Mana and Monstrous Energy
Translated by Raizu
After receiving the news of the demon beast’s appearance, my father acted quickly.
While gathering the Quordenze Nobles wandering around the venue, he gave instructions one after another to the military officers who were waiting outside to be on alert. It seemed that my father’s maid alone would not be enough, so I secretly lent my maid. For the time being, I only made a pose that I myself gave instructions so that I wouldn’t be treated like a child.
The threat of demon beasts approaching the Levios territory is a problem that the Levios family should deal with, and there is no need for the Quordenze family to do anything. The contents of my father’s instructions were not strictly anti-demon beasts, but were strongly under the line of anti-Noble.
[If it goes straight ahead, it is estimated to reach the Royal Capital before dawn.]
[How long till the Royal Palace is ready?]
[There is no estimation since the extent of the threat is not yet known. Besides, isn’t it time for the subjugation forces to clash?]
Normally, the evening party would have ended long ago, and it would be time to go back to the mansion and sleep peacefully. Perhaps it was to cover up their sleepiness, or perhaps it was because of the Nobles’ duty of subjugating the approaching demon beasts, but the mouths of the Nobles who had gathered around them were light as if they were bouncy.
The threat of demonic beasts approaching the Levios territory is a problem that the Levios family must deal with. However, that doesn’t mean that we Royal Nobles can move freely. You have to do something that doesn’t get in the way of the Levios family’s subjugation forces. It can be said that it is a natural consideration as a Noble who also protects the land.
The request to stay put in the Royal Palace is one of them. If the Royal Nobles return to their respective mansions, the Levios family will have to allocate more personnel to secure the city. Since it was a light request that applies only until the details of the demon beast that appeared were ascertained, we had no choice but to comply.
That’s why we’re forced to stay in the Royal Palace. I’m very sleepy, because it’s probably around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning on earth time. If I let my guard down, I might end up lying down on the table and falling asleep.
[I heard that it originated from the former Taren territory, but is it true?]
[The time from birth to discovery is fast. I guess the Levios family was also paying attention to the fact that the lord was absent.]
My father told me not to let my guard down and fall asleep. I need to stay awake. So I listened to the conversations around me in the effort to keep myself preoccupied somehow.
According to the Levios knight who came to report at that time, it seems that a mature demon beast has been confirmed in the southwest of the Royal Capital. The Field where it originated from was not yet confirmed at this point, but it is believed to be the former Taren territory.
To the south of the Royal Capital Levios, there are rulerless territories scattered around. These are the former territories of Noble families who were exterminated by the Yersinian disaster. The Taren territory, formerly ruled by the Taren family, is one of them.
The demonic beast Yersinia, which exploded in a large Field located just south of the capital, engaged in a fierce battle with the Levios army and changed direction to invade the Lushna region. Some mature demon beasts take time to reach full throttle in combat ability and characteristics. The demonic beast Yersinia seems to have been a slow starter demon beast that corresponds to that, and it wasn’t until it entered the Lushna region that it began to demonstrate its true strength.
In addition, it seemed that the Levios army, who fought when it was in low gear, estimated that the demon beast Yersinia was second in the threat class, a battle-specialized type, and a mature demon beast that rampages in top gear right after its birth. After the horrific disaster, they have no choice but to go around claiming that it must be the number one threat-class Great Demon Beast.
In any case, the Nobles of the Lushna region scattered one after another in front of Yersinia’s overwhelming magical power. The Levios army and others who came to the war as reinforcements were forced to withdraw early due to catastrophic damage greater than any other monster subjugation battle in their own territory.
[The Field in the former Taren territory, huh? Do you know anything, Plume?]
[Who knows…]
Plume, who sat right across me, sounded awfully cold.
She’s in a bad mood because I danced with Romilie. It would be nice if there was even a little bit of jealousy or frustration mixed in, like, [To think Wil is crazy about a girl other than me… please look at me more]. For the time being, I made various excuses such as investigating the enemy’s internal affairs and giving reasons like that, and Plume was cuter and more attractive, but after all the fact that I danced with the Princess of the Spierzeig family was just that. It seems to be an unpleasant factor.
The reason my father hates the Spierzeig family is because his real brother and my uncle, Gardacle Quordenze, was killed, but at the same time, my uncle’s wife from the Sylopeia family also died. As a result, Earl Sylopeia holds a grudge that is no less than that of my father. It was only natural that Plume would have a strong sense of disgust, since her guardian, the Earl, was speaking ill of the Spierzeig family.
However, their reactions after learning of my actions were completely different.
Earl Sylopea didn’t show any irritation towards me. It was a vague impression, but I felt like he was harboring fear. I could tell from every part of his words that he was very wary of the possibility of me being charmed by the woman of Spierzeig. In the face of a situation in which he may have missed the opportunity to take revenge, the Earl turned pale and lost his words, and Plume became understandably sullen and puffy. It is overwhelming the former that has something that is approaching ghastly.
Well, Plume’s resentment is something that she inherited after all, so it’s inevitable that she’ll lose it. Inheritance tax also imposed the inheritance of grudges apparently.
[…Wil isn’t sleepy?]
[I am sleepy.]
She chuckled at my overly frank answer.
Perhaps the irritation partly came from the sleepiness. For the people of Eruo continent, who tend to end most of their activities when the sun goes down, staying up late can be very annoying.
Both Plume and I were at an age where we still needed sound sleep. I’m thinking of activating magic that awakens my consciousness. However, once I wake up with this, I can’t sleep no matter how hard I try until the effect wears off, so I don’t want to use it if possible.
[Father… it seems he’s still busy.]
The Royal Palace has a love hotel section, so I wonder if I can take a nap there. It would be nice to share a room with Plume. …..Yeah, I’m sleepy. I’m starting to come up with stupid thoughts.
I put my hands on the table and fiddled with my thumbs. Rotating index fingers, middle fingers, ring fingers, and little fingers. I needed something to keep myself awake.
[…..what happened to uncle?]
Plume, who saw my fiddling, stuck her index finger in as if to interfere with the rotation of her finger. When I shook her off and fiddled with my finger again, she stuck her index finger in again and continued to disturb me. I wonder what it is, I feel like we’re both too sleepy and our IQ’s are plummeting.
[A little while ago, while we were talking, there was news about the demon beast. I couldn’t hear it until the end, so I want to know the continuation.]
[Can’t we talk about it later…?]
[I can’t sleep because I’m worried.]
She tapped the back of my hand lightly. She appeared like she’s considering to pull the straight guy by pointing out the fact that I said all that while having such a sleepy face
But it seemed that Plume was really sleepy, that apparently even opening her mouth was a bother. She moved her lips slightly and stared at me vaguely.
[It’s useless if you don’t listen to the end…]
It’s common in manga and novels, but I don’t like how something happens in the middle of an important conversation and you can’t hear the information until the end. It’s just a little thing, so if you have time for boring exchanges, you want to listen to the characters. Therefore, I have to act in order not to be preached until yesterday.
[My father’s reason for his strong vigilance… I need to know that.]
These are not words to convey to anyone else. I suppressed my voice so that only we could hear it, and expressed my determination.
My father was extremely wary of surprise attacks and assassinations that took advantage of the chaos of the monster’s appearance. And he doesn’t try to make up for that appearance, rather, he insists with an attitude as if to say that Nobles other than the Quordenze should not approach.
I was able to predict the cause of the caution to some extent. First of all, the Spierzeig family must be involved. And maybe even the death of my uncle.
I glanced at the door from which he left.
=========
Beyond Wilk’s line of sight, there were two shadows in the private room beyond the door, through the corridor, and through another venue.
Large sofas were lined up facing each other in a space about the size of a studio apartment. It was a small room prepared for a short break in the middle of the party.
Therein sat the current head of the Spierzeig family, Magnis Spierzeig, and his daughter Romilie. The two of them have been quietly waiting in this room since they received the warning that the demon beast had appeared. This is because he decided that he should not make contact with the Royal Nobles in this situation where there are no allied forces around him.
However, in this visit to the Royal Capital, not a single Noble from the Kingdom has approached the Spierzeig family, except for the members of the Levios family, who act as hosts. Every house shunned them because they knew the circumstances of the Quordenze family’s superiority. One will only get a disgusting look when deciding to talk to him.
[…is this also the effect of the operation?]
Operation Wheat and Scythe. It was a counteroffensive operation planned by Magnis with the aim of eliminating the threat of the Quordenze family, which was approaching Reisleaf Castle.
By hitting Galfis Quordenze with multiple Lord-class armies, the movement was blocked, and in the meantime, the detachment forces reaped the cities along the Amelia River, including Nambonan City. By dividing the inland and outer lands of the Quordenze territory, reinforcements from the city of Newnelly will be prevented. It’s like a farmer grabbing wheat and cutting the roots off with a sickle. Harvested wheat, or Galfis, is dried in the sun and weakened, and in the end it is deliciously cooked.
In order to realize his plan, Magnis requested the former Voistra Nobles to depart to the front, incited the independent Nobles to attack the Evenafis territory, and used discord within the family to fuel the rebellion of the Galiana family. All to defeat Galfis. Just for that.
However, the operation failed. Also in the worst possible way.
[Getting foiled by the Quordenze. Utterly miserable…]
Magnis shook his tightly clenched fists. He still deeply regrets the loss of his beloved son due to his plans. It’s a dark hatred that smolders in his heart. However, he was unable to vent his passion on the Quordenze family as he wished.
The failure of Operation Wheat and Scythe has made Spierzeig’s internal affairs very difficult. The destruction of Voistra’s great shield has had a huge impact on the loss of military power, and even the control of the former Voistra Nobles is becoming difficult. They had to buy time to rebuild the system via reaching a ceasefire.
No matter how much hatred shakes his heart, he must give top priority to the survival of the Spierzeig family. That is the responsibility of the family head. Magnis believes so without a doubt
In that regard, he disliked the current head of the Quordentze family, Luxus Quordenze.
[That worm.]
Magnis despised Luxus so much he considered the latter as earthworm, an existence even lower than a snake.
