and would have originally destroyed the right wing of Alberinea''s army. However, now that it has been lost, the left wing of Elkar''s army has be their weak point. It was quite possible that it would be overtaken. The Alberinea army had its left wingpletely entrusted to the fortified city of Nakria, so there were only two corps on the front of the battle. However, there was one corps in reserve in their rear. It was thought that they would definitely use that force to break through this single point. If so, the worst case scenario was that two corps, of nearly 10,000 troops, could avnche into the rear of Elkar''s army. ¨D¨DIt should not be underestimated. "......It is hard to believe that the other side is the real target. If they go from the front, they will find Elkar''s main camp. If they¡¯re busy with that side, they won''t have any strength to take down our main camp." It was too aggressive and inconceivable for the enemy to pass Elkar''s main camp in the center of the right wing and aim for Orugan¡¯s main camp. The battle front of the Alberinea army was two corps, the right wing and the left wing, but Elkar had also ced troops on the right wing, right in front against Nakria. There were no elephants or highly mobile beasts, but there were 5,000 troops. If the left wing of Alberinea''s army was going to break through the center, this force would aim at its nk. And the other side should also have understood that. It would be impossible to break through the center while being targeted in the nks, and Elkar was not a weak general. He was a general with the ability and experience to invade other countries on his own. It would be foolhardy to aim for Orugan by defeating him head-on, and the enemy left wing forces would be aiming to stall him at best. Considering the situation, it was reasonable that the enemy''s aim was to break through to a single point with the right wing. "That said, it¡¯s useless for me to think about it. It''s Elkar''s yground. ...Just to be safe, the main army will prepare themselves for a breakthrough on Elkar''s left wing. Zalvaag, if the enemy breaks through, it''s your yground. Fun isn¡¯t it?" "...There''s no reason to be happy. Let''s pray that General Elkar will stop the breakthrough." He said with a sigh and turned his sight toward behind the enemy line. Zalvaag stared at the main Alberinea army camp. As Orugan had read, the Alberan army could not afford to not take advantage of its morale. Alberan''s first move was to advance the entire army. However, the Garhka army did not advance in single file, but in order from the left wing¨D¨Dthe entire army drew a diagonal line, set an angle, and showed a tentative stance against the Kilrea army, which attempted to bypass the right wing. Naturally, even though morale had fallen, the Gulshan army didn''t just stand there and ept it. The entire army was propelled in front of the beast, which consisted of elephants, earth dragons, and unicorns. Normally, the situation would be at the stage of shooting at each other¨D¨Dof course, an exchange of arrows began between the Kilrea army and the Garhka army, but that didn''t happen between the Elkar army and the Alberan army. Elkar''s army''s vanguard has 60 elephants. Earth dragon 30, unicorn 20. In order to exert maximum effect on them, the infantry had to strike without a pause when the elephants disrupted the enemy vanguard. Speed was vital, and to achieve this, it was necessary for the infantry to advance in time with the beast''s legs. If the archers were brought forward, the timing of the recement would cause a disruption in the formation. And if the recement dyed the movement of the infantry, there was a danger that the beast would rush out. Although they all had thick hides, the rain of arrows that poured down on them was still a sufficient threat. The riders were not as sturdy as they were, and after all, they were beasts¨D¨Dthey were not fighting for honor or a cause. They instinctively get frightened by the danger of a downpour of arrows. If the opponent concentrated their arrows on a beast that stands out, it would not even seed in the initial charge, and skirmishers, who did not form battle lines like archers, were their weakest point. There was also the possibility that the beasts in the vanguard would be beaten to death one-sidedly. Here too, even if they bought out the archers and disrupted them, the opponent would be in a skirmish state where they keep a wide distance between each other. It cannot be a fatal blow, and the damage in a shoot fight will naturally be greater on their side, which would lose the beasts. Therefore, if elephants and other beasts were ced in the front line, the best defense was to attack. A simple all-out assault would produce the greatest effect and limit their losses. If there were infantry in line right behind the elephants, the enemy would have no choice but to withdraw their archers quickly. As mentioned earlier, the formation will always be disrupted at the time of the change. And in the face of a war elephant and a line of soldiers, a loss of control is fatal¨D¨Dthe enemy needs to avoid this above all else, and if faced with an all-out attack, they would inevitably be passive. A giant beast is something that in itself gives it an overwhelming advantage in a head-on collision. What was needed to control them was not borate schemes or tricks, but courage and boldness. The ultimate and best thing to do was to force their way through a rain of enemy arrows with simple and clear brute force, and pry open the enemy''s lines with the pure frontalbat power of that force. The morale of the Gulshan army has dropped significantly, and the morale of the Alberan army was at its highest. However, once they are able to engage, this gap in morale would likely narrow once again. The general on the right wing of Gulshan''s army, the giant Elkar, thought so and told his soldiers to just fight as usual. They had never lost in a head-on collision. With this difference in morale, it was possible to reach a stalemate even by using war elephants, earth dragons, and unicorns, but that said, a stalemate was more than desirable. If the two sides could simply cut each other down, there would be no need to think about anything. Victory would naturally roll their way due to the difference in military strength. Just like thews of nature. A strong force is required to make something move again once it has stopped. Once they stop, they push against each other¨D¨Dif there¡¯s no outside forces, they wouldn¡¯t be able to destroy and break through the battle line, and the opponent wouldn¡¯t have any more strength to take action from there. If they could prevent the initial attack, they win. This battle was that simple. However¨D¨D "...That''s strange. Why isn¡¯t the enemy shooting their arrows?" A seven-shaku superhuman physique. A rugged armor and helmet with only an elephant symbol engraved on the chest and center of the helmet. Looking out over the battlefield from atop an elephant, Elkar had a frown on his already grim face. The Alberinea army in the front only advances the battle line, and did not even show signs of arranging archers against their beast soldiers. "...Aren''t they nning on making the most of their morale? Or are they going to let it go to the back like Garhka did?" Even if one didn''tpare him to Elkar, he probably had a small stature for a man. Naikul, the adjutant¨D¨Dlooked at the Alberinea forces in front and replied. In the past, Garhka was able to respond to a lead-on charge by elephants by creating a gap in the battle line with a spectacr formation change¨D¨Dbrilliantly parrying the charge. Although they were trained war elephants, they were still just beasts. Contrary to its appearance, it is a timid herbivore, and if an opening is created and it is guided, it will instinctively choose to run away. Avoid hitting the spear head-on. It was a Garhka who had fought against elephants many times¨D¨Deven though he was an enemy, hismand was superb. There was no doubt that he had shared this way of dealing with elephants, but.... "If it''s two, it''s probably the former. It¡¯s because the elephants were so prominent that time. But this time, the elephants aren''t the only beast, and the infantry is right behind it. They can''t use such big moves." If they tried to flush the elephants out in this situation, they would be crushed in the line of battle by the infantry and earth dragons following them through the gap that had opened up. "However, pushing them in based on high morale...if that''s the Garhka army, that doesn''t seem like a bad idea, but how many people over there actually know about elephants?" "...At the very least I won''t choose that. It''s a reckless gamble." If it''s a Garhka army, a simple head-on collision was an option. Veteran soldiers who have long held back the invasion of Gulshan in the south. They were used to dealing with beasts, and if their morale increased that much, there was a good chance they could tear through the battle line along with the elephants and earth dragons. However, the opponent was the army from the center of the kingdom led by Alberinea. The way she defeat Alcazaris with a single throw¨D¨DIt was certain that Alberinea was an extraordinary warrior, and of course the army she leads was also elite. However, this was only a matter of being the elite when dealing with people. There were not many people who could demonstrate their full potential when facing a beast they have never seen before. If this was a head-to-head battle based on high morale, it was quite a gamble. "But, as expected, there''s no sign of them moving. they seem serious." Even while they¡¯re talking, the distance was shrinking. Gambling¨D¨DHowever, he didn''t have any feelings of disrespect. The soldiers of the kingdom''s army were different from the soldiers of Gulshan in the first ce. Strong soldiers equipped with uniform equipment and thoroughly trained. If one were topare ordinary soldiers without beasts, their abilities would be superior. If they were to seed in this gamble, there was a good chance they would advance through the battle lines. "g bearer, have your right wing take a detour maneuver! Strike the enemy''s nk!" "Sir!" "On top of that, bring the entire main force forward. Get all the reserves ready to move!" Elkar raised his voice and saw the elephant he was riding begin to move and looked forward again. In the distance, he looked closely at the Alberinea army and frowned. "...A chariot? In that position?" It would only be if they were on top of the elephant. The enemy army, divided into left and right¨D¨Dhe turned his attention to a strange chariot that was blending in with the battle line on its left wing. "Two horses...but considering it''s a chariot, there''s no archer either. It looks like just a cart though." "Either is fine...but why would they mix something like that into the battle line?" A cart covered with cloth was behind it, and two horses were pulling it. It was unnatural for a cart to be ced in such an intrusive ce, and the same would be true for a chariot. It was an antique from a time when there were no stirrups¨D¨Dwhen chariots were not able to be fought properly on horseback. Even if they were to bring it out now, the operation would not be much different from that of cavalry. It used to go around from both wings. Why would they be mixed in with the line of battle? Rather than puzzling¨D¨Dit was eerie. "Messenger, I found a strange carriage or chariot of unknown purpose among the enemy in Central Dalton. Tell them to be very careful!" "Ha! I''ll repeat it!" "No need! Go now!! Tell His Excellency this too!!" Elkar ran the message as he shouted¨D¨Dthe echoes were thunderous earthquakes and battle cries. The war elephants were about to attack. Elkar looked up again, then. "¨D¨DThat is" Beyond the elephants that had begun to charge forward. While he took his eyes off the elephants for a moment, the ck banner of a crescent moon skull was fluttering countless times from the enemy battle line. And appearing as if oozing out from it were soldiers in ck armor. Between the Bagil third corp and the Kolkis second corp. Aleha looked up at the sky as he advanced with his soldiers, squinting at the wind of the battlefield. The enemy was arge army of over 100,000. There was an army of 30,000 in front, and this was only half of it. Originally, it would have been a reckless attack. When Aleha was a general, he would have thought that a head-on collision was ridiculous. ¨D¨DHowever, for Krische Christand, this was not a gamble. "Wow, I feel like my crotch is shrinking, Aleha-dono." "I''m the opposite, Squad Leader Zaka. My whole body is excited to be entrusted with the spearhead of a battle like this." The handsome young manughed. The squad leader, who was wearing an eyepatch over his left eye, smiled back at him and answered happily. "I remember the battle in the Dragon''s Maw. The enemy was arge army, and we were at most 100 men¨D¨DKrische-sama apanied us and we continued to fight for a week in the mountains of Bernaich." He traced his left eye over his eye patch and closed his eyes for a moment. "No praise, no support. Compared to that, this is quite a luxury. Above all, it''s good that today is the end." "It''s good to think positively. ... It''s one way of thinking." "...?" Aleha looked at the elephant in front of and told Zaka. "On the battlefield, people first feel the fear of death, but death is simply the result of failure. What you should think about is how you will seed. What you should always envision is your ideal self, and then look at how you should be in order to reach that ideal." Aleha continued with a wry smile, distorting his good looks. "If you think of yourself as a soldier, it''s good to be positive. That''s how I got closer to my ideals and rose from corporal to general. ...Kuku, though as you know, in the end that turned into arrogance, and General Christand and Krische-sama broke that long nose.'''' "...I have a hard time responding to that." Zaka said exasperated. Stories of superiors'' failures were difficult to respond to. "Well, in short...When you put yourself on the battlefield, the stake is your life, no matter if the enemy is strong or weak." Aleha''s cheeks lifted with madness in his eyes. "The more powerful the enemy, the greater the honor of defeating it. Don''t you think that if the stakes are the same either way, the more powerful the enemy, the better?" "...It''s rude to say this to your superior, but you''re crazy." Zakaughed, but Aleha neither med nor denied it. "Kuku, in the first ce, soldiers are the ones who risk their only lives for uncertain things like glory and honor. Do you think such people are sane?" "I don''t think so. I''ve be very aware of it these days. I''m sure the quality of a soldier is determined by how crazy they are." Zaka said, gesturing behind him with his thumb. "Should I be happy or sad to be able to fight under amander who is more intelligent than anyone else? I sometimes wonder about that." "Of course, you should be happy from the bottom of your heart. ...It''s a crazy environment, and if you¡¯re not crazy, wouldn''t it be your loss?" "Indeed.¡ Is it about time?" "Ahh, it''s about time." The distance from the enemy''s vanguard¨D¨Dwar elephant was less than 100 meters. If there was an archer, it waspletely within range, and within the range from which the war elephants could start their charge. Aleha has fought throughout the western part of the Holy Empire as a soldier of the Holy Empire. Naturally, he has experience fighting not only with the kingdom but also with Gulshan, and he knows more about how war elephants move than anyone else in Alberinea army. "Let''s act as guides for all the soldiers on this crazy battlefield, Squad Leader Zaka." "Ha! Bogs,e forward! Raise the banner!" In response, he raised the g that had been put down. Arge bell rang from behind, and at the same time, the war elephant in front changed its stance from walking to running. ¨D¨DThat was the signal. Aleha jumps forward, followed by five members of Zaka''s squad. All of them, except for the g bearer, were holding two spears. Aleha, danced in front of the battle line, followed by the others. Throwing the spear in the left hand, and reversing the spear in the right hand. His body elerated to the limit like a beast¨D¨Dhis upper body flexed as if he were mming his heel into the earth. "...!" The distance is seventy ken. A hand-to-hand spear that is faster than an arrow is shot out from the springs that was his body. There was a whirring noise, and the destination was the war elephant¨D¨Dthe base of its nose between its eyes. The gap in the skull¨D¨Dthe spear that urately prated the nasal cavity,pletely damaged the inside of the head with just one throw, killing it instantly. The giant body fell down and fell to the ground, scraping away at the ground. "Hunters of Alberinea,e forward! Elephants like them are just mere targets¨D¨Dteach those stupid beastmasters about the battles of Alberinea!!" Aleha howled, and the g bearer waved the banner. Two hundred warriors appeared one after another from the battle line, roaring in response. Wearing the same ck armor, each carrying a spear, all galloping faster than horses. Then, they threw the spear in their hand into the elephant in front of them¨D¨Dand once again the Alberan army erupted into loud cheers. They weren''t just javelin-throwing skirmishers. A special javelin-thrower made up entirely of magic possessed. The hunters of Alberinea¨D¨Dwhat they fired was a deadly weapon that could be called a magic spear. Theplete opposite of their cheers. Countless elephants screamed in pain from the Gulshan army. Even from a distance of 50 meters, the spear that stuck into its body was deep. The Gulshan soldiers woke up in an instant from the frenzy of the all-out assault, and showed fear at the ck-d monsters in front of them. They have not forgotten the existence of Alberinea, who felled Alcazaris from a run away with a single throw. There was also the presence of a ck g with a skull and crescent moon waving there. And even now, many of the same gs were hoisted in front of them. The soldiers had forced their hearts, which had once been broken, to be enthusiastic. When they see the war elephants falling down one after another with the sound of countless wind noises, once they wake up from their frenzy, all that remains was fear of the unknown. The transcendence Alberinea''s magic spear did not end with just one throw. An army of deviants who could easily shoot and kill war elephants from a distance of 50 ken. To them, everything before them seemed like a monster beyondprehension. ¨D¨DThere''s no way they canpete with monsters like this with twice as many people. Such thoughts seep into their minds and rise to the surface. "Don''t slow down! The elite are few, we can crush them with the difference in numbers!! Don''t be afraid to move forward!!" Even so, excellentmanders who remained calm and had the ability to analyze the situation raised their voices. But in this situation¨D¨Dthere was no way the soldiers would believe that. Alberinea was not the only one who felled Alcazaris. Themanders tried to assuage their fears, saying that it was all about individual valor, and that they had the upper hand in this battle. "Gh¨D¨Dh!?" The reality in front of them believed that. Alberinea wasn''t the only one. Even war elephants and strong beasts were no match for Alberinea''s army. These beasts have always taken the lead and mowed down enemy lines. As long as they had that, they would never be defeated in a head-on battle¨D¨Dtheir confidence, the basis for it, had been fundamentally destroyed. Some of them, disrupting their steps to run away in fear, were pushed and fell down. And the dead bodies of the war elephants that had be obstacles¨D¨Dthe disorder in the battle line spread to the entire army. Once the army had its heart broken, it was no longer an army. Theypletely lost the ability to move forward and lost control. "All forces¨D¨Dbegin the assault!!" And in the face of them, the kingdom''s crest depicting a sword thrust to the heavens¨D¨Da huge assault g was flown, and the battle cry indicating the assault sounded louder than ever. As if recing the footsteps of the missing elephants, they shook the earth and approached. All the soldiers in Gulshan''s army finally understood. A head-on collision, and who will be able to control it? Who would be the one to be overrun? ¨D¨DThe ck g of Alberinea was waving in front of them. Chapter 181: Bagil Sandika, Or Perhaps Watcher of Holiness Chapter 181: Bagil Sandika, Or Perhaps Watcher of Holiness ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 181 Bagil Sandika, Or Perhaps Watcher of Holiness*** *One ken = about 1.8 meters One ri = about 400 meters. Half a ri = 200 meters. ¨D¨DBagil,mander of the Third Corps, remembered the night before the start of the war, in the main tent of Alberan''s army. ¡®¨D¨DFirst of all, Krische¡¯s army moves to take care of the enemy''s war elephants and beasts like that. The opponent has arge army and elephants on the front. They will assume that they will not be defeated by any means and that they can at least create a stalemate, so we will turn that idea on its head.¡¯ A special javelin throwing unitposed of magic possessors. Using the Whoosh Whoosh Soldiers of the cky Corps or rather the Magic Spear Soldiers of the ck g Special Forces Company, they would use javelin to eliminate all the elephants that form the vanguard of the enemy army before they could engage. A simultaneous javelin thrown by a trained magic possessor¨D¨Dit has some power against the military, but since it was just a spear, in the end the number that can be thrown at once is limited, and the damage it could inflict was also limited. Its purpose was just to disrupt the enemy''s pace, just like a regr spear, but the difference between it and a regr spear was its power. Even if the opponent is a heavily armored infantryman or an elephant with a thick skin, the spears could easily pierce it. A single throw by five men against one elephant would be more than enough. The vanguard of the Alberinea army¨D¨Dthey would sneak into groups near the front of Kolkis and Bagil''s army, and at the signal they would begin throwing javelins. The result would be a direct betrayal of the opponent''s imagination. This also had arge implication for the soldiers to get used to it as most of them were new recruits. Even though they were highly skilled at using magic, if they were suddenly asked to attack the enemy, they would probably hesitate. In fact, most of the ck Century in the Dragon''s Maw were also frightened until Krische led them into action. However, if they were to use a long distance throwing javelin, which they had been trained to do, it would give them a chance to realize the power they had gained without any of the danger, and it would be less psychologically taxing for them to throw than to hold a de and thrust it directly at the enemy. In order to treat therge number of these soldiers as a legitimate force, it was important to allow them to gain experience step by step. Krische stood up and went to the steel te behind her. The formations of the two armies were drawn by maic pieces. She got on the table and reached up and started moving the pieces until the two armies were engaged¨D¨DGallen helped her from the side.. "The blow to the enemy''s morale will be huge. A full-frontal assault is a move one will choose because they are confident that they can win. There''s no way the enemy would expect this to failpletely, and they will definitely be passive at this point. The initiative is here. From there, we will continue to make every effort to not let go of this opportunity." Krische spun around on the tform with her skirt fluttering, put her hands on her hips, and puffed out her modest chest. She then looked down at the generals and corpsmanders, met Bagil''s gaze and tilted her head. She followed his line of sight¨D¨Dto her skirt. "Bagil, what¡¯s wrong?" "No, I was worried that what''s under the skirt might be visible." "...Muu, don''t worry, Krische is being careful." While pouting her lips, Krische pinched her skirt as if she was worried about Bagil''s words and looked at the generals and armymanders sitting in the chairs. If Krische stood on the tform, it would probably be easy to see from an angle, but her skirt reached below the knees. She nodded, thinking that it wouldn¡¯t be seen, and turned her attention back to Bagil. "Krische¡¯s d that Bagil is worried, but it''s okay. Krische is a properdy, so Krische won¡¯t show any disrespect to men." "Yes ma¡¯am!" Gallen, Mia, and the others looked exasperated when they saw Bagil stood up, gave a powerful reply, and saluted with dignity, while Dagra rubbed his temple as if he was tired. Although an extremely talented warrior andmander, he had some character ws. If he were not in this position, he would be a man who would hang out in bars all year round and mess with the waiters. "Krische''s move, is of course, to break through the enemy forces that had been disturbed by this. The first to move will be Krische¡¯s right wing, Bagil themander of the third corps. It will not be difficult against the enemy who has lost the elephants and whose morale has been seriously shattered, right?" "Of course, there is nomander here who would have trouble with that." Krische smiled at those words. "The first step is to make a breakthrough from that point. The first step is to make the enemy think so." The right wing of the Alberinea army¨D¨Dthe Third Corps. As he gave the order for a full assault, Bagil¡¯s mind shed to Krische¡¯s skirt, which was swaying. Those were not the usual boot socks. Not below knee length, but above the knee. Though slender overall, Krische¡¯s white thigh was fleshy¨D¨Dthe ckce line of the socks that tightened there was beautiful, but. "...What on earth was that?" Bagil''s sharp eyes didn''t miss it. Thece at the top of the sock was connected to a mysterious band that hung down from the top. What he saw when Krische flipped her skirt on that tform was not a mistake. The forward roll that Clich¨¦ did while throwing the spear earlier¨D¨Dat that moment, he clearly saw the mysterious band extending from the top of her thigh. "What exactly was that?" It was something Bagil, who had wide knowledge about women''s underwear, didn''t know about. "¨D¨DNo, wrong. As expected, that is." He remembered a rumor his wife had told him. Apparently, garter belts were bing popr among thedies these days. A new product from Arica Sarsbern, a well-known tailor among noblewomen. This was something that overturns the conventional wisdom of sock sps, and his wife and friends have also told him that even some high ss noble people wear them. Though this is vague information. At that time, he didn''t really put it into his mind. He was just impressed that such underwear had been made. However, when he thought about it again, something came to light. High ss noble, it was a vague term but it referred to those associated with the royal family¨D¨Din short, Her Majesty the Queen and Krische. And the mysterious band that Krische wore. If you think about it, you could certainly say that it was intended to be a sock fastener. Bagil was now convinced of this. The image of innocent Krische appeared in his mind, and from the name garter belt, he imagined its structure and put it together by wearing it on the inside of her skirt. It was probably tied around the waist, like a corset or something. Simply think of it as a belt with garters and sock sps. The band pulls up the socks from the waist and secures them in ce. Bagil''s brilliant mind derived the optimal solution from the small amount of information¨D¨Dhe created the entire structure in his mind. A crazy obsession¨D¨Dno, it was just a lecher¡¯s mind. "...Something¡¯s the matter? Bagil-sama" Fagran, formermander of the Second Battalion of the Christand Army¨D¨Dand currently a battalionmander equivalent to an adjutant under the Bagils¡¯smand, asked that when he saw his superior''s serious expression and wrinkles between his eyebrows. There¡¯s no way he would ever think his superior would seriously think about Krische¡¯s underwear in the face of this attack. Both of them were once under themand of Grunmeld. He knew what kind of person Bagil was because he had known him for a long time, but he had no idea he was such a pervert. How to attack and destroy the enemy''s camp. He thought he was thinking deeply about that. "The situation is like this. There''s nothing to think about. Just bring the coward to a bloodbath and it''ll be over." Noplex tactics were required. Just crush them with morale. It was short-sighted, but in this situation, it would produce the best result. Fagran spoke as a matter of course based on his experience, and Bagil nodded. "I know. ...Krische-sama showed us something amazing. I have no enemies today." Bagil reyed the glimpse of Krische¡¯s thigh in his head. Unaware of his superior''s intentions, Fagran thought of Krische and her subordinate¨D¨Dthe ck g special member, and showed a powerful smile. He thought that Bagil was thinking of the same scene as him. "Hahaha, a man who doesn''t get excited when shown something like that is no longer a man. ...The morale of the soldiers is at its peak. Give them the order." "Ah, that''s true. Not a man. ...Let''s go. We''ve got a lot of fun ahead. ¨D¨DRex, give me the spear!!" Bagir roared as he grabbed the melee spear held by his bodyguard and danced out to the line of battle. And then, a group of ck g Special Forces who had cleared away the war elephants and unicorns had slowed down right in front of Centurion Tagel. "Centurion Tagel, my corps will take over from now on! All of you, take a rest!!" "Ha¨D¨D!?" Tagel answered, although he was taken aback by Bagil''s appearance that suddenly appeared from behind. However, it is unclear whether he heard the reply. Bagil elerated in one breath and was far ahead, already in front of the enemy''s vanguard. ¨D¨DWith a single spear that made a roaring sound, he crushed the enemy in front. "Listen, you small fry of Gulshan! And your cowardlymander who is cowering behind you! Bagil Sandika will make you regret facing against Alberinea!" As if a wave avoiding a rock. Seeing the enemy corpsmander just three ken away, the soldiers of Gulshan''s army who were directly in front of him tangled their legs in fear, or fled to the side to avoid him. "¨D¨DThird Corps, follow me!!" Former first battalionmander with deep ties to the ck Century. He was usually a friendly and easy-going man, but in this moment, the spirit emanating from his body was truly that of an unparalleled warrior on the battlefield. He had never thought of him as an ordinary warrior, but when he showed his true spirit, it was like apletely different person. He was a warrior who rose from a private to serve as the right-hand man of the Great Wolf, Grunmeld Varkas, and served as the adjutant of the Wolf Pack, the Kingdom''s strongest battalion, for many years. Tagel looked at him with great respect and raised his voice, wondering if this is what the man named Bagil Sandika was truly like. He rallied the ck soldiers around him and took control of the soldiers so that they could move again under any circumstances. Now that the hunt for the beast was over, themand of the men was in the hands of the valiant Bagil. A roar that seemed like it would burst their eardrums¨D¨Dand then the sound of the enemy lines shattering and screaming. Imagining how big this assault would be, Tagel also lifted his cheeks and moved to Fagran''s side, who was a little behind. "Kuku, it''s unusual for Bagil-sama to be this excited. Be ready to move at any time, young man. Once he bes like that, you won''t know how much more outrageous things will be." "Understood!" "¨D¨DFagran, the front is mine! You''re inmand from behind!!" "Yes sir! Wave the g and sound the trumpet! The First Battalion in the Center moves straight ahead! Second Battalion to the left, and Third and Fourth Battalion to the right! Let''s force the enemy to break open!!" For a battalion of 1,000 soldiers, the basic arrangement is 20 vertical lines and 50 horizontal lines. If a corpsmanded five battalions, one battalion would be left as a spare, so the width of the battle front would be approximately half a ri. The reason why it was made vertically thick by 20 was because of the existence of magic possessors. The presence of magic possessors is a threat in itself, but if among them were some powerful enough to overwhelm others, they could easily break through the thickness of 10 people by themselves. The reason for dividing the centurions into five in the vanguard and five in the rear guard, as well as leaving arge battalion behind them as a reserve, was based on the premise that such magic possessors would break through. Even if they were to spread out horizontally and take up a position of 10 vertical and 100 horizontal, for example, and take a wider battle line than their opponents and attempt to bypass them from the wings, they would still have the disadvantage of travelling long distance as a fundamental problem. If the wall is broken directly from the front before they reach the enemy''s rear, they will be at a disadvantage. This was a conclusion and answer not only for Alberan but also for the battlefields of this world, and the same was true for the Gulshan army. If there are 1000 people, there will be 20 columns. However, armies were basicallyposed ofpanies of about 500 soldiers. Themanders of thesepanies were directly under themand of the general, who had the authority of a battalionmander that is called "War Lion Commander" in Alberan and given corpsmander authority. If the army was 5,000 strong, one couldmand 10panies at most. A good war lionmander could, in some cases, gain an advantage over the kingdom''s 5,000 legionnaires. The ability to freely operate a small forcepany of 500 allows for greater freedom of tactical maneuver, and a good war lionmander might even be able to gain an advantage over a corps of 5,000 of the Kingdom in some cases. However, as tactical freedom increased,manders were required to have vast information processing capabilities and the ability to derive optimal solutions from countless options. And the more the number of troops entrusted to theirmand exceeds that number, the greater the burden on them bes. This could be said to be a military structure in which everything depended on the excellence of the War Lion Commander. Alberan''s armycks a sense of stability, and its chain ofmand allows the superior Battle Lion Commander to perform detailed tactical operations, but at the cost of that, the Battle Lion Commander is at the mercy of countless pieces of information and thoughts. If their instructions were dyed, or if they stopped thinking even for a moment, the problems to be handled would rush in like a tidal wave and exceed their limits. This military structure was a deeply rooted problem in the history of Gulshan. In the past, the War Lion Commander was a privileged ss that was only allowed to the noble of the Gulshan Kingdom. There was an absolute wall between them and thepanymander, and no matter what military achievements amoner may have, they were limited topanymanders. The Gulshan royal family believed that giving too much power tomoners would inevitably lead to rebellion, and this system was built over many years to solidify the power structure of the royal family, the nobility, and themoners. On top of that, they treated the nobles generously and sided with them to preventmoner rebellion. Although that power structure copsed due to the rebellion of Organ, who was born into the royal family, the military structure has been maintained even after bing a republic. Based on his experience in the civil war, Orugan felt that the chain ofmand was problematic and needed to be reformed, but he voluntarily relinquished his authority to make any decisions on his own initiative and assumed the position of vice-chairman. He held the position ofmander-in-chief of the Gulshan army, but this power was only entrusted from the congress. There were many difficulties in reforming the military structure, such as the need to obtain approval from Congress, and on top of that, the position of War Lian Commander was the most coveted rank for military personnel who were civilians. There was a lot of opposition to having that authority taken away, and the soldiers also wanted to be led by a warlord who was amoner. Despite some problems, there were advantages, and the problems were not fatal ws. It is also true that the War Lion Commander, who was amoner, defeated the royal family and led the rebel army to victory¨D¨Deven now, they were able topete with other countries. In that case, Orugan didn''t have the means to directly deny their advice that things would be fine as they were. Military reform always requires a lot of effort. Even if the current score is 70, they won''t know whether it would be 80 or 60 after the reform they actually did it. Naturally, many military personnel would prefer to maintain the status quo rather than reform, which had an uncertain future. It is difficult to shake off the idea that they had been doing well up until now, and the fact that they currently have a score of 70 was only seen by Orugan and a few others. The only way to reform is to take time, and even today, they are in the decisive battle against Alberan in their old form. "War Lion Commander! Themander of the 7th Central Company ising to the rescue¨D¨D" "I know!" On the left wing of the Elkar army against Alberinea, Battle War Commander Lacour was spinning his mind on horseback, concentrating on how to ovee this situation. The reason he was positioned in the center of the left wing instead of in the rear of the left wing was because his initial move was a simultaneous assault. In order to be able to quickly sense and deal with whatever movements his opponent was making¨D¨Dwith that thought in mind, Lacour ced himself in a rtively front position. However, the situation was fundamentally reversed. The main premise of being the one to attack disappeared along with the beast, and they were in the worst possible situation of beingpletely caught off guard and being assaulted by the opponent. Without a doubt, the vanguard would be breached. This position near the front was dangerous, no matter how one looked at it. Depending on the situation and the depth of the battle line, they had no choice but to resist the enemy''s attack. The opponent in front of them was less than half of their number, 5000 at most. However, the vanguard in front of Lacour was only 5,000. The rest of his forces were behind him. In this situation, the best option would be to bring those behind them forward, have Lacour escape to the rear, and use the depth of the battle line to absorb the enemy''s attack. The damage would be great, but it would be the best option under the current circumstances. Knowing the responsibility and value of the War Lion Commander on the left wing, it was reasonable to think that he should never put himself in a situation where he could notmand and control¨D¨Da situation where he would directly engage the enemy. However, they lost Alcazaris, the war elephants and the unicorns in an instant. The morale of the soldiers was on the verge of copse. If theirmander, the War Lion Commander, were to flee to the rear, the vanguard would feel abandoned by Lacour. If that happens, all that would be left is just a mob. It was clear that their current situation of being overrun would change to being ughtered. The entire left wing was on the brink of a morale copse. Even though it is the best choice, he couldn¡¯t take the choice of escape¨D¨Dthe choice of a fresh start. His role as War Lion Commander was to inspire his soldiers here. "A breakthrough in the center is inevitable! Deploy our troops to the left and right and annihte the enemy who has broken through!" "Y-yes sir!" A breakthrough to this point could no longer be prevented. If that''s the case, then use himself as bait to draw the enemy in, pincer attack from the left and right¨D¨Duse mobile defense to lure them in and kill them. The enemy''s corps leader was probably at the front. As long as they could defeat him, they could recover from this situation. Even if that''s not the case, if there was enough time for the troops behind him to reinforce the vanguard, they could achieve a temporary stalemate. With this difference in military strength, there were countless options other than fleeing from here. However, in order to do that, they needed a little time¨D¨Dtime to rebuild their vanguard. Therefore, Lacour took the brave option of pulling out his curved sword and using himself as a decoy to attack the enemy. "Get the archers ready to shoot¨D¨Dhg!?" ¨D¨DHowever, it could be said that he made that decision toote. The shock of losing the war elephants in the blink of an eye. Lacour also stiffened for a moment. And it could be said that that dy resonated here, "I see a cowardlymander! Who will kill the delicious prey!?" His eyes were bloodshot and he had a maniacal smile on his face. A man appeared, cutting through the vanguard. The half te representing the goddess was smeared with blood¨D¨DBagil Sandika,mander of the Third Corp under the direct control of Alberinea of the Kingdom''s Central Army. His howling voice was oveid by the cries of a pack of wolves. With the corps leader in the forefront, morale was at its peak, rising to the utmost limit. There was nothing that could stand up to them. The frightened vanguard¨D¨Dat its rear line some even threw down their swords and ran away. Their cries for help were endless as spears and des skewered them from behind. "Ts¨D¨DI rescinded my previous order! Stop them! Lacour shouted as quickly as he could, trying to call back the troops he had split in two. However, they were confused as they were moving to take a mobile defensive posture¨D¨Donly a few were able to move at that moment. Immediately after giving the order. The soldiers who were guarding him were still nearby. And there was some distance between them and the enemy. Lacquer thought that he could manage to fend off the assault. "¨D¨DCenturion Tagel, cut in with me!" "Ha! Did you hear that, the target is themander''s head!!" ¨D¨DHowever, the enemy closed the gap at an unimaginable speed. If he had at least run away at this moment, he might have still been able to survive. However, it couldn¡¯t be said that it was a mistake. It was true that he had misjudged his opponent¨D¨Dbut no one could imagine being attacked by a century, all of whom possessed magical power. Led by the armymander donning the blood-soaked goddess in his chest, the following soldiers galloped faster than horses as well. Surrounding Lacour were a few escorts, g bearers, and trumpeters. And the quick-witted soldiers were able to return in that instant. And in front is Alberinea''s hunters, opponents of the same number or less couldn¡¯t even hope to be an obstacle. When approached at point-nk range, they fired their roaring spears in unison. And their spears were magical spears that can kill war elephants and even pierce armor. The men who became the wall of Lacour¨D¨Dit was now difficult to find survivors. "¨D¨D!?" "Avoided huh, quite good." Lacour, who barely managed to dodge the spear at the cost of his horse, also dodged Bagil''s subsequent blow. He was a warrior worthy of his position as War Lion Commander. He tried to open up the distance by jumping backwards, "Eh, gah..." "¨D¨DBut you''re not my opponent." But the man with a crazy smile¨D¨DBagil easily chased him into a leap and pierced his throat with the tip of his long sword. Half his body in front of the sword, it was the opposite of the Lorca style of swordsmanship¨D¨Dthe Zain style of swordsmanship he had trained in waspletely focused on attacks. With his outstanding footwork, he always kept his opponents in range and took the initiative. If there was a momentary gap, what would be released was a deadly thrust that could pierce through even te armor. In front of Bagir Sandika''s sword skills and footwork, honed on the front lines of numerous battlefields, retreating would mean death. When he pulled the sword from the throat, Lacour''s body fell to his knees like a doll with its strings cut. Bagil mercilessly cut his head off. He didn¡¯t let it fall and skewered it as it flew through the air, as if to show off his sword skills. "Hahaha, what''s wrong Gulshan small fry? The head of the coward whomands you is here! Kuku, don''t you understand thenguage of the kingdom! Then heughed and held his head high above. "Well, I''ll teach you from now on. I''ll make you all suffer the same thing. If you''re going to hold a grudge, you should grudge your ignorance for challenging Alberinea!" Bagir''s followers expand on the breakthrough and exim in joy as their own corpsmander lifted up the head. At least in the crazy world of the battlefield, there was no one more respected than an outstanding murderer. Everyone here knew that those who steal, crush, and trample on things that should be treated with care in everyday life would bring victory and honor. A world where only the abnormal shine¨D¨Dand Bagil was a beast who loved such battlefields more than anything. The head of the respected War Lion Commander was exposed, but there was no abnormal person who wanted to avenge his death, at least not among the Gulshan soldiers there. Everyone was frightened and lost their will to fight, dazzled by the beastly nature of the enemy''smander and the ck banner on his side. Fagran caught up and looked at his superior with amusement and asked him. "Bagil-sama, are you going to break through like this?" Bagil doesn''t seem intimidatingpared to Grunmeld, and he usually seems kind. That was probably why. When he revealed the madness that resided within him, he seemed to be an extremely terrifying being. He was asked by Krische to be themander of the Fourth Corp, and the reason he turned it down was probably because he wanted to see this. He wanted to experience this thrilling feeling down his spine under themand of an abnormal person named Bagil Sandika, a former Wolf Pack adjutant. The feeling of a mixture of fear and respect. "No, we won''t break through. As nned, let''s wait for Commander Argand to make a move." Left¨D¨DHe looks toward the center, and his cheeks lift at the sound of roars and screams. "...There''s no need to rush. We''ll take a break for a while¨D¨Dprepare for the next, and kill as many of the terrified enemy soldiers here as we can." "Ah, understood. Trample them down, is it?" "That¡¯s right.¡What do you think, Fagran, don¡¯t you think it would be fun?" "As for me, it''s just a side job but......" ck g Special Force, Centurion Tagel, looked at the unusual conversation between the two with a puzzled look on his face. Although he was surprised that such a person would be a corpsmander, he took control of the scattered soldiers and ordered each of them to take a break. "...Centurion Tagel, please let Krische-sama know about my aplishments." "Yes sir!" "As a reward, I would be happy if she would train my soldiers personally." "Hahaha", Bagilughed happily. Tagel once again revealed his respect for his desire to improve by receiving training as a reward. ¨D¨DUnbeknownst to him, what was inside his mind was a dancing skirt. Tagel gives him a heartfelt salute. Chapter 182: Crushed Giant Chapter 182: Crushed Giant ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 182 Crushed Giant*** *One shaku = approximately 30cm. Jarea Gashea is eight shaku, approximately 2.4m. Suiko¡¯s height is also the same. 24 koku a day (12 days, 12 nights, vague) One koku = about an hour, half a koku = about 30 minutes, small half koku = about 15 minutes. ¨D¨DThe situation and the opponent were bad. He has been active on the battlefield for several decades and has cut one War Lion Commander¡¯s head and two corpsmanders¡¯ heads. Gal Bilkace was a fierce warrior that no average warrior could match, and that''s why he was appointed the leader of the star, Earth Dragoons, despite being a nobleman. The fall of the royal family and the rise of themoner. Even though the former ruling ss in Gulshan, the nobility, were now drinking muddy water and having their heads trampled on, he was still called the noblest of the nobles and was respected by the soldiers. Character, ability, and fame¨D¨Dwith all of these qualities, it could be said that Gar Bilkace was a rare warrior. He saw the war elephants lost in the blink of an eye, and at that moment he was ordering his men to charge with all his might. Although inferior to horses, the earth dragon is quick. The outer skin is strong, and he¡¯s confident that it would be able to ward off attacks from the enemy''s ck-painted armor¨D¨Dthe magic spear hunter, unless pierced head-on. After all, the earth dragon is a giant lizard. Compared to an elephant, its size¨D¨Dthe projected area of its front and sides is small, and there are not many people who have the skill to shoot a spear urately. It was hard to believe, but all of them probably possessed magical powers. However, there were only a few soldiers whose skill was remarkable¨D¨DOther than that, they were superior in power and range to normal javelin throwers, and at least he saw that they didn''t have the power to overwhelm these 30 Earth Dragoons. He has the ability to understand the strength of both sides¨D¨Da skill that should be valued above all else as a front-linemander and he is excellent in both decision-making and thinking speed. Realizing that the morale of the vanguard would copse if things continue as they were, and thinking that someone had to take the initiative to prevent this, he immediately began to act. Not just losing one-sidedly but that in part there¡¯s still an area where they were winning¨D¨Din order to encourage the soldiers behind him. If he had even the slightest difficulty, no one would follow him, and the Earth Dragoons he led would be isted and die. Even after understanding this, he still chose to attack. He was a bravemander of the cavalry and a warrior equal to the role. None of the decisions he made were wrong. It was the best choice he could have made, and given the circumstances, he would have seeded nine out of ten times. That''s why it was a tragedy. ¨D¨DIt''s just that the situation and the opponent were bad. "That''s the enemy armymander!! Crush him!!" Raising his voice as loud as the enemy''s roar, Gal Bilkace issues orders to hisrades who have been fighting alongside him for many years. In this situation, he was fearless as he rushed forward at the front because he knew that his courageous subordinates were following behind him. And the reason they have no fear was because they were led by a respected and bravemander. Despite their inferiority, their morale was high. And what appeared before their eyes was a corps leader with an excellent physique. The silver tiger''s visor was lowered, and a sharp gaze shines through the gap. The full te he wore was not a thin iron te, but it was heavy and thick. His running feet cut through the undergrowth, carving deep ws into the earth with each step. Right in front of their eyes¨D¨Dthe bravery of the enemy corpsmander running at the front. Although they could tell at first nce how powerful the man was, they knew that if they didn''t defeat him, they would only die in vain. Ignoring the spears thrown from the enemy''s front row, the Earth Dragoons rush forward. "Hg!?" There was only a short distance left¨D¨Dat that moment, the enemy corpsmander took a big step and jumped to the side. The ce where he jumped was the head of a rolling war elephant. Using that strong skull as a foothold, the next leap was like a giant stone being thrown from a trebuchet. The steel mass flew in front of their eyes, exceeding their expectations. ¨D¨DTwisting his whole body, he released a sh that seemed to crush even space. The echoing sound of the wind made a roaring sound that one couldn''t believe wasing from a spear. He easily broke the earth dragon''s neck, which was thicker than a human''s body. Gal could not believe his eyes and jumped back from the earth dragon. Even the earth dragon''s body, which was probably ten times the size of an average human, waspletely lifted off the ground. It was not a spear, but an iron club. It was 8 shaku and 3 ken long, and its entire body was made of steel¨D¨Dthe tip of its thick handle had a tip that resembled a thick stiletto. While easily shing through the monstrous prey, there was no sign of the slightest deviation in its center of gravity. In front of them was Kolkis Argand. He was an unmistakable monster who was under Alberinea''smand and held the undisputed number one position. If the reaction had been dyed even for a moment, the spear would have broken through not only the earth dragon but also Gal''s body. ¨D¨DBut that was the end of it. "¨D¨D!?" A ck shadow appeared from the side and urately cut Gal''s head off of his body. "Commander Bilkace!" His handsome features distort into madness, what peek out his ck mane, from under his helmet was a delight. He was once a man who rose to the position of General of the Holy Empire simply through his talent. Areha jumped to his back as if defying inertia, his whole body flexed, "¨D¨D!?" He stabbed the young adjutant in the neck and immediately sent him after his superior. Then, as the first earth dragon stopped moving, the second earth dragon lost its footing¨D¨D "fire!!" ¨D¨DWith themander in ck armor, Dagra¡¯smand, came a storm of magical spears that killed the elephant. The screams of lizards and humans fill the ce. There was no mistake in Gal Bilkace¡¯s choice. The only unfortunate thing was that one of the ten was there. What was in front of him was Alberinea, twin swords and the best warrior in the kingdom. "Commander Argand, please forgive me. I have stolen your prey." "Hahaha, you''re saying so much! If you''re apologizing even if it''s a lie, why don''t you fix your face to match your words, Aleha?" Seeing Aleha''s cheeks lifted in delight, Kolkisughed. He should have understood that Kolkis could have finished him off with the next move even if he didn¡¯t make a move. Aleha charged even knowing that, and he was a split second faster. Kolkis had no intention of calling him cowardly, and didn¡¯t even feel like resenting him for stealing his prey. A win was a win, a loss was a loss. This madness¨D¨Dwas nothingpared to the all-out military assault that would go down in history. Kolkis thrusts his spear into the neck of a "lizardmander", swings it, and throws it into the enemy line. For them, it''s just a prey. Something that can only serve as fodder for the next ughter and fight. The thrown head¨D¨DKolkis justughs, raising his visor at the sound of the enemy''s screams. Even if it was Kolkis'' army, fighting against the beasts for the first time, would cause damage. Therefore, they were an elite few. After the ck g Special Force kills the elephant, Aleha quickly joins up with Kolkis. Hunt down the remaining beasts before the lines collide andpletely demoralize the enemy''s vanguard. If they were dealing with a line of battle, it might be tough, but if they were dealing with only beasts, the number was limited. For Kolkis and Aleha, who had been given the ck g Force, this was not a difficult task. "The beast is now mostly taken care of. I''ll take the general''s head, Aleha." "The problem would be if I got there first huh. I need to think about how to apologize now." "Stop daydreaming. Kuku, well before that... let''s go test the toy that Krische-sama made." And the reason for killing the beast first was not just to demoralize the enemy. Facing the frightened ranks of the enemy, Kolkis raised his spear and made a circle with its tip. As if in response, after a beat, the sound of a trumpet with a unique rhythm resounded, and several gaps appeared in the advancing battle line. Unlike the right wing, which rushed into the enemy lines with all its might, this center slowed down mid-charge. The reason for this was that there was a vanguard that needed to be released before the battle line shed. "...It''s the monumental first battle of Jarea Gashea." The 8 shaku tall frame stood out among the soldiers. Twelve ck figures danced out of the gap that made a metallic sound. Its entire body was covered in heavy armor that would be difficult to wear even for a magic possessor, and their hands were not arms, but gigantic des. The de attached to the tip of the elbow was¨D¨Dno, it was more like a blunt weapon than a de. The thick, sturdy steel was dull in color, ignoring sharpness. Although it was curved, it was a deadly weapon that crushed the human body rather than cutting it. A visor in the shape of a giant pupil was lowered over its head, and a cold blue light was shining brightly from the ironttice of the pupil. It begins with Alberinea shooting Alcazaris to death from 1 ri away. Then, in front of the ck-painted soldier, they lose the beast. The left wing was already pushed in, and what was in front of them were monster-like warriors who were mowing down the Earth Dragon head on. How many abnormalities have they seen in the short time since the beginning of this day? ¨D¨DHowever, in the eyes of Gulshan''s soldiers, the appearance of the ck giant that appeared above them appeared to be an abnormality that exceeded them. ¡®How could there be a human being with such a huge physique.¡¯ The seven shaku tall¨D¨Dtheir general¡¯s physique, nicknamed the Giant, even then it was one head taller. ¡®What on earth is that pale glow¡¯ The glow peeking out from what appeared to be its head was infinitely inorganic¨D¨Dand the huge des extending from the elbows of both hands clearly indicated that it was an inhuman monster. It ran with an oddly correct posture, and its behavior was eerie. It was something that even they, ustomed to beasts beyond man, did not know. Some remembered the one-eyed giants of folklore, while others refused to understand, only to urinate at the face of death that they would not be able to escape from. Extreme fear and confusion¨D¨Dits threshold had long since been exceeded. All of the blue eyes flickered at the same time. All simultaneously lowered their posture. They closed the gap at the same time. ¨D¨DThat speed was like a beast. Twelve roars echoed, and twelve des were swung. The giant swords swung all at once, forcefully tearing apart the flesh with their speed and power, scattering the pieces of the unfortunate soldiers. The popped human bodies¨D¨Dblood and flesh rain down on the stiffened soldiers, "Hi¨D¨D!" ¨D¨DAnd then all the rationality that was there copsed. At first, Elkar thought that the enemy''s real aim was to break through the left nk, where Alcazaris was located. This was because the enemy''s right wing was the first to hit and push. In this situation, the opponent would surely overtake them. In fact, as expected, the enemy easily took out themander of the left nk, Lacour, the War Lion Commander. But no. The enemy''s real aim was actually in the center. Looking down from the top of the elephant, their huge body was clearly visible. A huge ck soldier who reaves the soldiers with ease. The tips of both elbows¨D¨Dits slightly arched curved sword was swung carelessly to the left and right, scattering pieces of meat all over the ce. On the left nk, themander of the earth dragon cavalry, Gal Bilkace, was killed before the War Lion Commander, Lacour, and without a moment''s dy, the War Lion Commander in the center, Dalton, was also killed. No wonder. The morale in the center hadpletely copsed. Even the back rows had copsed and were beginning to turn their backs and run away. Even Elkar, who had overrun numerous enemy armies with his war elephants and beasts, had never seen anything like it. In less than half a koku after the assault, an army of 30,000 troops was so easily overrun. In particr, the speed of the assault and breakthrough in the center of the enemy could no longer be a battle. It was an imposing march through the enemy. The enemy''s objective was not a single point breakthrough, but a two-point breakthrough by the center and left nks¨D¨Dno, that wasn¡¯t it. The one corps that the enemy had preserved moved from the enemy''s center rear and began forming a battle line in front of their 5,000 right wing. The enemy was thinking of an all-out breakthrough using 15,000 against Elkar''s 30,000. ¨D¨DIt was aplete victory from the front. It deviates from themon principles of military tactics. It was madness. However, the enemy from inferiority in military strength, they were already halfway sessful. "¨D¨DShe is definitely not someone you should take lightly. She is not a mere figurehead who is there for political reasons, but an outstanding genius sent to help them win. Don''t be fooled by her appearance." An abnormal person who defeated Alcazaris from a ri away. Alberinea¨D¨Dhe had expected that the army under hermand would also be elite. Depending on the circumstances, there is a good chance that it would be breached. However, this situation was beyond his imagination. Neither an advantage nor a stalemate nor a disadvantage. Right now, their initial move, which should have been a surefire victory, waspletely ruined, and they were being directly overwhelmed by her small army. "¨D¨DIs this scene really real?" It was difficult for Elkar to ept this because of his long experience on the battlefield. If one looked at an individual soldier, Alberan was certainly superior to Gulshan in terms of equipment and training. The loss of Alcazaris and the beast, the death of Lacour on the left wing, could still be epted. However, that just a small half koku after the start, they were already being pushed towards the main camp¨D¨D "¨D¨Dkar-sama! Elkar-sama! A g indicating an immediate retreat and rendezvous from the main camp is!!" His adjutant, Nakul, was calling out to him. Elkar noticed it btedly and turned his attention to Orugan¡¯s main camp. Orugan had already begun rearranging the main camp with the assumption that the enemy would break through. No, it was not a breakthrough. This was based on the assumption that the right wingmanded by Elkar would disappear. What Orugan was trying to assemble was aplete battle line of 20,000 troops, ready for a head-on battle. Not reinforcements. When Elkar''s left wing was pushed in, there were signs of doing so, but Orugan immediately withdrew it. Probably because he realized that the enemy was going to overwhelm Elkar and try to break through the entire army. Thinking that a small number of reinforcements would only die in vain, he was about to form a fully organized line of battle against the entire Alberinea army, which was expected to close in on Orugan¡¯s main line. Orugan used the g to order Elkar to retreat immediately. He was telling him to join forces, leading only the 3,000 directlymanded by Elkar. ¨D¨Dcutting off all the remaining forces. It was cold-blooded. Morale copsed and he lost two of hismanders in an instant. The right wing, the only one not in contact with the enemy, was still able to maintain control, but in this situation they were probably only barely holding out. Orugan believed that they should no longer be treated as a fighting force, and was nning topletely discard them once and for all, and begin the battle between Orugan¡¯s main army and Alberinea''s army. He knew what he meant. He could understand it too. If Elkar were in Orugan¡¯s position, he would have taken the same action and ordered the same thing. Ten thousand soldiers'' morale copsed as they were defeated by the initial attack. He understood the seriousness of losingmand and control. It was no longer a military, and the people there were no longer soldiers. It was a mob of over 10,000 people running around in fear. And once it crosses the threshold, it wouldn¡¯t not listen to the words of humans who try to stop it. Just as when the levee breaks in a storm, there is nothing to do but wait for it to pass. If he thought about it calmly, he knew what he should do. However, he was not sure if he could withstand his own ipetence of allowing half of the enemies to make a full frontal breakthrough. It was not that he had never been set up by the enemy and failed. He had even been cursed as having a brain no better than that of an animal. He did not consider himself to be particrly intelligent, even since before he became a soldier. Still, even if he was called a foolish beast, he took it in stride. Elkar knew it himself. He epted those words. ¨D¨DBut never once in his life had he been called a coward. What hecked in intelligence, hepensated for with courage and martial arts¨D¨Dinspiring his soldiers and fighting through no matter the circumstances. The fact that the Bloody Giant was known as fearless was proof of Elkar''s existence. What value was there in him abandoning that? "¨D¨DThe soldiers are asking for help. If I abandon them, I can never stand on the battlefield again." "Elkar-sama..." "...What am I? Nakul" The small Nakul looked up at the giant who had risen above the elephant and closed his eyes for a moment. And he speaks with confidence. "...Elkar, the Bloody Giant. The brave warrior that the soldiers...and I admire." Elkar had a smile on his rock-like face and nodded. "Messenger, tell His Excellency that I apologize for viting his orders. Elkar will not run away and will show you how to rebuild from here!" "Ts...Yes sir!" The messenger answered in a respectful voice, and Elkar looked down at the soldiers below him. "This right-wing headquarters will annihte the center of the enemy as it breaks through! The enemies are also desperate¨D¨Deven though they may be overwhelming us, they are probably exhausted as well! ¡¡ My elites, you guys canpete more than enough with them!! Fight through to crush your opponent''s movements and inspire your soldiers!!" It was notpletely reckless. His opponent overturned his forces with morale effects. However, if they could close that morale gap again, they could establish a slight stalemate, even though the situation was at a disadvantage. ¡®¨D¨DWe can create enough time for Orugan to prepare his battle lines and direct his forces towards us.¡¯ Even with such a huge difference in morale, breaking through the battle lines can be exhausting. Even if he didn¡¯t make it in time and in the worst case scenario he gets killed here, Orugan would be able to start attacking before the enemy forces that have broken through can recover their posture. "If we buy even a little bit of time, His Excellency will turn his army towards us! In that case, the one in danger will be the enemies¨D¨Djust prioritize buying time!! First, we will deal with that fake giant that is an eyesore. Anyone who is not confident in your skills don¡¯t interfere!!" The ck-painted giants were the first to break through thest row in the center. It ils its arms, scattering the flesh of the soldiers¨D¨Dthe strange form that overruns them didn¡¯t even feel a single piece of fatigue. "This is an unusual enemy, so be more conscious of your cooperation than usual! If you pierce it with countless spears, it will stop moving, so bring the spear throwers forward!! The emphasis is on reducing the number, and it doesn''t matter if some remain! Concentrate and aim!!" The archers who had been entrusted with them before were barely able to fire their arrows, and were caught up in the copse of the battle line, scattering and running away. He''d like to avoid a direct collision, but the only means of ranged attack was spear throwers, and there weren¡¯t that many of them. However, those twelve creatures¨D¨Dhalf of them could be crushed. When Elkar brought his javelins forward, the soldiers in ck armor jumped out from behind the enemy giants¨D¨DAlberinea''s hunters. Waving the crescent-skull ck g, Elkar frowned. They didn¡¯t have any lee-way to defeat the enemy giant and stop those ck soldiers. He himself shoulde forward¨D¨DHowever, he still had no idea where Alberinea was. In the distance, behind the enemy, the Suiko was yawning at the main camp. There was no sign of her there. It was probably safe to assume that she was somewhere in the mix. It would be difficult to find her from here if her petite body and hair were hidden, and it was dangerous for the GeneralElkar toe forward in such a situation. The deviant who killed Alcazaris with a single throw from a single ri. Her swordsmanship was probably equal to that. However, there was no time to watch the battle situation on the elephant like this. The twelve giants rushed toward them without fatigue, leaving behind even the soldiers of the ck g behind and rushing forward. Naturally, they fired a volley of spears at them, but "...!?" ¨D¨DAll of that was easily repelled by the giant''s armor and rolled away. No, there were definitely some that stuck out through the cracks in the armor. However, the giant seemed to ignore everything, and did not even slow down as the spear remained stuck in it, and there was no sign of the pain. There, finally his doubts grew stronger. If that thing wasn''t a person, it wouldn''t even be a living thing. The javelin throwers lost all their courage and retreated to the rear as if to flee from the monster''s ability to attack even those who possessed powerful magical power. The ck giant moves in a strange manner with a correct posture, then lowered their posture and takes a big step. Just like before, the de they swung exploded the blood and flesh of the soldiers in the front row of the main camp. There were also spears fired from soldiers in ck armor. He expected to be pushed if they collided, but it was out of his expectation. The soldiers at the main camp maintain their morale under Elkar. This 3000 was Elkar''s elite. Their abilities were much higher than that of normal soldiers. However, even with these elites, they were not able to defeat that ck giant. Elkar saw an excellent warrior whose face he knew thrusts his de through a gap in their armor. It should have killed it¨D¨Dbut the ck giant didn''t pay it any mind. He flings the man''s body away as if nothing happened, and ms his de into the man''s rolling body, severing his torso in two. At this point, he was sure. ¨D¨DThat was definitely not a man. No matter how many times they were pierced by a de, they wouldn¡¯t die. What Alberinea brought onto the battlefield was an immortal monster. The soldiers of the main camp¨D¨DSeeing the hero who jumped out turn into a lump of flesh, a warm wind filled with fear drifted through the ce. "¨D¨DI''m going! Get out of the way!!" There was a danger ining forward. He knew this was probably a lure. However, he came forward with a steel war hammer in hand because that was the only choice he had. Following the ck giant¨D¨Dthe opponents, including the soldiers in ck armor, were leisurely forming an assault formation. Afterpletely overrunning this giant, he intended to deliver a fatal blow. If they couldn¡¯t defeat this giant somehow, they would have no choice but to be overwhelmed by the enemies either way. The giant Elkar sprints forward, as if knocking away the frightened soldiers in front of him. The armor he wore had an elephant drawn on it, and its appearance was that of a war elephant. ¨D¨DIt was the very gant beast that broke through the battle lines head on. Blood spray, Pieces of flesh¨D¨Dthe ck giant who wields the giant swords in their arms for ughter. He dances in front of it, twisting his whole body and delivering the strongest blow he could. "Hg¨D¨D!? However, what exactly was the heaviness that was felt by the giant war hammer? The thick armor torso distorted, but the weight he felt far exceeded that of a human. It was as heavy as if it had been mmed into an elephant''s foot. At the same time, I sensed the flexibility inside the armor. It''s not meat. It was something softer. ¨D¨DIt was likeyered cloth. Still, the ck giant was knocked back by the blow and fell down. When the soldiers saw this, light returned to their eyes and they let out a roar of joy. A mysterious ck giant. A mysterious ck giant. It''s never been so reassuring. ¨D¨DHowever, Elkar was not convinced, and there was no smile on his face. Its eyes focused on the fallen giant¨D¨Dits head. Just like the front, there was a visor on the back that resembled an eye. Blue light leaked out from thettice in the pupil area, and it was still flickering. As if to take revenge, one of the soldiers stomped on the giant body¨D¨Dand the next moment, that soldier''s neck was bent in an unexpected direction. Despite itsrge size, it vividly turned over and raised itself¨D¨DAt the same time, the ck-painted soldier''s javelin came flying at them again. Then, the ck giant got up and stepped forward, ignoring the spear that came from behind him, and swung his right de down on Elkar. "Guh...hg!?" Elkar was still a general and a warrior who ranked at the top of the ranks of soldiers. He dodged it and knocked away most of the javelin. A javelin tore his left arm, but the wound was not fatal. The giant''s attack continued¨D¨Dhe mmed his war hammer head on against the left de, bent the giant sword, and distanced himself from it. The giant lost his bnce, but swung down again with his right sword. The roar of the de sent chills down his spine, but he dodged it. However, the attack that followed was strange. ¨D¨DThe giant wielded the broken left giant sword again. There was no need to dodge, but the broken sword was out of reach. Why did he do such a thing? No, this giant probably didn''t even notice that his proud giant sword had been broken. Understanding intuitively, Elkar lured its right sword. He dodged the roaring de, twisting his body and gathering strength without even dodging the next blow. The broken left sword was swung again, but even if he didn¡¯t dodged it, it wouldn''t hit. Seeing that it was about to be swung, Elkar stepped in and released his power. He aims at its head, which looks like an eye. The hammer that mmed into it easily crushed its helmet. The sound of shattering ss echoes through the air, and blue shards and powder fly out from the gaps in the helmet. And then, its huge body crumbled. "¨D¨DMagic crystal?" Elkar looked at the stter for a moment, then realized what it meant. A magic weapon created using magic crystals¨D¨Dthat was probably what Alberinea created. Although he didn''t know much about magic crystals, it was a well-known story among military personnel that research into reusing magic crystals as weapons had been actively conducted in the past. "General, run away!!" However, there was no time to bask in the joy of defeating it, or to wonder how something like this was created. The enemy was already close at hand. "¨D¨DThe enemy giant''s weak point is the head, so aim only for the head!! Tell that to His Excellency too!!" He raised his voice. That was enough to tell the soldiers, Orugan and Zalvaag. ¡®¨D¨DEven if I were to die here.¡¯ "Hahaha, it looks like the general''s head is mine. I''ll take your life, General Elkar." "Ts..." A battle line disrupted by giants. And Elkar was too far forward. The ck-painted soldiers¨D¨DAlberinea''s hunters, who were said to be made up only of magic possessor, cut through the disorganized battle lines in one breath. A man who appeared to be themander was standing in front of Elkar. Other than having his armor painted ck, he looked just like an ordinary soldier. The ck mane of his helmet with cheek pads¨D¨Dhis rank is probably centurion or something like that. At the very least, he was not a corpsmander or general. However, the scent of a warrior emanates from the way he stands. The young man with a beautiful face was instantly recognized as a warrior. "Protect the general, aa!?" A soldier tried to step forward¨D¨Dhis body was pierced by a spear. What appeared from his right was a man with arge physique, although not asrge as Elkar, and wearing armor shaped like a tiger. "The head of the enemy general is mine, Aleha. You should give in to someone older." "To think that Corps Commander Argand is trying to steal the credit because of his age." "Stop daydreaming. ... Things like this are firste, first served." If there was only one opponent, it could have been a good fight. Elkar was one of the warriors whose name is famous even in other countries. There was nothingcking in him to deal with either of them¨D¨DHowever, the circumstances surrounding him did not allow for that. "Originally, I would have liked to send you off in singlebat, but unfortunately I''m also busy. I don''t have time to y around with you... I hope you regret making Clich¨¦-sama your enemy." As he said that, he pulled down his tiger-faced visor. The two men were talking in the westernmonnguage used in the Kingdom and the Holy Empire¨D¨DElkar, who only knew the Shannguage, could not understand what they were saying. But he could understand that the man was smiling. "Ts...I won''t die for nothing! I''ll take one of you with¨D¨Dhg!?" In the middle of a sentence, countless spears were thrown. He immediately dodged it and repelled it. ¨D¨DThest thing Elkar saw was two beasts approaching him withughter. Chapter 183: Hide and Seek Chapter 183: Hide and Seek ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 183 Hide and Seek*** Orugan was on the elephant, looking up to heaven and covering his face with his palm. The right wing¨D¨Dthe g had been toppled from its main camp. And on one of them Elkar''s head was impaled, and the g was raised again. It was less than half a koku after the war began. Having lost the two War Lion Commander and the general, Gulshan''s right wing hadpletely lost its organizational resistance¨D¨Dlike spiderlings, they had given up on maintaining the line and started running somewhere else. Some fled to the mountains in the east, others ran to the grasnds in the south¨D¨Dsome of the soldiers ran away and tried to join him, and even in this situation, there were brave men who still showed courage to continue fighting under Orugan. However, it would probably be around 3000 at most. The rest were either unable to leave the battle line and were ughtered in the chaos, or ran away. It was only natural. Alberinea''s conclusion was not a one-point breakthrough, but aplete breakthrough. Gulshan¡¯s right wing waspletely destroyed head-on. Gulshan lost Alcazaris and all the beasts be blood festival. From there, they sessively lost the left wing, two War Lion Commander in the center, and a general. The remaining right wing War Lion Commander was also an excellent man, but the enemy had one corps in the rear propel and assault from the left wing, and the corps that had broken through the center formed a siege. The opening on the east side was probably intentional. Aplete encirclement would be difficult, and in a desperate situation, the soldiers would be roused to do nothing but fight. However, if you give them hope, soldiers will prioritize their own survival, like insects attracted to a light. The splendid battle lines of the right wing that existed half a koku ago no longer take shape. It had be a melting pot of chaos. ¨D¨DIt was all about morale. And that was their aim. Orugan didn''t notice it and went along with it. Going all out from the beginning¨D¨Dno, 100,000 against 50,000, there was no need for that in this situation. If it had been a simple t push, it would not have gone this far. ¨D¨DChallenging 100,000 with 50,000. Orugan believed that there was definitely a tactical n. He met with Garhka and met with Alberinea, and Orugan confirmed his suspicions, which was why he decided to do everything in his power to settle the matter as soon as possible. But that was exactly why this result was born. The problem wasn''t that they had mysterious giants or bizarre javelins soldier. The problem was that in the face of this, they gave their all from the very beginning. And what happened was that the full-power assault was overwhelmed and the soldiers suffered an irreversible loss of morale. If they had taken the form of a t push without thinking, as they always do, the situation would not have reached the point where it did. Then, even if they had lost the initial push, they would have been able to catch it with their thickness and give both Elkar and the two Lion War Commander time to think. Even if the same result had urred, Orugan would have had time to take some measures against their defeat. The cause was not Elkar or his men, but himself. It was his own decision that caused the copse of the right wing in less than half a koku. He never lets his guard down and leaves no stone unturned. This idea was the reason for the General Orugan carelessness and ipetence. It was his mistake to think that the enemy could take advantage of him if he was not careful. ¨D¨DIt was their hope to take their strongest blow head on. Under his covered face, Orugan lifted his cheeks. ¡°¡Vice-Chancellor?¡± "Kuku... hahahaha¨D¨D!! I can''t bear it, Zalvaag!? Look at that! Alberinea has once again exceeded my imagination, being able to make the right wing disappear so easily!!" His subordinates, who were in a hurry to change formations, looked at Orugan in fear as he suddenly startedughing. The copse of the right wing in such a short period of time¨D¨Dhe wondered if the situation was so great that it caused him to go crazy. The only ones who remained calm were the veteran subordinates and Zalvaag. Zalvaag frowns and sighed. Zalvaag knew better than anyone that he was a crazy war fanatic. "...That''s disrespectful, Vice-Chancellor. It''s not a funny situation." "Hahaha, how can I notugh? I''ve never been this amused in my life¨D¨Dnot even when I captured the royal capital." The situation of 100,000 to 50,000 has changed to 70,000 to 50,000¨D¨Dno, 23,000 to 15,000. The sh that urred on the right wing was nothing more than aplete massacre, and the other side probably did not suffer much damage. There were plenty of shes that exceeded 10,000 that ended with the winner casualty being less than 100 people and the loser casualty being in few thousands. And if there was such a difference in morale, that''s how the battle would end. Despite their fatigue, the enemy had three full corps. And on their side, there were elite ck-coated troops and about 10 unknown Giants. Although there was a difference of nearly 10,000 soldiers, the difference was not as great as the numbers make it seems. In fact, there was a great possibility that the other side would gain the upper hand. Enemy right wing¨D¨DGarhka pushed the initial assault a little, but from there he reced his soldiers and built a front line without overdoing it. Detouring the leftmost wing, stalling it and preparing for a sustained battle. Garhka would hold the line, and Alberinea would finish off the main camp. That was probably the n. It was not like Garhka, but if he made such a brilliant breakthrough, he could notin. It''s only natural¨D¨Dno. ¡°...it¡¯s too clean.¡± ¡°too clean...?¡± ¡°This battle between the main camp and Alberinea¡ª¡ªthis shape is too clean.¡± Breaking through the battle line beyond his expectations. Complete copse of the right wing. Alberinea''s initial response was spectacr. One could even say it''s perfect. It was a feat that deserves unreserved praise and respect. She must have been aiming for this shape from the beginning. In fact, their advantage had been overturned, and they were at a disadvantage in terms of morale. The right wing had copsed with half of the enemy in front of it, this situation was causing turmoil in the main camp as well. Their ¡°payback¡± would be to let Killelea finish off Garhka on the left wing, but the other side was prepared for a thorough endurance battle. It would takes a certain amount of time to defeat Garka. In other words, no matter what happens, they had no choice but to fight under disadvantageous conditions. ¨D¨DAlberinea had fully prepared the conditions for defeating them. If Orugan was in her position, he would definitely attack. Looking at this as a battle. It was that kind of "beauty" that existed in this situation. "Everyone would think that this would be the decisive moment. Alberinea would attack here, aiming for my neck." ¡°¡¡¡± Orugan looked not at the right wing but at the left wing¨D¨DGarka and Kilrea. In this situation, Orugan was forced to turn his back to his left wing. No matter how he looked at it, Garhka was in no condition to get out of that situation. ¨D¨DNormally that is. "Alberinea is the monster who overwhelmed us head-on and created this situation... However, I have doubts as to whether that monster will be satisfied with this level." "...Do you think there is a giant like that at General Garhka''s ce?" "Do you think it''s impossible? No, it might be something else." Zalvaag thinks with serious eyes and told him. "...It''s possible. There''s a possibility that the real aim is over there." "Then¨D¨D" "However, we can''t allocate any more troops from our headquarters. We can''t have too many reserves just in case. We should let General Kilrea deal with everything." "¡The reason?" ¡°Isn''t it very possible that their purpose is to us worry about that? In fact, it was not a trick that defeated the right wing, but a straight attack. This situation may be as beautiful as Vice-Chancellor say, but it has already taken shape.¡± Orugan lowered his eyes at those words and nodded. Torn while reading the meaning behind each move. The shock was not small for Orugan, and therefore it is very possible that he is too cautious. "Messenger! Tell Kilrea to prepare for a breakthrough in case the enemy''s main focus is on that side! g bearer, go ahead and give instructions on defensive formations!" Kilrea had 55,000 troops¨D¨D5,000 in the main camp, 30,000 to hold the enemy, and 20,000 to take a detour. But Alcazaris, seeing the loss of the right wing''s war elephant, they must have sensed the danger. The detour of 20,000 was changed to 15,000 to add depth to line facing Garhka. Facing Garhka, were 35,000 and 5,000 in the main camp. In contrast, Garhka allocated nearly 5,000 to the rear of the right wing and to the stall of the detour, and 25,000 to the front. However, Garhka took the diagonal position from the left wing. Even if there was a possibility of a breakthrough, only one of the three corps of 15,000 in the center and left wing would be able to approach the main camp. Naturally, Kilrea understood this, and thickened the front¨D¨Dbut if one were to say that this action that Kilea took was a wise decision, they cannot praise it that much. Since he first shaved off hithes 20,000 detour, Kilrea became passive. He gave up the offensive option of forcibly surrounding and crushing the enemy before they could break through. The decision was made too quickly. As a result, Orugan had no choice but to tell them to hold their line and prevent a breakthrough. Orugan would held off Alberinea''s attack, while Kilrea defeated Garka, and the option of isting Alberinea and destroying her with both armies disappeared. From then on, while fighting Alberinea''s army, he would also need to pay attention to the battle situation in Kilrea and Garhka. If there was anything that could be done, it would be to divert troops from one side to another¨D¨Dbut no matter what, Gulshan waspletely on the defensive. The initiative was on the enemies. What if that was the goal? Orugan¡¯s brilliant mind presents countless possibilities. And Orugan was troubled by the fact that the Alberinea army seeded inpletely breaking through the right wing, an attack that was impossible in the first ce. A General is someone that cuts out the impossible choices from countless possibilities andes up with the correct answer. However, when dealing with Alberinea, there is no longer an ¡°impossible choice¡±. "Vice-Chancellor. In the end, war is simple." "...?" "Which one takes the head of the other''s general is all that matters. Tactics are just a means to that end. Isn''t that so?" Orugan widened his eyes and smiled wryly. And nod. "Yes, as you said, Zalvaag. If Garhka breaks through in this situation, I don''t think there''s a chance of winning either way...I''ll leave the backup to you." "Yes sir... But I understand your concerns." Zalvaag said and looked at Alberinea''s army. The Suiko was left behind. Alberinea was nowhere to be seen. There''s no doubt that she was hidden somewhere¨D¨Dbut why wasn¡¯t her existence brought to the fore? If they want to boost morale, there''s nothing more effective than her. If the monster that killed Alcazaris was going to take the lead, it would be even worse than now¨D¨DNo, the enemy''s morale was at its peak at this point. Even without Alberineaing to the fore, the best results were being produced. There was a strong possibility that she was conserving her physical strength for a collision with this main force. Or maybe because of that small stature¨D¨Dhe just didn''t realize it, but there was a figure of her in the shadow of this abnormal military achievement. Atop the elephant, they looks out over the battlefield from the perch. Although there was a lot of information, there¡¯s a limit to a person''s attention span. There''s also a good chance that he and Orugan simply didn''t notice her. The reason Orugan was wary was because he hadn''t seen that silver hair since then. It was not even clear when she disappeared from the Suiko¡¯s side. "...Where are you, Alberinea?" Zalvaag''s eyes flicked across the battlefield, searching for the dancing silver hair. "Muu... Still, you were an idiot. Just because the sword is durable, you didn''t think about what would happen if the sword broke." ¨D¨DIt was on top of a tower. Krische spread a nket under her and lie sprawled there slovenly. She watched the battle through a gap in the breastwork at the top of the tower, while nibling at her bread, her lips pursed and her feet swinging. When the fight begins and the elephant hunting begins, Krische leaves Gallen in charge and begins moving. She leaves the conspicuous Suiko behind and hides in the shadows of Mia and the First Corps and enters Nakria. After that, she watched the battlefield from here while munching on the bread she bought at a bakery along the way. As expected, the Alberinea army annihted the enemy''s right nk in the first move, but Krischeints were endless. "...My apologies. I never expected an enemy general to jump out in that situation." Construction Team¨D¨DOne of the soldiers with one prosthetic leg says this while clutching the magic crystal hanging from his chest. He was a soldier whose own Jarea Gashea was crushed by Elkar. The secret weapon of the kingdom of Alberinea. He lost Jarea Gashea, who brought revolutionary changes to the battlefield, in the first battle. Regret and guilt¨D¨Dconsidering the hardships he had endured up until now, and the weight of the responsibility he has been given, this was not something he could easily ept. There''s a look of sadness on his face. "Krische already said it was dangerous, Nekki. Well, some damage is to be expected. This is the first time you¡¯re using Pikapika (sparkly) in actualbat, so Krische will overlook it. It''s a problem that can be resolved if you fix it." "¡¡yes ma¡¯am" The entire craft team involved with Jarea Gashea was here. The reason it was ced on top of the tower was to ensure visibility¨D¨Dand to use the transmitter Pikapika (Krische naming). Fundamentally, Jarea Gashea is an autonomous weapon. As per the orders given to it, it would continue to kill the enemy until it was told to stop. However, the problem was the ability to identify friend and foe. For Jarea Gashea, what differentiated friend from enemy was the armor worn by soldiers. It has a very advanced function that records the armor used by Alberan''s army and optically reads and distinguishes it, but on the battlefield. There was a possibility of malfunction due to damage to armor, loss of helmets, and various other factors, and the identification of enemies had to be taken to the extreme of ''all enemies except allies¡¯. People who wear custom-made armor, such as Kolkis and Bagil, were memorized in advance, but as far as the Garhka army is concerned, there was no such thing. If by chance they were to enter the Gurkha army, there was a great possibility that they would try to kill the battalionmander or corpsmander who was wearing the custom-made armor. Therefore, it was basically necessary to send instructions from the outside regarding the direction of travel and the direction of battle, and the transmitter Pikapika was used for this purpose. It was an excellent device that transmits orders by transmitting light of magical power, but there were two problems. One was the obstacles. If the magical power light waspletely blocked by some kind of obstacle,mands would no longer be transmitted. At first, there was a n to attach it to the tip of the staff and apany Jarea Gashea, but this was rejected because it might kill the operator and there was a possibility that the operator might lose sight of Jarea Gashea. There was also a strong possibility that it would fall into another area of concern. Another problem is that magical power tends to gather near the surface of the earth. Although magical power appears to be irregr, there were some regrities to its movements, one of which is that it is attracted to the ground. Magical energy flies around in the atmosphere on the wind, but as soon as it loses its momentum, it immediately descends to the earth surface. Is it affected by gravity, or is there some other reason? Whatever the case, the magical power falls downwards. Considering that the crystals of dense magic power, magic crystals, are basically generated underground, magic power tends to falls to the ground. Especially here on the battlefield. Even though each person is weak, when this many peoplee together, the magical power generated from their bodies increases the density of magical power, and it may have some kind of influence on the light of magical power. Magical power is inherently unstable in its behavior as it reacts to a person''s will, and the light of magical power sent from the transmitter cannot be said to have arge capacity, so it is easily influenced by it. Considering the inconvenience caused by this, it would be better to emit light from as high a position as possible, and that was the reason why this ce, the top of a tower, was chosen as the transmitting base. Currently, there are basically no major problems, and if there were problems¨D¨D ¡°Weight¡ hmm, maybe we should have them judge it based on the center of gravity, but if we do that, it would be troublesome if the armor peels off¡ Maybe it¡¯s best to have them look at it themselves¡¡± It was swinging the arm around without even noticing that the giant sword in was broken. It wasn''t originally intended to defeat a powerful magic possessor. The initial objective was to mow down the battle line. However, the way it died was extremely stupid. If it had been able to assess the situation urately, it would not have shown such a disastrous situation. It may have held out until Areha and Colchis reached it, and might still be working fine. Cliche looked dissatisfied as he grumbled and thought of ways to improve it. The results of the battle by Jaleia Gashea are amazing. On average, a single one cut down nearly a hundred people. However, that aplishments were natural to her¨D¨Dthe killing machine she had created was only a natural sess, and she only focused on its ws. The cold purple color captures Jarea Gashea standing on the battlefield from a distance, revealing the problems and deficiencies of its current situation. In this short time, they killed 1,000 people with 12 machines, and only one machine was damaged. There was no joy in her extraordinary military aplishments. All she thought about was how efficiently it could kill more people. The squad leader, Nagal, who was standing next to her, felt something cold run down his spine as he watched her. She was pure, kind, and abnormal. Seeing that the weapon she created had taken countless lives, she was neither happy nor sad, her eyes only staring at the numbers. Manipting a magic doll with no emotions or life, and taking many lives. The indescribable emotions that Nagal and the others try not to think or feel probably didn¡¯t exist in her. If they could win without any damage, she would have no doubts about taking the lives of 100,000 people. To her, life and death on the battlefield were just a matter of deduction on paper. For her, who looks on honor and glory more callously than anyone, even the deeds of heroism are recorded with blood-lettered ledgers. It was precisely because he learned of the sweet of the girl who spoke so fondly of the estate, and precisely because he came into contact with her kindness, that the distortions in her that contrasting it became more apparent. For the sake of what she values, she can effortlessly eliminate everything else. ¨D¨DIn war, she didn¡¯t wish for any heroic tales. She would even kill all the people in the world if they got in her way. She has the wisdom to make that a reality. Should he be happy or afraid to be on her side? He looked at his left prosthetic hand and closed his eyes. It was something that Nagal did not need to think about, at least not for him. "It hurts to lose a Jarea Gashea, but let¡¯s change gears. If you be cowardly out of fear, yourrades fighting on the front lines will die instead. Consider that the transmitter we are holding now contains the lives of our friends. Rather, Jarea Gashea role is to serve as a shield and break for the soldiers." ¡°Ha!¡± The reason she made this was for themselves. ¡°Look, a lot of cks died in thest battle, and Nagal and the other had their arms and legs flying off. But with an artificial soldier like this, even if a limb flies off, you can just fix it, and even if it breaks, you can rebuild it...Isn''t this safe?¡± However cruel this weapon may be, he knew her underlying reasons. And she had talent. But that''s all. Nagal knew that. "...Nagal" "Yes ma¡¯am! What is it?" To Nagal, who saluted with loyalty. The displeased girl looked up at Nagal, her brow furrowed. "Jaragasha, Pikapika. Krische know you were trying to say something nice, but you, the squad leader, have to pull yourself together." ¡°S-sory...¡± The sight of Krische puffing out her cheeks and stomping her feet on the floor was endlessly adorable. "...The enemy''s main camp has begun to move." ¡°Ah, looks like it.¡± Krische looked back at the battlefield and narrowed her purple eyes. ¡°Like before, if you get a signal from Meow-Meow or Aleha, or if you get within a certain distance, attack.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡± ¡°If the enemy reserves start making a detour, give a signal from here. Krische will go to Vinthril below.¡± "Understood!" Krische said that and pick herself up and jumps off the other side of the tower. ¡°Nekki, act as a signal to Krische-sama.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± "There will be no advisors from here. Be even more careful." Nagal smiled at the reassuring response he received and ced his hand on the transmitter around his neck. Chapter 184: Sage of Malice Chapter 184: Sage of Malice ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 184 Sage of Malice*** "...It looks like the enemy is wary of breakthroughs." Garhka''s adjutant Dalkris, who is looking at the battlefield from his horse, in the center of Garhka''s army reported. The left wing Alberinea made a tremendous advance. In just half a koku, theypletely defeated the enemy''s right wing, the army of the Giant Elkar. Alberinea had boldly stated that they would defeat it head-on. It was true that her idea of defeating the elephant soldiers with magic possessor javelin was a reasonable one, and one that Dalkris and the others could understand¨D¨Dbut it was too quick. Dalkris had assumed that it would take two or three koku topletely break through, and the same would probably be true for other things as well. If they try to take down Elkar, the enemy general Orugan would definitely move to prevent it. However, Alberinea did not allow Orugan any time to provide support, and by defeating the enemy general Elkar, theypletely overcame this and destroyed the enemies that were twice as many. It was an unimaginable breakthrough. The soldiers who survived the civil war and the corpsmanders under theirmand have the ability, but the biggest reason was probably the giants who tore through enemy lines. Jarea Gashea¨D¨DAlberinea''s secret weapon that was only taught to Dougleen and Dalkris. Its tremendous power was enough to overturn conventional wisdom. The situation was exactly as she dered. The enemy''s main force is against Alberinea army, and the Kilrea army against the Garhka army. However the enemy right in front of their eyes¨D¨DKilrea was not letting his guard down either. Seeing that there was a possibility of a breakthrough by the Garka army, they were building up their strength on the front. "He must have sensed it, after all. Orugan is a very cautious man, and so is Kilrea." Dougleen looks towards the rear of his right wing. The enemy, which was being moved to bypass the wingtip, had also begun a partial retreat. Kilrea was originally thinking of a short-term decisive battle. Pressure on the rear with about 20,000 troops¨D¨Dhe probably intended to crush Dougleen immediately. However, after seeing the initial scenario of the Alberinea army being destroyed by war elephants copsed, Kilrea immediately pulled out diversionary forces for defense. ¨D¨DCautious. Kilrea was the exact opposite of the decisive Elkar. Elkar would probably have increased the detour force and aimed for Dougleen immediate destruction. "However, Kilrea''s weakness is that he¡¯s a little too worried."" Dougleen ced a corps behind his right wing, a reserve of 5,000 men, to prevent the detour. 5,000 against the 20,000 detour¨D¨DKilrea must have felt that it was too little. So Kilrea read it too deeply, and when his initial response failed, he immediately pulled back his detour troops. Probably because he thought their aim was to break through the center at full force. Dougleen had fought Kilrea once. He understood the character of the general Kilrea. That was why he only needed 5,000 troops to prevent the detour¨D¨Dassuming that the other party would read too much into it, he responded with the minimum number of troops. In this situation, Kilrea''s best move would be to increase the detour force. Dougleen had no defense against 20,000 detours, and he had no intention of breaking through the enemy lines from the start. Compared to the Alberinea army, which defeated the elephants head-on, there was not as much of a difference in morale between the Garhka army and the Kilrea army. The exchange of arrows was intense, and it took a lot of sacrifices and time to break through the enemy''s lines. It would have been possible to break through at one point if they pushed themself, but it would also have been possible for the other side toplete the siege before they defeat Kilrea. However, at this stage the enemy has no prospect of encircling us. ¨D¨DAt that point, Kilrea had already lost. "The enemy''s main camp has begun to move towards Alberinea''s army. It''s time to start preparing." "Yes sir. I don''t know how powerful it actually is, but..." "The enemy is already restless now. It''s enough if it surprised them even a little." Dougleen looked at the enemy''s main camp¨D¨Dthe elephant that Orugan was riding. "...Rather, this is my battle to begin with. I think it''s more enjoyable that way." And Dougleen lifted his cheeks. "...Elkar" The right wing was destroyed¨D¨Dturmoil was spreading even to Kilrea''s main camp. Kilrea''s hopes that he might have somehow managed to escape were in vain, and when a messenger from the main camp informed him of Elkar¡¯s death, Kilrea held his eyes shut. Themanders in the front line were informed that Elkar had managed to survive the enemy onught and had joined up with Orugan. Alcazaris, the war elephant, and the copse of the right nk¨D¨Dthe situation was clear to the soldiers. There was no way he could convey information to them that would further lower their morale. "¡I never thought that Elkar-sama would be killed." "As long as it''s on the battlefield, death can happen to any hero. ...However, we lost a precious man." The adjutant looked puzzled, and Kilrea looked up and shook his head. He took a handful of his long, gray hair¨D¨Dtied up, looked at it, and cut it off with a knife. He then scattered the hair as the wind blew. "...Guess it¡¯s farewell to that bald head." It was a stupid y. To make fun of Elkar, whose hair was thinned at a young age, he grew his hair to show it off. "...Now I can¡¯t make fun of that bald head again." Kilrea smiled bitterly, carving deeper wrinkles on his already wrinkled face. "Kilrea-sama..." "Let''s just pray that he''ll be blessed with hair in his next life. ...We can soak in sentimentalityter." Kilrea looks over the elephant to his left wing. Garhka''s choice was to form a diagonal line with the left wing in front¨D¨Dinevitably, there was a huge distance between the main camp and the left wing, which was trying to bypass the enemy''s right wing. Due to the situation on the right wing, he was worried that the enemy might break through, so he pulled out troops from the detour, but it would take some time for them to reach him. ¨D¨DThe situation was progressing too quickly. The right wing Elkar was broken through at full force. Kilrea, who was the first to realize what the other side was aiming for, immediately pulled his troops out of the time-consuming detour attack and tried to create a reserve force to help Elkar. Unlike Orugan and Dougleen''s reading that Kilrea was pulling out his troops to create a thick line against Dougleen, his action was not prudent, but decisive in order to save his friend''s life. Having a thick line in front of his main camp was nothing but a result of it. He simply used the reinforcements, which ended up idle, there. Kilrea had not imagined that Elkar''s right nk would copse before the reinforcements could reach him. "...should we have sent the main reserve toward them?" "It can''t be helped in that situation. Besides, in that case, Garhka might have thought about forcing his way through." The reason why they did not move this left wing main camp¡¯s reserve was because they were concerned that the Garhka army would coordinate with the Alberinea army and try to forcefully break through here. The situation in which Dougleen had only allocated 5,000 troops to prevent the detour was a check on this left wing headquarters reserve, and there was no doubt that he had read too much into it. But he wasn''t sure if he was reading too much into it. The situation changed rapidly in half a koku. Which choice was right or wrong? There is no time to ponder about it. The War Lion Commander and the general that Orugan brought with him this time. Many were men who survived the harsh civil war. None of them were ipetent, and it could be said that themanders who participated in this decisive battle were better than average. If only they had the time to think and analyze the situation, they would have demonstrated their abilities to the fullest. What was taken away was not only morale, superiority, and initiative. ¨D¨DIt was time that Alberinea stole from them. Analysis, thinking, decision making. The enemy took away all the time they needed. "Kilrea-sama, the reserve at the main camp...it¡¯s Zalvaag-sama." "...He moved huh" The battle between the Alberinea army and Orugan main camp of 20,000 began. Flying from Orugan''s main camp was Zalvaag¡¯s g, which had a twin curved sword drawn on it. As soon as the assault was engaged, one wing was diverted to aim at the enemy general. Nothing will change, as usual¨D¨Dthe oue will be either Zalvaag take the enemy''s head or Alberinea break through head-on and take Orugan head. It was simple and clear. "...... time that has passed can''t be turned back. The vice-chancellor''s orders are to maintain this ce and strike Garhkater. The 5,000 that have just been brought in will remain as it is, and the 5,000 we are returning will be given back to the vice- chancellor. We will send it as reinforcement." "Yes sir. Messenger!" Originally, the 20,000 used to detour from the extreme left wing were Orugan¡¯s soldiers. Since they were positioned at the furthest point from the chaos that had urred on the right wing, their morale was not that low. Even now, Orugan had the superiority in force, and there were also remnants of defeated soldiers from Elkar. If another 5,000 were to be added to this number, he would have a significant advantage. He sent a messenger to ry the information¨D¨Dthat was when Kilrea let his guard down. He thought he had finally made up for the lost time. There would be some degree of stalemate between the Orugan main camp and the Alberinea army, as well as the Kilrea army and the Garhka army. He thought this would give him time to think and made his next move. He believed that his forces still had the advantage, and that as long as they calmed down, they would have a myriad of options. "Wha!? Kilrea-sama, that!!" It wasn''t the person on top of the elephant who spoke up, but one of the guards standing on the ground. "Hm?" For a moment, Kilrea didn''t understand what he pointed out. There appears to be no abnormality in the direction he is pointing. In the first ce, it was questionable why he, who was on the horse, could see what Elkar, on an elephant, could not see. "Above! The sky...!!" And that question was soon resolved. Countless shadows appear in the sky above the fortified city of Nakria. ¨D¨DIt was arge beast. Thirty beasts spread their wings and fly onto the battlefield. "...Griffin?" He had never seen it before. A beast that flies freely in the sky and lives in the northern part of the kingdom. He wondered why it was here¨D¨Dand immediately decided that it didn''t matter. What matters is why it appeared at this time. There were at most 30, which wasn''t a huge number, but he could see them even from a distance. On the Griffin''s back was a man who looked like a horseman and a soldier in ck armor. And among them was silver hair¨D¨DAlberinea and a ck g. Why did she move at this time? It''s obvious. This was because Zalvaag and Orugan¡¯s main reserve had left the main camp. Thirty cavalry at most, and sixty people riding. However, it was probably the most elite of Alberinea, "¨D¨DImmediately send the reserves from here to the vice-chancellor main camp!! Their target is the general head!!" ¨D¨DThe moment Kilrea saw that, he raised his voice. ¡®¨D¨DDoes that mean you''re aiming for a surprise attack on the enemy''s headquarters?¡¯ The night before the war started. The corpsmanders were looking at Krische''s "n for tomorrow" with serious faces. The feelings of anger that were there at the beginning were nowhere to be found. Completely breaking through the enemy''s right wing¨D¨Dher bold words, however, were notpletely reckless. It would be brute force to cause a copse in morale and break through head-on, but Krische had enough necessary conditions to consider it realistically. With the support of Dougleen Garhka, who had been shown Jarea Gashea in advance, and his adjutant Dalkris, the armymanders under Garhkapletely changed their emotions and listened to her talk. And above all, the eyes of the girl filled with absolute confidence. One could say that that purple color coerced them. Vinthril Sharana, hiding under a cloak, entered the tent. The absolute respect that the Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior showed seemed to guarantee that. ¡®Well, if you roughly describe the movement of this unit, it would be like that.¡¯ ¡®Roughly speaking¡?¡¯ The corpsmander who asked the question frowned. At the same time as the battle with Orugan¡¯s main camp begins, a surprise attack isunched by 60 elite soldiers. That in itself wasn''t bad. Speaking of concerns, the number of 60 people was too small. Regardless of Krische ability, which even has tamed a Suiko, if she flies in the sky, she naturally falls within the enemy''s sight. The surprise attack effect will be dampened, and even more intense fire from enemy archers would be expected. On the other hand, the number 60 seemed too small. ¡®Yes. As Krische said at the beginning, corpsmander. The major premise for each corpsmander is to break through head-on. Krische¡¯s movement is a surprise attack, but this does not mean a direct surprise attack on the enemy''s main camp, but rather a support attack to break through.¡¯ ¡®¡¡supporting attack?¡¯ "That''s right. Your role remains the same. Krische¡¯s thinking, just like the left, that you, the right breakthrough the enemy head-on.'''' Looking over at the corpsmander, Krische smiled. "In short, this strategy is simple and straightforward. It¡¯s aplete breakthrough against 100,000 enemies." ¨D¨DCompared to the ground, the wind was blowing a little colder. "Fufun, the enemy''s reserves also moved from the left wing. As expected." Above the battlefield¨D¨Dat the head of the thirty Griffins, behind Vinthril. Krische smiled as she rode sideways on the hip of his griffin, Ritgund. The enemy''s left wing was directing its reserves toward Orugan main camp. The enemy probably believed that the griffin was intended for a direct drop into their main camp. Normally, that''s what one would think, simr to the reaction of the corpsmander. Thirty knights at most¨D¨Dit was normal to think that what they could do was limited. And on the battlefield, it was the general''s role¨D¨DKrische¡¯s role to overturn that ¡®natural¡¯. While maintaining their own advantage, turn the opponent''s advantage around and take it out on them. Steal their time, confuse the enemy, and kill them without letting them do anything. The battle was simple and clear, that''s all. "The route?" "Where the big g is... we''ll aim for the battle line directly in front of General Garhka. Krische''ll give you detailed instructions againter, so do as you see fit." "Ha" Vinthril answered, raising his spear to follow. Then move it and give the signal. Krische nodded with satisfaction and looked behind her. He looked over at Mia, who had a pale face, and her eyebrows furrowed. "Mia, you volunteered, right? You''re the adjutant, so please be more careful." "I-I know..." "Don''t worry, it won''t suddenly fall off. Even arrows won''t reach it." It was not like Mia really wanted to join the sky. She just thought that Aleha, who has the ability, would be better on the ground to break through the enemy''s right wing head on. She just thought that Aleha would be able to y a much better role than Mia in assisting Kolkis and Bagil, so she proposed it was. There was Krische here, so no matter what kind of amazing enemy appeared, there was no anxiety at all. Aleha was excessive and Mia was appropriate, that''s why. "Now now, Usa-chan, Mia came with me because she didn''t want to be separated from me. Ha, it''s tough being a popr woman." "Shut up idiot, just let Kahlua fall!" Mia said as she looked down and hurriedly averted her gaze. She had done a lot of cliff descent training, but being in the air with no footholds still makes her feel weak. Naturally, she trained many times to ride behind Griffin, but she was traumatized by falling and breaking her leg while training alone. Fortunately, the fall was rtively low, so she got away with just a broken bone, but at this height. If she fell, instant death was inevitable no matter how she thought about it. "Well, anything is fine. Just make sure you don''t make any stupid mistakes." "Unde...understood." "Hahaha, well, on the contrary I feel assured at this height. Even if you fell, I have plenty of room to pick you up." The man carrying Mia speaks in Westernmonnguage. Since they also serve as messengers, many of them also knew thenguage of the ins. "But I never thought I''d be able to ride with a beautiful woman like you on my back on the battlefield. Feel free to hug me, Adjutant-dono." "Baeg-san, I don''t think you can enjoy the feel of breasts with Mia, you know?" "...Kalua, I¡¯ll remember this." Vinthril, who heard this, smiled bitterly and told him. "Baeg, it''s a battlefield. It''s okay tough, but wait until it''s over before you rx." "Ha, Chief Warrior!" Krische looked behind her and narrowed her eyes. The people here were veterans of the ck g Special Force¨D¨Dsoldiers who fought through the civil war. Even if they were a little nervous, they didn''t seem to have any problems, and the same was true for the Kreisharana warriors. "Everyone doesn¡¯t seem to be that nervous huh." "All of them are warriors who have experience participating in the Suiko Hunt. Even if they don''t know the battlefield, they know how to fight." Vinthril answered Krische¡¯s words and continued. "However, it is true that this is an unfamiliar environment. Like I said, I would like some time to get used to the atmosphere." "I see. Take care after we descend. Kurofuyo''s support will be enough. Don''t push yourself too hard, Lira is worried too." "Thank you." The speed of the griffin flying through the sky was close to that of Suiko running at full speed unless there was a headwind. The destination¨D¨Dthe center of the enemy''s left wing, Kilrea''s army, was just a short distance away. "Stay at this altitude. There''s a wind. Move north about three ken." Krische looked below and read the movement of the wind from the slight flow of magical power flowing there and gave instructions. It was not directly above the battle line of Kilrea''s army, but rather above the central vanguard of Garhka''s army. From below, she could see enemy soldiers looking up at them, shouting something, and shooting meaningless arrows. Basically, unless one gets very close, arrows wouldn¡¯t be effective against the griffin. The griffin flies with two people on its five shaku shoulder-high frame. The griffin''s wings would create a storm¨D¨Darrows without any weight would be repelled by the wind. The thing to be wary of was the spear-thrown by a magic possessor, but there weren¡¯t many people who could throw a powerful spear overhead. Putting aside if it was a mountain withplicated terrain, but the griffin that flies over the ins is invincible. With some distance between them, the griffins formed a double file in the air. cing it parallel to the battle line, Krische smiled with satisfaction. Her purple eyes captured all the currents of wind within a radius of one ri. "Mia, signal." "Yes. ¨D¨DAll members, prepare to drop!" The soldiers all touched the griffin''s side. It was originally a rectangr wooden box attached to the ce where a throwing spear would be stored. There were ten fist-sized round ck spheres on each side, and the sparkling magic crystal peeking out from the top. Each of them took out a magic crystal and held it up. After confirming this, Mia turned her attention to Krische again. Krische¡¯s left hand, which continues to look down below¨D¨Dfive fingers. "Five! Four¨D¨D" As Mia watched it fold up, she shouted, "¨D¨DZero! Start dropping!" At the same time as the words were spoken, the sound of wooden boxes being opened all at once. "Ignition!" With that signal, the magic crystal in their hands began to shine. And the blue flickering of the magic crystal was also repeated from something scattered from there. Chapter 185: Virtuous Murderer Chapter 185: Virtuous Murderer ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 185 Virtuous Murderer*** Magic crystal is a crystalline body of magical power. Naturally, it itself possessed magical power that was iparable to ordinary substances. Magic crystals are used for a variety of purposes in this world, such as Evesting Magic Lights, water conduit pipes, and cooking utensils for heating and cooling, but when used in this way, they¡¯re only used as a medium for magic form. It does not use the magical power hidden within the magic crystal itself, but merely serves as a converter that transforms the magical power the caster has put into various forms. So, how much power can be demonstrated by using the magical power of the magic crystal itself? That was the concept, and Krische had carved out a form for that purpose. What that form causes is the copse of the crystal structure that makes a magic crystal a magic crystal. It was really simple in words. ¡°Hmm, about 1,300 people huh. About 4 people get caught up in one shot... Well, a cheap one will be like this. It wasn''t good that they were scattered a little. The angle of the griffin when it was dropped was more nted than expected...¡± Looking down at the battlefield from high in the sky, the girl said dissatisfied. She and all the other fifty-nine people aboard the Griffin watched their results, but not a single one screamed with joy. Everyone was stunned and speechless at the terrible sight. They had received exnations about how to use it, and they understood the phenomena and consequences it caused. However, when they look at the actual results, it was beyond imagination. "Seems Krische need to think a little more about the size of the metal pieces. And it doesn¡¯t seem good enough against heavy infantry. Well, it''s a hastily made product that prioritized numbers..." Alberinea narrows her eyes as she calmlymented on the results, saying things like, ¡®Krische¡¯s d we were able to take out the War Lion Commander¡¯. ¡°Vinthril, keep moving west. We¡¯ll drop the rest on the adjacent battle line.¡± ¡°....Ha.¡± Vinthril answered in a somewhat stiff voice. He had imagined what a battlefield would be like, and he understand her methods. One-sided, without suffering any damage. That''s what hunting is like, and that''s what fighting is like. One-sided surprise attacks and attacks from the air¨D¨Dthat''s how the Griffin Cavalry operated since ancient times, and what she did was not at all a deviation from that practice. Even though he knew that, however. He couldn''t swallow all the emotions that arose in one breath. ly However, he had to ept this as well. Vinthril felt something buzzing in his chest and tried to swallow it. At the very least, that was the war that Alberinea, that equaled Dragon, Krische Christand painted. Although the Kilrea army was pushed back, they desperately withstood the onught of the Garhka army. The destruction of Gulshan''s right wing was noticed by almost everyone except those fighting in the front row. The same goes for Dazzle, who was in the back row of the Kilrea army''s battle line¨D¨Dbehind War Lion Commander Keenia. Deep down, he wanted to be freed from this fear and to escape, but he remained here because he had no friends who would run away from this battle line. ¡®Why did I volunteer for this recruitment?¡¯ Although he strongly regretted this, he raised his voice and held his heart to respond to the words of the centurion andpanymander. If he had not raised his voice, he would not have been able to stand. The brutal deaths of Alcazaris and the war elephants could be seen from there. He could hear the cheers of his enemies and the screams of his allies. Even Dazzle who was amon soldier, realized that the original n to crush Alberan with an unprecedented force has ended in failure. Themanders raised their voices and telling Dazzle and the others to not be afraid. He honestly told them that Alberan''s army was stronger than they expected, and on top of that, he repeated over and over again to Dazzle and the others that they still had the upper hand. ¡®The other party is 50,000 and we¡¯re 100,000, remember the difference in numbers.¡¯ Indeed, as they said, they still had the advantage of numbers. Dazzle desperately tried to convince himself that they had just been pushed back at the initial attack. Despite this situation, the War Lion Commander Kenia in front of Dazzle was showing strongmand. On the contrary, he even has the leeway to show his adjutants and guards a manly smile, and seeing that makes Dazzle''s fear somewhat lessened. Furthermore, the area in front, the front row, hadn''t copsed, so he thought it might be okay somehow¨D¨D ¡°...U-g...what hap...?¡± Dazzle manages to raise his fallen body and crawled onto all fours. For a moment, he was unconscious. It seems he had been lying in a puddle. Every part of his body ached. The colors faded from his vision, swaying and blurring. He wondered what had happened, and retraced his memory of what had just happened. ¡®¨D¨DUp, look up!¡¯ With such a voice, dozens of beasts jumped up from the fortified city of Nakria in the east. While holding up a ck g¨D¨Dthose with good eyesight could tell that Alberinea was riding on it. Everyone thought that they were trying to attack the main camp, and the tension increased. However, riding on flying beasts, they did not head towards the main forces of Kilrea and Orugan in the rear, but instead began to form strange formations in the sky above Garhka''s battle lines. Two columns in the air, no one knows what their intentions were. After a while, they began to drop countless things¨D¨DMaybe due to the wind, one of them flowed right in front of a squad leader who was standing in front of Dazzle, glowing blue. ¨D¨DThe next moment, the sound of countless roars echoed through the air. As if sorting through his memory, he recalled what had happened just before, and then searched for the appearance of what should have been there. The squad leader who was supposed to be in front of him was not there. Next, he tilted his head at the sensation that shouldn''t have happened. ¡®What on earth is this puddle? The ground should have been dry.¡¯ His right hand feels sticky as he crawls on all fours. It was more of a sticky liquid than water. Touching something soft, he picked it up. His eyes, which had lost their color, finally regained their normal sight. It was flesh-colored, pink colored¨D¨Dsomething long. It was wet and slimy, and for a moment he didn¡¯t realize what it was. If Dazzle was a butcher, then that would be familiar. However, Dazzle wasn''t a butcher, and although he knew what it looked like after being processed, it was only as an ingredient called ¡®sausage¡¯. ¡°Hi¨D¨D!?" What was lying in front of him was the squad leader with a shredded torso. He jumped up in a panic, fell on his buttocks, and waved his arms as he realized the identity of what he was holding onto. However, a part of the squad leader clung to his arm as if entangled in it. With an unintelligible voice, Dazzle whole body iled about. Unaware of the simple solution of grabbing it with his left hand and removing it, he continued to scream, spraying blood and intestinal contents all around him. Even when he finally freed himself from it, his body did not stop shaking. The scene from earlier did not return, and he finally turned his attention to my surroundings¨D¨Dto see if anyone was there. Most of those around him were either lying on the ground, screaming and rolling around like Dazzle, orughing maniacally. He could hear voices yelling for them to calm down and get in line, but they were few and far between. When he looked, he noticed that the War Lion Commander who was in front of Dazzle and the other was not even there. Even the g bearers, who if they lose the banner would be considered a crime punishable by death, were seen to have let go of their banners and were crouching¨D¨Dor rather, their hands and feet had fallen to the ground, shredded to pieces. And some of therades-in-arms lying around were likewise motionless, either missing a limb or with countless metal shards sticking out of their bodies. Those who got up, like Dazzle, looked around in a daze, as if they did not know what had happened. There was no sound from the battle line in front of them. Some of them fell down like Dazzle and the others, or stopped fighting and looked back at them. The voices of the allies¨D¨Dno, not even the sound of the enemies could be heard. No cheers, no battle cries, no screams. The battlefield music of shing steel was gone from the surroundings. It seemed even more eerie, and he dragged his body backward, urinating from the fright that had arisen. His right hand touched his helmet, and out of the corner of his eye he saw a heroic helmet in the shape of a unicorn. Seeing the helmet of the War Lion Commander, he hurriedly called out to him. ¡°War Lion Commander¡± War Lion Commander Keenya was a veteran who fought through the civil war under Orugan. He remembered the rxed smile he had on his face a few moments ago and tried to hang on to it. ¡°Wake up¨D¨D¡± However, the helmet he touched to shake him up rolled away without any resistance. It was not only the helmet, but also the ''contents'', but that was all. The heroic armor was not connected to it, and Keenya¡¯s well-groomed, manly face was not there, but what was there was the normally invisible ¡®inside¡¯ of the War Lion Commander. The reason that had just barely kept Dazzle together was broken. ¨D¨DThe magic crystal''s magic power runs out of control, and the explosion it causes scattered the metal fragments all around it. The creator of this simple and straightforward weapon had given it a ridiculous name such as "Bonjara," but no one would believe it. It covered a three-ken area as its killing range and efficiently spread death¨D¨Da weapon filled with malice that wiped out part of the battle line in just a moment, leaving it in ruins. At least in the history of war between people in this world, there has never been a case of more instantaneous ughter than that. The sight was confusing not only to Gulshan''s army but also to Garhka''s army. The force of the death that was unterally and haphazardly sprayed over their heads was beyond theirmon sense. Even the men who were shing des directly with the enemy stopped their fighting due to the roar that echoed and the rain of blood and pieces of flesh, and stared dumbfounded at the rear of Kilrea''s line. They have also heard that they will be supported by Alberinea''s new weapon just before the battle begins. Taking that as a signal, they began an assault¨D¨Dthe order was to break through the disorganized enemy lines, but even theirmanders were unable to give an order for an assault and remained rigid. Again, something was dropped to their west. It emits blue light and made a roaring sound. Human body parts flew up into the sky again, and a red mist and a rain of fresh flesh and blood fell down. It was a scene thatpletely lost any sense of reality. The soldiers stared at it in shock, ¡°¨D¨DWhat are you doing!!¡¯ A trumpet and a shout sounded from behind. "The enemy line is in disarray! Advance!!" It was the voice of the general who appeared in the front row¨D¨DDougleen Garhka. They regain their senses as they hear the sound of the great ax wielded by that powerful arm. The same goes for the Gulshan soldiers. They finally understood their situation and saw the enemy approaching. Finally, they were allowed to scream and run away. The second explosions¨D¨Dthe blood and flesh of the soldiers were scattered. Just like Elkar''s right wing, some of the soldiers were running away. With a roar, the enemy soldiers thrust their spears at the soldiers whose backs were turned, or sh them to death. Leading the way was Dougleen Garhka holding a huge ax. ¡°¡No way, are they.¡± ¨D¨DFinally, Kilrea understood everything. It wasn''t a surprise attack on the main camp with a one-point breakthrough, as he had originally thought. Overwhelming an army of over 100,000 with a small force of less than 50,000¨D¨Dthe enemy''s goal was a bold, all-out breakthrough. There was no distinction between right wing and left wing. It was not a question of which one was the main attack or anything like that. Alberinea overwhelms and defeats Gulshan, who doubles the number from the front. This was such a performance since the start¨D¨Dlooking to the aftermath of the war. If they could have carried out such a bombardment, they could have targeted Orugan main camp since the start. That would have won the battle. Even so, they dared to target Kilrea''s lines in order to obtain aplete and utter victory. Alberinea was not only confident of victory. She even had the room chose the way to win. In the situation of simultaneous invasion of three countries, with only a small number of soldiers against Gulshan''s full power. Kilrea felt a chill run down his spine. It''s natural for amander to aim for a beautiful victory¨D¨Dbut who would have imagined that the opponent would even be thinking of something like that in this situation? Alberinea made Elkar dead. However, the goal was not simply to breakthrough, but to steal the general from the country of Gulshan. If she then defeated Kilrea, and on top of that, Orugan¡¯s main camp fell¨D¨Dfor several decades after the war, she thoroughly crushed Gulshan so that they would not be able to stand against Alberan. Alberinea''s role was not to serve as a shield against the simultaneous invasion of three countries. She was a sword ¨D¨DIt was a de that Queen Alberan aimed in order to inflict a fatal wound on the country itself. ¡°Like hell, I would let you......!" It was a mockery, a defilement, a trampling. It was a taunt. Kilrea and the other would shoulder a stigma even in the far future. The honors and valor they have gained all would be lost. They would be written on an unforgettable record as the hubristic fools who challenged Alberinea. As ipetent people who pride themselves on numbers, they would beughed at until the end of time. Alberinea, who had been watching the line of battle ahead from the sky for some time, was convinced that Garhka had broken through. She then turned toward him and passed over their heads to the rear of Kilrea''s main line. And at the same time, Kilrea screamed as he saw something being dropped from Alberinea and the other beasts in the lead. "¨D¨DYou can throw down the g!! Everyone,y on the ground!!" As fast as he could say it, Kilrea jumped off the elephant andid down on the ground. A countermeasures thought of in an instant. Was that judgment correct? ¨D¨DIt was half a gamble. That thing from Alberinea intentionally causes explosions. The principle behind it was unknown, and the power was unimaginable considering its size, but it seemed the most effective way to avoid the destruction it caused was to minimize the exposed area. ¡°...!!¡± And that was a wise decision. The blue light that directly hit Kilrea''s main camp scattered destruction, and many of them passed directly above Kilrea. Half of Kilrea''s elite, with their excellent judgment, crouched at the sound of his voice and survived the predicament, but it was a spur-of-the-moment voice. The remaining half of them turned into mute lumps of meat, and died without a chance to disy their well-trained abilities. At most 40 of it fell there. The bombs were aimed at the main camp, so in terms of pure damage, the losses were not that great. However, the presence of the g lost from the main camp along with the bombing was significant, and from the front, the Garhka had seeded in halfway breaking through the battle line. The lee-way that existed in Kilrea''s main camp had nowpletely disappeared. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D!!!!!¡± The piece of metal that stuck through the gap in the armor wasn''t a big deal, but ¡°Shit!!¡± Kilrea screamed when he saw the war elephant he was riding go wild. It didn''t have enough power to kill an elephant. However, it was enough to cause countless scars on its body. The elephant panicked at the ovepping sound of the roar and the pain. While shaking off the riders who had managed to survive, it began to overrun the front¨D¨Dthe main battle line from the rear. In this battle, the elephant''s first andst attempt to overrun the main battle line resulted in the crushing of its allies. The battle lines of the allies were suddenly reaped by the overwhelming violence of the war elephant, which had suddenly bared its fangs. Behind Kilrea, the Griffin cavalry, including Alberinea, had begun tond with ease. And Alberinea, her silver hair swaying, had already raised her spear in the opposite hand. The movement was so graceful that it could be described as flowing, even though it took only a moment toplete. She charged in earlier than anyone else, closing the gap before anyone else. ¨D¨DWhat was released was, of course, an extraordinary magic spear that crushed even the air. ¡°Hg, Kilrea-sama!¡± Prepared to die when the young girl charged, the brave adjutant Orka saved Kilrea. Immediately, he jumped Kilrea''s unsteady body from the side, ¡°O-Orka!?¡± And as he rolled over, Kilrea quickly looked over to see that all that was left was his lower body. The entire steel armor burst apart and scattered, sending up a mist of blood from the waist up, and the remaining part of the armor sank into the earth as if crumbling. The spears killed a man, shattered the steel armor, and still did not stop. It pierced the wall of flesh of the soldier in front of Kilrea''s main camp from behind, and even the fragments of their armor mass-produced death. Thence of the ck-painted armor thatpletely overwhelmed and shattered Elkar''s initial movement. But that was only child''s y in the face of this. The spear that Alberinea unleashes destroys andys waste to anything that stands in front of it. ¨D¨DIt was truly a blow of the Absolute. A heretic who stares at the battlefield as if she herself is a God. She was the ultimate genius who tramples on all efforts and wills, and looks down on others as if it was only natural. Alberinea was not a word that referred to a person. It was a unique name that signified something that was beyond humans. "hg¨D¨DProtect the general!!" She unleashed violence, rolled over performing ukemi, and moved forward with her body as if sinking. A dozen soldiers danced out in front of Alberinea. They were the elite of the main camp escort, who had survived the earlier bombing and had not yet lost their will to fight. However, their contact with Alberinea was fleeting. Three sword shes sh, and three of them fall, blood spurting from their necks. Silver hair that naturally peek out. Kilrea unconsciously pulled out his curved sword. The curved, sharp sword was thin and light for use on the battlefield¨D¨Dbut it killed over 100 enemies with it. It passed through gaps in armor without distortion of the sword''s line. Kilrea, who could be said to be a master of curved swordsmanship, has no prey that was so familiar to him. He took pride in being able to aim for the gaps even if his opponent was covered in armor. His absolute trust in his own sword skills was what allows him to be reckless on this battlefield. ¡°I won¡¯t let you?!!¡± In her right hand was a curved sword, and she did not even wear armor, and her cloak draped over her body. Alberinea''s long, graceful silver hair is tied up and swept away. No one would snag her cloak, no one would grab her by the hair, much less hurt her. An abnormal person who brings recklessness to a battlefield full of chaos and easily executes it. She was simr to Kilrea, but she had even crossed a line that should not be crossed. It was beyond arrogance, it was sphemy against the opposing warrior. Closing the distance from her from five to three, she swung the curved sword in her right hand in a horizontal sweep. A thin de¨D¨DThe fastest sh was unleashed. Kilrea matched it with a counterattack from the reverse kesa. Alberinea''s de will surely take his own life¨D¨Dknowing that, aim after her. Even if his neck was torn open, he was sure to cut her down with his sword and inflict serious injury on her. "ts¨D¨D!?" However, the girl''s sword moved strangely. With her next step, shepletely crushes the distance, and just before she cut Kilrea''s head with her right de¨D¨Dshe defied inertia and swung the tip of her sword in the exact opposite direction. Before Kilrea''s swung de reaches sufficient speed, she strikes it from the side with the back of her curved sword. ¨D¨DShe overwhelmed Kilrea with her mastery of magic maniption, imaginary muscles. From her toes to the tips of her fingers. The human anatomy of the body is such that there is always a distortion of muscr strength. The dominant arm can exert 100, but the left arm can exert only 80. Such imbnces always create habits in the human body and further bias the muscr strength. If the swing down is 100, the swing up is only 60, and if the right cleave is 90, the left cleave is 70¨D¨D80 at best overall. That is, so to speak, the limit of a living being. But for Krische, who controlled her own body entirely with magic, human is like a puppet with only joints. Optimize imaginary muscles for each movement and transform it into the ideal body. For spear throwing, specialized muscles were used. When kicking a person to death, muscles specialized for that. When tearing the flesh of the neck, use specialized muscles. Her body was fluid and constantly reshaped and optimized by magical power, causing every movement she performs to produce 100 results that would otherwise be impossible. Just before she struck Kilrea in the neck with the curved sword, she transformed the imaginary muscles that controlled her into the exact opposite¨D¨Dand swung the curved sword in the opposite direction. The de was swung by a force of 100, and the inertia acting on it was defeated by the same force of 100, and before it could ovee its speed, it deflected Kilrea''s curved sword. "Ah¨D¨D" And the de that her left hand pulled out from her waist was also swung with 100 power. Krische¡¯s body had already changed into one that could only be used to decapitate Kilrea with her left curved sword. Kilrea was one of the best swordsmen in this world, one who could be called a master. Although he was not particrly tall, he had long limbs, possessed excellent magical power, and possessed skills befitting the name of a master swordsman. His specialty, reverse kesa, was even better than Krische¡¯s in terms of its cutting edge and maximum sword speed. At one point over the course of his decades, he had reached the limit of what his body could produce¨D¨Dvery close to it. But in front of her, it was just a fact. Even if he could win a sword-speed contest at one point, his opponent was someone beyond human who would win at everything else. She observes with her thoughts speed that transcend even time, takes advantage, takes the initiative, makes her opponent''s victory disappear, and wins as a matter of course where she can win. Alberinea is an incarnation of unparalleled skill in warfare, and metamorphose into infinite variety. She was not an opponent that a mere master can defeat, but rather a transcendent who did not even let her opponent step on her shadow. Therefore, the swordsman Kilrea had no choice but to watch the reality of his own neck being torn from the middle. There was no surprise at the beautiful monster that tore his neck. The jewel-like purple color was open, and she looked at it inorganically. Then she kicks the body away. Without even a drop of the gushing blood on her. She was the only pure thing on the battlefield where flesh and blood is scattered. ¨D¨DIt was a heresy that untouchable by man, equaling God. "Hmm, it feels simr to when Krische first used it. The weight distribution is very good." Krische brushes off the blood from her left sword, ¡°Heavy One¡±, and smiled with satisfaction as she looks at the undisturbed de. It''s true that the de was harder than the ¡°Light One¡± right sword she''s been using, and the wear and tear was minimal¨D¨Dalmost non-existent. If it''s a simple sharpness, the ¡°Light One¡± that haspletely thinned out was better, but unlike the ¡°Light One¡± whose sharpness bes obviously dull after killing dozens of people, if it''s like this, even two or three hundred people wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The same was true of the wear and tear on the de after killing one person, but thanks to its weight, there would be no problem even if the sharpness dulled a little. When she looked behind her and saw Kilrea''s men who had jumped out as escorts being killed by the Griffin Cavalry and Kalua, she thought her job was done. She carefully wiped the two swords with Kilrea''s dead body''s pants and sheathed them. Holding Kilrea''s curved sword, which had fallen to the ground, she sever Kilrea''s neck, which had been cut half-way. "Ah, this one might be quite sharp as well. Should Krische use it for a while?" As she said that, she started walking, picked up Gulshan''s g that had fallen to pieces from the st, and stuck it to the ground so it could be clearly seen by the surrounding area. She grabbed Kilrea''s head, jumped up and down, and stabbed it in the neck with the tip of the g. The adorable girl was innocently working on her exposed head. "Hmph, it looks like this. Oh no, maybe Krische should have shown it to Vice-Chancellor Orugan firt instead..." The extraordinary spear that killed Alcazaris. Even those was behind the lines and didn''t actually witness it, knew who had fired it. She was demonstrating it with her hands earlier. On top of that, she shed at the enemy''s main camp alone, leaving the elite behind, and easily killed the famous swordsman Kilrea. Right now, right in front of them, she was ying with the neck of the general who led them. Fear from the eeriness rose before anger, and instinct forced them to remain still. No one could stop her or move while she did so. It was so natural that it seemed all the more seamless. She was calmly ying with the general''s neck in enemy territory, acting like she was preparing for a festival. ¡°B-basta...!!¡± One of the escorts, who had lost their arm in the explosion and was knocked unconscious, wakes up. He stumbled to his feet and red at the girl with hateful eyes. ¡°¨D¨D!?¡± "Geez. You shouldn¡¯t wake up." With the sound of fluent Shaannguage. Her sharp curved sword vividly scraped the flesh of his neck. The girl then kicks the man''s body, causing him to fall. After a moment''s dy, blood gushes out, and the girl was not even bathed in blood. "..." They realized that she was simply doing this because she didn''t want to be stained with blood, and their body trembled quietly. It was beyond theirprehension that a person could avoid being bathed in blood on the battlefield. Looking at the gaze of the soldiers in the back row of Kilrea''s headquarters, the girl raised her finger. ¡°Krische, doesn''t particrly like killing people senselessly. The battle here is mostly over, and those who understand should throw away their swords and run over there.¡± Krische pointed his finger toward the west¨D¨Dthe sea of trees. "If you do that, General Garhka won''te after you and kill you, and the same goes for Krische. After the battle is over, Krische promise to treat you as prisoners of war in ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant." And behind Krische, who said that, the elite in ck armor gathered, and above their heads, the griffins were once again looking down at them from the sky. "¨D¨DOr maybe is the demonstration is not enough yet?" The only beautiful girl on the battlefield tilted her head as if troubled, fingertips to her lips. The inorganic purple shone coldly, as if she were a made-up doll. Ahead of them, the vanguard screamed as the Garhka charged. Behind them was a mad monster girl. Directly under the main camp¨D¨Dno matter how brave the soldiers were, they were only human and had their limits. "Ah, ah..." "Wait! Don''t disturb the formation!!" Themander, who could not even give orders, raised their voices to avenge the general. The soldiers ignored it, throw down their swords, scream, and run west. The innocent demon purple looks at it with satisfaction, and throws her dagger that she picked up at the noisy centurion''s neck. The screams caused more waves. ¡°Ugeh...what did you say?¡± "Krische, doesn''t like killing people, so Krische won''t kill you if you run away." Kalua looked at Krische exasperated and looked at the devastation around. A ferocious bomb, pieces of flesh scattered by javelin, and the head of an enemy general stuck against a g. Her words were true, but she was an existence that was far from that truth. "Usa-chan is such a good girl...Onee-san, like the fact that Usa-chan is a bit sick in the head." ¡°Mu¡ sick?¡± "Oh no, I mean Usa-chan is such a good girl that she looks sick. Mia¨D¨D" ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± She killed people mercilessly and cruelly in order to keep the number of deaths to a minimum. She didn¡¯t shy away from showing off, she''s ruthless, and the efficiency she seek was only based on numbers. ¨D¨DShe was a virtuous murderer. It was something that should be called a distortion, created by the crazy world of the battlefield. Chapter 186: Gods Eyes Chapter 186: God''s Eyes ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 186 God''s Eyes*** "That''s more than promised, Krische! Even I was stunned." Wearing lion armor bathed in a great deal of blood and carrying a great battle-axe on his shoulder, Dougleen Garhka appeared out of the battle line, smiling happily and tapping Krische on the shoulder. Krische, who didn''t want to get stained with blood, immediately jumped to avoid it. "Krische thinks it should have been shown to General Garhka though..." "Even so, there is a big difference from actually seeing it on the battlefield.¡Why do you avoid it?" "...General Garhka is covered in blood." "Gah, you''re such a germaphobe." Dougleen looked behind him as he spread his hands in shock. There were no longer any groups around this area that could mount an organized resistance. The Gulshan soldiers had turned their backs and started running away. The enemy''s extreme left wing was still alive, but they couldn''t seem to hide their confusion at the breakthrough to the center. It was only natural. Gulshan had lost both of their generals. A soldier can only be a soldier if he has amander. If you lose them one after another, it will be difficult to restore the turmoil of the soldiers. This is because everyone can understand the colors of the g. Not to mention the soldiers over there who were feeling like they had won the battle¨D¨Dthey couldn''t easily ept that difference. Victory was now certain. "You can tell me more about itter... Bonjara was it. I''d like you to tell me about that, but that''s forter. As nned, I''m heading to Orugan ce with these 15,000." "Yes, please" "...Is it really fine? As expected, stealing the delicious prey after being set up this much is" Krische shook her silver hair and tilted her head. "It''s not about stealing, the n like that from the beginning. Krische wants to reduce the attrition of the army, so that''s the priority." "What a greedless guy.... Well, if you say it''s okay, I''ll move first. Later. Move as you like." "Yes. Vinthril." "Ha!" Vinthril, who was waiting behind, pped Ritgund in front of Krische. Five shaku tall at the shoulders, with the body of a lion and the face of an eagle. The wind whipped up by the graceful blue wings bes a gust of wind with a single p¨D¨DFrom the corner of his eye, Dougleen catches Krische holding down her skirt, but his interest lies in the griffin''s rider. He grabbed his bloody spear and wrapped it in his fur. Although this warrior may be described as lightly armored, he has the aura of a warrior that can be seen at a nce. "Vinthril-dono, is this okay?" "Yes, General Garka. I don''t mind what I¡¯m called." Vinthril tilted his head, wondering what he wanted from him. "I see. It''s fine after the battle is over, but... could I have a ride on it?" Vinthril immediately understands the intention. Dougleen¡¯s eyes sparkled like a child''s as he looked at Griffin with some kind of envy. "I''d like to experience the view from the sky just once..." Vinthril smiled bitterly at the words of the sullen man who sounded so embarrassed, thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. "As long as Griffin doesn¡¯t get tired, I don¡¯t mind." "Hahaha, now I have something to look forward to. I''ll serve you my treasured sake tonight. I hope you don''t die from the recklessness of this princess." "General Garhka, Krische isn¡¯t reckless." Krische puffs out her cheeks and jumps behind Ritgund. "As Krische said, Krische is already tired of the civil war and Regve. Krische''ve decided that from now on, Krische''ll only fight battles that we can win one-sidedly." ¨D¨DClutching a spear in his right hand. "...Alberinea" A little while ago¨D¨DZalvaag led the elite 3000 and advanced at the front, aiming to bypass the left wing of the Alberinea army. With the Alberinea army directly in front of them, Orugan¡¯s main camp formed a battle line. The left wing was ovepped by Kilrea''s right wing with its wings bent. The only way to detour was from the right wing, and when Zalvaag went out with the reserves, thirty flying cavalry took off from Nakria. Orugan moved his reserve¨D¨DZalvaag, to attack Alberinea''s main camp. She must have been aiming for that timing. It seemed like their every move was being read. No, in fact, it was being read. From the start of the war to this point, Alberinea has calcted everything. Otherwise, this movement would not be possible. With Elkar''s army immediately annihted, Orugan preparing for a decisive battle, and ordering Zalvaag to lead his elite troops from the right wing and aim to bypass the wingtips. It was not a decision he had made in advance. It was decided that it had been made just a moment ago. But Alberinea had read all of their movements as if she had foreseen the future. "Zalvaag-sama!" "Ignore it for now." Just past the enemy''s left wing. In the distance, an unknown explosion echoed near Kilrea. They didn''t understand what that meant. What they did know, however, was that the enemy''s aim was not a surprise attack on the main camp by a small number of people. The enemy''s goal is to destroy the left wing led by Kilrea¨D¨Da frontal breakthrough by the Garhka army and an assault on his main camp. Zalvaag understood this not by logic but by intuition. Alberinea didn¡¯t just want to win. She aimed for aplete victory against Gulshan, who was at full strength. Overwhelm it, defeat it, so that it could no longer even stand up. ¨D¨DHe recalled the girl''s inorganic purple color. It was beautiful like a jewel and it had a deep color. The absolute confidence and arrogance that resided there. It was like a child looking down at an insect. He saw her in the royal capital, he saw her in Nakria, and he saw her defeating Alcazaris. Finally, Zalvaag understood the existence of Alberinea. For her, it was just a mere game. The battlefield, where warriors risk their lives, is nothing more than an ant war to her. And she had the power to make it so. Gulshan will just be defeated by one individual, Alberinea. There was no victory, if there was it would only turn into a mere defeat. If the Alberinea main camp could be crushed immediately, it would at least disrupt the enemy''s pace and buy time for a retreat from here. "...Argand was it?" A part of the enemy''s left wing¨D¨Dand the enemy''s main camp was already preparing for a detour. The enemy force in front of Zalvaag was 2,000 strong. But at the front of the line was a familiar piece of armor. In the center of the enemy''s line¨D¨Da helmet shaped like a tiger and heavy armor. A militarymander who was by Alberinea''s side in the royal capital. Perhaps he was Alberinea¡¯s close aide. Him being at the forefront was a matter of personality¨D¨Dbut it was the right choice. That was definitely the warrior chosen to stop Zalvaag. Then, two ck steel giants appeared from both wings of the enemy''s front row. "...Leave the center to us." "Forgive me, Eryke. I''ll leave it to you. ¨D¨DThe g!" The banner behind them flutters loudly. A trumpet sounded, and all the troops were in an assault position. At the same time, the sound of strings resounded all at once. The enemy shoots a rain of arrows. At the same time, Zalvaag rushed toward the enemy in front, the left wing, instead of the tiger armor. Our targets were the two creatures that rushed toward our line of battle¨D¨Dthe ck steel giants. ¡®¨D¨DThe giant''s weakness is its head¡¯ Elkar''sst words were conveyed through the soldiers. He ran diagonally between the lines, and raised the spear in his hand. The Giant¨D¨DA blue light flickered from the eyes of his head, and it reacted instantly. The two bodies on the left wing move towards him. Their eight shaku physiques were clearly visible as they approached. A gigantic bay attached to the tip of the elbow, it was apletely alien monster. Probably Alberinea''s magic weapon. The speed, weight, and armor that could be seen at a nce¨D¨Dit was no wonder that soldiers feared it. Its giant feet leave deep w marks on the earth every time it runs. It would be impossible for an average soldier to even take them on. Even a person with superior magical power could turn the table on them. If you were afraid and kept your distance, if you failed to inflict a fatal wound, you would be killed. Zalvaag looked to his left for a moment¨D¨Dthe enemy corpsmander was running toward him. Even if he takes his time, he would be killed. It was a gamble. However, Zalvaag believes in Elkar''sst words and moves forward. ¡®¨D¨DHahaha, are you the former shoemaker who achieved so much in battle? I was originally a carpenter...but the truth is, there are many different people in this army. Let''s do our best together, shoemaker Zalvaag. Together with this carpenter Elkar, for the crazy hero named Orugan.¡¯ The words of Elkar, who risked his life. There can''t be any lies in that. The giant swings its right sword. At that moment, Zalvaag stepped forward and thrust the spear in his hand into the iron grate in the center of its head-pupil. Letting go of it, he leaps at the same time and moves forward, using its shoulder as a foothold. ¨D¨DTwin sword Zalvaag It was not that he particrly liked to use two swords. If you jump into the enemy to kill many enemies, you will be surrounded by enemies on all sides. It was simply because it was easier to kill multiple opponents with two swords than a single sword. If one sword could kill five men, two swords could kill ten. With such a simple idea, he simply picked up a sword that had fallen. He had no particr interest in weapons, as long as he could kill his enemies. The one behind him was already swinging its left sword. The giant was unfazed by the fact that hisrade was killed, and his reactions were sharp. Just with that, it was already more than an average threat.. Zalvaag slips past the giant as if rolling. He pulls out a curved sword and cuts his neck in two¨D¨Dwhere his head and body meet. As he expected, the feel of the de was metallic. Zalvaag''s sword skills could easily cut through even sheet metal armor, but the joints were slightly thicker. He frowned when he felt the de spill on the curved sword that had sent its neck flying. It was minor, but this would be thest time this weapon would be used in this battle. In the blink of an eye, he forced the two giants to cease functioning. Zalvaag remained calm as he heard the loud cheers behind him¨D¨Dvoices praising his own exploits. All he understood was the fact that with this they could hold out for a while more. And that was their role. Of the 3,000, 2,500 were just decoys, and they understand that. From the elites he brought, 500 camel cavalrymen protruded further from the extreme right wing. It was the 500 that Zalvaag ultimately led. The enemy armymander was heavily armored. He can''t keep up with the lightly armored Zalvaag. Zalvaag had no desire topete with Kolkis Argand. He had no interest in one-on -onebat between warriors, all he wanted was the result. Twin Swords Zalvaag was not a warrior, but a soldier. ¨D¨DZalvaag makes his whistle echo across the battlefield. Taking this as a signal, a soldier with a dog jumped out from the right wing. What they bring with them is a trained medium-sized hunting dog¨D¨Doriginally one that would target lightly armed skirmishers. It wouldn¡¯t be a fatal blow to the enemy, mainly heavy infantry, but it was good for buying time. All they had to do was stop the enemy armymander. "Rogelius!" "Yes sir!" A curved sword in a scabbard. Jumping onto the camel brought by the cavalrymander, he received a spear from one of the cavalrymen beside him. What he could see in front of them was the enemy''s main camp. At the center were archers. In addition, there were dozens of Alberinea hunters in ck armor. "Arrows areing! Spread out, three arrows!" ¨D¨DAs expected of the enemy''s main camp defense. From the time of their breakthrough to the simultaneous firing, it was fast. No, they read the breakthrough and formed a formation from the beginning. They realized that their main objective was a further bypass by the camel cavalry. At least themander of the enemy''s main camp was not fooled by the Zalvaag leading the way. There was no way for the cavalry to defend against arrows. They could only divide the 500 into three sections, widen the spacing between them, reduce the density of the arrows, and hope that it would not hit. That was also what they were prepared to do. In short, all that was needed was to have enough men left to take out the enemy general. Zalvaag always thought simply and clearly. The important thing was not how much damage they would suffer, but whether or not they could take the enemy general''s head. On the left¨D¨DAlberinea line against the Orugan line. From there, soldiers in ck armor appeared as if seeping out. Each one galloped like a cavalry¨D¨Dmagic possessors. Of the cavalry divided into three, the left one was killed by them. About 300 cavalry soldiers had jumped out from behind the enemy''s main camp. Of the cavalry divided into three, the right one was stopped by this. Horses dislike the stench emitted by camels¨D¨Dbut it would take some time to break through. The kingdom''s cavalry were small in numberpared to Gulshan and other countries, but they were strong, with many being magic possessions from nobility. However, they already knew that. From the beginning, the real one was this central 150 team with Zalvaag. There were three volleys until they were within fifty ken of each other. Elite archers. They were not afraid of the camel cavalry''s charge, and the intervals between their shots were narrow. The aim was also urate. Zalvaag out of the thousands of arrows approaching¨D¨Didentified the few that would hit him and used his spear to deflect them. And oozing from the line of archers was ck-painted armor¨D¨Dthere were 50 of them. A third of the 150 have already fallen. Their spears¨D¨Dperhaps half of them would be eliminated by it. What they hold in their hands is not a javelin, but a melee spear. However, they carried it easily, as if it was a javelin. And even if they could see the spear thrown by the magic possessor, it was not easy to receive it. Stepping in and taking a stance. Ten of the spears fired were aimed at themander, Zalvaag. He instantly jumped and as he watched as the camel he was riding was skewered by countless spears, he charges. What appeared from the front was an old soldier¨D¨Da man d in rugged armor. Was he an adjutant or an escort for this main camp? In his left hand he held arge steel spear, and in his right hand he held something spherical. Zalvaag holds the spear in his hand in a reverse hand. The man also released the thing he had held in his right hand. It shes blue above Zalvaag''s head. ¨D¨DWhat was that? Unknown object. He didn''t recognize it. A flickering blue light¨D¨Dthe luminescence of the magic crystal. Why at this timing? It had some meaning. What happened on this battlefield? The explosion at Kilrea''s battle line. "¨D¨DAll members use the camel as a shield!!" Shouted and charged. He gripped the spear that he held in his opposite hand while listening to the explosion that echoed behind him. Stepping forward as if carving footprints into the earth¨D¨Dreleasing the spear. Concentrating his entire body''s strength in his hands, he rolled to his feet as if to kill the recoil. But the man repelled Zalvaag''s flying spear. He was quite skilled¨D¨Djust being able to block Zalvaag''s spear from this distance made him no ordinary opponent. He instantly pulled out his right curved sword. Not paying attention to what''s behind him. Probably dozens of people died. They lost their charging power. But it was not like all of them died. The man on the other side was holding arge spear and stepping forward. It looks familiar. A spear technique used by empire nobles. But was he injured or had some aftereffects? His left hand moved slowly, and his center of gravity was slightly tilted away from his core. ¨D¨DThe thrust was sharp. Dodging it with half of his body, Zalvaag moved to the right, the man''s left side. Twisting himself, Zalvaag arched his entire body and released a sh of light. The man also twisted and tried to protect himself with his left arm from the blow aimed at his neck. The man''s experience was evident in his judgment¨D¨Dhe must have been a well-known warrior, but he already predicted that. Zalvaag intended to cut his neck in half, along with his left arm. "¨D¨D!?" However, what rang out was a dull metallic sound. Zalvaag''s curved sword, which tore through his steel gauntlets, failed to sever the bone. Before the curved de could break, he stepped back before the opponent could ink their de into him. On the inside of the back of the gauntlet, there was no feeling of flesh and bone. It was of the same quality as the giant from earlier. The old soldier fired again, this time with the tip of a sharp spear, and he twisted his body and dodged it. An arrow that flew through Zalvaag''s left thigh caused a shallow tear. The person who shot it was an old soldier with long white hair who was holding an arrow on a short bow from horseback¨D¨Dhe recognized him. He was the old man I saw at the meeting in Nakria, who probably couldn''t use magic. Even so, from a distance of 30 ken, he was able to urately capture Zalvaag''s movements and aimed. "Zalvaag-sama!!" The cavalrymander''s voice sounded like a scream, and he pulled back in a moment. A roaring white spear pierced the spot where Zalvaag was. "Watlza, I told you not to be reckless." "Ha, he seemed like an opponent we need to be careful of." The ck armor was stained with copious amounts of blood. He was as skilled as Argand, and was noticed even from above the elephant. He was the only one who broke through the camel cavalry on the left, carrying his long sword. He must have thought that was enough. In fact, the cavalrymen who had split to the left had been hit from the side by spears and were already half disintegrated. "This is the situation. ...It would be best if you surrender. I heard that you understand Western Common Language." One opponent stands out. He wondered if he could kill him, and decided it was pointless. He half understood. This was just useless resistance. The earlier attack¨D¨Dif it had ended with the best possible result, it might have been a sess. However, they were able to catch it, and on top of that, Zalvaag failed to finish off the enemy''s skill. Zalvaag''s n was already a failure when a melee broke out. No, perhaps even from the beginning. From above, a storm was whipped up by a griffin. A shadow descends. Her hands held her skirt to keep it from flipping, and the way shended seemed weightless and made no sound. Her silver hair flowed freely, and through it her purple eyes shone in the sunlight. "Hehe, Griffin is nice, it¡¯s fast." An innocent voice and a beautiful smile. The one who descended from the sky was Alberinea¨D¨DKrische Christand. "You sure arrived early, Krische-sama. I was wondering if I could y a little longer." A surprise attack on the main camo after detour after detour. Anticipating this, the ck-painted armor was ced on standby at the rear of the battle line, and the main camp had enough force to withstand Zalvaag''s assault for a moment. "Krische already said right, Krische will be back soon. Meow-Meow has already let him escape, and two of the jaragasha have been destroyed. Krische''ll have to scold themter." "Hahaha, well, I guess it can''t be helped. Considering Corps Commander Argand''s performance today, Jarea..." "It''s Jaragasha." ¨D¨DIn that short amount of time, Kilrea must have been easily defeated. What she held in her hand, without even a drop of blood, was Kilrea''s beloved sword. For her, everything that happened on the battlefield today was a given¨D¨Deverything was a game within her hands. Her appearance here was also part of her "schedule". The girl looked up at the man in ck armor, put her hands on her hips and pouted her cheeks. Zalvaag saw this and stepped in half unconsciously. He pulled out the curved sword from his waist and swung it at the girl. The girl, who was full of gaps, nced at him. While she looked a little troubled, the right sword, the fastest swing that Zalvaag unleashed¨D¨Dshe urately caught the slight dent in the de and used her curved sword to "cut it in two". Zalvaag was already no longer disturbed. The girl who slipped behind him from his¨D¨DZalvaag twisted his whole body, turned around to the left in an instant. "¨D¨D!?" However, the girl already let go of her curved sword and thrust her hand into the ground and twisted her waist. Her left heel broke his unarmored upper arm. She then grabbed Zalvaag''s remaining right arm and mmed his tall body into the ground. Stomping on the torso and right arm, she thrust the curved sword on her hip into Zalvaag''s neck. "G-gh..." "There''s nothing you can do about this situation, and you should stop doing things that don''t make sense. Krische is much stronger, and Zalvaag-san is much much weaker than Kirsche." His consciousness fading from the shock. She held up her fingers wrapped in gauntlets. The girl said, as if she were a child. "You''re just a witness to the match." As she spoke, without a shadow of a doubt. Her violet eyes shone as if she were a God showing the natural providence. "¨D¨DKrische won the match." Krische Christand said so. Chapter 187: Heavy Rain Chapter 187: Heavy Rain ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 187 Heavy Rain*** "...Onii-chan, please don''t think anything stupid, okay. I''m fine." It was a notorious noble. Her sister, who was still young, was different from Zalvaag, she was gorgeous and had good looks¨D¨Dthat''s why she caught the noble¡¯s eye, and was ordered to be a servant and go to the mansion. That''s what the nobles of the Gulshan Kingdom were like. A beast with absolute power¨D¨Dthey could treatmoners any way they wanted. The blue-faced sister did not choose to run away with Zalvaag, but went to the nobles as if she had realized her fate. A few yearster, she was killed for stealing from the mansion. There was no way his younger sister would do something like that, and ording to his investigation, his younger sister was pregnant with a child, and refused to give birth, so she was killed. When she tried to run away, she was caught. Amon story¨D¨Din reality, it was an ending that should have been obvious. Even so, if it was his clever and good-natured younger sister, she would surely adapt to life in the mansion, and perhaps she could live a not-so-bad life. Her badly handwritten letters always told her that she had a reasonably good life despite the hardships, so he tried to believe that. For the first time in his life, he took up a sword and headed for the mansion. And Zalvaag remembered well the words that man said to him, who was stunned and captured. ¡°I also regret that I did something unnecessary. Kuku, your sister cried in a really nice voice.¡± It was fortunate that the rebellion by Orugan coincided with this. On the verge of being executed Zalvaag was saved by the rebels, and decided to continue fighting alongside them. It was not out of a noble sense of mission. It was simply a desire for revenge. He decided to dedicate his life just to kill that man and desperately wielded his sword just for that purpose. If he killed more people than anyone else, he could rise to the top. If he showed merit, he would be selected for an important cement. He cut his way through the ranks, aiming for the head of themander, and took a number of heads. However, he didn''t remember much from that time. ¡°..Zalvaag was it? I''ve heard the story. My condolences.¡± What he remembered was cutting into the room where his enemy was holed up. There, he was stunned and saw the corpse of his enemy, who hadmitted suicide by taking poison. ¡°¡What have I done so far, what is it for?¡± ¡°The enemy is dead. Your revenge ends here.'''' When he thrust his sword into the heart of his enemy, nothing returned. He was dead. The man who had toyed with and killed his sister had died without any pain. Without experiencing any of the pain his sister must have suffered. ¡°If you want to humiliate the corpse, do whatever you like. If that makes you feel better.'''' Zalvaag did not answer, but fell to his knees, drew his de, and pointed it at himself. ¡°But I won¡¯t let you die.¡± The man grabbed his de and stopped him. ¡°¡Why?¡± ¡°You used the revolutionary army for revenge. From what I hear, it was my revolutionary army that saved your life. Don''t you think you owe me a favor?¡± ¡°... a favor?¡± The man¨D¨DOruganughed and grabbed Zalvaag by the chest. ¡°In any case, your revenge was aplished. This is the beginning of your new life, Zalvaag. If you sell that life at a sale price, I''ll buy it for now.'''' ¡°I don¡¯t intend it to be for sale.¡± ¡°What, for someone in desperation you¡¯re quite clear headed aren¡¯t you.¡± He then presses his forehead against Zalvaag, as if challenging him. ¡®As thest member of the royal family, I must bring about a world where everyone is equal. Lend me your strength for that.¡¯ ¡°¡¡I¡¯m.¡± ¡°¨D¨DI''m not going to say something pretty like that. Don''t worry.¡± Oruganughed happily and let go of his hand. ¡°It''s a noble cause, but it''s just for fun. It''s not like I felt sorry for you or themoners, I just started a fight because I didn''t like his brother and the trash around him.¡± ¡°Fight¡?¡± ¡°Yes, I like fighting. ...I''ve heard of your many exploits. I thought you were the right man to wield the sword by my side. I''m sure you''re not busy now that your revenge is over, so why don''t you lend me a hand?¡± It was an absurd statement. ¡°There are so many tragedies that happened to you. And it will happen again in the future. But if you cooperate with me, I will reshape this country so that tragedies like what happened to your sister will never happen again. ...As a side while I''m enjoying the battle.¡± ¡°...You''re crazy.¡± ¡°Kuku, you''re so rude. But do you think there are any royals who would give up power if they¡¯re not crazy?¡± Yet, he had powerful eyes that drew Zalvaag in. ¡°Zalvaag, you can die anytime you want. If you still want to die, die on the battlefield rather than here. I will give you a better way to die. Besides, if youmitted suicide without being able to kill your enemy, you can''t show your face in front of your sister with your chest out, can you?¡± His stubble grew untidy, and he probably wasn''t sleeping properly. There were deep dark circles around his eyes. Still, his eyes were as youthful and bright as a boy''s. He held out his thick hand, wrapped in gauntlet. "......Thisst king of Gulshan, Orugan Dikel Shania, swears by the rain to give you a sure fruit in your life, which you have nothing but regrets about. Zalvaag still didn¡¯t know why he took his hand. "Uh..." ¨D¨DWhen he awoke, he was lying on a grassy field. His broken left arm remained splinted, but his legs were bound and his right arm was also tied to his torso. "Are you awake, Zalvaag? You sure have been asleep for a long time." When he looked in the direction of the voice, he saw his master sitting cross-legged with his hands tied behind his back. His armor was covered with countless scars, his face was bruised blue, and his nose was bleeding, but he sat proudly. Around him, the soldiers of the kingdom were running around in a hurry. The g of Gulshan had been lowered, and what was visible was the arrogant Kingdom''s g pointing the tip of its sword toward the sky. "¡we lost huh" "Is there any way to win in that situation? Did I look like a strong person who could defeat Garhka and then Alberinea?" "I don''t. I don''t think the Vice-Chancellor would be able to hold a single match against someone I can''t even match." "Kuku, you¡¯re as rude as ever." Orugan looked happy. "It''s aplete defeat, Zalvaag. Hahaha, it was spectacr, you could even call it a refreshing defeat. ...With this, I will leave my name in history as an ipetent person." "I guess. Though you look like you''re having a lot of fun." "It''s not a bad feeling, being overwhelmed when you''re going at it with everything you''ve got." Orugan justughed. He was, as usual, even more cheerful than usual. ¨D¨DThe only sound there was a roaring sound. Dougleen Garhka broke through Kilrea''s line, and Orugan moved forward alone, choosing not to take the bait. Dougleen also moved forward in response. The winner was already decided. Alberan had won. This could be said to be just a confirmation of it¨D¨Dmarking the end of a decades-long battle. "Garhka! I''ll recognize Alberan as the winner, but I''ll kill you!!" "Hahahaha! That''s the howl of a loser, Orugan!! All you can do is bark. I hope you''ll be happy with my kindness in keeping youpany!!" The sound echoed by Dougleen Garhka was the roar of swinging a great axe. The blunt de, whichpressed the wind and scraped the earth, never stopped, crushing even steel. Orugan, on the other hand, wields a thick sword. The five-shaku de was like that of an axe, and when the de was swung, it cut through all things. There was no sound of steel shing in this ce. If both partiespete against each other''s swing, the receiver will surely lose his weapon. Therefore, while avoiding the other''s weapon, both sides aim at the other''s weapon and try to cut off the other''s torso or neck, taking advantage of the opening. The result was a storm of countless wind noises. The earth that had been gouged by the des was covered with countless scars. It was an even match, but Orugan took the lead. He created a small gap and invited his opponent to make an upper strike, which he avoided. Then Dougleen swung down and mmed the ground with a great war axe¨D¨Dthe de mming into the steel handle. Due to excitement, the angle was too shallow to cut it, but it was enough to make it lose its functionality as a weapon. The hilt of the great axe was twisted into a crooked shape from the middle. A scream-like noise spread from Alberan''s soldiers, but of course Dougleen Garhka didn''t stop there. Drawing the long sword from his waist, he aimed at the nicked de of Orugan¡¯srge curved sword, which had failed to through the hilt, and struck it with a precise, unmatched swing. The sword was snapped from the middle. This time, there was a shrieking noise from Gulshan''s side. Orugan was left with no other weapon than his dagger. "I won''t let you!" However, Orugan shouted and threw the broken great curved sword at Dougleen. A magic possessor, d in muscle armor all over. His throw was different from a vain resistance. It was a deadly weapon with the power to pierce even a steel te if it hit. Immediately, Dougleen used his long sword to deflect the approaching great curved sword. Despite his rough appearance, his sword skills were sophisticated¨D¨DDougleen, who learned the orthodox swordsmanship of Alberan''s royal sword, was able to fully demonstrate the skills ingrained in his body even after giving up his battle ax. However, even though it was broken, it was a great curved sword. If he received it, his stance would copse, an opening would be created, and then Orugan, like a raging bull, would rush in. His six-shaku muscr body was wrapped in heavy armor, and he mmed his body into Dougleen¡¯s armor. That blow easily knocked Dougleen¡¯s body, which could be described as a mass of muscle d in steel, away for a moment, and he quickly jumped on top of it and mmed down with his right fist. Dougleen instantly twisted his neck and dodged it, but his fist sank deep into the ground. Although he had lost his weapon, he was not powerless. His gauntlets, along with his helmet, could crush the opponent''s skull¨D¨Dit was a blunt weapon. Dougleen moved the straight sword in his right hand slightly, causing Orugan to choose evasion. And at that moment, while lying on his back, he ms his left fist into his face. A blow that didn''t bear his weight¨D¨Dbut a blow that was enough to break the bone in his high nose. Orugan threw his right arm as he was leaning backwards and mmed his gauntlet against Dougleen''s head, which had risen slightly. Even though they both suffered concussions, they stood up with a small distance between them¨D¨D "...Um, General Garhka, what are you doing?" A storm rages around them. What appeared was a silver-haired girl¨D¨DKrische. "It¡¯s a man¡¯s fight, Krische, don¡¯t get in the way." "No, it''s not good. As Alberinea, Krische gives the order, the battle is over." Krische twitched her eyebrows and angrily put her hands on her hips. and points above her head. From one of the griffins hung a tall man¨D¨DZalvaag, wrapped in rope. "What will happen to Krische¡¯s promise if General Garhka kills Vice-Chancellor Orugan? Krische even went out of her way to bring a witness for that purpose." "What an abysmal ability to read the atmosphere..." "...Unlike General Garhka, Krische isn''t here to y." Halfway through, they were circling in the sky and whistling, desperately appealing to them, but both Orugan and Dougleenpletely ignored Krische. Krische red at Orugan, looking extremely displeased. "The detour with your reserves also failed. Krische wins without a doubt. Vice-Chancellor Orugan. Surrender as promised. Our demand is an immediate ceasefire." Orugan looked at Krische''s face and looked at Zalvaag, who was hanging unconscious. It was a much quicker conclusion than he expected. He thought Zalvaag would at least keep her until either he or Dougleen died, but it seems he didn''t hold out that long. ¨D¨DNo, everything was fast. The battle was resolved faster than anyone could have imagined. In less than a koku from the start of the war, Orugan suffered a crushing defeat against half the force. "If you break your promise, Krische will kill you all.¡Krische will not take any prisoners, and Krische will destroy everything." Orugan hears the battlefield music still echoing in the distance and shook his head. "No...I won''t break my oath. I''llply." And he roared. "Supreme Commander Orugan of the Gulshan army announces! Gulshan and Alberan''s soldiers must immediately stop the battle!! This invasion marks the defeat of Gulshan, and a cease-fire has been concluded based on the Holy Spirit Covenant!!" Krische covered her ears with both hands. Even so, the sound was so loud that the steel in her gauntlets trembled. "Gulshan soldiers,y down your weapons and wait for instructions from Alberan!! This is a ceasefire based on the Holy Spirit Covenant!! Alberan soldiers must stop their hostility toward the surrendered Gulshan soldiers, and any further violence is prohibited!! Those who oppose this will be judged by the Holy Spirit!!" He first announced this in Western Common, then repeated the same phrase in Shaan. This was because Alberan was the attacker. After repeating this twice, he sat down and disarmed¨D¨Dhe thrust his dagger into the ground. "...You win, Alberinea, are you satisfied with this?" "Hmm, for now. Krische''ll talk to youter." Krische looks around, then signals the griffins above. Then she turned her attention back to Orugan. "We''ll tie you up just in case. Kalua, please tie him up properly." "Ai saa (yes sir)" "Hmm, the problem is that there is no one who can speak Sharn. General Garhka, do you speak Sharn?" "Oh, I can do it. So I got a chance to ride a griffin right away." "Well, the battlefield is wide. Krische will be going around here, so General Garhka will go to the west side. Begu take Mia down and General Garka." "Ha!" After giving a quickmand, Krische jumped onto the back of the griffin. "Mia, take care of this area. When Keithes, please leave it to him." "yes" "Vice-Chancellor Orugan, that¡¯s it. Krische won¡¯t marry you since it¡¯s Krische¡¯s win, but please keep your promise. ¡Vinthril." "Ha" After quickly telling her business, Krische immediately went up in the air. Next, Dougleen, who was straddling Griffin''s back timidly, spoke. "Kuku, you''ve chosen the wrong person to marry, Orugan. She''s not the kind of woman you can marry just like that. To be dumped on top of a crushing defeat, what a double blow, I pity you." "Hmph. Go quickly. Your right wing is still at a disadvantage." "By the time I broke through, they were already running away you know...Okay, fly away." Dougleen soars into the sky, and Orugan looks up at it and takes a deep breath. "Vice-Chancellor Orugan, I apologize for the inconvenience." "Oh, tie me however you like." The ck armor called out to him. He looked at the ck-haired beauty and frowned. "You¡¯re a face I saw in Nakria. Are you Alberinea''s escorts?" "Yes, Vice- Chancellor. My name is Kalua. As you can see, Alberinea doesn''t need escorts though." "Certainly, it¡¯s more like a personal attendant.¡Do you think it¡¯s foolish?" "¡¡foolish?" Kalua asked him back while tying his hands, but Oruganughed and nodded. "Yes, as someone who knows Alberinea, what do you honestly think when you see a general who challenged Alberinea and suffered such a crushing defeat?" "...It''s foolish considering the situation and your position. However, if I were in Vice-Chairman Orugan¡¯s position, I would never challenge her." The female soldier who introduced herself as Kalua answered with a chuckle. "Not to mention marrying her after winning with a sword." Orugan burst outughing at those words. "Ah, hahaha, I see! It''s true, there''s no one who can buy that with a sword. It seems I made a mistake in my method." And when he said that he nodded to himself and looked at Zalvaag who was taken down from the griffin. "I don''t mind, but please treat the man lightly. As much as you can while tied up is fine." "Yes.¡Mia." "Yeah. Begil, first aid please." "Okey-dokey, Adjutant." A female adjutant called Mia¨D¨Dhe looked at her appearance, which looked like a vige girl who came out of the countryside, but didn''t look like she was skilled. "...That''s the adjutant, huh?" He suddenly realized that he had lost because it was supposed to be so. "She''s different from me. That girl will create a new era." Orugan narrowed his eyes. Zalvaag straightened up and looked at his master with a suspicious face. "...Kilrea and Elkar, all of the people I brought with me were good warriors andmanders. The beasts I brought with me were also the best. Looking at Gulshan''s history, it''s truly the best lineup¨D¨Dthe culmination of who I am as a person. I was confident that I could overwhelm any opponent, no matter who they were. But when you look at it..." He looked at the ck armor around. Then he watched the ck iron giant being slightly stripped of its flesh and being loaded into a cart. "Just like when iron tools were introduced in the age of bronze, or when battle lines were introduced in the age of cliques¡ª¡ªthis is a new wave of the times. That''s probably why I, who led the old generation, lost like this. ...I''m d that I was able to see it like this." "...I don''t understand. About you since a long time ago" "Because you don''t try to understand. If you close your eyes, you can''t see anything." Orugan looks up at the sky. His eyes catch the clouds as the sunlight burns his eyes. "Gurshan, we are those who seek strong rain. The rain washes away everything and nurtures new fruit." ¡ª¡ªIt was a faith that should be called rain worship. It''s a harshnd where most of the country was covered in wastnd and desert. Rainy season and storms only visit once a year in such a ce. This floods great rivers and spreads rich soil throughout the surrounding area, providing the basis for crops to grow, and it is on this foundation that human life was built. "...I wanted to see how things that were rigid are broken and reborn." Gulshan means heavy rain¡ª¡ªa word that honors its destruction and rebirth. "However, nothing has changed even though the royal family has copsed...The parliament treats me like a king, and the people justugh at the glory of having won. The former aristocrats have be ves¡ª¡ªand everyone is dancing without realizing that their positions have simply been switched." "Do you think this will make it any better?" "No, I have some regrets. If it¡¯s like this I should have just turned into a heavy rain and destroyed everything." Orugan smiled bitterly and looked north. The one where the royal capital of Alberan is. "When I saw the queen who ate that person, who could be described as the epitome of arrogance, I suddenly thought, ''Did I make the right choice?''. ¡ª¡ªIf you think about it, this result is only right. It''s probably the difference between those who experienced heavy rain and those who wished for heavy rain." He shook his shoulder happily. Zalvaag sighed exasperated. "The words you speak have always been difficult to understand." "Stop acting like an idiot. Talking to myself is not my hobby." "It looks like you like it, but...what do you n on doing?" "...Well, I guess they won''t kill me even if I go back. In the end, this war was decided by the council, and I might be med for the defeat and be forced out of my position for a while... but it''s already a given that Alberan will win every war this time. When they see the results, they will understand." The Gulshan Republic Council itself wanted this battle. There were voices like that when the Holy Empire invadedst year, so this invasion would have happened whether Orugan wanted it or not. Naturally, there are voices demanding responsibility for the defeated general, but Alberinea overwhelms and defeats twice as many troops. He didn¡¯t think Alberan would make any mistakes against Elderant and Elsren, and he was sure Alberan would survive this invasion of the three countries sessfully. If that happens, they won''t have the luxury of cursing Orugan. "Nothing will change. We''ve lost Kilrea and Elkar. The parliament is in turmoil over the release of prisoners, negotiations onpensation, and national defense personnel... I''m the only one who can pull it all together. ... If I had to choose, that would be it I guess." "...If you''re going to give up everything now, I''ll kill you." Zalvaag said calmly and rolled over. With his legs bound, he has a harder time sitting than he expected. "You said you would give fruit to my life, King Gulshan. I still don''t even know what that is... Or is this the fruit?" Oruganughed amusedly and fell down on his back. "Hahaha, you do understand what I''m talking about, you liar." And he looked at the sky with distant eyes, "...Forgive me, I thought that was a refreshing choice." He whispered. "I think it might be better that way. ...Alberan will cause a storm someday. Maybe it will be more fruitful if we let it get swallowed up by that muddy stream." "... only human hands can produce fruit. Someone with a hoe is necessary." Zalvaag closed his eyes at the smell of grass. Perhaps because there was no battle around here, there was no smell of blood mixed in. "If you think the people of today are stupid, you can teach them how to hold a hoe. You can teach them how to grow wheat. You should know that. ...This is what you guys took away from the people after all." He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the clouds. What lies there were white clouds that cannot be shaken by rain. "¡Thatment is something you should do after you¡¯ve done everything you need to do, Vice-Chancellor." Spring breeze. Gulshan will soon enter the rainy season. "And maybe¡ª¡ªI''m here because I thought you could do it." Heavy rain falls, bringing fruit. "Hahaha, did you fall in love with my personality, Zalvaag. If you say so, I have no choice but to do it." "No, to be honest, I think the Vice-Chancellor is a pain in the ass. What I''m feeling now is just inertia." "Saying all you want. Well...it depends on how they react." He looked up at the sky and saw a big shadow. "First, everything is after the storm has passed, huh." A storm rages, and a girl descends again. "Geez, Griffin make the skirt flip, that¡¯s no good." Holding her skirt down, she pouted her lips and looked at Griffin. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Vice-Chancellor Orugan. Shall we have a quick discussion?" Then the girl turned her purple eyes towards them. Chapter 188: Gray Battlefield Chapter 188: Gray Battlefield ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 188 Gray Battlefield*** Weapons and armaments will bepletely released and handed over to the kingdom. Simrly, Gulshan''s horse-drawn carriages, as well as funds and materials used for military operations, all of these did not count towardpensation. In addition, all but a few centurions and those in higher ranks were taken prisoner and detained until a formal peace treaty was concluded between the kingdom and the republic. The Kingdom of Alberan reserves the right to execute any dishonesty on the part of the Republic of Gulshan, the party thatmits acts of aggression that threatens the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Alberan. General soldiers will be returned one after another, but until the return ispleted, they will be engaged in civil engineering work at set times ording to instructions given by the Kingdom. The content was rtively simple and did not make any important points explicit. However, the force was very strong. Just depriving nearly 100,000 soldiers of their equipment and reserves would result in a huge loss of money, and with that much equipment, it would not be easy to replenish it. Moreover, if themander leading them was taken away, Gulshan would no longer be able to take any action, and that was enough. Alberan, Elsren, and Elderant were not the only neighboring countries of Gulshan, and in order to restore its defenses, it was necessary to request the return of the prisoners as soon as possible. This was the reason why hundreds of centurions were captured together. Even if soldiers could be recruited, training nonmissioned officers cannot be done overnight. The neighboring countries surrounding Gulshan are all small countries, but they would probably try to cut off their territory taking it as a blessing in disguise. Alberan then threatens to invade and concludes a treaty based on the results of post-war negotiations with Gulshan. However, these can also be considered as benevolent. It was also possible for the Kingdom of Alberan to mass execute the centurions,panymanders and above, with random excuse. The reason could be anything, such as acting violently in an upied city. Following the Holy Spirit Covenant was, after all, nothing more than a diplomatic excuse. Now that it has been attacked by the surrounding three countries, it has be a mere skeleton. Even if such punishment was given for appropriate and unteral reasons, all the countries that would criticize it were now attacking it, so it was toote. The reason they didn''t do that was because Queen Kreschenta wanted Gulshan to continue to exist. It would be much better to rip off the profits from the economically rich Gulshan for the next few decades through a favorable treaty than to destroy Gulshan itself. Kreschenta¡¯s hope was to slowly take away Gulshan''s national power and make it into a vassal state. On the meadow there was a desk. Prepared for the signing of the Cease-fire Agreement. High-ranking officers, including each side''s corpsmander and the War Lion Commander, who survived and had their hands tied behind their back, were present as witnesses, with Krische and Orugan sitting in the center. Standing beside them were Dougleen and Zalvaag with a brace wrapped around his left arm. "The documents are finished. With this, the war between the Kingdom of Alberan and the Republic of Gulshan came to an end, and an informal cease-fire agreement was concluded with the premise of peace. With this, I, on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan, Krische Alberinea Christand, solemnly swear in this name that all acts of warfare between the two countries are prohibited and will be observed until the conclusion of a subsequent peace treaty conference." "...The Vice-Chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Orugan, also pledge to the rain that will bring forth fruitfulness, as the representative of the Republic of Gulshan, agrees to it." The purpose of making the cease-fire agreement in the middle of the battlefield, rather than in tents, as soon as the process of disarmament wasplete, was to spread the word. The battle ended in less than a koku¨D¨Dthere was no way the soldiers would understand. Some of the Gulshan soldiers stood in stunned silence, while others fell to their knees. "Thank you. Um...I sincerely hope that you will fulfill the words written here exactly, and from now on, we will work together to restore peace." Krische smiled, and the War Lion Commander under Orugan looked at the girl with iprehensible expressions. Orugan, Zalvaag, Kilrea, and Elkar. They mobilized over 100,000 soldiers, apanied by hundreds ofrge beasts, and Alcazaris, the queen of beasts. The enemies were less than half their number¨D¨Da battle that can never be lost. Knowing the strength of Alberan''s army, they were fully aware of the possibility that they would be forced to struggle, but they were confident that they would never lose. But this is the result. Most of the beasts were lost, and Kilrea and Elkar were killed in battle. Half of the twelve War Lion Commander died, and most of the corpses lying around were Gulshan soldiers¨D¨Don the other hand, not a single corpsmander on the Alberan side was missing, and all of them survived. The necessary information was filled out from the beginning in the documents that were apparently prepared before the war began, and Kilrea and Elkar, who should have been specially noted asmanders and high-ranking officers of the army if they were to be captured, were not counted from the beginning. They were killed because they were supposed to be killed, and they died because they were supposed to die. This instantaneous victory was created by her from beginning to end. Even life and death were only the result of her choices. There were still most people who could not ept this result, and among them fear and confusion preceded hatred and anger. Not many could easily ept that the oue of this great battle was not even a battle at all. Not only they, but even the corpsmander under Garhka''smand was bewildered by the too-easy victory. The sun had not yet risen to its zenith. It took less than half a day after the battle to conclude a cease-fire agreement. The only people who did not seem disturbed were the corpsmanders under Alberinea. They were the only ones standing there with a look on their faces as if this oue was a foregone conclusion. As if to show that Heavenly Sword¨D¨DKrische Christand, there has been no defeat since the beginning. "I have no choice but to do my best huh. Alberinea, you win." "Yes. Krische will also tell Her Majesty that Vice-Chancellor Orugan¡¯s wise decision is worthy of consideration. Thanks to that, the damage to both sides was kept to a minimum." "¡Thank you." Orugan stood up and bowed deeply to the seated Krische. He can already imagine what will happen next. The peace would certainly include conditions for the military power possessed by Gulshan. Gulshan will be forced to seek protection from Alberan from now on. The countries surrounding Gulshan, will attack, and they will act as a mediator, cutting off Gulshan¡¯s territory on the premise of maintaining peace. The rtively lenient punishment was all a preparation for what woulde next. Gulshan would be treated like a vassal state of Alberan for at least the next ten years. It was easy to imagine how Alberan, which gained such military power in the period shortly after the civil war, would gain weight and develop over the next ten years. It''s only been less than a year since Queen Crescenta and her sword, Alberinea, took center stage. In that short amount of time, Alberan had undergone so many changes. Unless Elsren and Elderant deal a severe blow, Alberan would not stop. It would be no wonder if they surpassed even its heyday where it once dominated the continent "This victory is great. ...Once this war is over, there will be nothing that can stop you and Her Majesty the Queen." "Hmmm... Krische hoped so. If all the neighboring countries think that they are no match for Alberan, then the world will be at peace, and that''s all that matters." Krische smiled and stood up. She was small, about as tall as Organ''s chest. "Then Krische won''t have toe here and can spend her days cooking at the estate. Vice-Chancellor Orugan, if you''re going to go to war, please go to another country." Silver hair shimmering in the sunlight. The smile on her fairy-like beauty was endlessly beautiful. "Next time, Krische, will cut off your head." Only the jewel-like purple eyes were inorganic. "Kuku, I¡¯ll keep this in mind...However, it bes even more of a shame." "...?" "I would definitely like to have you as my wife." "Are you still saying that? Krische won, so it''s invalid." Her lips pouted, her hands on her hips. Oruganughed, and Dougleen red at him exasperated. "You sure don¡¯t know when to give up. That''s not a line from a dolt with a bloody nose." "I don''t want you to say that, Garkha. I lost to Alberinea, not to you." "Hmph, this is just the bark of a loser. ¨D¨DAttention!!" Instantly, Krische covered her ears, "The war between the Kingdom of Alberan and the Republic of Gulshan has now been called a ceasefire!¡¡Those of you who still cannot ept it, from now on, follow my instructions and rejoice in the fact that you have your lives!" Dougleen howls to the sky in Shaan. "If you do not rebel, if you do not turn your des against me, and if you are willing to be taken prisoner, I will provide you with food and drink tonight! When the war is over, we will not have to kill each other, and I pledge to treat you as fellow human beings in the name of Dougleen Nakr Dogarinea Garhka!" A powerful and heroic voice echoed through the sky, "Rejoice for the lives, mourn the dead! At this moment, you are freed from military service and the battlefield, and allowed to return to being human!!" Thus ended the battle of Milhirrea. The moon was rising high in the night sky. A night where the brightness of the stars fades over a grand bonfire. Lined up were the tents of the Alberinea army and the sounds of a noisy party. At the edge of the crowd, Krische was talking to Vinthril. "Krische don''t mind you leaving tomorrow, you know? Griffin is fast." "...No. I want to be careful. If there is an information blockade, it would be better to arrive there early and get some rest." It was predicted that a spy from the Kingdom of Elderant would be lurking in the southwest city. This was to learn about the progress of the war in the south. The Alberinea army will leave the rest to Garhka and the 20,000 people in the rear and depart here tomorrow, but it was important to deal with such spies carefully in order to make the most of the situation and create the conditions for a strategic surprise attack. With Griffin''s speed, it was quite possible to anticipate the spy, and there¡¯s no spy that can escape from those who can monitor them from the sky. While the Kingdom of Elderant was concentrating on the battle west of Kingdom Alberan¨D¨Dagainst Felworth Keithriton, it would be attacked from the nk and rear by a surprise attack by the Alberinea army. "Besides, today''s battle wasn''t so bad that I felt tired. I don''t feel like shouting about victory like them." Vinthril told Krische that, a distance away from the lively banquet. Krische looked at him troubled and said, ¡®Is that so?¡¯ and took a breath. "Dagris, is that okay?" "Yes, I don''t mind that, but...just like Vinthril-dono, I haven''t been doing anything in particr since I came here. I was just having too much free time." Rnd''s former spy¨D¨DDagris, a man with a face thatcked any feature, has a smile on his slightly aged face and opens his hands in a yful gesture. Even if it¡¯s easy to dispose of a spy, a spy is still a spy. It would be best to have the eyes of a seasoned spy to read their movements. He and the few people he brought with him will apany Vinthril and others, and together they will monitor the situation. "Depending on the information you get, we will give you additional rewards. Only after the war is over though." "Yes. I''m sure these guys will be motivated as well. I''ve brought all the talented people I know." Krische looked at the men coldly. Everyone watched this battle. No one could look down on Krische¡¯s young appearance. "Well, it doesn''t seem like they¡¯re bad. It seems like you''ve been doing a good job so far, so Krische has high hopes." "Thank you for your words. We will be getting ready." "Yes" Dagris and the others walk ahead to join Griffin and the others, and Vinthril tells the other warriors to go ahead first as well. When Krische tilted her head, Vinthril simply looked straight at Krische. "What''s wrong?" "...No. I would like to talk a bit." He then turns his gaze to the hole dug in the battlefield. Most of the dead had already been thrown into them. "There were parts where I was surprised that this was actually a war." "This was Vinthril''s first time at war. How was it?" "...It''s not something fun." He answered honestly and Krische nodded. "Krische doesn¡¯t like it either." After a hearty meal of elephant meat, a very satisfied Suiko¨D¨DKrische beckons to Gururun. Then she jumped on top of her and patted her on the back, making her sit down. "Even after achieving such a brilliant victory?" "Improving efficiency isn''t boring, but it''s much better if Krische doesn''t have to do it in the first ce. But even if you say that, there are still people who will attack you, so wouldn''t it be better to let them know that Krische is really strong, enough that it prevents them from attacking?" Krische leans down and leans her upper body down onto the Suiko. Her silver thread-like eyshes swayed as she savored the warmth, and her eyes narrowed. "If they understand that no one can beat Krische, if they understand that no one can beat Alberan, then there will be peace. So, if Krische needs to do it, then Krische will do it unterally andpletely. To prevent the next million people from attacking, Krische will make a blood festival of 100,000 people.'''' The light of the moon reflected in her purple eyes, giving them a vague glow. "...This time, Krische had promised Vice-Chancellor Orugan at the beginning, so this was the end of it, but Krische was actually nning on crushing him. That way, there will be no hassleter, and Gulshan will understand and afraid of Krische...Krische doesn''t really know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.'''' The moonlight that deceives the human''s hearts. Looking through those eyes, it seemed even more crazy. Was it because of her beautiful appearance or because of her child-like appearance? Remembering the image of the girl being pampered by a servant, Vinthril closed his eyes. "...I''m sure your battlefield doesn''t have the brilliance that our ancestors risked their lives for long ago." One-sidedly and efficiently. There was no need for heroes on the battlefield she created. After seeing the results of that bombing, Vinthril understood. It was not used because it was not needed, but there was still a reserve of it¨D¨Din that situation. As she said, if she set her mind to it, she could have annihted the enemy army of 100,000 men in less than half a day. It was not a battle, it was a ughter, a massacre, and she easily turned 30 griffins into weapons of massacre. Ruthless and cruel. She killed and wounded nearly 3,000 soldiers as she flew overhead, without ever putting their well-trained arms to the test. And in the future, the weapons that she, the heretic, will bring to the battlefield will change the nature of warfare. She is a dragon in human form. Everyone who saw her had no choice but to bow down and look up to her. She was a being who, in her wisdom, could stand alongside even dragons. "As a warrior, I thought about what I should do. However, there was no point in doing anything." "...?" What kind of battle will she show on the battlefield after showing such strength? She far exceeds Vinthril and the other¡¯s expectations and imaginations. It was so easy that they¡¯re even afraid of it. "No matter what kind of process it follows, even if it doesn''t have any brilliance...at least, there is no doubt that a battle is like that from the beginning. No matter what...we will do our best to achieve the peace you desire." "Krische doesn''t really understand, but...ehehe, Krische¡¯s happy, to hear that." Like a girl, the dragon in human formughs. "Kreschenta also said that she would like to deepen the rtionship with Kreisharana once peace is achieved, so Krische hopes we can be friends soon." "Yes, me too, the bottom of my heart. ...Well then, Krische-sama." "Yes. Please be careful. Lira is worried." Bowing to her smiling face, Vinthril turned his heel. Was it right or wrong to seek brilliance on the battlefield? Looking at her, he felt a strange feeling, as if something he had believed in had be vague. He just looked up at the moon floating in the sky. Chapter 189: Birdcage Queen Chapter 189: Birdcage Queen ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 189 Birdcage Queen*** ¨D¨DMorninges early for Kreschenta Alberan, Queen of the Alberan Kingdom. "¨D¨Dta-sama, Kreschenta-sama..." "Uhh...let me sleep a bit more..." When the sunrise was still coloring the sky, she felt a gentle rocking sensation. Her eyshes flutter happily in the warm cozy nket, and then she closes them. "Yes, please rest well." She went back to sleep once again "A Maiden¡¯s Desired Daily Life" Slovenly,zy¨D¨Dno, that''s not true. Her young body was forced to do harsh political work and mentalbor every day. It is naturalw for the body to seek rest and sleep. Her body instinctively seeked a deep sleep to relieve its own overwork¨D¨Dbut it was a sleep that was far too deep. This deep sleep made it difficult for her body to return to its active state, and her body needed to take a very unique pre-waking action known as "gradual awakening." "*Yawn*... every time I look at it, I think this is too sloppy. Wouldn''t it be better to stop? Come on, Kreschenta, it''s morning." "Uuu...noo..." Selene exasperated, poked the blissful looking Kreschenta on the cheek. Kreschenta turns her back as she is pecked. "Fufu, don¡¯t bully her, Selene. Kreschenta-sama is tired." "That''s right, I''m tired..." It was a soft limp voice. There was no reason. Kreschenta grabbed the pillow in front of her and hugged it, seeing that Bery chuckled and patted her on the head. The softness returned to her strong face, and she began to sigh in her sleep. "You¡¯re always spoiling her, geez." "Both Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama always overworked their brains after all, so I¡¯m sure being a little sloppy helped them maintain the bnce." She put the nket back on Kreschenta¡¯s shoulders. Apparently, she was not happy that Krische and Bery both woke up early, prepared breakfast and had tea together. She was the one who suggested that they should wake her up as well, but now it had be a routine for them to have Bery wake Kreschenta lightly once so she can go back to sleep once again. She actually woke up better when Bery didn''t do this, but for some reason she also felt grumpy. Although she didn¡¯t say it out loud, it seemed that she really liked being woken up when her mind was still blurry and being cared for and pampered while she was still in a daze. The first time I saw her, I thought she was a little bitzy, but it was also endearing when she thought of it as Kreschenta selfishness, remembering she wouldn¡¯t obediently let herself be pampered unless there''s an excuse for it. "Ojou-sama, you should also take it a little slower. You don''t have to follow me every day..." "Once I wake up, I can¡¯t go back to sleep.¡I guess it¡¯s surprisingly refreshing to wake up at this time." In her nightgown, her lithe body arched and stretched, her golden hair swaying freely. Even as she spoke, her eyes looked a little sleepy. It was still sunrise. Selene usually wake up a littleter, buttely, since they''ve been sleeping in the same bed, she ended matching Bery¡¯s early rise That said, that doesn''t mean she could do the same as Bery, and just some moment ago, while Bery was changing into her apron dress, she was just lying down and watching in a daze. Selene, like Krische and Kreschenta, wasn¡¯t very strong in the mornings. "I wonder will it be better once I get used to it?" "I''d be lying if I said I didn''t feel sleepy. Well, Ojou-sama, try applying magic to every corner of your body, even to the fingertips. Body enhancement." "...?" Selene did as she was told, moving her magical power throughout her entire body¨D¨Dbuilding imaginary muscles. A little tingly sensation ran through her body and she moved her body slowly. "I feel like if I do this especially when I wake up, it makes me feel a little less sleepy, probably because I use my brain...how is it?" "Yeah...it might be a little nice." "The feeling of being lethargic when you wake up is a physical thing, so if you get into the habit of moving your body with magic, it will make the mornings a little easier." "Shouldn¡¯t you have told me about this a little earlier...?" Selene rests her hands on her hips, red at Berry, and sighed "I learned this naturally a long time ago, so it might be a bit tiring until you get used to it, and I¡¯m a little worried about teaching it to the old Selene-sama." Bery smiled bitterly, as if troubled. "And since Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama do this normally, I just forgot¡" "...Krische and Kreschenta aside, I think I understand why you''re better than me." Selene looked down at her magical muscles forming even on her fingertips. Although Selene was clearly superior to Bery in terms of simple explosive output, Berry''s was closer to that of Krische¡¯s, smooth and delicate. For example, magical muscles are difficult to use in daily life, like writing or throwing with the opposite of the dominant arm. But it was probably because they have refined even the trivial parts. "I''m really d you didn''t aim to be a soldier. If you did, I might have been dying of inferiorityplex by now." "Personality wise I¡¯m not suited for it. I have to be as strong-willed as Ojou-sama, Gotoushu-sama, and Onee-sama, for that. I don''t have that kind of thing." "The only thing youck is self-esteem, Bery. You''re no more strong-willed and stubborn than I am." Selene pinched Bery''s cheeks with both hands. "Well, if you say so, I guess I''ll just ept it. Fufu, servant-san, would you mind getting me a change of clothes?" "Geez...okay" "As usual, I''ll run a little and train. Please make breakfast that I can eat in my room. I have some documents left over." "Understood" Bery picked up the pants and shirt that had been prepared on the shelf. Training clothes that absorb a little sweat¨D¨Dthey were too modest for a Marshal to wear, but it was early morning, and in Royal territory. There¡¯s no one who would find fault with it. "I''ll be back at night, but I''ll be a little busy during the day, so I¡¯ll just have lunch there. Also, I¡¯ll borrow Elvena." "Yes. ...In that case, how about I put some snacks for lunch in the basket?" "I have a talk with the Versler Firm at lunch, so they¡¯ll probably invite me to dinner¡ I¡¯ll just have breakfast. Ah, but could you prepare something for Elvena?" Selene said all that while taking off her nightgown and putting on the pants and shirt. Lately, Selene''s schedule had been packed from morning until night. The fact that she looks strangely cheerful was the flip side of her anxiety. She must have packed her schedule on purpose. She was anxious if she wasn¡¯t doing something. "Understood. ...Well then, have a good day." "Yeah. See youter." That feeling, Bery understood it very well. Berry made breakfast, and a whileter Anne and Elvena woke up and joined her. The two of them prepared meals and set up the dining room, while Elvena fed the horses. Anne tasted the breakfast and prepared hot water in a pail for Selene, who came home sweating. Afterpleting the various preparations and returning to the room, Kreschenta¡¯s appearance changed. Kreschenta¡¯s body, which had been with its back to the door, was now facing the door. Her eyshes opened sleepily as she hugged her pillow and then closed it¨D¨Dthe second stage of awakening, "Dozing Kreschenta". She moved her lips and looked a little displeased as she acknowledged Bery''s entrance, then closed her eyes and flipped her body around. Turning her back. This was a state that required careful attention. This was just a pose that says, "I''m tired and want to sleep", and her fatigue haspletely recovered. She has a lot of energy and is hungry, but she was in a special state where she''szy and couldn¡¯t be bothered to wake up. If she left her alone in this state and said, "You must be tired, please take some more rest...", Kreschenta''s moodiness level would increase as time passed. It''s not that she didn¡¯t want to get up, it¡¯s just she didn¡¯t want to get up alone. And how she woke her up was important. The degree of difficulty in handling "Dozing Kreschenta" changes internally depending on the previous day''s political affairs and schedule, and the ability to discern this could be said to be the highlight of a servant''s ability. Bery Argan, the Kingdom''s best servant, slowly closed the distance between them, so as not to provoke her, and as she approached her bed, she stroked Crescenta''s hair as if he were climbing on top of the bed. The flow of magical power, the body enhancement had already been applied. She intended to wake up. Kreschenta was calmly stroked by Bery¨D¨Dthis was a reaction with a difficulty level of "Medium" or lower. Of course, there is a possibility that the difficulty level is "High", but Bery can tell from yesterday''s schedule and situation that the possibility of that happening is small. "Kreschenta-sama, it''s almost time for meal." "...I''m tired." "That''s a problem...Actually, I put Lakura pie in the oven. If I change the time, it will get a little cold." "...Lakura pie?" "Yes, this is Kreschenta-sama¡¯s favorite Lakura pie, with plenty of honey." Kreschenta¡¯s response was akin to that of a dog''s ears perking up. Bery narrowed her eyes. If the difficulty level was assumed to be medium or higher, she appeals to her voracious appetite. After a good night''s sleep, nearly half a day had passed¨D¨DKreschenta''s body was in strong need of nourishment. Unlike Krische, she wasn¡¯t fond of snacking before breakfast, so Kreschenta has a strong appetite in the morning. If she stimted that, Kreschenta wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the cravings that overflow from within. "Please excuse me." "Ah..." Taking advantage of this opportunity, Bery slipped her hands behind Kreschenta''s knees and back, lifted her up easily, and sat down on the bed, resting Kreschenta on herp. Kreschenta red at Bery as she hugged the pillow, but she did not run away from the embrace. ¨D¨DShe needed it to be as if she was forcibly dragged out of her bed by the rude servant. "I didn''t say I was going to wake up. Didn''t you hear me? I''m tired." She didn''t let go of the pillow¨D¨DIt¡¯s medium difficulty. If the difficulty level is low, she would throw away the pillow the moment she picks her up. The key point was whether or not she let go of the pillow. "Yes. How about we just have a meal for now? It doesn''t seem like Kreschenta-sama have any ns this morning, and since Kreschenta-sama is going to take another rest after eating...I''d really like you to enjoy some of Lakura pie while it''s warm.'''' Kreschenta yed with her pillow, giving a thoughtful look. It was already decided in her mind. It was just a show. After a while she threw her pillow on the bed and tried to escape from the embrace onto the bed. This was also just for show. Berry suppresses her by hugging her from above, blocking her movement. "...What are you doing?" "No, my body just...my apologies." "You''re the worst kind of servant to go against your master''s wishes. I''m not in the mood for a meal at all." "My..." Kreschenta grabbed Bery''s arm and hugged it tightly, rubbing her body against her while criticizing her for a while, and after a while, she seemed satisfied. "¨D¨D*sigh*...no matter how much I say it, guess you don¡¯t have the brain to listen. I guess I can''t help it. I''ll eat....It''s a pain to even walk though." She was implicitly ordering Bery to pick her up and take her. ¡®It''s not that I''m a glutton, but since you¡¯re desperately asking for it, I have no choice but to get up and eat¡¯ Kreschenta was a creature that ces great importance on such pretense. "Fufu, yes. Well then... can you please excuse me?" "Is it really worth asking now after all your rudeness? You should understand more how awe-inspiring it is to be allowed to touch the Queen¡¯s body in the first ce." Even as she said that, she twisted her body and made slight adjustments to make it easier to pick her up. By this time, Kreschenta¡¯s sleepy eyes had opened wide. The transition to "Awakened Kreschenta" waspleted, with her cheeks rxing as herints dripped down. Berry smiles at the sight of the usual Her Majesty The Queen. Afterwards, in the dining room, Bery was seated right next to her and it was time to enjoy it. Kreschenta ate her meal, saying, "It''s not bad, it''s alright", the highest praise for Berry. After Selene and Elvena went to work, she followed Bery around and began to give guidance on managing the mansion. "Fufun, the vase I polished is much prettier. Do you realize how much you usually cut corners? It''s not just a matter of numbers." "My, it''s true. It''s very beautiful. If possible, I''d like Kreschenta-sama to show me an example for this table as well..." "Can''t be helped..." ¨D¨DIt wasn''t free time, it was her duties as a fine queen. It would be a problem if the Queen''s servants were ipetent. As her personal attendant, Bery would be brought along with her on diplomatic and other official matters. Her ipetence was a problem rted to Kreschenta¡¯s own ss and dignity¨D¨Dand considering her own situation where she has no choice but to use even such ipetence, it is inevitable that the role of educating her would fall to Kreschenta. This was because Bery was in the position of being the head servant of the Christand family. She was the head of the servants¨D¨DCorrecting the servant''s arrogance, that she was in a position to be taught and not teach, is something that Selene, who is rough and sloppy, and her unfortunate Onee-sama, who was being deceived by Berry, couldn¡¯t do. There is no other choice but for Her Majesty the Queen to give guidance directly. "Fufu, I think I''ll go do theundry next time. Is that okay?" "...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to have the Queen of your country do yourundry?" "No, of course nothing like that. I just want to see the figure of Her Majesty working... After that, I think I''ll take a break before making lunch. Actually, while I was making breakfast this morning, I was also baking cookies." "You haven¡¯t even worked much, already taking a break. ¡Well, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll finish it quickly. I¡¯m also exhausted from teaching you." Kreschenta was by no means free. Once the tea party was over and the "Woof Woof Kreschenta" mode was over, it was time to cook. A rtively simple dish with spicy mutton soup and herb-grilled chicken. When cooking with Kreschenta, there were many dishes like this. Kreschenta was as genius as Krische was¨D¨Deven if she remembers the basics of handling materials, the basics are profound. Experience is required to adapt the application to suit the condition of the ingredients. "Fufu, that''s right. Let''s cook the chicken over low heat until the skin bes crispy. Now, what should we do next?" "Please don¡¯t make a fool of me, it¡¯s fine if I just wight it down right." "Yes. As expected of Kreschenta-sama." There was nothing that required more experience than simple earthenware. The temperature controlled by the magic crystal, the change in the color of the meat itself, the sound and aroma of the oil¨D¨Dthe optimal degree of grilling must be determined from the experience gained from various factors. No two ingredients are exactly the same. Just as the wisemander Eluga Faren said that the secret of tactics was to deploy and withdraw forces ording to the situation, the secret of cooking was to adjust firepower appropriately ording to the situation. Bery watch Kreschenta with a smile, stir the soup slowly and enjoy the aroma. Berry narrowed her eyes, d that her sense of smell remained strong, and looked at the color of the soup, checking the state of the meat and vegetables. Kreschenta, who had be impatient, silently stared at Berry, who chuckled and took a small te of soup. And handed it to Kreschenta. Kreschenta took it with a displeased look on her face, as if it were something poisonous, and took it into her mouth. "...It tastes weird." "Huh..." She looked at the soup in a panic and searched at the pot. ¡®Did I put something strange in it? Did I put in the wrong amount?¡¯ She then turned her attention to the seasonings I she in and recalled it from memory. "...That''s a lie." "Haa... Kreschenta-sama, please stop teasing me... I''m surprised." "This is revenge for earlier." Kreschenta smiled happily when she saw Bery caressing her chest. Kreschenta then reached out to touch Bery''s cheek, and her face turned serious. Kreschenta just looked at her with her purple eyes. "...You don''t get angry, do you? Why?" "...?" "Usually people get really angry when something they value is belittled. If Onee-sama and Selene were watching, I''m sure they would be very angry. And yet you justughed...Is cooking nor really that important to you?" A cold, inorganic glow that seems to be observing her. As if peering into her, or perhaps as if it¡¯s a mirror. It had that kind of charm. Bery smiled bitterly and answered. "Of course, there are times when I get angry. I''m not the kind of person who can remain calm in the face of malicious intent..." "Is that so? Even if I identally overturned this pot, I don''t think you''d get mad at me." "Well...I probably won''t be angry. But I¡¯ll just have doubts." Bery smiled thoughtfully. "Kreschenta-sama knows exactly what is good and what is bad, and Kreschenta-sama does not do anything meaningless. Kreschenta-sama is not the kind of person who would do something like that for no reason, right?" "Is it because you think you understand me?" "Let me see, fufu, I think the reason is because I think I understand Kreschenta-sama as that kind of person." Bery matched her eye to Kreschenta¡¯s and pressed her forehead against her. "I believe that Kreschenta-sama is not someone who would do anything malicious to me." "Why do you think that? To me, you''re a nuisance who''s attached to Onee-sama. If I have a chance to kill you without Onee-sama noticing, I might kill you, you know." "Kreschenta-sama is a stubborn person who hates losing, so Kreschenta won¡¯t choose to lose on her own." Kreschenta furrowed her brow in dissatisfaction and red at Berry. "...I, there''s no area where I''m losing to you." "Hehe, if that''s what Kreschenta-sama really thinks, then I''m sure I would be already dead. I believe that the fact that I''m alive like this is proof of that." "........." Without answering, Kreschenta spun around and rested her back on Bery''s body. Bery chuckled and hugged her body. "You''re a person I really don''t understand. Just when I thought you''re a crybaby like Nora, turns out you''re overconfident...Maybe it''s extreme." "I...it''s a little embarrassing when you say that...please forget that I cried." "I don''t want to. Also, it''s not nice to change the subject so quickly." Kreschenta grabbed Bery''s hands. "Don''t you feel frustrated, even though you were shaken when I told such a stupid lie? Justughing it off and glossing it over?" "Eh, uh..." "Is there any point in forcing yourself? By pretending like it''s okay and trying to cover it up, you''re just making Onee-sama worry even more." Kreschenta turned around and she ced her hand on Bery¡¯s cheek again, her thumb caressing Bery''s lips. "Besides, what''s the point in trying to fool me with a performance that can¡¯t even fool Onee-sama properly? It''s really unpleasant to think a servant is trying to fool me." Her expression was not the same as her words. Kreschenta simply looked up at Berry. Bery stared back at her. "Whether you cry or scream, I know that you are just that stupid and low-ranking person. I don''t care now. ...It doesn''t really matter if you don''t act like it''s a fun cooking.'''' "I find it far more amusing to mock you as you gnash your teeth in frustration than to y house, a good servant is one who will act as a clown and entertain me when ordered." Her purple eyes were cold, yet seemed to be tinged with heat. "You should understand that more.¡I don¡¯t like stupid pretenses." The two pairs of eyes were probably the most beautiful jewels in this world. Bery smiled and hugged her head to his chest. "...Kreschenta-sama is sometimes Her Majesty the Queen huh." "Not sometimes, but always." "The way you put yourself on a pedestal and preach to others is outrageous, and the way you are selfish and bossy is exactly what the Queen should be." "...Are you trying to pick a fight?" Bery shook her head and pressed her cheek against her head. "No. I admire you. ...If I can be honest, I love you." "...I¡hate you." "Recently, I''ve been recing Crescenta-sama''s words of hate with likes, so feel free to say whatever you want." "You¡have a few screws loose." "Yes, I know." Bery said happily as she enjoyed the feeling. Closing her eyes. "As I had said to Krische-sama, it''s certainly painful. I often have dreams where I cook food that doesn''t taste good. I''m scared of cooking by myself... if you ask me if it''s fun, I think right now my fear might outweigh it.'''' Then she whispered. "But cooking is still fun after all. As we cook together like this, Kreschenta-sama has grown day by day... thinking about what I should teach you next. ...I''m not just putting up a string front, I really do believe that." Kreschenta squirms her face out of the chest where she was pressed up against, pushing their body slightly apart. Kreschenta red at Bery. "...Is that true?" "Yes. If I lie to Her Majesty, I will be disqualified as a servant." "You didn''t pass the exam in the first ce. Please don''t press me with your unnecessary fat." She then pushed her breasts with both hands, pulled herself away, and ced her hands on her hips. "You sure are an immature servant and a good for nothing all your life huh. Instead of being a clown and entertaining your master, you only make your master displeased." "My apologies. I''m trying but" With a wry smile. Then she remembered the silver hair and narrowed her eyes. "Besides...I have more things to worry about right now than myself." Krische was on the battlefield. Had she already fought Gulshan, or was it just about to start? She didn¡¯t even know that, and she didn¡¯t know if she was okay or not. Bery held her own body, "...You and Selene-sama are always worried about things that don''t matter." Kreschenta looked at her displeased. "Onee-sama has returned safely from that unpleasant flying lizard, and the rebellion is over for the time being." The flying lizard and rebellion, she put up two fingers. Then she pointed to herself. "On top of that, I gave her enough power to get what she needed, and I helped her to move freely. ...Do you understand what it means?" "....Krische-sama, is fine?" "Fufu, you definitely fit the role of a servant who can¡¯t do anything." Kreschenta smiled as if to make fun of her. All there was was a sense of pride that could be called arrogance. "Do you remember the promise that you and I made?" Bery wondered what she was talking about, then thought of one thing she could think of and nodded quietly. Kreschenta¡¯s smile deepened, "¨D¨DThe bird cage is alreadypleted." The gold threads, shimmering red, her purple eyes narrowed and moved slowly. "The rest is just like painting a map...Onee-sama isn''t even thinking about winning or losing the battle." ¡°The only thing Onee-sama worry about is you.¡± With her absolute confidence, she said that. Chapter 190: Likes and Dislike* Chapter 190: Likes and Dislike* ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 190 Likes and Dislike*** The result was as expected¨D¨Dno, even better than expected. The Gulshan soldiers were rtively quiet, as Orugan had ordered them to surrender and not to rebel. Dougleen also gave them alcohol, which caused a bit of a fight, but overall it wasn''t a bad choice. "Belts, please give Usa-chan a second helping¨D¨D" ¡°Kalua, today is fine.¡± "...Usa-chan, you won¡¯t ger another helping?" "Yes. Krische didn¡¯t move that much today..." A world wrapped in bonfires that even make the stars and moon at night hazy. The campsite where the banquet was going on¨D¨Dit was the space assigned to the ck g Special Force. Everyone was having a good time, even the new recruits had made it through the day and were excited about the great results they had achieved. Among them, Krische, who finished eating quickly, cleaned up her te, and not only Kalua but also Belts, the tough-looking ck g special force cooking instructor who approached, looked at Krische in confusion. "...Was it not to your taste? Krische-sama, I was confident about today''s dishes but..." "No, it''s very delicious. Beltz has be quite good at cooking, too." Beltz smiled as if relieved by those words. Then, he took the te from Krische and Kalua next to her looked at Krische curiously. "You haven''t had much of an appetitetely. Worrying about something?" Second and third helping weremon during the civil war for Krische. However, this time she seemed to have clearly lost her appetite since leaving the capital. Of course, the serving sizes for Krische were generous, even so she was quite a glutton, knowing how much food she usually packs into her petite body, it was a small appetite. She would eat it if Kalua and the others were to bring her a second helping, but she never asked for a second helping herself. Kalua picked up Krische, sat her on herp, and stroked her head. ¡°¡Is it Bery-san?¡± That''s the feeling of difort she had been feelingtely. All Krische¡¯s worries, doesn¡¯t include things like future battlefields. She knew a lot about her since the civil war up to this point. She didn¡¯t feel any anxiety about the battlefield she''s on. Whether it''s in the Dragon''s Maw or the fight against Gildanstein, her sources of anxiety were always something that was out of her reach. No matter how impossible the battlefield or action may seem, she never doubted her victory. This battle was led by her¨D¨DMarshal Selene was in the rear, not on the battlefield. Even if she it was a tough battle, she wouldn¡¯t have any concerns about it, and if she did, it would be somethingpletely different. ¨D¨DIf that''s the case, most of the time Bery was the cause of her troubles. "Could it be...she''s not feeling very well." ¡°No¡ that¡¯s not the case.¡± Kalua gad seen her a few times and she looked fine, but it was true that she was stabbed. Something could happen to her. Besides that, Elvena. Elvena same home once or twice a week, andtely she had been strangely passionate about cooking. Krische and Bery were in charge of cooking at the estate, so Elvena didn¡¯t have many chances to cook, but when she came back, she had been cooking borate dishestely. she I asked her what was going on, she simply said that she wanted to study a lot of things. As a servant, Elvena naturally didn¡¯t talk much about what goes on in the estate, and Kalua didn¡¯t ask her about it, but there was something a little strange about it. She thought maybe Bery wasn''t feeling very well and Elvena was training to cook in ce of Bery¨D¨Dbut Krische answer was no. Krische casually yed with the candy bag around her neck, and Kalua tilted her head again. The contents of the candy had hardly decreased. "If you have any worries, talk to this One-san. Everyone will be worried if Usa-chan is like that, you know?" "Is that so¡¡?" "Yes. What happened?" Krische hesitated for a moment, then held the candy bag over Kalua''s hand. She opened her mouth quietly. ¡°¡Bery has gotten better with Regve-san¡¯s blood, but¨D¨D¡± She told Kalua what happened. From the very beginning. She seemed to be struggling with what to exin and how to exin it, and her exnation was very thorough and full of detour. She was happy that Bery was getting better, but then she remembered what Kalua had said, and paid attention to Bery. When she pay attention to it, there was a sense of difort while cooking or eating. She noticed that Bery was secretly licking the seasonings at night, and she was worried and decided to check¨D¨D ¡°¨D¨DBery said she was happy as long as Krische said it tasted delicious and helped her cook. ...But Krische thinks it would be very hard to not be able to taste the food after all. If it were Krische, Krische''d hate it and very anxious.¡± Krische turned her face down and continued quietly. ¡°Bery should be the same, but Krische¡¯s sure she''s holding back...so Krische won¡¯t worry, so Krische won¡¯t be sad. ...Bery is very kind, and that''s why even if it¡¯s painful Bery didn¡¯t say it Krische.¡± "...I guess that person is like that." The men around them were watching the two of them with concern, and Kalua brushed them off with her hands. Although their gaze was hurriedly turned away, they only pretended not to care and focused their attention on the two of them, and the noise of conversation that had been so loud just a moment ago had clearly decreased. "Krische too, wanted to cure her quickly... but it didn''t go well at all. Then, when Krische ate the food and thought it was delicious, somehow, Krische remembered about Bery, and...¡± "Fufu, Usa-chan is such a kind girl." Krische shook her head, shaking her silver hair. "...Krische is a bad girl. Bery always told Krische to not care about it, but Krische still did and made Bery troubled..." "...It''s not Usa-chan''s fault, it''s just that you both are a little too serious." Kahlua said as if she was troubled. "...I feel like I need to share some of my unseriousness with Usa-chan." *hehe* She giggled. Kalua hugged her delicate body and rested her cheek against her head. ¡°I love Bery-san, including Usa-chan, and she should be happy. I''m sure it''s painful, but I''m sure she''s very happy that Usa-chan thinks of her like that, so she endured it, or rather, umm...how should I say it?¡± Kahlua smiled wryly saying ¡®words sure are difficult¡¯. ¡°I don''t know if Bery-san loves cooking, but Usa-chan is number one for her, and she''s probably more worried about Usa-chan than about her own tongue right now. Wonder if Usa-chan is hurt and or is she eating properly.¡± ¡°¡¡¡± "The same as Usa-chan, who doesn''t think about the uing battle at all and is thinking about Bery-san''s tongue. The only thing you two worried about is the other person...hehe, I think you both are really simr." Bery surely didn¡¯t worry about her tongue these days. But Krische was worried about it. Krische didn¡¯t worry about the battle ahead. But Bery was worried about it. Both of them think of each other first and were worried about each other. Worrying about someone more important than yourself. Probably that was why it looked beautiful. There¡¯s nothing more distorted than a person who thinks about others more rather than themself. Kalua thought there was anything more beautiful in this world than that. This girl was the epitome of that; she was as blind, single-minded, and pure as a newborn baby. How should she praise that beauty of hers? "Probably, Usa-chan and Bery-san are both a bit stupid" "...Krische and Bery are both smarter than Kalua." "Fufun, intelligence and intellect are two different things, you know U-chan. You two may be smarter than me, but being stupid and clumsy is a way of rxing." Kalua covered Krische''s eyes with both hands. "Even if you can''t see it if you get too close" Then slowly moved her hand away and moved it forward. Light returned to Krische¡¯s eyes from the darkness, and she caught sight of Kahlua''s hands shaking in front of him. ¡°..If you look at it from a little distance, you can see the whole thing. Usa-chan and the others are too concerned about the other person. Well, Usa-chan and the others may be able to see things in far more detail than I can, but there are still things that you can''t see. I think what''s important is the sense of distance.¡± "...Sense of distance" "Yes, Usa-chan always says that, right? You should look at the entire battlefield, not just what''s right in front of you. It''s the same with human rtionships. I don''t really know what Usa-chan and Bery-san really think, but I can see it clearly because I''m watching from the outside." Kalua hugged Krische tightly and smiled. ¡°I think Usa-chan is so focused on small things that she doesn¡¯t see the big picture. Bery wants Usa-chan to smile and eat a lot of food. But Usa-chan, who only thinks about Bery-san''s tongue, can''t do that...she''s gone blind.'''' Then she pulled out a candy cane from the bag and presses it into Krische¡¯s mouth. ¡°If Usa-chan came home with most of the candy that Bery-san had made, she''d be even more upset and worried. Usa-chan have to enjoy it properly and say thank you. ...Even though Bery-san took the trouble to make it for Usa-chan, it''s much more painful not to have Usa-chan eat it, right? ¡± Krische seemed hesitant but nodded and put the candy into his mouth. The sweet honey vor oozes out from the flour-covered interior, delighting the tounge. *¡®It''s delicious¡¯*, Krische said. ¡°It''s okay for delicious food to be delicious. Do your best to get you home early and tell her that it''s delicious. Also, make sure that Bery-san''s tongue is properly healed. It''s not healthy to hold back always just thinking about Bery-san''s tongue, and Bery-san doesn''t want Usa-chan to put up with it either. Usa-chan just have to take it one step at a time, and I''m sure Bery-san would like you to do the same." "¡¡yes" "Usa-chan look scary when looking so serious, so just smile. It''s delicious, isn''t it?" Krische nodded and Kaluaughed, forcing a smile up her soft cheeks. The new recruits who knew her on the battlefield watched them in horror, and the veteran soldiers looked at Kalua exasperated. "Uh...I''m hungry...¡± "...Really, you. Krische-sama, the meeting is over." At that time, Mia returned with Dagra. "Yes. Bald Eagle and the other can rest." ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Confirming the attrition of soldiers, negotiating with each corps, and discussing tomorrow''s march. Even Krische¡¯s work was forced upon him, because, ¡®It''s a hassle, so Bald Eagle do it¡¯, and he was sent from ce to ce. Dagra looked at Mia exasperated as her shoulders slumped as if she was tired, but he didn''t scold her today and smiled bitterly. She didn''t even have time to eat properly after noon, and she was walking around all over the ce. Since it was after the victory, Dagra said nothing, thinking that he would overlook it today, and took the meal from Beltz and said goodbye. He then heads to Waltza, who is surrounded by Nagal and his team and was checking on the condition of his prosthetic arm, which was able to catch the curved sword. Aleha was also apanying Dagra and the others, but he was captured by Kolkis on the way and separated. Mia also received food from Beltz, and her face twisted with reluctance. She then sit down beside Krische and Kalua. "*Sigh*... baize beans again today..." "...Mia, you can''t be picky." "Uu... yes" Green beans in the soup¨DMia sighed in dislike as she rolls the baize beans grown in the southern part of the kingdom, mainly in Gulshan, with a spoon. They were not bad, just sweet, but Mia didn¡¯t really like them. Moreover, for the past few days, every meal has been soup with baize beans. Up until now, Mia had been able to tolerate her dislike of it being on the battlefield, but as expected when she returned tired and hungry, eating Baize Bean just felt as if she was being punished. Mia was tired of it. "...I think it''s sweet and delicious, but baize beans. Well, as expected, I understand you''ll get a little tired if it continues like this but¡± "...I don''t like that sweetness. I like sweet fruit, but I don''t like sweet dish." Mia red at Kalua, who was holding Krische in a displeased manner. "*Sigh*...I wish the sweetness would disappear just for this moment. I don''t really want sweetness from beans." "M-Mia...you idiot." "...?" This was right after the earlier story about Bery losing her sense of taste. As expected, Kalua also panicked and suppressed Krische. "...Did I say something strange?" ¡°Ah, you know¡Mia really has bad timing, or what can I say¡¡± Kalua looked at peered into Krische¡¯s face, in fear. Mia also looked at Krische and tilted her head. Krische opened her eyes wide and stared at Mia. "...just sweetness" "What''s wrong? Krische-sama" Krische thought for a moment and looked up. "Bertz, please bring some fruit. Anything" "Huh? Ah... yes." ¡°Mia, baize beans.¡± "Um...?" Then she held out her hand to Mia. Mia tilted her head as she scooped up one of her baize beans and ced it in her small hand¨D¨Dthen Krische wrapped her magic around it and gazed into it with her violet eyes. ¡°Krische-sama¡Is this fine?¡± Beltz picks up some kinds of fruit, looks at Krische curiously, and handed her a basket. Kalua also tilted her head as she took the basked and ced it on Krische¡¯sp. Krische swallowed the candy, then puts the baize beans in her mouth and tastes them. And then an apple. In the same way, she wrapped it in magic, stared at it, took a bite, tastes it, and swallowed it. Then she took out a candy cane from the bag around her neck and repeated the same process. "...It was simple. It''s the same as Poison Piririn." Krische quickly stood up, approached Mia, and patted her on the head. ¡°Eehehe, Mia is an idiot, but Krische¡¯s d she¡¯s Kurofuyo''s adjutant. It¡¯s Mia biggest achievement. Krische praise you." "Huh? Ah, yes...t-thank you...?" Krische smiled happily and went on her little run. ¡°Nagal, please give Krische a spare magic crystal.¡± "Y-yes ma¡¯am!" She pulled Nagal''s sleeve, who was standing next to Waltza, and called out to him. The two then ran off to the tent that served as Jareia Gashea''s warehouse. Mia and Beltz stared at Krische with nk stares. Kalua thought for a moment, and then smiled. ¡°¡Kahlua, what do you mean?¡± "Hmm, I guess it was a good idea...fufu, thanks to the stupid Mia." "...Are you making fun of me?" "No. Maybe a smart girl like Usa-chan needs a little bit of stupidity like Mia. She even praises you for being a good stupidity." Kaluaughed happily and stood up, patting Mia on the head. ¡°For Usa-chan, Mia might be the most meritorious in this battle.¡± "...? haa?" While stroking Mia, whose eyebrows were furrowed more and more, she looked at where Krische was headed. "...It would be best if everything was resolved." Kahlua narrowed her eyes gently. "Usa-chan, it''s alreadyte, why don''t you sleep today? We''re marching tomorrow too." "Just a little bit..." "N¨DO. Come on, let go of the magic crystal...you can continue tomorrow, right? Usa-cha get sick so easily after a battle, it''s your job to rest.¡± "Uuu..." That night, even under the nket, Krische didn''t let go of the magic crystal. ¡°Koza, the meat for Krische¡¯s is too few but...¡± "I-I''m sorry for this. I¡¯ll give another helping immediately." "...bread too" "Yes ma¡¯am. Hey, give me the bread." ¨D¨DThe next morning, Krische had an unusuallyrge appetite. Chapter 191: Light and Shadow Chapter 191: Light and Shadow ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 191 Light and Shadow*** It was clear that the enemy was aiming for a gradual retreat¨D¨Ddying their invasion. The advantage in the forested western part of Alberan was theirs. However, Alberan''s soldiers were still strong. Alberan''s army moves widely around the battlefield in units of corps, oveing the offensive with a small number of soldiers, and when they saw an opening in their side, they devoured the weak areas. They had a total of 120,000 peoplepared to Alberan¡¯s of just over 60,000, but they were inferior in terms of mutual cooperation. This was what a fully organized army would look like. An old general wearing dragon-shaped armor¨D¨Da man who was said to be over 100 years old, but his reactions were sharp. He deflected Ledo''s full-length sword with his spear from horseback, and didn¡¯t even show any signs of faltering. "Tch...!" "Hahaha, you¡¯re young, but has good eyes. You also have good muscles. But... you won''t be able to take this old man''s head off with just that level." Old General Felworth Keithriton. A famous general of Alberan who ravaged countless battlefields decades ago. Even Ledo, who was born in Elderant, knew of his brilliant military achievements. This wonderful gradual retreat was understandable if it was this man. They appears to be retreating, but if he steps in carelessly, it would turns into a trap to destroy the siege¨D¨DLedo could only get to this man by leaving hisrades behind as decoys. And even in old age, this man skill and strong arms to repel Ledo''s giant sword¨D¨Dthe old general stood before Ledo as a famous sword that never rusts. "Ledo, time is up! If you keep this up, you''ll be surrounded up to your butt!!" "Fuck¡¡!" A forcible breakthrough to defeat the enemy general. The reprieve was only for a short time¨D¨Dbut since he couldn''t finish it off in that time, it was Ledo''s loss this time. Ledo red at Felworth, his still youthful face exuding fighting spirit. "You will definitely be defeated by this Rani''s Ledo¨D¨Ddon''t forget!" "How vigorous. ...However, Faren is a more frightening man than I am. If you have time to throw out a throwaway line, you should run away quickly." "You bastard...Bez! Retreat! Go pick up Zuren!" "Ou!" The young man shouted to his men and reversed¨D¨Dturning away, Felworth''s adjutant, old soldier Tolka, also shouted and ordered his cavalry to pursue them. Tolka then looked at Felworth. "He''s a young man with a very promising future. He''s likely to be a famous general someday. I''d like to finish him off now, but..." "The subordinates he brings with him are also quite strong. That young man will survive." Felworth coughed, and Tolka immediately supported his body. Felworth smiled wryly and said he was fine. "I have carefully retrained my rusted body but... I¡¯m old. I didn''t expect to be out of breath just from that. The spear is also quite heavy." "Felworth-sama..." "Don''t make that face. It''s no big deal. Faren is also working so hard, I need to set an example as his predecessor." Heughed cheerfully, listened to the battlefield music, and narrowed his eyes. The world in which he spent most of his youth. The spark that urs when two lives collide, and something that was born there. He recalled the countless battlefields he fought through in the past. ¡°And I¡¯m sure His Majesty is also looking at me now.¡± Remembering the face of the warlord Albaza, whom he had served, Felworth smiled deeply on his wrinkled face. The Kingdom of Elderant divided its army into three major groups. The outer line of operations from the north, west, and south¨D¨Dthe strategic intention was not absent there, but the reason why they chose it was not only for the strategic reason of defeating the western Alberan army. The Kingdom of Elderant was a country made up of 23 tribes. The structure of the system would be close to what should be called feudalism. Each tribe governs its own recognized territory, and the most powerful tribe leader of the time bes the next king and unites the tribes. All 23 tribes are qualified to be kings if they demonstrate military prowess, but in reality, the power rtions among the tribes vary, and at present there were at most three tribes with the potential to rule Elderant. Veeze arge tribe headed by the current king Gorkista. The second was Meeklea, arge tribe thatsted for five generations until Gorkista rose to the throne. The third one remaining was Arkaz, which had been showing rapid growth recently. In a sense, this battle could be said to be a war to decide the next King, and the King would be chosen from among these three tribes based on their military exploits and the distribution of thend. Inevitably, there was no way for them to take a joint stand, and this was the reason for the division of the army into three parts. West¨D¨DVeeze in the center. South¨D¨DMeeklea on the right wing. North¨D¨DArkaz on the left wing. The tribes of Rani Ledo were affiliated with the Central Veeze. After today''s battle was over, Ledo wielded his giant sword while everyone was having a party, sweat dripping from his body. "Ku..." "You''re slow, Ledo. That''s why youe back without being able to defeat the enemy general." "I know!!" Opposite him was a beautiful woman with beautiful xen hair. She wore pants that were cinched below the knees, a shirt, and a cloak. She wasn¡¯t particrly gorgeous, but she was a beautiful woman who vividly maniptes her slender and graceful straight sword, and continue to parry Ledo''s sword, that could even break giant trees. "...With this... ugh!?" Seeing an opportunity, Ledo let go of his giant sword and brought out his foot sword¨D¨Dbut the woman who already read it easily dodged him, grabbed Ledo''s arm, and mmed him into the ground. "That¡¯s it, Ledo loses. That''s why don¡¯t try to rush the match." "Damn...why are you so strong..." "It¡¯s Shelna-sama, not ¡®you¡¯, loser Ledo." The woman with small stature¨D¨DShelna Veeze,ughed sticking out her modest breasts, and held out her hand. Grabbing it with a discouraged look, Ledo gets up and scratches his short ck hair. "You''re relying too much on your strength. You''re not calm enough, your movements are full of waste, and your footing isn''t good enough. You should be grateful that Keithriton didn''t kill you.¡± ¡°Guh...¡± "Hahaha, Ledo also can''t best Shelna-sama huh." Therge man with a rugged faceughed, and Ledo red at him. "Shut up, Zuren. Who do you think saved you?" "Oh, how scary. Do you remember that we acted as decoys for you? It''s pathetic that you came back as a loser. If you left it to me, I would have killed him.¡± "Han, can you defeat the opponent even I couldn''t defeat?" "You said it huh, you bastard? Okay, I''ll be your opponent¨D¨D¡± ¡°Stop it. Don''t waste your strength.¡± Shelna said with a wry smile exasperated. ¡°But well, if Ledo is going to rub your head on the ground and beg me, then how about I go out with you next time?¡± "Don''t make fun of me, I''ll definitely do it next time. Besides, what are you going to do if you, the suprememander, went out to the front lines?" Shelna Veeze was the suprememander of this army in ce of her father, the king, who had fallen ill. That she want to went to the frontline it was crazy "Hmm...I think that would be the quickest way." "Don''t say that seriously, I''m getting kind of pissed off." However Shelna''s deep, indigo eyes. The words were not false, and he felt that they were in fact true. Even though she was only 20 years old and she was known as the Sword Princess of Veeze, a heretic with genius sword skills. In the recent battle against Gulshan, she easily defeated the War Lion Commander. Although Ledo has outstanding ability considering his age of 22, he hadn¡¯t won even a single match against her so far. She was still unfathomable¨D¨Dshe was truly an existence that could be called a genius. She wasn¡¯t as diligent in her training as Ledo, and she didn¡¯t even carry her sword more than once a month if she didn¡¯t need to. But once she had her sword in her hands, she would never be defeated¨D¨DFelworth Keithriton was certainly a fierce fighter, but he could never imagine him defeating her. "He''s kind of a coward, isn''t he?" ¡°What, are you sulking?¡± Shelna brought her beautiful face closer, and she smiled and stroked Ledo''s head. "Ledo is also getting stronger and stronger. You still has a long way to go though." "shut up" Grabbing her hand, Ledo sighed and looked east. "Besides, what are we going to do after tomorrow? Things have dropped considerably over there." "...That''s right. I guess we''ll just have to increase our vignce and narrow the distance. I''d like Meeklea or Arkaz to take the lead before we reach a stalemate. Well, I guess Veeze''s hunting squad will take a break for a while." ¡°A day off¡huh.¡± "It''s important to take time off. ...There was some damage, so I think you need some time to calm down." Shelna said quietly and she looked at the men making noise around her. Forcible breakthrough, enemy pursuit¨D¨Done-fifth of Veeze''s hunting squad led by Ledo, a 3,000-strong private army under Shelna''s direct control, was killed or injured. They are drinking and keeping a cheerful mood, since Ledo killed the enemy corpsmander in the first battle, but, the morale was likely to be somewhat damaged by today''s failure. Ledo nodded at Shelna''s words. ¡°Zuren, I¡¯m sorry but¡¡± "Ah, I''ll take a look at it properly... Shelna-sama, I''m sure the soldiers won''t be able toin if you''re here. Today, let''s take a look." "...Okay. I''ll leave it to you." Saying this, Shelna urges Ledo with her eyes and starts walking toward her own tent, which was a little far away. Ledo followed without saying anything and entered her tent. "...*sigh*" Shelna jumps onto the bed and sighed. Ledo scratched his head and made her a cup of tea without saying a word. ¡°Did the old men say something?¡± "Well, a bit. I was reminded to aim for the head of the enemy general even if it was impossible. Siegret-sama covered us saying Veeze was currently the most sessful." "Battle results... huh? I''m sorry." "It''s okay because I know you''re working harder than anyone else. To make me your wife, that is." "...You" Shelnaughed happily and turned sideways. When they were together like this, they were a little childish, and it hadn''t changed since in the past. The first princess of Veeze, Shelna, and Ledo had a rtionship that could be called childhood friends due to their parents'' rtionship. And although there is a difference in status due to the power rtionship between Veeze and Rani, if Ledo did well in this battle, he would be allowed to marry Shelna as a son-inw. In other words, he was Shelna¡¯s fianc¨¦e. "...If Veeze wins a big victory in this battle, the unification of Elderant will be in sight. I can understand the feelings of the chief and the other¡¯s feeling.¡± "Unification of Elderant... Is it really possible?" "It¡¯s possible. ...You''ll help me too, right?" Shelna smiled as she get up and received the tea from Ledo. The strong be the King¨D¨DElderant bound by ancient customs. Every time a king dies, a fight breaks out among them, and the country be unstable¨D¨Deven Veeze and Rani, two tribes who now have a pact, were enemies in the past. Elderant needs to be reborn once. Destroy everything with strong power and be one big country. "If we defeat Alberan, we will make the next civil war thest one. I''m sure many people will die, but I don''t care what they say. If that will brings peace in a few decades." ¡°Civil war¡ huh?¡± "Yeah. Reluctant?" "...No. I just remembered." Both Shelna and Ledo experienced civil war twice. The first time was when they were a child¨D¨Dthe battle in which Shelna''s father, Gorkista, won the throne. Many adults around them died. Caught up in this, many viges were burnt down, and Elderant was filled with cries of sadness. Five years ago, it was a skirmish. It all started when Shelna was almost kidnapped while on a field trip to a tribe''snd, but at that time too, much blood was shed. Ledo''s first battle as Shelna''s bodyguard was that battle¨D¨Dhe killed dozens of people. When he saw for the first time the reality of the vige being burnt down, he threw up many times. A dark, sludge-like shadow arises along with the brilliance of war, colored by military exploits. The scene created by human malice was still deeply etched in Ledo''s memory. In this battle as well, he saw the vige of Alberan, which seemed to have escaped toote, being burnt down. Punish themander, but¨D¨Ddo not forget the eyes of the women and children who became the vige''s few survivors. There was opposition within the military to Shelna''s choice. They must have wondered was she whitewashing for in the middle of war. He had heard voices saying that Shelna, a woman, was not fit to serve as suprememander after all. ¡°¡I wonder which one is human?¡± ¡°What is it all of a sudden?¡± ¡°..wills collide, and what they''ve cultivated up until now is thrown at each other, risking their only lives... Honestly, there''s something fascinating about that way of being. But in the end, it''s just murder. You use violence to force the other person to obey you and then take it from them.'''' When he was a child, innocently admired it, and even now, that feeling of his remains. ¡°Killing each other, trampling each other... I sometimes think that humans are the ones who take pleasure in that. They decorate it with pretty words, impose rules that make them feel good, and look down on them when they win. What''s the difference between me and the scum who enjoy burning down viges?" No matter what words were used, murder was outrageous. Unreasonable, irrational, no arguing about it. That''s what he thought about when hee back to hus senses after getting high on the battlefield. "Don¡¯t know. Whether humans are good or evil is such a noble question, I don''t understand it. You''re worrying about something trivial huh." ¡°You, I¡¯m taking this seriously you know.¡± ¡°What I think is the most wasteful thing in this world is the thoughts Ledo makes with his stupid head.¡± ¡°...You¡± Shelna smiled and stood up. She then stroked Ledo''s cheek. "What is right? What is good and evil? After all, that is just a y on words. Everyone is different." Her deep blue eyes were wrapped in her long eyshes. Shelna was always, beautiful. ¡°For example, it''s enough for me to make one stupid, sloppy Ledo happy. But Ledo is an idiot, so he won''t be happy if he''s the only one happy, so he''s going to create a country where other people can be happy too.¡± ¡°¡¡¡± ¡°When mother passed away, you said that you would make me happy. So I will make Ledo happy too. Isn''t that what humans are like, and what a good society is like? ¡± Ledo scratched his head and looked away from her. "...You look like you''re smart, but you''re an idiot." "You idiot. It''s because I¡¯m smart that I don''t think about unnecessary things. But, fufu, I don''t dislike that kind of stupid Ledo." Shelna pressed her lips to his and cradled Ledo''s head. "Once the war is over and the civil war is over, I''ll be together with you as much as I want. So before you start thinking like that, please think of yourself first so that you cane back home safely. Ledo is still weak after all, I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°...Shut up.¡± "Fufu, you''re embarrassed, aren''t you?" "I¡¯m not." Shelna smiled happily and pulls away, looking happy. Ledo looked away from her, his cheeks flushing. "...The painful part is only a little longer. Let''s do our best, shall we?" "¡¡Ou" The two bump their fist. ¨D¨DIn a patchy forest in the southwestern part of the kingdom. With one central general and reinforcements from Eluga, Felworth''s gradual retreat seemed to be going well. As far as listening to reports from the Griffin Cavalry, who had eliminated the spies and headed for reconnaissance ahead of them, their movements did not deviate greatly from expectations, and were satisfying even for Krische. ¡°¡Here it is.¡± "Is this a recently established vige? It''s not in the records of the kingdom." The sun was still high in the sky, and Krische narrowed her eyes as she looked at the burnt vige that Vinthril had guided her to. The purpose was a strategic surprise attack. Only Krische, the Griffin Cavalry, and the ck g Special Force would take the lead¨D¨Dthey would select a route so that the 15,000 who were behind them would not get caught up in the enemy''s search. The right wing of Elderant''s army was a fair distance away from the army deployed to the south, so things had gone smoothly so far. However, the Griffin Cavalry, which preceded the ck g Special Force, discovered a small vige that was not on the map. Many parts of the vige had already been burnt down, houses and fences had copsed, and the vige no longer functioned as a vige. "The evacuation carriage probably wasn''t running properly. The smell was terrible." "...Can you confirm?" "Yes. Bald Eagle, keep some to keep an eye on the surroundings." "Yes ma¡¯am. Corinth look north and east, Tagel look west." Dagra gave instructions with a stern look on his face. Kalua frowned at the stench, and Mia''s gaze wandered as if she had already imagined what happened. Bodies hanging from pirs and trees could be seen even from outside the vige. The situation worsened as they proceeded inside from what was probably the entrance. Heads casually rolled or lined up. Without exception, children were among the corpses, and the bodies of young women were stripped of their clothes. Moving forward, scattering the wolves and crows that devour corpses, Krische jumps from the Suiko¨D¨DGururun. In the center of the square, the corpse of an old man was crucified with a wooden stake pierced from his butt to his mouth. She stared at it and folded her arms calmly. It was so brutal that most people turned their sight away. "It didn¡¯t look like they¡¯ve been dead that long." "That''s right. It''s been about two days. The degree of dposition is slight...maybe it was because the temperature was low...Gururun, you shouldn''t eat these." While looking at the corpse, Krische nodded at the words of Aleha, who was standing next to her. Although there was a slight smell of rot, the flesh of the corpse could still be said to be fresh. "Bald Eagle, the corpse?" "Currently... there are about 60. Considering the size of the vige, I think there are at most less than 200 people in this vige. There were also about three corpses of Elderant soldiers lying around." "Then it''s a bit one-sided. Considering the traces of the battle." There was a corpse that looks like a vignte group with simple weapons. It wasn''t aplete surprise attack, they were probably on guard. Seeing that there were several corpses lying around the simple guard tower, it was clear that they resisted. The other party is likely to be a somewhat organized group. "It''s far from the enemy''s right wing main camp, so it''s probably an independent small unit." "There''s a possibility that they¡¯re not far away. I don''t know if they¡¯re just a deserter from the army or if they¡¯re looking for an enemy." "Either way, it''s troublesome, kill all of them." Krische coldly dered. Aleha turns to Krische. ¡°This vige would have lost its will to fight once it lost its vignte group, and looking at this situation, what was carried out was a massacre. It''s convenient, if we find them, we can torture them to get information without worrying about the Holy Spirit Covenant.¡± The reason why plundering and rape at the vige was allowed was only a tacit understanding. There was now that allowed this, and hurting a non-resisting person was a vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant, which ostensibly speaks of humanity. In principle, the military fights against the military. The moment a vige was burnt down and a massacre wasmitted, there was no need to recognize the person whomitted the crime as a prisoner of the enemy¡¯s military, and they only need to treat them with the same restraint as with bandits. There was no righteous indignation on Krische¡¯s face, there was even a smile on her face. Aleha felt a shiver of fear run down his spine, and he smiled bitterly and shook his head. Like the others, he had nothing to say. From the beginning, this girl was such creature. "Vinthril, the Griffin Cavalry waits for night and takes to the sky. If it looks like this, I''m sure they''ll use fire in a grand manner not too far away.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± "Bald Eagle, it stinks here, so take a rest early upwind. If it''s close, we''ll kill them in the evening." "Yes ma¡¯am. ...Krische-sama." "...?" Krische turns to Dagra. ¡°If possible, I would like to bury them.¡Well, corpses can be a breeding ground for disease, so I would like to dispose of them while there is little dposition so that there¡¯s no negative impact on the troops that willeter.¡± "Hmm...Krische doesn''t want to make the soldiers too tired but" Krische looked troubled and thoughts as Kalua approaches and hugged her from behind. "Usa-chan, the enemy is small, right? Don''t worry, we''ve all been walking for a while now and our bodies are a bit dull, so we need to get some exercise before the battle." "Hmm... I see." Kalua told her that, understanding Dagra¡¯s intentions, and Krische turned to Mia, who looked like about to cry. ¡°¡Does Mia agree with it?¡± "...Yes. It''s too cruel to be left out in the open in such terrible conditions." ¡°What about Areha?¡± ¡°I agree with Commander Dagra. Also, this tragic situation could lower the morale of the soldiers following in the rear. Adjutant Mia''s reaction is a normal one as a human being... It may not be the case on the battlefield, but not everyone can ept facts as facts as soldiers.'''' Krische became even more troubled about it and pouted her lips, then moved away from Kalua and patted Mia''s head. "It can''t be helped. Mia should be more resolute Mia is the adjutant after all." "¡¡sorry" "Bald Eagle, Krische allow it. However, you can''t make a big fuss. Just bury it." "Thank you. Koza, please tell the soldiers that the burial will be carried out as per Krische-sama¡¯s orders. Please also send a few teams to Tagel and the others." It was a mental problem, not that it was necessary. Not many would be pleased with the disposal of a dead body. Krische opinion was also valid, and leaving it alone was quite possible. But Dous understood Krische, and because he was fascinated by her even knowing that, he ordered the soldiers to do so. The brilliance of the battlefield and the sludge of its shadow. Logic and emotion. "Hmm, then Beltz, you should prepare lunch for now. It''s already noon, and everyone should be hungry by now." "Yes ma¡¯am. I''d like to focus on vegetables for lunch today..." "...? Yes, Krische doesn''t mind, but...give Gururun meat too. If you don''t keep her stomach full, she''ll likely end up eating the corpses lying around. It¡¯s nice that there were just enough carcasses of livestock..." It was their role to eliminate the distortions that arise in her here. Chapter 192: The Stillness of Night Chapter 192: The Stillness of Night ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 192 The Stillness of Night*** The target was quickly found. About 200 Elderant soldiers were making a loud noise, apanied by more than a dozen women from the vige. It was easy to destroy them with a surprise attack as they were making a lot of noise while camping. Apparently, it was a unit whose role was to monitor the south, but it seems that they were convinced that it was impossible for Alberan to appear from the south as Gulshan''srge army was approaching them. They werepletely unaware of the situation and were enjoying attacking travelers and viges, and that vige was the second one. Originally, the western part of Alberan was based on the strategy of Aurugorn Hilkintos¨D¨Din short, thend was always ravaged by attracting and repelling the enemy. For many years, the situation where the people paid taxes but were abandoned by the military had continued, and it was said that there were many people who pay no taxes and live in seclusion deep in the forests. That vige was probably one of them. They were from tribes in the southeastern part of Elderant, and were familiar with the situation in western Alberan to the extent that even Krische was impressed. The silver-haired girl was inside the tent, holding the longsword of an Elderant soldier in her hand, and she nodded with an impressed face at their words. Thenguage spoken in Elderant had a strong ent, but it was basically the same as Westernmonnguage. The story would be different if they went deeper into the western region, but there was no need to learn thenguage in this area, the same went for the invasion force. Although Krische had learned most of thenguages that exist in written form, it was difficult for her to hear and speak them, and she was not very good at conversing in the first ce. It would be more convenient if it were the Westernmonnguage, so there¡¯s no discrepancies. They left behind about ten survivors, including a man who seemed to be of rtively high rank. One of them was cut off in front of the remaining nine, all of his fingers were cut off, his eyes were plucked out, his nose cut off, and both his arms and legs severed¨D¨Dnot asking a single question to the man who said that he would tell them anything, setting him as an example. The purpose of questioning them individually was to scrutinize the information. A broken soldiers ignoring their military duties indulging in pige and rape¨D¨DShe didn''t think they would lie in this situation, but that kind of logic didn¡¯t work on Krische. Krische didn''t really understand people who enjoy killing people. She was always "serious", thinking that they might have their own aesthetics in their actions. "Please¡save please save me¡I-I¡¯ve said, everything I know¡" After the interrogation was over, themander of thest squad Krische had left behind pleaded. He was a warrior chief of a small tribe, but he was also a real scoundrel. At least he was not a "fundamentally insane human being" like Krische, and he cannot understand an abnormal person who can dismember humans while enjoying candy without any change in facial expressions. Although he knew many who took pleasure in killing, what he saw before him was clearly something different. "Hmm, Krische had heard everything Krische wanted to hear, it''s all done. Krische keeps her word. You answered Krische honestly, Krische won''t cut off your fingers or shave off your nose. " "Then..." The man looked relieved, a hopeful look on his face. "Bald Eagle, it¡¯s over." "Ha. Take him." "Fugh!?" The man was gagged and blindfolded again, and the two soldiers took him out of the tent. All that was left was to kill him. Just like the men outside digging their own graves, they had no intention of letting him live. He had no choice but to either die in pain or speak honestly, and Krische didn''t even remember promising to let him live. Dagra, Aleha, and Dagris were the only ones who watched it from beginning to end. Others leave feeling sick in the middle of the Krische human dismember show. "Dagris, give the information we heard to General Keithriton and Skeleton. Then, three dayster, on the night of the new moon, crush their right wing and finish it off. And if there¡¯s nothing else after that, you can just go back to the capital." "Understood. Well then, please excuse me first." Dagris, who had been Krische¡¯s "torture teacher," left the tent. While seeing him off, Krische traced her lips with her fingertips. "The soldiers in Elderant are of poor quality. They seem to be a gathering of bandits. Are they all like this?" "Maybe not all of them... but it''s true that their quality is worse than Alberan''s army. Many of them use the war as a just cause and just like wild beasts, follow their desires." Dagra answered. The bad feeling he felt during the torture had finally subsided. "This is another aspect of war. In extreme situations where death is so close, the true nature that we usually hide is exposed." "...Guess that''s how it is. Krische knew it, but was a little surprised. So there are people who can really enjoy doing something like that. Krische vige too, it might have turned out like that if Krische made a few mistakes..." Krische narrowed her eyes as she recalled the bandits who came to Kalka. The reason she brutally killed others was because it was her job. Someone who purely enjoys destroying people was beyond Krische¡¯s understanding. She knew that in war there was looting. The Holy Spirit Covenant could be interpreted as conveniently as one like¨D¨Dit would be easy to wipe out an entire vige just because it showed an intention to rebel if one wanted to. There was no explicit prohibition against piging viges, and the only text that was written was that civilians who are not resisting may not be intentionally harmed or killed. The argument that the vigers resisted during the process of stealing supplies and that they had no choice but to kill or execute them would be sufficient if it could be logically exined that it was not a vition of the Holy Spirit Pact. However, they were in the act of abducting and assaulting the women in the vige¨D¨Dthey were in a situation where there was no way they could get away with it, so it was convenient for Krische. However, Krische was confused by what she had heard. She understood that the looting of an upied vige would naturally be violent, yet their actions were distinctly different. The killing and violence itself, rather than the necessity of military action, was the goal. Again and again she asked them for what purpose they had done such a thing, and their answer was that it was for entertainment. Theplete opposite of Krische¡¯s idea of goodness¨D¨Dthey were apletely different species of human. "It''s not a good idea to leave something like that unchecked. It''s a good opportunity to think about the future, so as expected we should wipe them out at this time." Clearly. The two men did not differ in the meaning of the words. They knew her words were not metaphorical. A scream was heard outside. The men from earlier were probably killed. "This is quite a painful story to hear. In the Holy Empire, something like this was done on purpose after all." "Purposely?" "If people were satisfied under thew, there would not be many people who wouldmit crimes. However, the reality is that socially vulnerable people do exist. It seems to be convenient for them to plunder other countries in order to relieve their frustration of not being satisfied within their own country." Aleha was smiling bitterly, but his eyes didn''t smile. "Also to thin out the unscrupulous elements. If you invade an enemy country, you can rampage in thatnd. It''s a good excuse to boost the morale of soldiers who have no real cause. The logic is no different this time." He said and turned his gaze outside the tent. "¡¡I see" "Logistics is probably a big reason why Alberan''s soldiers seem to be excellent and disciplined. Alberan always ces emphasis on bringing merchants with the military, satisfying the needs of their soldiers. ...Maybe it¡¯s also because there are so many female soldiers, but it''s a good system." No matter what, Alberan was affluent and stable. And it was only when people were affluent that they could remain human. The financial costs involved were enormous, but this was probably the source of Alberan soldier''s strength. By satisfying their animalistic desires, they transform humans into militaryponents who sacrifice their lives for a noble mission. Soldiers embraced by formless dreams and ideals¨D¨Dthat''s why they were known as strong soldiers who never lost control. Differences in methodology. No one can say which one was right, and it wasn¡¯t like Elderant or Elsren¡¯s way werepletely wrong, but if it¡¯s preference then it¡¯s different. At least the one Aleha preferred was Alberan¡¯s. "Hmm...Selene also told Krische to be careful about that. Telling Krische to listen to the opinions of Ojii-sama and Keith. Krische, don¡¯t quite understand it, so Krische will leave that to you." "Kuku, that''s fine. All of yourmanders are excellent." Clich¨¦ thought about it for a bit, then said, ¡®Well, it''s fine¡¯, and immediately threw it away. She didn''t think she could fully understand the soldiers'' reasoning, and that''s not Krische¡¯s role, it''s the role of the people below her. "Well, in any case, our ns went a bit awry in Gulshan, and it seems true that the quality of the Elderant army is poor." Krische just said that and, "Now Krische can eliminate them without any worry .Let''s use this as an opportunity topletely crush them, so that they never attack Alberan again." She smiled and nodded. ¨D¨DThe day after the battle. Ledo was walking through the camp when he heard a scream and stopped. The destination he headed to was Kirs, a tribe affiliated with Veeze. "...Aaron, what are you doing?" "Huh? What are youining about?" The one who pulls up his pants with a satisfied look on his face is Aron-Chirus¨D¨Dthe chief warrior of Kirs. Although he was slender, he was tall¨D¨Dwith a smile on his frivolous face, he looked at Ledo with amusement. The tent was a temporary camp for prisoners of war, and the people inside were female soldiers of the kingdom. "It''s just an interrogation. It''s my freedom to do whatever I want with the prisoners captured by my unit." "Don''t be silly! What part of what you''re doing is an interrogation, you bastard?" "Hey, stop it, Ledo, are you trying to sow internal discord?" Ledo, who was about to pull out his sword, was stopped by a man in his prime¨D¨Dhis adjutant, Bez, and Aron, who was watching,ughed. "Oh, that''s scary. Are you really trying to pick a fight with Kirs for Alberan''s captivity?" "...You''re viting the Holy Spirit Covenant, you bastard. Do you really think I can''t rece your head?" "I think so. If you think about it calmly, you''ll understand." Aron looks at the man beside him with amusement. Aron''s follower¨D¨Dthe ugly meat Darumaughed like a pig. "...Internal quarrels on the battlefield are the worst crime of all, Chief Warrior Ledo. Kirs has sent out 7,000 soldiers this time, so there''s no benefit to either of us if we quarrel over something as trivial as this." "It''s a question of logic. There''s no reason to y with non-resisting prisoners." "That''s a child''s logic. Well, you may be legitimately having fun with Shelna-sama every night, but we don''t even have a woman to fall in love with. Or will you bless us with Shelna-sama instead of that prisoner? " "...I''m seriously going to kill you." He shook off Bez and pulled out the giant sword from his back. Aron spread his hand, exasperated. "I''m not making fun of you, you know? I''m just asking what''s obvious. If we don''t start sourcing locally, what are we actually going to do about it?" Then Aaron drew from his waist¨D¨Da great curved sword, which had been bent into <, and put it on his shoulder. "It''s a useless just cause. The soldiers won''t obey unless they can take the profit. It''s not me who''s crazy, it''s you who''s crazy." Aron pointed to his head andughed. "If you just shut up and watch, the world will go on and on, and it will all turn out to be for your benefit. Why don''t you just be smarter?" "Don''t be silly. The just cause may be only a pretense, but if you don''t protect it, the war will be like a territorial fight between beasts. Or are you just like a dog and a beast?" "Hahaha, that''s a difference of opinion. I''ve never thought that humans are better than dogs and beasts." "You¨D¨D...!?" Chestnut hair appeared from overhead. With an astonished look on their face, theynded between Ledo and Aaron, their cloak fluttering. ¡®That¡¯s it¡¯, she said. "Ledo, Aron, stop it." "...tsk" Aron clicked his tongue but sheathed his sword. Shelna red at Ledo. "I told you to behave, right, geez...Sheath your sword." "¡¡I know" Ledo reluctantly fastened his giant sword to his back with a band. Shelna looked at Aron with a sigh, and then at the tent of the captives. "The prisoners will be managed by us from now on. Aron, please transport them immediately." "...The soldiers willin though. But there are already many dead. If you don''t turn a blind eye, it will affect the morale and control of the soldiers, you know?" "We¡¯re attacking Alberan for viting the Holy Spirit Covenant. You do understand that there''s no way we can openly vite it, right? ...If we defeat Keithriton, there''ll have a fairlyrge town. Veeze will pay for it and let Kirs y as a priority. On the condition that you obey me obediently." Shelna said, tapping the long sword on her hip. "Or do you want to duel with me as the warrior chief? Hehe, I don''t mind that. If you win, I''ll sleep with you as much as you want." "...No. I overstepped my bound. I will follow the Strong Sword, Shelna-sama." Despite his displeasure, Aron kneeled one knee and bowed his head. In Elderant, there was nothing more important than a duel as a warrior. The weak follow the strong. The rules from ancient times were still strongly rooted in this world. "And don¡¯t make excuses like they ran away during transport. Be respectful as a prisoner, or I will order you to a duel and kill you." "¡¡ha" Just as Alberan''s nobles value the oaths made in their names, as warriors they also value the results of duels and oaths above all else. You only face the same opponent once in your life¨D¨Dand it''s a rule that you can''t refuse a duel from a superior. When the duel was brought up, Aron had no choice but to obey. The Sword Princess of Veeze had never lost a duel, and the previous chief warrior of Kirs was defeated when she was thirteen, losing their honor andmitting suicide. "That''s it, we''ll have a meeting tomorrow night to discuss our next steps. Let''s go, Ledo." "¡¡yeah" He sighed as he looked at Aron, who continued to lower her head, and follow Shelna as she began to walk away. ¡®I wish he would stop that, really¡¯, Bez muttered. "I understand how you feel, but what are you going to do if there is internal discord in the middle of a war?" "Really. I thought I told you to stop arguing." "Shut up...I know." Seeing Shelna following, Ledo scratched his head in irritation. Then he sighed. "I don''t dislike your directness, but as a soldier, it¡¯s no good. I guess it¡¯s as foolish as throwing water on a forest fire." "...Are you going to overlook it?" "That''s right. At least for now, we need Kirs, and it''s not a good time to get into trouble. ...If this battle fails, unification of Elderant is just a dream. Please think about it calmly." Shelna said and Bez nodded. "It''s as Shelna-sama said. Nothing will change unless we change the fundamentals, and if we make a mistake here, Elderant will remain as it is a hundred years from now. ...We have to support Shelna-sama. What are you going to do if you''re still acting like a kid?" "Hehe, you sure said something good Bez. I like you." "Haha, thank you for that." With a smile on his manly face, Bez hugged Ledo''s shoulders. "Your father...what did Radia entrust you with? Calm down and think about it, and look back at what you''ve done. Can you proudly say that to Radia?" Rani''s previous chief warrior¨D¨DLedo''s father Radia, died five years ago as a decoy to help Shelna and Ledo escape. Entrusting the future of Elderant to these two. "...I''m sorry, Bez." Bez was a close friend of Radia. Ever since Radia died, he had always supported Ledo, acting as a substitute parent and older brother. When Ledo apologized honestly, Bezughed. "If you have theposure to apologize, that''s fine. I like that naive side of you, too, but save that naive ideal for the future." Bez looks up at the sky. A faint moon was floating in the sky. "...Even if it''s incorrect now, it will eventually be correct. You and Shelna-sama still have a future." "...Bez is also still young. Saying things like that will make you look even older." "You¡ even though I took the trouble to look cool." "Uah...!?" Bezughed and wrapped his thick arms around Ledo''s head, pressing his fist against his temple. Shelna gave an exasperated smile and slumped her shoulders. "Well, maybe Ledo is right. ...Bez, you can die anytime, but please live long enough until my wedding. I want you to offer me flowers." "It''s an honor. Certainly." "Fufu, for that, We''d have to start with Keithriton. ...He''s a troublesome opponent." Felworth-Keithriton took the initiative against their invasion, and dealt a severe blow to the northern¨D¨DArkaz army, which stuck out. Then, he stopped their feet and attacked Shelna and the others in the center¨D¨Dthe Veeze army from the side. He must have understood that the three armies were on bad terms and were not coordinating very well. Although he should have been away from the battlefield for a long time until the recent civil war, Felworth Keithriton name as a general has not rusted. He was bold, yet extremely calm¨D¨Da man they could never let their guard down against. "If you get hit in the nose, and get angry and approach him, he will set up a trap, and when you calm down, he will take the superior terrain and defend...gradual retreat. He''s like a flower swaying in the wind." They had military superiority. It''s true that if they push it, they''ll eventually be able to defeat him, but if they do something reckless, they''ll likely lose the military strength needed to capture the royal capital. Against Gulshan in the south, Dougleen Garhka made his army retreat significantly. Likewise, Felworth Keithriton was retreating from his army. Strategy of war of attrition¨D¨Dprobably in Alberan¡¯s east, their army was retreating as well. "...I guess they saw it as impossible to protect the entire kingdom, so they gave up leaving only the northern and central areas...However, for Alberan it¡¯s too passive." "Actually, looking at this situation, it isn''t a bad strategy right? It''s doubtful that these three kingdoms will be able to fight hand in hand forever. We were fighting with Gulshan just the other day, right?" Shelna frowned at Ledo''s words and nodded. This alliance wouldn''tst long. If they couldn¡¯t capture the royal capital in a short period of time, and then made peace¨D¨Dcut off Alberan''s territory, the three countries will use that as theirpromise point this time. "Even if Alberan is in perfect condition, they are exhausted after the civil war and are in a situation where they have just changed their head and invaded the three countries. No matter how you look at it, they have no chance of winning. I guess they have no choice but to go on the defensive due to the situation." "Well, it''s not fun to be pointed out by an idiot, but it''s a valid opinion." "...You." "...Arna from the north is scary. I guess it''s strictly forbidden to be reckless." If they push too far into the center, Arna''s army, which was deployed in the northwestern part of Alberan, would definitely aim for their nk. There was also talk that they have opened diplomatic rtions with Kreisharana, so there were some concerns about that as well. This retreat was probably an invitation. It was probably a wise decision to evacuate residents from most of the viges. Not only Aron, but the ouws are also filled with dissatisfaction. Rather than for humanitarian reasons, the aim was there. There is no doubt that if the war were tost a long time, it would be difficult to control them. "...Prime Minister Klorus said we should not underestimate Queen Alberan as a child." "...?" "He said he saw it at the conference the other day and thought so. That her eyes are from Alberan¡¯s abominable bloodline or something..." Shelna gestured to his own indigo eyes. A deep blue that almost looks purple. "It''s a beautiful purple color." "¡Is it like your Celestial Eye?" "I wonder?" Deep blue eyes were a gift of genius. There was such a legend in Elderant, and in fact, Shelna was such a person. She excels at everything she did and learned it quickly. Of course, it was just a matter of color¨D¨Dthere were many people who didn''t think so, and it could be said that it was just a superstition. However, it seems that the shaman¨D¨Dpriests still believe in such legends. Klorus was also a priest, so there was probably a simr legend about Alberan. "I don''t think there''s much of a difference depending on the color of the eyes, but...it seems like it had quite a presence. He was making a lot of noise about how it would be in trouble if we didn''t get rid of it quickly." "...Well, she won the civil war by 12, 13. She must be a great queen." Alberan''s ck lion. Gildanstein''s name was also known in Elderant. Even though Christand was on her side, they didn¡¯t think the queen who defeated him and ascended the throne was just a decoration. "And then there¡¯s her right hand, the rumored Alberinea-sama, huh?" It was said that the Christand''s daughter, the Marshal of Alberan, was a girl younger than Shelna. Then, under themand of Eluga Faren as assistant marshal, the old man who was a former Christand¡¯s Corps Commander, and Alberinea¨D¨DKrische Christand. They didn¡¯t really know about Alberan''s personal affairs. It was rumored that she simply surrounded herself with pro-Queen supporters. However, cing a person who was only young enough to be a girl as the marshal in charge of the military will naturally cause some bacsh. Even if she were to appoint a rtive for the purpose of being a puppet, it was too sloppy and forced¨D¨Dthey couldn''t find any rational reason for it. "That he had made a pact with the Holy Spirit and was next only to the Marshal. I half believe it." "¡¡seriously?" "If Prime Minister Krolus¡¯ concerns are correct." A great warrior in the civil war and a Dragon''s Contractor. ¨D¨DAlberan''s two Cursed Children. All of them were rumors. If one heard it, one would probably justugh it off. "Otherwise, Queen Alberan will be just a child. Prime Minister Klorus is a hard-headed and noisy person, but he has a good eye for people. If Prime Minister Krolus says she¡¯s dangerous, then I think she had a reason for that appointment that we don''t understand." ¡®Though it¡¯s not definite,¡¯ Shelna said. "And if there''s a reason, I think there''s a n." "¡¡what kind?" "At least it''ll turn this situation around. Fortunately, it doesn''t seem like it''s here." Shelna narrowed her eyes and said seriously. In the western part of Alberan, they have sprinkled spies in advance. They were ordered to let them know if there was any major movement that was not expected. Keithriton¡¯s Army, Central Army, and Assistant Field Marshal Farrn''s Corps. If there were any other reinforcements, they would have already been informed. Either they headed east or south. Shelna was calm throughout. She was overly cautious and considered the other person''s intentions. "...If you think about it normally, we''re in a situation where we want to break through somehow. However, this obvious stance of a sustained battle... I guess they¡¯re thinking that if they can at least make it into a long-term battle, they''ll be able to manage." "Is he trying to cause discord between the three countries through some kind of plot and then aim for a counterattack?" "That''s one possibility." Ledo thought for a moment and asked. "...That¡¯s why you''re scared and give up?" "Are we satisfied with just a cut, or are we aiming for a breakthrough? I just think we shoulde to a conclusion as soon as possible. ...We''ll be serious about the next attack. We''ll use the best formation we can now." Shelna answered, "And if I can''t defeat Keithriton, I''ll give up. Before the other party tried some tricks...If you think about what will happen after the war, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to stop here and prioritize governance." she sighed. "The ideal would be a big victory, of course, but the overall atmosphere isn''t very good. I''m afraid of stupid people like Aron...If you''re thinking about the stability of post-war governance, getting angry and prolonging the war for too long is full of disadvantages. I''m sure the priests won''t like it, but I''ll try to convince them somehow.'''' Shelna narrowed her eyes at him. "As it stands now, we can get Veeze in this western central area. It might take longer than the best result, but I thought for a moment that it might not be so bad as long as the final path is the same. I feel like the anxiety factor is bigger than I thought." "¡Next huh?" "Yes. If it ends now, Veeze wins based on the current superiority, and even if we fail, we can manage." On a small hill¨D¨Din her tent. She stood in front of it, spread her arms, and looked up at the sky. "...I want to go home early. I''m afraid I''ll miss seeing the Kirume I''m raising blooming again." "...That''s right. Well, even if you miss it this year, there will be next year." "Don''t give up from the beginning." Shelna red at Ledo and smiled bitterly. "...If it fails, we''ll switch. But that said, Ledo, please don''t push yourself too hard and die." "¡¡aah" "And Bez." "...Just when I wondered if I''d forgotten." Bezughed dejectedly and scratched his cheek. "I haven''t forgotten how rude. Anyway, just a little more. Let''s do our best, okay?" Shelna points her fist at each of them. Ledo and Bez put out their right fists and bump them together. It was a night with a faint moon in the sky. Chapter 193: Dark Night Chapter 193: Dark Night ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 193 Dark Night*** Alberan''s Western Army¨D¨DKeithriton''s headquarters. There was the West General Felworth Keithriton. and Assistant Marshal Eluga Faren. A female general from the center, Tekrea Lemin. And her three adjutants. Even the squire went outside to clear the room, and the one who was kneeling on one knee in front of the six of them was the spy, Dagris. "Defeating Gulshan...so Alberinea is already here, huh?" She was as tall as a man and had dull golden hair. A face that was well-groomed butcked the softness of a woman¨D¨DTekrea looked astonished at Dagris''s words, as if she couldn''t believe it. Her adjutants were the same, but Eluga and Felworth didn''t seem surprised. Embarrassed by her own astonishment, Tekrea returned her expression and said ¡®my apologies¡¯. She seemed to be cowering, aware that she was several levels behind the two experienced generals. She did not be a central general solely because of her bloodline as a duke, and she was an excellent personnel in terms of ability, but she had not participated in any civil wars and had little actual battle experience. This was her first battlefield as a general¨D¨Dand her motivation also didn¡¯t rise . Eluga''s evil face distorted as he saw her and smiled bitterly. "It''s no wonder I''m surprised. However, Krische-sama is someone like that." "...Yes sir" Nervous, Tekrea lowered her head, and Eluga put his hand on his chin, looking a little troubled. Her personality wasn''t bad, nor was her quick wit. If one looks at her as a soldier, she would be a good soldier. The problem was perhaps that she simply had aplex about being a woman, or was too careful and too afraid of failure. She probably didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon as a woman after all. Her well-trained body, always stern expression¨D¨Dperhaps because one of the corpsmanders under hermand was killed the other day, there were parts of her that were even more rigid. ¡®Is there anything to relieve her tension¨D¨D¡¯ "...Even I wouldn''t believe my ears if I listened to this without knowing it¡¯s Krische-sama. Haha, I might even lose my nerve and break a bone." "¡¡My apologies" ¨D¨Dit was a failure. Except for Krische and Selene, a superior''s consideration was extremely rare. His adjutant, Quinez, looks at Eluga with a shocked expression of bewilderment at the words, which were so unsuitable for him, but he was immediately red at by Eluga and averted his gaze. Quinez¡¯s superiors were always very strict with him. Felworth shoulders trembled,ughing, telling Eluga that it''s better not to do anything he''s not used to doing. "General Lemin, don''t worry. There are two types of failures on the battlefield. Either it was a clear error in judgment, or the enemy was stronger than expected¨D¨Dregardless of the former, this time it''s thetter. In the chaos of the battlefield, you made the best n, and your opponent outperformed you, that''s all. And the fact that we were able to obtain information that our opponent possesses such an elite force will guide our future actions.'''' The battlefield is a chaotic darkness. Commanders were constantly forced to make countless choices based on little information. Naturally, it is impossible for humans to continue to do their best under any circumstances, and sometimes it is necessary to have the courage to ept failure. War is simply a means to an end. Considering that, the loss of one corpsmander was small. The military, including his own, were merely pawns to ultimately achieve their goals. "Thanks to you, I was able to understand that the enemy general in the center is decisive and aggressive¨D¨Dhe is a person who aims to break through by concentrating his forces rather than stabilizing and crushing us enemies with numbers. This will be a big consideration in the future." Sometimes it is necessary to explore the nature of the opponent''smander, even if it means abandoning some pieces. ept the failure and swallow it as a piece of information. In this way, the outline of the opponent would be highlighted. Felworth Keithriton was not a genius, but a mediocre general. He doesn''t have the power to overwhelm opponents with his talent like Krische, Nozan, and Eluga. That is why he had the patience to obtain and scrutinize all the information he could find, and to persevere even after a series of small defeats, until he had achieved a definite victory. It was not mere luck that he survived the civil war against the Verreich army, which was at the peak of its morale. When Gildanstein''s shadow warriors were defeated on the first day, he had anticipated that the battle would be settled more quickly than he had imagined. He thought that if he bought time, the news of the oue would reach the battlefield, so he bought time. Using information and logic to shone a light on the darkness of the battlefield, and doing his best to achieve the goals. Don''t be afraid of failure, ept everything and remain unfazed. For this reason, Felworth was hailed as a great general who never gets rusty even in his old age. "Regretes after the war...I see you as arade. If you want some nagging from the old man, Faren and I will do it for you after this war is over. You are still young, so failure can be a source of growth. Don''t be afraid to fulfill your responsibilities now." "Yes... Thank you, Assistant Marshal Farren, General Keithriton." Felworth nodded with satisfaction, and Eluga rubbed his eyebrows. "Truly, after bing an old man, it¡¯s best to not do what one is not used to huh." "Hahaha, it¡¯s amusing to see you like that.¡ What is Krische¡¯s request on the night of the new moon?" "No. Krische-sama said to just ry the information." Dagris simply said so. Defeating Gulshan on the first day, taking care of the spies and heading towards here, on the night of the ner moon, the enemy''s southern forces¨D¨Dcrush the right nk. What was conveyed was brief and the bare minimum necessary, and no instructions were given. "Is she saying she¡¯s going to leave everything to us? It seems like she trusts you quite a lot, huh?" Felworth smiled and looked at Eluga. His skull-like face was carved with deep wrinkles, making a smile full of evi¨D¨Dno, happiness. "Kuku, I¡¯m so happy.¡Dagris, please continue." "Yes sir. It¡¯s what we learned from the captured spies and the enemy squad but¨D¨D" What Dagris talked about was the inside information of the enemy that they got from torturing. The enemy was divided into three armies, eachmanded by a different tribe. This battle isrgely rted to the post-war power struggle, and although the three armies appear to be working together on the surface, they were not on good terms¨D¨Dsecretly, each army wants to outwit the other two and achieve great military achievement. There are rumors that the current king was suffering from illness, and the fact that he had not appeared on the battlefield seems to be contributing to this, and in reality, the three armies should be viewed as allied forces of different individual countries. There seemed to be quite a bit of factional conflict within each army. Of course there was information that the three of them already knew, but that didn''t mean they were going to interfere. They knew that the more information oveps, the more urate it bes. Ther listened to what Dagris was saying smoothly, paying attention to the slight differences in the information they had received from the prisoner. There was endless talk about internal circumstances, camp policies,mand, and other various things. Even here, in front of the three generals, he didn''t feel nervous. "¨D¨DIn the south, the enemy''s right-wing general Gein Miklea is an ouw barbarian who binds his subordinates with fear, but his military discipline isx and his soldiers have high morale due to repeated plundering. The general in the center, Shelna Veeze ces a high value on discipline, but she is not well-received by the soldier...The northern and left-wing general, Toba Arkaz, had be a receptacle for those who stray from these two.'''' ¡®It''s an incoherent army,¡¯ Dagrisughed. "Profit, ideals, and moderation. However, regardless of whether it''s true or not, it seems certain that Shelna Veeze stands out among them." "...Stand out?" "Although she is a woman, she is a warrior with extraordinary skills that cannot be rivaled by the warriors of Elderant. Elderant is a society that values¨D¨Dher presence is a big reason why the army hasn''t copsed even in such a state." ¡®I don''t know to what degree though¡¯, he continued. What Dagris imagined was a clich¨¦, and the same goes for Eluga when he heard it. "Kuku, if this was Krische-sama, I¡¯m sure my head would have already flown away. ...That said, I''m sure she¡¯s a great warrior. It''s information that should be taken into consideration. ...Is that all of it?" "Yes sir. Unless there¡¯s other instructions from the generals, I have been ordered to return to the capital." "¡General Keithriton, General Remin, anything from you two?" "No. He''s an excellent spy, it would be best to return him to the capital as soon as possible." "Neither do I, Assistant Marshal." Eluga nodded and looked at Dagris. Dagris stood up, bowed, and left the tent. Seeing this, Felworth''s already narrow eyes narrowed even further. "His posture, his breathing¨D¨Dit''s quite something. He''s an unfamiliar face to me though." "He used to be a spy for an unscrupulous merchant. Now he is loyal to Krische-sama. He is a calcting man who cannot be trusted as a person, but he is an egoist who is not bound by faith or morals¨D¨DHe can be trusted as Krische-sama''s spy. If you think about profit and loss, he wouldn''t be so foolish as to make an enemy of Krische-sama.'''' The face that said all that with a happy smile was the personification of evil itself. Female General Te looked slightly frightened, and Quinez made sure to not look at his superior. Eluga¡¯s evil look was not something you can get used to even if you keep looking at it. "¡Shall we attack at the night of the new moon as well?" "That''s decisive. What''s the reason?" "We willunch a tant night attack on the enemy center, and at the same time, Cliche-sama will destroy the enemy''s right wing. The center of the enemy will definitely be confused when they realize that they have lost one of the arms they rely on. It seems to be an uncoordinated army to begin with after all."" Pointing to the map, he narrowed his eyes. "The enemy will do everything in their power to prevent our attack. If they suddenly lose their right wing forces, they will have no choice but to use their reserves to stop our attack." Oveying the assumed Alberinea army with the enemy''s right wing. From there, around the outside to the center from behind. "During that time, Krische-sama will lead the highly mobile ck g Special Forces and make a detour from the enemy''s right wing to the far center rear... and take the head of the enemy general from behind." Eluga said happily, and Felworth frowned. "It¡¯s as if you two have arranged this beforehand huh, Faren. How confident are you with that assumption?" "...Krische-sama said she would finish it. In that case, there is no such thing as confidence or uncertainty." He sipped the ck bean tea, moistened his tongue and took a breath. "If they don¡¯t know about the existence of Alberinea and don¡¯t notice this situation, it would be a dead end. ...This is not a battle, this is just post-processing." Tomorrow night¨D¨Din preparation for the new moon, a meeting was being held at the Alberinea army''srge tent. "Kurofuyo will bypass the rear of the enemy and take the lead. Krische, Vinthril and the others will also apany the night attack on the right wing but will quickly slip out and join the other side. Ojii-sama and each corps continue to pound the right wing until they lose their organizational resistance, and the final cleanup to the enemy''s right wing is Keith''s 1st corps. Meow Meow and Bagil, once things have calmed down, will support Skeleton." ¡®Well, this is good¡¯, Krische smiled, stepped onto the tform, and tapped the map behind her with a pointer. "By that time, Krische and Kurofuyo will havepleted the surprise attack on the enemy''s main camp from the rear. It''s basically a clean-up battle. Be careful to not do anything stupid like try to attack each other, also search thoroughly¨D¨Dtake as few prisoners as possible and get rid of the enemy.'''' And Krische dered it clearly. Each corpsmander and battalionmander¨D¨Dthe atmosphere of the ce was tense for a moment. "Under conditions of poor visibility, our opponents are Elderant soldiers whosend is mostly covered in forest. A counterattack with a small unit is quite possible, and the enemy formation is also divided by tribe, making it difficult to determine themander and chain ofmand. There are too many concerns to take them as prisoners of war for humanitarian reasons." Krische blurted out what she had thought beforehand. There was no indecision or hesitation there. "What is stipted in the Holy Spirit Covenant is that even if the enemy is disarmed, has lost the will to fight, and has no intention of continuing the war, it is prohibited to massacre or mistreat prisoners of war after the end of the battle. There is a possibility of an organized counterattack by the enemy, even on a small scale, and it is not applicable under conditions of poor visibility where the alert state cannot be lifted." She smiled and held up her finger. Of course there were strategic and tactical reasons for this night attack, but everyone understood that. The girl in front of them had deliberately chosen the night of a new moon to carry out a legal massacre. "We will only take prisoners of war those soldiers who surrender after dawn and after our visibility is secured. It will be nighttime, and our cooperation is not sufficient. Please understand that securing prisoners without permission before then may cause great confusion and endanger the entire military operation. Before the battle, each battalionmander please gives strict orders to the centurions under yourmand." It is a word that implicitly forbids actions that were not in ordance with her will. Her purpose was clear¨D¨Dshe was trying to reduce their military power and force itself in order to make it difficult for the Kingdom of Elderant to rebuild itself after the war. Bywful massacre Some of them felt remorse in their conscience, but under these circumstances... The reason they were able to overwhelm Gulshan, and the reason they were able to gain this advantage, was because of the existence of this Krische Christand. The war situation remained hopeless, and Alberan had no leeway to show mercy to their opponent. And everyone understood the importance of this army led by Krische. Therefore, like swallowing lead, they listened to it in silence. As for Krische who had expected some bacsh and had prepared various answers, she felt a little disappointed. She continued, feeling as though all her preparations had been wasted. "Since the situation with the Keithriton army is uncertain, Krische have decided topletely leave it to them without giving them any instructions. Krische has informed them of the night attack and Skeletons are there, so if the situation is not too bad, they will attack the center of the enemy from the front. If this doesn''t happen, you will standby¨D¨DKrische will also wait behind the enemy for an opportunity." ¡®Though there doesn¡¯t seem any need for that worry¡¯ Krische said, sitting back down in her chair. They must not let them know of Krische¡¯s existence no matter what. The other party was in a state where they had no concerns whatsoever about an invasion from the south. The distance between them was even closer than it was the other day. Just flying Griffin from here could arouse suspicion, and that was the reason for sending Dagris, an excellent secret agent, on a one-way trip. The reason she didn''t give instructions to Felworth or Eluga was because she couldn''t grasp the detailed situation over there. However, judging from the number of days that have passed since the start of the battle and the positioning of the enemy''s right wing, it could be seen that the gradual retreat has been carried outrgely as nned without any particr problems. Although she doesn''t really like Felworth, he had a good reputation for his ability based on his past records and fighting style in the civil war, and Eluga was themander that Krische trusted the most in Alberan. That''s why she ced him in the west, where there were many forests andplex terrain, there was a strong trust there. She believed that unless they were forced into a dire situation, a night attack would definitely be carried out, and considering the current strategicyout, Krische had no worry. Reasoning on assumptions¨D¨Deven before the war started, this situation was one of the assumptions she had made. For her, this was just a matter of fitting the numbers into the equation that she had created. "Ah, that''s right." Krische said as if she just remembered it. "It seems certain that the quality of the Elderant soldiers is not good, and in the unit that Krische killed, civilians were forced to mate¨D¨Dno. ¡uhh, it seems like they were captured and roughed up." The men frowned, and Mia and Kalua, who were listening, held their heads. It was not wrong but it was not correct. The two of them had exined beforehand that if she was going to talk about it, she should say it in this way, and sure enough, as they thought. "It was a group of about 200 people, but it was said that they attacked two viges. We found one of them, but the vige was burned down, and everyone was killed. It seems that there were many viges around here that the notifications didn¡¯t reach, and it¡¯s likely that this happened in other ces as well.'''' Krische nodded and continued without worrying about their stares. "In that case, there is a possibility that Alberan prisoners are being treated badly by bad enemy soldiers, and there is also a very high possibility that some civilians are being held prisoner as well. Krische said we wouldn''t take prisoners, but we have to be flexible in this area. ...Hmm, wouldn''t it be better to have a unified policy?" "...That''s right. When you deal with people like that, you never know what they''ll do if cornered." First Corps Commander, Keith answered. "Using prisoners of war as shields and hostages in their struggle. Something like that could happen." "Yes, that''s true. Krische wonders how it is..." Hostages are actually a fairly effective method, and at least in the past with Mother Grace, even Krische stopped moving. Krische tilted her head in confusion, "...The situation is very possible, but let''s stick to the principle. The priority is the mission, and hostages should be treated as dead at that point." Kolkis, who had crossed his arms, spoke clearly. At least it was his role to be the first to say that. It was because he thought it should not be Krische. "That''s right. If you''re attacked without asking questions, you''ll prioritize escaping over the hassle of killing a human hostage. Even if you''re ruthless, it will cause the least amount of damage in the end." Bagil followed. The person trying to escape using the hostage as a shield¨D¨Dtheir psychology would be based on their own survival. People like that will most likely give priority to running away from someone they couldn¡¯t negotiate with. Incidentally, if the person was capable of killing the hostages, the hostages would be killed regardless of whether the negotiations were sessful or not. There was no point in hesitating because civilians and prisoners of war were taken hostage. "Hmm...As expected is that how it is after all" A very rational girl. The statement she made earlier about not taking prisoners. Everyone thought that she would understand easily, but Krische thought about it a little more. The men looked slightly confused, only Gallen understood as they narrowed their eyes at her and ced their hands on her shoulders. He nodded at Krische, who looked up at him curiously, and said on her behalf. "It''s cruel, but as soldiers, we have the Kingdom of Alberan¨D¨Dthe lives of all the people living there on our backs. It''s not something we can trade for the lives of a few people, so you should control your emotions and prioritize mathematical logic over ethics.'''' A grim expression appeared on his deeply wrinkled face. The old man''s hoarse voice strangely resonated well. "As Commander Argand said, hostages should be treated as dead people. For simple prisoners and civilians, we''ll set up a team and deal with them at the bare minimum. As soon as the battle stabilizes, we''ll deal with them one by one. This time, you guys are just prioritizing the defeat and mopping up the enemy army...If you have any objections or points for improvement, raise your hand." Gallen looked around at each person, and the one who raised his hand was Fagran, themander of the Third Corps and Bagil''s adjutant. "I have an opinion, Adjutant General." "Okay. Just say it." Fagran stands up and puts his hand on his chest in salute. "Well, this is a bandit¡¯s method, but...if we''re dealing with such a person, one possible option would be to mix the captured woman with a rtive or a spy and have them monitor from the inside. In any case, it would be better to make arrangements so that themander will not be directly involved in the response." Fagran is an old subordinate of Grunmeld, originally a bandit. He knew well the methods used by thieves. "I see. It''s certainly an assumption that needs to be taken into consideration. ... Great chaos is expected. People here should be on guard. Do not approach prisoners of war or civilians, even if it is in the name of providing information, and let the nonmissioned officers deal with them." Krische drank sweet tea while listening to those words. She nodded, seeing as there was no other opinion. "Guess that''s about it...This time, let''s do what Ojii-sama said." No prisoners were taken and all were killed. But it would be better to help the civilians who were caught up as much as possible. Krische¡¯s crazy circuit of conscience was at a loss as to what to do, but if Gallen said it, she would ept it as if it were correct. She recalled the dead Grace and wondered if she would have survived if she had shed without hesitation, but no answer came out. Even for Krische, the past is irreversible. She knew that it was pointless to think about it. "Hmm¡well, for now, the general purpose of the action and possible situations are as mentioned. As for the magical beasts like Suika, this is also what Krische said before. Please inform each centurion again and keep them on alert." Krische said, stretching slightly and continuing. "Next, let''s talk about the details, future courses and cement..." ¨D¨DIt was a moonless night. A quiet night, with only the light of bonfires and stars illuminating the grasnd. Tomorrow there will be a decisive battle decided by Shelna Veeze. If she didn¡¯t win here, the war was over¨D¨Dthey would suspend any actions other than defensive battles to maintain the territory they have cut off, as well as any offensive invasions. The main reason was the terrain. This area was patchy with forests and ins, but if Alberan''s army were to escape east of here, there would be arge sea of trees blocking central and western Alberan. Forests are natural strongholds. No matter how ustomed the Elderant soldiers were to the forest, it would take a huge amount of blood to achieve victory there. The Central Veeze army set up camp on the in, and the Keithriton army was on the opposite in to the east across the forest. The entire Elderant army bent in a ¤¯shape, with Arkaz, the left wing on the north slightly ahead of them, and Veeze with a forest in between Keithriton army, were also trying to threaten the nks and rear of the Keithriton army. Simrly, the Meeklea to the south had gone a little ahead of them and hadid down their army in arge forest to the south of them.. Tomorrow, at dawn, there would be an attack from the three sides¨D¨Dthere was no certainty that it would go well. To say it was semi-encircled, both the left and right wings were only slightly protruding. There was also distance. Considering that the enemy was also expecting this, there was a good chance that they could simply flee to the east. There was also information that behind them, in the sea of trees to the east, there was a campfire-like bonfire being lit. It was safe to assume that they had sent some of their troops ahead of us and were taking all possible measures against our pursuit, and there was also a fort, though not arge one, in front of the sea of trees, so at least this battle would be over if the enemy escaped there. ¨D¨DThis was a gamble. Whether or not they would be able to capture the enemy¡¯s head in the pursuit. This was such a battle. If they could capture Felworth Keithriton''s head, they could inflict a huge blow and throw the enemy into a whirlpool of chaos, and they could even consider challenging them to a decisive battle in the Sea of Trees. "Hey, it''s time for your shift, Ledo. Go to bed early." "...I''m not sleepy, Zuren." As he sat on a box and watched the bonfire, arge man with a rugged face appeared. Veeze''s hunting squad¨D¨Dthe leader of the its 1st squad, Zuren Sitting next to Ledo, carrying arge spear and holding a sake bottle in his hand. He had the usual mocking smile on his face. "What, are you scared of tomorrow''s battle?" "Let go, I¡¯m not like you." He said with a wry smile. He was three years older than Ledo¨D¨Dbut they had been close friends for a long time. When he was a child, he was the brats leader, a hopeless bully, and a bastard, but now, like his adjutant Bez, he was Ledo''s most reliablerade. "I remember well when you were so scared by Suiko that your nose was dripping and you were on your knees, Zuren." "That¡¯s a story from when I was a kid...And you''re probably the same, Ledo. It''s shameful that you burst into tears as soon as the chief warrior arrives." "Shut up" A little adventure when he was a kid. Shelna was visiting arge vige in Rani. Ledo and Zuren enthusiastically lead her around to show her a beautiful waterfall, and they meet a Suiko in the forest. It was probably fortunate that the Suiko wasn''t hungry. If it had wanted to, they would have been killed in an instant¨D¨Dbut the Suiko didn''t attack them all of a sudden, and slowly approached them while growling. Shelna was the only one who could keep her calm in that situation. She held a fallen tree branch in her hand and told Ledo and Zuren not to move¨D¨DHe remembered how her body was shaking as well. Realizing that the three were gone, Ledo¡¯s and Sherna''s father, and Bez rush into the Suiko. He will never forget that time. "...His Majesty and my father were both amazing." "Ah... that was cool. I still don''t feel like I''ve caught up." His eyes narrowed as he stroked therge sword beside him. The sight of his father shing the Suiko with this in his hand was still etched in his eyes. Shelna''s father, the king, with a spear in hand, attracted the Suiko¡¯s hostility and jumped around in the forest, while Bez and his friends shot countless spears and arrows. It was this giant sword that delivered the final blow. "I''ve never felt so much pain." "...I see. I was surprised that they would even hit Shelna-sama." Still, there were injuries. Naturally, the three of them were severely scolded, and even Ledo''s mild-mannered father was furious. All three of them were pped, all three of them were hugged, all three of them were locked in the hut, all three of us were locked in the hut¨D¨Dand after that too it kept stinging, it was a p that hurt far more than just physical pain. "...I still haven''t finished repaying Shelna for that time. Tomorrow is an opportunity I couldn''t have hoped for in that sense." "Don''t be so reckless, Ledo. ...If you die, you won''t be able to repay her." "Are you worried?" "It''s about Shelna-sama, who fell in love with a helpless person. I¡¯m not worried about you okay?" ¡®You bastard¡¯, Ledoughed and tried to knock Zuren in the head, but Zuren flicked it with his hand. The two of themughed and turned to the bonfire. Zuren then took a sip of the sake he brought and handed it to Ledo. Ledo sipped it, and let out a breath and looked up. "...Well, I have to force myself a little. At the very least, it would be bad if Meeklea monopolized the credit." "¡I never thought we¡¯d be handing over the initial response to Meeklea." "They said they wouldn¡¯t go along with our strategy otherwise. It can¡¯t be helped." Veeze, Meeklea, Arkaz. The three tribes were allies and future enemies. They basically follow requests, but each hasmand authority, and in a sense, this army was close to an allied army. "Shelna thought there was no chance that Meeklea would make the decision. Those guys wouldn''t be able to defeat Keithriton. I agree with her, but...I¡¯m not sure if it bes a melee." The attack would start from Meeklea on the right wing, and quickly moved to Arkaz on the left wing. The central Veeze became the rearguard and pressed down on the enemy from the front. If the enemy retreated to the east, it would be easy to target enemy generals using Meeklea and Arkaz. If Veeze could target some, it would most likely be the general of the enemy rearguard. Veeze needed to definitely finish this off. If Meeklea and Arkaz were to fail against the main aim and still stall, there would be room for Veeze to make a move¨D¨Dno matter what the possibility was, it was less than 50%. The next best option was to whittle away at the enemy''s strength, but either way, it was inevitable for Veeze¡¯s battle to be brutal. "...If only we were on the same page, arge army of 120,000 versus 60,000. We could have won more easily... But it''s pathetic." "That can''t be helped, Ledo, every tribe is mutual... each has its own opinion, and even we can''tpromise." With that said, Zuren continues, ¡®Well, it¡¯s just for now¡¯. "...Several decades from now, I''m sure that you and Shelna will change the country so that such trivial troubles will no longer exist, right?" "...That''s right. Sorry, did I sound like ainer?" Zurenughed and patted his shoulder. "No matter what the result is, do your best, Ledo. I''m dying to steal Shelna-sama from your side at your wedding." "Hah, I''ll kill you before you can count to three." Ledoughed and pounded Zuren''s thick chest with his fist. "!?" ¨D¨DThe sound of a bell echoing in the forest. They both stood up at the same time. It was not just a mistake. The sounds of bells echoed from the forest, countless bells shaking the night air. "Wake up now, hunters of Veeze! Prepare for battle!" Zuren howled, and Ledo frowned. ¨D¨DThe enemy''s choice was a night attack. What was the aim and how big was it? "Zuren, it''s a night attack at this time. We don''t know what''s going to happen, so stay here and protect Shelna." "But¨D¨D" "I''m going to lead some people to see what''s going on. Please send Bez and the others right away. In any case, in this situation, Meeklea and Arkaz won''t be able to move immediately. Depending on the situation, we, the Central Forces, may have no choice but to prevent the enemy''s initial attack on our own." Zuren nods with a solemn look on his face. Ledo quickly gathered up the soldiers who were awake and assembled them¨D¨Dand soon, a chestnut colored hair shook, and Shelna appeared on the spot. "Ledo, Zuren!" Shelna, who seemed to have jumped out of the tent, sweating in her thin nightgown, looked around. Her skin and underwear were slightly transparent in the light of the bonfire. "...You looking like that" "This isn''t the time to worry about how I look...just look at the situation first, don''t be reckless. Understood?" "Is that what you came here to say?" "Because Ledo is an idiot." Shelna caught her breath and closed her eyes. "I have been informed of the possibility of a night attack. Do not go forward until instructed to do so, and wait behind the vanguard. Only respond if there is a breakthrough. Understood?" "¡Yeah, muh!?" Then she pounced on him and kissed him, ring into the indigo eyes. "If you die, I''ll kill you." "I know. See youter." "It''s fine if you understand¨D¨Dsee youter." Before Shelna could finish speaking, she turned on her heel and ran. The surrounding soldiers and Zuren looked stunned and looked at Ledo with envy. "...What are you looking at?" "Damn, I''m so jealous. I also want to be kissed." Nodding to Zuren''s words, the soldiers repeated the same thing. Ledo scratched his head, his face red. He was aware that was why she jumped out without armor. "Don''t say something stupid, let''s go, you guys. Show them that the night forest is our garden." "It''s not cool if you said with your face red, Ledo." "I''ll kill you, Zuren. Anyway, let''s go!" ¨D¨DThe sky was dark with a new moon. A world filled with a stiff atmosphere that cooled flushed cheeks. And so began the first and final attack of the Alberan army in this western region. Chapter 194: King of the Night Chapter 194: King of the Night ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 194 King of the Night*** ¨D¨DIt was a night attack. "Get out of the way!" "Hi¨D¨D!?" Roughly pushing the woman she was holding to the side, Chief Meeklea, Gain Meeklea, raised his muscr naked body that was covered with tattoos. He pulled up his trousers and ced his sword belt around his waist. Grabbing a great axe in his right hand, he quickly stepped out, half-naked and without armor. A sudden night attack was impossible for Alberan''s army, which was located just northeast of here. The reason being that it was not the vanguard that was being attacked, but the main camp where Gain was located. An unexpected attack¨D¨Deven a slight time dy could be fatal. But Gain, at least the great tribal leader Meeklea, understood his predicament with a beastly reaction and immediately used his brain to ovee the situational confusion in order to ovee the situation. "¨D¨DThere are only a few enemies! Warriors of Meeklea, keep calm and deal with them calmly!!" He shouted before he could catch sight of the enemy, before he could fully grasp the situation. The main body of the enemy was northeast, then this was just an ambush. If the direction of attack was from the south of this main camp, then the enemy force was not thatrge. Even though they were in the forest, the number of troops that could lie down without being caught by their scout was negligible. He was sharp and decisive. He had more than enough of the qualities needed to be a general. The most dangerous thing about this situation was the soldiers'' confusion and the copse of the chain ofmand. "Soldiers gather under the nearestmander! The enemy''s goal is chaos and the destruction of each individual, and avoid istion as much as you can! Don''t forget that this is the night forest¨D¨Dour territory!!" Despite thepletely unexpected night attack, Gain Meeklea had already awakened as a warrior. Switching as fast as a wild beast. At the very least, he was far from being called mediocre. There is no one more suitable than him to be the martial king of the small country of Meeklea. He was half-naked as he leaped out of the door without any fluster. The soldiers, who had been panicking at the sight of theirmander, regained their spirits. From the beginning, only the elite directly under the headquarters¨D¨Dextraordinary warriors were around here. There were 1000 troops in this main camp. The enemy was undoubtedly elite. However, there is no way they outnumber the military strength of this main force. There were at most 500. "Gain-sama" "You''rete, Carnesaldo." "Haha, it¡¯s because the woman wouldn''t let me go." What appeared was also a half-naked¨D¨Dhuge man carrying arge spear. He had the same streamlined, ancient script tattooed on his handsome face as Gain, and his hand sweeps his braided hair back. He was Carnesaldo Rouline, Gain Meeklea¡¯s right-hand. "As always, what a joker...I can''t grasp the situation. You should takemand in front and give me a report." "Okay, then, let''s take out the bastard who interrupted our fun¨D¨Dhg!? Just before Carnesaldo could respond, the roar of a beast rang out. It''s not just a beast¨D¨Dit makes the earth echo, the branches of the trees shake, the leaves dance, and with a single roar it could freeze all living things around it. "Chief! A Suiko ising from the west¨D¨D" "I can hear it!" Gain silenced the soldier who came to report, and Carnesaldo frowned in displeasure. "Damn it, the timing is good. Regardless of how it works, it''s a trick of the other party. They pushed the Suiko towards us." "That''s how it is. They sure did it huh. ...Carnesaldo, I take back the order." "It can''t be helped. I''ll go." Carnesaldo rejected the soldier who hurriedly brought his armor, waving his spear in the air and saying he didn''t need it. Unless you were a fierce warrior who could hold your own, hunting a Suiko would be nothing but suicide. Armor was only good for psychologicalfort against the Suiko. Carnesaldo twisted his face in annoyance and shouldered the great spear again. "I''ll take the fur, Gain-sama." "Hah, Do as you please." The appearance of a Suiko in this situation. The two were not even intimidated by it. Carnesaldo, as a matter of course, ran to the west, and Gain sent the next instructions to the assembled soldiers. The warriors who led them had nothing to fear. The soldiers, seeing this figure, lost any fear that had arisen in them, and simply exuded the will to fight. Breaking down a huge tree as a foothold, it easily leapt from the forest to the sky. It stands eight shaku tall at the shoulder, and has a total body length of two jou (~6m) from head to tail. The arms as big as the human torso and log were enough to damage and break the human body through the armor. Its fur was flexible but hard, easily blocking blows and shes, and weak spears and the like cannot even pierce its muscles. ¨D¨DSuiko is the king of the forest. Meeklea''s main camp, to the west, was a ce of ughter. Its charge as fast as gusts of wind were beyond human dynamic vision, and despite its speed, its gigantic body effortlessly follows a sharp-angled trajectory. The soldiers, who were on guard to the south, were helplessly blown away by a monster that suddenly appeared from beside them, and were thrown into the air, spitting out their internal organs from their mouths. In Elderant, where much of the country is covered with forests, this was not a beast that they hadn¡¯t seen. The elite guards of the main camp, not a small percentage of whom had fought against magical beasts before, were also there. However, they were being ughtered too unterally. "Ggh! "Eruuka!!" There was not just one Suiko. On top of that was a ck cloak and a one-piece dress¨D¨Dsilver hair shimmering in the starlight. Sitting or standing on the inexhaustible Suiko, which repeats its high-speed movement and carnage, leaping in the air andnding on its feet. While repeating the acrobatic movements, the girl shot arrows one after another from her short bow. She pulled an arrow from her quiver, nock is aimed, and released¨D¨Dand in the blink of an eye, another arrow was already there again. In an instant, she emptied the quiver containing 30 arrows, tossed it away, and then took a new quiver on her shoulder from Suiko¡¯s waist or side. The arrows were fired at an unbelievable speed that didn''t even seem to be aimed, but they were unrivaled in uracy, ignoring the wind and Suiko¡¯s high-speed movements¨D¨Dthe soldiers couldn''t even properly follow the Suiko¡¯s figure. It was impossible to avoid the arrows she shot. The purple eyes shining in the bonfire. Was it an ident due to fear, or was it due to experience and ability? When one of them narrowly blocked an arrow that came from directly in front of, in the next moment an arrow was shot directly from the side piercing their temple, or perhaps their spine from behind. All of the soldiers with experience in hunting magical beasts were shot dead one after another in this way. If one had to ssify her, it should be said that she was both an archer and cavalry. However, what she was riding was a Suiko with a speed that overwhelmed even those who possessed magical power, and her presence was different from that of a mere bow cavalryman, as she continued to take lives at a speed and uracy that was out of the ordinary. The forests, which cavalrymen normally hate, were her hunting grounds. In this world, she was a werebeast magical beast that could single-handedly overpower even a battalion of elite soldiers. Countless griffins and warriors danced out from behind her, but they did not even have time to pay attention to them. The ones that escaped were mercilessly pierced by arrows, and they had no choice but to continue to scream. "Gururun, that way." ¡®Gururu¡¯ The beast roared in a strangely high-pitched voice and snapped the torso of the soldier on the left. Krische shot and killed the soldier on the right, and fired an arrow at the magic possessor who was jumping high towards them. The arrow that deflected instantly pierced his side, and she reluctantly used a second shot to pierce his eye and kill him. Krische pouted her lips. If she was to kill then it¡¯s on shot one kill¨D¨Dit was Krische¡¯s dissatisfaction born from that thinking She threw away the quiver, slung a new one, and pulled out the long hair that was covered by it. She calcted that she used up two quivers, wasting and about 10 arrows went to waste for about 50 people. Krische narrowed her eyes, growing dissatisfied with her own inexperience. She gave no consideration to the fifty lives she had killed. To her, their lives are equivalent to the arrows she shoots, and using two arrows for one was nothing more than a waste. She sat down and drew an arrow from her new quiver. "Gururun over here" Krische hit the Suiko on the right shoulder. The Suiko made a big leap to her right, and a spear pierced the area where they were. What appeared in front of the werebeast was arge, half-naked man covered in tattoos. Krische shot an arrow from the air at the man who had lost his bnce with a throwing spear, and after the Suikonded, she shot another one. The man, however, twisted and dodged it, swinging his braided hair around. And he repelled the other arrow with hisrge spear. Krische eyebrows twitched as she grabbed two arrows and fired them together. The Suiko ran behind the man, and she fired another shot at the man who dodged it¨D¨Dbut even that was dodged by the man. Five arrows have already been fired, with zero hits. Krische eyebrows twitched even more, and her eyebrows furrowed. On the other hand the other man understood in that instant that the other person was an insane monster, and shouted. "¨D¨DBastard! Who are you!?" Krische ignored that and jumped down, silently charging in. In one breath, she was right in front of the man. She kicked therge spear that was being swung away from the side with her right foot, "Gah¨D¨D!?" She twisted her waist and dug her left heel into the defenseless stomach. The man''srge frame floated, and Krische aimed an arrow under his chin¨D¨Dand from there, it pierced his skull. "It¡¯s Krische. Goodbye." Without looking at the dead man, she gave her name out of politeness. Then she looked at the four arrows that were stuck on the ground, except for one that had been snapped off by arge spear. She thought about it for a moment, then retrieved them as if nothing had happened and put them in her quiver. "...Hmm, that''s two shots." No matter how you look at it, it''s a two-shot, she thought, nodding with satisfaction as she turned back to the Suiko. She jumped on Gururun, who seemed to be having fun rolling one of the frightened soldiers over with his paw, and shot the toy to death and looked around. There were soldiers who dropped to their knees, saying ¡®Carnesaldo-sama is¡¯ and there were soldiers who were stunned and seemed to have lost the will to fight for the most part. She didn¡¯t care or hesitate, if they didn¡¯t move, they¡¯re just an easy target to hit. As she shot them down, she called out to the griffin cavalry that hade nearby. "Vinthril" "It looks like they arrived first. I saw Kolkis-sama fighting a man who seems to be the enemy general." Vinthril said, looking at the half-naked man''s corpse with pity. It was an unusual skill¨D¨Dbut the opponent was just bad. There were no other words to say. "Then let''s go deal with that. Gururun." "No, Krische-sama¨D¨D" She tilted her head for a moment at Vinthril, who was about to call out to her, but after receiving her instructions, the Suiko immediately distanced from him. ¡®Well, that''s okay¡¯, she thought, the Suiko running towards the center of the camp, now they already had the upper hand. There were about 1,000 enemy main forces and 5,000 troops of the second corps directly under Alberinea, the most powerful force in Alberan. It was a natural result when the condition of a surprise attack was added to that. While shooting and killing the enemymanders who continued to resist the second corpsing from the south, she moved to therge tent in the center. "Curse...you..." "If we were wearing armor and the conditions were the same, we would have had a good fight. ¡But in war¨D¨Dthis is also an unavoidable oue." There, the silver tiger armor¨D¨DKolkis Argand''s Great Spear had already pierced the half-naked man''s chest. "I hope you die proud of the fact that even in this situation you managed to damage my armor." "Ah, ga¨D¨D" As it was, Colchis casually waved his spear and forcibly pulled it out. The muscr man''s body easily tumbles to the ground. Then he severed the dead man''s neck with the tip of a small sword. "Krische-sama, my side is also finished. He was quite a warrior, but..." Kolkis showed the scar on the chest of his armor andughed. Seeing that the opponent was quite a fierce man, he purposefully used his armor to block the sword and attack him in return. No matter how good a fighter one is, they can''t alwaysnd a blow that could cut through metal armor in one blow. "Krische is d things are going well. Krische and the others are going to Kurofuyo." "Yes, ...?" Looking at the soldiers who seemed depressed after seeing the result of the duel, Krische readied her arrow. Then, she casually without hesitation fired arrows and shot them in turn from the side until his quiver was used up. A scream goes up and the air freezes. When Krische used up all the arrows, she put down the quiver¨D¨Dand picked up the fourth and final quiver from the Suiko¡¯s waist and carried it over her shoulder. Then, looking at the gazes directed at her from the soldiers, she tilted her head and nodded. "The quiver seemed to be getting in Gururun''s way, so Krische decided to use it up. Meow-Meow, please kill them randomlyter as well." Kolkis looked around, unsure of what to say. Normally, this headquarters would have surrendered. But, Krische waspletely merciless. ¨D¨DNo prisoners will be taken. To Krische that was clearly stated andmunicated in advance, there was no distinction between soldiers who had lost their will to fight and those who had not, and it was natural for them to be killed. More than a dozen people died simply because she wanted to use up the quiver. "Just as you heard...Kill them." Screaming at Colchis'' words, the stiffened enemy remnants ran away, and the soldiers of the Second Corps chased after them, looking at each other for a moment. Looking at the crazy girl sitting on the green tiger, they could not hide their feelings of fear. Kolkis looked on with satisfaction and told Kolkis as she removed the unnecessary belt from around the waist. "Once we have a general idea, Meow Meow will go ahead and go to Skeleton. Bagil''s Third Corps will be better at mopping up battles, so stay behind for a while and help Keith until the hunt for the remnants stabilizes." "...Ha" Krische didn''t care what the soldiers thought. Kolkis was at a loss as to what to say to her, "Ehehe, Krische¡¯s d everything is going well. It looks like Krische will be able to return to the mansion a little earlier than nned." He fell silent when he saw Krische smiling happily, like a child. She was different from Kolkis and the others. She was not a soldier who sacrificed her life for the country and honor, she was just a girl. This was not where she wanted to be, and it was not like she wanted to get her hands dirty. She''s just here because that''s what was wanted. There was no word he could say for her, Kolkis realized. If circumstances permitted, she would be happily spending her time cooking with Bery. But her unusual talent would not allow her to spend her days as a mere girl. ¨D¨DIt was simply just that kind of tragedy. "Krische also got a present for Bery, so Krische would like to give it to her as soon as possible..." "...That''s right, Bery will surely be happy if Krische-sama returns." Kolkis said that, and Krische happily wrapped her hands around the pouch around her neck. Then she took out a candy and ced it in Kolkis hand. "Meow Meow is also working hard, so this is a reward." "¡Thank you." She smiled bitterly and put it in his mouth, Krische also put one into her mouth. When you roll it, it had a sweet and gentle taste of honey that waspletely unsuitable for a battlefield¨D¨DKolkis lowered his eyes at the distortion. Then, a little behind Krische, there were thirty Griffin cavalrymen. "As expected, we won¡¯t be able to catch up with Suiko if Griffin runs on the ground." Up in the air or on the ground? For the Lion Eagle Cavalry in a melee, acting at halfhearted height is the most dangerous. They only flew in the sky for reconnaissance purposes, and they basically operated on the ground. Although their legs are somewhat slower than a horse, it could use its wings to elerate, and griffins'' movement speed on the ground was not that slow. "Vinthril was about to say that it was Meow Meow win right. Krische should have listened properly." "Yes, Kolkis-sama had the upper hand." Vinthril answered and looked around. The main camp is now destroyed, and the survivors are running away. Surrounded by soldiers of the Second Corps. As he shouldered the bloody spear, he saw Krische. "What will you do?" "As nned, let''s meet up with Kurofuyo who is ahead of us. Given the current situation, it should be okay to fly at a low altitude. As nned, we''re going around a bit... Kurofuyo is searching for an enemy, so we should be able to catch up soon." "Yes ma¡¯am. Should I check on General Keithriton and the others once more?" "Hmm, well, let''s do it here. It''s better than taking a detour and then looking." Vinthril nodded and called out to one of the Eagle cavalrymen, ¡®Begu¡¯. Begu immediately called out his Griffin''s name and headed south, gradually rising from low altitude to the sky. Griffins were surprisingly easy to see even in the darkness of the night when they took to the sky near a camp that was brightly lit by bonfires. That''s what it was for. "Well then, Krische-sama." "Yes. Meow Meow, please do the rest. Krische will hunt the head of the enemy general." "Ha. Vinthril-dono should be careful as well. There are many hunters in Elderant who are used to the forest. People from Kreisharana who live in the mountains should understand how scary it is." "I¡¯ll keep that in mind. It''s most dangerous when you get used to the atmosphere after all. ... Kolkis-dono too Godspeed." Vinthril thrust out his spear, and Kolkisughed and stacked his spears on top of each other. It was like a greeting between warriors in Kreisharana. Krische saw this and ran Suiko around, followed by Vinthril and the others. Kolkis saw them off, shouldered his spear, and narrowed his eyes. "The fleeing enemy mercilessly...I''m not too keen on it, but the situation is such that it can''t be helped even if wein about it....Hey, stick that head up to the main g over there." "Yes sir!" ck g Special Force moved quickly, but while searching for the enemy to some extent, it advanced to the rear of the enemy''s main camp. If they encountered an enemy, they would immediately annihte them unless they were arge force, and speed was their priority. Currently, there were no encounters with anyone other than patrolling sentries, and the march was going smoothly. There were no particr points that could be called problems. The Company formed a cross, the centurions Tagel and Corinth on the left and right wing. Aleha, who had excellent overall ability, was at the end, and Company Commander Dagra and Waltza were in the center. At the front were Mia and the leader of the special task force, Kalua. Kalua''s special task force currently consists of seven people, including her, and was made up of veteran and special skilled personnel. Not only were they former mercenaries with good sword skills, but they were also men of underworld jobs and merchants¨D¨Dsoldiers with a wide perspective who could deal with various situations such as disguise and maniption. Krische summarized the human resources that were easy to use on hand, whether on the battlefield or in the city. Kalua herself was a quick-witted person who could deal with various situations, so this was a way to take advantage of that. Even though they had already taken down the four sentries, the girls at the front were still on guard. "Adjutant Mia, thepanymander, has requested a short break." "...Hmm, understood." Mia nodded to the soldier who came from the center, putting her right hand up. Then, with her left hand, she threw a pebble at Kalua, who was walking a little ahead of her. Kahlua turned around and looked at Mia''s hand, putting her right hand up as well. The faint sound of rustling branches and leaves that echoed in the quiet forest disappeared with that. From the enemy''s main camp, it would be somewhere diagonally behind and to the right. The war is about four ri. There was no need for much caution. Mia continues walking a little closer to Kahlua, who has her back rested against a tree. "¡¡tired?" "To some extent. Usa-chan who can do this so calmly must be sick after all." Kalua sighed and rubbed the corners of her eyes. In the dark, moonless forest, she was constantly on the lookout for enemy sentries and never missed a sound¨D¨Dher nerves seemed to be going crazy. She did training to the point where she was tired of it, but training was just training after all. Although she repeated this over and over again at Bernaich, the lead was always Krische. It was the first time she had been in actual battle without Krische. Krische, who was able to keep her guard up and keep on guard against the enemy while naturally continuing to advance at the front, even if she didn¡¯t take her fighting ability into ount, was a superhuman after all. "Shall I rece you with Koza?" "I''m still fine. The others also, will be able to go for a while. Usa-chan will probably catch up soon, so I guess I''ll leave it to Koza then." Kalua said honestly. She didn''t intend to be stubborn, and she still had the ability to concentrate for a while. At the beginning, Koza and the others were in front, so she wanted to let them rest a little more. "I see. It''s a shame that I can''t help you change, muu..." Mia said with a grin, and Kalua pinched her cheek. "Hmm, are you nning on getting revenge as usual?" Mia was an adjutant. Because of her position, she was exempted from the nerve-wracking hardships of going ahead as a scout. However, that was also just a light talk. That''s not to say Mia was having it easy, she was also stretching her nerve as she took grasp of the unit and chose their path. If they encountered a scout, they would handle it. But the ideal was to avoid encountering them. In order to avoid risks as much as possible, she recalled the geography and Krische instructions she had in mind, and changed the course ording to the situation¨D¨Dshe considered contact with the enemy to be her own responsibility. Kalua patted Mia on the head and told her that she didn''t have to say anything that didn''t suit her, and smiled bitterly. "Muu..." "What''s our next course?" "...Go a little further west and then north. It seems there are a little more scouts than I expected, so let''s make a bigger detour and go to the safer side." "U~nderstood..., hm?" Kalua immediately looked ahead and pulled out arge machete-like sword. Mia saw her like that, and she instantly pulled out the sword from her waist. Starlight shone through the gaps in the trees¨D¨Da huge shadow, be it human or beast. It looked familiar. "What? Krische-sama already¨D¨D" "No, stay away!" ¨D¨DDid the shadow realize that it had been noticed? It shook the trees and distorted the atmosphere, snapping the trees apart and closing the distance in a single breath.. Green fur, ck vertical stripes. A monster eight shaku tall at the shoulders¨D¨Dits name Suiko. The giant beast, also known as the ruler of the forest, swung its arm down at the two of them. Chapter 195: New Moonâ€™s Crescent Moon Chapter 195: New Moon¡¯s Crescent Moon ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 195 New Moon¡¯s Crescent Moon*** A/N: 1 shaku = approx. 30 cm ¡ú 8 shaku = approx. 2.4 m 1 jou = 10 shaku = approx. 3m 1 ken = 6 shaku = approx. 1.8 m If it had been before she joined the ck Hundred, she likely would have been killed or seriously injured by that blow. The same was true even when she was in the army as a mere foot soldier. Of course, Kalua was able to avoid it because of her natural talent, but it was also because of the vast experience she umted gained from the ck Century, that repeatedly fought on the front lines¨D¨Dand because she was able to repeatedly see many warriors who could be called monsters up close. The presence of Gururun¨D¨Da Suiko that was kept as a pet by her beloved superior, was also significant. A ck shadow appeared a slight distance away. She correctly understood that for the beast, they were already within reach. "Mia, jump and give instructions!" "Ah¡ª¡ªuh, yeah." Not only did she avoid it herself, she even had the lee-way in her heart to pull back her close friend''s hand, who was stiffening. The worst case when Suiko appeared¡ª¡ªthe death of the fieldmander on the scene was able to be avoided because of her ability to make instantaneous judgments. After she caught Mia flying into the tree at the edge of her vision, she hadpletely switched. "Special task squad, I''ll be the decoy, you guys take the sides and behind! Rather than taking it down, aim to inflict injuries, this giant body won''t sink easily." As she listened to Mia give the order from the tree tops to bring the archers and spear throwers, she stifled the confusion and fear that threatened to burst his heart. The green tiger turned its trajectory toward us with unbelievable agility. Kahlua rolled to avoid it, but the eight shaku two jou monster easily broke the huge tree behind her. Although it was a quadruped, its shoulders were at least two shaku above the top of Kalua''s head. Even Kalua might lose her will to fight if that gigantic body turns hostile to her in the dark of night. The only thing that kept her calm was remembering the queer name of Gururun. She had seen that Suiko rolling around showing its belly to Krische many times. Kahlua knew that this was not a monster, but simply a beast. It was just that its intelligence and fighting ability exceeded that of a beast. ¡ª¡ªCould she fight it by herself? The answer was no. A beast that even Kolkis and Bagil dered to be dangerous. She didn¡¯t think that she, who was inferior to them, could overwhelm it. Kalua knew her own weakness and helplessness better than anyone else. She got up from his tumble and swung her curved sword, which looked like an ax, and hit the Suiko¡¯s left hind leg. Kalua¡¯s attack¡ª¡ªan attack from a rare magic possessor. However, the attack that hit Suiko''s thigh was not a sh but a blow. The green fur that covered the Suiko¡¯s body was like a fiber made of metal. The inner muscles were more like those of an old tree than flesh. It was resilient enough to receive and absorb the force of Kalua''s blow. She recalled what Krische said after the viewing party. ¡®If you use a bigger tool, you might be able to cut it in two, but the hair and muscles are quite strong, so it will only damage the de. As Ojii-sama said, the easiest way would be to use something like.¡¯ The Suiko raised its voice. Just because it''s not fatal didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t cause damage. If it was Krische, she would have been able to sever it with the same weapon, but Kalua understood that her own strength was only that much. Making angry and turning hostile towards herself. That was the extent of the de that Kalua has forged in her life so far¡ª¡ªthere was no point inmenting it here and now. ¡®Their fur is strong against shes, but not so strong against point attacks like spears. If the arrow is close enough, it will pierce into the flesh. Simrly with throwing spears, if you use a sword in a stabbing manner, even an old man like me would be able to kill it. The important thing is whether you can deal with it correctly.¡¯ Kalua''s sword, if wielded properly, could cut the enemy in half along with their armor. However, she was not sure if she could do that against this opponent. If only someone created a clear opening¡ª¡ªbut in this situation, it would take a while for Dagra, Aleha, and Waltza toe. Even if they could hold themselves by going defensive, Kalua was the only one who could take on the Suiko. Two members of the special task force also attacked. One person shes, the other pierces. One of the long swords dug into the waist, but the violent Suiko swung its whole body around, causing the sword to break, sending one of them tumbling.. "If you stab me, jump immediately! For now, prioritize slowing down!" "¡ª¡ªKalua! Pierced on the ground beside her was Mia''s straight sword. "If you break it, I won¡¯t forgive you okay!" "Fufu, I''m sure the sword is also happier wielded by me, ops." She dodged the Suiko¡¯s blow as it tried to hit her right arm, and grabbed the straight sword with her body on the verge of falling. Mia must have immediately determined that Kalua''s sword was not effective. Her swordsmanship is poor and she''s devastatingly clumsy. But at least Mia was amander worthy of entrusting her life to, even if you remove any bias. She had a wide field of vision and was quick witted, grasping the surrounding situation even in a melee battle and issuing appropriate instructions. "Leave the front to Kahlua and keep your distance! When it attacks Kalua, stab your weapon and cover her! Koza!" Koza, who was supposed to be taking a rest in the center where Dagra and the others were, was already here. "Yeah, spread out! Archers aim from atop the trees, javelins spread out and wait until instructed to do so. At the signal, shoot all at once!" Before Mia could call for reinforcements, Dagra must have noticed the chaos in front of them and sent them there. There was Koza, the archermander, and about ten archers. Then five javelin throwers. Considering the situation¨D¨Dhe probably judged that it wasn''t an enemy attack, but that the opponent was a demonic beast. The reason why a small number of troops were sent in advance was to prevent confusion and also to take into ount the possibility of an enemy attack. While maintaining stability, she immediately sent in the necessary reinforcements¨D¨Din this darkness, Dagra was able to take the optimal measures based on the little information he had. From being a foot soldier to fighting under themand of Eluga Faren, his experience in the mountains and forests was unparalleled. The reason why Koza, the archermander with a wide field of vision, was sent was probably in case Mia and Kahlua were injured or killed. There was even a certain coldness to it. "I''ll create an opening!" After confirming Koza''s arrival, Kalua shouted while dodging the Suiko¡¯s onught. Confusion and tension¨D¨Dif they could manage that, it wasn''t apletely insurmountable enemy. ¡°Usa-chan, you won¡¯t use Gururun?¡± ¡°Krische is going to ride the Griffin so, and Gururun''ll be hose sitting. It''s dangerous if it¡¯s in the grasnd, and it will be pitiful if Gururun gets hurt." ¡°Hmm, it feels like a waste¡¡± ¡°It''s fast, but it''s heavy andrge, so it''s turning speed isn''t as fast as a magic possessor, so it''s not safe unless it¡¯s in a situation where it can make a repeated surprise attacks. Krische thinks, it¡¯s simply a matter of angr velocity that makes it difficult to deal with in the forest¡¯ Suiko was highly intelligent and knew how to utilize its athletic ability. It took no risks and relentlessly targeted their back. The attack from earlier¨D¨DIf it was prepared to also strike down and attack with its whole body, there was no way Kalua could dodge it. However, the Suiko didn''t do that and instead slipped past her, trying to finish off Kahlua with its arm. It was because it understands that even if it couldn¡¯t finish her off, if it passed right next to her, its huge body would disappear from Kalua''s sight. In doing so, it disappears from the opponent''s field of vision and reliably takes down the opponent from his blind spot¨D¨DSuiko was a hunter. ¡®Even if you move I ken to the side at a distance, it makes only a trivial difference to your opponent. But if you move for half a ken at close range, you canpletely remove yourself from the opponent''s field of vision. Big meow meow like Gururun is very smart and understands this. They step in from a distance, and when they get close, they slip to the side and aim at the opponent¨D¨Dehehe, well, it''s pretty much the same as Krische. It''s very effective.¡¯ Krische seemed to have a grasp of her opponent''s vision. After she kills one, she lowered her posture, slipped past her opponent, and put herself in their blind spot. To the person standing next to her, it would appear as if she had suddenly vanished from sight. If she had unlimited endurance, she could kill even 10,000 soldiers. Unterally, safely. Without even having a single de swung against herself. Krische Christand''s very existence was a kind of art, a form of perfection. Suiko used the space of the forest and its low visibility to get close to its opponent. It knew that in a close-range battle, it could use its speed to swing around and overwhelm the opponent. However, although it was strong, if one looked at the turning speed alone, they had the advantage. The opponent was simply using its eleration to swing them around and move to disappear into their blind spot, and if they observed it calmly, unlike Krische, it was by no means an elusive opponent. The limitation of mobility from its huge body and weight¨D¨Dthat was the Suiko weak point. Although several arrows pierced its body shallowly, they were not fatal wounds. Frustrated, it kicked the tree the archer was on, breaking it and back to Kalua. Kahlua uses her right hand¨D¨Da curved sword that resembles an axe, and steps forward with the tip of it aimed at Midoriya. ¨D¨DThe Suiko wouldn¡¯te. She was sure. The Suiko didn''t attack her and just jumped over her head. The ce it was heading towards was the huge tree behind Kalua. Break and jumped from it and finished Kalua from behind. However, Kalua didn''t look back and moved forward as if losing her bnce. "K-Kalua" Kalua put her right foot on the ground while listening to Mia''s screams. As if using all her strength, she twisted her body and swung the great curved sword behind her. The Suiko broke off the huge tree and approached her without ever touching the ground¨D¨Dshe threw it right at the Suiko¡¯s head. "¨D¨D¨D¨D!?" The Suiko screamed and lost its bnce and rolled, and Kalua jumped. "Do it!!" With Koza''s signal, five spears were thrown at once. A spear thrown by a magic possessor¨D¨Dits power was notparable to arrows. Three spears stuck into its giant body and it screamed again. ¨D¨Dand. "It''s over...!" Kalua jumped again and hit the writhing Suiko from above. She thrust the straight sword with her weight into its throat. In the next moment, she immediately left the Suiko¡¯s side and held her great curved sword in her hand, even though he was out of breath. The Suiko was still rampaging, and she looked at it nervously. Countless arrows, a sword, three spears on its body, and a sword straight to its throat. A body that didn¡¯t die even in that state¨D¨Dthat was what was called a demon beast. "...Throwing spear" Koza signaled and used the spear again. Four more speat pierced it, and its body finally stopped moving and convulsed. When Kalua saw this, she suddenly felt rxed and slumped, and Mia immediately rushed over and hugged her. *creak* *creak* Kalua''s leather armor makes a creak sound. "Are you okay? Kalua, any injury¨D¨D" "Y-you... Mia''s stupid strength is going to hurt me." "Eh, ah...sorry." Mia panicked and let go of her hand, and Kalua smiled bitterly as she calmed down her heavy breathing. "...I just felt exhausted and tired. I seriously thought I was going to die." "That was close, but as expected of Kalua. It''s amazing...I honestly respect it." Koza pated Kahlua on the shoulder and looked around. "Rest for a while. ...we made a noise, I''ll be on patrol here." "Yeah, I¡¯ll do so...I¡¯m at my limit." Kalua drank from her water bottle and sighed. Mia felt relieved as she patted Kalua''s head and turned her gaze to the back. The person who appeared was Dagra. "...As expected. Any wounded?" "One archer...well, he just fell off a tree." One person was thrown off the tree and his arm was injured¨D¨Dno casualty. Even though the ck g Special Force was made up of magic possessors only, their opponent was Suiko. Dagra, who had imagined the damage would be a considerable amount of damage, also felt a smile of relief. "Kalua acted as a decoy, so it was kept to a minimum." "...It seems so." Dagra nodded at Mia''s words. "It''s a blessing in disguise... from the bottom of my heart, I''m d you''re here." "...As for me I would have liked to go to the end of the line with Adjutant Aleha. Thanks to this, I almost died." "Hahaha, but it¡¯s a great feat of valor. ... It''s my pride to have a subordinate like you. If only you refrain from making lightments, then I would have nothing toin about." While saying that, Dagra moved around. It seems likely that some of the enemies on patrol noticed this. Should they move far away from here, or¨D¨D "This is a troubling point. It would be better to move quickly as a surprise attack." "...That''s right. It''s probably quite far away, but it''s too much to think that no one has noticed." Option to conduct a surprise attack before the sentry noticed and reported it. The ck g Special Force was powerful, but in the end it''s a surprise attack by a small group of soldiers. If they attack in a situation where the enemy already noticed and lined up, the damage would be great. Normally, deciding to withdraw at this point would have been a viable option. However, what would Krische, as themander, think¨D¨Dthat was the problem. "Hmm... Since it''s about Usa-chan, I think she''lle soon if we wait a little while. The enemy is the enemy''s main base, and it''s too risky to move without Usa-chan, getting prepared and ready to move as soon as Usa-chanes is the best¨D¨D" While they were talking, a Suiko suddenly appeared again, rushing through the bushes to her right. Mia was about to scream, but when saw the girl on top of it, she hurriedly covered her mouth. "Really, do you guys realize that this is a surprise attack? You''re making so much noise behind the enemy''s rear." "...Krische-sama" Krische looked at the Suiko¡¯s corpse, jumped off, and pped Gururun on the shoulder, telling her not to eat too much. Gururun growled happily and thrust her fangs into the dead Suiko¡¯s stomach. "I tried really hard, you know..." "Krische think Krische already told Kalua to kill it quickly if found but" "...Usa-chan is the only person in the world who can defeat a Suiko so easily." Kalua looked exasperated. "Bald Eagle, what''s the situation?" "There was only one person with extremely minor injuries, but thanks to Kalua''s efforts, there was no problem with the operation." "Hmm, it¡¯s a passing score." Krische nodded, and pat Gururun''s back as it devoured the internal organs with the back of her gauntlet, and looked in the direction of the enemy''s main camp. "Krische killed two of the noisy sentries on the way, but it seems like there are others that we have noticed as well. It would be best to act quickly." "Ha. Then continue as is?" "That''s right. Bald Eagle and the others will continue as nned...Vinthril." Vinthril appeared from her left and looked at the Suiko¡¯s corpse, looking at Kahlua with admiration as he approached Krische. "Kurofuyo and Krische will head to the main camp from here. Vinthril''s group will ride with Mia and the others and make a big fuss at the nned location. In this case, it would be better to split." "Ha." "After the drop, Krische and the others will leave the forest from here, so please provide support from the air. Pleasee down at the appropriate time and help hunt down the remnants." Vinthril nodded and turned to Kalua. "To be able to kill a Suiko in the forest without suffering any causality is something to be proud of as a warrior. I hope you can rest on Griffin''s back for a while." "Um, yes...then I¡¯ll take you up on it..." Great honor, repeatedpliments. Kalua wasn''t particrly happy to hear that. "...Ha, I''m tired." "Hehe, good work." Mia looked happy and patted her head, as if she was the one beingplimented. Kalua looked at Mia and let out a sigh. A life-threatening battle¨D¨Dthe period where she enjoyed it must have passed before she knew it. Kalua''s body was filled with relief and fatigue. All she could say was that ¡®I don¡¯t want to do that again¡¯. ¨D¨DShelna, who was in the center of the camp, didn''t hear the sounds from several ri away. The main camp was filled with the sounds of the battle with the east¨D¨DKeithriton army. "Gather the reserves in the rear. Be prepared for a surprise attack." "Yes ma¡¯am!" At least she didn''t catch it consciously, it was unconscious. Intuitively, Shelna Veeze understood that something was approaching, and moved her troops. Even dealing with the Keithriton armying from the front was not easy. It was an unthinkable night attack under the circumstances. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that their response was one step behind. However, even so, she still developed countermeasures in response to the sense of danger to their nks. The army was deployed in the northern and southern parts of the country. The enemy had taken the trouble to jump into the center of the area. The other side was not an ordinary general who did not understand the folly of jumping into encirclement. If that were the case, they would have already won. Felworth Keithriton was a general worthy of his reputation. That''s why he made this daring night attack¨D¨Dthere had to be something going on. The intuition, like a premonition of the future, the correct answer unconsciously derived from multiple situations and assumptions. She epted the possibility of a surprise attack from a position that should have been impossible as a fact even before she received the information. "¨D¨D¨D¨D" Countless messengers, she thought while listening to their reports. She instantly came up with countermeasures for all of them and issued her instructions, but when she heard one of them, her eyebrows furrowed. "¨D¨DA Suiko?" "Ha. probably¨D¨Dand the voices of the enemy troops who seemed to be engaged. Considering the danger, I prioritized reporting over reconnaissance." A detour with a small force or an ambush? Whether it''s possible or not, it was quite possible. Did he hide it somewhere, or did she let it go unnoticed? However, it would probably be less than 500 at most. In this situation¨D¨Dthere were limits. ¨D¨DHowever was that really all there was to it? Shelna narrowed her eyes. It was definitely an elite. A surprise attack on the headquarters, if sessful, would have some effect. Even if they couldn¡¯t defeat Shelna, they could definitely disrupt themand. The enemy would then seed in making a frontal breakthrough¨D¨Dthere was a good chance of that happening. The opponent had enough power to aim for a head-on breakthrough against them. This night''s attack. Without a doubt, it is safe to assume that the enemy understood the discord between the three armies. They were taking this kind of action based on the belief that they would be able to win if they were facing this single central opponent¨D¨Dbut there was something bothering her. If they were to linger even a little, they would face the dreaded siege. Felworth Keithriton was the only defense on the west side of Alberan. The situation on the other side was not a situation in which he could make such a gamble. Even if they were able to destroy this center and kill Shelna, they would only gain an advantage. It was not a victory in this war. On the other hand, if they won, they would be able to conquer Alberan. The stakes were unbnced. ¨D¨DIf he had a surefire way to win, then. "Um... Shelna-sama?" "Shut up for a bit." Such a thing didn¡¯t exist. It was impossible considering the enemy''s strength. It would be one thing if some miraculous coincidence happened, but there was no point in making a bet with such a slim chance of winning. You can''tpete in such a big gamble with something like that. ¨D¨DThey had hidden military power that Shelna didn¡¯t know about. She was convinced of it. Shelna Veeze didn''t doubt her abilities. She didn¡¯t think that the other person would be able to do what Shelna couldn''t do, or imagine. The enemy tried to lure them. In order to shorten the line of defense¨D¨DThat logic was good. However, the real purpose was different. What the enemy was hiding was at least the size of one corps or army. They must be strong enough to destroy those who were confident of victory, with a single move. A gradual retreat was to focus attention on them and secretly bring their military power over there¨D¨Dif she thought about it that way, it makes sense. Arna in the north was not moving. This didn¡¯t need to be considered. Then, a detour from the east¨D¨Dthis was also difficult to imagine. If they advance through the Sea of Trees to the west of Alberan and the ins to the south, as expected Meeklea would notice. ¨D¨DThen, the south. "...Gulshan had already been defeated." The enemy quickly defeated Gulshan in the southern part of Alberan, and then moved towards them from the southwest. An army-sized force was moving north from the unguarded southwest, aiming for the rear of Meeklea. And what was approaching this main camp was not an ambush from the Keithriton army, but a diversionary attack by that mysterious army. If so, it made sense, "Shelna-sama! It has been reported that Meeklea was attacked from the rear¨D¨D" "¡¡Understood" And the report confirmed that spection. "Probably the enemy who defeated Gulshan ising from the south." Gulshan''smander was Orugan, a famous general who had tormented Elderant for many years. He must be leading the best force possible. Did Alberan have the military power to easily defeat it? No, they were in the situation where they were being attacked by three countries. On that battlefield, just like here, Alberan''s troops would be at a disadvantage. The opponent was a general who could easily defeat Orugan in that situation. They were no ordinary opponent. At least as far as she knew, she didn''t know of any existence of such a general in Alberan. ¨D¨DExcept for the name Alberinea. The reason for the early start of the war was the ancient dragon''s visit to the royal capital. She was the same girl who made a pact with an ancient dragon even though she was a human. It was a dangerous situation to begin with, and she didn¡¯t know why or for what reason they did that. No matter what it was, at least she should believe all the rumors she heard about her now. It was a little strange from the beginning. Prime Minister Chlorus didn''t like her and cursed Queen Alberan in a negative way, but¨D¨DAlberan''s national power had declined after the civil war, and even if the Queen didn''t y any bad hand, it was a situation where three countries could be enemies any time. In that case, it would be best to pretend to be a young queen in order to at least postpone any hostility, and proceed with the situation calmly. Although she didn''t really think about it, thinking it was because of her pride as the queen of a great power¨D¨Dif Alberan had intended to win the invasion of the three countries from the beginning. If the Queen knew that Alberinea was a monster that could even bepared to an Ancient Dragon, her attitude would be understandable. All about this situation. Empty viges, gradual retreat, lure. This situation must have been expected from the beginning. A strategic surprise attack on this battlefield by the army that defeated Gulshan¨D¨Dthat must have been part of the n from the beginning. That was why Felworth Keithriton carried out this daring night attack. "Assuming it¡¯s the size of one army. Meeklea would already be destroyed, so we won''t send reinforcements there. The main camp will move north while maintaining the front line, and send a message to the vanguard and Arkaz." "...Shelna, that''s" An old man with a long beard, wearing a long robe and arge wide-brimmed hat. Holding a staff with a magic crystal in his hand, Zigret, the head priest of Veeze, furrowed his brow. Shelna bit her lip for a moment, lowered her eyes, and told him. "It''s all a trap. ... It''s our loss, Zigret-sama. If we don''t join up with Arkaz immediately, withdraw the army, and regroup, it will be a tough retreat." Both Zigret and the men around her expressed confusion at her words. There was no way he could understand how she came to such a conclusion. She makes inference after inference, and it could be said that it was her delusion. In the first ce, this was a battle in which they didn¡¯t expect to lose at all. "Sherna-sama, what¡¯s wrong all of a sudden¨D¨D" "Shut up, Kan.¡Shelna, are you convinced of something?" "Yes. It''s impossible for the center army to do it alone. We should join up with Arkaz and establish a rtionship of full cooperation, even temporarily. I will take responsibility." Shelna looked straight at Zigret with her indigo eyes. Zigret looked at it and nodded. He had known her since her childhood. She was a rare genius and possessed intelligence iparable to ordinary people. Her indigo eyes were Veeze''s greatest treasure. He didn''t understand why she came to that conclusion, but at least so far, she hadn''t made any mistake. asionally, she had a divine intuition that could be called a revtion. "I agree as the head priest. Please follow Shelna''s instructions and I will take all responsibility." "¡Yes sir!" "Thank you, Zigret-sama¨D¨D" However, it could be said that even the conclusion that could be called madness or revtion was a littlete. Shelna saw to the west¨D¨Da shadow rising from the forest behind them. "¡Griffin Cavalry?" What she saw was thirty griffins. ¨D¨DA ck g moon was floating in the night sky that was supposed to be without a moon. Chapter 196: Moon Mirror Chapter 196: Moon Mirror ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 196 Moon Mirror*** "Shit, are they insane? Don¡¯t tell me their entire army is here." Ledo cursed as he shed the enemy soldier with his giant sword. The fierce attacks of the enemy never ceased. It was not just a harassment attack, the enemy was seriously aiming for the center. What he saw after passing through the forest was a majestic brave battle line of the Alberan army. A heavy rain of arrows. Because it was such an unexpected night attack, the response was dyed, and the Elderant army was pushed all at once. Against those who were openly aiming for a siege, a decent general would not think of breaking through the center. If the enemy had faced even the slightest trouble, they would be surrounded and lost¨D¨Dit¡¯s a mad move. However, just because they thought so, they were caught off guard, and the Elderant Central Army was in a pinch. The reason they were able to hold out was that the border between the two armies was a forest¨D¨Da terrain favorable to Elderant, and that the Veeze hunting squad led by Ledo fought hard. They ran left and right to stabilize the front that had been pushed in, preventing the army from copsing¨D¨Dbut even so, it could be said that they had lost ground. If this continues, their disadvantages wouldn¡¯t change. Ledo made that decision and charged forward, nning a counterattack. However, when he broke through the enemy line in the forest and came out of the forest, he saw an enemy line again¨D¨Dat least as many as the Elderant Central Army, and the enemy force, including those that had entered the forest, would surely exceed 40,000. They must have left little reserve for Meeklea in the south or Arkaz in the north. It was an all-out frontal assault. The elite¨D¨DVeeze hunting squad led by Ledo was also in turmoil. "Ledo, this is impossible! We have no choice but to maintain the front line until Arkaz or Meeklea arrive! I''ll take over..." "You''re going to die! Do you think after we push this far, they¡¯re going to allow us to retreat easily!" He immediately refuted Bez''s words. They hade this far by forcibly breaking through. If they simply turned around and left, they would be chased and many would die. "I''m going to take themander''s head and leave! The g is right there¨D¨Dlet''s go!" The enemy was sending arge army into the forest on the border between the two armies. The enemies in this grasnd were mainly archers. The infantry line was thin. The soldiers were tired. However, they were Veeze''s hunting squad. They were the most elite of the great Veeze tribe, the best squad in Elderant. They have sharpened their fangs on the battlefield, and ordinary enemies were no match for them. "Get out of the way!!" Leading the way was the Giant Sword Ledo. He freely swung arge sword with a de of five shaku, thick enough to be more like a board than a sword, wearing armor was meaningless in front of that de. He smashed spears, shattered shields, and took lives. It was an intuition that could be called a beast''s sense of smell that led him to attack the enemy''s strong front rather than their weak points. The opponent was an army led by the veteran Felworth Keithriton. He instinctively understood that what appeared to be a vulnerable area was a fake, created intentionally, and was merely a lure. He knew that if they went through there, they would be exposed to a storm of arrows from both sides. He passed through the battle lines in one breath, and the g he saw was the general''s g, not that of the corpsmander. He could see a female general giving instructions on horseback. And she too recognized them and lowered her visor, which was painted with a face of indignation. Jumping down from her horse, a long sword in her right hand and taking a steel shield to her left from a squire. "Bez! Bite it all at once, shave off the left and right!!" His instincts were right. The enemy had prepared archers in the vulnerable areas. If they had gone there, they would have been destroyed by the simultaneous fire. However, the enemies were also shaken by the fact that their side overtook the enemy head-on¨D¨Dthe enemy were one step behind their breakthrough. If they attack the enemy general before the enemy archermander could recover, the enemy would not be able to rain down arrows. Ledo lunged forward¨D¨Dhis posture low, and charged in all at once. He stepped forward like a beast running on all four legs, right in front of the enemy general. Twisting his whole body, he fluttered like a butterfly from there. Swinging the giant sword around, he uses its inertia to step forward, dazzling the enemy, and sneaking around to the left of the enemy¨D¨Dbypassing the side of the raised shield in just a moment. Then, with the same momentum, he used the centrifugal force to deliver a single blow. He didn¡¯t allow the opponent to parry anything. With all of his power, it crushes all the barriers in front of him, cutting it in half. "¨D¨DDon''t underestimate me!!" However, the enemy was also amander of an army. Instead of taking the option of running away from the sword mowing down, she stepped forward. Twisting and bending her body¨D¨Dagainst it she also created a whirlwind. She was not fazed by the pressure of Ledo''s giant sword, and when she evaded the de, her whole body drew a spiral. mming the steel shield into Ledo''s body. In Lorca''s swordsmanship, it was not a shield to protect oneself, but a weapon to crush and crush the enemies who stood in one way. "Tsk!" Instantly, Ledo gave up on the attack, kicked the blunt steel weapon, and somersaulted¨D¨Dkeeping his distance. "My name is Te Lemin! A noble of the Kingdom, defender of the people of Alberan and its shield. ...... Do not underestimate me as a woman, barbarian invader." From inside the visor depicting anger came a hard voice that echoed through steel. "Guess you¡¯re not a general just for show huh. ...I don''t intend to underestimate you. I''ve seen enough strong women to make me sick." Ledo smiled as he thought of Shelna''s face. "I am Ledo of Rani, under the great tribe Veeze! I have no grudges against you or Alberan, but I¡¯ll have you die he¨D¨D!?" He stopped moving when he heard a sudden explosion from behind. The female general opposite him also showed a momentary tremor, and she immediately turned her attention to Ledo¡¯s rear. It wasn''t a sounding from the forest. Ledo, who was born and raised in the forest, wouldn¡¯t mistake it. The sound of branches and leaves shaking like ripples was definitelying from beyond the forest, from the main camp. "Ledo, the headquarters¨D¨D" "¨D¨DI know!!" Ledo yelled, bringing his giant sword forward in his hand. However, the female general Tekrea leapt behind, opening the distance between them and raising her voice. "Alberinea has arrived. Everyone, buy some time! There are only a few enemies, and there''s no need to be afraid of the beasts that havee out of the forest. If we buy some time, this battle will be over." "Tch..bastard" "Ledo of Rani, I recognize your strength as a warrior...but unfortunately. I am not a beast but a soldier, shield of the weak. I have no intention of fighting a fair battle against a bloodthirsty beast that oppresses the weak and wields barbarism. ¨D¨DSpear thrower! " The sound of the wind was raised along with the signal. Ledo moves forward while breaking the oing spear. Tekrea retreated further, and Ledo took another step¨D¨D "Ledo, it''s impossible! Don''t push too far! It''s an enemy attack, something is wrong with this situation. Remember why you left Zuren behind!" However, with Bez''s words, he gave up on pursuing further. "The enemy''s target is the main base¨D¨Dthis isn''t just a night attack! They''re here to decide the oue with some kind of magic! You should stand back now and protect Shelna-sama!!" "But, Bez¨D¨D" "Suicide Corps, Follow me! Cut off the general''s head right here!" "You idiot, what are you doing¨D¨D" "Shut up! You go to Shelna-sama! Meeklea to the south will being this way, if I can hold out until then, I''ll survive somehow!" Bez thrusted his sword into the enemy soldier''s chest and dered. "No matter what happens, we can''t lose Shelna-sama. You should go back first!!" "...Damn it, Bez, I''ll punch youter." "Then I¡¯ll pat you back, boy!" Bezughed and moved forward. In this situation, the troops were divided¨D¨Deven if they were able to decapitate the enemy general, there was no way they would survive. However, a surprisinglyrge number of soldiers chose to remain with him, and Bez led them, recing Ledo, and heading towards the enemy general. He couldn¡¯te back alive. Clutching the huge sword so much that his hand bled, Ledo red at the female general and turned around. Ledo cut off the enemy soldiers in the rear and headed into the forest¨D¨Dto the main camp. "Zuren!" "...I''m fine. It''s just a scratch." "Hg..." Blood was dripping from Zuren''s left arm. Blue sh and explosion. The damage to the main camp was not great. They were saved by the fact that the damage was concentrated not at the main camp, but at the line of battle in the rear. But the cost¨D¨Dthe confusion and damage was so great that even Shelna was shaken. The battle line was blown away, and the few remaining main reserves were almostpletely destroyed. The remaining reserves were being used to maintain the front line in the forest ahead. The main camp was almostpletely exposed. "Griffins¡!" Zigret, the head priest who survived unharmed, raises his staff and points it towards the sky. The blue light shone off the magic crystal at the tip, and what was released was a sh of light¨D¨Dthe magic crystal engraved on the priest''s staff converts magic power and releases it as offensive particles. The sh of light instantly pierced the wings of a griffin flying high in the sky, shooting one down. Two men fell from it, "...!?" However, the griffin cavalry around them instantly moved and caught their body in the air. The opponent was not just a mere griffin cavalryman. Its operational proficiency¨D¨Dskilled warriors were holding the reins. Probably all of them. This is not something that can be aplished overnight. "...Kreisharana warrior." Shelna''s eyes widened and she murmured in shock. The story that was passed down along with the ancient dragon''s visit to the royal capital was that a messenger from Kreisharana visited Alberan, and rtions between the two countries were restored. It must be true. Since they appeared on the battlefield like this, there was no room for doubt. The Griffin Cavalry of Kreisharana, who once ruled the skies, was on Alberan''s side. "Those who survive, flee to the northern forest now!! Join up with the Kirs army and rebuild the main camp!! ¨D¨DZigret-sama, Zuren!" "hg, as instructed! Leave behind anyone that can''t move!" The Griffin Cavalry was small in number. However, they have unknown weapons, and there weren¡¯t many of them here at their headquarters. What would surely follow was the enemy''s deadly attack¨D¨Dit would be naive to think that the main force alone could deal with it. They need to hide in the forest for a while. Restoring control was impossible in this situation¨D¨Dher decision was extremely quick. They have no choice but to leave behind anyone who couldn¡¯t move. And her choice was the best, at least for that ce. With the bombardment of Bonjara, the ck armored soldier and Suiko cavalry archer leaped out from the south side. The n was to direct the enemy attention to the Griffin Cavalry that flew from the west side, right behind the enemy''s main camp, and attack the main camp from the right and south ¨D¨Deasily taking the head of the enemy general and destroy the main camp, but, "Muu...they''re running away fast. Gururun you can''t just y around." Krische pouted her lips and patted the Suikp on the neck. The Suiko smashed the cranium of the enemy soldier who was rolled around with her paw. The rest of the body twitched, but no one paid any attention to it. This was not a battle, but a cleanup. The soldiers in ck armor proceeded through the encampment, putting the finishing touches on the wounded soldiers who were left behind. "This quickness of judgment...we¡¯re being read huh." Krische lets the inorganic purple sparkle in the bonfire, looking at everything around her and capturing it. The enemy fled quickly. Normally, one would not abandon their headquarters and run away, but she was probably a general with excellent decision-making ability. The quickness of her decision to immediately flee to the northern forest instead of the south. And the enemy''s force distribution¨D¨Dit was clear that the enemy was wary of a surprise attack from the rear. The other party waspletely aware of where Krische appeared and what they were aiming for. Krische narrowed her eyes, thinking that it must be a ¡®quite¡¯ smart opponent. However, the state of the main camp¨D¨Deven if they were noticed, it was at thest minute at most. If they had realized this from the beginning, they would have added a little more thickness to their main force. Only after making many guesses after the night attack, did the other party arrive at the correct answer. Although the situation was still in chaos, the girl found a clear answer in an instant. The enemy''s footing waspletely thrown out of whack by the bombing. The immediate decision to retreat was a wise decision, but could restore order, there was no trap. In short, the surprise attack turned into a pursuit. "Krische-sama, we have finished processing the main camp g." She nodded at Dagra¡¯s words and sighed that it''s one more thing for her to do. A bothersome opponent¨D¨Dshe should kill her quickly. "Krische wanted to put the enemy¡¯s general neck here... but guess it can¡¯t be helped." While throwing the Banjara at enemy soldiers who came out from the eastern forest, for the time being the mopping up around the main camp waspleted. The bombs weren¡¯t specifically designed for bombing. Rather, its use was for encountering battles. It was one of the remote attack methods provided to ck g Special Force. Due to the fear of idents, it is only held by squad leaders and above who are good at using magical power and have a certain level ofposure, but in a situation like this where there are many encounters, a single shot could have a great psychological impact. In the match against Gulshan, the thrower was crowded together, causing some failure, but it was a pretty good achievement for the first battle of hand-thrown Bonjara. The enemy was unable to leave the forest due to fear of the unknown weapon. "We''re done, including dealing with the remaining enemies. The battle here is over and we''re going to chase down the enemy general who ran away. The vanguard is Krische and Bald Eagle, the rear is anyone will do." "Ha!" "Gururun, over there." More hassle. It was very unpleasant that they escaped. However, it was only a matter of taking a little longer. "Hi¨D¨D!?" The people running away were the elite of the main camp¨D¨Dbut not all of them were magic possessors like the ck g Special Force. It took only a moment for Krische to bite the rear of the main camp that had escaped. Even magic possessors couldn¡¯t escape from Suiko¡¯s legs. If the opponent was just a human being, it was the same as standing still. Krische proceeded through the forest, being careful not to go too far ahead, and shot the fleeing soldier in the back. For Krische, killing with a bow is no different from shooting at a practice target. If the opponent had turned their back, she would not miss the target. One, two, ten, twenty¨D¨D "Ooh, thirty. Ehehe, it sure is easy shooting from behind." Krische jumped down and replenished her arrows from the corpses of the archers she had shot dead. Elderant, who used a short bow, was very handy in these situations. After seeing Dagra and the others catch up, she moved forward again. Krische repeated shooting at the target practice. The soldiers of ck g Special Force stiffened their spines as they watched theirmander ride atop the Suiko and mass-produce corpses. There was not a single one missed. They just run. If she drew her bow and released it, one person would die, and the bushes and darkness would be irrelevant. Even those who hold their breath and hide turn into corpses. Even the veteran ones, including Dagra, Couldn¡¯tpletely kill the fear that arises in their heart. "Honestly, I find it even scary. How dreadful." "...Krische-sama isn¡¯t that kind of person Dagra answered Waltza, who was running next to him and admiring the corpse. "This is a battle¨D¨Das a soldier on the battlefield, Krische-sama is just doing what is expected of her. ...However, Krische-sama is far too skilled at it." She kills because there was an enemy. That was it. As a military personnel, what she did was nothing out of the ordinary. But Krische was a heresy that was too capable. She didn¡¯t even think of people as people and casually killed them. A battle wasn''t a battle, and what she did was always murder, notbat. One-sidedly, mercilessly, ruthlessly. "When I look back, I suddenly realize that all the brilliant military exploits, honor, and splendor of the battlefield were all just a lie. ...Krische-sama is the ideal that we soldiers aspire to, and that''s precisely why she is so far removed from that aspiration." Compete for something through violence. Force unreasonableness through violence. The ultimate essence of the act of war was that. "A battle where we sacrifice our lives to each other¨D¨Dpride as warriors is just an afterthought after all. Krische-sama is right, she only sees the essence of war. And she will show off that essence. ...The true nature that we hide and refuse to see." ¡®That''s probably why it feels so scary¡¯, Dagra continued. The battle against the Holy Empire¨D¨Dthe battle in the mountains. Krische was truly a hunter. She was the one who kills, not the one who was killed. There was no difference between now and then. She didn¡¯t avert her eyes or run away from the unreasonable things that ur on the battlefield due to pretty words. She looked at the battlefield more seriously than anyone else. She realizes that war was a world ruled by mathematical logic, devoid ofpassion or warmth, and simply a sludge created by human vices. The longer you were with her, the more you knew her. She was endlessly pure. The reason they felt fear there was precisely because they felt as if they were being exposed to something that they had covered up with pretty words. "More than anyone else, I curse myself for finding such Krische-sama so frightening." Waltza looked at Dagra. Then his eyes turned to Krische who was leading the way and continued to ¡®shoot target practice¡¯, and a scene from the past was reflected behind his eyelids. ¡®¡¡Hm. Krische wants to go back to the estate early and cook and have a tea party with Bery and Selene, so if you ask Krische what it''s for, guess if it''s for that purpose.'''' What are you fighting for? The answer to that question. She was a girl who smiles at the prospect of a happy future without any remorse, even though she was covered in blood, killing many people and taking away their lives. She waspletely out of ce and insane¨D¨Da blood-soaked innocent murderer. Once you understood, it even felt refreshing. But at that moment, Waltza didn''t know how to express all the emotions that came to him. A young girl who was pampered by her servants without worrying about her appearance in front of others¨D¨Dnow she was justmitting murder over and over again right in front of his eyes. As she inhales and exhales, countless lives end as if it was only natural. Someone''s parents, someone''s husband or lover, a famous hero or a coward. Regardless of anything, without distinction. On the battlefield, she wielded what was only proper. ¨D¨DAnd like that, she spread death. "¡At least, the one who is truly terrifying is probably not that young girl." If the world were kind, she would be endlessly kind. "I finally understand why an honest and upright soldier like you swears such loyalty to Krische-sama. ...You don''t really see her as a soldier huh." She was simply a mirror. What was reflected there was not her true nature. "What I felt when my arm was cut off...must have been something close to that." Waltza said and touched the prosthetic hand on his left arm. Chapter 197: Indigo and Purple Chapter 197: Indigo and Purple ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 197 Indigo and Purple*** Starlight and a small amount of torch¨D¨Dthe left wing of the Keithriton army, the main camp of Tekrea Lemin. He would no longer be able to stand up. The fallen man who appeared to be the enemymander was still breathing, but his entire body had been pierced by a spear. A spear pierced his abdomen, and his left arm was nearly shredded. This man''s outstanding subordinates¨D¨Dthe enemy''s assault force had alsorgely been taken care of. "It was a brilliant battle. I take back what I said about the barbarians. ......At least, all of you are worthy to be called warriors." cing down her steel shield, she raised her wrath visor and carried her longsword over her right shoulder. Tekrea Lemin honestly praises the man. Was it because of the young man''s retreat or was it his stubbornness? Whatever the case, the man had no intention of returning alive. He was a small number of soldiers, but everyone fought like a dead soldier¨D¨Ddespite her superiority, he was so strong that Tekrea felt that he was in danger. "Did you say Bez? I respect your bravery. Is there anything you want to say?" "...No..thing. ...It''s not a bad way to die." The man said. Tekrea nodded with a slightly soft expression on her dauntless face for a woman. "Gant. I don''t know much about your faith, but..." She took the sword that was lying around and put it in the man''s hand. Elderant¨D¨DIt was once one of the beliefs widely spread in Alberan. When a warrior dies, a weapon in their hands. That way, they will travel to the afterlife as a heroic spirit. "Die as a warrior. At least you are a man who deserves to die that way." "...My gratitude." Hearing those words, she thrust her long sword into the neck of the fallen man. She delivered the final blow and brushed off the blood. In this situation, there was no need to make a show of his head. "We''ve made it through for the time being. Yourmand was splendid, Ojou-sama." "Stop me with Ojou-sama. How old do you think I¡¯m, Milcarz?" Tekrea was already 40 years old. She was long past the age of being called Ojou-sama. The old adjutant,Milcarz,ughed happily. "I vowed that I would call Ojou-sama this way until Ojou-sama settles down." "A joke oath is invalid. Carlea gave birth to three boys. Even if I don''t give birth to a child now, someone will inherit Lemin''s house. Just give up already." Looking exasperated and displeased. Milcarz said as he looked at Tekrea with even more amusement. "If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn''t have taught Ojou-sama swords. To think the Ojou-sama who wouldn¡¯t even kill insects be like this...how sad." "Everyone has things they¡¯re good at and not good at. You''re probably the only person in this world who''d like me dancing in a dress." Replying to Milcarz¡¯s lighthearted words, she turned her gaze towards the enemy''s main camp¨D¨Dbeyond the forest. The army of the Meeklea tribe that had been deployed to the south had begun to bepletely routed. ording to the messenger''s report, Alberinea stormed the Meeklea main camp and killed the enemy general in one breath. And almost immediately after that, an explosion urred in the enemy''s main camp. She doesn''t know what Alberinea did. However, there was no doubt that it was caused by her. It was just as Eluga expected¨D¨Dshe was even surprised at how fast it happened. She remembered well the face of the girl sitting at the meeting. The marshal showed an incredible calm considering her age¨D¨Dand the girl sitting next to her had no vigor and was just as her look suggested. To be honest, just a few days ago, she felt nothing but anxiety. That girl alone would be responsible for the fate of the Alberan Kingdom. Naturally, the strategic n was built around her. It was all based on the premise of her victory, and it''s so convenient that it was not a sane situation. She was persuaded by the same central general, Gokhals, and in the situation of an invasion from three countries¨D¨Dshe had no choice but to cling to the straws, but she never expected that such a situation would arise as a result. Half a month has passed since the start of the war, and Alberinea was already trying to defeat not only Gulshan but also Elderant. ¡®As long as you guys canst for some time until Krische goes around the kingdom and destroys the enemy army, it will be fine. Krische is busy with various things like helping out at the estate, so Krische''d like to finish everything in about a month...hmm, even if it stretches out, Krische''d like to finish it all in about two months.