Granada line.
A strategic point leading to several fiefdoms adjacent to the capital city of Magnu. Trenches were set up in the snow-covered fields. Behind the defensive line, soldiers were walking around while camped.
"The princess did better than expected."
"That's right. It must have been difficult to persuade the military."
"Just looking at their expressions, they look like pigs being dragged to the slaughterhouse."
Chelsea crouched on the hill and looked down at the soldiers. Her eyes still had that tired look in them, but there was an unmistakable tension in them.
"Where is it? I don't expect much skill."
There are less than a hundred agents gathered in Bastitera. It is not enough to wage war. Soldiers are needed to maintain the front line.
They are a separate force from those dispatched to defend the capital and borders. They are an army formed by gathering private soldiers from the purged mountain nobles sent by Ainoa.
"You just have to take charge of the front line. We'll act as guerrillas."
"So to speak, a meat room..."
"Don't talk, you crazy woman."
"Hmm. Is that a bit of an expression?"
But it wasn't entirely wrong. The nobles of the mountain clan that were their masters were labeled traitors. Soldiers who were burdensome to absorb into the regular army.
If you consider the military budget, they are a headache for the military as well.
'Well, the commanders seem very motivated.'
Kim Yi-hyeon glanced at the command tent. Even without listening, he could hear voices arguing. He could also guess what was being said.
- So, I said that I don't need help from outsiders!
- That's right. Even if they're called the Legion, aren't they just a terrorist group? Our Silverlance Knights alone should be able to deal with them. We don't need to ask for your help.
- No, our Knights of Iron Mountain… …!
Knights. There were knights here.
'It's a strange country no matter when you see it.'
There are still many anachronistic cultures in Bastitera, the most notable example being the Knights Templar.
Old-fashioned feudalism. Pecatum soldiers who were physically strong even without holding a gun. A culture that revered warriors. It was an imbalance born from various factors.
It is questionable whether things will remain the same in the next 10 or 20 years. In any case, it was an opportunity for them to restore their lost honor and even aim to be incorporated into the regular army.
'… … A knight.'
Suddenly, Snowfield's image flashed through my mind. What would have happened if she had been there? Could the inexperienced Pecatum Knights have stopped her?
'It's a good thing I took care of it in advance.'
It was easy to imagine a scene where he broke through the defense line alone. He had also swept away the security forces in Metro City alone. It wouldn't have been much different.
'If we compare the level of risk, the godmother's side is much more serious.'
There is no choice but to try to conquer it somehow. There are plenty of cards that can be used here. At least I have a good grasp of the spells of the agents implemented in the game.
It was a time when I was reexamining the strategy in my brain.
"Oh, I guess it's finished?"
The professor and Ghost came out of the command tent. Kim Yi-Hyeon had left the meeting early because they were both pursuing their own greed, but the two of them were persistently hanging out together.
It seems like we've finally reached a conclusion.
As she was thinking that, the professor looked around anxiously. Then she received a walkie-talkie from Ghost.
Chick, chick.
The radio message reached Kim I-Hyeon.
- Hyun, we have a problem.
* * *
- There was a terrorist attack at Magnu Station.
Ainoa's voice flowed through the speakers into the tent. Leila's face turned serious at the unexpected news and she urged him to continue talking.
"Terrorism? Can you explain in detail?"
― … … I don't know. From what I've heard, the citizens are attacking each other. Green spots appear on their skin and they bite people like crazy.
"What is that? Is it some kind of zombie?"
Rosetta said it half-jokingly, but no one laughed. When a few agents gave her a cold stare, she said a short apology, "I'm sorry," and closed her mouth.
- We initially deployed the security forces, but contact has been cut off. We are currently mobilizing the standing army to blockade the area as much as possible to prevent the citizens from escaping.
He locked up the citizens. His tone wavered slightly as he said that. It must have been a difficult decision, even though he had no other choice since the initial suppression had failed.
The ghost sank heavily.
"What a coincidence. Do you need help?"
― … No, I just relayed it to you because I thought it was a distraction operation by the Legion. We'll take care of it. You guys, go about your business.
"Ms. Ainoa, please be careful too. Something might happen in the palace too."
- Thank you for your concern. I'll be okay, as long as I have Carmen.
The story progresses in the direction of handling things on one's own.
Kim Yi-hyeon's expression was particularly stiff.
Among them, only Kim I-hyeon accurately recognized the seriousness of the situation.
'That's right. Camellia, that's her.'
A person who is permitted to refuse orders and act autonomously despite not being in an executive-level position. A special case who does not have a single subordinate and has not participated in any operations until a certain point.
A follower of Snowfield and the main character of main episode 14.
'Sending troops will have the opposite effect.'
Camellia's own strength is not great. She is far behind Snowfield, and even Shadow and Mithril. However, her specialness lies not in her fighting power, but in her 'contagiousness'.
Camellia can single-handedly bring down a nation.
The station was already occupied, he said, meaning Camellia had hundreds of Pecatum soldiers at her disposal. And the guards that had been brought in to suppress it.
We had to take action before their numbers grew any further. They were enemies that had to be dealt with by a small number of people, not an army. To stop them, we had to send in our elite agents.
'In this situation now?'