He thought that the vindictiveness of disregarding the interests of the family and continuing to show hatred to the Spierzeig family was not suitable for a head of the family. And it’s the same for the previous generation and the generation before that. Cassia, Galfis, and Luxus, all three generations, are not worthy to hold the seat of the head of the family in his eyes.
However, it was a clear fact that the safety of the Spierzeig family was continually threatened by these three heads of the family. That irritates Magnis even more.
[Master, I brought you plain hot water.]
Magnis’ maid came into the room and placed two cups of hot water on the mini table. Romilie, who was half asleep sitting on the sofa, noticed it and quietly picked it up and put it to her mouth.
[How is the noise?]
The maid answered Magnis’ short question.
[There is no problem.]
It was an answer that meant that if it was a normal conversation, even if there’s someone eavesdropping, they wouldn’t be able to hear it outside. Considering that up until just a little while ago, it was only to the extent that you might be able to hear it if you were seriously eavesdropping using magic, it can be said that there is almost no worry about eavesdropping.
[Are they finally gone?]
[Yes, Master. It seems that there are many people who have gone outside. I will be more cautious.]
The maid left the room after declaring that she would take countermeasures against eavesdropping. And the door is knocked several times from the outside before they finish drinking half of the hot water. It is a sign that there is no problem talking now. Magnis knocked back on the door with magic and looked at Romilie.
[Have you calmed down?]
[I’m fine. Father.] (TL Note: Otou-sama)
[You must be tired, but you must listen.]
They’ll be stuck in the Royal Palace for a while. Depending on the situation, the social gathering may be disbanded. In order to take the next step, Magnis thought it was necessary to grasp the situation as early as possible.
[How was it?]
Hearing her father’s words, Romilie silently closed her arms as if embracing her own body. Her fingertips tremble silently.
Magnis’ primary goal in attending the Royal Capital’s social gathering was to measure the person named Wilk Quordenze.
From the testimonies of those who survived the counter attacks of Operation Wheat and Scythe and the onslaught of Operation Serpent’s Fang, he learned the secret power that House Quordenze held. However, if it were only this, Magnis would have regarded Wilk as nothing more than a very dangerous warrior. It was the return of the body of his son, Verret, that completely changed that evaluation. It’s an action that can’t be imagined at all from the information that he got in advance about “Luxus’ doting eldest son”. Or perhaps he intended to ridicule him by sending him a corpse that had been humiliated to the extreme. However, the corpse that was actually sent was very carefully decorated with death makeup, and there was no trace of contempt for the loser.
That’s a different kind of thinking for a Quordenze. At the very least, he could see that the boy might share the hatred toward the Spierzeig but did not have rigid ideas.
Magnis thought. If he were in Wilk’s position, now that he had captured Reisleaf Castle, he should make peace with Spierzeig. It will take time to make the foreign lands that have not yet been controlled completely belong to Quordenze, and if the Spierzeig family were to be destroyed badly, the Quordenze family would become a very huge existence, isolating them from the Royal Nobles and the Levios family. Not only that, but it would also cause great vigilance and antipathy from the western Nobles of the Empire.
Magnis expected Wilk to have a different personality from the previous three family heads, a temperament that prioritized reason over emotion.
[He’s a rational person.]
Romilie knows how his father feels for Quordenze. For that reason, she thought that the first thing she should tell him was how Wilk was treating herself.
Wilk never threw insults at her, a member of the Spierzeig family, nor did he show a blatant dislike. The etiquette when inviting her for a dance was sincere, he didn’t use his status as Royal Noble to put pressure on her, and the content of their conversation was also intellectually sound.
Romilie came to the conclusion that he was probably not someone obsessed with obsessive revenge. In reality, Wilk leans more toward sexual reasons than rationality, but of course she had no way of knowing this.
[Hmmm…not bad.]
The Spierzeig group, who joined the evening party in the middle, could not move as expected. Under the circumstances where the Royal Nobles of the Quordenze faction are on the lookout, it is not easy to contact Wilk. Although he had promised to participate in the Royal Capital’s social gatherings for a long time, the Levios family was not so easy-going as to offer special treatment to the Spierzeig family now that they were outnumbered. It can be said to be a state of isolation and helplessness.
Magnis thought it was a stroke of luck that Romilie was able to make contact with the boy, even managing to hold hands to check the amount of magic power.
[…..in daylight?]
Romilie shook not only her neck but also her entire body to hide the trembling of her fingers, and shook his father’s question in denial. And it didn’t end there, she stopped moving once and shook its head again. A very strong denial.
Is there a way to defeat the Quordenze army, including Wilk, in a head-on battle during the day? Magnis knew that the answer would be no. The conversation was held at a distance that he could not reach even if he stretched out his arm, but he felt the overflowing amount of magical energy.
He checked with Romilie just as a precaution. As Magnis expected, she expressed strong denial.
[Night if possible, huh.]
It wasn’t a question, but more like a soliloquy. Romilie also understood that, so she didn’t show any reaction.
Even if it’s a Highlord, no matter how much mana they possess, it’s possible to kill them with a surprise attack. “Night” means assassination, taking advantage of the darkness to make a surprise attack and aim for life. And there’s another interpretation, which is love. Attracting the other party with flirty tricks and forcibly linking them to peace through marriage…a metaphor for luring them into bed.
If you are aiming for the latter interpretation, it is important to select a Princess to serve as bait. After confirming his daughter’s appearance, Magnis asked a short question, even though he thought it was useless.
[What about Etoilise?]
Since the fall of Reisleaf, Romilie and Wilk have exchanged letters. Naturally, his father, Magnis, knows all about it.
When he read Wilk’s letter, he first suspected that it was written by someone else. The skillful use of the brush and the richly cultured writing made it hard to believe that the letter was written by a 13-year-old boy. However, it would be shameful for a Nobleman to disguise his writing as his own handwriting, and it is hard to imagine showing such a weakness to the enemy. The reason he had Romilie accompanying him to the Royal Capital was because it was necessary to make that determination.
[…he wrote his letter. Besides, *Toa is scared.] (TL Note: *Etoilise’s nickname)
The information Romilie obtained from dancing was not limited to Wilk’s magic power. By making full use of various conversations, she was able to guess even their intelligence.
Romilie’s reply that he was the one who wrote the letter implies that he was a person with the knowledge and education to write that letter.
[Is it true?]
Among the daughters remaining in the Spierzeig family, only Romilie of the main family and Etoilise of the branch family are of Wilk’s age. Magnis is convinced that his choice of bringing Romilie was not a mistake.
[Well, I didn’t expect that from the beginning.]
Etoilise has become a valuable existence now that there was the Yersinia Calamity. But before that, she was only prepared as a mother to give birth to those who would become members of the shadow house. Education, dignity, and even good looks fall short of Romilie. The only thing that can be appreciated from her is her high sense of belonging to the Spierzeig family. Even if she was sent to go outside, there is little worry that she will be taken in by Quordenze, and that is the only point that was evaluated highly.
In any case, Magnis would like to get the price of a truce by cutting cards that are not easy to use. In this day and age, the existence of Romilie could be said to be a trump card for Magnis and Spierzeig families. However, considering that Wilk is the author of the letter, he would probably think that Romilie is the only one who can match him. Etoilise wouldn’t be able to keep up with the conversation.
[And to think that a demon beast…]
Magnis sighed that it came out at the worst possible time.
He speculates that the fact that Wilk contacted his enemy, Princess Romilie, means that it is highly likely that he has some kind of affection for her. Magnis doesn’t know if it was his daughter’s intelligence shown in the exchange of letters, or the beauty in the dress that she showed off at the evening party, which of those actually caught Wilk’s interest, but there must have been something that impressed the boy.
[I heard that it was a demon beast from the former Taren territory.]
[Ah, that’s right. The fact that it’s heading to the capital means that it might be a mature demon beast with a warlike temperament… No, or perhaps…]
Or maybe someone is guiding the demon beasts with magic. Magnis sensed the malice lurking behind this monster commotion.
Magic that guides monsters. The magic that is said to have been used by the Founding Father Zeth in the past is generally considered a lost magic, and is treated like a legend. However, the Spierzeig family was convinced of the existence of magic. Because about 100 years ago, the people of the Spierzeig family used that magic to guide a single mature demon beast that appeared in the Spierzeig territory to the Quordenze territory.
At that time, the Quordenze family continued to expand vigorously, riding on the updraft created by the flames of the era of turmoil, expanding their territory to the extent that it reached the Amelia River. It was the time when the Spierzeig and Quordenze territories adjoined each other.
Both now and in the past, the relationship between Spierzeig and Quordenze was bad, and it was inevitable that the conflict would intensify further in the future as their territories touched each other. Therefore, the head of the Spierzeig family at that time thought of using a mature demon beast that happened to appear in his territory. By making full use of the demon beast-inducing magic, the area connecting Spierzeig and Quordenze was repainted with corrupted land, and finally banished the mature demon beast to Quordenze territory.
The monster’s name is Arknoa. A mature demon beast that ranks fifth in the threat class and is extremely specialized in polluting abilities.
The pollution emitted by the demon beast Arknoa was so intense that even after 100 years, the corrupted land has not been completely purified. The district, now called the Arknoa Contaminated District, was once a very important road connecting the Voistra Plain and the Lydea Plain in ancient times.
As a Noble who protects the land from demon beasts, it is an unforgivable act of spreading pollution. It was on the night of the day when Magnis inherited the family headship that he heard about it from the previous Duke Spierzeig. It was a dark history that did not remain in any documents.
The magic of beast induction failed to be passed down, so now no one in the Spierzeig family can use it anymore. However, considering the fact that it existed in the past, it is possible for other humans to do so if the conditions are met.
If there is someone who can do that…
In Magnis’ mind, the image of the girl he saw at the evening party, the Holy Maiden Rona, popped into his mind.
==========
[I’m very sleepy. How about priestess Faith?]
When Rona entered the lounge near the party venue, she said so at the opening. With narrowed eyes to show how sleepy she is, there is a loveliness appropriate to her age.
[I’m fine.]
Faith responded by tapping on the door several times to warn Guissian, who was waiting outside the room, to be on the lookout for wiretapping. Immediately, the reply that there was no problem was returned after continuing the conversation.
