Chapter 40: ...Strange. Something's not right.

The Deken Empire's invasion of Saripa held no real military significance.

There was no true reason to go to war—except to serve as a "trial for Prince Jalpha."

The famed twin princesses of the Saripa Kingdom were well-known even within Deken.

The elder sister, Lululu, was intelligent and beautiful. The younger, Rishali, was obedient and delicate.

If Prince Jalpha managed to win over those sisters, it would add to his prestige.

The Emperor of Deken was already old. He could not continue to command forever.

And so, for the sake of the next generation, he believed he was teaching Prince Jalpha the ways of imperial rule.

Beauty can sometimes shake nations.

The Emperor of Deken knew of many countries that had fallen due to affairs involving women.

No matter how wise a ruler might be, emotions toward a wife could dull judgment.

That is why the Deken Emperor wanted Jalpha to learn.

In the path of conquest, emotion was nothing but a hindrance.

—That was the sole reason the Deken Empire invaded Saripa.

The difference in national power between Deken and Saripa was overwhelming. Saripa was a safe target, one they could trample while humming a tune.

The Deken Empire was wealthy. Even if they slaughtered every Saripan, their treasury would remain untroubled.

If, in exchange for destroying a small nation, they could instill imperial philosophy into their top successor candidate, Jalpha, it was well worth it.

Such was the Deken Emperor's true intent.

As ordered by the Emperor, Prince Jalpha launched an attack on Yaiban and Saripa.

It was a two-pronged strategy, but the odds of victory were more than favorable. In fact, with the difference in strength, total victory was expected.

Prince Jalpha left the Saripa front to General Agaron.

He himself directly commanded the Yaiban front.

In this war, the "invasion of Saripa" was more of a sideshow. The true challenge was Yaiban.

That’s why the renowned hero "Dragon Slayer" Agaron was entrusted with the Saripa forces—but…

"Hm? There’s a fortress city over there, isn’t there?"

"Most likely Saripan territory—Byuredesto."

Alongside the road leading to Yaiban, a small fortress city of Saripa came into view.

The city's name was Byuredesto. In Yaiban, it was known as an "impregnable stronghold"—but…

"I thought there hadn’t been any settlements for a while, what a stroke of luck."

"Perfect. Let’s loot the place."

To Deken, Byuredesto was just some remote city in Saripa’s hinterlands.

Given its size, they never considered it a formidable target.

"Alright, a little souvenir on the way. Take everything—wine, meat, women—leave nothing behind!"

"Keep some of the loot for distribution to the rear lines!"

The Deken army was a massive force assembled for the purpose of obliterating Yaiban itself.

There was no way such a small city could possibly give them any trouble.

With that assumption, they recklessly charged into Byuredesto without a plan.

"Prince Jalpha, it seems the advance unit…"

"…What? Wiped out?"

That was their first encounter with Byuredesto.

About a thousand troops had diverted to loot the city. Not a single one returned.

Hearing the report, Jalpha involuntarily flinched.

At first, he optimistically assumed, "They’re probably just having too much fun playing around."

But even the follow-up squad sent to scold them for not returning never came back. Byuredesto still flew Saripa’s flag.

It was only then that the Deken army realized their advance unit had been defeated.

"Ugh… What a disgrace. Father’s going to be furious."

"You’re not to blame, Prince. Those fools just got carried away. I’ll go and take the city myself."

This ill-omened start to the campaign made Prince Jalpha a little anxious.

Losing a thousand men wasn't a serious blow.

But for the very first battle—one meant to set the tone for the campaign—to end in total defeat was terribly inauspicious.

He already dreaded the thought of having to write the battle report.

"Things never go smoothly, do they?"

"I’ll cover for you too. Losing with this kind of power difference? Only a fool could manage that."

Prince Jalpha's only comment was, "Nothing ever goes the way you want."

Yes—despite losing a thousand men in the advance force, the Deken army still said:

"This time we’ll send even more and charge right in."

"I’ll count on it."

They had underestimated the fortress city known as Byuredesto.

---

It was about three years ago that Berka, the captain of the security forces, began taking command against the invasions by Yaiban.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter—whenever the seasons changed, Yaiban soldiers would come demanding sacrifices.

And against those external threats, Berka continued to win without a single casualty, using dozens of different traps and tactics.

What trap to use next? What strategy would come after that? For three whole years, Berka had been pondering and preparing exactly that.

"…Nn. Deken’s here again, big brother."

"Thanks for the scouting, Luri."

The same tactic was never used twice against the same enemy.

Which is why against Yaiban, Berka kept switching things up—using different traps, different tricks.

That accumulated wisdom became Berka’s Thirty-Six Stratagems.

"Big brother, what are we doing next?"

