Vol. 1 Chapter 1.2 – First Battle

Someone once said,『Humans are born from the stars, and perish by the stars』.

Once upon a time, humans possessed no special powers; they were nothing more than『stardust』 drifting through the void of the cosmos, existing in countless numbers.

However, even『stardust』that merely crawled along the ground would take shape if gathered together. Just as the creation of a village brings about the rhythm of life, from within the『stardust』emerged beings who possessed power. They named these beings『Satella』— satellites.

Perhaps simply existing in such a state became tedious, for one day, a star fell upon the land of Atla. Finally, even the『Satella』were drawn into its immense gravitational pull — for a being appeared upon the land of Atla that could drag them down.

Possessing supernatural powers far beyond human reach, and twinkling like the stars in the night sky, humans called this being — 『Satella』, the star.

Was it that humans gained power because the stars descended, or that the stars drew power from humans?

When stars collide — that moment is when…

“—One Stella-class detected.”

Year 152 of the Zakrian Imperial Calendar, July 10th.

The Ortenos region, located at the far east of the Zakrian Empire, borders many nations.

To the north lies the Tsetia Khanate, to the east the Naia Kingdom, and to the southeast the Azarash city-state — surrounded on three sides by three different nations.

On this day, under orders from my father, I departed Ortenatris, the capital of Ortenos territory, and set up camp on a small hill near Pekion Village, the closest point to the Naia Kingdom’s border.

The mission was to eliminate the 2,000 Naia troops stationed near Pekion Village.

If the reports were accurate, they would be easily routed, so I advanced with high spirits. However, a major problem arose.

Suddenly, a large Naia army appeared from the east.

I immediately ordered a retreat and fled to the hill we now occupy like a rabbit escaping danger.

With four times their number, engaging them head-on would mean unavoidable heavy casualties.

Thus, I now found myself locked in a standoff with the massive Naia force from this high ground — when a female officer with a blank expression came running to me, reporting something I could not ignore.

“Only one Stella-class…? Are there any others?”

I did my best to mask the restless unease welling up from deep inside — as I questioned the female officer.

“No, none in sight. The sole Stella-class is Balbat von Naia, the second child of that accursed vixen of Naia, Carlina.”

‘So, the Naia Kingdom’s second prince, huh? Quite the big shot to show up.’

The report came from several scouts I had dispatched, so there was no mistaking the information. Still, the timing felt a bit too perfect for my liking.

“Explain the situation.”

Hiding the turmoil in my heart, I urged the female officer to continue.

“Yes. Our Ortenos army of 5,000 faces an enemy Naia force of 20,000, including one Stella-class. The Naia army began marching from Bangwall Fortress early this morning and appears to be heading here. If we are surrounded as things stand, a direct clash will be unavoidable.”

…Seriously? This is completely different from what Father told me.

It was supposed to be a mission to wipe out around 2,000 troops — a mixed force of Satella and stardust — that had intruded into our territory. Somehow that number had become 20,000, and even gained a Stella-class.

“In all previous reports, the presence of a Stella-class wasn’t confirmed, correct?”

“Yes. The sudden change in circumstances has left even us officers bewildered. As of yesterday, our reconnaissance unit reported that there was no Stella-class in Bangwall Fortress.”

Which means…when did Balbat arrive at Bangwall Fortress?

The only conclusion is that he entered right around the same time I was on my way here.

‘Is this just coincidence? …No, there’s a possibility our movements were leaked.’

Still, voicing baseless suspicions now would be unwise.

What I needed to consider was how to deal with the army before me — one that included a Stella-class.

Come to think of it… will Ojiji-sama, my grandfather up in the northern fortress, be all right?

Given how we’ve been forced to react second to every move, I had a bad feeling.

“How is Ojiji-sama faring?”

“Yes. The God of War is currently at Ronchant Fortress, about 150 kel to the northwest, facing off against a mixed force of 30,000 that includes three Stella-class from the Naia army and Marquis Hoshiros’ forces. We have around 3,000 troops there, but he says reinforcements are unnecessary.”

‘150 kel… so roughly 150 kilometers away.’

Ojiji-sama, known as the『God of War of Ortenos』, is feared both inside and outside the Empire.

Even in overwhelming disadvantage, he wields his massive spear to claim the lives of thousands — earning him fear not only as a commander but as a warrior whose individual strength is terrifying.

Still, surrounded by three Stella-class, he probably has no room to worry about us here.

“Is Ojiji-sama truly going to be fine?”

“Yes. If the situation turns dire, he can retreat across the Ortena River behind Ronchant Fortress and escape into Nevilim territory.”

I see… if he’s thought that far ahead, then fine — though it still feels a bit too optimistic, given he’s encircled by three Stella-class.

“…Understood. To face three Stella-class head-on — as expected of Ojiji-sama. As long as he’s there, Ronchant Fortress will never fall.”

I had a few lingering misgivings but rather than causing unnecessary worry, I decided to match their pace.

Now then, I really needed to decide what to do next.

‘Should I kill Balbat… or should I run?’

Given that the situation had strayed completely from the information Father had provided beforehand, I could think of countless reasons to retreat.

However, that would disgrace the Ortenos family.

On the other hand, killing Balbat would also cause problems.

That’s because it could reignite the issue of succession to the Ortenos marquisate.

I didn’t have much time to think.

In my head, I quickly calculated which choice would be the most acceptable for Ortenos and for myself.

After about ten seconds, I let out a short『fuu』of breath.

Then, almost without thinking, I took an imperial gold coin from my pocket and flicked it high into the air with my thumb.

I didn’t stop the falling coin on the back of my hand, but simply caught it with my right hand.

There was no particular meaning behind this performance.

It was just something I did whenever making a big decision.

Well, more like a kind of personal wish ritual.

‘I’ve decided. Balbat — will be dealt with right here, right now.’

**************************************************

Even if the succession issue flares up, it doesn’t matter.

Since Ermia is the next head, no matter what outsiders might grumble, I’ll respond with dignity.

That would be the best choice — both for Ortenos, and for me and Ermia.

As for the question of whether I can kill Balbat — there’s no need to even discuss it.

‘That’s something so obvious to me, it doesn’t even need to be said.’

Having decided to kill Balbat, there was one problem.

That is, to put it mildly, I have no popularity among the officers.

Since this first battle was arranged entirely by Father, every officer here was hand-picked by him.

Which means there’s no consensus between me and them — if anything, they probably feel awkward working under me.