After the demon beast appeared, the number of people in the Levios family who refrained from around Rona gradually decreased. The reason they were instructed to go to the break room was also to reduce the number of security guards. There were no resources left to eavesdrop on conversations. For Guissian, this was a great blessing, as it made the troublesome task of setting up anti-eavesdropping a little easier.
[I’m glad that priestess Cynthia seems to be safe.]
At the end of the next family head meeting, Wilk’s maid asked for a written signature. It is good manners not to take official minutes at evening parties. If it is accepted, it must be agreed between individuals and the text must be mutually confirmed.
The document presented by Wilk was lined with trivial exchanges exchanged during the meeting. There are only things that Faith does not think are worth keeping in the minutes. And Wilk acted like he didn’t care about the text. It was as if the purpose itself was to exchange meeting minutes with Rona.
After shaking hands with Prince Dunkel and Sadine, they left the room without making further contact with the Holy Maiden… the children of the nobility understood that the purpose was to create a track record of interacting between individuals.
Of course, what Wilk really wanted was the content of the document, and it was the grounds for getting priestess Cynthia’s custody without any consequences.
[Yes, I also think that it’s good.]
Faith couldn’t tell which side was the real purpose of the exchange. If the Quordenze family has captured Cynthia, there is no need to ask the priest for permission to deal with it. No one can complain if they decide to kill her or make her a child-birthing machine. It wouldn’t be strange if the purpose was as interpreted by the children of the nobility, and that was the normal idea.
[Perhaps she has been taken as a teacher?]
[Perhaps indeed. However, I haven’t heard from priestess Renessa, so I can’t say for sure.]
Faith thinks that he probably doesn’t want to secure Cynthia’s custody. She knew that High Priest Renessa wasn’t optimistic enough to negotiate a dangerous deal with House Quordenze for the sake of a single low-ranking priest, even though she was Rona’s valued subordinate.
As for Cynthia’s life and death, it’s 50/50. Faith gave a positive answer, but since Rona seemed happy she didn’t interject. Either way, they can’t take any effective measures right now, and it’s meaningless to just pile up speculation on speculation. She decided that she should calm down and tell her softly later.
[If you are tired, how about taking turns to rest?]
Rona was concerned about Faith, who was standing by.
[No need to. I just used wakening magic on myself. I won’t be able to sleep for a while, so please don’t worry about it and get a good night’s sleep. I’ll be standing by.]
[Oh, it’s not good to force yourself to stay awake with magic…]
[When I was a student, I used to stay up all night. I’m used to it.]
Faith gave a wry smile to Rona, who showed a slightly frightened expression.
While studying at an academic institution in the Holy City, Faith devoted herself to study and research in search of knowledge. Thanks to that, she is now working under the Holy Maiden, so she has no remorse or regrets.
[…Is that so? Then let’s talk a little bit. I might fall asleep on the way…]
While saying that, Rona brought the prepared drink to her mouth. Glup, the cute swallowing sound resounded in the quiet room.
[What did priestess Faith think when you saw the Nobles who heard the news of the demon beast?]
Faith understood that Rona probably wanted to confirm that they were of the same opinion. Thus, she spoke frankly about how she feels.
[Even though they hate the appearance of demon beasts, they’re driven by a sense of mission and somehow feel uplifted. …..To be the pride of the nobility, to be the guardian of the land. It’s too late, but I deeply understand that those words came from the heart.]
Faith tried to recall the faces of the Nobles she saw at the party venue.
Somehow they were excited about the fact that the demon beast had appeared. At first, they frowned, but soon they began to talk happily with other Nobles about demon beasts. It was completely different from the reaction in the Holy City. To the priests and those involved in the church military, demon beasts are nothing but evil, enemies that must be defeated.
Rona, who had the same impression as her, nodded in agreement with her words, and then uttered the following question.
[Even so, why don’t they all fight together? I think it would be easy to defeat low-ranking mature demon beasts. Since there are so many Nobles, it shouldn’t be difficult to deal with even if a Kentark-class demon beast appeared, yes?]
[Even if there is a connection with the Kingdom, all Nobles are regarded as independent beings. Lending a hand to this without permission will hurt the pride of the Levios family that protects this land. I think that the basis of the way of thinking is different from that of the Holy City.]
Faith explained that it was due to a difference in thought, but in the first place, it felt more like [I can’t do it] rather than [I don’t want to do it]. Naturally, in a monster subjugation battle, a large amount of attack magic will fly around. Can many Nobles cooperate in such a situation? The army of Lord-class with different systems of command is like a powder keg that can explode at any time. Considering the Nobles she had seen since coming to the Royal Capital, Faith thought it was impossible.
[Because of that pride, they were forced to wait in the Royal Palace like this.]
After saying that, Rona stared at Faith and lowered her voice as she continued.
[As expected, it will be like this.]
[Yes.]
Rona, having heard Faith’s reaction, returned her voice to its original volume.
[The defilers are common enemies of the nobility, so I think we should unite and fight. Priestess Faith, do you know who is leading the subjugation team?]
[It seems that several people from the Levios family are accompanying Prince Dunkel as the commander-in-chief.]
When the person she had been talking to just now was mentioned, Rona raised her voice.
[Is that so? Well then, the Levios family may feel uncomfortable, but let’s pray for their safety.]
As soon as she said it, Rona showed a simple prayer posture on the spot. Faith was also invited to pray.
Unlike King Levios, Prince Dunkel has the idea of prioritizing his territory and strengthening the Kingdom’s system. His eyes are on the Levios territory, the Royal Nobles territory, in short, the area south of the Wacold River. They don’t attach much importance to advancing into the Mist Land. Nobles do not enter the Mist Land….. Faith knows the true meaning of the advice of the Zeth Holy High Society. It was because she had achieved knowledge that only a few people, such as the Pope and Holy Maiden, knew through her personal wit and effort.
Therefore, she prefers Prince Dunkel to King Levios. And she was half convinced that it would be the same for Rona.
After Faith finished praying, she was met with Rona’s gaze.
[A calamity born from the former Taren territory. Which one do you think it is, priestess Faith?]
She didn’t have enough material to make a definitive answer. Faith states her thoughts, prefaced by the fact that they are only guesses.
Hearing that, Rona let out a sigh and leaned back on the sofa.
[…then, father will be in trouble too.]
=======
It’s a problem for my father.
I wanted to go outside to watch the monster subjugation because I was sleepy and bored, but I was stopped dead by the order to “Stand by inside the castle”. No variety attached.
I hear regularly that it’s time for the subjugation forces to clash. In other words, they had not yet confronted the monster. The more details about the demon beast, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to return to the mansion sooner.
At this point, all I could do was talk with Plume.
We decided to cover up our drowsiness by taking turns talking about parts of the afternoon exchange meeting that would not be a problem to discuss here.
Looking at her with a somewhat absent-minded look on her face, I wondered if I had that kind of face too. Plume, whose hair was slightly disheveled, is something I don’t usually get to see, and it’s fresh.
[…So, I heard about it when I had a meeting with Marquis Bancibol.]
The current topic is the Field that exists in the former Taren territory.
[Marquis Bancibol, huh…]
One of the Lushna Nobles, Marquis Bancibol, is aiming to take possession of the former Taren territory, which is currently rulerless. The biggest reason is that it is adjacent to the Bancibol territory. He is actively lobbying in the Royal Capital for the opportunity to expand his territory in the war-free eastern part of the continent. It seems that the Sylopea family also made a strong appeal at the exchange meeting.
[Un. As far as Marquis Bancibol knows, most of the Fields in the former Taren territory are small-scale. Apparently there is only one Field that can produce mature demon beasts.]
Before leaving for the Royal Capital, I memorized as much information as possible about the family circumstances and territories of the Royal Nobles. However, I didn’t get to memorize all the nearby Fields. Too many of them.
Even when I heard that demon beasts had appeared in the former Taren territory, I didn’t quite get it. It’s hard for me to remember unless the Field has some kind of characteristic, such as a Field with a distinctive output, a very large scale, or a well-known mature monster that has been ejected from it in the past.
[The biggest threat we’ve seen so far seems to be number four.]
Unless you’re a Field maniac, there’s no way you’ll remember a Field that’s only ever produced 4th-rank threat at best.
Plume proceeded to explain the characteristics of successive generations of mature demon beasts that the Field produced. Depending on the Field, there are times when only demon beasts with specific characteristics are discharged, but the Field of the former Taren territory was not like that, it seems that it was a mediocre Field with no characteristics.
Is it only natural that Marquis Bancibol wants the former Taren territory? If only that level of field exists, it would be easy to manage.
[You talked in great detail, didn’t you?]
[He said that countermeasures against monsters are the most important thing for Nobles.]
Are they implying that they are well versed in field affairs and am qualified to become the guardian of that land? Like, using a megaphone to announce [This is the Bancibol family, the Marquis Bancibol family. Break away from the absence of a lord and rule responsibly. Please vote for the Marquis Bancibol family, who is familiar with the former Talen territory, as a candidate for the lord] during the election campaign? The issue of non-government in the Lushna region probably won’t be resolved through elections, but there’s no harm in appealing to the Nobles of the Kingdom about their knowledge as guardians.
[At best fourth-rank threat, huh? I guess that’s why a considerable number of troops moved.]
The commander-in-chief is Prince Dunkel. In addition, it is a very gorgeous subjugation unit with six members of the Levios family, in other words, the Highlord warriors. If it was the 5th-rank threat, it might be an instant kill.
[It would be a problem if it escaped to another territory without being besieged, or if they failed to intercept it and it entered the capital.]
That’s exactly what Plume said. If you can deal with it properly, it’s a passing mark, and if you delay even a little, you might be told something like [This is why the demonic beast Yersinia is bla-bla-bla…]. The Levios family would like to quickly subdue it. Please do your best so that I can sleep.
[Even so, I feel that the number of people has decreased considerably.]
[It’s almost time for the subjugation forces and the monsters to clash… That’s what I’ve been saying all along. Not yet, I suppose?]
I’m sleepy~. Plume’s tone clearly implied that.
The door that leads to the garden was wide open, and I can see far into the distance. Since the Royal Palace is built on a small hill, you can see quite far from the part where there are no garden trees.
