"Bring it."
"No."
Berze shook his head.
"First time seeing it."
"You truly have never seen it before?"
Daphner Philian thrust her head forward.
"Never."
"Are you sure?"
He had seen it. Twice, in fact.
He had watched Daphner Philian from the tower's authority when she had approached in search of the Tower, and he had also encountered her when he and Ernan robbed the secret vault of the Hilderan nobles.
Of course, back then Berze and Ernan had covered their faces as much as possible with their robes.
"You're getting annoying. Are you picking a fight?"
"Lady Daphner Philian. Lord Pale is my companion. Further discourtesy would be troublesome."
"...If that's the case, then my apologies. I must have been mistaken."
The aura felt familiar.
She muttered reluctantly and turned her head away.
'I'll need to be careful.'
She had never seen his face—so she must have sensed his aura. At the very least, as long as this subjugation war continued, he needed to keep his aura tightly under control.
"When did you meet Daphner Philian before?"
"I never did."
He shook his head at Hillen's whisper.
"Are you sure?"
"Do you want to die?"
"Ahem, no."
"Oh, and there's another one as well…"
"Why are you looking at me like—… wait."
Logar's face crumpled. At that moment, a woman with blue eyes and blue hair descended lightly from above.
"That fucking bitch?"
"You still insist on calling me such crude names."
Her face was hideous.
A lilting, delicate laugh sounded. Passing Daphner Philian, she smiled sweetly toward Hillen and Berze.
"Hero, Hillen Cargill. This is our first time meeting in person. I'm Aina Diaphrine."
"It's an honor to meet you. I am Hillen Cargill. To meet the famed Water Magician in person is a privilege."
"So the rumor about your smooth tongue was true. Very different from the gorilla standing next to you."
"Why do people insist on saying they want to die but in roundabout ways?"
Flames surged. At the same time, water splashed upward. Right before the opposing forces collided, Hillen and Daphner Philian cut off the flow of mana.
"I understand that the two of you don't get along, but consider the time and place, please?"
"There are royal family members right over there."
At that, Logar Charrent ground his teeth and dispelled his magic.
"I was simply defending myself, mind you?"
Aina shrugged.
"But who might this one be?"
"Pale."
"So he's the one people call Logar's man?"
"…What did you say?"
"Oh, just a figure of speech. Honestly, I wondered how amazing a human's mana could truly be."
This must be real.
No wonder Logar and the Kingdom of Acan are losing their minds over him.
"As the rumors say—you really are like a spirit. It's unpleasant that you resemble a Fire Spirit, but still. How does one obtain mana like this?"
Pure mana alters a spell's density and quality. More amplification, faster casting, more reliable effectiveness.
For magicians—and truly, for anyone who wields mana, including knights—obsessing over purer mana was far from strange.
"Should I tell you?"
"It would be nice if you did."
"Get lost."
"If you can't say it here…"
Aina stepped closer. A pale-white hand stroked Berze's shoulder. Her blue eyes gazed at him with soft pressure.
"How about telling me somewhere else? I'm fine with anywhere."
A giddy, excited seduction.
"Do you always get what you want like this?"
"It depends on who the other person is."
The hand on his shoulder slid gently toward his cheek. Berze slapped it away.
"At the very least, you're not someone I'd consider."
"Do you not know who I am?"
"Should I?"
"I doubt you really don't know."
Her eyes curved into a gentle arc.
"Fine. I'm not desperate enough to cling to someone who doesn't want me."
"You really do love singing your own praises."
"A man who stays cold to the end isn't particularly attractive."
"And a woman who clings pathetically to the end isn't attractive either."
"...No one has ever treated me like this."
"What's with that cheesy theater tone? Are you not embarrassed saying that out loud?"
"Most men melt at this point."
"Don't annoy me. Just get lost."
"Well, the canyon is wide and chances are many."
Diana left with a disappointed expression. Daphner Philian followed after.
"They don't get along?"
"No."
"They're not dragons—so it's not actually because one's fire and one's water, right?"
