From a Common Sense Perspective

The corpse of the demon Albert, moved to the legion fortress training ground.

Staff and knights gathered around, murmuring as they alternately stared at the corpse and Loen.

“To think I would see a top-tier demon’s corpse with my own eyes…”

“In comparison, it’s like capturing a noble, isn’t it?”

“I suppose that’s right.”

“So, they say she caught it single-handedly?”

“According to a knight from the South, that’s what happened.”

Most rumors tend to be exaggerated.

But in her case, rumors were usually less impressive than reality.

This was the common thought among those who had recently shared battlefields with her.

Western Legion Commander Harkon was also included among them.

“Hmm.”

Harkon, who was watching the corpse with his arms folded, asked Loen.

His voice carried a certain complexity.

“Is Count Leus alright?”

“Yes. He’s recovering quickly thanks to the healing artifact Senior Psyche had. He’s currently resting.”

Loen answered calmly.

“That’s good to hear. And you?”

“I’m fine.”

Harkon’s gaze turned to Loen’s entire body. It wasn’t just empty words. She looked no different than before they parted ways to recapture the satellite fortresses.

That made it even more surprising.

‘This is unbelievable.’

Harkon said.

“I heard that you actually reached 5-star level just a few months ago. Is that true?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then may I ask how you’re able to use Triple Casting?”

“That’s a family secret, so it’s difficult for me to explain.”

“I see…”

Harkon didn’t press further.

A heavy silence followed for a moment.

Harkon was a soldier who had served on the northern front for over 10 years.

During that time, he had cut down countless demons.

When it came to demons, he too had expertise.

Therefore, he could state with certainty.

For a 5-star mage, especially one who had just reached that level, to defeat a top-tier demon was nearly impossible.

Not without someone’s help.

Even for a 6-star mage, it wasn’t an easy feat. They might somehow win, but killing them was an entirely different matter.

“When you first clashed with Albert, your mana sword easily cut off his arm, I hear?”

“Yes.”

The physical bodies of demons belonging to the ruling class inherently possess powerful mana resistance. When reinforced with mana, the reality was that it was difficult to even scratch them with ordinary attacks.

Even if one inflicted significant damage, their overwhelming regenerative abilities would heal wounds instantly.

That’s why killing them was so difficult.

And that’s why all the more.

“It’s unbelievable.”

“…?”

“Just talking to myself, ahem.”

When his unconscious mutter slipped out and Loen looked at him with a puzzled face, Harkon cleared his throat and glossed over it.

His gaze slipped toward Loen.

As it turned out, she seemed unaware of her own uniqueness.

The reason she was able to capture Albert without sustaining any damage.

There was no way to know whether it was simply due to her light and darkness attributes, or if something else was at play.

But one thing was certain.

Loen Franz.

She was an indispensable talent for the Empire.

Now, with demons from hell targeting the Empire from all directions, her existence was like a beam of light.

‘Perhaps the reason His Majesty trusts her is because he recognized her special qualities long ago.’

If that’s the case.

Harkon finally opened his mouth.

“I’ve always thought that a soldier of the Empire should focus only on fulfilling their duties rather than falling into unnecessary political games.”

That was his belief.

Therefore, he had never had personal meetings with any imperial family members and had devoted his loyalty only to the Emperor and the Empire.

He believed that was the only path for the eternal prosperity of the Empire.

But now, well.

The West in chaos, internal struggles within the Imperial Palace, the Capital Legion’s refusal to dispatch troops, the betrayal of a trusted Chief of Staff, and even the appearance of a top-tier demon.

All the experiences he had gone through flashed through his mind like a panorama.

The world was changing rapidly.

Finally, Harkon made a decision.

“If you ever need my help in the future… feel free to send a letter anytime.”

“Pardon?”

“…!?”

For a moment, even the staff members who were pretending not to eavesdrop on their conversation were startled.

‘Commander Harkon said something like that?’

‘The man who kept himself separated from politics?’

Loen too couldn’t hide her surprise at the sudden offer.

She had heard that he had consistently rejected repeated contact proposals from the Imperial Princess.

Harkon chuckled awkwardly at the reactions around him.

“In a way, you’re like a lifesaver who saved my life, and I’m not shameless enough to ignore that.”

He continued, adding force to his eyes.

“However, this doesn’t mean I will support Her Highness the Princess, so don’t misunderstand.”

“I understand what you mean.”

The fact that he had spoken like this in a place where Loen’s group and commanding officers were together already implied a lot.

His intention had been sufficiently conveyed.

The surroundings, which had briefly fallen silent while eavesdropping on the conversation, began to murmur again.

At that point, Loen changed the topic.

“How is the reorganization of the Western Legion going?”

“We still need more time for troop reorganization.”

The great chaos that unfolded after the massive pillar of light spread.

The Western Legion had suffered considerable damage in the process.

It was unavoidable since madmen and undead were running wild everywhere.

“However, the knight corps has completed its reorganization.”

“That’s sufficient.”

Loen nodded and looked toward the distant mountains.

All the traitors in the legion had met their deaths.

The same went for the Vice Commander.

He had been beheaded by Harkon’s sword.

Now, only the Partisans remained.

“Still no news even though we attached a company-sized force as an escort?”

“That’s right, Commander.”

When they were just one day’s distance from the satellite fortress, the Partisan army halted its march.

It was due to Commander-in-Chief Darus’s order.

“This is maddening. Convene a staff meeting immediately.”

“Yes!”

Every scout they sent did not return.

As a result, the Partisan army had no way of knowing what was happening beyond their sight.

It felt like advancing through thick darkness with only a small torch to rely on.