For the time being, we were able to see part of Mt. Seika from where we were sitting. There must be a better place to see it if we go out to the garden, but Plume and I were strictly ordered by our guardians to wait inside the castle.
Some of the Quordenze Nobles had too much free time and went outside, so there weren’t many people left in the hall. When I checked it like this, it seemed that only the heavyweights of the Quordenze faction remained.
[It sounds like fun outside…]
[Yeah…]
It seems that Marquis Adellahan and others have secured a spot with the best view of the garden and are waiting for the moment when the subjugation force will clash while eating and drinking.
Since the Nobles of the Adellahan faction also imitate the boss, it seems that the surroundings are in a friendly atmosphere of spectator mood. That’s what the Quordenze Nobles who were going in and out of the hall said. It’s like a group of old men watching a baseball game. [Oh oh oh oh! Don’t you freak out and attack! Guardians?!]. Imagining the appearance of the Nobles who jeered like that, I almost laughed to myself. I feel like my thoughts are going in a strange direction because I’ve been too sleepy for a while.
The mature demon beast was coming from the foot of Mt. Seika to the Royal Capital, so the point of collision with the subjugation team will be in the mountains. There is almost no possibility of seeing the sight of the battle directly from here. Despite that, everyone is looking forward to watching the game, so it’s quite interesting.
We don’t have many opportunities to see other families’ subjugating monsters, we don’t have any responsibility, we don’t run out of topics to talk about, and since the biggest threat is about the 4th-rank, there’s little danger to ourselves. I see, it’s an excellent spectacle.
As I was looking into the distance while thinking about such things, I saw a flashing light between the mountains.
[Light?]
[A light?]
It seemed that Plume also noticed the flash just now. The two of us looked outside as if we were leaning forward a little.
Unlike on Earth, the nights on the Eruo continent have only starlight as a light source, so I was able to notice the light immediately. It was shining intermittently many times.
That must be the lighting magic cast by the Levios army’s Highlords. At night, by flashing the light like that, information is transmitted to the troops at a distance. It’s like Morse code. Flashing lights and rays that reach the sky in a straight line flutter. The format of the signal is different from the Quordenze army, so I have no idea what it means. And from this position we’ll only be able to see some of the signals.
Either way, it looks like the moment of clash will finally come. A noise resembling the cheers of the Nobles watching outside the castle reached the hall.
========
The roar of “Oh,” was loud in the beginning, but it subsided as the light cue overlapped.
Because there was a premonition of the beginning of the subjugation battle. The spectator zone that was quickly set up in the garden was filled with tension and a solemn atmosphere. Even though they were spectators, the people here knew the weight of fighting monsters.
Marquis Adellahan, who took the seat with the best view, muttered while watching the movement of the light shining in the mountains.
[…..seems that they’ve surrounded it well.]
She doesn’t know the meaning of the Levios army’s light signal. It’s not like she could see the shadow of the demon beast either. However, from the interval and position of the exchange of light signals, she guessed that the subjugation force was ready to intercept.
[Let it move a little.]
Crowne, who was sitting next to the Marquis, also predicted the general movement of the subjugation force from the activation of the lighting magic.
The subjugation force with Prince Dunkel as the commander-in-chief is a force that includes multiple Highlords. Crowne was paying close attention to how far the young Prince could control the situation. There are no demerit points in her evaluation so far.
[Apparently it is estimated to be a 4th-rank threat.]
[It seems so.]
The Marquis agreed with Crowne’s opinion.
There was no sense of urgency in the formations that could be seen when confronting mature monsters of the second and third threat ranks… Marquis Adellahan asserted that and continued.
[…But, so far, the subjugation force doesn’t seem to feel threatened….. It may be more correct to say that they are deploying our troops so that even if it is a 4th rank threat, they will be able to respond without any problems. there is still free room in the camp.]
[From the left?]
In response to the Marquis’s opinion, Crowne understood that it was quite possible.
They don’t have any particular secrets to talk about, so they just had a conversation in the center of the spectator zone. As a result, Marquis Adellahan’s loud voice could be heard well by those around him.
Many Nobles from other families who listened to the commentary were impressed. After all, the two rely only on the occasional light that can be seen from the mountains to predict the threat of demon beasts and evaluate the movements of the army. The way they spoke was full of confidence and pride as a protector of the land.
While Marquis Adellahan and Crowne were discussing the commander and formation of the subjugation force, Kalmia and Novalf just returned.
[Oh, how is it going?]
Play
Unmute
The two young people gathered with Nobles of the same age to watch the subjugation battle. Since he returned without doing anything, it was no surprise that the Marquis wondered.
Kalmia made a slightly troubled expression.
[Princess Orshian is over there…]
We came back here before we got into trouble, was what she implied.
[Oh, alright then. I was wondering what happened this time.]
Novalf replied to the Marquis’ response.
[She must have heard that a demon beast appeared from someone. So, she said that everyone should go and defeat it… She seems to be arguing saying that if no one goes, she’ll go and beat it by herself.]
[She’s a really honest girl.]
Crowne laughed openly, but Novalf didn’t really welcome it. At the meeting of the next head of the family that was held earlier, they exchanged words several times. Perhaps that’s why when Orshian found him, she skipped all manners and approached him, inviting him to defeat the beast together. Since Prince Dunkel has left for the front, the people who were with him at the meeting just now should go help him.
It’s too direct a word. Novalf somehow managed to get past Orshian by making excuses, but there was still a little darkness in his heart. In some ways, what Orshian says is true. If he’s the guardian of the land, shouldn’t he have to give priority to subjugating monsters above all else? …..Such a pure thought existed in him, albeit on passing. And he felt a little jealous of Orshian who could say that openly.
When the Marquis heard what had happened, she kept her voice down as much as possible.
[…I guess that’s what it means.]
Kalmia and Novalph have already reported the speculation that the Milendorva family may have adopted Orshian from a commoner family. He also touched on the possibility that Orshian belonged not to the regular Highlord-class but to the Progenitor. This is because of the quality of Orshian’s magical power, which they could feel when they were at close proximity with her at the meeting, making them understand that she’s none other than a Progenitor, not by reason but by feeling. If the tradition is correct, a Progenitor is a child born between serfs, just like the blessed child. Considering that she came from a commoner background, the bad manners were understandable.
However, in that case, the existence of Wilk Quordenze, who was able to stand toe-to-toe with the fabled Progenitor, would appear even more eerie. After the meeting, Kalmia even shuddered at the thought of dancing with Wilk.
[But, I think it’s good to have the enthusiasm to defeat the demon beast. If she’s going to live as a Noble, it’s not enough if she doesn’t have that kind of attitude.]
As the Marquis commented, the voice of the person in question reached them. She’s arguing with Kilorde Milendorva, and is on the verge of running out of the garden at any moment.
The Marquis, who couldn’t see it…or rather, wanted to watch the game quietly, stood up and approached Orshian to warn him. There was also a part of her that thought that she should confirm the power of the Progenitor up close.
[Princess Orshian. Don’t be selfish.]
[…who?]
Orshian looked at the giant of a woman who suddenly appeared with suspicion.
[Marquis Adellahan…!]
On the other hand, Kilorde was at a loss for words at the appearance of the head of the Adellahan family. There is a clear distinction between the next head of the family and the current head of the family, but he secretly admires Marquis Adellahan, who has defeated mature demon beasts on many occasions.
The Marquis looked at Orshian and also glanced at the boy who was staring at her with twinkling eyes.
[The army should cooperate with the subjugation of the demon beasts. There’s no point in doing it alone.]
Having been completely denied her actions, she countered with annoyance.
[I don’t need an army. I can defeat it even by myself.]
[I think so too.]
Orshian was momentarily speechless at the unexpected affirmation. The Marquis continued to talk as if admonishing the child.
[Do you want to defeat the monster? Or do you want to protect the people from the monster?]
[Hasn’t it always been to protect everyone?]
“I see”, the Marquis nodded. It was the answer she expected.
[If you think so, please wait here.]
The Marquis continued before Orshian could open her mouth again.
[Do you know where the demon beasts are right now? Investigation orders need to be given to the surrounding villages as the demon beasts are approaching, so you must know about it. Next is the place to fight, where should I fight to reduce the damage? What if the demon beast attacks unpreparedly and goes berserk and runs away to the people who are in the process of evacuating? Would you be able to think of a safer way to corner the monsters?]
It’s a very simple question. Orshian was at a loss for words because the question is so simple that she cannot answer it.
The Marquis continued, as if to fold.
[The ones who know them are the Levios knights who have protected this land all this time.]
[…..I, I can do it as well if somebody told me the location.]
[Did anyone ask you for help?]
[That’s…]
[Everyone is doing what they can to protect people from demon beasts. What you can do is not rush to the front lines and fight, it’s not to get in the way.]
[…..]
Marquis Adellahan’s sermons were easier for Orshian to swallow compared to the words of those who tried to stop him by explaining the common sense of the Nobles, such as their pride as a guardian, the Levios family’s responsibilities, and the sense of values for the independence of the Nobles.
She did what she could, didn’t get in the way of unfamiliar work, and was called out when she needed help…because she grew up in a small village, it was a familiar feeling.
[Your desire to defeat the demon beast is good and splendid. But, don’t forget that you need the cooperation of those around you to wield that power. …..Do you understand?]
After a while of silence, Orshian gave a slight nod.
Marquis Adellahan’s words didn’t have the circumlocution typical of Nobles, they were purely from the heart. In the first place, the head of the Adellahan family would not preach to the Nobles of the Milendorva family one by one. However, that’s why her personality was easy to convey, and Orshian was able to accept it honestly.
[Un. Good girl.]
[But, if the demon beast escapes…]
At that time, Orshian was about to say that she would go out and defeat it, but the Marquis turned her hand to the younger girl and made her shut her mouth.
[It doesn’t come close to that, it seems that the subjugation team has already surrounded the demon beast and is blocking its escape route….. Huh?]
The Marquis turned her eyes to the mountains and read the next movement of the subjugation force from the flickering lights.
[Look. The attack will start now.]
At the moment when Orshian and Kilorde looked at the direction the tip of the Marquis’ finger pointed to, a large orange light shone beyond the mountain. A roar followed immediately after, shaking the darkness of the night.