"There are still plenty of strategies we haven’t used… Now, which one should I pick?"

"So many choices~!"

These were all surprise tactics crafted specifically to counter Yaiban—thirty-six ways to take them down on first contact.

And for the Deken Empire, every single one of them would be a first-time trap.

"The whirlpool trap sparkling wine strategy didn’t really work against Yaiban… Maybe it’s time for a rematch?"

"Last time, the waterway was too shallow and it just spilled out, huh."

"I rebuilt the water channels, so I should be able to control it this time. I’ve always regretted that one didn’t go off properly."

Byuredesto’s defensive strength didn’t come just from its sturdy stone walls.

All around the city were pitfalls, snare holes, stake traps, fire traps, water traps—countless of them, laid out like a web.

"This time, we’ll wash the enemy soldiers straight off the cliff."

"Hope it goes well this time."

As long as the invaders charged in blindly, the fortress city under Berka’s protection would never fall.

Every street, every tree, every suspension bridge—even the road signs—were filled with Berka’s ingenious stratagems.

Unless a dragon showed up, breaking through with brute force was simply impossible.

---

Upon reading the battle report sent by Berka,
Jikei didn’t rejoice—instead, he looked up to the heavens.

“J-Jikei-sama?”

“There. That’s where he was—the talent.”

The victory at Byuredesto was, without question, a blessing.

A delay in the invasion of Yaiban meant more time to negotiate a ceasefire.

So yes, it was something to be glad about.

“Didn’t Rishali say it before? That Berka guy’s got the makings of a Grand General.”

“W-What’s wrong?”

“He’s way beyond a Grand General!!”

It was undeniably a miraculous victory.

Despite a hopeless difference in strength, they were buying time in an ideal fashion.

—But that wasn’t the battlefield where miracles were needed.

“Why the hell did Rishali send a commander like this back to Byuredesto?! She should’ve kept him at Central!”

The place where a miracle was needed… was the invasion route to Saripa.

Even if they secured a miracle victory against Yaiban, it didn’t help with Saripa.

“But as long as they keep holding out…”

“…No matter how good they are, they won’t last a week.”

At first glance, the value of this victory might seem significant.

It bought time for a ceasefire and gave them some leverage against Yaiban.

However—

“Any follow-up reports from Byuredesto?”

“No. The last message said they were under siege and preparing to fight back.”

“Figures.”

The Deken Empire didn’t need to take Byuredesto by force.

Byuredesto was a small city—if they simply altered their route, they could continue their invasion of Yaiban unhindered.

“No matter how strong the defense, once you’re surrounded, it’s over.”

Deken didn’t have to engage in battle to bring down Byuredesto.

They just had to use their massive army to surround it, and they wouldn’t be interrupted in their march.

It would also function as a starvation tactic, letting them wipe out Byuredesto safely.

“If only I had Berka here… No, no point in whining.”

“Jikei-sama, what will you do?”

“I’ll join up with Big Brother Sario as soon as I can. I’ll head into Yaiban’s army myself.”

—But the truth is, he already knew.

Jikei had no brilliant plan to deal with the earthen doll units.

There was no way Jikei could wrap up the negotiations that Rishali had failed to handle.

There was no method to drive out the enemy forces that had arrived at the port town.

“Everyone… Lend me your strength. For Saripa’s sake.”

“Of course!”

The Kingdom of Saripa had no real chance of victory.

Even so, Jikei refused to give up—he kept struggling.

A normal person would’ve given up long ago.

So then why hadn’t the usually lazy and self-indulgent Jikei given up?

It was because Jikei had never really struggled before now.

Ordinary people understand that sometimes no amount of effort can change things.

But whenever Jikei struggled, he always managed to overcome.

That’s why, for Jikei, giving up had never been an option.

“Sario-niisan!!”

Jikei spurred his horse forward, racing toward Sario.

Fueled by ignorance and passion, he’d sworn to bring about a miracle.

“You’re here, Jikei.”

“What’s the situation!?”

“You can see it for yourself.”

…Jikei rushed to Sario’s side.

He took a fresh look at the soldiers gathered around them.

“It’s hopeless.”

Their eyes were vacant.

Their armor was dented and caked with mud.

Soldiers missing arms or with broken swords sat slumped all around.

“Sorry, Jikei. I truly fought with everything I had.”

“Brother…”

“But I was useless. I… couldn’t do a damn thing.”

In the entire army, Sario was about the only one who still had any spirit left.

Jikei could feel the faint will to keep fighting emanating from him.

But it was painfully clear—he was just putting on a brave face.

“Another sacrifice added to the pile.”

“…They’re going to die too, aren’t they? Right here.”

Even with the arrival of reinforcements, not a single cheer rose from the front-line troops.

