The sun was beginning to set.
The attacks on the fortress city were starting to simmer down, but the battle was far from over. The enemy forces were simply retreating. And considering how unlikely it was that they would give up just like that, they'd probably be back the next day.
It was dusk, and the Great Crimson Lord, aka the Black Flash, Flöte Mascarail, surveyed the area from atop the castle walls as the enemy troops teleported away.
The inside of the citadel was in a terrible state. Corpses of various nationalities lay everywhere, the floors tainted by blood and the buildings turned into rubble. Sports-wars didn't take place inside cities—the disastrous sight astonished Flöte.
"'Sup, Flöte. Good work back there."
"Lady Karen!"
Flöte turned around, elated. There stood Her Majesty the Empress, the person she respected the most, clad in the same dress as always despite being on the battlefield. Her poise was stunningly sublime. As gorgeous as ever… Then the Empress held a glass out to her.
"You must be tired. Take a rest."
"Th-thank you so much…but I am in the middle of a mission."
"Lady Mascarail, this is plain apple juice! There is nothing to worry about," the crazy priest said.
Helldeus Heaven was standing next to the Empress. His vestments were dyed in blood, but he didn't appear to be wounded. He hadn't lasted all this time as a Crimson Lord for nothing.
Flöte accepted the juice and let its sweetness wash her fatigue away.
"Lord Madhart sure pulled a fast one on us. Never heard of someone wishing to invade other nations, let alone actually try it. Shall I go to their capital and give him a harsh sermon?"
"Don't bother. I doubt he sees religion as anything but another tool for war."
The Empress leaned on the wall and crossed her arms. Her profile, lit by the twilight sun, was awe-inspiring. Ever so breathtaking.
"I see, I see. Though, I must praise his strategy. Faure is a key territory of the Mulnite Empire. It would take a long time to rebuild this place were he to destroy it."
"We just gotta make Gerra-Aruka rebuild it for us. We will win this war."
"Um… Lady Karen, what makes you so sure of it?"
"Simple. Because the Mulnite Empire is the strongest."
That doesn't answer anything. Yet when it comes from her mouth, it sounds like unquestionable truth. How curious.
"They're not doing much, actually. I believe Madhart planned to send all Eight Illustrious Generals against us, but only four units came. Which means our play was successful."
"Our play?"
"Blowing up the president's executive office."
Flöte nearly dropped her cup. She couldn't believe her ears.
"It was Petrose's doing. The Gerra-Aruka capital must be in chaos right now. Our scouts say some of the generals were called back there. I don't think the president thought we'd attack his own base. We could even destroy Aruka in its entirety right now."
"I—I don't think that would be the best course of action."
"I know. But I think Aruka needs some change after what just happened. Well, our key is already on her way to Daydream Paradise."
"Key…? Oh." Flöte begrudgingly realized what she meant. The Empress thought way too highly of Terakomari Gandesblood.
The so-called offense group had been split up after Nelia Cunningham teleported away both Terakomari Gandesblood and Karla Amatsu. Delphyne and Sakuna Memoir were currently searching for them.
That klutzy failure of a vampire had nothing going for her besides her bloodline. How was she supposed to be the key to changing Aruka? Then the Empress smirked, as if taking notice of Flöte's thoughts.
"Yes, I also mean Komari, but I'm mainly talking about Nelia."
"Nelia…?"
"That Warblade isn't like that foolish Madhart. She'll be the cornerstone to shattering Aruka from within. She must already be colluding with Komari on their way to her country right now."
"Your Majesty, that key doesn't have troops with her. They wouldn't be able to stand against the Republic's forces. Let me send part of my unit to look for them."
"No. Sakuna and Delphyne are already doing that, plus we've got other tricks under our sleeve."
"Tricks? You mean Lady Calamaria? It might be dangerous leaving it up to her."
"She's gone to sleep; said she was tired. But we have one other unit in Mulnite—one without a commander."
The Fifth Unit? What is she trying to say?
The Empress tapped Flöte's shoulder and smiled.