¡¯ She doubted her sanity, when she told everyone that so calmly. However, the reason why no one publicly raised their voices against it was probably because everyone felt the same way. It was a feeling that could not be expressed in words. The jewel-like purple color peeking out from her beautiful silver hair. She said that as if just informing them of tomorrow''s schedule, something in it didn¡¯t permit any objection¨D¨Dnow she understood.. "...Reason andmon sense got in the way. However, she is someone who made a pact with the Holy Spirit. In reality, I might have known from the beginning." "Ojou-sama?" "When I saw the appearance of the Holy Spirit appearing in the capital, I immediately understood that I could not win even if I led an army." At that time, Tekrea was also at the training ground. A gigantic body that rivaled even the royal castle, with its rock-like scales peeling off¨D¨Dit had magical power that could warp even the atmosphere just by being there. A girl descended from its back with Suiko following her. An unrealistic scene that looked like something out of a painting. "I thought that even if we poured all the power of the nation, we wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat something like that¨D¨Dbut Alberinea was the only one who challenged a being that could be called a god." Ostensibly, it was an audience. But Alberinea had bandages wrapped around her entire body, and like the dragon, she was covered in wounds. And the light that pierced the sky the day before. Diplomatic rtions with Kreisharana were suddenly restored. The unmistakable respect they had for the Holy Spirit and valor. Various rumors and spections were circting in the royal capital about the dragon''s visit. But only those who were there would have been able to understand which was true. An assassination attempt on the queen¨D¨Da servant caught up in the assassination attempt. The countless great nobles who were killed in retaliation were most likely due to her hand. Alberinea challenged the Holy Spirit just to save one of her beloved servants, and she aplished that goal. "Someone so talented that she could twist even a country with a single will¨D¨Dthat is precisely the very Son of God, Alberan. The Heaven Sword was probably the title of someone who can reach even the Holy Spirit with the body of a human." In her rational mind, she felt that this battle was too reckless. Alberan didn''t seem to have any motivation, especially when she looked at the girl in the conference room. However, the sight that Tekrea saw was deeply etched in her mind. More or less, that must be the reason why the central generals were thinking positively about this war. "It''s like having the Holy Spirit on your side. It''s reassuring knowing that, but...it''s also scary." She saw a girl hugging her servant, her tears overflowing. She closed her eyes, thinking of everything that would have happened in the process. Born into a ducal family with royal bloodline. She was aware of the vice the Cursed Child of the royal family, but she didn''t believe it. However, it was a power that was too strong for an individual to possess¨D¨Dshe could understand why someone like her was called a Cursed Child. If there was an individual who feared not even God, that would be the ultimate unreasonableness for many people. No matter how sincere the wish or desire, she would . An individual who could obtain everything they desired, their existence themselves was tantamount to a natural disaster. "It is useless even if I think about it huh. ¡I can only pray that that sword will be wielded only for the sake of protecting the country." However, if the only person who can be subjected to such unreasonableness was their enemies. Tekrea thought that humans were really creatures of convenience. The ce was the main camp of the left wing of the Veeze army, in the forest with a bonfire shining brightly. Currently, there were no extra reserves in the central Elderant army, the Veeze army. East¨D¨Da fierce attack from Keithriton¡¯s army, whounched a night attack from the front. The right, center and left were all doing their best to defend this. Shelna could only escape from one of these options, and the enemy came from the south and west¨D¨Dit was inevitable that they would head towards the army of Kirs, a brute from the tribe affiliated with Veeze, who was in charge of the far left nk. "Aaron! Immediately move the battle line towards the main camp in the south. We will meet up with Arkaz in the north and retreat from here immediately." Out of breath, only Shelna, Zuren, and a small number of the elite members led the way. Leaving the rear to Head Priest Zigret, she took only those with magic possessor who were fast and joined the main camp of the 7000 army led by Aaron Kyrus. The tall warrior chief, Aaron Kyrus, looked down at Shelna with confusion on his face. His tattooed, muscr upper body was exposed, and his only armor was the gauntlets. Perhaps because it was a night attack, they were even more lightly armored than Sherna, who only wore her breastte and gauntlets. "...Just when I thought I heard a strange sound, did you abandon your headquarters ande here?" "It was an emergency. An army-sized enemy who defeated Gulshan is approaching from the south. The enemy is an elite group with Kreisharana¡¯s griffin, and the main reserve was destroyed by the exploding magic crystal." She let out a sigh as she spoke in rapid session. "...If we don''t move quickly, we''ll be pursued not only by the enemy whounched a surprise attack, but also by the enemy''s main army." "...Have you gone crazy? No matter how much you''ve been attacked by surprise, you''re too disordered. In this situation, I can''t believe you''re abandoning your headquarters and suddenly retreating..." Shelna pulls out her sword and thrusts it at him. "Aaron, we don''t have time for questions. Just shut up and obey." "...If not, it''s a duel huh." Scratching his head in frustration, Aron looked at the men behind him. Kirs soldiers were in a frenzied mood and were grabbing what they could find. "It''s true that I¡¯m afraid I can''t beat the Sword Princess of Veeze, but do you really think they''re going to follow you by killing me here? I don''t deny that it is your right to give orders without exining, but I think it would be wise to consider the situation." Aron stared at Shelna but did not draw his sword. This was because there was no legitimacy in cutting down an opponent who was not even ready with a sword without any questions asked. It''s not a duel ording to thew, just a simple murder. "Only a pet dog would follow someone who had abandoned their headquarters and turned their back on himself, asking if he was willing to do so. That doesn¡¯t make sense. I¡¯m not Ledo, can you at least have a rational discussion?" "...I''ll talk about it as much as you wantter. Time of the essence. Please, just shut up and obey." "Ha, after threats, now you''re asking me for a favor?" "...Aaron Zuren, a huge man,es forward with blood flowing from his injured left arm. Then he kneel both knees and bowed his head. Shelna and the others called out to him, but he remained silent and pressed his forehead against the ground. "What are you imitating, Zuren? I don''t even have the hobby of taking pleasure in making a bastard bow his head " "It''s urgent. Just for now. Please obey Shelna-sama quietly for now. If you are still dissatisfied with it after that, you can tear me to pieces." Aron watched Zuren bow his head and scratch his head. Then he clicked his tongue and red at Shelna. "...This is Kirs''s loan to Veeze. You don¡¯t mind that right?" "...Yeah. That''s fine." "I''m feeling down. I''ll just shut up and obey... Zuren, don''t forget what you said." "I swear...My thanks." Aaron looked behind him, "Tell the vanguard! Get ready to roll your ass right away, meet up with Arkaz. All reserves are to the rear¨D¨D!?" The moment I was about to give that instruction, only a few of the people present jumped. A gust of wind pierces through the ce where Aaron was standing a moment ago, and breaks the huge tree in front of it. ¨D¨DThat was not a human, but a giant beast. The warriors instantly understood what it was, "¨D¨DA Suiko!?" "That''s not all! Avoid it!!" And Shelna, who was the first to realize that it was not just a single magical beast, shouted. What did that mean¨D¨DAron realized it toote, jumped, and immediately pulled out arge curved sword in the air and wielded it. What the sword hit was an arrow. But that''s all he was able to do right away. The swinging body was Suiko''s right arm, who hadpleted a flip and leap by breaking a huge tree-¨D¨Dbefore the body that was in the air could even touch its feet, it was mmed straight into the ground. And the small figure that jumped on top of him flexed his short bow, much too easily. ¨D¨DThe arrow that was shot pierced the skull, killing Aron, the Kirs Chief Warrior. "Aaron-sama¨D¨Dah!?" The arrows seemed to be scattered indiscriminately. The skull of the adjutant covered with fat was shot through, and seven arrows were fired after that. 3 people avoided it and 4 soldiers died from it. "Hmm, quite a few avoided it. Even though Krische''ve been doing pretty well so far." Throwing away her bow and empty quiver, the girl picked up arge curved sword that had fallen by her side and looked at it. She was dressed in a ck cloak, wearing her own gauntlets and boots. A one-piece dress unsuitable for the battlefield peek through the gap in her cloak. Her pure white skin sparkles in the bonfire, and her silver hair splits into two, resembling a tail. And those endlessly inorganic, freezing purple eyes. "...Well, it''s fine. Gururun, you can''t y around here." The Suiko purred at her, nuzzling herself into the little girl. The atmosphere in this ce, illuminated by the bonfire, suddenly became cold. Even Shelna gasped and stiffened for a moment. Among all the warriors in this ce, she was the only one who could understand who the girl in front of her was. But everyone understood what kind of person this girl was. The strangeness of a girl standing calmly and alone in the middle of enemy territory. It made their sense of reality fade from their consciousness, depriving them of the will to turn their des and step forward. Only one person was able to move. "You...!" Shelna Veeze drew her sword, her chestnut hair flying in the wind. Keeping her posture low and reaching top speed in one breath. It was like a gale, and everyone could hardly believe their eyes. The girl on the other side nced at her and twisted her body, "¨D¨D!?" At that moment, a sh of light was released that seemed to split the space. Therge curved sword of Aron Kirs, the chief warrior, had already changed its master. The trajectory and speed of the sword was so smooth that it cannot be caught even by those watching from a distance. Only Shelna''s indigo eyes caught it. It was a surprise blow that should have hit the target. However, the girl picked up the sword and swung it easily, aiming at Shelna''s neck with unerring uracy. The eleration that slips through the gap in the opponent''s consciousness¨D¨Dthe step of the swordswoman who is called "Violent Gale (Reppu)". The irreversible inertia that urs there. The girl''s purple eyes saw through it easily, and the counterattack was released at the moment when it could never be dodged. Shelna realized the foolishness of her forcibly charging in, turning her long sword into a shield. Her beloved sword was naturally cut in two, and she used the moment she barely had to move backward. Indigo and purple eyes crossed¨D¨Dthe superiority was already obvious. Veeze''s sword princess, the treasured sword she wielded was snapped off with just a single stroke. In contrast, there wasn''t even a single dent in Kirs''s curved sword. In response to the step that made everyone doubt their eyes, there was not even a trace of shock on the face of the girl who was apanying Suiko¨D¨Dnot even a hint of surprise. "Hmm, it''s not a bad shape, but it''s a little heavy which isn''t good." ¡®Krische failed to kill her,¡¯ she said, as if troubled. With her fingertips wrapped in the leather of her gauntlet, she traced her cherry-red lips. Looking at Aron''s curved sword, she spun it around in her hand. She was so beautiful that she looked out of ce on the battlefield, and she had no hostility¨D¨Dshe had killed several, but the way she stood was as if it¡¯s a flower garden. The girl looked mad to all intents and purposes, and in contrast. Shelna Veeze¡¯s heart jumped as if it were about to burst. Sweat trickled down her chin and a chill ran down her spine. "......,this is Alberinea." The girl¨D¨DKrische Christand tilted her head at the words she heard. There was a distortion like that of a doll, "...? How surprising. Is there a leak from somewhere?" Her wide-open eyes were fixed squarely on Shelna Veeze. The purple color shimmering and shining in the bonfire. It was probably the first time since she was a child encountering a Suiko. ¨D¨DIt was a fear of predators that she had long forgotten. "Krische would like to hear it, for future reference, but well, it doesn¡¯t matter huh. .¡This is the end of Elderant." "Hg..." South, thrown from the forest that Sherna and her friends hade through, what was it that rolled. The face of a familiar old man. It was the head of the head priest, Zigret. A stir spread through the air. She suddenly realized that there were signs of enemies not only in the south, but also in the west and north. She didn''t know what kind of magic it was. Was it the advance by those griffins¨D¨Dno, there were too many of them and too fast for that. Most of the 7,000 left wing to the east were being eaten up by the Keithriton forces in front of them, and they could not return in this short time. This ce was surrounded from three sides at this moment. The only reason she showed up alone was to stall them until then. It was toplete the siege. And she was far superior to Sherna, at least with the sword. The choice was to flee¨D¨Dor fight. "......Now the west is at peace. Krische will be able to return to the estate." Ignoring Shelna''s hesitation, the girl smiled and put her left hand up. And that was probably the signal. "Tch, Scatter! ¨D¨DA storm of countless arrows and spears pierced the ce. Chapter 198: One Who Spread Death Chapter 198: One Who Spread Death ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 198 One Who Spread Death*** Before noon¨D¨DKeithriton military camp. ¡°......From now on, Mia should have both her arms and legs tied up when she sleeps.¡± "Ooh, that''s a great idea¨D¨D" "You idiot, don''t even joke about it! K-Krische-sama, I''ll do my best from now on..." "Krische''ve already asked Mia to be careful about this 57 times. It¡¯s the so-called lip service. Mia, you understand?" *humph humph* Krische crossed her arms and red at Mia from above Gururun. Then she looked at Kalua. "Kalua, since you usually live together, so you should do something about it. Starting today, you will officially be the head of Kurofuyo''s special task force leader cum Mia''s sleeping advisor." "Eh...? You know Usa-chan, there are some things in this world that you can''t do anything about..." ¡°Kalua, shut up.¡± Mia red at Kalua and sighed. Why did she be at such disadvantage because of the ident that happened while she was sleeping. It was truly unreasonable. She cursed her own body. With this, it was confirmed that Krische¡¯s nagging would be repeated at every opportunity for the rest of the day. "Sigh...Even though I thought Krische-sama¡¯s mood would be better after eating." "...I can hear you, Mia." ¡°Ah, ah no, it was just a figure of speech and not¡¡± ¡°Is Mia trying to use a figure of speech treat Krische like a kid and Gururun?¡± "Now, now, Usa-chan, look, this is delicious bread. Oh, bread with slits, stuffed with sausage and cheese..." Kahlua quickly took out a sandwich from the snack set she received in the basket and shook it from side to side as if to show it off to Krische. Krische sullenly jumped down and took it, opening her small mouth and nibbled at it. The sausage packed with the vor of the meat, and the cheese still warm and soft, with a strong salty taste. However, by sandwiching it between bread, the strong vor was reduced¨D¨Dit was a simple, hearty, yet extremely delicious dish. Krische nodded, saying it wasn''t bad, and bit into it, while Gururun looked at it with some kind of expectation and interest. "Gururun is a gllutton. If you eats that much, you''ll get fat." When Krische tried to hide the bread, Gururun let out a miserable ¡®gururu¡¯ voice. Krische who saw that weny ¡®muu¡¯, and cut it into a quarter and threw it in front of Gururun. Gururun let out a happy ¡®gururu¡¯ voice and chomp it down. "...Really. You can''t anymore snack okay." Kalua looked at Gururun who was in a good mood with an indescribable expression as she watched Krische jump on Gururun while nibling on her bread and pat her on the side. She couldn¡¯t believe that the monster with which she fought to the deathst night was the same creature. Of course, she was aware of the achievement of this ¡®big meow meow¡¯ named Gururun, but she still felt like she had drawn the short end of the stick. When Kahlua averted her gaze while sighing, the female general, Tekrea Lemin, appeared from beside her on horseback. "...Alberinea" "Ah, good morning...afternoon? Hmm...it''s been a while, General Lemin." "Long time no see" Even though she didn¡¯t her helmet, she was in armor. The situation was no longer that of a great danger, but it was probably just her nature. Looking at the Suiko with a slightly nervous look on her face, she dismounted from her horse and saluted Krische¨D¨Dthe adjutant next to her, Milcarz, followed suit. Krische returned the favor by pointing her thumb at her chest while still riding on Gururun, Mia and Kalua also saluted. "Keith said to send his thanks. He said General Lemin helped him hunt the remnants, which made things a lot easier." "Ha. I only fulfilled my natural responsibility, Alberinea." When Tekrea said so, Krische smiled happily while swaying her silver hair like two tails. She ignored the Suiko who was sitting there, and when Tekrea looked at her up close like this, she still looked like an adorable girl. The inside of her cloak was a one-piece dress, which probably made her look unsuitable for the battlefield. ¡°Putting aside General Keithriton, to be honest, General Lemin full of hole or rather...hmm, Krische had some concerns, but General Lemin performed better than Krische expected. Krische thought there would be some damage, but it''s less severe than Krische imagined, it''s not a bad result." However, her words were very direct and clear. Her words seem to show concern, but that concern also couldn¡¯t be felt. Kalua and Mia looked at Krische exasperated, but Tekrea didn''t seem to mind. She knew that she didn''t really have any malicious intent. She had heard simr words many times in meetings. Rather, it should be taken as apliment. "Ha. However, I lost one corpsmander under mymand, and I realized how inexperienced I was. It was only with the help of Assistant Marshal Farren and General Keithriton that I was able to avoid making any further mistakes. ...From now on, I will train and study harder." When Tekrea says that, she looked into Krische''s eyes. "There''s not even a need topare it to Alberinea''s aplishments. ...This feat of achievement was splendid." "Hmm...for Krische it was quitecking though." Krische crossed her troubled and patted the Suiko on the shoulder. Midoriya starts walking, and Tekre follows, pulling the horse reins with her hand. "Some escaped huh..." "That said, this is more than enough results. It can be considered that this invasion by Elderant had beenpletely defeated." In one night, Elderant¡¯s army of 120,000 soldiers was destroyed. At the very least, only the Arkaz army deployed in the north was able to retreat in an organized manner. Even that army''s main camp was attacked by Krische while they were retreating, and they lost their rear in the pursuit, and it was a stalemate. Now they have no choice but to run away. "Krische goal was not to defeat them, but to wipe out the entire army. A considerable number of enemy soldiers escaped to the north." ¡®Krische should have brought more Bonjara¡¯, Krische said pouting her mouth looking a little. In one night, she destroyed two armies and forced the remaining one into a state where they were unable to continue fighting, and it still wasn''t good enough for her. Tekrea was looking at this fight based on whether they could win or not, but their thinking was fundamentally different. She was assuming victory and then choosing the oue. "Krische''ll leave the cleaning up to General Keithriton and General Lemin." The Alberinea army had been given an order to not ept the surrender of enemy soldiers until dawn¨D¨Da battle of annihtion. True to her words, she must have intended to kill all 120,000 within the night if possible. For the postwar period. "For the sake of peace in the west, it is of great significance to whittle down the enemy forces here. Please don''t let your guard down." She was extremely ruthless and had nopassion for enemy soldiers. To her, it was just a number. "Depending on both of your requests, Krische is hesitated if Krische should little longer and help out but..." No matter how small the number, the number of enemy soldiers who diedst night would exceed 50,000. She heard that soldiers who lost their will to fight and those who deserted were relentlessly killed. The situation was so cruel¨D¨Dsome troops even deliberately sent surrendered enemy soldiers to Tekrea. Alberinea''s order that poke holes in the Holy Spirit Covenant was not without reason¨D¨Dbut Tekrea who was powerless had no words to condemn her. Her choice was at least correct and effective in terms of national defense and justified as a military personnel. "No......Please leave the rest of the work to me and General Keithriton. It''s not worth bothering Alberinea." Therefore, those were the only words that she could utter. Tekrea believed that there should be noble principles on the battlefield. There was a line somewhere that must not be crossed. She didn¡¯t think it''s wrong. Both herself and her. That''s why Tekrea only did what she could at her own discretion. "Ehehe, I see. Then Krische''ll leave it to you." "...Ha. As nned, Alberinea will be with Assistant Marshal Faren?" ¡°Right...¡± Krische heard those words and clutched the pouch hanging around her neck with great care. "¡¡just" "...?" And she rxed her cheeks happily. ¡°Krische will parted here for a while and went east through the royal city, right.¡± As he turned my back on the enemy general and returned to the main camp from the right wing, an enemy corps appeared from the south¨D¨Dthe right nk. It was arge-scale enemy nk attack. Ledo was first forced to make a choice there. Should he ignore it and return to the main camp? 1000 hunting squad led by Ledo¨D¨DWithout support, the right wing would be destroyed. Abnormalities at the headquarters could not be ignored. But, this surprise attack on the right should not be ignored. ¨D¨DThe situation was chaotic. The overall situation was not clear. At the very least for Ledo who was in the frontline, there was no way for him to know that Meeklea had already copsed, and that an army-sized army was approaching from the south. There was no doubt that the main camp had been attacked by surprise, but Ledo thought that this was just a surprise attack by a small number of elite ambush soldiers. He never dreamed that the situation was already at the limit. The onlyposition in his mind was Veeze''s army against Keithriton army. If he were infer from that, what would be even more terrifying than the surprise attack on the main camp would be the destruction of the right wing and the frontal breakthrough of Keithriton army. ¡®hg..., the main camp includes Shelna, Zuren and the others, and Zigret-sama! We will support the retreat of the right wing and move into guerri action to prevent the enemy from breaking through!!¡¯ As a fieldmander, his judgment was correct. In response to the words of the brave captain Ledo, who ignored his personal feelings, the Veeze hunting party fought with all their might. Without their efforts, Veeze¡¯s right wing would have been destroyed in a single breath. However, what was approaching from the nk on the right wing was the kingdom''s most elite¨D¨Dthe second corps of Kolkis Argand, under the direct control of Alberinea. They fought through the civil war, defeated Gulshan head on, and their morale level was at its peak. A corps that would have overwhelmed Veeze¡¯s right wing even if it had attacked head on. The nk attack caused by this attack was extremely difficult to withstand. Already under a fierce attack from the front by Keithriton''s army, Ledo and the others¡¯s efforts were in vain. ¡®You''re very powerful. I think you endured quite well, but...are you themander of the guerri force?¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ What broke through that defense was the blood-stained silver tiger armor. It was a monster whose body was made entirely of steel and could easily swing arge spear that looked like an iron club. He was far superior to the current Ledo, and he led elite men¨D¨Dat least they weren''t easy opponents to fight with a tattered hunting squad. ¡®Ledo, as Kanalua¡¯s Chief Warrior, I sincerely thank you. ...But that''s enough. The right wing can''t stand it anymore. You guys go to Shelna-sama.¡¯ ¡®But¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®Warrior of Kanalua! Never let go of the de and fight without fear of death!! Our blood and bravery will surely be passed down into the future!! Arcand!!¡¯ ¡®HA!!¡± The Right Wing¨D¨DKanalua¡¯s Chief Warrior personally leads his elite to the enemy general. Ledo had no choice but to turn his back on them. It was only then that he understood the situation. Obviously, their color was different from the Keithriton army they were fighting with. There was an armypletely different from Keithriton¡¯s army on this battlefield. Enough time had passed. However, there was no sign that Meeklea in the south had moved to support them. He had heard a report from Kanalua¡¯s Chief Warrior that they had been attacked. There was no follow-up, and cold sweat ran down his back. ¨D¨DWhen he passed through the forest and arrived at the main camp, it was already upied by the enemy. The camp is in disarray, and Elderant soldiers were lying on the ground¨D¨Dit looked so one-sided that it''s hard to believe that a battle had taken ce. At least no corpses of enemy soldiers were visible. ''Shoot the enemying out of the forest! Fagran, form a wide line of battle against the forest, and we''ll nk them that way!¡¯ The enemy number in the thousands, or 5,000 if it were a single corps. At the very least, Redo and his men, who were still in a state of exhaustion¨D¨Dthe hunting squad numbered less than 500, but they were not able to do anything about it, and Ledo and the others proceeded north through the forest. No matter what, he knew that they had lost this battle. The main camp has copsed, the center had lost control, and the left would likely be the same. Veeze¡¯s army was destroyed, and the forest was filled with deserters running north. Veeze¡¯s army in the forest is caught in the east and west, with the enemying from the south¨D¨Dthe only ce they could escape was to the north. Ledo realized that this was no longer a rescue of the main force, but a mere rout. Still, he just prayed for Sherna''s safety and inspired his troops. Zuren was also in the main camp. He knew that Sherna was stronger than anyone else. At least, she would have survived¨D¨Dthat''s what he thought, and he went to the north. As he proceeded through the center rear, he found countless corpses with arrows sticking out of them. The hunting squad left behind at the main camp was also mixed in there. Were they pursued while fleeing the main camp? Even so, it was so one-sided that there was no sign of a battle. Everyone had been killed by a single arrow, and broken trees could be seen. They were heading northeast from the main camp¨D¨DKirs, the left wing. Ignoring the soldiers who were running straight north, Ledo headed there with the hunting squad. After seeing the headless corpse of Zigret, the head priest, he leaves his subordinates behind. He didn''t even care that the branches and leaves were hurting his face, "ah¡¡" ¨D¨Dand. She spent some time in Keithriton''srge tent reporting and discussing the damage caused by this battle. Krische was in a good mood from beginning to end. The loss was only one corpsmander, and the loss of soldiers was less than 10,000 against enemy twice their number. Although there was some attrition, considering that the battle started with a ratio of 63,000 to 120,000, the damage was negligible. It can be said that the gradual retreat strategy led by Eluga, which avoided directbat as much as possible, and Felworth''smand worked well together, and considering that they were able to eliminate nearly two-thirds of the enemy soldiers, it was a great victory without anyint. "¨D¨DGenerally speaking, there are no problems, and that''s about all to report on each other''s situation for now. Skeleton, ehehe, thank you once again for your hard work." "Yes, Krische-sama too. However, you arrived rather early, and thanks to that, we had less loss." "It''s because Skeleton did his best. Skeletons always live up to Krische expectations." When she grabbed Eluga''s hand, she shook it happily, and Eluga also seemed happy, distorting his evil appearance. It looked like a scene between a beautiful girl and a good-natured old man, but his evil face was wicked no matter what. Female General Tekrea resisted the urge to back away and stood in ce. Eluga''s adjutant Quinez and Mia looked into her eyes, sensing that they somehow understood her. What could be called a mysterious friendship existed there. " General Keithriton and General Lemin too, thankyou your hard work. Krische will join up with Skeleton as nned, and from now on, Krische will leave it to you to hunt down the remnants and liberate the upied city." ¡°...Certainly¡± "General Keithriton and the other should cooperate with Arna in the north. It will be useful for hunting the remnants, and the enemy will be Elderant soldiers. If we don''t remove it as much as possible, we''ll be troubled by bandit after the war, so be careful.'''' Krische said troubledly. ¡°It seems that many undelivered viges have been burned down, so please do something about that as well. It seems that many like that happened, and if you think that it was because Hilkintos neglected to protect the people, it feels kind of sad that they were left alone.'''' Felworth looked surprised at those words and stared at Krische. Krische tilted her head and Felworth smiled bitterly. "No, it was a little surprising. If that''s the case, then of course." "...? Well, that''s fine, but... Kreschenta wants a speedy recovery and stability, so even if you do it randomly it will probably meet Kreschenta¡¯s wish." "Yes ma¡¯am. Acknowledged" Felworth saluted, looking slightly happy, and Tekrea followed suit. Krische nodded, took a sip of the sweet tea, and turned her attention back to Eluga. ¡°Skeleton will go north and then east with the Ojii-sama and Meow Meow. It will be a long journey, so please marched in a reasonable hurry¡¡± ¡°Yes.¡ How is the current situation in the East?¡± There was an information blockade in the kingdom, and Eluga and the others did not know information about other regions. Krische said that it seemed to be doing a little better than expected, and smiled. ¡°Gulshan obediently surrendered and the problem was temporarily resolved, so General Garhka and the others are heading east from the south.¡± East turned out to be better than originally nned. Originally, Dougleen was nning to take the opportunity to head east while liberating the southern part of the kingdom with the intact central army, but with Gulshan surrendering, the problem was temporarily resolved. Dougleen and the central generals left a minimum number of troops in the south and began pressing on Elsren from the southeast. At least 40,000 troops. Since Arna''s army was located in the Sea of Trees in the northeast of the kingdom, they had enough troops to discourage Elsren. Elsren was under pressure from the north and south. "It looks like this one is over as well. Krische don''t know the details of the situation over there, but since it''s General Verreich, Krische¡¯s sure it''ll be fine." Krische said that. Wolfeneit in particr was a strong fortified city, and was led by Nozan, who had been highly regarded since the civil war. With him at the helm, even Krische didn¡¯t see any problems with the defensive battle. "...Right. In that situation, Verreich would be able to handle it well. The way he fought the other day¨D¨Dhe can now be said to be the best general in the kingdom, excluding Krische-sama." Felworth nodded. He was too good a man to have been a mere corpsmander in the first ce. "Christand, me, and His Highness¨D¨D" At the word ¡®His Highness¡¯, Krische furrowed her eyebrows and said, ¡®Excuse me¡¯, and smiled bitterly. "...Krische told you not to say that in front of Krische, geez." Krische spoke while puffing out his cheeks, while Eluga next to her patted Krische on the head, troubled. "My apologies. I didn''t mean any harm." "...Well, it¡¯s fine though." Tekrea, who didn¡¯t know much about the situation, looked at her lieutenant''s eyes in confusion, as Krische who said that while pouting was exactly what a child would do. Kalua''s expression hardened a little, and Mia silently pulled her hand. The two of them quietly looked at each other and went back to normal. "Well, in any case... everyone who knew him thought he should be a general. If Garhka were to join him, I would feel at ease." "I agree with you. Even though we can''t say we have enough troops, they are originally the strongest of the three sides. General Gokhals and General Riekles are not bad...I don''t think they arecking. Although they are facing the most difficult opponent." Elsren was the most well-equipped of the three kingdoms, and its generals were also excellent. And above all, they were a strong cavalryman from a nomadic tribe. Putting aside defensive battles, if it were a decisive battle on the ins where the opponent could make full use of their mobility, even if they had superior military strength, it would be quite dangerous to confront Elsren head-on. Thet had also told Dougleen in advance not to act on his own and to keep the pressure on them. "Well, General Verreich is both tough and flexible, so long as it''s a defensive battle, there''s no danger. Krische-sama must be tired from all the hard work. Please take this opportunity to rest a little." "...Ehehe, yes." Eluga said this, and Krische looked embarrassed and held her reddened cheeks with both hands. Seeing this, Tekrea asked as she recalled. "...Now that you mention it, Alberinea will be heading east via the royal capital right." "Yes, Krische have to report to Selene and Kreschenta, have a meeting with General Verreich in advance, and do a lot of other things...Well, while Krische is at it, Krische think Krische¡¯ll go to the estate for a little while...and help around the house." Looking at Krische who shyly said that, Eluga distorted his evil appearance and smiled bitterly. ¡°With this results, there is no one who will me Krische-sama for taking a little break. In fact, Krische-sama needs a break. It will take some time for the army to get to the other side. Until then, take it easy. Also, I would also like to have some of Krische-sama and Bery-san¡¯s cooking.¡± "Yes, Bery also said that we''ll have a party after the war is over, so Krische''ll invite Skeleton too. When Krische get back, Bery and Krische will think about various things." The girl smiled happily. ¨D¨DThose who appeared around Shelna Wese were not just elites. The ck-armored century led by Alberinea. She had heard rumors that they were elite, but she could not imagined it. The elite that Sherna had brought ahead of her was seventeen. All of them were magic possessors that could keep up with her footsteps, and they were all capable of surviving against ten people. However, they were up against over 200 people¨D¨Dthe fact that they were magic possessors was not an advantage. How did they catch up in such a short time? How did theyplete the siege? The answer was right in front of them. ¡°......!¡± The speed and power of the spear was impossible for a mere spear thrower. Even as she saw this, Shelna turned her body into a whirlwind. She had exceeded the limits of human perception¨D¨Deven the flow of time had been changed to something slower. Twisting and turning, she dodged seven of the spears aimed at her as if dancing, and grabbed one of them. With a single step, she took the power of the spear as her own and turned it into centrifugal force. The three arrows that were approaching her were snapped off by the spear she had grabbed. The elite led by Shelna were easily able to defeat a mere surprise attack, but this was no mere surprise attack. The elite that should have been 17 men were reduced to less than 10 in that instant, and only 7 remained. Aaron''s escort was also half destroyed¨D¨Dand the Suiko had reaped even more of them. The main camp, which should have had 150 men, had only 73 remaining around it. Shelna immediately understood that this would not be a battle.. "S-Shelna-sama, run away!" Zuren shouted. Rationally she knew it was right. However, there was a moment of hesitation, and emotion affected her actions, "Kuh!" She quickly dodged the de that swung at her from the edge of her field of vision, right beside her. Sharp and fast. She instantly understood that it was no ordinary swordsman. That was why she reads the next attack and takes another half step backward. At that moment, it was swung from a downswing to a upswing¨D¨Da high-speed up-and-down double sh that was not even linked. While avoiding it, Shelna flicked the sword from the side with the hilt of the spear and lowered herself. Twisting at the waist, what Shelna fired from the back was a roaring right heel. However, the girls¡¯s beautiful face was a just a sun away. The backward kick struck nothing. She instantly jumped back and up into the tree. She opened a distance from the man in ck armor. "...I didn''t expect you to be able to evade this. I heard that you had an extraordinary swordsmanship, and you certainly looks like a force to be reckoned with." The manughed. He was not someone to be defeated easily, especially in this situation. In this moment, only half from half survived. There was no time to think. ¡°Please go!! Shelna-sama!!¡± Zuren''s words echoed. Zuren screamed as his left arm was injured he swung arge spear with only his right arm. ¡°You must survive!!¡± "Zuren!" She heard the pping of a griffin''s wings above her head. "Gah...!?" The spear pierced the giant body of the warrior directly below his shoulders. The Griffin cavalryman who jumped down from above let go of the spear that had pierced Zuren and pulled out her curved sword. Just like the man before her, most of the familiar faces had disappeared. "..." She jumped into the forest without looking back. Trying not to think about the magnitude of what she lost in an instant, she dodged the arrows and javelins from behind, and moved forward using the trees and bushes as a shield. No one could catch up with Shelna, who grew up using the forest as her yground. That should have been the case, but there was one exception. Something that easily followed Shelna as she ran. Even without looking, she could tell what it was that was trying to block Shelna''s escape by tearing down the trees. If it was just a Suiko, there would be no problem. The time when she was afraid of a Suiko was a thing of the past¨D¨DShelna felt no fear to Suiko. She was simply afraid of the being it carried. A small meadow that formed between the trees and the gap in the forest. Dancing in front of her from the side was a gigantic tiger, eight shaku tall at the shoulders, with silver hair. ¨D¨DPurple eyes shining in the starlight. "Geez, you shouldn¡¯t tun you know, what such a troublesome person. Krische''ll have to scold Aleha tooter." Just as her appearance looked, she had an angry face like that of a young girl''s. Even when dealing with Shelna, she didn''t seem nervous or wary at all. She jumps off the Suiko and spun Aaron''s curved sword in her hands. "...As a General of Veeze, I surrender." She couldn¡¯t win. She couldn¡¯t escape. Shelna already understood. Whether she fights or runs away, she would probably be killed by this girl. "Krische can''t recognize it. Look, it''s already a moonless night and visibility is poor in the forest." The girl showed her surroundings and smiled. ¡°Moreover, the soldiers of the Elderant army are of poor quality, ughtering nonbatants, and the chain ofmand is unclear... There is a risk that our soldiers will suffer unnecessary damage due to the ceasefire after surrender. As themander of Alberan''s army, Krische refuses." Please die peacefully, the girl told her. She had a lovely smile like a girl''s, and that was why she looked so mad. But somehow, she could understand it. No matter what she said, the girl was going to kill her. The way she calmly kills people¨D¨Dthe girl resembled her in some way. "...There''s someone I really want to live and meet." "Hehe, what a strange coincidence. Krische too." The girl was surely a person who couldn¡¯t understand other people''s pain. "But because of you guys, doing such stupid things Krische need to be in a ce like this. Krische is really unhappy..." Even though she was smiling, her purple eyes seemed devoid of any emotion, inorganic. However, Shelna could understand the certain murderous intent that was reflected there. "...That''s why Krische''ll kill all the bad people so that something like this can never happen again. If Krische do that, there will be peace around Krische... ...Krische will be able to do things that are much more enjoyable." At some point, Shelna realized that she herself was distorted. She was happy because she had people who supported her. She was sure she would be happier eventually. ¨D¨DBut it ended today. "Krische ended idle talking huh." She smiled happily. She was like Shelna who had caused countless deaths. She also, one who spread death. Shelna would be killed for what the girl desired, just as Shelna had killed many for what she desired. This was because she was much more pure and strong than Shelna. "Goodbye" The distance was 6 ken¨D¨Dthe step was too smooth. Footwork and eleration that embody Shelna''s ideals. Her whole body spins around and she threw Aaron''s curved sword. The power of that de could be understood even in such a slow time, where not even a sound could be heard. An ordinary opponent would have died in that one move. they would have lost. But Sherna stepped in and thrust her right hand into the whirlwind. Avoiding the high-speed spinning de, she gripped the hilt and leaned into its centrifugal force. Then, using the rotation, she swung the spear in her left hand in a wide arc. This girl, Alberinea, would easily dodge it. ¨D¨DNo, wrong. A fast spear couldn¡¯t even disturb her. She instantly let go of the spear, which had lost its weight. Without even looking, she noticed that the spear was cut off from the middle of the body. Her body turns to the right by centrifugal force¨D¨Dher back pointing at the girl. Would she make it in time? No, she wouldn¡¯t make it. At this rate, the girl''s de would reach her faster than Shelna could cut her down with her curved sword. She instantly switched and swung her right leg around her left leg. The heel using centrifugal force cuts through the wind, but there is no sensation when she swung through. In the first ce, the girl was already not there. "hg..." ¨D¨DShe realized that at once and threw her head back. What she saw was the right de twisting around like a spinning top and being swung. The girl was approaching from behind. As if in pursuit of the curved sword in Sherna''s grasp, Alberinea had slipped into the blind her spot circling around the spiral drawn by Shelna. She avoided it by just a hair''s breadth, "¡¡ah" ¨D¨DBut the de to her left continued to tear her white throat. A momentary impact hit her from above her cuirass, and her body fell onto the grass. "Muu, that''s too shallow. You shouldn¡¯t dodge, geez. It''ll just hurt, okay?" "Hg, ah..." Her blood was pouring out and she couldn''t breathe. She grabbed the throat and almost fall to her knees, but she withstood, stood up and kicked and rolled. Amidst her pain, his smiling face appeared in her mind. His slightly shy and blunt face ovepped with the purple glow. "sh, ...e, o" Shelna murmured¨D¨DKrische pressed down on her body, stomping on her breastte. Then, she shed the head of the enemy general who was muttering something, and jumped back to avoid her blood. "Hmm, Krische thought it would be a little easier to kill you but" ¡®Krische is stillcking¡¯, she said, cing the ¡°light one¡± on her right hip, as if troubled. She used corpse''s pants to clean the dirt on the ¡°heavy one¡±. The sound had stopped on the enemy''s left wing headquarters a little further away, the battle must have ended there as well. "Krische, the enemy general is..." Mia appeared from the forest and was about to say something, but when she saw the corpse of the female general besides Krische, she understood. "It¡¯s over. She was a bit nimble and troublesome. Mia, please show it appropriately. That left wing main camp is the route of the routed soldiers, so it''s perfect." "Eh..." "Ah, okay, okay, I''ll do it now." Kahlua looked at Mia, who seemed to hate it from the bottom of her heart, and looked at the dead face exasperated. She squinted her eyes as she saw ther= tears rising there. "She''s a beauty, what a waste....Well, in a way, it''s better that Usa-chan killed her." Her fingers closed her eyes, and she carried therge curved sword on her shoulder. And swung it down to her neck. Veeze¡¯s left wing illuminated by bonfires¨D¨DKirs main camp. All of Kirs soldiers had already fled. There were no living humans there. In their ce were countless corpses, some with missing heads. "¡¡No...way" And when Ledo saw the gs of Kirs lined up there, he was stunned fell to his knees. The men of the hunting squad who managed to catch up with Ledo were speechless and dropped their swords. The g that was standing there had many heads stuck in it. The head of Aron Chirus, who Ledo hated from the bottom of his heart. The head of the hunting squad member who he spent many years together. The head of the respected head priest, Zigret. The head of his best friend, Zuren. ¨D¨DAnd, the chestnut-colored hair. "...Shell...na." It was the head of the person Ledo loved more than anyone else, Shelna Veeze. Chapter 199: Witch and Moon Eclipse Chapter 199: Witch and Moon Eclipse ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 199 Witch and Moon Eclipse*** A/N: Note, There is a depiction equivalent to R-15 (sexual). Please be careful if you are not good at it. The sky with the arcing moon rising. Royal estate¨D¨Da woman lies on her back with her eyes closed on the bed in the master''s room. Her long eyshes fluttered and her big eyes opened slightly. She was petite and slender, but on her feminine body she wore a light pink negligee "¡¡quiet" Bery said as if sighing, cing her arm on her forehead. She picked up her red hair in her hands and looked at it in the moonlight shining through her window. Her hair had gotten a little longer. She wondered idly if she should cut it off, and then gave up the idea as it was a bad omen. Selene and Kreschenta were addressing the soldiers in the east. Anne and Elvena were out with them. The silence in the estate was quite chilly. She thought that if Kreschenta appeared, she would be there too, but since Bery was a little unwell, Elvena took her ce. It was just a mild fever¨D¨Dnot that it bothered her, but Selene and Kreschenta were adamant about it since they were going to a ce close to the battlefield. ¡®Stupid. It''s not just a sightseeing trip, it''s a trip to see what''s going on in the military. In some cases, we will have to walk around in unsanitary ces, but what if you get even worse?¡¯ ¡®Yes, that''s right. If you, the stupid one, were to make it worse and fall, just what would Onee-sama say? You really are a helpless servant who doesn''t think enough huh.¡¯ Bery smiles bitterly at the memory. The fever subsided within a day and there were no other problems. She understood that they were worried about her, but if the result was this, she should have followed even by force, she thought, and took a deep breath. This ce wasn''t really a big estate, but it was still too spacious for her to spend time alone. She woke her body up, stood up, and went to the table. She poured the half-empty ss of leftover nightcap wine and emptied it. Taking a sip of the wine. The scent was a little faded. Thinking back, she hadn''t even corked the bottle since she drank it earlier. She drank it all in one gulp and breathed in the liquor that she felt. Slowly, she traced her lips with her fingertips from the top. "...Krische-sama" She had no trouble sleeping alone, or spending time alone, for that matter. She thought she was used to it, she thought she was strong in that aspect¨D¨Dbut somehow she had be much, much weaker. She felt even lonelier when I put it into words, so she kept her eyes down. It had been less than a month, but she felt as if she had not seen her face for a very long time. She had heard that Krische had defeated Gulshan. She knew that she must be safe and sound. But Krische would always push herself. She was worried about many things, including whether she had a fever, whether she was eating properly, and whether she was sleeping properly. She drank to try not to think about it, but the more she drank, the more her thoughts swirled around. When she hugged her knees on the chair, her breasts were squeezed and she frowned. Her lips pouted, and forcefully hugged her knees and sighed. A vague sense of drunkenness lingers in the air. The air was somehow cool against her feverish body, and sleepiness neveres. When she looked in the full-length mirror, she saw herself in a chair, in nightgown, behaving in a bad manner. It''s sloppy but there''s nothing she could do about it. Laughing at herself, she muttered, ¡®what a bad drink'' Even though she was always so careful, this was what happened when she thought no one was watching. On the desk, an empty wine bottle and ss gave off a nice taste. This made her look like a good for nothing¨D¨Dno, in reality that was the truth. She was just ying the role of a fine servant, but her true identity was like this. Bery Argan was such a slovenly and pitiful woman. Selene and Kreschenta were busy going around every day, holding meetings, and interacting with merchants and nobles. Bery, on the other hand, was only doing a little housekeeping and chores as usual. She was always looking out for the two of them so that they could rest a little, helping them in any way she could, but she might be the one who was being taken care of. Both Selene and Kreschenta seemed to be concerned about Bery''s condition in some way. ¨D¨DBad habit. Thinking only about dark things. Her eyes narrowed as she remembered her sister''s words. ¡®I shouldn''t have drunk alcohol¡¯, she sighed again. When she get drunk alone, I be even more gloomy than she already was Trying to forget the bad things from childhood, she forced herself to drink wine, and the bad things just keeping back. She had been thinking of quitting heavy drinking since then, but what happened was this. Was there even people with such weak wills as hers, she even felt she was pathetic. ¡°¡I can¡¯t let Krische-sama see me like this.¡± She giggled and looked down. ¡®Krische-sama¡¯, she whispered. Beautiful hair that looks like fine silver threads. Beautiful purple eyes like jewels. There''s something about her that''s modest and neat, with her childish smile and her snow-white skin, all of which are simply beautiful¨D¨Da girl who just shows her innocence towards herself. Recalling her figure, she muttered once again, ¡®Krische-sama¡¯. Then, a breeze came rushing in from behind her. "Ehehe, so Bery is awake." "¡¡Huh?" She quickly turned around, but before she could, the silver hair came up to her and hugged her from behind. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± A sweet voice like the ringing of a bell. The silver hair swayed as she rubbed her cheeks against the stunned Bery¨D¨Dpurple shone at the edge of her vision. "...? Ah, did Krische surprise Bery...?" "J-just a little bit...Wee home." "Sorry. Um, Krische was thinking that Berry might be resting, but Krische... Are Selene and the others not here? Ah..." As if realizing something, Krische hurriedly distanced herself from Bery. Bery tilted her head and stood, and Krische embarrassedly said. "...Even though Bery was wearing nightgown, Krische hugged Bery with outside clothes." "Ah...fufu, don''t worry. I don''t mind." Smiling bitterly at Krische, Bery told her while pinching her cloak, and approached and patted her head. Then she put her hand on Krische¡¯s cheek and slowly pressed her lips to Krische¡¯s. It was the sensation she had desired for a long time. Happily, Krische pressed her lips against hers, too, and after a moment, they separated. Krische licked her own lips with her tongue and smiled, smelling and tasting wine. "...My apologies. A little nightcap" Bery''s cheeks, stained with the spirit of alcohol, turned even redder. Krische stared intently at Bery''s face with her purple eyes. Touching Bery¡¯s cheek with her hand and caressing her lovingly. Then, this time, Krische pressed her lips against Bery¡¯s. "Ehehe, don''t worry about it. Krische doesn''t mind." She said somewhat happily, mimicking Berry''s words. Berry''s eyes widened and she looked taken aback, "...fufu, geez. That¡¯s not good." She smiled happily. Having taken off her cloak, Krische removed her belt and put down her bag and sword. As expected, it waste at night, and it wasn''t time to take a bath. While Bery was preparing warm water for her, Krische took off her clothes, leaving the pouch around her neck, sat on the bed, and took off her boots. The moonlight shining through the window¨D¨DThe servant in her nightgown looked more beautiful than ever. Her red hair glistened, her long eyshes that surrounded the brown eyes seemed wet. She seemed a little dazed, probably due to the alcohol, and her pale skin had a light pink tint to it. Beautiful, she gazed at the figure as she changed. Selene and the others were apparently in the east, in the direction of Nozan. Normally, Bery would have gone with Kreschenta, but she was staying at home. When Krische asked, Bery told her that it was just that kind of fortuitous meeting. ¡°I''ve been thinking about Krische-sama for a long time, so maybe my wish came true.¡± Bery sometimes said difficult things like that, which didn¡¯t seem like an answer. Krische didn''t really understand it, but when she thought about what would happen if Anne was the only one left in the estate instead of Bery, for Krische it was surely some kind of fortuitous meeting. Bery also looked happy, and though Krische didn''t really understand it, it was fine. After taking off the underwear, Bery took Krische''s hand as she tried to remove her garter belt. "...There''s a little scar." Then she looked at the wrist. ¡°As expected, the back of my gauntlet is going to get a little scratchy no matter what¡it doesn¡¯t hurt, Krische is fine.¡± Even when she threw spears or swung swords, the friction with the back of the gauntlet causes some wear and tear. The inside was soft and made of cotton, so it wasn''t that bad, andpared to wielding swords and spears without gauntlets, it was a minor issue. But Bery lowered her eyebrows and carefully cleaned it with a wrung out towel. "There''s no way it doesn''t hurt. Even if it ''s true, it would be terrible if it left scars on Krische-sama¡¯s beautiful body.¡± "¡¡yes" "Be honest about this kind of thing. Krische-sama should just honestly said it, there¡¯s always room for improvement when ites to tools so¨D¨D" Bery said that as she looked at the garter belt and noticed Krische¡¯s appearance. Her face became even redder as she looked flustered, looking away and said, ¡®For tomorrow¡¯. Krische smiled nkly, but nodded silently. Krische didn¡¯t like the fact that she was worrying Bery a little, but she was also a little happy that she was worrying about her. There was a feeling in Krische that she didn''t quite understand. ¡°Um, Bery.¡± She yed with the bag of candy hanging around her neck and stared at Bery. Berry looked at the bag and smiled bitterly. "...Ah, fufu, don''t worry about my tongue." She brought her face close to Krische¡¯s and narrowed her eyes gently. ¡°Can I have it?¡That¡¯s the charm right.¡± "Yes, um, about that..." "...?" "Uh, Krische thinks Bery will probably like it..." Krische took out a piece of candy. She poured her magic power and stimted it and presses the candy to Bery''s wondering lips. Bery rolled it around in her mouth¨D¨Dand suddenly froze, holding her mouth. ¡°Loo, just like when the hands tingle with Poison Piririn, or how one can feel the texture of things using magic, Krische was wondering if it would be possible to recreate the taste using the sensation of magic....Krische tried it on quite a few people but...¡± If you can''t treat the sense of taste itself, then you can just use magic to recreate the taste instead of using sense of taste. Find the factor that stimtes the taste, and manifest magic that responds to it¨D¨Dit temporarily changes the reaction of the sixth sense of magical power, not the five senses of the body, and reproduces it as a taste. When Krische picked up the candy engraved with magic, there was a sweetness of honey on her fingertips. Although there are many aspects of the human body and its principles that are poorly researched, Krische had a deeper understanding than anyone else of the magical power that oveps with the human body, and the spiritual body that it forms. Changing the senses conveyed to the ovepping spiritual bodies¨D¨Dsouls was not that difficult for Krische, as long as the idea came to her. She tried it on Mia, Kalua, and some of the ck g Special Force members in advance. Although there are some differences in taste depending on the individual, it was generally fine. However, Bery remained frozen and unresponsive. She started to stand up, wondering if maybe it was no good. "..., it tasted like honey." "Ha...Ehehe, that was good." Relieved, Krische sat down. Then, she took out a magic crystal from the bag that was ced beside her. "First, Krische tried it with a magic crystal, and this time Krische tried it with candy. It''s only sweet and sour that Krische can still sense and reproduce, but as soon as the war is over and things calm down, Krische''ll be able to do it. But in the end...ah¡± While she was excitedly exining, Bery suddenly kneeled down on her. Krische stopped her words and froze. In front of such a Krische, Bery covered her face with both hands and her shoulders gently shook. ¡°Ah, uh, Bery...?¡± Bery shook her head from side to side, scattering her red hair. She let out a small sound as if she was trying to hold back a hup, and sniffled. Krische was dumbfounded, got off the bed, and kneel. Holding the redhead gently, she pressed Bery¡¯s head against her chest. It was a semi-conscious action. She somehow understood that Bery was not crying because she was sad. She just gently stroked Bery¡¯s beautiful red hair with her hand. Berry''s hand weakly wrapped around Krische''s back, as her face was pressed into Krische¡¯s chest. Her skin felt wet with Bery¡¯s tears, and she didn''t know what to say. In the end, without saying anything, she pressed her cheek against Bery¡¯s red hair. A quiet estate on a quiet night. Two breathing sounds. Two heartbeats. The sound of sobs leaking out quietly, and one could even hear the sound of the red hair swaying as Krische stroked it¨D¨Dthe two of them just hugged each other. It''s a little too cold to spend most of their time naked. It was a little cold to spend the time being almost naked, but the warmth of their bodies was transmitted to each other from where they touch, warm andforting. Krische continued to stroke Bery¡¯s head, feeling fulfilled. After a while, Bery calmed down. She rxed her trembling shoulders and quietly took deep breaths. She sniffed several times, and her loud sighs became heated and tickled Krische modest breasts. "...Guess I showed Krische-sama a shameful sight. How embarrassing." The tone of her voice was a little more tearful than usual. Krische shook her head. "...Bery isn''t ugly at all. She''s been putting up with the pain for a long time, so it''s natural. Krische, when Bery woke Krische up, Krische''s face was even more shameful." ¡®So it''s okay¡¯, Krische nodded over and over again. Her shoulder shook gently and a littleugh could be heard. ¡°A-and Krische didn¡¯t see Bery crying, so Bery doesn¡¯t have to worry about showing something embarrassing. Krische, didn¡¯t see anything, and Krische won¡¯t tell people things she didn¡¯t see." "...Fufu, Krische-sama is so kind." Bery hugged Krische tightly. ¡°I love you¡±, Bery said, and Krische hugged her back. "Ehehe...Krische also loves Bery." she said as she smiled and let the red hair flow. It seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, giving off a beautiful red glow. "If you give Krische a little more time, it''ll probably be perfect... but there''s just a little problem." "¡¡problem" "Yes. Regardless of the technique itself, Krische still needs a medium like a magic crystal so..." Krische said, troubled. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a matter of taste, so Krische think the tongue would be appropriate, but if that¡¯s the case, Krische¡¯ll need to carve the form into Bery¡¯s tongue¡¡± "...on the tongue" "Yes. Since it transforms the magic crystal and engraves it on the tongue, it might be a little painful... Bery''s body will be damaged so...?" Bery shoulders shook, lifted her face and wiped her tears. Then Krische¡¯s lips Unlike usual, Bery tongue slipped inside her lips. When their tongues touched, Krische''s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Bery pulled away after a moment and smiled. "¡¡It is sweet" ¡°It¡¯s probably Taste Piririn¡¡± "Hehe. I''m sure... It''s Krische-sama." ¡°Guess Krische-sama can¡¯t be a bride anymore¡±, Beryughed and continue "...I have to take responsibility." ¡°R-responsibility...?¡± ¡°Yes¡± She lifted Krische¡¯s hips up on the bed. She ced her hands on top of hers, pressing down on both of her wrists, and covering Krische and her scattered silver hair from above. "...It¡¯s Krische-sama¡¯s fault." "Umm¡¡" "Always just trying to please me like that. Always worrying about things you shouldn''t have to worry about, and always, always... only about me" Krische looked up at Bery dazedly. Bery¡¯s eyes were warm and moist, leaving traces of tears. Her beautiful brown eyes seemed to suck her in. ¡°Also, right now, I''m no longer Krische-sama''s beloved servant, but...a good for nothing drunk. My judgment has be clouded by alcohol, and I can''t tell between right and wrong. ...Usually I can hold back, but today I can''t.¡± "...Is Bery always holding back?" ¡°Yes.¡I love Krische-sama, much much more than Krische-sama thinks.¡± Bery''s hands squeezed her wrists so hard it hurt. Bery''s eyes werepletely serious, and she was just staring at Krische. Her heart was beating rmingly. As if scared, as if happy, it''s a feeling that she didn¡¯t really understand. ¡°Krische, is Bery¡¯s so..., ah¡± Bery''s lips brushed against her corbone, then down her neck. It was ticklish and she squirmed slightly, and both lips. She realized what she was looking for, and when she stuck out her tongue, they intertwined with each other. "...That part of you Krische-sama. Krische-sama is a bad girl." "Uhh... yes." ¡°Usually, I would put up with such a bad girl Krische-sama, but today I¡¯m drunk, so I won¡¯t hold it back. Krische-sama is the one who is at fault.¡± "¡¡yes" Feverish brown eyes¨D¨Dshe felt like she could get burned by the gaze. Not scolding, not angry. She was surprised to see Bery''s appearance different from usual when making excuses, but somehow she felt happy and smiled. "...Ehehe, Krische is the bad one." "...saying that, I really don''t care what will happen, you know." ¡°Yes.¡What Bery wants to do is what Krische wants to do.¡± The woman who covered her up opened her light brown eyes wide and smiled. ¡®What a bad girl¡¯, she said, and brought her face close to hers. The moonlight shining into the room was eaten by shadows. The red hair, as if to cover up silver hair, lies on top of it. Chapter 200.1: Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 1) Chapter 200.1: Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 1) ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Character 200.1 Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 1)*** T/N Mostly the same as for arc 7 with the addition of new characters. Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10 cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half - 159 Kreschenta - 130, first half - (I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 159 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 8 ? Died by the end of Arc 8 - ------Major Character ¡õ Krische Alberinea Christand --- Order Evil Krische Rinea Christand is an unhinged girl who can kill people without hesitation. Adopted daughter of the Christand House. Main character of the story. Alberinea Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry¡± and is the Cursed Child of the royal family. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. Fundamentally she can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce. No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Therefore, she tends to demand of herself an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others., and she has the nature of not sparing any effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. As an individual, she is an overwhelming existence that no one can match, but she is dependent, mentally young, and fragile. The more she deepens her rtionships with those around her and the more human happiness she gains, the weaker she bes mentally. Compared to the time when she was mentally independent and did not value others, she has gradually drifted away from the "perfect existence" she had desired. However, her obsession with being perfect is fading, and she wants to be a person who can feel various things like a normal human being rather than being perfect that has cut out many things. Had be an adult a little ? Combat Command Extremely aggressive in bothbat and tactics. Amander with the disposition of a hunter who ces the highest priority on mobility to inflict fatal damage on his opponents, always uses his mobility to confuse the enemy, trap them, and never fight in a disadvantageous situation. She makes the most of the strongest piece (pawn) that is herself, preferring the "headhunting tactics" to prioritize enemymanders and eliminate them without question, She boasts overwhelming strength against enemies that fight her head-on. Fundamentally, other than the bare minimum she demanded of her subordinate, she doesn¡¯t expect anything else from them, and she assembles tactics to win with that in mind, despite that, she has a bad habit of always not being satisfied if she doesn''t aim for maximum results. Although she is usually covered by the ck Century, she often falls ill due to the excessive burden on herself, and yet she always pretends to be fine, which is not good for her. She is a troublesomemander who will copse if others do not follow her lead. Her only w, which makes her the strongest, is a very elementary one¨D¨Dshe is too stubborn and childish to manage her own physical condition properly. Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. Armor: casual clothes, gloves, reinforced boots. ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. Maybe a little stupid. Bery¡¯s. Strong points: Murder. Magic. Calction. Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be spoiled. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring for others. Watching Berry''s face. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. War. **Worries: None.** ¡õ Selene Argalitte Rinea Christand --- Neutral Good A serious and affectionate girl, head of the Christand House and a General, the only member of the Christand main House. She works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. She is a hardworking girl who has aplex about being a woman and works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. Until a few years ago, she cursed herself for being a woman instead of a man and put in so much excessive effort, enough for the people around her to feel uneasy until she met Krische who was overwhelmingly talented. As she takes care of her, who is young and likes housework in spite of her talent, she broadens her horizons, which had only allowed her to see herself as the daughter of a general, and she begins to cherish the small things in her life. Though she is talented, hardworking, and because of that she is extremely excellent, she is basically a hard worker who tends to push herself too hard. Her father, the Hero, Bogan, and his subordinate, as well as Bery and Krische. Due to growing up surrounded by gifted people, she tends to underestimate herself. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable effort on herself. She has a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and work whenever she has free time. Since she became a marshal, she has be a habit of saying that she is too busy, but she is full of motivation because she was able to fulfill her father''s wishes, such as the establishment of a military school. She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. She feels that it is her own inadequacy that Krische had to fight, and it is her goal to help her lead a peaceful life away from the battlefield. She hates herself for relying on and taking advantage of Krische, but the heavy responsibility and situation given to her doesn''t allow that. Although she has a strong respect for Bery, she also feels a sense of rivalry and jealousy towards Berry''s abilities and behavior, and it is her dream to one day beat her. ? Combat Command She is aggressive by nature, but she always doubted her own abilities and will not overdo it. She ces importance on making the most of the abilities of her excellent subordinates, constructing her tactics from the exact opposite of Krische¡¯s point of view. She prefers basic tactics and coordination that push through with the quality and numbers of her troops, rather than any kind of surprise (strange) tactics, and ces great importance on securing superiority at the strategic stage. Her underestimation of her own abilities has be a kind of virtue in the current position, and the way she honestly evaluates the abilities of others and assigns roles to them has no political overtones, she is beginning to be regarded as a pure militarymander of the kingdom. Appearance: Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Average chest. Graceful. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú Krische: Stupid and clumsy child. Adorable. I want to let her live like a normal child. Recently it has been dangerous. Strong Points: Horseback riding. Command (army). Likes: Swordsmanship. Reading. Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. Her powerlessness. Concerns: Stubborn Bery. Transition of War. ¡õ Bery Lipus Argan --- Neutral Good **Krische number 1 type of woman.** Selene''s aunt and the daughter of Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. Originally sickly and weak, because of this she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She is concerned about the trouble she causes others with her body and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her. Even after her family''s downfall and her physical problems are resolved when shees to Christand, her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische with her pure affection and goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. She is a genius and has a talent that is too good to be left as a servant, but due to her temperament, she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, which Bogan, Selene, and others feel is a waste. She may look gentle, but she is stubborn and though she looks like a logical person she is in the feels/intuition faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she tends to prioritize her emotions over her reasoning. She has a strong affection/love for Krische and puts her happiness first, but her possessiveness is growing stronger. Her strong self-loathing and introverted nature, and her affection/love has a strong dependent nature, but because Krische who is the target of her affection/love also has the same disposition, there¡¯s no one who could handle it. Recently, she has had a breakthrough and feels that what Krische wants is what she wants. She feels that it is right, and believes it is not a mistake. Or perhaps she had found something that she was looking for in herself after spending time with her. Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. Sweet baby face. Armor: Maid''s uniform. ¡ú Krische: An existence that is prettier than anyone else. Purpose in life. Want to be by her side all the time. Strong points: Household chores in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. Likes: Household chores in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. Dislikes: Selfish people. Herself. **Concern: Laying her hands on Krische.** ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil Unhinged girl who poisons people without hesitation. First princess of the Alberan Kingdom. Known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse for killing others for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her older sister, Krische, as the only equal being to her, and feeling that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the King''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. She has be more softer in recent years, partly because she has realized the happiness that can onlye from emptying her head, but she has not lost her essential nature or her obsessiveness. She is even more obsessed with safety and peace of mind than Krische. Her willingness to kill stems from a strong attachment and obsession with security, and she is not a pleasure killer. Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. ¡úKrische: The only being in the world who is on the same level as her. She is a bit silly, so I¡¯m worried. She got the wrong person to pamper. Should pamper me more. Strong points: Poisoning. Plotting murder. Lying. Acting. Grasping people¡¯s hearts. Calcting/Scheming. Likes: Herself. Being pampered. Skinship in general. Cookies. Rewards. Dislikes: Anything that threatens her safety. **Concern: Bery with gloomy faces and thoughts.** - ------Characters close to Krische or Christand Family ? Bogan Argillite Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of unwavering integrity and decisive action, he was Selene''s father and Bery''s brother-inw, now deceased and known as "The Thunderbolt". The Kingdom¡¯s hero, rising from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a squad leader to a general. His experience climbing up from the bottom gave him unique insight into the various problems of the army, he has seeded in raising the level of Christand abilities by assigning several tactically intelligent adjutants to each militarymander and dividing the workload among them. Although known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, he firmly believed that the strength of Christandy not in on-the-spot tactics, but in the ability to process information through advance preparation. Although he is calm now, in his youth, he was reckless and loved to wield his sword on the front lines. He was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers because of the countless enemies he knocked down with his wild swordsmanship and the way he pushed forward. Unusually for a nobleman, he is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine. He died in a duel against Gildanstein, the Royal Prince. ? Battle Command He was originally an excellent front-linemander with an aggressive temperament, but after having a wife, he refrained from this and always emphasized the importance of being amander who makes the most of his subordinates'' abilities. He believes that what a general should do is to identify the qualities of each individual, creating extreme chaos (disorder) that change the battlefield to the advantage of his allies through bold offensives and retreats. In order to aplish this, he believed that it was important to raise the level of ability of eachmander, and he always trained his subordinates with a training that is one rank above them so that a centurion would have the perspective of a battalionmander, and a battalionmander would have the perspective of a corpsmander. He is very good at reading the moment of withdrawal and has never failed in a retreat battle, even when the odds were against him. Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce face. Mustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. A distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Concern: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ¡õ Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere man, known for his blunt honesty. Krische¡¯s grandfather and Bogan¡¯s former superior, currently serving as Selene''s adjutant. He was once a genius centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier, and despite hisck of magical powers, he performed numerous military exploits with Bogan. He was respected by his men and had the ability to aim to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army after regretting the burning of a vige on his superior''s orders. Following his resignation, he returned to his hometown of Kalka and worked as a hunter, leading a peaceful life with his daughter, her husband, and his adopted daughter Krische. However, tragedy struck when his family was killed in a bandit attack, forcing him and Krische to leave the vige and seek refuge with Bogan and return to the army. He is a diligent worker who finds happiness in Krische''s contentment and the fact that she has found someone who understands her in the Christand household. He had his own feelings about the people around him who had preceded him in death, but he hase to realize that he has a role to y because he has survived, and he continues to work hard. Lately, he has been seeing his beloved daughter figure in the clumsy Anne. ?Battle Command Never push it and never pursue too far. He has the nature of a hunter, waiting for an opportunity to create a decisive disadvantage for the enemy. Withdrawal, retreat, surprise attack¨D¨Dhe is a born hunter, the opposite of fair and square, and prefers to build tactics that target the opponent''s carelessness and openings. Killing his opponents without killing his troops. He hates unnecessary losses more than anything else, but when he sees an opportunity, he will turn around andunch a desperate offensive. He has a wide field of vision and is skilled at leading in melee battles. Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fierce face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A little different from others but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. Strong points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: Drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust (inhuman). **Concerns: What can I do for Krische before I die?** ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good A clumsy girl in thete stages (no longer aughing matter) who serves the Christand house. She is the daughter of a Marquis and was given an education for gifted children by various tutors, but it did not go well. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her to serve as an apprentice in the Royal estate. However, there she encountered Bery, a servant of the Christand house, and became so enamored with her that she threw off her position as a servant in the Royal estate that her parents had begged for her to ept, and became a servant of the Christand house, even as she was on the verge of being disowned. While she is notcking in intelligence or ability, her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic thinking often lead her to make mistakes at crucial moments, which often irritate those around her. Despite this, she is serious and good-natured,es from a good family background, and has good looks. If only she could sit still, she would be a favorite, but her temperament prevents her from doing so. Recently, she has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. She became close to Gallen, who always praises and is kind to her, she secretly wants to talk to Mia, who has a simr atmosphere to her. She is beginning to feel threatened by Elvena, a talented young woman who has emerged on the scene. Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. ¡úKrische: A sweet kiss demon. The master of a servant she respected and the center of her delusion. An amazing person. Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Interpreting situations is favorable. Bad timing. Likes: Delusions. Christand House. Dislikes: Her own failure at the best of times. **Concerns: Bery, the beloved servant, who fell ill before the visit to the East. Anne Giterns is suddenly confronted by Elvena, the maid of honor.** ¡õ Elvena --- Chaos Good An unlucky beautiful woman ve. Formerly Rnd¡¯s ve. Christand¡¯s servant. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. The youngest of four sisters, Kalua¡¯s younger sister. She followed her sister out into town and rode in her sister¡¯s carriage. While she was lost searching for her sister, she was unlucky enough to be caught by a ve trader who sold her body because of her good looks. Rnd was a customer of the ve trader and was now bought by her to work as a servant in his mansion, but she was saved by Krische, who gave her a job as a servant at the Christand. She has a temperament of goodness, but her sense of ethics is a little broken due to the environment she has lived in, and she has a devilish (temptress) disposition. She has a strong sense of gratitude and fondness for Krische, but when she sees Krische, innocent and unguarded like a chicken dancing next to a pot, sometimes her desire to tease heres out. She is not fond of the opposite sex because of her past history, but on the other hand, she has little resistance to such activities, and her skinship is wide-ranging. She has always been strongly attached to her older sister, Kalua, but this has been exacerbated by her life up to this point. She is second only to Krische in knowledge of Jarea Gashea, and is bing an important figure in the kingdom without realizing it. Up until now, she had thought of her position as a servant as just a job, but recently she had set Bery as her goal, and is full of motivation. Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Graceful (beautiful). ¡úKrische: A benefactor. Pure and lovely. So beautiful in many meanings that her desire to tease heres out. Recently she understands a bit why she¡¯s dependent on Bery. Strong points: Household chores in general. Likes: Cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. Dislikes: Not being good enough to help Bery cook. **Concerns: Bery''s anxiety. Can she stand in for her as the Queen''s personal attendant.** ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalistic girl with a steel mentality, she is the wife of Margrave Christand and Bery''s older sister. Daughter of the Argan family, which fell into ruin due to business failure. Selene''s mother. She has a bright personality that is theplete opposite of Berry, and she is a strong-willed and lively woman. She is a maverick woman who will go ahead with what she feels is right, without regard to social rules, and is willing to sacrifice herself if she feels it is necessary. When the Argan house fell, she selflessly sacrificed herself to protect young Bery from the malice of merchants and nobles. Always kind and earnest, she prioritizes Bery''s happiness even when confronted with her sister''s obstinacy. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she worried about Bery following in her footsteps, which led her to entrust Selene, not just out of concern for her child as a parent, in Bery''s care. Her second child was stillborn, and sheter sumbed to postpartum fever. Like Selene, she is clumsy and rather crude. Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: Words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: Rich people. Concern: Not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind. - ------ck g Special Forces Company ¡õ Mia Nair Kilnan--- Neutral Neutral A pitiful girl who is treated poorly in spite of her excellence. The adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Hailing from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom, it is adjacent to Kalka, where Krische was picked up. Initially, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, hoping to leverage her exceptional stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army. However, Krische, who saw through her magical talent and exceptional skills, recruited her, and before she knew it, she was fighting on the front lines. Despite being uneducated and possessing only the knowledge of a country girl, she is quick-witted and has a sharp mind. She is a natural talent, having learned to build imaginary muscles with magical power without any guidance. However, perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, she ranks lower in swordsmanship skills among the ck Century that it would be faster to count her from the bottom. She often gets absent-minded at the most critical moments and is prone to backtalk. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she is easy to pick on, and she is often unreasonably yelled at. Despite her poprity in the vige, she suffers from low self-esteem and is dense. Several men in the vige have confessed their love to her on multiple asions, but she has let them all slip without realizing it. A childhood friend, who had made a passionate approach to her, confessed to her again when she returned home, but she refused, prioritizing her duties at ck g Special Forces, while giving grateful advice that he should take it a step further at an earlier stage. Since her return home, she has felt a greater sense of belonging to the ck g Special Force, and she has been training vigorously. **She was relieved that she was able to deal with the Suiko¡¯s attack, but feels the need to train because of her own inexperience, as without Kalua she would have died.** ? Battle Command She has learned basic tactics, has a clear mind and a broad vision, and is very capable as a centurion. She has learned how to conduct a melee battle with a unitposed of magic possessors, and is able to fully manipte their abilities, which are different from those of mere soldiers. However, she always moves with the assumption that the quality of the soldiers in the unit is superior, and often misjudges opponents with equal or greater strength that would cause the unit to lose its superiority, making them vulnerable to unexpected situations. She emphasizes stability through cooperation and operating together by utilizing the abilities of the troops. Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion (chest). Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. Friend with Dragon Strong points: Quick wit. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position. Bad timing. **Throwing spears.** Likes: Sleep. Bathing. Beautiful women. ck g Special Force. Kalua. Dislikes: Unreasonableness. Concern: The asional unreasonableness. **Her immaturity as a soldier.** ¡õ Kalua Nea Belyus --- Chaos Neutral She seems to be easy-going and is rtively easily pressured. Squad leader of the ck g Special Force. She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough, and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein¡ª¡ªa member of the royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. She¡¯s the only person who calls Krische ¡®Usa-chan¡¯ to her face, and he often takes care of her like a child that she can''t leave alone. There was also an aspect ofpensation thinking of the kidnapped Elvena, but now that her sister had been saved, she pledges her heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to her. Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Unexpectedly weak to being pushed (weak-willed). ? Battle Command Her mind is very quick, she has quick wit, and she has aptitude as amander. In terms of coordination at the individual level, she is one of the best, and can coordinate instructions and move with other soldiers on the spur of the moment. However, she prefers to wield a sword by herself and is prone to narrow vision, so in order to make the most of her abilities, she should be ced in the back of the center rather than at the head of the line. She is one of the best in terms of individual level cooperation, and she can immediately give instructions and cooperate with other soldiers. Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is a kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it¡¯s scary. The person to whom she has pledged her eternal loyalty. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. Nap. Children. Dislikes: ve traders. **Concern: Her inability to do anything but fight defensively against Suiko.** ¡õ Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. The ck Centurion. Bald Eagle. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses. He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and the type of military man that Krische likes. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there and was nominated as the squad leader of the ck Century, a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was excessively afraid of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Christand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He is not particrly bald, he shaved his head every day to keep clean even in military service, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. He admires Krische''s concern for his health and her refusal of him to apany her and is prepared toy down his life for Krische, whether in public or private life. If he had apanied her, there is a high probability that he would have died, but it was possible that they would have defeated Gildanstein before Nakirus'' arrival. **He realized that the existence of the ck g Special Force determines even the victory or defeat of 10,000 battles itself, and he feels more strongly about his responsibilities as Krische¡¯s adjutant and as themander of thepany.** ? Combat Command Experienced,ing from a light infantry unit that often operates under special circumstances such as in the mountains, he returns to the basics in any situation and does not make errors in judgment. He is ustomed to fighting in numerically disadvantageous situations, such as surprise attacks, maneuvers, and diversions, and he fully demonstrates hismand ability even in a chaotic situation where he is cornered. Unlike Mia, he wasn¡¯t purely cultivated on a unit where all of its members are all magic possessors, so he often chooses the safe side based on his experience when dealing with troops. However, because of this the amount of wear and tear is small, and the ck Hundreds under hismand are very stable. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. Battle Command. Inspiring troops. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Dislikes: People who break discipline. Straggler. **Concern: follow up for Krische, who is feared by others.** ¡õ Aleha (us Schwindel Sarchenka) -- Order Good A hero chasing a young man. Former general of the Holy Elsren Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. Adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. Later, during his travels, he met Clich¨¦ and was invited by her to join the kingdom''s army. After Bogan''s death, he had lost sight of his purpose, but through meeting her, he found a new purpose and a reason to fight, and he once again embarked on the path of a warrior. His natural ambition leads him to request mockbat whenever he meets Krische, and Krische basically avoids him. As a result, he uses his wit, and all kinds of tricks to create situations in which Krische cannot escape, and whenever he has a chance, he tries to drag her into her endless training. & Thanks to Dagra and Kolkis, he had be a little more familiar with the Kingdom Army. ? Battle Command He respected Bogan as an enemy and read and absorbed his battle records. Due to his natural ingenuity, he possesses excellent abilities that are notcking as a general of an army, but due to his youth, a na?ve side of him still remains. His overall ability is close to that of Nozan, and he is an all-around type. He has no weakness in any situation and delivers above-average results, but he is more suited to attacks where he can easily take the initiative. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. **Armor: ck leather armor.** ¡úKrische: An entric girl and quick to find things troublesome. She is a good person at heart. Goals to aim for. Beautiful. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. Mockbat with Krische Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. **Concern: about crossing des with the Holy Empire in the future.** ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for the young master. He is a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Former military leader of the Sarchenka family. Training instructor of the ck g Special Forces Company. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarshenka family, and an excellentmander. He is capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarshenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarshenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was severed by Krische. He was invited to join the Kingdom¡¯s army along with Aleha, and he serves as an instructor in the ck g Special Forces Company, where he sees to the training of swordsmanship and spearmanship. He was originally a military instructor for the Sarchenka family, so he is an excellent training instructor, and he actively educates them for Krische¡¯s benefit. He has recently been thinking about the advantages of prosthetic hands inbat. ? Battle Command He is a military instructor, and his tactical knowledge is broad and deep. His primary purpose is to assist Aleha, so he does not appear in public (surface), but he has the ability to be an excellent general. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Contrary to her ability she is a young and unfortunate girl. Benefactor. Young Master¡¯s favorite. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Trainingmand. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarshenka family. Concern: How much can he support Aleha on the battlefield? ------ Members of the ck g Special Force------ Most of the people listed here have been informally decorated with the rank of Nea (quasi-knight). ¡õ Koza --- Order Neutral A family-oriented person, the kind that Krische would even smile at. The leader of the 2nd squad. Despite having a fierce face with old scars that stand out, he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische holds him in high regard. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which in case of an emergency, he acts as themander. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia against Nakirus. He is not particrly talented in archery, but after the war he was evaluated for his wide field of vision and was appointed as an archermander. An archer captain is equivalent to a normal captain. ¡õ Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type of boy, squad leader of the ck Century''s 3rd squad. Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted and is an excellent talent. He is an impable person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality. However, hisck of ws is his only w, making him a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He usuallymands the 2nd to 10th squad. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Selene facing Gildanstein. Having survived the fierce battle, he was promoted to centurion in due course. ¡õ Corinth --- Order Good He is a calm veteran nonmissioned officer. A centurion of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra and held the position of captain. Although his ability as a magic possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a wide field of vision. He has the mental strength to remain calm and not panic in any situation, and is highly trusted by Dagra, is also admired by Tagel as a senior captain. Basically, he oftenmands the 11th to 20th squads. He fought alongside Mia in the final battle of the civil war but was wounded during the battle and is currently recuperating. He suffered no permanent injuries and became a centurion after his return. ¡õ Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. Squad leader of the 11th squad. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young, he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strength, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century and with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the joy of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He is scruffy in appearance. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia. Because of his skills, he has been promoted to the rank of captain, and at the same time, Krische has ordered him to serve as a culinary instructor for the ck g Special Force. He is a little happy inside. ¡õ Birza --- Neutral Good A "ck doctor" type of guy. Squad leader 17th squad. A ck doctor type of guy. He is the head of the medical team of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was born into a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a caravan stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very skilled with a sword. However, he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people who were not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia, and was in charge of treating wounded soldiers. The former 17th Squad has now been assigned to the ck g Special Forces medical team, and is currently working on a medical book loaned to him by Krische. ¡õ Kilik --- Neutral Neutral A craftsman-type man with dexterous hands. the leader of the ck g Special Forces Squadron''s escort team. He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard. Because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages and was chosen as Kreschenta¡¯s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battles. Many of his team members are also craftsmen. As Krische¡¯s trusted soldiers, they are basically assigned to act as Queen Kreschenta¡¯s bodyguards during the war, and are unlikely to be seen on the battlefield. ¡õ Daz --- Order Neutral A somewhat pitiful Piririn-type guy. Leader of the 1st Piririn Squad. The former leader of the 8th Squad, known for his fierce look. Originally a bouncer at a bar, he was used to roughing things up and was a brave captain who was looked up to by the soldiers. However, he lost his left arm in thest battle of the civil war, and as a result, he was put in charge of the 1st Piririn Squad. He considers the selection work of the Squad Unit to be a prestigious job, and he is very grateful to Krische, but he does not allow anyone other than Krische to call it the Piririn Squad, and he will be furious whenever he is called the Piririn Squad leader by other members of the squad. ¡õ Nigel --- Order Neutral A wounded soldier who is not pitiful. 1st craft squad leader. He was born as the third son of a merchant and is rtively rare in the ck g Special Forces being able to perform literacy and arithmetic. He is not a soldier selected from the general soldiers, but from the new recruits of the logistics department, and although he was not the leader of the unit, he is well-liked by the soldiers because of his good-natured personality. He is an excellent soldier and a swordsman, and for someone who had never wielded a sword, he had made remarkable progress, but in the final battle of the civil war, he lost his left wrist. When he was looking for Elvena for paperwork, he encountered an assassin ruckus in the royal castle and immediately went to call for Krische. ¡õ Daz --- Order Neutral A somewhat pitiful Piririn-type guy. Leader of the 1st Piririn Squad. The former leader of the 8th Squad, known for his fierce look. Originally a bouncer at a bar, he was used to roughing things up and was a brave captain who was looked up to by the soldiers. However, he lost his left arm in thest battle of the civil war, and as a result, he was put in charge of the 1st Piririn Squad. He considers the selection work of the Squad Unit to be a prestigious job, and he is very grateful to Krische, but he does not allow anyone other than Krische to call it the Piririn Squad, and he will be furious whenever he is called the Piririn Squad leader by other members of the squad. ¡õ **Zaka --- Order Neutral A wounded soldier who can fight. A squad leader. He was an excellent sword fighter who came from a merchant guard unit, but was wounded in his left eye on thest day of the battle of Bernaich. He was also injured all over his body, so he left the battlefield to recuperate, but returned without any aftereffects other than the loss of his left eye. He is currently serving as the head of the escort team for adjutant Aleha. He is a roughneck, but he loves his subordinates and is well-liked by his teammates.** - ------Christand Military ¡õ Nozan Nerle Wolferinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic and the formermander of Christand Army First Corps. The Kingdom¡¯s current East General. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born into the same baron family as his superior, and he has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade Nozan to be a general whenever he had the chance. However, Nozan was concerned that the strength of the Christand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Christand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized. He cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. He has a simr temperament to Selene and is a serious and hard worker. When ites to Krische, he pays more attention to her than to anyone else, and there are many things that he¡¯s worried about, things that usually he doesn''t need to be worried about. He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and longsword. His skill in sword is about half that of Gildanstein, and he is also a versatile fighter with excellent wits and dexterity. Overall, he is the most outstanding general in the Kingdom¡¯s Army, with the exception of Krische. ? Battle Command Amander without any gap that possesses both rigidity and flexibility, he is capable of flexible tactical responses under any circumstances. Like Krische, he prefers "headhunting tactics" that emphasize the elimination of enemymanders, and in some cases, he may even lead his troops into enemy lines himself. He is skilled in psychological warfare and has mastered the art of attracting and manipting the enemy''s attention. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Eyebrows are well defined. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. Wine. Dislikes: Anything that mocked Bogan. Gildanstein. **Concern: the strength of archers in the field.** ¡õ Grunnmeld Rinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac with a scaryugh. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps, leader of the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. Woof Woof. Formerly a bandit, he built arge group of thieves with just one iron club and rampaged through the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom. During a fight with Gallen''s corps, sent to subdue them, he had a one-on-one battle with Nozan and was defeated. However, he epted Northern''s invitation to join him as a subordinate due to his strength. Initially, he nned to escape at the earliest opportunity, but he came to realize that the battlefield was where he wanted to be. Through his military exploits, he became Northern''s confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. Although he has a lively and refreshing personality, he won''t tolerate being mocked. ? Battle Command Adept at offensive tactics, he is themander of the ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯, a light infantry group that can be said to be the strongest in the Kingdom, especially when ites to frontal breakthroughs. He believes that "strength that cannot be demonstrated in actualbat is meaningless," and he trains his troops by repeating grueling groupbat training in the form ofpetitive matches, with almost no marching training. This also has the aspect of selection and sifting out those who do not meet his standards, thereby raising the quality of his soldiers to the highest level possible, and he always maintains his troops at near peak fighting ability. He is amander who shows unparalleled strength in attack, but his character is averse to defensive positions, he is not good at long battles. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. Deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful and lovely looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. It feels good to fight side by side with her. Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down on. Concern: Woof Woof. **Defensive battle is not fun. Nothing to do.** ¡õ Sardin Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious and straitced man, Commander of the Verreich Army Second Corps, a soldier who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Grunmeld in the Verreich army and is responsible for maintaining discipline within the army. He feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, which has dyed his advancement in rank. However, he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often admonishes Grunmeld for his arbitrary actions. Although he may appear scary and strict, he is kind and loves children. ? Battle Command He is an intelligent general with a good bnce of offense and defense. Although hisbat skills themselves are not high, he has a brilliant mind and is particrly good at tactics where he readied his troops to stop the enemy to break through or detour. Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: Organizational management. Control (Regtion). Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children at the orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. Concern: He himself who somehow enjoys defense battle when outnumbered. ¡õ Kolkis Nactra Rinea Argand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. Commander of the Christand Army''s Second Corps. Meow Meow. After a losing battle with massive losses, he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier when he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. He was charmed with Gallen¡¯s and Bogan''s way of life and pledged his loyalty. Although he prefers basic tactics and is not fond of quirky strategies, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked for his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Due to his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. Due to his son''s betrayal, he has once again pledged allegiance to Selene, and has decided to fight under her umbre for the rest of his life. He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. **Spending time by Krische¡¯s side, he had begun to feel more and more that she was an existence that was on a cliff edge.** ? Battle Command He values drills above all else and believes that the quality of his men will bring victory. He emphasizes individualbat ability and coordination, and he believes in maximizing the power of his soldiers by simplifying his orders. He crushes the opponent with an assault that was originally impossible, and if he defends, he can easily repel the charge of arge army. In terms of the quality of the army as a whole, it can be said to be the best in the kingdom, but its movements are easy to read. Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: Genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. The strongest warrior in the kingdom. Strong points: Combat. Inspiring troops. Loud voice. Likes: Simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. Concern: Meow Meow. **The ruthlessness born of Krische¡¯s purity.** ? Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral Seems to be a man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, even in battlefield, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan highly regards his defensive abilities. He was defeated by Gildanstein, who was dressed as Salva''s adjutant. His hobby is building shelves. ? Battle Command A master of field castle-building, he is amander who excels in defensive battles. Even in field battles on the ins, he devises theyout of the battlefield to create a line of soldiers that resembles a fortress. He is good at maneuvering and defending to lure the enemy into a position where he can turn the tables on them. His offensive tactics aren''t all that great, but they''re above the norm. Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous (precarious). Strong points: Field battle fortification. Defensivemand. Weekend carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fortress. Architecture. Woodworking (Do It Yourself; DIY). Dislikes: Unprepared sudden event. Concern: His adjutant defected to the enemy ¡õ Eluga Giglite Rinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate, and he was also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course, and those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, which results in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer any way for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone of voice. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, Bogan, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all working toward the same goal. He loves (dotes on) Krische very much, and she is his joy in life these days. When he smiles wickedly without any reason, he is usually thinking of Krische. ?Battle Command Attacks, defenses, and engagement. He has extremely high tactical ability in all of them, especially in themand and management of soldiers, which is outstandingpared to others. Although he is a genius who can easily execute risky and deceptive measures, he believes that the simple movement of soldiers is the essence of tactics, and in training, he is most thorough in marching training, including assembly and dispersal. He is the type of fighter who overwhelms his opponents by umting small victories and gaining the upper hand, emphasizing the basics of parrying the enemy''s strong points and targeting only the weak. When ites to tactics he ispatible with Krische, and as a result it is easy for them to augment each other. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark gray half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes. Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: Ipetence on the battlefield. **Concern: How to meet Krische''s expectations.** ¡õ Quinez Nea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. He is the adjutant of 4th Corps Commander of the Christand army. He is a small, fat adjutant who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior, Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. He is the adjutant of the Central Independent Corps led by the assistant marshal, and although he has made a big step up from a mere adjutant corpsmander, he is unable to escape from Eluga and feels indescribable. ?Battle Command Having studied under Eluga for many years, he has excellent tactical skills and can adapt to any battle situation. He is a man of character who hates to take on too much and always puts his own safety first, but he is often asked to do reckless things by Eluga, who sees through his character, his tactics be sharper the more dangerous the situation is. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark gray flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superior is crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. Sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. Concern: Haven''t been able to sleep welltely because his superiors have been working him too hard. ¡õ Keith Sale Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn man. First Corps Commander under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no particr outstanding abilities, he has a broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that Krische likes. During the civil war, he was given the corps with the equivalent authority of an adjutant and is now recognized as the first corpsmander, and his attitude toward Krische has softenedpared to before, when he felt that Krische disliked him. **He has begun to understand her philosophy of action and feels that although she is ruthless, she is not inhumane, and that only a mad goodness lies at the root of her actions.** ?Battle Command Amander who has a broad vision and loses hisposure. He believes in umting small victories to win big victories, never taking on too much. He does not excel in anything in particr, but on the other hand, he has no weaknesses and can respond flexibly to any situation. He is often asked to take charge of a project because of his sense of safety and stability, which is favored by Krische. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. A cold-hearted person. She''s as childlike as she looks. Strong points: Command operation. Training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. **Concern: the two sides of a girl named Krische.** ¡õ Varga Nea Kurtos --- Order Neutral A hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice. The First Battalion Commander, who is equivalent to the First Corps Commander¡¯s adjutant under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. He hails from the same corps as Nozan Verreich. Hees from a lower-ss noble family and admires the Hero Bogan Christand, as well as Bogan''s daughter Selene. Although his abilities are excellent, his sense of justice is so strong that he cannot tolerate injustice and dislikes those who view soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, he pledges strong loyalty to Selene but does not get along well with Krische. A deep rift formed between him and Krische when Krische used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy while he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. Even now, not all of the fear and animosity he felt toward her at that time has disappeared, but after seeing her make Keith, themander of the Third battalion, her adjutant and then promoting him to the position ofmander of the First Corps, he is trying to rethink that that may not have been the result she wanted. Due to the shortage ofmanders, he is also the adjutantmander of the First Corps whilemanding the First Battalion of the First Corps. ? Battle Command A well-likedmander. Whenever he orders his soldiers to do something reckless, he makes no exception for himself and he spills blood along with them to inspire them. He has high individualbat ability and physical strength, and many soldiers are drawn in to him, so even if the soldiers are a new recruit, he raises their abilities and makes them achieve results through morale. He has a problem with Krische, their personality is like oil and water. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius, but without a human heart. A freak. Strong points: Inspiring (raising morale) troops. Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: Training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. Concern: About the human being, Krische. ¡õ Bagil Aronia Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type of man. Commander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. He worked his way up from a single soldier. He was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Granmeld Varkas. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. His ability is extremely excellent, and after joining the "Wolf Pack", he has fought tough battles on the front lines for many years without any major injuries and is a fierce fighter who has survived the battlefields of Hell, and is a powerful person who is just one step short of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but he is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. He was originallypetent enough to be appointed as amander of a corps, and was promoted tomander of the Third Corp in due course after the capture of Aurugorn Hilkintos. **Lately, he has been pensive.** ?Battle Command Originally from the wolf pack and Granmeld¡¯s adjutant, he has a hedonistic nature and is abat maniac. He is a maniac who ys his enemies with augh, is skilled at cutting through gaps in his enemies, and is outstanding in his ability tomand melee battles. He prefers to fight using his mobility and is not motivated by defending his position. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who can cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs that he can see from her skirt. She is defenseless. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring troops. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Concern: Krische¡¯s unconscious fan-service mentality. Want to see if the garter belt is how he imagined it. ¡õ Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. The First battalionmander, who is equivalent to the adjutantmander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. A member of the "Wolf Pack" led by Grunmeld Varkas, he has been a subordinate since their days as bandits. Like Grunmeld, he is abat fanatic and enjoys risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He had fought against Krische during training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skills and decided to join the Christand Army with her. Instead of fighting to the death, he prefers topare skills and often challenges talented individuals to a match. Considering his past achievements, he could have been promoted tomander of the Fourth Corps, but he feels that he is not capable of such a promotion, and he wishes to work under his former superior, Bagil. ?Battle Command He prefers head-to-head battles above all else, and he likes pushing each other to the utmost of his strength. He likes the word "adversity," and the more he is backed into a corner, the more power he exerts, but he is not dodging (fend off) attacks. He is also good at disrupting the rear because of his background as a bandit. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her tactical skill. Strengths: Lorca style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). Weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. Concern: that his superior, Bagil, has a serious, stern look on his face, but is actually concerned about the inside of Krische¡¯s skirt. ¡õ Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous-looking old man who appears old. Commander of the Royal Archery Battalion under the direct control of the Alberinea Central Army. He hails from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. As a hunter whomands mainly archers, he is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. However, his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his intelligence andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious, and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter and is respected by the other battalionmanders of the First Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks jokes about anything, although sometimes they fall t. He has been promoted to the position ofmander of a battalion of archers under Krische¡¯s direct control, away from the chain ofmand of the various corps. ?Battle Command Does not overreach, but doesn''t miss opportunities. He is a simr type ofmander to Gallen, preferring ambush and surprise attacks and disliking head-on confrontations. He understands the tactical thinking of Krische, who is of hunter origin, and is an easy-to-use battalionmander for Krische. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword (dagger) technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. Fishing. Tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. Concern: Trying to make Krischeugh. Chapter 200.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 2) Chapter 200.2: Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 2) ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 200.2 Character Introduction *Includes spoilers up to Arc 8 (Part 2)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: is Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 8 ? Died by the end of Arc 8 - ----Other Kingdom Nobles. ? Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ? Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Concerns: None ¡õ Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his heart suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shervaza, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. In ce of Aurugorn Hilkintos, who died in the civil war, he is now entrusted as the West General of the Kingdom. ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. Concerns: the troubles in Royal¡¯s territory.** ¡õ **Gertz Rinea Wiring** -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s former central general. Former Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. Originally, as a central general of the kingdom, he was just a general who followed Gildanstein, who was a marshal, and is now under house arrest because of his surrender. He is currently under house arrest, having lost his administrative domain and had some of his personal property confiscated, but he epted the result, and Serene is considering having him teach at a military school once his mind and body have calmed down.** ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A ruthless killer. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. Concerns: Losing the meaning of his life. ¡õ Dougleen Nakul Dogarinea Garhka -- Chaos Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance. A General in the southern part of the Kingdom. A Duke. He was born as the eldest son of a noble family with royal blood, but he dislikes the noble way of being bound by various things, and spends his days drinking withmoners in bars. As a result, he was shunned by his father and was thrown into the battlefield at a young age in a state of partial disownment, but there he demonstrated a rare talent and rose to be a general entrusted with the southern part of the Kingdom. He loves the battlefield environment more than anything else, and he prefers drinking with his soldiers above all else. His personality, which doesn''t care about his social status, is well received by the soldiers, and they have a strong sense of loyalty to him. He has had several drinks with Orugan, the famous general of Gulshan who uses various beasts, and is his most important ymate, even though they are enemies. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. Although his rtionship with Gildanstein was not so bad, he was not interested in the civil war and refused to participate in it out of concern for Gulshan in the south and his debt to Christand in the war against the Holy Empire. **After the battle with Gulshan, he left the general from the center of the kingdom behind and headed east, but he is fed up with dealing with cavalry archers.** ?Battle Command He is a fierce general who loves war itself and sometimes fights on the front lines himself to capture victory. His character as amander is simr to that of Kolkis, he values drills above all else and prefers straight-on, simple tactics. However, because he often has to deal with Gulshan, who handles a variety of beasts including elephants, unlike Kolkis, he does not incorporate much heavy infantry, but rather increases the ratio of light infantry to increase the ability to deal with various situations. Appearance: Hard ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr build of 6 shaku (~1.8 m). Bearded face. Armor: temail with lion carvings. ¡úKrische: A genius acknowledged by Christand. If can , he wishes she would be his son¡¯s bride. Strong points: Battle axe. Zain swordsmanship. Face-to-face confrontation. Likes: Sake. Woman. Battle. Personalbat. Elephant hunting. Dislikes: Opponents who avoid fighting head-on. **Concerns: Elsren cavalry archers.** ¡õ **Argosh Wikel Giterns -- Order Good Apetent but somewhat unhappy fatherly man. The Kingdom Marquis. He is the head of the venerable Giterns family, a civilian aristocrat who administers the northwestern part of the kingdom. The Giterns family is a family of academics, and he has studied economics and business since he was young, and since bing the head of the family, he has greatly developed the territory he has been entrusted with, and is known as an extraordinary astute man. He is vigorous in his work, and despite his position as a marquis, which is one of the highest in the region, he is willing to work hard, running around the estate all year round and not being at home for half of the year. He is a rare aristocrat who is sincerely respected as the people¡¯s ally, and there is even a song sung in his honor in Pirus, where he lives. However, he himself believes that this reputation is excessive, and his meticulousness in traveling around the countryside is a result of his understanding of his own shorings, that he is vulnerable to unexpected situations. He feels that the reason why he has to put so much effort into gathering information is because of his insecurity and his inability to make decisions without having a lot of information at hand. Due to his personality he is not suited for the battlefield at all, however he is a rare person as an internal politician. He is a rare loving husband, and their harmonious rtionship is well-known. He is surprisingly skilled with a sword. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Well-groomed beard. Armor: te mail engraved with numerous swords (a family heirloom, never worn). ¡úKrische: A beautiful princess. His daughter''s master. Natural disaster. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Negotiation. Arithmetic. Business. Likes: Wife. Daughter. Interacting with the people. Polishing heirlooms. Dislikes: Hisck of wit. Concerns: His daughter''s future. ¡õ ****Tekrea Tark Rinea Lemin -- Order Good A beautiful woman manly dressed in men''s clothes. A general of the central army of the Kingdom. A duke of the kingdom. She was born into a ducal family and is a genuine noble. Her half-brother was killed in the first battle of the war, which led her to seed the Duke of Lemin as the head of the family. Since her childhood, she has had a strong ideal of what a nobleman should be, and she has been improving herself in order to embody that ideal. Although she hadn¡¯t participated in many wars she performed well in battle, and she has made up for herck of experience with hard work, and because of her family background, she has risen steadily to the rank of general. She is neither a mediocre nor a genius, but her umted efforts have made her a solid force to be reckoned with, and her refined swordsmanship is beyond the reach of ordinary men. She had intended to devote herself to the man who defeated her with a sword, but she became so strong that there was no one left to fight, and she had half given up. Her younger sister married into a family that was blessed with three boys, and she is considering adopting one of them to take over the family. She is very close with her sisters and loves children. Whenever she has free time, she visits her younger sister and teaches the children how to y with swords. A collector of stuffed dolls. ?Battle Command She learned what needed to be learned, and as a general, her abilities are above a certain level.. Although there is no w in the operation of troops and tactics during a pitched battle, there is ack of experience, and there is a danger that once the assumption she made is not met, it may copse at once, and there is also a slight weakness in dealing with surprise attacks and ambushes. However, she is a person of rare character, and her bravery and hard but beautiful appearance make her very popr and charismatic among the soldiers. The troops she leads have rtively high morale, and her temperament and personality make her more than capable as amander. She has the qualities to be a great general with the right amount of experience. Appearance: Dark golden hair. Blue eyes. Tall. Graceful. Always have a stern face. Armor: Full te with visor with carving of an angry face. ¡úKrische: An absolute beingparable to Dragon. She is an innocent and dangerous girl. Beautiful. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Soldier Board practice. child''s partner. sewing. Likes: Swordsmanship. stuffed doll. knitting. Dislikes: Cruel human. Concern: Dealing with enemy deserters.** - ----Gulshan Republic ¡õ Orugan -- Neutral Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance No. 2. The vice-chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan. Former royalty. Although he was born into the Gulshan royal family, he disliked the widening disparity between rich and poor and the appearance of the royal family drowning in luxury, he stood up for the people and led a rebellion to establish a republic. Having given up his status and power as a member of the royal family and fought for the people, he was a hero of Gulshan and had the power to take over anything he wanted, but he turned down the offer to be chancellor because he felt he would lose his original ambition if he himself, as a royal, was in the highest position. His words were half true, but they weren''t correct, and there was a strong part of him that simply hated being tied down by authority. He preferred the battlefields where warriors fought with their pride above all else, and his subordinates, who knew him to be a war-mad maniac, believed that he rejected the position of chancellor because he didn''t want to miss the battlefields. Dougleen, a general in the southern part of the kingdom, is his favorite opponent, but their sympathetic upbringing and personalities make them friends, and they drink with each other after every skirmish. However, they are war fanatics, and once they get into a fight, they can smile and kill each other. **Seeing the overwhelming power of Krische Christand, the maniac falls off, and he is thinking about what lies ahead.** ?Battle Command He is a masterfulmander of elephants and other beast soldiers in the army. He prefers a bold head-on breakthrough by disrupting the enemy line with an elephant, but if that does not work, he will use surprise, ambush, and any other means to win the battle. He believes that war is fought to win, and he uses all kinds of tactics to hunt down his enemies, but he does not surprise attack (foul y). He is a hero in Gulshan, and his army maintains extremely high morale, even among conscripts. Appearance: Stiff ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build of less than six shaku. Bearded. Hairy. Sweaty. Tanned skin. Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: The embodiment of a storm that sweeps everything away. A changer of the times. Got dumped. Strong points: Great curved swordsmanship. Operation of beast soldiers. Likes: Drinking. Fighting. Personalbat. Strong man. Dislikes: surprise attack (foul y). **Concerns: Gulshan''s future.** ¡õ Zalvaag -- Neutral Neutral A hard-working man with a very difficult boss. He is the chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Gulshan. Formerly a shoemaker. He used to be the son of a humble shoemaker, but when his young sister was killed by a nobleman, he swore revenge and joined the rebel army. He had never held a sword before, but his prodigious talent with the sword awakened on the battlefield, and he became the head of the Gulshan army and itsmander countless times on the front lines. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. He is mild-mannered and does not like to do rough things, but he has sworn allegiance to Orugan, who rebelled against and defeated the royal family and nobles of the time, and after the war, he continues to work to support Orugan as he has done before. He is a man of ordinary appearance andcks ir, but he has a brilliant mind and can speak fournguages other than his nativenguage Shaan. ?Battle Command Although he is more gifted as amander of a century than as amander of arge army, he ispetent enough tomand and operate an army. He usually spends most of his time as Orugan¡¯s assistant and bodyguard, which gives him a wide field of vision. He hates to see his troops die in vain and is cautious by nature, but when he leads his own troops, he shows a different kind of aggression. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Bearded. Thin face (presence). Armor: Half te with lion carving. ¡úKrische: A mad Absolute. A strong man who cannot be touched. Strong points: Curved sword swordsmanship. Shoe maintenance. Likes: Sweet food. Self-discipline. Dislikes: Noble. **Concerns: How to bring back Orugan, who was mad to take the me for the defeat.** ? **Gal Bilkace -- Order Good He is an experienced and sensiblemander. He is the captain of the main army of the Republic of Gulshan and Commander of the Ground Dragon Cavalry. He was born into a noble family that produced the best of Gulshan¡¯s cavalry during the Kingdom of Gulshan and lived afortable life, but he could not stand the corruption of the royal family and nobility, so he joined Orugan for the people. He is renowned as themander of the rebel army''s ground dragon cavalry, and in the civil war, he personally killed his own brother, who was themander of the kingdom''s ground dragon cavalry. His achievements and character have earned him the respect of the ruling ss, even among themoners in the military, despite his former noble status, and he is respected as the legitimate leader of the nobles. **He had the misfortune of encountering Kolkis and Aleha during the battle against Alberan, and was decapitated by Aleha as he evaded Kolkis¡¯s attack.** ?Battle Command He has a deep knowledge of the operation of the earth dragon cavalry, and is tactful and flexible in his thinking. Because hemands expensive cavalry, he basically avoids overreaching and strives to maintain his forces, but hismanding nature is more suited to attack, and he is also good at feats of strength, such as sessfullyunching a seemingly foolhardy assault. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Dark skin. Beard. Chiseled face. Armor: te mail that represents a dragon with its mouth open.. ¡úKrische: A transcendent outside of the ordinary. A monster among monsters. Strong points: Cavalry spearmanship. Curved sword swordsmanship. Likes: Polishing the scales of sand lizards. Sword collection. Dislikes: Coward. Those conceited in their authority. Concerns: Facing monsters a never seen before monster.** ? **Elkar -- Neutral Good A bold, bald, giant-like man. First-ss military officer of the Republic of Gulshan. A General. Born in a small town as the only son of a carpenter, he was blessed with a superhuman physique but was clumsy and had a quarrel with his father, so he became a merchant escort. He spent several years doing so, but his anger gradually dissipated and he returned to his parents'' home, concerned that they had no heir other than himself. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. However, when he returned, the town was burned to the ground as an example for failing to pay taxes, and this led him to join Orugan''s revolutionary army. He used his size and strong arms to make a name for himself, and gained an unshakable position in the revolutionary army. When they were outnumbered, he always stood at the front of his soldiers, and his appearance wielding arge iron hammer was feared by the Gulshan Kingdom''s army, and he earned the respect of his allies, earning him the nickname Elkar, the Bloodstained Giant. Although his blood tends to rush to his head, he doesn''t unreasonably criticize others, and has a lively but refreshing personality without any sarcasm. He is Kilrea''s best friend, and they have known each other since their days as caravan escorts. He is also good friends with Orugan and Zalvaag, and he forces Zalvaag to be with him when he tries to escape from the banquet for some reason. He was concerned about his thinning hair from an early age, so he shaved it off, and was often teased by Kilrea, who grew his hair in an ostentatious manner. He fought valiantly against Kolkis, Aleha, and the ck g Special Forces, but was ultimately defeated. ?Battle Command He used to be a man of valor standing at the front, but he has perfected himself as a general by learning from his many experiences in the Gulshan Civil War and acquiring wisdom and strategy.. He is skilled in the art of raising morale, and has no equal when ites to breaking through head-on with the elephant soldiers. He leads the most powerful troops in the Royal Army of Gulshan and is also known as the "Shield of Gulshan. Appearance: Shaved head. Dark brown eyes. Superhuman physique of 7 shaku tall. Dark skin. Large face. Armor: Full te in the shape of an elephant. ¡úKrische: A female warrior beyondprehension. Strong points: Self-style hammering. Elephant operation.. Likes: carpentry. Making small things (not very good at it). Drinking.. Dislikes: Being called a coward. Concerns: Whether or not hisst words were understood by Orugan and the others.**** ? ***Kilrea -- Chaos Neutral A slightly mischievous, strong swordsman. First-ss military officer of the Republic of Gulshan. A General. He is not a Shaan, butes from a small nation further east, in the vassal state of Elsren. He was born as the youngest son of a noble, and ran away knowing that he could not hope for a sessful career in his home country, which was oppressed by the military. He was traveling across the desert east of Gulshan on a journey to sharpen his sword as a caravan guard. He learned a lot from fighting the Sand Bandits, and when he became a first-ss swordsman, he met Elkar. He is a little older than Elkar and is his mentor in battle, but after spending several years with Elkar and deepening their rtionship, they became close friends before long, probably due to Elkar''s personality that does not care about hierarchical rtionships. He had some regrets about his departure and encouraged Elkar to return to his hometown, but when he learned that his hometown had been burned to the ground, they both joined the revolutionary army. With his well-trained swordsmanship, he and Elkar have continued to achieve great deeds together, earning the respect of the soldiers, earning him the title Kilrea the Swordsman. He is a seeker, proud of his own swordsmanship, and somewhat haughty, but when he saw the genius Zalvaag, he lost his obsession and devoted himself to training the next generation of fighters. He was killed in a surprise attack by Krische¡¯s descent. ?Battle Command A general with many years of caravan escort experience, excellent decision-making ability, and a wide perspective. He likes detailed strategies and advanced tactics, and is good at using beast soldiers in general, but he has a prideful and nervous side, and always imagines the worst¨D¨Dhe hates being outwitted by the enemy. Although he has an excellent intellect, he tends to be too prepared for unexpected situations, and although he shows excellent fighting against intelligent generals, he oftengs behind against simple and straightforward opponents. However, his sword skills are nothing short of admirable, and the way he cuts into the enemy camp with a small group of elite soldiers is brave and courageous. He has used his ability to overturn predicaments caused by tactical mistakes, and he is definitely considered one of the great generals. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender with long limbs. Dark skin. A face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Rugged half te.. ¡úKrische: A female warrior beyondprehension. Strong points: self-styled swordsmanship. Maintenance of the sword. Likes: Alcohol. Make fun of Elkar. Compare arms. Training. Dislikes: People who underestimate his abilities. Concerns: Defeat that tarnishes one''s honor at the end.** - ----**Kreisharana ¡õ Alkierence Sharana -- Neutral Good A chief who loves the Holy Spirit. He is the chief of the Kreisharana tribe. He is a powerful man who once held the position of warrior chief of Kreisharana, and was appointed as the chief by his predecessor and elder, Beekirs, and became the chief of the tribe. It seems that the other warriors had no objection to him bing the n leader, as he was a man of character as well as his skill, and he was promoted smoothly without being challenged to a duel for the position. Although he no longer wields a spear for hunting, he is still the top-ranking warrior in Kreisharana, and there are only a few people who can exchange spears with him properly. He is always thinking about the future of the vige and is a pacifist in Kreisharana. In its current form, he believes that it is impossible for Kreisharana to continue to exist, and he is seeking a new path while respecting the customs of the past. For this reason, he has made efforts to improve his rtionship with Arna since bing chief, and is not well-liked by the conservatives, with the exception of Beekirs. If the Kreisharana customs, which ce emphasis on improving the individual, are truly good, they will remain in the future even if it wasn¡¯t forced. However, the arrival of Krische, who was born in the kingdom that was supposed to be covered in conceit and falsehood, but is superior to anyone else as an individual, made him feel a new winding Sensing a new wind, he decided to rekindle the rtionship with the kingdom and began steering toward a new future. ?Battle Command Through years of experience, he understands the strengths and weaknesses of the griffin cavalry and is skilled in the art of unterally defeating opponents from an advantageous position. The tactics of avoiding danger and unterally aiming for the enemy''s life are not very interesting, but for them, fighting is hunting. He values the idea that hunters should be as calm as possible, rather than something that should be enjoyed, and the calmness that allows him to do this can be said to be his strength. Appearance: Shaved head. Brown eyes. Muscr. A face with deep wrinkles. A rich white beard. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior who has attained the Holy Spirit with the body of a man. The embodiment of Kreisharana¡¯s ideal. A frightening girl who spouts nothing but verbal gaffe. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Taijutsu. Likes: Honey. Training. Dislikes: Lazy. Concerns: Kreisharana¡¯s future. ¡õ Vinthril Sharana -- Neutral Good A seeker-type boy who loves warriors. Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior. The warrior chief candidates are made up of 12 people selected by rmendation from warriors who have been recognized for their ability and personality, and the one whopetes in martial arts andes out on top bes the chief warrior. He is the son of the current tribe chief Alkierence and holds the position of Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior, but that position is not hereditary and is based on his ability. He can be said to be the best warrior in Kreisharana, both in name and reality, and is respected by the warriors. He has a beautiful and good-looking lover, whom he has promised to marry after this battle, and her father has repeatedly threatened to kill him if he makes his daughter unhappy, even if he is dead. Having grown up under Alkierence, he has simr views about Kreisharana and hopes that the restoration of diplomatic rtions with the kingdom will bring about a new future for them. Quite a sis-con. **He feels a great gap between his ideals and the one-sided war that Krische creates, but he is determined to cooperate with Krische, based on his understanding of her reasoning and feelings.** ?Battle Command He excels at instantaneous decision-making and is good at three-dimensional griffin cavalry operations. Compared to Alkierence, he has defeated countless Suiko through aggressive tactics, such as using decoys and taking out opponents from behind. If Alkierence is a hunter, his thinking is simr to that of a military man, and rather than relying entirely on the beast, he often uses the griffin as a strategy piece. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Tall and muscr. Well-rounded face. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior recognized by the Holy Spirit. The pinnacle to aim for. Sloppy in various ways. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Swordsmanship. Likes Dueling. Training. Little sister. Dislikes: Not formed abs. **Concerns: Way of being as a Warrior.** ¡õ Lira Sharana -- Chaos Good An easy mark girl from the countryside who is confused by the city breeze. She is the Holy Priestess of Kreisharana. She is the miko of Kreisharana who devotes herself to the Holy Spirit, and a priestess in the service of the Holy Spirit Yagernaus. She is a girl who is religiously equal or superior to the Miko Princess of the Arna Imperial State, and is treated with the same respect from the priests of the Arna Imperial State. In Kreisharana, however, she works and lives as any other woman would, due to the unique custom that "women are one who bring fruit¡±. The miko of the Holy Spirit is a prestigious role, but it is not a particrly rewarding one, and she devotes her life to the Holy Spirit and Kreisharana. Though there aren''t many people who truly want to be the mino, after losing her mother at an early age and being cared for by the priestess who preceded her, she decided to take over after her death. Although many people, especially boys her own age, desperately tried to stop her from making such a decision at a young age, she herself is satisfied with her current position as the mother of Kreisharana, just like the miko before her. She speaks thenguage of the ins fluently and has an excellent intellect, but she is less cautious and insensitive to her own charms. She is somewhat like a certain adjutant in that she is somewhat out of it, but the costumes she wears, the feminine charm she possesses, and her naivete and unquestioning nature make her a dangerous girl in more ways than one. Somewhat a brocon. **After reporting to Regve about her visit to the kingdom, she was asked to report every time there is a change, and she is a little confused by the increase in the number of audiences she receives.** Appearance: ck hair in braids that hangs over her shoulders. Brown eyes. A toned body. Quite arge breasts. Pretty. Armor: Overly exposed wraps and loincloth.. ¡úKrische: A pure person. Very beautiful and lovely. Marveled that this kind of skinship is normal in the kingdom. Strong points: Taking care of griffins. Collecting fruits. Likes: Delicious food. Washing. Older brother. Dislikes: thug. Concerns: her brother and warriors on the battlefield. Since she came to the kingdom, she has had a bellyache. ¡õ Vervas -- Neutral Good I''m a warrior type of guy. Chief Guardian of Kreisharana. A warrior who was chosen as a candidate for warrior chief upon the appointment of chief Alkierence. At one time, he was considered a sure-fire chief warrior, but was defeated in a duel with Vinthril and became the chief guardian. If the best warrior in Krei Sharana is the Chief Warrior, then the next best warrior is the Chief Guardian. It is a prestigious position, the gatekeeper of the path to the Holy Spirit, and he is not dissatisfied with the position, partly because it was the result of a duel, and now he and Vinthril have a private and public rtionship. However, perhaps because of their rtionship, his beloved daughter, who he dotes on, has developed a crush on Vinthril, andtely he has been poking Vinthril as a thief who is trying to steal her daughter away from him. ?Battle Command Like Alkierence, he operates with a focus on the Griffin''s flight characteristics above all else, and has a cold-hearted attitude that focuses only on pure victory rather than apetition of skills. Though he prefers fair battles, as he is in a position where he cannot afford to lose, he ces emphasis on winning and does not go on adventures. Although hismand ability is not outstanding, his individual ability is high, and in a fight between a small number of people, he will be able to utilize that strength to gain the upper hand from beginning to end. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. A rugged yet well-groomed face. Scar on cheek. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A great warrior. A transcendent person who he can¡¯t reach. A strange girl. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Taijutsu. Archery. Likes: Contest skill. Training. Warrior. Daughter. Dislikes: Bug (around his daughter). Concerns: He doesn¡¯t want Vinthril to die, but he also has a feeling in his heart that he wants Vinthril to die. - ----Arna Imperial State ¡õ Miko (Shrine Maiden) Princess -- Order Neutral A woman dressed as a young beautiful girl in a see-through costume. Leader of the Arna Imperial State. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom but does not consider it important in and of itself and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Public Face. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. **Concerns: the future of the War of the Five Powers.*** ¡õ Zanaribea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big, sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of Kreschenta''s rtionship with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. Krische ¡ú A girl who exudes the power to push through the impossible. Sweet tooth. A sweet Cursed Child. Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. Concerns: the future of the War of the Five Powers. Whether Kreschenta has forgotten the favor. - ----Elderant Kingdom triangle; ----Veeze n ¡õ Ledo Rani ¨C Neutral Good ¡ú Neutral Evil A hot-blooded protagonist who falls into the dark side type of guy. Rani chief warrior. The leader of Veeze¡¯s hunting squad. A young warrior leader of the Rani tribe under the great tribe Veeze. He is the son of the previous warrior chief Radia, and he inherited his swordsmanship strongly and became a chief warrior at a young age. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. Gorkista, the head of the Veeze n and the current king of Elderant, and his father, Radia, were friends, and he is a childhood friend of Shelna, the princess of Veeze. The two have vowed to get married in the future and have a mutual love rtionship. In Elderant, where countless tribes fight and civil war is constant, he was involved in war from an early age and witnessed the horrors of it firsthand. This traumatized him, and he stood up with Shelna with the idea ofpletely unifying the Kingdom of Elderant, gathered allies, and formed the Veeze hunting party. He continued to disy many military exploits as Shelna''s right-hand man, but lost most of them, including Shelna, in the war of invasion of Alberan. Just as he was in despair, his subordinates desperately tried to stop him and retreated. He narrowly escaped from being pursued by Krische by his body double and was picked up by Tova Arkaz, a general of the northern army,, and returned to Elderant. ?Battle Command Although he has not studied solid tactical theory, he has excellent instantaneous decision-making abilities based on his intuition backed up by his experience gained from battles inplex forests. He is a genius of some kind, but his disadvantage is that he is intuitive and easily gets blood rushing to his head. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. He can be said to be mediocre when he is included in the battle line, and he remains somewhat immature, as he cannot demonstrate his abilities unless he is given independent discretion. In battle, he uses a unique sword technique that takes advantage of the weight and inertia of his giant sword, and in some cases he can even cut down a higher-ss opponent, resulting in an overall extreme high and low performance. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Medium build. Rtively well-rounded face. Armor: Leather armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡ú Krische: An enemy general that Shelna was cautious of. Probably the one who killed Shelna. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Taijutsu. Hunting. Fishing. Swimming. Likes: Training. Armspetition. Dislikes: Alberan. Concerns: Despair, and his hatred for Alberan.*** ? ** Shelna Veeze ¨C Neutral Evil Mildly crazy girl. The first princess of Veeze She was born with deep indigo eyes, a Celestial eye, which was said to be blessed with natural talent in Elderant.. She has shown her talent since she was a child, but it was when she was seven years old that she easily killed a man who tried to touch her. She was seen obsessively cutting open the man''s body and looking at the organs, leading to fears that she did not have a human heart and rumors of her being a mad princess¨D¨Dand as a result, she was temporarily sent to the Rani, a tribe headed by a friend of the king. There she spends several years with Ledo, a familiar face to her, and as they deepen their rtionship through his kindness, shees to love him and to loathe her own abnormality. Although she hates the battlefield, she considers it her role to protect him and fulfill his wishes, and her goal of unifying the Elderant was originally to fulfill his ideals. She wants only a gentle life where they can live peacefully together. During the invasion of Alberan, she encountered Krische and was killed. was picked up by Tova Arkaz, a general of the northern army, and returned to Elderant. ?Battle Command A very aggressivemander. Because she is from Elderant, where most of the country is covered with forests, she excels at "headhunting tactics" such as ambush and surprise attacks, and does not ce importance on battle lines.. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. Her superior thinking ability enables her to view the battlefield from the sky as if she were looking down from above, and she has no troublemanding and operating dozens of small units, even with poor visibility. Her ability to think and guess about strategy and tactics is outstanding, and her instantaneous decisions, which were iprehensible to others and are called revtions, are always based on her extraordinary thinking ability. She is amander who should be called a genius, but she has a bad habit of using fear to control rebellious subordinates, and she often fails to build a rtionship of trust, which often leads to failure. Perhaps because she has easily recovered from such failures by taking the lead herself, she does not take this problem seriously, but it is a definite gap in her otherwise perfect character. Appearance: Long xen hair. Deep indigo eyes. Small build. Modest chest. Superior.. Armor: Matte breastte with ancient carved lettering. Hand armor.. ¡ú Krische: One that spreads death. An absolute killer who surpassed even herself. Strong points: Killing people. Calction. Likes: Ledo. kiss. Physical contact. ying with the flower bed. Dislikes: Her abnormal self. War. Concerns: I wanted to meet Ledo once more.*** ck triangle; ¨D¨DOther Veeze n members ? ** Zuren ¨C Order Neutral The protagonist''s best friend is kind of gut. Commander of the Veeze hunting squad. Like Ledo, he is a warrior from Rani and is a close friend of Ledo''s. He is three years older than Ledo and was the children''s boss when he was a child. He was friends with Ledo, who was cocky and often fought with him. He had feelings for Sherna before Ledo did, but he was sometimes intimidated by her distortions, and her noble birth made him take a step back. However, only Ledo sees her as just another girl, and when he realizes that Shelna is also attracted to him, he gracefully admits defeat and decides to watch over and congratte the two of them. On the battlefield, he is a valiant warrior, with skills on par with Ledo. He was killed in a surprise attack by Vinthril from overhead.** ? ** Bez ¨CNeutral Good The type of guy to y as the protagonist''s older brother. He is the second-inmand of the Veeze hunting party. Assistant to the Rani chief warriors. He had been an assistant to the chief warrior since the time of the previous chief warrior¨D¨DLedo''s father, and also his best friend. He used to be a great warrior of Rani along with Ledo''s father and a mentor of Ledo and Zuren in battle, but due to the aftereffects of past battles, he has a little trouble with the movement of his left arm. Even so, he was a powerful man who could ept the position of warrior chief without any objection if he wished, but he dared to challenge Ledo to a duel and they exchanged swords. It''s a close battle but hu won the duel. Satisfied with Ledo''s growth during the battle, he declines the position of warrior chief and decides to be his assistant.. He fights valiantly in the battle at Tekrea''s main camp, but is defeated. He was sent to Tekrea as a warrior.** * ? ** Zigret ¨C Chaos Neutral An old wise man from the deep forest type. Head Priest of Veeze. Although he was originally from Wese, he was an old sorcerer who lived a reclusive life regardless of politics. He was a great sage who lived for 150 years, and traveled all over Elderant while researching magic crystals. He bes the head priest of Veeze at the behest of Prime Minister Chlorus, who was originally the chief priest of Veeze, but he also serves as a watchdog over Shelna, who has the Celestial Eye. Unlike when she was young, he was happy with the changes that have urred in her since meeting Ledo. He was a first-rate sorcerer who was able to engrave magical crystals that enabled offensive magic, and created seven sorcerer wands during his lifetime. However, he also believes that these are nothing more than self-defense, and is only part of his research. He pursues magic that does not rely on magic crystals more than anyone else, and is ranked as one of the top five sorcerers among modern magic researchers. Whilemanding his retreat, he was attacked and killed by Krische. His wisdom was lost.** ? ** Aaron Chirus ¨COrder Evil Barbarian general-purpose model type boy. Kirs chief warrior. Although he has bad behavior, he is a warrior with excellent swordsmanship. He was raised in Kirs where he was strongly taught that power is everything, so his sense of ethics is very different from the people of Veeze, but he is a normal person among Kirs. He is rational and intelligent, and perhaps because he ispassionate toward those who follow him, he is respected by the people of Kirs. He strongly dislikes the idealistic Ledo, and is also ufortable with the arrogant Shelna, but he is soft on those who understand his sense of reason and try to make sense of it. He is killed in a surprise attack by Krische and Gururun.** * * ¡õ ** Chlorus ¨CNeutral Neutral A stubborn and angry old man. Prime Minister of Elderant. He is a former head priest of Veeze with a brilliant mind, but blood tends to rush to his head easily.. After seeing Kreschenta at the recent ceremony, he feels that she is extremely dangerous, and he is the main faction of the Elderant Kingdom that has called for the early destruction of the present Alberan. He is a schr who has studied the past history deeply and understands the rtionship between Alberan''s prosperity and the Cursed Child better than anyone else, and he considers Kreschenta, who shows unimaginable intelligence from her young age, to be dangerous because she could be the seconding of the Queen Grabaraine. He is disliked in Elderant, perhaps because of his aggressive nature and his refusal to tolerate any opposition from the people around him., and many in Elderant consider his strong concerns to be delusional, so he was not taken seriously. The decision to invade was not based on his words, but rather on the general judgment of the situation, with the country exhausted by the civil war and the timing of the transfer of the throne to a young princess.** ? ----Meeklea n ¡õ Gain Meeklea ¨C Neutral Evil Bad barbarian concept type. Chief of the Meeklea n. A monster with unparalleled strength and the chief of therge tribe Meeklea. He has grown his beard and hair carelessly, has tattoos all over his body, and has ruled Meeklea for many years, with his muscr appearance and deep voice he was feared by the ordinary warriors. He is a schr who has studied the past history deeply and understands the rtionship between Alberan''s prosperity and the Cursed Child better than anyone else, and he considers Kreschenta, who shows unimaginable intelligence from her young age, to be dangerous because she could be the seconding of the Queen Grabaraine. He is disliked in Elderant, perhaps because of his aggressive nature and his refusal to tolerate any opposition from the people around him., and many in Elderant consider his strong concerns to be delusional, so he was not taken seriously. He is not only a superhuman warrior, but he also has excellent intelligence and judgment, and has the ability to make the best decision in an instant no matter how difficult the situation, and regardless of his inclinations, he is a fierce general who should be counted as a great general. During the civil war, he fought a duel with Gorkista, the leader of the Veeze n and king of Elderant, and was narrowly defeated, so he obeyed his rules and followed him, but after learning of Gorkista illness, he is aiming for the throne again. If Ledo were the main character, he would probably be the final enemy. There is no difference between a chief and a chief warrior within a tribe, but in Elderant, only the chief of arge tribe (not vassal to any other tribe except the king) who is eligible to seed to the throne is allowed to call themself a chief. He made a single sh at Colchis''s armor, but was killed through the gap he made. ¡õ Carnesaldo Rouline¨C Chaos Evil An evil barbarian elite boy. Rouline Chief Warrior. Gain''s right hand man, a handsome evil looking man. He is Gain''s younger brother. Although he has a very unscrupulous personality and likes to y with women, he is a talented man who once sessfully hunted green tigers on his own, and is a skilled warrior who is second to Gain even under Meeklea. He has a tattoo of ancient characters that matches Gain''s.. As a child, he was saved by Gain when he was attacked by a wolf, and as his one and only brother, he swears allegiance to him, but he is an ouw among ouws who disregards all other conventions and rules. He has always been able to defeat anyone who has rebelled against him by sheer force.. He has a history of trying to seduce Sherna, and is greatly disliked by Ledo. If Ledo were the main character, he would probably be the final enemy. He was killed with two shots (there are various theories) by the Krische bow on Gururun.** - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Concerns: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he is concerned about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: ouws. Concerns: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Although she learns the truth about the past because of Krische¡¯s returns, she understands that she couldn''t hold a grudge against Krische, and she still shows Krische, unchanging love on behalf of Grace and the others. Krische had already be such an existence for G. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. Concerns: the war looming over the kingdom once again.** ¡õ Pell --Neutral Good Boy whose first love is Krische. Kalka''s vignte group. A boy who loved Krische as "the neighborhood''s beautiful One-san". Krische¡¯s character was quite different from others, but he took good care of her and honestly liked her. Whenever Krische showed up at the vignte training, he always gave her sword lessons, and after she left, he realized that it had been a faint first love. His dream is to be a soldier and be a hero, but he eventually gives up after his childhood girl friend cried and he will probably lead a peaceful life as the leader of the vignte group in the vige of Kalka, that kind of boy. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Quote a good face. ¡úKrische: A beautiful neighborhood girl. His first love. Very strong. Quite different from others. Strong points: Swordsmanship. Brawl. Likes: self-discipline (self-improvement). Heroic stories. Dislikes: Bandits. Adults who made Krische as the bad guy. Concerns: love at first sight for Bery. - ----Others ? Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Concerns: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. **Worry: Since he started following Krische, things have been going too well.** ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Profit-driven business. Concerns: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Chrissie, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Kreschenta was her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Concerns: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. ¡õ Vanate Faren¨C Chaos Good Nosy, rtives woman type. Margrave Faren''s wife. Eluga''s wife. She was born into a powerful noble family. She is beautiful and above average in everything she does. She is a woman of talent and beauty, but she is very strong-willed and dislikes the closed-mindedness characteristic of noble society, and perhaps because of her birth, she is very strong-minded and idealistic. Because of that, she was sent back after three days from where she married and was treated as a tumor in her parents'' house. Her brother was a corpsmander in the same army as Eluga, but he disliked him, and out of rivalry with him, he took a solo action that was close to viting an order, and as a result, he fell into a dangerous situation and was saved by him. However, at that time, he resented the fact that he had been judged ipetent because of that and worked to block Eluga¡¯s career¨D¨DKnowing that fact, Vanate personally went to Eluga and apologized to him. Because of that connection with him, She was intrigued by Eluga¡¯s face and gentle nature, which was different from what she had heard about him and visited him every once in a while. At some point, she realizes that it has turned into love and presses him to marry her. Eluga refused saying that the age difference is too big, and that her house wouldn¡¯t allow it, but she threatened that if she was rejected by a man with an evil appearance like Eluga, it would be a shame for life, and that she wouldmit suicide, and so she married him forcefully. Although she was disowned after a dispute with her brother who inherited the family, she herself is satisfied and doesn''t particrly care. She often hurls harsh words at Eluga without any reservation, but that was just her not being able to be honest in truth. She has a strong affection for him, and she basically respects his opinion whenever there is a dispute. She is prouder than anything that she was able to achieve a love marriage, and her hobby is to meddle here and there about how a marriage should be and is a walking marriage counselor. She also matched Berry''s older sister Lazura in personality and got along well with her. Appearance: Long, graceful blonde hair. Brown eyes. Slender and tall. Normal breasts. A beautiful woman with tight proportions who is beginning to show some signs of aging. ¡úKrische: A young beautiful girl that her husband seems to be taken to. She has an air of more than just being on good terms with Bery. Strong points: Quibbles. Love Consultation. Likes: Love consultation. Love story. Dislikes: Restrictions that bind emotions. Concerns: The safety of her husband, who is on the battlefield. ¡õ **Koza¨C Neutral Good A strong cksmith type man. Former subordinate of Gallen. He is a certified cksmith in Christand. Originally the only son of a cksmith, he joined the army to rebel against his strict father. He served under Gallen in several battles, but was wounded in the leg during one of them and discharged from the army after suffering a permanent injury. His final rank was corporal. He used to be a rowdy and violent person and was beaten up several times by Garren, but he feels a strong debt of gratitude to him because Gallen saved him many times when he was in danger. When he returned to his parents after suffering a permanent injury, the tears of relief shed by his strict father made him decide to take over the family business, and he has been training diligently ever since. Taking advantage of his experience on the battlefield, many of his swords are particrly focused on ease of handling and sturdiness, and although they are not shy, they are of very high quality, perhaps due to his natural talent. He and Bogan, who had just joined the military at the time, did not have a very deep rtionship as they had mostly reced each other, but theyter deepened their rtionship after being introduced to him by Gallen. Bogan, Nozan, Selene''s sword, Kolkis¡¯s iron spear, Grunmeld¡¯s war club, and other weapons of the Christand warriors are often struck by Koza. The small sword that Gallen wields was the first sword his father recognized, and even now, decadester, he still uses it with great care. Although he feels that his son Kays has more talent than him, hecks motivation and is troubled by memories of his former father''s rtionship with him. However, perhaps because of Krische, he¡¯s relieved that he seems to have started to get more enthusiastic about it recently after seeing his new swing, which can be said to be the culmination of his life. Appearance: Bald. Sharp brown eyes. Large and muscr. Stubble beard and his right shoulder is bulged with muscles ¡úKrische: His benefactor''s granddaughter. A girl with an unusual sword skill. The person to whom he gave the best swing of his life. Strong points: weapon smithing. fight. Likes: Sparks. Forging. Dislikes: Craftsmanship that ignores practicality. Concerns: Will he be able to pass on all of my skills to his son. - ----Creatures ? Regve -- Chaos Neutral An ancient dragon that used to be talked about a lot. Regve of Arbyagel. Yagernaus. A survivor of a race of dragons that once swept the world. In the ancient territorial wars, or dragon wars, they killed many dragons and spread their blood all over thend Since there are no more dragons left to fight for territory, and everyone has grown bored of fighting and moved away, he now stays in Arbyagel to watch the world change. He is rtively close to people among dragons, and although he could be said to be an oddity among dragons, more or less all dragons surviving today spend their time in this way. As a dragon, he is also highly intelligent, but due in part to his original abilities, he does not make much use of them, and is content to devote his days to philosophical questions and answers. Treated as a pervert by Krische because of his strange propensity tough while being impaled on a spear. Appearance: Reddish-purple eyes. Rocky blue-gray scales. A huge body equalinga castle. Huge bat-like wings. ¡úKrische: A small but arrogant and pleasant one. A contractor. Observation target. Strong points: Emission of magic power. Likes: contemtion. Observation. asional little one that is outstanding. Dislikes: things that disturb contemtion. Things that bother him. Concerns: the existence of aplete dragon. ¡õ Bururun -- Order Evil Loyal, rampaging horse boy. Horse. A horse chosen by Krische as a recement for her foot because it isrge and seems to have a certain amount of strength. Originally owned by the Christand army, he was a rough and difficult horse to handle, but now he is owned by the Christand family because he has taken to Krische so well. Rather than being violent, he is smart and calm, but he seems to be particr about how he is touched and how well he is cared for, and he is very sensitive, and has very strong likes and dislikes. Although he has badpatibility with Selene who has a rough personality , but treated with respect, he will easily be attached. He is a fine horse with a strong and seemingly inexhaustible physical strength, and can run as if flying, but he does not have many opportunities to make use of this strength. His temperament is more suited to being used as a fast horse than as a warhorse. His recent favorites are Berry and Elvena, who often take care of him and let him walk around the royal territory. He became a hot topic as a horse that galloped with Krische during Selene''s predicament, and was not aware that the spring mating festival wasing up. **He went to the spring mating festival, but came back a little worn out.** Appearance:rge stature. fawn color. Long mane. ¡úKrische: Two legs that sure know how to touch him. Feed him a lot and take care of him. Strong points: Running. Likes: Walking. Brushing. To challenge the limits. Dislikes: Sloppy two legged. **Concern: At his limit.** ¡õ Gururun ¨C Chaotic Neutral A cat type girl who is used to people. Suiko. A Suikp from Arbyagel, a Suiko who was fed by Krische and became attached to her. She has lived afortable life in Arbyagel and has grown up happily andfortably, and even for a green tiger, she is ratherrge and highly intelligent. Perhaps because she was in a position of absolute power in a rich environment, she has never been hungry and is extremely wary of a wild beast. While gorging on the carcass and entrails of the Suiko left uneaten by Krische, she was following her scent out of territorial instinct, but the mystery deepens as fresh meat is offered one after another. What was left behind, moreover, was the most delicious offal. She wonders if this might have been left for her, and when she catches up with Cliche, she finds that she is also being offered the entrails of an Ranka. After getting her clear answer, she decides to work with the mysterious two-legged meat provider Krische. She seems to be enjoying the environment that somehow provides her with meat even though she does not hunt, and is very satisfied with her current life. Appearance: Green body hair with ck vertical stripes. A huge tiger with eight-shaku shoulders. ¡úKrische: Two legs that for some reason feed her. A Honorary Suiko. Tickles her maternal instinct. Strong points: Hunting. Likes: Walking. Sleeping. Eating. Dislikes: Her prey being snatched. Concerns: None. **It was fun.** ? Alcazaris ¨C Neutral Neutral A monstrous girl who came out to be killed. An Elephant magical beast. An elephant magical beast that was identally born in the process of elephant breeding in Gulshan. It was once used by the rebels in the civil war in the Kingdom of Gulshan, and was one of the reasons for the rebels'' victory. It was named Alcazaris, "the one thatid waste to everything," Because of its appearance of trampling and crushing the lines of battle, and after the war, it lived peacefully in the back for breeding. Tearful trial and error was made to create a special pedestal for the male elephants to hoist them up for breeding, but the breeding did not go well partly because of her huge size, and seven of them died, rousing her anger, and dozens of people also died. Because of such damage, the elephants were pulled to the front by the order of Orugan, who saw no reason to save her for the decisive battle against the kingdom, but she was killed instantly by Krische spear throws. It was a monster that would have performed well in a battle without Krische, but in the face of Krische, who had to fight against a dragon, it was only arge, pitiful beast. Appearance: Green eyes. Deep blue-gray skin. A huge body that could easily fill a two-story mansion. Long fangs and snout. ¡úKrische: Don¡¯t know. Strong points: Back kick. Stomping. Likes: Eating. Dislikes: Mating. Concerns: something flying over here¨D¨D.** Chapter 201: Side Story: The Beginning of A Heroic Epic Chapter 201: Side Story: The Beginning of A Heroic Epic ***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 201 Side Story: The Beginning of A Heroic Epic*** In the forest. Dozens of soldiers are gathered around a campfire, two men in the center. "What are you thinking, Christand? I thought I told you not to pursue too deeply." His hair, cut in a messy bun, was brushed back. The centurion, Gallen, carrying bow, stared at the other man with sharp eyes. Bogan, the captain on the other hand, looked back at him with a dignified attitude that matches his physique and rugged face. "Ha. I understand your orders¨D¨Dbut I didn''t pursue them too deeply. In fact, I was able to finish them as much as I could within my own legs." Bogan said coolly, shaking his golden hair that has grown a little. He killed an adjutant who had run away¨D¨Dnot a bad achievement. ¡°...I admit that you have excellent abilities, and your aplishments are good. However, even though you are a captain, you left mymand, and if you asked me whether I would forgive your independent action the answer is no. Three people were injured, which could have been prevented if you abandoned themand.¡± "Ha. However, if all three of them take a little rest, they could continue the battle, and there will be no injuries." "...Commander Gallen, the injured are my responsibility as Captain Christand left me in charge of the unit for a time." The voice that came out from among the men surrounding the two was a beautiful face¨D¨Dred copper hair. It was Nozan. Contrary to his words, his eyes seemed to be hostile towards Gallen. Garen looked back at him andughed. "You can say this without knowing the principle of responsibility. You are a corporal, not a captain, a squad leader under Christand''smand. I have no recollection of ordering you to lead the troops, and I have no intention of ordering Christand to do so.¡± And his eyes narrowed. "...Don''t interrupt me. The responsibility is Christand, and mine to take. Get back when you can wipe your own butt." Nozan looked clearly displeased, but took a step back and said, ¡®My apologies¡¯. Gallen returned his gaze to Bogan again. "...Are you fighting alone, Christand? Your judgment is better than mine, better than the battalionmander, better than the corpsmander, and better than the general?" "...No, it''s not." ¡°Even though it¡¯s a small fry, it¡¯s a big one for you. You must be happy. However, the war will not end unless the enemy''s higher-rankingmander or general is decapitated. You''re like a useless dog that jumps at the bait in front of you." Bogan furrowed his brow and Gallen red at him as he approached. "The main purpose of the mission is to attack the enemy''s transport fleet. Unavoidable encounters can''t be helped. However, your savagery and military achievements will have made the enemy more wary. At the very least, the results are inconsistent with my intentions, and if this umtes, it will even affect the tactical ns of the battalionmander and corpsmander. Do you understand? ¡± ¡°...Yes sir¡± "And please understand that such actions of yours will someday cost not only your life, but the lives of yourrade. ...Today is over. Everyone, please take a break." Gallen said that and left the ce, and the men who were watching the scene also went to rest. Nozan called out to Bogan, who had a disappointed look on his face. "...I''m getting tired of the constant nagging, right captain.¡± "The logic is correct. It''s a sound argument." Even as he spoke, he started walking away, looking somewhat unconvinced, and sat down, resting his back against a tree. Nozan followed him and sat at the next tree. "I feel like cursing my birth. If I hadn''t been born as the third son of a baron, I wouldn''t have been covered in mud, and the hunters chasing boar''s butts wouldn¡¯t have acted so bossy." "Don''t say that. At least themander is an expert archer. He''s not bad atmanding either." Commander Gallen couldn¡¯t use magic, but he was not ipetent, and he rose from rank and file as a soldier. He was not a bad superior. "...He¡¯s a little timid though." However, the problem was that he was being too cautious. Gallen was too afraid of the loss of his troops. "Indeed. Probably because he doesn''t have a skill like us." Nozanughed and agreed. Although he was the youngest member of the squad, he was extremely talented and was second only to Bogan in the squad in terms of swordsmanship. It wasn''t an insult, it was a fact. Nobles andmoners¨D¨Dthe presence or absence of magical power was an absolute difference on the battlefield. No matter what the situation is, if you have magical power, you can often get through it. However, Gallen was not a magic possessor. That''s probably where his cowardicees from. It was a good thing that he was assigned to a special light infantry unit instead of a general infantry unit that formed the battle line. What was disappointing was that themander was amoner, someone who could not handle magic. Amander¡¯s ability naturally influences their tactical choices. Gallen was a man who was faithful to his duties, valued discipline, and deserved respect as a soldier, but he had the w of being too afraid of attrition to his troops. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to follow him and achieve military results with this unit. "It''s a long road to bing a general. Well, this is also a learning experience. Compared to a natural-born battalionmander, the experience we gain must be valuable." "I would like to emte that kind of thinking. I hope the captain will move up quickly and pull me up." ¨D¨DA few dayster. With his stern face wrapped in his helmet, Bogan red across the bushes. "...What should we do? Do you want to wait for themander¡¯s instructions?" Nozan asked,ughing. Bogan frowned and thought. "This is the second time we will vite an order. It''s not desirable, but..." In front of him was the enemy load of the Elderant army walking on the road¨D¨D80 horse-drawn carriages and about 150 escorts. Surrounded by forests from east to west, it was the perfect time for an ambush attack. To the west of the forest, on this side were 50 Bogans, and to the east were Centurion Gallen''s 50 men. A well-timed pincer attack. Killing the opponent in one breath. That was the strategy, but the man on horseback who appeared to be the enemymander was not in the center or rear as expected, but in the front. Gallen, who had made a detour, was still not in position. The attack was to take ce after Garren sent the signal¨D¨Dbut at this rate, there was a risk of missing him. The Elderant make their home in the forest. Once they escape, it will be difficult to pursue them. A pincer attack certainly has great benefits, but it would be foolish to miss this opportunity. They had no choice but to go there. There were also Nozan here as well. The situation was not that bad. "It''s now or never. Nozan.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± He raised his left hand to signal the rear. The other party seemed unperturbed. He is walking down the road, chatting with the one beside him. The enemymander, helmetless, his braided hair swinging. The man asionally looked at his surroundings and appeared wary, but his men were bad. "¡¡let''s go" Throwing pebbles at the person across the road and shaking the branches and leaves. For a moment, the enemy soldier''s gaze turned to the left¨D¨Dat that moment, he pulled out his long sword and stepped in before anyone else. He jumped over the bushes and danced out onto the road, one first. Nozan followed, and then another. "Enemy..." Then, he decapitated the enemymander who was about to raise his voice. A frightened face¨D¨Dthe enemymander was still young. He must have been inexperienced. After he killed a few more people, his soldiers followed from behind. However, theck of response made Bogan feel ufortable for a moment. Elderant was a society of warriors, and fundamentally strength was valued more than family background. Naturally, the enemymander would be strong to a certain extent, but the escort andmander were both too weak. The frightened eyes of someone on the verge of being killed¨D¨Dwhat did that mean? Bogan thought about it and soon had an answer. ¡°¨D¨DTheye out, I¡¯ll take the lead! Go!¡± The man who was in the middle of the column was the one who raised his voice. He took off his helmet and shouted, and soldiers appeared from the carriage beside him. They had tattoos on their faces and beards¨D¨Dthat was the main difort.. The same was true for all of the enemies he had fought so far that were considered to be the elite. Tattoos and beards were perhaps symbols of warrior status within the tribe. ¡°We¡¯ve been had, Nozan." ¡°That''s the kind of move a barbarian would make.¡± But Bogan remained calm, and so did Nozan. There was some confusion among the soldiers, but they were also elite light infantry. There were no major problems. The enemy was just a trick¨D¨Donly 30 people appeared from the carriage at most. The disguised carriage was just that, 150 men turned into 180. As Gallen said, he thought this might be the result of him not being cautious, but it''s not something he should be thinking about right now. ¡°I¡¯ll charge in¡± "I leave it to you." Nozan said that quickly and headed towards the enemymander. "Leave the enemymander to me and Nozan! You guys destroy the escorts!!" He shouted to the soldiers and quickly followed Nozan. Nozan Verreich''s sword was elegant¨D¨Dvividly cutting down the enemymander and his guards. ¨D¨DBut the enemy was no slouch either. Therge spear he wields pierces the wind and heads towards Nozan. He narrowly dodged himself, but was unable to dodge the subsequent mowing down, and Nozan had no choice but to block it with his sword. His body was flung away, and he immediately took an ukemi stance and stood up, but his opponent was a split second quicker. Bogan drew his dagger and threw it, but the man ducked and leapt backward, opening the distance. ¡°For a bunch of ipetent Alberan, you¡¯re quite good. My name is Gailbeag of Meeklea. Remember the name of the one who kills you." ¨D¨DA powerful magic possessor. An opponent who could defeat the Northern head-on¨D¨Dwhether or not even Bogan could win... However, running away was not an option. "Bogan Christand, remember it, barbarian! Bogan shouted and stepped forward. The opponent''s choice was a thrust. He hit his left gauntlet against the opponent''srge spear to change its trajectory and move inside his opponent''s reach.. The man retreated slightly and twisted his body. Turning his back towards Bogan¨D¨DBogan¡¯s confusion, a momentary gap, and the spear''s stone thrust extends from under his armpit. Bogan retreated immediately, but was unable to avoid it. The stone thrust hit the belly of his leather armor, and even though it didn''t pierce, it sent a shock. "Captain!¡± Nozan approaches the man from the right hand and strikes with a sword. However, the man dodged even that and kicked Nozan¡¯s torso away. "It''s the end!!" The man lifted his cheek, and aimed the spear. Bogan was unable to adjust his stance and immediately chose defense. But¨D¨D "¨D¨Dah?" An arrow shot through the side of the head of the man who was approaching Bogan. The man''s eyes rolled upwards and copsed. "The enemymander is dead! Eliminate the rest!!" The one who released it was Gallen who appeared from the eastern forest. Without looking at themander''s head, he nced at Bogan who had sat up. ¡°Koza, your team will assist Christand until he can takemand!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± "The others go to the rear. Moraz, you lead half of the group and head to the back. Your priority is to clear the cargo. Just drive away the enemy." After giving instructions, Gallen readied his arrow again. He easily drew his personal, short but stiff bow, and the arrows shot through the enemy one after Speed and uracy that no average opponent cane close to. Without boasting about his earlier aplishments, he just steadily took down his opponents. "Captain Christand, are you injured?" "...No. Nozan?" "*cough*...Me too" Nozan stood up despite coughing. Therge team leader¨D¨DKoza told the two of them with his eyes as if he were looking at someone in trouble. "It¡¯s Captain Gallen''s order. Rebuild immediately." "¡¡I know" At least, he didn''t feel like he could disobey that order. After finishing the cleanup and retreating. Gallen said nothing. He didn''t ask Bogan to apologize or leave it forter, he did the bare minimum. It was not until two nightster¨D¨Dhe finally spoke about it, after they had returned to their allies'' side and were safe. "¨D¨DWell, no matter how much I preach, nothing will change. You should draw your sword, Christand." "Ha¡¡?" "Verreich too. I¡¯ll deal with you two together." Bogan and Nozan look at each other, then turn to Gallen whoughs. "If you guys win, then I''ll leave the army. Christad, in that case, I''ll rmend you as the centurion to the battalionmander. You can do whatever you want with the squad.¡± "But, Commander Gallen..." ¡°Shut up, Koza.¡What¡¯s with that face, Christand, are you dissatisfied?¡± Gallen looked at Bogan with a mocking look. Bogan frowned and looked back at him. "It''s understandable to be angry. I admit that you saved me from a predicament... But isn''t that too much of an understatement? It''s not my intention to embarrass you. With Commander Gallen, I don''t think there''s a chance for you to win even against one of us.¡± "I''m asking you if you''re going to do it or not, Christand." Gallenughed as he tapped the scabbard on the small sword on his waist. "Kuku, they say that dogs raised in wealthy towns can only bark, and that''s exactly right." Those words were a clear provocation. Both Bogan and Nozan now showed obvious hostility and red at Gallen. "...I''m also a noble, Even if you¡¯re themander, if someone insults me, I can''t justugh it off." "You''re just a man of pride huh, Christand." "...I have advised you. Nozan." Nozan draws his sword irritated. To fight two on one against someone who was not even magic possessors, that was something to be ashamed of. Nozan readied his sword, and, looking exasperated, Gallen set down his bow and quiver. And he pulled out his short sword, "I thought I said I don''t mind if youe together." "You...!!" At his word, Nozan charged in. In one breath he crushed the distance of 5 ken and swung his sword, "Wha...!?" A small sword sheath was thrown in front of him. In order to avoid it, Nozan quickly dodged and as he lost his bnce he slid next to Gallen. However, as he tried to slip by, Gallen caught his foot and knocked him down. And before Nozan could get up, Gallen threw his dagger right in his face. "Now you¡¯re killed in battle. You¡¯re from a noble''s house, so you''ll have a grand funeral." Nozan stiffed without saying a word, and Gallen looked at Bogan with a smile on his face. "What are you doing... aren''t youing?" ¡°¡It¡¯s just the result of a small trick.¡± "That''s right, it¡¯s just a small trick and Verreich died stupidly. But, well, you''ll be exposed to simr stupidity." Bogan also drew his sword. "...I''m not confident that I won''t hurt you." ¡°Why don''t you stop running your mouth and show me how you swing that sword you''re so proud of?¡± Bogan clicked his tongue and charged in. The first step didn''t destroy the distance between the two, and he went around to the left of Gallen, who didn''t have a sword. He swung his long sword from overhead, "!?" Gallen as if falling down was at Bogan¡¯s feet. He grabbed the bogan''s leg, straightened himself up, and mmed hisrge body into the ground. He stomps on his right arm and torso, and thrusts the tip of his small sword into Bogan''s neck. "Now you too are being killed in battle...It''s sad that the captain squad team leader of this unit are both idiots." Stunned, Bogan looks at the small sword pointed at his own neck and looks up at Gallen. Gallen''s face was not smiling, and his eyes, as sharp as a bird of prey''s, shot through Bogan''s. "...What do you think, Christand? Do you have any objections?" The air was frozen, as no one who was watching spoke up. Gallen didn''t raise his voice. Even so, it was a voice that resonated deep in his guts. "...No. Commander." Hearing that voice, Gallen withdrew his dagger and took his foot off Bogan''s arm. "What you say is true. Both you and Verreich are superior in all abilitiespared to me. In terms of strength and weakness, there isn¡¯t even a need topare it with me. However, you are overconfident in your own strength. If you win, you will be a centurion, and in the face of a rare opportunity, you stick to your pride and don''t cooperate.¡± Bogan heard this while lying down. "Abandoning the advantageous situation by your own choice and attacking individually. What do you think of this as a tactic?" ¡°...It¡¯s the lowest of low, sir¡± "That''s right. And on top of that, you insisted on challenging me with a sword. Did I present the rules? I just told you to win. If you throw your sword sheath at me like I did, the battle will be over¨D¨Dyour weaknesses are all overconfidence in your own strength and conceit.'''' Gallen went to pick up the sheath he had thrown away, and Bogan finally got himself up. As Gallen sheathed the dagger and reattached it to his waist, he continued. "I guess you can only win against those you can beat. In fact, even against those you can beat, you could lose your lives like that. ...For what purpose do we form a squad? What are tactics for?¡± "...to defeat an opponent who is superior in military strength." ¡°Yes. You understand that in your true heart, devoid of pride. ...You must have understood from the enemy you fought this time. There are some fierce enemies among them that even you two can''t defeat." Thinking of the enemymander, I Bogan clenched his fists. At the very least, my opponent was stronger than him¨D¨Dno, it was two on one, and they failed to finish him off, and were forced into a predicament. Even if the fight had continued, it was doubtful whether they would have been able to defeat the enemymander. "However, even against such an opponent, I cannot afford to lose to a soldier. Therefore, I will gain an advantage in order to win. That is why I¡¯m so noisy." ¡°........¡± "That said, even if I don''t nag you any further you surely understand. Your choice¨D¨Din your heart understand, what was wrong and what you should have done.¡± When Gallen came to his side, he looked down again. His eyes were not angry, but somewhat kind. "You guys are young and talented... First, cut off that arrogance and learn as much as you can. And learn how to survive in order to learn." Garen said, holding out his right hand. ¡°Even if you don''t rush your efforts, you''ll find yourself in a suitable position before you know it.'''' Bogan stared at Gallen¡¯s hand. Then he held out his right hand as if to ept it. The body was powerfully aroused. Gallen looked at his face and nodded, then looked around. "It seems that Christand and Verreich want to be on meal duty today. This is a valuable opportunity to use the captain and the squad leader for an errand, so I hope you enjoy it to the fullest." Laughter echoed from the surroundings, and Gallen also looked at Bogan with a smile on his face. "You have no objection? Christand." Bogan looked dumbfounded and looked at Nozan as he approached. Then slowly, he ced his right hand on his left chest and saluted. ¡®I dedicate my life to you¡¯¨D¨Dit was a salute with such meaning. "...From now on, you can call me whatever you call me instead of using my family name. Commander." Gallen looked into his eyes and nodded again, "...Okay, Bogan. Let''s get to work." Thumb to his left chest. That allegiance shall be my blood¨D¨Dthat was what the reply that meant. Bogan sat in his chair and ced the young Selene on hisp. He told an old story. It was about Gallen, who had visited the estate yesterday. "¨D¨DThemander was the one who saved me from such a predicament." "I-I see...um, Otou-sama, talking about battlefields is sca¨D¨D" ¡°Commander appeared and pierced the enemymander''s head with a single arrow.'''' "Hi..." Bogan pressed his fingers to the temple of Selene''s small head. His mind is in the past, oblivious to his frightened daughter. "With a swoosh, an arrow came flying at him and pierced his head, and I saw the man''s eyes roll up in front of me. It was so precise, I''m sure he didn''t even feel the pain..." ¡°I-I don''t want to hear about that anymore..¡± "? Selene, where are you going..." The door opened at the same time that Selene started running to escape from hisp. "O-Ojou-sama, what¡¯s wrong...?" "Bery, when I asked about Gallen-sama, Otou-sama told me all kinds of scary stories..." When Selene hugged Bery who was holding the tray with cookies, she started crying. Bery looked troubled and put her tray on the shelf and picked up Selene. "...Bogan, you." From behind her, Lazura stood royally and red at Bogan, her temples twitching. Bogan looked at the crying Selene, dumbfounded, and then looked at Lazura. "Bery, please calm down Selene." "Um, yes, Nee-sama...Ojou-sama, it''s okay. It¡¯s fine.....I baked some cookies, do you like them? I have confidence in it..." Berry was holding Selene while she was on the couch with one hand. Lazura beckoned the head of the Christand family with anger at her beauty. "Bogan,e here." "Ah, aah..." After that, Lazura¡¯s insults echoed even inside the room. Selene also didn''t stop crying until it was over. Chapter 202: Worried, and Being Worried Chapter 202: Worried, and Being Worried ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 202 Worried, and Being Worried*** The morning sun was shining through¨D¨Dthe time when she would normally be awake had long passed. She raised her small but feminine naked body. Covering her face with her hands, Bery Argan sighed. "¡¡Aahh" ¡®¨D¨DWhat have I done?¡¯ The words ofmentation were voiceless. Though she had been awake for a long time, she didn''t feel like waking up. She tried her best to pretend to be asleep, but she still couldn''t fool herself. "Ehehe, good morning..." Perhaps realizing that her arms had been untangled, Krische spoke in a soft, muffled voice. Krische yawned a little, then raised her naked body to lean on the Bery and stretched. "...?" She tilted her head towards Bery, who covered her face with both of her hands, she straddled her thighs. Then Krische looked at Bery''s face from above her covered hands. "What''s wrong?" "*sigh*...it¡¯s nothing." As she gave up and released her hands, Bery looked at the girl straddling her. She put both of her hands on Krische¡¯s cheeks and kissed her lightly and smiled. "...Good morning, Krische-sama." "Yes, good morning Bery." In a good mood, Krische said that, pondered for a moment, then smiled as if making a significant discovery. "Krische, had just learned something for the first time" "¡¡Um?" ¡°Krische thought it was something only a pair of opposite sex did, but even between women they can mat¡ª¡ªmuggh.¡± But before she could finish, her mouth was immediately covered by a palm. Berry leans closer to her face and looks at Krische, her face red. ¡°...I understand what Krische-sama is trying to say. The meaning is certainly correct, but that word is extremely inappropriate¡ª¡ªit''s like calling the dish being served as bait. ...Never say it out loud." ¡°Understood¡±, Bery asked, and Krische, whose mouth was covered by her, was surprised but nodded her head. Bery narrowed her eyes at Krische and sighed again. "...Geez. Let''s get changed and prepare dinner. Krische-sama is hungry right?" When Berry let go of the hand covering Krische¡¯s mouth, she said that with a wry smile. "Ehehe, yes. Krische''s stomach is really empty..." Krische answered shyly but honestly. Dusk¡ª¡ªthe main road connecting the royal city and Wolfenheit. Inside the carriage on the way home. "But you sure are really good at giving speeches. I respect you for being able to say things that you don¡¯t really mean." "That''s rude. I didn''t say anything I didn''t mean." Kreschenta was as usual, sitting sideways in the carriage in a bad manner, leaning against the wall and tapping her foot against Selene''s thigh. Just where was the queen who smiled kindly just a few moments ago? She stared at Selene with a mocking smile. "It''s true that I want them to do their best, it''s true that I don''t want the soldiers to die, and it''s true that I don''t want the territory to be ravaged. If I say what''s in my heart, that''s what wille out." "Ah, yes, yes...I beg your pardon for that." Selene responded with an exasperated tone. ording to the n, Krische would defeat the Holy Empire of Elsrenst. Naturally, it would be a longer defensive battle than in the south and west, and the burden on the soldiers in the east would be greater as they would have to maintain the front line on the defensive. A defensive battle was essentially a battle against morale. Putting aside if one was on the offensive side, the psychological burden of continually warding off the opponent''s attacks was extremely heavy, and the longer it goes on, the decrease in morale bes more apparent. Moreover, being attacked by three countries, with no end in sight and uncertain reinforcements. The mental fatigue of the soldiers who had to continue to resist the enemy''s offensive in such a situation was iparable to themanders who knew of the Alberan''s strategy. No matter how rare Nozan Verreich was as amander, he couldn¡¯t eliminate all of that dissatisfaction and fatigue. There, Her Majesty the Queen personally inspected the battlefield and gave a speech. As soon as the defeat of Gulshan was reported to the capital, they immediately started moving and headed east. The purpose of this visit was to give hope to the soldiers, to let them know that the war would notst long, and to restore the morale of the soldiers who had been depressed, Kreschenta should be called a great man after all. She repeated the speech not only in Wolfenheit, but also in every town she stopped at along the way. They were not all the same, they were all different in content. Cities that sent out many soldiers, cities that had many refugees, cities that gave a lot of financial aid, cities that didn''t even have the economic capacity to do so¡ª¡ªshe most probably had information about cities all over the kingdom in her head. No, in some cases it''s not even a city, it''s even a small town or vige. The words she used and the words she spoke varied greatly depending on the city, and depending on the situation in the city, rather than cooperation she conveyed only gratitude to the people. A different speech in every town¡ª¡ªeven the soldiers who were her escorts who were listening looked at her in amazement, and their respect for her only increased, and some even moved to tears. ¡°I''m different from an ipetent person who just reads out what has been decided. Just saying some random appropriate word ording to the situation, that¡¯s what a politician is. It''s easy to please the stupid people and soldiers, you just need to say what they want to hear.¡± With a little flourish, Kreschenta pointed to her own eyes with her fingertips. She easily shed tears. Even when she talked to wounded soldiers, she seemed to be fighting back tears¡ª¡ªno one could see through her acting. Her acting was so realistic that even Selene would believe it if she saw it up close. Whatever the case may be, Kreschenta was still the same as Krische. Although the direction of the two might be different, they were both beyond the norm. "You and Argan-sama should respect me more. Heh, if you bow your head and ask me to teach you, I can teach you how to give a speech." "Hmm, right. You''re an idiot, but I honestly respect that. I''ll praise you.¡± ¡°Muu...¡± Selene patted Kreschenta¡¯s head and smiled, and Kreschenta red at Serene sullenly. ¡°Could you please teach me next time, Your Majesty The Queen?¡± ¡°That''s what I don''t like about you.¡± Selene chuckled and her shoulders shook, and Elvena, who was sitting across from her, looked exasperated. The unknown power rtionship in the Christand house was something that she knew about, considering that they had known each other for this long. Her Majesty''s true appearance was rather pleasing, and Elvena smiled quietly. "But the cheers and respect... it''s really amazing." The person next to her who spoke up was Anne. Kreschenta tilted her head and looked at her. "Just saying the words they want. It seems like something simple, but it''s difficult... In doing so, Her Majesty gave hope to many people and saved their hearts. Once again, I was moved to witness the greatness of Her Majesty the Queen.¡± Perhaps recalling the scene, Arne was crying tears of emotion. "How many times do you change your perception..." This was already the seventh time this had happened. Kreschenta looked a little annoyed and asked Selene to help her. Selene looked back at Kreschenta with a slightly amused smile and said, ¡®Isn¡¯t it fine, she''s impressed¡¯. Ever since they started this trip, Anne has been praising Kreschenta every day. It was like a professional jester¡ª¡ªbut Anne had no such intention, and it was just her frank and honest impressions. ¡°Portraying your own action as evil while behind it Her Majesty is concerned and concerned for the people...I am proud to have been able to serve Her Majesty with all my heart.¡± "I-I understand how you feel. Please leave it at that. I''ve heard so much that I¡¯m tired of it.¡± "Yes, my apologies. I just really wanted to convey this feeling..." Anne sniffed her nose, and Elvena from beside her wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. True to her words, Selene looked at Kreschenta who looked tired of it and smiled bitterly. Kreschenta probably didn¡¯t really care about the people if you look at it without considering the profit, but Anne seems to think that this was Kreschenta¡¯s inability to be honest. Certainly, if you look at her normally, it''s not surprising. Although Kreschenta¡¯s words were often harsh, she was a sweet and kind girl to those close to her. If you looked at the actual actions and results, that''s exactly it¡ª¡ªit''s hard to say that Anne''s understanding waspletely wrong. Selen once again patted Kreschenta¡¯s troubling head. "Hehe, that''s good. Bery will prepare a delicious feast when we get back." Kreschenta turned around while ring at Selene. She lies down on the chair and rests her head on Selene¡¯s thigh. ¡°Argan-sama, I wonder if she¡¯s thinking about gloomy things again and making things worse.¡± ¡°...Worried¡± "Who would? It¡¯s just that, it''ll be troublesome if she does." Selene smiled bitterly at her words and thought while stroking her Kreschenta forehead. "My...how stubborn. I guess it would have been better if we had left either Anne or Elvena in the estate." She thought about leaving Arne or Elvena alone, since it would be difficult to deal with the situation alone, but she was told that leaving a servant to take care of a servant would be putting the cart before the horse. Bery was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t listen. Although her fever could not be called mild, it had calmed down considerably over night, so she gave up, but Selene was still a little worried after all. Bery took care of the estate and the Christand house almost by herself, and even helped Selene and Kreschenta with their work in her free time, so she hadn''t had any time offtely. The work she is doing at the estate and the Christand house was quite a lot, and if it were a normal person, they would be crying every day working untilte at night. She forgot to question it from time to time, but it was a superhuman amount of work to say the least, and Bery also being Bery was a little weird. However, Bery must have been feeling tired at this point, and the fever was probably due to umted stress. She heard that Bery asionally caught a mild cold, and that she was quite sickly to begin with. Selene took a deep breath as she realized that she had forced too much on her. ¡°Since we''re not there, work should be a lot easier than usual, but I''m worried about whether or not she''ll be able to rest properly. It''s just her personality is¡± "...Really. I''ll have to give her a lecture when I get back. She had a fever at a critical moment, even though she¡¯s a servant. It''s proof that she can''t manage herself.¡± "What not an honest girl...Well, I don''t think she wants to hear about self-control from you, Kreschenta.¡± When no one was around, she rolled around, fell asleep, and had a hard time waking up in the morning. Kreschenta the embodiment of selfishness itself¡ª¡ªeven now she¡¯s kicking the wall while receiving ap pillow and puffing out her cheeks. When Selene crushed the puffed cheeks with her finger, Kreschenta made a silly sound, and Seleneughed amusedly, while Kreschenta red at her in dissatisfaction. "Fufu, you''re sad that Bery isn''t here, right?¡± "That''s not true. Are you making fun of me?" "I just said what I thought. Please forgive me." She smiled as she stroked Krschenta¡¯s head. "Well, tomorrow we will be in the royal capital. We have to make sure she gets some rest when we get back. Krische will probablye back after a while..." Krische overwhelmingly defeated Gulshan''s army of 100,000 men in less than half a day with half the number. ording to the messenger''s report, it wasn''t even a battle, and even Krische didn''t seem to be very tired. It wasn''t like she felt safe after letting her move freely, but Selene no longer had any major worries. The psychological pressure was relieved to some extent and she was feeling better. "I want to do something about Argan-sama''s anxiety. If you take your eyes off her for a moment, she will look absentmindedly. We need to do something about it." "...You¡¯re not worried after all." Her cheeks puffed up again. Selene giggled and poked her cheek. At the same dusk. The two of them cooked side by side in the morning, cleaned the estate, took care of the horses and Suiko, and took a bath. The two were happily enjoying their usual lives. "How is it? Krische thinks Krische can adjust it but..." Her tongue is a pale blue, with a geometric pattern on it. It was an activated magic form. Krische asked as she removed her fingers from Bery''s tongue and took a look. Bery closed her eyes and moved her tongue, then licked the honey off the back of her hand. After tasting it, she poured magical power into the magic crystal in her hand¡ª¡ªTaste Piririn. "...Right. It might take some time to get used to it though." What was carved into it was a magic form for sensing sweetness and sourness. Krische carved it in the morning and trial and error it for a day, and the results were excellent. However, there was still a slight difference between what was etched on the tongue and what was felt from the magic crystal. So, Krische added a magic form to fine-tune it, and made subtle changes to the details. Bery smiled at Krische, who looked worried, and said it''s okay. "It''s the same as cooking. You don''t have to aim for the best results right away, you can take as much time as needed. Just being able to taste even a little makes me feel really happy.¡± "...Yes. Ehehe." Krische smiled as Bery patted her head and climbed into herp. ¡°Krische wishes Krische could have looked into it more quickly...¡± "From what I''ve heard, it''s something only Krische-sama can do. Even if I, who has learned the logic, tried to do the same thing, it might take me the rest of my life to do it..." On the desk, she looked at the diagram Krische had drawn on the parchment and said that. The countless grains that Krische described were drawn there, but it was difficult to understand even for Bery. At least Bery couldn¡¯t perceive it, so she''ll need to create a tool to see it first. Something like an extremely high-precision lens that magnifies vision, or a magical form that amplifies perception. Only by obtaining the mean Krische¡¯s perception, would one finally reach the starting line. And even if one could make it to the starting line, it would take countless years to find the specific factors in food¡ª¡ªjust imagining it was a monumental task. She didn''t think it was impossible, but at least she didn''t think it was something that could be done overnight. "...Maybe someday this kind of research will be more popr.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Bery blurted out and Krische tilted her head. "Yeah. Krische-sama knows the story about alchemy, which tries to create gold, right?" "Yes. They''re the ones who keep repeating things Krische doesn''t really understand." "Hehe, it''s a lot of trial and error. What they''re really looking for may be these particles that Krische-sama is talking about." Bery said, pointing to the diagram drawn by Krische. ¡°For example, if everything is made of these particles, and somebination of them forms an object, then there are only two things left. If we had the means to observe them and change them in a stable way, we might be able to transform mere stones into gems, copper into gold and silver.¡± "That''s...certainly." ¡°Even among alchemists, it is rare to find someone who truly aims to transmute gold itself. That is true, but in short, they are looking for a way to change matters at will.¡± Berry held up her finger and smiled. ¡°Obtaining a tool that allows them to observe these particles that Krische-sama is talking about, and the special technique that allows one to interfere with the details. If we create an environment where even people who doesn''t have Krische abilities can conduct research, I''m sure many technological revolutions will be born.'''' Bery thought while saying this and took out a silver coin from her pocket. ¡°If that happens, it seems like money will be more conceptual. Instead of trading in precious metals like now, it may be something with advanced techniques, or something like bond trading...¡± Bery suddenly noticed the gaze and looked down, and Krische stared at Bery and smiled. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± "Ehehe, Krische is d Bery seems to be having fun." "Ah¡¡" She thought about what was said and blushed. She hugged Krische a little embarrassed. ¡°Bery sure thinks about a lot of things, huh?¡± "I was interested in a lot of things...However, unlike Krische-sama, I just guffawed at everything, How embarrassing." ¡°...guffawed?¡± ¡°Like a mouse, only taking a bite of the delicious food.¡± When she pretended to bite into Krische¡¯s head, Krische squirmed as if tickled. "I don''t want to deepen my knowledge of various things, but just the basics. It''s broad and shallow. ...I guess cooking is the only thing I''m passionate about." Bery chuckled and patted Krische on the head, and Krische also smiled happily. "...Krische¡¯s d d Bery put so much energy into cooking." ¡°Yes.¡I think so too.¡± Krische raised herself a little and slowly pressed her lips against Bery¡¯s. After a while. After she pulled away, she stared at her. Then, suddenly, Krische turned her gaze to the shelf¨D¨Dto the restocked bottle of nightcap wine. Bery''s cheeks flushed as she noticed her gaze. ¡°...Bery, drink a nightcap again today?¡± Her eyes widened at the words he heard. She looked back at Krische¡¯s face and said, ¡®What a bad person,¡¯ as if troubled. She tugs at Krische¡¯s slightly red cheeks. "Uuu...¡± "...A nightcap is something you drink when you can''t sleep, okay?" While saying that, she thought about it and spoke to her in a whisper. "...But, if Krische-sama wants to drink, then I have to apany Krische-sama." ¡®How about it?¡¯, when asked, Krische too thought about it. And she shook her head vertically. Chapter 203: Time and Effort Chapter 203: Time and Effort ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 203 Time and Effort*** The room was silent. Before Bery Argan (Heretic) who was sitting on a chair¨D¨Dwas Selene Christand (Inquisitor) who sat on the desk. Bery, who went against the teachings of ¡°The Faith of Watching Over the Pure and Innocent Krische¡±,was stared at by Serene Christand with unsettled fingers running through her golden hair, her blue eyes fixed on Bery. Krische Christand (a bit of an adult) nced around and looked at Selene and Bery troubled. Kreschenta Alberan (Onee-sama is my faction) clung to her sister while ring at Bery from above. Bery, ncing at Krische, only said to Selene, "I have something to talk about¡±¡ª¡ªshe didn''t say anything else, however her slightly red cheeks. And just by looking at Krische, who had returned to the mansion before she knew it, Selene knew that she had broken a very seriousmandment. Without allowing her to spin a second word, Selene silently interrupted her and then nced at the two servants. Anne and Elvena also looked at each other, as if they had guessed what was going on, "A-Anne-sama, could I ask you to teach me how to bake cookies...?" And Elvena suggested that. When Anne responds with a slightly shrill voice ¡®Y-yes¡¯, the two leave with flushed faces. Then they closed the door slowly. Selene looked at it until the footsteps disappeared, and her gaze turned to Bery. Bery''s eyes swam as she fell into thought, and she then called out ¡®Ojou-sama, but Selene was cold. "I understood the situation. ...any excuse?" "... Eh, uh ... no ..." "...I was worried for nothing. I was thinking, ''I hope Bery is okay alone,'' but when I and Kreschenta returned, I was surprised to see you looking quite happy." ¡°Uu...¡± "... I''m not worried about Argan-sama." Truly dissatisfied. Kreschenta said while staring at her. ¡°But, how should I say it? Not only did Argan-sama deceived the innocent Onee-sama, you evenid your hand on Onee-sama. I''ve always thought you were a good for nothing, but to think Argan-sama is a brute¡ª¡ª¡± "...Geez. Kreschenta always says that kind of thing even though Krische had warned many times." Krische said troubledly, but thought about whatying hands on her meant and asked. "Bery, is that kind of thing calledying your hand?" "¡¡eh?" Krische Christand was a bit different from before. ¨D¨DShe was a little bit of an adult. Why did this kind of flow begin¨D¨DKrische became a little bit of an adult, spun her thoughts, and put in effort to understand the atmosphere of the room. However, in the end, it was Krische Christand (a little bit of an adult). It was good that she made an effort, but she did not think much about it, and honestly asked. She pushed her beloved Bery Argan (Heretic) into the bottom of the valley. "Uh, ah, that ..." She looked at Bery who mmed up with a bright face who finally nodded quietly. Then Krische smiled and pped her hand, a moment of eureka. "I see. ...That¡¯s a misunderstanding, Kreschenta." "¡¡Misunderstanding?" "Yes. It''s not Bery, but Krische who was bad. Bery was drunk and was in a very difficult state, unable to reason and unable to judge right from wrong. So it¡¯s not that Beryid her hand on Krische, but Krische who made Beryy her hand..." Remembering Bery''s excuse-like words, Krische nodded as if to reinforce them. "...Ehehe, Krische had Beryid her hand on Krische." Krische ced her hands on her slightly stained cheeks and shook happily. Krische Christand (Quite Child) calmly pushed her beloved Bery to the bottom of the cliff, and then, out of sheer good intentions, pursued her and brought down a hammer on her. Bery was speechless. Completely frozen. ¡°... Onee-sama. I understand how you feel, but that just makes things even worse.¡± "...?" Kreschenta said exasperatedly as she looked at Bery, who was violently kicked off thedder she was climbing and was given a follow-up blow. Selene also looked at Bery exasperated and looked at Krische. ¡°I-I see. Krische, you don''t have to speak for a while." ¡°Haa...¡± "understand? In any case, don''t say things like that in front of other people." Krische tilted her head in confusion but closed her mouth. Selene rubbed her temple and sighed. ¡°I was able to understand the flow of things inadvertently.¡ In other words, do you use alcohol as an excuse toy your hands? Did you use the fact that we weren¡¯t there as a chance? Are you insisting that the one that is wrong is Krische?¡± ¡°...As you said.¡± ¡°...I shouldn¡¯t have been worried¡± "Yes...My apologies." Selene stared at Bery''s red hair, her cheeks rxing. ¡°The worst¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Besides, you¡¯re sneaky and devious.¡± "¡¡yes" "What''s wrong? Is it okay if you make up nonsense like usual, you know?" ¡®Ugh¡¯, Bery said, her face turning bright red and her eyes swimming. Selene''s smile deepened and she looked genuinely happy. It was like an inquisition judging the heretic. "...How immature.¡± ¡°S-shut up.¡± She must have repressed a ton of anger. This is just my usual return. The sight of Selene unterally punching Berry for the sake of a good cause that she had finally obtained was so pitiful¨D¨DKreschenta took a step back as she watched this. Selene red at Crescenta, her cheeks turning red. ¡°It''s okay once in a while. Bery¡¯s always spouts sophism after all. It''s good medicine. I wish I could just repeat what she said to me the other day.'' ...Hey, Berry? Which one is so full of evil thoughts? ¡± "...It was me..." ¡°Who was looking at a simple corrector tool in such an obscene and suspicious way?¡± "¡¡It''s me" "Hmph, you''re honest Berry. You should always have at least 10% of that honesty. In the first ce, you''re¨D¨D" Selene, who was 30% justice and 70% personal inside, condemned Bery, who couldn¡¯t fight back. Kreschenta looked at it and sighed, unable to say anything. Bery was a helpless woman who had given her sister a poor education and had finallyid her hands on Krische, but this pathetic bully took advantage of it and attacked her... As expected, there was some resistance to it inside Kreschenta. She hugged her sister, thinking it would only degrade her own dignity. It''s not like Bery, a woman, could have a child even if sheid hands on her sister. There was no danger to her sister''s body, and her sister was as mentally ill as usual. Her head was a flower garden full of happiness. She didn''t care anymore and climbed over her sister''s body and kissed her sweetly. Kreschenta Alberan (Onee-sama is my faction) was extremely materialistic and an animalistic selfish person. ¡°More importantly, Onee-sama, I worked really hard.¡± ¡°Really?¡± For now, until this talk was over, her sister was hers. She surrendered herself to such pleasure and rubs her body against her sister''s as if to indulge herself. "That''s right. For Onee-sama¡¯s sake¨D¨D" She stroked her head and her eyes narrowed¨D¨Dsuddenly she tilted her head. "...? What did you do with the magic crystal?" Krische senses the magic crystal in the candy bag in the pouch around her neck and takes it out from inside. "Aah, ehehe. Krischepletely forgot. It tastes like Piririn." "Onee-sama...again with that kind of name." While saying that exasperatedly, Kreschenta narrowed her purple eyes as she gazed at the extremely precise engraving on the inside of the magic crystal, read the meaning of the spell engraved there, and nodded in response. "...Hee, that''s quite a change of thinking. Recreating the taste with magical power..." "¡¡What¡¯s that?" Selene, who was happily taunting Bery, looked at the magic crystal and tilted her head. Bery feeling relieved, let out a quiet sigh of relief. Krische got the idea from Mia''s random remark. Then, he used magic crystals to create Taste Piririn, and went through various trials and errors. Maybe it was because it was about Bery''s tongue. Krische¡¯s exnation was quite thorough. "¡Thank goodness" ¡°Ojou-sama...¡± Selene hugged Berry tightly, leaning on Bery with tears in her eyes. Anne and Elvena, who came in while they were talking, looked relieved, and Anne wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. Crescenta alone stared at Selene as if exasperated, and said while picking at the cookies that Anne and Elvena brought. "...Just when I thought you were ming Argan-sama in an immature way, now you start crying. Selene-sama sure is busy huh." "...Shut up. Please read the atmosphere for a moment, you idiot." Selene red at Kreschenta and wiped her tears with her sleeve. ¡®I''m smarter than Selene-sama¡¯, Kreschenta said, looking at the magic crystal. "...The form doesn''t seem to be difficult though." "That''s easy, but identifying the grains is a little difficult." Elvena approached a little curiously and focused her eyes on the magic crystal. Carved into the magic crystal , are numerous geometric patterns in which countless extremely delicate lines intersect which they said was not difficult. Elvena stiffened as she realized that what looked like a line the size of her hair was actually just a list of countless magic techniques. Unlike the form used on Jaragasha, Bonjara, and Piririn, the form was clearly visible without being obscured by a writhing cryptographic technique, making it seem even more insane,plex, and bizarre. "This is easy..." Kreschenta looked at Elvena from the side and told her. "It''s just a minute detail thing, but most of the surgical procedure was simply increasing the detection uracy repeatedly in order to capture specific factors. It''s not difficult." "My apologies, I haven''t studied enough..." ¡°Onee-sama¡¯s form is simple and easy to read, so I would like you to take this opportunity to study.¡± "Y-yes..." Kreschenta handed the Taste Piririn into Elvena''s hands. Elvena, who was obedient and efficient, was Kreschenta favorite¨D¨Dshe had an extremely selfish idea of being kind to her and getting her to agree to rece Anne. "...Onee-sama, if Onee-sama entrust Elvena-sama to me, we can quickly¨D¨D¡± "Elvena is busy with various things, so she won''t be able to do it for a while. Kreschenta should educate Anne properly before that.¡± "Uuh...that¡¯s not my job." But her sister was adamant about forcing Anne onto her. Krische held up her finger as if teaching a child. ¡°Kreschenta, a good adult, is someone who is willing to work without any hesitation.¡± While listening to the lecture from her older sister, who no matter how you look at it was more like a child than her, Kreschenta looked at Anne, who looked moved and repeatedly saying she''s d as she wiped her tears. Why should she, as the queen, take care of this servant? There were so many things she wanted to say, but her sister would not understand. She sighed and gave up, looking at the magic crystal in Elvena''s hand and thinking. "Sweetness and sourness...is there a reason in particr?" ¡°Ah, Krische just wanted to be able to get a proper taste of honey¡Krische didn¡¯t have enough trials with the other vors on the battlefield, so Krische decided to postpone them.¡± ¡®If you break it down into smaller parts, it''s quiteplicated¡¯, said Krische, troubled. ¡°Besides the four vors that are talked about in books, it''s also surprisingly quiteplex.¡± "¡¡I see" "Especially umami and richness of taste..." While listening to this, Selene, who was hugging her berry, let go of her body a little. Her brow furrowed and she red at Berry. "Geez...you, why didn¡¯t you say it first?" ¡°I-I was going to tell you about that first, but Ojou-sama¡¡± Bery just said that needed to talk. She was nning to talk about Krische, but she decided to put thatter. She was first thinking of telling them that she saw hope for her sense of taste, but right after she said that she had something to talk about, Selene stopped her from speaking with her hand. Selene''s next words were, ¡®I understood the situation. ...any excuse?¡¯ The hearing started just before Bery had time to talk about it. Selene understood everything from those words and let out a small groan, remembering how she was having fun toying with Bery. She blushes and res at Bery. "I-it¡¯s your daily behavior that is bad. Always making up nonsense." "...I can''t argue with that today." "What''s up today? Use this as an opportunity to improve yourself from now on." Selene stared at Berry, "Don''t think we''re done with that. I have a lot more to sayter." She smiled happily and stroked her cheek. "...But, really thank goodness." "¡¡Yes, thank you" Berry also smiled back happily and nodded. ¡°¡¡¡± While listening to Krische¡¯s story, Kreschenta nced at the two of them and thought a little. She held Krische¡¯s cheek between her hands and smiled. ¡°Onee-sama, I will help you too.¡± ¡°Kreschenta will?¡± ¡°All we need now is the number of trials and errors, and I have more free time than Onee-sama who will be on the battlefield¡ Hmm, if I do that then, half of Onee-sama will be mine.¡± ¡°Geez, Kreschenta still saying that¡± ¡®What a bad girl¡¯ even as Krische said that, she smiled and kissed Kreschenta. ¡°Ehehe, but if Kreschenta helps Krische, it might be finished sooner.¡± As if to say, ¡®praise me, praise me¡¯ Kreschenta nuzzled herself to Krische and hugged Krische¡¯s arm. She red at Berry, who seemed happy. "...It''s not like I¡¯m doing it for you." "¡¡,yes" "Kreschenta really isn''t being honest huh. Geez.¡± Krische said as if troubled and gently pinched Kreschenta''s cheek. It was a small feast that day. Unusually, even Selene took part in the cooking, making the meal and taking a bath. Then, in the night, they went back to Krische¡¯s room. After putting Krische and Kreschenta to bed, Bery sat beside Selene on the sofa in her nightgown. Seleneughed mischievously, poured her wine, handed it to Berry, and said, "Will I get attacked if I get you too drunk?" ¡°...Geez¡± Bery red at Selene, her cheeks blushing as she sulked. Selene happily leaned in and wrapped her arms around Bery. "Don''t think that Krische is yours." "...I don''t think so." "You sure about that. I''m sure you''re thinking about it a little bit." Bery''s cheeks grew redder and Selene giggled happily. ¡®Sigh¡¯ Bery sighed, putting down the wine she had sipped. "...Krische-sama is not that kind of person." "You''re the one who chose her, Bery." ¡°Yes.¡I like that kind of Krische-sama.¡± Both intertwined their fingers and held each other. Selene leaned against Bery''s shoulder. "It''s fine if you understand. If you do anything that makes Clich¨¦ sad like before, I''ll seriously steal her, so be prepared." "¡¡yes" "Just so you know, I''m a little jealous. ...you coward." "¡¡yes" Selene smiled and pulled the intertwined fingers. ¡°But, more than that, I feel happy today.¡± Bery smiled when she heard this, saying it with joy from the bottom of her heart. "...Ojou-sama is truly a kind person." "Didn''t you know? Unlike a certain servant, I''m honest and have a very nice personality. ... That servant has a very nice personality though.¡± ¡°Sounds you¡¯re close with that servant huh¡± "Sometimes a little difference makes a big difference, Bery." Selene was having fun, and Berry was also giggling, as she looked through Selene''s hair. Her golden hair was a little damaged, but smooth. Selene narrowed her eyes as her head was stroked and she said, "I''m jealous of you, but I''m also jealous of Krische. Taking away my precious servant." "...I will still be your servant from now on." ¡°I wonder?¡± "It''s true" In response, Berry stood up and grabbed ab from the shelf. She sat down on the couch again and she lifted Selene onto herp. She carefullybs her slightly damaged hair. Selene was a little embarrassed, but she didn''t resist. Her eyes narrowed at the feel of theb, and she smiled. "It''s been a long time since I sat on yourp andbed. You have always been good at it. Unlike Oka-sama." "Nee-sama had a rougher personality than Ojou-sama after all." Trying tob all at once, she would tug at her tangled hair.. Her sister was also bad atbing her long hair, probably because it had been Bery¡¯s and the servants job for many years. She giggled as she recalled the young Selene running away in pain. After a while. Once her hair was free and flowing, Selene snatched Bery''sb and turned her the other way. ¡®I''ll do it too¡¯, she said, running theb through Bery''s hair. "It''s getting a little long." "...I think I''ll cut it off after this battle is over." "You sure like those kinds of charms. Not like I don''t understand though." Her reddish hair was well-groomed. As soon as Selene realized that she didn''t even need tob it, she gave up and pouted her lips. ¡®It¡¯s not fun¡¯ Selene said and takes Bery¡¯s hair with her fingers. "Even if you don''t cut it, maybe you should just let it grow out. Just like Oka-sama, I''m sure Bery will look more pretty if it''s a little longer." "...If it''s long, it will take time." "...You should put a little more effort on yourself. And..." Selene pressed her forehead against Bery¡¯s, shaking her handb. ¡°It''s about time you understand that there are some unique people in this world who want to spend time and effort on you.¡± Bery looked at Selene with her big eyes, and Selene looked at her graceful eyes with amusement. Her clear blue eyes were narrowed and wrapped in gold thread. ¡°¡How many times do I have to say it from now on to get it across to you?¡± She hugged Berry''s body tightly. ¡®I love you, Bery¡¯, Selene continued. "...Yes. Me too." Bery replied. Chapter 204: Mid-Day Break Chapter 204: Mid-Day Break ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 204 Mid-Day Break*** It was simply called Alberinea Workshop. A corner of the royal territory that was once used for confinement¨D¨Da tower surrounded by trees. It was a brick structure about the size of a hut that stood in front of it. Even among the nobles, many didn''t know what was being made there or what was happening there. Or perhaps quietly, with the Cursed Child workshop. ¡°Hmm, the broken one is all restored and seems to be fine as reported. Besides, two additional bodies...not bad." Inside that workshop¨D¨Dwhile looking at the dismantled and ced Jarea Gashea, Krische said that. Nigel, the head of the crafts unit, smiled and said, ¡®Thank you¡¯. After the battle with Gulshan, the crafts unit did not apany the battle against Elderant, but instead returned to the capital for repairs and replenishment, and today Krische confirmed that. ¡°Not only that, but we have alsopleted replenishment for Baumje¨D¨DBo-Bonjara.¡± Nigel who was about to say something, corrected himself in a hurry. But even so, Krische¡¯s brow wrinkles, as if she was not happy about it. Baumje-Ira was an ancient word that refers to an expanding impact. It was the sad "alias" of a new weapon made by Krische, which became the official name "on paper" due to a "misheard" by Selene and Kreschenta. Krische red at Nigel and let out a sigh as if to say, ¡®Really'' Seems, people who grew up in the countryside were as bad at pronouncing Bonjara as they were at pronouncing Jaragasha. In the wide territory of the kingdom¨D¨Dents do exist. Although she did think it was somewhat inevitable, there was a feeling of dissatisfaction in Krische. ¡°Hee... Nigel, what¡¯s its name?¡± ¡°K-Kliche-sama has named this new weapon...Baumje-Ira.¡± ¡°...? Nigel, the pronunciation is a bit strange¨D¨D¡± ¡°Baumje-Ira...that''s a wonderful name. As expected from Onee-sama.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very good name. ...Faren thinks so too, right?¡± ¡°R-right...exactly, what a splendid name befitting one that will create the kingdom''s future.¡± Krische crossed her arms and pouted her lips. "...The reason why the official name is so weird is because of your pronunciation, Nigel." "Yes ma¡¯am. My, my apologies, I''ll be careful." Nigel saluted with an indescribable look on his face. ¨D¨DThat was during the presentation to Kreschenta and the others. ¡°Nigel, have you heard the name?¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. ...I heard the name is Bo-Bonjara.¡± ¡°...That girl again with that kind of name again.¡± Selene, who came to the workshop with Krische and the others for the unveiling, asked Nigel in a whisper, and when she heard that, she immediately whispered to Kreschenta. It was as if the interaction had been decided in advance. ¡°The official name is Baumje-Ira, Nigel. ...I would like your cooperation in this matter.¡± ¡° Yes ma¡¯am. U-Understood.¡± The name Bonjara was given by Krischest night¡ª¡ªhowever, at that moment, it was as if the name had been decided from the day the heavens and earth split. The words of the marshal were absolute. The intrigues were carried out so easily at the center of the kingdom.. He knew that Krische¡¯s wishes, to whom he had given his loyalty to, were being ignored, but even Nigel couldn''t go against that. That is the queen of the kingdom, the marshal of the kingdom¡ª¡ªthe collective will of the country. "Geez. Even though Kalua and Elvena can pronounce it properly..." "I-I see... ents are quite difficult huh." Elvena answered with a troubled look on her face, and she looked at him with pity. The lovely flower of the workshop¡ª¡ªshe, the kind-hearted woman, was the guardian of the workshop. "Well, that''s fine. Looking at the results, Krische can see that you''ve been working hard. It looks like it¡¯s almost done, but today you¡¯ll be preparing to move¡ª¡ªonce that''s done, you¡¯ll have a half-day off. We''ll be leaving at noon tomorrow, so prepare ordingly.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Honestly, that would be helpful.¡± Piririn Team¨D¨DDaz and the others, like Kilik of the escort team, were used to protect Kreschenta and the others, who had many opportunities to go out due to the war, and to help the craft team. Kreschenta had no intention of going out until Krische returned again, so the guards who were acting as her escorts were now free. ¡°From what it looked like the other day, assembling the Jaragasha is heavy and takes a bit of effort. Cleaning seemed a bit difficult as well¡¡± "Ha, haha... that''s right." The scattered pieces of meat, et cetera. The cleaning work of the Jaragasha was a hard task. The blood and flesh one saw in the excitement of the battlefield may be bearable, but the damage was still great for the mind that hase full circle and cooled down. "After this one is over, you guys will have a vacation for a while. The full resumption will be after thepletion of the Albeneria workshop under construction. Krische also ns to give personal rewards, and if anyone wants to go back to the countryside, Krische''ll give them that opportunity. So, please do your best until then." ¡°! Yes ma¡¯am!¡± When they heard this, they looked at each other and saluted happily, but "However... all of the Kurofuyo are from regions where their pronunciation of words is questionable. Don''te back with an even worse ent. This is a strict order, okay?" Krische nodded at that, but spits out the warning with a serious face. "Selene, it''s over." The marshal''s office is assigned within the royal castle. Krische entered and hugged Selene, who was looking at a document, and kissed her. Selene, as if exasperated¨D¨Das if a little happy, rxed her cheeks and let out a sigh, then picked up Krische and moved from the office desk to the sofa. "...Geez. Elvena, could you please make us some tea? With ;ots of honey and milk." ¡°Yes, understood.¡± After bing a marshal, Selene''s workce was basically here. The estate was right next door, and Selene was morefortable there, but considering negotiations with merchants and nobles, rtionships with valuable books¨D¨Dfor various reasons, it was more suitable to do it here. Although she sometimes brings work home, Selene generally wants to create a rxing environment when she returns home, just like Krische. There were times when she would take her work home due to some circumstances, but she had also decided on a certain amount of separation in this area. ¡°Mn...¡± Selene stretched her slender body gracefully, lifting her long golden hair. When she caught Krische stretching right next to her as if to imitate her, she tugged at her cheek, telling her not to imitate her. ¡°Ehehe, Selene, every time Krischees Selene always does that so¡¡± ¡°Unlike you, I mostly sit still.¡± Even though she was angry, she seemed happy somehow. Selene yed with Krische''s cheek a little again, and she quickly let it go. "The craft doesn''t seem to have any problems, so we''ll be leaving tomorrow at noon as nned." "I see. A messenger came just now, there are no problems in the south. It seems that the liberation of the city is almostplete." "It''s a lot faster than Krische thought." ¡°Vice-chancellor Orugan seems to have been quite cooperative.¡± Orugan wrote a letter telling the soldiers upying the city to retreat, and entrusted the kingdom with a handwritten document informing them of the situation of the Gulshan army. Thanks to that, there wasn''t much resistance and the city was liberated with almost no blood shed. There was one upation force that did not obey and resisted, but there was no problem due to the difference in military strength. The message from the messenger stated that it would not take much time and that everything would be put down in no time. "It¡¯s thanks to Krische...I''ll praise you." "Yes" Patting Krische on the head and smiling. ¡®The problem is Elderant,'' Selene said thoughtfully. "Hmm... That''s right. It might take some time for reconstruction over there. There will also be a lot of bandits... Kreschenta said that as long as the border area is solidified, Elderant itself doesn''t matter anymore, but¡± ¡°...Kreschenta?¡± ¡°She said that since Veeze and Meeklea were destroyed, and Elderant will be in a state of civil war for a while.¡± ¡®Is that how it is?¡¯ Krische tilted her head to the side, and Selene thought about it a little too. Elderant could be called a tribal union. It was a matter of concern that they failed to crush one army, but the current situation was that two powerful tribes have been crushed. For many of the tribes, this must be a rare opportunity. As long as Kreschenta said that, then her prediction was not just a mere prediction¨D¨Dshe was probably already working on something to make that happen. That''s her domain. Since she said they didn¡¯t need to worry, they probably really didn¡¯t need to worry. "...Well, in any case, I don''t think we have that kind of energy. If we leave General Lemin in the west for a while, they won''t be able to do anything about it either way." "Right. General Lemin isn¡¯t a bad general." Krische said, as she recalled. "...You didn¡¯t say such a rude thing to her face, did you?" "rude¡¡?" "...After this war is over, I need to educate you on various things." "...?" Selene sighed and asked. ¡°Besides that, how was Kreschenta?¡± "Ah, it seemed to be going well. When Krische told them about the victory over Gulshan and Elderant, they seemed happy." Krische nodded and answered. In the morning, Krische and Kreschenta were reporting on the situation in front of the nobles. Although everyone was a little surprised to see the clich¨¦, they seemed to be full of motivation, as if they understood that victory in this battle was close¨D¨Dit truly went well. ¡°It seems like all the royal pce nobles have even sold their belongings in case this warsts for a long time¡ They told Kreschenta something like donating and helping out.¡± "I-I see..." It went well¨D¨Dbut that''s just Krische¡¯s impression. It was different from what the nobles thought. Some had noticed Suiko''s presence at the Christand estate, and there were spections about Krische, who was supposed to be on the battlefield, returning. However, most of them were surprised when they heard that Gulshan and Elderant had already been defeated. Some of them, who had been hiding their wealth in gold to prepare for various negotiations in case Alberan was conquered, understood who was the winner upon hearing this and offered to donate money to be used to help Alberan''s financial difficulties. The nobles, who had been reluctant to offer money,pletely changed their minds, and Kreschenta had been dealing with them endlessly since the morning. The fear of the two Cursed Children¨D¨Dof what they had done so far didn¡¯t disappear, but no one wanted to let go of the power they had acquired. No matter what the scenario in which Alberan wins by repelling the invasion of the Three Kingdoms was something that all Alberan nobles desire. Although there was no good will or noble cause, at least at the present time, they were united as they have been since the beginning of Kreschenta¡¯s rule. Despite the absence of goodwill or lofty just cause, there was a united front due to shared interests¡ª a "solidarity" in terms ofmon goals. "Ehehe, this is what they call unity right. ...In a difficult time when we are being attacked by three countries, everyone is working hard for everyone...It''s a wonderful thing." "...Right. I guess it''s something to be happy about..." As Selene watched Krische nodding, she let out a sigh. This stupid little sister probably didn¡¯t really understand why they said that at such a convenient time. She didn¡¯t think deeply about things that didn¡¯t matter, and the same went for good intentions. Selene rubbed her forehead exasperated. Krische was an idiot. That said, she didn¡¯t want to see Krische be like Kreschenta, who had be better at trickery and scheme¨D¨Dit was really an indescribable feeling. She rubbed forehead and watched Elvena poured the tea, "Geez, just when I thought Onee-sama was not at the workshop, it turns out Onee-sama is here..." ¨D¨DAt that moment, the door suddenly swung open. "Onee-sama, that''s terrible! Leaving me behind!" A girl with golden hair that sparkled red came in with Anne, looking angry. Kreschenta, wearing a pale peach dress, sat down next to Krische, leaning closer to re at her sister. ¡°Even if Kreschenta said that, Krische also had something to do¡Krische didn¡¯t know how long it would take if Krische stayed with Kreschenta¡¡± Today, she nned to spend the whole day with Kreschenta¨D¨DOriginally, she was supposed to arrive at the workshop, but after the meeting, the nobles took turns going to Kreschenta¡¯s ce. Since the conversation there was not interesting for Krische, it gradually became troublesome. In the end, she left Kreschenta behind, with ¡®Krische is leaving first¡¯. ¡°And Kreschenta also said, ¡®please take care¡¯ and see Krische off.¡± "I didn''t say it because I wanted to, uu, geez..." Kreschenta recalled that exchange and red at her sister who didn¡¯t understand. While Crescenta was having a serious conversation with one of the nobles, ¡®Kreschenta, it looks like the talk will take some time, so Krische¡¯ll go first.¡¯ While saying this, Krische stood up. Kreschenta, as was to be expected, had a face to keep. ¡®This kind of opportunistic nonsense will end soon, so please wait¡¯¨D¨Das expected she couldn''t say that in front of someone who was offering to donate money. She had no choice but to see Krische off at that moment. "Don''t sulk. Here, Candy." "*Nom*..." Krische took out a candy from the pouch around her neck, gave it to Crescenta, and patted her on the head. Then she pulled Kreschenta, who was still sulking even with that, onto herp and hugged her tightly around the waist. Elvena smiled as if she was troubled, and without saying a word she took a new teacup and poured some tea, while Anne took out a bag of cookies from the basket in her hand and poured the contents onto a te. Elvena looked at Anne as if she were a little surprised, and Anne pretended to not notice her gaze, with a somewhat proud expression on her face. Selene looked at them and smiled bitterly as her room suddenly became noisy. ¡°¡What were you talking about with your Onee-sama?¡± "A serious talk. About Gulsha and Elderant.¡± Kreschenta looked at Selene suspiciously, but she rolled the candy and let out a dissatisfied sigh as she nuzzled the back of her head against her sister''s shoulder. Then she asked, looking at her sister''s face from the side. "What are Onee-sama''s ns for the war against Elsren?" ¡°¡It will probably take about 8 or 9 days for Skeleton and the others to start making their way around from the north. It will be after that that they will start making big moves¡Krische thinks it will be about two weeks from now.¡± Eluga''s detour to the north was a two-week trip. Krische had fast legs, and she ended the five-day journey in two days and reached the royal capital. She had been here for three days, making it a total of five days. It will take eight or nine days for them to cross the Great Sea of Trees in the northeast of the kingdom. Wulfenite was five days away from the royal capital. Eluga and the others will probably start taking action in the east, a few dayster than Krische and the others. There might be errors depending on their march, but that''s about it. The problem came after that. "There are a lot of cavalry, so it''s a bit of a hassle to defeat them all at once." "That''s right. We talked a little bit, but General Verreich is also having a lot of trouble." Elsren''s strength above all was its cavalry, and cavalry archers made up of nomads were a difficult enemy to deal with on the battlefield. It is said that the enemy army numbered 150,000 to 160,000, of which around 30,000 were cavalry. Considering the ratio of cavalry to army, it was a huge difference from Alberan. On the other hand, in Alberan, the proportion of cavalry in the armyposition never exceeds one-tenth. Compared to the 20,000 troops of the one army, there were many cases where the number was less than 1,000. The horse itself was quite expensive, but if it were to be able to withstand military operations, it would make a big difference in terms of food and training. Human resources who could straddle it and wield a spear were also valuable, and on top of that, there were only a handful of people who could even shoot a bow on horse. Of course, there was no way they could form an army with that. However, Elsren, which boasts a vast territory, had gathered such talented people into an army. Therein lies Elsren''s strength, and what was noteworthy was their outstanding field ability. And not only that, but they also had the technical ability to easily attack enemy bases. There was a reason why the Elsren Holy Empire was called the greatest nation on the continent. "When we went there, the main force was in the Kuuribe ins east of Wulfenite. But, well, by the time you arrived, Wulfenite¡¯s defense battle would have just begun." "That sounds good. If that happens, we won''t need cavalry over there either." Krische narrowed her purple eyes and smiled. Kreschenta also smiled as she wrapped her arms around Krische¡¯s neck. "...As Onee-sama said, I''ve yed my hand. They should be going around the eastern part of the country soon." "Ehehe, good girl. Today Krische and Bery are going to bake Kreschenta, a pie with lots of Lakura.". ¨D¨DThe atmosphere was tense at Belgash Fortress. This was because a messenger had reported that the Alberinea army would arrive at dusk that day and stay overnight. The rtionship between Head Chef Zalbach and Kart, the head of the food distribution team, was like a parent and child, standing shoulder to shoulder andughing together until this message was conveyed. However, after that report was brought in, a rift suddenly appeared between them, and they red at each other and distanced themselves. The situation was different from before, they were in the military. They knew that the pretty servant Bery Argan probably wouldn''t be there, but there was Krische Christand who loved cooking so much. They thought there was a high probability that she would visit this kitchen. They know she likes sweets. Zalbach decided to take a half-day off in the morning, and during that time he checked the quality of the wheat, eggs, honey, fruits, and various ingredients in the warehouse and sorted them. The look in his eyes¨D¨Da sharpness that would make anyone who saw it tremble. Sorting the ingredients, but for him, it''s like an act of mental unification. Like a monk being hit by a waterfall, his senses be sharper. Kart, on the other hand, looked at him with pity. After all, no matter how far he pushed himself, all he could do was individual skill. He took all kinds of information, scrutinized it, and won when he had to. Possessing a quick wit that could even be called superpower¨D¨Dto Kart, who could have be a great general had been born into a noble family, Zalbach was just an old man. He had already pictured in his mind the moment when more than 10,000 soldiers were fed, the kitchen was calm, and the beautiful princess appeared. It''s best to prepare just before the timees. Kart never loses his rxed attitude. A showdown between two people who have fought many deadly battles in the past¨D¨Dthose who watched it felt the atmosphere, and some even decided to gamble. The battle between the two men was no longer an area that anyone else could enter. And the two waited all day. At that time, invisible sparks were scattered between each other. ¡°¡¡¡± ¡°¡¡¡± ¨D¨DThey kept waiting. Chapter 205: Girl Fortress Chapter 205: Girl Fortress ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 205 Girl Fortress*** "Long time no see, General Verreich. Woof Woof and the others too." "Yes, long time no see, Krische-sama." Nozan saluted, raking his coppery hair that fell in front of him. As if following suit, Grunmeld and the others stood up and saluted. "...That nickname hasn''t changed hu." Grunmeld sighed with resignation. She arrived at the fortified city of Wolfenheit, surrounded by massive walls and deep bunkers. Inside the fortress in the center¨D¨Dinside the conference room. A map of eastern Alberan was spread out on the desk, and on top of it was a map of the surrounding area of Wolfenheit. Countless pieces represented the battlefield situation. Looking down at that for a moment, Krische shook her silver hair and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Do nicknames change?¡± "...It''s not like that, but...no, never mind. I gave up." ¡°...?¡± Krische tilted her head even more curiously, and Nozan, with a wry smile, indicated the seat next to her. Krische sat down and turned her gaze to the ck bean tea tea that was offered. ¡°Hey, milk and honey.¡± ¡°Y-yes sir.¡± A bald man with sses and a nervous look on his face¨D¨DSardan Garcalon, themander of the Second Corps, said that, and the squire panicked and left the room to get milk and honey. Some of them had a sweet tooth, but ck bean tea had a strong implication of being a stimnt. No one ever asked for milk and honey in a serious meeting, and it wasn''t avable in this conference room. Sardan didn''t have a particr sweet tooth, but he was fed up with drinking too much ck bean tea. Krische''s arrival was a good opportunity. "Thank you. Corps Commander Garcalon." "No. I also drank a little too much ck bean tea and wanted to change my mood... It was a good opportunity." A highly strung fierce face. Sardan looks like that, but he also had a childish side, and he know Krische¡¯s personality well from the recent civil war. He said that with a gentle smile, and Krische smiled as well when she saw his expression. "...Now that Krische thinks about it, Krische hasn''t thanked Corps Commander Garcalon for the other day yet." "Thank you? ...Ah, don''t worry about Kielzaran. It was only a natural proposal for military service." Krische looked even happier when she heard the words, ¡®only natural.¡¯ Then she gazed passionately at Sardan. ¡°Ehehe, Krische just thought of something.¡± "...?" Sardan tilted his head, "The nickname for Corps Commander Garcalon. How about Bald sses?" And he stiffened. The atmosphere in the room froze, and only Grunmeld was drinking the ck bean tea, his shoulders shaking while holding his face and looking down. ¡°Krische thought Smooth Head (Tsururin) would be good but Skeleton and Bald Eagle both have smooth heads, and Krische felt like it would take away from the individuality. ...But if it¡¯s Bald sses anyone can tell it¡¯s Corps Commander Garcalon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a really nice name,¡± Krische said as she put her hand on her cheek and shook her body. It was as if she was trembling with fear of her own naming sense. In fact, most of the people here were horrified by the pet name she gave. "K-Krische-sama, I appreciate your feeling, but..." Sardan recovered from his stiffness while ring at Grunmeld, who wasughing, and at Nozan, who seemed to be secretly holding back hisughter. "Uh...does Corps Commander Garcalon like Smooth Head better?" However Krische was a born hunter. It was not a matter of refusing or epting. Bald sses or Smooth Head¨D¨DWith just one word, Sardan was cornered into a no-win option. "That''s not it¨D¨D" ¡°Hmm, Krische does think that Smooth Head had a better sound than Bald sses, but¡Ehehe, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a subtle difference, and even Smooth Head is ....¡?¡± If he had allowed the time, Sardan might have found something to persuade her. However, what was heard at that moment was the sound of a crushing sound that resounded a little far away. "...It''s their trebuchet." "Ah...I see. That''s pretty quick." Krische immediately understood Nozan''s answer. On the east side of Wolfenheit, the Elsren army was encamped a short distance away, and was currently preparing to attack the Verreich army, which had been holed up here¨D¨Dthey were assembling arge stone trebuchet. "It''s probably still in the test firing stage. I was thinking ofunching a night attack tonight, but¨D¨D" Just as he was about to say something, there was another crashing sound. vibration. Krische frowned in annoyance. "Hmm, but it seems like it''s going to be noisy, so let''s deal with it quickly. Krische doesn''t want to be woken up at night either." Krische said, ¡®Krische''ll go for a moment¡¯, stood up and started trotting about. Since the Civil War¨D¨DNozan who and the others who had been watching her fight against Keithriton¡¯s army looked at each other and stood up as well. "Looks like we''ll see something interesting." ¡°It was a relief that Krische-sama arrived so quickly.¡It seems like one of the hassles will disappear quickly.¡± Nozan smiled bitterly at Granmeld''s words. Only Sardan, who had been cut off from the conversation, looked stunned, making an indescribable face. Before going outside, Grunmeld went out of his way to sit next to him on the other side of the table, "Don''t worry, Garcalon, I didn''t even have a choice. Choose the one that''s less painful." Heughed and pped him on the shoulder. "...Those words don''t make me happy at all." Making a frown, Sardan replied. ¨D¨DThe Elsren Holy Empire army led by Archduke Lukazan. Among the lines of battle, two men on horsebackugh as they face the walled city of Wulfenite. "Hahaha, such arge trebuchet and such arge number of siege towers¨D¨DIt¡¯s done quite fast, Duke Sarchenka." "No, it''s not that big of a deal. It''s the strength of the engineers and factory workers we brought with us, Archduke." Wearing a ck military uniform¡ª¡ªshowing slight signs of aging, but with well-kept features and chestnut-colored hair. Duke Vynal Sarchenka said while gesturing to the engineer who was raising his voice. Next to the man was a monstrous wooden structure resembling a small fortress. The gears were spun to pull up a huge weight, and let it fall. Using a lever, the long arm on the opposite side of the weight swung like a pendulum¡ª¡ªhurling a massive stone like a pendulum. The range and power of the projectile were far greater than those trebuchet that twists ropes or animal tendons and throws stones by its sticity. Rather than a trebuchet (Rock Thrower) it¡¯s a trebuchet (Boulder Thrower). The test shots did not hit the solid walls of Wolfenheit, but they fell in front of and behind it, all of them sending earth tremors that could be felt at a distance of nearly a ri. They made a roar that surely would have copsed the houses in the city. Twelve of them were about to be assembled on this battlefield. "I fully understand your efforts to make up forst year''s failure. I am truly d that I brought you here." Grand Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren, Bar Lukazan, smiled and said while stroking his well-groomed masculine beard. Wearing a military uniform and cloak with elegant gold embroidery and glittering ornaments. He was the head of the Lukazan family, one of the three major families with the right to the throne in the Holy Empire of Elsren, and one of the five most powerful figures in the great empire of Elsren. "...Thank you for your kind words. No words of gratitude is enough to express my gratitude for giving me this opportunity." "Umu. The past is the past¡ª¡ªI have no intention of getting caught up in that either. Don''t worry." Even as he bowed his head, anger flickered in Vynal¡¯s heart. The defeatst year¡ª¡ªit was due to a foolish blunder by his brother, Aleha, however the man responsible for putting all the me on Aleha and the Sarchenka family was none other than this man, themander. He made them pay arge amount ofpensation and confiscated theirnds. The Sarchenka were in a difficult position because of this man. On top of that, the man approached them with a benevolent face, extended his hand, and giving favors It made him think that everything, including Aleha''s blunder, was part of this man''s plot. No one raised a voice when this man was defeated by Dougleen Garhka and retreated to his army. Wasn''t this all a plot to crush the Sarchenka family, which had be an eyesore?¡ª¡ªThe man''s self-preservation tactics were so brilliant that it made him think so. Nevertheless, even against such a man, Vynal had to bow his head. Arranging siege weapons¡ª¡ªthe debts incurred due to hiring arge number of skilled engineers and workers. In order to obtain enough benefits to eliminate this problem, it was necessary to win over this man and achieve great deeds. "The trebuchets and siege towers...what do you think?" Baszler looked at the huge siege tower being built and asked Vynal. Understanding the intention to some extent, Vynal replied. "Ha. This time it''s a holy war¡ª¡ªa war to destroy the evil Alberan. I have no desire to be concerned about my own interests. I hope the Archduke''s brave army will use it freely for victory." "Hahaha, well done. However, not rewarding you, who has done all this, would be a shame for a noble. ...I¡¯ll give you the opportunity to conquer Wulfenite and clear your name with your own hands. ...What do you think?" "...Thank you for your kindness." Making Vynal spit out money and ordering him to be crushed. The only reason why they were able to capture Wulfenite in thest battle was because Aleha had killed the enemy general Carmeda with a single blow in the battlefield. Alberan''s army waspletely destroyed by the death of the general¡ª¡ªjust how long would it have taken to conquer it if it hadn''t been for that? There was no way that Bar, who had conquered Wolfenheit as if to snatch that credit, did not know this. Wolfenheit, fully prepared, was still an impregnable fortified city. The situation waspletely different from that time. This battle was expected to take two months just to capture this part. The first spear role was merely to be crushed. What''s more, the enemy was Nozan Verreich, who was known as Christand¡¯s number one subordinate. His skill was as good as that of Christand¡¯s, and that was clear from the vivid retreat so far. He divided his forces into groups without fear of individual defeat across the vast ins, and he retreated at night, trapping the archers and cavalrymen and cutting them down as he retreated. It was clear that he was far from ordinary, and was a more difficult opponent than Carmeda. There''s no way defeating such a monster who holed in Wulfenite would be easy. However, Vynal still had no choice but to achieve results. There was no way he could say no to his words. "However...I never thought that idiot Orugan would be defeated so quickly. We don''t have much time to spare. Remember that we have to attack this ce as soon as possible." "Huh...I¡¯ll make sure to open a breakthrough for the assault." "Hmm, that''s fine. I''m looking forward to it, Duke Sarchenka." Without being able to carry out the plunder that was included in the n, they paidrge sums of money to purchase cargo from the captured cities. On top of that, Gulshan was defeated by Alberan, and Dougleen Garhka was applying pressure from the south. If something went wrong, Vynal would definitely be held responsible. And that would mean the end of the house. In his mind, he was thinking about how to achieve sess in this siege, when suddenly, the soldiers started to make noise. "¡ª¡ª!?" Suddenly, the sound of crushing echoed around them. When he looked in the direction of the sound, he saw a distorted wooden object. ¡ª¡ªIt was a trebuchet. It had been a small fortress, but it had lost its support on one side and tilted with a distorted sound. As ity on the ground, countless screams and roars echoed. "¡ª¡ªWhat''s going on!?" Bar shouted as if howling. Vynal stiffened and stared in shock. ¡°Suddenly the trebuchet was¡ª¡ª" The soldier next to him started to speak, and there was another roar. Therge trebuchet that was standing next to it copses. Screams echoed. The distance to Wulfenite was almost one ri. That was the range limit of thisrge trebuchet. Was it damaged or something? Baszler was thinking that, but when he saw the second stone trebuchet copse, he realized that this was no mere ident, and immediately turned his attention to Wulfenite. There were enemy trebuchets and giant crossbows that were set, but they were small types¡ª¡ªit was for the siege towers and battering rams that would attack. At this distance¡ª¡ªthe enemy''s trebuchet was out of range. A set giant crossbow could reach it, but only that. At this distance, there would be no power to destroy therge trebuchet, and it would be nothing more than harassment. Just what is¡ª¡ªas he thought that, what he saw was on the left, at the edge of the castle wall. It was a shadow that came flying from there. There was another roar, and this time the unfinished third one shattered. "W-what...?" Vynal was stunned by this. And what jumped off the castle wall was a small ck and silver shadow. A loud cheer echoes from the walls of Wulfenite¡ª¡ªa spear is thrown from the top of the wall, and someone jumps down to catch it. Then, when they held it in reverse grip, ran and released it. The spear that flew at an insane speed was the fourth one. The wooden monster fell down without any hesitation, and pieces of wood burst out. "What...what are you doing! Send out the cavalry archers!! Kill that guy!!" Basr finally understood everything and screamed. It was just an enemy''s throwing spear. ¡ª¡ªHowever, its power was extraordinary. A loud, thunderous cheer that seemed to split the atmosphere reverberated over Wolfenheit. *Trot trot* Running in front of the fortress wall¡ª¡ªalong the moat. She grabbed a spear that had been thrown from the top of the castle wall, threw it at the trebuchet, and rolled. A swoosh of the wind, and after a beat, a crushing sound. Without looking at the wooden monster crumble, she continued on her way. Throwing with the right hand, then the left, her silver hair swaying, the girl ran in front of the trench, receiving cheers. It would have been better if she could have destroyed everything from the top of the castle wall, but aside from the edge of the wall that ran perpendicr to the enemy camp, there wasn''t enough distance. A throwing spear that could pierce even Dragons from a distance of 1 ri. The castle walls were too narrow to kill the recoil, and that was the reason why she descended to the ground. "¡ª¡ªAlberinea, cavalry archer!! Please Return!!" Amidst the cheers, she heard the voices of the soldiers recognizing the enemy as she once again raised a spear. Aiming and releasing, a shattering sound. The number of trebuchet crushed was now eight. While easily causing significant damage to the enemy army, Krische turned her gaze towards the enemy formation. Facing her directly was a line of more than 100,000 enemy soldiers so many that she needed to see a few ri to the left and right. What appeared in the gap between the lines was the cavalry archer. The distance was less than one ri. Krische¡¯s lip pouted as she saw the archers heading straight for her, and she fired a spear in their direction. From the eleration that seems to shrink the space, to the violent sudden braking. However, her whole body movement was controlled and elerated by her magical power¡ª¡ªher body bends like a bow, and her hand fires a mad spear of destruction. At the Cavalry archers¨D¨DThe spear pierced through the front, and did not stop, leaving a hole in the human body. It sprayed fragments in the wake, killing and wounding them, and with a single throw she destroyed the cavalry line. Terrified horses ran amok, throwing off their riders. Cavalry archers¨D¨Dhorses ridden by nomads, people like them, were fast and light, fundamentally different from the heavy horses trained for closebat. There was no such thing as a strong horse that would remain unfazed by a spear that easily killed more than a dozen of them. One throw was enough for a unit. At that moment, she used another spear to destroy another trebuchet. There were now three left. However, countless cavalry archers had appeared from other parts of the enemy''s line. ¡°Muu, that¡¯s a bit too many.¡± Throwing a spear while getting hit with arrows was also a hassle. She decided to take a break and jumped over the moat, putting her feet on the slight protrusion of the wall and easily climbing it to the wall which was 30 shaku high. When she let out a sigh, the soldiers around her cheered even louder, and Krische covered her ears in annoyance. Immediately, a scream-like voice was heard, and what came running over the castle wall was arge, elegant 8 shaku tall Suiko. Without saying a word, Krische leaped onto Gururun, and went straight down the ramparts. With a sigh, she looked up at the fortress wall and pouted her lips as she gazed at it in annoyance. "...What noisy people." "Hahaha, it can''t be helped. Everyone is happy that Krische-sama has appeared." Nozan, who had apparently followed as he leapt across the roof, came down, followed by the Grunmeld. The other corpsmanders could be heard shouting on the ramparts. ¡®Now that Alberinea hase, we no longer have anything to fear¡¯¨D¨Dsomething like that, they verbally announced to the soldiers on the ramparts. ¡°How are you feeling?" ¡°Krische didn¡¯t overexert herself so Krische is fine. Krische¡¯s going to take a short rest, after that it¡¯s the other three.¡± While saying this, Krische rotated her shoulders and stretched her arms. Grunnmeldughs, amazed. "My goodness, I''m still surprised even when I got a look at it again. With a small body like that, making something like that possible." In terms of weight, she was probably less than a third of his weight. The small, delicate girl''s spear throwing was an anomaly that defied any imagination from her appearance. She easily crushed arge trebuchet with one of her spears. Just by her presence, she changes sieges and defense battles. If this were a siege from the opposite side, she might even be able to assassinate the enemy general in a solo night raid. Although she was just an individual in this situation, she was worth much more than an army. "In any case, I heard that Krische challenged the Ancient Dragon the other day and was allowed to use Mana (True Name) but.....¡± ¡°Um, Krische didn¡¯t challenge Regve, Krische had an audience with Regve¡¡± ¡°Put that forter, Grunmeld. Don''t talk about such things in a ce like this." Nozan looked around and sighed. There were many soldiers who believed in the Holy Spirit. "...It''s okay, Krische-sama, We''ve been informed of the circumstances by Assistant Marshal Faren." "Ah, I see." It was a secret that she threw her spear at the Dragon. To Krische who looked a little troubled, Nozan smiled and nodded. "However, what a good timing. Right after Her Majesty''s speech, it¡¯s Krische-sama¨D¨DI don''t think there are any soldiers who think this is a losing battle anymore." ¡°Krische heard from Selene that it was quite difficult to deal with Elsren.¡± ¡°In the field is...I¡¯m embarrassed to say this, but I felt relieved after joining Wulfenite. We were able to reduce the damage somewhat thanks to a well-set trap... but still, from the eyes of our soldiers, it probably seemed like we were retreating helplessly.¡± A step-by-step retreat based on careful preparations¨D¨Davoiding directbat, there would be less damage, and inflicted more damage to the enemy. However, the soldiers who did not know what was going on had apletely different view. Many of them considered this to be a mere escape. As expected, that was why the enemy pursued us without suspicion, but the morale of the soldiers dropped more than expected¡ª¡ªprobably due to the situation of being attacked by three countries. Some intentionally put a cheerful look on their face, some with the face of a dead person. Nozan army was overflowing with such soldiers, and so were the people who remained in this city. If the situation worsened, there was a risk of riots. However, their morale hadpletely recovered due to the ''performance'' just now. It can be said that the morale lost due to the retreat has now been recovered. Within today, ¡®Alberinea''s Trebuchet Smashing¡¯ had spread throughout the city, and things hadpletely recovered. Most of the members of Nozan¡¯s army knew the power of her spear during the civil war. At least none of the soldiers would doubt it. "Hmm, well, if that''s the case then it¡¯s good. Krische''ll continue the talkter. Krische''ll quickly destroy the rest." ¡°Yeah, us too.¡± The Suiko simply jumped onto the high fortress wall, and Nozan and the others climbed onto the roof. A momentter, the sound of wind and crushing echoed again. A tremor and cheers filled the heavens and earth of Wulfenite. ¡ª¡ªThat day, Alberinea single-handedly destroyed 12rge trebuchets and three half-built siege towers. Over 200 people died in the copse, including famous engineers and craftsmen, and the Holy Empire of Elsren army was forced to retreat against a single individual. Alberinea''s throwing spear was enough to repel even an army of 100,000 men. Many considered the victory of Alberan in the Five Nations War to be solely attributed to Alberinea as an individual. If one were to read her tales on the battlefield straightforwardly, there was no doubt that she was an unparalleled warrior at that time¡ª¡ªregardless, there was no one who doubted that she was an extraordinary individual. Many records stated that Alberinea was such a heretic as if a matter of course. Chapter 206: Difference in Temperature Chapter 206: Difference in Temperature ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 206 Difference in Temperature*** The Elsren army, which needed a fundamental review of its strategy to capture Wulfenite, retreated 10 ri from Wulfenite. They gave upunchingrge trebuchets and increased the number of small trebuchets. It couldn¡¯t be helped that it would be destroyed, but if it was only one individual who could do that, then it would be better to increase the number. The information about who did it was passed on by some who were in the Aleha Sarchenka army previously and a spy who escaped from Wolfenheit with severe wounds, but that didn''t solve anything. She had more power and range than arge crossbow, and that information did not provide any means to deal with the absurd individual who could destroy arge trebuchet from outside its range. There is no other choice but to resort to violent, numerical means. ¡°You still look pale, Duke Sarchenka. Don''t worry about it. No one thinks it¡¯s your fault.¡± "¡¡yes sir" Meeting in the great tent¨D¨Dthe atmosphere was too heavy. As expected, even Baszler Lukazan also took pity on him. Hepletely understands how much effort Vynal Sarchenka put into this. Aleha Sarchenka, who was popr with the people¨D¨DAfter the previous war, various efforts were made to crush this man''s younger brother, who was bing an eyesore, but even so, he had no intention of crushing the Sarchenka family itself. After the war, he intended to give him appropriate credit and eventually keep him as his prot¨¦g¨¦. At least he has finished his purification by preparing that siege weapon. If that was to have been crushed by a mere individual¨D¨DAlberinea, even he felt sorry for him. Moreover, for the past two days, Vynal had been working at a rapid pace on building a small trebuchet. Whatever the oue, he would at least try to make it so that the house would not be crushed. That was the extent of his thinking. However, the damage it caused to Vynal¡¯s psyche was too great. Since then, Vynal hadn''t been able to eat or even sleep properly. Siege weapons require careful preparation. Gathering materials in the workshop, making adjustments repeatedly¡ª¡ªhuge amounts of gold were poured into preparing siege towers andrge trebuchets. If they disappeared without any results, it was only natural. He lost several skilled engineers desperately gathered, and the cost invested couldn''t be recovered. ¡°In a few days, we will have enough trebuchets...¡± ¡°Ah, I have high hopes for it.¡± Fortunately, the engineers and craftsmen he brought were excellent. Since a siege was likely to take ce in the first ce, there was some preparation for small trebuchets, so it was not a stalemate. His only thought was how much achievement he could aplish with the materials he had and how much he could reduce his losses. If it were just a trebuchet, other nobles would have prepared for it as well. All he could do was pray that his own trebuchet wouldn''t be targeted. Baszler asked, looking away from him. ¡°Is there a problem in the north and south?¡± "There''s no movement." Linkara Walkal, vice general of the invasion force, answered. Although he was nearly 100 years old and could almost be called an old man, he was a general who had spent more time on the battlefield than anyone else. He has been Basr''s mentor since childhood, and he had great trust in this man. ¡°I thought there would be an attack following that, but¡¡± ¡°There doesn''t seem to be any. What do you think?¡± "The aim is still an endurance strategy. They won''t be able tounch an attack.¡± Linkara points to Wulfenite on the map. "Three-sided siege¡ª¡ªit''s a simr situation tost time, but the fact that we haven''t been able to take Wulfenite is a big factor. You could say it''s better than before because Christand is dead and we don''t have to worry about the north." Then, cing his hand on his cleanly shaved chin, he continued. ¡°Since a short-term decisive battle would be difficult, it would be a good idea to just retreat and cut off the territory and call it a day.¡± "Saying uninteresting things as usual. I''m asking about attacking after that." ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it will be by brute force.¡± Linkaraughed at Basr''s fed up look. ¡°First, attacking the northern part is not an option¨D¨DArna Imperial State¡¯s army is there. Breaking through that Great Sea of Trees is extremely difficult. This is out.¡± In the northeastern part of the Alberan Kingdom, there was arge sea of trees that separated the east and the north. It was a natural stronghold, and to break through it one would have to be prepared for a lot of blood loss. After thest battle, the Arna Imperial Army had built a new fort behind the Great Sea of Trees as their base, and it would be difficult to attack it. "Well, it''s the same for them. There shouldn''t be any problem with the current 10,000 cavalry archers. They won''t attack." In front of the Arna Imperial Army of 20,000, was the Elsren army of 10,000. However, it was a single unitposed only of cavalry archers. That was enough to deal with them. When dealing with nomadic cavalry, it was often more convenient to organize them as a single unit rather than incorporating them into an army. Nomads who were used to living with sheep and horses. If you arranged for food and gave them free rein, they could use their mobility to control vast ins. The enemy will be lured in by them, their forces will be whittled down by attacks while on the march, and if they attack, they will be crushed without being able to fight properly. And, of course, it is hard to imagine that they wouldunch an attack, as the other side should understand this. "The South is Garhka. He is a dangerous opponent if you fight him properly, but if you don''t take the provocations and avoid a decisive battle, there¡¯s nothing to worry about." They had 30,000 men and 5,000 cavalry archers. If the enemies leave the city and attack, they could lure them in and cut them off from the rear. The enemy was an opponent that could be handled as long as they learned from their previous mistakes and avoided a decisive battle. "At least for now, there are no issues with the north or south. And it''s difficult for them to attack from the north or south too. The focus of this battle is how to capture Wulfenite with our current forces..." Wulfenite exists in the northern part of Alberan¡ª¡ªlocated between the Kurail Mountains that extend from the Dragon''s Maw and the Calbyas Mountains in the south, at the midpoint between them. Two central armies behind Wulfenite plugged the gaps between the north and south, making a forcible breakthrough difficult. Aiming at one of the armies would inevitably lead the enemy to attack from Wolfenheit. Not only would they be targeted from the nk, but even if they seeded in breaking through, their rearmunication lines would be cut off. They had to somehow deal with Wulfenite to advance. "That''s what everyone wants to hear, Linkara. Now that Gulshan has been defeated, we can''t take such a long-term n. We''re looking for a way to achieve decisive results." Basr said. Especially in the south, Garhka¡ª¡ªthe loss of 35,000 troops, which was unnecessary, was painful. The enemy had 30,000 led by Nozan Verreich in the Wolfenheit, and 40,000 with the two central forces slightly to the rear, for a total of 70,000. In contrast, theirs was 100,000. The advantage was still there, but it was no longer as overwhelming as it was before. ¡°First of all, the attack on Wulfenite would have to be put off.¡± "Attach 50,000 to Wulfenite 30,000, using that as a shield to break through on one wing. Swiftly eliminate the 20,000 front-line enemies with the other 50,000. The enemy''s remaining one wing¡ª¡ªhow the 20,000 will move is a big question, but even taking into ount the 20,000 enemy reinforcementsing from the nks, the maximum is 50,000 to 40,000, so the advantage is still ours.¡± The fortified city of Wulfenite cannot be attacked with 50,000 troops. However, it was possible to siege the city and stick to it with a force of 50,000 men. In the meantime, they were to break through the enemy''s central army, overrun the royal city area, and iste Wulfenite. In any case, in this situation, Alberan definitely did not have the strength to spare. If only they could break through, albeit forcefully¡ª¡ªa strategy that would have been an easier choice had it not been for the 35,000 troops stuck to Gurkha in the south. However, Nozan Verreich barricaded himself in Wulfenite, as if he was coordinating with Garhka in the south. "However, the enemy is Nozan Verreich. No matter whether you acknowledge him or not, he is an excellent general. Considering their dying tactic and gradual retreat¡ª¡ªespecially observing how they withdrew to Wulfenite after we deployed forces to the south, it is likely that he had anticipated that. It would be wise to assume that they had made corresponding preparations." The generals, who were only thinking about conquering Wulfenite, looked impressed, but their eyebrows furrowed at those words. Bar ced a hand on his chin and looked at Linkara. ¡°However, even with that in mind, you think it doesn¡¯t seem that bad?¡± ¡°Yes. But I have a lot of concerns considering the circumstances under which Gulshan was defeated. I hear that Gulshan was defeated against Alberinea and Garhka even with twice as many troops. It is easy to consider Gulshan dumb, but don¡¯t underestimate this." Linkara replied. "Elkar, Kilrea, Zalvaag, and Orugan. These are the names of sufficiently powerful generals. Aside from Kilrea, they have crossed paths with the Holy Empire several times. At least you should know that they are not ipetent generals." ¡°...Fumu¡± ¡°Alberinea, who overwhelmed Gulshan''s greatest force, should not be thought of as just a great general. In fact, this army of 100,000 was defeated by a single individual, and were forced to turn our backs and retreat when the siege weapons were destroyed." There was a slight murmur at those words. This army was led by the Archduke of the Holy Empire, Bar Lukazan. Although he was an adjutantmander, his words were too harsh. Bar looked slightly displeased, butughed. "Quite. It''s not funny, but it''s the truth." He said this in a deep, deep voice. ¡°In other words, your anxiety is whether or not it will be possible to contain 30,000 Wulfenite with 50,000, right?¡± "That''s possible too. However, I think...Elderant in the west are already at a disadvantage or have been defeated." ¡°...Hooh.¡± Baszler smiled at those words. ¡°Kuku, it came out big.¡± "Unlike Your Excellency, I''m a worrier." Linkara continues, ¡®That''s an assumption from a pessimistic view though¡¯. He was smiling, but his eyes were serious, making his deep wrinkles even deeper. "The Alberinea army that defeated Gulshan headed west. So far, there was no doubt based on the information and situation from the south. However, Alberinea, who was supposed to be leading it, is here." Linkara moistened his tongue with ck bean tea and continued. "After the battle with Gulshan, they came here through the royal capital¡ª¡ªnormally that''s what I would think. However, Gulshan''s defeat was much too abrupt. There is also a strong possibility that Alberinea dealt a severe blow to Elderant and then proceeded toward us on her own.¡± "...I see. If your fears are correct, there is a strong possibility that an army-sized follow up will appear." "Yes. If that were the case, the enemy''s rear 40,000 would avoid a decisive battle and wait for the arrival of the main body of the Alberinea army, which is heading towards us from the west, beforeunching a counterattack." Linkara said that there was a great deal of uncertainty about a forced breakthrough. ¡°If my predictions are correct, those reinforcements will appear from the west in a week or two. If I were to assume the worst, it would be four or five days.¡± While saying this, Linkara thought of the geography of Alberan. Alberinea arrived two days before the siege engines were destroyed. Thinking of the worst to worst, if the army were to cross the center of the royal capital in the shortest distance and head this way, the distance would be ten days. If you were to transfer to a fast horse and go ahead as an individual, it would take about 4 days. ¡°Regardless of how Alberinea did it, she tamed a Suiko and made her a mount. I don''t know how fast it is, but let''s assume that she used a fast horse. If Alberinea were to take the lead and head towards us at the same time as the Elderant army was defeated, it would probably be around there.¡± "I see. I understand your concerns. ...First one, you said that, right?" ¡°Yes, it would be foolish to assume the worst and be too timid, but if that worst-case scenario were to ur with this strategy, we could even lose. If it bes 90,000 to 100,000, the numerical advantage will fade.'''' Linkara drank the ck bean tea and dered. ¡°We should make use of our advantages.¡± ¡°...advantages?¡± "It''s cavalry archers, Your Excellency. With 14,000 cavalry archers, which is not needed for the siege, we prated the gap between the enemy and entered the royal capital area. While threatening the rear line ofmunication and targeting enemy forces located behind Wulfenite from behind, depending on the situation, it can also hold back reinforcements. ...In the meantime, we will take all the remaining troops and capture Wulfenite at once.'''' If it¡¯s the cavalry archers alone, there was no risk they would be caught by the enemy army, which was mainly infantry. It seems that the outer periphery of Alberan was able to evacuate residents and prevent looting, but if they were in the royal capital area, they could attack viges and cover their logistics with local procurement. ¡°The burden on them will be heavy, too. We cannot take a long time. The attack on Wulfenite will take a lot of effort, and we will have to be prepared to lose a lot of blood, but even so, with 85,000 troops, it should be possible to capture 30,000 Wolfenheit.¡± Basr thought for a moment, and a beastly smile appeared on his masculine face. "It''s certainly a very aggressive n for you...but it''s not bad. A siege that involves crushing a lot of flesh and blood and getting over the castle walls." "...Personally, I think it''s the height of stupidity, a foolish n among foolish ns." Linkara said with some reluctance. One should not engage in short-term sieges unless you have adequate equipment. The price for therge trebuchets and siege towers was tens of thousands of soldiers and their lives. ¡°As I said, I think it would be better to cut off the territory here and ept it as a war result.¡± "You''re the only one who thinks so, Linkara. Putting aside if we take the rich southeast, there isn''t enough pie to carve in the east alone. Are you nning on starting a civil war?" Basr turned his attention to the generals¡ª¡ªthe nobles. Linkara''s words were probably true for a military man. However, this man takes the noble society too lightly. It''s because of the delicious pir that the men who gather here spared their own money and prepared soldiers and equipment. The eastern part of Alberan was once Elsren''s territory¡ª¡ªit wasn''t particrly badnd, and it was a passing grade in terms of recovering lostnd. However, that alone was not enough to cover the costs of the previous and current wars. The story might have been different if they had taken the rich southeastern part of Alberan, but they couldn''t end it here. Many nobles would go bankrupt like Sarchenka. Unlike Alberan, this was a fatal problem in the Holy Empire, where the nobles had their own territory and power. Depending on the situation, it could cause a mass rebellion among the desperate nobles. In order to prevent this from happening, the Lukazan house had no choice but to take care of it, and the huge loss caused by this was great for the Lukazan house itself. Furthermore, Basr was the one who made the Curia dere a holy war. If he smeared dirt on their face a second time, no matter how well he worked, his house would be a few generations away from bing emperor. In many ways, ending it here was not an option. "As I said earlier, the main purpose is to capture Wulfenite. Kalud, your role is important." "Yes sir. Leave it to me." The nomadic tribes they brought¡ª¡ªtheir suprememander. The Grand Chieftain Ranu Khalud smiled on his thin face and saluted. "That''s just how great your achievements will be. Plus considering your contributions thus far, I will make an appeal to His Majesty the Emperor to grant you some limited autonomy." ¡°My gratitude. ... I''m sure to live up to your expectations.¡± And he narrowed his eyes more at those words. The Verreich army and themanders of each corps were lined up in the conference room, and sitting next to Nozan Verreich was a silver-haired girl. She was a beautiful girl who didn''t fit in this room. ¡°Woof Woof¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± She furrowed her brow and called. Responding to her was Grunmeld Varcas, with a deep scar on his cheek¡ª¡ªexpressing doubt in his fierce appearance, he turned his gaze toward the girl, Krische Alberinea Christand. "So, Bald sses.¡± ¡°......., Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Wearing sses on his bald head¡ª¡ªlooking nervous and tired, Sdin Garcalon responded. Before he could exercise his right to choose, his name had be established. ¡°And Skeleton, themander of the Argand army, nickname is Meow Meow¡ Krische thought about it but¡Krische perhaps did something rude.¡± ¡°...rude, meaning?¡± Sdin asked, looking at Grunmeld. Grunmeld nodded. Perhaps she finally realized that the nickname she gave was a rude , noisy thing¡ª¡ªthere was a slight hope in their eyes. Strangely, everyone around felt a strange tension, gazing at the girl''s youthful beauty. "...For some reason, General Verreich, who Krische had been indebted to a lot, is left out." But of course, Krische never realized her mistake. She had already solidified in her mind that the nickname she thought of was wonderful. ¡°Among the Gotoushu-sama¡¯s three subordinates, Krische feels like it¡¯s disrespectful to only call General Verreich by General Verreich. On top of that, giving nicknames only to General Verreich¡¯s subordinates¡¡± Everyone was speechless at Krische who was worrying about things that no one else cared about. For once, she had a serious expression on her face. Her face showed a very apologetic look. "......, Your feelings are enough, Krische-sama. I always feel that Krische-sama cares for me properly." ¡ª¡ªIt finally came huh. As he smiled at her beauty, returning the answer with a refreshing tone, aplex emotion swirled within him. It starts with the Bald Eagle centurion and Skeleton. After hearing that Grunmeld is Woof Woof, and even Kolkis were named Meow Meow in her mind, plus the newly added Bald sses, He understood her intention. All of them were nicknames that sounded like insults and he didn''t think they were very enviable, but even so, when it came to this point, he felt rather a strange sense of alienation. She was a genius that could not be measured bymon sense, and was an absolute force that could not be rivaled on the battlefield, however her temperament was infinitely kind and pure. Everyone knows that there was no malice in these names, but rather a strong sense of affection. ¡ª¡ªHowever, to her, he alone was General Verreich. After all, the feeling that welled up in his chest was something that was difficult to express. He didn¡¯t envy them by any means, but it''s still somehow painful¡ª¡ªthat was the kind of dilemma Nozan Verreich, who has intimidated many of his enemies and allies, found himself in. What Nozan and the others were going to do from now on was a tactical meeting. Although the basic policy was decided every day, it was an important meeting. It would have been very easy for Nozan to cut her off at this point and said, ¡®Let''s start the meeting, Krische-sama¡¯. Right now, right at this moment he could do that. However, was it really okay to do that¡ª¡ªwas it okay to deny her innocent kindness of wanting to be close by giving him a nickname? ¡°¡¡...¡± Suddenly, all eyes in the room were focused on Nozan. How would Nozan really refuse it, or what kind of nickname would he be given? Everyone felt a strong interest in it. If he refuses at this point, he might leave a haze in everyone''s hearts that could not be removed. ¡ª¡ªBefore the important battle ahead. What kind of nickname was she thinking of giving to him? Nozan himself would be lying if he said he had no interest in it. He had no memory of being given a nickname. It was an indescribable temptation. He didn¡¯t want a nickname. But he was interested. And he realized that he was not alone in this, it was the consensus in this ce¡ª¡ªNozan couldn¡¯t stop her from speaking. Krische was staring at Nozan¡¯s face from the side, her eyebrows furrowed and her hand on her chin with an unusually serious look on her face. The jewel-like purple color had no smile at all¡ª¡ªas if she was an artist. No one would have thought that such extremely childish names as Woof Woof, Skeleton, Bald sses woulde out of her mouth. "Krische, Regve-san... ah, um, it''s the Holy Spirit. Krische was thinking of giving him the nickname p p. His name is a bit long." Even against the Holy Spirit Mana (True Name) she was still ridiculous. "I-I see..." "Yes. Regve-san is a big lizard-like creature with wings, and he can create a small storm just by pping his wings." That was a very frightening statement. Unless one was a person for whom the Holy Spirit allowed to use their Mana (True Name), it would be extremely disrespectful¡ª¡ªif she were just an individual and the times were different, she would be sentenced to death. No one could even retort it. ¡°Krische thought it was a very good nickname, but when Krische asked Lira-san and Chief Alkierence and Kreisharana people they said please stop and..." No doubt everyone here would have also stopped her if they had been there. She seemed really reluctant, which was natural. "General Verreich has a nondescript, hmm...not a fun...uninteresting face? Uh, well, Krische couldn''t think of anything at the moment, but there are many feathers on the armor, so Krische thought something like that would be good." "...I, I see¡± Although when he was young, he was sometimes called feminine, that face had never been insulted before. The fact that he was called an uninteresting face so easily made even Nozan feel a little shaken in his heart. It would have been better if it were an interesting face, but that, too, had its difficulties. ¡°Is that¡ I mean, so it¡¯s p p?¡± "No, that''s not good. Regve-san¡¯s wings have a grand feeling of ''p p¡¯. General Verreich is at best more like Fwap Fwap or Flutter Flutter...hmm, Krische thinks it''s like from around here." Krische pointed to the area above her head. What was really going toe down there? He felt like he was being belittled, but anyone would be whenpared to a dragon. Nozan silently epted that there was no malicious intent. "Yeah, it seems to be going in that direction after all. It might have arrived." "*inhale*..." Everyone had a serious face and their consciousness turned to Krische. ¡ª¡ªBut what echoed there was the sound of a bell. "Messenger! Coming in!" A messenger ran down the hallway and entered the room. "The enemy army has moved! A single formation of cavalry, probably numbering 10,000, is moving to the south!" "......, What about other movements?" ¡°As far as what was seen earlier, there was no major movement from the main body of the enemy!¡± "Okay. Is that all?" "Yes sir!" When Nozan raised his hand, the messenger saluted and left the room. "Even though it¡¯s just a little bit more...muuu." He immediately saw Krische, but she was standing up with a pout on her lips and dissatisfied. "It''s probably the movement we expected. It''s probably a solo cavalry operation aimed at disrupting the rear." "R-right..." And Krische looked at Nozan. The rare seriousness she had shown earlier disappeared, and a look saying it¡¯s bothersome appeared on her face. ¡°Then, although it cannot be said to be certain, there is a high possibility that the enemy army willunch an all-out attack on this Wulfenite as soon as they are ready. They probably thought that the Krische army woulde rushing through the royal capital? ¡®General Verreich¡¯, Krische will take a look outside first.¡± Krische said that quickly and *tote tote*, she trotted out of the conference room. There was an indescribable atmosphere in the conference room where she left, and everyone was looking at Nozan with indescribable looks. Northern cleared his throat and announced in a serious voice, ¡®Sdin¡¯. "I don''t think they''re going to attack yet, but just to be sure, check the eastern wall. If there''s no problem, you can leave it to the adjutant. ...I''ll continue the meeting." ¡°...Yes sir¡± Sdin followed Krische out the door. All that was left in the conference room was a vague, iffy atmosphere. Chapter 207: Sent to Paradise Chapter 207: Sent to Paradise ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 207 Sent to Paradise*** ¡ª¡ªThe second morning of the Wulfenite conquest, the battle begun. The walls were twenty-five shaku high¡ª¡ªthe eight-shaku deep moat in front of it had lost its water level due to the damming of the Alzrene River, presenting a scene reminiscent of a mass graveyard. The remaining water, below knees-level height was dyed bright red, and there were numerous corpses. The nauseating stench of death lingered in the air. "Keep going! Set up more bridges!" The width of the trench was about four ken at most. The Holy Empire of Elsren mobilized its engineers in the moat that had be a mass grave. Bringing logs soaked with water and tied them together to build countless bridges. Once the bridges were built over the moats, the area under the bridges was transformed into a covered workshop. At the same time making it even easier to attack the top of the walls, it also allow them to dug under the walls to create moleholes that would copse the walls, thus capturing the Wulfenite walls from above and below. Wulfenite walls, which were built with high-quality rock, couldn¡¯t be easily toppled with a mere trebuchet. The stone walls built on thick mounds of earth are nothing short of artistic. This city, which was renovated and invested with a huge amount of money during Alberan''s heyday, was still the strongest fortress on the continent. Even though it was a city of only 100,000 people, it was surrounded by walls like this one. There were no gaps whatsoever. It would have been madness to attack this fully defended fortress city withoutrge trebuchet. Given a few months, isting and capturing it would have been possible. However, time was a luxury that Elsren did not possess. The advantage gained through the simultaneous invasion of the three nations had crumbled, and they were already feeling pressure from the south. They would have to ovee this wall even if it cost them 90,000 lives. ¡°Damn it, what is the vanguard doing even though thedder is set!!¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s tougher on the walls than I thought.¡The presence of that Alberinea is definitely a big factor.¡± Bearded and sinister¡ª¡ªAn old adjutant, Tig Magnus, answered the words of Orkana Rekarish,mander of the Elsren Holy Empire. They were right in front of Alberinea. And they could clearly see the Alberinea from here. Inside the fortress walls¡ª¡ªsitting t on the red roof of a high clock tower, wearing a ck cloak and pulling a bow while holding bread in her mouth. She was leaning her back against Suiko''s body, looking very unmotivated. And yet a battalionmander, a magic possessor who jumped from thedder, easily fell from the wall from two arrow she shot, and cheers echoing from above. It was clear that her presence was increasing the enemies morale in this area and hindering their invasion. The value of magic possessor in a siege battle was much greater than in open-field. A limited space on the fortress wall. No matter how many tens of thousands of troops one have, on the fortress walls, it was a battle between few soldiers against few soldiers. In battles there, individual strength was more important than cooperation, and those with magical power were able to forcibly seize victory in small battles. However, Alberinea persistently shot down these magic possessor. Destroying two defensive towers on the walls with trebuchets the previous day, they had gained an advantage by copsing the walls. Several bridges were built overnight, and ry points were established within the moat. The construction had been progressing smoothly. However, after Alberinea appeared this morning, there was no change in the situation. On the contrary, the trebuchets were easily destroyed by Alberinea, worsening the situation. Despite having enough strength to conquer this north wall, they had not achieved it yet. Wulfenite also had an inner wall, though not asrge as the outer wall. There were four sections that generally divide the east, west, south, north, and west, and a central section that broadly encloses the fortress in the center. If they couldn''t secure the outer wall first, the capture wouldn¡¯t progress. "Damn it, I will-" "Hahaha, Commander Rekarish, I thought you would think so." Appearing on a horse, a man with an eye patch spoke to him. Although he looked a little old, he had a clean-shaven beard and a fearless face even on the battlefield. "...What do you want, Mirkos?" It was Meade Mirkos, who was ordered to attack the same north wall andmanded the corps right next to him. He was a former General, and a true warrior who rose from a centurion¡ª¡ªPersonality wise they didn¡¯t match, and Orkana hates him. "You are the same corpsmander as me. You no longer have the right to give orders." ¡°Of course not. I don''t give orders, I just want to made a suggestion.¡± "¡¡suggestion?" Meade nodded and smiled. ¡°As long as that Alberinea is there, it will be difficult to break through this wall even if we continue to push forward. We should try to break through by force while we still have the advantage in numbers. You think the same¡ª¡ªam I right?" ¡°...But with that said, what are the advantages of teaming up with you?¡± "I''ve already got permission from the general. You and I will attempt to breach this wall together. It''s an order." Orkana frowned. The general whomanded Orkana and Meade was the son of a duke. The young man who bought the general''s seat with his money and family background¡ª¡ªMeade had tamed him well. ¡°......I hate that about you.¡± Using authority to take advantage of others. Meade himself was a great warrior, but he was also a schemer. "I know. But this time, I swear by name, the credit will be equally shared. I may deceive people, but you should know I don''t lie." "...That¡¯s even worse. Well, I can''t refuse anyway. What''s the n?" ¡°You''ll be pleased. ...... you and I will forcefully open a way.¡± Orkana scowled and red at Meade. "This doesn''t sound like you." "You understand the reason, right? We suffered a blow in the previous defeat. It was a close call, hanging by a thread." In the previous battle, this man had been entrusted by Basr Lukazan with the defense of Wulfenite. But with the defeat of Aleha and Basr and their retreat, Wulfenite was isted. Although he abandoned Wulfenite due to starvation tactic, they also suffered heavy losses in the pursuit, and as a result, he was now serving as a corpsmander instead of a General. In that situation it was not Meade¡¯s failure, and he can''t help but pity him. A person¡¯s position in the Holy Empire army depended on how much gold and troops they could provide. Meade who lost his noble followers and gold and troops, would likely only decline further if things continue like this. It was certain that this man sought achievements. Whether he could be trusted or not¡ª¡ªit was not a bad idea to listen to him first. "What we need to do is simple. Gather the elite of these two corps, mainly magic possessor, and force our way through. The castle walls are high formoners, but not for us. ...And once I get inside, I know the structure. Opening the gate itself is easy.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a gamble.¡± "It''s worth a shot right." Orkana thought a little. At least the few elite were just as the word expressed. He would not be able to Orkana as a sacrificial pawn. There was no such luxury. "Not bad. Our side can provide around twenty magic possessors at most... Assuming battalionmanders level will also be used as pawns." ¡°Same as our side. There are about 10 from the general''s main camp, making it a total of 50. All that''s left to do is rece the skilled soldiers with the engineers in the trench. We will take advantage of the confusion, control the top of the castle wall, and capture this north wall in one move.'''' "I don''t dislike the boldness. Though It''s not your typical strategy,." Meadeughed at those words. "It¡¯s just a rumor, but it seems that the Alberinea Century who were active in the civil war were all elite consisting of only magical possessors. I thought it was a pretty interesting idea, and I wanted to try it out someday." He had heard the rumors and thought they were interesting, but he was not sure if he could actually do the same thing. Those with magic power were usually nobles andmanders. If he tried to create such a force, the military would not be able to operate properly. "It''s difficult in a field battle...but it''s not impossible to do in a siege." However, as far as sieges were concerned, the problem was not that big. There was no need for judgments to intercept the enemy''s attacks. The initiative was with the attacker. Capture the fortress walls and kill the enemy. The soldiers only need to think about that, and if they simply wanted to attack, they didn''t need to have the brains to formte tactics; anyone could do it as long as they could issue instructions. ¡°I see. ......Well, let''s talk about it over a drink after we take the credit, shall we?¡± "Oh? You, who dislikes me, drinking together?" ¡°If we can agree on something, it''s not a bad thing. We agree on leading the elite to a breakthrough. ¨D¨DMessenger!¡± Meade Mirkos breakthrough was sessful. A total of 50 magical possessor managed to ovee the fortress wall and break through to one point. The enemy was frightened and immediately retreated. The magic possessors trained on the battlefield¨D¨Dalthough they might be improvised troops, most of them weremander-level soldiers. In the first ce, their instantaneous judgement was different from a mere soldier. Despite being a temporary formation, they were able to quickly overwhelm the enemy who stood in their way thanks to their highly coordinated efforts. Meade was in overallmand, and Orkana was in charge of charging in. It was probably a good thing that Orkana stepped back and obediently handed over themand of this unit to Meade. There was no problem at all The night sky with the moon high in the sky. The northern section of Wulfenite was filled with Elsren soldiers in just a short time. Only in the northern section¨D¨Don the inner wall that separates the east, west, and center, the enemy army that noticed them formed a battle line, and the appearance of archers on the castle wall. However, the Empire soldiers had already prated the inside of Wulfenite¡¯s strong outer walls. With military superiority, there was no chance of losing this battle. ¡°Mirkos, Rekarish! Well done, you can expect a reward! The general in charge of the north wall who appeared on horseback¨D¨DDuke Aare Caincrus spoke in a boyish voice unsuited for the battlefield. He appears to be more of a handsome young boy than a young man, wearing a thin, elegant armor. He was in his mid-twenties, so he must have stopped growing much earlier. There was no trace of dignity in the air. "Ha! It was the general''s wise decision!" Orkana and Meade salute without letting out a trace of their inner scorn. A genuine young master, although he was not new to the battlefield, he had never actually killed anyone with a sword. He was a man who had not achieved much in battle, but had bought the seat of general with his family status and money. He had poured a lot of money into this war and is participating as a general. He was an ipetent man who was neither a poison nor medicine. Though fickle andcking in wit, it wasmendable that he listened to the words of experienced adjutantmanders and warriors like Meade and responded sincerely. He could be said to be a good general, ¡®for a decorative general¡¯. "But, to think it''s going this well...Mirkos, what do you think? Do you feel that we should continue attacking like this?" "Yes sir! I think it would be better to continue attacking the eastern section and assisting Archduke Lukazan." The Holy Empire''s army was attacking in the north, south, and east. It wouldn''t have been a bad idea to attack the west, where it was weak, and capture it, and gain more credit, but the suprememander of this army was Basr Lukazan. It was only natural that they have to give him more credit than anyone else. If he did not hand over to Basr the first merit of the war, the fall of the center of Wulfenite, he was sure to be faced with a difficult decisionter on¨D¨Deven on the battlefield, politics as a nobleman was a major issue. ¡°Do you agree, Rekarish?" ¡°Yes sir! I agree with Mirkos, General. Orkana answered immediately. It was an elementary question for the Empire¡¯s Nobles. It was a conclusion that did not require much thought. ¡°I see. I am d you have good subordinates. I was just thinking the same thing.¡± He probably asked because he was anxious. If they had said that they should attack the west, he might have said the same thing and gone along with it. Although an opportunist, he''s at least not stubborn. They didn¡¯t dislike that he understood his own ipetence. "Just like your army, I have brought in the army of Lacrance and Rattle. You all return to your own army and prepare. Once that is done, we will head to capture the east." ¡°Yes sir¡± They salute and immediately rush off. The 40 soldiers of the special forces that they each led followed suit. A total of four people were lost, and the damage was minimal. Orkanaughed as he looked at the number of soldiers running through the city. Four corps¨D¨D20,000 soldiers were filling this northern sector. "Hahaha, I didn''t like you, but I changed my mind. Looks like we''ll have some fun drinks when we''re done." "Kuku, I''ve always liked you as a subordinate. That said, it looks like we can finally berades." Meaded pointed his right fist and Orkana hits it with his left fist. "However, I''m concerned that it was that. ...I''m sure the enemy''s morale wasn''t that low." "There are no soldiers who are not afraid in this situation. War is about the flow¨D¨Din that sense they are wise soldiers." Orkana answered. He shed his way onto the wall, and in less than half a koku was able to reach the gate. When the gates opened and their soldier poured in, the enemies who had been guarding the castle walls also fled as if they had realized what was happening. They realized their disadvantage as soon as the gate opened and turned to defend the east and west sections¨D¨Dnot a bad move if one thought about it that way. Once the avnche had swept through, any resistance would have been nothing more than a drop in the bucket. ¡°But well, I understand your concern. You think this might be on purpose, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, The north''s strength was originally thinpared to the east and south. Considering that it might have been a strategy to conserve the city, the attack on the inner wall might be a difficult task.¡± From the beginning, the enemy had assumed that it would be impossible to defend and that the outer wall would be broken through¨D¨Dthat possibility was not impossible. If that was the case, the attack on the inside side could be quite a challenge. ¡°If defense was impossible, then retreat without exerting yourself¨D¨Dthis the easy breakthrough was reasonable if such orders were given beforehand.¡± ¡°We should be on the lookout for ambush soldiers.¡± "Ah. The general can only see what''s in front of him. We need¨D¨D" ¡°¨D¨DCorpsmander¡± It was a messenger from Meade''s main camp who appeared on horseback. In his hand he held something that looked like a round pot the size of a fist. "... What''s the matter?" "Yes. These things are scattered all over the city... I checked, and it seems there''s something like magic crystals and scrap iron inside..." Meaded took it, and Orkana looked around. On the wall of the road and in the alleys¨D¨Dsimr jars are visible everywhere. They hadn''t paid much attention because Meade and the others had passed through the artisan district, but the word ¡®magic crystals¡¯ made Orkana frown. He kicked over a nearby water jug, and from inside, nails and scrap iron appear, along with fist-sized magic crystals. "What is this...?" "...Very delicate engravings. A magician might understand something if shown, but I can''tprehend it¨D¨D" Just as he was about to say something, a scream-like voice rang out. Hearing the word "Alberinea," he looked in the direction of the voice. A silver-haired girl riding on a Suiko, wearing a ck coat. On the clock tower. From there, the Suiko leapt into the sky, as if eating the moon rising in the sky. The girl scattered something glowing blue from her bag on her shoulder. "...!?" Countless magic crystals flew out in all directions around her. The crystals blinked and shed regrly, their brilliance masking even the darkness of night. The earth, too, gave off a blue glow as if in response. The darkness of the alley, the main road where Meade and the other were. And the magic crystal that they hold in their hands. ¨D¨DAll of them swelled with blue light. In Elsren, there was a teaching called Leine''s Paradise. After death, the soul was led to a paradise in paradise, where it would be reborn and attains eternal happiness¨D¨Da teaching handed down to the people through the paintings of the first emperor, Elsleine. The fat and corrupt priests and themandments conveniently created by them. Everyday lives of oppression and exploitation, inequality and poverty. There was no one who had no thoughts about it. However, they still believe in the belief that they will be led to paradise after death. If they endure suffering in this life, happiness would one daye to them after death. They would be led to paradise. Such teachings were their salvation. That was why this scene was even a kind of sacred scene. ¨D¨DThe blue pir of light reached up to the sky with a furious sound of explosion. Nearly 20,000 soldiers entered the northern section of Wolfenheit. In just a moment, she guided more than half of them to the paradise they believed in. Chapter 208: Cleaning Chapter 208: Cleaning ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 208 Cleaning*** Most of the streets were caught up in Baumje Ira''s explosion, with ¡®minced meat¡¯ scattered about. Nigel flickered the magic crystal in his hand and gave instructions to Jarea Gashea. It was to kill the remaining survivors. ¡®¨D¨DSo just as nned. Let them open the gate and lure them inside after that kill them all at once. Taking care of as many as possible with Bonjara, and then quickly crushing them with Jarea Gashea. Krische did think for a moment that they might be trying to trick Krische, since they were chatting in in but... judging by the movements of the enemy forces, I don''t think that''s the case. The Empire Army attacked the city walls on the first night while preparing for the invasion for the next day onward. The enemy army did not have much time to spare. Anyway, they were already expecting a major attack on the night of the second or third day. On top of that, Krische ¡®listened in¡¯ to the enemy corps leader''s talk from a distance by the movement of their lips, and decided to carry out the lure and annihtion of the northern sector. ¡®After Krische destroyed the enemy, Krische will leave it to you guys, starting from the gate to the outside. Woof Woof wille to clean up the remaining enemies from the west, so you''ll assist there.. Even if it gets dragged out, stop after 1 koku and let Jaragasha rest. You guys go back and clean and repair it. It''s only about 10,000 outside, so just randomly is fine.¡¯ From the top of the tower, Nigel looked at everything from a high vantage point. His throat was dry. Even the Baumje Ira, which was made from magic crystals that were small enough to be pinched, was able to copse Gulshan''s battle lines. How much more a fist-sized magic crystals¡ª¡ªit was beyond imagination. It blew up several houses and obliterated dozens of people around it without a trace. It had already surpassed the mere power of a weapon. Therge Baumje Ira installed in zas and crossroads emitted countless blue shes into the sky, leaving only blood and debris behind. The battalionmander and centurion, who had been raising their voices and takingmand, were now silent lumps of meat. The surviving soldiers also looked around in shock. When the eight shaku iron giant¡ª¡ªJareia Gashea approached those soldiers, it mercilessly swung down its de. Survivors turned into chunks of flesh as if their flesh burst. No reservation, no hesitation. That''s how Jarea Gashea was. Simply killing the enemies that entered their field of vision. Never questioning their will to fight. It was Nigel who gave the order. While setting up Baumje-Ira, he recalled that he had been entrusted by Krische to give detailed instructions, saying that this position was good, that position was good, and so on. Just thinking about much they could inflict on the enemy. The oue was inevitable. It was okay to praise himself for a great aplishment or for a job well done. However, without realizing it, his legs and hands were shaking. He looked down for a moment and put a hand over his mouth, trying to hold back the nausea that rose from within his stomach. "¡¡You okay?" Daz, the Selection Squad Leader who was apanying him, tapped Nigel on the shoulder with his right hand. "Yeah.....I¡¯m okay." Nigel nodded. Daz said while looking down below. "Don''t me yourself, Nigel. What you killed were the enemies who came to kill us, ourrades, and families. Be proud that you protected them." "¡¡yes" "You''re a squad leader¡ª¡ªnow you''re not just a soldier, you''re in a position tomand your subordinates. Stay firm. You and your subordinates are doing the right thing, and in this ce, you''re more important than anyone else. You need to show that in your attitude.¡± Daz smiled with a manly, strong look on his face. "When it¡¯s over, I''ll take you out for a drink. You can hold off on yourint until then. I, one who was made the leader of the Piririn team, have a lot more toin about than you. Even if you say you don''t want to, I''ll make you go with me.¡± Nigel smiled wryly and nodded again. "...Let''s do that. There''s no time for regrets on the battlefield." "You''re right. Thankfully, I''m your assistant now. If you start whining, I''ll kick your ass." "¡¡,yes" "In particr, our role is to be used by Krische-sama...up until now, and will continue to be. If you get lectured, I''m also going to get lectured, right? Do what you need to do in silence." Laughing, Daz made a fist with his left prosthetic hand. Nigel did the same with his left prosthetic hand. And when the fists met, a hard sound echoed quietly. Nigel looked ahead. While Jarea Gashea was running over and killing the enemy, Alberinea was running in all directions on the battlefield, riding a Suiko. The main road in the northern section of Wulfenite. "¡ª¡ªGeneral! How''s your body!?" The General of the Holy Empire of Elsren, Aare Caincrus slowly gets up. His ears were numb as he heard a voice calling out to him from somewhere far away. "No problem, what happened...?" Even his own voice sounded distant. His whole body ached. He just wanted to lose consciousness. "I also don''t understand, there was a sudden explosion..." Aare looked around. Most of his escorts were dead. Their limbs were torn to pieces¡ª¡ªit was hard to believe that they were human. The horse he was riding also had no head, and it was probably thanks to his armor that he was safe. Pieces of iron pierce the metal armor, distorting the elegant carvings here and there. ¡°Are you the only one who is safe?¡± "...Apparently. Let''s evacuate from here for now. To our allies." "U-understood." His left arm and shoulder hurt, probably from the impact of the fall. The ankle was also twisted or cracked. As soon as he swayed, his shoulder was immediately supported. "What''s your name?" "Uh, I''m Bud Kitus, General." "Kitas, expect your rewardter. I will never forget your favor." "...Thank you for your kind words. If you don''t mind, on my back." Bad bent forward, gave him a word of apology, and rested Aare on his back. As soon as Bud carried Are''s body on his back, he started running. ¡°......It was Alberinea''s trap that lured us here, wasn''t it? I feel like I''ve been knocked down to the bottom of the valley. ...I didn''t know I was dancing in the hands of the Alberinea.¡± ¡°No one can predict such ......" At least it was a weapon that they had never seen before. At this rate, an army of nearly 20,000 people would be destroyed. "...!?" A scream echoed from behind¡ª¡ªfrom the east section. A giant in ck armor cut through the injured soldiers who were running away. He quickly entered an alley and headed another way. "...What was that?" ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s probably Alberan¡¯s new weapon¡or perhaps Alberinea¡¯s¡± Bud answered. Up until now, there had been no abnormalities in the battle with Nozan Verreich. He is an extremely talented general. But at least he was fighting a war. However, ever since Alberinea¡ª¡ªKrische Christand appeared, everything in this battle has gone awry. "...Alberinea" "Previously too, it¡¯s a mystery what method she used but she appeared with a small unit without any presence and easily destroyed the mountainmand post where I was. She easily took the heads of the adjutant general and the adjutant general assistant. At that time, I barely escaped... This is the second time." The battle between Christand and Sarchenka. The victory or defeat of that battle was undoubtedly determined by that girl. This time too, with just a spear, she effortlessly destroyed a catapult and disrupted the entire strategic n. "That thing is beyondmon sense." Alberinea defeated Gulshan. When he heard the rumors that were being passed around, he thought it only natural. ¡ª¡ªThat thing was a foreign being. ¡°¡was it the Sarchenka army before?¡± "Yeah. There''s a messenger there..." "I, see¡¡" Aareughed a little painfully. "To be honest, I was jealous of that talented man. Even after that defeat, I was happy that Sarchenka had made a fool of himself. But... I never thought I''d end up in the same trap." ¡°¡¡¡± ¡°I wanted to somehow outwit Christand, who had defeated Sarchenka. My opponents were Christand''s best subordinates, Nozan Verreich and Alberinea...They weren¡¯t. I¡¯m well aware that I¡¯m ipetent with only family background as the sole virtue, but I¡¯m blessed with good subordinates. The situation was also in our favor, so I thought we could do it...but the end result was this.'''' Bud couldn''t say anything, and Aare shakes his head. "...I killed many excellent soldiers because of my ipetence. I don''t want to increase them any more. I''m sorry, but please cooperate for a while. Not for me, but for the soldiers." "...Yes sir. Of course, General." Bud answered emphatically. Decorative general¡ª¡ªA young master. He knew he was being looked down upon and made fun of, and they were right. However, he was without a doubt a noble. "I will do my best for the General¡¯s sake." "¡¡thank you" He was a man wearing full body armor. No matter how much magic he could handle, Bud''s legs were still strained. But regardless of that, he holds onto Aare''s legs tightly and continues running. At the very least, the person on his back was a worthy general who deserved to be saved. "R-Rekarish Corps Commander!" Ugh... Is the General okay?" "¡¡,Yeah" When he ran a little further, he saw the armymander, Orkana Rekarish. He had lost his left arm. Judging by the lumps of flesh scattered around him, it must have been a miraculous survival. ¡°Rekarish, where is Mirkos?¡± ¡°¡Probably around here.¡± Answering Aare''s question with a distorted face, Orkana pointed to the surrounding flesh with his hands. The surrounding walls and cobblestones were all stained red in spots. ¡°Even though you promised we¡¯d have a drink¡you idiot, damn you!!¡± As if to drown out his pain and vent his anger, Orkana hit the wall causing it to cave in. Aare said calmly while being carried on Bud''s back. "...Mourn himter. We''ll retreat." "Retreat? It''s too early! I don''t know how many people died, but I don''t think all 20,000 died. We should bring in people from outside andpletely secure the fortress walls!!" "It''s impossible. They''re using mysterious giants... They read our breakthrough and took countermeasures based on that. They were fully prepared. Anything beyond this is just a dead end in the quagmire." "but¡¡!" "It''s an order, Rekarish!! The conclusion remains unchanged. If this judgment is wrong, I will give you this head! You can report it to the right ceter!" Orkana widened his eyes as if he was taken aback. Then he took a deep breath. "...Understood. Follow me¡ª¡ªdodge!!" Orkana screamed, and Bud immediately jumped. Jumping onto the roof of a private house. Simrly, Orkana was on the roof across from them, and what passed through was a giant Suiko¡¯s body. ¡°You take the general and run!! I¡¯ll buy you some time!!¡± ¡°Wait, Rekarish!!¡± "A General shouldn¡¯t make that pitiful voice! Go!" Orkana pulled out a sword from his waist, facing the Suiko and the one with silver hair riding on it. The ck cloak¡ª¡ªthe icy purple eyes on the beautiful face. It was Krische Christand. A short bow with a quiver on her back¨D¨DHis purple eyes looked at Bud for a moment. A somewhat inorganic light, like that of a snake. "Hg..." A scream passed through his throat as the memory of that time came back to him. Bud immediately started running. A beatter, the sound of the roof copsing echoed from behind, and Orkana''s voice of agony¨D¨DHe immediately sensed that the Suiko had changed direction towards him. He chose an alleyway that Midoriya''s huge body could not pass through, and lowered his stance. It was a true all-out effort. It was fast, but with its body, he would surely be able to beat the Suiko in a tight turn. A sudden brake, sharply turning the alley, and the Suiko passed overhead. "Hg..." "Please forgive me! I don''t have time right now!" The narrow road¨D¨Dhe must have hit his body somewhere.. He heard a muffled voice, but he didn''t put his mind to it. He kicked through the wooden window of a house, jumped in, and ran from alley to alley. Even though his leg bones were about to break from exhaustion, he ran to the side of the castle wall. Kicking the wall as hard as he could, he climbed to the roof and climbed over the wall. Ignoring the confused soldiers, he jumped out of the castle wall. It was twenty-five shaku high¨D¨Dunable to withstand the impact, he fell and rolled. "General! Are you safe..." Still, Bud quickly stood up. However, when he looked at Aare, he stiffened. An arrow feathers were extending from Aare''s helmet and his head. "ah¡¡" He was already not breathing. An arrowhead was peeking out from his open mouth. An army that had lostmand and control was no longer an army. In a city that was divided by streets and had many obstacles, it was difficult to rebuild it once it had been disrupted. "Don''t run away! Those who have lost theirmander should gather here now!!" Among them, there were certainly those who grasped the situation and remained calm. The noble man who was lucky enough to escape from the explosion used his physical abilities to climb onto the roof. From there, he called out to the surrounding soldiers he could see. "I am Gorn Almhast, centurionmander of the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Corps! As the battalionmander and adjutant have been killed in action, control has copsed, and I will assumemand here until the situation calms down!! Squad leader raises your hand andes to her. Come! Centurion Lorcan, please cooperate!¡± "Y-yes sir!" The centurion who was called out instinctively saluted and recovered from the confusion. This kind of situation could be said to be the moment when a new hero was born. A centurion who normallymands a hundred men¨D¨Dbut upon the death of his superior, he temporarily gathered and took control of several hundred soldiers. If one seeds in this position, they are often promoted to battalionmander. In a sense, their predicament was also an opportunity for advancement. No family background, no money. It was a moment when such people who have talent but have no opportunity to take credit rose to prominence. It was people like them who would change the military, which had be rigid due to politics and ss society. Like Bogan and Aleja, the young Gorn Almhast was awakened by this predicament. He would probably be a well-known general in the Holy Empire some day. Even in the darkness of the night, there was a radiance in his voice as he raised his voice from the roof. The soldiers began to recover from their extreme confusion at the sight, and hemanded the attention of the whole ce. ¡°Whatever squads remain, leave them as they are, and incorporate other soldiers into temporary squads. I will take all responsib¨D¨Dgh?¡± Then, a log-like arm mercilessly snapped his neck. The shining young man rolled under the roof. Like a shadow puppet in the moonlight. Instead, looking down at them from the roof was a huge body of a beast. It was the magical beast Suiko, eight shaku tall and 2 jou long, along with a girl with silver hair. While everyone stiffened, the sound of strings echoed like music, and they shot the centurion, shot the corporal, and easily killed the squad leaders. Then she threw three small pot-like objects and leaves. They glow for a moment, then explode. It blew away the soldiers on the spot, killing them and wounding them. Once again, control breaks down. Next, the Suiko jumped on top of the wall. The narrow, one jou length space was already filled with Empire soldiers. After shooting and killing several confused enemy soldiers and stealing their spears, the girl jumped off the Suiko and threw a spear right next to them. A spear that can crush even arge trebuchet from a ri away. Its power¨D¨DA single throw of the spear turns the soldiers into massive lumps of flesh. ¡°Gururun, go straight.¡± Then she jumps on Midoriya without any dy and ps it on the back of the neck. As if in response, the Suiko ran ¡®straight¡¯ over the castle wall. It jumps into the hole made by the spear. It was like wiping dust off a window frame with a rag. It had a gigantic body measuring 8 shaku and 2 jou, and its weight and speed were iparable to horses. If it rushed straight forward on a space of at most one jou, there would be no resistance to them. The soldier was either blown away by the body, or jumped down before it hit them, and disappeared from the top of the castle wall. 25 shaku high¨D¨Deven if they survived, it would have been impossible for them to continue fighting. Jumping over the tower and repeating the same thing, it took only a short time to wipe out nearly 1,000 enemy soldiers from the top of the castle wall. Finishing her task, she hopped onto the clock tower and narrowed her violet eyes as she took in her surroundings. "Hmm...not bad." The enemy army that entered was almostpletely destroyed. One general and two corpsmanders were killed. It would be fine to leave the rest to the other soldiers. She put a candy in her mouth from the pouch on her chest and rolled it around, rxing her cheeks. Although they consumed arge amount of inventory, they should be able to kill 20,000 soldiers without losing any troops. Jaragasha cornered the enemy soldiers at the gate¨D¨Dthe gate was congested andpletely crowded. Soldiers of the craft squad threw a hand-thrown bomb from above, and there was the sound of an explosion. Blood and flesh burst, screams echoed. The more the enemy crowded in, the more powerful the Bonjara became. Jaragasha swung its arms and giant sword, turning the crowded mass into a piece of flesh, and screams filled the night sky. Lure them in and kill them all at once. The results were good. While rolling the candy, she swung her legs and hit Gururun on the side. ¡®Gururu¡¯, it growled, seeming to be having fun, and Krische stroked the back of its head with her armored arm. No pity, no mercy. Those were things Krishe didn''t possess from the beginning. Letting out a small yawn, shey down, leaning against Gururun''s back. The only problem was that she got a little dirty. Gururun''s body was covered in blood everywhere, and it sticks to the cliche. Slightly pouting her lips, she yawned again. ¡°Krische would like to have a Bonjara that can fly and kill enemies on its own. And also a bonjara that can be set up and explode on its own...¡± While thinking that the current situation was somehow inefficient after all, she yed with Gururun''s fur with her fingers. What Krische thought about on the battlefield was not achievements or honors but only efficiency. Their losses were zero, and on top of that, killing only the enemy. What she sought was firepower and an overwhelming victory that would crush the opponent''s will to fight. Once the mass production system for weapons was established, this would likely happen eventually. However, she had to consider the shortage of iron, think about training technicians, and also address the issue of counterespionage. There was so much to do even after the war was over that she got a little tired when she thought about it. While contemting taking a one-month break after it was all over, she mumbled. ¡°Krische-sama¡± It was Daz who climbed up the clock tower. When Krische looked over at him, Daz looked puzzled. "Are you okay? Is your health..." "¡¡Krische is sleepy" "ah¡¡" Krische¡¯s figure, leaning on Gururun. He probably sensed that she was fatigued. Seeing her reaction, Daz showed relief and continued. ¡°It seems that the Corps Commander Varkas has just left from the west. Jare¨D¨D" ¡°.........¡± ¡°N-Nigel seems to be thinking about getting Jaragasha ready to go outside soon¡¡± Krische red at Daz with a slightly displeased look on her face. Satisfied with the correction, she nodded silently. "Right. Let''s finish this quickly." As she spoke, she looked at the enemy''s trebuchet, then at the corpses below. "Krische would like to capture the enemy''s stone trebuchet. It''s night and there were no reinforcements from the enemy stuck in the center. Please tell them to act with that in mind." ¡°Trebuchet...¡± "Yes. We''ll probably get quite a few prisoners, so let''s use them asbor. The trebuchet is also useful for cleaning." Krische smiled when he saw Daz''s doubtful expression. "It''s like throwing away trash to lower morale. You see, the city has gotten pretty dirty, too." Chapter 209: Demolition Plant Chapter 209: Demolition nt ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 209 Demolition nt*** General Aare Caincrus killed in action. The annihtion of 30000 in the north. After learning of this, the morale of the Holy Empire of Elsren''s army copsed. The soldiers who were boldly attacking the castle wall as the Caincrus army had sessfully broken through saw a pir of blue light shining in the darkness of the night, and an explosive sound. It was certain that something unknown inside the walls had caused the disappearance of soldiers lured in. Soldiers, knowing that their deaths had meaning, would sacrifice themselves for a noble mission. However, they witnessed the valiant heroes who sessfully conquered the Wulfenite walls disappear without a trace. If such anxiety were to arise, there would be no way to maintain morale. Basr Lukazan, the suprememander of the Imperial Army, immediately halted the night attack when he learned of this fact. It was clear that the enemy possessed new, unknown weapons, and even if they were able to push through, there was a strong possibility that they would end up in the same trap. Right now, he should try to gather information¨D¨Dthat was the natural choice for amander. Even in the chaos, he remained calm and did not panic. It could be said to be a right judgment. However, the correct answer in terms of results was to just push through. A simultaneous explosion that destroyed the 20,000 people that had entered the area. The Baumje Ira that was brought to Wulfenite had been consumed inrge quantities, and it was impossible to cause another explosion of the same magnitude. The Empire Army should have blocked off information and continued the siege day and night to exhaust Verreich''s forces, if they did that the fall of Wolfenheit would not have been impossible¨D¨DOr so says the military historians who looked at the records left behind. The fatigue of the defenders, who were outnumbered, was much greater. Relentless attacks day and night¡ª¡ªWulfenite divided into groups for defense during this time. Naturally, their physical strength was exhausted, and no matter how strong Alberan soldiers were, the longer they continued, the more the fatigue could no longer be ignored. Even while they were resting, they could not rest if they were worried about a breakthrough. Basr Lukazan decision to use their numerical advantage to force a breakthrough was correct, and if this situation continued for three or four days, they could have aimed for the copse of the Wolfenheit forces due to fatigue. However, Basr Lukazan¡¯s decision gave the exhausted Wulfenite forces time to recover from their fatigue and allowed time for anxiety to brew among his own soldiers. In terms of consequences, it was a misjudgment. ¡ª¡ªThe next evening, in the front center of Lukazan''s main camp. "...This is tough." A seasoned veteran who rose through the ranks¡ª¡ªthe old Battalion Commander Titt Calk fiddled with his white-mixed beard, squinting his one eye as he grumbled. Looking at the walls and raising his voice, he began to feel the severity of the battle. In the front, the eastern wall of Wulfenite was robust, about 30 shaku high. He looked at the arrows that rained down incessantly from there, and he looked at the colors of the soldiers'' faces. Everyone''s eyes were clouded not by wariness but by fear. They were the eyes of prisoners being sent to the death row. The order to suspend the night raid was given by Basr Lukazan, the supreme general. The choice felt right at that moment, but now he knew it was a mistake. Although they had blocked information, the breakthrough of the northern wall and the suppression of the city were transmitted to us. It was impossible topletely cut off information, and the sudden interruption of the night raid following the blue pirs of light was easily imaginable to the soldiers. The soldiers could have easily imagined it. That the army that should have conquered the northern sector was annihted by those blue pirs of light. Even an attack on the city walls that required great courage, when the he thought of they¡¯re feeling, he could not say anything. In the front are soldiers holding ontodders. He remembers that once upon a time, he climbed adder the same way. Even so, it was not as high as this. An unstable, creakingdder against a 30 shaku high fortress wall. The leader of each squad held arge shield above their head, catching the arrows. Not just arrows. Sometimes rocks were dropped, or boiling oil. They could get hit with a spear or die by an ally''s trebuchet. What was needed to climb thedder was not ability. It was simply luck. All they could do was pray that the oil would not be sprayed on your ce. It was too high a risk for a gamble, and no one in their right mind would do it. Titt, too, was almost pissing his pants as he climbed up thedder with hisrge shield raised, fueled by the alcohol given to him by the squad leader at the time. He saw a famous and powerful man died tragically with burns all over his body. He saw an old centurion who was famous for his mastery of swords fell tragically to death from a falling rock. An ordinary Titt, who had no power at the time, happened toe out on top of the fortress wall. Luckily, he killed the centurion that was there and consequently conquered the fortress wall. He became a captain in one step. He was praised by those around him as the bravest man in the century. He received a personal reward from the general at the time, and was even able to buy a small house. But that didn¡¯t mean Titt was brave. Titt just happened to be able to climb up because the brave ones were targeted and killed. It was only the enemy centurion who, in a moment of fear, plunged in and was pushed down. He was not a noble¡ª¡ªa superhuman who could climb over the fortress walls without using adder, nor did he have a brave heart or the ability to do so. From past experiences, he had only thought about not using his subordinates as gambling "stakes." But in this siege, that would be impossible. Dusk¡ª¡ªbefore the night, it was Titt''s battalion turn to climb thedders. He clenched his fist, watching soldiers resembling his past self as if watching his own children. The only thing Titt was allowed to do here was to order them to climb, or die and let someone else climb. "...Battalion Commander" He was tapped on the shoulder and turned around. It was his longtimerade, his adjutant. ¡°What''s up? Ryuga.¡± "It¡¯s you after all. I''m sure you want to go too. ...If so, please let me apany youc. I''ll cut in first." He was not so different in age. But his face was only a little wrinkled. The reason he looked much younger than Titt was because he as from a lower ss noble family and has magical powers. He was a man who always showed respect to Titt, a first-generation noble, who rose from amoner, he was arade in arms and a close friend. Even though he could still aim higher, he still chose to stay by Titt''s side. "...I leave my wife and child to you." "My son has grown up, too. I told him what to do that in case I didn¡¯te back." Adjutant Ryuga Worls smiled manly and looked at the fortress wall. ¡°It would be a good opportunity to make a mark, and a good ce to die.¡ Either way, I¡¯m with you.¡± Then he thrust his fist at Titt. Titt looked at it for a while, lost in thought. "...What an idiot." In the end, he gave him a wry smile and bumped their fists together. After a while, a messenger on horseback arrived. The corpsmander orders to the 2nd Battalion to prepare for an attack. Ryuga raised his voice and sent out instructions, at the same time informing the soldiers that the two men would apany the 1st Century squad, which would chargest. Titt shouted that they were going to share the battle and the death, and the soldiers shouted in response with fear in their hearts. But, luckily or unluckily¡ª¡ª "¡¡That is" ¡ª¡ªOn the east wall, right in front of them as they made their resolve. What appeared in the setting sun was a crescent moon skull with a ck g. A soldier in ck armor raises a g, and a gigantic Suiko appeared in the distance. And sitting on top of it was a silver-haired Alberinea. A soldier handed her a fire arrow. The sky tinged with dusk and indigo¡ª¡ªthe girl shoots it into the sky. High in the sky, a sparkling streak. Taking that as a signal, countless shadows appeared in the sky. "T-trebuchets! Watch out!!" It was not just the trebuchets installed on the fortress walls. It was alsoing from beyond the fortress wall. There was a considerable number of them¡ª¡ªprobably seized from the northern army. It was reported that the trebuchet outside had been captured in a night raid by Alberinea and Grunmeld Varkas. But why now? The backlight of the setting sun¨D¨Dwas it aimed so as to produce intimidating feeling from the shadows, or was it just a test shot? "...That''s strange." They rained down on the soldiers in front of them, and they screamed. It was a natural scream¨D¨Dbut it was too loud. And the aim was random It was no more effective than mere harassment, and were they using appropriate debris for bullets? The countless things flying at them were irregr, but he soon realized that this was not the case. "...!" He ran his horse to a nearby spot where it had fallen, and finally understood everything. What came flying towards them was a human head. mmed into the ground, crushed, or burst. At first nce, he saw severed limbs and a torso. The eyes that had been dazzled by the backlight now became clear as the sun hid behind the fortress wall. Scattered on the ground were the corpses of people who had once been soldiers. ¨D¨DProbably of the Northern Army. Bodies stuffed into barrels were thrown from the castle walls from the trebuchets, falling to the ground and bursting into pieces. Inside was dark blood and flesh. What was thrown from beyond was a shredded corpse. Ryuga, the adjutant who was following behind him, instinctively covered his mouth with his hand. Titt was also speechless. Even as they froze like that, numerous fragments of corpses were scattered on the ground. ¡°¡It¡¯s not, a human deed.¡± The words spilled out and he looked up at the castle wall. A ck g with a crescent skull. A Suiko that looked like a shadow puppet and silver hair. There was a considerable distance. And it was backlit. But strangely, only her purple eyes seemed to shone coldly. Without giving any honor or mercy to the soldiers who risked their lives to fight. He had heard that such tactics have been used. But that was a story from ancient times, and it was usually the head of a messenger ormander. There was probably no one in this world who hag desecrated the bodies of so many warriors. The sound of the trebuchet never stopped, and the rain of bodies never stopped falling. He looked behind him and saw that the soldiers'' faces were pale. Everyone looked back and was frightened, except for the soldier who had no choice but to climb thedder. The scattered corpses created a gap between the two of them. "What''s going on! What are you doing!" A gigantic figure jumped out of the battalion, leaving behind even the horses. He was Basr Lukazan, Archduke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. "Y-Your Excellency..." Titt, unsure of what to say, gestured to the corpse with his hand. Baszler looked at it, his eyebrows furrowed deeply. Contrary to his neat and elegant armor, Basr''s face was stained with anger. "Thatss...! Give me a spear!" He then snatched a spear from one of the soldiers. Taking a stance, stepping forward¡ª¡ªwith extraordinary strength, he threw the spear from half a ri away. With a thunderous roar that could rival the a castle siege bow, the spear was fired with surprising uracy over the ramparts toward Alberinea. Even Titt, Ryuga, and the soldiers who were watching were astonished by the throw. Basr Lukazan was indeed a warrior beyond human description, living up to his name as the Archduke of the Holy Empire. However, there was no way that a mere superhuman could be a match for Alberinea. She lightly plucked the string of her bow. She urately shot the spear, which was fired at a blinding speed, killing its momentum. She easily grabbed the spinning spear by the handle and carried it on her shoulder. Then, leaving the arrow and bow in the hands of a soldier at her side, she jumped down from the Suiko and went under the fortress wall. She jumped over the moat with the spear in her back hand, not minding the soldiers who was climbing up thedder. "Your Excellency!" An instantaneous eleration that seems to shrink space. The moment she started running, the spear was already flying right in front of them. Basr instantly arched his upper body, pulled out the sword from his waist, and swung it to deflect the trajectory of the spear. However, even his sword was deflected away, and the spear turned several soldiers behind into chunks of flesh. In an instant, Titt raised Basr''s fallen body, and his adjutant, Linkara Walkal, appeared on the spot and shouted. "Your Excellency! This is an opponent you should not fight head-on!!" "Tch! That shithead...!" Even as Baszler said this, he returned to the back of the soldiers as if being led by the adjutant general who had appeared. Alberinea, who had received the second spear thrown from the fortress wall, turned towards them with a puzzled expression, tilting her head left and right. Then, she mmed the spear down on the battalionmander who was inmand on the wall side, easily turning him into a piece of meat. Normally, hundreds of people, would have to risk their lives to take the head of a battalionmander. But for her, it was simply because he was a suitable target to throw the spear at. It was as careless as kicking a pebble off the road to her. Then, she beckoned the Suiko, who was yawning on the fortress wall, toe down and sit on top of its huge body, and with a single leap, she flew over the wall and disappeared inside. There were no soldiers on the fortress wall where she was at who were willing to attack her. Treating her as if she didn''t exist. The highest-ranking enemymander¡ª¡ªin this battle, the one with the most merit''s head was right there, but no one dared to look at her, because it meant death. In the world of the battlefield, Alberinea was clearly out of ce. How could they kill a being who could walk up and down the fortress walls as casually as if she were taking a walk, or a monster who could turn amander into a lump of meat with a single throw of her spear? It was foolish as challenging Dragon. When she disappeared, the ck armored soldier who was holding her g also disappeared. And the same goes for the fighting spirit of the soldiers of the Holy Empire. The enthusiasm was already distant, and they had sobered up. On the east section¡ª¡ªon the roof of the square. "Hmm, looks like it''s going well. The prisoners seem to have settled down and are cooperating with the work, and the flow is starting to take shape." Krische smiled and watched the "bullet" manufacturing process. In the north section, the corpses were collected. The carts were used to transport the corpses from the north to the east, and the pieces of fleshes were packed in barrels, and the corpses that keep the five bodies were also prioritized in the barrels. For slightlyrger "clump," they were brought to the east and underwent the "disassembly process." The captured item from the enemy deployed to the north was a mobile catapult. There were about 60 of them, but their power was weakpared to the ones installed on the castle walls, and they couldn''t throw very heavy objects. Therefore, it was necessary to dismantle it and change it to a more convenient size, and it took some time to make adjustments and prepare the work area. Basically, about 5,000 POWs were engaged in the work. The watchdog role was taken by Grunmeld''s army, and at first the prisoners were rebellious. They rebelled several times and were put down, and now that they have gone through the ¡°Krische¡¯s Easy Dismantling Course¡± using the leader of the group, they had bepletely obedient. Collection, umtion, transportation, disassembly, and throwing¡ª¡ªeach task proceeded smoothly. Watching the man next to the disassembly person swinging gown his axe on the corpse lying on Krische frowned. ¡°You, it''s not good to close your eyes. Safety firstit will be bad if you cut the person who ced the corpse or your own hand." ¡°Y-yes...,uegh¡± The man opened his eyes, looked at the body of the corpse he had mutted, and vomited empty stomach juices. All the contents were already been vomited out. "Hmmt, the person next to him, please switch with him." While giving instructions casually, Krische seemed satisfied. The only dismantlers with des were in pairs. The legs were tied together to prevent escape, and physical condition was also taken into consideration so that they could take turns as soon as they get tired. The work of the prisoner was little more than chopping firewood, and soldiers were strong to begin with. One of person nodded his head saying that once they got used to the process, they would show more stability. The stench was a little unpleasant, but he resigned himself to the fact that it was inevitable. "Geez, Gururun you shouldn¡¯t eat that anymore. Krische¡¯ll give you Gururun¡¯s favorite horse okay." She hit Gururun on the back as Gururun watched the dposing corpse with interest, putting his nose to the body and sniffed it. "Hmm, Gururun will stink if isn¡¯t clean it afterwards. Krische''ll wash Gururun with bubbly bubble, don''t run away okay." Whether she understood or not, Gururun growled, and Krische smiled, saying good girl. If one just looked at that, it was a truly heartwarming sight¨D¨Deven the soldiers who were in charge of monitoring it couldn''t help but smile at them, not. They looked in horror at the abnormality of the beautiful girl, who waspletely immersed in madness. Alberinea was a mad Cursed Child. It was only natural she would be rumored that way. She was fundamentally different. She was usually a polite and child-like girl, and just as she looked, she is a pretty girl. Even many soldiers knew this. Because she was seen here and there taking the Suiko for a walk in Wolfenheit. Just, no matter the situation, she didn¡¯t change. Even when she saw a scene so horrific that it would make a grown man wanted to vomit, she didn¡¯t change a single bit. She smiled the same smile when picking flowers and dismantling human limbs. She cut open a corpse belly and shows off its entrails. And with a cute smile, she said this. ¡®The stomach is difficult because the intestines droop, so be careful. Basically, you should sever the limbs and neck.¡¯ Alberinea doesn''t understand people''s hearts. That''s why everyone understood correctly that she was rightly called Cursed Child. "There shouldn''t be any problems in the north. We''ve got the flow for the most part, and things are going well." The Giant¨D¨DGrunmeld appeared at Krische''s side and looked out at the scene below him. He grew up in the slums and has never lived a life where dead bodies would upset him. Still, it was an unpleasant sight, and he looked at Krische exasperated. "Still, how nasty. It''s even put me to a shame." "If Woof Woof says so, Krische''ll feel at ease. Krische¡¯s sure the enemy soldiers will think the same way." Krische replied with a smile. "It could cause an epidemic after the war, so Krische''d like to at least put the corpse outside in a well-ventted area. It''ll also lower morale, it¡¯s two bird with one stone." ¡°But, still...I don''t like it very much." Following Grunmeld, the person who appeared was a bald man with sses¨D¨DSardan, themander of the second corps. The enemy haspletely lost the will to fight, at least there would be no night attack today. The east wall, which he was mainly in charge of, would also be calm for a while. "Although it doesn''t vite the Holy Spirit Covenant, it''s too cruel. In this situation, I won''t deny this kind of approach, but... cruel treatment could mean allowing the other side to do it as well. Please refrain from using it as much as possible. ¡± Under the Holy Spirit Covenant, prisoner were allowed to be put to work as long as they were given adequate rest (Maximum 12 Koku of work a day), and there were no prohibitions regarding the handling of corpses. In some cases, battlefields were cleaned by agreement based on the Holy Spirit Covenant, but there was no rule that required mourners to mourn respectfully. A corpse was just a corpse. In the end, it could be said that having prisoners of war dispose of and dismember corpses was apletely legal act. It might be just a loophole, but for Krische there was no difference. She did not consider thew to be inadequate. "Hmm, it''s not like Krische doesn''t understand what Bald sses is saying but" Bald sses, Sardan had learned to ignore that pet name. "It''s okay. Once this war is over, no one will be able to move for about ten years." She looked at the soldiers doing the demolition work and narrowed her eyes. Her purple eyes give off a somewhat inorganic glow. ¡°In ten years, Krische will be able to create position that will make the surrounding countries no longer willing to challenge Alberan.¡± ¨D¨DWithout needing to do something this stupid. Her words were cold. It was such an emotionless tone that the two who were listening to her felt a slight chill. Chapter 210: Buying Time Chapter 210: Buying Time ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 210 Buying Time*** ¨D¨D14,000 people from nomadic tribes. No, they had already be 12,000. "...here too?" Great Chief Ranu Kalud asked with a grim face, the man who was questioned shook his head. "Yes. Though...there are a small amount of unripe ones left in the field..." Passing through the enemy army and entering the royal capital area. They were supposed to engage in looting and vition to the fullest. However, they were repeatedly met with empty viges. There was not even a trace of human presence in any of the viges. While there were minimal supplies left in warehouses and houses, everywhere had already been abandoned¡ª¡ªonly a mere shell. The vigers must have evacuated to the city in advance. In anticipation of them entering the royal capital area. "What should we do...?" "Shut up for a moment." "H-ha..." His voice was calm, but the man could sense the anger in his voice and shut his mouth. A gentle face with narrow eyes and a smiling face. However, Ranu Kalud''s nature was that of a ruthless madman. He would rip open the belly of a pregnant woman, remove her baby, andugh nonchntly. Once touched by his wrath, they would be skinned all over his body and killed, disemboweled alive, or at best their limbs would be torn apart. Ranu closed his narrow eyes in thought and no one spoke. Already 2,000 people had fled from this starving army. More than half of them were killed as an example by him and he managed to maintain discipline, but there were limits to it. The rich ins of Alberan provide enough food for the horses. However, humans have their limits. No matter how many recement horses they ughtered to sustain themselves, it wouldn''tst long. Control through fear was essential. Wife or children, or food if they were enemy territory¡ª¡ªwithout a rope to tie them together, it was impossible to prevent them from escaping. He had thought that the enemy had allowed them to invade the royal capital area so easily. But perhaps this was the reason. Alberan dared to lure Ranu and the others to the royal capital area, aiming to cause them to self-destruct. Cavalry archers alone cannot breach the fortress walls and capture the city. The messenger he had sent had not returned. Was he dead or had he escaped? No matter what, it wouldn''t be easy to escape from here. "We don''t see any enemy reinforcements from the west, right?" "Yes sir. At leastFor the time being, no¡ª¡ª" "The adjutant general¡¯s misjudgment and falling into the enemy''s n. It¡¯s impossible for us to remain in the royal capital area any longer¡ª¡ªwe will break through to the south of Wulfenite and return to His Excellency before we lose any more strength." There was no other action that could be taken. The enemy had built forts of 20,000 each in the north and south. They obediently let them through on the way here, but it probably won¡¯t be that easy for the way back. They were definitely going to stop them. But it was only 20,000. If they attacked and came out, it was possible to destroy them. ¡°If they stayed in the fort, we could slip through, but if they came out to stop us, we would kill them all. If that happens, his Excellency will notin to me.¡± If it''s a decisive battle on the ins, there was no way they would lose. With confidence, Ranu asserted, gripping the reins tightly. "¨D¨DThat little girl!!" Inside the great tent, the Archduke of the Holy Empire of Elsren, Basr Lukazan, mmed his fist down on his desk in a fit of rage. The simple long desk was crumpled, and the carved wooden cup that had been sitting on it spilled ck bean tea onto the ground. The mainmander of the entire army was there, but all the people standing around did not look at Basr only looking down. There were not many people who would want to suffer the unreasonableness of an angry Archduke. "Hey, bring a new desk." Only the adjutant General Linkara Walkal calmly told the soldiers beside him. The morale of the soldiers hadpletely copsed. Halting the attack was reasonable. They had no choice but to do so, even at the disadvantage of giving their opponents a break. Despite the distance, the stench of death had wafted even until here. Wulfenite was blocked to the north by the Kurail and to the south by the Calbyas Mountains. The wind passing through this area at this time of year naturally flowed from west to east¡ª¡ªit was inevitable. "It can''t be helped, the opponent was better than us." Linkara said. "I haven''t heard from Kalud who has entered the royal capital area. Is theck of news a sign that he is fine...or did the messenger have been killed?" ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡ Are you saying that the enemy was aiming to divide us?¡± ¡°Possibly. However, they don''t seem to be willing to go out into the field at the moment.¡± The army on the northern wall was also attacked from outside the fortress walls. Had there been cavalry archers, they might have been able to prevent such destruction, but was that their goal, or was it something else? ¡°There is a strong possibility that they could have taken advantage of the opportunity and made a detour from the outside. It would be dangerous to attack from the north and south in two separate moves.¡± Avoiding the eastern part where corpses were left, heading north and south¡ª¡ªif they had cavalry archers, they would be able to crush the enemy''s head, but it was too dangerous to choose that now without having them on hand. North and east, or south and east, must be in a position to coordinate immediately, or they risk being split up and destroyed individually. ¡°Do you still want to continue?¡± "Of course. Are you saying it''s time to stop?" "No, I don''t think we can just ignore it after they caused so much damage." He narrowed his eyes and thought. The other day¡ª¡ªthat timing where Linkara proposed that was thest chance. Too much damage had been done to just retreat. It was like a bad gambling game¡ª¡ªthe more they lost, the more they couldn''t retreat. ¡°Well, that is with the premise that the situation is not extremely disadvantageous to us but¡ª¡ª¡± "¡¡What do you mean?" "That crazy Alberinea''s method is really effective--in fact, it''s causing such a loss of morale that we have no choice but to retreat. However, it''s the same for the soldiers over there." Linkara said. "Alberinea easily blocked his Excellency''s spear and counterattacked." "¡¡you" "¡ª¡ªShe showed off so much power, and yet no cheers went up. It''s a big difference from when she destroyed the trebuchet, and it seems like those soldiers aren''t happy either. That kind of approach is a double-edged sword. They¡¯re hurting themself too.'''' Even though it was an enemy''s corpse, they needed to throw it outside with a trebuchet. There was no doubt that it was inhumane. And soldiers hate inhumanity. They were the same people, despite their different principles. Even if they were pointing swords at each other and killing each other, there was no grudge between the soldiers. They just happened to live in differentnds and countries. In some aspects, the soldiers that fought each other were rather fellowpatriots living together in the distorted world of the battlefield. No one would have thought it was right to desecrate the dead if it weren''t for personal grudges. "Let''s go with a little more entanglement. No matter what, it will be better than the current situation." ¡°What, are you nning on luring them with words of condemnation?¡± "It''s close. It depends on what choice they make." Stroking his clean-shaven jaw, Linkara narrowed his eyes at him. "Winning or losing in a siege is ultimately a matter of morale. If the opponent is doing something inhuman, we should take advantage of that. It''s simple." The next morning¡ª¡ªfrom the battle lines of the Elsren Holy Empire, Basr Lukazan and Linkara Walkal, apanied by a few escorts,e out waving a blue g. The blue g, in ordance with the Holy Spirit Covenant, was a negotiation g indicating ack of hostility. Naturally, no one made any aggressive moves, and apanied by Krische on the Suiko, Nozan Verreich appeared on the city wall above the east central gate. ¡°What are you doing here, leader of the invaders? Have you finally decided to surrender with the blue g?¡± Northern looked down at Basr and said that. The voice was not rough, but it rings out. Everyone kept their mouths shut and watched the situation unfold. "That''s stupid. My request is for a one-day ceasefire today¡ª¡ªto clean up the battlefield and bury the dead." Basr responded with augh and gestured with his left and right hands to the scattered corpses to the east. Continuously from dusk to dawn, the in east of the eastern wall was dyed red and ck with blood, and covered with over 10,000 corpses. ¡°Nozan Verreich, I pay my respects to your bravery and valor. I do not deny that you will do everything in your power for the cause of defending your country...However, do you not think this situation is too much?¡± As soon as the blue g was raised, he was able to roughly understand their intention. Nozan listened in silence, and Basr spoke to him like a noble. ¡°We are from a different country, and our faith is different. However, the corpses of the warriors who fought for the just cause, to be treated like this¡ª¡ªdoesn''t it bother you? Or will you proudly proim that this is just and righteous? ¡± Nozan, uncertain of what to do, nced at Krische, who was savoring candy sitting atop the Suiko. Krische noticed the look and pondered for a moment, and replied, ¡®whichever¡¯. "No, the person I should asked was not you, but your princess¨D¨DAlberinea." Basr noticed this and turned his attention to Krische. Krische who was suddenly confronted and tilted her head. ¡°...This action was not General Verreich''s decision. It is very different from the battles we have fought in the past. The corpses of the warriors were treated roughly and thrown as if they were filth¡ª¡ªthe rumors that I heard that you are a Cursed Child of the royal family is apparently true.'''' "...It would have been better if you hadn''t attacked from the beginning¨D¨D" "Listen, Wulfenite Soldiers!" Baszler raised his voice to interrupt Krische''s words. "While you may see this as an invasion, please think of the reasons why all three countries, differing in everything including country and faith, invaded Alberinea! It started with her, Alberinea, disrespecting the Holy Spirit Covenant and trying to monopolize the power of the Holy Spirit!" Krische groaned ¡®Muu¡¯, She swallowed the smaller candy and put a new candy in her mouth. ¡°Alberan is the first tomitwlessness, and this is Alberinea. Anyone who sees this situation should be able to understand at a nce whether my words are true or not! What is the legitimacy of doing such an outrageous act to the corpses of our warriors!? Killing each other on the battlefield is inevitable, and so is death! However, without the spirit of showing respect to the fallen warriors, the battlefield would be a cesspool covered in sludge!! ¡± As he said, the ce he was standing in was a cesspool covered in sludge. The organs were scattered so much that they could no longer see the greenery, and the feces and blood were scattered all over the ce. It was over 10,000 corpses¨D¨Dit was only natural. "All I seek is a minimum level of order on the battlefield! You all should look at this scene with calm eyes for once. Whether this scene created by yourmanders is correct or not¨D¨Dis Alberinea truly just?!¡± The soldiers on the fortress wall looked at each other, their gazes focused on Krische and Nozan. Though it had to be done in order to protect the country, it was certainly an atrocity. Naturally, they felt pity for the bodies scattered around, and they had no intention of puffing my chest out with pride. "¨D¨DAlberinea, as themander of the Alberan army, I request an answer. Do you have no regrets about your actions, or do you still have some humanpassion in your heart?" ¨D¨DA grasnd dyed in the color of corpses. This would be a major problem if the Holy Empire''s army continued to attack. As expected, it is impossible to order the soldiers to attack in this situation. It will be difficult to maintain morale. It would have been even worse if the dposition had progressed further. It would not be so bad if she were to agree to this. From there, if they can restart, she wouldn¡¯t use the same method again. If she did not, that was also not bad. Her soldiers would develop a strong sense of distrust towards her, and if he said that he had been refused, they would be able to once again have the will to fight against the enemy who hadmitted such atrocities. After saying this much¨D¨Dno matter which choice she made, the enemy soldiers'' recognition of Alberinea will change. The objective was to speak those words, a psychological strategy aimed at Alberinea personally. Nozan looked at the soldiers. It was not a bad idea¨D¨Daiming for Krische, Basr created an atmosphere where Nozan couldn''t talk. It would be easy to make a decision in ce of Krische here, but it would only make the soldiers more suspicious of Alberinea. "How troubling. Krische is not very good at talking..." As Krische rolled the candy around, she put her hand on her chin, wondering if Kreschenta could take her ce just for now. "Krische just brought the bodies inside the fortress to outside. You guys attacked so Krische couldn''t open the gates, so Krische just threw them with a trebuchet. If you wanted to bury it, that''s fine, but there are still a lot of corpses inside. If you''re talking about cleaning up the battlefield, Krische''d like to do that as well, is that okay? ¡± Baszler was slightly surprised by her surprisingly honest words, but he didn''t show it on his face. "Well, after all this, what an honest answer, isn''t it? Of course, if possible together with the burial on your side." "In addition, there are currently about 5,000 prisoners of war. In exchange for this return, how about we have a ceasefire for cleaning until tomorrow?" ¡°So, two days?¡± "Yes. There''s a lot of blood and flesh sttered around, making it difficult to clean the fortress. We''ll be using prisoners to clean the fortress, so they''ll be returned tomorrow." Basr looked up at the girl''s face and thought. A straightforward return of prisoners of war, what kind of intention did she have¨D¨Ddid she see a limit to the number of provisions? No, that''s impossible. There should be a stockpile enough for three or four months. Was there any point in buying time? There was a great possibility of that. "We don''t need two days. One day is enough." "Well, then, the discussion is over. Let''s continue the fight." Krische said calmly. ¡°Currently, the ce is filled with corpses, but the only ones that have a problem are the attackers. For us, who are holed up, we have an advantageous situation because we don''t feel the need to clean up. That''s probably why you suggested cleaning up the battlefield." She smiled elegantly as she stroked the Suiko¡¯s neck. "If you''re going to resolve that, then castle cleanup should be the same. In addition, the soldiers here should be given time to rest. If you''re going to talk about order or justice, Krische thinks fairness is essential for negotiations." Her purple eyes just sparkled in the sunlight. She looked down at Baszler. ¡°It''s just a lot ofme pretenses. Wars are fought to win. And the one who kills the most people and destroys morale wins. ...If we''re going to talk about respect for the dead or order, wouldn''t it be better to just fight Krische one-on-one and call it a day? ¡± Hitting the Suiko, it leapt from the top of the fortress wall to the blood-soaked ground. "If we do that, no more Alberan soldiers or Elsren soldiers will die, and there will only be one corpse left lying around. ...Krische has had enough with this." Then, Krischended on the ground and pulled out a sharp curved sword. Her eyes glow an inorganic purple. "If you''re scared, Krische doesn''t mind a one-on-eight fight with the escorts there..." The sword he thrust at them didn''t move at all. She smiled inorganically, like a doll. "¨D¨DIn the end, all of your words are just because you want to win. Let''s stop using suchme pretenses. Krische is not here because Krische liked it." Basr grabbed the scabbard of his sword in anger, but Linkara stopped him with his hand. She looked up and down at Basr. ¡°Either ept the proposal or not.¡The choice is yours, not Krische.¡± ¡°¡You wench.¡± Basr spat in frustration, pulled the reins of his horse, and turned on his heel. Linkara said while frowning. "...Fine, Alberinea, the truce will end at dawn the day after tomorrow. The return of the prisoners will be by the end of tomorrow¨D¨Dis that okay?" "Yes. Krische''ll send a messenger as appropriate. The details will be settled there." "...I swear by the name of the Duke of the Holy Elsren Empire, adjutant general of the Holy Empire army, Linkara Walkal.¡± "Krische also swears by her name. Then, please return" Krische thought about how troublesome it was while climbing the Suiko and returned to the fortress wall. She then called out to Nozan who was there. "We will rest until dawn the day after tomorrow. General Verreich, please make appropriate arrangements." "Ha. ...That was splendid." "Either would have been fine, but...well, this is the end." Saying that while small yawning a little, Krische stretched. "Krische, missed breakfast so Krische will return. Around noon¨D¨D" "No. Krische-sama can just take the day off today. You must be tired from working all day." "Hmm...ehehe, then Krische''ll take your word for it." Krische happily answered and then sent Suiko running towards the center of the city. ¨D¨DWith this it¡¯s over. Krische was truly fine with either one. After the battle in the west was over and the truce was over, 20 days would have passed¨D¨Dthe detour to the north had already beenpleted. At midnight that day, as she said. A ck shadow descended in the darkness above Wulfenate. Chapter 211: Ingredients Chapter 211: Ingredients ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 211 Ingredients*** ¨D¨DThe estate of the royal capital. "... Please don''t squeeze my body." "Geez, please don''t say things that make me sound bad. I don''t do such things." "I wonder? Thinking of what you had done to Onee-sama makes me terrified." ¡°You...¡± Bery, who lifted Kreschenta from the bed, blushed in embarrassment and then sighed. Since that incident, Kreschenta¡¯s verbal attacks had been like this. For Bery, it was a difficult and awkward weakness that was hard to refute. Kreschenta, who was being princess carried in her arms, looked at Bery with amusement and smiled as she wrapped her hands around Bery¡¯s neck. She was in a very good mood as she hugged Bery tightly and rubs herself against her feminine body¨D¨Dbecause she has just had a nap. After using Bery Argan, a less-than-ideal Christand servant, as a pillow to relieve the fatigue of the day, she was now full of energy and in a state ofplete replenishment. Having no ns from here on and having already snacked on cookies upon waking up, there was no ce for the excess energy to go¨D¨Dexcept to focus on the education of the poorly performing servant, Bery Argan. "Oh, Bery-sama, the horse care is ..." Elvena, who appeared in a little trot as she exited the hallway, looked at Bery, who was holding up Kreschenta, and Bery told her with a wry smile. ¡°Thank you. I''m going to prepare dinner with Kreschenta...you can take a break for a bit.¡± "That''s right. Argan-sama is just skipping work with the excuse to sleep together, so you should take a break." ¡°...yes." Elvena looked at the lovely Queen who was clinging to Bery, then, after a smallugh, excused herself and entered Krische¡¯s room as they passed each other. She was probably going to clean the sheets. Elvena was always very attentive to details. "So what are we going to make today?" "Hmm, let me see ..." Berry looked up at the ceiling with the face of a little girl "How about some hamburgers with ground beef and onions?" and smiled gently at Kreschenta. Neither the Alberan side nor the Elsren side was up to anything, and there were no problems regarding the battlefield cleanup. The battlefield cleaning was not particrly unusual. While the reasons often included paying respects to the dead, in reality,it was a custom stemming from a highly sanitary perspective. A dposing corpse, if not properly buried, will release a miasma that curses the living. Although this teaching had been handed down in the region around Alberan since time immemorial, several hundred years ago, the queen of the time, Grabaraine, discovered the causal link between war and epidemics from various records, and widely spread the idea that the corpses of the dead of war who had not been properly treated would be a breeding ground for disease. If left unchecked, diseases could spread not only to the soldiers on the battlefield but also to unrted towns, wreaking havoc. Although the degree of spread and damage vary, an epidemic could be a disaster that shook the nation itself. It was impossible to leave it unattended, and even during war, it was customary to cooperate with each other to clean up the battlefield and take care of it. In small-scale battles, cleanup might be done at dusk, but in arge-scale battle like this, spending a whole day on it was not umon. Once an epidemic broke out, it was an unstoppable cmity. It''s not only the soldiers who suffer, but also themanders, no one who would refuse this unless the situation was very extreme. Putting aside if it was fall or winter, in spring when the temperature rose¡ªbefore the bodies decayed, it was necessary to clean them up. Elsren, who was downwind from Alberan, urgently needed to address this issue. It was a problem that they had given two days¡¯ time to the Alberan, but they would need to spend the next half month to a month to attack Wolfenheit. There was no idea of ignoring the decayed corpse and attacking Wulfenite¡¯s, and this decision was reasonable. The corpses were thrown into arge hole, piled on top of each other, and were set on fire with oil. With such arge number of corpses, it was impossible to do the work carefully, resulting in many half-burnt corpses, but not many people cared. They didn''t even want to look at them. The smell of burning meat¡ª¡ªthe sound of popping oil. The inside of the hole was like a hamburger made by kneading minced meat. Saliva involuntarily seeped into their mouths, and some of them spat out their stomach juices at the perverse emotion that arose. The psychological state of those who came in contact with the "dismembered human body" was already poor to begin with. If it were just a corpse from the battlefield, there would be less damage, but the corpses here were only a part of a person¡ª¡ªhandling a damaged corpse was very different in terms of feelings. The number of the intact corpses brought by prisoners of war from within the walls of Wolfenheit was also fewer, and what they generated was more fear than anger. The feeling of literally mangled corpses and guts. The minced meat that used to be people. As they saw the figures of those who had entered the northern section, their mental state worsened due to the corpse processing that was buried in name only. Contrary to Basr and Linkara''s thoughts, very few of them felt hatred toward Alberinea when they saw the corpses of their formerrades-in-arms. They felt nothing but fear when they saw her chopping up corpses and throwing them with a trebuchets And the same was true for the men watching from the fortress. Watching from afar the enemy soldiers who were "burying" the dead, there was relief in their hearts. If they had been born in a different country, they would have been among them. Looking at the piles of corpses being carried on carts, and seeing their internal organs spilling out and being dragged away, they were most grateful that they were born in Alberan. At least they were not in a position to make enemies of Alberinea. Many of the soldiers in the eastern wall heard the words of Basr Lukazan. They knew that his words were not entirely baseless. If asked whether it was right or not, they could only say it was too cruel of a treatment However, despite Alberinea being such a monster, they had no intention of going against her. While she might be a terrifying presence as an enemy, she was, in any case, a hero of their nation¡ªas an ally there was no one as reliable as her. Their awe of her, who destroyed the trebuchet by her individual prowess, had not disappeared, and the enemy still doubled their number. Everyone was rightfully aware that she had created this mental and situational advantage. ¡®It''s just a bunch of silly pretenses. Wars are fought to win. And the one who kills the most people and destroys morale wins. ...If we''re going to talk about respect for the dead or order, wouldn''t it be better to just fight Krische one-on-one and call it a day?¡¯ She was a ruthless killer, no doubt, but there was a certain truth in her words. The battlefield was a world that demanded a being like her. The battlefield did not desire a kind and gentlemander, but a strongmander, even if they were cruel and crazy. Rather than speaking of reason and losing, one should obtain victory even if through ruthlessness¡ª¡ªthis thought was correct, and she embodied it perfectly. The fact that Basr, who had retreated without engaging in a fair and square battle with Alberinea, proved her twisted righteousness was better than losing. Far better than losing. Such were the excuses they made for themselves. The soldiers on the ramparts looked behind them and turned their attention to Alberinea, who had appeared on top of the tower. ¡°It''s looking pretty clean, looks like things are going well.¡± ¡°Uwah, this is terrible...¡± Suiko and Krische were on the tower. The woman next to them, with her long ck hair tied up like a horse''s tail and shelved in the wind, frowned as she looked at the bodies thrown into the pit to be burned. "...Well, with this it should be fine for the most part." ¡°Yes. Two days without fighting is the best. Guess this is an effective way to use corpses?¡± ¡°I''m a little put off by the fact that it''s so effective, but, well, that¡¯s true.¡± Kalua exasperatedly looked up at Krische while saying that. "Fufu, well, I''m d Usa-chan is doing well. Commander Bald Eagle and Assistant Marshal Skeleton were worried that Usa-chan was pushing herself. Onee-chan is relieved." ¡°Worried?¡± "That''s right, Worried whether Usa-chan is lonely." With a gentle smile on her beautiful face, she jumped on the Gururun and gently stroked Krische¡¯s head. Gururun yawned, showing no signs of concern¡ª¡ªTwo humans were light to her. Although she would wake up if she was hungry, daytime was a sleepy time for her. Even Though she got used to life in the capital. The difference from her long-standing lifestyle was not something that could be easily adapted. "Ehehe, Krische maybe a little lonely..." "Good, Usa-chan is bing more honest than before. Onee-san is happy." Hugging her slender body and smiling, Krische also smiled¡ª¡ªthen held up a finger and said to Kalua, somewhat proudly. "Fufun, Krische is different from before. Krische has grown a little." "...? Huh, growth ..." Kalua looks at the girl in her arms and tilts her head. Interpreted correctly it means she had grown a little taller. Krische appeared unchanged both mentally and physically, but it was Krische who could sense even the most subtle changes. She seemed like she would say that even over her hair they grow a little. "Oh, I see. Now that you mention it, Usa-chan looked a bit more splendid." "Is that so? Ehehe..." When she casually went along with the conversation and praised her, Krische ced her hand on her cheek, shaking happily. There was no change in this small princess, but if she was happy, that was fine. ¡°Is there anything Usa-chan needs to do?¡± "Hmm, not really. It''s over after checking Jaragasha¡¯s condition. All that¡¯s left is cooking...¡± "Oh, nice. It''s been a long time since Usa-chan''s cooking. What will you make?" ¡°Hmm, right...¡± Krische, with the expression of a little girl, looked into the hole where corpses were thrown and pondered. "How about some hamburgers with ground beef and onions?" She smiled softly at Kahlua. Kalua looked at the "hamburger steak" in the hole and shook her head saying ¡®Please spare me that¡¯ with her cheeks twitching. After the two-day cease-fire ended, nearly 5,000 POWs were returned to Elsren. Most of them, however, were deeply traumatized. They had been engaged in the disposal and dismemberment of the corpses of theirrades, and were so frightened of Alberinea that they had be useless as soldiers. Basr Lukazan no longer considered them as a fighting force, and decided to assign them to rearguard work, such as escorting Transportation and goods, instead of fighting. Demoralized soldiers demoralize their allies as well. Forcing them to charge into battle would not produce any results. At least they wouldn''t be useful until the capture of Wulfenite. The Holy Empire Army resumed its attack on Wulfenite tomorrow morning. However, this was just a pressure¡ª¡ªSimr to the northern part, Bar considered a night assault by elite forces. In the north, it ended as a failure. However, the breakthrough itself was not a failure. The enemy used explosives that utilized magic crystals¡ª¡ªthe information obtained by soldiers and prisoners of war who barely escaped from the northern wall, borate magic engraved in a misfired magic crystal. Although he did not investigate the details taking into ount the danger, Basr thought that this was at least not suitable for mass production. The damage from the explosions was tremendous, but if the enemy could repeat such explosions on that scale, they could afford to wait a little longer. It would have been fine to wait after Basr''s forces, including those in the east, entered. It was something that Basr and the others hadn''t anticipated at all, making it an excellent opportunity for a surprise attack. But they didn''t do that¡ª¡ªdid they fear the risk of inviting enemies into the wall? No, in view of the risk, the benefit of destroying this army was great. It was not that they did not choose it, but that they could not choose it¡ª¡ªit was more reasonable to think of it that way. Therefore, the second breakthrough would seed. He was convinced of that, and in reality that would be so. A forced breakthrough and opening of the gate by the elite was not a bad strategy in itself. It was difficult to prevent it. In the siege battle, the attacker takes the initiative. At least they should be able to send some troops into the walls and disturb enemies. The opponent earned two days. He didn''t think this was meaningless. The enemy thought that if they earned time, they would win. That was why they would take wulfenite before that. Bar was a decisive and valiant general. He didn''t possess the indecisiveness of a foolishmander. However, the dusk fell. And Basr frowned upon hearing various reports. "¡The supplies haven''t arrived?" "Yes. sir Even at this hour, they still haven''t..." Linkara answered while thinking, and Baszler narrowed his eyes. The town that they used for supplies back and forth was two days away from here. Five days ago, the supplies were sent without dy, and on a schedule, the carriage on the round trip was to deliver the supplies again today. Two days to return, one day to rest and load, and two days to return again. ¡°What about the messenger?¡± ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any at the moment?¡± If that cycle was broken, it could be due to some problem with the loading of supplies¡ª¡ªfor example, not gathering the required amount or bad weather. Or there had been a rebellion or riot in the city. However, in either case, a messenger on a fast horse woulde. But it wasn''ting¡ª¡ªit was strange. "... Send someone to the rear and let them confirm it." "Yes sir. ... Alcosas, please check with several horses back." The man who was called saluted and headed quickly to the outside. After seeing him off, Linkara turned to Basr. "North Arna, South Garhka, there was no report of attacks from both. It''s quiet." ¡°...The one in charge in the back was Natrias, wasn''t it?" Elsren was under a Holy War headed by the curia¡ª¡ªfor that they created a massive logistical army. This time Minuos Natrias, the emperor''s second son, was appointed by the curia to lead it. A political power bnce, creating a situation so that Lukazan couldn¡¯t monopolize the credit of taking down Alberan. That said, after all, it was a logistics army. It would be Lukazan who obtained the achievement. It was natural that Natrias didn¡¯t find it interesting, and this also might be some kind of plot. The Holy Empire was vast, with abundant human resources. There was no country that could oppose it directly¡ª¡ªhowever, when the country suffered a major defeat, it always involved internal disputes or politics. Both Basr and Linkara, who knew this well, naturally focused on such matters. ¡ª¡ªIt would take them a little while to understand the situation. "Messenger! My apologies during the meeting !!" "...What¡¯s going on?" "Yes sir! The enemy castle has opened." "Opened? Did we break through?" "No, it looks strange, and the capture of the fortress wall is still¡ª¡ª" Ignoring the report, Basr stood up and went outside of the tent. Linkara and the others followed Bar Lukazan. ¨D¨DAs reported, the gates of Wulfenite were open. Instead of soldiers, ck-armored giants emerged from it. It was the rumored monster that was rampaging in the north section. At the same time, a reconnaissance cavalry, who had been heading to the back, ran a horse with all his might in front of the basr. "Your Excellency! !! A 20,000 scale enemy army from the east is¨D¨D" Looking at the enemy general that appeared, she split the bread vertically. On the fortress wall atop a Suiko, around the little girl¨D¨Daround Krische Christand the girl were ck -painted armor soldiers. And there was also the figure of Nozan Verreich in armor. "The ingredients are minced meat and bread. Ehehe, General Verreich, do you want some?" "No, I will refrain." When he smiled and refused, Kuische offered it to someone opposite him. ¡°Kalua, do you want some?¡± she said, offering one slice of bread. ¡°Then, I will take it¡±, Kalua picked it up and looked toward the horizon. The walls were thirty shaku tall¨D¨Dthey could see far away. ¨D¨DFar beyond what the Holy Empire army could see. "d that it''s on schedule. ...Ojii-sama also came too, so the situation is ready." Dt dusk¨D¨Da ck shadow appeared from beyond the indigo-tinted sky. Then the griffins take to the sky. ¡°General Verreich.