They’re like people invited to the company president’s son’s coming-of-age ceremony, showing up out of obligation and expecting to just watch the festivities… only to suddenly find themselves in a desperate situation.

And now, I had to send those very people into a deadly battlefield — such is the burden of a commander.

As I was lost in thought, I found my fingers unconsciously touching the coin in my pocket.

‘Alright… let’s do this.’

I fixed my gaze on the officers before me and tightened my rear for resolve.

“Listen, everyone! From here, we will defeat the Naia army led by Balbat and then move to aid Ojiji-sama!”

A ripple of tension ran through the officers, their expressions growing grim.

It was only natural — a young man not yet of age and a spoiled noble with a less-than-stellar reputation at that, was now about to decide their life or death.

“I am fully aware we are at a disadvantage. However, we Ortenos cannot allow ourselves to become spineless cowards in the face of Naia. From this moment, we will launch a cavalry charge against the Naia army. Begin preparations immediately.”

I tried to raise my voice as valiantly as possible, but the reaction was far from encouraging.

As expected, I could not inspire them the way Ojiji-sama could.

While the officers began their preparations with a weary yare-yare air, one elderly officer stepped forward, his face unreadable.

“Lord Shalka, speaking of defeating Balbat… that is quite the bold claim you make.”

The man who voiced this dissent was Getrad — a Satella-class officer assigned as my minder, and also a knight who oversaw the cities within Ortenos territory.

“Knight Getrad. As the protector of Ortenos, this is my decision — you will obey.”

Not only had he supported Ojiji-sama for many years, but in foreign affairs he was even capable of acting in my father’s stead.

Thus, Getrad’s words carried weight equal to those of my father, the Marquis of Ortenos.

Even if I was the superior officer here, his opinion could not simply be ignored.

“Lord Shalka, have you forgotten your lord father’s instructions? The lord ordered you to defeat the Satella-class-and-below forces gathered near the border. He said nothing of engaging a Stella-class.”

“Even so, we can’t just leave that group be.”

Stella-class was the collective term for mages who harbored immense magical power within themselves.

Their bodies were so resilient that ordinary blades could not pierce them, making them impossible opponents for humans without magic (stardust) or even for those with moderate magic (Satella).

Therefore, in this place, I was the only one capable of facing Balbat.

“You should simply end this with a standoff. A first battle turning into a fight to the death between Stella-class — that is far too dangerous.”

“But if we are surrounded, all will be lost. If we don’t crush them before they move, many will die.”

“In that case, it cannot be helped. We will hold Balbat here while you, Lord Shalka, flee to Ortenatris.”

Stubborn old man.

If I let him push me into a corner in this war of words, it would make me look timid as the eldest son of Ortenos.

Perhaps it was time to silence him in the noble way — through strength.

“Tell me, Getrad. Would you say the same thing… after seeing my magic?”

I summoned the sensation of opening the『door』deep within me that connected to the void — letting magic surge through my body.

This act, generally described as to『knead』one’s magic, was a preparatory stage for casting spells, but it had a side effect: making one’s magic easier for others to perceive.

“What…?”

Getrad tilted his head in confusion. He must have seen my magic.

Normally, those with magic could vaguely sense whether another possessed it — a binary yes-or-no — but it was difficult to discern the nature or the amount of that magic.

By kneading one’s magic, however, it became possible to see the magical flow within the body, to sense its nature and to gauge how much output the user could produce.

And yet, there existed those who stood far beyond the norm.

The air around us seemed to halt, as if all movement had ceased, and sound was swallowed up.

It was like the before a storm.

Then came an ear-splitting noise, as though the air itself had been torn apart.

Immediately after, everything around us — tables, tents, ceramic vessels began to tremble, ever so slightly.

The sudden quake-like phenomenon sent the surrounding officers into a tense and fearful stir.

All I had done was deliberately throw my magical control into disarray, letting it leak out.

Magic of overwhelming scale, if not perfectly restrained, would set nearby objects trembling.

Even other Stella-class could leak magic but not to the point of producing this phenomenon.

‘And come to think of it… a human body is just another object, isn’t it?’

The officers struck by my magic began to tremble in an unnatural way, as if the chill they felt was not from within but being applied from the outside.

At first, they didn’t understand what was happening, but little by little they began to lose their sense of balance.

Finally, their minds started to connect the trembling of their bodies with fear.

One by one, those who could no longer endure the vibrations sank to their knees.

I hadn’t intended to go that far, so I immediately stopped kneading my magic.

“My bad… guess I overdid it a bit.”

The officers stared at me as if looking at some kind of monster.

Most of those struck by my magic had lost their balance entirely, left standing there in a daze.

It was probably their first time witnessing the phenomenon of magic resonating with physical matter, and they were shocked.

I’ve never experienced it myself, but they say that when you’re hit by a massive amount of roughly kneaded magic like I just unleashed, it feels like having the sound of nails scraping across a blackboard blasted into your ears at full volume.

Overdo it, and it can instill sheer terror, even shattering the mind — a dangerous power.

If I were to knead my magic more delicately, it could have a pleasant relaxation effect, like getting a massage while listening to a piano performance but right now, there was no point in putting the officers at ease, so I didn’t bother.

“Oooh, ooooh! A-as expected of you, Lord Shalka! To think you were hiding magic of this magnitude! This Getrad is deeply impressed!”

Of everyone in the tent, only Getrad remained standing — though his knees were trembling, he endured.

“Getrad, don’t push yourself too hard. It’ll take a toll on your body.”

…Not that I’m not the one who just made his legs go weak.

“Hah! This is nothing but the warrior’s tremble! Ei!”

With a sharp shout, Getrad slammed his fist into his own thigh, and the trembling stopped.

“…”

“As you can see, do not underestimate an old soldier.”

…What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Every other officer here still can’t stand, and yet he just shouts『Ei!』and it’s fixed?

…Perhaps in the end, it really is experience that matters most on the battlefield.

“I-I see… as expected of Getrad. So? Do you still have any concerns?”

“Absurd, I say. This Getrad has witnessed such magic only from you, Lord Shalka and never shall I doubt you ever will again.”

I asked with a slightly stiff smile and Getrad answered with the corners of his mouth curling upward, as if unable to hold back his laughter.

“So then, what will it be, Getrad?”

I asked again with a relaxed smile.

If I could get Getrad on board, the rest of the officers would likely follow.

“Why, of course — we shall crush that detestable Naia prince and his ilk with our own hands!”

Satisfied with Getrad’s reply, I nodded grandly like a hawk spreading its wings.