"...There are a number of reasons, but at the root of it, yes."
"What a ridiculous joke."
"Still, you can't ignore their abilities."
"That much is obvious."
A woman on the same level as Logar Charrent, a Grand Magician. Meaning Aina was also a Grand Magician with seven engravings.
And then—
"A monster…?"
An ogre leaping down the canyon wall fell to the ground completely roasted.
The mercenary who had been shouting the monster warning froze with a stupid expression.
As if that weren't enough, fireballs fell upon the distant monsters.
A catastrophe unfolded before the trolls' eyes.
"She seems quite angry."
"At least she won't half-ass the fighting."
I didn't like how she'd been slacking since she wasn't getting paid, but this isn't bad.
"Before we reach the central point, I should consider letting the two of them clash again."
"Are you a devil?"
"'Devil' is a name humans invented because they feared the demon race too much."
Berze smiled in satisfaction.
***
"You've spent a great deal of money."
The Third Prince murmured as he examined the Second Prince's troop composition.
"Why wouldn't I spend what overflows?"
To hire over a thousand mercenaries—no one could even imagine how much coin he had thrown into this.
And these weren't mediocre sellswords either.
"Is that so?"
"Would you abandon the throne just because you didn't want to waste money on mercenaries?"
"Brother, why do you want to become Emperor?"
"It's more ridiculous to think one needs a reason to become Emperor."
The Second Prince pulled a strip of jerky from his coat and chewed on it.
"With that kind of half-hearted spirit, how about you just drop out? If you hand all your supporting nobles to me, I'll take responsibility for your retirement."
"I cannot force them. And I have no intention of giving up."
"Hillen Cargill came to you and you hid him for quite a while. What were you preparing?"
"Ask our eldest brother. He'll answer you."
"So you were preparing something to use against the undead. And you unleashed it on the ones who attacked you?"
"Yes."
"Kekeke… I'm really starting to wonder what that damned eldest brother of mine looks like right now."
With a shallow laugh, bits of jerky scattered everywhere. Martin brushed the flecks from his face without a change in expression.
"Anyway, you know where you're going, right?"
Floyan glanced sideways at Hillen behind him.
"Have you ever driven a carriage before?"
"What nonsense is this?"
"There's a saying among coachmen. 'If you don't say anything, go straight.'"
"What bullshit?"
"All we need to do is go straight. If we need to turn, Hillen Cargill will tell us."
"If that's the case, then good…"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you won't regret joining forces with me. Isn't that the biggest reason you're doing this?"
"Hmph, you really are smart. Daphner Philian is finding the path quickly, but she's still not as good as Hillen Cargill, who actually knows the route."
Still, surprising…
"I always thought Hillen Cargill would likely side with you since he sought you out first. But how did you recruit Logar Charrent? No amount of money can make her move."
"She doesn't look at money."
"I know that. I'm asking about the other thing."
"It's a secret."
In truth, he had nothing to tell. He wasn't the one who recruited Logar Charrent in the first place.
"As your older brother, let me give you some advice. Between brothers, it's best not to have secrets."
"Then could you tell me the location of the secret vault owned by the Blue Rose Merchant Guild?"
"Tch. You used to be cute—there was some pleasure in dragging you around."
"You always tried to make me your subordinate, brother…"
Fwoosh—
An arrow sliced through the air.
Clang—
A knight guarding the Second Prince deflected it.
"…sir."
That was only the beginning. Dozens of arrows poured down all at once. Stones dropped on them from above the canyon.
"Ambush!"
"Block it!"
Magicians raised defensive barriers around the royals and nobles. Soldiers lifted shields to block the arrows, and knights struck aside falling stones.
"Which bastard—!"
"Your Highness! Are you unharmed?"
"I'm fine. Capture them at once and drag them before me!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The Second Prince's knights and mercenaries charged after the attackers.
"Perfect timing, you bastards."
Logar Charrent, who had been looking for something to vent her anger on, flew into the air. Brilliant flames dyed the canyon crimson.
