Shinwa Densetsu no Eiyuu no Isekaitan - Volume 3 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A New Problem

Berg Fortress was the Grantzian Empire’s southern bastion. Situated on the empire’s border with the Duchy of Lichtein, its high walls protected it from enemy assault. Its most prominent feature was the large central tower, which housed the war room.

On the tower’s third floor was a study, and in the study was a boy, stirring awake as the light of the morning sun streamed in through the window. His hair and eyes were black as night, but his soft, handsome features were made unsettling by the oversized eyepatch that covered half of his face.

Before coming to Aletia, his name had been Hiro Oguro. Now that the emperor had accepted him as his son and installed him as the fourth prince of the empire, his name was Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.

“Nnngh...”

He yawned. A trill of birdsong rapped at the window, pricking at his ears. He sat upright, dislodging a book, which knocked over one of the piles around him. They all went down like dominoes.

“Another night in the study...” Hiro scratched his cheek awkwardly as he surveyed the devastation. “Liz will be furious.”

Eating and sleeping here was fast becoming a habit. He did have a bedroom of his own, but it was on the second floor. With the study on the third floor, going back and forth had been a pain, so he had ended up succumbing to laziness and taking up permanent residence amid the bookshelves.

“Don’t blame me,” he protested to empty air. “I’ve got a lot of reading to do.”

Another stack of books collapsed at his feet. Cerberus emerged from the toppled pile. Native to the islands of the east, the white wolf was a rare sight in Soleil. Liz had found her washed up on the nation’s shores as a puppy and taken care of her ever since. She claimed the two of them were like sisters.

“You too, huh?” Hiro murmured.

Cerberus had staked a claim to the third floor, so that was nothing unusual. If anything, the rest of the fortress was beginning to acknowledge her authority. The soldiers were afraid to tread there without her permission.

“Making sure I don’t freeze to death?”

A sweep of her tail was the wolf’s only response. Hiro watched her a little longer, but she didn’t seem inclined to say anything more.

He shrugged and stood up. “Fine, be like that. I’d better get back to my room before Liz sees me.” He pressed an ear to the thick wooden door and then, hearing there was nobody outside, turned around and pressed a finger to his lips. “Not a sound, all right, Cerberus?”

Don’t bother, the white wolf’s yawn seemed to say. It won’t work.

Hiro smiled, giving her head a scratch. “Come on, it’ll be fine. It’s breakfast time right now. She’ll be in the mess hall.”

The haughty wolf gave him an unimpressed look. Her nose twitched and she snorted dismissively. Hiro wondered what she meant by that. He didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

“Hiro! You slept in the study again, didn’t you?! How many times do I have to tell you?! You’ll catch a cold!”

A voice like a scolding mother rang out from down the hallway, accompanied by the thunder of footsteps.

“Uh-oh. What now?”

Hiro looked to Cerberus for help, but the wolf only flattened her ears. Traitor. He cast a glance at the window, debating for a moment whether it was worth jumping through—a moment that cost him the chance to escape.

“HIRO!”

The door crashed open. Chilly morning air rolled through the study. A girl stood in the doorframe with hands on hips, her cheeks puffed out angrily. Her crimson hair shimmered like fire, and her eyes glinted like rubies beneath a shapely brow any sculptor would have been proud of. The smoothness of her porcelain skin drew the gaze of young and old alike. This was the commander of Berg Fortress and the sixth princess of the empire, Celia Estrella Elizabeth von Grantz. Her friends called her Liz.

Hiro turned to face her with a forced smile. “G-Good morning! Can I help you?”

“Morning!” Liz returned his greeting with a breezy smile, then her face almost immediately clouded with anger. “But don’t think you can talk your way out of this one, mister. Why aren’t you sleeping in your own room? There isn’t even a bed in here! You’re on the floor! You’ll hurt your back, and don’t even get me started on the cold you’ll catch!” She stopped to catch her breath and lowered her gaze despondently. “I’m worried about you. Are you trying to make yourself ill?”

“I’m fine,” Hiro protested. “The books keep the heat in.”

“Oh, for—!” Liz’s eyes narrowed. By the time Hiro realized he had misspoken, it was too late. Her hand snapped out toward his face. He braced for pain, but—

“No more excuses. Sleep in your own bed from now on, all right?”

“Yesh.”

Liz had only tugged at his cheeks in admonishment. Guilt flooded Hiro’s chest. He would rather have been slapped. After such an earnest warning, he couldn’t find the heart to argue.

“Good. Take care of yourself, okay? I mean it.” Liz patted his cheek. “Now then, let’s get breakfast!” She skipped ahead as she broke into her usual grin.

“Yeah. Let’s.” With a rueful smile, Hiro joined Liz and Cerberus and left the study.

Berg Fortress’s mess hall was located on the first floor of the central tower. The Fourth Legion had just finished their morning training, and the lunch ladies were being kept on their feet catering to the flood of soldiers. Hiro made his way through the throng toward the officers’ tables, Cerberus at his side.

Tris was already there, gazing dejectedly at a plate of long-cooled food. A third class military tribune, the old soldier had served Liz since she was old enough to walk.

He turned to glare at Hiro. “My breakfast’s gotten cold, whelp.”

“Right. Sorry. That’s my fault.”

“You needn’t apologize, Your Highness. Sir Tarmier ought to have had better foresight.” Second Tribune Drix appeared from behind Hiro with a tray of food in one hand. He took a seat next to Tris. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

“Good morning.”

Tris glanced at Hiro’s hands. “You’ve no food, I see. Shall I fetch you some?”

“No need. Liz is getting something for me.”

Tris’s eyes flashed with anger, and his shoulders began to tremble. “She’s a princess, whelp, not your serving girl.”

Drix gave the man a conciliatory pat on the shoulder. “All too often, imperial heirs are at one another’s throats. Should we not be grateful that these two are such fast friends?”

Tris deflated a little. “Aye, I suppose you’re right at that.”

The two had barely gotten to know each other, but Drix had already gotten the hang of curbing Tris’s ire. Hiro sat down opposite him, silently impressed.

At that moment, Liz appeared, bearing a tray in both hands. “Here we are,” she announced, laying a platter of steaming meat in front of Hiro with a thud. “Eat up, won’t you?”

“All that? I couldn’t. I’d give myself a stomachache.”

“Some of it’s for Cerberus. I know how she steals off your plate.”

“Right.”

Liz had thought this through. A lot of Hiro’s meals did seem to find their way into Cerberus’s belly, but even a hungry wolf couldn’t polish off a plate this size. Liz had evidently been taking her strategy lessons to heart. It was gratifying to see how much she had grown.