¡± "Yes" Nozan raised his hand, and the sound of a trumpet sounded. In the twilight¨D¨Dunder the uncertain mixture of day and night sky. Numerous gs depicting wings and wolves were being waved all over Wulfinite. "...All troops dispatched, it''s over." ¨D¨DAlberinea made a major detour of her army from the northern part of the kingdom and advanced it into the mountains of Mikna, just as in the previous battle against Sarchenka. The 20,000 elites cut off the Holy Empire''s invading army, taking their supplies, and headed west. Utilizing the mobility of the Griffin Cavalry, they approached Wulfenite while hunting the enemy messengers. Many military historians said that the reason for the Holy Empire''s defeat was greed¨D¨Dthe timing of Alberinea''s appearance was the final crossroad for their survival. At that time, Alberinea was indeed an existence equivalent to Dragon. Chapter 212: Child of God Chapter 212: Child of God ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 212 Child of God*** In the ins southwest of Wulfenite, a battle unfolded between the Holy Empires cavalry archer and the Central General, Elzard Gokhals. At the fortress tower, with a scar over one eye, a de wound, and a bristly beard. "Soldiers, don''t think of it as a battle. Shoot when theye. This is a simple task. Turn those fools who dare toe out into a hedgehog." The well-built general spoke calmly but with a resonant voice as he gave instructions to the soldiers. It was indeed a simple battle. It had been anticipated that the archer cavalry would head towards the central part of the kingdom. In the center of the kingdom, they had temporarily housed the vigers there, taking all food from the vige, and just needed to wait for the enemy to self-destruct. After the cavalry archers came through, they spread out the countless screens they had prepared across the ins, stretched ropes, and prepared to defend against the enemy''s bows and breakthroughs, using these as the axis for a thorough defensive battle. Not only the archers, but the infantry were also equipped with crossbows lent to them by Arna. "With the situation set up like this, it''s a child''s y." "That''s right, I even pitied them." The adjutant nodded at Elzard''s words and looked at the enemy. They had caused a lot of damage in the first assault and the enemy probably thought that it would be difficult to break through. The enemies fired arrows from a distance that was barely within their range, but that distance was also within their archers range. The enemy''s attacks became sporadic, and the enemy cavalry archers were twiddling their thumbs half a ri away. When ites to fighting on the ins, there was nothing in this world that rivaled cavalry archers. The terrifying aspect of archer cavalryy in their mobility. They could freely choose their battlefield and attack with an advantage¨D¨Dtheir attacks were essentially always surprise attacks. And without falling into a disadvantageous position, cavalry archers would never be taken by surprise. Because they could just run away from a battle they couldn''t win. They only need to engage in battles that they can win, and if they cannot fight head-on, they can cut off the enemy''s supply routes or attack while marching, reducing the enemy''s strength and gaining an advantage. But now they had no freedom. The issue of dwindling provisions had deprived them of choices. Now they were just archers on horseback. Their strength was only supported by strategic factors. Since they were on horses, they were arge target, so they couldn''t fight head-on against archers and win, they also didn''t have the ability to take over defensive bases on their own. Since the start, the central army that came to Wulfenite had a significant number of archers. In anticipation of this. The losses were greater on the enemy side, who numbered 20,000, rather than them. The victory was already decided. The enemy lost the moment they entered the royal capital. "...The truly terrifying one is Alberinea, huh" The defensive battle against the three major powers ended as nned in a little over a month. A force of nearly 400,000 were defeated effortlessly. This ¡®shooting targetpetition¡¯ that Elzard was holding was already nned two months ago. At the beginning of the war, he had thought that she had taken the situation too lightly, but everything turned out as nned, and Alberinea defeated the two countries in half a month. Honestly, Elzard couldn''t imagine what kind of magic he used. 10,000 cavalry archers¨D¨Da formidable opponent. Originally, it was not an opponent that could be dealt with a force that was only 20,000 at most, but Alberinea was able to suppress the enemy. With just one strategy, Alberinea lured them out into the open. It was an easy battle, but it wasn''t Elzard¡¯s achievement. What they were doing was not annihtion, but a defensive battle¨D¨Deven if Elzard was not the one defending this ce, the situation would not have changed. "There''s no room to use my brain, and it''s not an interesting battle, but... I should be grateful that there were few deaths among the soldiers. We''ll be able to return many of them to their families." Elzard Gokhals said this while closely observing the state of the enemies and his soldiers. Reduces the troops losses and increases the enemies losses. The tactics were simply that. Not using any schemes or trying to win by brute force. Simply wore down the opponent, exhausted them, and secured victory. This General''s battlecked brilliance but was backed by a stable calction. The condition of his allies and enemy, and the enemies¡¯ movement. By keeping the battlefield undisturbed, he simply focused on his thoughts in a calm and collected manner. "The horse''s stamina won¡¯tst long. They¡¯ll pull out soon, but they''ll probablye once again at night. The enemy will be targeting the right wing¨D¨Dprepare some ambush with that in mind." The enemymander kept ncing in that direction. The left wing¨D¨Dthe mountain side was being stretched thin, but the enemy would be wary of this tant weakness and thought there was an ambush in the forest at the foot of the mountain, and wouldn¡¯t touch it. However, there were no ambush soldiers on that side. It was a bluff to make with the assumption that the opponent would be wary on their own. There was no reason to uselessly prepare soldiers there when the in they were defending was more than vast enough already. The right-wing side was somewhat hilly, making it quite difficult for horses to pass. Therefore, they reduced the number of troops on that side¨D¨Dor at least made it look like it. The enemy was light cavalry who were skilled at handling horses, they would probably cross there. So he had hidden an ambush there. The enemy was frightened of the rain of arrows. Right from the start they suffered heavy damage and their morale was low¨D¨Dbut they were starving and had no time to recover. There was no doubt that they would try to break through from the right wing, even if they needed to suffer some damage. The key to winning in psychological warfare was to make your opponent predict. Make your opponent believe they''ve figured out your intentions. The enemy thought they had seen through the tant setup on the left wing. Then, they discovered that there was a hole in the right wing. They were superior and the opponents were inferior. That kind of thinking was enticing. Especially in dire situations. The ability a general needed was the ability to create an appearance of ¡®ipetence that the enemy just barely understands¡¯. Elzard didn''t think highly of his own abilities. He was far from achieving a glorious victory with his own strength¡ª¡ªyet, there was a reason why he had achieved numerous victories. War was not only a battle between soldiers, but also a psychological battle between generals. And a loss in psychological warfare was a loss in battle. There was no need to force himself to seed. The result would be the same if he just lured the enemy to fail. He admired the brilliance of Alberinea, who made the impossible possible, but he was not of that caliber. "I''ll take a nap in preparation forter. I''ll leave the rest to you." "Yes sir, leave it to me." Elzard Gokhals'' virtuey in his calm self-reflection on his abilities more sincerely than anyone else. ¡ª¡ªAs night approached, panic spread among the Holy Empire army. Themanders raised their voices to rearrange the battle lines, but that was the best they could do. They were exhausted, both psychologically and physically. For the past few days, they had buried the ¡®ughtered corpse¡¯ of theirrades and today watched as their allies were killed while climbing the city walls. Since that Alberinea showed up, they have had no joy of victory or sense of aplishment. Morale may have improved somewhat thanks to the night attack that was to be carried out tonight. But it was never conducted, and they were pinched from the front and back. The soldiers, who had finally been released from their bor" yesterday and were working in the encampment behind the camp, were dazed and prettified seeing an army of 20,000 appear from behind them. They understood. The reason why they were released so easily was simple. Alberinea released them in order to once again kill the ¡®missed¡¯ one in the northern army. They couldn''t imagine any other reason. Every one of them understands the mad killer known as Alberinea. The devil who smiled and looked down at them calmly as they were dissecting the corpses. The army behind them begins to prepare their battle lines, raising the kingdom g and the thunder and eagle emblem. Krische Alberinea Christand What was there was Alberinea''s¨D¨DChristand¡¯s main army. Many people know the old thunder and falcon, the emblem of Bogan Christand. A hero of the kingdom who has defeated Elsren Holy Empire many times. They knew that that emblem was that of the strongest army in the kingdom. Even the army of Nozan Verreich, who was themander of one of Christand¡¯s corps, was already that strong. If that''s the case, just how strong was the Christand¡¯s main army? Once one understood the overwhelming strength of the leader, Alberinea, the 20,000 troops approaching from the rear seemed like a 100,000-strong army. They are unaware that except for ck g Special Force, there was little difference in the purebat power between the Verreich army and the Alberinea army. However, the rumors they knew, the presence of Alberinea, and the psychology of the situation deprived them of the ability to make a sound judgment. Naturally, the Alberan side had to leave troops on the fortress walls, and they also had no choice but to allocate their forces to deal with the army attacking the south side. 15,000 on the front, 20,000 on the back. Even there it was reduced from 40,000 and was sandwiched between the front and back, the number of troops was almost the same as Lukazan''s main army. If the 35,000 troops on the south side was included, it can be said that Elsren has an advantage in military strength. If they all maintained their morale and carried out theirmand perfectly, there is a possibility that they could have fought a proper battle. But, of course, Alberinea had no intention of fighting a ¡®proper battle¡¯. The first thing they saw was a giant soldier with blue eyes over eight shaku tall, and a griffin cavalry soaring into the sky from behind. As the griffin cavalry passed through the empire army''s battle lines, something was scattered and a blue sh of light appeared. Sounds are explosions and screams. It was aimed to create confusion in the middle of forming the formation, not too many in number, and the damage was at most a few hundred. But the soldiers had no way of knowing that. The blue light inside the north wall¨D¨Dthey were stunned to see what it was up close and personal. Just by flying in the sky and scattering it from the sky. That alone gives the enemy the means to kill them. There was no way they could fight against such an opponent. "Don''t be afraid! The damage is small. Get in line!!" Themander shouted. But even themander couldn''t hide his trembling. Baszler Lukazan told them that the enemy didn''t have much of it left, but¨D¨Deven if that were the case, morale would not be maintained if they continued to act like this. The presence of the Griffin Cavalry that appeared in this situation was a threatparable to arge army of ten thousand. Following the giant soldiers, the Verreich army also gradually appears. They were beginning to form a battle line. From atop the castle wall, Alberinea was seen with the sunset behind her, her purple eyes shining. She treats a Suiko, who no average human could even stand up to, like a pet. Sitting on it and looking down on the battlefield. Beside her, a griffin cavalry descended carrying a soldier in ck armor. Despite its petite stature, it looked gigantic. Graceful silver hair shone like gold in the light of the sunset. Despite her small stature, they felt she was gigantic. Or perhaps, a God. Alberan¨D¨DThend where the Child of God descended. This anecdote was deeply passed down even to the Elsren Holy Empire¨D¨Dwhich was one of its half in the past. A baby who didn''t cry was born into a small tribe. Children of God who were once called Children of Oracles. They were given wisdom from birth, and they shared their power with others, guided them, and swallowed up the surrounding tribes¨D¨Dand thus, the Founding King Bazariche was born. From the very beginning, the history of Alberan had been one with the Baby Who didn¡¯t Cry. And after the loss of thest righteous Child of God¨D¨DElsleine, it was believed that the Child of God was lost in Alberan as well. But what they saw in front of them was exactly that. The Semi-mythical tales of Baby Who didn¡¯t Cry. The Child of God of today, who was said to have won the Mana (true name) of the ancient dragon, was here to show her ability to live up to these anecdotes. She destroyed trebuchet with a single throw of her spear, ughtered soldiers like ants using weapons that were beyond theirprehension. An evil being reminiscent of the Child of Evil God¨D¨DGrabaraine, who once swept the continent and plunged it into fear. That was indeed Alberan''s Cursed Child. Those who know history lose their thoughts and just stare at her figure in disbelief. They shouldn''t have challenged such an existence. Elsleine had no children. Therefore, the righteous Son of God did not exist in Elsren. Grabaraine, who conceived many. The evil bloodline was still deeply rooted in Alberan. Again, the griffin cavalry rose to the sky. Alberinea riding a Suiko¨D¨Dthe heavenly sword, pointing the licentious curve of the de toward the sky. The fourteen ck giant soldiers shined with their blue monocr eyes. Explosive sounds and screams engulf them once again. It was not a battle. ¨D¨DVictory and defeat was already decided. Chapter 213: The Flower Blooming Girl Chapter 213: The Flower Blooming Girl ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 213 The Flower Blooming Girl*** ¨D¨DJarea Gashea, or Iron Machine Soldier. Covered in armor from head to toe, an unmanned weapon devoid of pain sensation. They mowed down several soldiers with a single swing, and just like a mower in a grass field. The soldiers referred to them as Grim Reapers. After the fall of Kleinmere, the magic Empire that ruled the world for a long time, the production of mechanical dolls for battle in general was prohibited, but many Iron Machine Soldiers were kept in a dormant state in the historic ruins It was said that the stability of Kleinmere¡¯s rule was due to its advanced magical research, but in reality, its foundation dates back to its predecessor, the Kingdom of Alberan. It was not advanced magical research. Much of Kleinmere¡¯s magical research was from excavation, and they gained their power by investigating the past. Krische Christand, the first Alberinea who supported the reign of the demon king of Alberan, Kreschenta. It was said that the roots of all modern magic and sorcery could be traced back to her. Jarea Gashea was just one of them. Her influence on the history of magic was significant, as could be seen from the fact that the name Alberinea was still used as the title of the highest-ranking mage. While Kreschenta, who established systematic magical education and research facilities, Krische Christand was often praised for her military prowess however it was difficult to say if that was the truth. Her extraordinary military exploits were first and foremost due to her overwhelming ability as a mage. She appeared at a time when only primitive imaginary muscles and physical strengthening existed, and there was no doubt that she was a true cmity. The oue of the Five Great Nations War was decided solely by her individual presence. "Don''t worry about formation! Spread out!!" The young centurion saw the giant soldiers tearing through the lines in front of him and decided to take action on his own. A ck giant that did not stop even after being pierced with arrows and spears. He¨D¨DLiberis immediately understood that the wall of battle lines was meaningless against this. He knew that Gulshan had a beast called an elephant. The giant in front of them was close to that. The strength and armor to cut through a formation with just a single one. He already understood that the opponent was clearly not human. Liberis was born amoner. However, he had great talent and rose to the rank of centurion in three years. The nobleman who impregnated his mother and abandoned her without taking responsibility for it¨D¨Dhe had a desire for revenge against his father, but for now he was grateful to have that blood. Even though he was faced with an unknown weapon, he did not be distraught, probably thanks to the sense of magical power surrounding him. One Iron Giant. This was probably to buy time until the enemy army, which had begun to set up in front of the Wulfenite Fortress Wall, could attack. The operation was simr to that of elephant soldiers. That was not their main mission. They were tools to disrupt and disintegrate the line. "Those who are frightened fall back! That thing has incredible power. Don''t engage forcefully! You will just die a dog''s death. From one to ten, excluding new recruits,e to me! We''ll take it down!" The soldiers'' confident voices echoed. "Captain Codris! You''ll be in charge of the new recruits for a while! We''ll need their strength to prevent the enemy''s real aim. Don''t let them get hurt!" ¡°Yes sir!¡± While everyone else was frightened by the iron giant, only Liberis remained calm. But everyone trembled at the brave centurion''s words. The child-like young man who came to the battlefield as a soldier has now be the main pir of the unit. The na?ve look has disappeared from his boyish face, and in its ce was a fearless one. Everyone now looked at him with respect. "¨D¨DIt''s probably that blue light. It''s simr to the luminescence of a magic crystal. It seems spears and arrows can''t prate it, but it''s not without its weaknesses." There was no proof. But it was well worth a try. That iron giant didn¡¯t even block attacks aimed at it. Attack was the best defense, in and simple. The soldiers, who were not even magic possessors, were not to be feared. However, when he blocked an attack, it was always an attack to the head. Calmness in times of turmoil was the quality of a general. Liberis certainly possessed it. Surveying the faces of the ten squads he had gathered, Liberis spoke. "It seems that the iron giant defends only against attacks to the head. So, it''s safe to assume that the head is a vulnerable point. However, it''s difficult for me alone to crush that area. ...Sorry, but¨D¨D" "Understood. Squad One will act as decoys!" The first squad leader spoke with augh, followed by the other squad leaders. Libiris stared at them in surprise before the first squad leader continued. "Humph, we don''t have a greenhorn like you to order us. I''ll defend my right arm." "Then I''ll take the left arm." Upon hearing the first squad leader''s words, the second squad leaderughed and said. Without waiting for Liberis''s orders, the third and fourth squads took positions around the arms, and the fifth and sixth squads positioned themselves behind. "...Sorry." "What are you apologizing for? We don''t die for you. We die for the squad, right?" He nodded and saluted, echoing the words of the previous centurion. "We¡¯re betting our life here. If you mess up, I''ll punch you to the heavens." "Understood. If that happens, I''ll provide everyone with alcohol and women." And he continued. ¡°Even if I survive, let¡¯s do it.¡± Liberis raised his fist, and they all responded. Then the screams echoing from the front intensified. The giant soldiers were easily breaking through the deadly wall that the centurions had built. It was always a wall of flesh that prevented the enemy on the battlefield. A moving wall using lives that should have been precious. The battlefield was a mad ce. While killing a single person in the streets would cause a huge uproar, on the battlefield, human deaths were just numbers. Even themanders didn''t think of death as death. If the wall copses, they will insult you and call you ipetent. They denigrate the dead soldiers as ipetent and give them the next order in disgust. They always looked at the battlefield as an increase or decrease in numbers. ¨D¨DHe wondered if that would happen to him someday as he rose through the ranks. He shook his head as he pondered that. He promised himself not to forget this scene of his subordinates before him. Each one of them had a life. If they had met in a different ce, if they had lived in the same neighborhood, they might have been friends. Maybe they be a fellow drinking buddy, an acquaintance they care about, or someone they hate and always fight with. That''s what life was like. They were not numbers. Every human being in this ce was a separate life with a personality that should be recognized. Some would die because of the order he gave. He tightened the grip on his spear, understanding its weight. Tearing through the battle lines, a ck-d giant appears. In the shadow of the Wulfenite, the iron giant soldiers looked unusually intimidating. Its ck color seemed to float under the sky, which was mostly tinted with ck indigo. "Scatter!!!!" Liberis shouted, and the ten squads moved simultaneously. They jumped out, spears in hand, and circled around to the right, left, and rear of the Iron Giant. Liberis waited for a beat and went straight at it. ¡°Ts¨D¨D¡± However, the iron giant''s speed was faster than expected. It easily crushed the distance of three and a half ken with one step, and swung the giant sword that was its right arm sideways. Liberis leaped instinctively, but the giant soldier immediately swung its left arm from above. He could see the future in which his skull was cut in half by a single sword in the air, along with his helmet. He was fully prepared to die¡ª¡ª "¡ª¡ªNot on my watch!" ¡ª¡ªIt was the first squad leader who attempted to ram the giant soldier from the side. The giant soldier''s posture slightly copses and the arm trajectory deviates. The giant sword struck Liberis'' left arm, and the sword shattered the earth. The first group leader even threw away his spear and clung to the giant soldier''s right arm. Literally sacrificing himself¡ª¡ªbut the giant soldier didn''t care and mmed the first team leader''s body into the ground with his arm. And then, a strange scream. The giant soldier stomps on the first squad leader''s skull, shattering it. Red blood flowers bloomed on the ground. ¡°F-follow the first squad leader!¡± The second squad leader shouted. The second squad leader shouted. The giant soldier swung his arms, crushing the flesh of the soldiers, crushing their bones, and scattering their entrails. About ten people were killed in an instant, but... "I''ve caught you!! You guys!!" One grabbed its leg. One more took its right arm, which it had swung to kill the man, and another took the opposite arm. One hit it from behind, pushing the giant soldier down. Liberis endured the pain in his left arm, where his bones were shattered, and pulled out the sword from his waist. "Now,mander!! Do it!!" He steps in to respond to the screaming voice. A monster that took the lives of brave men in an instant. In my mind, he recalled what they looked like when they were alive, and while enduring the pain of losing consciousness, he gripped his sword and charged in. He aimed for the head¡ª¡ªsmashing it with all his might and crushed its contents, helmet and all. In his swinging hand, he held nothing but hatred. ¡°Eat this!?¡± ¡ª¡ªThey were nameless heroes. Once this war was over, two honorary titles might have been given to the Century to preserve its name. However, what flew in front of him was a small pot. It was blue and emitted strong light. What rang out was a merciless explosion. Above, on the griffin. Having thrown the hand-thrown Bonjara, she looked at the results and let her silver hair drag as she turned her gaze away. The Bonjara exploded in front of the centurion''s eyes. After blowing up several soldiers who were covering Jaragasha along with the centurion, Jaragasha stood up, waving its hands in the air, and startedying waste to the enemy soldiers in the area with renewed vigor. The dozens of men¡ª¡ªKrische Christand was not interested in their noble beliefs or the fight for their lives. With the ease of casually kicking away a pebble on the side of the road, their efforts and lives were brought to an end. Everything about them was extremely trivial to Krische Christand. She took lives as effortlessly as she breathed and felt no emotion about it. Everything she desired was contained within that small estate. Most things in the vast world around her were worthless, unimportant, like dust that fell in the corner of a room. She loved peace, and she was good. Her goodness was directed only to a very few. If the circumstances had been different¡ª¡ªif she had met them on the street, for example, they might have greeted each other. If they had been doing business, she might have be their customer, smiled, and thanked each other. She had no connection with such imaginings that might have been possible. Necessary or unnecessary? Useful or a hindrance? Benefit or disadvantage? She always thought simply. That was the virtue of her purity, and that virtue made her a madman. At the signal, she scattered the Bonjara. The enemy''s main camp was enveloped in blue light and destroyed. She lowered the griffin, pulled out her curved sword, and jumped out. She cut off the flesh from the necks of a few survivors and went to the enemy general. Screaming something foul-mouthed, the man cursed at Krische. She listened to it as if it was the sound of the wind and stepped in. She easily dodged the strong sword that was being swung at her, scraped the flesh on his neck, and kicked him away. She used her boot to crush the skull of the adjutant who was approaching her from the side. Without paying any attention to anything, she had her subordinate cut off the enemy general''s head and impaled it on the main banner. Suppressing the words of victory from her subordinates, she soared into the sky once again on the griffin. The army, whose main camp was destroyed, immediately began to lose control. She looked at the enemy soldiers being killed in the midst of chaos and smiled. Kill themander by throwing a hand-thrown Bonjara as they continued to resist. asionally, she would get down and cut off the flesh of their neck personally, turning them into pieces of meat with the spear she shot. By the time the sun had set, the enemy soldiers began to flee, and naturally the cavalry was sent out to kill them with spears and swords from their backs. Once everything was settled, she headed south this time. The 30,000 enemy soldiers were also overwhelmed by the destruction of the main army. Before they could dere their surrender, she had Jaragasha jump in. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was disposed of or broken. At least now she wouldn''t need it for a while. The moon screamed in the night sky. The earth wassciviously dyed with flesh. It was the remnant of flesh that indicated the end of tens of thousands of lives. Only one person, a girl, was smiling. She watched the enemies¡¯ breath dwindle one by one, watched their life end, and she didn''t feel a shred of guilt. It was a cheerful smile as if she hadpleted a chore. An innocent smile appeared on her face, like a child who has finished ¡®Helping¡¯ her parents. ¡°Ani-ue, so you survived.¡± ¡°A-Aleha...?¡± A few dayster, in the Kurail Mountains north of Wulfenite. Arge-scale mountain hunt by the Alberan army was taking ce. Vynal Sarchenka¡¯s eyes widened as he saw his brother''s face and his ck armor for the first time in a while. "W-why are you...in the kingdom?" ¡°Currently, I am working as a subordinate under Alberinea¡ª¡ªKrische-sama. Waltza is also with me.¡± Aleha looked at Vynal with pity and indescribable eyes. Vynal had a sloppy beard on his face, and it seemed that he had discarded his proud armor somewhere. From his waist, hung a long sword¡ª¡ªits elegant decoration shed with his figure now only in a shirt and pants. ¡°How are your sister-inw and Rachel doing?¡± "Ah, ah...P-please. I had no choice. I had no choice but to sacrifice you for the sake of the Sarchenka family. Please, please, let me go...I don''t want to make my wife and daughter sad." Vynal knelt down to his knees and bowed his head. Aleha looked down at him, his expression unchanged. ¡°I asked Krische-sama if it was impossible for me to read the records of Elsren. It seems that Ani-ue has bet a lot on this battle.¡The debt is quiterge, right?¡± "¡¡ah" Vynal looked up at him. Aleha was expressionless. "If I want to keep you alive, I''ll take you prisoner¡ª¡ªthat''s what I thought, but Sarchenka won''t be able to afford to pay the ransom. My sister-inw and Rachel will also be lost on the street. I don''t want them to sell flowers." Aleha pulled out his long sword and pointed its tip at Binal. "...If you die, you will die in battle. Both of them will receive sce money. If they sell some of the family personal belongings, neither of them will have to live in poverty. Please ept it calmly. ¡ª¡ªIf you care about them, you have no choice but to die here.'''' Vynal was stunned and looked at Aleha. Then he smiled sarcastically. "...Do you hold a grudge?" "Somewhat" "Me too...I was jealous of you." Vynal said with an indescribable expression and lowered his eyes. "I can''t beat you with a sword. There''s no point in running away. But please make it so that I fought bravely and died. I don''t want them to know that I was killed when I ran away because I was desperate for my life.'''' "...I''ll do my best." Aleha smiled bitterly and narrowed his eyes at him. "I...I don''t dislike that part of Ani-ue." "Without real ability, it''s nothing but a tragedy. This stupid appearance is the truth." "I don''t think so. As a husband and a father... at least I think you deserve respect now." Aleha stood beside Vynal, whose face was bowed, and held his sword against the side of his neck. "The memento sword will eventually reach the two of them in some form. Is there anything you want to say?" "...It would be unnatural for a man who fought bravely and died to leave behind a word." "Someday, in the kingdom of heaven" "Ah...someday" Aleha swung his long sword down and stabbed it. A muffled scream¡ª¡ªsoon, Vynal''s strength left him, and Aleha withdrew the sword. Then he looked at the corpse. A momentter, a man appeared from behind the grass. It was Waltza. "¡¡Did you finish it?" "Aah" The two of them said nothing after that, and dug a hole in soft soil. Burying the body carefully. Then, holding the sword that had been left behind, the two of them start walking without speaking. ¡ª¡ªIt was said that it was a massacre. A few days after the battle at Wulfenite, Alberan''s army moved north and south. They cooperated with the Arna Imperial Army and Garhka Army to wipe out the enemy, and out of more than 100,000 soldiers, only 3,000 were able to escape safely to Elsren. This was the result of persistent "hunting." The number of prisoners of war was less than 20,000¡ª¡ªthe War of the Five Great Powers ended, with the inferior Alberan side losing 10,000 deaths, while the invaders suffered nearly 200,000 deaths, an unprecedented crushing defeat in history. The following year, the ins on the Wulfenite side were filled with beautiful flowers, but no one could describe them as beautiful¡ª¡ªalong with her smile on the battlefield, they were feared as Alberinea''s flower garden. Chapter 214: Daily Life Change Chapter 214: Daily Life Change ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 214 Daily Life Change*** "I''ll never forget this grudge...!" With fury, Ranu Kalud struck the ground. South of Wulfenite, their numbers, who had taken refuge in the mountains of the Calbyas, were now less than a thousand. Most of them were either killed, escaped and taken prisoner, or killed at the hands of Rano Kalud. His eyes, which looked somewhat gentle, widened, bloodshot. No one dared to speak to him, and everyone was desperate not to incur his anger. Elsren was defeated. Ignoring the voices of pursuers demanding surrender, from the way the enemy forces were deployed across the ins it seemed be true. Abandoning their recement horses, they set their sights on the mountains. With their numbers reduced to this extent, surviving the hunger with the mountain''s bounty was not impossible, and if Elsren was defeated, there was no need to rush. Still, the unfamiliar mountain was harsh. For skilled archers like them, hunting would have been easy, but in their situation of fleeing, any smoke would reveal their location. However, they cannot eat raw meat either. The only thing they could do was make thin pieces of dried meat made from sunlight on a rock. Naturally, it was impossible to sustain a thousand hungry people with just that, so fruits and mountain vegetables became their main source of food. If they were humans who lived in Alberan or Elderant and lived with the mountains, it would have been easy. The Calbyas Mountains were very abundant. However, there were poisons mixed in with the mountain''s harvest. They didn''t have the knowledge, so they had no choice but to try. The weak fell prey, consuming unfamiliar fruits and mountain vegetables. Several died, but Ranu did not hesitate at all. Everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Those who advised surrender had their tongues cut out, gagged, and skinned. Even if that wasn''t the case, anyone who said anything that offended him was killed. However, Ranu, who was wary of betrayal, took control of them all at once. "It wouldn''t be strange if the people returned to the vige soon. Tomorrow we''ll go down to the ins." Ranu said and closed his eyes, leaning his back against a tree. He harbored hatred towards Alberinea, who had brought him to this humiliating situation. Even in this situation, Ranu sought to vent his anger. His small snoring could be heard, and the men present in that ce suddenly looked at each other. Without saying anything, without anything said. One of them, carrying a bow on his shoulder, held it in his hand. ¨D¨DThere were no animals to eat here. Everyone stiffened, but no one raised a voice or tried to wake Ranu. The man holding the bow looked at each of them, trembling slightly. It seemed like a plea. Hearing the wordless voice, the men around him also lifted their bows from their shoulders. The men''s hands and lips were trembling. ¨D¨DThe beast there was more terrifying to them than any other beast. Quietly pulling an arrow from the quiver. Even after aligning it, the trembling did not disappear. Before they knew it, dozens of men had arrows ready in this way. Then, *whiz*. ¡°Wha!?¡± It was not that he released the arrow. The trembling fingers had just released the arrow he was holding. It passed right by the ''beast'' without hitting it. And the beast jumped up. Without a voice, without a signal. With screams and, fearing punishment, they released the arrows they held simultaneously. "Agh...!?" For them, who had been familiar with bows since the age of eight¨D¨Dall of them were an exceptionally good archers, but out of dozens of arrows, only a few were able to pierce it. However, seeing that it was still moving, they drew their bow in fear without aiming. The number of arrow released surpassed 100, 200, and was just about to reach 300. ¡®Enough¡¯, someone said. Before they knew it, the corpse of a beast that looked like a pincushion was right in front of them. Some knelt, covering their mouths, and what was vomited out was relief. Ranu''s close aide, who rushed over after hearing themotion, widened his eyes at the sight. "...The Grand Chief, Ranu Kalud, was killed in battle. From now on, I will now take over and takemand." He uttered emotionless, speaking as a highly rational military man. No one objected, and the next day, they descended from the mountain, raising the blue g to the Alberinea army. ¡®Great decision. Our war is now over, and we guarantee your rights as fellow soldiers.¡¯ With that announcement, many of them shed tears over the warm meal given to them. At least, what they desired at that moment was the reassurance that they would not be killed. ¨D¨DThe triumphant return to the capital of Alberinea was apanied by tremendous enthusiasm. The main road of the royal capital, the flower path created by the crowd. Soldiers formed four columns, marching in formation. Leading the procession was Krische, seated elegantly on a Suiko, wearing a ck cloak and dress. Surrounding the girl, who pouted in annoyance at the cheers, were soldiers d in ck armor. Numerous gs depicting skulls and moons on a ck background were raised as they marched. Compared to their 10,000 casualties, the enemy''s casualties were 200,000. Alberinea participated in all the decisive battles against the three major powers and won overwhelmingly. The number of generals she killed was 5, 2 of them was a suprememander. The number of equivalent of corpsmanders she killed was too many to count on two hands. Even an amateur could understand the significance of these achievements. There were doubts about her performance in the civil war, but this was the second time. Moreover, the recent ancient dragon incident. ¨D¨DShe was the kingdom''s sword bestowed by the heavens, Alberinea. At this point, no one doubted her abilities. The eight shaku two jou Suiko¡¯s gant figure and her graceful figure. The sunlighting through the clouds,bined with the shower of petals that poured down on her, the viewers let out exhales of admiration. The ck armor surrounding her¨D¨Dthe ck g Special Forces Company, which was said to be made up ofmoners seemed out of ce to this path of glory, but that was a good thing. Alberinea not only favored noble but also fought alongsidemoners, standing side by side. The policy of Queen Kreschenta, who devoted herself to the protection of the people, and the figure of the two princesses as they did so, were very well received by the people. Ability, not rank. Kreschenta created a ce of learning for the people and uses the treasures of the national treasury for their protection. And Krische who shed blood and sweat along with themoners to protect the country. They were exactly the kind of leaders the people want, the noble, and that was the reason for this enthusiasm. Following behind them was a griffin with huge wings and a height of 5 shaku at the shoulders. It was a griffin cavalry from Kreisharana. They still appeared in furs, but the fact that they who had been enemies for many years had lent a hand and worked hard for the sake of the kingdom was spreading throughout the capital. Naturally, the same praise was given to them as to the ck g Special Forces Company. The voices of the women who were captivated by the well-trained physical beauty of Vinthril, the chief warrior who could be described as a beautiful young man, resonate strongly. The idea of savage barbarians did not exist at the present, and everyone was simply reveling in victory. Behind them was Eluga, followed by Gallen, and the corpsmanders including Kolkis. Along with the kingdom g, the thunder and falcon, the g of Christand, were raised. They lost a hero in the civil war. But the name of the Thunderbolt was still alive in the kingdom. It was enough to show that. Everyone knew that Alberinea led them in the battle. All three battles were won by andslide, and of course Alberinea was by no means alone. This victory was, after all, apanied by the name of Christand. The lead group went straight to the gate in front of the royal territory. The triumphant return was greeted by the young and beautiful Queen Kreschenta. She swayed her elegantly shining red hair and bowed deeply, aligning both hands. Royalty¡ª¡ªthe pinnacle of the Kingdom did not hesitate to bow. Seeing the queen like that, Krische jumped off the Suiko, and Alberinea patted the queen¡¯s little head. The queen looked a little embarrassed, and her troubled face was upset. A littleter, the people around burst into relievedughter, and the idyllic scene made them realize that peace hade to the people''s hearts. Only two months had passed since the war began. The simultaneous invasion of the three major powers seemed hopeless. The overwhelming victory that followed was something that no one had expected. That joy resembled madness, and on that day, night didn¡¯te the royal capital. The sounds ofughter filled the royal capital until dawn. The report on the oue of the war is over, and the evening was spent feasting. On the balcony, in front of the girl, a table was filled with dishes. The light blue dress, which was decided upon after a dress debate that was held without a meal as usual, had arge cutout above the chest and in the back, making it bold yet elegant and neat. The girl with her long silver hair tied up and wearing a hair ornament, ne, and bracelets looked like a heavenly princess, but her head was mostly upied with her appetite. cing her hands on her cheeks, she snuggled herself against the red-haired servant in a truly good mood, enjoying her sumptuous meal. She was not able to sit down for the buffet, and although she was a little dissatisfied with the food, being a little cold, the sumptuously prepared food was truly delicious. There was less meat and soup than usual, and the focus was on desserts such as cake. ¡°Ehehe, is it delicious?¡± "Yes. Krische-sama, if you don''t mind...shall I bring you some more soup?" ¡°Krische, want to eat what Bery eat and say it¡¯s delicious together.¡± Sweet and sour¡ª¡ªKreschenta analyzed saltiness while Krische was away, but she did not perform any treatment on the tongue. That was the reason why Krische focused on desserts. "...My. Fufu, there''s cream on Krische-sama." "Ah...¡± Bery wipes the cream on the side of Krische¡¯s mouth with her fingertips and licked it, her eyes narrowing at the sweet taste. There was a part of her that wanted Krische to eat it without worrying about her, but there was also a part of her that was happy with that kind of consideration, Bery was in an indescribable mood. The balcony was deserted as usual, but there were some familiar faces on the opposite end of the room. Eluga, Gallen, Kolkis¡ª¡ªand several battalionmanders were drinking andughing. Originally, it was a quiet ce for Eluga and Gallen to drink, but ever since Kolkis came, it became a bit lively. Eluga, ncing to side, smiled wryly and lightly nodded. Bagil and other nobles came to greet Krische once, but now she was a military officer second only to the marshal. Sensing Krische¡¯s tant air that was saying she wanted to eat, they leaves with augh. Perhaps due to a light rain in the evening, the air was clear tonight. The stars and moon in the night sky seemed to shine brighter, as if blessing this particr day. "...Ehehe" "...?" "Krische, going to take a month off, so Krische''ll be with Bery all day for a while." "Yes. Fufu, this is the third time." The same words for the third time. Perhaps because there was a bit of alcohol in the sweet juice, Krische¡¯s arm was warm to the touch, and her cheeks turned red. Being weak to alcohol was Krische only notable weakness. Being carried away by the atmosphere, she sipped slowly, repeatedly saying the same things. The fact that it wasn''t bad drunk habit was also a positive point. Krische, with alcohol in her system, was generally in a good mood. Bery ced her hand on Krische¡¯s warm cheek and traced her soft lips with her thumb. "...Could you please stop flirting with Krische everywhere, servant-san?" An exasperated voice sounded. It was Selene with a dignified voice and wearing a crimson dress that was in contrast to Krische. Dresses with bright colors could made the wearer stand out depending on the situation, but Selene always looked good in dresses with such colors. Her hair is tied up just like Krische, and she sighed. At her side were Anne and Aleha. "I-I¡¯m not flirting..." "Clearly, that''s how it looks. Krische, Aleha seems to want to talk a little. Though he didn''t want to interrupt the atmosphere." Bery''s cheeks flushed and Alehaughed and shook his head. "...t¡¯s not that much of a topic. I just wanted to thank you a little." ¡°Thank you?¡± "Yes. Once again thank you for picking me up." Aleha did not salute, but bowed deeply. The simple ck military uniform suited him well. It was a graceful bow befitting a noble. "Hmm... Aleha has worked hard, so it''s fine. If Aleha continued to work hard and be Krische¡¯s corpsmander as nned, that¡¯s enough." It had already been decided internally that Aleha would be themander of the 4th corps of Alberinea army. He had achieved military merits on the battlefield and served as the adjutant of the ck g Special Force in the war with Elsren. He was also well liked by Colchis. Being a corpsmander, not a general, and being under themand of the Central Army Alberinea did not pose a significant problem. It was also a significant step towards redemption. Betrayal was seen harshly in the world of noble, but that is betrayal on the battlefield. Considering how he was emunicated and driven out of the country, and how he fought on the front lines against Elsren, his formerpatriot, there was no big problem. "Yes. From now on, I will work harder to be of assistance to Krische-sama." "¡ª¡ªAleha! That''s the princess''s seat, you''re this way!" From the other side, Kolkis beckons with arge gesture, holding a wine bottle in one hand. Aleha responds with a wry smile and saluted Krische and leave. ¡°Meow Meow is noisy, geez.¡± "Well, that''s fine isn¡¯t it. Tt''s nice that to get along." In response to Kolkis''s loud voice, Krische pouted her cheeks and Selene poked it. A goofy sound echoed, and Selene happily hugged Krische¡¯s body from behind. "It''s finally over, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Krische, is there anything you want?" "what Krische want¡¡" "Yes, I was thinking of getting you a present as a reward." Krische was in Selene''s arms, pressing her lips with her index finger and thinking. Then she looked at Bery. ¡°U-um¡?¡± She looked intently from her toes to the top of her head, then smiled. "Then...Krische want an apron dress like Berry." ¡°You...¡± Looking at Crishe, who had no desires, Serene said with a somewhat exasperated tone. And Selene poked Bery who was blushing from her imagination on the forehead. ¡°¡What are you imagining?¡± "Uh..." "You must be thinking that Krische will say something like wanting Bery as a present, right. Fool, pervert." ¡°N-no...¡± Anne silently watches the exchange with great interest. ¡°Ehehe, that, Krische is Berry¡¯s¡ª¡ªMugh.¡± "I feel like I''ve heard those words dozens of times already, so you don''t have to say them." Selene covered thr little girl''s mouth with her hand. "...You looks like having fun huh." Then a princess appeared, wearing an elegant white dress. It was Kreschenta along with Elvena. ¡®I¡¯m displeased¡¯, was clearly written on her face. The chat with the nobles was left to as Kreschenta¡¯s business, so her cheeks puffed out slightly, and her purple eyes red at the three of them. ¡°Selene-sama, if you are finished, you shoulde and take me out first.¡± "I don''t like it, I was tired of it too..." Kreschenta was mainly a bureaucrat, and Selene, a military officer. They were the first and second in the country. As expected, there were always many who sought conversation with them. Even if they just limited it to a brief conversation, having it with all of them would involve over a hundred people in this setting. Just greeting everyone was tiring enough. Selene was tired of greetings that were getting longer and longer each year. There were a lot of them during the time of ¡®Christand''s Daughter¡¯ but now there were even more of them. Selene thought that Kreschenta would continue for a while, so she used her up as a decoy, but Kreschenta must have lost patience when she saw the three of them standing together. It seemed like she hade a little too forcefully. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. If only I could do better..." "You don''t have to worry about it. You¡¯re doing pretty good considering you''re not used to it." Elvena said apologetically and Kreschenta shook her head. It was a bit rude for the host to directly cut off the conversation. Usually, the other party would try to prolong the conversation, and was not easy to cut off. In such situations, the role of a servant was to subtly get the master''s attention and end the conversation. Just a single call during the conversation, and their master would gains a reason to end the conversation. The master who was called would end the conversation by directing the conversation to the reason for the call, such as ¡®I was hoping to talk with you a little longer but,¡¯ and the other party understood the pretext of such a call. They could use standard phrases such as ¡®I''m sorry to have taken up your time.¡¯ For them, it was enough just to have their face and name remembered. No one would consider such an approach rude. Elvena''s call was one tempo slower than Kreschenta¡¯s ideal, butpared to Anne''s, who was on average seven tempo slower, it was good, not bad. She simply didn''t like the fact that she was the only one working while all three of them were rxing on the balcony. When ites to paperwork and government affairs, she was several times faster than most people, but greetings like this were time-consuming, fruitless, and produce no results, so itck any sense of fun. To begin with, it was an unnecessary task for Kreschenta, who had memorized the backgrounds of all the people who entered and exited the royal pce¡ª¡ªa waste. The three of them happily leave Kreschenta alone as she was forced to do such useless things. It was certainly not something to be tolerated, and Kreschenta¡¯s cheeks puffed up in displeasure. "Here, Kreschenta." But suddenly, a cake was offered to her mouth. Kreschenta stiffened, her eyes darting around her, fork in her mouth. She is the queen¡ª¡ªa member of the royal family. She did not run away. she was a noble being, possessing the capacity to face everything head-on. She chewed and swallowed it. Once again, a cake was offered to her from her sister''s fork. "Say ahh." "Mm... ehehe, it''s delicious..." Kreschenta was extremely displeased. However, that anger was quelled by just two cakes. Chapter 215: Late Blooming Flower Chapter 215: Late Blooming Flower ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 215 Late Blooming Flower*** After about two months, things were starting to settle down in various ces. The remnants had been hunted down, and the residents of viges and small towns were gradually returning to their original homes. However, it would still take about half a year for the country topletely regain its former sense of calm. Kreschenta sent messengers to each country. A messenger of gratitude to the Arna Imperial State, a negotiation envoy to the 3 countries¨D¨Dand envoys encouraging war to the surrounding small nations. Against the weakened 3 countries, Alberan could indeedunch an attack. It was rtively easy to carve out a part of their territory, or even dismantle the entire nation. However, of course they would face fierce resistance. Even if Alberan ultimately emerged victorious, what would follow was chaos. Prolonged warfare would drain the emotions and finances of the people. However, if Kreschenta simply asked forpensation ornd from above the table through diplomacy, they wouldn¡¯t listen. They were the ones who attacked Alberen under the banner of justice. On top of initiating the war, losing, and then pleading for forgiveness with convenient and pitiful words was something they couldn¡¯t do. They could not abandon the pride that made a country a country. Therefore, outward diplomacy was about having a talk and cooperation. ¨D¨DThere were misunderstandings and mimunications on both sides, and the war was a tragedy because of that. It was those words that Alberan presented. Misunderstandings and mimunications were convenient words. The two friends wanted to get along, but a small misunderstanding led to a fight that turned into something serious. ¡®Why don''t we talk about it once things have calmed down and made up?¡¯ If they speak like this, they can make the other party face up and invite them to put down their swords and negotiate. Of course, as a result of the discussion, there was a possibility that they would reject the matter and said that it was not a misunderstanding or mimunications, but the situation was the same on both sides, they did not want to prolong the war any longer. In essence, it was just a performance¡ª¡ªone the 3 countries would not refuse. On top of that, it is reasonable and natural to demandpensation for the damage suffered as a result of the invasion, guarantees for the families of the victims, and war expenses. In this case, what the victor needed was not a strong hand but the ability to y the victim. At the same time, Alberan sent out messengers to surrounding countries to announce the end of the war, and talk about the losses of the three countries with great relish, and the rest was history. No country could maintain its national structure while being attacked by the surrounding countries and being pressured by Alberan. Inevitably, they would have to hasten the conclusion of an armistice treaty and take measures to make a deal with Alberan. Without being able to take time and size Alberan up, they would be cornered at negotiating. All Alberan had to do was implicitly threaten military power while trying to rebuild the country. ¡ª¡ªThe tip of the shaft was gold. While moving the elegantly crafted one-of-a-kind fountain pen smoothly and smoothly, the Queen opened her mouth and swallowed the cookie given to her by her sister. The beautiful and lovely Queen Kreschenta, with golden hair sparkling with red, was sitting on her sister''sp, moving only her hand, nuzzling her head against her sister''s cheek. The parchment had some really formal and beautiful words written on it, but she hardly paid any attention to it. "Here, say, ahh." ¡°Ah, *Mugu*¡ Ehehe.¡± ¡ª¡ªIt was what one might call automatic writing. Unparalleled perceptual ability, and precision of movement. Crescenta, a Child of God¡ª¡ªContrary to her childish appearance, she had enough capability to be called a superhuman. With her abilities, it would be no problem for her to write a letter blindfolded. She had to write the letters. But she wanted to be pampered by her sister. If she were an ordinary person, she would be stuck in a situation where she would have no choice but to choose only one¡ª¡ªbut with her talent, she was able to write letters while being pampered, an unusual task for a normal person. As soon as she had finished writing, Anne reced it with the next piece of parchment, and Elvena looked at it as if she were watching something amazing before rolling up the parchment from the dry ink and stamping a golden royal seal on the wax. The sun and crescent moon illuminating the graceful sword and sheath that were facing down. It was the royal¡¯s seal, contrary to the Kingdom¡¯s seal of thrusting it to the heavens it was symbolizing to rule the earth, only the King of Alberan was allowed to use it¨D¨Dbut Kreschenta had entrusted it to a servant who was not even a noble. At first, Elvena refused as it was too disrespectful, but now it was just a routine. Krische did not disturb Kreschenta¡¯s work and continued to indulge her, not breaking the pose of helping her with her "work¡±. Because, just a little to the side of them¨D¨D "You! She already wore a light blue dress the other day! Just as you requested!!" "My, that was a fair conclusion, the result of the battle. Wasn''t it Ojou-sama who got lost in rock paper scissors? A good fight where both parties were equal¨D¨D" "That''s not true! You coward!" Ahead of the victory ceremony the day after tomorrow, Bery Argan, whose hair had grown a little longer, was wearing a dignified dress with ck lines on a white background. And Selene in a bright dress thatbines ck and red. There, a fierce battle was once again taking ce. That was why Krische was so indulging to Kreschenta. She didn''t want to get involved. As someone who was forced to endure until thest minute thest time this happened, it was a very convenient excuse that Kreschenta was busy with work. The pretext of helping Kreschenta with her work was a perfect reason to weather the storm while eating cookies. She was (a slightly more adult) Krische Christand. "What I wanted was a fifty-fifty match! If I said, ''Let''s decide with a sword,'' it would be unfair, right!?" ¡°But it was Ojou-sama who said that rock paper scissors were fine¡¡± "What you''re doing is a scam!" Last time, time was running out and Selene had no choice but to go along with the idea of making a fair decision with a stone fist, but it turned out to be a trap set by the witch Bery Argan. By using her unique ability to discern Selene''s rock paper scissors using her unique dynamic vision, Bery Argan achieved a record of 10 wins and 2 losses. Selene, who had suffered four consecutive defeats, realized that she was in trouble and proposed blindfolded stone fisting with a referee, but Bery was someone who had known the girl named Selene since she was born. The psychological battle that begins from there¨D¨D ¡°I''m going to y rock next.¡± ¡°¡H-hmm, then if I y paper, I guess it¡¯s my win.¡± Once such exchanges started, there was no way she could lose to Bery Argan. ¡°My, why didn''t Ojou-sama straightforwardly y on paper? I already said rock, to think Ojou-sama would choose scissors.¡± ¡°Guh¡¡± ¡°Next is...scissors¡± Setting a trap for the deeply analytical Serene. The next will surely be different from what she said¡ª¡ªBery would surely y paper. Serene hesitated on whether to y scissors, but her opponent was Bery Argan. Reading it deeply should be the correct answer. As she imagined this, she was stunned as her paper was easily cut off by scissors. ¡°Then next, ready¡± ¡°Ha!?¡± However, Bery did not lie, and Selene read too much into it, resulting in her self-destruction. Selene managed to win two games, but even if it was a fifty-fifty game, she could not recover from four consecutive defeats. She was devastated by his out-of-the-ordinary defeat of two wins and ten losses at rock paper scissors. It was as if he was reading her mind, no, Bery Argan was literally reading Selene''s mind. Although Selene had a strongpetitive spirit, she was a girl who naturally liked topete fairly and head-on. She read deeply into her opponent''s words. Having read too much on it, she wouldn''t settle for a draw. If you read deeply, you''re going to win¡ª¡ªthat''s the kind of personality she had. Therefore, Berry would dere and y her hand as she had dered. Then Selene would self-destruct on her own, and that was what happened. ¨D¨DMy, why did you go out of your way to make a draw? Bery firmly understood that Selene would prefer the oue of losing as a result of reading too much into the situation, rather than being made fun of like that. Utilizing the suspiciousness Selene had, she would use whatever means wasn''t explicitly prohibited, and then, on top of that, forcibly seize victory. Bery Argan was basically a hopeless woman. "Oh...Has Krische-sama¡¯s apron dress arrived?" The bell rang, and Bery ced the dress she was holding on the sofa. Anne, in a panic, said, ¡®I''ll go¡¯, and left the room. Krische went ¡®ooh¡¯ looking interested, and Selene also smiled. "¨D¨DWell, fine. I¡¯ll let this one go." "...?" ¡°The hair is also longer now, fufu, I think it looks good.¡± Bery¡¯s red hair, which had started to grow since thest battle, was almost hanging over her back. Berry had the appearance of a lovely and pretty girl, and just by letting her hair grow a little longer, her beauty had increased. Selene put the dress down and brought her face closer to hers, lifted Berry''s hair up looking at her, and Bery flushed in confusion. ¡°Umm...?¡± Bery tilted her head in response to the sudden words, and Selene smiled. At that moment Bery had a bad feeling. ¨D¨DThe dress was based on ck and indigo. Narrowing at the waist and cinched at the cut back with leather straps. A thin shawl of ck indigo hung shyly from the shoulders, covering up the boldness of the dress. The skirt, with its slightly slender lines that clung to the fleshy curves of the body from the waist to the legs, was sexy and entuated the feminine beauty of the wearer''s childlike appearance. Apart from the long white ribbon attached to her rear waist, there were only a fewce details, making it a rtively simple dress overall. "I-I think this is too bold after all..." "It''s fine for you, who looks like a child. If you wear something with less exposure and a fluttering re skirt, you''ll just look like a little girl." ¡®though your breasts are big¡¯ Selene added, and red at Bery''s cleavage. Berry shyly hid her bosom with her hand that grabbed her shawl. A pair of ck and indigo opera gloves that reached up to her upper arms. When viewed from the front, only her shoulders and chest are exposed¨D¨Dnot that much was exposed, but it looked bold, probably because of her morous body. From her slender waist to her shoulder line and her ample breasts, her short height was somewhat disguised by the heels of her long boots, and her beauty as a woman is entuated by a line of ck and indigo. "*Sigh*...so beautiful. I''m so happy to think that I''ve finally tailored a dress for Argan-sama. It really suits you, Argan-sama." "T-thank you¡" The person who was visiting was a tailor who had been in their service since Gargain. He had gray hair and a monocle. His gentlemanly appearance made him look like a butler. Unlike Kreschenta, who uses a tailor connected to the royal family, the Christand family had decided to continue using this tailor even aftering to the royal capital. Tailors connected to the royal family were naturally skilled, but they were also expensive. In contrast, Gargain''s tailor was reasonably priced, skilled, and had been cherished due to their long-standing rtionship. Their style also matched with Selene''s taste, who disliked showy things and preferred simple design, and she especially liked it. "Ehehe, it looks good on you, Bery-sama." Krische ran from the room next door wearing the apron dress that arrived with her. She called out to Bery like a servant would, as she clung to her arm and swung her skirt. Originally she was like a fairy. When Krische wore an outfit, it was as if it was made for her, and there was no outfit that didn¡¯t suit her. Bery stroked Krische¡¯s silver hair, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and a troubled look on her face. "...Krische-sama too, it suits you. Fufu, I should have prepared something like this sooner." "That sure is a meaningful statement." "O-Ojou-sama..." Berry blushes and lets her gaze wander between Selene and the tailor. The tailor tilted his head as he bowed. "If there are no problems with the size, I will excuse myself now. If you have another order, pleasee back to me." "Yes, thank you. Your dress is always beautiful. I''ll order again when things calm down." "thank you" "Have you got amodation? If not, I''ll prepare it for you..." "No, I will be going backter today. I''ve got a lot of orders to fill because of the war victory...and truthfully I actually came to the royal capital today because I insisted on seeing Argan-sama in her dress. Victory was a time of profit for merchants. People were positive and they were in a celebratory mood, and many orders wereing in from all over the country to rebuild the country, and tailors were also greatly affected by this wave. This was because banquets were held here and there for merchants and nobles to conduct business. Many people prepare new dresses for this asion. It was true that he''s busy. "Fufu, I see. I''ve moved away from Gargain for a while, but I''m praying for your business to prosper." ¡°Yes, thank you for your kind words.¡± ¡°Elvena, please see him off.¡± Selene said, whispering something in her ear and handing her the gold coin. This purchase was at Selene''s personal expense. Selene hates wasting money, but she was not afraid to spend money. When the tailor left, Bery sighed quietly and looked at herself in her full-length mirror. She didn''t have very good memories of wearing a dress when she was young. ¡°You doesn''t seem happy¡± After helping Krische get dressed, she didn''t open her mouth. Kreschenta, who had been staring at Bery, grabbed Krische''s other arm and looked into her full-length mirror. "Anybody can look good with the right clothes. Even a lowly servant with no character can be seen in this style, right?" ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Anne followed up, impressed, and Berry smiled bitterly. "No...certainly it¡¯s a very nice dress. It''s beautiful." Selene looked at her and sat down in a chair, and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good time to settle down after getting things done for now. I thought it would be a good time to ask for Berry¡¯s dress¡I¡¯m not going to force you to go to the victory party in that outfit either.¡± ¡°I think wearing a dress is actually fun. Dressing well and being dressed up as a flower on a bright stage. I''ve loved dresses ever since I was little, and I still do.'''' She drank her tea and gazed at the tea¡¯s surface. Selene shed her charming smile and told Berry that maybe she''s a bit selfish. "I also enjoy seeing other people looking beautiful. ...If you find it a bit difficult, why not give it a try at least once? It might tire you out because it''s you we¡¯re talking about, but attending the celebration could be enjoyable in its own way." ¡°Ojou-sama Bery looked at the full-length mirror again, confused. Looking at her figure in her dress, she silently closed her eyes and nodded. ¡°...Yes.¡± Krische watched the interaction between the two and remembered. She had heard that Bery didn''t like wearing dresses. She was deep in thought, while half-understanding their conversation, and looked at Kreshcenta who seemed to have figured something out, and she thought about what role she was expected to y. "Then, Krische will be Bery''s attendant!" "¡Hah?" Krische (quite a child), who has grown up a little, picks up her skirt and shows off her apron dress. She was all smiles, oblivious to Serene, who frowned with a straight face, wondering what she was talking about. "Ehehe, the apron dress just arrived, and contrary to usual, Krische will be the servant and Bery the princess. Krische will follow up so that Bery can enjoy the party." She wanted Bery to have fun wearing the dress. Krische really liked the ck and white apron dress. With this, the debate about her dress would be settled. Truly three birds with one arrow. What came to Krische¡¯s mind was that perfect idea, and it was the best possible answer. ¡°Ah, that Krische-sama...Krische-sama is the guest of honor, so¡¡± She was a beautiful princess who led Alberan to victory, a tremendous achievement. The fact that she attended the event wearing an apron dress and spent time as her attendant was a very strange situation. Bery tries to remonstrate her, but ¡°¡Um, does Bery not like it?¡± An elevation angle of 45 degrees, with a sad look in her eyes. A blow that seemed to gouge her vitals area. ¨D¨DNo one could stop this Krische. "I-I don''t hate it...I''m really, really happy..." "Berry, stop saying it like that. If no, say no..." ¡°...No?¡± The sad purple eyes were now a deadly weapon. Kreschenta looked at the two with an exasperated expression, and then stared at Bery. "Well, you two already have designated conversational partners most of the time. Isn''t it fine? Even if Onee-sama wore an apron dress, it''s still a victory ceremony. They generally know Onee-sama personality." Kreschenta said as if she didn''t care. Chapter 216: Your Name is Chapter 216: Your Name is ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 216 Your Name is*** Krische also wanted to wear an apron dress even at themendation ceremony, but as expected, she faced opposition from Selene and Kreschenta, so she reluctantly gave up. It seems she really liked the apron dress. Although Krische grew dissatisfied, when Selene agreed to let her wear it to the banquet, she seemed to be satisfied. Naturally, the argument over the choice of dress resumed. That Krische breakfast would be skipped that morning was inevitable. In the end, they came to the agreement that Anne, blindfolded, would choose the dress, and the dress chosen was ck and red¨D¨Da rare victory for Selene, but there was no joy in her heart as the winner. The victory made her realize that choosing a dress was just a pretext. At some point, Selene had started to think that she wanted to defeat the woman named Bery head on. Her sophism, that useless ability that she usually has. Confronting the genius Bery Argan, making it a 50-50 match relying on the chaos, Anne, a strategy that entrusted everything to fate. Wasn''t this a way of avoiding a direct confrontation with Berry? Didn''t she just run away from the fight? Wasn¡¯t this victory a result of her fearing a head-on battle. Strict with herself and was extremelypetitive¨D¨DSelene Christian was truly a difficult woman. The victory ceremony was a joyous affair. The only one with a gloomy face was Krische, who was hungry. Kreschenta, who also got involved in the battle, felt the same way, but unlike Krische, Kreschenta was the best in the world at putting on a mask. She didn¡¯t show her bad mood because of hunger. In addition to some minor promotions and rewards, the central general, Elzard Gokhals, was installed as general of the north. Generally, the role of the northern general did not involve directly confronting the enemy. However, in case of an attack from the west and east, sending quick support to both sides to create opportunities to win was the historical duty of the north. It was a crucial position that required flexible and advanced strategic thinking. It was a reasonable conclusion that he should be ced in the central position, as he had the most experience and the ability to think strategically. He did not chase too far in pursuit of military results, and was also able to deal with cavalry archers very well. Other candidates were Tekrea Lemin and Kolkis Argand, but Tekrea was avoided due to herck of experience and because she was unmarried and had no legitimate heir. If she died on the battlefield, the Remin family itself might face a crisis. Such ¡®consideration¡¯ was also important. As for Kolkis, his tactical ability is very good, but his strategic intelligence was somewhatcking. He was also a person who has vowed to dedicate his life to Christand for personal reasons. He had told Selene that he would like to stay as Alberinea army¡¯s direct corpsmander if possible. Although he did not say it, Selene understood that he cared about Cliche in his own way and agreed. Therefore, the conclusion was that Elzard Gokhals became the general of the north. There was some consternation among those who did not know that Aleha, a former general of the Holy Empire of Elsren, had risen to the position of corpsmander in the army under Alberinea''s direct control, but he had been second-inmand of the ck g Special Force in the recent war, taking the heads of three corpsmander. He had also proved himself by killing his own elder brother, and because of his position under Alberinea''s direct control, it ended without any major problems. Thus, the victory celebration proceeded without major issues. ¨D¨DThe problem was the banquet. After being invaded by three major powers, the loss ratio was 1:20. She single-handedly dealt fatal blows to the elites of the three countries, taking five general heads. A hero who saved the country with unprecedented sess¨D¨DKrische Alberinea Christand. "Ehehe, it''s been a while, General Verreich, Bald sses too." ¡°Y-yes...¡± The girl with the beauty of a fairy has her long silver hair tied up in a bun and her slender body wrapped in a ck-and-white apron dress, as if she were a little servant. She spent her time hugging the arm of the redhead next to her, a baby-faced beauty in a ck and indigo dress. Why was she dressed as a servant? Who was the person next to her? For those who didn''t know her, it was a mysterious scene. Those who had attended the banquet several times were aware that the person next to her was the red-haired servant who always spent time with Krische, but they did not understand the situation. Just like in the civil war before her, some people called out to greet her after her greatest military exploits, but ¡®why was she wearing an apron dress?¡¯ they couldn''t even ask such questions. She was wearing an apron dress all too naturally. "...Um, why is Krische-sama wearing an apron dress?" Therefore, Nozan was the first to ask that question. The handsome young man in military uniform had a look of confusion on his face, and so did his wife, subordinates, and their wives. ¡°Fufun, Krische is serving as Bery attendant today.¡± ¡°K-Krische-sama...¡± Bery cheeks turned red as if she was troubled, and she bowed her head apologetically. She appeared like a girl, looking much younger than her age would suggest. If it weren''t for the deep cleavage peeking out of her ck-indigo dress, the mannerisms and voice of a maturedy, she would look just like someone of Krische¡¯s age. The way she seemed embarrassed by the unfamiliar dress made her expression even more abundant than usual, and just by looking at her, it seemed as if this was her first party, which she had attended due to her parents'' circumstances. Her hair, which is usually tied around her shoulders, was stretched out and tied up, and she wore light make-up on her well-groomed beauty. She looked like a youngdy who was unustomed to banquets, and no matter where you looked, she was a beautiful girl that aroused one desire to protect her. Nozan, who had known her since her arrival in Christand, felt a distortion of time and space as he pictured in his mind the image of Bery dressing as a servant in his memory from nearly 20 years ago. Magic possessors were less likely to age past their physical prime. Northern was not an exception, and he understood that. However, her figure, which had stopped aging so early, had an indescribable bewitching charm. She should be around thirty now, and yet she looked even younger than Selene. Usually, her appearance as a servant kept her image as an adult, but that was not the case in her current appearance. At first nce, their impression was that of a youngdy and a servant. ¡°I-I see¡ However, you really look good in a dress. In fact, both Bogan-sama and Lazura-sama had been wanting to see Bery-sama in a dress. The two of them must be really happy right now." "Thank you...but please stop with the ¡®-sama¡¯, Margrave Verreich. I''m a servant..." Nozan had always called Bery that way. Lazura¡¯s little sister¨D¨Dhis master''s sister-inw. Nozan was nothing but polite when ites to Bogan, and the same goes for Bogan''s people. As for Bery, it was quite unsettling to her. She had somewhat gotten used to being called that by Anne and Elvena, but being called that by Nozan, who was clearly of a higher rank didn¡¯t feel right. "Um...Does Bery know anyone other than General Verreich and Woof Woof too?" ¡°Um..Woof Woof...is...?¡± She knew about Bald Eagle, Skeleton, and Nyan Nyan, but Krische doesn''t talk about the battlefield after returning to the mansion. If she did, it was usually with Selene. She also knew that there was a person called Woof Woof, but he had no idea who it was. "It''s me, Bery-sama." Hearing those words, Bery looked up at the huge man who had stepped forward as if he had given up, and was confused. She had met him several times, but she couldn''t connect the name Woof Woof to him. ¡°Cou-Count Varkas...¡± "Well, I got that nickname from Krische-sama during the civil war..." A man with a fierce look and a scar on his cheek. Woof Woof, the cry of dogs¨D¨Dtheplete opposite of its cute sound, he was a muscr warrior. The man scratched his cheek and looked down at Bery and nodded. "Indeed, as the General said. Bery-sama looks great in a dress. I would certainly really like Bery-sama to visit my ce..." ¡°No Woof Woof,, Bery will always be with...ah.¡± As ifing up with an idea, Krische pped her hands, grabbed Bery''s arm, and said, ¡®Bery-sama¡¯. Nozan and Grunmeld tilted their heads, and only Bery chuckled as if she understood it. It was her mimicking a servant, a call to end the greeting. Usually, Bery did this to Krische, but now Krische was ying the role of a servant. Of course, there was nothing natural in how she did it. "It''s time to head over there." Krische said in a whisper as she bowed to Grunmeld. The others finally seemed to understand, andughter echoed. "Geez, Krische-sama. It''s only as a costume, Krische-sama is the main character. Everyone took the time toe and talk with Krische-sama." ¡°Krische can¡¯t be Bery¡¯s attendant?¡± "Fufu, I appreciate it, but I''m fine with the thoughts alone. That consideration alone is enough to enjoy." She happily brought her face closer and stroked Krische cheek. As usual, the distance between the two was quite close. Even the wives, who are well versed in gossip, also knew the gossip about Alberinea and her servants. It was a fairly widespread rumor that Alberinea had no interest in gentlemen. Seeing this scene makes sense, and they looked at each other. The overall impression was that she was a child whose ability didn¡¯t match her appearance, but the intimate rtionship between the fairy-like princess and her servant. The somewhat aesthetic atmosphere was as if it was a painting, and they were convinced that it was inevitable that such rumors would spread. However, nowadays, the rumors were not entirely untrue. "Ehehe, then that''s fine. This one is Bald sses..." ¡°Bald sses...¡± Bery''s expression stiffened slightly as she looked over at him. The bald and bespectacled man, who seemed difficult to approach, also stiffened and bowed his head. His wife next to him burst intoughter, her head down and her shoulders shaking. "I¡¯m Sardan Linnea Garcalon. The other day, Krische-sama gave me that nickname..." "I-I see...that..." Bery asked with her eyes ¡®should I do something about it¡¯, Sardan shook his head as if giving up. ¡®Thank you for your concern¡¯, his eyes said. She had heard Seleneining about how she wanted to do something about that child''s nickname, but it was truly scary. It was just a mere verbal abuse. It was good to see that Eluga was happy with Skeleton, but it was hard to say anything considering that the number of victims would probably increase in the future. The greetings continued. Bery wondered why she, a servant, was receiving the greetings, but the atmosphere in the room had created such an atmosphere. The adorable creatures called Krische could not read the atmosphere, but she was good at creating such mysterious atmospheres. Meanwhile, Eluga and Kolkis also came, and Bery, along with Krische, suddenly found themselves in the center of the circle. This was probably because the purpose was to entertain Berry. Normally, the two of them would have already gone out to the balcony to eat, but for some reason, Krische was acting more enthusiastic and was standing in a position more appropriate to her position than usual. Alberinea was second only to the marshal, and it was only natural that she was in this circle as the queen''s little sister. ¨D¨DExcept for the fact that she is dressed like a servant, wearing an apron dress. "Hmm...When we gather together like this, General Verreich seems to be the only one left out." ¡®Ah, Krische forgot,¡¯ said Krische, looking up at the ceiling and tracing her lips with her index finger. The atmosphere of the ce suddenly bes stiff. "Oh, that''s true. I also thought it was pitiful that Verreich was the only one who didn''t have a nickname." "That''s right. Umm..." Kolkis seemed to be really enjoying himself. Laughing as if to say, ¡®Give me a terrible nickname¡¯, Nozan looked at Kolkis exasperated. "You look like you''re having fun, Meow Meow-kun." "Bastard¡¡" "I don''t care what you call me. It''s an honor to be given a nickname by Krische-sama." Smiling with his beautiful beauty, Nozan had a rxed attitude. Kolkis red at him, looking frustrated, but Nozan showed no concern. He looked calm and collected. He pretended that there was no point in worrying about what Krische did. However, Grunmeld knew that this man was very curious about his nickname, he looked down, his shoulder shaking. As expected, Nozan couldn''t ignore that, and red sideways at him. Bery, who felt the strange atmosphere, looked at Krische with a troubled expression. ¨D¨DIt''s an honor to be given a nickname by Krische-sama. The sound satisfied Krische¡¯s heart (Quite a little girl), and she looked at Nozan full of emotion. Starting with Bald Eagle, at first Krische wasn''t so confident in her nicknames. But everyone was unanimous in their praise of her nickname, calling it an honor. The joy of being recognized for one''s efforts was the same for Krische. She was especially pleased to receive praise in areas where shecked confidence and where she had been weak, and the umtion of such praise gave her great confidence. The only person that had ever been negative about it was Selene. Selene was probably the one who had no sense. Although she respects and loves Selene, she did not directly ridicule or deny it, but Krische was convinced that Selene was the one who was ¡®stupid¡¯ regarding this. ¡°¡Be quiet for a moment.¡± Krische said one word, and the people around them looked at each other and fell silent. The girl in the apron sped the fingers of her hands together, looked at Nozan in a prayerful gesture, then closed her eyes and looked down. The voices suddenly stopped, and those who were not connected to this mysterious circle also hushed their voices in the silence, looking at Krische and Bery from a distance, who were probably in the center of the circle. The orchestra that was ying the music looked at each other and stopped ying at themand of the conductor who sensed the atmosphere. From the tform, they could see the Queen''s little sister closing her eyes as if praying in the center of the circle. They thought this must be something important. At the very least, music didn''t suit the atmosphere of this ce¨D¨DSilence enveloped therge hall where the evening light filtered in. Selene and Crescenta, who were chatting happily, looked around at the situation, wondering what was going on when the sound suddenly stopped, and frowned when they saw Krische in the center of the room. ¨D¨DKrische was trying to do something weird again. Kreschenta was exasperated, and Selene excused herself, and quietly headed over there. It was a fantastical sight. The girl in the apron dress, like a saint praying to God, quietly closed her eyes in front of Nozan. It was as if she was about to give a solemn revtion. "...It''s decided." "..." Everyone gasped in nervousness. The voice that echoed through the hall was sweet in the silence, a beautiful voice like a bell. The people who did not know what they were talking about in this circle looked at each other and swallowed hard, wondering what it was that she had decided. "...Chirp Chirp" ¡°Ch-chirp...¡± "That''s right, from now on, it''ll be Chirp Chirp instead of General Verreich." A clear, bright voice. Krische smiled broadly and let her voice echo through the hall. ¡°Ehehe, it¡¯s amazing right, it¡¯s a good nickn¨D¨Dny!?¡± ¡°What are you doing so stupidly, you idiot?¡± Her step sister, Selene, pinched her loose cheek. Chapter 217: The Banquetâ€™s Flower Chapter 217: The Banquet¡¯s Flower ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 217 The Banquet¡¯s Flower*** ¡°I thought there was going to be some sort of happening.¡± Kaluaughed amusedly and put a piece of steak in her mouth. Wearing a crimson dress that she rented, she gracefully carries herself, her hair gathered and her face enhanced with makeup, making her look like some nobledy. The suddenly silent hall and the apron dress at the center. She thought Krische was going to start something, but it turned out it was just a naming ceremony. Kalua found it amusing. ¡°You...¡± It was this Kalua that started it all. Mia, dressed in a white dress that covered her thin chest with red roses, rubbed her temples and red at Kalua. "...Whose fault do you think it is?" ¡°Mia?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Dagra and his adjutant Mia were called from the ck g Special Force. Aleha was promoted to corpsmander, and Kalua was recognized for her military exploits in hunting the Suiko Generally, the people invited to the victory banquet were not many. Either they were ranked corpsmanders or above, or those who had achieved noteworthy achievement. Mia was in the state of being timid in avish banquet that even battalionmanders rarely invited to, but Kalua was acting as usual. "Well, let¡¯s don¡¯t mind the little things. It''s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so you have to enjoy it." ¡°You...¡± "...Well, it''s toote to say this now." Dagra said, exasperated by Kahlua''s words. Acting as a watchdog to the good-looking Kalua and Mia¨D¨DDagra also quietly sipped wine while being mindful of the ck and silver embroidered military uniform he was not used to wearing. When he was a centurion, he never had a chance to wear a military uniform, and the same thing went for after he became apanymander. Dagra, who usually wore leather armor, a deep blue shirt, and pants, felt somehow out of ce in this tight-fitting military uniform. "...Commander, it doesn''t suit you after all." "Shut up. I know." After he became apanymander, I bought at least one formal attire. His wife thought it looked nice and was very happy about it, but his child was quick to point out that it didn''t look good on him. He himself agreed. For example, formal attire like this suits Nozan and Aleha well, but military formal attire was basically one with elegant embroidery. There was no such thing as formal military attire that suits a fierce-looking person. A shaved head and a rugged face¨D¨Dhe wasn''t ugly by any means, and he could be called to have a manly face, but at the very least it didn''t look good in a military uniform. For most events, it''s okay to wear armor, but when ites to banquets, that was not the case, and Dagra feels indescribablyfortable. He had already greeted Selene, Krische, Dougleen, and Kolkis, and also had finished his conversation here. Although it was an honor to be invited, it still felt ufortable. Hoping to finish the party quickly, he took a sip of his drink and looked around the hall. ¡°By the way, Aleha Corps Commander?¡± ¡°Ah, just now he said he¡¯s going outside.¡± He moved to another country and rose through the ranks, this sounded good. But he had fought with his former countrymen and killed his own brother. He was somewhat absentminded. ¡°...He must have a lot on his mind.¡± ¡°So General Remin is in military uniform.¡± ¡°Y-yes...well." Alberinea, who said so, was in an apron dress. Although she was a woman, it was quite normal for Tekrea to wear a military uniform as she was a soldier. In fact, it was much more strange that Alberinea, who was second only to the Marshal, was dressed as a servant. Alberinea, who tilted her head curiously even though she didn¡¯t have any doubt about herself, was Alberinea through and through. "Dresses don''t suit me." She was tall for a woman. Her expression was grim, with wrinkles between her eyebrows. She was not bad looking. If she yed a male role in an opera, for example, she would look good. However, as expected, there was nothing about her that was pretty as a woman. "Hmm, so General Remin doesn''t like dresses too." Alberinea traced her lovely lips with her fingertips, looking to her side. It was a servant she had seen several times. Alberinea''s attendant¨D¨DShe only knew that her name was Bery. But in many ways, she was a famous servant. Not just her infatuation with the lovely Alberinea, but also due to the recent assassination incident, the visit of the ancient dragon, and her deep involvement in all these events. Alberinea had challenged the ancient dragon just to save this servant. At least, everyone who was there knew that. If one was a noble like Tekrea, you would know that she had killed 17 of the great nobles in retaliation. Ostensibly it was an audience¨D¨Dthe Queen had told them not to stir up unnecessary gossip and disturb the country, and now it was being forgotten from people''s hearts. Still, there were probably people like Tekrea who understood all the circumstances. Having the servant wear a dress, and standing next to her wearing an apron dress. With her left arm entwined in a pampering manner¨D¨Dsurely the truth to Alberinea was all there. She was neither proud nor boastful of her extraordinary feats on the battlefield. She was just a young girl. ¡®¨D¨DLet''s forget it¡¯, Tekrea quietly closed her eyes. No matter what, the war would have happened. And their victory would not have been possible without her. That was all there is to it. The "young" servant in the ck indigo dress¨D¨DBery was beautiful. Her embarrassed gestures and expressions, as if embarrassed by Alberinea''s gaze, were charming and lovely. Like Alberinea, Bery was slender and small, withrge eyes and ample breasts. She was close to Tekrea¡¯s ideal. Speaking of personal preference, she would have liked her to be a little taller, but perhaps it''s precisely because shecks that height that the mismatch looked good. The reason why she still found her attractive even though she was next to Alberinea, the crystal of beauty,pared to something perfect, an imperfect one felt more approachable. ¡°You don¡¯t like to dress too?¡± "...Yes, Duke Remin. I don''t have many opportunities to wear dresses..." Ambiguously, the red-haired servant smiled a little troubledly. She pulled her shawl back and her cheeks blushing lightly, the way she looked was indescribable. "...You look good in it. If you say you don''t like it, then I''m even less qualified to wear dresses." "Ehehe, that''s right. That dress suits Bery very well." "Th-thank you very much¡¡" Alberinea gleefully hooked her arm with Bery¡¯s. Bery was bing more and more embarrassed, and that charming gesture seemed to stir up her desire to protect her. Not only her appearance but also her personality. They must have been born differently. If Tekrea had been different¨D¨Dif her 5 shaku 7 sun tall body had been three sun smaller, for example things might have been a little different. Or if she had been the younger sister instead of the eldest daughter. She started her career in the martial arts early on, and it had been twenty years since she stopped wearing dresses. If she had worn a dress even once during that time, it might have been a little different. "That''s just how good it suits you. It''s better to enjoy morous things while you''re still young. Of course, considering your position as a servant, it might be difficult but..." ¡°Young...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°N-no, nothing. Thank you very much.¡± Bery bowed her head with a face that seemed to want to say something, and Tekrea tilted her head. ¡®Well, it¡¯s fine¡¯, she returned her gaze to Krische and saluted. ¡°I just wanted to greet and say thank you for the help on the battlefield. I apologize for taking up so much of your time on such an asion." After saying her greetings, she left the ce. Milcarz, the old adjutant who was silently waiting behind her, spoke. "Ojou-sama" ¡°...I told you to stop with the Ojou-sama right.¡± "No... if I remember correctly, Argan-sama is thirty this year. If she can be called young, then I think there¡¯s still time for Ojou-sama to wear dresses." Tekrea froze. The balcony is lit by a starry moon. He had always not been a big fan of such morous asions. Aleha, cooling off in the night breeze, absentmindedly gazes at the sky, sipping his wine. He was neither weak nor strong when it came to alcohol. He felt a little drunk, probably because he drank without eating much. ¡°Your Excellency¡± "...?" When he heard a voice and turned around, there was a woman in military uniform. He had seen her face briefly at the encampment. It was Tekrea Remin¨D¨Da central general. ¡°Not used to the Alberan feast?¡± ¡°Not, but...I''ve always been ufortable with such morous events.¡± His eyes were wet in spite of the darkness of the night. His footing was solid, but he was probably quite drunk. Even in the dim light, she could see that his cheeks were stained red. "What a strange coincidence, I''m the same way. Swinging a sword suits me better." ¡°That¡¯s surely a strange coincidence, it¡¯s the same for me.¡± Seeing her stirring her ss, he poured some wine from the wine bottle that was on the desk. She epted it, but she snatched the wine bottle from Aleha''s hand and held it to her mouth. Aleha smiled bitterly and emptied his sake cup. And he held it out to her. "I was curious about the general who was once themander in Elsren,ing to Alberan. I''ve heard of Aleha Sarchenka¡¯s martial prowess.¡± "...I''m honored. However, we suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the previous General Christand and Krische-sama. The prowess you heard about is not true." "Still, your skill in defeating General Carmeda in the east is something to be proud of. You should be careful, that unnecessary humility will end up making light of the person you defeated." Aleha lowered her head to apologize to her, and Tekrea smiled bitterly. "No, my bad. It''s my bad habit to speak too strongly...The four generals of Alberan, north, south, east and west, have always been the best generals, respected by all the warriors of Alberan. Now that you have defeated one of them, that''s something to be proud of." ¡®Of course, it was not something that could be talked about openly here¡¯, Tekrea continued. "The opponent''s I lost to were the hero Christand and the current Alberinea, opponents I would never be ashamed of. ...When I saw this battle, I thought ¡®From now on, there will be no one who can defeat them¡¯." "That''s true. We fought together in three battles but..." Aleha narrowed his eyes. ¡°The strategy seems unconventional but it¡¯s straightforward¡ª¡ªa kind of orthodox method. However, that person can create new perspectives and techniques. As long as Krische-sama exists, no country or sage will be able to catch up with him. ¡It¡¯s like the moon that can be seen up close.¡± He reached out his hand to look at the chipped moon andughed. The more he stretched out his hand, the more the outline of the moon reflected in the distance. All countries would be trying to find out the secret behind Alberan''s great victory. But even if they caught it, there it was, the shadow of the moon in the distance. "My current goal is to see how close I can get to that goal with my future training. A few years ago, I was just hoping for a career advancement, but now I''ve found something more." "¡Hoo." Tekrea asked, leaning her back against the railing. "Alberinea is like that...I don''t want to pour cold water on you." Ahead of the wine in her hand¡ª¡ªAlberinea in an apron dress walking down the hall. And next to her was a beautiful servant wearing a dress that made her look young and pretty. Alberinea looked much happier and more joyful than she had on the battlefield. "If you don''t mind, I would like to hear from you about the battle of Alberinea. Half the reason I took an interest in your excellency is because of that, and the other half is over there." "Of course. Actually, I was a little nervous, wondering why a general would call out to me." "You¡¯re saying you''re under suspicion?" "It''s only natural. However, I''m relieved to know you''re like-minded." Aleha held out a sake cup, and Tekrea lightly tapped it with hers, just enough to touch it. "I guess that''s what warriors like. I''m sorry for being a woman who doesn''t even wear dresses, but I''d appreciate it if you could hang out with me for a little while." ¡°Haha, being a beautiful woman who can wear a military uniform is a greater honor than being a pretty flower.¡± Tekrea stiffened slightly, and Aleha tilted his head slightly. "...?" "...No, there were just some insects." Tekrea pped her own cheek and averted her gaze. Though suspicious, Aleha decided not to worry about it and opened his mouth. "Let''s start with the battle of Gulshan..." The banquet continued in splendor for a while. Their conversation continued throughout the entire time, and Milcarz, Tekrea¡¯s adjutant, who watched from the hall, was said, with handkerchief in his hands, wiping away his tears. Chapter 218: Facilities Chapter 218: Facilities ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 218 Facilities*** A year has passed since the War of the Five Great Powers¨D¨Din that time, three facilities have been built in the royal capital. Alberan Magic Research Institute, Albeneria Military Academy, and Albeneria Arsenal. The Magical Research Institute focused on coborative research of magical crystals, with individual research being the mainponent. The Albeneria Military Academy provided guidance on tactics, strategy, and leadership from retired military personnel. The Albeneria Workshop primarily focused on mass-producing magical machines with Alberinea¡¯s form. While there were simr things to those at that time, none were as clearly defined as these. Krische Christand was the director of the Alberan Institute of Magic and the head of the Albeneria Arsenal, and the Albeneria Military School, first director was Assistant Marshal Eluga Faren. "...So, from now on, let''s all get along with the research. Krische''ve already read the documents that were sent. Now, as a form of self-introduction, Krische''ll request presentations on individual research topics here." There were "mysteriously" several vacant estates in the first-ss city of the royal capital. These were the residences of deceased great noble families, victims of assassination. The Magic Research Institute was built by majorly renovating one of the mansions, and the surrounding area was heavily guarded. Especially today, as Queen Kreschenta wasing to inspect the opening of the facility, everyone was tense. And there was a different sense of tension among the magician sitting in front of the long desk. On the stage, there was Alberinea, who had silver hair that could be described as a young girl, wearing a ck cloak and dress¨D¨Dand Her Majesty the Queen, who had gold hair that sparkled red and a white dress that could be said to be a color variation of that. They couldn¡¯t hide their surprise at the appearance of the top of this great country and its equivalent. Most who researched magic were basically the second and third sons of nobles, those who were away from military affairs and politics and shut themselves in theirboratories, and who were ignorant of the world. Many people saw the faces of the Queen and Alberinea for the first time, and many wondered if these girls could really understand their advanced research. "Hmm, right. Well, then let¡¯s start with someone named Ramil. Krische couldn''t quite understand what was written in the document you sent me." ¡°Y-yes.¡± A thin, aged man with sses who had studied magical crystals for thirty years, stood up in a hurry. Participants were informed in advance that their research would be shared and that they would be rewarded for sharing their research results, and they agreed to do so. However, they still doubted whether the two could really give a fair evaluation. Alberinea was said to have created a weapon using a magic crystal during thest war. However, no matter how one looked at her, she was still a child. Their suspicions were strengthened by her statement that she could not understand the contents of the document. It would be good if other magicians were to know their abilities and the quality of their research¨D¨Dat the very least, the "research presentation" here would no doubt lead to a power rtionshipter on. Even if those two could not understand it, they would surely be able to understand it to some extent by seeing the reaction of other magicians. It''s not like they did this begrudgingly anyway. ¡°I am Till Ramil. The main purpose of my research is to metamorphose magic crystals¨D¨Dto change them from their stone form into any desired shape.¡± ¡°...metamorphosis" "Yes. Excuse me for a moment." Till took out a magic crystal slightly smaller than his fist from his bag. Transparent blue¨D¨Dit was a highly pure crystal. The form had been engraved in advance. He had spent several decades researching magic crystals. Although he was a little nervous, he would never make a mistake. Till quietly breathed in and inserted his magic power into the magic crystal. The change was immediate¨D¨Dthe stone-like crystal swells, glows, and transforms into a blue rod as thick as an index finger. ¡®Ohh¡¯, murmurs of admiration filled the surroundings. At that moment, Til couldn''t help but smile inwardly. Transmutation of magic crystals¨D¨DResearch on this subject had been written down in books, but there was no mention of anyone who sessfully did it. At least in this field, Till as a magician was a researcher at the cutting edge. Some of the magicians had a frustrated look on their faces, they were probably conducting simr research. Convinced that he had made the first move, he continued. "Currently, it is limited to simple shapes, but as research progresses, it will be possible to change shapes in a wider variety of ways. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including decoration." "Oh... that''s an interesting idea. It could also be used for Jaragasha." Saying this, Krische called out Elvena to the ck-haired servant who was waiting behind the queen and beckoned her. Elvena seemed to understand her intentions and handed a magic crystal from a basket she held. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¨D¨DWhat is she going to do? Both Till and the magicians had doubts, but Krische ignored them and poured magical power into the magic crystal. Most magicians have doubts. Only a handful of magicians, including Till, understood what it meant. She was inserting pouring magic power. What danced inside the magic crystal were countless lines. ¨D¨DShe was engraving a magic form on the magic crystal. "Something like this" And in the next moment, the magic crystal changed into a thread and danced on her finger. ¡°...Huh?¡± Till thirty years of research, the results were left far behind. Involuntarily, Till makes a stupid sound, his eyes widen, and his mouth hangs open as he freezes. The threads seemed to be alive, drawing various shapes, dancing around Krische and Kreschenta. Two or three branches split in the middle. The magic crystal thread changed its body freely, as if forgetting its hardness. Krische then created a small magic crystal knife, ced it on the desk on the podium, and smiled. ¡°Kreschenta, Krische think it¡¯s a very good idea. It looks like it could be used for Jaragasha right away.¡± "That''s right. Ramil-sama, I will give you a reward for your individual research resultster. Though unfortunately, it will not be a target for future joint research...¡± Looking a little troubled. The beautiful young queen traced her lips with her fingertips as she picked up her small magic crystal knife and looked at the magic form engraved on it with her violet eyes. Till, who was standing stiffly, couldn''t believe what had happened in front of him, rubbed the corner of his eyes and stared at the small knife that Kreschenta was looking at. The culmination of Till''s research waspleted in just the time it took to blink twice. "H-ha. Ah, thank you for your graciousness..." He lowered his head. Trembling. The dimension was too different. Till didn¡¯t think of himself as inferior to others. Rather, he thought he was a magician with an extremely brilliant mind. It was uncertain if people like him would be able to perfect it over the next few decades. Yet the girl in front of himpleted it with just one look. The girl in front of him was something that could not even be described in words such as genius. "As you can see Onee-sama is like. Don''t get too discouraged and take it easy. It''s not that you''re ipetent, your research and ideas are wonderful." ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°In this ce, we value ideas above all else. The others too please don¡¯t be afraid... We will proceed to divide into groups for researchter, but for now, let''s finish this. If you are researching two or three things, it would be helpful if you could let us know all about them. Of course, we will evaluate what needs to be evaluated and take it into consideration when forming groups.¡± As Kreschenta said, what they were looking for was ideas. As long as they had ideas, Krische and Kreschenta could handle the rest. What Krische and Kreschentacked was creativity and time. As was the case with Bery''s tongue, for example, things that would take time even for Krische and Kreschenta, and things that had a low priority, they would have the magician do them. That is the purpose of the Institute of Magic Research, and they did not expect anything else from them. A presentation for Krische, and research processing like administrative processing. The 30 or so magicians present here were ¡®tools¡¯ gathered for that purpose. The research institute was not a research facility for magicians. It was for Krische, through and through. It would be something like giving a fountain pen Krische instead of a quill pen. ¡°Onee-sama, if there is no one else you would like to hear particrly, shall we start from the beginning.¡± "Right, that way would be better" ¨D¨DAlberan''s leap starts from here. Kreschenta smiled happily. After leaving the institute, they were on their way to meet up with Selene. Inside the carriage sitting on Krische¡¯sp, Kreschenta asked cheerfully, ¡°Onee-sama, what about the factory?¡± The small Kreschenta was now 14. Her body had grown considerably, and her height was not that different from Krische¡¯s, but her fixed position was still there. Elvena was used to it, and she no longer cared about the state of the two of them, as she opened a book about magic crystals in the swaying carriage. ¡°As Krische said before, there was a bit of a shortage of iron, so we need to wait until that is resolved.¡± Krische said troubledly. The Albeneria Arsenal was built in the western part of the royal capital, close to the cksmith district. The arsenal, which housed the storage of Jarea Geshaa and Baumje-Ira, workshops for the craft squad, and workshops for cksmiths, had numerous pulleys attached, and the interior was covered with countless tracks for trolley rails. Compared to before, work efficiency had improved dramatically, and there were already over 100 Jaleia Gashea. The facility, with an expansion in mind, had taken arge site, eventually able to store thousands of Jarea Geshea, but there was one problem. The pace of iron production could not keep up with the production of Jarea Geshea. Alberan has abundant ore resources, and there was no major problem with the number of iron ore itself, but the problem was the iron-making process that removes impurities from the ore and converts it into iron. Charcoal and iron ore were thrown into a furnace made of bricks covered with y, and air was pumped in from the outside to make the furnace burn well and reach a high temperature. ¡°The alchemy book had some exnations of how it works, but it doesn¡¯t have a clear principle¡it seems like it hasn¡¯t been properly researched yet.¡± Although it was written that charcoal could make iron hard or soft, it did not exin how such changes actually urred. If you understand the logic, you will be able to improve efficiency. However, it was not easy to find out the logic. ¡°Shall we invite a steel worker?¡± "Hmm, that''s right. Maybe if they do it in front of Krische, Krische''ll learn something." There was also what could be called a small cksmith shop in Kalka, where Krische lived, but it wasn''t like they made anything from the raw material iron ore. Naturally, she had no recollection of ever having seen a cksmith at work, let alone visiting the site of iron manufacturing, and above all, Krische was ignorant. There were books with detailed diagrams, but diagrams were only diagrams. To begin with Krischecked the abstract imagination, and the knowledge she could gain from such books would be extremely difficult for her to understand. ¡°Nagal said that we should take another look at Jaragasha¡¯s armor, so Krische thinks that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do for a while. It¡¯s not like humans are the ones who will be wearing it, we might be able to reduce iron consumption a little more.¡± The armor of Jarea Gashea was crude to begin with. However, there was an excessive focus on imitating human armor. The torso could be slimmer, and some important areas could be revised. Some of the armor, including the arms and legs, may be better made of leather. ¡°There are a lot of things to do there too huh¡¡± As she was thinking about this, Kreschenta looked at Krische with a happy smile on her face. Changing her posture as she straddled Krische¡¯s thigh and tilted her head, she pressed her soft cherry-colored lips against Krische¡¯s. "¡¡What''s wrong?" "Nothing, I''m just d that Onee-sama is thinking about various things." Elvena caught it out of the corner of her eye while reading her book, but she didn''t react except for a slight blush on her cheeks. Aesthetic and somewhat decadent, the Christand family was a world cut off from the outside world. It would be impossible to be a servant of Christand if she was surprised by each and every sense of difort that urred. ¡°Compared to before, we work together a lot more now.¡± "Hmm...It was busyst year and the year before that. Bery said that it''s important to have some free time at work, so this is probably what she meant." "...The only thing I don''t like about Onee-sama right now is that when Onee-sama opens her mouth, Argan-sama''s namees out." Kreschenta squinted her eyes in dissatisfaction, and Krische said troubledly. ¡°¡What Krische doesn¡¯t like about Kreschenta is that she¡¯s not honest.¡± ¡°I am honest with Onee-sama.¡± ¡°Krische would like for Kreschenta to be honest with Bery to Krische pinched Kreschenta''s soft cheeks with both of her hands and yed with them. ¡®Please stop it¡¯ Kreschenta said, grabbing Krische¡¯s hand and sighing. ¡°Anyway, Gertz Wiring¨D¨DSelene-sama is quite enthusiastic about it, isn''t she?¡± Kreschenta deftly turned. She leaned against Krische, her delicate shoulders supporting her head, appearingx. One of the generals who sided with the Royal Prince during the civil war¨D¨Da man who surrendered to the Krische in Dragon''s Maw. Selene had visited him several times and had repeatedly asked him to work as an instructor at the military school, but had been turned down, but there had been a change of mind yesterday. It seems that he told Selene that he wanted to meet Alberinea and then decide what to do next. ¡°Hmm...it seems like the main reason is that she wants a teacher who knows actualbat. Besides, being strong and being good at teaching are twopletely different things...Even Kreschenta is bad at teaching things to others, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m bad at it, it¡¯s that I don¡¯t like having to exin things over and over again to idiots.¡± As if wanting to convey that she''s different from her sister, Kreschenta, with her head resting on Krische, pouted her soft pink lips. Krische smiled and replied, "That''s right." ¡°It would be great if everyone was as smart as Skeleton, but in reality that''s not the case...The purpose of military academies is to turn stupid people into a bit stupid people.'''' Raising the lowest level. That was the primary purpose of military school. This program aims to raise the level of military understanding amongmanders by educating and sharing general militarymon sense that everyone can understand from experience. As her older sister, Krische held up her finger as if teaching a child. ¡°For example, Krische can exin to people who can understand it, but Krische is not good at making people who don''t understand understand. However, in military school, it is important to make people who cannot understand understand, so considering the purpose, Krische is not suited to it... In fact, the person who bes the teacher should be someone who is a bit stupid... hmm? Well, what Krische wants to say is..." "...I understand what Onee-sama wants to say, so there''s no need to force yourself to say anything more." The only person who can make an idiot who can''t understand something is someone who used to be an idiot who can''t understand it. That''s probably what she wanted to say. It was not that she could exin to those who can understand, but that she exined it to those who can understand her. Although she is an outstanding older sister in many ways, her conversation skills are at a very low level¨D¨DKreschenta had no expectations of her in this respect. Kreschenta looked at her sister exasperated and ended the conversation by saying, ¡®well whatever¡¯, and she stretched out slightly. At the same time, the carriage stopped. They had arrived at the meeting ce. It was the second building of the military school, located next to the training grounds outside the royal capital. "I guess Selene-sama''s role is in that kind of inefficient ce. She likes things that are troublesome." When Crescenta said so, "...I can hear you, Kreschenta." The door of the carriage opened with a voice, and a golden-haired person entered. Selene looked really unhappy and pulled on Kreschenta¡¯s cheek. Chapter 219: Marshal Chapter 219: Marshal ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 219 Marshal*** The Wiring family was not a famous family, but it was a noble family with a history of about 200 years. Five generations ago, Ordo-Willing was given a mansion in a first-ss city and the position of margrave for his efforts in defeating an enemy general on the battlefield, however, three generations ago, due to a failure, the family was demoted to the rank of baron. It could be said that they were a typical noble family that has gone through repeated ups and downs. The previous generation was given the title of earl, and his eldest son, Gertz Wiring, started his career as a centurion. In the Kingdom''s Central Army, where promotions and cements were often based on connections, his work has been solid and stable since he was young, and he achieved sess in battle without making any major mistakes, and was promoted smoothly. Upon the death of the previous generation, he was given the title earl, and then Gildanstein rmended him to be Central General, and ordingly he was given the position of margrave. On a scale of fine to excellent, he could be called fine. He''s not great, but he''s not bad either; he''s a general who meets a certain standard. He was strict with himself and others and was not well received by his subordinates, but he managed his territory well¨D¨Dthere was no major development, but the people seemed to like him. Those were the only special notes worth mentioning, and the rough information that Kreschenta understood. His punishment for siding with Gildanstein in the civil war was forfeiture of his title of margrave. Stripped of general rank. Originally, execution would be the appropriate punishment for high treason, but such a mediocre person was by no means worthless. This was because many of the people who supported the country were people like him, neither good nor bad. Jobs that require remarkable talents were few. Most were jobs that could be done by human resources that could be found anywhere, and it was better to have an abundance of such people in order to eliminate the waste of having Krische train new recruits. So that the highly capable people did not have to shoulder the burden of work that anyone can do. It was for this reason that Kreschenta gave such soft punishment to someone like them. However, Gertz was also just a person who could be used for something if there were no problems. Kreschenta thought his value wasn¡¯t worth it for Selene, the marshal, who went out of her way to visit him many times and granted his demand to meet Krische, that is Alberinea, and the evaluation that this was inefficient and troublesome stemmed from there. If it was not because she had a lot of time and was able to hold Krische as part of the work as the merit, Kreschenta would have been openly reluctant to do it. "It''s not like I like troublesome things either, good god. I guess your w is that you underestimate the rtionships between people." Selene sighed as she faced Kreschenta¡ª¡ªsitting beside Elvena. Her golden hair, tied back, hung loosely in front of her chest. From head to toe, her graceful appearance had a loose sloppiness to it. Her beauty as a fully grown youngdy had been polished, but her naturally rough temperament could be seen peeking through. However, perhaps that was also part of her charm. Her ck and gold military uniform, her serious and unapproachable atmosphere¡ª¡ªsuch aspects were bnced by that sloppiness, adding a touch of vividness to her slightly sulking expression.. ¡°People can''t get along just based on profit and loss. If amon interest is lost, such a rtionship will quickly fall apart, just like a business transaction involving a piece of paper.'''' Selene continued with ¡®You¡¯re free anyway, don¡¯tin about it¡¯, and Kreschenta pouted her lips "I only do work that would take you a week to do, in half a day. It''s not that I''m free, it''s just that I have time because I''m smart and efficient." "That''s right. Since you''re smart and good at dealing things, you''re free and stick to Krische, right? If that''s the case, then that''s fine. Both in the mansion and outside you do things together anyway." Kreschenta was getting more and more dissatisfied. She puffed out her cheeks, and Krische asked Selene from behind, pressing Kreschenta cheeks with both hands. ¡°Hmm, but Krische doesn¡¯t know what would be good to talk about...¡± "Just greet him and sit down normally. It doesn''t seem like he wants to vent his grudge against you, he''s a serious soldier after all." "Hodefuwane. Fuhanhoohigaihiban...please let me go." Kreschenta grabbed both of her sister''s hands that were ying with her cheeks and put them around her waist. Then she leaned against Krische¡¯s body, and bent back, rubbing her cheek against her sister''s cheek. When Krische tickled her chin with her fingertips, she narrowed her eyes in happiness. "...You look like a dog that is poorly trained." "...I¡¯m not a dog." Kreschenta red at Selene. The way she was being pampered was exactly how an animal being pampered would look like. Smiling wryly at such Kreschenta, Selene yawned lightly. The peace was right here. Gertz was currently living in a small house that couldn¡¯t be called an estate, not in a first-ss city, but in a castle town. Inside the outer wall of the royal capital. It was not cheap, but it was not expensive either. A small two-story building suitable for a slightly skilled craftsman. He sold his mansion after the civil war and did not have a single servant. The amount of space was probably good enough for living alone. The inside of the room was well-maintained, with military-rted manuscripts neatly lined up on the shelves. Kirik and the others, who were apanying them as bodyguards, split up between the main street and the alley to keep an eye on the surrounding area, and after the safety of the surrounding area was ensured, the four of them went inside. An elegant sword and scabbard pointing downward, the sun and crescent moon illuminating it. The gs and decorations indicating that the carriage belonged to the royal family, the people around were looking at the carriage, surprised at what was happening, and there was a murmur. It was quite unusual for the Queen to visit a house in the castle town. Even like this, as the Queen''s escort, it was a modest one¨D¨Dit was inevitable that it would be a little ostentatious. ¡°¡To think even Her Majesty the Queen woulde too.¡± Compared to before, his body was a little thinner. Although he was old, right now he looked noticeably older "Selene-sama seemed to be very concerned about you. So I stopped by while I was running some errands." Kreschenta said as she yed with her long hair with her fingertips and looked down at the kneeling Gertz. "There''s no need for formality. Please don''t worry about me. The main guest is Onee-sama, and I''m just a bystander. You can just pretend that I''m not here. ...Could you please prepare some tea for me?" Turning her gaze to Elvena, Elvena nodded and took out the pot and tea utensils from her hand basket. Even in a carriage, it was always prepared so that she could drink tea anytime, and it was also convenient for times like this. "Thank you¡±, Gertz stood up and presented chaira. A simple desk and wooden chair¨D¨Dno money was probably spent on the furniture either. She didn''t like cheap chairs because they hurt her butt, but Kreschenta kept herints to herself. Selene was on Gertz''s right, and opposite Gertz was Krische and Kreschenta. The splendor of the three people was a sight that did not suit this single house. Elvena was brewing tea and watching from the side. "It''s been a long time, Wiring-san. Uhh... Krische is d you''re doing well." ¡°...Yes¡± Just like when she used the soldiers'' lives as a threat to force Gertz to surrender. "Krische heard from Selene that you wanted to talk to Krische..." There was no feeling of guilt or pity. As if meeting an acquaintance from some party in the past. Two people facing each other with swords on the battlefield¨D¨Dnot a hint of that atmosphere could be felt. "Indeed. Right, first of all, congrattions on your tremendous feat in this great war. Even though we fought each other once, Alberinea''s aplishments were thrilling to me as a warrior. ¡± "Haa...thank you...?" She replied while tilting her head, and Gertz asked her while looking at her intently. "If you don''t mind, I''d like to hear your story from that battlefield." ¡°A story about the battlefield¡?¡± "yes" Krische looked at Selene in confusion. Selene nodded silently. She understood most of Gertz''s intentions. "Hmm...Krische thinks there are various stories about the battlefield, but are you talking about tactics and strategy?" "Yes. Including the progress of the battle." Krische once again looked at Selene again with an obviously hateful look on her face. Generally, when a General goes to war, they leave records of the battlefield. Basically, when a general goes to war, he leaves records of the battlefield. Naturally, Krische also left that, but what resulted was Selene''s angry outburst. The overly simple Krische¡¯s report was not bad, but it was a record that would go down in the history of using Jarea Gashea on the battlefield. There was no doubt that it would be an important historical document in the future, and it took three full days to record the three battles. In the end, Selene wrote it down while asking questions to Krische, but Krische was tired of having to exin the battlefield story endlessly. It was something she didn''t want to talk about again if possible. Selene nodded as expected, prompting Krishe with her gaze. ¡®Uuu¡¯, Krische groaned, already regretting visiting here. "U-um... then, starting from the battle with Gulshan..." "¡¡thank you" At the very least, Gertz was an excellent listener. Questions about tactics and strategy¨D¨Drather, the questions were often about why Krische made the choices and decisions she made. Probably because he had heard about detailed numbers and war trends from before, which she had exined to Selene to the point that she hated it. It was something that Selene and Kreschenta already knew. Gertz listened without saying anything in particr, just seriously. Elvena''s face turned slightly pale as she heard about the horrific battlefield for the first time. Krische remembered every number, and every human face. Jarea Gashea Unit 1 killed a total of 384 people, Unit 2 303 people, Unit 3 453 people¨D¨DWhat did the 78th man that Krische killed this time look like? When he asked her a question, she answered it inly and with ease. She had no pity for the soldiers she had killed, nor was she proud of her aplishments. This part as expected, but there were improvements that could have been made in this part, and if they had done this damage could have been reduced a little more. It would probably have shortened the battle time. All that came out was dissatisfaction with the results. After finishing talking, Krische took a sip of tea, and Gertz did the same. Then he pauses, as if thinking for a moment, and looks up. "...It''s like listening to the results of a military chess exercise." ¡°military chess exercise¡well, guess it¡¯s something simr?¡± Tactical game on the top of a board. Krische¡¯s exnation was simr to that. Use pieces as numbers, then look at the results and consider them. There were no emotions there. It was just a result of seeking efficiency. "...It would be great if wars could be decided through military chess exercises." ¡°¡That won¡¯t be possible huh.¡± For the first time, Gertz felt something slightly softe to his lips. "That''s probably the difference between me and you... no, you and everyone else. Or perhaps Her Majesty." And he said that. Kreschenta reacted with a start and looked at Gertz. ¡°The reason I served His Highness the Royal Prince was out of obligation to the person who rmended me as a general¨D¨Dbut after I served for some reason, I thought there was some truth to his words. After we were defeated, I believed it out of hatred, but guess that¡¯s just one side of it." People only see what they want, Goertz continued. ¡°Forgive my rudeness but, I still don''t know which side was right. Both His Royal Highness and Her Majesty had their reason. Therefore, I said that I will give up my position as a noble." Gertz offered to do so after the war. Kreschenta putting it on hold was also influenced by Serene''s hopes. ¡°......If we speak in terms of results, this Alberan made by Her Majesty the Queen is a better country, full of light, than the Alberan made by His Majesty. Nevertheless,...... ah, I am at a loss for words." Gertz smiled bitterly and looked at Krische and Kreschenta "...Now, where is this country headed?" Krische also turned her gaze to Kreschenta. This question was clearly Kreschenta''s domain. Kreschenta thought for a moment, tracing her lips with her fingertips. ¡°I could give you nice-sounding words like I want the people to live happily, but¡ right¡± Kreschenta looked at her sister and took her hand. ¡°If I, Onee-sama, and Selene-sama had to choose the word that we all agree on...the safest and most secure (¡®rx¡¯) country in the world.¡± ¡°Secure...¡± "Yes, that''s all. Build an elementary school, an arsenal, a research institute, and a military school... all for the sake of stability for the next few decades or centuries. If the bottom is prosper and stable, the top will naturally be safe as well. Isn''t this simple and easy to understand? ¡± The charming princess''s mask was removed, revealing the face of a queen who found it bothersome Her butt was sore from the hard wooden chair, and the long conversation they had just had pushed her to her limit. "Neither my sister nor I like pointless work. Apart from that, with no other aspirations, we have only one destination in mind¡ and the conversation here is whether you will cooperate for the sake of that future or not¡ª¡ªthat''s all." Gertz seemed a little taken aback. Kreschenta remained as she was and looked at Selene, telling her to do something about it. Selene said while looking back at her exasperated. ¡°...Both Her Majesty the Queen and Krische are like this. Is this enough?¡± "Yes¡ enough." "In a rtionship where swords were crossed, grievances are only mutual, I believe. I can''t forget about Otou-sama, and I''m sure you have simr circumstances." she said, lowering her gaze to the surface of the cup and closing her eyes. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you there, I¡¯m sure your father would still be alive.¡± He was not as terrifying as Gildanstein. However, it was this old general whoid the foundation for Gildanstein to move freely. Gorgeousness was not the only value of a general. The reason why she couldn''t break through until Krische came was there. ¡°Otou-sama said that you were a very solid general.¡ I have a feeling that you will continue to do nothing and fade away as you get older.¡± Gertz''s eyes widened slightly as if he was surprised. Then, as if confirming his words, he lowered his eyes. "...The civil war is over. Winter and storms have passed, and I think it''s about time to sow the seeds." Selene said standing up. ¡°This is the end, I won¡¯t being here anymore.¡± "¡¡Yes" Gertz looked up and saw her elegant golden hair swaying in his eyes. "I''m looking forward to hearing from you. Preferably, as Instructor Wiring of the military school." There was a young marshal with a soft smile on her face. Chapter 220: Years and Month Chapter 220: Years and Month ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 220 Years and Month*** Her long ck hair was tied back and she had a gentle face reminiscent of histe wife. ¡®Look, Krische, it¡¯s my dad. From your perspective, he¡¯s your Ojii-sama.'''' His daughter¨D¨DGrace said that happily, taking the little girl with her. She was a girl that Gorka had apparently picked up about a month ago. She had long silver hair and a body no bigger than Gallen''s waist. Her very well-groomed features were something you wouldn¡¯t often see on the streets. What made her unique were her purple eyes that stared up at him. ¡®...This child is¡¯ ¡®Ah, when father left for town¡¡¯ He had gone to see her former subordinate, Bogan, while Gallen was staying there for about a month. On the way back to the vige with a merchant wagon, he heard the outline. He had heard that she was a beautiful child who seemed to be an abandoned child of a noble, and when he saw her appearance for the first time, he nodded at that. She seemed to be observing him as she grabbed Grace''s sleeve and hid behind her body. She must be three or four years old, simr to Selene who was over there. However, her atmosphere was serene and ephemeral, as if it were something artificial, and her skin was as white as snow, perhaps because it hadn''t been exposed to the sun. She was a girl who didn¡¯t fit with the vige. ¡°...So you even gave her a name?¡± ¡°Yes. ...Otou-san, I''m telling you but no matter what you say, I won''t give in. ¡° Grace held Krische protectively and red at Gallen. Krische¡¯s gaze darted back and forth between Grace and Gallen. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything. You and Gorka must have discussed it as a couple and decided. In that case, I have no right to interfere. ...and you, you¡¯re stubborn person, it¡¯s not like you will listen to me.'''' Grace grew up to be a good daughter, but she was not blessed with children. When she finally conceived, the baby passed away, but now she looked like a mother and she seemed to have regained some of her cheerfulness. It was obvious that the reason he allowed her to raise an unusual child was not out of pity for the child, but simply for that reason. He bent down in front of the girl and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Gallen. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°......¡± The girl named Krische stared at him without saying anything. But, she didn¡¯t seem scared either. It was as if she was observing the person named Gallen, and it had a somewhat inorganic color to it. Did she not know thenguage? ¡®Krische, say hello. I told you, right? When you first meet someone, say nice to meet you.¡¯ However that didn''t seem to be the case, as the girl looked up at Grace and nodded, before she returned her gaze to Gallen and bowed her head. ¡°¡¡nice to meet you.¡± A voice like ringing bells. When Grace stroked her head and said, ¡°That''s right, good girl,¡± the girl''s mouth suddenly loosened and a quiet smile appeared. She was as beautiful as the fairies in fairy tales, and her small emotions colored her expression. ¡°...She''s a good kid.'''' Gallen too reached out his hand. Krische stared at the behavior of his hand. When she stroked her on the head, she quietly narrowed her purple eyes. ¡°¨D¨DEhehe, Selene saw the spider on her shoulder and freaked out and kept on freaking out until Krische caught it." "I see. Well, there are many people who hate spiders. I was bitten by spiders when I was a child, so I still don''t like them." "...Ojii-sama, is there anything you''re not good at?" "Of course there is. I''m just pretending like I''m fine." Gallen smiled bitterly and patted Krische on the head. The two of them were walking outside the royal capital¨D¨Da military training ground. Tents were pitched here and there, training for setting up and dismantling camps was being conducted, and soldiers were busy running around. "Ojii-sama...hmm, Bery, Anne, and the others don''t seem to like crawly things." "I''m the same, I don''t like spiders and centipedes." ¡°Is that how it is?¡± Krische put a finger to her lips and tilted her head. "Well, I''m exaggerating, but for example...you wouldn''t want to eat in a room with lots of spiders and centipedes roaming around, right?" She heard his eyes a little at those words, and her eyebrows furrowed as if she had imagined it. "...Krische, might not like that." "It''s a matter of the amount and situation. Selene would be fine if she saw a spider in the forest, but she can''t stand having a spider on her shoulder in her room. You''re probably fine with one or two spiders. But if ites in many numbers then you would hate it...It''s a matter of standards that can be tolerated.¡± ¡®Hmm, hmm¡¯ Krische nodded in admiration and smiled with some kind of happiness. ¡°Then, Krische might also be a bit afraid of spiders.¡± ¡°Are you happy?¡± "Ehehe, Krische is the same with Selene and Ojii-sama." Krische hugged Gallen''s arm and rxed her cheeks. Garen gave a wry smile as if he was troubled. ¨D¨DThis morning''s dream reminded him of Krische from when they met the first time. Compared to those days, even when she was in the vige, Krische was much brighter now. No, it wasn''t like it was originally dark. Gorka, Grace, G and Gallen. Krische had a lot of expressions when interacting with some people, and at times she was yful befitting her age. The number of people she allowed so had, and her world has expanded. It''s been a few years since they came to Christand, and since then Krische have grown and be brighter. They were involved in a lot of things, including the civil war and thest war, so it wasn''t all smooth sailing. Still, it was probably a good change for her. He could only be grateful to Selene, Bery, and the many people who watched over her. At the very least, it was thanks to these people that this granddaughter, who could not be called normal, was able to smile so happily. "Hmm, it¡¯s Aleha and General Remin." "ah¡¡" On the way to the ck g Special Forces training ground in a small forest, they heard the sound of a sword sh. A beautiful young man with brown-gold hair and a beautiful woman with golden hair, who was quite tall for a woman, were sparring with practice swords. Tekrea didn''t notice them, but Aleha, who seemed to be teaching her how to use the sword, noticed first, lowered his sword, and saluted. ¡°Krische-sama, Gallen-sama.¡± "Hello. General Remin too." "H-ha! My apologies, showing you two something this unsightly..." Tekrea also noticed immediately and saluted by cing her hand on her left chest. She must have been training for a long time, and she was sweating a little. Krische looked around and tilted her head in response. "...Why are you two training in a ce like this?" "If we do it outside, the number of spectators will increase, so since it''s a private training session, we prefer a ce with fewer people." "Ha, I asked for it, Krische-sama. The sight of someone who could be considered a general being taught how to use a sword will affect morale." "I see¡¡" Krische nodded as if she understood, and Gallen looked at the two of them and smiled bitterly. It''s abination he had seen a lottely. "Ehehe, practice is a good thing. General Remin Aleha loves sparring so he often traps Krische, so please hang out with him a lot." ¡°Y-yes...¡± Krische was in a good mood¨D¨Dshe thought the number of times she was asked to spar had decreased considerably recently, but I see, this was probably the reason, Krische thought. When she thought about it. ¡°Aleha about the I was talking about before¨D¨D¡± ¡°Ah, what is it?¡± and, ¡°It''s not good for a warrior of your caliber to wear only a few strokes on his chest armor forever. I-I¡¯m nning to invite a skilled armor craftsman to my mansion to adjust my armor, how about it?¡± ¡°...Armor, is it? It¡¯s about time for me to buy a new one so¨D¨D¡± She felt like she had been seeing the two of them together a lottely. He also often practiced the sword together with Tekrea. To Krische it was truly a good thing. There was no way Krische would be able to understand the subtleties of Tekrea''s facial expression as she blushed slightly. Krische only thought that her cheeks were flushed simply because she had practiced hard. "Also, Krische feels like General Remin is stepping in a little too hard. You¡¯re also tall, so it might be better to put the center of gravity a little in front of the body." Tekrea widened her eyes as if she was a little surprised, and Aleha smiled bitterly. "I was just to tell her that...what do you think? A bit of demonstration here." "...Krische and Ojii-sama something to do with Kurofuyo (cky)." Krische red at Aleha, and Tekrea chuckled at the two of them. Seeing her like that, Clich¨¦ tilted her head and stared at Tekrea¡¯s face. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just...¡± For some reason, the atmosphere was different, it seemed mellower before, or rather kinder. However, Krische couldn''t express it well in words, so she shook her head and said, ¡®Well, guess it¡¯s fine.'' "It''s great that you''re getting along with Aleha. It seemed like both Selene and Skeleton were worried about whether Aleha would be able to get along properly with the people of the kingdom... so now that there are more people he talk to other than Meow Meow and the others, Krische feel like some of Krische¡¯s burden have been lifted off the shoulders.'''' As for Aleha, he was only appointed as the corpsmander and left alone, and the small details were mostly done by Selene, Eluga, Gallen, and Kolkis. Even so, she felt like she was his guardian¨D¨DKrische nodded her head over and over again. Alehaughed at the girl''s demeanor, as if she had been taking care of him for a long time, and Gallen also smiled bitterly. Tekrea also opened her mouth as her face became even redder. "As, as a warrior, someone you can respect has nothing to do with their status or background...I have a lot to learn from him, and I''m probably the one who is being taken care of here." "This is too great of apliment. In fact, I have been indebted to General Remin in many ways." "Ehehe, both of you have a very good rtionship where you both recognize each other. General Remin, please take good care of Aleha." ¡°Y-yes.¡± If Aleha could get along with Tech Rare, Krische¡¯s burden would be lessened. Krische had said it innocently, but Tekrea saluted with a red face while thinking about various meanings. Aleha also smiled bitterly when he saw Tekrea, and bowed his head to thank her for the help. "Krische, it''s bad to get in their way. Let''s go." ¡°Yes, Ojii-sama.¡± Krische hugged Gallen''s arm and headed towards the ck g Special Force while being sent off by Aleha and Tekrea. ¨D¨DHowever, on the way, Krische noticed a presence and tilted her head, pulling Gallen towards het. It was a little far away from the two of them¨D¨Da ce that could be seen through the gaps in the trees. There was Waltza, an old soldier with one arm and a prosthetic hand, and Milcarz, Tekrea''s adjutant, who was also an old soldier. Gallen looked at the two, a little taken aback. "W-we just wanted to check on those two..." Waltza immediately saluted, and Milcarz followed suit. "...I understand that you''re concerned, but I don''t think it would be good for us old men to be involved in something like this. To think that two fine warriors are being snooped on..." "...T-to show something this unsightly" ¡°My apologies...¡± Krische tilted her head to one side, and Gallen smiled bitterly. "That said, I guess it¡¯s the nature of old people to be concerned about the future of young people huh" ¡°...?¡± Gallen lovingly stroked Krische¡¯s small head. Krische by no means what one would call normal. She was a kind girl¨D¨Dbut there were many parts that were different from normal people. What he should be grateful for was the people around her. She had many people who understood her, not just Selene and Bery. Some respected her, others loved her. "Usa-chan, Mia said she''s not happy that she was the only one getting scolded." ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± The ck-Haired whoughed¨D¨DKalua teased her friend, hugging Krische from her back. "...Mia, amander must sometimes take responsibility. It isn''t a good thing to run away from responsibility like tha¨D¨D" ¡°No matter how you look at it, it was Kalua who did it just now¡!¡± "Adjutant Mia, I don''t think it''s a good idea to interrupt your superior''s words." ¡°Kalua! You...¡± As he watched this, Dagra approached her side with a troubled look on his face. Gallen says with a wry smile. "...It''s always lively here no matter what time Ie huh." "I''m sorry, showing something so embarrassing..." "No, I think it''s easier for Krische if they have such a close rtionship. I''m grateful to thepanymander." That was his honest impression. In day-to -day life, Krische was kind and hardworking. However, she was too hard-working on the battlefield. Like when she killed the bandit¨D¨DKrische had no qualms about killing people. No matter how cruel it was, she would easily do it if necessary. Krische had too strong and ruthless of a side. It''s thanks to Selene and the others that she wasn¡¯t isted, and it was also probably thanks to them. They were also the reason why Krische was able to spend time in a circle of people. "...There won''t be any battles for a while. The battle the other day was thest battle for me." ¡°Gallen-sama¡¡± "However, I can feel assured because this unit is here. ...I will continue to rely on you for that child." Dagra looked at Garen and silently saluted him. Gallen returned his salute andughed. For Krische, he returned to the battlefield. To brush off the sparks that fell on her. However, he didn¡¯t know if he was able to help. There were far more people who were protecting the clich¨¦ than Gallen had imagined. Even without him, her future looked bright. He never thought that his own powerlessness would make him this happy. "I swear on my sword and my name. Please rest assured, we all will¨D¨D" His body suddenly lost its strength, ¡°HA, Gallen-sama¡± His body was instantly held in her arms. Her nk, flickering gaze just, ¡°...Ojii-sama?¡± Looked over here, and his gaze intersected with her purple eyes. Chapter 221: One Who Sent Off Chapter 221: One Who Sent Off ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 221 One Who Sent Off*** Four people gathered around the hearth. Krische was staring at Gallen from the side, as if observing his expression. ¡°Does it taste good?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s very delicious. The vor is a little different than usual.¡± ¡°Ehehe, Krische learned how to cook from the Oba-san next door. Oba-san¡¯s cooking is very good¡¡± ¡°G huh. I have to go and say thank you to her tomorrow.¡± Usually, when childrene, the house would get dirty, but it was the exact opposite. When he came to Gorka''s house to eat together for the first time in a few days, the utensils that had been cluttered against the walls were arranged, the clothes neatly folded, and the charcoal in the hearth arranged. The atmosphere at Gorka''s house had changed considerably. ¡°Seeing this you can see just how sloppy Grace was. You really resemble Leena, even the parts that are unnecessary.¡± ¡°Uu¡¡± "Oh, no, Kaa-sama is busy with work, so she just doesn''t have enough time¡¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s fine Krische. It makes it even more painful, so stop it please¡¡± Grace looked down with a pitiful look on her face, and Gorkaughed. ¡°Hahaha, certainly. When I got home, I was surprised to find that Krische had climbed up to the pir in the attic. ... Krische, I''ll help you clean the attic next time it¡¯s no hunt day, so please wait for a while. It''s dangerous.¡± ¡°....Yes.¡± It was not just the cleaning and tidying that seemed to brighten things up. In the years since Krische arrived, Grace and Gorka have brightened up considerably. Remembering the faces of the two who were saddened by the inability to have children andparing it to their current state, he genuinely thought so. Grace said that Krische was a gift from God, and now Gallen felt the same way. He sincerely believed that this was happiness that was bestowed upon these two who have lived their lives conscientiously. ¡°Ah¡¡± When he stroked her head, her cheeks rxed with joy. Her eyes shed with a slightly troubled expression, as if she was both embarrassed and happy. ¡°K-Krische is no longer a spoiled little child¡¡± ¡°Really, who would say that¡± ¡°Seems she¡¯s embarrassed to be called a spoiled child who always clings to me.¡± Grace answered happily. Until recently, she was always following Grace whenever she went out. Although she now went out on his own, she still had a habit of hugging Grace whenever she saw her, and she was teased for it. Krische had a tendency to be overly concerned about the way people looked at her. She was well behaved, polite and disliked misbehavior. She probably takes the teasing words seriously. ¡°Small or big, you are my granddaughter. Grace is still my daughter, no matter how old you are. What''s wrong with a grandfather patting his granddaughter like this?¡± *Um¡¡± ¡°The same goes for Grace. It is natural for a mother to love her child, and it is normal for a child to be spoiled by her mother¨D¨Drtionships do not change.¡± ¡°Woah¡¡± He lightly grasped her delicate waist, lifted her up, and ced her on his knee. The child''s body is always warm as if it were heated. ¡°There''s someone who went to the trouble to spoil you, so don''t be shy and just be honest about it now. Even if you don''t rush to be an adult, someday you will naturally be someone who pampers others.¡± ¡°...Yes ehehe.¡± The warmth in this small body probably indicated various possibilities for the future. Unlike himself, whose fire had dwindled, the girl''s life had just begun. He was genuinely happy to have such a granddaughter. Even if her own fire went out someday, if Grace, Gorka, and this Krische continue to carry it on, then that would surely be the happiest ending. She was a girl who is a little different from the norm. Although he had some concerns, she was a good and kind granddaughter. He wouldn''t be able to watch over her for decades toe, but someone who would watch over her in his ce would surely appear. Until then, he would do what he could. That was Gallen''s final task. It was a room with simple beds. At the very back of the room, there was a bed next to a window where the moonlight shone in. ¡°Gallen-sama¡± When he suddenly opened his eyes, he saw silver hair resting against his chest. Krische¡¯s beautiful face as she slept, and Anne, the maid with ck hair who had tears in her eyes. ¡°Here is...¡± "This is the medical room of the military school. It seems that Gallen-sama suddenly copsed, and we thought it wouldn''t be good to carry you to the estate, so¨D¨DAh, my apologies, I''ll get a doctor right away...!" Anne ran out of the room in a panic, and Krische, who seemed to have woken up at the sound, rubbed her sleepy eyes, raised her head, and smiled with relief when she saw Gallen. ¡°Ojii-sama...¡± ¡°Krische...¡± Krische tried to hug him, but stopped her hand, looking troubled. Gallen smiled bitterly and hugged his granddaughter''s head. His body felt terribly heavy. He had a headache, his thoughts were foggy¨D¨Dhis body had no strength. ¡°...It¡¯s night huh¡± Shadows cast by the moonlight from the double-hung windows¨D¨DIt must be midnight now. "Ojii-sama, was asleep for about two days... uh, the blood in Ojii-sama''s head, uh... Krische suppressed it with magic, but Krische doesn''t know if it''s working properly..." ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡Maybe it¡¯s thanks to Krische that I woke up like this.¡± An old man, who was working fine until yesterday, suddenly copsed and never woke up. It was amon story, and Gallen himself has seen it happen to several people. Most likely that was what happened to him. "...This should be called the limit of my lifespan. It''s not something to worry deeply about." "Ojii-sama is still in good health...Ojii-sama is not..." "I''m already over 60. I already knew it wouldn''t be long anyway." He didn''t even have the energy to raise his arm that was holding Krische. But that was all right. He didn¡¯t feel the need to let go of his beloved granddaughter. "I¡¯m old enough to have died at any time, but I was alive for a reason...But now I''m surely satisfied with my life." ¡°...But, Ojii-sama¨D¨D¡± "Krische, it''s fine...People die someday." He moved his hand. The feel of her silky hair has remained the same since she was a child. "Death not from the limit of a lifespan is something to be sad about, but if you were able to live out your natural life, you should feel happy about it. Please don''t cry." "but¡¡" There was something slowly seeping into his shirt around his chest. It seemed to heat up and seep into Gallen''s body. ¡°Grace and Gorka by the bandit, and Bogan as well...I really wanted to at least make you happy somehow...But I''m sure my role is finished now.¡± ¡°No...finish...yet...Krische...Ojii-sama...¡± "...You''re surrounded by good people. At least I''m satisfied that I can continue to entrust you to them with peace of mind." He smiled as he stroked her trembling head. ¨D¨DYes, he was satisfied. There were very few people who could face death with satisfaction. What''s more, he was being sent by his beloved granddaughter. Surely there was no one anywhere as happy as him. "...Do you mind doing a slightly troublesome favor for me?" There was no reply for a while. As he was stroking her head, he felt Krische nodding silently. "Since I left the vige with you, I grew my hair as a small prayer. My duty is over...Though I might already be on the way, but if you find the time, please bury me by the two trees. And also, thank Gara for me." The head nodded quietly at his chest. ¡°A trivial burial would be fine, but I suppose it would be difficult in your position. I have written a will in a desk drawer in my house. The property is yours, and the money wille from there." Gallen smiled wryly as he finished. "That said, there¡¯s not much I wanted to entrust directly...Most of it is written there." He wrote it because he had foreseen it to some extent. He had also informed thepany that entrusted the money to him, so he should be able to clean up the mess without any problems. "...Looking back, it was a life with many regrets." He gazed at the dim ceiling and confessed. His wife passed away from illness while he was on the battlefield. If he had lived quietly as a hunter, he might have been able to take care of her. The reason why he quit her army was not only because he regretted burning down the vige on his superior¡¯s orders. It wasn''t simply about taking responsibility either. It was because he couldn''t bear it, all the various things. He promised his wife that he would give her a good life someday, but he made her worry every time he went to war, and in the end, he left her to suffer alone on her journey. At least Gallen wasn''t a good husband. ¡°Every time I thought I had changed, I made a mistake.¡± He put down the sword, returned to being a hunter. He tried to be a good father by withdrawing from the conflicts as a hunter. But he ended up losing his daughter and son-inw. As a father, he couldn''t protect what he should have protected. And hisrade Bogan too. ¡°Without aplishing anything, being a half-hearted person, I let go of many important things. I¡¯m neither a good husband nor a good father.¡± Her gaze fell on his trembling granddaughter. He stroked her head with all the strength he could muster. "...In that kind of life, I didn''t hate myself as your grandfather." ¡°Ojii...-sama...¡± Gallen narrowed his eyes. As if to let his eyelids fall. ¡°Every time I see you smile, every time I see you surrounded by people, from the bottom of my heart, I''m d. I''m sure you''ll continue to live happily ever after. ...... Then he quietly closed his eyes. "...I truly feel lucky to be your grandfather." ¡°Krische too...Krische love, Ojii-sama¡± Sniffling and trembling. Gallen smiled satisfied. "...from now on, please continue to take care of those around you. If you do that, I''m sure..." His words faded away like a sigh, and his breathing became quiet. After a while, it stopped, and the heartbeat that was being conveyed to Krische disappeared. The girl bounced off her body, then she only trembled quietly, feeling the lingering warmth. A short timeter, the ck-haired servant who brought the doctor saw them and covered her face with her hands, copsing on the spot. Although he was an adjutant in the military under Alberinea, he did not receive a title and was a low-ranking noble. However, arge number of military personnel wished to attend Gallen Rinea Kalka''s funeral, which was quiterge considering his status as a noble. Near the cemetery on the outer periphery of the royal capital. The coffin is simple, but at funerals in the kingdom, attendees assembled the wood and firewood by hand. The resulting wooden pedestal was sorge that it looked as if it were meant to send off a general, and was probably one of thergest ever given to amoner. "Gallen Rinea Kalka, who climbed from a foot soldier to a centurion in a short period, toured the battlefield as the superior officer of the hero Bogan Christand, retired, and then took up the sword again in the civil war, demonstrating bravery as the adjutant military officer of the Alberinea Direct Army in the recent major war." Speaking in front was Kreschenta, the queen wearing a crimson dress. Red was a noble color in the kingdom, representing the kingdom¡¯s blood. When the Queen wore crimson dress to attend a funeral, it signified that the deceased will be weed into the blood of the Kingdom after their death. "Without seeking status or title, simply performing his military duties for the people... The peace we enjoy today is due to the efforts of such an upright and virtuous soldier as Gallen-sama. ...Many of you gathered here know this, and that''s why you''re attending this event." Kreschenta looked at the attendees and continued. "However, in order to engrave this in our heart once again, and to pray for Gallen-sama''s peaceful sleep... a moment of silence." Then she closed her eyes, and everyone in attendance followed suit. Silence filled the ce, only the sounds of birds could be heard. After a while, Kreschenta pped her hands and made them open their eyes. Then, to the side of the bonfire, two figures approached, it was Krische and Selene, both in military uniforms, each holding a torch. Selene seems to be concerned about Krische who was next to her. Krische was absent-minded, her steps heavy. No one spoke, neither of them spoke. The two of them quietly lit a piece of straw soaked in oil under the pedestal and ced a torch on the spot. Following that, Kolkis, who seemed to be holding back tears, led the way. The attendees also line up and those who wish to do so offer prayer to the fire. "¡¡Are you okay?" Selene asked while returning to Bery and the others, and Krische silently nodded. ¡°¡Krische feels kind of absent-minded.¡± When Krische looked up, Anne was being held by Bery, her body trembling. Bery patted Anne''s back and looked at Krische with concern. Krische hadn¡¯t said anything since this morning. ¡°Krische-sama...¡± Krische shook her head and stood next to Bery. Selene took Krische''s arm and intertwined their fingers, squeezing her hand tightly. "...When it was Kaa-sama and the others, Krische tried not to think about it, and after a night''s sleep, Krische felt calm and refreshed... But today... it feels weird." "It''s not weird, it''s normal." Selene said, letting go of her hand and stood before Krische. She caressed her cheek and looked into her downcast purple eyes. "...No one is okay when someone important to them dies. You have to get back on your feet someday, but it''s not something you have to rush to get over." "Selene..." Then Selene hugged her slowly and stroked her head. ¡°Gallen-sama, were smiling.¡ At least he must have been able to meet his end happily with you by his side. Satisfied with various things." ¡°...Do you think so¡± "Yes. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to wee the end of his life with a smile like that." ¡®Same with Otou-sama¡¯, Selene said. "So you don''t have to cry shamefully in front of the grave of such a proud person forever. Feel your sadness honestly now and don''t hold back your tears." Then she stroked her delicate back slowly. "...until my sad feelings run out along with the tears....Funerals are not for the deceased, but for the people who are sending them off." The girl remained silent for a while, pressing her face into Selene¡¯s chest. Then a small sound that was sobbing leaked out. Selene looked at the mes of the funeral while hugging her with all her love. She smiled and nodded at Kreschenta, who was looking at Krische with concern at the side. ¨D¨DTwo monthster, just before autumn, a silver-haired girl and a red-haired servant visited Kalka. The two, apanied by a well-built female servant, stood in front of a single tree and dug a hole. A slight breeze blew as they pulled out a white hair. A pair of wooden tags that had been hanging on a tree swayed and fell, and while looking at each other, they tied them and put them into the hole. Carefully covering it with soil, the three of them bowed their heads in unison. As if in response to them, the wind passed through the gap between the trees, caressing their cheeks. Chapter 222.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 1) Chapter 222.1: Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 1) ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Character 222.1 Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 1)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that d... Chapter 222.2: Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 2 Chapter 222.2: Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 2 ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 222.2 Character Introduction Includes spoilers up to Arc 9 (Part 2)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit, and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long because it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel. Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10 cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. ¡õ Survived until the end of Arc 9 ? Died by the end of Arc 9 - ----Other Kingdom Nobles. ? Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ? Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Concerns: None ¡õ Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his heart suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shervaza, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. In ce of Aurugorn Hilkintos, who died in the civil war, he is now entrusted as the West General of the Kingdom. **But considering his age he asked for permission of transfer to adjutant from Selene and Kreschenta. He nned to spend the rest of his life in the position of adjutant.** ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. **Concerns: The internal situation of Elderant.** ¡õ **Gertz Rinea Wiring** -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s former central general. Former Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. **He was originally a general who followed Gildanstein, as a central general, and since he surrendered, he is currently in a state of restraint, and although he has lost his territory and had some of his personal property confiscated, he is satisfied with the result. He was thinking of giving up his nobility and going on a journey. However, he was moved by Selene''s sincerity, who repeatedly visited his house and tried to persuade him, and when he confirmed that there was no difference between the person named Krische he had heard from her and the actual Krische, he swallowed his past. decide to respond to it. Educating the young noble was more interesting than he expected, and he still teaches at the military school today, sometimes thinking about the adjutant he had raised as his sessor. ** ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. **She is a girl who is too clear for better or for worse.** Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Disobedience. Concerns: **Difficulties in teaching.** ¡õ Dougleen Nakul Dogarinea Garhka -- Chaos Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance. A General in the southern part of the Kingdom. A Duke. He was born as the eldest son of a noble family with royal blood, but he dislikes the noble way of being bound by various things, and spends his days drinking withmoners in bars. As a result, he was shunned by his father and was thrown into the battlefield at a young age in a state of partial disownment, but there he demonstrated a rare talent and rose to be a general entrusted with the southern part of the Kingdom. He loves the battlefield environment more than anything else, and he prefers drinking with his soldiers above all else. His personality, which doesn''t care about his social status, is well received by the soldiers, and they have a strong sense of loyalty to him. He has had several drinks with Orugan, the famous general of Gulshan who uses various beasts, and is his most important ymate, even though they are enemies. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. Although his rtionship with Gildanstein was not so bad, he was not interested in the civil war and refused to participate in it out of concern for Gulshan in the south and his debt to Christand in the war against the Holy Empire. **He has visited Gulshan several times in the name of peacekeeping, but due to Kreschenta¡¯s orders, he is unable to drink alcohol with Orugan and the others and is bored.** ?Battle Command He is a fierce general who loves war itself and sometimes fights on the front lines himself to capture victory. His character as amander is simr to that of Kolkis, he values drills above all else and prefers straight-on, simple tactics. However, because he often has to deal with Gulshan, who handles a variety of beasts including elephants, unlike Kolkis, he does not incorporate much heavy infantry, but rather increases the ratio of light infantry to increase the ability to deal with various situations. Appearance: Hard ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr build of 6 shaku (~1.8 m). Bearded face. Armor: temail with lion carvings. ¡úKrische: A genius acknowledged by Christand. If can , he wishes she would be his son¡¯s bride. **Her biggest w is that she doesn''t understand roman.** Strong points: Battle axe. Zain swordsmanship. Face-to-face confrontation. Likes: Sake. Woman. Battle. Personalbat. Elephant hunting. **Griffin.** Dislikes: Opponents who avoid fighting head-on. Concerns: **Troublesome politics.** ¡õ Argosh Wikel Giterns -- Order Good Apetent but somewhat unhappy fatherly man. The Kingdom Marquis. He is the head of the venerable Giterns family, a civilian aristocrat who administers the northwestern part of the kingdom. The Giterns family is a family of academics, and he has studied economics and business since he was young, and since bing the head of the family, he has greatly developed the territory he has been entrusted with, and is known as an extraordinary astute man. He is vigorous in his work, and despite his position as a marquis, which is one of the highest in the region, he is willing to work hard, running around the estate all year round and not being at home for half of the year. He is a rare aristocrat who is sincerely respected as the people¡¯s ally, and there is even a song sung in his honor in Pirus, where he lives. However, he himself believes that this reputation is excessive, and his meticulousness in traveling around the countryside is a result of his understanding of his own shorings, that he is vulnerable to unexpected situations. He feels that the reason why he has to put so much effort into gathering information is because of his insecurity and his inability to make decisions without having a lot of information at hand. Due to his personality he is not suited for the battlefield at all, however he is a rare person as an internal politician. He is a rare loving husband, and their harmonious rtionship is well-known. He is surprisingly skilled with a sword. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Well-groomed beard. Armor: te mail engraved with numerous swords (a family heirloom, never worn). ¡úKrische: A beautiful princess. His daughter''s master. Natural disaster. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Negotiation. Arithmetic. Business. Likes: Wife. Daughter. Interacting with the people. Polishing heirlooms. Dislikes: Hisck of wit. Concerns: His daughter''s future. ¡õ Tekrea Tark Rinea Lemin -- Order Good A beautiful woman manly dressed in men''s clothes. A general of the central army of the Kingdom. A duke of the kingdom. She was born into a ducal family and is a genuine noble. Her half-brother was killed in the first battle of the war, which led her to seed the Duke of Lemin as the head of the family. Since her childhood, she has had a strong ideal of what a nobleman should be, and she has been improving herself in order to embody that ideal. Although she hadn¡¯t participated in many wars she performed well in battle, and she has made up for herck of experience with hard work, and because of her family background, she has risen steadily to the rank of general. She is neither a mediocre nor a genius, but her umted efforts have made her a solid force to be reckoned with, and her refined swordsmanship is beyond the reach of ordinary men. She had intended to devote herself to the man who defeated her with a sword, but she became so strong that there was no one left to fight, and she had half given up. Her younger sister married into a family that was blessed with three boys, and she is considering adopting one of them to take over the family. She is very close with her sisters and loves children. Whenever she has free time, she visits her younger sister and teaches the children how to y with swords. **Despite appearances, she had a girly hobby and is a stuffed dolls collector. She falls in love with Aleha, who is good-looking, polite, and brave, but is unable to confess due to her age, height, and femininityplexes. However, it seems that her adjutant Milcarz and the servants have quickly found out about it, and with their strong support, she is naturally closing the distance with Aleha. She thought that Aleha is not aware of her love for him, but of course Aleha is aware of it as well, and she does not know that he is enjoying watching the ¡®quick face change¡¯ show by Tekrea. Unbeknownst to her, Aleha has also built a good rtionship with Milcarz and the servants, and she does not yet know that preparations for a marriage proposal are being secretly made. ** ?Battle Command She learned what needed to be learned, and as a general, her abilities are above a certain level.. Although there is no w in the operation of troops and tactics during a pitched battle, there is ack of experience, and there is a danger that once the assumption she made is not met, it may copse at once, and there is also a slight weakness in dealing with surprise attacks and ambushes. However, she is a person of rare character, and her bravery and hard but beautiful appearance make her very popr and charismatic among the soldiers. The troops she leads have rtively high morale, and her temperament and personality make her more than capable as amander. She has the qualities to be a great general with the right amount of experience. Appearance: Dark golden hair. Blue eyes. Tall. Graceful. Always have a stern face. Armor: Full te with visor with carving of an angry face. ¡úKrische: An absolute beingparable to Dragon. She is an innocent and dangerous girl. Beautiful. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Soldier Board practice. child''s partner. sewing. Likes: Swordsmanship. stuffed doll. knitting. Dislikes: inhumane people. **Concern: Will he really ept someone as old as her?** ¡õ **Milcarz Tadia Rinea Lettia -- Order Good Rather than just cause, Ojou-sama is the type of man. Margrave of the kingdom. He is the head of the Lettia family, which has served the Remin family for generations, and has served as Tekrea''s mentor since childhood. Perhaps because his grandson was born around the time of his rebellious period, he is very doting on his master''s daughter, Tekrea, and is the type of old man who will drown her in stuffed dolls. He acted as an instructor and taught her how to use her sword, but her lovely and beautiful Tekrea. Milcarz taught the young and ignorant Tekrea lessons in court etiquette, poetry, and dance, believing that swordsmanship was important. He was very worried about the serious, straightced, and extremely clumsy Tekrea, but he was overjoyed that Aleha, a young man who could match her standard, came along and personally visited him. Bowing his head down. Anticipating that various problems would arise due to Aleha''s background, he is currently making arrangements here and there, and without Tekrea''s knowledge, herte-blooming first love is spreading throughout the kingdom. He and Waltza are old men who share the same purpose, and are very close. He deeply regrets letting Tekrea''s older brother die in his first battle, and when teaching Tekrea swordsmanship, he bes as strict as if he had changed.** **?Battle Command As he serves as a military instructor for the Duke''s family, he has a deep knowledge of tactics and strategy, and has the ability to be a general. He has appeared on the battlefield many times as an adjutant to the previous Duke Remin, and as a member of the Central Army, he has a wealth of battlefield experience and has no apparent ws. He has been traumatized by the death of Tekrea''s older brother, and hisck of initiative can be considered a w, but as an adjutant, he can be said to be a good one, and has be a direct admonisher of Tekrea. A master of swordsmanship and also a master of Lorca style swordsmanship.** **Appearance: White hair swept back. Blue eyes. Medium build, medium height. A slightly long, well-groomed beard. Armor: A half te with a depiction of a goddess.. ¡úKrische: A pitiful girl who is both frightening and adorable. pure. Her sister, Selene''s atmosphere is simr to the old Tekrea. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Guidance. Front linemand. ying with a child. Likes: Watching opera. Poetry. Imagining Tekrea¡¯s Wedding. Admiring Tekrea. Dislikes: War. Concern: Tekrea¡¯s dress.** ¡õ **Elzard Oz Rinea Gokhals- Order Good A prominent figure in the neutral forces of the kingdom. Kingdom central general. Duke of the Kingdom. As the eldest son of a duke, he has grown rapidly since he was a child. The teaching of the famous Gokhals family is ¡®Eliminate your weaknesses¡¯, and they ce more importance on improving the areas where you are inferior to others than on creating areas where you are better than others. Elzard faithfully followed these teachings from an early age and worked hard to be the heir to the Gokhals family from his father. He is extremely knowledgeable not only in swordsmanship and arithmetic, but also in etiquette, and oratory, and embodies both literary and martial arts, and is respected by other great nobles. Although he is often mistaken for his strong face and rugged expression, he was originally apassionate and sensitive person, and his current grave atmosphere was created over many years. During his childhood, he was quite timid and his father and tutor made him cry almost every day. When he was a child, he was taught Zain-style swordsmanship, but in his first battle, he was injured in his left eye and lost his eyesight, and then learned the Lorca style, which taught him how to fight by destroying his left blind spot with a shield. He enjoys astronomy and is a patron of schrs, but in his spare time he joins them in observing the orbits of stars and participating in difficult research.** He deeply regrets letting Tekrea''s older brother die in his first battle, and when teaching Tekrea swordsmanship, he bes as strict as if he had changed.** **?Battle Command The general opinion is that he is a general without any danger. Above all else, he focused on preparing in advance, winning when he had to, and minimizing the damage. Although he is not good at responding to unexpected events, he understands this better than anyone else, and he devotes his heart and soul to gaining a strategic advantage based on his numerical and geographical advantages. What he focuses on is not how to win against an opponent who is inferior to himself, but how to win against someone who is superior to himself, and he approaches the battlefield with everything he puts together on the premise of achieving tactical sess against his opponent. His fighting style is not morous as he never overdoes it, but instead he has a strong sense of stability and can be said to be a general who can serve as a role model for youngmanders.** **Appearance: ck hair slicked back. Dark brown eyes. Large. Strong face. Tiger beard. A knife wound that destroyed one eye. Armor: Rugged half te. ¡úKrische: A great strategist, tactician, and engineer who left her name in history. Is a child Strong points: Zain style swordsmanship. Lorka style swordsmanship. Spearmanship. Strategy nning. Arithmetic. Staying upte. Likes: Starry skies. Equation form. ck bean tea. Dislikes: Broken logic. Concern: Communication with schrs is difficult due to moving to the north.** - ----**Elsren Holy Empire ? Basr Elmend Ern Lukazan - Order Evil ¡®This is how you use your power (authority)¡¯ type of man. Grand Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. He is the head of the Lukazan family, one of the three major duchies with the right to inherit the throne and is among the top five in the monster nation of Elsren. He has been skilled at scheming since childhood, and although he was born as the youngest brother of the Lukazan family, he politically eliminated or killed his three older brothers and ascended to the position of head of the family. He was well versed in politics and power, and was adept at building intelligenceworks, and was considered one of the people in Elsren who should never be made into an enemy. He was also responsible for concentrating the me for the defeat on Aleha and the Sarchenka family. He is extremely talented as a politician, butpared to his political ability, his abilities as a strategist and tactician as a general are mediocre. Although he is extremely capable as a warrior, hecks the talent to lead an army, and leaves most things to his lieutenant, Linkara, the only person he trusts. He was killed by Krische having his head chopped off. ?Battle Command He has extremely high fighting ability that could be called a monster. However, this is only the ability of a warrior who wields barbaric courage, and he is like a barbarian hero who is not blessed with tactical or strategic abilities. However, what makes him great is his ability to understand his own weaknesses and use others as a ruler, and as a general of arge army, he is extremely capable. He is unparalleled when ites to using carrots and sticks to make his subordinates perform beyond their abilities, and can be said to be a conductor worthy of the name of Grandduke. Appearance: Swept back blonde hair. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless. Trimmed beard. Armor: An elegant full te engraved with light shining from the clouds.. ¡úKrische: Alberan''s Mas Cursed Child. unpleasant monster. Strong points: Folka style swordsmanship. transaction. Candy and stick. Alcohol tasting. Using people. Likes: Looking down on things. Stomping on the opponent''s head. wine. Collection of swords. Dislikes: Being looked down on. Being disrespected. Concern: Died without even being a match against Krische. ? Vynal Clef der Sarchenka - Order Neutral A boy with a Cainplex (Cain from the bible) against his excellent younger brother type of man. Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Aleha''s older brother. Although he was born as the eldest son of the Sarchenka family, he possessed a talent that befits that, and was originally a person with an excellent personality and a gentle disposition. However, everything goes awry when his younger brother Aleha, who is about 10 years younger, is a genius who far surpasses him, and when he learns that his father''s love is poured into him, he bes extremely jealous of him. Bes to view him as enemies. It was frightening to see him easily acquire everything Vynal had mastered through such painstaking efforts, whether it be in studies or swordsmanship ormand. However, Aleha continued to achieve great results there, gaining the title of Holy Knight and Schindel, and to Vynal, he became not his younger brother but an existence that continued to make him feel inferior. When Aleha made a mistake, he did not protect him and disowned him, and he threw him out of the house. Vynal¡¯s rest was only for a short time¨D¨Dat the end, with his younger brother watching him, he ended his life. When Aleha was little, Vynal was the ideal person as a noble to him, a kind and respectable older brother, and Aleha still remembers him from that time. ?Battle Command Although he doesn''t have any particrly outstanding qualities, he has higherbat andmand abilities than average. He is a generally excellent general with no weaknesses, and although he may not achieve great results in battle, he is a general with stable abilities who will never suffer a crushing defeat due to ipetence. He is a bit nervous and sometimes makes excessive preparations, but this is more of a virtue than a w, and his attentiveness to his soldiers, who never let them starve, is well received by them. He is unparalleled when ites to using carrots and sticks to make his subordinates perform beyond their abilities, and can be said to be a conductor worthy of the name of Grandduke. Appearance: Swept back blonde hair. blue eyes. Slender and muscr. A well-groomed face that looks a little haggard. Armor: An elegant full te depicting paradise. ¡úKrische: Despair in human form. monster.. Strong points: Elkafarest style swordsmanship, spearmanship. Territory management.merce. Likes: Children. wine. Painting. Dislikes: Superior younger brother. Concern: His wife and daughter. ¡õ Bado Keetas- Neutral Good A lucky man who has survived against Krische twice. Elsren Holy Empire Messenger Soldier. A young man born into a lower aristocracy, he is the eldest son of a branch of Aleha''s former lieutenant, the Dakrasha family. Although he is not exceptionally talented, he is the type of person who does everything smoothly, has a sharp eye, and is an excellent young man. He has had a strong interest in swordsmanship since childhood, and has studied multiple styles of swordsmanship. During the Krische surprise attack on the main camp in the mountains, he was seriously injured but luckily escaped being killed. He also served as a messenger for the Aare Caincrus army during the War of the Five Great Powers. Although he was caught up in Krische lure-and-destroy tactics, he survived, carrying General Aare on his back and even having a second encounter with Krische, he managed to escape from within the north wall. However, Aare is already dead from the arrow shot by Krische, and he realizes that he was just lucky to be missed once again. Afterwards, he immediately headed to General Baszler as a messenger, evading Grunmeld''s attack, and eventually making it back from the battlefield alive. After returning to his hometown, he decided to put down his sword and give up on getting a sessful career based on his experiences and concentrate on managing his territory. After witnessing Are''s final moments, he married the youngest sister of the Caincrus family, with whom he had a mysterious connection, and despite some ups and downs, he lived a peaceful life. The records he left behind would be treated as important historical materials regarding the war and Alberinea at the time. ?Battle Command He was gifted with swordsmanship from an early age, and by the time he was 10 years old, he had mastered the two major sword techniques of the Holy Empire, Folka style swordsmanship and Elcafalest style swordsmanship. He ced importance on learning a wide variety of swordsmanship rather than mastering one technique, and since then he has learned and mastered a variety of swordsmanship andbat techniques. However, this did not go beyond the level of a master swordsman, and it did not reach the level of monsters who could change the atmosphere of a battlefield by themselves¨D¨Dbut perhaps that was what saved his life. At least he didn''t have to have the barbaric courage to challenge Krische Christand. Appearance: Blonde. blue eyes. Slender. Masculine. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: Silver hair is scary. Strong points: Folca style, Elcafalest style, Lorca style and two other sword techniques. personalbat. Likes: Sword training. Dislikes: Bows. purple. Concern: He gets shbacks when he sees purple gems. ? Linkara Levis Schindel Warkar ¨C Order Neutral A boy who looks after the evil Grand Duke. Marquis of the Holy Empire of Elsren. A man who has served Basr as his tutor since he was a child, and is the only person Basr truly trusts. Basr has been abandoned and neglected by his father, so he has be a father figure to him, and Linkara, who was not blessed with children with his wife, also considers him to be his own child. Although it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t have any thought about Basr distorted personality, he has given up on the fact that it is difficult to survive the demonic realm of noble society and has no choice but to follow him, sometimes acting as a reprimanded. Although his talent is mediocre, he has a great deal of battlefield experience and is close to Felworth. He is basically in charge of nning strategies and tactics for the Lukazan army, and in that sense, he can be said to be Elsren general in the War of the Five Great Powers. He died from Krische¡¯s kick to the skull. ?Battle Command An old general who was born into a military family and has been training since childhood. He has achieved spectacr military results in the past, and is a great warrior that there is no one in Elsren who does not know about him. Although his physical strength, which was hailed as unparalleled in strength, has been lost with age, his vast experience has been integrated into his flesh and blood, and there is no doubt that he is still one of the greatest generals in Elsren. As he got older, he lost his assertiveness and became more cautious, and although he was less shy, hismand, faithful to basic tactics and strategy, was extremely stable, and meshed well with Baszler''s assertive personality, resulting in countless victories. He wins when he wants to win, and doesn''t touch the battles where he will lose. These are the only abilities required of a general, and those who can faithfully perform these skills are called great generals. It is difficult to defeat him in the board game that is war, and if you want to beat him on top of that, you will need something that can destroy the board itself. Appearance: Short white hair. blue eyes. Slender. wrinkled face. Armor: Rugged half te. ¡úKrische: An insanely talented person. A monster that must not be fought head-on. Strong points: Folka style swordsmanship. Tactics, strategic nning. Connoisseur of swords. Likes: Military history research. cksmith. army. Dislikes: Politics. Noble society. Concern: If he was going to die anyway, he wished he had met Krische in his heyday. ? Aare Vains Caincrus - Order Good A boy from a famous family. Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. He is the young head of the prestigious Caincrus family, and is a general under Basr''smand during his recent military service. He was called a coward with no battlefield achievements in the political world, so he paid arge sum of money to Lukazan and went to the battlefield as a general in search of achievements. Elsren, Gulshan, Elderant¨D¨Dan overwhelmingly advantageous situation with three countries attacking simultaneously. This was initially a winnable battle, and no one objected to his position as a decorated general with a family background, which was his bad luck. His personality is very sincere and he never cks off in his efforts. During peacetime, he was a good noble who was loved by everyone, and was a rare person who was loved by the people of his territory, but he was extremely unfit for the battlefield. He never gets a chance to ovee it, and dies when Krische arrow shoots him through the back of the head while running away. ? Ranu Kalud- Neutral Evil Bad nomad concept model type boy. Chief of the Kalud tribe. He is from a nomadic tribe in the ins south of Elsren, and is the chief of that area. The nomadic tribes of thisnd were conquered during the time of Grabaraine and were forced to serve as subjects, and after splitting with Elsren, they came under the control of Elsren. They are in a vicious cycle of repeating rebellions after being granted autonomy, and their position is not stable due to their nomadic lifestyle and a society strongly influenced by the tribal system. Although he was born in the ins and does not possess magical powers, he is a genius in horsemanship and archery, and due to his wisdom, he rose to the top of his own tribe at the age of 20 and annexed surrounding tribes. A supernatural being who created arge tribe in one generation. He had a cruel and ruthless personality, and used his reign of terror to unite the nomads. He was greedy and intended to extract further concessions from the Holy Empire and create a nomadic nation after gaining autonomy, but in the end he was betrayed by his subordinates, beheaded, and killed.** - ----Gulshan Republic ¡õ Orugan -- Neutral Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance No. 2. The vice-chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan. Former royalty. Although he was born into the Gulshan royal family, he disliked the widening disparity between rich and poor and the appearance of the royal family drowning in luxury, he stood up for the people and led a rebellion to establish a republic. Having given up his status and power as a member of the royal family and fought for the people, he was a hero of Gulshan and had the power to take over anything he wanted, but he turned down the offer to be chancellor because he felt he would lose his original ambition if he himself, as a royal, was in the highest position. His words were half true, but they weren''t correct, and there was a strong part of him that simply hated being tied down by authority. He preferred the battlefields where warriors fought with their pride above all else, and his subordinates, who knew him to be a war-mad maniac, believed that he rejected the position of chancellor because he didn''t want to miss the battlefields. Dougleen, a general in the southern part of the kingdom, is his favorite opponent, but their sympathetic upbringing and personalities make them friends, and they drink with each other after every skirmish. However, they are war fanatics, and once they get into a fight, they can smile and kill each other. Seeing the overwhelming power of Krische Christand, the maniac fell off, and** He is watching over Alberan and Gulshan negotiations.** ?Battle Command He is a masterfulmander of elephants and other beast soldiers in the army. He prefers a bold head-on breakthrough by disrupting the enemy line with an elephant, but if that does not work, he will use surprise, ambush, and any other means to win the battle. He believes that war is fought to win, and he uses all kinds of tactics to hunt down his enemies, but he does not surprise attack (foul y). He is a hero in Gulshan, and his army maintains extremely high morale, even among conscripts. Appearance: Stiff ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build of less than six shaku. Bearded. Hairy. Sweaty. Tanned skin. Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: The embodiment of a storm that sweeps everything away. A changer of the times. Got dumped. Strong points: Great curved swordsmanship. Operation of beast soldiers. Likes: Drinking. Fighting. Personalbat. Strong man. Dislikes: surprise attack (foul y). **Concerns: concerned about the citizen elementary school system established in Alberan.** ¡õ Zalvaag -- Neutral Neutral A hard-working man with a very difficult boss. He is the chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Gulshan. Formerly a shoemaker. He used to be the son of a humble shoemaker, but when his young sister was killed by a nobleman, he swore revenge and joined the rebel army. He had never held a sword before, but his prodigious talent with the sword awakened on the battlefield, and he became the head of the Gulshan army and itsmander countless times on the front lines. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. He is mild-mannered and does not like to do rough things, but he has sworn allegiance to Orugan, who rebelled against and defeated the royal family and nobles of the time, and after the war, he continues to work to support Orugan as he has done before. He is a man of ordinary appearance andcks ir, but he has a brilliant mind and can speak fournguages other than his nativenguage Shaan. **While Orugan is unable to move, he is making various arrangements for his return.** ?Battle Command Although he is more gifted as amander of a century than as amander of arge army, he ispetent enough tomand and operate an army. He usually spends most of his time as Orugan¡¯s assistant and bodyguard, which gives him a wide field of vision. He hates to see his troops die in vain and is cautious by nature, but when he leads his own troops, he shows a different kind of aggression. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Bearded. Thin face (presence). Armor: Half te with lion carving. ¡úKrische: A mad Absolute. A strong man who cannot be touched. Strong points: Curved sword swordsmanship. Shoe maintenance. Likes: Sweet food. Self-discipline. Dislikes: Noble. Concerns: How to bring back Orugan, who was mad to take the me for the defeat. - ----Kreisharana ¡õ Alkierence Sharana -- Neutral Good A chief who loves Holy Spirit. He is the chief of the Kreisharana tribe. He is a powerful man who once held the position of warrior chief of Kreisharana, and was appointed as the chief by his predecessor and elder, Beekirs, and became the chief of the tribe. It seems that the other warriors had no objection to him bing the n leader, as he was a man of character as well as his skill, and he was promoted smoothly without being challenged to a duel for the position. Although he no longer wields a spear for hunting, he is still the top-ranking warrior in Kreisharana, and there are only a few people who can exchange spears with him properly. He is always thinking about the future of the vige and is a pacifist in Kreisharana. In its current form, he believes that it is impossible for Kreisharana to continue to exist, and he is seeking a new path while respecting the customs of the past. For this reason, he has made efforts to improve his rtionship with Arna since bing chief, and is not well-liked by the conservatives, with the exception of Beekirs. If the Kreisharana customs, which ce emphasis on improving the individual, are truly good, they will remain in the future even if it wasn¡¯t forced. However, the arrival of Krische, who was born in the kingdom that was supposed to be covered in conceit and falsehood, but is superior to anyone else as an individual, made him feel a new winding. Sensing a new wind, he decided to rekindle the rtionship with the kingdom and began steering toward a new future. ?Battle Command Through years of experience, he understands the strengths and weaknesses of the griffin cavalry and is skilled in the art of unterally defeating opponents from an advantageous position. The tactics of avoiding danger and unterally aiming for the enemy''s life are not very interesting, but for them, fighting is hunting. He values the idea that hunters should be as calm as possible, rather than something that should be enjoyed, and the calmness that allows him to do this can be said to be his strength. Appearance: Shaved head. Brown eyes. Muscr. A face with deep wrinkles. A rich white beard. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior who has attained the Holy Spirit with the body of a man. The embodiment of Kreisharana¡¯s ideal. A frightening girl who spouts nothing but verbal gaffe. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Taijutsu. Likes: Honey. Training. Dislikes: Lazy. **Concerns: To what extent should they ept the in¡¯s technology?** ¡õ Vinthril Sharana -- Neutral Good A seeker-type boy who loves warriors. Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior. The warrior chief candidates are made up of 12 people selected by rmendation from warriors who have been recognized for their ability and personality, and the one whopetes in martial arts andes out on top bes the chief warrior. He is the son of the current tribe chief Alkierence and holds the position of Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior, but that position is not hereditary and is based on his ability. He can be said to be the best warrior in Kreisharana, both in name and reality, and is respected by the warriors. He has a beautiful and good-looking lover, whom he has promised to marry after this battle, and her father has repeatedly threatened to kill him if he makes his daughter unhappy, even if he is dead. Having grown up under Alkierence, he has simr views about Kreisharana and hopes that the restoration of diplomatic rtions with the kingdom will bring about a new future for them. Quite a sis-con. He witnessed a war that was too one-sided, created by Krische, and felt a huge disconnect from his ideals, but he understood her reasoning and feelings and once again decided to cooperate. **After the war, he sessfully married his girlfriend and started a family with the blessings of many people. He is now praying that his child will be born safely.** ?Battle Command He excels at instantaneous decision-making and is good at three-dimensional griffin cavalry operations. Compared to Alkierence, he has defeated countless Suiko through aggressive tactics, such as using decoys and taking out opponents from behind. If Alkierence is a hunter, his thinking is simr to that of a military man, and rather than relying entirely on the beast, he often uses the griffin as a strategy piece. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Tall and muscr. Well-rounded face. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior recognized by the Holy Spirit. The pinnacle to aim for. Sloppy in various ways. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Swordsmanship. Likes Dueling. Training. Little sister. Dislikes: Not formed abs. **Concerns: Treatment of pregnant women.** ¡õ Lira Sharana -- Chaos Good An easy mark girl from the countryside who is confused by the city breeze. She is the Holy Priestess of Kreisharana. She is the miko of Kreisharana who devotes herself to the Holy Spirit, and a priestess in the service of the Holy Spirit Yagernaus. She is a girl who is religiously equal or superior to the Miko Princess of the Arna Imperial State, and is treated with the same respect from the priests of the Arna Imperial State. In Kreisharana, however, she works and lives as any other woman would, due to the unique custom that "women are one who bring fruit¡±. The miko of the Holy Spirit is a prestigious role, but it is not a particrly rewarding one, and she devotes her life to the Holy Spirit and Kreisharana. Though there aren''t many people who truly want to be the mino, after losing her mother at an early age and being cared for by the priestess who preceded her, she decided to take over after her death. Although many people, especially boys her own age, desperately tried to stop her from making such a decision at a young age, she herself is satisfied with her current position as the mother of Kreisharana, just like the miko before her. She speaks thenguage of the ins fluently and has an excellent intellect, but she is less cautious and insensitive to her own charms. She is somewhat like a certain adjutant in that she is somewhat out of it, but the costumes she wears, the feminine charm she possesses, and her naivete and unquestioning nature make her a dangerous girl in more ways than one. Somewhat a brocon. After reporting the details of her visit to the kingdom to Regve, she is asked to report whenever something changes, and she repeats the audience more often than before. **Lately, Regve has been speaking to her more directly, and she is perplexed by his philosophical questions and answers. Looking forward to the birth of her brother''s child.** Appearance: ck hair in braids that hangs over her shoulders. Brown eyes. A toned body. Quite arge breasts. Pretty. Armor: Overly exposed wraps and loincloth. ¡úKrische: A pure person. Very beautiful and lovely. Marveled that this kind of skinship is normal in the kingdom. Strong points: Taking care of griffins. Collecting fruits. Likes: Delicious food. Washing. Older brother. Dislikes: thug. **Concerns: : Questions and answers from the Holy Spirit without correct answers.** ¡õ Vervas -- Neutral Good I''m a warrior type of guy. Chief Guardian of Kreisharana. A warrior who was chosen as a candidate for warrior chief upon the appointment of chief Alkierence. At one time, he was considered a sure-fire chief warrior, but was defeated in a duel with Vinthril and became the chief guardian. If the best warrior in Krei Sharana is the Chief Warrior, then the next best warrior is the Chief Guardian. It is a prestigious position, the gatekeeper of the path to the Holy Spirit, and he is not dissatisfied with the position, partly because it was the result of a duel, and now he and Vinthril have a private and public rtionship. However, perhaps because of their rtionship, his beloved daughter, who he dotes on, has developed a crush on Vinthril, andtely he has been poking Vinthril as a thief who is trying to steal her daughter away from him. **He hates Vinthril for taking his daughter away, but he''s happy to see his happy daughter who has had a child so early, which is rare in Kreisharana, and he can''t say anything about it.** ?Battle Command Like Alkierence, he operates with a focus on the Griffin''s flight characteristics above all else, and has a cold-hearted attitude that focuses only on pure victory rather than apetition of skills. Though he prefers fair battles, as he is in a position where he cannot afford to lose, he ces emphasis on winning and does not go on adventures. Although hismand ability is not outstanding, his individual ability is high, and in a fight between a small number of people, he will be able to utilize that strength to gain the upper hand from beginning to end. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. A rugged yet well-groomed face. Scar on cheek. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A great warrior. A transcendent person who he can¡¯t reach. A strange girl. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Taijutsu. Archery. Likes: Contest skill. Training. Warrior. Daughter. Dislikes: Bug (around his daughter). **Concerns: That the first grandchild be born with both the mother and the baby safe.** - ----Arna Imperial State ¡õ Miko (Shrine Maiden) Princess -- Order Neutral A woman dressed as a young beautiful girl in a see-through costume. Leader of the Arna Imperial State. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom but does not consider it important in and of itself and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Public Face. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. **Concerns: Maintaining the rtionship between Arna Imperial Stat and Alberan, which had returned to being a great power in a short period of time.** ¡õ Zanaribea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big, sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of Kreschenta''s rtionship with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. **He realized that tariff relief rted to magic crystals is a bigger problem than expected, and is busy negotiating rted technology.** Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. Krische ¡ú A girl who exudes the power to push through the impossible. Sweet tooth. A sweet Cursed Child. Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. **Concerns: Military use of magic crystals in Alberan.** - ----Elderant Kingdom triangle; ----Veeze n ¡õ Ledo Rani ¨C Neutral Good ¡ú Neutral Evil A hot-blooded protagonist who falls into the dark side type of guy. Rani chief warrior. The leader of Veeze¡¯s hunting squad. A young warrior leader of the Rani tribe under the great tribe Veeze. He is the son of the previous warrior chief Radia, and he inherited his swordsmanship strongly and became a chief warrior at a young age. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. Gorkista, the head of the Veeze n and the current king of Elderant, and his father, Radia, were friends, and he is a childhood friend of Shelna, the princess of Veeze. The two have vowed to get married in the future and have a mutual love rtionship. In Elderant, where countless tribes fight and civil war is constant, he was involved in war from an early age and witnessed the horrors of it firsthand. This traumatized him, and he stood up with Shelna with the idea ofpletely unifying the Kingdom of Elderant, gathered allies, and formed the Veeze hunting party. He continued to disy many military exploits as Shelna''s right-hand man, but lost most of them, including Shelna, in the war of invasion of Alberan. Just as he was in despair, his subordinates desperately tried to stop him and retreated. He narrowly escaped from being pursued by Krische by his body double and was picked up by Tova Arkaz, a general of the northern army,, and returned to Elderant. **He decides to join forces with Arkaz for revenge, and wields his sword to unify Elderant.** ?Battle Command Although he has not studied solid tactical theory, he has excellent instantaneous decision-making abilities based on his intuition backed up by his experience gained from battles inplex forests. He is a genius of some kind, but his disadvantage is that he is intuitive and easily gets blood rushing to his head. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. He can be said to be mediocre when he is included in the battle line, and he remains somewhat immature, as he cannot demonstrate his abilities unless he is given independent discretion. In battle, he uses a unique sword technique that takes advantage of the weight and inertia of his giant sword, and in some cases he can even cut down a higher-ss opponent, resulting in an overall extreme high and low performance. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Medium build. Rtively well-rounded face. Armor: Leather armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡ú Krische: An enemy general that Shelna was cautious of. Probably the one who killed Shelna. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Taijutsu. Hunting. Fishing. Swimming. Likes: Training. Armspetition. Dislikes: Alberan. **Concerns: Hatred towards Alberan.** ? Shelna Veeze ¨C Neutral Evil Mildly crazy girl. The first princess of Veeze She was born with deep indigo eyes, a Celestial eye, which was said to be blessed with natural talent in Elderant.. She has shown her talent since she was a child, but it was when she was seven years old that she easily killed a man who tried to touch her. She was seen obsessively cutting open the man''s body and looking at the organs, leading to fears that she did not have a human heart and rumors of her being a mad princess¨D¨Dand as a result, she was temporarily sent to the Rani, a tribe headed by a friend of the king. There she spends several years with Ledo, a familiar face to her, and as they deepen their rtionship through his kindness, shees to love him and to loathe her own abnormality. Although she hates the battlefield, she considers it her role to protect him and fulfill his wishes, and her goal of unifying the Elderant was originally to fulfill his ideals. She wants only a gentle life where they can live peacefully together. During the invasion of Alberan, she encountered Krische and was killed. ?Battle Command A very aggressivemander. Because she is from Elderant, where most of the country is covered with forests, she excels at "headhunting tactics" such as ambush and surprise attacks, and does not ce importance on battle lines.. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. Her superior thinking ability enables her to view the battlefield from the sky as if she were looking down from above, and she has no troublemanding and operating dozens of small units, even with poor visibility. Her ability to think and guess about strategy and tactics is outstanding, and her instantaneous decisions, which were iprehensible to others and are called revtions, are always based on her extraordinary thinking ability. She is amander who should be called a genius, but she has a bad habit of using fear to control rebellious subordinates, and she often fails to build a rtionship of trust, which often leads to failure. Perhaps because she has easily recovered from such failures by taking the lead herself, she does not take this problem seriously, but it is a definite gap in her otherwise perfect character. Appearance: Long xen hair. Deep indigo eyes. Small build. Modest chest. Superior. Armor: Matte breastte with ancient carved lettering. Hand armor. ¡ú Krische: One that spreads death. An absolute killer who surpassed even herself. Strong points: Killing people. Calction. Likes: Ledo. kiss. Physical contact. ying with the flower bed. Dislikes: Her abnormal self. War. Concerns: Wanted to meet Ledo once more. - ----The vige of Kalka ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Concerns: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he is concerned about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: ouws. Concerns: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡õ G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Although she learns the truth about the past because of Krische¡¯s returns, she understands that she couldn''t hold a grudge against Krische, and she still shows Krische, unchanging love on behalf of Grace and the others. Krische had already be such an existence for G. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thinks of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Taking care of her oven. Dislikes: Bandits. **Concerns: None.** ¡õ Pell --Neutral Good Boy whose first love is Krische. Kalka''s vignte group. A boy who loved Krische as "the neighborhood''s beautiful One-san". Krische¡¯s character was quite different from others, but he took good care of her and honestly liked her. Whenever Krische showed up at the vignte training, he always gave her sword lessons, and after she left, he realized that it had been a faint first love. His dream is to be a soldier and be a hero, but he eventually gives up after his childhood girl friend cried and he will probably lead a peaceful life as the leader of the vignte group in the vige of Kalka, that kind of boy. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Quote a good face. ¡úKrische: A beautiful neighborhood girl. His first love. Very strong. Quite different from others. Strong points: Swordsmanship. Brawl. Likes: self-discipline (self-improvement). Heroic stories. Dislikes: Bandits. Adults who made Krische as the bad guy. **Concerns: Bery, who he hasn''t seen in a while, is really cute.** - ----Others ? Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Concerns: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡õ Dagris -- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. Worry: Since he started following Krische, things have been going too well. ¡õ Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. **Dislikes: Businesses that pursue only profit.** Concerns: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ? Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Chrissie, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she feels as if Kreschenta was her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, she turns herself in to atone for her own sins and those of Kreschenta. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Concerns: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. ¡õ Vanate Faren¨C Chaos Good Nosy, rtives woman type. Margrave Faren''s wife. Eluga''s wife. She was born into a powerful noble family. She is beautiful and above average in everything she does. She is a woman of talent and beauty, but she is very strong-willed and dislikes the closed-mindedness characteristic of noble society, and perhaps because of her birth, she is very strong-minded and idealistic. Because of that, she was sent back after three days from where she married and was treated as a tumor in her parents'' house. Her brother was a corpsmander in the same army as Eluga, but he disliked him, and out of rivalry with him, he took a solo action that was close to viting an order, and as a result, he fell into a dangerous situation and was saved by him. However, at that time, he resented the fact that he had been judged ipetent because of that and worked to block Eluga¡¯s career¨D¨DKnowing that fact, Vanate personally went to Eluga and apologized to him. Because of that connection with him, She was intrigued by Eluga¡¯s face and gentle nature, which was different from what she had heard about him and visited him every once in a while. At some point, she realizes that it has turned into love and presses him to marry her. Eluga refused saying that the age difference is too big, and that her house wouldn¡¯t allow it, but she threatened that if she was rejected by a man with an evil appearance like Eluga, it would be a shame for life, and that she wouldmit suicide, and so she married him forcefully. Although she was disowned after a dispute with her brother who inherited the family, she herself is satisfied and doesn''t particrly care. She often hurls harsh words at Eluga without any reservation, but that was just her not being able to be honest in truth. She has a strong affection for him, and she basically respects his opinion whenever there is a dispute. She is prouder than anything that she was able to achieve a love marriage, and her hobby is to meddle here and there about how a marriage should be and is a walking marriage counselor. She also matched Berry''s older sister Lazura in personality and got along well with her. Appearance: Long, graceful blonde hair. Brown eyes. Slender and tall. Normal breasts. A beautiful woman with tight proportions who is beginning to show some signs of aging. ¡úKrische: A young beautiful girl that her husband seems to be taken to. She has an air of more than just being on good terms with Bery. Strong points: Quibbles. Love Consultation. Likes: Love consultation. Love story. Dislikes: Restrictions that bind emotions. Concerns: The safety of her husband, who is on the battlefield. ¡õ Koza¨C Neutral Good A strong cksmith type man. Former subordinate of Gallen. He is a certified cksmith in Christand. Originally the only son of a cksmith, he joined the army to rebel against his strict father. He served under Gallen in several battles, but was wounded in the leg during one of them and discharged from the army after suffering a permanent injury. His final rank was corporal. He used to be a rowdy and violent person and was beaten up several times by Garren, but he feels a strong debt of gratitude to him because Gallen saved him many times when he was in danger. When he returned to his parents after suffering a permanent injury, the tears of relief shed by his strict father made him decide to take over the family business, and he has been training diligently ever since. Taking advantage of his experience on the battlefield, many of his swords are particrly focused on ease of handling and sturdiness, and although they are not shy, they are of very high quality, perhaps due to his natural talent. He and Bogan, who had just joined the military at the time, did not have a very deep rtionship as they had mostly reced each other, but theyter deepened their rtionship after being introduced to him by Gallen. Bogan, Nozan, Selene''s sword, Kolkis¡¯s iron spear, Grunmeld¡¯s war club, and other weapons of the Christand warriors are often struck by Koza. The small sword that Gallen wields was the first sword his father recognized, and even now, decadester, he still uses it with great care. Although he feels that his son Kays has more talent than him, hecks motivation and is troubled by memories of his former father''s rtionship with him. However, perhaps because of Krische, he¡¯s relieved that he seems to have started to get more enthusiastic about it recently after seeing his new swing, which can be said to be the culmination of his life. Appearance: Bald. Sharp brown eyes. Large and muscr. Stubble beard and his right shoulder is bulged with muscles ¡úKrische: His benefactor''s granddaughter. A girl with an unusual sword skill. The person to whom he gave the best swing of his life. Strong points: weapon smithing. fight. Likes: Sparks. Forging. Dislikes: Craftsmanship that ignores practicality. Concerns: Will he be able to pass on all of my skills to his son. - ----Creatures ? Regve -- Chaos Neutral An ancient dragon that used to be talked about a lot. Regve of Arbyagel. Yagernaus. A survivor of a race of dragons that once swept the world. In the ancient territorial wars, or dragon wars, they killed many dragons and spread their blood all over thend Since there are no more dragons left to fight for territory, and everyone has grown bored of fighting and moved away, he now stays in Arbyagel to watch the world change. He is rtively close to people among dragons, and although he could be said to be an oddity among dragons, more or less all dragons surviving today spend their time in this way. As a dragon, he is also highly intelligent, but due in part to his original abilities, he does not make much use of them, and is content to devote his days to philosophical questions and answers. Treated as a pervert by Krische because of his strange propensity tough while being impaled on a spear. Appearance: Reddish-purple eyes. Rocky blue-gray scales. A huge body equalinga castle. Huge bat-like wings. ¡úKrische: A small but arrogant and pleasant one. A contractor. Observation target. Strong points: Emission of magic power. Likes: contemtion. Observation. asional little one that is outstanding. Dislikes: things that disturb contemtion. Things that bother him. Concerns: the existence of aplete dragon. ¡õ Bururun -- Order Evil Loyal, rampaging horse boy. Horse. A horse chosen by Krische as a recement for her foot because it isrge and seems to have a certain amount of strength. Originally owned by the Christand army, he was a rough and difficult horse to handle, but now he is owned by the Christand family because he has taken to Krische so well. Rather than being violent, he is smart and calm, but he seems to be particr about how he is touched and how well he is cared for, and he is very sensitive, and has very strong likes and dislikes. Although he has badpatibility with Selene who has a rough personality, but treated with respect, he will easily be attached. He is a fine horse with a strong and seemingly inexhaustible physical strength, and can run as if flying, but he does not have many opportunities to make use of this strength. His temperament is more suited to being used as a fast horse than as a warhorse. His recent favorites are Berry and Elvena, who often take care of him and let him walk around the royal territory. Appearance:rge stature. fawn color. Long mane. ¡úKrische: A two legged that sure know how to touch him. Feed him a lot and take care of him. Strong points: Running. Likes: Walking. Brushing. To challenge the limits. Dislikes: Sloppy two legged. **Concern: The mysterious mating festival thates after winter.** ¡õ Gururun ¨C Chaotic Neutral A cat type girl who is used to people. Suiko. A Suikp from Arbyagel, a Suiko who was fed by Krische and became attached to her. She has lived afortable life in Arbyagel and has grown up happily andfortably, and even for a green tiger, she is ratherrge and highly intelligent. Perhaps because she was in a position of absolute power in a rich environment, she has never been hungry and is extremely wary of a wild beast. While gorging on the carcass and entrails of the Suiko left uneaten by Krische, she was following her scent out of territorial instinct, but the mystery deepens as fresh meat is offered one after another. What was left behind, moreover, was the most delicious offal. She wonders if this might have been left for her, and when she catches up with Cliche, she finds that she is also being offered the entrails of an Ranka. After getting her clear answer, she decides to work with the mysterious two-legged meat provider Krische. She seems to be enjoying the environment that somehow provides her with meat even though she does not hunt, and is very satisfied with her current life. Appearance: Green body hair with ck vertical stripes. A huge tiger with eight-shaku shoulders. ¡úKrische: Two legged that for some reason feed her. A Honorary Suiko. Tickles her maternal instinct. Strong points: Hunting. Likes: Walking. Sleeping. Eating. Dislikes: Her prey being snatched. **Concerns: Her body gains weight through eating and sleeping.** Chapter 223: â€» Main character image Chapter 223: ¡ù Main character image ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, ¡ù Main character image*** I (Author) used CHARAT to create a character image. I feel that the atmosphere of the character is urate, but in some cases, it may spoil the image you (the reader) have, so be warned. If you want to see them, please scroll down. Krische Alberinea Christand (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Pretty strong. Skillfulness: Quite good. Smartness: Very smart. Character: A hard worker but might be a bitzy. ![’·½}(By /eouK-lVOHZ3EEBJLzzNu-_N2mvBUrKOUEl5pP_MC4sBzHv1pwyBAA954yABGxgt4l86evsR_1xzAegFzexeqZP0Xx4jI28n1Ev1SR5p0I576J31q99XGgyxjWIs0ucQdqrPb6Z_1um7TE9ASkRIE) ![’·½}(By /WlXLvBQj6BLQ64iOnX1LrMZvQlWQ9dF_D6gIkQ4UxWkN-npcOQVddHHnx-m9KojegTPNr18J-0ziCLG76zCn9kRez8uD1fdfKleDNvCGJe_EmjSUgQ8esKuv_Z8eEBSStUjvw4qfAc6zSvkEbwtk) Bery Argan (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Bery shouldn¡¯t fight Dexterity (skillfulness): Bery is very good at cooking, so she is very skillful. Wise: Bery is very smart Character: Bery is very kind and serious, and a hard worker who can do anything. ![’·½}(By /CZS0HShmmS0oYZHgSKtg0_rbglW4_STPjFBTSLLMP15UHMc7qBFw5rt1i-Iw0eX0cIG5GC42iNb6hesiSsc_-RooliGBgwnPx0jVy7ocjEuBDX9x0vtO9zYmpL-M0Q-BMYwjCCBfp7pAeRBIu) ![’·½}(By /MwuvH7Z4ZyKZHW0_xGYNKzKdMQ4dmFrVf6xClyMLKVqEGWVKAXRYUVl0Wi3DSZVFLfp8AdBiAnVdCQFrtYoyPUDWuc02quoAHHSb1tqNzhoqEjW5oUZn8-tGPPUapbhFL46YTVlNS5IVM4lLdgYe) Selene Argalitte Rinea Chritand (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Quite good among the unskilled (noob) Skillfulness: Very messy and clumsy Smartness: Good at talking with many people. Character: She¡¯s very kind, but sometimes a little scary. ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/mT0zJSgE1ctrt2swS4TJ7dYNmomBvSSM2uHXVwxMeVdNE2zCvfsQsxVIqLKjdYdl8W-ua55yvWAVbOwVRrZf2B5_UKvCDYky1-xsusmZuyMamu0xxjXjpjfyVLTkMzkah8daKAm1FVAd_2tNbUNS) ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/JTXV-P-WWz4vyrFTFBEDiPSpblYGLVpMJeruaIsNlP0xyaYX95UYMlqMg95nhX85sQTpM-4t_CNWc6syDZFELf5bi7BQY0WFCX5zxRROJi0noBq7OGnwr3CNzuSYFfaHXXhoaGphbYsM61qs_vWB) Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Even though she¡¯s Krische¡¯s sister, she¡¯s very very weak. Skillfulness: Quite good. Smartness: Even though she¡¯s very smart, she¡¯s a bit of an idiot. Character: A child who always wants to be spoiled, also a bad child who always bad mouth about Bery. ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/f4kz7wZHE4XdlhDtXdBSDRN-0xvtEY6ZeX5zN3N7Yx2s_7hkVUOk0UYPsy-u3A-IRT5Y0c3XjcMtpNJ5R7qdbZmBvHhYgjRPFIIdbyVtSWCz-qa-c4Zbzab4Z7kX9J484oyKq6DgNbuthFYnL) Anne Giterns (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Very weak. Skillfulness: ¡is serious and hard-working Smartness: ¡She remembers what Krische asked, more or less. Character: Lively and full of energy ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/kxMforYGnP64ldSrfDROjo9nVSVmGSrlMawyuqQ3cvhw-T6Bh-h16UtftTC3t9RgP9jV-dn9PCNcJM4NJsc1G3TyRIbz96-vgKS3b1RX7vTpWIl1rIWV7w-JJvq6U3XX96n8sBp3Ldb8ZFnA0ZHF) Kalua Belyus (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Her swordsmanship is very rough but is quite good among the unskilled (noob) Skillfulness: Surprisingly she is very skillful, but she doesn''t like to be bothered with small things, so she often tries to skip work. Smartness: Not so stupid so as to be called idiot Character: She is very kind but always treats Krische like an idiot ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/a2t0t9-7CoThSXDjmKR47pa_mBQs-Cfa1rGwCUNWtPzo5zIZXIGgLBFDgKdy6FsivXcAzDtNtES-VJUHGkQgwqDc_T8O6UMrQinLbVZS7nUkYN67x3S2Dr2TkLawZ3MWEwTQ6InVLAQbJf_Sr2yW) Mia (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: For an adjutant, she is unimaginably weak. Skillfulness: Hopelessly clumsy Smartness: sometimes unbelievably stupid Character: Not enough effort in general ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/gtheWHkT2vACEnYpASUHgHdx8IGvRBgxQutB6xpcmHnsQRQzXrcNxfhUJIqIsCuBzAp9ftYtWVNkDTs42KKcDW54sfQJUkqNfyO1TqkhQI0ZDZRJjIH4qHlJBgpUn09MDwFd8hQKnmJ9DTMCKIOW) Elvena Belyus (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Very very weak Skillfulness: on the skillful side Smartness: seems to be able to be trusted to a certain extent Character: Kind. But teasing is no good ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/mlszsz6Td5oIN1tsy2O-y_j5A8cRteZ9DBRL5YIBzGmuTiHjvTO8lhhGp0EkFpknKr8Src6gUkIuhAV5Z3KfBGXOs-bmF_u-TK34ht_rdBRS-fKdVAFGsz2EBA4E_mG74OYr-vgOWj7M-QIgdnfl) Lira Sharana (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Fighting strength: Very very weak Skillfulness: Not clumsy Smartness: quite quick thinking Character: A kind child. Kreisharana people seems like exposing their skin ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/Qhm5OdY5IpgVq-sHnxzo75JdVcFr1VdPwHHw08mTLQNzewpOQgZyaM9u8gtG1LEEaFn-ow_KJqSn81WF7NrZhNiIFImxhb4G0y3vS84_VfbmZdX41FA0dDknhwBYQIlYm1hJpyw6zNcQGLMYnWHH) ----Bonus---- Magical Bery''s Secrets (Illustration By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó) Magical stick Magical Bery''s main weapon that can only be used by those with a heart of justice! It amplifies the magical power of Magical Bery and makes a Magical Kitchen appear! Magical slicers, magical frying pans, and magical cooking for Magical Bery all begin with the flick of this wand! Magical dress The best armor and weapon to prevent attacks from evil monsters! The shy costume dazzles the opponent, and sometimes even destroys the opponent without even attacking! It is weak to shes, weak to dissolving liquid, and appears to be easily torn, but that''s okay! It has a transparent magical barrier on the inside, so she is not affected by even the slightest attack! Magical Bery, who is strong in pinches, shows her true potential after the magical dress is torn! She''ll ovee any crisis! Magical Wing Additional attachments that pop out from her waist! Magical Bery can fly for a short time by using Magical Wings! But it''s still a little disappointing that Magical Bery rarely flies in the sky to protect its secret, and is mostly used for eleration on the ground! If everyone wants to see Magical Bery fly in the sky and give us your enthusiastic support, we might be able to see her flying! Magical body Magical Bery''s charm is, after all, -Deleted due to censorship- ![’·½}(By ¤ß¤Æ¤ß¤ó)](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent/j0yrjUZanASGSWYWK7hg7URkZ6KEqX_7spoo3P3HMG2wwWaJqfZ9KVMLvT0JXpeB_FMGs9wqWvkkmz7w4BkQKkVDYRhXvGWCouxDY_CtP0nwDZJi6n3q5xdlU5lyJ8vOCsOQYI-uEiv3oEz3qDew) This is from when she ran into her family that she was supposed to protect ter Magical Selene) in the park. (Photographed by Bagil) A Magical Bery that has saved thend of spirits and humanity unnoticed in the darkness of the night. Her true face, which she has desperately tried to hide, can be seen in her expression----the embarrassment that her family has found out about her secret that she is a magical girl, Magical Bery. ----Quoted from "Monthly Magical Bery first issue". Chapter 224: Side Story: Guardian Chapter 224: Side Story: Guardian ***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 224 Side Story: Guardian*** Christand¡¯s estate in Gargain The young, golden-haired girl, who hadn¡¯t yet able to count until 10, looked displeased at the cloth on her desk. The cloth was stretched out on a wooden board, and a long mathematical form was written with charcoal on it. Usually, what was used to as a study tool was cloths that could be washed and reused. Parchment wasn''t free either. Both her father and mother hated wasting money, and this was normal for Selene as well. ¡°The form and order are correct, but the calction here is incorrect.¡± The redhead servant¨D¨DBery, took a look at Selene''s problem and quickly pointed out the wrong part without a moment''s hesitation. Within the blink of an eye amid the lengthy equations. Berry was always like this and Selene pouted her lips. "...Bery always knows everything." Reviewing the arithmetic that her tutor taught her. Her mother was not good at teaching others, so Bery was usually the one watching her study. Bery would answer anything she asked, and when Selene saw a problem she couldn''t understand, Bery would easily solved it. Solvingplicated calctions without even needing to down the equations. "That''s not true. Rather there are so many things I don''t know." Someone who always smiles as if she was troubled¨D¨Dthat was probably her impression of Bery. Whenever Selene said something, Bery always gave a troubled smile. She didn¡¯t look proud or ridicule her, but instead smiled thoughtfully. ¡°What is it that Bery doesn¡¯t understand?¡± "It¡¯s something as vague as that question" Again, as if troubled. Bery told her with a smile Modest and neat, she had never seen Beryughed as loudly as her mother. For example, this arithmetic is simple. If you follow the order and do the calctions in sequence, the answer wille out by itself. The key is to do each one carefully. Ojou-sama''s equation is correct, and this time it was a basic calction mistake. Even without me if Ojou-sama recalcted it Ojou-sama would have also gotten the correct answer." Trace her lips with her fingertips. It was a habit Bery had when she was thinking. There was something alluring about that beautiful appearance of hers. Her mother''s younger sister¨D¨DHer facial features were simr, but apart from the red hair, it was hard to tell that she was her mother''s younger sister at first nce. Contrary to her mother, who was bright, gorgeous, and easy to recognize, Bery''s temperament was quiet¨D¨Dor to put it negatively, dark, and don''t know what she was thinking. She was smart and capable of anything, but she was not proud of anything, and just took it as only natural. Her appearance, which had not changed at all since she could remember, was inorganic and somewhat doll-like, and perhaps that was why she was so fascinated by her trivial habits and gestures. It was like a colorless painting bursting into color. "However, there are problem without an answer in this world." ¡°A problem without an answer?¡± Bery nodded. "For example...what is the most delicious food in the world? Do you know?" "......Meat Pie?" When Selene answered after thinking for a while, Bery smiled bitterly. ¡°Then, would it be okay for Ojou-sama to have meat pie for dinner every day from now on?¡± ¡°Muu...¡± "Hehe, that was a bit mean, wasn''t it? But it¡¯s just like that." After removing the cloth from the wooden board, a new piece of cloth was attached and carefully stretched out. As she fastened the four sides of the cloth, Bery said. "What is good and what is bad? What should I do to make someone happy and what did I do that makes someone angry? There are answers to things that can be expressed in numbers, but when ites to interactions between people, there is no correct answer." cing the wooden board back on the table, Berry flipped the removed cloth skillfully and neatly folded it into a basket. Selene always wondered why she bothered folding the cloth before washing it, but it seemed to be her nature. In contrast to her mother, Bery was very meticulous. ¡°If there was only one answer to that question, I could just made a meat pie for Ojou-sama everyday. But the world is not that simple.¡± ¡°¡Berry, do you always think about suchplicated things when you cook?¡± "Not always, but..." ¡®Sometimes¡¯, she said, as if troubled. "Just like Ojou-sama¡¯s favorite meat pie, if Ojou-sama eats it every day, Ojou-sama would get tired of it. What''s right isn''t always the right answer. Correctness is just an indicator, nothing more... Problem with no answer is something like that I guess?¡± Her words seemed easy to understand but were difficult. Selene crossed her arms and thought about it, Berry chuckled. "As a side. Even if Ojou-sama doesn''t ruminate about it now, such a problem wille up in front of Ojou-sama someday. Worrying about it can start after that." ¡°Father said that having a mental attitude is important. I think I should know about important things like that.¡± Selene crossed her arms and said, trying to act mature. Bery stared at her and looked at the wooden board. Without saying a word, she removed the cloth from the wooden board she had just prepared, folded it neatly, and put it away. "Let''s conclude the review for today. Ojou-sama must be tired from studying." Bery freshened up the tea from the pot and put the cookies she had left in the room on the desk. She must have seen through Selene''s feelings of being tired with studying. Selene looked at him with a blush on her cheeks, feeling embarrassed for some reason. "...For example, thew is a form of justice. If you break thew, you are a bad person and it is a bad thing....Is this correct?" "...Isn''t that the correct answer?" "That''s one correct answer. From a social perspective, it''s undeniably evil, and people who do it are bad people and criminals." Pouring tea and cing the cup in front of Selene. After that Bery brought a chair and sit diagonally in front of her. "However, that is just one perspective, and it is only a bad thing from society''s point of view." "...?" "...Right , let''s say a starving poor man stole bread for his child." Bery took a cookie and hid it in her hand. ¡°Socially, it was probably evil, but for that individual, there was no other choice, and that was the only way to prevent his child from starving to death.¡ Can this person really be called evil? ¡± Selene furrowed her eyebrows, and Bery smiles bitterly as she looked at her. "Surely, there won''t be anyone who can decisively judged it. From one perspective, it may be considered evil, but as an individual he¡¯s not necessarily a bad person. From the child''s perspective, that person might be amendable parent trying to protect themselves even at the cost ofmitting a crime." ¡®It''s a matter of perspective,¡¯ Bery said. "In the world, there are countless perspectives, and for each perspective, there is correctness and good and evil... Just like in war, from the perspective of Alberan, the Elsren are evil, but the Elsren people probably think the same about us." Selene listened silently, deep in thought. ¡°What is right changes depending on one''s point of view and position. It is easy to criticize poor people who steal from a position where they have never gone hungry, and it is also easy to me the enemy citizens. But correctness is never the only correct answer.¡± ¡®It''s a problem without an answer¡¯, Bery said, picking up another cookie and cing it near Selene''s mouth. When she put it in Selene mouth, Bery also took a bite of the cookie hidden in her hand. The sweetness of honey with a touch of saltiness¨D¨Dshe strangely never got tired of the simple cookies made by Bery. Today it was a little saltier than usual. Maybe it was because Selene was practicing her sword and was sweating, so it seemed like the right amount, and it was delicious. A small consideration that one wouldn''t notice unless you try to notice it. Maybe what she talked about were something like that. "Whether Ojou-sama wanted to or not, Ojou-samady would also face such problems. At that time, as a noble, the simplest choice would surely be to do justice." "...easy?" "Yes, precisely because it''s simple and easy to choose, wielding correctness without being swayed by it, considering the correctness that suits the situation from various perspective, Being able to think about that is the most important thing, I would say." ¡®It''s very difficult thing but¡¯, Berry said, and Selene thought about it. It would be simr to what her father said, that it was not good to take the easy way out. Unable to fully understand it, she nodded vaguely. Bery smiled wryly and gently patted Selene on the head. "Hehe, I guess it''s still a little difficult for Ojou-sama. Even if Ojou-sama don''t worry about it now, I''m sure you''ll hear simr stories when Ojou-sama learn about thew someday." "Muu..." "...Though Nee-sama might scold me for saying unnecessary thing to Ojou-sama." Then she giggled and smiled somehow happily. At that moment, the door swung open. "That''s exactly right, Bery. Let Selene know what she''s doing again. What will you do if Selene ends up too studious?" Hands on hips, chest puffed out, her long red hair swaying, she looked down at Bery who was sitting down. The beautiful mother entered the room with a displeased expression, furrowing her brows without hesitation, and walked into the room. "Nee-sama, please look at yourself before ming others. To think Nee-sama would be eavesdropping." "I wasn''t eavesdropping, I just happened to be tired and leaning against the door when I heard your voices. How rude." "I think that would normally be called eavesdropping..." "Isn''t that just how it seems from your point of view? Listen, Bery, there''s a lot of truth in this world." ¡®Uuu¡¯, Berry said weakly, her cheeks turning red as she red at Selene¡¯s mother. She sighed after a while, stands up, and went to close the door she left open. ¡°Umm, mom, what about your job¡?¡± "I''m tired of working alone while you all seem to be having fun at study sessions. Bery, please help me. I have a lot of calctions to do. I''d also like some tea." Her mother ced the bundle of parchment in her hand where on the spot where Berry was sitting and brought a chair, sitting down herself and munching on cookies. Seeing a mother like that, Bery let out an exasperated sigh and picked up a new cup. "Hmm, delicious. That¡¯s no good, Selene, if you take Bery''s words seriously, you''ll turn into a big-headed idiot." "...Nee-sama, like I said please stop saying things like that. It''s difficult to deal with in many ways." "It can''t be helped, it''s the truth. Bery, please rub my shoulder while you''re at it." ¡°...Geez¡± Shrugging her shoulders in a slightly sullen tone, Bery poured tea for the mother. Then, without any particr reluctance, she puts her hands on the mother''s shoulders and began massaging them. Bery was just over 20 years old¨D¨Dbutpared to Selene, Berry was much more mature. However, when Bery interacts with her mother, she seemed a little younger, more like an older sister than an aunt, and had a slightly softer tone. Although she could do anything, she was weak against her mother, who was clumsy, rough, and do things sloppily at everything. That was probably Bery only weakness. "...this is?" "It would be best to preserve the magic crystals in salt for a while. I heard a rumor that the magicians are buying them. ...More importantly it¡¯s important distribute wheat, whose prices are soaring, from the south. The climate in the north has been turbulent for the past few years.¡± "We don''t have any money." ¡°Why don''t we just let the wheat from Krisztand flow straight into the administrative territory and hireborers in exchange? The war is over, and things will be slumping for a while. Many problems will be solved if the roads are improved, so I think it would be better to start working on them now.'''' ¡®I''ll tell Bogan¡¯, her mother said, rolling up the bundle of reports. When she picked it up, it was from the territory they managed as a reward for thr aplishments in battle. It seems to be a small mine not far from here, but Selene had never seen it. Her mother asked, flipping the bundle of parchment around her while letting Bery rub her shoulders. Bery casually answered her mother''s question while massaging her mother''s shoulder. Most of it was just a list of numbers, or at least that was what Selene could see, but the interaction between the two was seamless. Feeling left out, Selene puffed out her cheeks as she ate the cookie. This didn¡¯t only happen once or twice. Sometimes the two would have adult conversations, and each time Selene would be out of the loop. ¨D¨DIt couldn''t be helped because she was a child can''t even do math properly. Even though she understood that, there was something she couldn''t just ept. Her mother sometimes stole Selene¡¯s servant just because her servant was her younger sister. Bery sometimes stole Selene''s mother just because her mother is her older sister. Quietly eating cookies to avoid disturbing the two of them, puffing her cheeks while drinking tea, and wiggled her feet more and more hoping they notice her. "Bery, what should I do about this?" "Uh, uh... well..." Was there a question she didn''t understand? She noticed the troubled look on Bery face from the tone of her voice, and crushed the cookie with her teeth, thinking ¡®serve her right¡¯. "In situations like this, I sometimes wonder whether to take a direct approach or an indirect one. It bothers me a lot." "I don''t think I''ve ever seen Nee-sama take an indirect approach though..." "How rude. I''m different today, I think I''ll leave it to Berry" "Ehh...?" Bery seemed to be getting more and more troubled. Although she was slightly intrigued, she didn''t look at them. "There, Bery. It¡¯s the older sister''s orders." ¡°L-look here...¡± "Now now, just do what I always do. Hurry up, or I¡¯ll sulk." ¡°Uuu...¡± Pretending that she was in a bad mood, Selene just ate the cookie and puffed out her cheeks. "My apologies, Ojou-sama..." ¡°...Hua!¡± Her cheeks were gently crushed by her hands from behind. ¡®Phyu¡¯A stupid whistling sound rang out. "Fufu, Selene, making such a strange face..." When she looked up, her mother was holding her belly andughing, and Bery, who had crushed her cheek, chided her exasperated. Selene''s face turned red and she red at Bery. ¡®Please forgive me¡¯, Bery said with a wry smile as she held Selene sideways and sat her on herp. "My apologies, I didn''t mean to leave Ojou-sama out." "...I-I''m not particrly angry." "Selene really isn''t honest huh. Like a certain someone." "...Nee-sama. Please don''t tease me like that." While exasperatedly saying that, Bery held onto the resisting Selene''s body, caressed her head, and stroked her cheek. When Selene gave up, she kindly let out a small smile. Seeing the endlessly gentle smile, Selene looked away from her, feeling embarrassed for some reason, and puffed out her cheeks again. "My, in a bad mood huh." Bery pressed her finger on Selene¡¯s cheek as if to tickle her, making her made another stupid sound. When she red at him with dissatisfaction, Bery stared at her with interest. She didn''t know what was wrong, but Bery hugged her tightly, shaking her shoulders happily, and pressed her against her ample breasts. "Fufun, so Bery is mesmerized by Selene''s cuteness huh? You should first admire what''s right in front of you before you make up all kinds of nonsense." "...I think it''s Nee-sama who''s always making up nonsense. Why is Nee-sama like that...?" Bery shook her head, then continues. "...But, yeah. Hehe, unlike Nee-sama, she''s very, very cute." "That''s a rather rude thing to say. How dare you say that to the most beautiful Onee-sama in the world." "I always wonder why Nee-sama is not embarrassed to say something like that yourself." That feeling of being embraced and yet being left out again. When she looked up from her chest and red at her, Bery tilted her head and looked back at her, then suddenly smiled. She gently strokes Selene''s head and presses it into her chest. When that happens, Selene had no choice but to remain silent, and she had no choice but to be stroked. Probably because she have such memories. whether it was her aunt or sister. For Selene, Bery was always naturally above her, and she was always unknowingly spoiled by her. She must have thought somewhere that Bery was an opponent she couldn''t defeat head-on. Bery-Argan had been Selene-Christand''s guardian since her birth. The sound of air being released from her cheeks. The strawberry blonde girl who made a stupid sound said, ¡®What are you doing!¡¯ and red at the red-haired servant who was poking her cheek, with an extremely displeased face. Why was she angry today?¨D¨DKreschenta sulking and cursing Bery were normal. Whatever it was, it was no big deal. "What do you think this queen who rules Alberan is? Can¡¯t you even not know your ce?" ¡°My, in a bad mood huh¡± ¡°Muguu...¡± She strokes Kreschenta head and presses her against her chest, giggling. As she looked at it, Selene in exasperation. "...You haven''t changed at all since before, after all." ¡°...?¡± Bery Argan, like a little girl, tilted her head curiously and looked back at Selene. Her personality was a little brighter¨D¨Denough to be said it was worse. She didn''t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Although Kreschenta was struggling, there was no sign of her escaping from her belly, and she remained as she was being stroked. Selene felt like she was looking at her old self from the outside. In her own words, Kreschenta was just as eager to be pampered as Krische¨D¨DSelene gives Krische, who was sitting on herp, a cookie, and smiled wryly. She felt lonely, as if her guardian had been taken away from her, but she understood that this was how it was. She felt indescribable. Or perhaps this was what it means to be an adult. "Kreschenta-sama, I think it''s almost time for your nap. Your body is warm." "Please don''t treat me like a child." She caressed Kreschenta as if soothing a child, lifted her up, and asked Selene with her gaze. Selene thought about it for a moment, and said, ¡®Okay¡¯, as she also lifted up Krische. "Maybe I should take a nap once in a while. Krische will sleeps too, right?" "Ehehe, yes..." Just as Berry was Selene''s guardian, Selene now cherished the two of them. It''s still too early to call her a full-fledged adult, but Selene had certainly grown older. "That''s what she said. Kreschenta-sama If you don''t want to sleep, I will apany you, but..." "...I don''t want to talk with you. It''s more meaningful for me to sleep." "Fufu, excuse me then." "I don''t remember ever allowing you to sleep with me." "Oh... it''s just my usual habit. My apologies." "I can''t see any sincerity in your apology. You''re a really bad servant¨D¨Dnyu." "Geez, what a bad-mouthed child. Kreschenta, if you don''t like it, Krische will sleep with Selene and Bery, so why don''t you just stay awake by yourself?" ¡°Uuu...¡± Bery shook her shoulders happily and her brown eyes meet Selene. She stared at it for a while, and suddenly she smiled, and they bothughed and stroked the girl in each other''s arms. Bery hadn''t changed much, and neither has Selene. The only things that have changed were their rtionships and positions. However, the rtionship between guardian was strangely not that bad, and it might be a blessing in itself. To the point where she didn¡¯t think it would be a pain to spend a long time together in the future. Chapter 225: The Demon Lord of Alberan Chapter 225: The Demon Lord of Alberan ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 225 The Demon Lord of Alberan*** T/N: Arc 10 start! (You can also read up until the end of Arc 10 on Patron now!) In arge, magnificently furnished conference room. ¡°¨D¨DSo how do you propose us, fighting against Alberan!!? The more time we spend, the more give to them. We will not be able to stop this trend if we do not deal a blow to them here and show them our military power!! ¡± ¨D¨DAt the anti-Alberan coalition meeting, the one who shouted out loud was Alfmarz Gerganik, the warrior king who was the leader of this coalition and ruled over the great powers of the east. His face was slightly wrinkled and his ck tiger''s beard was streaked with gray hair. However, he still possessed the spirit of a great warrior, and there was no hint of aging in his well-trained, muscr body nor in his eyes. Alfmarz smashed arge desk to pieces and stared at the faces of the men present. These men were not just ordinary individuals or nobles. They were all either kings who ruled their respective countries, military leaders, or major nobles connected to royal families. "Calm down, King Gerganik. Everyone understands even if you don''t raise your voice." "No, you don''t understand. The sh between Alberan and Elsren, at that point, I conveyed the danger to everyone present. Despite that, everyone moved for their own interests, and as a result, while Alberan swallowed Elsren, we dered a truce and formed an alliance. We just watched Alberan''s movements with our fingers on our lips." Alfmarz replied in anger. Collisions between Alberan and Elsren weremon. It was a distant story in the continent''s west¡ªnothing significant. However, this time, things were clearly different. Alberan intended to attack and destroy Elsren. Making Gulshan a vassal state and annexing Elderant Ever since Alberan won the War of the Five Great Powers in the west, it showed a distinct change in behavior. Alfmarz understood that they were preparing for it over the past twenty years. ¨D¨DPreparing to rule this entire continent. "This is the return of Grabaraine. Why don''t you guys learn from history? Do you think Alberan will self-destruct like in the past? In front of Alberan, who has umted power like a tsunami? From my point of view, I have to say that all of youcked a sense of crisis.'''' The Alberan invasion in the past¨D¨Deven back then, Alfmarz''s ancestors formed an alliance and stood against Alberan. That''s what was passed down, but if one looked at history books, they would understand. That was aplete lost. Alberan overwhelmed them in terms of tactics and strategy, military proficiency, and quality of equipment, resulting in defeat after defeat. If the split with Elsren had not urred, Alberan would have controlled everything, including the eastern part of the continent. From there, Alberan to the west, Elsren to the center, and Gerganik to the east. That maintained a certain bnce, but this time Alberan conquered Elsren¨D¨Dregaining most of its former territory. This time around, with advanced magic technology in hand that overturnsmon sense. They were not to be underestimated. On the contrary, it is doubtful that even thebined power of the East would be able to match it. This was not the time to question the pros and cons of peace at this conference. ¡°The question is not how to make peace with Alberan, but how to deal a blow to them. We must unite our will. If we show a weak attitude, they will take advantage of us. We must be a monolith and find out how to fight against ourmon enemy, Alberan!¡± Alfmarz screamed loudly, and there was a moment of silence. *¡°¨D¨DWhat valiant words. However, there''s no need to fight.¡±* ¡°!?¡± The silence was broken by the sweet, enchanting voice of a girl''s voice. There were no women at the meeting. Even servants were not allowed to enter here. And even more so, a girl who hadn¡¯t even yet to be a woman. Along with the voice, a wave. Standing on the table was a girl with golden hair shining in red¨D¨Dwearing a ck elegant dress, and a childlike, graceful smile that deceived people. She seemed like she was floating, insubstantial, and her body was somehow transparent. Among them, only one thing¨D¨Donly her jewel-like purple eyes stood out on the girl''s joyful face. *¡°Excuse me for being impolite, standing on the table. even though there are so many people here, I feel lonely that Alberan is the only one out of the loop. I hope you will allow me to join you.¡±* In front of the men, who were at a loss for words, the girl danced around, lifted the edge of her skirt, and bowed. The girl''s magical beauty was so fairytale like and bewitching that it was hard to believe that she was from this world. ¨D¨DThe girl was known as the ¡®Demon Lord of Alberan¡¯. She was Kreschenta, the queen of Alberan, the center of their agenda. The men put their hands over their mouths, not being able to say anything. "...You!!" Alfmarz stood up and threw the knife that was at his waist. He aimed a shot at the girl''s forehead¨D¨Dbut the knife went through Kreschenta forehead andnded on the wall. Kreschenta shook her shoulders amused andughed, caressing her forehead knowingly. *¡°My. What would you do if it hit me? Assassinating the king of another country is a vition of the Holy Spirit Covenant.¡±* ¡°Walking into your enemy meetings and say things like that.¡± *¡°There is now that can punish that.¡±* Kreschenta said as if making fun of them and pping her hands together. *¡°Fufu, let¡¯s stop the idle talk here. I would like to inform everyone of my future ns.¡±* "what are you¡" *¡°The goal is to establish a unified continental federation with Alberan at the top. Therefore, from now on, Alberan wille straight to the end of the east to visit.¡±* Ignoring Alfmarz, Crescenta gestures to behind Alfmarz¨D¨Da simplified map of the continent. *¡°No bargaining, no hesitation. If you resist, we will destroy and swallow that country; if you kneel, we will ept you as a member of the United Federation.¡±* Then she moved her palm, not her fingers, from west to east, as if painting it over. *¡°I have only one request to all of you. There are so many countries in the east that it''s a hassle. We will not send a messenger from here, so if you wish to show your obedience, please send a messenger yourself. ...It''s simple and easy to understand, right?¡±* "What a joke...!" Not mockingly, but as if a troubled child. *¡°I¡¯m not joking. I mean, it''s only natural, right?¡±* After a beat, Kreschenta, still a girl, smiled. *¡°No one wants to lose a lot in a losing battle. I just want you to understand why I went to the trouble of showing myself like this.¡±* Her purple eyes scanned the surroundings in an inorganic manner. It was like a jewel, like a snake watching its prey. A chill ran down the spines of the men who looked into those eyes. *¡°...If we feel like it, it''s easy turning everyone in this room into a bloodbath. We just don''t do it because of the troublesome things thate after.¡±* The girl happily traced her lips, and Alfmarz carved a deep wrinkle between hi eyebrows. "...Nonsense." Then he red at the girl with hatred and spat out those words. *"I wonder? Hehe, well, if you''re foolish enough to challenge Alberan, I''m sure you''ll understand right away. ...There won''t even be a fight with Alberan anymore.''''* She giggled happily and shook her shoulders, like a little girl. The Queen of Alberan never grew old. Just as that rumor, she looked as young. She lookedpletely mad, as if she wasn''t human. ¡°At the beginning of next month, We will start filling in this map starting from the west. We hope that you will make wise decisions as soon as possible. ...Excuse me then.¡± Just as when she appeared, she spun around and bowed. The girl''s figure disappeared like a thinning mist, and all that was left behind was silence. The men look at each other, and Alfmarz turns his back on him and ms his fist into the wall, making a roar. "...This is just nonsense to disrupt our alliance. I want to continue the discussion from earlier." There was little reaction to his words. Crescenta, who was supposed to be far to the west, appeared here, causing great turmoil, and even the kings who agreed with Alfmarz were unable topletely recover from it. The discussion was leaked well. There was a strong possibility that all the meetings held here were being wiretapped, and even worse, there was a possibility that all of their movements were known to the other party. In such a situation, there was no enthusiasm for heated discussions, and the meeting was postponed to the next day. That day, spies from each countries ran away from the royal capital of Gerganik to their respective countries under cover of darkness. ¨D¨DThe Heavenly Pole of Alberan. The huge tower built on the side of Albeneria was so high that it could almost pierce the clouds, and it was spewing out a blue light of magical power into the sky that could be seen even by those who did not possess magical power. Alberan had invested an enormous amount of manpower in its construction. From the perspective of the people of the royal capital, and even the nobles it was iprehensible. The tower suddenly appeared on thisnd one day. The surrounding area was always surrounded by iron giants¨D¨Ddozens of Jareia Gashea were activated and guarding the ce day and night, and only the Queen, Alberinea, and some people with their permission were allowed to enter. No one knew how or for what purpose this was done, and the Queen never exined anything about it. Those who were well-informed knew that there was a simr tower rising in thend of ancient dragons, Mount Arbyagel, but they too didn¡¯t understand. No one knew what this tower is for. "Fufu, it''s over, Onee-sama." "Ehehe, good girl." The inside of the heavenly pole could truly be called papier matche. In the center was a cylindrical structure where blue magical light rose from the earth to the sky. The Queen¨D¨DKreschenta, who as looking at her sister,ughed happily and hugged her, who looked like her twin, in a loving manner. She has silver hair and beautiful looks. The girl wearing her apron dress was stroking her younger sister''s head, and tracing the magic crystal shaped like an earring with her finger, and said, "¨D¨DDaz, the work is finished. The first Kuromimi squad will do the cleanup work as appropriate. You cane back here." After a moment''s pause, a replye. "Understood. Finally, our work is finished.¡± ¡°Right, Kuromi squad has done a good job so far without causing any damage. When Daze back, Daz will be retire, so Krische n to give you the title of honorary Piririn squad leader for life as well as the title of honorary Kuromimi squad leader for life. It''s a long trip, so be careful when you get back." The response this time took longer than before. Krische tilted her head and Kreschenta looked at her sister exasperated. ¡°T-thank you for your kind words...¡± "Ehehe. The railway has been extended to the uze region west of Elsren, so please go there and get a ride from there. Zatz will be there, so there should be no problem." ¡°...Yes¡± "Then,ter. Thank you for your hard work." She removed her hand away from the magic crystal earring. It was amunication device using a magic crystal called Ear Pururun (named by Krische). It transmits information using a dense magical space created by the Heavenly Pole thatunches vast amounts of magical power into the sky from far underground¨Dmonly known as Dorofuyo Space (Itsmon name by: Krische). It was a magic tool that enabled the transmission and reception of voice. Kreschenta sent this celestial magical power far to the east and projected her own image, but that she was able to know their situation and the schedule of the meeting every step of the way was thanks to the resonance crystal set up by the intelligence squad of the ck g Special Force¨Dmonly known as the Kuromimi Squad (Itsmon name by: Krische). The resonance crystal was installed by By pointing it at a window, it was able to read minute vibrations and obtain the sound inside the room. By using a Pururun resonance crystal (basically called a resonance crystal), it was possible to obtain information about other countries almost in real time. As they feared for information leakage, resonance crystals have been installed not only in allied and vassal states but also in enemy states, and Alberan had gained not only military and temporal superiority but also overwhelming informational superiority. "There''s no problem installing the resonance crystal. We''ll conquer the continent this year, and it will take about ten years to get the whole thing in order." "Muu...Then the real work will start after that. It''s a bit too long after all." ¡°I think it''s fine to take our time and spend a hundred or two hundred years on it.¡± ¡°...Krische doesn¡¯t like that¡± Krische puffed out her cheeks. Kreschenta looked at her sister intently and put her hands on her cheeks and pressed her lips to hers. "Making sure there¡¯s no failure is the first priority. I''ll do my best, but there are various problems. Please understand." She caressed her cheek and whispered to her. Her purple eyes were shining wetly. Krische looked into those eyes and nodded quietly with a hint of dissatisfaction. "My, is it already over?" The voice came from behind Krische. It wasing from the elevator located near the wall. Krische looked back to the elevator with a pleased expression on her face. "Ehehe, is the work over?" "Yes, that''s why I came to check on you two." A beautiful golden-haired woman in military uniform. She had a clear yet calm beauty. Her slender figure exudes elegance, and she exudes the air of a person who stood above others. She''s over forty, and her body has long since resumed growth¨D¨Dthe childishness had disappeared from her features, and there was no visible aging, but she could no longer be called a girl. She was Selene Christand, marshal of the Alberan Kingdom. Krische leaves Crescenta and pounced on Selene, kissing her. Selene looked exasperated and sighed, patting her head and saying, ¡®Geez¡¯. "Didn''t I tell you to change out of your apron dress when you go out?" ¡°The only thing Krische had to do today wase here¡¡± "Don''t make excuses." "Uuni..." While pinching Krische¡¯s soft cheek, Selene turned to Crescenta. "I think we''re done for now. I''m sure this will unite the war faction to some extent. Now that their pace been disrupted, they will demand results." To disrupt the unity of the countless countries to the east of the continent and drag them out into a head-on decisive battle. That was the only reason for the provocation and coercion. There would be some trouble if all of them be enemies. Regardless of whether the war was won, the vastness of thend meant that dispersion of military power was essential. As for Alberan, they wanted to end the war a little more quickly. However, this provocation disrupted their unity. In order for them to mobilize their full strength again, a result was needed. Against Alberan, who had swallowed up the great power of Elsren, must be shown that there was a solid chance of victory on their side, or else the opportunists would not cooperate wholeheartedly with them. In the end, Alfmarz would have to demonstrate their superiority in a decisive battle in which they muster all of their strength. Otherwise, there would be no future in which they woulde together against Alberan. If Alberan defeat the enemy''s war faction with overwhelming strength in that decisive battle, it would be possible for Alberan to open its doors to many countries without bloodshed. "I hope so. I want this to be Alberan''sst war." "The leader over there, King Gerganik, seems to be a very hot-blooded man. He''ll probably show up in battle no matter what, and once we defeat him, the rest will be a piece of cake. There''s not much of a difference¨D¨D¡± "It''s a big difference. A person''s life is not a number." Selene let out a quiet sigh. "I know, that''s why we¡¯re taking so much time." Dissatisfied, Kreschenta put her hands on her hips, pouted and puffed out her lips. Selene approached her with a wry smile and poked her cheek with her finger, deting it. And a weird sound echoed. ¡°I wonder why this mouth is so being so sour, truthfully I want you to truly understand that.¡± "...I, properly understand it." ¡°Is that so. ...Fufu¡± "...Aanihimafuno" Selene pulled Kreschenta¡¯s cheek with her left hand, and Krische, who was looking at her, pulled the other side. Her cheeks were pulled tightly, and Kreschenta eyebrows furrowed, and as if she had reached her limit, she grabbed those two hands and peeled them off her cheeks. Selene and Krische giggled, and only Crescenta red at them angrily. Selene said while patting her head to soothe her. "I hear people say that you''re the demon lord of Alberan. But I don''t want people to say you''re cruel, cruel, evil person. That''s why..." "I''ve got a callous on my ear hearing that, geez. I didn''t have any more time to prepare. It''s for the best, and it''ll be over soon, and the world will be at peace. ...That¡¯s fine with you?" ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Queen.¡± Selene kissed her forehead and smiled, while Kreschenta red at her while touching her forehead. Krische said. "Selene, are you ready?" "It''s going well, no problems. I guess it''s on schedule." ¡°Ehehe, then shall we leave next month?¡± "Well, I''ll leave it to you." Krische happily took Selene''s arm and pulled Kreschenta¡¯s hand. "Then Krische''ll take a break for a while to take care of some small details. I was nning on making a meat pie today. Selene, want to make it together?" ¡°You...well, it¡¯s fine though¡± ¡°...You will only be a hindrance.¡± "How ride. I''ve improved to a certain extent." "That''s right, Kreschenta. Selene can now tell the difference between beef and mutton." "...I feel like your level of improvement is too low." "Shut up okay." ¡°Unyi¡± History books left all over the continent all recorded a certain event that took ce in this year. ¨D¨DIn the year 485 of the Kingdom''s Year, the War of Continental Unification. The establishment of the Unified Year, which was used for a long time thereafter, was only a year after that. Chapter 226: What Doesnâ€™t Change Chapter 226: What Doesn¡¯t Change ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 226 What Doesn¡¯t Change*** Running on the iron rails with a tter was a wooden connected vehicle. Magical rail-road vehicle¨D¨DGateal Gorton. Its namees from Gorton, a messenger from Western mythology who was worshiped in Alberan at the time, and his beloved horse, Gateal. Easily moving, manage, and control the movement of people and goods. The reason they were able to control the vast territory of the continent and countries was probably due inrge part to this iron road. It was an existence that became the foundation of the great development of the Alberan Kingdom, and it continued to be used until it was destroyed as a symbol of rulership during the downfall of Kleinmere. ¡°Muu, it¡¯s no good Gatan-goto, is shaking at the joint.¡± ¡°Don¡¯tining, geez. Compared to a horse-drawn carriage, it doesn''t shake that easily.¡± ¡°Krische should have thought a little more about how to make the rails at the start...¡± While hugging Selene''s arm, she puffed out his cheeks. When they arrived at the final destination, the western Elsren¨D¨Duze, Krische was the first to get off the ¡®Gatan-goto¡¯. There were tforms made of transmuted rock on both sides of the railway, and although the sound of trumpets cannot be heard, dozens of men in tight military uniform lined up in front of them. Two men were kneeling in front of them. ¡°Chirp Chirp, it''s been a while. Woof Woof too.¡± ¡°Yes. I had met Selene-sama during the battle against Elsren, but...both of you seem to be doing well.¡± Nozan Verreich,mander of the eastern army of Alberan Kingdom. And then there was Grunmeld Varcas, the general of the Eastern Front. His handsome face remained the same, but his coppery hair was now gray and wrinkled. Simrly, Grunmeld had ck hair mixed with gray hair. and more than anything¨D¨D ¡°Somehow you guys have beardy to, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¨D¨DThey all have beards. Nozan beard seems well-maintained, but he has a thick beard that stretches from around his mouth to his jawline, and Grunmeld grew it out freely. The men around her have been growing their beardstely, and she wondered if it was some kind of trend. ¡°..You guys too, mean?¡± ¡°There are a lot of them, but there''s also Aleha. He seems to have started growing his beard recently, so Krische nicknamed him Beardy...but there are so many Beardy...¡± ¡°Hahaha, I see. But well, I guess that''s what men end up doing when they try to add dignity to their appearance. Aleha probably has the same reasons as me. Grunmeld is justzy though.¡± ¡°For me, no matter how much I shave, it grows back, so it''s a pain in the ass.¡± Grunmeldughed and scratched his bearded cheek. Although he didn''t have a refined appearance since the start, he was now already just a bandit boss. Ignoring his height, he looked like siblings with Dougleen who was in the south. ¡°However, Krische-sama is still the same. Not getting older.¡± ¡°Really. I''m shocked. Even though in reality she''s one year younger than me.¡± Selene watched the little girl wrap her arm around hers and pulled her cheek. *Munyi* her soft cheeks stretched out. Confused expressions could be seen from the soldiers lining up, but Selene didn''t care anymore. They already went past that stage long ago. ¡°Muu...Krische is a fine adult¨D¨D¡± ¡°If it''s just about getting older, dogs and cats also can do it. I''d like you to look a little more age-appropriate, though...¡± She pulled and pulled her cheeks and said, ¡®Well, guees that¡¯s impossible¡¯, with an exasperated expression. Nozan smiled bitterly and looked at the men around him. ¡°Well, let''s leave rekindling old friendships forter. We have a long way to go from here, so we''ll head to the tent for now.¡± ¡°That''s right. Um... ah, Nekki, the seventh and eighth cars.¡± ¡°Yeas. Hey, the seventh cares first. Hurry.¡± In the lead vehicle, a man with a prosthetic leg came out from the driver''s seat and quickly gave instructions. A former member of the ck g Special Forces Company¡¯s craft squad¨D¨Dthe first Gatan-goto¡¯s pilot, Nekki. Veterans of the ck g Special Forces Company and others were given priority and sent to work on railway operations. Nekki, who had been involved with the continental Gatan-gotowork project since the early days, requested to be the pilot after the memorable first vehicle waspleted, and since then he had always been entrusted with important routes. This railway was particrly important in Alberan, and most of its personnel were retired military personnel, but many former ck g Special Force were employed to work on the railway, especially heading east into the former territory of Elsren. Krische let go of Selene''s arm and went to the back of the train. The workers were in a panic as they removed the countless fasteners on the seventh and eighth cars, but when they opened the seventh car, a scream rang out. ¡°Gururun¡± Jumping out of the cramped cargo hold with a ¡®Gururuu¡¯ was the 8 shaku tall 2 jou long body, a Suiko that looked irritated. When it came out, it stretched and yawned, lowered its head, and Krische climbed onto its back. ¡°Suiko also seems energetic as usual.¡± Nozan said impressed, and Krische smiled. ¡°Ehehe, she¡¯s full of energy. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± Then she happily patted Gururun''s neck. Leaving the ce, a group of tents spread out on the in. The soldiers saw Krische and salute one after another. Most of them were soldiers of the Central Alberinea Army, and no one wondered who the girl sitting on the green tiger was. Some of the new recruits and people who hade from the Eastern Front Army looked suspicious because of her appearance, which was over 40 years old, but behind her. Field Marshal Selene, who was riding a well-built horse¨D¨DBururun II, also looked quite young, and they were convinced that that was just how it went. Nozan who appeared along with them also yed a big part. Selene said she would listen briefly to the Nozan and then parted ways, and the first thing she headed for after arriving was the tent in the center of the Alberinea army. As usual, there were soldiers in familiar ck armor surrounding them. ¡°It''s been about two months Usa-chan, fufu, I missed you so much.¡± ¡°...were you lonely?¡± ¡°Kalua, you''re not young enough to be called an Onee-san anymore right.¡± As if exasperated, the chestnut-haired adjutant put her hands on her hips, red at the ck-haired woman. ¡°No matter how old you are, as long as you''re beautiful, it¡¯s Onee-san. Don¡¯t mind the small details.¡± ¡°¡I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a small detail at all.¡± Mia, who had a rather young face, had grown her hair a little longer, giving her a more mature and calm look. She, like Kahlua, was also like a beautiful woman at a young age, where effects of old age were still shallow. Krische looked at them, smiled, and said ¡®it''s been a while¡¯. ¡°Elvena, I think she was a little lonely because she didn''t get to see you two.¡± ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s obvious. I wanted toe using Gatan-goto too...¡± ¡°Kalua, don''tin. We have a lot to do after all.¡± ¡°*Sigh*...¡± Then, an old man wearing armor appeared and saluted. His shaved head and prominent aquiline nose. and a white beard. Krische pouted her lips and red at the man, her hands on the hips. ¡°...Krische think, Krische already said that since Bald Eagle is an old man, you should retire asmander as soon as the handover is over.¡± ¡°My apologies. We have a lot of handover work to do, so it''s taking a while.¡± Krische stared at Dagra, who in turn smiles. Kalua patted Krische on the head whileughing. ¡°You know, Mia can be a bit clumsy. Even when at the take over¨D¨D¡± ¡°K-Kalua!¡± ¡°...Is that so, Mia?¡± ¡°U-ugu...¡± Mia red at Kahua and then at Dagra. Then, after sighing, she answered, ¡®Yes¡¯, seeming unconvinced. ¡°Really. Mia is still Mia. Bald Eagle, it¡¯s dangerous, so it''s no good if youe to the frontline, okay? Regardless of whether it''s on paper or not, to Krische, Bald Eagle is no longer Kurofuyomander, but Kurofuyo training instructors.¡± ¡°Ha. But don''t worry, even though I looked old, my movements are stillparable to those of younger people.¡± He powerfully pped his arm over his armor, then put his hand on his sword. ¡®Geez¡¯, Krische said, pouting her lips. ¡°That''s not the problem. Once it''s over, it''s time to retire. Life on the battlefield isn''t good for the health. Even this far is already a long journey...¡± Smiling at that Krische, Dagra replied, ¡®Of course¡¯. ¡°Mia is themander after all. Bald Eagle is the training instructor and assistant. Please understand that.¡± ¡°Ha. Understood, Krische-sama.¡± Dagra clicked his heels and gives a powerful salute. He looked at it, feeling somehow unsatisfactory, and Krische jumped on top of the Suiko. Dagra turned his gaze from that Krische to Mia and smiled bitterly. ¡°...I''m sorry, Mia.¡± ¡°Ha, can''t be helped. Don''t worry about it,mander.¡± Mia made a face that matched her words and sighs. Mia had given up, thinking that her role would probably follow her for the rest of her life. ¡°When I thought that this would thest battle, I would like to be themander after all.¡± ¡°Right, right, look there¡¯s not a hint of amander¡¯s on Mia after all.¡± Kalua said while putting her arm around Mia''s shoulders, and Dagra smiled bitterly. ¡°...I''m proud to be themander of this unit.¡± Dagra continued, saying that he had a good subordinate, and nodded silently. ¨D¨DTwo monthster. The stage of the decisive battle was far east of the kingdom. It was a ce called the Fang of Vasarius, on the eastern edge of the former Elsren territory. Its nature was probably simr to that of the Dragon''s Maw. It was a break in the great mountain range that rose in the north and was bordered on the south by the vast sea. This in was the only road connecting the east and west sides of the continent and was the gateway to the eastern part of the continent. Huge forts and towers lined up on the east side, and a long wall was built from the quay¨D¨DElsren attacked this ce many times, but they were never able to break through, and even after dozens of battles, it was still undefeated. The walls of Garugain stood menacingly. This great wall that separated the east and west had been even been heard to the far west¨D¨Din front of it Krische, ¡°Selene, it¡¯s the sea, the sea.¡± She was jumping up and down on the sandy beach. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. It''s definitely amazing, the horizon...¡± Garugain Wall and its surroundings were steep cliffs. However, as one proceed westward, the quay breaks off and bes a sandy beach. The sky was filled with clouds and the beautiful blue sea. The horizon seemed to be shining, and the asional white waves were swaying like living creatures. ¡°It''s beautiful. I only knew about it from books, but when you actually see it, it''spletely different huh.¡± Selene said, looking at her feet. And she jumped away from the spot. ¡°There''s a strange spider...¡± ¡°...?¡± Gradually, Krische approached, and grabbed the little creature''s leg that surprised Selene. ¡°Do you mean this?¡± ¡°Touching it...¡± ¡°This is probably the one you can eat. There was one even smaller near Krische¡¯s vige. River Spider...that¡¯s the crab name in the book that Krische read.¡± ¡°River spider... Oh,e to think of it, I might have seen something simr.¡± `¡±Krische have never eaten it, but ording to the book, it''s delicious. They say there arerge ones that are often eaten near the sea...'''' The crab, gripped by Krische, moved its limbs and shook its scissors. Selene took a step back and Krische to throw it. ¡°Isn¡¯t is the same as spider. ...I won''t eat it, okay?¡± ¡°Muu...spider...¡± She looked closely at the crab and thought it certainly looked like a spider on the sandy beach. As she watched it quickly run away, she gave up thinking that it might indeed be a river spider, a member of the spider family. To Krische insects were basically not to be eaten. She knows that there are some that ate insects. A story often heard on the battlefield. There were some people in the vige who would eat the youngling of the bees while they were taking their hives, but seeing as Grace was very reluctant to do so and refrained from doing so, Krische guessed that it was not thatmon. To Krische a splendiddy don''t eat insects. Of course, Krische who was ady (self-proimed) did not eat insects. ¡°Hahaha, you two, what at a huge loss.¡± A hoarse voice called out to the two of them. When they looked over, they saw three men walking towards them. ¡°It''s been a long time, Marshal Alberinea.¡± ¡°It''s been a while, Orugan-san. You''re quick.¡± ¡°Yeah. However, I feel like the ground is still shaking, probably because of the rocking of the ship.¡± They were Orugan, the chairman of the Gulshan Republic, and Dougleen Garhka, the suprememander of the Southern Army. Although his hair was lightly slicked back, his gray beard was allowed to grow freely. Even as he grew older, his muscr physique remained undiminished, and he never seemed to calm down. Behind him was Zalvaag, who looked sick. ¡°Crabs are quite delicious, Krische, Selene. I ate something called Tarafuku Seafood in a port town, and you can''t underestimate the seafood. Many of the creatures look strange, but the taste is exquisite.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That''s true. You should stop hating everything. I brought some from the port to go with the drinks. I was thinking of serving it to everyone tonight after the meeting...¡± Krische¡¯s eyes lit up, and Selene let out a small groan. ¡°There are soldiers who were born in ports town and are very skilled. Putting aside you will like it or not, it would be a good idea to try seafood dishes once. I used to hate eating things like crabs, but there are very few people who would say they taste bad.'''' Krische purple eyes sparkled at Orugan''s words. She approached Selene and pulled her sleeve, looking up at her. ¡°Selene, let¡¯s try it...?¡± ¡°I-I...¡± Perhaps truly not feeling up to it, Selene leaned back. Krische looked up at Selene and drew her body closer to her. ¡°*Sigh*...I understand, geez.¡± ¡°Ehehe. Maybe Krische can bring it as souvenirs for Bery...¡± Krische said and then putting her hand over her mouth in a panic. Selene stared at such Krische, her cheeks blushing slightly. Then she pulled her cheek, ¡®You idiot¡¯. ¡°You how long ago was that... You don''t have to worry about it anymore. It''s more embarrassing for me to be cared about like this.¡± ¡°...yes¡± Letting out a sigh at Krische¡¯s seemingly probing gaze, she pulled Krische cheek. Then, she shifted her gaze to Dougleen. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take you up on your word... How''s the ship situation?¡± ¡°The five ships that were dyed will probably take about ten days. However, I don''t think it will have that much of an impact.¡± Orugan looked at Krische. Krische nodded and smiled. ¡°Rright. If it¡¯s thatte, it might be a good idea to take control of the port on the other side.¡± As usual, as if it was a matterof course. ¡°We''ll break through the day after tomorrow.¡± She dered calmly. Chapter 227: Hero Hunt Chapter 227: Hero Hunt ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 227 Hero Hunt*** The two armies were separated by a distance of two ri. That battle could truly be called the one that decided everything. Against Alberan and its ally Gulshan, 13 countries from the Eastern Alliance participated in the battle. The mountains were not the only reason why the eastern part, which had been divided into numerous territories and fought endless battles, was not conquered by Elsren. This was because of the Vesalius Pact¨D¨Dto unite and stand up against foreign enemies that threatened the east. Vesalius, the wise king of the small country of Current, gathered the countries that had been hostile to Alberan, which had once appeared in this region, and created the anti-Alberan alliance. While ruling the strategic points connecting the East and West, he did not seek expansion. The agreement he left behind, proiming perpetual neutrality in Eastern conflicts, still stood. Whenever the East was threatened by invasion from Elsren, the surrounding nations would cease their conflicts and cooperate, supporting the Current as an allied nation. The eastern region was crowded with countless small nations. Once a major power like Elsren enters the region, the bnce of power in the east would be greatly disrupted, like a tsunami. Therefore, such invasion must be prevented at the entrance. That was themon view of all countries, and the threat this time was the greatest ever. Their opponent was the Kingdom of Alberan, which had swallowed up Elsren, subduing half of the continent, and regaining its former glory. Truly, a decisive battle for the fate of the world. Heroes from various parts of the Eastern continent, regardless of being from small orrge nations, gathered in thisnd, not losing their will to fight even after witnessing Alberan''s technological prowess. Alfmarz, the peerless war king who ruled Gerganik, one of the three major Eastern nations. Nitrias, the undefeated god of war. Rafale that destroyed hundreds of fortresses. Shinfa, the demon of the battlefield. Even though a great power like the West does not exist, the days of unending turmoil continue. The quality of their soldiers and generals was not inferior to that of the West, and there were some who, based on experience alone, might surpass them. Unknown heroes from the East, warriors without renown, were present in thisnd. Compared to the 100,000 Alberan and Gulshan troops, the Eastern Allied Forces, made up of elite troops from 13 countries, numbered 170,000. This was probably due to the fact that both countries have good ports and were located in a location with abundant logistics. This was thergest single battle on the continent, and it was truly a battle of madness. "Once again... God of War Nitrias, I appreciate your cooperation. Without it, we would not have been able to form such a coalition army." "It''s too early for thanks, King Gerganik. I merely shared the same opinion." Two men riding horses. The old general smiled as he wore armor modeled after a giant snake that he had once in with his own hands. "I''ve been on the battlefield for nearly a hundred years, and I''ve fought against many worthy opponents. But I haven''t fought against you yet. If my prey is stolen now, I wouldn''t be able to die without regrets." "Haha, I''m honored that you think so. ...You are my idol." Alfmarz lifted his cheeks saying ¡®I resolved myself that I would kill you with my own hands someday¡¯. A piece of silver armor with the Gerganik kingdom crest, which depicted a sword and shield, engraved in the center. There were countless names engraved all over the armor, and he pointed his finger at a spot on the empty left chest. "I have dreamed of carving the name Nitrias here as the great enemy of King Alfmarz of Gerganik." "Haha, you got a lot of spirit. However, that all will have to wait after this war ends." "Of course...If we don''t win this battle, everything will be but a dream." In front of them, the armies of Alberan and Gulshan lined up, totaling hundreds of thousands. In the forefront were countless beasts and a ck iron giant. It was a magical weapon called Jareia Gashea. A murderous doll that was said to match 100 people each. It was said to be one of the reasons why the mighty Elsren was defeated. This was the first time they''ve actually seen it. "Fighting a siege against 170,000 people head-on. If you think about it normally, it''s insane. It''s probably better to think that they have not only that iron doll, but also a siege weapon that can break through the walls of Gargain. right" "I also think that siege warfare is a bad idea. Even that Elsren¡¯s fortified cities fell within three days. We shouldn''t rely on the castle walls." "...If we defend, we''ll lose." ¡°Yes, in order to wrest victory, we have no choice but to step forward and be prepared for sacrifice.¡± Nitrias narrowed his eyes. A small number of trebuchets were visible on the Gulshan side, but none were on the Alberan side. What he saw earlier from the top of the fortress wall was something that looked like a siege bow. However, it was not a bow, but the brilliance of a magic crystal. "It was probably a special siege weapon that uses magic crystals¨D¨Dat least it''s safe to assume it''s powerful enough to destroy this fortress wall." ¡°...As I thought¡± "Ah. Futalia''s Great Eagle Cavalry should prioritize that." As the two advance, two women cut through the line of battle in front of them. One was a woman with golden hair who was riding a horse and wearing elegant armor. The other one was wearing a cloak and was sitting on a huge green tiger. She was more of a girl than a woman. ¨D¨DThey recognized the way her silver hair was pulled back. ¡°¡Is that the rumored royal sister, Alberinea?¡± "It seems so." The smiling silver girl said something to the golden-haired woman, who red at her exasperated and said something. Even though they couldn''t hear their voice, there was no sense of urgency in that exchange, and they couldn''t even see any tension. They must be underestimating them. At least, it didn''t look like it was moments before a war. After a while, when they were about three ken apart, both stopped. Alfmarz was the first to speak. ¡°I am Alfmarz Gerganik, leader of the Vesalius Alliance, King of Gerganik!¡± Alfmarz red at the two, making the atmosphere shake with a threatening voice. "Selene Christand, Marshal of the Alberan Kingdom." However, they showed no signs of being disturbed. Golden hair¨D¨DSelene Christand introduced her name in a cool voice. Alfmarz lifted his cheek tauntingly. "With two female representatives of the army, it seems that the men in the west are quite weak. Alberan conquered Elsre, just when I thought what kind of strong man would lead an army, this is a bit disappointing.¡± "That''s quite a greeting. I wonder if you choose the representatives through arm wrestling or something." Selene smiled happily and gracefully. And she continued, pressing her fingertips into her temple. ¡°Your words sound like you have muscles all the way up to your head, King Gerganik. I would appreciate it if you would stop making such pointless provocations, but¡I think I¡¯m going to be dumb listening to you.¡± Then she held out her hands in dismay, as if making fun of him. Alfmarz narrowed his eyes andughed. "...Hoo. Making fun of me like that, you¡¯re quite gutsy." "You are a representative of both armies, and your positions are equal. What are the reasons for me to be afraid of you? ...And against a king of a ruined country at that." It was a cheap provocation. However, in Alfmarz¡¯s heart, there was an honest admiration. Two people who each lead this big army. However, there was no sign of nervousness in this woman, she didn''t seem to be cowering or afraid. She must have been through a fair amount of chaos. It seems that she was not just an ornament for appearance. "If you''re going to go out of your way to say hello, is that an offer to surrender? If that''s the case, I would think about it.¡± "Ha, what a jester. I came here to correct your arrogance. With such a small group of people, are you really nning to take on this great wall head-on?" He gestured to the line behind him, then to the walls of Garugain, then to the sea. ¡°I thought that an attack from the sea route would be the main reason, but with this situation, it seems like that¡¯s not the case.¡ If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m shocked at how reckless you are. It seems like there¡¯s no one in Alberan who knows military strategy.¡± Gulshan, Arna, and Alberan''s allies have powerful navies. It was predicted that they would seize the port by sea and use it as a beachhead to advance their invasion to the east, and an invasion from the western part of the continent-¨D¨Dconsidering the vast distance, that was the right way to attack. If one thought about it normally, it would be ridiculous to break through thisrge wall from the front. However, the enemy chose a frontal breakthrough onnd. Gulshan''s navy had arrived, but there was still no sign of them moving. "The Great Wall...Ah, is that what they call papier-mach¨¦ in the East? Fufu, I mistakenly thought it was just a checkpoint or something." She said, looking at the ramparts that seemed to stretch to the horizon. ¡°If this is the great wall, then is that fortress made of wooden nks? I''m speechless.¡± With a mocking chuckle. The beautiful female marshal never loses herposure and shoots back a provocation. "I''m sorry. You all seem to be thinking that this is a challenge to you, but that isn''t the case. This isn''t a battle, it''s just a march. Well, I''m going to have you let us pass through the ¡®checkpoint¡¯, so maybe I should at least pay you some of the toll fee?¡± "...I see. Both that, Kreschenta, and you, how far are you going to mock us." ¡°Oh, excuse me, could you please not just call the Queen of Alberan away? Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of people who can call her that.¡± Selene said, controlling the reins and turning her back on him. "There''s no point in talking, let''s go, Krische. ... Good luck to you all. I hope that even if it''s just your feelings, you can be a warrior and be able to fall gloriously.'''' And she went away first. The girl sitting on the Suiko next to her looked at Alfmarz and Nitrias, her silver eyshes flickering and narrowing. "...Krische has remembered your faces. Krische will visit you twoter." ¡®See you soon¡¯, with a beautiful and adorable smile. Her horrifying purple eyes took on a cold glow. ¡°¡we will turn the tables on you.¡± Alfmarz felt a shiver run down his spine and clenched his fists as he returned the words. The Heavenly Sword of Alberan¨D¨Dthe Cursed Child, Krische Headhunters, Grim Reapers, and mad murderers of the battlefield. There were countless words to describe her. Like two tails. She swung her long pigtails, tied with red flower ornaments, and turned away, pping the Suiko. Not wearing any armor, exposing her long hair, and wearing her cloak. She was a genius and an abnormal person who wore the same clothes on the battlefield as if she were walking around town, and achieved results. At first nce, one can certainly recognize the madness in her. At the very least, it was clear that she was a man of extraordinary prowess. Alfmarz shook his reins, turned his back to them, and opened his mouth. "When Alberan swallowed Elsren so easily... there was that kind of inexplicable anxiety, like fearing the sky would fall. She should never be underestimated." ¡°¡It appears that those concerns are correct.¡± Nitrias replied, and from then on, the two of them walked their horses in silence. Alberinea was said to have even challenged the ancient dragons. Something inside her body, which looked only like a girl, convinced them of the tall tale rumors. A short timeter, the two were in the line of battle in front of the fortress walls. Without a sound, Alfmarz drew the long sword from his waist and swung it at the soldiers. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D! ! ! ¡± That was all. The shrill, frenzied voices filled the air and shook the earth. The shouting soldiers had no fear. The elites from each country were led by heroes and brave men who had made their names known in the surrounding country. The most feared warriors of the enemy''s country were now their allies fighting side by side. Although they were a motley collection of people from thirteen countries, they were not a disordered mob. They were led by the great warrior king, Alfmarz, and the undefeated god of war, Nitrias. No one was intimidated in the face of the great general, who would even be a hero after his death, and at least for a moment, they were united as one. "...!?" ¨D¨Djust, What caused the cracks to appear in them were countless blue shes running above their heads. Behind them, there was the sound of the Garugain wall copsing with a burst of me. Alberan center battle line,st row. "No matter how you look at it, it''s an unbelievable power. Even a fortress wall like that is nothing." "...Really. The era of fortress walls is over." Wearing a helmet with a tiger-face visor. Kolkis Argand was ying with his graying stubble as if he was dismayed. He straddles Burun, arge horse that looked a lot like the Bururun 2nd that Selene rode, and looked behind him. What was there was a magic power projector called Pishune. The base resembled a fixed floor bow without a bow, and the body resembles a tube. Attached to the tip was arge high-purity magic crystal. Behind him, the magician tookmand, and the soldiers loaded the next bullet¨D¨Dthe magic crystal into the base of the tube. The basic principle was the same as Baumje-Ira. Disintegrates the magic crystal, collects its magical power in the magic crystal at the tip, gives it direction, and releases it forward as a magical beam. It could be said to be a greatly improved version of what was called a magician''s staff. By utilizing the enormous magical power generated when the magic crystal copsed, its power was greatly improved, and its range was up to 10 ri. Its long range and uracy set it apart from previous siege weapons. It was unrivaled in terms of firing speed and delivery efficiency, and was truly a monster that rewrote the battlefield. "Muu, 27th Pishons, lower the elevation angle. It''s not hitting properly." Beside the two. Magic crystal earrings¨D¨DWhile touching it, Krische pouted her lips and gave order. "Magic crystals aren''t cheap either, so be sure to aim for them carefully. For the 8th and 15th Pishuuns, just aim for the tower. The 5th and 22nd Pishuuns the castle gate. When it''s ready, roll call from the 1st.¡± The magicians with the designated numbers raised their voices and issued instructions, and the soldiers hurriedly made repeated fine adjustments. "Five, four, three, two, one, pishuun." A blue sh of light ran overhead, along with a loud shout, shaking the air with a ¡®pishuun¡¯. Explosive mes rose on the fortress walls, and then, a beatter, a roar and a scream were heard. Alberan''s soldiers raised their fists and cheered. "Hey, centurion over there. Please keep your soldiers quiet. They''re making a lot of noise." "H-ha! 1st squad, be quiet! I can''t hear Alberinea''s instructions!" Krische looked annoyed and called out to the centurion in front of her, puffing out her cheeks as she looked at the fortress wall. Air cavalry soars into the sky from the castle walls over there. It was probably intended to disrupt the rear. "Preparing tounch anti-aircraft Pishuuns. After the first salvo, Krische will leave the overallmand to anti-aircraft Pishuunmander Koza. From then on, fire freely until receive further instructions." After a short pause, a countdown again. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, a blue sh was emitted matching the signal. Unlike the previous one, the sh that was emitted was scattered. It sends out countless streaks of light into the sky above the enemy, and shoots down more than half of the enemy''s elite air cavalry that flew up in the air. The Blue Eagle Cavalries, which had a huge blue eagle as their mount, died without being able to demonstrate their trained abilities. "Oh, that''s pretty good." "Even though it''s a war, what can I say..." Kolkis looked at them with pitying eyes and looked at the girl beside him. In thirty years at most, warfare had changed. The battlefield where Kolkis ran with Bogan was no longer there. In the future, technology and equipment would be needed more than heroes. Many heroic stories built with swords, spears, and the blood of warriors. The age of heroes, spanning thousands of years, would end with the name of thest hero. "...But, well, guess this is how it is.." There was sadness and eptance. His good fortune was that he was able to witness the end of the era built by these warriors. In front of them¨D¨Dthe enemy was making an assault. They must have realized that there was no way they could win in this situation if they became defensive. Judging from the fact that their force was deployed from the beginning with emphasis on field battles rather than sieges, they must have thought that a siege battle against Alberan would be difficult. Alfmarz Gerganik, the leader of the Vesalius Alliance, was an excellent general, as rumored. Even though he had numerical superiority, he never let his guard down, and without clinging to the geographical advantage of the fortress walls, heunched an assault. He had good judgment, decisiveness, and courage. If this had been a battle a hundred years ago, the oue of this battle would have been uncertain. ¡°Jaragasha has started moving, and Krische will also go forward. Selene, please keep an eye on Gururun so she doesn¡¯t go and take a walk.¡± "...Yes, yes. Be careful." ¡°Ehehe, yes.¡± Krische jumped off the Suiko and looked up at Kolkis. "Meow Meow, shall we go?" ¡°Yes.¡± Krische looked behind her, at the soldiers wearing ck armor. Along with the Wolf Pack of Alberan, the warriors of the ck g were also famous. She looked at the old soldier and the femalemander who were at the front of the group, thought about it for a moment, and called out to them. ¡°Bald Eagle¡± Hearing this, the old soldier''s eyes widened, then he paused and gave a full-hearted salute. Then he raised his voice. ¡°ck g Special Forces Company!! Thest great war of the continent, our Alberinea, as always, has entrusted you with the task of clearing the way! Your duty is to cut through the enemy, embrace the filth. Soak in as much enemy blood as you can! Know that your duty is to keep our Heavenly Sword pure and untarnished!" The old soldier trembled with great honor and drew his sword. "Depart¡ª¡ªraise the ck g!" In response to the old soldier¡¯s voice, a frenzied war cry erupted. Everyone took up their swords, spears, and axes and thrusted them into the heavens. As if dedicating them to Krische or Dagra. The ck g with the crescent moon skull was raised at the main camp, and in response, the front line divided left and right. Krische covered her ears in annoyance, looking like she was about to say something. Kalua held up her finger in front of her mouth, gesturing to Krische. Mia chuckled at that and held her right hand up. She made a fist from her open hand and stopped her voice. Krische said to Dagra, as she pouted her lips. "Listen okay? Bald Eagles are on duty as Selene''s escorts, alright?" "Yes, Krische-sama... From now on, I''ll often remember the final battle." "It''s fine if you understand." ¡®Really geez¡¯ Krische putting both of her hands on her hips., as if dealing with a troublesome child, then waved her hand to signal Selena forward. The girl walked along the path made by the battle line, followed by arge warrior, and behind her were a group of ck warriors. The soldiers who saw this salute as if in unison. ¨D¨DAs if to witness the end of the heroic tale. The head of the third iron doll was smashed open. There, the jeweled sword of the Gerganik royal family was broken. Taking away the sword held by a dead hero, Alfmarz cuts through the arrow rain from above while breathing heavily. The constant rain of arrows caused a tremendous amount of blood to flow just by traveling ten ken. ¡°Your Majesty, stand back!! We will be your shield!!¡± The soldiers danced in front of Alhumaz, who was at the forefront of the battle line, and raisedrge shields over their heads against the arrow rain. Building an improvised roof over Alfmarz¡¯s head. Alfmarz spat and looked to his left and right. Nitrias had also defeated his second iron doll¨D¨Dbut the situation was bad. Gulshan''s vanguard on the left wing was a monster beast, and Alberan''s vanguard on the right wing was an iron doll that could mow down dozens of soldiers with a single machine. The line of battle was greatly disrupted just by being hit by it. Their vanguard was thrown into a state of panic by the enemy''s initial attack, and was rendered useless in an instant. It was not surprising. The mysterious sh had shattered Garugain''s wall and easily shot down the formidable Futalia¡¯s great eagle cavalry before engaging inbat. Strong fortress walls and the deaths of heroes. There was no way the severely demoralized soldiers could stand against the iron dolls or beasts. Moreover, taking advantage of the fact that it was unmanned, the enemy was raining down arrows with the force of shooting down every iron doll. It is not easy even for Alfmarz to defeat this iron doll in the rain of arrows. Even more so for the soldiers¨D¨Din fact, their vanguard had suffered a devastating blow in a short period of time. If Alfmarz and the others hadn''te forward, this main army''s vanguard would have copsed. Alfmarz and Nitrias finally managed to take down five. However, Alberan brought hundreds of iron dolls to this battlefield. He could see some elite troops and famous warriors defeating the Iron Dolls, but it was just a drop in a bucket¨D¨Dsome of the Iron Dolls had already cut their line into pieces. A hero even among magic possessed. For example, it would be like hundreds of warriors like him throwing their lives on the line andunching a desperate suicide attack. It was not something that could be ovee through control or tactics. A fight between a child and an adult¨D¨Dthis was a violent fight where one stomped on the opponent''s head. ¡°¨D¨DFufu, well, if you''re foolish enough to challenge Alberan, I''m sure you''ll understand right away. ...There won''t ever be a fight for Alberan anymore.¡± Remembering the mocking words from the other day, Alfmarz looked at the current situation and clenched his fist. Still, they would not end without a fight. ¡°That¡ Alberinea is in front¨D¨D¡± "I can''t see in front of me! Move aside¨D¨D" The moment he said that, there was the sound of metal and flesh cracking. The escort¡¯s body, which had turned into a lump of flesh, knocked him away and he fell onto his back.. "¨D¨D! wha...t?" In shock, Alfmarz pressed his head from above his helmet, trying to stand up. Scattered around were the offal. Half a ri away, was a shadow with silver hair and a ck cloak standing while holding a spear in their hand. Behind her, arge group of ck soldiers led by a tiger-faced warrior, the girl appeared majestically. With her long silver hair swinging like two tails, she twirled and yed with her spear in her right hand¨D¨Dswaying in front of him. "¨D¨DProtect His Majesty!!" The voices of the soldiers echoed, and a wall was built to protect Alfmarz¨D¨Dthe next moment, the wall copsed again. The soldier in front turned into a lump of flesh with a popping sound. The soldiers around him died as their armor was pierced by the roaring spear. When Alhumaz raised his body the surrounding area had be sparse. In front of them, Alberinea sprinted forward, followed by the tiger-faced warriors, and the ck soldiers '' followed¡¯ them. He quickly realized what was causing the difort. The speed of Alberinea, who possesses magical power, and the soldiers who could apany her. There were hundreds of people visible, all of them magic possessor. What pierces the soldier''s corpse is not a throwing javelin, but a melee spear¨D¨Dthe impact just now was just a spear. Elites in ck armor made up only of magic possessors. He had heard that Alberinea was led by a monster that raised a ck g. However, this fact was beyond Alfmarz''s imagination. Their magic spears could easily pierce the walls made by elites directly in front of him. In front, Alberinea was running, receiving a spear from a soldier beside her. She held it backhanded, stepped forward, and flexed her slender body. Her figure was so beautiful that it was almost mystical, and all of her movements were flowing and lean, as if he were looking at a painting. As if time had stopped, everything seemed to slow down for her¨D¨Dand as if he suddenly remembered something, he used his whole body as a spring, and instantly jumped aside. ¨D¨DAt that moment, what was released from the girl''s hand was the embodiment of death. The abnormal spear pierced through the space where Alfmarz had been just a moment ago. A spear that was out of the ordinary pierced the space where Alfmarz had just been, crushing the battle line behind it and turning it into a mass of flesh. "...So, this is Alberinea''s throwing spear?" He had heard many rumors about Alberinea''s prowess. But none of these rumors couldpare to this fact. The girl spun around, took a pass, and began to run. ¡°¨D¨DKing Gerganik, she¡¯sing!!¡± Alfmarz also regained his strength at the voice of Nitrias, at his left. The sound of the wind echoed¨D¨Dhe received Nitrias''s beloved sword that was thrown at him and shouted. "Don''t be afraid!! In this war, the biggest general''s head is right here!! If you kill her, the war will be over!!" And so did Nitrias. Even in this situation, the men mustered up their courage and moved forward as if to protect them. Nitrias stood in front of Alfmarz, holding arge spear. "I will stop her with my body. Cut and kill us together." "...I understand. If it bes the other way around, I''ll leave it to you." Both of them had given up on living beyond this point. If they didn''t have that determination, they would never be able to defeat her. Alberinea, who came into contact with their vanguard, swung her left and right curved swords and sliced their neck without any effort. Alfmarz and Nitrias, just right below them. The best warriors of each country. However, far from injuring Alberinea, they were unable to stop her. Even against the ck warriors led by her. The warriors led by Alberinea took advantage of their superiority in numbers and reduced their numbers without any danger. When ites to a fight between two, three, or five people of magic possessors against one, there was no difference in physical ability. Without overwhelming military force, the superiority of numbers would have been absolute. It was probably a unit that specializes in hunting magic possessors. Alberinea, second in rank to marshal, raised numerous heads with her own hands. This was something that would normally be unthinkable. Alfmarz sometimes takes the lead. However, it was to boost morale and break out of a predicament. Physical strength was not infinite. It was just a gamble for the general himself to head towards the enemy''s main camp, where the elite were gathered, but attacking there would inevitably mean a desperate battle. It would be foolish tounch a suicide attack there from the front¨D¨Dbut she had made that possible. A ck g with a crescent skull. They were a unit created solely to protect the general and hunt down the elite. Leading a small force, she single-handedly shed into the enemy''s main camp, captured the general¡¯s head, and ended the battle. There was a trick to making this crazy strategy work. ¡°Fight me, Alberinea!!¡± Alberinea was now right in front of him. Even though she ughtered more than ten people in the blink of an eye, she still had a beautiful face without any stains and was not exposed to even a single drop of blood. An inorganic, jewel-like purple color directed towards Nitrias. "Meow meow" ¨D¨DShe bent her body. While Nitrias held up his great spear, a tiger-faced warrior jumped out from behind Alberinea. Swinging out his war spear made entirely of steel, Nitrias instantly jumped backwards. "Yes, yes, you¡¯re blocking Usa-chan." Then, a female warrior''s great curved sword appeared from the side and cut the old general''s torso in half, including his armor. ¡°Nitr¨D¨D!?¡± Alfmarz was momentarily distracted by the sight, and that was a fatal gap. ¨D¨DAlberinea was already out of sight, and fresh blood gushed from Alfmarz'' neck. He knelt down, holding his neck, and looked back behind him. Alberinea, holding a blood-soaked curved sword in both hands, was smiling. "Goodbye... Kalua." The girl no longer had any interest in Alfmarz. When the girl removed her gaze, Alfmarz¡¯s head rolled to the ground. The surrounding allied soldiers were speechless and lost their will to fight at the death of their general. ¡°Let''s go to the left side one by one as nned. Bagil takes care of the rest here, and Krische will help Orugan-san and General Garhka. Krische would like to get rid of the renown who are likely to be rebelster on, as much as possible here.'''' "Understood. Let''s go back for now." "Yes. Mia, the signal." "yes" ¨D¨DYear 485 of the Kingdom Calendar. The battle between the two armies at Vesalius'' Fang was so one-sided that it could hardly be called a battle. Many of the main faction, including the leader Alfmarz Gerganik, died in this battle. The alliance formed by the Vesalius Pact copsed, and many countries became vassals of Alberan after this war. Although there were skirmishes, the eastern continent, which had lost many generals, no longer had the strength to resist Alberan, and Alberan''s war to unify the continent came to an end in less than a year. Chapter 228: Eternal Birdcage Chapter 228: Eternal Birdcage ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 228 Eternal Birdcage*** Far north from Vesalius Fang. Deep in the depths of the Great Mountains Dougz, the demonic dragon, Kushenaras, who destroyed the once prosperous empire of Rusheran in three days, was sleeping. Even today, thisnd was still managed by the descendants of Rusheran¨D¨Dthe Futaria¡¯s Holy Spirit Nation, as a forbiddennd, and uncertain legends had been passed down for a thousand years. And as legend has it, there was indeed arge cavern where a dragon slept. A huge crystal cave covered one side with magic crystals, and at the edge of it was a huge body that looked like a small mountain. As if sensing something, the dragon reared its sickle neck and turned its reddish-purple eyes toward the entrance to therge hole that opened above his head. A girl came down, illuminated by the sun. Her silver hair shimmers and the blue light surrounding her body. Her delicate body¨D¨DThe dense magical power from her back, like wings, slowed her fall, and the girlnded softly. "Um, nice to meet¨D¨D¡± Then she smiled, and the moment the girl was about to say hello, dozens of bullets of light floated around the dragon and were fired towards the girl. A sh of light filled the crystal cave, dozens of roaring sounds echoed, and the magic crystals on the walls copsed. *¡°What do you need, Regve? Isn''t it quite a greeting to bring a human into my bed? It¡¯s not like you, is it so boring that you want to start a fight?¡± ¡°It''s not a mere Small One. Since she is a friend with whom I have allowed my True Name (Mana), I granted her request.¡± ¡°...Friend?¡±* The waves of magical power swayed as ifughing. ¡°Does age even make dragons go mad? Of all things, I never expected such words toe out of that Dragon Hunter.¡± Shaking the magic power, They spun words. The Dragon¨D¨DKushenaras¡¯ eyes narrowed as They saw the pile of rubble containing the remains of her little girl begin to move. ¡°Geez, doing that so suddenly.¡± The rubble was blown away, and what emerged was the figure of a girl. She was a girl wrapped in a ball of light, with no scratches on her body, and her purple eyes calmly looked up at the dragon. Then, from the entrance of the cavern, another dragon descended, wrapped in a storm. Justnding on the ground caused a tremor, and the rubble turned into blue dust and flew into the sky. The girl, floating as if carried by the wind, sat on Regve¡¯s head¨D¨Daround the area between the eyebrows, and repeated her greeting. "Krische heard that even among the dragons you are one thatpeted for the 1st and 2nd , so Krische came to greet you. Krische also has a request..." Kushenaras, as if displeased, shook Their magic mower, and again released dozens of light bullets. However, before it was released, it dispersed and disappeared on the spot. The girl held up her hand and said, ¡°It''s no use¡±, while smiling. ¡°Krische is much stronger than you.¡± Countless bands of blue light wrapped around Kushenaras¡¯ gigantic body, and a gigantic three-dimensional magic circle was woven in front of its face. Contrary to the huge size, the magic form was intricately engraved in every detail¨D¨Dit was assembled in a single instant, and was so advanced that even Kushenaras, who was skilled at magic even among the dragons, could not understand it with just a nce. ¨D¨DWhat they could understand was that magic with deadly power simr to a dragon''s roar was directed at them. And their body, which was like a small mountain, was blocked from all movement. The girl possessed a magical power unimaginable for a human. Somehow, all the magic power of thisrge cavity was already in the girl''s hands. In this short amount of time, the girl had taken control of this space. Kushenaras looked up at the sky from therge hole in the ceiling. They narrowed their eyes as they felt a dense magical energy floating in the air far above. *"Interesting. A human changing even the world¡±* ¡°Ehehe¡± The girl who was staring at Kushenarasughed again. She then waved her hand, causing the magic form to disappear and all of her magical power that had captured Kushenaras to dissipate. *¡°You slept too long, Kushenaras. Even I can''t win against this Small One. No matter how one they are with the earth a Dragon may be, They would never be able to defeat this one.¡± ¡°Hou¡±* The girl sitting on top of Regve''s head opened her mouth. "Krische is Krische Christand. Krische heard that there is a very easy-to-understand system where dragons be friends when they introduce themselves to each other..." Kushenaras shook Their magic. It was very simr to peopleughing. *¡°¡What reason is there for me to allow you my True Name (Mana)?¡±* ¡°Krische heard that dragons are simple, the stronger one is the better one. So Krische¡¯s sure you''ll allow Krische." The girl¨D¨DKrische smiled and answered as if it were only natural. Kushenaras looked at Krische with Their red-purple eyes, and then They turned to Regve, who ced her on Their head. *¡°You appeared for the first time in hundreds of years, and you brought with you a troublesome-looking one. ...This favor is on you okay, Regve.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it interesting? Don''t just sleep forever, it''s good to take a look at the outside once in a while. There are some interesting discoveries.¡± ¡°It was the worst way to wake up though¨D¨Dwell whatever.¡±* Kushenaras turned to Krische. *¡°What¡¯s your business, Krische?¡±* "Um, uh..." Krische looked at Kushenaras troublingly. "Before that, let''s introduce ourselves so we can be friends..." Krische stared at Kushenaras, and Kushenaras looked back at her. After a while, the magic power shook. *¡°...Kushenaras of Dougz. Tell me your business quickly.¡±* "Ehehe, yes. Now we''re friends, Kushenaras-san." Krische nodded with satisfaction and touched her magic crystal earrings, saying, ¡®Please wait a moment¡¯. "Krische, is not good at exining things, so Krische will leave it to Krische¡¯s little sister to tell the story properly...Kreschenta." Krische then called out and waited for a while for a response. But there was no reply, and Krische frowned and said again. "Kreschenta, sleeping? So you''re sleeping. Kreschenta, if you don''t wake up before Krische count to ten, Krische''ll get angry. Ten, nine, eight¨D¨D" Kushenaras narrowed Their eyes and looked at Regve. Regve shook waves of magic intermittently and said nothing. ¡°Oonne, Zeerrro...muu, what a hopeless child...¡± Krische waved her hand and disintegrated therge crystal on the wall into magical power. She held the enormous amount of magical power in her hands and projected it into the sky, emitting numerous lines of blue light¨D¨Dshe instantly assembled a form that could fill thisrge cavern, andunched a pir of magical power above the clouds. Then she looked back at Kushenaras and asked Them to wait a moment. *¡°...¡±* Kushenaras said nothing. ¨D¨DIt must have been a kind of a divine sight. A pir of light appeared from the heavens, and the sun began to rise in the royal capital of Albeneria, pouring down on the bedroom of the royal mansion, and connecting it to a deep cavern in the mountains in the far east. It only took a moment for the capital''s pir of light to disappear. After a while, a sphere floated above the heads of Krische and the others in arge hollow pir of light, and a beautiful girl appeared. She has golden hair that sparkles with red¨D¨Da pale pink nightgown, and bare feet. Her sleeping beauty was like a fairy. The girl was holding a pillow in her arms as if it were a treasure. Slowly inside the pir of light¨D¨Dthe girl enveloped in a ball of light descended from the sky, in front of the exasperated Krische. What was she dreaming about? Her lips moved happily as she slept talking, ¡®Ehehe, Onee-sama¡¯. Krische sighed as she held her little sister in her arms. ¡°Ehehe, Onee-sama, not.¡± ¡°Unyi!?¡± She pinched Kreschenta¡¯s cheek as she slept happily. ¨D¨DAbove Regve¡¯s head. The Demon Lord of Alberan (Just Woke Up) puffed out her cheeks and raised her voice while holding her cheek and ming her sister. "No matter what, it''s cruel, too cruel to pinch my cheek!" ¡°Kreschenta is the one who is cruel. While Krische was having a hard time on the long journey in the air, Kreschenta was fast asleep.¡± "Unlike here, it''s still night over there! I stayed upte because a call wille from Onee-sama, and I was already trying to get up very early." "All lies. It must have been morning over there already. Krische knew it okay, that Kreschenta took a bath and breakfast as usual, then immediately fell asleep in bed, and in the morning she slept soundly, sleeping twice and then thrice.¡± ¡°Uu...¡± ¡°Not, uu¡± Krische sighed ¡®Really, geez¡¯ as she tugged at her sister''s cheek, who didn¡¯t let go of her pillow. "Kreschenta is always a spoiled child. Even though Kreschenta already noticed it the moment Kreschenta was Pyon-Pyon to her, Kreschenta stayed asleep because Krische would wake you up, right? Krische can see right through it." "...Because I wanted to sleep. Also, Onee-sama, please say teleportation instead of Pyon-Pyon¨D¨D¡± "Don''t change the subject." Again, Krische pulled at her sister''s cheeks. Feeling the gentleness in how she was being pinched, Kreschenta said, ¡®Please forgive me¡¯, and ced a pillow on top of Regve''s head, turned towards her sister, hugged her, and kissed her. ¡®Really what a hopeless child¡¯, Krische said, pulling the cheek once again and then letting go of her hand. "...Ehehe" "Kreschenta. Krische, is angry, okay?" "Of course I''m reflecting on it properly." As she said this, she gave a small yawn and changed her position so that she was leaning on Krische again, staring at the silent dragon in front of her. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Kreschenta, the king of Alberan, who currently ruled the continent... or rather, the world." Kreschenta spoke without any remorse, and Kushenaras stared at the girl. *¡°Your business¡±* However, They didn''t show any signs of anger and just said that. Kreschenta smiled and nodded. "My request is simple. I would like you to build a tower here¨D¨Da well that can draw up magical power." *¡°...Magic well?¡±* "Yes, it''s good to pull up the magical power from the source and fill the atmosphere with magical power. A ce where a dragon like you sleeps is especially close to the source. Isn¡¯t it just right to make a well?" then pointed above her head. "Right now, we¡¯re only on my second magic well. However, you do realize that the sky is filled with more magic than when you were flying, right? I''m sure it will be easier for you to live in." Kushenaras didn¡¯t say anything, and Kreschenta continued without worrying. Kreschenta had no hobby of reading the expressions of ¡®Long Live Lizard¡¯. ¡°ording to Rege-sama, there are five dragons on this continent, so first we will visit those dragons one by one, and then we will have the same negotiations with the dragons sleeping on other continents and inds.¡± *¡°¡So this is a negotiation you say?¡±* "Fufu, I heard that this is normal in the dragon world." Kreschentaughed, and Kushenaras also shook their magic power intermittently. ¡°As you can see, unlike you, we only have a small amount of magical power. Even if we want to do various things, we have to do something about out magical power, ...but after thinking about it, I''vee to the conclusion that it would be quicker to just change the world.'''' While saying this, she grabbed her sister''s hands, letting it rest on her hips, and smiled. "A world revolution. I think it''s not a bad idea for those of you who are bored and have too much time on your hands." *¡°That''s an unnecessary concern, one named Kreschenta. Most probably feel that way because they don''t have any interests outside, and that they don''tck anything.¡±* "Is that so?" Tracing her lips with her fingertips, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you are looking for change that you are not dying?¡± Kreschenta narrowed her eyes. "I heard you destroyed a human country a long time ago, but did you enjoy it? Didn''t you think there would be nopetition by killing someone who had no resistance?" *¡°...It was an eyesore so I just burned it down. I didn''t think of it as entertainment in the first ce.¡±* "Fufu, even though there are some humans who enjoy killing each other and hunting beasts, it''s rare to find people who enjoy killing insects unterally." ¡®That''s what I think too¡¯, she said, turning her purple eyes towards Kushenaras. ¡°I think the reason you all stopped fighting dragons is because if you destroyed all the dragons, your ¡®only entertainment¡¯ would disappear. ...I think it''s because they''re all afraid of losing their equals.'''' There was no response, but she continued anyway. ¡°Everyone who lives needs something unknown, Kushenaras-sama. If the atmosphere were filled with magic, great changes would ur in the world. Strong beasts will be born, humans will advance...Maybe something will be born that will shake up a life where there is no entertainment other than fighting dragons.'''' Amusedly, as if she could see right through. "... I''m sure the reason you¡¯re still listening to me like this is because you''re enjoying the moment. If you have no expectations or interest in the future, you''ll probably choose death without exchanging words." The beautiful queen smiled, shaking her golden hair that sparkled with red. "I''ll tell you something... You''re enjoying the situation where people you''ve never paid attention to and thought of as dust threaten you with their power and make you listen to their stories." ¡®Dragons are perverts¡¯, Kreschenta continued with augh, looking down at Kushenaras. Kushenaras didn¡¯t say anything for a while, and silence filled the cavern. And it was magic power that broke the silence. The hard sound of the surrounding magic crystals resonating with the intermittent waves of magical power echoed quietly. *¡°So you¡¯re saying you can estimate Me by human scale?¡±* "Unfortunately, I only have my own measuring stick. Well, putting aside if you''re an unintelligent lizard, but you''re a lizard with some wisdom after all. If there is a speck of logic and reason, then I don''t think you are that different from us.¡± ¡®Your answer is two¡¯, she said, holding up her index and middle fingers. ¡°Would you like to fight us here and get killed, or will you cooperate with us and look forward to changes in the future?¡± ¡®I don''t mind either way¡¯, she smiled. "We¡¯re going through all this trouble because we want to resolve it through discussion as much as possible. If you''re not interested in what''s going to happen and say it''s all pointless, we''ll kill you right now." ¡®It''s a bit violent though¡¯ she continued and as if to say that she was no longer interested in Kushenaras, Kreschenta turned around again and hugged her sister, rubbing her body against hers, while Krische stroked her sister''s head. Kushenaras looked at them for a while, then turned to Regve. *¡°What an arrogant creature. Maybe I should have gotten rid of them without leaving any behind. ...But you epted this, right?¡± ¡°...There are some reasons and obligations, but it¡¯s trivial.¡±* Regve answered. *¡°I lost my sense of worthiness and pride a long time ago, as well as my attachment to power. Even the arrogance of this seems amusing now. ...I said it to you in the past right? That I intend to enjoy the changes of the world. These ones¡¯s suggestions are not bad for me.¡±* They turned Their attention to the two who were hugging each other above Their heads, and intermittently shook Their magical power. *¡°What keeps Us alive so much that We even lose sight of the boundary between death and life, Kushenaras? There should be no big difference between Me and you. ...You too have expectations somewhere in you.¡±* ¡®Death cane at any time¡¯, Regve continued, narrowing Their eyes. *"Let''s look at it together, as Our whim take Us.¡±* Magic power shook. The magic crystal vibrates and resonates with a hard sound. It was theughter of the two Dragons. *¡°...You''ve changed, Regve. It''s unlike you, who liked killing each other more than anyone else.¡± ¡°It''s because I''m tired of killing each other. Doesn¡¯t it pique your interest?¡±* Not bad, Kushenaras replied, Their gaze turned to Krische. *¡°One called Krische. What do you wish for at the end of it?¡±* ¡°At the end...¡± *¡°Isn¡¯t filling the atmosphere with magic just a process? What do you seek beyond that?¡±* Kreschenta pouted her lips slightly, and Krische traced her lips in a slightly troubled manner. She was silent for a moment, thinking, and groaned. "...It''s difficult to say, when you say the end. Krische feel like Krische¡¯s purpose should be called the process...and Krische''ve never thought about the end." *¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±* "Hmm...it might be hard for Kushenaras-san, who has lived a long life, to understand." She paused for a moment and smiled. ¡°Krische, wanted an eternity.¡± *¡°...Eternity?¡±* "Yes. Without any bad people, without war or death, and where one can live in peace and happiness with the people they love...that kind of eternity." She took out a small magic crystal tied to a string from her chest and stroked it affectionately. "Krische is going to create another small world with Krische¡¯s magic and move. To put it in Kreschenta terms..." The magic crystal was engraved with so many magical techniques that it seemed like it would suck one in just by looking at it, and inside it¨D¨Din the center was a small, beautiful light. ¡°Krische guessed it could be called, Eternal birdcage.¡± ¨D¨DThere was a soul named Lipus. Chapter 229: Cowards Chapter 229: Cowards ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 229 Cowards*** Three years after the War of the Five Great Powers. Duke Remin''s house¨D¨Dthis estate in a prime location in the royal capital was wrapped by happiness. ¡°Cute. I heard that he''s a boy, but...¡± This was because the eldest child, Alsang, was born. Last year, Aleha married Tekrea as the son-inw of the Remin family, and while many nobles were struggling with infertility, they were already blessed with a child. Both mother and child were fine, and the child was born with a grand cry. Today, the Marshal, Selene, and the Alberinea, Krische, and the assistant Marshal, Eluga were visiting to deliver the celebratory goods. Aleha, wearing military uniform, nodded at Selene''s words and answered. ¡°Yes, Waltza and Milcarz-dono have been overjoyed ever since he was born. Tekrea and I were hoping that he would be born safely, but...¡± ¡°It''s also my responsibility for causing hardship to everyone.¡± Tekrea''s face became grim as she held her sleeping baby in her arms, and she was smiling gently. ¡°After all, when ites to inheriting a family, it''s best for a man to do so. There is a lot of anxiety about a female head of the family¨D¨D¡± When he looked at Selene as he spoke that, he shook his head in panic. ¡°...My apologies. That was rude of me.¡± ¡°Fufu, don''t worry about it. Giving birth is a big deal for a woman, and I think everyone wants a boy to inherit the family.¡± Selene smiled bitterly and Eluga told her to change the subject. ¡°...However, I can understand why the old people are happy. The child seems healthy and robust. I Saying it this way might sound strange, but for them who thought the two of you as their own children for so long, having a grandchild must be a joy like no other.¡± ¡°Indeed. We each have been indebted to both of them for a long time.¡± Aleha also nodded andughed. He then turned to Krische and Bery, who were staring at the baby. ¡°Is something wront?¡± ¡°No, Krische also though this when Krische was looking at the encyclopedia, but babies sure kind of look like monke¨D¨Dmugu.¡± ¡°Y-you...¡± Bery instantly covered her mouth, and Selene let out an exasperated sigh. Aleha and Techrea looked at each other and smiled bitterly. ¡°...I''m sorry. She¡¯s a kid with nomon sense...¡± ¡°No, fufu... at first I also thought he looked a little like a stuffed monkey doll. Besides, I know Alberinea''s personality, so don''t worry about it.¡± Tekrea shook her shoulders happily, and after saying sorry again, Selene red at Krische and gave her an earful, ¡®Don''t say anything silly¡¯. Krische who had often people nicknames likening them to animals¨D¨Dshe didn''t quite understand what she meant by silly, but it was her sister''s orders. Clich¨¦ nods with an unconvinced expression on her face, and Bery also removed her hand with a troubled look on her face. ¡°I feel like I''m starting to look a lot more like Aleha than when I was born...¡± ¡°If anything, he probably looks like her mother. Unlike me, he has blue eyes.¡± ¡°...The rest is probably Aleha. My hair isn''t this bright gold.¡± ¡°It will be like that when he¡¯s a baby. Gradually the color will¨D¨D¡± ¡°It¡¯s Aleha¡± ¡°...¡± Aleha was at a loss for an answer, but that didn''t mean Tekrea had won. Tekrea notices the gazes of those around them, and suddenly reflects on her worked up appearance, and when her cheeks turned red, she lowered her eyes. Eluga didn''t say anything, he smiled in a way that could only be described as evil, and Selene let out a giggle. ¡°Fufu, it''s great to see that you''re so happy. Mom and Dad used to argue over which one I looked more like...I wonder if it''s something that happens everywhere.¡± ¡°My, my, I''m jealous. My wife has always told me that she was d that our son doesn''t look like me.¡± Eluga listened to Selene''s words, but for a moment the atmosphere in her room changed into something indescribable. Only Krische tilted her head with a ¡®muu¡¯. ¡°Krische thinks Skeleton''s face is interesting and good though...¡± ¡°Kuku, the only one who would say that is only Krische-sama.¡± ¡°...Krische was thinking of giving the child the nickname Boney Boney if they looked like Skeleton, but Krische was a little disappointed the other day.¡± ¡°You don''t have to give the child a nickname, you idiot.¡± Selene pulled Krische¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Unyi!¡± ¡°You really are a walking rudeness.¡± The other day, when she visited Eluga''s estate on a short errand, Krische was introduced to their six-year-old son, and contrary to Krische¡¯s expectations. Rayfus Faren was a beautiful boy who was 100% purely looked like his mother. It seems that he had heard a lot about Krische from Eluga, and he looked up to Krische¨D¨Dbut as he greeted her, looking very nervous, she said, ¡®...Your face doesn''t look very interesting¡¯ That one sentence. Selene had never forgotten the look on the boy''s face when Alberinea, his idol, spoke to him with words of disappointment as soon as they met. When her cheeks were pulled, Krische huddled closer, looking happy for some reason. Selene smiled and patted her head, and Krische rested her back on her. ¡°There are a lot of children everywhere these days. Even Kurofuyo is making a fuss about having a baby.¡± ¡°Kuku, it¡¯s after all that big war after all.¡± ¡°It''s probably time for everyone to appreciate peace.¡± ¡°A blessing...¡± ¡°It is only when there is war that the peace and quiet can seem precious.¡± Krische thought about it for a moment and groaned. Aleha pointed at himself. ¡°Even though I was thinking only about the war, when it was over, all I could say was that I was tired. As I sat down in the shade of a tree, I suddenly noticed the flower blooming beside me, felt love for it... and before I knew it, we had started a family like this.¡± And Tekrea, who was called a flower, had an indescribable expression on his face, and his cheeks were bright red. ¡°...How can you say such embarrassing things so calmly?¡± Tekrea sighed, and Selene and Elugaughed. ¡°Hmm, it''s difficult...¡± Krische tilted her head to one side, leaning on Selene and looking at Bery. Bery noticed this and quietly smiled without saying anything. ¡®Aah¡¯, Krische smiled as she realized something. They returned to Krische¡¯s room their estate. ¡°...I guess I''ll have to think about it soon.¡± While drinking tea, Selene suddenly said that, and Krische, who was wearing an apron dress, tilted her head. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°It''s about marriage. The Christand house will need an heir someday.¡± Krische hardened then stood up. ¡°Selene, are you going to be a bride?¡± ¡°You idiot. If I''m going to get married, I''ll take a son-inw. What will I do if I, the head of the family, get married away?¡± However, Selene looked at Kreschenta in her nightgown clinging to Bery and sighed. ¡°...Even weing a son-inw There are quite a few problems.¡± To be honest, this mansion was in a situation where there was no room for anyone else to enter. Krische a demon kisser who kisses whenever she saw an opportunity. Her Majesty the Queen, who was pampered by a servant and her older sister in a sloppy manner that was not suited for a queen. Even if she were to get married, it would be extremely difficult for her to continue living with then as before. ¡°What''s the point of having an heir? I''m genuinely curious.¡± ¡°Haah...?¡± ¡°There is no benefit to taking risks to conceive and give birth to a child. If you really need an heir, why not pick one up from somewhere else?¡± Sitting as if straddling Berry''s thighs. Wrinkles gathered here and there on the negligee, presenting a rather indecent appearance. However, her face surprisingly looked serious, with no apparent intention of mockery. Being genuinely curious, as she said, Kreschenta tilted her head. ¡°Putting aside If you instinctively want to reproduce like a beast, if one think about it rationally, I think there is no reason for Selene-sama, the head of the family, to have children herself. Such a dangerous and disadvantageous role should be left to someone else.'''' ¡°...You''re so frank huh.¡± ¡°Because, if it were me, I would definitely hate it. It would be great if a child as smart as me and Onee-sama was born, but it would be a tragedy if a child as stupid as Selene-sama and Argan-sama was born after going through all the trouble.¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m on Kreschenta-sama''s side this time too.¡± ¡°I don''t think you''ve ever stood by my side.¡± ¡°Fufu, Ojou-sama is just forgetting about it.¡± She giggled and let her red hair sway down her back. ¡°No matter how you put it, if you think about it rationally, it''s as Kreschenta-sama said. Though if there''s a gentleman that Ojou-sama, then that''s fine.¡± ¡°...There¡¯s no one at the moment.¡± ¡°Yes, I am aware that such gentleman does not exist.¡± Bery gave her a meaningful look, and Selene blushed slightly and red at her. ¡°Even if Ojou-sama say that you want a child who inherits, Nee-sama, Gotoushu-sama, and your blood, if you don''t have that partner in your heart, it would be pitiful for the other person...Practically speaking, there are various inconveniences.¡± Bery''s eyes then fell on Kreschenta, who was ying with her older sister on herp. It seemed like a trivial problem, but it was also an important one. It is because of the uniqueness of the Christand family that Kreschenta could spend her time here with peace of mind. It was a small bird cage made of only people Kreschenta trusts and have faith in. No new people coulde in here. At the very least, she would be living somewhere else, and most of all, Kreschenta¡¯s trust in Selene would be lost. The reason Kreschenta trusted Selene was because Selene''s first priority was Krische If Selene''s first priority bes something outside this bird cage, Kreschenta would surely easily cut off her trust in Selene. Kreschenta despised anything that threatened her peace of mind. She wouldn''t be able to maintain the same rtionship with Selene as she no longer feels secure in her heart. That was what Bery was saying. ¡°...Of course, I''m not saying Ojou-sama shouldn''t think about it...but if you''re thinking about marriage as a duty or a tradition, I think it''s better not to do it. I understand that you thought of that after seeing Lord Aleha and Duke Remin, but...'''' Bery narrowed her eyes in amusement. ¡°Fufu, I also recalled about Nee-sama and Gotoushu-sama when the youngdy was born.¡± ¡°¡Please, please don¡¯t tell me any more about that story. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Her mother was very busy helping her father and was clumsy, and Berry was always at the mansion and was skillful. Inevitably, Bery took care of Selene, and there were a lot of stories that she didn¡¯t want to be talked about. ¡°Well, I guess you''re fine with it. But if things continue like this, I''ll be toote to marry, so it''s impossible to not think about it.¡± ¡°Even if you say that Ojou-sama is still only around twenty¨D¨D¡± ¡°You seems like the type to say, ¡®Ojou-sama is still only¡¯ even when I turn thirty¡± When she said this exasperated, Beryughed. ¡®Ojou-sama will always be Ojou-sama¡¯ Bery said. ¡°...Just as you think it doesn''t matter if I''mte, I feel the same way about you, Ojou-sama.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ``What I''m saying is that Ojou-sama should be honest too. Once you put behind appearance and reputation, you will it''s a trivial thing, and not worth it.'''' Herrge light brown eyes gently wrapped in reddish eyshes. It was clear what she meant. ¡°For me, Ojou-sama is not the marshal of the kingdom, the margrave, Selene Christand. Krische-sama is not Alberinea, and Kreschenta-sama is not Her Majesty the Queen. ...I believe that there is nothing in life that should take precedence over personal rtionships and feelings.¡± ¡°...I was just listening quietly, and then suddenly you start saying something rude. How disrespectful.¡± ¡°Please forgive me, My mouth just...¡± ¡°Muguu...¡± While saying so, Bery physically covered Kreschenta¡¯s mouth with her palm. She literally treated the queen as if she was not queen at all. ¡°...If I ept your ideology, I''m afraid I''ll be ruined.¡± ¡°I think it would be better for Ojou-sama to be a little bit corrupt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to disrupt the morals of this house any further.¡± She sighed and rubbed her brow, looking at Krische, who didn¡¯t seem to understand what they were talking about. ¡°You''re weird. Normally one''d want to monopoly it.¡± ¡°...I''m greedy, so I want everyone to be happy. Ojou-sama, Krische-sama, Kreschenta-sama... and me too.¡± ¡°...Is it the luxury of a victor?¡± When Selene red at her, Bery smiled vaguely. ¡°At least, I think that''s what Krische-sama wants.¡± Krische, whoe up, tilted her head in confusion, think about it, and nodded. ¡°Um...Ehehe, that''s right. Everyone''s happiness is the most important thing.¡± ¡°¡¡stupid¡± Selene said exasperated and yed with her hair. ¡°...You''re a coward.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t hate it, right?¡± ¡°...That''s what''s so cunning about you, you coward.¡± Then she sighed again. Chapter 230: Weave Chapter 230: Weave ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 230 Weave*** Two years have passed since a new life was born in Duke Remin''s household. ¡°¨D¨DYou''ve all learned a fair amount of knowledge so far, but as you can see, the results are quite disastrous. In military chess exercises, the pieces move as you intend to, but standing there and implementing tactics with consideration for the battlefield requires considerable effort and hardship, as you''vee to understand.¡± A simple pedestal was ced, and the kingdom g was ced on either side. There were over 30 young nobles gathered on the in. The nobles gathered at this military school basically undergo military education over a period of two years. Those with civilian backgrounds who held the rank of corporal or higher and were recognized as having sufficient qualifications were also eligible for admission, but those with military experience only have a one-year education period. They were training elsewhere with the nobles who enrolledst year. Depending on their performance here, they would be able to rise to the position of a staff officer, at least equivalent to the battalionmander''s adjutant¨D¨Dand due to the disastrous results of the actualbat stylemand training that was held this time, everyone was listening to the girl''s instructions with serious faces. She wore a cloak and a dress, and her silver hair hung down like two tails. Some were puzzled by the beautiful and dainty girl''s appearance, but not many. Nowadays, no one in the kingdom was unaware of Alberinea''s fame, and the respect shown by the principal, Eluga, and the instructors was evident to all. It was even more so when they saw a Suiko yawning by her side. The eight shaku tall and two jou long body, making it look intimidating even from a distance. Those who saw it for the first time were chilled by the pressure of the magical power emanating from its body. Magic beasts could never be tamed. Even the warriors renowned as heroes risk their lives to face this Suiko¨D¨Dand no one would have thought that the girl who could calmly tame the beast was a normal girl. ¡°The important thing is to understand the location and situation of all soldiers. It is important to know where the formation is disordered, whether it is sticking out,gging behind, or not being given enough orders. The most important thing for amander is to understand the situation." The girl held up her finger. ¡°From the performance today, there were quite a few people who took action in a hurry, but instead when you''re troubled you should maintain the status quo. It''s better to create a momentary stalemate and try to understand the situation. Please remember that all tactics depend on correct situational judgment." ¡®That¡¯s no good¡¯, she said with an angry face. Then next to her¨D¨DEluga turned his gaze. Eluga nodded with a gentle smile that distorted his evil appearance, and Krische also smiled. ¡°That''s all from Krische. What we''re doing here is training after all, and even if we fail, no one will die, and there''s nothing irreversible here. This is your chance to ovee the part you¡¯re not good at, so take this opportunity to learn a lot." Krische jumped onto the Suiko, and with amand, they aligned their heels and saluted. This year too, new buds were growing out at Alberan. In the case of young nobles with no military experience, a two-year education period was basically provided. Military school education begins with ssroom lessons, followed by repeated military chess exercises to build a tactical brain. Basically, prioritizing cramming them with knowledge. This was a matter of effort, and there were no failures, however, it was the training using actual soldiers that took them down to the ground after they had acquired a certain degree of tactical vision. Especially for many nobles who had no military experience, it was difficult for them to even make 100 people march orderly, and the purpose was to make them experience such setbacks. Even if they understand the optimal solution in their head, whether or not they could implement it was apletely different matter. They were intentionally made to have big heads, and they spent a whole month undergoing rigorous training in the form of actualbat, making them understand how difficult it is to control a group¨D¨Dafter that was over, they would teach them basic training such as marching and changing formations. No one likes to go through basic training like an uninteresting march, but the idea was that once they were given a setback, they would understand the importance of it. In the first year, they had given them a careful and orderly education, but they were still humans. Moreover, there were many young nobles born into aristocracy who did not know hardships. It was only natural that they be tired of repeating simple tasks, and their dissatisfaction only grew as they wished they could start actualbat-style training as soon as possible¨D¨Dthis policy change was caused by such circumstances. In particr, Eluga was the only school that believed that basic military operation was the secret of tactics, and the training here emphasizes the basics above all else. Their evaluations also ced emphasis on such fundamentals. The first year of basic education was like that. Applied education in the second year was also ssroom lecture. This was where people with military experience start, and the first lecture was almost like a review of basic education. Of course,mand training was also provided, but the major difference from basic education was that the emphasis was ced on education about strategy. Through discussions on strategy, students cultivate the ability to see the battlefield from a broader perspective, and only those who demonstrate their abilities would be given the chance to be staff officers after graduation. If basic education was literally a period of military education, then the second year was, in a sense, the examination for recruitment into the general staff. Once they be a staff officer, they would go through an additional training period and be a military officer at a position equivalent to at least the adjutant of a battalionmander. Regardless of their achievements on the battlefield or whether they were a noble or amoner, the position of a staff officer was extremely attractive, and those who took the second year of applied education were different in their seriousness. There was no need to do any tricks like the first year, and everyone was doing their best. "Looks like it''s going well." The principal''s office on the second floor of the second military school building outside the walls of the royal capital. Krische said while looking out the window at Gertz Wiring, who was raising his voice and giving enthusiastic guidance at the training field, and Eluga, who was next to her, nodded. "Yes, we have some excellent instructors, and the basic system has beenpleted for the time being. However, it will probably be decades before this school actually bears any tangible results.¡± ¡°¡many decades¡± "Haha, that''s how change is supposed to be. Though to Krische-sama, who has achieved hundreds of years'' worth of results in just a few years, it must seem really slow." ¡®What I sowed was the seed¡¯, said Eluga. ¡°Humans who lived like beasts created a society, createdws, created a country, and created an army. We are here today because many of our ancestors¡¯ nted seeds, and those seeds have sprouted. In the same way, I will sow seeds for those who will live in the future. I hope that someday it will sprout and be of benefit to them.¡± Taking a sip of Krische¡¯s brewed tea, his mouth curved into a smile. "That way, even if I''m gone from now on, what I left behind won''t disappear." "...Skeleton, you shouldn''t say things like that. General Keithriton, who is much older than Skeleton, is still on active duty, so it will be a long time before Skeleton can really be a skeleton." Krische brought her face closer to Eluga and red at him. Quinez, who was working on paperwork in the corner of the room, pretended not to be listening and went about his work. "Kuku, right. Lately, I''ve been missing people close to my age, so maybe I''m bing more timid." Starting with Gallen, there were many people who passed away in the past few years. Last year, Tekrea''s adjutant, Milcarz, also departed. Just as new children were born, so did the old ones depart. With the end of the great war against the three countries, it must have been the perfect time for their tension to rx. Every one of them facing the end is satisfied. And Eluga was simrly convinced somewhere in his heart. The country calmed down, and the military school and general staff structure that Bogan had hoped for were in ce. ¨D¨DHe suddenly thought. He had done what he was supposed to do. He had a feeling of wishing for the future if he could, but there was a sense of eptance somewhere. That''s why he thought about such a thing. ¡°That said...Krische-sama might scold me for saying this, but death is not something I despise. ...Birth and death are two sides of the same coin, and as long as we are alive, everyone will die someday.¡± Eluga looked at the girl''s face and said. She had no signs of aging and was full of youthful beauty. Overflowing with vitality, as if saying this was what it means to be full of life. An infinite future was reflected in the girl''s face. "What''s important is epting it...what you aplished in that limited time. I don''t think the ending of living your life to the fullest can be called a tragedy.¡± ¡°But...¡± He patted the girl who tried to argue. ¡°Was Gallen-dono¡¯s death really a tragedy?¡± ¡°...Uh¡± "It was a regrettable event. There''s no doubt it was sad. However, calling it a tragedy might not be urate. Gallen-dono epted everything, was satisfied, and that''s why he left with a smile. Having done what he needed to do." Eluga recalled Gallen''s face that he saw at the funeral. His expression softened as he epted his death. He had what could only be described as a nice face. "...Selene said the same thing. Ojii-sama was able to meet his end with happiness.¡± "¡¡Is that so?" "But Krische still doesn''t really understand it. If Ojii-sama hadn''t died, Ojii-sama would still be alive and well, and Krische would have been able to spend time with him...we would have been happy for much longer." He nodded at Krische, who sadly lowered her eyes, and replied, ¡°Maybe¡±, and continued. "Old trees wither and be fertilizer someday. The world is a strange thing. I heard that the burnt Mirskronia is already showing greenery?" "¡¡? Yes" Young trees have already appeared in Mirskronia, the mountain that was burnt during the battle against Gildanstein. Of course, although it was not as much as before, greenery was beginning to cover the burnt mountainside. ¡°Manyrge trees perished in that fire, but the soil became fertile with nutrients, and new young trees grew...The same goes for people. In the same way, old people pass on the knowledge and experiences they have gained and the things they have created to young people, and these young people to the future young people.¡± He looked at his wrinkled hands, the bones standing out like dead wood. ¡°When I imagine that what I have given and created will be woven and developed by many hands in the future, after all, I am happy.¡± It was the opposite of the girl''s pure white, firm skin. "Maybe someone in the future will think of something that I haven''t thought of before. Just like Krische-sama¡¯s favorite dish, I guess you could call it a coboration with young people I haven''t met yet." "...dish" "Yes" Eluga said as he recalled the taste of honey. ¡°Just like the candy Krische-sama gave me, that was made by Bery-kun, in the past. And Berry-kun didn''t make it from scratch either, she probably learned it from books or something. Something that has been spun by someone from a long time ago, whom I have never met¨D¨Dwithout it, I would not be here today, and in a sense, that person is still alive in the form of the candy.¡± And he looked at the purple color of the girl. ¡°The reason Krische-sama grew up so kind is probably because of the love Krische-sama received from yourte parents. Gallen-dono''s teachings still exist in Krische-sama, and in Commander Argand and General Verreich. ...If you look at it from that perspective, death as a living being is trivial." Krische met Eluga''s gaze and lowered her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s too hard for Krische¡±, she muttered. ¡°Krische wanted Skeleton to always live a long life. Not just a long life, but forever¡¡± ¡°Hahaha, Krische-sama is quite a greedy one.¡± ¡°...Is it greedy?¡± "Yes. ....But I''m more than happy to hear Krische-sama say that." Eluga pats Krische¡¯s on the head, and the girl pouted her lips. ¡°It¡¯s not just Krische. Selene and Bery think so, and even Kreschenta said she wanted Skeleton to live longer. So do other people. Adjutant Kaza thinks so too, right?¡± ¡°Y-yes...!¡± Quinez was suddenly asked a question that is extremely difficult to answer, and although he was stiff, he responded. Eluga lifted his cheeks as he looked happy. "Wow, that''s surprising, Quinez. I thought you were the one who wanted this annoying old man dead more than anyone else." "¡¡Really?" "Huh! No, I would never...I-I would like to receive your continued guidance and support from now on!" Quinez, who was suddenly in a predicament, answered while breaking into a cold sweat. Krische stared at Quinez, and Eluga nodded. "I see, I was wrong. I thought I was putting a lot on you because I had high expectations but..." "Ha! I''m more than honored, Assistant Marshal Faren.¡± "If that''s the case, then I¡¯m relieved. I wanted to leave you in charge of what happened after me. You''ll have to put more effort into it from now on." "I-I appreciate your words..." Krische smiled as she watched Eluga looking really happy. "Ehehe, then Skeleton still has a lot of work to do. It will be a long time before Kaza''s adjutant bes like Skeleton. He¡¯s fat after all.¡± "That''s right. Even though he''s my direct subordinate, he doesn''t have the body shape of a military man...I might have made it too easy for him." The two said as they looked at Quinez''s sturdy body. Quinez''s face twitched at the sudden misfortune that befell him. When Krische interacts with Eluga, misfortune usually befalls him. Today was no exception. The heuristic military education that had previously been left in the hands of individual nobles was changed to a systematic one, improving the abilities ofmanders, while at the same time training staff to assist them and improving their information processing abilities. The military school and staff department established in Alberan were extremely advanced. Although it had undergone many changes over time, it had had a great influence on subsequent history, and many countries still use this system today. ¨D¨DThe first principal''s name was Eluga Faren. It was only a few years after its establishment that he, who together with Kingdom Marshal Selene Christand and Alberinea¨D¨DKrische Christand, built the foundation for it, passed away due to old age. Chapter 231: Promise Chapter 231: Promise ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t AcknowledgeChapter 231 Promise*** "Hahaha, well, I guess you could call it lifespan. ...I''ve lived quite a long time." A hoarse voice. Eluga said this as heid in his bed in his estate. In the room were Krische, Bery, and his adjutant Quinez. "...Skeleton can''t turn into skeletons yet." Krische, who had dark circles under her eyes, said in a quiet voice while holding Eluga''s hand. It had been a week since he suddenly copsed while working at military school. Eluga had been in bed ever since he woke up about three days ago. Expansion of the body¨D¨Dbuilding imaginary muscles. He could not even do that properly, and Eluga, who had been relying on it, could not even move his own body freely. The doctor dismissed the cause as unknown. However, it seems to be amon disease among elderly magic possessors. Thei ability to manipte magical power deteriorates drastically, and the aging that was suppressed by magical power progressed rapidly, destroying their internal organs and leading them to death. Krische stayed over most of the night to take care of him. Magic energy works even when they are unconscious. It preserved deteriorating organs, broke down toxins, and transformed into blood and flesh. She transformed the magic crystal into magical power, sent it into Eluga''s body, and manipted it to turn his body into normal¨D¨Dhoping that this will stop him from aging, but somewhere, she realized that his body was slowly dying. ¡°To hear that from Krische-sama and to receive such attentive care...I don''t think there are many people in the world who are as happy as me.¡± Even so today his condition was good, and therefore believing that the effect was properly achieved, Krische repeated the process of dripping water into the bucket. Eluga gazed at her lovingly, feeling the magic flowing into him and rxed his cheeks. "That''s why... it''s enough, Krische-sama. As I mentioned, old trees wither and eventually be fertilizer. That''s the natural order." "...Krische, doesn''t really understand the analogy." Krische lowered her eyes as if refusing. ¡°...How troubling.¡± Elugaughed, distorting his face. He then narrowed his eyes. "¨D¨DIf one picks up everything, it will eventually be too much for them to handle and they will be crushed by its weight. I also told Krische-sama this in the past." Krische silently nodded. ¡°Krische-sama might be able to prolong my life. And for an infinitely long time at that. But then, when Bery-kun, Selene-sama, and Her Majesty the Queen all fell in the same critical situation, Krische-sama had two hands at most. The person Krische-sama needs to save isn''t an old man like me." "¡¡but" "... Even now, Krische-sama is making dark circles like that for the sake of this old man''s life. This is a great loss for the kingdom." ¡®Humans are not omniscient¡¯, Eluga continued. "...There is a limit to what one can do. Krische-sama should value your time more." "But...hg" ¡°I believe that with your help, Clich¨¦-sama, you can help hundreds or thousands of people in the same amount of time and lead them to happiness. It would be a shame to waste that time on this one old man... If Krische-sama says you can''t ept it based on emotions, please think about it in terms of profit and loss.'''' Eluga lifted his trembling right hand and caressed Krische¡¯s cheek. And he wiped her tears with his thumb. "...It''s strange. Before I knew it, Krische-sama always showed her feelings and emotions, even though when we first met Krische-sama were much much stronger... Krische-sama sure has be much weaker." Wryly, he smiled. ¡°Krische-sama''s heart has be rich.¡If there is a world after death, I need to proudly tell this to Bogan-dono.¡± ¡°Hg...¡± Krische didn''t say anything and just let him wipe away her tears. Eluga watched over her with satisfaction, and wiped away the drops until it ran out. "...Quinez. You have served as my adjutant for many years, and your experience, ability, and talent are impable. You are the perfect man to seed me....the soldiers and the military academy, I leave it to you." ¡°...Ha¡± The chubby adjutant, who had been listening to him in silence, stiffened his face, clicked his heels, and saluted. "I don''t know what you thought of me, but as a subordinate andrade, I trust you more than anyone else. ...In my opinion you might be a little sloppy, but your bad habit of thinking about everything in a leisurely manner will probably turn into an advantage if you work in the rear." ¡®Yes,¡¯ Quinez answered again. His lips were trembling slightly. "...I entrust everything to you. I feel at ease with that. You''re an excellent man who has never failed my expectations." "...I understand, Eluga-sama." ¡®Good¡¯, Elugaughed, and Quinez also wiped his eyes andughed. "To be honest, I didn''t like you. You were strict and unreasonable...but I was also afraid of your smile." Then he clicked his heels again and saluted again. "...However, I¡¯m proud of being your adjutant for the rest of my life." "Kuku, I see." "Yes, on this name I swore." Quinez answered, and the sound of a knock rang out. ¡®Excuse me¡¯, said a thindy. She wore a beautiful red one-piece dress, her golden hair swaying gracefully, looked at Krische and red at Eluga "My, to make Krische-sama, who has gone out of her way to take care of you, cry, you¡¯re the worst." "Ah, this is different..." "It''s just nonsense. Don''t worry about it." Vanate smiled, removing Eluga''s hand from Krische¡¯s cheek, and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. Vanate was the same as always, and she had a bright smile on her face. "You really have a bad mouth. Just what do you think I am?" "Say whatever they want about their husband is the wife''s prerogative. Since you''re bedridden and turned into a skeleton decoration, even Rafus bes scared and won''te out of the room. Before youin, please understand my hardship.¡± Vanate said in her anger, then bent her hips and brought her face closer to Krische. "...Thank you so much for this past week, Krische-sama. Treasuring my husband so much." She traced the dark circles under Krische¡¯s eyes with a handkerchief, as if looking at something painful. Vanate was well aware that Krische only slept and took naps this past week. "...Anything more will hurt your health. Please rest." "but¡¡" "It¡¯s fine. I''ve been preparing for it ever since I married my husband, and he''s also convinced¨D¨Dthere''s nothing happier than being able tough so much right before the end." ¡°Isn''t that so?¡± Vanate asked Eluga, and the old man nodded as if to lift his cheeks. As usual, with a gentle smile that looked wicked. "I have lived my life to the fullest. Especially in the past ten years, I owe it to you, Krische-sama. It''s sad to say goodbye, but if I postpone it, I''ll have regrets. ...It¡¯s fine.¡± "...Skeleton" "That''s right. ...Don''t worry about it and have a good night." Vanate smiled, then turned her gaze to Bery. Berry nodded, patted Krische on the head, and said ¡®shall we go¡¯. After a moment of hesitation, Krische nodded and took her hand. "Skeleton, um..." "...I''m d I met you. From the bottom of my heart, Krische-sama." She lowered her eyes, wondering if she should say ¡®see you tomorrow again¡¯. "Yes. ...Krische too, d to have met Skeleton." Saying that, she walked out of the door. Quinez also saluted and followed the two. Two people were left in the room. Vanate stroked Eluga''s cheek andughed. "Fufu, it looks even more like a bone now. I''m starting to wonder if it''s undercooked even after it''s cooked." "Really...your rudeness hasn''t changed since we met.¡± "My, I was a little more reserved in the past, you know." Vanate asked if he would like some tea, and Eluga nodded silently. Contrary to her words, Vanate carefully brewed the tea and prepared the tea utensils. "Funerals are a hassle. If only I had chosen a younger husband." "I rmended that at first, but you¡¯re the one who ignored it." "...Did I?" Vanate smiled bitterly, lifted Eluga''s body, and brought the teacup to his lips. Slowly so as not to spill anything, she gives Eluga the tea. "I wish you were twenty years younger. No matter how you look at it, you were born too early. If so, then..." She started to speak, but she stopped. She then giggled and smiled. ¡°Forget that. ...I wish I had been born 20 years earlier." Vanate set down the teacup and narrowed her eyes. She slowly put her lips on her husband''s. "...I''ll always love you. Even if you''re gone, forever." Eluga epted that andughed. "Me too. That''s why I want you, who is still young, to find a new partner though." "No way. Hehe, I''ve gotten so used to your face that I can''t think of anyone else...It''s all your fault." She kissed him again and sat down in the bedside chair. She then leaned back against Eluga and closed her eyes. "There''s no one better than you, Eluga. At least for me." "I did something sinful huh." "Yeah, you¡¯re the worst. ...Please take responsibility until the end." After that, she stopped speaking. Eluga lifted his trembling hand and stroked his wife''s even more trembling back. They didn''t need words anymore. The funeral was held four dayster. Vanatera smiled at those in attendance and consoled her tearful child. Some people say it was admirable because she never showed a tear from beginning to end, while others who didn''t know the circumstances said it was a loveless marriage. Considering the age difference, such opinions were formed. Despite being looked at in such a way, Vanate did not change her attitude and remained resolute. Even as she personally set fire to the body and ced the ashes in an urn, her expression did not change. "...Thank you, Your Majesty. Margrave Christand." Royalty and those close to them¨D¨Dor those who have made great contributions to the kingdom. Burying the urn in the tomb of where kings were buried, Vanate, along with her son and servants, paid their respect. "You need not worry, Vanate-sama. Faren-sama was a loyal subject to the kingdom, it¡¯s only natural he should be given a state funeral and beid to rest here. ... May he rest in peace in the midst of the mingling blood." Kreschenta, wearing a blood-red dress, sped her hands together and briefly offered her prayers. Serene, dressed in military uniform, looked at her and said "...I''m sorry. I know you didn¡¯t such a big funeral" "No. ... It''s the result of what my husband has aplished, and that has been recognized. As a wife, I''m most proud of it." Even if the bereaved family wishes to hold a quiet funeral, there are certain circumstances. It was a problem that Selene couldn''t do anything about. She could say that a state funeral was appropriate, but considering Vanate and the others¡¯ feelings. "...Also, Krische-sama and Berry-sama. It''s thanks to them that I was able to spend time with my husband in the end, even if it was only for a little while....I''m grateful to you from the bottom of my heart for helping me in so many ways." ¡°...No¡± d in an unfamiliar military uniform, Krische shook her head. Vanate smiled bitterly and bent her waist, bringing her face closer to Krische¡¯s. "Hehe, that kind of face doesn''t suit you, Krische-sama. My husband always says that he loves Krische-sama''s smiling face... He also gets sad when he sees you like that." "¡¡yes" Krische nodded, and Bery called out to her, saying it''s time to go. "Yes....Excuse me, Vanate-san." ¡°Yes, I hope to see you again with a smile next time.¡± When Vanate bowed gracefully, Krische did the same. Kreschenta and Selene walk ahead while keeping an eye on Krische, and Bery follows with her arm around Krische¡¯s waist. They walked in silence for a while, and just before getting into the carriage, Krische suddenly looked behind. In front of the grave, she could see Vanate with her face downcast and her hands covering her face, and her son Rayfus hugging her. Krische was captivated by it and lowered her eyes. Without saying a word, Bery took her hand and invited her into the carriage. The carriage headed to the royal territory. Kreschenta tried to say something, but seeing her sister''s condition, she gave up. Selene looked worriedly at Krische, thinking about something. The same goes for Anne, Elvena, the two servants¨D¨Dthe air was too heavy for them to open their mouths. Only the sound of wheels rolling on the cobblestones could be heard, and after a while they arrived in front of the estate. Kreschenta said to Selene, ¡°Selene-sama, I would like to talk a little about the future.¡± "Yes. Would you like to stay in my room?" Selene responded. The two then looked at Bery, who nodded silently. Selene then looked at Anne and Elvena, and they both nodded. ¡®I''ll get off first¡¯, Selene said, and the three of them followed. After a pause, Bery picked up Krische and said quietly. "...Shall we take a little break?" Krische nodded and went to her room, still being held. Changed her military uniform into a nightgown. "...Why do people die?" Krische sat down on the bed and muttered that. Bery thought for a moment and smiled. "That''s a very difficult question. If you ask me why humans die, I don''t know any other answer than because humans were born that way." When she sat down next to her, she stroked her silky silver hair and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Everything has a beginning and an end, no matter what it is, from tasks like cooking, washing, and cooking to thoughts and stories. The question of why we die will lead directly to the question of why we were born." Then she looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Regardless of the logic of living beings, if I were to define it...I would say that death is a result.¡± "¡¡result?" ¡°It''s fun to cook, but the ultimate goal is to put it on the table and have people eat it. And whether you''re satisfied with the finished product or not¨D¨Dthat''s the result, right?¡± She spun her words as she searched for the words, and like that Bery moved behind her. And sank back onto the bed. ¡°Death is the fate of those who are born. Or maybe we were born to die. ...No matter what, if the person can ept their death as a result, no matter what anyone says, I think it can be called a happy ending.'''' Looking at the canopy of the bed, ¡°Everything we had umted in our life up until now was packed into it, and we were satisfied with the result.¡± Then she took her red hair in her hands and yed with it, smiling. "...Fallen-sama, Gallen-sama, Gotoushu-sama, Nee-sama, too. They wereughing in the face of their own death. They said it was a good life." Krische remained silent for a while, looking down. She turned to Bery and nuzzled her face into her chest as if falling down to it. ¡°Berry, too?¡± "Hehe, that''s right. I will too someday...aah." Then, as she was about to speak, Krische sealed her lips with hers. She stared at the jewel-like purple eyes, "...Krische absolutely hates it." Saying that one-sidedly Bery chuckled and hugged Krische¡¯s head, saying don''t worry. ¡°It will be a long time from now. After I turn into a wrinkly old woman... Hehe, by then, Krische-sama may have changed so much that we won¡¯t recognize it. Krische-sama might even not give me kisses anymore.¡± "That''s impossible." Bery smiled bitterly and patted Krische on the head. Her silver hair tickled between her fingers. "...Bery said that Bery would always be by Krische¡¯s side." "...This is troubling." Bery said happily, thinking. Just like that, she rolled Krische to the side and pushed her down. Krische looks up at Berry and said "Berry never breaks a promise." Bery''s eyes widened and narrowed. She kissed her lovingly and smiled. "Then I''ll have to work hard for decades, bing so clingy that Krische-sama gets fed up with me." "...not just for decades." ¡°Hehe, unlike Ojou-sama, it seems like it would be difficult to deceive Krische-sama.¡± Once again, gently pressing her lips against hers. She then sat up, picked up Krische and put her in bed. She then stroked her forehead and said, "Don''t worry. I hate seeing Krische-sama''s sad face, so I won''t do anything to make Krische-sama sad." "¡¡really?" "Yes. Hehe, I''m not the kind of honest person that I myself can be proud of, but I won''t lie to Krische-sama." ¡®I swear by this name¡¯, Bery continued, and Krische nodded silently. "For now, take a little break. It''s the best thing to do in times of hardship. Just like Vanate-sama said, Faren-sama would be sad to see Krische-sama acting like this. Next time we visit the grave, we need to make sure Krische can show up with a smile on her face." Krische asked absentmindedly as her forehead was stroked. "...Does Bery also believes in souls?" ¡°As Gaara-sama said, I think it''s much happier to think that something exists than to think that it doesn''t exist. ...I''m sure that Faren-sama is still watching over Vanate-sama, Rayfus-sama, and Krische-sama.'''' Bery smiled and replied ¡®me too¡¯. "Even if I die someday, I''m sure that I''ll be with Krisc¨D¨D" "...Bery shouldn''t say things like that." "Fufu, my apologies." Berry smiles bitterly and covered Krische¡¯s eyes. ¡°It''s a promise¡±, Krische said and Bery replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a promise¡±. Krische closed her eyes, probably tired. After a while, she began to breathe softly, indicating that she had fallen asleep. Bery just gazed at her sleeping face, lovingly. Chapter 232: Turning Point Chapter 232: Turning Point ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 232 Turning Point*** Eight years since the War of the Five Great Powers¨D¨DElderant. In the forest, the sun shining through the trees shone on a few small graves. Offered before the graves are beautiful, deep blue Kirume flowers. In front of it, a half-naked man was swinging a sword almost as tall as himself, as if dancing. He continues to dance against imaginary enemies, dodging swords, shing them, and sweating all over his body. He has a beard that has grown on his well-groomed face, which is unkempt, as if he has not shaved since who knows when. His sculpted body was covered with countless scars. Proof that he had survived even after being seriously injured in countless ces of death¨D¨Ddespite just training, there was a spirit that could be called murderous intent. "...Toba?" He stopped his sword dance and focused his attention on a spot in the trees. The man jumped down from the tree in dismayed his hidden secrets that even wild animals would not notice, being seeing through. His red hair was slicked back, and his face looked somewhat frivolous. He was clothed in Suiko¡¯s fur, and carried a spear on his shoulder. On his left ear was a ck feather ornament representing the great tribe Arkaz, its chieftain. He was Toba Arkaz, the young king of Elderant. "Even though it''s a long-awaited feast, you''re practicing gloomily in the grave. Your dream to unify Elderant..." "¨D¨DIt''s Shelna''s dream. Besides, the king has just been reced, it''s not what Shelna was aiming for." Ledo Rani said. Then he looked at the small grave with Kirume flowers ced on it. "...And my purpose lies beyond this." "I thought you might change your mind a little, but you haven''t huh." Toba scratched his head. ¡°Feni''s been looking for you. I know you''ve got a crush on that littledy Shelna, but why don''t you make a living woman happy instead of a dead one? Not to brag, but my sister is good-looking, and unlike me, she''s a honest and nice girl." ¡®She¡¯s also in love with you¡¯, he said as he sat down at the root of arge tree. "You fought hard enough. Even though Shelna''s wants you to be happy, I don''t think she wants revenge beyond that." His words were sincere, as if he were worried. Ledo thrusted his great sword into the ground and answered. "...I''m grateful to you for picking me up." He said, clenching his fist. ¡°But either way... it''s obvious if you look at the result of that battle. Eventually, country that canpete with Alberan will disappear. In a few decades, Elderant will probably bow to Alberan. I refuse to lick Alberan''s feet and cling to their mercy.¡± East¨D¨Dturning his eyes to the kingdom. "If we¡¯re going to do it, now is thest time. To conquer the western part of Alberan and sow chaos in the royal capital area. I''ll gather up those who are dissatisfied with Alberan and crush them in one breath. If the chaos continues, Elsren will join the fight. Not a bad bet.¡± "Well, it¡¯s as you said but...I hear that Keithriton old man has also be quite weak. If we''re going to move, now is the time." It was information from a spy. A few years ago, due to his poor health, Keithriton handed over the rank of general to an aide, and served as an advisor. It seems to be true that Keithriton is not feeling well, and he had heard that he often did not show his face these days. That was reasonable considering his age. He was already over 120, not just 100. It was stranger that he was still standing in Elderant¡¯s way. Ledo opened his mouth. ¡°Our failurest time was that we took too long to invade the center. The 3 countries were stopped brilliantly on the outer territory, and we were unable to cause any chaos. The reason was that Albera was able to make thorough preparations¨D¨Dand Alberinea''s overwhelming strength.'''' ¡°Ha, That thing circled the country and won overwhelmingly three times. It''s an incredible monster. ...Honestly, no matter what the oue, I never even dreamed that that the youngdy would be killed.¡± Toba red at Ledo. "...You''re excellent. You''re probably the strongest warrior in Elderant now. ...But I don''t think you''re any better than Shelna youngdy. Realistically, what are you nning to do against Alberinea?" "You''re right. I''m not arrogant enough to think I can kill her with a sword." Ledo said as he approached the rock next to the grave. He worked up his magic and put his hand on the gap between the rock and the ground, and dig it up. What came out from below was a pot. "¡what¡¯s that?" Silently, Ledo opened the lid of the jar and took out a magic crystal from inside. "...The chief priest''s staff that I collected during the battle¨D¨Dthose magic crystals. There are thirteen of them." What was engraved on it was a technique that shoots out magic power. Toba widened his eyes and red at Ledo for a moment¨D¨Dbut then he looked exasperated. "I see. I was wondering why the blue cane disappeared so quickly, but I guess you were the one who was filched it. Spouting lies with that calm face." ¡°My bad.¡± Each tribe in Elderant always has a chief priest who presides over festivals. Their symbol was the staff, and many of the staffs they carried had magic crystals attached to them. A magic crystal engraved with an advanced technique that emits magical power like a sh of light. The ¡®Blue Staff¡¯ left behind by the sages of Elderant was a treasure that the people of each tribe must protect with their lives. Many of them were lost during the Elderant Unification War, causing amotion, but it seems that the cause was right next to him. ¡°We can''t win outright. Step by step. ...I looked into it, and Alberinea''s battle is simple and straightforward: headhunting. She moves with the aim of bringing the war to a quick end by capturing the head of the enemy general with her own hands. If she have the skills to defeat Shelna so easily, then there''s nothing to fear.'''' Ledo pointed to his neck. "Using my neck as bait and finish it off with a volley of shots from the blue staff at close range. No matter how fast she is, she can''t avoid the sh of light emitted by the blue staff. Our first objective should be Alberinea alone, not the Alberinea army." Ledo said that ¡®even if I die, it will be over as long as we kill Alberinea¡¯. "After that, we will divide the army and send them to various ces. Let them run wild and do whatever they want. That will aplish the goal of plunging Alberan into chaos. ...Alberan will not be able to be crushed, though. At the very least, if we disrupt the country, we can stop them.¡± He narrowed his eyes at Ledo''s words, deep in thought. ¡®It''s a gamble¡¯, Toba said. ¡®Yes¡¯, Ledo replied. ¡°A faction dissatisfied with Arkaz''s unification of Elderant rushed to Alberan in search of freedom¨D¨Dthat will be the reason. Whether I die or live, the situation won''t get any worse than it is now. If things continue like this, eventually Elderant will have no choice but to submit to Alberan.¡± "...You''re saying something selfish. I''m sorry, but I can''t cooperate with you." "I know...If you want to kill me, decide now." Ledo turned his back to Toba and sat cross-legged on the spot. "...You''re right, Toba. Shelna won''t want it. This is my selfish revenge...But still, I won''t stop until it''s all over." "...You¡¯re not going to reconsider it?" He thrust his spear at Ledo''s back. "... Unreasonableness is all over the ce, but just like that, happiness is also all over the ce. To the pint that just moving your hand slightly, you will get it. If you change your way of thinking that is." There were only countless scars. Toba, who fought alongside him, knows how much death the man in front of him has endured. "Stop pushing yourself, Ledo. You''ve done more than enough. ...Take a wife, start a family, and create the new Elderant that you and Shelna youngdy dreamed of. Use your head instead of your sword at my side.¡± ¡®Throw away your sword¡¯, Ledo, he repeated. "Think again. ...Besides, you still haven''t paid your debt back to me for picking you up." "I left it up to you because I owe you a debt. I won''tin even if you kill me." Ledo answered as his back was turned and the de was pointed at him. Proudly, there was no feeling of fear there. "...Are you trying to make my sister cry?" "I live in a world where the enemies of Shelna and the others are living in peace, and I can''t imagine being happy." "...damn you." Toba threw away his spear and scratched his head. Then he thought for a while and said. "I regret helping you. I''ll let you go, but there are conditions." "¡¡what?" "There¡¯s still one year right. Until then, live with Feni." Ledo looked back at him with a frown. Toba''s eyes were serious. "...It will just makes her sad." "It''s best if you''re aware of it. You made her fall in love with you, so take responsibility. ... If you have a kid with her, even if you''re gone, it''ll give Feni somefort." Ledo lowered his eyes. "I''m sorry, but I can''t make her happy..." "Either die here or ept that terms. That''s all I''m asking." He looked down at Ledo with pity and sighs. "First of all, try living as a human being, Ledo. ...If you think it''s impossible, then you can do whatever you want. Well, either way¨D¨Dif you be a bastard who makes my sister cry, I''ll give up on you." Then he picked up the discarded spear and turned his back to him. "I''ll tell Feni about the situation. Come to meter." He started walking without waiting for a response. Ledo saw it off, looked at the great sword he had raised, and then turned his gaze to the small tomb. The grave of his mentor,rade, and lover. The deep blue petals stood out in the sunlight. ¡®I thought I''d try raising Kirume. ...I never thought about growing anything, so¡± When she was a child, she gave it to him as a gift because it resembled his eyes. Saying it was a beautiful blue. ¡®...I wonder if she''ll grow up properly. I hope it turns out to be a beautiful blue color.¡¯ It''s not a particrly rare flower. But since then every time she saw the Kirume flowers, she was happy. It was probably such a trivial thing that led her to start raising it. "...It''s a beautiful blue again this year, Shelna." His face fell and he continued. "This is Kirume that you were raising. Please tell me what you think of it." There was no response to his trembling voice. The only sound was that of the breeze tickling the trees. "Elderant has been unified by Arkaz. Aside from Veeze and Miklea, I think things will calm down in the west for now. I don''t know about the barbarians, though." Still wearing a white one-piece dress, she misbehaved and swung her legs on the bed. Queen Crescenta handed her bundle of parchment to Elvena and looked at Selene with a dark look on her face. She yed with her golden hair, which shimmered in red, and frowned in displeasure. "Are you listening? National defense is your job." "Oh, sorry. It¡¯s about Elderant right." Selene, wearing her usual military uniform and staring intently at her tea, thought for a moment before answering. "The current West General is also General Keithriton¡¯s right-hand man, and is a very experienced person. I think he can be left in charge to some extent even if something happens." Felworth-Keithriton''s right-hand man¨D¨DToluca Carnarius. He had been Felworth''s adjutant for many years, and as a general who protects the four side of the Kingdom, he had no shortage of abilities. It was enough for Felworth to remain as his advisor. "...However, we have to think about the next Western General. Both of them are quite old. There are several candidates but..." Nozan Verreich. Elzard Gokhals. Dougleen Garhka. Three generals of the North, East and South have excellent sons. Dougleen¡¯ and Elzard¡¯ sons were currently their respective corpsmanders and adjutants, and Nozan¡¯s son is currently in military school. There were no problems in this area, but Felworth''s son died in battle and he only had a daughter, and Toluca was married but not blessed with any children. Felworth''s son-inw is not a military man, and Toluca''s adopted son is quite talented, but he suffered a leg injury from the War of the Five Great Powers. From there, it was quite difficult. The next candidates were Aleha and Tekrea Remin. And then there were themanders of each corps. There''s noints about Aleha, and Tekrea was also a good idea considering her future growth, but if that happens, the central general ss will be thinner. Furthermore, both of them seemed to be fully satisfied with their current situation, and considering that each army had excellent personnel as corpsmanders, it seemed appropriate to choose from among them. "I''ll leave that to you. Please choose anyone that¡¯s fit with Onee-sama." "...That''s right. I''ll talk to Krische when shees back." Selene nodded and sighed. Kreschenta furrowed her brow again. "Could you please stop making that gloomy face already? Even Anne-sama is sighing because of you.¡± ¡°...Shut up¡± Selene red at Kreschenta. "Are you saying you''re fine?" "I''m fine. No matter what happens to Argan-sama, as long as she¡¯s not killed, that''s the end of her lifespan, right? Besides, I really hate that person." "...So many lies" Selene said exasperated. "I''m not lying. Onee-sama might be sad, but then there will be one less nuisance." "...Please stop the joke. I''ll get angry." "Doesn''t Selene-sama thinks like that a little too? If it wasn''t for Argan-sama..." ¡°¨D¨DKreschenta!¡± Selene banged on his desk, causing the tea to ripple and spill. Elvena stiffened and stared at the two, while Selene lowered her eyesing to her sense. Kreschenta narrowed her eyes and looked at Selene. ¡°Venting huh¡± ¡°...who is venting¡± Selene said, standing up and telling Elvena as she went to the door. "...I''m going to cool down a bit. Please tell Anne that I don''t need lunch." "Yes,...understood" Selene left the room and went outside. Kreschenta told Elvena while burying her face in her pillow. "After I finish eating, I''ll go to the library." "¡¡yes" Elvena lowered her eyes and opened her mouth. ¡°Um, Your Majesty¡¡± ¡°¡What is it?¡± ¡°..., no¡± Kreschenta looked at Elvena from her side and said. "You''re just like my savants who was with me just before. ...Even if she had something to say, she shut her mouth like that." "¡My apologies" "From today onwards, I''m going to randomly look at things from the outside. Please keep that in mind." Elvena answered yes. She hesitated a little and opened her mouth. "...I''m sure she''ll be fine. She¡¯s still that young, so..." "I''m not worried. Didn¡¯t you listen?" ¡°M-my apolo¡ª¡± "It''s because of that flying lizard after all. When shees back, she will be as always, looking stupid." She said and continues. "I''m just investigating something okay. Please don''t mix it up." "...Yes. I''ll do my best to help." Elvena said and started cleaning up her tea utensils. Kreschenta turned her back to her. Chapter 233: Chain Chapter 233: Chain ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 233 Chain*** Arbyagel- the vige of Kreisharana. A bonfire lights up in the darkness of the night after the sun set. Men and women, dressed up for the asion, made merry and drink today. In front of therge bonfire¨D¨Da special seat with a cloth spread and a light roof, sitting in the center were two people with cloaks draped over their shoulders. They were a beautiful silver-haired girl and a red-haired servant. Sitting next to the two of them was the chief of the Kreisharana tribe¨D¨DAlkierence Sharana. And Lira Sharana, the Miko of the Holy Spirit. "fufu, Coming here all of a sudden and even brought down a Suiko. I''m sure it will be fine since it¡¯s Krische-sama, but it would be safer if you came from the northeast you know." "That will a bit of a detour so. Besides, it would be a good souvenir... Gururun ate one of them though..." At that question, L looked at the spot next to her¨D¨DA Suiko who was yawning with satisfaction. The magic beast, which was supposed to be ferocious, was as calm as a cat, just like before. Lira looked at it with admiration. Next to Krische¨D¨DBery also looks around, looking a little uneasy. Alkierence wearing a breastte and trousers that bulge on the thighs. Kreisharana¡¯s battle costume wearing fur. Even in his old age, his well-toned abdominal muscles were proudly exposed, and when he took off his fur, only his chest armor was left on top¨D¨Deven that seemed like a lot of exposure, but the party seemed to be free, and there were half-naked men all over the ce. Some even danced in underwear like a loincloth. And the women. Lira was the same as always¨D¨Dher ample breasts held in ce by a wrapping cloth, and wearing a loincloth. She must have stopped growing early. She looked the same as when they saw her a few years ago. The only difference was that her hair was a little longer and her pigtails hang loosely in front of her and to her chest. As usual, the exposure was a lot, and the only thing that covered her healthy tanned skin was just underwear. Moreover, if you were to consider, it was frightening to see that what Lira was wearing was already quite a thick clothing. She was probably unmarried. The area of the fabric worn by the young women was even smaller, and it was a thin cloth that fluttered like a dancer or something. She had previously heard at a banquet in the royal capital that couples were formed through these festivals in Kreisharana, but the difference in culture was surprising. While looking at the scene, Bery took a sip of a drink that is simr to juice, just like Krische. "...Bery-sama, if you like, I could bring you something a little stronger" "Oh, no. This is enough." She shook her head, smiling wryly as her red hair swayed. Like L, she had a childish face that hasn''t changed since she was fourteen, and a gentle smile on her face. "I see... most of the alcohol in the ins was quite strong, so I thought it''s not enough." "Hehe, you don''t have to be that careful. Neither I nor Krische-sama are big drinkers, rather I''m light drinker." ¡°Y-yes...¡± Lira nodded shyly. Since before, she could see that Lira was trying to take care of herself, as if she was feeling uneasy about something. "...I don''t usually sit like this even during banquets, so I just feels a bit uneasy." "I''m sorry. She''s always been a girl who can''t stay still." "No, Chief. I understand the feeling..." Bery said as she giggled like a little girl. ¡°I''m also someone who feels more at ease when I''m working, so to be honest, I feel nervous when I''m sitting still like this.¡± She smiled at Lira, and Lira nodded shyly. ¡®Thank you¡¯, she said, apologetically. Then she noticed Krische staring at Bery and tilted her head. She was about to call out when she heard the voice from right in front of her. "Krische-sama, Bery-sama, I''m sorry for beingte in greeting you." The person who appeared was Vinthril. He was apanied by a beautiful ck-haired woman, and next to her was a boy and a girl who were smaller than Krische. Although the boy looked nervous, his posture was correct, and the younger girl was shyly hiding half of herself behind Vinthril. ¡°Vinthril-san, it¡¯s been a while.¡± "Yeah, it''s been five years... since we met in the royal capital." Vinthril introduced the three of them as his wife and children, and Krische and the others also greet them. The boy looks at the two of them, quickly blushing and looking away¨D¨Dthen stiffened at the sight of the Suiko. Feeling someone''s gaze on her, Gururun turned to the boy and stared at him, and the boy stiffened even more. Krische and Bery noticed this and look behind them, saying that ¡®Gururun can¡¯t eat it¡¯, and twirling a piece of meat on the te. The boy''s body stiffened even more at those words. Vinthril chuckled at that and patted his son on the head. "The two of you are the same, and the Suiko seems to be doing well." "She¡¯s a bit of glutton can''t be a bit of a glutton. If Krische don''t y with her sometimes, she''ll just eat and sleep, in the same ce all day long..." Krische looked at the boy and smiled. ¡°Krische heard that Vinthril had a child, but there are so many more. Also It¡¯s increased by one.¡± "She was born three years ago. As you can see, she¡¯s a bit shy..." The young girl is aplete contrast to her older brother¨D¨Das she hugged Vinthril, she looked at the Suikp curiously. Bery looked at her with a smile on her face, and when she stood up, she stroked Gururun''s forehead and beckoned her. The girl was a little hesitant, but then headed in that direction. Although she was at the Suiko¡¯s huge body, she timidly touched it. Her brother looked surprised again. Vinthril thanked Bery with a wry smile, pat the boy on the back saying he can touch it, and looked Krische. ¡°I heard that you had an audience with Yagernaus-sama today but¡¡± "Yes. Krische have some business with Regve-san so" Vinthril¡¯s wife looked surprised at the unfamiliar name "Regve," but she didn''t say anything. A hero of the kingdom who challenged the Holy Spirit alone and was allowed Their true name (Mana). There was no one in Kreisharana who didn¡¯t know about it and she had heard about it from her husband. However, she was still surprised when she looked at the girl in front of her. ¡°business?¡± "Yes. Krische have something Krische would like to ask Regve-san personally, so Krischee here." Krische said and looked behind her¨D¨Dat Berry. Vinthril tilted his head, and Lira also asked about the difort she had been feeling from earlier. ¡°¡Is there something with Bery-sama?¡± She lowered her eyes at those words and nodded. Lira and Vinthril looked at each other, looked sideways at Bery who was happily disying green tigers, and Alkierence said, "It''s about Krische-sama, who has been allowed the Holy Spiri¡¯s True Name (Mana). As long as it''s not a fight, we''d cooperate. Let''s fly the griffin tomorrow morning." "...Thank you. But¨D¨D" "There''s no need to worry. It''s our honor to carry the one the Holy Spirit consider as friends¨D¨DVinthril." ¡°Yes, I will tell Verves as well.¡± Krische thought for a moment and thanks him again. ¡°Krische will ride Gururun and flies below, so Krische want Berry to ride on Griffin. As low as possible¨D¨D¡± ¨D¨DThen they heard the Suiko¡¯s growling cry. It sounds different than usual. A boy''s voice shouted ¡®Bery-sama¡¯ echoed from behind, and Krische stood up in a panic. ¡°Bery!¡± Berry was there, crouching her body and copsing in front of the Suiko. Even though it was called the tribe chief''s house, it didn¡¯t mean it was a mansion. It''s a littlerger than the others, with a living room with a hearth and two other rooms. In Lira''s room¨D¨DA red-haired servant lies on the bedding made ofyers of cloth, wearing white underwear. Krische shattered the magic crystal in her hands, turns it into magical power, and ces her hands on her body. Simr to what they saw in the battle with the Holy Spirit, Krische didn''t need magic crystals to use magic. Aplicated form appears around Bery¨D¨Dthey were little surprised by that, but they calmly carried her into Lira''s room to avoid hermotion for the time being. "...Bery''s body had been hurting for about three months now." Krische said quietly. L looked at Bery who was asleep. When she looked closely, Bery seemed to be a little more slender than when she saw her thest time. "She copsed like this a while ago. When Krische looked into it, Krische found that various parts of her body had been disintegrated." "¡¡disintegrated?" "...It''s like when what we ate is broken down into magical power. In an instant, just a little bit..." Her eyes are lowered, her long silver eyshes fluttering. "It reorganizes quickly, but¨D¨Dbecause of it, she sometimes... while sleeping or cooking." ¡®Krische think it''s because of Regve-san''s blood¡¯, she said. ¡°Krische knew that Bery''s magical power was changing little by little. However, Bery also kept saying that it only felt a little strange... so Krische waspletely convinced that there was no problem. ...Krische, made the same mistake as before." ¡°...Krische-sama¡± Lira gently hugged her. "...Krische''ve tried various things, but it seems like it''s hurting more and more often, and the pain is getting stronger... Krische thought maybe Regve-san could figure something out, and..." ¡°...Yes¡± ¡®I understand the situation¡¯, Lira said, caressing Krische¡¯s trembling body. She knew very well how much this girl loved the woman that was asleep right now. "We''ll fly the Griffin first thing tomorrow morning. I''m sure Yagernaus-sama will have some answers." Krische nodded, and Bery, who had been unconscious, opened her eyes slightly. ¡°Bary...¡± Berry looked at the ceiling, looked at Krische and tried to sit up, her eyebrows furrowing momentarily¨D¨DKrische held her down in panic. "It''s still no good, Ber should lie down..." "...I''m sorry. It looks like I''ve copsed again." "Bery, you don''t have to apologize. It''s not Bery''s fault..." Bery stroked Krische¡¯s tear-stained cheek and smiled. Then she looked at Lira. "...My apologize for the inconvenience. Here is¨D¨D" "This is my room. Please don''t worry about it and rest here. Compared to the ones in the kingdom, the bedding is not something I can be proud of but..." "No, it''s more than enough. Thank you." She smiled faintly. The somehow fleeting and beautiful smile¨D¨Dilluminated by the moonlight, it was very simr to that of her sick mother in her deathbed, and L shook her head to shake off those thoughts. ¡°Tomorrow morning, we will head to Yagernaus-sama.¡Of course, only if Bery¡¯s body has calmed down.¡± Bery nodded. She kept smiling¨D¨Dbut there was sweat beading her forehead. Lira stood up, her face looking pale in the moonlight. "...I''m going to get some painkillers from the pharmacist. I hope it will make you feel a little better." Bery looked hesitation for a moment, then she replied, ¡®Thank you¡¯. She was in pain after all. Lira quickly walked out through door and ran outside. Bery saw her off, then turn to Krische and stroke her cheek again. Her jewel-like purple eyes were filled with water. "I''ve been doing well so far, but...fufu, I ended up spoiled my trip with Krische-sama.." ¡®Please don''t make that face¡¯, Bery said andughed. "I''m fine. I''d be lying if I said it didn''t hurt, but it just hurts a little." "...Bery won''t copse if it just hurts a little. Krische can tell it hurts a lot." Bery seems troubled, and reaches her hand on Clich¨¦''s neck, pulling her closer. As if knowing what she wanted, Krische pressed her lips to hers, and Bery smiled mischievously. "With this, the pain has eased." Krische didn''t say anything and just lies down and sleeps with her. Then, she ced her hand on Bery¡¯s exposed abdomen, poured magical power into it, and probed the state inside. It was like being pierced by countless spears and swords and then restored in an instant, if she was to make an example. Even though the wound healed quickly, the pain remained and blood overflowed. Even if Bery is a particrly excellent magic possessor, if they didn¡¯t do anything, she will probably die from just bleeding. Krische and Kreschenta channel magical power, converting it into blood, and elerating the natural healing of Bery''s body¨D¨Dand that''s how she survived. However, in the end it was treating the symptoms after all. If a vital organ like the heart were to suddenly dpose, that alone could have caused death. They were not in a situation where we can take an optimistic view, thinking that it would be okay this time, or it would be okay next time. Still, Bery smiled. As usual, she tried to pretend that there was no problem. Just to reassure Krische. "...I kind of understand what Selene means when she said Bery is sneaky and a coward." ¡°My¡± "Bery is, a very bad servant." Bery chuckled happily, and Krische cups her cheeks with both hands and kisses Bery. Then she looked into her eyes, so close that their noses were touching. "But, even if Bery tell Krische not to worry, Krische will still worry. Even if Bery says Bery is fine, Krische won''t leave Bery side until Krische know if Bery is truly okay." She looked lovingly into Berr=y''s eyes. "...No matter how cunning and cowardly Bery is, Krische will always be fair and square to Berry." ¨D¨DKrische haven''t forgotten the promise. Krische says challengingly and kisses her back as if to force her. Bery narrowed her big eyes kindly and chuckled. "Fufu, it¡¯s embarrassing." She traced the girl''s lips with her thumb and looked straight back at her. "...But more than that I''m much much happier." Then she leaned her head close, presses her forehead against hers, and closed her eyes. "I love you...now and forever." There is no hesitation in the smiling face. There was no wavering in her whispered words. Chapter 234: Selfishness Chapter 234: Selfishness ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 234 Selfishness*** At the time when the sun reaches its zenith¨D¨Din the mountains of Arbyagel. She took off her apron dress, exposing her voluptuous naked body. She was a beautiful woman. Her skin had no blemishes, and although she looked petite, she had a feminine body. She washed her long reddish hair with river water and ran her hands between her ample breasts. "Fufu, it''s cold and feels good. As expected, at this temperature I''m sweating a little." Dipping her lower legs into the gentle flow of the river, the Suiko besides her was drinking water with a yawn. As usual, one person and one animal¡ª¡ªwhile the silver girl only took off her coat. She kept her eyes down, gripped the hem of her one-piece dress, and remained silent. The red-haired woman¡ª¡ªBery Argan smiles as if troubled, saying ¡®Krische-sama too¡¯, and took off her clothes. Krische obeyed without saying a word, exposing her naked body. She kept her face down. Bery stares at her, waving her fingertips like a conductor of an orchestra. She grasps the magical power of the atmosphere, which is denser than that of the ins, and carves forms in the air. Like a snake being beckoned by the river, water extended towards the girl with her face lowered. The water transforms into a kitten and kissed Krische on the lips. Bery giggled as Krische widened her eyes. "Meow" In response to her giggle, its mouth opened, mimicking the sound of a cat. The kitten then walked in the air and was cradled in Bery''s arms. Krische''s eyes naturally followed this and reached Bery. "It''s good that we have a lot of magical power here. I''ve been secretly practicing it... It''s easy to use, probably because it originates from the Ancient Dragon-sama''s magical power." "...Bery, using magic is..." ¡°If the problem is Ancient Dragon-sama¡¯s magical power, maybe it would be better to use it as much as possible. Hehe, I don¡¯t know though¡¡± Jumping from her chest, the water kittennded on Krische¡¯s head. "Don''t make such a gloomy face." At the same time she spoke, it transformed back into mere water. *Ssh*, water dripped from Krische¡¯s head, surprising the green tiger, who was watching the water kitten with curiosity. Beryughed happily and hugged Krische, who was soaked in the water. ¡°Shall we take a bath together, Krische-sama?¡± Whispering lovingly. In response to those words, Krische nodded quietly. ¨D¨DMagic Crystal Quay. A trail of melted earth, as if the earth had been gouged out. In a wide depression, there was a huge mountain-like body, and when Krische and the others appeared in front of it, it lifted only its head and opened its eyes. The rock-like scales that had fallen off were already covered with new scales, and the countless scars no longer existed. An ancient dragon equal to a god¨D¨DRegve turns their attention to Bery before turning to Krische. *¡°¨D¨DIt¡¯s mixed.