Intense in the South, Quiet in the West

The first group to advance was one positioned along the border with the

Euphoria Kingdom. It was led by Shuukin and composed of members of the

Great Tiger Empire Army and high elf volunteers. However, the core of this

attack consisted of commanders and nobles who'd defected from the Gran

Chaos Empire to the Great Tiger Empire.

Fuuga was not found on this front, so it was said to be a diversion. But

being the first move of war, the Kingdom of Friedonia sought to defend the

Euphoria Kingdom. Failing to do so would risk leaving a negative

impression on the people of the Euphoria Kingdom. Losing face here as the

head of the Maritime Alliance could very well affect the ability of the two

nations to coordinate their actions. In response, Souma immediately

broadcast that two island-type carriers were en route to the Euphoria

Kingdom.

In the war room at Haan Castle, Hashim listened to reports corroborating

that the carriers had indeed left port.

"So, what do you make of it?" Fuuga asked.

"I believe those carriers are empty," Hashim replied, his face calm.

"Being able to use the air force at sea is an advantage in sea battles, but it

has no effect when the battles are being fought inland. This is a way for

them to put up the appearance of supporting the Euphoria Kingdom. It will

ultimately have no influence on this war. Their wyvern cavalry was likely

left behind in the Kingdom of Friedonia to harden their defenses."

"So they avoided our diversion, huh? Of course it was never gonna be

that easy."

"Naturally. We knew that from the outset. It's why we only sent a token

force to face the Euphoria Kingdom in order to keep them in check."

Hashim pointed to the south of the continent. "The real collision will

happen with the Republic, I'm sure."

◇ ◇ ◇

The fighting between the Maritime Alliance and the Great Tiger Empire

began on the southern front, with the Republic. Kuu had renamed the two

cities he'd snatched from Zem to Tarus and Leporus. (Naming the cities

after his darling wives was a very Kuu thing to do.) Leporus stood at the

tunnel that connected the area to Sapeur, the capital of the Republic, and

Tarus was positioned to back them up.

With Tarus on the front line, only fifty thousand soldiers from the former

Zem were attacking the city. Mercenary State Zem originally had a hundred

thousand soldiers, but their numbers dwindled during the annexation by the

Great Tiger Empire. Even with more men from the Great Tiger Empire's

main army reinforcing them, this was all they could field. However, as their

strategic objective was only to take two cities, this amount seemed

sufficient.

Meanwhile, the Republic had twenty thousand men garrisoned in Tarus

and another ten thousand in Leporus. The Republic had around seventy

thousand soldiers, but only a portion could be fielded here. Unlike the Great

Tiger Empire, who didn't have to watch their backs, the Republic was at

risk of the enemy bypassing them and going straight for their homeland, so

the rest were kept back. Everything was set up so reinforcements could be

sent as necessary, but Kuu was prepared to hold the cities with just these

thirty thousand men.

"Aw, yeah. We've got nothing but enemies as far as the eye can see. I

haven't seen anything like this since the demon wave."

Kuu looked down at the enemy camp from the high walls of Tarus with

a dauntless smile. His second wife, Leporina, and his buddy, Nike, both

sighed over their lord's behavior; neither was overly enthused.

"Oh, Master Kuu. How can you sound so carefree? You realize we have

to fight all of them, yes?"

"Looks like Big Brother Hashim is ready to take on the world too... Ugh,

what a pain."

Leporina was dressed in her archer outfit from when she was Kuu's

bodyguard, while Nike had his favorite spear resting against his shoulder.

Despite their grumbling, they'd long since resolved to fight.

Kuu smirked at the sour looks on their faces. "Ookyakya! Don't worry

so much. We had Taru give this city a crazy makeover just for this occasion

—even calling in a guest from the Euphoria Kingdom to help. You really

think a bunch of mooks who aren't even being led by Fuuga Haan will be

able to take this place?"

"Surely not!" came an energetic voice.

The three turned to the new arrival. It was Maria and Jeanne's younger

sister, Trill, the third daughter of the House of Euphoria. She'd been called

in from the Euphoria Kingdom for technical assistance.

"Taru and I have made every effort to make Kuu's absurd idea a reality.

This city is a symbol of the changing Republic. No country with rigid and

ossified values will be able to take it from us," Trill said, sounding

confident.