“In that case, I don’t mind if I do.”

Hiro put his hands together in thanks, while Tris and Drix set about attending to their plates. For a while they ate.

Eventually, Drix set his cutlery down and turned to Hiro. “Lord Hiro, Lady Celia Estrella, I have collated a report regarding the freedmen.”

The former slaves who had once fought with the Liberation Army had been settled in temporary accommodations outside the fortress. For the time being, Liz and the soldiers were keeping them supplied with food and water, but such support could not last forever. Hiro had put Drix in charge of getting them back on their feet as quickly as possible.

“I have dispatched the relevant documents to Lord von Gurinda. Along with your letter, of course, my lady.”

“Thank you,” Liz said. “Uncle will see them treated well.”

“I do not doubt that your lord uncle has a good heart.” Drix’s gaze flicked back to Hiro. “However, I would caution against assuming that Lichtein’s loss will necessarily mean the Gurinda Mark’s gain.” He picked up his goblet of water and drained it, wetting his parched throat. “The land we hope to acquire may be given to any number of other southern nobles, and it seems to me that would rather foil our plans.”

“I see why you’re worried, but don’t be.” Hiro shot Drix a reassuring smile. “We’ll get what we need. The southern nobles will be too busy squabbling over House Nikkel’s lands to worry about us.”

House Nikkel was the house of the late General von Kilo. Their lands had the temperate climate of the central territories but the dryness of the south, with rainfall too meager to support tall trees. The result was grassland ideal for raising livestock. With the southern regions starved for resources, most nobles there made their living trading in stagecoaches and war horses. They would jump at the chance to seize House Nikkel’s assets.

“An intentional distraction, I take it?”

Hiro nodded. He had ensured that the blame for the losses of the Lichtein campaign fell on von Kilo’s shoulders. House Nikkel would now be pursued for compensation, and with no head of house, they would struggle to fend off their creditors. The southern nobles would descend on them like vultures on a corpse. If they were lucky, they might retain a portion of their lands; if not, they would forfeit it all, but they had no chance of surviving unscathed.

“Besides, the big prize is the oasis city we annexed. All eyes will be there. No one’s going to care about us laying claim to an empty wasteland.”

The territory they wanted was a swathe of undeveloped land on the border between Lichtein and the empire. For fear of provoking conflict, the duchy had never made any effort to settle it. Still, the region would flourish with a little irrigation. They would draw water from the Gurinda Mark and give a portion to the freedmen to cultivate. In the longer term, they could dig wells, prospect for ore, or any number of other things.

“The freedmen get jobs and Uncle’s land prospers,” Liz chirped. “We’re killing two birds with one stone.”

Hiro concurred, but that wasn’t all. The more Kiork prospered, the higher he would rise among the southern nobles. That, in turn, would shore up Liz’s position and bring her closer to the throne. There was only one problem...

“Still,” Liz continued, “this will all take time.”

Hiro nodded in silent agreement. His concerns were better kept to himself.

“Very well, then. I will continue making my clandestine preparations with the margrave, on the assumption that the land will be ours.” Seemingly appeased, Drix returned to his meal.

Hiro set about silently shoveling meat into his mouth, but a burning gaze from the next seat over distracted him. It was hard to concentrate with Liz staring at him like that.

He swallowed and turned to her. “Um... Do you want some?”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all. I kind of got the sense you were interested.”

“Well, you seemed to be enjoying it so much...”

“All right, then. Here.”

Hiro held out a piece of meat. With an “Aaah,” it vanished between Liz’s perfect teeth.

Only after she had swallowed it did Hiro notice the attention they were attracting. Tris was breathing so loudly, it sounded like he was hyperventilating. Drix shook his head with a knowing smile. One of the nearby officers whistled.

“Hiro! Another!”

Liz grabbed on to Hiro’s arm like a bird demanding a pellet, but he didn’t have the nerve to feed her again amid the storm of withering stares.

“Come on, come on! Give me another!” Liz insisted.

She didn’t seem to have noticed—or perhaps she was well aware. Either way, he needed a plan, and a good one. Too unsubtle and Liz would see right through it. Too blunt and he would invite the wrath of Tris, who was simmering just across the table.

One wrong step, and I’m toast...

But the man once known as Mars was not out of schemes. Cerberus had just appeared at his feet.

You know what to do.

Their eyes met. They needed no words. They understood each other perfectly. Cerberus bounded onto the table and tore into Hiro’s plate.

“Stop it, Cerberus!” Liz cried. “That’s rude!”

“Don’t be so harsh. She has to eat too.”

“Mmph?!”

Hiro pushed the last of the meat into Liz’s mouth, silencing her for a crucial moment. By the time she finished chewing, Cerberus had cleaned the plate, leaped down to the floor and trotted merrily away.

“What am I going to do with her?” Liz sighed. “Well, I suppose I’d better eat.”

Now that the wolf had made good her escape, there was nothing more to be done. Liz flopped back into her chair and started on her food.

Hiro breathed a sigh of relief. He would finish breakfast hungry, but he had escaped worse...or at least, so he thought, until Liz’s next words sent a chill through him.

“Here, to make up for it. Say ‘Aaah.’”

“Wait, no—”

His suffering was far from over. Another chaotic day was just beginning.

＊

After breakfast, Hiro parted ways with Liz and headed to the courtyard. Vigorous cries rang out, growing louder as he approached. There were more than a few; close to a hundred voices shook the air in chorus. He stopped as a group of soldiers came into view, swinging swords in neat ranks.

“Not bad. They’re starting to look like a real army.”

All kinds of practice were afoot. Some soldiers were sparring. Others drilled with staves. In the corner of Hiro’s eye, a group of men pointed bows at targets. Heavy armor, light armor, even robes were on display. The only constant was the uniform black of their garb, which made the sight seem slightly surreal. An officer stood in front of the various groups, issuing commands. From a small dais a short distance away, the drill instructor surveyed the recruits with a brooding gaze.

Hiro approached and looked up at the figure. “Everything seems to be going smoothly.”

The man was enormous, covered from head to toe in fluted armor, but he leaped nimbly down to the ground when he noticed Hiro.

“They’d have made a poor living if they didn’t know how to hold a sword.”

The drilling soldiers had once been sellswords in the Liberation Army. After taking them prisoner, Hiro had accepted anyone who was willing into his service. More than half had dropped out, unable to withstand the harsh training, but around three thousand still remained.

The man continued. “May I ask the purpose of the matching colors?”

