Ch.147End of War (1)

“…and with that, I conclude my report.”

The journalists moved busily. They competed to be the first to report the breaking news ahead of rival networks. The investigator who finished the report couldn’t escape the barrage of questions.

Enough with stories about the Magic Kingdom having connections with the Demon King’s army or committing massacres with forbidden magic.

What matters now is ending the war.

We need to end this war somehow. We need to save as many people as possible.

“Roll the cameras.”

The investigator stepped down from the podium. As I moved forward, I brushed past him. The cameras turned to follow me in unison.

Standing on the podium, I scanned the prepared speech.

[I am Erich Lohnstein, an officer from the Magic Kingdom. I have returned alive from an uninhabited island occupied by demons. I will now tell you what I saw and experienced there.]

All I had to do was repeat the report the officer had given earlier. That alone would have a significant impact.

But would that easily end the war?

Currently, the Magic Kingdom is quite closed off.

No matter how much we talk here, it’s useless if the information doesn’t reach the people of the Magic Kingdom. And as long as the Chancellor remains in power, the Hazkhail government will try to control information.

Even if news of my return somehow reaches them, they’ll likely dismiss it, claiming I’m lying under threat from the Republic.

So what should I do?

It’s simple. Just find the frequency band the Magic Kingdom uses to incite its citizens and soldiers, and send a signal through it.

Of course, that band would be protected by mana encryption and difficult to penetrate, but with my current abilities, I can do it.

I crumpled up the speech, tossed it aside, and snapped my fingers.

[“Wave, spread out.”]

Magical power concentrated and settled into the magnet embedded in the microphone.

I spread my magical trace through the radio waves.

[“I hereby notify the demons and the cult magic organization, The Eight Shadows, hiding throughout the Magic Kingdom government. I will execute immediate punishment on you who have researched and attempted the forbidden art of reviving the dead through mass slaughter.”]

That was it. As I stepped down from the podium, the puzzled elf journalists started snapping photos.

“Did you just speak in the language of demons?”

“Can you tell us what you just said?”

“You seem to have said something different from the speech you dropped here. Is there a reason?”

Amid the flood of questions, my eyes met Adora’s. She had been examining the speech script with a blank expression, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Major, you’re clever, aren’t you?”

“You should try it too, General. It’s the best way to mess with those bastards.”

“Ah, yes. That would be good.”

Adora handed me the speech and stepped up to the podium. Her gait looked refreshingly excited.

“Ahem.”

Clearing her throat, Adora began to speak.

[“I will now announce the list of those to be purged.”]

***

[“Prime Minister Leonhardt Adrantz.”]

“…What?”

[“Deputy Prime Minister of Economy, Hagen Velfenstein.”]

“This can’t be.”

[“Chancellor’s Office Secretary, Ludwig von Enkron.”]

“Who on earth…”

[“Minister of Propaganda, Dietrich Biamberg.”]

“Who is it, who exposed our identities!”

[“Commander-in-Chief of the Guard, Albrecht Stillen.”]

“Hmm.”

[“Minister of Military Supplies, Friedrich Nordmann.”]

“Those stupid demons must have failed after all.”

Many other high-ranking officials were named one after another. The common thread was that they had all appeared like comets to assist the Chancellor right after he took power.

[“National Leader, Redmund Wilhelm.”]

“…”

Yes, the connection between them was the Chancellor himself. A man who rose from an unlicensed doctor to the leader of a nation, gaining support from Magic Kingdom citizens who were dissatisfied with the Holy Spirit Kingdom’s diplomatic interference and the great economic depression.

[“I give you a month’s grace. Choose one of three options: commit suicide according to the Pledge of Jeriem, inform the Magic Kingdom citizens of your crimes and surrender quietly to the Allied forces, or resist to the end and perish.”]

The Chancellor rose from his seat. He ordered his secretary to summon the officials. Soon after, prominent black magicians from the underworld gathered together.

“We were just one step away from creating a paradise for us mages…”

“Unfortunately, a traitor has appeared.”

“Information must have leaked from somewhere. Do you have any suspicions?”

“Chancellor.”

The Chancellor raised his head at the call of the Seven Swords Commander-in-Chief.

“The culprit is likely General Adora Giford.”

“Have you analyzed the magical trace carried on the frequency?”

“The analysis shows it wasn’t her magical trace. However, the voice matches.”

“We can’t be certain then. If the magical trace is different, it could be someone else’s voice. Even that could be fabricated. And you know that my guards are all loyal.”