She was supposed to go home before the outbreak of war, but she

wanted to see if the systems she'd built functioned as intended. Plus, her

own nation might be exposed to the fires of war too, so Jeanne allowed her

to do as she pleased.

Trill's distinctive side-tail hairstyle shook as she cackled. "Hee hee, I'll

use my mechanisms to make all of these fellows from the Great Tiger

Empire cry for mercy."

Despite her great self-assurance, a messenger raced over to speak to her.

"Lady Trill! As we were testing the mechanisms, there was a

malfunction! The technology team is requesting you come urgently!"

"Heavens have mercy!" Trill shouted. "Excuse me, I have to go!"

She quickly took off, following the messenger. It wasn't a good look for

the princess.

"Is she gonna be okay like that...?" Kuu wondered aloud. Leporina gave

an exasperated shrug.

"It's because your requests were all so unreasonable, Master Kuu. It

would be cruel to blame Lady Trill."

"Nah, it's not like I'm holding it against her... Nike. Sorry, but could you

guard Miss Trill for me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure thing," Nike casually accepted, then followed behind

Trill, carrying his spear over his shoulder.

Left behind on the wall, Kuu and Leporina looked at the enemy army.

As he cracked his knuckles, Kuu said, "All right, time to make the

enemy pay for underestimating the Republic."

"Yes, I'd say it is." Leporina nodded in agreement. "I'd like to focus on

raising our children, but it's these people's fault I've had to return to the

battlefield instead. That makes me so mad! Let's work hard for our

children, Master Kuu!"

It hadn't been that long since Taru gave birth to her first child, and

Leporina gave birth to her first three. Kuu had meant to leave Leporina

behind in the capital too, not just Taru, but Leporina chose to fight by his

side rather than wait at home. Taru had even told her, "I'll look after the

children. So you look after Master Kuu, Leporina." The families of both

Taru and Leporina were also pitching in to watch over the kids.

Hearing Leporina's words, Kuu readied his cudgel and put on a

dauntless smile.

"Sure thing! All right, kiddos, Daddy and Mommy are gonna show you

how strong we are!"

"Yes!"

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, in the Great Tiger Empire's camp, Moumei, the Hammer of

the Tiger, was encouraging his soldiers. Moumei was a man of few words,

but his deep voice resounded in the bottoms of the men's stomachs.

"While we fought the Gran Chaos Empire, the Republic came in like

burglars and snatched those two cities away from us. O heroes of Zem! The

time has come for you to rescue these cities from the hands of those lowly

thieves!"

"""Yeahhhh!!!""" the soldiers cheered. Most were from the former Zem,

but their morale was high when facing the Republic.

There was one voice among them that was louder than all the rest.

"Aww, yeahhhh! It's finally time to fight!" shouted Nata Chima, the

Battle Ax of the Tiger. "Yeesh, I was pissed when they sent me away from

the decisive battle against Friedonia, but here I can go wild to my heart's

content! The guys in the Empire were a bunch of sticks in the mud who

weren't worth their bluster. I'll bet I can find some guys who'll keep me

entertained here!" Nata let out a boisterous laugh.

Fuuga and Hashim were looking to make the war with Friedonia quick

and decisive, which required mobility and adherence to orders. The forces

of the Great Tiger Empire had always had a high degree of mobility, but

they'd lose time if they stopped to fight strong enemies that they didn't

have to or got distracted with looting. If they couldn't stay focused and

bypass stronger cities, they wouldn't be able to maintain their highest

mobility.

There wasn't much time to bring every single soldier they came across

or gather up provisions from one fallen city before moving to the next.

Given what they were trying to do, Nata, who just wanted to fight strong

guys, would be in the way. If Nata charged the enemy's defenses where

they seemed strongest, then insisted on dragging the whole army with him

to break through, that would waste time for no good reason. This was why

he'd been sent to the Republic front, where he could go wild to his heart's

content.

Nata's eyes were sparkling with battle lust. "If I crush these jokers from

the Republic fast enough, I'll be able to join up with the main force! Once

the enemy's been broken, Moumei can defend the place himself, so my bro

Hashim can't really complain!"

The battle maniac's shortsighted thinking was on full display. Moumei,

meanwhile, was keeping a level head, observing the Republic's forces with

all due caution.

I've heard that our enemy, Kuu Taisei, looks up to Souma like a big

brother. If he's learned his lessons from Friedonia, then he will not be a

simple opponent. I'll have to wait and see what his first move is.