Then, all of a sudden, Getrad let out a loud UOOOH! like some beast who’d awakened to lust in his old age.

Do people find those who act unpredictably to be so terrifying? At some point, I found myself idly rolling the gold coin around in my right hand.

“You lot, what are you dawdling for! To show such pathetic behavior before Ortenos’s sworn enemy, Naia — how disgraceful! Stand! Stand, I say!”

With a single bark, Getrad went around smacking each officer’s backside, forcibly snapping them out of their daze.

“Ha…! Uoooh! What power — this is Lord Shalka’s magic!”

“Oooh… tremendous… my body, all my muscles, feel as if they’re rejoicing!”

“I am trembling with emotion! I must share this feeling with someone!”

Suddenly coming to their senses, the officers one after another began shouting absurd things in tones of pure elation, their faces alight with joy.

For a moment, I wondered what on earth was going on, but then I realized — ah, it’s that『Satella-class thing』.

It seems that Satella-class mages, when they feel the magic of an allied Stella-class, take it as receiving support, and their fighting spirit soars.

This is apparently a standard tactic in battles involving forces with Stella-class combatants on both sides.

Even so, what I’d heard before was that it merely lit the flame of resolve within one’s chest… this feels far more beast-like than that.

“Move out, you lot! We shall crush that Naia princeling scum into dust!”

“「「Oooooh!」」”

“…”

Getrad’s rallying cry was met with loud, eager responses from the officers.

Then, for reasons I couldn’t fathom, Getrad and the others marched out of the tent full of high spirits.

Left alone, I muttered to myself:

“…Wait, was this really the right move?”

Come to think of it, Father had told me not to rack up military achievements, hadn’t he…?

But once I’d decided to kill Balbat, I had to raise morale — I couldn’t let my subordinates look down on me as their commander.

Well, as long as Getrad works hard, that’s fine by me.

Even now outside the tent, Getrad and the others were loudly driving the soldiers at work, but I decided to pretend I didn’t see it.

◇◇◇◇

Just as preparations for the cavalry charge were nearly complete, the outside of the tent suddenly grew noisy.

“…What’s going on now?”

Peering outside, I saw the blank-faced female officer enter the tent.

“A dispatch.”

This female officer’s face was always unreadable, making it hard to guess what she was thinking.

But among the officers, she was a rare splash of red in the ranks and for purely personal reasons, I’d decided to favor her.

Why? Because the proportion of women in our unit was absurdly low.

Up until today, I’d seen maybe one woman for every hundred soldiers.

“What is it this time?”

I asked with deliberate politeness, and she took a deep breath before speaking.

“Of the 20,000 Naia troops, roughly 10,000 — including a Stella-class have suddenly begun moving north while performing maten.”maten¹

“Hah?”

I froze for a moment at the unexpected grim news she brought.

Maten was a magic that enhanced physical abilities, fortified mental strength, and granted resistance to magic and could be cast upon others.

“The remaining half appear to be holding position to hinder our advance.”

“Wait, Balbat hasn’t retreated has he?”

“No. It is likely the Naia army is heading toward Ronchant Fortress to the north.”

“Damn it…so Ojiji-sama was their target from the start!”

“Yes, most likely.”

…Worst case. I had completely misread the enemy’s aim.

When we first made contact with the Naia Kingdom’s army, the fact that we were able to slip away so easily without taking any casualties. The more I think about it, the stranger it seems.

No pursuit magic came flying our way, and I remember thinking how unusually easy the retreat was… but it seems we were being lured to this hill from the very beginning.

“Well played, Balbat.”

“—!”

My voice came out lower than I expected.

I might have let a bit of magic leak out and intimidated the female officer.

“In other words, the ten thousand at the base of the hill are a decoy, correct?”

“Y-yes.”

“…? What’s wrong? Your face is red.”

“N-no… it’s nothing.”

“I see. If you say so.”

I was startled when the female officer suddenly flushed red.

No, she really turned the color of a boiled octopus, so for a moment I worried she might have a fever  but it was a bit of a relief to see she was capable of making a human-like expression after all.

‘Now then, this makes me a little curious about what kind of person Balbat is.’

Judging from the way he lured us onto this ridge without letting us realize his aim, there is a fair chance he is quite the sharp operator.

Let’s do a quick bit of profiling here.

“Tell me about Balbat. What kind of guy is he?”

“Yes. But is it all right to talk at length now? Balbat is currently moving north at high speed.”

“No problem. Tell me what you know.”

“Ha, understood.”

Though a little hesitant, the female officer recited what she knew, and it amounted to the following.

Balbat von Naia, twenty-six years old, second prince of the Naia Kingdom.

One older brother, two younger brothers, one younger sister. No partner.

Hot-headed and boorish temperament; worst reputation inside Naia; a pedo who preys on young girls; a playboy; a vile piece of trash who would even lay hands on his own sister; heavily indebted; specializes in wind-element magic.

‘…Well, looks like I do not need to do any profiling. He is already stripped bare.’

It seems this female officer is quite capable.

I softened some of the harsher phrasing, but even then, Balbat was, to put it mildly, scum.

From what I am hearing, his character does not fit with Naia’s current movements.

That suggests the possibility he is acting under someone’s instructions.

“Um, is it really all right for us to be doing this?”

“Yeah. Thanks to you, I learned a lot. You helped.”

“Y-yes.”

‘Hmm? What is with this female officer’s reaction?’

She stubbornly keeps her expression unchanged, yet somehow she looks like a dog pleased to be praised by its master.

When I stare at her, her face grows redder and redder.

‘Could this be… could it be?’

…No, drop the stupid ideas. I need to focus on Balbat right now.

I set aside the unease I felt for the moment, left the tent, and moved to align our understanding with the officers.

Outside, I saw Getrad issuing various orders to his men, so I called out to him.

“Getrad, where are the ones who went north now?”

“Already beyond the horizon. They are likely fifty kel ahead.”

In the distance where Getrad was looking, I could see dust rising.

Balbat’s force is a mixed unit of infantry and cavalry. At the shortest, they will arrive in two or three hours.

And at the foot of the hill, a great force of ten thousand stands blocking our way.

“I see. In that case, even if we start riding now, we will not catch them.”

“Lord Shalka, what will you do?”

Getrad pressed me for a decision. His eyes were intense.

Before I knew it, all the officers who had been in the tent earlier had gathered around me.

The weary mood from before was completely gone. They waited for my orders with serious faces.

I felt the imperial gold coin in my pocket and steeled myself.

“We will target Balbat directly.”