"After two battles, Marlene stopped bothering me. These must be your elder brother's dogs chasing after you?"
"Yes."
"No wonder. Even with Hillen Cargill, I thought it was strange how slow you were."
Tch. The Second Prince clicked his tongue.
"As your elder brother, another piece of advice. Arrogant pests should be wiped out to the root. Show mercy and you end up with annoyances like this."
"I understand."
"Understanding and actually acting on it are two different things—and only fools fail to act."
"Exterminating them would delay us too long."
"In that case, I'll do it. Think of it as a gift for this temporary alliance."
You're guiding me well, after all.
A moment later, Daphner Philian, who had driven off the attackers, returned to Floyan's side.
"Sir Daphner."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I'll give you all the mercenaries. Can you pursue them to the end and annihilate them?"
"There is no one who can escape my sight. Especially in a place overflowing with monsters like this."
"Confidence is good. Let's hope your skill matches it."
"At the very least, I earn every coin Your Highness pays me."
"They are likely knights of House Osrian."
"In a place like this, mercenaries outperform knights. And above all—You have me, do you not?"
"Very well."
"Your Highness! Forgive me, but if you send everyone after them—"
A guard knight urgently tried to stop Floyan. Realizing what he was worried about, Floyan snorted.
"Better to do it thoroughly than half-heartedly. And I know my brother better than anyone. Isn't that right?"
"Of course."
"Even if that weren't true—are my knights that weak?"
"No, Your Highness!"
"We will give our lives to protect you!"
Daphner Philian led the Second Prince's army in pursuit of the attackers. Logar Charrent, still unsatisfied with her earlier venting, joined as well.
"We will keep moving. They'll catch up on their own."
—A week later.
Dust-covered Daphner Philian returned.
"I could not completely annihilate them. But nature will finish what remains."
The only survivors were a few members of the White Lion Knight Order, and those had stepped into the territory of monsters far beyond their level and abandoned the chase, Daphner explained.
***
"Contact is cut off?"
"Yes."
"Floyan and Martin joined forces, and Daphner Philian led the pursuit. And that was the end."
Rufus showed clear displeasure.
"The White Lion Knight Order does nothing but disappoint me."
Even if it was Daphner Philian, even if the elite forces of House Boulderbov and the mercenaries joined together—
The White Lions had a reputation that should have meant more than this. It was disappointing.
"What shall we do?"
"It doesn't matter. The competition is already over."
Though they were disappointing, the White Lion Knights had not been entirely useless.
They stalled the Third Prince long enough, and even after the two princes joined forces, they forced the Second Prince to dedicate nearly his entire army to pursuit, increasing the monsters' pressure upon him.
That was enough.
At least for now—they had not yet arrived.
"Marlene. Don't become a burden this time."
"Hmph. I should say the same to you, Your Highness. Try not to get in my way."
Marlene Jespine, with long golden hair down to her waist, glared at Rufus.
Rufus gave no reply—he simply stared forward.
Thousands. A massive horde of white bones greeted them.
"Interesting."
He had suspected it ever since the guide the fortress lord provided mentioned fewer monsters than usual. But seeing it in person was something else entirely.
Annoying. And troublesome.
"Sir."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The Great Hero bowed his head.
"Does your earlier boast still stand?"
"Of course."
"With that many?"
"No matter how many there are, they are merely undead."
"Reliable."
"Your Highness, we are also here. We shall slaughter them all and bring you the heads of their necromancers."
The knights proclaimed their loyalty one after another.
"Very good."
"Instead of this pathetic contest of loyalty, how about we fight already? They've come right up to us."
Marlene Jespine rolled her eyes.
"You heard her."
At the same moment—
Boom—!
The Great Hero kicked off the ground. A colossal aura burst forth along his massive greatsword.
With a single swing, an entire flank of the undead collapsed.
It was a sight no one would believe a single human could produce.
"Go. Bring me their heads."
The First Prince crossed his arms. Marlene Jespine clicked her tongue and personally led the knights into a charge.
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