A stipend from the widowed Countess von Kelheit had paid for the soldiers’ arms and armor, but there was only so much that could be done at short notice. The world’s finest blacksmith working at the land’s largest smithy could not outfit several thousand men in the span of days. Even just engraving their armor with a common motif would take too long. As a stopgap measure, Hiro had bought up all of the black armor he could find from the neighboring towns, ensuring that they at least matched in appearance.

“A common uniform will make an enemy cautious, regardless of how skilled our soldiers are. It’s just a shame they aren’t better trained. We could make good use of the reverse.”

That was a harsh assessment. It would take trickery, Hiro was saying, to make the force useful.

The instructor didn’t agree or disagree, but his lips pulled into a sardonic smile beneath his helmet. “They’ll put the Fourth Legion to shame when I’m through with them. Or better yet, any other force in the empire.”

“I’m glad to hear it. We still have their old gear in the storehouse. I hope someday we can make use of it.”

“That day won’t be long in coming.”

The man lifted his visor to reveal the distinctive lilac skin of a zlosta. His eyes gleamed with a sharpness that would give a seasoned warrior pause, while his imposing bulk, even hidden by his armor, radiated an aura of might.

Technically, zlosta no longer existed in Soleil. The Kingdom of Lebering to the north of the empire was known as the land of the zlosta, but long centuries of mixing with other peoples had watered down even the royal line. Garda Meteor, however, was a true pureblood, washed up on the shores of the continent from the southern archipelago of Ambition. For fear of causing a disturbance, and with Hiro concerned for his safety, he had elected to wear full armor at all times, even in the searing midday heat. That was the best way to conceal the color of his skin and the manastone in his forehead.

“So what if we had to ride to battle today?” Hiro asked. “Could they pull their weight?”

“Well enough on their own, although much would depend on the skill of their foe. Still, they would struggle to fight in concert with the Fourth Legion.”

“That’ll do.”

Garda’s eyes narrowed. “Do you foresee war on the horizon?”

Hiro let the question go unanswered. He looked up at the sky. White clouds adorned the blue expanse, through which the sun’s rays fell upon the land. The breeze retained some coolness for now, but it would soon turn into a muggy desert wind. Today would be another scorching day.

Hiro looked back at Garda with a knowing smile. “It’s only common sense to prepare for the worst.”

“I’ll not argue with that. But there’s more to this than caution, isn’t there?”

“There are signs. I can’t say for certain, but I suspect it’s only a matter of time.”

Hiro’s reply was vague, but Garda probed no further. He nodded reassuringly. “Then I’ll train the men as well as that time permits.”

The zlosta lowered his visor and surveyed the soldiers drilling in the courtyard. To see them cry out in unison as they thrust their spears, a naive observer might take them for an elite fighting force. Still, a veteran would see the roughness lingering around the edges. It would be their commander’s place to compensate for what they lacked. Everything would come down to how they were used.

“I hope so. I need them ready to do anything I ask of them—and I do mean anything.”

“They’ll not improve that quickly short of sending them into a real battle.”

“I agree. Often, people don’t realize what they’re really capable of until their lives are on the line.” Hiro’s mouth curled into a wicked grin, like that of a child up to mischief. “Which is why I want you to pit them against the local bandits. Lowlife criminals probably won’t put up much of a fight, but we’ll take what we can get. And I’ve had word that deserters from the ducal army have been banding together to cause trouble.”

“Are they far?”

“They’re entrenched in caverns and canyons across the prairie. It seems they set up there during the chaos of the war.” Hiro handed Garda two pieces of parchment. “Choose the one you like. The Fourth Legion will take the other.”

Garda took the sheets of parchment and looked them over.

“The first group is holed up in a cavern a day’s ride east,” Hiro continued. “Fifty men or so. The second make their base in a gorge a day to the south, near Threst—Mille’s village. Three hundred. They have Lichtein deserters among their number, with more joining by the day. Three hundred might be a low count by the time we get there. Which do you want?”

“Who do you take me for? The gorge, of course. What else should I know? By when must this be done?”

“As quickly as possible. We’ll take eight hundred men. Aiming to be back in two days, and with time to rest the horses, we’ll have about an hour and a half for fighting.”

“You ask a great deal.”

“I can’t make it too easy. Otherwise, the men wouldn’t learn anything.”

“Very well. How would the One-Eyed Dragon go about this?”

“There are only three hundred of them. I would ride in alone and—” Wipe them out, Hiro almost said, but a glare from Garda stopped the words dead in his throat. Only you could do that, the zlosta’s eyes seemed to say.

Hiro pretended to ignore it, striking a thoughtful pose. “But enough joking around. No, the enemy is holed up in an enclosed space. We have numbers, but that won’t mean a thing if we can’t make use of them. And the bandits will know their own base like the backs of their hands. It’s safe to assume they’ll use the terrain to their advantage. If we let our guard down, we could suffer far worse losses than we’re prepared for. So if it were me, I’d try to draw them out and turn the tables.” He paused for a moment, then set a finger to his lips and smiled. “It might be quicker to show you. How soon can you get ready to march?”

Garda snorted. “Do you take the men I’ve trained for slouches? They’re sellswords no longer, I can tell you that.”

The zlosta minced words for no one, not even a prince of the empire. If a sworn servant of the royal family had heard the way he addressed Hiro, they would have bared steel. Drix, fastidious as he was, might have fainted.

Hiro, however, only chuckled. “That’s encouraging to hear.”

His subordinates might disapprove, but as long as he didn’t mind, none of their complaints bore any weight. That easygoing nature and approachable demeanor had cemented his popularity among the Fourth Legion as second only to Liz. Still, it was necessary to keep up appearances in front of the troops—something Garda clearly understood too, as he was excruciatingly polite whenever he addressed Hiro in public. While it made for an amusing sight, they could only speak frankly to one another when they were sure they would not be interrupted.

“I’ll leave the rest to you,” Hiro said.

“Very well. The men will need a moment to rest, but we’ll set off as soon as we’re able.”

Hiro turned to leave, then wheeled back around as though a sudden thought had struck him. “Oh, and if you could... Let’s bring that old gear with us after all.”

“Hm?” Garda’s brow furrowed for a moment, but then realization flashed in his eyes. He nodded. “Aye, I’ll see it done.”

“Right, I’d best be going. I have my own preparations to make.”

Hiro waved goodbye and walked away. Behind him, Garda’s booming voice commanded the soldiers to stand at ease.

＊

Eight hundred riders trailed a cloud of dust as they raced across the prairie. They came to a stop in the shadow of the cliffs, one sel—or three kilometers—from their destination. Hiro’s Crow Legion could not yet match the Fourth Legion in discipline, but they made for no less striking a sight.