I will not let Balbat reach Ojiji-sama.

I said I would finish him here, and I will.

“D-directly target Balbat? How in the world?”

“At this distance, even long-range bombardment magic is impossible!”

“Even if by some miracle it reached him, they are moving at high speed under maten, so it will never hit!”

The officers broke into a loud clamor.

They are probably thinking to break through the ten thousand and then head for the battlefield where Ojiji-sama is. That will be too late.

“Prepare for a cavalry charge. I have something to do first.”

I cut through their noise with a single order, closed my eyes, and began kneading my magic.

“Lord Shalka, what are you…?”

“Do not make a fuss. Lord Shalka intends to do something.”

“Do not tell me, from this distance? Th-that is impossible.”

I held my right hand out before me and focused on shaping my magic into a wave.

What I am about to do is Detection Magic.

It is an application of the sonar-like technique called Magical Power Detection that nobles normally use to locate mages.

“Sir Getrad, what exactly is Lord Shalka doing?”

“I do not know either. It looks like magical detection, but the scale of magic he is using is on a different order. Still, Lord Shalka is beyond the norm in all things, likely the greatest magic power in the history of House Ortenos. Whatever he does, I will not be surprised.”

“Oh, as expected of Lord Shalka!”

‘Nnn… distracting.’

For now, I ignored the chatter between Getrad and the other officers.

I continued to focus on activating my Detection Magic.

Normal magical power detection is, strictly speaking, not a spell — it’s more like a subconscious, point-and-check habit nobles use to make sure there are no Stella-class nearby.

Because of that, it can only cover about two hundred meters at most.

“I’ve heard many rumors about you, Lord Shalka but they were always about you idling away your time playing in the castle town. Could it be that…?”

“Indeed, without a doubt Lord Shalka himself spread such rumors. If his true strength became known, it would not only alert the enemy but also plant wariness even within the Zakrian Empire itself.”

“To think you had such a deep plan in mind! As expected of Lord Shalka!”

The officers had gone full『all-hail mode』but of course, I’d never spread any such rumors.

Right now, it feels like no matter what I do, they’ll say 『as expected of you』and that’s a little unsettling.

For mages, magical detection is considered a perfected technique — the prevailing view is that『there’s no way to improve it now』.

It’s never been expanded into the academic — that is, the magical domain.

That’s why I took magical power detection, broadened its range and developed Detection Magic, which allows for far more precise spatial awareness.

“I’m sending out a magic wave.”

“Ma… magic wave…?”

One officer tilted his head.

Magic, to put it simply, is a form of energy with the property of propagating and diffusing through its surroundings.

Normally, the farther it travels, the more it weakens. But if you minimize that loss to the extreme and focus solely on reaching far distances, what you get is a magic wave.

‘…Synchronization complete.’

I launched a single, powerful magic wave.

It spread outward from me in concentric circles at several times the speed of sound.

In my mind, in sync with the magic wave, a 3D map unfolded — complete with height, width, and depth.

Whenever the magic wave detected someone with magical power, the 3D map lit them up one by one.

“…Found them. But this is…”

Roughly ten kilometers to the southeast, one; about fifty kilometers to the northwest, another — each giving off an exceptionally large magical signature.

The unexpected result left me confused.

‘…Another Stella-class? What is going on here?’

The one to the northwest was undoubtedly Balbat, but the one to the southeast was unknown.

For now, in this situation, I had no choice but to leave it be.

“Lord Shalka?”

“…No, it’s nothing. Fall back, all of you — I’m going to fire an Intimidation Sphere!”

The moment I gave the order, the officers obeyed without question and moved behind me.

I positioned my hands one above the other in front of me, and between my palms formed what looked like a distorted, colorless, transparent sphere of compressed air.

“W-what in the world is that…?”

“Most likely, it’s a secret technique only Lord Shalka can use. Everyone, be sure you never speak of this to anyone.”

To the officers sweating nervously at the sight of an unknown spell, Getrad cautioned them with a grave expression.

The Intimidation Sphere — a technique like a crystallization of effort, born from serious research into the nature of magic itself.

It might reveal a glimpse of my true power, but so be it.

“Balbat… I will not let you reach Ojiji-sama.”

Using the 3D mapping in my mind as reference, I precisely fired the Intimidation Sphere.

◇◇◇◇

Roughly fifty kilometers northwest of the hill where Shalka and the others were stationed, the Naia Kingdom’s army advanced at high speed, radiating a red aura.

“Nephtis, how much longer until we arrive?”

Riding at the head of the column on horseback was a man of medium build clad in black armor.

With finely chiseled features and shining golden hair streaming in the wind, his appearance was like that of a prince astride a white steed.

The man addressed the middle-aged retainer riding alongside him.

“Ha, within two hours we should be able to see Ronchant Fortress.”

The middle-aged man called Nephtis, also armored, answered his master in an even tone.

“Still, was it really fine to leave behind a force of ten thousand? A Stella-class who hasn’t even reached adulthood should be easy to stall with five thousand at most. We could have crushed them ourselves first without issue, don’t you think?”

“Your Highness, you must not underestimate a Stella-class. The operation we’ve been advancing for years must not be allowed to be stopped by the likes of an Ortenos『protector』.

The man addressed as『Your Highness』was Balbat von Naia, second prince of the Naia Kingdom.

Nephtis, unmoved by Balbat’s coarse manner, replied calmly.

“Tch, you’re as stiff-headed as ever. And besides, your prediction was off. Instead of the main line we got some so-called『protector』named Shalka and a brat who hasn’t even come of age, at that.”

“Just luring out a single Stella-class is enough. We’ve confirmed from our informant that the main line is holed up in Ortenatris. That means Ronchant Fortress will receive no Stella-class reinforcements.”

In noble and royal circles, Stella-class who are current heads of house, heirs apparent, or former heads involved in succession are referred to as main line. All others are called『protectors』.

From Nephtis’s perspective, with the Ortenos Stella-class divided, the plan was proceeding smoothly.

They had already advanced fifty kel, making it utterly impossible for anyone to catch them now.

“If it had been Ermia, the Ortenos marquisate’s heir, it would have been even better. Then I could’ve had the supreme thrill of laying hands on royal blood.”

“…Your Highness, please refrain from making statements that acknowledge the former royal family’s authority.”

Knowing all too well Balbat’s vile tastes, Nephtis felt disgust but limited himself to a mild rebuke.

Balbat, unconcerned, curled his mouth into a crescent smile.

