Chapter 137 - Discarded Cards

Lutenia had grown up under his father, a commander, and had always lived by one principle.

War is decided by numbers.

No matter how exceptional a knight may be, no matter if they are a hero capable of defeating a hundred foes alone, before a war they are ultimately nothing more than a single number.

Lutenia had studied to become a commander, and his own experience had thoroughly taught him that truth.

Had he possessed sufficient knowledge about monsters, he could have barely surpassed Olivia and become the Chief of Staff himself.

As he entered this battlefield, three things astonished him.

’Dragon Spawn.’

The first was the Dragon Spawn.

Luri, Grand Duchess Valdrova’s Attendant, and the administrator Isabella.

Having lived through a long era of peace and spent most of his life within the Imperial Capital, he had never truly witnessed their power.

He knew that Luri had descended like a comet and broken through the Empire’s Magic Circle.

Not only did she possess overwhelming physical strength, but she could also emit Dragon Fear just like a true dragon. It was widely believed that anyone who fought her head-on would inevitably struggle.

How many Imperial Mages and officials had been executed because of that incident?

’As expected of Silverwind’s descendant—she’s incredibly fast and powerful.’

In fact, she was more than capable of dealing with the monsters by herself.

Even though she deliberately held herself back compared to the other humans, it was obvious to the eye.

His gaze then shifted to the other Dragon Spawn, Isabella.

’As expected of Iorga’s descendant—precise and exceptionally skillful.’

Using Water Magic, she continuously reinforced the weak points of their formation, preventing it from collapsing.

Luri and Isabella.

With just those two alone, it almost felt as though these monsters could be eliminated in no time.

However, there was an obvious reason why that was not happening.

This was a human war.

The core of this operation was the Magitech Infantry.

The objective was to verify just how effective soldiers equipped with Magitech Rifles—the Tactical Infantry—would be in human warfare.

’These Magitech Rifles... they’re certainly powerful.’

That was the second thing that surprised him.

He had already rated them highly when he first saw them, yet even that evaluation had turned out to be an underestimate.

It meant that even without elite personnel like knights or mages, they could fulfill one of the most important roles in warfare.

That fact alone gave them immeasurable value.

’If they’re refined a little more... and simplified...’

They would not merely serve to kill monsters.

They could become a decisive force in wars between humans as well.

As someone born into a commander’s family, his desire for conquest naturally began to rise.

’And the man leading all of this...’

He casually turned his head toward the third factor.

There stood a man with gray hair and blue eyes, casting magic while mounted on horseback.

’Ferda Valdrova...’

The Dragon Spawn were astonishing.

The Tactical Infantry’s value was astonishing.

But neither of them compared to Ferda.

Because he was the one carrying all of it.

’He’s only nineteen years old...’

The fiancé of Grand Duchess Valdrova.

By all accounts, he should have been the most hopeless of failures.

Yet the Dragon Spawn followed him, and he had even created weapons capable of fighting the Demon Race.

And that wasn’t all.

Ferda himself was an outstanding mage.

In just a single year, he had reached the Four-Star Mage level.

Not only that, but he had gathered First- and Second-Circle mages—people who were barely considered mages at all—and drawn genuine value out of them.

’Those aren’t things an ordinary failure could ever accomplish.’

Just what kind of place was House Rosnova that they would cast out a man like him?

His curiosity became so strong that he was about to start making small talk.

"Commander Lutenia."

Ferda called out to him, cutting off his thoughts.

Caught completely off guard, Lutenia blurted out a foolish response.

"Y-Yes?"

"Wouldn’t now be a good time to advance? It seems we’ve cleaned things up to a certain extent."

Ferda asked politely.

As he had said, the number of monsters had been greatly reduced, and the brood mothers were now exposed.

If they intended to advance, now was the perfect opportunity.

Lutenia raised his sword high into the air and shouted,

"Split into two battalions and advance! Secure the brood mothers!"

And so they successfully secured two colossal monsters.

Isabella sent the news through the Communication Crystal before reporting to Ferda and the Operations Staff Officer.

"It appears the 1st Regiment has also completed its objective without much difficulty."

"What about the other sectors?"

"The Far East Labor Union and Eri’s adventurer party have also completed their objectives. They’re all waiting for orders."

Everything was prepared.

Lutenia gave the order.

"Tell them to begin."

"Understood."

A small number of troops were selected to bring down the colossal monsters.

A Fifth-Circle mage was needed to charge the Supernova.

Alongside them were five knights whose role was to escort the mage and strip away the monsters’ thick outer shells.

The Fifth-Circle mages assigned to the 2nd Regiment were the sinister witch Echidna and Administrator Isabella.

Isabella, being a Dragon Spawn, naturally gave off a friendly atmosphere, so there were no problems.

Echidna, however, was a different story.

"Hehehe... Maybe it’s because you’re Imperial people, but there are so many handsome men..."

The sinister witch’s laugh was nothing like the shy giggle of a maiden standing before men.

The knights were horrified.