“Time to root these bandits out.” Hiro signaled to his rear. The line of cavalry parted to reveal a hundred-odd soldiers outfitted in sellsword garb. Two dozen more were dressed as peasants, pulling carts. The group proceeded together toward the narrow path through the cliffs where the bandits made their stronghold.

“First and Second Cavalry: as instructed,” Hiro commanded.

Under cover of the dust cloud raised by the carts, the two units peeled off to either side. They began to advance. One hundred cavalry remained, under the command of Hiro and his advisor, Garda.

“I pray all goes as planned,” the zlosta growled, “but these bandits are no striplings. They’ll see through this child’s play.”

“You’d be surprised how easy people are to fool. Under the right circumstances, a veteran can be more gullible than a novice.”

Hiro turned to squint into the distance. Garda followed his gaze. Ahead, the soldiers in peasants’ clothing had come to a stop in front of the mouth of the gorge.

“They’re probably being questioned as we speak,” Hiro said. “Do you think the bandits will take the bait?”

“Many will suspect a trap.”

“That’s what the carts are for. To sweeten the deal.”

The carts were piled high with arms and armor. Any outlaw would jump at the chance to get their hands on such a haul. The bandits had no wealth with which to purchase new equipment and no means of seizing it, but they would soon need gear if they meant to feed themselves with their takings. With that in mind, Hiro had disguised his soldiers as traveling merchants.

“Do you not think one hundred guards is too many?” Garda asked.

“Any fewer wouldn’t be believable.”

“And what if they make the bandits too wary to come out?”

Garda’s point was a good one. The bandits only had three hundred men. The sight of one hundred soldiers might deter them from leaving the gorge in force. Even so, they would send a small party out to threaten their marks with superior numbers and demand the contents of the cart.

“In that case, the men have orders to attack.”

“Oh?” Garda’s eyebrows rose. “And what then?”

“They are to provoke the enemy and then retreat back here to us.”

The bandits would be enraged by seeing their comrades slaughtered. They would leave the gorge in pursuit of their fleeing prey—at which point, the First and Second Cavalries would circle around to cut off their retreat before falling on them from behind.

“Swords have been drawn. We should go.”

The battle had begun. A cacophony of clashing steel drifted toward them on the wind. Hiro’s carriage trundled steadily forward. Garda kept pace alongside it, scanning the foreground with reins in hand. With their hundred riders in tow, they moved out from the cover of the cliffs.

“Things seem to have played out more or less as we expected,” Hiro observed.

“And so I eat my words. Now I see why Lichtein fell.”

“They’re still stronger than the average bandits. We can’t get careless just because we have them surrounded.”

Hiro gestured for the remaining hundred riders to join the battle. They sprang into action, thundering past him to enter the fray. By the time he and Garda made it to the scene, the fighting would likely be done.

“I hear that we have arranged to spare the lives of those who surrender,” Garda ventured. “Are you certain?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“The One-Eyed Dragon I know would massacre them without a second thought. I find it strange that you would leave any alive, even those who lay down their swords.”

“There’s a reason for that. If we kill them all, the bodies will attract monsters, and that would cause trouble for the locals.”

Burying or burning the bodies would not solve the problem. Monsters would still be drawn to the stench of blood. They would take up residence in the gorge, and once their food ran out, they would begin to prey on the nearby settlements. There was no point in exterminating bandits only to replace them with worse. The soldiers had been instructed that any enemies who demonstrated an intention to surrender were not to be harmed.

“They’ve only just lost a war. They’ll give up quickly,” Hiro predicted.

Sure enough, by the time they reached the battlefield, most of the bandits had surrendered. Still, no small number had fallen victim to the cavalry. Only around two hundred had survived the fray. The bodies of the dead would be loaded onto the carts for a separate task force to dispose of somewhere far away. The living would be sentenced to an appropriate punishment decided upon by Drix, who was currently manning Berg Fortress in their absence.

“An easy victory,” Garda remarked. “We hardly needed an hour.”

Hiro smiled and nodded. He hadn’t anticipated a difficult fight, but the Crow Legion had performed better than expected. “We’ll rest for a spell, then return to Berg Fortress.”

Garda turned to the men and began to issue orders. Hiro looked skyward. White clouds drifted lazily across the blue expanse, while the sun’s light pierced through to shower the prairie with scorching heat.

I’ll be summoned to the capital again soon. What will I do with the Crow Legion then?

To send them marching along peaceful roads would only be a waste of time. Better to have them train until his business concluded.

But if I end up sent to Faerzen, I’ll want them with me.

If Aura’s letter from several days prior was to be believed, the situation in the western nation was still fraught. The emperor would be losing his patience. Odds were high that he would send Hiro to finish the conquest, which would provide the Crow Legion with vital experience in the field.

Well, there’s no point dwelling on these things now. I can make that judgment when the time comes.

Hiro wiped away a bead of sweat, loosened his collar, and closed his eyes. Before long, he was dozing, recovering his strength for the trials to come.

＊

It was the next day by the time the Crow Legion returned to Berg Fortress. As the force drew near with Hiro at its head, the gates slid open and Liz, commander of the fortress, emerged. Cerberus trotted along at her side.

“Welcome back!” She ran up to them, grinning from ear to ear.

Hiro swung himself down from the carriage and gave Cerberus a welcoming scratch before turning to Liz. “You were waiting for us?”

“Obviously.” She pouted. “You were taking so long!”

Hiro smiled awkwardly. “We’re back ahead of schedule.”

“That’s still too long.”

They passed side by side through the gate and into the courtyard.

“Everything went smoothly on my end. How about you?”

Liz set a finger to her lips. “They surrendered easily enough. That’s why I got back before you. Which I guess makes me the winner!” She puffed out her chest with pride.

“I suppose it does. So? How did you do it?”

“I disguised myself as a peasant girl. The bandits couldn’t help themselves. They came right out to strip me of my things.”

They must have been astonished to find a girl as pretty as Liz in a backwater province like Gurinda. Blinded by her charms, they had blundered straight into a trap.

“That must have been a nasty surprise,” Hiro remarked.

“You’re telling me! It wasn’t even a good fight. They weren’t very strong.” Liz stomped in dissatisfaction. She sounded frustrated.

Garda approached from behind Hiro’s back. “If you still long for battle, I will gladly be your sparring partner.”

Liz looked at Garda with disdain. “Oh, really? Well, you’d better be prepared for a bruise or three. I’ll warn you, I’m in good form today.”

Garda grinned. “I’ll try not to hurt you too badly, little lady.”

