At his order, all eight legion commanders gathered in his tent. They were fully armed, silver breastplates and red cloaks, swords and bows.

Haven spread the map.

Red markings traced the path from the Haizen Kingdom’s border all the way to the royal castle.

“Two weeks from now. Within that time, we will take the Haizen royal castle.”

Every pair of eyes changed.

Five days after rejoining the main force, Haven had taken complete command of the army.

Thanks to his heightened senses, rooting out traitors was comparatively straightforward.

Those who had played a part in getting him thrown into the prison camp were found and beheaded without mercy. Those under suspicion were imprisoned as well.

With Haven’s cold and swift judgment, the border main force was transformed into his elite knight order.

“While the fifth through eighth legions begin a diversion operation at the border, the advance units, the first and second legions, will march directly into the city with me. The remaining third and fourth legions will split to support the rear, and the moment the advance units breach the royal castle, they are to join immediately.”

“Yes, Haven!”

Taking the royal castle within two weeks was, in truth, close to impossible.

But no one questioned Haven’s plan.

The trust they built over nearly ten years of fighting side by side on countless battlefields made them follow him without question.

“If any among the enemy forces surrender, accept them.”

The Haizen Kingdom’s disorganized knights had no loyalty to the kingdom to speak of.

It was a dynasty built by forcibly suppressing and absorbing tribes through violence. Even after several hundred years, it was difficult for loyalty strong enough to die for the royal family to take root.

With knights whose only purpose was to protect the royals, this surprise operation seemed likely to succeed.

“After the Haizen Kingdom, the Grasa Duchy.”

The moment the words ended, all the legion commanders wore expressions of shock.

What shone in their eyes was anticipation.

“Haven, have you finally made up your mind?!”

These were the ones who had been most furious about the terrible treatment Haven, the fifth prince, had received from the current royal family.

They had watched from right beside him as the boy prince was driven to the battlefield as though chased, somehow surviving, as the blood-soaked boy grew into a cold and beautiful young man.

“Yes.”

At Haven’s answer, everyone erupted in cheers. They expressed joy as though they had already won a war that hadn’t even begun.

“Our kingdom will finally find its true master!”

“All the people of the Kar Kingdom will rejoice!”

If the Haizen Kingdom were subdued and the Grasa Duchy beneath it absorbed, the Kar Kingdom would become the nation with the most vast territory on the map.

This had long been the Kar Kingdom’s wish.

“It will be a difficult journey ahead. Perhaps the Kar Kingdom’s final war.”

Haven was more solemn than he had ever been.

He had long intended to stop being a puppet soldier for the Kar Kingdom. And he had no desire to sit on the throne in place of his foolish half-brother.

But now things were different.

For her. For Ella.

‘To stand against Becarto, I’ll need that much power.’

He had to rescue her as soon as possible, fighting alone in that hell.

And so he would place her in a position so exalted that no one would dare look at her carelessly.

Where no one would dare hold her in their gaze.

And the only one who could stand beside her would be himself.

“Stake your lives on this.”

As I will do the same.

***

“You’ve arrived.”

Cedric appeared in the Deloa Guild master’s office for the first time in a while, dressed in normal clothing. It meant he intended to handle only business today.

Deputy master Baulos brightened and came forward.

“You look especially fine today, Cedric.”

“I know.”

Cedric replied without interest and sat down at the office desk.

The desk was already piled high with stacks of contracts and proposals. Trade volumes had multiplied several times over because of the upcoming ‘Goddess of Summer’ festival in the capital.

Cedric glanced at the pile of documents and sighed, pulling out a cigar.

“Some places are at war, and Becarto is holding festivals……”

He drew a long pull from the lit cigar and exhaled like a sigh.

“Blissfully at peace, I must say.”

Cedric leaned back against the chair with a cold smile.

“That’s what keeps us in business.”

“Hmm. Baulos, at this rate you’re going to burst if you eat any more……”

Cedric gave a quiet laugh looking at his round, taut belly.