’I never imagined I’d live long enough to escort a witch.’

’O holy light of purification, protect us from that wicked witch’s curse.’

Even so, as professionals, they showed no outward disgust as they protected her.

Every one of them had already equipped the Anti-Demonic Resistance amulets provided by the Blue Eye.

"From this moment onward, everything depends on your roles! May fortune be with you!"

The designated mages and knights each advanced toward their assigned colossal monster.

After forming an encirclement, the knights and mages closed in.

The elite knights’ razor-sharp Aura smoothly peeled away the monsters’ outer shells.

And at the border of the Grand Duchy, six stars exploded into the sky.

***

While the soldiers basked in the joy of their first victory, the staff officers gathered for a meeting.

They had won the battle, but not the war.

Because of the distance, they communicated through the Communication Crystals that had been distributed earlier.

Olivia spoke with a satisfied voice.

"The first phase of the operation has proceeded smoothly."

The first phase had been to overwhelm the enemy with superior firepower and boost the army’s morale.

"Is it a festive atmosphere over there as well?"

"It feels like a second Festival of the Beginning of Spring. If we keep pressing forward like this, I believe we can eliminate them all without suffering significant casualties."

"I agree."

However, Olivia still seemed dissatisfied.

Sensing it, Lutenia carefully asked,

"If the Chief of Staff has a better plan, we will gladly adopt it."

"This is something worth discussing with the Operations Staff Officer, so I’ll say it. Judging from what I’ve seen, I think we’ve deployed too many troops."

"Looking at the results, I have to admit you’re right."

Lutenia thought the same.

The soldiers gathered here were elite knights.

Although each had mastered different combat styles and martial arts, they all shared the same solid fundamentals.

Once commands were issued, obeying orders and acting as one was their very foundation.

"So, I believe it’s time to take a bolder approach."

"What exactly do you mean?"

"As expected, the colossal monsters are beginning to display abnormal behavior."

It was exactly what they had anticipated.

The reason they had attacked all six colossal monsters simultaneously was to minimize the damage should the monsters behave unpredictably.

"Another thing—we’ve confirmed that the monsters are spreading out. Unlike before, when they marched toward the Empire, they’re now dispersing in every direction."

"So instead of gathering together, they’re scattering... They’re practically a plague."

"They are a plague. They’re creatures that consume the continent."

Olivia’s voice was filled with anger.

"Still, fortunately, everything is unfolding exactly as I predicted."

Unlike those who had insisted the monsters would protect the brood mothers, Olivia had argued they would instead scatter.

It was the scenario she had predicted after spending an entire month continuously studying monster behavior and historical records.

"Which means we can respond accordingly. The current situation couldn’t be better. This is the time to be ambitious."

Ambitious.

After gaining command authority and the Tactical Infantry, what more could she possibly want?

"What kind of ambition?"

"If the monsters refuse to gather together, I intend to divide our forces once more. One force will become a suppression battalion to eliminate the colossal monsters, while the other will become pursuit battalions that chase down and destroy the monsters spreading toward the small villages."

They had already divided into groups of roughly a thousand men, and now she wanted to split them again.

"Based on what we’ve confirmed, the Tactical Infantry have proven exceptionally valuable. I believe groups of around four hundred soldiers can safely engage the monsters."

"But in the worst-case scenario..."

"I’ve already accounted for the worst-case scenario when deciding that number. The main force will be able to hold out."

If Olivia was confident the main force would remain safe, then Lutenia could trust that assessment.

"I personally have no objections, but..."

Lutenia looked toward each platoon commander.

Every single one avoided his gaze, reluctant to volunteer.

This was the perfect chance to earn military merit, yet none of them stepped forward.

Naturally.

Capturing a colossal monster was both safer and far more rewarding than saving a few dozen villagers in scattered settlements.

Those small villages were nothing more than discarded cards.

Even if a few hundred people died there, it would not become a serious problem.

"If the 2nd Regiment opposes the proposal, then I won’t press the matter any further."

Had Olivia stopped there, they might truly have abandoned the idea.

"As the Imperial Princess, and as a commander who has drawn her sword to defend this land, I simply do not wish to let a single life be wasted."

Though her voice was gentle, her words were forcing upon them the duties of nobles and knights.

She had likely persuaded the 1st Regiment the very same way.

In the silence where no one dared speak, someone finally stepped forward.

"The 2nd Regiment will participate as well."

The volunteer was Ferda.

"So Regent Ferda intends to go personally? That would weaken your fighting strength..."

"The Operations Staff Officer is already directing the battle. Even if Luri and I leave, I don’t believe it will create any significant problems."

That was precisely why they had fought so conservatively from the beginning.

Leaving only the Tactical Infantry behind would still be enough to handle the situation.

"As you said, before I am the Regent of a Grand Duchy, I am first a citizen of the Empire. I cannot simply stand by and watch fellow citizens die."

"Thank you, Regent. Then I’ll consider it settled that the 2nd Regiment will also organize pursuit battalions to eliminate the monsters."