“Bold words. I hope you don’t regret them.”

Sparks crackled between the pair. Hiro, caught in the middle, gave an exasperated sigh. “Try not to kill each other, all right?”

Liz and Garda’s sparring record sat at five apiece. With her Spiritblade’s blessing, Liz had made short work of the zlosta at first, but his battle experience was nothing to sniff at. Over time, he had learned to counter Liz’s instinctual style of fighting and evened the score. Liz, in turn, was now aware of her shortcomings and working to overcome them. Soon she would surmount the wall in front of her and climb to greater heights. Hiro watched her progress with great anticipation.

As the trio passed into the courtyard, an unmistakable sigh of relief rose from the soldiers behind them.

“Let their guard down at the last moment, will they?” Garda growled, falling behind. The soldiers instantly straightened as he stepped back into their midst.

At that moment, Drix flew out of the central tower. “I am relieved to see you safely returned, Lord Hiro,” he proclaimed with impeccable courtesy. He fell to one knee, his eyes turning to Liz. “Lady Celia Estrella, I trust that you have passed on what I gave you?”

Liz cocked her head. “Passed on what?”

Drix’s jaw clenched just a little. “My lady, surely you recall... That is to say... The letter?”

“Oh! That! Hold on, I’ve got it here.” Liz’s eyes widened as she remembered. She held out a crumpled sheet of paper.

A sense of déjà vu nagged at Hiro as he took it. “What happened to it? It’s a mess.”

Liz beamed. “It’s from Father.”

The blood drained from Drix’s face at the sight of the crumpled letter. The man should have known better than to trust Liz with an important document, but Hiro still felt a twinge of sympathy. Personally, he didn’t care much about the treatment of the letter—he could more or less guess what it said—but in deference to Drix, who looked to be on the point of tears, he decided to open and read it immediately. Beneath the ornamental prose lay a simple instruction.

“It says we’re to come to the capital. His Majesty wants to reward us for our achievements in Lichtein.”

The words seemed to breathe new life into Drix. He stood, brushing the dust from his knees. “Such an honor! I will prepare for our departure forthwith.”

Hiro nodded. “See that we are ready to leave by tomorrow.”

Their triumphant return to the capital would require a great deal of preparation. They would have to decide how many soldiers to bring and calculate the provisions needed, as well as write ahead to reassure any nobles along their path of their peaceable intentions.

“We’ll bring five thousand men. Can you handle the logistics?”

They would take the well-maintained imperial roads, but bringing too many soldiers would slow their march to the crawl. Considering the need to maintain a presence in Berg Fortress on top of that, any more than five thousand would be foolish.

“I shall attend to it forthwith, Your Highness. Is there anything else?”

“I will summarize the details for you. Come by my chambers later.”

“Of course, Your Highness. By your leave.” Drix turned and walked away, barking orders to his subordinates as he went.

Hiro turned back to Liz. “You should probably pick out a few dresses.”

“Why? Do you want them?”

Why was that her first assumption? For a moment, Hiro couldn’t speak from shock. Come to think of it, however, Liz had never attended a banquet in her honor. That was why she had reacted so oddly. It was not difficult to imagine the treatment she had received throughout her life from the nobility. Anger started to boil in his chest, but he forced it back down.

“They’re not for me,” he said, putting on a fond smile. “They’re for you.”

When the banquet was inevitably held at the capital, Liz would be the star of the show. Hiro explained as much on the way back to his quarters, but the idea seemed to confuse her.

“But I hardly did anything,” she said. “It was all you.”

“That’s not true. You did an excellent job as commander. All I did was advise you. We won because the soldiers believed in you.”

Thanks to the connections Liz had forged with the officers, they had been able to proceed with their plans without their coup interfering with the troops’ performance. Hiro had merely provided a strategy. She had made the army capable of winning.

“That’s a lesson for you,” Hiro said. “The better you do your job, the more invisible your contributions become.”

“But how will anyone recognize my contributions if they’re invisible?”

“They won’t at the time. But once the dust has settled and the reports are filed, it’ll be clear who led the Fourth Legion to victory. And even if the reports are destroyed, the soldiers will vouch for you. There’s no sealing an entire army’s mouths.”

Hiro stopped. They had reached his chamber. He stepped inside, took a seat at his writing desk, and pulled out a pen and paper.

Liz dove onto the bed and wrapped her arms around one of the pillows. “Me, wearing a dress... I’d look awful. Can’t I just bring my uniform?”

“I think you should pack one or two just in case.”

“Hmm... I’m sure my sister gave me a few. Maybe I have them somewhere.”

That reminded Hiro of the need to seek Rosa’s help. He would have to find a suitable offering for the emperor, for one, but he also wanted to make the Fourth Legion’s arrival in the capital as grand an affair as possible, and she would know exactly how. He resolved to write to her immediately.

For a while, the room was silent but for the scratching of pen on paper. As the minutes swam lazily by, there came a sudden knock at the door.

Hiro raised his head. “Come in.”

“Your Highness.” Drix entered and bowed, then approached the desk and set down a sheaf of documents. “I have finalized the allocation of provisions. The relevant papers are here. They only await your signature.”

Hiro scanned through the documents and signed them. Then he slipped Rosa’s letter into a white envelope, dripped wax onto it, and affixed his seal. Finally, he placed the envelope on top of the pile of papers and handed them back to Drix.

Drix’s eyebrows pulled together dubiously. “And to whom would you have this sent?”

“House Kelheit.”

Something briefly flashed in Drix’s eyes, but then it was gone. In a moment, he had regained his composure and was scratching his head in bemusement as he regarded Hiro with a searching gaze. “I am surprised, I must confess. I had forgotten that you were acquainted with them.”

“We had the opportunity to speak last time I was in the capital. I’ve been meaning to invite them to join us as a token of appreciation. Our victory wouldn’t have been possible without them, after all.” Hiro’s answer was honest. He had no reason to hide the truth.

“Well, I think that sounds like a splendid idea. I will dispatch our fastest horse.”

“Please.”

As Hiro watched Drix leave, it struck him that Liz was unusually quiet. He looked to the bed to find her blithely asleep, still clutching his pillow. With an affectionate smile, he got up and draped a blanket over her shoulders.

“I suppose we can pick out dresses tomorrow.”

They would take three thousand of the Fourth Legion and two thousand of the Crow Legion, Hiro’s private force, to the capital. Tris, Garda, and the other aides would all accompany them. Kiork would take charge of Berg Fortress until they returned.

“I think that’s everything. I should probably turn in too.”