There is no telling when they will be able to return, and there is also the possibility of being hit back. The departure of an elite agent is a huge blow. Even if we minimize the number of people, it is only two people.
Even that is a way to use Asterike.
Since we need to equip [Vibranium Composite Sword], naturally Kim Yi-Hyeon must follow. That's why there are two of them. Even though there is no shortage, Asterike's stamina will definitely run out.
The most powerful cards are consumed before they even collide with the main unit.
'But there is a better lineup than this… … .'
There is one thing.
Kim Yi-hyeon was conscious of the pockets on his jumper. It was an insurance policy prepared in case of an emergency. It was something he always carried around without fail, but hoped he would never have to use it.
However, this was a hesitation as an agent. The experience and knowledge accumulated as a Polaris player coolly derived the optimal formation.
I've made up my mind.
Kim Yi-hyeon has been carrying out operations based on rationality up to now. Since the calculations show that this is the most rational way, there is no reason not to use it.
Above all, that woman must be killed as soon as possible.
Certainly and thoroughly.
"Just blockade it and do nothing."
- That can't be. If we were to launch the train with mutated citizens on board... ... .
"Okay, just wait. If we leave right now, we'll get there before it's too late."
- Yes? What is that?
He spat out softly.
"I'm going."
* * *
Sabak.
The snow-covered fields were marked by the imprints of military boots. Even though hundreds of men were marching, there was little unnecessary noise.
It is not a matter of stealth. The Legion's soldiers have already escaped the tunnels. The scattered units have come up to the surface and joined forces at the target point.
However, the atmosphere of the army is determined by the disposition of the commander. The godmother's disposition was not so generous. She hated everything that she could not control.
Naturally, the soldiers remained quiet. No one asked about their comrades who had not arrived safely. As if it were natural, they simply continued to march in formation.
"Godmother, contact with the Graverey Corps has also been lost."
"Those kids are unlucky."
The godmother dismissed it in one word.
Luck. It was literally luck.
Given the circumstances, the enemy would not have been able to fully identify the locations of all the tunnels. The Gravery Corps was out of luck.
The loss of troops did not particularly interest her. What was bothersome was the very fact that her actions had been read. For some time now, the godmother had been feeling strange.
It was like playing chess with someone whose face I couldn't see.
It all started with the disappearance of Princess Ainoa. Although it was known that a man named 'Hyeon' was deeply involved in the incident, the godmother did not consider him her opponent.
I just think of him as a stand-in to attract attention. There must have been someone who planned and directed the operation, and he must have staged the situation up to this point.
'Is it someone named Kushan?'
Director of CellbroLogics Lab. I've heard the story. A researcher with extensive experience in all corners of the continent, with a particularly deep knowledge of disasters.
There were rumors, of course, but there was also information that was directly relayed. The leader of the Legion had occasionally brought up the topic of Kushan since the organization was founded.
That is why the image of Kushan was somewhat fixed in the godmother's mind. He was a contemplative, perfectionist, idealist, and indecisive hypocrite.
The Godmother wanted to take off Kushan's mask. She wanted to throw the Cellbrox Lab into a pool of blood and enjoy the sight of his noble thoughts being thrown away like an old pair of shoes.
She was a twisted human born in a twisted time.
Pass.
At that moment, the mineral crystal hanging around the adjutant's neck shattered. It was an object that could be linked when one of its paired parts was destroyed, regardless of distance. The principle was unknown, but it was certainly convenient.
This was a signal from Magnu.
"It seems Camellia has started too."
"That kid was quick to make decisions."
"I guess that means you're that angry. You followed Snowfield a lot."
"You're going blind if you cling to someone who's already dead."
It was an emotion that the godmother could not understand. She laughed through her nose and walked forward.
"The welcome is a little small."
Granada line.
From a distance, the trenches set up by the Bastite people could be seen. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were bearing the fate of the nation, but their hastily constructed defense line was extremely shabby.
The godmother glanced at the hill on the other side.
A point more than 1km away. Through the scope, I made eye contact with a woman with pink hair. I didn't even miss the way her finger on the trigger trembled.
Slow down.
The next moment, a lump of dark red mucus appeared in front of the godmother's feet.
The bullet hit the center of the mucus. It did not penetrate. The bullet lost its physical force as soon as it touched the surface and was swallowed up by the mucus.
― The Lord is with you… … .
The liquid gurgled and made a sound like a snake hissing.
The adjutant swallowed dryly. Most of the time, those appointed as the adjutant of the godmother would not last more than a month. Rumor has it that all the previous predecessors were eaten up by that.
The Godmother's spell was particularly bizarre even within the Legion. Camellia was no less dangerous, but it was a separate issue. There was an indescribable sense of alienation.
The godmother stood about ten paces away from the first row of soldiers and stared at the enemy soldiers.
A huddle of Pecatums. Soldiers from a country that has not been at war for a long time. Instead of rifles and cannons, they are armed with old-fashioned bayonets and pikes. Their horns are no longer in the way, so they do not wear helmets.
A group of knights wearing flashy armor were slaughtering the soldiers. It was hard to watch them waving their swords high because they were so comical.
They are very old and worn-out relics of an old era.
"ruler."
The tip of the cane stabbed deep into the snow.
"Let's burn Bastetira."