The former Zem was never a wealthy country, nor did it have many

expensive troops like an air force or those who used gunpowder weaponry.

But the Republic didn't have those things either, and their only counter to

the Great Tiger Empire's wyvern cavalry was to stay put in their fortresses

and use the anti-air repeating bolt throwers against them. In short, the air

force couldn't be a decisive factor in this war.

This is why outdated weapons can come in handy.

Moumei raised his hammer, then swung it down in the direction of

Tarus. "All forces! Rush towards that city! Move forward with the siege

weapons! Infantry, defend the rhinosauruses pulling the weapons as you

move forward!"

And so the assault on Tarus began.

Rhinosauruses pulled the trebuchets and siege towers from their camp.

They were brought out by Moumei from the warehouses in Zem City,

where they had laid dormant. These were useless on a battlefield dominated

by air power, but they still had utility during a battle devoid of an air force.

Moumei watched closely as his anachronistic weapons advanced.

Lord Fuuga is approaching this battle as if it were his last on the path to

hegemony... It's as if he is seeking one final glory, like those siege

weapons... Quite sensitive despite his rugged exterior, Moumei's thoughts

were with his distant lord. Even if that is the case, we will follow you to the

end! My lord, may you accomplish your long-cherished goal!

◇ ◇ ◇

"Ookyakya! The enemy's brought out something interesting!" Kuu said

with a hearty laugh, sticking his head out from the ramparts.

The siege battle had begun, and the Great Tiger Empire was flinging

arrows and magic at them from below.

"Master Kuu! It's dangerous sticking your head out!" Leporina thought

he was going to give her a heart attack. "Ah! Now!"

Leporina found a moment to stand up and loose her arrow at the enemies

swarming the walls. Her shots flew straight, piercing the throat of a man

commanding the soldiers from horseback. The commander fell from his

horse and lay motionless.

Kuu whistled with admiration. "Whew, you're as good as ever."

"Of course I am. I couldn't use my bow while I was pregnant, but I've

been training ever since I gave birth in order to get back into practice... Oh!

But..."

Leporina had been staying alert and watching for the enemy, but now

she turned a bright shade of red.

"Hm? Is something up?"

"Well...after giving birth, my figure changed. So, um, my breastplate's

size doesn't feel quite right..."

"R-Right... That sure sounds tough..."

This was too much information, and Leporina looked cute when she was

embarrassed, so Kuu turned red too.

"Whoa! Look out!"

Suddenly, Kuu jumped to shield Leporina with his body as stone tiles

fell from the wall. Leporina's eyes widened as she watched an enemy's fire

magic fly past them.

Once they were both sure of their safety, Kuu let out a sigh of relief.

"That wasn't a conversation we should be having on the battlefield,

huh...?"

"No, it wasn't..."

"And if we don't stop that thing, we're in for some trouble." As they

spoke, a siege tower guarded by soldiers approached. "All right, Leporina!

Send Trill the signal!"

"Okay!"

Leporina drew an arrow from the quiver on her back, selecting one with

a different arrow head than the others. Nocking it to her bow, she fired it at

an even higher angle towards the enemy. The arrow whistled as it fell.

"Here it is..." Trill tensed as she heard Leporina's signal arrow.

"What direction?" Taru asked.

"The messenger kui just came in! They're on the north side!"

"That's where Kuu and Leporina are... We'll activate the weapons on the

north side," Trill commanded. "Contact those we have standing by. Don't

activate the equipment all at once, but as the situation calls for it, based on

directions from the observers."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Watching the messenger run off, Trill prayed for Kuu and Leporina's

safety, then hurried to adjust the mechanism before her.

The siege tower rattled forward. The archers riding on top of the tower

fired at the tops of Tarus's walls to keep them from attacking the soldiers

and rhinosauruses pushing the tower below. Kuu, Leporina, and the others

protected themselves with shields or hid behind the ramparts. The soldiers

at the tower's base pressed on through intense resistance by the forces of

the Republic and were fighting their hardest to somehow make it to the

wall.

"Listen! There's no need to stop them from approaching! Lure them in

as close as you can!" Kuu ordered.

This ran counter to the expectations of the soldiers on the siege tower.

He wasn't ordering them to keep them away at all costs, but to bring them

closer. As a result, there were only sporadic attacks on the siege tower,

which made rapid progress towards the walls. Eventually, they got so close

that the defenders on the walls and the archers on the tower could see each

other's faces clearly.