More discussion followed afterward, but nothing particularly important was said.

Once the meeting concluded, everyone returned to their own tents to prepare for the next day’s march.

When Ferda entered his tent, his personal Communication Crystal emitted a transmission signal.

"Can you hear me?"

It was Olivia.

Perhaps because he had spent so long listening to Chief of Staff Olivia’s professional voice, hearing her speak in a softer, more feminine tone felt strangely different.

"I can hear you clearly."

"As expected, they’re all cowards. With so little courage, I don’t know what makes them think they can win my favor."

Men who were all talk.

Olivia muttered quietly.

"Did you contact me just to gossip behind their backs?"

"It’s called breaking the ice through a shared topic of interest. Let’s hold our own private strategy meeting."

A private meeting.

There was actually something he had wanted to ask her.

"You said you wanted to protect the small villages. Was that really your true objective?"

No one calculated profit and loss faster than Olivia.

She knew perfectly well that the villages themselves held little strategic value.

If she had insisted on this operation, then she must have been aiming for something else.

"Of course not."

Just as he expected.

"I have another objective."

"And what would that be?"

"As the saying goes, when an age of chaos arrives, extraordinary people emerge. I intend to draw out one of those hidden extraordinary individuals."

Did she really believe such a person was hiding in one of those small villages?

"Who is it?"

"The Sage of Water, Hellus Fovidas."

"...Ah."

The moment he heard that name, Ferda let out an exclamation.

Hellus, the Sage who had appeared like a comet.

How much effort had people gone through just to win his favor?

The Empire was no different.

Even the Imperial Princes competing for the right of succession had desperately tried to recruit him.

It seemed Olivia intended to seize the opportunity before anyone else.

"Now that I think about it, he was living somewhere in the Eastern Region."

"So Regent Ferda knew about him as well."

"I did."

"Most people become excited or at least nervous upon hearing the Sage of Water’s name, but you seem rather indifferent, Regent. Is he not that significant a person to you?"

Well...

That was because he had already taken the real substance from him long ago.

Judging from Olivia’s words, she still seemed unaware that the current Hellus was nothing more than a puppet, so Ferda simply dodged the question.

"If you’re trying to recruit this Sage, wouldn’t it be better for Your Highness, the Imperial Princess, to go instead of me?"

"Based on my analysis, he does seem to have a rather... lecherous side. They say he absolutely loves blonde women with blue eyes and large breasts... Doesn’t that description remind you of someone? Hehe."

"..."

"I’m joking, just joking. You could’ve just laughed it off, but your silence is making this awkward. Are you like this even when you’re talking with Her Grace the Grand Duchess?"

"I do lose my words from time to time."

Most of the time, that was Ferda’s own fault.

He tended to fall silent while carefully choosing his words.

"Since the Sage is there, I was hoping you’d go, Regent Ferda. I thought you agreed because you’d already calculated the benefits, but it doesn’t seem like you’re after the Sage at all."

"Correct."

When he already had the original, bringing in that greedy fat man would only increase the food expenses.

"Then why are you volunteering?"

"Exactly as I said. I’m simply going to protect the small villages."

There was no hidden motive.

Well...

There was one, but it wasn’t something worth telling Olivia.

"I see. So you intend to firmly establish your image as the benevolent ruler of Hestia Village."

Olivia spoke with obvious satisfaction.

"Do you know something?"

"What is it?"

"I’m lying in bed."

The topic came completely out of nowhere.

"I’m sitting."

"I’m listening to your voice while lying down."

"That is rather improper according to etiquette."

"Hehe. I wanted to fall asleep like this. But I just can’t seem to drift off."

Olivia let out a long sigh.

The faint rustling of silk blankets tickled his ears.

"It simply means you’re still tense."

"That’s right. Wars like these are rather harsh places for someone like me."

Coming from someone who lived in the even harsher world of politics, that was an odd thing to say.

"I’m the Chief of Staff."

"That’s right."

"If I fail to command properly, problems will arise."

"That’s right."

"You wouldn’t want me to issue the wrong orders, cause chaos, and end up getting everyone wiped out... would you?"

"...That’s right?"

What exactly was this woman trying to say?

"So... may I ask you for one favor?"

"Go ahead."

"Could you tell me to sleep well?"

"...Is that really necessary?"

Ferda asked with obvious reluctance.

"Yes. Very necessary."

Ferda pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

There really wasn’t anything to think about.

She wasn’t asking him to chant a magical incantation.

It was only a simple phrase of a few words.

"Sleep well."

"Thank you. You sleep well too, Regent."

With what sounded like a satisfied breath, the light of the Communication Crystal faded away.

Ferda lay down as well.

He was just as busy.

The monsters were still moving even at this very moment.

If they were to catch up with them, he needed to prepare for tomorrow.

***

Inside the Imperial Palace’s operations room.

"What the hell did you just say?!"

Alexander’s roar echoed throughout the chamber.

"My legion was completely annihilated by the monsters?!"