Ch.328328. A Single Victory (3)

Aris’s unit returns in tatters.

Most of the soldiers were exhausted. Not a few were supporting each other as they returned, and here and there were those with reddish burn marks or scorched skin from flames that had penetrated their armor.

There was hardly any need to say it, but for them, this battle could be summed up with the single word “defeat,” requiring no further briefing.

“…”

“You did well, Aris.”

Senia encouragingly patted Aris’s shoulder twice as she returned from the battlefield. It would be a lie to say there was no emotional distress.

Despite knowing full well what the outcome of this battle would be, despite being aware of what results would come, Aris had faithfully carried out the commander’s orders.

From now on, Senia would take over the follow-up procedures so that Aris could rest and recover.

She began erasing the traces of defeat bit by bit, separating the emergency patients from those with minor injuries according to the severity of their wounds, and prioritizing treatment for soldiers in urgent need.

And now, it was Senia’s turn.

“Phew.”

Senia gathered the squad leaders of her assigned unit and maintained her poker face with a deep breath.

This place held painful memories. A place that was essentially the starting point of everything, memories that remained unforgotten to this day.

The Los region, the current battlefield, was such a place.

But this time, she had to speak up directly.

“Tomorrow, I will be leaving this unit alone. From then on, you’ll need to follow Aris’s instructions.”

“What?!”

All the soldiers were bewildered. In the midst of war, their unit commander suddenly announcing her solo departure would make their heads ring like bells.

They couldn’t help but ask for the reason.

“The Sirens have requested help.”

“The Sirens…?”

“Were they alive all this time? Despite no contact for so long…”

“They say they couldn’t reach out because of the urgent situation. They’ve finally sent a signal asking for help.”

Senia answered their questions by showing them the emergency signal from the Sirens requesting help at a designated location.

However, they couldn’t rashly send her off.

“That’s not acceptable. It’s too far to rescue the Sirens. And alone! That makes even less sense!”

The other squad leaders nodded in agreement.

“Let me be frank. The area where the Sirens lived is the Schütt province. I can’t deny that it’s distant from Feltiburg and Ashpern, but is Schütt really a safe area?”

“…”

Senia couldn’t easily deny this.

The Sirens, who primarily lived near lakes, had no combat abilities whatsoever.

Was it really a reasonable request to call for Senia alone to go to a place that wasn’t even a safe zone? That’s what he was asking.

‘I have no choice.’

Faced with such valid objections, Senia closed her eyes tightly and had to reveal the secret she had been hiding all this time.

Swish—

“Lady Senia…? Why are you taking that off?”

“W-wait! Look at her hair color!”

“…!”

“I’m sorry for hiding it all this time. I… have no choice but to go to the Sirens.”

“An artifact with color-changing magic… Could it be…!”

“I was summoned by them.”

Painful memories poked at a corner of her heart, but if she didn’t convey this fact, nothing would change from before.

Calix.

Senia revealed to the squad leaders that she was a Calix of the Sirens.

She was someone summoned by a technique that was once forbidden in the Empire, one that should never have been touched.

“That can’t be…”

“Couldn’t we at least ask the commander if we could accompany you?”

“I’m sorry. The Imperial Army…”

“…I see.”

This proved everything.

The doubt about whether the Sirens, who were far from combat-capable, had really survived in such a remote location.

The speculation that they might have already fallen victim to monster attacks in Schütt, which was not a safe area.

The inevitable reason why she intended to move alone rather than bringing Imperial troops to that perilous place.

There was no justification that could keep her here, no matter what method was used.

“If that’s the reason… please return safely.”

The squad leaders, who had fought under her command in the same unit even for a short time, swallowed hard and made their final request.

Senia nodded once and slowly left the barracks, heading alone toward the stable.

‘I’m sorry. I… had no choice but to lie to you.’

Her lips pressed tightly together.

In truth, the letter from the Sirens had said they could hold out at sea, and suggested meeting after the Imperial Army’s problems were resolved. In other words, there was no imminent danger requiring a grand rescue mission.

But those were Junon’s orders.

Her unit had to experience one defeat, and the only way to achieve that was to leave a void in her absence that would be passed on to this unit.

It was a cruel story, but it was Junon’s will, Junon’s strategy. Even if it meant that her complete disappearance from the Imperial Army would break their morale, make them lose their fighting spirit, and lead to defeat in battle, his plan had to succeed.

Also, while she said she would move alone, there were actually people who would follow her.

“I’ve been waiting, Senior Senia.”

“Yes, Lumia. Where’s Cain?”

“It seems he’ll take some time. Senior Junon… I mean, the Commander called for him.”

“I see.”

The two people Junon had mentioned having separate tasks for.

Cain and Lumia would accompany her.

“Lumia. What’s that?”

“Hm?”

“That thing tucked into your saddle.”

“Oh, this?”

Lumia grinned. Along with the word “secret.”

What could it be?

***

At the same time.