Their cheeks were sunken, their cracked and dried skin crusted with blood and mud.

A suffocating air of resignation—a stench of ruin and trampled pride—hung over them.

“This is…”

This is what defeat looks like.

This is what it means to be weak.

There was no way to resist the Deken Empire’s tyranny.

“Jikei, forgive me. I need your wisdom.”

“Sario… Brother…”

“I was never fit to be king. It should’ve been you who inherited the throne.”

Tears welled up in Sario’s eyes.

They weren’t tears of frustration—they were tears of remorse.

“I’ve always known it in my heart. It should’ve been you, not me.”

“D-Don’t say that, Brother…”

“Because I was born first. That’s all it was. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being born first.”

“Stop it already!!”

Jikei had never seen his brother look so fragile.

The man he knew was always rigid, stern to a fault.

Constantly lecturing him—“Why can’t you try harder?”—always a thorn in his side.

“I… was just in the way.”

“That’s not true!! You’re the one who had it together, Brother! That’s why the soldiers—”

And just as Jikei tried to cut off that spiral of regret—

“Enemy incoming! Run!!”

“We can’t hold them back anymore!!”

Jikei turned at the shout.

In the distance, across the dry, barren plain, a horde of earthen dolls was surging up from the ground.

“That’s the earth-doll tactic…”

They were far larger than he’d imagined.

Each one was twice the size of a man, stomping forward with shocking agility.

“Uooooooooh!!”

At the very front of the line, a young, battle-worn warrior with a boyish face was smashing them to bits.

One after another—one, two, three—he shattered them with his bare fists. Just a single blow would reduce a doll to rubble. It was exhilarating to watch.

But—

“Don’t throw your life away, Lord Takeru! There’s no point fighting these things—!”

“I have to punch them! All the other soldiers—!”

Just as the reports said, even when the dolls were destroyed, they regenerated immediately and rose again.

Takeru kept destroying them to protect the fleeing soldiers, but…

No matter how many he crushed back into dirt, it seemed utterly meaningless.

“Jikei. Do you have a plan?”

“Give me a second.”

Something’s wrong, Jikei thought. These earth dolls were far stronger than what he’d been told to expect.

A direct attack was pointless. Even with someone like Takeru, they couldn’t push them back.

“…This is wrong. Something’s not right.”

With this tactic, the enemy could kill indefinitely, safely, without losing a single soldier.

—So then, why hadn’t this overwhelming strategy been used before now?

“Why would they use this strategy against Saripa? Should’ve thrown it at the Yaiban army instead.”

An invincible army—endlessly spawning, overwhelming foot soldiers, regenerating even after destruction.

If this tactic were truly that terrifying, they could’ve wiped out Yaiban anytime.

Was there a reason they couldn’t use it against the Yaiban forces?

“The weakness of earth…”

Muttering that much, Jikei finally realized how to counter the earth dolls.

“…Sario, Brother. Has it ever rained during battle?”

“Rain? There were rainy days, sure—but no battles happened on those days.”

“I see.”

Earth mages control the earth.

But what happens if that earth is soaked with water?

“We don’t have to fight. Let’s pull back to the capital.”

“But then the capital will—”

“It’s fine, Brother. The rainy season is almost here. We can gather water mages in the capital.”

Earth and water are distinct magical elements.

Even if they can manipulate earth, they likely can’t manipulate water.

“Do you think those earth dolls can move when they’re soaked?”

“…Ah.”

Exactly. The truth was, this earth doll tactic had a fatal weakness. In the rain, their bodies crumble apart.

Even just dousing them in water slows their movement. That’s why they’re fatally weak to water mages.

In the end, it was a gimmick strategy. Flashy, but shallow—a one-time surprise.

“…They think we’re a joke.”

The Deken army already knew the earth-doll charge was a flawed tactic.

A water mage could blow a mist and shut the whole army down.

That’s precisely why they never used it against Yaiban, which had the powerful water mage Levigdard.

So then, why did they unleash this defective strategy on Saripa?

—It was simple. They looked down on Saripa. That’s all.

“If we gather water mages in the capital, we can at least put up a real fight.”

“That’s our Jikei! Let’s do that!”

Sario’s eyes lit up with joy at Jikei’s plan.

With water mages, they could stand a fair chance. No doubt about it. However—

“…Though, if we did fight fair, we’d still lose.”

“What was that, Jikei?”

“Nothing.”

The situation was worsening by the minute.

The port town of Anat, soon to be captured, would open a direct path to the capital.

Byuredesto was surrounded and under siege, its supplies running dangerously low.

To stop the enemy’s advance, they’d have to recall troops to the capital. There was no way around it.

“Sario-sama, Jikei-sama. Yaiban’s main forces have appeared a few kilometers east.”