The first shot was fired.
========
[Did that do it!?]
Dunkel raised his voice while riding his magic-enhanced horse.
[Young Master! Please stand back! The second attack is coming soon!]
[Alright! Give it a go!]
Pulling the reins, the Prince tried to change the direction of his beloved horse. The horse, which was in a half-excited state due to body strengthening magic, changed direction with the momentum of gouging the ground, and made a sudden turn as if it were jumping.
The Prince looked up at the sky while holding on so he wouldn’t be thrown away. To be precise, he saw a huge shadow there.
[Claw Mole!]
The subjugation codename is Claw Mole. As its name suggests, it resembled a mole in black fur. If there’s one thing that’s different, it’s the gigantic claws that shine purple. Every time it moves forward, its claws cut through the earth, and a big vibration resounds.
[Come here! Hurry up!!]
Led by several military officers, Dunkel left the front line.
The sudden decrease in the amount of mana in his body made him feel a little sick. However, at the same time, I felt a slight sense of pleasure in releasing the magical power that had been carefully kneaded. Unless it’s a monster subjugation battle, there’s no way to release attack magic of this scale.
[Second attack, fire!!!]
When the signal of lighting magic and the command of loudspeaker magic resounded, an explosion resounded in the area again.
The offensive magic was released by the Levios family’s Highlords, who participated in the subjugation party with Dunkel. Dunkel puts his hand to his ear and lets go of the roar. Even if it is the body of a Highlord, noisy things are noisy. A murderous sonic vibration violently vibrated all objects in the vicinity.
As soon as the second attack ended, the third attack followed. In just a few minutes, a total of five offensive magic hits the claw mole cleanly.
[We managed to hit it before it noticed us. I was hoping the first one would be the decisive blow.]
One of the military officers said while confirming the damage of the claw mole.
Mature demon beasts are extremely tough. Regardless of resistance and magic attacks hindering its path, it just tries to fulfill its own purpose. It can detect the presence of the Highlord, or recognize the “enemy” for the first time after receiving attack magic from the Lord-class.
Just like this clawed mole, when it comes to the first attack, it is often the case that the Highlord’s magic attack is almost unguarded. It could be said that the demon beast subjugation battle only becomes a real thing after the first attack.
This time, seven Highlords were participating in the subjugation team. The reason was simple, it was a strategy to launch a simultaneous attack while the demon beasts were off guard and defeat it all at once. If the opponent is a mature demon beast with a threat rank of about 5th, there is a high possibility that the attack will deal fatal damage.
[…..how is it?]
Hearing Dunkel’s voice as the Prince raised his magic power in preparation for the next attack, the military officers who observed the power let out bitter voices.
[Unfortunately, the result is much lower than expected.]
[It might be a demon beast specialized in toughness.]
[…No, I can’t see the corrosion reaction of the magical power. Isn’t it a multi-layered type instead of a durable type?]
The damage is far less than expected. This was especially felt by those who had a lot of experience in fighting monsters.
[What do you mean?]
A knight serving as a lieutenant answered Dunkel’s question.
[As Young Master might know already, the monstrous energy that fills the bodies of mature demon beasts is weak against mana. Mana has the effect of destroying monstrous energy, so it can be said that it is effective to subjugate it by driving as much mana as possible at once.]
Hitting a demon beast with 100 attacks at once will do far more damage than hitting it with 10 attacks 10 times. That was the common sense of monster subjugation, and naturally Dunkel knew it. That’s why, from the time he left the Royal Castle to hit the biggest blow, he’d been kneading his magic power in preparation for the first blow.
[Oh, I know that. It’s a multi-layered type, it’s said that there are several layers of energy.]
[Yes. Even if we use a lot of magic power, the corrosion reaction will stop at the surface layer, and it may not reach the next layer.]
[But, does that apply to Claw Mole? I heard that only demon beasts with scales have such characteristics…]
[It’s not uncommon for a demon beast’s characteristics not to match its appearance.]
However, the adjutant knight hesitated.
[…..it’s not that the corrosion reaction has stopped. It’s not. That’s what it looked like to me.]
Without waiting for Dunkel’s response, the knight shouted at the military officer.
[Send a messenger to all units! If there is a report on the characteristics of Claw Mole, send them immediately! Especially the corrosion reaction immediately after being attacked!]
[Yessir!]
Several military officers ran as messengers. The knight smiled at the worried Prince.
[Don’t worry, Young Master. Its characteristics may be unknown, but judging from the movement so far, the claw mole is probably at most a fifth-rank threat. Even though our attacks barely injure it, the attack still hits. With our number, we will eventually bring it down.]
[…..you’re right. Yeah, it’s going to be alright.]
[Unfortunately, we weren’t able to conclude the battle with the first attack. Now, this is where the real demon beast battle begins. Let’s focus our minds again.]
Any demon beast will shift to a battle stance if it receives an attack from Highlord-class. It will retaliate in full force, and from here on, the battle against the demon beasts only truly begins.
After being attacked, the Claw Mole stopped moving forward and raised its short hair all over its body as if to show its anger.
[Please be careful. The monster may strike at any given moment after this]
Jagi, jagi, jagigi, jagigigi, an unpleasant sound like a large amount of metal rubbing against each other resounded in the surroundings. Even without the wind, the short black hairs covering the surface of the Claw Mole sway, creating an unpleasant noise. Some of the general soldiers at the scene frowned at the dissonance.
[Is it going to fire its body hair off? Tell everyone to be careful! Those hairs are thicker than spear]
Among the military officers, there are also those who have participated in similar battles to subdue demon beasts. The military officers around Dunkel hurriedly issued instructions, but each unit had already made similar recognition and had already prepared for defense.
After this, the Claw Mole should shoot out its hair at high speed using its energy. Of course, you have to be careful not only of the high-speed body hair that is released directly to the side, but also of the body hair that is launched into the sky and falls. At that time, almost all the Lord-class on the scene were nervous about the retaliation that the Claw Mole would show.
…..That’s why the sense of discomfort was shared almost at the same time.
[Magical power!? No, it’s different!!]
At the same time as one military officer shouted, short black hair shot out from the entire body of the Claw Mole.
Even with short hair, mature demon beasts are so huge, each hair was thicker than a spear. The black hair, which melted into the darkness of the night and was hard to see, pierced and mowed down the trees of the forest, pierced the unfortunate soldiers of the subjugation force, and the hair that was launched high into the sky rained down on the forest with a time delay, causing widespread damage. It is an attack similar to a salvo of bows.
The military officer who successfully dodged the attack fell from the sky and grabbed the hair stuck in the ground.
[Why…!?]
The remnants of energy felt from the hair, it’s not a monster’s energy.
[Why does a demon beast have Mana!?]
==========
[The vicious beast Garnarin collided with the Levios subjugation team.]
Garnarin’s counterattack threw the front line into chaos. The Terrotris man continued his report briefly.
[What do you think? It’s not difficult to defeat Garnarin with their strength. However, it shouldn’t be easy. I wonder if there’s room for thinking about taking advantage of the confusion and launching an attack…]
[No, that’s useless. As expected, the leader of the subjugation team is not Lugain Levios. So, there’s no need to kill him now. We’ll just carry out our original plan.]
The man’s proposal was rejected by the Terrotris faction’s female member. If they aimed at the subjugation team here, they would probably be able to get some results, but it wasn’t essential for them.
Because the man understands that, he immediately withdrew. He just got excited over the chance to kill a Noble and said it.
[Fortunately, the Levios family has not yet noticed this temporary base. We will secretly aim for the capital.]
[Yes.]
In order to make a report, the woman headed to the camp where her boss, Ephial, was waiting.
Ephial was wearing armor for combat. Since the number of staff is small, the woman also starts to help change clothes while reporting.
[…The subjugation force’s fighting strength is too excessive. It can only be said that this is to protect face, but foolish. If the defense of the Royal Capital is weakened, isn’t it putting the cart before the horse?]
Ephial replied to the woman’s opinion while confirming the comfort of the armor.
[They say they are Nobles, but they are nothing more than ignorant landlords after all. Comparing empty faces seems extremely pleasant for them.]
Saying that, Ephial checked the magic inside her body. She had been casting magics for a long time to lure Garnarin, but decided it wouldn’t affect her next campaign.
[…..If you show them a threat, they will just lock themselves in their house. The reason why they can speak loudly about invading the Holy City is because they don’t know fear, they forgot it.]
Ephial snorted at the unity of the nobility. She doesn’t think that attacking Nobles will bring decent retaliation. The most effective way to stop the nobility is to stir up the fear inside them… Strangely enough, it was similar to the thinking of Luxus Quordenze, who used Cynthia’s accusation as one of his cards.
[The monster Garnarin is showing its true power, so the subjugation team will have trouble. They won’t notice that another threat is lurking nearby.]
[Yes.]
[Hmm, let’s not wait any longer.]
Once Ephial was fully armed, she left the camp.
When she was guiding Garnarin, she wore the lightest clothing possible. However, the opponent she will fight from now on is the Nobles, and it will not look good as it is. Dressing up was necessary to show her determination.
[Next is the cursed beast Calamitis]
In Ephial’s dark eyes, Levios Palace towering over the mountains was reflected.
==========
The knights of Levios were perplexed by the words of the messenger who rushed into the castle.
In the previous report, it was speculated that the mature demon beast that appeared was the 5th, or 4th-rank threat at the highest. It would be troublesome if it was a contamination type or a diffusion type, but the subjugation force should have enough strength to overwhelm it. Until a little while ago, the Royal Castle had a relatively calm atmosphere.
[Impossible! I’ve never heard of demon beast that attacks with mana.]
Everyone who received the report thought the same thing. The same goes for the military officer who served as the messenger. As he reported, he thought it was a bad dream.
[Your point is correct. But, it is definitely using mana to attack.]
The demon beast has a special type of energy called “magical energy” that they use to cause various disasters. It spreads pollution over the land, unleashes a variety of attacks similar to magic, and harms humanity.
It was an energy with characteristics similar to those of mana, but there was a clear distinction between the two.
[If they’re being attacked by mana…won’t that mean its attack carries residual magic?]