"You should go to bed, too. Sapphires, beast-folk, and Immortals will be coming in great numbers tomorrow. We need you two to stay in peak condition, or both Mulnite and the Heavenly Paradise will be taken over."
***
The battlefield was in an uproar after Terakomari Gandesblood disappeared.
First, the Seventh Unit lost their minds. Nelia Cunningham had taken away their precious and strong Commander Komari. The soldiers directed their rage toward the unit Cunningham left behind, slicing the rusted to pieces and blowing them away. Yet that didn't satisfy them. They started debating among themselves over who was responsible for the commander's kidnapping, and it soon turned into a brawl, which then became a bloodbath. Now only a hundred of Komari's men remained.
Delphyne sighed at the sight.
They said the Seventh Unit was the worst place to be demoted to, but who knew it was this bad? Thank goodness the Fourth Unit was a decent group.
Anyway.
"Her Majesty's orders are to search for Terakomari as we move toward the Daydream Paradise."
"Y-yes. Let's do our best." Sakuna Memoir startled at Delphyne's address; she'd been looking up at the sky, lost in thought. She shivered while clenching her fists. Scary.
"You know what she's like. Don't worry about her."
"I can't help worrying about her. I've heard of how terrible the people of Gerra-Aruka are."
"Then let's go find her soon."
"Yes. We will. And then…we'll defeat Aruka."
Delphyne was surprised. The Sixth Unit commander had a reputation for being timid. Considering her usual weak-willed personality, Delphyne thought Sakuna wouldn't care much for her mission as commander, but it seemed that was wrong. Perhaps this silver-haired girl was earnest deep down, a decent person despite her history as a member of Inverse Moon. Possibly the only upstanding member of the Crimson Lords, considering how loony the rest were.
"Let's go find Ms. Komari."
"You sure like her a lot."
"Yes…that's why I'm worried. Everyone says she is the strongest Crimson Lord, but you wouldn't believe how unreliable she really is. I have to be there for her…"
"I see."
"I was supposed to be her younger sister, but lately it seems like our places have switched. I have to protect her. Back then when the Haku-Goku Commonwealth attacked, if it wasn't for me, something terrible could've happened to her."
"I—I see."
"I can't leave everything to Ms. Villhaze. She holds impure desires toward Ms. Komari, so I must be by her side at all times, even while sleeping, but I think she wouldn't like that. Though I've been thinking about inviting her over for a sleepover lately."
"…"
Was Sakuna really a decent person?
"Sure. Anyway, we have to go. Can you use seeking magic?"
"No, but I do have a locator planted on her."
The silver vampire took out a hand-size magical instrument. Though it was technically illegal, the device allowed you to track where someone went.
"You're well prepared. As if you knew she would be kidnapped from the very beginning."
"Hee-hee. I just have it on her at all times."
"…"
Yeah…she's just another weirdo.
***
Madhart was alive.
The sudden explosion had blown the executive office to bits in an attack that would kill any normal person—but Madhart was a former Illustrious General. One of the only two back then. A detonation wasn't enough to kill him.
Still, the explosion had the effect of changing people's mentalities, as did those flyers, which were most likely from the Mulnite Empire. Because of it all, the people started being more open about voicing their disapproval of his government. Madhart had tried controlling the riots with his garrison, but it only triggered rebel organizations to come out from the shadows like cockroaches, demanding he be taken down. It was only a matter of time before protests would start breaking out across the nation.
"Now they've done it," Madhart whispered, then took out his Correspondence Crystal.
If that's how they want to play, then very well. All nations will become slaves to Gerra-Aruka. All races will kneel to the Warblades.
"Mr. President, are you okay?!" Pascal Rainsworth asked from the other side of the line.
"I'm fine. I have a mission for you."
"As you say, but…"
"I heard about the situation. Continue following after Nelia Cunningham and Terakomari Gandesblood…but there's one other thing I want you to do as well."
"Yes?"
Madhart could picture Rainsworth's eyes looking up to him like a loyal dog. He curled his lips up as he spoke.
"I will dispatch the Daydream Unit. You will take command after you put Cunningham and Gandesblood in the Daydream Paradise. Get ready."