"Okay! Once we make contact, climb the siege tower onto the walls, and

establish a bridgehead for our allies to—" As the commander giving orders,

Kuu suddenly leapt out from behind the walls to stand on the ramparts. His

eyes met those of the siege tower's commander. Kuu's dauntless smile gave

the man chills, and he forgot to finish his command.

"Thanks for coming all this way," Kuu addressed the siege tower's

soldiers. "I'd love to congratulate you, but this is as far as you go."

He raised his cudgel...

Boom!!! Crash!!!

A thick, square pillar shot out of the wall, smashing right through the

center of the approaching siege tower. The walls of Tarus were made of

square blocks, and one of the big ones had suddenly been propelled

outward.

"Ahhhh!"

"I'm falling! I'm falliiiing!"

The siege tower crumbled with its supports smashed, raining debris on

the soldiers below. The other approaching siege towers could also be seen

being crushed by stone pillars from the wall.

Kuu smiled at the sight. "Ookyakya! Did you see that?! Our walls aren't

just defensive!"

When Kuu gave Tarus and Leporus a makeover, he had Taru, Trill, and

the other technology team members implement many of his ideas. One of

them was installing these massive pile drivers that shot out of the walls. The

basic technology for the pile driver had already been established as one of

the pieces of equipment used in the fight with Ooyamizuchi.

"Why did they have to be actually useful...?" Leporina said with an

exasperated sigh.

The idea of walls that fight back was amusing, but the pile drivers were

completely useless unless some kind of massive enemy approached—like

the siege towers or perhaps a giant monster. Also, now that they'd been

seen, the enemy would come prepared next time. As a weapon that only

worked on those who hadn't seen it, even Taru, who built the things,

questioned their utility. Maybe the fact that he'd gotten results from such a

bizarre weapon was part of what made Kuu so amazing.

"But Master Kuu? I wouldn't expect them to work next time, you

know?"

Kuu blew off Leporina's comments with his monkey-like laugh. "Well,

think of it like stage magic. Once they know how the trick works, the

audience gets bored. That's why you've got to change your act regularly.

Make 'em think the pile driver's coming, and then...nope, nothing!

Wouldn't that be funny?"

"Just what are you fighting against, Master Kuu...?" Leporina gave him

an exasperated shrug.

It was reassuring to see him able to engage in casual banter like this

while facing a superpower like the Great Tiger Empire. Despite being

shorter than her, he looked so reliable, and Leporina wouldn't have had

anyone else as her husband or the leader of her country.

Kuu stretched his arms and then clapped his hands together.

"All right, let's show these folks from the Great Tiger Empire some

more fun!"

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, the Great Tiger Empire's trebuchets were attacking another

front. These weapons lacked the range cannons had but had the advantage

of throwing anything from cannonballs to rocks to explosive barrels to

grapeshot. The big thing, though, was that they were a low-cost option, so

Mercenary State Zem had collected quite a number of them.

Trill and her technology team were working on the final adjustments to

the portion of the wall that was facing a fierce attack.

"Lady Trill! The enemy's attacks are intense, and the damage to the

walls is growing!" screamed an engineering team member.

"I already know!" Trill shouted. "Just a little longer... And this

goes...here!"

With her work done, Trill pressed the button, and the curse ore battery

that was also used in the Little Susumu Mark V began sending energy to the

walls. After ensuring that it was working, a sense of relief washed over her.

She murmured, "Kuu certainly comes up with some surprising ideas.

Like, 'You know how the walls get attacked by siege weapons, right? Well,

why don't we have them move to avoid it?'"

With a rumble, the wall before her began to move, catching those on the

other side off guard.

"Wh-What?! Why is the wall moving?!" shouted a soldier.

"The wall! The wall is coming right at us!" yelled another.

This nightmarish scene threw the attacking soldiers from the Great Tiger

Kingdom into utter disarray. Additionally, fist-sized balls of lead rained

down from the wall, piercing the soldiers' armor and speeding up the

descent into chaos. In order to withstand enemy attacks and allow the men

to traverse across them, the walls of Tarus were built thick.

The idea was that a portion about half their thickness could detach from

the wall and attack like a self-powered siege tower using the principle of the

drill. This wall-type siege tower also had lion-dog guns (small cannons)

from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago installed to fire down at

enemies.

The Republic, much like the former Zem, was not a rich country.