[Yes! It’s been confirmed from the inhibition effect on healing magic and physical disability after treatment that multiple soldiers that braced through its attack suffered.]
Hearing the desperate report, one of the civil officers put his hand on his forehead and looked up at the ceiling.
The reason the Highlords don’t want to fight each other is because they fear the physical disability that remains after receiving a magic attack. By being exposed to malicious attack magic over and over again, you may suffer from chronic pain, decline or complete loss of physical ability, and visceral disease.
On the other hand, the demon beast’s attacks normally have no such effect. If you heal the injury with healing magic, it will basically return to normal. Therefore, the Nobles can face the monster subjugation battle without hesitation. You may die, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be left with any aftereffects if you survive through the fight.
The most frightening thing for Nobles who are in good health is living in an unhealthy state.
[Are you saying that it’s a demon beast that could impart residual magic to its victims…]
That would make it the most terrifying demon beast known to the Nobles.
[Not only that. According to the observation on the battlefield, apparently it’s entirely operating on mana.]
The messenger officer explained that the amount of damage from the first hit was much less than expected.
[In other words, because Claw Mole possess mana, normal magical attacks weren’t as deadly as they should be.]
[Yes.]
The monstrous energy is weak against mana. But paradoxically, Claw Mole does not use monstrous energy like all other of its kind. Suffice to say that it truly ran on mana completely.
If it attacks, there will be residual magic power lingering, and on top of that, it becomes nearly impossible to land a decisive blow against it. Everyone was sighing at how the odds seemed to keep piling up against them. But of course, they couldn’t show it blatantly.
[It’s unconfirmed, but it’s believed that the Claw Mole does have monstrous energy deep within its body. If an attack can reach that far…depending on how this the layer of mana is…]
The subjugation team had to attack many times against the mature monsters that retaliated with magic. It will be a very dangerous battle.
[What is the on-site decision?]
[Even if it’s a demon beast with the aforementioned characteristics, if it’s monstrous energy…no, if its total of mana is still about the fifth-rank threat, it is highly likely that the next simultaneous attack will finish it. Therefore, until the amount of magical power equivalent to the first attack has been accumulated, the main corps will temporarily withdraw, and the rest will interfere with the progress of the Claw Mole. ]
Continuing to fight half-heartedly is dangerous. The method of sacrificing soldiers to stop them, preparing a perfect attack system, and defeating them all at once is the method with the least casualties…the knights on the ground decided so.
For those who serve the Nobles, the Highlords should be the top priority. Common soldiers, military officers, and knights suffering from residual magic are considered necessary sacrifices.
[Umu. That shouldn’t be a problem. But, what about Young Master…]
[Young Master will not be participating.]
[Alright.]
Only this time, they can’t afford to let harm befall the Prince. Priority exists even among the Highlords. If he is badly injured and physically disabled, it will pose a problem that will affect the future of the Levios family.
[I will report it to Master. …..I can’t estimate how many soldiers will be needed. Hurry up and arrange it so that they can march at a moment’s notice.]
[Yessir!]
Military and Civil Officers alike dispersed as instructed.
The Levios knight was thinking as he walked quickly through the corridor.
Many Nobles, including the Adellahan family, were spectating. They should be able to read the movements of the army before the clash, and it would have already been communicated that the front line was confused and started delaying actions.
He stepped into the party venue to go meet his Master. Then, there was an air of urgency.
==========
The atmosphere had clearly changed.
It seemed that the subjugation corps was not in a very good situation. Starting with an incomprehensible retreat, I heard voices saying that they were working hard to delay the progress of the demon beast. Well, this is all speculation. No additional reports have been received from the Levios family.
Generally speaking, people who can tell the location of the army and what they’re doing just by looking at the flickering lights in the distance are creepy. I really had no idea how.
I think the reason for the change in atmosphere was, first and foremost, Marquis Adellahan.
It seemed that she ended her relaxed commentary until then and began to openly show caution. She also said that the subjugation force was acting in an incomprehensible way. And as time passed, more and more Nobles with a war-like temperament were agreeing with her, so the prediction that there had been an accident on the front lines was almost confirmed.
However, although the tension grew stronger, it wasn’t like they panicked.
For a while, it was noisy, but it was quickly calmed down by Marquis Adellahan’s shout. The Marquis, who noticed the incident earlier than anyone else, calmed the place down by boldly declaring that there was nothing to panic about yet. ……I don’t think so, but it’s like a match pump.
I thought that I wouldn’t have the chance to continue talking with my father in such a tense atmosphere, but surprisingly it became an environment where it was easy to talk.
Until then, my father had been paying attention to the development of the situation, but when he found out about the abnormality on the frontline, his alert level seemed to have reached its peak, and he started waiting right next to me. Thanks to that, Plume also went back to Earl Sylopea’s side.
An increasing number of Quordenze faction Nobles have moved outdoors in order to learn even a little about the current state of the subjugation force. It’s more information gathering than spectating. Thanks to that, there were even fewer Nobles left in the hall. The only people around us were Nobles who the Quordenze family deeply trusted.
[Wilk, have you used wakening magic?]
[I just did.]
I had no choice but to cast it because my father had a terrible look on his face that screams, “Do it”.
I can’t sleep now even if I want to sleep for a while. Wakening magic that blows away drowsiness is convenient, but once it’s activated, it can’t be canceled, so I’m gonna stay awake for several days. To be honest, the mental stress is terrible, so I didn’t want to use it if possible.
[…Father’s strong vigilance, is it related to the Spierzeig’s presence here?]
I spoke in a low voice so that the others couldn’t hear me. The only people left in the hall were Quordenze’s most trusted allies, so it shouldn’t be a problem if they overhear our conversation. But, just in case.
Now is probably not the time to talk about such things… Father didn’t reply. After confirming that sufficient vigilance was maintained by looking at the surroundings, my father gestured me with his finger to come closer.
[…..do you know about the Salif Rebellion?]
It was just a confirmation.
And of course, I know about that. This is an incident that happened a little over 20 years ago in Salif, the Imperial Capital of the Zinkaen Empire at the time. It should be noted that the name of the Imperial Capital was changed from Salif to Zinkaen after the Third Emperor, Ferolt, succeeded to the throne.
[It was a large-scale rebellion caused by the collusion of the remnants of the Noble families that were destroyed by Emperor Zinkaen and Emperor Arginis, wasn’t it? …..was that when uncle died?]
If you only hear about it, it can be said that the leg of a typical centipede is not particularly unusual, and it can be said that it is a destructive activity by the remnants of a Noble family who have lost their place to go. However, this battle seems to have been the final decisive battle for the remnants. With this rebellion as the last, the subjugation of the remnants of the Nobles in the Zinkaen Empire came to an end. The long resistance activities that had continued since before the founding of the country were wiped out.
[That’s right. My brother was staying in the capital when this rebellion occurred…]
Gardacle Quordenze, the next Duke of Quordenze, an Imperial Noble, visited the Imperial Capital. Apparently he’s there with his newly married wife to visit Emperor Arginis.
My uncle seemed to have a very close relationship with Emperor Arginis, so they went out to have fun.
…..hmm?
[Did they go to the Imperial Capital while his wife was pregnant?]
This wife who is mentioned here is probably the daughter from the Sylopea family. I heard that she died alongside uncle, and also that she was pregnant at the time.
A pregnant Highlord’s mana output is unstable. Isn’t it too reckless to go to another territory at such a time?
[………..His stay in the Imperial Capital lasted several months.]
[Ah…]
I see, she got pregnant while they were staying in the Imperial Capital, since uncle couldn’t stop having sex with his new wife. She wasn’t pregnant when departing, but during the stay. As expected, uncle couldn’t just go around raping the citizens of the Imperial Capital, so the only people who can serve as opponents are the Quordenze family’s maids and his new wife.
He didn’t seem to have any intention of talking about the circumstances of his uncle’s lower body here, so my father returned to the incident.
[The remnants who were determined to die attacked fiercely, causing great confusion in the capital. They managed to push back in the defense of the Imperial Capital, but they seem to have lost a lot of soldiers.]
At that time, 30 years had already passed since the founding of the Empire. It is said that no one expected that the remnants had such power, and that the remnants from all over the place would join forces.
At one point, the Imperial Capital nearly fell, but Emperor Arginis took the lead and recovered the situation, defeating the rebels with guts. At that time, my uncle also fought bravely alongside the Emperor. I guess he’s not just a man who swings his cock around.
[If there is another offensive, the Imperial Capital could no longer withstand it. Thinking about this, my brother and sister-in-law decided to return with reinforcements from Quordenze…]
Judging from my father’s way of speaking, he must have judged that the Imperial Capital would not last long.
If the Imperial Capital is safe, they could wait there for reinforcements from our grandfather or grandmother to come from Quordenze. Especially since he had a pregnant wife. It is highly possible that the fact that he could not choose it was that the situation was so tight. In fact, Emperor Arginis passed away later due to the injuries he sustained during the Salif Rebellion. There must have been an unimaginable battle to the death.
[Which way did he plan to go through from the Imperial Capital?]
I drew an imaginary map in my head. If I wanted to return to the Quordenze territory at that time from the Imperial Capital, there were two main routes. The southern route that passes through the former Voistra territory and the northern route that passes through the area where the Nobles in the eastern part of the Empire are crowded.
[North side… I see, I hadn’t even told Wilk about my brother’s final moments.]
I’ve heard various accounts about him ranging from being killed in action, assassinated, to murdered, but I don’t know the details of how he was killed.
I don’t know, if I was a normal innocent child, I think I would have asked insensitively something like [Hey, why did Uncle die? How did he die?]. But I’m an adult in many ways in my head, so it was hard to touch on that part. I honestly don’t want to touch on sensitive topics between family members.
From my father’s point of view, it might have seemed unnatural for me not to even ask such a simple question.
[When you came to the Royal Capital, you passed through several tunnels. Do you remember what I warned you about at that time?]
[Yes. Don’t enter the tunnel in line… ah.]
I remember it well because it was impressive.
As we approached the entrance of the tunnel, my father gave instructions with a sour tone so that a certain number of people could pass through. I remember that it took a lot of time for everyone to pass through because we had to decide on the number of carriages that could enter at once.
