"Say, are you, Paloma-san? "
"! ...Who are you?"
Appearing silently inside the office of the director of the Royal Great Library was a tall, beautiful spirit with silver hair in a two-block haircut, Windfield.
Why did she visit Paloma with this timing? This was the result of searching for a person who could use the King's information network now that Barwell was dead.
"At the very least, an ally of the Kingdom. "
"Hoo. So, what does an ally of the Kingdom wants from me, a simple librarian? "
"There are some things I want you to do, using the King's information network."
"You! Where did you?"
"From Second-san."
"...So, this is why."
After hearing the name Second, Paloma stiffened for a moment, but then nodded as if convinced. Paloma himself, being in charge of gathering information, knew quite well that the King had an interest in Second. And what's more, that Second wasn't the man who had killed the King.
"Let's hear it."
Windfield was proud that Paloma had decided to listen to her in the name of her beloved lord, so after a thin smile, she opened her mouth with a serious expression.
"Caramelia, a drug similar to a cigarette, is being smuggled from the Sacred Country Kamel. This, in reality, is a very bad drug. We want to stop it from spreading as soon as possible."
"...If that's true, then it's really dangerous."
"Yeah. There's, no time to lose. If we regulate it, we'll control it from getting more harmful."
"I understand. Will my job then be to spread the right information about that drug and prevent it from spreading? "
"No, the Vince newspaper, is in charge of that. I would like to ask you, for something more direct, Paloma-san."
"More direct? "
He repeated those words and moved forwards with an amused expression.
"I want you to check the dealers' whereabouts, and if possible, get rid of them."
"Hahaha! "
In response, Paloma laughed out loud.
Why would he laugh? That because Windfield's predictions were right on point.
"I don't know where you looked that up, but brilliant."
"I didn't investigate it. I just, expected it."
"All the more brilliant, then. Understood, just leave it to me. I've been away from 'work' for a long time now, but these arms still remember it."
"This is a good chance, then."
Paloma was formerly the leader of the "shadows under the King". A simple director of a library couldn't manage an information network spreading all across the Kingdom.
"Well, just, don't be careless."
Windfield left the director's office after saying those final words.
"..."
Paloma, seemingly hit in a sore spot, turned and saluted the portrait of King Barwell in the room. Then, he headed to work wearing a grim expression.
"Fool."
Was that word addressed to the Prime Minister? To the First Knight Order? Or to the current leader of the shadows under the King? Or maybe it was directed at himself.
For him, what was lost and that deceiving was too much. But there was nobody to punish him, and nobody to use him.
Then, a request to save the country came. Steeling himself, he promised to crush the Caramelia sellers as if to take revenge on the deceased King, almost like he felt guilty for the death of the King.
If Windfield figured out this much, and that's why brought this issue to Paloma, then. This showed how she decided to become serious.
The best tactician in the spirit world was now demonstrating her true abilities.
——
——
"Your Highness. The Second Knight Order is splitting into two."
"About how high is the turn-over/desertion rate? "
"About 30%. But if the situation leans towards war, more likely 40%. Some fools will try to bet on the winning side."
"Is that so...?"
The captain of the Second Knight Order, Memphis, reported to Maine. Minister Hairai was also present at that place.
Currently, the Kingdom was split into two by the First and Second Princes' factions, and their clashes continued. But right now, the First Prince faction dominated the scene. After all, about 30% of the Second Knight Order members turned to the First Prince faction, which had already the support of the First and Third Knight Orders. The Second Prince faction only had the remaining 70% of the Second Knight Order and the Royal Court Magician Divisions.
"There's little time left. Maybe we should leave the Royal Capital at once."
Maine bit his lip at the suggestion of Minister Hairai.
Once they've retreated from the Royal Capital, it would become very difficult to get it back. However, if they stay as they are, they would eventually be surrounded and end up with their backs against a wall.
"This is no time to be worrying about stuff! "
Maine struggled to find an answer and Minister Hairai worried about the prince's life. He was also becoming quite impatient. Despite being on the attacking side, everything had turned upside down just before victory was secured. I can't be too rash, he thought.
"...Alright, I understand. We'll be leaving the Cap――!? "
Maine broke the silence, and shortly after that.
A roar that shook the ground rung.
"What's going on!? "
Memphis ran towards the window and looked at the direction of which the sound came. And as he did, he became speechless. The wall near the training grounds for the Royal Court Magician Divisions was blown away without a trace.
"What in the world!? "
Both Memphis and Hairai were puzzled. Perhaps, elsewhere, the Prime Minister, Djarum, and Klaus were also bewildered.
However... Only Maine knew the true nature of that sound without having to look outside the window.
A lightning strike. A person who could drop a lightning strike with such power in this critical situation, in this cloudless and clear sky...Maine could only think of one man.
"――Let's go. Second-san is calling for us."