¡±* And the magical power made the atmosphere shake. Bery, perplexed by the enormous body and the voice echoing in her head, bowed, followed by Vinthril and Lira. "¡¡Long time no see" Then Krische asked, jumping off of the Suiko. ¡°...um mixed is¡± *¡°Literaly, the magical power that that little thing originally has is mixed with my magical power.¡±* In response to those words, Regve narrowed Their eyes. *¡°This is a truly rare case. Many creatures have eaten our corpses and consumed our flesh, but either thepatibility was excellent, or... it''s simr to mine.¡±* Krische said with a frown on her face. "...Umm, it''s probably because of Regve-san''s magic that the inside of Bery''s body is melting and reconstruct itself repeatedly, so Krischee here today to ask about that.¡± ¡°It probably judged her as food or a foreign object. Right now, that small one is tantamount to being inside My body. It is a wonder that she could maintain her form.¡± Regve continues speaking as if it was only natural. ¡°If you put My flesh and blood inside you, there will be more or less a bacsh. Different magic powers don''t mix. If thepatibility is bad, the flesh will burst and die, but if thepatibility is good, your body will drink it all up and turn it into your power. Many of you who possess magic are descendants of them...Therefore, I thought there would be no problem.'''' Krische listened silently, and Bery and the others did the same. ¡°A body that has been imbued with magical power over generations. I thought it would be possible to ept the bacsh and stimte it if it was in the right amount but.'''' Regve brought his face closer to Bery. "...However, this small one seems to have suppressed the resistance against my magical power and altered her own magical power and made it familiar with mine. Whether it was intentional or not, it is a rare case." ¡°Altering the magic power...¡± Krische turn to Bery. Bery nodded in confusion. "...I was trying a lot of things to get used to it quickly...that might be the reason." After epting the dragon''s blood, her body felt strange due to the magical power inside. Bery vaguely understood that it was the dragon''s magic power, but she did not know whether the "unnatural feeling" was due to suppressing toxin or not and Bery chose to adapt her own magic power to the rebelling magic power. At least her body started to heal and she haven''t had any problems so far. Once she got used to it, she didn¡¯t feel any difort and the amount of magical power only increased--but¨D¨Dthat''s probably the reason. Will you dye the resisting foreign magic power and turn it into your own magic power? Or will you alter your own magical power to match the foreign magical power so that it doesn''t resist? In short, it''s a difference in approach. In short, it''s a difference in approach. "...Did I do it wrong?" *¡°It¡¯s a matter of hindsight. A body that was on the verge of death¨D¨DI also don¡¯t fully know how much My blood would affect that small body. I don''t know if you were able to survive this long because you were good at using magic, or something else.¡±* Regve looked at Bery and said ¡®But there¡¯s one thing I know¡¯. *¡°Your magic power is mixed with Mine, and is already closer to My magic power than those of small one. And since that''s the case, your body can''t handle it. As I said, your abnormality is the same as the principle of melting what I eat and turning it into flesh and blood.¡±* Although They hadn''t eaten anything for a long time, the magical power trembled intermittently. It was simr to how peopleugh, and Krische frowned and red at Regve. *¡°What are you angry about? You little one live in the blink of an eye. Death is somethingmon in your world.¡±* ¡®Krische-sama¡¯, Bery called out, approaching her and taking his her. Krische look up at Bery, and lowered her eyes. *¡°If it''s a friend''s wish, I''ll grant it. ...However, there is nothing I can do about that small one. If I give more blood than this, it will actually have the opposite effect¨D¨Dthat small one might dissolve into magical power and disappear.¡±* "...Is there any way to solve it? If it¡¯s Regve-san, maybe you can drain only Regve-san¡¯s magic power." *¡°What a strange thing to say. You who with that small body fight on an equal footing with me using only your wisdom¡±* Regve craned his neck and brought Theirrge face closer to her. *¡°You''re the one who''s good with that kind of thing, Krische. There¡¯s no reason I could do what you couldn¡¯t. It''s not like I don''t know any dragons who are clever with magic, but none can surpass you in precision and delicate work.¡±* Krische clutched the hem of her dress. As if wanting to say something, but saying nothing. Regve just looked at her. *¡°How strange. With that much power you have, why do you care about the small one? It''s not hard to understand if it''s that Kreschenta, but I''m sure there are plenty of alternatives to that small one.¡±* "There''s no substitute for Berry. ...Being strong or weak, it¡¯s not about something stupid like that." ¡®Krische-sama¡¯, Bery said, looking next to her. Krische tightened her grip on the arm and looked back at the dragon with her purple eyes. *¡°Is it something called the habit of small one to live in groups? I think Our lifestyle suits you better than living in a group with the small ones.¡±* *¡®I don''t understand¡¯*, said Regve, shaking his magic. Krische looked at Them and said. "...Regve-san is such a pitiful dragon." *¡°Pitifu?l¡±* ¡°Krische¡¯s sure Regve-san thinks so because Regve-san has nothing more important than yourself. Just like how Krische used to be.'' Intertwining her fingers with Bery''s. ¡°To Krische, Bery is more important than Krische. That''s why Krische is so much happier together than alone, and that''s why Krische wants to be together forever.'''' Krische tightened her grip. ¡°Regve-san just doesn¡¯t understand that Regve-san is lonely. Even though the reason Regve-san is stalking to Krische like this is because Regve-san is lonely.¡± Regve-san¡¯s huge red-purple eyes widened slightly. Then They flickered his magic intermittently. ¡°...To point out that I feel lonely. You''re really a pleasant one, Krische.'''' Just as Thet said, the waves swayed and the magic crystal made a sound that resonated. "If Regve-san really want to be alone, Regve-san don''t need a means ofmunication. Regve-san just doesn''t realize it." ¡°¨D¨DHmm?¡± Krische didn''t say anything more. Even though she had just arrived, she bowed to Regve as if she had finished her business. "...Thank you for talking to me. Krische''lle back if anything happens." Krische called out to Lira. Lira, who was staring at Regve, nodded in a panic and bowed. Vinthril and Bery also bow their heads. Regve narrowed Their reddish-purple eyes and just looked at the girls from behind. Lira and Vinthril left after being told they didn¡¯t need to saw them off, the two alone there Immersed up to her waist in the river, Bery carefully cleansed Krische¡¯s body as usual. Northeast of Kreisharana¨D¨Din a deserted forest. With her back to her, Krische simply lowered her eyes, deep in thought. "ah¡¡" Bery grabbed her around the waist, pulled her close, and hugged her. "You''ve been making faces like thattely. ... Hehe, I''m bing a bit more lonelier than Elder Dragon-sama." "...After all" Krische was about to say something but hesitated. Turning around, she hugged Bery in return and buried her face in her ample breasts. ¡°Krische doesn¡¯t understand why Bery is the same as always.¡± Her voice was trembling and filled with tears. "...Does Bery think it''s okay to die like the Ojii-sama and Skeleton? Does Bery think it''s okay to be separated from Krische?" A young voice that sounded like throwing a tantrum. She stroked her wet hair lovingly and kissed her head. Bery smiled, her eyes narrowing as she smells her scent. "No way. I don''t even want to think about being separated from Krische-sama." "...Then why is Bery smiling like that?" "Because, right now, I''m with Krische-sama." ¡®Kusu kusu¡¯, She giggled happily and slowly moved backwards. Sitting down and narrowing her eyes at the cool flow, she said. ¡°I''m traveling with Krische-sama, all to myself, so why would I be sad? Well, I do feel a little bad for Ojou-sama and Kreschenta-sama, but I am very happy.¡± ¡°But¨D¨D¡± ¡°Krische-sama is speaking as if I¡¯m already dead.¡± Bery said while listening to her heartbeat. *Thump, thump*, a certain sound¨D¨DKrische looked up and shook her head. "...That''s not the problem." "That''s the problem. No one knows what the future holds. Tomorrow, Krische-sama may suddenly die of some illness. Or Ojou-sama or Kreschenta-sama." She looked at the purple color shaking with tears and kissed it. Slowly, slowly, as if savoring it. "...The only thing that''s certain is the scenery and the feeling we''re seeing right now." Krische looked back at Bery and told her. "Even Krische can tell, that¡¯s just sophistry. ...Bery is cunning." ¡°Hehe, when Krische-sama says that to me, it really makes me think that I¡¯m a cunning person.¡I wonder if Krische-sama¡¯ll hate me.¡± "...Krische, is not a childlike before. Even if Bery try to change the topic, Krische won''t be fooled." Krische pressed her lips to hers as she smiled her usual smile. It was a kiss that seemed to crush her soft lips. Just like that, Bery fell backwards onto the river''s edge. She looked up at Krische and said. ¡°Krische-sama, would you like to take a little detour and continue to Arna?¡± "...Arna?" "Yes, there is a very beautiful capital. I wanted to see it with Krische-sama...and also the sea. I wanted to see it once, the horizon as far as the eye can see..." Squinting her eyes at the bright sun in the sky and smiled. ¡°Then we also can stop by at Gargain and visited Gallen-sama¡¯s grave in Kalka.¡If possible, I would like to go around the kingdom as it is, but it would take too much time and we would get scolded.¡± ¡®Just a little selfishness¡¯, she said with a chuckle. Krische grabbed her shoulder tightly and called ¡®Bery¡¯. "...Krische will definitely do something about Bery''s body. That''s why Krische can''t listen to Berry''s selfishness right now." Bery looked up at Krische troubledly, and Krische just looks down at Bery seriously. "When Bery gets better, Krische''ll listen to Bery''s selfishness. Krische, will do anything. But not now." She could vaguely understood what the meaning of what Bery said. From the beginning, Bery called this journey a trip, and it looked like it was going to be fun from start to finish. So she thought she shouldn''t respond to it. If it was Bery''s wish, Krische''d like to grant it whatever it is, as long as Bery''s happy. But if she did that now, Bery would really disappear. She was smiling happily, just like her grandfather and Eluga. "Bery said Bery''ll always be with Krische. Brry doesn''t break her promises, and Krische doesn''t break her promises either. ... So even if it''s not now, there''s still plenty of time." Bery stared at Krische, then smiled bitterly. "How troubling...I can''t believe that I can¡¯t persuade Krische-sama." She smiled happily and intertwines the fingers of both of her hands with Krische¡¯s. Raising her body slightly, her breasts were crushed between them, and Bery put her lips to her ear. ¡°¡Please at least listen to my other selfishness until we get home.¡± A whisper tickled her ear. Krische said nothing, and put her weight on her. And the two bodies ovepped. Chapter 235: Feel Chapter 235: Feel ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 235 Feel*** After returning home, she explored every possible means. Pure medicines, magical training, and magic form. There had been some improvement, and the progress has been slightly dyed¨D¨Dbut it was still not aplete cure, and the situation had not improved. One month, two months, six months, as time passed, Bery''s seizures got worse and worse. A dimly lit room with books and medicines lined up on the shelves. A girl wearing a one-piece dress was holed up in aboratory in the basement of the royal castle, her hand hidden behind a transparent cylinder. Magical power that dposed the magic crystal and liquefied it¨D¨Dsomething that was said to be the water of life in books. Floating inside the cylinder filled with it was the nude body of a woman. Convert semi-spiritual magical power into matter. Creating flesh and organs from scratch, recreating a human. Long red hair¨D¨Dthe girl, almost identical to her beloved servant, her eyes closed, showing no reaction as she floated within the liquefied magic. Dark circles around her eyes, she adjusted her breathing. Krische closed her hand and shuts off the magic she is releasing. She gulped, and for a few moments. Krische stared at it, but as if betraying her expectation. "ah¡¡" The Sleeping Beauty she created melts from the edge into the water of life and disappears. For a while, she stared at the now-empty cylinder in a daze. "Hg...!" She clenched her right fist in frustration and banged on her desk. The board was distorted and blood seeped from her hand¨D¨Dthe girl with her eyes downcast just trembled. The door behind her opened and a face that looked exactly like hers appeared. The girl approached, swaying her golden hair that sparkles with red. "...was it no good?" "It''s a failure. The body couldn''t handle it." A cold voice. Kreschenta looked at Krische¡¯s right hand and frowned. Kreschenta took out a handkerchief and silently wrapped it around the wound. She had already tried everything she could do to Bery''s body. However, she was unable to find a fundamental solution, and her next idea was to create a new body. But that didn''t go well either. Creating one is not difficult if she took her time. However, she was unable to create a perfect body. The body built with magical power had a very strong magical quality. Unless it was maintained from the outside, the body couldn¡¯t be maintained as a physical body, and it returns to magical power. After several trials, she came to the conclusion that it would be better to just fill the surrounding area with magical energy, and this time¨D¨Dbut the body still disappeared into the magical energy. There was nothing more mentally taxing than wasted effort that was done in a rush. Krische staggered, and Kreschenta hurriedly embraced her. "Onee-sama...you should get some rest." ¡°...How is Bery?¡± "...She seem to be doing well now. It seems like she couldn''t sleep this morning though." Kreschenta said and sat Krische on the sofa, which had be Krische¡¯s bed. "Even if there is some risk, we should stop time after all. If even after we do all this and have no results, then after all¨D¨D" "Results are there, it just fall bit short." "If it''s really just a little bit, I won''t go against Onee-sama¡¯s opinion either." Kreschenta said and stroked Krische¡¯s cheek. "...I''m worried about Onee-sama." Krische looked away. "...It''s no good. If Krische stop now, what will happen to Bery''s body? Besides Kreschenta also...it won''t stop it." There was also the option of stopping time. The problem was the altered dragon magic within the berry. Now, that magical power was consuming the surroundings magical power. Like a hungry beast eating its prey. If there was not enough, even blood and flesh would be converted into magical power. The magical power possessed by Bery, two types of properties, were at work, disintegration and reconstruction. The dragon part sought out magical power, and the magical power of the person who originally possessed it supplemented it¨D¨Dthat was how it seemed to maintain the bnce. Regve words "meal" were urate. The reason why dragons live deep in the mountains was because they absorb magical power from the veins of the earth. They don''t eat meat, but instead live off magical energy. Then, the increased magical power is discharged, the amount of magical power within the body is adjusted, and it is circted¨D¨Dthe problem was that Bery, which had a human body, couldn¡¯t do this. The magical power that had transformed even her flesh and blood was intertwined and bonded together¨D¨Dand the magical power she produced was no longer that of a human. Even if she vomits out her magical power, body generates magical power that has the properties of a magical power eater, and couldn¡¯t maintain itself unless she took in magical power from the outside. If space was cut off and time was stopped, physical time would stop. However, it was not possible topletely stop the movement of magical power that could be called semi-spiritual. ¨D¨DThe two of them came to the conclusion that magic exists ording tows different from those of this world. "Even if we were to create a new, perfect body, and then transnt the brain, that would still be risky. If we can stop time and it works, at least it will give us time to figure out the world." Even if time was stopped, the magical power moved slowly. There is no doubt that the magic eater would consume the magic power derived from Bery, and there was also a possibility that it would disintegrate her blood and flesh. Even if that were not the case, there was no way to interfere from the outside. Once Berry''s magical power is consumed, Bery''s body would disintegrate the moment time moved. The situation was different fromst time. "As long as the body doesn''t disintegrate before it''s released, we''ll have as much time as we want." "...What if it gets disintegrate?" Kreschenta stared at Krische and said. "Onee-sama. I and Onee-sama are doing everything we can. I''m sure we''ll be able to figure everything out someday. ... Onee-sama should also know that the only thing we don''t have is time.¡± ¡°¡¡¡± "Not sleeping well and stay holed up in a ce like this...If Onee-sama keep going like this, Onee-sama will end up worse than Argan-sama." Krische looked at Kreschenta, smiled, and kissed her. Then she said ¡®sorry¡¯. "Krische know Kreschenta is worried about Krische. But it''s okay, Krische is used to a bit ofck of sleep... Kreschenta should go to Bery''s ce. For now let¡¯s give up on the body and search from another direction¨D¨D¡± Krische nced away, and Kreschenta spoke. "Isn''t the promise with Argan-sama that Onee-sama will take a day off once every three days? It''s already the fifth day." "But, there¡¯s still no..." ¡°Onee-sama said that regardless of whether the resultse out or not. ¡Isn¡¯t it because Onee-sama don¡¯t want to worry Argan-sama?¡± Kreschenta continued. Krische nodded silently. She was bathed, feed a meal, and her injured hand was tended to. She didn''t do anything and just went to bed like that. Because Krische had a fever. "...sorry. Next time, from a different direction¨D¨D" "Please don''t push yourself too hard. Take a break today...if you''re tired, you''ll have trouble thinking." "Next time, Krische, will, right away,..." Bery kissed her, then pressed her palm over her eyelid. She caressed her hot forehead and made closed her eyes for a while. After a while, as the sleep-inducing medicine took effect, and Krische finally fell asleep. Berry looked at her with a worried expression, ced a damp cloth on her forehead, and Crescenta, who had been watching, said, "The medicine has probably worked, so Onee-sama will probably rest for tonight." "...I see. I''ll have some soup ready for when Krische-sama wake¨D¨D" "You''re going to bed too. I''m asking Arne-sama to prepare it. Please don''t let a sick person suffer with such a pale face. I can''t handle two selfish people." Kreschenta red at her, Bery met her gaze and nodded. Like Krische, Bery hadn''t been sleeping welltely. Her body was not healthy due to chronic anemia, and herplexion was pale. She reluctantly sat down on the bed and her eyebrows furrowed. Kreschenta looked into her face. "The painkillers, is it not working?" "...No. It''s a little easier." Kreschenta stroked Bery''s abdomen and narrowed her eyes. Her physical condition was worsening day by day. "Any stronger than this one is a no. Please endue it." She looked away and told her. Pain is an indicator. There was a risk that if the patient was given a drug strong enough to erase the pain, it would dy the patient''s recovery. The reason you feel intense pain at the moment your body is dposed is because the situation is so critical. She couldn''t give her a drug strong enough to make her unable to feel it. Bery stroked Kreschenta¡¯s cheek. "I''m sorry. I caused Crescenta-sama a hard time as well..." "I knew you were useless, but I never expected for it to go this far." Kreschenta sat down next to her and grabbed her arm. "What a deadweight," Kreschenta continued, resting her head on her shoulder. "¡¡yes" "You eat and sleep every day, and even though you are a servant, you. On top of that, you are being taken care of by the Queen. Do you understand?" ¡®Yes¡¯ she answered and pulled out arm out. Lifting up Kreschenta¡¯s body and cing it on herp. "¡¡you" "Fufu, I feel morefortable doing this... Please forgive my selfishness." Just like that, she gently hugged her and giggled. ¡®What a helpless servant¡¯, Kreschenta muttered. "Still, you''re in a good mood. I guess this is the punishment for your rude behavior this far. I don¡¯t mind if you wailed and cried in a pitiful manner." ¡°Fufu, I wonder if Kreschenta-sama will pamper and soothe me when I cry.¡± Beryughs and continued. "But I rather prefer pampering than being pampered. I''m sure it''s because of my personality and mischievous die." She chuckled, her usual modestughter. Kreschenta lowered her eyes and her his head back, saying ¡®You won¡¯t even pass as a jester¡¯. She ced her hands on Bery''s shoulders and raised her hands to cradle Bery''s head. "I was thinking of hurting you and killing you, but what a shame. Even though I was nning on punishing your sin personally." She scooped up her red hair, let it flow, and yed with it. Rubbing her cheek against hers. "...I wonder what it feels like to be getting closer to death every day. If you don''t mind, I''d like to hear it." She lowered her long eyshes as if to feel her touch. After a while, Bery opened her mouth. "It''s not scary as expected. Just..." Then she continued. "...I''m a little worried and lonely." About what, she didn''t say it. But neither did Kreschenta asked. Reaching for the bedside table, she touched the magic crystal. Aplicated form was carved from her fingertips, and the magic crystal melted into the ss that was ced there. "That''s good to hear. You might as well savor the pain a bit more. Like diluted wine." She took the ss and offered it to Bery. Bery smiled and took it, pouring it into her mouth. Magic filled her body¨D¨Dat least she could live another day of pain. Her days were a repeat of that. Kreschenta took it silently and ced it on the table. She pulled her body onto the bed and crawled into it herself. With her back turned, she hugged her arms. Bery smiled and patted her head lovingly. ¨D¨DAnd then midnight. Kreschenta turned around as she felt the arms tighten around her. Bery''s face scrunched up and her brow furrowed. She looked out the window, gauging the time from the moon''s position, and thinking about how much time had passed since Beryst took the medicine, she quickly grabbed the vial from the bedside table. Then, she liquefied the magic crystal in a ss, dissolved it, put it in her mouth, lightly touched Bery''s cheek, and pressed her lips to hers. "..." Then, she maniptes the liquefied magic power inside her mouth and poured it straight into the back of her throat. She rub her back to make sure she didn¡¯t vomit it, check on her body condition, and adjust her magical power. ¨D¨DFortunately, it was not too bad. The usual seizures. Bery woke up a lot, especially at night. It''s probably a matter of consciousness. At the very least, Bery was excellent as someone who handled magic. While she was awake, she took care of herself, controlling and manipting the magical power within her body. However, she could not be so alert while she was asleep. She often woke up with pain and repeated shallow sleep. Kreschenta caressed her cheek again as Bery¡¯s empty eyes, filled with tears, stared at her. She slowly parted her lips and said, ¡®It''s okay¡¯. Bery nodded silently and calmed her breathing. As Kreschenta looked at her, the magic liquefied in her mouth once again. She kissed Bery and letting it flow, and Bery swallowed it on her own. Kreschenta just stares at her with her violet eyes and caressed her cheek, licking off the corner of Bery¡¯s mouth with her tongue. "...Sleep and get some rest." Bery nodded and closed her eyes. She continued to stare at Bery¡¯s face and caressed her cheek until she fell asleep. Until the wrinkles on her brow disappeared and she breathed her peaceful sleep. ¡°¡¡¡± Then she traced her own lips. Kreschenta lowered her eyes and she pressed her face into Bery¡¯s chest. Chapter 236: Choice Chapter 236: Choice ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 236 Choice*** T/N: Part 1 of thest chapter uploaded!! But we still have 90 side stories (still ongoing) left to go. It''s a time when the night was not yet dawn. It was not even a mansion, but a small house with no separate rooms. At least it was not a ce for a person with the position of chief warrior should live in. The man stroked the sleeping baby''s cheek and stood up. He wrapped clothes around his naked body without making a sound, looked at the huge sword that was leaning against the wall, and narrowed his eyes for a while. He was about to grab its hilt and¨D¨D "...Ledo-sama" A voice called out to him. Ledo froze, and felt a soft sensation on his back. His wife''s arms embraced his waist tightly. "Are you still going to leave Zuren who is still a bay behind... and Feni too?" Her slender body¨D¨Dher slender arms were full of strength. With determination to not let go. ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡This is my once in a lifetime request.¡± Ledo opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He just stood there in a daze and lowered his eyes. "If there''s anything that''s not good enough, I''ll definitely fix it. ... I have sworn to my name that I would spend the rest of my life by your side. ...Please don''t abandon Feni." Her voice and her body were trembling. Clever, kind,passionate, and beautiful. ¨D¨DShe was a woman who was too good for him, he thought. "What''s the point of revenge? Even Feni, who is a woman, understands that no one would be happy, Everyone, the dead... even you." Or perhaps at that time. ¡®Either die here or ept the terms. That''s all I wants hear.¡¯ Maybe he should have chosen death. If he ended up making this kind woman cry. "I spent over a year with you...it was a fulfilling time." Only a year at most¨D¨DHe didn''t think that alone would cause so much hesitation. Feni had heard everything from her brother Toba, but had never said anything about it. She simply lived by Ledo''s side as a good wife. As he spent time with her, he realized that something inside him would start to fade, even though he had been prepared for it. "...There are even times when I forget everything." That must be a happy thing. Blessed with a good wife and children, raising them, putting past wars in the past, and building a future. "...I''m not asking you to forget about Shelna-sama. Feni epted that feeling and love Ledo-sama. ...Even if you don¡¯t love Feni, it¡¯s fine. So¨D¨D" "Feni" Abandoning his friends, abandoning his wife, abandoning his child. Compared to that, he could understand how stupid his choices were. "...I love you. The time I spent with you was blissful." "Then¨D¨D" ¨D¨DHis mentor''s head being exposed in the forest. Hisrade''s head, and¨D¨DShelna''s head. "...I''m running away. And after running away, I''m enjoying happiness all by myself....I just can''t forgive myself." He looked up at the dark ceiling. A small amount of moonlight shone through, illuminating the small room. The house was so small that he could even feel the temperature his skin. ¨D¨DAt first it was like harassment. He thought that Feni who was born in a good house would quickly give up. ¡°Fufu, let''s start with cleaning. For the furniture let''s increase things little by little.'''' But she was just happy and loved this simple house and Ledo. The cold, empty house was now filled with her body heat and scent. His unruly hair was straightened by Feni''s hands, and his long beard was carefully shaved. Every time he remembered the forgotten life as a human, memories of the past came back to him. "I don''t have any pride. Now I don''t have any desire for revenge...But I don''t want to run away from the person I used to be." He grabbed her arm, lets her go, and turned around. She doesn''t wear makeup, her beautiful red hair was tied back and swept¨D¨Dand yet she was beautiful. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. He''s sure that those drops were more beautiful than any jewel in this world. "...I''m a weak man. Forget me. There''s a better man for you." He kissed her on the mouth and pulled away. Feni distorted her beautiful face and covered it with her hands. Shaking her head from side to side, leaning closer to him¨D¨Dhe stroked her head. After a while, the baby noticed her mother''s cries and started crying. As she turned her attention towards the baby as a mother, he grabbed the sword and opened the door. "...I''ll be waiting for you toe home. No matter how many years or decades..." Ledo didn''t answer her trembling voice and closed the door with his back to her. His vision blurred, and he holds the corners of his eyes, closing his eyelids tightly. He walked a little east into the forest¨D¨Dto the grave. ¡°...Bad premonitions sure is bound toe true.¡± A red-haired man was sitting in front of the grave. Toba Arkaz still carrying his spear didn''t look at Ledo. He sighed in frustration. "...If you leave, I''ll kill Feni and the kid." It was a cold voice. "It¡¯s a family of rebels. It''s perfect for cleaning things up." When Ledo heard that, he shook his head. "...You''re a man who can''t be that cold-hearted." Toba clicked his tongue and scrunched his face. "Hah, is that why you''re going to sit cross-legged taking advantage of my kindness, Ledo. ...That''s quite brazen, isn''t it?" "...I¡¯m aware. I leave the two to you." Toba lowered his eyes and sighed again. He then paused for a moment and said, "If you don''t do well, I''ll personally kill you. Even if you win, I won''t save you. In order to wag your tail and tter Alberan, who you hate. In the end, that''s my conclusion...as soon as you walk east from here, you''re an Elderant rebel¨D¨D¡± ¡®This is the end¡¯, Toba said. "Go back to your house... Pretend nothing happened. Then go to the meeting as usual and report to me without as normal. It will be enough to cry and apologize to Feni, saying you won''t do it again." He said it lightly andughed. His eyes narrowed. "There are things that are irreversible. River water just flows. But as it flows, the things that cling to it will someday fade and disappear." ¨D¨DBoth good memories and bad memories. After speaking, he stood up and turned to Ledo. Even so, Toba didn''t look at Ledo. "There''s nothing wrong with running away or being weak. There''s no one who lives without any regrets...Isn''t the important thing to live from now on so you don''t have any regrets?" ¡®That''s right¡¯, Ledo said. But he continued, saying he had already made up his mind. "...I see." Toba passes by Ledo without looking at him. "Well, to be honest...I don''t dislike that side of you." "¡¡, I see" ¨D¨DInstantly, Ledo twisted his waist and dodged the stone thrust of the spear. Then he took his arm and mmed Toba''s body into the ground. The earth shook and the trees rustled. Ledo looked down at Toba and said. ¡°I don¡¯t hate that part of you either.¡± "...You damned." The stone tip of a rounded spear. He knew the reason and the meaning. "...I''m sorry, friend." Ledo had never known anyone as foolish as he was. Royal estate, Krische¡¯s room. Bery exined somethings, sitting in a chair and running her fingers over the ledger. "¨D¨Dand that''s how it is. That''s the reason for the numbers here." Anne and Elvena listened with serious faces and looked at the ledger. A ledger in which Christand¡¯s ie and expenses were recorded in detail¨D¨Dusually Bery''s role was to do this, but Anne wanted to lighten her burden as much as possible, so Bery left half of it to her. Anne wasn''t as dumb as she used to be, and when ites to Elvena, she''s good at calctions. She quickly grasped it, and once she got used to it, there would be no problem. Bery nodded and looked at the bed, thinking this is enough for now. Kreschenta was sleeping peacefully on the bed. Due to nursing Bery, she often took nap when she was not working. Bery pulled up the crumpled nket and covered her. It''s still spring with snow in the north¨D¨DBery strokes her forehead and smiled. With the sound of a knock, Selene entered. "Wee home, Ojou-sama." "I''m home Bery" Selene looked at the ledger spread out on the desk and narrowed her eyes. Then she turned to the two of them. As if she had guessed it, Anne nodded and locked eyes with Elvena. ¡°Elvena-sama, shall we do some review in my room?¡± "yes" They gathered up the ledgers on the desk and puts them back on the shelf, and the two of them leave the room. Bery tried to make tea, but when Selene exasperatedly said ¡®Sit down¡¯, she reluctantly sit down. Selene poured hot water into the pot, quickly preparing the tea, and ced two cups on the table. "Both of them are learning quickly. Most of is already..." "...It just sounds like a sarcasm when you say it, so please stop." Berypliments people a lot, but most of it was based on a low standards. Even if it took someone else several months toplete something that she herselfpleted in a day or two, she would stillpliment them on a job well done. It was probably because of her personality. She didn¡¯t have any malicious intent, and she didn¡¯t mean to be sarcastic, but for those who know her, it was close to being sarcastic. She was too strict with herself, and yet she was too lenient with others. "...Are you okay today?" "Yes. I''m feeling good so far today. ... it was a little painfulst night, but thanks to Kreschenta-sama, I managed somehow." "¡¡, I see" A bit, just a little. It shouldn''t be just that level of pain, but Bery always use those words, closing the topic. Selene wanted toin but pointing it out wouldn''t change anything. The pain wouldn''t ease or disappear. "...Krische hasn''te home today either." ¡°Yes, today she will be in the basement of the royal castle.¡± Bery smiled, looking somewhat lonely. "¡¡, is it fine?" When Selene asked her, she shook her head, saying it was fine. ¡°She is working hard for me.¡I can¡¯t say anything.¡± After sipping the tea, she gazed into it and quietly spoke. ¡°...I leave Krische-sama to you Ojou-sama.¡± "Didn''t I tell you not to talk about things like that because it''s inauspicious?" ¡°You did huh.¡± Sheughed as if she found it amusing. Selene lowered her eyes. "Maybe there''s still a lot of time... and maybe Krische-sama will do something about it. But I might also be gone tomorrow." ¡®That''s why I want to ask Ojou-sama for a favor¡¯, Bery continued. With her usual smile, she didn''t show any sadness. That was even more painful to Selene. "...That girl loves you. You know that. I can''t rece you." "I don''t believe you''re recing me. Ojou-sama is Ojou-sama, and I''m me. ... You said that sometime ago, right?" "Then that¡¯s even worse...I can''t fill the hole you left." ¡®Don''t be an idiot¡¯, Selene said. "...I love that girl as much as you do. She loves me too. But it''s different from the way she loves you." "Well, that''s right. I''m confident that Krische-sama loves me the most in the world, so in terms of wins and losses, I''m the winner." ¡°..., you¡± When she red at her, she bes happy. she said with a chuckle. "But it''s a small, trivial difference. If we both drown at the same time, maybe Krische-sama will save me first. ...But, for example, even if it was Ojou-sama who was stabbed that time, Krische-sama would still have gone to Ancient Dragon-sama.'''' Risking her life. "¡¡Is that so?" "Did you forget, when the Ojou-sama hit Krische-sama? Krische-sama didn''t listen to my request at that time." She said nostalgically and closed her eyes. "...Favoritism might have different weight each , but love doesn''t. What¡¯s there is only a matter of order, and in the end that''s a trivial thing." "...You can only say that because you''re above me in that trivial order." "Fufu, that''s true. If not then it''s frustrating and I probably wouldn''t say it. ...But if I were in Ojou-sama¡¯s position and someone told me the same thing, I would answer, ¡®of course¡¯." Bery smiled as Selene frowned at her. ¡°Even if Krische-sama tells me that you are the best, it doesn¡¯t mean that my love for her will diminish. If she can love me on top of that, then that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡You want me to spend my whole life as a loser, is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± "Is there such a thing as winning or losing? It''s like thewful wife and the concubinepeting to see who''s. Isn''t it fine to have both as wives?" She said and looked at Selene with a victorious look. "Being fixated about winning or losing, and then calling yourself a loser, it¡¯s not like you Ojou-sama... honestly I¡¯m a little disappointed, it''s not worth teasing." "...I won''t take provocation bait okay." To Selene''s words, Beryughed again. Amusedly, she narrowed her eyes after a moment. "That¡¯s just foolish...As I''ve always said, Krische-sama is not that kind of person...and that''s what I love about her." Her hand reached out and caressed Selene''s cheek. ¡°Krische-sama cannot choose just one person. She is clumsy and helpless, so she spreads out her love to the maximum extent possible at a bargain sale price. She didn''t even realize that she was suffering a loss, and even then she said something stupid like, ''I''m going to repay you¡¯.¡± Tilting her head slightly, her flowing red hair stretched elegantly. Her arms peeking from the sleeves were unhealthily thin, looking much slimmer than before. Even so she looked beautiful. ¡°Krische-sama doesn¡¯t even mind about a naughty person like me.¡If Ojou-sama approaches her seriously¨D¨D¡± Unable to hold back, Selene hugged her, confirming the sensation. H er body was one or two sizes smaller, her face was contorted . "...Why are you like this? You''re always worrying about other people... Please worry about yourself once in a while." Bery opened her eyes a little shocked and hugged her back. "It''s better if you just yell and get angry. Saying it''s painful, it''s painful, it hurts, it''s scary... there are so many things you can do." Bert then just smiled and stroked Selene trembling back andbed her hair. "This is the fourth time...When I was a kid, when Nee-sama stopped me, and when I got stabbed, this is the fourth time. I guess you could say I''m just used to being prepared for it..." "...You shouldn''t get used to it, you fool... you liar." Beryughed awkwardly and rubbed her cheek against hers. ¡°Ojou-sama is honest all the way, so I think it¡¯s just right.'''' And she whispered. ¡°If something happens to me, please take care of Krische-sama.¡I don¡¯t need an answer.¡± "...You''re the worst." ¡°Fufu, I¡¯m aware of it.¡Please think of it as me screaming shamefully and forgive me.¡± "Really...it''s the worst." She hugged her delicate body tightly. Her body was hot, like she had a fever, but that was normal. As her life burns out, her body regenerated over and over again. She would do anything to make it even a little easier. If she could take one half the pain, she would do it. However, Selene was not a genius, she was just an ordinary person¨D¨Dthere was nothing Selene could do. She couldn¡¯t tell Bery ¡®Do your best¡¯. She couldn¡¯t tell Bery ¡®It¡¯s enough¡¯. She felt hopeless and angry at herself for not being able to give her any relief. A momentter, there was a knock. Selene wiped her eyes, and Elvena informed her that there was a messenger from the Western Army. ¡®I''ll be right there¡¯, Selene said, catching her breath and pinching Bery''s cheek. "...I won''t make any promises." ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯, that was all she could say to Bery who was being stubborn. Bery ¡®yes¡¯ said happily andughed, then she out her handkerchief, and cleaned Selene''s eyes. epting it obediently, Selene kissed her forehead and leaves the room. Bery quietly smiled and saw her off, then she stood up and sat down on the bed again. Then her hand that was about to stroke Kreschenta¡¯s forehead was brushed away. "I''m sorry. I woke you up." "...It was so noisy that I ended being wide awake." She said as she sat up and nestled against Bery''s back. Kreschenta put her arm around her and hugged her and asked her, ¡®You won''t you ask me?¡¯. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t ask Kreschenta-sama, I can predict the answer.¡± "I wonder? I mightin like Selene-sama. If you ask, you might get a surprising answer, you know." "I see...I leave Krische-sama to you." "There''s no need for someone like you to tell me that, who do you think you are?" Bery chuckled at those words. She smiles happily and grabbed her hand that''s around her waist. Blue magical power dispersed from Kreschenta¡¯s palm as she checked her body condition. Bery looked at her and asked quietly. "...How long?" "Don¡¯t know. It could be today or tomorrow, or a year from now, or three years from now... If you stop, you can die today." She said, then leaving a pause. Kreschenta simply tightened her arms around her slim waist. "At least from now on, there''s no doubt that things will get even more difficult. Onee-sma¡¯s research seems to be progressing then went back then start from scratch in another direction." She presses her cheek against Berry''s back as she says it. "...Even if it can hold out, how many years are you nning on holding out?" Bery chuckled at those words and said. ¡°Of course, for as many decades as Krische-sama wishes.¡± ¡°Even if life continues to be worse than it is now?¡± "There''s no need to think about it...I''ve made an oath." Kreschenta be quite for a moment. "You''re crazy." Then she said that, "maybe" Berry replied happily. Letting go of Kreschenta¡¯s arms that held her waist. She put her on herp like always. "...I can''t thank Kreschenta-sama enough." ¡°Do you think you can get away with just a thank you after causing so much trouble?¡± She grabbed her slender wrist that was around her waist and lowered her eyes to hers. "...It would have been much better to leave this to Onee-sama and do the research myself." She then held her hand in hers. Bery nuzzled her left cheek against her head and smiled and whispered that she''s sorry. "Even an apology isn''t enough. It''s all because of you. You made me and Onee-sama, who should be the most important people in the world, suffer even by cutting back on our sleep. You''re the world''s biggest good for nothing." "¡¡yes" ¡°What kind of person are you, not only disrespectful, but pulling on our leg? Trying to be above the queen? You''re getting in the way of Alberan, who was about to show unprecedented development. What a hopeless sinner." "Fufu, yes." Bery¡¯s shoulders shook, taking the taunts in amusement. Tilting her head slightly, Kreschenta rubbed her cheek against Bery''s right cheek. "After making a fool of Onee-sama like that, how much irreversible damage are you going to cause? All my troubles and unpleasantness, everything, is your fault." Then, lifting her arm, she touches Berry''s cheek with her palm. Tracing her outline and feeling her warmth. "...It''s all your fault." She whispered and lowered her eyes. ¡°I hate you.¡± "Yes. Fufu, I had said it before, right?" She gently embraced her and lovingly said. ¡°I love Kreschenta-sama, and Kreschenta-sama¡¯s words of ¡®I hate you¡¯ is reced by ¡°I love you¡± in my head¡so please say it as much as you like.¡± "You''re not right in the head... utterly hopeless." Kreschenta leaned her weight on her. Feeling the sensation and warmth on her back. After a pause, she called out. "Argan-sama." "¡what is it?" s Kreschenta opened her mouth to ask, but no words came out. ¡®It''s nothing¡¯, she said, shaking her head. Chapter 237: Those Who Are Forced Chapter 237: Those Who Are Forced ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 237 Those Who Are Forced*** Arc 11 Chapter 260 part 2, thest chapter of main story uploaded!! After that there''s still 90 side chapters (ongoing) Distrust of King Arkaz, who advocated a policy of cooperation and reconciliation with Alberan. A faction that viewed this attitude as weak formed the Anti-Arkaz Alliance. Therge tribes Veeze and Meeklea, who suffered a lot of losses in thest war, led an uprising against King Arkaz''s decision. In the blink of an eye, the entire eastern region was conquered. The man leading it was Ledo Rani, the chief warrior of the Rani, a tribe affiliated with Veeze. After the Great War, he fought through the Elderant Civil War alongside King Arkaz, but parted ways due to a conflict of opinions over future policy. At least from the information, there was nothing suspicious about him, and if he was a man who once fought under Veeze, then the reason was clear. Revenge was the most obvious motive. The three major tribes originally had a hostile rtionship. Veeze and Meeklea joined forces because they had amon enemy, Arkaz, who had escaped hardship and stolen the royal power, and the result was an army of 40,000. The goal of its leader, Ledo, is to control the western part of Alberan and to establish a new nation, Vezrea, to rece the weak Elderant led by Arkaz. Inevitably, they conquered the eastern area of Elderant and headed east. They begin an invasion of western Alberan. They broke through the border in the blink of an eye and took control of the city, choosing therge city of Michelsave, the base of the Western Army, as their first target, just before the Great Sea of Trees in the east. One could say it was truly like a sh of lightning. Politically, right after King Arkaz advocated a conciliatory policy, it was inevitable that Alberan would be taken by surprise by this invasion. Envoys were traveling back and forth between the two countries for negotiations, including reparations for the prolonged war. They never dreamed that an army of this size wouldunch an invasion. War was just a means of diplomacy, not just violence. Their choices were always rational rather than impulsive, and they operated on the tacit understanding that all international rtions were always based on rational calctions. Naturally, Alberan had no means to prevent this invasion that ignored that understanding. The mob of rebels that appeared wreaked havoc in the west, and the army besieging Michelsave, the main base of the Western Front, swelled from forty thousand to sixty thousand in the triumphal mood. On the other hand, the western general, Toluca Carnarius, made an emergency mobilization but it numbered only 20,000. Using a part of Michelsave''s poption as militia, they totaled thirty thousand. The numerical disadvantage was clear¡ª¡ªand Michelsave was not an impregnable fortress. Since the era of Aurugorn Hilkintos and his predecessors, the Western Front prioritized mobility. Rather than concentrating forces in one stronghold for defense, they built small forts in various locations, luring the enemy through gradual retreats, wearing them down, and delivering a decisive blow. The Elderantck of cohesion, and the fact that a single tribe would repeatedly pige and plunder in various parts of the country, was also another reason. They ce more emphasis on sustained battles than on decisive battles, and on defeating individual units through mobility, and when ites to forts, they ce more emphasis on quantity than on quality. Michelsave was no exception, and unlike Wulfenite, it was not a city that could fight against arge army. Ledo, aiming to establish Vezrea, took advantage of the superiority in numbers and attacked day and night. Carnarius led a small group of elites magic possessor to carry out sabotage operations, took lifted the heads of the enemymandersmanding the castle walls with his hands¨D¨Dseeing that further siege was impossible, Carnarius decided to retreat. To open a gap to the east of the siege, they set out, and the leader of the rear was a highly esteemed veteran. ¨D¨DFelworth Keithriton. "...It''s a face I''ve seen before. To meet again in this way, fate is a curious thing.¡± Surrounded by soldiers from both armies on a grassy in, he wore silver armor shaped like a dragon and carried arge spear. The old general had a smile on his deeply wrinkled face, dismounted from his horse, and yed with his long beard. "It looks like you¡¯re no longer a kid who I can take on opponents on horseback, Ledo of Rani." "...I heard you were on your deathbed but" He thrusted a giant sword almost as tall as his body into the ground. Steel breast te, gauntlets, and leg te. He was lightly armored to the point of concern as a militarymander, yet he didn''t even wear a helmet. Despite bathing in arge amount of blood, his body remained unscathed. "Now that we¡¯re on the battlefield, I won''t show you any mercy. t''s also a memento of that battle. ...Sorry, but I''ll be taking your life, Keithriton." Ledo said, looking uninterested. The timing of the invasion of Alberan came after they received information from a spy that Keithriton had fallen. It had been over 30 years since he turned 100 years old. Ledo had heard rumors of his poor health for some time now, and that he had handed over the position of general to his lieutenant, Toluca Carnarius. It was certain that he would die of old age soon. Matching the timing with the disorder that would follow his death¡ª¡ªthat was what they nned but, donning red armor and carrying arge sword, there was still a spirit of a veteran warrior about him. His spirit filled the room and there was no signs of aging. Ledo who knew the great sage Ziglet, that lived for a hundred and fifty years, didn¡¯t underestimate just because of age. Nevertheless, there was genuine admiration within him. It was true that this man had copsed and was lying down. He must have ovee it through sheer willpower and chosen this ce as his deathbed. "Any more of this is a pointless battle. If you say you''re going to surrender, I have no choice but to admit it...well, you don''t seem like the kind of person who would say something like that." ¡°...Indeed¡± Only 10,000 regr soldiers remained as the rear. Those who fled were mainly wounded soldiers and 10,000 militiamen. Regardless of the exact numbers, the withdrawal was only for humanitarian reasons. The morale of the soldiers was high, and they could have fought to the end. They simply took this measure to avoid involving the militias in the process¨D¨Dthey were not acting for strategic gain. Once the militias have sessfully withdrawn, they had already fulfilled their purpose. "It''s just as you see it. If I could, I would like to die as a warrior." "Truly a warrior. Both you and I have aplished our goals. As generals, it¡¯s a draw¨D¨Dif we were topare the oue, there would be no other choice than crossing with de. ...What do you think?" And so was Ledo. He aplished his goal of conquering western Alberan. This was just an afterthought. Felworth Keithriton was an unmatched general, even in his old age, with a reputation that never diminished. However, numbers superiority was absolute¨D¨Deven though his side might have suffered some damage, since Ledo has stepped into the main camp like this, the battle was as good as over over. There was no need to ask. Just keep the momentum going and grind like this and done. However, the reason why he made such a suggestion was probably because something was stirring within him. "You''re a warrior, Ledo. If you pledge to abide by the Holy Spirit Covenant on that sword, I''llply. There are good soldiers here, and it would be better for them to fight here as a dead soldier with me than to be ughtered as a prisoner of war." Felworthughed happily, and Ledo put his hand on the handle of the giant sword. "Very well. ¨D¨DI swear on this sword and name, Rani''s Ledo will abide to it." And without hesitation, he answered yes. "Kuku, I can''t believe I''m still having so much fun at this age...I had given up on my lifespan, but I feel honored." Felworth held therge spear he was carrying. Tranquility itself¨D¨Dan endlessly beautiful stance. There was no hostility or murderous intent, but there was something that was simply overwhelming. Like a giant tree that had spread its roots to the earth since ancient times, simply by the power of its own existence. The skills and spirit umted over a hundred years, honed and refined¡ª¡ªwithout showing even a slight w, they were sublimated into a single beauty. The old general Felworth Keithriton was by no means a man blessed with talent. However, although he was an ordinary man, he fought on hundreds of battlefieldsrge and small. The old tree that took root in the formless battlefield, over the years, had enveloped itself in wless beauty. Its heyday was in the distant past¨D¨Dit was surely on the verge of withering away now. However, at this moment, as a warrior, the old general was at his peak. It was like arge tree on the verge of withering and blooming with many flowers on its body. "Come, Ledo. I may be old, but I¡¯m not dead as a warrior yet." Ledo narrowed his eyes and noticed that his own hands were hot. His blood was boiling. Facing a warrior worthy of respect. ¨D¨DIt was something that had been lost in that battle a long time ago. The battlefield loses its luster, and battles turn into mere chore. However, everything that should have been left behind was still here. Or perhaps he was here to take it back. That''s why, even at the cost of discarding everything he had newly acquired, he was doing this. Closing his eyes for a moment, he drew the giant sword from the earth. And the left front half¡ª¡ªdragging the tip of the giant sword to the right. ¡°Veeze''s hunting squad leader under directmand of¡ª¡ªSword Princess Shelna Veeze. ...Ledo of Rani will take that life. Ledo began to sprint like a beast. "...How should we handle it?" ¡°I¡¯m going. Taking Krische¡¯s army.¡± Inside Selene''s room¨D¨DSelene answered Kreschenta¡¯s question. Elvena poured tea while looking at the two with anxiety. ¡°How about Onee-sam¨D¨D¡± "...Kreschenta. Rather than me worry more about Krische right now. Do you think she¡¯s in a position to takemand on the battlefield?" An uprising within Elderant and an invasion of western Alberan. It was a surprising situation. Diplomatic negotiations with Elderant had just begun¡ª¡ªthey werepletely caught off guard. ¡®Don''t worry¡¯, Selene told Kreschenta. ¡°The north and south can move without any problems, and the Alberinea army is the best army in the kingdom even without Krische. We have Kolkis and Aleha, as well as the ck g Special Forces and Jareia Gashea. I''m nning to ask General Remin toe as well. I won''t push myself too hard like Krische, I''ll just buy time. At least I won''t lose." Currently, only the Alberinea army could move instantly. It would still take a few days for the others to be mobilized, and right now time was of the essence. At the very least, they need to hold down the enemy''s head in order to prevent them from advancing into the center. Better to be hasty than slow. In war, a slight dy could cause irreparable loss. Dys took away options from the battlefield, took away leeway, and took away the stamina of soldiers. It was perfectly natural to think that it would be better for Selene to lead the army herself than to have Krische, who was immersed in her research and in a bad mental state, stand on the battlefield¨D¨Dbut Kreschenta expressed reluctance. "If Onee-sama was an ordinary genius general, as Selene-sama said, I would leave it to. It''s not that I''m saying you''re ipetent and unreliable." Crescenta said, pointing to the kingdom map pasted on the wall¨D¨DElderant, which was adjacent to the west. ¡°Even I am a little surprised at the timing of the invasion. I thought Elderant was at least not fatally stupid. I thought they wouldn''t do anything that would worsen Alberan view of them but...¡± Her fingertips traced her cherry lips and her eyes narrowed. ¡°ording to the information about the uprising, it would be fine if it was just a simple uprising. However, the scale is toorge for it to be a simple uprising. If it''s an uprising of this magnitude, Elderant should have sensed it before it happens, and if that hadn''t happened...'''' ¡°Elderant had a hand in it?¡± "That''s what I think. At the very least, I think they knew about it and let the uprising happen on purpose." Kreschenta held up two of her fingers. "There are two possibilities. King Elderant is manipting the unrest behind the scenes and is intentionally trying to cause an uprising and have Alberan crush it. It''s the worst diplomatically, but it''s not bad in terms of establishing domestic order. ¡± ¡®I don''t care about this¡¯, she said, folding one of her fingers. ¡°The other one is that they¡¯re hoping for another war. Break through the center all at once and advance to the center of Alberan, disrupting it. If they disrupt the center of Alberan greatly, Elsren will try to interfere in some way. Dispelling the mindset of neighboring countries that they were no match for Alberan. Putting a dent in Alberan''s dominance¨D¨Dwell, in the end their intention is to drag us down .¡± Kreschenta sipped the cup of warm tea filled with a generous amount of milk and honey and continued. ¡°The founding of Vezrea is the topic to note. Either way, I think it''s almost certain that Elderant had an agenda behind it. I don''t want to spend too much time on it. However, I can''t order Selene-sama to end it so easily...My hope is, for Onee-sama to end it easily. Did you understand? ¡± While furrowing her brows, Selene nodded and sipped her tea. "Of course, I don''t want Onee-sama to push herself too hard, but there is no one more qualified than Onee-sama. ...If Selene-sama doesn''t like it, I ask Onee-sama myself." ¡°......¡± Serene''s gaze wandered, she lowered her eyes, and then shook her head. "...I''ll go with you." Then, the two of them went to the research room in the basement of the royal castle. They knocked on the door at the end of the long hallway, but there was no answer. They turned the knob to open the door, but it was locked from the inside. The two frowned. They had said to Krische to not locked the door. It was also out of concern about her health. "...Please wait a moment." Selene''s eyebrows furrowed and she tried to kick the door open, but Kreschenta stopped her with her hand and poured magic into the door to find out what was inside. In some cases, Krische might be working with very delicate magic. Rather than magic that was carved into a magic crystal, magic that is carved a spell in the atmosphere using magical power could experience changes in the spell even with a slight stimtion. If that was the reason for locking the door, then there were times when Krische was literally using force to its limits, so rough methods were dangerous. However, there was nothing particrly unusual going on, on the inside. Kreschenta used her magic to operate the internal key and open the door. "K-Krische...!" A cylindrical container filled with liquefied magic. Floating there was a nude Krische. Her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping, and Kreschenta grabbed Selene¡¯s hand, who was panicked and tried to help her somehow. Then Kreschenta looked around seriously, and looked at Krische. The clothes and underwear were neatly folded. Touching the container from the outside with her hand, she confirmed that it was definitely her sister, and used her magic to check the state of Krische¡¯s body. "...Please don''t worry. Onee-sama alive. Her heart is beating." "What, is Krische doing...?" "Right now, Onee-sama is researching things like souls...I also not really." Her heart was beating. However, there was no movement in the magical power. It wasn''t just that she was unconscious. Even if one is asleep, magical power moves unconsciously. At least Krische wasn''t just asleep¨D¨Dshe was unconscious for another reason. Feeling anxiety, she made a form and manipted Krische¡¯s internal magic. Although she was immersed in highly purified liquefied magic, she was in a state simr to that of an ordinary person who could not handle magical power¨D¨Dmost of the magical power had been lost from Krische¡¯s body. She frowned and tried to recover Krische from that condition. "ah¡¡" It was then that Krische opened her eyes. Somewhat nk stare¨D¨DKreschenta leap and ced her feet over the edge of her cylindrical vessel, pulling Krische¡¯s body up onto her floor, staining her dress with liquefied magic. Krische¡¯s face contorted as she vomited, spitting the liquefied magic out of her mouth. ¡°Krische...!?¡± ¡°Onee-sama¡± Selene patted Krische back, and Kreschenta put her hands on Krische¡¯s cheeks and looked into her eyes. A glimmer of reason appeared in her empty eyes, and she moved her mouth slightly. But she didn¡¯t speak, and she loses consciousness. Kreschenta checked her condition with a frown, and breathed a sigh of relief. "...She just fell asleep." "Is Krische okay? She¨D¨D" "Maybe it''s just fatigue and depleted magical power... Just to be sure, I''ll stay here for a while and check Onee-sama condition. Once things calmed down, we¡¯ll go back to the mansion. Argan-sama will be more worried." "¡¡,yes" Selene breathed a little relieved and looked at Krische. She then strokes Krische¡¯s cheek and told Kreschenta. "I''m going after all. I can''t let this child go." "...Selene-sama" Selene held her eyes tiredly and she closed her eyes for a moment. "Besides, there''s nothing I can do while I''m here. I''ll go as soon as possible. I''ll leave the two of them to you." She said, opening her eyes. She averted her gaze from the sleeping Krische. "...You, Krische, and Bery, are all doing what is needed to be done. I''m the only one who can''t do anything....Don''t worry, I''ll properly do the bare minimum." Selene said bitterly, ¡®I''ll notify Anne¡¯, and headed out the door. Kreschenta saw her off, and picked up Krische body, moving her to the couch. There were no major problems. However, that was simply because Kreschenta arrived in time. One wrong step and Krische might have not woken up. Krische didn¡¯t pay attention to anything. ¨D¨DJust, for Bery¡¯s sake. Kreschenta stroked Krische¡¯s cheek and kissed her. Then she looked at her sleeping face for a moment and clenched her fist. "...Please believe me, Onee-sama." With a wavering gaze, she lowered her head. "I really wished for the same thing you wished for, Onee-sama." ¡®¨D¨DI''m sorry.¡¯ She huddled into Krische¡¯s body, as if clinging to it. For a short period of time, it was like a storm. That''s how one might describe a fierce battle. However, what was there was a literal storm. The length of the de was 5 shaku, the width was as wide as the palm of his hand, and its thickness was more like an iron te than a sword. An ordinary person wouldn¡¯t even be able to lift it. If they were to swing it around, it would tear off muscles and tendons, and easily break bones. With a sturdy bone structure, flexible muscles, and an extremely advanced sense of bnce, someone possessing all these qualities could be said to be a kind of a genius. He controlled and killed the centrifugal force of the huge sword that wield a grown man, and he gripped it with his unique gait and load shifting. Rani''s great sword¨D¨DThe enormous energy it generates was fully connected to the next sh, and it oveps. It was truly a foreign sword. It was the exact opposite of orthodox sword techniques, which aim to manipte the sword as if it were your own hands and feet. Ledo manipted his body into the sword essory. Instead of swinging the sword, he used his own body for the sword to swing around¨D¨Dthe result was abat technique that was beyond theprehension of ordinary people that couldn¡¯t be called swordsmanship or taijutsu. He acted like an amateur, leaving the center of gravity to the sword rather than himself. The power of the sword being swung at high speed makes it swung his body around, as if dancing. The violent sh that crushed the air would crush and bisect everything in its path, making it seem as if the giant sword were moving on its own. Ledo''s existence is like a decoration attached to the sword¡¯s handle¨D¨Dbut due to the centrifugal force, the image of Ledo¡¯s body being swung around disappeared, and now only the afterimage of the de remained. The dancing giant sword was mythical. The de of victory that was said to belong to Koreis, the god of valor¨D¨Da magic sword that dances on its own in order to cut down its master''s enemies. Lifeless and cold, the magic sword would not stop until it cut down its opponent. The pressure and madness that resided there was like a storm of swords, chilling the spines of all who saw it, regardless of friend or foe. It would cut right through even the most massive battle lines. Armor and shields were no better than cloth before that sword pressure. Even warriors who knew many formidable opponents couldn''t ept this sight as reality. What Rani''s Ledo was holding was indeed the magic sword of Koreis. "...!" Even Felworth Keithriton couldn''t do anything in front of it. Unable to step into the sword storm in front of him, unable to thrust his spear, he simply widened the distance and avoid a direct hit. The strain of wielding such a heavy giant sword would definitely eat away at the wielder physical strength, and he nned to wait for an opening¨D¨DHowever, the sword''s roar and speed never slowed down. Continuing to spit blood from the previous battle, swinging the sword¨D¨DLedo dedicated everything, his life and all the talent that was bestowed to him, to this giant sword. It was no longer an effort but an act of madness. Ledo was no longer a person, but the sword itself, and the demon sword, to which he had given his everything, danced with joy as it consumed his soul. There was no such thing as fatigue. What was there was a demon sword whose soul would continue to dance forever. The sword danced, ying the song of death, mocking the foolish person who had taken possession of God''s property while in the body of a human being. "Gugh..." Even though Felworth body had deteriorated, his soul remain unclouded due to the many experiences he had umted. ¨D¨DHowever, as long as he was human, it was not an opponent that Felworth could beat. A natural reaction for a living being. The overworked body and concentration, the body that had reached its limit screamed, and there was a momentary gap. He immediately readied his spear, but it was pointless. The de swung down, slicing the iron-core spear in half and slicing from his right shoulder. Felworth leaped, his face contorted in pain, escaping backward. As if the spell had been broken, the wind weakened and Ledo appeared from within the storm. "...It''s the closing curtain, Keithriton. If you were younger, you would still be able to dance....But your body has reached its limits." "Kuku...the growth of young people is amazing..." Felworth lifted his cheeks even as he fell to his knees, covered in sweat and his face contorted in pain. "Shelna Vese...the madness that resides in that sword...revenge huh" Ledo dragged his sword and closed the distance. His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth. ¡°Save your preaching.¡± "I won¡¯t preach...I just feel pity." Ledo pulled the sword from his waist with his left hand. It was once a sword bestowed upon him by the king along with the name Yagarinea. ¡°With that much training, that much talent. A warrior of your caliber would have aplished their goal no matter what. ...No matter what kind the opponent is, as long as they are within the realm of humans.¡± Even after losing all chance of victory, the old soldier still stood up. "I praise you as a warrior. That''s why I pity you. ...You won''t gain anything." The de called pride on the left. It could be called a useless struggle, and it was not a meaningful act. However, it was only the path he had taken and his pride that made the old general stand. "...That''s my decision, Keithtiton. I thought I told said to save your preach." However, the coolness reflected in his eyes. There was no fear, hatred, or even hostility toward Ledo¨D¨Djust as he said. There was even the kind of emotion in his eyes that an old man would have for his grandson. "I...see...certainly, this can also be called...a sermon." Felworthughed and his body rxed. He seemed to fall down¨D¨Dbut his feet took a step. It was elegant and exquisite. Literally thest swing of his life¨D¨Dnow, Ledo only need to open up the distance and he would die. However, Ledoplied and stepped in. Despite its weight, his sword caught the wind¨D¨Dchasing out from behind and taking the lead. From bottom right to top left. The sword elerated as if scraping against the ground, easily cutting the old general''s silver armor in half and splitting his torso into two. And while his torso was being shed, Felworth''s de was swung into Ledo''s right arm. The de, which advanced by inertia without putting any weight on it, had no power, and instead of cutting the arm in half, it carved a small cut there. That was the final moment of the old general.. ¡®General Keithriton¡¯, a heartbreaking voice rang out, the soldiers of Alberan fell to their knees, and the soldiers of Ledo cheered. Without looking at them, Ledo touched the wound on his right arm. Then he picked up Felworth''s sword and ced it in his left hand. "...take the helmet and bury him here just like this." "Huh...but his neck¨D¨D" "Don''t make me say it twice...This man is not a general, but a warrior. I don''t have the pleasure of exposing that and getting credit for it." Ledo said and looked up at the sky. He achieved the one thing he couldn''t at that time due to hisck of strength, yet his heart did not clear. Something that clung to him, didn¡¯t disappears. In any case, from the beginning, it was not to achieve something. It wasn''t even for the sake of gaining something. Everything was already toote, and everything that was out of reach was now, in the distant past. He knew that nothing lies ahead. ¨D¨DThere is no meaning, no value. The wind blew through the meadow and he closed his eyes. Chapter 238: The Equinox of Good and Evil Chapter 238: The Equinox of Good and Evil ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 238 The Equinox of Good and Evil*** ¨D¨DWhat defines a person? Where does personality reside¨D¨Dit was a single contemtion. After several trials, the idea of transferring the brain and creating a new body inplete form seemed like a solution. However, the body created by magic self-destructed despite its perfection. Krische never doubted her own abilities. As long as there was time and materials, she believed she could create anything within her understanding and imagination. If there were mistakes, they were only in her knowledge, and failure was simply a manifestation of her ignorance. To her, the ''perfection'' she created had no mistakes. There were only ''gaps'' that she didn''t know. For her, it was a logical conclusion that should be considered natural. She is convinced that it exists without knowing what that ¡®gaps'' is. For many, such thinking might be called arrogance, but not for her. She was, at least, far removed from the feeling arrogance than anyone. Unforgiving of her own ignorance and immaturity, she possessed a self-deprecating and self-harming objectivity. It''s only natural that she could do everything¨D¨Donly when that was fulfilled, will she met bare minimum for she set herself. What existed within her was that kind of distorted aesthetic. She was, more than anyone, a creature of humility and cowardly. She would never be satisfied, and she would never be able to affirm her own existence. That was why she showed such dependence on someone who epted her. ¨D¨DAnalyze, grasp, and calcte all observablews and principles. For her, that was one of the few bare minimum that she set. There was no such thing as ¡®something that cannot be done¡¯, and the ¡®minimum¡¯ was precisely because it was ¡®possible¡¯. It was not arrogance within her, but an unquestionable fact. ¨D¨DThere were stillws in this world that she didn''t know about. With that conviction, she thought only about that. She immersed herself in re-examining all uncertainties, exploring parts that differed from thews of the world she envisioned, lining up various phenomena in parallel, experimenting, and calcting. At the end of it all, the question arose: Why could her brain think so much? It was the brain that organizes thoughts, and all calctions andmands were issued by the brain. She thought so without any doubt, but the more she thought about it, the more questions arose. The brain emits signals. Nerves transmit them. However, this system naturally had its limits. At least it was impossible for the brain to process things faster than that signal. It was impossible to think about something in a time shorter than the speed of the signal, and considering the capacity of the brain, there was naturally a limit to how much thought can be processed. It goes without saying that she had performed a numerous calction processing. First and foremost, it was outside thews of physics that she knew. Stopping time, cutting space¨D¨Dnumerous borate and intricate form carved. The enormity was too much for her own brain to process, and the intricacy was far too advanced. Then, the word "soul" suddenlyes to mind. Krische had never seen it. Rather than being skeptical, she didn''t believe in its existence. After all, Krische, who had killed more people than anyone, had never seen such a thing. But regardless of the truth, Berry and G had said that belief was important. If the two she trusted believed in it, it might not be bad to believe it too. For Krische, the soul was just that, and now its existence shone brightly. The name ''soul'' didn''t matter. Was something in this world that generates consciousness and thought, but not brain exist, At least that hypothesis fit neatly into the gap she had. It had been handed down in many parts of the world since the time when people were still living primitive lives, and even today, various religions still believe in something simr to it. Many religions have different names and definitions and the categories of creatures that hold them were also different. However what they talked about was essentially the same. It is a word that indicates the essence of a creature that transcends its physical body. And that essence was will, consciousness¨D¨Dand because of that, humans could be humans. ¨D¨DWas it perhaps that the human body cannot exist without the soul. Bery''s body was perfect without a doubt, but what was missing was something called a soul. Magical power was influenced by consciousness and manipted by will. What was will? What as consciousness? For Krische, it was not brain confined within a small skull. At least for Krische, her body was like a puppet. Instead of manipting everything with signals, nerves, flesh, and reactions, she manipted everything with magic. And what manipted that magic was not her thinking brain. At least, even when she was asleep, magical power was always surrounding her body and maintaining it. Or perhaps, it was like a container for the soul to spend time in this world. Just as eyes allowed seeing things, tongues allowed tasting vors¨D¨Dthe brain processed all of these to sense and perceive the material world. And the semi-material existence, magic, connected it to theplete spiritual existence called the soul. This world was not only based on physicalws, but also on anotherws. As long as one relies on the physical body, one would not be able to see or feel this ovepping world because the body was a receptor for sensing matter. If that was the case, the death of the body might not be death. As long as the soul does not die¨D¨Dif the soul can be maintained, it would be enough to simply reconstruct the body with magic. Everything scattered and vaguely floating seemed toe together. This hypothesis was halfway to a conclusion. To confirm it, one verification was needed. Topletely stop thinking as a body and shift one''s existence to the state of the soul. At least with her physical body, she couldn''t even observe it. Without observation, there could be no analysis. Without analysis, there could be no understanding. To manipte something called a soul, observation was the first step. She soaked her naked body in liquefied magic, put it inside her lungs, permeated it, and carved out a form to maintain the body. ¨D¨DWas this really okay? For a moment, fear sprouted. Shouldn''t she made more meticulous preparations? For dealing with any situation that might arise, it would be better to take every possible measure. However, the image of Berry, contorting her face in pain, shed in her mind. There was no time. Tomorrow she might be dead, the next moment she might be dead. There was no time to hesitate. "ah¡¡" ¡°......Onee-sama¡± When she woke up, she was in bed. Sitting on the bed was Kreschenta wearing a white one-piece dress. She gently caressed Krische¡¯s forehead as she slept in a pale pink nightgown. Selene''s room, not Krische¡¯s room with Bery. Krische was a little confused, but she quickly peeked into her memories and understood the situation. "Kreschenta. Krische, how much..." "It''s been three days. How are you feeling?" "Uhh¡¡" Krische used magic to lift her arm, forming a fist and opening and closing it. She lifted both hands and feet in this way, raised herself, and smiled, saying ¡®There¡¯s no problem¡¯. "Ehehe, thank you Kreschenta. Krische won''t fail this time. Krische finally¨D¨D" "Onee-sama, we''ll talk about thatter. Things are a little bad right now." "...bad, huh¨D¨D¡± Kreschenta held down Krische who was about to stand up and shouted ¡®Bery¡¯, saying "That''s not it." "It¡¯s Selene-sama." "...Selene?" "Yes, the forces that rose up in Elderant have invaded us. With the entire western region under their control, General Carnarius could not hold out and barely withdrew sessfully. It was said that former General Keithriton served as the rear, but he was probably killed in battle.'''' Krische frowned. ¡°Why is Elderant?¡± ¡°I also would like to ask the same thing. Just when negotiations for thest war have just begun. ...Anyway, the insurgent army upied each city, and the main army was around 60,000. The Western Front Army was destroyed. Lady Selene will lead Onee-sama army to the west.'''' "Selene is..." Kreschenta nodded and continued. ¡°...As the queen, I would like Onee-sama to go. Even I don''t have a clear grasp of the situation, and Selene-sama hasn''t had time to prepare. Onee-sama army is excellent, but she was only able to bring in a little over 20,000 troops. If 60,000 enemies rush into the center all at once, we can''t say for sure that everything will be okay.'''' Krische¡¯s eyes wandered as she contemted. The Alberinea army was strong¡ªthat was certain. However, facing double the enemy didn¡¯t mean an easy victory. The reason why Krische was able to win against twice as many enemies was because she uses herself ¡®who will never lose'' piece to hunt the enemy¡¯s head. However, at least in battles between armies, the number of soldiers in an army was essentially an absolute indicator. A strong soldier was just that, a strong soldier. 10,000 strong soldiers might have an advantage over the same number of soldiers, and might be equal to 10,000 or more normal soldiers, but that didn¡¯t mean they could take on twice or three times as many enemies. If they could do that, there would be no need for a n in the battle between Bogan and Aleha. Selene was quite talented as amander, and Kolkis and the others had more than enough abilities. If the opponent was ipetent, they might be able to overwhelm them, but if the opponent was a decent general, that wouldn''t be an absolute advantage. ¡°¡Who is the enemy general?¡± "Ledo Rani. It seems that he was the subordinate of Shelna Veeze, the enemy general that Onee-sama killedst time. After the war, he switched to Arkaz and fought in the civil war as a confidant of the current King of Elderant, so I thought he was quite ambitious but..." Kreschenta asked with a nce and Krische shook her head. She had never heard his name before. They had killed the escorts, but he might one of those who slipped out. ``During thest war, Duke Remin''s headquarters were raided by a man who called himself that. From what the information gathered, he served as the king''s right-hand man during the civil war and had great sess. ...He¡¯s not an opponent to be underestimated, including his ability to gather that many troops through a simple uprising. I don''t think I can feel safe with Selene-sama and Onee-sama¡¯s army alone.'''' ¡®So, Onee-sama¡¯. ¡°Of course, the north and south have already moved, and Duke Remin will lead his army as reinforcement in a little while...but if Onee-sama can go, then I can rest assured.¡± Krische hugged her pillow and lowered her eyes. Indeed, from the information, it was quite a problem. If there were nothing else, she would be heading there right now. But¨D¨D ¡°¡Umm, Bery is¡± "Nothing changed. It''s not going in a good direction, though." Kreschenta narrowed her eyes and caressed her sister''s cheek. "I understand that Onee-sama is saving time for Argan-sama. But right now, time is scarce for us too. If, by any chance, something goes wrong and there areplications, the situation in Elsren, that is calm right now, might change. The same goes for Elderant." To soothe, to calm her down. "...The reason why Onee-sama and I are able to take time for Argan-sama is because we want peace to exist around the kingdom. I''m sure Onee-sama understand that as well." Krische nodded silently and then said. ¡®This time it''s true.¡¯ "Really, if Krische just have a little more time, Bery¨D¨D" "Onee-sama. I don''t doubt Onee-sama¡¯s abilities. ...If it were really a littleter and Onee-sama could do it even today, I wouldn''t say anything either. But, that isn''t the case right?" ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Kreschenta kissed her sister''s lips and whispered. "I''ll do what I have to do...for Onee-sama and Argan-sama." Krische¡¯s long silver eyshes quivered, her violet eyes flickered and moisten. She then silently nodded again. "...Krische will say goodbye Bery." ¡°Yes, I have already informed Argan-sama briefly. I have some paperwork to do here.¡± Krische get up and went straight out the door. Kreschenta saw her off, lowered her eyes, and lie down on the bed. ¡°¡For Onee-sama and Argan-sama.¡± She smiled bitterly and grabber her pillow, pulling it close. ¡®...Even if it can hold out, how many years are you nning on holding out?¡¯ ¡®Of course, for as many decades as Krische-sama wishes.¡¯ ¡®Even if life continues to be worse than it is now?¡¯ ¡®There''s no need to think about it...I''ve made an oath.¡¯ Despite not even able to conceal the pain, Bery spoke those words without hesitation, smiling. It was as if she had forgotten how much she had suffered over the past year. However, Kreschenta never forgot what she saw or the words that she heard. Kreschenta, like Krische, did not have the ability to forget something. "...Argan-sama." ¡ª¡ªAre you still happy right now? If she had asked that, she would probably answered with a smile. As if she didn''t know any misfortunate, with her usual expression, she would say, ¡®Yes, very much¡¯. ¡°¡ª¡ªThat is why I have decided to at least die to atone for Kreschenta-sama¡¯s sins. From now on, Kreschenta-sama will be able to find happiness. Kreschenta-sama can finally sleep peacefully. If that happens, there will be no need for Kreschenta-sama tomit any more sin in the future.¡¯ Nora''s words, from the a certain day,e to her mind. ¡®¡ª¡ªI believe that Kreschenta-sama will be able to live a happy life withoutmitting more sins. That''s why I would like to settle Kreschenta-sama¡¯s past sins here and let Kreschenta-sama find happiness without sin.'''' Saying that, she took her own life. ¡®Stupid¡¯, Kreschenta thought. She must be hopelessly stupid. She couldn¡¯t even calcte the obvious profit-loss that even a child would understand. There was no guarantee that her wish would be fulfilled, yet she took her own life. "Nora" Alone in the room. "...You''re an idiot." The girl whispered quietly. Chapter 239: Form of Love Chapter 239: Form of Love ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 239 Form of Love*** Wrapped in a coat, Her long hair tied into two tails with a pale pink flower-shaped hair ornament. Krische quietly hugged the servant who was sitting on her bed. These days, it was more unusual to see her wearing an apron dress like this. Most of the time, she spent the day in negligee. Wearing the apron dress didn''t necessarily mean she was in good health16. "My. Krische-sama, you don''t have to make that kind of face, I¡¯m fine. I''ll be waiting for your return¡± "¡¡yes" The face she showed was pale,cking color. It was chronic anemia. Without assistance from liquefied magic, she would have died long ago. Magic is the source of all and all is magic. In theory, magic had adaptability to change into everything there was in the world. If you liquefy dense magical power and give it to someone who is familiar with it, even a dying person could be revived. And without any doubt, it was fully demonstrating its effectiveness. Every time she was about to die, she was pulled back. Every day, Bery paced back and forth between the other shore and this one, barely holding her live. Still, she wore the apron dress as usual and greeted Cliche as a servant. Her hand gently caressed Clich¨¦''s hair¨D¨Dtrembling slightly. She quickly let go and tightens his hold, killing the tremors. As if to hide it, as if ashamed of it. Krische didn''t point it out even though she knew. Pointing it out wouldn''t make any difference. At least, Bery was that kind of person. Stubborn and obstinate. Krische now understood the words Selene used to tell her. She never broke the rules she set for herself. She was more faithful to the self she desired more than anyone else. Perhaps that was something one could call pride. Even Krische couldn''t touch that pride, and Bery, understanding that, disyed that pride. It felt unavoidably unfair. But Krische still loved that part of her too. "Wait a little longer; it''s really just a bit more." "¡¡yes" "This time, it''s really, really true. This time, Krische won''t disappoint Berry." Bery chuckled as Krische said that, shaking her shoulder andughing. "If there''s one thing that''s difficult for Krische-sama, who can do anything to do, it''s probably to disappoint me." It was a gentle voice. ¡°Being hated by me or me being disappointed in Krische-sama. Fufu, such a promise is not even a promise. It would be impossible for Krische-sama to disappoint me even if Krische-sama devote all your life to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡®Since Krische found it¡¯, Krische tilted her head and pressed her face into Berry''s chest. Then Krische continued. "It''s the soul." "¡¡soul?" "Yes. Humans do have souls." Krische said and looked up. "It''s just as Oba-san and Bery said. Krische found it." Then she narrowed her eyes and caressed her cheek. ¡°Bery doesn''t have to feel any pain anymore. All that''s left to do is to safely extract it and find a method to stabilize it, and that''ll solve everything¨D¨Dnow that Krische is able to observe it, Krische won¡¯t fail, and it won''t be long before Krische establish the method.'''' ¡®So please wait just a little while¡¯, Krische said. ¡®Soul¡¯, Bery repeated with a wry smile. She didn''t believe it from the bottom of her heart. It seemed far-fetched to her, but she didn''t doubt Krische. "I''m intrigued. I''d like to hear more about it..." She took a small bag out of her pocket and hung the string around Krische¡¯s neck. "First of all, let''s make sure Krische-sama and Ojou-sama return home safely. Fufu, for now, let''s have some fun with this candyter." Carefully, she pulled two long silver tails from the cord. She then traced her hair ornament, checking for any tears. She narrowed her eyes at Krische¡¯s appearance and kissed her slowly. It was only a touch, but silence filled the time. Once she pulled away, she traced the girl''s cherry lips and smiled as usual. ¡°I am looking forward to your return, Krische-sama.¡± "Yes. ...Krische¡¯ll be back soon, so, uh, definitely¨D¨D" ¡°Yes, I swear on my name. Hehe, did I ever break my promise to Krische-sama?¡± ¡°...No¡± Krische answered and kissed her. "Then, Krische''ll go." "Yes, please be careful." Krische nodded and leaves Berry, leaving the room without looking back. All sorts of emotions prevented her from looking at Bery any longer. After closing the door, she clenched her fist and bit her lip. ¨D¨DAt that moment, her purple eyes were filled with a chilling cold. "It might look a bit timid, but as I said, I don''t want to push too hard in the current situation. My idea is that if we''re going to at least make a move, we''ll wait until General Remines. Do you have any objections?" The next contact with the enemy would be tomorrow at the earliest. The tent was located a short distance away from the sea of trees to the west, where the enemy was invading. Inside the tent, Selene pointed to the map with her finger. Keith, Kolkis, Bagil, Aleha. And Western General Toluca Carnarius joined her. The general and the four armymanders looked at the map with serious faces and listened to Selene''s words. "...Even if we include the militia, it''s 30,000 at best. It''s a little dangerous to step into that sea of trees against an enemy army that could number 40,000 to 60,000." Keith remarked and Selene nodded. The enemy had the advantage in numbers, and the conditions of the forest¨D¨Dthe danger of jumping into it was clear. Soldiers from Eldrandt were like hunters in every aspect. Facing them, who were used to the terrain of the forest, there was no doubt that even with the same number, they would be at a disadvantage. On the other hand, if it was on t ground with good visibility, they wouldn''t lose even if they were in a little dis advantage. It was simple logic. That was the first thing anyone would think, and it was a reasonable strategy. The problem was that they were in a situation where they had no choice but to make that choice. Currently, the enemy were in control. They were not choosing the battlefield, they were being forced to choose. That was the concern. "We''re stuck here¨D¨Dthat''s what worries me." Aleha brushes his brown-gold hair and pressed his forehead, opening his mouth. "The Sea of Trees is wide. If the enemy wishes, it will be possible for them to ignore us from the northeast or southeast and advance into the vicinity of the royal capital. If the enemy chooses to do so, then we will not be able to move at all." ¡®We should not lose information and mobility¡¯, Aleha continued. "We are acting immediately based on highly urate information. We are not without leeway. Even though our opponent is skilled in the forest, there are limits. We should continue to enter the sea of trees to the east and prepare for an ambush attack. ¡± Bagil nodded at these words and continued. "I agree. There is certainly some risk of a head-on encounter, but in that case the opponent will also be forced to march considerably. If you just collide with the snake''s head, our superiority in numbers will only depend on whether or not more enemies will follow. If the opponent is outnumbered, then we should be happy about the encounter." ¡°¡That¡¯s" ¡°You may be feeling uneasy about Krische-sama absence, but this army is not one that would be defeated in a head-on encounter. Even if we were to run into an unexpected situation, we would be able to retreat to this point and start over.¡± Selene and Keith were defensive. While Aleha and Bagil were aggressive. Their words were not wrong either. If the opponent had a numerical advantage, it made sense to prioritize reducing the width of their battle front. If the two sides collide while marching, only the front one will fight, even if the army was a million strong. As they said, numerical superiority be only a factor of how many follow up enemies there were. Western General Toluca continued to investigate the enemy''s movements even while retreating. Even with the forced march, there was still a little time to reach the eastern end of this western sea of trees. "What about General Carnarius?" "Emotionally, I''d like to break through with the determination for a direct confrontation, as the other two said. I can''t endure any more damage to our country." He was a slender old general. A face with noticeable wounds, a high nose, and stern eyes. A cleanly shaved cheek and white hairbed back. A man with a quiet pressure, disying a serious demeanor. As the adjutant of Felworth, he had run through numerous battlefields and remained calm even though he was defeated. "However, it would be best to keep in mind that the enemies are not going to be an easy opponent. There is a certain air to them." "¡¡air?" "Yes. Your father, the previous Margrave of Christand, and other people who were called heroes who leave their names behind in history... I have seen many of them in their youth, including friends and foes, along with Felworth-sama. ¡± ¡®It smells¡¯, he told them and looked at Selene. ¡°This time, themander-in-chief¨D¨DLedo Rani, when I saw him in the previous war, he led a small army to our headquarters. When he escaped, I thought that he would one day be a famous general. Right now, he has grown in strength over thest ten years and is once again pointing his sword at us as the suprememander of the army." "...General Ramin mentioned having a familiar feeling too." Toluca nodded and drank the ck bean tea in one breath. ¡°Even though we were outnumbered, if the opponent was an average general, we would have been able to hold out for a while longer. However, in the end, we had no choice but to have Felworth-sama be the rear.¡± He clenched his fist to suppress his regret and continued. "..., if Alberinea-sama were here, this would have been a needless concern. But when ites to a direct confrontation between armies, careful consideration is necessary. I agree with the two corpsmanders about entering the forest, but it should be done with the premise of retreat. At the very least, they don''t seem like a lukewarm opponent who can be destroyed easily.¡± Selene lowered her eyes a little at those words and nodded. "I understand. Even if I have excellent subordinates, I am not Krische. I think I know my own strength. ... Kolkis has the same opinion, right?" "Well, it''s better to run into the enemies knowing the risk than to have them pass by without engaging." Kolkisughed and said, ¡°It''s better to keep battles simple. When it''s hard to understand how things will move, it''s better to just fire one shot without thinking and retreat. I''ll go first.¡± "Yes. General Carnarius, could you please go ahead with Kolkis army?" ¡°Yes.¡± Kolkis and his second Corp were the most powerful in frontalbat. Although there was some anxiety about the situation where the tactics of the forest are bing stronger, there was no shortage as long as Toluca, who had more experience than anyone else, was there. It was certain that these two would be at the forefront. There was also a proposal to deploy Aleha, who excelled in intelligence and resourcefulness, but this time, retreat was the premise. She wanted to use him recing the 2 that would retreat after inflicting a big blow. Selene understands caution and cowardice, boldness and recklessness clearly, and always thinks about how to made her excellent subordinates able to exert their maximum potential. Selene did not possess the qualities of a brave hero, but instead had the qualities to lead brave heroes. What she seek was not honor or fame, but the bare minimum that her immature self was capable of. Selene didn¡¯t have the confidence, pride, or even expectations for her own abilities. Everything around her, which was too excellent, had even taken away the feelings that should have naturallye ti her. ¨D¨DThere is no value in herself who cannot even handle this much. Her obsessive thoughts were simr to those of her sister, and as such, she was more dedicated to her role than anyone else. Selene sipped the ck bean tea and said. "We''re going into the forest. Keith, you''ll be at the rear and nning the retreat. Aleha will support Kolkis and his army in retreat, and Bagil with me. Above are the basic roles. Let''s work out the march route and detailed cement. General Carnarius, what did you see in the Sea of Trees during your retreat?¡± "Ha. Well then¨D¨D" The sky was thinly clouded, and the waning moon was reflected in a hazy image. A small hill in the ins¨D¨DBehind the tent there, she sat on a wooden box and look up at the sky. "Well, it''s quite picturesque." A deep voice called out to Selene, who was wearing riding pants and a cloak, looking unsexy. When she looked, Kolkis in armor was smiling, holding a cup in both hands. There was steaming from the cup and the faint smell of sweet milk. Selene smiled wryly and epted it. It was warm milk. "While saying that, you still bring me warm milk. You¡¯re still treating me like a child." "Haha, isn¡¯t it fine once in a while. Unlike alcohol, it helps you fall asleep easily." Kolkis easily moved a barrel of water to the side. He looked up at the moon, squinted his eyes, andughed. "You had a troubled look. I became worried." "You¡¯re being too frank. Isn¡¯t there a more roundabout way to say it." "Well, it seems like I left all those clever lines in my mother''s womb." "Seems like it." Selene chuckled and said to Kolkis. "...Krische, Bery, and even Kreschenta are pushing themself. I''m the only one who can''t help with anything. ...That''s why I just want to at least give them some reassurance." ¡®Please leave the outside things to me¡¯, Selene said lonely. ¡°I have no intention of crossing this dangerous bridge, and as I said, our main purpose is to hold this ce until General Remines and General Garka and the otherse around. I''m not looking for any credit or anything. I''m here with the intention of staying for two or three months, so I feel a bit bad for Colchis and the others.¡± "It''s normal that Krische-sama is weird. There''s no need to worry about her. Bogan-sama probably won''t rush in this situation either." Kolkis said in, tipping his cup. "Don''t be so condescending to yourself. Objectively speaking, Selene-sama doesn''t even need to bepared to any ordinary general, and although I''m worried about theck of experience, I''m not dissatisfied with themand thus far. Though it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand how Selene-sama feel..." And he says it shyly. ¡°I was also able to work hard because Verreich was that, and that was because even a higher-ranking opponent was within my reach. If I had had Krische-sama by my side when I was young, I would have felt the same way." Seeing Kolkis like that, Selene smiled bitterly and said while wrapping the cup with both hands. "...It''s not just that. It''s not just about that kind of thing. It''s more simple." She thought about it for a while and then let out a sigh. Kolkis tilted his head. "...?" "I wonder if you¡¯re surprised?...I love Krische." Kolkis widens his eyes and Selene smiled bitterly. "I think it''s a very natural feeling to want to be helpful to someone you love. That''s all I think about. ...If I can''t do anything about Bery, I want to at least help her focus on that.'''' "I don''t like being a hindrance to her," she muttered. The words that echoed quietly were filled with various emotions. "I...I want the meaning of being by that child''s side. So, at least I need to do the bare minimum that I have to do, or I can¡¯t forgive myself." Kolkis stared at Selene and gave her the same wry smile. After a while, he looked up at the moon in the sky and said, "I see. It''s aplicated yet simple situation...It seems my concern was misced." He drank the contents of the cup, scratches his head shyly, and stood up. "It¡¯s true that ''m grateful, you know? I feel a little refreshed." ¡°Please don¡¯tfort me like that.¡Unlike that Verreich bastard, I¡¯m don¡¯t know anything about things like this at all.¡± ¡®Bogan-sama will surely be surprised if he heard it¡¯, Kolkis said. ¡®Guess Father will have to give up on seeing grandchild''s face¡¯, Seleneughed. "However, if that''s the case, I''ll have to work even harder." "...?" "As a man whose master has confided such a maiden''s secret to him, I must cooperate with all my might. Striving for the beyond the best.¡± With the usual hearty smile, he offered his firm right hand. Seleneughed and grabbed his hand, standing up as if being pulled up. "Yes, I''m counting on you. But please don''t do anything unreasonable. Like I said, only within your capability¨D¨DI''m not looking for any credit or anything." "...¡®All I want are words from the ones I love¡¯. Kuku, When a beautiful woman like Selene-sama says that, it''s like I¡¯m watching a y." "...please don''t make fun of me." Selene said shyly, drank the milk and handed it to Kolkis. "I''m sorry for making you worry. Thanks to you, I think I can rest well." "There''s no need to thank me....It''s going to be a harsh battlefield starting tomorrow. Please take a good rest today." "Yes, you should take your time too. Get some sleep." Kolkis walked away waving a cup, and Selene saw him off at the tent. Then she sat down on the simple bed and took a deep breath. "...Please don''t worry, Krische. I''ll be fine." Drawing the sword from her waist, she prayed. She pressed her forehead against the sword. ¡°Did Onee-sama leave?¡± "Yes, just a while ago." After seeing off Krische, Bery finished changing into her nightgown. Bery, who was looking at the cooking diary, straightened up and looked at the adorable visitor. Kreschenta sat on the bed as usual and ced a small bottle on the side table. Bery smiled when she saw that. ¡°Thank you as always.¡Hehe, I can¡¯t express my gratitude enough to Kreschenta-sama.¡± "That''s right, I''d appreciate it if you would thank me." Kreschenta said and she smiled. "I tried to improve the medicine a little." "Improvement..." As usual, mix it with liquefaction magic, pour it into a cup, and pour it into Bery''s mouth. And Bery drank it, as usual. Then Crescenta said "I''ve always thought that someday I''ll kill you." ¡°...Kreschenta-sama?¡± ¡°Now that that hase true, I feel refreshed.¡± Kreschenta smiled at her and stroked Bery''s cheek. Endlessly affectionate and tender, as if pitying her. "Don''t worry. There''s no pain." The usual smile had a stiffness to it. There was a tremor in her eyes, as if filled with fear. "...Argan-sama will die just like falling asleep." Kreschenta stared at Bery with purple eyes that were different from usual. Bery understood the meaning and slowly opened her eyes. Chapter 240: Frozen Emotion Chapter 240: Frozen Emotion ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 240 Frozen Emotion*** In the dense forest where trees thrive, there are limited paths that can be used for marching. The army divides into narrow paths, maintaining close coordination while advancing. The collision between the two forces urred on the second day after entering the forest, in the afternoon as the sun began to set. It was on a road where carriages could barely pass each other. Themander himself stood at the front, wielding arge iron spear like a club and mowing down the enemy in silver armor with a tiger face. Drenched in the enemy''s blood, he devoured their flesh, creating a one-sided massacre on the spot. In the kingdom, including all surrounding worlds, facing the most formidable Second Corp, that to be was expected. There was no one who could stand in front of the Second Corp led by Kolkis other than soldiers who have also been trained in hell. The result of the encounter was unquestionably expected, and yet Kolkis felt a sense of unease. "Corp Commander! General Carnarius gives instructions to retreat." "... That was quick." ¨D¨DColchis naturally concluded that Carnarius was thinking the same thing. It was only natural that the Second Corps would win in a head-on collision. However, in this situation, it was hard to think of that as a matter of course. Kolkis also felt a sense of difort due to theck of significant resistance. Kolkis always relied on intuition from experience rather than thought. The vast amount of experience that had been umted over the years¨D¨Dthe answers thate out from there were faster than anything else and were more correct than anything else. If the answer hee up with after you stop and think about it was worth 100 points, then his intuitive judgment would be at most 70 to 80 points. However, speed was important on the battlefield. Losing a hundred due to dy was worse than cutting thinking time to obtain seventy. The thirty that wascking, could bepensated for through military training. That was the simple and clear tactical theory that Kolkis had umted over the years. Although Kolkis was unable to put trust in his own brain, he did not doubt his experience in fighting, being relied upon by the hero Christand as both a sword and a shield. In terms of ability Nozan was better than him. As a warrior, Kolkis was probably above him. In defense, Terius might be better. In tactics, Eluga might surpass him. Although the hero Bogan Christand was excellent, he was by no means the strongest general. However, if there''s one thing that stood out, it''s the eyes. There was no one better than Bogan when ites to determining a person''s abilities. His sharp, hawk-like gaze ruthlessly evaluates not only his enemies, but each and every one of his subordinates. The hero Christand, admired by the people, was a ruthless, almost pathological meritocrat on the battlefield. Chosen by such Bogan, he was given the position of corpsmander. The Second Corp was Kolkis¡¯s pride, and trusting his instincts was exactly the same as trusting the Bogan who chose him. Believing that there was nothing wrong with histe master''s eyes was truly fanaticism, and for that reason, he had no hesitation at all. He mowed down the enemy soldiers in front of him and pointed his spear toward the sky. Sending a signal by shaking its tip. It sends a signal by shaking its tip. Not even half an koku had passed since the encounter. The order to retreat was much too early. However, there was no need to raise his voice and issue instructions. When Kolkis, themander of the army, send a signal, the soldiers followed the instructions without a trace of doubt. What made the Second Corps invincible was their fanaticism towards the great warrior Kolkis. Without a doubt, onemand could turn them into a suicide soldier. The second corps was a corps of warriors, all of whom were crazy, including their masters and servants. A head-on collision with the insane Second Corps. Looking at the ruins of the enemy''s lead, which had copsed in a moment, the Second Corps turned around and moved to the rear. It was undoubtedly a judgment made without any hesitation. ¡°As expected, youe!¡± ¨D¨DThe surprise nk attack by the beast aimed to divide the Second Corps, came targeting the Silver Tiger. A monster that looked like a magical beast jumped out of the forest beside the road without making a sound. Kolkis dodged Ledo Rani, who wieldd a giant sword almost as tall as his own body, as if he had predicted it. "¨D¨DTch " A quiet click of the tongue. The Veeze¡¯s hunter, wearing light clothing that exposed his bare skin, showed no sign of disturbance towards the unimaginable reaction. A giant sword swung from the left in a sweeping motion. Without breaking the inertia, it slid as if stepping to the side of Kolkis, who had leaped backward to evade. Not just sliding. In fact, carried by the centrifugal force of the giant sword, for a moment, all the weight disappeared from his body. For a first-time observer, it would be an unimaginable move with no chance of a reaction. Even if the opponent were a renowned warrior, the second attack, following the surprise, would be unavoidable. If the conditions of ambush aligned, it would be a lethal blow. ¡°Na?ve!¡± ¨D¨DHowever, the figure before him was not just any renowned warrior. Except for one person, he is probably the best warrior in the kingdom¨D¨Dthe surrounding world. Kolkis Argand adjusted the handle of therge iron spear and lifted the giant sword in response to the subsequent upward sh. The spears entire body was made of steel, and the tip had a small sword-like point. The butt end was now that of a cavalry spear. He manipted the insanerge iron spear like a twig and raised the giant sword, and without a moment''s dy, it was pierced with the butt end. Ledo instantly twisted his body and used the centrifugal force of the giant sword to open up the distance. For nearly ten years after thest war, Ledo found himself in a hellish battlefield. Even as he wanders between life and death, he whipped his body and ran around the battlefield in the forest, vomiting blood. A man with an overflowing talent and a power that he had acquired through blood-sshing effort¨D¨Dbut he was not the only one like that. The silver tiger''s armor sparkled in crimson. While swinging such arge spear, there was no shift in the center of gravity. Seemingly rough yet delicate, the trajectory of the spear was optimized for efficiency. Combat techniques are nothing but violence, but when violence goes beyond a certain range, there was beauty in it even though it is violence. Just as Ledo''s is the same, so is the spear wielded by Kolkis Argand. The beauty of the spear was captivating. The tranquility of the stance. The state he had reached after devoting his talent and soul was truly that of art. It thrust its legs like an animal, and Ledo felt his soul tremble as he looked up at it. "...I recognize you. You¡¯re the enemy of Kanalua¡¯s warriors." It was the man he saw that night. Alberinea''s armymander¨D¨DWith his appearance, the battle line supported by the hunting party copsed. "I recognize that giant sword, too. It''s the runway of that night." Kolkis also recalled the same scene from a different perspective. Then, with the visor down, he searched for my surroundings just by listening to the sounds. The enemy is an elite¨D¨Deven considering the condition of a surprise attack, they matched the warriors Kolkis has on his side. It was not an ordinary unit. Probably, they are his direct subordinates. Remembering the strength of the guerri troops that had resisted the Second Corps'' breakthrough that night, he realized that this wasn¡¯t a feint. "Your n went haywire, kid. You might be aiming for the side of the snake¨D¨Dbut your predictions were off, and both heads end up shing. It was a bit toote to cut off the snake''s head." Advancing through the forest was inevitable, there was no choice but to form a column. Including those walking in the forest on the side, there are only a few hundred members of the Second Corps here. If they were to receive such an ambush from a side attack, no matter how strong the Second Corps was, it would be divided. Their miscalction was due to Kolkis¡¯s quick judgment. As a result, the blow that was supposed to split the snack neck ended up hitting the hard head. This was at least not the intended result. "Slow down! Just keep retreating! We know the enemy''s strength!" Kolkis raised his voice. Directly in front¨D¨Dthe leading formation of the enemy was in ruins. They cannot move immediately, scared from the previous battle. The only thing they need to worry about was the side attack led by this man. And as the condition of surprise fades with time¨D¨Deventually, the situation here would turn in favor of the Second Corps. The opponent was strong, but facing the soldiers directly under the directmand of Kolkis was a heavy burden. A retreat was entirely possible. ¡°This is Colchis Argand,mander of the Second Corps of the Central Alberinea Army.¡Do you have a name for yourself?¡± He pointed the tip of his spear and announced. The ck-haired young man, who was in a four-legged position, lifted himself up and whispered, ¡®Alberinea¡¯. "Direct corps of the Battle princess, Shelna Veeze,. Hunting squad leader¨D¨DLedo of Rani." "...That''s a familiar name, too." Shelna Veeze¨D¨DA general on the Elderant side. It was the name of the opponent Krische defeated in thest battle. ¡°I see, it boils down to revenge.¡That¡¯s easy to understand.¡± Ledo said nothing and frowned at him, and Kolkisughed behind his visor. "What, I''m not making fun of you. There are valid grudges for valid reasons, and there are plenty of them floating around on the battlefield. It''s not a bad reason to fight." Kolkis continued, ¡®It''s just the enemy is bad¡¯. ¡°I heard the same words from Keithriton.¡Where is Alberinea?¡± "Well, if you can, you should do your best to find out. I''m telling you, if you have trouble dealing with me, you won''t even be able to step on Krische-sama''s shadow." As he spoke, Kolkis thought that his opponent had a next move. Otherwise, the situation would have been a desperate one to approach him recklessly¨D¨Dconsidering the path they came from, Kolkis assumed there was a detour from the outside. The enemy numbered between 40,000 and 60,000¨D¨Djudging from the location of the collision, it was not a forced march. The forced march was probably on by both wings. They were circumventing the forest, enclosing it from the outside. ¨D¨DTheir target was the main camp. The enemy''s goal was to block the movements of the main army, then divide the leading Second Corps and destroy each one individually. The enemy''s intention would not be fulfilled due to their miscalction. At the very least, the Second Corps could still join the main camp. However, the question was how much can they escape from this sea of trees while minimizing the overall damage? He had no choice but to leave that to Aleha and Keith. Keeping his eyes on Ledo Rani, Kolkis listened to the sounds. The element of surprise was lost, and what ensued was a stalemate. "...The fire has already gone out from this ce. If you don''te, I''ll just let you leave." If a stalemate were to ur, the Second Corps would have the local advantage. The opponent must kill Kolkis to regain their advantage here. However, considering Kolkis¡¯s objectives, he didn''t want to continue this precarious situation, even if they had the upper hand. They both probably didn''t want a prolonged battle here. "If youe, I''ll ept it. I''m sure we''ll have a good fight. Of course, both you and I will be risking our lives." The soldiers directly under Ledo''s surroundings¨D¨Dthese men looked at theirmander, Ledo. There was still fighting spirit in his eyes. They were looking to Ledo for instructions. "...We''ll meet again soon. The decisive battle is not here." Ledo lightly raises his palm, and in response to that signal, his soldiers slowly retreat. However, what caught Colchis''s attention was the gaze of the soldiers beside him. Several of the men clearly wanted to continue the battle, and for a moment there was a look in their eyes that urged Ledo to reconsider. It soon disappeared¨D¨Dbut Kolkis didn''t miss it. "Well, it''s good that they understand. ...I look forward to seeing what you''ll show me." ¨D¨DThat was not all. It was a conviction. An attack on the main camp through arge detour and a surprise attack on the Second Corp. Even after that n copsed, the enemy had something up their sleeve to defeat Kolkis in this situation. Whether it was a tactical move or something else. But they kept it in reserve. Kolkis stepped back, looking at Ledo, and distancing himself from him. There was a need for vignce. At least, Kolkis believed there was something beyond his imagination, and he took twice the usual distance before turning his back. Ledo remained motionless, staring eerily at Kolkis¡ª¡ªand simply watched him leave. As he watched the Second Corp left, Ledo reorganized the disrupted front line. Instructions were rapidly given, and the front line, which had lost its morale, moved into the forest. The rear of the column remained as it was, aligning its steps with the front line. "...Are you sure, Captain? That man is no ordinary warrior. We have to deal with him now..." "It¡¯s fine. This time the target is Alberinea." Ledo answered his subordinate''s words. Alberinea''s direct military forces came out as expected. However, they still haven''t been able to locate Alberinea. ¡°When I think of Alberinea, I think of Shelna.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± "It''s not for sentimental reasons. ...Shelna had an unusually clear intuition. She always came to a definitive conclusion, as if looking down on the entire battlefield from the sky." In terms of strategy, tactics, and sword skills, Ledo still didn''t feel like he could defeat Shelna back then. It wouldn''t have been difficult to defeat Kolkis Argand here. A blue staff that shoots out magic power as aggressive particles¨D¨Dif he had the power of that magic crystal. But such a warrior. If he was defeated, Alberinea would definitely realize that there was some kind of trick and be wary. At least, he thought Shelna would notice that. Even if Shelna was on the battlefield for a thousand years, she would not be defeated. No matter how difficult a situation she finds herself in, she would always be able to get out of it with her sword skills and wits. Shelna was such a genius. However, Alberinea easily defeated Shelna along with the hunting party she had left behind¨D¨Dher ability was already beyond Ledo''sprehension. Only by putting his best on top of his best, could he finally have a chance to defeat her. For that reason, he couldn''t provide any information. "If we don''t defeat Alberinea, it will be impossible to continue the war against Alberan. As we have decided, this time we will only aim at Alberinea. In order to create the conditions for a surefire kill." ¨D¨DHis blood trembled in front of the warrior Kolkis. If they had continued to fight as they were, it would have been a fight to the death, with their souls at stake, just as Kolkis had said. Or maybe there was a reason why he felt that way. He didn''t want to kill such a great warrior in such a despicable way. At the very least, there was no doubt that the conclusion was abination of calction and psychology, reason and emotion mixed together in his mind. Whether it was his own weakness or not. He was here with the intention of abandoning all emotions, and he was here with the resolution to do whatever it takes. But there could have been any number of ways. Even without using such arge-scale method, he could have spent years establishing a base in the royal capital and aiming to assassinate her. War¨D¨DThe reason why I chose the battlefield was because there was something that still remained within Ledo here. The smiles of hisrades and Shelna''s voice. Everything that was burned into his mind was on the battlefield, and the choices that led him to this point were nothing but emotional. In the fight with Keithriton he was convinced his my heart. A battlefield is nothing but unreasonable, no matter how you decorate it. It was a cruel world, ruled by only onew: the strong unterally taking the lives of the weak. Once you step in there, there were no excuses. Those who died, died because they were weak. The answer was nothing more or less, and ording to thatw, both Shelna and Ledo killed many people in the name of justice. Having killed so much, it was not logical to hold a grudge. They never apologized to those they had killed. In the end, his desire for revenge against Alberinea was not based on logic, but on emotion. The sense of legitimacy I felt at the time faded over time. Even so, what was the reason for being here? ¡°Something left behind¡± "...?" ¡°No matter how I answer it, no matter what reason I give it, in the end, I''m here just to get back what I left behind that day.¡± After the civil war ended, he went to the graves of Shelna and the others almost every day. His wife followed along without saying a word and offered something on the grave. There was a gentle happiness there, and everything was about to be a memory. "It''s just an emotional reason...I''m a stupid person. I can''t move forward until I get that back....That''s why I''m d from the bottom of my heart that you guys came with me." The man''s eyes widened, then he smiled and said, ¡®What are you talking about, Captain?¡¯ More than half of the surviving hunting party was still here with Ledo. Just like Ledo, to bring back something they left behind. "The sword princess''s hound¨D¨Dyou are the leader. Just like back then. We will swing our swords together with the captain until we die." Those words flowed inside Ledo as if they were deeply ingrained. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "¡¡, thank you" he said, and he realized it was a word he hadn''t said in a while. To Toba, to Feni, to them. It was a normal thing to say, as a normal human being. That was probably one of the things that Ledo left behind. "We will defeat Alberinea... please help me." The men smiled and nodded at those words. The Alberinea army left the center to Kolkis¡¯s Second Corps and the right nk to Aleha''s Fourth Corps. Keith''s First Corps worked with the militia on the rear left nk to maneuver the retreat, while Bagil''s Third Corps in the central headquarters stood guard on the left nk. The left wing was made thinner because the main road in the center and the south were separated by a river. Coincidentally, Selene and the other advanced to the ce of the decisive battle with Algor Hilkintos. On the right¨D¨Dthe north side was the forest. The left side¡ªsouth, despite being squeezed between the fast-flowing river, had a quite open space in the forest. The bridge behind dropped by Krische was rebuilt to be sturdy, and there were no significant difficulties in retreating. Aleha would handle the northern detour, and if the enemy came from the south by arge detour, Keith would respond, buying time. "Commander Remin has discovered an enemy detour group. We are dying it." "Tell Aleha to dy as much as possible. As soon as we meet up with the Second Corps, the main force will begin retreating." Selene gives instructions to the messenger from horseback. The Second Corps had already engaged the head of the enemy. Selene felt relieved when she saw that they had started retreating, but had returned safely. It seems that the enemy''smander-in-chief, Ledo Rani, hadunched a surprise attack using the head of the as a decoy. The aim was probably to divide the Second Corps. He was such an aggressivemander that at first nce he seemed reckless. Even though he had an advantage in military strength, he lead his forces and goes to whittle down the enemy''s strength himself. He must be very confident in his own strength. However, he was not a reckless idiot. The enemy, with this blitzkrieg invasion and superior military strength, was not letting their guard down. Even though they had the upper hand, they were trying to further reduce military strength and create an overwhelming situation. He was not reckless, but rather cautious. Judging from the northern detour, it seemed that they had expected this side expected to enter the forest despite being inferior in numbers. "A formidable opponent who doesn''t let his guard down." "Yes, indeed. In this situation, it''s unusual for our side to step into the forest. But the enemy seems to have narrowed down their focus." Bagil, who was by her side, said, and Selene nodded. ¡°After all, the purpose is to defeat this Alberinea army, right?¡± "It seems so to me." If it were a normal army, if it was a normal general, they wouldn''t enter the forest. It would be foolish to step into the sea of trees where the enemy was invading when they were outnumbered and have no information. The only reason Selene chose it was because it was the strongest army in the kingdom. Otherwise, no matter what the other¡¯s said, she would never have stepped into the sea of trees like this. And the fact that they had read their movements meant that they had assumed from the beginning that the Alberinea army would be here. ¡ªDefeat the kingdom''s strongest army, andpletely control the initiative. That was likely the enemy''s goal. "A bit early, but let''s retreat as nned. If the enemy intended to take on this army after suffering such a major defeat, it''s too dangerous in the forest." "I have no objection. If this is the battlefield chosen by the opponent, then we should avoid it." Bagil answered and asked. ¡°Then after retreating, as nned?" "We will meet up with General Remin and blockade the Royal Capital side of the Sea of Trees while gathering troops from the rear. If the enemy was targeting this army, it is unlikely that they have already divided their forces. If we do well, we will be able to reach the Royal Capital area. Maybe we can aim for victory without causing any damage.'''' If the enemy had not nned for this army to invade from the beginning, it would have been dangerous to remain outside. If the other party intended to ravage the royal capital area, the response would inevitably be dyed. However, if the enemy was targeting only this army, the story would be different. There would probably be some dys due to the opponent''s policy change. Even if they ignore this and advance into the royal capital area, it wouldn¡¯t happen immediately. Together with Tech Rare, Selene can adjust the outside situation to a certain extent. "If we get relentlessly pursued, we¡¯ll hit them with Jarea Gashea. It might be a little toughter on though." "There''s no need to hesitate. It''s like releasing countless green tigers into the forest¨D¨Dthere''s no better thing to use as a dy than this." Jaleya Gashea is assigned to Keith and the First Corps in the rear along with the engineering squad. If the pursuit was severe, they were to spread it and destroy the pursuing force. The problem was that they couldn''t be recovered after being scattered in the forest with poor visibility, but they can think about that after the war. ¨D¨DIt''s not bad, she nodded. She came to this conclusion after thinking so much that it gave her a headache. Selene did not believe that her abilities were superior. Her inexperienced brain didn''t have any kind of instantaneous power, and there was no guarantee that she would be able toe up with a decent answer if it came to a spur-of-the-moment decision. However, if she examines all possibilities one by one and umtes them, she would be able to issue perfect instructions as a general. No matter what the situation is, if she could assumes everything in advance andes to a conclusion, she could make choice without thinking. This was the only technique that Selene, who was inexperienced, could use to fight on an equal footing with others. At least with an army thisrge, she could fight a battle that they would never lose. And in this battle, as long as Selene didn¡¯t loses, it would directly lead to victory. In front, where the forest narrowed, Toluca, who had been leading the way with the second corps, appeared with a column, and then, after a short while, the silver tiger armor¨D¨DKolkis. "Bagil, I''ll send the second corps first. You will be the rear." "Yes, as nned--" ¨D¨DAnd when Bagir was about to nod, a voice like a scream came from behind him. He turned around immediately, but his eyes did not catch the cause. "Selene" Itnded from above, behind Selene and the others who turned around. "...Krische" ¡°The situation is?¡± In front was an eight shaku two jou Suiko with tworge bags strapped to his waist, an intimidatingrge figure. Sitting on top of it was a silver-haired girl. Her long hair swings like two tails, and under her cloak was a dress. Armguards, leg guards, and two curved swords at her waist. Her fairy-like beauty was endlessly cold, and there was no emotion in her purple eyes. "¡¡Why are you here?" "Krische heard from Kreschenta that Selene seems to be facing a dangerous opponent...Krische''ll end this right away. How is the situation." Selene widens her eyes for a moment, bites her lip and clenches her fist. She then lowered her eyes and said as she suppressed all her emotions. "The enemy number is between 40,000 and 60,000, and now we''ve dealt blows to thwart the enemy''s initial move as they invade from the Sea of Trees. We n to retreat from now on." "Really? The enemy is over there?" "Yes, Kolkis said he saw what looks like an enemy general." Hearing those words, Krische stared ahead. Kolkis, who seemed to recognize Krische and quickened his pace, was already nearby. ¡°...,Krische-sama¡± ¡°Is themander in chief from over there?¡± "Most likely." "Then, there is a change of ns. Selene, we will continue to formation here." "W-wait a minute!" Selene shook her head and looked up at her. "We¡¯re not prepared to meet the enemy here. No matter what you do, it''s absurd..." "¨D¨DSelene" Krische said and jumped off from above Midoriya. He then approached Selene and stroked her cheek. "Krische, just want to get this stupid thing over with and go home. Krische doesn¡¯t care about preparations or anything like that. Krische will prepare it, and Krische will finish it all." Her purple eyes showed that she wouldn¡¯t take a no. And yet, those words sounded like a busy mother trying to soothe an upset child. If the other person wasn''t Selene, it probably would have been a much more high-handed statement. She was here, leaving Bery behind, which was Krische¡¯s priority. Selene could understand her emotions better than anyone else. "...Selene, you don''t have to worry about anything. As long as Selene leave everything to Krische like always, that''s fine." That''s why her words gouged Selene''s heart. Her body freezes, her vision blurring and she closed her eyes to keep it from spilling over as she looked down. "¡¡,Understood" After saying this, Krische who did not even notice her sister''s state, turned to Kolkis. Kolkis looked at Selene and Krische with eyes that looked like they were seeing something painful. "The Second and Third Corps will stand side by side here. What we''re doing is disposing of the remaining enemies, so it''s not a big job." ¡°¡disposal of remaining enemies?¡± "yes" Krische touched the bag on the Suiko¡¯s waist. When itnded, a hard, high pitched tone rang out. "Krische will kill most of them, so please deal with the rest." ¨D¨DIt was the sound of arge amount of magic crystal packed in a bag. Chapter 241: A Maidenâ€™s Unwanted Heroic Epic Chapter 241: A Maiden¡¯s Unwanted Heroic Epic ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 241 A Maiden¡¯s Unwanted Heroic Epic*** Ledo had brought 50,000 soldiers with him. On the left wing, 10,000 soldiers for detouring nking attack from the north targeting the enemy¡¯s main camp. On the right wing, 15,000 soldiers for arge-scale attack from the river targeting the enemy¡¯s rear. If it was Alberinea, she would surely step into the forest. Their move was based on that assumption. No matter how great Alberan was, there was a limit to the speed at which information could be transmitted. In this invasion that prioritized speed, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to prepare for a perfect defense. At most, the one that woulde were just a few of the army. Considering their inferior forces, Ledo didn''t expect for direct confrontation in the forest. Instead, he decided to adopt a hit-and-run tactic to stop their initial advance. Ledo wanted to create a situation where he and Alberinea would directly fight each other. He nned to target the main camp from the side, disrupt the rear, and lure the enemy''s main camp out directly in front of Ledo. ording to the information gathered, Alberinea was an extremely aggressivemander who favored decapitation headhunting the enemy¡¯smander. Surrounded like that, if Ledo, the general, appeared in the front, there was a high probability that she wouldunch a counterattack. The enemy''s main attack¨D¨DKolkis Argand''s judgement. High control andmand ability of enemy the left wing. There was a slight discrepancy in his predictions, but if Alberinea was here, things should proceed as expected. Therefore, Ledo didn''t think this situation was that bad. His miscalction was that the person who led the Alberinea army was not Alberinea, but the kingdom''s marshal Selene Christand, but he never noticed this miscalction. "...What are they thinking?" The ce where Alberinea once fought against Aurugorn Hilkintos. Although it was sandwiched between a forest to the north and a river to the south, there was a wide grasnd in the sea of trees. The Alberinea''s army, forming two corps of about 10,000 soldiers, was confidently positioned there. And at the forefront was a girl with long silver hair, sitting on a jade-colored tiger. It was the first time Ledo had seen her, but he had no doubt that it was her. She had a small body even from a distance, and wore a fluttering cloak that could be grabbed in the event of a melee. Her floating appearance waspletely unsuitable for the battlefield. No, that was probably not the only reason why she looks floating. The moment he stepped out of the forest path and stood here, he felt an inexplicable pressure on his entire body. Those 10,000¨D¨DWas not like the line of battle earlier, set up by Kolkis Argand and his warriors, they were forming naturally in awe of the girl alone at the front. "How convenient. ...Form battle formation." ¡°Ha!¡± Not trembling like a warrior¡ªno, not like when facing Felworth Keithriton or Kolkis Argand. There was no overwhelming blood boiling in the face of revenge. Rather, it felt like cold water was poured into his boiling blood. Ledo involuntarily looked at his trembling palms. ¡®¨D¨DAm I scared?¡¯ He asked himself, scanning the surroundings. The soldiers around him also raised their voices and started forming battle lines. However, something was off. Something was going awry, their voices were slightly strained. Or perhaps, they were exerting too much force. It was as if they were suppressing fear with determination. Ledo wasn''t the only one trembling. What Alberinea took was an action that was too difficult to understand. The northern corps is doing well to holding back their offensive. It would probably have taken some time for those detouring from the south to engage the enemy''s rear. However, that was only for a short time. For the Alberinea army''s main camp, they should have retreated during this time. Whether they aimed for a counterattack or retaliation, it was essential to at least show a ¡®pretense of withdrawing¡¯. Especially in an environment where the numerical advantage in the forest made it difficult to use surprise attacks, the significance of their actions became apparent only when therge army faced a real threat. It would have been foolish to conduct a brazen frontal battle in such an open ce. It would be great if they had superior military strength, but both locally and overall, they were at a huge disadvantage. Even if they were to take this kind of action, the enemy should prepare at the exit to this space where Ledo and his army were currently standing. There was no tactical sense in forming such a ridiculous line of battle, facing each other with the bridge behind Ledo. Now that it had be like this, it had be impossible for Alberinea''s main camp topletely retreat. Tactically and strategically, it was iprehensible. No, that was probably why it was so eerie. Now, in order for the Alberinea army to leave this forest safely, it has be essential for them to defeat these 25,000 troops led by Ledo. In other words, Alberinea intends to crush Ledo from now on with less than half its number. It was mad and reckless. Ledo had both wings took a detour. There were no reports of ambushes. They couldn''t see the iron golems that were said to have been used in the battles with Gulshan and Elsren. No matter how he looked at it, it didn''t make sense. However, the sight of Alberinea in front of them¨D¨Djust watching form as they formed battle line without any instructions, gives them a sense of inexplicable fear. ¨D¨DIt felt as if everything in this space was in the stomach of a huge creature. The dominance was theirs, the advantage was also theirs. But regardless of such logic, a heavy air clung to their body. ¡°Alberinea, what are you¡?¡± "I don''t know. But be careful. At least is means there¡¯s a good chance of winning from her pint of view.¡± Ledo had no choice but to answer the question. At least if Ledo was in the opposite position, it seemed there was no way to turn the situation around from there. Even if you disregarded victory or defeat, this would only further improve the advantage of their side, there seemed to be no advantage for Alberinea. And the same goes for the soldiers she lead. Confusion seemed to exist not only on Ledo''s side, but also on Alberan''s soldiers. In such a situation, they simply watch silently as the superior enemy forces formed their battle lines. This clearly deviated from the logic of military tactics. It didn''t even exist in the original n. To the Alberan soldiers, all that was conveyed to them in this short time was the information that Alberinea had a secret n. The soldiers of Alberan couldn''t help but look at each other in the heavy atmosphere¨D¨Dbut they didn''t disobey orders, and the reason they formed a battle line like this was the result of their training and experience. They knew very well what kind of being Alberinea was. This seemingly reckless behavior was by no means the first time they have had experienced. Opinions were divided about her personality, but at least there was no one in this army who doubted her overwhelming strength and abilities. Alberinea easily defeated Gulshan, Elderant, Elsren¨D¨Dthe invasion that everyone felt despair over. Her power was beyond doubt, and she challenged the god-like ancient dragon, allowed their Mana (True Name), and won friendship. She was truly a living myth. Therefore, they looked at Alberinea with a slight awe and eyes full of strong expectations. And, paying no heed to their gaze, Alberinea begins to move. When Alberinea saw that the battle line of the Vezrea army was mostlypleted, she made the Suiko walk. The soldiers moved slowly and looked at each other, wondering if it were greeting the start of the war, but after walking a short distance, the Suiko stopped in the middle of both armies. Then, Alberinea cut off the tworge bags that were carried around the Suiko¡¯s waist with her curved sword, opened it violently to the surrounding. Scattered across the grasnd were countless magic crystals. With that, the Suiko, yawned and thinking that the work was over, turned away from the ce and headed towards Alberan''s main camp. Then, just as the Suiko jumped over the line of battle, the girl took one of them in her hands and smashed it. With a high-pitched sound, the hard magic crystal turned into a blue and dense magical power that even those without magical power could detect, and all of the magical power generated from the first magic crystal was transferred into the girl''s hands. Inpressed time, mere curves of light intersected and parted. The three-dimensional blue geometric pattern was like a me on the girl''s hand. One could say it was a kind of arithmetic circuit. A virtual brain that took the girl''s thoughts that transcend even time to even greater heights. What it signifies was just onew and logic. To many, it would have looked like a dance or something. As if a shrine maiden were bringing down a god upon herself. Or as if she were stepping into that realm herself. As she spun around as if dancing, the girl''s cloak and her long hair swayed, and all the magic crystals scattered on the grasnd shattered. ¨D¨DAlong with a hard chain that shook the heavens, the girl was surrounded by blue mes and blue curves. "That¡¡" Murmurs arose from both sides. At least there was no one here who could tell what it was or what she was doing. It was a collection of magical circles that were as delicate and beautiful were works of art, and horrifyingly numerous. Her long silver hair, like two tails, swayed from side to side even though there was no wind, and her cloak flutered. A blue light flew around her, and within it Alberinea held her hand above her head. The blue light gathered on the girl''s small palm, change shape, and emitted a dazzling light. The light was much longer than the girl''s height, and a sound like the crackling air echoed in all directions around her. To describe it, it was something like a spear. ¨D¨DOr perhaps it was the lightning itself. It was the spear through which the Thunder God showed Its wrath, ance of storms that would engulf and burn everything in the lower world. What clearly separated God and humans, heaven and earth. The girl who grasped the tremendous power ran lightly, simply pushing the violence in her hands forward. No one was able to react to the approaching girl and her spear. Not the apprentice who had never killed a person. Not the masters who had dedicated their life to martial arts like a monk. Not even the renown hero in that society. Indiscriminately, unreserved, and irrationally. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± A sh of light came before the roar and filled the heavens and earth, turning everything into nothingness. A sh of light that pierced the left nk of the Vezrea Army''s battle line raised a pir of fire that scorched the sky, and a beatter, a roar shook the air and the earth. Everyone present was stunned and stopped moving. When the sh disappears and the smoke cleared a momentter, there was earth that had been gouged out and melted. Naturally, the thousands of soldiers on the left wing who had formed a battle line had disappeared. No, there was some remnants of it, like rain falling from the sky. If they were lucky, they might have been allowed to fall to the ground with parts of their body still intact. What is certain is that everyone who was there at center of explosion, from ordinary soldiers to famous heroes, ended the lives that they had umted at that moment. The girl moved naturally and without hesitation, violence was in her hands. Her second lightning spear was aimed the battle line of the right wing. The same scene from before was reenacted, with a mist of evaporating body fluids and carbonized and molten flesh falling onto the ground a littleter. Alberinea''s warriors still remained stiff, staring at the scene in shock. "Hie! ¨D¨DRetreat! Fall back!!" In a world where time has stopped, the warriors of the Vezrea army were the first to move. The difference in reaction was natural. Because the clear death and violence was directed only to their side. This ce was a world ruled by only onew and logic. Everyone understood that it would be foolhardy to confront this. Just as there was no one who would raise their sword or shield against a storm, this could be called a natural providence. No matter how many forces they gathered, no matter how many formations they created, no matter how harsh the training they underwent, or how much effort they put into In the end, they were truly weak creatures who had no means of resisting the will of God. There were some who couldn¡¯t ept reality and was left standing still. After being blown away, some of them crouched down, barely able to catch their breath. Naturally, many of those who survived began to retreat, and even the brave warriors who were supposed to be inmand shouted and ordered a retreat on their own without even waiting for instructions from the general. ¨D¨DIn this ce, Alberinea was the only god. With two spears, the battle was decided, but regardless, Alberinea produced a third spear and threw it directly in front. It was like kicking a pebble along the road, and there was no particr meaning behind it. Even if she had just walked, they would have cleared a path and run away from her. She knew that, but it didn''t matter. She threw it. A pir of fire went up. Another two to three thousand lives disappear. To her it seemed ¡®something¡¯ was in the way, and with that light feeling she took thousands of lives effortlessly. The ultimate in logic that someone called a genius could finally weave after spending hundreds of years. In the blink of an eye, calcted and woven, the spear was an art of theoretical limits iparable to the breath of a dragon, an efficiently executed death itself. The lightning spear, which pierces and disintegrates battle lines at random, was a violence too powerful for an individual to possess, yet she had no hesitation or fear in using it. Everything that met her eyes seemed unpleasant, actively obstructing her. That alone was enough for her to kill them all. To her, this world was full of things that didn''t matter. She was not interested in their lives, nor was she interested in what efforts they had made to be where they were, what good deeds they had done, and what evil deeds they had done. Everything they had umted up to that point was equally worthless to her. Her bnce scale would not waver in the slightest, no matter how many thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of millions of their lives were added up. She had been that way since her birth and continued to be so. ¨D¨DBorn as a princess of a kingdom, she was born with an abnormality. The girl moved forward without paying attention to everything she has killed. She was surrounded by countless blue magical circles, her cloak was fluterring, and her two long silver hairs, tied with pale crimson gands, swung from side to side. She was not even running. The blue curve on the girl''s back. The magic generated wings and pushed her body up into the air. She lightly jumped over the hole in the battle line that she had created pointlessly andnded. The enemies main camp was right in front of her¨D¨Dand seeing that the suprememander was not running away, she walked forward. "...Are you the suprememander?" In a daze, she addressed the young man holding a huge sword, continuing her approach without stopping. She wasn''t particrly seeking an answer. All she needed to do was kill them all, regardless of the answer. "......,that¡¯s right." The young man¨D¨DLedo Rani held his giant sword as if dragging it and looked at the soldiers on either side of him. Despite this situation, the soldiers nodded and killed their fear. Everyone now knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would die together with thismander. They spread out and took the left and right sides of the girl who was walking towards them. Everyone was now working solely to give meaning to their death. "Shelna''s enemy...I''ll take your life, Alberinea!!" When Ledo shouted and charged in, Krische on the other hand stopped. She merely nced at the soldiers on her left and right¨D¨Dand that was it. The blue curves that had been floating ran like lightning towards them, reaching their chests or the magic crystals they held. Thest thing they saw was the lifeless purple eyes that seemed endlessly cold. ¨D¨DIn an instant, a blue light enveloped them, and with an explosive sound, flesh and blood exploded and scattered. Without doing anything, their existence simply disappears. If one had to give a reason, it would be because they went against the onlyw and logic. It was a death that left no room for further discussion. Ledo was no longer shaken by the tragic death of hisrade with whom he had fought for many years, and even by the fact that he had lost everything he needed to win. He swung the sword, unleashing a sh as if wringing out everything he had built up over the years. The girl, with a slight movement of her upper body, easily evaded it. She continued to dodge the subsequent strikes, each oneing closer to her like the thickness of a piece of paper. The fourth, the fifth, the sixth, seventh, eighth¡ª¡ªeverything Ledo had built up in the art of war, the girl simply avoided. It was a battle that could not be called a battle, evident to anyone who witnessed it. What faced each other were not child and adult, is was only a singlew. A de that will never reach. There is a gap between heaven and earth that could never be crossed, even if that person was a warrior or possessed the highest level of martial arts. There is an absolute rift in power that it would be presumptuous to evenpare them to one another. That thing, should be called a mere providence. Frozen purple eyes stared intently at Ledo, who was swinging his sword at herself. For Ledo, it felt like he was facing a shadow that he could never cut down. He realized that the power he had cultivated through the hellish battlefield was worthless in front of the girl. "Umm" The girl calmly dodged his sword and tilted her head expressionlessly. It was an eerie gesture, like a doll. ¡°Could it be, is this the end?¡± Using all the magic in his body, he grasped all the power generated by the giant sword. He tried to hit her with such violence that his own body was torn to shreds. His sword was now producing speeds that exceeded even Ledo''s perception. However, the girl still dodged it, looked at Ledo, and pulled out her curved sword. "!?" Sliding her de into the giant sword. She hit Ledo''s de diagonally, making a small dent in the de, and then swung it out. It was an eerily elegant and precise sword swing. The giant sword, inherited from his father, was cut in half by the girl''s small curved sword, and Ledo suddenly loses its inertia and fell down to his knee. ¡®¨D¨DI praise you as a warrior. But that''s precisely why I pity you. ...You won''t gain anything.¡¯ Those words came to his mind. What was in front of him was someone that no matter how hard one tried, there was no way anyone could reach her. "When you say an enemy, do you mean revenge from the previous battle?" The girl''s steel-reinforced boots kicked up Ledo''s stomach as he fell down. The power was unimaginable from her slender and petite physique¨D¨Dthe blow that pierced through his abdominal muscles destroyed the internal organs, and his muscr body, floated up along with a dull sound. "...But why did you attack when you''re so weak?" Ledo coughed blood as he holds his left side and stood up. Still he tried to m his bare fist into the girl. "Gah-" ¡°So that this doesn¡¯t happen, Krische¡¡± The girl''s curved sword easily severed the base of his arm. And at the same time, she kicked his body and made him fall. "...Even though you''re so weak, Bery is in trouble, and you get in Krische¡¯s way." The girl was not exposed to even a single drop of blood. "Besides, you were the ones who attacked in the first ce..." The girl twisted her beautiful face and held her forehead. Then she stomps on Ledo''s remaining left arm. "...Ah, it''s kind of irritating." Ledo looked at the girl who was trying to kill him. Shelna''s body didn''t even have any scratches from the shing, it was clean. The battle was probably one-sided. ¨D¨DIt was a scene she had saw alone. ¡°She..¡± "¡¡Enough" As he tried to say something, Krische easily cut his neck in half. Then she grabbed the head, stuck the neck through the tip of the g that had just been rolling, stuck it to the ground, and turned towards Alberan''s army. Selene, Kolkis, and Bagil. Even themander couldn''t move or even make a sound when they saw that scene, and if that was the case, so were the soldiers. Among them, amander wearing ck armor shouted out the victory of the great Alverinea before anyone else. He too froze¨D¨Dit was merely a voice he raised in an instant to ascertain victory, to prevent Alberinea, whom he admired, frommitting any more ughter. The warriors in ck armor responded, and the soldiers raised their voices as well. What many of them feel about Alberinea''s power is awe and reverence that could be called fear. Literally, one person won against an army. There had been many people in the past who have been called Gods of War, etc., but it was impossible for anyone other than the girl in front of them to be true to those words. If it was spoken, it was a kind of myth, a heroic tale. The fairy tales that they had known as fantasies filled with vanity when they grew up were now reality in front of their eyes. A child abandoned by the royal family was picked up by a hero, became a warrior, became a hero, and even reached the realm of gods. They needed a way toe to terms with everything that was unrealistic that had just happened in front of them. That was why they trembled and loudly praised the hero Alberinea to the heavens. The Child of God, guided by destiny. A born hero. What was needed in order to ept her immense individuality was faith, and their voice simply resonates as if to suppress the fear of the abnormality that she was. The girl, with cold eyes, listened to the cheers. She didn''t seek praise, honor, or faith, none of it. All she thought about was the woman waiting for her return. Needless to say, the battle ended shortly thereafter. The girl, who left everything to her older sister and her subordinates, headed for the capital with the Suiko, running. She sometimes clutched the small bag around her neck. For her, it was more important than anything else¨D¨Da promise. She did her best to the very limit, but she was still anxious. However, when she returned this candy to her as usual, she was finally able to find some relief. In just a few moments, her wish wille true. While she was helplessly resentful of them getting in her way, she tried to imagine her smile as much as possible, and tried not to think about it, forgetting that she on the battlefield and thinking only about her. Kiss her and apologize. Then, she would reassure her that it would only be a little while longer. When all was said and done, things would be the same as before. They would continue their daily life as usual, as if nothing changed. That was all that girl wanted, and she wanted to do so many things that would make her happy so that she could forget all the pain she was going through. The girl believed that was why she was here and she had no doubts about that. The girl''s ce was not on the battlefield, but in the estate where she was waiting. Once the royal capital was in sight, she pushed her pet, and hurried along while apologizing. And so she ran through the royal capital like the wind, in front of the familiar mansion. She took the bag from around her neck and stepped into her room from her balcony, not even sparing time to enter through her front door. ¨DHowever there was no one on the bed, only a servant with ck hair cut to shoulder length. When the servant saw the girl appeared, she was dumbfounded, then contorted her face, covered her face with her hands, and fell to her knees. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± The girl asked timidly, feeling her imagination flicker, something she didn''t want to think about. Contrary to her faint hopes, the servant shook her head. The pouch in her hand fell onto the floor. Unable to pick it up, she just stood there in a daze. As if time had stopped, as if temperature had been lost. The world had lost its color and her thoughts refused understood it. Wobbling, her eyes swimming around. The girl pressed her own forehead and shook her head. Unwilling to admit that the irrecoverable time, the most precious thing in this world, was lost to her. The loud voices of praise from the battlefield echoed in her head, like ringing in her ears. As if afraid of the girl, fearing her. ¨D¨DThe voices that loudly praised the girl''s unwanted heroic epic. Chapter 242: The Oceanâ€™s Frog Chapter 242: The Ocean¡¯s Frog ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 242 The Ocean¡¯s Frog*** ¡°Onee-sama, today I made your favorite pumpkin pie.¡± The girl who entered the room had a bright voice. With golden hair shining in red¨D¨Dthe girl adorned in a beautiful white one-piece dress approached the bed, holding a te. Anne nodded to Kreschenta as she entered, and quietly went outside. Knowing she wouldn''t respond, Kreschenta sat down on the bed, ced the te of pumpkin pie on the bedside table, and stroked her sister''s cheek as shey there. She wasn''t asleep. However, it couldn''t be said that she was awake either. Her gaze was empty, staying motionless as if she had turned into a mere doll, staring into the void. When Kreschenta lifted her sister''s body up, she felt that she had be somewhat more slim. Skillfully using a fork with her right hand, she took a bite of the pumpkin pie and brought it to her sister''s mouth. "Sister, please eat. It''s my masterpiece." Pressing it to her lips, she slowly opened her mouth, bite into the pumpkin pie, and immediately swallowed it. For a few days, she did not eat or even drink water. Anne felt uneasy about Krische¡¯s deteriorating health, pleaded earnestly, and finally got her to eat, but she never moved on her own. She neither cried nor showed sadness or anger. She had been like this since she returned. "...Kreschenta, I''m not hungry." "That''s impossible. I''m going to make sure Onee-sama eat everything today too." ¡®Onee-sama¡¯ need to get well soon, Kreschenta said, and Krische listened without emotion. Kreschenta didn¡¯t pay it any attention care moved on to the next pie. Eating was just a shore. After finishing the meal as if it were an obligation, Krischey down. Kreschenta tried to say something, but stopped and lowered her eyes. ¡®I¡¯m going to clean up then¡¯, she said in a cheerful voice, and leaves the room. Leaning against the door, she sighed quietly and asked. ¡°¡What is it?¡± Her ck hair was tied to the side. Anne looked at Kreschenta with concern and lowered her eyes. "¡¡No" She red at Arne in annoyance, then looked away. ¡°Selene-sama is supposed toe home today. ¡Maybe that will change things for the better. You stay by Onee-sama¡¯s side and take care of her while I¡¯m gone, making sure she doesn¡¯t do anything strange.¡± Anne nodded and answered ¡®yes¡¯, then opened her mouth again, stopped. ¡®What is it¡¯, Kreschenta asked again, and Anne bowed her head. "...My apologize. Of all things, I had harbored improper imagination about Your Majesty the Queen." Then she looked up at her. Anne looked straight at Kreschenta. "However, regardless of the truth behind those imagination, I love and respect Your Majesty as the person I should serve...I just wanted convey that." Kreschenta looked back at Anne, and said exasperated. "Unfortunately, I don''t believe in words." "However, I believe that there are some things that cannot be conveyed without words. Therefore, I would like to convey this to Your Majesty at least once. ...Please forgive my rudeness." Kreschenta stared at the servant and looked away from her. "...Really you¡¯re all are ipetent servants huh. Do as you please." Kreschenta said that and left. Until her figure disappeared around the corner of the hallway, Anne continued bowing her head. It was truly a bolt out of the blue. Krische literally flew through the forest, swinging lightning spears. She must have seemed like a real disaster to many soldiers. No, even more than that¡ª¡ªKrische unleashed thunder spear that easily swept away not only dozens but over thousands of soldiers. Selene realized once again that even Jareia Gashea and Baumje were nothing more than something that limited her. Krische possessed immense power, capable of bending thews of the world and even stopping time if she wished. She could understand why she was able to fight against that dragon. ¡®¡ª¡ªThe principle of magic itself is quite simple once you get used to it, so I asked Krische a long time ago to keep it a secret and refrain from using it recklessly. It''s a power that can be anything you want.¡¯ When she told Bery about Krische action of stopping time to save her, she said that troubledly. Bery always knows all about Krische. She understood the reasons and intentions behind hiding it, but there was always a slight, faint feeling inside her, a feeling that washed away with happiness. It was always like that. Selene always had two opposing feelings. Beautiful emotions and gloomy, sticky emotions. Something trivial, something small. When ites to Bery, she didn¡¯t care about anything else and would do anything for Bery. That¡¯s the Krische that Selene knew, but Selene loved her and she also loved Bery. That¡¯s why it was finr. ¡°Selene-sama, I think you also have imagined it sometimes, don''t you? If Argan-sama wasn¡¯t here, then¨D¨D¡¯ Kreschenta words struck a chord in her. There was no way those wordse truly from her heart, but even so, she felt annoyed for a moment because she couldn''t say for sure that there weren''t any sticky feelings agitated by those words. ¡®I...I want a meaning of being by that child''s side. So, at least I need to do the bare minimum that I have to do, or I can¡¯t forgive myself.¡¯ She wanted to prove it. She could literally risk my life for them. That she would do anything within her power. She wanted to prove to herself that she truly loved them, regardless of the mixed feelings inside her,. Even if she couldn¡¯t do something like Krische or Kreschenta or Bery did, she wanted to be of help. Compared to them, she was hopelessly small and has only a tiny amount of power, but if she used all of her body and soul to the best of her ability, she could be their strength no matter how little. Selene just wanted them to believe that. ¨D¨DThe result was this. ¡®As Krische-sama said, it is just a cleanup. It won¡¯t take that much effort. ...Selene-sama please leave it to us and go back. General Remin will also arrive in a while.¡¯ ¡®I¨D¨D'' ¡®You have a terrible face. ...If I may be rude to say this as a soldier, Selene-sama is in danger right now. Don''t push yourself too hard now.¡¯ Kolkis said, as if he were seeing something painful and worried. ¡®I just want to say this, neither I nor anyone thought there was any problems with Selene-sama''s tactics. It was notcking ability. Even without Krische-sama, we would have been able to get through this. Don¡¯t me yourself. Selene-sama didn''t do anything wrong.¡¯ ¡®...Is that''s... a kindfort for your benefactor¡¯s daughter¡¯ ¡®Feel free to ept it in any way you like. ...However, I want Selene-sama to believe that what I am not saying was really not just a lip service.¡¯ She wanted to throw a tantrum like a child. However, Selene had some faith in the meaning of his words, and she appreciated and understood his concern. Not wanting to disappoint him, she followed his advice. She didn''t do anything on the battlefield. Without even doing the minimum work, she was sent back to the estate. ¡®...Marshal? The battlefield is¨D¨D¡® ¡®Krische killed the enemy general and ended it. Afterwards, General Carnarius will lead the battle to wipe out the remnants. I''ll tell you the situation. General Remin will continue to help with that.¡¯ On the way, they passed each other and, she told Tekrea who had a doubtful expression about the situation and simple instructions before returning. Feeling pathetic, wishing she could die. Then she returned to the estate¨D¨D ¨D¨DWas she awake or was she asleep? Even she herseld wasn''t sure about that. Night¨D¨Dshe woke up gazing at the sleeping Krescenta next to her, looking tired, and got up. She knew that she was making the people around her worried, but she couldn''t do anything about it. She tried to think of something, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything, and her head was so foggy that she couldn¡¯t understand herself. When she ate something, it tastes like she was chewing sand. Even though I could taste sweet and spicy food, she didn¡¯t feel that anything she ate was delicious. She should have been thirsty and hungry, but she didn¡¯t feel like eating or drinking anything. ¡®¨D¨DFor example, I would be very sad if Gotoushu-sama, Ojou-sama, or the Krische-sama were to lose their lives in an unexpected ident. It will be so hard that I won''t be able to eat my favorite dishes. Many people feel that way when they lose their loved ones.¡¯ Recalling those words, she looked around. Bery was nowhere to be found. ¡®¡®Perhaps, that was why she was like this?¡¯¨D¨Dshe tried to think but it quickly faded away. She heard that Bery was dead. Did she really die, she tilted her head wondering. Krische didn¡¯t watch her die. Maybe she was not dead. Maybe she was out there somewhere. If she was not in the room, where was she? Sneaking out of her bed, she quietly walked over and opened the door. She searched around the estate one by one, starting from the second floor. She could see Anne and Elvena sleeping, but Bery wasn''t there. She looked at the storeroom, and maybe the bathhouse. But Bery wasn''t there after all. The most likely location was thest. However, she felt strangely hesitant about stepping into that area. She looked around at all the other rooms, and if there was a ce where she might found her, that would be the only one. Thinking back, she haven''t went to the kitchen for a while, so maybe she was in here after all. Maybe she was heating up some milk because she couldn¡¯t sleep. ¡°......¡± Resolving herself, she opened the door. A neatly arranged kitchen came into view. On the shelves were Bery''s prided spices from various ces. Even though is was just salt, the variety was vast, and numerous cooking utensils hung, along with countless cooking facilities. Over the years, their number had increased. When she saw the kitchen for the first time, she was just amazed saying ¡®amazing, amazing¡¯. The passion she put into cooking was beyond Krische¡¯s. A room prepared solely for cooking food. Each high-quality tool was prepared for even the most trivial tasks in cooking. She was far beyond what Krische¡¯s thought of, if she were to have a meal, she wanted it to be at least a delicious dish. This was an atelier dedicated to pursuing taste, Bery was the first culinary artist that Krische had ever seen. If nutrition could be obtained, that was enough. For the sake of a meal, pouring enormous effort and seemingly unnecessarybor to pursue the value of simply being delicious. Pouring her heart and soul into making someone happy. That way of being was a surprise to Krische. Not to showcase her own excellence, not to seek reciprocation, just to give. Her way of thinking was fundamentally different from Krische, who thought only that she should give back what she was given. Bery generously gave everything she had cultivated to the freeloader Krische, a stranger she met for the first time. Her knowledge, experience, and everything thates after a lot of effort. Even when ites to techniques and even the smallest tools, she never hesitated. The more she spent time with her, the more she realized that it wasn''t just about cooking, it was about everything. ¡®If they requested then it''s toote. When Gotoushu-sama, Ojou-sama, or guests think, ''It would be nice if this or that were here,'' it should have already been prepared beforehand. Being able to anticipate, think ahead, and secretly create such an environment is what makes a good servant.¡¯ Give everything the other person wants before they ask, and it didn¡¯t matter if they were grateful or not. Her way of thinking surprised her in many ways, as she used to think of servants as just people who did housework. Bery Argan was a servant who did her best for the happiness of others, and her way of life, where s always puts others before herself, was endlessly charming. Krische wanted to be her servant. Help her cook, help her with her work. She wanted to help her find happiness. She was able to be happy just by making someone else happy, and for Krische, that was the most social and ideal way to live. "Bery...?" When they came to this mansion, the two of them put a lot of thought into theyout of the cooking utensils and equipment, and the kitchen was optimized for use by the two of them. However, it felt kind of cold right now. There was no one but Krische in the dark kitchen where only a little moonlight shone through. She looked at the surroundings in a daze, walked around in circles, and then sat down, feeling weak. Bery was nowhere to be found. She reached into the drawer and took one of the knives inside. It was Berry''s favorite small knife. The knife was only a knife¡ª¡ªbut it looked strangely shiny. Worn from use but without any dullness, it was not an extraordinary item in terms of simple appearance. It was not among the highest-quality knives in the kitchen. ¡®Nee-sama bought it for me a long time ago.¡¯ But she remembered her happy face, and that was why she looked so beautiful. At the same time, she realized that she would never be able to see that face again. She realized that she had no choice but to spend a long time like this. Everything suddenly felt like it had faded. No hugs, no pats on the head, no kisses. ¨D¨DNot only that, herself. She had noticed it many times and understood it¨D¨Dbut it disappeared from her thoughts. However, now that she had a knife in her hand, she felt impulsive. Unconsciously, she suddenly pressed the tip of it against her neck¨D¨D ¡°Krische!¡± The voice stopped her and pushed her down. Her arm was grabbed, and the knife was taken away. ¡°...Selene?¡± "...Don''t think about anything stupid." Selene embraced Krische so hard that it hurt, dazedly. Selene was shaking while holding her. She had just came back¨D¨DBut she knew what happened without even asking. When she came back, she noticed that the doors were open everywhere, which was unusual, and Selene hurried to the kitchen right away. And she saw the Krische holding a knife to her neck. "please¡¡" Tears spilled, and her face twisted. She was pathetic and helpless. She wasn''t trusted by either Krische or Kreschenta, and she couldn¡¯t even be entrusted with anything, no matter what the oue was, Bery wasn''t there. She didn¡¯t know if it was her fault or not. However, Selene could only think of it as her fault. If it had been her father instead of Selene, or if it had been Nozan, Krische might have left everything to them. But since it was Selene, Krische left Bery behind and entered the battlefield. Not only was she useless, but she was nothing more than a baggage. "¡¡sorry" Krische listened and said dazedly. "...? Selene, didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Krische is the one, who..." While being hugged by Selene, ¡°...Krische, it''s just a little bit more, so Krische asked her to wait a little more.¡± Krische said in a toneless voice. ¡°But, Krische, in the end couldn¡¯t make it¡then, what was the point of asking Bery to endure it?¡± Slowly and intermittently. ¡°Krische, just tormented Bery and made her feel pain, and in the end, Bery¡Krische, just, wanted to make Bery happy¡¡± Krische tilted her head. She couldn¡¯t think straight. "...Selene, where did Berry go? She hasn''t been anywhere since Krische came back. Krische still haven''t given the candy back to Bery." Selene simply put strength into her arms. If she didn''t do that, Krische might just disappear like this. Selene sniffled and told Krische. "...I''m probably just going out for a while. It''ste today, so you should get some rest." It was the kind of thing one would say to a small child. Calming her down, letting her rest, and sort out her feelings. She couldn''t do anything, so if there was anything she could do, it was that. "...going out?" "Yes. ...It''s okay, just take a break." ¡°But, Bery''s not in shape to go¨D¨D¡± "Krische...It''s okay, it¡¯s fine. You might not believe me, but." Because she couldn''t be believed, it turned out like this. Selene knew that. She didn''t have confidence in whether she could really reassure her. ¡®...Please take care of Krische-sama¡¯ ¨D¨DWhat would have happened if she and Bery were in opposite positions? She was sure Bery could have easily reassured andforted Krische. Bery could do anything. Whatever she did, she was much better than Selene. She was very different from Selene Christand, who couldn''t do anything. Krische nodded. "Krische, understand. So that¡¯s what it mean." "...Krische?" "People have souls. Krische, know that." Immediately, her voice became clear. Selene looked at Krische with suspicion. ¡°Everyone said that when the body dies, the soul goes to heaven, and Krische know that feeling. Ehehe, Krische¡¯s sure Berry feels the same way. The body id gone, and Bery¡¯s soul just floated away somewhere.¡± ¡°K-Krische!¡± Krische slipped out of Selene''s arms and smiled with the moonlight behind her. His purple eyes were shining madly. "That was dangerous. Krische needs to go pick up Berry." "Wait! Krische!!" Ignoring Selene''s voice as if she couldn''t hear, Krische went out through the back door. Selene froze, slumped on her floor with her hands outstretched, hugging her knees and letting out sobs like an abandoned child. ¡°Onee-sama!?¡± Perhaps she noticed Selene''s loud voice, Kreschenta was the first toe down. Kreschenta saw Selene sitting on her floor, her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes turn to her back door, which was still open. "Selene-sama, where is Onee-sama?" ¡°...¡± Selene''s response was so small that she couldn''t hear it. Kreschenta asked irritably. "...? I can''t hear you. Don''t cry and speak clearly." "¨D¨DShut up! I don''t know!!" and he shouted, ¡°All of you...me...¡± To the frozen Kreschenta, she weakly muttered, ¡°Just, what, am I supposed to do...¡± Her voice mixed with sobbing. Chapter 243: Eternal Nestling Chapter 243: Eternal Nestling ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 243 Eternal Nestling*** Despite being the king of a country, she didn''t bring any escort with her. Under the moonlight, with a trail of red and gold, and wearing a thin pink negligee, Kreschenta patted the Suiko on the back. "...over there." Where her sister was going¨D¨Dshe didn''t know, but she would at least need a lot of magical power if she was going to do anything. Holding onto the Suiko¡¯s stiff fur, she headed from the royal territory to the roof of the first-ss city. Holding onto the Suiko¡¯s stiff fur, she headed from the royal territory to the roof of the first-ss city. "..." ¨D¨DWhat she saw there was a pir of light extending from the factory to the sky. It seemed like a huge amount of magical power was rising up. There was no need to think about what it was. She knew that no one but her sister had done it. From a distance, she stared at it, trying to decipher the meaning of that magical power. She didn¡¯t want to waste even a little bit oftime. She was a little apprehensive, and she had expected it. However, the situation was much worse than she imagined. It was like pulling out the base of a building block. It felt like the various things that had been supporting Kreschenta¡¯s surrounding crumbled with a loud noise. And that was something that she had to be avoid. ¡®...Please, never me yourself. Whatever the oue¨D¨DKreschenta-sama''s choice is definitely not something to be med for.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re, really hopeless huh. ...Even though you¡¯re about to die, is it the time to be worried about others?¡¯ ¡®Yes. If I were to die it would be precisely for that reason, I think. ...I love Kreschenta-sama from the bottom of my heart.¡¯ ¨D¨DJust like how Kreschenta-sama loves me. When she think back on it, ¡®Aah¡¯, she thought. That was when everything started to went crazy. That servant got sick, and then everything went crazy. "...It''s your fault." Something heavy was swirling around in her stomach. Even if she wanted to vomit, she couldn''t, and it kept umting. A worn-out face came to mind, the face distorted in pain. ¡®...Even if you can endure it, how many years are you nning on holding out?¡¯ ¡®Of course, for as many decades as Krische-sama wishes.¡¯ ¡®Even if life continues to be worse than it is now?¡¯ ¡®There''s no need to think about it...I''ve made an oath.¡¯ And that smile too. Did she want to end it? Didn''t she don¡¯t want to see that any longer? Was it because she was worried about her sister, who was clearly staking her life and heading off to do dangerous research? The reasons were unclear even to her. However, it seemed like there was no other option, that¡¯s why¨D¨D ¡°Y-Your Majesty the Queen!?¡± ¡°Nagal-sama, what about Onee-sama?¡± Jumping over countless rooftops and rampart. With the Suiko¡¯s speed, it would take less than half a koku to reach the factory outside the royal capital. On the ins outside¨D¨Din the factory surrounded by distorted walls, the factory manager, Nagal, was about to jump on a horse. When he recognized Kreschenta, he hurriedly got off the horse he just rode and kneeled. ¡°Save the greeting, Exin the situation.¡± "Has! She came a while ago...saying she would use the magic crystals and suddenly¨D¨D" "Where ?" ¡°T-this way!¡± He must have just woken up. His hair was curly and his face clearly showed confusion. Still, perhaps because he understood that Kreschenta, who was wearing a nightgown, was on urgent business, he immediately started running towards therge warehouse. Kreschenta let the Suiko return and followed him. There, as far as the eye could see, were low-purity magic crystals piled up that was used for Baumje-Ira. There should have been a stockpile like a small mountain, but a third of it had disappeared. "Your Majesty¨D¨D¡± "Please be quiet for a moment." The consumed amount of magic crystals was abnormal. The magic crystals that were piled up in thisrge warehouse, which stretches for four and a half ri, were collected by the country on a yearly basis. Even though the purity was low, if Krische and Kreschenta feel like it, they could easily wipe out a fortress city with just the taken magic crystals. The financial loss didn''t matter. All she wanted to know was what her sister had done with that much magical power. The pir of light was definitely here. The surrounding magical power contained the remains of a technique that curved space¨D¨Dit matched what she saw from a distance. "Did Onee-sama say anything?" "...To the Ancient Dragon-sama''s ce." "... Spatial teleportation, huh." When Kreschenta swung her arms, she shattered the magic crystals around her, converting them into her own magical power and impurities. The low-purity magic crystal had a lot of things mixed in with it, and it took some effort to engrave the magic form, but if it was just converting it into magic power, there would be no problem. Kreschenta did not know the exact whereabouts of the dragon. She also did not know the exact distance from here to Arbyagel. But it would be enough if she could fly close. She had never experienced spatial teleportation. She didn¡¯t even know how to do it. But, all she had to do was figure it out right here. Wisdom acquired from birth. ¡®If it''s not useful even here¡¯, then it had no value. She danced, her skirt swaying, her golden hair sparkling red. The way she spun around seemed like a kind of dance, and as if in response, the magic crystals shattered with a hard sound. The blue light danced around the girl like a fairy, imprinting her graceful yet numerous techniques into the sky. Nagal''s eyes were captivated by the fantastic sight, and he immediately closed them. Gradually, a light emitted from around the girl that made him unable to keep his eyes open¨D¨Dand ¡°!¡± A strong wind swirled around, almost blowing his body away, and a second pir of light stretched toward the sky. ¨D¨DArbyagel¡¯s Forbidden Area Traces ofva remaining from the battle, a distant mountain carved out. In the vast crater, there was only one person and one dragon. The gigantic beast that lifted its body on a moonlit night¨D¨DA dragon, the silver girl stepped in front it. In her nightgown, she held a rabbit in her hand that struggled wildly. *¡°It''s a request I cannot guarantee. I¡¯m not particrly good at magic, and I''m not good at fine handling like you.¡±* "Krische just needs Regve-san to supply Krische with magic power. For now, it looks like Krische will need a lot of magical power to go find Bery, so I''m just asking Mr. Liga Rave." The silver-haired girl said, her purple eyes shining in the moonlight. Regve narrowed Their eyes and looked at her little girl. *"Many dragons died in battles, but there were also some who perished for reasons other than that."* "...?" *¡°It was what you¡¯re attempting to do. Dragons who were interested in magic tried to explore the depths of the world with questions and inquisitive minds, and never returned.''''* They stretched their tower-like neck and thrust Their gigantic face in front of the girl. *¡°Just like that small one was swallowed up by my magical power, even the dragon will be swallowed up by something deep within and disappear. Stop it. ...This is my advice as a friend, Krische.¡±* Regve shook their magic and spoke. *¡°You, like us, will be able to carve out eternity. And once you experience it, you will understand how imprudent what you are about to do now is. That small thing you''re attached to has only been with you for at most ten years¨Dpared to thousands of years, it''s like a blink of an eye.¡±* ¡°A blink of an eye¡± *"Correct"* The magic power quivered intermittently. *¡°We, too, had our youth. Simrly, there were times when I felt joy, fear, anger, and sadness over trivial things, but those days are long gone now. It''s just a part of the memories that I sometimes recall and enjoy.¡±* *¡®¨D¨DThat''s what will happen to you, too.¡¯* Regve continued. *¡°That is why I think it''s a shame that someone like you would be lost due to such carelessness. I understand your intentions, but eventually¨D¨D¡±* "It''s not about time. ...Bery made a promise to Krische." Krische said interrupting Them. ¡°Bery promised to wait for Krische toe back, Bery promised to be with Krische forever, and Bery said she''d be with Krische until Krische got tired of her.¡± ¡®Bery said she would never make Krische sad.¡¯ Just spinning the words that she remembered. ¡°Krische, Bery haven¡¯t even weed home Krische. Krische is not even tired of Bery yet, Bery won¡¯t break her word. Krische came homete and Bery just went out for a while.¡± ¡®So Krische is just bringing her back¡¯, Krische said. Only her eyes were shining madly in the moonlight. ¡°Bery will definitely be with Krische.¡± Pure as a child, yet, indeed, it could be called madness. In her immacte purity, she allowed not even the slightest taint. She didn¡¯t have the slightest hesitation that normal people have and simply continued to be greedy for her own desires. ¡°From now on, and for forever, Krische will always be with Bery¡± She was an eternal hatchling. Chasing after the first thing sheid eyes on, an eternal hatchling. Even with wings that could soar freely in the sky, even with ws that could tear everything apart, even with a beak that could swallow anything, she neither left the nest nor sought freedom. "...No matter how many hundreds of years, thousands of years, or tens of thousands of years, Krische will never get tired of Bery for the rest of her life, and Bery will keep her promise to Krische." She would surely be the ruler of the world. She could stir up storms with her wings throughout the entire world. However, what she sought was a small birdcage that was infinitely kind. Her own little cage where only beautiful things were confined within. No matter how graceful and strong her body was, to Krische she was still a chick. ¡°Bery will be together with Krische¡± The baby, who was born perfect without any ws and didn''t even cry out, was crying out for the one thing that filled the w that had urred within herself. Precisely because she was born perfect, she cried. "Krische will forever always be Bery''s." Because it was her who created the w in the girl''s perfection, entered and filled it. Regve gazed at the girl with Their reddish-purple eyes and closed them. Their behavior seemed strangely human as if They were stunned. *"To say that the death of that small one and our agreement have nothing to do with each other is surely a little irresponsible. ¨D¨DIf you wish, I won''t stop you. I''ll cooperate. However, as a friend, I hope for your safety, Krische.¡±* Krische looked up at Regve and smiled, waving her arm. The magic crystal wall behind Regve was instantly chipped away and turned into magical power. A blue light that filled the sky wrapped around the girl''s body. Then, she casually bent the rabbit''s neck in her hand,y down on the spot, and closed her eyes. The magical power that enveloped the girl''s body continued to wrap around her, lines that resembled insanity, condensed¨D¨Dand then, suddenly, she stopped her movements. Regve watched her and then turned his gaze to the western sky. A pir of light was forming there, just as it had been when she appeared from above. "...Why Krische-sama and Queen Alberan?" "Don''t ask me, Veras. Krische-sama and her sister...that''s probably the cause of the pir of light." Vinthril shook his head at Veras¡¯s words. The people who appeared were Veras, the guardian of the Forbidden Area, Vinthril, the chief warrior of Kreisharana, and several others. A pir of light emanated from the heavens¨D¨Das soon as he recognized it, he made the griffin p its wings. However, the Kreisharana warriors who noticed something abnormal arrived after the girl who appearedter¨D¨Dthey were shaken. Transforming her magic into wings. The second pir of light¨D¨Da girl who literally, from the western sky using enormous magical power, overtook them like an arrow and had already reached the dragon. From the pir of heaven, the girl flies into the sky, without even a griffin. And she was the Queen of Alberan. The situation was more than enough to be called abnormal, and there were two people at the Holy Spirit''s ce. She was Queen Kreschenta of the Kingdom of Alberan and lying there was the queen¡¯s sister Krische. Even though they were in a ce like this, they were both still in their nightgowns¨D¨Dshe looked stern, very different from the queen Vinthril had seen before, she was showing her emotions. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her!!¡± *¡°I stopped her, however, her will was firm.¡±* "...!" Kreschenta red at Regve with irritation and told him. "...If Onee-sama doesn''te back, you should remember this you lizard. I''ll kill you." Vinthril and the others, who were about tond a little far away, suddenly looked at each other. It was a very disrespectful insult. Vinthril bes even warier when he saw the discrepancy from his previous impression of her. There was no way she hadn''t noticed Vinthril and the others, but even then, she was like this. She was getting emotional. And at a nce, she had extraordinary magical power wrapped around her body. They recalled Krische¡¯s previous battle. When he saw this girl passing the griffin earlier, she could easily imagine that Queen Alberan had simr powers. Vinthril and the others looked at each other, but the Holy Spirit in question narrowed Their eyes, trembling Their magic intermittently with amusement. *"How pleasant. However, it''s just right. You can take over, like Krische, you seem to be quite adept at handling magic. The possibility of her returning may increase slightly.¡±* "...You don''t need to tell me, I can''t leave this to you." Kreschenta also took a breath and lowered her eyes, without showing any more hostility toward Regve. Without disdaining to get dirty, she knelt by the girl''s side, ced her hand on her, and flowed magic power into her body. Just like the other day, the heart was beating. However, there was no movement of magic power in her body. "...Does Onee-sama have a n?" *¡°That''s what I heard. It seems she had discovered the essence of a soul residing in everything."* ¡°Discover?¡± Kreschenta furrowed, *¡°She said all she had to do was extract it from that little one and transfer it to a new body but¨D¨Dbut she died before that, right?¡±* She stiffened and looked up at Regve. Her eyes flickered unsteadily. ¡°¡Onee-sama, said that?¡± *¡°Have you not heard? ¡±* When she woke up, Kreschenta suddenly remembered Krische, who seemed to be in a good mood. ''Ehehe, thank you, Kreschenta. Krische won''t fail this time. Finally, Krische...'' Kreschenta covered her mouth in shock. Regve continued without waiting for any response. *¡°If you kill the beast and follow its soul, you will arrive at the ce where that little one went¨D¨Dbut that''s the extent of that girl''s calctions.¡±* They sounded calm and indifferent. *¡°The ce where that girl went is probably a ce where even dragons can''t return from. Whether that girl can keep herself there, whether she found the small one¡¯s soul, whether there is anything left of her, whether she will be able to return safely from there¨D¨D¡±* Regve lowered Their body and closed Their eyes. *¡°Even if you think about it just for a moment, there are many problems. There''s a better chance that you and I will kill each other than for that girl toe back safely.¡±* Kreschenta who heard that, ¡®...Please never me yourself.¡¯ Remembered the words of the servant she had killed, ¡®Whatever the oue¨D¨DKreschenta-sama''s choice is definitely not something to be med for.¡¯ She remained silent, frozen in ce. Chapter 244: Mana (True Name) Chapter 244: Mana (True Name) ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 244 Mana (True Name)*** The world is made up of many ovepping dimensions. If the physical dimension is a book like the one Bery read to her¨D¨Dthe world of stories, then there is also a dimension in which Bery and Krische, who were turning the pages of the book, exist. If magic were to be likened to ink, it was the ink that could stop time, twist space, and change and alter the world itself as if altering the story. A physicalw is nothing more than ¡®onew that is currently stable¡¯, a single concept that moves the physical dimension through the corrtion of particles. If she were to use the ink called magic, stopping time or twisting space would be easy for her. The problem lies in who and how the ink is used. It is not a material entity. Just as the inhabitants of the story do not add anything to their story by themself, it is certain that a higher-dimensional being can do this. ¨D¨DPerhaps it was the one that many call God or soul. Her body was floating gently. She could see the Regve, She could see the depression with the magical crystal cliffs, she could see the sky¨D¨Dwas looking down on the physical world. It was uncertain whether that expression was correct. It wasn''t like she was looking down. However, the expression "overlooking" seems to be correct. At least from a ce far above the physical ne, Krische was looking at everything. She looked at a light pink rabbit. It was the rabbit that Krische had killed earlier. Floating as if diving into the material world, the form changes, transforming into a sphere emitting a faint red light. ¡°Ah¡±, Krische remembered. In this dimension, the body naturally bes like that. She looked at her hands and feet. A translucent body tinged with red¨D¨Dcountless blue magical lines ran to every corner, shaping it. Although the spiritual body that turned purple certainly maintained its shape, if you looked closely, the magic at the tip of the feet faded, and the shape began to copse¨D¨Dand she immediately adjusted its shape with magical power. Her thoughts were foggy. If there was no will to maintain herself, this body would easily turn into that sphere. ¨D¨DNo, not changing, but returning. There was a conviction like that. What was originally in that shape simply adapted to the container called the body. It was thew of nature. The soul is like a liquid, originally without a definite form. If bottled, it will be maintained in that form, but once the container is lost, it will immediately return to its original form. Spiritual matter only has the property of maintaining loose bonds, and its shape is nothing more than the shape of its container, so it was natural for it to form a sphere-like water floating in zero gravity. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± It was trying to be like thatst time too. If Kreschenta hadn''t sent magical power into her body, her soul would have returned to its original form eventually. She sensed the magic sent from Regve to the material world''s body and reassured, she followed the rabbit. ¨D¨DBefore she knew it, the material world had be invisible. As she watched the rabbit, the world without sky ornd suddenly turned into an iridescent mess of various colors. She no longer knew where she was, and without the sensation of magic being sent into her material body, she wouldn''t even know the way back. *¡®¨D¨D¨D¨Deven dragons were swallowed up by something deep within and disappeared. Stop. ...This is my advice as a friend, Krische.¡¯* Surely, the dragon must have changed into that sphere in the same way. Just making an effort to maintain thought. The power trying to turn into a sphere was not necessarily strong, but there was an irresistibly pleasant feeling. It''s such afort that if you surrender to it, everything will disappear. The irresistible temptation of not having to think about anything. ''¨DAh, why was she here?'' She suddenly questioned it and shook her spirit body''s head. It was to bring back Bery. A momentary nk in thought distorted her thinking. She had to have the will to maintain herself. Looking at her hands and feet, she moved them. Through magic, she closed the spiritual body again with a cage of blue lines. The sphere that was a rabbit went further ahead. She followed after it. There was no sense of direction. Judging from the rtive position of the magical power pouring into her material body, she guessed that she was heading to the depths of the earth. In some faiths, it was often said that there is heaven in the sky. But the truth was probably in the depths of the earth. What is above is a vast material space and other stars. Just as everything is bound to the earth by gravity, the soul is also bound to the earth. When she suddenly looked around, she saw various spheres flying in the same direction as the rabbit. Some had no limbs, but still retained their human form. ¡®I guess we have to think about the wooden que on the grave. What should we do with the string? ...Considering their feelings, Oba-san thinks it would be better for them to have a thicker string.'''' Grace and Gorka had died in a bandit attack, and G asked about such things. In the vige''s custom, for the deceased, wooden tags were tied to the trees with strings. ¡®...?¡¯ ¡®Krische-chan, it''s your first time, right? The string that connects to the wooden tag is for connecting the souls of the departed. If you use a thick string, I''m sure their souls will watch over Krishe-chan for a long time toe." ¡®Until the string that connected you breaks¡¯, G said. ¡®On the other hand, thin strings that break easily are meant to help the souls of those who have passed away be reborn in the next life as quickly as possible without any regrets. Since Krische-chan is still small, I thought it would be better to tie it with a thicker string.¡¯ ¡®Hmm... Krische is fine alone, so a thin string is okay. Kaa-sam and Tou-sama don¡¯t have to worry about Krische, it''s better if they depart soon¨D¨D¡¯ ¨D¨DG said that if there were lingering regrets, the soul wouldn¡¯t be able to travel properly. Rabbits and beasts have no regrets, so they don''t have the thinking ability to think about it, so they immediately turn into spheres. On the other hand, those who have retained their human form may have regrets about their deaths. Being here means they were dead, but they still maintained their forms without turning into spheres. They must be thinking about something for a long time. A ce that is much farther away than where they were now¨D¨Dnear the surface. She saw many spirits there too. At the same time, several surrounding pieces lost their shape as if melting. They must have surrendered themselves. It might be a happy thing, she thought, but somehow she felt frightened. What was she afraid of? She questioned that, ***¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡±*** When she noticed, she called her name. ¡ªWhat about her? Maybe her form had also disappeared. If that was the case, what should she do? She knew that if that happened, there would be nothing she could do about it. She tried not to think about it and followed the rabbit. She kept her will even as the tips of her limbs tried to melt again. The Holy Spirit''s hollow. Ignoring the dirt on the negligee, the queen knelt, closed her eyes, and poured magic into the lying girl''s body. Blue light shone like four pairs of wings on her back. They merely looked like wings. The wings were constructed using an extremely precise magic form. It was just the insane density of the delicate blue lines that made it look like wings. From its wings, a blue geometric line spread out into the surrounding space like a weave, filling all of the depressions. asionally, a hard sound would be heard and a huge mass of magic crystal would break apart, and the line connected to it would flow into the wings, and from the wings into the girl''s hand. The girl didn''t say anything, and neither did the dragon. The warriors of Kreisharana who were present were unable to say anything and simply looked at the fantastical scene. ¨D¨DIt was one of the old creation myths before they settled in Arbyagel. The God of Creation used his immense power to create many gods, create the earth and sky, and create the creatures that live there, including dragons. Messengers of the heavens with eternal life and wings to fly freely in the sky¨D¨DHumans were said to be the descendants of those who fell to earth for various reasons, and so their wings were lost along with their eternal life so that they could not return to heaven, where God resides. It was amon story. In the era when tribes were ruled by their own ns, there were many simr myths. The creation myth of Alberan was also simr, and people believed in simr myths when Kreisharana was in the ins instead of Arbyagel. For the most part, it was because of the era. There was amon belief that warriors connected with their martial arts, the brave men who died with swords in their hands on the battlefield would be forgiven after death and returned to the kingdom of the gods. In Kreisharana, faith in the Holy Spirit had reced it, and that faith had be a mere shell due to the power of the god-like dragon, but what was happening before their eyes was enough to remind them of that fading myth. The appearance of a girl with magical powers and wings in her hands¨D¨Dher divinity was just like a myth, just like the martial arts disyed by the sleeping girl. She had enough beauty and persuasive power to overwhelm them, as a mythical existence Alberan was a word meaning Child of God. Despite the arrogant name, the girl''s appearance was entirely fitting. Regardless of the past kings of Alberan, at least no one would object to Queen Crescenta calling herself Alberan. There was a sound of wings, and a girl riding a griffinnded beside them. Just a cloth wrapped around her chest and waist¨D¨Da simple but beautiful girl. Although she was old enough to be called a woman, she still looked young. Lira Sharana saw this scene and the men who didn''t say a word, and then she turned to the Holy Spirit. Then she looked at the Queen, Kreschenta. ¡°¡Um, Your Majesty the Queen.¡± "Please be quiet for a moment. Onee-sama is about to die and I don''t want to be distracted." ¡®Yes¡¯, Lira bows her head and looks at her brother. Her brother nodded with a serious face, and L went to his side and fell silent. The Holy Spirit, who had been having more conversations with Lieately, was looking at the girl in front of Them without saying a word. In that case, L had no choice but to remain silent and stare at the girl. And Kreschenta had no room forposure, so anticipating and probing for every possible situation, she sent magic into Krische''s body. Kreschenta didn''t know how Krische came backst time. The very concept of a soul was unknown to her, and she did not understand it. She just sent the magic power to Krische based on spection after spection. ¡®...Please never me yourself.¡¯ Those words were the only thing filling her head. When she moves forward¨D¨Dwhen she passes through the iridescent space. What appeared there was a dazzling light. A vast space where the end of sky andnd couldn''t be seen, and an incredibly enormous sphere. No¨D¨Dit would be difficult to describe it as huge. At least, although Krische has thought of dragons and mountains that way, she had never described the celestial bodies that she usually walked on as gigantic, nor has she ever thought of them that way. It is and that is only natural to exist and cannot be expressed with words such as gigantic. It was just beyondprehension. If one were to see celestial bodies like stars, moons, and sun up close in the sky, they might think that way. Krische couldn''t see the whole thing, and the total amount of magic power it possessed couldn''t be measured at a nce. Just as it was foolish topare a person''s magic power with a dragon''s magic power, it was even more so. What was here was a fundamental power that could not even bepared to the magical power of a dragon. A countless number of souls and floating magical powers were orbiting around the gigantic sphere. As if being drawn in, as if being sucked in. Simultaneously, a vast flow of magic power and souls, like small sshes, was expelled from it and flowed far away. By observing this, the girl understood all the logic. The magic power that didn''t crystallize was guided here by gravity, and simultaneously, the magic power that sshed out like mist seeped into the atmosphere. Souls were also guided here by gravity, sshing out like mist, settling into new vessels. The cycle of reincarnation¨D¨Dand here was the end and beginning of it all. ¨D¨DThe Origin. Without needing to chase the rabbit anymore, she began to drift with the flow. The number of souls floating in the same way was not in units of tens of thousands. Arge number of souls, exceeding hundreds of millions, drifted around the Origin, orbiting it. ¨D¨DGradually getting closer to the Origin. Finding one from there was like finding a grain of gold in the desert. It was an instance that could be described as impossible. However, the girl was an anomaly in this world. Countless souls¨D¨Dshe deduced clear rules from their orbital patterns. It was much like an astronomer calcting the orbit of a star. However, she didn''t need years of trial and error verification. From the countless souls, she instantly calcted and determined the rtive speeds. Recognizing the souls numbering in the tens of millions around her, excluding the souls sshing out as mist, capturing only the souls orbiting toward the Origin, she carefully examined and calcted how much time had passed since arriving here. If aw exists, one could calcte it. It was a natural task for the girl to do, and answers that could be obtained by calctions were the same as being disyed openly to her. Grasping the surrounding magic power, creating numerous brains¨D¨Dmagic calction forms. As a result, a new form was created, and the created form created a new magic form, a suitable environment for the girl was created around her in a self-sustaining manner. If calctions take time, create brains that can perform calctions. In the blink of an eye, she performed astronomical calctions in parallel, easily deriving solutions¨D¨Dthere was nothing easier than this for her. Even the answers to questions that a single civilization could only obtain after countless years were only within the reach of her hand. It couldn''t even be an obstacle. That is, as long as it was a problem with a clear answer. ¨D¨DShe had heard that she had died the same day she went into battle. If the soul left the body at that time, it would be easy to locate her by calcting backward. The problem was the ambiguity of the assumed time and the current location. The immense magical power that was pouring into her own body was now faint¨D¨Dit was far away. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D?¡± The magical power had changed. The quality of that magic power was something she knew well, but the name didn''te to her. It was probably her sister. Wondering, she tilted her head and realized that she didn''t even know her own name. ''¨D¨DWell, it doesn''t matter'', she thought and continued forward. She easily grasped the immense magic power, orbited around the Origin, and observed everything around her. She wasn''t even sure who she was looking for. She just needs to look for it. Countless souls around her. Some of them were fleeing from his surroundings, and some were approaching her. Without hands, she manipted spiritual bodies as if wielding something, collided, and scattered like mist. "¨D¨D?" Without paying any attention to this, dozens of souls that had slightly retained their original form flew toward her. As if thrusting with a spear, as if swinging a sword. Colliding and dispersing, the girl tilted her head while erasing the approaching entities. It was something extremely fragile. Just by touching it, it crumbled and turned into droplets. However, the girl''s spirit body was not strong either, and every time she bumped into them, a disgusting tremor filled her insides. Getting fed up, she created numerous small fragments and shot down and erased everything approaching. After she finished cleaning, she looked down at her hands. She felt like she had been doing the same thing over and over, and she was getting tired of it. And in that moment, she forgot what she was even trying to do. She felt like she wanted to just melt away, but she suppressed it and explored her surroundings. What is she looking for, she wondered again, as she randomly guessed and searched in the area. She thought she''d know for sure if she could find it, but she can''t seem to find anything. She tilted her head again, wondering what and how she would know that she had found it, and felt like melting away, thinking that it was enough. The closer she got to something big, the stronger that feeling became. It seemed like she would be veryfortable there. She didn''t have to think about anything. But why was she searching for something so desperately and tirelessly? ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± She would be happier, but the girl resisted. She just thought that if she found it, she could bring it back¨D¨Deverything she wished for was there. ¡®...Little by little, let''s find various ¨D¨D-sama with me.¡¯ Yes, she had to find it. ¡®Together...I hope from now on we can continue to be together like this forever.¡¯ That was the promise. She would always be with her. She called the name she couldn''t remember. She couldn''t hear the voice. Just as if she were calling in her memory. She called the name over and over again. Even though she forgot, it was the name of something she was searching for. Over and over again. Then suddenly, she caught sight of a soul and approached it. ¨D¨DIt was a different soul from the others. The soul was covered by an extremely intricate magic form in multipleyers. It was a form the girl knew well. A magic form that severed the space and stopped time, that was it. And on top of that magic form, there wereyers uponyers of magic forms to stop time. She knew this magic well. It belonged to someone she knew well. The light pink soul inside was tinged with purple along with the magic form carved all over its body, maintaining its perfect appearance. It was what the girl was looking for. ¨D¨DBeautiful, she thought Among the hundreds of millions of souls that she had seen, only that one shone brightly no matter how far she looked. Extremely precise blue lines werecarved into its light pink body. The transparent light pink spiritual body, mixed purple, sat hugging its knees, just as the girl was familiar with. A time-stopping magic form envelops her like a shell¨D¨Da small hole was made there, and the girl slips inside. Then she reached out her hand, extinguishing the magic that had wrapped it around her carefully so that it wouldn''t hurt her. "¨D¨D?" However, when he tried to touch her body, there was a strong repulsion. Her outstretched hand dissipated, and she hastily gathered it back, confused. Not knowing what to do, she called out the name she remembered. There was no reaction, and she didn''t even look at her, still sitting holding her knee. She called her again and again, at a loss, trying to figure out what to do. After a while, she gave up and snuggled to her side. She probably didn¡¯t even notice. She remained asleep the whole time. Still, the girl was happy. ¨D¨DAlways together. She was able to keep my promise and that was all that mattered. If they could stay together like this, it might be fine to melt together. Together forever, never changing. ¡®...Bery, do you hate it when¨D¨D¨D¨Dscares people?¡¯ ¡®To be honest... yes. I do not like it'' She won''t do things that Bery dislikes anymore, and there''s no need for it. ¡®¨D¨DBut I know that ¨D¨D¨D¨D-sama is not doing this because she likes it, so it''s okay.'''' Always with the gentle Bery, just like Bery. She hugged her knees as well, huddled closer to her side, and smiled. But, speaking the truth, she wanted Bery to call her forgotten name once more. In her soft and affectionate voice. ¡®Wee back¡¯, that was all the words she wanted. The girl called her name once again. She didn''t react and kept her eyes closed. She was at a loss, but there was no other way. ¡®¨D¨DWhen a noble is born, the parents give the child a secret hidden name. ...This is the first time I''ve said it out loud, and my parents are already dead, so the only one who knows it is ¨D¨D¨D¨D-sama okay¡¯ Well, it doesn''t matter, she was about to give up¨D¨D ¡®Yes. There¡¯s no big meaning. It''s just a word, it''s my little secret.¡¯ She suddenly remembered those words. Just, I wanted to make a secret between me and ¨D¨D¨D¨D-sama. She said, just once she hoped to be called that. A secret word, a secret name just for the two of them. ¡®...I dedicate everything to you, along with my Mana (True Name) and body.¡¯ One of the old etiquette ways to express your love. It was some kind of whim. She didn¡¯t respond, she didn¡¯t notice, so the girl got a little annoyed, just that. It was something important that she had given to her, and it was a symbol of the happiness that the girl had finally achieved in her own life. ***¨D¨DLipus*** Whatever the intention, the girl did say that one word, calling her name lovingly. She wasn''t expecting a reply. Just to convey being by her side, wanting her to know that, that was all¨D¨Dthat''s why, ***¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡±*** Her lips softly murmured, like sleep-talking, a voiceless voice. The girl''s eyes just widened at the indescribable love that those words evoked. Without thinking about anything, she just pushed the emotions that flooded her. Chapter 245: Bright and Ugly Color Chapter 245: Bright and Ugly Color ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 245 Bright and Ugly Color*** Two and a half koku had passed since she continued sending magical power. In the sky, the moon descended behind the mountains, and the dark blue sky began to lighten. ¡°¨D¨DOnee-sama!¡± It was at that moment when Krische, who had been motionless like a corpse, started to move. Kreschenta, who was holding her hand, leaned in even closer, but Krische movement stopped her and looked down at her hand. Under Krische''s right hand¨D¨Dwhat appeared on the ground was a magic circle that filled this giant crater. And just as she raised her hand, lines of magical power immediately expanded around it¨D¨Dencircling and enveloping something invisible to the naked eye,yered over and over again¨D¨Dcreating a small magic crystal. A blue crystal with numerous intricate geometric patterns that should be called madness. It bes more transparent as if the cloudiness was removed, and inside it was a light pink light. The colors mixed together, giving off a beautiful purple glow like the eyes of the two girls. Kreschenta and the others were speechless, and the girl naturally opened her eyes as if waking from her sleep. Then, when she woke up, she lovingly held the floating magic crystal to her chest like a treasure. *You never cease to amaze me, Krische. ¨D¨DHonestly, I thought there was no hope.¡±* ¡°Thank you, Regve-san.¡± She said, then looked at Kreschenta. "And... Kreschenta too. Ehehe, it''s all thanks to Kreschenta." It was a gentle smile, as usual. But it seemed like something she hadn''t seen in a long time. Kreschenta looked at the magic crystal Krische was holding, her gaze flickered in amazement. "¡I..." ¡°There were numerous stop time forms engraved on Berry''s soul over and over again. If it wasn''t for that, Krische might not have been able to find Bery. Bery might not have been able to maintain her soul in the proper form either.¡± Krische stroked the magic crystal and just smiled happily. "Kreschenta probably tried to help Bery when she was in danger. Krische is really d that Kreschenta was by Bery''s side." She said, kissing Kreschenta and hugging her, holding the magic crystal in her hand. However, Kreschenta remained dazed and did not speak. "... Kreschenta?" Krische asked, puzzled, then suddenly realized something. "...sorry, Krische should have apologized first. Kreschenta must have been worried and rushed after Krische. Sorry, Krische made Kreschenta worried a lot." ¡®Krische had to apologize to Selene as well¡¯, she said as if she had just remembered. "Krische, just thinking about Bery all the time... But it''s okay now. Krische brought back Bery''s soul. Later we can¨D¨D" "...That, is" "It''s Bery. Krische made it so that you can see it even when she is in a body. You can''t see the soul when it''s in the body...look" Krische brought the magic crystal in front of Kreschenta''s face. Light pink trapped in blue. At first nce, it looked like nothing more than light¨D¨Dbut there was something familiar about that beautiful glow. At least that was not something Kreschenta didn¡¯t know about. "¡¡Really" "Yes. The only thing left to do is prepare the body, but we have to think about various things. The soul is very delicate, so we need to be careful..." ¡®Ah¡¯, Krische was about to fall down as if the string had been cut, and she instantly hugged the magic crystal to her chest. Kreschenta supported her. "...Please take a little break. Save the talk forter." ¨D¨DNext time, properly. "...Yes, sorry..." Without being able to finish what she was saying, the strength left Krische¡¯s body as if she had fainted. She hardly ate. It was doubtful if she had had a proper sleep. More than that, she was worried about what she had been doing until just now and used magic to examine her body. At least there were no visible abnormalities, and she sighed in relief. *"It seems that the fight between me and you has be void."* The magic power shook intermittently, and Regve brought the tip of Their nose closer to her and narrowed Their eyes at her. *¡±I rejoiced in the return of that pleasant person and in the saving of his life. However,...you don''t seem particrly pleased, you look quiteplicated."* "...Lizard, please be silent." At those words, the magical power swayed happily again. The men of Kreisharana were just watching.¨D¨DOne of them was about to say something, but Vinthril stopped him with his hand. "Your Majesty Queen Alberan. Whatever you do, please refrain from making such statements in front of us." Kreschenta stared at them, revealing her displeasure, and sighed. ¡°Also, regarding the circumstances. I don''t want to make this a diplomatic issue between countries, but it is not a trivial matter that can be ignored/ Of course, based on Her Majesty''s appearance, the situation must have been quite urgent. ...Please stay at our chief''s house. Rest there, and we will inquire about it again tomorrow.¡± Kreschenta showed a bit of hesitation and looked at Krische, then closed her eyes and pondered. Then, with a deep sigh, she dissipated the magic around her and nodded. "...For now, I want to let my Onee-sama rest. As you said, there is an urgent situation, and as you can probably guess, she has not been in a normal state for a while. I apologize for our rudeness." Her wordscked softness, but Vinthril didn''t say anything, just looked at Lira. As expected, they couldn''t have a queen from another country to ride with a man. Larnell, who had grown into an adult, was capable of carrying three women. It wasn''t that close to the vige, but it wasn''t that far away for Griffin. Lira nodded and as she approached the two of them, she called out to Larnel, and Kreschenta looked back at Regve. "I''d like to thank you. I''ll probably stop by again on my way home once Onee-sama wakes up." *¡°I look forward to it. I really want to hear about the depths of the world she has seen.¡±* Not paying attention to what Regve said, Kreschenta picked up Krische and rode on Griffin''s back. Then she just looked at the little magic crystal Krische held¨D¨Dat the light that dwelled there. The next day¨D¨DKreschenta told everything honestly without hiding anything. The people who heard the story were the aging Alkierence, Vinthril, Lira, and several others. Since Kreschenta was reluctant to leave Krische¡¯s side, the meeting took ce not in the vige council chamber but in the chief''s house where Krische and Bery had stayed before. Sitting in front of the hearth, Kreschenta finished speaking and calmly waited for their reactions. She didn''t make excuses. Partly because she thought it was impossible to cover up what they had seen, and partly because she honestly didn''t care. No matter what, they wouldn''t suddenly attack her. Even if this strained the rtionship, there would be no major problem. At least not for Kreschenta or Krische. It was a small problempared to the problems that had been urring for a while. "...There''s no point in lying. If someone else had told the story, it would have been hard to believe, but... if it''s Krische-sama, it¡¯s convincing.¡± With the help of the Holy Spirit, Krische went to bring back the souls of the deceased servants. At Crescenta''s words, the men looked at each other with iprehensible expressions, but Alkierence¡¯s words made them abandon their doubts. The people who were present at that ce were Vinthril and L, and the other one was Begu¨D¨Da man who had served in the War of the Five Great Powers. However, all the men present had witnessed the battle between the Holy Spirit and Krische. Even in Kreisharana, the concept of soul was merely something to be believed in, and few truly believed in its existence from the bottom of their hearts. The only people who sincerely believe this were those who have lost a loved one. However, if it was Krische¨D¨Dthey knew enough about the unknown to think that way. There is nothing that can stand up to the divine Holy Spirit. They thought so, but that fixed idea had been shattered by that girl. And when they were told that the girl had caused such a great deal of trouble and left for the other side of the world in order to bring the servant¡¯s soul back, they were able to ept it, even if they couldn¡¯t really make sense of it. The fact that it was Queen Kreschenta who spoke of it, and the serious faces of Vinthril, Lira, and Begu, showing no traces of doubt, contributed to this rtively straightforward understanding. Knowing the insignificance of humanity, they constantly question their individual selves and limits. It can be said that they easily epted it because they knew better than anyone how much there was in this world that they did not know, and they questioned their own immaturity every day. ¡°Um, Bery-sama is¡?¡± It was Lira who opened her mouth. Kreschenta used her finger to point to the door where Krische slept. "I don''t understand enough to say anything clearly either. If Onee-sama says so, it''s probably okay, but if Onee-sama doesn''t wake up..." She said, and was about to get up. Before that, the door opened and Krische appeared from inside. Wrapping the magic crystal with both hands as if it was important, she looked at the situation here, thought about it for a bit, and then bowed her head. "Um...sorry for surprising everyone. It''s because of Krische that everyone is gathered together here, right?" "...Onee-sama, please don''t mind it and rest a little longer." "Krische is fine now. Last time Krische was able to get a feel for the body¨D¨D" "That''s not the problem." Kreschenta red at Krische, then sighed and pulled her arm, making her sit next to her. Krische''s expression was soft and hisplexion was good, but she still looked a little haggard. She hasn''t been able to live a normal life for some time now. And on top of that, she acted recklessly. Krische was only good at using magic, but her physical strength was below that of an ordinary person. She was malnourished and fatigued¨D¨Dshe was not in a state to be considered healthy.. "......It''s good that you woke up. I was a little worried." "Yes, sorry for worrying you. It''s been a while since Krische saw you, Vinthril-san. Regve''s ce..." "Yes. And I heard about the situation from Her Majesty the Queen." Krische went ¡®I see¡¯, and nodded. She gently stroked Kreschenta¡¯s head as if praising a child. Kreschenta was about to say something, but she lowered her eyes and epted it silently. ¡°Krische wanted to bring Bery''s soul back. So Krische went to Regve-san¡¯s ce¨D¨D'''' The exnation was a very poor version of Kreschenta¡¯s. However, the story and circumstances were as had been exined¨D¨Dthe men looked at each other again. There is a high-dimensional realm that oveps with this world, and the existence of something huge that creates the reincarnation of all souls. Although she spoke in a childlike manner, there was something believable about it. She only knew how to decorate words using onomatopoeia and mimetic words, and she only told what happened as it was. Although it was the second time, everyone listened intently. Depending on the situation, some would have pitied her as she held the magic crystal with great care, thinking that she had developed a mental disorder. However, she was clearly sober, and everyone knew how powerful she was. Without any doubt, they silently epted her words. "Is Bery-sama there...?" "Yes. The state of the soul is unstable, so Krische needs something to contain it. So for now, Krische has it ced inside a magic crystal..." Krische answered Lira''s question, "...Is she awake?" Kreschenta, who had been silently listening to her sister''s story without interfering with her, finally asked. Krische, with her finger on her lips, responded. ¡°It¡¯s probably simr to sleeping, maybe? If Krische intentionally try to wake her up, she''ll probably wake up, but if we wake her up while she''s trapped inside, she''ll probably be really surprised, so Krische''ll need to prepare the body properly.'''' Krische smiled and said, ¡°Krische wants to meet her soon, but Krische will have to be patient.¡± "Krische''ve been thinking about it a bit, but Krische want to create a separate world from that dimension and this dimension. In this dimension, where the influence of magic is weak, there seem to be various problems, and the other one is full of problems too. It might be faster to create an entirely new world from scratch." She lovingly caressed the magic crystal, smiling like a little girl. For a moment, they couldn''t understand the meaning of most of her words. "No matter how you think about it, it''s better to have a dedicated space until the body created with magic gets used to it, and if you create it from scratch with magic, you can even prepare a body that won''t die. In that case, Krische can stay with Bery and the others all the time..." After that, she looked at her sister. "¨D¨DIt''s the birdcage that Kreschenta was talking about. It''s a very durable world where there are no people who do terrible things. ...It''s an eternal birdcage that feels safer than any other ce in this world." ¡®How is it?¡¯ Krische asked. Kreschenta looked at her sister, then at the magic crystal, and nodded, ¡®Right. Krische, who was in a good mood, tilted her head a little at Kreschenta gaze and expression, but she smiled without worrying about it. Then, a low-key stomach rumble sounded, and Krische¡¯s cheeks turned red. The men, without a smile, pondered the words from earlier. Vinthril and Alkierence exchanged nces and nodded. ¡°As Her Majesty said, it would be best if you put something in your mouth and take a rest. No matter even if it''s Krische-sama, your body is not as durable as Yagernaus-sama¡¯s.¡± Alkierence said and looked at the men. "Depending on the situation, it may lead immature hearts astray and hinder training. ...From now on, consider everything you heard here as strictly confidential. Swear it on your swords until yourst breath." The men respond by tapping the handles of their curved swords. No one took the meaning of the words spoken by the girl as a mere parable. ¡°Krische-sama, you are equal to the Holy Spirit. Personally, I want to praise and bless you. And I have no intention of doubting whether your wishes are right or wrong, and I have no intention of denying them. I understand your joyful feeling. ...However, in any case, it would be best not to talk about such things in front of other people.¡± "¡¡Uh?" ¡°Just as one may unintentionally kill insects when they walk, Krische-sama is like that to ordinary people like us, regardless of what Krische-sama thinks. Even if that one word is light for Krische-sama, it''s better to assume that others don''t think the same way." Krische tilted her head slightly and traced her lips. Alkierence continued his words. "Your words are equivalent to the pping of the wings of the Holy Spirit. If Yagernaus-sama were to soar into the sky, no matter what Yagernaus-sama''s intentions were, everything around him would be mowed down by the storm caused by the wings. Simrly, one small word from Krische-sama can be a storm for others." He traced his snow-white beard with a serious look in his eyes, as if he was looking at something dangerous. ¡°...Many people understand that death is an absolutew, and because they understand this, they ept it regardless of their feelings. There are people everywhere who fear death every day. ...I just want to convey that. The eternity you speak of will be a sweet fruit to many. If you let others hear it in vain, it will definitely lead to disaster someday.¡± Krische heard those words and nodded, remembering Bery''s words from the past. Then she bowed her head in shame. "Sorry, Alkierence. Krische was so happy that Krische got a little excited... Krische may have been careless." "If you understand, that''s fine. It might be disrespectful to Krische-sama, but please think of it as an old man''s advice. ...Greed is an inexhaustible thing, and even we sometimes have thoughts of wanting to dedicate an eternity of time to our own training. The older one gets, the closer they get to death.¡± Vinthril looked at Alkierence, a little surprised, but he just smiled like an old man. Then he pointed at Vinthril and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Even now, when I have been blessed with a good sessor and have passed on everything that should be passed on, people live their lives not as individuals, but as a group, building many connections. I want to surrender myself to the flow, just as our ancestors did. ...I would rather live my life to the fullest, feeling more beautiful in the appearance of the flowers that wither and leave seeds than in the eternal giant flowers.¡± While using polite words, as if pleading. His voice was soft, like an old man preaching to a child. ¡°...Please, don''t let someone like me go astray. Understanding your own power well, I hope Krische-sama can consider each of your actions and words from now on." Understanding that she was being reprimanded, Krische bowed her head sincerely. Strangely, even if Gallen and Eluga were here, she felt like they would say the same thing to her, and thinking that way made her feel even more ashamed of her own carelessness. "¡¡Krische''ll be careful" Alkierence nodded with satisfaction and looked at the men again. The men nod, say excuse me, and head outside. "L, the meal. And please bring something easy to eat for Krische-sama." "yes" Lira nodded and looked at Krische. "...No matter what, I''m d Krische-sama is safe. Above all else, I''m happy about that." Krische smiled back and L said. "Personally, today''s story is very..." ¡®¨D¨DMother must be starting a new life now.¡¯ Looking at the light of the magic crystal Krische held, she said with a smile. "...Right. I''m sure she¡¯ll live a long time in the next life for the amount of time you live in this life." Alkierence nodded at his daughter''s words. Remembering his wife who died young. Taking care of themselves, they spend another night at Kreisharana, where Krische and Kreschenta discuss what''s toe. Kreschenta also seemed to have calmed down and clearly came up with a n. To release the immense magical power that was filled at the Origin, fill the sky and earth, and create an environment where Krische can freely manipte even the world. And to use that magical power to create a new dimension that ces more emphasis on the soul than on matter. If they create a world where they can do everything freely, and if they can easily control it, it would be easier to stabilize the body that is the container for the soul. All they had to do was assist Bery and the others until they got used to their new bodies and stabilized. Their little miniature garden¨D¨Dan eternal birdcage where no external enemies exist. Even after reaching out to the realm of the God of Creation, all the girl desired was peace and security. As theyid down ns for several decades toe as if talking about tomorrow''s ns, they said thanks to Alkierence and the others at sunrise, and left the vige to go to Regve. Krische expressed her thanks again and informed Regve that she might return soon, and then used teleportation. Choosing the time of sunrise was to avoid causing a disturbance as much as possible. Theynded near the capital and slipped past the guards to reach the estate in the royal territory. Elvena, who had been feeding Suiko since early in the morning, noticed this and panicked and called Selene. Before Krische could say anything, Selene hugged Krische¡¯s slender body tightly. Krische apologized again and again to Selene, who had dark circles under her eyes, and waited until her tears had calmed down. Krische then told Selene the whole story, bit by bit, and then exined her ns for the Eternal Birdcage to Selene. Krische, who was being held in her arms, didn''t notice that her relieved face became stiff little by little. "Ehehe, we''ll all be together there forever..." "...Krische" Krische tilted her head as Selene''s voice interrupted her. "I''m d you came back safely. And about Bery too...but that''s a different story. I''ll refrain from doing that." ¡°Eh...?¡± Selene pulled away to distance herself from Krische, wiped her tears, and looked at Krische. The two servants who were listening to the sudden story noticed the change in the atmosphere and looked at each other, and Kreschenta narrowed her eyes. "...Of course, I''m not going to get in the way, and I''m going to support you....But I don''t want to." "Why¨D¨D" "...I guess it¡¯s a reason that Krische won¡¯t understand." Kreschenta said with an exasperated tone. "Are you sulking?" "Don''t tease me. ...Even if it''s trivial to you, I''m serious about what I''m saying." She said without raising her voice. Seeing her like this, Krische tried to get closer to her. However, Selene gently held her shoulder. "Um, Selene, if you''re angry¨D¨D" ¡°I still love you the same way, and I understand your feelings. ...I really do think I understand you." What Krische wore around her neck was a magic crystal with a string threaded through it. She wrapped it tightly in her hands¨D¨Dlooking at the light shining inside. The brilliance was infinitely beautiful and dazzling. Then what about hers, she wondered. A sensation of something murky and heavy umting inside. It seemed to her that if she had a soul, then it must have looked hopelessly ugly. "...It''s not your fault. It''s my problem....Please leave me alone today." She felt like she could understand why Krische would risk her life for something so beautiful. It was a story that was as beautiful as it was cruel. A beautiful story with beautiful characters, even their lives. However, Selene didn¡¯t have the heart or qualifications to continue looking at it. ¡°I... am different from all of you." ¡ª¡ªUnlike her who possessed everything, Selene was not a special existence. Chapter 246: Shadow, Beautiful Color Chapter 246: Shadow, Beautiful Color ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 246 Shadow, Beautiful Color*** The battle with Elsren. She wanted to apany him to the battlefield¨D¨Dthat was what she begged her father for. ¡®In general, it can be said that effort is something that should be respected. Effort itself is valuable. ...Even if you don''t get results, your efforts will serve as fuel for your next endeavor. That''s why, if you have a goal, you should first strive to achieve it rather than thinking about it. The results will be clear eventually, and there is value in continuing to work hard.'' However, my father dismissed this as the logic of the people. ¡®Once you stand on the battlefield as a soldier, effort has no value whatsoever. ...All that is needed is a result, only victory. This is because soldiers who do not bring back results are not given the opportunity to think about what''s next. It would be fine if that person were the only one who died when they made stupid mistake, but his own defeat will threaten the lives of hisrade and the people he is supposed to protect.¡¯ His eyes were one that was ready to kill. He was a kind father, but before a father, he was a warrior and the leader whomanded the warriors. When it came to dealing with soldiers, he always showed a stern and strict demeanor to Selene. ¡®Effort is only natural, but it is not worthy of praise. Soldiers who cannot produce results on the battlefield are not needed, and of course, suchmanders are also unnecessary. Whether it''s a hard-working but ipetent orzy butpetent one, there''s no room for consideration, thetter is the one that is needed. A person who cannot show results is not needed in my army... That includes you as well.¡¯ ¡°...!¡¯ ¡®You are my prided daughter. You¡¯re talented, and also smart. You hase this far through hard work and no arrogance. Considering your age, you are an outstanding talent, one that is rare to find. ¨D¨DHowever,pared to our corpsmanders, you are far too weak, immature, andcking in stability, and your overall ability, including experience, is inferior to even my battalionmanders. If one look at your ability calmly without considering the age, your ability is in the end just at that level.¡¯ His words were decisive, allowing no room for rebuttal, an oppressive force. His father was loved, revered, and feared by his men. The strongest in the surrounding countries¨D¨DChristand the Lightning and his subordinates are the undisputed heroes of the kingdom, the sword and shield of the kingdom that can never be defeated. As such, her father did not allow any ck in his army. Even if the other party was Selene, if he judged that he could not use her, he would not hesitate to discard Selene Christand as a soldier. She knew that her father, more than anyone else, was a man who valued his duty as a soldier. That''s why she felt pride in that more than anyone else. ¡®Once you step onto the battlefield, there''s no turning back if you choose that path. Excuses andints are never allowed. I won''t show favoritism just because you''re my daughter. If you prove to be ipetent on the battlefield, I''ll consider you unfit as a soldier and permanently expel you from the army... Understand that and, I''ll ask you once again. Do you intend to apany us even so?¡¯ Selene looked straight at Bogan and ced her right palm on her left chest. With a crisp heel click, she straightened her posture and saluted. ¡®Yes, father. ...I swear by my name, I will definitely help you. Please allow me to apany you.¡¯ The hero¨D¨DBogan Christand caught Selene with his eyes as sharp as a hawk and nodded. ¡®...Understood. The Christand Army, appoint you as the adjutant general. Fulfill duties beyond your position.¡¯ Bigan responded to Selene by sticking his right thumb to his left chest. It was hard to express how he felt at that moment. It was his first salute to Selene as a soldier. It was the first time in her life that she felt acknowledged by his father. ¡®What a stubborn girl. Whether it¡¯s Lazura and or Bery, I wonder if it¡¯s Argan blood.'''' Her father let out an exasperated sigh and sat down on the sofa. ¡®However, since you have sworn as a noble, I won''t allow you to retract it. If you want to be a soldier, always show results. If you are criticized because you are my daughter, then show the surrounding people your ability that will silence them. At least, I see that you have the potential to do so. I had no doubt in my eyes, and you need to prove it through your actions.¡¯ ¡®Yes. I will definitely show results. I won''t let you be ashamed, Father.¡¯ For military personnel, results are everything. Those were the words her father valued above all else. These were words that Selene should value above all else, as long as she kept that, Selene will remain as her father''s daughter even after he was gone. ¡®¨D¨DThen, I will always protect you.¡¯ Swinging a sword for someone, protecting everything. As long as she did that, as long as she kept doing that¨D¨DSelene felt proud as her father''s daughter. Selene stepped into a world where results, not effort, mattered. There was no room for excuse for Selene Christand. The soft touch of the bed¨D¨Dshe opened her pale eyes wondering what she was doing. There was still some fighting going on in the west, albeit on a small scale. But Selene was in the estate,zily rolling around on the bed. ¡®You have a terrible face. ...If I may be rude to say this as a soldier, Selene-sama is in danger right now. Don''t push yourself too hard now.¡¯ Because she couldn''t do anything, and they sent her away. It wasn¡¯t that Kolkis bad. He was just a proper military man. The fault lies with Selene. ¡®¨D¨DWhat am I doing¡¯ she thought repeatedly. She didn¡¯t help Kreschenta or Krische. She couldn''t even handle the role given to her as a marshal. And in the meantime, Bery died. As an older sister, as a soldier, as the head of the family¨D¨DSelene show no results whatsoever. On the contrary, she ended up holding her back. Like that, she had no value. ¡®Bery is here, so it¡¯s fine. In preparation, Krische will create a world where Bery and the others can live in peace. With that, from now on...'''' She tried to stop Krische, but the Krische somehow brought Bery back. Krische never broke her promise. If she said she would do it, she would definitely show results. And she without trusting Krische, tried to stop her Results is everything¨D¨Dif Selene had believed her, she might have been able toe up with a proposal that would give her the best possible safety measures. Just because it was an unknown territory like the soul, and just because it was impossible based onmon sense, those were no excuse. If she hadn''t gotten emotional at that moment and thought logically, she might have been able to at least hold her back until Kreschenta arrived. At least Cliche had some kind of conviction, and she acted on it. That was why she was able to bring back results. She didn''t think Krische was sure she would seed, there were always risks in her choices. Even if there were risks, she could have made time to time to weigh them against the results, and if the risks was made clear, even if she couldn''t stop her, Krische might have listened to her. ¨D¨DOr perhaps that was just what she thought she could do. All Selene wanted was for Krische to ept her death. To Selene, Bery was already dead. Even if Krische was able to lead to the optimal solution, even if Krische wanted to save Bery even at the risk of her life, even if Krische was at her top condition, it was questionable whether Selene would have sent her. In the end, Selene would have stopped her, fearing the possibility of losing Krische as well. At the very least, she was sure she couldn''t ept the risk of losing Krische. For that reason, she must have thought that Bery should remain dead. "...I wonder, why was it you?" What would Bery have done if she were in Selene''s position? The more she thought about it, the dirtier she felt. Selene was sure Krische would still tried to save her even if it was Selene instead of Bery. But Selene was also sure Bery would have been able to calm Krische down in such a situation. ¡®¨D¨DThat''s trivial. ...As I''ve said before, Krische-sama is not that kind of person...and that''s what I love about her.¡¯ If Krische had found a solution, she would took the risk¨D¨Dbut in the end, no matter how she felt, Bery, for Selene''s sake, for what Krische wished for, would have sent Krische. She had been watching Bery since she was born. She had always admired her. So she could imagine it with confidence. ¡®¨D¨DFumbling, clumsily, but working harder than anyone else... I wanted to dedicate my life to that Krische-sama. ...Please forgive me.¡¯ She was sure from that moment on, Bery had epted all of Krische, epted all of her choices, and was determined to love her. There was not a single stain in Bery¡¯s love. A secret name was just a word. But she thought that was what it means to offer your secret name¨D¨Dyour true Mana (Trues Name). Precisely because it was Bery¡¯s Mana, there was meaning in it. Selene had no doubt in her mind that Krische loved her. If Selene was in danger, as Bery said, Krische would try to save her despite the risks. Selene loves her too. However, it was different from the pure love that Bery had. Selene''s love was nothing more than ¡®affection¡¯, not the unquestionable ¡®Love¡¯ for clich¨¦s that Bery had. The hopeless feeling of inferiority that she felt toward Bery must have stemmed from this. She epted that she couldn''t help but be jealous, because she knew subconsciously. The reason Bery was able to break free Krische¡¯s and Kreschenta¡¯s heart, the reason she was able to give so much, the reason she was able to win their trust¨D¨Dwas because it was Bery. ¨D¨DI leave Krische-sama to you. Serene was not qualified to ept those words. The brilliance that dwells inside the magic crystal is infinitely beautiful, when she was told that it was Bery''s soul, she thought it made sense. Selene thought that if souls existed, Bery''s soul must be infinitely beautiful, and she was sure the same goes for Krische and Kreschenta. But, Selene¡¯s must be different. ¡°...I am different from all of you." Create eternity, Krische said. A paradise where no one can threaten them¨D¨Dan world steeped in childish ideal. However, she was confident that Krische would be able to pull it off. Krische¡¯s definitely, is absolute. Even with the inevitable death, she was able to ovee it. So Krische would obtain paradise. Absolutely, without a doubt. Selene didn''t have the confidence to keep up with it. The paradise world created by pure things would be an endless hell for Selene. She didn¡¯t want to spend the rest of her eternity as a cloudy foreign object¨D¨DShe didn¡¯t want to spend her eternity being shown that she was different from them. Even then, they would love Selene. With pure, gentle love forever. Slowly, strangling Selene''s neck with cotton wool¨D¨Duntil someday, Selene could no longer bear it anymore. "...Why, am I like this?" She muttered, her vision bes blurred and she presses her face to the pillow it, staining it. She felt like a pathetic and weak person. If it was Bery, she would have said that she would follow them anywhere If that''s what her loved one wished, she wouldn''t hesitate. ¡®Why, couldn¡¯t she be like that¡¯, Selene thought All that came out of her mouth was a helpless whimper. She felt so pathetic that she wanted to die right now, and she just hated herself for not being able to proudly hold her heart high. Even though the castle was left empty for just one day, there seemed to be somemotion, but Elvena, quick-witted as she was, conveyed that Kreschenta was unwell and resting. There was also a pir of light that appeared when she teleported¨D¨Dsome might thought that Kreschenta was up to something, but it was in the middle of the night. Only the guards had witnessed it, and although there have been reports, there weren¡¯t many people who would connect it to Kreschenta. Rumors were known that the servant who had been by her side had died, and her absence the day before did not amount to much of amotion. Everyone went about their business as usual and returned to the estate. ¡°¡She¡¯s still sulking?¡± "...Kreschenta, please don''t say it like that. It''s Krische who is bad." She saw that her sister was not in the room and went to the kitchen. There was Krische in an apron dress staring at the food on the tray. The meal was probably Selene''s. It was untouched. Approaching, Kreschenta took the soup te, sat on the table, and began to eat without a word. Krische looked at Kreschenta with a hint of reproach, but she remained silent without saying anything. At least, Krische was certain that Selene wouldn''t be eating today. "It''s been a while since I¡¯ve tasted Onee-sama¡¯s cooking. It''s delicious." "...Shall Krische reheat it?" "It¡¯s fine. I''m used to cold food." With that, Kreschenta ced the pumpkin soup she had finished eating on the table and stroked Krische¡¯s cheek. It wasn''t until she came to Christand that she started eating hot meals on a daily basis. The food was cold, but it didn''t really bother her since that''s what royal meals are all about. Of course, warm food tastes better, but she didn¡¯t feel like asking for it in this situation. "...Does Crescenta understand?" "For the most part...It''s not like Selene-sama is angry at Onee-sama." ¡°Then, why is¨D¨D¡± "Selene-sama is a troublesome person." Kreschenta said, pulling her sister closer to her. She then sat down in a chair and sat Krische on her knees. "That kind of person usually has rules. ¡° ¡°...Rules?¡± ¡°Yes. Like the duties of a noble or the great cause¨D¨Dsomething like that. Thee are rules inside them somewhere." She took the magic crystal around Krische neck and looked at it. "It''s okay to kill someone as long as no one knows about it. If you think it''s better to kill someone, you should do it. The punishment of thew is invalid unless it''s exposed. ...But many people don''t do that. Regardless of whether they are a coward who was afraid of killing someone or breaking thew, there are many people who don''t choose that option.'''' As if ying with it, as ifcaressing it. Krische silently looked at her sister''s hand. ¡°Such people invariably have their own rules, personal rules that they have decided to abide by no matter what the social situation is. ...The same goes for the phrase ¡®Swear on my name¡¯. It''s just a verbal promise, and it shouldn''t matter if you break it, but many nobles keep it no matter how much of a disadvantage it may cause them.'''' "...Swear on my name" "That''s right. In some cases, they would even choose death¨D¨Dor maybe it''s something they have decided to protect no matter how much hardship they experience." ¡®What an idiot¡¯, Kreschenta said, wrapping her palms around the magic crystal. Krische couldn¡¯t Kreschenta¡¯s expression. ¡°Of course, the extent to which these rules are followed varies from person to person, and the content of those rules also varies. That''s probably why Selene-sama is the way she is right now. ...To me, that''s ridiculous. Obsessed with such trivial things.¡± "...Kreschenta" Krische called her name reproachfully, and ¡®It''s a fact¡¯ Kreschenta replied. "...It¡¯s a stupid obsession. It''s nothing more than stubbornness." Just like that, Kreschenta pulled out the magic crystal, along with the string, from her sister''s neck and put it around her own neck. When Krische tilted her head and looked back at her, Kreschenta continued. "Even if Onee-sama think about it here, it won''t get better. Onee-sama should go to Selene-sama and talk to her directly." "Selene''s room is locked...and also why is Bery?" "Probably, it''s better if Onee-sama doesn''t wear it. Besides, why not just open the lock by yourself?" "That''s..." "She won''t scold Onee-sama. Selene-sama is not angry with Onee-sama." After some thought, Krische nodded. Then she jump off Kreschenta¡¯sp. "...Krische don''t know if Krische understands exactly what Kreschenta means, but Krische do understand a little bit.... Krische''ll talk to Selene again." "Yes, take care." Kreschenta said with a smile, and Krische also smiled. "Krische will leave Bery to Kreschenta." After repeating the words she didn¡¯t even know how many times have been repeated, Krische troted out of the kitchen. Kreschenta, who was left behind, looked at the door for a while, then she lifted the magic crystal a little and looked at it. She, only kept gazing at the radiance within. Chapter 247: Yearning for Purity Chapter 247: Yearning for Purity ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 247 Yearning for Purity*** "... sorry for barging in, but Krische wanted to talk to Selene." There was no response to the knock, so she used magic to unlock the door. "I said leave me alone." "...Yes. Sorry." "I''ll listen to you tomorrow. ...So, please, not today." Krische was a little lost and sat down on the bed without saying anything. Then she looked around the room for a moment. Now that she thought about it, it had been a long time since she visited Selene in her room. Selene usually visits Krische¡¯s room. Krische patted Selene on the head from behind. ¡°...Kreschenta, is the one who told you right?¡± "...Yes. Kreschenta said Krische should talk to each other properly instead of thinking about it all alone." "About what?" When asked, Krische thought about it, then smiled nostalgically and said, ¡°It kind of reminds Krische of when Krische first came to Christand. At that time, Gotoushu-sama asked Krische to be Selene''s friend, so Krische went to see Selene without thinking anything. ... Krische didn''t even think about what to talk about.'''' She stroked Selene''s long, silky hair and intertwined it with her fingers. "Krische wants to know the reason. Why does Selene not like it? ...If Krische understands the reason, Krische can think of various ways so that Selene won''t dislike it." "...Please, do it tomorrow. I told you, right? I''m tired." "If Selene promises to tell Krische the reason tomorrow, Krische ''ll leave." ¡®But Krische doesn''t think that''s the case¡¯, Krische continued. "...Maybe Selene isn''t really angry. But, maybe Selene is tired of Krische and disappointed....Maybe, that¡¯s why Selene doesn''t want to talk with Krische?" "¡¡stop" "Selene said that Krische doesn''t understand. It''s true that Krische is an idiot. Even things that normal people would understand, Krische doesn''t understand. But Krische wants to understand Selene properly. So¨D¨D¡± "¨D¨DStop it!!" Krische froze for a moment, and Selene firmly pressed her face into the pillow he was holding. "...Really, please stop. I don''t want to feel any more miserable. I''m tired of it...Please, leave me alone for now." "Selene..." She was crying, her shoulders trembling. Selene cried a lot. But most of the time, it was relief or joy¨D¨Dbut today it was clearly different. "¡¡sorry" Krische didn''t understand why. However, Selene was probably crying because of Krische. At least Krische had hurt her so much that it made her cry like this. Her trembling back was like that of a child. Her usual stubborn older sister appearance was not there. ¡®¨D¨DWhat could be the cause?¡¯, she simply pondered. When she thought back again, Selene seemed abnormal when she saw her on the battlefield just before. She was crying when Krische left¨D¨Dthose were the only instances she could recall. Krische was aware that she had done something terrible by ignoring Selene, but she felt like Selene would understand the situation. Of course, Krische might have been making selfish assumptions, but looking at the current results, it seems that it was different. She didn¡¯t understand even when she thought about it. That said, she felt like asking what makes someone miserable would just be hurting them even more. After thinking about it for a while, she put her thoughts on hold. ¡°Krische always thought all Krische needed was the estate.¡± Krische said. ¡°It doesn''t have to be a mansion, it could be a small hut...If we can all live together in a ce like that for a long time, that''s fine. Not having to do anything dangerous, no wars, and no bad people... even during the civil war, if Selene would agree, Krische thought Krische''d abandon everything and escape into the mountains together and live quietly." Krische said with a smile, ¡®This kind of thing is called a dream.¡¯ ¡°Once the civil war is over, once the wars with neighboring countries are over, peace willst for a while¨D¨Deven when Krische thinks that way, peace won¡¯t be forever. Even if there is no war, there are still problems and there are many things. Krische have Krische¡¯s own circumstance, but of course other people have their own too, and we don''t necessarily want the same things." Krische buried her face in Selene''s neck and narrowed her eyes. "Krische was tired of it. Krische even though it might be better to destroy everything but...It would be much more peaceful for Krische and the other to move out, so Krische thought that would be best, so'''' That man from Elderant was out to avenge someone that Krische killed. In the end, no matter what Krische does, the seeds of war will be born somewhere. Those with malice would appear somewhere. Including indirect ones, Krische had killed well over 100,000 people. How many people hated her. Krische didn''t care how much grudge someone held against her. However, that kind of thing, not only Krische, but it can also affect her surroundings. In the future, and even further ahead¨D¨Dthe more it continues, the more the number will increase. Hundreds, thousands, over billions. ¡®¨D¨DYou, who only think about your small world and punish those who be your enemy, must be a terrifying existence for many powerless people. At least many of the weak¨D¨Dthe nobles must have felt that their security was threatened by you.'''' She recalled her grandfather''s words. ¡®And fear always turns into hostility. Now they fear you and will follow you. However, it may be the root of trouble and threaten you and those around you again in ten or twenty years from now.¡¯ ¨D¨DAre you going to repeat the same thing every time? How stupid, she closed her eyes. The destination was clear. The risks would only pile up, and Krische¡¯s desired eternity would nevere. The cycle of cause and effect will someday threaten Krische¡¯s security. She had to cut it off somewhere. That¡¯s why¨D¨Dbut ¡°¡Is it wrong for Krische to wish for eternity?¡± Bery promised forever. However, she seemed to ept that death woulde someday. Gallen was happy with his death, and so was Eluga. It''s fine, they said. True to their words, they said it with a smile to Krische. ¡®¨D¨DHowever, people do not live individually, but as a group, weaving many connections. Like our ancestors before us, I want to entrust myself to that flow ...I would rather live my life to the fullest, feeling the beauty in the appearance of the flowers that wither and leave seeds, rather than the eternal giant flowers.¡¯ Krische was simply yearning for eternal happiness. She didn''t think it was strange. Simply put, when Krische thought about it normally, the ultimate conclusion could only be there. But for many, that was not a normal thing. ¡°Krische selfishly thought that Selene loved Krische. Krische also loves Selene. ...That¡¯s why, is it wrong to think it would be nice if such a rtionship should continue forever? ¡± ¨D¨DShould humans die? Selene''s body stiffened at the words that continued. She tightened her grip on the pillow and just pressed her face into it. There was no thought of denying her beloved sister''s words. How much did she mourn her mother''s death? She had never forgotten how she felt at that time. If there was a way to save her mother, she would have done anything. At that time, even Selene wanted an eternity together with her parents and Bery. She epted because there was nothing she could do about it. People will die someday, and it''s just a matter of whether it''s early orte¨D¨Dshe knew that as long as one was alive, it was natural for one to die. Bing an adult was just a convenient excuse. It was a way to ept the injustices in the world and those who willingly epted such injustices were called adults. Krische was as pure as a child. She would probably remain forever pure like a child. She was the only one in this world who could achieve eternal happiness. She had the power to twist all irrationality and make all of her wishese true. ¨D¨DShe won''t give up, she won''t ept. She doesn''t acknowledge anything she doesn''t want, and she can remain not acknowledging them. She didn''t need any convenient excuse like bing an adult. She was not on the side of epting unreasonableness, but on the side of creating unreasonableness, and she would never be tainted in the future, because she was the owner of such a soul. "...If I say I should die, would you give up?" ¡®What a terrible question¡¯, she thought. It wasn''t a question she asked deeply. "... If Krische¡¯s wish is selfish. If Selene says so, then surely Bery too¨D¨D" "In the end, it''s Bery, isn''t it?" Selene said as if mocking herself. Even without seeing Krische''s puzzled expression, she knew. "Why are you asking me? Don''t worry about me, just do whatever you want...Even without me, you guys can still get by just like before." "Selene...?" "I''m a burden. You understand, right? Why did youe onto the battlefield? It was because you were worried, right? ...You felt like you couldn''t leave it to me, so you even left Bery behind and came onto the battlefield." No, she knew. Still, Krische hade because she was worried about Selene. She even left Bery to help Selene. "...I''m just an ordinary person. I''m so small that I can''t evenpare to you or Kreschenta, and like Bery, I can''t even give you a single piece of peace of mind." Her fists clenched so hard it hurt. "Tell me. What am I supposed to do in the paradise you speak of? I''m not smart, I''m not strong, what can a burden like me do? ... Should I just watch and smile at you like a figurines.'''' And then, she sighed as if mocking herself. "...Please, please stop. I''m tired." She felt disappointed in herself as she spoke, but also somewhat relieved. The temptation to give up always seemed sweet. It was always by her side, but she tried not to look at it. Something she had been trying to not acknowledge. Sheughed when she realized how burdensome her facade had be. There was dark delight and relief in her disappointment with herself. "Just Bery, is fine right? Unlike me, I''m sure Bery will stay with you forever in the paradise you desire. Even if I''m gone, you''ll get used to it after a while, and someday you won''t even remember me." ¨D¨DWith me...I hope we can continue to be together like this forever. The exchange she heard on the way to the royal capital. ¨D¨D¡¡Krische too, Krische wants to stay with Bery forever. She probably understood it at that time. That she was on the outside. Just pretending not to notice. The rtionship between the two was so perfect that there was no room to step into it. They each have something that the other wants, a perfect match. Selene was just receiving the blessings of love that overflowed from there. "...You didn''t need me from the beginning. Bery was enough to make you happy. So¨D¨D" "Selene" Suddenly she was pulled by the shoulder, her pillow taken away. Straddled on her hips, she felt lips pressed against hers. She was a little surprised at first, then she just looked at her. Clumsy love¨D¨Dchildish innocence. The usual kiss. She just stared at the purple color of the girl''s lips, and averted her gaze. No pint getting embarrassed after all this time. It was just a little too beautiful to look at. "Krische always thought Krische had no value unless Krische was excellent." When the lips parted, Krische spoke. Her purple eyes were unwavering, and the perfect circle towards Selene. "...But Selene told Krische that Krische could cook with Berry all the time and that Selene would make it possible for Krische to do so." ¡°Krische thinks it''s the same thing,¡± Krische said. "If it¡¯s just about food, Bery is enough for the meal at the estate, and Krische is useless. It''s really pointless... but Selene said it was fine." ¡®Did you forget?¡¯ asked Krische. Selene didn''t answer. There''s no way she''d forgotten. ¡°It''s true that Selene isn''t smart, and also really weak. She''s really clumsy and rough, and no matter what she does, she''s a total bum....but Krische doesn''t think that matters. At least, the one that thought Krische that is Bery, and Selene¡± Krische smiled and stroked Selene''s cheek. Her cool hands were strangely warm. "...Krische always idealized Kliche, who could do anything. But Selene and Bery said it''s okay for Krische to be stupid, epting Krische and loving Krische... because of that, Krische thought it might be okay to be stupid..." She traced Selene¡¯s lips with her fingertips, searching for the words, and kissed her again. ¡°At least Krische thinks the same thing about Selene. Certainly to be honest, Krische has never thought that Selene''s abilities are amazing...but that doesn¡¯t have anything to do with it right? She seemed to look down on Selene. But at the same time, she looked at her with love. "...Krische probably loves the stupid Selene that Selene just described. Quick to anger, stubborn, with lots of weird quirks... but that kind and hardworking Selene. That''s who Krische loves." She didn''t decorate her words. She is always sincere and straightforward to the point of being stupid. It sounded like insults, but surely that wasn''t her intention at all. "Just like Selene loves the stupid Krische..." The brilliance inside her purple eyes, there was an indescribable emotion. Her smile is just like that of a young girl, and her doll-like beauty was full of color. Little by little, she seemed to have changed, and when she remembered the image in her memory, she looked like a different person. Who had changed her¨D¨Das expected she didn¡¯t think she could exclude herself from among them. But, just. ¡°¡Is that not enough?¡± ¡®Krische is unfair¡¯, she thought. Krische was hopelessly beautiful and could pour out her pure love to others without thinking. She should just nod to that, Selen thought. Just like usual, in response to Krische¡¯s innocence. The best oue was within reach. At least, what Selene desired most was Krische happiness. She would easily make ite true, and all Selene would have to do was nod. ¡°You really are an idiot huh.¡± However, she averted her gaze from her and said, "...I can''t make any promises. This is a problem within myself." "Selene..." She knows that Krische loved her. The beauty of her love had been there for a long time. "I love you, Krische. I love you more than anything in the world." She stroked her cheek. Her skin was smooth and soft¨D¨Dlike a baby''s. "But, I''m sure my love vessel is very shallow and very narrow. I''m selfish and self-centered...I don''t have the kind of love that Bery does." It was not the kind of love that could be epted after understanding everything. True love is definitely something that embraces the other person without asking for anything in return. However, Selene''s love was a love of desire. The love that was entirely for oneself was so distorted and corrupted that it seemed unimaginable it could arise within herself. Wanting to be recognized for her own sake. In the end, Selene wanted to think that she was the only one special to her. She would risk her life for Selene. It was more than enough, and asking for more was excessive. But still, she wanted something more. Greedy to the core, she wanted to devour her¨D¨Dsmall-minded though she was, Selene Christand was an insatiable, arrogant human who never knew contentment. Her bad habit of seeking more than she was capable of had prated to the core. Even though she knew what she was capable of, she still had a passion that she couldn''t ept. "I''m jealous of Berry. Envious." "¡¡envy?" Yes, Selene replied, pushing her down. Straddling her waist, Selene looked down at her this time. "I love you more than anything in the world, but Berry is the best in you. ...Maybe I was happy that Bery was gone. Maybe if Bery goes away, you''ll only look at me.'''' She reached out and wrapped her arms around Krische''s slender neck. "...I wanted to keep you all to myself. But whether Bery dies or not, your number one won¡¯t change. ...From now on and for forever." She was fed up with her own shallowness. There was no magic crystal around her neck. She didn¡¯t think Krische would leave it behind. It must be Kreschenta¡¯s suggestion. Kreschenta must have been able to see through Selene''s shallow thoughts. Her purple color must be able to see through all of Selene''s struggles. That was why she sent Krische to Selene like this. ¨D¨DJust do as you like. It was as if she could hear those words, as if Kreschenta was making fun of her. This was a prepared meal. At least, Kreschenta must have thought it was enough to resolve it. Unpleasant, but the idea wasn''t far off. That was why it was even more unpleasant. "I don''t want to imagine you guys spending the rest of eternity happily without me. But I don''t want to keep looking at that too. ...I hate myself for not being able to be genuinely happy about it." If she squeezed with all her might now, this neck would likely snap. Krische looked up at Selene in surprise, but made no resistance. "...I hate it all." How much better it would have been if she could have killed her. Kill him, die yourself¨D¨DShe¡¯s sure she will feel refreshed if she did that. If she could drive her to a ce where she could never be reached. Even though she felt that from the bottom of her heart, her hands were trembling. Her magic power was in disarray, producing no power at all. ¡°I don''t like not knowing what to do.¡± New drops trace the path of her dry cheeks, staining them. She thought she was the most ipetent person in this world. She should have been happy for her beloved servant, but she couldn¡¯t. Or, even though she should have been sad, should have been holding a grudge, but she couldn''t grieve or hold a grudge. Only chaos swirled inside her heart, unable to turn in any direction. Then, the droplets that overflowed from her cheek were gently wiped away with Krische¡¯s thumb. "...Krische¡¯s number one is probably Bery. Always thinking about Bery..." Krische said, lost in thought. "But Krische loves Selene just as much. That''s why Krische wants Selene toe too, that¡¯s why, uhh...no, Krische doesn''t know what to do, but..." The sight that tempted her gaze was endlessly adorable. "...However, Krische don''t like, it''s painful for Selene. If that''s makes Bery so painful... Krische''ll try to avoid speaking as much as possible until Selene calms down properly." ¡®Is that not enough?¡¯ asked Krische. Selene had no words to answer. How should she receive it? Krische cupped Selene''s cheek, pulled her close, and kissed her. "It''s okay. Please don''t cry." Krische caressed her cheek and kissed her. Like cradling a child. "...Until Selene calms down, until it stops being hard for Selene...Krische will always be by Selene''s side." Her smile was always kind. Selene wiped her eyes with her sleeve and buried her face in her neck. Kreschenta probably knew she would settle for this. That Selene was hopelessly naive, and pure, and that Krische love would take care of it. How cunning. Both Krische and Kreschenta. In all their cunning ways, they resembled Selene''s beloved servant. "...I hate you." ¡°...Ehehe¡± Regaining her breath, she lifted her face slightly and kissed her. Pressing, and savoring it. If she repeated it, it felt like she could blot out everything in her mind. So, as if immersed, as if familiarizing herself with various emotions, she pressed her lips against her. Again and again. Slowly and gradually be intensifying. Chapter 248: One Who Doesnâ€™t Acknowledge Chapter 248: One Who Doesn¡¯t Acknowledge ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 248 One Who Doesn¡¯t Acknowledge*** "Don''t worry. There''s no pain." She caressed her cheek and felt its smooth texture. Because of her narrow shoulders, her body looks delicate despite her fleshiness. When she took off her apron dress and put on a white negligee, her body looked even thinner. Combined with her pale skin and gaunt appearance, her figure was that of a sick person. Fatigue showed on her face, yet there was a definite resolve there. "...Argan-sama will die just like falling asleep." As she said that, Kreschenta looked at her. Then, Bery Argan widens herrge eyes. Her flowing red hair tickled her fingers. Herrge light brown eyes stared intently at her, as if searching for the truth behind her words. Her gaze wavered with slight hesitation. Her usual rxed demeanor was gone¨D¨Dwhat''s left was agitation. Was she thinking she was just joking? or was she pondering whether to shout or hit her? "What''s the matter? Fufu, I''ll forgive any rudeness today. This will be thest time we see each other. Do you want to yell at me, or hit me? I want to see the moment when your true colors are revealed." Bery didn''t say anything, she just stared at Kreschenta. She then closed her eyes and took one deep breath. ¨D¨DThen, she spoke with a smile. "...Then the battle is my victory." "...?" ¡°Currently, I am number one for Krische-sama. If I die, my ranking inside Krische-sama will remain unchanged. Inevitably, Crescenta-sama will lose in this match...¡± Kreschenta frowned, dumbfounded at what she was saying. To Kreschenta who froze, Bery cupped her cheeks with both of her hands, "Kreschenta-sama is now both, in name and reality, a loser¡ª¡ªa loser puppy, if you will." ¡®Kusukusu¡¯, Bery giggled. Amused and cheerful, she further confused Kreschenta, who furrowed her brow even more. "...You will be killed by me. Do you understand?" "Yes, of course I understand. ...I am afraid I also have an idea why." Bery embraced Kreschenta¡¯s head and rubbed her cheek against her hair. "...Please forgive me, Kreschenta-sama." "..., Why are you apologizing?" ¡°Because, I always interpret Kreschenta-sama in the most convenient way.¡± Bery said, patting her head. Like always, with a gentle hand. ¡°... Kreschenta-sama is a bit of a foul-mouthed person who only curses at me whenever she opens her mouth. Originally, I should have seen it as Kreschenta-sama hating me¨D¨Dbut that Kreschenta-sama is just hiding her shyness. Kreschenta-sama loves me from the bottom of her heart." ¡®Something like this, I guess?¡¯ she said happily, lovingly. ¡°There is only one thing I can think of as to why Kreschenta-sama is trying to kill me.¡ Therefore, the first thing I should say is an apology.¡It is not Kreschenta-sama who is at fault, but mine.¡± ¡®Aah¡¯, she almost let out a sigh. ¡°...Please, never me yourself. Whatever the oue is¨D¨DKreschenta-sama''s choice is definitely not something to be med for.¡± Even Kreschenta couldn''t understand it. Bery Argan was a crazy woman through and through. ¡®...Please, never me yourself. Whatever the oue¨D¨DKreschenta-sama''s choice is definitely not something to be med for.¡¯ ¡°You''re really hopeless huh. ...Even though you¡¯re about to die, is it the time to be worried about others?¡± ¡°Yes. About to die, that is precisely the reason, I think. ...I love Kreschenta-sama from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¨D¨DJust like how Kreschenta-sama loves me. But somewhere in her heart, Kreschenta had realized that those would be the words Bery returned to her. One person and one thing in a bed. Just repeating, as if ruminating. It seemed like the more she repeated it, the more it would wear out over time, but her memory never faded. They lingered in her mind as vivid as yesterday, as if it was just a moment ago. The more she repeated, the clearer it became, vividly, even her breath felt like a ringing in her ears. "...hate you." The girl whispers to the magic crystal hanging from her neck¨D¨Dto something inside it. There was hatred, just as the words she had said, but her hands were lovingly holding it, as if it were a treasure. Her purple eyes narrowed as if she were looking at something dazzling. "...hate you." Like a child, hoping that if she keeps repeating it, it would someday be true. The only person who heard her echoing words was only her alone. As if conveying, telling, convincing herself, just repeating words. She kept repeating she hated the most useless task. As she lovingly looked and held the radiance, she cursed. Believing that if she did that, the brilliance would eventually dim. However, contrary to her wishes, the brilliance within the magic crystal was simply beautiful, piercing her eyes. And the more her eyes were drawn to it, the more the sludge inside her was writhing. A helpless feeling of difort crawled inside her chest. ¡°¡ª¡ªI believe that Kreschenta-sama can just live happily without umting sins. That''s why I would like to settle all the sins that have beenmitted here and let Kreschenta-sama find happiness without a single sign on Kreschenta-sama.'''' She recalled the words that were once said. Every memory, as if it just happened moments ago, was so vivid that she hated it. ¨D¨DShe won''t forget. She never forgets what she saw or the words she heard. Everything she touched, everything she felt. The little girl didn''t have the ability to forget a single thing. "...I hate you, Berry." Looking at the light inside the magic crystal, trace her lips with her fingertips. Closing her eyes, she curled up as if embracing the girl inside the magic crystal. That was, much like a baby that was sleeping. Chapter 249: Side Story: Days and Years Chapter 249: Side Story: Days and Years ***Arc 10 One Who Doesn''t Acknowledge, Chapter 249 Side Story: Days and Years*** Golden hair shining red. The beautiful girl, having her dress removed, leapt onto the bed in her underwear, rolling around. The lovely smile she had shown at the party earlier disappeared, and she looked ufortable and moody. Kreschenta let out a deep sigh as she rolled onto her back and swung her legs. "Year after year, it''s so troublesome." ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Kreschenta-sama.¡± Nora, the ck-haired servant with a neat but unremarkable face, took her foot and carefully removed Kreschenta¡¯s socks. "My legs are tired, Nora.¡± "Yes, understood." Then, taking a warmed cloth, Nora cleansed her feet and lightly massaged them. Year after year¨D¨Dher birthday celebration. If it were amoner, it would be a small, happy party at home. But for one born into royalty, it was different. A princess was public property, and someone like ¡®me¡¯ didn''t exist. Whether she wanted it or not,rge-scale feasts and national events were held. Showered withpliments and congrattions without a break, without being able to even enjoy thevish meal. Even if she possesses extraordinary intelligence and talent, she was still just a child. Having spent the past few days preparing for the feast, Nora could see that Kreschenta was so tired that she couldn''t hide, and Nora¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Being born into the royal family was not as happy as people imagined it to be. The only ce in this world where Kreschenta could rest her wings was in this small world given to her. Thinking that way. Nora didn''t even feel it was a hard work serving her. Cleaning her small feet, gently massaging them. Nora then approached the cold dishes prepared in the room and examined them. Nothing had changed. However, even if there was no apparent abnormality, it was difficult to know what whether that was true. Taking the knife and fork, Nora lightly tasted the food. She took a sip of the soup and a piece of bread. She washed them down with water from the pitcher, and ensuring that there was no abnormal taste, she breathe a slight relief. Whenever she left the room, she made sure to check everything. Perhaps she was being too cautious. However, ever since she learned that Kreschenta had killed the other princes, she had been constantly gued by anxiety. Just like Kreschenta had done, perhaps other would target her too. Wouldn''t her sinse back to haunt her one day? Nora was aware of her own nervousness, but she couldn''t stop it. "Please wait a moment for your meal." "I understand." After saying that she bowed her head to Kreschenta, took off her underwear, and wiped her body with her own cloth. Kreschentaplied. As she watched Nora''s hands and the meal, she let out a yawn. Leaningzily against Nora with a slightly tired expression, she suddenly spoke up. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s so auspicious about it?¡± "...?" "It''s a ridiculous event. It''s just turning a year older, how ridiculous." ¡®Don¡¯t you think so?¡¯ Kreschenta looked at Nora. With her transparent purple eyes. As if despising everything. "Even though they tried to get rid of me when I was born." Unable to bear it anymore, Nora averted her gaze. "This world is full of idiots. They celebrate the birth of a child no one wanted, calling it the birthday of a noble princess. How absurd." It was a curse-like remark. To her, who had grown up without the happiness that children should experience, that was probably how everything in the world seem to her. When she was born into this world, what was given to her was not a blessing but a curse. She was treated not with love, but with suspicion. Even after she was raised as a princess, those never disappeared. "Well, in a way, it''s more convenient for them to be dump. It''s better than them being smart." ¨D¨DKreschenta recalled her adorable older sister. She was like a baby bird, following Nora around without even suspecting anything. ¡®¨D¨DWe''ve temporarily decided to raise her as His Majesty''s child, but just to be safe, we''ve decided to keep it hidden for a while. I''ve heard that you previously took care of a Cursed Child. If anything happens, report immediately.¡¯ What distorted Kreschenta was everything around her. For example, what would have happened if she had been born in amoner''s home? What would have happened if she had grown up with the love she deserved? Nora could never make up for everything that was taken from her. "¡¡I" "...?" ¡°At the very least...I am happy from the bottom of my heart that Kreschenta-sama was born.¡± After hearing that, Kreschenta turned to face her. She looked up at Nora with her small body, stroke her cheek, and meet her gaze. "Ufufu, I know. Nora wants to start over, right?" "Start over..." "To atone for killing Nee-sama. By serving me, to pretend it never happened. ...Right?" "¡that, kind" The words didn''te out. But Kreschenta seemed amused. "Rest assured. I don''t doubt you. If you continue to serve me like this, I''ll forget about the past, and I''ll make sure to give you something in return." "Hg..." "You were the one who saved me, Nora. Don''t worry, I''m going to thank you properly." That wasn''t what she wanted to say. Those were not the words she wanted to give to her. It was not like she wanted anything in return, nor was it to atone for her sins, but such excuses seemed flimsy. In fact, even if she said it, the girl would likely perceive it as such. She would ept it with a sober face. ¨D¨DI love you. Such a simple phrase was harder than any words to utter for her. ¡°My apologies¡± "¡? What''s wrong, Nora? Don''t suddenly start crying." She instinctively covered her face with both hands and shook her head. Unable to give even the single word she wanted to convey more than anything. Unable to tell her. ¡°Emotionally unstable, you really are a crybaby, Nora. How about you be a little more resolute as my servant?¡± "My, apologies¡¡" "Did I say something that offended you? If you have something to say, please say it clearly, how troublesome." Unable to say anything, she shook her head. She heard the usual exasperated sigh, and a small palm rested on her head. "Then please try not to make a sound. Listening to your crying while eating is doubly annoying. I''m tired." "¡¡,yes" Her touch was gentle, as if soothing a child who was throwing a tantrum. Originally, she should have been the one to do that. Nora only, only let out a sob at how pathetic she was. After the civil war ended, thing calmed down, weing the birthday celebration. After that was over, a dubious smile crossed the face of the rather unpleasant servant, Anne, who led her to the estate. Tired from her birthday celebration, Kreschenta headed to the royal estate dining room, fed up. When Anne opened the door, Kreschenta was greeted by flower petals pouring down right before her eyes. Krische and Selene, who were sitting on chairs, pped repeatedly, and Elvena, who was holding a basket of flower petals, bowed. The red-haired servant who was also carrying the basket greeted Kreschenta with her devious smile, as usual, wondering what the fun was. "...What is it?" "It''s a birthday party. Fufu, Kreschenta-sama is busy with various things during the birthday festival, so we have decided to hold a small party again at the estate." "I''m tired." "Don''t say that. Now, please take a look here." In the center of the table were three dish of meat, pumpkin, and Lakura pies. There were also two types of soup, fish-based and sheep-based. There were pizzas lined up, roasted chicken, steak, sausages with cheese, and a variety of breads¨D¨Dthe steam rising from the table was mixed with delicious aromas. It were freshly made and crispy. At the celebration festival¨D¨Dshe couldn''t eat any food and was extremely hungry. Although she was half expecting it, Kreschenta couldn''t hide her reaction when she saw it, and for a moment her cheeks seemed to rx. "I-I just wanted to eat something light and go to sleep quickly though." ¨D¨DHowever, she immediately red at the red-haired servant with a displeased look on her face. "Now, now, now, here." The red-haired servant didn¡¯t mind it. Bery Argan brazenly grabbed Kreschenta''s hand and pulled her towards the back of the dining room. The short side of the rectangr table. She guided Kreschenta to the seat where Selene usually sat and forced her to sit down. "It''s a long-awaited celebration, so it''s no good if you look like that, Kreschenta. Ehehe, look, today, all of it is my best." She must be unable to wait for the meal. Her older sister looked at Kreschenta urgingly, "Really, what not an honest child. What are you going to do about being so stubborn about being hungry?" Selene told Kreschenta with a tired face, as if she was exasperated. "...Shut up." Kreschenta puffed out her cheeks and spat out a word. However, it was a servant who crushed her pouting cheeks from behind with both of her hands. ¡®Puhyu~¡¯ a strange sound echoed, "My, that¡¯s no good. Today''s protagonist is Kreschenta-sama, so smile, smile." How selfish. Why must someone like her, who is at the pinnacle of the kingdom, be treated with such an attitude by a mere servant? The question, that had repeated dozens of times sinceing here, was never answered. "...Rather than letting me, who came back to the mansion tired, rest, you''re forcing me to smile. Who do you think you are?" "What do you mean who do I think I am? Of course, I am her Majesty the Queen''s servant. Here, let''s have a toast." "I have no recollection of appointing such an ipetent servant as mine." Even when she said that, Bery just chuckled. While talking, she forcibly puts a mixture of wine (80% juice) into Kreschenta¡¯s hand and enjoys herself. A servant for Krische when it was convenient. Selene''s and Kreschenta¡¯s servant when it suited her. Bery Argan was truly a good for nothing. was is extremely unpleasant and even when red at her, she just brushed it off as if it was a wind. How did Bery receive her gaze? ¨D¨DBery prepared a ss for herself, poured some wine, and looked at Kreschenta as if expecting something. "¡¡cheers" The more youin, the longer it wouldst. Reluctantly, she said that with a sigh, and they all said in unison, ¡®Happy birthday¡¯. The boring routines she had heard so many times, the boring flow she had seen so many times. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s so auspicious about it?¡± "...?" "I, hate birthdays, they''re such a hassle. It¡¯s just turning one year older." "...well" Bery, who was cutting the pie for Kreschenta, smiled bitterly at those words. "Fufu, it''s just a way to celebrate. Certainly, thinking of it as just getting a year older isn''t a big deal." She cut it into bite-sized pieces and stacks them. "Birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate the umtion of little things. ...It''s a special day to celebrate the trivial everyday things." Bery said as she arranged it like a small mountain on a te. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to celebrate Kreschenta-sama¡¯s birthday since she came to Christand, so I thought it would be a good chance.¡± "...It''s a nuisance." "Fufu, please forgive me. It''s quite fun to celebrate you know." "What a helpless servant." Bery was just happyly. No matter what Kreschenta said, most of the time she just looked at her happily. She didn¡¯t like it at all. ¡°I also want to express my gratitude for meeting Kreschenta-sama... In a sense, events like this may be more for the people celebrating than for the person in question.¡± She said, then thinking about it a little. She pressed her finger to her pink lips and smiled. ¡°Well, in any case, it will be an annual event at the mansion from now on, so please ept it as such.¡± "I''m already sick of it this year. Do you understand the term ''unwee favor?" ¡°So that means, Kreschenta-sama must be grateful even for the feeling alone.¡± "...talking to you gives me a headache." She twists logic, seized upon the details, and every one or two words said would lead to three or four more in response. She was truly a headache-inducing woman. She really didn¡¯t like the foolish smile look on her face either. "Really, I wonder what''s so fun about it?" ¡°fufu, just as I said.¡± When she exasperated, asked that, Bery answered. "I''m happy to be able to celebrate my beloved Kreschenta-sama''s birthday." Without any pretense or embarrassment. As if it were the most natural thing in the world. ¡°From the bottom of my heart, I am happy about this fortuitous encounter.¡± The words Bery said suddenly reminded Kreschenta of words she had a long time ago. ¡®¨D¨DAt the very least I...am happy from the bottom of my heart that Kreschenta-sama was born.¡¯ Why did she remember it now, she thought for a moment. "...? What''s the matter?" Pushing it to the back of her mind, Kreschenta pointed to the chair to her left with her finger. "...Rather than, it''s a bit of an eyesore you moving about right in front of me. Why don''t you sit down too?" "My, thank you. Now, if you''ll excuse me." The short side of the rectangr table. Usually, there''s only one chair for Selene. She must have purposely prepared two chairs so that she could sit in them from the beginning, yet she acted so deliberately. Moving the chair a little closer, Bery leaned in. With a stupid smile on her face, Bery prepared the soup in front of Kreschenta and cut up the meat, ignoring the fact that she had been told earlier that she was an eyesore. She was a helpless servant. "To think this is an annual event, even harassment has its limit." "Fufu, then next year I''ll have to work even harder to satisfy Kreschenta-sama. Everything starts with the first step." "...I''ve always thought this, but you''re really the worst servant." "I¡¯m d to hear that I can''t go lower than this. From now all I need to do is umte good evaluations." ¡°It will only dig deeper into the earth.¡± Bery leaned closer to her in a familiar way, as if pressing against her shoulder. ¡®Will these tiresome memories continue to pile up like this in the future?¡¯ The thought exhausts her even more, draining her energy. "Here, say aaah." She reluctantly took a bite of the Lakura pie that was offered to her. "Happy birthday, Kreschenta-sama. How is it?" The end of an utterly unpleasant day. A tedious event that will likely be held every year from now on. "...It''s so-so." Warm, and sweet. The Lakura pie she put in her mouth was not bad at all. Chapter 250: Pure Garden Chapter 250: Pure Garden ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, 250 Pure Garden*** Five main roads stretching across the grasnd¨D¨Dbeside them, steel rails etched into the earth. Clutched within what was known as the ¡®The King¡¯s 5 Fingers. There was a white city that ruled over the vast in. Albeneria, the capital of the Alberan Kingdom. This city, built entirely of gray transmuted rock, sparkling white in the sunlight, its appearance floating in the grasnd had a majestic appearance befitting one to rule a continent. Like the sword depicted in the crest, vast magical power radiated from the towers towering towards the sky, distorting the atmosphere. It was said to be the path leading to the heavens for governance¨D¨Dthe King¡¯s sixth finger. The beginning of the world. It drew inexhaustible magical power from the enormous energy called ¡®Origin¡¯ and circted it into the atmosphere. Several decades have passed since its creation, and obvious changes have begun to ur in the world. An increase in the number of magical beasts, an increase in the percentage of people with magical power and continued abundant harvests. Deep in remote forests and mountains¨D¨Dthe number of magical beasts that were said to be born in such ces was clearly increasing, and it was even affecting livestock in human settlements. For the past decade, creatures such as sheep for meat, pet cats and dogs, and horses had begun to possess strong magical powers. And so did humans. Even amongmoners with no magical power in their bloodline, magic possessors would suddenly begin to appear. Although thetter has not caused as much fuss as the former, many researchers were already saying that it was a definite phenomenon. What purpose that tower called the Heavenly Zenith was built for? Even though no one knew the true intentions of the Queen or Alberinea, they understood that it was something that would affect the world itself. And this applies not only to researchers but also to nobles. A great and wless queen. An existence akin to a fairy tale without a hint of human frailty. The masses simply praised her without reservation, but those who had direct dealings with her, felt an indescribable unease at her overly perfect demeanor. The faint records of past purges, carried out by a mad genius named Alberinea. Perhaps because their interaction with Kreschenta was too perfect. Several decades have passed since the unification of the continent, and the world has rapidly be more stable. It was more apt to call it the work of God, and they began to doubt whether the unageing her was truly the same human as them In fact, the people''s belief in the Queen was almost like a religious belief¨D¨Dand her extraordinary degree of perfection was what made them uneasy. Never aging, without ws, without a husband or children. Everything about her seemed self-contained, making it inevitable to imagine eternity upon seeing her. An eternal country, like a dream. Ruled by God. And if the impossible end were toe, what would that be like? A world where everything was entrusted to one person, and where everything could fall apart at the whim of one person. As they recognized it correctly, this seemingly perfect stability seemed to be built on thin ice, so they turned away from it and didn¡¯t question it. But beyond their gaze stood the tower piercing the heavens, further stroking their fears. It was like a wedge being driven into this stagnation called stability. And at the castle town of the royal capital. "That''s why Krische came to ask for the answer. What about Kalua and the others?" The voice of a girl, like the ringing of a bell, ovepped slightly with the voices of boys practicing swordsmanship ¨D¨DIt was a voice from a dojo named ck g Swordsmanship Instruction. The ck g Special Forces Company was once hailed as the strongest in the kingdom. This dojo, where its members personally teach swordsmanship, prospered and became one of the leading dojos in the capital, but the instructors gradually changed as they aged. Nowadays, the majority of them were former disciples who had never experienced the battlefield. Listening to the voice from the dojo that had been reborn, "Fufu, Usa-chan hasn''t changed." The old woman who ran the dojo sat up on the bed and said that with a wry smile. There is still some trace of her beautiful ck hair, but most of it had turned white. Even after several decades, still beautiful¨D¨Dshe gazed at the silver-haired girl as if seeing a dazzling sight, then looked at her own palm and closed her eyes. Even in her old age, her profile was beautiful. ¡°Last time Krische asked, Kalua told Krische to ask before you die.¡± There were three elderly women in the room. A woman with ck hair like hers and a woman with chestnut hair. Both had graying hair, aging gracefully. Among them, only the girl with a clear, bell-ringing voice had not aged, and she stood there as dainty as a small animal. She was wearing an apron dress as usual. "It was quite a while ago indeed," ¡°Selene told Krische not to force it, so it¡¯s not absolutely...but Krische thinks it''ll be very happy if it stays like this forever. Kalua is always together with Mia and Elvena, peacefully. There¡¯s nothing to worry about anymore.¡± ¡°That''s why Krische wants you toe,¡± Krische said with a smile. It was a modest smile that had not changed for several decades. A smile that had no doubts, no calctions, and simply believed in happiness. Kalua was sure this would never change. Kahlua was strangely convinced, as if she had seen the future. "Usa-chan" When Kahlua beckons, Clich¨¦ mysteriously approaches her and sits on the bed, where Kalua pat her on the head. Her silky hair had a youthfulness that had long since disappeared from Kalua. "I still don''t really know how to exin it to Usa-chan." "...?" ¡°Mia, you say it.¡± "You know I''m not good at that kind of thing." The old woman with long chestnut hair said while ring at her. Even though they had gotten older, their rtionship remained unchanged. As usual, Mia looked dissatisfied, looking at Kalua with an exasperated expression. Kalua chuckled and gently hugged the little girl. "I don''t mean I''m tired of living, or that I don''t have anything else I want to do, or that I don''t want to have fun... But, you know, right now, I''m pretty satisfied." Krische took Kalua''s arm, which embraced herself. Her arms grew thinner year by year, with wrinkles on the hands. "...Satisfied." ¡°Yes, I feel like if there''s ever a time to stop in life, it would be now. ...If I continue on with Usa-chan, I might be able to enjoy it quite a bit...But Onee-chan thinks I¡¯ll never have the chance to end my life asfortably as I¡¯m now.¡± "...I don''t think you¡¯re an Onee-chan anymore, but rather an Obaa-chan." ¡°Mia, don¡¯t interrupt the conversation.¡± Kaluaughed and continued. "As Kahlua, I met Usa-chan, fought together, found Elvena, and was saved... and now I''ve opened a dojo like this, and I''ve found many of her sessors who can take over after me. ...If I were to conclude the story of Kahlua Bellus, I think it would be beautiful to leave it to nature as it is.'''' While lovingly embracing the delicate and petite body. "Of course, there''s still more I can do, and if Usa-chan needs me from now on, then I''m fine with that. I n on following Usa-chan forever, but...That''s probably not why Usa-chan is asking me, right?" Krische nodded silently. It was not like war hadpletely disappeared. However, the battlefield was dominated by giant iron soldiers and magic weapons, and the ck g Special Force had long since been disbanded. Krische no longer stands on the battlefield herself, and she lives a peaceful life far away from the battlefield, and even though she sometimes visited, she was never asked for anything in particr. Was it necessary or not?¨D¨DAt the very least, it was not necessary. ¡®If necessary, I will spend eternity as Krische-sama¡¯s sword. ...However, Krische-sama is no longer looking for Bald Eagle who was a soldier.'' She only spoke to a very small number of people, but the words she got back were all simr. Everyone responded to Krische with simr words to Kalua. Each time, she recalled Gallen¡¯s and Eluga¡¯s smile. "...Kahlua, is it necessary for it to end?" "Well, I don''t know. Maybe we have a different way of thinking." Kalua said with a chuckle. ¡°For quite some time now, I''ve seen living as dying.¡± "...To die?" ¡°That''s right. In order to have a better way to die and a better ending, I will live my life to the fullest. ...The end wille someday, so enjoy everything I''ve been through to the fullest, and that''s why I''ve gotten to where I am now. Having enjoyed life enough as something that will eventually end, there''s no further attraction or regret... Well, something like that." Krische furrowed her brow and groaned. Kalua chuckled. "It''s a different perspective. Usa-chan''s purpose is probably to live in the present." ¡°¡Is Kalua treating Krische like an idiot again?¡± "I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve known for a long time that Usa-chan is very smart." "...Krische still feels like Krische is being treated like an idiot." Krische pouted her lips and puffed out her cheeks. Seeing her like that, Kaluaughed joyfully, causing wrinkles to form on her elegant face. Watching them, Mia spoke. ¡°It''s true. It''s not a story that doesn''t appeal to me...The paradise that Clich¨¦-sama talks about seems like it would be fun. But when I think this is the end, I thought it was also fine. ...I feel the same way as Kahlua.¡± Her eyes narrowed and she looked towards the dojo. The voices of children and instructors, and the hard sound of wooden swords echoed. ¡°I feel like I want to keep looking at what lies ahead, and I also feel like I don¡¯t have to look at it.¡If I¡¯m going to be reborn from scratch after I die, I think it¡¯s good to sleep imagining that.¡± ¡®Right¡¯, she said with a smile on her wrinkled face. "It''s like how you naturally want to sleep at night. ... I want the fun days tost forever, but no matter how fun the day is, at some point you''ll want to take a break." Mia also sat down and cuddled up to Kalua. ¡°...There is nothing happier than when you go to sleep thinking about what tomorrow will be like. Imagining what kind of life I would lead if I were reincarnated...I''m quite happy with that." Krische looked at her, thought for a moment, and nodded. "...If Kalua and Mia say that then Krische won''t say anything more. What do you want to do, Elvena?" Then she looked at Elvena. Elvena, who was silently watching her progress, stared at the two of them, and shook her head as she smiled a little sadly. "As I said, to Krische-sama...If I can, I would like to meet Bery-sama again..." Hearing Elvena''s words, Kalua turned to her. Seeing her gaze, Elvena returned her gaze and smiled. As they get older, they look even more like each other¨D¨Dbut perhaps it was their temperament or the difference they''ve umted. There was a difference in the atmosphere between the two. ¡°I guess you could say I''m on Krische-sama''s side, too. I''d like to spend a peaceful time without the sun setting. There''s so much to learn and think about that no matter how much time I have, I''ll never have enough." Kalua carefully examined her sister''s words. She then nodded. "If Elvena decides that''s okay, I won''t say anything more." ¡°Yes¡± Elvena also nodded and bowed her head. Kalua turned to Krische "...If there¡¯s time, I''d like to eat Usa-chan''s cooking for the first time in a while." "Ehehe, yes. What do you want?" "Maybe something easy to eat, like pumpkin soup..." "...Kalua is probably the only one who can say that to Krische-sama." Mia said exasperated, and Kaluaughed. There, time simply passed peacefully. In the carriage on the way back after lunch. Krische, who was sitting on Elvena''sp, let out a small groan. ¡°Krische, really is weird after all?¡± ¡°Fufu, yes, Krische-sama may be quite an entric person.¡± Elvena smiled happily and nodded, embracing her small body with both hands. With a face marked by wrinkles, she looked at the girl with endless tenderness. ¡°Unlike Krische-sama, everyone spends their lives thinking they will live and die for at most 100 years. Maybe what Mia-san said was the normal one.¡± ¡°¡Is that how it is?¡± Krische pouted her lips a little in dissatisfaction, and Elvena chuckled when she saw that. Looking up at her like that, Krische asked. ¡°Why does Elvenae with Krische?¡± "...If Krische-sama asks me why, it''s a little difficult." She paused a little, as if thinking about it. After that she narrowed her eyes as she looked into the distance. "It might be what you''d call stubbornness." ¡°...Stubborn?¡± ¡°Just like Krische-sama, I want to prove that there is eternal love.¡± ¡®It sounds childish, doesn''t it?¡¯ she said, smiling wryly. To the girl who is still a child. "The vow to love forever is just words. I want to prove that my love is true and remains unchanged, just as I say... maybe." Elvena said and at Krische¡¯s chest. She stroked the magic crystal that was hanging there. ¡°¡If some mistake were made and Krische couldn¡¯t meet Bery-sama for hundreds or thousands of years in the future¨D¨Dor perhaps even forever, would Krische-sama surely still be able to offer unwavering love to Bery-sama?¡± "¡¡? yes" "Fufu, that''s what I mean. But even if it''s something simple that Krische-sama can dere without thinking, it''s quite difficult for someone like me." ¡®Maybe that''s why¡¯, Elvena said. When I say it out loud like this, it¡¯s just stubbornness after all. However, well..." Sheughed whilebing through Krische¡¯s hair with her hand. "...Tea is something I never get tired of, no matter how many times I drink it. An unexpectedly big reason is that I want to spend more of my normal, peaceful daily life with Krische-sama and the others.¡± "...Ehehe" Krische reached her hands behind her head and yed with Elvena''s hair. There was a slight curl in her shoulder-length hair. Her fingers, mingled with strands of white, gently tickled the scalp. "It''s kind of difficult, but Krische is relieved to hear that for now. Krische thought maybe Elvena was still worried about not being able to repay the help." She said, looking up at Elvena, leaning on her back and holding up her finger with a serious look to her face. ¡°Despite the strict collection, Elvena managed to repay the debt properly. That matter is already settled, so please don''t worry about it." "...My. Fufu, it''s certainly one of the reasons." Elvena smiled gracefully. "To Krische-sama it was probably a loan that was already repaid a long time ago. However, the freedom and happiness that I gained because of it are still here." And Elvena put her hand on her own chest. ¡±So please don''t worry about it. It''s not about owing or borrowing... Gratitude for the kindness shown to me is something that brings happiness just by remembering it." "Well... If Elvena says so, then it''s okay." She giggled and stroked her forehead as sheughed quietly and let her hair flow. "Anyway... What Did Krische-sama do to Kalua and Mia?" Elvena asked to change the subject. ¡®...Thank you for the meal. I feel like I have no regrets now.¡¯ ¡®Don''t say that. ...Thank you for the meal, Krische-sama.¡¯ ¡®Ehehe, Krische was worried when Krische heard that you had copsed, but Krische was relieved that Kalua and Mia seemed to be doing well. ¡¡Right" Just as she was about to leave, Krische pressed her fingertips against their chests. A thin blue light drew an arc. ¡®...?¡¯ ¡®In the Krische¡¯s vige, a couple who are close to each other prays so that they can be together in the next life. ...Krische doesn''t know if it''s effective, but guess that''s what it¡¯s like.¡¯ ¡®Fufu, a charm huh. Mia. It''s not cute when old people get embarrassed.¡¯ ¡®Kahlua, shut up¡¯ A little thing before parting. That was what Elvena asked. ¡°Kahlua and Mia seem to be having fun together for a long time, and Krische hopes that will be the case in the next life as well. However, Krische doesn¡¯t really understand how reincarnation works, so it¡¯s just a small spell.¡± "...I see. Fufu, if I live long enough, I might be able to meet the two of them who have been reborn." "yes" Elvena smiled bitterly, and she lifted up Krische''s body and hugged her, pressing her against her chest. "¡sad?" "Just a little bit...Krische still can''t get used to it." Krische answered quietly and pressed her face against hers. Like an eternal child, in a quiet voice as if holding it back. Kalua was already unable to handle her magic power properly. For magic possessors, it was a sign that their lifespan was nearing. Although she appeared lively, it was just a facade. That was the kind of person Kalua was, and Krische knew it well. "Me too. ...But I''m sure it would be better to have a smile on your face than a sad face when we parted ways. Nee-san was very happy." "¡¡yes" Even though that was what she wanted, eternity was a kind and cruel word. This innocent child would continue to watch as each person faded away with time ¡°That¡¯s why, it¡¯s fine.¡± Not many people desire the paradise she desired. Paradise was a cage, and bonds were chains. People change, and endless eternity was as frightening as it was beautiful. Perhaps everyone didn''t want to cloud her. That was why they refused, so as not to hurt her. Rather, the word of refusal was rather a form of love. Her vows were stronger than those of a married couple, and there was no one who could believe in such purity within themselves. Therefore, they hoped they could at least help remove the cloud that hung over this beautiful child. Now and forevermore¡ª¡ªmay she continue to gaze upon the brilliance of the world she gave them. Hesitation and emotions mixed inside Elvena. That was one the many conclusions emerged from them, she cherished and lovingly¨D¨Dsilently tracing the silver in her arms with her fingers. Chapter 251: Wish Chapter 251: Wish ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 251 Wish*** The room was minimally furnished, plus shelves and a desk¨D¨Da little furniture and a canopied bed. An old woman sat on a chair by the window, looking through a stack of documents and squinting at the sunlight streaming in from outside the window. Her face was still beautiful and graceful even in her old age. Her slim, slender body didn''t look like that of the highest-ranking military officer in the kingdom who once controlled all of the Continental Army¨D¨Da marshal, yet a hint of its dignity remained. Faded strands of white intertwined with her golden hair, resembling silver. Her face was extremely calm, as if she hadpletely epted the fact that death was nearby. Then there was a knock on the door, and she smiled and said ¡°Come in¡±. Guided by the faint yet clear sound, a young girl peeked in. Her silver hair was tied into two buns, wearing an apron dress. She carried a tray with a teapot and cookies. Gazing at the elderly woman, she said ¡°Krische¡¯s back, Selene.¡± She called out the old woman''s name in a voice that rang like a bell. "Wee back Krische. That was quick." Selene Christand looked at the cookies Krische had brought and smiled bitterly, while Krische was trotting to her side. After cing the cookies and pot on the table, Krische approached her face and kissed her. "...It''s a daily routine, but still, I never imagined I''d still be kissed after I got so many wrinkles" Selene Christand exasperated by the girl''s greeting, which was still the same even now. ¡°Ehehe, Selene is Selene.¡± Krische replied naturally, her smile radiating happiness "...Really, you''re still an idiot huh." She pinched Krische''s cheek and told Krische that she wanted it straight today. Krische replied, acting servant-like, ¡°Understood¡±. The sound of tea being poured quietly echoed, and Selene listened to it as she looked out the window. For a while, an unnatural silence filled the room. The sound of birds chirping and the rustling of curtains. A cool breeze blew in from outside the window¨D¨Dthen Selene suddenly spoke. "It''s an immense thing, the eternity you wished for." The voice was a little hoarse, but clear. "It sounds good, and very beautiful. A peaceful and tranquil utopia that could certainly be called a paradise. ...But stability means refusing change." ¨D¨DIt''s not the way people live, Selene continued. "Me, you, Kreschenta, and everyone else. Don''t you think we''ve changed a lotpared to when we met?" "...Yes. Maybe things have changed." ¡°A lot of things have happened. Happy things, fun things, sad things, painful things...I think that''s what life is.¡± The old woman looked at the girl. Considering her apparent age, they looked like a grandmother and her granddaughter. ¡°Experience various things, learn, ovee things¨D¨Dexperience something new and change. It is normal for people''s hearts to change, and in a sense, eternal stability may be the same as death.¡± Exining as if she was admonishing her ¡°Every day''s food, the never-changing scenery. If one were asked if a bird kept in a cage is happy, surely no one would be able to answer with certainty. In other words, stability is stagnation, and the price is freedom of mind. ...Wings that fly in the sky." While listening to the chirping of birds echoing from outside the window. "Your birdcage is a closed cage of self-righteousness. ...My opinion remains the same as in the past. I guess Kalua and the others also refused it huh." "¡¡yes" "It''s a normal thing. The only birds that willingly go into a cage are the really weird ones. I think you¡¯re starting to realize that now." Selene chuckled and sipped the tea, moistening her lips. Krische lowered her eyes at those words. Even she understood, vaguely. The eternity she desired was self-centered, and at the very least, no sane person would wish for it. Everyone respected the end of life as something that must be epted someday. That was an iprehensible emotion to Krische. "...Is Krische, childish?" "That''s right. To be honest, I didn''t expect you to be this much of a child." When Selene said this exasperated, Krische grabbed her skirt tightly. "I thought maybe you would grow up a little more over the next few decades...but I expected too much. I''m sure you''ll continue to be like that from now on too." Selene put her hand on the girl''s cheek. The old woman''s slightly calloused hand caressed her tender cheek. "...?" ¡°My opinion is the same as before, and you are still an idiot and a child, and the things that have not changed will remain the same.¡± When she looked up, the old woman stared at the little girl with a troubled smile. Her gray hair had increased, her wrinkles had increased, and even though she had grown old, she still had the same expression as Krische¡¯s older sister. "But you can do whatever you want. ...No matter what choices you make or how selfish you are, I''m still your sister after all. I''ll, properly, look after the stupid you.¡± "that...mean..." She pinched Krische¡¯s cheek who was about to say something. ying with her soft cheeks, she suddenly felt nostalgic for her past. ¡°I thought about it carefully. No matter how much I try to reason and feel, it¡¯s probably because of your stupid nature that I love, just like Bery.¡± Her eyes narrowed and said, ¡®It''s the seeds that make the flowers bloom¡¯. "It seems like things have changed, also not. I''m still stubborn and you''re still an idiot. Kreschenta is still as bossy as ever, and Bery is cunning and stubborn until the end. ...Fufu, if things that change are the essence of a person, then perhaps things that don''t change can also be called the essence of a person.'''' If only she had been a little more understanding. If Kreschenta were a little more honest. If only Bery were a little more epting of being spoiled by others. Just as Selene hated her own stubbornness, she didn''t like all of it. If she were to look for ws, she could find any number of them¨D¨Dbut all of them included what made Krische, Kreschenta, and Bery. "...Even then I still love all of you, there''s nothing I can do about it. ying with words is Berry''s domain, but in the end, I guess love isn''t that simple and trivial." Pinching the girl¡¯s cheek, stretching it, then running her hand through the girl¡¯s hair. The girl¡¯s silver hair was as smooth as water, with no rips in it, giving it a distorted sense of perfection. She was so perfect that it was as if she just jumped out of a tale. Yet there was nothing but irrationality around her, hence distortion. But still, her soul was unclouded, forever. "...What you decide to do is up to you. I''ll leave it to you. Even if my life ends today or tomorrow, I won''t regret it, and even if I have to deal with you idiots forever from now on, I also won''t regret it." The girl was clearly distorted as a human. But maybe that was why. Selene Christand was captured by her. "I''m also an idiot for spoiling you like this. ...Do whatever you like." ¨D¨DJust simply, that distorted beauty. "Selene..." Krische looked at Selene''s face and smiled. She caressed her cheek and held her cheek softly between her fingers. "¡¡yes" Krische looked happily, joyfully. With her usual smile. Staring back at her and smiling bitterly, Selene said to her. ¡°If I had to be greedy, I want toin about many things to Bery.¡± She had a deliberately displeased look on her face. "It''s mostly you that bothers me, and it''s mostly Bery''s fault that you''re such an idiot. Thanks to you, I''ve been so busy in the decades since you came that I haven''t had the slightest free time." "...Selene would creates work for herself if there¡¯s no work, so Krische doesn''t think all of it is Krische¡¯s fault though" "Don''t talk back" "Uuuh..." Seleneughed as she pinched and pulled Krische¡¯s cheeks with her fingers In front of Krische¡¯s line of sight was a bundle of documents¨D¨Da document containing Alberinea''s strategy and tactics, one of the documents in the military staff department. After handing over her field marshal position to Nozan''s eldest son, she continued to write down various military documents for posterity. Selene knew that she was a person who did not possess extraordinary talent. But she hade to think that there were things she could do precisely because of that. Rounding off the edges of this distorted genius¨D¨Dand making others more familiar with her with that, was something she understood better than anyone else could do, and it was something only she could do. "Axle oil." "...?" ¡°Gateal Gorton¡¯s axle is coated with oil to reduce friction, right? I think little things like that are quite important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gatan-Goton, unya¡± "Either one is fine." ¨D¨DWhere she found meaning in her life. Can she be proud of it? In the end, it alles down to that. Some dedicate their lives to valor and honor; others to baking delicious bread. It was pointless topete to see who was better. If you can pour your heart and soul into something that you find valuable, no matter what it is, you can call it a fruitful life. The answer was right in front of her. The girl didn''t wish for even a fragment of what she excelled at, but only for thetter. Spending time in her estate as a servant was far more important to her than being a hero who left her name in history, and that was everything. Even though she was stronger than anyone else, she uses knives rather than swords. She devoted herself more to cleaning the estate than to sweeping away enemy forces. It might have seemed foolish and absurd to others, but perhaps that was okay. The girl was content with it, and that was her happiness. That''s what she believed finding meaning in life was all about. It wasn''t about what you were good at or not good at, but about what you found meaning in. The stupidest girl in the world was only pursuing her own happiness more than anyone else. Comical, clumsy, and awkward. But before she knew it, her own obsessions seemed more absurd. ¨D¨DIn the end, she thought that everything was fine. But Selene always wanted something from someone who was ahead of her. Without realizing there were various other things, she narrowed her vision to just that. "...Words and names are trivial things. I''ll call them what I like, so Jara Gasha is Jareia Gashea, and Gatan-goton is Gateal Gorton...understand?" "Uuuh..." Pulling at her dissatisfied cheeks with both hands. Everything was trivial¨D¨Dlove, for example, was just a word. It was a mistake in the first ce to try to talk about it in terms of superiority or inferiority. Even though she had gotten so old, Bery was still a significant and enviable presence to her. But even with that in mind, Selene loved Krische, and she loved Bery. Those feelings couldn''t bepared to anything else and were unique to Selene. She had no choice but to ept these mixed feelings, and that was just what she, her existence, was capable of. ¡°Fufu¡± Love, after all, is self-righteous. The only important thing is whether or not she herself can ept it. "...I love you, Krische." Beauty and ugliness are just a matter of taste. If they could ept each other, there was no greater satisfaction. ¡°Hg, ehehe, Krische too.¡± The feeling of lips pressed against her was the same as it had been for decades. The meaning and the emotions contained within it have remained the same for decades. It probably took time to realize that, she thought. "...Really, what an idiot." How many times had she repeated such words? If the girl was an idiot, she too must be a helpless idiot for loving her. ¨D¨DBut how wonderful it was to be able to think that that was okay. "Hmm...delicious." "Fufun, Krische tried mixing dried Nirkana with today''s cookies. It might be a little too sweet but¨D¨D" It was sweet enough to give her heartburn, with just a touch of sourness mixed in. The cookies tasted like everything Selene had experienced. It towers above the earth and radiates enormous magical power. It was like a tower of des rising up into the sky. Its inner walls were beginning to be eroded by the brown and green of the trees rising above the earth. The lower level looks more like a forest, and the trees take in the nutrients from the magical energy that passes through the inside of the hedgerows, and begin to fuse with the walls of the tower. Rather than calling it a tower, it would be more suitable to be called arge tree. With the outer walls disying the majestic appearance of a beautiful white tower, it was akin to an eggshell. A mysterious pinnacle that feeds on the world itself and stretches into the sky. ¨D¨DIf one were to properly name it, it would be correct to call it the World Tree. At its top, there was a girl looking at the blue light. Her pale red dress fluttered even though there was no wind, and her golden hair sparkled in red, taking on a purple hue against the blue light. Countless patterns filled the surrounding space, and blue curves danced around it¨D¨Dlike flowing from blue radiation to the sky. As if covering the stars themselves. Her breath was like the very air itself. Her fingertips controlled the universe, and her eyes could see everything in this world. If it was a king who rules the country and enacts thews, then the being who controls the universe and creates thews should be called a god. She was no longer threatened by skirmishes between countries. Even ancient dragons with tremendous power were like fossils that once flourished in a distant day. ¨D¨DEverything the girl had ever wanted, she had it in the palm of her hand. "...What is it, Anne?" In a voice like the tinkling of bells, the girl asked. It was a beautiful voice that was clear without being harsh, and seemed to fill the wide space just by uttering it. "No, as always, you look beautiful." When asked, the old servant answered with a smile. She shook her ck hair, which was mostly gray. The girl¨D¨DKreschenta turned around, exasperated and went to her. The old woman¨D¨DAnne looked at Kreschenta, then narrowed her eyes at the projection of blue light. "...It''s always a surprising sight. I never thought U would be in a ce like this when I was working in the royal territory." ¡°It''s just like a fairy tale¡±, Anne said with a wry smile. ¡°It''s reality¡±, Kreschenta replied dissatisfied. "This is the seventy-third time we''ve had a simr exchange. Even if you look like that, you still do the same thing, you haven''t changed at all." ¡°The feeling of excitement doesn¡¯t change that much no matter how old you are.¡± "...It''s just you." With her hands on her hips, Kreschenta looked up at Anne and red at her. She then sighed quietly. ¡°Fufu, but Your Majesty is no different.¡Maybe humans are actually like that.¡± "More than just a human, I''m actually a god. Please don''t mix me with you." "...Certainly, from the perspective of the people, Your Majesty might be such a precious existence." Anne nodded with a solemn look on her face, deep in thought. She then gave another soft smile. "For me, it''s still the same as it was in the past. When I think of now as a process, it''s even more so." "...?" ¡°I think stories of someone reaching into the realm of gods for the sake of their beloved, seems more beautiful and filled with love than any other story." Kreschenta furrowed her brow. ¡°¡Who are you talking about?¡± "Perhaps it¡¯s about the person Her Majesty the Queen just thought." She said happily and closed her eyes. "I believe that there are some things in this world that cannot be undone. But the opposite is also true." ¡°I don''t really care about Argan-sama.¡± "I think trying not to care is the same as being aware. It might be presumptuous, but that is what I am most like.¡± ¡°¨D¨DFor the first time in a while, Her Majesty mentioned Argan-sama''s name.¡± Anne stated, and Kreschenta averted her gaze. "In the end, I spent most of my life in Christand. I have no regrets. I''m content with how things are now, and even at this age, I''m happy every day." She continued, smiling quietly. ¡°If I were to ask myself when I was the happiest, it would have to be several decades ago when Argan-sama was in good health. I''ve always been clumsy, but the mansion was always lively...and above all, Your Majesty seemed to be happier than she was now.'''' "...I''m tired of it. What do you want to say?" Anne folded her skirt and crouched down in front of Crescenta, and she peered into her beautiful face. "If I may be selfish... I would like to see such Your Majesty again." "...You, a servant, demanding something from me, the queen?" ¡°Your Majesty always says to speak up rather than remain silent.¡± ¡®Please forgive this ipetent servant¡¯, Anne reached out to her and caressed her white cheek. Kreschenta just watched it, then averted her gaze. "...How pointless. My goals have all already been fulfilled." "¡¡yes" "Besides, you talk as if you¡¯re not clumsy anymore. Shouldn''t you put more effort into serving your master before making demands?" "...I have no words to answer." Anne stood up with an embarrassed wry smile, bowing her head. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty.¡I am old now, so I just wanted to reiterate this.¡± "...Really, what a bad servant. I''m going home." ¡®Yes¡¯, Arne nodded, then said. "...I''m sure Argan-sama¨D¨D" "Enough of that talk. ...Can''t you even walk in silence?" With those words cutting off the conversation. Anne bowed her head silently and followed Kreschenta Behind them¨D¨Das the two boarded the magical elevator, a pir of light enveloped everything in the world. Chapter 252: Recollection Chapter 252: Recollection ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 252 Recollection*** Time flows. People depart. Kalua passed away, and Mia followed suit the next year as if chasing after her. And then, Elvena, shortly after. Still, the days go on. However, it was a daily life that seemed to be approaching its end. Within three years, Anne''s health began to deteriorate¨D¨D "It¡¯s like an avnche." Late afternoon. Sitting on the sofa, Selena, with a quill in hand, was writing when she spoke. Reclining on the sofa with Selen¡¯s thigh as a pillow, Kreschenta,zily, turned to look up at her. "...When one start to fall apart, everything else follows. But perhaps this is a happy way to end. People born around the same time, passing away around the same time." "I don''t care. Besides, that''s an excuse for ipetence. Since death is inevitable, aren¡¯t they just dressing it up with pretty words and iming they''re satisfied." Kreschenta replied to Selene''s words as if to cut her off. "Fufu, you''re really just like Krische, Kreschenta. You''re saying the same thing, just in a different way." "Onee-sama is certainly an idiot, but she''s not wrong. She''s much smarter than Selene-sama and the others." Looking at Kreschenta¡¯s beautiful face as she said this, Selene smiled bitterly and stroked her cheek. Despite looking up with a displeased expression, the beautiful queen offered no resistance. "If everyone were immortal, there would probably be no custom of glorifying death. Everyone would likely avoid and detest it. ...iming that death is beautiful is nothing more than a convenient excuse." ¡®It''s an excuse¡¯, Kreschenta continued, smugly. Selene thought about it for a moment, and then smiled, ¡®Perhaps¡¯. "Well, it''s probably better for society to consider it beautiful. Soldiers risk their lives for honor, so it''s not a bad thing...However, it still seems foolish when you think about it from an individual perspective." "That''s an extreme statement. Maybe you should look at things a little more ambiguously." "Ambiguous?" "Yes. Many things... Including the human heart is an ambiguous thing." ¡®¨D¨DIncluding you.¡¯ With a gentle smile, the old woman brushed the hair from the girl''s forehead as shey down. ¡°You are essentially a very kind girl, Kreschenta. The only difference between you and Krische is your way of thinking. The reason you pretend you we don''t understand, make fun of others, and reject them is simply because you¡¯re afraid to admit it. ...Right?¡± "I am different from all of you. Please do not lump me in with you guys." ¡®It seems there are many perfectionists¡¯, Serena quietly shrugged her shoulder. "Me, you, Bery, and Krische are all like that. Our ideals are so big, that''s why we''re so picky about even the smallest ws. While it may be something that everyone experiences to some extent, it seems that only such people gather in this estate." Bery, unable to find her own worth. Krische, unable to ept her own ws. Selene, unable to ept her own ipetence. And Kreschenta, believing herself to be wless and perfect. "It''s a suffocating way to live. It would be better to rx a bit more. ... Even if you don''t do it desperately, your body will naturally float on the water and drift." "...What are you trying to say?" "Even though you know, you''re not being honest." Selene let out a gracefulugh and gestured out of the room, telling her to go. "Somehow or another you like Anne after all. Why don¡¯t you just stay by her side and take care of her." "I''ve done enough for her. Besides, what do you think of me? I''m the great Queen who rules the world." Kreschenta said in exasperated. "...As I''ve said from the beginning, I only need Onee-sama. What you think about me is just an added bonus. Since Onee-sama values you, I''ll just treat you ordingly. ...And that''s the case even now." "How stubborn." Selene smiled wryly,id her body on the sofa, and began to stroke Kreschenta¡¯s head. Then she narrowed her eyes. "I probably won''t have much time left either." Lately, sge have had many opportunities to feel old. As long as those with magic power can handle magic power, the effects of aging wouldn¡¯t be that great. When doing strenuous movements, one would be easily out of breath and joints will ache, that¡¯s the extent of it. However, recently, she had be less and less aware of how to manipte magic power itself. At the very least, it had be much more difficult to move magical power finely than before. She was almost 100 years old¨D¨Dshe had lived a long life. It was not that long for magic possessors, but it was not that short if she consider it as her lifespan. "...I see." Kreschenta said as she twisted her body so that she was facing sideways, using Selene''s thighs as a pillow¨D¨Dnaturally hiding her expression. After knowing each other for a long time, Kreschenta turned out to be an easy-to-understand girl. "I decided to leave it up to Krische to decide what to do. So, the two of you should discuss what you want to do and then decide." ¡°...I don''t know what you mean.¡± "Fufu...just somehow?" While patting her head, Selene continued to close her eyes. "What is necessary for everything is a decision, and what is necessary to make a decision is a convinction. And I think that in order to do that, some kind of rite of passage is necessary." At least Selene was like that, and Bery was probably like that too. ¡®¡until Selene calms down, until the suffering stops. ...Krische will always be by Selene''s side.¡¯ No matter what, Krische visited her room that day. ¨D¨DThe fact that Krische epted Selene¡¯s existence was still deeply engraved in Selene¡¯s heart. That''s why, before she knew it, she was moved and started to feel like a fool¨D¨Dthat was why she was able to ept so many things. Humans are weak and ambiguous creatures, and that''s why they need a trigger. For the courage to take a step forward. "I just said it because I felt like you weren''t epting Krische wishes for some reason. ...If I''m wrong, that''s fine." Kreschenta did not respond to those words. Selene patted her head without saying anything. Her golden hair sparkles red in the sunlight shining through the window. Her fingers glided silky smooth, even after decades. Selene stroked her without getting tired of it, and suddenly Kreschenta opened her mouth. "...I''m going to sleep like this." ¡®I see¡¯, Selene said with a wry smile and grabbed the nket next to her. Without asking any more, she wrapped the nket around her small body. "...Good night, Kreschenta." Selene said in a voice full off love. Without answering, Kreschenta closed her eyelids. ¨D¨DAnne sighed, alone in Christand''s kitchen. There was a heavy atmosphere in the estate. It seems to be getting stronger day by day, and even Anne could feel it. That was just how much of a big presence Bery was in Christand. If she were gone then¨D¨D ¡®Hmph!¡¯ As if to dispel such foolish thoughts, Anne pped her cheeks with both hands. ¡®...What are you thinking, Anne? At times like this, you have to be strong.¡¯ She said to herself¨D¨Dno, she did spoke it out loud, wiping her eyes. Maybe she pped herself too hard. It was hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes. As she rubbed cheek that she pped herself, she heard the sound of her front door opening¨D¨Da Suiko¡¯s growling voice from outside. Krische must have headed to the battlefield. She closed her eyes and nodded, leaving the kitchen and heading to Bery''s ce. She trotted down the hallway, went upstairs, and entered a room. ¡®Argan-sama¡¯ Anne panicked and called out. Bery was squatting in front of the wardrobe. With her face down, she remained still. When Bery noticed Anne, she smiled bitterly with a pale face. ¡®...Anne-sama¡¯ ¡®That, your body...¡¯ ¡®I''m fine. It''s just a little dizzy. ...Maybe it''s because I tried to kept up appearance.¡¯ With a troubled smile, she pinched her apron dress with her fingers. Anne felt like she hadn''t seen her in that outfit for a long time. These days, Bery spends most of her time in her nightgown. Bery quietly closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. ¡®Anne-sama, would you mind helping me change clothes?¡¯ ¡®Ye-yes.¡¯ Arne immediately supported Bery¡¯s body and made her sit on the bed. She then took out a nightgown and got herself into bed. She received the apron dress from Bery and unbuttoned it from the top. She carefully took off the ck dress from her shoulders and pulled it out from under her feet. ¡®Kusu¡¯, Bery let out a smallugh and looked up. ¡®Fufu, it''s embarrassing to say after asking for a favor... But still, it feels embarrassing after all.¡¯ With a hint of red on her cheeks as she spoke. Herrge eyes narrowed gently, and her long eyshes fluttered. Perhaps it was because she had grown her hair longer than before. She no longer looked like a servant but rather like a noble-born youngdy. Once she removed the apron dress, she was simply beautiful. Although she was petite, her voluptuous body made her look rather healthy, and she looked strangely delicate. Perhaps it was because of her gentle, slender shoulders and her seemingly fragile waist. From the first time they met, Anne thought she was a somewhat ephemeral person. Now even more so. Maybe it was because of her limbs, which have gotten thinner. Anne shook her head as if to shake off that thoughts. ¡®No, there''s no need to feel embarrassed! To have such physical beauty is enviable to an average person like me... It is an honor for me to be able to take care of Argan-sama.¡¯ ¡®P-physical beauty She looked troubled as her gaze wandered. ¡®¨D¨DWas physical beauty strange?¡¯ Even as she understood her own mistake, Anne brushed it aside for now. ¡®When I think of the favor I have been given until now, there is no need e to hold back. Um, yes, yes, please treat me like a dog or anything.¡¯ When she spun her words ording to her heart, Bery seemed taken aback. Bery opened her mouth slightly and stared at her Anne. She then lowered her face and put her hand to her mouth. She shook her shoulders happily and let out a modestugh. Bery told Arne, who is deep in thought, thinking she had made a mistake again. ¡®Really, Anne-sama is a fun person. Fufu, really... As I said before, I''ve been thinking about it ever since Anne-sama came but¡¯ ¡®Y-yes...¡± "I''m sorry, please excuse me." Bery wipe her eyes and looked up at her, and smiled as usual. ¡®Actually... I was a little worried about working with other servants. I''m not good at socializing with people, so I wondered if we would be able to work together.¡¯ She took the light peach nightgown from Anne''s hand and put it on. Bery looked a little embarrassed as she continued. ¡°But...Anne-sama is here, Elvena-sama is here, and both of you are serious, enthusiastic about work, and kind people...I''m really grateful for that now.'''' ¡®I-if you say so, I''m the one who... Argan-sama is the one who has been very good to me. I''m sure Elvena-sama feels the same way...'''' ¡®Besides¡¯, Anne¡¯s gaze wandered. ¡®I have always made mistakes, and I feel like I am causing Argan-sama more trouble than anything.¡¯ ¡®Never. ...The mansion has be quite lively, and I am very happy about it.¡¯ Lovely and beautiful¤¤¨D¨Dher baby face made her look younger than Anne, and her gentle smile reminds Anne of her mother and older sister. She think I was probably struck by this. She was pretty and dignified. Bery Argan was such a woman. Bery said thank you and bowed her head and went straight to the top of the bed. Anne also bowed deeply and watched as Bery picked up her diary from the bedside table. It was a diary of the dishes she had made. There seem to be over ten books, and she seems to have been writing them down in her spare time. Halfway through, the title changed from the simple ¡®Cooking Diary¡¯ to ¡®Cooking Diary with Krische-sama¡¯ and that was the one she chose for today. Inside, she¨D¨Dsometimes the two of them wrote something on the same page. Thinking of the two of them, Anne couldn''t help but smile fondly. ¡®...I hope Selene-sama and Krische-sama return safely soon.¡¯ ¡®Yes. ...I''d like to do something to celebrate when they get back.''¡¯ ¡®Please leave it to me. Elvena-sama and I will cooperate just give us instructions.¡¯ ¡®Thank you¡¯, Bery said, ¡®there¡¯s no need for that¡¯, Anne replied Then Anne suddenly noticed that the magic crystal that was also on the bedside table was a little empty, and she picked up the vial. It was Bery¡¯s medicine. Confirming that there was almost none left by shaking it lightly, Anne looked at Bery. "Ah... I took some this morning." Bery said, looking a little troubled. Anne had heard that it was for painkillers. ¨D¨DShe must drank it to see off Krische-sama. Anne also asked what was the reason for her copse. ¡®It''s okay. I only drank a little bit just to be sure. ...I''m not feeling too bad today.¡¯ ¡®¡yes¡¯ Although that might be true, those words couldn¡¯t be taken at face value. Anne asked, while holding the small bottle thinking of grabbing a recement ¡®How about a meal?¡¯ ¡®`Well...could I have some soup and fruit, please?¡¯ ¡®Yes, understood.¡¯ It seemed she wasn''t too ill to eat. Anne rxed for now, then said ¡®excuse me¡¯, and bowed. Anne opened the door and exit the hallway to the kitchen. She knew there was a spare supply of medicine in the kitchen cupboard. Removing the lid of the small bottle, she poured green powder from a small jar into it. Nodding as she filled the bottle with powder, she decided to leave it there and went back upstairs. ¡®...Your Majesty¡¯ At the same time, Kreschenta appeared in the hallway. From the stairs was Selene''s room¨D¨Dwhere Kreschenta had been resting. It seemed she had out of there, leaning against the door with her back. She noticed Anne and looked at her, then at the vial Anne was holding. ¡®The contents were running low, so I was replenishing¨D¡¯ ¡®...You''re unusually attentive.¡¯ Kreschenta stood still for a moment, looking at the vial in Anne''s hand, then at her own. It felt strange somehow. ¡®There¡¯s no need. ...I made a new one.¡¯ However Anne knew that Kreschenta¡¯s mood hadn''t been goodtely because of Bery¡¯s matter. That was why, she brushed it off, thinking that was probably the reason. ¡®Leave Argan-sama to me and do some other work.¡¯ ¡®...Yes, understood.¡¯ Perhaps if she had asked a bit more deeply, things might have changed. She should have understood since she had spent so much time by Kreschenta¡¯s side. She should have been able to sense her feelings. No matter how insensitive she was, surely. ¨D¨DBecause she was sure that was a certain form of love, she could believed it without a doubt. A room in the mansion given to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, taking Krische-sama¡¯s time..." "...Really. Anne likes breaking dishes until the very end. Even though Krische told Anne not to push herself too hard, Anne still insists on helping Krische and fell down and broke the dishes." "¡My apologies¡± Anne obediently bowed to the angry girl in the apron dress from her bed. In terms of her appearance, they were a girl and an old woman¨D¨Dbut even now, their rtionship had not changed. ¡°Anne do you remember? Anne broke a total of 127 tes. Broke 7 cups, 2 broomsticks, 3 vases, and 2 pots...No matter how many years Anne had be a servant, she never grew." "¡¡yes" "It''s calcted that one or two things are broken every year. Elvena breaks at most five tes, and even Selene only breaks about ten, so this is a huge number." Krische with her hands on her hips red at Anne with her adorable face. Then her eyebrows twitched. "Is it wrong?" "...No, fufu, I never thought that even at this age I would still be scolded by Krische-sama." "...That''s Krische¡¯s line. Really why is Anne so careless." The girl sat down on the bed and poured herself a cup of tea. She mixed a generous amount of honey and milk and handed it to Anne. Though Anne didn''t have a strange taste or was particrly fond of sweet things, Anne''s pte was rough around the edges¨D¨Dpreferring strong vors. "Thank you," Anne said, sipping her tea and sighing. Then, as if she remembered something, she chuckled softly and put the tea down. ¡°I heard that one naturally calms down as they gets older, but that''s not the case at all huh. I still don''t have enough effort.'''' ¡°¡In Anne¡¯s case, Krische thinks her efforts are going in the wrong direction.¡± Her lips pouted and she leaned closer. She then tugged at Anne''s cheek as if she were smoothing out her wrinkles. ¡°Once we reach there and Anne get better, Krische¡¯ll have to teach Anne everything from scratch.¡± "...Yes. Fufu, I still have a lot to learn." After saying that, Krische seemed relieved and softened her stern face. Krische narrowed her eyes on Anne''s thigh, using it as a pillow. ¡°...Krische¡¯s sure it''ll be a lot of fun. Anne won¡¯t have to say that her knees hurt or the back hurts, and Anne don''t have to worry about anything, and we''re all together. ...It may be a little difficult and inconvenient until Anne get used to the new body, but we have plenty of time.¡± Krische took out a magic crystal from inside her apron. Inside the slightlyrger magic crystal than before, three lights shone. "Oh?" "It¡¯s L. She said she wanted to serve Regve-san and watch over Kreisharana...Krische talked about that at Regve-san¡¯s ce before. It was about three days ago." Anne couldn''t understand the principle, but it seems that after death, one would naturally began to go inside this system. She would probably be in there herself soon. "...I see. The only ones left are me and Selene-sama." "Don''t forget, Gururun too." ¡°Ah, yes, Gururun-sama too¡¡± Anne smiled and looks out the window. Was there really a lifespan for that big cat? It looked like it was still growing after several decades. It had grown about twice asrge since she first saw it. "Maybe it''s because the atmosphere is full of magic, but she seems to be especially energetic these days... maybe she''ll be even more energetic if she goes over there... Even though all she does is eat and sleep." "Fufu, that''s probably the happiest thing. Elvena-sama is gone, and she seemed a little lonely, though." Perhaps because her feeder was Elvena, after Krische and Bery, Gururun was attached to Elvena. Anne smiled quietly as she remembered this. ¨D¨DLately, when she closes her eyes, only memoriese to mind behind her eyelids. Perhaps because her body didn¡¯t move as much as before, she had more time to think about things and reminisce. It didn¡¯t feel bad, it felt good. Even if she were to sleep like this and never wake up, she even thought that it would be okay. "...Perhaps Gallen-sama felt the same way." "...?" Surrounded by countless bright and warm memories. It would be the happiest thing to end your life like that. Many people must have loved this kind girl deeply. However, in the magic crystal that the girl held in her chest, there were only three lights. She could understand the reason. When she was young, it seemed like something just scary. But she didn''t think death was a bad thing. Just like flower blooms and wither. ¡®¨D¨DIn life, the things you can choose are trivial. Will you surrender to the gentle current, throw yourself into the torrent, or try to flow along a side stream?¡¯ Like water flowing from upstream to downstream. ¡®Or maybe... just letting the petals flowing by your side and touch your body.¡¯ She recalled the words that were once spoken with love. ¡®It''s much happier to choose where you want to go and flow, rather than proceeding by inertia. Even if you regret it in the future, if it''s the path you chose, you can at least be satisfied with it.¡¯ It was nothing dramatic. This might be a result of inertia. But there was something about the feeling of going with the flow that made her feel good. Perhaps there was no need for a reason. Somehow, it felt right, so she followed it. She had always been that kind of person¨D¨Dand even so, as long as she was convinced of it, it''s fine. "Krische-sama" "what is it?" Thinking about what she could do, Anne told Krische. "There''s something I''d like to talk to you about." "Talk..." Anne nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. "...It was the day Argan-sama passed away." Arne began to speak quietly. Chapter 253: Bird That Cant Fly Chapter 253: Bird That Can''t Fly ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 253 Bird That Can''t Fly*** It was a sunny, warm spring day. The girl put the old woman in her homemade wheelchair and took her around the garden. The trees in the royal garden were showing signs of the end of winter, with small buds scattered around¨D¨Dthe spring breeze was slightly chilly, yet cheerful. Arge Suiko follows behind them while yawning. Everyone who saw them stopped and saluted. Everyone who entered this royal territory was well aware of who these two were. The girl and the old woman¨D¨Dtwo people who seem unrted to the military, however, were Alberinea and the former marshal. The young nobles looked obviously nervous and seemed stiff in their salutes. From their point of view, both were above the clouds, and they were perplexed by the calm scene that was so different from the anecdote. Approaching the two figures were two men. "Shaggy (beard), wee back." "Yeah. It''s been a while, Krische-sama." An old man with a rich white beard reaching down to his chest¨D¨DAleha smiled softly. His hair, which was originally pale in color, was now pure white and tied back. Even now, well past a hundred years old, he stood straight, slender yet with the posture of a warrior. "Small Bone, reporting to Piyorun?" "Yes. I''m here to report to the Marshal about General Remin and the Eastern inspection." The man who was called ¡®Small Bone (Kobone)¡¯ was an elderly man. His golden hair and handsome face were more reminiscent of Vanate Faren than Eluga. Rayfas Faren responded with a wry smile at the nickname Small Bone. He is Skeleton¡¯s child, so Small Bone. Appearance had nothing to do with it. The current Marshal Norgan Verreich, a.k.a Piyorun, is the son of Nozan Verreich a.k.a Chirp Chirp (PiyoPiyo). The two were returning from their inspection of the East. The vastnd¨Dmanaging such arge territory was time-consuming. Especially the eastern end of the continent, divided into numerous vassal states, required direct observation. Aleha as a general and Rayfas as a civil servant left the royal territory around this timest year. In the sky was the Heaven¡¯s Net¨D¨Das if enveloping the ne itself, Kreschenta''s magical form enveloped everything. If they wanted to, they could easily check information from a thousand or ten thousand ri away without anyone knowing, but that didn¡¯t mean there was no value in inspecting things. Alberan ruled the continent, and it had a strong meaning for official inspections toe from the center every few years. It demonstrated that Alberan literally had the continent from end to end in its grasp. The frequency of inspections could be said to be a form of control, and they had been able to quash many signs of rebellion in this manner. Detecting movements from above, sending inspections, and uprooting the buds of rebellion. Kreschenta was hailed as equal to God for such abilities. For many, it was nothing short of divination. From thousands of ri away¨D¨Dat the stage of preparation that shouldn¡¯t have been able to be detected. The Queen''s inspectiones at such perfect timing. The reason for this inspection was that simr signs were seen in the eastern part of the country. Kreschenta could freely browse not only all documents that were on the continent but also those in various parts of the world, grasping all internal affairs¨D¨Dwithout their knowledge she controlled everything. "As Her Majesty was concerned, there were some suspicious movements. Hence our return was dyed a bit." Rayfas said, narrowing his eyes. He knew deep down that the queen wasn''t worried. There were hardly any inspections that didn¡¯t have issues when it was something ordered by the queen. It was almost certain that he was sent for inspection precisely because there were problems. Currently, Kreschenta has created a parliament in the royal pce and leaves most of the government to Rayfas and the others. Kreschenta rarely showed her face these days, but every once in a while, like the voice of god, Kreschenta wouldmand Rayfas and the others to do something. This inspection was decided in such a manner, different from regr inspections. With his golden hair gleaming red¨D¨Dher fairy-like beauty. Her aloof purple eyes and sweet voice that made one ear tremble. Identical to the queen¨D¨DRayfas looked at the girl in front of him, the girl his father loved, and focused on her purple eyes. ¡®¨D¨DBy the time you grow up, there will be no wars, and Alberan will have changed a lot. Her Majesty the Queen and Krische-sama will change the era. ...Study well and serve as a good vassal. To prepare what the two will build, to leave it for future generations.¡¯ He had heard her anecdotes from his father many times when he was young. "But everything was cleared up without any major problems. Don''t worry." "I see, that''s a relief." With her soft smile, the girl looks at the old woman. Selene Christand looked at Rayfas and smiled. "...Thank you for your hard work. Rest well, both of you." ¡°Ha¡± The two saluted, and Aleha looked at the wheelchair and asked. ¡°Is your body¡± "It''s just age. I haven''t been walking muchtely. Looking at you like that, it seems like you''ll live a long time, Aleha." ¡°¡Strangely enough.¡± Aleha smiled bitterly, and Selene alsoughed. ¡°It looks like I¡¯m going to cause you some troubleter, so I¡¯ll apologize first.¡Please take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, please leave it to us.¡± There were quite a few people who knew what was going to happen, but there were only a fraction of those people who were still alive. Aleha nodded at those words and saluted again. Then the two leave. "Rayfas has also grown up and aged quite a bit... Time is surprisingly long yet short." "Is that so...?" "Though I don''t think you would understand." Selene said exasperated and stared into the shade of the tree. Without saying anything, Krische continued in that direction. As they enter the shade, the light shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, making it a little softer. Selene looked up at Krische behind her and stroked her cheek. "Perhaps the reason you''re still childish is because your appearance hasn''t changed." "...?" "As one gets older, one learns to behave appropriately so as not to embarrass themself..." ¡°It''s something unavoidable¡±, Seleneughed. "Do whatever you like, but at least try not to cause trouble as much as possible. I''m sure Aleha and the others will do well." "Yes. Kreschenta seems to be preparing properly as well." The parliament was already running most of the country''s affairs. Not just nobles, but based on achievements. When it was decided to allow even civilians who graduated from school to participate in the parliament that governs national politics, there was some initial opposition, but it''s a thing of the past. Now it was stable and on track. There would be some confusion after Kreschenta disappeared, but the country would not suddenly split apart. There was no doubt that the peace wille to an end eventually, but that''s it. At least they had decided not to get involved in it. Uniting the continent and establishing stability in one era. With that her role was over. Both Krische and Kreschenta were too strong. The power to twist even the world with just a whim. Regardless of whether they wanted it or not, just being individuals was too much, would cause distortion. "I want to see her soon." "...Yes." Regardless, Selene thought it might be a healthy thing in a way. A perfect and eternal kingdom-¨Dpared to such words. "I feel like I want to see her, but at the same time I also don''t want to see you. I have to start thinking a lot about what kind of sarcastic words I need to say." "sarcasm¡¡" "I told you, there''s so much I want to say...I''ll be preaching for about three days. Now I have to show her which one is older." Hearing those words, Krische quietly let out a chuckle. ¡®What¡¯ when the old woman asked, the girl answered happily. "Fufu, when ites to Bery, Selene, is just like in the past. Always arguing about things Krische didn''t really understand." "What do you mean things you didn''t understand? About eighty percent of it was about you." "Uh..." Without looking at the Krische behind her, Selene pinched her cheek with her fingers and sighed. She then thought for a moment, her smile falling and her eyes closing. "...Well, if you''re like that, I guess I''m lucky that I don''t get bored every day." When she closed her eyes, there were countless memories. From the big things to the small things¨D¨Dwhen time passed, it seemed like a short time, but when she looked back on it, it was so intense. Selene thought it was strange. ``When I was little, I somehow thought that I would be like my mother and marry someone like my father. Halfway through, I thought I would be a soldier like my father, but... Either way, reality turned out to be quite different.¡± The future was very different from what she had envisioned when she was a child. Perhaps, if Krische hadn''te to Christand¡¯s estate, reality would not have been so far from her imagination. Maybe it would be her own grandchild who was by her side right now. That would be a very happy thing. Building a family, raising children¨D¨Dthe future she once envisioned seemed more wonderful than anything else. Most people would say that''s what happiness was as a human. Even the current Selene felt that way. At least she was someone who preferred that kind of down-to-earth way of life. ¨D¨DThe daughter of the hawk had no wings. "Ever since you arrived, my days have been hectic. I never could have imagined that even though I''m not yet 20, I''d be a marshal, albeit just a decoration." So step by step, aiming for the high ce one should aim for. But the girls around Selene all had elegant wings¨D¨Denviable and dazzling when looked up at. Even so, she kept looking ahead and thinking that if she put in the effort, she would reach it someday. But they invited Selene to see the same scenery and quickly took her to a high ce on their backs. The more she looks down, the more scary it bes. The top of a mountain that she, who didn¡¯t have wings, would fall down on. Still, theyughed. ¨D¨DIt''s a really beautiful view, isn''t it? With pure goodwill, they smiled kindly at Selene. Looking down at the clouds together as if they wererades with the same wings. Even now, she wondered what kind of face she should have made. If she had cried in fear and run away, she would never have ascended to such a mountain top again. In the past, she used to force herself tough. Yes, to avoid being left out and to stay by their side. "At that time, Selene was the only suitable one... But it made it easier for Krische to do various things too." "Leaving all the troublesome work to your sister, who loves such troublesome work." ¡°Uuu...¡± The longing for heights had long since disappeared. She decided to take care of the girls who were flying around in the sky¨D¨Dbut there was someone far better at that than Selene. Once she reached the top, the difference between her and them became even more obvious. Unlike Selene, who sat on the summit, their wings flew freely in the sky. They flew much higher than where Selene was. "...I didn''t do it because I liked it, really." No matter how high she climbed, in the end all she could do was do what was right in front of her. The only thing that had changed from when she was below was the view. Besides, Selene had little time to enjoy her scenery. "Though I wish you could understand just how desperate I was at that time." "But Selene said, ¡®it''s my job so I don''t need your help¡¯ so..." "Really, the part where you took words too literally, is your number one evidence of you being an idiot." However, the sunrise that asionallyes into view, and the evening sunrise¨D¨Dthe starry sky that covered the sky seemed to shine brighter than anything else. The time she got to look at those with them, while resting wings was probably something no one else could experience. Envy, jealousy, resignation, all under a moonlight that forgives everything. That radiance filled the entire cloudless sky, and the emotions that arose there belonged to no one else, but Selene. And the ones who showed it to Selene were none other than them. "Hehe...But now that I think about it, it was a very valuable experience." When she closes her eyes, it alwayses to her mind. ¨D¨DAt least, it was Selene''s treasure alone. ¡°There are so many things I want to say, but if I had to put it into one word¡¡± Selene smiled and put her hand on Krische¡¯s cheek. "...Thank you, I guess" ¡®I love you, Krische¡¯ she continued, and the girl nodded happily, and said, ¡®Krische too¡¯ while smiling. The girl then told Selene she tilted her head slightly. "But, then that is two¨D" "...By the way, I''ve always hated your inability to read the atmosphere." "Eh...?" ¡®Good grief¡¯ Selene sighed. A life full of sighs¨D¨DAs Selene Christand, it was questionable whether it was the best decision she made. If she could do it all over again, she might have done more. However, no part of her doubted that it was surely the best oue for herself. Hard things, painful things, sad things¨D¨Dall of them were included, it was that kind of fortuitous meeting. She chuckled and looked up at the sky. It took several decades to realize that wings were unnecessary. More important than the scenery you see was, who you see it with. "...Let''s go home. I want to rest in bed for a little while." "Yes. ehehe, then Krische will prepare dinner." When she realized it, it was a trivial thing. ¨D¨DIt was three weekster that Selene Christian passed away. Without any apparent illness, she slept and never woke up, just like always. A grand state funeral was held, and many people wept. If the innovation brought to the military by Alberinea¨D¨Dher younger sister Krische Christand was a weapon, Selene Christand brought innovation to the army itself. She devoted her efforts to establishing a military school and a staff department, and gathered arge number of talented people¨Dit was said that what she aimed for was the genius Alberinea herself. She reached out to Alberinea wisdom, which was beyond the reach of ordinary people, bybining people with specialized education into a single brain. At that time, the battlefield was under the dictatorial control of people with powerful influence called General, and it was an unstable world where some geniuses stood out. Having witnessed Alberinea, the star of the times, up close, she must have seen the distortion more clearly. The vast amount of information held by the generals was taken up by the staff, who sifted through and selected options like finding a single tree in a deep forest. ¨D¨DWhat should be sought in amander is not the ability to think, but a noble ideology and the decisiveness to cut through any hesitation. And the brain that supports this is the staff officers, themander¡¯s thoughts itself. She constantly preached such things to the military men of the time. These words are said to be based on her experience of reaching the rank of marshal at a young age. While her poprity is spoken of in many records, there was very little mention of her actual ability as amander, despite her achievements. She never had expressed positive opinions about her own abilities in her writings. Although she stood as the suprememander in the great war leading to continental unification, amassing great achievements, she always spoke of it not as her own achievement but as the result of a well-established military, Alberinea, and capable subordinates, and it was repeatedly stated that she embarked on reforming the military structure to made that replicable. As a matter of fact, to this day, the ¡®Christand style¡¯ military structure remains, and looking at the stability from the Kingdom of Alberan to the early stages of the Magic Empire Kleinmeer, it could be said that her achievements were beyond doubt. "Funerals are tough, aren''t they? But, with this, it''s finally over. Kreschenta, let''s tidy up and leave soon." Dressed in an apron dress. The silver-haired girl said this to the girl looking at the pir of light at the top of the Heavenly Pole. With her golden hair shimmering red¨D wearing the same red dress from the funeral, the two girls looked like two peas in a pod. Two names that shone brightly over a long history. Alberinea and Kreschenta. "...Kreschenta?" ¡°Onee-sama, could you lend me a magic crystal for a moment?¡± "Uh...? Yes." The silver girl handed a magic crystal to her beloved little sister. The queen who received it gently wrapped it in her hands, causing blue light to gush out. "Um, Kreschenta, what are you doing..." "...It''s a seal. So that Onee-sama won''t be able to go anywhere on her own." Their story, which became the starting point for the magic civilization that would follow, had an ending quite different from the serene end of their step-sister. She approached, closer her red and sparkling golden hair swaying softly. Hanging the magic crystal around her neck, on her chest. Embracing her sister as if to crush each other''s bosoms, the eternal girl held her older sister. "Fufu, now there''s no one to get in the way...I''ll be with you forever, Onee-sama." ¡°Um, Kreschenta¡?¡± And with an affectionate, beautiful voice that was painted with a mad obsession. "Now I can finally have Onee-saa all to myself. It''s okay, don''t worry." Wrapping her arms around her back like enveloping a bird''s wings. "This is Onee-sama¡¯s¨D¨D" ¨D¨Deternal birdcage. She whispered, making her sister''s earlobes tremble. Chapter 254: Eternity Inside a Cage Chapter 254: Eternity Inside a Cage ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 254 Eternity Inside a Cage*** On a disheveled bed, golden hair that sparkles in red writhe in the sheets. She raises herself slightly, exposing her slender shoulders and shoulder des, without a scratch or blemish. Her hands underneath¨D¨Dholding down her older sister''s hands on the bed, keeping her from moving. She slowly pressed her lips to her sister''s. ¡°Kreschenta¨D¨D¡± ¡°It¡¯s Woof, Onee-sama¡± The little sister interrupted her with a re of purple, which sways through her silver hair, and she answers with a puzzled wow. Twins who looked identical. The little sister on top smiled with satisfaction and kissed her again. Although she epted it without resistance, the older sister looked at her little sister in confusion, then looked at the magic crystal her little sister wore around her neck¨D¨Dthe five lights inside it. It had been almost a week, just the two of them in the estate. She was told that this was Krische¡¯s birdcage, and at first she tried to ask her what it meant, but Kreschenta just told her that they were going to stay alone and didn''t even try to talk to her. ¡®Until I say it¡¯s fine, Onee-sama will be a dog. Onee-sama, you can only say woof.¡¯ Kreschenta grumbled discontentedly. Presented with the magical crystal as a hostage, there was no choice but to reluctantly ept it, and thus, Krischeplied with her little sister''s whims up to this point. It was not like Kreschenta did anything particrly bad, and didn¡¯t do anything other than seal the magic crystal with a new technique, she just spent the day clinging to Krische. They wake up in the morning, do the mansion''s chores, cook together, doundry, have tea, take a bath, spend time in bed, and then sleep. Even though she could only say ¡®woof¡¯, there was no inconvenience in spending time with her. Kreschenta understood what Krische wanted to do, and so did Krische. The selfishness of a little sister who wanted to be pampered¨D¨Das an older sister, she didn''t mind hearing that, and she was willing to go along with it, but she didn''t understand her younger sister''s true intentions. Kreschenta is a selfish child. Krische¡¯s priorities were Bery and Selene, and it''s understandable if Kreschenta was dissatisfied with that. However, she couldn''t help but feel that there was more to it than just wanting to be spoiled. ¡®Keeping Onee-sama to myself¡¯, if she just looked at what she did, it was exactly that, but Kreschenta was too stupid. No, Kreschenta was originally an idiot, but even so, she was almost always thinking about something when she acted. Right now it seemed like she intentionally tried not to think about anything, which didn¡¯t seem like Kreschenta at all. Just as there is the ¡®Spoiled Krische¡¯, a personality she created within herself just to be spoiled by Bery without thinking about anything, there might be a ¡®Spoiled Kreschenta¡¯ who only thinks about being pampered by Krische, emerging within her. Being honest is a good thing, and Krische also didn¡¯t really mind pampering her. That said, there were ns that they had decided upon for decades. Krische wanted to talk about it for now. However, in this state where all she could say was ¡®Woof¡¯, she couldn''t even talk. Krische thinks about it a little. As an exemry older sister, it''s not good to break the rules in front of her younger sister for educational reasons. It was also one of the older sister''s responsibilities to raise their foolish and childish little sister properly. However, if they continue like this, they won''t be able to have a conversation anytime soon. Kreschenta seems to be happy every day, and Krische was able to lead a life without any particr inconvenience. Even if it were to continue for decades, it wouldn''t change. The current Kreschenta was clearly in the state of ¡®Spoiled Kreschenta¡¯, in short, she was extremely stupid. She hesitated and thought while being kissed, then suddenly she rolled Kreschenta over and straddled her waist. Then Krische pped her hands lightly and smiled. *"Kreschenta, Krische have something to talk about."* "...Onee-sama, you can only say Woof." *¡°Krische only says Woof. Krische is making the fluff-fluff shake like Regve did.¡±* ¡®Woof¡¯, Krische barked, causing the magic around her to tremble. Conveying her intentions by shaking magic power¨D¨Dthis was the principle of telepathy used by dragons. Krische had to imitate a dog, but with this she was not speaking with her mouth. Without breaking Kreschenta¡¯s rules, she could still have a conversation. Krische nodded in satisfaction at her own idea. Kreschenta frowned at her nonsense, which clearly seemed to poke a hole in the rules, but she asked, ¡®What is it?¡¯ Rules are rules. Regardless of whether her older sister realizes it was just a sophism or not, since her older sister had shownmitment to following the rules, Kreschenta didn''tin, even though she wasn¡¯t convinced. Putting aside if it were another person, but her stupid older sister took everything seriously including sophism. It was her own fault for setting a rule with holes that even her silly older sister could poke holes in, and her pride would not allow her to me her older sister for it. The sisters were very simr, treating each other as idiots, including their stubbornness in a weird ce. *¡°It¡¯s true that Krische might have been too focused on Selene and Bery too much, making Kreschenta feel a bit lonely. So, this doggy y is fine. Krische also finds it a little fun..." Krische traced her lips with her finger as she sat up naked. Two young girls are on the bed. What was being held was a game of pretend doggy. Though it sounded perverse and decadent, no one was there to criticize it anymore. *¡°But Krische, wanted to meet Bery and the others. Krische promise Krische''ll continue ying doggy when we go over there, and Krische''ll pamper Kreschenta. ...So let''s leave this for¨D¨D¡±* ¡°Don¡¯t want to. .¡Besides, Argan-sama and the others are still here, right?¡± ¡°We''re still seeing each other,¡± Kreschenta said, showing off the magic crystal around her neck. *"Kreschenta, you know, that''s called sophism¡±* Krische said, furrowing her brows. She was a person who did not know how to reflect on herself. *¡°...Why are you saying such mean things?¡±* ¡°Because my dream hase true.¡± *¡±Dream?¡±* Kreschentay still and looked out the window. "A peaceful, perfected world where no one would threaten it... I can have anything I want, and the people will sacrifice their lives for me. There is eternity here, Onee-sama." ¡®¨D¨DHere is the eternal birdcage.¡¯ Then the girl continued. "Onee-sama, please think back to Onee-sama¡¯s original intention... Everything we were looking for is here. Me and Onee-sama, we don''t need another equal." "...Does Kreschenta not want to meet Berry and the others again?" Her lips trembled as she spoke. Without touching on that, Kreschenta stroked the sad face of her older sister. "Yes. ...Those people are different from us after all. They all will be muddy someday." "...muddy?" "Look, just by looking at this number, Onee-sama should understand, right? There were many people who loved Onee-sama, but there were at most five people inside it." Kreschenta looks at the five lights within the magical crystal enclosed in her palm. ¡°Humans are creatures with changing hearts. Even if someone loves you for the next tens or hundreds of years, no one could guarantee that they would feel the same way for the next thousands of years. That was why many of them refused, fearing that they would someday lose their affection for Onee-sama.¡± Krische lowered her eyes. Kreschenta smiled as she looked at her sister''s face. "I''m not ming them in any way. That''s normal, and it''s not Onee-sama¡¯s fault. ...But the same can be said for these people." Kreschenta showed the magic crystal and told her. ¡°They love Onee-sama very deeply, including L-sama, who has different circumstances. However, human hearts are not eternal. I can see that someday they''ll get tired of living, unable to enjoy each day, and it''s evident their love for Onee-sama would dry out eventually." "Hg..." "...Please don''t make that face, Onee-sama." Crescenta hugged her older sister''s frightened body. As if locking a little bird in her birdcage, as if closing that little gate. It was a gentle and insidious cage. "But while shining from within this, their love is eternal. Eternal love exists inside this. ...They entered it with the genuine intention of spending eternity with Onee-sama." As if pulling a thread with the tip of her tongue, she spun a cage of words. She ruled the world not with a sword but with words. Even her older sister, whom she cannot ovee with strength, was bound by her words. ¨D¨DHer older sister was not entirely foolish. She was unable to understand anything beyond the literal meaning of words, yet the repeated words of refusal must have surely etched in her ears. The sweet and gentle words,den with honey¨D¨Dsurely, the true intentions inside those words were understood by her as well. ¨D¨DHer older sister was a coward. If she were a normal person, she would be afraid of getting hurt, and without taking the steps she should have taken, she surrendered herself. She, who offered her everything defenselessly, which was why she was afraid of being disappointed and despised more than anyone and anything else. If she could understand it, she could grasp it. For Kreschenta, manipting her emotions was easier than on anyone else. At least now that they were alone. "Please don''t worry. I''ll always be with Onee-sama. Onee-sama don''t have to think about anything difficult, I''ll think about it for Onee-sama." ¡®So it¡¯s fine¡¯, she said, pushing her older sister down onto the bed again. Gently stroking her anxious face, she held both her hands, intertwining their fingers. With a self-righteous love that cuts the feathers'' wings. As her sister''s eyes wavered in hesitation, the magic crystal ne hanging from Kreschenta''s neck sparkled on her chest. "...Please don''t think about Selene-sama or anyone else anymore. Onee-sama is also forbidden from saying it out loud. I''m sure Onee-sama is lonely." Kreschenta whispered, admiring her sister''s beauty. "Of course...Argan-sama too." And the moment she spoke, Kreschenta¡¯s eyes narrowed and she brushed the tip of her nose with her older sister¡¯s. "From now on, Onee-sama, just need to think about me. ...I also will only think about Onee-sama and do my best to make sure Onee-sama doesn''t feel lonely." "Kreschenta..." "Ufufu, I will always love you, Onee-sama, forever." Gazing into Krische¡¯s eyes, Kreschenta kissed her. "...Just as before, I will only love Onee-sama." As if to reassure herself, she repeated it. Inside the royal castle¨D¨Da room assigned as the field marshal''s workce. The owner there had long ago changed from Selene Christand to a different person. Although he was over eighty years old, he still looked young enough to not be considered as an old man. He had fine coppery hair with a hint of gray, a fearless face, and cheeks that were cleanly shaved. He looked exactly like his father¨D¨Dand was equally talented. "¨D¨DStill, when I look at you like this, you really do look just like your father, Marshal." ¡°¡I would like you to stop using words like that when we are together, General Remin.¡± Norgan Verreich said tiredly and sat down on the sofa. Sitting across from him was an old general with a pure white beard that reached down to his chest. His naturally pale hair was also white, swept back, and his stern eyes were softened. Unlike Norgan''s tall stature, he was not particrly imposing, but his muscles remained strong, retaining the aura of a warrior. "If you treat me like that, I won''t have time to rx." "Haha, you look quite tired." "Seeding Marshal Christand¨D¨Dthat responsibility is too heavy for me. I feel it keenly every day." He said exasperated as he took a sip of the ck bean tea that Aleha had brewed. The era of Selene Christand was quite long. She spent several decades as a field marshal, starting before she turned 20, and carried out various reforms, from the establishment of a staff department and military academy, to reforming the military organization, to incorporating magic weapons. There was a huge amount of work that he had to take over, and he had consulted with her on various matters up until the time she passed away three months ago. But now that she was gone, he no longer had anyone to pamper him. Although Krische would listen and asionally offer surprisingly effective solutions to problems, her ideas were often unconventional, and her vision of the military differed significantly from what her sister, Selene and the others envisioned. Her opinion was just the ideal type of military that was ¡®easy to use for the genius Alberinea¡¯. She was basically the opposite of Selene and the others, who tried to create stability by turning ordinary generals into great ones through a system. Centralization and decentralization ¨D¨Dthe Christand¡¯s Sister ideas were the exact opposite, and thetter was what will be needed in the future. There were no longer any major wars urring on the continent, which appears to be stable. It was a good thing, but from the military''s point of view, it meant that theycked experience. The history of unification had reached 50 years, and in a world that had be peaceful, those from Norgan down to just below him were thest generation to have experienced war. From now on, people who had never experiencedbat would be chosen to be generals It would be too cruel to leave them with the previous era''s centralized military structure that required vast amounts of experience and high capabilities. There were only a handful of people who were born as heroes from the beginning. Many heroes were able to be heroes because they were lucky enough to gain experience and gain solid power, and Norgan himself realizes this. The War of Continental Unification was Norgan''sst battle, and his career on the battlefield ended as a corpsmander. If he were to stand on the battlefield now as a general, he couldn''t confidently say he could match the legendary generals of his father''s generation. Although Norgan was convinced that his talent was superior to others, he felt that he clearlycked the experience to back it up. The generation after Norgan would probably be even more so. ¡°Marshal Christand has taught me many things and left me many things. I doubt that I understand them all...However, I have no choice but to try." ¡°It is the privilege of young people to worry.¡± "You seem to have forgotten, but I am also quite an old man now, General Remin." With a wry smile, Norgan turned his attention to the outside of his window. Towards the mansion where she lived. "...Although I was appointed as marshal, we are actually still in Alberinea''s era. Why didn''t Marshal Christand hand over the position of marshal to that person?" Alberinea who was still beautiful even now. Sometimes they had spar. He had also conducted military chess exercises with her. That was probably what it meant ¡®not even a fight¡¯. A glorious feat of military prowess that would never fade in the future. Unwavering talent and extraordinary intelligence. ¨D¨DThe Child of God who unified the continent with just talent alone. At Norgan''s level, he probably wouldn''t even be able to step on her shadow. That was why it was questionable that she was still not at the helm. "You should know what kind of person Krische-sama is" "But¨D¨D" "That person put an end to her role as Alberinea in the War of Continental Unification. ...That''s all." Sipping the ck bean tea, Aleha closed his eyes. Then he turned his gaze straight to Norgan. "...Would you please swear on your name? I trust you and there is something I want you to keep close to your heart." ¡°On my name¡?¡± Norgan looked at Aleha as if to confirm the sincerity of those words, and thought about it for a moment. Then when he looked straight back into Aleha¡¯s eyes, he nodded and said, ¡®I swear by my name¡¯. ¡®Thank you¡¯, Aleha bowed to him and told him. "Her Majesty the Queen and Krische-sama... the two of them are nning to step down from their current positions." "No way" "...The reason you were given the position of marshal instead of Krische-sama, and the establishment of the Royal Pce Parliament was based on that premise." Norgan has a look of surprise on his face, and his expression tightens immediately. As if the doubts in his mind were thawing away. It was certainly strange. Like Alberinea, the Queen was truly the perfect leader of the kingdom. She always had a clear solution to every problem. She didn''t even need any advisor. When they heard that she was going to form a parliament, there was confusion in the royal pce¨D¨D "They intend to pass on the era to those who will live in a new era." Aleha narrowed his eyes at him and looked out the window. "...To be freed from everything that has bound them up until now." Its huge body, which was eight shaku tall at the shoulders, was now nine shaku tall. In front of the grown-up Suiko, the unchanging girl took care of its fur with a stiffb. She carried a small pouch around her neck and wore an apron dress. Her purple eyes peeking out from her beautiful silver hair were somehow dark, and it seemed like a shadow was cast over her beauty. The SUiko circled around, bringing the tip of its nose closer to hers and rubbing it against her small body, as if worrying for her. The girl smiled. "...Ehehe. It''s okay, there''s nothing wrong with Krische." she said and she put theb to its forehead. Then the girl gently pressed her body against it. The Suiko, who was known for its ferocity, meeklyy down. "Krische-sama" ¡°¡Shaggy (Moshamosha).¡± An old man called out to her. "Working?" "Yes, I was His Excellency the Marshal for a moment." ¡°Is Her Majesty turned at the royal castle?¡± Aleha asked and stroked his beard looking at Krische. "...Krische-sama seems to have a rather unhappy look." "U-uh... that''s not true..." Krische¡¯s eyes swam from side to side, and Aleha smiled bitterly. "I was just thinking of trying to sharpen my dull body a bit... What do you say? Would it be possible for Krische-sama to go along with me for the first time in a while?¡± Then, she tapped the long sword on his waist. Krische¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and she seemed a little confused. But after a while, she nodded, saying it was okay. "It''s been a long time since Krische was asked to spar with Shaggy (Mosha-mosha). There was a time when Krische was getting fed up with it." "Hahaha, true. But it''s good once in a while. It''s a request from your cute subordinate." "Mosha-mosha is already a general, Krische thinks saying Mosha-mosha is Krische¡¯s subordinate is a bit misleading." The girl stood up and approached him. She took Aleha''s beard in her hand and yed with it. Smiling happily, saying ¡°It¡¯s shaggy today too¡±. "Then, Krische is going to go get Krische¡¯s sword. How about we go around Kurofuyo¡¯s ce while taking a walk with Gurlun?" "Certainly" The girl then returned to the mansion, and Aleha stroked Suiko''s forehead next to him. "...It would be nice to have a distraction once in a while." Whether Suiko understood his words or not. ¡®Gururuu¡¯ Gururun let out its usual rumbling sound. Chapter 255: Looking at Oneself Chapter 255: Looking at Oneself ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 255 Looking at Oneself*** ¨D¨DWhen imagining a sword-to-sword fight, the first thing thates to mind for someone who has never wielded a sword is the sound of swords, steel against steel. Blocking the opponent''s sh with a sword, or deflecting it. But that was an exaggeration in a story. A single full-force swing, carrying the weight of the wielder and swung along with centrifugal force. Only a handful could squarely confront that mass. In the first ce, swords are weapons designed to be wielded. It is easier to wield than to receive, and thus, it requires considerable strength and power to surpass the opponent''s movements with calmness. Therefore, in any swordsmanship, the focus is on evasion or disrupting the opponent''s initial movements. Even mere humans. For those who possess superhuman physical strength and abilities, it was impossible to directly block the opponent''s strike. The full force would easily breaks even the steel de and slice through the body. If the des shed, they would both be destroyed. The sound of steel in battles usually means the end, As the sound be higher, their battles became quieter. No, even that would be an understatement. As they unleash deadly des on each other, cutting through the wind¨D¨Dwhat they create is a storm. The spine-chilling sword dance reaches such a height that it makes the wind scream. ¡°Ehehe, Shaggy (Mosha-Mosha) is still doing well.¡± ¨D¨DInside a forest. The old general wielded a de that could be called the pinnacle of swordsmanship. The ultimate zenith of the de, only those who have devoted a hundred years to the sword, training since childhood could possess it. With just a light swing, it could cut through sheet metal armor, the de crushed the wind, and even the atmosphere was shredded¨D¨Din the blink of an eye, numerous sword shes were released. The sword made of steel could no longer be seen, it had be the wind itself. It was fluid, shapeless, and even its length seemed to expand and contract. Loved by heaven, not vain of his talent, he devoted himself to long studies. Originally, it could have been the pinnacle of an era. The old general show no signs age¨D¨Dand that was why the girl he faces was a distortion. Fluttering in her cumbersome apron dress. Using branches and leaves as footholds, and the trunk to jump between heaven and earth. Holding curved sword that bendsciviously in one hand, she narrowly avoided the de of the old general who could be called a sword saint, her beautiful face had the same smile on her face as usual. She observed the sh of the sword, which a normal person couldn¡¯t perceive, with a sense that even stopped time, observing its speed, posture, magical power, and inertia all as if they were mathematical forms. Observing her opponent, even while dodging, she had enoughposure to speak. When Aleha swung his sword, he made a unique twist with his hips, knees, and body. Releasing the swing and simultaneously the twist¨D¨Dthe sword seemed to extend, and its tip would cut through 1 sun ahead. A de that could deceive and cut through even warriors with such dynamic vision that captured the sh of the sword. The artistic deception created by footwork and technique, and the control of bnce, however were ineffective against the girl. The girl¡¯s purple pupil, could see Aleha''s future even in this high-speed sword dance. When he raised his sword, how far would the tip reach. Once the tip started moving, the trajectory until it was swung down was clear¨D¨Dwhere he would ces his feet, how much his hip would twist, and where his head would be. "I''m d that Shaggy is following what Krische taught a long time ago, Krische is happy." Aleha didn''t force his way in, swinging hus de at the girl''s edge. ¡®¨D¨DFor a small opponent like Krische, it would be better to swing the sword finely and at the very edge of the opponent¡¯s range. Like trying to hook them with the sword... Look, don¡¯t push too far and rush the fight.¡¯ Aleha himself wasn''t particrly strong, and most of the fierce warriors he encountered on the battlefield were tall and gigantic. Therefore, he learned how to charge in deeply and insert himself even further inside the opponent¡¯s gap. Before he knew it, it had be a habit, and his overconfidence in his own sword speed feed to it. That if his and the opponent¡¯s range was the same and their des shed with all else being equal, he could cut them down first. Her pointing was trivial. However, the absolute difference that he felt at that time gave Aleha an opportunity to reconsider himself. Thanks to this, he was confident that he was at a much higher level than he ever thought possible. He continued to hone his skills, shaking off all the arrogance that arose within her¨D¨Dyet, Alberinea was far beyond in the heavens. A smile appeared on the old man''s cheeks. As droplets formed on his dry skin, his fatigue strangely feltforting. His five swings were dodged, and what was unleashed was a swing of the curved sword. Evading it and twisting her body. Whenever she reached out, it was always before Aleha''s real strike. If de could be dodged she would dodge everything, and if it couldn¡¯t be dodged, she took the lead and kill the sword¡¯s momentum. There was no yfulness in her de. It was a sword meant to win, to achieve victory. She never let anything dictate her victory or defeat. ¨D¨DSimrly on the battlefield, she always won as if it was fated. Something always shone brightly when he looked up. He wonder how much the name Christand brought to Aleha''s life. And even after over 100 years, its brilliance continued to shine on Aleha. ¡°But fufun, it¡¯s Krische¡¯s victory.¡± Slight fatigue, slight disturbance. The girl, who saw this, charged in and put the tip of her tip on the nape of Aleha''s neck. He just smiled as he recalled his countless defeats. "...It''s my loss, Krische-sama." Aleha copsed, lying down sprawled in the grass, breathing heavily. "Aleha, you¡¯re sweating so much, it¡¯s dirty you know" ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡At least it feels good.¡± Krische took a slight breath and took out a handkerchief. She then folded her skirt and squatted next to Aleha, gently wiping away the sweat on his face. Alehaughed again, letting her do as she pleased. Observing the scene, Gururun approached and, yawning, sat down. "It''s good that Aleha is diligent and serious about training." Then, leaving the handkerchief on Aleha''s chest, she sat on top of the Suiko. Tracing her lips with a cherry-colored smile, she smiled. "Today¡¯s Aleha was probably the best yet." Hearing those words, Aleha closed his eyes and his smile deepened. "I see. ...Kuku, those areforting words." ¨D¨DAlthough aged, there was no decline in her physical strength. He never thought he could win. But still he challenged with the intention to win¨D¨DAleha''s culmination up until today. It was a disastrous defeat as usual, but the defeat was strangely enjoyable. The moon was still far in the sky, but he felt that he had reached a higher level. He''s sure it was because of her that he was able to reach that point. He looked up at the sky for a while, basking in the afterglow as the breeze cooled his flushed body. Reflecting on his life with the sword. From an early age, he knew of his talent. He was confident that someday he would be a hero who would leave his name in history. ¡®¨D¨DI lose again huh.¡¯ ¡®...Young master¡¯ The person who broke his long nose was the kingdom''s hero Bogan Christand. No matter how many times he tried, he could not win. He could have made excuses. A different age, a different ss¨D¨Dif only he had been born ten years earlier. However, he knew more than anyone else that in then end those were just mere excuse. And it was because Bogan Christand was there that he was able to learn from him and reach greater heights. And then he departed first¨D¨DChristand became an existence that Aleha could never win against. A hero that Aleha should aspire to be. The figure he had seen at the summit disappeared, and he lost sight of his goal. ¡®Aah, Krische hadn¡¯t introduced Krische yet. Krische Alberinea Christand. Krische would like to ask about the number of thieves but...?¡¯ At that time, he met her. As she floats high above the boundless sky, she probably didn¡¯t know how much she had given to Aleha. In order to step forward to greater heights, he needed some sort of goal. Not just rushing recklessly, but a clear goal. Heughed quietly and looked up at the sky. At the edge of the sky, vermilion hues blurred before dusk. As if reaching for the unseen stars and moon, he extended his right hand toward the sky. "...I¡¯m blessed with heavenly luck. I was bored out of my mind until nightfall." Before the unreachable sky, he reflected on his own smallness. "... Aleha, you won¡¯te with Krische?" "Yes" When he answered and looked at her, the girl''s beauty became sad. She just lowered her eyes and looked at the undergrowth. "Don''t make such a face. I''ve found the answer." "¡the answer?" Aleha nodded. "This is the answer to a question that I have spent my entire life finally chasing. ...Now that I have seen it, I have no choice but to do it." "That''s what everyone says... Bald Eagle, Meow Meow, Woof Woof, Chirp Chirp... Even Kalua and Mia." The girl continued. Like a child being left behind as others went home from the yground. ¡°Kreschenta said that everyone gets tired of eternity because of Krische¡¯s selfishness. ...Someday, everyone will get tired of dealing with Krische.¡± "That¡¯s certainly sounds like a distant story. It¡¯s probably as Her Majesty said." Aleha smiled bitterly and stood up. Finally, his breathe calmed down. ¡°I thought Krische-sama would leave immediately after Selene-sama passed away, but¡ Is the reason Krische-sama is still like this because Krische-sama is unsure?¡± "¡¡,yes" "That¡¯s a good thing" "¡¡huh?" Krische looked at Aleha in surprise. Aleha smiled beneath his beard. ¡°I respect and love Krische-sama, but I am not Krische-sama. I am a person with different dreams, wishes, and everything else. ...Even if I follow Krische-sama, I''m sure we''ll have to say goodbye someday.'''' To say he hadn''t imagined such a future would be a lie. If he had eternal time, how much could he achieve? How high could he reach? But Aleha had obtained what he wanted. Aleha''s ceiling was now in his hands. And now that he had obtained it¨D¨Dmore than she thought there was nothing beyond it. "No one in this world is the same. What you wish for is yours alone, not someone else''s. And it''s the same for everyone." Not ming or ridiculing, not affirming or denying. Aleha simply spoke gently. ¡°Just as I have found questions and its answers in my life, so too Krische-sama will find questions and find answers in life. It doesn''t matter how big or small it is, what a person should find in their life, is just that and nothing more." Seemingly pushing her away, yet embracing her¨D¨DAleha looked at Krische with a gentle gaze. Shaking his now white hair gently. "...What do you wish for? What do you desire from the bottom of your heart? That is a question that is unique to you, and an answer that is unique to you.¡± "Krische¡¯s, wish..." Krische repeated quietly, closing her eyes. Whates to her mind was always the mansion. The happy everyday, the repeating gentle days. "...Maybe the answer isn''t as difficult as you think. At least that''s how I feel. I and many others have walked different paths from you but¨D¨D" Aleha stood up and smiled at the girl sitting on the Suiko. ¡°There are some who have decided to walk the same path as you...Selene-sama and the servants did not just leave the decision to you out of inertia. They entrusted it to you because they believed that whatever worries, doubts, and whatever the result may be¨D¨Dit would be something to apany the answer you struggled to find." "ah¡¡" Reaching out, Aleha gently stroked the girl¡¯s head who looked down and closed her eyes. ¡°Krische-sama, you should try believing in yourself a little more.¡± No matter how one say it, she was a kind girl. Like a child¨D¨DNo, probably she actually was a child. Delicate and clumsy, not knowing how to rx. It wasn''t a bad thing. Even if one keep running recklessly, their aging body would naturally develop this tendency. However, theposure thates with age had not yete to her. Event hough if she took a little break, she would still see many things differently, she remained as she was when they first met. ¡°Just as my decisions are mine alone, your decisions are yours alone.¡ No matter how good a person is, in the end, all one can control is one''s own heart and decisions." Surely, she would continue to struggle from now on. As long as she continued to seek happiness, like a child. " Not what those around you wants but, what do you really want? You should reconsider that." That''s why Aleha thought everyone could love this girl from the bottom of their hearts. The seemingly contradictory beauty of this ruthless and cruel girl. "...That''s how everyone around you found their own answers." Krische silently nodded, looking at Aleha, and smiled shyly. "...Krische, really just hesitating all the time. But it¡¯s as Mosha Mosha said." Then she closed her eyes and suddenly looked up at the sky. "Krische thinks Krische is pretty smart, but Krische is really stupid. Always insecure and doesn''t know what''s good or bad..." The purple of dusk mingling with blue and red, were like mirrors of her. It was as if she had captured the twilight of the day''s end in her eyes. "...But, everyone always believes in such Krische¡± With a happy smile, she closed her eyes, and the girl jumped down and smiled at Aleha. "Krische''ll talk to Kreschenta one more time." ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Eheheh, to be honest, Krische didn¡¯t care at all about Mosha Mosha at first, Krische just picked it up on the way home, but¡¡± ¡®I''m d I met Mosha Mosha then¡¯, the girl said happily. Aleha smiled bitterly and nodded, ¡®I see¡¯ She couldn''t hide herpleteck of interest inside her at that time, but the way she talked about it as if it was her long-held secret was still the same as before. "But it''s mutual. ...I''m d I met you too." He came to the kingdom, found a goal, maderades in arms¨Dand met Tekrea, and even started a family. The only reason he was able to live such a fruitful life was because he was able to meet her. "...I have somewhere to stop by, so" "Yes. Krische is going home too. Well then¨D¨D" As she was about to say, the girl thought a little. Then she smiled quietly and said, "...Goodbye, Aleha." Aleha nodded and put his fist on his left chest. Returning a salute to her words. There¡¯s no need for words anymore. The girl returned the salute¨D¨Dthen, riding Suiko, she left without looking back. It was fine that way. Aleha watched until her back disappeared, smiling alone, without following. And thus, he began to walk a different path from hers. In the sky where indigo and madder were mixed together, he thought the hawk that brought color to his life. Chapter 256: Cage of Sin Chapter 256: Cage of Sin ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 256 Cage of Sin*** ¡°In my opinion, I am the happiest person in the world.¡± She said as usual. She said in a calm voice as she hugged Kreschenta on the bed. ¡°I was loved so much not only by Kirsche-sama, but also by Her Majesty the great Queen of Alberan, whose name is deeply engraved in history.¡± The sound ofughter tickled her ears. She opened her mouth to say something, but she quickly stopped. The inside of her chest was tense and convulsing, making it difficult to breathe,, she didn''t want the servant to hear that stupid voice. She closed her mouth tightly, pressing her face against her chest. Covering everything from her eyelids to her lips. The servant hugged her tightly, stroking her head with force. "Oh, you''re not denying it... By the way, I also consider silence as a confirmation, so please keep that in mind." The teasing voice was gentle and unpleasant. The servant spoke knowing that she couldn''t look up. "But don''t worry. This embarrassing secret of Kreschenta-sama will be kept secret, as Kreschenta-sama''s servant, I''ll keep it to myself. A good servant is someone who fulfills their master''s wishes without being told." The unpleasant servant patted her on the head, repeating her ridiculous words. Always, always, when it suited her, her little sister¡¯s servant, the estate¡¯s servant, Christand¡¯s servant. ¨D ¨D¨Dand, Kreschenta¡¯s servant. She was a woman who pretended to be serious and but was in truth haphazard, and only her mouth work really well. Using the position of a servant as pretense¨D¨Dshe was nothing but an individualists who don''t care about social order or ss structure. In Kreschenta¡¯s vision of the ¡®Ideal kingdom¡¯, she was the most obtrusive woman. Speaking based only on emotion, piling up usible nonsense sophistry, seducing peoplewith cunning words, creating an environment favorable to herself. There¡¯s no need for two boatmen. And Kreschenta was the queen, and this woman was, so to speak, her political enemy. She wondered how much better it would have been if she had killed her earlier. If that had been the case, she wouldn''t have to endure such condescending words like this. She wondered how it hade to this. Perhaps she had been deceived by this woman''s sophistry without realizing it. "....Fufu, even when I tried to say something, I end up thinking about a lot of things, it¡¯s not good at all. Talking about memories or the future, surprisingly, I can''te up with anything." The servantughed troubledly and continued to stroke her head. Her skin was colder than Kreschenta, and it felt like she was soaking in lukewarm water. Neither hot nor cold. The kind of lukewarm water that made her lose her strength and not want to think about anything. "However, I don''t hold any grudges, nor am I angry or sad. I think this is a good ending to my life." She said, rubbing her cheek against Kreschenta¡¯s head. "It''s true that it was hard and painful. I had wanted to scream loudly... so in that sense, I''m grateful to Kreschenta-sama after all." "hg..." Kreschenta grabbed her back, grasping the negligee tightly. "Always¡lying... Even if you decorate it with words, you will die. I... will kill you. Why should I, beforted by someone like you?" "...Actually, Kreschenta-sama is exactly like Krische-sama." ¡®A Beautiful person¡¯, she said, smiling once again. yfully, happily, lovingly. ¡°Even if you are not judged by thew, you want to be punished because you have done something wrong. That feeling itself is the punishmen. ...No matter what Kreschenta-sama may say, Kreschenta-sama knows right from wrong, so anything more than that is just too much.'''' As always, she stroked her head andbed Kreschenta¡¯s hair. *Thump, thump*, the servant¡¯s heartbeat echoed, and she simply sniffled softly. "Moreover, I am not the guardian of thew, but a servant who loves Kreschenta-sama dearly, soforting her like this is only natural. And it is also natural for a crying child to beforted." "...not¡crying." "My, guess that''s true. It was a promise to keep it in my heart." The servant chuckled and continues stroking. The strength in her arms was gradually weakening. The medicine was starting to take effect, she realized, and a chill ran down her spine. "...Please take care of Krische. I''m sure she will be very saddened." The servant smiled a little sadly and continued absentmindedly. "I promised I wouldn''t do anything to make her sad, but" Kreschenta instantly lifted her head and let her magic run through her. Through the blurry vision, she could see the servant smiling. Her palm touched Kreschenta cheek and she wiped the area under her eye with her thumb. ¡°Ufufu, just like Krische-sama, a crying face doesn¡¯t suit Kreschenta-sama after all.