When I asked the military officer why he did that, he gave me a very easy-to-understand answer that if the tunnel was destroyed, he would die. Certainly, if it were to collapse while in the center of the tunnel, even a Highlord would die.
And I could already guess where this leads to. When I asked if there were many tunnels on the northern route, my father gave a small nod.
[It’s all about judging from the situation after the end. It seems that my brother and sister-in-law were trying to pass through one of the tunnels with Quordenze’s soldiers. Several military officers were on guard at the entrance. And when they reached the middle of the tunnel, the rebel force must have ambushed them. The tunnel, alongside my brother…]
…..the timing was too good to be just coincidence.
[From the investigation, we know that the military officers who were guarding both ends of the tunnel were under attack by an unknown number of Highlords.]
What’s more, the rebels actually had Highlords on both ends of the tunnel? That’s very suspicious indeed.
[Being a major highway, the raid was quickly discovered by the local lords…but it was all too late.]
=========
[The Levios soldiers noticed it, huh. …it’s too late, they can’t stop us.]
A single Highlord, multiple Lord-class, and a gigantic being were advancing at breakneck speed along the forest road.
Ephial let out a self-deprecating laugh at the report of the Terrotris man.
[Kukuku, it seems you underestimated the Levios family too lightly. To be found before dawn.]
Hearing that voice, the man made a bitter expression.
[My apology…!]
However, Ephial thought that the current situation was already a passing mark.
It’s been a while since they entered the highway leading to the Royal Capital. They’ve definitely come a long way. Even if the magical beast-inducing magic was cut off, there was still a high possibility that Calamitis would attack the Royal Capital.
Luckily for her, the only thing that was discovered this time was the existence of Calamitis. In that case, there would be no effect on the performance of the operation.
[It can’t be helped. However, at this distance, it would be possible to make up for it. Get as close to the Royal Capital as possible before the Levios army approaches. You guys go into positions first.]
After the man replied, he left the road and entered the forest. He is followed by his subordinates, the several Lord-class.
The lone Terrotrist faction woman ran up the highway and approached Ephial.
[By the time we cross the next hill, it will be dawn.]
Ephial hardened her resolve to the woman who accurately told her only the most necessary information.
She replied without slowing down her running pace.
[Release Calamitis at sunrise.]
=========
Orshian was walking alone in the Royal Palace garden, thinking of catching the morning sun.
She couldn’t sleep because of the atmosphere inside the castle, so she wandered around with a blank look on her face.
[It’s almost morning…]
From the faint voices of birds in the distance, the sky gradually turning dark blue and orange, and the scent of the wind tickling her nostrils, she sensed that dawn was approaching. She loved this quiet, refreshing time at the beginning of the morning, the beginning of the day.
She didn’t intend on watching the monster subjugation battle with other Nobles. After all, she only gets to watch the occasional flickering light. She had no idea what was going on, and nothing was interesting about it. If it hadn’t been for Marquis Adellahan’s sermon, she would have left the Royal Palace immediately.
The reason she’s slipping out of her room is that when she’s with Kilorde or Archduke Milendorva, she’ll be scolded for various things. She’s used to running away from them by now.
She moved away from places with many Nobles so as not to be found by the people of Milendorva. While wandering like that, she arrived at the garden on the west side of the Royal Castle. Most of the Nobles are gathered in the southwest of the Royal Capital, where they can see the battle with claw moles, so there are no people around here.
[Haa~…..]
Feeling the faint warmth of the rising sun on her back, she looked into the distance.
[Eh….? What is that…]
A gigantic presence, sparkling in the morning sun, was approaching the Royal Capital.
=========
It took about a month before the rebel army approaching the capital was subjugated and the turmoil handled.
[The Imperial Capital’s rebellion was led by a Noble family based in the western part of the Empire…the survivor of a house that had been destroyed by Emperor Zinkaen. Some people believe that this man was the leader of the Salif Rebellion.]
It was clear from the tone of his voice that my father did not believe so. In the first place, he is not the main culprit of the Salif Rebellion that I was taught by a knight or a civilian when I was a child.
[The remnants of the Arpeo region were the true central figures, weren’t they?]
[Indeed.]
My father nodded in satisfaction.
The direct control territory, which is the center of the Zinkaen Empire, exists in a form that swallows up the entire Arpeo region. The place where the Imperial City of Salif was located was the center called Arpeo’s navel.
[While investigating the collapsed tunnel, my mother and father said in unison that the rebel force that attacked my brothers must be the Nobles of Arpeo.]
[Grandmother and grandfather? …..then it must have some credibility.]
The climax of Emperor Zinkaen’s founding story is the Battle of Arpeo, the destruction of the Arpeo Principality. Not only the young Emperor Zinkaen, but also my grandmother Cassia and grandfather Galfis participated in this battle. In addition to that, it is a battle where the main characters who have appeared until then gather together, so it is very exciting in plays and the like.
That’s why my grandmother and grandfather are familiar with the Arpeo Nobles’ fighting style and habits. After all, they were the ones who destroyed it.
[Prior to Emperor Zinkaen, the Principality of Arpeo was hostile to the Kingdom of Voistra, but when it was on the verge of extinction, it sought to cooperate with them. Therefore, there have long been suspicions that Arpeo’s remnants were being sheltered in the Kingdom of Voistra, or better known today as the Spierzeig family.]
If the Arpeo Principality is destroyed by Emperor Zinkaen, it is clear that the Voistra Kingdom will be overrun next. It is only natural that the two countries should join hands. However, since the Arpeo Principality was not an organization with a sense of unity enough to be called a country, an alliance was never formed.
[In the first place, the destruction that was carried out in the Salif Rebellion was too skillful. Without the guidance of someone familiar with the Arpeo region, the Empire would not have suffered such devastating damage.]
[Does that mean there was no evidence?]
[No, there wasn’t any. The rebellion unit that attacked my brothers fled to neighboring regions, and was finally subdued by the people of the Spierzeig family. …..the evidence was destroyed.]
I can’t help but wonder if that’s just an accusation. But if you unravel past examples, the Spierzeig family is a tactician’s house to the extent that they won’t shy away from doing something like that.
Even though the Kingdom of Voistra eventually succumbed to Emperor Zinkaen, I think they believed that someday they would rise back and revive the Kingdom. In preparation for that day, it would not be out of place to hold the remnants of the Arpeo Nobles and considered to be included in the plot of the Salif Rebellion. As soon as they saw that the rebellion in the Imperial Capital had failed, they changed their course and aimed at the Quordenze family, who was in the way of something, and planned an attack using his pawns. If it succeeds, the piece will be crushed to cover up all the evidence…
It’s true that the Spierzeig family would be able to do this much, probably because I’ve spent 13 years with the Quordenze family. I had already built up the ground within myself to accept “the Spierzeig is bad guy” theory quite naturally.
[…..If Emperor Arginis hadn’t passed away, the Emperor might have been able to conduct an investigation under his authority…]
Naturally, my grandmother and grandfather insisted that everything was a conspiracy of the Spierzeig family and demanded a thorough investigation. However, due to the death of Emperor Arginis and the subsequent political struggle for the throne, the investigation did not progress.
Having given up on the Empire, the Quordenze family approached the Kingdom of Levios and proceeded to wage war with the Spierzeig family…
[I understand a lot now….. Can I ask one more thing? Why is father wary of the current situation? Is it because Duke Spierzeig is in the capital?]
The Kingdom of Levios has shaken the prestige of the Royal family, but the remnants of the Noble families that were destroyed during the war have already been eliminated. There should be no rebellion yet. I don’t quite understand why my father is being so vigilant in this place right now.
[The beginning of the Salif Rebellion was in a similar situation to today.]
Almost at the same time, a loud roar came from outside.
The sun had risen before we knew it, and the distant sky was changing colors. That’s when I wondered what happened.
It’s a monster.
I heard such a voice.
=========
Cursed Beast Calamitis.
If Wilk were to describe that figure, he would call it a transparent maitake mushroom. Illuminated by the sun
The city was in turmoil as its gigantic body was already within sight of the citizens of the Royal Capital.
In Levios, the Royal Capital, memories of the demonic beast Yersinia were still fresh, and the citizens were in a state of panic when they saw the mature demon beast approaching the city, and the Levios soldiers who were on guard took time to suppress it.
[Second demon beast is entering the city! Hurry up to form a subjugation team!]
At the headquarters of the Levios army, the sudden appearance of the cursed beast Calamitis…the second demon beast made everyone busy with preparing countermeasures.
Just before dawn, the messenger carrying news of the appearance of the second demon beast had arrived. No way, I can’t deny that I thought. Since there was only one Field in the former Taren territory that was large enough to raise mature demon beasts, it was completely unexpected that two monsters would appear at the same time.
[Any message from Callahanasso!?]
[None yet!]
They have already sent out requests for reinforcements to the neighboring city of Callahanasso and the city of Corbovia, the true headquarters of the Levios family. Since a large amount of resources were devoted to fighting the first demonic beast, the Claw Mole, if a subjugation team were to be formed to fight the second demon beast, the defense of the Royal Capital would be greatly weakened. In preparation for a long-term battle, it was essential to call in reinforcements from outside.
[Reporting! It has been confirmed that the second demon beast is a mature demon beast that possesses mana! The same type as the first demon beast, Claw Mole!! The total amount of power is equivalent to the 4th-rank threat!!]
One of the senior military officers hit the wall with all his strength at the words of the messenger who rushed into the command room.
As if dealing with Claw Mole isn’t any harder already, another one with one threat level higher suddenly appeared right on their doorstep. The situation was extremely dire.
[What happened to the first demon beast!?]
[A second all-out attack has been executed against the first demon beast Claw Mole, but it still hasn’t been defeated!]
[Send a messenger to the site once again! Leave only the minimum number of personnel for the first demon beast, and return all the rest to the Royal Capital! Defeating the second demon beast is the top priority!]
According to reports, the attack on Claw Mole wasn’t fatal, but they know that it did considerable damage. In that case, they should give priority to the second demon beast approaching the Royal Capital. After all, the total amount of power is equivalent to the fourth-rank, and it is almost certain that subjugation is more difficult than Claw Mole.