“Well, how could I not be curious? After all, they say Ermia is the spitting image of Princess Ilmina, the one Naia let slip away sixty years ago.”

Sixty years ago, House Naia staged a coup and seized the throne.

Though they succeeded in destroying the then-ruling House Ortenos and establishing the Naia dynasty, they failed to prevent Princess Ilmina from fleeing into exile in the Zakrian Empire.

This monumental event in the heart of the continent of Atla was more than enough to redraw the balance of power between nations at the time and it remains widely remembered even now.

“Indeed. From our perspective, Ermia’s existence is highly troublesome. As a banner for Ortenos’s restoration, there is no figure more perfectly suited to the role.”

For Naia, it was an unforgivable blunder and now that someone like Ermia, who could evoke memories of that failure, had been born, the Naia royal family would never allow her to exist.

The highest-priority target to be eliminated was Urgoll, who was presently causing Naia active harm. But once that was done, Nephtis believed there would be no one else to target but Ermia.

“That’s why I keep telling you, Elmia is mine to turn into a toy. Ah, that’s right, Nephtis — once I’ve had her, I might even let you have a turn. Of course, only after she’s rotted and useless to me.”

Balbat’s perfectly chiseled face twisted into a grin and even the unflappable Nephtis found himself grimacing.

Among nobles, it was common understanding that the primary role of a Stella-class was to pass their Stella-class blood to the next generation.

But Balbat ignored that role, instead preying on young girls not yet of age, ruining them and leaving them damaged — a habit that made him despised even within noble society.

The only reason a royal like Balbat was even on the battlefield now was because the consequences of his own misdeeds had come full circle to bite him — yet he showed no sign of remorse.

Because of this, Nephtis’s worries as his aide never ceased and his hair roots grew weaker by the day.

“Your Highness, do you understand? You are the linchpin of this operation. The『cauldron lid』is still open.”

Nephtis forced down his urge to scold and steered the conversation back to the current mission.

The『cauldron』was Nephtis’s metaphor for the three Stella-class of House Hoshiros currently besieging Ronchant Fortress.

Though they had not yet closed off the Ortena River behind the fortress, once Balbat — acting as the 『cauldron lid』 — took position on the west bank, Urgoll would have no escape.

“I know that! That’s why I’m thinking ahead to what comes after. Listen — once I kill Urgoll, I’ll be king. Once he’s gone, Ortenos will have no way to stop Naia. And when I’m king, I’ll take revenge on that damned old hag of a queen who cast me out and on those worthless siblings of mine!”

Upon realizing that Balbat was plotting personal revenge against the Naia royal family, Nephtis swore he could hear more of his hair falling out.

“Your Highness, do not forget — behind Ortenos stands House Lanecki.”

“Tch, yeah, that’s right… That accursed traitor Lanecki. It’s because of them that this war even started in the first place.”

Once a kingdom noble house, Lanecki had since switched allegiance to the Empire.

Holding lands west of Ortenos territory and backing Ortenos from behind the scenes, House Lanecki was a constant thorn in Naia’s side.

“Indeed. As Ortenos stands now, they’re nothing but Lanecki’s puppet. Unless we strike at the source, this swamp of a war will never end.”

“Lanecki are the kind of scum who put their former liege, Ortenos, on the front lines just to sit back and watch from a safe distance. There’s no option but to wipe them out…”

Balbat stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something.

It was a faint chill that only a Stella-class with exceptional magical sense could detect.

“Yes. Regarding Lanecki, we too must be—”

“Shh.”

Balbat silenced Nephtis with a hand.

It seemed Nephtis had yet to notice but the chill was growing stronger and stronger.

Sensing some kind of overwhelming magical power hurtling toward them at incredible speed, Balbat raised his guard to the maximum but it was already too late.

“Your Highness?”

“…Damn! Something’s coming!”

In the next instant, a massive sphere of magic exploded behind Balbat, unleashing layer upon layer of overlapping magic waves that radiated outward in concentric circles.

Balbat’s vision abruptly shifted skyward.

Then, in midair, he spun once, twice, before crashing headfirst into the ground with bone-jarring force.

“Gah…! Guh…! Guhh…!”

Like a small animal struck and sent flying by a carriage, Balbat tumbled across the ground for dozens of meters before finally coming to a stop.

“Kh…! Haa… haa… what the hell just happened?”

Balbat, who had been riding at the head of the column, realized he’d been struck from behind by a massive wave of magic, knocking his horse unconscious.

His finely chiseled features and the royal family’s black armor were now caked in dust, giving him a rough, wild look but, as expected of a Stella-class, his body had taken almost no damage.

“Oi, oi! Nephtis! What the hell—! Tch!”

When Balbat stood up and turned to check with Nephtis, he was struck speechless.

“…Hah?”

It was a field of corpses. A full ten thousand men lay toppled to the ground in rows.

“Wh-what… what the hell is thisss?!”

Balbat roared at the unbelievable sight before him.

For the ordinary stardust soldiers, the physical boost from maten had backfired — when they fell, the enhanced force of impact slammed them into the ground so hard that many had died outright.

Even those still alive were uniformly unconscious, indistinguishable from the dead.

Even the Satella-class, with their stronger bodies and magic resistance compared to stardust, lay stiff on the ground, some completely unconscious.

“Gh… guh… Y-your Highness, are you safe?!”

Nephtis, sprawled on the ground, called out to Balbat.

“Tch! What the hell happened?! Explain, Nephtiiiiiis!”

Seeing his subordinate so utterly useless, Balbat couldn’t hold back his fury, magic spilling from him as he shouted.

“I… I believe… we were struck by Intimidation from a Stella-class!”

Nephtis’s body was rigid, his voice strained. His faltering words only fueled Balbat’s irritation.

“Haa?! You’re telling me this is Intimidation?!”

“…Y-yes…this paralysis… I believe there’s no mistake…it’s Intimidation.”

Certainly, looking at the aftermath, it resembled what happened when a noble used Intimidation.

Nephtis declared it the work of an enemy noble, but Balbat stubbornly refused to believe it.

“No way in hell! I had magical power detection up the whole time! There wasn’t a single noble’s presence anywhere! And I had maten cast on the troops! There’s no damn way Intimidation alone could strip away my maten!!”

From Balbat’s perspective, Nephtis’s claim was like saying paper could beat rock in rock-paper-scissors.

“…S-still, the only conclusion… is that maten has been dispelled. And with no idea where the enemy is, remaining here is… the worst possible choice.”

Nephtis advised the agitated Balbat, beginning to knead his magic in hopes of shaking off the paralysis.