However, thanks to trading medical equipment and marine products with

other countries of the Maritime Alliance, their economy had grown to be

much larger than the former Zem's. They could afford to operate these

kinds of gunpowder armaments now.

The wall-type siege tower advanced through the center of the fleeing

Great Tiger Empire troops, moving right up in front of the trebuchets.

Trebuchets and cannons were powerful weapons, but took a lot of time to

change targets. And aiming at something on the move was essentially

impossible.

As the soldiers guarding the trebuchets ran away, oil pots and hot coals

were thrown at them, burning all of the trebuchets until they fell apart.

"Thank goodness. It seems to have gone well."

Trill and her team watched the wall-type siege tower do its work through

a gap in the wall. The detachment of the siege tower left a square-shaped

indentation behind, but not a hole that went all the way through.

"But we can't simply stay and watch. We must head back at once!"

This spot, which was inside the wall just a little while ago, was exposed

to the outside now that the siege tower had detached. The forces of the

Great Tiger Empire were in disarray for now, but if they attacked, she and

her team of noncombatants would be helpless.

Trill urged her group to quickly evacuate through a little door that had

been installed for that purpose.

Whoosh... Slash! There was a sound like something cutting through the

air, and then one of the fleeing technicians was neatly bisected.

Trill stared in shock at the sudden splash of blood as a berserker carrying

an ax appeared on the other side of the slumping body.

"Was it you people?! Are you the ones trying to pull all these little

tricks?!" they snarled. It was the battle maniac of the Great Tiger Empire,

Nata. With eyes like a starving beast, oozing the desire to kill, and reeking

of bloodshed.

This was Trill's first time on a battlefield, and her knees gave out from

underneath her. This is crazy! Totally crazy, Big Sister Genia! She teared

up, trying to back away as she sat on the ground but cowering so hard that

her body wouldn't listen.

Nata continued striding towards her.

"You Maritime Alliance types all try to be so tricky! Just let me enjoy a

pure battle, would you!" he roared at her, raising his ax to strike.

I'm going to die, Trill thought as she screamed, "Save me, Big Sister!"

The faces of Maria, Jeanne, and Genia, who she looked up to like a

sister, flashed through her mind. Trill shut her eyes tight, imagining this was

what the moment just before death must be like. But then...

"At least call for someone who can come save you!" came a voice from

above her.

Trill's eyes snapped open, and Nata jumped backward just as he had

been about to swing the ax down on her. There stood a young man with a

spear in his hands, having thrust it into the ground where Nata had been

standing. If he'd reacted any slower, she'd have been skewered through the

brainpan.

Nata's eyes flashed with rage as he recognized who'd just dropped in.

"Why, you! Nike!"

"It's you, Nike!" Having recognized her rescuer, Trill cast a pleading

glance at him.

Ignoring his brother Nata, Nike looked at Trill and nodded.

"Don't do anything too reckless. I've already got my hands full serving

an eccentric master like Lord Kuu. If you heap more trouble on me, it's

going to give me stomachaches."

"I-I'm ever so sorry!"

As the two of them talked, Nata got mad at being ignored. "Hey, Nike!

You think you can oppose your big brother? Huh?!"

Nike pulled his spear from the ground and pointed it at Nata.

"Please, don't worry. Me, Big Sister Sami, and Ichiha all hate your guts.

So I feel no hesitation about striking you down here." He lowered his voice

to a whisper and said, "Big Sister Mutsumi and Big Sister Yomi aren't too

fond of you, for that matter..."

"Bullshit!"

Enraged, Nata swung his ax at Nike with enough power to split a rock.

Nike dodged like a matador evading a bull, then took a thrust at his

brother's flank. Nata knocked the swift thrust aside with just his fist. Then

he swung horizontally, intending to cleave Nike's torso in two. Nike jumped

out of the way, and swung his spear down on Nata's shoulder. Crack!

"Guh...!"

The shoulder of Nata's armor fractured, and he let out a grunt of pain.

But as Nike landed, Nata sent him flying with a heavy kick squarely to the

stomach. Thump!

"Urgh!"

It only took one kick to send Nike sailing high through the air. As he

fell, he adjusted his position and maneuvered to land next to Trill.

"A-Are you quite all right, Nike?" she asked him, sounding concerned.

"Tch! Whew... For someone who brags about nothing but his strength, I

guess this is about what I expected from my big brother," he quipped,

rubbing his stomach.