Accustomed to this kind of teasing, Baulos calmly began his work.

“I’ll handle that myself, so Cedric, please start with this. It’s the wine list requested by the liquor shops in Parem.”

Cedric pushed away the documents Baulos was handing him.

“The report on the Bailia Grand Temple first.”

Exhaling cigar smoke, Cedric’s eyes flashed.

“Did you find her?”

“There was said to be no female priest matching that description. The same among the staff.”

At Baulos’s report, Cedric’s expression went cold and hard.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, there is said to be no woman of that description at the Bailia Grand Temple.”

Cedric sat briefly blank, forgetting even to tap the cigar ash.

That couldn’t be right. Had his instincts ever been wrong? Deloa had been built on the strength of them.

“That silver-buttoned swan motif was unmistakably……”

A motif that could only be engraved on offerings presented to the Grand Temple.

On top of that, the strange air and bold manner the woman carried couldn’t come from an ordinary person.

That night, the instinct he had felt looking at her told him she was someone from the temple.

And yet she wasn’t there. She didn’t exist.

‘What on earth is that woman?’

If the people who had followed her hadn’t lost the trail, would he know by now?

Cedric’s gaze moved back to Baulos.

“Did you speak with the merchants in the goods shop alley she went into?”

“Yes, they all said they didn’t know. No goods shop had its doors open that night either. Well, she might have gone in through the back, but none of the merchants appeared to be lying.”

Cedric’s brow furrowed sharply. It was the situation he hated most.

Having something he was curious about and being unable to find the answer.

Recalling what the woman had left him with only doubled his irritation.

‘Then let’s talk after I bring the physical proof. Whether it’s you or the master you speak of, I’ll have an answer by then.’

Was he supposed to simply wait until then?

That didn’t suit his temperament. It was obvious he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything until that point.

A curiosity this strong was genuinely rare.

‘Then there’s no choice but to move myself.’

Cedric stubbed out the cigar irritably and rose from his seat.

The moment he stood, Baulos’s eyes went wide.

“No, Cedric! Why are you getting up?! There’s this much work to do!”

“I’ll trust you, Baulos.”

“Please don’t trust me.”

“Take this opportunity to do your best as deputy master.”

“I always do my best, but how about you do your best? Please show some responsibility as guild master!”

The words had burst out in a panic, and Baulos felt a twinge of unease inside. The level had been a little stronger than usual.

But faced with the mountain of documents awaiting this lunatic guild master’s approval, that fear was quickly erased.

One wrong move and he’d be stuck with all of this alone!

There wasn’t enough overtime, extra shifts, and weekend work combined to get through it all.

So naturally, he couldn’t afford to hold back.

“This time I absolutely cannot allow it!”

Baulos spread his arms urgently and blocked his path.

“The Goddess of Summer festival is right around the corner!”

“Whether that festival is around the corner or in my face, I need to find out who that woman is first.”

As Cedric moved, Baulos put on a resolute expression and lay down on the floor.

“Then step on me and go!”

But this was the wrong choice on Baulos’s part.

In his desperation to stop Cedric, he forgot what kind of person his superior was.

Someone who didn’t blink at emotional blackmail.

“If that’s what you wants……”

“Ugh!”

Someone who could very well step lightly over him and keep walking.

In the end, all that remained in the office was a thoroughly trampled Baulos and a mountain of work.

“What the hell, he actually stepped on me……”

Baulos felt oddly close to tears.

***

Early dawn with a bluish tinge in the air.

Meivia arrived at the Lake Wellea chapel with a dazed expression.

In her hand was a red stone.

“Miss Ella, you were telling the truth. I’ve never come across purity this high even in the Kar Kingdom……”

“Good work. Meivia.”

The red stone was a mana stone.

It had been extracted from the mana stone vein buried along the Kraitus coastline.

“Was it difficult?”

“Difficult? I’m overflowing with energy more than ever. Movement magic takes quite a lot of mana, but I’m actually in better condition than before I left. Want to see?”