When afflicted by a noble’s Intimidation, one could cancel the effect by flooding the body with enough magic to overwhelm it.

But after that overwhelming strike, it felt as if a lock had been placed on the『door』— the organ that generated his magic and he couldn’t knead it properly. Nephtis was baffled.

“Then what the hell do you intend to do in this situation?!”

With Balbat’s frenzied yelling came another unconscious pulse of intimidating magic, making Nephtis feel like begging him to stop.

“Kh… there’s no choice. We should take whoever can still move and fall back to Bangwall Fortress!”

“Nephtiiiiis! Do you even hear yourself?! There’s no way I can turn back now! If I don’t take Urgoll’s head, I’m finished!!”

Enraged by Nephtis’s cautious suggestion, Balbat grabbed him by the hair with his right hand and hoisted him into the air.

“Ghh… guh…! But… our army has already… taken catastrophic damage. And the one who caused… this massacre… could still be… out there somewhere! We… we must retreat!”

Nephtis, writhing from both the pain of having his paralyzed body forcibly moved by Balbat and the damage accumulating in his hair roots, still pressed for a retreat.

“No, Nephtiiis! Give the order to the whole force right now! Within half an hour, we’re heading straight for Ronchant Fortress! Anyone who can’t get to their feet will be left behind here!”

“Guhh…!”

Balbat pressed a hand to Nephtis’s stomach, forcing magic into him.

Nephtis felt the paralysis leaving his body.

Having Stella-class magic poured into him was like having the『door』 — the organ that generated his magic — unlocked.

Balbat released his grip on Nephtis’s hair and stalked off somewhere with a sour expression.

“Haa… kh… I couldn’t persuade him.”

Freed, Nephtis sighed as he watched his hair fall away mercilessly, strand by strand.

When Balbat was in that state, no one could get through to him, no matter what they said.

At this point, the only option was to reorganize the unit and head for Ronchant Fortress within half a koku.

Still, there were some unnatural details.

“Why hasn’t the culprit pursued us? Did they run? Could they have been afraid of His Highness? No… that can’t be…”

After disabling a force of ten thousand, to do nothing afterward was far too suspicious.

Which meant he couldn’t shake the sense that the culprit was still lurking nearby.

“Who are they? What’s their aim? …No, there’s no time to think. I have to secure every man who can still move.”

Nephtis pulled himself from the whirlpool of thoughts and went to each conscious officer in turn, flooding them with magic.

It never even crossed his mind that the culprit could be a young, underage『protector』who had sniped them from over fifty kilometers away.

◇◇◇◇

About half a hour later, Nephtis was still in the middle of reorganizing his troops.

“There’s no time until departure! Prioritize getting the officers moving again! Only wake stardust soldiers if they’re in one piece! If they can’t fight, leave them!”

That reminded him — what had become of the ten thousand left behind as the decoy force? Nephtis turned his gaze south.

There they faced the 5,000-strong Ortenos army, led by the family’s fool of an eldest son.

They likely hadn’t even grasped the situation enough to start the battle yet, or even if they had clashed, they should have been able to withstand the charge of a half-baked Stella-class.

“How many horses are left…? Two hundred? Not enough! Get more!”

Nephtis worked frantically to reorganize the unit.

It was taking far longer than expected, mainly because dispelling the mysterious paralysis had eaten up precious time.

“Damn it! Whoever it was, they’ve pulled a worthless stunt!”

Before long, Balbat, who had been out of sight, returned.

“Your Highness! Where have you been?”

“Hah? Isn’t it obvious? I was looking for that Ortenos Stella-class hiding somewhere.”

“What?! That’s too dangerous! You mustn’t act alone!”

Nephtis could only hold his head at Balbat’s lack of caution.

“Hmph, the culprit probably timed their approach for the gap between my detection sweeps, got in close, unleashed a full-power Intimidation, then immediately pulled back.”

“But Intimidation can’t dispel maten, can it?”

“No… but this is Ortenos we’re talking about. They must have come up with some filthy trick to strip away maten. Whoever it was, I’ll find them and tear them to pieces!”

Balbat was desperate to fit the situation into something he could understand.

From his perspective, it was certain an Ortenos Stella-class was nearby.

Since Shalka, still on the hill, was naturally ruled out as a candidate, Balbat continued hunting for a culprit who didn’t even exist.

“Your Highness, the appointed time is nearly here — what will you do?”

“We’ll maten up and head straight for Ronchant Fortress! Get the preparations—”

“Messenger! Messenger!”

As Balbat was about to order Nephtis to form up the ranks, a battered, desperate-looking officer came running toward them.

“…What is it?”

Annoyed at being interrupted, Balbat asked the question with a sour look.

“Ha! The Naia force of 10,000 under Knight Gernard, stationed south to hold the Ortenos army— th-they’ve been wiped out!”

“Wiped out?! Th-that’s impossible! You bastard! Explain yourself!!”

Balbat seized the messenger by the collar, roaring in his face.

“They were trampled underfoot by a charge of 500 Ortenos cavalry that came thundering down the hill!”

“Five hundred cavalry?! Impossible! That’s absurd!!”

Balbat could not keep up with such an utterly unrealistic report at all.

He waited for the officer to continue, trying to grasp what was happening.

“Our army’s officers, before that demon-god-like breakthrough force, could do nothing and were cut down one by one head-on, while the citizen soldiers scattered in every direction…!”

“Ridiculous…! Hah?! Where are those cavalry headed now!?”

Realizing that an abnormal situation was unfolding, Balbat immediately imagined where cavalry with such breakthrough power would target next, and a chill ran down his spine.

“…The five hundred Ortenos cavalry are currently charging straight toward our army at tremendous speed.”

“!!”

Balbat turned his gaze far to the south.

In the southern sky rose a cloud of dust and a massive crimson aura, towering high enough to pierce the heavens.

“Balbat-sama, please, you must flee! That man— is a monster!”

At his subordinate’s desperate, almost possessed voice, Balbat felt a cold sweat run down his back.

◇◇◇◇

The time shifts back slightly, to the base of the hill near Pekion Village.

I called this plan『Operation Appointment』.

Leaving aside the 10,000-strong Naia Kingdom army I had set an appointment with an intimidation sphere, I would use the freed-up time to smash the 10,000 troops at the foot of the hill with our 500 cavalry and finish by dealing with Balbat.

Now, the first stage of the operation was about to be completed.

“S-stop! Don’t come any closer, monster!”

“Let’s do this.”

“Bu-chohe!”