¡± "..." "I have to keep it a secret from the others...Kreschenta-sama is my beloved, wonderful, greatest Queen in the world after all." Kreschenta¡¯s words were stuck in her throat and wouldn''te out. She looked at her sleepy voice and her trembling eyelids, and grabbed her cheek. Words were stuck in Kreschenta¡¯s throat and wouldn''te out. She grabbed her cheek, gazing at her voice tremblingly, and kissed her. Their noses rubbed against each other, and the sensation of their lips was, simply soft. The servant trembled just a little, opened her eyelids wide, and through her light brown eyes, gazing at Kreschenta. Then, slowly narrowing her eyelids, she silently said, ¡®I know¡¯. She smiled teasingly, as always. After that, her eyes closed and she lets go of her consciousness. "ah¡¡" Kreschenta immediately interwove magic into it. She thought about stopping time and hurriedly changed the magic into threads. She thought, maybe, if it went well, maybe. But something was just terrifying. Her breathing became erratic, and something seemed to be crawling inside her chest. And then she just continued to weave the magic as if to escape from it. The magic split and formed a cage like threads. It wrapped around her body, trapping her flesh and blood, even her bones and nerves. All she could think about was stopping time. If she had time, she could do anything. Whether it''s 10 years from now, 20 years from now, or 100 years from now, it would be possible someday. The only thing missing was time and lee-way. All she wanted was just that. Making sure to carve everything into her, from one end of her to the other, repeating it again and again. Perfection upon perfection,yer uponyer, repeating it endlessly. Proving that nothing was impossible for her, that she had no mistake . ¨D¨DBut no matter what, the result was everything. Blood seeped into the nightgown. Even the bleeding blood instantly turns into magical power and disperses. Every part of the body crumbled like a mountain of sand blown by the wind. Inside a cage locked endlessly with magical power poured into it. Her body turned into a blue light¨D¨Donly her clothes remained. Kreschenta couldn''t make a sound, and she reached out her hand in a daze. Grabbing the nightgown the servant had been wearing. Gazing at it. Holding it to her chest. ¨D¨DHow long did she spent like that "Her Majesty! What is...?" Before she knew it, a voice called out to her from the direction of the door. The voice seemed to being from somewhere far away. ¡°Argan-sama, is¡?¡± There was a thin sensation in her arms. She looked dazedly at the nightgown. It belonged to the servant Kreschenta had killed. Thinking of Nora, who had stabbed her own chest. Thinking of the red-haired servant, she traced her own lips, and closed her eyes. She heard a sound of someone copsing behind her and adjusted her breathing. "¡Argan-sama has passed away. It happened suddenly." Then, calmly as usual, Kreschenta lied again and again. She was a perfect being who never made a mistake. Even if it was a lie, what she said bes the truth. ¡°Onee-sama will be sad.¡For now, I guess we should prepare for the funeral.¡± She held the nightgown against her face for a moment. As if wiping something off her, under her eyes. ¨D¨DTo Crescenta, other people were like tools. As it always had been, as it will continue to be. She looked up, get off the bed, and looked into the full-length mirror. Her usual self was there, calmly staring at Kreschenta from the other side of the mirror. That¡¯s fine, she thought "What a pity." Because the tools that could have been used were ruined, because it started to trouble Kreschenta¡¯s hand, there was nothing she could do, she just finished thest task. There''s no need to think about it, she thought, putting the nightgown on the bed. She looked at the servant who copsed and covering her face, reaching her hand to the door. "I''ll call Elvena-sama. Please take a little rest." As if turning her gaze away from something that coiled around her, she focused on what needed to be done. She step outside the room. It was over and done with. There''s nothing she could do, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Like that, she divert her attention and looked away. ¨D¨DThinking that if she did that, someday she wouldn''t have to remember it anymore. It was like a cage made of opposing mirrors. The inside of the small magic crystal was engraved with manyyers of intricate patterns. Though it appeared to fit in one hand, it was a multidimensional crystal that warped space. Visually, from every angle, it seemed like an infinite amount of brilliance was unfolding within it. Every time she looked at it, the inner glow change, and if she change the angle just a little, she could see a different faces. There were five lights shining there. Every time she looked at it, reflections of a girl''s eyes appeared from various angles. As if searching for something, she changed the angle and focused on a single brilliance. She thought that someday it would disappear, that she could no longer see it¨D¨Dbut no matter when she looked at it, that light would jump into her eyes. She rolled on her bed, still wearing a white one-piece dress, her long hair scattered. She lied down and looks at it, holding it up, and sometimes capturing its brilliance in her hands. She thought that the brilliance would disappear someday, but when she saw it again, it was still there. The light was so bright that it was an eyesore. She brought it close to her eyes again and stare at it. She looked at it vaguely from various angles, wondering if there was a certain angle at which its brilliance would disappear. ¨D¨DHate you. As usual, her lips moved and echoed in the void. There was no response, nor did the radiance dim. No matter how many times she repeated it, the brilliance was still there, showing its presence in the girl''s eyes. It remained unchanged from various angles, never leaving even when she closed her eyes. Bossy, arrogant, and has a bad attitude. The only thing she could praise was the food. The servant''s unpleasant, mocking smile, each word echoing in her mind, repeatedly. She traced her lips, remembering that feeling. Something was swirling inside her chest, and she closed her eyes at the disgusting feeling. When she thought of her face, her face twisted in paines to mind. She was in pain every night, her tears welling up. Her nk eyes were burned into her head and wouldn''t leave her. The image of her crying out for help, horrified by pain and death, was etched in her memory every day. ¡®¡Even if you could endure it, how many years are you going to endure it?¡¯ ¡®Of course, as many decades as Krische-sama desired.¡¯ Even though she exposed that sight of her, she told Kreschenta that. She said she was still happy, as if nothing had happened. She simply expressed her gratitude. Thank you, she repeatedly said. Saying that thanks to her, she could continue to have happy days today as well, even though the days were filled with pain. Yesterday, the day before yesterday, today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the next. Kreschenta was just prolonging it. That servant couldn¡¯t do anything to fix it, and it was just causing her to repeat the suffering with no end in sight. Every time she receive such words, she wondered what she was grateful for. So, she decided to end it¨D¨Dshe thought to end it. "...I¡¯m not wrong." The words rang hollow. When she opened my eyes, the shining light was still there, unchanged. It was so obnoxious and obtrusive that she never want to see it again, but when she change the angle, it reveals a variety of colors. She wondered just how much better it would have been if it had been uglier. If it was so ugly that she didn''t even want to see it, she would never have to see it again. Why did her sister pick up something like this? If it weren''t for this, she wouldn''t have had to remember it, and she wouldn''t have been trapped, but because it was here, it felt like she was trapped in a cage. Even though she tried to break free, she couldn''t, her thoughts formed a cage, and the thing that she was supposed to locked up was the one locking her. ¨D¨DBecause I love you. I love you. Always repeating such flimsy words. Just lip service. Even when she was about to be killed, she repeated those words. She simply gave up. She only said those things because it would have been pointless for her to speak out against her. It was just stubbornness, just saying pretty words out of habit. There''s no way she would be happy to be killed. No matter how you say it, death was death. It''s impossible to not hold a grudge. So surely, deep down... Kreschenta locked the magic crystal in her palm. Covering it so that she couldn¡¯t see its brilliance. It didn''t matter. ¨D¨DAs long as she was locked away forever, those words would be herst words. As long as she continued like this, she wouldn¡¯t say anything more. As long as she shone here, beautiful things would remain beautiful. No matter how flimsy, these words would remain true and forever engraved. Thinking that was fine, Kreschenta peered through the gap between her palms again. She looked at the glow trapped inside the mirrored world and stroked it. That brilliance was forever in Kreschenta¡¯s hands. "Kreschenta, Krische¡¯s back." "...Wee back, Onee-sama." Kreschenta slipped the magic crystal to her chest inside her one-piece dress. Then sje stood up and turned to the entrance. Her sister, wearing her usual apron dress, carrying a curved sword on her hip. Kreschenta tilted her head. ¡°What was Onee-samadoing?¡± ¡°Mosha-Mosha said he wanted to spar, so Krische went along with it. Also taking Gururun for a walk.'''' Krische removed the belt from her waist and ced the curved sword on the shelf. She approached with trot and kneeled on the bed, caressing my cheek and giving me a slow kiss. Staying like that for a while, with closed eyes. When she opened it, her older sister''s purple eyes were peeking out at her. A slightly troubled, a somewhat hesitant gaze. As per the usual, Mosha-Mosha was a silly nickname given by older sister. Even among the humans who know what her sister wished, he was one of the few that was still alive. He was probably the type to live a long life like Felworth. His flesh body had what could be called a regeneration limit. After a certain period of time, blood and flesh lose their normal regeneration function, gradually deteriorating in quality, and the rate of deterioration increases¨D¨Duntil the regeneration can no longer keep up. Aging is deterioration. It would have been easy to prevent deterioration if one hadplete control over the body''s magical power like Kreschenta and her sister, but this was not the case for ordinary people. However, even among ordinary people, there were some who were somewhat adept at it. Functional decline urs as aging progresses to a certain extent. Usually around that time, they became conscious of mastering their bodies by emphasizing magical power over flesh, and began to maintain stability in their aging state¨D¨Dsuch people lived a long time. Of course, a lot of it depends on the quality of the body they were born with, but Aleha seems to be quite strong physically, and the control he had over her his using magical power was also quite good. Now that he had started aging, there were limits to what an ordinary person could do, but it seemed like his body wouldst for at least the next few decades. ¨D¨DIt would be better if he died soon. She looked into her sister''s eyes, thinking that perhaps he had inadvertently influenced her. If time passed quickly and washed away everything around her sister, her sister wouldn''t need to hesitate anymore. Her sister only needed Kreschenta, who cherished her and was cherished by her. "...Kreschenta, um...Krische need a talk..." "I''m hungry." She looked at her sister to interrupt her words. She reached out her hands and ced them around her sister''s neck, and used her magical power to manipte the magic crystal in the bathroom and fill it with hot water. Her sister looked at Kreschenta again, puzzled, and then she smiled quietly. "...Then, let''s cook, eat, and take a bath. ...Then we''ll talk. Is that okay?" She didn¡¯t answer and leans closer, but her sister picked Kreschenta up and said, ¡®What a spoiled child¡¯. Her troubled smile somehow resembled that servant''s. In the kitchen, she made Lakura pie, pumpkin soup, and stewed mutton. When it was just the two of them, they didn''t need that much. The cooking was so familiar that they could do it with eyes closed. Waiting side by side, the wait seemed longer. She looked at the shelf while stirring the soup. Spices, tableware, cooking utensils¨D¨Dtheir arrangement has not changed for a long time. Originally, it was optimized for her sister to cook with that servant, and there was some room for improvement after she and Kreschenta joined together. But as if it was only natural when her sister organized things, she always kept them in this state. From knives to tableware, everything has been polished to a sparkling shine, and its location has remained the same. ¨D¨DJust as it was when that servant was there. They didn''t go on adventures like that servant. They made small adjustments to the taste, and when they get new ingredients they I cook with them. But they never said they would try something they had never done before. ¡®¡¡my apologies. Today''s challenge was a failure.¡¯ She recalled the apologetic smile on her face and sipped thedle. The soup was as delicious as always, just like when that servant was there. There was no such thing as a failure in a dish that had been made for decades. Although her sister denied it, she was a servant who made many mistakes. She was a woman who could make reasonably delicious food, but she was so reckless that she thought she was doing it on purpose. She made sauces and desserts mainly from fruit that tastes bad no matter how one look at it. Most of the time, she failed and wasted ingredients. However, her sister always looked happy while watching her. Sometimes it went well, and she rejoiced as if she had made the discovery of the century. ¡®Kreschenta. This wasn''t a failure, it just didn''t seed in trying. There is much to learn from failure in this world.¡¯ As if quoting, she raised her finger while saying that as if it was a wise saying. Her sister was indeed foolish. She didn''t think there was no truth to it, but it was just a meal. Just one more delicious taste. There was enough delicious food, and there was enough stability, so she always looked at the irrational attempts exasperatedly, wondering what the point was in seeking more. She memorized most of the dishes and caught up, but she had no choice but to hang out with these idiots and was pushed around. She thought this kitchen was often chaotic. Since that servant disappeared, things have stabilized and there have been no more failures ¨D¨D then they should be a little more rational and change the arrangement of the tools. But it remained the same as before. The strong spices that were unusable stayed in front of the shelf. The dishes, knives, frying pans, and pots, everything was as that servant liked. Every time she entered the kitchen, every time she cooked there, she remembered. ¨D¨DThe figure of that servant standing there ovepped, the figure of her sister smiling happily ovepped, and the figure of Kreschenta reluctantly apanying them ovepped. She¡¯s sure her sister was the same way. She smiles with strange amusement as she cooked dishes that didn¡¯t change and never fail. Whether together or alone¨D¨Din her sister''s head, there was that servant. "...Kreschenta?" As she frowned in displeasure, her sister approached and took thedle. She then sipped the soup and tilted her head. Did her sister thought she had failed in the seasoning? "Ehehe, it''s delicious." "¡Good to hear." When she let out a sigh, her sister pressed her lips against hers, looking troubled. She tasted like a faintly sweet pumpkin soup. It tasted just as it had since those days, nauseatingly so. She would probably continue to taste this forever. She would probably be able to enjoy this for eternity. Suddenly, she realized that all of the dishes Kreschenta made were ones that she learned from that servant, and no matter what she tasted, they tasted just like that servant. Everywhere in the estate¨D¨Dthe more that servant were missing from the estate, the more she slip into the gaps. She traced her lips with her fingertips, feeling it. Even now, I could still feel the touch, like it was yesterday. ¨D¨DI know. The words that were spun without a voice echoed in her head, and they still wouldn¡¯t go away. After finishing the meal, soaking in the bath, and changing into nightclothes, her sister held Kreschenta on herp and ran ab through her hair. The chipped moon shone through the window. However, the moon never change its shape. The earth blocks the sunlight from the other side, so a shadow appears on the moon. The moon was always in perfect shape in the sky. It was just that a shadow appears there. "...Kreschenta" "I don''t want to hear it." Kreschenta was always perfect. From the time she was born, she was bornplete and unchanged. It was the world that was wrong, and it was the world that was distorted. The moon always floats in the sky, unchanged. People could only capture what they see, so it just looked like something was missing. To a bug clinging to the ground, it would certainly appear as a chipped moon. But Kreschenta was not chipped. Neither was her sister, the one that was wrong is everything else. That was the truth, the certainty. But, if so. She changed the world the way she wanted, gained everything in the world, became a perfect being that everyone recognized¨D¨Dwhy was she still thinking about that servant? Why was she trapped in the circr train of thought? "...I don''t want to hear about that." It was supposed to be a trivial matter that she decided not to remember. The only person who stood next to her was her older sister, and the rest were her older sister''s favorite essories. It couldn''t have been more than that, and it shouldn''t have been more than that. It had to be that way. ¡®¨D¨DIf not, then I.¡¯ Thinking about it, something unpleasant was swirling in her chest again. Her sister just hugged her body and put her cheek against hers from behind. ¡°Kreschenta said that eternity is here, but perhaps eternity is not what the Krische wants.¡± As if wrapping her arms around her. As if trapping her entire body in a gentle cage. ¡°Kreisharana said, eternity is just a process, and what you want is whates after..." And then, affectionately. "Rather than a goal, it''s just Krische¡¯s selfishness, isn''t it?" Her sister said in embarrassment. "¡Maybe, in the end, Krische just wants to see Berry again." ¡®aah¡¯, shemented silently. At least Kreschenta knew her sister''s heart would always be there. "Krische just want you to say, ''I''m home,'' and to say, ''Wee back.'' ¡ just wanting to give a hug, like usual, and say, ''Thank you for your hard work¡¯." Her sister was a child, and she was a bit more stupid than Kreschenta. In order to meet that servant, an unusual means was needed, and in order to fully enjoy it, a peaceful world was needed, and that naturally became the word eternity. ¡°Krische doesn''t know how difficult it is to think about eternal love or anything like that, but Krische think everyone could see through the Krische¡¯s stupid ideas.'''' A perfect world for her sister. An ideal paradise. A childlike utopia. Since her sister wanted everything she wanted, she let it be. Knowing that her sister''s desired eternal paradise wouldn''t be epted, and knowing that only a few would ept it. Knowing that her sister would get hurt every time she was rejected, and over time learning to not expect much from others¨D¨Dif it¡¯s like that, she thought that someday, her sister would only think about Kreschenta. ¨D¨DWithout thinking about unnecessary things. ¡°...What Krische¡¯s wished for is Krische¡¯s. What other people wished for is other people¡¯s. If you think about it, it¡¯s a very simple thing. Because Krische is Krische, Krische just wanted to meet Bery and wants to spend all time together, Krische is just thinking selfish things.¡± ¡®Everything is Krische¡¯s selfishness¡¯, Krische smiled ¡°On top of that, Selene and the others said they would go along with the Krische¡¯s foolishness.¡± Looking happy without end. "Krische doesn''t know what''s going to happen. Maybe someday she will leave Krische¡¯s side...but Krische¡¯s sure that would be because she''s satisfied, and Krische doesn¡¯t think it would because the love for Krische run dry or anything like that.'''' The papier-mach¨¦ cage of words that Kreschenta had built, like a cage, copsed without any easily. She knew this would happen soon. She felt like it was quite early, but she also felt like it wasn''t. ¡°Even if it¡¯s different, that¡¯s okay.¡± Either way, " ¨D¨DKrische thinks of it like that, and interpret it in a convenient way." Her sister would never forget that servant and would never let her forget. She clenched her fist and lowered her eyes. The scent of that servant was ingrained not only in her sister''s memory, but also in this room, in the kitchen, in the magic crystal around her neck¨D¨Deven in her memory. "...It''s just like Argan-sama huh, Onee-sama." She said fed up with it. "Just always saying things that are pleasant to listen to. ¡That person is not as respectable a person as Onee-sama think she is." "Krische thinks whether someone is admirable or not is trivial. Even if she''s not admirable at all, Krische still loves Anne." Krische smiled saying ¡®even Krische isn''t admirable¡¯. "Krische is fine with whatever the result is. Even if, as Kreschenta said, they eventually gets tired of Krische... Krische still wanted to see Bery and the others." Stroking Kreschenta¡¯s cheek, Krische spoke as if exhaling. Without trying to conceal anything, to the point where it sent chills down her spine. Krische voiced her desires freely. ¡°That¡¯s Krische¡¯s conclusion. ¡That¡¯s why¨D¨D¡± "I don''t like it." She cut off her sister words with a single sentence and grabbed her sister''s arm. "Why?" "...Unlike Onee-sama, I have no interest in these people. I''m much happier and more at ease now that it''s just the two of us." "It¡¯s all lies. Why is Kreschenta acting like a bad girl like that? Even Kreschenta about Berry and the others ¨D¨D " "I''m really fed up. Please stop making assumptions." When she shook her sister off and stood up, she turned and res straight at her sister, her tone intensifying. "I wonder how many times I''ll have to say that I don''t like her before Onee-sama will understand. Onee-sama cares about her, so I was just being considerate." The more she thought about it, the more unpleasant it became. Difort crawled inside her chest, and there was nothing she could do about it. Every time she remembered, she recalled the feeling of ''that rag¡¯. "Onee-sama¡¯s head really is full of flower gardens huh. Bery, Bery, Bery...I''m really tired of the ridiculous memory about her." "...Kreschenta" "Even my patience have limit...The next time Onee-sama mention Bery, I''ll really get angry." Even she was surprised at how unstable her emotions were. Her body was shaking involuntarily, her breathing was shallow, and something was swirling inside her with no ce to go. ¡°If Kreschenta really said from the bottom of her heart that Kreschenta would like to be alone with together with Krische, that Kreschenta hates Bery and the others and doesn¡¯t want to see them, then Krische will think about it.¡± Her sister stared back at her and continued. ¡°But that won¡¯t happen, so Krische won¡¯t stop even if Kreschenta get angry.¡± "How would you know such things, Onee-sama?" "Because Krische is Kreschenta¡¯s big sister. While Krische doesn''t understand the feelings of others at all..." Krische smiled sweetly, as she always did. "Only Kreschenta¡¯s, Krische tried to really understand Kreschenta¡¯s feelings." Seeing her sister like that, Kreschenta stiffened. "... Onee-sama, just what do you think you understand" She tightened her grip on her hand so much that blood oozed out. ¨D¨D There was no way her sister would know. She had seen it all by herself. She was the only person by that servant¡¯s side, who had seen what her sister had tried not to see back then. Day and night, every day, repeatedly. That was precisely why, if not¨D¨Dsuch a thing. ¡°Somehow, it looks like the quarrel between Selene and Bery.¡± Her sister said, as if reminiscing, and stood up. "...More importantly, Kreschenta, you said ¡®Bery¡¯." Krische walked out and opened the balcony door. "Kreschenta is always pretending to be angry at Bery and trying to keep up appearance. If Kreschenta really thinks that way, why not just get truly angry once in a while?" Her purple eyes sparkle against the moonlight. ¨D¨DHer sister said seriously. From head to toe, cold as if frozen. She swung her right hand ¨D¨D the surrounding magic changed as if bursting. Even if she was her older sister, she had exceeded her limits. "Saying such things...Onee-sama, you might regret it you know. Onee-sama, do you understand the situation? I can control magic all over the world right now." "Krische know" Her sister answered and stretched out a thread of her magic power to the magic crystal lying on the desk in the room and shattered it. Then, when she received a small amount of magical power, she wrapped herself in blue line and floated in the air. ¡°However, Krische is Kreschenta older sister.¡± "...Does Onee-sama think I''m inferior?" "Kreschenta is just as smart as Krische...but even so Krische will still wins." ¡®Because Kreschenta isn''t serious after all¡¯ she said. She wraps her purple eye in her silver eyshes and narrowed them. " Does Onee-sama think I can''t kill Does Onee-sama?" In response, Kreschenta also narrowed her red eyes with a gleaming gold trim. "I can just create a new body and seal Onee-sama¡¯s soul so that Onee-sama can''t disobey me." Just coldly, her color glowing darkly. "...To think Onee-sama was this stupid." Her sister was trying to distance herself from her. Kreschenta had all the magical power from the Heavenly Pole in her hands. It was hard to believe her sister didn''t understand the disadvantage of giving up the only thing her sister had superiority over. ¨D¨DEven knowing that, she was giving Kreschenta the advantage. IT was like adding fuel to the fire. "Ehehe. But Krische knows that Kreschenta is just as stupid as Krische." Still, her sister said with a smile on her face and looked at Kreschenta. "...And on top of that, just like Bery, Krische truly loves Kreschenta." ¨D¨DShe took off gently into the night sky with a chipped moon. Chapter 257: Siblings Quarrel Chapter 257: Siblings Quarrel ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 257 Siblings Quarrel*** Child of God¨D¨Dor perhaps, Demon Lord Kreschenta. Queen''s sister Alberinea. It was said that the end of these two, who carved their unified history into the continent and led Alberan to its peak, was truly tumultuous. It was a night when many were asleep. Many who could sense magic felt a disturbance in the air, awakening from their unease to gaze up at the sky. Countless blue lights danced in the sky, shing like daylight, illuminating the earth and asionally echoing thunderous explosions that shook thend from high above. Even those who didn¡¯t possess magic jumped out of their beds and went outside in their night clothes. In one diary, it was recorded as like a dream of an era when countless dragons danced. In another diary, it was recorded as the wrath of the gods¨D¨Dregardless, the numerous records that still exist indicate that something with transcendent power danced in the night sky, engaging in battle. However, despite this, the events of that night had vanishedpletely from the kingdom''s official records, like a hole had been left. Aleha Remin, a general who was said to have stood shoulder to shoulder with Alberinea on the battlefield and was a close friend, wrote this in his own journal. ¡®¨D¨DNever before and never again has there been such a troublesome sibling quarrel.¡¯ A girl with pink hair swayed forward, ring at another girl with silver hair, their beauty identical. Both adorned in matching pink nightgown. Both had wings formed of magic power extending from their backs, with small pieces of wings on their arms and legs. These were manoeuvring devices capable of controlling the wind and enabling instant eleration through magical propulsion. Around the girl with pink hair, there were multidimensional magic arrays that filled half i of space. Numerous magic circles filled the surrounding space. Within, three-dimensional geometric patterns were carved in the air with enormous density, but even that was only a small portion. In the multidimensional magic arrays formed like folded spaces, what could be perceived visually was merely the surface, akin to viewing the vast sea from above. Its depths were endless, and if unfolded normally, it would cover the horizon as seen from the sky where clouds float. Numerous inscriptions, such that it would capable of copsing stars themselves if one were to will it, were engraved. ¨D¨DNaturally, what was released from there was not mere destruction, each of it was a wrath that could cause natural disaster and even tear apart space itself. And the numerous inscriptions floated around her, in an instant, became twenty-seven. Mass-producing orbs of lightrge enough to engulf an estate, she released them without hesitation. Even the sound went beyond. The balls of light were released like a sh, right in front of the eyes of the silver girl in front of her. It was an act of space-time destruction using a preposterous amount of magical power, devoid of any mercy. The shes curved around her, bursting. The surroundings shimmered like midday, with shes and explosions erasing everything. The very space in which her sister existed disappeared, and the crushed space-time led to localized copse¨D¨Dtriggering chain of twenty-seven shes. A storm of chaos brewed in the void of nothingness, and the world twisted like a distorted kaleidoscope. With a wave of her right hand, the broken space-time was repaired as if rewound, and the thin clouds scattered and dissipated. Then, tearing through dimensions, the girl who calmly emerged from the gap, riding on the storm, ascended into the sky. As her sister spun gracefully, she gathered the surrounding magic to herself. A vortex of blue magic surrounded her sister. The girl with pale pink hair¨D¨DKreschenta further distorted her beautiful face, deepening the wrinkles on her forehead. Even Dragons were mere insects in front of her. Possessing transcendentalputing power and possessing infinite magical power, Kreschenta was now the very god of this world. However, the girl in front of her was the only existence who was her equal. The first move of the battle¨D¨Dsaturation bombing using enormous magical power. Using the magical power obtained from the magic crystal, her sister evaded the quarter koku long bombardment by shifting her spatial phase and grasped the remnants magical power of the bombardment. Her greatest failure was realizing toote that her sister was shifting her spatial phases to evade. The battle that should have ended in an instant became endless once her sister had acquired magic power. If she had used her magic from the beginning with the intention of erasing the whole space like she was now, then the battle would have been over. However, her sister, who had acquired Kreschenta¡¯s ¡®residual magic¡¯, tore apart the space, hiding herself, and irritatingly emerged unscathed. Using magic power that could easily make everything within a thousand disappear, all she did was giving her sister magic power. With frustration, she rotated the thirty-seven imaginary brains and formed over a thousand magical warheads. Opposite Kreschenta, the silver girl who had nded in the air¡¯¨D¨DKrische, was staring intently at her younger sister. ¡°Hmm...what should Krische do?¡± Although she had wings like her younger sister, her foothold is the sky. By instantly forming a barrier in the space beneath her feet, she could use it as a foothold, allowing her to run and jump around in the sky as if it was the ground. Floating and elerating with wings consumes a lot of magical power. In order to reduce its consumption as much as possible, while waiting, she stood on those barriers and when standing still or changing direction she always used it as foothold. Compared to her sister, who gracefully floated and flied around in the sky, her movements were more angr. Although there was not much difference in speed, she hold an overwhelming advantage in eleration, magic efficiency, and maneuverability. However, it was still too weak to get close to her younger sister. Kreschenta used magical powervishly, and there were countless spatial traps around her. A form was deployed to instantaneously obliterate any intruder along with the space they were in the moment they entered the trap. That said, it was an extravagant technique for a trap aiming to kills just Krische alone. There was no need for a bomb that could wipe out an entire city just in order to kill a single person, and there was no need for arge-scale surgical technique that would wipe out an entire space. The spatial traps serve to excise anything approaching her along with the surrounding space. Even if the opponent was a dragon there was a lot of waste. If her younger sister had just kept small magical energy projectiles floating like now from the beginning¨D¨Dthough it would have been better to increase the number more precisely that would have been enough to win the battle. To kill a single person, inflicting a wound of no more than 1 sun (~3 cm) was more than enough Of course, Krische was even capable of regenerating her body, but she only had the magical power of one magic crystal, so she didn''t have much to spare. Avoiding all of those attacks would be impossible, and even if she managed to dodge some, she would still get injured. Furthermore, even for someone as skilled as Krische, recovering magical energy while dodging those attacks would be difficult, and there was no doubt that she would eventually reach her limit. However, Kreschenta did not choose that approach. For the record, Kreschenta also had the intent to kill Krische. However, she did not think of cutting off Krische¡¯s flesh and limbs, hurting and weakening her, and then killing her. Therefore, the initial attack was a saturation attack that could instantly erases the flesh. Despite everything, she knew that Kreschenta was a kind child, and she challenged her because she understood that. She used all of her magical power for the first blow, shifted the phase of space, and watched the explosion as she waited. Kreschenta seemed to believe that she had sessfully dodged the explosion using magical energy and attacked relentlessly towards the ¡®shadow¡¯ she projected. She kept attacking the shadow, thinking that she was dodging the explosion using magic. After waiting for the bombardment to subside, she returned to the space¡¯s phase and took Kreschenta¡¯s extravagant leftovers¨D¨Dthought she was a little nervous about whether things would go well at first. Perhaps because Kreschenta was so angry, she didn''t notice and ignored the small tricks until just now. Since Kreschenta aimed to increase the number of projectiles and their power, Krusche was able to recover quite a bit of magical energy. ¨D¨DKreschenta¡¯s weakness was that she was strong from the start. As a child, Krische learned how to swing a wooden sword and gain victory overrger adults. During the civil war, Krische learned her then-current limitations as an individual versus an army. In battles against Dragon, she fought opponents far superior to herself alone, giving her a wealth of experience. However, Kreschentacked all of that. Kreschenta learned various ways to use magical energy from Krische and with the vast amount of magical power in her hands, she suddenly gained the strongest power. A million-strong army was no match for the current Kreschenta, and even if the remaining dragons attacked all at once, they would only be treated like insects. There were no superior beings to Kreschenta. Naturally, she never thought about what to do with someone she couldn''t easily kill. That had always been Krische¡¯s job, as the only one with equal thinking abilities to Kreschenta. There was no difference in ability between the two, but their thinking and experience were different. And the difference in thinking and experience influenced their strategies. Ingenuity inbat was essential for dealing with superior opponents. Swordbat, military operations. If one have superior physique, physical ability, or superior military strength, there was nothing to think about. All you have to do is just push through with force. However, just like Krische against Kolkis, in order to defeat an opponent who was superior in everything based on simpleparisons, it required skill and the creativity to create it. The current Kreschenta possessed absolute power. With magical power capable of easily shattering stars¨D¨Dand the thinking ability to fully utilize it, she could just cut out terrain and space against enemies. Indulging in such thoughts, Kreschenta¡¯s tactical thinking in battle was immature. Released from the deployed multi-dimensional spell, a rain of over a thousand magical energy projectiles descended. Krische¡¯s purple eyes, as if wrapped in a silver thread, narrowed¨D¨Dshe analyzed each one of them. A magic bullet that captures and track Krische¡¯s unique magic color. They first orbit around Krische, and then rushed towards her all at once. Since the bullets were tracking magical energy, if Krische could expel a lot of magic to create decoys and guide them, some of the magic bullets would naturally fly towards the decoys. However, that was Kreschenta¡¯s aim. The purpose was probably to make Krische expel magic power. ¡°How naive.¡± Krische released a small amount of magic power above her head, adjusted her internal magic power and change its color. The bullet losing sight of their target rushed towards the mass of magic energy hovering above her. Dposing only the bullets that would hit her into magical energy and absorbing them. Various trials and errors to manage Bery''s body. Although the research to mutate her magic power was halted due to numerous uncertainties, it proved useful here. Kreschenta widened her eyes and furrowed her brows even more. While observing her younger sister like that, Krische gracefully dodged and collected the released magical energy. Fueled by failure¨D¨DKrische knew her own weakness and powerlessness. Her calctions were fast, and she was also quite skilled at using swords and magic. She did think that she was a reasonably excellence existence, but she knew better than anyone that she was not omnipotent. There were many things in the world that she did not know, and many things that she was not aware of. Because of that, she had many regrets, and each time, she thought about how she could prevent it from happening again. But regrets, from small torge,e from unexpected ces. Many times she wished she could have done better. She wanted everything to be perfect, she didn''t want to make mistakes. But Krische was always powerless, no matter how much effort she put in, failures piled up at her feet as if and slipping through her fingers. There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect being. Still, all she could do was to try and think. All she could do was to just keep trying her very best, to chase after for the best possible oue. That was the only thing that made Krische no different from other humans. ¡®¨D¨DThen, I will always protect you, so that you won¡¯t experience anything terrible.¡¯ Selene was clumsy and a bit of a slouch with sword. Even though she was weak she would say something like that, but she always tried her best, no matter what. Her grandfather couldn¡¯t even bepared to Krische if she only looked at individual abilities. However, until the end of his life, he was a great grandfather who Krische respected, he taught Krische about many things that she didn''t realize. So was her Mother, and Father. Bald Eagle, Skeleton, Mia and Kalua, Woof Woof, Meow Meow, Bald sses, Chirp Chirp, and Mosha Mosha, there were many such people around Krische. ¨D¨DNever stop thinking, without running away, do the best you can. That was surely not wrong, Krische believed. Krische was sure that Bery would believe in that kind of Krische. It was because of such a fortuitous encounter that Krische was able to think that way. Kreschenta was stubborn. She knew the truth but refused to admit it. Using magic, Kreschenta formed thirty-sevenputational circuits. For Krische, most of those thirty-seven were unnecessary. If she was going to made that that, then she could just calcte all of Krische¡¯s possible actions, guide them, and process them. From the tiny particles around her to the smallest remnants of magical energy¨D¨DKreschenta could easily gather vast amounts of information and predict the future based on that behaviour. However, Kreschenta did not notice this, did not try to notice it, and allocated most of its calction circuits to grasping the enormous magical power and constructing spells. Why were her attack avoided? Why was the battle dragging on for a quarter koku? If she thought about it carefully, the answer would naturallye to her. ¨D¨DKreschenta was afraid to admit it. The only way she could defeat Krische was by using her magic power advantage. The two were equally intelligent, but Krische had morebat experience. That Krische could avoided was inevitable, and it couldn¡¯t be helped that it would take time. Still, it was a battle in which Kreschenta had the advantage on. She just absentmindedly thought that eventually she would win. Kreschenta was stubborn, and she refused to admit her weakness. She thought it was inevitable that Krische would surpass her in battle. Her older sister was her equal, and on top of that, she had a lot ofbat experience, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Even though she understood this, Kreschenta didn¡¯t do her best because of the excuse that she was the one who would win since she had enormous magical power. Since Kreschenta had intended to challenge Krische to a match that she was sure to win, she would not admit that she made the wrong choice. ¡®You truly are a worthless servant. Argan-sama just who do you think I¨D¨D '' Even though she pestered Bery to hug her, she refused to acknowledge her spoiled self. Sheined that the worthless servant was the one trying to pamper her without permission. She refused to admit the embarrassing fact that she was a helpless, immature, spoiled child. If she thought about it calmly, she should know it, and even though deep down she really understood it, Kreschenta wouldn''t admit it. Her immaturity, failures, everything that was inconvenient. ¡®¨D¨DIt''s about the day when Argan-sama passed away.¡¯ That was why, she couldn''t acknowledge that, and it was painful. Kreschenta changed her methods and unleashed her magic. When it became clear that guided projectiles were useless, she increased their number in frustration. Her magic power was limitless, and no matter how much she used, there was no limit. The arithmetic circuits were doubled, and then doubled again¨D¨Dcountless lights and explosions echoed through the sky. Krische continued to dodge the brilliance that her younger sister produced, and just gazed at it. She kicked the air, sped up, disintegrated the projectile, and smiled as she seized the magic power. She felt like if Bery was her looking up at the sky without knowing anything, she would smile and said it was beautiful. Flowers are flowers and stars are stars. But Bery wouldugh and said it''s beautiful. She would be happy that Krische¡¯s form and the magic light were always beautiful. Krische didn''t really understand it, but when she saw Bery¡¯s happy face like that, she thought that it was beautiful, and to Krische that happy face was endlessly beautiful. She thought that many things aren''t meant to be exined with logic or words, wondering why they are the way they are. Just using the most usible words to express them. Before one knew it, vague things that suddenlye to mind for no reason. Saying ¡°I love you¡± was easy, saying ¡°beautiful¡± was easy, but conveying it was difficult, and understanding it was even harder. Most things in the world are settled in terms of benefits and disadvantages. However, sometimes things that were not just simple benefits and disadvantages arise. Before she know it, she was so full that she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, and she wanted to vomit it out, but she couldn¡¯t put it into words, so there was nothing she could do about it. A chaotic whirlpool of thoughts that were irrational and cannot be exined by calction. Within that chaos, Krische thought there must be something important. Repelling against the atmosphere that was used as foothold,pressing the space, causing it to burst. Releasing magical power from its wings, instantly controlling its position and twisting its inertia to orbit at an acute angle. Kreschenta stopped relying on easy spells for guidance, manipting all the magical bullets with her own thoughts, blocking her path. The magic bullets behaved seemingly irregrly, maintaining their speed while performing sharp high-speed manoeuvres. Kreschenta finally began to predict Krische possible actions, but it was just a casual calction. Krische predict Kreschenta¡¯s thoughts that was derived from those half-assed calctions, use magic form to dpose the real bullet that Kreschenta thought was hidden cleverly, disrupting Kreschenta¡¯s n and confusing her mind. Just like Krische, her younger sister hated anything that upsets her ns. If Krische, nted in Kreschenta¡¯s mind that she could predict what Kreschenta would do, that this was the difference in theirbat experience, her younger sister would have no choice but to be further irritated. Like Krische, her younger sister, was reasonably intelligent. If she had been able to maintain herposure, she would have found a way to defeat Krische. If she re-evaluated herself and admitted her mistakes, she would have realized her current error ¨D¨Dthat her current way of cornering Krische was a mistake. But Kreschenta didn¡¯t admit it. Starting from 1,000 and going to thousands. Kreschenta began to operate nearly 10,000 magic bullets in parallel, but the result was the same. Using up almost all the resources of the increased calction circuits, they were at a stalemate. No matter how much magical power she had, setting up a new external brain¨D¨Da calction circuit required resources for calction. And in the current situation where she was controlling the magical bullets with such high precision, there was nothing more that could be done until the situation is interrupted. Still, if Kreschenta could maintain the current situation, Krische would eventually lose. However, unlike Krische who mostly just read Kreschenta¡¯s thoughts, Kreschenta had to control over 100 arithmetic circuits, manipting nearly 10,000 magic bullets, and was trying to cover all of Krische¡¯s possible actions while gathering magical power. It was Kreschenta who would reach her limit trying to maintain the current situation. Krische just needs to derail Kreschenta¡¯s ns as harassment. The more Kreschenta was disturbed, the more irritated she would ger, and the more her thoughts be trapped, and the more she lose resources. As her lee-way disappears, fatigue would umte. Fatigue breeds further irritation. A calction circuit was just a calction circuit. It only perform the calctions for the spell in ce of Kreschenta, and the one who was using it was Kreschenta. Even though her magical power was infinite, Kreschenta¡¯s thinking ability had a limit. Both Krische and Kreschenta were reasonably intelligent, but they were by no means omnipotent. ¡°...?¡± ¨D¨DThe rain of light suddenly stopped, and silence fell. The countless magical bullets that were flying around Krische disappeared one after another, and Krische turned her attention to Kreschenta. She too, red at Krische. She was clenching her fists tightly and breathing roughly. If she had been calm, that probably wouldn''t have happened. Krische were still just a little sweaty. Kreschenta use of magical power in anger without thinking ahead was definitely causing her fatigue. ¡°...Why is Onee-sama not doing anything?¡± With her fists still clenched, Kreschenta looked down. Without amplifying it with magic, her voice was quite They were far enough away that Krische couldn''t hear Kreschenta due to the wind, but there was no need for sound to have a conversation. Just by watching the movement¡¯s of each other¡¯s lips, they could have a conversation. ¡°Krische, doesn¡¯t want Kreschenta to get hurt.¡± Jumping around in the air until Kreschenta was within earshot, Krische voice was loud enough to be heard. Kreschenta did nothing to Krische who hade closer. ¡°Are you kidding? After saying all that¨D¨D¡± ¡°Kreschenta did say she would kill Krische, but it¡¯s not like Krische said anything like that, Krische just said why not just get truly angry once in a while?¡± As she said this, Krische extended her magical power as if pointing, interfering with the multidimensional spell formations around Kreschenta. Each constructed magical trap was dismantled one by one, yet Kreschenta did nothing. ¡°...Please be serious. Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°Krische is not making fun of Kreschenta. Though Krische did think that Kreschenta is an idiot.¡± ¡®Just like Krische¡¯, she said with augh. ¡°...I''m seriously going to kill you.¡± ¡°Yes. If Krische get killed, it''s Krische¡¯s loss.¡± ¡°Hg...!¡± As one more trap was erased and Kreschenta red at Krische, her face red. ¡°Please stop joking around! I''m serious! I''m not joking...!¡± ¡°Like Krische said, Krische knows that. But there''s no reason for Krische to be angry at Kreschenta, so Krische is not going to hit Kreschenta or anything.¡± ¡°Making a fool of me...¡± Kreschenta took out the magic crystal from her chest. Then, while holding the string with her right hand, she used her left hand to apply magic power. ¡°If that''s the case, I have an idea as well. ¡If Onee-sama doesn''t take this seriously, I''ll destroy this magic crystal.¡± Krische looked at Kreschenta and disassembled one more form. ¡°Saying that kind of thing again. Even if Krische really got angry, what does Kreschenta want to do? If Kreschenta wants to kill Krische, Krische think it would be much easier to kill Krische that isn¡¯t serious without talking like this.'''' ¡®Kreschenta, do you understand?¡¯ Krische said as she approached. ¡°Kreschenta is saying strange things. ...Saying that Kreschenta is truly angry while chatting so amicably.¡± ¡°...hg¡± ¡°Krische understands properly. ...It''s a lie that Kreschenta is angry. Even right now, Kreschenta is just pretending to be angry.¡± Hearing that, Kreschenta red at Krische and said with irritation. ¡°¡Still saying things like that.¡± Then as if making a fool of Krische, Kreschenta said, ¡°Thinking understand me like that. Onee-sama understand nothing. Does Onee-sama think I can''t break this? If I wanted to, I could destroy it all instantly.¡± then she narrowed her eyes, ¡°As I said, I was just holding back because it would make Onee-sama sad. ¡After all¡± looked at the magic crystal mockingly, ¡°I am the one who killed Onee-sama beloved Argan-sama.¡± and red at Krische. Krische approached Kreschenta while erasing thest magic trap Kreschenta stiffened his body for a moment, as if to prepare herself. ¡°...¡± Krische cupped Kreschenta¡¯s cheek in her hands and kissed her. Kreschenta moved her hands, hesitating whether to push Krische away or not. Her eyes widened, confused at the feeling of her lips pressed against Krische¡¯s. Krische patted her younger sister''s head as they kissed for a while, and in the end Kreschenta didn''t push her older sister away until she was let go. ¡°Krische knows¡± Krische said as she parted her lips. With a troubled smile, that somehow seemed familiar. Chapter 258: End of a Heroic Epic Chapter 258: End of a Heroic Epic ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 258 End of a Heroic Epic*** At that time, the estate was filled with a gloomy atmosphere, like a cloud obscuring the sun. Anne, Elvena, and Selene too. Only she was smiling happily, as usual. ¡®¨D¨DI believe that Her Majesty wanted to save Argan-sama.¡¯ The old woman sat up in bed, looked out the window, and said that. ¡®Once the political affairs were over, she would always stay by Argan-sama''s side. ...She rarely smiled at us, and sometimes she looked like she was in deep thought. ¡®She¡¯s a kind person¡¯, she continued, smiling. ¡®Of course, I do not believe that I can understand all of Her Majesty''s feelings, but...it is undoubtedly true that Her Majesty loves Argan-sama deeply.¡¯ The old woman¡ª¡ªAnne closed her eyes as if recalling something. ¡®Because I''ve been watching her from her side all this time. ...I''m sure that Krische-sama, Selene-sama, and Elvena-sama understand Her Majesty too.¡± ¡®Right. Kreschenta is not honest.¡¯ ¡®Fufu... When Argan-sama was well¡ª¡ªwhenever I made a mistake as a attendant, Her Majesty would say, ''Even a good for nothing Argan-sama could handle something like this¡¯, that ¡®if it¡¯s Argan-sama she would do it like this¡¯.¡¯ Anne smiled happily, then sadly. Looking at her own palm. ¡®...But since Argan-sama disappeared, Her Majesty no longer mentioned Argan-sama''s name.¡¯ Then she reached out to Krische¡¯s cheek and caressed it. ¡®...Her Majesty, even now, decadester, is still suffering from this. That¡¯s why, I would like to talk to Krische-sama.¡¯ Looking at Krische, as if seeing someone figure ovepped with hers, Anne continued ¡®If Her Majesty is still suffering from this...I believe there are only two people in this world who can save Her Majesty.¡¯ Anne said, bowing her head. ¡°Krische heard from Anne. That perhaps Kreschenta was the one.¡± Kreschenta eyes widened as she froze, and Krische hugged her tightly. "...sorry, Kreschenta." Krische stroked Kreschenta¡¯s head along with her hair, her voice strained. "...Why, is Onee-sama, apologizing, too" Her younger sister''s body was shaking, and so was her voice. ¡®She''s scared¡¯, Krische thought, as she tried to warm her body. ¨D¨DRecalling the color of the snow in her hometown. Looking up at the night sky, recalling Her¡¯s and Bery''s smiling face fondly, Krische narrowed her eyes. "It''s Krische¡¯s fault... Forcing Bery, making her suffer. Forcing Kreschenta to do such things, all of it¡± ¡®Full of regrets¡¯, Krische said. "Bery probably intended to die... She probably wanted to ept death... Even when we went to see Regve, she said she wanted to go on a trip ande back... She called it a trip, wanting Krische to listen to her selfishness." She visited various people who was approaching the end of their lives. It was strange how happy and cheerful they seemed, how they talked about their memories and pared with a smile. At times like that, she recalled Bery''s words. ¡°Krische, asked a lot of selfish things to Bery, but Krische never heard Bery being selfish at all, and even when Bery was being selfish...Krische still said selfish things, even though it was a request from Bery, and Krische troubled Bery.'''' Krische didn¡¯t think Bery wanted to die either. But she was probably willing to ept it. That¡¯s why she wanted to make memories at the end, saying such things¨D¨DBut Krische locked her up in the mansion. ¨D¨DIf Krische had epted that, what would have happened?" Bery would have met her end happily and satisfied, and Krische would have epted it. She would have grieved for a while, lived her days, and eventually, Krische too would have reached the end. There would have been a bit of loneliness, but there would have been normal happiness, just as Bery probably imagined, without suffering. A normal life and a normal happiness as a normal human being. A normal loneliness and a normal sadness. Everyone was an adult, and Krische was and always was a child. Thinking that of wanting to continue such happy days without any sadness or hardship. And it was Krische, not Kreschenta, who with such selfishness made the person she cared about suffer. "...The bad one is Krische who is unable to ept it. Bery suffered because of Krische¡¯s selfishness, and Kreschenta tried to help Bery." "That''s not true! I¨D¨D" "No, it''s not. However, Kreschenta just wanted someone to be angry." "Hg..." Even though Kreschenta thought it wasn''t her fault, it felt like something was stabbing her in the chest. She wanted to vent, she wanted to be forgiven. But Bery wasn''t angry. She didn¡¯t even forgive Kreschenta. Bery just snuggled closer, still whispering that she loved her, whispering that she believed in her, holding it all in. "But Krische won¡¯t get angry at Kreschenta. ...Surely Berry also didn¡¯t get angry at Kreschenta." ¨D¨DBery, who never get angry, was probably the scariest person in the world. If Krische had tried to throw herself into the abyss, Bery would probably tie Krische¡¯s arms with chains and fasten them around her own neck. On top of that, she would still smile calmly and whispered, something like ¡®I believe you, Krische-sama¡¯. No matter how much Krische pull and torment her, Bery would looks back with a smile on her face. Stroking the chain lovingly and smiling. No matter what path Krische would take, she would follow it silently, letting the sound of the chains echo. Before Krische knew it, it would feel like it was her own neck that was tied up. Even if it was infinitely painful, there were chains that she couldn''t remove. She didn''t forgive anything, epted everything, let her walk, and just watched from behind. If there were thorns hurting her on the way forward, she would bleed as she was pulled along, showing off that she was bleeding. She would make the chains let out a sound just to let Krische know she was there. And then, she wouldugh and say that where Krische wanted to go is where she should be. Even if Krische were to step out of the rail and fall into the abyss, she wouldn''t care. "...Krische knows very well that Bery is that kind of person." But being whispered such words of love, being told that she was believed in, was such a happy thing. She entrusted everything about herself to this not normal Krische. ¡®¨D¨DFufu, but I often hear from people say that I''m not normal, in both a good and bad way.¡¯ Having met and parted with various people¡ª¡ªlooking back at it now, Krische thought Bery''s head was also quite strange. Even though she was so smart, her way of thinking was theplete opposite of Krische¡¯s. cing so much importance on things that have nothing to do with profit or loss, letting others hold all the things that were important to her. Doing only things that would lead to loss, even though she knew it. Even if Krische looked around the world, she probably wouldn''t find anyone that weird. But Krische couldn''t help but love that strange part of Bery. Krische was incredibly proud and happy of the chain that tied her to Bery. That''s why Krische couldn''t bear to walk without her. Selene said that eternity is stagnation. That¡¯s probably true, Krische thought. Krische had watched everyone age and grow, while she stood still. Sher remained motionless, waiting for Bery to return to the other end of the chain. Surely Kreschenta was like that too. ¡°The reason why Kreschenta still say she hate Berry is because Kreschenta would be really troubled if Kreschenta didn¡¯t hate Berry, right?¡± Kreschenta¡¯s body stiffened as Krische said that. Then she hugged her tightly. "Krische, doesn''t even want to think about losing Bery. Krische can''t even imagine killing her. To Krische, Bery is much more important than Krische." If Bery felt pain, Krische to, wanted to feel pain. Krische would rather have her ce than for Bery to die. Krische believed that no matter how painful it is, Krische could endure it. But how would Krische felt if Krische had to kill someone so important to her with her own hands? ¡°...That''s why Krische understand how Kreschenta feel about not wanting to ept it. But no matter how much Kreschenta tried to forget, no matter how much Kreschenta tried to pretend that Kreschenta hated Bery... Kreschenta wanted to let Bery rest because Kreschenta loved Bery, right?¡± "No...I...I..." "It¡¯s not wrong. ...Kreschenta is a very kind child after all." Something stained the chest of her nightgown. That feeling of heat. The body she embraced trembled, her younger sister''s hand grips the back of her nightgown tightly. She pondered over her words. The reason she said things that would chain Krische, saying to Krische to just forget it, was because more than anyone else, it was Kreschenta who wanted to forget it. She didn''t want to remember the fact that she was the one who killed Berry. Being selfish, and spoiled too. That it seemed like she hated being alone. That except for when at work, she would rub her body against Krische, being so clingy without thinking about anything, unwilling to let go. It had been like that ever since Selene was gone. She might have felt that she wanted to monopolize Krische, just as she said. She was half doubtful¨D¨Dbut once she actually made Kreschenta truly angry, she knew right away. "Hg...Argan-sama, she said she was fine...but every night, she was, in so much pain that, she couldn''t even think...so painful" Krische presses her cheek against the small head. The sound of sobbing and sniffles filled the air, and Kreschenta gripped her hands that was on the back of the negligee tightly. ¡°Argan-sama, tried to endure, but, Onee-sama, seemed like about to die, doing research... and when I thought, both of you, would disappear...¡± She narrowed her eyes at the memory. This must have happened when she tried to find out the truth about soul without understanding it. She was then saved by Kreschenta¨D¨DBery''s death happened soon after that. It was a situation that could have happened at any time, and Krische also couldn''t think of anything. After that, after she had a chance to resolve the issue and calmed down, she remember being scolded by Kolkis about it. ¡®¨D¨DI understand how you feel, Krische-sama. The result was beyond perfect, and both the soldiers and I are grateful. ...However, I would like you to understand Selene-sama''s feelings a little more. ...That person is doing her utmost for you and Bery and the others.'''' Krische had ended it forcefully, but in hindsight, it seemed to minimize the damage and buy time, avoiding a decisive battle and aiming for a strategic victory. Adequate precautions had been taken. It was a situation that could have been handled even without Krische, and Selene was doing what she was supposed to do as a general. If she had heard the policy from Selene beforehand, she might have left it to her. Now that she thought about it, the attack was probably an attempt to get lure Krische out. Even when Krische apologizedter, she didn''t notice because Selene didn''t make any excuse saying ¡®it¡¯s okay¡¯. Krische¡¯s stroked her younger sister''s head and closed her eyes. She had so much to apologize for. Krische didn''t try to see anything. Not Selene, not Kreschenta¨D¨Dnot even Berry. She pushed everything to Kreschenta because she didn''t want to see Bery suffer. ¡°...But, that''s not it...I, couldn''t bear it. When I thought about it, I was scared, I knew she was going to suffer every day, but, I put it off...and yet, Bery, said, ¡®Thank you¡¯.¡± Regrets came to her mind one after another, and just like that, the chest of her nightgown became wet. ¨D¨DShe was hopelessly stupid, she thought. At least, the one who caused her younger sister so much hardship was Krische. "Bery, thank you, I love you, she said...but, I made her, suffer, and suffer..." Just as Krische couldn''t imagine killing Bery, Kreschenta couldn''t imagine killing Berry either. She was so clingy and pampered every day. But if she had seen Berry suffering like that every day...Krische could easily understand her feelings. Because she understood, she forced everything on her younger sister so that she could run away from it. What she didn¡¯t want to see, she forced it on her younger sister, making her endure it. She wondered how Kreschenta felt every time she learned that her research wasn''t going well. Every time Krische told Bery that, she wouldugh, saying that she would wait forever. It was painful seeing that smile, she couldn''t help it, so she kept repeating, ¡®Just a little more¡¯. She wondered what was Kreschenta feeling when she conveyed that to Bery. There was no way she was okay. Kreschenta, unlike Krische, she couldn''t even escape into her research. "¡¡sorry" She held her younger sister''s head tightly as she cried. She had no other words. "Hg...why, is Onee-sama apologizing. It''s all, because of me¨D¨D" "...Kreschenta is suffering because of Krische, all of it is Krische¡¯s fault." That stubborn little sister was crying so unsightly. Without being able to endure it, her cry that escaped her mouth, echoing. How much pain had she caused her? When she brought back Bery who she had killed¨D¨Dwhen she knew it was truly just a little more, just how did she feel. "Kliche is terribly selfish, the worst. Krische¡¯s selfish but Krische doesn¡¯t listen to other¡¯s selfishness... Krische made Bery suffer a lot, made Kreschenta suffer, and Selene too." She had hurt so many important things, she thought. Even now, in her arms, the younger sister she had hurt was crying. "...Still, Krische wanted to see everyone again. Krische want to meet everyone and say that this is how Krische really wanted to spend the everyday....Hurting everyone, making everyone suffer, all of it, all of it is for this reason." ¡®That''s the excuse Krische wanted¡¯, she continued. ¡°Maybe one day, like Kreschenta said, everyone would say that they can¡¯t stay along with Krische.¡± epting various things and experiencing normal happiness as a normal human. Maybe epting everything at this was actually the right thing to do. Hurting and tormenting so many people, perhaps it had been a mistake. Everyone was trying to ept it. They were satisfied. The only one who wasn''t convinced¨D¨Dwho couldn''t ept it, was Krische. "...But still, even so...Krische wanted to meet everyone again and say¡± This was an incredibly selfish thing, she thought. However, she wanted to say that what caused Bery such pain, what caused her to go down such a thorny path and hurt her, was because there was a ce like this at the end of that path. Krische just wanted to take her to the happy ce that she dream of and said here it is¨D¨Dshe couldn¡¯t let it end like this. If that was not good, then it was fine to end it there. All of it was just excuses, it was shameful and pathetic, but even so, she wanted to convey what she had dreamed of. "...Krische wanted to say, let''s all live happily ever after together in this peaceful mansion." She wondered, when did she became this kind of person. She was a far cry from the ideal she once dreamed of. She was not admirable, she was weak, she was pathetic, she was spoiled, she was selfish¨D¨Deven knowing that Selene and the others epted her, and Krische be more and more dependent on them. She felt like she was drowning in all the things she need to give back to them. Krische¡¯s sure Kreschenta understood as well. That they were getting weaker and weaker. Feeling like they could do anything, that there was nothing they couldn''t do, but the desire to rely on someone that wasn''t actually needed grew day by day. ¡°Krische know Kreschenta wished for the same ce.¡± To hope and to wish for. At least Kreschenta was thinking the same thing as Krische, that much was certain. "...Kreschenta wants to meet her, but Kreschenta doesn¡¯t know how to face her, that¡¯s why Kreschenta is crying, because it''s painful, right?" If as Kreschenta said, if she didn''t feel anything, she wouldn''t have killed Bery. Just following Krische¡¯s desire, she wouldn''t have cared¨D¨Dshe would have kept Bery alive just as she was told. She wouldn¡¯t have suffered like this yet. "Kreschenta doesn''t have to cry like that. ...It''s Krische who forced all the hard things on Kreschenta, so if Kreschenta get scolded, it''s Krische who is wrong, not Kreschenta." Krische wondered what Bery said to Kreschenta. At least she was sure Bery was not angry or sad. Only one thing was certain. "Besides, Bery is different from Krische. Berry understands Kreschenta¡¯s feelings, and Bery he doesn''t hate Kreschenta. Bery even now still loves Crescenta." ¡°There¡¯s, no¡¡± "Yes, there is...As Kreschenta said, Bery is a very strange person." Was she right or was she wrong? to Krische, Krische herself was the least trustworthy person. She was stupid, she was crazy, she was not normal. Because Krische was that kind of person. So she didn¡¯t know if this was the right choice or not. ¨D¨DEven if everyone in the world says that Krische-sama is wrong, I will still. However, that words she said were absolute. She was so honest, beautiful, and confident that Krische couldn''tin about anything. So she believed that it''s definitely not wrong to believe in those words. Bery loved Krische, and she loved Kreschenta just as much. Berry wouldn¡¯t be angry at what Kreschenta did, wouldn¡¯t hold any grudge, wouldn¡¯t feel sad. ¡®...Why, is Onee-sama, apologizing, too¡¯ She apologized for making her go through so much pain and conveying her love. "...Kreschenta also knows that Bery is a very weird person, so Kreschenta also loves Berry that much too right?" ¡°Hg...¡± While hugging her trembling body, she slowly floated down. She gazed at the pir of magical power gushing out from the Heavenly Pole, carved the spell with one hand into the sky, filling every corner of the space. ¡°If Kreschenta say you don¡¯t have the face to meet Bery, then just say that Krische forced Kreschenta. ...It''s more constructive than wondering if it''s right or wrong here, and we can''t move forward until that''s over.'''' ¡®Both Krische and Kreschenta are stupid¡¯, she smiled and continued. "Even if we worry alone or together, we won''t get any answer." Selene said that eternity is stagnation. That¡¯s probably true, Krische thought. But Selene didn''t say that it was a misfotune. "...In that case, it would be much better to think about things while Seleneins that Krische ideas are stupid, that you''re a child, that there''s nothing to do about it." Then she wouldugh and said ¡®do whatever you want¡¯. She would said that Krische was selfish, stupid, and childish, but still she would smile gently as usual. "So let''s go meet everyone, Kreschenta...together with Krische." The spreading spell crosses space and travels to various parts of the world. Nourished by the vast magical power produced by the Heavenly Pole, it envelops the stars, carves into the atmosphere, and seeps into the gaps of the earth. The outer shell of the gigantic Heavenly Pole cracked, and the trunk of the great tree wriggled. The branches and leaves grow as if to swell, and from beyond them a line of magical power stretches through the air. Using the magical power sucked up from the Origin as nutrients, the huge tree swelled up, melting the earth into magical power, and spreading out countless roots. The Heavenly Pole from all over the world resonated, and a blue geometric pattern covered the entire world. Therge tree grew blue buds on its branches and leaves, and blossomed in rainbow colors. The branches and leaves of therge tree covered even the royal capital, and the girl walked from the gap to the side of the trunk. The string hanging from the girl''s neck melted, and blue magical crystals floated into the air. As the girl waves her hand, below her eyes¨D¨Done of the mansions in the center of the city loses its color and disappears into a blur, along with the yawning Suiko. Shaking her silver hair, the girl released her hand from her younger sister. The magic crystal in the hands of the girl with peach-colored hair flew, and in an instant "Kreschenta" The girl nodded silently at that voice. New spells were engraved in the sky around the magical crystal, and as if melting into space, the magic crystal disappeared¨D¨Dthen she hugged her older sister''s body again. ¡®Good girl¡¯, she said and looked down once again. On top of the city''s outer wall¨D¨Dshe saw a white-bearded old man standing on top of a tower. It was not clear from this distance what was happening under the canopy of the great tree or the figures of the girls below it. However, the old man put his hand on his chest and saluted. The girl smiled quietly while still holding her little sister and returned the salute. "¡¡Goodbye" Not just to the old man, but to many things. Looking at everything below her and beyond the horizon, the girl said that one word. She faded into space, disappearing into the sky along with the girl she held in her arms. The star itself shone for a moment¨D¨Dand then gradually fade. Arge tree with dancing flowers in full bloom and a mansion that has disappeared. That was all that was left of them. "Where has Her Majesty gone?! And what is that..." The Royal Pce Council¨D¨Din itsrge hall, seats made of transmuted rock were lined up in a semicircle and in the shape of a staircase. Naturally, everyone there had confusion on their faces. It was still early for a meeting, most of them hadn''t slept sincest night, and they were here at dawn. A little north of the royal capital. A huge tree that covered the entire royal capital. There was no doubt that it had appeared by cracking the outer shell of the Heavenly Pole. Instead of a pir of light stretching towards the sky, they could see a huge amount of magical power being emitted from the branches and leaves to the surrounding area. Blue trunk and green leaves. Flower petals shining in rainbow colors were raining down on the royal capital. Petals¨D¨Dwhether they were actually petals was uncertain. The petals held in their hand seemed somewhat translucent, and their texture was uncertain. A dense magical power emanated from them, and those knowledgeable in magic research believed that they existed not as physical matter but as something between matter and spiritual. And in the royal territory, the mansion where Queen Crescenta lived disappeared, along with the garden, including the Suiko, leaving arge hole as if it had been hollowed out. It was no wonder they were surprised. It is fortunate that there did not seem to be much public confusion. They were unaware that the Queen''s residence in the royal domain had disappeared, and simr incidents had urred before. That tower piercing the sky, and even the tree that grew overnight to engulf the city. Regarding that, Queen Kreschenta had not said anything to the people, and somehow, that anomaly had be an epted part of their daily lives. ¡°Be quiet!¡± As soon as he entered the room, the elderly man raised his voice. He still exuded an undiminished vigor, and his gaze was sharp. It was Aleha Remin, the central general. Under his arm was a crimson box with the kingdom seal engraved on it. Their eyes quieted down at his voice, all turning their gaze towards him. Next, the kingdom''s marshal, Norgan Verreich, entered the room¨D¨Dit was not particrly strange that they''re here. They were also members of the Kingdom''s Council and had the right to vote. The chairman, who had been pretending to be calm but was shaken up, looked a little relieved. Chairman Lobinis was the grandson of the famous general Felworth Keithriton, and unlike his grandfather, he was not adept in martial matters and, one might say, he had a timid disposition. He was entrusted with the council and excelled in practical matters, being a good-natured and reasonable person, but he was inexperienced in dealing with such chaos. There had never been any confusion in the assembly where Kreschenta asionally appeared. He looked at the small box Aleha was holding and asked. "Duke Remin, is that box from Her Majesty the Queen...?" "Yes. It was previously entrusted to me by Her Majesty the Queen. If something like this were to happen, the Chairman would open the box in Parliament and reveal what was inside." Aleha said and handed the box to Chairman Lobinis. No one asked why Aleha had something like that. Everyone knows that the Queen had deep trust in him, and in terms of his status as a warrior alone, he surpassed the current Marshal, Norgan. Although he was originally from the Empire, it would not be strange for him to sit in the Marshal''s seat due to his military prowess, if it weren''t for his age, which was older than Selene. Lobinis gestured for everyone to take their seats, and Aleha and the others sat down. Lobinis ced the crimson box on the desk on the dais, looked over at them, and break the thick sealing wax that was wrapped around the box and fastened the string. Inside was a rolled up bundle of parchment. And the royal seal. Lobinis swallowed hard and, without touching it yet, examined the parchment lightly before furrowing his brows even further. When he untied the string that was holding it together, he inspected the parchment briefly before reading it out, and his eyebrows furrowed even further. "...There is no doubt that it is Her Majesty''s handwriting. First, as the chairman, I will read it out as instructed." When he said that, he noticed that there was a magic crystal under the bundle of parchment. He saw that the text told him to take it first, so he picked it up and, ¡°¨D¨D!?¡± Immediately, it shines and copsed into magic power. The blue light created a mist and formed an image¨D¨Din front of Lobinis. The figure it was forming was Kreschenta, the Queen he knew well. She frowned and looked displeased as she turned her gaze to the left. ¡ºWhy did this I have to... ¡» ¡ºI can¡¯t rest easy leaving it to you guys, so I want to leave it just in case. It¡¯s an order, don''tin. ¡» A calm voice. Those who knew and those who didn''t, all expressed surprise at the voice of the Kingdom''s Marshal, Selene Christand. ¡ºTowards me, the Queen... ¡» ¡ºI told you to listen to me properly. You¨D¨D¡» ¡ºUm, Selene, Kreschenta it¡¯s already recording, but¡» The Queen widened her eyes for a moment and her face stiffened. Then she smiled, theplete opposite of before. ¡º...I think everyone is surprised that suddenly arge tree covered the sky and that me and Onee-sama disappeared.¡» The virtual Kreschenta spoke in a dignified voice, as if nothing had happened, just like when she showed up at the meeting yesterday. Everyone was stunned and looked at the face of the person next to them. Among them, only one person¨D¨Dthe old general smiling bitterly. It was a message that Selene had him create to prevent the country from being in turmoil in case the two suddenly disappeared. Aleha was also there when they made this, but he was silently watching, so his voice wasn''t included. ¡ºBut rest assured. This is as nned. It was nned in advance for when the Council had stabilized and most of the national policy was released from my hands. Perhaps this should be called a test from me to all of you. ¡» Over time, Kreschenta, who had absolute power, gradually began to delegate political decisions to Congress. That''s because they had nned for them to disappear from this country someday. Sheid the groundwork to maintain the appearance of a loosely parliamentary country¨D¨Dof course, she might have wanted to be freed from such chores, but that was the goal anyway. Originally, Crescenta was supposed to stand here and speak, but Selene, perhaps feeling uneasy, made her write a message like this. Considering what happened yesterday, Selene fears were probably right. ¡ºMy sister and I will be traveling around the world for a while, doing various research. It will be approximately 30 years before we return¨D¨Duntil then, I would like all of you to continue to take charge of the kingdom''s affairs as you have always done. ¡» Amotion spreads, and Kreschentaughed. ¡ºAll of you are already doing quite well at this point, and by the time you see this, the council should be even more stable. It''s because I felt confident enough to entrust this to you. ¡» A seductive smile on her lips. ¡ºBut don''t forget that this is a test. ...If you do something that will disappoint me, I wille back early and remove the bad fruit. ¡» The council fell silent. Even now, decadester, many people know about the rumors of the Great Purge, which were not talked about publicly. No one doubted her god-like power, as she could build a tower that pierces the sky in one night and create a giant tree that covered a city. ¡ºThat''s all. Please make it seem like I''m handling politics as usual for the people. The enclosed royal seal will be kept by the Council, and the chairman will act on my behalf as needed. The enclosed parchment contains various decisions and details for the future. ...That''s all. ¡» ¡®Well then, everyone, please take care.¡¯ With that, she smiled gracefully and bowed her head for a moment. When she raised her head, she called out ¡®Onee-sama¡¯. ¡ºPlease delete what I just said. From the moment before I started speaking... ¡» ¡ºKreschenta, Krische made it so that it will disappears after it¡¯s yed, so if that happens, we¡¯ll have to retake it¡ Ah, if it¡¯s already over, Krische¡¯ll turn it off. ¡» ¡ºP-Please cut it quic¨D¨D¡» At the end of this exchange, the virtual image disappears, and there was silence. Everyone looked confused, and Aleha was the only one shaking his shoulders and holding backughter. Krische hates reshooting because it seems like a hassle, and Kreschenta who demanded reshooting no matter what. An exasperated Selene who took it from Krische, put it in the box, and wound it around with a string. And made the sealing wax by using a duplicate royal seal that she had apparently made from magic crystal. He narrows his eyes, remembering it as if it was yesterday. Honestly, thest message was very typical of them. It''s not like theye back every 30 years. The n was to prevent sudden confusion and reckless behavior. Given enough time, even those who were here would be ustomed to a kingdom without a queen. Their era was slowlying to an end¨D¨Dafter a hundred years, the world would surely change into a new era. If one said it''s selfish, then it was probably selfish, and if one say it''s troublesome, it was a nuisance. However, the girl''s unwanted heroic epic finally coulde to an end. From now on, it''s only about their own wishes and happiness. No one in this world has the right to bind them forever. "...Thank you for your hard work, Krische-sama." He said that in a voice that no one could hear and bowed his head to the empty space where there was no one "Chairman, the message left by Her Majesty the Queen." ¡°Y-yes.¡Well then I¡¯ll read it out loud.¡± Aleha urged the confused chairman. To steer it towards the new world without them. Chapter 259: The Girl in Birdcage Chapter 259: The Girl in Birdcage ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 259 The Girl in Birdcage*** Surprisingly, she was unable to say anything to the cornered girl in front of her. The girl drugged her with the intention of killing her, the girl¡¯s face contorted as if in fright. That she didn¡¯t feel angry or sad was a surprise even to herself She was just, surprised, and¨D¨D''ah, it¡¯s ending¡¯, she thought. She justforted the tearful girl, thinking that she had made the girl do something bad, that she had made the girl suffer. The girl showed Bery tears that was as beautiful as the girl¡¯s older sister¡¯s. Distorting her beauty that was like a work of art, and pressing it against Berry¡¯s chest. She didn¡¯t think she was worth that much. But their faces, their tears, were like rainbow-colored gems¨D¨Das if to show that Bery was worth that much, they sold themselves off just like that. Though both sisters were smarter than anyone else, they were hopeless at business. Taking such beautiful things from them felt like fraud. She who deceived these pure girls was exactly their opposite, impure. Tainting, clouding the world¡¯s most brilliant, pure gemstone, without end to her greed. Even their sadness, their pain¨D¨Deven that seemed dear. Or maybe that was just what it is to be a human. Smiling at the stubborn girl¡¯s kiss. Wondering what to call that sensation. There was no feeling of being killed, no feeling of dying. ¡®ah, it¡¯s ending¡¯, just that. Even though she felt had done something wrong, what she felt in her heart wasn¡¯t guilt, it was a fulfilled feeling. Even still, she was greedy to the core. She wanted to love the grieving girl until she forgot about grief, she wanted to wait for the girl who had just departed to return . She felt that the girl shouldn¡¯t have to cry alone in her absence. Those tears were meant for her, and it was not anyone else but Bery¡¯s role to ept andfort them. She was sinful and greedy to the core. Self-righteous affection, like keeping a lovely little bird in a cage. Having wings that could fly freely anywhere, yet forgetting the freedom outside the window, just flitting around loving the small world, rubbing their body against her hand while resting their wings. Ending must surely not be a bad thing, she thought. She had repeated enough days of happiness. Days of fulfillment continued. Precisely because she thought it would be wonderful if it continued forever that it should end. Otherwise, there would be no end. ¨D¨DTrapping the girls in an eternal birdcage. Her body didn¡¯t move. Naturally, she was dead after all, she thought, but it felt unnatural. The sensation of the sheets touching her naked body. Feeling a dense magic, she moved, exploring every corner of her body, opening her eyes. Her strength was gone, and her body was terribly difficult to move. However, the magic power seemed to be much more familiar than before, and she was able to manipte all of her body like a puppet. She could see the red canopy of the bed above her and looked around. ¡°...Krische-sama¡¯s room¡± In the spacious room were sofas, tables¨D¨Da red carpet. A shelf with underwear and a shelf with essories with three costumes for three 3 people lined up the wall. The arrangement was almost the same, with only slight changes in the potted nts. ¡°Why am I dressed like this?¡± Blushing and hiding her body, her breasts were squeezed. She tilted her head in her naked appearance¡ª¡ªshe noticed a sense of incongruity. ¡°...?¡± It was a little more plump than in her memory. Lately, she had mostly been on the bed. Her skin had be pale due to chronic anemia, and her body had be a bit haggard. It¡¯s so unhealthy that she herself could tell, but now it was different. Thinking of it, she noticed that she had no severe pain all over her body, no nausea or headaches. Putting on slippers and getting out of bed, she stood in front of the mirror, still hiding her body. Her body looked healthy, clearly different from before. She stared at herself in the mirror for a while, feeling strangely embarrassed, then turned to the wardrobe. For the time being, she opened the shelves to search for something to wear and felt relieved to see there were clothes inside. She picked up a nightgown for a moment¨D¨Dbut reconsidered seeing as she was in a good shape, she wore the familiar garter belt, and underwear and socks. Then she put on an apron dress from the wardrobe, tilting her head. Bery didn¡¯t have that many clothes. There was only one ck-blue dress on a hanger, and the rest was mostly spare apron dresses. There were also a few casual dresses that she rarely wore. Therge wardrobe was empty, and that space was reserved for Krische¡¯s apron dress, but the number seemed to have increasedpared to what she remembered. She closed the wardrobe and opened Krische¡¯s wardrobe that was next to it. The number of dresses hadn¡¯t changed much, but there were a few more clothes¨D¨Dwhen she turned her eyes next to it, she frowned. Upon closer inspection, there was a new wardrobe ced there, and inside were elegant dresses that seemed to belong to Kreschenta, which she had never seen before. Frowning, she looked at their underwear shelf. Both Krische¡¯s and Kreschenta¡¯s underwear seemed to have increased noticeably. ¡°this is¡¡¡± Puzzled, she stepped back and cautiously opened the balcony door. There was a forest outside. Looking up at the sky from the balcony, she could see a tall blue tree covering the heaven to the north. Shimmering rainbow-colored petals and magic power dancing with the wind. As she gazed at it in amazement, ¡®Gururu¡¯, a familiar sound, caught her attention/ ¡°Somehow, it looks like it¡¯s getting even bigger ...¡± The alreadyrge Gururun seemed to have grown evenrger by a size or two, or perhaps even more. Feeling only confusion in her mind, the Suiko gazed at her and then looked down at the familiar sight below. ¡®Gururu¡¯, the Suiko groaned, theny down sideways, curling its long tail and pointing it at its belly. It was a signal that she wanted to be bruised. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll do itter...¡± Whether it understands or not, the Suiko groaned, and made another yawn. Watching the Suiko like that, she gazed at the forest and the towering trees, and down below, wondering what was going on.. The small orchard that Bery tended was also there. Entering the room from the balcony, she took a deep breath. She wondered if this ce was like the other world, but she saw a familiar face. Although she was relieved, the mystery only deepened. She checked the sensation in her hands and pinched her cheek. The pain was there. Her body was warm, and there was no uncertainty. It felt a little strange that it was extremely difficult to move the body without using magic, but it wasn¡¯t so much that she would say it was a struggle. As someone who hadn¡¯t relied on physical strength in her daily life, Bery found a certainfort in finding her strength unchanged. It was originally meant to move her frail body, so she was used to it to some extent. ¡°Half-spiritual¡¡± It was something like matter, but not quite. It filled the gap between magic and reality. Perhaps the body had a simr nature. Now magic power felt much more familiar than before. Not only her own, but also the magic around her¡ª¡ªwhen she tried to carve the lines of magic into the sky, she could control it without resistance. ¡®¨D¨DPeople do have souls¡¯ Remembering the words of her beloved girl, she opened her eyes. ¡®If this wasn¡¯t the afterlife then¡¯, she left the room and immediately went downstairs. She opened the kitchen door. ¡°Hg...¡± But the girl was nowhere to be seen, and her shoulders slumped. She walked over to where she usually sat next to the girl, looked at the seasonings, and looked at the cooking utensils. The arrangement was the same as before¨D¨Dthinking back, it seemed like it had been a long time since shest entered here. There were days when she felt well enough toe, but towards the end, she had been lying in bed all the time. The cooking utensils had been carefully polished to a shine. Although signs of aging could be seen, they seemed to have been treated with great care. Looking at the knife, it seemed much thinner, but the de hadn¡¯t been damaged. It was Bery¡¯s favorite¡ª¡ªthe knife she received from her sister, it seemed to be the only one that had not been used since shest saw it. However, it was not covered in dust and had been carefully maintained. ¡°...Why are you walking around so calmly?¡± ¡°Huh¡?¡± When she looked back, she saw graceful golden hair. Wearing only underwear and a white negligee, which was rare for the girl, the beautiful girl leaned against the wall next to the entrance, ring at her. ¡°Ah, my apologies. I was feeling strangely well...¡± She looked at Berry with an exasperated expression, struggling to stand, then leaned against the wall. Bery immediately ran up to her and put her hand on her forehead. ¡°Ojou-sama, how are you feeling¡?¡± Selene frowned, red at Berry, and said with annoyance. ¡°You, don¡¯t you find it difficult to move your body?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah...somewhat. But I¡¯ve more or less gotten the hang of it...¡± ¡°...You and those two idiots, why are you guys doing better than me who have been struggling even after practicing a little?¡± Saying so resentful, she continued. ¡°...It¡¯s just that it¡¯s hard to move my body. I¡¯ve gone from a dying old woman to this kind of body, there¡¯s no problem with my health.¡± ¡°old woman¡?¡± Berry looked more and more confused. Selene, on the other hand, suddenly smiled¨D¨Dher face contorted just a little. She then slumped over and hugged Bery, burying her face in Bery¡¯s chest. ¡°...For you, it may have been yesterday or the day before yesterday. But for me, it¡¯s been decades.¡± Berry stared at her with wide eyes as she hugged her. Then she looked around and remembered the imagination she had earlier. ¡°There are so many things I want to say to you, fromints to grudges...but for now,¡± Selene pulled away from her a little, wiped her eyes, and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you. ¡Wee back, Berry.¡± Bery stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded, then closed her eyes and nodded. ¡°...Yes, Ojou-sama.¡± She replied with her usual smile and gently patted the girl, who was taller than her, on the head. Selene narrowed her eyes at the touch and burst intoughter. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s been decades. I¡¯m much older than you, Bery. Can you please stop treating me like a child?¡± ¡°My, but as I have always said...no matter how old you are, to me, Ojou-sama will always be Ojou-sama.¡± ¡®Besides Ojou-sama still looks the same¡¯, Bery said as she stroked her cheek and leaned up to kiss her forehead. Seeing that, Serene blushed slightly and turned her eyes away, feeling incredulous. ¡°Still full of sophistry as always, aren¡¯t you? ...I wonder if something can really be done about it.¡± ¡°Hehe, even if you say that, Ojou-sama, you are still the same even though you say that decades have passed.¡± ¡°If you keep making fun of me, you¡¯ll regret it. Now everyone here is older than you¨D¨D¡± ¡°¨D¨DArgan-sama!¡± As the voice echoed beyond the door, two maids in negligee, with ck hair, emerged from the corridor. One of them dashed forward, her untidy ck hair swaying, but she slipped and fell into the hallway. ¡°A-Anne-sama...¡± Bert rushed to Anne¡¯s side, and lifted her up. Abne, holding her forehead, teared up as she looked at Berry. She then smiled happily. ¡°...Thank goodness. The fact that Argan-sama is here means that things went well.¡± ¡°Went well¡¡± ¡°...Anne. I know you¡¯re happy, but I told you not to run until you get used to it right.¡± Selene said with a sigh, and Anne shyly said ¡®my apologies¡¯. When Bery turned to Elvena, she was wiping the corner of her eyes while smiling bitterly at Anne¡¯s appearance, and bowed deeply to Bery, greeting her with a ¡®wee back¡¯. ¡°Fufu, Bery, do you want me to exin what happened? If you lowered your head obediently and said ¡®please give this naive one a guidance;, I might consider exining.¡± ¡°...You say such mean things, Ojou-sama.¡± She said with a wry smile. Just as she was about to ask about the situation, a new shadow came down the stairs. It was Lira Shna who gingerly climbed down, her dark hair long and her tanned naked body wrapped in a pure white sheet. ¡°L-Lira-sama, that attire...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. Um, I didn¡¯t have anything to wear...so I borrowed something from the room without permission...¡± Though she said so with a seemingly troubled look, there was no particr sign of embarrassment. She looked at Bery and she smiled as she felt relieved. Lira didn¡¯t seem to be inconvenienced just by wrapping a sheet around her naked body, but it seems even she thought that kind of appearance was problematic. In terms of physique and shape, she was close to Bery. Returning to the room, Bery handed over underwear that hadn¡¯t been used yet and helped Lira put on a dress. During this process, Lira started lightly discussing the situation, and Bery listened as Elvena provided further exnations. It seemed that Selene, who had been considering using the situation as leverage, reluctantly gave up and provided additional details. Elvena further borated on the situation. With just that, Bery was able to understand the current situation to some extent. Magic power exists from the beginning, ovepping in different phases. It seems that the Clich¨¦s filled the world with enormous magical power from a ce called the Origin, and created a new world in a different phase so as to ovep with the original world. Selene and the others didn¡¯t fully understand the details, but Elvena, who personally studied magic and was taught by Krische and Kreschenta, exined it clearly, and any question Bery had quickly disappeared. Bery had learned a lot about magic on her own, and had learned various things from Krische, including the nature of magic. Both of them were academics ¨D¨D the conversation started to get deeper into the details, but Selene cleared her throat. ¡°...Let¡¯s leave those details forter. Do you understand the general situation?¡± ¡°Y-yes... for the most part. In other words, a semi-spiritual body was created as a vessel for my soul. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so hard to move my body...¡± ¡°Maybe. Personally, I don¡¯t really feel anything other than feeling younger.¡± Selene said while looking at her palm, and her eyebrows furrowed as if she felt something strange about it. Anne also frowned and poured the tea with her hands shaking as her body was still unustomed to it, while Elvena helped while looking a little anxious. Bery asked while looking at them. ¡°¡But, is it really fine?¡± Without specifying anything. However, Selene red at Berry as if she understood. ¡°Are you the one to say that? Of course, everyone except you has spent a lot of time thinking about it before deciding. How many years do you think it¡¯s been?¡± ¡°¡¡yes¡± ¡°I knew it, but you¡¯re making me hate you even more. You¡¯re the only idiot who could say as soon as you woke up, that you¡¯re happy to be with Krische-sama forever, you idiot.¡± ¡°Uuu¡¡± Selene stood up from her chair, pinched Berry¡¯s cheek, and pulled on it. ¡°Well, there are different circumstances for each of us, including Lira-sama who wants to serve Yagernaus-sama from now on, but we¡¯re all here after thinking about a lot of things and being prepared for everything, we decided to go along with that idiot....I¡¯m telling you, but that¡¯s a very rude thought, Bery.¡¯¡¯ ¡°¡My apologies Selene sat down and drank the tea that Arne had made, and the other three smiled bitterly. Berry bowed her head to the three of them, and Anne said ¡®it¡¯s fine¡¯ in a panic. ¡°I am grateful for Argan-sama¡¯s concern¡Actually, I am here without thinking too much about it, so it can¡¯t be helped to feel anxious.¡± ¡°That kind of thing...¡± ¡°However, without thinking too much about it, I have decided that my home is this mansion, and that I will serve you all under my beloved Argan-sama, and I have sworn to this name. That has not changed.¡± Anne continued to smile. ¡°So, don¡¯t worry. Even someone like me believes that this ce will fulfill my wishes. Others have thought about it more seriously and decided on it. ...There is nothing that Argan-sama should feel anxious about.¡¯¡¯ ¡°...Yes. Still, I said something rude without thinking.¡± What they sought was eternal happiness. That was the world they were in now. But they were all here knowing that as well. It would be rude to question their determination. At the same time, she was very grateful. ¡°...Thank you very much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, really.¡± Selene said with a dissatisfied look, and the three smiled. Seeing this, Bery closed her eyes. ¡ª¡ªThis must be the most foolish birdcage in the world. They were here understanding that. Because they thought this small world was precious from the bottom of their hearts, they were here. She didn¡¯t think she had ever been happier. Bery¡¯s dream of paradise was by no means just Bery¡¯s. Everyone here wishes for a peaceful life there¨D¨Dthat was why they were here. And those two girls too. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She suddenly turned my attention to the wall of the room facing the front door of the mansion. For some reason, she thought that they hade back and smiled. ¡°...I think Krische-sama and the others will be here soon.¡± ¡°... Is that some kind of magic or something?¡± ¡°No...it¡¯s just a hunch.¡± ¡°You...¡± Selene red at Bery exasperated, then sighed and stood up. ¡°...trying to act cool, and if you¡¯re wrong, I¡¯ll make a big fool of you.¡± ¡°Fufu, yes.¡± Seeing her smile Selene frowned, and Bery suddenly turn her attention to the top of the shelf. There was a small bag in there. It felt unnaturally nothing inside, as if the dense magical energy around was avoiding it. Without even looking at the contents of the bag, she took it and opened the door, saying, ¡°Shall we go?¡± As Bery and the others opened the front door of the mansion, no one was there. Selen red, saying, ¡®what an idiot¡¯, while Bery smiled wryly in response. The forest spread out before them, strangely reminiscent of a fairy tale. Although it should be dense and overgrown, the air somehow felt soft. As they gazed around, a low growl could be heard. The Suiko, approaching with a yawn, nced at Berry and, upon her nod, strode forward¨D¨Dinto the depths of the forest. Selene, who was standing beside her, furrowed her brow at the interaction, and Anne and the others behind wore simrly puzzled expressions as they looked at Berry. Then, a while after the Suiko left, from the forest, ¡°Come on, stop throwing a tantrum. Look, even Gururun is telling Kreschenta to go too.¡± That voice echoed. Selene¡¯s cheeks twitched and she looked at Berry suspiciously. ¡°...You¡¯re weird sometimes. Maybe you¡¯re crazy?¡± ¡°Is that so Bery giggled and she smiled as she stepped forward. It wasn¡¯t long before two girls appeared from the forest with a Suiko. Golden hair sparkling with red¨D¨DKreschenta who was looking down. Silver-haired Krische who was pulling her sister¡¯s hand with both of her hands, her back toward them. Passing through the bushes, the two girls in negligee made their way to Bery and the others. Then, Krische suddenly stopped, turned her gaze, and froze. Her younger sister also noticed her older sister¡¯s behavior and looked up, then she saw Bery and immediately lowered her face. As a gentle breeze blew, there were no words Bery simply gazed at Krische, and Krische simply gazed at Bery. Krische moved her lips as if to say something, her gaze swimming around. ¡°Ah, uh, Bery...uh, Krische, without even listening to Bery¡¯s wishes...¡± Krische let go of her younger sister and bowed her head, saying sorry. Bery stepped forward a little. Krische stiffened, but kept her head down. Looking at her like that, Bery chuckle. ¡°Krische-sama sure did something terrible.¡± ¡°Hg...¡± As she spoke, Krische stiffened even more. Bery continued as she approached Krische. ¡°What a big mistake. Krische-sama has wasted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡± ¡°Eh...?¡± ¡°That was truly Krische-sama\s first andst opportunity.¡± Approaching her, Bery ced a small bag in Krische¡¯s palm. The surprised girl looked up at Bery with her purple eyes. Then she looked at the small bag and took out a candy from it. Melting the time-stopped gem with magical light and taking it out. She held a deep honey colored candy between her fingers. ¡°¡¡, umm¡± Then, with a look of trepidation, she pressed it to the servant¡¯s lips. The servant took it into her mouth and smiled. ¡°Do you understand? ¡Krische-sama has missed herst chance to escape from me, who is more persistent than anyone.¡± ¡°ah¡¡¡± Bery cupped her cheeks with her hands. ¡°What a bad person...but it¡¯s already toote. I won¡¯t let you go forever, and no matter what you say, Krische-sama won¡¯t be able to escape from me.¡± ¨D¨D Forever and ever. Continuing, Bery pressed her lips to Krische¡¯s, gazing into the jewel-like purple eyes that were wide open. As if savoring the sensation, she lingered a little longer. So much so that even when she let go, the sensation remained. ¡°...Wee back, Krische-sama.¡± As she said that, the girl¡¯s body trembled, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes, dripping down her cheeks. Distorting her beautiful voice, she said, ¡®Krische¡¯s back, Bery¡¯, pressing her face against Bery¡¯s chest. Her small, delicate body trembled as she let out a sob. Bery gently stroked her head and rubbed her cheek. Selene and the others who were watching from behind her also looked at them with wry smiles. Only Lira, who didn¡¯t know their rtionship, looked at them in astonishment. And behind Krische¨D¨Dnext to the big Suiko, the girl was looking down, ying with her fingers ufortably, and covering her eyes with her graceful hair. Bery turned her attention to the girl, who was standing there idly. The startled girl noticing the gaze, trembled, and the hugged girl Bery hugged sniffled her nose, wiping her eyes with her sleeves as she moved away. Approaching her little sister, she lifted her hips from behind and, ignoring the girl who was wriggling, came in front of Berry. ¡°Kreschenta¡± Even when Krische called out to her, she didn¡¯t look up, looking confused. Just ying with her fingers and shaking her hair. Berry chuckled and reached out, sliding her fingers through the smooth hair, caressing her cheek. ¡°You probably thought we would never see each other again because of that, but it¡¯s a shame. ...There¡¯s no escaping anymore.¡± Saying that Bery tilted her head slightly in thought. She thenughed and said, ¡°...I¡¯m back, Kreschenta-sama.¡± The girl looked up, her eyes still red, staring nkly at Bery¨D¨Dand then, a momentter, she scrunched up her beautiful face. Then, just like her older sister, she pressed her face against Bery¡¯s chest. ¡°...Wee back, Bery.¡± When she replied, her body trembled silently. Berry wrapped her arms around her and then looked at the girl¡¯s older sister who was watching them, Krische smiled happily, wiping away the still overflowing tears, and gently stroking her little sister¡¯s head. Arne seemed relieved from the bottom of her heart, had tears welling up again, and she wiped them with her fingers, and Elvena handed her a handkerchief she had secretly prepared. Selene smiled wryly, patting Arne¡¯s head, saying, ¡°idiot, with tears in her eyes. Even Lira, who was surprised by the two kissing, finally understood that such rtionships were normal in the kingdom, and she smiled with tears in her eyes.. ¡°Fufu, I was thinking of keeping it a secret because of Kreschenta-sama¡¯s stubbornness, but Kreschenta-sama¡¯s embarrassing side has now be public knowledge.¡± ¡°...hg¡± Hearing Bery¡¯s cheerful words, Kreschenta¡¯s shoulder trembled. ¡°...Every time Crescenta-sama says something stupid from now on, about today ¨D¨D ¡° And then, she silenced Bery, who was about to speak, with her lips. Staring at Berry with wide eyes, she pressed her lips against hers, then weakly shook her gaze and pressed her face against her chest again. ¡®Shut up¡¯ she said in a small voice, then stiffened as she looked at those watching. Selene, twitching her eyebrows, her cheeks stiff, asked the servant ¡°Um, Bery, you... didn¡¯t secretly make advances on Kreschenta while pretending to be bedridden and suffering, right?¡± ¡°Um¡ no, that kind of thing¡ um, this is¡¡± ¡°Oh, do you have any excuse? While we were worried, were you unexpectedly having a lot of fun by yourself.¡± ¡®I¡¯m really curious¡¯, Selene said as she approached Berry. Bery¡¯s eyes swam around, wondering what to do. Kreschenta, who was hugging Bery, pressed her face to Bery¡¯s chest as if to say, ¡®served you right¡¯. Krische stared at them and looked at the mansion. The happiness that the girl sought and desired was still here. She closed eyes as if to capture everything in her gaze. And slowly opened them to gaze into the eternal future. Everything she desired was here. ¡°...Ehehe¡± ¨D¨DAnd the girl just smiled happily. Chapter 260.1: Of an Unfinished Tale Chapter 260.1: Of an Unfinished Tale ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 260 Part 1 Of an Unfinished Tale*** T/N: Last chapter of main story, however there''s still 90 side stories (still ongoing)!! Atop a high mountain¨D¨Darge tree that covered the stars in the night sky. Countless translucent things flitted around its perimeter, while small creatures darted around the trunk of the great tree. The roots of the tree spread out, filling the hollow with their presence, and magic crystals shimmered on the walls of the hollow. If one listened closely, they could hear cheerful voices amidst themotion, and atop the roots that covered the earth, a girl with cloth wrapped around her chest and waist opened her mouth in what seemed like troubled. "Geez, You shouldn''t disturb Regve-sama and the others.¡± As she spoke, the wind swirled around the girl, her loosely tied long hair wrapping around her body, leaving her stunned. She caught a small sprite-like creature and warned it not to anger her. After releasing the struggling sprite, she sighed and looked around. All around the roots, translucent beings simr to the one she caught were running amok in thiswless zone. Only a small number of them were diligently tending to flowers and the great tree. The gap between the true world where the soul exists and the material world¨D¨Da world of ovepping fantasy. While it was a world without many inconveniences, it seemed to be greatly influenced by human consciousness. One of them was the spirit that was born at some point. Often, things people vaguely believed in would naturallye into existence. This was especially true in ces that ovep withnd in material world that was considered sacred. Depending on the location, there were small fire-breathing flying lizards that resembled ancient dragons, and there were evenrger monsters among the magical beasts. Legends and folklore likely influenced these urrences. Flowers and fruits the ones talked about in legends were growing and bearing fruit as if natural¨D¨Dit was an indescribably mysterious world. In front of her¨D¨Dat the base of therge tree were two huge gray bodies that looked like small mountains. Curled up against each other, Regve and Kushenaras facing each other. Kushenaras were the most frequent one¨D¨DTheye every few decades, stay for about ten years, and then go back. Other dragons alsoe to show their faces from time to time, and stay for about ten years. Once, when the timing coincided and the seven Dragons gathered here, it was quite a frightening sight, but no oneined, and that situation continued for about three years, that memory was now from a long time ago. Their sense of time was truly different. There were times when the dragons didn''t speak for a full three weeks while facing each other, and she used to be afraid that they might have gotten into a fight, but it seems that this was the same no matter how many Dragons gather together. When one of them shook their magic, the other began to shook their magic as if in response, and sometimes they enjoyed conversing non-stop for a month. Now seemed to be a chatty period. It''s been the fourth day since they started talking yesterday¨D¨Dalthough they asionally fall silent, they have been asking and answering various questions over and over again. The more she interacted with them, the more mysterious it seemed. They engaged in serious conversations about the essence of their existence and what it meant to live and die, but asionally they would pose normal riddles as well. When someone figured out the answer and interrupted, they would promptly be allowed to know their Mana (true name). That was a long time ago. Although she thought it was rude, the words Kreschenta said, ¡®Those people may seem to be thinking about a lot of things, but they aren''t thinking about anything¡¯ alwayse to her mind. Regve had arrived here rtively early, around fifty years ago. When Alberan showed signs of copse and Kreisharana ryed the information¨D¨Dwhen they said they would stake their lives to protect if anything happened, that might have been the trigger, Lira thought. Regve had told her that being them making a fuss around Them was an eyesore, but there was likely more to it. She didn''t understand the dragons'' hearts, nor did she think sheprehended them. But she believed Regve must have arranged things so they wouldn''t die out of pride. They were deeply saddened by Regve¡¯s disappearance, but thanks to that, Alberan came to an end, and after Kleinmeer, the sessor, ruled the continent, they were able to surrender peacefully. Other dragons starteding here after that¡ª¡ªmost of them around after Kleinmeer ¡¯s dragon hunts began. Two unsuspecting dragons were in by Kleinmeer various magical weapons. However, if a dragon was cautious and fought seriously, there was no way they would lose, and that would be the end of it. Most of the Dragonse here after They went on a rampage. Kushenaras too after They went wild, said she was bored and came over. Dragons outside the continent were varied, but now all the continent''s dragons were here. It was a sight she could never have imagined when she was a child. She thought that someday she would get used to the sight of two noble and solitary dragons spending time together in the same ce, but in the end she never got used to it, and looking at them like this sometimes makes her feel indescribable. But the cause of that was Lira herself. Lira was the one who called Them equal to God and worshiped them, and imposed an ¡®ideal image of the Holy Spirit¡¯ on Them. The Dragons, simply being Dragons, must have remained natural and unchanged since ancient times, and even now They haven¡¯t changed It was always her who had to change. Holy Spirit did not require physical care, nor did They require food. She hasn''t done anything in particr since she came here, but sometimes she gets asked questions, but Lira still shows up at least once a day. They also seem to like the board game that Krische and the other brought to Them a long time ago, and often y with it. Linasera, the oldest dragon in particr, seemed to like it so much that every time They came here, They showed off the games They had devised¨D¨DRegardless of Their personality or preference Dragons seem like to use their brains. Maybe it''s because They had so much power that They naturally became like that. *¡°¨D¨DL. What do you think?¡±* "..., Um, well, it''s a difficult problem for me, Regve-sama." She said troubledly and continued. ¡°However, I think that adding an element of luck to the game to make the match more even, so that the difference in skill doesn''t directly determine the oue, adds a certain appeal." *¡°I see. So you agree with Kushenaras?* ¡°Of course, I think there''s merit to both...but it''s not a one-time thing that would make the difference between life and death, it''s entertainment that would be repeated. I believe unexpected oues can be more enjoyable for both parties than one side winning continuously..." What they were talking about was Game. The kind of board game that uses magical power that Linasera introduced several decades ago incorporates elements of military chess training, an element of luck involved in the winning or losing of the pieces. Regve seems to be quite intelligent and very strong among the dragons, putting aside losing due tocking strategy, They seem it made no sense to lose due to luck Kushenaras knew how smart Regve was, so They often used small gambles to gain the upper hand, and what was usually a win: loss of Regve 9: Kushenaras 1, turned into Regve 6: Kushenaras 4 in a game involving luck. ¡°Regve, the small wins and losses don¡¯t matter, one just needs to be prepared against that too. I understood that Your thinking is superior, so I searched for a way to win. ...And You know that those two will beat Me even with that, right?¡± "Indeed. Depending on how one looks at it, one could say that My tactics were simply not enough.'''' Lira looked at the two troubled and smiled wryly. The great Holy Spirit to be worshiped¨D¨Dbut what they talked about face-to-face in earnest was the theory of games. It was like a children¡¯s argument, she thought, and she shook her thinking that thought was too rude. Lately, even Selene has been saying things like that with an exasperated look on her face, and Lira couldn¡¯t help but think about it too. Nearly a hundred magic lights hover above their heads, drawing near. They would probably be enjoying the game for another week or so. "Lira, it''s almost time for dinner." ¡°Ah, yes, Krische-sama.¡± Laughter echoes, and the wind spirits flutter about. When she turned around, she saw a beautiful girl with silver hair wearing an apron dress looking through a mysterious door built above the roots of arge tree. There was no building, just a door, and beyond that was a differentndscape. It seems to be a door that connects spaces, leading to the mansion. Wind spirits gather around her, causing a gust to lift her skirt. With a sigh, Krische wave her finger, creating a strong gust, sending them flying far away. They fly away happily, and Krische puts her hands on her hips. The spirits seem to like mischief, enjoying the attention Krische¡¯s gives when they try to lift her skirts. As Lira hop a bit, the wind pushes her forward gently. After Lira thanked them, they happily flew up into the sky, leaving her behind. They weren''t bad kids, they helped out a little bit, but they were as energetic as tireless children, so it was difficult to keep up with them. "Really. They''re all really mischievous kids." ¡°Fufu, I guess they¡¯re happy that Krische-sama is ying with them.¡± ¡°...Krische is not happy though.¡± Krische who despite her grumbles would y with them, seemed to be their favorite. Bery and Elvena treat their mischief lightly as if they were dealing with a child, Selene would wear pants and ignore them, and Kreschenta just saw them as troublesome and would cover the area within three ken (~5m) with a barrier. Anne was the same as Krische, but since she couldn¡¯t deal with things as easily as Krische, most of the time Anne would get tired and they would be bored of her first. *¡°Krische,e join Us when you have time.¡±* "...Another time, Krische is busy with various things." Krische, tired of Regve¡¯s word, replied with that fixed phrase. Krische was surprisingly easy to push, and once she agreed, they would end up spending a whole week together. As the first step was important, she never epted those invitations herself. However, not minding Krische¡¯s words, Regve told Lira. *¡°Lira, tell Berry that too.¡±* "Y-yes..." ¡®Uuu¡¯, Krische groaned. Regve knows Krische¡¯s character and weaknesses well from their long rtionship. This kind of invitation urs every time they meet. But when They truly want to do something, They also call Bery. Bery wouldn''t refuse if she was invited, and if Bery came, it was natural that Krische woulde too. As Lira recalls, this cycle would repeat every few years. When the two of theme, Kreschenta would say she''s going too and Selene would go with them, then of course the other two woulde as well. It was a customary event to have a small outdoor party thatsted several days. In the corner of thisrge tree''s hollow, Selene had even dug arge hole in the quay and built a sturdy vi for everyone to sleep in. She also had a nostalgic memory of the vi being blown away several times by the pping of the dragon''s wings. Recalling this, she smiled wryly and said to Krische that it looked like she wouldn''t be able to escape this time. Krische pouted his lips in dissatisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s only if Bery said she woulde, okay?¡± The magic power trembled intermittently as ifughing at Krische¡¯s words. "...Good grief. Lira, we¡¯re going shopping tomorrow as well. What should we do?" "...? Tomorrow as well?" Krische smiled with some amusement while nodding. She should have already gone shopping today¨D¨DLiea nodded thoughtfully, tilting her head at that. "If that''s the case, then I also...Ipletely forgot that I needed some spare clothes." Lira said, her eyes on her breasts and the wrap around her waist. It was frayed and torn in many ces. Repeated repairs have left them ragged. It was uncertain if it could even cover the bare minimum, and even Krische was exasperated. "...Lira, wouldn''t it be better to wear normal clothes like everyone?" "No. In my case, if even my clothes be luxurious in this life, I''ll likely fall endlessly and be more and more depraved." For L, who was born and raised in Kreisharana, their mansion was a garden of temptation. Even though she felt like she was losing control over the years and drowned in it, she couldn¡¯tpromise on this one line. Krische thought that ¡®Kreisharana probably likes to expose themselves after all¡¯, but she nodded, said, ¡®Well, it''s okay¡¯, and withdrew. Lira chuckled as she bowed her head to the two dragons and went to the door. Then, Krische started happily talking about today''s fun events. "Ehehe, actually, something surprising happened me while Krische was shopping today." ¡°Surprising?¡± "Yes, that''s why Krische missed going out shopping with Bery and¨D¨D" As she opened the door, Krische lovingly traced today''s events recorded in her diary with her finger. Although Queen Kreschenta, who unified the continent, was absent for nearly 50 years, Alberan''s ¡®Kingdom¡¯ continued to maintain its system. This was likely due to the kingdom''s strong structure as a parliamentary state, despite having an absolute monarch at its helm. Queen Alberan was known for her decisive reforms and sharp intellect. Even before continental unification, she carried out various reforms, cing particr emphasis on education. She improved the education ofmoners, who were not nobles, through elementary schools and universities, and from there she drew up outstanding human resources and appointed them as local government officials. She didn''t hesitate to exercise absolute power against the opposition, implementing meritocratic political reforms. At first, it was just a local government official¨D¨Dbut they began to be entrusted with the management of territories taken away from fraudulent and corrupt aristocrats, and gradually such personnel assignments reached the royal pce. After she establishes the Council, she appoints exceptional individuals among them, encouraging their participation in national politics. Although there was some resistance from nobles towards themoners who rose to be members of the Council, the promotion ofmoners to nobility based on merit was not entirely unheard of. No one could object to the Queen''s orders, and although there were voices of dissatisfaction with them, who made up one-third of the parliament, no significant issues arose. For the aristocrats of the time, Queen Crescenta was a god-like presence, and the presence of her sword¨D¨DAlberinea did not allow them to rebel. After the war-torn world came to an end, Alberinea had arrested many disturbing elements. Her ck g Company, who apanied her on battlefields, were said to have roamed the kingdom as her watchdogs, as recorded in journals of the time. Subsequently, the Council stabilized and Queen Alberan began to delegate politics to them. She gradually began to reduce ceremonies and festivals that were centered around her, such as birthday festivals, and instead began soliciting proposals from merchants and the public and establishing festivals ordingly. Despite concerns about her health, she asionally shows off her beautiful youthfulness to reassure the worried popce. She sometimes showed her youthful, girl-like beauty to the popce who were worried that she may be suffering from an illness, letting them know that she was alive and well¨D¨Dbut no matter what, it was probably assumed that she would disappear from the kingdom eventually. Looking back at her policies, the core of them were aimed at transferring and decentralizing power. Her political skill was such that she was praised as a living god, and she was respected by the people who worshipped her. She used that absolute power to carry out reforms in order to let go of her absolute power. She was mentioned in various texts, including ¡®In the Mansion of the Noble Hawk¡¯ written by Anne Giterns, a servant of the Christand family who was close to her. Many texts recorded that she was a crazy Cursed Child, a power-crazed dictator, or a demon lord, but everyone close to her described her as a person of great character. Although she is a controversial figure, no one would think that what she sought was an authoritarian state system. Therefore, opinions were still divided as to whether her disappearance with her sister, Alberinea, in the ¡®Great Law of Heavenly Changes¡¯, which was said to have taken ce at the end of her life, was due to a misunderstanding that as spoken in tragedy, or whether it was part of the n. No matter what, even after all these steps, there was no doubt that she was a great queen to the people of the kingdom. On the 100th anniversary of the unification era, the Council decided to disclose the absence of the queen, and the people who heard this, although they vaguely knew it, were filled with grief. Opinions were divided over whether a new king should be installed, and the country was divided into two, resulting in a stalemate. Elgainst Ramil, the head of the Magic Research Institute, who was secretly working to gain control of the magical weapons created by Alberinea, cooperated with a portion of the military''s central government. By quickly upying the center of the kingdom and taking many of its members prisoner, the 123-year-old stability of the continent copsed. The crystals of wisdom she created, including Jarea Gashea, Baumje-Ira, and Pishune, had more power than the army itself. And the magical form engraved in the sky¨D¨Dthey discovered the existence of magic from the magic crystals of Alberinea, utilizing the abundant magic filling the atmosphere, swiftly suppressed the surrounding rebellious forces, subjugating them, and established the new Kleinmeer magic empire from the kingdom. In the ancientnguage, the name meant the Legacy of Moonlight. As their name suggests, they were the ones who possessed the wisdom left behind by the Princess of the Waning Moon (chipped moon). With that the thousand-year-old magical civilization began¨D¨D "Ah, yes, yes, I''m full, I''ve had enough. I''ve heard Mi-sama''s thankful story thirty times already." The former imperial capital of Kleinmeer and Alberan¡¯s royal capital. A snowy scene¨D¨Don the streets of Albeneria, where people wereing and going, a fed-up looking woman said. Her long ck hair was tied loosely behind her and she wore an apron dress. She also had cat-like ck ears and a long tail. One of the beastmen, they were a race called Werecat. It is said that it originated from human experiments in Kleinmeer and research that attempted to crossbreed humans with magical beasts, and for a time, these girls, who had excellent physical abilities, were treated asbat ves. Hundreds of years have passed since Kleinmeer fell, but there were still some people who discriminated against people like them, but because they had a high aptitude for magic and were excellent at manipting it, such sentiments are rtively scarce in Albeneria, where magical research still flourished. "Don''t call me ¡®Mii-sama''! Call me Midyliarize-sama, how many times should I told you this, Calshe!?" A blonde girl wearing a fine ck and gold robe yelled, her lovely face turning bright red. Above her swollen breasts was a copper pendant shaped like a crescent moon. It was a seal indicating that she was a student at Albeneria Magic Academy, on the side of the World Tree. Calshe, who was by her side, sighed as she deliberately covered her ears listening to her loud voice. ¡°If you say that, then I''m also Calshelia but...Otou-sama will scold you for yelling like that you know. I feel like my ears are going to get worse from hearing people shouting so loudly." "...I guess I should remove those annoying ears." "Uwahh, cat discrimination. The worst." ¡°Which one is the worst huh!¡± ¡®Now, now, don''t get mad¡¯, Karche patted the girl on the head andughed. "Ah, Bery, it''s Uma-yaki, Uma-yaki.¡± "Fufu, here. Don''t tell Ojou-sama okay, she would say ¡®stop having a snack and finish the errands¡¯.¡± Skipping on the snow like a rabbit, with elegant silver hair. They saw a girl in a cloak with a hand-knitted white hat and scarf wrapped around her, and a red-haired servant who also wore a ck cloak, and then turned their attention to the stall they were heading towards. The eight-legged sea demon¨D¨Dit looked like a creepy creature, but it was quite delicious. Uma-yaki was made by wrapping it in dough and baking it in a round shape. It''smonly eaten in the southern part of the country where Mii''s parents live, but it was rare to see it here ind, far from the sea. "Look, Mii-sama, it''s Uma-yaki, Uma-yaki. How about in front of the museum?" "Listen you... whatever... Karche you also heard, right? What''s so fun about going to the museum?" ¡°¡Actually, I¡¯m bored.¡± "...Sigh. It''s sad that you don''t learn. Isn''t Calshe¡¯s brain sucked by the tail and ears?" ¡°Saying something like. If it¡¯s not me, but the other cats, they will be angry if they hear that.'''' Calshe said as she lined up behind the girl and the servant while making sure there were no other cats around. Even though she often makes a few slips of the tongue, Mii, who can''t see others when she''s angry, often says questionable things without any hesitation, so she always needs to be careful. She grew up in an area with a lot of cats and was a youngdy who didn¡¯t have a high sense such as discrimination, but due to the severeck of that sense, she alsocked reservation in those areas. "It''s Calshe''s fault for making fun of me so easily. Since I''m going to be an Alberinea, I need to be familiar with the history of Alberan." At the sound of that voice, the girl in front of them turned around. Withrge purple eyes¨D¨Dshe was an astonishingly beautiful girl. Long silver eyshes and distinct double eyelids. Her well-shaped nose and cherry-colored lips. Every feature seemed crafted to perfection, without a hint of w on her youthful face. Her long silver hair was held in ce with a pale crimson flower decoration and flowed lightly¨D¨Dadding to her fantastical appearance. Even though she was right in front of them, she seemed to emanate a presence as if she was a different existence. The servant next to her also seemed to notice the girl¡¯s action. With her red hair swaying, the servant turned and looked at them, she was equally beautiful. While exuding an inexplicable mature aura, her features were refined, withrge light brown eyes conveying a sense of innocence. She appeared petite and slender like the girl, but her body outlined the elegant curves of her apron dress through the gaps in her coat. Calshe suddenly felt a sense of difort and looked around. Walking along this street, it was obvious that the pair would stand out. Calshe has been trained since childhood to be this Ojou-sama bodyguard, and if there was a person who attracted the attention of those around, there was no way she would not notice such an atmosphere. However, there was no such atmosphere present, and they blended into the scene quite naturally. They headed to this stall after hearing their conversation. But now that they had only recognized them for the first time when they turned around¨D¨Dsuch an indescribable feeling. It was said that high-ranking magicians could even make themselves invisible, but there was no sign of them using such magic in front of them. "¡what is it?" Unlike Calshe, who felt a little wary, her master calmly looked back and red at them. She was currently in a state of extreme displeasure. The silver-haired girl stared at Mii, then at Calshe next to her, letting out a small ¡®Ooh¡¯ voice, and confidently whispered to the servant next to her. Calshe managed to overhear the words ¡®Mia¡¯ and ¡®Kalua¡¯ with her excellent hearing, but she didn''t understand their meaning and tilted her head. However, the servant seemed to understand, looking a little surprised and looking at them from the side. "...Um. I¡¯m asking if you need something but" Mii called out again in her displeasure, and the servant bowed her head, saying ¡®My apologies¡¯. "The two of you looked a lot like someone we know...so. We apologize if we offended you." "Ah, no, we too...Ojou-sama is in a bad mood right now so" ¡°¡Calshe, shut up.¡± Looked like an acquaintance¨D¨Dmaybe that was a person''s name? If so, she thought it made sense, but there was still a lingering feeling of unease. Ideally, it would be best to leave this ce as soon as possible. Calshe was proud of her intuition which was urate, and it was not a good idea to have her master interact with someone she felt ufortable with. She didn''t think the girls were dangerous, but she thought it would be better not to have anything to do with them, so she thought of an excuse to leave. "Well, that''s fine. Are you, by any chance, a new student at Magic Academy?" "...? Krische is?" "That''s right. Apanied by an entourage in a ce like this. Youe from somewhere, right?" However, her master¨D¨DMii started talking with them. Bringing a servant meant she came from a decent family, and she seemed to be younger than Mii. The decision was probably made from that assumption. Mii was prone to jumping to conclusions. Calshe looked at the girl. On the left breast of her ck coat. She nced down from under her muffler, and there was a ¡®Lightning and Hawk Crest¡¯ printed in a dark gray monochrome color. It felt somewhat familiar, but she searched her memory and was relieved that at least it wasn''t from a famous family living around here. At first nce, it didn''t seem like there would be any major problems. "I''m Midyliarize Varnashtel. I''m a student at the academy''s high school. What''s your name?" ¡°Uhh..¡± The girl looked at the servant next to her in confusion, and in response the red-haired servant bowed her head, saying, ¡®Nice to meet you¡¯. "My apologies for thete introduction, this person is Krische Argan. My name is Bery, Varnashtel-sama." "I''m fine with Midyliarize, Berry. This servant is Calshelia. Nice to meet you, Krische." "Eh, ah... yes..." With a troubled look on her face, the girl¨D¨DKrische took Mii''s offered right hand. Miiughed and narrowed her eyes. "I see...Krische. What a great name." "Great¡¡" "Didn''t you know? The first Alberinea¡¯s name was Krische Christand. I''m sure your parents gave you that name so you can be a fine magician like Alberinea." The girl looked at the servant next to her with an even more troubled look on her face. The servant also looked a little troubled¨Dand suddenly, her eyes met Calshe¡¯s. Calshe sensed their troubled state and tried to interrupt, but ¡°Still, Krische Argan and Bery huh¡Fufun, I know. You guys are going to the museum now, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± "We were also thinking of going to the museum. There are many items rted to Alberinea, so if you don''t mind, I''d like to show you around." Mii, who seemed to want to act like a senior, proudly puffed out her empty chest. ¡°M-Mii-sama, you know¡not everyone is Mii-sama¡¡± "What? Even if it doesn''t matter to you, Alberinea is a very great existence for those who study magic. Even though this girl has only been to the academy, she knows about Alberinea and is different from you. Right, Krische.¡± "Um, yes, more or less..." Krische nced again at the red-haired servant. She might be the type to shy away from others. "It was some kind of fortuitous encounter that we met here. Fufu, right, I''ll treat you to sea demon Uma-yaki as well." However, how did her actionse across to them? Calshe¡¯s master, as usual, paid no attention and confidently said so, puffing out her non-existent chest With the copse of Kleinmeer, magical civilization too,es to an end. Hatred towards the magicians who had ruled the world until then¨D¨Dthe next hundred years were the era of witch-hunting. Many magic forms that could be called the crystallization of wisdom were burnt down and lost, along with valuable materials, and it seems that the symbol of the magicians, the World Tree, was attempted to be burned multiple times. However, each time, the World Tree wrapped itself in water to extinguish the fire, and if it was wounded, it would sway and regenerate, and even those who had tried to do something about it eventually came to ept its presence as something sacred. And after a hundred years, the hatred faded. Like the World Tree, magic itself is not evil, but evil resides in the hearts of the people who use it. The monks of Arbyagel, the mountain where the ancient dragons were, walked around the world preaching, and gradually the existence of magicians began to be epted along with the World Tree¡ª¡ªand as time passed, the world found stability again. Magicians were once again allowed to conduct various kinds of research in the name of peaceful development. By entering the Magic Academy, magicians faced significant restrictions on independent research without permission and were asionally troubled by audits from the Peace Church, but they gained a reasonable degree of freedom. To ordinary people, magicians possess immense power. The real reason was that they were afraid that the harsh oppression and oppression would cause them to rebel again. Although many people were aware that the Magic Academy was a cage for controlling magicians, it was epted by many magicians due to its history up until then, and it continues to this day. Millions of people died in thete Kleinmeer war, and many cities disappeared without a trace, along with the people who lived there. A great magician who is especially outstanding among magicians¨D¨Dliving witnesses of that war thatsted for decades remain among these long-lived people, and their call to the magicians was significant. ¨D¨DThe destination of our wisdom is not destruction, but great peaceful development. Albeneria Magic Academy was one of the most prestigious schools of magic that was created. It is very different from the magic academies that were built in various ces to manage those with magical abilities, and its entrance was a narrow gate. Talented apprentice magicians made every effort from a young age, passed difficult exams, and were finally allowed to step in, and magicians who graduated from here were respected just for being from Albeneria. Naturally, afterward, they would be in great demand, such as Midyliarize, the daughter of the Varnashtel family, a master magician. ¡°Fufun, how is it?¡± ¡®It started again¡¯, Calshe looked at her master exasperated. While eating Uma-yaki and giving a long lecture to the two who apparently didn''t know much about it, Mii produced a puppy with the element of water on her finger and made it walk through the air on the spot. Although the puppies were slightly trembling and awkward, it was surprisingly difficult to control a mass of water and move it like a living thing, which was one of the entrance examinations for the students. It seemed that she was very happy that her teacher''s mentor praised her and said that her ability was amazing for such a young age. She was proudly showing it off everywhere. Perhaps having a cat tongue, the girl, who had finished eating the Uma-yaki after it had cooled down, looked next to her with a slightly troubled look, and the servant next to her smiled wryly at her gaze and pped. Although Mi didn''t realize it when she entered her senior-style mode, Calshe had already noticed that these two were no ordinary magicians. Cats use their tails to sense magical energy with great precision. Physical strengthening¨D¨Dbuilding imaginary muscles using magical power. The magic that they still practice is a type of primitive magic that magicians are made to perform from an early age in order to get used to manipting their internal magic. Magicians from before the Unification era who used to brandish swords in battle¨D¨Din the era of heroes, they were the only ones who used them on a daily basis, but now they were mainly used for protection like Calshe. The only people who seriously practiced it were magicians whose purpose was to go out on the battlefield and fight. What was required of a magician was basically magic, and ordinary magicians have abandoned that in order to concentrate on magic, it was extremely difficult to engrave a form in the air and manipte magic while strengthening the body. Calshe and others also cultivated this by cutting out magic, and technology was something like that. In order to gain something, you always have to give up something. However, from that point of view, the two were quite strange. The two were clearly used to physical strengthening. It was so calm that even Calshe, who has strengthened her body more than the average person and excelled in sensing magical power, didn¡¯t notice it for a moment. Its calmness was proof that they use imaginary muscles on a daily basis, and there was even no slight fluctuation that should normally ur every time they moved. Their mastery was extraordinary, and the more she thought about it, the more ufortable it became. Calshe already believed that these two were not just ordinary freshmen or bodyguards. Suddenly, she met the servant''s eyes. With her light brown eyes, she looked at Calshe, then stood up, looking thoughtful for a moment, and then turned back to Mii. "You''re very good at it. However, if you add a form here, it will be a little more stable." ¡°He...?¡± Pointing her fingertips at the floating puppy, a line of blue magic. Flowing beauty¨D¨Dthe fluctuations in magic power were minimal. When the magical thread touches the water puppy, it suddenly orbits at a sharps angle, carving out a vivid form. The shivering puppy suddenly stopped and Mii opened her eyes. "It''s like a faucet. If it''s difficult to stabilize the magical power, it will be much easier if you create a mechanism that restricts the output to a certain level to stabilize the magical power. With this, no matter how much you pour in, the amount of magical power will remain stable.'''' "Y-yes..." ¡°...Of course, there will be some waste, but it is more important to stabilize it first. Midyliarize-sama is quite good at carving out precise techniques, once you get used to it, you will be able to eliminate waste and improve the efficiency.'''' Mi stared at the water puppy with astonishment on her face, then her cheeks blushed. It was like exining history to a dragon. It seemed like she finally noticed it too. "Ah, uh...perhaps are you Doushi-sama (high-ranking priest) or something...?" "Um... well, I guess it''s something like that. Please excuse my rudeness." "No, no, I-I learned a lot." Bery smiled wryly and bowed her head, and Mii hurriedly bowed her head. Intervening in someone else''s form and rewriting it. The ease with which she did it, was an advanced feat even for in an amateur¡¯s eye. While matching the color of the magic and making sure that there was no repulsion between the magic, carving out a new form, and incorporating it without interfering or destroying the already developed form. It would be impossible if one didn''t understand and grasp all of the techniques that were being used¨D¨Dbut she did it easily with a quick nce. She was probably one of the best Doushi who was officially recognized to instruct and teach magic. Moreover, there was no disturbance in the physical strengthening. The atmosphere that the servant wore was calm and different from her appearance. If someone told her that she was a great magician, she wouldn¡¯t have any doubt. Among the high-ranking magicians¨D¨Dthose who were positioned as Sorcerer and Grand Sorcerer, there were some who could be said to have attained eternal youth. Most of them were entric, and some of them may even be entrusted with the education of the daughters of famous families. Regarding her, it''s somewhat understandable¨D¨Dbut the problem lies with the girl beside her. When she saw that, she smiled a little with satisfaction. There was no surprise there¨D¨Dshe, too, seemed to have noticed Mii¡¯s problem and might have been thinking the same thing as the servant. Such spectiones to mind. Compared to the servant, she seemed appropriately aged at first nce, or even younger in demeanor than her appearance suggested. The girl was about to say something, but naturally, she looked at her servant''s actions and was satisfied. Considering Mii''s age of 17, she was extremely talented, andpared to her peers, she was ahead of them. Even in this ce, Albeneria Magic Academy, where the elite gathers, she had excellent grades¨D¨Dit would be faster to count her rank from the top. ¡°Krische, do you have someone like this teaching you every day?¡± "Teach... yes. Bery is Krische¡¯s teacher. Bery teaches Krische¡¯s a lot." Krische said this with a hint of pride, and Bery smiled wryly. A young genius and a high-ranking magician servant¡ª¡ªcertainly, if you put it that way, it seemed usible. But the behavior of the attendant she just made eye contact with and the current guidance session. It felt as if they had been told, ¡®That''s what I want you to understand¡¯, and that stuck in Calshe¡¯s mind in a strange way. However, if asked what it was otherwise, she couldn''t answer, and Calshe could only answer that it just bothered her. Krische happily stood up and wrapped her arms around the servant. The scene was that of a child¡ª¡ªin a sense, it exuded an inexplicable genius, leaving Calshe lost in thought. "I''m jealous...I think it''s going to be a hot topic in middle school. It''s like having a personal instructor." Mii looked at Krische and said with a sigh, then looked at Calshe from the side. ¡°¡Compared to that.¡± "The way you say that is somewhat unexpected. My specialty is martial arts and physical enhancement, I could teach you as much as you want in that area." She responded with a twitch, shaking her ears and tail. "...Well, like you said, I''m quite ordinary, with no learning ability. I''m hopelessly clumsy, and my sense of movement is catastrophically bad, so there are limits." ¡°Ah, um, are you trying to say that that¡¯s me¡?¡± "No, no, how could that me. By the way, Mii-sama, do you have any idea?" "Gunu..." ¡®Now, now¡¯ Bery said, trying to calm her down. The girl held her arm, looking at Calshe and the others. Then, her long eyshes fluttered and her cheeks rxed, smiling happily. ¨D¨DA rare, jewel-like purple color. Seeing her eyes and smile for the first time gave her a strangely nostalgic feeling. Chapter 260.2: Of an Unfinished Tale Chapter 260.2: Of an Unfinished Tale ***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 260 Part 2 Of an Unfinished Tale*** T/N: Last chapter of main story, however there''s still 90 side stories (still ongoing)!! Kleinmeer inherited much of Alberan''s legacy. Naturally, much of it was burned down during the copse, and it was said that a considerable number of historical books and documents were lost. However, just as there were those who destroyed it, there were also those who protected it. Passed into the hands of various people there were many things left behind, and the Albeneria Magic Academy has focused its efforts on collecting and preserving those legacies from the past. Kleinmeer''s great development lies in Alberan. It seems that exploring there was considered to be connected to future development. Due to the witch hunt, magic technology has fallen far behind from its peak. Oftentimes it would quicker to search than to reinvent some things. The gathering of materials for investigating the past is being conducted alongside research, and what was exhibited in this museum was a part of that¡ª¡ªthings that were not currently being researched or had no connection to the magic of that time, but hold value as historical documents. Although some people like Calshe had no interest in it, there were also some whoe from afar specifically to see them. A local schr or perhaps painter. Many people were looking at the exhibits intently, writing in their notebooks with thetest trendy pencils. Calshe was not interested, but she could somewhat enjoy it the first time, though she was already tired of it, being dragged along by Mii for the seventh time. she found herself more interested in the movements of the two next to her than the exhibits. ¡°It might be rude to say this but...it¡¯s surprising, that you like it.¡± "...?" Once inside, the servant took care of the girl''s cloak and folded it over her own. The servant also took her hat, the girl was wearing a white scarf, shirt, and ck skirt. Although she was not gorgeous, she was elegant and had the appearance of a youngdy. When Calshe said that, the silver-haired girl tilted her head and traced her lips with her index finger. A seductive gesture¡ªperhaps a habit when lost in thought. The servant alsi did the same, it seemed that the two had simr mannerisms. Although she seemed troubled by Mii''s proposal, when she went inside sh seemed to be surprisingly enjoying herself. Linked arm in arm with the servant named Bery, having gun. It didn¡¯t seem like she was not interested in Mi''s boring exnations, and she seemed to be quite knowledgeable about the history of that era. It''s notmon for someone to be able to keep up with Mii''s Albeneran trivia. However, the servant Bery was able to do that with Mii''s story. Krische followed her around, listening happily. "Like...Ehehe, maybe. It''s fun." ¡°I thought Mii-sama would be the only young person who is interested in this kind of history.¡± "Hmm...Certainly Krische-sama is definitely a child." Although the girl was thinking a little, for some reason she nodded with confidence. ¡®I didn¡¯t say that much though¡¯, Calshe said with a wry smile. "My bad. Most of the people who like to look at things like this are older people, so I just thought it was a little surprising. Please don¡¯t mind it." On the other side of the magically protected ss, there were swords and spears used at that era, works of art, letters from Queen Crescenta, etc., and many of the people who enjoy these things were old people, even among magicians. This was because the young people, wanting to achieve some kind of results, tended to focus exclusively on the Kleinmeer era, which was rather sophisticated and numerous. Pure historical research was done only by those who have established themselves or were mere schrs, halfway as a hobby. For example, even though there were many young people who were interested in Alberan''s ¡®magical crystal carved by the unprecedented genius Alberinea¡¯, there were not many young people who are interested in such literary materials from that time. It¡¯s one thing if a new magic theory could be created by researching it, but humans were more material things. It was natural that few people would want to undertake research that involved a huge amount of effort but had no reward. It was still understandable that Bery, who was at the level of a Doushi, a servant who was clearly not just as what she seemed, was interested in this kind of thing. If one have Doushi-level skills, they will be highly sought after wherever you go. However, since she was an entric person who works as a servant, it was not surprising that she had unusual hobbies. However, it was a little surprising that the girl was that knowledgeable about this history. Maybe it was influenced by her educator''s hobbies. As they walked deeper inside, they came to a ce where military gs were disyed. Calshe looked at one of them and frowned. The ck g Special Forces Company, which was said to have been led by Alberinea¨D¨Dalongside the ck g with a crescent moon and skull, was the crest of lightning and hawk. The design was more elegant and vivid, but the lightning and hawk depicted on the g seem simr to those on the cloak they were wearing. ¨D¨DIt felt familiar. Calshe nodded and looked at the cloak the servant was holding. Naturally, she could not see the emblem she had seen earlier. The absence of one on Bery''s cloak suggests that it was the Argan house crest. "This one is the military g of the Christand house. Over here the g of the ck g Special Forces Company¨D¨Das you know, it is the g of the private army led by Alberinea." "For such an old thing...it''s surprisingly well-preserved, isn''t it?" With each exnation, Bery would chime in, and Mii seemed to be having a lot of fun. ¡®Ooh¡¯, Krische also let out a small voice, looking impressed. Calshe overheard Krische whispering something to Bery something like Bald Eagle and Meow Meow but she couldn''t make sense of it. Calshe tilted her head and wondered what the bald Bald Eagle and Meow Meow were about, but Bery seemed to understand. Did she mistak ¡®hawk¡¯ for ¡®Bald Eagle¡¯¡ª¡ªbut what did "Meow Meow" represent? The mystery only deepened. She might be looking at apletely different part of the world than what Calshe was looking at. "Yes. It seems that a merchant secretly kept these things for disy as a hobby. Magical protection was also applied, so that''s probably why such beautiful pieces have survived." "I see... the embroidery on the military g is beautiful, and if you think of it as artwork, it can certainly be enjoyed that way." The maid never mentioned anything about the girl''s family crest. Mii either didn''t notice, or chose to ignore it as nothing particrly strange, without ament. This military g was used 1,300 years ago. oth the thunder and the hawk were suitable symbols for a noble family, and there were otherbinations of symbols that seemed familiar. It might not be unusual toe up with simr designs. In this area of the museum, there were many things rted to thete Alberean period, especially to Queen Crescenta, her confidante Alberinea, and the Christand family. Their pace slowed down since they entered here. Alberan¡ªthe age of ancient heroes. Their observation of it seemed oddly nostalgic, different from Mii and the others. "What''s the matter?" "N-nothing..." Bery seemed a bit flustered at Mii''s voice, shaking her head slightly and blushing. What was disyed there was a painting¨D¨Da red-haired girl wearing an apron dress, and a silver girl wearing a glittering dress kissing each other. And arge dragon peeking out from outside the frame. "This is Filipeine¡¯s Holy Spirit of and the Maidens. It''s said that Alberinea challenged an Ancient Dragon to save her beloved servant and formed a covenant... Ah, of course, you already know." "Y-yes...it''s a beautiful picture." ¡°The Dragon Covenant is often used as a subject to depict Alberinea, along with the previously mentioned Hawk Maiden, but Filipeine in particr left behind a particrlyrge number of works. In fact, his grandfather was a member of the ck g Special Company...It was said that this drawing was based on a drawing that his grandfather left as a hobby in hister years.¡± Mii said, holding up her finger proudly. "The kiss between the two caused quite a stir at the time and became the catalyst for Filipeine''s rise as a painter... Unfortunately, the original was burned, so what''s here is a forgery created during its existence. Still, I think it''s valuable and extremely beautiful." Calshe looked at the painting and looked next to her. A red-haired servant. A beautiful silver princess. Purple eyes¨D¨Dof course it was a painting after all, and her face wasn''t exactly simr, but it was an odd coincidence. "C-certainly it¡¯s a very beautiful picture..." Alberinea depicted in paintings usually has silver hair and purple eyes, although there were differences in her clothes. Both trait were actually rare, but it seems that they were described as such in various records as her characteristic appearance. Moreover, if Calshe remember correctly, the red-haired servant''s name was Bery. She remembered Mii saying something like that all the time, and judging from Mii''s reaction when she heard the girls'' names, it was definitely true. ¡®So what¡¯, she thought, but there was something in her throat.. Krische was looking at the painting and watching the servant''s face, which had a somewhat amused light blush on it. She had her arms wrapped around the servant and would not let go, and they were indescribably close. Even if she were to see the two of them kissing each other on the mouth right in front of her not, she could only think, ¡®I see¡¯. The rtionship between the two was strangely simr to that of the girls mentioned in the anecdotes. Neither Alberinea nor her sister-inw Selene nor Queen Crescenta left any trace of their blood. ¨D¨DThey didn''t have any typical love stories, and it seemed like they were forever locked away in the mansion with the servants, living in close harmony, and the prevailing view was that they had ¡®that kind of rtionship¡¯. In the end, it was said that Alberinea died due to a rift with Queen Kreschenta, and that she died due to some kind of experiment. One theory was that they transcended humanity and became gods, and there were many stories of people encountering them all over the world. Perhaps these two truly mysterious people are... "...No, no." ¨D¨DIt''s not like she was Mii. It was just a strange delusion, she thought to herself. If those two still existed, there''s no way they would be walking around town like that. However, the mysterious atmosphere surrounding them somehow lead Calshe to such thoughts. If she thought about it the other way around, there was only proof to deny it, and even if she look around them, no one was paying attention to their beautiful appearance. Moreover, it felt as though even Calshe and Mii were blending into the air. Calshe had no doubts that she was beautiful, and Mii, despite her childish personality, is good-looking. If one think about it normally, this group of four should have attracted a lot more attention¨D¨Dyet, contrary to the times when the two of them walked the streets alone, they felt fewer gazes upon them. She didn¡¯t feel any sign of magical power that inhibits recognition. Such an atmosphere, andfort, wasn''t unpleasant either, so as long as she didn''t mind, it wouldn''t bother her at all. She thought it was fine if she didn''t worry about it, but as she was walking along with the three of them and looking at their backs, she was still concerned. She felt a bit confused. Even if she asked, she wouldn¡¯t get the answer she want, whether it''s right or wrong. Besides, it seemed like the atmosphere would be destroyed if she did that, and seeing the two of them seem to be having fun made her feel strangely hesitant to pry like that. She was already tired of seeing the museums¨D¨Dbut walking around with them like this seems somehow fun, and she shook off her misgivings, thinking that it''s not a bad idea to spend some time in a little wonder. "¨D¨DKrische, it¡¯s not Jaragasha, but Jarea Gashea. Don''t call the crystal of Alberinea¡¯s wisdom by a strange abbreviation." ¡°¡It¡¯s Jaragasha.¡± "M-my apologies. Krische-sama has always liked that name..." ¡°It¡¯s not like but¡ Ugh.¡± While gazing at Krische, who seemed dissatisfied for some reason, she looked at the exhibits. A huge sword as the arms. On disy was an eight-foot-long iron machine soldier¨DJareia Gashea. Kleinmeer''s replica¨D¨Dnot from theter period, it was an original made during the Alberinean era. The head core, which serves as the control tower, was not on disy, but the cores of each joint have been removed and were on disy for viewing. Currently, the production of mechanical dolls forbat purposes is strictly prohibited, with no questions asked, but there were some exceptions that allow mechanical dolls for chores and artificial limbs. Still, it was rare for the original Jarea Gashea to be exhibited, as even students at the Magic Academy wouldn¡¯t get a chance see it unless they major in it. Thit was Mie''s purpose, and excitement couldn''t be hidden from her face. "Still, these the artistic engravings... I wonder how Alberinea managed to mass-produce something like this." Exquisite form engravings that even skilled magecraft technicians would find difficult to mimic. A god of death on the battlefield who was said to have had such power that it could be said to bepletely different from the imitation made by Kleinmeer¨D¨Dthe Kleinmeer had a monopoly on the originals, said to be in the number of 3,000, and this made their control rock-solid. In the final stages, some magicians who were fed up with Kleinmeer''s excessive control policy lent a hand to the Allied Forces, but their insanebat power and mobility were still overwhelming. "The ruler of a battlefield that should never be fought...That''s why its final moments are so interesting." ¡°The end...?¡± ¡°Mysteriously, this Jareia Gashea also seems to have a strange weakness, and never wield the sword against a red-haired woman.¡± The only survivor of the unit that was annihted by Jarea Gashea¨D¨Da red-haired female soldier. She testified that she felt as if she had been overlooked by Jarea Gashea, a mindless killing doll. During thete stages of the war, many women participated as soldiers in the Allied Forces, and there were several simr cases. One staff officer noticed that it wasn''t a coincidence. That person was originally a historian and knew several anecdotes about Alberan and Alberinea. "The subject of the Dragon''s Covenant was famous enough to be depicted in paintings... It''smon knowledge for those who study history that Alberinea deeply loved a red-haired servant. They investigated whether there might be a clue to conquering Jarea Gashea, and formed a special force called ¡®Red Goddesses¡¯ made up of red-haired women. It was said that they sessfully captured Jarea Gashea, and that served as a turning point for the Alliance to make up for the loss. Bery''s mouth dropped open as she listened to Mii nodding her head with satisfaction. Then, her cheeks flushed again, she looked at Krische in confusion. She couldn''t see Krische¡¯s face from this angle, but Krische grabbed her arm tightly and seemed somewhat embarrassed. ¡°...There are many different evaluations of Alberinea, but I believe that she was someone who possessed extraordinary power but was at the mercy of fate. This is proof of that... It''s no exaggeration to say that her love hidden in this murderous doll is what ended that war after a thousand years¡± "I-I see..." Her white skin was dyed red, and her voice was a little hoarse. Calshe looks at the ¡®red-haired servant named Bery¡¯ and felt the haziness that she had shaken off swell again. "It is also true that this has created hundreds of years of peace and stability... After all, tools are created and manipted by human hands. Seeing this makes me think about various things even though I live in a peaceful era." Mii said quietly and nodded to herself. The servant who was blushing also nodded silently. ¡°Well, I agree with you.¡Alberinea probably made this to protect her small daily life.¡± ¨D¨DAt least that''s how I. And as she continued, Calshe watched as she lovingly caressed the girl''s silvery skin. By the time they came out of the museum, the sun had already set a little and the air was getting colder. The two thank Mii and Calshe, saying that they had a great time, and bid farewell. ¡®I''ll see you again soon¡¯, Mi called out to them, and the two of them smiled wryly, as if they were troubled. Perhaps there were other people with them, but there were several women standing a little further away. The graceful blonde haired girl raised her eyebrows, asking andining where they were and what were they doing, and so did the pink haired girl. Behind them, the two servants looked troubled butughed happily. Now that she thought about it, she remember what the girls were saying about shopping, and her body stiffens when she noticed that behind them¨D¨Da huge magical beast was pulling a cart while yawning. There was arge amount of luggage on it. No matter where you look, they were horse-drawn carriages and women who stood out. However, they naturally blended into the surroundings, and even Mii, who is looking at the same thing next to Calshe, was not surprised or even notice the monster pulling the carriage¨D¨Da huge Suiko. Calshe no longer thought that that girl and her servant were just new students and servant, nor did she think that the girls who looked from a distance were normal human. The girl took the red-haired servant''s hand and ran over to one of the servants over there, and she whispered something in her ear. As expected, the voice could not be heard over the crowd. However, Calshe could clearly see the servant staring at her with a slightly surprised look on her face. A beautiful servant with ck hair neatly cut to the shoulder. She then shook her head at the girl who told her something, and smiled bitterly. She took a step forward and smiled, but she bowed deeply and beautifully. She didn¡¯t know what the intention was or what it meant¨D¨Dbut there was something nostalgic about it, and Calshe bowed her head, feeling a strange feeling as well. Mi followed suit, looking confused, and when she looked up, she smiled again and called out to the girl. The girl lightly bowed with the red-haired servant and turned her back, then walked away with them. As they turned the corner ahead of them, Calshe suddenly started running¨D¨Dbut there was no sign of the girls'' backs anywhere. It was as if no one was there from the beginning. "¨D¨DWhy didn''t you tell me!" "Even if you ask why, well, it''s just that the atmosphere is..." ¨D¨DThat night, in the great library of the Magic Academy. Bookshelves and a spiral staircase are neatly lined up inside the tall tower. The seat on the third floor, called the Tower of Knowledge, was a ce where books rted to Alberan, which had rtively little to do with magic, were lined up, and it was a reserved seat for Mii. She spendt most of her free time here, and Calshe kills time by looking at books containing old folklore, stories, ys, and short stories. At first, Mii was also looking at the book as if filling her own interests, but today, she noticed that Calshe was unusually flipping through a book rted to Alberan and reading it as if searching for something. When asked why she was reading something like that, Calshe didn''t hide anything and talked about the two they met today¨D¨DMii was furious. "Atmosphere!? You, do you how important¨D¨D?" "Midyliarize! If you make too much noise, I''ll ban you from entering for a while!" "Y-yes!" Mii flinched at the head librarian''s voice from downstairs and res at Calshe. Calsheughed and calms downed her down sayong ¡®now, now¡¯. ¡°Mii-sama didn''t seem to notice, and the two of them seemed to be having fun...Even if my imagination was correct, it probably wasn''t what those two wanted. Mi-sama will definitely make a fuss.¡± "Guu...B-but..." ¡°Or would you say it would have been better for Mi-sama to learn from me and then bombard the two of them with questions while they were enjoying themselves?¡± "Uh... I mean..." "I''m sure it''s fine just to remember that rare things happened." Mii groaned in frustration as her eyes swam around. It was her ¡®But But I mean Syndrome.'''' It was a serious illness that makes her unable to say anything other than ¡®but¡¯ or ¡®I mean when her emotion argument was challenged with reason. She was so frustrated that she looked like she was about to cry, and with a wry smile, Calshe patted Mii on the head and said, ¡®It¡¯s okay¡¯. "A valuable experience, a precious encounter. Even if Mii-sama didn''t realize it, Mii-sama was able to talk to someone Mii-sama admires, so it''s great. Well, there''s also the possibility that this was all my misunderstanding." Even while saying this, she strangely didn''t really think it was a misunderstanding. It was just a hunch, but Calshe knew that her hunch was urate, and the more she looked into it, the more convinced she became. Thunder and hawk emblem¨D¨Dthe family crest of the Christand family. It was different from what was depicted on the military g, but it was probably the real thing. When she unraveled the book, she discovered that it depicted exactly the same thing. A military book that was a little different from a history book. Remembering that the current military structure was called the Christand style, she opened it and saw that the same one drawn on the cloak¨D¨Don her left breast, was written at the beginning of the book. It praised the achievements of the great Christand family and described themon crest used by the Cristand family for clothing and belongings. However, for some reason no one who used the crest recorded in a book like this existed. There were nobles who used or were given the same crests in honor of heroes of the past, and people from different countries may have simr family crests. However, Kleinmeer has a long history. Most of the families that have family crests today were given to them during the Kleinmeer era, and it was rare to find a ¡®coat of arms that is still alive¡¯ in books. The thunder and hawk of the Christand family werre not just ¡®dead crest'' that were recorded in books. "...What are you looking for, Calshe?" "Hmm, I wonder what I¡¯m looking for." ¡°You, are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just looking at things because I¡¯m kind of interested.¡± The book she was currently flipping through was called ¡®In the House of the Noble Hawk¡¯. This appears to be a manuscript written and left behind by a servant of the Christand family. It was a difficult and heavily ornamented text¨D¨Deven though it was the basis for the current Meerenguage, it was tiresome to decipher, but surprisingly, the content written seemed more like a diary than an autobiography. It was quite thick, but it seemed like it could be halved if the unnecessary parts were removed. From her birth to her meeting with the respected Cristand servant, Berry=Argan. When she saw this, she was exasperated at theme lie that that servant hade up with on the fly, and also at her own master. There was little mention of the names of Alberinea¡¯s beloved servants. It is well known among schrs that she had red hair, but in most cases she was simply described as Alberinea¡¯s servant. However, in this book, which Mii must have read many times, her name, surname, and physical characteristics were clearly written down over half a page. Even though it should have been normal for Mii to feel that it was odd, she didn¡¯t even had a doubts. That servant probably didn''t even know that her Otherwise, she didn¡¯t think they had any intention of hiding, using the name Krische Argan and berry. Now that she thought about it, they seemed to know a lot about Alberan, but she felt like their knowledge ofter generations and Kleinmeer was quite limited. If they had that much knowledge, it''s only natural that they would know about Kleinmeer''s famous paintings, but it was as if they were seeing it for the first time. Flipping through the pages, the characters written down are the residents of the mansion. Queen Kreschenta, future Marshal Selene. At the moment of parting¨D¨Dthe two people who appeared on the Suiko¡¯s side ovepped. If that''s the case, the two remaining servants¨D¨Done of them could have been the one who wrote this. There weren''t many characters. There were three princesses and two servants¨D¨Dand after the civil war, one more. "...Elvena" When she said it, it strangelyes to her, and she trace the words with her fingertips and her eyes narrowed. A beautiful servant with ck hair cut at the shoulders. It seems that she and the author, Anne, had a friendly rtionship. "...Already there? I think you''re reading too fast." "No, there are a lot of things that don''t seem to matter. Isn''t there a continuation of this?" "No. It was destroyed in a fire. I think it''s strange that they haven''t even made a manuscript of something this important." The book was almost over. It seems that there was actually one more book, but it was lost. It seems to have been a gift to her father in the Giterns family, where she was born, and it was kept there for many years, along with his huge collection of books, and was buried there. The head of the family at the time, who noticed its forgotten existence after the mansion caught fire, sold it to a schr as something of historical value, and this was the only book that remains. she turned the page while smiling bitterly at Mii who was angry. After the civil war was over, the story was about Elvena, as a rival for a while. It then talked about Krische¡¯s establishment of the famous ck g Special Forces Company, and says said its members would asionally visit mansions in the royal domain. It seemed to be quite rare for the time, as she simply praised the character of her master, Alberinea, who did not discriminate against nobles andmoners, including Elvena. Judging by his appearance today, she certainly seems like that kind of person. When the book said that she was a pure and kind person, she could only nod. The book said that Elvena had an older sister who belonged to the ck Century, the predecessor of the ck g Special Company, and that it was she and her corps'' adjutants who often visited. Her name was¨D¨D "......, As if" Her ears on her head stiffened and her tail stretched taut. She felt her cheeks twitched as she smiles bitterly, and she rubbed the corners of her eyes. "What happened? Did something happened?" "No, I''m just tired from reading something I''m not used to." "...I think you know, but I''m staying up all night today." "Huh? Why?" "I''m going to write it all down so I don''t forget. It''s everything the two of you said and what I realized, right? It''s an event that should be recorded in history. When I get big enough and have the right to speak, I''ll publish it. That¡¯s why.¡± Mii seemed to be saying this seriously, and before she knew it, Mii had prepared ink, a fountain pen, and a notebook. Calshe¡¯s cheeks twitch again. ¡°¡Um, Mi-sama, can you do it tomorrow?¡± "I can''t trust Calshe because if you sleeps, you will forgets it the next day. It''s master''s orders, okay?" "Haa...guess I can''t just keep it in my memories." "Shut up. Write down what you remember so you don''t forget them." Sighing at those words, Calshe turned her gaze back to the book. ¡®¨D¨DI guess that¡¯s what being so close that they can fight look like. Krische-sama always looked at the two of them troubledly, and Elvena-sama would soothe them. Even though Elvena-sama would be smiling bitterly, she looked very, very happy.¡± Then Calshe closed her eyes for a moment and recalled the girl''s purple color. Just like when she was looking at various things at the museum, the way she looked at Mi and Calshe seemed to be as if she were nostalgic. She remember that servant''s slightly surprised look and her smile. Smiles and gestures that seem strangely nostalgic. She thought that her name was probably Elvena, and for some reason she never doubted it. She didn''t believe in reincarnation, and she didn¡¯t think it exist. But when she thought about it, today''s seemingly coincidental encounter seemed a little bit fateful, and Calshe quietly rxed her cheeks. The trivial and pleasant daily life depicted in the book has no end to it, and continues half-heartedly. Their unrecorded days were sure to continue as they were even now, and she wonder if they too will look at today''s trivial memories andugh. When she imagined how various scenes would be depicted in the continuation of the book, Calshe smiled bitterly to herself. There were only a few more pages left in the book. However, what lied ahead seems to be infinite and endless. However, as depicted here, it seemed strangely fun and happy. Mii, who had been writing down today''s details in her notebook, looked up at her, and her lips pouted, as if asking for help. She then looks over at the line on Calshe where her finger rests, and she says in amazement. "What an amazing person. That person." "yeah?" When Calshe tilted her head, Mii continued. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she called that Alberinea by a nick name.¡± Calshe traces the letters with her finger while smiling bitterly at those words. "Really? Fufu... But, unlike Mii-sama, I guess I can understand this person''s feelings." What she remember was a girl frolicking on the snow like a rabbit. Why did she think she was a rabbit? As she thought about this, she smiled and hummed. "I think it''s very cute. ¨D¨DUsa-chan." Chapter 261: Character introductionâ€•â€•Estate and Surrounding (Includes spoilers) Chapter 261: Character introduction¨D¨DEstate and Surrounding (Includes spoilers) ***Those Who are Outside the Main Story, Character 261 Character introduction¨D¨DEstate and Surrounding (Includes spoilers)*** Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 **Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156** **Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163** **¡õ Those who Remained ¡ö Thoe who Departed** - ------Estate in Fantasy World ¡õ Krische Alberinea Christand --- Order Evil God-like and childlike type of girl. Adopted daughter of the Christand House. Alberinea. The estate demoness. Krische is known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry¡±, the Cursed Child of the royal family, and the first princess of Alberan who was erased. She was supposed to be killed, but her caretaker servant, Nora, let her escape, and she was brought up in the vige of Kalka. Krische was an abnormal person whocked empathy and had no remorse for murder or violence. However, as a result of the strong love she received from good people, she hase to be able to understand ethics and emotions as well as anyone else. Fundamentally she can only take people''s words as they are and is not good at reading their emotions. Apart from this, Krische is literally a genius with superhuman talent in every aspect. She has the ability to easily absorb and develop any technology with just a nce. No matter what she does, she acts on the basis of her idea that ¡°it is natural that she can do it''''. She is strongly obsessed with her own excellence and is a hard worker. In terms of human rtionships, Krische basically acts on a profit-and-loss basis, but she is not good at reading other people''s emotions. As a result, she tends to overestimate what others have given her, and underestimates what she gives to others. Because of this, she tends to demand of herself an excessive amount of "return" in exchange for the genuine favors she receives from others., and, she has the nature of no sparing any effort necessary for it. Krische behavior is based on her poor skill of human rtionships. Although one side of her can be said to be very good, her reputation differs greatly depending on whether you see her as a mere deviant or a girl who is too pure. As an individual, she is an overwhelming existence that no one can match, but she is dependent, mentally young, and fragile. The more she deepens her rtionships with those around her and the more human happiness she gains, the weaker she bes mentally. Compared to the time when she was mentally independent and did not value others, she has gradually drifted away from the "perfect existence" she had desired. However, her obsession with being perfect is fading, and she wants to be a person who can feel various things like a normal human being than be perfect that has cut out many things. There are times when she thinks she''s grown up a little emotionally, but she''s still just a child. She has a magical taste imprint on her tongue, the same as the taste imprint on Bery''s tongue. **After Bery''s illness caused by the dragon''s blood, she had understood almost all of the structure of the world, and by discovering Soul and Origin, she mastered its depths, and together with Kreschenta she created Heavenly Pole, a magical well that filled the itself with magical power. She transforms the world and uses the immense magic power to create a fantasy world, Fuyofuyofuwan (note: named by Krische), that ovep with the world, and decides to move there. The official name was decided as ¡°Krisneit" at the First Christand Conference in the new world, in the ancientnguage, it means the Abode of the Moon.** ¡î **After Moving Even though she has literally gained the power of a god, she still does housework in an apron dress. There are vis and huts handmade by Selene all over the world, and although Krische¡¯s work was increasing every year, she has no particr problems and enjoys doing housework while organizing her schedule. Since she could easily disrupts the market by mass-producing creations of divine craftsmanship, money-oriented production is prohibited, so she often helps with Selene''s craftsmanship, Bery''s fields and gardens, and wine-making. Basically, her job is to hunt rampaging demonic beasts. As the quantity of meat continue to increase, she and Bery research and establish various cooking methods for magical beast meat. It''s generally tough but highly vorful. She periodically goes berserk on a regr basis, and when she get into ¡®Spoiled Krische¡¯ mode, she bes uncontroble.** ¡÷ **Historically In history, she was the greatest hero in history who led Alberan to the unification of the continent, and in the history of magic, she is the ancestor of magicians called primordial magicians along with Kreschenta. She made her debut battle at the age of 14, and ran around the battlefield as the sword of Queen Alberan, and it was said that, without exaggeration, she has took over a thousandmander''s heads. She is also known as a genius tactician and inventor, but many descriptions, regardless of friend or foe, primarily highlight her tremendousbat abilities She is also known as a genius tactician and inventor, but many ounts of her, both enemy and ally, first mention her tremendous fighting ability as an individual, such as the destruction of fortress walls and stone trebuchets with javelins, etc. There is no doubt that she was an absolute force in her time. In particr, her sword skills were unparalleled, and she was feared as a head hunter because of the way she easily split the necks of her opponents with a small curved sword, and many generals died before her de. From numerous anecdotes pf her ruthless on the battlefield, many texts depict her as a pleasure-seeking murderer with psychological defects. However, writings from those close to her consistently describe her as a kind person, showing the divided opinions about her character. In magic history, many descriptions and surviving magic crystals suggest that she was the first to carve magical forms into the sky, creating magic¨D¨Dher title, Alberinea, remains as the highest honorific title among magicians. Her artistic magical inscriptions have yet to bepletely reproduced, with even the advanced encryption spells engraved on Jareia-Gashea''s main core magic crystals remaining unbroken. Given the mass production of such advanced magic crystals, it''s believed that there might have been magic to automatically carve magic form on them. Her end varies in ounts, some said she ascended to divinity along with Queen Kreschenta using the "Grand Magic of Heavenly Changes¡±, which filled the world with magic. Others im she failed and perished. However, legends of encounters with them or being aided by them are widespread worldwide.** ? Combat Command Extremely aggressive in bothbat and tactics. Amander with the disposition of a hunter who ces the highest priority on mobility to inflict fatal damage on his opponents, always uses his mobility to confuse the enemy, trap them, and never fight in a disadvantageous situation. She makes the most of the strongest piece (pawn) that is herself, preferring the "headhunting tactics" to prioritize enemymanders and eliminate them without question, She boasts overwhelming strength against enemies that fight her head-on. Fundamentally, other than the bare minimum she demanded of her subordinate, she doesn¡¯t expect anything else from them, and she assembles tactics to win that that in mind, despite that, she has a bad habit of always not being satisfied if she didn¡¯t aim for maximum results. Although she is usually covered by the ck g Special Force, she often falls ill due to the excessive burden on herself, and yet she always pretends to be fine, which is not good for her. She is a troublesomemander who will copse if others do not follow her lead. Her only w, which makes her the strongest, is a very elementary one¨D¨Dshe is too stubborn and childish to manage her own physical condition properly. **However, that was back when she was just a human, and when she used her magic, there was no one other than Kreschenta who could stand against her.** Appearance: Long silver hair. Purple eyes. Very petite (small stature). Slender. Moderate chest. Like a fairy. **A magic form on her tongue.** Armor: casual clothes, gloves, reinforced boots, **garter belt.** ¡úSelf-evaluation: Very smart and talented, but still has a lot of immature parts. Maybe a little stupid. Bery¡¯s. **A little bit of adult.** **Strong points: Magic. Calction.** Likes: Housework in general, including cooking. Sweet stuff. Be pampered. Kisses, hugs and general physical contact. Caring others. Watching Berry''s face. **Nightcap. Wine making.** Dislikes: Anything that disturbs the peace around her. War. **Death of people close to her.** Worries: **Being too happy.** ¡õ Selene Argillite Rinea Christand --- Neutral Good A type of girl who won''t tolerate distribution of public morals. The head of the Christand House. The estate¡¯s conscience. The only Child of the military house Christand. She is a hardworking girl who has aplex about being a woman and works hard to follow in the footsteps of her heroic and respected father. Until a few years ago, she cursed herself for being a woman instead of a man and put in so much excessive efforts, enough for the people around her feel uneasy until she met Krische who was overwhelmingly talented. As she takes care of Krische, who is young and likes housework in spite of her talent, she broadens her horizons, which had only allowed her to see herself as the daughter of a general, and she begins to cherish the small things in her life. Though she is talented, hardworking, and because of that she is extremely excellence, she is basically a hard worker who tends to push herself too hard. Her father, the Hero, Bogan, and his subordinate, as well as Bery and Krische. Due to growing up surrounded by gifted people, she tends to underestimate herself. She has a serious and overly responsible personality, often imposing unreasonable effort on herself. She has a workaholic constitution, she dedicates herself to her studies and work whenever she has free time. Since she became a marshal, she has be a habit of saying that she is too busy, but she is full of motivation because she was able to fulfill her father''s wishes, such as the establishment of a military school. She loves Krische as a younger sister but is also very concerned about her abnormality. She feels that it is her own inadequacy faults that Krische had to fight, and it is her goal to help her lead a peaceful life away from the battlefield. She hates herself for relying on and taking advantage of Krische, but the heavy responsibility and situation given to her doesn''t allow that. Although she has a strong respect for Bery, she also feels a sense of rivalry and jealousy towards Berry''s abilities and behavior, and it is her dream to one day beat her. **Bery''s illness caused by dragon''s blood caused her to face herplex towards her head-on, and at one point she considered leaving them due to her disappointment in herself. However, she realized that Krische loves Selene not for her abilities, but for Selene''s own clumsiness, and she takes time to ept this and decided to walk together with them.** ¡î **After Moving Eternal paradise created by a young god¨D¨Dexecutive officer of its public moralsmittee (actually one person). She spends her days regting the mansion''s discipline, which would otherwise descend into endless chaos if left unchecked. The Morals Committee has established a number of rules for the mansion, including mutual monitoring, and encourages moderate interactions, but as Selene is the only one to police them, and that she would often time got swept away with them, the rule repeatedly reduced to mere formalities then strict then mere formalities. She is an extreme workaholic who would die without work, so she often spends her spare time creating things, such as forging swords and making pots. She is one of the mansion''s sources of ie, and from time to time famous swords and works of art whose creators and sources are unknown appear on the market. Recently, they have been digging for high-quality iron ore and searching for soil, and most of their trips are usually at Selene or at Bery''s request. She is also very particr about building houses, and has built various cabins and vis in various locations. The fine hut built next to Regve¡¯s bed was destroyed eight times by the pping wings of the visiting dragon.** ¡÷ **Historically She ismonly known as Alberinea''s older sister, and for professional soldiers, she is especially known as the mother of the military. She extensively implemented the military staff n left by her father, the hero Bogan Christand, promoting the educational leveling and individualized training ofmanders,, who had previously relied on individual inherited education and self-study. Because as deeply involved in the establishment of military schools aimed at standardizing the military''s capabilities, inter generations she was often referred to as a genius military politician, the counterpart of the genius military strategist Alberinea. Even today, many military books still include with her Christand House, "The Lightning and Hawk Emblem" at the front, and her military structure incorporating the General Staff is known as the Christand style. She became a marshal at a young age and wrote many book withmentaries on the strategies and tactics of the time and those of Alberinea, and many of her manuscripts and copies have survived as reference books for military personnel. Some of the original manuscripts contain sections that appear to have been added by Alberinea, and there are colloquialments and footnotes in the corners of hermentary, suggesting that their rtionship was very close. Although she rose to the position of Marshal, the highest position in the Kingdom of Alberan, she never took a husband and bore no children, and from many ounts of that time, the prevailing view is that she had a rtionship with Alberinea that was more than just sisters.** ? Combat Command She is aggressive by nature, but she always doubted her own abilities and will not overdo it. She ces importance on making the most of the abilities of her excellent subordinates, constructing her tactics from the exact opposite of Krische¡¯s point of view. She prefers basic tactics and coordination that push through with the quality and numbers of her troops, rather than any kind of surprise (strange) tactics, and ces great importance on securing superiority at the strategic stage. Her underestimation of her own abilities has be a kind of virtue in the current position, and the way she honestly evaluates the abilities of others and assigns roles to them has no political overtones, she is beginning to be regarded as a pure militarymander of the kingdom. **Because she rose to the position of marshal without gaining any experience, he never really grew as a tactician, but she never made any strategic mistakes and led the kingdom to long-term stability as an excellent marshal. Even after moving, she continues to swing her sword and is steadily improving her skills.** Appearance: Long golden hair. Blue eyes. Slender build. Average chest. Graceful. Armor: te mail with silver wind and silver wings. ¡ú **Krische: A hopeless idiot. But she love it.** **Strong Points: Sword forging. wood processing. Making pots.** Likes: Swordsmanship. Reading. **Making things.** Spoiling Krische. Dislikes: War. **Viting rules. The pping of dragon wings.** **Worry: The morals of the mansion.** ¡õ Bery (Lipus) Argan --- Neutral Good A girl with a weak sense of reason who fights against reason. A servant of the Christand house. The estate¡¯s witch. Selene''s aunt and the daughter of Argan house, which fell into ruin due to a business failure. Originally sickly and weak, because of this she has extremely low self-esteem and an introverted temperament. She Concern about the trouble she causes others with her body and when she was a child, she intentionally adopted an indifferent attitude so that others would not have to worry about her, however, this make the servants hated het, and it worsened her mental state, leading her to live her life wishing for her own death. Even after her family''s downfall and her physical problems are resolved when shees to Christand, her self-loathing only grows. When her older sister, whom she adores, entrusted her to take care of Selene, who is too serious, she tries to act cheerful to take her sister''s ce, but that doesn''t work either, and she curses herself for not being able to do anything right. She was one of the people who were saved when she met Krische with her pure affection and goodwill. Although outwardly gentle and good-natured, she suffered from a slight distrust of men after the fall of the Argan house, and her introverted temperament has also led her to draw a line when ites to human rtionships. She is a genius and has a talent that is too good to be left as a servant, but due to her temperament, she is content with her position as a servant and does not want to be in the public eye. She is currently devoting most of her talent and passion to cooking, which Bogan, Selene, and others feel is a waste. She may look gentle, but she is stubborn and though she looks like a logical person she is in the feels/intuition faction. When ites to what she feels is good, she tends to prioritize her emotions over her reasoning. She has a strong affection/love for Krische and puts her happiness first, but her possessiveness is growing stronger. Her strong self-loathing and introverted nature, and her affection/love has a strong dependence nature, but because Krische who is the target of her affection/love also has the same disposition, there¡¯s no one who could handle it. Recently, she has had a breakthrough and feels that what Krische wants is what she wants. She feels that it is right, and believes it is not a mistake. Or perhaps she had found something that she was looking for in herself after spending time with her. She is troubled by the fact that she had a devious feeling toward Krische, who has a matching magical engraving on her tongue. **She didn''t think it would be a bad thing for her to die from the dragon''s blood, but she waspletely blown away by the fact that Krische wanted her even after dying. ¨D¨DThe bad one is Krische-sama. The excuse to bind her eternally was something she truly desired from the bottom of her heart.** ¡î **After Moving Eternal paradise created by a young god¨D¨Dthe person responsible for regting the morals. In the absence of duties rted to the Christand House, there is an incredibly unhealthy duty of pampering Krische and Kreschenta, in order to avoid Selene''s sermons and maintain her rationality, she spends her time in the vegetable garden and fields, improving the varieties of crops, making processed products, and nning trips. Her hobby, the vegetable garden, has expanded year by year, and the area surrounding the mansion is now nted with fruits, vegetables, and herbs from all over the world, these and their processed products are also one of the mansion''s sources of ie. Under the guise of a peddler, she sells harvested products and processed products in various ces, and like spices, she also focuses on wine production, as it is suitable for sale. However, this has led Krische and Kreschenta drinking under the pretext of tasting and asking to be pampered while pretending to be drunk, the emergence of "Drunk Krische" and "Drunk Kreschenta¡±, the ¡°Drunk Twins¡± troublesome personalities. Currently, the 87th alcohol prohibition bill is under review at the Christand conference.** ¡÷ **Historically The world''s most famous servant. Commonly known as Alberinea''s servant. In order to save her beloved servant, Alberinea single-handedly challenged the mighty ancient dragon and made a pact with it. The anecdote is one of the popr themes of Kleimeer''s era due to its simple and beautiful plot. Paintings, ys, and even songs have been created using them as motifs. Controversy had arisen over the kiss, which is recorded in several memoirs, but it began to subside after the painting, ¡°The Holy Spirit and the Maidens'''' (by Philippine), which is very close to the truth. A thousand yearster, when Jareia Gashea''s weakness of being unable to attack red-haired women became known, she was worshipped as the goddess of love and luck by the soldiers of the Allied Forces. This led to the eptance of the session of Alberinea by magicians (even the highest-ranked magician in Kleinmeer used the name Alberinea) The tradition of naming red-haired girls Bery became popr shortly after the war. As time passed, the trend faded away, and the name Berry, which was only preserved in "In the Noble Hawk''s Mansion" and a few other records about "The Covenant of the Dragon," wasrgely forgotten by the people, often referring to her as "Alberinea¡¯s servant" as if it were a proper noun.** Appearance: Red hair trimmed at her shoulders. Brown eyes. Small stature. Large chest. Cute baby face. A magic seal on her tongue. Armor: Maid''s uniform (garter belt optional). ¡ú Krische: An existence that is more beautiful than anyone else. **My Krische.** Strong points: Household chores in general, including cooking. Etiquette. Sophism. Art of self-defense. **Board game.** Likes: Household chores in general, including cooking. Teaching. Loving Krische. **Going on a trip.** **Dislikes: Her weakness to temptation.** **Worry: Her reason and sanity** ¡õ Kreschenta Fana Vera Alberan --- Order Evil A god-like dog girl. She is the first princess of Alberan Kingdom. The mansion''s dog. Known as the ¡°The baby who doesn¡¯t cry'''', the royal family Cursed Child. but thanks to the quick wit of her servant named Nora, she survived and was raised as a princess. Like Krische, shecks empathy at the cost of a high level of intelligence and has no remorse for killing others for her selfish purpose. She has killed her own father, brother, and servants in various ways to gain power, and has no hesitation in getting her hands dirty to protect herself. As a result of being almost killed as a Cursed Child, she is obsessed with the idea that she is in a position where her life is always in danger. In a sense, she is even more abnormal than Krische, but her upbringing in the royal pce has given her a morbid ability to act, and her abnormality has not been exposed. She recognizes her older sister, Krische, as the only equal being to her, and feeling that they can cooperate with each other, she frames her uncle Gildanstein for the King''s murder and takes refuge in Christand. Her interactions and rtionship of mutual trust with Krische and people around her, Bery and Selene have caused changes inside her. She has be more softer in recent years, partly because she has realized the happiness that can onlye from emptying her head, but she has not lost her essential nature or her obsessiveness. She is even more obsessed with safety and peace of mind than Krische. Her willingness to kill stems from a strong attachment and obsession with security, and she is not a pleasure killer. She has be calmer mentally these days. As expected, her growth stopped at 1/1 Krische. **She continued to regret that she had killed Berry with her own hands, and she could not forget it. She was afraid of being hated by Bery and was scared of seeing her again, but she finally freed herself from her suffering by venting with Krische and met her again. At the time that she ceased to be human, she finally became human.** ¡î **After Moving This world because of myself, I am the greatest. The owner of the mansion. She hasn''t changed in the way she acts so proudly, calling herself the god of this world. She often follows around behind Berry,ining about her work and Selene''s craftmanship. Helping depend on her whim. When Berry teases her, she would get angry and go to Selene, and when Selene makes fun of her, she go to Bery, and it has be a regr sight for her to repeatedly go back and forth between the two of them. Because she has a difficult personality that cannot ept being pampered without making excuses, she uses her excellent brain to intentionally induce situations where she can use various excuses, such as not being able to move her head when he wakes up, holding sweets hostage, being drunk, or being cold. Intentionally preventing this leads to her reaching the limit of her endurance (note: small) and starting to sulk, requiring a minimum of several days of indulgence to calm her ''Coddling Kreschenta'' mode.** ¡÷ **Historically She was essentially the great queen who achieved world unification (as Alberan civilization level overwhelmed other continents). Feared as the Demon Lord of Alberane. In magic history, she is known as the primordial magicians alongside Krische. She is a legendary ruler who is said to outshine even the Alberan Queen Grabaraine, and has extraordinary foresight, swallowing up various countries and preventing major rebellions. It is said that she had the eyes of God because she stabilized a vast territory. She spoke all existingnguages as if they were her native tongue, and is said to have memorized every detail of the country¡¯s finances, even towns and viges around the world. Many of her descriptions either praise or fear her extraordinary intelligence. Apart from a few recorded major purges, her reign was wless. She prioritized the prosperity of the nation and the relief of the lower sses above all else during her rule, andbined with her peerless beauty, she enjoyed immense poprity among the people. For nearly fifty years, the kingdom functioned normally without her presence, and there are several reasons for this, but above all, it is believed to be due to her absolute charisma. The existence of the buried major purge and the subsequent actions of Alberinea after unification. The attitude of showing no mercy to political opponents and her abnormally high abilities. There is a strong view that she and Alberinea were the so-called ¡®Cursed Child of Alberan¡¯, and there are many opinions that she had a distorted mentality, just like the founding kings Bazariche and Grabaraine. However, regardless, her achievements were not overshadowed, and it would be no exaggeration to say that the peace thatsted for several hundred years from the early to middle stages of Kleinmere was created by her, and there is no doubt that she was an unprecedented wise ruler. The reasons for her relinquishing thepleted kingdom are unknown, but it is certain that it was nned from decades ago with policies such as the spread of education and the appointment ofmoners, and the establishment of a parliament, and active debate about this topic are still ongoing.** Appearance: Long reddish-gold hair. Purple eyes. Very small stature. Slender. Chest non-existent. Fairy-like. **¡úKrische: Stupid and kind older sister. An idiot. Has no shame.** **Strong points: Lying. Acting. Calction. Making excuses. Imitating of a dog.** Likes: Herself. Being pampered. Skinship in general. Cookies. Rewards. **To instruct. Tasting wine.** **Dislikes: To be looked down upon.** Worry: **Disciplining bossy and poor people.** ¡õ Anne Giterns --- Neutral Good No matter how many years have passed, she is still a clumsy girl. A servant of the Christand family. She is a bystander at the mansion.. She is the daughter of a Marquis and was given an education for gifted children by various tutors, but it did not go well. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her to serve as an apprentice in the Royal estate. However, there she encountered Bery, a servant of the Christand house, and became so enamored with her that she threw off her position as a servant in the Royal estate that her parents had begged for her to ept, and became a servant of the Christand house, even as she was on the verge of being disowned. While she is notcking in intelligence or ability, her stage fright, delusions (imagination), and optimistic thinking often lead her to make mistakes at crucial moments, which often irritate those around her. Despite this, she is serious and good-natured,es from a good family background, and has good looks. If only she could sit still, she would be a favorite, but her temperament prevents her from doing so. Recently, she has witnessed the immoral reality of the Christand house and cannot stop fantasizing about it. She became close to Gallen, who always praises and kind her, she secretly wants to talk to Mia, who has a simr atmosphere to her. She is beginning to feel threatened by Elvena, a talented young woman who has emerged on the scene. Since the day Gallen departed, she had been writing about what happened in Christand in her spare time. **The second volume of the book describes the true Christand daily life in a frank and evasive manner, it also describe Gallen, a respected old man. It mentions his loving demeanor and exins why Arne decided to dedicate her life to Christand after he passed away. It''s like a letter in the form of a book, and most of the first to second volumes are actually prefaces. She realized that Kreschenta euthanized Bery and knew she was suffering because of it. She was hesitant to mention it, but seeing Krische¡¯s enduring kindness over the years, she ultimately decided to tell her.** ¡î **After Moving She breaks tes regrly, and the number of tes she has broken has long since exceeded 1,000. She spends time with Elvena as a servant and always helps Bery and the others. For some reason, she leads a busy life alone every day, and in her spare time, she writes fairy tales and stories as a hobby. asionally, she donates them to orphanages, but many of them depict the love between the master and servants of the mansion, causing concern among educators. She had no idea that "In the Noble Hawk''s Mansion" has be a famous historical document.** ¡÷ **Historically Known as the author of ¡°In the Noble Hawk''s Mansion¡±, a servant of Christand. At first, due to the pompous way the story was told and the unexpected appearances of the great people who appeared, some people doubted that it was ater creation, but whenpared with the memoirs left by those close to them, it is now recognized as very close to their truth. As a result, the lost second volume which is thought to contain contents such as the dragon covenant and the Great War of the Five Nations is regretted, and there have been several asions where fake second volumes have circted, along with stories that it was not actually lost and is still being circted. From the self-talk that was inserted whenever there was a chance, the Alberan researcher uselessly knew the image of Anne¡¯s life in detail. In ''In the Noble House of Hawks,'' she refers to Bery and elevates her to a bizarre degree as an extraordinary genius among ordinary people, the servant of servants, and loved by the goddess of beauty and servants, leading to a trend of spection that Bery coerced her into writing it.** Appearance: ck hair that hangs down her back, tied back in a bun. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Cute. **¡úKrische: A kind eternal girl, the master of a respected servant. Seductive innocence.** Strong points: Decent cook. General household chores. An all-right etiquette. Interpreting situation favorable. Bad timing. **Making a story.** Likes: Delusions. Christand House. Gallen. **Making a story. Daily observation of the mansion.** Dislikes: **Herck of concentration.** Concerns: **Unhealthy thinking.** ¡õ Elvena --- Chaos Good Pretending to watch but actually luring them type of girl. Servant of the Christand family. Mischievous imp of the mansion. She is from a vige in the southern part of the kingdom and is the daughter of the vige chief. The youngest of four sisters, Kalua¡¯s younger sister. She followed her sister out into town and rode in her sister¡¯s carriage, While she was lost searching for her sister, she was unlucky enough to be caught by a ve trader who sold her body because of her good looks. Rnd was a customer of the ve trader and was now bought by her to work as a servant in his mansion, but she was saved by Krische, who gave her a job as a servant at the Christand. She has a temperament of goodness, but her sense of ethics is a little broken due to the environment she has lived in, and she has a devilish (temptress) disposition. She has a strong sense of gratitude and fondness for Krische, but when she sees Krische, innocent and unguarded like a chicken dancing next to a pot, sometimes her desire to tease heres out. She is not fond of the opposite sex because of her past history, but on the other hand, she has little resistance to such activities, and her skinship is wide-ranging. She has always been strongly attached to her older sister, Kalua, but this has been exacerbated by her life up to this point. She is second only to Krische in knowledge of Jarea Gashea and is bing an important figure in the kingdom without realizing it. Up until now, she had thought of her position as a servant as just a job, but recently she had set Bery as her goal, and is full of motivation. Although she has repaid her debt to Christand with the reward from Kalua''s subjugation of Suiko, she still serves the Christand family, saying that she has not been able to repay her debt. **Although she was worried about eternity, she valued herself as ¡®Elvena¡¯, who was saved by her sister and Krische, more than anything, and refused to let it be lost due to her reincarnation, so she decided to follow them. She feels happiness in her current self, knowing that she is loved by her sister, who sacrificed a morous life for her, and considers loving her own personality as proof of her love for her sister, promising to continue loving her sister in a different way than Mia.** ¡î **After Moving Like Arne, she helps other with their work and conducts research on magic and sorcery as a hobby in her spare time. Her flexible thinking aligns with Bery''s, and they often discuss various unsolvable problems together. However, her enjoyment lies in the girls themselves, and she uses her position as a ¡®knowledgeable advisor¡¯ to guide their thoughts with her skillful tounge. She enjoys testing the rationality of individuals like Serene, Bery, and Lira and prefers watching them fall victim to her maniption. She was the one who istigated the twin by saying they would ger pampered if they pretend to be drunk during the wine tasting. A mischievous imp. Selene understands her true nature and intentions hidden beneath the guise she puts on and considers her one of the evils disrupting the moral of the mansion. But like her sister, she is skilled at escaping and Selene couldn''t get hold of her tail. Her ns are often thrown off by Anne, who can''t read the atmosphere and she is her secret enemy. She was happy to learn that the reborn Kalua and Mia were still living happily together, and was relieved that there was no much turmoil in her heart. Even if the two of them are reborn, even if two of them have forgotten it, the happiness she experience here is the continuation of it. Their memories together, even now, still continue to be woven seamlessly, uninterrupted.** ¡÷ **Historically An existence that is subtly known as a rival of the Christand''s servant, who is known as the author of ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s mansion¡¯. It is said that she worked as a magic research assistant for Alberinea, and that her older sister Kahlua''s activities on the battlefield suggest that she was also a genius of some kind. There are very few records, and many of them are shrouded in mystery.** Appearance: Shoulder-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Graceful (beautiful). ¡úKrische: A benefactor. Pure and lovely. **Both master and servant is so cute the her mischievous desire to tease here out**. Dependent on Bery. Strong points: Household chores in general. **Form engraving. Thought guidance.** Likes: Cheerful people. Pure people. Long hair. Cleaning. Serving others. **Magic research. Gazing aat corruption. Aesthetic decadence.** **Dislikes: Missing the good parts.** **Worry: Anne sometimes breaks the mood at the perfect time.** ¡õ Lira Sharana -- Chaos Good An easy mark girl from the countryside who is confused by the city breeze. She is the Holy Priestess of Kreisharana. Easy mark of the mansion. She is the priestess of Kreisharana who devotes herself to the Holy Spirit, and a priestess in the service of the Holy Spirit Yagernaus. She is a girl who is religiously equal or superior to the Miko Princess of the Arna Imperial State, and is treated with the same respect from the priests of the Arna Imperial State. In Kreisharana, however, she works and lives as any other woman would, due to the unique custom that "women are one who bring fruit¡±. The priestess of the Holy Spirit is a prestigious role, but it is not a particrly rewarding one, and she devotes her life to the Holy Spirit and Kreisharana. Though there aren''t many people who truly want to be the mino, after losing her mother at an early age and being cared for by the priestess who preceded her, she decided to take over after her death. Although many people, especially boys her own age, desperately tried to stop her from making such decision at a young age, she herself is satisfied with her current position as the mother of Kreisharana, just like the miko before her. She speaks thenguage of the ins fluently and has an excellent intellect, but she is less cautious and insensitive to her own charms. She is somewhat like a certain adjutant in that she is somewhat out of it, but the costumes she wears, the feminine charm she possesses, and her naivete and unquestioning nature make her a dangerous girl in more ways than one. Somewhat of a brocon. After reporting the details of her visit to the kingdom to Regve, she is asked to report whenever something changes, and she repeats the audience more often than before. The number of times that Regve speaks directly to her is increasing, and she need to rack her brain to answer the questions. As she watched her older brother''s children and those of her age grow up, she began to think about her role as a priestess, as a mortal being and the eternal Holy Spirit. **Through interactions with the kingdom, Kreisharana gradually began to ept their culture, and she could see that someday the Priestess of the Holy Spirit would be a mere shell and disappear. The Holy Spirit is eternal, but human activities are not eternal. When Krische visits Regve to create Heavenly Poles, she heard her story again and decides to serve the Holy Spirit forever as the final shrine maiden. To show that she was not greedy, and that she was not afraid of death, she cut off allmunication with the vige except for those rted to her audience, retreating to the inside of the forbidden area, spending several decades alone. Her father, brothers, and elders gradually epted her resolve, recognizing her as thest priestess of the holy spirits.** ¡î After Moving After her truly lonely and ascetic life, what befell her was an irresistible temptation. Exquisite gourmet food, high-quality bedding, lots of skinship that she couldn''t help but marvel at. For about the first ten years of her life, she was able to not drown in it and not worry about it. Maintaining a life of simplicity and practicing self-restraint is admirable. However, for Lira-sama, who has faithfully adhered to such admirable teachings thus far, it is unthinkable for her to fall into depravity so easily. Rather than turning away from temptation, epting it and exercising self-discipline could be considered true self-restraint¨D¨Dsuch whispers from Elvena smoothly lead her into corruption. Elvena''s maniption also leads Krische thoughts, such as considering that the ultimate servant should be one who could satisfy Lira-sama in consideration of efforts in self-restraint and abstinence. She quietly enjoyed pitting them against one another. She regrly reaffirms her vows of abstinence, cultivates self-control through restraint, and repeats the cycle of corruption, but her inherently trusting nature leaves her unaware that she is being toyed with. Lately, indulging in rewards after periods of abstinence has be her secret habit. ¡÷ **Historically She is said to have had a close personal rtionship with the Alberinea, and have been passed down in Kreisharana as a great Holy Priestess. The faith in holy spirits and the teachings of Kreisharana have been passed down to the temples and monks of Arbyagel for thousands of years, and the anecdotes of her being thest holy spirit priestess who dedicated herself to the holy spirits are still engraved in their hearts. It is said that even after her death, her spirit remained with the Holy Spirit, and there are stories left behind in Kreisharana of seeing her during the audience or hearing her conversations with her until the Holy Spirit disappeared. Along with Alberinea, she is deeply respected as the pinnacle of her humanity, and is known as a great woman who gave up her earthly desires through lifelong training.** Appearance: ck hair in braids that hangs over her shoulders. Brown eyes. A toned body. Quiet arge breasts. Pretty. Armor: Overly revealing wraps and loincloth. ¡úKrische: A pure person. Very beautiful and lovely. **A symbol of temptation. An opponent that tests Lira''s self-control. She hasn''t been winning at alltely.** Strong points: Collecting fruits. Taking care of griffins. B**eing conversation partner to Holy Spirit. Resolve to abstinence.** Likes: Delicious food. Washing. Older brother. **Abstinence. Just a bit. A reward for hard work. Because it''s a party.** **Dislikes: Dreams seen during abstinence**. **Concerns: It seems like the reward period ising soon.** ¡õ Gururun ¨C Chaotic Neutral A cat type girl who is used to people. Suiko. A Suiko from Arbyagel, a Suiko who was fed by Krische and became attached to her. She has lived afortable life in Arbyagel and has grown up happily andfortably, and even for a green tiger, she is ratherrge and highly intelligent. Perhaps because she was in a position of absolute power in a rich environment, it has never been hungry and is extremely wary of a wild beast. While gorging on the carcass and entrails of the Suiko left uneaten by Krische, she was following her scent out of territorial instinct, but the mystery deepens as fresh meat is offered one after another. What was left behind, moreover, was the most delicious offal. She wonders if this might have been left for her, and when she catches up with Krische, she finds that she is also being offered the entrails of an Ranka. After getting her clear answer, she decides to work with the mysterious two-legged meat provider Krische. She seems to be enjoying the environment that somehow provides her with meat even though she does not hunt, and is very satisfied with her current life. **Familiar face gradually disappeared one by one, and she was a little worried about Krische who looks lonely.** ¡î **After Moving For some reason she doesn''t understand, the face she stopped seeing has returned to her, now younger, so she continues to eat and sleep as usual. Lately, he has been able to understand most of what they say, and when it''s convenient, she pretends not to understand, leading azy daily life and taking it easy. Thanks to her strong magical power, she has good fuel efficiency for her size, but she still likes to eat regardless. Her only job is to carry luggage.** ¡÷ **Historically A legendary green tiger said to have been used by Alberinea. Carnivorous magical beasts are extremely ferocious among magical beasts, and species that do not form herds are not ustomed to humans. The fact that the prideful Suiko was not kept in a cage and was left to roam free and cared for by servants was unbelievable among demon beast researchers, and many sacrifices were made for the research. To date, there has been no sessful case of taming a Suiko, and it is thought that some kind of mysterious technique was used. There is a record that it was called by the name Gururun, but based on previous naming of Alberinea, it is believed that ancient words such as Guraurun or Gureuran were used, and it is strongly believed that the writer misheard it. The description of her favorite horse too, Beiran, in ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯ is written as Bururun, and it is thought that there were few people who could urately understand the pronunciation of the ancientnguage.** Appearance: Green body hair with ck vertical stripes. **An extremely huge tiger 10-shaku at shoulders height.** ¡úKrische: Two legged that for some reason feed her. A Honorary Suiko. Tickles her maternal instinct. **Sometimes strict.** Strong points: Hunting. **Carrying luggage.** Likes: Walking. Sleeping. Eating. Brushing. **The two-legged¡¯s toy. ying tag. A feast after hunting monsters.** **Dislikes: Being told wait.** **Concerns: None.** - ------Neighbors ¡õ Regve -- Chaos Neutral An ancient dragon that used to be talked about a lot. Regve of Arbyagel. Yagernaus. A survivor of dragons, a race that once dominated the world. In the Dragon War, a territorial dispute that urred in ancient times, They killed many dragons and sprinkled Their blood on the earth. Since there are no more dragons left to fight for territory, and everyone has grown bored of fighting and moved away, They now stays in Arbyagel to watch the world change. They are rtively close to people among dragons, and although They could be said to be an oddity among dragons, more or less all dragons surviving today spend their time in this way. As a dragon, They are also highly intelligent, but due in part to Their original abilities, They do not make much use of them, and are content to devote Their days to philosophical questions and answers. Treated as a pervert by Krische because of Their strange propensity tough while being impaled on a spear, but They don¡¯t mind it. **To protect Regve, They moving here was ostensibly because of Kreisharana, but it wasrgely motivated by Their concern for Lira.** ¡î **After Moving They still spends Their time thinking, but recently They has be addicted to games that use the head. Once feared for Their ferocity in killing many dragons in the past, many of the dragons were quiet so as not to provoke Regve and Kushenaras, but at the same time, as strong dragons are respected, after learning that the two had be quiet, many dragons came to Their nest. Popr one. Although They have excellent memory and are good at using magical power that They has been umted over many years, dragons are not particrly good at instantaneous thinking speed, and are basically at human¡¯s level of intelligent. If it''s just a simple game on the board, They can enjoy it with Selene, Lira and the others, but of course They are no match for Krische and Kreschenta. Just, as the two of them, whoe up with the best solution without hesitation, it made Them easy to see Their own weaknesses, which is also enjoyable in its own.** ¡÷ **Historically An ancient dragon worshiped in Arbyagel. There is no doubt about its existence based on various descriptions and the World Tree that usually exists in dragons'' homes. It is an ancient dragon that made a pact with Alberinea, and at the same time is known as an ancient dragon of the Holy Spirit Covenant, and is famous as a great being who brought harmony to the human world. It is the most famous ancient dragon in history, and when speaking of ancient dragons, Yagernaus is usually the first name thates up. No one knows where the ancient dragons disappeared, and the rtively popr theory is that they became one with the World Tree. As the opposite of Kushenaras, who is known as the demonic dragon, in stories that feature the two as a motif, it¡¯s treated as dragons of justice, and their rtionship was one that never intersect.** Appearance: Reddish-purple eyes. Rocky blue-gray scales. A huge body equaling a castle. Huge bat-like wings. **¡úKrische: An arrogant and funny one for small one. Eternal Covenant. One who revealed the truth. Apparently not good at solving mysteries.** Strong points: Emission of magic power. **Riddle. Comparing wisdom.** Likes: Contemtion. Observation. **Smart little one.** Dislikes: things that disturb contemtion. **Concerns: Imbnce of luck.** ¡õ **Kushenaras --- Chaos Evil ¡®Don''t disturb My sleep¡¯ type of ancient dragon. Kushenaras of Dougal Az. Demon dragon. A survivor of dragons, a race that once dominated the world. An ancient dragon that was feared by many dragons along with Regve during the Dragon War, a territorial dispute that urred in ancient times. Because of the unpleasantness of being stabbed with a spear while he was sleeping, They hates humans like vermin. Earned the nickname "Land Clearing Dragon" among dragons for its relentless destruction of human nations whenever They took flight. The magic They uses is not for dealing with dragons, but for cleaning purposes only. It was created to efficiently process humans, and f the first ancient dragon that Krische challenged was Kushenaras, there was a high probability that she would have died. There is an anecdote that the great empire Rusheran, which had an area equal to that of Elsren at the time, was destroyed in three days, and as a remnant of this, there was a hugeke named Rusheran where the imperial capital was located. There are multiple anecdotes about ancient dragons being feared, but most of them were created by Them. After going on a rampage, it became more and more troublesome, as the survivorse sacrificing many lives to beg for Their mercy, so They forgive them on the condition that they would not have anything to do with Them from now on and that Their sleep would not be disturbed. He established the Holy Spirit Kingdom of Foutaria and managed the mountain where Kushenaras was sleeping as a forbidden ce. The dragon hunting in the middle Kleinmeer period triggered Them to fly into the sky again and burn down the surrounding area, but it soon became troublesome, and They decided to move to the fantasy world where Regve and other dragons were, partly because Krische came to invite Them. ¡î After Moving Has found other joys apart from killing each other, in the sworn friend, Regve, and is enjoying life. It is interesting for the other dragons to see these two fiercest dragons spending their time together, without killing each other, and because of this, Rigve''s sleeping area has be a hangout spot for many dragons. Among the humans, Selene is Their favorite because she is always serious, has a certain amount of grit, and is able to win to a certain extent. On the other hand, They don''t really like Bery who entertains while staging a 5-minute battle and subtly guiding Them, but They also don¡¯t like Krische and Kreschenta, who won by andslide without Them being able to struggle. ¡÷ Historically Among dragons, They are feared as the worst demon dragon in history. There were several dragons that intentionally killed humans, but Kushenaras was the most prominent among them, and is said to have destroyed more than a dozen countries,rge and small. The sealing barrier and anti-magic barrier used by Kleinmeer have no meaning against the dragon who is serious. Many proverbs were created to make people aware of the fear of an awakened dragon and the limits of humans, such as waking up a sleeping dragon, and putting a dragon on a human''s scales. It is feared that They may still be sleeping in Dougal Az, and though it still hadn¡¯t been confirmed, the area has been designated as a forbidden area, and anyone who enters the area for any reason, or anyone who ns to do so, is subject to capital punishment with no questions asked. While many dragons receive simr treatment, Kushenaras¡¯s range of influence is particrly extensive, with magic use and research being prohibited in surrounding areas. Appearance: Red-purple eyes. Dark blue-gray scales like rock. A huge body rivalling a castle. Huge bat-like wings. ¡úKrische: One who uncovered the truth of the world. A waste of living wisdom. Strong points: Magic against human. Likes: Contemtion. Competition. Gambling. Dislikes: Things that interfere with contemtion. Human. Concern: Winning strategies in games. ¡õ Linasera --- Neutral Evil. A mischievous old dragon who loves board games. Linas from Linares. Observer. They are the oldest of the dragons, a race that once dominated the world. During the dragon wars that took ce in ancient times, They were on the side of waiting and watching, but since then They has been observing the ecology of various creatures and humans. While many dragons who tried to master magic were swallowed by the Origin, this dragon had no interest in pursuing it, and among the existing dragons, They are the most skilled in magic. Known as an observer who can see through all things, They can see all over the world, and during the Dragon Wars, They used a roar to deter or shoot down opponents before they could invade, scaring young dragons. Although They never interacted directly with humans, they often pretended to be gods from a distance and enjoyed watching and giving various advice, so in that sense, it is not as if They had never interacted with each other. They were intrigued by the board games that seemed to be popr over there, so They moved to the fantasy world. ¡î After Moving While observing the humans hasn''t changed, They now have a new sense of enjoyment in thinking about games. Lira doesn''t really notice it, but They usually watches the Regve games from afar. They sometimes spoke to the people in the mansion from a distance, but when Anne was surprised, she would break a te or drop soup (strangely, Anne often carries something only at such times). This happened so often that it was banned by Krische. They often appear next to Kushenaras and shows off new games They has devised, but Their first and second moves are often unbnced. It is customary for Them to have Krische and Kreschenta inspect it, much to the two annoyance. They are good at predicting the future and are extremely strong when ites to battles between dragons, who are patient and won¡¯tin even if one move takes an entire day. Their thinking speed is not that fast, so if you set a certain amount of time limit, They will lose all at once. Their favorites are Elvena and Lira, who would properly go along with Them. They considers Bery to be a good opponent, as They fought a hopeless battle with Bery, spending three years fighting one move a day, ending in a thousand-day battle. After the rules were revised, They are currently in the third game of best of seven match with one win and two losses. It is expected that many dragons will gather to watch the final battle, but there is usually a gap of nearly 100 years between each battle, so there is a long way to go. ¡÷ Historically Although They are famous among dragons, They are unknown to humans. However, some of those who received that advice acted as if they had received a message from God, and some of them went on to leave their names in history. Appearance: Red-purple eyes. Rock-like pale blue-gray scales. A huge body rivalling a castle. Huge bat-like wings. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Survivor of the Origin. Thendlord of the fantasy world. Game tester. Strong points: Space magic. Foreseeing ahead. Long contemtion. Likes: Contemtion. observation. human. Oracle. Making games. Dislikes: Being rushed. Concern: Next move.** Chapter 262: Character introductionâ€•â€•Christand and Kurofuyo Chapter 262: Character introduction¨D¨DChristand and Kurofuyo ***Character 262 Character introduction¨D¨DChristand and Kurofuyo*** Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156 Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163 ¡õ Those who Remained ? Thoe who Departed ? Bogan Argillite Vezrinea Christand --- Order Neutral A heroic man of unwavering integrity and decisive action, he was Selene''s father and Bery''s brother-inw, now deceased and known as "The Thunderbolt". The Kingdom¡¯s hero, rising from a fallen baron to a Margrave in one generation, and from a squad leader to a general. His experience climbing up from the bottom gave him unique insight into the various problems of the army, he has seeded in raising the level of Christand abilities by assigning several tactically intelligent adjutants to each militarymander and dividing the workload among them. Although known for his aggressive attacks, staged tactical retreats, and mboyant tactics, he firmly believed that the strength of Christandy not in on-the-spot tactics, but in the ability to process information through advance preparation. Although he is calm now, in his youth, he was reckless and loved to wield his sword on the front lines. He was called "Christand the Thunder" by his soldiers because of the countless enemies he knocked down with his wild swordsmanship and the way he pushed forward. Unusually for a nobleman, he is devoted to his dead wife and has never taken a concubine. He died in a duel against Gildanstein, the Royal Prince. ¡÷ **Historically Known as Selene Christand''s father and a pioneer who created the general framework of the General Staff Department concept. He often appears in war records and memoirs of the time, and is also famous as a hero during the final stages of Alberan. The fact that several songs praising him remain, indicates that he was extremely popr among his subordinates and the general public, and was also strongly feared by people in enemy countries. There are many descriptions of him in the books left behind by Selene Christand, there he was described as a great father who could never be surpassed, but no memoirs of his own have been found. He made great achievements on many battlefields, rose from a lower ss noble to be a margrave in one generation, and was entrusted with one of four sides of the kingdom, the north, making him famous as a rare tactician, however it was said that his true talenty in military government. He advocated for merit-based personnel cement and thorough training for nonmissioned officers. Since then, the Christand army has been highly praised for its high level of proficiency. As a general, he issued directives without personally engaging in battles, leaving the battle itself to his subordinates, and by giving them great discretion, he achieved great results. ¨D¨DWhat a general must demonstrate on the battlefield is not valor, but only a clear direction policy, their job is to develop the ability to execute these directions in advance. Although Selene Christand quoted many of his words, she clearly wrote that his father''s death in the civil war was ultimately due to his failure to uphold that ironw. Due to a defection, he was lured out by Gildanstein during the battle in the Dragon''s Maw, where he met his end due to serious injury suffered during battle with Gildanstein. After his death, many of his subordinates in the Christand army were promoted and made great achievements. Many people, including the famous general Nozan Verreich, continued to rever him until theirter years as a hero who should leave his name in history. Some historians say that the civil war that took ce in Alberan and his deaths, rather than the war of continental unification, was the final battle of the Age of Heroes, as Alberinea¡¯s ingenuity changed the course of the war after the civil war.** ? Battle Command He was originally an excellent front-linemander with an aggressive temperament, but after having a wife, he refrained from this and always emphasized the importance of being amander who makes the most of his subordinates'' abilities. He believes that what a general should do is to identify the qualities of each individual, creating extreme chaos (disorder) that change the battlefield to the advantage of his allies through bold offensives and retreats. In order to aplish this, he believed that it was important to raise the level of ability of eachmander, and he always trained his subordinates with a training that is one rank above them so that a centurion would have the perspective of a battalionmander, and a battalionmander would have the perspective of a corpsmander. He is very good at reading the moment for withdrawal and has never failed in a retreat battle, even when the odds were against him. Appearance: Blonde hair with a sprinkling of gray. Blue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, A masculine fierce dace. Moustache. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Child prodigy with exceptional talent. A distorted but kind daughter. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. organization building.mand operation. Likes: War history. Liquor. His daughter. Dislikes: Politics. Extremist (radical party). Concern: There is no young man who seems to be worthy of his daughters. Bery''s partner. ? Gallen Rinea Kalka --- Neutral Good A simple and sincere man, known for his blunt honesty. Krische¡¯s grandfather and Bogan¡¯s former superior, currently serving as Selene''s adjutant. He was once a genius centurion who rose from the ranks of a single soldier, and despite hisck of magical powers, he performed numerous military exploits with Bogan. He was respected by his men and had the ability to aim to be a general in the future, but he resigned from the army after regretting the burning of a vige on his superior''s orders. Following his resignation, he returned to his hometown of Kalka and worked as a hunter, leading a peaceful life with his daughter, her husband, and his adopted daughter Krische. However, tragedy struck when his family was killed in a bandit attack, forcing him and Krische to leave the vige and seek refuge with Bogan and return to the army. He is a diligent worker who finds happiness in Krische''s contentment and the fact that she has found someone who understands her in the Christand household. He had his own feelings about the people around him who had preceded him in death, but he hase to realize that he has a role to y because he has survived, and he continues to work hard. Lately, he has been seeing his beloved daughter figure in the clumsy Anne. He worked tirelessly even after the War of the Five Great Powers, but when he suddenly noticed Krische living happily ever after, and realized that his role was over, he copsed. An old man, who had lost many loved ones and regretted his own helplessness, was satisfied with his final journey as he departed, being watched over by his granddaughter, who was more important to him than anyone else, and he passed away with a smile on his face. What he really wanted was for the day toe when his helplessness would be forgiven. ¡÷ **Historically Alberinea''s step-grandfather and former superior of Bogan Christand. He was one of the famous centurions of his time, but had a bad rtionship with his superiors, which led to his retirement from the army. After that, Alberinea, who had lost her step-parent, was adopted by the Christand family, and he returned to active duty as an adjutant in the Christand army. This was an unusual career advancement, and although it would normally have been seen as a case of nepotism that would have been criticized, it was said that he was respected even within the Christand army. Serene Christand also highly valued him as a person who built the foundation of the Christand Army in a small organization of centurions. She praised his abilities, pointing to his flexible thinking and broad perspective, saying, ¡®He is my father''s teacher and Krische¡¯s grandfather after all¡¯. Although he is an old man with no magical powers, he was said to have killed five magic possessors with a bow and a short sword. She said that his superior thinking ability turns even old people into monsters, and exins the importance of cultivating that ability. It was said that Alberinea also always showed respect and love towards him, and several memoirs talked about the two''s close rtionship. In ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯, it was said that Alberinea was a granddaughter to him. In ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯, the number of characters used for him was unusuallyrge, despite the fact that he appears only a few times. There was a research result that when they try to count it, he came in third ce after the portrayal of the author herself and Bery Argan, and it has be amon knowledge among Alberan researchers that he was Anne Giterns'' favorite.** ?Battle Command Never pushing it and never pursue too far. He has the nature of a hunter, waiting for an opportunity to create a decisive disadvantage for the enemy. Withdrawal, retreat, surprise attack¨D¨Dhe is a born hunter, the opposite of fair and square, and prefers to build tactics that target the opponent''s carelessness and openings. Killing his opponents without killing his troops. He hates unnecessary losses more than anything else, but when he sees an opportunity, he will turn around andunch a desperate offensive. He has a wide field of vision and is skilled at leading in melee battles. Appearance: Messy gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Brusque fierce face. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A little different from others but is a good girl and kinder than anyone else. Strong points: Archery. Command operation. Forest. Adversity. Never losing sight of himself. Likes: Drinking. Hunting. Tool care. Dislikes: Unjust (inhuman). Worry: None. ? Lazura Christand --- Chaos Good A fatalistic girl with a steel mentality, she is the wife of Margrave Christand and Bery''s older sister. Daughter of the Argan family, which fell into ruin due to business failure. Selene''s mother. She has a bright personality that is theplete opposite of Berry, and she is a strong-willed and lively woman. She is a maverick woman who will go ahead with what she feels is right, without regard to social rules, and is willing to sacrifice herself if she feels it is necessary. When the Argan house fell, she selflessly sacrificed herself to protect young Bery from the malice of merchants and nobles. Always kind and earnest, she prioritizes Bery''s happiness even when confronted with her sister''s obstinacy. Even after she learned that there was no future for her, she worried about Bery following in her footsteps, which led her to entrust Selene, not just out of concern for her child as a parent, in Bery''s care. Her second child was stillborn, and sheter sumbed to postpartum fever. Like Selene, she is clumsy and rather crude. ¡÷ **Historically Bogan Christand''s wife and Selene Christand''s mother. She is also Bery Argan''s half-sister. No other records remain, other than what is written in Nozan Verreich''s notebook that she was a cheerful, intelligent and beautiful woman.** Appearance: Long red hair. brown eyes. Petite. Big chest. Beautiful. ¡úKrische: ...who is it? Strong points: Quibbles. Winning argument. Breaking rules. Likes: Words such as love and belief. Destiny. Siblings. Dislikes: Rich people. Concern: Not being able to give Selene a sister or brother. Leaving Bery behind and passing away first. ? Bururun -- Order Evil Loyal, rampaging horse boy. Horse. A horse that was chosen by Krische as a recement for her foot because it isrge and seems to have a certain amount of strength. Originally owned by the Christand army, he was a rough and difficult horse to handle, but now he is owned by the Christand family because he has taken to Krische so well. Rather than being violent, he is smart and calm, but he seems to be particr about how he is touched and how well he is cared for, and he is very sensitive, and has very strong likes and dislikes. Although he has badbability with Selene who has a rough personality, but treated with respect, he will easily be attached. He is a fine horse with a strong and seemingly inexhaustible physical strength, and can run as if flying, but he does not have many opportunities to make use of this strength. His temperament is more suited to being used as a fast horse than as a warhorse. His recent favorites are Berry and Elvena, who often take care of him and let him walk around the royal territory. Used to go to the spring seeding festival every year. After he got older, there¡¯s nothing special that happened, and he spent time enjoying walks with his children, before passing away. His descendants resembled him and run well, and when Selene no longer rode horses, they were passed on to other nobles, much to their delight. ¡÷ **Historically During the civil war, he is famous as a famous horse that ran like the wind, carrying Alberinea when Selene Christand was in a dire situation. It was said that he waster taken in and kept by the Christand house, but there are currently no primary historical records showing his name other than ¡®Bururun¡¯, which is written in ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯. The famous horse Beiran (an ancient word meaning Child of Gale), which was famous in equestrianpetitions during the mid-Kleinmeer period, was said to be its descendant. Since the name was said to be derived from Alberinea''s famous horse, Alberinea preferred to use archaic words for naming, such as Jareia Gashea, and Alberinea''s name Krische itself was an archaic word from that time, the name is often used in ys as it is close to the reality of the time. From things such as Bururun and Gururun, it is believed that even people in the noble ss at the time, such as Anne Giterns and others, were unfamiliar with many archaic words and their pronunciation derived from Alberan, at least by the end of the Alberan period, it was thought to have been beyond the scope of general education. Even today, famous horses that are said to be descended from him still run around the continent.** Appearance:rge stature. fawn color. Long mane. ¡úKrische: A two legged that sure know how to touch him. Feed him a lot and take care of him. Strong points: Running. Likes: Walking. Brushing. To challenge the limits. Dislikes: Sloppy two legged. **Concern: Want to sleep** - ------ck g Special Forces Company ? Mia Rinea Kilnan--- Neutral Neutral A pitiful girl who is treated poorly in spite of her excellence. The adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Commander of Kuroshutan¡¯s irregr forces. The Director of the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo. Hailing from Kilnan vige in the northern part of the kingdom, it is adjacent to Kalka, where Krische was picked up. Initially, she joined the Christand army as a migrant worker, hoping to leverage her exceptional stamina and physical strength to help carry luggage for the army. However, Krische, who saw through her magical talent and exceptional skills, recruited her, and before she knew it, she was fighting on the front lines. Despite being uneducated and possessing only the knowledge of a country girl, she is quick-witted and has a sharp mind. She is a natural talent, having learned to build imaginary muscles with magical power without any guidance. However, perhaps due to her stubborn and somewhat slow nature, she ranks lower in swordsmanship skills among the ck Century that it would be faster to count her from the bottom. She often gets absent-minded at the most critical moments and is prone to talk back. In contrast to her quick-witted best friend Kahlua, she is easy to pick on, and she is often unreasonably yelled at. Despite her poprity in the vige, she suffers from low self-esteem and is dense. Several men in the vige have confessed their love to her on multiple asions, but she has let them all slip without realizing it. A childhood friend, who had made a passionate approach to her, confessed to her again when she returned home, but she refused, prioritizing her duties at ck g Special Forces, while giving grateful advice that he should take it a step further at an earlier stage. Since her return home, she has felt a greater sense of belonging to the ck g Special Force, and she has been training vigorously. She was relieved that she was able to deal with the Suiko¡¯s attack but feels the need to train because of her own inexperience, as without Kalua she would have died. **She fought through the civil war to the end of the continent unification war, and after the reorganization of the ck g Special Forces Battalion, she became themander of the Kuroshutan (Note: Krische¡¯s naming. There is no formal name on paper, and it is the Alberinea private army), and took control of intelligence activities across the continent in order to maintain public order. As the Heavenly Pole stabilization of magical power in the atmosphere progressed and Kreschenta¡¯s own information monitoring and control system, ¡®Heavenly Eye¡¯, was established, the opportunities for Kuroshutan activities decreased, and together with Kalua, she built the ck g Swordsmanship Instruction Center in the royal capital, and spent herter years as its director. Although she did not directly instruct the students, Kalua trumpeted her as a transcendent swordsman who even surpassed her in ck ge Special Force, and that caused the students to look at her with respect. The other members also got carried away saying that she had a dual personality and that once she hold the sword she wouldn''t stop until she killed the opponent, because of that she won¡¯t swing the sword in front of other for fear of destroying their dream.** ¡÷ **Historically Her name remains as an adjutant from the ck g Special Force led by Alberinea, its predecessor, the ck Century. Although she was young, Alberinea directly appointed her as an adjutant, and because of her tremendous military aplishments during the ck g Special Force, it was often said that she was a talented swordsman with an intellect simr to Kahlua. After unification, it is believed that espionage activities were entrusted to Alberinea, and based on his depiction in ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯, she had a close rtionship with Alberinea both in public and private, and is thought to have been her de facto right-hand man. Since she established the ck g Swordsmanship Instruction Center in the 12th year of unification era, it is assumed that this timing marked her effective retirement, and from which the kingdom''s espionage activities may have been conducted through other means, which is why even now it was still the focus of much attention. Direct instruction by the ck g Special Forces personnel who ran on the front lines with Alberinea was a hot topic, but it was gradually diminished due to the magic doctrine of the Kleinmeer era. Although it was closed down in the middle of the Kleinmeer period, there was still a school of practical swordsmanship with it as the foundation today. The fact that she never wielded a sword in spite of being the director of the dojo leads many to believe that she may haveid down her sword after leaving the battlefield.** ? Battle Command She has learned basic tactics, has a clear mind and a broad vision, and is very capable as a centurion. She has learned how to conduct a melee battle with a unitposed of magic possessors, and is able to fully manipte their abilities, which are different from those of mere soldiers. However, she always moves with the assumption that the quality of the soldiers in the unit is superior, and often misjudge opponents with equal or greater strength that would cause the unit to lose its superiority, making them vulnerable to unexpected situations. She emphasizes stability through cooperation and operating together by utilizing the abilities of the troops. Appearance: Shoulder-length chestnut hair. Blue eyes. Average height. Gentle undtion (chest). Cute. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A lovely, pure, and scary corpsmander. She is smart and strong, but she is childish and can''t be left alone. Friend with Dragon Strong points: Quick wit. Physical strength. Poor sleeping position. Bad timing. Throwing spears. Likes: Sleep. Bathing. Beautiful women. ck g Special Force. Kalua. Dislikes: Unreasonableness. **Concern: Want to be blessed with a good sense of athleticism in my next life.** ? Kalua Rinea Belyus --- Chaos Neutral She seems to be easy-going and is rtively easily pressured. Squad leader of the ck g Special Force. Adjutant of Kuroshutan¡¯s irregr forces. The head instructor of the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo. ck cat She is from Belyus vige in the southern part of the kingdom. Daughter of the vige chief. She used to be a graceful vige chief''s daughter. She has a reputation for being a caring, clever, and good-natured girl, and is loved by everyone in the vige because of her temperament. She had nned to learn business from a merchant with whom she had a connection for the further development of the vige, but when her youngest sister was kidnapped by a ve trader, she left everything behind and traveled all over the country in search of her sister. Traveling alone as a woman was not an easy one, and she continued her journey for several years as various realities wore her body and mind, but her strength was not enough, and she could not find any clues. Somewhere along the way, she realized that resignation was filling her heart, but she could not stop. She chose to fight out of inertia and volunteered for the Christand Army, which was hostile to the notorious Gildanstein¡ª¡ªa member of royal family said to be connected to many ve traders. She¡¯s the only person who calls Krische ¡®Usa-chan¡¯ to her face, and he often takes care of her like a child that she can''t leave alone. There was also an aspect of act ofpensation thinking of the kidnapped Elvena, but now that her sister had been saved, she pledges her heartfelt gratitude and loyalty to her. Through her various experiences on her solo journey, she developed a manly manner, preferring to use a brusque tone of voice and a rough attitude. However, she was born with a strong sense of etiquette and can act like ady if she wishes. She has lost her innocence and is not interested in love affairs. Unexpectedly weak to being pushed (weak-willed). Like Mia and others, she was decorated with the rank Rinea for her distinguished service in the ck g Special Force. **As a reward for defeating a Suiko, she was offered the right to manage a small vige, but she turned it down. Instead, she received a small house in a first-ss city and the prize money to pay off the debt to the Christand family. During the war to dismantle Elsren, she took many of the opponent¡¯s head , and though she held the position ofmander of the Special Force Company squad, she was given the title of Nifrinea. Nif meaning lithe one, cat, and as the ck cat of Alberinea, she was respected by many soldiers. She defeated the war god Nitrias together with Kolkis, and has achieved outstanding military results in the ck g Special Force, but all of the results belong to her squad and she declines any personal rewards at the victory ceremony, requesting that they be distributed among the members. Originally, she was supposed to receive arger territory to manage from the Suiko hunt had given her, but since she herself didn''t like it, and it was quietly decided that it wouldn''t be bad for the performance. The ck g Special Forces members received arge special pension from the government, and the story was talked about among the people as a beautiful story that showed their unity and the Queen''s personality. As Kuroshutan''s deputy, she basically works as the head of the active force, with the main mission of capturing and securing rebels. Due to her skill as one of the best swordsmen on the continent, she was able to survive until the Kuroshutan disbanded without suffering any casualties to its members. In herter years, she taught swords as the head instructor at ck g Swordsmanship Dojo, but most of her students did not understand the techniques she learned from Krische and honed on the battlefield. Although she was highly respected, her teaching was somewhat unpopr. Nevertheless, those who had the insight to understand even a part of her swordsmanship, called Usa-chan''s style swordsmanship, continued her legacy, keeping the ck g Swordsmanship alive for centuries and passing down its lineage. By the way, what was taught there could be described asprehensivebat tactics, emphasizing fighting techniques that leveraged the advantages of magic possessor or focused on strategies for non-magic possessor against magic possessor.** ¡÷ **Historically One of the most famous members of the ck g Special Forces Company. She was the older sister of Elvena, a servant of the Christand family. She is a true warrior who achieved many military results as the Sword of Alberinea, and although she remained in the rank of nonmissioned officer until the end, there was no one else who achieved as many military results as her. She was respected by her fellow soldiers as a warrior among warriors. The nickname ck Cat of Alberinea was engraved in the memoirs of soldiers and civilians at the time. It was said that even the generals treated her, who was just a soldier, with respect. This serves as an example of the still prevalent ¡®Warrior Culture from ancient times. She hunted Suiko, killed Nitrias, who was known as the Eastern God of War, and collected countless heads, leaving behind many memorable anecdotes. As a result, there were few ys or stories with her as the protagonist. Even today, when speaking of members of the Kuroshutan Special Task Force, the first name to be mentioned would be hers. It is said that she was such a presence that she was allowed to call Alberinea by nickname, and there is a strong view that she was a unique genius who did not fit into the mold. Although she herself did not leave any notes of her own, there are some stories that are said to have been taught by her in the notes of her students at her ck g Swordsmanship Dojo. It is one of the important historical documents regarding the battlefields of the time and Alberinea as an individual. She seems to have viewed Alberinea from a different perspective than the general image, such as referring to her as a ¡®kind child¡¯, and simr to the way she is described in ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯. Whenever she visited the swordsmanship school, she would show a childish side and cling to her like a child, and it is said that both she and the fellow members deeply loved such Alberinea. From the memoirs of those who attended the swordsmanship school at the time, it can be seen that every one of them had a very favorable impression of Alberinea''s character. Despite being like a figure that is above the clouds, she was never distant from the people and was always described as being close to the people.** ? Battle Command Her mind is very quick, she has quick wit, and she has aptitude as amander. In terms of coordination at the individual level, she is one of the best, and can coordinate instructions and move with other soldiers on the spur of the moment. However, she prefers to wield a sword by herself and is prone to narrow vision, so in order to make the most of her abilities, she should be ced in the back of the center rather than at the head of the line. She is one of the best in terms of individual level cooperation, and she can immediately give instructions and cooperate with other soldiers. Appearance: Waist-length ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and rtively tall. Large breasts. Beautiful. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A slightly crazy girl genius. She is kind and admirable child. So defenseless that it¡¯s scary. The person to whom she has pledged her eternal loyalty. Strong points: Self-taught swordsmanship. Flight. Hiding. Likes: shing. Nap. Children. Dislikes: ve traders. **Concern: None.** ? Dagra Rinea Arkus --- Order Good A serious man who loves military life. Commander of ck g Special Force Company. Bald Eagle. Baron. Staff officer of the irregr forces Kuroshutan. Amoner with magic power. Although he has no outstanding points, he has no weaknesses, He is an experienced, quick witted, soldier who respects military discipline and orders and the type of military man that Krische likes. He is an ideal centurion who is strict but always treats his subordinates with sincerity. During the war against the Holy Elsren Empire, he participated as a centurion in the special attack force of Selene and Krische. He was highly praised for his solid performance there and was nominated as the squad leader of the ck Century, a unit under Krische direct control consisting of only those who possess magical powers. At first, he was excessively afraid of Krische unusual abilities and cool-headedness, but when he learned of the trust she had ced in him, the magnitude of the role he had been given, and the true image of the girl Krische Christand, he pledged his wholehearted loyalty to her. He is a serious and strict man, a soldier by nature, who prefers life in a military organization above all else. He thought marriage was out of the question for a soldier like him, but he has fallen due to his friend''s daughter''s enthusiastic advances and is now a father of a single child. He is not particrly bald, he shaved his head every day to keep clean even in military service, and although his aquiline nose stands out, he is by no means ugly. He admires Krische concern for his health and her refusal of him apany her and is prepared toy down his life for Krische, whether in public or private life. He realized that the existence of the ck g Special Force determines even the victory or defeat of 10,000 battles itself, and he feels more strongly about his responsibilities as Krische¡¯s adjutant and as themander of thepany. In recognition of the great contribution of the ck g Special Forces Company, he was given the rank of baron, and at the same time was given the right to manage a post town on the outskirts of the royal capital. **He continued to fight through the war to dismantle Elsren as themander of the ck g Special Forces Company, but at that point he was nearly 80 years old and the harsh demands of front-linemand became a burden, and his health often deteriorated. Krische felt uneasy about Dagra, who continued to push himself to meet her expectations, ordered Dous Dagra serve as a training instructor with Mia as themander in the subsequent nned unification war. Although he was happy to heat this, the unification war is Krische final battle. He received Mia''s permission to apany them, and although he did not participate in the actual battle, he worked with Krische and her subordinates as a member of the ck g Special Forces Company until the end of the Unification War. After that, he served as Kuroshutan''s staff officer for about a year to help it get started, and when Krische told him ¡®Bald Eagle has be a yobo-yobo (tottering, decreipt) old man, so Bald eagle is fired¡¯ and with augh, he ended his long military career. He was given the title ¡®Honorary Kurofuyo Commander for Life¡¯ and the main g of the ck g Special Forces Company, remained on disy in his bedroom until the end of his life. Although his noble rank was not inherited, his g was passed down to his daughter and her husband, and their children. It was stolen during the turmoil of the founding of Kleinmeer, and after 1300 years of changing hand, it appeared in front of Krische. That g still stands proudly in front of its master.** ¡÷ **Historically Themander of the ck g Special Forces Squadron, who achieved great results in battle. It is said that he was a subordinate whom Alberinea trusted more than anyone else, and it is said that he was give the g of ck g Special Force for his great contributions. He was described as a man of character who turned a group ofmoners, most of whom were amateurs with no military experience, into the world''s finest century, and who was loved like a father by the members of his unit. Selene Christand spoke of him as an indispensable part of ¡®Alberinea the soldier''s achievement¡¯ to this day, and praised him as the best soldier who taught her sister, a genius who left others behind, the unique society of the military, and whose contributions can bepared to those of even the most famous heroes in history. In ys in which Alberinea is the main character, he usually appears as her subordinate. In Kleinmeer''s old ys, he was called by his nickname, Bald Eagle, and this is still the norm in modern ys, but its origin is unknown.** ? Combat Command Experienced,ing from a light infantry unit that often operates under special circumstances such as in the mountains, he returns to the basics in any situation and does not make errors in judgment. He is ustomed to fighting in numerically disadvantageous situations, such as surprise attacks, maneuvers, and diversions, and he fully demonstrates hismand ability even in a chaotic situation where he is cornered. Unlike Mia, he wasn¡¯t purely cultivated on a unit where all of its members are all magic possessors, so he often chooses the safe side based on his experience when dealing with troops. However, because of this the amount of wear and tear is small, and the ck Hundreds under hismand are very stable. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose (aquiline nose). Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: A superior officer to be respected, a girl to be protected and assisted even at the risk of his own life. Strong points: Action in the mountains. Battle Command. Inspiring troops. Leading. Likes: Discipline. Military organization. ck Century. Dislikes: People who break discipline. Straggler. Concern: Regarding the future of ck g Special Force during peacetime. ------ Members of the ck g Special Force------ Most of the people listed here have been informally decorated with the rank of Rinea (knight). ? Koza --- Order Neutral A family-oriented person, the kind that Krische would even smile at. **Commander of the ck g Special Forces Company Archers. Captain of anti-air pishuun. Head chef of the Crescent Moon at Dawn.** Despite having a fierce face with old scars that stand out, he loves to cook. He is homely and attentive to details, and when he gets home, he does more housework than his wife. Naturally, Krische holds him in high regard. He is also an excellent soldier with a broad perspective, and his overall strength has earned him the position of 2nd squad leader, which in case of an emergency, he acts as themander. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia against Nakirus. He is not particrly talented in archery, but after the war he was evaluated for his wide field of vision and was appointed as an archermander equivalent to a normal captain. He received a reward for subjugating Suiko, and he bought a house in the castle town of the royal capital. **After the War of the Five Great Powers, he was involved in the development and operational testing of the installed magic power projection cannon, Pishuun, and actually operated Pishuun together with the magicians. Because of that rtionship, after the war he worked with the magicians and Krische instead of working with Kuroshutan, and was engaged in the work of improving Pishuun, but as the magicians became the main focus, he decided to call it quits. Together with Beltz, he started running a boarding house called ¡®Crescent Moon at Dawn¡¯. It became a hangout spot for former soldiers after the war, and as a ce where heroes gathered, many people wanted to hear their stories, and it became quite prosperous.** ? Tagel --- Neutral Good A refreshing sportsman type of boy. **Centurion of ck g Special Forces Company. Baker.** Like Mia, he has consciously learned to use his virtual muscles since he enlisted and is an excellent talent. He is an impable person with military experience, a good head, good swordsmanship, and a good personality. However, hisck of ws is his only w, making him a man without any interesting points. He is a hot-blooded man, and as a militarymander, he is still a little inexperienced. He usuallymands the 2nd to 10th squad. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Selene facing Gildanstein. Having survived the fierce battle, he was promoted to centurion in due course. He married the daughter of a baker who lived near his house after receiving the Rank of Rinea. **Concerned about worrying and saddening his wife during long military service and the potential harm to loved ones due to the nature of his missions, he decided not to participate in Kuroshutan, instead he took over his wife''s family home, put down his sword, and opened a bakery. However, he also had a fair talent for baking bread, which delighted Krische who asionally visited the store. Blessed with many children, he lived a long life, passing the shop to his eldest son. He spent his time painting as a hobby, capturing memories like precious gems. Philippine, who painted ¡®The Holy Spirit and the Maidens¡¯, was his grandson. In order to remember the joy of drawing during his long years as an apprentice, he once again saw the drawings of his grandfather, who had taught him how to draw, which gave him the impetus to take flight. While not at a level to bemercially sold, what was depicted there surely was something he had been seeking.** ? Corinth --- Order Good He is a calm veteran nonmissioned officer. A centurion of the ck g Special Forces Company. He was originally a subordinate of the centurymanded by Dagra and held the position of captain. Although his ability as a magic possessor is not very high, he has a highmand ability in melee battles and has a wide field of vision. He has the mental strength to remain calm and not panic in any situation, and is highly trusted by Dagra, is also admired by Tagel as a senior captain. Basically, he oftenmands the 11th to 20th squads. He fought alongside Mia in the final battle of the civil war but was wounded during the battle and is currently recuperating. He suffered no permanent injuries and became a centurion after his return. He is saving for his child. Although he was younger than Dou, he aged quickly, and was transferred to the engineering team after the battle with Vezrea. As Nagal''s assistant, he expressed various opinions on improving magic weapons based on his extensive experience. The improvement and production of magic weapons by the engineering team is gradually entrusted to the magicians, and once they have produced enough of the most important secret Jaragasha, theypletely discard the duplicate crystals. After that, he was mainly involved in the nning of Gatangoton. He went to sleep after witnessing thepletion of the memorable first line, the railroad to the north. As he fell asleep, his ears heard the merry rattling sound of wheels rolling around in a peaceful world. ? Beltz --- Neutral Neutral A man who is good at cooking, the type that Krische would even smile at. Corporal of the ck g Special Forces Company. Cooking instructor. Shopkeeper of Cresent Moon at dawn. He was born into a family of chefs, but when he was young, he had a fight with his parents and ran away from home. From the start, he had a fierce face and strong physical strength, so he lived from day to day while working as a caravan escort. Because of his past, he disliked cooking, but after joining the Century and with Krische''s guidance, who ces an emphasis on cooking, he rediscovered the joy of cooking. He gets along well with Koza, who also likes to cook, and they cook together at Koza''s house on holidays. He is scruffy in appearance. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia. Because of his skills, he has been promoted to the rank of captain, and at the same time, Krische has ordered him to serve as a culinary instructor for the ck g Special Force. He is a little happy inside. He is thinking of opening an inn with meals in the castle town after he gets old and retires, and has invited Koza. **After unification, he joined the Kuroshutan, but due to his dream of an inn with meals, he requested to serve in the royal capital rather than in the active military unit. At first, he thought of apromise n to serve as an information exchange for Kuroshutan, but as a result of discussions, he was sent away by Krische, who told him, ¡®If you have a dream of cooking delicious food, you should prioritize that¡¯, and he started ¡®Crescent Moon at Dawn'' together with Koza. When Krische visited for the 17th time, he was finally recognized for its taste, and when the restaurant allowed him to wear the simple crest of Christand, the grown man''s eyes welled up and he and Koza hugged each other. ¡®Crescent Moon at Dawn¡¯ became a famous restaurant that continued until the middle of the Kleinmeer period, although it stopped being an inn and changed into a simple restaurant as time went on, but due to the Kleinmeer''s belief in the supremacy of magicians bing stronger, it go out of business. However, after Kleinmeer copsed and things calmed down, a restaurant called ¡®Crescent Moon at Dawn¡¯ was revived in Albeneria, thinking it was auspicious in terms of the times, and is still operating to this day.** ? Birza --- Neutral Good A ck doctor type of guy. He is the head of the medical team of the ck g Special Forces Company. **Father of emergency medical care.** He was born into a pharmacist family, but as the third son, he could not take over the family business and spent his days working in the fields. When a caravan stopped by his vige looking for soldiers, he thought his knowledge might be useful and joined the army. He is a thin young man who is not good at fighting, and like Mia, he is not very skilled with a sword. However, he has knowledge of medicinal herbs and simple medical skills and is in charge of treating injured people. His team was originally made up of people who were not suited forbat, and their role is simr to that of a medical team. In the final battle of the civil war, he fought alongside Mia, and was in charge of treating wounded soldiers. The former 17th Squad has now been assigned to the ck g Special Force¡¯s medical team, and is currently working on a medical book loaned to him by Krische. Recently, he has been apprenticed to a doctor in the royal capital, and during long vacations he travels around as an assistant. **After the Unification War, he apanied his team members to Kuroshutan''s operational unit. After that, he used his experience to create an easy-to-understand manual for emergency medical procedures on the battlefield, and instead of bing a military doctor through military school, he focused his efforts on training soldiers who had learned the same medical skills as himself. His aplishments were even greater than when he was at the ck g Special Forces, and his manualized emergency medical procedures for the harsh environment of the battlefieldter became popr and saved the lives of many soldiers, so he is considered one of the greats personage. ¨D¨DKrische-sama, who found me in a mediocre position and gave me this role, and the many of my friends who died on the battlefield taught me my destiny even though I had no good skills at all. He wrote this in the afterword of his own emergency medical procedure manual.** ? Kilik --- Neutral Neutral A craftsman-type man with dexterous hand. the leader of the ck g Special Forces Squadron''s escort team. Christand''s private escort squad leader. He was born into a family of craftsmen, but the business was not going well, so he left the house to his older brother and worked away from home. He originally worked as a merchant escort and bouncer and lost one eye in the process. Although he has no military service experience, he has plenty of experience as a caravan guard. Because he was born into a family of craftsmen, he is also very dexterous with his hands. He also has knowledge of inspecting and repairing carriages and was chosen as Kreschenta¡¯s carriage escort. His swordsmanship is second only to Kalua''s, and he has been through many rough battles. Many of his team members are also craftsmen. As Krische¡¯s trusted soldiers, they are basically assigned to act as Queen Kreschenta¡¯s bodyguards during the war, and are unlikely to be seen on the battlefield. Although he is single, he does not go on extravagant trips and continues to send money back to his brother at home. **After the Unification War ended, he continued to train himself even as he grew older, maintaining his own physical strength as the honorable leader of the escort team, and until he was no longer able to maintain it, he fulfilled his duties as Kreschenta¡¯s personal bodyguard. Kreschenta likes him as a loyal soldier, and after unification, she personally gives him one of the famous swords. When he announced his retirement due to his physical decline and asked for the sword to be returned because he had no sessor, she epted the sword in recognition of his past loyalty, and informed him that the sword to be a personal gift to her, and that it would be disyed at the entrance to the mansion rather than in the kingdom''s treasury. His sword still remains in the mansion, and while Kreschentains about it being a nuisance and something she shouldn''t have said, she asionally takes care of it until it¡¯s shiny. She remembered the figure of him crying, unable to lift his head. ¨D¨DShe won''t forget. She never forgets what she sees or the words she hears. Everything she touched, everything she felt, his efforts, his loyalty, everything¨D¨Dforever and ever.** ? Daz --- Order Neutral A somewhat pitiful Piririn-type guy. Honorary Piririn team leader for life. Honorary Kuromimi team leader for life. The former leader of the 8th Squad, known for his fierce look. Originally a bouncer at a bar, he was used to roughing things up and was a brave captain who was looked up to by the soldiers. However, he lost his left arm in thest battle of the civil war, and as a result, he was put in charge of the 1st Piririn Squad. He considers the selection work of the Squad Unit to be a prestigious job, and he is very grateful to Krische, but he does not allow anyone other than Krische to call it the Piririn Squad, and he will be furious whenever he is called the Piririn Squad leader by other members of the squad. Now that the recruitment process for the ck g Special Forces Company hase to an end, he is working with Nagal, Waltza, and others to improve the materials for his prosthetic arms and legs. **After the Battle of Vezrea, he became the leader of the First Kuromimi team, which was involved in the construction of the long-distance intelligencemunication system "Pururun Net" using the Heavenly Pole, in order to install Pururun resonance crystals that read the internal conversations from the vibrations of windows in important bases in various ces. He traveled all over the continent in cooperation with Dagris, who was the head of the kingdom''s intelligence department. Due to his advancing age, he was originally supposed to retire after that, but he had nothing special to do, so he asked Krische to be allowed toe back as a member of the operation team. He was helping Nagal and the other in the production, but several yearster he copsed while working and never woke up. A model of Gatangoton was buried with him in his grave.** ? Nigel A wounded soldier who is not pitiful. Chief of the Craftsman team. Director of Albenaria Arsenal. He was born as the third son of a merchant and is rtively rare in the ck g Special Forces being able to perform literacy and arithmetic. He is not a soldier selected from the general soldiers, but from the new recruits of the logistics department, and although he was not the leader of the unit, he is well-liked by the soldiers because of his good-natured personality. He is an excellent soldier and a swordsman, and for someone who had never wielded a sword, he had made remarkable progress, but in the final battle of the civil war, he lost his left wrist. He feels a strong debt of gratitude to Krische for giving him his prosthetic arm and pledges his lifelong loyalty to him. He worries about the cruelty that weapons created by Krische such as Jarea Gashea and Baumje-Ira bring to the battlefield, but hees to the idea of weapons as a deterrent and is satisfied with it for the time being. The time spent improving prosthetic limbs with Daz and Waltza is a nice break to him. **The heartless Jarea Gashe, with its cold thought processes refined, and the Baumje Ira, which can end many lives in an instant by sensing humans and automatically detonating ¡ª not only that, but within the Albeneria Factory, there are several prototype weapons that were too powerful and too cruel, leading to their abandonment during the trial and development stages. There are magical projection devices that can turn entire cities into seas of fire from beyond the horizon and force field deployment machines that can cause the bodies of living beings to burst by inducing a runaway of their internal magical power. Krisha showed no mercy. Great power rsuppresses war and creates peace. Although he understood her thoughts, the number of people he had indirectly killed was well over 10,000, and after that, he was horrified when she imagines how many people will be killed if a war that cannot be prevented urs, and he begged Krische to stop the production of magic weapons. Seeing the distressed Nigel, Krische¡¯s, considering it was enough for the stability of the world situation for the time being, agreed to it. He decided topletely entrust new development and production to enthusiastic magicians, destroyed the prototype weapons and duplicate crystals that had been lying dormant, and dered that he would no longer make Alberinea¡¯s magic weapons. He was finally freed from his suffering when it was decided to focus on the Net Project. The drawings posted in the Albenaria Arsenal, which had turned into a demonic world that spawned hell, included Jaleia Gashea and various magical weapons, as well as ns for a continental railroad and blueprints for a magical railcar, what was being nned there was not an efficient murder, but a n for future peaceful use. Local specialties and masterpieces reach all parts of the continent, and people can freely traverse the continent from west to east. Talking about such a peaceful future with his friends and worrying about it reminded him of the joy of making things, which had be a pain before he knew it. One by one, many of his colleagues disappeared, and young craftsmen took their ce. Before he knew it, Nagal was the oldest person there, yet he continued to make Gatangoton and teach many young people until just before his death. ¨D¨DDreaming that Krische-Christand''s masterpiece will one day fill the world, spreading happiness instead of death.** ? **Nekki The type of guy who broke Jaragasha in the first battle. Craftsman squad. An early member of the continent Gatangoton and Net. The first generation Gatangoton pilot. Although he was born in a farming vige in the northwestern part of the kingdom, he participated in recruiting during the civil war, dreaming of sess in life. He was a man who could do anything better than most people, but in the final battle of the civil war he injured his left leg, which got worse and had to be amputated. After that, he joined the craft team and was mainly responsible for the production and operation of Jarea Gashea, but his high ability and wide perspective led him to be involved in the continentalwork project from the beginning. He was moved by the way the prototype No. 1 they had built ran, and said that he wanted to solicit volunteers from the ck g Secret Service for the first few units because of information confidentiality and operational testing. He volunteers to be the first, and bes the first generation''s pilot. Although he was seriously injured once due to problems such as wheelsing off due to poor construction and damage due tock of strength, he calmly dealt with it and survived, saying it was not as bad as on the battlefield, andpleted the first route to the northern part of the kingdom with hispanions. After that, he was assigned various important routes, and as a pilot and mechanic, he exchanged opinions with Nigel and others that this was not good, that this was the problem, etc. He visited the factory on vacation and rode around in the updated, state-of-the-art Gatan-goton like a toy. ¨D¨DI never thought I would have so much fun after losing my leg and bing an old man. It is said that every time he drank alcohol, he cheerfully talked about such things.** ? Zaka --- Chaos Neutral A wounded soldier who can fight. A squad leader. First team leader of the irregr Kuroshutan operational unit. ck g Swordsmanship Instructor. Whispering Zarka. He was an excellent sword fighter who came from a merchant guard unit, but was wounded in his left eye on thest day of the battle of Bernaich. He was also injured all over his body, so he left the battlefield to recuperate, but returned without any aftereffects other than the loss of his left eye. He is currently serving as the head of the escort team for adjutant Aleha. **He is a roughneck, but he loves his subordinates and is well-liked by his teammates. After unification, he worked as the leader of Kuroshutan''s operational unit. Disguised as a caravan escort, he spent 10 years in the eastern part of the continent, where there was a disturbing atmosphere shortly after the upation, and fought his way through without letting any of hisrades die, while securing many unsettling elements with hisrades, or burying them in the dark. After Kuroshutan was disbanded, he was happy to havepleted his mission and spent every night drinking and making noise at the Crescent Moon at Dawn, and taught alongside Kalua and the others at the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo. Although he has a foul mouth, he is good at teaching others and is a good talker, so he is very popr with the young boys who admired the ck g Special Forces Company, much to Kalua''s chagrin. ¨D¨DYou still don''t understand. It may sound like a joke, but if Mia gets serious, she''s stronger than anyone else here. She is the only one who has been able tond even a single blow on Alberinea. He secretly tells the boys in such a way that he bes a figure respected as Whispering Zarka in the "Legendary Strongest Swordsman Mia Legacy Game." ¡ª¡ª Members of the ck Century¡ª¡ª ? Bagu ¡ª Chaos Neutral A young man who couldn¡¯tpletely be a viin. A member of the 1st squad. A war orphan, he grew up in a slum and resorted to stealing from an early age. Despite being skilled with his hands and rough work, he was ridiculed by those around him because he couldn''t perform jobs such as kidnapping and robbery. He fell in love with Kalua at first sight, and when he tried to approach her by force, she turned the tables on him. Since then, he has been making efforts to win her over through a straightforward approach and has been striving to be a serious soldier. Thanks to his abilities in acrobatics and his ambidexterity, he is often paired as a follower of Kalua, who relies on brute force, but he died protecting Kalua. ? Adol ¡ª Neutral Neutral An older brother-type man who seems to frequent bars. Member of 1st squad. He was the eldest son of a farming family, but he got fed up of working in the fields and came to the city. He is confident in his skills, which he puts to good use as a caravan escort, where he meets Kels, and they hit it off. After teaming up with Kels, they became well-known and joined the Chritand Army, where they thought they would be able to rise in the ranks. Along with Kels, he is the most powerful person in the squad, but in order to buy time, he desperately tried to hold down Gildanstein and died. ? Kels ¡ª Neutral Good A boy whovishly spends his money in a day. Member of 1st squad. Like Adol, he is the eldest son of a farmer, and left the vige out because he got fed up with field work. He is a caravan escort for the same reason as Adol, and he and Adol hit it off when they meet by chance. Their reasons for leaving home, the way they spend their money, and the way they work. All of them miraculously matched, and they formed a pair, thinking that if they were to team up, it would be with this guy. His swordsmanship is as strong as Adol''s, but he challenged Gildanstein, throwing his life, to create an opening for Adol''s sake and died. ? Kienitz ¡ª Chaos Good The type of men you could leave your back to. Leader of the 10th squad. He once retired from the army but returned to the army to repay his debt to Christand, who stood up for Princess Kreschenta. He had always been an excellent soldier, but he had a rough personality and was constantly fighting with his superiors and colleagues due to the difference in ability between himself and those around him, which was one of the reasons why he left the military. However, after joining the ck Hundred, he learned about magic, and seeing hisrades following him as a matter of course, he decided that this was the ce he wanted to be, and he was resolved to die here. Although his rough personality never disappeared, he worked energetically as a group leader and was a good leader who was loved by his subordinates. In the final battle of the civil war, he was killed by Gildanstein as the rear with his men to buy time for Selene. Chapter 263: Character introductionâ€•â€•Christand Military (Includes spoilers) Chapter 263: Character introduction¨D¨DChristand Military (Includes spoilers) ***Character 263 Character introduction¨D¨DChristand Military (Includes spoilers)*** Change is in bold. - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10 cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 **Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156** **Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163** **¡õ Those who Remain ¡ö Those who are Departed** - ------Christand Military ¡ö Nozan Elsren Vezrinea Verreich --- Order Neutral A dangerous fanatic and the formermander of Christand Army First Corps. The Kingdom¡¯s current East General. He is the youngest son of a baron and has been a subordinate of the Hero Bogan Christand since the very beginning. He was fascinated by the character, bravery, and intelligence of Bogan, who was born into the same baron family as his superior, and he has supported the Hero Christand in his long battles. Bogan felt that his talent surpassed his own, and after he became a general, he tried to persuade Nozan to be a general whenever he had the chance. However, Nozan was concerned that the strength of the Christand army would decline, so he decided not to do so. He refused and waited for the Christand army to show up with a talent worthy of his own recognition. Selene and Krische were the talents he finally recognized. He cursed his own fate when the tragedy in the Dragon''s Maw urred just as he was relieved to step aside. He has a simr temperament to Selene and is a serious and hard worker. When ites to Krische, he pays more attention to her than to anyone else, and there are many things that he¡¯s worried about, things that usually he doesn''t need to be worried about. He has mastered the Lorka-style swordsmanship that Bogan taught him and is unrivaled when ites to fighting with arge shield and longsword. His sword skill is about half that of Gildanstein, and he is also a versatile fighter with excellent wits and dexterity. Overall, he is the most outstanding general in the Kingdom¡¯s Army, with the exception of Krische. **Although Krische nicknamed him Chirp Chirp, it didn¡¯t feel bad to hear Krische cheerfully call him Chirp Chirp, and he surprisingly likes it. After the civil war and the Five Great Nations War, during which he struggled to fully control his own army, he finally settled down and began to focus on his army. What he aimed for was the mighty army of Bogan Christand, and to surpass even that. Although he has a passion for Bogan that could be called fanaticism, he remains calm enough to objectively see the differences between Bogan and himself, and so, the ideal form of the army is also different. He reviewed everything from training to strategies from scratch, testing each idea he had been nurturing and making improvements ordingly. Skilled in swordsmanship, possessing excellent intellect, adept at controlling people''s hearts, and possessing charisma and vigor. What Nozan, a rare talent, created was literally an unparalleled army. In the war to dismantle Elsren, he took the lead with the Alberinea army, cutting the enemy army into pieces like tearing linen cloth, and attacking a walled city that was impregnable as if it was a castle made of sand. As a result of his aplishments, he was appointed as the suprememander of the Kingdom''s eastern army, and in the blink of an eye he took control of the military forces of Elsren andid the groundwork for the nned war of unification. Nozan considered it as too much of an honor, however Selene told him that his military exploits are worthy of inheriting her father''s legacy the Thunder. With Kreschenta¡¯s consent, he gained the title of Vezerinea instead of Wolferinea, and his subordinate, Grunmeld, inherits Wolferinea. After the unification, he was entrusted with the management of the former Elsren Central. His talent in domestic affairs was also remarkable, meeting Kreschenta¡¯s expectations and contributing to the stability of Elsren. He made the foundation of the kingdom rock solid. His death was deeply mourned by the people of Elsren, and it was said to have felt as if the warm fire had been extinguished. Before his death, he left behind a will instructing that if there were signs of the kingdom''s copse, to open it and choose not based on belief, but on the path that would cause the least suffering to the people. While alive, he also sent two people from the Verreich House to the magic research institute, and due to the connection and will, the Verreich faction, which was thergest force in the Kleinmeer founding turmoil, sided with Kleinmeer, leading to an early end to the civil war.** ¡÷ **Historically He is considered one of the great heroes of Alberan''ste period, second only to Alberinea. He is said to have been an outstanding man who was endowed with all sorts of talents, and his name would probably be the first to be mentioned apart from Alberinea. It is said that his absence was a major reason for the defeat of the Christand army at Dragon''s Maw, and it was thought that Gildanstein feared him and confined him to the east. Although Alberinea''s magical weapons existed, his army, like the Alberinea direct army, won every battle after the Elsren War, and his abilities as a simple army and as amander were praised to rival even Alberinea''s. Selene Christand also referred to his brilliant strategies and tactics, saying that in terms of simple army operations, he was a geniusparable to her sister. He left behind numerous notes, some of which still exist, and are used heavily in historical research to learn about his contemporaries. He himself referred to Alberinea as someone who easily broke his conceitedness and made him examine himself again. In the turmoil of the Kleinmeer founding, the Verreich House, who were his subjects, sided with Kleinmeer, and it was said that this was due to his will, but the contents of it were not known. However, many schrs believe that such strange behavior was not unique to him, and that those who were close friends with Alberinea and others knew in advance that the queen and Alberinea would relinquish Alberan go.** ? Battle Command Amander without any gap that possesses both rigidity and flexibility, he is capable of flexible tactical responses under any circumstances. Like Krische, he prefers "headhunting tactics" that emphasize the elimination of enemymanders, and in some cases, he may even lead his troops into enemy lines himself. He is skilled in psychological warfare and has mastered the art of attracting and manipting the enemy''s attention. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Eyebrows are well defined. Armor: Full te with silver winged visor. ¡ú Krische: Possessor of talent far exceeding his own. Good but twisted. Beloved daughter of his deceased lord. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Self-discipline. Wine. **Chirp Chirp.** **Dislikes: Anything that mocked Bogan.** **Concern: Selene.** ¡ö **Nogan Elsren Rinea Verreich --- Neutral Neutral A boy who is the son of a great hero. Formermander-in-chief of the Eastern Front Army. Marshal of Alberan Kingdom. Piyorun. He received Nozan education from an early age and was an elite member of the military school, graduating at the top of his ss. Although he was a man of great talent, much like his father, he only served in the War of Dismantling Elsren and the War of Unification, and his actualbat career ended as a corpsmander under Grunmeld. Although he inherited the rank of Marshal from Selene due to his ability, he has many worries about sitting in the ce of Selene, who spent a little over 70 years as a Marshal, the longest in history. He was wondering why he was chosen even though there was Krische¡¯s existence whose ability was in a different dimension, but after hearing Aleha''s words, he understood and together with him, they began to work to prepare for the world when the Queen and Alberinea had disappeared. ¡î After Krische Moved In order to end the copse of Alberan in a good manner, which would eventuallye, he is taking the time to formte a n on behalf of Aleha, who travels around each region and connects pipes. After that he entrusted it to his descendants and departed from this world. The Verreich house and its faction in the East have been unified for 100 years, and with the disclosure of the Queen''s absence, they opened Northern''s letter, read Norgan''s n, and then decided to join the Elgainst uprising. No matter how much disgrace they may bebeled with, this was for Christand and for the Queen and Alberinea, what they must do. ¡÷ Historically Son of Nozan Verreich and Marshal of the Kingdom of Alberan. It is said that he cooperated with Aleha Remin in the Magic Research Institute and nned a coup d''¨¦tat from the position of Marshal, but there are no decisive documents left to indicate that. It is thought that the reason why he appointed Valtsa Remin, the grandson of Aleha Remin, as marshal was because of this n, and there is evidence that the queen and Alberinea''s abandonment of Alberan was in ordance with a prior n. Even after unification, the status of the Veich family remained unchanged, and they even declined special rewards, and their motives formitting major crimes at the time, and cooperating with them, are still not understood. ? Battle Command Like his father, he is a strong and flexiblemander. Although he possesses extraordinary military talent and was trained as the Corpmander of Grunmeld Varkas, he is one step inferior to the Northerns in terms of experience. Appearance: Reddish-bronze hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Handsome. Beautiful eyebrows. ¡ú Krische: A genius who twists history. A true genius. Despite being older, she is childish. A gentle girl who loves peace. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Tactics. Likes: Board Game. Wine. Dislikes: Being called a genius. Concern: The future of the kingdom that was entrusted to him by his father and Selene without him knowing it.** ¡ö Grunnmeld Kreinarl Wulfrinea Varkas --- Neutral Neutral Abat maniac with a scaryugh. Commander of the Verreich Army First Corps, leader of the ¡®Wolf Pack¡¯. Woof Woof. Formerly a bandit, he built arge group of thieves with just one iron club and rampaged through the Great Sea of Trees in the northeastern part of the kingdom. During a fight with Gallen''s corps, sent to subdue them, he had a one-on-one battle with Nozan and was defeated. However, he epted Northern''s invitation to join him as a subordinate due to his strength. Initially, he nned to escape at the earliest opportunity, but he came to realize that the battlefield was where he wanted to be. Through his military exploits, he became Northern''s confidant. The Wolf Pack has several subordinates from that time who y a central role. Although he has a lively and refreshing personality, he won''t tolerate being mocked. **Even during the War to Dismantle Elsren, he continued to achieve great results as Nozan¡¯s de, and with his promotion, he became a general. Even after he became a general, he remained the same, and as a general under Nozan¡¯s direct control, he continued to contribute to Non-military achievements. However, in domestic affairs, there was hardly any opportunity for him to demonstrate his physical strength, and Nozan, who could not bear to see it, sent amoner wise man as an advisor. Grunmeld was very fond of him and treated him well, and they soon became friends both professionally and privately¨D¨Dbut before long, Grunmeld fell in love with his daughter and took her as his wife, and they became the father of two children. Instead of getting angry at Grunmeld¡¯s womanizing habit, even though she was younger than him, she scolded him calmly like a mother would, and she also gradually fell in love with him, and Grunmeld calmed down in hister years and spent his days in peace.** ¡÷ **Historically A warrior known as Nozan Verreich''s right-hand man. He was said to have been a warrior known by the nickname Great Wolf, and Nozan Verreich referred to him not as a subordinate, but as an indispensablepanion. It seems that he was famous since Nozan Verreich was in the Christand army, and the soldiers at that time left records that everyone feared Christand¡¯s "Wolf Pack". It was said in the records at the time that he was originally a bandit, but the truth of this is unknown.** ? Battle Command Adept at offensive tactics, he is themander of the ¡®Wolves Pack¡¯, a light infantry group that can be said to be the strongest in the Kingdom, especially when ites to frontal breakthroughs. He believes that "strength that cannot be demonstrated in actualbat is meaningless," and he trains his troops by repeating grueling groupbat training in the form ofpetitive matches, with almost no marching training. This also has the aspect of selection and sifting out those who do not meet his standards, thereby raising the quality of his soldiers to the highest level possible, and he always maintains his troops at near peak fighting ability. He is amander who shows unparalleled strength in attack, but his character is averse to defensive positions, he is not good at long battles. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless, masculine fierce face. Deep scar on his cheek. Armor: Dark gray wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful and lovely looking girl, and sometimes makes him dumbfounded. A genius with absolutebat skills. It feels good to fight side by side with her. Strong points: Self-styled iron club fighting technique. fighting. Killing each other. Likes: trampling. The feeling of crushing humans. woman. Dislikes: Being Looked down on. **Concern: Because of Krische¡¯s Woof Woof, even his wife sometimes teased him.** ¡ö Sardin Karrent Rinea Garcalon --- Order Good. A serious and straitced man. Formermander of the Verreich Army Second Corps. General of the Eastern Front Army. Bald sses. A military man who loves peace soldiers who loves peace and values order. He is second only to Grunmeld in the Verreich army and is responsible for maintaining discipline within the army. He feelspelled to speak out against those who break the rules, even if they are his superiors, which has dyed his advancement in rank. However, he was bought by Nozan and joined its ranks. He often admonishes Grunmeld for his arbitrary actions. Although he may appear scary and strict, he is kind and loves children. **Before he could exercise his right to choose, he was forced to choose Bald sses. He wasughed at a lot by his wife at home. He fought through the War of Demolition of Elsren and the War of Unification, and after the war he was entrusted with the management of the former Karrent territory¨D¨Dan area that included the Fang of Vesalius, a key point that separated the east and west of the continent. It was an important base in the continent''s economy, but he also demonstrated his calmness and brilliant mind in domestic affairs, contributing to the development of the kingdom. His descendants were also talented like him, and during the uproar of Kleinmeer Founding, they sided with the Verreich house on the Kleinmeer side. He stopped the rebel forces in the eastern part of the continent who were looking for this opportunity and prevented the continent from being engulfed in war.** ¡÷ **Historically His name remains as one of Nozan Verreich''s right-hand men along with Grunmeld Varkas. He was entrusted with the Fang of Vesalius, a strategic point in the east and west of the continent, and is believed to have been a loyal and capable general based on various records, but in the battlefield records that remain today, there are no great military aplishments listed like Grunmeld Varcas. Nozan Verreich spoke of him in his own notes as Grunmeld¡¯s counterpart and his shield.** ? Battle Command He is an intelligent general with a good bnce of offense and defense. Although hisbat skills themselves are not high, he has a brilliant mind and is particrly good at tactics where he readied his troops to stop the enemy to break through or detour. Appearance: Bald head. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. Muscr face. sses. Armor: Full te of magic eye visor. ¡úKrische: Possesses a demonic talent. Although she is different from other people, she is an obedient and cute girl who matches her appearance. Strong points: Organizational management. Control (Regtion). Paperwork. Handling children. Likes: Taking care of children at the orphanage. Home garden. Dislikes: People who selfishly disrupt discipline. **Concern: The western end of the Fang of Vasarius was almost named Bald sses Station.** ¡ö Kolkis Kilzaria Rozrinea Argand --- Order Neutral A watchdog-type guy with a loud voice. Commander of the 2nd Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army, and Alberinea¡¯s adjutant. Alberinea''s great spear. Meow Meow. After a losing battle with massive losses, he was trying to escape as a defeated soldier when he was picked up by Gallen''s century who were nning a counterattack. He was charmed with Gallen¡¯s and Bogan''s way of life and pledged his loyalty. Although he prefers basic tactics and is not fond of quirky strategies, he has demonstrated overwhelming power by standing at the forefront inmanding assaults and defenses. He is well-liked for his inherent bravery and personality, and many brave men gather around him. Due to his emphasis on military training, his army has never been defeated in a simple head-to-head confrontation. Due to his son''s betrayal, he has once again pledged allegiance to Selene, and has decided to fight under her umbre for the rest of his life. He views Nozan as a rival but has never won in maneuver practice. **By spending time with Krische, he begins to feel that she was even more precarious, and after Gallen''s death, he also serves as Krische¡¯s adjutant, and vows to spend the rest of his life as her assistant. Along with this, he was allowed to take the name Roz, which means beast. Although he remained in the position ofmander of the army under the direct control of Alberinea, he was effectively treated as a general of the army under direct control of Alberinea. Along with Krische, he achieved countless military victories in the War of Dismantling Elsren and the War of Unification, and was highly respected by soldiers and the people as the Great Spear of Alberinea. After the war, he was entrusted with the Alberinea army and toured around the country, inspecting each army, training and . Whenever he visited the eastern part of the country, hepeted with Nozan and was overjoyed when he won, but he still lost in the exercise, he was very vexed that his daughter had married Nozan¡¯s son. The Argand house adopted one of their sons. Selene, whoe to visit him, was still showing signs of hesitating and worrying, so heughed at that, ¨D¨DEven at that age, you love her so much that you are still jealous of Bery, so what room is there for doubt in your heart? Leaving those words.** ¡÷ **Historically His life is said to have been told as a loyal warrior who served Christand. His individual military aplishments with his own hands were outstanding and could not bepared to that of any average general, and yet he spent his entire life under Christand. The reason for this is said to be his son, Gran Argand''s betrayal that led to the death of his beloved Bogan Christand. Selene Christand called him a monster who overwhelms tactics through drills, and said that if Nozan Verreich were to seriously lead an army into battle against him, rather than just practice or sparring, it would be a 50-50 battle with both parties risking their lives. He wrote in his memoirs that Kolkis, who had departed before him, was a lifelong rival and regretted his death, saying that if Bogan Christand was the best general, then Kolkis Argand was the best warrior. From the records and memoirs of the time, it is noted that despite the size of the army, the Second Corp led by him was known to both allies and enemies alike. Those who knew of its strength even avoided confronting him head-on, even when leading a whole army. His exploits in the Battle of Gulshan in the War of the Five Great Powers are famous, and even with the presence of the ck g Special Forces Company and Jareia Gashea, he destroyed the thick Gulshan battle line with a single blow. His strength was said to be overwhelming. Unlike the Verreich House, the Argand House sided with Alberan during Kleinmeer Founding and became its symbol, but after earnest persuasion by the Verreich House, they surrendered. The first Emperor of Kleinmeer, Elgainst-Ramil, seeing their martial prowess, reputation, and consistent role as protectors of Alberan and its people, honored their loyalty and valor, opting for lenient punishment. At that time, the head of the family was still a young and beautiful young man, and after that he was given the position of general of Kleinmeer, and he selflessly dedicated his life to the stability of the nation and the Argand House.** ? Battle Command He values drills above all else and believes that the quality of his men will bring victory. He emphasizes individualbat ability and coordination, and he believes in maximizing the power of his soldiers by simplifying his orders. He crushes the opponent with an assault that was originally impossible, and if he defends, he can easily repel the charge of arge army. In terms of the quality of the army as a whole, it can be said to be the best in the kingdom, but its movements are easy to read. Appearance: Short-cropped ck hair. Dark brown eyes. A rarerge stature and muscr. Even his face is muscr. Armor: Full te of silver tiger visor. ¡ú Krische: Genius. She is a taciturn but beautiful girl. The strongest warrior in the kingdom. **She is not suited for the battlefield.** Strong points: Combat. Inspiring troops. Loud voice. Likes: Simple and straightforward strategy. One to onebat. Warrior. Dislikes: Complicated tactics. Concern: **None.** ¡ö Gran Nea Argand --- Neutral Neutral A boy with beautiful eyebrows and a thin presence. Son of Colchis. Formerly General''s messenger in the Christand army. Although he was not as physically gifted as Kolkis, he inherited his military prowess, and is an excellent young man who is not conceited about it but is serious and puts in a lot of effort. Unlike the heroic Kolkis, however, he is a sensitive young man and his mother''s blood is strong in him. He is a worrier and indecisive in his decisions, and although he is intelligent and resourceful, he is vulnerable to sudden events. Because of his strong respect and dependence on his father, and the belief that his father had abandoned him, his heart suffered resulting in his betrayal and Bogan¡¯s death. He has been training tirelessly since childhood, and his fighting ability is very high due in part to his original military prowess, but it is not at the level of Kolkis or Nozan. ¡÷ **Historically The eldest son of Kolkis-Argand and a traitor. He did not get along with his father, and as a result, betrayed and lured Bogan Christand into a trap with false information. His final moments were in at the hands of his father, Kolkis Argand, after which a small, unnamed tomb was said to have been built in his mansion.** ? Battle Command Because of his sensitive nature, he is the type of person who prepares carefully for battle. However, he is not a man who is afraid of adventure and keeps to himself, and when he sees the odds are in his favor, he will choose bold tactics, as amander he is an excellent leader with a wide range of tactics. On the other hand, when things do not go as he expects, he is slow to make quick decisions, which often leads to a situation where it is toote due to his weak decision-making ability. He is more suited to be an adjutant, an assistant, or a general staff member rather than a leader. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Rtively tall. Beautiful eyebrows. Armor: Silver scale mail. ¡ú Krische: Dazzling presence. Jealous and envious of her. Strong points: Spearmanship. tactics. Horsemanship. Likes: Father. spear. Horse. Effort. Dislikes: Unforeseen situations. Concern: When he got through the ranks of troops, he saw Kolkis. The spear swung. He was killed. ¡ö Terrius Saza Rinea Melchikos --- Neutral Neutral Seems to be a man with a thin presence. The Commander of the Christand Army Third Corps. He is a corpsmander who became a subordinate to Bogan after he became a general. Since he became a corpsmander at the same time as Bogan, he regarded Bogan as a one-sided rival at the time. However, Bogan rushed to the rescue of Terrius'' corps when it was in dire straits and was deeply grateful to him for saving it, and heter pledged his loyalty to him. He specializes in field castle construction, even in battlefield, he builds his own unique cements and coordination, and Bogan highly regards his defensive abilities. He was defeated by Gildanstein, who was dressed as Salva''s adjutant. His hobby is building shelves. ¡÷ **Historically A Corpmander under Bogan Christand. He is said to have been a militarymander who was skilled at building fortresses in open fields, and was excellent at defense and dying battles, but during the civil war, he was defeated by Gildanstein''s desperate offensive. Serene Christandmented that his death was the biggest failure of the civil war''s final battle. She mentioned that if she had sent the ck Century Squad early on, he could have easily countered Gildanstein''s offensive, as he was a capable legionmander, reflecting on many problems at the time in her writings.** ? Battle Command A master of field fortress-building, he is amander who excels in defensive battles. Even in field battles on the ins, he devises theyout of the battlefield to create a line of soldiers that resembles a fortress. He is good at maneuvering and defending to lure the enemy into a position where he can turn the tables on them. His offensive tactics aren''t all that great, but they''re above the norm. Appearance: Short-cropped dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Eagle nose. Somewhat resembles Dagra. Armor: Silver castle carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl of marvelous talent, but dangerous (precarious). Strong points: Field battle fortification. Defensivemand. Do-it-yourself carpentry. Likes: one-sided shooting. Fortress. Architecture. Woodworking (Do It Yourself; DIY). Dislikes: Unprepared sudden event. Concern: His adjutant defected to the enemy ¡ö Salva Rinea Caldera --- Neutral Neutral An old-fashioned noble who respects tradition. Former adjutantmander of the Third Corps of the Christand Army. Born into a middle-ss noble family with a long history and has long served as an adjutant under the Third Corps Commander, Terrius. His ability can be called excellent, and although he is capable enough to fight as a general, he has been buried in the Christand Army, which attracts excellent human resources. He is not on good terms with Krische, and is very concerned about her young age and ruthlessness, and while he strongly admires her talent, he believes that she should not be allowed to have (political) power. A man who would have pledged loyalty to Christand for the rest of his life if it weren''t for Krische, as it is fair to say that his apprehension (anxiety, worry, insecurity) towards her caused him to betray Christand. He understood his defeat after Gildanstein''s death, and voluntarily gave his head to Gallen. ¡÷ **Historically One of the people who betrayed the Christand army. Although Selene Christand considers him an enemy of her father, she evaluates his abilities and wrote that he was amander who was more than capable in every way. It was written that when she was young, he was one of her mentors who was devoted to her as a child and taught her tactics, and Selene wrote that she was saddened that he had chosen the wrong g and used such dirty methods.** His final moments were in at the hands of his father, Kolkis Argand, after which a small, unnamed tomb was said to have been built in his mansion.** ? Battle Command His ability itself isparable to Terrius'', and he is very good. He has enough ability to be a general. However, hecks a certain kind of madness to rise to the top in Christand, and although he is not indecisive, hecks boldness and is small in some respects. This is especially true when he is cornered, and while he is an excellent assistant, hecks a great deal as a general. Appearance: Dull brown hair mixed with gray. Blue eyes. Thin build. Thin beard. Sharp eyes. Armor: Silver te mail. ¡ú Krische: Beloved daughter of his master, Bogan. A genius, but a deviant with no sense of logic (reason). Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. organizational operation. Likes: Fighting for a good cause. Honor. Battlefield. Dislikes: Those who neglect troops and people. Concern: The family he left behind ¡ö Eluga Giglite Corsrinea Faren --- Order Good He is the guy who takes first ce in the championship for the face you don''t want to see when you wake up from sleep. The Commander of the Christand Army Fourth Corps. Skeleton. A veteran general who possesses unparalleled ingenuity and has achieved great results in battle but has been shunned due to his personality. Bogan was once his subordinate, and he was also his mentor in tactics. He possesses a brain that could be called a genius and can be said to be first-ss in all kinds of techniques on the battlefield. However, because of his excellence, he demands the same of others as a matter of course, and those who do not meet his standards are discarded without mercy as unnecessary on the battlefield, which results in him losing poprity. Even those of royal blood were no exception, and because of his thoroughgoing meritocracy, the path to bing a general was politically closed. He changed his mind after Bogan, his subordinate at the time, suggested it to him at the risk of being punished, but there was no longer any way for him to rise in the ranks, and when Bogan became general, he offered himself to be a subordinate of his former subordinate. Despite his evil appearance, he is a man of manners and usually prefers to speak in a gentle and polite tone of voice. He is a rare, good man who believes that his status as a noble is to support the weak people. His thorough meritocracy was not meant to be malicious, considering the role required of an army that should not be defeated, but his appearance also had a negative effect. He considers his former subordinates, Bogan, to be his students, teachers, andrades-in-arms who are all working toward the same goal. He loves (dotes on) Krische very much, and she is his joy in life these days. When he smiles wickedly without any reason, he is usually thinking of Krische. **He usually teaches various things to young nobles as the principal of the military school, but after Gallen''s death, he has reconsidered his own lifespan. He was not afraid even when his own lifespan finally came to an end, and was most proud of the fact that Krische would desperately try to keep him alive, and he met a peaceful end. He said with satisfaction that ¡®It¡¯s hard to think that this is the end of someone like me who is feared by everyone¡¯. ¡÷ **Historically Assistant to the marshal of Alberan Kingdom. The first principal of Albeneria Military Academy. A military genius hailed for his intellect, he achieved numerous victories even before joining the Christand army. However, due to political pressure, he was denied the path to advancement as a corpsmander. Selene-Christand speaks of him as a great teacher, and praises his intellect as one of the rare people who can even argue with her sister, who is an outstanding genius. Nozan Verreich also said that he was the brains behind the Christand army, and that he was the master who taught the generals and themselves about tactics and strategies. It is said that he was especially close to Alberinea, and many of his memoirs say that he doted on her as if he was another grandfather to her along with Gallen. He was the person who created the military school and staff department together with Selene Christand, and like her, he left many strategic and tactical manuals for posterity. To this day, many instructional books based on his work still exist, and there is no one who has received military education that does not know his name. Due to Alberinea''s great weapons, he foresaw that skirmish tactics will be more active in the future of the battlefield, and as it had a great influence on the tactics of the Allied forces in thete Kleinmeer war, he is still respected as a wise man who could see a thousand years into the future.** ?Battle Command Attacks, defenses, and engagement. He has extremely high tactical ability in all of them, especially in themand and management of soldiers, which is outstandingpared to others. Although he is a genius who can easily execute risky and deceptive measures, he believes that the simple movement of soldiers is the essence of tactics, and in training, he is most thorough in marching training, including assembly and dispersal. He is the type of fighter who overwhelms his opponents by umting small victories and gaining the upper hand, emphasizing the basics of parrying the enemy''s strong points and targeting only the weak. When ites to tactics he ispatible with Krische, and as a result it is easy for them to augment each other. Appearance: Skinhead. Dark blue eyes. Very thin. Face with prominent bony features. Armor: Dark grey half-te. ¡úKrische: A resourceful girl who could be the star of this era. Cute. The apple of his eyes. Strong points: Tactics. Zain-style swordsmanship. Command operation. Organizational operations. Likes: Tactics. Tending the garden. Flowers. Children. Tranquilness (Peacefulness). Dislikes: Ipetence on the battlefield. **Concern: The future of the loved ones he left behind.** ¡ö Quinez Riea Kaza --- Order Neutral A man of the type who would like to be reassigned. Directly under the assistant marshal of Alberan Kingdom, adjutant of the Independent Corps. Principal of Albeneria Military Academy. He is a small, fat adjutant who handles everything wlessly, hisck of w is his only w. Although he respects his superior, Eluga, he wishes to be reassigned because of his strict demands and scary face, but because of his excellence, Eluga will not let him go and he is unable to escape. He is the adjutant of the Central Independent Corps led by the assistant marshal, and although he has made a big step up from a mere adjutant corpsmander, he is unable to escape from Eluga and feels indescribable. **He is an adjutant of the Central Independent Corps led by the assistant marshal, and has risen through the ranks from being just an adjutant to the corpsmander, but he is unable to escape from Eluga, there¡¯s no word to describe it. After Eluga''s death, he seeded Eluga as the principal of the military school. Even though he hated having to deal with such trouble, he was most proud of being entrusted by Eluga, and after that he worked tirelessly to develop it. Heter named one of his children Eluga.** ¡÷ **Historically He leaves his name as the sessor to Eluga Faren. He has been with him on the battlefield as his adjutant for many years, and was involved in the establishment of the General Staff Department and Military Academy from the beginning, and is the second principal. Although he has a gentle appearance, which is theplete opposite of Eluga-Faren''s ferocious appearance, he is known to be a person with a clear mind just like Eluga Faren, and it was said that he often directly provided guidance regarding staff training. He is said to be the person who made the seeds sown by Faren sprout, and after his death he established military schools in various ces and spread systematic military education. In his own book, he refers to Eluga Faren and said, ¡®He was a mysterious person, whom I sometimes even hated, but who I found myself respecting from the bottom of my heart¡¯**. ?Battle Command Having studied under Eluga for many years, he has excellent tactical skills and can adapt to any battle situation. He is a man of character who hates to take on too much and always puts his own safety first, but he is often asked to do reckless things by Eluga, who sees through his character, his tactics be sharper the more dangerous the situation is. Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Overweight. Kind face. Armor: Dark grey flower-carved te mail. ¡úKrische: A girl who is a genius but crazy. A beautiful girl. His superior is crazy about her. Strong points: Command and operation. Organizational operation. Reading the minds of his superiors. Likes: Eating. Sleep. March training. Dislikes: Battlefields. Scary superior. **Concern: Did I live up to Eluga''s expectations?** ¡ö Keith Salesvia Rinea Kirtins --- Order Neutral A taciturn man. Commander of the First Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. General of the Central Army. General of the Kingdom''s Far East Army. He is from the 4th corps led by Eluga Faren. He considers discipline and control to be the strength of the army, and is a steady battalionmander who ces an emphasis on marching and formation change training. Although he has no particr outstanding abilities, he has a broad perspective and is an excellent soldier who never loses his cool in any situation and has a solid decision-making ability. He was resentful that his own battalion was used as a decoy and many of his best soldiers were abandoned, but when he was given a role equivalent to that of an adjutant, he recovered and was unable to figure out what kind of person Krische was. Regardless of his feelings, Keith himself is the type of soldier that Krische likes. During the civil war, he was given the corps with the equivalent authority of an adjutant and is now recognized as the first corpsmander, and his attitude toward Krische has softenedpared to before, when he felt that Krische disliked him. He has begun to understand her philosophy of action and feels that although she is ruthless, she is not inhumane, and that only a mad goodness lies at the root of her actions. **As if to prove this, the Krische that followed after the war was overlooked exactly matched her appearance of an adorable child, he cursed the tragedy that forced her to go to war. He was promoted to general in recognition of his efforts in the war to dismantle Elsren. After the War of Unification, he served as a general in charge of the eastern part of the continent. For the sake of the people and for her, as a loyal soldier of the kingdom, he continues to keep an eye on the continent to ensure that it does not fall into the throes of war again. When she visited him, he would smile and give her a warm wee.** ¡÷ **Historically A general and subordinate of Alberinea. He was trusted by her as an honest person, and was often entrusted withmand of the army, and after the war he spent the rest of his life as a general in the Far East. Regarding Alberinea, he wrote in his memoir, ¡®He was a calcting and ruthlessmander, but also a kind-hearted girl who loved peace more than anyone else¡¯.** ?Battle Command Amander who has a broad vision and loses hisposure. He believes in umting small victories to win big victories, never taking on too much. He does not excel in anything in particr, but on the other hand, he has no weaknesses and can respond flexibly to any situation. He is often asked to take charge because of his sense of safety and stability, which is favored by Krische. Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Thin build. Face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Silver half te. ¡ú Krische: Distorted genius. **No matter how cold and ruthless she may be on the battlefield, she is actually just a child as she appears to suggest.** Strong points: Command operation. Training. Paperwork. Likes: Fishing. Mountain climbing. Dislikes: Alcohol. **Concern: How many years of peace did contribute after his death?** ¡ö Varga Mistler Rinea Kurtos --- Order Good A hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice. The First Battalion Commander, who is equivalent to the First Corps Commander¡¯s adjutant under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. General of the Kingdom''s Far East Army. He hails from the same corps as Nozan Verreich. Hees from a lower-ss noble family and admires the Hero Bogan Christand, as well as Bogan''s daughter Selene. Although his abilities are excellent, his sense of justice is so strong that he cannot tolerate injustice and dislikes those who view soldiers as mere numbers. As a result, he pledges strong loyalty to Selene but does not get along well with Krische. A deep rift formed between him and Krische when Krische used the 3rd Battalion as a decoy while he offered to join the rear in the Dragon''s Maw. Even now, not all of the fear and animosity he felt toward her at that time has disappeared, but after seeing her make Keith, themander of the Third battalion, her adjutant and then promoting him to the position ofmander of the First Corps, he is trying to rethink that that may not have been the result she wanted. Due to the shortage ofmanders, he is also the adjutantmander of the First Corps whilemanding the First Battalion of the First Corps. **Although he still cannot sympathize with her clich¨¦d cruelty, he looks back on the oue of the War of the Five Great Powers and shows an understanding of the one righteousness she had. With Keith''s promotion to general, he was also promoted as his adjutant. After unification, he became a general in the Far East Army with him, and worked to maintain public order in the turbulent Far East. As he observes Krische¡¯s achievements and the great feat of unifying the continent and bringing peace, he sees his own pettiness in clinging to one choice she made in the past, and ultimately decides to cast aside his anger and hatred. To hold the grudge forever against her, she was much too selfish and pure.** ¡÷ **Historically A general and subordinate of Alberinea. It was said that he wrote about Alberinea in his own memoirs, but none of them remained, and only research papers based on those notes remain.** ? Battle Command A well-likedmander. Whenever he orders his soldiers to do something reckless, he makes no exception for himself and he spills blood along with them to inspire them. He has high individualbat ability and physical strength, and many soldiers are drawn in to him, so even if the soldiers are a new recruit, he raises their abilities and makes them achieve results through morale. He has a problem with Krische, their personality is like oil and water. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Large build. Hairy, square face. Armor: Dark grey te mail. **¡úKrische: A child who is more excellent than anyone else but should not be sent to the battlefield.** Strong points: Inspiring (raising morale) troops. Lorca-style swordsmanship. Rearmand. Likes: Training. Heroic tales. Military history. Dislikes: People who don''t see soldiers as human beings. **Concern: What a soldier should be like.** ¡ö Bagil Aronia Rinea Sandika --- Chaos Neutral A slightlyscivious battalion leader type of man. Commander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. He worked his way up from a single soldier. He was once the adjutant of the "Wolf Pack" led by Grunmeld Varkas. He is a free man who remained in the Christand Army half out of ulterior motive and half out of loyalty, wanting to work for the iparably beautiful Selene and Krische. His ability is extremely excellent, and after joining the "Wolf Pack", he has fought tough battles on the front lines for many years without any major injuries and is a fierce fighter who has survived the battlefields of Hell, and is a powerful person who is just one step short of monsters such as Granmeld. He enjoys beautiful girls and watching them, but he is afraid to touch them because he is afraid of his wife. He was originallypetent enough to be appointed as amander of a corps, and was promoted tomander of the Third Corp in due course after the capture of Aurugorn Hilkintos. **After the War of the Five Great Powers, he casually suggested that his wife buy a garter belt, but when she questioned the reason, he was forced to sit up straight for an entire day. Although he had sufficient ability as a general, he apanied Clich¨¦ in the War of Dismantling Elsren and the War of Unification as a Corpmander. Although he achieved great military results, he refused the honor of being promoted to suprememander of the Far East Army as being unsuitable for him. After the fed up Selene questioned, she finally gave up hearing his transparent answer about wanting to spend his lifetime as Alberinea''s sword, and he was appointed as General of the Central Army. Elzard Gokhals was promoted to suprememander of the Far East Army in his ce. Even after the war, he worked tirelessly and wanted to receive some kind of reward from Krische. So she was given the nickname ¡®Fluff-Fluff¡¯ because he looked like a dog, wagging their tail in joy when they received food (ording to Krische). He was very pleased.** ¡÷ Historically Along with Kolkis Argand, he was a model warrior who was loyal to Alberinea. Although he is a prominentmander with many military exploits, he has wielded a sword under Alberinea for a long time, and it is thought that this is due to personal loyalty. It is said that Keith Kirtins, who belonged to the same army, was worried about rising to the rank of general ahead of him due to his excellent talent and experience. and he wrote in his memoirs that he wanted to spend his lifetime as Alberinea''s sword, and was praised as the ¡®Noble Sword of Alberinea¡¯. His loyal appearance, which swore absolute loyalty to Alberinea, earned him the respect of many soldiers, and there are several records of him spending time with Alberinea. However, although Selene Christand praised him as a soldier, she used the preface ¡®leaving aside his usual nature as a person¡¯, and opinions are divided on the intention in writing so. ** ?Battle Command Originally from the wolf pack and Granmeld¡¯s adjutant, he has a hedonistic nature and is abat maniac. He is a maniac who ys his enemies with augh, is skilled at cutting through gaps in his enemies, and is outstanding in his ability tomand melee battles. He prefers to fight using his mobility and is not motivated by defending his position. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray. Dark brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Beard mixed with gray hair. Armor: Silver goddess half te. ¡úKrische: A beautiful girl who can cleanse your heart just by looking at her. He likes her legs that he can see from her skirt. Defenseless. **The criminally seductive difference between her socks and thighs is (** Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Front linemand. Inspiring troops. Controlling people''s hearts and minds. Peeping. Likes: Beauty appreciation (wholesome). Gentle wife. **Garter belt.** Dislikes: Touching. Scary wife. Concern**: Wanted to see more of Begil''s exclusive maid Krische in an apron dress who would nurse him.** ¡ö Fagran Rinea Alhajid --- Chaos Neutral A guy with a bit of a loud voice. The First battalionmander, who is equivalent to the adjutantmander of the Third Corps under the direct control of Alberinea, the Kingdom''s Central Army. Adjutant of the Kingdom''s Central Army General. A member of the "Wolf Pack" led by Grunmeld Varkas, he has been a subordinate since their days as bandits. Like Grunmeld, he is abat fanatic and enjoys risking his life on the front lines more than anything else. He had fought against Krische during training in the past, and after suffering a crushing defeat, he fell in love with her skills and decided to join the Christand Army with her. Instead of fighting to the death, he prefers topare skills and often challenges talented individuals to a match. Considering his past achievements, he could have been promoted tomander of the Fourth Corps, but he feels that he is not capable of such a promotion, and he wishes to work under his former superior, Bagil. **With Bagil''s promotion, he was also promoted. He spent the rest of his life following his superiors as usual, going through various hardships, such as making many pretensions and trying to persuade Bagil, who did not want to leave Krische, with his many false pretenses. Begil, who had finished his battlefield duties, was nothing more than a perverted old man, but he seemed to enjoy his peaceful daily life of being taken care of, albeit reluctantly.** ¡÷ **Historically Bagir Sandika''s deputy. There are no notable anecdotes left other than that he was a former member of the wolf pack and was his trusted adjutant.** ?Battle Command He prefers head-to-head battles above all else, and he likes pushing each other to the utmost of his strength. He likes the word "adversity," and the more he is backed into a corner, the more power he exerts, but he is not dodging (fending off) attacks. He is also good at disrupting the rear because of his background as a bandit. Appearance: Short dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr. Bear-like face. Armor: Dark grey wolf te mail. ¡úKrische: A beautiful genius with a sword. Combined with her tactical prowess, he has a lot of respect for her tactical skill. Strengths: Lorca style swordsmanship. Sparring. Front linemand. Inspiration (raising morale). Likes: Contest of skill (sparring). Weightlifting. Dislikes: Cowards. **Concern: His superior remained the same until his death.** ¡ö Gaines Rinea Tosca --- Neutral Neutral A mischievous-looking old man who appears old. Commander of the Royal Archery Battalion under the direct control of the Alberinea Central Army. He hails from the 4th Corps led by Eluga Faren. As a hunter whomands mainly archers, he is the only battalionmander in the First Corps who cannot use magic. However, his talent more than makes up for it, rising from a private soldier to battalionmander with his intelligence andmanding ability. He is always calm, cautious, and bold. He is a masterful archer who utilizes his experience as a hunter and is respected by the other battalionmanders of the First Corps. Even on the battlefield, he never forgets his sense of humor and cracks jokes about anything, although sometimes they fall t. **When conducting the mobile defense that Krische preferred, he wanted an archery unit that could be used at hand without being tied to a corps, so he was promoted to archer battalionmander, which was under Krische¡¯s direct control, separate from the chain ofmand from each corps. Now that Gallen is gone, he is also working hard to train the next generation, as his retirement is not far away. It''s sad that Krische, who has learned to be considerate of others, started seriously asking him to exin his jokes. Before the war to dismantle Elsren, his health deteriorated and fell asleep. Before he died, he tried to make Krischeugh with his own jokes, but it didn''t work. However as he continued his mysterious efforts even on his hospital bed to somehow make Krischeugh, Krische let out augh in a troubled manner.** ¡÷ **Historically The archer battalionmander under the direct control of Alberinea. It is said that he was a rare non-magical power holder for a battalionmander.** ?Battle Command Does not overreach, but doesn''t miss opportunities. He is a simr type ofmander to Gallen, preferring ambush and surprise attacks and disliking head-on confrontations. He understands the tactical thinking of Krische, who is of hunter origin, and is an easy-to-use battalionmander for Krische. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray, tied back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Wrinkled, aged face. Narrow eyes. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: A sweet girl with no sense of humor. An excellentmander who always entrusts discretion. Strong points: Archery. Short sword (dagger) technique. Command of archers. Rearmand. Likes: Hunting. Fishing. Tree climbing. Dislikes: Being in a town. **Concern: Realized on his deathbed that he simply wanted to see her smile.** ¡õ Aleha Gashearinea Remin -- Order Good A hero chasing a young man. Former general of the Holy Elsren Empire. Former Duke of Sarchenka. Adjutant of the ck g Special Forces Company. Born the third son of a noble family, he was sent to the military, chased away by his older brother. After being entrusted to the military, he showed his talent at a young age and achieved countless sesses from the time he was a centurion, earning the title of "Holy Knight" and the rank of general at a young age. He participated in two battles against Bogan Christand, the hero of the kingdom, once when he was a battalionmander and second when he was a corpsmander, and always performed remarkably well, but he was defeated in all of these battles because his main camp was unable to withstand the gradual retreat of Christand army and its fierce attacks. Despite his strong hostility toward Bogan, he has a proportionately strong admiration for him, and has brought up records of the battlefields in which he has been involved, sometimes actually going to the battlefields to study their tactics. During the recent invasion, he was misled by Krische and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Christand army. The Holy Empire was forced to retreat, and those who had been holding him in contempt held him responsible. Although he was spared execution, his fiefdom was confiscated, and he was stripped of his titles of general and holy knight. He was disowned by his birth family, the Sarchenka. He was an extremely talented man, except for his youth, but he was shunned because of his abilities. He is a good man who refrains from extravagance and uses his money to set up an orphanage, and is regarded as a hero by the people, but his poprity has made him many enemies. Later, during his travels, he met Clich¨¦ and was invited by her to join the kingdom''s army. After Bogan''s death, he had lost sight of his purpose, but through meeting her, he found a new purpose and a reason to fight, and he once again embarked on the path of a warrior. His natural ambition leads him to request mockbat whenever he meets Krische, and Krische basically avoids him. As a result, he uses his wit, and all kinds of tricks to create situations in which Krische cannot escape, and whenever he has a chance, he tries to drag her into her endless training. & In recognition of his great military exploits and abilities, and deemed to havepleted his purification, he was promoted tomander of the fourth corps and given the surname Rivera. He currently has a good rtionship with the Central General, Tekrea Remin, and begins to feel affection for her clumsiness and seriousness, which she cannot hide. Although he is concerned about his status, he is secretly talking to Selene and thinking about when to propose to her. After the war in Vezrea, his wife became pregnant with their second child, and due to Tekrea;s desire to focus on childcare, he took over as Central Army General. In the Elsren Dismantling War and the Unification War, he skillfully utilized the Jarea Gashea, achieving military sess and receiving the title of the Honorary Marquis. It was during this time that Krische came up with the title ¡®Jaragasha Rinea¡¯, leading to him being granted the title of Honorary Marquis Gashearinea. H He then spent hister years in harmony with Tekrea, and took care of her in her final moments due to her old age. Although his son inherited the Remin family, he himself lived longer than his son, and after running around the country in a hurry, he watched over his grandson''s session to the title before falling asleep. He had known from an early time of the existence of a young genius magician named Elgainst Ramil, the grandson of Tyr Ramil, the first director of the Academy of Magical Research, and had heard from Krische that he was ¡®fairly talented¡¯. Since he is diligently researching and imitating the magic crystals left behind by Alberinea, he believe that the era of magicians will definitelye in the future, so he talked to him, He assesses his personality and decides to provide financial support to the Magic Research Institute and the Ramil family. There is no doubt that Alberan will copse someday. He tells his grandson and great-grandson that they won''t being back and that Alberan won''tst long, telling them to stop worrying about Alberan and start moving for a new era. After his death, the head of the family at the time, Waltza, who was his grandson, learned that Elgainst had taken control of the magic weapon and that he was thinking of overthrowing the country. He cooperated with the uprising of his friend Elgainst, and took control of the royal capital. By assisting him, he achieved a bloodless upation of the council and proceeded to take control of the country.** ¡î**After Krische Move Nearly thirty years have passed since they left on their journey, and he has been busy with the aftermath. So that when she departs, she wouldn''t regret her choice, so that she could leave the new era to people with peace of mind, and love that peace from her heart. He knew that in order to do so, change must ur with great force and in a very short period of time.** ¡÷ **Historically General Alberan, former general of the Elsren Holy Empire. His military talent is said to be on par with that of the Nozan Verreich, and he is a famous general in the final stages of Alberan, and a person trusted by the Queen and Alberinea. He has been praised by the people as a fair and honest man since his time in Elsen, but opinions are divided as to whether he was a true loyal subject. From Elsren, he traveled to the enemy country of Alberan, where he became acquainted with Alberinea and Duke Remin, and in hister years sponsored Elgainst Ramil, so there are many views that he was a maniac full of ambition. At Kleinmeer Founding, Elgainst swift seizure of power wasrgely due to the support of its allies, the Remin house, which held tremendous power at the center of the kingdom. It is spected that his travels to various ces during his lifetime were also part of his preparations. In fact, a surprisinglyrge number of nobles sided with Kleinmeer, and as if it had been nned, the national system transition took ce so quickly that it was hard to believe that it was a coup d''¨¦tat. However, it is certain that it was sessful without any major obstacles, which ultimately led to the end of the chaos and the subsequent stability of nearly a thousand years. Some schrs believe that he knew that the two would not return, and that he acted in order to stabilize the future, causing divided opinions among them. Whether to regard him as a true loyalist or a cunning fox of chaotic times. Opinions are sharply divided, but at least in the diaries and records of the time, there is no doubt that he was one of those who sincerely respected Alberinea from the bottom of his heart and was one of those in whom she ced deep trust.** ? Battle Command He respected Bogan as an enemy and read and absorbed his battle records. Due to his natural ingenuity, he possesses excellent abilities that are notcking as a general of an army, but due to his youth, a na?ve side of him still remains. His overall ability is close to that of Nozan, and he is an all-around type. He has no weakness in any situation and delivers above-average results, but he is more suited to attacks where he can easily take the initiative. Appearance: Brown-gold hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Beautiful young man. Armor: ck leather armor. ¡úKrische: An entric girl and quick to find things troublesome. She is pure and beautiful. **One that will continue to illuminate him forever at the end of the sky.** Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Retreat warfare. Tactics. Likes: glory. Good deeds. Pure faith. Bogan Christand tactics. Mockbat with Krische. **Tekrea¡¯s Hundred Faces (from changing emotion and her reaction).** Dislikes: scoundrels who wear the mantle of authority. **Concern: Are they happy there?** ¡õ Waltza (Del Grizndi) -- Order Good He is a man who thinks his life is for the young master. He is a former assistant general of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Former military leader of the Sarchenka family. Training instructor of the ck g Special Forces Company. He is the head of the Grizndi family, a branch of the Sarchenka family, and an excellentmander. He is capable ofmanding an entire army as a general, but hecked political ability and failed to rise in the ranks, and after retiring he worked as a military advisor in the Sarchenka family. He has known Aleha since he was a child, and has be his personal subordinate, fascinated by his ingenuity and the pure side of his pursuit of ideals. He has been by Aleha''s side for most of his life and understands him well. He is more outraged than anyone else at the way the Holy Empire and the Sarchenka family have treated him, and when he returned to the Holy Empire from the Kingdom, he gave up hisnds and went to work for Aleha himself. His left arm was severed by Krische. He was invited to join the Royal Army along with Aleha, and served as an instructor in the ck g Special Forces Company where he watched training in swordsmanship and spearmanship, but after the war he was promoted to the position of adjutant of the Fourth Corps. He has been thinking about the benefits of his prosthetic arm in battle, and has been repeatedly making improvements and discussing it with Daz and Nagal. Lately, he has been literally watching over the rtionship between Aleha and Tekrea, vowing to live a long life to see them get married and be able to hold their child in his arms. **After Aleha and Remin''s child, Alsang, was born, he took care of him as the apple of his eyes, and after the war with Vezrea, Aleha asked him to babysit him, and he retired from the military. Hepeted with Tekrea¡¯s adjutant, Milcarz, over who would be more liked. After Milcarz departed first, he realized that he too would soon die, and devoted himself to the education of Alsang for his part too. He told stories of his master, Aleha''s exploits on the battlefield and about Krische, and taught him the basics of swords and spears. And several years after Milcarz departed, he too fell asleep. From this memory, Alsang named his firstborn son, Waltza. Waltza Remin then cooperated with Elgainst Ramil and created the Thousand Year Empire Kleinmeer.** ¡÷ **Historically The person from whom the name Walta Remin was derived. He is said to have been a brave warrior who followed Aleha Remin from the time of Elsren, but there were not many records left regarding him. He fought against the Christand army at the Battle of Arzuren River, and had his left arm cut off by Alberinea who was 14 at the time, but on the other hand, he was famous as the fierce warrior that Alberinea failed to kill. After being weed by Alberan, he was given a magical prosthetic arm by Alberinea, and he is developing an armed prosthetic arm called the Waltza style, which has built-in des and iron stakes that are ejected by springs. This advanced version is still in use today, and is especially well-known among prosthetic limb craftsmen, along with Nagal, the Albeneria Arsenal manager.** ? Battle Command He is a military instructor, and his tactical knowledge is broad and deep. His primary purpose is to assist Aleha, so he does not appear in public (surface), but he has the ability to be an excellent general. Appearance: Short hair dyed gray. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build. High nose. Narrow eyes. Beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: Contrary to her ability she is a young and unfortunate girl. Benefactor. Young Master¡¯s favorite. Strong points: Elcafalest spearmanship, swordsmanship. Teaching. Trainingmand. Leadership. Likes: Loyalty. Honor. Teaching in general. Dislikes: The Curia. Sarchenka family. **Concern: None.** Chapter 264: Character introductionâ€•â€•Alberanâ€™s Nobles (Includes spoilers) Chapter 264: Character introduction¨D¨DAlberan¡¯s Nobles (Includes spoilers) ***Chapter 264 Character introduction¨D¨DAlberan¡¯s Nobles (Includes spoilers)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10 cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 **Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156** **Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163** **¡õ Those who Remain ¡ö Those who are Departed** - ----Other Kingdom Nobles (Military). ¡ö Gildanstein Kalnaros Vel Sarcarinea Alberan -- Order Evil An aristocratic sommelier man who likes torture. Royal Prince. Archduke of Alberan Kingdom. He used to be a virtuous prince who was gifted with talent and good character, pursuing only righteous ideals, but when he saw the reality of the political strife in the royal court and the corrupt noble society, he became sick because of his high ideals. After that, he suddenly changed and began to enjoy entertainment using the weak. He was sent to the battlefield by those who shunned him because he disgraced the royal family, but he won many victories and passed through the hellish battlefield again and again. He is feared by the soldiers as the "ck Lion" due to his fearless courage and power, and the ck armor he wears. He came to know that the ideals he sought still existed in the Bogan who risked his life on the battlefield to save his life, and the soldiers who wielded their swords for honor and cause. His evil deeds gradually faded away, but when he was falsely used of usurping the throne by the Cursed Child, Kreschenta, he crossed swords with Bogan. He seeded in luring Krische to hunt down Selene, but was ultimately killed by Krische''s single sword. Even though he had fallen into the wrong path, he was still unable to forget his former ideals, but when he saw Krische defeat him with overwhelming power, he was finally freed from his obsession. ¡÷ **Historically Royal prince and marshal of Alberan Kingdom. He poisoned his brother, King Shabazz and fought with Queen Kreschenta. He was said to have been a notorious person and a pleasure murderer even back then, and it was said that the turmoil started when Shabazz, who was suffering from a serious illness, nominated the young princess Kreschenta to inherit the throne due to his behavior. He engaged inbat with Bogan Christand, who was hiding the escaped princess, at the Dragon''s Maw, and although he used a scheme to defeat him, Alberinea, who was 14 years old at the time, immediately annihted the army that had sided with the Royal Prince. He lost ret Marcellus and Aurugorn Hilkintos, regained the Dragon''s Maw, and was ultimately defeated in a duel with her. He was not only cunning but also possessed rare military talent. He is reputed as the person who had cornered Alberinea the most, and in stories and ys depicting the Alberinea civil war, he is often depicted as the final enemy. For Selene Christand, no matter what one''s actions are, as a soldier, results are everything. She quoted Bogan Christand saying that what a soldier should seek is not a glorious and honorable defeat, but an ugly and unsightly victory. She also acknowledges the Royal Prince''s obsession with victory over her father, stating that the cunning and skill he employed to defeat her father as a military man are worthy of praise. There is an alternate theory that he was a victim of Queen Kreschenta, suggesting that the n to usurp the throne was too sloppy and seemed unnatural given the circumstances at the time. They praise his military acumen during the Eastern Expedition and the skill he disyed in defeating Bogan Christand, considering Gildanstein to be one of the leading strategists and tacticians of his time. They question whether he would undertake such a major rebellion without any n, suggesting a causal rtionship with the suspicious deaths of the princes since Kreschenta¡¯s birth. They propose the unfounded conspiracy theory, suggesting that he was disposed of in the form of a civil war by Kreschenta, who had aimed for the throne from the beginning. There is a strong theory that Queen Kreschenta suffered from some kind mental disorder, and while the conspiracy theory is supported by some schrs, on the other hand, there are those who argue that if it was the genius queen''s plot, that kind of rebellion was even more unthinkable, and the conspiracy theory remains in the minority.** ? Battle Command An extremely aggressivemander. He prefers headhunting tactics above all else and aims to achieve decisive results by making the most of his abilities under any circumstances. He prefers to be on the front lines, and prefers personalbat, but he also believes that victory is everything in warfare, and he will literally use any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. His obsession with victory is stronger than anyone else''s, a dangerous being. Appearance: Blond hair. Blue eyes. Tall and muscr. Beautiful. Armor: ck lion te mail. ¡úKrische: A monster left behind by Bogan, a demon born of the royal family. She is what the King he desired should be. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Psychological insight. Entrapment. Tactics. Torture. Likes: Battlefield. Wine. Women. Nobility. Dislikes: those without pride. Those who have no attachment to their name. Concerns: None ¡ö Nakirus Rinea Felizar -- Chaos Neutral Loyal to his master, a watchdog type of man. A Commander of the Alberan Kingdom''s army. Nakirus the Strong Armed. A man who has served as Gildanstein''s right-hand man for many years. Despite knowing his notoriety, he was charmed with Gildanstein''s virtues as a warrior and swore allegiance to him. Although not particrly interested in torture as he is, they have a close personal rtionship and often drink together. He possesses a strong arm that can wield two great axes at will, and hisbat ability is extremely high, making full use of his 7-shaku physique. He was able to break through Eluga''s lines and defeat the ck Century head-on, but was overpowered by Krische¡¯s overwhelming military prowess. ¡÷ **Historically A warrior under Gildanstein. He poisoned his brother, King Shabazz and fought with Queen Kreschenta. He was a hero who was said to have single-handedly cut through the battle lines and crushed even the ck Century head-on, but it is said that he was cut down by Alberinea without being able to resist. In ys and stories set during the civil war, he appears in a small number of them as subordinates of Gildanstein, but is cut down by Alberinea¡¯s single swing.** ? Battle Command He prides himself on being a warrior, and has the willpower to seed in carrying out orders given to him, literally at any cost. When he is ordered to break through, he will break through without fail, when he is ordered to defend, he will defend without fail. And for that sake he would calmly throw away his life, that force of will is his strong point, and he is trusted by his soldiers, and morale is always high in his corps. However, he is not suited for continuous battles due to his ability to push through the impossible. There have been many instances in which his troops have been annihted. Appearance: Short ck hair. Blue eyes. Large build (7 shaku). Messy beard. Sharp eyes. Face like a boulder. Armor: Rugged, heavy te mail. ¡úKrische: A literal monster. Strong points: Unique dual-ax technique. Commanding a melee. Likes: Unreasonablemands. Fight as a warrior. Dislikes: waiting (Stand by). Worries: Being defeated by Krische without inflicting even a single scratch on her. ¡ö Felworth Zaran Driche Yagarinea Keithriton -- Order Good A long-lived and knowledgeable grandfatherly man. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s central general. Old (veteran) general. Alberan Kingdom¡¯s Duke. A legendary old general who has been active on the front lines for generations. He is over 100 years old and is the oldestmander, surpassing Eluga. He has spent most of his active years on the battlefield, alongside King Alvarza, and his achievements have earned him the use of dragon-shaped armor and coat of arms, which were previously only allowed to royalty. He learned royal swordsmanship from Alvarza and is Gildanstein''s master in swordsmanship and tactics. He has known Gildanstein since he was a child and is well acquainted with his past. He had always regretted that although Gildanstein was more talented than anyone else, he couldn''t stand the world of the royal pce, where conspiracies swirled, and his heart suffered as a result. He was also aware of the uproar over the treatment of Krische and Kreschenta, the Cursed Child, and was deeply distressed. However, he was also half-retired and knew that Alvarza, whom he had served, had killed the Cursed Child after much distress, so he could not interfere with the age-old custom. He was the one who advised the previous king, Shabazz, who was troubled by infertility and infanticide, to temporarily imprison Krische. In ce of Aurugorn Hilkintos, who died in the civil war, he is now entrusted as the West General of the Kingdom. But considering his age he asked for permission of transfer to adjutant from Selene and Kreschenta. **He was currently serving as his assistant, and had spent the rest of his life aiming to be active, but he fell ill. During the Vezrea Rebellion, he stood up with his aged, served as the rear guard, and was killed by Vezrea''smander-in-chief Ledo Rani.** ¡÷ **Historically A true warrior who has been on the battlefield for over 100 years. He was a military man who had been active on the front lines since the time of King Albaza, and was the most trusted general by King Albaza. After some time with King Shabazz, he gave up the position of marshal to the King¡¯s younger brother Gildanstein, who had military talent, but continued to serve as the central general, assisting Shabazz as the cornerstone of the kingdom, and monitoring Gildanstein. During the civil war, his family was taken hostage and he sided with Gildanstein and fought against Verreich''s army, but was forgiven by Queen Kreschenta in consideration of his circumstances. It was said that he was a person she trusted, as he was entrusted with the vacant western part of the kingdom. Even during the War of the Five Great Powers, his skills remained undiminished, and even though he was overwhelmed by troops, he fought a dying battle against Elderant, which specializes in forests, and assisted Alberinea in a strategic surprise attack. His death in the Vezrea Rebellion, was also nothing more than his resolve to fight and serve as the rear after lying on his sickbed. He was said to be a model warrior who died without tarnishing his military history until the very end.** ?Battle Command His intuitive tacticalmand is of a very high level, born of his vast experience. His familiarity with the battlefield, which is in direct proportion to his experience, allows him to make calm decisions with a broad perspective in any situation. Originally, he was not a genius and suffered many defeats in his youth, but by absorbing all of his experience, he has risen to the top of the kingdom. He has an eye for seeing through all kinds of tricks and schemes from his wealth of experience. It would be difficult to defeat him unless you fight with a straightforward strategy based on superior military strength or innovative tactics, and even though he has stepped back from the line, he has not lost any of his power as amander. His fame reverberates throughout the Kingdom and even to neighboring countries, and it can be said that more than anything else his name is his greatest weapon. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Large build. Long beard. Narrow eyes. Wrinkled, tough face. Armor: temail that resembles a dragon. ¡úKrische: A pitiful princess. An innocent (pure) girl. Strong points: Royal swordsmanship. Tactics. Command operation. Likes: Battlefield. Drinking. Reading. Sweet food. Dislikes: Bitter ck bean tea. **Concerns: The end of a poor young man.** ¡ö Kuraray Draz Rinea Marcellus -- Order Neutral A man who is always gossiped about in the shadows. The Kingdom¡¯s central general. A Duke. A brave and daring natural-born warrior, he is a noble with a high regard for honor. Because of his bloodline of a duke that was connected to the royal family, he rose quickly in life and became a general just like his father. He is a man of valor, not ipetent, not stupid, and notcking in poprity. He has some qualities as a general, but in a kingdom full of very good generals and militarymanders, he is not so good, and would be counted from the bottom of the list. It was most unfortunate that he had to deal with three heroes at the same time: Nozan Verreich, whose talent was said to surpass that of Bogan, his mentor, the outstanding Eluga Faren, and Krische Christand. During the battle in the southern part of the Kurail Mountains range, he was decapitated by Krische who attacked from behind. ¡÷ **Historically General of the Kingdom''s Central Army. He sided with Gildanstein during the civil war and was personally defeated by Alberinea.** ?Battle Command As talked about behind his back, he is amander who learns basic tactics but is rigid and inflexible. When ites to fighting fair and square, he shows average ability as a general, but he is weak at entanglement and has shallow ideas. Due to his personality, he is not suitable formandingrge armies, and is best suited for the position of battalionmander. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender. Lots of wrinkles. Armor: Full silver te of an eagle lion. ¡úKrische: Daughter of Christand. She is said to have achieved some sess in the war against the Holy Empire. Strong points: Battlefield spearmanship. Inspire (raising morale). Likes: Battlefields. Liquor. woman. Dislikes: Strange tactics. Concerns: Huh, why did youe from over there? ¡ö Aurugorn Sakizren Nirkrinea Hilkintos -- Order Neutral A reptilian male who had a badpatibility with the enemy. The Kingdom¡¯s west general. A Margrave. Born into the venerable Hilkintos family, he became the general of the western kingdom, following his father''s footsteps. Aurugorn, blessed with a gifted mind, has experienced countless battlefields as his father''s adjutant since he was a young man, and since he himself became a general, he has single-handedly undertaken all of the invasions from the Kingdom of Elderant in the west of the kingdom. With the knowledge he has gained from his vast experience, and his brilliant mind nurtured on the battlefield, he has been undefeated in all battles since he became a general, with the exception of hisst battle. He values superiority in terms of military strength and terrain, and has the strength and cool-headedness to create a favorable situation for himself by avoiding his opponents until the conditions are right. His tactics, which are focused only on the ultimate victory, have always resulted in more sess than the damage he suffered, but his nature was taken advantage of and was defeated by Krische. He is extremely proud, putting himself and his honor first before the people and the cause. Bogan cannot sympathize with his fighting style, which sometimes preys on the weak people, in order to achieve victory, and he does not get along well with the Christand faction. He was killed by Krische after being dismembered as an example to her enemies. ¡÷ **Historically A great undefeated general at the time, and a general in the western part of the kingdom. He is said to have been a calm and collected strategist who never overdoes it, and has prevented Elderant¡¯s invasion for many years. While there were various opinions about his tactics, which sometimes used viges and towns as bait to secure advantages and achieve victory, the prevailing view was that as one of the kingdom''s generals tasked with defending the central kingdom, his actions were justified. His ability to remain undefeated in nearly 100 battlefields, bothrge and small, during Elderant''s invasions over a dozen times is undeniable, and there is no doubt that he was one of the leading generals not only in Alberan, which had a wealth of human resources, but also in the surrounding world. However, his first andst defeat was brought about by Alberinea, and the soldiers of that time recorded the grimness of his demise in their memoirs. It is said that he was executed for rebelling after being taken prisoner and for viting the Holy Spirit Covenant. The general of the army, who boasted a glorious war history, met a brutal end as he was torn off limb by limb by Alberinea''s hands as a demonstration in front of the Dragon''s Maw. This is one of the famous anecdotes that shows Alberinea''s ruthlessness towards her enemies, and is one of the reasons why she is said to have been a mentally unstable abnormal person.** ?Battle Command He hates defeat and is greedy for victory. Like Gildanstein, he is a cold-hearted man who will sacrifice anything and everything and any and all means at his disposal to achieve victory. He can be said to be a strategist that works hard to create a situational advantage regardless of the battlefield, and his talent and many years of experience make him highly capable. He is a person who would have be a mighty enemy if it weren''t for Krische. Appearance: Short brown hair with a hint of gray. Blue eyes. Tall and thin. Scarred cheeks and squinty eyes.. Armor: Full te of a goddess visor. ¡úKrische: An obnoxious adoptive daughter of Bogan. Good looking. Strong points: Retreat tactics. Scorched earth tactics. Field fortifications. Likes: Victory. Glory. Status. Women. Dislikes: Defeat. Christand faction. Ipetence. Concerns: Being killed. ¡ö **Gertz Rinea Wiring** -- Order Good A man who was not blessed like his fellow generals. The Kingdom¡¯s former central general. Former Margrave. A loyal soldier. He is an excellent general who rose from a centurion to a general with solid results in battle, but it was not because of talent, this is due to his blood-soaked efforts. He is surrounded by an array of the Kingdom generals and corpsmanders who could be called monstrous. He is aware that he is inferior to them, and even so, he has worked hard without bing rotten (let his ability rot), but he still cannot reach them. He dreams of entrusting everything he had built up to someone else, and dreams of having his talented sessor inherit everything, but Krische nipped it in the bud. He has a simr personality to Dagra and is the kind of good soldier that Krische likes. He was originally a general who followed Gildanstein, as a central general, and since he surrendered, he is currently in a state of restraint, and although he has lost his territory and had some of his personal property confiscated, he is satisfied with the result. He was thinking of giving up his nobility and going on a journey. However, he was moved by Selene''s sincerity, who repeatedly visited his house and tried to persuade him, and when he confirmed that there was no difference between the person named Krische he had heard from her and the actual Krische, he swallowed his past. decide to respond to it. Educating the young noble was more interesting than he expected, and he still teaches at the military school today, sometimes thinking about the adjutant he had raised as his sessor. **Unlike the battlefield, where one mistake can lead to death, the military school environment, where they are allowed to make repeated mistakes ande to a conclusion after discussion, gives him peace of mind and bes his calling. As he sent out many promising young people, he asionally wondered if among them there would have been one of his own aides had the timing of their births been slightly different. He dedicated his life to assisting Eluga, Quinez, and Selene on that gentle battlefield.** ¡÷ **Historically One of the generals who sided with Gildanstein during the civil war. Although he was punished after the civil war, Queen Kreschenta give leniency to the many soldiers who sided with Gildanstein, saying that they simply had different gs, beliefs, and circumstances, and he was also spared execution. It is not known whether this was meant literally or if it was out of fear that the country''s power would decline, but it is known that at least the people praised the Queen''s generosity. Selene Christand spoke of him as a steady and excellent general who supported His Royal Highness who was stirring up trouble by moving around the battlefield, and praised him as a warrior who imposed on himself the way of being a soldier rather than a politician. Heter taught at a military school, and as an instructor with battlefield experience, he made a great contribution to the school and served and was praised as a role model for other teachers. Selene Christand repeatedly visited him, who is her father¡¯s indirect and he was moved by her personality as he walked the path of a teacher at the military academy. He told his fellow teachers that the kingdom was stable because of her presence in the center. Great achievements are not just those that are visible and vivid.** ?Battle Command He is amander who has no talent, but has risen from a centurion to a general through hard work. He is respected by the soldiers at the bottom of the ranks because of his long years of hard work, but he is not well received by others in themanding ranks, who are strict to both themself and others. His tactics are safe, and because he knows his own inability, he emphasizes basic tactics and does not take chances. He has risen to the rank of general on his own merits, and his abilities are not low, but he is better suited to a supporting role than to a general role. Appearance: White hair. Blue eyes. Muscr. Long beard. Armor: Dark grey te mail. ¡úKrische: A genius worthy of being called a monster that dyed the Dragon''s Maw suppression. A girl who is too pure for better or for worse. Strong points: Lorca-style swordsmanship. Battlefield spearmanship. Tactical knowledge. Likes: Honor. A proud soldier. Training the next generation. Military school. Dislikes: Looting. ughter. Massacre. Acts that go against the path. **Concerns: The sincere Selene¡¯s future.** ¡ö Dougleen Nakul Dogarinea Garhka -- Chaos Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance. A General in the southern part of the Kingdom. A Duke. He was born as the eldest son of a noble family with royal blood, but he dislikes the noble way of being bound by various things, and spends his days drinking withmoners in bars. As a result, he was shunned by his father and was thrown into the battlefield at a young age in a state of partial disownment, but there he demonstrated a rare talent and rose to be a general entrusted with the southern part of the Kingdom. He loves the battlefield environment more than anything else, and he prefers drinking with his soldiers above all else. His personality, which doesn''t care about his social status, is well received by the soldiers, and they have a strong sense of loyalty to him. He has had several drinks with Orugan, the famous general of Gulshan who uses various beasts, and is his most important ymate, even though they are enemies. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. Although his rtionship with Gildanstein was not so bad, he was not interested in the civil war and refused to participate in it out of concern for Gulshan in the south and his debt to Christand in the war against the Holy Empire. **He has visited Gulshan several times in the name of peacekeeping, but due to Kreschenta¡¯s orders, he is unable to drink alcohol with Orugan and the others and is bored. After a while, Orugan took the position of chairman again, and once he started to show signs of stability, they were finally able to drink together, and after forming an alliance, they held a banquet once a season for various reasons. Kreschenta was exasperated. In the war to dismantle Elsren, he advances from the south together with Orugan and Zalvaag. Immediately after the start, he was obedient and obeyed orders even though he was fed up with his role of keeping the nomadic cavalry that was abundant southeast of Elsren. But when he sees that the trend has turned, he is fed up and invites Orugan to negotiate a duel with the various nomadic tribes. When they realized that Elsren had been defeated, they took advantage of it, and as a result, they subjugated multiple tribes, incorporated them into their army, and resumed their invasion. As long as we win, surely you have nothing toin about. He dispatches cavalry archers against cavalry archers and takes on the nomadic Elsren army head-on in a battle on the ins. Selene was exasperated. In the Unification War, after finishing the battle at Vesalius'' Fang, he quickly expanded his military achievements. He uses beasts and mobile archers to advance to the front lines with an Orugan, thoroughly enjoying the final battle on the continent, and tirelessly spends his days in battle. Krische entrusted it to him. After unification, he didn''t have anything special to do and spent his time with his subordinates touring various ces on what they called inspections. When he finds special products and delicacies, he visits Orugan and the others and shares his memories with them over drinks. Finally, the next day after a banquet at Gulshan, he died as a guest without ever waking up. Zalvaag was troubled.** ¡÷ **Historically He is known as a genius and fierce general who protected the southern part of the kingdom for a long time. He was one of the leading generals of his time, defeating and repelling Gulshan''s invasions using various beasts such as elephants, unicorns, and earth dragons. There are many well-known anecdotes that demonstrate his valor, but if one were to talk about him, it would be more of a strategist than a warrior. Despite the defensive war, he marched into Gulshan''s territory with lightning speed, captured the city, and prevented a bypass invasion. His strategic skills, which stir up the enemy and always take the initiative, have been praised. many. He never took on a battle in which he was weak, and always used maneuver to engage in frontal confrontations, which he was good at. His flexible thinking and strategic boldness are still highly regarded even today, and are written down in military textbooks. Orugan, a famous general of the Gulshan Republic, spoke of Dougleen as a man loved by the god of war, and regretted his death, saying that he was a worthy opponent who was always one step ahead of himself. He is an unparalleled lover of war and has a fierce personality. Although he held the position of a duke, he drank alcohol even together with soldiers, and because of his personality, he was strongly admired by the soldiers, and although he and Orugan were enemies, it was said that after the war, they drank together as if they were best friends. This is an anecdote that gives a glimpse of the warrior culture that was still alive at the time, and it is said that after forming an alliance, the two lived together like brothers,ughing together. After unification, he kept a record of events observed during inspections around various ces, but episodes such as hunting magical beasts and exploring remote areas were mixed in, and the title was ¡®Continental Travelogue¡¯.** ?Battle Command He is a fierce general who loves war itself and sometimes fights on the front lines himself to capture victory. His character as amander is simr to that of Kolkis, he values drills above all else and prefers straight-on, simple tactics. However, because he often has to deal with Gulshan, who handles a variety of beasts including elephants, unlike Kolkis, he does not incorporate much heavy infantry, but rather increases the ratio of light infantry to increase the ability to deal with various situations. Appearance: Hard ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr build of 6 shaku (~1.8 m). Bearded face. Armor: temail with lion carvings. ¡úKrische: A genius acknowledged by Christand. If can , he wishes she would be his son¡¯s bride. Her biggest w is that she doesn''t understand roman. **Quite a gourmet.** Strong points: Battle ax. Zain swordsmanship. Face-to-face confrontation. Likes: Sake. Woman. Battle. Personalbat. Elephant hunting. Griffin. Dislikes: Opponents who avoid fighting head-on. Concerns: **None.** ¡ö Argosh Wikel Giterns -- Order Good Apetent but somewhat pitiful father type man. The Kingdom Marquis. He is the head of the venerable Giterns family, a civilian aristocrat who administers the northwestern part of the kingdom. The Giterns family is a family of academics, and he has studied economics and business since he was young, and since bing the head of the family, he has greatly developed the territory he has been entrusted with, and is known as an extraordinary astute man. He is vigorous in his work, and despite his position as a marquis, which is one of the highest in the region, he is willing to work hard, running around the estate all year round and not being at home for half of the year. He is a rare aristocrat who is sincerely respected as the people¡¯s ally, and there is even a song sung in his honor in Pirus, where he lives. However, he himself believes that this reputation is excessive, and his meticulousness in traveling around the countryside is a result of his understanding of his own shorings, that he is vulnerable to unexpected situations. He feels that the reason why he has to put so much effort into gathering information is because of his insecurity and his inability to make decisions without having a lot of information at hand. Due to his personality he is not suited for the battlefield at all, however he is a rare person as an internal politician. He is a rare loving husband, and their harmonious rtionship is well-known. He is surprisingly skilled with a sword. **After the War of the Five Great Powers, he inevitably became Alberan''s point of contact with Kreisharana, and he was busy, running around more energetically than ever before. He entrusted his son with the household, and decided to spend three months with them to learn about their culture. He set up a tent in a vige, ate the same food as them, and wrote down their lifestyle and culture. Thinking about what would be necessary for future exchanges, when a demon beast approached the vige, as a nobleman of the kingdom, he and the soldiers drew their swords to protect the residents of the vige. Thanks to his efforts, the people of Kreisharana gradually began to open their hearts, realizing that despite being on tnd, people are the same. They change their mind and begin to open up to the idea that there are people like him who deserve respect. Just when things were going well with them, he was confused by ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion'' suddenly sent to him by his daughter. When he read through it and realized that it was a letter in the form of a book, he wept at his daughter''s determination to serve Christand for the rest of her life. Although he put the first volume on the bookshelf in his room for the time being, for the second volume, if anyone were to read it they would clearly know that it was poorly written, so he secretly kept it in the attic of his room and read it over and over again. He works tirelessly every day for the sake of the Queen and Kreisharana, to whom his daughter devoted her life, and when he gets tired, he looks at it, and before he knows it, there was hisndmark on the book. Some days passed after that, and after the unification, he fell asleep, following his wife.** ¡÷ **Historically A nobleman who focused his efforts on restoring diplomatic rtions with Kreisharana, and the father of Anne Giterns. He is also known to have kept ¡®In the Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯. He seems to have originally been a noble who was admired by the people, and in his memoirs from the time it is said that although he was a noble, he viewed things from the perspective of amoner and was a person of character who traveled all over the ce on his own. He also served as the point of contact for interaction with the Kreisharana, and he himself climbed the mountain many times, once spending three months there as it was necessary to learn about their culture. It is said that when the vige was attacked by demonic beasts, he and his soldiers pulled out their swords and protected the vige''s, and his visit was strongly weed by the people of Kreisharana. Hepiled the culture of Kreisharana at the time, and it remains a valuable document to this day. His personal notes are believed to have been destroyed in a fire and no longer remain, but his wife Raina''s notes remain, and his encounter with Alberinea, who came back riding an ancient dragon, and his visit to Kreisharana have changed his appearance. It is known as an anecdote that shows the free-spirited nature of Alberinea, who is not concerned with formality.** Appearance: ck hair brushed back. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Well-groomed beard. Armor: te mail engraved with numerous swords (a family heirloom, never worn). ¡úKrische: A beautiful princess. His daughter''s master. Natural disaster. Strong points: Zain-style swordsmanship. Negotiation. Arithmetic. Business. Likes: Wife. Daughter. Interacting with the people. Polishing heirlooms. Dislikes: Hisck of wit. **Concerns: None.** ¡ö Tekrea Tark Rinea Lemin -- Order Good A beautiful woman manly dressed in men''s clothes. A general of the central army of the Kingdom. A duke of the kingdom. She was born into a ducal family and is a genuine noble. Her half-brother was killed in the first battle of the war, which led her to seed the Duke of Lemin as the head of the family. Since her childhood, she has had a strong ideal of what a nobleman should be, and she has been improving herself in order to embody that ideal. Although she hadn¡¯t participated in many wars she performed well in battle, and she has made up for herck of experience with hard work, and because of her family background, she has risen steadily to the rank of general. She is neither a mediocre nor a genius, but her umted efforts have made her a solid force to be reckoned with, and her refined swordsmanship is beyond the reach of ordinary men. She had intended to devote herself to the man who defeated her with a sword, but she became so strong that there was no one left to fight, and she had half given up. Her younger sister married into a family that was blessed with three boys, and she is considering adopting one of them to take over the family. She is very close with her sisters and loves children. Whenever she has free time, she visits her younger sister and teaches the children how to y with swords. Despite her appearances, she has a girly hobby and is a stuffed dolls collector. She falls in love with Aleha, who is good-looking, polite, and brave, but is unable to confess due to her age, height, and femininityplexes. However, it seems that her adjutant Milcarz and the servants have quickly found out about it, and with their strong support, she is naturally closing the distance with Aleha. She thought that Aleha is not aware of her love for him, but of course Aleha is aware of it as well, and she does not know that he is enjoying watching the ¡®quick face change¡¯ show by Tekrea. **Unbeknownst to her, Aleha has also built a good rtionship with Milcarz and the servants, and whenever he visited the mansion, he sparred with her and while both of them were out sparring preparations for the feast were made. From then on, she spends her days happily, even though sheins about the servants who try to dress her up in gorgeous dresses, one-piece, and essories. After giving birth to her second child after the battle with Vezrea, she retired from the military and devoted herself to raising her child. She lived a happy life teaching her eldest son how to use a sword and her younger sister how to sew, and after seeing Alsang''s son Waltza grow up to be 15 years old, she passed away in her sleep the following year.** ¡÷ **Historically General of Alberan Kingdom. She is said to be a brave woman who was admired by her soldiers, and although her war history is not very morous, she was skilled with the sword and is said to have sometimes wielded the sword herself to take revenge on enemy soldiers who approached the main camp. Female soldiers andmanders are not that rare in Alberan, where the queen stands, but thest years of Alberan were a time when female soldiers were particrly prominent, such as Alberinea, Selene Christand, and Mia Kilnan and Kalua Belyus of the ck g Special Forces.** ?Battle Command She learned what needed to be learned, and as a general, her abilities are above a certain level.. Although there is no w in the operation of troops and tactics during a pitched battle, there is ack of experience, and there is a danger that once the assumption she made is not met, it may copse at once, and there is also a slight weakness in dealing with surprise attacks and ambushes. However, she is a person of rare character, and her bravery and hard but beautiful appearance make her very popr and charismatic among the soldiers. The troops she leads have rtively high morale, and her temperament and personality make her more than capable as amander. She has the qualities to be a great general with the right amount of experience. Appearance: Dark golden hair. Blue eyes. Tall. Graceful. Always have a stern face. Armor: Full te with visor with carving of an angry face. ¡úKrische: An absolute beingparable to Dragon. She is an innocent and dangerous girl. Beautiful. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Soldier Board practice. child''s partner. sewing. Likes: Swordsmanship. stuffed doll. knitting. Dislikes: inhumane people. **Concern: None.** ¡ö Milcarz Tadia Rinea Lettia -- Order Good Rather than just cause, Ojou-sama type of man. Margrave of the kingdom. He is the head of the Lettia family, which has served the Remin family for generations, and has served as Tekrea''s mentor since childhood. Perhaps because his grandson was born around the time of his rebellious period, he is very doting on his master''s daughter, Tekrea, and is the type of old man who will drown her in stuffed dolls. He acted as an instructor and taught her how to use her sword, but her lovely and beautiful Tekrea. Milcarz taught the young and ignorant Tekrea lessons in court etiquette, poetry, and dance, believing that swordsmanship was important. He was very worried about the serious, straightced, and extremely clumsy Tekrea, but he was overjoyed that Aleha, a young man who could match her standard, came along and personally visited him. Bowing his head down. Anticipating that various problems would arise due to Aleha''s background, he is currently making arrangements here and there, and without Tekrea''s knowledge, herte-blooming first love is spreading throughout the kingdom. He and Waltza are old men who share the same purpose, and are very close. He deeply regrets letting Tekrea''s older brother die in his first battle, and when teaching Tekrea swordsmanship, he bes as strict as if he had changed. **At the Tekrea¡¯s wedding ceremony, he shed tears of joy and was happier than anyone else to see her in her dress. Before the baby''s birth, he encouraged Tekrea, who was stiff and anxious, but he himself was restless and that made herugh. At the time of Tekrea childbirth, he puts on his armor and stand in front of the door of the room with the resolve too protects them, even if the opponent was an invisible god, he stood there without moving the slightest until the baby is safely delivered, and when the baby is born, he sheds tears of joy He also raised his own great-grandson, and both Tekrea and her child had no postpartum problems. Watching over them, he fell asleep without any regrets a yearter.** ¡÷ **Historically Tekrea Remin''s adjutant. It is said that he was a warrior that she always kept by her side.** ? Battle Command As he serves as a military instructor for the Duke''s family, he has a deep knowledge of tactics and strategy, and has the ability to be a general. He has appeared on the battlefield many times as an adjutant to the previous Duke Remin, and as a member of the Central Army, he has a wealth of battlefield experience and has no apparent ws. He has been traumatized by the death of Tekrea''s older brother, and hisck of initiative can be considered a w, but as an adjutant, he can be said to be a good one, and has be a direct admonisher of Tekrea. A master of swordsmanship and also a master of Lorca style swordsmanship. Appearance: White hair swept back. Blue eyes. Medium build, medium height. A slightly long, well-groomed beard. Armor: A half te with a depiction of a goddess.. ¡úKrische: A pitiful girl who is both frightening and adorable. pure. Her sister, Selene''s atmosphere is simr to the previous Tekrea. Strong points: Lorka style swordsmanship. Guidance. Front linemand. ying with a child. Likes: Watching opera. Poetry. Imagining Tekrea¡¯s Wedding. Admiring Tekrea. Dislikes: War. Concern: Tekrea¡¯s dress. ¡ö Elzard Gyulizarria Garethrinea Gokhals -- Order Good An opinion-based boy from the kingdom''s neutral forces. Former central general of the kingdom. Commander-in-Chief of the Far East Army. Duke of the Kingdom. As the eldest son of a duke, he has grown rapidly since he was a child. The teaching of the famous Gokhals family is ¡®Eliminate your weaknesses¡¯, and they ce more importance on improving the areas where you are inferior to others than on creating areas where you are better than others. Elzard faithfully followed these teachings from an early age and worked hard to be the heir to the Gokhals family from his father. He is extremely knowledgeable not only in swordsmanship and arithmetic, but also in etiquette, and oratory, and embodies both literary and martial arts, and is respected by other great nobles. Although he is often mistaken for his strong face and rugged expression, he was originally apassionate and sensitive person, and his current grave atmosphere was created over many years. During his childhood, he was quite timid and his father and tutor made him cry almost every day. When he was a child, he was taught Zain-style swordsmanship, but in his first battle, he was injured in his left eye and lost his eyesight, and then learned the Lorca style, which taught him how to fight by destroying his left blind spot with a shield. He enjoys astronomy and is a patron of schrs, but in his spare time he joins them in observing the orbits of stars and participating in difficult research. **He was appointed as the general of the north, conquered Vezrea, andter participated in the war to dismantle Elsren. He prevents the enemy from evacuating to northern Elsren, and for his exploits, he was liked to as an immovable boulder and was given the name Gyulizarria. Although he was satisfied with his interactions with the schrs in the northern part of the kingdom, he decided to be transferred to the eastern part of the continent in ce of Bagil, who did not like being the suprememander of the Far East Army. It was an order from the Queen and the Marshal, as a warrior there was no higher honor than this. There was no way he could refuse, and he regretted bing estranged from the schrs, and they too regretted a friend named Elzard, and suggested building an observatory in the Far East. He was overjoyed when they told him that they woulde along with him, and he crossed to the east with the schrs. While doing the rewarding job of being the suprememander of the Far East Army, he found time to spend my days talking with them about the stars beyond the sky. Krische, who visited him, easily gave him answers to various difficult questions just by mental arithmetic, devised a magic crystal lens by deforming magic crystal, and left behind a blueprint for a simple telescope. He was deeply grateful to her andpleted arge telescope and named it Grabakrische. It is said that before his death, he put his bed in an astronomical observatory and discussed the mysteries of the stars with schrs until his death.** ¡÷ **Historically A general of Alberan and famous as a great astronomer. Although he was an excellent general, he is known for his strong focus on astronomy, and is well known as a schr. During Grabaraine¡¯s time, astronomy saw significant development under her own hands, but at the same time, she abruptly halted her research, considering it merely indicative, and it subsequently stagnated as a pursuit undertaken by a few schrs as a hobby. As their patron, he provided funds and set up an observatory at his own expense, leaving his name deeply etched in history as a great contributor to astronomy. The Gokhals Astronomical Observatory that he left behind has been renovated and rebuilt, but still remains, and the Grabakrische lens is kept at the nearby Magic Academy. He praised Alberinea as possessing ¡®Divine intellect that is capable of ending even vast astronomy if she so desired¡¯. Simultaneously, he noted that her wisdom had deprived her of the joy of the unknown and depicted her preference for cooking, housework, and strong affection for ordinary people as inevitable.** ?Battle Command The general opinion is that he is a general without any danger. Above all else, he focused on preparing in advance, winning when he had to, and minimizing the damage. Although he is not good at responding to unexpected events, he understands this better than anyone else, and he devotes his heart and soul to gaining a strategic advantage based on his numerical and geographical advantages. What he focuses on is not how to win against an opponent who is inferior to himself, but how to win against someone who is superior to himself, and he approaches the battlefield with everything he puts together on the premise of achieving tactical sess against his opponent. His fighting style is not morous as he never overdoes it, but instead he has a strong sense of stability and can be said to be a general who can serve as a role model for youngmanders.** Appearance: ck hair slicked back. Dark brown eyes. Large. Strong face. Tiger beard. A knife wound that destroyed one eye. Armor: Rugged half te. ¡úKrische: A great strategist, tactician, and engineer who left her name in history. A child endowed with divine intellect from birth. Strong points: Zain style swordsmanship. Lorka style swordsmanship. Spearmanship. Strategy nning. Arithmetic. Staying upte. Likes: Starry skies. Equation form. ck bean tea. Dislikes: Broken logic. **Concern: Is it okay to have such a happy ending?.** - ---- Kingdom¡¯s Nobles ¡ö Nora -- Order Good A girl who is caught between love and conscience. She is a servant in the Royal territory. The nanny of Krische and Kreschenta and their personal attendant. She is from a middle-ss noble family and took care of the young Krische and Kreschenta. She cared for Krische, who was imprisoned as a Cursed Child. Krische was called a Cursed Child, and she was creeped out by the fact that Krische was clearly different from the others, but as she cared for her, she realized that she was a young and honest child, and gradually came to love her. When the decision was made to kill her, she refused, but her position made it impossible for her to refuse, so he finally decided to kill her in the forest near the vige of Kalka and left her there. She regrets leaving Krische, who was no more than three years old, behind, and he desperately tries to save the second Cursed Child, Kreschenta, so she won¡¯t be dered a Cursed Child, but she is tormented by guilt when he learns that Kreschenta is killing the people around her for her own self-preservation. Kreschenta, who was almost killed soon after her birth as a Cursed Child, is excessively frightened of those around her. She knows that it is not malice, nor pleasure, but the security (¡°rx¡±, relief, peace of mind) that she rightfully deserves that she seeks, and she is the only person she can trust, and she cannot betray that. Unable to stop her, she cooperates with Kreschenta in the midst of her inner turmoil. Although she thought of Kreschenta as her own child, her sense of guilt remains, and when she finds someone other than herself to protect her, shemitted suicide to atone for her and Kreschenta¡¯s sin. A loving person who martyred her own conscience until the very end. ¡÷ **Historically During the civil war, she is recorded as a servant who gave her life to help Queen Crescenta escape.** Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Slender build. Normal chest. Well-formed but shallowly sculpted face. ¡úKrische: A child who is just a little different from others. She has done unforgivable things to Krische. Strong points: Organizing. Cleaning. Likes: Children. Sewing. Dislikes: herself. Concerns: not being able to give Kreschenta real relief (rx, peace of mind). Leaving Krische behind. ¡ö Vanate Faren¨C Chaos Good A nosy rtive type of woman. Margrave Faren''s wife. Eluga''s wife. She was born into a powerful noble family. She is beautiful and above average in everything she does. She is a woman of talent and beauty, but she is very strong-willed and dislikes the closed-mindedness characteristic of noble society, and perhaps because of her birth, she is very strong-minded and idealistic. Because of that, she was sent back after three days from where she married and was treated as a tumor in her parents'' house. Her brother was a corpsmander in the same army as Eluga, but he disliked him, and out of rivalry with him, he took a solo action that was close to viting an order, and as a result, he fell into a dangerous situation and was saved by him. However, at that time, he resented the fact that he had been judged ipetent because of that and worked to block Eluga¡¯s career¨D¨DKnowing that fact, Vanate personally went to Eluga and apologized to him. Because of that connection with him, She was intrigued by Eluga¡¯s face and gentle nature, which was different from what she had heard about him and visited him every once in a while. At some point, she realizes that it has turned into love and presses him to marry her. Eluga refused saying that the age difference is too big, and that her house wouldn¡¯t allow it, but she threatened that if she was rejected by a man with an evil appearance like Eluga, it would be a shame for life, and that she wouldmit suicide, and so she married him forcefully. Although she was disowned after a dispute with her brother who inherited the family, she herself is satisfied and doesn''t particrly care. She often hurls harsh words at Eluga without any reservation, but that was just her not being able to be honest in truth. She has a strong affection for him, and she basically respects his opinion whenever there is a dispute. She is prouder than anything that she was able to achieve a love marriage, and her hobby is to meddle here and there about how a marriage should be and is a walking marriage counselor. She also matched Bery''s older sister Lazura in personality and got along well with her. Eluga didn¡¯t want her to be sad, so she recovers within a few days and works tirelessly for the Faren house in ce of her husband. She fulfills her role as the mistress of the house. When her son Rayfus came of age to inherit the house and marry, she was finally relieved, and after watching her granddaughter born, she fell asleep happily. She kept repeating that she wished to be born at the same time as Faren in her next life.** ¡÷ **Historically Eluga Faren''s wife.** Appearance: Long, graceful blonde hair. Brown eyes. Slender and tall. Normal breasts. A beautiful woman with tight proportions who is beginning to show some signs of aging. ¡úKrische: A young beautiful girl that her husband seems to be taken to. Flirting with Bery. Someone who loved her husband deeply. Strong points: Quibbles. Love Consultation. Likes: Love consultation. Love story. Dislikes: Restrictions that bind emotions. **Concerns: The fate of the next life.** ¡ö **Rafus Giglite Faren ¨C Order Good A boy who looks nothing like his father. Marquis of the Kingdom. Member of the Kingdom Council. Small Bones. Ever since he started remembering, he already got used to Eluga''s face and regarded him as a respected father. His father told him many times about clich¨¦s, and when they met for the first time, she said, ¡®You don''t have a very interesting face¡¯ to him. The first look of disappointment in his life left a trauma on his young mind, and for a while he developed an aversion to Krische. However, after Eluga''s death, she gave Rayfus the nickname ¡®Small Bone¡¯ as if she was nostalgic for his father. As per his father''s will, he decides to redouble his efforts to assist the girls. Like his father, he was intelligent and hard-working, and quickly distinguished himself. Aftering of age, he appeared at the royal pce as a civil servant, umting achievements, and when the council was established, he became one of the members of the parliament and became a faction ¡î After Krische Moved After a while, Aleha told him about the future, and cooperated with him to strengthen his own faction in the royal council, and made his daughter inherit it. As a leadingdy in the kingdom''s council, his daughter came to have a strong influence, and she contributed to the swift stabilization of the council at Kleinmeer Founding. ¡÷ Historically One of the influential people in the kingdom''s Council. He was highly trusted by the Queen, and eventually became one of the three major factions in the council. Appearance: Golden hair. Brown eyes. Tall and slender. A well-groomed face. ¡úKrische: A genius loved by his father. A child-like person. Strong points: Speaking. Calction. Controlling people''s hearts. Likes: Making things. Improvement of flower varieties. Dislikes: Violence. **Concerns: The kingdom where the two disappeared.** ¡ö Dagris Zeb-- Neutral Evil He is a man who wags his tail to the strong. He is a secret agent of the Kirzaran Firm. Former assassin. He is a skilled assassin who has been active in Kielzaran for a long time and is said to be a man whose name is known throughout the region. He never had a family and was not attached to a house, and was valued and feared by all organizations for his stoicism inpletely cutting off any weaknesses for the sake of his work. After retiring from the front lines, he mainly works as an intermediary for secret agents and assassins, but he still sometimes works on his own toplete a job depending on the request. He is tired of his long life and would like to gain some kind of (political, authority) power and lead a stable life. **After the War of the Five Great Powers, Crescenta officially appointed him to the kingdom''s intelligence department and took control of it. After that, he did not move on his own, but he cooperated with the Kuromimi squad and assisted in the instation of resonance crystals in various ces, and afterpleting that work, he passed away due to old age. Although he lived in a residence given to him in a prime location on the royal territory, he did not spend his time in particr luxuries or y, andughed at himself for being someone who had no enjoyment in life other than work right before his death.** ¡÷ **Historically His name is not preserved.** Appearance: Dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. A face with no features. ¡úKrische: A monster you shouldn¡¯t make into an enemy. One who must not be crossed. Strong points: Assassination. Espionage. Poison concoction. Likes: Strong people. Outwit his opponent. Dislikes: Weak people with no money or power. **Worry: None.** ¡ö **Til Vinia Ramil -- Neutral Evil A type of guy who was showing off to the wrong person. The second director of the Magic Research Institute. He showed off his research results of changing the shape of magic crystals, which shocked other magicians, but when he saw Krische who brought his research topletion in an instant, he realized the difference in rank and continued to study hard. He thought he hated people, but as they continued to work together on research, he realized that he simply didn''t fit in with the people around him before. He begins to show a bright smile, as if he has changed as a person, and takes on the position of enthusiastically instructing young magicians. Eventually, he realized that one of the magicians who belonged to the research institute had feelings for him and was hesitating because of the difference in age and family status. After being ordered to be the second director by Krische, whose job as director quickly became a chore to her, he resolved himself and proposed to her. He started a family. After the birth of his child, he became even more cheerful, and as the director respected by the magicians, he led their research and worked hard to train the next generation. His grandson is Elgainst Ramil. Heter became the first emperor of the Magic Empire Kleinmeer. ¡÷ **Historically He is said to be the de facto director of the Magic Research Institute. He haspiled the research of magicians and the guidance of Alberinea, and has written a guidebook for magicians. Because of its easy-to-understand content, magic manuals created based on it are still used in primary and secondary education for magicians. His diary was preserved by Elgainst Ramil, in which he talked about the Academy of Magic and Alberinea at the time. In it was written that Like Alberinea, the Queen was also a magician who is above ordinary humans, and this is one of the reasons why the Queen is considered to be a magician on a par with Alberinea. Alberinea pointed to the Queen and said, ¡®Kreschenta can do most of the things that Krische can do¡¯. It is written in great detail that Till himself felt that the queen had that much power, and his reasons for thinking that way are written clearly, and this can also be seen from the abnormal ability of her queen Kreschenta. There are few objections to this. At the end of the book, he wrote that he has nothing but gratitude to the Queen and Alberinea for giving amunity to the sorcerers who had been forced to live alone, and for improving their status.** Appearance: ck hair slicked back. Brown eyes. Thin body. sses. A nervous face that looks old. ¡úKrische: A magician who is like a god. Someone who gave me human warmth when he was lonely. Strong points: Form engraving. Exnation. Guidance. Likes: Training the next generation. Dislikes: Selfish. **Worry: The future of magicians.** - ---- Kingdom¡¯s Commoner ? Grace -- Order Good Scatterbrained, maternal girl. Krische adoptive (foster) mother. Gallen¡¯s daughter. She is a good woman who raised Krische, who was an abandoned child, and is the beginning of everything. Without her, there is a strong possibility that Krische would have be a bandit. She is the one who noticed from an early stage that Krische was distorted, raised her with strong affection as if she were her own daughter, and corrected her into a straight girl through repeated and diligent education without ever giving up. Most of the values that Krische has in her mind were given to her by Grace, and thanks to her teachings, she is able to lead a proper life on the surface. She is scatterbrained, clumsy and rough (crude). It is no exaggeration to say that it was the bad taste of her cooking that led her to meet Krische to cook. The homely side of Krische isrgely made up of Grace''s clumsiness and crudeness. She was adored by the women of the vige for her good nature and outgoing nature, and was a central figure in their lives. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Long ck hair tied back. Dark brown eyes. Slender build. Large breasts. Freckled beauty. ¡úKrische: A gift from God. She is a bit unusual, but she is clever and well-behaved. Strong points: Creating a good atmosphere. Clumsy. Education. Likes: Household chores in general (bad at them). Gathering together. Dislikes: Thug (Hooligan). Concerns: Leaving Krische alone. ? Gorka -- Order Neutral A young, starry-eyed man with a strong poprity. Krische adoptive (foster) father. He is a skilled hunter and organizer of the hunters. He is the one who picked up Krische when she was a young, abandoned child and raised her. He found her in the woods on a hunting trip and took her to the vige. Without him, there is no doubt that the story would have ended there. He was unsure whether to treat her as an abandoned child of the nobility because of her beauty and the clothes she was wearing, but when he saw his wife Grace taking care of her so diligently, he fell in love with her and decided to raise her as his daughter. Like Grace, he has a strong affection for Krische, but he is also concerned about her chipped part, and he is concerned about them all the time. In his true feelings, he is unable topletely deny the gossip about her having killed a child her own age. Killed by Gado. Appearance: Short ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Fearless. Mustache. ¡úKrische: Hardworking, kind, His proud daughter. She is a genius, but at the same time she is somewhat twisted. Strong points: Command of hunters. Archery. Forest. Likes: Hunting. Bow. Drinking. Dislikes: Ouws. Concerns: Died not being able to protect his wife and daughter. ¡ö G --Neutral Good An auntie with a lot of guts. She is Grace''s older sister. If Grace is the most beautiful woman in the vige, G is the strongest woman in the vige. She is a big, lively woman who is in a position of being the leader of the women, and has been friends with Krische since she was picked up by the vige. She had an oven in her house, so Krische would oftene to her house to bake pies. She has a son who was killed by Krische, and when she was contemting suicide due to her grief, Krische came to her house to borrow the oven andforted her, which led her to develop a strong affection for her without knowing that she was the enemy of his son. She is a person who was made unhappy and happy by Krische. Even after Krische leaves the vige, she takes care of the house where Krische used to live so that she cane back whenever she wants, and asionally bakes pumpkin pies to remember her. Although she learns the truth about the past because of Krische¡¯s returns, she understands that she couldn''t hold a grudge against Krische, and she still shows Krische, unchanging love on behalf of Grace and the others. Krische had already be such an existence for G. **When she heard of Gallen''s death and the two wooden tags that departed at the same time his hair was delivered, she knew that the burden on her shoulders had beenpletely lifted. After the continent was unified, Krische went to the northeastern part of the kingdom to inspect the railway construction and expansion work of Gatangoton, along with visiting a grave, she and Krische baked and ate pumpkin pie together. The following year, she copsed while working and passed away without ever waking up.** Appearance: ck hair tied back. Brown eyes. Good build. Rtively well-rounded face. ¡úKrische: A person to whom she owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. She thought of her as her own daughter. Strong points: Housework in general. Funny story. Likes: Baking pies. Oven care. Pumpkin. Dislikes: Bandits. Concerns: None. ¡ö Pell --Neutral Good Boy whose first love is Krische. Kalka''s vignte group. A boy who loved Krische as "the neighborhood''s beautiful One-san". Krische¡¯s character was quite different from others, but he took good care of her and honestly liked her. Whenever Krische showed up at the vignte training, he always gave her sword lessons, and after she left, he realized that it had been a faint first love. His dream is to be a soldier and be a hero, but he eventually gives up after his childhood girl friend cried and **lives a peaceful life as the leader of the vignte group in the vige of Kalka.** **He participated in the construction and expansion of the Gatangoton railway in the northeastern part of the kingdom, andughed at Krische whose appearance hadn¡¯t changed. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Slim and muscr. Quote a good face. ¡úKrische: A beautiful neighborhood girl. His first love. Very strong. Quite different from others. Strong points: Swordsmanship. Brawl. Likes: self-discipline (self-improvement). Heroic stories. Dislikes: Bandits. Adults who made Krische as the bad guy. **Concerns: None.** ¡ö Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. **Dislikes: Businesses that pursue only profit.** Concerns: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ¡ö Garo -- Chaos Evil A sexual harasser that was hated. Karka''s vignte. He became a soldier at the age of fifteen, aiming for a sessful career, but he couldn''t stand the battlefield full of death, so he ran away and returned home. His skill wasn¡¯t bad, but he is mentally fragile and is addicted to alcohol. He taught swordsmanship to the vigers in his vige as one of the neighborhood vigntes, making use of his swordsmanship after returning from the battlefield. He was working rtively hard because he had nowhere else to go if he didn''t take it seriously. However, as Krische bes more and more beautiful, the devil begins to get the better of him, and he begins to touch her body while pretending to teach her swordsmanship. Krische, who had no doubts at first, had a positive interpretation of his passionate swordsmanship instruction, but as the contact with him that had nothing to do with swords gradually increased, she began to feel ufortable. He is eventually taken out into the forest and killed by her. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Muscr. Rough face. ¡úKrische: The most beautiful girl I''ve ever seen. She is a bit of a creep, but she''s just timid and has a restrained personality. Strong points: Touching. Bragging. Likes: Women. Meat. Dislikes: the vige of Kalka, which doesn¡¯t have a red light district (brothel). Worries: Won¡¯t stop, can¡¯t stop. ¡ö Zar Nea Karka ¨C Order Neutral He is the advisor of the vige. He is a former captain of the Christand army''s Third corps. He is an experienced soldier who spent many years in the military. After retiring from the front line, he became a training instructor for soldiers and taught swordsmanship and is also the leader of the vignte in the vige. He respects Gallen, and he really wants him to be the leader of the vignte, but he knows the circumstances of Gallen''s resignation from the military, so he is unable to say it too strongly. He is an expert in Lorca-style swordsmanship. Killed by a bandit chieftain after being stabbed in the back. Appearance: Short gray hair. Blue eyes. Lean and muscr. Wrinkled, chiseled face. ¡úKrische: A child prodigy. She is a master of swordsmanship in a thousand different ways. She is a terrifying person. Specialty: Lorca-style swordsmanship. toonmand. Teaching. Likes: self-discipline. Regr life. Juice. Dislikes: Anything that disturbs harmony. Worries: Being Krische¡¯s partner is hard. ¡ö Yals -- Neutral Good A good person peddler. A merchant affiliated with the Versler Firm. He is a merchant from the northern part of the kingdom. He is a man who does business by cing the highest priority on building trust with his customers. He sometimes does business without regard to the profitability for his customers, which is why he waste in getting his own store, but thanks to the trust he has built, his business is thriving despite histe bloom. He has known Karka since he was a peddler, and has known Krische since she was a child. The sight of her always clutching her pocket money anding to buy ingredients was a source offort to him during his peddling days, and he has been worried about her unfortunate situation since she left the vige. **His acquaintance with Alberinea is highly valued, and negotiations with Christand are usually apanied by him, which led to him being promoted within the firm. As the representative of the Versler Merchants'' firm, he continued to maintain a good rtionship with Christand while personally sending special products from distant ces to Krische. He passed away with a sense of relief, knowing that his son would inherit this tradition.** ¡÷ **Historically A merchant who is friends with Christand. Although he was not particrly good at business, he was a good-natured merchant, and he had known Alberinea before she was taken in by Christand, and because of that rtionship, Christand also patronized him. He was an important person who knew her before Christand, but no notes of his remain. However, it was recorded that Alberinea herself attended his funeral, even though he was amoner, surprising the other attendees. She can be seen attending such funerals everywhere, including her own subordinates, which is one reason why she is said to have been a person who did not care about differences in her social status.** Appearance: Short brown hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender and tall. Slightly wrinkled face. ¡úKrische: A hardworking, pretty girl. A traveler''s healer. Clever and good looking. Strong points: Travel. Socializing. Likes: Sincere partners. Hard worker. umtion. Dislikes: Businesses that pursue only profit. Concerns: Krische''s future, who has be a soldier. He wants to help her as much as he can. ¡ö Rnd Seva -- Chaos Evil A male viinous harem protagonist. He is the representative of the Kirzaran Firm. He used to be the owner of a store, but he became a big merchant by trading with bandits including ve traders. He is a well-known merchant in the kingdom and is a wealthy merchant who is known by all those who do business for a living. He has a strongplex about his own appearance, and when he was young, he was ridiculed by the woman he had a crush on, which led him to seek greater power and wealth. He is even willing to lick shoes if necessary, and he has risen to his current position thanks to his greed and his original talent, which he uses any means to achieve his goals. He loves beautiful women more than anything else, but he is a coward who can¡¯t touch them unless he has the higher position. He was the one responsible for the downfall of the Argan family, and in fact it was almost a fraud. He was executed after being tortured by Krische by having all of his flesh removed. ¡÷ **Historically A great merchant of the Alberan Kingdom. He had secretmunication with Aurugorn Hilkintos and was executed.** Appearance: Thinning brown head of hair. Dark brown eyes. Short stature. Obese. Hideous (repulsive). ¡úKrische: Cursed Child. He would like to y with her if the chance arises. Strong points: Business. Scheming. Deception. Entrapment. Likes: beautiful women. Submissive and irresistible women. Bondage. Dislikes: Stout-hearted (brave, firm, tough) women. People without money. Concerns: Dying in the greatest amount of pain imaginable. ¡ö Koza¨C Neutral Good A strong cksmith type man. Former subordinate of Gallen. He is a certified cksmith in Christand. Originally the only son of a cksmith, he joined the army to rebel against his strict father. He served under Gallen in several battles, but was wounded in the leg during one of them and discharged from the army after suffering a permanent injury. His final rank was corporal. He used to be a rowdy and violent person and was beaten up several times by Garren, but he feels a strong debt of gratitude to him because Gallen saved him many times when he was in danger. When he returned to his parents after suffering a permanent injury, the tears of relief shed by his strict father made him decide to take over the family business, and he has been training diligently ever since. Taking advantage of his experience on the battlefield, many of his swords are particrly focused on ease of handling and sturdiness, and although they are not shy, they are of very high quality, perhaps due to his natural talent. He and Bogan, who had just joined the military at the time, did not have a very deep rtionship as they had mostly reced each other, but theyter deepened their rtionship after being introduced to him by Gallen. Bogan, Nozan, Selene''s sword, Kolkis¡¯s iron spear, Grunmeld¡¯s war club, and other weapons of the Christand warriors are often struck by Koza. The small sword that Gallen wields was the first sword his father recognized, and even now, decadester, he still uses it with great care. Although he feels that his son Kays has more talent than him, hecks motivation and is troubled by memories of his former father''s rtionship with him. However, perhaps because of Krische, he¡¯s relieved that he seems to have started to get more enthusiastic about it recently after seeing his new swing, which can be said to be the culmination of his life. **He was originally famous for his ability to forge swords for Christand, but after he was allowed to use a simple crest, his name became even more popr and he began to receive orders from merchants. However, he refused and continued to forge swords soldiers and mercenaries guarding the caravan for the rest of his life until his death. His son Kays followed suit and continued to make practical swords and weapons while expanding his shop. He always told his father''s words to his sons and disciples: ¡®The true nature of a sword is a de for exchanging lives, not an ornament¡¯.** ¡÷ **Historically He is Famous as the weapon craftsman who forged swords for the heroes of Alberinea and Christand. He was the only cksmith allowed to use the simplified crest of Krushtand, andter his son''s apprentices opened shops in various ces. His and his son Kays''s swords have been magically protected, and some of them still remain and are sold for high prices. The genius mage Elseria coborated with the artisan Corus, who is said to have inherited his blood, to create an enchanter sword engraved with a magic crystal spell.** Appearance: Bald. Sharp brown eyes. Large and muscr. Stubble beard and his right shoulder is bulged with muscles. ¡úKrische: His benefactor''s granddaughter. A girl with an unusual sword skill. The person to whom he gave the best swing of his life. Strong points: weapon smithing. fight. Likes: Sparks. Forging. Dislikes: Craftsmanship that ignores practicality. **Concerns: None.** Chapter 265: Character introductionâ€•â€•Outside Alberan (Includes spoilers) Chapter 265: Character introduction¨D¨DOutside Alberan (Includes spoilers) ***Chapter 265 Character introduction¨D¨DOutside Alberan (Includes spoilers)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 **Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156** **Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163** **¡ö Those who Remain ¡ö Thoe who are Departed** - ----Other Kingdom Nobles (Military). - ----Kreisharana ¡ö Alkierence Sharana -- Neutral Good A chief who loves Holy Spirit. He is the chief of the Kreisharana tribe. He is a powerful man who once held the position of warrior chief of Kreisharana, and was appointed as the chief by his predecessor and elder, Beekirs, and became the chief of the tribe. It seems that the other warriors had no objection to him bing the n leader, as he was a man of character as well as his skill, and he was promoted smoothly without being challenged to a duel for the position. Although he no longer wields a spear for hunting, he is still the top-ranking warrior in Kreisharana, and there are only a few people who can exchange spears with him properly. He is always thinking about the future of the vige and is a pacifist in Kreisharana. In its current form, he believes that it is impossible for Kreisharana to continue to exist, and he is seeking a new path while respecting the customs of the past. For this reason, he has made efforts to improve his rtionship with Arna since bing chief, and is not well-liked by the conservatives, with the exception of Beekirs. If the Kreisharana customs, which ce emphasis on improving the individual, are truly good, they will remain in the future even if it wasn¡¯t forced. However, the arrival of Krische, who was born in the kingdom that was supposed to be covered in conceit and falsehood, but is superior to anyone else as an individual, made him feel a new winding. Sensing a new wind, he decided to re mend rtionship the kingdom and began steering toward a new future. **Although he considers eternity that Krische wished for to be a dangerous idea, he learned that reincarnation really exists, and thought of his wife who went before him. Hoping that someday he''ll meet her again. He continued to negotiate with the kingdom and watched over the vige and Lira''s decisions so that he could depart with his head held high in this life. ¡÷ Historically He is known as the Kreisharana chief who broke the 500-year istion. He told the elders who showed resistance to Alberan''s culture that the Holy Spirit saw things as they were and did not despise anyone, warning them of the foolishness of inheriting hatred and passing it on. He also granted thest Holy Priestess, his own daughter, L Sharana¡¯s wish.** ?Battle Command Through years of experience, he understands the strengths and weaknesses of the griffin cavalry and is skilled in the art of unterally defeating opponents from an advantageous position. The tactics of avoiding danger and unterally aiming for the enemy''s life are not very interesting, but for them, fighting is hunting. He values the idea that hunters should be as calm as possible, rather than something that should be enjoyed, and the calmness that allows him to do this can be said to be his strength. Appearance: Shaved head. Brown eyes. Muscr. A face with deep wrinkles. A rich white beard. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior who has attained the Holy Spirit with the body of a man. The embodiment of Kreisharana¡¯s ideal. A frightening girl who spouts nothing but verbal gaffe. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Taijutsu. Likes: Honey. Training. Dislikes: Lazy. **Concerns: The future of Kreisharana and Lira.** ¡ö Vinthril Sharana -- Neutral Good A seeker-type boy who loves warriors. Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior. The warrior chief candidates are made up of 12 people selected by rmendation from warriors who have been recognized for their ability and personality, and the one whopetes in martial arts andes out on top bes the chief warrior. He is the son of the current tribe chief Alkierence and holds the position of Kreisharana¡¯s Chief Warrior, but that position is not hereditary and is based on his ability. He can be said to be the best warrior in Kreisharana, both in name and reality, and is respected by the warriors. He has a beautiful and good-looking lover, whom he has promised to marry after this battle, and her father has repeatedly threatened to kill him if he makes his daughter unhappy, even if he is dead. Having grown up under Alkierence, he has simr views about Kreisharana and hopes that the restoration of diplomatic rtions with the kingdom will bring about a new future for them. Quite a sis-con. He witnessed a war that was too one-sided, created by Krische, and felt a huge disconnect from his ideals, but he understood her reasoning and feelings and once again decided to cooperate. **After the war, with the blessings of many people, he sessfully married his lover, started a family, and had two children. When his younger sister, who had devoted her entire human life to the Holy Spirit at a young age, expressed her wish to be her final priestess, he was opposed to it and tried to dissuade her. **After the war, he sessfully married his girlfriend and started a family with the blessings of many people. He is now praying that his child will be born safely. Having started a family and knowing normal happiness, he felt sad for his younger sister who spend her time alone in the Forbidden Area and cuts off all contact with outside to prove that her motive was selfless. He tried to convince her as an older brother rather than the warrior chief of Kreisharana, but she didn''t listen. He finally decided to admit it in the face of her will, and bowed to Krische as an individual when she visited, and entrusted her with the hope that her sister, who had spent her life in solitude, would be able to find true happiness as a normal person in the future. And for the sake of his sister, who was determined to do just that, he himself vowed once again to devote his life to the future of Kreisharana. ¡÷ Historically Chief Kreisharana. A person who built a vige on the edge of a mountain, on the border between Kreisharana and the ins. As a ce where people from the viges and kingdoms could move freely, it was recognized that there was no need to abide by the rules of Kreisharana, and it developed as a trading stop with the kingdom. The number of immigrants to this ce, which was created as a ce to spend time and learn about the culture of the ins, was small, but after the disappearance of Yagernaus during the Kleinmeer era, the number of immigrants gradually increased, and it becamerger than the vige of Kreisharana itself. Eventually, Kreisharana itself was transformed into a formless ce of worship that preserved and transmitted its teachings, and a temple was built within. He left behind his name as a great person who created a new home for the people of Kreisharana and separated the Kreisharana as a people and the Kreisharana as a faith, and even today, practitioners from all over the worlde here and connect with faith of the former Kreisharana.** ?Battle Command He excels at instantaneous decision-making and is good at three-dimensional griffin cavalry operations. Compared to Alkierence, he has defeated countless Suiko through aggressive tactics, such as using decoys and taking out opponents from behind. If Alkierence is a hunter, his thinking is simr to that of a military man, and rather than relying entirely on the beast, he often uses the griffin as a strategy piece. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Tall and muscr. Well-rounded face. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A warrior recognized by the Holy Spirit. The pinnacle to aim for. Sloppy in various way. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Throwing spears. Swordsmanship. Likes Dueling. Training. Little sister. Dislikes: Not formed abs. **Concerns: Lira.** ¡ö Vervas -- Neutral Good I''m a warrior type of guy. Chief Guardian of Kreisharana. A warrior who was chosen as a candidate for warrior chief upon the appointment of chief Alkierence. At one time, he was considered a sure-fire for chief warrior, but was defeated in a duel with Vinthril and became the chief guardian. If the best warrior in Krei Sharana is the Chief Warrior, then the next best warrior is the Chief Guardian. It is a prestigious position, the gatekeeper of the path to the Holy Spirit, and he is not dissatisfied with the position, partly because it was the result of a duel, and now he and Vinthril have a private and public rtionship. However, perhaps because of their rtionship, his beloved daughter, who he dotes on, has developed a crush on Vinthril, andtely he has been poking Vinthril as a thief who is trying to steal her daughter away from him. He hates Vinthril for taking his daughter away, but he''s happy to see his happy daughter who has had a child so early, which is rare in Kreisharana, and he can''t say anything about it. **He respects Lira''s role as a Holy Priestess, but at the same time, he is deeply worried about her as his best friend''s younger sister. He realized that there she didn¡¯t need to sleep outdoors just to prove that she was selfless, so he built a hut for her with Vinthril and the others, and every time they patrolled from the sky, they he made sure to keep an eye out for monsters around it. Sometimes he left the vige''s crops in front of the hut, on the pretense that he asionally dropped them. After building the hut, they never met in person except for an audience, and even when they did, they never mentioned it. However, whenever Lira saw him, she always smiled bitterly and quietly bowed her head. After he passed away, the next guardian took over the hut, and even after Lira was gone, the hut remained a shrine, and flowers and nuts were offered to it every time someone visited. ¡÷ Historically Warrior of Kreisharana. Guardian of the forbidden area. Chieftain, Warrior chief, and Protector of the Forbidden Region¡¯s names were carved in stone after their death as great warriors.** ?Battle Command Like Alkierence, he operates with a focus on the Griffin''s flight characteristics above all else, and has a cold-hearted attitude that focuses only on pure victory rather than apetition of skills. Though he prefers fair battles, as he is in a position where he cannot afford to lose, he ces emphasis on winning and does not go on adventures. Although hismand ability is not outstanding, his individual ability is high, and in a fight between a small number of people, he will be able to utilize that strength to gain the upper hand from beginning to end. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Large and muscr. A rugged yet well-groomed face. Scar on cheek. Armor: Leather cuirass, gauntlets, and leg armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡úKrische: A great warrior. A transcendent person who he can¡¯t reach. A strange girl. Strong points: Griffin control. Spear. Taijutsu. Archery. Likes: Contest skill. Training. Warrior. Daughter. Dislikes: Bug (around his daughter). **Concerns: That first grandchild would be born with both the mother and the baby safe.** - ----Arna Imperial State ¡ö **Himemi (Princess Shrine Maiden)** -- Order Neutral A type of girl who hides herself with thick costumes clother. Former leader of the Arna Imperial State. The Princess Shrine Maiden''s advisor. She has been in power for 40 years and is the de facto leader of the Arna Imperial State, as well as the head of the priests. In the Imperial State, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is more respected than anything else, she became a Miko at the age of 15, at which she gave up her name and assumed the role of a Miko princess. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. In the Imperial State, there is a division between the northern faction and the kingdom faction, which believes that the rtionship with the northern ind countries should be deepened and developed rather than the kingdom, but she values harmony and stability above all else, and since her reign, the Imperial State has been very stable and has adopted a policy closer to the Kingdom. She suspects that Kreschenta may have caused the current civil war in the Kingdom but does not consider it important in and of itself and is simply trying to determine whether or not she is in the best interest of the Imperial State. **Due to her own aging, when she found her next sessor, she immediately passed down the princess shrine maiden. She went from a Princess Shrine Maiden to her Himemi (ŠªÒŠ = Princess + See/watch). She spends her time as the Princess Shrine Maiden and advisor. She believed that Alberan would undoubtedly see the greatest development in history after surviving the Five Great Nations War, and she emphasized to Miko Hime the importance of maintaining a friendly rtionship with the kingdom. After the unification of Alberan, he feared the annexation of Arna, which he thought was possible because of Crescenta''s character and nature, but it did not happen, and after seeing the enigmatic reforms that followed, the establishment of the Parliament, she left this world with words of advice for the Princess Shrine Maiden. ¡®From now on, keep your eyes on Kreschenta, not Alberan, and follow the trends that follow.¡¯ The cunning Queen of Alberan. Cursed Child who seeks power. Kreschenta who she feared and watched than anyone else. She didn''t know what she was thinking or what she wanted, but her actions, of letting go of her power even though she had gained everything, somehow felt strangely fitting. ¨D¨DPerhaps her pursuit of power was merely a means to an end, and not the end itself. ¡÷ Historically She is said to be a famous ruler of the Aana Empire. Although Alberan had the power to unify the continent, she continued to maintain their national identity without hesitation, and for a long time she advised Imperial State as Princess Shrine Maiden. She was not swallowed up by the founding of the Kleinmeer nation, and it was said that the reason why Arna was able to survive until the dragon hunting era in the middle of the Kleinmeer period wasrgely due to the various teachings that she passed on to the Princess Shrine Maiden. --Arna was like a leaf floating on water. It is said that the leaders of small countries learned a lot from the diplomacy of the Arna Imperial State, not from the great powers.** Appearance: Long ck hair. Long, nted blue eyes. Tall and slender. Mole under the eyes. Graceful (beautiful). ¡ú Krische: Same as Kreschenta, a Cursed Child. Would like to meet her once. Strong points: Magic Crystal Technique Engraving. Public Face. Etiquette. Likes: Basking in the sun. Taking care of flowers. Dislikes: anything that disturbs the harmony of the Imperial State. **Concerns: What Crescenta desires from the bottom of her heart.** ¡ö Zanaribea -- Order Good Unexpectedly, a man who loves honey. High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is the oldest of the four High Priests, aged over 90. He is the person most trusted by the Miko princess and is a pro-Kingdom figure. In the empire, the faith that worships the ancient dragon Yagernaus is valued above all else, and when he became a priest, he abandoned his family name and devoted himself to the empire as a priest. He has been involved in national politics for a long time, often serving as an emissary to the Kingdom, and has met Kreschenta before. However, he was unable to see her true nature, and she had the lead in negotiations. He has a big, sweet tooth and his taste buds are simr to Krische and Kreschenta. Because of Kreschenta rtionship with Bery, he considers Kreschenta to be a Cursed Child, but not a bad one. He realized that tariff relief rted to magic crystals is a bigger problem than expected, and is busy negotiating rted technology. **After the War of the Five Great Powers, he copses in a carriage heading to the royal capital and spends his final moments in Alberan. Even against Kreschenta who hade to visit him, on he deathbed, he didn¡¯t change and still continued to make diplomatic negotiations while eating Bery¡¯s cookies, making Kreschentaugh saying ¡®I don''t dislike people like Zanaribea-sama¡¯. ¡÷ Historically High Priest of the Arna Imperial State. He is said to have been active in the diplomacy of both countries during the final years of Alberan. In his final moments, he copsed in Alberan, and it is said that he negotiated with Queen Kreschenta on his sickbed, and they concluded a cooperative rtionship by dispatching magicians to the Magic Research Institute and producing magical weapons in Alberan. Afterwards, the Pishune was imported and partially deployed to the Arna Navy, demonstrating its overwhelming strength in naval battles andnding battles during the War of Continental Unification, supporting maritime trade, which was the pir of Arna''s economy. It was said that the reason why Arna was granted exclusive ess to cutting-edge magic technology and magic weapons, even if only in a small portion, was to seek the technical cooperation of Arna''s excellent craftsmen for the defense of the continent. Even though Arna paid arge amount of money, in the end, overall, it could be said that the deal was advantageous for Arna. It is also said that this transaction, which was uncharacteristic of her, as she always had the upper hand in foreign negotiations, might have been a personal ¡®Farewell Gift¡¯ from her to Zanaribea.** Appearance: Gray hair brushed back. Brown eyes. Thin build. Deeply wrinkled face. Krische ¡ú A girl who exudes the power to push through the impossible. Sweet tooth. A poor child. **A helpless being who repeatedly made genius inventions as if breathing.** Strong points: Negotiation. Diplomacy. Etiquette. Likes: Tea. Honey. Cookies. Dislikes: Bitter things. **Concerns: None. Finally able to truly enjoy Alberan''sst cookie from the bottom of his heart.** - ----Gulshan Republic ¡ö Orugan -- Neutral Neutral A man who is hopelessly unsuitable for formal appearance No. 2. The vice-chancellor of the Republic of Gulshan. Former royalty. Although he was born into the Gulshan royal family, he disliked the widening disparity between rich and poor and the appearance of the royal family drowning in luxury, he stood up for the people and led a rebellion to establish a republic. Having given up his status and power as a member of the royal family and fought for the people, he was a hero of Gulshan and had the power to take over anything he wanted, but he turned down the offer to be chancellor because he felt he would lose his original ambition if he himself, as a royal, was in the highest position. His words were half true, but they weren''t correct, and there was a strong part of him that simply hated being tied down by authority. He preferred the battlefields where warriors fought with their pride above all else, and his subordinates, who knew him to be a war-mad maniac, believed that he rejected the position of chancellor because he didn''t want to miss the battlefields. Dougleen, a general in the southern part of the kingdom, is his favorite opponent, but their sympathetic upbringing and personalities make them friends, and they drink with each other after every skirmish. However, they are war fanatics, and once they get into a fight, they can smile and kill each other. Seeing the overwhelming power of Krische Christand, the maniac fell off, and he watched the progress of Alberan and Gulshan''s negotiations. **There is no one in the Gulshan Council, which is made up of mostly civilians, who has the political acumen to attack Crescenta. Due to the crushing defeat in the war and the military actions of the surrounding small countries, unfavorable negotiations continued, and it looked like Gulshan itself would eventually be annexed. Orugan, who had been on suspension due to the defeat in the war, was increasingly consulted privately by the chairmen, and a few yearster he was released from suspension and returned as chairperson. However, their diplomatic defeat was also painful for Orugan, and they maintained their national integrity by temporarily forming a military alliance that was close to vassalship. Afterwards, he proposed and introduced a citizen elementary school system modeled after Alberan, and poured all of his power into developing human resources with an eye on Gulshan''s future. Even though heins to Zalvaag and Dougleen that it''s too much trouble, he guides them toward a new era. After fighting side-by-side with Dougleen in the final battle of the Continental Unification War, hepletely left the military to Zalvaag and devoted himself to politics. He held study groups himself, had many young members study politics, and wrote many books for posterity. And a few yearster, he too falls asleep,ughing at his troublesome friend who died as a guest in his own country while ying as he pleased. He dreams of new fruit sprouting on the drynd of Gulshan. ¡÷ Historically A person who established a republic in Gulshan. He was skilled not only in warfare but also in politics, and greatly contributed to the subsequent development of Gulshan. Although opinions are divided as to his ability as a strategist and tactician due to the fact that he was often at the mercy of Dougleen Garhka and his crushing defeat against Alberinea, at that time, Alberinea was an unparalleled genius in warfare, and Dougleen Garhka was also one of the continent''s leading generals. Many military historians say that he was a powerful man who should be called a great general due to his skills in the Gulshan Civil War, the War of Dismantling Elsren, and the War of Unification, and Dougleen Garhka himself wrote that he was a worthy opponent who could not be defeated. Shortly after his crushing defeat against Alberinea, he returned to the position of chairman and decided to submit himself to Alberan before Gulshan weakened. Alberan''s overwhelming victory in the War of the Five Great Powers. Afterwards, the criticism from the assembly members who were overwhelmed by Kreschenta was small, but it was written that the people were greatly disappointed, saying, ¡®The brave Orugan had his fangs broken by Alberinea¡¯. However, he took credit in theter Elsren Dissolution War and Unification War, and as a result, he negotiated with Alberan and raised Gulshan''s diplomatic status. The people apologized for their foolishness and turned to him, praising his skill and saying, ¡®He bows down to the storm and seizes the fruit¡¯. He came back as a hero in both name and reality, and it was said that he was the embodiment of the rain-worship religion that was worshiped at the time, and that people adored him and called him Gulshania, the ¡®Chief of the strong rain¡¯, and many notes and books praising him still exist today. His teachings gave Gulshan the strength to judge the times, and when Kleinmeer was founded, he gave up on Alberan, and after that he prospered as an ally of Kleinmeer. At the end of the Kleinmeer era, they parted ways due to their magician supremacy and entered the war on the allied side, resulting in their destruction, however he is said to have greatly contributed to Gulshan''s continued maintenance of the national polity until then, and he is still spoken of today as the father of the Gulshan republic.** ?Battle Command He is a masterfulmander of elephants and other beast soldiers in the army. He prefers a bold head-on breakthrough by disrupting the enemy line with an elephant, but if that does not work, he will use surprise, ambush, and any other means to win the battle. He believes that war is fought to win, and he uses all kinds of tactics to hunt down his enemies, but he does not surprise attack (foul y). He is a hero in Gulshan, and his army maintains extremely high morale, even among conscripts. Appearance: Stiff ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Muscr build of less than six shaku. Bearded. Hairy. Sweaty. Tanned skin. Armor: Lion carved te mail. ¡úKrische: The embodiment of a storm that sweeps everything away. A changer of the times. Got dumped. Strong points: Great curved swordsmanship. Operation of beast soldiers. Likes: Drinking. Fighting. Personalbat. Strong man. Dislikes: surprise attack (foul y). **Concerns: The fruit of the rain.** ¡ö Zalvaag -- Neutral Neutral A hard-working man with a very difficult boss. He is the chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Gulshan. Formerly a shoemaker. He used to be the son of a humble shoemaker, but when his young sister was killed by a nobleman, he swore revenge and joined the rebel army. He had never held a sword before, but his prodigious talent with the sword awakened on the battlefield, and he became the head of the Gulshan army and itsmander countless times on the front lines. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. He is mild-mannered and does not like to do rough things, but he has sworn allegiance to Orugan, who rebelled against and defeated the royal family and nobles of the time, and after the war, he continues to work to support Orugan as he has done before. He is a man of ordinary appearance andcks ir, but he has a brilliant mind and can speak fournguages other than his nativenguage Shaan. **While Orugan was unable to move, he made various arrangements for his return, and eventually assisted him in bing chairman. He waits for an opportunity to join him, apanies him in the War of Dismantling Elsren and the War of Unification, achieving many feats of military prowess, and contributing to the revival of Gulshan. After that, instead of Organ, who worked hard to train the people and politicians, he followed Alberan and toured the military school built in Gulshan, carrying out military reform and military training. Although he was annoyed with Dougleen who died there, Zalvaag struggles until the end, running around to exin the situation, until he falls asleep following Orugan. Wondering if he could have built a country that his sister could be proud of, together with him. ¡÷ Historically Gulshan¡¯s Chief of military affairs,termander-in-chief of the army. He is said to have been Orugan¡¯s right-hand man, and it is said that Orugan always kept him by his side as he had greater military talent than himself. Unlike Orugan¡¯s, who was a general, his suspension was lifted early, and he made a great contribution by making arrangements for Orugan¡¯s return to politics. There are many personal anecdotes about him, and it was said that even though he joined the revolutionary army as a soldier, he was a hero who cut through more than 1,000 enemies with. Despite this, he is known as a genius in both literary and military arts who is able to use a variety ofnguages. His original origins were said to have been as a shoemaker, and there are several shoemakers called Zalvaag, named after him.** ?Battle Command Although he is more gifted as amander of a century than as amander of arge army, he ispetent enough tomand and operate an army. He usually spends most of his time as Orugan¡¯s assistant and bodyguard, which gives him a wide field of vision. He hates to see his troops die in vain and is cautious by nature, but when he leads his own troops, he shows a different kind of aggression. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Tall and slender. Bearded. Thin face (presence). Armor: Half te with lion carving. ¡úKrische: A mad Absolute. A strong man who cannot be touched. Strong points: Curved sword swordsmanship. Shoe maintenance. Likes: Sweet food. Self-discipline. Dislikes: Those who trample on the weak through their power. **Concerns: Will his sister forgive him?** ¡ö Gal Bilkace -- Order Good He is an experienced and sensiblemander. He is the captain of the main army of the Republic of Gulshan and Commander of the Ground Dragon Cavalry. He was born into a noble family that produced the best of Gulshan¡¯s cavalry during the Kingdom of Gulshan and lived afortable life, but he could not stand the corruption of the royal family and nobility, so he joined Orugan for the people. He is renowned as themander of the rebel army''s ground dragon cavalry, and in the civil war, he personally killed his own brother, who was themander of the kingdom''s ground dragon cavalry. His achievements and character have earned him the respect of the ruling ss, even among themoners in the military, despite his former noble status, and he is respected as the legitimate leader of the nobles. He had the misfortune of encountering Kolkis and Aleha during the battle against Alberan, and was decapitated by Aleha as he evaded Kolkis¡¯s attack. ¡÷ **Historically Although he was a noble of the Gulshan Kingdom, he joined the revolutionary army for the sake of the people. He was respected by themoners as a noble among nobles, but he was killed in action during the War of the Five Great Powers.** ?Battle Command He has a deep knowledge of the operation of the earth dragon cavalry, and is tactful and flexible in his thinking. Because hemands expensive cavalry, he basically avoids overreaching and strives to maintain his forces, but hismanding nature is more suited to attack, and he is also good at feats of strength, such as sessfullyunching a seemingly foolhardy assault. Appearance: ck hair. Dark brown eyes. Medium build. Dark skin. Beard. Chiseled face. Armor: te mail that represents a dragon with its mouth open.. ¡úKrische: A transcendent outside of the ordinary. A monster among monsters. Strong points: Cavalry spearmanship. Curved sword swordsmanship. Likes: Polishing the scales of sand lizards. Sword collection. Dislikes: Coward. Those conceited in their authority. Concerns: Facing monsters a never seen before monster. ¡ö Elkar -- Neutral Good A bold, bald, giant-like man. First-ss military officer of the Republic of Gulshan. A General. Born in a small town as the only son of a carpenter, he was blessed with a superhuman physique but was clumsy and had a quarrel with his father, so he became a merchant escort. He spent several years doing so, but his anger gradually dissipated and he returned to his parents'' home, concerned that they had no heir other than himself. As the best swordsman in Gulshan who came from amoner''s background, he is known in Gulshan as the Orugan¡¯s Sword. However, when he returned, the town was burned to the ground as an example for failing to pay taxes, and this led him to join Orugan''s revolutionary army. He used his size and strong arms to make a name for himself, and gained an unshakable position in the revolutionary army. When they were outnumbered, he always stood at the front of his soldiers, and his appearance wielding arge iron hammer was feared by the Gulshan Kingdom''s army, and he earned the respect of his allies, earning him the nickname Elkar, the Bloodstained Giant. Although his blood tends to rush to his head, he doesn''t unreasonably criticize others, and has a lively but refreshing personality without any sarcasm. He is Kilrea''s best friend, and they have known each other since their days as caravan escorts. He is also good friends with Orugan and Zalvaag, and he forces Zalvaag to be with him when he tries to escape from the banquet for some reason. He was concerned about his thinning hair from an early age, so he shaved it off, and was often teased by Kilrea, who grew his hair in a ostentatious manner. He fought valiantly against Kolkis, Aleha, and the ck g Special Forces, but was ultimately defeated. ¡÷ **Historically General of the Gulshan Republic. He has a superhuman physique and is nicknamed the Giant, and has fought as Orugan¡¯s confidant since the days of the Revolutionary Army. His line of battle was destroyed by Jarea Gashea''s charge, and Kolkis Argand pierced his chest and killed him.** ?Battle Command He used to be a man of valor standing at the front, but he has perfected himself as a general by learning from his many experiences in the Gulshan Civil War and acquiring wisdom and strategy.. He is skilled in the art of raising morale, and has no equal when ites to breaking through head-on with the elephant soldiers. He leads the most powerful troops in the Royal Army of Gulshan and is also known as the "Shield of Gulshan. Appearance: Shaved head. Dark brown eyes. Superhuman physique of 7 shaku tall. Dark skin. Large face. Armor: Full te in the shape of an elephant. ¡úKrische: A female warrior beyondprehension. Strong points: Self-style hammering. Elephant operation.. Likes: carpentry. Making small things (not very good at it). Drinking.. Dislikes: Being called a coward. Concerns: Whether or not hisst words were understood by Orugan and the others. ¡ö *Kilrea -- Chaos Nuetral A slightly mischievous, strong swordsman. First-ss military officer of the Republic of Gulshan. A General. He is not a Shaan, butes from a small nation further east, in the vassal state of Elsren. He was born as the youngest son of a noble, and ran away knowing that he could not hope for a sessful career in his home country, which was oppressed by the military. He was traveling across the desert east of Gulshan on a journey to sharpen his sword as a caravan guard. He learned a lot from fighting the Sand Bandits, and when he became a first-ss swordsman, he met Elkar. He is a little older than Elkar and is his mentor in battle, but after spending several years with Elkar and deepening their rtionship, they became close friends before long, probably due to Elkar''s personality that does not care about hierarchical rtionships. He had some regrets about his departure and encouraged Elkar to return to his hometown, but when he learned that his hometown had been burned to the ground, they both joined the revolutionary army. With his well-trained swordsmanship, he and Elkar have continued to achieve great deeds together, earning the respect of the soldiers, earned him the title Kilrea the Swordsman. He is a seeker, proud of his own swordsmanship, and somewhat haughty, but when he saw the genius Zalvaag, he lost his obsession and devoted himself to training the next generation of fighters. He was killed in a surprise attack by Krische¡¯s descent. ¡÷ **Historically General of the Gulshan Republic. Like Elkar, he was a confidant of Orugan, but was attacked by Alberinea using a griffin and was killed by her. He was known to be the best swordsman in Gulshan, but it is said that he was unable to do anything in front of Alberinea and had his neck slit, which became one of the anecdotes that showed Alberinea¡¯s overwhelming swordsmanship.** ?Battle Command A general with many years of caravan escort experience, excellent decision-making ability, and a wide perspective. He likes detailed strategies and advanced tactics, and is good at using beast soldiers in general, but he has a prideful and nervous side, and always imagines the worst¨D¨Dhe hates being outwitted by the enemy. Although he has an excellent intellect, he tends to be too prepared for unexpected situations, and although he shows excellent fighting against intelligent generals, he oftengs behind against simple and straightforward opponents. However, his sword skills are nothing short of admirable, and the way he cuts into the enemy camp with a small group of elite soldiers is brave and courageous. He has used his ability to overturn predicaments caused by tactical mistakes, and he is definitely considered one of the great generals. Appearance: ck hair mixed with gray hair. Dark brown eyes. Slender with long limbs. Dark skin. A face with deep wrinkles. Armor: Rugged half te.. ¡úKrische: A female warrior beyondprehension. Strong points: self-styled swordsmanship. Maintenance the sword. Likes: Alcohol. Make fun of Elkar. Compare arms. Training. Dislikes: People who underestimate his abilities. Concerns: Defeat that tarnishes one''s honor at the end. ¡ö Alcazaris ¨C Neutral Neutral A monstrous girl who came out to be killed. Elephant magical beast. An elephant magical beast that was identally born in the process of elephant breeding in Gulshan. It was once used by the rebels in the civil war in the Kingdom of Gulshan, and was one of the reasons for the rebels'' victory. It was named Alcazaris, "the one thatid waste to everything," Because of its appearance of trampling and crushing the lines of battle, and after the war, it lived peacefully in the back for breeding. Tearful trial and error was made to create a special pedestal for the male elephants to hoist them up for breeding, but the breeding did not go well partly because of her huge size, and seven of them died rousing her anger, and dozens of people also deaths. Because of such damage, the elephants were pulled to the front by the order of Orugan, who saw no reason to save her for the decisive battle against the kingdom, but she was killed instantly by Krische spear throws. It was a monster that would have performed well in a battle without Krische, but in the face of Krische, who had fight against a dragon, it was only arge, pitiful beast. ¡÷ **Historically A monster who led the revolutionary army to victory. Elephant magical beast. It was said to have been sorge that it could walked across fortress walls, and the bones still preserved today prove that this description is not an exaggeration. There is a well-known anecdote in which Alberinea killed the beast from a ri away with a javelin, and the thick, damaged skull was used to verify whether magic had been used. However, no matter how much we investigated, there were no traces of magical power, and the damage to the skull revealed that it was physical damage caused by an extremely high-speed projectile colliding with it. It is said that schrs looked at each other in shock when they realized that the numerous anecdotes of battle lines being broken,rge stone trebuchets, and castle walls being destroyed were not exaggerations, but were simply the result of javelin throwing due to body strengthening.** Appearance: Green eyes. Deep blue-gray skin. A huge body that could easily fill a two-story mansion. Long fangs and snout. ¡úKrische: Don¡¯t know. Strong points: Back kick. Stomping. Likes: Eating. Dislikes: Mating. Concerns: something flying over here¨D¨D. - ----Elsren Holy Empire ¡ö Basr Elmend Ern Lukazan - Order Evil ¡®This is how you use your power (authority)¡¯ type of man. Grand Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. He is the head of the Lukazan family, one of the three major duchies with the right to inherit the throne and is among the top five in the monster nation of Elsren. He has been skilled at scheming since childhood, and although he was born as the youngest brother of the Lukazan family, he politically eliminated or killed his three older brothers and ascended to the position of head of the family. He was well versed in politics and power, and was adept at building intelligenceworks, and was considered one of the people in Elsren who should never be made into an enemy. He was also responsible for concentrating the me for the defeat on Aleha and the Sarchenka family. He is extremely talented as a politician, butpared to his political ability, his abilities as a strategist and tactician as a general are mediocre. Although he is extremely capable as a warrior, hecks the talent to lead an army, and leaves most things to his lieutenant, Linkara, the only person he trusts. He was killed by Krische having his head chopped off. ¡÷ **Historically Elsren¡¯s suprememander during the War of the Five Great Powers during the eastern march of Alberan. He was the head of Lukazan, one of the three major duchies of the great nation of Elsren, and ruled the entire western region of Elsren. He is good at politics and takes advantage of his father and brother''s crushing defeat against Gildanstein to gain the position of head of the family. He overthrows the other two families through his schemes, and grows the Lukazan family to the point where his heir is seen as the next emperor. However, he failed to advance to the east, suffered a crushing defeat in the War of the Five Great Powers, and was defeated by Alberinea, which led to his downfall. As a result, the western part of the country was disrupted, leading to the war to dismantle Elsren, which is said to have triggered the downfall of Elsren. There are many who say that even Elsren, who was fully equipped with military equipment, was no match for Alberan at the time, which had Alberinea and magical weapons.** ?Battle Command He has extremely high fighting ability that could be called a monster. However, this is only the ability of a warrior who wields barbaric courage, and he is like a barbarian hero who is not blessed with tactical or strategic abilities. However, what makes him great is his ability to understand his own weaknesses and use others as a ruler, and as a general of arge army, he is extremely capable. He is unparalleled when ites to using carrots and sticks to make his subordinates perform beyond their abilities, and can be said to be a conductor worthy of the name of Grandduke. Appearance: Swept back blonde hair. Bue eyes. Large and muscr. Fearless. Trimmed beard. Armor: An elegant full te engraved with light shining from the clouds.. ¡úKrische: Alberan''s mas Cursed Child. unpleasant monster. Strong points: Folka style swordsmanship. transaction. Candy and stick. Alcohol tasting. Using people. Likes: Looking down on things. Stomping on the opponent''s head. wine. Collection of swords. Dislikes: Being looked down on. Being disrespected. Concern: Died without even being a match against Krische. ¡ö Vynal Clef der Sarchenka - Order Nuetral A boy with a Cainplex (Cain from the bible) against his excellent younger brother type of man. Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. Aleha''s older brother. Although he was born as the eldest son of the Sarchenka family, he possessed a talent that befits that, and was originally a person with an excellent personality and a gentle disposition. However, everything goes awry when his younger brother Aleha, who is about 10 years younger, is a genius who far surpasses him, and when he learns that his father''s love is poured into him, he bes extremely jealous of him. Bes to view him as enemies. It was frightening to see him easily acquire everything Vynal had mastered through such painstaking efforts, whether it be in studies or swordsmanship ormand. However, Aleha continued to achieve great results there, gaining the title of Holy Knight and Schindel, and to Vynal, he be not his younger brother but an existence that continued to make him feel inferior. When Aleha made a mistake, he did not protect him and disowned him, and he threw him out of the house. Vynal¡¯s rest was only for a short time¨D¨Dat the end, with his younger brother''s watching him, he ended his life. When Aleha was little, Vynal was the ideal person as a noble to him, a kind and respectable older brother, and Aleha still remembers him from that time. **The nobles were intent on dismantling the Lukazan family, and the Sarchenka family was downgraded to viscounts and had much of their territory confiscated, but they overlooked it as they lost Aleha and Vynal and were no longer theirpetitors. The debt was temporarily resolved by selling off the money and personal belongings, and the rest of the life was spent slowly. His daughter, Rechelle, fell in love with the second son of a baron who is known as a coward, and they took him in as a son-inw, and she bes the mother of one child. Less than twenty years after the War of the Five Great Powers, only soldiers were sent out during the war to dismantle Elsren, but the Elsren Western Defense Force was defeated in the first battle. The emperor orders all the feudal lords in the west to defend the situation and buy time, and as a result, Rechelle''s husband ends up cooperating with the surrounding small feudal lords and leading a motley army of less than 5,000 men. However, his life was saved when General Alberan, Aleha, appeared with an army of 20,000 men, raised a blue g, and ordered them to surrender based on the Holy Spirit Covenant. After a long time, were are reunited with Aleha and Vynal¡¯s sword, which had been kept in storage, was finally handed over to them. ¡®¨D¨DAni-ue, As the head of the Sarchenka family, my met his end without shame.¡¯ Aleha spoke those words to the two who shed tears. After the War of Demolition, the Gatangoton spread to uze, the former territory of Aleha, which was close to their territory, and the Sarchenka family, who waster given the title of Baron Alberan, also benefited from it. From then on, it never took off again, but instead, its name would be passed down step by step for many years toe. ¡÷ Historically The head of the Sarchenka family, the birthce of Aleha Remin. He is said to have survived the failed Eastern Alberan invasion by sacrificing his younger brother, who was popr with the people at the time, and was a person who has a lot of bad reputation despite not having made any political mistakes. He met his end at the hands of his younger brother during the War of the Five Great Powers.** ?Battle Command Although he doesn''t have any particrly outstanding qualities, he has higherbat andmand abilities than average. He is a generally excellent general with no weaknesses, and although he may not achieve great results in battle, he is a general with stable abilities who will never suffer a crushing defeat due to ipetence. He is a bit nervous and sometimes makes excessive preparations, but this is more of a virtue than a w, and his attentiveness to his soldiers, who never let them starve, is well received by them. Appearance: Swept back blonde hair. blue eyes. Slender and muscr. A well-groomed face that looks a little haggard. Armor: An elegant full te depicting paradise. ¡úKrische: Despair in human form. monster.. Strong points: Elcafalest style swordsmanship, spearmanship. Territory management. Commerce. Likes: Children. wine. Painting. Dislikes: Superior younger brother. Concern: His wife and daughter. ¡ö Bado Keetas- Neutral Good A lucky man who has survived against Krische twice. Elsren Holy Empire Messenger Soldier. A young man born into a lower aristocracy, he is the eldest son of a branch of Aleha''s former lieutenant, the Dakrasha family. Although he is not exceptionally talented, he is the type of person who does everything smoothly, has a sharp eye, and is an excellent young man. He has had a strong interest in swordsmanship since childhood, and has studied multiple styles of swordsmanship. During Krische surprise attack on the main camp in the mountains, he was seriously injured but luckily escaped being killed. He also served as a messenger for the Aare Caincrus army during the War of the Five Great Powers. Although he was caught up in Krische lure-and-destroy tactics, he survived, carrying General Aare on his back and even having a second encounter with Krische, he managed to escape from within the north wall. However, Aare is already dead from the arrow shot by Krische, and he realizes that he was just lucky to be missed once again. Afterwards, he immediately headed to General Baszler as a messenger, evading Grunmeld''s attack, and eventually making it back from the battlefield alive. After returning to his hometown, he decided to put down his sword and give up on getting a sessful career based on his experiences and concentrate on managing his territory. After witnessing Are''s final moments, he married the youngest sister of the Caincrus family, with whom he had a mysterious connection, and despite some ups and downs, he lived a peaceful life. The records he left behind would be treated as important historical materials regarding the war and Alberinea at the time. ¡÷ **Historically Served as a messenger of the Holy Empire of Elsren. He left behind many notes from that perspective, which are still treated as important historical materials for learning about the battlefields of the time. In particr, he was an extremely rare person to have survived two encounters with Alberinea on the battlefield, and the horror of that encounter was exined in great detail from the perspective of a single soldier. ¨D¨DI was simply overlooked because of the low importance of the situation, and it was just divine luck that was on my side. I could not sleep at night from fear, thinking that the third time would definitelye, and realizing that that would be my inevitable death, I decided to put down the sword I loved so much. That was what he wrote, looking back on his feelings at the time** ?Battle Command He was gifted with swordsmanship from an early age, and by the time he was 10 years old, he had mastered the two major sword techniques of the Holy Empire, Folka style swordsmanship and Elcafalest style swordsmanship. He ced importance on learning a wide variety of swordsmanship rather than mastering one technique, and since then he has learned and mastered a variety of swordsmanship andbat techniques. However, this did not go beyond the level of a master swordsman, and it did not reach the level of monsters who could change the atmosphere of a battlefield by themselves¨D¨Dbut perhaps that was what saved his life. At least he didn''t have to have the barbaric courage to challenge Krische Christand. Appearance: Blonde. blue eyes. Slender. Masculine. Armor: Leather armor. ¡úKrische: Sliver hair is scary. Strong points: Folca style, Elcafalest style, Lorca style and two other sword techniques. personalbat. Likes: Sword training. Dislikes: Bows. purple. Concern: He get shbacks when he see purple gems. ¡ö Linkara Levis Schindel Warkar ¨C Order Neutral A boy who looks after the evil Grand Duke. Marquis of the Holy Empire of Elsren. A man who has served Basr as his tutor since he was a child, and is the only person Basr truly trusts. Basr has been abandoned and neglected by his father, so he has be a father figure to him, and Linkara, who was not blessed with children with his wife, also considers him to be his own child. Although it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t have any thought about Basr distorted personality, he has given up on the fact that it is difficult to survive the demonic realm of noble society and has no choice but to follow him, sometimes acting as a reprimanded. Although his talent is mediocre, he has a great deal of battlefield experience and is close to Felworth. He is basically in charge of nning strategies and tactics for the Lukazan army, and in that sense, he can be said to be Elsren general in the War of the Five Great Powers. He died from Krische¡¯s kick to the skull. ¡÷ **Historically Baszler Lukazan¡¯s right-hand man. It is said that he was basically in charge of proposing military strategies and tactics, and that he was in a position close to that of his staff. It is said that Baszler Lukazan, who was strict and harsh and did not tolerate rebellion, treated him in a special way, and was said to be the only person he strongly trusted. In the War of the Five Great Powers, he was killed by Alberinea along with Baszler Lukazan.** ?Battle Command An old general who was born into a military family and has been training since childhood. He has achieved spectacr military results in the past, and is a great warrior that there is no one in Elsren who does not know about him. Although his physical strength, which was hailed as unparalleled in strength, has been lost with age, his vast experience has been integrated into his flesh and blood, and there is no doubt that he is still one of the greatest generals in Elsren. As he got older, he lost his assertiveness and became more cautious, and although he was less shy, hismand, faithful to basic tactics and strategy, was extremely stable, and meshed well with Baszler''s assertive personality, resulting in countless victories. He wins when he wants to win, and doesn''t touch the battles where he will lose. These are the only abilities required of a general, and those who can faithfully perform these skills are called great generals. It is difficult to defeat him in the board game that is war, and if you want to beat him on top of that, you will need something that can destroy the board itself. Appearance: Short white hair. blue eyes. Slender. wrinkled face. Armor: Rugged half te. ¡úKrische: An insanely talented person. A monster that must not be fought head-on. Strong points: Folka style swordsmanship. Tactics, strategic nning. Connoisseur of swords. Likes: Military history research. cksmith. army. Dislikes: Politics. Noble society. Concern: If he was going to die anyway, he wished he had met Krische in his prime. ¡ö Aare Vains Caincrus - Order Good A boy from a famous family. Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren. He is the young head of the prestigious Caincrus family, and is a general under Basr''smand during his recent military service. He was called a coward with no battlefield achievements in the political world, so he paid arge sum of money to Lukazan and went to the battlefield as a general in search of achievements. Elsren, Gulshan, Elderant¨D¨Dan overwhelmingly advantageous situation with three countries attacking simultaneously. This was initially a winnable battle, and no one objected to his position as a decorated general with a family background, which was his bad luck. His personality is very sincere and he never cks off in his efforts. During peacetime, he was a good noble who was loved by everyone, and was a rare person who was loved by the people of his territory, but he was extremely unfit for the battlefield. He never gets a chance to ovee it, and dies when Krische arrow shoots him through the back of the head while running away. ¡÷ **Historically General of the Elsren Holy Empire. It is recorded that he was wounded by Baumje-, and while he was running away on the back of Bado Keetas, he was shot and killed by Alberinea. Bado Keetas said that the skill with which she was able to shoot him, who was carried by a magical possessor who ran away with all his might while riding a Suiko, was not the work of a human being.** ¡ö Ranu Kalud- Neutral Evil Bad nomad concept model type boy. Chief of the Kalud tribe. He is from a nomadic tribe in the ins south of Elsren, and is the chief of that area. The nomadic tribes of thisnd were conquered during the time of Grabaraine and were forced to serve as subjects, and after splitting with Elsren, they came under the control of Elsren. They are in a vicious cycle of repeating rebellions after being granted autonomy, and their position is not stable due to their nomadic lifestyle and a society strongly influenced by the tribal system. Although he was born in the ins and does not possess magical powers, he is a genius in horsemanship and archery, and due to his wisdom, he rose to the top of his own tribe at the age of 20 and annexed surrounding tribes. A supernatural being who created arge tribe in one generation. He had a cruel and ruthless personality, and used his reign of terror to unite the nomads. He was greedy and intended to extract further concessions from the Holy Empire and create a nomadic nation after gaining autonomy, but in the end he was betrayed by his subordinates, beheaded, and killed. ¡÷ **Historically A nomadic chief used by Elsren. He was known for his skill inmanding cavalry archers which was said to be as if able to see from the sky and his brutal tactics, , but he died in the War of the Five Great Powers. One theory said that he was killed by his subordinates.** - ----Elderant Kingdom ? ----Veeze n ¡ö Ledo Rani ¨C Neutral Evil A hot-blooded protagonist who falls into the dark side type of guy. Rani chief warrior. The leader of Veeze¡¯s hunting squad. A young warrior leader of the Rani tribe under the great tribe Veeze. He is the son of the previous warrior chief Radia, and he inherited his swordsmanship strongly and became a chief warrior at a young age. Counted from Kreschenta and many generations ago, she has been associated with King of Alberan since the one before thest (two generation) and is the leader of the pro-kingdom faction. Gorkista, the head of the Veeze n and the current king of Elderant, and his father, Radia, were friends, and he is a childhood friend of Shelna, the princess of Veeze. The two have vowed to get married in the future and have a mutual love rtionship. In Elderant, where countless tribes fight and civil war is constant, he was involved in war from an early age and witnessed the horrors of it firsthand. This traumatized him, and he stood up with Shelna with the ideal ofpletely unifying the Kingdom of Elderant, gathered allies, and formed the Veeze hunting party. He continued to disy many military exploits as Shelna''s right-hand man, but lost most of them, including Shelna, in the war of invasion of Alberan. Just as he was in despair, his subordinates desperately tried to stop him and retreated. He narrowly escaped from being pursued by Krische by his body double and was picked up by Tova Arkaz, a general of the northern army, and returned to Elderant. He decides to join forces with Arkaz for revenge and wields his sword to unify Elderant. **Although he was stopped by Toba Arkaz, who had be his best friend, and cried by his wife, he could not give up his desire for revenge and rebelled against Alberinea in the name of establishing the nation of Vezrea. He had no joy in defeating Felworth Keithriton and was killed without being able to do anything by the enraged Krische because of the time he took, and finally he realized what he truly wanted. ¡®¨D¨DI probably wanted to die together with her.¡¯ ¡÷ Historically Toba Arkaz''s right-hand man and the leader of Vezrea. He was a military man who fought as a general of Arkaz in the War of Unification of Elderant, but after unification, it is said that he split and rebelled due to disagreements. Although he defeated Felworth Keithriton, his army was annihted by Alberinea, who used magic for the first time on the battlefield, and was beheaded without a trace. It was said that the reason she used magic, which has not been used since then, was because she was dragged out onto the battlefield leaving behind an ill servant, and he is said to have been a foolish person who unknowingly pierced a dragon with a spear. During this time, the servant she loved, Bery Argan, died, so it was said to be the Tragedy of Alberinea, and was often used as the subject of ys.** ?Battle Command Although he has not studied solid tactical theory, he has excellent instantaneous decision-making abilities based on his intuition backed up by his experience gained from battles inplex forests. He is a genius of some kind, but his disadvantage is that he is intuitive and easily gets blood rushing to his head. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. He can be said to be mediocre when he is included in the battle line, and he remains somewhat immature, as he cannot demonstrate his abilities unless he is given independent discretion. In battle, he uses a unique sword technique that takes advantage of the weight and inertia of his giant sword, and in some cases he can even cut down a higher-ss opponent, resulting in an overall extreme high and low performance. Appearance: Short ck hair. Brown eyes. Medium build. Rtively well-rounded face. Armor: Leather armor. Pants with bulging thighs. ¡ú Krische: An enemy general that Shelna was cautious of. Probably the one who killed Shelna. Strong points: Self-taught giant swordsmanship. Taijutsu. Hunting. Fishing. Swimming. Likes: Training. Armspetition. Dislikes: Alberan. Concerns: His stupid self. ¡ö Shelna Veeze ¨C Neutral Evil Mildly crazy girl. The first princess of Veeze She was born with deep indigo eyes, a Celestial eye, which was said to be blessed with natural talent in Elderant.. She has shown her talent since she was a child, but it was when she was seven years old that she easily killed a man who tried to touch her. She was seen obsessively cutting open the man body and looking at the organs, leading to fears that she did not have a human heart and rumors of her being a mad princess¨D¨Dand as a result, she was temporarily sent to the Rani, a tribe headed by a friend of the king. There she spends several years with Ledo, a familiar face to her, and as they deepen their rtionship through his kindness, shees to love him and to loathe her own abnormality. Although she hates the battlefield, she considers it her role to protect him and fulfill his wishes, and her goal of unifying the Elderant was originally to fulfill his ideals. She wants only a gentle life where they can live peacefully together. During the invasion of Alberan, she encountered Krische and was killed. ¡÷ **Historically First Princess of Veeze. At a young age, she is said to have an unrivaled swordsmanship and an intellect that is said to be able to predict the future, and she is said to be a person who literally united each tribe with her power. In her civil war for royal power, she raised countless ranks even though she was young, and there are many simrities with Alberinea, such as her being said to have had mental defects. Many said that she might have had a talent that rivaled hers. However, because she was easily defeated by Alberinea¡¯s strategic surprise attack, the current mainstream view is that she was somewhat exaggerated, or that Alberinea was on a different level.** ?Battle Command A very aggressivemander. Because she is from Elderant, where most of the country is covered with forests, she excels at "headhunting tactics" such as ambush and surprise attacks, and does not ce importance on battle lines.. He is a brilliant genius who can jump into the enemy''s ranks and achieve great feats of valor, but he is also a vtilemander who sometimes achieves overwhelming feats of valor and other times loses in the most inept manner. Her superior thinking ability enables her to view the battlefield from the sky as if she were looking down form above, and she has no troublemanding and operating dozens of small units, even with poor visibility. Her ability to think and guess about strategy and tactics is outstanding, and her instantaneous decisions, which were iprehensible to others and are called revtions, are always based on her extraordinary thinking ability. She is amander who should be called a genius, but she has a bad habit of using fear to control rebellious subordinates, and she often fails to build a rtionship of trust, which often leads to failure. Perhaps because she has easily recovered from such failures by taking the lead herself, she does not take this problem seriously, but it is a definite gap in her otherwise perfect character. Appearance: Long xen hair. Deep indigo eyes. Small build. Modest chest. Superior. Armor: Matte breastte with ancient carved lettering. Hand armor. ¡ú Krische: One that spreads death. An absolute killer who surpassed even she herself. Strong points: Killing people. Calction. Likes: Ledo. kiss. Physical contact. ying with the flower bed. Dislikes: Her abnormal self. War. Concerns: Wanted to meet Ledo once more. ? ¨D¨DOther Veeze n members ? Zuren ¨C Order Neutral The protagonist''s best friend kind of gut. Commander of the Veeze hunting squad. Like Ledo, he is a warrior from Rani and is a close friend of Ledo''s. He is three years older than Ledo and was the children boss when he was a child. He was friends with Ledo, who was cocky and often fought with him. He had feelings for Sherna before Ledo did, but he was sometimes intimidated by her distortions, and her noble birth made him take a step back. However, only Ledo sees her as just another girl, and when he realizes that Shelna is also attracted to him, he gracefully admits defeat and decides to watch over and congratte the two of them. On the battlefield, he is a valiant warrior, with skills on par with Ledo. He was killed in a surprise attack by Vinthril from overhead. ? Bez ¨CNeutral Good The type of guy to y as the protagonist''s older brother. He is the second-inmand of Veeze hunting party. Assistant to the Rani chief warriors. He had been an assistant to the chief warrior since the time of the previous chief warrior¨D¨DLedo''s father, and also his best friend. He used to be a great warrior of Rani along with Ledo''s father and a mentor of Ledo and Zuren in battle, but due to the aftereffects of past battles, he has a little trouble with the movement of his left arm. Even so, he was a powerful man who could ept the position of warrior chief without any objection if he wished, but he dared to challenge Ledo to a duel and they exchanged swords. It''s a close battle but hu won the duel. Satisfied with Ledo''s growth during the battle, he declines the position of warrior chief and decides to be his assistant.. He fights valiantly in the battle at Tekrea''s main camp, but is defeated. He was sent to of by Tekrea as a warrior. * ? Zigret ¨C Chaos Neutral An old wise man from the deep forest type. Head Priest of Veeze. Although he was originally from Wese, he was an old sorcerer who lived a reclusive life regardless of politics. He was a great sage who lived for 150 years, and traveled all over Elderant while researching magic crystals. He bes the head priest of Veeze at the behest of Prime Minister Chlorus, who was originally the chief priest of Veeze, but he also serves as a watchdog over Shelna, who has the Celestial Eye. Unlike when she was young, he was happy with the changes that have urred in her since meeting Ledo. He was a first-rate sorcerer who was able to engrave magical crystals that enabled offensive magic, and created seven sorcerer wands during his lifetime. However, he also believes that these are nothing more than self-defense, and is only part of his research. He pursues magic that does not rely on magic crystals more than anyone else, and is ranked as one of the top five sorcerer among modern magic researchers. Whilemanding his retreat, he was attacked and killed by Krische. His wisdom was lost. ¡÷ **Historically He was a great sage of Elderant who lived for 150 years, and based on the advanced notes he left behind, it was said that he was one of the most advanced magicians of his time, other than Alberinea. However, he served in the War of the Five Great Powers and died in battle.** ? Aaron Chirus ¨COrder Evil Barbarian general-purpose model type boy. Kirs chief warrior. Although he has bad behavior, he is a warrior with excellent swordsmanship. He was raised in Kirs where he was strongly taught that power is everything, so his sense of ethics is very different from the people of Veeze, but he is a normal person among Kirs. He is rational and intelligent, and perhaps because he ispassionate toward those who follow him, he is respected by the people of Kirs. He strongly dislikes the idealistic Ledo, and is also ufortable with the arrogant Shelna, but he is soft on those who understand his sense of reason and try to make sense of it. He is killed in a surprise attack by Krische and Gururun. * * ¡ö Chlorus ¨CNeutral Neutral A stubborn and angry old man. Prime Minister of Elderant. He is a former head priest of Veeze with a brilliant mind, but blood tends to rush to his head easily.. After seeing Kreschenta at the recent ceremony, he feels that she is extremely dangerous, and he is the main faction of the Elderant Kingdom that has called for the early destruction of the present Alberan. He is a schr who has studied the past history deeply and understands the rtionship between Alberan''s prosperity and the Cursed Child better than anyone else, and he considers Kreschenta, who shows unimaginable intelligence from her young age, to be dangerous because she could be the seconding of the Queen Grabaraine. He is disliked in Elderant, perhaps because of his aggressive nature and his refusal to tolerate any opposition from the people around him., and many in Elderant consider his strong concerns to be delusional, so he was not taken seriously. The decision to invade was not based on his words, but rather on the general judgment of the situation, with the country exhausted by the civil war and the timing of the transfer of the throne to a young princess. ? ----Meeklea n ¡ö Gain Meeklea ¨C Neutral Evil Bad barbarian concept type. Chief of the Meeklea n. A monster with unparalleled strength and the chief of therge tribe Meeklea. He has grown his beard and hair carelessly, has tattoos all over his body, and has ruled Meeklea for many years, with his muscr appearance and deep voice he was feared by the ordinary warriors. He is a schr who has studied the past history deeply and understands the rtionship between Alberan''s prosperity and the Cursed Child better than anyone else, and he considers Kreschenta, who shows unimaginable intelligence from her young age, to be dangerous because she could be the seconding of the Queen Grabaraine. He is disliked in Elderant, perhaps because of his aggressive nature and his refusal to tolerate any opposition from the people around him., and many in Elderant consider his strong concerns to be delusional, so he was not taken seriously. He is not only a superhuman warrior, but he also has excellent intelligence and judgment, and has the ability to make the best decision in an instant no matter how difficult the situation, and regardless of his inclinations, he is a fierce general who should be counted as a great general. During the civil war, he fought a duel with Gorkista, the leader of the Veeze n and king of Elderant, and was narrowly defeated, so he obeyed his rules and followed him, but after learning of Gorkista illness, he is aiming for the throne again. If Ledo were the main character, he would probably be the final enemy. There is no difference between a chief and a chief warrior within a tribe, but in Elderant, only the chief of arge tribe (not vassal to any other tribe except the king) who is eligible to seed to the throne is allowed to call themself a chief. He made a single sh at Colchis''s armor, but was killed through the gap he made. ¡÷ **Historically He is said to have fought with Gorkista Veeze, king of Elderant at the time, and is the great chieftain of Meeklea. He served in the War of the Five Great Powers and was defeated by Kolkis Argand. At this time, it was said that Alberinea shot and killed the non-resisting Elderant soldier without hesitation, and this is one example of her distorted mentality. The Battles of Elsren and Elderant in the War of the Five Great Powers had particrlyrge numbers of casualties on the invading side, and it is often said that they were the sites of legitimate ughter by Alberinea.** ¡ö Carnesaldo Rouline¨C Chaos Evil An evil barbarian elite boy. Rouline Chief Warrior. Gain''s right hand man, a handsome evil looking man. He is Gain''s younger brother. Although he has a very unscrupulous personality and likes to y with women, he is a talented man who once sessfully hunted green tigers on his own, and is a skilled warrior who is second to Gain even under Meeklea. He has a tattoo of ancient characters that matches Gain''s.. As a child, he was saved by Gain when he was attacked by a wolf, and as his one and only brother, he swears allegiance to him, but he is an ouw among ouws who disregards all other conventions and rules. He has always been able to defeat anyone who has rebelled against him by sheer force.. He has a history of trying to seduce Sherna, and is greatly disliked by Ledo. If Ledo were the main character, he would probably be the final enemy. He was killed with two shots (there are various theories) by Krische bow on Gururun. ¡÷ **Historically Gain Meeklea¡¯s right-hand man. Records state that he was killed with two shots by Alberinea. There are many battle records in which she is said to have killed someone with a bow, but it is unclear why only he was recorded with the number of shots fired.** ? ----**Akaz n ¡ö Toba Akaz¨C Neutral Good A troubled best friend. Arkaz Warrior Chief. Former King of Elderant. Lord of Elderant Autonomous Territory. Alberan¡¯s Marquis. A talented man who was born in Elderant, where conflict never ends, and took over as warrior chief at a young age. He led the Arkaz, which was a mid-sized force, and transformed it into arge tribe through political skill rather than military force. He gathered power by not participating in fights over royal power, and unified small tribes that wished for peace. After losing his parents in battle, he seeks peace and strives to unify Elderant, and when Veeze and Meeklea fall during the War of the Five Great Powers, he takes action. He picks up Ledo who had despaired and initially uses him as a pawn, telling him to make the dream of Shelna, whom he loved,e true. And he will do his best to make this thest battle in Elderant, and after that, while sharing the battlefield, he will do his best to hold back Ledo, who no longer considers him a stranger, and make him give up on the past and start a new life. But he couldn''t stop him, and cursed himself for letting him go. Ten years after the War of the Five Great Powers, the Vezrea uprising begins. Believing that conquest was inevitable, he chose submission rather than battle. He cut off his own right arm, asked for an audience with Crescenta, and knelt before her, pressing his forehead against the floor, saying they had no intention of rebellion. He begged for mercy, saying that he would sacrifice his head if necessary. Although Crescenta says that she cannot trust him, she also said that King Elderant, who rules over her warriors, has conveyed his determination to sacrifice his arm, and she stands up from her throne and ces her hand on his shoulder. ¡®¨D¨DIf there is even the slightest disadvantage in the future, I will kill your whole family.¡¯ she whispered it so that only he could hear it. As she stood and smiled, her purple color eyes swirled with something dark and unknown. She looked defenseless and full of gaps. However, there was a magical power clinging to him and a chill that felt like it was gripping his heart. From that moment on, he vows to follow her, even if he is called her puppet. Rather than maintaining the national structure of the kingdom, he simply wanted peace, even if his name would disappear someday. At that moment, he realized that they were on a different level in the first ce, and that there was no chance of bing friend. ¡÷ **Historically The king of unified Elderant. He was a person who tried to change the political form of Elderant, which was supposed to be a union of tribes, and transform it into a centralized state, but his efforts were thwarted by the Vezrea Uprising. From then on, he became a vassal of Alberan and was made into a self-governing territory. Eventually, hepletely surrendered his power to Alberan as the territory of Alberan, and was entrusted with its management as a nobleman of Alberan. Due to his weak attitude, which could be called a puppet, he was despised as a traitor, and although several rebellions broke out, most of the tribes known for their militant factions were wiped out by the Vezrea uprising, and thanks to the presence of the Alberan upation forces, they were sessfully conquered. As the culture of Alberan began to spread,rge-scale clearing of forests was carried out for the production of iron. As the food problem began to be resolved through trade and agriculturalnd created by clearing the forest, things gradually calmed down, andter in the Kleinmeer era, the area became a rich area with a thriving iron industry. It is said that they were afraid of Alberan, but at that time there was no country that could oppose Alberan. In the end, he was said to have chosen the best path, even though he was a puppet, and was said to be the person who brought peace to Elderant, which was constantly in conflict. ?Battle Command He is an expert with a spear and has great military talent. He is able to freely control his army even in the forest with poor visibility, and has a brilliant mind that allows him to grasp the situation of the entire army while wielding a spear himself. Although he does not actively attack the enemy, he is good at mobile defense and ambush attacks, and is an unparalleled strength in Elderant, which has a strong sense of attack as a whole. On the other hand, he tends to get stuck in a stalemate without being able to take action against opponents who don''t step forward or ept his invitations, and he''s not good at fighting in open areas where it''s difficult to set up traps. He can be said to be a great general, but is limited, and it can be said that Ledo''s presence who stirred up the opposition in unifying Elderant was a big factor. However, his ability is undeniable, and he has no trouble dealing with disorganized groups, and even after losing his arm, he is able to put down a rebellion without any danger. Appearance: Red hair slicked back. Brown eyes. Medium build, medium height. A well-groomed face that looks frivolous. Armor: Suiko fur. leather armor. Pants with bulging thighs. A ck feather ornament on the left ear. ¡úKrische: Someone they shouldn''t have touched. Strong points: Spearmanship. Taijutsu. hunting. trap. tactics.. Likes: Alcohol. Hunting. Dislikes: Reckless. Concerns: Not being able to stop his best friend. ¡ö Feni Rani¨C Neutral Good A woman dedicated to raising children. Toba''s younger sister. Ledo''s wife. She learned basic medical care from an early age to help her older brother who was often injured. Ledo begins to fight alongside Arkaz, and as he repeatedly treats Ledo who is desperate and reckless, he begins to have feelings of love for her, even though she knew that he still loves his deceased lover, Shelna. When Toba told her about her situation, she was surprised but nodded, and in order to keep him, she became his wife, and with all her heart, she tried her best so that his eyes would look to the future instead of the past. He tries to reject her, saying that he still loved Shelna, but she still be his wife even after knowing that. ¡®If you ns to leave, then it¡¯s fine even if it¡¯s just until then¡¯ she said. When Feni learned that Ledo had been killed in battle, she forced her brother to disown her, and she continued to raise Zuren in his home. Although she has officially been cut off, she was a former member of the royal family. Even though they couldn''t touch her directly, many people despised her and his child. It became even worse when Toba gave up his arm and decided to submit to Alberan, and even though they threw stones at her, she did not shed a tear. Although his son Zuren was despised as the child of a traitor, he continued to make efforts to protect his mother, who desperately raised him by herself, and grew up straight without any twists and mastered his abilities and be a warrior. And he took the initiative to give hope to the harsh mission, working harder than anyone else¨D¨Dit was around that time, Feni copsed. She was still not old, but Feni, who had fallen ill, said to Zuren that she had caused him nothing but pain. It is a small, cabin-like house that her mother still takes care of. After seeing Zuren who was crying because they were despised, his mother never once said that she loved his father. But he knew that fact better than anyone. ¡®¨D¨DAnd I am also grateful to my father for letting me having a fortuitous meeting with mother like that.¡¯ As he continued his words, she shed tears for the first time in front of Zuren. Appearance: Long, loosely tied red hair. Brown eyes. delicate. beautiful. ¡úKrische: The one who freed her husband from suffering. Strong points: General housework. Gathering medicinal herbs. Mixing. Likes: Housework in general. sewing. child. small house. Dislikes: Her ipetent self. War. Concerns: Not being able to save her husband from suffering. - ----Gerganik Kingdom ¡ö Alfmarz Rashalsheer¨C Chaos Neutral A heroic boy killed by the Demon King. King of Gerganik. Martial King of the East. The king of the Kingdom of Gerganik, thergest power in the eastern part of the continent. As an individual, he is one of the continent''s most valorous and renowned warriors, as well as being a master of political strategy and all kinds of talent, and is known as the heroic king of the east, known as the king of kings. Although he is a warrior who values honor, he is also a thorough realist, and has the calmness to dismiss barbarism as foolishness. He always tries his best to gain diplomatic and military advantage to gain strategic advantage. Due to his talent and charisma, he raised Gerganik, which was once a mid-sized nation, to be thergest power in the east, and was highly respected even by the warriors of enemy countries. However, as the leader of the anti-Alberan alliance, his ability to unite 13rge and small countries in the eastern part of the continent bes his downfall. He was used in the ¡®Operation Broomstick and Dustpan¡¯ (named by Krische) during the War of Continental Unification, and ended up losing his life. He was a man who could have unified the eastern part of the world in his current era, but the opponent was simply a bad match. ¡÷ Historically Leader and suprememander of the Eastern Alliance during the War of Continental Unification. One of the leading strategists and tacticians of his time. Records from the eastern part of the continent show that many nations feared him, and battlefield records that still exist today¨D¨Ddue to the fact that he ended many battles with overwhelming victories, he is considered to have been a remarkable man who should leave his mark on history, even if we take into ount his defeat at Alberinea. After the outbreak of the war to dismantle Elsren, he was seen immediately working to form the Eastern Alliance. He seems to have learned the sense of danger towards Alberan from an early age, and his reputation is still high even today, and he is often counted as one of the great lords of his time. This is not to say that cultural development in the eastern part of the continent wasgging behind at that time. At least in military technology such as weapons and tactics, excluding magic weapons, it was on par with the West. However, the Childs of God had no choice but to be swallowed up by the swell of the times, and it is said that they were warriors who resisted it to the very end, and were its final victims. ?Battle Command While cing emphasis on basic strategy and tactics, he has a strong tactical eye for quickly grasping the opponent''s resistance, tricks, and initial movements. By suppressing your opponent''s actions, he can stay in the upper hand in a battle, or you can overwhelm your opponent by swallowing their ns. While emphasizing basic strategy and tactics, he has a strong tactical eye that quickly grasps the opponent''s resistance, tricks, and initial movements, and by containing the opponent''s actions, he can maintain an advantage in battle or swallow the opponent''s ns. He does not like to rely on tricks, and on the contrary, he only uses the tricks of his opponents to solidify his own advantage. He is a person who dislikes foolhardiness and uses dying tactics to buy time without forcing himself to do anything when he is in a disadvantageous situation. He is undefeated in duels and has the ability to be one of the continent''s leading warriors, but he is a realist who never relies on brutal bravery. He is a calmmander who is believed to be able to achieve victory only through careful calctions, and has one of the continent''s greatest military abilities. However, without any tricks or scheme, pushing head on on a in¨D¨Dshing with Krische on his ideal battlefield, there was nothing he could do. Appearance: ck hair. Brown eyes. Rtively tall and muscr. Tiger beard. Fearless. Armor: Sword and shield, te mail inscribed with the warrior''s name. ¡úKrische: God-like warrior. A twisted girl. Strong points: words. spear. Taijutsu. Bow. Military Strategy. Politics. Hunting. Horse Riding Likes: Warrior. Duel. Sparring. Hunting. Dislikes: People who stand above others but are cowardly. Concerns: His neck torn open without being able to trade blow. - ----Scrif Kingdom ¡ö Belzadia Solercia Nitrias¨C Order Good A male mentor of the hero who was killed by the Demon King. General of the Scrif Kingdom. The head of the military in the small country of Scrif, located in the southwest of the eastern continent. Although it was surrounded by many countries and was repeatedly invaded, he was a warrior who was nicknamed the God of War in the eastern part of the world due to his extraordinary record of oveing all odds and remaining undefeated. Everyone expected the neighboring country to be swallowed up by Gerganik and a decisive battle between the two of them with Alhumaz, but there was concern that his fighting strength would be lost due to the outbreak of the Demolition War and Alberan''s continued invasion of the east so Alhumaz stopped his expansion. He was offered a truce and cooperation with the anti-Alberan alliance, and he agrees to do so. There are many anecdotes such as his elite unit subjugating a snake demon beast with his own hands. Due to his long military history, he has long been the target of many warriors, including Alfmarz. He grew up hearing stories of his heroism and learning his tactics. He himself recognized Alfmarz as a worthy opponent from an early stage, and was collecting records of those battles in preparation for the uing battle. Because of their rtionship, they had never even talked before the alliance was signed, but on the night before departure, they drank andughed together as if they had been his longtime friends. ¡÷ Historically Vice Commander of the Eastern Alliance during the War of Continental Unification. A number of brilliant military achievements worthy of being called the God of War. Along with Alfmarz, he is said to be one of the two great heroes of the eastern continent of the same era. Some say that his brilliant skill in utilizing the rugged forest area around Scrif to disperse, encircle and annihterge armies rivaled even Alberinea''s, and he was able to see through the opaque forest battlefield from the sky. He is said to have had a skillful tactical eye. It was said that a battle that took full advantage of the geographical advantage could defeat twice as much military power, and the very existence of the God of War was said to be equivalent to a strong castle, and it was feared that it would be dangerous to challenge even when one with three times the strength. His strategies and tactics, which sessfully defended Scrif, which had no national power, from numerous powerful countries, have been written down in many military-rted books. However, even a famousmander who was as good as a castle was no more than a vige fence in front of Alberinea. It was written in the history books that even his brilliant military exploits could not even be used as a measuring stick for Alberan''s strength in his heyday. ?Battle Command A genius general, a strategist and tactician who excels in psychological warfare. ¨D¨DFor Scrif, a small country, to survive, there was no way to attack directly. With this in mind, he did his best to find out the personality of his opponent''smander, and from that analysis he focused solely on figuring out his opponent''s actions and exploiting their lies. Even if his military operations seem to be a gamble and a sacrifice, he has no hesitation in his tactics, which are based on reading the opponent''s personality and winning through psychological warfare between himself and the opponent, between generals, rather than army-on-army. His unique tactics and strategy defeated many enemy generals. No matter how strong an army is, the person whomands it is the same person. As he said, there was always a chance to exploit them, and his military record was worthy of the title of God of War, but there was nothing he could do against the difference in strength that even psychological warfare could not ovee. Appearance: Short white hair. Brown eyes. Medium build, medium height. A little long beard. Sharp eyes. Armor: te mail shaped like arge snake. ¡úKrische: A monster in the form of a girl. Strong points: Swords. spear. Military strategy. Psychological warfare. Likes: Warrior. child. Field work. Dislikes: Ouws Concerns: I can''t even buy time. ¡ö **Midyliarize Varnashtel ¨C Neutral Neutral A girl with strong beliefs. A student at Albenaria Magic Academy. She is an excellent girl who aims to be Alberinea, the highest rank of magicians. Even at Albeneria Magic Academy, where there are only the best, she has shown excellent results and is generally considered a talent that falls into the genius category, but although she speaks aggressively, she is still above the top. She knows that there is a real genius out there, and she has half given up on Alberinea. However, because she is stubborn and hates being made fun of more than anything, she has not changed her goals that she has set out for herself¨D¨Dhowever, she has recently be a bit timid and says that being a researcher of ancient magic tools is not a bad job for now. Although she often makes some subtle mistakes, she is a hard worker and does not fail in important areas, and it is said that she is certain to graduate. She ns to officially be an instructor in about five years, and have a smooth life ahead of her. She immediately incorporated the techniques that Bery taught her into various techniques and showed them off to her rivals. Calshe was exasperated thinking what she''s doing showing it off to her rivals, but as usual, she didn¡¯t interfere. She very much looks like a certain person. ?Battle Command If he wanted to, he could destroy a hut in an instant, and the speed of her spell engraving was extremely fast, so if she were to use magic casually without considering fuel consumption, she would have the ability of a Doushi. Despite her age, she is extremely talented, but since she was born and raised in a peaceful environment, she has an aversion to murder, and the problem is that it is mentally difficult for her to use magic on people, let alone on others. Due to her slow motor nerves, in training to use magic in closebat, and in hand-to-handbat training, it would be faster to count her from the bottom, and she is basically not suited forbat. Appearance: Long golden hair. she has blue eyes. Petite. Modest Breast. Cute. ¡úKrische: A very cute junior...Alberinea!? Strong points: Form engraving. Memorize. Effort. Poor sleeping position and space. Likes: Alberinea. Sleep. Bath. Study. Beautiful Person. Cat. Dislikes: Unreasonable. To be made a fool of. Exercise. Concerns: Hand-to-handbat training that uses the body. ¡ö Calshelia ¨C Chaos Neutral A caring girl who seems to be doing a lot of work. Escort of the Varnashtel family. Cat person. She is three years older than Mii, and she served as his older sister, having grown up with her when they were young. As her personal servant, she has been educated from an early age, receiving the necessary training to be her bodyguard, including body strengthening and physical techniques, and has been taught everything about etiquette as a servant. She hasn''t learned any kind of magic, but she has learned how to sense it, and even for a cat person with an excellent sense of magic, her ability to sense magic and its detection uracy are extremely high. She can tell whether someone is a magician or something else without even realizing it, and she can even sense the magical power in a gaze. She is the perfect choice for a bodyguard, and because of her ability, which is high for her age, and also due Mi''s wish, she¡¯s apanying her to Albeneria as her bodyguard. She is the type who does things when she wants to do them, but doesn''t do them at all when she doesn''t want to, and despite her clumsiness, she often angers the meticulous Mii. She is usually yelled at, but unlike the mansion where she is concerned about things, she likes the life she spends at the academy with Mii. After she the two, she asionally made an effort to read ¡®In Noble Hawk¡¯s Mansion¡¯ from the beginning, but... She always gets so tiresome by the third page, ¡®A Record of Anne''s Struggles to Be a Servant¡¯, that she never reads properly. Looks very much alike a certain person. ?Battle Command She is good at strengthening her body and has a natural sense of bnce that is especially outstanding among cats. Her senses are sharp enough to sense the fluctuations in magical power caused by the strengthening of her opponent''s body and read their behavior, and she is capable enough to strike back at an average master. She has been taught how to deal with mages who use magic, andbined with her ability to sense magic mentioned above, she is extremely strong against mages. During her training, she also received mental training to kill captured bandits, and in an emergency she can consider killing or wounding. She has trained in a school of swordsmanship that follows Usa-chan''s style, and is an extremely skilled individual inbat. Appearance: Long ck hair. Brown eyes. Standard height and slender body. Large chest. beautiful. ¡úKrische: Usa-chan. Strong points: Taijutsu. Art of self-defense. Swordsmanship. Surrounding alert. Escape. Likes: Naps. ck off. child. Dislikes: Being pulled by the ears or tail. Concerns: Mii''s habit of wanting to sleep with together despite her sleeping habit.** Chapter 266: Introducing settings Chapter 266: Introducing settings ***Chapter 266 Introducing settings*** ¡ùIntroducing settings ¡ö¨D¨DSettings ¡ð Knowledge in the year 1300s of Unified Era. ¡ð Magic power A force existing since ancient times, consisting of mysterious particles that drift within the body and the atmosphere. It reacts to the will of living beings, taking the form of a semi-physical spirit. Although it usually floats in the atmosphere, there are times when it coalesces like a liquid, or crystallizes underground, forming what is known as magic crystals. Despite its long existence, much about its properties remains unknown. In the atmosphere, they dissipate, and in stable water or soil they often attract each other, but sometimes they also behave in the opposite way, puzzling many researchers to this day. It seems to have the ability to interfere with, break down, or create substances, but the precise principles behind this remain unclear. Among researchers, some specte that it is a force seeping from ovepping alternate worlds, while others suggest hypotheses that the world itself is shaped by mana. However, none of these conjectures have ventured beyond the realm of spection given the nature of mana. It is suggested that the concentration of magic in the atmosphere increases around the Celestial Poles. During the Kleinmeer era, much research was conducted, and theories were proposed suggesting that the influence of the collective unconscious affects mana, form, and even the world itself. However, understanding of magic itself has not progressed significantly. ¡ð Form Engraving Means employed to interfere with space and matter through mana. Known as ¡®Commands to the World¡¯ that manifest effects by engraving specific patterns, form engraving are the basis for magician to manipte magic and sorcery. By engraving form with magic, that generates mechanical kic energy, various effects can be realized. Currently, the basic system of rune inscriptions consists ofbining the four major runes of earth, water, fire, and air with the binary runes of static and dynamic, as discovered by the 5th generation Alberinea (who obtained the title of Alberinea due to this discovery). The original runes used by Alberinea and previous magician are only used for the construction and research of magitech. Rune inscriptions, which theoretically allow infinite engraving and interference, were found to have a limitation known as the Form limit. Engraving form beyond a certain range produce uncontroble disturbances in the form, rendering the Origin Form Engraving, which require extensive engraving, no longer used forrge-scale use of magical power. The magic crystal form carved by Alberinea and the genius Elgainst who learned from her is extremely precise and minute, so it is thought that this problem has existed since that time. There are no examples ofrge-scale magic being used, except for the ¡®Great Law of Heavenly change¡¯, which was recorded in manuscripts throughout the continent. Afterwards, as a result of argescale major review, the engraving of the Four Phenomenon Two Element was discovered. Due to the inclusion of fire as a phenomenon and the remarkable increase in efficiency whenpared to the Origin Seal, Some believe that the beliefs of people who do not understand physical phenomena or magicians have influenced thews as a collective unconscious, and the mysteries surrounding the already inexplicable energy known as magic only deepened further. ¡ð Origin A hypothetical entity advocated by some schrs. It is said that there is a huge mass of magical power deep within the world, and that the overflowing droplets from there are seeping into our world, but this has not been proven. ¡ð Soul A type of faith. It is said to be the essence of living things that leads to reincarnation and paradise, and many researchers have aimed to elucidate it. However, its existence cannot be proven, and it is considered nothing more than unscientific faith that cannot even be grasped by mana. ¡ð Magic Possessor There is no living being without mana within its body, but among them, those with such a high amount of mana that it causes bodily transformation are defined as such. Basically, it refers to humans, but in a broader sense, it also includes beasts imbued with magical power. As mentioned above, living being called magic possessor experienced body transformation, and are said to have spiritual internal organs that are powered by magical power. This organ breaks down and converts the food and waste that enters the body into magical power¨D¨Das a result, their bodies undergo physical changes from normal living things, such as their inability to excrete. Magical power has a great influence on the body, and aging is basically gradual. Their bodies often stop growing during adolescence and begin to age slowly after reaching 30. However, there arerge individual differences, and it is said that there were some people whose appearance did not change even after reaching the age of 50. In addition, many people with magical powers have stronger bodies than normal individuals, such as being less susceptible to disease and resistant to poisons and alcoholic substances. Basically, there is a strong view that they are superior creaturespared to normal individuals. On the other hand, topensate for this, magic possessors tend to suffer from infertility more often than those without magical powers. The birth rate of nobles, most of whom are magic possessors, tends to be low. This tendency is weakened if one party does not possess magical power, but, among nobles In particr, magic possessors tend to have a physiological aversion to those who age quickly and need to defecate, thus such marriages are generally not preferred. It is considered that the influence of the surrounding¡¯s magic power concentration on the birth of magic possessors is definite, and it is clear from literature that the ratio of magical power holders has increased significantly since the establishment of the Heavenly Pole and the ¡®Great Law of Heavenly Change¡¯. Particrly, the ratio of magic possessors born around the world tree created by the Celestial Poles is extremely high, and many schrs attribute the rise of mage supremacy¨D¨Dthe idea of considering magic possessors as evolved humans, at the mid tote Kleinmeer period to it. As a fact, magic possessors, except for their ability to leave offspring, possess abilities surpassing non- magic possessors, and though not loudly proimed, there still exist magic possessors who consider non- magic possessors to be no different from beasts. ¡ð Magic crystal A crystal that closely resemble quartz, said to have crystallized mana underground. Its physical properties are simr to quartz, but inside this crystal, magic can be manipted like within the body. By engraving patterns called magic forms on these crystals, various physical interferences through magic power can be made possible. It has various uses, such as being a light source, emitting heat or cooling, and attracting water, in some cases, it can also radiate energy and burn or destroy objects. However, it is not often utilized as a weapon due to its mana efficiency. In the past, extensive research was carried out, but military application was difficult in terms of efficiency, and currently only a small number of researchers, known as magicians, are inventing and devising new form through personal research. They also have a strong side as magicians who specialize in creating magic crystals for daily necessities, and nowadays magicians and magic engineer are mistaken for each other. With the invention of technology for manipting and acting on magical power in ces other than the body or magic crystals¨D¨D¡®magic¡¯, its value has declined rtively, but rven today, it is often used for engraving magical form of recording medium, andrge, highly pure magic crystals are traded at high prices. Although there are artificial magic crystals with high purity, they cannot be mass-produced and the price increases depending on the size, sorge magic crystals are often a natural mined products. ¡ð Alberinea A magic engraver who is said to be a primordial magician¨D¨Dthe ancestor of magicians. Elgainst Ramil discovered the existence of magic from the various magic crystals she left behind, researched it, and used the skills to establish the thousand years of stability on the continent. In Kleinmeer, Alberinea is the symbol of a great magician and it was due to her great achievements in the history of magic, that the name Alberinea remained. During the Kleinmeer era, the name itself did not hold any inherent power, but it was customary to show respect to Alberinea as the pinnacle of all magicians, often resulting in them upying high positions. Now, after the copse of Kleinmeer, Alberinea is the pinnacle of the magic academy, a title given to the best magician of the era. ¡ð Magician A general term for those who manipte magical power. The Magic Academy adopts the ssification from Kleinmeer and calls people who demonstrate a certain level of ability certified by the Magic Academy a magician. In the past, there was a distinction between magicians and magic engineer who could perform magic form engravings rather than using magic crystals, but with the widespread adoption of magic form engravings, both are now simply referred to as magicians. Those who have the ability to teach and guide them are called Doushi, and among the Doushi, those who have enough ability to influence the power bnce between the nation are called Grand Magicians The magician is the pinnacle of this, and is given along with the title of Alberinea. The ranking of the Mage Academy is often based on the number of instructors and Grand Magicians. Currently, the Albeneria Mage Academy is recognized by the Union as the highest-ranking Mage Academy, allowing a significant number of instructors and Grand Magicians to be enrolled simultaneously. ¡ð Imaginary Muscle A type of magic that can be used by magic possessors. Also known as physical strengthening, it indicates the enhancement of physical abilities through magical power. It is a technique that allows you to manipte your body, amplify your muscr strength, and acquire high physical abilities by constructing a spiritual body that oveps with your physical body. This itself is not a very advanced technique, as magic possessors may use it unconsciously. However, the more one consciously try to master this, the more concentration and mental stability would be needed, and the more difficult it bes. Depending on the situation, one may not be able to control the high physical ability, and the recoil could be a double-edged sword, causing them to injure themself. Especially in the extreme situation of battle, it is difficult even for an experienced magic possessors to manipte it freely, and it is no exaggeration to say that the skill with which it is used determines one''s value as a magic possessor. Those possessing magical power who stand on the battlefield often train their bodies and wear muscr armor, but the majority of the reason for this is to absorb this reaction and control excessive power. Sometimes, in order to maintain stability, they often wear armor that is too heavy for a normal person to wear, but many warriors believe that these efforts are actually taking them away from their ideals. Currently, it is not so mainstream as a form of primitive magic, and in addition to learning it as a basis for manipting magic, it is only learned by some magic users as a means of self-defense. ¡ð Magical Beast Beast magic possessor. Most are born with magical powers, and generally, they arerger than the creatures from which they originated, with a tendency for their body color to have a bluish hue. Without exception, they are skilled at manipting magical power, and their physical abilitiesbined with their physiques are iparable to human magic possessor. Magical beasts are often feared around the world as beings of fear or as indigenous gods. It is unknown why humans with magical powers do not grow in size, but some researchers believe that human¡¯s will might have influenced their magical powers and suppressed it unconsciously, and this view is considered to be rtivelymon. Magical beasts are thought to have long lives as usual, but this has not been verified due to the danger. There are many magical beasts that live in mountains and forests, such as tigers, wolves, hawks, and wild boars, but there are other examples as well, and magical beasts can be born from all kinds of animals. There are also idents on sea routes caused by magical beasts, and many maritime nations are focusing their efforts on countermeasures. ¡ð Fantasy World One of the worlds talked about in folk religion. Reine''s heaven is also a type of this and is said to be a different world from this world. It''s basically fictional, and no one believes it actually exists. ¡ð Dragons Also sometimes called Ancient Dragon or Holy Spirit. It is a wise beast that is said to have once ruled the world, and its most notable features are its enormous magical power and gigantic size. It has a body that resembles a fortress and scales like stone, and its magical power is said to be iparable to that of magical beasts, and old records say that the dragon''s roar can change the terrain. It is said that a turf war between dragons urred in the distant past¨D¨Dduring the Dragon War, countless dragons went on a rampage, and many civilizations were destroyed as a result of it. The name of the Rusheran Empire, which was once at its peak of prosperity but was destroyed by the dragon''s wrath, was famous. However, for the past several hundred years, there have been no records of people seeing dragons flying through the sky, so anecdotes about dragons are often seen as mere fables. In some regions they are still considered objects of faith. Some people have doubts about its existence and abilities. It is said that strong power dwells in its flesh and blood, and there are many legends that say that the humans who ate it gained strong power, and its body is treated as a kind of elixir. Two of them were hunted down by Kleinmeer''s dragon hunters, but the damage caused by the subsequent counterattack was enormous, once again showing the terror of dragons. Most of the blood and flesh of the hunted dragons was turned into magical power and dispersed, and some of it was magically stored and used for research into immortality, but many died in the process, and the research was not sessful. The sixth generation Alberinea¡¯s, who was said to have achieved immortality, secret form was lost when she was assassinated by the dragon fanatics, the Holy Spirit Cult. The fourth generation, Alberinea, who possessed tremendous power, lost their life easily in front of Kushenaras thirty years after taking office, and the fifth generation, Alberinea, who discovered the form of Four Phenomenon Two elements, also died in less than 50 years as a result, and became a great man. After losing two Alberinea¡¯s in quick session, the magicians became afraid of anything to do with dragons, and became a little reluctant to research them. Later, aiming for immortality through research on magical beasts, which are believed to have no finite lifespan like them, which eventually created sub-humans. ¨D¨DBe careful as the following contains major spoilers. ¡ñ ording to Bery¡¯s Mental Memo. ¡ñMagic power Something that arises from an energy called the Origin. Sshes of roots irregrly swaying across multiple dimensions. The material world is seen to have been created by this, and it is thought that the physical space-time and material world were created as a result of various coincidences caused by droplets irregrly produced by the Origin over what could be called eternity. Although it is a coincidence like miracle after miracle, it can be inevitable if one try for an infinite number of times as long as it was possible. Pretty close to the truth. The world was created from the droplets of the Origin, and magic is the droplets of the Origin. That''s why, if you think of magic as the power to travel through all dimensions and transform everything, it makes a lot of sense. Magic itself, if drawn together too closely, explodes apart, and besides that, there are no particrws. Even if physical time were to stop, it would not be possible to put it into aplete state of statis without cutting off the influence from the world of Origin. Its trajectory, generally considered inexplicable, is due to the attraction and repulsion between the magic of the world of Origin, not the unconscious influence or the material world. Understanding itswspletely is impossible without being able to observe the world of Origin¨D¨Dthis is why magicians struggle. ¡ñ Form Engraving Letter of Law for altering the world using magical power. It is a form that inserts and rewrites the world formed by magical power, and theoretically can change anything. Due to the invention and subsequent development of magic that does not rely on magic crystals, and the problem of dragon hunting, there is no doubt that humanity will develop this at an elerated pace in the future. Due to the fear that it would lead to the''s copse, it was decided to introduce simplified form engraving based on the theory of the four elemental principles, which were advocated by some magicians at the time. It rewrites the entire world and sets a limit on the magical inscriptions, causing disturbances in the surgical techniques and suppressingrge-scale descriptions that exceed a certain range. By constructing an automatic simplification mechanism ¡®Fuyopita¡¯ (a name typical of Krische-sama, it sounds cute) thatplements efficient space and substance interference from the essence world through specific engraving, it can control the form engraving. At the same time, dimensional interference that reaches the Origin is blocked in advance. At present, the "Peaceful to the End of the World Fuyopita Network n" is ongoing so that even if there are bad aliens there would be no horm, there are many virtual brains, automatically proliferating and expanding the Fuyopitawork. It was probably because of something she had mentioned a long time ago ¡®if there are aliens then¡¯. She realized once again that she shouldn''t recklessly say too much in front of Krische-sama. ¡ñ Origin A huge magic mass that exists in an area called the root world. While it''s unclear how it came into being, the origin itself is believed to be a part of an evenrger origin¨D¨Dsshes of the "Origin of Beginnings" or its fragments. The details of how the Origin of Beginnings came to be are still unknown and probably will remain that way, and that''s fine. The "Peaceful to the End of the World Fuyopita Network n" has confirmed the existence of the Origin, as well as its size and condition. It seems they are connected to celestial bodies like the moon and sun in the material world, but as someone who only understands the logic of the material world, the structure andws of the origin world are difficult for her toprehend. Those who exist inside on paper could only understand things that exist on paper. It''s veryplex, and perhaps only Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama could understand it. In any case, the Fuyopita is reportedly stretching beyond the Origin World today, replenishing magic from various origins to achieve its colossal purpose. ¡ñ Soul The essence of living things. Like coincidentally creating Jarea Gashea after a tremendous amount of trial, what was born from the sshes of the Origin after a tremendous amount of trial was soul. Some of them ooze into the material world, shaping the living beings, or perhaps entering living beings, evolving through predation and self-replication while establishing a "cycle of souls" between the origin and the material world, ultimately giving rise to humans¨D¨Dis what she thinks, however, the details are unclear. At least the reason that creatures can handle and operate the magical power freely may have evolved on the premise of the existence of the soul generated in the Origin world. Basically, it exists in a state of ovepping with the material vessel, and especially in magic wielders with a high ratio of magical energy in their bodies. It seems that the soul may be the main control of the consciousness and thinking, not the brain. Upon physical death, they are drawn back to the origin and merge. While generally unstable without a vessel, depending on the strength of their will, they may be expelled as a ssh of the origin, leading to what''s called "reincarnation." However, they''ve decided not to delve into the mechanics of this, as it''s better left mysterious. Discovering the unknown is enjoyable, but it doesn''t necessarily outweigh the folly and ignorance of that enjoyment. ¡ñ Magic Possessor A creature that is considered to be born when the ratio of spiritual substance outweighs that of normal matter in living being. his includes magical beasts, and in realms with high magic concentrations like the fantasy realm, they are quitemon. It seems that the density and size of the soul itself are also affected, but as mentioned above, it has not been elucidated. Due to their high spiritual substance, they have a strong affinity with magic, and theoretically, throughplete mastery of magical control over their bodies, they could live indefinitely without aging. My remark about my current body potentially not aging if I had survived using draconic blood drew Ojou-sama anger. I felt that was a little unreasonable. My current body is simply one with aplete predominance of spiritual substance, not too different from before. Thanks to Krische-sama¡¯s, I still have desires as before, feel heat and cold, and my senses are intact. My daily life remains unchanged. While it could be possible for me to have a body without the need for sleep or to dispel drowsiness, seeing Kreschenta-sama stillin grumpily in the mornings, I can''t help but smile, realizing that they cherish their daily life with its inconveniences. They who can freely do anything have surely found happiness within those inconveniences. ¡ñ Magic Crystal Stable crystalline formations where magic binds gently without repulsion. Due to the interfering nature of magic influenced by human will, they are often formed innds and underground areas far from human habitation. They can also crystallize from the residual magic of immense magical events like the roar of a dragon. While they don''t grow around the estate due to magic disturbances, they are highly crystalline and abundant in the fantasy realm¨D¨Dor rather they literally grow from the ground. Ojou-sama frequent construction of cabins and vis led to increased duties of checking underneath the floors periodically. It seems Gururun enjoys magical crystals, treating them like snacks, crunching them with delight. It doesn''t have taste, but can it be used for as food? ¡ñ Alberinea Krische-sama. Heavenly Sword¨D¨DIt originally mean warrior, but it seems to be the honorary title of the magician now. As far as Midyliarize¡¯s story talked about, it''s a kind of god-like evaluation for magicians, which makes sense in Krishce-sama¡¯s case. At present, the greatest person in schools bearing the title Alberinea is learning magic forms and magic peacefully, in Magic Academy. It''s a very good thing. ¡ñ Magician At present, it should be a generic term for manipting magic. In a broad sense, it seems that the magic possessor themself sometimes called a magician. Narrowly, it refers to those who can engrave magic forms onto magic crystals, the lowest-ranking of the ss. If one can manipte magic, they are called spellcasters, and exceptionally skilled ones are referred to as sorcerers. There seem to be various terms depending on the region or locality, but I haven''t looked into it much. Magic grants individuals tremendous power, as imagined in ancient times. Thus,rge magical academies like the Albeneria Magic Academy are not owned by a single nation but by a continental alliance. They gather talented magicians from various countries, educate them, and disperse them, maintaining the bnce of power between nations. The current equilibrium seems to be well-maintained by this system. Though we''ve decided to remain disinterested and uninvolved, peace is much better than conflict. Competition is inherent to humans. Conflict may never disappear in the future. However, I always hope such efforts for peace will continue for a long time. ¡ñ Imaginary Muscles They''ve be part of the body, and I often forget I''m using them. ¡ñ Magical Beast Beings born from the unconscious of magic wielders and beast. Whether they are products of human imagination or not, dragons broadly fit into this category. While dragons may be thergest onnd, there are also sea creatures the size of inds, and deep -sea sightseeing trips are one of the pleasures because you can see strange creatures. In terms of intelligence, they are generally smarter than their counterparts. Some can evenmunicate simple intentions through telepathy. However, most operate on instinct, with their giant size primarily driven by self-defense and predation instincts. It seems humans don''t grow giant-sized, as spected from past discussions. However, warriors with magical abilities tend to berge in stature, it was perhaps influenced by this phenomenon. Gururun here, who seems to understand thenguage while pretending not to, stopped growing abruptly after being told that they would reducing its food. After all, it is interesting to think that the elements of the will are veryrge. Perhaps there was a part of the reason why I and Krische-sama stopped growing up very young. I who wanted to be a little sister who can be spoiled by my sister, and Krische-sama likely wanted the same. Perhaps even Kreschenta-sama. Despite reaching for the stars, there''s some part they don¡¯t want to surpass human in. Considering such a thing, I can imagine various circumstances in various things and it is a little fun. ¡ñ Fantasy world A world created in a different phase from the material world. One could liken it to the reverse side of a coin or the inner side of a coin. Or perhaps it''s like perceiving a golden coin as blue, or a world veiled over a painting. Its rtionship with the material world is such that it exists in the gaps. Though closer to the Origin, it remains a material world. Simply put, its magical density is much higher than the material world, making it more susceptible to magical influences. Though everyone is ustomed to this body now, the semi-spirit bodies that achieve immortality are not stable as physical bodies. They require soul control, and thus, this world was created with dense magic and strong influence of will. It was conceived as a ce for us to learn the art ofpletely controlling the body with magic, simr to Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama. I remember Krische-sama worrying about the body for the first few years. After getting used to it, there were no major issues, and we could even venture into the material world. Perhaps due to existing in a different phase, we go unnoticed unless acknowledged. Even if we greet someone, they might feel the greeting, but they won''t remember the impression or the person. It''s akin to the inhabitants of a dream world. Though everyone moves aside when Gururun walks through the streets pulling a cart, nobody seems to consciously acknowledge its presence, despite its enormous size. However, some keen animals and individuals near death or in extreme mental states seem to be able to notice us. Sometimes we encounter such individuals when traveling to mountain peaks, sea surfaces, or deserts. They are usually lost travelers or ascetics and often treat them like gods or something simr, which is diforting but convenient. In fact, Krische-sama and Kreschenta are close to such beings. Only magical beasts seemed to enter the fantasy realm, but there was an acquaintance of Krische-sama who visited once. He was the person who after the Alberan Kingdom¨D¨Dcreated what is now known as the Thousand Year Empire, which was surprising. ording to Krische-sama, it seems he simply wanted to meet Krische-sama again and receive praise, but here is not a ce you can go just because you want to. I''m sure he had various feelings as well. However, he seemed genuinely happy from what I heard, so perhaps that small interaction was enough for him. His grave where he rests still exists near the estate. ¡ñ Dragon Probably, created in the same way as spirits and some demon beasts, their immense power could be why they are considered as gods. It seemed that it was too far beyond that frame as a living thing, and it seemed that the awe of nature, which caused a catastrophe, was shaped with arge droplet. Even if it is not a person, the fear of death ismon to the beast. When asked, I answered that, but there was no response, and the next time I came, I was told another story, but about thirty yearster, I was suddenly allowed to use their true names, saying it wasn¡¯t a bad answer. Their sense of time is still somewhat unclear, but they seemed satisfied with the answer. The instant thought speed itself is surprisingly not that different from a person''s, and it can be said that the significant difference is in their outstanding memories just like Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama. They remember even the slightest details, making it challenging to keep up when they continued talks from three hundred years ago as if they happened yesterday (Although it was not spoken from the throat), I couldn''t follow up. Unlike Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama, who are faithful to their current desires (sometimes resembling dogs), dragonsck animalistic desires (they don''t even sleep when they close their eyes), which might blur the line between past and present for them. Their whimsical thoughts likely stem from their heightened memory, which isn''t particrly problematic among dragons and is considered normal. Due to this, they often take their time with board games, engaging in lengthy contemtion. While Linasera-sama takes exceptionally long, I''vee to ept it as part of the game and find it somewhat rxing. However, it''s a bit unfair when they try to win by creating a newplex game after she had thought ande up numerous tactics. But, the moreplex the game, the shorter their daily thought time, and they seem oblivious to the fact they''re digging their own grave. If I can lead them to a disadvantage by making the game moreplex, I might eventually win the final match that who knows wille when. While the process is important, winning feels good. ¡ý Questions about strength, soparison table appropriately. If you are the type to not like it, you may not want to see it. ¡ö Strengthparison This is a somewhat rough and fuzzy guide. Assuming intent to kill. First encounter. Distance of 20 ken (~36 m). No cover. Fully armed. Excluding magic. No escape. Grandpa''s adrenaline present. XXX > XXX is about 6: 4. First, if the rank is different, they cannot win one-on-one. However, if they''re the same rank, chance of winning is not zero no matter how far apart they are (winning based on the atmosphere). 1, Krische (very Krische) ¡ùKrische of this year > ¡ùLast year''s Krische > ¡ùKrische two years ago> ¡ùKrische Before that ( 2. Monsters (unrivaled on the battlefield) ¡ùFirst Battle Krische £¾ ¡ùSword Saint Mosha £¾ Estate Selene ? ¡ùShelna £¾ Meow £¾ Gilgil?Chirp?Zalvaag?Alhumaz £¾ Woof ? ¡ùAleha?Gain £¾ Waltza (both arms) £¾ ? ¡ùLedo ? ¡ùUnified Kalua ?Vinthril?Bogan?Nitrias £¾ Carnesaldo?Verves?Kilrea £¾ ¡ùVige Krische 3. Superhumans (can fight with Suiko properly) Nakirus ?Dougleen £¾ Felworth ?Orugan ?Baszler £¾ Bagil ?Elkar ?Toba ?Linkara £¾ Unified Selene? ¡ùSkeleton £¾ ¡ùSuiko £¾ Tekrea £¾ Waltza (Prosthetic arm) ?Five Great Power Ledo?Five Great Power Kalua £¾ Dagris £¾ Gran? Venal? Gal 4. Brave Warrior (was called Brave Warrior) Bogan (Beginning) £¾ Nozan (Beginning) ? Civil War Kalua£¾ Selene£¾ Gertz ?re ?Terius (Central General around here) £¾ ¡ùKreschenta (Training with sword) £¾ Argosh ?Bald Eagle £¾Kilik£¾ (Kurofuyo ? Century Top List? Central Corps Commander) £¾£¾¡ùGallen (Monster as non-magic possessor) ? ¡ùBery (self-proimed just self-defense) 5. Magil Possessor (Magic Possessor who receivedbat training) ¡ùInitial Kreschenta£¾ Bado £¾ Ranu (top as non-magi possessor)£¾ Kurofuyo Medium (Central Battalion Commander)£¾ ck Century Corps Medium (Centurion medium level) £¾ Princess Miko (just self-defense) £¾ Mia (Kurofuyo Lower)> Veeze''s Hunting Corps medium? Salle (Central Training Instructor) £¾ First appearance Selene 6. Proud of their skill (Magic Possessor who have not been trained) Light infantry£¾ Elvena (amateur magic possessor with a knack for it) £¾£¾ General soldiers of kingdom£¾ Pel? other country general soldiers£¾ Midyliarize (Amateur magic possessor without any knack for it) ¡ù Skill, experience, and thinking ability, particrly adept at killing at first encounter. Even those with superior overall abilities can be lured intocency and lose, but of course, there are differences in strength. If it''s a first encounter at the same rank, they¡¯re generally at an advantage, but types who never let their guard down (like Meow Meow) are even in strength. However, such individuals are rare. Bery, who trained seriously for a while to kill Rnd, is quite strong (assassin Berry). Grunmeld, Nakils, Elkar, and others are specialized in groupbat, so they''re rated a bit disadvantageously due to the conditions. Lightly armored individuals are generally at a disadvantage. The strength of Suiko lies in its ability to ambush using the stealth and speed of a wild animal, and can also hunt those in monster ss normally, but its core ability lies around here. Generally, people in Group 3 are either individuals with rare qualities or those who have umted vast experience due to good luck. Normally people make bloodshed effort to enter the 4th groups. The people who enter here, as a military person are quite amazing (even a general who had climbed up from a mere soldier is here), but for the convenience of the story, there are quite a few named characters in Groups 2 and 3. Guess you could say this is a narrative bias. Chapter 267: Magical Girl Magicalâ˜†Bery Reincarnation+N Chapter 267: Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation+N ***Chapter 267 Magical Girl Magical¡îBery Reincarnation+N*** A/N: A spin-off of a Maiden¡¯s Unwanted Hero Epic, Magical Girl Magical Berry Reincarnation+N, does not begin! ¨D¨DThe wharf of the harbor. In a magical dress resembling elegant armor, the skirt was tattered. However, there was still power in Magical Selene''s (16) eyes¨D¨D¡®I need to crush her as soon as possible¡¯, so the bull-headed demon Nakirus held two great axes in hand, poured his fierce gaze with even more power. Recently, Magical Selene had be the main character of Magical Alberan. Although it was still not as good as Magical Bery, its growth was impressive. ¡®I needed to get rid of this little girl before she became the second Magical Bery.¡¯ ¡°Stop right there!¡Ojou-sama, please, behind me.¡± "...You''rete, Berry." But perhaps, it was too difficult. Magical Bery (30), the strongest magical girl wearing a frilly pink Gothic Lolita costume, appeared with a pink light to protect Magical Selene. "You''ve appeared, Magical Berry." "...That''s a familiar face. Were you resurrected too, Nakirus?" Except for her longer hair, she looked exactly the same as she did 15 years ago¨D¨Deven though she should already be in her 30s. However, the way she wore the painful cringe Gothic Lolita maid''s magical dress so dignifiedly and naturally gave him a sense of her experience as a magical girl. Most magical girls lose their pure hearts and ¡®Twinkle¡îHeart¡¯ as they age due to shame, and they lose their power as magical girls, yet Magical Bery is an eternal magical girl. Even now in her thirties, she remained a monster who held onto her ¡®Twinkle¡îHeart¡¯ unchanged from her days as Magical Bery (14), exuding both the radiance of her youthful heart and the dignity of her thirties. The saying no gaps to take advantage of, was precisely this. ¡°I heard that you had been a magical girl for over ten years now but. Normally, I would have attacked your spirit, but...that won¡¯t work on you. A magical girl''s power would be disturbed by their own shame. It¡¯s not like Magical girls such as Magical ¡ð¡ð (23) does not exist, but many people over the age of 20 would feel resistant to wear magical dresses. Verbal attacks were effective against such opponents. They were magical girls who had doubts about their identity as a ¡®girl¡¯ and that clouded their ¡®Twinkle¡îHeart.'''' However, Magical Berry''s dignified appearance shows that she had nothing to be ashamed of. She has an extremely childlike face. By making full use of her child-like appearance, she erased any sense of difort. Even if he were to scorn her, saying, ¡®It''s a forceful cosy¡¯, it would have little effect. ¨D¨DIf you don''t take into ount her age, which around 30s, it really suited her. Magic power that distorts even space and time. That was the magical girl named Magical Berry. "...I''ll you win this time, Magical Bery." "Fufu, try it...Ojou-sama, please go to Krische-sama." ¡°Y-yes...¡± As the wind howled around them, the lifeless night pier was wrapped in fantastical sight. Countless hearts danced wildly, and a huge pink kitchen rises up around it. ¨D¨DGrand Magical Space, the Magical Maid Kitchen. "If it''s now, I¡¯ll ept your surrender... Otherwise, you, the cow, will be ground meat and hamburgers likest time...!" "Uuh, itts huart..." "...Every single time, do you have a grudge against me" Selene sighed as she watched the bull-headed demon Nakirus being chopped up with a giant knife and peeler, and uses her fingers to pinch Kreschenta¡¯s, the insect queen who seems to have been plotting the parts. Sheins that she has too many overwhelming victories and it''s not interesting, and that the screen rating didn¡¯t look good, sotely she had been trying to made Selene fight alone against strong enemies for some reason to create a needless crisis. This insects were a total nuisance. As Selene chased away the camera-wielding fairies flying around her feet with magical spray, she sighed once more and regretted bing a magical girl as she went behind the container to rest. There was a girl with silver hair and a beautiful dress. "Ah, uh...what are you doing, Krische?" ¡°Ah, Selene.¡± ¨D¨DAnd what Krische was feeding while crouching down was a small mass of tentacles the size of a handball. It could be said that it was a creature made of sea urchin spines that turned into tentacles, but the numerous purple tentacles were wriggling and carrying the cookie that Krische had given it to what seemed to be the mouth. "Look, this child is eating cookies. Ehehe, it¡¯s happy." The way its whole body twist every time it took a bite of a cookie was beyond disgusting, it was sphemous. Selene stiffens at the sight, but Krische didn¡¯t mind it and gives it a cookie and shows a beautiful smile. "Nyururun what a glutton. I guess it was hungry..." "K-Krische, Nyururun is...?" "This is the child''s name. Krische named it earlier. It''s kind of squishy...and look this child likes it too." Whether it understood or not, Nyururun, the tentacle creature, wriggled even more at its name. No matter how one looked at it, it was a truly disgusting creature, as if it had been designed on the edge of madness. It looks like its entire body is made of mucous membranes, and it had a mysterious shine to it. It bundled the tentacles together to imitate a limb, and when it took human form, it ced the tentacle in its toothless mouth. While it was looking at her (with one strangely round eye between the tentacles), it tilted its head slightly, as if like Krische or Bery. "Selene also said she wanted to keep a pet right..." "No! Absolutely no! It doesn''t matter if it''s a dog or a cat, why do I have to pick up and keep something this disgusting!" "Eh? I-it¡¯s no good...?" As if she hadn''t expected the answer. Krische¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and confusion appeared, and Nyururun moved closer to Krische, trembling as if frightened by Selene¡¯s voice. Krischeforted it, saying it would be okay, and then looked up at Selene with a pleading look. Like a pet and its owner¨D¨Dthe tentacles were clearly already attached to Krische. ¡°Umm, you see, Krische, we are officially supposed to be magical girls and exterminate monsters right. We have exterminated many of those tentacle-like creatures, right?¡± "Yes. But...you see, other than being a little squishy, this child seems like a good child too...ah, its learned paw." Krische held out her hand, and Nyururun ces her tentacle on top of it. Although it was as if its a puppy, there was no single trace of puppy-like cuteness in its strange shape. "...To think Onee-sama would be able tomunicate with a B-type tentacle." The flying insect that slipped out of Selene''s hands looked at Krische and Nyururun with astonished eyes and frowned. "Magical Selene. Onee-sama might have a unique talent. There is a possibility that Onee-sama pure heart will cause the spirit of justice to sprout in the obscene tentacles..." "Please don''t say something stupid... You''re just trying to cultivate this tentacle by saying nice things, right?" "Oh, that''s not true, how rude. I''m just trying to find a way to coexist with these beings born out of desire, as the Queen of Fairnd." Swinging her white dress and sparkling red golden hair, her wings fluttered back and told Selene. This insect, so beautiful to look at, was the most untrustworthy creature in the world. "I think it''s okay. If we can understand the ecology of these tentacles, it will definitelye in handyter on. See, its already attached to my sister..." "...I just purely don''t want to keep something like that." "...Selene, Krische will take good care of it and discipline it well...look, Nyururun says they¡¯ll make sure to be a good child too." Krische lift Nyururun and looked up at Selene. Nyururun wriggled and squirmed, wrapping its tentacles around Krische¡¯s finger as it squirmed. It was a disgustingly repulsive creature, enough to make one''s spine freeze. She didn''t want to see it or touch it. However Krische, who was rarely selfish, was begging for it. Was it okay to deny this head-on based on emotional logic? ¨D¨DWhat arose within Selene was a conflict. ¡°Krische, uh, you know, they''re small now... um... they might be cute, but what will you do when they grow up and you can''t keep them at home?'''' "Grow up¡¡" Krische looked at Nyururun and then looked at Kreschenta. Kreschenta nodded. "It''s okay, Onee-sama. Type B tentacles are expandable and retractable. I can keep them in that house." "...! Ehehe, it looks like it''s okay." "...I''ll crush you, Kreschenta." Good for nothing fly. When Selene took out her magical spray, Kreschenta started flying around and immediately used Krische as a shield. As fast as a fly¨D¨Dbut right now, the most important thing wasn''t this insect. The opponent was Krische, a pure and innocent younger sister who did not discriminate against others based on appearance, for better or for worse. It was not good for education to reject it just because she thought it was disgusting after all. Selene sighed, wondering if there was any good persuasion she can do. "Wha¡¯s wrong?" Bery appeared. "Berry, you done?" "Yes. Now at Magical Mixer..." When Selene turned her attention to the area where she had been fighting earlier, she saw the bull-headed demon Nakirus being thrown into a huge translucent blender and being chopped into pieces. A shredded butchered corpse. Selene immediately turned away from grotesque sight. Bery was calmly doing the viinous thing, but when she looked at the creature that Krische was holding in her hand, her cheeks twitched a little. "...eh, uh, Krische-sama, those tentacles..." "It''s Nyururun. It seemed like it was hungry, so Krische gave it cookies and it got attached to me... so Krische thought about keeping it as a pet, but Selene said no." "It seems this tentacle has taken quite a liking to you... somehow." Bery traced her lips with her fingertips with a troubled look on her face, and Nyururun also moved its tentacles and made the same gesture. Then, Krische said, ¡®Nyururun, greeting¡¯, and Nyururun made a deep bow-like movement. Beryughed wryly. "M... my... how smart..." "Yes. its a quiet kid, and Krische think if Krische discipline it, it''ll be a child who will be obedient..." "I-I see..." Bery timidly extended her index finger, and Nyururun slowly extended its tentacle and matched it with her index finger. Bery looked at his slimy fingertips with a troubled expression on her face. "Well, I guess he''s slimy...I don''t have very good memories of it, but this sure seems like quiet..." ¡°Krische¡¯s thought that if it was washed it with soap, it could get rid of it, but...¡± ¡°K-Krische-sama, do you want to keep this child¡?¡± "...Can I?" Krische looked at Bery with a sad face while holding a wriggling mass of tentacles. Elevation angle of 45 degrees¨D¨Dthe most beautiful girl among beautiful girls, Krische¡¯s piercing upward nce was one of the few weaknesses of the perfect superhuman Bery. Bery sought help from Selene with her eyes, but Selene''s look was firm, conveying an absolute ¡®no¡¯. "Uh, uh...um..." Bery, caught in the middle, searched for words, but was silent for a while. Bery just swam her gaze from side to side, switching her gaze back and forth between Krische and Selene. "¡Krische understand " The person who extended a helping hand to her was Krische the one that caused the problem. Realizing that she was troubling Bery, Krische ced Nyururun down and reassured Bery, ¡®it¡¯s fine¡¯. "Krische-sama..." "Krische, if Bery says no, then Krische will give up..." "...Why don¡¯t you give up when I say no. Krische was surprisingly obedient to Bery. Although Selene was a little dissatisfied, she was relieved that the problem was resolved. "Then, it¡¯s goodbye Nyururun." Krische then looked at Nyururun, who looked nkly, and turned her palm towards iy. ¡°Um, K-Krische-sama¡?¡± "Krische will make sure it doesn''t hurt, so it''s okay." Krische said calmly with a smile as she gathered magical power in her palm. It had enough power to wipe out Nyururun. "...If there is an afterlife, please be born as a dog or cat that Selene likes, instead of some monster''s tentacles." Nyururun clearly didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation. It was tilting its head to the side (there¡¯s no head). they probably never thought that they would be killed by the person who loved them just moments ago. However, the clich¨¦ was basically 1 or 0, and there was no hesitation. "W-wait a minute! Just because of that, suddenly killing it is a bit much..." "...? didn¡¯t Selene say to get rid of the tentacles." "I-I did but! That''s not it¨D¨D" ¨D¨DAnd thus Nyururun stay to their house. Within a week, the Type B tentacles creatures¨D¨DNyururun had settled into the house. Normally, tentacles like this move by crawling by moving their numerous tentacles in a undting manner, but Nyururun imitates humans by binding its tentacles together to form both limbs and walking dexterously on two legs. At first, It was as slow as a toddler, but it gradually got used to walking and has nowpletely graduated from the extremely sphemous "crawling." It seems to like Krische and the other and the others, and was a hard worker, following them around from time to time and cleaning the gaps with their deft tentacles. However, their body seems to be prone to producing slimy mucus on its own, so they were constantly cleaning and wiping away their own dirt. "My, it suits you. With this it won¡¯t stain the floor." ¡°Ehehe, that¡¯s good.¡± But that would alle to an end today. A bundle of tentacles sticks into what looks like pink gloves and slippers, and the same pink hat is on the head (in a sense, it''s all a head). Nyururun looked at them and wiggled their body happily. It seems that they liked the gloves and slippers, and they shows off their joy by doing a twisty dance that defies the concept of cuteness. Clich¨¦ and Berry apud happily and give each it cookies while looking at each other¨D¨DSelene, who was sitting in a chair with her chin resting on the desk, a sigh could be seen on her face. ¨D¨DThe mysterious tentacle has be our family''s pet. Not just Krische but Bery to was treating it like a normal dog or cat, and even took a bath with them. Even when he sleeps, it seems to sleep in a knee socks between two people. Selene couldn¡¯t keep up with it. She couldn¡¯t understand just what''s so cute about those grotesque tentacles. However,ing this far, Selene, who was the only one who finds the tentacles creepy, just seems like a narrow-minded person. At this point, all she could do was sigh. The insect that was lying sloppily on the desk said to Selene. ¡°You don¡¯t seem please.¡± ¡°What kind of face do I have to make when I look at a tentacle for you to be satisfied?¡What are you nning to do with it?¡± "What do you mean ''what am I nning to do''...? Thanks to it, our broadcasts are booming. Stories featuring tentacles as enemies have always had high ratings, even in Magical Girl Magical¡îBerry. But ever since ''The Crawling Tentacles and Three Magical Girls'' airedst time, the excitement has skyrocketed. The sponsors are thrilled." "¡¡you" It''s been two years since she became a magical girl. She was finally able to understand the purpose of this queen of insects. She imed it was for publicity, but it seemed she was using Selene and the others to fight while filming suggestive scenes to boost ratings and turn it into ie. She thought the insects were trying to photograph them from low angles, they were truly despicable creatures. Normally, they should have been able to defeat the demon king Gilgil a long time ago, but she divided Selene and the others and deliberately gave information to the enemy. It is clear that she is holding them back in order to continue the broadcast. She would rather get rid of this insect, but it seems that it was true that this insect gives magical power to the three of them. If she were to exterminate this insects, they would lose the means to counter Demon King Gilgil. That seems to mean the copse of Earth''s civilization¨D¨Dand this insect taking advantage of that and use Selene and the others. It was truly despicable. ¡°¡I guess those tentacles have some sort of trap, right?¡± "How doubtful. As I said the other day, I won''t touch it. Even I am surprised that you can tame a tentacle." The insect yawned, and rolled around on the desk. ¡°First of all, the Magical Girl Magical Bery series is a work of all ages that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. I have taken that into ount as well. Last time, I brought you Magical Bery at the right time, right? The tentacles are for pinch production, I won''t abuse them.'''' Then she kicked Selene''s elbow, which was on the desk, with the sole of her foot. "Why don''t you Magical Selene just love it like Onee-sama do? Isn''t it human nature to make obedient and understanding lower creatures into pet servants? Regardless of how it looks, it''s perfect for a pet." "¡¡you¡± Selene sighed once again, and a te was ced in front of Selene. Looking at the cluster of purple tentacles connected to the pink glove that ced it, Nyururun''s strangely round eyes sparkled and they looked up at Selene from the chair next to her. Looking as if was expecting something. "Ah, thank you..." Selene¡¯s cheeks twitched as she thanked him, and Nyururun bowed to her, twisting its body around. And then, it went to Krische. When Krische stroked its head over the hat and said ¡®good child¡¯, it seemed moved and its whole body trembled. It certainly seems cute if you think of it as something like a smart dog¨D¨Dno, no good. Don¡¯t get misled. That was clearly a disgusting move. Krische aside, even Bery haspletely epted this tentacle as a new housemate. Only Selene must not be misled by the insect''s words and tentacles. "...Anyway, I don''t trust it. Krische and Bery aside, don''t expect me to do what you want." ¨D¨DIt was a few days after saying that, when Selene was bedridden with a fever. She had a severe headache and fever, probably a bad cold. A cool cloth was periodically ced on her forehead as she slept and wakes up repeatedly. She wanted to thank Bery, but she was toozy to open my mouth this morning. The lighting through the curtains felt like it was just before noon. There was a feeling that someone was looking into her face, and the wet cloth from her forehead was removed and reced with a new cold wet cloth. "...Thank you, Bery." Was it because of the nursing care? Her headache was mild, she felt a little better, and Selene slowly opens her eyes. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D!?¡± ¨D¨DHowever, what was in front of her was not a berry, but a wriggling mass of tentacles. Selene screamed, jerking her body up and pushing the tentacles away from her face. "...I-I''m not angry, okay." Nyururun wearing a pink hat was peeking out from the gap in the door, the tentacles trembling. Selene wiped her sticky face with a cloth, drank the honeyced water on the bedside table, and let out a sigh. Nyururun enters the room in a fearful manner (it seems that the way it wriggles is a little different depending on its mood. Tentacles are eloquent) (this is the correct way to describe the scene). It looked up, holding one of the tentacles to its mouth. Then, with a pop, it ps the tentacles and moves the tentacles slowly, making a gesture as if he is bringing something to his mouth. "...Am I hungry?" Nyururun nodded its head a few times and its eyes lit up. Then they immediately leaves the room (closing the door properly) and returns shortly after with a te of honey-pickled peaches and several knives and forks. Then jumped onto the bed and stood in front of the stunned Selene. Nyururun deftly held the te with her three tentacles, and used countless knives and forks to make the honey-pickled peach into bite-sized bites. Stretching out countless forks and brought them to Selene''s mouth. "Ah...you know, I can eat it myself so..." A wriggling mass of purple tentacles. A fork held by some kind of squishy tentacle. When she tried to refuse her out of physiological disgust, Nyururun twisted around and looked at her tentacles with its round eyes. Then, with their eyes downcast, they put the bite-sized peach back on the te with a dejected look (as if wilting). "...Ugh" It was a gesture that really made Selene felt guilty. This squishy tentacle hadn''t done anything bad since it got here. On the contrary, they are hard workers, and in fact, apart from this appearance, they were iparably smarter than the average pet. ¨D¨DFor example, what if this wasn''t a tentacle, but a normal child? Discriminating against people who are concerned about their sick self and working hard to take care of them based on their appearance. Is that really the attitude that Selene Christand, the daughter of her respectable father and mother, should take? Although it has the w (almost fatally) of an obscene, sphemous, and insane appearance, isn''t it its heart and actions that she should be looking at? "I-I understand....P-please give me." Nyururun reacted to her words with a twitch and looked up at her (or rather, there¡¯s only face), its round eyes sparkled, and its body twisted around. Then, gingerly and slowly, it ced a bite-sized peach near Selene''s mouth. Closing her eyes and opening her mouth, the peach was inserted between her lips, and she chewed it. It must have been from Bery. It was refreshingly delicious. "Ha..mmu..." As she opened her mouth to say it was delicious, another peach was pressed against her lips without dy. When she opened her eyes, numerous forks and peaches were wriggling and waiting for Selene. To avoid the sight of her diminishing appetite, Selene closed her eyes again and silently focused on her meal. After finishing the meal, Nyururun threw the used knife and fork into the sink where it had put the used wet cloths, and leaves the room in a skipping manner. It was a very tiring meal for Selene, but since it had good intentions, it was hard toin. At least it was taking care of Selene. ;I should be grateful for that;, Selene thought to herself for a while, calming herself down. She wasn''t sure what to do, but she went downstairs to take a shower to wash off her night sweats. When she looked into the kitchen, she saw Nyururun sitting on a chair washing tes and forks using its countless tentacles. Nyururun looked at her, tilted its head (there was no head), and when Selene answered that she wanted to take a shower, it nodded in satisfaction. She was a little wary of it because it seems to usually take a bath with Krische and Bery (along with the insect), but it didn''t seem toe into the bathroom for now. When she leaves the bathroom, sweating with relief, however, ¡°¡¡¡± Right in front of Selene''s naked body, there was Nyururun waiting for her with its tentacles spread out. The things it grabbed with the tentacles were hair dryers,bs, and bath towels. Not sure if she should make some kind of retorts, she closed her eyes and wipe herself with a bath towel, saying that it had no malice. While putting on her underwear, Nyururun deftly used a hair dryer and ab to carefully dry and style Selene''s hair¨D¨Dto be honest, it was more careful than Selene, who was a little sloppy. Then it quickly picked up the used bath towels and put them in the washing machine. It puts on the gloves and deftly begins to spin the washing machine. It was better at using her washing machine than Selene. Moreover, when Selene returned to her room without saying a word, there was a cup of tea prepared for her. Nyururun looked up at Selene as if expecting something. "G-good girl..." When she stroke its head over the pink hat, Nyururun wriggles around. Then it poured milk, added tea, put it on her te, and handed it to Selene. The teacup is warm even to the handle. When she looked at it, the bed, which should have been a little disorganized, was perfectly made. More methodical than Selene in all aspects. Regardless of its helpless look, Nyururun was the perfect pet. In the end, Selene ended up changing her previous words, and her life with the strange pet continued¨D¨D "...Krische, what is this unfamiliar tentacle?" "Well, it looks like Nyururun brought an injured stray tentacle..." "I-it¡¯s a no okay. A second one... Nyururun, don¡¯t look at me like that." "Um, Nyururun can''t just leave it alone, so if it''s not allowed, she says she''ll raise it herself and leave home. She says she''lle back someday to repay the favor." "Uh, uh..." And friends attracts friends. ¡°Nyururun¡¯s friends and children have increased in number¡ Should we buy some empty warehouse nearby? I have some on hand¡¡± "That''s a great idea. Magical Bery, this is my order. Buy it immediately." "You idiot, what are you going to do by adding more? Don''t be fooled by these insects." "However, thanks to Nyururun''s efforts to educate nearby tentacles, the number of tentacles that cause harm has decreased, and for peaceful coexistence, this is an unavoidable expense..." Naturally, there were people who questioned her as a magical girl, but "Oh, Magical Mia..." "Aaand Magical Kalua! I heard that there is a magical girl who cultivates tentacles, but I didn''t expect it to be you, Magical Bery (31)!" ¡°Ah, um, is it necessary to say my age¡?¡± "¨D¨DNyururun, pre-emptive attack." "Huh!? it can tear down reinforced concrete with just one tentacle..." ¡°Nyururun¡¯s power has increased more than before¡ Onee-sama¡¯s talent as a tentacle messenger has awakened¡!?¡± "...Can I just go home?" Forced into silence by sheer force and they challenged the Demon King. "It''s been a while, Magical Girl Magical Berry (32)" "It... it''s been a long time, Demon King Gilgil. Umm, the age is¨D¨D" ¡°Kuku, I¡¯m surprised that your ¡®Twinkle Heart¡¯ is still shining so brightly. However, too bad even if you brought your friends, the heart of evil has given me enormous power¨D¨D¡tentacles? ¡± ¡°Fufun, the one you will fight before Bery is this 108 Nyururun army.¡± ".... I see, here, I''ll make a deration. If you intend to unleash those tentacles, I''ll flee with all my might." "...Kreschenta, I''ll go home first." ¡°Wait, no!¡± Thus the world bes peaceful¨D¨D "Fufu, good job oning here, Exorcist Shelna." "I see. ...This is Magical Bery (33), a magical girl who has fallen to evil. Ledo, retreat. The tentacles around them, as well as the two close aides, we can''t fight them right now." "Ah. It can¡¯t be helped, but I guess that''s the only way to do it here." "...Do you think we will just let you go like that? Magical Bery catch them alive!" ¨D¨DNot be. "Hmph, the spin-off Exorcist¡îShelna series is also doing quite well. Magical Selene, next time you''ll be¨D¨DMugu!?" ¡°Don¡¯t want to. Bery, why don''t you think it¡¯s time stop going along with it?" "W-well...I heard that they need a scapegoat to collect evil hearts in order to prevent Demon King Gilgil from being revived..." "Nyururun, this is a reward cookie. ...Ehehe, is it so delicious that make it you squirm that much?" The fight to pursue peace while maintaining viewership ratings continue¨D¨D Not to be continued. Chapter 268: Moonlight Legacy I Chapter 268: Moonlight Legacy I ***Chapter 268 Legacy of Moonlight 1*** "Look, El. This is the magic crystal carved by Alberinea." ¨D¨DHow should he possibly express the emotion he felt at that moment? Engraved on the blue crystal were countless straight and curved lines. In itself, it was something simple. Engrave specific form to determine the target, and circuits were etched for conditioning. Some might see it as mere patterns or decorations. However, what existed there was a whole world. "...It''s beautiful, Ojii-sama....It''s incredible." "Right. ... There is beauty in the wless and perfect engraving. The end result of pursuing efficiency and theory is art." Elgainst Ramil was born as the grandson of Tir Ramil, the second director of the Magic Research Institute. He grew up surrounded by magic crystals carved by his grandfather, grandmother, and father and mother from before he could remember anything, so it was only natural that he developed an interest in them. However, probably that was the moment his life was decided. When his grandfather showed him Alberinea¡¯s magic crystal for the first time, his future was decided. "Alberinea is already where we, the magicians, should aim to be. ...And ...If there is anything we should do, it would be to convey the beauty created by Alberinea to the people in an understandable form." "¡yes" "You are blessed with talent, and you were born in a time when you were given the best examples to learn from. First of all, be grateful for this opportunity. And work hard to pass on this beauty to future generations." ¡®not for personal gain¡¯, his grandfather smiled, patted Elgainst''s head. "Alberinea has given us magicians a ce and happiness. We have received plenty. That''s why we must give that happiness to the people. ...First, understand that magic is a tool for that purpose." ¨D¨DIt is because it''s a tool for that purpose that, it shone so beautifully. His kind grandfather always told Elgainst that. He first met her when he was eight years old. When his father took him to visit the Magic Research Institute. Alberinea, who only asionally showed her face, happened to be visiting the research institute that day. "Alberinea, this is my son Elgainst." "N-nice to meet you..." In arge research room. For some reason, she was there wearing an apron dress while the magicians were heading to the countless workbenches, so at first he didn''t realize it was that person, but it seems like she was that strange person. He had heard from his parents, grandparents, and their friends that she was strange, but he didn''t expect her to be dressed like a servant, so he stared at her openly and regretted his rudeness. Unofficially, she is Her Royal Highness the Queen''s Sister, and is Alberinea, just below the Marshal. Normally, one wouldn''t dare speak, let alone make eye contact with her, an existence above the clouds. His conduct was extremely rude. She was said to be like a fairy, and her beauty described as unparalleled. She looks like a small girl with impressive long silver hair and purple eyes. Alberinea, who produced the ultimate in logic and beauty, was a beautiful existence. Although he felt much awe, what Elgainst felt could be called love at first sight. He could feel his ears and cheeks burning as he bowed his head. "You don''t have to bow your head." "Y-yes..." Like a bell ringing next to a quietke. The sound of her voice was also beautiful. When Elgainst looked up, his father smiled bitterly and patted him on the head. "This kid seems nervous about meeting Alberinea, his idol... Please forgive him." ¡°¡longing?" "Yes. He always practice hia engravings while looking at the magic crystal carved by Alberinea...I feel like he''ll overtake me soon." "Hmm...well, Courant is slow at engraving. You should engrave it like a little more Pikyun. Pikyun." "Yes. I will continue to work hard in the future." Elgainst was stunned. His father, Courant, was unable to take over the position of director of the research institute from his grandfather, who retired from the front lines, but he became vice director. He was one of the top five magicians at the research institute. The form engraving was also vivid, and if it''s a simple one, he could engrave it in the blink of an eye. "Ah, um...!" "...?" "If, if it''s okay... could you show me the process of engraving?!" How did she engrave the spell, if his father¡¯s speed was called slow? Those were the words that came out of his mouth without thinking. Alberinea tilted her head, tracing her lips with her fingertips. Then, her eyebrows furrowed and she looked straight at Elgainst. The rxed atmosphere between his father and her¨D¨Drealizing his own impertinence, Elgainst immediately lowered his head again. "M-my apologies¨D¨D" ¡°Elgainst, lift your face¡± As he raised his head as instructed, Alberinea continued to stare earnestly at Elgainst, felt her his flush, almost like it was going to burst into mes A moment of silence¨D¨DAlberinea ms her left hand with her right fist. "Oooh...Krische thought you were really sleepy, but that''s what your face look like." ¡°Ha¡?¡± "Ehehe, so the eyes are open properly." Alberinea leans her face closer to and looks into Elgainst''s eyes. Not exactly ugly, but Elgainst¡¯s face certainly wasn''t beautiful. He has a distinctive face with narrow eyes that were difficult to tell if they were open or closed. Of course, he was aware of it, but it took him a moment to realize that Alberinea was talking about that. He was simply captivated by her beautiful purple eyes, long silver eyshes, straight nose, and cherry-coloured lips that surrounded them. She quickly withdrew her face and rested her chin on her hand, contemting, then pped her hand again. "Pipin Krische know. It¡¯s Nemu-Nemu (sleepy sleepy)." ¡°Ah, uh¡?¡± "Elgainst is long, so it''s a nickname. Don''t you think Nemu-Nemu is great because you look sleepy? Courant." "Uh, uuh...i-it''s definitely, a, great honor for my son..." His father nodded, confused, and Alberinea smiled happily. The way she smiled like a child was even more beautiful, like a flower blooming. ¡°So Nemu-Nemu wants to see Krische engraving form right.¡± "Eh, ah, yes..." "Well, it''s fine. Open your eyes and take a look properly." It was a bitte when he realized that a nickname had been given to him Without noticing the confused Elgainst, Alberinea took the magic crystal that was lying on her desk and wrapped it lightly in her hand in front of Elgainst. ¡°Well, since Nemu-Nemu Till¡¯s grandson, let¡¯s make it Till¡¯s.¡± She said, and a blue light shone. The magical power poured into it instantly turned into dozens of lines that ran like lightning inside the magic crystal. It was engraved in the blink of an eye, and before he could even understand what it was, what had been engraved was an extremely precise form that could be called art. The magic crystal, which looked like a small stone, instantly changed its shape into a small frying pan, and she ced it in her palm. "Guess it''s something like this. It takes time to engrave arge number of form, but once you increase the number, it''s easy. It''s no good because everyone tries to do it with one by one. You have to be able to engrave this much all at once." A magic crystal frying pan was ced in Elgainst''s palm, leaving him speechless. If he wanted to imitate it, it would take several months with Elgainst¡¯s current skill. What''s more, even though dozens of lines were engraved at the same time, each line was engraved with perfect beauty, without any deviation or hesitation. What she showed him was like casually throwing the end of a thread into dozens of needle holes. As naturally as breathing, as if it were a matter of course. The magicians Elgainst has talked to so far have all said that Alberinea was the zenith of magician. Without a doubt, what lied before Elgainst will be the ultimate. ¨D¨DHe understood that she had already perfected it. As he stared dumbfounded at the magic crystal in his palm, Alberinea tilted her head. "¡¡? What''s wrong?" "No, um... th-thank you...!" As he sped the magic crystal and bowed his head, she lightly stroked his head. The touch of a gentle palm. "Courant, Krische are busy making dinner, so please take care of the rest." "Yes... Thank you, Krische-sama. For going out of your way for my son..." "There''s no need to thank Krische that much. Nemu-Nemu, see youter." "Yes" Alberinea hurriedly left the room, and after seeing her off, Elgainst looked at the magic crystal in his hand. The miniature frying pan, made in an instant, shimmered with Alberinea''s magic power. "Good for you, Elgainst. To receive even something like that." "...Yes. Alberinea making dinner...?" ¡°That''s the kind of person she is. A great magician, an unparalleled general and warrior on the battlefield...but he probably has no interest in such things. Just like her appearance, she usually spends her time just like a servant.'''' ¡®A quirky person¡¯, his father smiled bitterly and pped Elgainst on the shoulder. "...You''ll probably pursue the path of magical research like me and my father in the future, but think carefully about why you''re given a ce like this to conduct your research in peace. It''s not just you, but don''t get conceited and never forget to be grateful." "...Yes, father." Not a heroic sword or helmet. Why did Alberinea make a frying pan? Thinking about the reason, Elgainst nodded. For a year after that, Elgainst continued to look at the ¡®Frying Pan¡¯. It wasn''t until a weekter that he realized that it wasn''t just a skill to shape a frying pan. Normally, the form carved into the magic crystal will be effective if magical power is poured into it, flowing along a single path. However, he noticed that the line carved by Alberinea had multiple branching paths along the way. When he poured magic into it as a test, it turned into a knife, adle, and a pumpkin depending on the line he poured magic into. Depending on thebination of lines, it could be something different. He was doubly, triply surprised when he realized that. If it had been put up for auction, for example, how much would it have been worth? Magic crystals engraved with advanced form themselves were a kind of artwork. The value of Alberinea''s engraved magic crystals was iparable to ordinary ones. And he felt even more moved by Alberinea, who gave such a thing to Elgainst, whom she had just met, as if it were a piece of candy or something. Whether Elgainst¡¯s feelings for Alberinea were a child crush or something akin to worship, he didn''t know. But what was certain was that he wanted to be acknowledged by her. He spent a whole year copying the engraved magic form that on the magic crystal on a bundle of parchment, he then imitated and engraved the magic form. His grandfather, parents, and the magicians at the research institute all praised Elgainst as a genius for imitating Alberinea''s magic crystal, albeit clumsily, just in nine months, but Elgainst did not be conceited. Genius is a word that refers to Alberinea, and people like Elgainst was nothing more than an ordinary person before her. "Hmm, you''re doing pretty well. Good job Nemu-Nemu." "Yes¡!" "However, the width of the engraving and the angles of each one are not consistent, so pay attention to those details. They can cause the umtion of magic residues and make it prone to deformation due to magical pressure, leading to faster deterioration." Although Elgainst spent a lot of time at the research institute, Alberinea only visited once every two or three months. That was his only chance to talk to her. She was a person who didn''t particrly care about her status and used polite words with everyone. Given her position, she was truly an existence above the clouds, but she never changed her attitude towards anyone and talked to them normally. Even when she visited with Her Majesty the Queen, her tone did not change, and even in front of the Elegant, she acted like an older sister to a younger siblings, so she probably really doesn''t care about formalities. "The form itself is finished once you memorize the pattern. All you have to do is carve it into an appropriate space andbine them. In terms of mathematics, it''s just repeating simple addition and subtraction, so without thinking too much, just pikyuun and engrave it.'''' ¡°P-pikyuun is it¡¡± Not to be rude, but of all else she seemed somewhat childish in nature. "In the end, any engraving is fine as long as it works, Nemu-Nemu. Anything you like is fine. That''s how Krische learned it." Although he was slightly surprised, he understood it as a matter of course. There must have been a time when she, Alberinea were taught something by someone. ¡°The important thing is to keep it as short and concise as possible, with no waste, and with consistent lines. If the pattern fits nicely inside, that''s all that matters. Since the magic crystals used are different, don''t try to imitate them forcibly. For example if you expanded it here, it would have been even prettier." "¡I see" Engraving could be said to be like a painting carved into the magic crystal. Each magic crystal has a different shade of purity, size, and shape. Even if you try to engrave the same form in the same form, the same magic crystal does not exist, so nothing exactly the same will be created. Looking at the magic crystal ¡®Frying Pan¡¯ that was hanging around his neck, it was true that the one Alberinea engraved had the form engraving avoid the parts with low purity. The purity of a magic crystal affects how easily it could be carved, and if the purity was low, it would cause dissipation when magic power was poured into it. ¨D¨D Alberinea''s magic crystal was meticulously crafted even in to the subtle shading. "Krische also remembers trying to imitate Bery in the past, just like Nemu-Nemu did, but just like with cooking, if the ingredients are different, the cooking method will be different too. It''s important to think about what''s appropriate in each case.'''' ¡®That¡¯s what Bery said¡¯, Alberinea said with some pride, holding up her finger. "...Did Alberinea learn from someone named Bery?" ¡°Ehehe, yes.¡± Alberinea lovingly ced her hand on her chest from above her apron. That name was one he had never heard of as a magician. ¡°She''s the best servant in the world who''s extremely admirable and can do anything, and also a teacher who teaches Krische a lot of things...She is Krische¡¯s goal.'''' ¡°I want to meet her soon¡±, she smiled while clutching her chest. It was a beautiful smile filled with various emotions. Heter asked his grandfather and he replied that it was Alberinea¡¯s servant who had passed away. His grandfather says that the reason Alberinea wore an apron dress was because she was thinking of the servant who died long ago. She was unable to witness the servant¡¯s final moment as she was in battle. Just what did Alberinea mean when she said she wanted to meet her soon. At that time, Elgainst viewed those words in a purely pessimistic way. Chapter 269: Moonlight Legacy II Chapter 269: Moonlight Legacy II ***Chapter 269 Moonlight Legacy II*** The following twenty years were the happiest time for Elgainst. Devoting his days to research and conversing with Alberinea, who visited from time to time. Methods of encrypting form engraving like puzzles bybining them, or gimmicks of rearranging magic crystals with different effects. A magic key that reacts to and selects the magic power poured into it. By that time, no one could keep up with Elgainst as a magician, but she answered questions that no one else could understand, as if teaching addition and subtraction to a child. She was the very truth that the magician once sought. Possessing tremendous intelligence that could make anything she imagined into reality. Equal to a god in human form, there was nothing happier to him than being able to seek guidance from her. The more he knew about the unknown, the more the unknown appears, and sometimes he was closed off by walls. However, just by talking with her for just a moment, the wall that was in front of him was removed and a new path to mystery was born. Bookshelves and magic crystals lined the walls, and there were three work desks. Elgainst''s personalboratory, with parchment piled up haphazardly. "...Alberinea, I''m not sure if it''s okay to ask, but..." "What is it? Nemu-Nemu" He had surpassed Alberinea in height a long time ago. Although she was supposed to be over ny, the same age as Marshal Serene Christand, but her beauty never faded. Unchanging silver hair and beautifulrge eyes. White the white skin of a girl. Complete mastery of the body''s magic power ¨D¨Dshe was human, yet in a sense not quite. Unlike ordinary people like Elgainst, she used magic power topletely rece all the operation of her body. With her level of skill, life would likely be eternal. Even when Elgainst eventually reached death, his goal, Alberinea, would remain far above, and just how happy was that to him, no one knew. ¡°What kind of principle is it that generates the enormous magical power of that magic power tower?¡± "Hmm¡¡" Alberinea traced her cherry lips with her fingertips, looking troubled. It was her habit when she was deep in thought. It was a gesture that was both a little mature yest childish. "It''s a secret. Nemu-Nemu is pretty smart, so maybe he''ll find out someday." She then smiled and looked up at Elgainst. "Then I''ll try my best to understand it." "Well, good luck." After saying that honestly, Alberinea stroked Elgainst''s loose hair. In terms of appearance, Elgainst was much older. However, to her, Elgainst is probably just the same Nemu-Nemu boy he was when she first met him. Elgainst was now in a position to be respected by many magicians, but she remained unchanged. And Elgainst feelings towards her too, remained unchanged. And being treated like an ignorant child by her brought him happiness. ¡°In terms of cooking, Nemu-Nemu has only gotten to the point where he can cut pumpkin fairly well. There''s still a lot of depth to how to cut fish and meat.¡± "Yes. ¡But still, just hearing that I can now cut pumpkins is a big improvement for me." Elgainst smiled bitterly. She oftenpared things to cooking. She seemed to genuinely like cooking, and when asked why, she said because there was no answer. The taste changes depending on the person, the day, the physical condition, and the mood. Finding the optimal solution each time was enjoyable. This was probably close to the reason why Elgainst was fascinated by magic crystals. Something that would never be reached and had no end. For someone who knew all the answers, the unknown that remains for her was surely the heart itself. "...First, I''ll learn to solve that magic crystal. I haven''t found a clue yet though." It was a magic crystal ced in the research institute. The item Alberinea ced there for the purpose of studying, and seemed to be some kind of puzzle. It seems that it could be solved by pouring magic power into the center, but when magic power was poured from the outside, the inner form change and the paths were rearranged. There were hundreds of entrances and branching paths for magic power, and by flowing the correct amount in the correct order andbination, a path to the center was created. The gimmick was probably arge triple structure, and although he managed to solve it to the second stage, Elgainst couldn''t make any progress with the third stage. He had been trying for a while foregoing even sleep, but he finally gave up due to his ownck of ability, and now he was studying and imitating Alberinea''s magic crystals again. "It should be easy once you understand, but... well, it seems like Nemu-Nemu still won¡¯t understand it for now." Alberinea traced her lips with her fingertips again in thought. "But well, maybe it''ll be hundreds of years before it''s solved. If Nemu-Nemu feels that way, it might be just right." "It''s easy once you understand..." "Yes. It''s easy." Alberinea''s senses are far removed from those of humans. What was easy for her was often unimaginably difficult for ordinary people. "¡¡I will do my best" "Ehehe, that said Nemu-Nemu don''t have to force yourself... don''t think about it too hard, just do it randomly." She said that, smiled, ¡°There are many other things that are more important.¡± and patted him on the head. ¡°It''s good to work hard for a good job like Nemu-Nemu, and it''s good to be enthusiastic about improving your skills...But Krische¡¯s sure that''s not what''s important.'''' "Important thing..." Alberinea nodded, took out the cookies she had brought from her bag and put them to her mouth, then waved one in front of Elgainst. Elgainst bowed his head, took it, and put it into his mouth. "¡¡It¡¯s delicious" The slight saltiness and melting sweetness that spreads on the tongue were probably honey. However, the crispy texture was first-ss. The cookies Alberinea gives him from time to time always have a mild taste that made the cheeks melt. "Fufun, that''s it." Alberinea saw this and held up her finger. "...?" "You can make someone a little bit happy with something like this, something delicious or a cookie. Just something like that can make someone happy or make them feel good..." And she smiled. "The most important thing is to do your best for someone''s little happiness." Alberinea was beautiful, he had always thought that way. Still, there were times when he felt she was endlessly beautiful and it was always when she showed a smile like this. The reason he felt that was surely not just her physical beauty. ¡°So, just do it appropriately. Nemu-Nemu is a reasonably good person, so if you just do it roughly, you''ll naturally improve, so there''s no need to rush. ...It''s more important to not make the people around you worry. Look, Nemu-Nemu has dark circles under the eyes.¡± Alberinea poked the bottom of Elgainst''s closed eyes with her finger. "You should take a good night''s sleep at home once in a while. If you keep going like this, Nemu-Nemu will eventually be so sleepy that you won''t be able to open your eyes. Even now it¡¯s hard to know if they''re even open anymore." It sounded like a verbal abuse, but it was not a verbal abuse. Alberinea didn¡¯t pay any mind to any truth about and details. Perhaps the reason Elgainst was able to like his distinctive face was because she always called him by his nickname with a cheerful tone. It was just a gesture of concern, and he was more than happy to see her thoughtfulness. "...Yes. Thank you for your concern, Alberinea. Certainly that would be troubling." "That''s right. You need to sleep properly at night, Nemu-Nemu." With the talk over, Alberinea put her hand on the door and turned around. ¡°Krische, need to prepare dinner, so Krische will go home. Well then, Nemu-Nemu, live a long life.'''' "...? Yes, I''ll take care of myself." That day, she added those words, which made him feel a little strange, but he thought it was just the flow of the conversation and let it go. It was not until some timeter that he realized that it was a farewell greeting. From then on, Elgainst continued to spend his days in theboratory, waiting for her next visit. "Are you going to stay indoors again today and stare at that magic crystal? It''s bad for your body if you don''t exercise once in a while, Elgainst." A well-groomed face. Slightly dull golden hair. Waltza Remin, who came to theboratory without knocking as usual, said exasperate, and Elgainst looked up from his desk with a sigh. "For someone with magic power, manipting magic power is not that different from exercise. And I''m getting enough rest. Waltza, you should try touching the magic crystal once in a while." "Such difficult things don''t suit me. It''s fun to actually think about how to use them, but...I''ll leave that kind of research to the experts." He was one of his few friends. His Remin house provides a huge amount of support to the Magic Research Institute, and because of that rtionship, he has a deep rtionship with the Ramil family. He met him when he was ten years old. He was quite roughpared to the nervous Elgainst. He has bad behavior and likes to hang out drinking in bars withmoners¨D¨Dhis personality was the exact opposite, but strangely enough, he doesn''t dislike him, and he guess Waltza didn¡¯t either. When he has free time, he often visits Elgainst like this. "Well, certainly, it''s not suitable for you who are short-sighted and only think about short-term practicality." "It''s only natural for a military man. In fact, I respect people like you who don''t think about the short term, Elgainst. You''re half dreaming, aren''t you?" Heughed at Elgainst''s small eyes and poured ck bean tea from the pot without permission. Then, he sat down on the desk where Till was sitting and picked up the magic crystal that was ced on the desk. It was the main core of Jarea Gashea. "Don''t try to explore the inside carelessly. It will explode." When he said that, Waltza looked at the research notes written on the parchment on the desk and frowned. "...Ughe, is that the core of Jarea Gashea?" "That''s right. It''s been a while since Alberinea stopped producing magic weapons in general. I thought I''d learn at least the theory forter." The core itself was nk, but Waltz looked at the magic crystal. The material used was a highly purified magic crystal that was the size of a baby''s head. Although he could understand that aplicated form was engraved into it, it was impossible to elucidate its inner workings. ¨D¨D Writhing inside Jarea Gashea Core was a magic engraving that fills the inside. Even though there was no interference, and even though no magical power was poured into it in the first ce, the form engraving inside swayed and danced as if it were a living thing. It was impossible to discern the form engraving inside, and if one tried to probe them in wrong way, they explode like a bumje-ira. He had also heard that one of the magicians who tried to find out its secret had died. Elgainst had also given up on analyzing this. Even if hundreds of ordinary people gather together, there was no way that the form engraving that Alberinea created cannot be broken. "The mechanism itself is simple. It receives magical signals and returns the determined magical signals to each joint. It''s the same as the gs and trumpets used in the military. Even you understand the logic behind it, right?" ¡°Ah, I learned how to use Jareia Gashes easily.¡± Instructions were issued to the entire army using military gs and trumpets, received by the corpsmander, and then passed on to the soldiers at the lowest level to take action. "If I could use that, I can create a puppet that even I can control, but it''s currently not practical. If we could peer inside this, that would be great, but I can''t understand even a fraction of it with my abilities. I''m thinking of trying a different approach." "approach?" "It is unknown how the core processes the signals received from the transmitting crystal. However, it is possible to analyze the signals transmitted from the core to each joint. If we umte that huge amount of data, we will eventually be able to create inferior imitations.'''' Only the core was engraved with a writhing form, called a cryptographic form. The signals that move the joints and the surgical engraving that create imaginary muscles each time were difficult to understand, but if they take the time, they could understand them to a certain extent. After that, if a core could be created from scratch based on that data, it would be possible for Elgainst to create a degraded version of Jarea Gashea. ¡°¡even if it¡¯s a fake, it¡¯s still Jarea Gashea, right?¡± ¡°Alberinea and I are like dragons and ants, the quality is different. Even hundreds of years would not be enough time to create a monster like the original. The only thing I''m thinking of is something that can be used to build a battle line and serve as a shield for the soldiers.'''' ¡®You sure don''t understand, Waltza¡¯, Elgainst said with a wry smile. ¡°It is abnormal that in this era, a monster that could casually mow down even a warrior who has dedicated decades of his life to the sword, exists. It may be hard for you who were born into the Remin family, were close to Alberinea, and grew up watching Jarea Gashea, but... Jarea Gashea is a technology that is way ahead of its time.¡± "...I can at least understand that this is an amazing technique." ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand.¡ Jarea Gashea is a technology that is not only hundreds of years, but thousands of years ahead in terms of its level of perfection.¡± Elgainst said, stroking the core. Wisdom itself¨D¨DNo, even this was just a fragment of her wisdom. Her appearance itself was a bolt out of the blue in history. He was confident that if someone told him that she came from a different world, he would honestly believe it. Research is essentially something that takes countless years to solidify the foundation of basic research, and then assembles the building blocks made through countless years. However, the moment she get an idea, she could just drop in some ready-made building blocks and call it a day. Even if the foundation was distorted, it didn¡¯t matter, while still distorted, it brought the result. Basic research as a civilization had not caught up with her inventions at all. It was like giving a suddenly developed applied equation to a world of humans who didn¡¯t even understand the four arithmetic operations. She could only be called a genius. ¡°Well, it''s not like I don''t understand your faith in Alberinea. Despite her looks even my grandfather wasn¡¯t a match against her. ¡I had my wishe true before and was given a sparring, but no matter what I did, my movement read and lost. I don¡¯t think I could win even after a thousand years.¡± Waltza drunk his ck bean tea and told that exasperated. The only military noble who didn''t know of Alberinea''s prowess as a warrior would only be a child. ¡°That¡¯s a valuable experience.¡However, as a magician myself, I can tell you that your magic moves much more violently than General Remin or An-sama. That¡¯s probably why you¡¯re so easy to read.¡± "...I''m told the same thing every day." "Kuku, you should learn magic too. The engravings are good for learning the delicate movements of magic, and they will be useful for your sword in the future." "...I''ll think about it." Elgainstughed at Waltza''s reluctance and close his eyes. "...I''m sure this kingdom willst forever. Her Majesty the Queen and Alberinea are eternal youth as far as I can see. It is our duty as subjects to make sure that people like those two stay healthy and don''t have to worry about chores.'''' They took care of all the chores so that the girls can live a happy life in that small estate in the royal territory, unrted to the war and unaffected by trivial matters. That was all the job they had, Elgainst thought. ¡°To maintain peace and stability, we need steady efforts without corruption. As a magicians and as a soldier, we should recognize each other''s strengths and help each other improve. ...You came at the right time. I want you to help me find some documents." ¡°Of course, you just want to use me for your convenience, don¡¯t you?¡± "Don''t interpret it as malice. ...In return, I''ll show you the first finished puppet when it''s done." "...Should I be happy about that?" Although he not many he had friends and a ce to aim for. Their daily lives filled with happiness will surely continue like this from now on. Elgainst was vaguely thinking like that during his happy days. ¨D¨DHowever, not long after the funeral of Alberinea''s sister, Selene Christian, who had protected the kingdom for a long time as a marshal, was held. That daily life came to an abrupt end. Although he had gotten plenty of rest since she told him to, he still often spent the night in theb. He spent that day in theboratory researching magic crystal, and suddenly felt something like excitement. However, Elgainst did not misinterpret this sensation, and immediately sensed that it was a tremor of magical power. He immediately realized that a huge amount of magical power was at work somewhere, and rushed outside. There were a few remaining magicians who looked at Elgainst in surprise, but he ignored them and went outside. If such a tremendous amount of magical power were to tremble, either there was an abnormality in the Heavenly Pole, or no one other than Alberinea. "this is¡¡" When he went out into the garden, he couldn''t see anything unusual at the heavenly pole, but there was something even in the sky. The sky was bright as if it were midday. Then, a huge amount of magical power swelled up, and a light like the sun floating in a starry sky shone. It took a while for the sound to reach him¨D¨Dbut it was so abnormal that it shook his whole body and the earth. The sound was more spectacr than thunder. Even though it was far away, Elgainst could feel the wind and fell silent. An extraordinary amount magic power was scattered in the sky. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on, Ramil-sama!?¡± They thought it strange as Elgainst ran outside, but they also noticed the explosion. They appeared in a panic and approached Elgainst''s side. Elgainst didn''t answer, and just like him, they looked up at the sky in a daze. The chain reaction of explosions continues. The sh that leaves a trail was probably using the principle of magical power projection like Pishune. However, it was not a "toy" like that. If the countless magical powers dancing in the sky were to fall directly below, there was no doubt that even this royal capital would turn into a burnt wastnd in an instant. No need to think about it. He could understand whose hand it was. There was no one other than Alberinea and Her Majesty the Queen who could do such a thing. Before he could think about it logically, he was convinced that the two were fighting. It was so far away that he couldn''t see it, all he could see was the explosion and sh. But even seeing from this distance, he could feel the pressure of their magic power. If he were to see it up close, just how big would the pressure be. There were some who fell on their but, some that run away in fear. Only magicians who was better at handling magical power than anyone else could understand the magnitude of the magic power released in the sky. If just one of the scattered lights fall down here, there was no doubt that it will would destruction that would kill ten thousand people, and the number would only swell. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands¨D¨Dto the extent it couldn¡¯t be counted. Light was flying around as if trapping something in a cage. It was surprising just to see the magic power emitted in an arc, but not only that, but the huge amount of light seemed to be aiming at something, as if it had a will. It was a sight beyond even Elgainst''sprehension. Alberinea and Queen Crescenta. It could be called a battle between the two who were beyond humans, a battle between gods. Not only the Elgainst but also the sleeping people appeared on the balcony or on the street in their nightgowns and looked up at the sky. Elgainst didn''t have the luxury of worrying about that. In terms of time, it was less than half a koku. Elgainst was simply overwhelmed by it, and could do nothing but look up at the sky in amazement. The swirl of magic power suddenly disappeared, and the magicians looked at each other and said something. Meanwhile, Elgainst looked at the sky and kicked the wall as high as possible to reach the top of the research institute''s roof. There was no movement for a while, but then something small, glowing blue, appeared in the sky again. It approached the Heavenly Pole, and Elgainst ran through the capital in a panic. It was an impulsive thing, and there was no clear reason for it. However, something inside him was screaming that ge should go now. He stretched out as fast as he could and ran down the street, leaping over the crowd that hade out to themotion¨D¨Dbut midway through, he stopped. "..." ¨D¨DHe felt as if he was trapped inside a magic crystal. A blue line is carved into the atmosphere, the earth, and everything around. Despite of the scale, it was precise, there was no hesitation, and the speed at which it was engraved was beyond Elgainst¡¯sprehension. There''s no way he saw it wrong. It was the perfected form engraving of Alberinea, whom he admired more than anyone else. The outer wall of the Heavenly Pole copsed, and arge tree was seen emerging from within. While radiating immense magic power, it spreads its branches, thickens its trunk, and sprouts sparkling petals that covered every inch of its branches and leaves. The engravings around spread out into the sky, disappearing as if they were melting. ¡°Alberinea!!¡± He finally caught sight of the blue light beneath therge tree''s umbre and let out a howl. But he cried out in vain as he saw the light disappear, "Ah... Albe¡rinea..." Rainbow petals danced and rained down on the royal capital. Elgainst stood nkly with his hand outstretched. He didn''t know what happened. He didn''t even know why. However, one thing was certain, Alberinea had disappeared. Somewhere in his heart, he understood that she would probably nevere back, and that this was the ultimate goal for that purpose. ¡°¡Elgainst?¡± When he heard a voice and turned around, he saw an old man with a pure white beard. In his military uniform, he still had a dignified appearance as a warrior. He seemed perfectly calm. "...General Remin, Alberinea, is" Unable to recover from his shock, he asked meaningless questions. The old man looked at Elgainst, and he patted him on the shoulder, unsure of what to say. ¡°She left everything to us and departed.¡It might be a cruel thing for you, who loved Krische-sama so much.¡± "where¡¡?" He looked at Elgainst, then shook his head and walked out, hugging his shoulder. "...I want you to sleep today, Elgainst. Once you''ve calmed down, we''ll talk againter. I''ll show up at your ce someday." Elgainst couldn''t nod or answer. Elgainst just walked along as he did. He thought he was abandoned. ¨D¨DHe was in bed for several days and couldn''t even swallow my food. Even when he returned to the research institute, he couldn''t even touch the magic crystal he was so obsessed with, so he went back to his room, citing poor health, and spent most of the day sleeping. His parents were worried about him, but he couldn''t do anything about it, so he looked at the frying pan he wore as a ne on her bed and just recalled his memories with her. ¡®Huh, Nemu-Nemu is pretty goodpared to the others. It''s not a bad result.'''' How much joy did he felt when he received that recognition? When he was young, Elgainst was obsessed with magic crystal just to get her praise. ¡®Nemu-Nemu, this is how it work. Like pishyu, do it like that.'' When Elgainst got lost, she easily showed the way. For Elgainst, she was the road itself, she was what exists at the end of the eternal road. Oh, that''s a pretty good idea. It looks like it can be used for cooking, it''s great.¡¯ ¡® She valued things that could be used for cooking and daily necessities above all else. While making magical weapons on the side, she boldly dered that her job as a magician was to enrich life by studying the form that could make life better. There were memories of a time when he searched for something that would please her, even going so far as to inquire from the servants. For Elgainst, magic was his entire life, and magic was Alberinea. Nothing made him happier than walking the extraordinary path toward that unclouded mystery. However, the moment that mystery was lost, everything in front of Elgainst''s eyes became pitch ck. He had no idea what to do or why. His purpose in life was magic, and Alberinea. "Hey, I heard you were growing mushrooms on your bed." "...Go home, Waltza. I''m not in the mood to talk right now." "If I leave you alone, I don''t know how many decades from now you''ll feel like talking." Waltza ignored him and went inside, approaching the bed. Then he took out arge magic crystal from the bag he brought with him. "¡¡you" "It''s a souvenir. I have permission. Everyone is worried about you." It was a magic crystal that Alberinea left behind for study. He lowered his eyes, admiring the beautiful lines carved inside it. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll break it, Elgainst.¡± "Huh!? What, you...!" When he looked up in a hurry, Waltzaughed and sat down on his bed. Then he ced it on Elgainst''sp. "You''re the one who used to admire Alberinea so much, always talking about Alberinea. I can understand feeling down. But it¡¯s not like she''s dead." "...Please stop. I know the official story...However, that person will nevere back. It''s just a way to prevent confusion." He heard that she left a message saying that she was going on a journey for about 30 years. But Elgainst was certain that she would never appear before him again. That''s probably what Heavenly Pole was for. He didn''t know what she did with that huge amount of magical power, but she could literally do anything with that much magical power. She could go anywhere. When he went outside, he saw arge tree sprinkled with flowers ¨D¨D called the World Tree. When he saw it, he remembered that moment. Why hadn''t he run sooner? At least, if he could say farewell. If she had at least given him a word... No, that was all selfishness. Surely Elgainst wouldn''t have agreed and would have tried to stop her. He would have probably wished to be taken along as well. To her, Elgainst was just one of the children she named Nemu-Nemu. He just wanted to be recognized by her. He wanted to be needed. But she didn''t wait for that. She had probably been nning it for quite some time. He understood that in the calm depths of his heart. For her, the decades since Elgainst was born were simply a time to prepare for her journey. "...Did you hear from grandfather?" ¡°No. If you imagine it a little, you can understand it.¡ If you think that Her Majesty¡¯s policy of distributing power was a preparation for this, it makes more sense. Were the two nning to leave this country from the beginning? ¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard from grandfather.¡I was quite surprised, but you remain calm.¡± Waltza''s grandfather, Aleha Remin, was a loyal subject of Her Majesty the Queen and Alberinea. It couldn''t have been a coincidence that he was there that day. He was there to say goodbye. He must have heard various things and was given the job. He heard that he also kept messages from the two of them. "...There will be some turmoil within the country. It seems that the old man has been working to establish a foundation for a long time. As a royal soldier, I will also cooperate with him. You are the next director of the Magic Research Institute, and it is the old man''s wish that you keep the magicians together so as not to upset them. I think so too" Waltza continued, crossing his arms. ¡°Magicians are in a position where it is easy for them to take out magic weapons. If we don''t tighten things up here, there could be a leak. Of course, we will take measures, but I would be grateful if you could be more careful about this.¡± "¡¡For what?" Elgainst asked. "Her Majesty and Alberinea are no longer here. Eventually, we won''t be able to hide it anymore, so just leave it as it is. ... It''s inevitable." "...Do you remember what you said to me the other day?" "I said it was for Her Majesty and Alberinea." "Bringing up those kind of details...aah, you''re annoying." ¡®Elgainst¡¯, Waltza called out and grabbed him by the nape of his neck. Then he brings his face closer and red at him. "...What do you think Her Majesty and Alberinea were trying to make peace for? It was for the people to live happily right." "..." "Don''t you misunderstand the fundamentals, Elgainst. Her Majesty the Queen and Alberinea, entrusted it to us. Sure, the only people who heard from them may have been only grandfather and a few other people, but so what? Would it have been better if they spread the word to the public on arge scale?¡± "¡¡That is" ¡®That''s not it right¡¯, Waltza let go of his hand and sighed. "As you said, there is no doubt that this country will eventually perish. It is no longer an eternal kingdom. ...That itself cannot be changed, but we can make its end gradual and suppress conflicts as much as possible. ...Honestly, I think it would have been better if they had sat quietly on the throne, but it can''t be helped in this way. We just have to do what we have to do, me and you.¡± When he said that much, Waltza scratch his head, stand up, and told Elgainst with his back turned to him. ¡°Do you know why grandfather have the Ramil house gave financial support to the research institute?¡± "¡¡no" "Because Alberinea lightly leaked information about you to the old man that there is a good boy who is quite talented." Elgainst opened his eyes wide. ¡°...Grandfather said that you are a person that Krische-sama has approved of, and he has high hopes for your future. Alberinea also thought she could leave you in charge, so she probably apanied you every time she went to the research institute. ¡Right? ¡± Sighing again, Waltza shook his head. "I don''t want to hear the answer right now. But, Elgainst, who is a recluse, and Elgainst, who lives up to her expectations. You''ll soon find out which one would made Alberinea happy." ¡®Thenter¡¯, Waltza left the room, and Elgainst looked at the door for a while, then looked down. His eyes turned to the magic crystal that was on hisp. ¡°Well then, Nemu-Nemu, live a long life.'' Those were probably words of farewell. What was left behind for Elgainst was the magic crystal. ¨D¨DThere was still something unknown left behind by Alberinea inside it. When he poured magic power into it, it changes shape. He remember the steps. He will not forget. Handle magical power delicately and carefully. As if the puzzle were being rearranged, the beautiful patterns wriggled and changed to be the second and third structure. The mystery of Alberinea, which even now cannot be solved, lies dormant there. He kept making mistakes over and over again. Every time he failed, he goes back to the drawing board and pours his magic into the beautiful engraving. Not think anything. In order not to think about anything, he only focuses on her mystery. He felt like there was a figure of her behind the incredible mystery sealed in this magic crystal. Chapter 270: Moonlight Legacy III Chapter 270: Moonlight Legacy III ***Chapter 270 Moonlight Legacy III*** 15,000 soldiers against 1,000. It was a battle in which the inferior side should have had no chance of victory. Yet, they were terrified of this small force. *"Surrender. I do not favor futile battles."* In the center between armies, walking in midair, was a man. His ck robe fluttered in the wind, bearing the emblem of crescent moon shining on the capital, his long hair and beard swaying. The soundless voice echoed in the minds of all present. It was as if the inside of their head was being stirred, sending a chill down everyone''s spine. Everyone understood who it was, even if they didn''t say his names. The Magic Emperor Elgainst Ramil, leading the all magicians of the continents. ¨D¨DAlso known as Alberinea. "It¡¯s just a bluff! Don''t worry about it, he¡¯s just walking in the sky, they don''t have magic weapons or Jareia Gashea! Archers,e forward!!" The opposing general, Genirua, on the other hand, shouted. He had exerted all his effort to disperse the invading Kleimeer forcesing from the Far East. Elgainst¡¯s right-hand man, Waltza Remin, was far to the south. The enemy was unable to coordinate with their ally, and was isted with only about 1,000 soldiers. However, the number 1,000 was abnormal. Anyone with a rational mind wouldn¡¯t made their main force so small. And instead of fortifying themselves in the rear fortress, they chose to confront on this in. The utmost caution was taken against ambush soldiers. There was nothing in the fort, and there was no enemy in sight for dozens of li around this battlefield. If those thousand were a thousand units of Jarea Gashea, it would be another matter, but they were merely soldiers. There should have been no chance for them to win. But here, Kleinmeer¡¯s leader Elgainst appeared openly. Genirua issued orders to dispel the unease among his troops. Kleinmeer¡¯s threaty in the magical weapons inherited from Alberan. Without those, their conditions wouldn¡¯t differ much. Elgainst¡¯s surroundings were engraved with lightning-like blue form. The unknown that thing the Kleinmeer magicians called magic. But they must end it before it was unleashed. "¨D¨DAdvance! Archers, target that nuisan, guh¨D¨D!" ¨D¨DIn an instant, a blue light connected Elgainst and the general. Anyone near the general would have heard the sound. A sound like that of an egg cracking. The helmet shaped like a leopard fell to the ground, and blood rained from the horseback. The soldiers froze, realizing their highestmanding officer no longer had a head. The man floating in the air waved his arms and drew countless lines in the sky. The technique, which was engraved smoothly yet fast like a lightning, swelled, producing three lights All the man did was point his palms forward, and they fly into the line of battle with unimaginable speed. The sh gouged out the three corpsmanders who were there, along with the terrain, and wiped them out with an explosion. The soldiers, stunned, turned to face theirmander who had disappeared. ¨D¨DOnce again, the soundless voice echoed in their heads. *"I do not favor futile battles. Remove your helmets andy down your swords. You have no chance of winning."* Those who had been frozen in ce looked up at the man floating in the air. One knelt down and put down his sword and helmet, and those around him followed suit. Alberan God of War, unknown to no one on the continent. Her name had faded into the distance, and it should have been lost. However, what was in front of them now was something that called itself Alberinea. The Absolute who they should never cross. A god among men, equal to Dragons. He turned, descending as if walking down stairs towards his subordinates. The mere thousand soldiers raised a loud cheer, chanting only one name to honour their lord, Alberinea. Yet, as the man watched the joy and praise, he neither boasted nor rejoiced in the title. He closed his eyes without saying anything. Inside therge tent used for sleeping. Elgainst was writing on parchment when an old man arrived with the sound of hooves. ¡°Waltza, how¡¯s it going?¡± "It''s going great. We''ll be able to go south as it is, so I''ll leave it to my grandson." His hair, wrinkled and slicked back, was pure white. However, Waltza sat opposite the ageless Elgainst with the same old smile His hair almost touched the ground when seated, and his beard reached his chest. Despite being well over a century old, he showed no signs of aging. His narrow eyes, which made it hard to tell if they were open or closed, the deep wrinkles between his eyebrows, and the length of his hair and beard gave him an older look, but his appearance remained the same. "It seems you''ve done something quite reckless, haven''t you? I''ve brought an army with you, so stay just behind me like an emperor." "It wasn¡¯t reckless, just a performance. The enemy seemed foolish. ¡Freezing up against magician and letting them made a long speech. I wanted to eliminate them before they could prepare countermeasures." For those who didn''t know, the magic engraved in the air was an irrational force. But humans using it weren¡¯t omnipotent. The destructive power was no more than high-powered siege bows, but in terms of overall power, Boumje Ira, which explodes magic crystals, was more powerful. A magician who has learned magic engravings is simply a mobile siege weapon, and is by no means invincible, and was is difficult to urately aim at magic possessors who move around at high speed. There weren¡¯t many magicians who could unterally wipe out magic possessors who took evasive action. ¡®Currently¡¯, even for Elgainst, the highest level magician, in the end was still fall within the realm of human. If those 15,000 had juste desperately towards them, Elgainst would have died too. However, people are afraid of the unknown. A single individual, unfazed, removed the general''s head from the battle line and disyed it. The blow to morale caused by such a performance was tremendous. A battle was not about reducing numbers, but about demoralizing each other. If the will to fight is broken, no matter howrge the army, only one head needs to be taken. "That''s why I released the prisoners, and they''ll probably make a fuss over there if they think I''m scary...Let''s keep going without stopping the momentum. While the smokescreen, that is magic engraving is in effect, the battle would be one-sided.¡± ¡°Indeed. They now believe Alberinea is still here.¡± Elgainst reacted to those words and red at Waltza. ¡°¡ I am still not convinced. I will never be convinced.¡± ¡°Just ept it. You are Alberinea. Make the people understand that. ¡Whether you ept it or not, I¡¯m a soldier and I will demand what¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°The name Alberinea is not one that people can use lightly.¡± "That Alberinea threw everything away and left it to us. I''m sure she won''t have anyints." The old man said, ¡®Get used to it¡¯ exasperatedly, and folded his arms. ¡°Thanks to that name, many people have followed us...Aside from you, all the young people are thinking of you as Alberinea''s sessor, with a glittering eyes. Such support is essential for the peace you speak of. A country cannot exist without symbols.¡± "...I don''t want to understand." "...That part of you hasn''t changed since you were a kid, Elgainst. Look, aside from you, I''m an old man who even has a great-grandchild. How old do you think I am?" Waltza gestured to his wrinkled face with his finger. "You invited me, Elgainst. In return, you will abide by the conditions I give you. That''s what we agreed upon." "...Coward." "Soldiers seek results. Unfortunately, unlike you, I can only see what''s in the immediate future." Standing up, Waltza stretched his back. ¡°I¡¯m old. Long journeys are tough. ¡Let¡¯s finish this quickly so I can rest. Once this war is over, there¡¯ll be peace for a while.¡± ¡°¡Right.¡± ¡®I''m going to sleep, said Waltza, and left the tent just as he had arrived. Elgainst watched him go, then looked at the pendant around his neck¨D¨D¡®Frying Pan¡¯. "...peace, huh?" The unchanged engraving still shone as it did in his childhood, despite the passing decades. "...After that, what on earth should I do...Alberinea?" Elgainst just looked at it and muttered. No one could hear that voice. ¨D¨D It was thirty years after she disappeared that he unraveled that magic crystal. After listening to Waltza''s words, he did the bare minimum and became the director of the Magic Research Institute, and from then on, he continued to face the magic crystal that she had left behind every day. At first, he worked alone, not seeking help It was not work but Elgainst¡¯s own issue. While doing his job as director, Elgainst spent his free time doing this, but without realizing it, the magicians who finished their work began to visit Elgainst. Though he refused, saying he wouldn¡¯t pay, they insisted on helping, eventually joining the work energetically as if it were their own. Elgainst realized that Alberinea was also an irreceable presence for them. Like him, they deeply mourned her absence. It was not a job. However, it wasn''t just Elgainst''s problem. After he realized this, he started spending more time talking with them. Previously, he thought he couldn¡¯t rte to them. There was no one who could answer Elgainst''s questions, and they were walking far behind Elgainst. But he was no different from them. Just as Elgainst was trying to understand Alberinea, they were also trying to understand Alberinea and Elgainst. When he realized this, he pondered just what everything he felt could be expressed as. Then Elgainst learned to look back and decided to lecture them step by step, as one would do to a child. Just like Alberinea did for him. Little by little, they were able to understand Elgainst''s words, and they began to give useful opinions on the elucidation of the magic crystal. In particr, the Magic Analysis Machine would not exist without them. When he once again thought about what the difference between Alberinea and himself was. Everyone believed that there was purely a huge gap in pure thinking ability, and one of them suddenly said that they wished there was a way to get even just a little bit closer to it. For Elgainst, these words were like a revtion. Elgainst saw Alberinea as someone he could never reach or catch up with. Eternally iprehensible figure, like the moon. However, that was for individually. If alone was not enough he could use all avable technology to supplement their cognitive abilities. Applying Jarea Gashea''s signal processing, they incorporate a form that would do calction processing for them. Combining multiple high-purity magic crystals in parallel to increase processing power and analyze the magic crystals she left behind. After 10 years of research, from production to analysis, it came to the conclusion that it was impossible. The analyzer said that it was a puzzle that theoretically could never be solved. Everyone was disappointed, but Elgainst was different. The magic analyzer clearly taught them the fact that it would never be possible to solve the problem with conventional, existing means. Alberinea''s magic crystal was ced on a pedestal, and there were dozens of magic analyzers surrounding it. The magicians looked down, and only Elgainst approached the pedestal. "...Is that what she meant?" ¡°Director...?¡± What Elgainst remembered was what he saw that day. The form was engraved into the space around him, dancing, and he felt as if he was trapped inside the magic crystal. ¡°A long time ago, Alberinea said that it was easy once you understood it.¡Maybe that¡¯s what she meant.¡± Crushing one magic crystal and turn it into magical power. Then, he grasped that magic power and engraved the form inside it. ¡°¡That¡¯s¡± "It¡¯s what she showed me that day when Alberinea departed. ...I did thought maybe, but¡by grasping the dense magical power and engrave the form inside it, the magic would be just as effective as engraving it on a magic crystal.'''' It''s a shift in thinking, Elgainst says. Alberinea filled the world with magic power through Heavenly Pole. He finally understood the reason. It''s easy once you understand¨D¨DElgainst knew that. He was being taught. That was definitely not something that Alberinea could have done. In the first ce, Alberinea and the others could use magic without using magic crystals. The way they fought in the sky, and the form he saw that day, wouldn''t work if it wasn''t for that. Why didn''t he notice¨D¨DIt was because he didn''t try to remember. About that day when he thought he had been abandoned. But, no. Alberinea had not abandoned him. Thirty years ago, she illuminated his next path. "...This magic crystal rejects all interference. No new spells can be carved into it. However, the spell can be carved on the outside." What is in front of him was a magic crystal that can never be solved. In the first ce, it''s a magic crystal that didn¡¯t even need to be solved. After assembling a form to disassemble magic power, the magic crystal was gradually disassembled from the outside. The magic crystal melted into magic power, bes smaller, and the endless puzzles that troubled Elgainst and the others disappear. Leaving only the central part, in front of Elgainst. It was not that Elgainst stopped it there. The moment it touched there, the magic crystal stopped Elgainst''s form. His hands were shaking. When he reached out to the magic crystal and poured magical power into it, which no longer had any barriers¨D¨Dit shone brightly and copsed, creating a blue mist and forming an image. "Alberinea..." The mages stiffened, and so did Elgainst. ¡°Selene, ready? Hmm...watching this mean you unlocked the magic crystal Krische left behind.'''' The beautiful Alberinea smiled, her voice as sweet as ever. *¡°Krische made it so that it would be easy to solve by engraving the form with fuyo-fuyo, but it''s quite. Krische made Jagashanka so you can''t solve it properly, so please give up.¡±* As if looking at Elgainst, and yet not. He understood it was a message. *¡°¨D¨DMagic should not be used for evil, but for peace.¡±* She raised a finger sternly, repeating ¡®don¡¯t use it for evil¡¯. It was a nostalgic sight of her acting like an older sister in her young form. "...Ah, it might be unlikely but, if Krische is still nearby, then call Krische toe and Krische''ll praise you directly." Alberinea said, waving her hand. That was the end of the message. The image fades, and Elgainst stretches out his hand, but it flies through the air without touching anything. No one said a word, confused by the ending, which seemed too simple considering decades of hard work hade to fruition. Everyone looked at each other, wondering if just one word was the end, and Elgainst looked at his hands that hadn''t touched anything, and then looked back at them. "¡¡thank you" And then he just bowed his head. "Director..." ¡°...It may have been a disappointing result for you guys, but in the first ce, this is definitely what it was meant to be. ...This was created in order to give us magic¨D¨Dmagic.¡± He continued, ¡®saying it couldn''t have been done without all of you¡¯. "...I probably wouldn''t have noticed it on my own. I was able to notice it because I created the Magic Analyzer together with all of you. I knew the answer thirty years ago, but I took a long detour.'''' He said as if he wasughing at myself, and then ¡®aah¡¯ he realized. ¡®...What do you think Her Majesty and Alberinea were trying to make peace for? It was for the people to live happily right.¡¯ ¡®The most important thing is to do your best for someone''s little happiness.¡¯ When he thought back, it was always only about himself. Even though he was being taught something more important, it seemed like he understood it, but he didn''t. Seventeen magicians in front of Elgainst. Those who have devoted much of their lives to supporting Elgainst for years and decades. Even those who fell down along the way entrusted their wishes, leading them to this ce. Hearing such a message here was perhaps the greatest happiness. ¡°...Alberinea gave us magicians a ce to live and happiness. We have received enough. That is why we will give the happiness we have received to the people.''¡± As his grandfather said, ¡®...First of all, understand that magic is a tool for that purpose.¡¯ That''s the beauty of magic. "...Magic is a tool, a means to make people happy. The technology we mentioned earlier, which was named magic, is the same thing. I want all of you who are here to understand that first." A form that could be engraved into space. The restrictions of the magic crystal that existed until now no longer exist. With the immense magic power of the Heavenly Pole, the possibilities were endless. "Magic is a great power that should be for the people, not for ourselves. ...And Alberinea was probably entrusting it to us to the future, believing that we would use it that way." The power of magic was for peace. That was the only point she wanted to get across. "Her Majesty and Alberinea are gone¨D¨Deventually, this country, which has lost its guideposts, will follow the path of destruction. War may once again strike the world." And they were given the tools to do so. There was only one thing to do. "To leave this peaceful world...the legacy illuminated by moonlight in a good form for future generations. I will continue to work hard to achieve that goal." If that was Alberinea''s wish, there was no need to think about it. "Thank you for following me up until now. ...And once again, I would like to ask for your cooperation if you here, received the same message." ¨D¨DI need you, he continued. He would never be able to do it alone. Just as Alberinea had built rtionships with many heroes, Elgainst also needed allies. "...No need for that after all this time, Director. You have shown us many paths. ...and in the future too. We will only move forward, aiming for you as thr guidepost." One person stepped forward and ced a hand on Elgainst''s shoulder, who had bowed his head. "You are Alberinea, and we, ...Nothing has changed and we will follow you as always." When he looked up, the magicians smiled and nodded, saying the same thing. Dumbfounded, he covered his eyes with his hand to suppress rising emotions. "...Thank you. I''m proud to have solved Alberinea''s crystal with all of you." "We are proud to be with a magician like you." ¡®But it''s good¡¯, he continued. "The world created by Her Majesty and Alberinea¨D¨Dthe one that protects the legacy of moonlight. ¡ calling it as is in the oldnguage, Kleinmeer, how¡¯s that?" "... Kleinmeer" ¡°From now on, this name will represent our unity, Director.¡± ¨D¨DThen, Elgainst secretly took control of magic weapons and prepared for theing day. He made n with Waltza, and it was in the 123rd year of Unification that he took advantage of the times and started. It was about eighty years after Alberinea departed. Elgainst continued to be the leader they needed. He called himself Alberinea, and told the people that he is her rightful sessor, and spoke to his followers. For the people, for Alberinea. Aside from the shameless act of iming Alberinea''s name, moving for the mission was fulfilling. It was along the shining path Alberinea had shown. After conquering the eastern continent, peace would return. Alberan ended, and Kleinmeer began. After the reign of the Children of God, those who protected their legacy. Due to the concerns of the people and his own thoughts, Elgainst did his best to not change the state of the country from the Alberan era. The royal council quickly stabilized, and so did local politics. Just like Alberinea, Her Majesty the Queen was a great monarch worthy of being called Child of God. The system she created was so perfect that even without the presence of a king, the country could be managed without any problems, and remained stable for half a century. Elgainst decided to use himself as a symbol, and as per the previous rules, the main body of politics was the parliament. Gradually, the people epted Elgainst, the country became stable, and the chaotic public order soon calmed down. The feeling of being trapped, as if his neck was being strangled with cotton wool, turned from a premonition to certainty. Kleinmeer inherited Alberan, a nation that waspleted in the first ce. Using the power of magic given to him by Alberinea, he reunited the continent in a short period of time. ¨D¨DThe world was at peace. Then, what should he do next? The more he thought about it, the more he felt like everything in front of him was going dark, and he felt like he was having trouble breathing. As if to escape from that, Elgainst resumed his research alongside his political duties. It wasn''t supposed to be a bad day. On the contrary, from the magicians'' point of view, Elgainst was spending his time in a ce that could be called paradise. Abundant funds, Heavenly Pole ¨D¨Denormous magical power given by the World Tree. Now that he had the revolutionary power of magic, he could uncover many unknowns and reach out to everything that was previously beyond hisprehension. There was an unknown in front of Elgainst that could not be solved even if it took a lifetime. People praise Elgainst. Revering him as both emperor and Alberinea. What Elgainst had gained could be described as everything in this world. Even so, what Elgainst felt was a sense of confinement. On days that should be filled with happiness, he felt empty and at a loss. The joy of knowingforted Elgainst for a moment, but it soon faded into nothingness. ¡°¡To learn, to uncover, and then what?¡± He sat on the branch of the World Tree and looked down. The white city of moonlight came into his eyes, and he looked at it and touched the branch on which he was sitting. It''s fun to know things he didn¡¯t know. He knew the joy it brought, and he hadn¡¯t lost it. Many of the magicians simply spent their days smiling and enjoying the joy of seeking knowledge. When Elgainst devised new magic, they rejoiced. When he taught them something simple, they looked at him with admiration. He understood their feelings and found them endearing. Once, he too was like them, one of them. Alberinea was the unknown¨D¨Da great pioneer and an eternal goal. Something that he tried to understand but couldn¡¯t fully understand. There was nothing more gratifying than such an existence for those who seek it, and the infinite unknown that was now in front of Elgainst was probably equivalent to that. In a sense, the quest for knowledge was equivalent to a meal for a magician. The finest dishes were lined up in front of them. No matter how much they ate, they were still hungry, and the options for cooking were endless. He was given a fork and a knife, and a te was ced in front of him ¨D¨D but for some reason, his hands stopped. Though he knew the food was delicious and satisfying, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to reach for it. With a gesture, he engraved a form. The magic transformed and created a likeness. The figure of a girl appeared, unchanged, smiling kindly at Elgainst. "...I have unlocked your magic crystal. The world will remain peaceful, just as you wished." The girl just smiled. ¡°I have be much better at magic since then.¡± There was no response. The image dissipated, and tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked down. A small drop of rain fell from the height of the World Tree onto the city below. No one noticed the rain falling from the cloudless night sky. Chapter 271: Moonlit Legacy - The End Chapter 271: Moonlit Legacy - The End ***Chapter 271 Moonlight Legacy - The End*** There was a ce attached to the side of the mansion called Selene''s workshop. Numerous swords, knives, and kitchen knives wereid out, and Selene, wiping her sweat with a hand towel, proudly showed her work to Krische. In Krische¡¯s hand was a slender long kitchen knife¨D¨Da fish knife used in an ind nation to the east of the continent. It has a single edge rather than a double edge, and is apparently used for cutting raw fish. "Fufun, how is it? This time it''s pretty good." "W-well...the shape looks pretty good." Krische handed it to Bery, who was also looking at it. Bery brought it close to her face, scrutinizing the de and holding it up to the light. She squinted for a moment but soon smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s usable. It¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°You seem to have someints,¡± "Um, no..." "Tell me the truth." ¡°It¡¯s not really aint, but¡¡± Bery looked at Krische and smiled bitterly, looking a little troubled. ¡°It... just can¡¯t be considered a top quality knife. The surface is a bit rough.¡± "Huh...?" Bery showed the side without the de and pointed with her finger. On closer inspection, the very fine particles were uneven. Likely from correcting some slight distortions. Noticing this, Selene frowned and red at Bery, who held the knife with a smile. "Of course, it''s not a bad knife. There won¡¯t be any problems when using¨D¨D" "...rejected" ¡°Uum...¡± "That one¡¯s no good. I''ll remake it." Selene snatched the knife from Bery''s hand and ced it on the workbench,paring it with the purchased reference knife. "O-Ojou-sama... I think it¡¯s more than sufficient...¡± "Don¡¯t say anything more. I want to make a perfect knife that you won¡¯t be able toin about. ¡®It''s a handmade knife made by Ojou-sama¡¯, I don''t want you to just use it only because of that reason." "Haa..." ¡°We have way more than enough time. I will make the perfect knife, until then. You should also look at it like you were paying a high price to choose your own knife. Understand?'''' "¡¡yes" Beryughed troublingly, and Krische groaned a little. Aftering here, Selene seemed to be addicted to making things, and she made various tools such as swords, spears, chests of drawers, huts, and fishing tools. Recently, they had seen a knife on a trip and thought it looked good, so she bought it. However, Selene decided to confiscate it as a reference, saying ¡®I will make it¡¯. The knife ended up being imprisoned in Selene''s Prison.¡¯. In port cities and ind countries, there were many dishes that used raw fish, and it was five years ago that they talked about trying to make dishes using raw fish by themself. Before they knew it, a tacit understanding had been reached that cooking with raw fish had to be done with the knife that Selene made, and in the end, Krische ended up experiencing a mysterious ¡®wait¡¯ order. How many years would it take to clear Bery''s standards? Just imagining it was overwhelming. Selene was meticulous but she.also has a haphazard and clumsy temperament. She could make passable items, but Krische couldn''t imagine Selene perfectly crafting such a delicate knife. "Ah, uh... Selene, today let¡¯s try out that knife..." "No. I can''t let you use something like this." "K-Krische-sama... Shall we grill that fish? Look, it''s covered in oil, so it will be delicious even when grilled." "yes¡¡" Selene saidst night that this time was perfect, so today they bought some good fish in the port city, but¨D¨Dher fears were correct. Over the course of a year, she went from 60 points to 65 points. Bery''s standard for a ¡®good knife¡¯ is 90 points. It seemed like it would take decades before they could eat raw fish in this mansion. Selene Christand was the kind of person who would take on more jobs when there was no work. It was as if she could only survive if there was work for her. In the end, Krische once again realized that the assessment that Selene likes troublesome things was correct. "Bery, I''ll be back at the mansion in the evening." "Understood. ...Krische-sama, shall we go and wake up Kreschenta-sama?" "...Yes. Sashimi..." Krische let out a small whimper, then suddenly looked up, her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°¡Krische-sama?¡± "Someonee." ¡°Come...to this world?" "Yes. Please wait a moment." After saying that Krische trotted out. ¡®Krische will be out for a minute¡¯, and she opened the door and went out. ¡°¡Oh, you were there, Elgainst?¡± "Yeah, how are you feeling?" ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡± The old man lying in bed opened his eyes and smiled. When magic possessors lose their ability to control magic, their health declines rapidly. Waltza was nearing the end of his lifespan. One hundred and thirty years old¨D¨Dhe had lived a fairly long life even for a magic possessor, simr to his grandfather. Supporting his body, Elgainst poured him some tea. Since copsing a few days ago, Waltza had been bedridden. Though his health was deteriorating day by day, he remained the same as before. He remained cheerful, reminiscing about the past with a smile. Elgainst listened with a wry smile. Elgainst went along with him with a wry smile. When he realized that his friend¡¯s time was limited, even trivial and silly conversations became precious. The seemingly fleeting time held countless memories, making Elgainst understand that he too had aged. ¡°You never seem to age, Elgainst.¡± "...Not really. I''m starting to get old, albeit a little. I''ll probably die in a few decades." ¡°Even if you age, you won¡¯t look different. You¡¯ve always looked like a corpse.¡± ¡°You...¡± Waltzaughed but then started coughing, prompting Elgainst to quickly pat his back. He thenid him back on the bed. ¡°...My bad, Elgainst.¡± ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡± ¡°For putting you in a difficult position. Though you were suitable, it wasn¡¯t something I should force you to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things that don¡¯t suit you. We did what was necessary, both of us.¡± ¡®Right¡¯ Elgainstughed. "But I don''t think you''re really convinced. I said some really cruel things." "You worked more than hard enough in exchange. ...In the first ce, this is also my wish. It is my wish entrusted by Alberinea." "What do you think?" Waltza said,ughing and coughing again. "You''re a hopeless, gloomy, recluse and stubborn person. There''s no way you would be interested in bing emperor and ruling the country. ...You like to say things that sound good, but in the end, all of it is just you parroting someone else words.'''' "what¡?" "...What is your own wish, Elgainst. This peace is something you dedicated to Alberinea, right?¡± Elgainst fell silent and then looked down. ¡°You did an excellent job. Kleinmeer is stable. In this peaceful world, what do you want to do now?¡± ¡®It''s your life¡¯, Waltza continued. "As you can see, I''ve had a fairly enjoyable life, but...I suddenly thought about it. I wonder what it will be like when you die someday. ...The only thing I regret is seeing your end as you kill yourself to rule as the emperor of a peaceful world." Then he looked at Elgainst. "...Recently, your already gloomy face has be even more gloomy. I''m sure you won''t dieughing like me if you keep going like this." "...I don''t mind that¨D¨D" "I''m saying, I don''t like it, Elgainst. I don¡¯t want my life to be stained by the thought that I achieved peace at the expense of my friend¡¯s life.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re really selfish.¡± Despite saying this, Elgainst found himself smiling and closed his eyes. ¡°A dying friend¡¯sst request should be allowed, even if it¡¯s a bit selfish.¡± "That argument is cowardly. It''s much better to die first." "Well, try living your life a little more rxedly, Elgainst. You''ve done your job well enough. You deserve at least one reward. ...Even if you do as you please, there is no one who will me you.'''' ¡®Is that really so?¡¯ Elgainst murmured, to which Waltz replied with a strong affirmation. "...What is your wish, Elgainst?" Elgainst closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. "...It''s a wish that won''te true." "Say it. We''ve had a rotten rtionship since we were a kid, and what''s more, I¡¯m someone who could die tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. What should you be ashamed of?" Waltza said and looked at the ceiling as if waiting for him to say something. Elgainst looked at his face for a while, thinking. He paused for a while before speaking. When Waltza heard his wish, heughed happily and asked, ¡®Are you a kid?¡¯ and, ¡°And it¡¯s just like you, to wish for that¡± ¡®¨D¨DI''m sure you can do it, Elgainst.¡¯ Waltza said without any basis. Elgainst had no idea where Alberinea had disappeared. He used his free time not to do research but to conduct interviews. Visiting nobles like Argand and Verreich, who were close to her, or the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of members of the ck g Special Forces, he gathered information in person, hiding his identity. Some had met her and spoken with her directly, but no one knew why she had disappeared. He walked around Albeneria with his own feet, then arrived at the ck g Swordsmanship Instruction Center where former members of the ck g Special Forces Squadron taught swordsmanship. From there, he was introduced to a restaurant called ¡®Crescent Moon of Dawn¡¯. It was closing time, but as soon as he handed me a silver coin, the man who owned the storeughed and opened his mouth while pouring me a drink at the counter, saying that he had no choice. "My great-grandfather lived a long life, his name was Koza... He was also an archermander in the ck g Special Force. So, after the Unification War ended..." The man started with a brief history of the shop. He exins that the store was started by Koza and Beltz, members of the ck g Special Forces Company, and said that Alberinea was also a frequent visitor at the time. Elgainst had researched everything he could find in records and books. Of course he knew that name too. Both of them were members of the ck Century, led by Alberinea in its early days, the predecessor of ck g Special Forces. It would be surprising that a great noble would visit a restaurant, but if it was Alberinea, then it was no surprise. He didn''t think it was particrly strange. Apparently, even Her Majesty the Queen came to eat incognito. "You''re a magician, aren''t you? You might know something about it, but themotion back then was so great that my grandfather and father rushed to see my great-grandfather. As I said, Alberinea and the Christand house favored him, so they thought my great-grandfather might know something about it.'''' The shopkeeper pointed upwards with his finger. "The sky was bright as midday, tower reaching the clouds turned into a giant tree with rainbow-colored petals falling everywhere. It was a hugemotion... But I heard that my great-grandfather justughed joyfully, not surprised at all. He said, ''It would be nice if they would stille to the shop even a hundred years from now¡¯." Then the shopkeeper wet his tongue with the liquor. "My great-grandfather was old, and my grandfather and father thought he was senile... Well, that''s the end of that story, but there''s something a bit strange." "Something strange?" "Well, this ce doesn''t get many female customers. Lovers, maybe, but not groups of women." ¡®Crescent Moon of Dawn¡¯ was an inn with meals formon people located in the castle town. They serve alcohol, and the customer base was mostly guards and caravan guards, so it was not that ssy. As expected of a store that was allowed to use the simplified Christand crest. The food was certainly delicious, but it was not a restaurant that was easy for women to enter. "But after thest war settled, the waiters said a group of women, apanied by several servants, came here. They were clearly nobles. Normally, I''d greet such guests, but I was too busy, so we just served the food... Later, when I asked the waiters, no one could remember what they looked like.¡± "¡That¡¯s" "It was quite strange, I thought. But then I suddenly remembered what my parents had said, and I thought, oh, maybe it was Alberinea¡¯s party¡ Well, it''s just a silly story." The man took the silver coin that Elgainst had given him, looked at it, and said. "...It''s not like we sell expensive food. We have cheap alcohol and good ingredients, but it''s not a luxury item. Unless you''re from a veryrge household, there aren''t many people who pay for their meals in silver coins, but...that day, silver coins were mixed in with the sales. The customer said they didn''t need any change and that it was as delicious as ever, then they left.'''' ¡®It¡¯s quite curious right?¡¯ The manughed and took a swig. "I¡¯ve never had such a guest, as far as I know. So, I just assumed it was Alberinea who had visited... Well, sorry, even though you gave me a silver coin, but that''s all I can tell you.¡± "...No. Thank you. I got what I wanted." That was the trigger. ¡®Alberinea had gone far away¡¯¨D¨DThat was what Elgainst thought, but had she really? Alberinea had no need to go far. Perhaps she had just left society to live a peaceful life, free from any constraints. "¨D¨DThe Holy Spirit is no longer here." " no longer here¡¡?" "I don''t know the reason. ... It was a long time ago, around the year when Queen Alberan''s absence was reported. Since then, no one has seen the Holy Spirit." These were the words he was told when he visited Kreisharana himself for diplomatic purposes and asked for an audience with the dragon. `¡±..As you said, I heard that Alberinea was allowed Yagernaus-sama¡¯s Mana (true name), and that Yagernaus-sama was also close friends with Her Majesty Queen Alberan. If we were granted an audience, we might have been able to hear something from Yagernaus-sama, but... we haven''t even seen Yagernaus-sama for many years. It would be better to give up.¡± "¡I see " "I''m telling this to you not because you are the Emperor of Kleinmeer, but because I trust you as an individual. Please, do not speak of this to anyone." Elgainst nodded and asked, ¡°There¡¯s really no reason or any clue?¡± "...It is impossible for someone like me to guess the will of the Holy Spirit. However, Elgainst-dono do you know of the Holy Spirit Priestess of Kreisharana?" Thest Holy Spirit Priestess, Lira Sharana. She lived in the Forbidden Realm until her death in the middle of the Unification Era. She made herself thest Holy Spirit Priestess, and it was said that she was on a journey to serve the Holy Spirit forever in the future. Why did she end the Holy Spirit Priestess that hadsted for hundreds of years? It was spected that there might be a reason the Holy Spirit disappeared a few decades after her death. The real reason was not told to him, and he only heard that she had dedicated herself to the Holy Spirit, but he was told the following. "Once, when Yagernaus-sama was still around, a child wandered deep into the forest. The child imed to have been helped and guided by a beautiful woman... Perhaps the Holy Spirit and the Priestess are still watching over us from somewhere." As far as legends and traditions go, it was quite recent. Elgainst was now convinced. Elgainst also knew form rted to spatial teleportation. The instation form¨D¨Dfrom Elgainst''s point of view, it was a low-quality form that had not yet been streamlined, but there was no theoretical error. The question still remained about the forms surrounding Elginest that day. ¨D¨DAlberinea''s engraved form that seems to cover the whole world. That was clearly different from things like spatial teleportation. If that were the case, there would be no reason to engrave forms over such a wide area. It could be done on a smaller scale. At the very least, Alberinea was a person who avoided any waste when it came to engraving forms. Could Alberinea still be in this world? It was mere spection, but strangely, it seemed usible. Regardless of the principle of that tower, it was definitely meant to fill the world with magic power. It was preparedter for the sake of ¡®casting magic on the world itself¡¯. It was an absurd story. There were logical leaps. However, Elgainst, who viewed Alberinea as the truth and equal to God, was convinced. A child-like innocence that never change. The descendant of an eternally young god. If it''s Alberinea, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all. To rewrite the world itself for one''s own desires. ¡®¨D¨DKrische wants to meet her soon¡¯, Elgainst recalled her smiling face as she talked about her servant. What she desires was surely an eternal paradise that continues even after death. It was no coincidence that it happened right after Selene Christand passed away. That''s what it was, he repeated. He trembled when he realized. Or perhaps he had lost his mind. Elgainst¡¯s behavior was something that could be called madness. To determine the destination with impulsive reasoning. Still, Elgainst decided to move forward. What is time, he wondered. It seemed like an endless stretch of time, or perhaps it felt short, seeming like a living creature that changes its length each time. For an ordinary human life, perhaps three or four times. Even for a magic possessor¡¯s life, maybe twice. Even after spending that much time, he still found it mysterious. There were those who looked at Elgainst, who became emperor without indulging in luxury and continued his research diligently for decades, with a strange look. Some revered him as a magician among magicians who never lost his inquisitive spirit. Perhaps they were spending and experiencing a lot more time than Elgainst. For Elgainst, the decades since he became emperor¨D¨Dsince he pursued Alberinea, passed in the blink of an eye. It was strange, even though they spend the same amount of time. Before he knew it, Elgainst had aged, and even Waltza''s great-grandchild already had a grandchild. Considering the time of his 200 years of life, the time he spent with Alberinea was a very small amount of time. Once every few months, just for a short amount of time. The total amount of time he met her face to face was less than a day. Even if he considers the thirty years she was there, it was just a fraction of two hundred years. Yet, that little time felt like an immense amount of time, and had even felt like it had been the majority of his life. Why was he so obsessed with her? That was what he thought every time he questioned himself. Perhaps the truth was not about the physical length, but the perceived time. Alberinea was still at the center of Elgainst''s life. He attempted to learn about space and tried to epass everything that made up the world. He tried to understand everything that made up matter and space, and yet the answers he got were just numerous variations of ¡®this is not it¡¯. The gap between Elgainst and her was probably not physical distance. His body aged day by day, yet there remains one unknown that he couldn¡¯t unravel. Even his ability to manipte magic power was starting to wane, and half-given up, he murmured, ¡®This is not it¡¯. Something that was close and something that was not close. Something that was said to exist in humans, but could never be seen. Elgainst thought that it must be something like that. The ce she was in was surely an eternal paradise that would continue even after death. Like a blind and ignorant crowd, like those who offer prayers to the formless. Elgainst, who tried to solve the unknown using the theories he had umted, decided to entrust his life to the mystery at the end of his life. He gives away the countless piles of personal books he has written, or burns them to get rid of them. Everything that Elgainst had umted disappeared in the blink of an eye, and all thates to mind was something that exists after death and abandoning the body. He decided to bet everything on it and wore nothing but his robe and a single ¡®Frying Pan¡¯. She was a perfect magician and a great teacher. She does not create something that could be found by piling up theories, something that others could solve. The magic crystal that was given to him for study brought him this realization. She gave him a way to find answers by changing his perspective. Therefore, he discarded it, everything that was based on reason and logic. Thinking of the magic he engraved on the world and he closed his eyes. ¡®¨D¨DYou can do it, Elgainst.¡¯ The magic crystals ced around him began to shine, disintegrating his body. What he felt was a moment of pain. He simply visualized her figure, burned the pain with the power of his will, enduring it, gritting his teeth. And then¨D¨D A pleasant breeze caressed his body. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a brilliant sky. He tried to lift himself up, but the feeling in his limbs was uncertain. Even the robe he wore seemed to blur and shake. ¨D¨DIt just felt pleasant. The smell of flowers tickling his nose. Warm sunlight and cool breeze. It felt like every part of his body was melting, being drawn somewhere, yet there was no pain or fear. He felt no anxiety at all about surrendering himself to it, and even thought it was okay. The only reason he didn''t was because he saw a figure in the sky. A figure with wings, soaring, like dancing in the breeze, flying down. ck and white apron dress, silver hair sparkling in the sun. ¨D¨DPurple, jewel-like eyes. The girlnded beside him, looking curious as she gazed at him, waving her hand in front of Elgainst¡¯s eyes. "Um... Are you alive?" Despite having his eyes open, she didn''t seem to notice that. She poked his cheek with her fingertip, and suddenly something seemed to well up in his eyes, and he forced himself to smile. "Yes...Alberinea" Alberinea tilted her head at his voice, gazing at Elgainst¡¯s thoughtfully for a while. Then, she suddenly looked at Elgainst''s chest and seemed to notice the magic crystal ¡®Frying Pan¡¯. "Ooh¡¡" She pped her hand. "I thought you were someone else. It''s been a while, Nemu-Nemu."." She said to Elgainst with a smile on her face. How should he express it? Inside Elgainst, emotions that couldn¡¯t even be described were overflowing. Been a while¨D¨Dgiven the time that was probably true. One hundred and fifty years have passed. But Alberinea remained as she was in his memory, as if they had met just the other day. ¡°...I see you remember.¡± "Ehehe, of course, Krische remembered. ...But more importantly, is Nemu-Nemu okay? Nemu-Nemu seems like about to die." Reminded of his body when asked, he slightly turned his gaze down. It felt like her body was copsing, but the strangely pleasant feeling hadn''t gone away. He must be on the cusp of life and death right now. And that was why he reached here. "Please wait a moment, Krische will fix Nemu-Nemu¡¯s body¨D¨D?" Touching the hand extended towards him, ¡®It''s fine¡¯, Elgainst said with a smile. "...I just wanted to see Alberinea for thest time." Anything more than that was too much. It''s not like he had solved the magic that Alberinea casted on the world. This was the time he was given because he had entrusted everything to something that could be called heaven. It would be greedy to expect too much from something that was given to him through a prayer that relied on God. He was here because he epted the unknown as unknown. Alberinea thought for a moment, traced her lips with her fingertips, and groaned. After a while, she sat down next to him. "It''s a beautiful view... have you been here since then?" Elgainst smiled, looking up at the sky with eyes that seemed as if asleep, and looking at the trees. Perhaps because this world was filled with abundant magic it seemed to shine brightly. In any case, strangely enough, his academic doubts quickly disappeared. He smiled, simply admiring the beauty. ¨D¨DThis world filled with mysteries must surely exist for her. "Yes. We all moved in together. Krische heard that Nemu-Nemu founded a country called Kleinmeer and became the emperor...Ehehe, Krische heard that Nemu-Nemu is the second Alberinea." Alberinea said as if a matter of course, and Elgainst felt his cheeks burn and shook his head. Will she know the path Elgainst had taken. Perhaps she had no interest in him at all. Or maybe she didn''t even remember him. He had thought so, and was ashamed of himself. "...How embarrassing. Please forgive me." "It''s fine, Krische doesn''t really care about names like that, so Nemu-Nemu doesn''t have to worry about it. Kreschenta made up that name at random...Krische just used it because it was a good way to name Krische." ¡®Krische doesn''t use it anymore¡¯, Alberinea said casually. ¡®Alberinea is still the same¡¯, Elgainst said with a smile. "...Hmm, well, it''s true that Cliche hasn''t grown taller or aged, but..." ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean but¡fufu, it¡¯s that part of you.¡± "...? Um...?" Alberinea twisted her head in puzzlement, and Elgainst shrugged in response. She was exactly as he knew her, unchanged from what he remembered of her. It''s been nearly 200 years since he first met her, and she was still the same as she was then. The Alberinea that Elgainst had always imagined in his head was, after all, Alberinea. A symbol of the unknown that could not be unraveled. But Elgainst knew her well. ¡®Well, whatever¡¯ Alberinea said resignedly, pinching Elgainst''s beard with her fingers. "Nemu-Nemu has changed a lot. Not just the hair, but also growing a beard like this... Is it a rule for men to grow a beard?" "That''s... well, I guess it''s like making a wish." ¡°¡You say things like Bery.¡± She indicated how much smaller he used to be with her hands, saying ¡®even though Nemu-Nemu was so small¡¯. Heughed even more when he recalled just from how far back that was. Alberinea, who spoke as if it were yesterday, was still Alberinea. "Still, Krische¡¯s a little surprised. Normally, even dead people can''te in here, but..." "...I''ve been wanting to meet you for a long time." ¡°Meeting Krische?¡± "yes" Krische tilted her head curiously. "Hmm...I wonder if the influence of that kind of will is holding the soul." "soul¡¡" ¡°Nemu-Nemu is almost fully in soul state right now.¡± Then she held up her finger like in the old times. Even though she was a great noble, even though she was the sister of the Queen, she was like a vige girl. Her tone was that of an older sister next door, and yet she was unashamedly dignified. That was probably why so many people admired her. ¡°...Normally, when that happens, you travel to a ce called the Origin, which is like a huge mass of magical power, and you dissolve there and are reborn.¡± After saying that, she said that ¡®Krische also doesn¡¯t really understand¡¯. ¡°Even Alberinea doesn¡¯t understand?¡± "Hmm...or rather, Krische hasn''t looked into it. Krische thought about looking into it once, but Bery said it would be more fun if we didn''t know, because then we could imagine all kinds of things." Elgainst''s narrow eyes widened slightly. Then heughed and closed his eyes. "...That''s a wonderful way of thinking. Indeed, the joy of knowing isn''t everything." "Ehehe, Bery said the same thing." Elgainst smiles bitterly. ¡°Though I only understood it a moment ago¡¡± It seemed he took quite a detour. However that detour led Elgainst here and gave him the answer. Alberinea looked exactly as he remembered, with the smile he knew. There was not a single unknown, or perhaps everything was unknown. She was like the moon floating in the night sky. If he had been in the void, he surely would have been at a loss. But because there wasnd, because there were trees, because there were mountains, because there were clouds, only then could he find his ce, only then could he know the height of the sky¨D¨Dand she was the guidepost. Clear and visible, yet in a ce out of reach, but always there, shining and illuminating him. There was no point in unraveling that. He didn''t even think about trying to unravel it. "...Humans are creatures who can be happy while still being foolish." Everyone praised Elgainst as Alberinea''s sessor. Calling him the greatest magician, even rivaling Her Majesty the Queen in governance. But Elgainst hasn''t changed one bit since those days when he wasn''t even ten. And Alberinea hadn''t changed at all either, calling Elgainst Nemu-Nemu. Even now, she smiled at him like this. It was not that Happiness is beyond great intelligence. In the first ce, he probably wasn''t looking to uncover the unknown. Knowing he could never understand, he just wanted to look at it from a closer distance. The most beautiful mystery in an apron dress. The old man, who had grown hair and beard, smiled again with satisfaction. He watched the silver hair sway in the wind, then looked into his purple eyes. The old man just smiled with gentle eyes, with a smile as if he were fulfilled. A pleasant sensation as if his body were melting away. The mysterious force pulling his body strengthened, and he lost the will to resist. Alberinea watched it and asked. "...Why did youe here, Nemu-Nemu? Nemu-Nemu said you always wanted to meet Krische." "That''s all. ¨D¨DAh... no, that''s not true." Elgainst looked up at the sky and said. ¡°I was able to unravel your magic crystal and hear your message.¡± He remembers Waltzaughing at him, saying ¡®Are you a kid¡¯. "...If Alberinea was still around, she would praise the person who solved it." In fact, he was a child. He thought so without any embarrassment, and felt that that was okay. He knew she wouldn''tugh at him for that. "Oh, right, Krische did say something like that." Alberinea pped her hand, she nodded as she recalled it. Elgainst just smiled bitterly and continued. "As you said, I used magic for peace...The world is as peaceful now as it was back then....and as I promised in the past, I lived a long life." After saying that, he paused. ¡®¨D¨DWould you please praise me?¡¯ asked the old man. The girl looked at the old man, smiled, and stroked his forehead. "Ehehe... Nemu-Nemu, good, good, good job. Did youe all the way to get your praise?" "...Yes. Fufu, that''s right... I''vee this far to receive my praise." "No matter how much time passes, Nemu-Nemu is still Nemu-Nemu huh. Krische was a little surprised when Krische heard that Nemu-Nemu had founded a country, but...I see, Krische can''t believe Nemu-Nemu turned out to be such a good child." ¡®Krische is proud¡¯, said the girl, smiling like a flower bursting forth. The old man looked at the girl, andughed like a boy and closed his eyes. Her proud voice was endlessly endearing. "...Is Alberinea, happy, even now?" When asked, the girl nodded. "Yes, very much. Now that Krische thinks about it, it''s thanks to Nemu-Nemu that Krische could go shopping here and there without worrying. Krische has to thank Nemu-Nemu properly." Hearing the girl''s words, the boy''s eyes softened. ¡°...I have already received enough.¡± Then he let himself go, and disappeared as if melting, as if blurring into the surroundings. ¡®Well then,¡¯ only his voice echoed. ¡®Good night¡¯, the girl replied. The girl looked at the ground where he was for a while, and then turned her attention to the magic crystal ¡®Frying Pan¡¯ that was left behind. After pondering for a moment, she picked it up and smiled. And so, next to the mansion, there was a small grave made of magic crystal. A pedestal was ced in front of the grave, and a small ¡®Frying Pan¡¯ was ced on it. ¡®Here sleep, Nemu-Nemu¡¯ The tomb was beautifully engraved with those words engraved on the inside. Time passes and years pass, but by her side, it never decayed and was without end. The mark engraved on the boy''s grave remains unclouded just like her. ¨D¨DShining unchangingly in the never-ending moonlight of everyday life. Chapter 272: Varkas I Chapter 272: Varkas I ***Chapter 272 Varkas I*** ¨D¨DHe had no memory of his father. He was probably just one of the many customers his mother had entertained. His mother also died soon after, and he didn''t have much memory of her either. By the time he could remember, he was changing dirty beds in cheap brothels. Apparently it was decided from the time he was born that he would be a ve. His mother stole money from the brothel and ran away, but she couldn¡¯t find a ce to work, and ended up selling her body again, where she was caught. A stupid woman. Naturally, the money she stole became her mother''s debt, and her son became a ¡®cleaning tool¡¯ for the inn. It would have been different if he was a girl, but he was just an unattractive boy. Although it was good that they took him in as a ve, they probably wouldn¡¯t have cared if he had died at any time. He was given moldy bread once a day. He worked from morning till night just to get that. He didn¡¯t have a name. When people called him ¡®you¡¯, or ¡®brat¡¯, it wasn¡¯t particrly inconvenient. His mother was the same, and she seemed to have a grudge against her newborn child. He didn¡¯t know what happened. It was probably just a silly dream talk anyway. If that were the case, she should have just killed him when he was born. There''s no way one bread would be enough. He learned to scavenge for leftovers and steal food to survive¨D¨Dand he began to have doubts about that kind of life before he turned ten. He wondered how many more years this would continue, felt despair, and hated everything, so he ran away from the brothel and went into the city. At first, he was afraid of being caught, but he soon realized that he wasn''t even worth the effort to find and catch in the first ce, heughed at that realization. Even a pet dog would have more value than him. The red-light district was full of kids like him, probably with simr backgrounds. No one cared about dirty kids like them, and at most they would just look at him with disgust, making sure their money or products weren¡¯t stolen. That was the freedom he gained by losing even the bare minimum of food. As long as one is alive, they will get hungry. Just when thought that even if he was going to die anyway, he didn''t want to die of starvation and suffering, he saw some dirty kids stealing food from a stall. That¡¯s good, he thought and followed them into an alley. He picked up a stick and a stone that were lying around and decided to take it from them. The kid nibbling on stolen food, covered in rags, shivered as they slept in the back alley. He didn''t feel like joining them. He didn''t see any point in trying to please some brat and eating poor food after all this. If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t have run away from the brothel in the first ce. ¨D¨DWhat he wanted to achieve was freedom. To eat as he pleased, sleep as he pleased, and die as he pleased. In a world where absurdity reigned, he wanted the freedom to impose that absurdity. That¡¯s what he desired. He knew the strength of adults, but he could handle kids. Holding his breath, he waited for nightfall to find out who the leader was, and smashed his head open with a stone. The leader seemed to be somewhat older, but if the head was crushed then you would die. It was surprisingly easy, he thought. While the other kids screamed and woke up, he quickly beat them with the stick. ¡°Hey, hand over the stolen food.¡± He conveyed his demand with just those words. ¨D¨DHe was the weakest at the inn, but that''s not the case among the kids. Compared to brats who didn''t even have enough to eat that day, leftover food from a brothel was still more nutritious. Getting beaten every day made him resistant to pain, and he probably had unconsciously used physical strengthening from then. His physical strength was iparable to the kids, and even if they were taller than him, he was invincible against thosenky kids. He had no qualms about beating up the same brat or killing him. In a world where even one¡¯s own life had no value, there was no way that other people''s lives have any value. Even if it had value, it didn''t matter. He was hungry. When he had enough food for several days, he ate to his full, and when it ran out, he searched for a group of kids and stole their food. Thew of that world was for the strong to prey on the weak, and it was truly a world of beasts. Seeing them bleed from the nose, cry, and beg for their lives felt good. At that moment, he existed in the world. Even if he was a nameless kid, everyone bowed down to him for that moment. He had nothing to lose, and if he lost, he¡¯d just die. It just ends. That would be refreshing too. By staking his worthless life, he could control the fate of others. Fighting was the best pleasure. Of course, such days didn¡¯tst long. There¡¯s always someone stronger, and he was just a big fish in a small pond. In less than a month, he was beaten down, crawling on the ground. ¡°Hey, stop. He¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°But, Boss¨D¨D¡± ¡°Shut up. Anyone who gets killed by a kid would die soon anyway.¡± There were three adults. He could remember trying to bite through one¡¯s neck, but the next thing he knew, he was on the ground being kicked. Just as he vaguely thought that it was the end, one of the men stopped it. ¡°He¡¯s got some potentialpared to others. If we raise him, he might be useful. ¡Hey, kid, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡¡¡± He red at the man. That was the first time he saw his face. Tall, looking about twenty. The underling looked much older but seemed to be actually over thirty. ¡°Can¡¯t talk?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t have one. Just kill me already.¡± ¡°Ha, feisty one. Alright¡ from today, you¡¯re Grunmeld. I¡¯ll keep you as my underling from now on.¡± "Haa...?" The manughed and approached him, crouching down in front of him. He immediately tried to rip the man¡¯s throat out, but his head was pushed to the ground. Despite being slender, the man had abnormal strength. He writhed in pain feeling as if his skull would crack, he grabbed the man¡¯s arm, but it didn¡¯t budge. ¡°If you listen to me, you won¡¯t have to do this stupid stuff in this stupid ce. I¡¯ll let you eat your fill. You killed one of gofers, so you¡¯re recing him from today on.¡± "Gh, this bas..." "I''ll teach you, a filthy wild dog, how to take feed and make you human. Follow me." The man¡¯s name was Krarze. One of the city¡¯s scoundrels. A small group called Varkas in a fairlyrge city. More of a gang than an organization, running errands for arger organization. Not some big shot who ruled the city. Someone like that wouldn¡¯t bother with petty brats fights. He was just a small thug. Still, there was no doubt that he was the most important person to him at that time. True to his word, the man let him eat his fill and gave a corner of his room to the newly acquired underling. After several beatings when I tried to attack the man in his sleep, he got used to being called Grunmeld and gradually grew attached, eventually admiring him as his big brother. Although the man was a small-time thug, he was an excellent dog owner. At least the man gave him ¡®name¡¯, Grunmeld, and ¡®ce¡¯ as his younger brother. Even as he got older, he still thought about Krarze from time to time. He was in a small world in a small town. A hopeless scoundrel with petty dreams, but back then, Krarze was undoubtedly Granmeld¡¯s big brother, and he admired him. After five or six years, he had learned most things. How to earn and spend money, how to use his head and how to hone your strength. Most of the time it was for a no good job, but since he was able to kill people even before he turned ten, he never had any doubts about the job Krarze was teaching me. ¡°Please stop, that child¡!¡± ¡°Oh, you were so tough before, and now you¡¯re changing your tune. Hey, don¡¯t you also want to work for your kind father?¡± " Eek..." There were several ways to intimidate. But the basic principle was always to find the weak spot and exploit it. Investigate the house and target the family. Or rtives. Targeting women is more convenient. Making someone sell their body was realistic, and it¡¯s also easy for the other person to imagine. If they don''t have a daughter, then their wife. Before the man returned from work, barged into the house and waited there, then when the man opened the front door he would be greeted with thugs. The most important thing is impact. If the other person was confused, settle things before they regainposure. Ransack the house but never harm the hostages. That¡¯s crucial too. Idiots tend to want toy their hands on the women, but it¡¯s important to maintain the pretense of a deal. Damaging the woman would only lower their value and could incite anger rather than fear. It is important not to let the hostage be desperate, and it is important to raise the value of the hostage. Oddly, even in a strained marriage, when the wife was taken hostage, the husband would often risk himself to protect her. Don''t know if it was a foolish desire to be a hero or what, but it was convenient for them. "I-I''m sorry for saying something so disrespectful... I-I apologize. I''ll also take care of the money somehow..." "Not somehow, but now is the time to pay. We went all the way to this ce, do you think we''ll be able to go home empty-handed?" He quickly stretched his back, but even so he was still a kid. There were many who were aggressive, but since he was a kid, he used other kids as pawns. They were brats who had nothing to lose, like stray dogs. If he took five or six of them along, the other party had no choice but to back down. Even if they ran to the security force, they knew it wouldn''t help. Even if they managed to capture one kid, new ones would sprang up endlessly. ¡°...I don''t want to make things too big either, but boss Krarze told me toe here. You understand, right? If I go home empty-handed, I''ll be half-dead. How much do you think I got beaten when I came home empty-handed from your ce the other day? ¡± It is also good to say that he was just an errand boy for the boss. If they understood that taking care of him wouldn''t harm Krase, they''d fear retaliation. ying the sympathy card by crying also worked surprisingly well, letting them know that he had no choice but to do it often led to good results. "Well, I know that your store''s sales aren''t good. I heard that Keeni also destroyed things at the store wantonly. I sympathize with you...but at least the interest. We don''t want to cross dangerous bridges either. From my boss and yours perspective, I¡¯m just a dirty little kid, I also don''t want to be sandwiched like this.'''' Most people have a sense of humanity, and when they know that the other person was in the same position as them, they couldn¡¯t express their feelings too strongly. We aren''t doing this because we want to, but because we have no choice. I sympathize with you, but we''re desperate too¡ª¡ªusing this logic, even the initially tough ones would soften. "...Will you promise never to touch my daughter again?" ¡°Oh, look. I haven¡¯t actuallyid my hand, and if by any chance any of these guys try it, I¡¯ll kill them. It might be hard, but as long as you pay the interest properly, it''s fine. ...You can go." ¡°Y-yes.¡± And the setup, having the kids pretend to attack the daughter, then stepping in to stop them himself, was effective. Showing this to the daughter beforehand ensured that when Grunmeld and the others left, the daughter would testify that Grunmeld had ordered his henchman to not touch her. Then, they would realize that he was a man who kept his promises. "Saryu, Saryu, go to the next room. ... Please wait a bit, It''s true I don''t have the money right now." "Anything that''s worth money is fine. I''ll tell the boss myself." "... I understand." He never thought he was smart, but he was at least better than the scums. He had the sense to use both his strength and his mouth, and he rarely failed at collecting money. He hadn''t made any big mistakes. It wasn''t a world where a kid who made a big mistake could survive, but he was doing pretty well. "Boss, this is that bastard Dakkan''s interest. I was a little rough with him, but it should be fine. I have finished the talk." "Oh, that''s amazing, Grunmeld. No overdue. Compared to that... Hey, Keeni. Aren''t you ashamed? A guy ten years younger than you can do the job right, and you can''t?" "S-sorry, boss..." The hideout consisted of several rented small rooms, always moving around. Krarze was cautious, changing his base as soon as something happened. He didn''t y around much, apart from socializing with other groups, and he kept the money elsewhere. He had three younger brothers, including Grunmeld. One of them is a big, strong man named Gallus who liked to fight. He was strong in fight and was always kept at Krarze¡¯s side during negotiations, but he usually works as a bodyguard at Krarze¡¯s shop. A ssic example of muscle with little brains, but he never betrayed and always did his job withoutints when asked. The good thing about Gallus was that he blindly looked up to Krarze''s intelligence. He liked drinking and women, but his straightforward and bold personality wasn''t unlikable. In contrast, Keeni was a small-time crook with no particr merits.. Keeni was the type who relied on force and was not very intelligent, but has a lot of pride. He had wondered why Krarze would keep such a man by his side, but it seemed that he had been Krarze¡¯s younger brother ever since he was a child. That was probably Krarze''s major w. Despite his ruthlessness, he was lenient with his own people. Grunmeld looked down on Keeni, and Keeni resented Grunmeld, but it wasn''t a big problem. He never dreamed that a man''s jealousy would throw away even his twenty-year-old friendship with his brother. Krarze was not a person suited to y the part of scoundrel. Like many kids who grew up in the ditch, he has a strong admiration for words such as family, rtives, and home, even though he verbally criticizes people who live carefree lives. His insults were a reflection of his envy. In an attempt to gain what he couldn''t have, he created makeshift families. Grunmeld was the name of Krarze''s younger brother who had died as a child. Krarze was that kind of man, and if he had lived a normal life, he probably would have had ordinary happiness. He knew that Krarze sometimes forced himself to pretend to be ruthless. "Well, that''s fine, Keeni, go to West street tomorrow. If we can''t recover the items, we''ll send them to Grunmeld." "Yes..." "You can go." When Keeni left the room, Krarze scratched his head and sighed. While watching this, Grunmeld poured the cold ck bean tea that had been left out since morning into a cup and sat down on the sofa. There were two sofas and arge desk. Small swords and cloaks were ced messily on the shelves, along with some alcohol. It was a simple room, but Krarze se nor Grunmeld wanted anything more than protection from the rain and wind. Krarze sleeps on the sofa in the back, and Grunmeld sleeps on the sofa near the entrance. The sitting position remained the same. Grunmeld drink the ck bean tea down his throat and crossed his arms with a sigh. "¡¡Big brother" "I''m sure we had talked about Keeni before, Grunmeld. Well, even he can be useful sometimes." "He can only serve as a numbers filler. That Dakkan guy got even more troublesome because he got violent for no reason." When Keeni first went to collect the interest, it seems that when he heard that he could not pay the interest, Keeni destroyed everything in the store and went home. As a result, expenses increased unnecessarily, and when Grunmeld was sent away, that Dakkan became furious and shouted that he would ¡®file aint with the security forces¡¯. Debts purchased from a bankrupt trading firm. Collection itself is legal, but interest is illegal. There''s nothing nice about being noticed by the security forces. The important thing was to find out what the other person could tolerate and have a sense of bnce so as not to overstep it, but Keeni did not understand that at all. He was a guy who only knew how to crush eggs instead of getting them. Just watching him was irritating. "Stop it. He''s your big brother too." ¡°My only brothers are brother Krarze and brother Gallus.¡Recently, I¡¯ve only wiping Keeni¡¯s butts.¡± "... I do feel bad for you, but..." Krase took a bottle of wine and cups from the shelf, sat next to Grunmeld, and poured for both of them. "It¡¯s not like we''re not rted by blood or anything, but we''re like family. You and Gallus are my younger brothers, and so is Keeni. I won''t cut him off even if youin." Then, he patted Grunmeld on the head, swishing up the wine. "He''s well-informed and has a broadwork. You know he set up the meeting with the Orgall group, right?" "...He can¡¯t be trusted much though." It was a group of nearly a hundred people who they had skirmishes with several times. They were a group of scums whose only merit was their numbers. The group was quitergepared to them, which consisted of only four people and an errand boy, but they beat them up a few times. Both Krarze and Grunmeld were able to use body strengthening, and although Gallus cannot use body strengthening, he was a big man who could defeat four or five people with his body alone. They had enough strength to fight each other even if they shed head-on, but the Orgall group often used their advantage in numbers to ravage their own territory, which was a hassle. That''s when the talkes. Grunmeld suggested killing Orgall right away, but Krarze, saying that it was an opportunity Keeni had created, took up on it. "Well, as you say, killing Orgall is one way, but regardless of his strength, he''s a great bastard who can maintain such arge group... Considering the future, it would be a shame to kill him." "It''s fine if my brother can take Orgall¡¯s ce. There''s no one in this town who doesn''t know brother, and even the scum that clings to Orgall will listen to what you have to say." "I''m happy to hear you say that, but there¡¯s sky above the sky. Unless I''m the strongest in the world, that approach won''tst long." ¡®we have to find a way other than that¡¯ said Krarze, pointing to his head. Although not convinced, Grunmeld silently drank the wine. "You''re strong for a kid. You''ll be much stronger than me in the future. ...But please understand that what''s important is not the strength, but how you use them. You can only do what''s right in front of you with your physical strength, but if you use your head, you can move even a thousand ri ahead. Isn''t that the same with this country? ¡± He said, pointing above his head. ¡°It''s not like the king is the strongest, but he can kill whoever he wants with just one word, and money can be collected from the ends of the country. That''s the kind of system I want to create. Of course, it''s not as big as a country." Krarze was a dreamer. He always dreams of an ideal. "...I can''t imagine it. A stray dog is still a dog, no matter how far it goes." "True, but that''s a harsh way to put it. ...But even dogs can decide how and where to live." Krarze also patted him on the head. He was slender, but had big hands. It was painfully rough, but he didn''t dislike it. "You''re my younger brother. I''m proud. If you say you can''t imagine it, I''ll take you there first. Once you''re free from living day to day, I''m sure your thoughts will change." A scum and a good for nothing scoundrel. However, he was an ordinary man who wasn¡¯t even suited to be a small scoundrel. That''s why it was inevitable. ¨D¨DTwo weekster, at the second meeting, he and Gallus were poisoned and killed. Betrayed by his younger brother, he died a foolish and anticlimactic death. After killing the traitor, killing Orgall, and killing dozens of others, he escaped the city to escape thew enforcement that arrived in response to themotion. And so, once again, he was left at a loss. Chapter 273: Varkas II Chapter 273: Varkas II ***Chapter 273 Varkas II*** He went from the central part of the kingdom to the north. He didn''t know if the pursuers had lost sight of him or if they simply thought it wasn''t worth chasing him. It was probably a bit of both. It was just a ruckus caused by stray dogs killing each other. It would be one thing if he had killed ¡®human¡¯ but, no one would think to chase him outside the city and capture him. A stray dog had left the city. For them, it was undoubtedly a wee thing. He only rxed once he passed through Dragon''s Maw. Even so, being a fugitive was strange, and even after a while, he would remember that he was being pursued and be uneasy again. There was no way they would go to the trouble of looking for a single stray dog that had run away. Even though he knew that, he still feel uneasy somewhere in his heart. By that time, his travel money was also running low. A stable source of food¨D¨Dbut he couldn''t because he knew he was being chased, and bing a caravan guard required some connections. Even if there were many ruffians, no one would hire someone who couldn''t be trusted at all. He wandered from town to town, picking fights in taverns, and stealing any money he could find. Life seemed to go back to when he was a shitty kid. The only difference was that his opponents had changed from kids to adults. He had be a bit smarter, having the sense to move from town to town when he caused trouble, but despite his world expanding, what he did remained the same. The breadth of freedom had expanded, but it felt even narrower. Then, as he was walking down the street, "Don''t resist, give me the carriage!" He naturally came across such scenes from time to time. Most of the time, Grunmeld encountered these situations after the fact, but whether he was lucky or unlucky, this time, A road surrounded by forests. The men, perhaps thinking that Grunmeld who was walking nearby belong to the group they target, approached him with swords drawn, and he had no choice but to fight back. At first, he thought helping the caravan might lead to work, but after he had killed four or five with his sword, he found the merchant and his guards, who had resisted, were already dead, and he sighed in exasperation. The small-time bandits quickly fled from Grunmeld. What remained were bandits who couldn¡¯t move and a carriage loaded with goods. The merchant seemed to have a lot of money, and as he was counting and taking the gold and silver coins, he noticed one of the bandits looking at him fearfully. Just as he was about to kill him, raising his sword, "W-Wait, please don''t kill me!! I-I''ll do whatever you say!!" The bandit screamed in desperation. Grunmeld paused, lowered his sword, and looked at the carriage and its load. The horse would fetch a high price, and so would the carriage. The goods inside were also valuable. ¨D¨DYou can only deal with what''s right in front of you with brute strength, but if you use your head, you can move even a thousand ri ahead. Remembering Krarze''s words, he asked, "You, have any connections to sell this?" First, he went to kill the bandit leader and took over his underlings. Bandits earned quite a lot of money. Of course he extorted money from people who had money. Even scum, when gathered in groups of ten, had their ownworks, and through them, Grunmeld was able to get acquainted with others who dealt in illegal goods. The start was smooth. He always remembered Krarze¡¯s words. Although Krarze¡¯s was a weak-minded viin, his way of thinking itself was logical. A sense of bnce and how to make profits. How to use your strength and your head. Strangely enough, it applied to everything, and the methods used in town also worked among bandits. The important thing was to create a system. Just like Krarze did, Grunmeld first educated his subordinates. If they ran wild just because they were bandits, a subjugation force would definitelye out. Then they wouldn¡¯tst long. Even if you kill the guards, never kill the merchants. Don''t take everything away. Those were the two rules he established. Fortunately, there were plenty of dumb bandits, and the subjugation force targeted fools who wiped out entire caravans rather than the ''gentler'' one like Grunmeld group that only extorted tolls. In the short term, it would be more profitable to steal the entire carriage, this way would earn far more money if they were active for a long time And Grunmeld made up for any shortfall by attacking the fools. It was less risky overall to attack bandits than to attack carriages and kill everyone. No one wouldin if he attacked the bandits, and he would not be exposed. When Grunmeld''s bandit hunting became known, they starteding to him to bow their heads first, and he made them pay tribute. Don''t increase the number of people in the group too much, kept the group rtively small and tightknit. Within a few years, they could live off the tribute alone. "Boss, here¡¯s the tribute we collected." "Leave it there." At one of the countless hideouts. At that time it was an unused hunting lodge in the northeastern great forest of the kingdom. Grunmeld usually slept in such ces. Simple wooden structures with nothing inside, but with no risk of being attacked. He only went to town when buying women. With food, alcohol, and a roof over his head, that was enough. Anyone who disliked that life naturally left, which helped in adjusting their numbers. Watching the bags filled with gold and silver coins being ced on the table, hey on the dirty bed and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°...It¡¯s boring.¡± "Why not go to town once in a while? You¡¯ll get bored in a ce like this. If you don''t put it to use once in a while, it''ll be a waste of money." A man with a bear-like face sat on a chair, scratching his brown hair. Pouring wine into a random cup, he turned the bag upside down. and began counting the money. "You¡¯re also bored, aren''t you, Fagran? There¡¯s just no challenge with those idiots." "Well, I agree with that... but it''s not a bad life. Thought it''s not great either." Fagran answered while piling up gold and silver coins. If he remember correctly Fagran was once the head of a small bandit gang. Younger than Grunmeld by about twenty years, but quite sharp, so Grunmeld valued him. One of Grunmeld''s crazy henchmen who liked killing, and he seemed to be having fun hunting thieves¨D¨Dthough, in truth, only such people were drawn to Grunmeld''s side. The subordinates under his direct control were more or less all such people, and those who weren¡¯t quickly died or disappear. He never turned away neers but he did not pursue anyone who left, nor was he interested. A normal sense of morality was nothing but a hindrance, an impurity. For henchmen, it was best if they were a bit crazy. Though he was considered the leader, Grunmeld didn''t care much about it. None of them were his younger brothers, and although he share the loot with them, he didn¡¯t particrly care for them. He always told them, ¡®follow if you want, leave or try to kill me if you don''t like it.¡¯ I do as I please, you do as you please¡ª¡ªthat was the rtionship that suited them best. Profit and loss, that''s all a bandit needed to think about, everything else is left to individual freedom. Loyalty and sentiment were unnecessary and only muddied things. It was by eliminating such distractions and purifying the group, that the other bandits did not dare to oppose them. ¡°...I agree that there aren¡¯t any guys with backbones these days. When they hear the name Grunmeld the Iron Hammer, everyone bows their head t like a bug. That make it easy job though." "Why don''t you try to kill me then?" "I¡¯ll consider it when boss stop being interesting." Fagranughed as he said that. "Besides that, didn¡¯t you hear? There''s going to be a battle with Elsren." "Hee?" "If the military moves, it looks like we won''t be able to work anywhere for a while." Elsren was a great power in the east. If war broke out, the northern army would mobilize. Bandit activities would need to be paused for a while. Vignce on the roads would increase, and the number of merchants and caravans would decrease. Furthermore, peddlers and caravans usually would try to work together with the military, making it difficult for bandits to intervene, and many bandits be soldiers in order to earn food and support. ¨D¨DNo, in a sense it would be more urate to say that they returned. Most bandits were originally soldiers who had lost their jobs after the war ended. "That sounds fun. Perfect to stave off boredom." "¡Are you going to join?" "Don¡¯t be stupid¡ Depending on the situation, we might able to loot in the chaos." "Are you insane?" "Do you think I''m everpletely sane?" ¡®Not at all¡¯, said Fagran exasperatedly, as he stood up and retrieved a map of the Great Forest from a shelf, spreading it out on the desk after pushing aside a pile of gold. It''s something they made, so it''s not very urate, but they know about the sea of trees more than the ones for sale. Fagran roughly pushed the pile of money aside and spread out the map on the desk. Grunmeld got up from the bed and approached the desk. "Looks like you''re all gung-ho about it." "If we''re going to do something stupid, we should do it properly." Grunmeldughed, and Fagranughed along. Stealing army supplies was a serious crime. If caught, it was immediate execution¡ª¡ªbut Fagran¡¯s eyes were shining. "If we''re going to take the whole wagon, we should prepare some hiding spots along the road. We''re aiming for the equipment, right?" "Yes. ¡Karis knows this area best. It¡¯s his old territory." "That bastard Karis is probably having fun in town. Want me send someone to call him?" "No need, we''re not in a hurry. We can talk to himter." ¡®And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s decided¡¯, Grunmeld continued. "I don''t want to justmit suicide. If we get into a situation where we''re pushed into the sea of trees, we¡¯ll stop. We will only blend in with the chaos and take the chance if we can. Ideally, we¡¯d steal abandoned supplies, but that depends on the situation." Around fifty thousand troops marched north. They aimed to secure the entrance to the kingdom at Wulfenite, targeting the north. Their purpose was probably to control the Great Sea of Trees and establish a beachhead in the north. At that time, Elsren¡¯s territory extended just a little to the east of Wulfenite, and from the Elsren side, the Great Tree Sea existed in a position that was more of an eyesore than anything else. The Great Sea of Trees was a natural stronghold. If Elsren takes over the Great Sea Trees, it will be an impregnable fortress against Alberan northern army, and protect Elsren from Arna¡¯s reinforcements. Alberan, cooperating with Arna, fought to prevent this, resulting in a prolonged, muddy conflict inside the dense Great Sea of Trees. Just as Grunmeld had hoped, it was an ideal situation. He used a roundabout method to spread the word to the bandits under hismand who had not disbanded, and scattered them throughout the Great Tree Sea, making them aim at the cargo that had been left behind by Alberan''s forces. And Grunmeld did the same. While the foolish bandits caused chaos and were wiped out, Grunmeld''s core group seized the supply wagons. "Not bad, looks like we''ll make a lot of money." "Yes. With this much, selling it off might be tricky." In the dense forest, they moved along a narrow path suitable for a single wagon. They wore the equipment they had stolen. Leather armor, gauntlets, greaves, and long swords at their waists. Grunmeld favorite iron club was in the carriage¨D¨Dhe knew people who the one are allowed to buy their own equipment was basically from battalionmanders and above. Putting aside if it was some special unit, it was unsuitable for a mere transport unit. Forty men and fifteen wagons. It was a sessful haul, with swords, spears, and armor piled high. The equipment provided by Alberan was of quite a good quality for a mass-produced item. It was fortunate that there was even Arna''s crossbow inside. It would take some work to sell them, but once they pass through the great sea of trees, they would be in Elsren territory. Putting aside if it was from their own country, if it was stolen goods from other countries they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to buy it. "Still, with this much, we could do a lot." "Hm¡?" "We¡¯ve had enough fun as bandits. How about establishing a base in a town? The profits would be significant, and we might find some tough guys there." Fagranughed. "My goal is to reach the top of the underworld. Whether it''s Alberan or Elsren, it depends on who wins or loses in this battle..." Suddenly, he thought of Krarze. A dreamy small-time scoundrel who aimed to reach the top of his small world. "¡Not a bad idea. True, we''ve done everything we could as bandits." "Right? Then it¡¯s settled¨D¨D" Fagan was about to say something, but Grunmeld signaled him to stop. They were still a bit away from the hiding spot, but Karis was signaling ahead, raising his right hand with his thumb folded. It was a sign to halt, and the folded thumb meant there were Alberan soldiers. Grunmeld also raised his right hand, folding his thumb, and everyone stopped immediately. "¡What now?" "If we can¡¯t slip by, we¡¯ll kill them." After a while, a unit of about a hundred soldiers approached from the front. The man who seemed to be the captain had long, unkempt ck hair and no helmet, carrying a bow on his shoulder. ¨D¨DIt wasn¡¯t an ordinary century squad. Most of them carry long swords on their waists, and seeing their equipment, they were probably light infantry. The sound of footsteps as they approach was smallpared to the number of people. They might have been trained to walk that way. But that wasn''t all. There were about 50 people in front¨D¨Dclearly a small number for a century. Grunmeld sensed that not all of them were visible; there were fewer than fifty in sight, less than a hundred. He subtly moved his gaze, scanning the forest on either side. He sensed that they were being watched from afar. He instantly judged that they were skilled. Regardless of whether they were suspicious of them or not, it was probably a unit that never lets their guard down. While the main body moved in a column, have their subordinates advance through the forest in parallel. This area was a contested region between Alberan and Elsren. It was natural for them to be cautious, but whether it was just the being as usual or specifically wary of them, Grunmeld couldn¡¯t tell. However, the man standing in front, Karlis, had good instincts. If they had split their forces right in front of him, he would have noticed. If that wasn''t the case, it meant that they had divided forces a long time ago. "What unit?" A man who appeared to be the captain, carrying a bow, stepped forward and asked. The distance was three ken. Karlis was on the side, but a man who looked like a corporal seemed to be wary. And next to the captain, there was a young man with red copper hair peeking out slightly from his helmet. Beside the captain was a young man with copper-colored hair peeking out from under his helmet. His stance and demeanor suggested he was quite skilled. He was likely a magic possessor. "The 13th Transport Corps, directly under the First Corps. I''m the captain, Connex. You are?" It was the information read from the carriage. This 13th Transport Corps appeared to have been attacked by Elsren¡¯s army, and most of them were dead. Connex was also the name of a dead person¨D¨Donly dies recently, so it wouldn¡¯t raise suspicion. Elsren probably didn''t have the luxury of recovering the supplies. In this area, the tide of battle shifted daily. "Gallen, captain of the 2nd squad, belonging to 1st Battalion of the Third Corps." "...This area should be under themand of the First Corps." While saying this, Grunmeld showed overt hostility, cing his hand on the sword at his left hip. Just as they were cautious of him, he was wary of them. The reason didn¡¯t matter it was that kind of performance. The opposing force''s was with the Third Corps, but it was probably a special light infantry. It wouldn''t be strange if they were to walk into the First Corps, given the mission, but by showing signs of doubt like this, it would be easier for the other party to let down their guard. After all, only an ally would be cautious of an enemy masquerading as them. "We¡¯re on a special mission. The First Corps should have been informed...¡± "You should be able tell, seeing us carrying supplies in a ce like this, right? We''ve been attacked. We''ve reorganized our squad with the soldiers we found and managed to pull the carriage back." Grunmeld pointed behind him. Blood stters were visible on the canopy of the carriage. "I see. My apologies for the suspicion." The man who introduced himself as Gallenughed and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What¡¯s the situation? How far have we retreated?" "We¡¯ve fallen back a bit. From here...it¡¯s about half a day¡¯s march.¡± As he raised his hand, the other half¨D¨Dabout 50 people approached from the left and right sides of Granmeld¡¯s froup. "The cargo is equipment. We can¡¯t move any faster. If possible, could you escort us to a safe location?" "Sorry, but we¡¯re also on a mission." "...Figured. Since you¡¯re here, does that mean the path ahead is safe?" "I can''t guarantee it...but it''s probably safer than here." Gallenughed and Grunmeld sighed. "Well, we¡¯ll take your word for it. We¡¯ll be on our way." "Sorry to hold you up. Nozan." "Ha. The carriage has priority. Split to the left and right." At the young corporal''s signal, the soldiers split into left and right sides of the road. Grunmeldughed when the other side let down its guard, gave a signal, and began to start moving again¨D¨Dthen he felt a chill. "Draw your swords!" Perhaps it could be called animal instinct, he sensed the killing intent from the soldiers lined up on either side, he drew his sword. He targeted the man named Gallen, who stood diagonally in front to the right. The distance was two ken, enough for him to be cut down in one step. "!?" ¨D¨DHowever, Gallen had already readied his arrow and aimed it at him. Grunmeld immediately leaped aside to avoid the arrow. The arrow pierced the ce where his heart had been, making a whistling noise. "Tch!!" Then he immediately turned around and swung his sword away. Approaching from behind was the corporal with red copper hair. He broke the man''s sword with a powerful swing, but the soldier barely reacted, using the rebound to twist his body and m his heel into Grunmeld¡¯s side with a thunderous impact. Grunmeld was thrown against a tree trunk, coughing. ¡°Bastard...¡± ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Before Grunmeld could get back up, Gallen kicked his head, knocking him out. When he awoke, his neck and head throbbed with pain. The moon was already high, and it was dark around him. He must have been out for a long time. It was the worst awakening¡ª¡ªhe hadn''t felt this much pain since the day after he first met Krarze. His hands were tied behind his back with rope, and then wrapped in leather, ensuring he couldn¡¯t move. Looking up, he saw several others in the same situation. Fourteen people¡ª¡ªmany familiar faces still survived. "Are you awake, boss?" "Still alive, Fagran?" "Just barely. Damn, this hurts." When he turned around he I saw Fagran''s thighs bandaged haphazardly. Blood was seeping out, but the injury was not serious. He must have been shot with an arrow. "Your ugly mug¡¯s gotten even uglier, Karlis." "Don''t talk crap. Damn, I can''t reach..." Karlis, a giant man close to Grunmeld, was trying to squeeze his nose, which was as big as his face, between his knees. I guess he''s trying to get his broken nose back. So those not here must be dead. It was surprising so many had survived. "Looks like our luck¡¯s run out. We¡¯re up against an elite century unit. Three magic possessor, and the rest are skilled warriors. This time, we¡¯repletely outmatched. They even have the leisure to capture us." ¡°On the other hand, it means we have a chance.¡± "That¡¯s optimistic." Fagran said exasperated, and a soldier on guard pointed his sword at him, telling him to shut up. Grunmeld checked his situation, clicking his tongue. They were bound with rope, limiting their freedom. But if they could deal with that, they might manage something. As he thought about how to escape these bindings, the enemy captain and several soldiers appeared from between the trees. The copper-haired man who had kicked Grunmeld was among them. Gallen crossed his arms and looked down at him. "If you interfere with military transportation, you will be sentenced to death without any questions asked. You understand that, right?" "First I¡¯ve heard of it." Gallenughed. "Then remember it. Lately, there have been frequent attacks on supply lines. We¡¯ve been tasked with dealing with them. If you provide information, I can request for a reduction in your sentence." "That¡¯s rich. ¡®sentenced to death without trial¡¯ would just be ¡®sentenced to death after a trial,¡¯ right?" "I think you shouldn¡¯t discard possibilities so easily. Struggling might be more beneficial than giving up." Gallen crouched in front of Grunmeld. "So? Do you feel like struggling?" ¡°Bastard.¡± Gallenughed not caring about his curses. No matter how you say it, Grunmeld was also aware that it was the howling of a loser. "If you don''t want to talk, I''ll kill you right here." With a smooth motion, Gallen drew a dagger and pressed it against Grunmeld¡¯s neck. Though he smiled, his eyes were like those of a predator. "If you''re willing to talk, I''ll let you live for now and take you with us. ...That wasy you¡¯ll have more options, including the chance to escape. You get that, right?" If he resisted, he¡¯d be killed without hesitation. Given the current situation, he had no cards to y. In any case if he kept being stubborn there¡¯s only death. Then, after killing Grunmeld as an example, all they have to do is ask the other the same thing one by one. Someone among them would definitely It was hopeless¨D¨Dthough being tied up with rope, he couldn''t even raise his hands. "...I have a question." "What?" "How did you know? I thought I did pretty well." Gallenughed quietly and stood up. ¡°Houh, forter studies is it, so, do you feel like talking?¡± "Depends." Garen nodded and said it was simple. ¡°I just called myself from the Third Corps instead of the First Corps to avoid suspicion. I belong to the 1st Corps, and though I might not know the other Corps well, I remember all of the faces and names of the transport captain and centurions from my own." Gallen pointed to his head. "You made a mistake calling yourself Connex, unlike you, he''s a slender man. Did you kill him?" "No, it''s probably an attack by Elsren. We just picked up an abandoned carriage. If you go for a while, there''ll be bodies lying around." Gallen nodded in satisfaction and continued. "Secondly, everyone in your transport unit was too well-built. Faces that have been through battles, better suited for fighting than logistics. Even if all of you were reassigned, it was too perfect." ¡°...So you knew it from the beginning huh.¡± "Right. ...Besides, we were the ones who chased away the Elsren soldiers who attacked the transport unit. The reason we left the supplies there was to capture men like you." Granmeld''s eyes widened, then he red at Gallen andughed. Gallen looked down at Grunmeld as well. "This Great Seo of Trees is originally full of bandits, but there were too many. I figured someone was pulling the strings. A cunning man, making a big show with pawns while working quietly himself. ...Stealing only the spoils without any fighting." ¡®It seemed like the wolf was caught¡¯, Gallen said with a smile, his eyes cold. Like a hunter looking at his prey in a trap. With the moon behind him, only his brown eyes shone like a shadow y. Grunmeld was sure he could win if they fight However, Grunmeld was the one who couldn¡¯t even touch hum and was looked down upon. Looking into those eyes, he strangely understood why his life was in the hands of a centurion who couldn''t even use magic. ¡ª¡ªThe important thing is not brute strength, but how you use it. This was probably what Krarze was talking about. Grunmeld thought he was being clever and doing well, but in reality he was a beast caught in this man''s trap. "The bandits'' attacks are concentrated in the eastern part of the Sea of Trees. Operating in the west was a good diversion, but it was obvious. ...You''re the one controlling the bandits in this forest, aren''t you?" Gallen''s confident deduction made Grunmeldugh. ¡°So what, you knew everything, you¡¯re just guessing¡± "Close enough. And maybe you did a good job of trying to avoid being exposed, but now that you''ve been caught like this, there are only two possibilities, live or die." Gallen help up two fingers. ¡°Besides, this is a continuation of what I said earlier. Do you want to be judged as a small-time crook who gave up information, or as a major criminal who led numerous bandits and disrupted military operations? ...Which will you choose?" "Heh, generous aren¡¯t you." "That''s one way to think it." Gallen smiled with only his mouth. "If you can''t hunt them down anyway, it would be better for a wise wolf to survive than for a stupid wolf to survive. ...Even a wolf can understand reason." Gallen said and squatted down in front of Grunmeld again. "Also, exterminating bandits is a job during peacetime. My current mission is to hunt down bandits who are destroying the cargo and interfering with military operations. ...Therefore, some discretion is given to me. Believe it or not, that''s my offer. ...The rest is your choice." ¡ª¡ªNothing he say would get through. The situation is too bad for him to just go wild and die. There was no fun in just getting killed. That''s why he started talking. Grunmeld, without hesitation, spilled everything. He had no attachment to those he controlled through violence, and they were just disposable pawns as Gallen said. When he spoke without mixing lies, Gallen seemed to be contemting something with his men, probably cross-referencing with information from other captured fools. Once he finished talking, Gallen turned on his heel, saying the matter was settled. The men followed, and Grunmeld called out to one of them. "Hah, did you get a new sword to rece the one I broke, littledy?" The person who turned around at the sound of the voice was a man with red copper hair. He was called Nozan¨D¨Dthe man who kicked Grunmeld in the torso. Probably a noble, as his refined movements were different from amoner''s. He looked down at Grunmeld with a look of displeasure on his handsome face. "Should have broken your jaw so you couldn''t talk. Are you proud of breaking one damaged sword while crawling on the ground?" "For someone who failed to kill me from behind, you sure bark a lot." Grunmeld spoke partly out of boredom, but mostly because he was annoyed. He had a small pride in surviving the rough streets. Strangely, something like that existed in Grunmeld as well. It irked him to be kicked by a pampered noble. Neither Krarze nor Keeni wouldugh. Grunmeld was also a petty small-time crook. "You couldn''t even attack without catching me off guard, but now you can kick me all you want. Are you scared of my free foot?" "...What a pathetic man." "¡¡what?" The ¡®pampered boy¡¯ was looking at Grunmeld with apletely exasperated look on his face. He even showed a kind of pity in his eyes. "I can tell. You''ve lived by strength and words alone, following your instincts. ...Biting recklessly because you understand your own misery, having nothing to protect." Not looking down on him, but like ncing at a stray dog on the roadside. "If you''re not biting or looking down on someone, you can''t even see your own worth, can you? That''s why I called you pathetic." Rather than getting angry, Grunmeld was dumbfounded. The man named Nozan said that and walked away, losing interest. Grunmeld watched him, mouth agape like a fool. ¨D¨DThat was how his long rtionship with Nozan Verreich began. Chapter 274: Varkas III Chapter 274: Varkas III ***Chapter 274 Varkas III*** "...Kolkis, what did the battalionmander say?" Gallen asked, leaning his back against a tree, sharpening his small sword. Everyone around them made grim faces and looked at therge man who had returned from behind. The man who came back as a messenger also wrinkled his eyebrows in displeasure. "No change in the order. 3rd Squad is to remain on guard and standby until further instructions. As for the captured bandits, we''re to keep watch over them for now." Kolkis reported, seeming fed up. The next morning after capturing the bandits, a messenger with a battalion came running from the rear and informed Gallen of the change in mission. Gallen had Kolkis apany the messenger to report their sess and request permission to return and hand over the bandits. But the response was just as they feared. "...I have had enough of that man. We should have let him die¡±. "Stop it, Nozan." Bogan reprimanded Nozan''s, however his face was also grim. "Captain." ¡°We can''t disobey orders. We''ll stay here and scout the area for security," Gallen said, also with a stern voice. And he sighed. "...Sorry for the trouble, everyone." "It''s not your fault, Captain. ...Though it''s certainly frustrating," Bogan sighed as well, reflecting on the strained rtionship with their battalionmander. Gallen had alwayspleted his assigned missions, racked up military aplishments, and returned alive from deadly battle many times. There was no one in the First Corps who didn¡¯t know the name of Centurion Gallen. Despite hismoner status, the previous battalionmander had considered him as a sessor. However, after the previous battalionmander died in the Battle of Elderant¨D¨Dthe centurion who served as his escort took overmand of the battalion. Toxlenia Argia, a centurion from a noble family. In the midst of a fierce battle, no one was in a position toin, and it was only as a temporary substitute. Considering the military achievement, there was no doubt that Gallen wouldter be chosen as the official battalionmander. Even during the middle stage of the retreat, Gallen gathered together the remaining soldiers and took the head of the enemy battalionmander, and that was the second one. From it was a centurion who achieved that, Gallen''s achievements in battle was more than enough for him to be chosen as battalionmander. However, Toxlenia, who was also a centurion, was jealous of him, and in his desperation to achieve sess, he used their battalion as a decoy to be crushed, aiming for the enemymander''s head with a reckless attack. If left unchecked, the enemy would have turned the table. Despite Garen''s efforts to save him from certain death, Toxlenia took all the credit and secured his position as battalionmander. Though he was an ordinary man, his family was somewhat well known in the north. His status as a noble also influenced the personnel decisions. No matter how powerful and prestigious he was, Gallen was amoner and had no backing. Gallen had no power in military politics outside of the battlefield, and if the previous battalionmander and his adjutant, who''s who valued more than anyone else, were killed in action, the oue would be inevitable. The other centurions expressed dissatisfaction with Toxlenia, who had no great ability, being made the battalionmander instead of Garen, but that didn''t mean they could do anything. Toxlenia did not try to hide his malice toward Garen in this battle, assigning him to less prestigious tasks like bandit hunting. And despite aplishing the mission, their current orders left them in a frustrating standstill. If even after all that someone wasn¡¯t fed up with it, then they¡¯re not human. "Guess we should just be d we weren''t forced to y the same role as before." "Indeed... Kolkis, how was it over there?" ¡°From what I saw, there seemed to be some chaos. There was also talk that the center was being pushed in. There is a good chance that the front line will retreat further.¡± "We must avoid istion in enemy territory. Following the battalionmander''s orders too blindly could lead to that¡± Bogan nodded. Gallen''s virtue was the flexibility of his thinking. Although a serious soldier, he valued effective methods as long as they didn''t conflict with orders. Nozan spoke up. "The main force should be ced as far back as possible. ording to the bandit, they were making a hiding ce for the recovered supplies nearby." "Let''s take advantage of that. We''ll take the carriage over there first. Nozan, your squad will continue to guard the surrounding area. Bogan, transport the carriage and bandits there. We will consider that this will be a long-term battle and n our future course of action." ¡°Ha¡± Normally, bandits like Grunmeld and his group would be taken to the main camp or somewhere, tortured or interrogated, and if they were lucky, they would have been used alive asbor in some mine or something. Grunmeld hadn''tpletely given up, but unless there was a great chance, that centurion wouldn''t let him and the others escape. All of them, including the squad members, were excellent soldiers. However, the situation had changed the next day. Instead of being taken to the rear, Grunmeld and the others were asked about the hiding ce, and were taken there. He didn''t know what was going on at the time, but he thought he had a chance. No matter how good the soldiers were, there was still fatigue. If it''s a long-term battle, chances would eventuallye. Surveince was a nerve-wracking task in its own right¨D¨Da hundred people were too few to handle in parallel while doing other things. And as long as they were tied up, they needed to take care of the non-magic possessors¡¯ feces and urine. It was no small amount of stress. ¨D¨DStay quiet until I give the signal. When Grunmeld instructed this, his subordinates also nodded. Although it was a surprise attack, they were defeated one-sidedly. He was fully aware of their strength. It would be difficult to escape if they did not take advantage of an opportunity. While Grunmeld and the others made lightments andints, they behaved as obedient prisoners. Even if we are tied down, we still have some leeway¨D¨Dif they show that, the other party would be even more exhausted. At the very least, the fact that they left Grunmeld and the others with them meant that they were given more important orders than about the bandits. Depending on the situation, there was a possibility that they would release him, not having room to deal with Grunmeld¡¯s group. After that, it¡¯s a matter of endurance. Who would break first, that¡¯s all. Grunmeld was used to a rather inconvenient life, and the other things were also not that different. They had simr origins and upbringings. Even when he was tied up, he didn''t give up and just kept looking for an opening. They had taken care to prevent them from eavesdropping, but it was impossible for it to be wless. When you piece together small murmurs and fragmented information heard from the wind, it bes a form. It was two dayster that they were isted in the midst of the enemy, without instructions or support, due to the retreat of the main camp. Apparently they were on bad terms with the battalionmander. They say the nail that sticks out gets hammered down¨D¨Dbut the highly skilledmander and his century squad effortlessly captured Grunmeld and his group. This would surely irk some people. ¡®Jealousy among men sure is frightening¡¯, Grunmeld remarked with augh, Fagran and the others as the opportunity presented itself. Within a few days, wounded soldiers began to appear, some cried, it seemed someone had died. ¨D¨DIt was about a weekter that a full-scale battle broke out. "Kolkis! Finish off the leftovers from Borgan!" "Yes! Finally, my turn! Let''s go!" ¡°Nozan, take ten steps back and let the enemye!¡± "You heard him, don''t overextend! The main assault is led by Christand!" The area chosen as their hideout was rtively sparse in trees. Some trees have been cut down, creating a space with a good view. Even though he was tied up, he could see the situation clearly. It wasn''t that their hiding ce had been discovered; rather, they had lured the enemy in because they could no longer hide. The enemy consisted of at least two centuries¨D¨Dyet the battle was in Gallen¡¯s favor. Three magic-possessors were particrly noticeable. Two men who appeared to be captains¨D¨DBorgan and Nozan, held the nks. Borgan on the right wing cut through enemies, armor and all, with his powerful arms¨D¨Dadvancing like a storm, changing his body into swords as if it were disposable. He even smiled, precisely a beast. Despite usually appearing stern andposed, he now seemed like a different person He gleefully ughtered the enemy, causing them to recoil in fear. He probably left it there as a reserve. A magic possessor who was waiting by Gallen''s side¨D¨Darge man called Kolkis shot his throwing spear and began to devour the enemy even more. On the opposite left wing, Nozan was also the same. Cutting the enemy''s life with brilliant swordsmanship, aiming for gaps in their armor, luring in enemies and turning the table on them. Decapitating them, dismembering them, his beautiful face taking on a beastly look. He was a man with no sense of humor, but there was a certain beauty in his swordsmanship. Theplete opposite of Grunmeld¨D¨Dwhatever it is, that strength of his that belied his face couldn¡¯t be denied. He calmly lured the opponent sword and spear, counterattack, and pushed the bodies to the side. He would take the first move against opponents who showed an opening and pierce their necks. He knew that this century,posed of light infantry, was the most elite of the kingdom. However, they were a fighting group that even Grunmeld was overwhelmed by. They were probably one of the best centuries in the kingdom. Although they were a small force of 100 men, their military power directly overwhelmed a force more than twice their size. In the center¨D¨Dthemander Gallen appeared unguarded, yet no enemy could approach him. By intentionally making him defenseless, they were probably trying to secure the field of view for the archer, Gallen. Anyone who tried to approach it, even the enemy''s magic possessors, could not get close and was shot through and died miserably. Only two squad besides him. Grunmeld threw the abundant spears and swords found in the stolen carriage, and the frightened opponent was shot and died. They killed over a hundred enemies easily, with only minor injuries and no deaths on their side. By the time the battle was over, he could feel his own body heating up. Colliding with each other, overwhelming the other and destroying each other. His body trembled as he looked at the scene. "Combat over. Report your casualties" Gallen ordered. The soldiers, without a single roar, reported their casualties as themander''s words extinguished their ferocity. Discipline and control¨D¨Dwhat was here was not a group of roughnecks, but an organization called the military. The subordinates he led were the same beasts as Grunmeld, but there was one major difference. Gan¡¯s squad existed solely for the purpose of fighting, never letting down their guard or cking off. ¡°I was hoping that the main force would push back, but it seems like we can¡¯t afford to wait.¡There are enemies on all sides, and it will be a brute force to break out.¡± "...It¡¯s the usual ce of death,mander." The man named Bogan answers whileughing. Everyone nodded at that, and even though some of them looked scared, every single one of them smiled. Gallen nods and approached grunmeld. "You sure are lucky. As expected, when the situation deteriorated to this point, we couldn''t afford to take you as prisoners of war." ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that, but¡¡± Grunmeld looked at the bodies of the Elsren soldiers. Even if they were freed now, they''d likely be killed by the surrounding Elsren soldiers before escaping. No soldier would release bandits with a smile. "But you must understand, this ce is a ce of death for you as well. You''ll need some force to get out.¡± "...Are you asking us to act as decoys?" " Exactly. Whether you run away or fight, or use us as a decoy, it''s fine as long as you spread the enemy''s attention. Fortunately, your equipment belongs to the kingdom¨D¨Dwhether you like it or not, they will see you as one of our allies.'''' Gallen smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting up. Grunmeld alsoughed. "...I don''t think we have a choice." "Yes. But if you survive, I won''t pursue you. After that, you can do whatever you want." Garen asked if he agreed, and Grunmeld replied ¡®you don¡¯t need to be asked¡¯. "I¡¯m tired of being tied up. I¡¯m in." Grunmeld looked at Fagran and the others. They alsough and nod. People who are crazy to begin with¨D¨Dit''s much better to be able to go wild and find out how to survive than to die while tied up. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s decided.¡We move east from here and decapitate themander of the enemy battalion. Nozan, you and Colchis should take these guys and go out to the front from the left wing and go wild. Bogan, you go behind me with me.¡± ¡°Ha¡± Aim for the head of the enemy battalionmander with one hundred men. The words he said calmly were absurd, but his subordinates who naturally responded to those words were also crazy. They must be a bunch of lunatics. Even Grunmeld, knew the basic military principle of top-downmand, but here it was more like blind faith or worship¡ª¡ªthey epted the words of their superiors as if they were divine revtions, without a hint of doubt. Gallen began giving instructions, and Nozan approached with his soldiers. "I''m sorry, but I don''t want you to make any fuss unnecessarily. ...Gag him. And put a cloth on his armor to make it obvious. We can¡¯t afford to get bitten.¡± "Hah, you can do whatever you want. Doesn¡¯t matter now,." Grunmeld said, and Nozan replied with a cold look. "It''s a nuisance to me too when you wander around. Once the rope is untied, do your best to run away." ¡°You¡¯re quite talkative. ...While you¡¯re at it, it¡¯d be helpful if you could bring my personal weapon from the carriage.¡± ¡°..Personal weapon?¡± ¡°A long iron club. I¡¯ll need to cause a bit of havoc to escape. If you give me that, I can go wild as much as I want. I don¡¯t feel like going wild while tied up... but I won¡¯t insist if you¡¯re afraid I might bash your face in.¡± Nozan appeared to think it over for a moment, narrowing his eyes. ¡°...I have no obligation to grant your wish¡± ¡®but alright¡¯, he said with a faint smile. There was something distinctly unpleasant about his face. After ughtering two hundred people, they immediately counterattacked. Judging by the smooth flow, they must have already known where the enemy battalionmander was. Themander had called it a death ce, but it seemed like this was just one of the scenarios they foreseen. Perhaps that was also the reason for theck of confusion among the soldiers. They moved with precision, never falling behind, always holding a hidden strategy even when cornered. Even in the forest, the soldiers moved like beasts. Paying attention to their surroundings without unnecessary sound. This was what an army is, what soldiers are. They were not individuals but a collective. Each soldier understands their role and position within the group. Soldiers form small units called squads, and those squadse together to form a single unit. Every soldier acts with the objective shown by their centurion in mind, sacrificing themselves for the group. In some ways, it was simr to the group Grunmeld had created in his own way, except there were no scum. A fighting group with high purity¨D¨Dthis was thepleted form. Enemy sentries die silently. The ones killing them silently were Nozan and Kolkis, skilled magic possessors. Gallen and Bogan were probably doing the same on the other side. They moved with the minimum number of people, focused solely on efficiency. Everything moved efficiently. It was kill or be killed, with no reckless gambles. Everyone solely pursued efficiency to win. The forest was quiet until they reached their position. And by that time, the sun had set and it was night. ¡°From here on, you¡¯re free to do as you wish,¡± An enemy battalion has set up camp, directly in front. When they got there, the rope around Granmeld¡¯s arm was finally cut. As he sat down, he stretched out his stiff arms, removed the gag, and finally took a breather. The soldiers were wary of Grunmeld and the others, but Nozan remained calm. He understood that Grunmeld and his men wouldn¡¯t attack now. That¡¯s why he brought them along, knowing they at least had that level of intelligence. Just as Grunmeld was observing them, they were also observing Grunmeld. "What''s the strategy?" ¡°Oh, nning to work together?¡± Nozanughed, and therge man Kolkis spoke up in his ce. "Just kill the enemy battalionmander. Either we or the captain first. Isn''t it simple and clear? Even you can understand it." "I see. That''s true." ¡°You go first, we¡¯ll follow. In the chaos, run wherever you like,¡± Kolkis said, crouching in front of Grunmeld with a grin. There weren''t many men bigger than Grunmeld. The reason Kolkis felt so big was probably because he could feel the fighting spirit overflowing from Kolkis¡¯ body. Kolkis rolled the iron club in front of Grunmeld and said. "Well, if you still want to swing that big thing around and go wild, use it to the left. If you want that big prey, go to Verreich, not me." "Call me Corporal, I''m your superior, Argand." "Ah, my bad. I totally forgot." Kolkis spoke without a hint of remorse and lightly tapped Nozan''s chest with his gauntlet. "I''m sorry, but I''ll be taking themander''s head, Corporal-dono." "...While you''re desperately ying with the small fry, I or the captains will finish them off. There''s no need to apologize." "Ha. Just you see" Kolkis then led half of the men to the right. Dividing the fifty soldiers further¨D¨Dat that point he understood that the battle would be over in an instant, regardless of how it went. A single century squadunched a surprise attack on the enemy main force, estimated at 300 people, from all sides. Either they''d be annihted swiftly or they manage to take the enemymander''s head amidst the chaos. It was a bold n, but he didn''t sense any possibility of failure. He couldn''t envision this unit being easily wiped out. "Alright, let''s get going too. As I said, do as you like once we''re in front of the enemy." ¡°...I¡¯ll do just that.¡± When he looked back at Fagran and the others, he saw them stretching their bodies and smiling. Grunmeld took the iron club and crouched as he passed through the bushes, and the group quickly followed behind him. "Luck hase our way. What now, boss?" "Just as usual." Think about it after going wild. When Grunmeld told him, Fagranughed and looked next to him. "...Certainly, it''s a good way to vent your frustrations. Karlis, no matter how much you mess with your nose, your ugly face won''t change." "I''m going to kill you, Fagran. Oh shit... I still can''t get over the difort." Grunmeld stepped forward,ughing at Karlis who was ying with his nose, which was as big as his face. He could sense without looking that the gentlemanly youth was right behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s go, you bastards!!¡± Then, as they closed the distance, they started dancing all at once. They didn¡¯t really think much about tactics. Simple and straightforward¡ªcharge and kill. Finish it while the enemy is in disarray. That was the ¡®tactic¡¯ that allowed each member to fully utilize their abilities. A campsite built in the forest. It''s not strong, but it''s not weak either. There were two watchtowers on each side and one at each corner. A few archers stood guard on them, acting as lookouts.. The camp was surrounded by a simple fence, and although it was not strong by any means, it would take effort to break through. Magic possessor could easily jump over it, but most soldiers can''t. If they wanted to pour in troops, they had to enter through the entrance with the turret. Grunmeld has 17 subordinates. There aren''t that many. I was able to get inside by slightly breaking down the fence, but the problem was behind me. Just Grunmeld and his pawns were not enough. He needs to get that handsome soldier who would be the main force inside unharmed. ¡°Fagran, Karlis, Temera, to the left!¡± "Got it!" Shouting, Grunmeld charged towards the right watchtower. Arrows flew, but unless the archers were experts, it was difficult to hit a magic possessor attacker charging suddenly. And if the enemy aimed at Grunmeld or Fagran, the slower one would follow behind without being targeted. He sprints forward from the bushes, swinging his iron club. With the weight of his body, he struck the pir at the base of the watchtower. It tipped over immediately, sending the soldiers on top crashing to the ground. The club was just under six shaku long, with a steel shaft and head. It was a personal weapon used by some bandit, but it fit well in his hand. Above all, the power was good. Smashing the enemy¡¯s fortifications felt satisfying. ¡°Enemy att, ck¨D¨D!?¡± Whether leather or te, armor didn¡¯t matter when hit by the club. His arms and spine were crushed, and when he mmed into his skull, his head was blown off from the neck up. The sight of theirrades being ughtered sapped the enemy''s will to fight. The archers who fell from the tower were finished off by Granmeld''s men, and Fagran and Karlis destroyed the watchtower on the left. Meanwhile, the good looking soldier led his troops through the chaos. His slight look of impressed was irritating. While clearing the area around the watchtower, the invading soldiers shed at the confused enemy, the enemy soldiers were screaming and repeating that they were attacking the enemy. Panicked voices shouting the enemye from the southeast, south, and north, themanders shouting asking and demanding urate information. They would never have thought that a single century squad would split and encircled them. Some shouted that they were being surrounded by multiple enemy units. A calm assessment would reveal their numbers were limited. But still, with Granmeld''s group included, there were six magic possessors. A force that seemed disproportionate to their size¨D¨Dit was no wonder the enemy was confused. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s a storage room!¡± ¡°Sprinkle oil and set it on fire, make it grand!¡± As thieves, they have a good nose. He has his men search for oil among the countless tents and quickly set the area on fire. Even if you set fire after amotion, there will be no damage to the enemy, but mes have a great psychological effect. That is because it was easy to understand that they were being attacked and were in a predicament. The brightness of the mes was dazzling at night, making it more difficult for enemies to see. Unlike Grunmeld and the others who were aware of the enemy''s numbers and attack, the enemies were still in the process of understanding the situation. This prolongs the confusion¨D¨Dand in the meantime, they clean it up, and the century outside would also flee seeing that the main force was burning. "!?" There is no agreement about how each other should move. When they got to the back of the tent, he bumped into the effeminate man, who was shing the enemy, and both of them instinctively raised their weapons. Several bodiesy around. He must have killed some people, but other than the sword, he was in good condition. A brief moment of tension, then they both moved, taking down enemies behind each other. They exchanged nces, then the gentleman gestured towards the fence with his eyes, signaling Grunmeld to leave. But Grunmeld ignored him, continuing to kill any enemy in sight. Crushing skulls, breaking spines, stomping. He wasn¡¯t thinking about anything beyond killing. Perhaps he was avoiding the question of why he was still fighting. ¨D¨DAs he did so, he wondered why he was still trying to fight. They had achieved enough and he could retreat with his men. The gentleman wanted it, and Grunmeld didn¡¯t want to get more involved than necessary. Yet he kept fighting, swinging his club. His men, intoxicated by blood, rampaged, and without a word, Grunmeld kept fighting until the end. It was over in less than half a koku. A voice rang out saying that the enemy battalionmander was dead. Z After they killed the century¡¯s leader who still resisted, the situation settled. As expected, the numerical disadvantage remains the same. Some of Granmeld''s henchmen had died, but he had killed dozens of times more. The result could be called a big win. "¨D¨DBoss" "Go, I have something to do." As Fagran was about to suggest retreating, Grunmeld walked towards the gentleman. The soldiers tensed at the sight of the blood-soaked Grunmeld, but the gentleman just looked at him with disdain. "What is it, bandit? Want praise for a job well done?" "I haven¡¯t paid you back for that kick yet." That was why he stayed. Deciding on his vague feelings, Grunmeld spoke. "...You said to do as I please once we¡¯re in front of the enemy. I¡¯ll leave after repaying that." If he killed the man now, the gentleman¡¯s troops wouldn¡¯t have the luxury to pursue Grunmeld. They¡¯d need to flee immediately. The situation was advantageous. Carrying his bloody sword on his shoulder, the gentleman¡ª¡ªNozan smiled. "Such petty pride. Until recently, I would have said the same." ¡®It''s a shame¡¯, he continued. "You have such skill, and the things you say and do are like those of a small thug. ... Is your life a life where you just bite at what catches your eye without thinking?" "Who knows. I just do as I please. Kill those who irritate me, and those who get in my way. ...You''re one of them." He restrained the soldier who called out with his hand and looked straight at Grunmeld. Grunmeld also takes another step forward. "Kuku, What a cramped and suffocating freedom...But bad habits can''t be broken." ¡®Guess Captain will scold me again¡¯, Nozan said as he held his left hand in front and the sword in his right hand behind his back. Half-body stance with left side facing forward. Lorca style¨D¨Da soldier''s sword born on the battlefield. "My name is Nozan Verreich. I''m sure even a thief has a name, so tell me your name." "...Grunmeld." "Okay, Grunnmeld...I''ll be your opponent. I''ll give you the chance to crush my head." However, Nozan grinned, baring his teeth. Despite his handsome features, his expression was thoroughly savage. "If you lose, stop being such a lowly thief and be my subordinate from today. We''ve lost quite a few men, but you would be a suitable addition." "Ha, you talk big." "It''s apliment... It means I believe you have the skill to face me and survive." Grunnmeld also readied himself. Shouldering his iron staff, he grasped it with both hands, raising it high. The difference in reach¨D¨Dthe distance is overwhelming. If he struck down with maximum speed, his opponent would have no choice but to dodge. If he stepped in too close, he''d end up ttened like a squashed frog. Lorca''s style disrupts the opponents sense of distance with the left hand, pulls his arm, and uses centrifugal force to unleash a sh of right-hand strike. He had faced many opponents. The Lorca Style was simple. If measured correctly, a downward strike from a high position would be faster. However, there was no sign of pressure, and he just lifted his cheeks. "Come on then... It''s time to discipline you." "...!" Grunnmeld took arge step forward, epting Nozan¡¯s invitation. Chapter 275: Varkas IV Chapter 275: Varkas IV ***Chapter 275 Varkas IV*** "Dear, you shouldn''t be sleeping there without a nket. You''ll catch a cold." "¡¡hmm?" In a needlesslyrge mansion, on the second-floor balcony. Apparently he fell asleep while sitting on a chair there and drinking alcohol. It was afortable armchair¡ª¡ªrocking gently back and forth, making it surprisingly easy to sleep. He looked in the direction of the voice. A woman in a simple white blouse and ck skirt. Her chestnut hair cut at shoulders¨D¨Dher refined face reflects her personality, and is theplete opposite of her mor.. The only thing that seemed out of ce from that serious woman was the ruby ne he once gave her. "All you do isin, Rosine. Wherever I sleep, it''s my freedom. Besides, what do you think my life was like on the battlefield?" "It''s because Dear only did thing that made mein all the time¨D¨D" As she approached, he pulled her slender waist closer and sat her on hisp. She blushed and red at me. She always blushed easily, no matter how much time passed. "...Husband" "There is a nket. Do you have anyints?" "¡¡Goodness" He stroked her head, and she sighed, giving up and leaning into him like a child. He had known her since she was born¡ª¡ªhe never imagined she''d be his wife. Rosine was the daughter of Picas, apetentmoner who worked under Nozan. Grunmeld knew Picas quite well too. Being a noble is full of hassles. Even more so if one was given territories to manage. When it came to managing money andnd, he would consult with Nozan or Picas. Nozan, seeing Grunmeld often seeking advice, had sent Picas over, that was a long time ago. Picas, originally a merchant or something, was taken under Northern¡¯s wing for his intelligence and proved to be very capable. He handled whatever task was thrown at him efficiently. Grunmeld also treated him well, and they shared a taste in liquor, making for a good rtionship¨D¨Dand by some twist of fate here he was. They hadn''t spoken much. As a child, Rosine was quite attached to Grunmeld, but that changed as she grew older. She often looked at him with a re, so he thought she hated him. Even when she started assisting her father, their interactions were strictly business. A well-mannered, earnest youngdy, it was no surprise she didn''t like him, and he didn''t think much of it, but one day, out of the blue, Picas asked if Grunmeld would consider marrying his daughter. Picas wasn''t particrly an ambitious person. He wasn¡¯t the type to offer his daughter for career advancement, but a man with ordinary sensibilities, for better or for worse. He seemed genuinely fond of his daughter, so when he asked, Grunmeld thought it was a joke. But Picas seemed confused as well. ¡®...With all due respect, I also thought that Rosine hated...Danna-sama (boss/master/husband) but...she''s a girl with that kind of personality.¡¯ Seems like when Picas was looking for a good match for his daughter, his daughter, Rosine kept rejecting it, and when he asked her if there was a man she liked, she tearfully said that she liked Danna-sama. Grunmeld was suspicious at first. Rosine was a smart woman. She might have thought it would be best for her to marry Grunmeld for the sake of her house. Grunmeld enjoyed women, but only with mutual consent. If not it would only dampen the mood¨D¨DMarrying a woman who secretly resented him would be unpleasant, no matter how beautiful she was. He first summoned Rosine to speak directly, but when he told her what he thought, she burst into tears, leaving Grunmeld at a loss. When he tried to soothe Rosine, she began to confess that she had liked him since she was a child. It seems that she had intended to appeal to some extent, and was extremely shocked to be told such a thing, but it was so subtle he hadn''t noticed. He didn''t even know what he was being used of. She cried endlessly, and after trying tofort her, she fell asleep, leaving him to deal with the situation. Her res were apparently just nervous looks. After much deliberation, he decided to marry her, assuring her he wouldn''t regret it. Their lives didn¡¯t change much¡ªexcept he now had a woman constantly nagging and asionally seeking affection. He wasn''t sure if he loved her, but he did like her. She was smart, charming, and a good woman. Though her taste in man was not the greatest. "...What were you dreaming about?" "Who knows. I just fell asleep while thinking about the past." "My, that''s rare." Rosine yed with his beard. "You never tell me about your past, Dear." "Because it¡¯s just a boring story full of good-for -nothing bastards." ¡°But I want to hear it.¡± Blushing slightly, Rosine red at him. "...It''s unfair that only you know everything about me, Dear." She then touched the scar on his cheek, tracing it gently with her finger. ¨D¨DIt could be said that the match was a boring one. He had anticipated that Nozan would attack with the sword in his right hand. Instead, he suddenly turned his back. Spinning around with great force, focusing the centrifugal force to create a sh of de. The de aimed at Grunmeld''s iron club. He had doubted Nozan¡¯s sanity, wondering if he was nning to repel this iron club with the sword, but it was the sight in front of him in the next moment that made him doubt his eyes. The de didn''t stop as it bit into the steel of the iron club, cutting the steel in two as if it were a tree branch. And just like that, the tip of the de came to Grunmeld. It sliced through his left cheek along with his cheekbone, and Nozan easily got behind him. He immediately tried to turn around, but suddenly losing the tip of his iron club, he lost his bnce. "You''re relying too much on what you have. You have strength and stamina, but your skills are stillcking." ¡°Bastard...¡± Nozan smiled, saying with this his debt increased. ¡°If you just rely on brute force, you won''t be able to win against someone who is physically superior to you or stronger than you. And if your opponent has some skill and wisdom, you''ll probably lose to someone you should be able to beat. The only reason you were able to survive until today was just your luck¨D¨Dwell, if the opponent was just some thugs, that would have been enough though.'''' ¡®But not so in the military¡¯, saying that Nozan drew his sword, looked at his own sword and furrowed his brow, then threw it away and picked up a corpse''s sword lying around. Cutting through steel¨D¨Dthe sword was probably damaged. "You''ll still lose to someone like me, who is still inexperienced. Even if your opponent is Captain Christand, Argand, or a captain who can''t use magic, the same thing will happen. ...The reason being that soldiers wield their weapons not to show off their power, but only for victory." ¡®That''s the difference between you and me¡¯, Nozan said to grunmeld as he sits up. "The ce where we wield our swords is not a wild dog fight to show who is stronger. It¡¯s a battlefield where everything is staked for victory." Then he smiled, grabbing Grunmeld¡¯s head. "Stop being a bandit ande with me, Grunmeld." ¨D¨DA wolf pack suits you better than a dog pack. Grunmeld''s eyes widened as Nozan said that his handsome face was distorted into that of a vulgar beast. Later, Northern Verreich was said to keep a vicious wolf, referring to Grunmeld. A wolf kept by its owner. But that''s not correct. This man was not an elegant owner, and underneath his human skin was the face of a wolf. Nozan Verreich was a wolf even more ferocious than Grunmeld, and was the leader of the pack. "What are you doing, Nozan?" Releasing his grip on Grunmeld¡¯s head, Nozan sheathed his sword. Then, he simply turned his back to Grunmeld and saluted. He didn''t expect to be killed from behind. He wasn''t underestimating him but trusted the bandit Grunmeld. ¨D¨DIf Grunmeld had intended to kill from behind, he''d have done it long ago. Nozan''s attitude showed he already considered Grunmeld as his subordinate. "Commander, Corporal. Just some new recruits." "New recruits...?" The two of them took their soldiers with them and looked at Grunmeld and the remaining Fagran. "It''s probably the defeated soldiers of the Second Corps. It looks like they were badly beaten over there...and they seem to have been inspired by our bravery." Gallen and Bogan exchanged nces and asked Grunmeld. "...That¡¯s what he said, but is that so?" "...Noining. A loss is a loss." He thought for a moment and answered. "Theyck manners but are skilled." "That¡¯s reassuring. ...We¡¯ll leave the sermon forter. You handle them." ¡°Ha¡± Nozan turned towards him again and extended his right hand. He thought for a moment again, stretched out his right hand, grabbed it, and stood up. After a brief pause, Grunmeld took it and stood up. He looked at Fagran and the others, who had watched without fleeing. "As you see, you¡¯re free to do as you wish." Just that. They also looked at each other and said, ¡®we''ll do just that¡¯, sheathed their swords and approached him. "I was just getting tired of being a thief. This isn''t so bad...isn''t it?" Fagran said with augh, and Grunmeld alsoughed quietly. The deep gash on his cheek was extremely painful. Some showed a bit of caution at the inclusion of the bandits, but that was all. The veteran members of the corps didn''t particrly care, and weed Grunmeld and the others as soldiers of the same corps. It seems that the majority of this unit was mainly made up of defeated soldiers and deserters who had been forcefully recruited, and the neers also did not seem to mind much. If found, deserters would normally be executed. Simrly, it could be said that there were many people who could notin even if there were bandits who would normally be sentenced to death, but¨D¨Dthe result of a duel had great meaning, at least among soldiers who valued discipline. For better or worse, what was rooted in the military was the so-called warrior culture, with beliefs simr to those of tribal times. They ambushed and infiltrated the confused enemy, it was possibly also a form of purification to them. Once they fought at the front under Nozan¡¯s lead, no one expressed dissatisfaction. Even after they join the squad and return to the main force, no oneins. The century, who were thought to be isted and dead, made it through the ce of death and returned home alone, covered in blood. The soldiers greeted Garen and his squad with cheers, and even the corpsmander praised his squad in front of the soldiers to boost morale. Even the battalionmander, who seemed to dislike Gallen, couldn''t help but praise his performance. Even if they were told that there were bandits in the mix, they wouldn''t have been able to bring them to justice. In the first ce, it wasmon for bandits to be soldiers and soldiers to be bandits. Management of recruited soldiers waspleted by filling in their names and affiliations. It was sloppy in some ces, and there were many cases where names and affiliations did not match on the front lines. It was only from captains and above that were properly documented. Thus, a few thieves among tens of thousands of soldiers weren''t a significant issue. ¨D¨DAnd so, Grunmeld became a soldier. If asked whether it was fun, normally it wouldn¡¯t be a fun ce. But for Grunmeld, it was never boring. It seemed the originally unhinged Fagran shared this sentiment, as within a month, they were saluting like soldiers, saying things like ¡®Ha! Understood!¡¯ and fighting like soldiers when ordered to do so. A big reason for this was that the corps at that time was, to say the least, the best in the kingdom. Captain Gallen wasn¡¯t even magic possessors, but he was a divine hunter. Average magic possessors was no match to him, he had a good brain, a wide field of vision, and was easily able to take control of the beasts in his team fighting in the forest. If the spear-wielder Kolkis were to stand by his side, there would be no one who could take his head. Bogan Christand, whoter rose to be a general, appears to be a calm and collected man, but he has a dual personality, and once he charged into battle, he was like a berserker. He idolized his captain, Gallen, he possessed the charisma to instill fear in enemies and inspire his subordinates to frenzy. He was a pure warrior, always taking on more dangerous missions than anyone else, and it was easy to see why Nozan respected him. So was Nozan. This man was blessed with all kinds of talent, greedily absorbing the virtues of both men and improving with each battle. Whether he wields the sword himself or takesmand from the rear, he has no ws whatsoever. Normally he was what one would call jack of all trades, master of none, but since he stands out in every waypared to a normal person, there was nothing toin about. He assists the movement of the entire unit, stabilizing the seemingly distorted unit, and makes it a rock-solid unit. Even against an organized battalion, defeat seemed improbable. This unit, which was undefeated in the nearly two-year-long war, could have held its own against the ck Century¨D¨Da unit solelyposed of magic possessors created by the insane princess. During the war, whichsted for nearly two years, that unit remained undefeated. The battalionmander was probably suffering greatly. Even when sent to the ce of certain death, the squad achieved results and returned unscathed. This led to the battalionmander''s efforts to keep them as a small, elite special forces unit, thus enhancing the squad''s reputation as the finest in the army. As a Century among Century, this elite unit was admired by all soldiers in the military. The most powerful centurion thatmands respect even from battalionmanders, corpsmanders, and generals. It would be a perfect paradise for those who love war. Like Fagran and the others, Grunmeld had no objections to fighting there, and enjoyed his days spent in battle. There was no doubt that once the war was over, the entire unit would be reorganized and promoted to battalion status, and everyone must have thought so. However, it was also too much. Gallen was a talented military man, but he was only a military man. Hecked ambition. Even if the war didn''t end, if the battalionmander of the same corps died, that would have been enough for a promotion during the war¨D¨Daiding and supporting the battalion in dire situations would only dy their own rise. Garen, who clearly separated his public and private life, had strong principles in this regard, and did not have the idea of abandoning allied troops. In the broader view, sacrificing a battalionmander to let Gallen take over could have led to greater overall victories and fewer casualties. ¡®I understand your logic. But climbing to the top by abandoning those you could save would leave asting regret. No matter who forgives it, I could never forgive myself for using such despicable means.¡¯ ¡®But you¨D¨D'' ¡®I feel bad for putting you through so much trouble. However, I am also a husband and a parent. ...It might not suit me, but I want to be someone that my wife and daughter can be proud of.¡¯ In a world full of beasts, Gallen was a ruthless soldier, yet he was particr about the trivial things. Like Krarze, he was an ordinary man, a hunter from the countryside you could find anywhere. When Grunmeld was told that, he was too stunned to say anything and gave up. As a result, Gallen also ended up leaving the army because of his naivety. It was probably just a little bit of harassment from the battalionmander who couldn''t do anything about it. What he ordered the innocent man to do was to make an example of the vige where he hid the escaped Elsren soldiers. The jealous man told them that if they rebelled, they would be punished for defiance. No matter how famous a military man was, his superior''s words were absolute. At least the military organization was built on such crazy rules. It''s a serious crime to hide enemy soldiers¨D¨Dno matter what, the order to burn down the vige was valid, and as long as that was the case, they couldn''t disobey it. Even though he was a centurion who could calmly survive even the harshest of situations, those orders were probably tougher than any other mission. He was a hunter who grew up in a simr vige. Perhaps he was remembering his hometown as the vige was burned down on his own orders. Gallen then retired from the military. His soldiers tried to convince him to thin it again, but he must have been in tears when he learned that his wife had died from an illness during the long battle with Elsren. ¨D¨DThus, the brilliant centurion who achieved many achievements vanished. The troop was taken over by Bogan, and in the next battle, the battalionmander was also killed in action. The details remain unclear. The soldiers, having seen their hero driven out by abuse of power, viewed the battalionmander with disdain. The battalionmander, who couldn''t stand the eyes of those around him, seemed desperate to take credit for him. Although he ultimately died isted, it is possible that he was intentionally isted. Like Gallen, Bogan continues to show off his military exploits, and now there were no obstacles in his way. He quickly rose through the ranks, but everyone said that it was disappointing that Gallen wasn''t here. However, it was true that he was naive. Just like when Krarze died, Gallen was forced into such a situation. He was too straight as a human being, Grunmeld thought. Humans, it''s better if one doesn''t have any weaknesses. Looking at the series of events, that was the conclusion Granmeld came to. "It''s certainly a rational way of thinking, but it''s not logical. What soldiers look up to is the hero in the story." "¡¡hero?" "Yes, more noble than anyone else,ughing even when in ce of certain death, and yet continues to win. One can''t just be crazy or just rational." One day he told Nozan of what he thought, and what returned was those words. A guest room, typical of Nozan, where cleanliness and elegance go hand in hand. Grunmeld recalled this while sipping a ss of wine in this ufortable room. ¡°Commander Gallen is a noble soldier that even you, a bandit, recognizes. It is precisely because such a soldier has achieved such great military results that everyone admires and respects him. The same goes for Bogan-sama. ...That''s why the soldiers entrust their only lives to thismander.'''' ¡®No mere ruffian could do this¡¯, Nozanughed. "Not everyone can throw their lives away like you. Most of them are cowards¨D¨Dand it''s by showing these men dreams that they are characters in a heroic tale that the troop can be strong. You are also in a higher position, so please understand that from now on. ...Though if you say you can kill 10,000 people by yourself, I won''tin either.¡± "My, thank you for your kind words. I will keep them in mind." "Your bad attitude hasn''t changed. Anyway, I called you because there¡¯s something to do." Nozan took out the parchment and ced it on the desk. ¡°You have been informally decorated as Nea. Considering your military achievement, there is a possibility that you will be given the rank of Rinea, but...well that''s fine for now. The war is over, and when you officially submit your name to the country, you will now have the surname of a noble. That¡¯s what¡¯s important, if there¡¯s something you have in mind, I¡¯ll hear it.¡± "Surname?" "If a parent has a surname, it''smon to use that." Northern said with augh, and Grunmeld red. He at least knew what kind of upbringing Grunmeld had. ¡°As expected, of the adjutant of the battalion, how kind. I¡¯m d you taught me somemon sense. Do you think I have?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Basically, Nozan was an asshole. "The rest is up to you, or in many cases you choose the name of the vige you were born in. If it''s a town, it''s best to avoid it. There''s no rule that says it''s bad, but the nobles who manage the ce won''t like it." He did not even decide on his own name. Naturally, a surname was not something he coulde up with on the spur of the moment. That name came to his name was inevitable. "...Varkas. Grunmeld Varkas, make it that." Nozan''s eyes widened in surprise at what he heard. Then ¡®It''s a good name¡¯, he said as he wrote it on the parchment with a smile on his face. Grunmeld frowned at him. ¡°...Hey. What''s so funny?" "No...It¡¯s just that you suree up with something pleasant, even though you said it''s the fault of those who show weakness." "¡¡What do you mean?" Nozan said ¡®excuse me¡¯ and turned away from him and left the room, with his shoulders shaking. When Grunmeld listened carefully, he heardughtering from the other side of the door, and a momentter, as if nothing had happened, Nozan returned with a serious face and said, ¡®Excuse me¡¯. He may have thought that it would affect his good name to show his funnyugh to others, but he was not able to hide it at all. Grunmeld felt a tingle in the veins of his forehead as he called out to him again, ¡®Oi!¡¯ "Varkas, why¡¯s that?" "...It''s the name of a group of small-time thugs that used to exist." "I see. Did you not ask where it came from?" "Because I wasn''t interested." ¡®I see¡¯, Nozan looked at Grunmeld again, trying to hold back hisughter. "It''s a word thates from an ancient northernnguage. It''s said to mean group, but its actual meaning is..." When Grunmeld heard it, he was so dumbfounded, leaving his mouth open. "...Kuku, isn''t that a very fitting name for a lone wolf with no weaknesses?" "¨D¨DWoof Woof!" ¡°...My¡± Just as he was getting tired of Rosine pestering him to talk, a young voice echoed from the garden. Rosine got off hisp and onto the balcony railing, followed by Grunmeld. Sitting on a Suiko and looking up at him along with the guards was a silver-haired girl. "...It''s been a while, Alberinea." "Ehehe, it''s been since the wedding of Rosine. Krische is d you''re doing well." "Yes, thanks to you..." Rosine bowed her head deeply and muttered in a low voice, making her shoulders tremble. Grunmeld sighed that just when he was getting, something even more tiring appeared. She was not someone he wanted to meet that much outside of the battlefield. "It''s been a long time, Krische-sama. ...What on earth are you doing today?" "Krische came to Chirp Chirp¡¯s ce to run an errand for Selene. Since Krische is passing through, Krische thought to visit Woof Woof as well." Jumping up and down, she easilynded on the balcony. Same as always, polite but rude. It seems that to her a balcony was not inside someone else''s mansion, but outside. She usually shows up without any context, usually as a side trip to Nozan, and today was no different. Grunmeld didn¡¯t care, but even if he did, he probably wouldn''t have anything toin about this girl. There were few people who were more selfish than Grunmeld, both ordinary and extraordinary, but even Grunmeld was no match for Krische Christand. Contrary to her beautiful, adorable and harmless appearance, she was a mass of irrational beings. "Does Woof Woof want to go to Chirp Chirp¡¯s ce too? It looks like Woof Woof has some free time." "...As sudden as always." Although she appears to be thoughtful, she was short-sighted. Basically, she didn¡¯t think about anything and was like an animal. They were probably the most free creatures in the world, making decisions and making demands as they pleased. She was born into a noble family and was supposed to be a noble princess even now, but she had the sensibilities of a vige girl. It was as if she were inviting her neighbors to tea, with no regard for nobles etiquette or formality. ¡°Ehehe, Rosine too.¡± ¡°I-I...um, it¡¯s going to cause trouble for Margrave¡¡± ¡°Chirp Chirp said the other day that Krische should have brought Rosine with Krische, so it¡¯s probably okay.¡± "I-I see..." Krische smiled, saying things like, ¡®Right, Woof Woof¡¯, and Rosine looked up to Grunmeld in confusion. He certainly said that but, there¡¯s probably no woman with enough fortitude to answer ¡®yes¡¯ at the word ¡®probably¡¯, and show up at their husband¡¯s superior without any preparation ¡°Ah, that¡ should I contact His Excellency?¡± "Selene probably already sent it. She Krische me to go today." "¡¡, Ahh, I see" These were words that could not be trusted. A visit from the continent''s hero Alberinea. Even though they are incognito, they have to maintain a certain level of respectability, so they will probably prepare ordingly. It wouldn''t really be a problem if there were two more guests, but it was necessary to give some consideration. "You''re probably tired for now. It''s still early in the day, so it''s best to rest here for a while before you go." "...? Krische is not really¨D¨D" "... Rosine, write a letter saying we''re going too, and anyone is fine, send someone to deliver it." "Fufu...Yes, Dear." ¡®Why do I have to care about all this?¡¯ He let out a sigh and scratched his head. Chapter 276: Varkas - The End Chapter 276: Varkas - The End ***Chapter 276 Varkas - The End*** ¡®This is Krische, my adopted daughter, whom I had to take in due to circumstances. Some of you may recognize her as the granddaughter of Commander Gallen, my respected former superior officer. While it''s not yet decided if she''ll join the military, I brought her here today for a brief introduction. Krische, please.¡¯ ¡®...Nice to meet you, Krische.¡¯ The girl bowing her head was just a child. She was smaller and more delicate than Selene. She has beautiful silver hair and a young but half-perfected beauty. She looked like some kind of princess, in a military filled mostly with rough men, she clearly stood out. Selene was also a beautiful girl, but¨D¨Dthere was something instinctively different about Krische. In arge conference room¨D¨Deveryone from the battalionmander on up is here. Despite the fact that their eyes were on her, she did not seem nervous or frightened. Calmly, her cold, purple eyes scanned and returned the stares of the men. ¡®And you should know... though I dislike the term, Krische is a girl that can only be described as a genius. Even though she has a gentle disposition and dislikes conflict, she is loved by the God of Valor, she often defeats me in sparring.¡¯ There was a slight stir in the room. Bogan was known as one of the kingdom''s finest warriors. They couldn''t imagine him being bested by a child. Perhaps that was the unease that Grunmeld felt earlier. What Grunmeld felt was purely the wariness of a warrior. His instinct warned him that she was not as she seemed. ¡®In that respect, you don''t need to treat her as a child. She will understand anything you exin to her immediately. Especially when ites to academics. She is likely more knowledgeable than anyone here.¡¯ When Selene, who was standing next to her, pouted her lips slightly, Bogan smiled bitterly and put his hand on her head. ¡®However, in other respects, she is still very much a child. She is serious and doesn''t get jokes, and she''s not great at conversation. Selene will be with her most of the time, so if you have any issues, ask Selene. She''s very excited about having a new little sister.¡¯ ¡®Father...¡¯ ¡®Kuku¡ well, that''s all for now. She''ll observe the training, but carry on as usual and show her around. Dismissed.¡± The memory of the girl who came to the Christand army when things had stabilized was vivid, though nothing dramatic had happened. As they left the room, Grunmeld asked his adjutant. ¡®Bagil, what do you see?¡¯ ¡®She is alreadyplete.¡¯ Badil Sandika nodded seriously. He had been Grunmeld¡¯s adjutant since he became a battalionmander¨D¨Done could say he was assigned to keep the often reckless Grunmeld in check. A master of Zain-style swordsmanship, he had risen through the ranks from amon soldier. His skill as a warrior was second only to Grunmeld in the battalion. He had many aplishments in the light infantry, and he was a skilled man who could sessfullymand a battalion even in a melee if he left the back to him. ¡®Even at present she was like that...just imagining her future makes me tremble.¡¯ ¡®Houh?¡¯ Bagil has trained in orthodox swordsmanship and has a wealth of experience inbat. His eyes were sometimes more trustworthy than Granmeld''s, but ¡®Like a fairy, in two years she will be incredibly beautiful. ...To think of another mysterious flower like Lady Selene to bloom in the Christand army. This is something to look forward to, Battalion Commander.¡¯ ¡®...I was an idiot for asking you.¡¯ His eyes were often clouded. ¨D¨DThinking back, it was probably around when he became a battalionmander. Until then, Grunmeld had been doing whatever he wanted, but the number of troublesome people around him started to increase. He used tough about how Nozan had mellowed out, but he only felt like the nuisance had increased, and was fed up with it. The fool adjutant was the best example of this. When Bagil declined the position of Corps Commander¡¯s adjutant to wield a sword under the beautiful princess, Grunnmeld was exasperated but somewhat relieved by hispetence. It was a long time ago that he threw away that idiot along with Fagran, who seemed to like that princess. "Wee to our home, Krische-sama, from a long way away. "It''s been a while, Chirp Chirp. Krische brought Woof Woof and Rosine too."" Once again, Roshine''s shoulders shook slightly and she nced at Grunnmeld. Rosine was like this every time he was called Woof Woof. He was already fed up with it. Nozan¡¯s mansion was not far away. Both of them are near the former capital of Elsren, Linaria, close to the castle. The castle itself was toorge for him, only a noble, to live in and was only used for governance and meetings. "Yes, everything is ready. Grunnmeld, you should stay over sometimes. It''s unfair to have Roshine take you home drunk.¡± "I¡¯ll take you up on that." Chirp Chirp, Woof Woof. The servant, who seemed to have only recently entered, looked at him and Nozan in confusion, then turned to Krische. It was doubly a nuisance that he was already used to being looked at like this. "Ah, Chirp Chirp. This is Kreschenta¡¯s letter. Apart from Selene, it seems that Kreschenta has written some things that she wants Chirp Chirp to do." ¡°..I have certainly received it.¡± Despite being called Chirp Chirp, themander-in-chief of the Eastern Army, who had a fine beard and was wearing fine formal attire, respectfully epted it. She calmly called the Queen and the Marshal using their name, and called her subordinates with nicknames that could only be seen as making fun of them, yet there was no malice in it, so it was just her bad nature. It would probably be better if she didn''te in an apron dress. "Let¡¯s stop the idle talk here. Pleasee this way, Krische-sama. We have prepared the finest ingredients and had the chefs use their abilities to the fullest. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be satisfied." "Ehehe, yes. ...The food at Chirp Chirp ce is really delicious, so Krische is looking forward to it." ¨D¨DJust like Bogan Christand called her a genius, she eclipsed even Nozan. Grunmeld never challenged children to a match, but her abilities quickly became known. It was said that Fagan waspletely destroyed, and within a year, even Kolkis, the best spear user in the kingdom, could not hold his own against her. Abination of moves that would not cause injury to each other¨D¨Dit was different from actualbat. Although it was a disadvantage for a person who specialized in wielding heavy weapons and armor, that was no excuse when the opponent was a child as tall as his waist. When he actually saw it on the battlefield, he was able to understand it. Her figure of cutting into the Elsren army from behind. At that moment, Grunmeld was once again captivated. The sight of her shing into the battle line alone, far away from the Fourth Corps and Selene''s squad, was theplete opposite of wild. Efficient ughter to the bare minimum, carried out only to destroy morale. A lone surprise attack in the middle of a swarm of enemies, without raising one''s voice proudly. There was probably no other person who could do something like that without any hesitation. The enemy didn''t know what was going on, and their ranks copsed one after another, and by the time Grunnmeld crossed the river, the line of battle was no more. She didn''t enjoy killing, nor did she like it. She just did her job relentlessly, meticulously, and unobtrusively. With a curved sword that wasn''t even useful for self-defense. In a sense, Grunnmeld, who enjoyed ''killing each other'', still saw humans as humans. To this girl, it was just mowing the grass. Thinking about it, Gallen had also been a pure soldier, but Krische took this purity to an extreme¡ª¡ªshe was a soldier through and through, from the moment of her first battle. A trulyplete soldier was no longer human. Compared to her, Grunnmeld felt he was still very much a human. "Ehehe, Woof Woof is the same as Gururun. He''s been eating only meat since a while ago." "...I don''t like being lumped in with Suiko." She briefly talked about the central area of the kingdom as Selene told her, and drank a drink that tastes like juice. Krische¡¯s face turned red and she gleefully tasted the delicious food spread out on the table. The living legend Alberinea¡ª¡ªan unprecedented hero. The servants who saw her for the first time were confused by her appearance, which waspletely unimaginable given her great aplishments, but they quickly got used to her and took care of her as if she were some kind of youngdy. It seems strange that she always thanked them every time they refilled a ss or served food. The atmosphere at the dinner was bright and cheerful. It was peaceful. It was hard to imagine that this beautiful and adorable girl was actually a monster, and it''s hard to imagine that she could calmly ughter hundreds of people while smiling like she does now. The smile on her face while thanking them wouldn¡¯t change even if someone''s guts were gouged out. If it was for the purpose, one should do everything in their power, no matter what the means. There were a lot of people who talked about such things in a big way, but the fact was that this girl was the only person in the world who could do that. She didn¡¯t care what other people thought of her, and moved purely for the sake of her own purpose. If it was for what she desired, she could kill everyone in the world and still be smiling. That was what purity is, and that was what it means to be a madman. In the first ce, people were a mass of impurities, and even if they yearned for something pure, they would never be able to purge themselves of it. For whatever reason, this girl''s purity had been lost, but there was no doubt that she was essentially a madman. Many people probably didn¡¯t even realize that it was even more unnatural for this girl to be eating happily like this than for Grunnmeld to be eating in such a gorgeous ce. Although it was freer than anyone else, it was a beast that liked to enter human¡¯s cages. Grunnmeld could only feel strange about it. After finishing their meal, Krische and Rosine were called by Nozan¡¯s wives and headed there, while Grunmeld and the others headed to Nozan¡¯ office. ¡°...How¡¯s the letter?¡± "The usual list. Areas where there is a risk of unnatural distribution of weapons or falsification of reports...Her Majesty has the economy of the entire continent in her mind." Reports from each region on the financial status of the managed territories were sent to Albeneria every season. Queen Crescenta scrutinizes the huge amount of information she has collected to its morbid detail, and when she discovers an ¡®unnatural flow¡¯, she sends Krische or her subordinates¨D¨Dformer ck g Special Force run and sends it to Nozan as a list. Krische''s visit wasn''t solely to deliver a message about military matters from Selene or to hand over the Queen''s letter to Nozan. She came to arrest someone with her subordinates stationed in the east. "It seems that Krische-sama will be working in Birsinsane in the northeast. She will take the suspects to the center of the kingdom, so please dispose of them appropriately so there is no confusion. ...I can''t stand the two of you." ¡°Is that where it said it was suspicious?¡± "Ah. Looks like it¡¯s already tracked down." Kurofuyo-squad is an organization that solves various problems in a jiffy and swoosh manner¨Dmonly known as Kuroshutan. It was a stupid name that everyone would be exasperated at, but in reality it is an extremely advanced special task force. They prevented rebellions in all regions and even detected them in an instant, and after the war, they hid in various parts of the continent and repeatedly carried out espionage and arrests. It appears that they possessed a transmitter/receiver equipped with a top-secret form that allowed exchange of information from even the most remote locations, andmands from one end of the continent to the other with no timeg. It was an invention that would change the battlefield itself if it were put to military use, but ¡®Alberinea¡¯s invention¡¯ has always been like that. From the War of the Five Great Powers, when she began to create something, to the unification of the continent, the time it took from the start of the war to the end of the war was less than two years. He has not heard the details because of the nature of the content, only a small part of it. She was probably making a number of other espionage tools as well. Moreover, the ck g Special Forces Company could be said to be a gathering of Krische Christand¡¯s worshippers, and were a unit of magic possessors honed on the battlefield. They''re used to dangerous situations, easily capturing or arresting one or two nobles, and if that girl was involved, no one in the world could escape. This was the mechanism that allowed them to control most of the vastnd of the continent without any notable rebellions. It must have been an unbelievable feeling for the enemy too, as they were grabbed by the neck just as they were about to start a rebellion. Even at the edge of the continent, which was normally invisible, was being monitored as if it was the royal capital. The people worship Queen Kreschenta as a protector of the people who were full of love for the weak, but no one would think that the reality was an absolute surveince society. In any case, it was a disappointment for Grunnmeld, who was expecting a battle. The world was rapidly moving toward peace, without the rebellion that was sure to ur. "I thought I had stabilized Elsren to some extent, but it''s still a long way off. Looks like I''ll be a little busy again. I don''t think you''ll be able to move, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡I thought it would be a way to get rid of boredom.¡± "Rosine will be pleased. She''s a good wife. Enjoy your daily life to the fullest." "...What do you mean enjoy it?" Grunnmeld said exasperated. "I''m not adies'' man with multiple wives like you. Every day is the same." Nozan smiled bitterly. One legal wife and three concubines¨D¨DNozan was a noble. He looks like a gentleman, and on top of that, his military aplishments and abilities also make him popr in society, like a prince on a white horse. When he was unmarried, he just needed to stand still and women woulde up to him with a sparkle in their eyes. In contrast to Bogan, who married a fallen noble''s daughter and took no concubines, Nozan¡¯s marriages had political significance, connecting the north and central regions'' noble families. However Grunmeld, who hesitated over marrying even one wife, found this hard to understand. "Don''t say that. In fact, I''m jealous of you. ...In the past they used toe to me saying Nozan-sama~, but now I even feel left out. I''m d that the women are on good terms, but once we have children, they won''t even look at me.¡± "What a very extravagant problem." He sipped his wine, eyeing thebel. Elsren wines were often superior to those from Albeneria. "You should be more honest. ... It''s not a bad feeling to be loved by a good woman like Rosine, is it?" "I agree she''s a good wife, but her taste in men is terrible. I feel itchy every day." "Kuku, I''ve been thinking this for a while, but guess it''s true that you''re a serious man that doesn''t suit your face." "what¡¡?" Nozanughed and took a sip of his wine, thinking that he was being too sincere. "Without any thought that she came to the wolf of her own ord. You want to make Rosine happy, don''t you? That''s very kind of you." When Grunmeld red, Northern''s eyes softened, indicating he wasn''t mocking him. "You pretend to be a roughneck, but you''re actually a sincere man who dislikes injustice. I like that about you. ... And Rosine probably saw that you''d make her happy." ¡®Though I was surprised by myself too¡¯, he looked at the wall of the room. Rosine must be somewhere beyond the wall lined with furniture. "There aren''t many women in this world who can see your virtue, which is hard to understand if they just casually interact with you. You should honestly rejoice in your good fortune, Grunnmeld... These boring days we have now is" Then, Nozan said happily and teasingly. "...the Varkas you¡¯ve finally found." As he was lying on the sofa in the guest room drinking wine, the door opened. "Oh, you''re back early. Already in the room." Her cheeks were bright red as she had been drinking a lot. Her words were clear, but her footing was a little precarious. Grunmeld scratched his head, got up, and carried her to the couch, where she sat down with a smile, taking his arm. "Fufu, I''m sorry. The wine was delicious, so I drank too much." "Seems like you had a lot of fun." "And you, Dear? You look more serious than usual." Touching his cheeks, she was clearly drunk. When he said ¡®hell if I know¡¯, she giggled and snuggled into his arm. "Really, Fille-sama asked so many questions about our life together. It was terrible, when I kept quiet, they made me drink more." ¡°Fell right into their trap, I see." "Yes, but they soon turned their interest to Alberinea. I always thought she was lovely, but she truly is. It might be rude to say that about someone older and from Alberinea, though.¡± "The only people who think that way are those who don''t know what she looks like on the battlefield." He said exasperated. "She might look like a child ying with butterflies in a flower field, but she''s a monster who crushes enemies like insects and takes down enemy generals like kicking stones. I''m no match for her." "She doesn''t look like it, though." "That''s fortunate. You probably won''t see it in the future." Rosine looked up at him, her brown hair swaying gently. "That might be true, but that''s not the whole truth. Even though she looked like a child ying with butterflies in a flower field, I don''t think that in and of itself is wrong." "...?" "That¡¯s how she is in daily life. No one who meets her in everyday life would speak ill of her. She talks happily about flowers blooming in the garden or cooking. That''s the kind of person she is." Rosine stroked Granmeld¡¯s cheek. "I love my husband not as the great wolf Grunmeld Varkas with brilliant war achievements, but as the kind man who looked troubled when Alberinea called him Woof Woof." Looking at her loving eyes, moist from the alcohol. "...Drunkard, go to sleep now." ¡°Fufu, please forgive me.