“…!”

And still, no ceasefire had been declared.

At this rate, they would be caught in a pincer attack—between the Deken army and the Yaiban army.

“Brother, I’m heading out for a bit.”

“…Where to?”

“I’m going to march right into the Yaiban camp.”

If Yaiban had already come this far, so be it—he’d use them.

He would pit the Yaiban and Deken forces against each other, and retreat in the chaos.

“I’ll talk my way in and make it work somehow.”

“…So Rishali failed too, then.”

Until the very end, Jikei never stopped resisting.

That was his own form of royal pride—the pride of a Saripan prince.

“Brother, rally the soldiers and prepare for retreat. Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”

---

Miracles are only recognized after they happen.

That saying existed precisely for moments like this.

“Hey! Hey! I don’t intend to fight—just hear me out!!”

Jikei rode alone toward the Yaiban army on a horse with a striking bay coat.

“I’m Jikei, second prince of the Kingdom of Saripa! I’ve come to negotiate with the Yaiban army!”

Not a single guard accompanied him.

Part of that was because Jikei could handle himself in a fight—but there was another reason…

“Please, I won’t ask anything unreasonable! Just hear me out!”

He was also banking on his delicate appearance—almost girlish—to draw sympathy.

“H-Hey, what’s that? It’s coming this way.”

“Doesn’t look like a military unit… He’s waving a flag.”

“Hey! I’m not your enemy! Just listen!”

One of the soldiers at the front line of the Yaiban army shouted back uncertainly.

Hearing that, Jikei raised his voice even more.

“Second prince of Saripa, Jikei? Why would someone like him show up alone?”

“Negotiation! It’ll be quick—and I promise, it’s in your best interest too!”

“…Ah, wait—this about a ceasefire or something?”

The one who stepped forward to meet him was a girl in a pale blue dress.

She had a laid-back air to her, but also a strange, wild energy—something animalistic beneath the calm.

From her presence alone, Jikei realized: this girl must be the commander of the army.

“If it’s that kind of talk, then don’t say it to me. Talk to her instead.”

“W-Wait!”

“I’m heading off to fight now.”

But the commander barely glanced at Jikei, clearly disinterested.

She ignored him completely and pushed on toward the front lines.

“Wait, please—just give me a moment—!”

“U-Um, excuse me…”

Jikei panicked. If they charged ahead now, everything would be lost.

He rushed forward to block her path and force the conversation, but then—

“Brother? Why are you here…?”

“…Rishali?”

Following the direction the commander had pointed, Jikei spotted a familiar face.

It was none other than his eccentric younger sister, Rishali—whose diplomatic instincts even he couldn’t understand.

“Rishali? What are you doing with the Yaiban army…?”

“Huh!? Didn’t you tell me to do this?”

Completely confused, Jikei demanded an explanation from his sister.

And her absurdly natural response:

“You told me to go make an alliance with Yaiban.”

“…Huh?”

She had completely confused ceasefire with forming an alliance.

---

The miracle Berka brought about in Byuredesto had not been in vain.

What began as a localized victory had grown into a wave that shook the entire battlefield.

Yes—thanks to Berka’s valiant stand, Yaiban now had the breathing room to send reinforcements to Saripa.

“Ufufu… fufufu…”

Softly, lazily, orbs of water floated around the girl in the pale blue dress.

Unable to suppress her emotions, she let out a laugh that echoed across the battlefield.

“I’ll see him again… I’ll get to see him again…”

What kind of emotion was that, exactly?

Hatred? Affection? Resentment? Love?

—No doubt, it was all of those.

“Will he notice I dressed up for him?”

Yaiban’s army—and Levi herself—hadn’t come chasing after Saripa to destroy them.

They were here because they couldn’t afford to let Saripa lose.

“—Takeru! Long time no see!”

“…Wh—what!?”

A massive rainbow stretched across the battlefield.

Glittering in seven radiant colors, it bathed the girl's blue dress in shimmering light.

Moments later, steam erupted in bursts across the land as if the very earth had begun to boil.

“Let’s play in the mud… together.”

The earth dolls’ weakness was water.

Water-element mages, typically dismissed as unsuitable for war, were natural enemies of these constructs.

“Levi… Why are you here?”

“Because your princess asked me to.”

The earth dolls, engulfed in mist, began to melt away like sand sculptures in the rain.

To create such widespread fog alone was no ordinary feat.

And this, the strongest water mage of the age, spread her arms wide toward Takeru—like a lover offering an embrace.

“I came to save you, Takeru.”

With eyes cold as ice, the girl whispered.

And then—from the hem of her blue dress—a surge of muddy torrents burst forth, sweeping away the entire legion of earth dolls.