Before carrying out his assigned mission with Lumia, Cain responded to Junon’s call.

“Brother.”

“You’re here, Cain?”

“I came as soon as I heard you called. What’s the matter?”

Junon then asked an unexpected question.

“Cain, your unique magic was copying, right?”

“Huh? Yes, it is, but…”

Cain tilted his head in confusion.

They had once shared all their secrets, and having been part of the same Tembris party in the past, it was strange that Junon wouldn’t know about Cain’s power. In other words, the question itself was strange.

But Cain knew best that Junon wasn’t one to speak idly.

“My unique magic involves analyzing part of the target’s mana and then raising the compatibility with my own mana to use it. Since mana quality differs from person to person, it’s easier to raise compatibility with someone specialized in a particular magic or with unique magic.”

“Hmm… to what extent?”

“There are various limitations, but if I pay attention to mana compatibility with the subject I’ve touched, similar to magical equipment compatibility, I can raise it to about 70% of that person’s level. Of course, the applicable fields are limited. For example…”

“You can’t imitate Erica’s divine power or Michelle’s blue flame, right? Because you can’t fully exercise the proficiency possessed by the subject you’ve touched as if it were your own.”

“As expected, you’re exactly right!”

When he explained one or two things, Junon figured out ten. It was remarkably brilliant insight that needed no further explanation.

And then.

“Would you check my power for me?”

In an instant, he leaped to the step of questioning that Cain himself had barely reached.

“That’s impossible.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I’ve already tried before. When you faced Shanberesh with Senior Senia, I arrived late, didn’t I?”

“So you made contact then.”

“Yes. Based on what I tried then… the mana you possess couldn’t even be analyzed, as if it was telling me not to dare imitate it.”

“…Hmm. So since you can’t analyze my mana by touching me now, you can’t try to use my mana shield either?”

“Yes. The same goes for the power you used against Shanberesh. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help…”

“That’s not what I meant, so don’t make a fuss. I did learn something.”

All Cain had done was say it was impossible. Yet Junon seemed to have figured something out, his eyes filled with certainty.

‘What exactly did he figure out…’

At times like this, he always realized it. As Senia said, the mind of a genius is beyond an ordinary person’s comprehension.

“Cain. Take this.”

“Huh?”

Thud.

Cain caught a wallet-sized box that Junon tossed into the air.

It was an item quite familiar to him from his days on the run with Lumia.

“Isn’t this paper that sends color signals?”

“I want you to test if this works during your journey.”

He whispered quietly into Cain’s ear, as if afraid someone might overhear.

“Such an idea…”

“Can you do it?”

“…I’m not certain, but I’ll try.”

There were two types of paper, but only one needed to be used.

***

A day passed. Then another day.

The next day, the Imperial Army would once again open the gates and continue their battle against the monsters.

Such days had already continued for several days.

It was enough time to feel Senia’s absence.

Given how outstanding each Tembris member’s combat power was, her absence affected the soldiers’ morale, and as consecutive defeats continued, doubts about the commander began to arise in the soldiers’ gossip.

Taking small units out to face the monsters, then retreating.

With such nonsensical tactics being pushed, injuries were mounting and strength was being drained.

Had they actually reduced the enemy forces by eliminating monsters all this time?

No.

Even if they returned after killing a few monsters here and there, everyone now vaguely sensed that the damage to the Imperial Army was far greater.

This had continued for days. And while they trembled with anxiety about when and where Ashpern might appear, one of the Tembris members had left, causing the Imperial Army’s morale to hit rock bottom.

“…Was it merely groundless fear?”

Even at a glance, the humans’ morale didn’t look good.

They merely repeated retreats without offering any resistance to the monster army he had sent, showing none of the frenzied charging from before.

After sensing the painful defeat at the Ripol River, Ashpern had not stepped forward directly.

Wrapped in anxiety that he might be defeated directly or indirectly by that one unapproachable being, he had only sent monster armies without personally taking action.

However, seeing the Imperial Army weakly defeated and retreating against the monster army he had sent, he felt his fears had been groundless.

Was it just luck? Do I really need to send only my subordinates against such weak creatures?

He turned his head to look.

His pride was severely wounded by the ridiculous sight of sentries and lookouts he had set up, mimicking human defenses, wondering if that anomalous human would break through his monster army.

Aren’t they just like cowering mice? Mice that hide in the holes they’ve dug, too frightened to come out.

Thinking about it that way…

“Against mere humans like those…!”

Anger welled up.

The fact that he had been hiding in a mouse hole against those humans who were quick to flee even when he sent just a small portion of his monster army.

Yes. It was just an overestimation.

He had been deceived by a momentary illusion!

What reason was there to flee from such weaklings?

“That’s right! It was just an overestimation. I was merely deceived by an illusion! I am Ashpern, the one and only being who can completely eliminate the impurity called humans from this continent, as commanded by my father Herkas!!”

Ashpern snarled and ordered his monster army to trample the humans’ last line of defense from the Los region to Alferatz right now.