In truth, the Chancellor did suspect Adora. That’s why communication from the Tatangkur Islands had been cut off.

But logically, it didn’t make sense.

Adora Giford is a puppet. He had placed a forbidden spell on her that would make her heart explode if she went against his will even slightly.

“The magic I placed on that child cannot be undone by ordinary means. Unless a mage exceptionally skilled in mana manipulation joined forces with a high-ranking priest knowledgeable in holy power…”

Of course, that was impossible. A mage and a Holy Spirit Church priest working together? Ridiculous.

“Minister of Propaganda.”

“Yes, Chancellor.”

“I’ll leave the silencing of the citizens to you. Make sure false rumors don’t spread, no matter what.”

“Understood.”

The Chancellor looked down at the world map and spoke.

“We will fight to the death. The advent of the Magic God can be postponed a little longer. First, I’ll focus all our efforts on erasing the abominable Holy Spirit Church from this world.”

The Chancellor then explained the advance routes for each fleet.

“Since Pinar’s fleet is powerful, make active use of submarines and drones. Also, tell the commanders at the front lines to prepare for a fleet battle.”

“Yes.”

The strategic discussion ended. It was the next moment when the analyst spoke to the Chancellor.

“Great Chancellor, we’ve identified the owner of the magical trace detected on the radio.”

“Who is it?”

“An air force field-grade officer named Erich Lohnstein.”

“Erich Lohnstein? Never heard of him.”

“He’s a genius orphan who entered and graduated from Larron Academy at the top of his class. After receiving his doctorate from the same institution, he completed his military service as an army sergeant, then was appointed as an air force second lieutenant on the southern front after the war—quite an elite.”

“Elite? What elite… He’s just an ordinary commissioned officer with a degree.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to investigate further?”

The Chancellor waved his hand dismissively.

“No, there’s no need to waste effort. The Republic bastards probably just captured a prisoner and manipulated the magical trace with spirit arts. It’s a ploy to waste our manpower and time, so we absolutely must not fall for it.”

“But, Chancellor.”

“Enough. Say no more. If your report is finished, you may go. I need time to think.”

“…Understood.”

Thud.

The analyst closed the door and left. The Chancellor sat there for a long time, envisioning a world where the Holy Spirit Church and the Goddess had disappeared, and the Magic Religion and Magic God were in control.

Just thinking about it made the corners of his mouth turn up.

However, the Chancellor’s vision seemed very far from becoming reality.

For good reason.

“Chancellor… Some unit soldiers seem to have secretly accessed the Republic’s announcement and are raising questions.”

Because the military’s morale was beginning to waver.

Erich Lohnstein. That name, which he had dismissed as insignificant, was slowly eating away at the Magic Kingdom’s military strength.

***

“The soldiers are becoming agitated.”

Air Force Headquarters.

In the private room of Tedman Giford, the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Sea Air Force and also Adora Giford’s father.

Tedman’s face was extremely serious as he received the aide’s report.

“The incantation in the enemy’s propaganda is concerning.”

“What about the magical trace?”

“Analysis confirms it matches exactly with that of Lieutenant Colonel Erich Lohnstein.”

“Do the soldiers know this fact?”

“Level 2 and above mages noticed it even before the analysis. They say everything—the voice, the magical trace—is identical to that officer’s.”

Tedman sighed.

Erich Lohnstein. Tedman was well aware of his reputation.

As an officer in charge of supplying magic stones, Erich had an excellent character. He was also efficient in his work. Because of this, amid the shortage of personnel, he was frequently dispatched and seconded to various units.

While visiting different units to supply magic stones, he unknowingly won the hearts of the soldiers and officers there.

Even Tedman himself was affected.

That’s why he had been considering arranging a match between Erich and his daughter after the war, to bring him in as a son-in-law. Being an orphan wasn’t an issue. Besides his character, Erich was also outstanding in appearance and education.

But that wasn’t the only reason Tedman sighed. Rather, it was mainly because of another voice caught in the broadcast transmitted by the Republic.

Adora.

Tedman had clearly heard his daughter’s voice.

Adora had been dispatched somewhere at sea several months ago and had lost contact since then. So he assumed she had completed her mission and returned to headquarters.

Even so, it did bother him that she hadn’t contacted her family to let them know she was back safely.

He believed she was a strong and resilient child, so there wouldn’t be any problems. With that belief, Tedman focused on the war.