Eventually, Darus, who had issued the halt order, convened an emergency meeting. Various opinions were exchanged inside the tent.

“Unless the Western Legion Commander comes to his senses… they couldn’t have recaptured all the satellite fortresses so quickly.”

“Lord Albert is at Fortress No. 2, isn’t he? Even if surrounded by the legion, it wouldn’t fall in such a short time.”

Darus fell into deep thought amid the continuing persuasion from his staff.

‘Let’s think about this rationally.’

What were the chances that the Southern Legion led by Loen Franz had taken control of the legion fortress, rescued the Western Legion Commander, then divided their forces to recapture both satellite fortresses in such a short time?

Everything was a probability game.

And in Darus’s judgment, the probability that things had spiraled to the worst-case scenario was.

Virtually close to 0.

Even taking into account that the opponent was Loen Franz.

Albert, the top-tier demon, was by no means an easy opponent.

Then, why on earth would the Imperial army?

Go to such lengths to interfere with their reconnaissance?

In response to Darus’s question, the staff offered their various opinions.

“I think it’s to buy time. They probably intend to delay our advance somehow.”

“I agree. They might be aiming for us to halt our advance out of fear, just as we’re doing now.”

The staff’s words made sense.

They were highly rational inferences.

Darus asked one last question.

“Could it be that they’re doing this to hide the fact that they’ve already recaptured the satellite fortress?”

“Commander, you know as well as we do. The probability of that is extremely low. They couldn’t be defeated so easily.”

Another staff member added.

“If we retreat now without even engaging the enemy after coming this far… our comrades might raise questions. For the sake of their morale, we should continue advancing.”

He was right too.

Retreating here would lead nowhere.

Darus finally made his decision.

“Issue the order to resume the march.”

The Partisan army once again advanced toward the satellite fortress. Their faces were once more filled with solemnity.

“Commander! We must retreat!”

“Make your decision quickly!”

“Damn it…”

Boom! Boom!

Acrid gunpowder smoke filling the plains and the continuous sound of cannon fire from afar.

An intense battle between tens of thousands of troops was in full swing.

About 20,000 Southern Legion troops had established a defensive line on the plains in front of the fortress. About half of them were armed with muskets, and they also possessed dozens of new cannons.

On the other hand, 30,000 Partisan troops attempting a reckless charge to break through and enter the fortress.

Most of them held spears and swords.

The result was crystal clear.

The Southern Legion’s overwhelming advantage.

It was closer to a massacre than a battle.

They couldn’t even match up since they didn’t have superior knight forces either.

But this wasn’t the only problem.

‘Where the hell are those inspectors?’

Deep wrinkles formed between Darus’s eyebrows.

This was the biggest issue.

Despite the large-scale collision, Loen Franz and her group were nowhere to be seen.

‘And where is the legion knight corps?’

Because of this, even the elite forces of the Partisans, including Darus, couldn’t move freely.

Even though if they took the front, they could have instantly reversed the unfavorable battle situation.

Something felt ominous.

“We should lead the elite forces for a breakthrough at a single point, even now!”

“Nonsense! Now that it’s certain the fortress has already fallen into enemy hands, we must retreat first!”

The opinion of the command was generally closer to the belief that Lord Albert had been defeated.

Otherwise, there would have been some response from the satellite fortress.

It was the moment they realized that the Imperial side’s killing of all their scouts was a trap to lure their forces here.

Loen Franz, you… you dog of a woman! A woman who deserves worse than being eaten alive!

Darus’s hostility toward her was rising anew.

However, he soon faced the harsh reality.

“Commander! We no longer have time to delay—”

“Everyone quiet!”

A moment of silence. Darus exhaled roughly.

Then he made his decision.

“We retreat.”

If they were to lose all their forces here, there would be no future for the Partisans. Freedom and their cause would forever remain an unfulfilled dream.

Bwooo—.

With the sound of the retreat signal, the Partisan army began to withdraw from the battlefield.

After a tearful sacrifice of losing a third of their forces, they could barely escape from the battlefield.

The Partisan forces were drastically reduced from 30,000 to 20,000.

But there was no time for sorrow.

The priority was to retreat safely.

After running endlessly, they reached the hill area marking the end of the plains.

If they could just climb up there!

Just as a glimmer of hope began to rise on the despairing faces of the Partisan leadership.

As another trumpet sounded around them.

From the top of the hill, several hundred heavily armored knights appeared.

“It’s the legion knight corps!”

At the forefront stood the red-eyed witch, Loen Franz.

And beside her, the Western Legion Commander Harkon with his distinctive rough beard.

They were looking down with cold eyes at the Partisan army desperately retreating toward the hill.

“Stop!! Everyone halt!”

As the Partisan army abruptly halted and blankly looked up at them.

Darus, who had been holding back to maintain his dignity as Commander-in-Chief, finally uttered those words like a scream.

“Shit.”

But no one pointed out his words. Everyone felt similarly.

“Spearmen forward!”

The urgent cries of the commanders. Spearmen stepped forward to form a spear wall, and the elite special forces began to infuse their weapons with mana.

However, the solemnity of before was not visible. Rather, their eyes reflected a premonition of their final moments.

Eventually, with Loen Franz’s cry, a total of 800 elite knights, combining the Southern and Western knight corps, launched a merciless charge toward the 20,000 Partisan troops at the foot of the hill.

The violent sound of horse hooves shaking the earth.

But in Darus’s vision, only one person was clearly visible.

Among the many knights passing by, a black-haired woman standing with an intense presence, Loen Franz.

Her red eyes were utterly indifferent.

That gaze, which felt as arrogant and cold as if looking at a roadside stone.

Darus instantly sensed.

That unless she was killed, no one would ever leave this place alive.