¡± Rosine giggled happily. Though she often nagged when sober, she was a troublesome woman when drunk. ¡°That''s what I thought when I was asked why I fell in love with Dear. When I was a child, I used to always be selfish and cause trouble for Dear, but even though you always looked fed up with it, you always stayed with me.'''' "I owed your father. It''s not that I liked children." "Even when I said I wanted to marry you as a child, you said ''I understand, I understand'' with an annoyed expression, and when I asked you to marry me, it was the same. Whether you like children or not, the fact that my husband is a kind person remains unchanged." "Ahh... yes, yes, that''s right. Good for you, I''m a kind husband." Tired of ying along, he picked her up again, and Rosine looked happy. She lovingly puts her hand around his neck, obediently being carried to the bed. After he roughly ced her on the bed and took off her shoes, he looked at her, frozen for a moment. ¡°Dear, fufu, are you embarrassed?¡± "...Does it look like that?" "It does." "You¡¯re really tiring." Usually serious, Rosine softened her expression, finding some amusement. He roughly patted her head and forcibly pushed her into bed, pressing her head onto the pillow. When he told her to sleep, she replied with a yes, and with a sigh, Grunnmeld moved back to the sofa. Pouring himself some wine, he nced at the bed to find Rosine still smiling at him. "Good night, Dear." "Yeah, go to sleep now." As he replied, sheughed again and finally closed her eyes, intoxicated. He watched her and sighed, downing his wine and sinking into the sofa. Since when did he be like this, being swayed by others? He should have been seeking freedom, but he was always bound by something. As he gets older, the troubles only increase. ¡®¨D¨DIt''s a word derived from an old northernnguage. It means a group or a pack, but in actual meaning, it¡¯s more like family." "Ha¡¡? ¡± ¡®...Kuku, it''s a very fitting name for a lone wolf with no weaknesses, isn''t it¡¯ ¨D¨DIt''s precisely because he didn¡¯t know that it was an ironic and fateful name. What meaning did the small time thug Krarze put into those words? It was probably some trivial, human-like wish befitting a petty criminal. Grunnmeld, who was supposed to have gained freedom, suddenly found himself in a cage of such words. It was truly an indescribable irony. He got up and left the room looking for some snacks. "Ah, Woof Woof." He meets a girl in the hallway who seems to have just taken a bath. Her face flushed, either from the bath or intoxication, being led by a servant, gazing sleepily at him. "Is Rosine okay? She seemed quite drunk." "¡ As you said, I''ve already put her to bed. Quite a drunkard, she is." As he spoke with an annoyed expression, Alberinea¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. Pointing a finger at him proudly, she began to speak. "Right right, Krische heard from Rosine. Woof Woof has been throwingundry all over the ce, ditching work and going drinking, and walking on the carpet with her muddy shoes..." The second good for nothing drunkard. She went on and on, almost like a supervisor, endlessly recounting Granmeld¡¯s usual behavior. The servant, guiding her to the room, looked around troubled. While Grunmeld felt a headache. It seemed even Alberinea was losing track of what she was saying, her lecture looping for nearly half a koku. ¡°Anyway, while rxing in the mansion is fine, don''t cause too much trouble for Rosine. Even if Woof Woof is Woof Woof to other people Woof Woof is a splendid noble Woof Woof, so Woof Woof should be a role model for other Woof Woof...no, to the people.¡± "Ah... Okay. I''ll keep that in mind... Can I go now?" "If Woof Woof understands, then it''s fine. My, Krische didn''t intend to give such a long lecture." Grunmeld scratched his head at those words and sighed, thinking it''s finally over. The lecture had been long enough, with endless repetitions of ''woof-woof,'' far beyond mere annoyance. He wondered which mouth of hers spoke of nobility, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Dealing with drunkards was pointless. "But...Ehehe, Rosine, said Woof Woof is a very kind and wonderful husband and that she is happy. That''s a very good thing." ¡°...Well, thank you for that.¡± ¡°Now that the war has ended and we are at peace, Woof Woof should take better care of his family from now on and make Rosine happy as well.¡± As if she had finally said what she wanted to say, she nodded with a satisfied look on her face. Looking sleepy, she went into her room, saying she had an early morning. He was a selfish creature through and through. A dependable monster reliable on the battlefield but a troublesome child in everyday life. Though she was more free than anyone else, she willingly entered the human society''s cage, caring even for people''s wives and lecturing them. A truly peculiar monster, he thought¨D¨Dor perhaps, he was also simr. In the end, he was no different, an idiot who gave up his freedom as a stray dog and entered the cage willingly. Losing his desire to fetch snacks, he returned to his room, took off his shoes, and crawled into bed. Rosine, still asleep, snuggled up to him, resting her head on his arm. Listening to her peaceful breathing, he sighed. Even his strong arm, which had silenced any opponent on the battlefield, was now just a pillow. Despite seeking freedom, he ended up so constrained. If the stray dog he once saw was now, what would he say? What would Krarze think if he saw him now? ¡®¨D¨DFrom today, this is your home, and I''m your big brother.¡¯ Feeling thinking was annoying, ¡®...Wee to Varkas, Grunnmeld.¡¯ Suddenly, he burst intoughter. Chapter 277: Water Rabbit Chapter 277: Water Rabbit ***Chapter 277 Water Rabbit*** ¡ºStoryteller: Usa-chan Style Swordsmanship Assistant Instructor Kalua¡» Hmm? Are you asking if you can run on water if you try hard enough? You can, you can. I''ve seen it before. Look, Usa-chan, you know right? The one that sometimeses wearing apron dress. It was quite a while ago... during the Disassembly War, or was it the Unification War? Well, it doesn''t matter, but a great general of the enemy we were chasing ran away on board a ship. Like, it''s really wide¨D¨DRight, it''s a river so wide that you can almost see the horizon. Huh? A lie? No, no, there really is a river that big. I generally don¡¯t lie, okay. What¡¯s with those eyes, Mia. I¡¯m ying with the kids, so shoo shoo. There''s paperwork, right? Well, anyway, just imagine that. By the time Usa-chan and I arrived, they had already run far away, and I was wondering what to do, but Usa-chan said it was no problem. Then, like a rabbit, Usa-chan hopped across the river¡¯s surface, *pyon* *pyon* *pyon*. It''s not a lie, it''s the truth. Trust Onee-san. Who dares to doubt me? Any bad child who disrespects Instructor Kahlua will get their butt spanked. Anyway, the conclusion is, you can do it if you try hard enough. Next time Usa-chan visits, ask her. She¡¯ll tell you the same thing. If you train as hard as Usa-chan, even a human can run on water. If you understand, start by swinging the sword withoutining. The road to Usa-chan''s style is a hard one. If you¡¯re whining at this level, you¡¯ll never master the secret technique, Usa-chan Jump. Yes, Usa-chan Jump is the ultimate technique of Usa-chan Style. The road there is incredibly steep. Oh, and just between us¡ don¡¯t tell the other kids, okay? Usa-chan Jump is so difficult that, actually, none of us can do it. But, surprisingly, Mia is the only one who¡¯s mastered the secret technique of Usa-chan Jump¨D¨D ¡ºStoryteller: Former Boatman Boz¡» ¨D¨DAs you probably know, this area was part of arge country called Elsren at the time. There was a war going on with the current Alberan. All those grand discussions of the high-ups don''t concern usmon folk. We just hoped we wouldn¡¯t get dragged into it and that taxes wouldn¡¯t get any heavier. I used to row boats on the wide Selche River with my sons, chatting like that with the neighbors. War seemed like a distant tale. The main bridges are far north or south, in remote areas where outsiders don''t visit, so the people who use them are always the same folks. It was peaceful listening to the story of a child being born at Mr. So-and-so''s ce yesterday. Our superior was more of a lord than Elsren, and the lord was also aid-back person, so nothing much happened. The poption was small, and most people cultivate small fields or gather the fruits in the forest. Conscription would have destroyed the vige, so we only had to supply crops. He was a good lord who considered the people''s feelings. He even came to our remote vige himself, asking for a share of our harvest with a heavy heart. He passed away some time after the war, but his eldest son, who was simr in nature, is now in this territory¨D¨Dah, I guess it¡¯s called an administrative territory nowadays. I¡¯m not sure, anyway, he¡¯s still governing this region. We owe much to that person. Oh, I¡¯m rambling again. It¡¯s a bad habit of the elderly. Life here was peaceful, but unfortunately, the battlefield has be quite close. One day, five men on horseback arrived while I was tending to the boat. They wore splendid armor, noble probably. When they saw me tending to the boat, they barked at me to start the boat. That was scary. It''s like I''m going to be killed if I even hesitate, let alone refuse. I guess you could call it the atmosphere of a military man¨D¨Dtheir eyes were as sharp as a beast, and I felt like my heart was being grabbed by an eagle. When I hastily said it couldn¡¯t take horses, they got off their horses and said, "I understand, hurry up!" looking like they were about to pull out the swords. It was an eight-person boat¨D¨Dwell, even with all the armor, the weight wasn''t a problem, so I quickly loaded the men onto the boat, untied the boat and started rowing before they couldin any further. Just after we left the shore, dozens of cavalry came out the forest path. They were probably being chased. The pursuers cursed them as cowards, visibly frustrated. ¡®Don''t worry. No arrows will fly. Bloodshed is forbidden on ferryboats.¡¯ There, a man wearing particrly fine armor smiled and said that to me, who was frightened. He must have been someone important, a general or something. The others also visibly rxed a bit. ¡®I will pay you handsomely. Take us as far downriver as possible.¡¯ ¡®U-understood...¡¯ ¡®Don''t be frightened. I won''t kill you just because we''re on the other side. Row as you always do. The Alberan¡¯s won¡¯t touch youter. That''s the rule.¡¯ ¡®Y-yes...¡¯ Unlike the others, the general sat calmly, not even ncing back. He seemed veryposed. But I was rowing, facing backward¡ª¡ªwatching the scene behind him the entire time. I saw the pursuers trying to throw spears and shoot arrows but being stopped. It was nerve-wracking, and the others were likely just as scared. Everyone was half-turned, watching behind them, some trembling. We finally felt safe when the boats were far enough that arrows couldn¡¯t reach us, letting the current carry us away. That''s when I finally calmed down. I''ve been on a boat since I could remember. I knew all the river flows and could sail the boat with my eyes closed. I was wondering which way I should go down the river as per my request, thinking that I couldn''t do anything about what I had carried on board¨D¨Djust then, I heard the voices of men saying ¡®it¡¯s Alberinea¡¯. When I suddenly looked at the shore a long way away, I saw a gigantic Suiko in the distance. And there were two women riding it¨D¨Da woman with ck hair and a girl with silver hair that shone even from a distance. ¡®Close call.¡¯ The general, who had been silent,ughed and said that. I didn¡¯t understand what was so close, but seeing the men¡¯s relieved expressions, I figured they must have been formidable opponents. The enormous beast alone was terrifying, and the women riding it without fear were clearly not ordinary. ¡®Ah, um...that person...?¡¯ I asked because I was feeling a little calmer and I wanted to know more about the situation. ¡®Haha, you don¡¯t know, boatman? ¡That¡¯s the Alberan princess, the Cursed Child.¡¯ ¡®Cursed Child...¡¯ ¡®You know about the recent great war, right? We faced Alberinea then¨D¨D'' As the general began to exin, there was a metallic ng, followed by a ssh. When I turned my attention, I saw a ssh of water. What I saw through the gap was a ck cloak and silver hair¨D¨Dit was Alberinea. Hopping across the water with incredible speed that would leave even arrows behind. I guess it was because it was a sight that was beyond myprehension. In extreme situations, people can show incredible focus or strength. I guess I was in such a state because time seemed to slow down. It must have been a fleeting moment, but I remember it all clearly. The girl skipped across the water like a stone, *jump, jump, jump*. Then, with a loud ssh, she disappeared, and the next moment there was a strangely dull sound. The general, who had been speaking, had his head hanging down, the boat slightly shaking. Before me stood a small girl, not even looking at me. Her cloak and silver hair swayed as she spun like a dancer. I saw the necks of the men, who were also stunned, twist in a distorted direction with a dull sound. Have you ever heard the sound of bones breaking? That was the first time for me, and it was a horrifying sound. When a bone breaks inside a muscle, it has a very hushed sound. Before I could even make a sound, the heads of all the men who had been on board were bent in the wrong direction, and in their ce, only a girl with silver hair who looked like a child was standing calmly. She spun around, and she had a troubled smile on her face. As if nothing had happened. ¡®Sorry. Krische also wanted to board the boat¡so Krische rushed to catch it.¡¯ She was probably very beautiful. But I barely remember her face. Her icy purple eyes, like gemstones, were the only thing that stuck in my mind. ¡®The other passengers are gone, so it¡¯s like a cancetion. Can you take the boat back to the original shore with five bodies and Krische? Is this enough for the fare?¡¯ she asked, cing one of her small silver coins in my dazed hand and pointing to the shore where she had appeared from. When I, trembling, conveyed that it was more than enough, she simply said, ¡®Is that so?¡¯ then sat politely next to the general''s corpse¡ª¡ªright across from me and looked at the scenery,ughing like a child. ¡®Ehehe, Krische, this is Krische''s first time on a boat. It''s quite afortable ride.¡¯ ¡®I-I see...¡¯ ¡®Y-yes¡ ever since I was a child¡¡¯ We made small talk like that. Beside and behind her were five men with vacant eyes, open mouths, and twisted necks. Surrounded by the corpses of the five she killed, Alberineaughed like a child, excited about her first boat ride. Probably no one else can understand how I felt as I watched that scene. It wasn''t a long distance, but it was so long that I thought we had been rowing for a whole day, and I can''t even remember what we were talking about. The one woman who appeared with Alberinea was also smiling on the shore. All the others were looking at Alberinea in shock, their eyes fixed on me with pity. ¡®Thank you very much, Mr. Boatman. Ehehe, Krische would be happy if you gave Krische a ride again when a chancees again.¡¯ Alberinea, who was unconcerned by this situation, said this with a smile, but her politeness was even more frightening. I understood exactly what that general meant when he said he was a mad Cursed Child. And I am deeply grateful that I never had the chance to see her again. ¡ºStoryteller: Former cavalryman Magnus¡» ¨D¨DSpeaking of the Elsren Demolition War, even you young people know about it, right? It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that it dismantled a nation that once dominated the continent, with countless vassal states¡ªa war that literally broke apart a colossal empire. That was actually my first battle. The first skirmish was not so much a grand victory as it was anticlimactic. Despite the enemy''s enormous army of a hundred thousand, I sat on my horse, trembling, waiting for the order to charge, which never came. We won so quickly, in less than half a koku. Cavalry is usually used as a reserve and is usually deployed at the critical moment when the game is at a critical juncture, but we, Alberinea, were leading our army. It would be better to say that it was like an army of adults and children fighting against each other. There are various ways to deal with the enemy''s cavalry archers¨D¨Dlike using our mobility to target their supply. Well, our army was divided and there were about 60,000 soldiers in the three armies who participated in that battle, but the number is irrelevant. We collided head-on, and the Elsren army was like butter dropped into a hot frying pan. The battle line copsed and wepletely broke through. They said that Alberinea, who led the ck g Special Force, defeated the enemy general without any hesitation. At that time, I saw Jarea Gashea for the first time, and I was really d that I was born in the same country as Alberinea. Imagine a giant made entirely of steel, swinging a massive sword with both hands. You won¡¯t understand it unless you see that giant up close, anyone who thought they could face it must have been insane. After all, it''s an eight-shaku giant that is looking down at you, you know? Using a greatsword that looks like it''s twice as tall as us. Swinging their swords at blinding speeds, anyone''s eyes would pop out at first sight. Well, in reality, anyone who sees it head-on will not only get their eyes blown out, but the insides of their heads as well. , Giants in fairy tales are usually stupid and slow and have a weak point, but these guys run faster than horses and swing swords at speeds that are unstoppable. Moreover they could be reced endlessly even heroes from a fairytale would have given up. It''s a known fact that the head is a weak point, but there are only a handful of people who can aim for a head eight feet tall, even if they are magic possessors. On top of that, their reaction speed is enough to even intercept an arrow that flies at them. If it was only one treasured doll, the other person would probably be willing to try desperately to challenge it, but if such perfect dolls were lined up end to end, no sane person would be able to do it. In the first battle, I felt more sorry for the enemy than I was excited about the victory. Well, that''s fine. When I saw the victory in that battle, I thought that Alberinea was a genius inventor. I''ve heard rumors that she''s the greatest swordsman of all time, I don''t know what Alberinea is like... but she felt more like some important beautiful youngdy. She''s about as tall as my chest. Even though she''s a woman, she''s petite and petite, with a delicate body that makes you wonder if she can even swing a sword. Even on the battlefield, she only wears a cloak, and underneath she wears dresses, shirts, and skirts. She was wearing gauntlets and sturdy boots, but she looked like she was walking around town. No matter how you look at it, it''s far from the atmosphere of a warrior on a battlefield. I''ve often seen her sitting on a Suiko, and Suiko is a monster among monsters that can annihte an army of centuries alone. The ck g Special Forces Company she leads is the strongest in the kingdom. I thought that kind of thing must be a big part of the war effort, and she is the Royal Princess after all. Everyone around her must be praising her. I just thought that it was various exaggerated rumors and that everyone was only calling her Heavenly Sword-sama, a transcendent swordsman. Well, even someone as uneducated as me could see that she being a genius was a fact, adding a few rumors didn''t make much of a difference. Whether the rumors were spread to boost morale or just naturally grew on their own¡ª¡ªI didn''t know, but as long as she kept winning battles, no one wouldin. I thought it wouldn''t be a bad thing if idiots took such rumors seriously and it boosted morale, so I didn''t really care. Then we moved east through Elsren, and for some time there was no great battle like the first battle. The big guys over there probably thought it was foolish to challenge Alberinea head on. With more frequent skirmishes, we often had to split into smaller units¡ª¡ªabout 5,000 men to deal with them, my sides were the same. Our detachment was assigned to pursue the retreating enemy. That...what day was that? It was a good idea to drive the enemy into the river, but the enemymander boarded the ferry with his escort. And here is the problem, there''s an old rule written in the Holy Spirit Covenant that says you can''t attack anyone on the ferry, even if they''re enemies. It''s a tedious rule, probably a remnant from the days when feudal lords would skirmish with each other. Apparently, if you identally kill the boatman, the local people who depend on him will no longer be able to make a living¨D¨Dthat''s probably why bloodshed is prohibited on the ferry. If it''s not written, it''s outside thew. Even an army that would do all it could to humiliate a vige would stop if the Holy Spirit Covenant said so. A single boat might seem trivial in a continental war, but Alberan, iming to liberate the oppressed people of Elsren, took it seriously, and we had no choice but to watch the enemymander escape. Also, Marshal Selene Christand was known for her integrity, and Alberinea was known for her ruthlessness. There was a story that, the next day after a squadron attacked a vige, they were rounded up and torn limb from limb for malicious vition of orders. Fortunately, I didn''t see it happen, but apparently the army to which the century squad belonged was shown having their limbs cut off by Jarea Gashea during assembly line work. This isn''t a lie. I know three or four people who have actually seen it. The battalionmander was also stripped of his rank for failing to control his subordinates¨D¨DIt seems that he was supposed to be executed, but after the other centurions begged for his life to be spared, he gave him a lighter punishment, but even that was probably more than enough punishment. The reason why we had no choice but to let them go was because such stories were widespread. It wasmunicated to all unitmanders to impose simr punishments. Viting the Holy Spirit Covenant was far more serious than breaking military regtions. There''s no one out there who wants to have their limbs torn off, so we, the cavalry, had no choice but to stand in front of that river and watch the enemy general gradually receding into the distance, and we just gritted our teeth... The person who appeared then was Alberinea riding a Suiko. There was a beautiful woman in ck armor sitting behind her¨D¨DIter learned that it was Kalua Bellus, Alberinea''s ck cat. ¡®...Ah, Alberinea, I''m sorry. We were a littlete and they fled to the ferry.¡¯ When themander said that and bowed his head, the two of them jumped off the giant Suiko and looked at the ship, which was quite far away. I had seen her many times from a distance, but that was the first andst time I saw her up close. She was a beautiful girl with mysterious purple eyes and fairy-like silver hair. Imagine the most beautiful girl you''ve ever seen, multiplied by a hundred¡ªthat was Alberinea. The air seemed to change the moment she appeared, as if we had stepped into a painting. ¡®It''s pretty far, but Usa-chan could probably hit it with a spear, right? As long as you don''t kill the ferryman¡ª¡ª¡¯ ¡®Kalua, no, that''s against the Holy Spirit Covenant. We mustn''t spill blood on the ferry, no matter what... but, ah... yes. As long as there''s no blood.¡¯ Saying this, Alberinea pped her hands together. The memories of that time are still fresh in my mind, even decadester. ¡°Kalua, Krische want to get over there, so swing at Krische as hard as you can, using the t of the sword.¡± Alberinea gestured with her hands as if swinging a sword. The ck Cat casually drew her great curved sword. ¡°Ai Sir, around the butt?¡± ¡°That sounds about right. Just swing it, and Krische will also match the rhythm.¡± When we saw these two saying things like that, we couldn''t understand what they were saying and looked at each other. Watching these two talk, we couldn''t understand what they were saying and exchanged puzzled looks. The ck Cat called out cheerfully, and when she swung the great sword behind Alberinea, we were stunned. In the next moment, she swung it down on Alberinea without hesitation. There''s a word called ¡®sword pressure¡¯, but I thought Alberinea had been shattered into pieces. The gust of wind made me close my eyes for a moment. ording to those who saw it, Alberinea leaped up in perfect timing with the swing of the great curved sword, which was invisible even to the eyes. The metallic sound rang out as she kicked off the t of the de. Do you know what "skipping stones" is? It''s a children''s game where you throw a t stone to make it skip across the water. The sound of water sshing made me look at the river, and there was Alberinea, skipping across the water like a stone. I thought Alberinea had disappeared, but she was flying into the river with great force and was bouncing on the water. You think I''m joking, right? I thought so too. I can''t believe what I''m seeing even though I''m seeing it myself. Alberinea bounced across the water andnded perfectly on top of the boat. Breaking the enemymander''s neck with her foot as shended. Simrly, the four guards on board didn''t even have time to stand up. ¡®Wow, Usa-chan, your head is really insane...¡¯ I remember the ck Cat muttering in amazement. To be able to hit a superior officer¡ª¡ªespecially one as high up as Alberinea with a sword. She was already crazy, but Alberinea skipping across the water was even crazier. The ferryman''s pale face as he returned is still etched in my memory. In the distance, I saw Alberinea hand over the fare and exin with his finger that he wanted us to return to this shore. After that, I wondered what''s fun until she came back, a smiling Alberinea and five people with his necks bent in a strange direction. That must have been fun. I don''t even want to rece her even if you pay me to. ¡®Krische, this is Krische''s first time on a boat, and it''s much morefortable than a horse-drawn carriage. ...If Gururun had been a little lighter, Krische could have sent him to the other side too.¡¯ The boatman was frightened by what she said in such a cute voice. Alberinea has a child-like air about her¨D¨Dit might sound good to say she never stops smiling, but no one would think that someone who can casually kick someone to death with that smile is pitiful. I could see that everyone was looking at the boatman with pitiful eyes. For Alberinea, killing was probably like a child tearing off a bug''s wings. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ ¡®It seems like everything is okay here, so let''s go back to Selene. ...Umm, Pirik cavalrymander, please dispose of the corpse appropriately.¡¯ ¡®H-ha...¡¯ ¡®Thank you very much, Mr. Boatman. Ehehe, Krische would be happy if you gave Krische a ride again when a chancees again.¡¯ ¡®T-thank you for your kind words...¡¯ Alberinea, who had calmly kicked the enemy general''s gang to death, bowed her head with a smile on her face. The ferryman''s voice cracked as he replied. He certainly didn''t want to take her again, but he couldn''t say anything else. Alberinea quickly left, but thinking it over, wasn''t killing them a vition of the Sacred Spirit Pact? I couldn''t voice it, but I''m sure others thought the same. The surprising part was when we took the bodies off the ferry. ¨D¨DEveryone''s neck was broken, and not a single drop of blood leaked out. That''s when I finally understood that Alberinea was more than the rumor suggested. I looked into itter, but what exactly the Holy Spirit Covenant said is¨D¨Dbloodshed on ferries is prohibited, whether during peacetime or during battle. That''s why Alberinea took the trouble to jump onto a narrow boat with five enemies on board, and without even drawing her sword, broke their neck. As the wording says, only the bones in their neck were urately touched and adjusted so that there was no bloodshed. There was nothing in the Holy Spirit Covenant that said to not take lives. Just to not shed blood. No one canin. Alberinea had followed the letter of thew, killing five enemies without spilling blood. See, doesn''t it give you chills? Chapter 278: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, First Half Chapter 278: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, First Half ***Chapter 278 Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, First Half*** Kreschenta was furious. She resolved herself to get rid of the vile redhead no matter what. Kreschenta didn¡¯t care about the circumstances. She was lord of the mansion and had spent her days being pampered and living inziness. She was the king, the aloof king, the one and only one who reigns over this world, one who should be called a god. She had the power to twist the veryws of the universe if she wished and could literally reach out and take anything she desired¨D¨Dhowever, she was extremely sensitive to being left out. Waking up alone at noon, Kreschenta changed clothes with great difficulty and went down the hallway, descending the stairs and stepping out into the fields. ¡ª¡ªDragging her drowsy and lethargic body along. Kreschenta, the lord of the mansion, the world, was left alone. Was it right for her to endure such suffering? No, it should not be allowed. She was the most important being in the world, and it was uneptable for anyone to indulge in pleasures without her. When Kreschenta spotted a ck-haired servant on the way, she asked her a question in a loud voice. With her ck hair cut close to her shoulders, the servant looked at Kreschenta and answered the question with a wry smile. "Bery-sama is with Krische-sama in the orchard over there." ¡°...Leaving me alone?¡± "They said Kreschenta-sama wouldn¡¯t wake up, so..." Kreschenta searched her memory. She remembered that they had visited about an hour ago. She recalled saying she would sleep a little longer, but that didn¡¯t justify her waking up alone. "Unbelievable. Did they think that made it okay not to wake me up?" "My apologies. I just...they said something about harvesting Nirkana today, so..." Hearing this, Kreschenta became furious. "What an insolent servant. I won''t forgive this today for sure...!" Kreschenta was a simple girl. As soon as she heard that, she stormed into the orchard in a fit of anger. The Nirkana trees, averaging 1.2 Kreschenta in height¨D¨Dformed a maze-like orchard. Relying on her hearing, Kreschenta made her way inward. As soon as she heard the redhead''s voice, she began to run, and in an instant she was captured by her sister, who was near her. Kreschenta, protesting that she wouldn''t forgive this, was lifted up and brought before the redhead. "My... Kreschenta-sama. What''s the matter?" The redhead smiled serenely, with an air of calm confidence. Her face, always gentle, was as usual. ¡°I came to fix thex discipline in the mansion.¡± Kreschenta raised her eyebrows and answered. "Finally, the day hase for you to understand your ce! To think you would leave me behind and monopolize Onee-sama...!" ¡°My¡± The redhead smirked. "Having been discovered, I suppose there¡¯s no helping it. Here, say ¡®ahh¡¯." "Mmm..." As the small fruit was pushed into her mouth and she chewed it, it burst with a sweetness concentrated like sugar, Nirkana''s vor. Yet, the aftertaste didn¡¯t cloy and linger, it melted away like snow. The mansion had long been using refined sugar. Nirkana sugar, one of the sugars refined in the mansion¨D¨Dused in cooking, sweets, and desserts, the freshly harvested Nirkana itself was the epitome of supreme sweetness. Its sweetness was almost violent, yet it wasn¡¯t overwhelming, nurtured by the rich magic and the paradisiacal climate in which it was grown. Nirkana fruit was almost like a drug. "Fufu, how is it? I think this year¡¯s Nirkana has turned out very well..." "How presumptuous... Do you think something like this can calm my anger? Don¡¯t be so full of yourself, my anger won¡¯t be soothed by this alo¨D¨D" Tightening her inadvertently loosening cheeks, Kreschenta red at the redhead, then, "Here, one more." The Nirkana fruit was again forced into Kreschenta¡¯s mouth, as if prying her lips open. The snowy sweetness of the Nirkana flooded her senses, and all she could see were the redhead¡¯srge, unnecessarily bountiful flesh, and the basket filled with Nirkana fruits beneath them. As the redhead¡¯s flesh jiggled, she showed the Nirkana with a contrived look of concern. "This is troubling. Kreschenta-sama seems quite angry... Nirkana alone might not appease Kreschenta-sama. It might be like pouring oil on the fire..." Picking up a Nirkana fruit, she waved it in front of Kreschenta¡¯s eyes, then popped it into her own mouth. ¡®So sweet, isn¡¯t it¡¯, she said, smiling. "As you said, it''s the shallow wit of a cunning servant. Kreschenta-sama would never calm her anger with just a mere sweet. Unless, of course, she were a spoiled little puppy who loves to be pampered by her servants." "...¨D¨DMugu" "I''m in trouble. ...This disqualifies me as a servant. If Kreschenta-sama is so angry, I suppose I can¡¯t show my face to Kreschenta-sama for a while. No more sitting on thep for tea, no more baths together, no more sleeping together... what a pity." While Kreschenta savored the Nirkana, the redhead stroked her lips with her thumb, caressing her cheek. ¡®How troubling¡¯, the redhead repeated, her eyes narrowing. Kreschenta¡¯s eyes swam around. "This is very troubling. I nned to make up for neglecting Crescenta-sama the past few days by showering her with attention today but¨D¨D" "W-words are cheap. I...I can see through you, I know what you¡¯re really think¨D¨D" "¨D¨DBut then again, maybe it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Perhaps a lonely puppy just sulked because she wasn¡¯t woken up..." "W-what are you talking about..." "...If that''s the case, then surely, she¡¯ll soon crave the Nirkana and start begging for it." The redhead waved the Nirkana fruit before Kreschenta¡¯s eyes. Her gaze followed the fruit, and the redhead¡¯s face was filled with mischievous delight. ¡®We have plenty more, you know¡¯, she said, shaking the basket under her bosom, filled to the brim with Nirkana fruit. "How about another one, Kreschenta-sama? Here, have some Nirkana fruit..." ¨D¨DHumiliation and shame. Kreschenta was bitterly upset, wanting to stomp her feet, but she was held up by her sister. Her noble goal of correcting the despicable redhead. Her n was being thwarted by this wicked servant using her sister, who had now imprisoned Kreschenta and forced more Nirkana into her mouth. ¡®So sweet and delicious¡¯, she said once more¨D¨Dshe was at the limit of her patience. ¡°Wo...¡± ¡°Wo...?¡± ¡°...Woof¡± When she let out a small bark, the redhead happily gave her Nirkana and patted her head with an indescribably triumphant look on her face. Filled with humiliation and bliss, Kreschenta rubbed her head against the hand, any sign of resistance vanished. Her sister, who had been holding her the whole time, sighed in exasperation at her eternally foolish little sister. She hopped up and down and opened her mouth begging to Bery. "Bery, Krische too...ahh..." "Alright, ahh..." Of course, she didn¡¯t consider herself at all. ¡®Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration¡¯ ¡ª¡ªIn reality Kreschenta was very busy. Why was she the ruler of this mansion and this world? In order to protect the order of this world, which should be called a paradise, there is no such thing as a constant time to rest. She needed to be constantly on the lookout for signs of deterioration. Part of this was that she woke upter than others and went to sleep earlier than others. In order to detect corruption, she must first assess the corruption that begins at the moment when they think they have escaped surveince. It also gave the slow, ipetent servants time to do their jobs. She was giving them time to do perfect work. "Good job. It¡¯s spotless." "...Woof." Showing the polished vase, Kreschenta rubbed her head against the redhead and let her stroke her head¨D¨Dno, she let her do it on purpose. Kreschenta knew how to bnce reward and punishment. Direct guidance from Kreschenta to the servants. Even in a stressful situation, letting the redhead pet her head was a way to ease the pressure, allowing the servant to perform her duties as usual. Something that was normally done by a person of higher rank to a person of lower rank. It was not normally permissible for this redhead to pet Kreschenta¡¯s head, but by allowing the servant to stroke her, the ruler¡¯s, head, she temporarily reversed their roles. Giving the redhead some mental space. As in the military, it is important to rify who is the most senior person in the situation. For example, in the strategy meeting, Queen Crescenta appoints the marshal or general as the highest ranking person, and by showing that the redhead is the highest ranking person in the servant business, the redhead can go about her usual work without worrying about anything. A good leader spares no effort in helping their subordinates demonstrate their best abilities. Even if it meant enduring humiliating acts like pretending to be a dog, if it was necessary, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate. Staring up at the redhead¡¯s face, she let her stroke her cheek and press her lips gently against her own. This was also part of the reward. Given that her work wasn¡¯t bad, Kreschenta reluctantly pressed her lips back a few times, and the redhead smiled awkwardly, covering her lips with her thumb and stroking them. "...That''s it. Fufu, let''s go to the next ce." Despite the precious reward, the redhead was still insolent. Pouting, Crescenta wrapped her arms around the redhead¡¯s neck, whimpering softly, and jumped up and down. The redhead smiled bitterly and picked up Kreschenta. Demanding to be picked up¨D¨Dno, it was different. This was part of the discipline to make the position clear. In order for the ipetent redhead to demonstrate her usual abilities, she purposely let her take the initiative here, however, she shouldn''t allow her to be conceited. It''s important to clearly establish who is in charge, reinforcing that Kreschenta is the true master. Therefore, she needs to mount dominance (physically) from time to time. There are many aspects of the redhead that need improvement, one being her attitude of looking down on Kreschenta. To demonstrate who''s superior to this redhead, it''s beneficial to make her repeatedly lift Kreschenta, physically cing her above the redhead. It might seem like an animalistic disy of dominance, but for a dim-witted redhead, a discipline needs to at least be this straightforward. "Woof..." "My, you''re very needy today, aren''t you?" Showing affection by rubbing cheeks and giving rewards was also important. When the redhead behaves appropriately, a proper reward should be given. The carrot and stick approach¨Dthe most crucial thing in discipline is the reward. If you make it a habit to reward discipline, even dogs and animals will learn at least how to do ¡®hand¡¯. Despite being as trainable as a useless mutt, it''s Kreschenta¡¯s duty to train her. That''s what it means to be a capable owner. The redhead''s attitude these days (note: thest two days) has been intolerable. She had the audacity to spend time on trivial tasks, neglecting Kreschenta. Yesterday, he even forgot his duty to serve Kreschenta, forcing her to demand service, only to be met with excuses about being busy and doing itter¨D¨Da situation that called for strict discipline while the her own foolish sister, who was brainwashed into always siding with her, was away at Selene''s side. "My apologies. ...I was busy loading goods onto carts yesterday, so...I will make up for it today." "It''s okay if you understand¡±, Kreschenta hugged the redhead''s neck tightly. Fortunately, there were two pieces of unnecessary fat on the chest, so the redhead''s cushioning and ridingfort are not bad. This was one of the few merits of the redhead. After letting out a small yawn, the redhead suggested taking a nap once they were done. Not a bad idea. Waking up and dressing alone in the morning (note: actually noon) was quite a hardship. Having overexerted herself mentally and physically to reach the orchard, Kreschenta was in need of rest after the nerve-wracking task of disciplining the redhead. It would be nice to be able to do it right now¨D¨Dbut when the redhead caught her dissatisfied look, she smiled and asked to stay with her a bit longer. There were things she wanted to say about his attitude of taking advantage of her (note: very small) patience, but a good redhead isn''t trained in a day (note: it takes time to develop the ipetent). Although she was resigned to the fact that it couldn''t be helped, she tightened her grip on her arm urging her to hurry up. They arrived at the mansion entrance. Many useless items were disyed here as furniture. Ever since Selene started making vases and such, these items had increased, filling the storage as well. asionally, Anne would helpfully destroy and dispose of them during cleaning (this was an area where she waspetent), but she seems to be cking off on those taskstely. The number of vases was on the rise. ¡°Fufu, then, can I leave Kilik-sama¡¯s sword to Kreschenta-sama?¡± Getting off the redhead, she naturally handed Kreschenta a cloth, despite wanting to say something about her attitude, she knew that setting an example was sometimes necessary. She reluctantly picked up the sword disyed on the shelf in the entrance and looked at it. For now, it belonged to Kreschenta. She checked if Anne had mistakenly tried to dispose of it, seeing nothing was wrong she nodded, and started polishing it with the cloth. A very annoying decoration that took up a lot of space. The silver ornament was needlessly detailed, something she remembered and regretted every time she looked at it. In the royal office, ten men were present. They were the members of the escort unit. After being upgraded to a mid-sized unit, their numbers had increased, and they were now responsible for Kreschenta¡¯s personal security. "Your Majesty, what would you like to discuss...?" The captain of the ck g Special Forces, Kilik, who had lost an eye in battle, looked at Kreschenta curiously. "To express my gratitude for your daily loyalty, I want to give you all a reward. While other members of the ck g Special Force have received many rewards for their achievements in battle alongside my sister...However those of here did not apanying her, being my escorts.'''' Inviting them into the royal office, Kreschenta continued. "Your daily work is demanding butcks the glory seen by those who engage in spectacr feats. So, this time, I decided to give you a personal gift. ...Anne." "Yes." Anne brought one of the wrapped cloth bundles from the desk to Kreschenta. "King Dollza three generations ago was quite the sword collector, and this is one of them. The treasured sword Liberis¨D¨Dits de is as clear as the calm surface of ake and is said to be named after theke northeast of the royal capital. ...I think it''s quite usable as an actual sword." She gently pulls the sword out of the sheath. The grip, which was a little damaged, has been reced with new anti-slip leather. The hilt and pommel were decorated with a poem from the legend of the Maiden of Liberis. Though not overly ornate, the craftsmanship was exquisite, and the scabbard made from Argana wood also featured silver decorations. The scabbard itself depicted theke and the maiden from the Liberis legend. The surface of the de peeking out from the sheath was uniform and fine-grained. It is made from Cuiris steel, a steel from Arna that was long ago unable to be mined, and the de contained slight magic and was blue-tinged. While the magic did not confer any special powers, it was still a rtively rare metal. As a sword, it was an excellent piece, recognizable to any at a nce. Selling it could fetch at least fifty gold coins, but with the continental unification war over, there were no significant opportunities to reward soldiers, and the treasure vault kept growing with tributes and other items. She chose this sword as a means of disposal, thinking it wouldn''t hurt to give it away. Personally, she would prefer to sell everything to a merchant, but royal treasures couldn''t be sold so easily. Opening a clearance sale without a good reason would cause an uproar from those who valued history. The treasure vault was like a prison, once things went in, they never came out. Items with no practical use had no value, so giving them away to buy loyalty was a good choice. Especially to maintain control over her personal escorts. "...Your Majesty wishes to give me something like this?" "Yes. I''d be happy if you could ept it." Kilik, apparently pleased, widened his single eye in disbelief and asked again. His skill was decent, not exceptional, but good enough. He was excellent, but nothing outstanding, Kreschenta could easily turn any attacker into dust before they could even swing their sword. She didn''t need an escort in the first ce, and all she wanted from the escort was a simple appearance. Kilik was a serious man, with a dignified air when he stood silently, and the scar on his left eye added a touch of a warrior. Since bing a guard, he had taken great care with his appearance, with neatly pressed shirts and pants, and a well-shaven face. He was not overly stiff, showing a knack for reading the room, understanding his role well. Even without an audience, he knew he was a ''decorative escort for Kreschenta, appearing only when needed and disappearing when not. He was the ideal escort in Kreschenta¡¯s eyes, and he seemed to be training his subordinates well in this regard. He was a man deserving of a somewhat extravagant reward. "Considering your past loyalty, this is insufficient as a reward." Kreschenta smiled. "I tried to choose something that suits you, Kilik-sama. What do you think?" "...I humbly ept this undeserved honor." Kilik knelt, and Kreschenta, smiling wryly, asked him to raise his hands. Kilik, on his knees, raised his hands, and Kreschenta spoke. "Like the hero who protects the maiden, continue to guard me. ...I will be counting on you, Kilik-sama." "...I swear on this name and sword, my lifelong loyalty. As long as I can fulfill my duty, I will stay by your side." Hearing his words, she nodded and ced the sword in his hands, telling him to stand up. "I would have preferred to give it to you in a splendid audience room but" "...No. Your kindness is an even greater honor than that, Your Majesty. For amoner like me¨D¨D" "Not amoner, but a citizen of my kingdom. The distinction between nobles andmoners is trivial¨D¨Dnothing more than a distinction of roles, Kilik-sama." Kreschenta smiled again. "Please do not say things like ¡®someone like me¡¯. ...I trust you." Kilik, surprised once again, opened his eyes wide and bowed deeply. Seeing this, she nodded and looked at the others. They looked at Kirik with pride, envy, and respect, making Kreschenta feel satisfied as she spoke. "Please, wear it." "Yes." Kilik removed the long sword he had been wearing and attached the gifted sword to his belt. Perhaps he was trying to be simple and strong. The ruggedness was not bad, but it was too simple. Compared to the long sword worn in its ckcquered scabbard, the silver-decorated sword stood out as a point of splendor. Crescenta smiled at how it looked just as she had imagined it, and pped her hands. "Fufu, as I thought, it suits you. I chose something with minimal decoration, knowing you don''t like shy things." ¡®Silver really does suit you, Kilik-sama¡¯, she said with a smile, and Kilik looked at the Liberis hanging from the sword belt, closed his eyes, and bowed deeply. "I will treasure this sword for life, Your Majesty." "Then I must take pride in being served by such escorts for the rest of my life.. Please raise your head. As I said, this is insufficient considering your past loyalty." "...Your words are too kind." Kilik looked up, and a smile appeared on his grim face, while Kreschenta looked next to him with a wry smile. Of course, there were rewards prepared for everyone, so that there would be no dissatisfaction. She opened her mouth to hand them over quickly, "Next is Seltos-sama. We couldn''t all have a long sword... but Anne-sama, the one on the far left plea¨D¨D" She turned around to see Anne bursting into tears. Anne spoke to Kreschenta, who was stunned with her mouth open. ¡°M-my apologize¡ I was so overwhelmed by the scene that I couldn¡¯t stop my tears¡¡± ¡°...Why are you the one who is crying?¡± Kreschenta looked at Anne with an exasperated look on her face, holding a handkerchief over her eyes, andughter quietly echoed through the room. Kilik alsoughed quietly, touching the sword at his waist and narrowing his eyes. ¡®Kilik, Krische will have you continue working as Kreschenta¡¯s escort.¡¯ ¡®That would be too much... Krische-sama, I''m amoner. If it was only temporary, that would be one thing, but as an escort for Her Majesty the Queen¨D¨D'' ¡®Just do it appropriately. Kreschenta, like Krische, doesn''t really care about that sort of thing... and she said Bery was doing a great job too.¡¯ ¡®E-even if you say that...¡¯ When he thought about it, they had known each other for a long time now¨D¨Dhe knew what kind of person Queen Kreschenta was. ¨D¨DThere was perhaps no falsehood in her words, but they were not to be taken literally either. It might have just been one of those little, trivial whims. Queen Crescenta was the pr opposite of Krische, who was too straightforward. Unlike her, who opened up and revealed her heart to everyone she saw without hesitation, Kreschenta was the kind of person who shut herself away in her own small world. She was always the perfect queen, perfect, as if cast into that role. As a queen, she was always the way a queen should be, and only yed the role that a queen should. That''s why it seemed surprising to him that he was bestowed with the sword like this. His sry was more than enough that he didn''t need any special rewards, and it wasn''t really necessary. Nheless, he couldn¡¯t deny that he was exceedingly happy¡ªto the point of being overjoyed. It was a gift far too excessive for a son of a woodworker to receive. If his dead father had heard about it, his eyes would have popped out of his head. Being bestowed something directly by the Queen would be unbelievable for someone of his upbringing. "¨D¨DThis is the sword bestowed by Her Majesty the Queen... ¡° "Yes, Commander. It''s a magnificent sword.¡± Crescent Moon of Dawn¨D¨Dthe store that Koza and Beltz started was the hangout spot for the ck g Special Forces. However, Kilik, who was the head of the escorts, was busy with various things and didn¡¯t show up very often, and it was three months after receiving the sword that he finally showed up. It was only when the Queen was spending three days at the mansion that he had some free time. As an escort, he refrained from drinking alcohol, so now he only does it a few times a year. He slowly sips his drink only on such asions. "Kilik, I told you I''m no longer amander nor a soldier." ¡°Haha, but you¡¯ll always be themander to me. It doesn¡¯t feel right to call you Dagra-san now.¡± The men gathered around the tableughed, saying he was right. Dagra, dressed in a shirt and trousers, an unfamiliar sight of him in civilian clothes, rubbed the corners of his eyes and sighed, rubbing his aquiline nose. ¡®Good grief¡¯ he said, looking at the sheath and drawing out the sword. ¡®Wow,¡¯ everyone eximed in admiration. Those in the ck g Special Forces who had fought on the front lines could immediately recognize its quality. It wasn¡¯t a decorative or ceremonial sword but one forged for actualbat. "...Cuiris steel, huh?" ¡°It seems so. Although it doesn¡¯t possess the mysterious powers of legend...it¡¯s delicately crafted and robust.¡± Dagra held up the drawn sword and narrowed his eyes. The de looked weak at first nce due to its blue color, but it was slender yet thick, and would not break even if it was handled roughly. It was a sword for actualbat, with a shape suitable for both shing and stabbing, forged to withstand the strong arms of magic possessors. ¡°...Truly a masterpiece. An ornamental swordsmith couldn¡¯t forge this. It would feel too grand to wear at my side.¡± "It took me a while to get used to it... I have to be careful not to bump into anything when walking down narrow streets." "Kilik, let me see it." "Sure, that''s what I brought it for." Koza came out of the kitchen and took it from Dagra, then headed towards Beltz. The other men also headed in that direction, their eyes sparkling. He said with a wry smile that it was peaceful here. The war is over and it''s peaceful¨D¨Dthat said the ck g Special Forces were still busy. There were only about twenty people here, and the faces change every time theye. Most of them were scattered all over the continent. They were still working in various ces to maintain peace. Kilik, the guard, hadn''t heard the details, but as he was by the queen''s side, he understood the situation to some extent. They ruled the continent. Not all countries change their gs so quickly. To maintain peace, someone who protects it from the shadows is necessary. ¡°It seems Her Majesty the Queen has taken quite a liking to you, Kilik.¡± "...She seems to think I''m a good escort. Even now, I wonder if I''m really the right person to be Her Majesty¡¯s escort... After all, I went from escorting a caravan to guarding the queen herself.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one more suitable than you. ¡Even Krische-sama didn¡¯t appoint you as a guard without any thought¡ probably.¡± Dagra hesitating to affirm it for sure, and gave a bitter smile, and Kilikughed as well. To be honest, it''s unclear why Krische gave Kilik the task of personal guarding as part of the escort team. He didn''t do much as an escort during the civil war, so there was nothing special about it. "...If there is a reason, it must be because Argan-sama asked. Krische-sama is that kind of person." "Guess that¡¯s not impossible." It seems like just the other day, but it also seems like a long time ago. A beautiful, childlike, red-haired servant. It could be said that she was someone he met many times. She was quite a mysterious person. Although she was just a servant, perhaps the country revolved around her. The reason for this was that the two princesses always spoke of her. The kingdom''s hero openly put her first, and while she cursed the servant, Her Majesty acted like a child toward her. Linking arm, sat on herp, smiling mischievously, and asionally raised her eyebrows. Whenever she was present, the queen¡¯s mask woulde off. She always treated the two like children and seemed happy. She wasn¡¯t involved in politics or military affairs. In fact, she seemed to keep her distance from those things, but in the ck g Special Force, it was secretly said that it was the servants who controlled the kingdom from behind the scenes. Half jokingly, half seriously. When you see the way the two of them treated her, it was hard to believe it was just a joke. She appeared somewhat mature yet as delicate as a young girl. The atmosphere would brighten just by her presence. ¨D¨DShe passed away before showing any signs of aging, remaining beautiful. ¡°Her Majesty the Queen is the greatest monarch ever to grace us¡ just like Krische-sama, the perfect leader andmander.¡± ¡°...Indeed.¡± ¡°...But since her passing, the queen has be even more wless and unyielding¡ That¡¯s the only thing that concerns me.¡± She used to mention her frequently. Whenever something happened, he''d say things like ¡®Even Argan-sama¡¯, lecturing Anne. She wasn¡¯t a very honest person¨D¨DKilik knew how much she loved that maid. The reason she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say her name was probably because she was still carrying that memory with her. Queen Crescenta was a perfect queen in every sense. Like a wless jewel, shining and illuminating those around her, yet he asionally wondered, how about her inner self. It was presumptuous for someone like Kilik to worry about her state of mind, but he still hoped she wouldn¡¯t suffer unnecessary stress. ¡°Of course, my concerns don¡¯t really matter¡ but like you, Commander, I wish to dedicate my life to fulfilling my duty as long as I can. ¡so that I won''t be ashamed of the sword I''ve been given." Dagra smiled and nodded. His manly face is showing signs of age, but he''s still strong. "I''m sure that your feelings are conveyed to Her Majesty the Queen... after all, Her Majesty is also Krische-sama''s younger sister." Dagra said, as if remembering the face of the master to whom he swore his lifelong loyalty. Then he turns his attention to the sword on the counter, which the men were gazing at with admiration. "... that sword is a sign of your pure loyalty. It is fitting for you, the Queen''s sword. It was because Her Majesty thought so that she bestowed it upon you." ¨D¨DOtherwise, there''s no way she would have been given such a magnificent sword. The retired veteran continued, "I''m sure she will continue to watch over you sincerely, even as you work unseen," He smiled with the face of amander. Chapter 279: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, Second Half Chapter 279: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, Second Half ***Chapter 279 Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration, Second Half*** He knew that no matter how hard he tried, it was meaningless. No matter how hard you try, all that will be seen is the results. ¡°Kilik, you¡¯re holding the de wrong. You can¡¯t do delicate carvings like tha¨D¨D¡± "...Shut up, brother. I don''t have the talent." His brother spoke while looking at the carving Kilik had abandoned. Kilik was born into a family of craftsmen who carved carriages for nobles and merchants¨D¨Ddecorating the walls and wheels of carriages. It wasn''t that he was clumsy. He was good at simple woodworking and was confident that he could do it better than the average person, but¨D¨Dwhen it came to artistic carving, it was a different story. What was needed more than anything was sense. Kilik was mediocre, while his brother was a genius who could carve for customers since he was ten. Having beenpared to his brother from a young age, he understood, whether he liked it or not. From the start, they were born different. "...I''ll leave home when I''m fifteen. I can''t do carving." "Kilik..." "As long as Nii-san is here, the family will be secure. You don''t need me." Afraid of seeing his father sigh, he desperately tried to improve. He didn¡¯t think he hadn¡¯t gotten better, if he kept at it for a few more years, he might have been able to carve something decent enough to show to client. But at the minimum level, he wasn¡¯t fit to be a craftsman here. "Don''t say that, you''ve improved too. Don''t worry about what father or the people around you think¨D¨D" "¨D¨DEven if I stay, I''ll only bepared to Nii-san for the rest of my life." Saying that, he saw his brother looking down. His brother wasn¡¯t at fault. In fact, his brother was admirable and kind, someone he respected from the bottom of his heart. His brother was a good person, talented, hardworking, and the epitome of a fine craftsman. But he couldn''t bear to live his whole life beingpared to him, living next to such a brother. The capable older brother, the underachiever younger brother¨D¨Djust thinking about living the next few decades being looked at like that made him dizzy. "... Sorry. It''s not your fault, Nii-san. But I don''t want to stay at home." His older brother shook his head and hit him on the head. "I know you work harder than anyone else. You''re just working too hard.... Why don''t you just take a break and do nothing for a while? I will tell father¨D¨D" "...Don''t. It''s fine." "Then... how about working with other craftsmen? Father and I also knew some people¨D¨D" He shook his head and said it was fine. "I want to get away from craftsmanship for a while. I¡¯ll look forborer work or something. I¡¯ve been saving money to leave home for a while.¡± ¡°Kilik¡¡± ¡°There¡¯s less carving work with the ongoing wars. If I can earn money outside, there¡¯ll be fewer mouths to feed, and that¡¯ll be better for the family. When I have some extra, I¡¯ll send some money back home.¡± Carving work diminishes during wars. No one has much money left, and no one wants to spend money on suchvish things in times of war. Nobles and merchants alike care about the people¡¯s opinion. At a time when the prices of wheat and other things were soaring, spending money on extravagant carvings would incur the ire of the people. No matter how much money they have, hey you need to pretend to be frugal. Of course that didn¡¯t mean the money would go to the people, but it''s a blow to Kilik''s family, who mainly do carvings. Now, they were mostly doing simple carvings and had lots of free time, often helping other carpenters. Going out to work was a good reason. There were rumors that a vein of magic crystals had been found and they were looking forborers, but even if that wasn''t the case, there were plenty of jobs like that if he weren''t picky. There was flood control work and whatnot, probably to maintain public order. The country focused on measures to deal with the unemployed. It was perfect for Kilik, who wanted to at least be able to survive on his own without causing trouble for anyone. When he was fifteen, he was allowed to apany a caravan through a client merchant and went to a nearby town. He was heading for a mine where he was told he could earn a decent amount of money¨D¨Dbut on the way, he was attacked by bandits. He had never swung a sword before, but perhaps his training as a craftsman helped. Or perhaps he was unconsciously strengthening his body. He knocked down two men who attacked him, and smashed another one in the head with the sword he had stolen. The merchant who saw this thanked him and asked if he would like to be employed as a guard rather than at the mines. That¡¯s how Kilik started working as a caravan escort. He carried a sword instead of a pickaxe, and things were very different from what he had nned. He was taught swordsmanship by a veteran who was a former soldier, and he trained, and spent his days keeping a close eye on his surroundings. He had to sharpen his senses, and it was a life that he was not used to, both physically and mentally¨D¨Dit was hard, but it was much better than when he was at home. The number of times his life was in danger easily exceeded the number of fingers on his hands and feet. He couldn''t escape the eyes of others, but after surviving a few battles, people began to rely on him, smiling and patting him on the shoulder, saying they felt safe with him. Everyone saw Kilik as an individual. The money he received increased considerably, and when he had some extra money in his pocket, he gave the money he didn''t need to his brother. Whenever he showed up, his brother would greet him happily and hold a small party for him. Every time he returned, his brother would worry about him and ask if he wanted to return home. He was happy that his brother was still worried about him after all these years, but he refused. He thought this was probably the best rtionship they could have. But caravan escort work was still an unstable job. After he lost an eye and was seriously injured during a battle with bandits, he had to take a break for a while¨D¨Dand after that, he didn''t get as many jobs as before. They gave him a constion payment and cared for him out of gratitude for protecting them, but they must have been worried about his role as a guard. Worried if the one-eyed Kilik would be able to do the same job as before. Once his body recovered, he trained hard to regain his former strength, but no matter how much effort he put in, the stigma of being a guard severely injured by bandits stuck with him. Another reason for this was probably the appointment of the hero Christand as general of the north. The number of bandits decreased significantly, making the workpetitive. It was probably unfortunate that he still had a minimum ie that allowed him to live. Unable to leave, Kilik clung desperately to his position. ¨D¨DAt times, he even wished the carriage he was escorting would be attacked. He wanted bandits to appear, defeat them, prove his strength, and return to being the person other people relied on like before. No matter how hard he try, it''s meaningless if he couldn¡¯t prove it. Results are everything, and the world is cruel to those who do not have those results. Civil War¨D¨DWar over the Throne. That was why the exhausted Kirik decided to be a soldier. Kilik wanted something to make people want him, to acknowledge him. ¡°Hmm, Kilik and Kalua are the best among this group. Dagra, for now for these two focus on teaching them rather than training." "Ha." ¡°Others who are somewhat decent are Koza, Daz, Kenitz, Zaka, Bug, Adol, and Kels. Use them as needed.¡± The ck Century¨D¨DKrische Christand''s special forces. When people heard a childlike girl was leading them, many thought it was a joke, but they understood her abilities during the selection process. Seeing her effortlessly select thousands of soldiers¨D¨Dit was clear she was highly capable. She stood in the in, nibbling on cookies without any dignity¨D¨Dbut there was no gap in her stance. "Kilik, you don''t have any military experience, but you''re pretty good at Lorca style. Did you learn it from someone?" "Yes. From a former soldier who was a caravan escorts..." "It seems like you''ve learned the basics. From what Krische saw during the selection process, you''ve trained fairly well, and it seems like you have a fair amount ofbat experience. I''d like others to learn the sword from Kilik as much as possible... Kalua is also skilled, but she has a bit of a quirk." Though it''d been three weeks since he''d shown her his sword, but she spoke of it as if it were natural, and Kilik quietly clenched his fist. He would probably be mocked for feeling proud to be remembered and recognized by a girl not even half his age. At least she valued Kilik¡¯s current self. she recognized Kirik, who despite losing an eye and suffering a severe injury, put in efforts to regain his strength. To others, it might seem trivial, just those few words. But those words were enough for Kilik to decide to follow her. It was not that she saw the efforts Kilik had put in. She was simply evaluating his abilities. With her extraordinary talent and absolute eyes. Even so, those words made Kilik feel helpless and proud. As much as was expected of him, as much as was required of him. To achieve that, he would spare no effort in training. ¡®¨D¨DBery and Kreschenta are going to Arna, so Kilik, Krische leave guarding them to you.¡¯ He remember well the moment she told him that. You were the most suitable person for the job, and the most reliable¨D¨Dshe said. And after that, he was even entrusted with the role of escorting Her Majesty the Queen. It was too much of a smooth sailing. A year ago he was doubted even as a caravan escort, now he was Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s escort. This time, he was more scared than happy. Though he had trained as much as he could, Kilik was an average person. As a simple caravan escort, as a soldier, he was superior to the others, but he knew himself from the battle at Dragon''s Maw. There were countless people more skilled than Kilik, and at the very least, he was far too ipetent to guard the queen, who was the kingdom itself. The days of him wishing for bandit attacks seemed long ago. Kilik prayed to God every day to get through the day without incident. "...Thank you for your hard work today, Kilik. It seems that Kreschenta-sama will be taking a rest tomorrow, so please take it easy for once." "...Ha. Thank you very much, Argan-sama." In front of the mansion at dusk¨D¨Dbefore the war with the three countries began. It was some time after she had been stabbed and themotion had calmed down. She began to visit the royal castle again as an attendant for the queen. The queen is usually attended to by a dark-haired servant named Anne. Anne was a well-liked servant with a good personality, and as she had heard from servants of the royal territory, she has a good bearing. However, she was a bit absent-minded, which was probably a concern. When envoys or guests from other countries visited, or when there was official business outside of the norm, she¨D¨DBery Argan usually apanies the Queen as an attendant. She was the very image of a royal servant. She was not a superior presence that everyone could see, like Krische on the battlefield. Compared to Anne, she didn''t seem to be doing a particrly great job. But before you would knew it, everything was ready, and everything that happens that day would going smoothly, as if it was built into a set schedule. Even discussions that seemed drawn out were within the margin when they look back on themter. Even when you thought the next day would be busy, you would somehow find time to drink tea and have a leisurely lunch. Any problems that arise because of her were probably only those that urred when she was stabbed. If one didn''t pay attention, they would never wonder or even notice. The only ones who would understand were people like Kilik and the others, who had a lot of contact with her because of their work. Even the ck g Special Forces only knew of her as Christand House¡¯s head servant, Krische-sama¡¯s favorite. A beautiful and adorable baby face. She was short, petite and delicate---looking like a young girl, with a kind and gentle smile, but her light brown eyes held an intelligent gleam. The reason she looked simr to someone was probably because she was always by the Queen''s side. Her red hair swayed as she tilted her head. The eyes that stared through the gaps in her hair seemed both concerned and searching. Just as the Queen was perfect as a Queen, she was also perfect as a servant. "You''ve had a somewhat difficult look on your face these past few days... is there something bothering you?" She probably wasn¡¯t being particrly cautious or suspicious. She sensed the intention behind subtle expressions and atmospheres, like observing a small crack. As one would smile at pretty flowers, while being lured deeper into the forest¨D¨Dan indescribable sensation, as if being entangled in ivy. It''s a flower from a fairy tale, one that would bewitch travelers with just its scent. She noticed even the smallest discrepancies effortlessly as if breathing. "No... Are you truly sure you¡¯ve recovered from your injury?" "Yes, thanks to you. I caused you a lot of worry as well, Kilik-sama." She traced her side and smiled, telling him not to worry. "It was all my careless and thoughtless actions that led to this....Kilik-sama''s job is to protect Crescenta-sama. There is no need to feel bad or responsible for my ipetence." "But¨D¨D" "No matter what the oue, it''s not rational to allocate manpower for a servant who was only a short distance away, and the fact that I was stabbed is unrted to your job, Kilik-sama." She chuckles, tracing her lips with her fingertips, tilting her head slightly and narrowing her eyes. "Kilik-sama, you¡¯re truly a serious and soldierly person. I''m sure both Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama chose you as their guard because of those very qualities." "...It¡¯s a responsibility too great for me¡± Kilik sighed. Kirik was also working as an escort at the time¨D¨Dthe moment he heard that there had been an intruder, he thought first and foremost of getting Kreschenta to a safe ce. Because he didn''t know the situation. However, Kreschenta told him she would be heading to Berry and ran off, and during that time, Kilik was worried. He was only thinking about whether he would be able to protect the queen if an assassin were toe. Unlike Kreschenta, who immediately started treating Berry¡¯s wound, the most he could do was secure the room and send Nigel to report. In the end, the only blunder was that she, who was by the queen''s side, was stabbed. "I consider it an honor to be the Queen''s bodyguard. I am prepared to risk my life for it. However, there may be greater dangers surrounding Her Majesty in the uing battle. I know better than anyone that I am not talented. I think we should leave it to someone else¨D¨Dsomeone more trustworthy and skilled." He bowed his head. The words flowed out as if spilling out of nowhere. "No matter what, I am partly responsible for Argan-sama being stabbed. Her Majesty, Krische, and Argan-sama all say such kind words, but... I am at best only a skilled swordsman. When I face a real assassin, I''m not good enough..." "Even considering that, I believe they chose you, Kilik-sama." When he looked up, she was smiling. "...The reason you take on such a heavy responsibility is because you are deeply concerned about Kreschenta-sama. I know it may be presumptuous, but I am d to have someone like Kilik-sama as yan escort." Her light brown eyes, clear with intelligence, gazed directly at him. "Many speak of loyalty and devotion. But those who can truly embody such unseen, intangible qualities are rare." ¡°Argan-sama...¡± "Nothing is as reassuring and dependable as knowing there is no room for doubt. Kreschenta must feel secure, entrusting such a significant duty to someone truly trustworthy like you." ¡®Krische-sama and I feel the same,¡¯ she said, bowing gracefully. Her gesture was as serene as a calm sea, absorbing all sound. "Even if there¡¯s an escort, those who intend harm will n ordingly. Even if a marquis like Argand reced Kilik-sama, it wouldn¡¯t guarantee safety. The initiators always hold the advantage." She added that the most important thing is one¡¯s mindset. She didn''t mock orugh at Kilik''s cowardice, but spoke kindly. It was as if she was embracing the air around them, "No trouble usually happens. How many people can face their responsibilities like that, without letting their nerves rx, even as they go through such mundane days? ...I think that kind of mindset is the kingdom''s treasure." She was a mysterious person. "Both Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama chose you. Please have more confidence... Although, it¡¯s not my ce to say this, having been scolded for the same thing recently." ¡°...Argan-sama is?¡± She nodded quietly, with a bashful, troubled smile. Though she saw through everything like a sage, sometimes she showed a childish face. "Fufu, as you know, Kreschenta-sama is a strict person, but she has never said a word about how you work, Kilik-sama." ¡®I wish I could learn from Kilik-sama¡¯, she said, shaking her shoulders with amusement. As she approached, looking up at him, "Of course, the important task of escorting is as difficult as walking through a fog. There is no guidepost or end, and I don''t think someone like me can understand all the hardships of the job. But... at least that''s how I feel, and I''m sure Kreschenta-sama, who is by your side and watches Kilik-sama more than anyone else, feels the same way." Those words resonated like a pleasant breeze. "How seriously Kilik-sama take your daily work is understood and trusted. That¡¯s why such a significant duty is entrusted to Kilik-sama." Her red hair swayed gently with her movements and the breeze. Once again, she slowly bowed to Kiriku. "Please forgive my presumptuousness in trying to lighten your heart." Everything goes without a hitch¨D¨Dthere are no clear, tangible results. Perhaps her work was simr. Creating a seamless flow without any stagnation was her entire job. She produced nothing and sought no results, merely maintaining order. But Kilik understands very well why she was so highly valued and trusted. It was as she said. Something invisible, intangible, surely makes him think that. "...No. More than anything, I''m grateful for your kind words." It''s the same thing, Kilik thoughts. His role wasn¡¯t just to wield a sword. It was to do everything to avoid using the sword. And to bring the unchanging days to Her Majesty the Queen. From the day he was chosen as a guard, he had be a decorative sword. What''s needed wasn''t practicality, just a shining glow that was shining clear. Kilik¡¯s value lies in being a useless long object. "I have spoken words unbing of a bodyguard. ...Please forgive me." "Likewise, please forgive me. ...Fufu, could you keep this a secret from Kreschenta-sama? If she finds out, she might scold me, asking who I think I am to speak like this to Kilik-sama." "No way... I''m the one who should be requesting that. I''d appreciate it if you could keep this between us." She bowed her head, thenughed joyfully and said, "Let''s pretend it never happened." ¡®Let''s do that¡¯, Kilik said,ughing as well, and lifts his head. A beautiful servant, about chest-high. Her red hair and long eyshes hide herrge light brown eyes, and when she smiles, her face is as soft and elegant as a flower blooming. She was like a lovelydy, yet her short stature and slender shoulders made her seem like a girl¨D¨Dwhat should one call this appearance of two opposing thingsing together and ovepping. At first nce, she appeared perfect, but there was a certain vulnerability that reflected her inner self. If he had to put it into words, he would say, "...Well then. Have a nice rest today." "Yes. Excuse me, Argan-sama." She was a mysterious and charming person. That day and the next, Kirik reconsidered the escorts arrangements. The escorts squad consisted of ten people. The other former squad leader, Nazel, was made vice-squad leader, and they took turns guarding the queen depending on the situation. The five of them basically apanied the queen and provided personal guard duty, but this was pointless in the first ce. "By the way, I¡¯ve been curious... Is the reason Arkul-sama and Bal-sama have been away since this morning due to the rearrangements you mentioned?" As he was walking down the corridor of the royal castle, he was asked, and Kilik nodded. "Yes. After the recent incident, we have made a fundamental review. From now on, we will have two or three people by your side¨D¨Dthe rest will be stationed away from you and on the periphery." If one consider the escort squad as a small army, leaving the main force exposed would be unthinkable. But If they were advancing through an area of conflict with the enemy, they would send out scouts to ensure the safety of the main force¨D¨Dthat''s what Kilik was taught. Kilik was not a caravan escort. He was a Royal Guard who was responsible for protecting Her Majesty the Queen of Alberan. He was not expected to perform symptomatic work, such as walking behind the carriage and drawing his sword when attacked by bandits. He was here to stop unscrupulous people from attacking and taking the initiative. The moment he was forced to draw his sword at the Queen''s side, Kilik job was a failure. "...One person always goes ahead, and the other keeps a wide rear guard, including our surroundings. Previously, we used a simr formation depending on the situation, but we have reworked it to this." "...I see." "Having five by our side was not bad, but it has the drawback of being slow to react and grasp the situation, so I thought of at least two as scouts. Of course, if you are worried, I can ask Krische-sama to increase the number of troops and have at least four by your side." ¡®That''s not necessary¡¯, the little queen said, smiling. Then she turned her purple eyes towards him. "You are truly earnest. It''s really reassuring to have someone like Kilik-sama as my escort. ...But don''t worry too much about what happened the other day. It wasn''t your fault, it was just a series of unfortunate coincidences." "Yes. ...I appreciate your kindness more than anything. But, after all, it was due to myck of consideration. If we had taken the current formation from before, at least...Argan-sama would not have been injured like that." Kilik narrowed his eyes as he replied. "Both I and these men are equally willing to risk our lives to protect Your Majesty the Queen, but pathetically we do not have the sword skills to defeat any foe. ...That is why I thought we should do our best, rack our brains to keep Her Majesty away from unnecessary trouble, and strive to ensure the safety of the surrounding area so that we do not have to use our swords." Just like a servant, the honor of an escort was to ensure that nothing happens. Their job was to clear the fog on the way so that were are no stagnation or dys. "This might be a little bothersome, but please bear with it." "No. If that''s the case, I have nothing to say." It''s as if we''re walking through a fog, she said. Kilik agreed. The path ahead of his lord¨D¨Dclearing that fog was the role of an escort. He stood there because they feared the unknown, and his duty was to ensure his lord could walk freely. "I was just a little worried that you were still worrying about what happened the other day and pushing yourself too hard. I am truly grateful for your hard work, Kilik-sama." ¡°Ha¡± You should not expect your work to be appreciated. Just do what you should do as it should be. Kilik¡¯s duty was to use all his abilities to ensure that his master can walk safely in the mansion without hesitation. Kilik always saw an example to emte. "Kreschenta-sama, I''ve put together some of the information, but what should we do? Would you like to take a short break first?" "...What are you saying when you''ve already poured yourself some tea? You''re a really irresponsible and good-for-nothing servant." When he opened the door to her office, the documents were sorted on the desk as expected, and there was cookies and tea on the reception desk. The red-haired servant weed her master, shaking her shoulders with joy. He had heard that she had lost her sense of taste, but she was always so cheerful that it was hard to tell. "Fufu, Anne-sama said today''s cookies were the best she''d ever had, so I''d really like Kreschenta-sama to try some too." "That¡¯s less reliable than wine sales pitches. You should learn some of Kirik-sama¡¯s seriousness." The queenined as she sat on the sofa and patted the spot next to her. The servant smiled wryly and sat down. "Think of it this way. With Kreschenta-sama and Kilik-sama being so serious, maybe a slightly frivolous servant is just right." "You''re really just nitpicking, aren''t you? Can''t you just apologize honestly?" "... This is troubling. Even like this I''m trying to apologize to Kreschenta-sama ten times a day." "Your apologiesck sincerity and weight." She chuckled¨D¨Dand through the gaps in her red hair, her big light brown eyes turned towards him. She looked at his face, smiles without saying a word, and bowed slightly. Kilik also bowed with a wry smile and closed the door. It was lively inside. The girl''s voice echoes,ining but sounding happy. Normally, Anne would have been there instead of her. Even without major duties, she had visited. Kilik smiled slightly, pondering why. Small acts of consideration and care. For example, if the role of an escort was to clear the fog, then a servant was someone who lights the way. Like waking up in the morning to the sound of birds instead of rain echoing through the window. Like feeling the lingering scent of the sun''s warmth on the sheets at night. The small joys that you would forget the next moment after you noticed them. "Squad leader, what''s the matter?" "Nothing... I heard a merchant ising this afternoon. Let''s take turns taking a break now. Tell Arkul and Val." "Understood." It didn¡¯t matter if their efforts were meaningless. It didn¡¯t matter if no one notices. To strive for the utmost, for in vain¨D¨Dthat¡¯s all the mindset they needed. Chapter 280: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration - The End Chapter 280: Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration - The End ***Chapter 280 Kreschenta and the Annoying Decoration*** The only sound at the small funeral was the sobbing of two servants. Because there was no body, the doubts about whether she had really passed away were somehow reassured. Of course he knew she had been ill for a long time. He had visited her several times. She was still beautiful¨D¨Dbut her cheeks were skinny, her arms were thin, and there were dark circles under herrge eyes. He had only heard that it was a side effect of the dragon''s blood. But it must have been very painful. She always had a smile on her face, but the dark atmosphere of the mansion made it seem like a different ce, and none of the residents were smiling like they used to. The queen at the funeral was seemingly normal, but there was no doubting her appearance. Even after losing the servant she loved so much, she didn''t even shed a tear, and she didn''t make a sad face, just remained calm. Having been by her side for so long, he knew she was better at acting than anyone else. But she couldn''t even act sad. Kilik didn''t say anything, couldn''t say anything. As usual, as always¨D¨Dthe same went for hispanions. They didn''t mention anything in front of her, and simply devoted themselves to their role as escorts. It had been a while since the older sister, who loved that servant more deeply than anyone, had returned. She disappeared without a word, and when the two returned after a full day, Kilik asked nothing either. He simply continued as usual, as always. And he dedicated that to his lord. Believing that this was the role of an escort. She wiped the sword, looking at it carefully. Like its former owner, the sword said nothing. It didn''t talk nonsense. It was very different from a certain redhead. Kilik was a serious man who didn''t talk nonsense. It had been five years since the redhead had died¨D¨Dfive years since the Heavenly Pole was grown next to the royal capital. He greeted me as usual without asking any questions. He carried out his mission as usual. "...Fufu, so you won¡¯t ask, ¡®what is that¡¯?" "If it''s rted to my role, I''m sure Your Majesty the Queen will tell me." "You''re really serious, Kilik-sama." A desk, a sofa, and a table for reception. After getting used to being invited into the Queen''s office, he sat on the sofa opposite her without any particr concern. If he were a born noble, he would have tensed up and stiffened himself even after getting used to it, but that brazenness on the contrary was like amoner would, and was pleasing. Kreschenta was literally above the clouds¨D¨Dequal to God. Normally, lower-ranking nobles were not even allowed to speak to her, or see her face up close. If he was told not to care, he did not care; if he was told to do as he pleased, he did as he pleased. On top of that, he puts Kreschenta first, so Kreschenta has noints. Escorts are inherently difficult to deal with. A position that allows them to spend all their time at the king''s side¨D¨Da kind of privileged ss, and many nobles would be very happy to be escorts. Because if they were favored by the king, they could expect to be promoted significantly. In order to buy their loyalty, it was necessary to satisfy their greed and provide them with favors, and it was also necessary to consider the bnce of power among the nobles. But Kilik was amoner who was born a woodworker. The other escorts were also simr, honest soldiers who were loyal to her older sister. To begin with, they have no ambition to go beyond that. They say that it was an honor to serve at the side of Her Majesty the Queen, as if it were a matter of course, and they even work hard to make their daily duties even more efficient, there was no other word than convenient. She had even leaked some information to test their loyalty, but none of them seemed to have mentioned it to any of their rtives, not even to those in the ck g Special Force. They genuinely seemed to consider this role an honor¨D¨Dthey were extremely easy to handle. And when all of them were precious magic possessors, it was beyond passable. There was nothing toin about. "We are going to unify the continent now." Kilik seemed to be unable to believe what he heard that day, and froze. Kreschenta smiled. "Unification, that is..." "Just as it means, the entire continent will belong to Alberan." He looked confused when she said it as if it was a matter of course, but his face quickly became serious. "Only a very small number of people in the country know about it, but I thought I''d let the head of the escort, Kilik-sama, know about it, since it might cause amotion soon." "Thank you for your consideration. I see... it''s true, there''s no guarantee that some unscrupulous people won''t show up." "Yes. But I don''t mind if you do it as usual." "As usual...?" Kreschenta slowly raised her fingertips¨D¨Dblue lightning burst forth. "A magic form that doesn''t use magic crystals.... A technology called magic. You''ve heard the story of what Onee-sama showed in the battle with Vezrea, right? It''s the same thing." The Heavenly Pole had only just been created¨D¨Dbut the area around the royal capital was filled with a certain amount of magical power. Kreschenta always had magical power around her, so she could easily burn anyone who showed up in an instant. She could even make a person''s head explode without needing to see them. "Yes. ...In the extreme, there''s no need for escorts anymore. If the enormous magic powering out from that tower fills the air, eventually even an army won''t be necessary." "Even an army..." "Fufu, are you surprised?" Kilik was a serious man. He never neglected his daily training and always did his best as an escort. Telling him magic that she hadn''t told anyone else was a reward. Just a little, she wanted to help him rx a little. "That¡¯s why you don¡¯t need to be that serious, saying ominously ¡®if it''s to protect me then¡¯. Rather, if ites down to it, you should prioritize yourself. I can protect myself." ¡°...Understood¡± There were quite a few people who got crushed by being too serious. Selene is a good example of this¨D¨Dbeing a hard worker was a virtue, but if they were to take it too far, they could easily get crushed by the slightest thing. How could she make Kilikst as an escort, that was how the ce to show her skill¨D¨Dgood tools needed to be taken care of after all. Kreschenta looked at Kilik, who was smiling, probably with relief, and smiled too. "Guess I will have to work even harder, and not cken off in my daily training.¡± "...?" She tilted her head. "Our duty is to clear away the sparks and fog that fall on Your Majesty the Queen. Your Majesty has confided in me because Your Majesty trusts me....But in reverse that means, it¡¯s a secret that should not be known to anyone else right." She frowned, wondering what he was saying. It was an unexpected reply. "We must protect Your Majesty, so that Your Majesty does not need to use that power and that it won¡¯t be known. ...I believe that being a decorative sword is an honor, its purpose is to show force." Kilik ignored Kreschenta, looked straight at her, and continued. "As always, leave the misceneous chores to me. It is our duty to do those misceneous matters with all our heart and soul, Your Majesty. ...Though I do need to ask if Your Majesty is willing to continue to leave those chores to us." ¨D¨DKilik was a very serious man. Crescenta was half-exasperated inside, but she was still a queen. When told this, there was only one thing she could say in response. "It is an honor to have a warrior like you by my side. ...Of course, from now on¨D¨Dwill you continue to be my sword, one that would only be worn at my waist?" "...Of course." She took a sip of the tea and frowned. The tea was too sweet even for Kreschenta¨D¨Da honey vored tea. It was probably because Elvena had requested that the tea she brewed this morning be a little sweeter. Looking at Kilik half-exasperatedly, she turns her eyes to Anne. "Eternal loyalty is just a mere word... but I will live my life with that in mind. As long as I am useful... as long as Your Majesty needs me, I''d like to stay by my side." Anne looked at Kreschenta expectantly, waiting with anticipation at what she would say. "...Yes. I look forward to continuing working with you in the future, Kilik-sama." ¨D¨DThe Maiden of Liberis was an old and silly legend. After losing a battle and his hometown burned, a man fleeing with deep wounds was saved by a beautiful maiden. To repay his debt, he worked for the vige and the maiden¨D¨Dbut war broke out with a neighboring tribe seeking the maiden. The man drew his sword to protect the woman and her vige, but the enemy was too strong. The vige was burned down and the man fled with the maiden. The man became the decoy and barely escaped, but he was toote. The maiden, cornered by theke, chose tomit suicide using the sword rather than be the wife of a man she did not desire. The man killed all the men that were there. Afterwards, he wielded his sword to protect the maiden''s grave from the men who did not know that she was dead¨D¨Dand lived his life as the maiden''s protector until his end. It was a story about a simple-minded and foolish man, but it was a popr story among nobles and soldiers. Spending his life on irrational causes and meaningless efforts. Still, that kind of story was probably what a lot of people like. Searching for a suitable sword in the treasure vault, she chose it because of that legend. Putting all his effort into irrational and meaningless efforts¨D¨Dit suited Kilik. In fact, that was his reaction as well. If she personally bestowed a reward, normally one would be enthusiastic for a while. Far from being enthusiastic, he just acted as usual with a normal expression. He performed his duties as an escort calmly, as usual. She thought that perhaps he might not be happy, but that probably wasn''t the case. He performed his duties as if to say that this was his best. It hadn''t changed for decades. "I hear you turned it down.¡± In front of the mansion at dusk¨D¨Dit was autumn. There was something he had to say to Her Majesty the Queen, he said. ¡®You may go back first¡¯, she told Arne. Then the men of the escort team saluted as if in agreement and left the ce. "Yes. ...It was very much like Krische-sama. I''m sure themander was very troubled." Kilik''s face showed a wry smile¨D¨Dhe had aged considerably. His face was lined with deep wrinkles, and his muscles had weakened a little. It was probably because he had been sick for a few days and had just recovered. He had aged even more. Apparently her older sister had mentioned the birdcage while nursing him. She had heard that she had been turned down. "Fufu, I heard you even said, only if you would be taken in as a groom, really Kilik-sama.¡± Kreschentaughed, and Kilik gave a wry smile. Her older sister was an idiot¨D¨Dshe has nomon sense. She likes what she likes and dislikes what she dislikes. Her favorite would be her favorite forever. She invited him into the birdcage out of goodwill, only to be troubled by the refusal. "I wanted to tell her that I''m not refusing because I dislike Krische-sama... please forgive me. That kind of rtionship... is not something that anyone other than family should enter." "I know. Don''t worry about it. Onee-sama is not very flexible after all." Kreschenta didn''t stop her sister. Her sister''s favorite loved her even more. None of her sister¡¯s favorites were the kind of vulgar people who would take the bait of eternity¨D¨Dand she had thought it would be good if she was isted like that. That way, she would have her sister all to herself, be Kreschenta¡¯s. Eventually, everyone will be gone, and it will be just the two of them. ¨D¨DThat was what the eternal birdcage was. "Even so... I am deeply relieved.¡± ¡°...Relieved¡± ¡°...Just as Your Majesty desires, I''m sure...those joyful days wille back. That alone brings me a bit offort.¡± She stared at Kilik, and Kilik looked back at her. "I thought that even an eternal kingdom would not be a dream for Your Majesty the Queen. The people would be happy, and the world would be at peace. ...But I believe what Your Majesty''s desires were for something much more trivial¨D¨Dfor those days before Argan-sama passed away." Like the eyes of an old man looking at his granddaughter. Kreschenta knew that Kilik sometimes looked at her with those eyes, and that was why she found him useful and trusted him. No need for further words. "I''m doing my best every day to repay the kindness Your Majesty showed me. But an escort is an escort¨D¨Deven if I tried to make sure that Your Majesty''s days were safe, there''s no way that someone like me could help fill that gap. With due respect, I was worried for Her Majesty''s future.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m relieved¡¯¨D¨Dthe old soldier smiled. That would probably be the first andst time he would ever talk nonsense. Kilik was a man who didn''t talk nonsense. That being so, she felt like she should forgive him at least in the end. "I know it''s presumptuous of me to say this, but... I hope Your Majesty will be happy." It was really presumptuous of him, a mere escort. But she understood why he said that. "...It''s almost like a farewell greeting." When she told him that, Kilik gave a wry smile. "...As long as you¡¯re useful, as long as you¡¯re needed. If you''re worried about getting old, don''t worry about it.... You''re doing a good enough job as my escort, and I still need you. Maybe you should reconsider?" ¡®I appreciate the kind words, but¡¯ Kilik said and shook his head. "Maybe it''s because I''m relieved, but when I look at myself in the mirror, I just see an old man. My health is deteriorating, and I''m only going to get weaker from now on. I can''t have a shabby old man like me escorting Her Majesty the Queen." ¡®I¡¯m just a decorative sword¡¯, he says, touching the sword at his waist and stroking the elegant silver decoration. No matter when she looked at it, it was always spotless, and the decoration was carefully polished¨D¨Dthe sword that Kreschenta gave him had bepletely familiar to the old soldier. ¡°I¡¯m no longer appropriate to be worn at Your Majesty''s waist.¡± Armor, helmet, sword, mind, and body. Even with every single one of those spotless, and everything carefully polished, the old soldier said those words. "...Kirlk-sama really is a serious person huh." ¨D¨DTo the point of being exasperating. The nameless hero of the legend must have been such a ma., she thought. Endlessly faithful and honest to the end. Surely, the maiden didn''t wish for that either. She must have wondered what the point of obsessing over something like that would be. Even though he knew it was pointless, he was trying to be a meaningless protector in earnest. ¡°...what about after this?¡± "...I thought I''d drop by my brother''s ce for a bit, and get some help from the swordsmanship training center run by the squad members." "I see...fufu, I''m sure you can do anything. You''d be good at teaching swordsmanship, too." ¡°Thank you. And... I have a request.¡± ¡°A request?¡± Kilik said, looking a little embarrassed. He removed the treasured sword from his waist and closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "Being bestowed such a sword by Your Majesty the Queen is the greatest joy of my life. ...But I am ashamed to say that I have no wife, and no children to inherit it. Therefore... I was asked if I could return it to Her Majesty''s treasury." Lovingly caressing the sword, which had been polished to a shine, even down to its finest details, "...I have never wielded it, and have never left a single scratch on it. It is my greatest pride to have been able to keep this sword by Your Majesty''s side as a beautiful ornament...I swear on this name that I have not treated it in a way that would diminish its value." ¡®Could Your Majesty please allow me this¡¯ the old soldier asked. She wiped and wiped it, polishing it carefully down to every corner. She wiped the dust off the edges of the fine decorations, even into the gaps in the carvings. The sword he pulled out was shiny¨D¨Dnot a single tarnish on the blue de. She was a little worried that Arne had sshed a bucket of water on it, but there was not a speck of rust. Why did Kreschenta have to worry about such things? It was a really pointless job. It would be easy to quickly andpletely preserve this kind of work with magic. However, the redhead started saying something iprehensible about how it was better to do the tedious work by hand, and her stupid older sister agreed, acting as if she understood it. As a result, this kind of useless work has be an everyday urrence here. There was nothing but waste in this mansion. It was a worldcking in rationality. The redheads and her older sister wasting time on useless work. Selene repeatedly engaged in useless handicraft. It was all waste, including Lira who was always looking after the lizards. Kreschenta was the master of the world, God itself. She was very important. Sadly, why did she have to clean with a cloth? It was always a question, but considering it now was pointless. It was that kind of ¡®rule¡¯. Wiping and wiping, as if stroking the de gently, she peered at the base. Thest time she had taken itpletely apart and cleaned it, so there were no problems up to the tang. Next time she''d take it apart and clean it up. "My, it''s shiny." As she gazed upon the de, which had been further polished, the redhead, who seemed bored, came over. The redhead''s job was to clean up the vases, ornaments, shelves, and other things that were in the way, but as always, she did a haphazard job. The redhead''s work was all pretense¨D¨Djust enough to appear as if things were cleaned and then be done with it. Redheads always tried to do only 80% of the work. A redhead without ambition. In the first ce, it was the redhead who suggested doing the tedious manual work, but the only thing this woman did properly was cook her favorite food and make tea. It was only natural that she would want toin. "Woof." This was only natural for a job. When she showed the sword as an example, the redhead stroked her head and smiled wryly. "Kreschenta-sama taking such good care of it, I''m sure Kilik-sama will be pleased." The redhead took the sword, looked at it, and carefully ced it back in the sheath. The dim-witted redhead made another dim-witted remark. Kilik had been dead for a long time, he wouldn¡¯t get happy or talk nonsense. And this sword belonged to Kreschenta. Cleaning it had nothing to do with Kilik. ¡®¨D¨DMy apologies, but as a queen, I cannot ept a reward that I have already given to my vassal.¡¯ ¡®That''s...¡¯ ¡®Therefore, may I ept this as...a personal gift from Kilik-sama to me?¡¯ The redhead looked as if she was having fun, as if she were the ¡®dim-wittedpanions¡¯. She red at her in dissatisfaction, and the redhead shook her shoulders and smiled. ''If that¡¯s eptable, I¡¯ll disy it proudly at the mansion''s entrance. ...As a treasured sword of a warrior I trust more than anyone else, next only to Onee-sama.'' ¡®You, Majesty...¡¯ ¡®...This is a one-of-a-kind sword that can''t be bought even with ten thousand gold coins.¡¯ It just happened that way¨D¨Da little reward and lip service for all the work he had done up until now. A sword is a sword, and it''s in mint condition, worth at most fifty gold coins. If he''s giving it to her for free, she thought it wouldn''t be bad. That''s all, nothing more. The redhead handed the sword back to Kreschenta. Checking whether there was any finger mark, Kreschenta pursed her lips and hung it on the pedestal. Then, with a ¡®whoosh¡¯, she put her hands around her neck and bounced up and down. She mounted him (physically) and hugged her. "Well then, Kreschenta-sama, shall we take a little nap?" Rubbing her cheek against hers and nodding, the redhead headed straight to the second floor. Looking over her shoulder, she saw useless and inconvenient decorations lined up here and there in the entranceway. There was nothing but waste in this mansion. A worldcking rationality. On the stand was Selene''s junk. It was in the way. Next to that was also Selene''s junk. It was in the way. Lined up in a row were a number of annoying decorations, ¡®...What do you think, Kilik-sama?¡¯ Kreschenta¡¯s sword, which was never used, took up a ce in the middle and was enshrined there. ¡®Ha... Where on earth could there be a greater honor than those words?¡¯ A shiny, polished ornament. A decorative sword that had once been hung up. Without a single wound, without a single tarnish. ¡®Fufu, really, Kilik-sama didn¡¯t know huh.¡¯ She could see it in her mind, the always so carefully polished¨D¨Dthe old soldier, who couldn¡¯t even look up, offering up his sword with both hands, a shining helmet. ¡®...It is a much greater honor to be gifted such a sword.¡¯ That sword that she received was now the same, another one of Kreschenta¡¯s annoying decorations. ¨D¨DIn the future too, always a nuisance. Chapter 281: Once Upon a Time, on the Throne of God Chapter 281: Once Upon a Time, on the Throne of God ***Chapter 281 Once Upon a Time, on the Throne of God*** The hollow was filled with the roots of the World Tree spreading out, and its branches and leaves covered the sky. The abundant magic power made the atmosphere glow, and the endlessly dancing petals shone with a rainbow sparkle in the sunlight. They rained down, dispersing into blue particles before hitting the ground. Spring is the season when the flowers of the World Tree dance in the air. The world was filled with an fantastical color, and wind spirits yed joyfully among the petals. Even on the ground where the World Tree''s roots spread, earth spirits busily ran around tending to the small flowers in the gaps. To gather the enormous amount of water the World Tree required, the water spirits created waterfalls in the hollow¨D¨Ddespite the absence ofkes or rivers, a mysterious amount of water poured into the hollow from above, and the World Tree trembled its branches and leaves as if drinking it all in. Fire spirits gathered and danced, trying to bring the efforts of the water spirits to naught, and steam danced in the air from the basin of the waterfall. The air seemed to be shrouded in a mist, making its fantastical hues even more illusory andplex. And beside the trunk of the tree, there were four blue-gray mounds. Beasts revered by all as gods¨D¨DDragon curled their massive bodies, and before them stood a single girl. With her long ck hair tied up loosely and wearing only a wrap and loincloth, she also sat on the roots as if to blend in with the others. She gave a wry smile at the silent dancing spirits and gazed at the hundreds of magic spheres floating above her head. Though they appeared irregrly arranged, they were in fact systematically ced. Judging by the angle of the sun, it was about time. She turned around and looked at the mysterious door, which existed in the corner of the hollow without any building. ¨D¨DAfter a little while, the door opened, and a beautiful red-haired servant peeked in. As she entered, a mischievous wind spirit flew towards her, and in response, the girl, with her somewhat youthful beauty, smiled maturely and wagged her finger. The surrounding moisture gathered, and arge water cat formed in the air. Two, four, eight, sixteen¨D¨Dwith each hop, the water cat split, and in an instant, over a hundred small water cats were running around the hollow and then into the sky. The winged wind spirits chased the water cats, chirping joyously. The servant also lightly hopped and, as if pushed by the wind, gracefullynded in front of the four of them¨D¨Dnext to the Holy Spirit Priestess Lira, and gave a gentle bow. Then she pointed her finger at one of the floating magic spheres, moved it just a little, and that''s the end of her work. She turned her attention to Lira and took a step closer. A sweet scent of temptation wafted from the servant, and L''s eyes flickered slightly. "Lira-sama, at Elvena-sama''s request, I made a tart using various fruits today." "I-is that so..." "Yes. I tried tasting it and I must say it turned out very well." Her soft pink lips smiled gently. Their color and thickness were light, not assertive in presence. Yet, they were undeniably alluring lips. The glossy lips were probably due to the sweet tart¨D¨Dperhaps with a generous amount of honey on it¨D¨Dthat she had just eaten. ¨D¨DThis is a garden of temptation. There were no limits to life in this seemingly decadent mansion. If one wished, they could fall into depravity to the very depths of the earth. Without self-control, it was a paradise where one could fall endlessly¨D¨Da prison of desire. Maintaining one''s sanity as the Priestess of Kreisharana within this ce was no ordinary feat. She had decided to live in a hut, not the mansion, and to consume only the forest''s fruits, a lifestyle she had maintained for the past five years, but that was broken a few days ago. ¨D¨DI tried to put in a little extra effort, but. The reason was that she had heard of such an invitation. Food made only from ingredients from the forest. Not extravagant. With a little extra effort, it was very delicious. Tempted by those words, she took a bite¨D¨Dand before she knew it, she had even taken up the meat, lured by Krische saying that it was from the forest. The meat, which she hadn''t eaten in five years, was so delicious that she could have drooled unashamedly. If she continued like this, there was no doubt that before she knew it, words like abstinence and self-restraint would disappear from her mind. And again, she would fall into days of depravity, a cycle she had repeated countless times. ¨D¨DShe had to stop as soon as possible. Lira had made up her mind, but before she could take a bite, the servant stroked her own cheek. Then, with a coquettish smile, "...We''re nning a banquet in the near future. Krische-sama would like toe and celebrate Lira-sama''s training beingpleted..." "C-celebration..." "Fufu, Lira-sama eats the food so deliciously that it makes me happy as the cook. ¡Of course, I feel a little bad for Lira-sama, who values self-restraint but." Her smile mixed yfulness, gentleness, and perhaps a hint of trouble, making it all the more captivating. It was different from Kreschenta¡¯s or Selene¡¯s brilliance, "...If you don''t mind, could you stay with us a little longer? Krische-sama is very excited about it." When asked with such a smile, she couldn¡¯t think of any words to refuse. In fact, even if she tries to refuse, she usually ends up going along with it without realizing it. Lira groaned quietly and nodded. "Uh... just, just a little longer..." She was a kind person who was always considerate to Lira, but she was a servant among servants who always followed her master''s wishes. Whether Lira wished for it or not ¨D¨D the moment her master said she wanted to invite her, there was no escape. "Fufu. Yes. ¡Just a little longer." Her shoulders shook with a mischievous smile, then she looked at Lira''s body. She looked at the wrap and loincloth¨D¨Dsimple and minimal fabric, and traced her lips with her fingertips, deep in thought. "...Um, is there something?¡± "No, I was just thinking it might be a bit cold." "Cold... where are we having the banquet?" Her red hair swayed as she narrowed her eyes. Then, Bery Argan smiled. "This time¨D¨D" ¨D¨D A huge snowy field as far as the eye could see. Stepping forward, their kneespressed the snow that buried them to the waist. The blizzard had stopped, but the snow continued to fall ceaselessly. Everything around was wrapped in white and indigo. On this sacred virginnd, they alone left their footprints. Untroddennd that no one had ever touched. This was a ce more sacred than any other in the world. Greiviarbe¨D¨Dthe highest mountain in the world. The realm of the gods, where no one has ever set foot. And they were the first person to leave their footprints there. "...The snow is firming up." South of Greiviarbe. Relieved that he was finally on firm footing, Borok Androzea stroked his frozen beard and sighed. Covered from head to toe in fur and cloth winter gear, he wore thick gloves and steel ws on his boots. Ten magical crystal rings adorned his fingers, and his boots also had magical crystals. The magic crystals he wore all over his body¨D¨Dthe magic forms engraved on them kept him warm, but that wasn''t the only thing blocking his path to the top of this mountain. A gentle snowy in stretched out over 10,000 shaku. With each twenty steps, he became out of breath, and he had to take deep breaths repeatedly, trying to steady himself as he moved forward. The air was thin, but this was still the beginning. He had climbed mountains over 20,000 shaku high before. And this was the realm of the gods, over 30,000 shaku high. This mountain pierced the heights that would not allow any living thing to survive. It was easy for Borok to understand that unprecedented hardships awaited him ahead. It took half a month one way from the town at the foot of the mountain to cross the northeastern most mountains of the continent. He had made numerous trips back and forth, transporting supplies, and had spent years preparing. Financially, too, if this failed, there would be no second chance. He didn''t even consider descending halfway. Will he reach the peak ande back, or will he nevere back? This was such a challenge. He simply moved forward into the great snowy field. Throwing snow into his heated canteen, warming it, and drinking it. The snow around him was full of moisture, but in the mountains you lose a surprising amount of moisture. Perhaps it''s because even the moisture in the air freezes. Even when his throat was moist, he drank water. Again, and again¨D¨Dno matter how much he drank, the deep thirst was unquenchable. After a whole day of walking, he arrived at the great ice wall. Up close, the enormous wall was overwhelming. A wall of rock and ice, its upper part forming arge overhang, acting like a roof. This was the first resting point. The roof of therge ice wall sloped backwards, preventing ice from falling from the top and avnches. There was no problem pitching arge tent here, and he could even sleep sprawled out if he wanted to. Most of the food was stored here, and all the equipment was kept here. It''s even possible to wait a season until the weather turns favorable, but this was thest ce where one was allowed to rest. Entering the tent set up beforehand¡ª¡ªwith thick snow piled andpacted outside the fabric, he confirmed the venttion holes and lit a fire. The light from the campfire illuminates the room, bringing warmth. No matter how much he insted the tent, the cold remained unchanged. The best he could do was to prevent his body heat from escaping. Still, Borok smiled. He brought in the stored food from outside and filled a pot with snow to melt over the fire. After eating breakfast, he had survived on rations. Dried nutritious Nirkana berries¨D¨Dthey give you energy, but they don''t quench hunger. However, here, he could at least fill his stomach with food. Meat and vegetables were thrown into the pot, rock salt. He broke a loaf of frozen bread and threw it in as well. Borok waited for the pot to boil and went outside. He sprawled out on the snow and looked up at the sky. A dark indigo sea, a pale blue river created by the stars. And the shining blue¨D¨Dhe could clearly see the writhing currents of magic power drifting through the sky. It seemed to be the result of the Grand Magic performed by the Great Queen in the past. It was said that the world was filled with magic power as a result of the Great Law of Heavenly Change, and that this was the reason why the sky was still enveloped by enormous magic power. If one climbs a high mountain and looks up at the night sky, they would be able to see it clearly with the naked eye. The first time he felt its presence was when he was eighteen. It was when he climbed the World Tree. The night sky he looked up at then¨D¨Dthe great flow of magic power that was flowing there. Borok was simply overwhelmed, and he realized how small he had been when he had boasted that he had conquered the World Tree. The great queen who cast magic on the world itself 1,500 years ago. On the other hand, he was one who boasted of a single small peak. ¨D¨DSince then, Borok has traveled the world. He stepped on mountain peaks and visited the World Tree in various ces. In some areas, it became a problem and he gave up, but in many ces he was praised as an adventurer who challenged something great. But in the end, fame was only a tool and a foothold to reach the next height. He wrote a book about his journey, sold his name, raised funds, and conquered many mountains. All in order to leave his footprints on the top of this mountain. This is the culmination of Borok, and it could be said that all of the footprints he has carved so far have been on the way to this mountain. Greiviarbe was the corner of the earth. A separate, independent peak that rose up from the surrounding mountain range. He had only climbed a gentle, vast snowy field, but even from here at the entrance, he was still high enough to look down on the surrounding mountains. From here, Greiviarbe grew evenrger, with a wall of ice jutting into the sky like a horn. Many adventurers and ascetic practitioners have tried to climb this wall and have never returned. Avnches and storm-like winds, the ice and atmosphere that do not allow humans to survive. No matter how powerful one''s magic was, it was not something that could be easily climbed. If the wind blows at the moment when the body is separated from the cliff, the human body would be knocked far downwards. The clear imagination that came from past experiences imprinted the difficulty of this mountain on one''s body in the form of trembling and fear. And only those who could face that fear head-on and swallow it would be allowed to set foot on the mountain''s summit. Borok looked up to the sky and reached out his hand to the floating moon. He gripped it tightly, closed his eyes, shook the snow off, and went inside the tent. The boiling pot gave off a rich aroma of melted meat oil and vegetables. The cloudy soup was infused with nutrients and vor. The meat and vegetables alone made the soup delicious. Sipping the hot soup from the bowl, the delicious vor burned from his throat to his stomach. It was a good idea to throw in some garlic. He felt his cold body heat up from the inside. As he savored it, he began toy out the gear he would take with him. The magic thread rope was flexible and heavy, but if it wasn''t put under a lot of strain, it could stretch a thousand shaku. The axe was artificial Cuiris steel with a high affinity for magic. The same was true of the crampons. Both were engraved with forms that could manipte heat, and if they were thrust into an ice wall and magic was passed through it, it would melt it and instantly solidify, making it easy to secure a foothold. There were no better tools to conquer the ice and rock walls ahead. The tools he had spent decades improving were the essence of Borok''s life. In words, what he had to do was simple. He would keep his toes and axe dug into the wall at all times, crawling to avoid being torn off by the storm, and pull up his belongings with a rope after ensuring they were safe. Barring any problems with the weather or avnches, he was confident he would seed. He had that much experience and ability. Looking back at history, it was safe to say that no one could match Borok in mountain climbing. Yet, it still wasn¡¯t a guarantee. Nature was not designed for humans to confront. Having trained himself, Borok was confident he could survive even against a monster, but that did not mean he could defeat an avnche. Even if that wasn''t the case, a direct hit from an ice block the size of a mansion would kill him instantly. In the end, it was down to fate whether he could reach the peak. He would do his best, meticulously eliminate any potential causes of failure, push himself to his limits, and then leave the rest to fate. That''s what it means to challenge a mountain. He knew it was madness, yet it was in human nature to step forward regardless. The soup was delicious. But the food he ate down below was much tastier. There was neither gold nor silver treasure at the top. There was no paradise beyond this point. He pondered why he was trying to climb this mountain. When asked why he climbed, he had given various answers, but none of them were the truth. Boroku climbed to end his challenge. He climbed to make himself understand that there is nothing to be gained by climbing high. He climbed to free himself from the obsession that had gripped him since that day. ¨D¨DSomeday, I will reach the highest ce in the world. Because he had vaguely thought so at that time. He ate a pot full of soup, ate some fruit, and brewed some tea. He mixed in a generous amount of honey and turned it into energy. The view from the top of the World Tree was both a blessing and a curse. That''s what it''s like to be moved so much that it determines the course of your life. He waited for the weather to stabilize and left the tent five dayster. He clung to the rock wall and climbed higher. While climbing, he thought only of climbing. Based on the shape of the wall, which way would be most likely to be hit by falling rocks? In the event of an avnche, which position would be safest? He always thought about risk and reward. If it was dangerous but he could get out in an instant then, if it was safe but would take too long then¨D¨Dhe managed the level of danger and selected the route. There is no such thing as an absolutely safe ce on the mountain. No matter where you are, there was always a chance that ice or rocks would smash your head in from above. Ultimately, climbing faster will reduce the overall risk. He had memorized the route he should take in his head beforehand. From the nearly vertical wall, he could clearly see where to put his foot and where to step out, step by step. All that was left was to trace the image. After three days of conquering another 10,000-shaku wall, he reached the jaw of Greiviarbe. From there, he was once again on a gently sloping snowfield with numerous rocky peaks rising into the sky. Whaty ahead was unknown territory ¨D¨D even from the surrounding mountains, it was impossible to see clearly whaty ahead due to the clouds and rocky mountains. All he knew was that it was a nest of avnches. In front of him¨D¨Din the distance he could see the shape of a horn-like peak, and just before that was a vast snowy field. Though covered in snow, he could see the tips of countless rocky mountains jutting out from time to time. In reality it was probably a very rugged rock surface. The snow was just making it look like a gently sloping t surface. If he takes a step in the wrong ce, he will be trapped forever in the crevasse prison. Folds of snow could be seen here and there. Graceful like ady''s skirt, they were natural pitfalls formed by the snow that has fallen on the crevasse. He ponders for a moment whether to rest up ahead. It was still too early to call it sunset. The rocks he could see a little further ahead were sturdy and perfect for pitching a tent, and he would be able to reach them before sunset. He decided he should cover as much distance as possible here. But found himself unable to take a step. Wondering why he wasn¡¯t moving, he nced ahead to the rocks. "H...!?" ¨D¨DAt that moment, the snow fell. The ce he was about to step onto cracked, and the ground slipped away. Borok immediately clung to the nearby rock. What he heard as he closed his eyes was a roar that he would never hear in his everyday life. It was a tremendous sound of snow sliding down from cloud height, enough to lightly swallow a small town. His body, which had been burning from climbing the rock wall, felt as if it was freezing to the core. The sound of the copse continued for a while,ing from far below. Feeling the echoes calmed down, he opened his eyes, steadied his shallow breathing. It was probably just the snow that had piled up above sliding down. However, the scenery hadpletely changed. Arge amount of the snow on his left had disappeared, and at the border with therge snowy field on his right, a snow wall about fifty shaku high had been created. The snowy field that Borok was about to step into no longer existed, and if he had taken a step just now, he would undoubtedly have been caught up in it. That meant death. He crouched down on the spot and consciously took slow, repeated breaths. Thin air¨D¨Dexcitement causes serious damage to umte in the body. He decided to pitch his tent there that day. The sky, which had seemed stable, started to produce ominous wind sounds. The moment when a seemingly smooth journey change was curiously perceptible. It was probably something that could be called an instinct that humans have had since they were animals. That was that moment. He firmly secured the small tent he had brought with him, drilled holes in the ice and rocks and took out several anchors. He covered the outside of the tent with hardened snow to protect it from the wind¨D¨Daplete turnaround from his smooth journey. In the end, Borok ended up spending two weeks inside. There was no light inside, except for the dim light of the magic crystal he was using as a heat source. Outside, the sky had be stormy, and a blizzard began to fall outside. A storm of snow fell upside down, running up the mountain. The entrance to the tent was already covered in snow, and the air hole was stretched out like a chimney. Looking in, the sky was dark, letting Borok know that the blizzard was still continuing. The food he brought with him was enough for two weeks in total. Even though he had cut back, there was not enough left to climb and descend from the peak. ¨D¨DA failure. Still, would he be able to survive if he went down the mountain the next time there was a clear spell? Even as he was thinking that, after the storm subsided, Borok headed straight for the top without hesitation. He crawled up and down the rocky ridge that was only faintly visible thanks to the avnche, trying not to slip. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the culmination of his entire existence. It took him a whole day to get out of the maw of the great snowfield¨D¨DGreiviarbe, and it was at night that he clung to its horns. He set up a small tent, ate dried meat and dried Nilkana, rested, and the next morning began stabbing his axe into the ice wall. The wind was always stormy. If he let his guard down, he would be blown away, so he stuck his body against the rock face in such a storm. Right, left, right, he lifted his legs regrly, sometimes so high that it seems his thighs would split. Sometimes, he jumped, using the upward wind for momentum. Each leap was a gamble with his life. But without such leaps, his stamina wouldn¡¯t hold out. Borok already didn¡¯t have enough food to climb leisurely. At times like this, he was grateful to his parents for being born with magic powers. Even if it''s impossible for an ordinary person, those with magical powers can do it. He was able to forcefully stab his axe into rocks instead of ice, and he was able to gain a lot of height with one jump. It''s because he had magic powers that he could move in this extreme cold. As he neared death, he felt a strange gratitude for being born. He thought of his father and mother. He hadn¡¯t seen them for a long time and never felt the desire to. They probably don''t want to see him too, having run away from home. As an adventurer, they must have heard of him, but he never received a single letter, and he never sent one. It was strange. He was fed up with the strict education and the responsibilities that were expected of him, and he resented them when I was young. That''s why he ran away from home. And yet, when he stood in such extreme ces like this, he always thought of his parents. Their long-standing, noble family was only in name. His father was the lord of a small territory, protecting the household. And his mother supported him. The two of them continued to uphold the moldy customs. There was no freedom there, it was ustrophobic, and suffocating¨D¨Dbut his parents still spent their days going about their daily lives protecting what had been passed down to them by their ancestors. When he thought of them, he wondered why he climbed the mountain. In truth, it wasn''t for any lofty reasons or anything. Maybe he wanted to be recognized by his parents. They just had different ways of thinking. But even so, he wanted them to think that he was their son ¨D¨Dthat he was a son they could be proud of to their ancestors. He thought of his parents, who were strict with themselves and others. They tried to be frugal and did not tolerate waste, like mindless magic dolls. Their way of life seemed devoid of happiness, but their asional smiles during mundane moments looked content, and they were deeply loved by their subjects. In times of famine, they would not hesitate to give away the hoarded personal wealth to protect them, and he would always wonder why they did not show him such love in the past. ¡®We are the caretakers. We are entrusted with what they have earned through their sweat, and we will return it to them when necessary. Please remember that this mansion, food, and clothes are all given to you by them. ...A lord is a position that requires more self-control than anyone else.¡¯ The children who lived in the towns and viges seemed happier. From a young age, he was expected to do more than enough, and he cut down on his sleep to train and study. He was envious when he saw children his age being spoiled by their parents, and he worked hard only to be praised and recognized. And yet all he was given was a simple sentence, Well done. His parents were always busy for the people of their domain. He clung to the rock, steadied his breathing, and swung his right hand. Unless there was something extraordinary, he always stuck at least three of both his hands and feet into the rock and ice. If he didn''t do this, his body would quickly be blown away by a strong wind. Right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot. Right hand, left foot, left hand, right foot. He left w marks on the rock and ice. As if to let them know that he was here. He walked at a turtle''s pace, determined to do something that no one had ever aplished before. Knowledge and wisdom were given to him by his parents. They also taught him how to use magic. The method of making an effort, everything was given to him by his parents. The reason he was here was because they were there. No matter how far they were, he was their son. His breathing was shallow. He stopped and kept breathing. No matter how much he breathed in the thin air, it didn''t feel like he had inhaled enough, so he looked up at the sky. He wasn''t far away from the peak. He felt my head getting dizzy, but he just kept going up. Climbing the mountain was an ordeal. He worked his whole body hard, and at the end of the pain, he reached the peak. Sometimes the view from the top, viewed with a dizzy head, didn¡¯t even remain in his memory. What would be there when he reached the peak? There was nothing there. He had no expectations. There was only the result of having climbed it. But still, he thought to himself, he would climb it. Higher, higher. To carve his name as someone who has visited a ce no one has ever been before. To make his name resonate and be known. Just a little more, just a little more. His head was hazy. He couldn''t think clearly. But the vast experience engraved in his body led Borok to greater heights. He mmed his axe, dug his ws, and crawled upwards. The moment he struck the final blow, he felt a numbness in his body. ¨D¨DThe sensation of reaching the peak. The realization that he had conquered Greiviarbe. Summoning hisst strength, he let out a spurt of magical power and pulled himself up¨D¨D "Um... what are you doing...?" Before him was a silver-haired girl munching on a skewer of meat. He was confused by the out-of-ce beauty, and the Goddess tilted her head. Borok slipped off. He screamed involuntarily and slid down the steep slope, and suddenly his body was enveloped in a floating sensation. His body rose into the air and was enveloped in a sphere of magical power. As if ignoring gravity, his body rose to the top again. His eyes met again with the purple eyes that were staring at him with a skewer in one hand. He had never been so surprised when he reached the top of the mountain. The temperature rose in a sh, and the previously frigid air was now warm, with not a trace of wind blowing. And there were beautiful girls there. Was it some kind of feast? They were holding skewers of meat dripping with oil, and not a single one of them wore anything resembling the cold-weather gear Borok had. Most were in apron dresses, and only a girl with golden hair wore pants. One girl, dressed in fur, wore only a wrap around her chest and waist, exposing her belly. A grill was set up over the fire, sizzling with meat, and everyone silently looked at Borok in confusion. The silver-haired goddess, also in an apron dress, watched him curiously. Freezing and unable to speak, he stared at them in bewilderment. Next to them was arge tent, but it looked like it would easily fly away if the wind blew. For some reason, countless small snowmen were lined up all around. It was the highest point in the world, and it was like a winter street or something. In a world where storms were supposed to be the norm, this ce was distortedly calm, to the point that he wondered if he had died. However, the sphere that enveloped him must be the result of magic. He knew that with great magic, one could levitate in the air. He had a connection with such great magicians, but the being before him was probably far beyond the realm of great magic. She munched on the skewer in one hand. The silver-haired girl pointed her fingertips at Borok as he slid down ¨D¨Dit was in an instant. Without a moment to even realize that magic had been used, the precision and transcendent speed of the magic form engraved and drawn around Borok was truly that of a god. The silver-haired girl pped her hands while still holding the skewer, and brought a skewer of grilled meat from the grill and offered it to Borok. At the same time, Borok''s floating feet stepped on the snow. "Um, would you like some?" "N-no..." He was in the height of confusion, but he knelt down for the time being. It was a very abnormal situation ¨D¨Deven with his confused thoughts, he understood what this situation was. Banquet of the Gods. He had likely wandered into it at the summit of this mountain. "¡M-my deepest apologies. To have defiled such a...sacred banquet." "Sacred...?" The beautiful girl tilted her head and thought deeply. The more he observed her, the more divine her beauty seemed. Like a sculpture made to embody beauty itself, the girl was stunning. Her silver hair shimmered in the moonlight and the firelight. Herrge eyes, surrounded by long eyshes, were like amethysts, and her appearance was undeniably that of a being created as pure beauty. Now, he was in the presence of the Gods. As he thought this, his consciousness faded¨D¨D "...?" ¨D¨DHe suddenly woke up, and found himself inside a tent. He looked at his gloved hands, confirming that he was alive. As he got up, he felt surprisingly well. "Why am I inside a tent..." He wondered if he had unconsciously set up the tent. In that dazed state, having such a dream. He furrowed his brow and quickly left the tent and stepped outside, stiffening. This was the peak of the mountain. And yet there was no wind, and the air was thick. He gazed out at the clouds and white mountains below him, and marveled at the windless world. The small tent, which I had seen from outside, hadn''t even been covered in snow to protect it from the wind, yet it had managed to survive the night. The sun was shining from the eastern sky, illuminating the mountaintop where Borok was. Just looking at it, tears suddenly spilled down his face. An emotion I couldn''t put into words swelled up inside his heart, to the point of bursting. "This is the Goddesses¡¯..." In his hazy memory¨D¨Dhe shook my head, trying to recall the beautiful goddesses. They were simply beautiful. That was the only thing he could remember, and then he looked around, and there were countless small snowmen left all around. They hadn''t formed naturally. This was not a dream. There were Goddesses here after all. And They saved Borok. He took in the air and closed his eyes. Then he opened my eyes again, and burned the view into his memory for a while. It was as if the world had been turned upside down. The clouds were far below. An engrossing blue filled the sky. He could see a white mountain range, and in the distance he could vaguely see a world where people live. The summit of Greiviarbe, when the weather was good, could be seen from a nearby vige. Likewise, the vige could be seen from Greiviarbe. ¨D¨D¡®Let''s go home¡¯, he thought absentmindedly. He took out two magic crystals from the backpack. They were magic crystals for surveying. They were a request from the sponsor of this climb, and they were also proof that he had conquered Greiviarbe. When he sent magic power into it at the highest point, the magic crystal reacted and destroyed itself. The shining waves propagated through the atmosphere. "...This is thend of the Gods." He looked at the remaining crystal and put it back in his backpack. The one just used was for sending. The one he put back was for receiving. If ced on a pole and stuck at the summit, the magic crystal would act as a receiver semi-permanently. However, he didn''t do that. This peak was not one that should be disturbed by humans. The only reason he was now at ease was because the Goddesses had saved him. The proof that he was here was sufficient with the crystal used earlier. He folded his hands, offered a prayer, and took down the tent. Then he put it away in his backpack¨D¨Dand suddenly noticed an unfamiliar small bag inside. It was packed full of dried Nilkana fruit. It was different from the ones Borok had brought. When he took a bite¨D¨Dit was truly a taste of heaven. The sweet taste melted like snow. It was the fruit of paradise. There was no need to wonder who had put it in there. "Thank you, Goddesses." He folded his hands again and thanked them, then put the bag in his pocket and started walking. The once rugged mountain¨D¨Dhowever, the descent was not harsh. As soon as he started to descend the mountain, the air thinned, reminding him of the harshness of the mountain, but surprisingly there was no wind and the weather was calm. The snow was surprisingly firm, and there was not a single avnche. Surely the Goddesses were watching over him. As he descended without letting his guard down, he felt only gratitude in his heart. Borok felt that he had been saved by the Goddesses. No injuries, no illnesses. And so Borok safelypleted the climb, published his book within a year, finished all the closures, and returned to his hometown. It was not just for himself. Surely that was the reason he was saved. "I''m sure people waste time on pointless things in order to find the answer. I must have taken much longer than most people to realize that this is the ce for me." A rural town in the mountains, next to the World Tree. Borok, now an old man, walked there and stroked his granddaughter''s head. The granddaughter nodded with a look of understanding, but also not understanding, and Borok gave a wry smile as he looked at her. "I can''t answer why I was climbing the mountain, but... I think it was probably necessary for me toe back here." "Fumm..." When the townspeople saw Borok, they bowed happily and called him Lord. He waved and smiled back. The town was by no means rich¨D¨Dbut the people were smiling happily. There was a legend that a dragon once lived here, and the town had nothing but the World Tree. But it wasn''t an empty town, and there is no town without nothing. There was much more here than the mountains. ¨D¨DHe bowed his head to his father and begged for forgiveness, and his father patted him on the shoulder without saying a word. Borok''s room had not changed since he had left, and his mother had kept it nice and clean. Borok poured all his passion for mountain climbing into this, and tried desperately to make up for the time he had lost. His father never praised him for this, but as he was dying, ¡®I''m proud of you, my son.¡¯ He just said that. Those words made Borok even prouder than when he woke up at the top of Greibiarve that day. "Sometimes you have to take a detour. But people are¨D¨D" "¨D¨DAh, Grandpa, Nilkana!" His granddaughter ran off in the middle of her story, leaving Borok stunned, and he quickly gave a wry smile. Asked why he had climbed mountains, his recounting of mountain tales had turned into a lecture without him realizing. Not noticing his granddaughter''s growing boredom, he scratched his head and approached the stall she had run to. He advertised tourism to the World Tree, and began to attract a fair number of travelers and peddlers. There were several stalls lined up in the market, and this one, disying fruit, vegetables, and wine, was one of them. He picked up his granddaughter, who was stretching to look at the goods, and handed the merchant girl three copper coins, saying, ¡®some Nilkana.¡¯ "Yes. Kreschenta, three copper coins'' worth of Nilkana." "Why me?" "Don''tin. They who don''t work shall not eat. Work once in a while." "...That''s definitely not my job." Looking at her face he saw a young golden-haired girl who was the owner of the shop. Behind her, her younger sister, with her reddish golden hair swaying, puffs out her cheeks and stuffs Nilkana fruits into a bag. Both of them were surprisingly beautiful, wearing shirts and skirts that were not shy but elegant. Perhaps their father has put them in charge of the shop ¨D¨D the girl who seems to be the younger sister handed the bag of Nilkana to Borok with a look of dissatisfaction on her face. He remembered his past self, rebelling against his parents, and epted it with a wry smile. He said thank you, and turned away. "You know, if it were up to me, I wouldn''t have to do this job at all¨D¨D" "Yes, yes. Here, open your mouth." "Mugu... this..." Listening to the girlsining to each other, he took out a Nilkana and gave it to his granddaughter. Looking at her smiling face, saying how delicious it was, with a bright smile on her face, he also had one. It tasted strangely nostalgic. Looking back at the stall from earlier, he saw the girls in apron dresses standing in front. Arge cart loaded with arge amount of luggage¨D¨Dhe rubbed his brow at the sudden sense of difort. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t the goddess he saw at the top of the mountain was also in an apron dress. And Nilkana¨D¨Dmaybe it was inevitable that he would recall it. As he gazed upon the girl in the apron dress and silver hair, his granddaughter pulled his beard and asked what was wrong, to which he shook his head andughed, ¡®saying stop it¡¯. Not noticing the Suiko that he had just seen, not noticing the girls, Borok gave his granddaughter another Nirkana. Squinting at the everyday scenery that is so different from the mountain top, he left his footprints on the t cobblestones. He walked slowly, matching her granddaughter''s stride with hers. A/N: Back Program: The 57th Christand Snowy Mountain Disaster Tour ¡ñREC Chapter 282: Dozing I Chapter 282: Dozing I ***Chapter 282 Dozing I*** The fragrance of hundreds of flowers tickled the nose, and instead of noise, there was birdsong. Looking up, there was the sky shining in mysterious shades and the World Tree, looking around, there was nothing but deep trees. The deep forest evokes fear. As a child, they often imagined things and cried, beingforted by their older sister. Yet, strangely, this forest feels soft and gentle, like something out of a fairy tale. The forestcks the harsh colors that repel outsiders, and instead, it only deepens the fantasy. Of course, this might be because they had be a resident of this fairy tale world, but that¡¯s surely not the only reason they didn¡¯t feel afraid. ¨D¨DThe Fantasy Paradise, Chrisnate. The world''srgest cage, created by the most beautiful girls. The world''s most beautiful, small birdcage. A mysterious world that seems to exist only when you doze. "Catch anything?" "¡Nothing." At those words, Elvena shook her hair, which was neatly arranged on her shoulders, and chuckled as she sat down next to her. The one casting a fishing line into the stream was a girl with elegant golden hair in a dress. They were not as the appearance would suggest. It wouldn¡¯t be urate to call them a girl, but calling them an old woman would also be strange. All but three were certainly old women, but now they were different. As she spoke, she left her fishing line hanging. There were no fish to be seen, and it was doubtful whether there was fish in there. Though there were birds singing, they were few, and even if seen, they were all unfamiliar birds. The vegetation was also somewhat different from that of the other world. This world existed within a fantasy, making the abnormal normal. Legendary nts bloomed like wildflowers, and huge birds, never seen before, asionally flew in the sky. In theke there were snakes and fish the size of a mansion, and butterfly-like, dwarf-like, fairy-like creatures floating around the World Tree. On several walks, she saw many mysterious things she would never see in my lifetime. This would probably continue in the future, and would continue to change. Most of the things that people imagine and think of were born into this world, or seep out. And most of the things Elvena and the others saw would take a clear shape and increased in number. Recognizing them likely made them more certain. It''s been about eighty years since they came here. After spending such time, like living another life, she still didn¡¯t understand. Surely, she would never fully understand it in the future either. This world was a world in a slumber. Everyday life exists in the space between dream and reality. "¡Elvena, you didn¡¯t tell Krische any stupid things, did you?" "...? Stupid things?" Selene red intently at Elvena. There was something she could think of, but she feigned ignorance and tilted her head. Selene frowned and muttered that it would be fine if it was just her imagination, then turned her eyes back to the fishing line. ¡®Is that so¡¯, Elvena smiled. She was probably talking about the drinking problem. Krische Christand, a girl who was incredibly endearing, always stuck to the two of them like a sweet candy. She seemed to live partly by instinct, but she also seemed to have what could be called reason. She was a bit worried about how she became stupid when she drank alcohol (personally, it wasn''t much different from normal), so Elvena gave her some advice. ¡®Alcohol dulls one¡¯s reason. Even Bery-sama, Selene-sama, and I be somewhat like that when we drink. Drinking alcohol is like a ritual that naturally allows you to do things that you normally hold back, so it''s inevitable that you''ll be more spoiled when you drink.'' ''I see...'' ¡®Just holding it back is bad for your body, so I think it''s important to let loose from time to time¨D¨D'' After that, Krische started drinking almost daily, pretending to be drunk and bing more spoiled, and Kreschenta, envying her, began to imitate her. It was quite enjoyable to see Selene and the others swaying between reason and instinct, and there was an indescribable charm in the decadent air. A ban was soon issued, but it rpsed after suggesting tasting as a workaround, and now the situation had settled down¨D¨Dperhaps fishing in a ce without fish was like mental training. The ones in this birdcage were all cute. Dozing lies in the boundary between dreams and reality, desire and reason. If one wanted to drown, one could drown as much as they wanted, but can¡¯t. When she seemed to be drifting off into a dream, she would asionally return to reality and regain her discipline. She liked this vagueness, and it never got boring. "...Aah, is it about alcohol perhaps? I do remember giving some advice." "...Advice." "Yes....But it''s a difficult problem. I think a moderate amount of alcohol is good but...fufu, seems Krische-sama and the others got a taste for it." ¡®That''s also cute in its own way¡¯, Elvena said with augh, and Selene sighed. "Being too silly is also troublesome. It might be fun for you to watch, though." "I can''t deny that. ...It''s peaceful andforting to worry about such things." "¡Well, that''s true." She went behind her, took out ab, and quietlybed Selene''s hair. Her once damaged hair was now smooth and pleasant to the touch. "...How is life here?" "Noints. I don¡¯t get bored." "I see. That''s good." Selene asked that, then fell silent, and Elvena quietly yed with her smooth hair. Her long hair was smooth without any knot. She liked touching her long hair. It reminded her of her older sister''s hair. Braiding, tying, and iting it. You can have as much fun with just one hair as you want, and change how you look. Letting it flow smoothly made one look like ady, tying it high made one look lively, and loosely braiding it made one look graceful. The ever-changing appearance was like magic. That''s why Elvena hated her hair, which would be frizzy when she let it grow out as a child. She thought she couldn''t use that kind of magic. But in the end, she just hated herself. Even if she had changed her hairstyle, she would have been looking for other things she didn''t like. She only realized this after she reunited with her sister and was invited to this mansion. "...Honestly, I was a bit surprised." "That you stayed here. ...Of course, I don''t mean it in a bad way." She didn''t turn around, just stared at the fishing line. Elvena also moved her hand, which she had stopped, and started braiding it as if ying with it. "I was curious, but it felt awkward to ask¡ Can I ask why you stayed?" "Fufu, have you been curious for decades?" "Yes... Because all that is here is really small things." She also shook her fishing rod up and down as if ying with it. "Without a goal, without an answer, without an ending. In the blink of an eye, I repeated one life, but this process of something so far-fetched and unclear will continue forever." It seemed like she was trying to lure fish, but it probably had no meaning. Just a casual pastime¨D¨Dknowing there were no fish, she continued to fish. "If you can''t find something here, it would only be painful¡ but you have it right, and that''s why you¡¯re enjoying it" Meaningless, worthless, insignificant. All that was here was something that was insignificant. "...Yes, I think I may be surprisingly simr to Selene-sama." "Simr?" "Yes. I''m just stubborn." "You..." Selene turned and red at her, and Elvena chuckled. " Selene-sama, have you ever thought about the definition of a human?" "...definition?" "Yes. What separates humans from beasts." Seeing her ponder at the sudden question, Elvenaughed again. "When I asked Bery-sama once, she said that humans are wasteful and irrational creatures." "¡That sounds like Berry." "Yes. Fufu, I think it¡¯s about having stubbornness. ¡Well, it¡¯s just wordy; the essence is the same." As she braid her hair, she looked up at the sky. Uncertain and vague¨D¨Da dream-like fantasy color where everythinges true. "I wonder if it''s like wishing for a fish to fly in the sky, longing for something you can''t have, asking for things you don''t have.... It''s human nature to reach out for things that seem really foolish to an outsider." But dreams are fleeting. They may seem within reach, but they never could never be grasped. Just as one can¡¯t catch the reflection of the moon on theke''s surface. "...I love my sister. Even now." "...Kalua?" "Yes. My sister is someone I''ll never be able to have." When I asked if that was strange, Selene shook her head as if it was natural. She didn''t seem surprised. Thefort probably came from such moments. Turning even the extraordinary nature of eternity into everyday life was because they were peculiar, and so was Elvena. In this world, Elvena was a very ordinary person. "Selene, can you categorize your love for Krische? For example, your love for Bery and Kreschenta as well." "...You mean...the direction?" "Yes, it¡¯s difficult, right? ¡Ipletely have no idea." From her neck to the front. She rub her cheek against her soft cheek and trace Selen¡¯s lips with her fingers. "I don''t know if I was weird from the beginning or if it became that way because of work, but... I''m probably a promiscuous person. Whether it''s Selene-sama, Berry-sama, or anyone else, just like my sister... my love is probably a mixture of too many things." "Um, well... does that include that kind of too?" "Yes. Fufu...admiration, closeness as a family, lust as a woman, everything." She let go of Selene, who stiffened, andughed. When she turned around, Selene¡¯s beautiful face was flushed and she looked even more beautiful. "I don''t have any resistance... For example, kissing or touching skin¨D¨Dof course there are some degrees to it, and I think I have a general sense of ethics... but I can''t distinguish between them emotionally." ¡®I''m aware that I''m not normal, but that doesn''t change my inner self.¡¯ ¡®I''m always in a state of "drowsiness", not on either side of the border¡¯. "...So I didn''t really know what my rtionship with my sister was. Should I see her as that kind of partner, or just as my sister, as family?...But while I was thinking about it, Mia took her away from me." Seleneughed and looked at Elvena. "Is that what you mean when you say you''re simr to me?" "Yes....Did it bother you?" "Fufu, that''s toote now....I had made up my mind about that before I came here." ¡®You''re right, we¡¯re probably simr¡¯, she thought, reaching out and stroking Elvena''s head. That touch reminded her somewhat of her sister. She thought herself was a person without a sense of self. At least, she was a person who had never made any decisions on her own. As a child, she admired her sister, who was smart, respectable, and capable of anything, and tried to imitate her. After bing a ve, she obediently did as she was told to avoid being beaten. It was always like that, always thinking about the moment. She never thought about what her future held, or what she wanted to do with herself now. "Hmm, close. I feel like I was almost able to grasp something." "Nee-san... I understand how you feel, but please take better care of yourself." A room in an apartment building in a first-ss city. A living room with a simple kitchen and two bedrooms¨D¨Da house that''s neitherrge nor small. There was a sofa and a desk, two vases that always withered on the shelf, and a few mysterious decorations. The rest was swords and armor on shelves, a few dishes and cooking utensils. Apart from the mysterious decorations that Mia had added, the house was as usual and familiar to her. However, perhaps because she usually slept and woke up in the mansion, it didn''t feel like her own home. Sitting in a chair, her sister unashamedly exposed her naked back, which was covered in bruises and scrapes. She didn''t get injured that often. Her sister was the best swordsman in the ck g Special Forces. There were only a few opponents that she would lose to in a fight. Today, she sparred with themander of the Sandika army. She managed to win the first round, but lost the next two in a row. "I know. Fufu, but as expected he¡¯s a lever or two above me. I''d assumed he was a pretty good swordsman, but to think... I guess it''s the difference in experience." "Is he really that strong?" "Yeah. Once you''re on the defensive, you''re helpless. I managed to get the first move with the first one, but thest two I got kicked and rolled over, and that''s it." She smiled happily and spread her arms out. "But even taking one is proof that I''ve made progress... I feel like I''ve gotten a little stronger." "...Is that so" After disinfecting and applying medicine¨D¨Dwhile worrying about her wounded sister, she also admired the beauty of her body. A body that was best described as lithe. She wasn''t big-boned, more like a dancer than a warrior. Her muscles were subtly visible, casting shadows on her untanned white back. To the touch, she felt soft, and stic. But her half-naked, beautifully sculpted back bore many old scars. At least, they were not there when they were in the vige. Elvena hadn''t talked about what kind of life she had led before they were reunited. Simrly, she hadn''t asked her sister for details about what had happened before they were reunited, and her sister never spoke of any hardships. But her sister''s scars would remain with forever, and they were likely inflicted by Elvena. Feelings of guilt and affection mingled indistinctly. Her heart was always a mix of various emotions, unable to lean fully to one side. If there was a part of her that med herself, there was also a foolish part that saw it as a sign of love. Tracing her scars, her sisterughed, saying it tickled. "...Don''t worry about it. I don''t really care." "...Yes." With her hands above her head, with her back still turned, her sister ruffled her hair roughly. Her hair got messy, andughter spilled out as she rested my cheek on her sister¡¯s back. The warmth of her body wasforting, and the quiet beat of the heart shivered her eardrums, and she quietly closed her eyes. If she were to put those feelings into words, would they be called love? It felt right to say that she loved her sister, and she wasn''t dissatisfied with our current rtionship. However, if asked what kind of love that was, she wasn''t sure she could answer. It would be easier to decide that it was sisterly. It would also be easy to decide that it was something other than that. But her feelings remained vague, like a morning drowsiness, and she had no intention of deciding. Because Elvena was a person who always took the easy way out and never chose anything. The war with the Three Countries ended and peace came, but her sister still pushed herself and trained. Her sister was a strong person. If she had abandoned her foolish little sister, she might have built a peaceful happiness by now. Elvena¡¯s sure her sister could have seeded in anything. But she took up the sword for Elvena, and even now, even though she was covered in wounds, she still holds the sword as a token of gratitude to Krische. She tirelessly trains her body and mind to avoid regretting the chosen path. When she saw someone who could decide how to live with just their will, she admired them from the bottom of my heart. Her sister has always decided everything on her own. She was not afraid to make decisions, and even if there were thorns in front of her, she did not hesitate to choose that path. That sister of hers shines brightly, and that was why she admired her. When she saw her sister like that, she sometimes wondered if it was really love. There was definitely something stronger than sisterly affection. So, it seems appropriate to whisper words of love, yet there was a lingering doubt. Something inside her whispered that maybe she was mistaking simple admiration for love. If she told her true feelings sincerely, she felt that her sister would be epted. But Elvena didn''t know what her true feelings were. She found herself always looking at the subjective feelings from a different ce with clear eyes. The front door opened and a chestnut-haired woman came in. A cheerful voice. "I''m home. Oh, you''re treating her wounds?" "Yes, I''ll just need to bandage it lightly and it will be done." "Thanks. Kalua, that sort of thing is sloppy." "You alwaysin about others, but Mia, you have a lot to say too." "I¡¯m different form Kalua¡± Mia looked into the basket on the table¨D¨Dfilled with meat, vegetables, and fruits from the mansion and smiled, saying they looked delicious. With a wry smile, she told Mia she''d prepare them, and she nodded happily. "Yeah. Umm... then, I''ll bandage it..." "Ehh... Mia''s messier than me." "S-shut up." "Fufu, please." She picked up the ingredients and headed to the kitchen. A simple, salty soup would be good. It was a little hot outside. As she lined up the ingredients and nced at the two, they were endlessly bickering andining yet seemed to enjoy it. Just like the mansion, this house was always bright, no matter when I returned. Even on days when Elvena wasn''t there, it probably had this same atmosphere. She was always in a doze. Going back and forth between the mansion and this house, her daily life where nothing was clear was justfortable¨D¨Dshezily drowned in it, never waking up. How long would she be allowed to stay in that daze? The answer was always vague and hazy. Chapter 283: Dozing II Chapter 283: Dozing II ***Chapter 283 Dozing II*** ¡°As I have mentioned, it is like building blocks; you simply need to stack each task in your mind one by one. If you estimate the time required for Ojou-sama, Krische-sama, and Kreschenta-sama¡¯s works for the day, then the time of their return and when to take care of them is just another block.¡± Not just getting through the day''s work, but holding the entire day in the palm of your hand. Elvena used to think of a servant as merely a chore-doer. But after watching her, she changed her perspective. Of course, she must be special. Describing her as smart or clever was insufficient. Krische¡¯s words that Bery could do anything are true, and she had everything from managing the Christand family''s ounts to knowing each individual''s schedule in her head, and she had the time to do the housework of therge mansion with ease. That princess''s unusually high opinion of the servants must be because she has seen her way as a servant, not just a ¡®chore-doer¡¯. Elvena genuinely believed she could do anything. More than anything, her approach to work was fundamentally different from Elvena¡¯s. She didn''t think of work as simply ¡®a task to bepleted¡¯. Before being a servant, she was Bery Argan, and she chose to be a servant as Berry Argan. Not because she was given the role, but by her own will. The fundamental difference between Elvena and her was there. She had ced herself as a servant at the Christand household of her own will. That''s where she was meant to be. ¨D¨DShe thought of being a servant as just the means. Usually, it was a position taken by daughters of noble families before marriage, a ce to learn etiquette, a ce to meet potential partners. Women who spend their whole lives as servants simply didn''t have any connection to that sort of thing, and most likely their goal is to marry into some family. Even Elvena beforeing here was not much different. She thought she would either catch the eye of a guest or be thrown out once she lost her youth, and if she was lucky, she would gain her freedom and find another job. Eventually, someday¨D¨Dthat''s the way servants spend their days, thinking this way. It wasfortable for Elvena, but that was simply because she was that kind of slovenly person. It was around that time that she realized that even the way she worked could change with a single will, and began to feel more thanfortable in her current environment. Selene was serious but sloppy. She piled up books she had finished reading on her desk to put them away, but she rarely returned them to their original shelves, and if left alone, the books she had finished reading would pile up endlessly. Krische was pathologically neat and meticulous. She couldn''t stand it if things didn''t meet her ¡®Bery standard¡¯, and if she was slow to act, Krische would end up cleaning everything herself. Crescenta is surprisingly theziest. Rather, she seems to find a moderately slovenly atmosphere rxing and liked it, and she was only meticulous when sheined to Bery. They each have different preferences for tea, and there were subtle differences of preference between Krische and Kreschenta as well. Both of them like their tea sweet with lots of honey and milk, but Krische, who seems to prefer Bery tea, often drinks it straight to match her. Apparently, drinking it straight was the way of a splendiddy to her. When served milk tea without asking, she showed slight dissatisfaction, so it was best to ask before making her tea¨D¨Dwhereas Kreschenta always drinks it with milk. Her favorite was not milk tea, but honey milk (plus tea). When guestse over, the most important job of an attendant was to casually rmend milk tea to them. Even when cleaning or drinking tea, think about the person you¡¯re serving. Just thinking about these little details for each person made things slightly more fun. Surely, she also found such things simply delightful. Of course, it must be because there was a reason called love¨D¨Dbut she wonders what the difference between Bery and herself is. Love, she thought, was probably something like that. Rejoicing in someone¡¯s small happiness from the heart. Mixing someone else¡¯s heart into your own. She loves her sister. She loves her three masters. She also loves her coworker who was kind to her, and her sister''s best friend too. Where exactly was the boundary of love? Where was that line drawn? How should one prove it? The more she thought about it, the less she understood. If someone said it was kissing, or skin contact, Elvena could have done that with any of them. Like a casual gesture of affection. If someone said saving one of them required her life, Elvena would willingly offer her life. Like taking care of them. Surely, there was something inside her that could be called love, but she didn¡¯t know how to express it. Maybe if she was as straightforward as Krische, she would have been happier. Elvena was bound by her knowledge of normality andmon sense. How wonderful it would be if she could truly believe that kissing was an expression of love. She bared her inner self without any hesitation. It''s so foolish, yet so beautiful, Elvena thought. To Elvena, who couldn¡¯t take a step forward, she was dazzling¨D¨Dsurely that must be why Bery and the others love her. "Elvena-sama, would you like to take a break?" As she was dryingundry, a lively voice called out. She turned around to see her cute colleague with her ck hair tied up. "Anne-sama, have you finished cleaning?" "Yes. Actually, I was baking cookies in my free time..." She went to ¡®Fufun¡¯ looking somewhat confident. Elvena gave a wry smile. If Bery Argan was a boss she respected, Anne Giterns was an enjoyable colleague. She was a little quick to jump to conclusions, prone to make small mistakes, and always getting scolded by someone. She was full of ws, theplete opposite of Berry, who was wless¨D¨Dbut strangely enough, her just being there brightened up the atmosphere. Better than others, but at the bare minimum. She was an odd presence in the Christand house, which could be described as a gathering of perfectionists. "Fufu, then I''ll prepare the tea... in Anne-sama¡¯s room is it?" "Yes, please wait. It will be ready right away." There was a bed, a writing desk, a closet, and a chest of drawers. The only other thing was a small table and two chairs for tea. Basically, Elvena¡¯s and Arne¡¯s rooms were the same, except for the bookshelf. Since she was helping out with magical weapons, that was where her interestsy. In Elvena''s room, there were stacks of parchment on top of the chest of drawers, with the main points copied from magic-rted books or notes written on them. Buying books was expensive, but working for the queen allowed her to borrow such books from the royal library, and that was enough for her entertainment. She never bought books for herself to keep at hand. Unlike Elvena, Anne''s room was well-equipped with bookshelves, lined with beautifully bound books that had been spent on arge part of her sry. Collections of fairy tales from all over the world, past and present, and anthologies of poems by poets. She seemed to prefer stories over academic texts. This too might be a reflection of her personality. She said she read her purchased books repeatedly, finding something new each time. Elvena had seen her turning over the worn-out pages and shedding tears countless times. She repeated the stories locked away there, tracing them lovingly with her eyes. As for the two princesses, they would flip through books quickly, memorizing them easily. Berry was simr, after reading a book the first time, she would pick out the main points and memorize them as if it were a matter of course. Selene was like Elvena, and would write down the important parts on a separate piece of parchment. They treat books as mere knowledge, but she was a little different. She surely loved books themselves. That was her mysterious charm. Elvena thought that she probably sees the world differently. "...I was wondering, is there something written in it?" She asked Anne while munching on a cookie that seemed to be made from dried Rak. Stacks of parchment piled up on the writing desk¨D¨Dthe number had increased considerably since the other day. "Yes. Actually, Elvena-sama, I was wondering if you could take a quick look at them..." ¡°Me?¡± "Yes. Actually, I was thinking of sending a letter to my father... I, well, before I knew it, it wasn''t really a letter anymore." Anne said bashfully. ¡®How Anne-like¡¯, thought Elvena, chuckling. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but will I be of any help? Bery-sama is more knowledgeable about such things¡¡± ¡°No, um¡ Argan-sama is very busy, and I wouldn¡¯t want to burden her with extra work¡¡± Anne continued, saying it wasn''t anything formal. ¡°...I wish to serve the Christand family for the rest of my life. So I decided to write to my father about it... just to convey my feelings.¡± ¡°...For the rest of your life.¡± Yes, Anne nodded, sping her arms to her chest. ¡°Argan-sama once told me Life is like a river¡¯s flow. Even without deciding anything or aplishing anything... just drifting through each day, you can keep flowing.¡± Anne smiled softly, squinting her eyes. "In life, the things people can choose are probably trivial. Whether I choose or not may not make much difference. I''m still very happy, and I don''t need to give an answer, but... I''ve been thinking a lot since my beloved Gallen-sama passed away." He was Krische¡¯s step-grandfather, who passed awayst year. Elvena didn''t have many opportunities to meet him, but she knows that he was a man of great character who was respected by many, and that Anne also had deep affection for him. She was even more depressed than Krische, who loved him as a grandfather, at one point, and despite her false cheerfulness, she seemed to have been carrying that feeling for a long time. The stack of parchments there must be there to help her sort out those feelings. "Gallen-sama said I reminded him of Lady Clich¨¦¡¯s mother, despite my clumsiness¡ He was delighted that someone like me was in this serious,petent household... His words¡¯ true meaning might elude me, but I was d he said that I could be here as myself.¡± She closed her eyes as if recalling something precious. ¡°Gallen-sama always thought of Krische-sama and the household... It''s presumptuous, but if I can help even a little, I would like to, so I decided to write to my father.¡± Christand household was a special ce, Elvena thought. Everyone there was impressive, each with a clear sense of purpose. "...Anne-sama is a splendid person." "N-no, that kind of. Those words were also only me repeating others, and even though I say big things, I always end up making mistakes...Elvena-sama is the splendid one. Elvena-sama doesn''t make mistakes like me, and learns all sorts of things quickly, and can do anything with ease..." "Fufu, that''s just a small thing... To borrow Anne''s words, I''m just living my life by inertia." Without making a decision, caught in the middle of something. Unable to decide how she should be, and unable to decide what she wanted to do. To Elvena, they shone as brightly as the morning sun. How she wanted to live, how she wanted to be. Perhaps they didn¡¯t realize how amazing it was to be able to decide this with a single will. There were countless people in the world, and most of them were probably unaware that they were spending their days by inertia, just like Elvena. Beyond thefortable drowsiness, beyond the eyelids. They probably didn¡¯t know how far the gap was. Whenever she saw people like them, she always found herself envious. ¡®Was it really okay for me to stay this way?¡¯, she wondered "Listening to such stories from you, Anne-sama, makes me reflect on myself... about how I should proceed from here." "Elvena-sama, you think about such things as well?" "Yes... Just like you, Anne-sama, I am very happy now. But when I think about the future, I always feel uncertain." She felt like she couldn''t stay like this forever. But when she thought about changing today, it didn¡¯t seem necessary to rush. However, if she continues thinking this way, she is sure she''ll never change. The Elvena from next year, the year after, even ten years from now, would surely be thinking the same thing. It''s pointless to expect her to decide tomorrow. Because whether it¡¯s tomorrow or the day after, it''s ''the Elvena of this moment'' who has to choose and decide. She quietlyughed and looked at Anne. "But thanks to Anne, I feel like I''ve gained a little courage." "Courage..." Elvena nodded and stood up, reaching for the parchment on her writing desk. Then, sitting down again, she told Anne that she would read it. "Y-yes... Thank you." "But don''t get your hopes up too much. I''m not qualified to judge the quality of the lett¨D¨D" As she spoke, she dropped her eyes to the parchment. Prologue¨D¨DAnne of the Giterns family bes a royal servant. Arc 1¨D¨DIdeals and reality. And the eternal goal, meeting the great servant. Arc 2¨D¨DThe royal power struggle and the noble princesses of the falcon. Arc 3¨D¨D "...I-I see, so it''s divided into chapters..." "Yes, well... I wanted to write about a lot of things and it ended up getting quite long, so I thought I''d make a table of contents as well..." Anne covered her cheeks with both hands in embarrassment, and Elvena smiled stiffly.. The contents of the parchment were far removed from what a letter should be. It took Elvena two days to return it. It was filled with really roundabout passages that were hard to evaluate, and most of it seemed unnecessary, but Elvena wondered for a long time whether she should point it out or not. The main story was about 10 pages long, but the total length was over 400 pages. It would be extremely rude to say that 390 pages were unnecessary. If she pointed out one thing, it would inevitably lead to pointing out more than ny percent of it. In the end, she decided to limit herments to simple corrections. Even the descriptions of herself, which were only spoken of casually as a colleague, made Elvena blush as she read it¨D¨Dher appearance, personality, trivial habits, and even catchphrases were written in detail, with personal opinions added. It was easy to imagine Bery, who seemed surprisingly shy, being speechless when she saw it, and in that respect it was safe to say that Anne''s consideration had saved Bery. However, it¡¯s probably her nature. Just from seeing how she views the people around her, one could glimpse her character, and it''s not a bad thing. It¡¯s because she genuinely respects and loves those around her that she could write such things without any hesitation. Respect and affection were visible in every word, and even someone who didn¡¯t know her, would be able to guess her personality if they read it. ¨D¨DAlthough Her Majesty usually pretends to be a cynic, is a very kind person, identical to Krische-sama in personality. The way Anne could speak such words so casually was what made her a woman. The way others see things, the way she sees the world¨D¨Dwhether intentionally or not, she interpreted all theplexities of the world simply and took them seriously. The reason why she is loved by those around her could be seen in ¡®That letter¡¯, and she was sure her father would understand that too. So, it should be fine as it was. That''s what she thought when she heard the story and looked at the letter. Her head was filled with vague, drowsy feelings. Even so, she thought she should try to express them. In her letter, Anne had praised Elvena''s good points and the things she admired¨D¨Dwhether or not that was correct was a different matter, and no matter what, Elvena thought that the Elvena she imagined was not the only correct one. Everyone sees and feels things differently. Yet Elvena was always concerned only with herself, unconcerned with how others saw her or what they thought. She was worried that she might cause trouble for her sister, but she knew that she wouldn''t dislike her like that. Her sister was always clear-minded, and would give her some kind of answer. She didn''t mind being told that she was only a little sister to her. Elvena was happy, and her feelings wouldn''t change. She just wanted to make her various emotions clear. "...? It''s just Mia here today, huh" "Uh, yeah, Commander Sandika was apanying her, so she wanted to stay and train." The day before a holiday¨D¨Dusually at dusk, the two who have finished their traininge to the royal territory to pick her up. Even though the house was in a first-ss city with good security, it was a rule that servants who work for the queen should not go out alone. She bowed to the familiar gatekeepers of the royal territory and went outside, and asked Mia, who looked a little sour. "Is something wrong?" "Hmm, nothing really, but... uuh" ¡®Ah, uuh,¡¯ she said, blushing and muttering. Smiling wryly, Elvena suggested they talk at home, to which Mia nodded. On the royal territory side, there were mansions of high-ranking nobles, and beyond them were apartment buildings. Although they were called apartments, they were not shabby,; noble children and merchants from the provinces used them as secondary residences in the capital, and they were beautiful houses made of transmuted stone. One of the rooms on the second floor was Mia and their room. Both Mia and Kahlua were satisfied with their tea as long as they could drink it, so they basically left the water in the pot. Rather than going through the trouble of recing the water each time, they preferred to be served quickly. The tea leaves and other luxury items they had received from the mansion were luxurious, and they felt bad about treating them so roughly, so after pouring hot water into the teapot, they reced the contents with fresh water. Then they poured the tea into cups. They didn''t really have a habit of using milk in this house. ¡®Thank you¡¯, she said, and Elvena smiled as she faced him. She also sipped her tea and asked. ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°Um, well¡ I¡¯m thinking about renting a ce by myself soon.¡± ¡°By yourself¡?¡± Elvena furrowed her brows, and Mia nodded. ¡°Well, the reward money from thest war resolved a lot of financial issues, and both Kalua and I have plenty of money now¡ We¡¯re also getting paid well¡¡± ¡°Did you have a fight with Nee-san?¡± "It''s not like... I... it''s just... normal..." Mia looked away, as if she was having trouble saying something, and Elvena tilted her head. ¡°But this is quite sudden. It¡¯s true that we don¡¯t need to worry about money anymore, but having it isn¡¯t a problem¡¡± Noticing Mia¡¯s blushing face, she recalled the earlier conversation. Mia was of that age¨D¨Da lovely woman. Putting aside the noble society, she was over twenty. In a vige, she would normally be married by now. Though she had been numb to such talk, living in the Christand household, it wouldn''t be strange if she had feelings for someone. ¡°Is there someone you like?¡± "!..." Seeing Mia blushing, Elvena nodded in understanding. She was a good person, diligent, lovely¡ª¡ªsimr to Arne, with the difference being the environment. She was in the military, surrounded by men. Although she didn''t realize it, Mia was naturally popr among the members. It wasn¡¯t unusual for her to develop such feelings. "I-I don''t know... but maybe it is. ... I-I-I mean... I was fine with it before... how can I put it?" "I see. Hehe, so you''re in love." "Uhh..." It is natural for Mia to feel such feelings. It''s a good thing, Elvena thought. No one would reject a confession from someone like Mia. She was devoted to her work as if it were her lover, and showed no interest in romance. If she chose someone, they wouldn¡¯t be a bad person. She felt sad that this happy doze would change form, but¨D¨Dthat must be how it was. Elvena had only just made up her mind. The time of gentle doze doesn''tst forever. She couldn¡¯t bask in it forever. "I can''t believe I''m hearing such a story from you, Mia... is it someone I know?" She said it out loud, thinking to support her. ¡°Someone you know¡ or rather¡¡± "I''m back!" The moment Mia heard those words from the front door, her shoulders jumped and her face turned bright red. Then, saying she forgot something, she went outside as if swapping ces with Kalua. Elvena was stunned. Kalua looked exasperated and untied her hair. "...Hmm, did I make her angry after all? Elvena, did Mia say something?" "No-nothing..." "She said she was going to pick up Elvena again today, and went home first... I wonder what it was." Her sister folded her arms and tilted her head to the side, thinking deeply, while Elvena was stunned. She finally understood who Mia was talking about and looked up at her sister. "...What''s wrong?" "...No, I was just a little surprised." Her sisterughed and patted Elvena on the head. Elvena checked the sensation as usual, then lowered her eyes and smiled as usual. "Are you hurt today?" "No problem. It was only a minor injury." "That''s the best thing. How''s your stomach?" "Empty-dumpy. Fufu, I''d like some Elvena¡¯s tea first." "Yes." She poured tea and put in honey. This was how it was, she thought. Time flows slowly while immersed in drowsiness. No matter how slowly it feels, it''s a certainty. "If the two of you are fighting, then guess I need to help both of you make up." "Thanks. But it''s Mia, so don''t worry too much about it. It''s Elvena''s bad habit to overthink things." The words she was about to say remained behind her eyelids. "Right. ...It''s a bad habit." Remaining hazy and vague, in a doze. Chapter 284: Dozing III Chapter 284: Dozing III ***Chapter 284 Dozing III*** ¡°Nee-san, your hair is very beautiful.¡± ¡°Really? Honestly, it''s so long and gets in the way. I want to cut it¡¡± ¡°...No.¡± ¨D¨DWhen she was a child, she was always by her sister''s side. Whether she went out for a quick errand or studied at home. The reason she liked her the most out of her three sisters was simple. The second and third sisters in between them would sometimes treat her cruelly because she would cling to them without thinking about the situation. She had fond memories of them doting on her, and they were not bad people¨D¨DIt was just Elvena¡¯s own issue. However, it might have made many things even worse. The second and third sisters were originally jealous of their sister, who looked like their beautiful mother, and Elvena, who had loved her, was also very attached to her. Over the years, the two of them began to view their sister as their enemy. Her father was born into the family of the vige chief who had ruled Belius for generations, a wealthy vige south of the royal capital, and her mother was the daughter of a merchant who had close ties to Belius. If you trace her lineage back, it seems she was of noble blood. Perhaps because of that, she was beautiful and aged slowly. Her older sister and Elvena were simr to their mother. The second and third sisters had brown hair and resemble their father, and were still beautiful, but most guests who visited the house were captivated by her beauty and smiled. On top of that, her older sister was also smart, and her manners were the perfect example of a youngdy. The two of them grew up beingpared to their older sister¨D¨Dit was no wonder they disliked her, Elvena thought. Her older sister was skillful at changing her demeanor, and was usually cheerful. Although she had a rough personality and didn''t pay attention to small details, she took on the face of a youngdy when guests came over. The second and third sisters looked down on their older sister, who could change with a single moment, a gentle smile on her face, attentive to even the smallest details, and. Elvena simply admired her, thinking she was amazing. It must have been an admiration at the time. She looked at her sister as an ideal being, as the person she wanted to be in the future. To put it dramatically, it was like the reverence one has for a god. She didn''t see her sister as a person, she thought her sister was that kind of being. So when she heard that her sister was leaving home and treated her coldly, it felt like the end of the world. Elvena was simply obsessed with her sister. The rtionship between Krische and Bery in particr was well known, and after the dragon incident, it was amon understanding among the soldiers that the two were more than just master and servant. Many of the nobles saw it that way too, and it was a story known among themon people as well. In addition a marshal and queen who would not take a husband. In casual conversation, it''smon to refer to the Christand household as a garden where men were not allowed. Of course, getting excited about the queen, her vassal, or the Christand household could be seen as disrespectful and punishable, so it was not something that was spoken of openly, but that''s just what casual conversation is. When Anne was a servant in the royal domain, she had heard that many of her colleagues were excited about someone''s love affairs, and she remembered being probed into this and that a few times when she interacted with them at work. When she was in Rnd or elsewhere, she had heard the vesining and talking about such things when no one was around. Secret stories that shouldn''t be spoken of. Was it because it was fun? Was it just love stories that attracted people''s attention? The ck g Special Forces were no exception, and she had heard many stories about the Christand household, women at their favorite bars, and which members of the unit had hooked up with which woman. Or perhaps that was just how entertainment is. Amon topic that everyone can understand¨D¨Dit was rare to find someone who had no interest in love or romance, and anyone could join in on such topics. Sharing such stories fostered solidarity and empathy. Nevertheless, it was desirable to refrain from such topics publicly. Camping training in the forest¨D¨DMia, who happened to be passing by, heard the talk and thought to warn them, but the conversation quickly turned to Mia and her sister. It seems there was a rtively new member of the team who had feelings for her sister, and someone had spoken words to stop him, which basically meant that ¡®Kahlua and Mia are lovers¡¯. It was well known that the two were close, and it wasn''t like there hadn¡¯t been any talk about it before. Apparently, she would often be teased face to face when she was with her sister, but it was usually her sister who would make fun of Mia and the other person, and they would end upughing. Apparently Mia also thought it was a kind of joke¨D¨Dbut at the time it seemed to be serious, and when Mia thought back on her normal self, it made sense. That was the trigger that made her strangely conscious of her sister. "So...a-and then, you know, I felt kind of embarrassed to see her face... Well, umm, I wondered if I might really like her..." "...I see." Later, when they found time to talk at home, it seemed that was the gist of it. She had heard the story about her sister and Mia a few times before¨D¨Dshe had thought they were really best friends, and that it was just amon story, so she hadn''t paid much attention to it. Still, it was odd that Elvena, who couldn''t even understand her own feelings, to think she understood what it was like to be liked by others. Across the small table, Mia spoke awkwardly and hesitantly. "...Of course, I lived together with Kalua because I liked her but... I thought, that''s just being close friends, but..." "You didn''t realize it was a different kind of like, is it?" "...Yes." It''s something that exists in everyone. The kind of dozing Elvena felt. Was the line drawn by reason and will? Or was it something that was drawn even deeper? In any case, Mia woke up and faced her inner self. "...I wonder how one should distinguish between them?" "...?" "For example, wanting to kiss or be one, is that how it is?" When Elvena said that, Mia cheeks flushed even more, and Elvena looked at her. A lovely face. Beautiful eyes. Pure, serious, and hardworking. For example, Elvena thinks she loves Mia too. She wondered what kind of face Mia would make if she kissed her right now, and what kind of face she would make if she approached her. Whenever she found someone beautiful and dear, it was the same. Her sister, Mia, Krische, and Bery¡ª¡ªmany others too. But when asked where to draw the line, she had no clear criteria, only general notions. "Fufu, Mia-san, do you like, Krische-sama?" "Um, well... no." "Do you feel that it''s different from the love you feel for Nee-san?" Mia thought for a moment, then nodded, saying it was quite different. "Is that the same as the way you feel for me?" "...no." "Then that''s probably it." Feeling that love is special, consciously recognizing it as such with a trivial cue¡ªif that''s the case, there should be no room for doubt. Only envy seeps in her. "...That''s wonderful. Hehe, but it''s too hasty to leave home." "T-too hasty..." "For example, even if Mia-san leaves, you will still meet at work almost daily. Do you intend to deal with it only temporarily?" "That''s... th-that..." Elvena smiled as she saw Mia''s shoulders shake. "Why are you embarrassed in the first ce? That you''ve fallen in love with Nee-san? Or because you think your sincere feelings will be ridiculed? Think it over." "......" "Mia-san knows Nee-san isn''t that kind of person, so you developed these feelings for her, didn''t you?" When she touched her cheek, her eyes widened slightly. Then she quietly nodded. "Nee-san is a splendid and wonderful person. Kind, cheerful, and strong...why should you be ashamed of falling in love with Nee-san? If you say that you are not worthy of Nee-san love, that is an insult to me." "To Elvena...?" "...Yes. I am confident that Nee-san will never make you regret having such feelings." She told her with a smile, and Mia blushed and nodded again. ¡®But...¡¯ she sighed, eyes wandering. "I know that Elvena is right, and that Kalua is really kind....But unlike you, I''m normal. I''m a clumsy country girl who can''t even weave...I don''t have a single trace of grace, unlike Kalua who can do it if she tries, I''m not a good match for her..." ¡®Kusu-kusu¡¯, Elvena chuckled, remembering the people at the ¡®mansion¡¯. "It''s the same for everyone in the mansion... everyone has a lot to be proud of, but they say they¡¯re still immature... as if having nothing. It''s the same for you, Mia-san and Nee-san...only seeing value in the things you don''t have." ¡®I envy you, Mia-san.¡¯ When I told her that, she looked a little surprised¨D¨Dand then a hint of doubt formed in her eyes. "I know I''m good looking, and I''m pretty smart. I''m pretty good at everything... to me that''s normal, but objectively speaking, I''m better than most people." "... I think that''s true." "I think that''s true." "But I don''t like myself very much... I only see my ws and shorings." ¡®What is normal?¡¯, Elvena continued. "Mia-san is also the adjutant of the ck g Special Forces¨D¨Dthat Krische-sama entrusted you with the elite unit, and you are a trustedmander who even the soldiers entrust their lives to on the battlefield. Mia-san just doesn''t realize how attractive she is, but there are many men who admire you." "That''s not true..." "Fufu, something simr happened when I returned home. ...The Mia-san that Mia-san sees is different from the Mia-san I and others, Nee-san see." She stood up and stood behind her. She hugged her gently and smiled. "The ordinary standards you have are special to others... At least I don''t think that you''re not worthy of Nee-san. ... After all, the reason Nee-san seems to have so much fun every day is because Mia-san is always by her side." Her sister was naturally a cheerful person. But she looked much happier now than when she was in the vige. Of course, there are many reasons for this¨D¨Dsuch as the troubles she didn''t have to endure, her otherpanions, or the master to whom she swore loyalty. But Elvena thought the biggest factor was Mia''s presence. She''s decisive, caring, and cheerful. Excellent people are either admired or the object of jealousy and hatred. There were quite a few of these people when they were in the vige, and she didn¡¯t think her sister had any friends she could open up to. The only younger sister she was close to was Elvena, and the other sisters seemed to dislike her, especially women her age or a little older. Light creates shadow¨D¨Dfacing superior people highlights one''s inferiority. She was sure everyone has these feelings to some extent. To her sister, someone like Mia, who was an equal, must have been special. "At least, I think you suit each other. Can''t you trust me?" Mia pauses for a moment, then replies that she was not confident. "It''s not that I doubt Elvena, but... I mean, I was worried that if I told Kahlua, she might find it annoying, or that she might distance herself from me... I never thought that Kalua would like me that way." ¨D¨DIt might just be a small thing. Whether it was Mia or Elvena. Whether it was Krische or Bery. Everyone has their own worries, and these concerns are fundamentally simr in nature, with unstable boundaries. "...But while you''re worrying like that, time passes." "...Eh?" "Nee-san is an attractive person, after all. Just like what Mia-san said, there are probably quite a few people who have secret feelings for Nee-san.... When you finally made up your mind, someone might have confessed their feelings to Nee-san, and someone might already be by her side." She held Mia from behind, without looking at her face. She can''t see her face, either. "Whether it''s tomorrow, the day after, or three years from now... In the end, the Mia who mustered up the courage to tell Nee-san her feelings is not a different person or anyone else, but the Mia who is troubled now." Time flows even when you are inert, and time flows even when you are troubled. No one can go back to the past. "Mia-san already knows more than enough about Nee-san, and Nee-san already knows more than enough about Mia-san. ...You''ve had enough time to get an answer." Elvena didn''t think her own troubles were meaningless. It''s because she was troubled that she could give Mia the push she needed. Mia nodded quietly. Savoring the touch and warmth, she slowly leaves. "However, today is probably a good day to sort out your feelings... For now, I''ll bring Nee-san to the mansion. ... In fact, I''ve already received permission from Selene and the others." "... Thank you." Mia looked up and turned around to look at Elvena. Then she sighed shyly. "Haa...Even though I''m the older sister, somehow Elvena is more mature... It''s kind of pathetic, or what can I say... It''s like I''m the younger sister." As if to cool the heat in her cheeks, she holds them in both hands. Elvenaughed and shook her head. "Fufu, I also love Mia like another older sister. But from now on, maybe it''s right to call you Mia-neesan in both name and reality." "Uh..." Blushing, she red at Elvena. Elvenaughed at her face and took her teacup to the kitchen. After finishing the cleanup, Elvena left the house. ¡®What''s wrong, Ojou-chan?¡¯ ¡®Um... Um, I was looking for Nee-san, and I was supposed to be heading to a merchant ce named Coolia...¡¯ She must have been an easy target. The town she visited for the first time was vastpared to the vige, and the sun was setting as soon as she walked around. If she had called out to a guard, she might have been taken to her sister. However, she was worried that if the guards thought she was suspicious, it would be a big problem, so she avoided them and ended up on a less than pleasant street. The man who called out to her had a kind smile on his face and asked her various questions. When Elvena exined the situation, he was relieved to see that she was not of noble birth, and he smiled, saying that it was a big problem, but then repeated that she was safe. Unable to see her sister, the sun was setting and Elvena was scared, so she clung to the man''s words and let him take her¨D¨Dshe stayed that way until she was sold. Even among the many stories thate up, she thought she was a very foolish girl. Most people who end up being sold end up in such a situation because of things beyond their control, such as their parents'' debts, or their vige or carriage being attacked. She was unfortunate in a way, but there were people who were much more unfortunate than Elvena, and even among them, there were those who were resolute and epted their fate¨D¨Dbeautiful people were beautiful, like untainted jewels, no matter the situation. Looking at those people, Elvena''s own foolishness as she continued to cry became more apparent, and after crying for about half a year, she gradually came to ept the situation. There were people who had been brought to this ce unreasonably, without any fault of their own, and yet were enduring it without shedding a tear, so she wondered why she was crying. She had brought it on herself, running away without thinking, and was caught. There were people who were in much more unfortunate circumstances than Elvena, and yet were still patiently enduring it. She tried not to cry orment in a shameful way. By being conscious of this in this way, she began to see many things from an objective perspective. For example, it wasn''t particrly difficult to avoid being punished. What type of customer was this, and what did they like? All she had to do was be the person the other party wanted her to be, from their gaze, attitude, and words. Anger, sadness, those kinds of emotions were unnecessary. Getting angry would only get her punished, andmenting wouldn''t get me out of it. Elvena was amodity, not a human, so many emotions were unnecessary. As long as she remained obedient, she would be fed properly and allowed to rest. when she put her own emotions aside, she would gradually stop worrying about them. It''s like ying with dolls. ¡®Elvena¡¯ didn¡¯t like it. ¡®Elvena¡¯ was scared. ¡®Elvena¡¯ was sad. She had to look down on those emotions and move ¡®Elvena¡¯ skillfully¨D¨Dso as to put as little strain on her as possible. The more I could detach myself from my emotions, the easier she would feel. But sometimes she would lose track of who was she that was watching, and just stare nkly at ¡®Elvena¡¯ moving on its own. At times like that, an indescribable sense of anxiety welled up inside her. She didn''t even know what was making her anxious. When they whispered that they loved her, she whispered the same words back. Such customers were usually good customers, and treated Elvena gently, much better than the rough customers. Whether the words they spoke were true love, or simple lust, or both¨D¨D¡¯Elvena¡¯ might have been able to tell, but watching from afar, Elvena couldn''t quite tell the difference. She invited customers who wanted to end it by just sleeping next to her. When customers said they didn''t want to be held like that, she whispered words of love and leaned in. Because she didn''t know what to call love, she lured them in. She had learned how to give them what they wanted, so she did it of her own volition. Love and lust were probably close to begin with. In reality, there might have been a clear boundary between them. But in probing its border repeatedly, they blurred and mixed, lost forever. ¡®Krische thinks the most splendid job is to make someone happy, like Elvena is doing now. Krische is very happy.¡¯ One day, the girl who came as a customer said this as if it was natural. She had heard that she was a crazy, Cursed Child, but the girl was theplete opposite of what she had imagined. Just by interacting with her for a little while, she could tell, the girl was too pure. It could be that she was irritated by my innocent words, or that she wanted to confirm something. Or was it simply because she liked the girl? She didn''t seem to dislike or resist, the girl just stared at her curiously. When she kissed her, the girl tilted her head in confusion as well. ¡®You shouldn''t kiss someone just to tease them. You should kiss someone you really love.¡¯ She couldn''t help butugh at her final words, thinking that they were true, and she couldn''t help but find it funny. It was indeed a correct argument. It was really funny that the girl was so nonchntly brandishing such sound reasoning and preaching to someone like Elvena¨D¨Dit really felt like it had been a long time since she hadughed. Later, my sister described herck of caution as being like a chicken dancing next to a pot. ¡®That''s why I couldn''t just leave her alone¡¯, her sister said. It was true, and if I had continued while saying it was just a little massage, the girl might have just let her do what she wanted. But even if that was the case, she felt that the girl would probably have said the same thing after it was over. The love inside the girl was surely a clear one. ¨D¨DIt was so clear that she could tell even with her eyes closed. "Wow, this is really a great ce. The food is excellent, the bath is amazing, and the bed is fluffy. I feel like I''m living the most luxurious life in the world..." After dinner and a bath, in Elvena''s room¡ª¡ªon the bed. When Elvena asked if her sister could stay over, the permission was immediate. She was a little nervous, even though she knew how the girls normally were, it was the royal estate and the residence of the queen, but in the end they didn¡¯t even ask why. It is supposed to be the most noble residence in the kingdom, but they really didn''t seem to care about formalities and manners, and even Selene, who was the strictest in such matters, naturally told Kahlua and Mia that they didn''t need to be so careful. She realized that their perceptions were fundamentally different. Elvena saw them as her masters, but they had seen her as a member of the family for a long time and treated her as such. Kreschenta prefaced it by saying that it would be trouble if they turned out like Argan, but that it was okay to be a little selfish sometimes without worrying about it. ¡®Then tomorrow let¡¯s make Kalua''s favorite dish¡¯, Krische said happily, Anne emphatically said, ¡®Leave the housework to us¡¯, and Bery smiled quietly. Before she knew it. Elvena, who had been dozing off, realized that she had acquired many things. That must be one of the reasons. "Fufu, enjoying this luxury every day... I feel a little sorry for Nee-sans." "... Really. I''m not one to criticize others, but Mia''s cooking is terrible... She burns things so easily. I want to show her dinner when you aren''t around." "Mia-san is a little clumsy after all.¡± "It¡¯s not just a little." She giggled and leaned in, and her sister embraced her gently. She gently stroked Elvena''s hair and kissed it. "What about Mia?" "...I guess it was just a misunderstanding. We can resolve it if we talk tomorrow." "I see." As she said this, she moved away a little and looked at her sister''s face. She reached out her left hand to stroke her cheek. "What I realized anew is how adorable Mia-san is." "...That''s definitely true. Just like Usa-chan, she''s silly and cute." ¡®Looking at her makes me feel at ease¡¯, her sister continued, narrowing her eyes. "She''s a good girl, and she''s straightforward with her feelings. ...I think it''s her stubbornness, almost to the point of being silly, that''s important. Rather than worrying about whether it''s right or wrong, once she''s decided on something, she follows her own path." "Nee-san is also quite simr, I think." "I¡¯m more calcting. If something seems impossible, I give up. ...In fact, I did give up." Left shoulder¨D¨Da distorted star shape engraved on Elvena. The mark of a ve trader. She reached out and gently touched it. "Usa-chan would keep searching forever, and Mia... well, she would probably die about five times along the way, but I think she''ll never give up until the very end. She doesn''t think about whether she can do it or what the possibilities are. Once she decides to do it, she sees it through." ¡®An idiot¡¯, her sister said, and Elvena shook her shoulders, saying, ¡®right¡¯. "That must be what Usa-chan''s favorite fortuitous meeting is. I didn''t care about anything anymore, joined the army, and took care of the stupid Mia... and then, taking care of stupid Usa-chan, miraculously reunited with Elvena, and saved her. ...I''m sure kids like that have some kind of power that we don''t really understand." ¡®I don''t have one¡¯, she said with a wry smile, stroking Elvena''s painless shoulder as if she were touching an old wound. "I don''t believe in miracles or God or anything like that... but regardless of whether I believe in them or not, there are people who don''t doubt their own wishes, and those people probably grant other people''s wishes very easily." Her long eyshes narrowed and shone as if she was dreaming. If she looked in the mirror, Elvena might have the same eyes. "It was the same when I told her to live a healthy life in the countryside. Her childhood friend was a kind and good-looking guy, and the vige was a great ce. I was serious, but I couldn''t beat that helpless, unathletic, wimpy swordsman.... Sometimes it''s amazing." Elvena felt like they had the same feelings. "I can''t be that stupid, and I don''t want to be." At this moment, she could be sure that they were both tracing the same outline. ¡°...We are sisters in that way, aren''t we?" When she told her with a smile, her older sisterughed too. "fufu, I think I''ll tell Mia that Elvena called her stupid." "...That''s mean, Nee-san." She pinched the cheek she was stroking with her fingers, then rested her face on her chest. Her eyes narrowed at the sensation and she pressed her cheek against it. "...It''s not that I don''t want to be like that, I just think it''s much happier to watch from the side and support her. Even if she doesn''t realize it, that kind of life is hard." She pretended to pout and kissed him, saying ¡®even though Nee-san knew it¡¯. Her sisterughed, saying it tickled, and stroked his head roughly. ¡®Shall we go to sleep?¡¯ She asked, and she replied, ¡®yes¡¯. She kissed Elvena''s hair as it was. After a while, her sister''s breathing became gentle and gradually turned into sleeping breaths. She savored the sensation, then raised her face and looked at her sleeping face. Her narrow eyes were closed, and she could see her straight nose and somewhat sensual lips. Her ck hair seems to flow, and even though she was used to seeing it, what was beautiful was still beautiful. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¡± She whispered silently, and ced her lips against hers. Just a touch, without seeking any meaning or value. Words that went unheard, a kiss that went unnoticed. That was fine, and she asked for nothing more. As nothing changed. But even so, Elvena was happy. Chapter 285: Dozing IV Chapter 285: Dozing IV ***Chapter 285 Dozing IV*** People truly have many different faces, she thought. But she had never seen her sister look like that, before or since. "I''m in love with Kalua." "......What?" The next day, when she went back to the house with her sister, she was sitting alone in a chair waiting for them. As her sister and Elvena entered the room, before Elvena could even pour the tea¨D¨Din the blink of an eye, Mia came out with a straightforward pitch. "So I want you to stay with me forever." Mia¡¯s face was as red as it could be, and under her moist eyes were dark circles, probably from not being able to sleep. She was sitting upright¨D¨Dbut her hands were clenched tightly, and her whole body was tense as if she was enduring something. She was usually dressed in the shirt and pants she wore for the military, but today she was in a rarely seen sand-colored dress. Her usually messy hair was neatly arranged. "Um, uhh..." Her sister looked stunned¨D¨Dbut gradually her understanding caught up with her, and her cheeks turned red. Then she turned her gaze to Elvena. Elvena smiled silently, nodded, and poured hot water into the pot. "Answer me, yes, or no." "Y-you see...Normally, you''d need time to think¨D¨D" ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t like me?¡± "No, it''s not that..." "If you answer yes, I''ll give you as much time as you want." ¡°...Uh, I don¡¯t think getting time makes any sense if that¡¯s the case though...¡± ¨D¨DIt was exactly as her sister had said. Sometimes she had amazing, iprehensible strength. Once she made up her mind, she never wavered. Mia''s face was red, but she never took her eyes off her sister. If she looked away, she would lose. She stared straight, almost as if saying that, while her sister¡¯s gaze shifted left and right, blushing. ¡°...Honestly, sometimes I look at Kalua in a lewd way, and my heart races.¡± Mia dered confidently. Her sister had an indescribable expression. ¡°I wasn¡¯t avoiding you because I was angry. It¡¯s just that I recently realized I liked you that way. ...After that, I couldn¡¯t stay calm just being around you.¡± "I-I see..." "But I''m an adjutant of the ck g Special Forces, and Kahlua is my subordinate. No matter how you look at it, this situation needs to be resolved immediately, and on the battlefield, it could be a matter of life and death, so I think we need to make it clear now. So choose." After cing the tea in front of them, her sister looked at Elvena as if she wanted to say something. Her gaze seemed to me her, so Elvena didn''t say anything, but shrugged her shoulders and gave a bitter smile. Mia raised her finger, ignoring her sister''s reaction. "The first option is for Kalua to be my lover and solve my problems from the root. This is what I want, and I think it''s the best option for improving our rtionship at the moment. We can expect a quick improvement in our rtionship, and it will also increase my motivation, so there are many benefits." "Um, yeah...benefits..." "The second option is for Kahlua to dump me harshly. If Kalua deres that there¡¯s no hope for me and that Kalua will never fall in love with me, I will give up. The downside is that I will be unable to recover from the shock of my broken heart for a while. In this case, I will ask themander and take time off to sort out my feelings." Mia continued, ¡®Half-heartedness is no good¡¯. "Putting it on hold would make the situation worse, and if you say you like me but can''t ept me, I''ll never be able to give up, and I''ll end up causing trouble for the squad. So there are two options. Do you understand?" "Um, well, Adjutant Mia, I understand, but... Aren¡¯t youpletely disregarding any consideration for squad member Kalua? You haven¡¯t considered them at all, have you?¡± "Squad member Kalua can calmly separate her personal and professional lives, there¡¯s no need for that. On the other hand, Adjutant Mia can''t separate personal and professional lives, so that''s what''s important." "...Isn''t that too unfair?" Rather than a confession, it was more like a strategy meeting. Elvena, who was listening, couldn''t help but burst outughing, and seeing her sister re at her made it even funnier, causing her to look down. "...Really, Mia is Mia, isn''t she?" "Kahlua usually causes me a lot of trouble, so it¡¯s even." "I think the size of the impact is as different as between a rabbit and an ordinary person...¡± Sighing, she scratched her head. Her sister closed her eyes for a moment. After a while, she replied that she agreed with Adjutant Mia. "Th-that''s... um..." "Yes, yes, that''s fine. Are you satisfied with being my lover from now on?" ¡°It feels... not quite right. It¡¯s supposed to be more, like...¡± Mia stood up and sat next to her sister. Then she took two deep breaths and said. "... Um, please be my lover." Her sister looked at Mia in exasperation, then at Elvena. Elvena nodded with a smile, and her sister turned away and answered with a blush on her face. "...Yes. I swear on my sword and my name that I will ept it¨D¨D" As soon as she answered, Mia hugged her, trembling and sobbing. She must have been really anxious and scared. Her sister, more exasperated than ever, blushing and scratching her cheek, patted Mia¡¯s back and head. ¡°Mia, you¡¯re such a hopeless idiot.¡± "...Shut up." "I¡¯m the one who wants to beforted, seriously..." Her sister stroked Mia as if she were a child. But she didn''t seempletely unhappy with it, her cheeks flushed¨D¨Dshe looked towards Elvena as if searching for an escape route. "...Traitor." "I''m sorry....But, fufu, you two are a perfect match.¡± Elvena moved closer and hugged them both from behind. "Tonight''s dinner is a feast. If I can make you a delicious dinner, will you forgive me?...After what happened yesterday, I''d like to ask for a little leniency." ¡°I ept. I want lots of meat.¡± "...Yes." They suited each other so well, and at that moment, she thought so more than ever. Seeing the two of them like that was a happy thing. The mansion''s dining room¨D¨DIn the center was arge table made of a single board. At the head of the rectangr table sat the master of the mansion, Selene, with Anne and Elvena on her left. To her right sat Krische, Bery, and Kreschenta. Gone were the days when there was a dispute over seating arrangements because Krische wanted Bery next to her, and Kreschenta wanted to sit next to Krische. This setup had be the norm. The mansion''s dining room--In the center was arge table made of a single board. There was a time when Krische would sit in the middle, but then she would only talk to Bery and not face her, which annoyed Her Majesty, so she would sometimes eat on herps, which seemed to satisfy her. Regardless of what Her Majesty says, she likes both Selene and Berry. She seems to crave attention, and sometimes she''ll pretend to be angry and sulk, and when she doesn''t eat, she''ll act selfish, only to be cated by eating while sitting on someone¡¯sp. Elvena remembered when she sometimes pretended to be unwell for the same treatment from her family and couldn¡¯t help but smile whenever she saw it. "...That girl she¡¯s sure serious in weird ways, huh." Their conversation at dinner was about the two of them. She was a strangely serious person. The next day, she reported to hermander, Dagra, and dered to the team that they were in a rtionship. She also stated that while it was personal, she would remain impartial as the team¡¯s adjutant, ensuring no favoritism¡ªa deration that was soon known to everyone in the mansion. ¡°Right... though I don¡¯t think it was necessary to make such an official announcement to Dagra and the squad¡± Elvena replied with a wry smile at Selene''s exasperated look. It doesn''t seem like Mia had discussed this with her sister yesterday. She could imagine her sister''s shock and blush at the sudden ¡®public deration of their rtionship¡¯, and chuckled. In any case, it would have be an open secret eventually, but saying it aloud was just like her. "Ehehe, but it''s good that they get along." ¡°Onee-sama, please don¡¯t do anything foolish by imitating them.¡± ¡°...Anything foolish?¡± ¡°Argan-sama, if she imitates them, it¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°That seems somewhat unreasonable...¡± ¡°Then make sure to educate her properly.¡± Kreschenta red at Berry, and Selene agreed with a nod. ¡°Did you know? Among the soldiers, there¡¯s a joke that the servants secretly rule the kingdom because you flirt everywhere.¡± ¡°Uh, um... I¡¯m trying to be careful, though...¡± ¡°Your standard of care is too lenient.¡± "That''s right, you''re really a breeding ground for a bad reputation." ¡°...I¡¯ll have you know, Kreschenta, it¡¯s you too.¡± ¡°Me? What do you mean¨D¨D¡± Seeing Arne quietly holding back herughter next to her, Elvena also smiled. Not only with the soldiers, but also at the royal pce¨D¨DKreschenta was a queen in public affairs, but when Bery was around, she wouldin and act spoiled. The servants and nobles who saw her every day could tell by the atmosphere. Of course, it was just a joke, but the same applied to Selene. By any ordinary standard, she was quite desensitized, and from the perspective of outsiders, everyone was about the same. This small world of the mansion was of great interest to many, and there was no shortage of gossip in Christand. "So that''s why Kalua-sama stayed the night the day before yesterday." "Yes. Mia-san consulted me about it... I''m sorry for causing trouble to both Anne-sama and Bery-sama." ¡°No... if anything, I¡¯m the one always causing trouble.¡± "Not at all." Elvena smiled and met Bery¡¯s gaze, bowing her head. "As Anne-sama says, it''s not a bother at all. The day before yesterday was much more lively thanks to Kalua-sama''s presence..." "Well, that''s true. The two always take care of Krische... So if you have the chance, please invite them toe over. I want to thank them." "... Yes, thank you." Even if her sister and Mia be like that, it''s not like anything changed drastically. She spends her time at the mansion as usual,ing back from time to time, and living her daily life. The people in the mansion weed Elvena warmly, and her sister and girlfriend also weed her warmly. It must be a happy thing to be able to think that this was all right. There was a feeling of loneliness somewhere, but she was able to look at the situation calmly. ¨D¨DAfter finishing her meal, she took a bath, returned to her room, and then patrolled each area. The mansion''s corridors were lit by Evesting Magic Lamps. The Evesting Magic Lamps were always filled with the minimum amount of magical power, and when everyone was about to go to sleep, they all ran out of magical power and the lights went out. It was usually Bery''s job to light these, and she never wastes anything. For example, one magicmp was just a little bit poorer quality. To suchnterns, just a little more magical power was added than to the other magterns, and conversely, to magterns of slightly better quality, just a little less magical power was added. The magic power was reduced in small increments, starting with the firstmp that was lit, and when the timees, all themps in the mansion would go out all at once, which surprised her a lot in the beginning. Magicmps usually store a certain amount of magical power. It depends on the price, but if you fill them up with magical power, they could stay lit for a week. To make them avable to anyone, they have a mechanism that allows you to turn them on and off by touching a separate magic crystal that lights them, and normally you would use that to turn off each one before going to sleep, but even the effort to do that was noted. Without touching the switch on the magtern, she simply poured magic power directly into it in the morning and was done. By controlling the magic power she poured in, she easily automated the process¨D¨Dshe really liked that kind of efficiency. If something can be solved with technology or skill, she wouldn¡¯t be satisfied unless it was done, no matter how advanced it was. To avoid the trouble of turning off the lights at night, she did what normal people would never think of. The pursuit of rationality through irrationality. Elvena had recentlye to understand that the strange amount of work was the result of repeated efficiency improvements that might seem excessive. Having be quite ustomed to handling magic crystals, she asked if she could try it out, and began practicing with the magtern in a corner of the mansion¨D¨Din front of the storeroom, for about half a year. Though as expected, it no longer goes out in the middle of the day or stays lit until morning, fine adjustments were still difficult. The lights in the hallway had been turned off a long time ago, and all that remained was this corner lit by Elvena. Three out of six magic crystals had gone out, and the remaining three had varying degrees of brightness. One was on the verge of going out, and the other two would likely follow suit. It was hard to read each of its slight quirks. It was just some pastime, she said, and it was true. It wasn''t anything important. It was fine if it went out after everyone was asleep, and it wasn''t something she was nervous about, but when she couldn''t fall asleep she would often stare at the light until it went out. Perhaps because gazing absentmindedly at the lights brought back memories of the past. Thanks to her bloodline, sheter learned that she had some innate talent, but infusing magical power into things like perpetual magicmps was the job of the magic engineer who lived in the vige. Though their family was wealthy, neither her sister nor she knew anything about magic, and neither did their mother. Magicmps were installed in each room, but when they ran out they had to call in a magic engineer, which of course cost a bit of money, and they would get scolded for wasting it. Yet, Elvena had a troubling fondness for being held by her sister and gazing at the magicmp on dark nights. The one in her sister''s room was modest enough to read a book, and it was just right to gaze at it absentmindedly, her eyes opening and closing as she dozed. Every time her sister asked if she could turn it off, she replied, ¡®Just a little longer.¡¯ Every time, she would say ¡®just a little longer¡¯, until she finally fell asleep, causing her sister quite a bit of trouble. Looking back, she felt she had been nothing but a bother. Even so, her sister forgave her, with a troubled look on her face, saying it couldn''t be helped¨D¨Dperhaps Elvena wanted to see that face of her sister. The face of her kind sister who, despite the trouble she caused, would smile and forgive her. Because at that moment she always felt like she was special. "Would you like some warm milk?" "...Huh?" Appearing from around the corner of the hallway, her red hair swaying, Bery was dressed in the same nightgown as Elvena. Draping a shawl over her shoulders to cover herself slightly, she held steaming milk in both hands. She thanked her and took the ss with both hands, the wooden cup was slightly warm. Bery looked at the magtern and smiled quietly. "It''s a pity. This magic crystal looks low in purity at first nce, but the engraved lines were only on the parts with high purity, so it''s higher quality than it looks." "...I see." "The one that''s fading is mine... Fufu, it''s simply a matter of skill. The other two were engraved by Krische. Guess I also still have a long way to go." Sheughed happily, shook her shoulders, and sipped the milk, Elvena did the same. Moistening her tongue with the gentle taste, they both ced their cups on the window sill. After a brief silence, she spoke. "...Are you feeling lonely?" "...Maybe. Just a little." When she answered honestly, Bery smiled. Bery also understood why she had sneaked out of her room toe here. She was happy for the two of them, and she also felt like congratting them for their happiness. Her emotions were calm, she epted it, and she didn''t question it. She loved both her sister and Mia, and if they were happy, she was happy too. But she probably also felt lonely. It was strange, even though their rtionship wasn''t changing and they weren''t going to be separated. "Sisters are strange things...Compared to other people, the bond is much closer and deeper, but somehow it feels like we''re very far apart." Bery said as if reminiscing about something. Elvena nodded and asked. "Bery-sama''s Nee-sama...what was she like?" "Hmm...well, she has quite a simr air to Kalua." ¡®Kusu¡¯, Bery said with a chuckle. "She''s always cheerful, thoughtful, and doesn''t worry about small details¨D¨Doh, that''s a bit rude to say." "... No." Elvenaughed and shook her head. It''s true that her sister had a rough personality, and she probably liked that about her in a good way. Making things wasn''t exactly something they minded, and she thought that''s where she and Elvena are a bit simr. "... She was always concerned about me. She wanted me to be happy.... So when she married the head of the family, I was a bit lonely. It felt like I was going to lose my only Nee-sama." Elvena narrowed her eyes and gave a malicious smile. "Is that why you came tofort me?" "Uh, well... I wouldn''t exactly call It,forting..." Bery hurriedly waved her hands, her big eyes darting side to side. Although she seems mature¨D¨Dor rather, she was supposed to be an adult woman, but her innocent side sometimes peeks out, and that inconsistencies of her were very endearing. "...N-no, I guess Elvena-sama is right..." "Fufu, I''m just kidding. Don''t worry about it... Though it might seem rude, I can''t help but find Bery-sama''s reactions adorable, so I can''t help but feel mischievous and teasing you." "M-mischievous..." She chuckles, and seems to have been seriously thinking about something, but her face gets even redder. Bery res at Elvena with a bashful, slightly reproachful look, then sighed in relief. "...I thought your atmosphere was a little different, so that bothered me." "Atmosphere, you say?" "...Yes, and so I ended up being a bit meddlesome." Looking at Bery apologetic face, Elvena lowered her eyes. "I thought I was pretty good at hiding things... or maybe I''ve gotten worse." Then she let out a soft smile, "Whatever the case... I''m no match for you." "Ah..." She leaned in close and hugged Bery. "... Like I said, maybe I wanted Bery-sama tofort me." Bert looked a little surprised, then slowly stroked her head. It felt good and reassuring. She didn''t know what she was feeling relieved for. "... I think maybe I love Nee-san. Is it as a sister, or something more?... I don''t really know myself." Bery stroked her head, not saying anything for a while, as if she was deep in thought. A littleter, she gave a wry smile. "...Me too, even now, when I''m asked if my love for Nee-sama was that of a sister, it''s difficult to answer... It''s very difficult to answer when asked where the boundary is." As Bery spoke, she could see her troubled smile on her face without even looking at her. "For example... fufu, if Nee-sama had confessed her love to me, I might have said yes. That¡¯s just how much I loved her As if she was telling a secret, as if she was disclosing something important. Bery eyes narrowed at the tone of her voice. "My feelings for Krische-sama... are they protective, possessive, controlling, or perhaps romantic, affectionate, or simply dependent? I feel all of them are true, but at the same time all of them feel wrong." "... Wrong" "Yes, if I had to choose one, then" She gave a wry smile. "I simply call this mixed emotion love.... Even if I divide it up, none of it will disappear, so I don''t think there''s any point in defining it in detail." When she asked Bery if that''s how it was, she replied, ¡®I think so¡¯. She said the youngdy had also lectured her about it once. "What matters is probably just being at peace with oneself... Love might be simpler than we think." With her eyes closed, she listened to Bery''sforting words. There was nothing more reassuring than being affirmed by someone. "...Maybe that''s true." Invited into the mansion as an outsider, Elvena had been epted as if she were family, trusted, worried about, andforted. What had she been worried about? With a vague understanding, she opened her eyes slightly. In the deep darkness of the night, there were three lights¨D¨Da dimly lit corridor before her eyes. Held warmly, with gentle fingers stroking her hair. Memories of lying in her sister''s bed, gazing at the magicmp, came to mind. She remembered the time when she crawled into her sister''s bed and looked at the magicmp. She must have felt that one day she would lose it. With experience, her various emotions had drifted far away. But even now, Elvena was still here, still a child. "I love Nee-san." ¡®Yes¡¯, she nodded, putting just a little more strength into her words. Elvena rxed and closed her eyes, letting herself be held. "So... I feel frustrated and lonely, as if Mia has taken Nee-san from me." Putting it into words, it felt right. She genuinely wanted to wish them happiness, felt joy, but also felt these things. No matter how much she checked the boundary, no matter how much she sorted it, it didn¡¯t disappear. "...Can we stay like this a little longer?" She scoops up the chaos without boundaries, as if randomly stirring it up¨D¨Dtrying to name this vague, uncertain dozing ¡®love¡¯. Not maybe, not probably. She decided that that was what it was, without making any distinctions, she simply and roughly put it in the box. It didn''t seem perfect, but somehow it felt right. "Yes, of course." At least, it fits inside the box. Chapter 286: Dozing - The End Chapter 286: Dozing - The End ***Chapter 286 Dozing - The End*** ¡°...Do you regret it? That you couldn¡¯t say?¡± Listening to the murmur of the stream and some old tales, Selene was at Elvena¡¯s mercy. Following her lead, Selene set aside her fishing rod, rested her head on Elvena¡¯s thigh, and asionally gently stroked her cheek. Over time, Selene had learned to let go of her tension. It must have been about ten or twenty years since Bery disappeared. "Strangely enough, not much... My sister always seemed happy." To be honest, she was a bit scared. Affectionate, caring, kind and gentle. She epted Elvena as a member of the family, not as a servant, but she had an impression that she was too sincere. She always kept her strings taut, never rxing¨D¨Deven though she was a little younger than Elvena. As the Marshal of the Kingdom and the head of the noble Christand house, she always demonstrated a demeanor befitting her heavy responsibilities, so that no one couldin about her. Elvena couldn''t understand all of her feelings, but she could at least guess. The two princesses and not to mention the servants, seemed perfect, at least in terms of ability. In front of these women, who could effortlessly make the impossible happen with a calm face, effort was only a given. For ordinary people, giving their all only amounted to their bare minimum. The lights in Selene rooms never went out untilte at night, yet she always managed to showposure in front of them, smiling as the master of the mansion. Krische looked troubled. Bery looked worried. Kreschenta looked as if she had no expectations. In any case, all three of them were always concerned about her, telling her that she should just rx a little more¨D¨Dkindness can sometimes be cruel, Elvena thought. For her, who was struggling desperately to stand next to them, those words must have been uneptable. They seemed so tense that Elvena felt that the tension between them would one day snap, and in fact it did once happen. Perhaps that''s why. ¡°I see¡ But I think humans can be like that. No matter how much you worry, sometimes just seeing someone¡¯s happy smile can make it all seem trivial... and you feel fulfilled." ¡°¡Maybe so.¡± Now rxed, she appeared utterly serene. Had this conversation urred in the past, she would have understood what Elvena was feeling more than herself did. Because she was always a sincere person who tried to be close to others, a person who was kind-hearted and sensitive to emotions. Both Elvena and Berry were probably bad at handling their emotions, and somewhere deep inside they were awake. Logices before emotions, and only when logic was present could they express what was in their heart. People like Selene and Anne were theplete opposite, emotions took precedence over logic¨D¨Dperhaps that was why they were so lovely. Bery seemed to envy and admire them from the bottom of her heart, and Elvena shares those feelings too. Having someone express emotions unrted to logic felt awkward, sometimes heavy or even bothersome. That¡¯s why she confided in Bery that day, feeling Bery understood, providing aforting space for her heart rather than sympathy. "There''s no point in hurting yourself. Even if it''s just a convenient excuse or sophistry, if you can ept it then you¡¯re strong... Though being all about sophistry like Bery isn¡¯t ideal either.¡± ¡°...Fufu¡± But right now, she was the same, giving Elvena as much just as she wanted. If Bery was to capture the delicate wax and waning of emotions and slip into those gaps, hers was like epting everything as it was, embracing it. That soft emotion feels good, so she closes her eyes. Surely, what lies beneath it must be a simr emotion. But it feels strange, like they''repletely different. Like a soft bed or a sunlit meadow, both had their ownforts and were not the same¨D¨Dsame with love. Love, too, is shaped by one¡¯s way of living and experiences. ¡°Love is like a box.¡± "...?" ¡°...When you name it, the inside of the box called love is rich and diverse. Peeking into someone¡¯s box reveals different treasures. Whether clear and defined like Krische and Mia orplex like Selene and Bery¡ Being here and observing them is simply enjoyable¡ That¡¯s probably why I don¡¯t feel regret.¡± Boxes with different appearances, contents, and sometimes even names. The appearance, contents, and even names of the boxes varied from person to person. ¡°Like looking at jewels. ...My love for my sister remains beautiful, now and forever.¡± ¨D¨D¡¯I want to continue to cherish it¡¯, Elvena said with a smile. Selene stared at her, deep in thought, and Elvena stroked her forehead. "In a way, maybe it''s because I couldn''t get it that it''s beautiful... Even now, I''m still dozing, still unclear, but there is something in my heart that I think is beautiful... Everything I see appears beautiful." Her sister had searched desperately for her, which allowed Elvena to grasp this moment. Her everyday life was like a jewel box, but even its outline was unclear. The everyday life Elvena lives now is made up entirely of her sister''s love, and of her love for her sister. Nothing could be more beautiful, and it would never fade, she thought. "...I''m sure that''s because I didn''t make it clear." This world continues forever, a drowsy morning where dusk neveres. It was a ce created for that, a ce allowed to be so. ¡°¡You and Bery say difficult things.¡± ¡°I knew Selene-sama would say that, so I did it on purpose.¡± "...Are you being mischievous?" "Maybe." She giggled, and Selene pinched her cheek with a displeased look on her face. Even though Selene pinched her, what was conveyed was affection, not pain. Selene said in an exasperated tone. "But, even I can understand a little bit. How old do you think I am?" "...I thought Selene-sama would say that." "...You" Selene stretched Elvena¡¯s cheek, and then after a while she let go. Selene furrowed her brow, and Elvena smoothed it with her fingers, shaking her shoulders. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just being stubborn because I couldn¡¯t have it¡ But if that stubbornness brings happiness, then maybe it¡¯s not so bad¡ Fufu, I agree with the sophistry part. We¡¯re simr in that way.¡± "...So you''re saying I''m the same?" "I guess the difference is whether the actual thing is by your side or not." "..." "When I look at Selene-sama, it''s like there are two different versions of me, and it''s a bit fun." The one they loved most had someone they loved most. But that didn¡¯t mean it''s unhappiness, and seeing someone you love loving someone and smiling happily, and smiling at them, was not all that painful. And if they direct that same love towards you, it''s even more so. ¡°I haven¡¯t admitted defeat to Bery alright.¡± "If you say that, then maybe me too. ...I''m not admitting defeat to Mia-san." Elvena smiled at Selene¡¯s disgruntled re. Some things never change, no matter how many years pass. "...I think that Nee-san would have epted me somehow. I feel bad for Mia-san, but I don''t think she would say no too. Even though she mightin to Nee-san while getting jealous, we would probably have a fun daily life." Selene was Elvena¡¯s ¡®what if¡¯. The more you believe that love is pure, the more it seems like there is no room for another, but in reality, love is not so cramped. At least, that was the love of the people around Elvena. Spacious, rxed, soft¨D¨Dlimitless, shining even when filled with various things, and not cramped. "But love is different for each person, and has its own beauty... I think I just liked looking at it and touching it from time to time." The way of love was surely different for each person. Wanting to feel satisfied was one form, while wanting to taste, observe, and savor was another, neither wrong. Some want a single gem for themselves, others want to admire various gems. Elvena was simply thetter. And this was the museum of such gems to which Elvena had been invited. Not all of them belonged to Elvena, and that was why everything belonged to her. "No matter what form it takes, I don''t think there is any superiority or inferiority in beautiful things...the only difference is whether you like it or not, and in the end, the one who enjoys it wins." Some were transparent, while others hadplex colors. Hers was akin to what she once desired¨D¨Dbut even though she could not have it, it shone beautifully before her eyes, in her hands. The colors changed as she changed her perspective, and she never got tired of it. And as Elvena looked at them, she seemed to melt into that shining happiness. "Nee-san loves me... and the happiness of this ce that Nee-san gave me is also something that Nee-san gave to me. The nuances aside, that''s how it is, so spending my days with Selene and the others is enjoyable and happy¡ That¡¯s probably proof of my love for her.¡± Selene pondered deeply again, sighed, and said, ¡°You¡¯re just as strange as Berry. I finally got that much.¡± "Fufu, if you say that, I think you''re quite strange as well, Selene-sama..." Looking at Selene''s displeased face again, Elvenaughed. In fact, they were all strange people. Without a purpose, without an end. It was impossible for normal people to think that they would enjoy a trivial, peaceful daily life without ups and downs forever from the bottom of their hearts. And that''s why Elvena feltfortable and wanted to purely enjoy it. Suddenly, her expression turned sad. ¡°¡But sometimes, I still feel lonely.¡± ¡°Lonely¡?¡± ¡°Yes. Despite everything, seeing how close you all are, I sometimes long for human warmth.¡± ¡°I-I see¡¡± Selene averted her gaze, and Elvena stroked her cheek, brushing her lips. "Will you forgive me if I act selfish sometimes...?" "By selfish, you mean..." "...Should I exin?" ¡°N-no¡ it¡¯s okay¡¡± What was she imagining? Watching Selene''s face begin to flush again, Elvena smiled inwardly. ¡°No, such methods are unfair¡ Please forget it.¡± "Um, well, it''s not unfair or anything... well... I mean, I need some time to think about it¨D¨D" "It''s okay. I don''t mean to cause Selene-sama any trouble." Pressing her thumb over her lips, Elvena continued, ¡®Let''s change the topic¡¯. "As I said, it''s like I''m looking at another version of myself... I can''t think of Selene-sama as a stranger." With her mouth covered, Selene nodded silently for the time being. "Bery, the one Selene-sama chose as your opponent, is a formidable woman. It would certainly be difficult for Selene-sama to defeat hrt, even with ordinary effort. I felt the same way, even though I didn''t lose to Mia." Looking at Selene''s face as if she wanted to ask what she was saying out of nowhere, Elvena continued. "...Therefore, I humbly ask if I could also assist you, Selene-sama." ¡°...Assist?¡± She repeated what she said as Elvena let her lips go. Selene had been swayed by Elvena''s ¡®selfishness¡¯ and had been forced to reject it. After refusing something, she asked for a more modest request¨D¨Dinevitably, an atmosphere that made it difficult to refuse was created. "Yes. Bery-sama certainly does seem wless at first nce¨D¨Dat least, it''s difficult to gain an advantage as long as Bery-sana held the reins, but she does have weaknesses." "A weakness?" "Yes. Lady Berry is exceedingly shy andcks confidence in herself. Pressing on that point can weaken her. For you to defeat Bery-sama, it''s crucial to exploit this weakness and build a psychological advantage." "I... I see..." Perhaps also wanting to steer away from the previous topic, Selene nodded sincerely. Observing this, Elvena''s eyes narrowed slightly. "To gain the initiative, you can''t just go through the motions of daily life; you need to review everything meticulously. If you allow me, I''d like to help you in a subtle way that aligns with your wishes." "Uh... that sounds helpful, but isn''t it a bit underhanded¨D¨D" "No, Bery-sama almost always has Krische-sama by her side, and often uses Krische -sama to dodge Selene-sama''s pursuits¨D¨Deffectively two against one. This is a fair fight, and I won''t interfere any more than that." ¡®It''s okay,¡¯ Elvena continues. "I''m not trying to help Selene-sama in any way, I''m just cooperating to create a situation where Selene-sama can be on an equal footing with Berry-sama. ... Just a little, ''small'' help. For example, after dinner tonight¨D¨D" To fully enjoy the present moment, Elvena smiled. ¡®...Really, Usa-chan sure is Usa-chan when she speaks. Eternal paradise.¡¯ ¡®Fufe, but... I feel a little relieved. Whether it''s right or wrong, I was full of anxiety about what would happen to the mansion after Bery-sama was gone.¡¯ ¡®Well, that''s true. ...So, Elvena, have you decided?¡¯ Her sister already knew it vaguely. She wasn''t sure if it was after they became lovers, or if she had noticed it before and it had be stronger as a result, but somehow. ¡®Do you want to hear it?¡¯ ¡®Hmm... I won''t pry. If Elvena doesn''t want to answer, it means she doesn''t really want to say.¡¯ But, her sister continued. ¡®I''ll just tell you that there''s no need to be considerate of me or Mia. ...If you want to talk, then talk. If you want to ask for advice, then ask for advice. Even if you are being selfish and causing trouble, Mia and I will love and ept you.¡¯ What did her sister mean by being selfish? She couldn''t confirm the answer, but at the very least, if it had been Elvena who told her feelings, instead of Mia, she didn''t think her sister would have been that surprised. Elvena felt that her sister would love Elvena, even including that. ''If you can say that you have no regrets after thinking about it, then I won''t say anything. ...That''s Elvena''s life.¡¯ Of course, it was just a vague feeling. There was no basis for it, but it was enough to make Elvena feel strange. ''...Yes, Nee-san.'' Her sister probably wouldn''t choose the same path as the princess. Elvena made her decision at the time, knowing that. It''s not like she purposefully chose a different path. She would have been happy if they had wanted toe together. But that wasn''t the reason. She simply decided because she thought that the emotions she felt at that time would be something she could hold onto forever. And even after a thousand years had passed, she had no regrets. They spent their days repeating the same mundane daily routine, never getting bored. Eating, bathing, sleeping together, they spent their days doing trivial things with all their might, and no one questioned it. They didn''t have to worry about such important matters as the survival of the kingdom, or the life and death of people, and instead this world was a bed of roses, where they were troubled every day by trivial and foolish matters. A literal representation of a child''s dream world. And many foolish adults who revered this utopia yed house every day in earnest. It was neither normal nor healthy, and if she told a passing person that they had been living like this in such a ce for a thousand years, they would surely doubt Elvena''s sanity. They might even frown and call them crazy. But even with that reaction, at least Elvena could proudly say that this was the happiest ce in the world, and she was sure the others would agree. It wasn''t normal, and she couldn''t deny that it was crazy, but whatever the case, it was certain that her senses were bing distorted. Elvena and the others often didn''t count how many years it was. It wasn''t because they were tired of spending eternity, but rather because, although they had dutifully counted each year for the first hundred years or so, the feeling of a year had begun to feel meaningless. A year as a child seemed like an enormous amount of time, but now it goes by in the blink of an eye. They usually counted time in units of four or five years. Probably because that''s how often they held banquets in front of the dragons. A year for a five-year-old takes up one-fifth of their life, but after a thousand years it''s one-thousandth. It''s been a long time since they have asionally said things like, ¡®Come to think of it, about two or three hundred years ago...¡¯, they harvest crops as if they were watering them, and birthday celebrations were just an excuse for a little party. Just like in the past, they only think about yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and one day someone will surely say, ¡®Come to think of it, about two or three thousand years ago...¡¯. Counting Elvena''s vague history, it must be about 1,300 years since they came here. Selene and Crescenta, Elvena and Anne, and Krische and Bery. As usual, they all went shopping. There were various things to buy that day, so they paired up by drawing lots as usual (because there was one girl who was throwing a tantrum and wanted to be paired with her sister) and then parted ways. Elvena also stopped by a bookstore at Anne''s request, and bought some sewing tools to try making clothes and underwear, and then went for a walk. Most things could be found at that ce, but there were also a fair number of things that weren¡¯t made there, such as cleaning supplies, tableware, clothes, and paper. Of course, if they wanted to, Cliche and the others could easily replicate them (literally create the same thing using magical powers), but they have a policy of not cheating in that way. Because of this, they regrly shop in various ces around the world, and make money by selling crops, wine, and things that Selene has made¨D¨Dbut it had been over a decade since theyst visited Albeneria, as Krische and Bery have be obsessed with cooking using local specialties from various region. With its many shops andrge market, Albeneria was still their most visited city¨D¨Dbut even so, that''s how it is. For Elvena and the others, whose sense of time was different now, it seemed like a miraculous coincidence. After shopping, they returned to the meeting ce, but Krische and Bery did not show up when the time came. And they were not where they had been heading, and while calming for Kreschenta, who was getting increasingly upset, they searched around until dusk, when the two women came out of the museum. Krische took Bery''s hand and ran over to them, smiling happily as she told Elvena that they were Kalua and Mia. "... Nee-san and Mia-san?" "Yes, their reincarnation. Want to talk with them?" One was a race called beastmen born in thete Kleinmeer period. ck hair and cat-like ears and a swinging tail¨D¨Da woman wearing an apron dress. The other was a girl with golden hair and a robe. She didn''t hear their voices or see their movements, but she knew immediately which was which just from the way they stood, without even having to ask. Was it the vaguely nostalgic atmosphere that made her feel that way? Or was it because she sensed something that could be called a soul inside them? Bery, who was next to Krische, also asked with her eyes, and Anne, who was listening, looked surprised. Kreschenta calmed down and looked at the two of them in the distance with interest, while Selene seemed somewhat worried about Elvena. Looking at them, Elvena shook her head with a wry smile. "No. Neither of them know me...so don''t worry about it." "You sure? Krische thinks it''s probably an amazing fortuitous encounter..." "Yes. ...I guess I¡¯m satisfied just seeing them from afar" What were the chances of meeting these two people by chance out of all the people living in this wide world? "Fufu, was it the effect of a spell you cast some time ago?" Was this their first reincarnation, or had they been reincarnated several times? Whatever the case may be, it''s a trivial matter. It''s probably such a small probability that it''s not even worth thinking about. "Probably. Ehehe, they get along well and their atmosphere was also the same." "That''s good to hear." ¡ª¡ªThat¡¯s why this encounter felt a little destined, Elvena thought and smiled. The two were still living here in this world, just like back then, as ordinary humans. She wondered what kind of expressions they would make if they knew that Elvena and the others were still living their silly, happy lives. She could imagine their exasperated expressions and smiled wryly. Even after being reborn, the two of them were still having fun. And Elvena, too, has not changed and is still living happily. That''s enough for me, and that''s the way each of them chose to be, nothing more. Of course she was happy for the two of them, but she didn¡¯t feel like exchanging a word with them. Just thinking about what will happen next is more than enough to satisfy her¨D¨Dshe just bowed her head and wished them happiness. Seeing the girls bow back with a confused look on their faces, she smiled wryly once again. "Thank you very much. ...Let¡¯s go, Krische-sama¡± "Yes." Krische bowed her head as well, and so did Bery. They turned their backs and started walking. "...Are you happy?" "Yes. ...The Nee-san I chose is the big sister who chose Mia." She smiled back at Selene, who seemed concerned. Reincarnation¨D¨DEven if they had no memories of it, they were still her sister and Mia. But the two people Elvena loved were still in her heart. "Besides, I''m the only one who still remembers the Nee-san that Mia doesn''t know...and I''ve always loved her. Basically, I won...but if I talked to them and felt even a little jealous, it would ruin my mood, so this is fine." At the corner¨D¨DThere, the city and the trees blended together in a dim light. Going through it, they entered a mansion in the forest, with a fantasy as far as the eye could see. A dreamlike state called eternity, in the gap between something and something else. "...This is the ce I chose to be." This is the world Elvena lives in, the everyday life she spends. Filled with modest happiness, in an eternal slumber. Unclear, uncertain, ambiguous, without a clear outline, "You''re stubborn, aren''t you?" But she gave this dozing daily life a name, Proof of Love. ...Yes, I''m stubborn. It has not changed in a thousand years, and it will never change in the future. Drawing a line and such, is fine. Chapter 287: The Boy and The Onee-san Chapter 287: The Boy and The Onee-san ***Chapter 287 The Boy and The Onee-san - First Half*** The ck g Swordsmanship Training School, located in the castle town of the Royal Capital, opened its doors to children free of charge. Naturally, there were some requests for cleaning, tool maintenance, and chores, and instruction was basically limited to teaching how to swing a sword, but it was their policy not to refuse anyone who came. Even so, there was plenty of space in the dojo. When it was built, the members of the unit donated their reward money, making it thergest dojo in the Royal Capital. No matter how popr the ck g Special Forces were among the people, there were only a few people who could continue rigorous training based on admiration alone. Those who want to learn swordsmanship seriously usually prefer dojos with a history. Although the ck g Swordsmanship Training Hall was well-known, it had a somewhat superficial image as a dojo. Despite an unusual number of admissions, the retention rate of students was not high. It was because of these circumstances that they could afford to open their doors to children free of charge, and the directors also liked this ¡®rxed¡¯ atmosphere and didn''t see it as a problem. It was enough for them to have enough students to keep the spacious dojo from going into the red, and the swordsmanship dojo was originally built as a ce for familiar faces to gather in a peaceful world¨D¨Dthey loved this ce more than anything. It was in a corner of the dojo. Around twenty children under the age of 12 were gathered there, and today the one instructing the children was Zaka, a veteran who had been with the Century since its founding. He looked like an old man, with a rather stern face and a scar over his left eye. His body was still that of a warrior, and when a girl with a cookie in her mouth stood next to him, his imposing presence became even more pronounced. Despite his strict instruction, he was very popr due to his interesting stories and kind demeanor during breaks. When he exined the day''s training and asked if there were any questions, a boy named Kyuris gathered his courage and spoke up. "Um, is Krische-sama really... I mean, is she strong?" It was a question I had been wondering about for a while. When he said it aloud, the silver-haired girl tilted her head. A beautiful Onee-san in an apron dress. She was very pretty, but cute and also child-like. Though she was said to be quite old, around 60 or 70 to Kyuris, who turned 11 this year, she didn''t look that way at all. He had never seen her wield a sword. She was always eating cookies in the dojo, chatting with the head instructor Kalua and the director, and the veteran ck g Special Forces members. She was more like a next door Onee-san than a warrior. The burly ex-members who teach them looked much stronger, and in fact they were strong. Their sword was so fast he couldn''t even see it, and he could see how impressive the abilities of the head instructor¨D¨DKalua, nicknamed the ck Cat of Alberinea, were, as she easily handled those members. However, it was hard to believe that this strange Onee-san was so strong that Kalua could not be a match for her. Moreover, Kalua and Krische were like an aunt and niece in everyday life. She would sit on Kalua¡¯sp or be held by her and be pampered, showing no sign of a warrior''s spirit or pride. "Kyuris! You¨D¨D¡± "Hii" "Zarka, don''t shout." "But..." Zarka red at Kyris upon hearing his words. Krische, not particrly bothered, told Zarka and then thoughtfully traced her lips with her finger. "Hmm... Krische is fairly strong, I suppose." "Fairly... So does that mean that Master Zarka and Master Kalua are stronger?" "You idiot. I''ve said many times that not only me, but even Kalua is no match for her." "Um... but Krische-sama is just as small as me, so I wonder if that''s true..." Far from being strong, she looked weak, but Kyuris decided to be considerate to Zarka. Speaking of Alberinea, everyone knew that she was the greatest hero on the continent. She could cut down any monster with a single swing. There were countless tales of her exploits, such as when she threw a spear that broke down a castle wall, or when she single-handedly cut through an army of 10,000 and sliced the head off an enemy general. Beforeing here, Kyuris had admired Alberinea and wanted to be a warrior like her, but the Alberinea he saw here was far from that story. The only thing that matched was her beautiful appearance. To be honest, he was disappointed because he had admired her so much. "Indeed, Krische is small, so in that sense, you could say Krische is not very strong. It''s true that beingrger is advantageous... People who can''t defeat Krische simplyck skill and experience... Hmm, if you ask Krische again if Krische is strong, Krische doesn''t think Krische is that strong..." "K-Krische-sama... Please have confidence. Otherwise, we will lose face." "But Kyris is right. If there were a bigger Krische, she would be much stronger. Considering that, Krische who is under five shaku tall (~<150cm) isn''t very strong..." "Uhh, Such an unrealistic scenario is..." Krische pondered while tilting her head, and Zarka repeatedly tried to convince her that she was undoubtedly the strongest. Seeing this, Kyuris grew more skeptical. Just by looking at her, he could tell she''s a very kind person. The queen''s older sister and a military officer with a rank second only to the marshal. Even though she was supposed to be incredibly important, she was polite to everyone, humble and friendly, which was very admirable. He could see that the other members of the unit , the ck g Special Company, made up ofmoners, have a strong respect for her. There was no doubt that their sess was thanks to Krische, so it didn¡¯t seem strange that they would exaggerate how amazing she was to repay that kindness. She was a kind princess and master of the teachers, so it was understandable that they wanted children like Kyuris to like and respect her. Furthermore, it was a fact that she was an incredible person who had never been defeated in war¨D¨Dwhen she was in a position tomand tens of thousands of people, the strength of her sword was a minor issue. Although it was better to be strong, Alberinea was still Alberinea even if she was weak. She was a hero of the kingdom. Even if it was eptable to embellish a bit, pointing out such things in public might not be good. Seeing Zarka trying to assure Krische of her unmatched strength, Kyris bowed his head. "Um, um... sorry. I said something rude..." "...? No, don''t worry about it. As Kyuris said, it''s only natural that bigger people are stronger and have an advantage, andbat techniques are for weaker people to beat people stronger than them. Objectively speaking, a small Krische isn''t strong, and would lose to a bigger person of equal ability." Nodding seriously, she continues, as if convinced, that Krische is an adult who can properly acknowledge her own weaknesses. Zarka was massaging his forehead next to her. "Zarka, what''s wrong?" "*Sigh*..no, it''s that stupid Kyuris..." Then the head instructor of this dojo, Kalua, appeared. There were small wrinkles on her beautiful face, but even in old age, she still has a dignified beauty. Known as the ck Cat of Alberinea, her hair was mixed with some gray, but her lit posture and movements give a clear air of a strong woman to Kyuris. Perhaps it was because he knew the speed of her sword. Just thinking about how she could unleash a storm of swords in an instant from this rxed posture sends chills down my spine¨D¨Dher aura waspletely different from that of the Onee-san in the apron dress. Zarka briefly ryed the story, and Kaluaughed happily as she patted Krische on the head and looked at Kyuris. Krische took Kalua''s arm with a happy smile and immediately embraced her without any embarrassment. As expected, she had no warrior''s air about her. "I see, I see, so it¡¯s about that time for Kyuris as well." "That time..." "Buck and Boji said something simr when they first came." "Buck and the others did the same thing as me...?" Buck and Boji were senior disciples who were also assistant instructors at the dojo. Buck in particr is an incredible person who had be an assistant instructor only with his skill, without any special talent for magic¨D¨Dhe was respected by most of the students. Kyuris was somehow happy that she made the same point as those two, and his eyes shone. "All right, all right, raise your hand if you think Usa-chan looks weak. It''s okay, I won''t get angry." The children around Kyuris look at each other at Kalua''s words, and one by one, they raise their hands, until almost all the children have raised their hands. Krische looked at them with a carefree look on her face, and Kaluaughed until her shoulder shook. Zarka sighed, making a frown saying ¡°I always try to teach them not to be fooled by appearances, but..." "Well, they are children after all. Do you think Usa-chan looks strong, Shelicia?" The cute brown-haired girl¨D¨DShelicia nodded, watching the other children. "Um... my father once saw Krische-sama on the battlefield... he saw her shing dozens of enemies..." "I see, so that''s the direction you''re heading. Do the other two who didn''t raise their hands feel the same way?" The other two who didn''t raise their hands also nod. The three of them, including Shelicia, were children whose parents were in the military. Shelicia in particr always looked at Krische with a strange look on her face, and he, but that was probably why. Certainly this ''Onee-san'' didn¡¯t look like someone capable of killing dozens of enemies. "Alright, next, raise your hand if you think Director Mia looks weak." This time, Kyuris raised his hand, and Shelicia and the others did too. It was unanimous. "Hmm, this is a serious situation. Zarka, haven''t you been cking off on their training?" "...Maybe I focused too much on making it an amusing joke. It was well received, though..." "Usa-chan. Apparently they think Usa-chan is as weak as Mia." "Hmm, just as weak as Mia..." "Yeah. Same as Mia. As an Alberinea of the kingdom, I think we should change this perception... What do you think? How about joining us for a little training camp?" "Training camp...?" "Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking about going to the nearby forest for a change of pace for about two nights and three days, and I also wanted Usa-chan''s permission for that..." Kalua then dragged Krische away while saying something. Zarka sighed and scratched his head, saying the talk was over and began to instruct Kyuris and the others. They had already finished some light warm-up exercises, and started with a hundred practice swings each. Downward swing, cross, sweeping, upward sh, and vice versa. For the time being, the children''s training focuses on getting used to swinging the sword, and by the time they finish this they are usually exhausted, so after a break they begin training in the Lorka style¨D¨Da form of battlefield swordsmanship in which the left hand is ced forward. Children could receive instruction for free, but the training itself is quite hard. Quite a few students gave up and went home after the endless practice swings. Students were free to join training any time the dojo was open, but that also means that no one wouldin if they skipped. It took a lot of willpower to voluntarily go to a rigorous training session without being forced to do so. It''s usually more fun to y outside with other children, and half of the children quit on the first day. Of the ten who joined, only one or two remain six monthster. Kyuris has been there for two years, and so was Shelicia. She has been training here since she was nine years old, making her a fairly veteran among the children. Her abilities are also among the best, and he was often paired with her for demonstration andbat practice. It could be said that half of the reason Kyuris has been able to continue this far was thanks to Shelicia. She started at the same time and continued to attend the same sses, and although she had a slightly mysterious air about her, she was smart, cute, and serious. He started this because he admired Alberinea, but before he knew it, half of the reason for it was to spend time with her. "Do you really think Krische-sama is strong, Shelicia?" "...No private talk." "The instructor is over there, so it''s fine." She dodged her horizontal sh by lowering her body¨D¨DShelicia has good eyes. Her movements were always meticulous, calm. She never swung her sword recklessly, her strikes are sharp and quick, always lethal. Most of the time Kyuris would either win by forcefully pushing through, or lose. Their strength was almost even, but¨D¨D "Ugh." "I win. ...That''s what happens when you lose focus." More often than not, Kyris would lose when he was not fully concentrated. With a sword pointed at his neck, Kyris raised both hands in surrender, and Shelicia sighed, ¡®Good grief¡¯, as she red at him. Even when she''s angry, Shelicia was cute. Shelicia, looking resigned, began to swing her sword slowly. Kyuris moved slowly to match her movements, dodging the sword. The practice was designed to swing the sword slowly to check each other''s movements¨D¨Dbut it was also good for a little chat. Shelicia liked this practice anyway, and it goes without saying that Kyuris wanted to talk to her. If offered the opportunities, she would respond positively when asked. "...When I told my father that I met Krische-sama at the dojo, he told me many times with a scary face that I should never make her angry. You know my father, right?" "Aah, yeah... he''s a scary guy." There were many wild guys at the dojo, but Shelicia''s father was no less intimidating. He''d been in the military for nearly forty years¨Dsince the Dismantling War and was a centurion who rose up from rank and file soldiers, he seemed like a man who wouldn''t understand jokes. "My father doesn''t lie, and honestly... I feel like if I attacked Krische-sama, I¡¯d be easily defeated." "Well...surepared to us, she¡¯s..." "No, not just that. Even when she''s hugging Instructor Kalua, even though she looks so full of openings, I feel like that''s not the case... I mean, the other instructors don''t show any openings in the first ce, right?" Shelicia whispered as she swung her sword diagonally. Kyuris blocked it with his sword, sweeping it to the left. "Getting countered by someone with no openings is normal, but it''s weird to think someone who looks full of openings would counterattack, so I think she must be really strong..." "Maybe you''re just getting scared from hearing stories like that?" "...Maybe." The children were free to attack the instructor or assistant instructor at any time while they''re in the dojo. There''s a strange rule like that here, as part of the training. For example, even during an exnation like the one before, or when their arm was taken by Krische, they wouldn''t be scolded if they attacked. Only the mischievous kids who''ve just joined the dojo¨D¨Dand Kyuris was one of them in the past actually do this, and they stop soon after realizing that the instructor didn''t show any weaknesses, but even now, regardless of whether they do it or not, it''s considered good to look at the instructor in that way. That said¨D¨D "Does Shelicia always look at Krische-sama with that in mind?" "O-only sometimes. Not all the time..." That''s limited to the instructor and assistant instructor. As expected, there were no children who would sh at Alberinea. One reason was that she was an incredibly important person, but the main reason was that she was too vulnerable. Even if it''s for practice, even a child could tell that if the wooden sword hits someone and injures them, they would definitely be scolded, so in a sense, they were able to sh at the instructor because they feel safe knowing that they would be fine. Injuries were inevitable when practicing swordsmanship, but that didn¡¯t mean that people would intentionally injure others, and if they did, it would be frowned upon. If you could strike at a small opening shown by an opponent with no openings, you might be praised for being great, but no one would call you a great person if you strike at an opponent with only openings. That''s why he was a little surprised that Shelicia was thinking such things while looking at Krische. "She''s always so full of openings, I''ve never thought of her like that... She''s an important person..." From the corner of his eye, he watched Krische sitting on Kalua''sp in the corner of the dojo, talking to the director Mia, who had appeared without him noticing, and he imagined himself hitting her on the head with his wooden sword. He could see her tilting her head in confusion¨D¨DKyuris frowned. "Hey. It''s fine to talk, but focus." "Ah, ah... sorry." Shelicia, who seemed annoyed, reprimanded him, and Kyris realized he couldn¡¯t imagine Krische being hurt. He could only picture her beautiful face looking at him curiously. For some reason, even in his imagination, Kyuris sword couldn¡¯t hit her. For some mysterious reason, Kyuris sword would be cutting in a different direction, and that purple face was looking at him curiously. ¨D¨DYes, curiously. Not angry, not surprised, just as if asking, ¡®What''s wrong?¡¯. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t understand why. But for some reason, Kyuris just couldn''t imagine his sword hitting her. A monthter, the swordsmanship training camp, called the ¡®Swordsmanship Exchange Camp¡¯, took ce. It was held in a small forest north of the capital used by the ck g Special Forces for training,sting three days and two nights. It was a joint event involving not just the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo but also other dojos in the capital. With the military training ground nearby, it was technically a state¨D¨Dmilitary-owned area. Even though it was run by former private soldiers, it would be unfair to open the ce up to one private dojo free of charge, so other dojos were also invited. In addition, active military personnel were allowed to participate if they wanted to¨D¨Dthe sword dojo itself has over 100 students, but with nearly 300 people from the military and other fields gathering, it became a fairlyrge training camp. This was probably because there was talk of Alberinea also attending incognito. It was said that there were particrly many military personnel who wanted to participate, so a lottery was held to select those who wanted to participate. Mia, the director of the dojo, had dark circles under her eyes because she was very busy with this project that started with Kalua''s idea, but the children, including Kyuris, who had been allowed to participate with permission from their parents, were in a festive mood. A sword training camp where the best swordsmen from all over the royal capital gather. No one who frequented a swordsmanship dojo would feel otherwise. On the morning of the day, the students gathered in front of the dojo, then walked down the northern street of the royal capital to the military training center. Just as they had joined up with the other people from the dojo and the military, a man in armor appeared in front of Kyuris, who was walking with Shelicia. "I-it''s been a while, uncle." "Oh, Kyuris? ...You''ve grown so much since Ist saw you." Though nearly sixty, he still looked strong. Even without wearing a lion''s mane helmet, no one would mistake him for a mere soldier. His stern face is covered in scars, and although he''s not tall, he''s muscr¨D¨Dthe armor suited him so well that he couldn¡¯t tell where the leather armor ends and the clothes end. The only thing that matches the cute Shelicia was his brown hair. Merkes stroked his short, graying beard and smiles, then lightly patted Shelicia on the head. "You''re always taking care of Shelicia. I hear your stories almost every day, so it doesn''t feel like it''s been that long." "!..Otou-san¡± Shelicia red at Merkes, her white skin slightly red, and Kyuris'' heart leapt at what he heard. Shelicia, who was usually a little cold, was talking about him at home. That alone made him incredibly happy. Shelicia red back and forth between her father and Kyuris, then turned away with her cheeks still red, saying that she didn¡¯t really talk about Kyuris that much¨D¨Dit was cute how she looked like that. "Are you going to join us, uncle?" "I was a little worried about Shelicia staying alone overnight... Besides, I also wanted to say hello to the people at the dojo again, and I''m interested in the fact that master swordsmen are gathering together. I feel a little bad for those who didn''t win the lottery, but..." Generally, soldiers were selected by lottery, but soldiers who were guardians like Merkes, or who had direct or indirect connections with the people at the dojo, were given priority in attending. That''s probably what he was talking about. "It''s a rare opportunity. I want to learn as much as I can and bring it back to my unit." "...Learn." "No matter how much experience you gain, it''s never enough. If you don''t consciously learn, as you get older you will only deteriorate... soldiers especially cannot be satisfied with the status quo. Even the slightest bit of arrogance can lead to the death of yourrades." Merkes said as he walked, as if he was remembering something. The words of a soldier who had seen the actual battlefield carried weight. "I heard you want to be a soldier in the future. If you pick up a sword to protect others, losing is not an option. Always learn, train diligently, and strive for more than perfect results." "Y-yes..." "... On the battlefield, even after all that effort, there are many senseless deaths. Remember that." Kyris saluted in response, and Merkes smiled wryly. "Well, under the reign of Her Majesty the Great Queen. There won''t be many wars in the future, and it''s not like you''ve decided to be a soldier... but even in everyday life, because of your sword skills, you can be arrogant and unknowingly step into danger." Then he stroked Kyuris''s head. "...The truly strong train to understand their weaknesses. The more you learn, the more you realize your ignorance, the more you wield your sword, the more you see your own weakness. That''s why you grow. No matter what path you take, never forget humility." "...Yes." This was exactly what a warrior should be. A soldier worthy of being called a centurion. The hand on his head was gentle, but heavy. Always being humble was one of the teachings of the instructors. Even the head instructor, Kalua,ughed and said that she was still immature. Although they hadn''t spoken much, Shelicia''s father, Merkes, was a perfect warrior and someone Kyuris looked up to, so his words made him feel tense. But Shelicia looked at Kyuris as if he was a fool. "...Kyuris and humility are like oil and water." "Y-you..." "Kuku, don''t say that, Shelicia. Recklessness and failure are only forgivable when you''re a child... Sometimes, a little arrogance can be used to motivate you, so it''s not a bad thing." Merkesughed with amusement. "The words I spoke in a high-handed manner were just second-hand, and I didn''t really understand them back then either.... But if you remember and put in the effort, one day you''ll truly understand them. Like me." "... I don''t think Kyuris can be Otou-san." "You..." Shelicia looked at Kyuris with clear doubts, and Kyuris red at Shelicia. ¨D¨DAt that moment, a scream-like voice was heard. He turned around quickly to face the back of the line, and there stood a green beast, taller than a human. "Kyuris, Shelicia. You two look like good friends today." ¡°Krische-sama¨D¨D¡± Instead of her usual apron dress, she was wearing a ck cloak, shirt, and skirt. Kyuris was about to answer when he felt the atmosphere change in an instant, and looked at Merkes. The smile from earlier was gone, and in a half-stiff salute, he clicked his heels. Along with him, all the military participants in the line simultaneously stopped and saluted. "At ease. You can keep walking. Today, Krische is here incognito, not as a soldier." "Ha!" Merkes and the others answered in unison. Then, seeing Krische return the salute and start walking again, everyone started walking again. The atmosphere had been somewhat cheerful up until a moment ago, but the entire line seemed tense. She wasn''t there until a while ago¨D¨Dshe must have been riding Suiko. It was well known that Suiko was her mount, and it seemed that it was asionally brought to the training center, but this was the first time Kyuris had actually seen one. With shoulders standing over eight shaku tall and limbs as thick as logs, just being there was enough to make him feel as if his inside was frozen. One bite would surely destroy the top half of Kyuris. The ck lines on the green fur make a pattern, and together with the eyes, it exudes a ferocious presence. The girl on top of the monster has the same face as she did at the dojo. She naturally sat on the side of the monster and patted its back. Kyuris could see that Shelicia''s face was pale, and his face was probably the same. Alberinea, who looks rxed, looks at Kyuris and Shelicia, then turns to Merkes. "You must be the centurion from Aleha. Krische recognizes you." "H-ha. I''m Merkes Kirsveg, a centurion of the Second Corps, Third Battalion, Alberinea. I heard from Shelicia that you always take care of her, so I''d like to thank you¨D¨D" "You don''t look much alike." Krische gives her honest opinion, gazing intently at Merkes'' face. As they walked, Merkes'' face looked a little tense. "Ah, are you perhaps the one who stumbled in the first battle of the Demolition War?" "Y-you remember...?" "Yes. ... As time passes, people grow beards and build muscles like you, so there are quite a few discrepancies... but you were still alive. You looked so stupid, so Krische thought you must have been dead a long time ago." "Ha. ... I made a fool of myself back then. If Alberinea hadn''t been here, I probably wouldn''t have been alive that day." Kyuris looked at Merkes and Kyuris in confusion, frowning. "Anyway, you''re a centurion under Aleha now, that''s a good thing. Make sure you train your subordinates properly so they don''t be fools who get ahead of themselves and stumble on the battlefield like you." "... Ha." "Kyuris, Shelicia, see youter. Gururun, to Mia." She patted Midori''s back, and it was over in an instant. With incredible speed disproportionate to its size, the Suiko was at the front of the line in the blink of an eye. Kyuris and the others looked on in amazement, then heard a sigh of relief and looked at Merkes. "Uncle, that story¡" "Yeah, at my first battle" Merkes gave a bitter smile, "...I was in a hurry to achieve sess and ended up falling in front of the enemy. Alberinea broke through right next to me, and I was lucky to survive because the enemy hesitated¡ But for her to remember the face of a mere soldier like me in that chaos, she is truly terrifying." Merkes looked at the distant figure of Krische on the Suiko with a mix of awe and fear. "...She''s the epitome of the unreasonable. There''s nothing more unreasonable on the battlefield than facing her. She cuts through enemy lines as if parting grass, and takes the heads of generals as easily as picking fruit." Then Merkes ced his hands on the shoulders of the two. "I''ve heard she''s a gentle person, and I do think that¡¯s true. But just because she appears easygoing, don''t ever be rude to her. She''s the most cold-hearted and merciless person when ites to taking life." He spoke in a gravely serious tone. Chapter 288: The Boy and The Onee-san - Second Half Chapter 288: The Boy and The Onee-san - Second Half ***Chapter 288 The Boy and The Onee-san - Second Half*** "This time, our primary objective is to explore more practicalbat techniques beyond the confines of individual dojos and schools. At the same time, we aim to foster pure interactions among those who usually don''t have the opportunity to connect, to improve our future rtionships¨D¨D" They lined up at the edge of the forest and then the greetings. Without showing any particr signs of nervousness, Mia, the director, stood on a tform and began to speak in front of the 320 people gathered. Though she may be a little older, she has loosely tied chestnut hair and a cute atmosphere¨D¨Dif Krische was a next door Onee-san, she would be the neighborhood aunt. The head of the dojo doesn''t look very strong, but she greets the heroic warriors and swordsmen with ease, and natural manner. She delivered a somewhat long greeting smoothly and calmly, without looking at anything in particr. Her dignified form contrasted with her gentle appearance. She didn¡¯t seem to be very respected by the other instructors even on a regr basis, and was often teased, but seeing her standing in front of them in a situation that made even Kyuris, who was standing in line, nervous, and speaking normally changed his perspective of her a little. She was an adjutant of the ck Century and the second Commander of the ck g Special Company. When he thought about it, she (Krische too) was older than the Merkes, and was a soldier who had always fought on the front lines and achieved sess since the Civil War fifty years ago. Realizing that the soldiers'' gazes were also filled with respect, Kyuris began to wonder if his thinking had been shortsighted. In the first ce, the reason Mia looked weak was simply because he had never seen her swing a sword and she didn''t look strong, and there was no other reason than that. It was just an assumption. "Looking at the director like that, she sure is amazing." "Yeah, that''s surprising..." On the first day, they had a little social time and watched each school practice. As an extension of their usual practice, each dojo separated a little and performed demonstrations and actualbat-like hand-to-hand sparring, and in the afternoon, they tried out the school that interested them. It was a loose form of interaction, with participation being entirely voluntary. The Elcafalest style was close to what was simply called ¡®orthodox swordsmanship¡¯ in the kingdom, a middle form with the tip of the sword pointed at the opponent''s neck. Orthodox swordsmanship was based on the premise of using a long sword held with both hands, but it was the foundation and center of all sword techniques, and was one of the first forms that Kyuris and the others learned. The focus was on fending off and defeating all attacks with a single sword, and it seems to be favored by nobles as a noble sword due to its imposing form. Elcafalest¡¯s style was very simr, with the difference being that the tip of the sword was slightly tilted downwards¨D¨Da form that ced a slight emphasis on thrusting. However, looking at it broadly, it was the same. Only Zain and Lorka styles had clearly different forms, and although the details differ depending on the style, most forms were the same. Kyuris was still unable to understand the subtle differences between styles, so he went around listening to Shelicia exnations, such as this one was different, or this part was unique. In addition to having good eyes, Shelicia was also a theorist. She was good at finding her opponent''s habits, preferences, and openings, and this seemed to be the same when swinging the sword. When asked about reflections after a match, she would answer with surprising rity, saying things like, ¡®Kyuris second step in that one was a little short¡¯. The instructors praised her for being able to put her senses into words, and although Kyuris was trying to emte her, it was not easy. "So, Kyuris, which one are you going to choose?" "Even if you ask that..." As expected, there are many dojos that have been in operation in the royal capital for many years, and they all looked quite solid. The ck g Swordsmanship Dojo seemed the most casual. Each instructor had different swordsmanship styles. There was no standardization, with sparring being the norm¨D¨Dor rather there¡¯s only that. Other dojos performed their form (kata: movement sequence) and demonstrations, but the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo¡¯s form varied from instructor to instructor. During sparring, for example, an instructor proficient in the Lorka style would teach Lorka techniques, while one skilled in martial arts would teach grappling andbat techniques. The ck g Swordsmanship Dojo was not a single dojo, but rather a ce where several small dojose together, and the instructors always told the students that if they wanted to master one style, it was best to go to a dojo that specializes in that style. "...I guess our dojo is unique, but the thought of endlessly doing kata practice is a bit..." "Kyuris, you hate kata practice, don''t you?" "Because it''s not fun... and besides, instructor Kalua doesn''t really have any form." Strength was justice at the ck g Swordsmanship Dojo. Head instructor Kalua said that anything was fine as long as you win in the end. She said that the charm of the dojo was being able to spar with opponents who use various swords as much as you want, and putting aside the other instructors, he had never seen Kalua teach from training. Frankly, he didn¡¯t think kata was that important. Sparring seemed more enjoyable and meaningful. "Kalua-sensei has form. It''s just that not everyone can learn it." "Bu-Buck-san!" Behind him stood a sharp-looking man with ck hair tied back, lean yet muscr, with stubble. One of the senior disciples, he guided others despitecking the special talent of magic. "Kyuris, try to strike me." "Huh?" "Try attacking me with that wooden sword." Though confused by the suddenness, he nodded and readied the wooden sword he was holding. He was used to these abrupt lessons. Buck stood lightly in the Lorka style with his left hand forward, and when Kyuris shed diagonally, Buck grabbed his right wrist with his left hand and brought him down face-first to the ground. "Ouch." Buck lightly tapped Kyuris¡¯s neck with the wooden sword,ughing. "Haha, Kyuris, you''re easy to read. That was a basic move of the Lorka style... but it requires a few tricks. Do you know why you were brought down?" "Well...because you grabbed my arm." "To be precise, I pulled your arm, which was swinging the sword.... You stepped forward and tried to swing your sword down on me, and I used that momentum to pull you forward, so you easily lost your bnce and was knocked down. The important thing is the direction and timing of the force, you can see that I didn¡¯t pull that hard, right?" "...Yes." Just a light pull on his arm as he stepped and swung. But, that alone made Kyuris fall. "As I said, it¡¯s a basic move. Seeing it alone, it¡¯s not particrly difficult. With enough practice, you can eventually do it. However, in actual sparring, you might not get many opportunities, so practicing the principles repeatedly through the form is important." ¡®And once you learn the principles, you can apply them¡¯, Buck continues. "A form is the repetitive practice of a movement that pursues efficiency. For example, if you do a movement like the one I just made, between a hundred times and a thousand times, which one would be stronger?" "... A thousand." "Right. After all, a human body only has two arms and legs. There aren''t an infinite number of ways to attack, and arms don''t just grow out of nowhere. The more you learn kata, the more you can deal with your opponent''s movements and gain an advantage, so there''s no easier way to be stronger. As you say, it may look in at first nce, but..." "I think Kyuris is too stupid to understand how interesting it is." "Oi." Kyuris red at her, and Shelicia looked away, saying it was true. Buckughed happily. "But still, this is only for ordinary people. Basically, if you learn the kata properly, anyone can use it and be strong. ...At least that''s how it was made. Usually, you find your own unique movements by applying them, but...someone like Instructor Kalua just finds and pursues her own unique kata that suits her from the beginning." "Her own..." "That''s right. It''s a sword technique and kata made for Instructor Kalua, which only she can use because she has good eyes, sense, physical ability, physique, and experience. ...It''s not something you can imitate, so she doesn''t teach it to the students in the form of a kata." ¡®For example, I couldn''t do it even if I trained for years¡¯, says Buck. ¡°I can''t handle magic, and even if I could, I don¡¯t have the bnce to move from such a low stance or the eyes to catch movements at that speed. A talented person¡¯s sword technique, honed to match their talents, is like that. No matter which school you choose, that¡¯s where you¡¯ll eventually end up." "No matter which school?" "Everyone''s physique, strength, and everything else is different. If you pursue efficiency, it¡¯s only natural that you will end up with your own style that is the most efficient for you. And the shortcut to determining that is to learn the styles left behind by your predecessors, learn the various principles, and build up your strength... Well though I talk big like this, I''m only halfway there.¡± Kyuris nodded, saying he understood. Shelicia looked at him as if making fun, making him re back. "...I-I also understand about half of it." "Usually, when Kyuris says that, he only understands about a third of it." "Kuku, don''t say that. Kyuris is still young, Shelicia can exin it to you in detailter." "I think even a dog would understand better." ¡°You guys...¡± ¡®Well, it¡¯s fine¡¯, Sheliciaughed, with amusement. Shelicia could be mean at times, but she''s cute after all, and that''s what made it unfair. Before his cheeks turned red, Kyuris looked away and asked Buck a question. "Um, Buck-san, what do you think of Krische-sama?" "Hmm...? Aah, I heard that. Seems you told her to her face that she looked weak for Alberinea. Fearless, I¡¯d say..." "I heard you and Boji thought the same..." "Boji maybe, but I didn¡¯t think that strongly. Though I can''t deny I underestimated her based on usual demeanor." Buck smiled wryly and continued with a serious face. "I hate to say it...but many people think that Instructor Kalua is a monster. Looking at the Instructors here today, I think she''s probably the best among them, and I think it''s no mistake that she''s one of the top five warriors on the continent. But even that master was like a childpared to Alberinea." "...Everyone says that." "You probably think the anecdote is dubious. She¡¯s not the kind of person who likes to swing the sword... She doesn''t show it much, and she''s extremely strict with himself. She''s humble, but... I think that even if everyone here attacked her at once, she would turn the table." Like Merkes, Buck had a serious face that didn''t show any jokes. "Well, you''ll understand right away. This time, it''s not the usual apron dress." "...Apron dress." "I don''t really understand it either, but...it seems to be a rule in Alberinea that she can''t swing a sword while wearing an apron dress....It seems like she brought a sword, so if you ask, maybe she''ll show you right away." And with that, Buck waved his hand and walked off somewhere else. He was probably still in the middle of touring the ce. Kyuris and Shelicia exchanged nces. "...Are you going to ask?" "Well, after all that, don''t you want to see it?" "Hm...well, I''m interested." Nodding at Shelicia¡¯s words, they left the gathering of various dojo and moved to the side of the forest. They looked at Krische, who looked happy and seemed to be preparing lunch already. For some reason, Mia, the director, was peeling vegetables beside her, and some soldiers and children were helping her. Kyuris, as expected, had an expression that was hard to describe. She seemed to have noticed them as well, and beckoned to the two of them, running towards them. Alberinea spoke up¨D¨D "Are you two done with your tour?" "Yes, well...Kri--" "Perfect timing. Kyuris, please help carry the ingredients from the carriage over there. Shelicia, can you peel?" "Huh? Ah, yes..." "Good. Mia is surprisingly clumsy, so please help her out." She said that without giving them a chance to say anything. "...Really, Mia never grows no matter how old she gets." "Why should I, the organizer, have to peel..." ¡°Don¡¯tin. You never improve because you do everything reluctantly. Look at Shelicia, she''s much better than Mia even though she''s so young. Kyuris, please bring two pumpkins." "Y-yes." ¨D¨DLunch for 320 people. Naturally, there was no time to ask her. Alberinea looked happy from start to finish as she prepared lunch for the soldiers and civilians. She didn''t look like a military officer second only to the marshal, nor like Her Highness the Queen¡¯s older sister, nor like a great hero, but there were some things he could understand. She was morbidly skilled with des, and herck of waste in movement couldn''t be exined away as simply being efficient. She prepared ingredients in three huge pots, each half the size of Kyuris¨D¨Dmaking pumpkin soup while meticulously adjusting the firewood. The meat was prepared with a lot of effort, having to be cooked in a frying pan. Moreover, apart from carrying the ingredients and peeling the skin, she did most of it by herself. She then used the extra time to prepare the skewers. While Mia and Shelicia prepared one skewer each, Krische prepared six, piling them up on the te with incredible skill. It wasn''t that Mia or Shelicia were particrly slow, it was just that she was too fast. And yet she didn''t seem to be in a hurry, just like usual. The amount of work she calmlypleted was beyond what an ordinary person could do. Naturally, the others were watching in amazement, including Kyuris, and they were whispering iprehensiblepliments like, ¡®As expected of Alberinea¡¯, even though she was just cooking. The results were outstanding. The soup was light yet deep, and both the meat and vegetables melted in the mouth. Krische (with a serious face he had never seen before) also personally grilled dozens of skewers on the grill at the same time¨D¨Dperfectly salted and cooked. The sauce that was prepared had a strange vor that Kyuris had never tasted before. Preparing soup and skewers for 320 people almost all by herself, this delicacy was a miracle, and Kyuris also thought as expected of Alberinea¨D¨D "...Well, I can tell that the food is amazing but" "...?" Kyuris muttered to himself, and Shelicia, who was munching on the skewers, tilted her head. She then picked up on the words ¡®the food is amazing¡¯ and smiled happily. ¡°I have heard Krische-sama loves cooking but still¡ I¡¯m really surprised. Ehehe, I was told I have a talent for cooking because I''m meticulous with each task.¡± Shelicia, who had apparently been praised for helping with the cooking, was in a really good mood. Shelicia had been repeating that Krische-sama was amazing for a while now. Krische herself was sitting on Kalua''sp, leaning unashamedly on Suiko, eating her food while chatting happily, and Kyuris hadpletely missed his chance. "Well, I understand that, but..." "You missed the timing?" ¡°Yeah¡ it¡¯s hard to bring it up now.¡± Sighing, Kyuris nced at Krische. Alberinea was also smiling and chatting happily on Kalua''sp. It''s true that he wanted to see her sword, but it would be hard to say it after he said she looked weak before, especially when she was having fun. It would be one thing if he said from the bottom of his heart that he wanted to see the sword of Alberinea, who he admired, but it would be rude to say it while doubting her skill. After hearing the story earlier, he was beginning to think that maybe she was really strong, but timing was also important. He wished someone else would bring it up, but it was Alberinea after all. To people who were not familiar with her, she''s on a different level than them¨D¨Dthere was no doubt that she was someone who''s difficult to talk to, so everyone just looked at her from afar. "Hmm, I kind of got it." "Get it?" "Krische-sama, isn''t normal after all." "...in cooking?" "In cooking. ...Her knife skills aren''t normal. She moves everything from the handle to the tip of the de exactly as she imagines it." Shelicia mimicked holding a knife with her left hand in a cat¡¯s paw position and gestured slicing with her right hand. "Image..." "Fufun, maybe Kyuris wouldn''t understand. You¡¯re stupid after all." "...you." "Well, anyway. ...What are you going to do in the afternoon?" When asked, he shook his head. "Then let''s go learn the Zain style. There aren''t many instructors who use it, so it''s quite rare." "... Ah, okay." And so, in the afternoon, they went to the Zain sword style dojo. It was certainly a rare opportunity. If the Lorka style was the down-to-earth sword of a soldier, the Zain style was the brilliant sword of a noble. There was only one dojo in the royal capital, located in a first-ss city, so it wasn''t something thatmoners could easily attend, and the monthly tuition was expensive. And on top of that, this swordsmanship was not considered something that a meremoner could master. ¨D¨DBecause it is a sword technique that requires a talent for manipting magic. It was the exact opposite of the Lorka style. The half-body stance with the sword in front was specialized in taking the lead or even the lead before that, and the main focus was to close the gap between you and your opponent by stepping forward, which was described as like an arrow, to deliver a fatal blow. It was only effective when it maximizes the superhuman physical abilities of those who possess magical powers, and to master it one needed the talent to control magic powers. It was not that it was pointless for a non-magic possessor to learn it, but in the end, it was difficult for them to take the lead against those who possess magic powers, who have absolute advantages in distance and speed. It was generally believed that mastering the Lorka style, which specialized in counterattack, was more practical for non-magic possessor, and that was why the Zain style was called the sword of the noble. "Are you ready?" ¡°Yes. It is an honor to witness the sword of the Zain Grandmaster in person. I will study diligently.¡± "Haha, there is no need to be so nervous." In front of the gathered soldiers and other disciples. Standing in front of Shelicia''s father, Merkes, was a tall, strong man with short, graying ck hair, Wesliel Zain. He was once the head instructor of the Zain swordsmanship dojo, known as the best in the royal capital. He was the current legitimate sessor to the Zain style of swordsmanship. Merkes was in Lorka stance, while Wesliel was in a Zain stance. Contrasting stances¨D¨DShelicia, next to him, had her fists clenched in front of her chest. A centurion. He hadbat experience and could use magic. Merkes was a swordsman who was not inferior to the instructors, but if one looked at Wesliel who was facing him, it was clear who had the advantage. The beauty of his stance was almost serene. He had the presence of a master, and even though they were five meters apart, Merkes slowly backed away. Even with that much distance between them, he was still within Wesliel range. ¡°Well then¡¡± ¡°!?¡± He stepped forward as if he was joking. Wesliel¡¯s body went from still to still, skipping the movement. By the time he realized it, he had pointed the tip of his wooden sword at Merkes¡¯s neck, who was unable to move a single step. It was an explosive force that could not be described in any other way than like an arrow shot from close range. Merkes was also stunned, and as he looked at the tip of the wooden sword pointed at his neck, he said, ¡®my loss¡¯. Wesliel¡¯s rxed his stance, nodded, and turned towards him. "This is the Sword of Zain left by the Sword Saint Alcaras. It is a deadly sword that is designed to anticipate the opponent''s consciousness and movements and end the fight with the fastest strike. No matter how strong a sword is, there will always be a momentary gap...and that gap can be fatal in front of this sword. ...But well, that just now was just a trick, it is by no means because the centurion was weak." And with that, Wesliel pointed to Merkes. "It''s a very solid Lorka style, honed on the battlefield, with nocency or ckness. He was only focused on matching his attacking moves, and if I had charged in normally, he would have been able to react. However, when I said ¡®Well then¡¯, he showed just the slightest wavering¨D¨Dand it was because I stepped into that gap that I was able to thrust my sword at him while defenseless." Tapping the long sword at his waist, Wesliel continued. "The important thing is that with this swordsmanship, even an opening of that magnitude is enough tond a fatal blow. Even against an opponent as skilled as him, I would cut and stab him without question, ending the fight in an instant before he could use his skills. ...That is Zain style swordsmanship." Thank you, Wesliel said with a smile, and turned to Merkes. Merkes bowed his head and moved to Kyuris'' side. He turned to look at him, gave a wry smile, and lightly pped him on the head. Even though he was defeated in front of everyone and helpless, there was no shame on his face. "I used some trickery to make it easier to understand, but you shouldn''t think it''s despicable. Swordsmanship is an art of killing, and a technique for the weak to defeat the strong. Keep in mind that it''s a despicable method used by those who cannot challenge a seven-shaku giant with force to achieve victory. ...There are times when a person must never lose, and the technique I teach is also for that purpose. I would appreciate it if you could understand that first." Even though he overwhelmed Merkes, he never boasted, but instead respected his opponent and spoke calmly. Including his calm demeanor, this is a master, Kyuris thought, recalling Kalua. Their gentle atmosphere seemed a little simr. Kyuris looked at him with admiration, and so did Shelicia. "What do you think, Alberinea?" From Wesliel¡¯s voice and gaze, Kyuris immediately turned around. Behind the adults¨D¨DKyuris and Kalua were riding on Suiko, eating cookies, and drinking what looked like tea from wooden cups. It seemed that only a few people had noticed, as for a moment a scream-like voice was heard. "...? That''s very good." She pped the Suiko on the back, and it made a big leap. The two of them and the giant beastnded right next to Wesliel in one go, and yawned loudly. The soldiers all saluted, and Wesliel knelt down. She calmly returned the salute and told them to be at ease. "The one Wag Wag¡¯s like right. It''s a sword technique specialized for killing idiots." "Wag Wag (Furi-Furi)..." "Oh, Krische is talking about General Sandika. ...Ehehe, like a dog wagging its tail to beg, he always asks to see the sword as a reward, or to teach his subordinates how to use the sword, so Krische gave him the nickname Wag Wag¡± "...I-I see." "Usa-chan, that way of talking would probably affect General Sandika''s reputation as a noble... Well, I''m sure he doesn''t care." "Haa... but he was happy..." "Um, well, never mind. It¡¯s One-san''s fault." Kalua sighed, and Krische tilted her head. The name of a warrior that Kyuris also knew¨D¨Da loyal warrior who had achieved many victories while retaining his position as a Corps Commander, and who had fought under Alberinea all the way up to the Unification War. Even in front of such a person, this Onee-san is still the same Onee-san, Kyuris thought to himself strangely. "...You came to the dojo once a long time ago and taught me. Truly a master who handles Zain''s sword as a battlefield swordsman." "Master..." Kalua was astonished at the words Krische repeated. "...To the general public, he is more than enough of a master." "...General public" "You know, if you think by Usa-chan''s standards, everyone is either very weak, quite weak, or weak, that''s it. In these situations, you think in rtive standards, not by Usa-chan''s mysterious absolute standards....You always say that, don''t you?" "Hmm, but even Bery always said that she still has a lot to learn as a servant¨D¨D" "Yes, yes, don''t use Bery-san''s standards... That''s really extreme." Wesliel opened his eyes slightly at those words and asked. "Alberinea, you say that Sandika-sama also still has a long way to go?" "Well, Wag Wag swinging skills aren''t too bad among the clumsy ones, but how should Krische say it, the Zain style has be second nature to him, and Wag Wag tends to lean towards it without thinking..." She swayed her long silver hair like two tails, and ced her fingertips on her lips. She tilted her head. "...Krische think the Zain style itself is a good sword for killing stupid, slow-reacting people, but of course people who can see their opponents properly can dodge it... after all, it''s a sword that''s only good for a select few idiots, and only good in certain situations¨D¨DMugh?" "Ah, well, Usa-chan..." Kalua covered Krische¡¯s mouth in a sh to follow up. "Um, haha... well, Usa-chan is a bit blunt, and doesn''t know how to say it, or, well, she¡¯s not very good at exining..." But she couldn''t take back what Krische had said earlier. Even Kyuris and the others who were listening were speechless. The Zain Swordsmanship Dojo is the most prestigious of all. And these words were spoken in front of the legitimate sessor of Zain-style swordsmanship. Wesliel brows, which had always been so calm, creased for an instant, and Kyuris exchanged nces with Shelicia. She had said that Krische was probably strong, but perhaps even she was worried, as she looked at Krische with a worried expression. But Krische herself was very carefree. She looked up at Kalua, who had her hand over Krische¡¯s mouth with a dissatisfied childlike expression. "No, I''ve heard that Alberinea is someone who can wield an unparalleled sword, capable of cutting down any hero. ...She must see things that an ordinary person like me can''t see." The creases in Wesliel''s brow disappeared in an instant, and he spoke calmly as usual. However, something that could not be put into words was hidden within the tone. "...I was hoping to have a match with Alberinea if you don''t mind. What do you think? It would be good for everyone to learn from it." The atmosphere had clearly changed, and it felt like it was freezing. The atmosphere was heavy, nothing like when he had faced Merkes earlier. The head of a school had his school belittled in front of everyone. He had no choice but to say this on the basis of his honor and pride. "Ah... well, as expected here is, a bit..." Looking at the many people gathered, she scratched his cheek in a troubled expression. In response to Kalua''s words, Wesliel said. "It¡¯s because it¡¯s a ce like this that it¡¯s an appropriate ce. Of course, only if Alberinea is willing to ept it." "Well, I know you''re angry at what Usa-chan just said, but... ah." "Geez, Kalua, let go." ¡®What are you doing?¡¯, she said, very carefree. Krische red at Kalua, then turned her eyes to Wesliel. "Um... did Krische say something rude?" "That''s... as you said, it may be a sword suited for certain situations only. However, I''m still young and haven''t reached that level yet, so if you''ll allow it, I''d really like to see it shown to Alberinea." "I see... that''s a very admirable attitude." Krische nodded, and Kalua massaged her forehead. "Knowing and epting your weaknesses is very important to bing stronger. If that''s the case, Krische¡¯ll ept." What a big mouth in front of a master. Kyuris couldn''t help but call out to her. "Kri-Krische-sama, against that person..." He wanted to see the sword, but he didn''t want to see Krische being humiliated in this crowded ce. In any case, Kyuris liked this ¡®slightly strange older sister¡¯ and didn''t want her to suffer anything bad. "Why...?" "Because he¡¯s a master¨D¨D" "Stop it, Kyuris. ...Alberinea, please excuse us." Just as Kalua had done to Cliche, this time it was Merkes who did it to Kyuris. He covered his mouth to silence him and bowed. "...Alberinea killed Walter Zargan, the sessor to the Zain swordsmanship two generations ago, on the battlefield. A man whomitted high treason... It''s a little humbling to even talk about it, but I saw his skill when I was a child." "Um...Ahh right, there was a person like that. Probably the one Krische stabbed in the heart." She spoke with a smile, with a girlish face. Kyuris was bewildered. Krische walked away, put some distance between them, and turned to Wesliel. "Because Krische wasted so much time on that person, Krische ended up failing to kill His Highness¨D¨D" For a moment, he felt an unknown chill, but it quickly disappeared. "Well, that was when Krische was much weaker than she is now. Krische had borrowed the sword from a corpse anyway, so Krische should have just cut it in half and slipped through. ...Guess Krische made a mistake by trying too neatly." ¡®That''s a problem¡¯, she said, nodding several times, then smiling again. Wesliel''s expression, in contrast, became harder and more serious. "Whether it''s a wooden sword or a real sword, please use one you''re used to. You don''t need to worry about stopping just before the attack, just go ahead and kill Krische." However, in front of the man who should be called a master, who was serious, she was the same as usual. "This is just sparring after all." ¡®Onee-san¡¯ was just being gentle, as if it was the most natural thing to do. Chapter 289: The Boy and Onee-san â€“ The End Chapter 289: The Boy and Onee-san ¨C The End ***Chapter 289 The Boy and Onee-san ¨C The End*** The walls were lined with bookshelves, except for the entrance and the back door. The counter was piled high with books under repair or maintenance. When Kyuris was a child, he had thought about bing a soldier when he turned fifteen, but he was repeatedly told that it was not suitable for him as he was easily distracted, and that it was absolutely impossible, so even now at fifteen, he still helped out at his family''s rental bookstore. He had half-resigned herself to the fact that he would eventually take over the business. "If you want to read a book, why don''t you borrow one?" "I''m helping out at the store. The aunt asked me to." Who was she imitating? With her brown hair tied in two ponytails behind her ears, she had a face that was between pretty and cute. Leaning casually on the counter without helping with the repairs, she kept her eyes on an open book and answered. Although her appearance has changed, Shelicia has not changed since she was a child. "Wee. ...My, Elka-sama. Are you returning a book?" As soon as the door opened and the bell rang, she smiled and started serving customers, a smile she never showed to Kyuris. She knew better than Kyuris what kind of customers or what kind of books they like, and so on. While Kyuris was putting away the books after receiving them, she lent out a book that had juste in, saying that it was a book she rmended to Elka-sama. Rather than Kyuris it was her who ran the rental bookstore. When a customer leaves the store, she snorts, ¡®Fufun¡¯. "I don''t just read books, I study what kind of books they read. I can''t rmend books that I haven''t read to customers, right?" "I get it. I was wrong. ...I can''t win an argument with you." "It¡¯s ¡®even in an argument¡¯, right?" "... I''ll pull out my sword." Shelicia smiled happily, and Kyuris sighed. Though Kyuris has learned body strengthening and can now fight the instructors evenly, he still keeps losing. But Shelicia was already able to get a point from the instructors. She was said to be close to bing an assistant instructor, and was the most talented among the teenagers. Naturally, he loses the sparring more often than winning, and Kyuris couldn¡¯t be aggressive. "I''m sorry, Shelicia." "No, don''t worry about it." As Kyuris was about to say something after seeing her mocking smile, his mother appeared from behind. "I''ve finished my business, so you can take Kyuris." "Yes, but...is Oba-san okay with this alone? It must be hard for you, Oji-san is also bedridden..." "It''s just his usual back pain. Don''t worry about it. ... Kyuris, make sure to see her home safely." "I don''t think there are many people who would attack Shelicia, though." ¡°...Kyuris.¡± "*Sigh*, I know mom..." He nced at Shelicia, who was giggling, and left the store. It wasn''t exactly a stone''s throw away, but it was quite a walk to the dojo. As he went to the dojo while being teased by the high-spirited Shelicia, ¡°Krische-sama¡± It was a silver-haired girl in an apron dress. "Hello. ...Ehehe, you two get along well as always. That''s good." "Um, well, yeah, sort of..." Usually Shelicia was very strong-willed and didn¡¯t hold back when ites to talking to Curis, but it was kind of unfair that she was acting strangely shy at times like this. Seeing Shelicia blushing and looking away, Kyuris sighed, then looked at Krische, who tilted her head in confusion. Today she was carrying a basket. "Cookies?" "Yes. They were gone so quicklyst time, so Krische made a bunch today. There are a lot more kids now than before..." Her smiling face was just like that of a neighborhood Onee-san. Kids who didn''t know Alberinea well remember her not even as Krische, but as the Cookie Onee-san. No one would ever think that this Onee-san was the greatest swordsman of all time. Kyuris also had thought the same about her before he actually saw it. In a circle of over a hundred people, there was a tall man and a small girl with silver hair. ¨D¨DThe distance between the two was six ken. Even among magic possessors, those who were called masters could shorten a distance of five ken in one breath and inflict a fatal wound on their opponent. To those who weren¡¯t magic possessors, this distance was far enough, but even if it was a bout between children, it was a rule at the ck g Sword Training Dojo that the fight must always begin with a distance of at least five ken. The instructor said that it was not about whether you can step in or not, but you must intuitively understand the possibility that your opponent can step in that fast. At first, it was difficult and bothersome, but once he realized that there were people like Kalua in the world, he obediently went along with it. If they cannot recognize the possibility that five meters was within the opponent''s de range, they will be killed instantly, no questions asked. Even more so if the opponent had a long weapon or physique. For someone as tall as Wesliel, and from what he had seen earlier, 5 ken was easily within Wesliel¡¯s de range. It wasn''t just because Merkes was intimidated that he gradually opened the distance. It was probably because he understood that the 5 ken distance he had unconsciously chosen was inside the opponent''s de range. But Krische, who seemed to have distanced herself without thinking, was about one ken further away than Merkes. A too bold statement. Her natural appearance. An expression as if she was not thinking. But she seemed to be calmly grasping the limits of her opponent''s range, and Kyuris gulped. "...Even if it''s just a sparring match, if you''re serious, you could identally get seriously injured." "It''s okay. Krische won''t get hurt, and even if the sword stabs Krische... uhh, Krische swear on Krische¡¯s name that Krische won''tin." A smile without any pretense. Wesliel looked at Krische and said, ¡®If you say so, then¡¯ and pulled out his long sword from his waist. The de was three and a half shaku long. It looked slender overall, but it was thicklyyered, and it had a mysterious sense of weight and sharpness. When he held it with his right side forward¨D¨Dit seemed his reach wasparable to a spear. The atmosphere became even more heavy and cold. Did they notice the situation here? People were starting to gather from other ces, but no one made a fuss, just watched the two of them in silence. At the very least, it was not the kind of atmosphere where they could chat. "*Sigh9... Usa-chan, where are your gauntlets?" "Hmm... It''s just a little sparring, so it''s fine for now. ...Ah, Krische is ok anytime, Zain-san." "...anytime?" "Krische, doesn''t have any particr stance." These words added fuel to the fire. Kyuris felt dizzy. Wesliel''s eyes sharpened even more, and the room froze. Everyone there must have felt his quiet anger. He felt a chill, as if the cold blood was rising from his feet, up his spine, and to the top of his head, and suddenly, someone pinched his left sleeve. Without even looking, he sped the small hand and tightly gripped his trousers with the other. There was such pressure in this ce that he would not be able to stand if he did not do so. Just by Wesliel holding his sword, Kyuris felt as if a de was pointed at his neck. And everyone around him seemed to feel the same. Even Kalua as she had an exasperated look on her face, there was a serious look in her eyes. "I''m afraid... Isn''t your arrogance and carelessness going too far?" "arrogance...?" Krische repeated, cing her fingertips on her cherry-colored lips. She tilted her head. Her silver hair sways, and her purple eyes look at Wesliel curiously. She replies that it''s not like that. "Krische just did things appropriately and without any excess. ...Krische does what is necessary, when it is necessary, and does the bare minimum that is sufficient. This is the way a great servant taught Krische, a philosophy that applies to everything from housework to cooking and even fighting." She held up her finger and nodded repeatedly with a very serious face. "There''s no need to take a mop out of the cupboard and clean every hallway just for a little stain. Always be aware of your surroundings, and wipe it down with a rag when the timees... that''s the bare minimum that is necessary and sufficient. ...In this case, Zain is just a little stain. Krische can wipe it down with a rag, so there''s no need for a mop." ¡®Krische doesn¡¯t underestimate or let her guard down¡¯, she nodded with a satisfied expression as if she had just said some very good things. However, no matter how positively one tried to interpret it, it only sounded like she was provoking Wesliel, and watching Krische words only adding fuel to the fire, made Kyuris'' stomach churn. Kalua also clutched his forehead and shook her head from side to side. "If you say that much, I have no more words to say. ...Well then, without any reservation." "Yes, go ahe¨D¨D" What happened next was likely seen by only a few among the sword master present. Wesliel stepped in, as if to release his suppressed anger. Zain''s sword stance was not just a formality. The words he spoke earlier were, after all, merely superficial concepts. Its true essence lies in the quiet use of magic power within the body and its expression. Physical strengthening¨D¨Dexplosive kic energy was generated by instantly pouring a great amount of magic power secretly refined within the body into the imaginary muscles that form the body. By using it to the fullest for propulsion, he was able to skip the motion and go from stillness to stillness. Performing an instantaneous charge, elerating like an arrow. Those who study the depths of the Zain style spend many years building strong imaginary muscles that could withstand the explosive pressure of magical power, and only when they can maintain that strength at all times were they considered a full-fledged Zain swordsman. The forms that most learn were merely the entrance, and were merely the surface techniques. Only once one has mastered the construction of advanced imaginary muscles and the use of magic power can one acquire both sides, Zain swordsmanship would demonstrate its true value. There was no escaping it. A charge that exceeds the speed of human reaction¨D¨Dif unleashed, it was a sure-kill, lethal blow. Even if sensed, it was a sword that couldn¡¯t be caught. At best, one could only put some distance, and there was no way that a human could dodge the next sh that would pursue them. This sword never missed its target once set. ¨D¨DThat was the ultimate Zain sword. Of course, even Wesliel did not think that this alone makes it wless. In the absence of a ¡®perfect user¡¯, there are situations where one was forced to take a defensive stance. Walter Zargan, who was not of Zain blood but had mastered its depths, was chosen by Elmel Zain as his sessor. He heard that his death was also the result of a surprise attack by Alberinea. The battlefield was a chaotic world. Zain''s sword was a deadly weapon, but whether or not one could create the opportunity to unleash it depends on the individual''s ability. Even after one had mastered both sides of Zain''s sword, they were still on a never-ending journey of training. Walter Zagan''s death was only a personal defeat for him, but that did not mean that Zain''s sword was defeated. However, the public''s opinion was different. It was said that the legitimate sessor to Zain-style swordsmanship was defeated by Alberinea without being able to do anything, and the people said that in the end, its true nature was a dojo sword, a swordsmanship used for recreational duels by nobles. When Walter sided with the Royal Prince, Gildanstein, the nobles abandoned him for fear of incurring the Queen''s displeasure, and the dojo, with its reputation tarnished, was temporarily on the verge of copse. ¡®There can be no sin in learning¡¯, were the words of the Queen. They invited Bagil Sandika, a master of Zain-style swordsmanship who had survived the battlefield, from outside and publicized his achievements, and finally seeded in recovering. But that was why he couldn''t stand Alberinea''s words, which seemed to scoff at their efforts up to that point. He knew she had no ill intentions. Everyone could be unconsciously arrogant, born of their talent. ¨D¨DBut now that she had spoken it here, he couldn''t overlook it. Even the way she stood and walked was serene. He had no doubt that Alberinea was a swordsman strong enough to kill Walter. She was fully endowed with the presence of the strong. Blessed with all sorts of talent, and with all that experience, her swordsmanship was surely outstanding. But in front of Zain''s sword, she allowed him to strike first, defenseless. That was nothing less than contempt. It was a deadly sword that there was no way for anyone to react once it was unleashed. He hadn''t gone easy on her. The de shifted so that it would pierce the side of his neck, but it elerated to its maximum and delivered the best blow. There was no chance it would hurt her. Because it was a sword that surpassed human reaction. It didn''t seem like the sword had read his presence, and there was no movement the moment he charged in. That''s why Alberinea stood there, frozen, her right-side neck pierced¨D¨Dor so she should have noticed. "!?" In that moment that even Wesliel couldn''t properly register¨D¨DAlberinea moved after the de was released, "Gu, gh!?" What he felt was the sensation of the sword being pulled. Then his foot was caught, and by the time he realized it, he had fallen face-first onto the ground. "Ehehe, guess it¡¯s like this?" ¨D¨DThe heel of a reinforced boot was resting on Wesliel''s neck as he copsed face-down. "Even with someone as heavy as Krische, if you push down hard enough, you can easily break the neck, so stepping on the neck of someone you''ve knocked down like this is quite effective. It doesn''t stter blood or get dirty, and it doesn''t stain your sword." With the exception of Kalua, who had been watching her ¡®arts of murderer¡¯ up close for many years, no one knew what had happened and was frozen in ce. All they could see was that Wesliel had suddenly appeared, having fallen beside her, and even Ka;ua couldn''t see clearly what she had done. But they only knew from experience. "As you can see, a thrust is a fast and powerful attack, but the trajectory is easy to understand, and it''s easy to predict how far it will reach from the position of the foot you step in." After releasing her foot, Krische suddenly took a thrusting stance with her bare hands. From the same Zain stance as Wesliel, as if thrusting out a sword. "When the opponent''s sword reaches its full length, grab it and pull it back, and then, oops..." Then, as if the sword she thrusted was being pulled, she leaned forward and hopped up and down on one leg¨D¨Dand finally, the people watching realized that she was exining. "That''s how you can make them lose their bnce. If you trip them up and knock them over, it''s roughly like this." She calmly pointed to the Wesliel and told them to be careful. The girl spoke without showing any sign of surprise at the impressive sword. Even after hearing her words, only a handful were able to understand on the spot. To begin with, no one was able to react to the Wesliel''s thrust, and even Wesliel, who had been knocked over and had his neck stepped on, was in the midst of confusion. Zain''s sword. A lightning-fast sword that transcended human reaction. In response, Alberinea picked up the de and pulled it as if it were the most natural thing to do. She wasn''t even wearing gauntlets, she waspletely barehanded. In other words, using the springs of her entire body, starting from the tips of her toes, she concentrated all her strength to the limit, and then unleashed the fastest thrust¨D¨Dand controlled her hands to ¡®match that speed¡¯. Even the slightest dy would have cut her hand away. Even to Wesliel who aimed for the limits of humanity, it seemed impossible for a human to do. Without the precision of her movements, without even the tiniest bit of deviation, and reaction speed that seemed to transcend even time, it would be impossible to reach the work of a god. Only those who have pride in their own swordsmanship could recognize this enormous gap. Those purple eyes that were like those of a dragon¨D¨DAlberinea was the embodiment of heaven''s will in human form. Do not challenge, do not resist. Never try. Humans had no choice but to hide in the storm, and bow down to the lightning. Remembering the song that praised and revered her, Wesliel broke out in a sweat. He understood in just one moment what it was that he had challenged and tried to resist. "When you thrust, your body stretches out for an instant, so you have tounch it when the opponent cannot react and you are sure to kill them. There are many enemies on the battlefield, so Krische only uses it when she wants to randomly stab someone with a sword she picked up." Hearing her smiling while saying that, Kyuris also remembered the words she had heard from Buck that morning. The child who had been pulled down by his arm and fallen ovepped with the figure of the master in front of him. There was an iparable difference in the skills of the two, but the principle was probably the same. Use the opponent''s movement to throw them off bnce. It''s simple and clear when you put it into words. But Krische demonstrated it as if it were the same thing. The master was being knocked down like a child right in front of his eyes. Even the head instructor, Kalua, was an adult and was only like a child in front of Krische. He had heard those words many times, and doubted them each time. ¨D¨DFinally understanding them, a chill ran down his spine. "Zain-san, what''s wrong?" "No... nothing..." Wesliel, who still seemed to have not recovered from the confusion, slowly stood up, "Then, one more time." "...Haa" He took a deep breath at those words and prepared himself again. It took only a moment for the turmoil in his heart to be erased. An icy pressure filled the air again, and after a beat, the next moment came. "...!?" To Kyuris''s eyes, Wesliel had indeed disappeared. He closed the distance in an instant, and the tip of his sword extended. But the sword pierced only the air. Alberinea stood behind Wesliel, her long hair like two tails swaying. Wesliel was frozen for only a moment¨D¨Das he turned around, she dodged the whirlwind-like sh with the tip of her nose, and by the second and third sh, it seemed as if the sword had slipped through her. The girl''s smile was like an illusion. Any normal person would have been cut in half by the sword sh without even realizing what had happened, but her movements seemed slow, swaying back and forth. And yet, she moved smoothly, as if she had nerves running through her hair and the edges of her clothing, without even touching a single strand of hair or the fluttering cloak. "Your thrusts are pretty good. The rest of them aren''t that bad individually either, but¨D¨D" When the sword shes exceeded ten, Wesliel swung a freezing horizontal sh. Alberinea, who should have been cut off from the torso up, slipped through and crawled along the ground, her curved sword reaching out from under Wesliel''s feet. "Maybe the link is a little loose." The de, bent in an L shape, crawled along the man''s neck. It was so smooth, as if caressing the soft flesh. Her face was the same, a smile like that of a ¡®neighborhood Onee-san¡¯. The only thing that was distorted was the curved sword in her hand, and the way she yed with the neck of the man who should be called a master. She twirled the curved sword in her hand and moved away, then turned around, "It''s not good to have to pause each movement. It''s easy to kill someone without swinging a fast sword, so excessive speed is unnecessary." With that, she stepped forward. That was all¨D¨Dbut the movement was frighteningly smooth, and the moment he realized it was a step, Krische''s body was already in front of Wesliel. Wesliel instantly leapt backwards, but Krische easily caught up with him, grabbed him by the cor and pushed him down, while simultaneously pressing the de to his neck. "Besides, if you try to move quickly or swing your sword fast, inertia woulde into y, and you will be bound by that and your options be limited. With a sword, as long as the de is aligned, it will cut automatically, so there''s no need to worry about speed." She quickly moved away and smiled at Wesliel, who stood up again with a look of shock on his face. ¡°If you step in as far as you can control, like you just did, Krische can match the tip of the back end of whatever sword the opponent is swinging. But that doesn''t mean that if the opponent moves out of range, that''s checkmate¨D¨Dthe human body is built to move forward faster than backward." This time, as she stepped in, she swept her right curved sword from the outside to the inside. The horizontal sh was also strangely gentle. It wasn''t slow, but that didn''t mean it was fast either. He saw Wesliel instantly try to deflect the curved sword, "Hs..." At that moment, Krische''s sword slipped through it¨D¨Dno, even her body slipped through Wesliel''s body, and she turned backwards in an instant. Kicking the back of his knees and forcing him to kneel, she pressed the curved sword against his neck from behind, slicing it. "Situations where fast movements are necessary are like this, only when you can definitely kill the opponent with it. What you should think about in a fight is how to reduce the opponent''s possible actions while leaving as many options as possible for you, and how to kill them by leading them to zero. The basic principle is to only use fast movements when the opponent''s posture is insufficient¨D¨Dwhen they are physically unable to deal with you." If she put in just a little more force, Wesliel would die with that. There was a hopeless difference in strength between the two, beyond the word strong. She stepped away again and raised her finger to exin. "Everyone is distracted by instantaneous speed, but what''s important is not speed but time to reach the target. A fast sword is not bad in that it shortens the time to reach the target and can kill with a small opening, but in the end, what''s important is to create a fatal opening for the opponent¨D¨D" ¡®The philosophy of the Zain method is basically like this, right?¡¯, Krische asked. "Ts..., as you said." "...In military operations, you can''t see the enemy''s situation, there are many blind spots, and it can be difficult, but when you''re facing one-on-one like this, there are no blind spots and you can see everything, so it''s very easy. You calcte all the possible actions of the enemy, eliminate them step by step, and break them down, and that''s it." She says it as if it was natural, and she never stopped smiling, as if she was having fun. "Corner the enemy so that they can''t do anything¨D¨D" She looked at Wesliel preparing again, and stepped forward. She kicked Wesliel¡¯s high-speed sword with her heel as if it was natural, knocking it away, "¨D¨DThe ideal thing would be to leave them defenseless and then quickly slice their neck open, then move on to the next one." She pressed her sword smoothly against his neck. A one-sided, routine lecture on the art of murder, addressed to a master. The neck was a vital part of the body, and protecting it was the most basic of basics. There was no way Wesliel didn''t know this, but there was no question. She simply repeated it. Alberinea had a morbid love for shaving off the soft flesh of necks so that her twisted curved sword wouldn''t hurt them¨D¨Dshe was nicknamed the Head Hunter. Kyuris remembered many anecdotes about this. From ordinary soldiers to heroes, masters, and brave heroes¨D¨DAlberinea hunted their heads. She cuts human heads carelessly, like harvesting wheat with a sickle. "If you have the time, it''s a good idea to kill someone while thinking about how to kill the next person Krische doesn''t like to do this because it damage the sword, but you could just cut off their limbs first¨D¨D" Just as the anecdote said¨D¨Dthe master swordsman Wesliel Zain was killed all too naturally. That sword was unlike any other sword Kyuris had ever seen. It had no overwhelming power, and no sense of pressure that would make one tense. It was more like something that coiled around your feet up to your neck without you even noticing, like a snake. It was the kind of unreasonable and sudden thought that made Kyuris imagine having his neck split open by a sudden gust of wind. ¡®...She''s the epitome of the unreasonable. There''s nothing more unreasonable on the battlefield than facing her. She cuts through enemy lines as if parting grass, and takes the heads of generals as easily as picking fruit.¡¯ There was no lie in Merkes'' words. It''s precisely because she made human reason no longer valid that she was called the ¡®Heavenly Sword¡¯. That''s why she tly denied even the deadly de that Wesliel spoke of. "¨D¨DWell, guess that''s the basics of swordsmanship. Of course, that''s not to say that Zain''s style is bad. Kyuris, wooden sword." "Uh, ah... yes..." Krische put the curved sword back into its sheath and took the wooden sword Kyuris offered her. Then, standing about six meters away, she faced Wesliel, whose face was pale and covered in sweat. The girl held her sword in front of her¨D¨DZain''s style. "When you hold your sword in front of your body, there''s inevitably less preparatory movement, so it can be effective in some cases. After measuring the opponent''s reaction speed, if there''s this much of a difference in ability¨D¨D" She went from still to still. She pierced Wesliel''s neck right next to it with the wooden sword, and for a moment he lost sight of Krische. Her silver hair and cloak fluttered down softly a beatter, as if to make up for lost time. ¨D¨DThe sword of Zain, which leaps even through time. "This stance isn''t bad at all, since it lets you take the first step in the shortest and fastest time possible." Even Wesliel, Zain''s sessor, had his limits. He fell on his buttocks, frightened by the wooden sword and its sudden appearance. A beatter, the breeze that reached Kyuris felt strangely cold. "Krische personally think it''s best to swing the sword loosely and lightly, rather than with a sharp movement, but most people can''t even swing a sword as smoothly and powerfully as Zain, so one option is to first learn how to step in and swing the sword quickly in Zain style." The way he spoke remained the same from start to finish, and in terms of seriousness, she was more serious about cooking. At least to her, a sword was only that important. "Even in cooking, the bare minimum was to be able to use knives and cooking utensils skillfully. What''s important is to think about how to use those skills to make delicious food. There is no answer to this, and it requires a deep, endless quest that even Krische¡¯s teacher says she is only halfway there... but in that respect, swordsmanship is simr." Nodding in agreement, she continued, not noticing that no one was saying a word. "In the end, a sword is just a way to make cuts in moving meat. It can''t bepared to the depth of cooking. However, both have inmon that you first learn the bare minimum of skills and then increase the range of your possible actions, and it''s important to be aware of and think about the bare minimum, regardless of one skill." ¡®Do you understand?¡¯ Krische turned around and looked at Wesliel, who was still sitting on his butt. She didn''t seem intimidating at all, and she smiled calmly like a child. Her atmosphere and everything, including her purple eyes, were the usual ¡®Onee-san¡¯ she always was. Without distinction between child and adult, amateur and expert. He realized that she was someone who could look down on people like that and be forgiven for it. The gentle purple color that the boy always saw now seemed incredibly terrifying, and he shivered. "The Zain style... sword..." Wesliel, who had been staring at her in amazement, rose to his feet, dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "...I have seen... the profound depths beyond..." His trembling voice and the trembling fist touching the ground were visible. What kind of being was Alberinea? No one would think that he was foolish for challenging her without knowing that. Everyone looked at him with pity, though even that gaze seemed cruel. "...Hmm, Krische doesn''t really get it, but well, if you understand, that''s good. It seems like you''re swinging the sword pretty well, so from now on, try to think about how to put it together overall, not with a ''kyukkyukyukyu'' kind of feel, but with a ''fuwa, kyu, shuubi'' kind of feel." "...Understood." "Please do your best. Kalua, we''re done, so shall we go and check out something else?" "*Sigh*...I''m starting to feel like this exchange event is going to end because of Usa-chan." "...? Ah, Kyuris, here. This is a good opportunity for Kyuris, so let''s get Zain and the others to teach you all sorts of things." "Y-Yes..." What could he possibly be taught in this situation? He didn''t think that a depressed Wesliel would be able to recover quickly enough to be able to give instruction, but Kyuris had no choice but to nod. In the midst of the cold atmosphere, she was the only one in a good mood, not noticing it. She looked satisfied as if he had given a good lesson, unaware that he had pulverized into pieces something that a man had probably risked his life for and acquired through extraordinary training. When she rode off on Suiko with Kalua and disappeared somewhere, the only lively atmosphere disappeared from the venue¨D¨Dleaving behind only a heavy, hopeless atmosphere. Everyone seemed to ept that the helpless defeat of the legitimate sessor to Zain was inevitable against Alberinea. Another big reason was that she continued to break the spirits of the gathered dojo masters. In the forest, the trees were hidden. Alberinea was not an opponent to challenge, but someone to receive instruction from. An atmosphere that it was no shame to lose had naturally developed. The following year, she also participated in the exchange meeting, which had be a regr urrence. Seeing her in an apron dress (when she showed up, perhaps because of that tragedy, they somehow ended up holding an outdoor cooking ss at the sword-fighting exchange meeting), bowing deeply and asking for her instruction as if they were a pupil, even Kyuris, who had witnessed the tragedy, felt a sense of relief. As soon as Krische entered the dojo, the children crowded around her, asking for cookies, and while sheined, she gave them to them with a smile¨D¨Dno matter how you look at it, it was the neighborhood Cookie Onee-san. It was terrifying to think she was the same person. Hearing Kalua say she was like that even on the battlefield made it easy to imagine her cutting off heads with that same smile, though they probably wouldn''t get to see it again. Kyuris didn¡¯t particrly want to see it. To Kyuris, the Queen''s Sister Alberinea was a kind and strange older sister after all. And that''s fine. The image of her handing out cookies suited her better, and itpletely cleared up any doubts that Krische was weak. That sword technique was beyond their ability to learn, and it was easier for Kyuris and the others to understand and more fruitful if they were taught by Kalua, who had supposedly learned it from her. "Oh, Shelicia. Kyuris too. I didn''t think you''de today." "Sorry, Director. I''ve got some work to do at home..." "Fufu, you don''t have to apologize. Actually, I wanted to ask you to train the kids..." The Director, Mia, showed up. As always, she didn¡¯t look very strong, but he no longer had any ¡®misunderstandings¡¯ about her. Thest day of the exchange meeting. Kalua suggested that they take the opportunity to do some javelin throwing, and they got to see the rare sight of the Director throwing a spear, which dispelled the theory that the Director was weak. ¡®See, it''s not like she¡¯s swinging a sword, and she¡¯s good at it, right?¡¯ ¡®...You know, it''s been more than twenty years since Ist threw a spear.¡¯ "It''s all right, Mia, whether thest time you threw a spear was yesterday or twenty years ago. ...Just throw it with all your might.'' ''This...!'' After seeing Kahlua''s brilliant javelin throw, it looked like a world apart. Just as she said, it was a throw with almost no run-up. However, the heavy melee spear she threw at Kalua easily pierced the tree behind her, breaking it. The children who were watching froze at the tremendous force of the spear. If it had hit, a human''s torso would have been easily blown away. Even if the opponent was the superhuman Kalua, the sight of Mia calmly unleashing such violence at close range was not something that an ordinary person could do. Though she appears calm, she was also a monster who had survived many battlefields. ''Mia, how many pumpkins do you think the spear you broke would be worth? No, it''s not a question of money. You shouldn''t think that just because you bought it with your own money that you can use it roughly. It''s a spear that a craftsman worked hard to make.'' ''...I''m sorry. But I was nning to stab it into a tree and break it...it''s been a while, so I''m not sure how much force I should use, you know...'' ''Your excuses are unseemly, Director Mia. Everyone else is throwing it far, but you''re throwing it at me¨D¨D'' ''Shut up!'' ''Mia, Krische is lecturing you'' ''Ugh...why me...'' It was a little disappointing that the javelin training was canceled because Krische had started lecturing her us, and they missed the opportunity to see Alberinea''s spear throwing, which was said to be beyond the capabilities of a human, but whatever the case, after that, neither Kyuris nor the other children ever said that the two of them looked weak. It was the first time in twenty years that she had thrown a javelin without a run-up, and it had such power¨D¨Dthere was no need to imagine how powerful her javelin throws were when she was serious. From then on, everyone respected her, never wanting to make her angry. There was nothing more frightening than a person who normally didn¡¯t get angry, and Mia was one of those people. "I understand. Um... what''s wrong with Zarka and the others?" "Kalua and the others are hungover. I don''t think they''lle out until around noon. Yesterday we all got together and drank for the first time in a while." ¡®I stopped them halfway through¡¯, Mia said in a sulky mood, butpared to the other warriors she looked very normal, but he was sure many were fooled by that. The instructor''s words, ¡®Don''t underestimate people by their appearances¡¯, were deeply engraved in his heart. Now Kyuris understood that appearing weak was also a skill. "I see. I understand. ... That said, it doesn''t look like we''ll be practicing for a while." "Well, with Krische-sama here, it''s fine." Mia gave a bitter smile as she watched the children crowd around the cookies. Kyurisughed, saying he had been like that at one point too. Alberinea''s homemade cookies were indeed the finest, they were not extravagant, but simple and somewhat rustic, with a gentle honey vor. Everyone was happy with the cookies she brought. Mia said, ¡®Please¡¯, and bowed, going off somewhere, while Shelicia and him exchanged a wry smile. "Why don''t you get some Kyuris too?" "...How old do you think I am? I''m already fifteen." As he said this, he walked to the corner of the dojo. While nning what he should focus on today, Krische came over after a while, bringing along a group of children. He bowed his head and said, ¡®sorry, and Cliche smiled and said, ¡®Don''t worry about it¡¯, and handed me the cookies. He gratefully epted the cookies, then pped his hands and lined up the children. The number of children has increased every year, and now there are nearly forty lined up. It must be the result of the reputation spreading that even mischievous children like Kyuris have settled down after attending here. There are many days like today when the elementary school was not in session, and it was almost like a daycare center, but the directors didn''t mind. "¨D¨DThe more evenly matched the abilities are, the longer the fight willst, and the more tired you will be. You may find yourself unable to swing your sword as you intended, or even losing your weapon. That''s why today I''m going to teach you some simple techniques to win a fight with your opponent." Both Kyuris and Shelicia have been in charge of teaching the children for a long time, and were used to it, but standing next to Krische was still a little tense. Unless asked, she doesn''t interfere with the teaching, but Kyuris was still very inexperienced. She was the ultimate swordsman, and the fact that she was observing him with her own eyes put a lot of pressure on her, so even Shelicia, who was usually so confident and used to dealing with children, had a slightly stiff face. Since that time, Shelicia hade to have a strong admiration for her, so it must be even more so. Shelicia is always trying hard not to show any shameful behavior, and her care was different. "¨D¨DFirst, do it like this, slowly, one by one. The important thing is the movement of the joints and the direction of the force. If you do it well, even I can easily defeat Kyuris, and you guys can easily defeat adults. The important thing is the bare minimum. Once you learn the principles, it''s all about timing, don''t try to do it with too much force. It will hurt your opponent." Shelicia demonstrates the technique they would use today on Kyuris''s body, told the children, and asked Krische. "How was it? Krische-sama" "Hm... Krische thinks that''s a very easy exnation. The bare minimum is sufficient... as expected, it''s a wonderful phrase that can be applied to anything." Krische, who had been quoted, nodded repeatedly with satisfaction, saying that Shelicia had grown up. Seeing this, Shelicia¡¯s hair tied in two ponytails also swayed and she looked at Kyuris, smiling proudly. Kyuris continues, half-exasperated. "Now, let''s practice this technique in pairs. It''s best to pair people of simr height and with different abilities. If there are no questions, let''s get started...Bolz?" Suddenly, he saw a boy¨D¨DBolz looking down with a thoughtful expression. A serious, dedicated boy who is the leader of the children, Bolz looked around at the children on both sides when asked. The children nodded and looked at Bolz with expectant eyes, and Bolz clenched his fists as if he had made up his mind. Kyuris tilted his head. "What''s the matter, is there something?" "No, well... um, can I ask Krische-sama a question?" "...? What is it, Bolz?" Looking at the ¡®Onee-san¡¯ who also tilted her head, the boy asked with a very serious expression. "Um, Krische-sama... is she really strong?" ¨D¨DIt was a question he remembered hearing a long time ago. > Bonus Story < "Anytime is fine, Wag Wag." "Yes. Well then, here I go." Many soldiers formed a circle, with the two in the center. ¡®Heavenly Sword¡¯ Krische Christand. And the great swordsman who had mastered the Zain sword, Bagil Sandika. Everyone had heard the rumor from the other day. That the legitimate sessor to the Zain style, Wesliel Zain, had been defeated without being able to do anything. Why did Bagil challenge Alberinea? Many of the recruits assumed it was to avenge him. ¡®A lightning-fast thrust too fast to even see¨D¨DAlberinea grabbed the tip of the sword and pulled him down. Then she stepped on the back of his neck¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®¨D¨DDid she step on him with her foot?¡¯ ¡®Y-yes. That''s right.'' ''I see... it''s worth a try.'' A rare serious tone in response to the words of the battalionmander who was at the exchange meeting. It was so serious that even the battalionmander, who was old enough to have experienced the Unification War, shuddered. Bagil Sandika was an old man over 90 years old, but even now, when confronted, he was a monster who would freeze you and seems to turn back into a child. The battalionmander stiffened and told his men that something might be wrong. His sword was on his right side¨D¨Dno one could see his charge with their eyes. It was lightning speed. However, Alberinea showed no sign of being shaken, and Bagil''s body was leaning forward and floating in the air. "!?" Everyone there was astonished. Even in that position, Bagil twisted his body into a spiral. Everyone gasped at the split-second exchange and the incredible skill unfolding there, but Bagil fell t on his back¨D¨D "...it''s not the neck huh." "Well...the inside of the skirt will be seen so...even then this much is enough to break the head." Looking at Bagil''s face¨D¨Dshe stepped on his eye area and lifted her foot. "... Um, Wag Wag? Is there any meaning to that...?" What appeared on Alberinea''s face was a genuine question. "It''s trial and error, and it''s a failure in the process." "Ah, I see..." ¨D¨DFailure was a sess in the verification that this will not work. Bagil told his subordinates with a serious face. Chapter 290: Character introductionâ€•â€•Those in Extra Story (Includes spoilers) Chapter 290: Character introduction¨D¨DThose in Extra Story (Includes spoilers) ***Chapter 290 Character introduction¨D¨DThose in Extra Story (Includes spoilers)*** - Attributes Order----Values rules and discipline, universal concepts, and emphasizes a well-organized society andw. Chaos----Values individuals and their emotional thoughts, valuing will over social discipline and morality. Neutral----Does not lean towards either Order or Chaos. Good------Altruistic disposition. They put more importance on the morality they believe in than their own profit and are martyred for it. Evil------Selfish disposition. ces importance on one''s own interests and is willing to kick others down the road to achieve them. Neutral------A moderate temperament that does not swing either way. - How to read the names of the nobles of the kingdom Example: (1) Gildanstein, (2) Kalnaros, (3) Vel, (4) Sarcarinea, (5) Alberan 1. Name: Gildanstein 2. Thergestnd in the area under his management: Kalnaros. (This is simplified, originally, it''s very long as it includes all of the areas under one''s management.) 3. Male royalty with the right of session to the throne: Vel, Female royalty: Vera. 4. Honorary title: Sarcarinea 5. Family (house) name: Alberan Officially, between (4) and (5), military ranks such as Marshal or General, or words indicating royal court positions such as Prime minister, are added, or words indicating titles such as Grand Duke are added after the family name. However, since the horizontal letters are already too long, the necessary ranks and titles are written in kanji (Chinese characters) at the end of each sentence for the sake of rity. Basically, other than the family name, the title is not necessarily inherited by the child, but unless there is a particr problem, the legitimate son will customarily inherit thend and the title. However, only the honorary title of no. 4, which indicates military exploits as a warrior, is not inherited. When a person without a surname receives the title quasi-knighthood of Nea, they often name their ce of birth. (Example) Gallen Nea Kalka. - Height Profile Glossary (in cm) The average height for men is around 175cm, and for women is around 160cm. +No entry: average height +Medium build: average height +High stature (tallrge): About 10 cm taller than average. In the case of men, if it is written as 6 shaku, it exceeds 180. +Small stature (petite): About 10 cm lower than average. +Comparatively: Tall/petite is below average. +Extremely (very): Tall/small is above average. - Character - Height - Roughly - Vague Imagination (author''s) Krische - 140,tter half - 147 Bery - 150, first half - 152 Selene - 150,tter half ¨C 159 Kreschenta - 140, first half - (I-I¡¯m still growing) Kalua - 160,tter half - 168~169 Mia - 150,tter half - 158 Elvena- 160,tter half - 161~162 Anne - > 160 < - > 160 < Lira - 150,tter half - 157 Midyliarize- 150,tter half ¨C 156 Calshe - 160, first half ¨C 163 ¡ð Alive in the extra story ¡ñ Died in the extra story - ---- Moonlight Legacy ¡ð Elgainst Kleinmeer Alberinea Ramil -- Neutral Good Alberinea''s fanatic boys. Director of the Institute of Magic Research. The first emperor of the magic empire Kleinmeer. Nemu Nemu (sleepy sleepy). A genius captivated by the beauty of Krische¡¯s magical crystals since childhood. He frequently visited the Institute of Magic from a young age and fell in love with Krische at first sight. He took immense pride in being praised by her for hispetence and dedicated all his time and talent to magic to gain her recognition. For him, Krische was God itself, and he spent his days researching to uncover the mysteries of the magical crystals she left behind. He was named Nemu Nemu because he looked sleepy with his eyelids slightly closed. ¡î After Moving He was devastated after she vanished but rose again, believing the ¡®Great Law of Heavenly Change¡¯ she had casted was the key to everything. He discovered magical inscriptions that didn¡¯t rely on crystals, like the lightning spear she used on the battlefield, and he devoted himself to researching magic and stabilizing it. Her magic crystals were encrypted, and if anyone tried to interfere with them in order to analyze them, they would self-destruct and engulf the surrounding area, but for many years, one magic crystal that did not have this protection and was said to be for study purposes had been ced in the research institute. He devoted decades of his time to creating a magic analyzer, and bybining it with magic, he was finally able to break through the protection. Appearing before him was Krische¡¯s illusion made of magical power. ¡®Krische made it so that it would be easy to solve by engraving the form with fuyo-fuyo, but it''s quite. Krische made Jagashanka so you can''t solve it properly, so please give up.¡¯ That''s the message she spoke as she raised her finger. ¡®...Ah, it might be unlikely but, if Krische is still nearby, then call Krische toe and Krische''ll praise you directly.¡¯ Leaving only that, the magic crystal vanished. Repeating her words and looking around, he saw that the kingdom was beginning to tremble in the absence of the queen and Alberinea. He understood that the peace she had left behind would undoubtedly crumble one day, and that it was his role to give it a new shape. After secretly seizing magical weapons and obtaining her great power, he organized a magical society with other magicians called ''Moonlight Legacy¡¯¨D¨DKleinmeer. He asked his friend in the military, Walza Remin, for help, and decided to take action to stabilize the continent. He was reluctant to call himself Alberinea, who should be called a god, and to use it, but there was no other name that could unite the people. There was no better name to let them know that he was not a rebel, but the heir to her will. After founding the country, he called himself Emperor and pacified the continent. After founding the country, he called himself Emperor and pacified the continent. The form for the ¡®Great Law of Heavenly Change¡¯ that he saw that day was burned into his memory. He was the only one who didn''t believe that Alberinea had died in a failed experiment, and was convinced that she was still alive somewhere. He continued his research just so he could meet her again and say a word to her, and then a hundred yearster¨D¨Dbefore his inevitable death, he mustered hisst strength and conducted his final experiment. What he saw, now an old man barely made of skin and bones, was an endlessly beautiful world. After a moment, a girl floated down from the sky. ¨D¨DOoh, Krische thought you were someone else. It''s been a while, Nemu-Nemu. After a short conversation with her, he told her that the world was at peace and that he had solved the magic crystal she had left behind, and she smiled and patted his head. Closing his eyes at the sensation, he fell into a contented sleep, with no further regrets. ¡÷ Historically He was the first emperor of the thousand years empire Kleinmeer, a great magician who was said to have mastered the essence of magic, and was remembered as the pinnacle of that power, a magician. He had the power to single handedly influence military strategy, and there was a famous anecdote about how he used that power to annihte an army of 10,000 when he pacified the Far East. In history, the appearance of him and the other ¡®magic engraver¡¯ and magicians, including the great magician he led, was often seen as the one that brought an end to the Age of Heroes. He was sometimes considered a magicianparable to the Queen and Alberinea, but Elgainst himself said that he was no match for them, and in his notes from that time, he said that ¡®it is presumptuous to even call myself Alberinea¡¯. In fact, no one has been able to decipher Alberinea''s magic crystal to date, so many people consider Alberinea to have been a special being, just as the words mean. He always said that he stood up for peace on the continent, and that no major reforms were made during his reign. Politics was centered around the council, just as it was in the final days of Alberan, and he considered himself the emperor only as a symbol. Although he held veto power in the council, he basically participated as the chairman who oversaw it, and once the parliament had stabilized, he did not interfere with its decisions, and never exercised his veto power. Like Queen Crescenta, he did not like extravagance and did not indulge in extravagances for himself, and because of this he was gradually epted by the people and came to be seen as her rightful sessor. Following this example, the next emperor also valued the beauty of being strong but not overbearing, and this custom was passed down for hundreds of years, and no one doubted that he was a great ruler who should go down in history. He was known to have spent his days on personal research alongside his government duties, and after his abdication he devoted himself to it. He was believed to have died as a result of a failed experiment. He never spoke of his purpose, but he had said that he wanted to meet the great Alberinea once more, and it was believed that he may have aimed to resurrect the dead or travel through time. He maintained his youth for a very long time, living for two hundred years, but he had not established any special life-extending techniques, and in hister years he had been aging rapidly. These two hundred years were often thought to be the limit of his lifespan, purely due to his control over the magical power of his body. Appearance: Long white hair that hangs to the floor. Brown eyes. Morbidly thin. Eyes that look closed even when open. Long beard. ¡úKrische: Goddess. A shining guidepost. A presence that gave him a goal. Strong points: Magic. Spells. Magical analysis. Magic weapon design. Likes: Alberinea. Analyzing Alberinea''s magic crystals. Dislikes: Those who misuse Alberinea''s wisdom. Worries: None. ¡ñ Waltza Tarak Gashearinea Remin -- Chaos Good A serious young man with a bad friend. Duke. Grand Marshal of the Sorcerer Empire Army. A childhood friend of Kleinmeer Emperor, Elgainst Ramil. They have been friends since being introduced to each other by his grandfather Aleha. Elgainst was theplete opposite of Waltza, who loves swords and being outside. He was worried about Elgainst, who was unhealthily withdrawn day and night, and was absorbed in studying magic without interacting with others, so he forced him to go outside and they became friends. Waltza would spend his time hanging out at Elgainst¡¯s ce every time he ran away from his tutor, and eventually he invited Elgainst to be his tutor, teaching him academic subjects. Elgainst¡¯s knowledge was close to that of a schr due to his ability to absorb academic subjects, so there wouldn''t be anyint if he taught him, and it wouldn''t be so stiff, as they were friends. It was a calcting proposal based on that idea, but Elgainst realized that teaching someone knowledge would deepen his own understanding. With the opportunity and enthusiasm, Waltza''s education eventually became even stricter than with that of a private tutor, which he came to deeply regret. To keep Elgainst alive after losing Krische, he focused Elgainst attention on the goal of a quick coup d''¨¦tat, which was also his grandfathers'' wish, and the goal of a war to establish a nation, and gave him the responsibility of being a symbol, but he was troubled until the end by the fact that he had forced Elgainst into a role that did not fit with the way he wanted to live. He himself had someints against Krische and Kreschenta, who had irresponsibly abandoned the country, and he did not have any strong ideals, especially for the future of the kingdom or for the people, but rather acted mostly out of personal feelings, following the wills of his beloved grandfather and father. He acted like an idealist to inspire his friend, pushing him along while saying that this was also what Krische wanted, but in the end he felt sorry for forcing his friend into a position he could not escape from and for forcing a heavy burden on him. As he watched his friend continue to lose his heart in the unfamiliar position of Emperor, he wondered if he should say this to his friend, who had forced him into that position, but as his own death drew near and he worried about what would happen to him, he made up his mind and confessed it to him in his final moments. ¡®You have worked hard and fulfilled Krische¡¯s wish. So now, as a single human, fulfill your true wish.¡¯ ¡÷ Historically The first Grand Marshal of the Kleinmeer Magic Empire and a confidant of the first Magician Emperor. One of the heroes in the Kleinmeer Founding War, he yed a key role in the coup and the war that followed. He was Elgainst''s most trusted right-hand man in military strategy and actualbat, and even though he had many magical weapons, including Jareia Gashea, his undefeated record in 27 battles showed his military talent and depth of knowledge, and there was no doubt that he was one of the best generals after the time Alberinea was lost. He is thought to have left behind many military textbooks that focused on the use of magic weapons, but most of them have been lost and no originals remain. However, many military-rted books from the Kleinmeer era were created with reference to these texts, and many quotations from them were included. It is said that he was best friends with the first emperor, Elgainst Ramil, since childhood, and there were many songs and stories that feature Elgainst and him as the main characters. ¡ñ Kuran Ramil -- Order Good A hardworking boy who is one step behind. Vice-director of the research academy. The eldest son of Till Ramil, director of the Magic Research Academy, and a thoroughbred born to a married couple of magicians. Perhaps because of his lineage, he was an excellent boy from a young age, but as a result of being raised in the Magic Research Academy, where geniuses from all over the kingdom gather, he has a personality thatcked confidence in himself. He has a strong fear of failure, and due to his nervous personality, he was overly particr about the engraving of magic forms, and despite his sufficient ability, his temperament caused him to miss out on the position of director. Because he was a person who can perform very careful engravings, he was highly thought of by Krische, and as a result, he often receives direct instruction from her, but this very detailed instruction only exacerbates his nervous side, leading to a vicious cycle (without Krische realizing, of course). Because of this, he had a bad feeling towards Cliche when he was young, but after he became vice-director, he came to ept that this was just right for him, and he gradually became one of the people who respected her like a child. ¡÷ Historically Father of Elgainst Ramil. Vice-director of the Magic Research Academy of the Kingdom of Alberan. - ---- Varkas ¡ñ Krarze -- Order Neutral A small-time rogue who wants to start a family. He was like an older brother to Grunmeld. He was the leader of the Varkas. He grew up in an orphanage attached to the temple that worships Almera, the goddess of love. His military father died in battle, and his mother died of illness, so he ended up staying at the orphanage, but the orphanage was secretly connected to ve traders and engaged in human trafficking. When a girl who was like a sister to him was sold, he and his younger brother stole money and left the orphanage to search for her, but it didn''t go well, and he ended up in the slums, where he lived. His mother was the daughter of a merchant, and he grew up with a good education, so he rose to prominence as a leader among the children in the slums, but his life was harsh. His younger brother died of illness, and he had no money to buy medicine or see a doctor, so he was traumatized by not being able to help him, and began to desire a stable life that was not just surviving day to day. This desire to avoid the pain of losing loved ones led him to maintain a small group called ¡®Varkas¡¯, clearly distinguishing between insiders and outsiders. ¨D¨DIf he is this vigorous, he will not die before me. One day, he found a child he decided to take him in because he thought the child wouldn''t die before him due to his energy. He named the child after his brother, even though their personalities werepletely different. ¡ð Karlos Dead Rinea Thone ¨C Chaos Neutral A bold and rough-and-tumble boy. Adjutant to the general of the Varkas army. Former bandit. He was from the formerpeting areas of Gulshan and Alberan, and was half Sharn. Bothnguages were spoken in his hometown, and he could speak both Western Common and Sharn. He has a short temper, and after fighting with his parents, he left his home as a craftsman to be a caravan guard. He was valued for his ability to speak twonguages and his strength, but even there, fights continued. After many fights and separations from his family, from Gulshan to Elsren and then to northern Alberan, he decided he was not fit to be employed and became a bandit. From his experience, he had a wealth of knowledge about caravans, and he collected tolls in the Great Sea of Trees and expanded his territory by hunting other bandits. However, after hearing rumors about the bandit hunter Grunmeld, he challenged him to a duel, but was overwhelmed and defeated. He liked Grunmeld''s way of life, which was more free than his own, and decided to join his side. Arge, muscr man who uses arge axe, he had arge appearance that was described as ¡®rough face¡¯, but he was very smart and was one of Granmeld''s trusted subordinates. After Bagil was transferred, he ran to the battlefield as Granmeld''s adjutant. He was concerned about hisrge nose. ¡÷ Historically Adjutant to Grunmeld Varkas. Arge man simr to him, he was known as one of the fiercest warriors who could wield arge axe with ease. It was said that he was one of Grunmeld subordinates before he joined the military, and it was believed that he was originally a bandit like him. ¡ñ Toxlenia Linea Ariza-- Chaos Neutral A rich boy who has fallen to the dark side. Battalionmander. The second son of the Ariza family, a long-standing and prestigious family in the north. Although he was raised beingpared to his talented older brother, who was much older than him, he was originally a kind-hearted young man and lived a peaceful life, believing that his role was to assist his older brother. However, his beloved eldest brother was killed in battle. He joined the military in his ce as the eldest son, and was crushed by the heavy responsibility. The battalionmander was his brother''s former adjutant. Due to his connections and family background, he was given the position of centurion of the reserve battalion, but the battalionmander, aware of Toxlenia¡¯s personality and abilities that were not suited to tough situations, did not trust Toxlenia and, as he came from a distinguished family and was the younger brother of a former superior, kept him away from danger. The other members of the battalion also spoke behind his back, calling him a spoiled noble only by his family background, a weakling who was nothing like his brother, who was a great battalionmander. Then what he saw in his eyes was the centurion Gallen, who had achieved brilliant military feats. On the other hand, he is not good at dealing with the Holy Empire, which uses nomadic archers and cavalrymen to disrupt the rear, and he detests them. The soldiers, the centurions, and even the battalionmander praised him without reservation, and even though he was ofmoner background, the nobles who were his subordinates, thought of lower rank, showed him heartfelt respect. The subordinates all said they wished they had a superior like that, not Toxlenia, he was tormented by a strong sense of inferiority and impatience when the battalion main camp was attacked. He desperately jumped at the opportunity that arose when the enemy battalionmanders were killed in battle. But even after he had forcefully seized the honor and be a battalionmander, the contempt he felt grew stronger with each passing day. They all looked at each other and asked why Toxlenia was the battalionmander and not Gallen, and no matter how hard he tried, it never went away. Gradually, his feelings of inferiority turned to hostility towards Gallen, and he considered using their power to legally eliminate him, but Gallen returned from the dead as if it were natural and continued to achieve incredible feats. The centurions among centurions, heroes of the soldiers, the more his reputation grew, and by that time, more than anything else, Toxlenia was only thinking about how to eliminate him from the army, rather than his duties. And so, he ordered the burning of viges for him who was known for his chivalry, and seeded in driving him out of the army¨D¨Dbut he was abandoned even by those who had felt a little pity for him, and in the next battle, Toxlenia was killed in battle, isted after an attack on the main camp. It was best to not have an ipetent superior, they said in secret. ¡ð Rosine Varkas-- Order Good A weak-willed, pushy wife type of woman. Grunmeld''s wife and the daughter of apetent administrator. Her father was originally a merchant for the Versler firm, but was recruited by Nozan and put in charge of asset management and business transactions under him. Her mother was also a distant rtive of the Verreich family, and Nozan was busy building connections, which Bogan also didn¡¯t like, and in this way he solidified his base and made it a solid one, but the problem was Grunmeld. Nozan was troubled by Grunmeld''spleteck of interest or motivation in solidifying his base or managing the territory, so he sent her father over, and he was put in charge of the entire Varkas family. Rosine was born around that time, and she grew attached to the gruff but gentle Grunmeld, and began studying hard to serve the Varkas family like her father. Despite being only an apprentice, she helped her father and spent time by Granmeld''s side, gradually developing romantic feelings for him. She knew his preferences for food and drink, and always paid close attention to them, always greeting him when he returned home, and if he drank, she would take the initiative to make snacks for him. She would visit him on small errands to ask for his advice, and would often stayte at work, staying at the mansion half the week. However, her expression was stiff from nervousness, and she never showed a smile. She was simply impressed that Grunmeld was simply an earnest person; she spent nearly ten years like this without him noticing her appeal. The small gestures of consideration andpliments that Grunmeld would asionally say to her. She was confident that her feelings were conveyed to him to some extent, but she was shocked when he told her, ¡®If you''re thinking about the family, then you don¡¯t have to worry, you can go to the man you love with peace of mind¡¯, and began crying, greatly troubling Grunmeld. Although she oftenins about Grunmeld''s messiness with women and life, she really likes being his wife and taking care of him, and she spent peaceful days with him. Northern, seeing the two of them like that,ughed, pointing to the mad dog he once was, saying, ¡®you¡¯re now tied up with a cor and turned into a dog¡¯. - ---- Once Upon a Time, On the Throne of God ¡ð Borok Lisia Andrzeja -- Order Good An extraordinary mountain man. Mountaineer. Count. A great man who sessfully reached the summit of the highest ce in the world, Greiviarbe (Grabyarbe in Krische¡¯s time), alone. Since her childhood, she has had a strong ideal of what a nobleman should be, and she has been improving herself in order to embody that ideal. He was a very stoic person, and didn¡¯t boast to others, but simply tortured and trained himself. He boasted a high physical abilities that were iparable to those of an average magician. Although he had conquered countless peaks and made a huge profit from the books he published, he also lived a very frugal life. He spent most of the profits he made from his books on mountain climbing, spendingvishly on improving and creating climbing equipment, travel expenses, and bribes to enter sacred sites and privatend. After submitting Greiviarbe, he used his connections to pour all his energy into the development and prosperity of his hometown, and was the type of person who would charge ahead once he had made a decision. After seeing the ¡®Nirkana Seller Sisters¡¯ and their apron dresses, he published a book called ¡®Once Upon a Time, On the Throne of God¡¯. It doubled as an autobiography looking back on his mountaineering journeys up to that point, and also included his encounters with the goddesses that he had not written about before, but it attracted the interest of some Alberan researchers, who came to hear his story from far away. ¡÷ Historically An unprecedented mountaineer known for summiting Greiviarbe alone in the fall. Summiting Greiviarbe, was thought to be impossible. The Andrzeja South Wall route gave dreams to many climbers, and for the next 300 years, he continued to reign as the only person to reach the summit of Greiviarbe. His detailed mountaineering record, with him on the verge of death and life, was highly narrative, and was popr even among the general public who were not interested in mountain climbing, and was said to have been especially popr after he reached the summit of Greiviarbe. Written several decadester, ¡®Once Upon a Time, On the Throne of God¡¯ described the truth of the climb to Greiviarbe and the encounter with the goddess, which caused controversy. Some Alberan researchers still talk about the possibility that they were the Alberinea who became gods. - ---- The Boy and the Onee-san ¡ö Kyuris Ennis -- Neutral Good A boy who used to be a mischievous boy. A book rental store owner. Assistant instructor at a sword school. A boy who attends the ck g Sword Dojo, fascinated by the legend of Alberinea. However, when he met Alberinea, she was just like next door Onee-san. She was a mysterious person who didn¡¯t show the slightest interest in swords, and spent her time leisurely with her teammates, bringing them homemade cookies as a gift, and then went home. She was nothing like the Alberinea depicted in the numerous anecdotes. Day after day, she didn¡¯t even swing her sword, but poured tea in an apron dress and chatted while eating cookies¨D¨Done day, the boy asked her a question that has been on his mind for many years (two years). After seeing Alberinea''s strength that was on a different level, he was nervous when he saw her for a while, but she was just the same cookie Onee-san as always. He once again treated her as the ¡®slightly strange Onee-san¡¯ as before. After that, he took over his family''s book rental business, and taught swordsmanship to children at the school as an assistant instructor, and after Krische left, he taught them about her. ¡÷ Historically He left behind a memoir about the time at the ck g Sword Training School, which became one of the valuable records of Alberinea''s appearance. Her childlike temperament and the way she smiled as she handed out cookies to the children match some historical documents about Alberinea, such as ¡®At the Noble Hawk''s Mansion¡¯, and it seemed that he had a very favorable impression of Alberinea. It also spoke of the amazing javelin throwing by Mia the head of the Dojo, the ck g Special Company Commander, and wrote about her, specting that she might have been a warriorparable to Kalua. ¡ð 9632; Shelicia Kirsveg -- Neutral Neutral A girl known as an unattainable beauty. She is the head instructor at the swordsmanship dojo. A girl who admired Krische and Kalua and attended the dojo. Growing up in a single-parent household, she often spends time alone and has a strong sense of self-protection, and her father, a soldier, taught her swordsmanship from a young age. She had good eyesight, was smart, and was blessed with talent. She especially remembers Kalua''s sword and imitated it, repeating trial and error, but when she saw Krische¡¯s sword at a social gathering, her talent blossomed and she made remarkable progress. From then on, she developed a strong admiration for Krische and tied her hair up like two tails, and began to focus on swordsmanship and cooking. When he was a child, he was taught Zain-style swordsmanship, but in his first battle, he was injured in his left eye and lost his eyesight, and then learned the Lorca style, which taught him how to fight by destroying his left blind spot with a shield. Growing up in a single-parent household, she often stayed at Kyuris house when her father was away, and they became close. However, she jokingly mentioned that she would marry someone stronger than her, and the gap in their abilities became toorge, leading her to regret bing too strong. In the end, she grew tired of waiting after Kyuris'' repeated defeats and consulted with the directors. ¡®Whether a sword is strong or weak, I think it''s fine for people to like it.¡¯ After hearing this simple, clich¨¦d phrase, she loses purposely. Later she seeded Kalua as the head instructor. ¡÷ Historically Second head instructor at the ck g Sword Dojo. Wife of Kyuris Ennis, it was said she was a beautiful woman with a skilled sword. She was said to have inherited parts of Alberinea and Kalua''s swords, and wielded a sword simr to theirs. ¡ð Merkes Kirsveg -- Neutral Neutral A man who made mistakes due to his youth. A centurion. Shelicia¡¯s father. Served as a recruit in the light infantry during the Dismantling War. Having witnessed the destructive power of Jareia Gashea, he became impatient for victory and sess and got involved in the battle. He tripped over a corpse created by Jareia Gashea with his toe and fell in front of the enemy. By chance, Krische and the ck g Special Forces were crushing through his side, causing the enemy in front of him to flee, and he narrowly escaped death. His superior officer strongly admonished him that he would not get the same lucky save from recklessness twice, and he used his failures as a soldier to steadily achieve sess, and after the Unification War, he was promoted to centurion. After his wife died of illness, Shelicia, who had be less likely to smile, started attending dojo and made friends, and was happy that she began to smile again, and after she and Kyuris got married, he was pleased with the face of his grandchild. He was somewhat afraid of Krische and had some fear about her, so he never got used to her until the end. ¡ð Wesliel Zain ¨C Order Neutral A man who was trampled by a giant''s step. The legitimate sessor to Zain-style swordsmanship. Head of the Zain swordsmanship dojo. Born into the Zain family of swords, he was a master swordsman who has been on the path of the sword since he was old enough to remember things. The Zain family was a famous family that had made a name for itself as nobles, but they gave up their titles long ago, prioritizing the pursuit and session of skills and their policy of ¡®serving the royal family with swordsmanship¡¯. Many of their sessors were scattered all over the country, serving as swordsmanship instructors to the nobles. Fearing that the session of skills would be cut off, especially those of the main family, they rarely go to the battlefield, but instead were invited to the homes of influential nobles such as the royal family or dukes, and make a living by teaching swordsmanship and running dojos. The rule that the best swordsman of the time calls themself the legitimate sessor was still passed down to this day, and when the session was to be made, Zain sessors from all over the country were called upon and gathered together, and the strongest Zain swordsman was chosen. Although some, like Bagil, dislike being tied down to something and did not participate, it was a fair battle in which a legitimate sessor not of the Zain family appeared once every few generations. Wesliel, who survived, was also a master of the art, but he was powerless against Krische and was made to realize the difference in their abilities. Afterwards, he sensed in her sword that it was the ultimate sword that the sword master Alcaras had sought, and for the first time in several generations, he began to break down the Zain style and add Alberinea''s teachings to his secret tome. He also had more contact with Bagil, who knew her well, in an attempt to hear her stories, but the conversations always went off track and it wasn''t much help in that direction. ¡÷ Historically A master of Zain-style swordsmanship, who appears in one of the anecdotes that spoke of Alberinea''s strength. It is written that heter received sword training from her as her pupil. There were still schools that followed in his footsteps, and some schools that were said to have inherited the secret techniques, but the original was burned when Kleinmeer fell. Chapter 291: Miko and Cage of Desire I Chapter 291: Miko and Cage of Desire I ***Chapter 291 Miko and Cage of Desire I*** In the cave at night, there was one bonfire and one tent. The red-haired girl wrapped herself in a nket over her apron dress, further enveloping two other girls. Curled up inside her cloak were a girl with silver hair and another with golden hair that glittered red. "Onee-sama, I can''t take it anymore..." "You mustn''t, Kreschenta. ...If you fall asleep on a snowy mountain, you''ll die." "Uuh..." The silver-haired girl pinched her sister''s cheek as she tried to sleep, and hugged the red-haired girl''s arm. She too narrowed her eyes sleepily but smiled blissfully The red-haired girl being hugged by the two¨D¨Dthe servant Bery ced Kreschenta on herp, giggled, and rubbed her cheek against her head. Kreschenta was also drowning in the warmth of pleasure between the depths of slumber, her eyes opening and closing repeatedly. Opposite them was a giant Suiko yawning, and leaning against it was a golden-haired girl¨D¨DSelene who yawned and said, ¡®You two sure never get bored huh¡¯. It was a seemingly arduous trip of living in tents and caves while enjoying snow sledding down the world''s tallest mountain for about two weeks. That said, during their ytime, Krische would lift the wind from the mountainside, making the weather calm despite the blizzard-like appearance. Ideally, they would have gone to the sea, but the snowy mountains were not bad either. The thrill of descending the mountain with an avnche was indescribable, and even Selene found it quite enjoyable. At night, they would choose a suitable ce like this, eat dinner, and go to sleep. Krische and Kreschenta seemed to like it this way, thoroughly enjoying their ''pretend lost'' game. They hated the cold but loved using it as an excuse to stick to each other and stay warm. Their clinginess and refusal to move once theytched on were limitless. By the third day, Selene would often push them onto Bery, who, seemingly unbothered, enjoyed taking care of the two clingy girls. "...Lira, it felt cold just by looking at you, are you sure you''re okay?" "It''s a bit cold, but... fu, fufu, it''s nice to be in a ce like this sometimes. Snowy mountains are fun too..." ¡®It''s good for disciplining yourself¡¯, Lira replied, shivering. Though she wore boots, she only had her usual outfit, fur wrapped around her body. Lira was busy mass-producing snowmen, while Elvena looked on with amusement as she brought in snow from outside. The temperature was somewhat regted, but it was still quite cold, and Elvena was dressed in her usual belly-exposing outfit. Even though they knew her body couldn''t get sick (except for a silly girl who asionally pretended to have a fever), it was still cold just watching her. Lira seemed to be nning on making a thousand snowmen to discipline herself, but sometimes her thought process was hard to understand. Anne looked more normal, scribbling something down on a stack of paper while looking at the scenery outside with a serious expression. What she was writing seemed to be some kind of unwholesome story, but at least it was more normal than mass-producing snowmen in the name of training. Anne too, in the end, was a little crazy. Surrounded by strange people¡ªsurely, she would never understand them, no matter how many years passed. She yawned again and looked outside. The white snow swirled, filling the world with its sound. #***¡®The 57th Christand Snow Mountain Disaster Tour¡¯*** In the fantasy paradise of Chrisnate¨D¨Dat the mansion. At the conference room that had been set up in the mansion since they arrived here. Shelves were lined up along the walls, decorated with horse sculptures, vases, swords, armor, and more¨D¨Dand in the center was arge table. It was arge, single table made from a single piece of branch cut off from the World Tree. On the short side of the rectangle, there was a single person at the head of the table. The owner of the mansion was Selene Christand. Though in the form of a young girl, she possessed a spirit that ordinary people could not unleash. To her right was the Queen of the unified continent, Kreschenta Alberan, with her arms folded, and next to her was the unparalleled hero of history, Alberinea, Krische Christand, who watched the events unfold with a serious expression on her face, her hand on her stomach. Next to them sat the Holy Spirit Miko (Priestess), L Sharana, with an indescribable expression on her face, and opposite them were three servants, including the head servant, Bery Argan. Ten face-down cards wereid out in front of Selene Christand and Bery Argan, and when Selene pushed out a card, Bery responded with one. Without a word, they both turned over their cards¨D¨Dand it was Selene who furrowed her brow. The card Selene yed was a cavalry. And the card Bery yed was a long spear. Inevitably, it was Selene''s cavalry who were defeated. Selene''s card was ced in the graveyard as it was, and Bery pulled her own card back to her side, face up. Bery Argan''s youthful beauty was highlighted by a faint smile. "We''ve only just begun, Bery." "My apologies. ...I was thinking about what to bring to the mountain and then..." "I wonder what you''re talking about. This time it''s the sea." The game they were ying was called Decisive Battle Cards. It was a slightly more advanced form of Three Kinds, using pictures of infantry, cavalry, archers, weapons, and generals, and the winner was decided purely by thepatibility of the cards. Cards that result in a draw or loss go to the graveyard, and cards that win remain in your hand. The more you lose, the more disadvantageous you be in this game¨D¨Dthe impact of this loss was great, but it was only the first round. She could still turn this situation around. It''s not time to panic yet, Selene thought, taking a sip of tea and ring at Berry. "Hurry up and y it." "Yes, well then¨D¨Dtwo cards." ¡°!?¡± Bery pushed forward the two face-down cards. Very bold. Bery was determined to win the match. ying two cards¨D¨Dthis was a kind of gamble. This could only be done bybining cards of the same kind, or a general, and if you responded with one card and won, those two cards would go to the graveyard. Even if it was a draw, Bery would still need to send those two cards to the graveyard, giving Selene an advantage of one card. However, if Selene lost, in addition to losing the card she yed, two cards of the opponent''s choice would be sent to the graveyard. Two out of eight cards was a blow, but even more problematic was that if the general went to the graveyard, even by chance, it meant losing the game¨D¨Dthat mean, there was a 1/4 chance that she would lose. She could avoid that risk by responding with two cards¨D¨Dbut what should she do? Bery used the spear in the opening hand. It was hard to imagine her adding three spears to her deck, but the opponent was Bery. It was quite possible that Bery was expecting her to be more aggressive and to bring out the cavalry again. Considering Bery''s personality, it would be better to see the gamble of bringing out two spears in the second match as a carefully nned trap. If it were the previous Selene, she would have brought out cavalry, assuming there¡¯s no way Bery would bring three spears. Selene looked at the ornaments on the wall. For some reason, the ornament of a horse that Selene had made caught her eye¨D¨Dit was an imprint on her subconscious. Bery Argant was a woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Using furnishings to manipte Selene''s thoughts was just the beginning. She was a ruthless, cunning, and hopeless woman. It was instinct that led her to choose cavalry as her opening move, but even that was probably being guided. Falling for her guidance, Selene had unconsciously included four cavalry in her deck. No doubt the horse ornaments lined up along the wall were there to make Selene think of horses. No, in the first ce, it was the swords and armor in this room that had first suggested they y the Decisive Cards after the argument. The furnishings were different from usual¨D¨DSelene had been tricked by this servant from the start. Feigning a coincidence, Berry had created a battlefield in her favor so that Selene would choose Decisive Battle Card and yed a cavalry as her first move. And then, topound the confusion of Selene¡¯s defeat in the first move, she yed two more cards. Selene had almost been fooled by Bery''s tricks. Countless defeats at the hands of Bery Argand. One could say that the cause was a pure difference in thinking ability, but that was by no means the only reason. Selene was defeated on the greed for victory. Bery, despite her rare talent, she never cked off, and even when ites to cowardly means, she had the nerve to justify them in order to achieve victory. Bery was strong. She couldn''t count the number of times she had been brought to her knees by Bery. But today will be the day she surpassed her. "You carefully prepare the battlefield, and even lead me to my subconscious. I truly admire your greed for victory. Until now, I would have brought out cavalry here." Cavalry was a strong card that was advantageous against heavy armor, weapons, and archers on offense, but it lost its advantage on defense, turning into a mediocre card that was only disadvantageous against spears. However, if she could bring the game to a draw, she would have been able to trade one for two¨D¨Dthe Selene of the past would have seen that her opponent would not have three spears, and yed cavalry to even the advantage. It''s not bad to trade one for two, she would thought¨D¨Dfalling for Bery''s cunning bait. "But not today." She pushed out a card, flipped it over and announced. "You yed a long spear, right?" The red-haired servant stared at the card, then sighed. "Ah... as expected of you, Ojou-sama." The card Selene yed was a bow. Long spears were strong against light infantry, but weak against cavalry. It was weak against light infantry in attacking, but it was an excellent card with two advantages and one disadvantage in defense. "...You''ve grownpared to before." However, Berr smiled when she saw this, and said, "I''m d you''ve grown." "...What?" Selene''s eyes widened as she saw the cavalry and general that were revealed. The general couldn¡¯t fight alone, but could bebined with any card. It turns a draw into a win, and if it''s a win with an advantageous card, you can send another card to the graveyard. "So, can you send that bow and... the three cards from your right hand to the graveyard?" In exchange for giving Selene the information of her general''s location, Bery got a huge advantage. Even if it was a cavalry, or even a bow, Bery was taking a gamble thar was win no matter what Bery choose. Selene¡¯s general barely survived, but there were only ten and five cards left. ¨D¨DAfter just two battles, the oue was already decided. "...Uwahh." Lira looks at Selene, who was stiff as usual, and looked at Bery in amazement. Bery had told Lira that this time they were going to have a party in the snowy mountains, as if the destination had already been decided, but it seemed that in reality it was only in her mind. It seems Selene had wanted to go to the sea, and as usual, the ¡®Christand Conference¡¯ started with an argument between Bery and Selene, who wanted to proceed under the assumption that they would go to the mountains. Lira, who had heard that they were going to the snowy mountains, was confused when she saw this. The oue was all but decided. It seemed likely that they would end up going to the snowy mountains as Bery had dered, but it was a mystery where she get her confidence from. Even in games where the oue seemed to be decided by luck, she often won in mysteriousndslides. Of course, Bery didn¡¯t always win, but in thest thousand or so years, she had never seen her lose an important-looking battle (although personally she thought it doesn''t matter which way they go). The moment Bery dered that they were going to the snowy mountains, victory was already a given to her. Selene looked regretful, while Bery wore a cheerful smile¨D¨Dmost likely, she had anticipated this situation all along. It seemed like a fair and equal fight, but it was a battle rigged with victory in mind. A servant who nonchntly lured her master into a trap. The bnce of power in this mansion wasplex and strange, and even after a thousand years it remain a mystery. The day when she woulde to understand it would probably nevere. She suddenly thought that Holy Spirits might be lonely beings. When Krische visited asionally, the spirits looked very happy as they talked with her, the atmosphere was subtly different. Since her arrival, the Holy Spirits seemed to have changed slightly, often asking Lira questions andughing with magical energy swirling. It must be because she saw Them like that. The people of Kreisharana spoke of the Holy Spirits, who neither spoke nor did anything but sleep, as ultimate beings. Though they would asionally cast a nce of that crimson purple, few would hear what it said. Seeing the Holy Spirit simply existing as an individual without seeking others, the people of Kreisharana paid tribute to this ¡®strong way of being¡¯ that all should aspire to. People were born as imperfect babies, possessing nothing. As a result, people were at the mercy of many emotions and desires. Everyone was originally a baby born into society from their mother, and no one grew up without someone protection, no matter how harsh their life may be. Seeking connections with others was something that could be said to be an instinct for humans, and emotions and desires were nurtured within. No matter how much training one underwent, it was impossible to cast away all emotions and desires, and no matter how much one pretended to be aloof, one couldn¡¯tpletely sever them. The feelings that the people of Kreisharana, who hone and train themselves as individuals, once had towards the Holy Spirit were surely a longing for a state they knew they could never reach. They turned their eyes of longing to the Holy Spirit because they knew that even if they gave up their desires, endured loneliness, and tortured their mind and body, there was a ce they would never reach. But even so, generations passed, they took the Holy Spirit as a model, thinking that they might be able to reach it someday. Lira also learned these teachings of Kreisharana as a matter of course, and grew up without questioning it. The Holy Spirit was born a perfect being. Unlike imperfect humans, it was free from all emotions and desires, and was pure and beautiful. All humans should emte this way of being, aim to be like it, and made an effort to get closer to it. If this were to happen, all seeds of conflict would disappear from the world. Lira had certainly thought that the teachings were excellent, but when she heard the Holy Spirit''s surprisingly gentle words and saw Themughing, Their magic swaying, she began to have a vague question. ¡®Why was the Holy Spirit sleeping?¡¯ She thought that she had a fundamental misunderstanding. The im that the Holy Spirit''s was perfect was, after all, merely human logic. Seeing the prosperous country of Alberan and seeing the ¡®Friend of the Holy Spirit¡¯ughing innocently and joyfully in the circle of people, Lira was once again perplexed. Though she was far from the ¡®Splendid Human¡¯ of Kreisharana, at least the way she looked very happy, and her natural appearance was more simr to the Holy Spirit than anyone else. It was not a bad thing to say that the Holy Spirit was what they should aim to be like. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the Holy Spirit was a wless being. It wasfortable to rely on someone, and it was fun to exchange words. It was only natural, and in itself it was not a bad thing. It was not strange that the Holy Spirit talked so happily, and speaking of the Holy Spirit as a perfect being was just a human assumption. Lira thought that perhaps their admiration had inadvertently distanced them from the truth. It seemed like what she had seen up until then was an ¡®Idol of what the Holy Spirit should be like¡¯ that humans had imagined, and with each word They spoke she began saw see different images. ¡®You just don''t know that you''re lonely, Regve. You''re talking to Krische like this because you''re lonely.¡¯ ¡®Ah¡¯, she thought. If the Holy Spirit was a perfect being by nature, and didn¡¯t need others, then they would have no need to speak. ¡®...If I could wish, could you also take me with you?¡¯ She wished and asked for that, hoping that she could help ease the Holy Spirit''s long loneliness. Although her father and brother were against it, she had agonized over it in her own way but¨D¨Dsinceing here, other Holy Spirits have frequently visited her, and the surrounding area has be much livelier. In contrast to the resolution she hade to after much deliberation, the Holy Spirits seemed to enjoy ying and chatting away. ¨D¨DHad she been worrying in a very foolish and presumptuous way? Every time she remembered her past anguish, she felt indescribable, but she tried not to think about it too much. Recalling her grim determination from back then felt somewhat embarrassing, but if she considered that countless embarrassing memories would umte infinitely in the future, ignoring them seemed the right thing to do now. Eternity might seem harsh, but it was kind. There was no need to rush to a conclusion, and she could put it off forever if she want. And at the very least, the Holy Spirit did not rush to a conclusion. That was one of the things she learned from the Holy Spirit aftering here. At first, she was a little wary of what eternity would be like, but there was nothing dramatic about it. No, perhaps it was precisely because there was nothing dramatic that it was called eternity. Waking up in the morning, spending the day, sleeping at night, and repeating the same cycle¨D¨Dnothing had changed. She vaguely understood that an extraordinary day would be repeated over and over again, and in a way it seemed frightening, but that didn¡¯t mean that anything would happen. Whether it was eternity or not, in the end, what we spend is this day, this moment. The past was simply repeated, and whether they live for a hundred years or a thousand years, they couldn¡¯t even know what the future holds, such as what they would have for dinner tomorrow. It was not like they attained enlightenment, and in the end, Lira Sharana was Lira Sharana. When ites to beings who have lived for a thousand years, one would normally imagine them to be a sage with insights like divine revtions and a steadfast spirit like a great tree, but she didn¡¯t really feel like she had changed much. Lira was still with the weak-willed woman who periodically fall into decadence while thinking ''never again'' and writhing in past memories She likely wouldn''t change a hundred or a thousand years from now either. Today''s toil brings tomorrow''s fruit, was a saying her father and brother liked to use, but in Alberan there seems to be a saying that ¡®from the same root, the same flower blooms¡¯. It seemed to mean that character never changs, and this saying suited her better. As each day passed, she realized that she hadn''t made much progress¨D¨Dno, it was her own thoughts like that that were at fault, she shook her head and rolled the snow. She piled two more rolls of snow on top of each other and, shivering, made a new snowman. She looked up and saw the magnificent blue and white as far as the eye could see. It was the view of Greiviarbe, the highest ce in the world. A high, rugged mountain range surrounded the mountain, stretching out below, and in the distance she could probably see the sea. The boundary between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea seemed to blend and shone faintly. Looking straight ahead, the scenery was one ofplete silence, but below, avnches were repeatedly urring, apanied by tremendous roars and tremors. Riding on boards and descending the snow-covered slopes along with the avnches, there was a truly exhrating way toe down from the snowy mountains. She heard cheerful voices intermittently and watched as Anne was engulfed by an avnche, diverting her gaze back to focusing on making snowmen. This time, she hade to train her mind and body, to admonish himself for her repeated decadence. Even though the temperature was somewhat regted, making snowmen in this cold air was quite an ordeal, but that was exactly why it was good for training herself again. She had spent the past few days at the mansion preparing for this trip, feasting on delicious food as she drifted along, washing her body in the bath, and sleeping soundly in a warm and fluffy bed. This morning, she was unable to get out of her nket while dozing, and had to be changed by Elvena. This was the height of her decadence. If her father and brother could see Lira''s current state, they would surely be very saddened. ¡®I am not afraid of death, nor am I seduced by the temptation of eternal life. I simply want to serve the Holy Spirit as thest priestess of Kreisharana¡¯. ¡®But¨D¨D'' ¡®From now on, I will spend my time alone in the forest, without meeting anyone or asking for help from anyone. Until I die. Will you ept that as my resolve?