Stifling a yawn, he cast a glance at the happily dozing Liz and set about thinking where else he could sleep for the night.

The fifteenth day of the ninth month of Imperial Year 1023

The morning mist had cleared and the sun hung high overhead. A cool breeze blew through the town of Linkus as a two-horse carriage raced through the lunchtime bustle of the high street. Inside were Hiro, Liz, and Margrave Rugen Kiork von Gurinda, Liz’s uncle.

“Hm?”

Gazing through the window, it struck Hiro that the town outside had changed. The markets had possessed no less energy when he first arrived, but there were more stalls now, and far more people.

Kiork noticed his look of surprise. “The news that you took charge of Berg Fortress spread like wildfire. Your presence made the southern territories a more desirable destination for merchants, and others followed.” He sounded sincerely pleased.

Hiro rubbed his neck a little bashfully. Just then, Liz leaned against him to look out of the window.

“This town used to be empty,” she said. “You’d see one or two stalls out there on a good day. It’s incredible how it’s grown. Isn’t that right, Uncle?”

“Quite. My house has safeguarded this town since my grandfather’s day, but I’ve never seen it so busy. With Sunspear so close, not even merchants from the duchy deigned to stop by.”

Sunspear was one of the largest cities in the southern territories, and a stronghold of House Muzuk. One of the five great houses, House Muzuk had not declared support for any of the imperial heirs. For the time being, it seemed content to watch how events unfolded. The head was young, Hiro had heard, but gifted, and surrounded by a bevy of capable advisors.

“Well, those days are past now that Hiro’s here!” Liz exclaimed with pride. “Before long, you’ll have your very own Sunspear right here in Linkus!”

Kiork smiled fondly at his niece. “Right you are, my dear; although only if I play my part. Rest assured, I will work no less hard in your absence.”

That, in fact, was why Hiro and Liz were there. They had come to ask Kiork to manage Berg Fortress during their sojourn to the capital. The margrave had agreed to the request with his typical good cheer, before insisting on seeing them off to where their troops waited on the outskirts of town.

“You shouldn’t have anything to worry about,” Hiro said. “The duchy won’t exactly be eager to start another war, and the area around the fortress has gotten a lot more peaceful lately. Hopefully, there won’t be much to do.”

“He’s right, you know. Don’t overwork yourself just for the sake of it. You’re not as young as you used to be.”

Kiork’s face fell, his enthusiasm dampened from both sides. “Am I truly so unreliable?”

“No, that’s not what I...”

With Liz twisting Hiro’s words in an unintended direction, the conversation had taken an awkward turn.

Hiro racked his brains for a way to ease the tension, but he needn’t have bothered. Liz sprang from her seat with a cry and rapped on the front window.

“Stop the carriage! Hurry!”

The carriage screeched to a halt. For a moment, Hiro’s body seemed weightless. By the time he collected himself, Liz had already grabbed his arm and was halfway through the door.

“Liz? What’s happening?”

“Just shush and come with me!”

She dragged a confused Hiro to a stall selling engraved accessories. Bracelets and rings lay out for sale at reasonable prices.

“Remember how you promised you’d get me an apology gift?”

Hiro did vaguely recall making a promise to that effect during the final battle in Lichtein.

“I guess I did...”

“Then buy me this. I saw it when I passed through earlier. Isn’t it lovely?”

Liz picked up a silver bangle. With its intricate detailing, it was one of the pricier pieces on the table. She seemed to notice Hiro staring at the label.

“It’s all right if it’s too much,” she said, her voice low and hesitant. “I’ll be happy with something else.”

For all that she sounded embarrassed to have asked, the price wasn’t especially unreasonable. Hiro’s reservations weren’t about the money; if anything, he was worried about whether he could give her something so cheap. A single jewel could easily buy ten such bracelets. It would look a little out of place on a princess’s wrist.

“No, it’s fine. I’m just wondering...is this really what you want?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Wouldn’t something else suit you better? How about this ring? Or this necklace?”

Hiro pointed out a couple of more expensive-looking pieces, but Liz shook her head.

“No. I want this one.”

She cradled it so affectionately, Hiro couldn’t bring himself to argue further. He flagged down the merchant and purchased the bangle, then asked for three more items to be added to the bag.

“Hm?” Liz looked at him quizzically. “What else did you get?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out. Come on, let’s head back to Kiork.”

The surrounding townsfolk had taken note of Liz’s presence. She hadn’t bothered to disguise herself, so she was beginning to draw a crowd.

“Time to make a run for it,” she exclaimed, already dashing for the carriage. “This way!”

“You can’t just run off without me— Oh, never mind.”

The crowd was hardly violent, just curious. Hiro set off after Liz at a more sedate pace, but a voice from behind his back brought him to a stop.

“A bracelet, eh? I see, I see.”

He turned to see Kiork, whom he thought they had left in the carriage.

“How long have you been here?”

“Me? Oh, I followed you out. Anyway, I’m delighted to see that your search was successful. Shall we make our way back?”

The man clapped Hiro on the shoulder and set off, but he looked back a few steps later with a knowing grin. “Perhaps you aren’t aware, but there’s a custom in the Mark. When giving gifts to someone dear to them, one always begins with a bracelet.”

“Really?”

“The practice is a little old-fashioned nowadays, but Liz’s mother was fond of it. I daresay it means a lot to her daughter to keep it alive.”

“I see. But why a bracelet?”

“Well, anything ring-shaped will do. Rings symbolize the forging of a bond, you see. But that bracelet is special—it’s engraved with a wisteria flower. There, my boy, is your answer.”

“I’m sorry,” Hiro said. “I didn’t quite catch that last bit.” The crowd had started to murmur, and Kiork’s whisper had gotten lost in the noise.

“Perhaps that’s for the best. I suppose it wasn’t my place to mention it.”

Hiro sighed. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing you need concern yourself with. Come, my niece is waiting. If this crowd grows any larger, you’ll be late to the capital.”

At Kiork’s urging, Hiro set off once more. He returned to the carriage bemused and devoid of answers.

＊

The twentieth day of the ninth month of Imperial Year 1023

Hören, in the east of the central territories

After waving goodbye to Kiork, Hiro and his company set out for the roads east of the Schein High Road. There, they would meet the widowed countess of House Kelheit.

After they had been traveling long enough to grow accustomed to the rumble of the carriage, Liz turned to Hiro.

“It’s been so long since I last saw my sister. We write, but it just isn’t the same.”

“Her whole face lit up when she talked about you, you know.”

“Really? That’s good to hear. She’s always had a soft spot for me, you know. Maybe it’s because she was my tutor.”

