A few weeks later, the Emperors' War began and the Shadow District had yet to be attacked.
Maria decided to go to Altair's office when she saw someone in particular.
The girl, who was 20 years old, winced and tried to ignore that person, but she called out to her.
"Hey, Mari!"
Nyx greeted her.
Maria stopped and glared at the woman.
"It's 'Maria' to you. You're not someone I could call a friend."
The goddess laughed.
"Of course not, I'm a goddess. The Personification of the Night. Would I need to be your friend to call you, 'Mari?'"
"Shut up before I kill you."
"Try if you can."
The two silently glared at each other.
Of course, Maria could not kill Nyx as she was not powerful enough. Even at her current level, Maria would only be able to leave a scratch on Nyx.
Meanwhile, Nyx would not kill Maria because of Altair.
"Oh my, did I stumble upon something I shouldn't have?"
Celestia asked, appearing from behind the two.
Nyx straightened herself.
"N-no, it's fine, Mistress Celestia!"
"She called me by my nickname and I didn't give her permission."
Maria told her, slightly snickering.
"Oh, is that so? Nyx, you shouldn't be doing that, especially if Mari doesn't want you to."
"Y-yes, Mistress!"
The goddess struggled to put on a smile.
"Now, you were going to Altair's office, right?"
---
"What?!"
Nyx slammed Altair's desk.
Maria nervously watched her from near Celestia.
"I told you, even if they attack, we won't kill anyone. Simple."
"But if our people are killed--"
"IF they are killed. We won't be fighting unless we're under attack."
Though Maria admired Altair's resolve not to fight, she found it naïve.
"Hey, Celestia."
Maria whispered to the white-haired woman.
"Hm?"
"Wouldn't it be bad if two of the other Districts teamed up and attacked us?"
"Fufu..."
She chuckled at Maria's unexpected innocence.
"Altair was the last one to become an Emperor. Though he was, he is the strongest. It may seem like his no-killing resolve holds him back but it only pushes him forward."
Celestia told her, almost admiring her lover.
Maria pondered over what Celestia said.
"Altair is really the strongest?"
The vampire nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, he's the strong--"
Altair's office began rumbling.
"What was that?"
Maria asked.
"That was mana reverberations..."
Celestia noted.
Abruptly, a butler burst into the room.
"Hey, Alban! What was that?!"
Altair shouted at the butler.
"L-Lord! It's mages from the Integral District!! They're attacking!"
Everyone jumped from their seats and turned to Altair.
They were awaiting orders.
Nyx hopefully wanting permission to kill while Celestia was ready to complete any order.
Maria, however, tried to make up her mind depending on the order.
"Deploy our mages! Give an order to NOT KILL!"
He explicitly said.
---
Maria fought in the defensive battle.
Those from the Integral District did not possess any particular element.
It was easy for someone like Maria to move around them and knock them unconscious.
It was harder than she thought.
Fighting a battle to the death without killing.
It seemed so godly that Altair has always done this and has always succeeded. Even by gaining the title of the strongest.
An Integral mage snuck behind Maria, while she was deep in thought, and sliced at her with a Water Blade.
"Oof!"
The soldier was thrown away.
"Hm?"
"You shouldn't space out, Mari, this is a battlefield."
Zephyr appeared in time to save her.
Maria chuckled.
"I have my knight in shining armour by my side, so it's fine."
She joked.
"Still, fighting without killing is a tricky one. The enemies' numbers don't decrease and they may wake up later. This seems like an impossible war for us to win."
"Impossible, indeed."
Someone said.
A tall man with verdant hair and yellow eyes. He walked toward the two girls.
"Hey, isn't that the Green Emperor?!"
Zephyr exclaimed.
"Huh? But I thought he was outside of the border of Aristonia?!"
A mage said.
As the Green Emperor approached the girls, mages shot Shadow Magic spells at him.
With a flick of his wrist, the spells were redirected and hit the casters.
"A bother. I'm only interested in the one blessed with the name of the Wind Spirit. Yet, she studies under the God of Darkness and wastes her potential."
Reinhardt did not care less.
He did not care if he killed her or not. Since it was her spirit he needed, not her body.
(To assist with unlocking the seal...)
"!"
Reinhardt took a blow to the face.
He instantly regained his balance and lost it the next moment.
The first hit was from Maria. She cloaked her presence so that she would not be detected.
That was what Reinhardt found strange.
Even when someone cloaks their mana presence, an Emperor should be able to sense even the faintest concealment.
It was then that Zephyr took the opportunity to knock him off balance by kicking the back of his knee, causing him to kneel.
Celestia rushed towards the two and kicked Reinhardt's face, causing him to fly back into the Aristonia walls.
"Lady Celestia!"
They both shouted in sync.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Second Vampire Progenitor, Celestia Crestfallen, the wife of Altair?"
Reinhardt rose from the walls.
The only sign of damage on him was from Celestia's kick. Maria and Zephyr did no damage, whatsoever.
Veins seemed to appear on Celestia's face as she clenched her teeth, visibly angered.
"Zephy... Mari... Step back. I'll deal with him."
"Uh, yes, ma'am."
Maria said, standing aside.
On the other hand, Zephyr did not accept her order.
"No, this is a warzone, ma'am! I'll fight alongside yo--"
"You'd only hold me back. Stay back."
Celestia glared at her with her scarlet eyes.
"R-right, ma'am."
"I was right to attack the Shadow District first. I knew you wouldn't kill, knowing Altair."
"I'll kick your ass out of here."
"Try it, Pureblood."