——
——
A few minutes before Maine got moving. Court Mages were gathering at the training grounds of the Royal Court Magician Division.
In the absence of the King, the number one across the Royal Court Mages, Zephyr was to be the commanding leader of the entire Mage Divisions, not just the First Division. However, there was no guarantee that the rest of the Court Mages would properly obey him.
"We Royal Court Magicians work for His Highness, Prince Maine. This is a royal decree."
Zephyr's declaration caused a commotion among the Court Mages.
At present, the First Prince's faction had the upper hand. That's the reason many thought of it as suicide, to attach themselves to the Second Prince's faction.
If King Barwell were alive, nobody present would have opposed those words. However, considering the current situation they found themselves in, this reaction could be said to be inevitable. Some even lacked the self-awareness of seeing themselves as military personnel in the Kingdom. After all, this was a group of people who hadn't experienced war in more than twenty years.
"We can do it! "
One person raised their voice. Then, that one turned into two, then three, then ten, then twenty... the number of people steadily increased.
"Are you going to go against a royal decree!? "
One person then argued against Zephyr.
"I don't care about His Majesty's order; this is my life! "
"B-Bastard!! "
Many Court Mages then spoke against the exasperated leader. Here, too, the forces were split between the First and Second Princes.
If the power of the Court Mages was to move towards the First Prince camp, then the Second Prince would have no way to win. And even though he knew this, the captain Zephyr couldn't come up with a good plan to keep them in place.
"――Everyone, please think carefully! "
At that point, one woman raised her voice. The First Royal Court Magician Division's ace, Sherry.
"There's no way he killed His Majesty! Isn't this as clear as day!? No matter how you look at it, this is a plot! You should be aware that the other party is the one guilty of killing the King! Are you going to give up without even putting up a fight!? Shame on you! "
The Court Mages stopped, intimidated by that rage, seemingly out of place considering it came from a small girl.
"As long as he's here, we will win! Don't lose to fear, stay true to your beliefs! You should by no means forgive them! You already know this, don't you!? "
It was just as Sherry said. The Court Mages who tried to leave this place were not imperial operatives, nor had anything to do with the Empire. They were simply afraid to die. Of course, they too knew that Second didn't kill Barwell. This was something done by the First Prince's faction. But even so, they were afraid to die. Hence why they tried to change sides to the First Prince's.
"Sherry, you..."
Her companions in the First Royal Court Magician Division were even impressed by Sherry's cry. She believed in the man she hated so much to the point of entrusting her life to him.
What are friends for if not for moments like this? ――They all came forward, and after lining up at the sides of Sherry and Zephyr, they bowed their heads.
"Please, believe in this! "
"Let's fight together! "
"Please! "
The Court Mages' feet stopped. They heard rumors of it. The First Royal Court Magician Division had grown dramatically ever since the lecturer called Second came.
With him, they might be able to win. Many people started to think so.
But even so, many others were not ready to bet their life on this.
This was not a decisive factor to change their minds.
"Then, where is that lecturer now!? "
"Are you sure he didn't just run away!? "
"How can I believe in him!? "
They too were desperate. But this was only natural, after all, their lives were at stake.
"That is..."
Sherry was at lost for words. She, herself didn't know where Second was, or what he was doing.
"See!? You can't even answer! "
"I knew it, we can't trust him! You guys were simply tricked by that swindler! "
In response to her silence, the Court Mages started to move again.
My words didn't reach them――Sherry shrieked, tears of regret accumulating at the edge of her eyes.
"He'll come! He will come for sure! He didn't run away! And he wasn't a swindler either! He will absolutely, absolutely come back!! "
"...Sherry..."
Looking at her, not caring about her appearance, the heart of the First Royal Court Magician Division was united.
...However, they knew. That if Second didn't show up here now, her speech would all have been in vain. Theirs was a hope that was closer to despair. Ultimately, he was a suspect of murdering the King, so he couldn't simply come to a place full of enemies.
They had no choice but to give up. Nevertheless, despite knowing that, Sherry continued to pray, asking God.
He will absolutely come. He will absolutely come. He will absolutely come. She pleaded.
——
"――Eh!? "
The wall behind the training grounds was blown away without a trace after a thunderous roar.
Among the smoke, the remnants of the electric shock raged across. A ridiculous power that with just looking at the aftermath, could be predicted to turn mere humans in charcoal in an instant.
Lightning Attribute Magic―― the legendary [Magic] that was only heard of in tales, was used right in front of them. That alone stopped the actions of all the Court Mages.
Nobody could wrap their minds around what had just happened. However, it was possible to guess. Yeah, most likely, it was the strongest [Magic], a "Lightning Attribute・Fifth Form" spell――
And, immediately after.
A huge wind blew, causing all the smoke and dust to be blown away.
And, from that place, a single man appeared.
"Let's get the Kingdom back. Follow me."