[Even if it’s just the advance unit, just send them in first. Earn time until the Lord-class corps is ready!]
Then, an old woman came to the command center. She was the Vice-President of Blue Land Institute and an old woman who also serves as the head of the library.
The military officer’s eyes widened because the old woman was armed with anti-monster armor instead of the loose clothing she usually wears.
[I shall join the advance unit as well. The second demon beast has already shifted to a battle stance.]
In response to the old woman’s offer, the Levios knight tried to apologize and thank her. However, the old woman held it still with her hand. They don’t have time for pleasantries now.
[…The second demon beast is also a mana-holding type. Please be very careful when it attacks, there will be residual magic left over.]
[Oh dear, it’s alright. I’m already old enough that I should reach the end of my life before the residual magic takes full effect. I will protect this peaceful city that was created with the oozing passion of my soul…that is the duty of a Levios knight, isn’t it?]
And then, the old woman smiled kindly.
[I don’t know where he is now, but please send my regards to Lugain.]
That was the name of the current King Levios when he was young.
She completely ignores the fact about the residual magic power and intends to fight at the forefront, prepared to die.
=========
The woman from Terrotris faction was watching the advance troops heading to the front line.
Ephial and her subordinate warriors, who had moved to the east of the Royal Capital in the opposite direction to the direction Calamitis was approaching, were concentrating their minds in preparation for the next phase.
[…It’s finally here. The advance unit of the improvised subjugation team will collide with the cursed beast.]
The woman told the 20-ish warriors. Only the High Priestess Ephial and her patriarchs participate in the final phase of the operation.
The warriors silently exchanged glances and mutually confirmed their determination.
Their eyes were tinged with fanatical feelings for Ephial and the Supreme Priest, Terrotris, who was not here.
When the woman saw the situation, she smiled with satisfaction. And when they looked at their leader in infatuation, they raised their voice like they were singing.
[Comrade Ephial, give us power. Please give us the power to defeat the bad guys.]
The women and warriors kneel and bow their heads in front of Ephial with the morning sun behind them.
While looking down at that figure, Ephial spread both hands and held them high.
[O’ my sword, let’s fight together. The enemy we must avenge is just beyond the horizon. O’ Great Spirit of the Sun Wartent-sama, give us strength.]
And then she raised the family heirloom she brought from her parents’ house to the sky.
The transparent jewels let the sunlight through and cast rainbow-colored shadows.
=========
The second demon beast that appeared near the Royal Capital seems to have a transparent body.
Jellyfish, gel, and mature demon beasts that look like bracken-starch dumplings sold at supermarkets aren’t all that uncommon. The problem is that it becomes almost invisible at night. When the sun hits it, it reflects light in an unnatural way, so I immediately notice [Ah! There’s a strange transparent guy!], but when the sun goes down, it really disappears into thin air. Therefore, it is said to be a demon beast with concealment ability.
It’s a common story that if this type appeared in the middle of the night in a territory with few magical power detection personnel, the discovery would be delayed and it would be a catastrophe before they knew it.
The Levios family probably has a large number of magic detectors. However, there must have been many who participated in the first demon beast’s subjugation, and there may have been holes in the magic power’s security net.
In any case, the Royal Palace was in an uproar as the mature demon beast approached the Royal Capital. I’m sure there will be more uproar in the castle town.
The second demon beast… It’s called the second demon beast, but there’s a wall in the direction it’s approaching, so I can’t see it. It seems that they are quite close, so I wanted to see them anyway.
It seems that Lugain Levios, King Levios himself, will be the commander-in-chief of the subjugation force that fights against the second demon beast.
King Levios told the Royal Nobles that the situation was under control. But now that the second demon beast has appeared, he probably can’t afford to say such things.
After this, he said that he would go on a subjugation after greeting the Royal Nobles. I would like to tell him to quickly defeat the monsters, but as a King, it’s not very cool to go to battle in a hurry. Such performance may be important, but it is troublesome.
[The security inside the palace is extremely weak. Probably the same is true outside and throughout the capital. …..Wilk. Never let your guard down.]
And my father’s alert level exceeded 100% and became 120%. He talked endlessly about the escape route in case of an attack, where to meet, what actions the attacking enemy would take and how to deal with it, how to join forces with Quordenze’s military officers, and so on.
However, even this kind of vague warning would be a problem for me. I would like a concrete example.
[Father, what do you think is going to attack? It’ll be easier for me to move if you tell me that first.]
[…What we should truly fear is malice that is beyond our expectations. Just like the Salif Rebellion.]
In short, it’s easy to deal with a conceivable attack. The Salif Rebellion was completely unexpected, and the unguarded area became like a mature demon beast that was attacking all at once, so the initial response was delayed and the damage increased. In order to prevent that from happening, my father seems to want to say that we should always be on the lookout for an unexpected attack.
…..isn’t that the most tiring one?
[Now, it’s only for this occasion. It shouldn’t be that long.]
[…..alright.]
I can’t sleep anyway, so it can’t be helped.
Then, my father looked at me and said, [Don’t you understand?].
[Now the Royal Palace is the most dangerous place in the Levios.]
=========
[There is a subjugation force gathering at the Royal Castle. I thought it would go on like that, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.]
Ephial gave a dark smile to the report. Although it was different from what she expected, it can be dealt with by one of several assumed patterns. There is no change in plans.
The Terrotrist faction woman receives orders from her leader and tells the warriors the name of the operation to be used in the final phase. Despite the most severe strategy, their expressions did not waver.
Satisfied with the situation, Ephial sent words to each warrior.
[Don’t be late, but never too early. Opportunity comes once and only for a moment.]
==========
For a moment, I felt a strong sense of malice from somewhere.
It’s probably just my imagination. By knowing the meaning of my father’s vigilance, I think I was lured in and wasted my vigilance.
[Is that the second demon beast…]
When I came out to the garden, my father and I looked at the demon beast in the distance.
Its presence, shining in the morning sun, looked like a maitake mushroom. I had heard that it had a transparent body, but when I looked at it like this, the epidermis had a poisonous green color. There may be circumstances such as the color of the daytime zone changing color, or being stained with a warning color after being attacked by the subjugation corps that preceded it.
[Wilk.]
[Yes?]
I heard someone behind the scenes saying that it was time to stop looking away and look forward, so I returned my gaze to the front. There was the second demon beast subjugation team that had been quickly organized, and King Levios, who was fully armed to fight against demon beasts.
The host, King Levios, will be outside, so he will greet the Nobles of the Kingdom.
However, it was not known in advance that there would be a greeting. The Levios knights guided us to gather outside as they were going to explain the details of the demon beasts that appeared in the Levios territory.
As expected, the Quordenze family couldn’t just leave it alone and withdraw into the castle, so we came outside like this.
Since the independent Nobles who participated in the evening party as guests were also here, the number of people who gathered was larger than the opening ceremony of the Royal Capital’s social gathering.
It was at that moment that King Levios was about to begin his speech with the second demon beast in the distance.
The entire royal garden was dyed with an unpleasant murderous intent that made the skin tingle.
Immediately after that, as if it was the signal to start, a number of figures rushed in.
==========
The warriors of the Terrotrist faction recalled their role in their clouded consciousness.
Intimidation with murderous intent… Commence operation…
The warriors moved forward as their blood boiled and their brain melted with acid.
[Kill, Nobles…the, curse, curse, kuuu…!]
The warriors had already lost sight of who they were.
The only thing engraved on their mind was the mission to kill the Nobles.
A large number of Nobles stood in front of the warriors.
The existence that should be killed was within range of their attack.
The warriors let out a loud laugh while swaying their mana to activate attack magic.
They were overflowing with mighty power that shouldn’t be possible for a Lord-class body.
=========
The attackers who appeared suddenly began to attack the Nobles gathered in the garden all at once.
Due to the powerful attack magic that caused the explosion, the flames and dust covered everything around me.
This wasn’t the magic of mere Lord-class, it’s comparable to that of Highlord.
[Father!]
[Wilk, get away!]
Due to my father’s vigilance, the Quordenze faction Nobles were in a position where it was relatively easy to evacuate.
Thanks to that, I, my father, and the Sylopea group were able to avoid a direct hit from the explosion. I filled my whole body with magic power, and immediately activated body enhancement magic.
[Stay in a distance where we can see each other!!]
The moment I heard my father’s voice, I felt a strong headache as if I had been hit in the back of my head.
…..is this what it means?
I unconsciously activated detection magic. Because I wanted to know how many enemies there were and where they were.
Detection magic can perceive the presence of magic powers like radar, but if there are too many of them, the feedback will give a strong shock.
Now the Royal Palace is the most dangerous place
This is because there were too many Highlords nearby, causing the detection magic to go haywire.
[Kuh…!]
If I hadn’t heard this story beforehand, I might have collapsed to the ground. Even though it was painful just to activate it voluntarily, the mental shock when I felt fear and activated it without realizing it was even worse than that. I want to throw up
I noticed that there were Royal Nobles who fell down around. They must’ve done the same thing.
I thought the attackers were aiming for the frontline, where the subjugation force was.
[The target is the subjugation team? No, King Levios!?]
=========
[Comrades, you’re amazing…!]
Ephial was delighted with the results of the suicide squad that preceded them. The warriors, who gained temporary power through forbidden arts, confounded the field and reduced the number of Levios soldiers. In the dusty garden, she just kept moving forward. The head of the hateful Levios family is just ahead.
The special detection magic activated by Ephial continued to track its target.
Whether it’s at night or in a dusty garden, she’ll never lose sight of it.
=========
The dust was so bad that I couldn’t see anything.
With detection magic out of the table for now, there’s nothing we can do about it.
I called my father, Plume, and Earl Sylopea nearby, and accumulated magical power so that I could attack whenever the enemy jumped in.
However, the attacker’s next attack did not fly.
In the tense atmosphere, every second felt like eternity.
No matter how long I wait, the next one won’t come.
The dust settled down a little, and the surroundings gradually became visible.
I wonder what happened to the subjugation team and King Levios.
When I looked over there, a fully armed attacker seemed to be closing in on the subjugation force.
=========
――― A wedge of impurity, aimed at leader of the landlord.
The magical sword held by Ephial pierced King Levios.
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