It was apparently tradition for the women of the royal family to take charge of their younger sisters’ education for a time. Not so for the men, out of concern for conflict over the imperial succession. The custom meant that the imperial princesses were on better terms with one another than the princes. Still, the first princess was sickly and lived a life of seclusion in a countryside temple, while the second had passed away at a young age, so Liz had never met her. The fourth and fifth princesses—twins—were closer to Liz’s age and had been friendly with her for a time, but as they shared a mother with Third Prince Brutahl, they had grown distant after she was chosen by Lævateinn.

“So Rosa is the only one I still write to,” Liz concluded a little sadly.

Lævateinn’s favor had gained her little and cost her much. Still, if she made wise choices in the weeks and months to come, she would find chances to recover what she had lost—and the first was this, her reunion with her sister. Hiro hoped that it would be one of many such opportunities.

“You must be looking forward to seeing her,” he said. “Only a little while longer and you’ll be able to catch up on everything you couldn’t put in your letters.”

“I have so much to tell her.” Liz beamed. “I could talk for days!”

“That’s good to hear. I’m sure she feels the same.”

No sooner did the words leave his mouth than the carriage came to a halt. Knuckles rapped on the window, and Hiro looked up to see Drix staring through the glass.

“An emissary has arrived from House Kelheit, Your Highness. They request permission to join our company.”

“That must be my sister! Of course they have permission. Tell them right away!”

“At once, Your Highness.” Drix’s head receded.

Liz flung the window open. “Look, Hiro!” she exclaimed. “Look at all the banners!”

Hiro followed her gaze. Ahead, another road met theirs. Arrayed along it was a horde of soldiers in varying shades of eastern noble livery. House Kelheit stood at their fore.

Hiro and Liz disembarked to wait for Rosa at the junction. A small detachment of a hundred riders split off from the eastern force and approached. In the lead rode the woman they had been waiting for: Myste Caliara Rosa von Kelheit, the young acting head of House Kelheit whose heroic efforts had kept the great house together after her late husband’s passing. Clad in an indigo uniform and riding a white horse, she looked more gallant than demure, but that did nothing to dim her beauty, only adding a sultry edge that brought out the already-uncommon loveliness of her face.

“Liz!” Rosa called out. “It’s been far too long!” She swung down from her horse and wrapped her little sister in an embrace. “You’ve been keeping well, I hope? And in good health? You always sounded in high spirits, but quill strokes tell so little.”

“I’m doing just fine.” Liz smiled. “And I’m glad you are too.”

They held one another close for a moment, then stepped apart.

Rosa’s gaze moved to Hiro. “And quite the same to you. You didn’t miss me too much, I hope?”

Her tackle caught him full-force, squashing his head into her ample chest. It occurred to him to dodge, though it happened in the blink of an eye, but he decided it was better not to ruin the mood. He lifted his arms and resigned himself to Rosa’s embrace.

She sniffed his neck. “And you don’t stink either. Most Grantzian men I can smell from a sel away, but I don’t even notice you!”

Hiro smiled sheepishly. “People do say Japanese people smell less.” He was too accustomed to his own odor to tell one way or the other, and besides, whatever scent there may have been was overpowered by Rosa’s own. The mixture of her perfume and natural sensuality was making his head spin.

“But I think that’s quite enough of the pleasantries, don’t you?” Having gotten her fill, Rosa drew away and placed her hands on her hips. Her face turned serious. “We have much to discuss. Shall we retire?”

She gestured to a carriage behind her. Hiro and Liz nodded in assent and followed.

The three took their seats inside. Rosa was the first to speak. “Now, there’s no cause for alarm, but I’ve had word that the northern nobles are conducting large-scale military exercises.”

The Grantzian Empire was divided into northern, western, eastern, southern, and central regions, generally referred to as “the five territories.” All five ultimately fell under the emperor’s dominion, but their day-to-day management was entrusted to five powerful noble families called the great houses.

“So House Scharm is making moves?”

“No. The power behind them. The second prince.”

The prince’s mother was a lady of House Scharm, which secured him the support of the northern nobles. He rarely appeared in public, however, citing his sickly constitution, and generally seemed uninterested in competing for the throne. For him to even visit the central territories was a rare enough event.

“Strange. I wonder why he’s changed tactics.”

“Who knows? Whatever he’s after, it can’t be glory. Our only northern border is with Lebering. His Majesty makes no secret of his intent to unify Soleil, but even that wouldn’t excuse attacking a longtime ally.”

So what did the second prince want, and why was he suddenly going after it now? There was something there, Hiro could tell, but he knew too little about the man to speculate.

All I can do for now is watch and wait. He shook his head to clear his mind.

At that moment, Liz clapped her hands together. “Oh, that’s right! Speaking of Lebering, isn’t the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony supposed to be soon?”

The Kingdom of Lebering was known colloquially as the land of the zlosta. One thousand years ago, the fiendkin had threatened to conquer the entire continent before the humans stood up to resist their oppression. The other peoples followed suit and a bloody war ensued. When the dust settled, the zlosta had been defeated.

While most zlosta had been chased from Soleil to the southern archipelago of Ambition, a few had chosen to stay and save their comrades who were too slow to flee. These zlosta founded the Kingdom of Lebering in the north. A thousand years of mingling with other peoples had thinned their offspring’s blood, however, to the point where they were almost human. Children born in the kingdom nowadays bore only the barest traces of mana. Even the royal line was no longer pure.

“So it is. She’s lovely to look at, I hear. They call her the Vernesse—the Princess of Amethyst—and they say her skin’s as white as the snow she rules. It’s enough to make a woman jealous.” Rosa shot Hiro a meaningful look. “That must pique your interest, I’m sure. The goodness-knows-how-many-greats granddaughter of one of Mars’s closest allies, and a beauty at that.”

One thousand years ago, when Hiro was still called the Hero King, he had commanded five lieutenants known as the Black Hand. One of them was Lox van Lebering, a kindhearted zlosta who had sided with the humans against his own kind. Hiro wouldn’t have minded learning more about the nation his old friend had founded, but a glance at Liz’s pout told him that the subject of this princess was best left unbroached.

With a twinkle in her eye and a change of topic, Rosa came to his rescue. “Let’s leave the matter of the north for a moment. I want to discuss the central territories.”

“Something’s happened, then?”

“I expected the undeclared nobles to show some spine, is what happened. A misjudgment on my part. They cowered like beaten dogs as soon as House Krone showed the rod. The more powerful among them are still bold enough to bark, but they can’t work together, and none would dare bite alone.” Rosa expelled a disappointed sigh. “By the time I bring all of the eastern nobles in line, House Krone’s position will be more secure than ever. I have no intention of sitting on my hands in the meantime, of course, but the fact is that there’s little to be done.”