From horseback, I brought down a pipe nearly twice my height onto the crown of a Satella-class enemy’s head, smashing it to bits.

I swung the pipe, shaking off the clinging blood-glue.

It was a task I had repeated many times already.

“…Do you have no human heart?”

One man asked me with a suspicious look.

It was an old knight clad in ornate armor.

From an outside perspective, watching a boy dispatch Satella-class foes as casually as cracking coconuts was a sight beyond words.

Still, no matter how young the child, nobles possessed strength.

The gaze of the Naia old knight before me fixed on me reminded me anew that, in this world, such people were feared.

“…Shalka-sama, that is Knight Gernard.”

Getorard murmured in a deeply low voice into my ear.

‘…So, it’s him.’

Knight Gernard — one of the central figures in the throne-usurpation incident sixty years ago.

In other words— one of my ancestors’ enemies.

The citizen soldiers of Naia had already lost all morale, and those remaining were little more than walking corpses.

“…Have you any last words, Knight Gernard?”

From horseback, pipe in hand, I posed the question to the knot of knights before me.

“Damn it! You, tell Balbat-sama this. The operation has failed… Evacuate to Bangwall at once!”

“Y-yes sir!”

Gernard ordered a subordinate, sending one rider away.

The man wore a mask of grim resolve as he spurred his horse northward.

“A useless gesture…”

“Kuh… To think you’d be this formidable… But I will not let the likes of you reach Balbat-sama! We will hold this place to the death!”

Gernard and his men, their resolve hardened, leveled their bayonets at us.

“I see. Then we have nothing more to discuss… You lot— trample them.”

I gave the order to the men waiting behind me.

An overwhelming cavalry charge, reinforced with magic buffs.

The Naia bayonets spat magical bullets but they were powerless before such breakthrough force.

We closed on Gernard in an instant, and I swung the pipe high.

“You Demon…!”

“Farewell, Naia’s old knight.”

Mercilessly, I brought the pipe down—

◇◇◇◇

It did not take long to annihilate the 10,000 Naia troops at the foot of the hill.

Once the Satella-class core was crushed, the remaining citizen soldiers scattered and fled.

“…Fuu, cavalry charges truly are something to behold!”

Wiping the sweat from my brow with the freshness of a man in the middle of farmwork, I spoke to Getrad.

I temporarily released the maten I had placed on the officers.

“Gu! …Haa… Haa… No, Shalka-sama, it’s the scale of the strengthening from your maten that’s outrageous. I never imagined we could scatter them so quickly.”

When the maten was released, Getrad’s facial muscles sagged for a moment— much like after taking the powerful G-forces of a thrill ride.

“…Hey, are you sure you’re alright, Getrad? Maybe I should tone down the maten output a little?”

“Haa, haa… No need. It’s simply that everyone’s experiencing this degree of strengthening for the first time, so the『down』afterward is severe. We must get them accustomed early.”

Looking back, whether from the recoil of the maten or not, the officers had dismounted, lying on the ground, breathing as if about to expire.

Those who had been hyahhaa-ing moments ago were now gaunt, staring blankly at a single point on the ground—not unlike idiotic college freshmen who’d overdone it at a welcome party.

“Down?”

“Yes. When someone unaccustomed to Stella-class magic is given maten, they get high on the sense of omnipotence. The『down』is when the massive burden of that super-enhancement crashes down on them the moment the maten is released.”

“I see.”

“Especially this time, since many of the personnel sent for your first campaign were rookies, Shalka-sama, that’s why you see so many in that state… Though, there are still far too many going down…”

No wonder I thought there were so many young ones among the troops that had gathered.

It was probably father’s doing, preparing rookies so that I could handle them easily in the future.

Perhaps calling them『idiotic college students』hadn’t been entirely wrong.

“So in that case, isn’t it all the more reason not to overuse maten?”

“No, they need to experience this load while they’re still new. With repeated experience of maten, they’ll gradually adapt… but honestly, it’s nothing short of pathetic. …Oi! Stand up, you lot!”

Getrad barked in a booming voice as he went around rousing them.

But I wondered — is it really good to push them this hard?

In my previous life, I’d worked at a black company, so I understood all too well the feelings of those who have to follow a leader who doesn’t know moderation.

Yet now that I’d become the leader, I realized I was in the position of having to push the people under me.

‘…Humans really are creatures burdened with deep karmic sins, aren’t they?’

I gave the gold coin in my pocket a quick rub, then raised my voice.

“Everyone, just bear with it a little longer! The enemy’s main force has lost their meat shield and now they’re like a candle before the wind. Before they can head to Ronchant Fortress, we’ll finish them off for good! Now—shift into the next gear!”

Raising my voice, I poured maten into the five hundred cavalry at full output.

Dokun, a heavy beat like the sound of a heart reverberated through everyone.

My magic flowed into the officers’ bodies, and red lines like blood vessels surfaced across their skin.

“Ugh—UOOOH! This is insane, it’s overflowing, it won’t stopppp!”

“Agah—Aaaah! Ou-ou-ohh! Nngh, it’s hitting meee!”

“Ngughhhohh! Ngaga—Ngagaga! This is the absolute bestttt!”

“…”

The officers were moving as if they’d just injected themselves with some very shady drug.

Worried, I turned to Getrad.

“…Oi, Getrad, is this really safe?”

“OHHH, what power! Shalka-samaaa, there is ab-so-lutely nothing to worry about! Now, now, now!”

“Hiiiieeeee!”

Getrad, his own body erupting with the most intense red lines of all, pushed his face right up to mine.

Terrified, I clenched the gold coin in my hand with all my strength.

“Shalca-sama, what’s wrong? Let’s go finish them off now! Come, come, come, come, come!”

Fleeing from Getrad egging, I let out a high-pitched yell.

“Sh-shuzzin~~!”

Shrouded in crimson magic that reached toward the heavens, we began our march toward Balbat.

Thanks to this『maten doping』, our movement speed had become insanely fast but it seemed I’d been left with a trauma I’d never forget.

◇◇◇◇

After several dozen minutes since we began our high-speed advance, we finally caught sight of Balbat’s group.

“Shalka-sama, the target is in sight.”

“Good. We’ll scatter them just like this! I want to get this over with and go home!”

“No, I believe we should observe them for a while. Even if they’re rotten, they’re still Stella-class. Even for you, Shalka-sama, there’s a chance you could suffer a serious injury.”

Getrad, wearing a slightly stern expression, made the suggestion.