That kick could've taken him out of the fight instantly if it had hit him in

the wrong place, but of course, his current casual demeanor was part bluff.

Still, Nike managed to trade blows on an even footing with Nata.

"You think you can beat me?!" Nata spat.

"I don't think I'll lose. After all..."

Smack! This time, Nike kicked Nata. However, as Nata was built like a

boulder, he didn't move. Instead, Nike was sent flying backwards. But this

was what Nike had been aiming for, and he hadn't so much been trying to

kick Nata as use him as a stepping stone.

He landed next to Trill again. "Okay, looks like everything's ready..."

"Huh? Ready for what?" Trill blinked in confusion.

"I've got a brain, unlike my brother here!" Nike flashed a grin at Nata.

"Huh? What're you on about...?"

"Big Brother. With the siege tower out, you realize this is a square

indentation, right? You shouldn't attack a spot like this!"

As he said this, Nike scooped the fallen Trill up in his arms, then kicked

off the ground with his legs wreathed in wind magic. This jump carried

them about halfway up the wall, where Nike thrust his spear and hung from

it. As Nata stared in momentary disbelief, he heard the sound of wind

moving around him. Looking up, he saw countless arrows raining down.

From above, Nike shouted, "That sort of square indentation is an easy

target for concentrated fire from ranged weaponry! If you're a man of the

House of Chima, with our reputation for strategy and politics, you ought to

know that!"

"Damn you, Nikeeee!"

Nata was enraged by his brother's taunting, but not even he could

withstand this hail of arrows. Though many pierced him, he swung his ax

around to ward off fatal blows, then pulled out of the area.

After seeing his brother go, Nike let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. You saved me," said Trill, hanging in the air with him. "But

I would appreciate you escorting me in a somewhat more elegant manner.

I'll have you know I suffer from a fear of heights."

"What a demanding princess."

"Complain all you like, but I find all this swaying most unsettling—

ulp!"

Trill covered her mouth as she fought off a wave of nausea, causing

Nike to panic.

"Aghhhh! I'll do something about it right away, so hold it in a little

longer!" He quickly used his wind magic to race the rest of the way up the

wall.

Looking at his losses in this siege battle, Moumei concluded it would be

difficult to wrest the two cities from the Republic with just this army and

shifted his strategy to encirclement. At the very least, he would keep the

Republic out of Souma and Fuuga's battle.

Kuu had prepared a defense, but he felt the risk of an attack was too

great, so both sides ended up staring each other down. From there on, this

front would enter a stalemate.

◇ ◇ ◇

While a vigorous back and forth struggle unfolded on the Republic front,

there was another battlefield with no movement at all. That would be the

Euphoria Kingdom front.

The Great Tiger Empire force here was led by Shuukin Tan, the Sword

of the Tiger, with chief bureaucrat Lumiere acting as his second-incommand. Their allies on the Father Island of the Spirit Kingdom had also

sent Princess Elulu, who adored Shuukin, and a number of high elf

volunteer soldiers.

On the side of the Euphoria Kingdom were soldiers led by Queen Jeanne

herself, with Prime Minister Hakuya and General Gunther's support. This

army also included Sami Chima, the librarian of the great library in Valois

Castle, who had joined them, saying, "I won't let the Great Tiger Empire

take my place of solace...or the people I care about from me ever again."

Piltory. The Kingdom of Friedonia's resident ambassador in the Euphoria

Kingdom was also on their side as a guest commander.

The two armies were spread out with mountains and forests on either

side, but the center was an open field used for agriculture with just a single

little house standing on it. They faced each other down on either side of the

field, each side having around fifty thousand soldiers, but there was no sign

of combat breaking out. While both sides were prepared to react instantly to

any move by their opponent, neither showed any sign of moving

themselves.

More than that, the aforementioned commanders were gathered in the

Western-style farmhouse between the two armies. Now, as for what they

were doing there, while a hundred thousand men stared down across the

anticipated battlefield...

"Lord Shuukin. Would you care for another cup of tea?"

"Oh, thank you, Madam Anzu."

"Will you be having tea or coffee, Lady Jeanne?"

"Thank you, Madam Shiho. I think I'll have coffee."

Next to a small brook, in front of a shed with a water wheel attached to

it, Jeanne, Hakuya, Shuukin, Lumiere, and Elulu were sitting at a large table

and enjoying a spot of tea. Serving them were Piltory's wives, the sisters

Anzu and Shiho.