But why was his daughter’s voice heard in the enemy’s propaganda broadcast?

“Commander, there’s a message from the Allied Nations.”

“A message? They have something to say?”

“Yes, and it’s a confidential message specifically for you, Commander.”

The intelligence security officer showed him the communication record. Tedman frowned.

“They want to meet me directly?”

What the Allied Nations proposed was a one-on-one meeting. The location was here, where the Southern Fleet’s field headquarters was situated.

“Even if I don’t like what the higher-ups are doing, I can’t engage in diplomatic discussions without the Chancellor’s permission. The Allied forces must know this too… Hmm.”

Tedman frowned.

“If I handle this wrong, my head could roll.”

“But, sir.”

“I know. If the high officials have broken the Pledge of the Mage, that’s a different story.”

“We need to meet them at least to confirm the facts. After all, it’s now certain that some of our high-ranking mages are being held prisoner by them, isn’t it? If they’re important figures, we could contact the Allied Nations under the pretext of a rescue operation.”

“…Then, let’s do this.”

Tedman suddenly came up with a brilliant move. He wrote a note and showed it to his aide. The aide nodded and replied.

“This method should work.”

A few days later, a battle broke out between the Magic Kingdom and the Allied forces.

The location was the Tatangkur Sea.

After the Republic’s entry into the war, the Tatangkur waters had fallen into the hands of the Allied Nations. Following the Chancellor’s grand strategy, the Magic Kingdom mobilized its fleet to recapture the area.

The first to deploy were reconnaissance drones. Swift killing machines armed with terrible magic stones were caught in the Republic’s aerial net and fell.

“Dismantle the drone.”

“There’s a note!”

“What does it say?”

“It’s written in an incantation, so we can’t understand it.”

“Professor, please translate it for us.”

“…It says ‘blank shells.'”

The Allied admiral’s lips twitched.

“Tatangkur often has days with thick fog. Prepare for hand-to-hand combat in case we get close to enemy ships.”

Some soldiers looked puzzled, but the commander’s word was absolute. The troops moved as instructed.

And shortly after, several thunderous booms erupted as if the world was being torn apart.

Then, a large battleship appeared through the fog. The battleship passed perilously close to the Pinar flagship.

“That’s…!”

“The Magic Kingdom’s flagship!”

At the sailors’ cries, there was a clattering sound of anchors being lowered through the sea mist.

Dozens of shadows appeared on the deck. The heavily armed soldiers, officers, and a general from the Magic Kingdom revealed themselves one by one.

The Republic admiral examined the opposing general’s face through a telescope. The other side was similarly observing this side through binoculars.

“A bold man.”

The Republic admiral muttered.

Flutter.

The standard-bearers of both armies waved their flags. It was a signal indicating no intention to engage in combat. War flags are an international standard. Tedman, putting down his binoculars, spoke.

“Lay the bridge.”

Clack, clack.

The Magic Kingdom engineers moved quickly to create a bridge between the two ships.

“We’ll go over.”

The Republic marines carefully stepped onto the bridge and advanced. However, at the forefront were two Magic Kingdom soldiers.

One of them was a woman with elegant shoulder-length hair. From her gait to her aura, she exuded nobility and resembled Tedman quite a bit.

There was a reason for that.

“…Adora?”

That woman was Tedman’s daughter.

“Dad.”

“W-why are you coming from there?”

“Well, it’s a long story.”

“Can’t you summarize it in one sentence?”

“Hmm, well.”

Adora, twirling her hair, answered distinctly.

“Would it suffice to say that during a mission, I was stranded on an uninhabited island due to an unexpected accident, survived for months, miraculously returned alive, became a prisoner of the Republic, and might now even be pregnant?”

“What did you say?”

“Uninhabited island. I returned alive from an uninhabited island, and I’m pregnant.”

“Uninhabited island? Returned alive? P-pregnant? You mean you’re expecting a child?”

“Probably.”

“Who’s the bastard I need to kill! Who dared to do this to my daughter…!”

“Here he is.”

Adora smiled brightly and pointed to the man beside her. The soldiers were shocked to see the man’s face. It was someone they knew very well.

“Brother Erich, say hello. This is my father.”

Adora, arm in arm with Erich, explained shyly.

“Dad, you might misunderstand, so let me tell you first. I made the first move. I know premarital chastity is a family rule, but there were circumstances…”

“…Ugh.”

“Sir? Sir! Pull yourself together!”