“No, there’s no need to worry. More importantly, let’s just deal with Balbat—”

Honestly, with this army of red-veined faces glaring behind me, I just wanted to wrap things up quickly.

“Shalka-sama, let us calm down and talk for a moment.”

Getrad cut me off and began speaking in a slow, composed tone, making me feel as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over my head.

It seemed I had gotten a little too worked up.

Perhaps, before the decisive battle, Getrad was trying to help me settle my mind.

“…Looks like I got a little high myself.”

“You have good self-awareness. A first battle is, more or less, always like that. This time, you were probably affected by the mood of those behind you.”

“Yeah, you’ve got that right.”

Especially you, Getrad.

“An ordinary Stella-class’s magic power wouldn’t cause that. To inspire such overflowing fighting spirit in allies like this… it’s almost as if you were one of the legendary『Fallen Star Sage』.”

Getrad spoke with a low, rumbling expression.

“Fallen Star Sage? I thought that was just a fairy tale.”

“No, such a person truly existed. Long ago, the Fallen Star Sage appeared and, with absolute power, unified the entire Atla Continent. In present-day Ortenos, no documents proving their existence remain but their teachings are still alive even now.”

Getrad spoke with a distant look in his eyes.

Ever since the coup d’état in Naia sixty years ago that brought about the downfall of the Kingdom of Ortenos, all the historical documents passed down through the royal family had been lost.

In the current state of affairs, Ortenos’ education in academics and the arts is clearly lagging behind other territories.

On the other hand, they are known for their martial prowess, so nobles from outside often mock them as『muscle-brained aristocrats』.

“It’s troubling to be compared to such a great figure. I’d much rather live in a peaceful world without war.”

“You jest. Shalka-sama is the type who truly shines in times of chaos. This Getrad believes that, should you so desire, you could very well unify the realm.”

…What on earth is Getrad talking about?

I could feel a faintly probing look from him.

No doubt he was curious as to why I possess such a vast amount of magical power.

—The secret behind my magical reserves.

I have a pretty good idea what the cause is but I’ve only ever told my father.

Since my father decided it was something to be kept strictly confidential, I’ve refrained from disclosing it to anyone else.

‘Even so…’

All I truly want is to live a happy life with a lovely wife at my side.

Of course, I have no intention of becoming some great general of legend like in a manga, and in the first place, I don’t have the capacity for that role.

I suppose I should make it clear to Getrad.

“Getrad, I have no interest in ruling the realm.”

“Oh?”

Getrard looked at me with interest.

“All I care about is that the lands of Ortenos remain at peace. But if anyone stands before me to disrupt that, I will utterly crush them—smash them so completely that they’ll never again dare to bare their fangs at Ortenos. That is all.”

I fixed my gaze on Balbat’s army, still in the midst of chaos.

“I see. In other words, you mean to destroy every nation on the Atla Continent and bring the entire land under your control.”

“Hm?”

“…To be able to see through Ortenos’ current situation so precisely—other than yourself and the lord, I doubt anyone else could. As expected, I am deeply impressed. This Getrad shall devote his full strength to Shalka-sama’s path of conquest until my dying breath!”

For some reason, Getrad seemed to think I was aiming to become the continent’s ruler.

Just what kind of misunderstanding leads this old soldier to that conclusion?

“No, I’m telling you—”

The moment I tried to protest that thought, a violent wave of magical power slammed into us.

“…Intimidation, huh.”

“Yes, Shalka-sama, please be on your guard…”

It was probably Balbat unleashing intimidation toward us but as Getrad said, the effect on our troops was negligible.

‘Tch, in that case, I’ll have to put the other one on hold for now.’

I cast a brief glance toward the south.

Back when I first used Detection Magic, I discovered another Stellar-class.

Since then, even as we’ve been moving on horseback, I’ve checked several times—they’ve been trailing us at a steady distance of about ten kilometers.

If they were an ally, they’d have joined up by now but there’s no sign of that.

‘…As long as there’s even a chance, I can’t attack.’

With the opponent being Stellar-class, at this distance I can’t neutralize them easily.

In any case, since Balbat has decided to make the first move, I’ll have to deal with them first.

“Getrad, how does a battle between Stellar-class usually start?”

“It can begin suddenly like an ambush or with a formal declaration before the fighting starts. If it’s between large armies, they’ll bombard each other with Stardust. But in a situation like this, where both sides have only a small number of soldiers left, it usually comes down to a one-on-one duel between the Stellar-class.”

“…I see. Then let’s watch and see how Balbat decides to act.”

Getrad hesitated for a moment, then let a wicked smile creep across his face.

“…Shalka-sama, it pains me greatly to say something so presumptuous, but please, I beg you to hear me out.”

“…And what exactly are you about to say?”

“I, Getrad, have a secret plan for taking down Balbat.”

“Oh?”

“The Lord may not approve but because you are the wise Shalka-sama, I have judged that I can speak of it to you.”

Lowering his voice a notch, Getrad imparted a certain strategy to me.

It was a clear weakness — one unique to being Stellar-class and one from which I was likely not exempt myself.

“…I see. So you can use that method to lure Balbat into lowering his guard.”

“Yes, though this is not limited to Balbat alone. It applies to nobles in general, so I ask that you take care as well, Shalka-sama.”

“Hah… honestly, that hits a bit too close to home.”

It was a cunning plan that struck right at the obsessive tendencies of the nobility.

I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

I had heard that people of Getrad’s generation were hardened by their hatred of Naia, but it seemed it was far beyond what I’d imagined.

To me, the old man smiling like a kindly grandpa before my eyes looked nothing less than a devil.

“Stop right thereeee!”

From the Naia Kingdom army came a magically amplified voice.

The voice of a man in his twenties — most likely the enemy commander, Balbat.

I had no obligation to listen to Balbat, but since I’d planned to halt anyway, I gave a hand signal to stop the entire army.

We had been marching in a column but now my forces spread out into a wide horizontal line with me at the center.

For a while, we glared at the Naia Kingdom army until our formation was complete.

Their forces were a mixed unit of cavalry and infantry — a mere thousand strong.

‘Indeed, wiping out nine thousand of their meat-shield troops with the Intimidation Sphere had been huge. In both cavalry numbers and morale, we now held the advantage.’

From the center of the Naia Kingdom army rode a man of medium build, clad in black armor and mounted on a white horse.

His golden hair — the symbol of the Naia royal family — fluttered in the wind and his self-assured emerald eyes locked onto me.

‘So that’s… Balbat, is it?’

At last, I came face to face with my target for this operation.