Both sides had brought their bodyguards (Gunther, Sami, and Piltory

were included), but the guards simply stood there. Things felt relaxed, and

they didn't bother with more than cursory poison testing.

Because everyone deployed to this front was a sharp, analytical thinker,

they understood the situation clearly. Victory or defeat here wouldn't have

an effect on the larger war.

Shuukin's role was to prevent the Euphoria Kingdom from attacking

them from the west side of the continent. The most concerning scenario for

him would be an invasion by the Euphoria Kingdom, causing panic among

the main force that Fuuga was leading to attack the Kingdom of Friedonia.

Meanwhile, Jeanne was very concerned about whether Shuukin's forces

would push them back and then boast about how ineffective the Maritime

Alliance was, putting cracks in her ability to coordinate with her allies. That

would disadvantage Souma, who was fighting in the east. For that reason,

she needed to stop Shuukin and his men's invasion here.

In short, both sides had three things in common: defense was their

highest priority, they couldn't afford to lose the battle, and the final result

would be decided by the direct showdown between Souma and Fuuga.

Even if Shuukin were to invade, he would not face an easy war against

Queen Jeanne and the Black-robed Prime Minister Hakuya. If he let his

guard down, he expected they would trip him up. He also believed that,

with their recently reorganized army, Jeanne and Hakuya would be at their

limits just defending, and they couldn't manage a counteroffensive.

Since both sides understood that a battle would cause unnecessary

bloodshed, they discussed and agreed to keep things calm here until the

battle in the east was settled.

"Jeanne. Will these conditions be acceptable?"

"Yes. I don't mind, Lumi," Jeanne said as she accepted the paperwork.

It was a contract with signatures from both Jeanne and Shuukin.

To summarize: it stipulated that if the Kingdom of Friedonia was

defeated by the Great Tiger Empire, the Euphoria Kingdom would

immediately surrender. If the Great Tiger Empire was defeated by the

Kingdom of Friedonia, Shuukin and his men would withdraw. Until then,

neither side would move their troops or engage in looting.

Jeanne looked through the paperwork, then passed it to Hakuya, sitting

beside her.

While Hakuya read, Jeanne spoke to Shuukin. "I've heard many of the

Great Tiger Empire's warriors are bloodthirsty. I'm grateful that it was you

and Lumi, who are capable of thinking through things in a rational way,

who came here."

"Well, we have a lot of people who live in the moment, after all. If this

front had been left to someone who failed to understand the importance of

maintaining our battle lines, paired with the low priority of victory here, I

suspect you all would've run circles around them," Shuukin said with a wry

smile. "Anyway, you're quite sure the terms are acceptable? If we lose, we

withdraw, but if they lose, you surrender. It hardly seems like a fair deal to

me."

"There's not much helping that," Hakuya responded. "This is the most

you can promise us, Sir Shuukin. Further compensation in the event of a

Maritime Alliance victory will be negotiated after the war. However, if

King Souma is defeated, the Euphoria Kingdom lacks the power to stand

alone against the Great Tiger Empire. We'll have no choice but to

surrender."

"You say that so easily... It's as if you don't think you could lose."

"Neither myself, Queen Jeanne, nor King Souma fights battles we

cannot win," Hakuya said with a calm expression on his face. His audacity

brought a slightly sharper look to Shuukin's eyes.

"Hey, hey, Lord Shuukin! These cream puffs are super delicious!" Elulu

proclaimed as she scarfed them down next to him. This caused all the

tension in the air to rapidly dissipate.

Shuukin held his temples and let out a sigh. "Elulu... I'm begging you,

please, take this a little more seriously."

"You say that, Lord Shuukin, but with food this good in front of me, I

have to savor it. I hear this cream filling uses bean tea (coffee) from the

Spirit Kingdom."

"The Maritime Alliance trades with the Mother Island, after all," Jeanne

said, regarding Elulu with a smile.

After that, Jeanne turned to look at Lumiere again. Lumiere looked back

at her, their gazes colliding. There was a tense look on both their faces.

They had been the best of friends once, but Lumiere betrayed Maria and

Jeanne to side with the Great Tiger Empire. There were probably people in

the Euphoria Kingdom who detested her and all the other commanders and

nobles who'd switched sides, but Jeanne couldn't bring herself to hate a

former friend that badly. Especially knowing that their withdrawal was

something that Maria had intended to happen.