¡¯ Beforeing here, she spent decades alone in the forest to show her resolve to her father and brother, who were opposed to her decision. Seeing the richness of Alberan, it seemed certain that Kreisharana would eventually change through this interaction, and it also seemed natural for that to happen. The strict training of the body and mind in Kreisharana was a beautiful way of life, but it was not a happy way of life for everyone. The physically weak were looked down upon, and those who did not fit the ¡®beauty of Kreisharana¡¯ fled to the ins or lived quietly on the outskirts of the vige. Bing the Holy Spirit Miko was considered an honor, but there was no woman who aspired to be one, at least that was so in Lira''s generation. She remembered that even her brother often worried about her and asked if she was really okay, and although the previous Miko was a fine person, Lira heard that she did not truly wish for it either. Just like a Holy Spirit who did not adorn Themself. Those born in Kreisharana were raised being taught the ¡®correct way to be¡¯. Lira thought that this way of being was beautiful, but she understood that she was probably an unusual person even in Kreisharana. She knew people thought she was an oddball who wanted to be a Holy Spirit Miko, and everyone said that Kreisharana¡¯s teachings were correct and honorable, but being correct and honorable doesn''t necessarily mean you would be happy. Being correct and honorable was difficult, and it was often painful. It was precisely because it was painful and imperfect that the teachings were relevant. She wanted the role of Holy Spirit Miko to end with her because she thought it didn''t fit with the times that woulde. There wouldn''t always be people as entric as her. If things get more prosperous in the future, there would surely be fewer of them. It must be sad to be forced into the life of a Miko, to be chosen against your own will, and no matter how correct and honorable it might be, it was not a way of life that would make that person happy¨D¨Dbut those days of imposing poverty and abstinence on herself with lofty ideals are long gone. Seeing herself descending into decadence, her past quickly turned to shame. While hardening the snow, she recalled¨D¨D " Hyah!" Something warm was pressed against her cheek. She fell over on her butt and turned over, it was Elvena who was shaking her shoulders with amusement. Elvena had a mischievous smile on her face as her short hair swayed, and in her hands she held two steaming cups. "Fufu, it''s cold, so have some tea." "T-thank you..." She handed Lira the tea and wrapped herself in thick coat. She then leaned closer and sat down next to Lira. Close. Her body, which had been trembling from her training, was now warm and cozy in no time. "You''ve made quite a lot." "...not yet. I''ve been going down a path of decadencetely, so this isn''t enough..." As Lira said this, she looked at Elvena who had startedbing her hair. They''re generally close, and the physical affection that may seem excessive was the mansion style¨D¨Dwhen in Rome, do as the Romans do, so it didn''t feel strange, but in her case there was something innocent and artificial about it. There was something about her that was somehow different from the others, something that was hard to describe. Elvena seemed to notice her gaze and tilted her beautiful face in a puzzled manner and smiled. This person was also intelligent and perceptive of others'' subtle nuances, but that was why her behavior seemed somehow artificial and made Lira wary. Elvena was interrupting her training again as usual¨D¨Dno, that would be rude. It was unbing of a human being to doubt someone who had been so kind to her. It was true that she was a bit yful and had a mischievous side, but it was not good to interpret everything that way. Rather, she should be grateful that she continued to be as friendly as before, even though she had shown Elvena so many embarrassing scenes that it was ridiculous to even count them. Who on earth was it that had dragged her out of bed this morning, who looked like a fool, and then get her dressed like a child. "A-about, this morning umm..." "Don''t worry about it. I offered Lira-sama quite a bit of winest night... I knew Lira-sama weren''t very strong, but still..." "No, no... It''s just that I''m weak, but the alcohol itself is..." The wine that Elvena brought to her roomst night was truly delicious. Honestly, when she was in Kreisharana, she never found alcohol to be tasty, but it must be because of Krische and Kreschenta¡¯s preferences. Setting aside the wines sold as authentic, the wines made for the mansion were light and fruity, a delightful drink even for someone with a childlike pte like Lira. She was offered a fruit cocktail along the way, and while drinking and enjoying it, her memory became hazy¨D¨Dshe didn''t remember clearly what they were talking about. "But, you know,st night, I was drunk and I think I said something rude..." "Oh, it wasn''t rude. ...But Lira-sama seemed quite tired. You seemed to have some pent-up frustration from all the abstinence and restraint..." Among them, Lira vaguely remember her leaning on Elvena and lecturing her. She felt her ears burning as she recalled it. "Right if I remember correctly... that the people of the mansion should learn to be a little more self-restrained. That it felt unbearable to have temptations dangled in front of you, and you wanted them to understand what it''s like to be you, who is trying to endure..." "Ugh..." "It was, well, fufu, it was like Kreschenta-sama''s behavior when she was sulking... but I enjoyed it very much." Even she thought about it, she was surprised at what shameful thing she had said. She remembered Kreschenta when she was sulking (basically there were three forms: sulking, spoiled, or bossy), and double the shame ran through her. Freed from the heavy responsibilities of being a great queen, she looked just like her older sister. Lira had never seen her having a serious conversation like she used to (not pretending to talk seriously), at least not in thest thousand years. She was the embodiment of desire, faithful to the pleasure of the moment¨D¨Da child. "S-sulky Kreschenta..." Kreschenta was the furthest thing from the words abstinence and self-restraint. They say that alcohol revealed one''s true nature, but when she was told that the same true nature as Kreschenta resided within her, Lira couldn''t deny it, making her froze. Elvena spoke with a joyful smile. "Why don''t you let loose once in a while, Lira-sama? Caming all the way to a ce like this to train... ying on a sled is fun too." "N-no, if I let myself get carried away like that, I''m afraid I''ll end up bing a hopeless person before I know it... No, I wouldn''t say I''m doing a great job now, but I''d say I''ve already let my guard down too much..." ¡°Lira-sama so serious. I think you should rx a little more, like Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama..." No one willugh, Elvena said, pointing to the sky. "No one willugh at you. Everyone has desires. Even if you reveal them, there''s no one here tough at you... It''s normal. Even if you call it decadence, then eternity itself is the height of decadence,pared to that it''s minor." "T-the height of decadence..." "Yes." Elvena leaned in even closer, bringing her face so close that Lira could feel her breath. Her dark brown eyes had a somewhat mesmerizing color. "Whatever happens, happens. Even if you drown for a moment, time is infinite. I think it would be a good experience to drown yourself to the core once..." "Ex-experience..." "People naturally bnce themselves to avoid ruin. Just as rules and order naturally form in a ce like the mansion, where there originally were none." ¡®It''s a cycle¡¯, Elvena said, this time pointing to Krische and the others enjoying themselves on the snowy slope. Selene went down the snow surface along with the avnche on her board, scattering bright white spray, and far below, Bery and the others were rescuing Anne, who had been engulfed in the avnche earlier¨D¨Djust as Anne''s body was emerging from the snow. It was peaceful and joyful. "Even with the power that allows you to do anything, ying in the snowy mountains is a very healthy thing. Depravity and luxury can be boring if repeated over and over again... so it''s only natural that sometimes you want to indulge in childish games. Selene-sama is an easy example to understand." ¡°Selene-sama...?¡± "Yes. As you know, she''s a serious person, but every thirty years or so, she spends her timezily. That kind of rxation is also important. It''s all part of the mansion''s cycle, including the time when she recovers and reforms the mansion''s order." ¡®Even someone like Selene-sama needs that¡¯, Elvena said, caressing Lira cheek. "No one can maintain a perfect bnce of mind and body forever. It''s sometimes necessary to rx when needed. For someone Lira-sama, even if you indulge for a while, you will return to your usual self when the timees." "... I, well, I''m not confident at all..." ¡®In that case, I couldn''t help but feel that I would be indulging in self-indulgence forever.¡¯ "No, no. I think Lira-sama is just anxious... If Lira-sama indulge in indulgence once, I think Lira-sama will get bored of it in a year or two and be interested in other things. Everything is an experience." "Um, well...Elvena-sama, what do you want me to do...?" "What do I want? That''s a difficult question..." Elvena genuinely seemed puzzled, and then she smiled charmingly. "Just that I want Lira-sama to spend your time a bit morefortably... That much, at least. Whether as family living in the same mansion or as a servant attending to a guest." Then, she continued with some embarrassment. "Actually, with only three servants in the mansion and no guests, Bery-sama is the way she is, and there''s not much work unless we purposefully create it. When you stay in the mansion, Lira-sama, it gives us more to do and is quite enjoyable." Elvena whispered this secret softly, looking around furtively. "So, it''s a pleasure for me when you rx in the mansion... I''m sorry. I never intended to disturb your training..." "Oh, no, I never thought that! I-I just thought, maybe, you were teasing me a little..." ¡°Teasing...?¡± "No... I mean, it''s nothing..." The simple and straightforward answer made sense. Indeed, that was how it was. With the orchard and winery managed mainly by Krische and Bery, their work volume was unbelievable, and Elvena and Anne have continued their roles as servants for over a thousand years. It was clearly excessive work for the limited amount of work, and Lira understood why they wanted to invite her over for a little work that was different from their usual routine. Lira sighed, ashamed of her suspicions. How could she ever saw Elvena as someone who would ¡®lead a disciplined Lira to ruin and enjoy watching her fall?¡¯. She was ashamed of herself for doubting Elvena, who earnestly tried to take care of her, while ignoring her own weaknesses. "Is something wrong?" "No... I was just reflecting on myself. As I am now, I can''t face my father or brother." She took a sip of the tea and took a sigh. It was a very sweet tea¡ª¡ªperfectly suited to her taste. Shaking her head to shake off the temptation in her heart, she thought of her respected father and brother and began to speak. "Umm, I''m grateful for the offer but¨D¨D?" The magic form was engraved into the air like a flowing blue line, and four small ice sleds rose from the snow, and a huge ice frame was constructed far below. Elvena ced the snowman that L had made on top of the sled, "Lira-sama, Which child do you think is the best?" "Eh?" "The first one to go through that ice frame will be the winner. Think about it carefully." And so she spoke. It was sudden. "Ah, well..." "I thought it would be a good time to take a short break... We''vee all the way to a snowy mountain, so if we only train, it won''t be a memorable experience. What do you think?" "...I understand." Lira reluctantly nodded and looked at the sled. Looking closely, she saw that each sled was subtly different in shape, so she did as she was told and looked at the snow surface, then pointed to the right-most one, which was wider and looked more stable. "I see, that''s the more stable one. Then I''ll take the one on the left... Right, let''s start with 100 coins." "100 coins...?" Elvena waved her finger again, producing more coins made of ice and piling them up in front of L. "After all, it''s more fun to bet something. Just a little game... If you win, you get four times the coins you bet. If not, if you beat the child I chose, you keep the bet. But if you lose to the child I chose, you pay four times the amount, so that''s how it goes." "I see." "Each coin canmand me to do anything for a day. For example, making an environment suitable for your training, or something silly like ordering me spin around three times and bark like a dog. How many coins will you wager?" ¡®Just a little game¡¯, Elvena repeated, and Lira was deep in thought. There was something ominous about the word ¡®anything¡¯, but from the start, It wasn''t Lira that was being bet, but Elvena''s ¡®right to do what she''s told¡¯. Elvena had a big smile on her face¨D¨Dshe must have just been having a little fun and letting off some steam. From the conversation just now. Lira thought it would be a bit rude to just ignore her, so she spoke up, thinking it would be ok to join in for a bit. "T-then... um... ten coins." "Ten coins, then. Let''s get started." Elvena waved her finger, and the four sleds all slid off at once. Elvena''s snowman was in the lead by a long way¨D¨DL''s snowman wasst, but with the steep slope and the sheer speed. Elvena''s sled tipped over midway, and the snowman on top of it was torn apart. The second ce snowman was blown away by the debris, and the third ce snowman got stuck in the folds of snow, and only Lira''s snowman made it to the finish line. "Hmm, it was going well until halfway through, but maybe you went too fast." "Fufu, it blew away spectacrly." ¡®Yes¡¯, Elvena produced thirty coins and piled them up in front of L. "The terrain is pretty rough, so maybe I should be careful with the ones that look too fast." "That''s right... I was quite surprised that everyone except for L withdrew... Now, the second race." The sled floats up again, and on it was ced Li''s snowman, a symbol for her abstinence and temperance. Then she bet twenty coins and chose one of them, and Elvena chose another sled as well. It was not until thirteen gamester that Li had a realization that the rules allowed her to borrow money. Chapter 292: Miko and Cage of Desire II Chapter 292: Miko and Cage of Desire II ***Chapter 292 Miko and Cage of Desire II*** After a month of living in the forest hut near the Holy Spirit¡¯s Hollow, she thought she had grown ustomed to the loneliness. Food was abundant. Unlike impulsive and thoughtless Lira, her brother had scoured the area to find ces with plenty of produce. They even built a sturdy hut and a small garden for her. Although there was no river, there was an abundant spring in the nearby rocky area, and most of the tools necessary for life were provided, so there were no problems in survival. Lira had also undergone various training as a Holy Spirit¡¯s Miko. Once a year, she would fast and pray for three days, wishing for a bountiful harvest. She considered herself someone who could endure hardships. However, despite having made some level of resolve, she might have underestimated the situation. Two monthster, when her brother came to pick her up for the regr festival, she remember smiling and telling him that there was no problem. This was to demonstrate her resolve, so she kept the conversation to a minimum and stayed by the Holy Spirit''s side. She greeted the Holy Spirit as was the custom, and told them about the state of the vige that she had heard from Vinthril and the others, and reported that this year was just as fruitful as previous years, and the people of Kreisharana were living peaceful days. The Holy Spirit listened to him without saying anything, and the ceremony ended without saying anything more. After his brother saw her off, she returned to the hut, ate her meal as usual, cleansed herself, and wrapped himself in a warm nket¨D¨Dand suddenly, a feeling of loneliness came over her. The vige must be having a festival now. Once a year, Kreisharana holds a harvest celebration festival. It is customary to hold a festival for the Holy Spirit on the first harvest day of the year, and bonfires roared and lit up the vigete into the night, as if it were midday. The men held variouspetitions to test their skills, and the women also dressed up for that day,plimenting each other and making a festive atmosphere. Lira, the Miko, didn''t partake in the festivities, but she loved the joyful atmosphere and enjoyed just being there. Listening closely, she could faintly hear the sound of drums, realizing that she had been counting the days until my brothers would visit. She had been looking forward to seeing someone after a long time, spending these past few days in anticipation. However, she realized that the next time would be a year away, and she was at a loss. The Miko Princess from Arna visited once every three years. But even then, it¡¯s at most twice a year that she get to meet anyone. When she thought that the two months she had spent up until now could continue for the rest of her life, she suddenly became terrified. She shivered as she slept, even though it wasn''t cold. She woke up to find no one there, and alone in the hut. She warmed up yesterday''s soup, had a meal, and went outside to water the fields. "...?" What fell was some freshly harvested potatoes and a bag of dried meat lying there. There, she found freshly harvested potatoes and some bags of dried meat, half-buried in the soil. She looked up at the sky. There was no one there, only the sound of griffin wings fading away, leaving her stunned. This was inside the forbidden area¨D¨Dnormally only the guards could enter, and she smiled as she recalled the rugged face of Verves, the chief guard who had be her brother''s father-inw. She quietly bowed her head and epted the gift, carrying it into the hut, pping her depressed cheek then went about her daily work. A weak heart reside in the daily idleness. She decided to expand the field, grow flowers, and train in her spare time. She began practicing woodworking in her own way, so that she could repair broken furniture and tools. It was too long a time to spend just living aimlessly. Weakness seeped in and clung to her during such times. She thought that the best thing to do was to work hard and sleep well. But even so, the more she repeated it, the more her weakness seeped through. Over there, everyone was probably living their peaceful daily lives. When they wake up, they greet each other, talk about their ns for the day, and eat their meals. Then they would go to work, where they would talk aboutst night. Whileining about how their husbands were sloppy or how tired they were because their children are crying at night, the women would happily go to the river to do theirundry, and go into the forest to pick nuts, making jokes at each other, whileughing about what they picked that day or not. Until a short time ago, L was often in charge of taking care of the little girls, and they were always attached to her. In order not to disappoint the girls who adored her and called her Lira-sama, she would act as a Miko, telling them all kinds of legends, even though she herself was still inexperienced, she would pompously recite the excellent teachings of Kreisharana. She wondered if Pini had ovee her shyness or if Nije felt lonely. Even if ten or twenty years passed and they grew up, she wouldn''t get to see it. After returning home, she never spoke of the trivial events of the day. She had no one with whom she could share her small joys, such as the blooming of a flower she grew. When she woke up at night, time seemed tost forever, and sometime she felt like screaming out loud. She felt like she was the only person in the world and almost went mad. She kept asking herself if this had any meaning, looking up at the sky, waiting for a griffin to appear from dawn. Sometimes she thought of shouting at Verves and his men, who came for patrol every two or three days, asking them to take her back. But no matter how hard or lonely it was, she could never bring myself to say it. It wasn''t that she wanted to keep her resolve. She was just more afraid of being disappointed than of the hardships or loneliness. When she imagined how people would look at her when she gave up and returned to the vige after saying such arrogant things that ¡®it was for the future of Kreisharana¡¯, she trembled and couldn''t speak. They might pity her and say it couldn''t be helped. But she would surely be despised. Her father and brother were kind, but they were stricter than anyone else when it came to people who were easy on themselves. They wouldn''t smile at her like they used to, and they were in a position of authority. It was only natural that they would cut ties with her, and there was no way Lira could made excuses. "...Lira, aren¡¯t you looking a little haggard?" "Fufu, maybe it''s because I''ve been working out. I have plenty of time now that I''m alone, and I''m more toned than before." The following year, she said this cheerfully and smiled. As a little sister and Miko that her respected brother could be proud of, she was on edge, not wanting to disappoint him. She kept asking herself if there was any point in it. ¨D¨DThe nket wrapping around her was warm. Inside therge snow cave they had all made at dusk. She half-opened her eyes, thinking she had had a nostalgic dream. Thentern, floating in the air, emitted only a faint, minimal light. It was still dark inside¨D¨D "Huh?!" She almost screamed at the sight before her, closed her mouth, and blushed. Elvena''s face was close enough for their noses to touch. Her hand was around her back¨D¨Din other words, she was hugging Elvena. No wonder it was warm, they were wrapped in the same nket. As I was flustered, Elvena''s long eyshes fluttered, and she opened her eyes, nced around the still dark surroundings, smiled softly, and stroked her cheek. "¡What''s the matter? Waking up at this hour." "...No, well, I just woke up for some reason..." "Did your body end up outside the nket?" She whispered softly, pulling the nket back over her and pressing their body even closer. Lira lowered her eyes, but Elvena¡¯s smiling lips were striking, so she looked away again. Lira was remembering what had happened yesterday. She was carried away andpletely absorbed in the game, and before she knew it, she had umted 340 coins in an attempt to make up for her losses. She was saved by the sunset, but if she had continued like that, how much more debt would she have umted¡ª¡ªshe had lost herposure halfway through. When she won a series of small bets, she couldn''t help but want to bet more at once, and her greed led to her own destruction. It was unbing of a Holy Spirit Miko. The good news was that Elvena ¡®didn''t have any particr ill intentions¡¯. Elvena who ¡®as a result had obtained¡¯, 340 coins of ¡®the right to do whatever she was told¡¯, ¡®thought carefully¡¯ and asked L to help her make an outfit. Apparently she had recently taken up an interest in sewing, and wanted Lira''s time to help her with it. Lira agreed readily. Krische and Bery had cooking and gardening, Selene had crafting, Ana had writing, and Kreschenta liked meddling. Everyone had hobbies, and Elvena probably wanted to find one too. It seems that studying magic and sorcery was originally just one of her hobbies, but there were many things she enjoyed, having more interests wasn''t a problem. ¡®Lira-sama¡¯s body type is simr to Lady Berry''s, isn''t it?¡¯ ¡®I-I see...¡¯ ¡®Yes, Lira-sama is very feminine... I''m sure you''d look good in many things.¡¯ Still, it was strangely embarrassing to have her body looked and examined so closely under that pretext. Elvena asionally looked at her intently and smiled with amusement as if¨D¨Dno, it would be rude to think such things. There was no intention to humiliate Lira under the pretext of making a costume. It was just an indescribable sense of difort that made her feel that way¨D¨Dit was her weakness that made her feel that way. The reason they were all wrapped up in the same nket was because Elvena being thoughtful that everyone had started to fall asleep so they could talk in whisper, ¡®it was a very natural progression¡¯, and it was inevitable that they ended up falling asleep enjoying the warmth. Besides, it was toote to feel embarrassed about anything now. Elvena had known her true nature for a long time. "Fufu, was my sleeping posture bad? ...You can be honest with me." "N-no¡ I was just having a dream about the past and woke up." "A dream about the past... Ah, when you were alone?" "...Yes." Elvena held Lira''s head and pat it, then pressed Lira to her chest. Lira didn¡¯t resist, just let it be. Sometimes she wakes up from a simr dream, and on those days she couldn¡¯t help but want to talk to someone. Waking up next to someone broughtfort and joy. Lira narrowed her eyes at thefort of having her head stroked, giving in and snuggling closer. "It''s a sign of fatigue from holding back. Lira-sama need to take a break." "Holding back¡" "Look, Krische-sama and Kreschenta-sama never have nightmares. They always sleep happily." She looked over her shoulder. Krische looked happy as she hugged Selene, who was leaning against her. Kreschenta was also lying down with Bery, holding her from behind, and they were probably sleeping happily¨D¨Dor so she thought, but Anne, who was sleeping besides them, had her hand on Kreschenta¡¯s cheek and was moaning with her brow furrowed. ¨D¨DShe pretended not to see and snuggled to Elvena¡¯s chest again. At least it was true that she usually sleeps happily. It seemed that whoever fell asleep first lose, and while they enjoyed this adorable game of being stranded, they ended up sleeping soundly without saying a word¨D¨Dno connection with the phrase holding back. The two of them certainly looked happy, spending their days following their whims and desires. And Lira, who didn¡¯t hold back and leaned on Elvena like this, feeling warm and cozy, was also truly happy, and sometimes her usual self-restraint began to seem foolish. "I think it''s good to stop being stubborn and indulge yourself every once in a while." "T-that''s..." She was right. The abstinence she had shown sinceing here was merely out of stubbornness. Unlike her father and brothers, who dedicated themselves to abstinence, self-restraint, and training, and made it their way of life, hers was merely an imitation, a stubbornness. Unlike the decades she spent in the forest, there was no reason for her to do so here, and they would not be disappointed or scornful if Lira were to fall into depravity. Even Bery seemed to wee her because it made Krische happy, and Selene had even said, ''Take it easy.'' "...Leave it to me, I will serve you wholeheartedly from the time you wake up until you fall asleep. Please rest your wings." "Uh..." "That''s right...If I may borrow L''s words, it will also be training for me as a servant." "Training...?" Elvena nodded and gently stroked Lira''s head. The touch of her fingers was enough to sap her will to resist. "It''s only thanks to Bery-sama''s service that Krische and Kreschenta behave like that. The best servant was surely one who could make their master weak and melt. To be that, one needs to work extremely hard, and to train, one needs someone to serve. How about having me as your personal servant for a while?" "P-personal..." "Of course, I don''t mean to force you... No, considering the rights I gained from ying around earlier, this does seem like forcing you." ¡®Excuse me¡¯, she whispered, and continued. Lira couldn''t see Elvena¡¯s face as she was hugging her. "It was only meant to be a bit of fun, but Lira-sama is a serious person who won¡¯t go back on her word once she''s spoken. Lira-sama said earlier that you would do anything since you lost..." "Y-yes... I did say that." ¡°My apologies. I didn''t intend to make such a ¡®request¡¯... But rest assured. A servant''s role is to fulfill their master''s wishes. If you still wish to continue your training, I won''t interfere at all... Please don''t worry. I really don''t mean to force Lira-sama.¡± Elvena whispered repeatedly that she didn''t intend to force her, while gently stroking her head. On the contrary, it felt as if she was being coerced, and Lira, with a groan, pressed her face against Elvena''s chest. "Of course, I would really like to serve Lira-sama so that you can rest, but only if that is what Lira-sama wanted. Lira-sama doesn''t need to worry about the y we just did or what you just said." "N-no..." It was a phrase that was hard to refuse. It pricked L''s conscience so much that she wondered if Elvena was doing it on purpose. "Fufu, either way, it''s not something that needs to happen right now... and we can discuss this after we get back to the mansion... I would be grateful if you could think about it by then." "Yes... I''ll think about it..." "... Let''s take a rest for today. It''s still a long way off before dawn." "... Yes." As Elvena let out a small smile, Lira closed her eyes. It was a daily life that was unimaginable from her past. Herself that craved human contact, and herself that tried to escape from human contact. They were both the same her. No, at the core, they were likely unchanged. Both the ce back then and the ce here, were cages Lira chose. ¨D¨DIt was about three yearster. As she was tending to the fields, a Suiko suddenly appeared from the forest. She screamed and nearly fainted, but was relieved to see a familiar figure on the back. "It''s been a long time, Lira." "Krische-sama.." Inviting her into the hut, she prepared herbal tea while smiling naturally at her guest. When she said ¡®so Lira really lived in a ce like this¡¯, Lira started talking that she had gotten used to the lifestyle, and various trivial things. She rambled on about her recent obsession with herbal tea, how she could now repair furniture, and that she had made some of it herself. After talking endlessly, she realized that Krische hade for a reason and bowed her head. "S-sorry... ah, um... is it an audience?" "Um... yes, Krisch came to see Regve. Also, when Vinthril came to the kingdom the other day, Krische heard that Lira was living alone, so Krische went to check on her... and there was something Krische had to do." "Something to do...?" "Yes. It''s a bit tingly, but please bear with it." Saying this, Krische took out a small magic crystal from her bag. It broke into pieces in her palm and turned into blue magic, which circted around her, inscribing a vivid magic form into the air, before disappearing as if absorbed by her fingertips. Then, she pressed her fingertips against Lira''s chest, who was still sitting, and just as she had said, a wave of magic ran through her whole body, making her feel numb for a moment. A strange sensation¨D¨Dsomething slightly different from magic that was clinging to her whole body. Feeling drawn to it, she looked at her chest. Inside her dress, between her breasts, there was something, a small attraction that seemed to pull her whole body toward it. "What is this...?" "Krische tampered with the soul. When it leaves the body, it will be drawn to the Origin and melt away, so Krische specified its destination here to protect Lira¡¯s soul..." Saying this, Krische took out another magic crystal from her chest. In the blue crystal, like a mirrored cage, a beautiful red light was trapped¨D¨Dseeing that, Lira instinctively understood. That she wanted to enter it. "How is it?" "...I feel like I''m being drawn to it." "I see. It might take a few days to get used to it. Anne said the same thing." ¡®That''s fine for now¡¯, Krische said, smiling, then ced the magic crystal inside her dress as if it were a treasure. "Now, when Lira¡¯s body dies, the soul will fly to Krische on its own. So don''t worry." "When I die..." "Yes, though Krische think it''ll still be a while before then..." As she said that, Krische asked. "Anyway...Krische heard about the situation from Vinthril earlier, but Krische still didn''t really understand. ...Why is Lira living alone in a ce like this? Isn¡¯t it lonely?" "Wh-why..." A merciless straight shot. That was just the kind of person she was. It was a question she had repeatedly asked herself. Trying to divert the conversation, she asked back. "Um... By the way, how is Ni-san?" ¡°Hmm, he said it would be better if Krische came alone because you would be stubborn... Oh, that was probably supposed to be a secret. Sorry, forget Krische said anything. Vinthril-san seems to have important matters to attend to.¡± "...I-I see." She gave a bitter smile as she listened to the reply, which didn''t even try to hide anything. Her brother must have seen through her. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Krische heard that the reason was that Lira wanted to end the customs by making herself thest Miko, or something like that, but... Krische don''t really understand how ending the role of Kreisharana Miko is rted to living alone in a ce like this. If we asked Regve if it was okay to end it, Krische think Regve would have said to do as you please." "That''s... well..." She thought for a while before speaking. "...Ever since Kreisharana fled to the mountains, the role of the Holy Spirit Miko has continued for nearly five hundred years. ...Of course, it might be a trivial rule to Yagernaus-sama... but in the vige, we think that appointing a Miko like me shows our respect for him." ¡®Right,¡¯ Lira says, looking at Krische. "For example... isn''t it considered an honor formoners to request an audience with Queen Kreschenta in the kingdom? Kreschenta-sama is a kind person... I don''t think she''ll mind, but at least I think there''s a custom like that." "Hm... Yes, it''s always quite stiff.¡± Originally, Alberinea, the Queen¡¯s elder sister, was a person who was above themoners. She shouldn''t be in a position where one could be at ease either, but for her, who didn¡¯t care about that at all, the queen was easier to understand. "Those customs and ceremonies show respect to the other person. Even if Kreschenta doesn''t have any desire to do that, others see her as the great monarch who rules over the great country of Alberan. To take up the time of such a responsible person is at least a great honor for many. Even if you were able to request an audience, it would be normal to show as much courtesy as possible." ¡®The Holy Spirit Miko was simr to that¡¯, Lira said. "Regardless of what Yagernaus-sama thinks, They are a god-like being in Kreisharana. That''s why, as a form of etiquette, we establish a Miko like me to ensure that when we seek an audience, we do not shame ourselves before Yagernaus-sama.¡± ¡°Shame...¡± "Yes. Regardless of my own immaturity... Miko are considered special beings in Kreisharana. The existence of Holy Spirit Miko who have trained themselves in abstinence, have not had children, and have sworn to dedicate their lives as human beings to Yagernaus-sama, putting Yagernaus-sama first, is the very embodiment of respect for Yagernaus-sama in Kreisharana." A long-standing custom, a special position. It could be said to be meaningless, and it probably was. At least the Holy Spirit didn¡¯t care about what the Miko wa like. If it''s someone like Krische, it would be a a different story, but she was probably just one of the small ones. "Even if I say that I will serve Yagernaus-sama forever and that I want to be thest Holy Spirit Miko... unfortunately not many people will be convinced by that. Many will feel that it is disrespectful to Yagernaus-sama. They believes that having Holy Spirit Miko for each generation is the best way to show respect to Yagernaus-sama." However, since this was the pir of the faith in the Holy Spirit that had continued for many years, the people of Kreisharana did not think that way. "So... in order to convince those people, I must show myself to be a more worthy Holy Spirit Miko than anyone else in the past. ...The proof of this is that I will be alone except for my duties, cut off all ties with people, and live out my life as a Miko without any help from anyone." It was a word that she had told herself many times. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she had even told someone her determination like this. Krische tilted her head as if she had heard a very difficult story, and Lira gave a wry smile as she saw that. "Fufu, was it a bit difficult after all?" "No...it might be easier to understand than Vinthril-san. Krische kind of get it, but also not really..." She said with a carefree look on her face, then asked. "Krische¡¯s not sure if living a lonely and difficult life alone is proof of being a good Miko, but...Krische juste up with a good idea." "... A good thing?" "Lira was talking really fast just now, L is probably really lonely because you don''t have anyone to talk to, right?" "Eh? Well..." Lira was confused, then nodded. "B-But... it would be trouble Krische-sama talk to me so often, and I''ll have to give some excuse to oth¨D¨D" "It''s okay." ¡®Of course, it is fine for Krische toe to Lira''s ce but¡¯, and the girl in contrast had a big smile on her face. Chapter 293: Miko and Cage of Desire III Chapter 293: Miko and Cage of Desire III **Chapter 293 The Miko and Cage of Desire III** She was carried by Suiko to the Hollow of the Holy Spirit. After hearing the ¡®good idea¡¯ that Krische hade up with, Lira desperately tried to persuade her, but Krische insisted that it was fine. They ran through the forest andnded in the hollow, "Regve-san, Liea is lonely. Please give her some attention." That was the first thing she said. ¨D¨DLira froze. In front of a huge cliff made of magic crystals¨D¨Dthe Holy Spirit was silent. Without even lifting Their head, They looked at Krische with Theirrge crimson-purple eyes, then at Lira. And after a while, his magic power resonated. *¡°What are you talking about, Krische¡±* "Lira is living alone in the forest, feeling lonely just to be Regve¡¯s final shrine maiden...or something like that. Why don¡¯t you visit her more often and keep herpany? You''re not that busy, right?" ¡°Ah, uh...Krische-sama, in the first ce, about that, well¡± ¡°...? Lira haven''t told Regve-san yet?¡± The concept of being the Holy Spirit¡¯s Miko was something that only exists in Kreisharana. To the Holy Spirit, it might not matter at all. Even speaking about it seemed arrogant, as if she held herself in too much of high regard by considering herself the final Miko. When asked if she truly had the resolve, could she confidently say yes? Thinking about that too. "Well, it''s fine. Actually¨D¨D¡± At the words ¡®well, it''s fine¡¯, Lira wanted to protest that it wasn¡¯t fine at all, but the situation left her pale and nearly paralyzed. Ignoring Lira''s reaction, Krische began exining in a rxed, nonchnt tone, probably repeating something she heard from her brother. The Holy Spirit, whose expression was unreadable, listened quietly, while Lira anxiously wondered what They were thinking. The circumstances of the vige, the eventual loss of faith. Lira had decided to be thest shrine Miko with an eye on Kreisharana¡¯s future, but in truth, this had nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. The frequency of audiences had changed from once every two years to once a year in Lira¡¯s time, and though the Holy Spirit asionally asked questions or spoke more, that was due to Krische¡¯s involvement rather than any special connection to Lira. It wasn¡¯t that she was particrly special to the Sacred Spirit. It would be one thing if she had spoken it herself, but when Krische exined it, it sounded extremely arrogant. Moreover, thinking she¡¯d serve forever was already an audacious thought, assuming the Sacred Spirit was a lonely being. "...Leaving aside the details, the important thing is that Lira wants to stay with Regve-san for the rest of her life. Krische thinks that Regve-san should be nicer to Lira." Krische nodded on her own, as if she''d said something very good. The Holy Spirit, who had been listening in silence, looked at Lira with Their huge eyes. *"I understand the situation, but you can do as you like. Whether that little one lives in the forest or in a flock is a trivial matter. I may be your friend, but that little one is not my friend, and I have no interest in it."* The resonance of magic power made Lira freeze again. *¡±Regardless of what she thinks of me, it¡¯s none of my concern. I don¡¯t particrly refuse it, but what reason do I have to engage with her?¡±* ¡°Hmm...¡± Watching Krische pondering, Lira hastily pulled her cloak. "I-I appreciate the thought, Krische-sama... but it''s fine..." "But Lira doesn''t seem to be fine." "Um, well..." The girl turned to Lira, smiled softly, and patted her head, saying it was fine. Then she turned her eyes to the Holy Spirit again. "Krische doesn''t really understand what you''re so hung up on, Regve-san..." *¡°Hung up on?¡±** ¡°Is it a rule that you can¡¯t befriend someone who is equal or inferior in ability? For example, Krische, if Krische were to challenge Regve right now, Krische would easily win, so Regve-san is not equal to Krische, but Krische think that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡®Krische doesn¡¯t think there¡¯s any need for a reason¡¯, she continued. ¡°Regve-san isn¡¯t talking to Krische because Regve-san doesn¡¯t want to be killed by Krische, and Krische isn¡¯t talking to Regve-san because of equal power. We¡¯re just meeting and talking because we want to be friends¡¡± ¡®Is that wrong?¡¯, when she asked, the Holy Spirit narrowed Their eyes in some interest, and said that it wasn¡¯t wrong. Then the magic shook quietly and intermittently. "The superiority or inferiority of abilities is foolish. Different people have different thoughts, and because they are different, you can think of different things and notice different fun and happiness... If Regve-san think it''s fun to talk to Krische, Regve-san will also enjoy talking to Lira, other people." The Holy Spirit narrowed Their eyes, seemingly interested, and quietly, magical power fluctuated. Expressing her thoughts straightforwardly, no matter the situation, she conveyed her own words and thoughts openly to anyone. She never tried to make herself appear big or small. "Regve-san say that small ones are worthless, but there are many people in the world who have different thoughts, and there are many people who are more impressive and amazing than stupid Krische and Kreschenta, even if not, there are people whosepany brings joy and happiness and who maye to love you.¡± "Ah..." Krische went behind Lira and hugged her from behind, in front of the Holy Spirit. "Since there are people who want to continue to be friends with Regve-san and talk to you, it''s a waste to have such weird hang up. Of course, if Regve-san doesn''t like Lira, then that¡¯s different, but if not, then this is just another furious meeting... you have to cherish it." Half frozen, she gazed fearfully at the Holy Spirit. The crimson eyes narrowed even more¨D¨Dand after a while, the magic power swayed intermittently. The vibrations of magic power that was filling this huge depression where the Holy Spirit was. ¨D¨DIt sounded a lot like a humanughing. ¡°I see, there is some truth in your words.¡± "That''s right. For example, even if there was another Regve-san besides you who waspletely equal and thought the same way, you wouldn''t be able to have a fun conversation, right? It''s fun to talk because you''re talking to someone different from you. In that sense, Lira is just right." "Right?" While holding Lira, Krische nodded and pointed her finger. "Unlike Regve-san, she''s very weak, and from Regve-san point of view, she works hard at things that are pointless. But she''s a kind, honest, and good girl, so she''s theplete opposite of the dishonest Regve-san in many ways, so she''s a perfect match for you. ...Krische has learned a lot from people who arepletely different from Krische, Krische¡¯s sure Regve-san has a lot to learn from L." "Oh. This little one, to me?" The pressure of the gaze grew, and she nearly stopped breathing. Krische always said what she thought¨D¨Dshe was happy that Krische felt that way, but sometimes it was akin to violence in the name of innocence. "Yes. Lira seems lonely too, so maybe she''d be a good person to talk to. Regve-san is probably just sleeping alone, thinking about things, so it''s much more constructive to talk to Lira. Right, Lira?" "Um, well..." Bewildered by the question, she was at a loss for words. ¡°If Lira is living alone to be with Regve-san, then keeping Regve-sanpany in both in thoughts and conversations is an important part of Lira¡¯s duties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± When Krische some up with something she thought was good she would say it as is. Unlike Lira, Krische didn''t think about useless things, she just made the problem clear and simple. In any case, it would be rude of her to hesitate after hearing all that. Lira took a deep breath. "...I know I''m being presumptuous." Then, having made up her mind, she quietly bowed deeply. "Unrted to all the formalities... if Yagernaus-sama doesn''t mind, pleas allow me to visit here from time to time and have conversation with Yagernaus-sama?" Her heart pounded, her body was covered in sweat, yet she felt cold and shivered. "She said. So how is it?" When Krische said that, the magic wavered intermittently as ifughing again. A littleter, the magic wavered gently. *"Very well. It''s not much different from before, so if you feel like it, I''ll answer you and ask you questions."* "!" *"I don''t mind if you just join in on the conversation. ¨D¨DL, are you satisfied with that?"* At the voice that echoed in her head, Lira opened her eyes wide and bowed even deeper. Her eyes involuntarily watered, and she hurriedly wiped them with her arm as she answered the words. "Thank you, Yagernaus-sama." *"You should thank Krische. It''s a trivial matter to me, but I think it''s not bad to try to get along with a small one like you.''* They raised Their head and looked straight at Lira with Their crimson eyes. *At least your answers to my questions so far haven''t been bad. It''s not that inconvenient to have a conversation, and depending on how one look at it, exchanging questions with a mere small one can be fun.* Then They said this and turned Their eyes to Krische beside her. *¡°I wouldn''t have bothered engaging in conversation, but indeed, what you say has some merit. It¡¯s rash to assume there¡¯s nothing to gain from it.¡± ¡°Ehehe, that''s right. Being stubborn is a loss.'' L bowed deeply to Their words again, then raised her head to look at Krische. ¡°Goof for you, Lira.¡± She patted Lira on the head and smiled softly. That night, Krische told her she would stay over, and Krische slept with her that night. Inside the hut, which only had a little furniture. Krische didn''tin about the simple bed with only a nket, and looked happy beside Lira. "...Krische-sama is really an amazing person." "Hm...Is it?" She talked to the Holy Spirit calmly without fear, and even lectured The, for such a trivial reason as Lira being lonely. All the things Lira had been unable to say, and her worries, were blown away by her in a single day. Even if Lira had the same power, she would not try to persuade the Holy Spirit just to be someone for Lira to talk to. From the Holy Spirit''s point of view, it was unreasonable to say such things. Lira couldn¡¯t grasp things as forcefully and easily as Krische did. She thought that Krische was like God, in fact that she was close to it. "Fufu, that easily... Krische is like a God." "God..." She shattered the magic crystal on the cliff, creating a tall tower that pierced the clouds, on the side. A magic well that absorbed a huge amount of magical power from a ce called the Origin and released it into the sky. Apparently, filling the atmosphere with magic power is the foundation for the ¡®creation of the world¡¯, and that was her original purpose. A collection of shining magic form filled the blue sky, and a huge pir rose up silently. She was truly the being who created the heavens and the earth, the holy spirits, and all living things, including humans. The scene was also a scene from the ancient creation myth. She recalled the time when Krische went to bring back the soul of her beloved servant. The young girl was an incredible being, and it would not be wrong to call her a god. Rewriting the world itself and creating a whole new world¡ªthe more Lira thought about what Krische was about to aplish, the more she realized that Krische was an existence iparable to her. It felt strange to saw her lying next to her under the same nket. "It''s true that Krische is a little good at calctions, and maybe even good at using magic, but... it''s nothing special. For example, just because someone is good with a knife doesn''t mean they¡¯re a good cook... it''s something like that." ¡®Krische is still immature¡¯, she said with a smile. It was as if she was happy about her own immaturity. "Actually, Krische think Lira is more admirable." "Huh, m-me?" "Yes. Lira is living a lonely life without seeing anyone for the sake of the people of Kreisharana, isn''t she? ...Krische is always a bad girl who only thinks about herself." Krische took out a magic crystal from her light pink nightgown and looks at it. "Krische doesn''t want to be sad, Krische doesn''t want to be in pain. That''s why Krische want to see Bery... Krische want to spend time with everyone again, but that''s just Krische being selfish. Krische made Selene cry, that she can¡¯t put up with Krische, and Krische still haven''t gotten a proper answer." She reaches out and stroked Lira cheek. The blue magic crystal, with the red light inside, shone purple like her eyes. Her silver hair and white skin were illuminated by that light,pleting her beautiful face, yet she still looked childish. Krische had always been the same since the first time they met. "Even Bery might not really stick with Krische. It might be too selfish of Krische to ask...but Krische still wants to see Krische, so Krische does foolish things... Ehehe." Krische smiled awkwardly, saying that it was hard to convey what she wanted to say. A lonely tone¡ª¡ªshe probably felt that way in reality. Even with the power of a god, not everything goes as one wishes. "...Krische feel sorry Lira, but if Selene says no, if Selene says Krische shouldn''t hope for eternity, Krische might end it here. Of course, if Lira wants, Krische can make her body like that for Lira." "...I don''t mind. I''ll leave it to Krische-sama." After saying that, Lira continued. "But I''m sure Selene knows how you feel, Krische-sama. I don''t know her that well, though." The young and beautiful marshal with golden hair. They had only exchanged a few greetings and were not close. However, remembering the way she looked at this girl, Lira could be sure. She had spent much more time by this girl''s side than Lira had. She surely understood better than anyone how beautiful and precious the ''foolishness'' this girl spoke of was. "Bery-sama too. Fufu, If someone chased me after my death to bring back my soul, just because they wanted to see me again...if someone said that, even I would be delighted and overjoyed." ¡°overjoyed?¡± "Yes. There''s no one who would be angry to be loved that much. Especially not her." She giggled, and Krische smiled, holding the magic crystal with both hands. "...When we get there, I need to prepare a room for Lira." "My room..." "Yes. Lira have been living alone in a ce like this until now, so we need to celebrate." "Celebrate..." "A full course of meat, Lira''s favorite. Krische should have brought some meat for L today, but... Krishe didn''t think of that at all." Lira blushed and smiled wryly, saying it was unnecessary. It was surprisingly delicious to eat someone else''s home-cooked meal for the first time in a while. The ingredients were the same¨D¨Dof course, her cooking skills were a factor, but surely that wasn''t the only reason. "Fufu, if I had Krische-sama''s and Bery-sama''s cooking every day, it would be hard. I''d get used to delicious food and might drown in luxury if I''m not careful." "Ehehe, Lira eats so deliciously that it''s fun to cook for her. Besides, Vinthril-san also asked Krische yesterday." "...Nii-san?" "Working as a shrine maiden and living alone in a ce like this... L is lonely and not very strong, but she''s a good girl who will endure hardships and do her best for someone else." ¡®Yes¡¯, she nodded. "Working as a shrine maiden and living alone in a ce like this... Lira is lonely and not very strong, but she''s a good girl who will endure hardships and do her best for someone else." Hearing those words. "So when we go over there, that he want Krische to make sure Lira is happy every day to make up for it, he said..." The image of her brother bowing his head to her came into Lira¡¯s mind. She remembered the worried expression on his face as he looked at Lira every time they met. Her brother had desperately tried to stop her from living alone like this many times. He understood her determination but still insisted that she didn''t need to go that far and that he would somehow manage things himself. Lira''s determination was half stubbornness. She didn''t want to trouble her brother and wanted to do something to help realize the future of Kreisharana that her father and brother envisioned¡ª¡ªas the daughter of a great father, as the sister of a brother she could be proud of, she wanted to be a Lira they could be proud of. So she didn''t want to disappoint him, and she came here stubbornly, saying she wouldn¡¯t go back on her words. Still, her brother probably understood L''s foolish stubbornness when he asked Krische to look after L. Her vision suddenly blurred. Covering her face with both hands, she couldn''t hold back her sobs. Krische held her and whispered, ¡®It''s okay¡¯. "It will be very fun. Every day we''ll say silly things and do silly things, and it will be very lively. There will be no hardships, no sadness, just happiness every day." Lira nodded and Krische just stroked her head, the feeling was just pleasant. "Even if Lira get lonely, everyone''s here, and we won''t let you be alone. ...So, it''s okay, there''s no need to cry like that." Every time she nodded, her head was stroked gently. The words ¡®It''s okay¡¯ were repeated as if to reassure herself, and Lira understood that Krische felt the same way. She was not the only one who was lonely because she couldn''t see the people she want to meet. There were probably people like that all over the world, including her. Sometimes, she wondered if she was the unhappiest person in the world, but that was never the case. She could met her brothers at least once a year, and even during the times she couldn''t see them, they were always worried about her. There were people like Krische who cared for andforted her, and this loneliness wouldn''tst forever. Perhaps someday, she would look back andugh at these times. After all, this loneliness was a path she had chosen herself. Lira was surely blessed. ¨D¨DThe next morning, Krische returned to the kingdom and she was alone again. The loneliness returned once more, but her heart was calm. What Krische had prepared for her was a path that led to the Hollow of the Holy Spirit. It was decorated with a faint blue mark that kept magical beasts away, and its presence must have helped Lira''s heart so much since then. Even if she tried not to think about it, emotions were not something that could be controlled by logic. When she felt so lonely she couldn''t bear it, she could just go see the Holy Spirit. Having such an escape route created lee-way for the emotions that had been swelling in her dead end. In the end, she only used it to meet the Holy Spirit a few times in her life, but that was surely because its existence gave Lira more space in her heart. Although she always felt some loneliness, just knowing that path existed allowed her to maintain a much more peaceful state of mind than before. Humans cannotpletely abandon their desires, and there are limits to what they can endure. In the end, what she learned from decades of living was her own weakness. It was the simple truth that people cravepanionship. On the mountaintop¨D¨Doutside, it was snowing, but this space was warm, filled with the smell of meat grilling on the grill. Though it was a bit chilly, staying by the campfire wasn''t so bad, and wrapping herself in fur made her feel cozy. Moreover, being wrapped in Elvena''s cloak and held on herp, Lira didn''t feel cold at all. "Is it delicious, Lira-sama?" "Y-yes... very..." Elvena personally brought a skewer to Lira''s mouth, and she bit into the meat, savoring its taste before swallowing. ¡®Here, say ah¡¯, said Elvena, offering another skewer¡ªdelicious. Once again, Lira bit into the skewer and smiled. From the first day, for about two weeks, Elvena had been looking after Lira in various ways. At first, Lira endured it, but gradually, she found it harder to resist. Each time something happened, Elvena would say it was because she was tired, and Lira began to think she might really be tired. She thought it wouldn''t be a bad idea to rx a bit, to take a break, even if just for sleeping. In the end, she ended up being cuddled and warmed by Elvena every night, being woken up by her in the morning, receiving food during training, and agreeing to the suggestion of experiencing Elvena''s care during the trip. Sitting on Elvena''sp and being fed, saying ¡®aah¡¯ was embarrassing but also felt heavenly if she could ignore that feeling. Her body was warm, the sensation of being held was pleasant, and the situation where she could depend on someone as much as she wanted was iparable. It was understandable why the two princesses had indulged themselves. "Would you like some wine?" "Yes..." When her lips touched the wine ss before her, she tasted the sweet wine mixed with juice. As the alcohol took hold, her shame dulled, her reason weakened, and her mind filled with desire and pleasure. Using drunkenness as an excuse was incredibly convenient. ¡®Isn¡¯t this fine?¡¯ a voice in Lira¡¯s mind whispered. Her weakness was nothing new. Lira was an incorrigible lonely, needy person. And Lira being Lira, she should have realized that the training over those decades was meaningless. She had been holding back for a while, and now that Elvena had asked her to, she thought it might be not a bad idea to drown herself for once. The other Lira raised her voice, saying ¡®that¡¯s not good¡¯. She was certainly weak. But that was why it was important to value self-restraint on a daily basis. Drowning because you''re weak would only make you sink to the bottom, you wouldn''t be able to climb out, and you''d be a hopeless person. ¡®If you don¡¯t hold firm now, then when will you?¡¯ it rebuked, rejecting such words. "Here, Elvena. These are for Lira and Elvena." "Fufu, thank you, Krische. Lira, new ones have arrived." "Uh..." "Ehehe, there are still plenty left." New skewers were ced on the small table in front of Lira. After recing the tes, Krische returned to Bery and Kreschenta, who were engrossed in grilling the meat and having a great time. Compared to the past, she lookedpletely free of worries and looked incredibly happy. Everyday life without pain or sadness¨D¨Dhere were the happy days Krische spoke of. This is her paradise, her utopia. A ce devoted solely to the pursuit of happiness. Was there any meaning in being stubborn out here? Mulling over the question she had pondered countless times, Lira bit into the new skewer and chewed. At least, if she just surrendered herself, happiness was right within reach. "Anne, it''s your turn." "Ah, yes..." Anne seemed to be ying some kind of board game with Selene. It wasn''t theplicated stuff the Holy Spirits enjoy, but a more orthodox game with a board and pieces. Selene was dominating on the board, but Anne was somehow distracted. She kept ncing this way, and perhaps because of the lighting, her cheeks looked red¨D¨Dwhen their eyes met, she quickly looked away. Looking across from her, Selene was also looking at Elvena with an indescribable look in her eyes. Elvena seemed to have noticed and asked. "Is something the matter, Selene-sama?" "...No, it''s fine, but... don''t bully Lira too much, okay?" "Bullying...?" Elvena tilted her head curiously and smiled, while Selene sighed in exasperation and shook her head. It was a rather disturbing exchange. she looked up at Elvena with her head fogged with alcohol, and Elvena smiled and brought a new skewer to her mouth. she took a bite reflexively, and the overflowing umami and melting sweetness of the fat spread in her mouth. She soon became oblivious to her doubts, and her strength rxed. Why did she have to hold back, she wondered. There was no reason or meaning. It was simply stubbornness. Indulging in pleasure might sound bad, but seeking happiness wasn¡¯t wrong. It was nice to see Krische and the other having fun every day, and even the Holy Spirit had been indulging in entertainment every day sinceing here. Surely, it wasn''t wrong for Lira, their Miko, to indulge a little. Wasn¡¯t it foolish of her to insist on abstinence and self-restraint? Sometimes it''s necessary to take a break. Munching on the meat, she swallowed it and brought the wine ss to her lips, downing its contents. It was very sweet. The moment of release from all she had restrained herself from was unparalleled. "Fufu, Lira-sama. Please give me any orders you want, I''m your personal servant now." Elvena whispered. Watching the wine and juice being mixed into the empty ss, Lira nodded. "If it pleases Lira-sama, even after we return, I can serve by your side as much as you want... Morning till night. How does that sound?" "As much as I want..." "Yes, as long as Lira-sama like. If you want, Lira-sama, I''ll be happy to serve you...ten, twenty, or even a hundred years." It was a proposal that tickled her heart. Someone inside Lira tried to protest, but swept along she nodde¨D¨D "Huh? Someone''s here." Krische¡¯s words suddenly brought Lira back to her senses. Chapter 294: Miko and Cage of Desire â€“ The End Chapter 294: Miko and Cage of Desire ¨C The End ***Chapter 294 Miko and Cage of Desire ¨C The End*** Atop the world''s highest peak, Greiviarbe. There appeared a lone man. d in thick cold-weather gear, equipped with various magical tools, his beard frozen from the outside air that was far below freezing temperature. From the foot of the mountain, it was enormous, the great pir of the earth. Yet, this man, just a mere human, faced it with nothing but his body and emerged victorious. "...Um, what should we do?" The man''s body, which seemed to have fainted, was magically isted from the outside air, and his energy-depleted body was healed. The silver-haired girl in the apron dress turned around and looked at Selene with a troubled look. "Should we carry him to a nearby vige while he''s asleep?" "You idiot, that would be too cruel. He worked so hard to climb all the way up here." Selene, exasperated, approached and crossed her arms. "A mountaineer, probably. Some people in this world really are that crazy. I can kind of understand the feeling, but should I say they¡¯re reckless or just in foolish..." "Why did this persone all the way up here? Krische doesn''t understand at all.¡± "What you said...he came to climb the mountain, probably." "Um...What is he going to do by climbing?" "...Don''t ask me. ...Bery." Krische looked at Bery, confused. Bery, who, found the abrupt question difficult, gave a wry smile. "I...That''s right...Maybe there''s a meaning to meaninglessness..." "Meaning in the meaninglessness..." "Ah, Krische-sama, your skewer is ready to eat." "Ah, hehe...Yes." Simple-minded. Krische''s interest shifted back from the man to her skewer and she moved towards Bery, who was near the grill. Lira, who had been on the verge of decadence, regained herposure due to the visitor and moved away from Elvena to stand beside Selene, near the man. Even through the cold-weather gear, his well-built body was apparent. Lira was reminded of the men of Kreisharana in the past. "This person is incredible... to climb such a high mountain with just his body." "Well, it certainly is incredible but... What should we do with him?" "..Right, we can''t just leave him like this..." After a moment of thought, she nodded, apologized to the unconscious man, and started searching his backpack. Inside were various tools presumably for mountaineering. Amid the unfamiliar items, she found what she was looking for. It was a bag containing a small tent. Taking the poles fixed outside the backpack, she began to set them up in a suitable spot. "Need help?" "No, I''m fine. Leave it to me." "If you say so..." Selene returned to Anne, conversing with her while asionally ncing their way. In her ce, Elvena approached and offered her hand, saying that it would be difficult to do it alone. "Fufu, Lira-sama had some alcohol, detailed work might be a bit difficult." "I''m sorry..." "Lira-sama is very kind." "N-no... I just thought waking up under the open sky would be a bit much..." Even though Krische¡¯s power would likely heal him regardless, waking up suddenly at the summit might be shocking. Typically, ordinary people couldn''t recognize L and the others, and even if they did, they wouldn''t remember. How he perceived this experience remained uncertain, but... ¡®¡M-my deepest apologies. To have defiled such a...sacred banquet.¡¯ From what he said, it seems he mistook Lira and the others as gods or something. Moreover, if he had fainted and then regained consciousness after reaching the freezing summit after exerting all his strength, the impression that he had been saved by God would have been even stronger. That didn''t seem like a good thing. He had trained his body and mind, pushed himself to his limits, and challenged this mountain with nothing but his bare hands. L didn''t want to tarnish that resolve if possible, and felt that it was not a ce for others to enter. "There are people like this in this world too..." "...That''s true." As the two of them stretched out a smooth-feeling cloth, presumably for protection from the cold, she felt someone''s gaze on her and looked at Elvena. She was staring at Lira''s face for some reason. "...Umm?" "No, it seems you were sobered up from the surprise. ...Apparently Kreisharana has be a temple now." "Yes, that seems to be the case. I remember seeing monks there a few times." She had no intention of looking into it herself, but she found herself thinking about it. She also knew a little bit about how Kreisharana was doing now. The Holy Spirit was gone, and many had drifted to the ins. But there were those who stayed and tried to protect their traditions and teachings. There were people from the ins who were attracted to their way of being. At some point, Kreisharana became a word that meant not a tribe, but an ideology, and a temple was built in the ce where it once was. Her brother must have made a great contribution by working hard to reconcile with the people of the ins and showing them the way by seeding them as the tribe¡¯s chief. Time would make everything better. Just as he had told Lira, good teachings were rtable even through the ages, and remained even when the tribe was gone, and that was exactly what happened. Although many of the teachings seem to have changed form, the important teachings remain to this day. ¡®...I will never let your faith and resolve go to waste. If you have the opportunity to see whaty beyond, you¡¯ll surely find the Kreisharana you wished for.¡¯ When they met at the ceremony, her brother would sometimes talk about the changes in Kreisharana. Not everything matched the future she had imagined back then, but it was certainly the future of Kreisharana Lira had hoped for. "Is this person also rted to them?" "I can''t say for sure... Maybe, maybe not." With a wry smile, she continued. "Regardless, the desire to improve oneself and the appreciation for such endeavors remain unchanged. I am moved." "Moved..." "Yes." If she was to express what was in her heart, there was no other way to call it than being moved. "I was worried about the meaning of abstinence, self-restraint, and devoting oneself to asceticism. I wondered what the meaning of such things really was." Closing her eyes, she sped her hands in prayer. Wearing fur and the two pieces of cloth, the top and bottom, it was incredibly cold, but she cherished it now. Elvena was staring at Lira with a very disinterested look on her face, but with her eyes closed, she didn''t notice. "But perhaps there doesn''t need to be any meaning. If indulging in pleasure is part of human nature, then so is disciplining oneself and striving for self-improvement. We should simply follow our hearts." Yes, follow the heart. A mind that fall into depravity, surrendering itself to pleasure and avoiding hardship. A mind that wanted to hone itself, throw itself into hardship, and value abstinence and self-restraint. There was no absolute truth or superiority, both were true. "Fufu, it¡¯s delicious." "Nee-sama, it''s not fair that Bery gets all the attention! Me too..." "How spoiled...Bery hold Kreschenta, after that Krische will fed Kreschenta." "Now now, Krische-sama. Here, for Kreschenta-sama too..." "Ugh..." The two, having lost interest in the visitor, faithfully followed their desires. It''s not that being true to one''s desires was bad, but that didn¡¯t mean that throwing oneself into hardships and devoting oneself to one''s study like him was absolutely right. Neither was wrong, and that was fine. Whether it was right or meaningful was trivial. Everyone should simply pursue what they wish for¨D¨DLira¡¯s path just happened to be one of self-discipline. "...Lira-sama, It''s as if you''ve been enlightened." "Enlightenment... No, fufu, certainly it felt close to that. At least, thanks to this person, I feel like I''ve seen a truth." Lira nodded as she looks at the unconscious man. Elvena stares at L, ring at her. They moved him into the prepared tent and the meales to an end. Selene asked what they should do, and a mansion meeting (a traveling version) was hastily held. Kreschenta, who was very satisfied (and wanted to go back to the mansion and have a good night''s rest), said, ¡®Why don''t we just leave him alone and go home?¡¯ She was saying that since he came to this ce because he wanted to, she didn''t care if she died in the field or not. She speaks in a way that makes it seem like she really didn¡¯t care at all. Her words were surprisingly sensible, although shecked the power to speak as she was being held by the servant. The policy of not getting too involved with normal humans was sound, and they had saved a life that had oncee close to death, so that was more than enough, and there was certainly a point to what she said, regardless of what she really thought. Even if there was a war, they would not get involved in public affairs. It was not something they should get involved in, as they had chosen to stay out of history, and the first policy of the mansion was that matters in the human world should be decided by those who lived in it. It was decided as a rule that while preventive measures would be taken to ensure the survival of this world, they would not intervene in anything other than that. In that respect, what she said was reasonable and in line with the principle, and unusually, Selene (who thought it would be a shame to leave him alone) and Krische (who also wanted to be held) also showed some agreement with her opinion. However, Anne (who wants to be immersed in a happy fantasy) expressed her opinion that she would have a bad dream if they leave him as is. Her opinions, which she rarely express at meetings, were emotional, but her feelings were sound. Lira (who were enlightened thanks to him) agreed, saying, ¡®It''s certainly reckless and foolish, and he may have been destined to die here... but it was a fortuitus meeting that he met us like this. We should at least see him off so he can return safely.¡¯ With Bery (who support the theory of fortuitus meeting) and Elvena (the ??? group) agreeing, the opinions was split into two. However, with Selene''s agreement that she would had bad dreams, they came to the conclusion that they would watch over him so he could safely descend the mountain. This was not the first time they had helped people, with the Sea of Trees survival tours and ocean drifting tours. The mansion''s policy was to think from a broader perspective, and there was also the view that individuals who they had fortuitus meeting with were the exception, and this opinion was fully adopted. They made a suitable bed for him on the south side where he had climbed, and saw him off on his return journey. Stabilizing the weather, packing down the snow, and secretly adding some portable food to his backpack was sufficient. Step by step, he steadily made his way down the path he hade up, asionally using a rope to skillfully descend. The white mountain range shining in the sun. Brown winter gear left footprints on the pure white slopes. The man''s figure was infinitely tinypared to this world. He was different from L and the others who were ying with avnches. No matter how much training he had, it was still reckless. To challenge a mountain like this, clutching one life in hand, one misstep, one idental slip on the snow, would mean losing it all. But the man firmly stamped his mark on the pure white snow, on the ice, and slowly, without breaking his pace, moving, still tiny. It was a sight that was burned into Lira''s eyes. She felt her energy, which had supposedly been fading, grow stronger again, and made another snowman. Elvena, beside him, was looking at Lira, not the man. And so the 57th Christand Snow Mountain Disaster Tour came to an end, and Lira and the others left Greiviarbe. In stark contrast to the frigidnd, they returned to the mansion in the warm forest to tidy up for the time being. They brought along a fair amount of luggage, from the tent, sled, and chairs they had been using, and carefully polished each item before cing them in the storehouse built next to the mansion. Magic was often used to melt snow on the snowy mountains to make makeshift hot springs, or to climb back up the mountain after skiing down, but maintaining these tools was usually done by hand. Only Kreschentained. Even she, despite herints, did not seem to dislike this kind of work, and she was in a good mood as she carefully wiped the small articles andined about her frustrations in the snowy mountains. There was not a single person here who found this kind of work bothersome. Maintenance of the mansion, vi, and hut, and everything else was basically done by hand. When you think about it, even life in this mansion, which feels decadent, was not all pleasure-oriented. Spending time on work that could bepleted in the blink of an eye, meaninglessly and wastefully¨D¨Din a way, it must be for the same reason as Lira''s daily training. They put time and effort into even making a simple cup of tea, and now they make things from tea leaves by hand. Everyone was particr about all kinds of things, and worked seriously on trivial and pointless things. "...Come to think of it, even though we''ve spent a thousand and several hundred years here, maybe I''ve only seen the surface." "The surface...?" Lira said as she and Elvena carried the table they''d just finished maintaining back to the hut. "I thought that life in the mansion was depraved. But in reality, I realized that life in the mansion and my everyday life are not that different. When I think about the meaning of doing unnecessary things by hand, I think they are simr." They had realized for a long time what Lira had finally realized. Of course, they may have been unconscious, but they certainly felt that they could not just pursue pleasure. "When Elvena-sama said that humans are creatures that need bnce, isn''t that what she meant? People cannot endure pain forever, but they are not made to indulge in pleasure alone. I think Elvena-sama was trying to teach me that." "Um..." ¡°When I think about it, I may have taken things too far, trying to distract myself from escaping by indulging in pleasure.¡± Indulging in pleasure was wrong. Abstinence and self-restraint was right. On the surface, Lira said it was fine to live like Krische and the others if they were happy, but deep down, she must have been fixated on that idea. Abstinence and self-restraint were merely a means to discipline her immature self, not the goal. Lira was only doing it to maintain her own bnce, as she was prone to bing corrupt, and it was a matter for Lira and Lira alone. It goes without saying that Selene and Bery were the same. Krische also had her own aesthetic, and she spent her days adhering to it. She worked energetically every day, hoping to be a finedy and servant, and even Kreschenta¡¯s meddl¨D¨D no, considering her abilities, it would be easy to solve anything but, she helped Selene and Bery with their work. The reason why Lira only remembers their spoiled, corrupted appearances must be because that was the only side of them she had seen. Feelings like she was holding back, and yet they were doing it, was nothing more than irrational jealousy. Looking at Elvena, she was looking at Lira''s face in thought. She shook her ck hair, which was neatly tied around her shoulders, narrowed her narrow eyes, and then suddenly, a soft smile appeared on her face. "I know I''m not such a fine person to be teaching you, Lira-sama... but I suppose that''s what it means to take a break. Lira-sama is so hard on herself that even the most peaceful andfortable aspects of everyday life seem like a decadence, and I was a little worried that Lira-sama was pushing herself into a corner." "I see. Sorry to have worried you." Putting the table down, Lira bowed her head, and Elvena gave a wry smile. Perhaps Elvena was trying to corrupt her¨D¨Da doubt she had had many times before. But it was a hopelessly rude one. Elvena had just been worried about Lira all this time. It was shameful to have felt that way about her. "...The truth is, umm... I have often thought, with much rudeness, that maybe Elvena-sama were seducing me into depravity and enjoying it." "my." She looked up timidly, and Elvena looked surprised, as if she had never expected that. She was relieved to see Elvena¡¯s reaction was as she had imagined it, but her cheeks were stained and her eyes were swimming at her own rude thoughts and words. "But, you''re right... Now that you mention it, I''m always getting in the way of Lira-sama. I''m sorry. I thought I was being considerate, but maybe I''m just being a bit of a busybody..." "N-no, well... it''s not that Elvena-sama is bad, it''s just that I''m the kind of person who can''t ept other people''s kindness honestly... Elvena-sama is not at all" Seeing Elvena with a troubled and slightly sad look on her face, Lira hastily denied it. "No, as long as you''re honest about it, I''ll make sure to improve myself." "Improve? Umm, I was just being stubborn... I''m very happy, and it¡¯ll be fine from now on. I''m only saying that that was only up until now... Right now, I''m very grateful." "...Are you really not pushing yourself too hard?" "Yes, I''m not lying." Lira said, looking straight at Elvena. Elvena stared at Lira, then smiled as if relieved. It was a charming and cute smile. "...I''m d. But if there''s anything, please tell me. I¡¯m actually someone who doesn''t know how to keep a distance from others... so" "It''s okay. Elvena has never done anything like that before. In fact, I think I''m the one who''s unknowingly doing rude things more often than not..." "Fufu, that''s not true." Elvena said, looking at the things that had been organized in the warehouse. "That''s about it for now. Will Lira-sama go to Regve-sama and the others?" "Yes, to say hello." Currently, four of the dragons were here. The fifth of the seven-game match between Berry and the oldest dragon, Linasera, had been taking ce three months ago, and in addition to Kushenaras, another dragon hade to watch it. Bery had beening out once a day to move her magic pieces, but nothing had changed. The spirits were engrossed in ying board games, sometimes arguing like children, sometimes not. Lira, the Holy Spirit, and the girls were all equally free here. Thanks to the climber, her stiffened heart had loosened. It was a good time to resume her training. She would spend her days in abstinence and self-discipline because she wanted to, not because she had to. Not because it had any meaning to it, but because she wanted to. That''s probably all that matters. "And then--" ¡®¨D¨DI''ll go back to my previous way of life to train myself again.¡¯ Just as she was about to say that, "Yes, as promised, I''d like Lira-sama help with making the costume." "Eh?" Elvena smiled and opened her mouth. "... What''s the matter, Lira-sama?" "No, nothing... I''dpletely forgotten. That''s right." "Is there something you need to do?" "No... I''d be happy to help you out." ¡®That''s good to hear¡¯, Elvena said, pping her hands. A full-bloomed smile, it was a rare sight from her. "Please take a break and rx for a while, so please feel free to ask me anything you want." "R-rest..." "Yes, I have practiced sewing a little, but doing everything from scratch is still an amateur job and I''m not used to it, so I may cause you trouble... but I will do my best to take care of other parts. Leave it to me." Elvena approached with a smile. "Ah, well..." "After all, it''s going to be quite a hassle to consider Lira-sama''s preferences, measurements, and fittings, so if Lira-sama don''t mind, how about staying in my room instead? It''s more convenient for me that way..." The first step she took in her resolve was swept away by the rapid-fire words. Today, the Miko was inside the cage of desire. Chapter 295: Sigh I Chapter 295: Sigh I ***Chapter 295 Sigh I*** T/N: Sorry for thete upload It was a bedroom. Arge elderly many on the bed by the window. Beside him, a beautiful blonde-haired woman sat in a chair, old but still beautiful. Her red dress, though simple, looked elegant on her, reflecting the dignity of a woman who had spent half her life as a marshal of the kingdom. "Even the greatest warrior on the continent cannot win against age." The old man responded with a bitter smile. The woman''s voice had a dignified tone andposure. The voice was mixed with a wry smile and the old man also responded with a wry smile. "It''s hard to say if I was ever the greatest warrior on the continent. Even if there was, it was probably only for a short time before Krische-sama''s first battle." "That child is not a warrior. Now or ever." "Even if you call her a servant, that would be problematic." The twoughed again, and the old man coughed softly. The woman ced her hand on his thick chest and stroked it. "I wish I could havested another year. It would be a shame to lose to Aleha." "Fufu, you sure hate to lose. But didn¡¯t you win more times overall?" "Yes, but he¡¯s still refining his swordsmanship at his age. If we were to fight ten times now, my victories might be in danger." "Even though there are no more war, you really love it, don''t you?" The woman said in exasperation. The old man narrowed his eyes with a smile. "Krische-sama has changed the times. Warriors like me, Aleha, and Nozan will never appear again. ... Considering that, this battle is a battle to decide the second strongest in history¨D¨Dit''s a bit regretful to give it to Aleha. It¡¯s that kind of a petty stubbornness." "Stubborn, huh..." "Still, the honorable second ce in history may be Selene-sama." "... Me?" She tilted her head at the sudden words, and the old man nodded. "Isn''t that right? After all, time is eternal... Selene-sama has plenty of talent, and also the best sparring partner by her side. There is a good chance that in the distant future Selene-sama will be a great swordsman who will surpass even me. For me, that is much better than having Aleha take my second ce." "......" "......? Ah, is Selene-sama perhaps still undecided?" Seeing the silent woman, the old man looked exasperated. "Undecided... I''ve mostly made up my mind. I''m just not fully prepared yet." "...What more resolve do you need? Selene-sama have dedicated your entire life to Krische-sama." "...But I''m not a Bery." The woman said, sighing. "I''m sure it will be fun. For a hundred years, even two hundred. But forever? When I think about whether I can be happy andughing for eternity, I get anxious. Unlike Bery, I can''t genuinely feel that her happiness is my happiness." Then she continued, spitting out the words. "...My standard for happiness is ultimately my own." The old man, who had been looking at the woman in exasperation,ughed again. When the woman raised her eyebrows and red at him, he apologized insincerely while stifling hisughter. "What? If you want to say I''m a stupid woman, then justugh." "No, no. I can''t believe it''s been decades since then, and when I hear that you''re still jealous of Bery, I can''t help butugh... Selene-sama is really too serious, or rather, too sincere." "...Shut up." The old manughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes, and he coughed again. The woman stroked his chest with an unpleasant expression on her face. "For the life of me, I can''t help but wonder why you can''t trust yourself that much." "...I don''t know." The old man looked at his master''s daughter with the same gentleness as before. "Even at your age, you love Krische-sama so much that you''re jealous of Bery...I wonder where there is any room for doubt in your heart." ¡®I would love to know that¡¯, he said quietly, smiling. --Selene woke up at dawn. It wasn''tte, but she was the fifth person to wake up. It was just before the sun rose. At that time, Bery and Krische were the first to wake up. And around the time they started to move, Elvena and Anne also started to move, and Selene woke up a littleter. For various reasons, she spent most of the year sleeping in her room, and the faint noises they made served as her rm clock. Not being a morning person, it took her some time to fully wake up. First, she sat up and stretched. Then she closed her eyes and breathed quietly, opening and closing her arms and legs, spending some time like this. After getting rid of the lethargy in her body, she stood up, stretched once more, twisting her waist to make it light and flexible. She took off her negligee and changed into a shirt and pants that she was wearing for practice. She took her beloved sword in her hands and went out into the hallway, and went down the stairs and outside the mansion, greeting Anne when she met her. She swung the sword lightly as a warm-up exercise, and gradually sharpened the de in earnest. No matter how much she trained, the day would nevere when she would be able to defeat Krische, and yet there was also no one in the world today who had honed their sword skill to the point of being able to fight on equal terms with Selene. There was no opportunity to wield it. There was not much point in honing her sword skills, but once she started thinking about it, eternity itself was meaningless, and after several decades, she had already stopped thinking about it. Swinging her sword in the morning like this was a habit, and a mere hobby. It was not like she wanted to be the second best in history, as Kolkis had said. And eternity¨D¨Deven if it was meaningless now, it could be meaningful in the future. For example, while she wasn''t particrly interested in it at the moment, it was entirely possible that Bery would take up the sword again to kill time. Her nasty nature and obsession with victory were extraordinary. It was entirely possible that in the future she would deliberately challenge Selene with the sword, which was Selene¡¯s forte, in order to lure her off guard in some kind of challenge, and while she didn''t think Bery would be able to catch up with her in ten or twenty years, eternity to Selene was the same eternity to her. Selene didn''t think she''d be caught up, and it was only natural that she wanted to put an edge on while she still had the advantage¨D¨Dno, there was a good chance that Bery was pretending to be disinterested, while secretly nning a strategy to defeat Selene in her head. Berry was a shameless, cowardly, and hopeless woman. It was important to not let her guard down. "Wee back." "Thank you as always, Anne." After finishing her practice, she returned to her room, where Anne was waiting. She had filled a bucket with hot water and prepared a hand towel. After she took off her clothes, Anne wrung out the towel and washed her back, while Selene dried her front. This was basically Anne''s role. Although there were problems with the temperature control of the water, which was sometimes too cold and sometimes too hot, she felt much more at ease with Anne than Elvena, w who was untrustworthy in many ways. Like Bery, Elvena was a very capable servant who could do anything well, but she also had the same bad nature. In contrast to the naturally malicious Bery, Elvena was a woman whose purpose in life was to intentionally humiliate and corrupt people, and if you let your guard down even once, you''ll be pushed off the top of a snowy mountain and corrupted before you know it. For now, she was confining Lira to the mansion and enjoying using her as a toy, but she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. *Sight*, Selene sighed, and Anne asked, ¡®Is Something the matter?¡¯. "No, I just thought my worries were endless." "Fufu, is that so?" Hearing Anneughing happily, Selene sighed again, ¡®It''s noughing matter¡¯. A predator-prey rtionship had been established in the mansion, and in that sense Anne was the most trustworthy servant. Although she was still a servant who did things in a clumsy way, she did things at her own pace and there were no ups or downs. Every day Anne was Anne, and in that sense, it was a relief. Although there were many difficulties, if the mansion were a dish, Anne would be like bread. "...Um" As she washed herself and put on my underwear, she felt someone staring at her intently and called out to Anne. "Ah, my apologies... I got carried away and was absorbed in admiring..." She had no qualms about exposing her naked body, but it was embarrassing to be stared at so closely. Anne hurriedly began to put the bucket away, and Selene sighed again. The characters in the somewhat shady stories Anne wrote as a hobby often appear to be modeled after the residents of the mansion. From their habits to their appearance, the descriptions were strangely detailed, as if going into everyst detail. Selene had been unaware for hundreds of years since she was born, of the existence of a small mole on the border between her left thigh and buttocks, but she found out about it from Anne''s book, it was frightening. It was unnerving to think about how much Anne observed, in a sense Selene also couldn''t let her guard down against her. She wished Anne would be a little more considerate of her models, but Anne was Anne after all¨D¨Dfor better or worse, there was no one in this mansion who could do anything about her. Especially since it was her only hobby. "What will you do after breakfast?" "I will continue sculpting in the workshop. I will be doing that for a while, so do as you like." "Understood. Call me if you need any chores done." ¨D¨DAnd so the two of them went for breakfast. Selene sat in the seat of honor, and to her right. "In the first ce you¨D¨DMugu" "How do you like it, Kreschenta-sama?" "...Hmm, it''s not too bad. It''s not bad." Sat Kreschenta on Bery''sp whileining. It was rare for Bery to sit quietly alone at breakfast, as if it''s her job to wake Kreschenta up and bringing her to breakfast. "Ehehe, the Pirshu fruit really do have a kick to them. Krische think it''s good." "Yes, it is. Tomorrow, we should try to¡ª" Krische clung to Berry''s chair, and today''s breakfast was praised, as usual, without ever getting bored of it. Bery, who never showed a single sign of displeasure and seemed to enjoy herself from the bottom of her heart, must be a bit crazy. For humans, distance was important, but it didn¡¯t exist for the two of them, and Bery''s function was broken as well. Touching each other was certainly a happy thing, and Selene of course had times when she wanted to do so without thinking, but even her favorite meat pie was painful to eat for three times a day. It''s normal for humans to get tired of being affectionate with each other all day within three days. However, Bery, who could spend a thousand years doing so without a second thought, was a monster after all. A woman who didn¡¯t mind eating meat pie three times a day¨D¨Dsomething she''d vaguely felt sinceing here, but Bery was a Krische that had obtained intelligence. Maybe inside she''s still a lot more childish than Selene. Trying topete with her would be likepeting to see who was the most childish. When was it that she realized how ridiculous it was. Even if adults y house seriously, children have infinite physical strength. It was pointless if there was no chance of winning. There were times when she wanted to be a child, but staying a child forever would made her sanity suffer. Looking to the left, she saw Anne, then Lira and Elvena. Lira was dressed in adylike white one-piece dress, her cheeks rxed as she eats her meal, asionally embarrassed at the thought of her own clothes. Normally one usually find it more embarrassing to wear her usual clothes, which were almost like underwear, but Lira seems to have a strange sensibility that made her feel embarrassed when there''s a lot of fabric. It was probably a cultural difference from their upbringing. Elvena asked Lyra about the fit of the dress with great satisfaction, praised her for how well it suited her, and cheerfully discussed what the next dress should be. L also didn''t seem to mind thepliments, saying things like ¡®You''re still making more!¡¯, but also expressed her preferences, saying things like ¡®I''d like it to be like this if possible¡¯. Most of Lilr''s preferences were the exact opposite of Selene''smon sense, like a short skirt or a more exposed midsection. She rubbed her brow, thinking that she had to give Elvena a warning again. Cultural differences were troublesome. The clothes that L would be happy with were really shameless andpletely uneptable in Selene''s eyes, but to point that out so strongly would be like denying the culture she was born and raised in. When Elvena first mentioned Liea''s clothes, she had thought lightly that she was using that excuse to corrupt Lira. But that pretense was probably her true intention. Because of Lira, Selene couldn¡¯t say anything openly about the dress being made. And it was not just for Lira. She was probably trying to fill the mansion with Lira''s preferences¨D¨Drevealing clothes that Selene considered obscene. ¡®Fufu, that''s nice. I can wear these just like normally...¡¯ ¡®It suits you very well, Lira-sama. ...Fufu, how about you, Krische=sama? It''s easy to move around in andfortable.¡¯ ¡®I see... that''s nice. It might be perfect for the hot season.¡¯ ¡®Yes, yes. If you don''t mind, I can sew some for everyone too. I''m getting used to sewing now...¡¯ Like that, Elvena''s n was easy to imagine. Something had to be done before it spread, but culture was a delicate issue. She had to be very careful about what she do. As Selene looked at Anne, who was clearly listening while eating, she sighed. Next to a workshop that was too big to be called a shed. A hammer was used to strike a chisel, and arge rock was carved out. For Selene, who was always troubled, the time she spent in the workshop was an important time when she could clear her mind. She started out thinking of creating a hobby that she could enjoy forever, in order to spend eternity, but that was a long time ago. Crafting was good. When she was making something, her whole being was focused on it. The touch of her hands, the observation that almost erased everything else from her vision, and projecting the ideal final form she envisioned. Sometimes, a small mistake would lead her to think of something better than she had imagined. At those times, she surrendered herself to that sensation, slowly solidifying a vague image. It was probably all the same. She had made many different things, forging, kneading y, and carving wood. She couldn¡¯t say she had mastered any of them yet¨D¨Dthat said she felt like she coud see many things now that she couldn''t see when she was making sashimi knives. Observation and imagination were important. In anything, you start by imitating through observation. In the process of imitating, you learn why something was bad, examine it closely, and eliminate the inferior parts one by one. If there were no missing parts, the perfect, finished form would be visible. If you imagine an uncertain ideal, you would only lose your bnce. Just like climbing a mountain, check each step and proceed. If you do that, before you know it, your imagination would take a clear shape. All that was left was to make the shape emerge exactly to thest detail. The sashimi knife sleeping in the workshop¨D¨Dit was purchased a long time ago in the east of the continent, but that delicate piece of art taught Selene the depths of craftsmanship. No matter how many times she tried, the de never reached her ideal. After worrying about why she couldn''t make something at the same level, she had taken a detour to rx, but now she finally understood. To put it in perspective, it would be like a child challenging Kolkis to a duel. Once you had stripped away the unnecessary and refined it, it was at its bare minimum. Selene hadn''t grown up, and had simply tried to imitate the look of that art¨D¨Dand that was the cause of her teau. The reason she was able to realize this was down to the two of them. What makes Krische and Kreschenta so great was, above all, their keen observational skills. When the two of them look at something, they could clearly read its purpose, its use, and what is emphasized. They then urately strip away only the unnecessary parts from the imitation in a rational way. She didn¡¯t think she could do it as easily as them, but there was plenty of time. If she couldn''t reach it in ten years, she could just use a hundred or a thousand years. It was fine to add value to it after that. Until now, she had probably been asking for too much extra. It was like chasing a bird and stepping off a cliff. First, it was important to go step by step. ¨D¨DOnce this is done, let¡¯s try to make a knife that surpasses that one again. With that thought, she swung the hammer down. A pleasant sound, clink, clunk, echoed, and she focused her nerves on that sound as well. Adjusting the angle and force ording to the sound of brittle and hard parts. For the past thirty years, she had spent time making statues, andpared to everything else she had done, it felt more tangible. She knew she was clumsy and rough, but building houses and carving statues, creating something rtivelyrge, wasn''t so difficult for her. A pair of young angels huddled together were being dug out of arge block of stone. Each had one wing, and she was imagining Krische and Kreschenta. She carefully poured what she had learned from them into her own creation. She brought her awareness all the way down to the tip of the hammer as she bring it down, and continued digging. At this rate, she might be able to finish it in another week. She took a breath and prepared herself again. "Selene¨D¨D! Please hear this!" An unpleasant reverberated from the stone statue. Chapter 296 Sigh II Chapter 296 Sigh II ¡®Hmmm, the more I look at it, the better it looks. Shall we hold a banquet here to celebrate?¡¯ ¡®Yes. fufu, I knew you would say that, Ojou-sama, so I already prepared it.¡¯ ¡®¡As always, your preparations are annoyingly thorough.¡¯ The hut built beside the Holy Spirit''s Hollow was quite good. With sturdy wooden stakes driven into the ground, earthen walls, and solid pirs. It was spacious enough for seven people to sleep, and they were in high spirits when they decided to sleep here during the banquet. The banquet was really fun, but. ¡®What''s wrong, Lira?¡¯ "Um, well... Kushenaras-samae, and with the wings... the hut... it..." The hut that took a year to buildsted just a week. It was destroyed by the dragon''s pping wings, along with the handmade furniture. Selene holed herself up for about three days. ¡®Fufun, this time, it''s sturdier than before. With this, even your annoyingly disruptive pping shouldn''t be a problem...¡¯ ¡®Oh, shall we test it?¡¯ ¡®What? Wait! It''s not finished yet¡ª'' It took a year and a half to build an even sturdier hut on the site. Just as it was nearingpletion, Kushenaras blew it away again. Selene holed herself up for about three days. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth huts also vanished before the dragon''s pping of wings. At seventh hut she abandoned themitment to wood and built it entirely of transmuted rock, which proved to be quite durable. It might not look very interesting, but it was sturdy and survived for about two hundred years, but when seven dragons gathered at the same time, one of them trampled it without noticing. And as expected Selene, who had been working on the expansion, holed herself in for about three days. The eighth hut was moved closer to the cliff to avoid being trampled on, and was also built out of transmuted rock. She made it to be more like a vi than a hut, and it was quite good, but the cliff copsed under the impact of anding, crushing it. Still not giving up, Selene spent thirty years digging into the cliff''s hollow¨D¨Dexpanding it and creating a sturdy interior structure like Arna''s great temple. The entrance still looked like a hut, but the inside was expanded to a small mansion and was still being expanded. There was a tragic incident where the entrance was destroyed by a flying debris caused by a wing p, but it was repaired and still stood strong. But it was not just hut. ¡®Fufun, what do you think? I think it''s pretty good.¡¯ "Well. It''s nice. Then... Shall we disy it at the entrance?" Selene made various items, such as pots and ornaments. ¡°S-Selene-sama...¡± "What''s wrong, Anne?" "M-my apologies! ...I was polishing Selene-sama¡¯s pot, but my hand slipped...and it fell off... and along with the horse figurine next to it..." And like that Anne destroyed it. ¡®...Ojou-sama, about the Miersch''s vi.¡¯ ¡®Miersch? Ah...that ce. What''s the matter?¡¯ ¡®I went to check on the situation after a long time, and it seems that magic crystals had grown out of the ground... from under the floor...my apologies. For the time being, I checked under the floor of the other vis and removed the magic crystals that had grown there.¡¯ Naturally, the other vis also copsed. Selene had experienced many moments in her life when the crystallization of her efforts crumbled in an instant. And each time, she recovered and rose up. Small failures had be something she was used to¨D¨D ¡°Ahhhh..." ¨D¨DNot. A miscalcted strike caused arge crack in the nearly finished statue. Selene fell to her knees, letting out a weak cry. "Selene-sama, sure is still as clumsy as ever. Can''t you even carve a stationary stone properly?" "I was carving it! This happened because you yelled at a weird timing!" "That''s just an excuse. Neither my sister nor Onee-sama would make such a foolish mistake." "You little...!" As she red, Kreschenta, unfazed, looked at the crack in the statue and then at Selene with disinterest. "More importantly, listen to me." "It''s not more important! Why do I have to listen to your pettyints in this situation? It''s probably about Krische and Bery being mean to you while loading, isn''t it?" "It''s not a pettyint!" "It''s a pettyint no matter how you think about it..." Tomorrow, they would go to town. Today, they were loading the carts for that purpose. Anne was probably helping with that too. There were about fiverge carts prepared for each region where they were selling, and they were sorting out the wine barrels, crops, Selene''s swords, and silver ornaments. The fine wines were especially bottled andbeled, which was quite a lot of work. Kreschenta¡¯s help mostly consisted of ¡®Help me, Krische. Help me, Bery. Help me, Krische Bery. Help me, Bery Bery Krische¡¯, spending more time being a hindrance than actually helping, and when she didn''t get much attention, she''d sulk ande to Selene. It was a familiar pattern. Knowing that her three months of effort had been effortlessly ruined by such trivial matters was indescribable. Still, she didn''t feel likeining. Kreschenta was on the same level as Gururun¨D¨Da rather clever animal. She wouldn''t be able to survive if she got angry at everything Kreschenta did. ¡¯Sigh¡¯, Selene sighed and massaged her forehead. As expected, she didn''t have the energy to continue making stone statues and went to the workshop. "Hey! Don''t ignore me!" Kreschenta trailed behind her, calling out. She was more of a pet than a human. Even now, people talked about her as the greatest ruler in history, but every time she heard such stories, she was astonished at how far away from reality it was. It was hard for Selene to believe that this child had ruled a country. Looking back, it was a wonder how they managed to keep it hidden. Of course, like Krische, Kreschenta intelligence far surpassed even Berry, who was exceptionally smart, but she was fatally stupid and childish. She waspletely self-centered, only interested in her own desires, and had the sensibilities of a five-year-old. She was a little smarter than Krische and had a good outward appearance, but now that she no longer needed to put on an appearance, all that remained was the sensibilities of a silly five-year-old. When they were over there, she still seemed a little more mature than Krische, but sinceing here, the situation had reversed. Selene entered the workshop and sat on the partially made sofa, and Kreschenta climbed onto herp. ¡®Sigh¡¯, sighing again, she patted Crescenda''s head. Kreschenta rxed her cheeks in satisfaction, as if saying that¡¯s good. Selene then slumped down on the sofa in a sloppy manner, and Kreschenta leaned over her. Holding Selene¡¯s cheeks in her hands, she slowly kissed her. "...Fine, if it¡¯s sleeping together, my grumpy princess." "Don''t mock me. But if you want to sleep with you, I''ll allow it." Kreschenta replied with a happy smile, and pressed her face against Selene''s chest. Her appearance was adorable, and her beautiful golden hair shimmered faintly red in the dim workshop. Selene kissed that hair. "Yes, yes, Kreschenta, would you please sleep with me?" "Fufun, guees I have no choice." Kreschenta answered with satisfaction, closing her eyes, and using Selene¡¯s left hand as a pillow behind her head. With her other hand, Selene pulled a nket draped over the back of the sofa and covered them, sighing again.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om How many sighs had she let out sinceing here? She wondered, gently patting Kreschenta¡¯s back. In no time, Kreschenta¡¯s breath turned into a sleeping sound¨D¨Dshe probably just wanted to take a nap. Kreschenta sleeps really well. She went to bed earlier than anyone else, woke upter than anyone else, and took a nap when the sun dipped slightly below the zenith. She probably came here after being chased away by Krische for asking to nap together. Except for her morning nap, Kreschenta always wanted to sleep with someone. Poking her cheek made her frown, and watching this, Selene smiled wryly. She had changed a lot from the dangerous aura she had when they first met. Selene rarely asked about her past before they met. It probably wasn''t a particrly enjoyable time for her either. Apart from the story of the servant, Nora, she never spoke of those days, so perhaps it was a reaction to that childhood. She seemed to be more childish with age, living an eternal childhood now. Enjoying endless freedom without any restraint, Kreschenta was probably the one who enjoyed immortality the most. Selene patted her, closing her eyes as well. Hoping, when she wakes up, the shock from earlier would be gone from her head. In a room¨D¨Don her mother''sp. Her mother appeared in the middle of her study and said, ¡®Study time is over, Selene¡¯, grabbing her waist and lifting her out of the chair, then sat on the sofa with Selene in her arms. As usual, Berry was nagging, but her mother didn''t pay any attention to her and banged on the table, whining that she wanted cookies and tea. And she would always told Selene the same old line. "Selene, don''t be someone who only thinks aboutplicated things like Bery. You''ll end up like that kid and only be able to nag." ¡°...Nee-sama¡± Berry sighed in exasperation, but still she prepared tea and cookies for her mother. She wondered if Bery had sighed every day back then. But Selene always found it strange that Bery looked happy despite her mother being so selfish. On days when her mother didn''te, she also gave them both cookies. But on the days her mother came over, she always made three servings of cookies. Bery was always perfect, never making a mistake. She was theplete opposite of her irresponsible and careless mother, and everything she did was wless, but her mother seemed to want her to learn from her negative example. No matter how she looked at it, Bery was impressive, but their mother always exuded a mysterious confidence. "The important thing in life is whether it''s fun or not. Sometimes, it''s essential to throw your studies aside and take a break to do what you love. Selene, you''re smart like me. Even if you study just enough, when you grow up, you''ll be able to manage just fine, like your mother." "Just enough..." "Nee-sama, why would you discourage her when she''s finally motivated?" "Your job might be to make Selene a properdy of the Christand family, but mine is to spoil and cherish her. This bnce is just right." ¡®I think that''s a bit unfair¡¯, Bery sighed again. She sat down next to them and slumped her shoulders. "Selene is serious in weird ways, just like Bogan. I''m worried she''ll start saying she wants to be like you. You try to do everything perfectly because you think you need to be an example for Selene. If she thinks that¡¯s normal, it would be a tragedy.¡± "I think it''s equally tragic if she thinks Nee-sama sloppiness is normal..." "How rude. How dare you speak to your elder sister like that?" "...Nee-sama, you''ve never once shown me what proper manners are." "Of course not, Bery. An elder sister is supposed to receive courtesy from her younger sister. It¡¯s not the other way around." Their mother was always overbearing. In an argument, Bery would usually present a valid point, but their mother would never listen and would boldly spout her own selfish reasoning, leaving Bery defeated. "Selene, let me ask you something. Who is more admirable, someone with a lot of knowledge or someone without it?" "Um... the one with more knowledge..." "Then, who is better at math, someone who calctes quickly or someone who is slow?" "...? The one who is quick..." "You''re fundamentally wrong. Both answers are incorrect. Whether someone is good or bad with a sword, quick or slow at calctions, it has nothing to do with being admirable." Bery sighed again, clutching her forehead in exasperation. Her mother continued. "If simply having great abilities was a good thing, then Bery would be a queen by now. Such things are trivial and insignificant. Of course, it''s better to have abilities, but even without them, a truly admirable person is still admirable. Just like your mother." "Y-yes..." "If you don''t have knowledge, ask someone who does. If you''re slow at math, let someone good at it handle it. You don¡¯t need to be perfect at everything yourself. You can rely on others." While saying this, her mother would hug her tightly, nuzzling her hair. "In return, Selene, you should help those people when they are in trouble. If you can make friends all over the world in this way, no matter what huge problem stands in your way, you''ll be able to solve it. With the smartest, strongest, and wealthiest people on your side, any problem bes simple, right?" "That¡¯s...maybe" "If there''s someone who is the most admirable in the world, it''s someone like that. Your respected father is able to handle his significant responsibilities because he''s found many dependable people. It''s not about being smart or good with a sword." ¡®Do you understand?¡¯ her mother asked, and Selene nodded, half-understanding. Her mother smiled and hugged Selene happily, like a stuffed animal. "Well, if you understand, then first you need to get along with Okaa-sama and Bery and rely on us more. Just worry about studying or otherplicated things in moderation." "Just in moderation..." "If you ask Berry about those troublesome things, she''ll usually be able to help you out. Okaa-sama does the same. Bery is happy to listen to my requests. She''s happy to listen to Selene''s requests, too." "...Look here Nee-sama" "Don¡¯t interrupt and ruin my talk. Just when I''m telling Selene something very important and motherly." Bery sighed again, and her mother said, ¡®You just need to say, ''Yes, you are right,'' and nothing else¡¯. "While being diligent is a good trait of Selene''s, the world is vast. No matter how hard you try, there are always people you can''t match. Problems wille in the future that you can''t solve just by trying hard. The important thing is to find many people you can rely on." "...Yes." "In that regard, Selene is lucky. You have a wonderful mother like me, Bery who can solve difficult problems easily, and your father, the best general in the kingdom. You''ve been blessed with reliable people from the moment you were born." ¡®That concludes your mother¡¯s valuable lesson¡¯, her mother said, taking a bite out of a cookie. That''s what her mother had told Selene over and over again. She thought she understood, but she probably didn''t. It wasn''t until decadester that Selene truly understood her mother''s words. ¡®Mother is a very intelligent person¡¯ she thought. Unlike Berry, she didn''t have a wealth of knowledge, nor the ability to do things easily, nor the ability to calcte. She waszy, careless, and sloppy. But she was always herself, and could see many things. If she had properly understood her mother''s teachings, she would not have been swayed by her emotions, and most of her worries would have easily melted away. But Selene just kept running, chasing after Bery, who she couldn''t caught up to, chasing after Krische, chasing after Kreschenta. Even though she only needed to take the hand extended to her, she stubbornly pushed herself. If her mother had seen her, she would have scolded her, saying, ¡®What an idiot¡¯. ¡®That''s not what those kids would want from you¡¯. And in fact, it was just as her mother said. By entrusting herself to the smartest, strongest, and richest people in the world, all of Selene''s problems were easily solved. Selene became the world''s greatest marshal, war disappeared from the continent for a time, and now she was living happily with the people she loves. It was so simple that it made her worry seem foolish. She didn''t think she had surpassed her father, or her mother. It wasn''t that she had be as smart as Bery, or that she had be like her. But those things were trivial and insignificant. Selene was only Selene, and whether she liked or hated her, she could never be more or less than Selene. That was only natural, and she was sure Bery felt the same way. Bery undoubtedly respected her mother from the bottom of her heart, knowing she couldn¡¯t be like her, which was why she loved her so. It was the same with Krische, Kreschenta, and all other people. There was no one who had everything, and that was why they admired each other and live their livesplementing each other. The important thing in life was whether it was fun or not. Their mother¡¯s words were extreme and unreasonable, but they probably came from acknowledging her own shorings and finding an answer from there. Such words wouldn¡¯te if one didn¡¯t graduate from longing for what theycked. "Just so you know, Bery, I''m saying this to you too. Sometimes, you need to abandon your work and spend a whole day lounging around." "...If I truly did that, neither the cookies nor the tea you''re enjoying now would appear." "You fool. Do you think your job is to serve your elder sister? That¡¯s your duty as a younger sister." ¡°...Sigh¡± She remember Bery sighing at her selfish and self-centered older sister. She felt sorry for Bery, she also found it curious that Bery seemed inexplicably happy. A sigh out of her loved one selfishness. Despite being exasperated and frustrated, cherishing the daily life of being troubled by such things was precious. Selene too, now knew that. Vol. 12 - Chapter 297 - Sigh III ¡®Fufu, I won. How about another match?¡¯ ¡®...N-no. Thank you.¡¯ Practice from her childhood. She was able to fight against adults, beat recruits, and even beat soldiers who weren''t that good. Most of the time, they looked surprised, orughed and said, ''As expected¡¯, and praised Selene for being a genius. Sometimes, however, they reacted differently, they looked as if it was the end of the world, and they looked so frustrated that they were about to start crying. When she saw themughing, she wondered how could they not be frustrated after losing? Or, why could they be so frustrated after only losing a single point? At that time, Selene didn''t understand their feelings. She was blessed with many things. She was beautiful and had beautiful golden hair. When she went to banquets, all eyes were on her, she also had good sense in choosing dresses. Her bone structure was good, and she could look good in anything she wore. Though beauty was subjective, and preferences vary, at the very least, no one would call Selene ugly. She was also smarter than most. Compared to people her age, Selene was a cut above the rest, and she worked hard. She could understand political topics that adults talked about, and everyone said she was a talented woman. Of course, some of it was ttery, but objectively she was above average. Even if she wasn''t a genius, she was talented, and thanks to her teachers she was knowledgeable. She was blessed with a talent for the sword, and was able to take on adult soldiers even as a child. The more she swung her sword, the more her skill improved, and her hard work paid off. And her father was a renowned General of the North and a Margrave. She came from a family that could be called great nobility. Overall, Selene Christand was far from ordinary. It was true that she was on the side of people who were envied, and if one looked objectively, she had been blessed with many things, and there were probably people who wanted to be like her. However, Selene was also someone who didn''t understand the feelings of those who lost. Everyone has their own pride, and when pride is wounded, it hurts deeply. For example, those who were defeated by Selene and praised her as a genius did so to protect their pride. Different from them, the daughter of a general, full of talent. By thinking it was only natural to lose to someone like that, they avoided the pain. It was natural to feel upset when defeated by a child barely taller than their waist, especially if they had worked hard. They had put in their own efforts, and they must have had some degree of pride from their effort. At the time, Selene just thought of them as a foothold, and she didn''t even understand the simple fact that those people also had lives, pride, and things to aim for. Yet, strangely, once she understood the feelings of the defeated, she seemed to forget what it felt like to be a winner. For example, Bery was the closest ¡®Winner¡¯ to her. She had never seen her practice sword, but when they fought, she was no match for her. At least that was the case when they were children¨D¨Dif Krische had not appeared and she had continued to fight with her, Bery might have continued to be superior to Selene with just that little ¡®practice¡¯. Bery was incredibly smart, and blessed with all sorts of talents. As her mother had said, Bery was a genius, and Selene could never beat her. Selene had always envied her, for she was able to get everything she wanted without much effort. It was a different story from losing to a well-trained warrior, like her father or hisrades. She was a servant who did the work of the mansion every day and didn''t even swing a sword. And yet, it was so frustrating that no matter how much she trained, she was no match for Bery, and she always wondered why she didn''t have that kind of talent. But it was the same¨D¨Dsurely many of the soldiers who were defeated by the young Selene thought that way. Just as Selene had achieved things through her own efforts, they must have achieved things through their own efforts. Just as Selene thought Berry was being unfair, They must have thought Selene was unfair. Selene could get almost anything if she reached out for it. But there would always be those who couldn''t obtain them, and those who obtained things without even reaching out. And often, people see value only in things they could obtain through effort. While her talents, which couldn''t surpass Berry''s, were worthless to her, it must have been desperately desired by the soldiers who lost to her. In the same way, Bery probably thought her talent was worthless, but to Selene, it was something she would have wanted desperately. It is human nature to want what they don''t have. People yearn for things they cannot have. Even a girl with talents far surpassing Bery''s waste her talents every day, admiring Bery, and wasting her talents for the vague goal of making someone happy, suffering from not being able to be like her. Selene has her own pain, Bery has her pain, Krische has her own, and Kreschenta has her own. Everyone else too, her father and mother, must have had their own sufferings. Being blessed didn¡¯t necessarily mean happiness. For example, even if someone who was struggling to make ends meet obtains thevish lifestyle of royalty, that does not mean that they will be freed from all pain. Without knowing contentment, one would forever seek something more. The important thing was to acknowledge and ept yourself. To stop wishing for things you didn''t have. To cherish the small happiness. Whether one was royalty or nobility, craftsman or hunter, even if you live from day to day, as long as you have the ability to ept yourself and enjoy small joys, you can be happy. And even more so if you can meet someone to share that with. If one could be fulfilled by a daily life where they could sigh over silly things, nothing more would be necessary. At a Market Stall "Hehe, this is delicious." "...You really do nothing but eat huh." While selling misceneous goods and wine at the stall, Krische nibbled on a skewer she bought from a nearby food stall, carefree as always. They were visiting Linasera, a rural town in the mountains on the western outskirts. It seems to have been developed about a thousand years ago, after it became a hot topic when the World Tree sprouted there. There were veins of magic crystals, and naturally it''s rich in magical power¨D¨Dand there was a small magic academy there, so despite the rugged terrain, it was not an entirely deste area. Rugged mountains surround the World Tree on all four sides to the south. Only one road passed through the gap between the mountains like the maw of a dragon. It should have been a dark and inconvenient ce to live, but the World Tree''s leaves scatter sunlight, illuminating the shaded areas. Strangely, although the branches and leaves of the World Tree seemed no different from ordinary trees after it took root, they began to shine in the sunlight at some point. Krische said that it was probably because the people living nearby wished for it to happen, and each World Tree had its own unique characteristics. The World Tree of Albeneria scattered rainbow-colored petals once every few decades. In Arbyagel, sky-blue flowers bloom. Here, Kushenaras was famous for being the Demon Dragon, is known¨D¨Dand in Dogaruaz, Their sleeping ce, there was a single flower on a high branch, arge indigo flower and vermilion fruit. She tried eating one of them once and it was delicious. It was a legendary fruit that had a dense magical power like dragon blood and was said to grant immortality and longevity. In some ces, there were literal flying lizards flying around, and the spirits that were often seen there were dancing, so it was full of individuality. Folklore, local beliefs. These blend together, and the more secluded the World Tree, the stronger the sense of mystery, while those in popted areas were often more morous. Krische and Kreschenta hadn''t particrly added any unique characteristics themselves, things just naturally turned out that way, and seeing that always made them go ¡®Woah¡¯ in amazement. Spending time in such a world filled with legends and traditions, no matter what one saw, it felt fresh and mysterious when seen from this perspective. It seems that humans were quite convenient creatures. Bery and Crescenta were at the eastern end. Anne and the others are Nartana. Sometimes we visit the same town, other times they split up to do business in various ces. Mostly it was up to a whim¨D¨Dright now Kreschenta was probablyining and relying on Bery. Elvena was probably trying to bully Lira, but Anne was getting in her way. Just imagining that was amusing, and Selene shook her shoulders slightly. "...?" "Nothing. I was just thinking about something stupid." Krische put down the skewer she had finished eating with a puzzled look on her face, and yawned lightly. Selene smiles wryly and patted her own knee, and Krischeys down on the bench and happily rests her head on it. In the past, she might have thought it improper to be doing that kind of thing in public, but traveling around taught her about different cultures. For example, even a simple chair at a street stall. In dry areas, they justy a carpet¨D¨Dthe shopkeeper sat directly on it. The goods would be arranged haphazardly on the carpet. In contrast, in humid areas, it wasmon to set up a tform and sit on a chair. This area was no exception, and benches were especially popr. Street vendors herey nkets and cushions on the benches. It was alsomon for them to greet customers while lying down in a sloppy manner, and that seemed to be the way street vendors do things in this area. They said that it was good to deliberately appear unmotivated in order to show that one''s products were good enough to sell without desperate efforts. Street vendors who were unaware of thismon sense and desperately shout to attract customers were seen by local customers as shameful andcking confidence in their products. If a customer picked up a product to look at, speaking to them immediately was considered improper and rude. Themon sense in this area was to wait a while or wait until the customer opened their mouth before speaking to them. This was probably because it was a peaceful area with good public safety. Traveling to variousnds exposed her to many cultures and customs. Selene realized that themon sense she grew up with was just a small part of the world''s broadermon sense. Men should be this way, women should be that way, nobles should be like this, merchants like that, craftsmen like this, etiquette and manners like this. Themon sense from Alberan where she was born and raised remained at her core, but encountering different worlds was enjoyable. The look on Bery''s face when they went to a ce like Kreisharana, where dressing up was shameful and wearing the minimum amount of fabric was considered virtuous, was a sight to behold. Was that two or three hundred years ago? She remembered the time when she stopped Bery when she tried to escape to the mansion, and, for some reason, formed a united front with Elvena. She stroked Krische¡¯s head, who was fast asleep, and looked at her sleeping face. Krische was free-spirited, taking only the convenient parts, such as saying that sloppiness was a virtue for street vendors in this area. Then she would either sleep or eat, leaving the work to Selene. Surprisingly, she seemed to enjoy running the street stall, but as expected she prefers to eat, sleeps, and ys. If you leave her to do as she pleases, she will only do what she likes. "I''d like to see some of your products." "Yes, go ahead." Perhaps someone rted to the Magic Academy. The ck-haired young man, dressed in a fine cloak and robe, held a magic crystal engraved with a magic form. It was a simple item that heats up when magic power is poured into it. Elvena''s work¨D¨Daside from food ingredients, Berry was an overly perfectionist and never sold anything she made herself. The man stared at the engraving with a serious expression, and a man who seemed to be hispanion, who was watching, also picked up another magic crystal and looked at it. If anything, Selene wanted people to be interested in the swords she had forged, but ordinary swords were bing less and less popr with each passing year. It''s not that the quality was bad, as the swords she disyed were all ones that exceeded Krische¡¯s standard of ¡®a pretty good sword¡¯, but thetest trend was swords engraved with magical alloys. Gimmicks like magical des extending from the sword were popr, and the more high-end the preference, the stronger this trend became. She was currently studying engraving¨D¨Dnaturally, there was no way Selene would be able to engrave engravings like Bery and Elvena can, so she was learning from the basics. Of course, with the help of the two of them she could create a masterpiece, but she felt frustrated and for now she was studying from books at night. "...They''re all wonderful. Who engraved these?" "I received them from a magician I met during my travels, and he didn''t even mention the name..." "A wandering Doushi huh... What a shame. Loz" "Yeah. I''d like to take as much as I can with this." The man apanying him took out ten small gold coins from the bag. For a moment, Serene was taken aback, shaking her head in response. There were only seven simr magical crystals disyed. Even ten silver coins would be too much. ¡°Uh, well¡ these are only magical crystals for heat maniption so¡¡± "Haha, you don''t know its value. This is not the mainstream Four Phenomenon Two Element but a valuable item with a highly urate original marking. That alone makes it academically valuable." "Ha, yeah..." "That said, if you say so, we are grateful. We''ll take all seven, is that okay?" "...Yes, I don''t mind..." The man''spanion carefully wrapped each one in cloth as if they were jewels and put them in his bag. The men smiled as if they had made a good purchase, and Selene felt like she was doing something wrong. ¡®Oh, it''s rare for Elvena to have something for sale.¡¯ ¡®Yeah, I just engraved them lightly while I was practicing... I think they''re fine as practical items.¡¯ ¡®Hmm... I''ll just line them up.¡¯ The values ??they each thought were often not on the same level. She had intended to sell it for one silver coin, or even a little less, but a small gold coin. It would have been one thing if he had intended to sell it for that price from the start, but it was as if she was scamming them. Elvena hadn''t put much effort into it, and the magic crystals themselves were endless over there. Her chest ached. "...That was a good purchase. I''m I Windesur, the headmaster of this school in Linereselia. If you ever meet the Doushi in the future, please tell them to visit this magic school." "Uh, yes..." "Well then. Let''s go, Loz." "Ha." The man waved off his cloak and walked away, and Selene sighed softly. Elvena was skillful and smart. Even though it was just a little effort, she had been researching magic for over a thousand years, so her skills were iparable to those of an ordinary magician. She thought she understood this, but perhaps she had underestimated it as a simple heat maniption. Being ustomed to Krische¡¯s engraving, Selene seemed to have lost sight of general value. ¡°...I should warn Elvena too.¡± Honestly, this kind of business was more of an excuse for sightseeing. The goal was not making money, it was just a way to have fun. Selling what she made was enjoyable, and that was all. In that sense, magical crystals, which had such a significant impact here, might not be suitable. The sword that Kreschenta had forged long ago, after a tit for a tat, saying ¡®I''ll show you what the finest quality is like¡¯, was still on disy in the museum as a miraculous item of unknown origin. Since then, they had been quite careful, but this kind of thing still happened from time to time. Before she knew it, even Elvena had be a magician who could easily surprise even the grand magicians. While living over there, it didn¡¯t feel real, buting here made the recognition gap quite apparent. Even Selene would be the greatest swordsman in the world if she walked this world. It was incredible when thought about. In fact, many would be amazed by Selene¡¯s swordsmanship. She could feel the results of years of hard work and effort that she had umted without even realizing it¨D¨Dbut she didn''t think that it mattered. Elvena was surely the same. She didn¡¯t think of herself as a great magician. The great power she once desired so much, but now that she had it in her hands, it was just that. She wondered why she had been so obsessed with such insignificant things. Abilities were truly just additional value representing a person. Neither her father nor hisrades were just strong. Even Gallen, who couldn¡¯t use magic, was deeply respected by her father and Krische. The same goes for Dagra, who was merely an excellent unitmander. He paled inparison to superhumans like Kolkis. But he was faithful to his mission, fought ording to his beliefs, and became Krische¡¯s most trusted subordinate¨D¨Dher right-hand man, and he served her with pride. People were certainly not equal. They were born with different backgrounds, talents, appearances, and intelligence. Knowing this world and knowing themselves, and living their lives to the fullest without giving up¨D¨Dthe image of them still burned into Selene''s heart. More than anything, they were beautiful and brilliant. Compared to 1,500 years, it was only a moment, a fleeting moment. Yet, for those who lived that instant, nothing in the future could surpass it, even if they spent eternity. To Serene, ¡®great people¡¯ were such individuals, and it had nothing to do with abilities. No matter how much Selene trained, they were never within her reach. She didn''t feel any regret about that. It is because she was able to spend time with those people¨D¨Dand because the Selene of the past had a vivid admiration for them, that Selene was here now as Selene. The ability to honestly think that she couldn''tpete with them was the most important asset Selene had acquired. "...silly sleeping face." She pinched the cheek of her sister as she snored soundly. Watching her furrowed brow with a wry smile, she stroked her hair. Back then, she was always gued by inferiority. She knew she shouldn''t look at others that way, but she looked at others by their abilities. Even though it was their personalities that she loved, she was only envious and jealous of the things that were better than her, and mocked herself for not being worthy of them. ¨D¨DThe eternal birdcage was an endlessly kind cage, even to Selene. Everyone spent their days doing what they wanted, what they wanted. Abilities were worthless and meaningless, no one found them attractive, no one cared about them, everyone lived their lives as they were. The greatest heroes and wise rulers of all time were children who were obsessed with being pampered. Their servants were free and carefree, and even the dragons were fools who were obsessed with ying games. The notion of who was superior to whom was a trivial value outside the cage¨D¨Dthey vanished far away. Eternity was stagnation. There would be no opportunity to be a better person than now, and they would remain far behind those who died. No matter how much she honed her abilities, Selene was Selene. There was nowhere to aim for, nowhere to head towards. She was sure her old self wouldn''t have thought that this was happiness. Whether you are happy or not was all a matter of your attitude. "... Fufu" She stroked Krische¡¯s hair, narrowing her eyes. Then she looked up at the presence of someone. "Is that a Drop of Paradise... I never thought I''d see it here." "Yes, I got it by chance." A refined old couple appeared. This time they weren''t affiliated with the Magic Academy, but rather some kind of local noble. The elderly man looked at the wine that Serene had ced in the adjacent box. Bery¡¯s wine was quite famous¨D¨Dit seemed to be circting at a high price. Carefully making a pillow from a nket to avoid waking Krische, she took a bottle of wine from the adjacent box and handed it over. ¡°...There¡¯s no mistake, this is something I saw a long time ago.¡± The old man looked at the lid and nodded. About a thousand years ago, the bottle lids were made of magic crystals shaped like bird cages. While it wasn¡¯tpletely impossible to forge, it was distributed enough, and such effort was not worth it for a rarity. ¡°My father once let me drink it.¡± ¡°I see. We have also tasted it and found it very well-made.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s somewhat intriguing.¡± The old man looked at the lid, a quiet smile on his lips. The old woman let out a refinedugh and told Selene. ¡°It¡¯s just right. ¡Next week, my son, who has been away from home, is returning.¡± ¡°Oh my. ¡That¡¯s a joyous asion.¡± "Yes. You know, it''s okay to splurge a little every once in a while, right? Borok will be happy." "That''s not what I came here for." "You''re really stubborn. Can I have one, youngdy?" Selene nodded, epted the payment, and bowed. Then she ced Krische¡¯s head back on herp. Cliche opened her eyes slightly, but as if she had no intention of waking up, she closed them instead, and Selene sighed in exasperation as she pulled on her cheeks again. Kriche groaned, and Serene rxed her cheek¨D¨Drealizing the elderly woman was smiling wryly, she blushed. ¡°You have a lovely younger sister.¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡ well¡¡± "Ufufu, be sure to get along." The old woman said with a smile and looked at her husband. Her husband nodded with a sullen look on his face, took the old woman''s hand and walked away. The two of them looked calm¨D¨Donce she must have been a much older woman than they were now, but when was that? Just like her appearance, at some point, she had be childlike in mind as well. A thousand and five hundred years of childhood had eroded her decades of adulthood. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Either way, it was nothing to be proud of. Selene sighed again and, "Ugh..." ¡®It''s your fault¡¯, she said, pulling her sister''s cheek. Vol. 12 - Chapter 298 - Sigh â€“ The End Chapter 298 Sigh ¨C The End ¡®My goodness, I did allow you to drink. But still, why don''t you at least think about moderation? Flirting here and there, wherever you please¡ª'' ¡®Ehehe, Selene, want some drink too?¡¯ ¡®You do realize I''m in the middle of lecturing you right?¡¯ And so, she took a sip of the wine that was poured for her¨D¨Dher memory goes up to that point, which was not the case. Her memory of the event was clear. Even when she drank too much, Selene didn¡¯t possess the fortunate talent of having no memory of what happened due to intoxication. Therefore, when she woke up in the morning, her mind regained its rationality and was clear, even though she was half asleep. Looking down at the servant who was wiggling around, she saw ample breasts. Looking up, she saw the face of a slightly sleepy-looking servant. She yawned softly, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile and gave Selene a kiss. "Good morning, Ojou-sama." "..., Good morning" Rising from the bed naked, the servant opened the dresser and put on her underwear. Selene watched for a while, then yfully pinched her still-sleeping sister¡¯s cheek as she yawned. "Good morning, Selene..." "Good morning..." After a while, Krische opened her eyes and slowly sat up, stretching. Her delicate naked body stretched supplely, and kissed Selene lightly. Her eyes were still sleepy, but she slipped out of bed and sat next to Bery. They exchanged greetings and kissed in the same way, and Bery, who had quickly changed into an apron dress, took out her underwear and helped her get changed. She stared nkly at them, and yawned again. Then, ¡®*sigh*¡¯, sighed. All that''s left was a sloppy pink-haired idiot¨D¨Dwhen she poke her cheek she turned away and said ¡®noo¡¯ in a sweet voice, it seemed she had no intention of getting up today either. Usually shezed around until noon, sleeping twice or three times. At one point she thought about trying to improve her situation, but after a thousand years she had given up. "What will you do Ojou-sama?" "...I''ll get up in a little while." "Understood. Then please excuse us." The two maids in apron dresses left the room together, and Selene sighed again. It was truly normal. To the general public, their rtionship might seem corrupt and decadent, but it was just the way things had turned out. It was toote now, even Selene was already used to it, and it was only natural. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. The ethics and morals that she vaguely thought of were ultimately just a tool to make society run smoothly, a means to an end. It encouraged what was socially correct and rejected what was socially wrong. And at the same time, it was a chain that binds people. ¡®Selene, can youpartmentalize the kind of love you have for Krische-sama ?For example, the love you have for Bery-sama, and the love you have for Kreschenta-sama.¡¯ It was Elvena who said this¨D¨Dit was a long time ago, but it remains in her memory. Selene''s ssification was, in the end, based on values ??that seemed appropriate in general morality, and she loved Bery and Kreschenta just as she loved Krische. Just as steel is steel even if the mixture ratio is slightly different, love is also love. If they had touched skin back then, most of Selene''s anguish surely would have disappeared. The lines that seemed so important were merely lines within Selene. ¨D¨DSelene woke up at dawn. It wasn''tte, but she was the fifth person to do so. It was a matter of whether the sun had risen or not. At that time, Bery and Krische wake up earlier than anyone else. Elvena and Anne also began to move around the time the two started their activities, and Selene did not begin to move until a littleter that day. Due to various circumstances, she spent most of the year sleeping and waking in her own room, but sometimes she would sleep and wake in Krische¡¯s room like this time. First, she stretched her upper body. Then she lightly poked the cheek of the idiot who was still sound asleep, confirming that she had no intention of waking up. She got out of bed, took her underwear from the dresser, and did some light stretches. She pinched the cheek of the idiot who was still sleeping soundly, and smiled wryly as she watched her turn away as if in reluctance. She changed into her training clothes, a shirt and pants. Selene''s clothes and underwear were also kept here. She went out into the hallway and went to her room. She took her beloved sword and went out and Elvena greeted her cheerfully. She looked incredibly happy. "Good morning, Selene-sama. It''s a beautiful morning today." "......" Selene silently approached and pinched her cheek. Elvena, still smiling, looked at her, murmuring that it hurt, and then gently ced her hands on Selene''s cheeks, drawing her face closer as if to kiss her. When Selene jumped back and put some distance between them, Elvena looked even more amused. ¡°Fufu, that''s hurtful.¡± "Liar. You''re the one who filled Krische and the others with nonsense.¡± ".....Nonsense?" "You..." If given alcohol, Krische and Kreschenta would use it as an excuse to be spoiled all day. Thus, drinking without permission was banned in the mansion. However, since alcohol was essential in cooking, an outright ban was impossible, and Selene also enjoyed drinking to some extent. Therefore, as long as they followed the rules, moderate drinking was allowed, with one ss of wine permitted at dinner and a drink allowed once every three days. Restricting it too much would be counterproductive. Krische said she aimed to be a fine servant like Bery and was usually serious pared to Kreschenta) but was still a child at heart. She constantly desires to be spoiled. Kreschenta had no concept of restraint in the first ce. Basically, her capacity for reason was only the size of a small bottle, and she was always on the verge of overflowing with the desire to be pampered, and Kreschenta had no concept of patience in the first ce. Allowing them to drink and then freely seek affection served as a release for their pent-up desires. If this outlet was taken away, they would use various means to break Bery''s sanity. ¡®While trying different wines for new recipes, Krische got a bit drunk... Ehehe, idents happen sometimes. Right, Bery?¡¯ ¡®Uh... y-yes, something like that...¡¯ And Bery¡¯s rationality was also often on the brink of overflowing desires. This led to nothing but chaos and decay. That''s why she''s been trying to be more lenienttely. Perhaps that was why things at the mansion have been showing signs of stabilitytely, but recently they stopped having a drink once every three days, and there have been frequent incidents of the Twins getting drunk in the afternoon. In these cases, 99% of the time, it was Elvena who was to me. But Elvena just tilted her head idly and said to herself in an exaggerated way saying, ¡®What is it about?¡¯ "I apologize if you¡¯re referring to my unnecessary concern over Selene-sama¡¯s recent fatigue." "...It¡¯s definitely noy just that. Who was it that said my fatigue wasn¡¯t relieved because I was abstaining from my beloved wine?" "...My apologies. That was all I could remember...maybe it''s because I''m getting older." "Don''t me it on age. You''re really..." Selene knew Krische had recently been into making cookies vored with wine, likely Elvena instigation. She thought she was satisfied with the toy Lira, but it seemed like she was secretly plotting something else behind the scenes. Selene sighed. Elvena usually knew when to make a move. A roundabout little remark that could be interpreted in any way depending on the situation. A remark that would lead Krische and the others in the wrong direction. Very nasty. "Fufu. I''ll prepare the bath." "...*Haa*." Elvena smiled and ran downstairs, while Selene rubbed the corners of her eyes with her fingers. Selene then went down the stairs and out of the mansion. She swung her sword lightly as a warm-up exercise to shake off any distracting and evil thoughts, then gradually sharpened the de in earnest. A diagonal upward sh, rotating her body, she stepped in further and shed to the side. Her movements flowed seamlessly, and even a stroke that could cleave through te armor was now a feint. Her entire body was moving as she imagined it. ¡®Hmm, mosha mosha is a little stronger? It¡¯s ambiguous, though.¡¯ Even approaching old age, Aleha''s swordsmanship could be called that of a sword saint. Just as Kolkis had said, Aleha''s swordsmanship had been further refined even after he had gone. Even his feint attacks carried weight, his sword strikes were precise, yet strangely soft. To be able to swing a sharp, fast, lethal sh. Up to that point was merely the entrance¨D¨Dlike the work of putting together the pieces of a puzzle. Being able to swing the sword at its fastest was a given. On top of that, it was important to imbue yourself with the instantaneous judgment required to put together the puzzle in order to create an opening in the opponent to finish them off. This is why the sword feels softer the closer she gets to the peak. With the exception of the blow that will decide the battle, the faster the sword speed, the more risky it bes. An elerated sword excels in one thing, speed, but it inevitably throws off the center of gravity. The centrifugal force at work was something the human body could never withstand, and it was only by knowing this that she naturally understood the danger of swinging the fastest sword. If both parties were able to swing their swords at their fastest, even the slightest shift in their center of gravity can be fatal. What should be swung was not the fastest sword, but the shortest and fastest sword. To avoid losing one''s center of gravity due to the centrifugal force generated, one must keep it as close as possible to one''s grasp, and yet one must shift one''s weight and control one''s center of gravity to give the sword power. Thus, while the sword may appear soft and gentle at first nce, as the fastest sh was, two deadly shes were assembled, and a cage of des was formed in the blink of an eye. For a long time, she had felt that she had reached the state she had long aimed for. She had polished everything that could be polished, and there could be no greater step for Selene Christand as a swordsman. It was surely the same feeling that Aleha had when he said he was satisfied. But even though she felt that the end of her path was near, Selene continued to swing her sword. When she imagined that eternity would somedaye to an end, it used to seem like a misfortune, sadness, and frightening thing. But Selene wondered what the end was. Before, the end of life, death, was clearly a given, so she was certainly aware of the beginnings and the end. But such thoughts were probably silly. For example, the goal of seeding her father as a great general. The goal of being with someone she loved like her mother. At least Selene seeded her father as a great general in name only, and was with people she loved like a mother¨D¨Dor so she thought¨D¨Dbut even if she hadn''t died after achieving such goals, life would still continue. That''s because it was merely a goal she thought of in the course of her life on her own. Reaching a goal didn''t mean the end of life, and most of life was a time of inertia with no goals. In the first ce, why would one think that life had a clear end, when one had never felt the beginning of it? Only Krische has memories of when she was born¨D¨Dand even Krische wouldn''t be able to answer questions like when the beginning was. One day, a person suddenly realizes that they were in the midst of their life. Being told how old they were and when they were born, vaguely. She used to think too much about things. I thought I should be more respectable, felt that life had a beginning and an end, and tried to find some profound meaning. But meaning was an illusion. Even her father, who was more respectable than anyone, and his subordinates, faded away into the past of history. The history record only speaks of him as a great general loved by the people, but there was no way to truly understand what kind of person Bogan Christand was. To many people living there, even that era was just a record from long ago, and there was no way they could understand how great people they were, what beliefs they held, what they fought for, or how much they trained their minds and bodies. Whether they were great or not, time makes everything pass, and one day everything would disappear. The world was in a muchrger flow, and even human history was just a moment, and even dragons were probably the same when viewed in the context of that vast flow. There were apparently many others besides this one that Selene could not even perceive, and even the battle for the survival of a nation on this, and the battle for control of the continent, when viewed in the vastness of the world, were like a grain of sand¨D¨Dor even an even smaller event. No matter how lofty their philosophy, or how they lived their life, these didn¡¯t even amount to a fleeting event, too small to even be seen. Originally, there was no meaning anywhere. And yet, if one were to assign meaning to it, it would be just a brief moment. The time they spent with their respected parents and wonderful subordinates¨D¨Dthe fleeting emotions felt by those who lived and spent time in that era, that was all. And that was all that mattered to Selene and the others. That was all, nothing more, and she thought that was fine. She thought that everyone in the mansion was probably thinking the same thing. Whether she died tomorrow or forever, Selene was alive now. That was everything. If we talk about the meaning of this repetition, it''s happiness or unhappiness, fun or not¨D¨D that was all there was to it, and it didn¡¯t really have much meaning. We end today every day, and start today every day. And humans were probably sloppy creatures, if they have time they waste it. No matter how much you waste today in self-satisfaction, today woulde again tomorrow. If one was allowed to waste as much as they want, it was obvious that this was what would happen. There was no meaning to swinging the sword. If she must then, wielding the sword was fun. That was all,nothing more. There was no meaning to living forever. If she must then, wasting time was fun. That was all and nothing more. Every day there was not much growth, just ying and sleeping, wasting the day. She never thought of those days,ining about not growing at all from a thousand years ago, as unfortunate. And it would be the same as long as today continues. Complicated matters like what eternity was, what the end was, were for ¡®tomorrow''s Selene¡¯ to think about. At least, that''s what ¡®today''s Selene¡¯ thought. ¡®desuwa, desuwa, desuwa¡¯ noisy voice echoes in the orchard. Kreschenta was clinging behind Krische a little distance away. Lakura fruit trees were short, only about ten shaku tall at most. Their branches stretched out widely to the side, creating a green roof to monopolize the sunlight. Their roots also spread widely underground, and undergrowth of flowers and nts covered the area beneath the Lakura. They monopolize the sunshine from the sky and the nutrients from the ground, creating a territory, so no other trees could grow where Lakura fruit trees were. In some regions, they were hated as greedy trees, while in others, they were worshiped as a tree of unity and were a symbol of the national g. There were various views¨D¨Dbut the only thing those two were interested in was the fruit. The fruit was endlessly sweet, with a good texture. Selene would have liked it to be a bit more sour, but that was just a matter of preference. At least in this world, the sweetness only further increased. Several water cats were wandering around at their feet, pouring water on the roots of the Lakura from a watering can held in their mouths. Further around them, fingertip-sized fairy (Ð¡ÈË: Small Person/Dwarf/Midget) hopped around holding what appeared to be shovels or pickaxes, while other fairy with fish-like bodies from the waist down were watering the roots with watering cans. Every time they saw a water cat produced by the crouching Bery, they would hop around it, or ride on its back for fun. They''ve been seeing them a lot around heretely. The orchard seemed to be a particr favorite, and they were springing up like bugs. Probably because Bery was ying with them like this. "Fufu, they''re cute." "...Please don''t go near the mansion." "I know. As expected it would be a real problem if they were allowed in." They carry water wherever they want, mess with the soil here and there, and seem to have the goal of growing something, but they are just doing what they want. They were like an even more simplistic version of Krische and Kreschenta. It would be fine if they were in the orchard, but having the training yard tilled or waterlogged was unbearable. She still remembers when they were cultivating mysterious mushrooms in the attic of the vi in the forest. Her n for a forest camp turned into a big cleanup covered in spores. It was convenient in many ways if they were to spawn in the orchard, but it was a problem if they spawn just anywhere. "It''s unusual to see you here, Ojou-sama." "A change of pace. That idiot ruined the stone statue I was almost finished with, and I haven''t been feeling too great since then... Plus, I thought I''d take a look at how sloppy your work has beentely." "My, Ojou-sama is just like Kreschenta-sama when you say that. Have you been infected?" ¡°¡Don¡¯t try to change the subject. I wonder what you''re trying to do, drinking, getting drunk and flirting in broad daylight¡± "A-ahaha...w-well, that''s..." Berry looked away in confusion, and Selene pinched her cheek. "Uuh..." "Your number one job is to educate those idiots so they don''t get any more stupid. What will happen if you be one too?" ¡°...If you say that, then Ojou-sama was foo¨D¨Dow, it hurts¡¡± "Shut up. I''m angry." ¡®Good grief¡¯ Bery said, taking her finger away and stroking her cheek, ring at Selene, saying it was unreasonable. "Even Ojou-sama can''t be so strict with the two of them, right? And I''m trying my best in many ways....But more than that, those two are so adorable that sometimes I get tempted..." ¡°¡Your true colors are showing.¡± That''s the kind of woman Bery was. If you cracked her head open, it would surely overflow with wicked thoughts. ¡°True colors? Besides, think about it. I¡¯m the youngest and least experienced in the mansion now¡ I think a little rxation should be allowed.¡± "... You keep calling me Ojou-sama, but you only act younger when it''s convenient for you." "My, fufu, do you dislike being called Ojou-sama?" ¡°There you go again, trying to change the subject¡ I¡¯m not falling for that.¡± ¡®How troubling¡¯, Beryughed, not looking troubled at all. Selene sighed deeply. "My, your happiness will slip away." "I want to know who you think is to me for that." "...Ojou-sama is very strict with himself. I''m sure Ojou-sama would never push the responsibility onto someone else. I know that very well." "Unfortunately, a long time ago, I was told that I was too serious, so I changed my mind.... I wonder who it was who told me that." "Is that so... you''ve met a very good person." "Yes. That person really has a very good personality." Bery shook her shoulders happily like a young girl. When Selene red at her, Bery stroked her cheek and told her not to make a scary face. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like Kreschenta. Just what do you think I am?¡± ¡°My beloved Ojou-sama of course.¡± ¡°...Do you always have to preface everything with ''beloved''?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s the truth.¡± Bery, standing on her toes slightly, kissed her naturally and smiled. Selene sighed in exasperation, and Bery took her hand, intecing their arms as they walked. Insults and earplugs, grass and wind. Kreschenta, who repeated this exchange every day without getting bored, was truly a fool to be respected. ¡°By the way, Ojou-sama, the wine you prepared is just ready for drinking.¡± "Don''t try to lure me with bait... You know that, don''t you?" "... You''re not going to drink it?" "... I''ll drink it, though." ¡®Just a taste test, okay¡¯, she added, ring at Bery. The modest bitter smile Bery let out was very unpleasant. Even though her short stature mean she always looked up at Selene from below, it felt like she was looking down on her. Being a servant was a very convenient position. She said she would take care of her, but in reality she was always treating her like a child. She will surely take advantage of this position and continue to treat Selene as her ¡®Ojou-sama¡¯ from now on. "You really are the worst servant." "Well, it seems you have been infected with Kreschenta¡¯s disease after all. May I trante this as ¡®I love you¡¯?" "I wish you could tell me how and why that trantes as such." "Yes... I suppose it''s because of the love I have for you." ¡°¡Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± Selene turned her face away with a pout. A gentle breeze blew through the orchard surrounding the mansion. ¡®¨D¨DLove, purity, those sorts of things are different for each person. I can''t say anything, but that doesn''t mean it''s healthy to worry about it alone. Not just love and romance, but even when you''re worried, the answer you would get is most likely a stupid one.¡¯ ''... I suppose that''s true given your personality.'' ¡®Haha, well, even if I¡¯m like this, there was a time like that.'' The old man looked into the distance with a nostalgic look and a bitter smile. ''A worthy rival, you might say. No, regardless of what he thought, that''s what I thought of that bastard Verreich. But unlike me, who only has the ability to swing a spear, he''s top notch at anything he does. I''ve never been able to beat him at anything. He''s arade who ate the same meal as me, but I still think he''s a hateful, disgusting guy.'' ¡®I was quite jealous¡¯, he said, but he didn''t seem ashamed. ''There are people you think you''ll never be able to beat. I was jealous of his talent, and no matter how hard I tried, it''s his name that Bogan-dono calls first. I''m sure there are some people who can keep trying even if their efforts are not rewarded, but sometimes people lose their temper. ...I''m no exception to that rule, and I lose my temper sometimes.'' The old man looked endlessly amused. ''If you don''tpare me to him, I''m pretty good too. I''ll never be like him, but I''m doing pretty well. There were many times when I thought I shouldn''t be so high-minded, that I''d be fine as second best. If he were to die in battle one day, I''d be number one. ...But emotions aren''t logical.'' ''...logical.'' ¡®No matter how much I try to think objectively and convince myself, when I see his face, I get angry and want to make him cry. It''s not about being number one or number two, I realized that in the end I wanted to see him cry. At that time, I wasn''t thinking about him being my number one subordinate or anything like that, I simply wanted to beat him. There was no need for clever arguments or questions.¡¯ The old man¨D¨DKolkis continues to look at Selene. His eyes have not changed since the old days, as if he were looking at the beloved daughter of his respected Lord. ¡®If that''s what he is to me, then Berry must be simr to Selene-sama. For me it''s simple, if you''re in doubt, just look at Bery''s face again. I''m sure you''ll forget all about being sulky that way.¡¯ ¡®...How old do you think I am? I''m not sulking.¡¯ ¡®As long as you think you''ve grown up, you still have a long way to go. No matter how old you get, your character doesn''t change. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be here, facing the sight of Selene-sama getting jealous no matter how old she gets, while on the verge of death.¡¯ Selene, unable toe up with a response, groaned and turned away in a sulky mood. Seeing her unchanged no matter how many years had passed, he smirked, stood up and lightly patted her on the head. ¡®Selene-sama probably doesn''t understand herself, but I''ve known Selene-sama since birth, so I can easily imagine. ...Even after a thousand years, Selene-sama will still sulk like this, get jealous, and sigh whileining and grumbling at Krische-sama and the others.'' ¡®And so happily¡¯, Kolkisughed, and Selene red at him. But seeing Kolkis still looking at her with happy, gentle eyes, Selene sighed quietly¨D¨Dand noticing this, her brow furrowed even more. ¡®...I wonder what kind of person I look like to you.¡¯ ¡®Well, I''m just like Bery, the one you envy, quite an oddball. On the other hand, do you think there are that many people who are so entric that they would throw away their morous lives, and dedicate themselves to Krische-sama?¡¯ The hand stroking her head wasrge and gentle. ¡®...I don''t think there are.¡¯ ¡®Exactly. I think I can do it. I''m sure you''ll beughing at the idea of ??something like that happening soon.¡¯ He let go of her hand and coughed lightly, then lied back on the bed. He looked up at the ceiling, his arms as a pillow. ¡®Nothing good everes from thinking alone. ...The older I get, the more I think I should have talked to my son more, instead of being so stubborn. We started to talk less and less, and before I knew it, I no longer understood Gran, and Gran probably didn''t understand me either. Even though I thought I''d seen him since birth, that''s just how humans are.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ''Problems that could easily be solved by meeting face to face, even if it was just a fight, can end up bingplicated and big in your head before you know it.'' Then, he held up his own hand and looked at it. ''... Bery loved Selene-sama, and so did Selene-sama. Selene-sama didn''t hate her after he died, and there''s no reason to talk about jealousy now. On top of that, Selene-sama seemed to enjoy her days so much. ...When you think about it, it''s a small thing, what if this had happened when Bery was alive?'' Then he puts his hand on his pillow again. He closed his eyes and gave a bitter smile. ''I''m sure Selene-sama probably wouldn''t have been so deeply worried. Selene-sama would have gotten worked up over Bery and exchanged words. Within a week, Selene-sama would haveined about Krische¡¯s ''moving'', but Selene-sama would have helped her. That girl is stupid, and Bery is hopeless, andins to me every time Selene-sama visits me.'' ¡®That''s all I can say¡¯, Kolkis said, closing his eyes and smiling. ''I wonder if that''s true?'' ''Yes, I''m sure. Selene-sama talks like you are a normal, upstanding person, but as I said, to me, you and Berr are simr. ...I can''t help butugh at what Selene-sama is saying after all this time.'' ''... How rude.'' Selene looked at his face andughed quietly. ''Kuku, that''s true. Please forgive my disrespect, Your Excellency the Marshal.'' Then she closed her eyes and nodded quietly. ''Guess I have no choice but to forgive you.'' ''For your loyalty,'' she continued. Selene''s life a thousand years from now was pretty much what he had imagined it would be. Sometimes she sulked, sometimes she got jealous, sheined and whined, and she sighed almost every day. She had tried to ban herself from sighing several times, but it neversted even a day, let alone three days. Not a day went by without her sighing. However, if she were to deny one thing he said, then at the very least, Selene was a normal, upstanding person among them. Otherwise, Selene wouldn''t sigh so much. There was no need to use vague terms like ¡®probably¡¯, Selene was certainly the one who signed the most in history. It was a disgrace to be considered simr to Bery, Selene was much more normal. Thinking about such things, she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the soft bed. Feeling the slight movement next to her, Selene sighed softly. "...My. Sighing in the morning." A whispering voice rang out, and she opened her eyes slightly. Herrge, slightly sleepy eyes looked right at her. She gazed at the red-haired woman from a distance where their breaths could mingle, and without a word she reached out and pulled her soft cheek. "...And whose fault is that?" "It''s as if Ojou-sama is saying it''s my fault." She sighed again as she pulled her cheeks further. ¡®...Look, this is just a tasting¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®That''s an excuse! That''s unfair! You tell us not to drink, but you''re drinking wine by yourself!¡¯ ¡®Uuu... Selene, you lecture Cliche and the others so much, but when ites to yourself, you make excuses like that.¡¯ ¡®Don''t put me in the same category as you. I''m¨D¨D'' And so, Krische and Kreschenta appeared in front of Selene and Bery as they were tasting. The two started making a fuss about wanting to taste the wine too, and threw a tantrum¨D¨Dthey had been drunk all day yesterday. She gave up midway through, and drank heavily at night. But, as expected, her brain didn¡¯t have the convenient function of losing memories when drunk. Her memory was very clear. As she pinched her cheek, Bery smiled happily and kissed Selene slowly. "Good morning, Ojou-sama." "Good morning." Berry chuckled and gently removed Selene''s fingers that were pinching her cheek, and sat up, her ample breasts swaying. After that, after lightly caressing Selene, she slipped out of bed and put on her underwear and apron dress. Krische, who had been moving around fidgetly, rolled around and approached Selene, and, not knowing whether she was awake or asleep, she said ¡®kiss¡¯. Sighing in exasperation, she kissed her, and Selene hugged her while she was going ¡®ehehe¡¯ in a soft voice. "Good morning, Selene." "...Good morning." Saying this, she sat up and stretched her white naked body. Then she slipped out of bed and went to Bery. *Pyon, pyon*, she hopped around and asked for a good morning kiss, and while being spoiled, she was helped to get changed. As she was watching this absentmindedly, Bery, who had finished putting an apron dress on Krische, approached and called out to her. "What will you do Ojou-sama?" "...I''ll get up in a little while." "Understood. Then please excuse us." The two in the apron dresses left the room together, she sighed again. She kicked the side of the pink-headed girl who was sleeping soundly in bed. ¡®Noo¡¯, she said in a sweet, squishy voice as she turned her back. She had no intention of getting up today either, and was probably nning toze around and sleep until noon again. What a hopelesslyzy creature she was. The light streaming in through the window indicated dawn. As she gazed upon it absentmindedly, she sensed that everyone else besides Krische and the others was beginning to wake up, so she sat up and stretched slightly. She twisted her body from side to side and took a deep breath. Even her breath sounded like a sigh, and she sighed again as if exasperated at the thought. All she could do today was sigh. Just how many times would she sigh today? Thinking absentmindedly about this, "...Fufu" She quietly let out a chuckle to herself. Vol. 12 - Chapter 299 - Magical Girl Magicalâ˜†Bery DarkN ~Exorcistâ˜†Shelna~ A/N: After all, shouldn''t there be salvation for the people of Elderant? The girls who were trampled by Krische should also be able to find happiness. With these thoughts in mind, I would like to change this work from ¡®A Girl''s Unwanted Heroic Epic¡¯ to ¡®Magical Girl Magical Berry DarkN (meaning Darkness) - Retreating Magician Shelna¡¯ and have it reborn as a bright and happy story! ...was an April Fool''s joke. Disyed on therge LCD TV in the living room were three magical girls and a mass of tentacles. The girls jumped around the three-dimensional stage, attacking each other with magic and physical strikes, with the game''s objective being to knock the others off the stage. It was a simple battle royale game in which thest one standing was the winner. ¨D¨DMagical Girl Wars Extreme. An evolved version of the hugely popr game in the fairy world, Magical Girl Wars, with a huge number of yable characters added from the previous game. Nearly all characters from the previous series, including the Demon King Gilgil, the Seven Pirs of Evil, and Nyururun from the Exorcist Shelna series, were included. Apparently, it was scheduled for release next month, and the finished product had been delivered to the Christand family first. ¡°Ehehe, Nyururun is good. ''Nyururun'' is good at causing costume damage, so instead of using a big move, it seems strong to just tear apart the costumes bit by bit and knock them off. Kreschenta isn''t good at dashing or jumping and can only counter, so it''s better to focus on small moves while keeping your distance.¡± Nyururun wriggled in the wash basin on the desk. Nyururun skillfully controlled the countless tentacles and was able to operate a total of fourteen buttons at the same time, showing off their brilliant controller skills. Three matches ago, Nyururun''s movements were clumsy, but now, they have dramatically improved. The opposing magical girl, ¡®Magical Krische¡¯ was able to block ¡®Nyururun¡¯ onught with perfectly timed guards, but was cornered at the edge of the stage. ¡®Onee-sama, it''s not fair, always siding with Nyururun!" The fairy world''s queen, Kreschenta controls are perfect¨D¨Dshe hits the buttons with her right hand with her small body, trying to execute a counter, but while Nyururun could operate 14 buttons at the same time, she could only operate two at a time. On top of that, since one hand is basically controlling the movement stick, the buttons that could be operated instantly were limited, and it was very difficult to use the back buttons that a normal human would operate with their index and middle fingers, or to dash or jump. "Kreschenta¡¯s the one who said it wouldn''t be much of a battle without this much of a handicap." "But Onee-sama, you can''t tell her what to do! It''s not fair!" "What a selfish child... Ah, Nyururun, it''s a bomb. Kreschenta can''t escape now." "Uuu...I''m angry now..." Kreschenta jumps up and down onto the controller. While pressing the front button with the knee, she reached for the back button with her right hand and began to use dash and jump. Around them, Nyururun''s wife (tentacles) and children (tentacles) were amazed by the father (tentacles) skillfully controlling the controller and cheering, wriggling their tentacles. And it¡¯s not just the family, Nyururun''s friends (tentacles) and many neighbors (tentacles) were also watching, though they didn''te into the room but peeking through the window on the balcony. In contrast to the beautiful girls, the situation in the Christand family''s living room was extremely strange. A truly sphemous madness and chaos had arisen that could drive an unknowing person insane if he or she entered, but there was already no one in the house who cared about such a situation. Right next to the Queen and the tentacles in their fierce battle was a beautiful blonde girl in a one-piece dress and a beautiful red-haired girl (woman) in an apron. They controlled their own avatars¨D¨D''Magical Selene¡¯ and ¡®Magical Berry¡¯. "Hey! Stob being a coward! Using only long-range attacks just because I can only fight in closebat... Fight fair and square!" "My, I did bring in closebat quite a few times..." "Most of it is just a trap right! You were secretly practicing while I was at school!" "Secretly... I was ying openly in the living room." "You coward, why don''t you go easy on me!?" "I just thought Ojou-sama would be angry if I went easy..." When ¡®Magical Selene¡¯ stepped in, she deployed a Magical Mixer in front of her. ¡®Magical Selene¡¯, a close-range character, had no choice but to stop in her tracks, and Magical Fire (Strong Fire) was unleashed upon her. Unleashed at an unavoidable moment, it was the Hamburger Combo, a viciousbo of ¡®Magical Bery¡¯ that became popr after the game''s release. Magical Mixer was unblockable and powerful, but it is a set-up move with arge opening. Magical Fire was also unblockable and powerful, but in exchange for arge gap. However, the Magical Mixer could slow down the opponent''s speed based on proximity, ensuring a hit with Magical Fire (Strong Fire) within a certain range. Bery easily mastered the ¡®Predictive Mixer¡¯, a skill that wouldter be essential for ¡®Magical Bery¡¯ users, with her natural instincts, while Selene was literally a beginner. Furthermore, Selene was using Magical Selene, a close-range specialized move that would be considered for advanced yers after the game''s release. What happened between the two was not a battle, but a one-sided destruction. ¡®Magical Bery¡¯ used her Magical Wing to move quickly around to the back of ¡®Magical Selene¡¯, who was engulfed in magical fire (strong mes), and knocked her away with a single blow with her frying pan. While engulfed in mes, Magical Selene was mmed into the Magical Mixer. Without further ado, she used her special move, Magical Full Course with perfect timing, sending ¡®Magical Selene¡¯ flying across the stage. Seeing the perfect victory, the person controlling her smiled cheerfully. "It seems the goddess of victory has smiled upon me... Fufu, it was a good match¨D¨D" "How can you call it a good match when you''ve thoroughly shut out your opponent? What the goddess is smiling at you, you didn''t even take any damage!" "It just happened to go well. I was almost hit just now..." ¡°Y-You...!¡± Selene was furious, but she didn''t seem to care. Berry operated the controller, keeping her distance from the fierce battle between ¡®Magical Krische¡¯ and ¡®Nyururun¡¯, while collecting the power-up items that fell onto the stage, Tinkle¡îHearts. She won against a beginner with a ruthless shutout, and watched from afar, hoping to reap the benefits. The first magical girl was a hopeless woman who would justify any means to win. Berry, the final winner, put down the controller with a very satisfied look on her face, and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner, with Krische following her. Unsatisfied with the result, Selene and Kreschenta silently rematched. Selene casually grabbed one of the tentacles that had been watching, shoved it into Nyururun''s washbasin, and pressed the controller that Bery had been using against it. Nyururun looked at Selene with a confused look on his face, and moved their tentacles around to exin how to operate the controller to their friend¨D¨Dthat was the beginning. "It''s true... there haven''t been many attackstely." "That''s true. Before, a demon would rampage once every two weeks..." The Veeze family''s living room. Ledo, who was doing the dishes, answered Sherna, who was lying on the sofa reading a manga. It''s been like thistely¨D¨Dthe two members of the World Exorcism Church had a lot of free time. Ever since the appearance of the magical girl who had fallen into darkness, or rather, the demon lord Magical Bery, Shelna and her friends have been fighting nonstop. The reign of the former Demon King Gilgil ended and the appearance of demons around the world began to calm down, but in this far eastern region, demons tend to be active. The two received deployment orders almost every day, but for the past three months, that had calmed down considerably. When they sensed the presence of demons and went to investigate, they only found small ones. Even when they went out on deployment orders, they were not organized demons like before, but stray demons that had simply be stronger. Magical Selene, the Demon King''s aide who used to show up so frequently, had not shown up at all. And the sphemous tentacles, the main force of Magical Bery, had not been seen recently. "What did the old man say?" "He said the headquarters is the same as before. It seems they''ve been investigating various things, but it''s the same everywhere in the world... it seems like it''s pretty peaceful." "I see..." After washing the dishes, Ledo poured instant coffee into a floral mug, handed it to Shelna, and sat on the sofa himself. Shelna, who had been lying down, sat up and quietly sipped her hot coffee. "That''s creepy." "Yeah. I guess it''s the calm before the storm. ... The purpose of Magical Bery''s actions was unclear to begin with, and there are many things we don''t understand. It''s frustrating that there''s nothing we can do since we can''t move." It''s fair to say that the Demon King Gilgil was easier for the exorcists like Shelna to understand. Youma¨D¨Ddemons that ooze out of the world. Monsters, spirits, and gods, they have been fighting with exorcists for over a thousand years. The Demon King Gilgil, who appeared from another world about twenty years ago, is one of the most powerful youma. His goal is simple and clear: to rule the world, and the demons'' movements have be more active, centered around Japan, and demons around the world have begun to move in a coordinated manner. Historically, there have been simr examples, with powerful demons building up a powerful force around themselves, and in history, a fierce battle between demons and exorcisms has always been waged. The exorcists were also very concerned about the group calling themselves the Demon King Gilgil, and stood up to prevent their power from expanding, with exorcists, including Shelna''s father, at the center of this battle. However, in the midst of this battle, a magical girl named Magical Bery suddenly appeared. Despite the best efforts of the exorcisms, she challenged the powerful enemy alone, using an unknown, vast amount of energy and unknown magic to achieve results that were ridiculous, defeating one executive of the Demon King''s side by herself. In just one year, she repelled the attack of the Demon King Gilgil. The exorcisms rushed to discover the true identity of Magical Bery, but the search was halted due to her magic of recognition inhibition and memory maniption. The Seventh Far East Branch was established in this ¡®Yuhen¡¯ which was the center of her and the Demon King Gilgil''s activities. After that, magical girls simr to Magical Bery began to appear in various ces, but Magical Berr did not make any moves for the next thirteen years. It was only a few years ago that Magical Berry broke her silence¨D¨Dshe appeared again with twopanions, at a time when the remnants of the Demon King Gilgil were starting to be active. With twopanions, she defeated Gilgil again over four years, then dered herself the next demon king, attacking the exorcists who she had cooperated with previously. The power of the magical girls and the tentacles shemanded was immense. Even Sherna and the others who had entered the base a few months ago had no choice but to flee, and if they hadunched a serious offensive, the Far East Branch would have been destroyed in an instant. But what is their intention? Their movements were very sporadic, as if they were just ying. They show no signs of expanding their influence, and onlye to bother people from time to time. In the end, all the exorcists who have been inbat with them have been spared without being dealt a final blow. She imed to aim for world domination, but her words and actions werepletely inconsistent. Objectively speaking, the Magical Bery¡¯s action was nothing but a mystery. The fairy-like creatures around her could be seen giving instructions and the girls seemed to follow them, but their existence was just as mysterious as the magical girls themselves. A mysterious being that always appeared around the magical girls¨D¨Dat the very least, it was thought to be the being that gave the magical girls their immense power, but all that was known about it was its name, Kreschenta. This was likely due to the influence of recognition inhibition. Even Shelna, who generally never forgets things, only had vague memories of when she confronted them. She often felt odd stares from around her feet, but she hadn''t yet identified the cause of this sensation. And in this silence, there was an eerie calm. "However, theck of movement may be an opportunity to attack. Could you please look for the ce where the Magical Bery appeared again, Ledo?" "Yeah... I guess we have to look for clues there." However, if there was no movement, they could only do that. "Yes. If there''s anything, please contact me, I''lle right away." "...Maybe it''s okay to do it the other way around sometimes?" "No, there¡¯s Birdcage during the day. Oh, don''t contact me about trivial things." "......" Ignoring Redo''s sigh, she suddenly went, ¡®Oh, that reminds me¡¯, and set the recording. The Birdcage, a very popr mansion tale about an indulgent rtionship between a servant and three youngdies, has reached its climax, and she was curious to see what happens next. Shelna also wants to enjoy the drama at least when it is peaceful. "...If they''re free, maybe you could send over Bez or Zuren." "Don''tin. He who doesn''t work, doesn''t eat." "And, what about you?" "I''m taking care of the flower beds, cleaning, cooking... I do all the housework, don''t I?" "How does that align with being an exorcist?" "Say that again when you''re stronger than me." Sheughed at Ledo, who couldn''t say anything back, andy down with hisp as her pillow. "It seems like a game." "...A game?" "Yeah. Like ying the exorcist... don''t you think so? No one says that aloud though." "...Well, it''s quite different from what I thought back then." You may be terrifying. At least, many sacrifices were made before the predecessor of the Exorcist Association was established, and the exorcists who fight in the Exorcist Association have also been forced to make many sacrifices. As children, both Shelna and Ledo were told this over and over again, and they have trained ordingly to get to this ce. The reason Sherna, the Association''s greatest exorcist, was here was because of the strong vignce against the Demon King Gilgil and his sessor, Magical Bery. However, sinceing to thisnd, it hasn''t felt like a serious fight in which life was at stake. It felt strange, as if they were being forced into some kind of game where they fought on an invisible ring. There have been several times when they were at a disadvantage in the battle against the Demon King Gilgil and prepared to die, but then Magical XX appeared at a convenient time and they fought together. By nature, invaders from other worlds also seem to aim to keep people alive and absorb some kind of energy rather than killing them, and as far as Shelna has investigated, there have been no cases of direct fatalities caused by invaders from other worlds. Compared to the existing Youma, the damage caused by Youma from other worlds was far too minimal. The Demon Exorcism Association itself must have felt that way deep down. Although Sherna was kept here due to concerns about the powerful magical girls and invaders from another world, it seemed that the priority of the disturbances urring in this far easternnd was much lower than it was twenty years ago. Honestly, if they just look at the data, a Youma the size of a smart bear was much more dangerous. "But don''t let your guard down. It''s true that they have powers on a different level than any other exorcist." "I understand. But, you know..." "...?" In the past, she only thought about her mission as an exorcist. She kicked others down and looked down on them, thought only about getting stronger, and sought excellence. However, when a future different from what she had imagined arrived, she sometimes thought she was immersed in this lukewarm water. "No, it''s nothing after all." But she didn''t say that. Looking at Ledo¡¯s puzzled face, she shrugged her shoulders. Ledo left, and she did theundry. She cleaned and took care of the flower beds. Though sometimes referred to as the 7th Far East Branch, with its ostentatious name, from the outside it was just an ordinary two-story house. After finishing various household chores, she went for a walk to scout the surrounding area. This slightly elegant residential area was filled with many European foreigners, and Shelna''s appearance in particr was not looked upon as strange, so she was able to go out without any worries. As soon as she stepped out of the house, the first thing she saw was the mansion opposite. The redheaded housekeeper was wiping the namete and mailbox with a rag. "Good morning, Bery." "Good morning. Nice weather, isn''t it?" She was wearing her usual kimono and apron. It was an old-fashioned outfit, but it suited her well, and she was rarely seen wearing Western clothes. She was a somewhat entric woman who was famous for wearing kimonos around here. She wore kimonos all year round because she would be seen as a child, and although she had a very childish face, she was apparently over 30. Although Shelna knew it was rude, it didn''t look that way no matter how many times she looked. As she got closer, she could see the garden, and the flower bed was as elegant as ever. It must have just been watered. The flowers were sparkling in the sunlight. "Oh, they''re blooming¡± "Yes, they were blooming this morning. If the other child keeps it up, then tomorrow or the day after... Fufu, would you like toe and see them?" "Yes, thank you." A ssy mansion, and the most impressive thing about it was the flower bed. She got along well with Sherna, who also loved flowers, and they exchanged information on various aspects such as flower care and soil preparation. Soon she invited her for tea and taught her how to cook, and she became like a teacher to Sherna, who had not had much to do with a normal life until then. Bery had been kind to Shelna and Red since they moved in about four years ago, helping them navigate their new surroundings. While they were chatting about flowers for a while, they heard a tapping sound from inside the house, pecking at the sliding ss on the balcony. It was a ¡®pink little bird¡¯ called Kreschenta. She was sitting on the head of a ¡®purple dog¡¯ wearing a pink hat and making a chirping sound. Bery, who loved animals, had many ¡®dogs¡¯ and ¡®birds¡¯. "My. Fufu, how about it? Would you like to have some tea?" "Um, then... I''ll take you up on that offer." And so, invited to the entrance, Kreschenta the ¡®little bird¡¯ came flying over and sat on Bery''s shoulder, chirping in her ear. Bery gave a wry smile and tried to calm the ¡®little bird¡¯ down. Both the ¡®little bird¡¯ and the ¡®dog¡¯ were very intelligent, and seemed to be able to understand humannguage to some extent. Several ¡®dogs¡¯ appeared from the back, and when they saw Shelna, they wagged their tails¡¯ and twisted their bodies. Shelna also said hello and went into the living room. As they enjoyed delicious cookies and tea, they talked about flowers and what would happen to the Birdcage today. Bery also seemed to be fascinated with Birdcage, and they had been having a great time talking about themtely. It was a heartwarming daily life¨D¨Dat least, until she came here, she never thought that the day woulde when she would be so engrossed in watching a TV program that she would end up talking about it with her neighbors. On the contrary, she had secretly made fun of such people, but now that it has happened to her, she could finally understand how they felt. While talking, she crumbled a cookie into small pieces and fed them to Kreschenta, the ¡®little bird¡¯, who was hopping energetically on the table. ording to Bery, it seemed Kreschenta was quite hungry. She never thought the day woulde when she would find such animals cute. She kept thinking that she had been living in a very small world. Realizing that ordinary daily life was filled with so many different things was perhaps the greatest happiness for Shelna. Sherna, who once thought that meeting others'' expectations was everything, hade to love someone, appreciate flowers, and care for animals. Every time she looked back, she realized how far she hade. Having enjoyed lunch, they watched the drama "Birdcage" from one o''clock. Somehow, thirteen ¡®dogs¡¯ had gathered and were quietly watching the screen. Smart and unusual dogs¨D¨Dshe had never seen them bark. They expressed their emotions by twisting their bodies. Sometimes, their purple color caused hallucinations of sphemous tentacles, but that was an upational hazard. Kreschenta the ¡®little bird¡¯ also sometimes looked like a fairy, and seeing strange things made her wary¨D¨Dprobably because of the names. Magical Bery, Magical Krische, Magical Selene, and the fairy-like Kreschenta. And the dog''s names Nyururunda, Nyurin, Nyurun, Nyunyu, Nyurun, etc., which were the names of the tentacles controlled by Magical Bery. The names were just too simr. However, this was likely due to the effect of the Magical Bery recognition inhibition magic. They probably automatically assign individual names from her memory. Otherwise,mitting crimes under their real names would be too foolish. Normally, a person being chased wouldn''t be foolish enough to reveal their real name to their pursuers, and if they lived right next door, it would be insane. Moreover, keeping tentacles at home and leisurely having tea with their enemies, Shelna, and inviting them to barbecues, made no sense at all. In fact, she had looked into the strange coincidences before, but at least this house was clean. At the very least, there was no sign of magic, and although she had previously gone to the trouble of transferring school to investigate Selene and Krische, they were just normal, earnest students with excellent grades. Since then, she had tried not to think about it as much as possible, but sometimes these ¡®delusions¡¯ pop up every time she shook it off. This was a delusion¨D¨Dhow could she possibly think that Bery, who was sitting next to her, and the sisters of this house were living together with countless tentacles without a second thought? If it were true, that means Sherna would be watching the drama while surrounded by tentacles. Imagining that sphemous scene, Sherna sighed, wondering what a foolish delusion it was. "What''s wrong?" "No. I was just wondering what Nozomi would do after finding out about Ringo and Mikazuki''s rtionship." "Yes... I think Nozomi Ojou-sama would try to distance herself. I thinkst week''s marriage proposal talk is connected to this." "I see, that''s certainly true. I thought that in Nozomi''s position, she would step in... but in this case, will Nozomi be worried about Ringo?" "Yes. Maybe she''ll ept the proposal... I''m curious to see what Tsukiko Ojou-sama will do." Recalling the drama''s plot, Shelna nodded, saying she couldn''t miss next week either. When did she start watching such dramas? At first, she thought they were just ridiculous, but now she waspletely hooked on these love and hate-filled stories. There''s no better way to learn about the human heart. For Sherna, who was bad at socializing and couldn''t understand other people, these stories had given her a lot. And so, while talking about the contents of the Birdcage, the conversation turned to general conversation. After the drama ended, she watched the ¡®dogs¡¯ meander away and sighed. ¡°...Ledo''s work was busy until recently, but recently he''s suddenly be free... Well, you see, it seems like the project he''d been working on has been put on hold due to circumstances on the other side.¡± ¡°I-I see...¡± Next to Sherna, who was starting to speak, Bery nced over at ¡®little bird¡¯ who was eating a cookie on the table. Little Bird chirped something and turned away. "Well, since we''ve been busy up until now, this isn''t so bad, but... I don''t know when we''ll be busy again, and since we have to get going as soon as called, traveling and things like that is a bit difficult." "That must be tough..." As Bery spoke, as she gazed intently at the ¡®little bird.¡¯ The ¡®little bird¡¯ chirped again, and Bery sighed. After catching the ¡®little bird¡¯, she got close to it and scolded it, saying it was no good. Shelna tilted her head, and Bery shook her head it as if it was nothing. "...Sorry. I was justining." "No. Just talking to someone about these things would make you feel better, so it''s much better than brooding on it by yourself. Since that''s the case, I actually have a coupon for Hawnd... How about youe and have a little fun with Ledo-sama?" "Hawnd..." "Yes. It''s close by... and my master¡¯spany often sends me coupons." *¡®Chirp, chirp¡¯*, Bery gave a cookie to ¡®little bird¡¯, who was whining andining, and smiled. The ¡®little bird¡¯ was as lively as ever. "But is it okay? Giving away something like that..." "Yeah, I just went there with thedies the other day..." The moment ¡®little bird¡¯ whined, another cookie was already in its mouth. She looked angry about something, but maybe she was hungry. "There''s no point in having too many, so if you don''t mind, please ept it." "Thank you. I''m always receiving things..." "No, don''t worry about it. I''ve been receiving a lot of things from you, too... It''s been getting warmertely, so how about we have a barbecue again sometime?" "Yes, please. I''ll get some more from my parents'' house." "Great." Shelna nodded and drank her tea. Watching a drama over tea with the neighbors in the afternoon. Waiting for Ledo toe home and making dinner. Peaceful everyday life¨D¨Dtranquil days. Shelna naturally smiled and narrowed her eyes. "What¡¯s the matter?" "Nothing... I was just thinking this is nice." Berr smiled at her words and gently poked the ¡®little bird¡¯ she had caught. *¡¯Chirp*, the ¡®little bird¡¯ chirped in displeasure. ¨D¨DBut the exorcist Shelna¡¯s battles never end. "It''s been a while, Exorcist Shelna." "Magical Berry, I wondered why there was no movement, and here you are." "I have no intention of fighting here. Today I came to tell you one piece of information.... At the end of the month, a great demon is going to be born in thend of Kusatsu." "Kusatsu... the hot spring town? Are you telling us to exterminate it?" "Yes. It¡¯s an inconvenience for me as well... If you agree, let''s have a temporary truce... Whether you believe me or not is up to you. That''s all I have to say." "Wait... Magical Berry. What is your purpose? What on earth happened to you in the battle with the Demon King?" "Let¡¯s go, Magical Berry. Your business is finished right?" "...Yes, Kreschenta-sama." A truce with the strongest enemy, Magical Bery. "... It''s a bit anticlimactic." "But if it was born, it might be something terrible. Magical Bery even came out of her way to told us." "Well, that''s true... Anyway, we came all the way to the hot springs town, so might as well enjoy it. She called for a truce, so I can''t imagine she''ll be doing anything today or tomorrow." "Yeah, let''s soak in the hot springs. Bery and the others said the hot springs at this inn are amazing... I need to buy some souvenirs." "Yeah, I need to think about it..." Thenes the attack from Feni, her rival for love from her hometown. "Ledo-sama" "Feni, Toba too..." "I finally got permission toe and support you, Ledo. ... I was actually going to send Bez, but Feni threw a tantrum..." "I didn''t insist... I just thought Feni and Nii-san would be the best support." "Feni is different now. ... I know Shelna-san is strong, but Feni is more useful for supporting Ledo." "Oh... you sure have grown." In love and battle, "Yes... yes. They''ve arrived. Sorry for the inconvenience... oh, don¡¯t worry about that. We¡¯ll handle the local demon extermination... if necessary, we can send magical girls... Yes, thank you, goodbye." "... what did they say?" "They said they¡¯re looking forward to working with us... The exorcist association members are really good people. Now you two can take proper vacations..." "Ehehe, that''s good." "¨D¨DHey! Kreschenta! It''s not fair to keep using traps!" "It''s not a trap. If you input an evasion in the frame right after the freeze, you can escape properly--Nyururun, what are you doing! A bomb from the side is unfair!" The days of the exorcist Shelna would still continue¨D¨D To not be continued. Vol. 12 - Chapter 300 - Reine I "Finally... you''re finally born." The first thing she heard was a voice. "...my, my only Reine." ¡®¨D¨DI''ve been waiting for you forever¡¯, she said. It was onlyter that she realized it was her mother''s voice. Reine mean light. It was onlyter that she realized that Reine was her name. At the time, she only perceived it as a sound. Her body, which had juste out of the warm ce, was wiped, and her chest felt tight, and she choked on the air she tried to take into her lungs. With every small cough, the person holding her stroked her gently. The world was dazzling in her blurry vision. The newborn Reine simply narrowed her eyes at the dazzling light. She had golden hair and purple eyes, inherited from her mother. Reine was born as the fourth princess of the Kingdom of Alberan. She had five older brothers and three older sisters. That must be quite a lot of children. But her mother never had a younger sister or brother. "...You''re special, Reine. The others are failures." Her mother, with her bright golden hair and the same name, said this with a smile. She would often stroke Reine''s head in bed and tell her various stories. "Failure?" "Yes, a failure. You''re the only one I ever wanted." Her mother was a queen. The queen of the Alberan Kingdom, which rules most of the continent, and was very busy. She did all sorts of work all day, so she didn''t sleep in the castle very often, but on the nights she spent there, she would always call out to Reine, hold her tenderly, and tell her stories. Her mother always said that Reine was special. In fact, it was true even from an objective point of view. Her mother was very kind to Reine, but not to her other siblings. Her siblings never entered the floor where her mother slept, at least she never saw anyone other than Reine being called. Only a very small number of servants and Reine were allowed to set foot on this floor. It was certain that her mother recognized Reine as something special. Her other siblings also considered her special. Her siblings seemed to get along well, but they avoided her. She concluded that they disliked her, but she didn''t quite understand why. The same was true for the servants and nobles, even those who smiled at her other siblings seemed to stiffen their expressions and avoid her when they saw Reine. When she asked them if they disliked Reine, they hurriedly denied it. But it was certain that she not liked, at the very least. Reine was special to many, but it didn''t seem like a good thing. Her mother spoke of Reine''s specialness as if it was a very good thing, but Reine had always found it strange. "There are only two of us in the world. Me and Reine." "Just the two of us..." "Yes. They may look like us, but they''re not the same. They are far inferior, they can''t see what we see, can''t do what we do, can''t think like we do... they''re no different from dogs or horses and other beast." "Beast..." Her mother gave a wry smile as Reine tilted her head. "Reine, you''re very smart. Someday, you''ll be able to see what I see, do what I do, and think like I think... it might take some time since you''re not good at talking yet. But how mysterious, even that is endearing." "Haa..." "You don''t understand now, but you don''t need to care about other people, Reine. Eventually, you''ll see it''s foolish to worry about them. The only thing to consider is how to train them and use them. You wouldn''t expect a teacup to talk, would you?" "¡? Yes, teacups can''t talk..." ¡®It''s the same¡¯, her motherughed. "Other humans can speak, but it''s just an animal cry. Even if you want to talk to them, they''re just beasts with the same appearance. Just like a teacup can''t rece a fork, everything has its purpose and can''t be used for anything else." With a soft expression, she gentlybed Reine''s hair with her fingers. "...You don''t have to worry about other people, just look at me. I''m the only one who can give you what you want... and you''re the only one who can give me what I want. That''s enough, and I don''t need anything more." Her mother stroked her cheek, traced her lips with her thumb, and slowly pressed her lips to her forehead. Reine smiled and pressed her face into her mother''s chest. There were many people who thought her mother was scary. Everyone looked at her and spoke to her with fear. But her mother was very kind to Reine, and was a great and excellent person. Reine had never thought of her mother as scary, so she always found it a little strange. Her mother was always clear and unwavering. She dered what was right as right and what was wrong as wrong. It was usually logical and eptable to Reine, but many people didn''t seem to think so. For example, the ipetent should be eliminated. That''s correct. Anything that brings disadvantages should be eliminated, and if it doesn''t bring benefits, it''s unnecessary. Her mother''s clear guidelines were easy for Reine to ept, but many of the subjects privatelyined that her mother was too harsh. If they did what they were supposed to do, her mother wouldn''t punish them. However, since there were many people who couldn''t do what they were supposed to do, her mother had no choice but to punish them. That alone didn''t make her mother bad. On the contrary, she was maintaining the country in good condition and making itrge and prosperous, so she should have been praised, it was strange that she was spoken ill of. Her mother was much better than Reine, and she wasn''t as bad at talking as Reine. Putting aside the fact that Reine was disliked, she didn''t really understand why her mother was disliked. But if even her mother was like that, then surely even if Reine were to be like her mother, she would still be disliked. "...But Reine still doesn''t want people to dislike her. I think it would be better if we could all get along." "Fufu, Reine is a kind girl. But...right there was a time when I thought the same thing." Her mother gently stroked Reine''s head and shook her shoulders, giggling. "You just don''t understand this world yet. Someday you will. And then, eventually, you''ll want the same things I do." ¡°Reine too,... What do you want, Mother?" ¡®right¡¯, said her mother, taking Reine''s cheeks in hers and staring at her with her purple eyes. "A peaceful, happy... small paradise just for us. A ce where nothing threatens or troubles us." When Reine tilted her head, Motherughed softly again, kissed Reine cheek, and told her to sleep. Reine nodded, pressed her face into her mother''s chest, and closed her eyes. "I don''t really understand, but... I''ll do my best to help you, Mother." "I''m d. But don''t rush. First, you need to grow up more." "Yes. I''ll do my best." When Reine said that, her mother smiled. "Fufu, goodnight¨D¨Dmy dear Reine." Her mother always whispered this happily as she slept. At least to Reine, her mother was a very kind person. Since her mother asked her for ¡®help¡¯, she had no doubt about doing so, and she thought she should pay in return for the many things her mother gave her. Studying, sword practice, eating, and sleeping. She repeated this daily routine. Since she was born, many tutors came to visit her. They were renowned schrs, magicians, and masters of swordsmanship, spearmanship, and horsemanship¨D¨Dbut rather than these tutors, Reine''s favorite was her attendant servant, Fili. She had reddish-gold hair. She seemed to be a rtive of her mother''s, and her mother also had a good opinion of her. To Reine, the tutors'' exnations were longwinded and full of impurities. But Fili summarized everything for Reyne after each lesson. Fili knew most things, and after her mother told her it would be easier to understand if Fili taught her, Fili became her tutor for everything except martial arts. Fili didn''t say anything unnecessary, and only exined what was necessary. Tutors usually dislike being asked questions about things they didn''t understand, but Fili didn''t seem to mind, and would bring out suitable books from the library and have Reine read them. Her favorite thing was to sit on herp and have her read while she strokes her head. Even in books that were written in a way that was difficult to understand, Fili would exin it in a digestible way so that it was easy to understand. By the time she was seven, she had finished reading all the books in the royal library, and the time became more like conversation than study. Whenever Reine asked something that she didn''t understand and that wasn''t written in the books, Fili would always answer, although she would preface it by saying that ¡®it couldn''t be said that it was correct¡¯. Reine found Feery''s ability to answer these questions mysterious and became more curious about her. The more questions she asked, the more she felt like she could understand Fili, so every day she would think up various questions and ask them to Fili, who would answer them while racking her brains. Fili''s answers to those questions were sometimes vague and difficult, but the task of trying to understand them was much more fun than reading a book. In the room as usual, on top of Fili, who was sitting in a chair. "Was Mother like :eine when she was a child?" When Reine asked, Fili thought for a moment, looking a little troubled, before opening his mouth. "Well... I''ve heard that she was a very capable person, just like you, Elsreine-sama." Only her mother called Reine ¡®Reine¡¯. It was said that it was disrespectful to call her by the same name as her mother, ¡®Reine¡¯, so everyone else starts with the word Els. An archaic word meaning small. Her mother, on the other hand, starts her name with ¡®Graba¡¯, meaning great orrge. Apparently this was to avoided misunderstandings and record-keeping issues, but Reine always wondered why her mother gave her the same name despite theplications. Her mother was very rational in everything she does, and much smarter than Reine, so she just didn''t understand why she brought such trouble into the naming of an individual. When asked, her mother would say, ¡®Because you are my Reine¡¯, which didn''t rify much, so Reine stopped thinking about it long ago. "Is Reine excellent?" "Yes, incredibly so." "Is that so..." Fili looked puzzled and stroked Reine''s cheek. "Is something wrong?" "...I think being excellent is a good thing, but I feel like not everyone thinks the same. I just practiced with Darkal and won, but he made a strange face and said it was over for today... I wanted to thank him for all he''s done for me, so I asked him if I could train him, but he made a really displeased face and I think I made him mad." "My, to Duke Remin..." Sword training once a week. Swordsmanship wasn''t that difficult once she get the hang of it. Before an opponent couldnd an unavoidable blow, Reinended her own. It was that simple. If you keep in mind the differences in height and reach that differ from person to person, it Qs easy to predict and hit them with your sword. The fifth sword instructor¨D¨DDarkal was so-so, but he was an opponent that Reine was sure she would not lose to, at least under the terms of the sparring. They had nned to match for about three koku from noon, but itsted less than half an koku. After five strikes, the sparring was called off for today. "Everyone praises me at first. But as time went on..." The first instructor also praised her for her good skills when she first started, but gradually they stopped praising her and started looking at her with a strange look on their face. The next instructors, and the ones after that, were the same. They looked at Reine with angry, scared, or ufortable looks on their faces. The other servants were the same. There were very few people who always greeted her with a smile like Fili, except for the old-timers who had been serving her mother for a long time. "That''s a difficult question to answer..." "Difficult?" "Yes, a little. If I had to say... well, I guess I should say they were too surprised." ¡°too surprised..." "Yes, fufu, Lady Elsreine is just too excellent. When someone is too different from they, they can''t understand what the other person is thinking or anything like that." As he said this, Fili hid Reine''s eyes with both hands. Her vision is blocked and it bes pitch ck. "For example, isn''t it scary when your eyes are covered like this?" "... No?" "Then how about this?" Saying this, Fili wrapped both arms around Reine''s neck. Leina tilted her head and said she wasn¡¯t scared. ¡°Why not? I could easily take your life now. Even Elsreine-sama would die if I squeezed your neck tightly.¡± ¡°uhh..?¡± Reine thought and answered hesitantly. "...Fili wouldn''t kill Reine...uhh, Fili wouldn''t do something like that..." Her words were unsure, not fully understanding the question¡¯s intent. Fili''s hands moved lovingly from her neck to her cheek. "Yes, of course. I wouldn''t do such a thing. I love Elsreine-sama. But what if it were someone else? Someone who doesn¡¯t like you?¡± "That''s... scary...?" "That''s right. Lady Elsreine knows Fili well, so she feels safe knowing that I won''t do such things. But it would be scary if someone you don''t know did the same thing. It''s the same for those people." "Same..." "They probably don''t know Elsreine-sama well, so they''re scared because they don''t know what she''ll do. Elsreine-sama is very talented and strong, so from the other people''s point of view, she''s an unknown opponent who they don''t know when she could kill them." Chuckling, Fili hugged Reine tightly. The soft feel of her ample breasts made her cheeks rxed. "And Elsreine-sama is your Highness The Princess. If you tell the Queen that you dislike them or that they had done something terrible to you, she can punish or even kill that person. That''s why everyone is so scared." "Scared..." "Yes. Of course, that''s because they don''t know that Elsreine-sama is a kind person. And because Elsreine-sama is very talented, they worry that she might dislike or shun them for a small mistake, and they''re always thinking about things like that." ¡®They''re at a los¡¯s, Fili said. Reine tilted her head again, and Fili smiled. "I can''t believe they can''t understand that Elsreine-sama is such a lovely person... Fufu, but that¡¯s simply because she buttoned a mismatched button." "...?" "Fufu, it''s like this." Firi undid and misaligned a button on Reina¡¯s cor. ¡°Uh¡?¡± ¡°Does it feel strange?¡± ¡°Yes, a bit¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small thing that can be easily fixed by redoing the button correctly¡¡± Fili fixed the button and smiled. ¡°Once you realize the reason and fix it, it can be solved easily.¡± ¡°I see¡¡± Fili was always a little difficult. But she felt like she could understand about half of her, so she wanted to understand her better. If everything were easy to understand, she wouldn¡¯t think this way. If she understood nothing at all, she wouldn¡¯t think this way either. Fili was a bit mysterious, so it''s fun to talk about her. "Well, as you get to know other people, it''s sure to be a problem that will go away." "Is that so?" ¡°Yes, Elsreine-sama is very kind, my dear master. No matter what anyone else says, I believe that.¡± And like that, Reine talked about various things with Fili almost every day. What did that mean? What did this mean? Every time Reine asked a question, Fili would look troubled, but for some reason she would smile happily and enjoy herself. Reine loved to see that look on Fili''s face. And the more time she spent with her, the more she became friends with the other servants. Their face, which used to stiffen when they saw Reine, now softens and smiles¨D¨Dsurely it was all thanks to Fili. Fili was respected and liked by the servants, and she often created opportunities for them to be closer. For example, she would ask servants who happened to be there the questions Reine asked, or invite them over for tea. The servants who seemed troubled gradually got used to her, their tension faded, and their expressions softened. Not only did they greet each other, but they would also happily tell her about small everyday incidents, such as when someone made a silly mistake and felt down. The more time she spent with her, the more enjoyable her life became. But, it seems her mother didn''t think well of Fili. One day, her attendant was reced by someone else. She hadn''t been kicked out of the pce and still worked there, but she no longer came to Reine''s room. Fili exined with regret that her duties as a tutor had ended and she had been transferred to another job, and head servant had asked Fili to return, she seemed troubled and said that it was an order from Her Majesty the Queen. When she asked her mother directly why, she replied that it was because Fili would have a bad influence on her. "I know he''s your favorite. It''s true that Fili is better than the others, but Reine takes everything she says at face value." "...Fili teaches Reine a lot of things that aren''t even in the books. But Fili never says she''s right, and always tells Reine that she should think about whether what she''s saying is right or not." "The things she said are logic we don''t need, Reine." "Logic we don''t need..." "We''re different from those childs." ¡®I thought you''d understand¡¯, she told her, troubled. "For example, Reine, do you understand what a pig is thinking?" "... No." "In the same way, farm animals don''t understand human feelings. In the same way...there''s a big difference between us and those childs in terms of how smart they are." Mother tapped her head with her fingers. "They don''t understand things that we can easily understand. They are essentially livestock. Beasts to make our lives better. Of course, I don''t think it''s bad to love them, and it''s important to love them in moderation from time to time. But it''s not good to get too attached to them. Beasts have their own thoughts, and humans have their own thoughts. They never cross paths, and they can never understand each other." Mother smiled as she gently held Reine close. "You''ve learned as much as you can from books, Reine. From now on, you''ll study about that sort of thing." "Study..." "Yes, I think it''s about how to get along well with livestock. I guess it''ll be easy for you to understand if I say it''s an application of a book about governance." When Reine nodded, Her mother stroked her head, saying, ¡®good girl¡¯. Her mother was always kind, except when it came to Fili. Fili never spoke ill of her mother and respected her, but her mother didn¡¯t think highly of Fili. Whenever she heard about Fili, her mother would always look at her in disbelief, saying it was ridiculous. She wanted her mother to ept Fili, but Reine didn''t know what to do. She often praised Firi¡¯s good qualities, hoping her mother would eventually understand, but it didn¡¯t go well. ¡°I will try hard. By the way, Mother, Fili is painting.¡± ¡°Painting?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll endure not having her as my personal attendant. So...y I learn painting from Fili? I¡¯d like to try painting too.¡± Her mother looked troubled, as if she was thinking for a moment. "Reine really likes that girl huh. ... I''ll ept it if you listens to me properly." "Yes. Reine, will listen to what Mother says properly." ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy to spend much time with you. From tomorrow, let¡¯s work together. If you help me well, I¡¯ll allow it.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Reine hugged her mother, who smiled happily. ¡®Good night, my dear Leina.¡¯ Her mother always whispered this happily when she sleeps. Holding Reine in her arms with endless gentleness. ¡°You¡¯re very talented. This is beautiful¡¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve mastered the basics quickly... as expected of Elsreine-sama.¡± ¨D¨DCountless paintings are ced everywhere in Fili''s room. She had entered Fili room only after she had stopped being her attendant. When she visited for the first time, she was surprised at the state of her room, which was different from the usual Fili. Fili was always neat and tidy, from cleaning to everything else, but her room was full of paintings. Naturally it was tidy, but she had thought that she was the type of person who didn''t keep unnecessary things around, so it was a great surprise. Apparently it had been a hobby since childhood, and she had continued it in her spare time even aftering to the royal pce. There were paintings ofndscapes, paintings of the head servant, and paintings of Reine. They were careful and well made, but the colors in her paintings were a little strange. She often used different colors rather than the colors she saw. It was easy for Reine to paint what she saw once she knew how, but her use of colors was somehow strange, and when she asked her why she used those colors, sheughed happily and said it was because she thought it looked prettier that way. You can paint as you see it, you can also paint without seeing it. Draw what you want to draw, and as long as you think it''s beautiful, that''s fine. That''s what Fili always answered. However, Reine still didn¡¯t quite understand what she means by ¡®beautiful¡¯. She looks at the painting of a vase and flowers she had finished, and at the painting Fili was sketching next to her. The painting shows people wrapped in thin cloths eating under the dappled sunlight of a blossoming forest. At their feet lie several broken swords and ruined armor. "What is that painting Fili?" "...What painting? It''s hard to say what it is..." Fili tilted her head thoughtfully, and Reine tilted her head as well. "Do you draw pictures without knowing what they are about, Fili?" "That''s right... Fufu, I often draw whateveres to mind." "Whateveres to mind..." "Yeah. I draw whateveres to mind as I draw... I think about what kind of picture I want to see." Fili was mysterious. Sometimes, she couldn¡¯t understand her. He wondered if this is what his mother meant when she said ¡®can''t understand¡¯, but she felt that this was not what she meant when she said ¡®can''t understand¡¯ about Fili. She must be able to see things that Reine can''t see, and that was why Reine can''t understand. It was not that she couldn''t understand Fili because Fili was inferior to her. Reine was certainly better than Fili in many ways, but that didn¡¯t mean she thought she was better than Fili. Reine was probably less mature than Fili in many ways. Reine could see 1 as 1, but Fili could see 1 as 10 or 100, which she thinks was amazing. That''s the difference between the pictures Fili drew and the pictures she drew. There''s something in her drawings that Reine didn''t have. She always has something Reine didn''t have. "That''s right. If I were to give a title to what I''m drawing now... let''s call it a little paradise, Fufu, Elsren." "Elsren..." "Yes. A world without conflict, inplete peace. A world where everyone can live happily, without hunger or suffering." Fili chuckled with amusement. Reine thought deeply, thinking that her mother had said something simr, and tilted her head in thought. Economic, cultural, personal gains and losses. At the very least, the world was aplex web of various circumstances, and she couldn''t imagine a world without conflict. Even my mother said that even if the world were unified, it would not necessarily be safe. That the world would be full of trash and would cause pointless conflicts. "That is... well, I think it would be very difficult." "Yes. But you are free to paint a picture of such a world... As I said before, you can paint whatever you want. If painting what you see is painting, then painting the happy world of your imagination is also painting.¡± "In your imagination..." "Yes. That includes dreams, ideals, desires, and things like that." Reine tilted her head at Fili''s words and Fili shook her shoulders with a chuckle. ¡®Guess that was a little difficult¡¯, she said, patting her head. "Is this the kind of world Fili see is like the one in this picture?" "Yes. Sometimes I think it would be nice to live in a world like this." Fili gave a bitter smile and looked at Reine. "But depending on how you look at it. Maybe I already have it." "...?" "...In a way, this ce is what Elsren is to me now." As Reine pondered with a difficult look on her face, Fili looked all the more amused. A soft, happy chuckle echoed through the room, and Reine gazed at her. Fili was mysterious. Sometimes she couldn''t understand her. She didn''t know why Fili wasughing like that, but watching her like that made Reine strangely happy. Why was Filiughing? Why did she look so happy and joyful? Reine wanted to know more about Fili and understand her better. That might make Fili happier and happier if she did that. That was all Reine could think about. Vol. 12 - Chapter 301 - Reine II Chapter 301 Reine II ¨D¨DShe was regarded as creepy by doing the obvious things the obvious way. In a world where most people couldn''t do even the obvious things, she quickly realized she was an outlier. No one could understand her, so they kept their distance. ¡®Father, I have been thinking about the trade with Nirse, but I still believe it won''t benefit us in the future. In the future the iron ore¨D¨D¡¯ ¡®Shut up! Since when have you been in a position to give advice to the head of the family? Instead of that, you should learn to keep your harsh mouth shut so that the other nobles will like you! I''m telling you, Reine, don''t say such things outside of the house. I''m the one who will be embarrassed by the nonsense of a clever little girl.¡¯ ¡®¡Yes. My apologies, Father.¡¯ In her youth, she foolishly tried to bridge the gap, but it was futile. Her father was born a king, with nothing but pride. He had no intelligence, no wisdom, and no ability. He was merely obsessed with maintaining the throne. At the time, Alberan was a kingdom in decline. The prestige that the founding king, Bazariche, had built up had lost its luster, and the power bnce between the royal family and the lords had copsed. The feudal lord system that Bazariche introduced was not a bad idea¨D¨Dfor the purpose of territorial expansion, which was an urgent need at the time, rewarding vassals with territory was not a bad idea, however, in terms of stability, it was clear that this oue was inevitable. There were asional, seemingly trivial improvements, but there was a limit to what could be achieved. At best, there would be twenty years, and at worst, within a decade, Alberan would be divided. In a situation where a strong king was needed, her father was simply ipetent. And that ipetence threatened even his own life. She began to think about this vaguely when she was six. She made up her mind when she was eight. To protect himself, her father wanted Reine to marry a powerful nobleman. The royal family may have lost its luster, but it was still a royal family. To the powerful nobles, the title of royal family was still important, and if they obtained it, they could control Alberan in both name and reality. If the heir was a princess instead of a prince, it would be easy for the noble to marry into the royal family. Especially if they were born into a duchy that already had royal blood, it would not be difficult for them to be king, disregarding the order of session. A royal family without a prince seems very attractive to them. Her father was very happy that a princess was born instead of a prince. A prince would be the first in line to the throne, and by custom, her father would have no choice but to nominate a prince as his sessor, but naturally, that would not have pleased other nobles. Many would prefer to crush the nominal royal family and establish a new dynasty. In that case, there would naturally be no reason to keep her father alive, but if a powerful nobleman were to join the royal family as the princess''s husband, it would be a different story. Inevitably, as King of Alberan, her father''s authority would be protected by that nobleman. Therefore, her daughter''s name was a shining one¨D¨Dthe name Reine was a light to her father. He could have chosen not to have a child and instead nominated someone, but he probably didn''t want a civil war. Currently, the first in line to the throne was the king''s younger brother¨D¨Dbut in terms of power he was fifth from the top. Even if he nominated someone second or lower, the currently most powerful noble, the Duke of Gasre, was seventh. It was difficult to find a reason to nominate him. What her father wanted most was for the eldest son of the Gasre family to join the royal family as Reine''s husband. The facade was important. Though fundamentally no different, there was a big difference between Reine and her eldest soning together and marrying each other and nominating him directly as the sessor. Nobles value appearances. It is natural for them toin about a nomination that ignores the order of session, but if a princess was to marry a nobleman she had fallen in love with, she must at least be blessed in form. No matter how dissatisfied they were, they wouldck a just cause to rebel. Her father''s conclusion was not far off the mark. From then on, Reine decided to learn how to mimic in order to gain favor with the Gasre family. Many people dislike clever women. Rather, it was better to look moderately foolish, so she stopped speaking her mind and observed women who were considered attractive. Fortunately, she had good looks, and the rest was only a matter of manners and behavior. She transformed her lifestyle to appear charming, pure, and kind-hearted. Her father, mother, and the servants probably found it creepy, but she told them that she had changed her heart, and by treating them that way and making them happy, they gradually began to ept her. It was a very simple thing to do. Sometimes she wouldugh, sometimes she would look sad, and sometimes she would look angry. Even if she was neither funny, sad, nor angry, when she acted like that, those around her would mistakenly think that Reine was ¡®one of their kind¡¯. People fear what they cannot understand. They turn to her with hostility and loathing. By acting in a way that was easy for them to understand, within the realm of what they could understand, many problems were solved. She began taking action at thirteen. The reason was that she finally felt she was being perceived as an attractive woman. ¡®It''s been a long time, Duke Gasre.¡¯ ¡®It has been a while, Your Highness.¡¯ ¡®Albel-sama had also heard about your recent exploits. I heard that you achieved quite a feat.¡¯ ¡®Hah. A lucky feat¡ I am still no match for my father.¡¯ ¡®That''smendable. Just like your father. ¡I also heard that Duke Gasre sustained an arrow wound in his arm, and I was worried. How is your health?¡¯ She naturally touched Drayle''s arm as she asked, and he reacted slightly. Albel was still young and had just finished his first battle. He was what one would call an honest, good-looking young man, nothing particrly noteworthy about him. The important thing was his father, Drayle Gasre. He was a hero known for his bravery, but he was also a sex maniac. She knew that he showed interest in Reine every time they met. ¡®Haha, an arrow wound or two is nothing. My body, hardened on the battlefield, even forgot about it until you mentioned it, Your Highness.¡¯ ¡®Oh my. But please take care of yourself. A warrior''s body like yours is priceless¡ Ah, pardon me.¡¯ She blushed slightly and withdrew her hand, as if embarrassed. Not tteringly, but purely concerned for his well-being. Most men were pleased by such a delicate and pure-appearing maiden. Sensing that Albel was captivated by the scene and seeing a momentary lustful expression on Drayle¡¯s face, she continued. ¡®No, not at all. However, if Her Highness the Princess praises me like that, I''d like to take an arrow wound every time I fight.¡¯ ¡®Hehe, thank you for your kindness. ¡Actually, my father told me to ensure that Duke Gasre, returning from a harsh battlefield, should be particrly well cared for¡ I kept thinking about your injury. My father rarely tells me such things, so I wondered if the arrow wound was a severe one.¡¯ ¡®Oh, Your Majesty the King did?¡¯ Drayle looked at her father. Her father, who was talking to another nobleman a short distance away, noticed his gaze and raised his hand lightly in response, smiling. Father didn''t say it aloud, but if she said that, Drayle would automatically assume that it was her father''s will. At least, it was not a bad thing for her father. ¡®I see. I would like to greet you again after the banquet.¡¯ Reine smiled, pretending not to understand. What Drayle drew from his father''s intentions was that Reine was a tribute to Drayle. Once he took the bait, all that was left to do was to win him over. Reine did not doubt her own talent. If it was a matter of whether this was desirable or not, it would be thetter, but the reward would be more than great. It was worth more than that much. ''Yes, if Duke Gasre says so, my father will surely be pleased.'' As soon as Reine spoke, a voice came from her attendant, ''Princess.'' There was nothing more to discuss here. ¡®Well then¡¯, she greeted the two of them, ''excuse me for now,'' and was led by the attendant. His son Albel was entranced by Reine until the very end. Both father and son seemed to be stupid, which was very convenient. ¡®What''s the matter, Venure?¡¯ ¡®...No, sorry, I was just thinking about something.¡¯ The older attendant, Venure, looked at Reine with worried eyes. The servant who had been closer to her than anyone else now did not doubt Reine''s ¡®innocence¡¯. He probably thought of her as a pitiful princess, and smiled as if he didn''t notice. That evening, Drayle came to Reine''s room to discuss something in private. He exined the situation of the royal family in detail, exined the precarious position Reine was in, and stated his request, saying that he had received permission from her father. When she nodded, pretending to be scared, Drayle pinned her down like a beast. ¨D¨DOn the surface, she was Alber Gasre''s fianc¨¦e. In reality, she was Drayle Gasre''s lover. She put on a brave face in front of the servants, but at the same time, she seemed to harbor deep feelings for Alber. She had been giving her father medicine to weaken him for a while, but now he was no longer of any use. The medicine was adjusted and he was bedridden with an unknown illness. Perhaps as his body weakened his mind weakened as well, but her father, who had always been so domineering, called on Reine every day, regretting and apologizing for what he had done to her. In those moments, she wore the face of a loving daughter. Whispering that it was unavoidable and that she loved him, then he would show a relieved smile. It was easy to manipte him into making her the sessor. Drayle was also a sex maniac, but at heart he was cautious and cowardly. When she whispered to him in bed, his feelings immediately gravitated towards stability rather than usurping the throne. Drayle was satisfied with Reine''s body, and although he had a slight sadistic fetish, by that time Reine had be ustomed to the act and had no trouble acting submissive. After showing Drayle through words and actions that she could not resist him, Drayle, like his father, allowed Reine to be queen without much thought. Even if he gave her real power, there was nothing she could do. He was under the illusion that she would do as he said, and Reine pretended to be his puppet. Without realizing that he was being led by Reine, he poured the Gasre family''s vast assets into the royal family in order to restore the rusted throne that he thought was his own. At that time, he probably already thought of himself as king. Both father and son were fools. She manipted Drayle into believing that Reine was his woman, and she manipted Albel into believing that Reine was a poor wife being toyed with by Drayle. She yed the role of a tragic princess of a fallen royal family, shed tears as she apologized for her infidelity and said that he was the only one she loved. Albel easily believed her and whispered words of love to her, saying that he would do anything to save Rayne. All that was stuffed in their heads were fantasy heroic tales¨D¨Dneither father nor son had brains. Inwardly, it was so funny and unbearable. Drayle pouredrge sums of money into the royal family, and Albel also enriched the royal family secretly so that Drayle wouldn''t find out. When Reine had gained enough power, she assassinated Drayle, and after absorbing the Gasre family, she also disposed of Albel, who was no longer of any use. As expected by this time, some people were beginning to doubt Rayne, but the preparations were over. No one could defeat Rayne, who had obtained the title of queen and the power that came with it. There were plenty of opponents who would wag their tails just to sleep with her, and there was no lord who could defeat the army that Reinemanded. She had crushed the rebellion by force, consolidated power in her own hands, and the royal family was solid. Nothing in this world could threaten Reine anymore. ¨D¨DIt was then that she suddenly realized. What on earth did she want in this world? What did she want, living in this world? "Mother, I''ve finished with these documents." "Is that so? Great hob, Reine." Sitting in a chair in her office, she smiled as Reine sat on herp and clung to her, flipping through the documents she had brought with her. She was not wrong. Reine didn¡¯t doubt her daughter''s excellence, just like herself. It was simply a matter of memorizing. When she was done looking, she picked her daughter up, hugged her, and stroked her back. Something that shone. Light. Her daughter, whom she named ¡®Reine¡¯ like herself, was just as intelligent as Reine, and in some ways even seems to be superior to her. However, in some ways she was a disappointment. Even though she was already fourteen, she was inflexible and her thinking was still childish. It sounds nice to say she was pure, but she''s a bit ¡®stupid¡¯. Reine wondered if it was the same kind of feeling as a person keeping a pet. It was probably something simr, but at least she found her clingy behavior cute, and holding her like this made her feel calm. In some ways her daughter was inferior to Reine, but she didn''t hate those ws, she loved them. It might take some time for her daughter to understand her. Perhaps it was because, unlike Reine, she grew up in a safe environment. But that didn¡¯t mean she tried to force anything on her daughter. It''s strange, Reine thought. Reine hates other people''s ipetence more than anyone, yet that part of her daughter didn¡¯t make her feel ufortable. Her only good point was her intelligence, she had no wisdom, she was foolish and childish. She clung to her mother, and showed her affection defenselessly. Swept away by her desires in the moment, she was short-sighted, innocent and careless, but when she spent time with her daughter, she didn''t think about anything else and was able to just admire her daughter for being like that. It was as if a light had suddenly shone on the gloomy, dark emotions swirling in her head. There was a knock and permission to enter the room. It was the veteran head servant, Venure, who appeared. "Excuse me, Your Majesty." Venure, who was now an old woman, looked at her daughter with some concern. Raine felt a little ufortable, but stroked her daughter and told her that her work was done. "Okay, then, I''ll go to Fili''s." "...,Yes." Fili Ns. From a branch of the Gasre house. Her mother died of illness, her father died in the civil war, and she had no siblings. She was beautiful and was meant to be a reward to a nobleman, but at Venure''s request, who said that her talent was a waste, she was made to work as a servant, and it had been twenty years since then. She would do a little research into the origins of her servants, but as long as they were white, she would let Venure do as he pleased, and anyone was fine as long as they were trustworthy. As Venure had made a special request for her, she did a good job. Venure trusted her deeply, and she was practically the second-top among servants. When she was thinking about who to appoint as her daughter''s attendant, that was the reason she decided on her, and she thought she was quite good, but now she regrets it. A scheming woman she disliked. She had separated her from her daughter, deeming her a bad influence, but her daughter still favored her. She had taught her daughter nothing but trivial things. ¡®Please don''t tell her anything unnecessary. ...I will change her attendant from tomorrow. Be grateful that you won''t be kicked out of the pce.¡¯ ¡®...Thank you for your kindness. I will do as Her Majesty the Queenmands.¡¯ Most of all, she didn''t like her eyes. She bowed her head and looked at Reine with pitying eyes. ¡®What is that look in your eyes?¡¯ ¡®...No.¡¯ ¡®Tell me. Before I change my mind and no longer want to see your face.¡¯ She didn''t seem afraid of those words, but just looked troubled. Her reaction made it seem like she didn''t understand who she was in front of. ¡®Then... Please forgive me for asking a question. What does Her Majesty want for Elsreine?'' ¡®What...?¡¯ ¡®Elsreine is intelligent, but also dangerously pure. She is interested in many things every day, and istroubled by many things. If what I thought was good and what I answered didn''t go along with Her Majesty''s will, then of course it''s my fault.¡¯ She didn''t even know her own position. She was facing someone who could cut off her head with a single word. ''But if that''s the case, then what does Her Majesty think... I would like you to tell me. I, Fili, swear on my name that I wish for Reine-sama''s happiness, and am prepared to risk my life for it... It would be extremely insolent for a servant to question Your Majesty will. However, if it will lead to Lady Reine''s happiness, I will certainly be of service to her and demonstrate my loyalty.'' What expression was on her face as she bowed deeply? ''My orders to you are not to insinuate anything unnecessary. ...Go.'' What a cunning woman. What an unpleasant woman. She simply didn''t like her. Even the servants who should have been afraid of her started treating her like a normal child. They treated her casually, as if she were one of their rades¡¯. Her daughter also seemed to have that illusion. It must be that woman''s instigation. Her daughter wasn¡¯t clever enough to build rtionships strategically. The one pulling the strings behind the scenes was that woman. It would have been more endearing if her goal in manipting the princess was to gain power. But it wasn¡¯t, which made it all the worse. ¡°...What is it, Venure?¡± Stopping her thoughts, she spoke. Thinking about that woman only increased her irritation. "...Ha. Sail-sama wanted to meet with Her Majesty the Queen." ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°He wishes to speak directly with Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯m not interested? I''m not interested. Just find out what you want. Tell her I''ll grant her some of her wishes." "...Your Majesty." Sail was the nominal first prince. He was a son, but it would be more urate to say he was the first failure. Apart from special asions, she never met her sons or daughters, she never went to see them, and they lived far away from her. She literally had no interest in them, and although he let them live the life of a prince and princess, they were troublesome. She had thought long ago about making them start a rebellion and getting rid of them, and even gave them a fair amount of territory, but they didn''t take action. "...Could you please give a little more of the love you have to Seyle and the others like you do for Elsreine? Venure feels so sorry for them. Sail and the others love Your Majesty¨D¨D" Reine shook her shoulders in amusement and looked at Venure. "It''s the same reason baby birds cry. They''re just trying to please me, so that I''ll feed them more. I''ve given them plenty of food, and plenty of shelter. If I give them more than that just because they cry, they''ll just get more arrogant." Venure shook her white, golden hair and lowered her face. "They don''t have abilities like Reine, and they''re just creatures that seek food. And I¡¯m giving them charity, so I think I¡¯m loving them enough... but is that what you call love?" "...Princess, you''re mistaken." Venure clenched her fist. Tears were welling up in her eyes. "I''ve served princess since I was a child.... I know better than anyone how harsh a path the princess has walked, how she has had to kill her heart and give up so much because of it." "Fufu, you''re only under the illusion that you know, Venure. You guys are too convenient." Reine pointed to her head mockingly, and Venure shook her head. "At least when she was young, the feelings she had for the former king were not an illusion, but the truth. Knowing the princess at that time, I swore on my name that I would devote my life to her, and I am by her side." "I was just begging for food, just like them. I was foolish." "That''s not true. It was not foolish at all. What the princess wanted was not something calcting, but the unmistakable love of the former king." Sheughed in exasperation, and Venure asked why she wasughing. "Did you think that someone like the former king, who only thought about his own self-preservation, would give something just because YourMajest cried? The princess is a smart person, and she would have realized that it was meaningless right away. But she continued because she expected something, didn''t she? That the former king would love her." "Venure" Reine sighed and red at Venure. "That''s unpleasant. ... You are my servant, and I am the queen. No matter what you say, I will not do anything more for those children, and my opinion will not change. It was a roundabout way of saying I¡¯m not interested. ... To put it bluntly, I find it unpleasant." "... unpleasant?" "Yes. It''s a stain on my life that those losers were born from me. ... All I wanted was Reine. ... In a world full of fools like you, she was the only one who could understand me." Yes, that child was the only one who would understand me. My Reine, the one I love more than anyone else. The only treasure in the world. As long as she had that, everything else didn''t matter. "You should leave before you make me feel any more ufortable. ... If you n on saying the same nonsense again, you know that you no longer have a ce here." After saying that, she looked down at the documents again. There were still many tasks left to bepleted. There were sparks of conflict all over the ce, including within the pce. Before the uing invasion of the eastern continent, she wanted to set things aze once and wipe out any unsettling elements. To that end, she deliberately squeezed the people and burned several viges that had failed to pay their taxes as a warning to them. No matter how much she made the people suffer, Reine was the king, and all her subjects were asked to do was either follow her orders or not. This would also eliminate many of the fools who would oppose her with such pointless arguments as justice or righteousness. That was what Sail was talking about. It was probably because the other princes would undoubtedly be at the core of a rebellion. Perhaps because there was no chance of session to the throne and they were notpeting for the throne, the princes got along well, and it was clear to her that Sail was working to prevent a rebellion from starting. He didn''t realize that this would not solve the problem, it was hrious. All Reine wanted was a justification to kill the troublesome princes¨D¨Dif they didn''t start a rebellion it would only drag on. In fact, this would only prolong the problem, which was extremely troublesome. "Venure, you''re distracting me... I don''t like having to listen to stupid stories." "Yes..." Venure, realizing that Reine had no intention of talking any more, left the room after a while. She didn''t even look in her direction anymore. Vol. 12 - Chapter 302 - Reine III Fili''s room had be their studio. Not only painting, but also collecting various paints, exploring and researching new techniques. From soft watercolors to oils with beautiful contrasts, various paintings lined the room, and they even had a whole separate room as storage. How to paint, how to use color. Every day they would chat about what was good about this and what was beautiful about that. "FUfu... it''s a really beautiful painting." "Ehehe, thank you. But maybe it would be better if I added a few more colors...?" In front of where they sit. In the oil painting that Reine had painted, there were Firi and the servants, and two Reines smiling. A table and chairs in a forest clearing, with sunlight streaming through the gaps in the trees. Reine had painted this based on a watercolor painting Fili had once created. "Well... I guess I can say it''s to my liking now. I might as well finish it as it is." The painting didn¡¯t look like a fictional scene. It''s painted with such beauty and vivid colors that it seems as if it was cut out from a real scene. It was perfect enough to be consideredplete¨D¨Dno one else could replicate it. Her paintings were always like that. "But adding more color might make it interesting." Reine could only paint perfection. But what she sought was a little different. "...Color." "For example...light. You might try emphasizing the expression of light." Reine preferred clear oils and painted with precision. But Fili preferred watercolors, leaving a soft ambiguity. Reine was captivated by Fili''s ambiguity, while Firi was charmed by the vividness of Reine''s paintings. Now, in terms of skill, Reine was clearly superior, but their rtionship remained unchanged. Sitting in the chair next to her, Fili tapped her lips with the back of the brush and thought deeply. Reine also tapped her lips with the end of her brush and tilted her head in thought. "Light, you say?" "Yes, emphasizing the expression of light might make it more enchanting." Fili smiled while gazing at the painting. "Reine means something that shines. I''m sure that Her Majesty gave Elsreine the same name as herself, because she put a lot of feelings into it. If we could express that in this painting, it might be even more wonderful." "A lot of thought...?" "Yes, although emotions are difficult to express with words." Fili drew in the air with her brush. Gently, softly. "But I think sometimes you can express that with a little brush stroke or something. ... I''m drawn to painting because I want to express something that can''t be put into words... If I can paint something like that, I''m sure a single painting can express a variety of things much more eloquently than words." Saying this, she smiled wryly as she looked at Reine, who was contemting with a serious face. "Fufu, my apologies. Saying things that are hard to understand." "...No, it''s just that Reine is an idiot." "Oh my, that''s not true at all." Saying this, Fili tickled Reine''s cheek with the tip of her beautiful brush. Reineughed, saying it tickled, leaned back, then grasped Fili''s arm and sat sideways on herp. Then she gazed at her painting, pondered, and nodded. "Hmm, Reine will think about it a bit more." "Yes. But... It''s really a matter of preference. I think it''s already a wonderfully beautiful painting, so don''t worry too much. Elsreine-sama is now my teacher... Fufu, these are just the musings of a disciple." "Fili''s paintings are so beautiful. Reine still can''t paint like that." "That''s a lovely thing to say... But it''s just that I''m covering up for myck of skill." "Reine can''t even notice those cover-ups, so Fili is still Reine''s teacher." She smiled wryly at Reine''s pouting lips, puffed out cheeks, pokes her cheek, and shakes her shoulders. Indeed, Fili couldn''t paint as intricately as Reine, but Fili''s paintings had a mysterious charm. The other servants would look amazed and praise Reine''s paintings, but they had a different reaction when they saw Firi''s. Some would look at andscape painting and say it reminded them of home, and surely, Reine wasn''t the only one who found that impressive. More eloquent than words. Indeed, there was something indescribable in the colors Fili chose, the way she used her brush, and in the paintings she created. Inparison, Reine''s paintings were much simpler. She was just extracting images directly from her memory and piecing them together like a puzzle. What Fili was trying to express was probably much deeper than what Reine was doing. "Well... In any case, I''m sure Her Majesty the Queen will be pleased. This painting seems to contain many feelings from Elsreine-sama." "...Do you think so?" "Yes. Honestly, I was surprised when Elsreine-sama said she wanted to give a painting to Her Majesty. Until now, you had only painted to make me happy." As Reine blushed, Firi quietly smiled. "Her Majesty might not be interested in paintings. But knowing that, Elsreine-sama still wishes to make Her Majesty happy and is trying to paint a picture for her. That''s a very difficult thing... But it''s also wonderful, I think." "...wonderful." "Yes, very much so. I''m sure Her Majesty will understand the feelings Elsreine-sama has put into this painting." As Reine nodded, Fili gently stroked her. ¡®Reine hopes it reaches her¡¯, thought Reine. It was probably just a case of a mismatched button. Her mother was still a fine, talented person, and she respected and loved her. Her mother said that everyone except for her and Reine were fools, and were different creatures. It wasn''t that she didn''t understand her mother''s reasoning at all. Now Reine knew that there were bad people in the world, and that there were cruel people. People who raise taxes for their gain, those who fabricate charges to bring others down, those who take pleasure in oppressing others. Helping with her mother''s work and learning about the outside world, Reine realized that such people exist, but not everyone was like that. At least, Fili wasn''t like that, and neither were the servants here. And surely, there must be many people around the world who weren''t like that. Her mother just misunderstood. It was an issue that could be resolved by fixing the misunderstanding¨D¨DReine hoped so. "Kaa-sama is having a hard time. She''s trying to work while thinking far into the future... But many people don''t understand her work." Fili smiled at her words. When Reine talked about her country, her work, or her mother, Fili never said it was good or bad. She just smiled like that. Fili was vague, like the paintings she painted. Unlike Reine, she didn''t paint anything clear, but she always expressed something vague. Neither affirming nor denying, she would smile and say that as a mere servant, her job was to believe in and walk the same path as her master. "I think that would make Kaa-sama much happier. So first, Reine''d like to start by getting along better with Fili and everyone else. Reine is not as good with words as Fili, so when I say such things, Reine get scolded... But Reine hope Kaa-sama understands that, and..." Fili chuckled and shook her shoulders and stroked her cheek. Then, tracing Reine''s lips with her thumb, she said, ¡®That''s what painting is¡¯. "Elsreine-sama overestimates me. ...I''m also quite bad with words. I can''t express what''s in my head with words. So I draw like this, hoping that I canmunicate something without words." ¡®Just like Reine-sama¡¯, she said with a happy smile. Then Fili picked up her brush and drew a red circle on the palette. "For example, what is this?" "...A red circle?" "Then, try to imagine a circle in your head. ...Can you really call this a circle?" "Huh...?" For a moment, not understanding the question, she tilted her head. Fili gave a wry smile and pointed to the circle with the tip of his brush. "The lines aren''t even connected, and in the first ce, isn''t this not a line, but just red pigment on a board? Why did Elsreine-sama think this was a circle drawn with a line?" "That''s because..." Reine gazed at the red circle drawn on the palette. A circle is a circle¨D¨Dhowever, as Fili said, it wasn''t a line but pigment on the board. Even if it were a line, the start and end points were not connected to say it was a circle. "Fufu, that was a bit mean. But... for example, would Elsreine-sama be able to draw the actual circle you have in your head on something here?" She thought for a moment, then quickly shook her head. The moment they drew it, it became three-dimensional. To put it bluntly, Reine couldn''t draw a ¡®line¡¯ in the first ce. "That''s the case for everyone. It''s not just about shapes; no one can express any thought or emotion exactly as they imagine it in their head, whether it''s good or evil, love, hatred, anger, sadness, or joy." "For anyone..." "Yes. But I drew a circle here, and Elsreine-sama recognized it as a circle. Whatever medium is in between, I think of it as a circle, and Elsreine also thinks of it as a circle. That''s all that matters..." She put down the brush and gently embraced Reine''s waist. It felt warm andfortable. Fili smiled gently and narrowed her eyes. Then she pointed to the picture Reine was drawing. "At least I was able to understand what Elsreine-sama was trying to convey with that painting. At least, that''s what I think, just like Elsreine-sama perceived the circle I drew as a circle." Fili''s talks were always a little difficult. She was not even sure if her interpretation was correct. But even so, she always thought that there was something very important that Fili was always trying to convey, and she hoped they would see the same thing. "That''s why that painting is very lovely, a wonderful piece. ...I believe that what Elsreine-sama wishes to convey will surely reach Her Majesty." "...Yes." ¡®I''m looking forward to seeing itpleted¡¯, Fiery said, and Reine nodded. Fili always told Reina that it didn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t perfect, as long as it conveyed her feelings. Even if her words were awkward, when she spoke to the servants, they would try to understand what Reine wanted to say, and gradually, they began to smile at her. Fili always told Reina that it was the effort to convey her feelings that was important. Thanks to Fili, at least Reina''s daily life became more enjoyable. She opened her mouth, remembering what she said in the past. "I''m thinking of calling it Elsren." "... Elsren?" "Yes, the title of this painting... like the painting Fili drew a long time ago." "My..." It was unclear if Reine truly understood what Fili once said and expressed in her painting. But she wanted to try drawing something like that. Her mother had once said the same words, so Reina believed that such feelings would reach her mother too. And those who desired such a connection were not just her mother and Reine. "Kaa-sama once said the same as Fili¡ª" Just as she was about to say this, there was a knock on the door. When they looked back, Fili said, ¡®Come in¡¯. "Venure-sama, what brings you here?¡± "Well... I just wanted to talk a bit..." Seeing Venuree in, Reina looked at Fili with a troubled expression. She had just been kicked out of her mother''s room earlier. But Venure shook her head. "Don''t worry about it, Elsreine-sama. I''m sorry about earlier." "No, it''s fine... oh, I''ll make some tea." Seeing Reine stand up, Fili gave a wry smile, then stood up and helped her, offering Venure a seat by the window. Venure also smiled at Reine''s unbing princess appearance, thanked her, and went inside¨D¨Don the way, she noticed a painting she was working on and stopped. "This is...Elsreine-sama¡¯s?" "Yes, she wants to give it to Her Majesty the Queen." "I see..." Venure approached the painting and looked at it with narrowed eyes. The banquet centered around Grabareine and Elsreine, the smiling queen and princess. Venure and Fili stood by the two of them with smiles on their faces, and the other servants looked on happily. Though the lush trees covered the edges, the bright sunlight lit up the table and the girls, creating a contrast with the vivid and gorgeous world. The unrealistic situation and the detailed and precise touch that seemed real. Gazing at her own image painted there, Venure closed her eyes as if enduring something. "What do you think...?" "It''s... a very... wonderful painting. Really... very much." "Ehehe, is that so? I hope Kaa-sama will be pleased..." Venure stood in front of the painting for a while. Then she stood up, turned around and smiled. "Yes, really.... I had no idea that Elsreine-sama had be able to paint such beautiful paintings." Venure sat down in the offered chair and gazed at the paintings in the room. Reine, looking pleased, showed her past works. Some of the servants hade to look at the paintings, but Venure was busy. She had only shown up once or twice, and didn¡¯t have many opportunities to see Reina¡¯s paintings. Every time she saw Reine''s paintings, her cheeks would light up with joy, and she would chuckle wryly, wishing she had visited more often. And so, bit by bit, Venure would tell her stories from Reine''s past. From when Reine was a little girl, right up to now. Since she had said she wanted to talk, Reina wondered if it was something serious, but it didn¡¯t seem to be so. Venure shared anecdotes about the servants, even venting about how some still made the same mistakes, all whileughing joyfully. Venure was usually serious and strict, but that day she was strangely gentle, and her smile never stopped. She continued in this manner until she had taken two cups of tea and stood up. "It¡¯s about time for dinner. Reine-sama, I will take my leave." "Yes, hehe... Venure, why don''t we draw together next time? It''s really fun, and Fili is a great teacher." "Thank you. But I''m not very good at it." Venure said, looking at the paradise Reine had drawn. She narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled. "I''m too old to start something new." Reine thought it was strangely lonely, and tilted her head. Fili began to speak. "...Venure-sama." "What is it, Fili?" "The painting is not finished yet. ...I think it will be wonderful. Both Elsreine-sama and I would love for you to see it." Without answering, Venure closed her eyes and walked toward the door. "I truly look forward to seeing itpleted." Then, leaving the words ¡®Take care of Elsreine-sama¡¯, she opened the door and left. "...? Fili?" Fili looked at the door for a while, then lowered her eyes. When Reine called out to her again, she shook her head with a wry smile. "...I hope I''m just overthinking it." "Um...?" "No, let''s just clean up for now. It''s almost dinnertime." "Oh... I understand." Reine did as Fili said and cleaned up with her. After that, Venure was never seen again¨D¨Dthe next morning, Venure was found dead in her room, leaving a letter for the queen. She had plunged a small knife into her own neck. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. Vol. 12 - Chapter 303 - Reine IV Thirty years since the first prince, Seir, was born¨D¨Dit was the first time he''d entered his mother''s room. There was something cold and dreary about his mother''s room. A room is a reflection of a person''s character. For example, a warrior''s room would have armor and swords, and the paintings on the walls would depict heroic tales. In a sage''s room there would be rows of bookshelves, and parchments piled up on a writing desk. But there was nothing in his mother''s room that indicated her individuality or personality. It wasn¡¯t that she was simple. The furnishings were all masterpieces, seemingly elegant, but that was all. There was no sign of the room''s owner, who was supposed to be the center of the room. If there was, it was probably only arge bed with a canopy and two swords, onerge and one small, disyed above the bed. A short sword with a de one shaku long, and a long sword with two and a half shaku. ¨D¨DHis mother didn¡¯t trust people. One thing he knew was that the sword disyed in the queen''s room, which should have been the safest ce, was not just for decoration. Whenever her mother went out, one of her servants would always carry a sword. Not for the servants to wield, but for his mother to wield. The beautiful and intelligent queen was also a divinemander as a general. The army she led was undefeated. Many who feared her strength surrendered the castle without a fight and submitted to his mother¨D¨Din just a few years, the throne, which had been in decline, regained its glory. If there were anyone who doubted and thought this was an exaggeration, it would be those who did not know his mother. Her purple eyes had an unfathomable power that made one believe it was the truth without a lie. "...How boring. I wonder if Venuremitted suicide to make me waste my time like this. It''s more than foolish, it''s appalling." Just as she said, there was disappointment on her beautiful face. d in a crimson dress, her elegant golden hair swaying. Though his mother should be over fifty, she still showed no signs of aging, and there was no shadow on her beauty. Too young to be called a woman, but not young enough to be called a girl. Her bewitching beauty seemed to sway on an ambiguous boundary, and she was wrapped in a mature sensuality, with a maic pull that seemed to draw you in with every one of her movements. And her shining, yet dark purple eyes exerted a repulsive force that was difficult to put into words. Everyone was captivated by his mother, and at the same time, they all fell to their knees. If one had to describe it, it would be like being in front of a god. Divine, demonic. More than being attractive, it was as if they had been cast under a spell of enchantment. Everything that her body emitted drove people crazy, and her eyes made people prostrate themselves without words. Thus, sitting at the same table and sipping tea, this scene which should have been reality, only reminded him of an encounter with god depicted in a picture book. Alberan¨D¨Da country ruled by the Child of God. Some mightugh at this as arrogance, but no one could say the same after seeing his mother. Even Seir, who had fought on countless battlefields and killed many warriors, was just an ordinary person in front of his mother. So much so that he trembled at how small he felt. "Mother (Haha-ue), the Rofran and the others are serious. If we don''t do something now, a great disaster will threaten the kingdom. Many people will die, and the world will be in chaos¨D¨D" "Fufu, I was wondering... why didn''t you join the Rougrans? I thought you would lead them." "Huh...?" "I gave you, the first prince, a fine territory for that purpose. As the second prince, there are only a few who side with him... but if you, who are popr, cooperate, then it would be all the princes against me. You can pull from those close to me, and it should be easy to make them betray me." His mother''s face was amused, but also mocking. Sail clenched his fist. "...Is Mother trying to make the Rougrans rebel?" "Yes, of course. ...That''s why I say it''s boring. He is trying so hard to collect the trash together after all, of course I''m not going to do anything to disturb it. Fufu, in that sense, this is the first time Rougran has shown filial piety." ¡®I''m so proud¡¯, His mother said, shaking her shoulders andughing. ¡®What¡¯s so funny?¡¯ Sailu said. "...Rougrans and the others are just trying to save the people. They may be short-sighted, impulsive, and foolish, but...they''re not thinking of usurping the throne from Mother. Just a word from Mother would make them realize how foolish they were. This was a difficult decision for Rougran." After subjugating the neighboring countries, his Mother suddenly imposed badws, imposed heavy taxes, and oppressed the people. At first, both Seir and Rougran and the other followed mother''s advice, thinking that she had a reason for doing so, but seeing the people suffering in poverty was unbearable. Rougran, who was rough but kind-hearted, could not bear the suffering of his people. His mother was harsh, but was undoubtedly a great ruler. She was not the kind of person who enjoyed luxury or took pleasure in making money, and she would never do anything pointless. Seir repeatedly tried to dissuade Rougran, telling him that his mother was trying to drain the pus, but Rougran shook his head even while understanding that. If the goal was to drain the pus, she will continue until ites out. As long as the pus is not drained, the people''s poverty would continue¨D¨Dand that was something their mother didn¡¯t mind. His mother was cruel and merciless. In fact, she reced or beheaded many of the kind-hearted vassals who had given her advice. Everyone was afraid of Mother, couldn''t say anything, and the whole country was afraid of Mother. In such a situation, even Sail was leaning towards Rougran. Venure had even sacrificed her life for Seil to create this situation. She told Sail not to act rashly, to stop this hopeless killing spree. "I understand Mother''s reasoning. However...Rougran, Phenireis, Taurasia, and Shares are not pus. Like me, they are Mother''s children who respect Mother more than anyone else. Please consider the reason why Venure sacrificed his life." "Respect.. fufu, respect." She chuckled mockingly and narrowed her eyes. It was a girlishugh. "I wonder how many useless people I''ve killed who said ¡®for the Queen¡¯. ...You don''t understand, including you... all a fool." Mother stood up and stroked Sail''s cheek. She spoke gently, but with a look of condescension. "Do you obey me or not? I always ask you these two questions. If you do, I''ll keep you as long as you don''t make me ufortable, but if you don''t, I don''t want you in the first ce... But you''re all useless, but you think you''re smart, so you make all this annoying noise with your crafty reasoning." ¡®It''s so annoying¡¯, his Motherughed. "I have everything I know in my head, from the finances of each region to the small things, like the names of the people living in a certain town and what kind of work they do. With a little calction, I can understand how the world and economy will move, develop or decline, and who will rise to prominence. All you have to do is report to me and do the job you''re told to do." The pressure from those purple eyes was so oppressive that it made him stop breathing. Even though his mind and body were supposed to be well-trained, he was like a child in front of his mother. "You''re being very arrogant. If you say you understand my logic, why don''t you follow it? It''s like a sheep giving advice to its shepherd. Saying that you think it would be better to look after us this way..." The voice was gentle, but it seemed to be filled with hatred. Sail involuntarily lowered his eyes. "Eating, sleeping, mating, fufu, in the end, all you can think about is what''s in front of you. If animals could keep other animals, the world would surely be a very peaceful and happy ce right now. But that''s why I''m taking care of you." So, a question, his mother asked. "Are you going to obey me, or not?... I''ll give you a chance to answer, I¡¯ll consider it for that foolish Venure." Sail clenches his fist at her words, then rxes. "I... have no de to use against you, Mother." "I see." "...But, I, Rougran and the others, and Venure all love you, mother. I just want you to believe that." When he told her that, his mother looked at him, mocking him again. "Fufu, ufufu..." She shook her shoulders and put her hand over her mouth, as if it was really funny. He knew that his words wouldn''t be conveyed, but he couldn''t help but say them. Both the Rougrans and Venure looked so pitiful. "Hey, Sail." "..." She pressed her lips against Sail, and for a moment, he froze. Sail looked at her with wide eyes, and she tried to stick her tongue in, but he suddenly jumped away. "Wh-what..." "Well, you say some funny things... You say you love me, I''m curious to know how you love me." His mother approached Sail with a girlish smile, put her hand on his arm, and looked up at him. She showed off her seductive beauty, adorned with sensuality. "Shall I sleep with you? Fufu, in bed, I''ll be just the way you like me. I wonder if it will satisfy you if I whisper "I love you" like a lover would? If you don''t mind, I can order you to." "...Mother!" He shook off his hand and took some distance. His motherughed. With a smile that was innocent or perhaps endlessly malicious. "You just want to attract my attention and be loved. If you just push me down, I think it will be clear. You are deceiving your desires and instincts with pleasant-sounding words. I may look like an attractive woman, but I''m sure you would never see me as an attractive mother. The love you feel is an illusion of carnal desire... why don''t you check it out?" ¡°No, I...Mother, it''s just been distorted! If that is all love is, then why did you say Venure took her own life?¡± "Don''t yell at me like that. Haha, did I hit the nail on the head, getting so worked up?" "Mother!" He red at her, but his mother sneered at her beauty. It was meaningless. Sail''s words didn''t reach his mother''s ears. He had heard from Venure how his mother had lived up until now. He didn''t think that a single word could change those decades. If he had more talent, if he had more power, if he had something that would not disappoint his mother, he might have been able to reach her. But heaven did not grant Sail the talent of his youngest sister, the only one his mother loved. Sail turned on his heels and reached for the door. "...No matter how foolish people may call me, or how ipetent I may be, I love you, mother. ...Even if my feelings are not reciprocated, as your son, I swear on this name." There was no reply. He did not expect one. He left the door, walked down the corridor, and descended the stairs. He had no further business with her. "I took a good nap..." "Don''t worry about it. I can always continue the painting. ... Livinia-sama, please take care of the rest." "Yes, Fili-sama." On the way there, Elsreine and two servants were on the dancing floor. The floor where the servants of the royal castle stayed¨D¨Da ce that was normally off-limits to royalty. When Elsreine recognized Seir, she called out to him. "Sail-niisama. Are you here for work?" Swaying her golden hair and giving a beautiful bow, Elsreine was rxed and natural. Among the prince and princess, there was one special one¨D¨Dthe youngest sister, whom their mother had named Reine. The same name as his mother, and the same beautiful purple eyes as his mother. The only person in the world to whom his mother''s love was directed to. "...I had some business to attend to with my mother. And I''m going to visit Venure''s grave. ...Elsreine, what are you doing here?" "Learn painting from Fili." "Painting?" "Yes. Fili is very good at painting." Reddish-gold hair. The servant bowed her head¨D¨Dhe knew Fili. He was Elsreine¡¯s attendant and tutor, and was trusted by Venure. "I don''t reject the idea of ??teaching painting, but... I''m not impressed. Making the princess visit the servants'' room." "..My apologies." "With Venure gone, you should be the role model for the servants. If you behave like that, Elsreine and the entire royal family will be insulted. If this is a country where the princess behaves like that even to the servants¨D¨D" ¡°...Sail-niisama¡± A cold voice. Elsreine stood in front of Fili and red at Sail. "Reine got permission from mother (Kaa-sana) to learn how to paint from Fili. And asked Fili to teach her, so why is Sail-niisama angry at Fili?" "That''s a different matter. Fili is your personal servant, isn''t she? And if Fili is like this¨D¨D" "Fili is no longer my personal servant. That''s why Reine went to Fili''s room." "...not a personal servant?" I looked at Fili, and she bowed her head and answered, ¡®Yes¡¯. "Except for special asions, Livinia-sama is usually in charge. Now that Elsreine-sama has begun to fully assist Her Majesty in her government affairs, I am no longer necessary... but in any case, it is as you say. Inviting Elsreine-sama to the servants'' room is extremely arrogant... please forgive me. If you are ufortable, I will punish you--" "There is no need for Fili to apologize. Sail-Niisama argument is one-sided and unreasonable." "...Elsreine-sama" Fili looked at Elsreine with a troubled expression, but Elsreine, with the same eyes as his mother, was looking at Sail with a piercing gaze. A mysterious pressure that sent a chill down his spine. Like a child¨D¨Din truth, Sail was intimidated by the child. Perhaps seeing that state of Sail and Elsreine, Fili bowed deeply again. Sensed that she was trying to end the conversation, he sighed. In any case, she was a clever servant. At least if she did that, Sail¡¯s reputation would not be hurt. "...You¡¯re right, I might have been a bit too upset, but, Elsreine, you are royalty. You must understand that every single one of your behaviors will cause the royal family and mother''s authority to be disregarded." Seeing Fili bow her head, Elsreine hesitated and looked dissatisfied, but nodded quietly. "I''m sorry for making you feel unpleasant....I would have liked to talk to you a bit, but I think we should wait another time." "...Yes, Sail-niisama." Seeing Elsreine bow her head with some difort, Sail headed for the stairs. Raine was very simr to her mother. Her purple eyes sent chills down anyone who looked into her eyes. It wasn''t just in appearance, she was the only one who was her mother''s daughter. The only difference was the presence of servants. His mother was not interested in anything other than herself and Elsreine, but Elsreine was also attached to others besides herself and her mother. Dependence or love? However, Sail didn''t know Elsreine well enough to know the answer. In that sense, too, it was a mistake. His sticky feelings towards his younger sister, who was the only one their mother recognized and loved. Elsreine was certainly right, this was just him taking out his frustrations on her. The only person who could tell his mother was surely her. Nothing good coulde from having her direct her hostility towards him. Elsreine was like her mother, but she was not as disappointed in others as her mother was, and at least aside from her talent, she was an innocent child. Fili''s existence was proof of that, and it was likely that she would hold the key to the future. At the very least, Elsreine saw Fili as something special. He stopped on his way down the stairs to catch a breath. He then called out to a servant passing by. He recognized her¨D¨Dit was an old servant who had taken care of him when he was at the royal castle a long time ago. "...Call Fili to my room. I need to talk to her about something... keep it confidential." In her mother''s room, on her bed. She hadn''t been called for a while since Venure''s death, and it had been a week since they had slept together like this. Fili didn''t want to talk much about Venure''s suicide, and gave Reine a vague exnation that Venure had her own circumstances. Even if Fili could imagine the reason, it was only imagination. She didn''t seem to want to talk about it, so Reine also didn''t ask any further questions, and when she simply said it was a shame, Fili replied that it was sad. True to her words, Fili''s face was a little gloomier than usual. When Reine went to see her, she smiled, but he didn''t seem very energetic, and Fili''s usually smooth writing became choppy. She was so worried about that that Reine couldn''t concentrate very well and couldn''t continue painting ¡®Elsren¡¯. It seemed that Fili and Venure had been friends for a long time, even before Reine was born. Fili had spoken of her as a benefactor, and Reine had heard from the other servants that they were like parent and child. So she could understand that Fili was very sad, and she could vaguely sympathize that her feelings of it being a shame was way stronger. And Venure was someone who had been by her mother''s side since she was born. If that was the case with Fili, she felt that it was something she shouldn''t bring up, so she didn''t ask her mother about it. Her mother never mentioned it at work, and it was on the day she was called into her room for the first time in a long time that she brought it up. Venure had taken her own life so that she would talk to her brother, Sail, her mother said with augh. And that it was useless talk. "So basically, she wanted to stop the war with Rougran and the others?" "It seems so. I didn''t realize Venure was that stupid." Her mother said in an exasperated voice. She wanted to start a rebellion and eliminate the unsettling elements. That''s what her mother had been telling Reine for a while. Keep the people alive, but don''t kill them, but apply moderate pressure and remove any seeds of future anxiety. Reine had been helping with this "job" for a while, and had been putting a lot of effort into adjusting the pressure on the people without weakening the country''s power. If she made taxes heavy, tax revenue would increase and the national treasury would grow. But if she made them too heavy, many people would starve to death and the economy would stagnate. If the people had some lee-way, they would spend more, and if they could not afford it, everyone would save money for emergencies. If artisans lose their buyers, it''s a matter of life and death. A country with no room for maneuver couldn''t produce good products, the quality would decline, and the rtive gap in technology with other countries would widen. Bncing this was quite difficult, and Reine had been working hard, taking various future considerations into ount¨D¨DReine thought it was a good n considering the future. Her mother wanted to build a country where she could control everything, and Reine felt that this was correct. Her mother was smarter than anyone, and she thought about the future. There were many parts of the nobles'' thinking that were hard to understand, and their mistakes were noticeable, but with her mother, there was no such thing as failure. If the most capable person¨D¨Dher mother controlled everything, there was no doubt that this country would be much richer in the future, and she believed that a ¡®happy paradise¡¯ woulde for everyone. It was true that squeezing the people in order to provoke a rebellion was a violent method, but after twenty or thirty years, a much better result would be waiting. It was certain that a happy world in twenty years'' time is better than a happy world in a hundred years'' time, and in the long run, many people would be able to live happily. Some sacrifices were inevitable. Raine thought the same about her brothers who would die, including Rougran and the others, but Venure didn''t seem to think so. Sail didn''t seem to ept it either, and his mother said that was the reason he came to see her today. "...But it''s a shame." "A shame?" "Aftering to the office, Venure came to Fili''s room. They were talking happily, which was unusual, but Fili seemed a little strange...maybe Fili noticed that Venure was about to die." As she leaned her back on my mother, she remembered that day. "If Reine had noticed properly, Reine might have been able to talk to Venure properly and tell her that it couldn''t be helped." "I had already told Venure properly. It''s not your fault, Reine. Venure was just stupid... and there''s no need for you to worry about something like Venure. I told you, he''s like a farm animal." "...Doesn''t the mother feel sad or disappointed?" "Why do you ask that?" She turned around to look at her mother at her words. Her mother looked at Reine with a troubled look on her face. "I heard that Venure was by Okaa-sama side since she was born, taking care of her. If someone like that dies, isn''t it normal to feel that way?" "Normal, normal huh. Fufu, that''s an interesting thing to say. Did Fili tell you?" "...?" Reine tilted her head and her mother put both hands on Reine''s cheeks. "Well... it''s like a nice teacup that''s broken. It''s a shame, if you like that kind of thing... but there are plenty of recement teacups." "... but that''s just the teacup, there''s no recement for Venure." "Did Fili tell you that too?" "Umm, Fili has nothing to do with it. Reine¨D¨D" Her mother chuckled and traced Reine''s lips with her thumb. Softly, but as if to silence her words. "I''ve taught you many things. But you learned everything I didn''t teach you from Fili, right? She was your tutor." "That''s..." "You''re just repeating what she told you. Hey, Reine, am I the one who''s weird and she''s normal? Am I wrong?" "No, Kaa-sama. That''s not what I want to say..." "So, what are you trying to say?" Her mother stared at Reine. She brought her face closer to look into her eyes. Reine let her eyes wander then looked back at her mother. "...Umm, is Okaa-sama angry at Reine?" "I''m not angry. I mean, you''re my most precious treasure in the world." She smiled as she said and stroked Reine''s cheek. "It''s just that you keep saying weird things, so I was wondering... Come on, tell me." Reine thought for a moment, then nodded. "Reine doesn''t think that Kaa-sama is wrong at all. But... I don''t think Kaa-sama is absolutely right... that''s all. After all, Reine can''t see other people as different creatures like Kaa-sama does." "...I see." "Fili... Venure, and the other servants are all so kind to Reine, and Reine really enjoy chatting with them and having tea with them. So I wanted Mother to understand that, too." That was all Raine wished for. Just a little bit of mis-buttoning. Surely everyone understood that Mother was a fine and wonderful queen. Just a little bit more should be enough. Just treating them with the same smile they showed to Reine, treating them with those feelings, would make everyone happier. "Kaa-sama said she wanted to have a little paradise someday... Reine wants to create that too. Reine thinks it''s not just Reine, but Fili and other people also feel the same way." What should she do to convey it? What should she do so it can be conveyed? She thought about it all the time. Small, trivial things can make people dislike or like someone. "When Reine was little, Kaa-sama said she used to think the same way. She wished everyone could get along." She stroked her mother''s cheek and looked into her eyes. Her purple eyes were the same color as Reine''s. "Maybe it didn''t work out then. But Reine doesn''t think that''s everything. Now the people and the conditions are different. There are lots of people who want to be get along with Kaa-sama no¨D¨D" "... Reine" Her mother called her name quietly, then smiled gently. "You''re smart enough, but your weakness is that you don''t understand conflicts of interest very well. I''m the queen, and you''re the princess, so it''s natural that we all want to get along. If you and I like each other, we''ll be safe and sound for the rest of our lives, and we''ll be able to live without any worries or inconveniences." "Kaa-sa¨D¨D" "The reason the servants are so sweet to you is because you''re a powerful princess. They bow their heads and submit to you because they can''t beat you in terms of authority, power, or intelligence. That''s because they can''t survive if they make you their enemy, and they know they''ll be safe under your protection." She pressed her finger over Reine''s mouth again. Softly and gently, but stronger than before. "When I was a princess of a fallen royal family, no one helped me. That''s because there was nothing in return for fawning on me. So I worked hard to protect myself, analyzing what kind of creatures other humans were, and using various methods to gain military power, wealth, and authority. ...It was then that other humans started fawning on me." She called out her name, Reine. She spoke lovingly, in a deep voice. "I know much more about humans than you do. You''ve been under my protection since you were born, so you just didn''t have a chance to know that. As you say, Reine, there are many people who are fond of me now. But that''s because, unlike before, I now have power. Don''t get the wrong idea, Reine." Her mother''s words seemed to tighten her core. "...If you understand your position and the other person''s, and find out what the other person is thinking and what they want, the answer will be easy to find. You have to be able to find that for yourself. ...If you don''t have power, even the servants who you think like you will easily turn their backs on you." It''s a little different from Fili''s usual gentle and embracing words. "...But Fili..." "...Reine really likes Fili huh. Does Fili love you? Hehe, well, people have different desires. She enjoys controlling you like that, and getting her way." "Control..." "That''s right. Reine is beautiful and pure. ...It must be very fun to manipte Reine like this to get what she wants." "No, Kaa-sama, Fili¨D¨D" "See, you always try to protect her. Why does Fili like you? Why are you so sure?" When she was at a loss for words, her mother shook her shoulders andughed. "There''s no logical exnation for that, right? Reine is just dependent on Fili, her words have been imprinted on you, and you¡¯re doing what she wants. Like a dog that''s been taught tricks with food, you wag her tail like that without knowing what the owner is thinking." "No, it''s not like that, Fili is¨D¨D" "...how troubling." Her mother said, sounding exasperated, giving a wry smile. Let''s stop talking about this, her mother continued. "I don''t want to argue with you, Reine. So don''t look at me like that." "... yes." "You''ve lived in a small world for so long, so there''s probably a lot you still don''t understand. I was wondering what to do, but... you know, this is an important opportunity." "...?" Her mother smiled. "I want Reine to eliminate Rougran¡¯s force when we put down the rebellion." "Rougran and his men?" "Yes. I was thinking of sending Sail, but I have a lot of concerns, like whether he''ll betray us or kill Rougran properly. I could go myself, but if Reine goes, I''ll feel more at ease and it''ll be a good learning experience for you." Reine thought for a moment, then nodded. She knew her brothers'' abilities. It shouldn''t be that difficult to kill them. That was the n from the beginning. The only difference is whether Reine will kill them directly or not, so there''s not much hesitation there. "If that''s the case...does Reine just need to kill them all?" "Yes. Good girl. I''ll let Sail go because he''s the first prince, but you can''t trust him. He might betray you, and if that happens, we''ll have to get rid of Sail at the same time. Can you do that?" "... Yes." Her mother smiled happily and kissed Reine''s forehead. "Don''t trust anyone. You can''t leave your food to anyone, they might poison it. I''m in charge of everything in the pce, but that''s not the case in the outside world. You don''t know who''s trying to kill you. You have to act carefully." "Carefully..." "Right. That''s what you learn... No one will try toy hands on Reine when she''s by my side, but when she''s away from me, it''s an opportunity for those people. You should learn to doubt people more." "Doubt?" She nodded and pressed Reine against her chest. "You''re the only princess the Queen of Alberan loves specially. If you go outside, there will be all sorts of people who will try to curry favor with you or get rid of you. There are many who dislike me and Reine. I really wanted to let you spend your time away from such ces, but I thought it was important for you to study in such an environment... Of course, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you." "No. If Okaa-sama says Reine needs to study, then Reine should, and Fili always says that it''s important to see different things and look at things from different angles. If her mother wants her to know, then there''s no harm in it And there was a difference of opinion¨D¨Dit turned into an argument. She was a little worried that her mother might be upset. "...Umm, Reine, it''s not that Reine dislikes Okaa-sama or thinks Okaa-sama is weird or anything like that, Reine really respects Okaa-sama and Reine loves Okaa-sama. So, um, about what we just talked about..." "I told you to stop talking about that. ...It''s okay. I understand your feelings, Reine. I''m not angry or anything." "...Really?" "Yes, it''s true. After all, Reine is my precious treasure. ...You''re going to have to take the day off. I''m sorry I said something mean." She shook her head, hugged her mother tightly, rxed her cheeks, and closed her eyes. "No. ...I love you, Kaa-sama." "Yes, me too. ...My dear Reine." When she felt relieved, her strength rxed and she quickly lost consciousness. Stroking her daughter''s head lovingly, ¡®Reine¡¯ quietly narrowed her eyes. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. Vol. 12 - Chapter 304 - Reine V Chapter 304 Reine V A monthter, the rebellion broke out. Until then, Reine had spent her time at the training grounds training inmand and operation. Although she had understood the concept in her knowledge, it was the first time for her to actuallymand soldiers¨D¨Dshe was bewildered at the nobles and soldiers who did not understand Reine''s instructions and intentions, but her mother was clear about such doubts. On the battlefield, a small mistake can lead directly to danger. In politics, minor failures and mistakes might be overlooked, but for the military, that is not permissible. That is the rule of the military, the battlefield, and such leniency directly results in the loss of soldiers, and losses in military power cannot be recovered on the battlefield. Her mother''s exnation was clear. By recing one general and two Corpmanders and executing a battalionmander who disobeyed orders during training as an example, the army began to move astonishingly smoothly. The corpsmander is the arms and legs, the battalionmander is the fingers and toes¨D¨Da group of people, the army, must always be able to carry out the orders of the general. If her arms and legs move on their own when fighting with a sword, even Reine wouldn¡¯t be able to win. It would be good if everyone could get along, but the battlefield is a ce to kill each other. She couldn''t lose under any circumstances, so she had to pursue efficiency. Sacrifices were inevitable. Even if you consider the pros and cons of executing a hundred people, if you consider that thousands or tens of thousands of people would die because of those hundred people, then of course they should be executed, and the army rules were made with that in mind. It was neither an enjoyable nor afortable ce, but Reine had no doubts about her mother''s words. It was arithmetic using people. Estimate the capabilities of a corp, a battalion, a century, or even a single soldier, figure out their value, and if it''s not worth the disadvantage it would cause, remove them. Just like a board game, a battle is a simple addition and subtraction of your losses and your opponent''s losses. And she just has to process it while taking into ount the time it will take to take the opponent¡¯s head. On the battlefield, in the enemy camp, there were countless corpses scattered around. Facing her was the third son, Phenireis, d in full armor. As she cut through the ranks and entered the main camp, the soldiers, friend and foe alike, kept their distance. This was the third brother to do so, but she didn''t really understand this ¡®ritual¡¯ of duel. Even after struggling to create a local advantage, they deliberately set up one-on-one duels like this for Reine and her brothers. When entering the enemy¡¯s main camp, the subordinates never intervened. Apparently, that was the proper way to fight a general, especially if they were members of royalty, but she always thought it would be better if they''d just end it with a duel rather than a battle in the first ce. That would result in fewer deaths. This was what she suggested to the fourth son and Phenireis, but they were reluctant, but in the end it was a duel. It was just so ridiculous. While saying he is doing it for the people, he is causing them to die in pointless battles. "Elsreine! If it weren''t for you...!!" She tried to keep her movements to a minimum, deflecting Phenireis'' spear with the same spear he controlled. The visored helmet restricted her field of vision, so she had stopped wearing it after the first battle, but the surroundings begged her to at least wear armor, so she had no choice but to wear it. The armor Reine wore was rtively light, but it was still somewhat heavy. She thought braces would be sufficient, but she couldn¡¯t refuse when convinced it was like a dress in high society. His thrusts are decent, and his sweeps wererge, but although he has reach, Phenireis was only so-so. She had thought it would be a good learning experience, but the difference in ability was too great for that. With a sigh, she tilted her head to dodge the spear and stepped in. From the tip of her back foot to the spear''s point, she thrust out as if transmitting power and pierced the breastte. Letting go of his spear, Phenireis dropped to his knees, and she picked up the spear next to his face, and swung it, beheading him. She then pierced the neck and drove it into the ground, taking some distance to avoid blood getting on it. "Lukazan, it''s over." "!..., Ha" The general, Golzarias Lukazan, raised his voice and echoed Reine''s victory. Hearing the loud cheers, she looked around. Broken swords, spears, and armored corpses were scattered everywhere. She narrowed her eyes, remembering a picture Fili had drawn one day. In the ¡°Elsren¡± that Fili drew, all of them were rusty. Perhaps they had no longer been cared for, or abandoned. Fili was someone who valued things and always took care of them. She always wondered why Fili drew swords and spears that way. She felt she somehow understood now. She wasn¡¯t sure if she truly understood what Fili was trying to convey, but she felt close to it, yet couldn¡¯t feel very happy about it. At the very least, Fili probably wouldn''t be happy that Reine was here like this. The little paradise she painted¨D¨DElsren. There would surely be no wars there. It would be so long ago that swords and spears would rust and be forgotten. "Your Highness...?" "...Reine will go ahead and rest in the tent. I''ll leave the rest to you." She thought she could defeat the three armies and return home, but the situation in Sail was at a stalemate. Traveling from west to east on either side of the royal capital, she painted pictures of the scenery she passed by every day. She couldn''t show her face because of training, and she hadn''t spoken much to Fili since then. That souvenir¨D¨DFili would surely be happy. She hoped that it would be conveyed that fighting was just work, and painting was what Reine wanted to do. Surely there would be no violent people in Fili''s ideal paradise. Reine wanted to be one of its residents, so she drew the same pictures as her. Fili lovedndscapes, and painted many different scenes. She said that as a servant of the royal domain, she had few opportunities to go outside, so she wanted to see beautiful scenery. So she continued to paint many scenes for her, who could not go outside. She thought it would be fine if Fili was happy. "...It''s a splendid painting. Beautiful." "Really?" General Golzarias, who hade to the tent, nodded at the painting she had just finished. When she ced tea in front of him, seated on a chair, he bowed deeply. His ck hair, mixed with gray, was thick with signs of aging. He was a veryrge man, and his left eye was covered with an eyepatch. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness¡to be personally served tea.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry about it. Kaa-sama told me to do everything for myself...although it¡¯s not that Reine doubts you or your men, Lukazan.¡± "No, don''t worry about it. You never know where the scoundrels are hiding... It''s only natural now that even the princes are rebelling. It''s frustrating that we can''t even ease your suffering..." "You don''t need to worry about it, Lukazan is working hard enough. So, what do you want?" Raine also sat down in a chair and tilted her head while stirring her tea. The temperature felt from the spoon¨D¨Dit was still too hot to drink. She looked at Golzarias'' expression, thinking that she should have added a little more milk. "No, it''s not really something I need to do, but... I know I may be presumptuous, but I''ve always thought that I''d like to have a chance to talk to Your Highness like this." "Talk..." "Yes, of course I''m not swearing in or asking for any kind of favor. It''s just... you see. I''ve heard some rumors about what kind of person Your Highness is, but I feel that she is at least different from those rumors. So, although it may be rude... I wanted to see for myself what Your Highness is really like." "Rumors..." You can tell what someone is thinking by looking at their facial expression, as my mother says. Still, it was a bit difficult for Reine. "It''s a silly rumor. Do you dislike war, Your Highness?" "Um, yes. I''ve heard that there are some who like it." ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s true there are such individuals. Sadly.¡± "Does Lukazan dislike war too? On the battlefield, you seem quite cheerful, and since you often request to join the battles yourself, I thought you might like it.¡± ¡°¡So you knew.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve looked through most of the records.¡± Golzarias was a margrave who rose to power during her mother¡¯s reign. He was originally the head of a baronial family, and he seemed to have achieved his current position by aplishing many military exploits. The previous general had often argued with Reine, but Golzarias, who came in as a recement, was straightforward in following orders. He immediately agreed and carried out the exchange of corpsmanders and the execution of the battalionmander. He waspetent in his work, handled most of the misceneous tasks voluntarily, and performed well on the battlefield. However, seeing himughing while shing enemies, it was hard to think he disliked war. That said, perhaps appearances could be deceiving. "To be honest, I''m forcing myself to smile. As someone whomands and inspires frightened subordinates, showing anxiety or fear would affect morale. Like Your Highness, I don''t like war. However, I''m on the battlefield because I think I can save many lives...so that those who enjoy it wouldn¡¯t increase the number of deaths." Soldiers are the people, Golzarias said. "Since it has happened, there will be deaths. However, it is possible to reduce them. ... Honestly, I was impressed by the way Your Highness fought. I''m sure Your Highness is also trying to avoid deaths as much as possible, right?" "Um... yes..." "... I thought so. Your Highness is a kind person." ¡°K-kind...I don''t think I''m kind... I''ve killed a lot of people.¡± "No, Your Highness is a kind person. There''s no need to worry. By getting your hands dirty, Your Highness has saved many more people who were destined to die than those you killed. I don''t know about the others, but I understand Your Highness'' feelings." Golzarias looked straight into her eyes, and Reine wavered and lowered her gaze. Golzarias smiled at Reine and continued, looking at the painting. "...It''s a beautiful painting that has nothing to do with the battlefield. I''d heard rumors that Your Highness painted magnificent paintings, but this was even better than I''d heard. When I saw this painting earlier, my vague imagination became a certainty. I think Your Highness is heartbroken by these battlefields." "By looking at the painting...?" "Yes. Art speaks directly to the heart without words." Reine looked up, her eyes wide, and after a moment she smiled. "W-well... Fili... a servant of the royal estate, Reine¡¯s former personal servant, and teacher, said something simr. Does it look like a good drawing...?" "It''s a wonderful drawing. Fili... I think I recognize her as a former personal servant. Isn''t she the slightly reddish... golden-haired servant?" "Yes, Fili draws amazing pictures. Not just drawing, she taught Reine many things¨D" Smiling at Golzarias'' words, Reine talked about Fili. Wanting him to understand how amazing a person Fili is, Golzarias encourages her to talk, one by one, about everything that has happened up until now, asking questions with interest. Once she started talking, stories woulde to mind endlessly. Golzarias continuously showed agreement with a smile, and she felt happier hearing Fili praised than being praised herself. If you open your heart, you will find people who understand you. Just as Fili said¨D¨Dit was reassuring to know that there are people like that among them. "¨D¨D...a little paradise, you say?" "... Yes. A ce where there are no bad people, no wars, and where you can have fun all the time. Fili said that it would be nice to have a ce like that, and, well, Reine thought the same... Kaa-sama also said a long time ago that she wanted to live in a world like that with Reine." Looking at the almost pure white tea, she narrowed her eyes. "Kaa-sama says that Reine and the others are different. But Reine thinks that''s probably a misunderstanding. Kaa-sama has been through a lot of hardships up until now, so she just thinks that way... but there are definitely people who understand. Reine hopes that someday this misunderstanding will be cleared up..." "... I also hope that this wille true. ...As you say, Her Majesty the Queen has walked a difficult path... The battle with the fools who disrespect the royal family and act on their own desires is extremely fierce. The biggest reason for this is that Her Majesty did not have a true loyal retainer by her side at that time. It''s a pity." Golzarias shook his head and sighed. "I guess we should call it the king''s disease." "The king''s disease..." "That''s right. ... Because he has immense power, he feels that everyone who approaches him is only interested in that power. There are many stories throughout history of great kings who were known as virtuous rulers, but at some point lost the ability to trust people, became isted, and fell ill." Golzarias drank his tea and looked at Reine. "I have no doubt that Her Majesty is a great leader, and many of those executed were certainly ipetent and foolish. However... I¡¯m sure there were some among them who respected and loved Her Majesty, just like Your Highness. Those who oppose her will be executed... I don''t think that someone would advise Her Majesty knowing that is the greedy, evil minister Her Majesty speaks of." "That''s..." "Even if they were foolish, they would surely have feelings for Her Majesty in their hearts. Otherwise, they wouldn''t want to throw away their only life. A true evil minister would not oppose Her Majesty, but would want to survive." Golzarias certainly had a point. It would be foolish for someone to make a suggestion if it meant being killed. "It is true that Her Majesty and His Highness are far superior to us in terms of intelligence. In the not too distant future, Alberan will be a rich and perfect country. However,... if you ask whether that is the world Your Highness desires, where everyone can live happily, I have to say it is not. ... There will only be a world where everyone spends each day in fear of Her Majesty." Saying this, Golzarias shook his head. "Kill one to save two. Arithmetic logic is always correct in terms of numbers. However... sometimes it can kill one person with a pure heart and save two people filled with evil. Good people usually do foolish things, obsessed with what is good in front of them, without considering the gain or loss, but the more evil people are, the more they calcte the gain and loss, and use clever logic to maneuver around and satisfy their desires... that is what I am worried about. If things continue like this, I am afraid that the world will soon be filled with such people." That may be so, Reine thought deeply. The fools who proposed this to their mother and were executed¨D¨Dthey were certainly fools, but as Golzarias said, some of them may have decided to do it for reasons beyond profit and loss. Their mother only saw people in terms of their abilities and results. Reine didn''t think she was wrong, but she couldn''t be convinced because she had Fili and the servants around her. There must be many people who can get along even without abilities, Reine wanted to tell her mother¨D¨Dperhaps that was what was causing the haze in Reine''s head. "Now that they have caused this, there is no choice but to punish them as traitors... but it is impossible to say that the princes are truly evil. I just hope that their sacrifice will lead to a better future..." Venure was a kind, good person. For the sake of the future, make the princes rebel, drain the pus, and get rid of them. She didn''t think the idea itself was bad, but considering the reason for her death, Reine couldn''t just call it foolish. Killing the good and letting the evil live¨D¨Dperhaps that was how she felt. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for her to die. "...My apologies. I spoke such critical words without considering my position. If it bothers Your Highness, please convey that to Her Majesty. ... In any case, it''s an insult to Her Majesty, and I will ept it if I end up being executed." "Eh? Ah... No, I won''t say anything. I think that was a very... well, good story." Reine shook her head in a panic. "Just like I said before. I also want Kaa-sama to change a little, and Lukazan¡¯s story was very helpful in that sense." "Those are... an honor to hear.¡± "I''m relieved to hear that there are people like Lukazan. But... if Kaa-sama hears, she might actually kill you, so don''t tell anyone else about that, okay?" "... Yes." Golzarias finished his tea, stood up from his chair, and knelt down. ¡°I pledge my loyalty to Your Highness. As a subject, I pray for the arrival of the paradise Your Highness wishes for.¡± "... Yes." ¡°I swear on this name that when the order is given, I will work for Your Highness with my life on the line whenever and wherever." As Golzarias bowed his head, she smiled and said, ¡®Thank you.¡¯ It was as he said¨D¨Dif things continued like this, the world she wished for might nevere true. If there was anyone who could do something about that, it had to be Reine. ¨D¨DIt was just a mistake in buttoning, a slight misunderstanding. Reine looked at her ¡®Loyal Retainer¡¯ and nodded to herself. The face of the ¡®loyal retainer¡¯ was hidden, and she couldn¡¯t see it well. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. Vol. 12 - Chapter 305 - Reine VI In the circle of soldiers created on the battlefield, two men were fighting. "What''s wrong, Brother (Ani-ue)! You won''t get my head if you just back down!!" "Ugh...!" A massive shield of dull color in his left hand, and in his right, a thick de akin to arge machete. His muscr body was covered in metal, deflecting swords and unleashing shes that split rocks. ¨D¨DHis figure resembles an iron colossus. Among the princes, the second prince, Rougran, was the most gifted as a warrior. His step distorts the earth, and his great shield strike crushes the human body from above through their armor. The speed and power of his massive sword were such that it no longer seemed like a sword¨D¨Djust as the legend goes, he cleaved the demon beast Wolfram, and no armor could withstand it head-on. Using his long sword, or sometimes his gauntlets, or even the surface of his armor, he deflected and parried the path of the great sword. He kicks away the blow of therge shield, gains some distance, and starts over. Sail''s elegant armor bes distorted, covered in countless scars. It was Sail who was being pushed back. Rougran¡¯s armor was thick, even for something to be worn by a magic possessor. It wasn''t that Sailcked the skill to prate it head-on, but Rougran never allowed him the time needed to prepare such a move. With his great shield at his feet, Rougran was a rock of steel. Just as Sail could evade Rougran¡¯s strikes, Rougran was also fully aware of his armor''s strengths and how to use it. In terms of skill, Sail slightly surpassed Rougran, but they were almost equal. In that case, natural physique and muscle mass created a clear difference. Sail could be considered tall, but Rougran stood over six and a half shaku tall, with a robust skeleton and limbs like logs. A body built to wield a gigantic sword and shield and wear thick armor simply outmatched Sail as a living creature. In a spar, Sail would win due to the difference in skill. However, in a life-or-death struggle, things were different. The difference in mass between the two clearly showed which was superior. "Guh?!" Sail was knocked away by therge shield, which he had failed to dodge, and rolled to his knees. In contrast, Rougran, with his massive sword resting on his shoulder, dered "...I''m the winner, Brother. I''ve always lost in a match, including sparring but..." "You''ve been winning for quite some time, Rougran. I just had a big head start from childhood." His right arm was probably broken or cracked. His internal organs were also affected, and even if he was able to stand up, he would no longer be able to fight. Sail had lost¨D¨Dboth as a warrior and as a general. The battle between the two armies was also evenly matched. At the very least, Seil nned his tactics with the assumption that he would win, and if this were a battle on a board, it would undoubtedly have been Seil''s victory. But the battlefield wasn''t like that. The morale of the soldiers¨D¨Dthat was the clear difference. The people suffering under oppression. Rougran rose up to save them, and had a just cause, and his soldiers fought desperately. On the other hand, the royal army¨D¨Deven Sail did not know why they were fighting. Sail still had his reason, that it was for his mother. But the other soldiers only had lust for money or fear of his mother. It was clear to everyone which side had the just cause. Failing to take a step that should have been taken, and taking a step that should not have been taken, Seil stepped into the main camp and stood there. If this were a heroic tale, Rougran would kill his brother and be the new king. He would surely have reigned as a good king. However, this was not a heroic tale, but a cruel reality. Behind them¨D¨Dthe ranks of the allies parted, and a girl with golden hair tied up high like a horse''s tail appeared. A long sword at her waist, a melee spear in her hand¨D¨Dshe was not wearing a helmet, and wore silver armor with the kingdom''s crest. A girl in armor that did not suit her petite body appeared apanied by soldiers. Shortly after today''s battle began, both Sail and Rougran noticed that her army had appeared from the rear. There was no point in this fight. The battle between Seir and Rougran was almost even, and then a new army¨D¨Dan army led by Elsreine, had appeared. Rougran no longer had a chance of winning. In this situation, there was no choice but to withdraw the army, but Rougran stepped forward, and Sail responded by fighting head-on, not trying to buy time. If it must be, the death of his most noble younger brother should be at his own hand. However, his wish was not granted as time ran out. "It''s been a while, Rougran-niisama." "...Ah, it''s been a while, Elsreine." "Given the current situation, Rougran-niisama has no hope of winning. There''s no point in fighting¨D¨Dit will only result in unnecessary deaths. Why not surrender?" Elsreine calmly states without any pressure. "...Are all three dead?" "Yes, the only one left is Rougran-niisama." "...I see." Rougran narrowed his eyes and a smile appeared on his manly face. "Rougran-niisama is the ringleader of a rebellion¨D¨Dnormally he would be dismembered and his wife and children hanged, but Reine will ask Mother to spare his family, and Reine will ask so that Rougran-niisama will only be hanged. What do you think?" "...That''s a generous offer." "Well, that doesn''t change the fact that Niisama Rougran will die...Reine''d be fine with him dying in a duel, but honestly, Reine doesn''t care either way as long as no soldiers die needlessly." Rougran gave a wry smile, turned his back to her and put some distance between them. Then he turned to Elsreine and got ready. "...I''m surprised you''re so concerned about something like that. But...Mother is not so lenient. Both Lasria and my son understood that, if they heard that I had lost, they would take their own lives. The moment I decided to stand here, I was prepared for everything." "...I see." "I will ept the duel. ¨D¨DSecond Prince, Rougran Arge Vel Nirkrinea Alberan, deres! All soldiers present here, cease your swords! In the name of this royal blood, I will engage in a fair duel with the fourth princess, Elsreine Alberan!" A loud voice roared into the heavens. The air trembled in response, and the battle music that was still ringing out faded away to the sound of the voice. "The sacred duel of the royal family, with the blood of royalty flowing through it, shall be the final bloodshed on this battlefield, and no one shall defile it. Submit to the sole survivor! Know that those who defile this will face the divine wrath of the god of bravery, Koleis!" After signing the oath loudly, Rougran turned to Elsreine again. "As well as settling things with my brother... I have always wanted to fight you once. Elsreine, the only sister my mother loved." "...Reine, doesn¡¯t really like it... but Reine''ll try to make it as painless as possible." "You have great confidence. But don''t underestimate me¨D¨D!!" Faster than the charge of a raging bull. A sprint that made it hard to believe he was wearing heavy armor. With hisrge shield in front of him, it was as if a block of steel had been released. The swordsmanship known as the Lorka style was originally a defensive style. Evade the opponent''s charge on the left, seize the moment after, and cut them down. However, Rougran, who had trained his body to the utmost limit of a warrior and wrapped it in heavy armor, could charge head-on without losing to even a magic beast. No matter the counterattack, it would be deflected by therge shield, and retreating would lead to being crushed by it. Evading would result in a great sword unleashed from his powerful arm. There was no room to aim for the slightest gap. The great shield blocked the opponent''s vision, and Rougran skillfully used the steel of his armor to block the opponent''s de. Rougran was a giant beast of steel. He was no longer in the realm of humans, and was not a warrior who can be defeated with a single technique. No one watching could have foreseen a future in which the petite Elsreine would be able to defeat him. At the very least, the only way for Elsreine to win was through mobile warfare, taking advantage of her small stature and getting behind the tenacious and gap-free Rougran. But Elsreine faced him head on, readying her spear. Even Sail, who knew Elsreine¡¯s strength, felt that she was underestimating him. Using brute force against Rougran was sheer madness.. But¨D¨DElsreine slowly leaned forward. A multiple sound of steel was heard, interrupting his thoughts for a moment. When he realized it, Elsreine had slipped through the steel beast and was standing behind Rougran barehanded. "Ah, ah..." The giant was on his knees¨D¨Dthe melee spear pierced his steel great shield as if it were cloth, pierced his armored torso, and the tip of the spear prated Rougran''s back. It wasn''t a special spear. Though sturdy, it was an eight shaku melee spear, no different from the ones used by soldiers. Yet, it had effortlessly skewered the steel shield that deflected Sail''s de and the armor. Everyone was speechless. Rougran stared in shock at the spear that had pierced his chest¨D¨Dand then for a moment, he turned his gaze to Sail. A slight smile yed on his lips as he copsed, pierced by the spear. While Elsreine¡¯s adjutant loudly proimed their victory, Sail simply looked at his younger brother, and at Elsreine, who stood there silently. Her expressionless face betrayed neither the joy of victory nor the sorrow of having killed her brother. She looked at everyone around her with a cold gaze, simr to their mother''s. When asked what she thought of the current situation, she gave an evasive answer. When he told her that Elsreine would be killing her brothers, she sadly replied, ¡®I see¡¯. Venure trusted her more than anyone else. She was smart, and closer to his mother than Sail. She probably knew her mother better than Sail did. But he couldn''t see any intention of her trying to aplish anything. Sitting upright in her chair, she was a woman like water, despite her punctual appearance. Push hard and she pulls, scoop up and she is in your hand. All of her answers to Sail were uncertain and vague. ¡®...Don''t you want to change the current situation?¡¯ ¡®Pardon me... Your Highness has been saying strange things for a while now. Fili is a servant... I want nothing more than my master''s happiness.¡¯ ¡®Even if Mother (Haha-ue) is crazy?¡¯ When asked, she smiled vaguely again. She looked at him like a troubled child. ¡®Why do you think Her Majesty is crazy?¡¯ ¡®Otherwise, she wouldn''t purposefully push her children to rebel and try to get rid of them. I don''t think she has anypassion.¡¯ ¡®Is that so? Her Majesty is just a very pure person... or maybe it''s us who are crazy.¡¯ Fili narrowed his eyes and traced the edge of her teacup. ''Is it possible that she invited His Highness, who she hadn''t seen for so long, to her room because she had granted Venure''s wish? If Her Majesty was truly a heartless person, she wouldn''t do something like that.'' ''That''s...'' ''Would a heartless person dote on Elsreine so much? If closing one''s heart is described as being crazy, then that goes for me, His Highness, and everyone else. It doesn''t change the fact that we''ve closed our hearts with logic.'' It''s just a matter of degree, she continued. ''I''m sure she was a person like Elsreine. Without the protection of logic or reason, she was defenseless and open to everything she saw. ...But this world is a tough ce for such a pure person to live in. People close their hearts because they know the pain of being hurt... calling it madness is a bit harsh.'' ''...But even so¨D¨D'' ''Your Highness and I are in different positions. I cannot say that I understand the pain of not receiving Her Majesty''s love. ...The frustration and injustice that was felt about the current situation are Your Highness¡¯. The size of the world we see, the ces we live in, everything is different. And...'' ¡®I''m just a servant¡¯, she told sail. ¡®Of course, I hope that one day Her Majesty will open her heart once again, and that someone like Elsreine will be able to live without getting hurt. I only wish for happiness around me. My role is to watch over and believe in the two of them for that purpose...¡¯ Sail stopped what he was about to say and lowered his eyes. The untouched tea reflected his face. ¡®No matter how cruel Her Majesty is revealed as cruel, I only believe and hope that in ten, twenty, or even more years, the world she desires wille to be. If such a dayes, for that purpose, I will ept whatever Her Majesty does. At least, I believe that the world will be more beautiful than any other.¡¯ He looked at her smile. Her golden hair sparkled red¨D¨Dher eyes peeking out from behind it were like jewels. ¡®...Why can you say that so surely?¡¯ ¡®I have no doubt about the love Her Majesty holds for Elsreine. If Her Majesty loves Elsreine and wishes for her happiness, then surely, the world created will be a gentle and wonderful paradise.¡¯ Her detached demeanor reminded him of his mother. At least, she saw things differently from Sail. She did not fear or tremble before my mother, whom everyone else feared and bowed to. And she coldly, calctingly, discarded all else. It was not that she was unaware of the people''s suffering. She dismissed the kind-hearted people killed by her mother, and Venure, who gave her life, with just the word ¡®sacrifice¡¯, and calmly wished for the happiness of his mother and Elsreine. She was not on Seil''s side. "What does Your Highness want?" "...I..." "Does Your Highness want to save the suffering people? Save His Highness Rougran-sama and the others? Or His Majesty the Queen... or Your Highness yourself?'' She ces her lustrous lips on the teacup and quietly drinks it, lowering her gaze. His gaze was confused by the seductively dancing tongue peeking out from the gap. The words were like threads, wrapping around his body. ''There is a limit to what a person can reach. This is true even for Her Majesty the Queen. And even if you throw yourself into something, you can''t always get what you want. Your Highness, I think you should think once again about what it is that you truly desire.'' ''...to cut it off?'' If that''s what His Highness desired, she said with a wry smile. ''The world is unfair, unreasonable, and cruel. The only thing everyone has in it is the right to wish for happiness. Your Highness has his, and I have my own... I''m not the one who should answer that question.'' Then she looked out the window as the sun began to set, and stood up. ¡®...I only hope that the path ahead leads to the same ce.¡¯ ¨D¨DThat is all I pray for.. What was reflected in her eyes as she continued to speak? At least Seil didn''t understand it at the time, and even now, he remains e in" Seeing Sail standing at the entrance to the tent, Elsreine put down her brush and tilted her head. He shook his head and said it was nothing, sat down in the center chair, and looked at the beautiful paintings ced here and there. They seemed to be divinely created, almost unbelievable that they were made by human hands. He was surprised that she could paint, but the paintings themselves didn''t surprise him. With her talent, Elsreine easily embodies the ideals of the average person. After finishing the aftermath of the battle, there''s a break. Burial of the dead and sorting of the prisoners¨D¨Dalmost all of this was originally his job. The 20,000 men led by Elsreine suffered no damage. Beforeing here, her armies had killed three brothers, and the loss of troops was only 3,000. Her army arrived at this battlefield as reinforcements, replenished with troops and fully equipped, and ended the battle with a duel without shing with Rougran¡¯s army. The reason she, who was thinking of returning home first, was here seemed to be the suggestion of her adjutant. Sail¡¯s army was exhausted from the battle with Rougran. Though the battle is over, thisnd, far to the east of Wulfenite, was originally unstable. Although most of the army rose up alongside Rougran, it cannot be said that it was stable yet. When advised that both armies should cooperate in post-war processing to avoid any unforeseen events, Sail, having lost many forces, couldn''t say no. Her adjutant, Golzarias Lukazan, was said to be a valiant man, but perhaps he was surprisingly cautious. At least in these few days, it was apparent that Elsreine valued him as an adjutant, but somehow he couldn''t fully trust him. There wasn''t anything specific, perhaps it was a certain aversion or difort. Many of the nobles with a conscience have been killed for admonishing his mother. Most of the current nobles were mere opportunists¨D¨Dat least those who watched silently. That being said, it would be an exaggeration to say that he was also opportunistic, without knowing much about him, but at the very least, he didn''t have a very good impression of him. A rugged soldier who kept his distance from politics¨D¨Dthat''s a bit of an understatement to describe him. He''d risen well for someone born into a baronial family. ¨D¨DNo, this is probably not the time to be thinking about such things. He sighed and began. "...I apologized again the other day. As you said, I was taking out my frustrations on her... I was a little upset about my mother." "Reine doesn''t mind... just Reine thought it was cruel to me Fili, that''s all. Reine doesn''t want to fight with you, Sail." "...Neither do I. I understand the reasoning, but sometimes I can''t help it. I''ll try to ensure it doesn''t happen again." Elsreine nodded while preparing tea. She seemed to be a little sulky, but was trying to hold back¨D¨Dlooking at her like this, she was just like a child. At least he knew she was an innocent and kind girl. If he were to call her insane, it would only be because she continues to live like an innocent child even after killing her four brothers. She killed Rougan without emotion and showed no sign of being burdened by it. Her fundamental values differed from Seil''s. Was it because of his own delusions that he felt she''s insane? She defeated the enemy general on the battlefield. That was all she did, and it was right, and since the duel was an oue she should have been praised for, it was unreasonable to me her for not being sad. He could understand it logically, but emotionally, he couldn''t ept it¨D¨Dthat was how he felt about her, and about his mother. A mother who would use her son''s life for the sake of future stability. But even so, in the end, Rougran and the others who turned their des on the kingdom were evil. If the kingdom was stable after this, then they were nothing more than rebels who rebelled against a rare and wise ruler. At the very least, the people''s suffering could not have continued forever. If everyone had not rebelled, and shown blind submission to his mother, his mother would have stopped it before the country waspletely worn down by simple gain and loss. His mother was truly a ruler worthy of the name Alberan, the greatest leader in the world. In the end, everything was arranged to go well¨D¨Dhis mother would surely create the perfect kingdom someday. Sail had that conviction, but his emotions would not allow him to ept it. The suffering was there. "...I don''t understand you or Mother." "...?" "There are some parts I understand. I think I can understand to a certain extent the reasons for this civil war and other things. But...I can''t ept it because of my emotions." As she poured tea into the teacup, Elsreine looked at him curiously. The purple peeking through the gaps in her golden hair shone brightly without clouding. "...I am proud to be born as my Mother''s son. My Mother is a worthy ruler, and I am sure she will make this country a richer, more brilliant country than it has ever been. I have no intention of doubting that, and you are more suitable than anyone else to stand next to her. I thought I had known for a long time that you had that kind of power." Sail was blessed with more talent than most. And he trained himself to the point of bleeding without bing arrogant about it. But the girl before him leaps over all of that as easily as breathing. Elsreine was truly a member of the lineage of the gods¨D¨Dhis mother''s child. From the moment she was born, she had something that Sail could never obtain, no matter how much he wished and desired it. "The truth is, I wanted to stand beside Mother like you. ...That''s why I''m envious and jealous of you, who can understand Mother. That''s how I honestly feel." "...Envious of Reine?" "Yeah. ...At the very least, it''s not that I hate you. I''m sure you must have found me and my siblings cold towards you. I can''t say for sure that the others feel the same way, but...at the very root of it all, I think we feel simrly." ¡®I''m sorry¡¯, he told her. It wasn''t Elsreine''s fault. She just possessed is¨D¨Dthee talent his Mother sought. "I won''t say anything convenient like, ''I don''t just mean what happened the other day, so please forgive me for everything that''s happened up until now¡¯. But... for what Mother wants... I want to do all I can. And for the sake of the Rougran and the others who were sacrificed." Elsreine looked at Seyle and seemed to be deep in thought. Stirring the tea with plenty of milk and honey with a teaspoon, she lowered her eyes. "Even if you say that...Reine could only say, ''I see¡¯. Why is Sail-nii sama saying it now? If that''s what Sail-niisama thinks, Sail-niisama should have shown that from the beginning. If Sail-niisama had done that, maybe Venure wouldn''t have died." "...Ah." "Reine heard that Sail-niisama asked to talk, and Venure died to grant his wish. What did Sail-niisama want?" Elsreine red at Sail. "Even if Okaa-sama listens to Sail-niisama and lowers the taxes, and Rougran-niisama and the others stop rebelling, then everything we''ve done to achieve that will be for nothing. The reason so many people were sacrificed in this crackdown was to prevent other people from being sacrificed in the future... Was letting them die in vain in the end?" What did he want? She was right. "Why didn''t Sail-niisama side with the Rougrans?" He remembered his mother''s mocking face. All Seal did was stir up trouble. If anything, it was just self-satisfaction. Deep down, he knew that his mother had no intention of listening to his wishes. If Seil truly cared about his people, he should have led the Rougrans and their people in a rise, or he should have shown his subservience to his mother from the start and made their deaths as meaningful as possible. There were only those options. "...Reine know that Sail-niisama was good friends with Brother Rougran-niisama. and Reine doesn''t want to believe that Sail-niisama, whom Venure tried to help even at the cost of her own life, is a bad person either. ...but what Sail-niisama is saying and doing are not quite the same." By holding back Rougran, who was trying to stand up, the suffering of the people was prolonged. And for the sake of Seil, he caused Venure to die pointlessly. "At the very least, Venure, who didn''t need to die from that pointless action, died for Sail-niisama. ...Honestly, I don''t like Sail-niisama very much." "...There''s no excuse. You''re right...Venure was sacrificed because of my stupidity." He was indecisive, cowardly and foolish. If he wanted to do something, he should have made his case from the beginning, prepared to die, like many of the loyal retainers who died. If he had cooperated with Rougran and proposed it publicly, they might have listened to him after considering the pros and cons. He couldn''t find a rational reason to execute not only the loyal retainers who had suggested it, but also all the princes. Seil was lost, and could only dance without being able to do anything. Between his mother and his siblings. He had nothing but regret in his heart. "...I spoke with Fili the other day after that." "With Fili...?" Elsreine frowned, and aeil nodded. "That''s why I decided to talk again like this. I¨D¨D¡± As Seil began to speak, there was the sound of a horse galloping. A voice called out "Your Highness" from outside the tent, and the two stood up. "...Lukazan? I''m currently speaking with Sail-niisama..." "If it''s urgent..." "It''s urgent... pleasee in" Elsreine approached the entrance, and arge man with a burnt face entered. Golzarias Lukazan said solemnly, kneeling on one knee. "I received a report from one of my subordinates who had been left behind to report that there had been amotion at the royal castle." "Commotion...?" "...Could it be a rebellion? Is Her Majesty safe, Lukazan?" "Yes. Her Majesty is safe. But from what I heard, the one who was killed... was a servant of the castle." Golzarias raised his head and stared at Elsreine. "A servant named Fili." "...Eh?" ¨D¨DThe day after Elsreine left the royal castle. Elegant, yet cold¨D¨Dthe queen''s living quarters. A woman with golden hair that sparkled red entered the room after a bow. She was a beautiful maid in an apron dress. A woman in a white dress sipping tea alone¨D¨DQueen Grabareine recognized her figure and called out, ¡®Come in¡¯. Her golden hair swayed smoothly as she smiled. "I havee at your summons, Your Majesty." "Yes, why do you think you were called?" "...To apany Your Majesty for tea, perhaps?" The servant also smiled and asked, ¡®Or is it that finally Fili has be an eyesore, and Your Majesty ns to dispose of me?¡¯ The queen narrowed her eyes and gazed coldly with her purple eyes. "Oh, so you came here knowing what was going to happen. Are you desperate? Or are you overconfident that you won''t be killed because you''re Reine''s favorite?" ¡®That''s a strange thing to ask¡¯, the servant replied. "Fili is your Majesty''s servant, and I have dedicated my life and my body to you. If you call me, I will rush to your side and serve you with all my heart. If ordered, I will cleave my head in front of Your Majesty right now." ¡®May I ask for what purpose Your Majesty has summoned me?¡¯ the servant smiled again. In contrast, the queen, showing displeasure, indicated the chair opposite with her gaze. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Vol. 12 - Chapter 306 - Reine VII Reine sat astride her horse, riding nonstop to the royal castle. Without a proper meal or sleep, she rushed straight to Fili''s room. There was no one in Fili''s room, and there was a little dust on the shelves and paintings. There were many belongings, but Filli had always been neat and tidy. The sight of the dust alone indicated that she hadn''t been there for some time. "...Elsreine-sama." "..., Where''s Fili?" From the open door, her attendant Livinia peeked out. She quietly shook her head, shaking her chestnut hair. Her face was gloomy. "About two weeks ago, while she was tending to the flower bed...she stabbed her in the chest with a knife." "The culprit?" "It was Nasser, a servant at the royal mansion. However, hemitted suicide... his birth family, the Lisernia family, was destroyed and a strict investigation was carried out, the reason is..." She knew his face. She had never spoken to him. "...Why. Fili?" "I don''t know. ...I don''t know why Fili had to be killed..." She covers her face to hide her tears and falls to her knees. She didn''t understand. Fili was a servant and had nothing to do with politics. She wasn''t the kind of person who would be hated by anyone, nor was she capable of it. It would have been different if it had been an ident, but from what Golzarias had told her and from the way he spoke, it was clearly a deliberate attempt to kill her. Reine passed by her side as she cried and went up the stairs. The servants looked at Reine with fear, pity, or perhaps sadness. There was a knock on the office, and a voice said, ¡®Come in¡¯. Her mother was working at her desk as she stared at Reine as she entered. "...You''re quite early." "Did Kaa-sama, kill her?" Her mother sighed tiredly and troubled, then smiled. Then she stood up and came closer. "Do you think I would gain anything from doing that? I don''t want you to hate me." "Kaa-sama hated Fili." "That is certainly true." She moved away from the hand her mother was trying to reach out to her. Then she red at her mother. Her mother looked troubled and moved her hands around. "Reine, did as Mother told me. Reine killed Rougran-niisama and the others, ended the rebellion, and has been a good girl up until now. So, why, kill Fili?" "Why do you think it was me?" "...Who else would kill Fili, and for what reason?" Her mother sighed again. Please calm down, her mother said. "Someone has filled your head with nonsense. This situation¡ it seems to be intended to drive a wedge between us. I did want to distance her from you, and I even considered killing her, but if I were going to do that, I would have done it long ago and in a much more thorough manner." "...Sail-niisama said he had talked to Fili the other day. I''m sure that was unpleasant for you too, Kaa-sama." "...Reine, just keep suspecting me." "Then who would do something like that?" It''s going around in circles, she sighed. "Even if I did kill her, what would you do with that? Would you kill me because I''m her enemy?" "That¡¯s..." "...Get some rest, Reine. You''re tired and not thinking clearly, right? You look awful. Then we''ll talk again slowly." Her usual gentle voice. Her mother was always kind to Reine. She had never doubted that she loved Reine, and even now, she didn''t doubt it. ¨D¨DBut that wasn''t the case with other people. Her mother hated everyone except Reine. Perhaps this was also her love. Maybe she didn''t want to make Reine sad¨D¨DBut. "...Reine, doesn''t really understand Kaa-sama." For a moment, her mother''s face stiffened. "Reine heard that things were very difficult for Kaa-sama before Reine was born. That''s why Kaa-sama couldn''t trust anyone..." The king''s illness, Golzarias said. The vassals who were executed for admonishing her mother had said the same thing, and perhaps Fili wanted to do something about it. Fili always looked happy when he saw Reine speak of wanting her mother to change. "But there are good people like Fili in the world, and Reine just wanted to create the little paradise that Kaa-sama spoke of some time ago with those people. That''s all... Reine wants to live together with Kaa-sama and Fili someday, together." ¡®That''s all.¡¯ She loves her mother and Fili, so she just wanted them to live together in harmony. She just wanted to tell her mother, hoping that she would notice Fili''s good points. Her vision became distorted, and sobs spilled out. Her chest was tight and she couldn''t breathe properly. Why couldn¡¯t she convey that? That was all she wanted to tell her. "Did Kaa-sama hate that Reine thought like that? Because Reine is too stupid stupid and can''t think like Kaa-sama, so..." "Reine, no, I..." "It''s fine. ...Reine doesn''t want to talk to Kaa-sama anymore." ¡®Reine¡¯ Ignoring the voices calling out to her, she left the office. She ran straight ahead, got on his horse, and dashed out of the royal territory and out of the royal capital. She kept asking herself, ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®Reine doesn''t understand. Why Fili?¡¯ ¡®...Unfortunately, it must have been Her Majesty. Murder in the royal territory... Moreover, it''s hard to imagine that anyone would do something so pointless and foolish as to deliberately target and kill a servant, even if they were targeting Her Majesty the Queen.¡¯ The question and answer kept going round and round in her head. ¡®From what I''ve heard from Your Highness, Your Majesty must have found the servant Fili annoying. The two of you always argued about that servant... I think Your Majesty felt a sense of crisis about Your Highness'' beloved Fili¡¯. ¡®A sense of crisis..¡¯ ¡®Her Majesty likely feared losing you, the one irreceable person in her life. It¡¯s only natural that she would be afraid of that.¡¯ ¡®Filli would never¡ Reine too¡¡¯ ¡®Indeed, but¡ Her Majesty is ill. She¡¯s so deeply untrusting that she may even doubt Your Highness in her heart.¡¯ Before going to the royal capital, while preparing a horse for Reine, Golzarias looked sad and seemed to find it difficult to answer. While sighing that it was a pitiful thing, he told the stunned Reine all sorts of things. It was true that it was hard to believe, but she couldn''t dismiss it as impossible. As he said, her mother hated Fili, and she sighed every time she saw Reine being influenced by Fili. They had just argued the other day¨D¨DReine was afraid that her mother would punish her, just like when she removed Fili from her attendant, and she had been careful to prevent that from happening. But that anxiety always exists in her heart, so she couldn''t deny what he said. ¡®Could it be a mistake? Perhaps it wasn¡¯t Filli, but someone else¡¡¯ "...I heard it too, but I haven''t confirmed it myself... leave this ce to me. It''s probably best for Your Highness to confirm it directly." Then, kneeling, Golzarias continued. ¡®I am your vassal, so I¡¯ll wait here¡Elsreine-sama.¡¯ Her head was spinning, and her body felt heavy. She didn¡¯t know what she would do if she returned. But she just wanted to get away from the capital. Riding her horse, switching mounts, heading eastward. She slept on horseback, ate while riding, and after several days¨D¨D "Reine..." "...Sail-niisama" It is Sail who appeared on horseback with several people. Sail red at Reine with a stern look on his face and furrowed brow. "...Where are you nning to go?" "This has nothing to do with you, Sail-niisama." "It''s not that I''m not involved. Are you nning to betray Mother?" Raine didn''t answer, and when she tried to pass by him, the escorting cavalryman also stood in front of her, grim-faced. "...Move out of the way." "Calm down. You''re just confused. Did Golzarias tell you something? Don''t trust that man. He doesn''t listen to my orders, he''s privatizing the army, and he''s trying to use you for some scheme." Sail kept telling her to calm down. "If you act, the kingdom will split in two. It will be a quagmire of war. At least, that is not what Fili wanted¨D¨D" "What did Sail-niisama tell Fili?" "?" "Venure did it for Sail-niisama sake... Didn''t Sail-niisama tell Fili some stupid things? Isn''t that why it ended up like this?" Sail froze, and Reine jumped from her horse and got on top of Sail. "Uh, ugh...!?" She grabbed him by the cor and mmed his back to the ground, the tip of the drawn sword on his neck. The purple eyes of Reine, staring before him, were cold and filled with hatred. "...Don''t ever show yourself in front of Reine again. If you get in the way any more, I will kill you all right here and now." "Reine..." After saying that, Reine got on top of her horse. The young-looking girl''s eyes were freezing cold, and even the veteran cavalryman blocking her path shivered like a boy, making him instinctively make way for her. Reine started running again, and Sail simply mmed his fist into the ground. Grabareine was a tyrant who oppressed others, executed many good-hearted people, and sought to control the world through fear. Elsreine was the only one by her mother''s side who tried to straighten out her madness, and shemented being forced to fight an unwanted battle against her brothers who stood up for the people, and to top it off, even her beloved servants were killed. Queen Grabareine no longer had a heart. And so Princess Elsreine rose up and rebelled against Queen Grabareine. Word of this spread like wildfire, and when it reached the ears of those who were devastated by the princes'' defeat, many people flocked to the east from all over. She was the only one who could stand against the ever-invincible Grabareine. She had shown her talent in battles against the brave and fearless princes, and she had given mercy to the soldiers who had participated in the great treason of the rebellion. They could have been executed immediately, but she released many of the incited people, saying that their crimes were not serious, and it was said that this was also the reason why she swiftly raided the main camp and killed her brother herself in four duels. The n to lower taxes to achieve domestic stability after suppressing the rebellion was originally a generous and humane measure, but those who followed Elsreine said that it was the result of the princess''s kindness andpassion, spreading the idea of ??good and evil. In just under a month, even those who had not participated in the princes'' rebellion had begun to rise up. "Elsreine-sama, how about you go outside for a bit of fresh air?" "Lukazan, I want to be left alone." "...That''s. The people are gathering. Many people from the eastern region have shown their allegiance. It''s about time you looked forward, Elsreine-sama." Renaria, home base of the Alberan rebel army. Thergest city in the eastern region, it was the capital of a kingdom that was destroyed by Grabareine. Every day, Golzarias would visit Elsreine, who continued to sleep in her bed in the castle. ¡°What should I look forward to?...Reine doesn¡¯t want to do anything.¡± "If Elsreine-sama is like this, Fili will be sad." "...Fili is no longer here." "Indeed, she may not be alive." Elsreine frowned and sat up. Golzarias spoke as he looked out the window. "But... her words should live on in your heart, Elsreine-sama. Were her days meaningless? Are you saying that the many things she must have taught you since she was born were meaningless?" "That is..." "I understand Elsreine-sama¡¯s feelings of grief over Fili''s death. She also died halfway through her journey... it must have been very regrettable. But for Elsreine-sama to waste your time like this is tantamount to denying her life." Reine opened her eyes wide, and Golzarias closed them. "Why does Elsreine-sama think we soldiers risk our lives to fight?" "Um..." "Most of us are not as strong as Elsreine-sama. I''m just lucky that I''m still alive... it''s not even worth gambling on, and I''m sure Elsreine-sama would find it foolish." She thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°To you, we are all weak beings. And yet we choose to fight. ...Some could be a merchant, a craftsman, or a farmer. There are plenty of ways to live, so why risk their lives to fight?" Golzarias turned and looked her straight in the eye. "...That is a wish, Elsreine-sama." "A wish..." "And so, even if I die, those I must protect can live in peace. That is the wish... which is why we can sometimes sacrifice ourselves, and even ept death. I believe that those who survive will surely grant my wish." Then he smiled gently. ¡°A wish more precious than one¡¯s life...Fili must have had such a wish as well. Even in her final moments, she must have thought of it. Will you simply live on, mourning Fili death forever, without fulfilling that wish?¡± ¡°Reine...¡± "At least from my perspective, that would be much sadder. The many words Fili spoke to Elsreine-sama would disappear without meaning." That was certainly sad. Surely Fili would not be happy to see Reine like this. "...What do you think, Elsreine-sama? Won''t you grant her wish with us?" "With Lukazan and the others...?" "A world of peace and no war... a small paradise, I believe you said." "A small paradise..." Whates to mind was something Fili once drew. A ce where everyone was smiling and having fun, with unused swords and armor lying around. "Of course, it will be a difficult path. To unite the hearts of many people and create such a world... but it is not an impossible wish. At the very least, I believe that if we continue to wish for it, we can get closer, even if only little by little." "......" "...In name, we are currently a rebel army against Her Majesty the Queen. But Elsreine-sama, aren''t you still unable to hate Her Majesty?" She nodded. There were enough soldiers gathered, but the kingdom''s side was unstable. Many people hade and said that she should not miss this opportunity to lead this army and attack and destroy the royal capital, but Reine shook her head. Reine wondered why she had killed Fili, but she couldn''t imagine wanting to kill her mother. She knew that her mother loved her, and Reine also loved and respected her mother. It was just sad. That was all Reine had. She was simply sad that her mother had done something that could not be undone. "When you returned from the Royal Capital, I had a feeling that this was the case. If that''s what you wanted, you would have done so at that time. ... Lady Elsreine is a kind person, and you still love Her Majesty the Queen." She nodded, and Golzarias smiled and said, ¡®It''s okay¡¯. "There''s no need to listen to the words of fools who act on emotion. Things will calm down eventually. And for that, we need a new name that isn''t the Alberan Rebel Army." "A name..." "Yes, a new ce, a new country that Elsreine-sama will create." "A... country?" "Yes. That would probably be the best." Golzarias turned his eyes out the window again. Birds were chirping in the sunlight. "...In order to obtain military power, it¡¯s best to spread the word that Her Majesty is evil and a tyrant, gathering many people and nobles... but I don''t think that Her Majesty is that kind of person. She has been exposed to so much malice that no one can trust her anymore... She is a pitiful person." "...That is..." "I don''t want to drag Her Majesty down from the throne or start a rebellion. I just... want Her Majesty to notice our feelings, and those of Elsreine-sama... that''s all." ¡®Words alone wouldn''t be enough¡¯, Golzarias said. Squinting his eyes at the dazzling light. "... But even if words don''t reach her, if we can create the kind of country Elsreine-sama desires... if we can show Her Majesty a ce where everyone can live happily and peacefully, I think we can clear up Her Majesty''s feelings. I think there is something that can be conveyed, just like Elsreine-sama paintings." Reine looked at him and lowered her eyes. She waited a moment, then asked. ¡°...Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes. At least, I believe so, and I will assist Elsreine-sama to the best of my ability¡ if Elsreine-sama needs me. I swear on my name, I will risk my life for this cause.¡± Reine stood up, moving from the bed to the carpet. Golzarius knelt on one knee and bowed his head. "Elsren, is good." "Elsren..." "That...name from before." When Reine asked if it''s strange, Golzarias give a wry smile. "A little paradise... it seems a bit odd as a country''s name." "Um, if that''s not okay..." "But... it''s a good name, full of hope." Golzarias removes his sword from his belt and holds it up to Reine as if offering it. "...Elsren, would you please add me, Golzarias Lukazan, as its first vassal?" Reine looked a little taken aback, but then smiled. She took it and said ¡®Yes¡¯, returning the sword to his hands as he bowed his head. Elsren¨D¨Dshe remembered Fili''s smile as she spoke it. ¨D¨DThe face of that loyal vassal, still couldn¡¯t be seen. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Vol. 12 - Chapter 307 - Reine VIII ¨D¨DYear 203 of the Alberan Kingdom. The split of the great nation of Alberan, which ruled the continent, and the birth of the Elsren Republic. Eastern Alberan, which had only recently be subservient to Grabareine, rejoiced at the establishment of a nation in opposition to Alberan. Before its formal establishment, Elsreine formed a loose anti-Alberan alliance, bound by a web of defensive agreements. However, to solidify rtionships with these entities, Elsreine established a central parliament. Incorporating influential figures from across thend as members, Elsreine rapidly took shape as a nation while Alberan was preupied with internal issues arising from its split. This wasrgely due to Elsreine¡¯s military exploits, which showed her overwhelming military talent during the recent Alberan Civil War, and her genius, which allowed her to solve the various problems that arose during the establishment of the nation with divine skill. It was said that she had the magic eye to see into the future, and with the funds she raised, she made huge profits in a short time, and built the foundations of a nation for the helpless rebel army. A month and a country, two months and a great power. In a very short time, Elsreine took control of the economy of the center of the continent, and great merchants from all over the country, amazed by her ¡®alchemy¡¯, rushed to gather in the capital, Linaria. It is said that this was also the reason why the two major powers¨D¨Dthe Natrias family and the Livasrebe family, who wouldter be the three great dukes of the Holy Elsren Empire, expressed their intention to participate in this. "The chairman''s intentions should be praised... However, the current situation requires us to focus on domestic stability and prepare for the inevitable invasion by Alberan. The establishment of an orphanage should be postponed, and the time and budget should be allocated elsewhere." "That may be true, but¡" In the heart of Linaria, the First Assembly Hall. The men sitting in chairs around arge round table were the most influential nobles of Elsren. At the head of the table, where arge map of the surrounding area was disyed, sat a young girl with golden hair¨D¨DReine wearing a troubled expression as she pondered how to respond. Elsren was originally a territory that had only recently been incorporated into Alberan territory. The Alberan invasion had left many war orphans, and public order was in disarray, making it far from stable. The original n after the rebellion was to provide ample protection to solve these problems and restore public order¨D¨Dand this n remains unchanged even after the country became the Republic of Elsren. However, the situation was very different now that there was a powerful enemy nation called Alberan. The council members made military expansion their top priority, and were eager to pour funds into it. While Reine understood their reasoning, she believed the current defense forces were sufficient for a defensive battle. The disagreement stemmed from their apparent aim to conquer Alberan. Reine never had any thoughts of killing her mother or conquering Alberan. She simply wanted to create a country where everyone could live happily. That was all. However, that was merely Reine''s logic. Most of the people were on the side that had been conquered by Alberan¨D¨Dshe could understand their reasoning for resenting their mother, but she couldn''t deny it outright, nor did she have the right to do so. Reine was the chairperson, and decisions regarding the country had to be made by everyone discussing them together. "Well, wait a moment. What the chairman is concerned about is the long-term future, ten or twenty years from now. Expanding the military too much will incur heavy expenses. The chairman believes that the current defense forces are sufficient for now, doesn''t she?" "Yes, that''s right. Reine believes that, for a defensive battle, we have enough strength to counter Alberan as things stand." "I agree with the others'' concerns, though I do have some reservations... But at least in military matters, the chairman is more knowledgeable than anyone here. From what I''ve heard, there¡¯s no major w in her reasoning. Does anyone disagree?" The man next to Reine, Kirias Livasrebe, was thin andnky. Though his face seemed gentle, his sharp eyes red at the other members. "It seems to me that emotions are getting the better of everyone here. Alberan is indeed formidable¡ It''s unlikely we could defeat them with a hastily assembled force. Even if we assume everything goes perfectly, we would at best reach a stalemate. ...if that happens, we will inevitably lose in the face of Alberan¡¯s superior national power. Weck the foundation for a long-term war." Reine nodded, feeling that Kirias had articted her thoughts perfectly. Kirias was the most vocal person in the council. He was quite a sharp and good speaker, and he understood Raine''s intentions well. "This country is overflowing with orphans. In ten years, they will be rebels and cause great disturbance to public order. They are like debts, and if they grow, they will bankrupt the country. If we refuse to pay one gold coin now, in ten years they will demand ten, twenty... or even a hundred gold coins. It will be toote once that happens." ¡®We should think about the future of this country¡¯, Kirias continued. "Now is the time to solidify the foundations of this country. With a country, we can achieve our wish to defeat Alberan. The chairman is not proposing an orphanage out of simple pity. Please understand that. I agree with the chairman and vote in favor." ¡®Thank you¡¯, Reine said, bowing slightly. He smiled wryly and shook his head. The next person to speak was arge man with a beard, Orlos Natrias. "I agree as well. But I also understand the concerns about our military. How about sending more troops from various regions to the western front, where the fighting is expected to be most intense? At least, I don''t think there are any fools who would want to cause internal strife in the current situation. I think the people in the west will feel a little more at ease with that." Though not particrly skilled in domestic affairs, Orlos had considerable influence and was good at rallying the nobles. He also had thergest territory in the region, which contributed to his influence. There were some minor issues, but nothing significant. Elsren''s start was going well. Leaving the First Assembly Hall, Reine headed to her office. The Vice-Chairman, Golzarias Lukazan, spoke up. "The meeting must have been tiring. They seem to be getting morefortable, voicing their opinions freely." "It''s true that it''s a bit tiring, but... this is fine. Reine would also like to hear various opinions, and if Reine is a king, they won''t be able to say what they wanted to say." Golzarias wanted a country where Reine could hold absolute power, but what Reine wanted was a parliamentary republic. In Alberan, his mother thought about everything and made all the decisions. She suppressed any other opinions, or executed anyone who spoke them. A dictatorship was not a bad system at all, and her mother''s reasoning was understandable. It was undoubtedly her mother''s achievement that she was able to unite Alberan, which was on the verge of fragmentation, and made it sorge, and it was because she strengthened her own power and freely controlled the country. Her mother made the country bigger and increased the poption. If a big, stable country was a good country, then her mother was a good queen. But what Reine wanted to build was a ce where everyone could be happy. ¡®...It''s hard to say what society is...but. It¡¯s something that is made by individualsplementing each other''s shorings, I guess?¡¯ ¡®Complementing each other...¡¯ ¡®For example, just as Elsreine-sama looks at my paintings and wishes to be taught something, I also learn from Elsreine-sama paintings what Ick. Isn¡¯t a rtionship in which we give and receive something from each other also a society?¡¯ ¡®It''s a small society, though¡¯, Fili said. ¡®You use your strengths for the other person, and get help with your weaknesses...Everyone in this world helps each other like that, and lives within that role. Whether you''re a soldier, craftsman, or noble, it''s just one role in arger society. In any era, the most important thing an individual should do is to fulfill the role that is assigned to them in thatrger society.'' ''... It''s a bit difficult.'' Fili looked amused when she said that. ¡®Fufu, but I''m sure you already understand, Elsreine-sama.'' Sheughed as she said that. Reine closed her eyes for a moment, remembering her smile. ¡°Reine wants to listen to different opinions, learn from them, and understand different ways of thinking. The only thing Reine is good at is calctions... Even if Reine works hard on her own, Reine ''ll end up with an Alberan like Mother.... That''s why Reine wants to exchange opinions with many people and build a country and society where many people can live happily.'' ¨D¨DThe seed of a better society is the desire to understand others. Fili''s stories were always a bit difficult. But she thought that''s probably what it''s all about. What the other party likes, what they don''t like, what they wish and what they want. It wasn¡¯t about how smart someone is, it''s important to have that kind of personality. If it''s a good thing, it''s fine even if it''s a stupid suggestion. If theyck wisdom, Reine could help them. By listening to various opinions and understanding everyone, and granting their wishes, it would surely lead to a better society in the future. For Reine, strangers were a little difficult. But they were all human beings¨D¨Dthey would always connect in some way, and she believed that one day they would understand each other like Fili and herself. And she wanted her mother to see the ce that was created in this way. "...If such a ce is created, I''m sure Mother will..." "Don''t say such things too much outside. Many people harbor resentment towards Her Majesty..." "Ah... yes. I''m sorry..." When she entered the office, Golzarias gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Of course, I understand your feelings... but I hope that at least a little of Elsreine-sama''s feelings can be conveyed. Of course, the dead will note back to life..." "... Yes." "But I''m sure Fili would be proud of Elsreine-sama. She probably wanted to heal Her Majesty''s illness more than anyone else." Raine nodded, and Golzarias continued. "From what I''ve heard... it seems that after Elsreine-sama went out to battle, Fili was summoned by Her Majesty." "...summoned" "I don''t know the details... but considering the results, it''s probably fair to assume that Elsreine-sama battle was also to get rid of her. Maybe Her Majesty wanted to keep Elsreine-sama away so that she wouldn''t hear about it." He lowered his eyes and sighed. "...The day that Kaa-sama told Reine that she wanted Reine to go and put down the rebellion, we had just...got into an argument about Fili." "Yes I heard. I can''t say for sure what the final trigger was, but...I think it was Her Majesty the Queen who took her life. I thought it might be possible, so I had someone I had hidden investigate as much as possible, but..." "...Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment, but...I don''t think Mother would leave a spy alone. I think it would be best to withdraw." "...Ha" ¨D¨DMother said that it wasn''t her. It was true that Reine had lost herposure, and the thought that maybe that was really the case flickered through her mind, but based on the words of Golzarias, who seemed to have continued to investigate afterwards, it was probably her mother who killed Fili after all. "Whatever the case, it¡¯s about what toe." "... Yes." "Since they''ve been suffering under heavy taxes, an orphanage is a good idea. They need charity to gain the support of the people. Even Reine-sama might be a little resistant to portraying Her Majesty as evil and strengthening the conflict structure but..." "... No. If it''s necessary, there''s no other way." The tyrant Grabareine¨D¨Da cruel and wicked overlord. By showing her mother as evil and presenting Reine as the rebel against her as good, she widelymunicated this to the people, rifying the just cause and gaining the support of the people. There was some resistance to Golzarias'' proposal, but to create a country, it was necessary to gain the support of many people. The conflict between good and evil was easy to understand even for the uneducated, and when it''s good and evil, people usually want to side with the good. His thinking was rational, and there was no disagreement except for emotional issues. Reine still had no doubt that her mother was a fine queen. She didn''t think she was evil either. To Reine, she was a kind mother, wise, and at least she was trying to create what her mother thought was a good country. If this hadn''t happened, if she had epted Fili, maybe they would all be able to live happily together in ten or twenty years'' time. However, Rayne had her own thoughts and position, and her mother had her own thoughts and position. She thought that was the only difference. ¡®...Good and evil are very scary words, Reine-sama.¡¯ ¡®Scary...¡¯ ¡®From what perspective do they seem right and wrong? Tobel someone as evil is to stop thinking and understanding the other person... Tobel yourself as good is to lose the heart to correct your own mistakes. ...Bybeling yourself as something, people can be endlessly foolish.¡¯ ¡®It is wrong to speak lightly about what is good or bad¡¯, Fili said. If you put it into words, you would be bound by them, and one day it would be an assumption. You would only try to find reasons why the other person was evil, and reasons why you yourself were good. "...However, I don''t think that way of doing things is very good. Once the country stabilizes, I want everyone to be able to spend each day as happily as possible." "Yes. Of course, I understand your feelings, Elsreine-sama, and I feel the same way. If we can gather the support of the people, I''m sure we will be able to change that gradually." Reine nodded. Golzarias was always considerate of Reine''s feelings. It''s very reassuring for Reine to have such a trustworthy person by her side. "Let''s think about various things regarding the orphanage. I''m going to exchange some opinions with Livasrebe-dono and Natrias-dono and think about a trustworthy person to steer the ship. If you have any opinions, I''ll ask first..." "As long as they have the minimum level of ability... As Lukazan said, find someone you can trust. We''ll be entrusting them with a lot of money..." "Yes, I''ll meet your expectations. Well then." Golzarias left the office, and Reine sat at her desk. The desk was piled with reports¨D¨Dmuch less than the amount her mother used to process. It was not a matter of the size of the country, but the shape. The lords of each region were merely listed as council members, and thend is currently their property. The financial situation was unclearpared to when she was in Alberan. She must make predictions based on thend situation that was submitted when she was in Alberan and the surrounding areas that Reine manages, and think about how to proceed from there. With all the information in her head, it was easy for Reine to raise funds, but it would be more difficult from now on. She took a sip of the tea she had brewed and lowered her eyes. She had used the same tea leaves, brewed it the same way, and even adjusted the temperature to be the same as Fili, but it didn''t taste like she remembered. ¨D¨DShe would never be able to drink the tea she had drank with her again. Every time she took a sip, Reine realized this. An old mansion in a corner of the outskirts of Linaria. The first orphanage was first built there. It was spacious enough, the security was not bad, and although it had deteriorated, it was a sturdy structure. Reine had gone there to inspect the building tomemorate itspletion. It was also a chance to meet and greet, and to think about what would happen next. She was wearing a white dress that was not overly shy, and a white veil over her head. She had thought that there was no need to hide her face as she was the chairman and this was not the kingdom, but at the request of Golzarias and the others, she hid her face with a thin cloth. Whatever Reine''s role, she was the symbol of Elsren. She cannot be lightly revealed to the public, and if her face bes widely known, there would be major security problems, so she had no choice but to listen. "Well... I was thinking about celebrating the opening of the orphanage... what do you think?" "My, this is wonderful... I never thought we would receive such a beautiful painting." Golzarias was also in the orphanagemon room, and the head director, Narko Livenils, was admiring the painting Reine had brought. A tall, thin man with ck hair and a young, calm-looking face. He was born into a branch of the Livasrebe family, and seemed to like art. She knew his name from my knowledge of the time in Alberan, but there was no information that he had done anything in particr. There were many people who were listed as nobles. The painting was that of paradise. Image of people living happily together. ¡°...It¡¯s a beautiful painting. It seems to convey Elsreine-sama¡¯s wishes.¡± "...Really?" "Yes. I knew at a nce that this is the kind of ce Elsreine-sama¡¯s wants to create. ...It''s a truly wonderful painting. Of course, in terms of technique, it''s something such that I''ve never seen before...but you can''t paint a painting like this with skill alone." Hearing those words, Reine smiled happily. "I''ll treasure it and put it on disy. I think the hall would be good so everyone can see it." "Ehehe...Yes. Reine''d like lots of people to see it. Reine, well... Reine is not very good at talking, so I can''t speak very well...but I thought something like this would get the message across." "Such a magnificent painting...I''m sure it will get the message across." Reine nodded and then talked about the future. This was the starting point, the headquarters, for now, but there would be a separate director, and from now on Narcor will basically be steering the other orphanages that were newly built. Once again, they briefly discussed the general outline, and when she asked about his thoughts on working out the details, the n he had prepared was very simr to what Reine had in mind. If he was a decent person with the minimum level of ability, Reine would make up for any shorings. That was what Reine had thought, but his abilities were more than adequate. Listening to what he had to say, she felt quite at ease. "...Livenils is excellent. It seems there isn''t much for Reine to say." "No, that''s not it... I''ve been desperately trying to meet Elsreine-sama''s expectations ever since I heard the Headmaster''s words. I may show some areas where I still fall short." "It''ll be fine. Just don''t push yourself too hard, and if any problems arise, please consult Reine anytime. Reine feels a little more at ease after talking to Livenils." Golzarias nodded at Reine''s words and said. "Noble families have their own problems. There are many cases where talented people are left unemployed. It''s fortunate that someone with an eye for talent like Livasrebe-dono is in charge." "Livs Livasrebe is very thoughtful about many things... and it''s all thanks to Lukazan¡¯s efforts." "No, it''s all thanks to Elsreine-sama... I guess that''s about it for now." "Hmm...right." "I also have a few things to talk about with Livenils-sama... What do you think, Elsreine-sama? Why don''t you go and see the orphanage for a bit?" ¡®That would be a good idea¡¯, Reine said, nodding and standing up. "There may be some things you can''t understand without seeing them... and Reine''d like to see how the children are doing." "If that''s the case, please do. The children will be happy. The director will show you around." "Yes. Lukazan, please call me when you''re done." "Yes." Raine then left the room, and Narko bowed deeply to Golzarias as he saw her off. "Well, Livenils. Isn¡¯t she as I said?" "Yes, Lukazan-sama. She seems like a very pure person... but this is quite surprising." Narko''s gaze fell on the painting on the desk. A painting with intricate detail, with clear and vivid contrasts¨D¨Da divine work like nothing he had ever seen before. It was like a slice of another world, and it was hard to believe it was painted by human hands. Even for Narko, who had seen a lot of art, this was an unparalleled painting. "Not only was the skill impressive, but the pigments used were ones I had never seen before. I had heard about it, but seeing it in person was... astonishing." "Thanks to that, your reaction was really good. I have high hopes for you." "..." Golzarias looked out the door where Reine had left. "Elsreine-sama is very obsessed with paintings, and as I''ve heard, your role is to y with them... like a child. At the very least, keep this orphanage clean so that Elsreine-sama will be pleased." "Yes, I understand." "Although she is the daughter of that queen, she seems to have been raised very well. However, on the inside, she is the same... as a precaution in case of an emergency, this orphanage must be the paradise that Elsreine-sama desires. ... First, you must do your best to make this ce pleasing to Elsreine-sama." "I''m indebted. But... a paradise?" Narko said, smiling bitterly. Golzarias smiled, even as he told him not tough. "It seems that Elsreine-sama believes in a childlike utopia from the bottom of her heart." As he said this, he narrowed his eyes and looked at the painting on the desk. A beautiful utopia where nothing unfortunate exists. A paradise full of happiness. "Maybe because she grew up without ever leaving the pce, she sees the world as a flower garden. I was happy that the opportunity came, but... it pains me to see her trust me so innocently." "Haha, saying things you don''t really mean." "I''m serious.... I offer my wholehearted loyalty to Elsreine-sama." ¡®What a joke¡¯, Narko said, deepening his bitter smile. Then he put his hand to his chin and spoke, thinking deeply. "But is it okay? She still has feelings for Grabareine..." "It''s a problem to be too pure. Still, it''s better than being consumed by hatred and going on a rampage.... If we stir up conflict between countries and create a situation where skirmishes continue, it won''t be a big problem." Narko nodded at Golzarias'' words and said, ¡®Let''s hope it goes well¡¯. "I have already won a somewhat aggressive bet. The rest will be what it is. I doubt Grabareine would seriously consider attacking and destroying the ''paradise'' that her beloved daughter is trying to create. It''s difficult to know how to get rid of her... but, well, the current situation is about solidifying the foundation, so don''t get carried away. I will convey Elsreine-sama¡¯s requests as much as possible in advance, just like today." "Yes. I tried to be careful not to sound unnatural, but... I was a little taken aback." "She has a frightening talent, but... she¡¯s foolish and doesn''t know how to suspect people." ¡®My goodness¡¯, Golzariasughed. "I have to thank this Fili thing." "...Is that Elsreine-sama¡¯s?" "Yes, she must have loved her very much. Her namees up every time she speaks. You''ll probably hear it a lot from now on, so be thankful....We¡¯re here thanks to her." ¨D¨DAlbeneria Royal Castle at night. A hallway lined with servants'' rooms¨D¨Da servant inspecting thenterns opened her mouth as she gazed upon one of the rooms. "Hey, that room... is it okay to leave it like that?" It was cleaned almost every day, but no one ever returned. It was left alone for a while, but after a while it started to be cleaned during the day. The owner of the room was the de facto head servant, respected by everyone. It was somehow hard to ask the other daytime colleagues¨D¨Dperhaps it was due to the quiet atmosphere of the night. It was the first time she had asked. "...You don''t know?" "...?" "Ah... well, it''s hard to ask. I''m usually on the day shift." The colleague spoke as if remembering something, and opened her mouth. As soon as she saw the figure, she bowed her head with good posture. The two of them followed suit and bowed¨D¨Dthe hem of a beautiful negligee came into view. The woman disappeared into the room they had been talking in without saying anything. The two looked at each other and left the room without making a sound. Then she spoke in a low voice. "...Shees here sometimes at night. It''s a room where Elsreine-sama¡¯s often spends her time in, and we weren''t sure what to do with the painting, but...we decided that it would be best to clean it up for now." "Why...is Her Majesty?" "...Don''t ask me." Elsreine left the pce and founded a country called Elsren in the east. All the servants here know the meaning of that name. Before she left, she happily showed the servants a painting called Elsren. She said with a childlike smile that she wanted to give the painting to her mother when it was finished. "...Is it really Her Majesty the Queen?" Her colleague seemed a little hesitant before speaking. "...A little while before she passed away, Fili-sama was invited to her Majesty''s room." "Invited..." "...Because of the circumstances, it was a tacit understanding only for the night shift." Looking at the room in the distance, she said. "Elsreine-sama''s room is on the floor above....If the rumors are true, would Her Majesty havee all the way here?" "Then..." "Please don''t tell anyone. I told you because I trusted you....Besides, there''s nothing we can do." Continue with work, her colleague said, and the servant nodded with her eyes downcast. The little paradise the princess showed them with a smile sparkled like a distant memory. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Vol. 12 - Chapter 308 - Reine IX ¨D¨D¡¯Well then, if you''ll excuse me¡¯, Fili said, preparing tea and sitting down. With a faint smile, he poured tea for Reine and for herself. The more she looked at her, the more irritated she became. She performed her duties as a servant, yet behaved as though she were Reine''s equal. Her haughty attitude was somewhat irritating. She always thought that she had different eyes. She was polite in her words, and she had noints about her work as a servant. She obeyed orders and followed requests. Her blue eyes showed no sign of fear or intimidation towards Reine. It was always directed at Reine, peering into her. ¡®...You''re an eyesore, after all. I''ve been thinkingtely about how I can get rid of you without Reine noticing.¡¯ ''Indeed, doing it while avoiding Elsreine-sama''s detection would be quite the challenge,'' ¡®Yes, very much¡¯, Reine said, and Fili thought for a moment. ''Are Your Majesty asking for a n to get rid of this troublesome Fili?'' ''Yes. I thought I might reconsider after hearing your opinion.'' Even though it was about herself. Fili smiled with some amusement and spoke. ''It would be best to give up on trying to conceal it. If Your Majesty must eliminate me, do so openly as the Queen. ... If distancing myself from Elsreine-sama is an option, perhaps arranging a marriage with some noble might be a consideration?'' ¡®Oh, you''re willing to do that?¡¯ ¡®If it''s an order from none other than Your Majesty the Queen, then I have no choice. Fili will create a formality where I nominally hope to be the heir to the Ns family and will marry them of my own volition so that Elsreine-sama won''t find it unnatural. If there is substance to it, then there will be noints... that no matter what, at least Your Majesty did her best to make sure Fili is living happily, making Elsreine-sama think like that.'' ¡®This is a very realistic n¡¯, Fili said. ''However, unfortunately, in the eyes of Your Majesty, Fili is a servant who is favored by Elsreine-sama. I think that we will still exchange letters even if we are far apart, and I think that Elsreine-sama will visit Fili, as for how often... but if Your Majesty would allow the above, Elsreine-sama will not be too dissatisfied and it is an attractive n.'' She didn¡¯t speak as if discussing her own situation. There was a certain amusement in her voice and no fear, as if she were making a minor suggestion. ''It''s highly disrespectful for a mere servant to judge Your Majesty¡¯s decisions, but I believe that Fili''s disposal should have been decided much sooner. As it stands, Your Majesty missed an easy opportunity to eliminate a troublesome servant.'' ''You''re right, though it¡¯s irritating. ...Now I have to listen to your unpleasant chirping¡¯. Fili smiled yfully. Her casual mannerisms¨D¨Dit was much more visible than before. ''But isn''t that what life is? Things happen as they will... when Your Majesty didn''t get rid of me until now, and instead wished for and loved Elsreine-sama, it was inevitable that Your Majesty would hear my chirping like this.¡¯ Filiughed softly as Reine frowned. ''Your Majesty has remained the same since we first met, terribly cowardly. ...Without clinging to your role as Queen, you can''t even meet others'' eyes, can you?'' ''... You certainly know how to talk. Are you mocking me?'' ¡®Calling it a mockery is a bit of a stretch... but I do find ''Your Majesty rather pitiable.'' As she sipped, she looked down at the hot tea and poured milk. Then she dropped honey, stirred it with a spoon, and reced it with Reine''s tea. She did the same with the tea, turning the hot liquid into lukewarm water. ¡®Destroying the pure tea, turning it into a sweet, lukewarm liquid...Of course, it''s fine if you can enjoy the tea as it is, but the important thing is whether you can enjoy it or not. Even if you don''t force yourself to drink it as tea, you can reach out your hands and get milk and honey...Even if you can see it, you pretend not to see it and just put on the face of a powerful person¡¯ She sipped her tea with a smile. ''And that¡¯s why, even as a Queen, Your Majesty couldn''t kill a single insolent servant. Even when a servant questions you, you hesitate. ... Because being a Queen is just a mask, and deep down, you know what you truly desire.'' With a grin, she looked straight at Reine. ''The one I want to serve is such ¡®Reine-sama¡¯. ...Pure, fragile, foolish, and cowardly like a child. And my purpose in life is to pour plenty of milk and honey into her tea.'' Fili''s smile grew as if saying nothing else mattered. Her eyes narrowed as if she were looking at something dazzling. ¡®...You are my Reine to me.¡¯ ¨D¨DI have loved you since the first time I saw you, Reine-sama. If she had topare it to something, it would be amodity. Just like Reine once was, a tool to be used. Since her parents were dead, it was convenient in many ways. But at the time, she was still young, not quite ready to be used as a reward¨D¨Dperhaps Reine saw something of herself in Fili''s circumstances. She allowed Venure¡¯s sentimental and trivial wish and decided to make her a servant. Now she truly wishes she hadn''t picked her up. "......" The room where her daughter and Fili had been spending time. There were arge number of paintings in the room. Looking at them side by side, it was easy to tell who had painted which. This one was her daughter, this one was Fili¨D¨Dshe looked at whatever caught her eye, until she had seen them all. Silly paintings. But strangely enough, she found herselfing back to them. The painting, which seemed to be unfinished, showed a feast in the sunlight filtering through the trees. Reine and her daughter were in the center, with Venure and Fili smiling nearby, and the servants surrounding them. Fili had painted a simr picture before, and it was likely that she had imitated it. In the painting, Reine was spending time with her daughter, smiling. However, this painting will never be reality. Venure died, and so did Fili. This painting would remain unfinished and likely never be gifted. ''... Reine doesn''t understand Mother at all.'' The memory of a face twisted with conflicting emotions surfaced in her mind. She thought it would have been better if that person had never existed. If that were the case, none of this would have happened. Tracing the outline of Fili in the painting, she lowered her gaze. Her daughter had not trusted Reine. Reine had likely been too adept at maniption, just as she had always been. She understood her daughter''s foolishness well. Given time, things might have been different. Even if it was impossible at that moment, Reine could have captured her daughter and held her close. But Reine had been too tired, too exhausted to do so at the time. "... If she was going to die in such a way, why did she say those things?" If she had only been a bothersome woman, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. It''s all in the past¨D¨Dover. That thought filled Reine''s mind, leaving her unable to think of anything else. Useless, meaningless memories reyed over and over in her head. Would she notice someday? Would she believe her? What should she do to make her believe her? No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn''t find an answer. "...Mother." "Did I call for you?" "No. I just happened to stop by this room. ...But Mother, why are you in the servant''s room?" As Reine attempted to leave the room, Sail closed the door and stepped in front of her. "...So, Mother didn¡¯t kill her after all." "I''m in a foul mood, get out of my way." "I''m sorry, but I won¡¯t move until we¡¯re finished talking. If Mother insists, you¡¯ll have to kill me." Sail spoke, then he looked at the ¡®Small Paradise¡¯ her daughter had painted. He closed his eyes, clenched his fists, "Leave it to me. I will get Elsreine back." Then he knelt down and bowed his head. Raine just looked at him. "Even if she refuses the envoy, there will be opportunities to speak on the battlefield. Mother said you would let things be for now, but... I think time would only deepen the rift. ... It¡¯s better to clear up misunderstandings sooner rather thanter." "... Eventually, Reine will realize she''s being used." "Does Mother believe time will heal everything? That she¡¯ll eventually recognize the misunderstanding and return to Mother?" "... Be quiet." ¡®I will not,¡¯ Sail continued. "We should take every possible measure. As it stands, we¡¯re ying into Lukazan¡¯s hands. If Mother doesn''t want me to go, then Mother should go herself. Take Elsreine back by force, if necessary, and clear up the misunderstanding. ... Why won¡¯t Mother do that?" He said, standing up. Then he looked Reine in the eyes. "If Mother is afraid to face Elsreine, then give me a letter. I will personally ensure it reaches her. ... As your son, rely on me." "... I will never love you." "It doesn¡¯t matter. ... I will work for Mother, for the future of this country, and for those who died for it." Reine silently moved Sail aside and reached for the door. "Mother¨D¨D" "... Do as you please." ¨D¨DIn a room at the orphanage, about twenty children were drawing on cloth with charcoal. Cups were ced in front of them, some tilting their heads while others looked on with amusement. After seeing Reine''s drawing, one of the children asked to learn how to draw, and since then, whenever she visited the ce, she would often spend her time teaching him. Reine was walking along, smiling as she watched them, and stopped when she saw a boy and told him. "Ehehe, you''ve gotten better since before, Neil." "Ah... I''m sorry. I was told to draw a cup..." He finished drawing the cup and then started drawing something on the edge of the cloth. She shook her head and smiled as Neil apologized. "It''s fine. The important thing is to draw what you want to see exactly as you want it. Today we''re supposed to be drawing a cup, but if there''s anything else you want to draw, you can draw that too. ...What are you drawing?" "Um, um...er, Elsreine-sama..." "...Reine?" Reine tilted her head and stared at the drawing. It had eyes, a nose, and a mouth¡ªit could indeed be a face, now that it was mentioned. Below that, there were what seemed to be a triangle and limbs. Next to it, there was something simr holding what looked like a stick. Reine tilted her head again and asked, "And this one?" "Uh... it''s me. Someday, well... when I grow up, I want to go to the battlefield and fight for Elsreine-sama..." "...battlefield." "I''m small now, but someday I''ll grow up and... defeat the evil Grabareine, and help create the country that Elsreine-sama desires." Raine looked troubled, then said, ¡®Thank you¡¯. The other boys chime in, ¡®Me too, me too¡¯, and Reine looks even more troubled. Then she quietly shook her head and smiled, saying it was okay. "By the time Neil and the others grow up, war will gradually disappear and we will have a country where everyone can live in peace. I''m d that you want to be soldiers, but... I want you to study hard and do your best for the sake of the next generation of children." "Study..." "Yes. It''s not all about fighting. Carrying things, making fields and tools, raising sheep, and other work that helps everyone live happily are just as important. ... I want to create a ce where swords and armor will no longer be needed, where no one will fight..." That''s the Elsren she aimed for, Reine told them. The children looked at each other, nodded vaguely, and Reine said, ¡®It''s hard to put into words¡¯. "In that sense, Reine is the same as Neil and the others. She is the chairman of this country, but that is just a role... Reine is not particrly important, she just does her job. Reine would be happy if everyone could be children who can work for the children next to them, or for people close to them, rather than for Reine." Status was just a role. One person helped those around them, and those who were helped helped those around them. That''s what''s important, and if more people like that were born, this country would surely be a very good country. The children at this orphanage were all good kids. Though they sometimes fight, if you talk to them properly, they understand and make up. If children like them grow up, she thought they would surely be able to get closer to their little paradise. "... Elsreine-sama" There was a knock and the door opened, and Golzarias peeked in. ¡°That''s all for today... Let''s clean up. I''ll be off now.¡± Raine said goodbye as she left the room, and when she closed the door, she asked with a look. "Is there a problem?" "Yes, the southern part seems to be holding off the enemy, but we''ve received reports that the army of Orcanth in the center was defeated and killed by the First Prince from Wulfenite. The northern part also seems to be at a stalemate, unable to retake the Great Sea of ??Trees." "Is that so?" Six months after the founding of the country¨D¨Dthe invasion of Alberan beganst month. Themander in chief was the First Prince Sail, with a force of around 100,000. The initial n was for Raine to march out to defeat them and discourage them from invading. There were plenty of ways to do this, as long as it wasn''t against her mother directly. But the problem was the parliament. The nobles of the west, who wanted military sess, were reluctant to let Reine march out to battle. Her opponent was not her undefeated mother, but Sail¨D¨Dshe probably saw him as an opponent she could beat. From Reine''s perspective, taking on Sail would not have been difficult. If it had been a defensive battle, she would have won without much damage. However,pared to other generals, Sail was superior. The reason they had been pushed into a disadvantageous position in the recent battle with Rougran was only because Rougran was an excellent general¨D¨Dan opponent that an average general would not have been able to withstand. Reine tried to exin this to them and persuade them, but she probably had said it poorly. It was taken as a mockery, which made them angry and divided their opinions. Reine was the chairman. She was not the king, and had no right to give them direct orders. When asked if what she wanted to do was to be a dictator like her mother, Reine could not say much and had to remain silent. Orlos Natrias, the leader of the militant faction, suggested that they leave it to them for the time being, and she ultimately agreed¨D¨Dbut even after that, the meeting became chaotic. Opinions were divided on who would take overallmand and how to allocate the military forces. Despite the situation requiring immediate action, the response was naturally dyed, and the enemy forces from the north of the kingdom broke through the Great Sea of ??Trees, pushing back western Elsren considerably. If the center were to be defeated on top of that, the north and south would be sandwiched in between and defeated one by one. "After all... wouldn''t it have been better for Reine to take part?" "If you look at this battle individually, that''s true. However... considering the future, I think this was the right decision this time." "Right..." "Elsren right now are rabble... disorganized, and each one is acting for their own convenience. This won''t make it a good country." Golzarias said that it was time for that. "We''re gaining momentum now, and there''s a strong opinion that we should defeat Alberan. However, this defeat will be a cold shower for many, and they will regain theirposure. For now, rather than forcibly suppressing their recklessness, we should let them do as they like and make them suffer." "Suffer..." "Yes. Alberan is strong. At the very least, Elsreine-sama is the only one who can gain the upper hand in a battle against Alberan. We need to make them understand that." Reine groaned, and Golzarias, with a wry smile, invited her into the carriage. After sitting down in the carriage, he continued. "This will set a good precedent for silencing simr opinions in the future. I respect Elsreine''s opinion that she wants to discuss and decide, but... it''s just a mechanism for incorporating good opinions. It''s important to build a voice in the council and create a bnce of power so that things don''t go in a bad direction." By intentionally failing, he makes it easier to get their opinion across next time. Creates a foundation for increasing their voice. His reasoning was easy to understand. If you force your opinion through, there would naturally be resistance, and she understood that this was important. However, it seemed to her that the gains and losses were not quite bnced. "It''s a bit disappointing, even though Orcanth is such a capable person..." He was a powerful nobleman in the west of Elsreine, and a good and intelligent man. While he imposed heavy taxes as his mother requested, he invested his own money to create jobs for the people, and was well supported by them. He was a moderate who watched the rebellion of Rougran and his group, and when word spread that Alberan was organizing an invasion force, unlike the other nobles, he thought that Reine should lead the army. They were pressed for time, so he left the meeting as themander-in-chief of the Western Defense Forces and headed to the front line first, but the meeting continued to quarrel, and the result was this. If Reine had gone to help quickly, he would not have died. "It is a painful blow. Orcanth¡¯s eldest son is only two years old... it would be difficult to manage the territory." "... In that sense, his death is a problem. The family issues are a bitplicated for Reine. It would be best to leave him in the custody of the council for the time being..." It was clear that he was someone they didn''t want to see die. He was a person who was rich in thought and quite educational to talk to¨D¨Dshe personally liked him. However, at the meeting, some were reluctant to let Rayne go out and achieve results, and Orcanth was an excellent warrior, so in the end, they just let him die. It was a meaningless death. The soldiers were also dying in vain. "There are pros and cons... I agreed to run the country with a parliament with no hierarchy, but the current situation is the drawback of a parliamentary system. In times of emergency, decisions are inevitably dyed, leading to unnecessary sacrifices." "...Yes." "By forming a republic, rather than a nation with Elsreine-sama at the top, we were able to gain the support of many nobles. That''s why they ultimately epted Elsreine-sama¡¯s opinion... but it''s better to have fewer people making the final decisions. It''s true that Her Majesty was able to expand Alberan''s territory and make it so prosperous because she made that point clear." Listening to the sounds of hooves and wheels, Reine nodded. He was right. "I''m not saying we should follow Her Majesty''s methods exactly... but I feel that we need someone who can make the necessary decisions for times like these. ... To put it bluntly, I would say that the cause of their deaths was Elsreine-sama¡¯s leniency." ¡°Reine¡¯s¡¡± "Yes. I think that the approach of trying to incorporate the opinions of many people is a wonderful one. It should continue to be that way. But right now, Reine-sama¡¯s just seems to be emotionally rebelling against Her Majesty''s methods." She was speechless and lowered her eyes. She couldn''t deny that this was not the case. At the core of Reine''s mind was the desire to create a country different from her mother''s. "It''s important to ept and acknowledge that the good parts are good. What''s important is to make this a good country... Imagine people like the children living in this orphanage, on the battlefield or caught up in the ravages of war, dying because of Elsreine-sama¡¯s kindness." "...Yes." "I want Elsreine-sama¡¯s to be the symbol of Elsren and fulfill that responsibility. Many of those who gather in this country are here because of Elsreine-sama, because they believe that Elsreine-sama will make this a good country." ¨D¨DI want to help create the country that Elsreine-sama¡¯s desires. Remembering those words earlier, she nodded. "I don''t intend to do anything right away... but please think carefully about the future. You don''t think the current situation is good, do you?" "...Yes." "...Of course, I intend to discuss and think about the future with the other nobles. Once we''ve finalized the matter, I''ll make some suggestions." She nodded without looking him in the eye, and Golzarias said he wasn''t angry. "...As Elsreine-sama vassal, I only said what I felt was necessary. Don''t worry. My role is to make up for Elsreine-sama shorings... I may have to say harsh words at times, but my goal is to Elsren, just like Elsreine-sama." Slowly raising her head, Golzarias was smiling. Feeling a little relieved, she replied, ¡®Thank you¡¯. "... This may be the first time I''ve been scolded by anyone other than Mother." "This is how a master and vassal should be... It''s a tragedy that Her Majesty had no one to scold her for her own good. I know my nagging may hurt your ears... but I was doing it for Elsreine-sama sake. Please forgive me." "Yes. Thank you, Lukazan." Raine replied with a small smile, and Golzarias nodded. It took a long time for the meeting to reach a conclusion, and it would be another month before Raine would be on the battlefield. Please take a look at my other project "" on (both of them is a link). And please support me on ko-fi. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!