As for Lumiere, she had stayed true to her beliefs. No matter what she

might be called as a result, she had no regrets about having split the two of

them. However, having experienced a small part of the responsibility Maria

had once borne, she had a new respect for her former sovereign. Neither

hated the other as much as they probably should have in their current

positions.

As awkward as the situation was, Jeanne hesitantly opened her mouth.

"Lumi... Um...have you been eating properly?"

"What? You're starting with that? I'd expect it from a father who doesn't

know what to say to his adolescent daughter, but not you."

"Well, you look like you've lost weight."

"I have more work on my shoulders than when I was in the Empire...

And now I understand just how incredible Lady Maria was. To know she

carried it all on her own shoulders is just amazing... It's so exhausting."

"Yeah. I've been having the same realization myself."

They both sighed.

Lumiere looked straight at Jeanne. "I don't regret the path I chose. The

fact is, the Demon Lord's Domain was liberated."

"But...I hear you took considerable losses forcing your way in. If we had

understood the demons—the Seadians—properly...couldn't we have

avoided spilling blood entirely?"

"I understand that that's what Lady Maria was looking to do. But you

can only argue that in hindsight. When there's a future that you can reach

without bloodshed, but you never know when it will come, and a future you

can strive for right now, even if it means blood will have to flow...it's up for

debate which you should choose."

"That's true... I understand that. Ultimately, we had different ways of

looking at things. It's just...I worry that you're overworking yourself."

"Oh, I am overworking myself. If I don't do at least that much, I

wouldn't be able to face you sisters." Lumiere smiled slightly. "I know it's

coming late, but congratulations on your wedding. Jeanne."

"Th-Thank you... It's rather embarrassing when you say that so

formally."

"I always knew you'd marry an older man. You always had this mature

aura around you."

"Y-Yeah, you were always into younger men, right, Lumi? Have you

found anyone good?"

"Urkh... W-Well, it's not like I don't have anyone in mind."

"Oho. I'd love to hear the details."

""Ahem.""

""Huh?!""

As their conversation gradually drifted into girls' talk, Hakuya and

Shuukin loudly cleared their throats. An awkward silence followed soon

after.

Elulu watched them with amusement as she reached for another cream

puff. Shuukin tried to move things along by talking to Hakuya.

"You know, I was quite surprised to find the Black-robed Prime

Minister, Sir Hakuya, over here. I was sure you'd be at King Souma's side."

"I already gave my overall commands, and individual issues are better

addressed by Duchess Walter or Julius the White Strategist. Besides, my

successor, Sir Ichiha, is there, so I expect they should have no issues despite

my absence."

"You're reminding me how many people the Kingdom of Friedonia

has... And Lady Mutsumi's younger brother, Sir Ichiha, is your successor?"

"Yes. He's a young man fit to carry the next generation."

"The next generation, huh... I envy your ability to say that." There was a

slight sadness in Shuukin's expression as he spoke. "For us, my lord and

friend, Fuuga Haan is simply too blindingly brilliant. He's the great man

who rapidly built us up from a minor nation to a great empire. Everyone

understands that no one could ever take Lord Fuuga's place."

"You saw how it was with Lady Maria... You understand, don't you,

Jeanne?" Lumiere asked.

"I suppose I do..." Jeanne nodded. "My sister certainly shone brightly in

her time as empress. If you asked me to live up to her glory, I'd find it

difficult. I have a lot of hard thinking to do even now, with the country

reduced in size."

"Yeah...which is why I wanted us to do as much as possible while Lady

Maria still shined. But that wasn't what Lady Maria wanted..."

"I think now...I can understand how it must have felt for you, Lumi."

When a ruler shines brilliantly, the fear of losing their radiance can lead

to a narrowing of perspective. People try to do something while that light

lasts and don't think about what will come after. The charisma of leaders

like Maria and Fuuga drove those around them to that point. No one could

say that was bad, but...

"If I could say just one thing..." Hakuya began, and everyone paid

attention. "I'm glad that our King Souma is so plain. He is still

irreplaceable, but at least the people will be able to think optimistically.

'Well, there are many others who are more talented and stand out more than

him, so surely someone can take over for him.'"

As Hakuya spoke of his ruler's blandness with a shrug, everyone smiled

wryly.

They all thought, Maybe a ruler like that is fine too.

All was quiet on the western front...