House Kelheit might control the east, but even its association with Hiro wasn’t enough to secure the loyalty of every noble house in its territory. They could seek help elsewhere in the meantime, but from whom? The western nobles were too preoccupied with putting down the Faerzen Resistance to intervene in central politics; the south seemed content to watch and wait, their goals inscrutable; and at this critical juncture, the north was conducting war games. With no one to stop them, House Krone was slowly but steadily regaining its hold over the central territories.

“Our next move is already in motion,” Hiro said. “There’s a reason our route takes us through Viscount von Wirst’s land.”

Recognition flashed in Rosa’s eyes. “Ah, yes. It’s his mansion we’re lodging at tonight, is it not?”

“Viscount Hans von Wirst, to use his full title. I dug into him a little. He has one city and three towns to his name, and he levies heavy taxes on all of them. Seeing as we’re passing through, I thought I might appeal to him to change his ways.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Liz said hesitantly, “but will he agree?”

Rosa waved a dismissive hand. “Of course he won’t. The central territories might be coming under strain, but House Krone still holds all the power. Although a well-placed crack in their foundations could easily change that.”

“And Viscount von Wirst is that crack. Before I left Berg Fortress, I wrote to all the central nobles and everybody of note in the area. Someone will do something—it’s just a question of who and what.”

Liz furrowed her brow in thought. “So...you’re trying to make them get in each other’s way?”

Hiro turned to Liz, his eyes narrowing. Rosa, too, looked at her little sister curiously. Liz shrank back as she felt the air in the carriage change.

“Sorry. That was probably a stupid thing to say.”

Hiro hurriedly interrupted her apology with a shake of his head. “No, you’re exactly right. We’re trying to pit them against each other.”

His letters had detailed his plans to stay with Viscount von Wirst. Reading that, the central nobles would suspect the viscount planned to switch allegiances, and odds were high that one of them would attempt to prevent it. The undeclared nobles might also try to intervene, or even the rulers of the other territories. That was the plan, at least, but Hiro hadn’t expected Liz to cotton on to it.

“Look at you, a little tactician! You’ve made your big sister proud!”

“Wait, what are you—? Oomph!”

Hiro’s smile turned a little strained as Liz vanished into Rosa’s embrace.

“Anyway, that’s the plan,” he said. “We’ll use the aristocracy’s self-interest against them and bring the central nobles down.”

Liz thrust her sister away and turned back to Hiro. “Are you sure this will work? I mean, if I could see through it, I bet other people can too.”

“I’m sure a few of them will realize what the letter is really for. But many won’t. Especially the kind of corrupt nobles who only care about themselves.”

Even if nobody responded to his prodding, Hiro had a backup plan in place. This venture would produce something, no matter what.

“Look lively now. We’re coming up on Sieg.”

Hiro cast his gaze outside the window, where Viscount von Wirst’s hometown had appeared on the horizon.

Sieg was a modestly sized city that had sprung up after the establishment of the five territories. Close to Cladius, it had never known conflict, and so had expanded uninhibited by walls. The steady traffic of adventurers and merchants bound for the capital enlivened its streets long after dark, and it had grown rich off its status as a satellite city.

Viscount von Wirst’s mansion lay at the center of the circular sprawl. Hiro, Liz, Rosa, and their hundred guards disembarked to a grandiose fanfare played by a troupe of musicians on the second-floor balcony.

“Lord Hiro! And Lady Celia Estrella! What an honor, what an honor!”

A middle-aged man draped in jewelry stepped out to welcome them with outstretched arms. “Hans von Wirst, viscount of Sieg by the will of His Majesty the Emperor, at your service,” he announced, sinking into a vassal’s bow. An array of retainers—both male and female—stood around him, every one of them young and beautiful.

“Charmed, I’m sure.” Liz barely acknowledged the man as she strode past him. Cerberus trotted at her heels; the two had reunited slightly earlier. She stopped and glanced back over her shoulder, one hand petting the wolf’s head. “Could you see about fetching us dinner? And perhaps draw us baths?”

If Viscount von Wirst was offended by her haughty manner, he didn’t show it. “But of course, Your Highness!” he exclaimed, rising to his feet. “Rest assured, I have prepared a magnificent banquet for your enjoyment. If you might follow me?”

Rosa laid a hand on Hiro’s shoulder as she watched the exchange. “He’s a more patient man than I expected,” she murmured. “I was certain he would take offense.”

“He’s no stranger to dealing with royalty. He’s probably delighted to find her so easy to please.”

What von Wirst truly thought of Liz, there was no way to tell, but men like him knew how to curry favor with power. His comely servants were likely less to please his own tastes and more to entice his guests.

“So? Do any of his girls catch your eye? Although I can’t say any look half as pretty as me.”

“No. None of them hold a candle to you.” Hiro didn’t have to lie. Rosa’s claim might have sounded conceited, but that didn’t make it any less true.

“Well, look who’s learned to speak his mind! Perhaps I’ll share your bed tonight.”

Hiro felt strangely certain that Liz would end up there too. He chuckled nervously. “I’ll think about it.”

Mind whirling with ways to escape his looming peril, he entered the mansion. Viscount von Wirst led their party through to a large dining hall, where sumptuous dishes lay on tables set with pristine tablecloths. Every chair was furnished with its own waiter. A more lavish welcome would have been hard to imagine.

“Come, sit, sit!” their host instructed. “Tonight you will dine upon the finest delicacies of the central territories! It would not do to let them get cold!”

The trio took their places, but Hiro immediately noticed that something felt off. “Wait, this can’t be right...”

He had taken a seat in the middle of the table, leaving the head for royalty, but Liz had sat down at his right-hand side. Moreover, Rosa had taken the place on his left.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Liz said.

“Nor do I. All is quite as it should be,” Rosa agreed.

“But...I mean...what about them?”

Viscount von Wirst’s attractive young retainers were evidently supposed to alternate with their guests, but Liz and Rosa had left them with nowhere to sit. They looked just as confused as Hiro felt. Their master seemed no less taken aback, but he only let it show for a fraction of a second before he dismissed them and sat down opposite the trio. Finally, Cerberus took Liz’s seat at the head of the table. Von Wirst’s smile grew a little more fixed at that, but as Liz’s pet, the wolf’s position was unchallengeable.

“Well, let us begin the night’s festivities,” their host announced with only the slightest quaver in his voice. “First, a toast to the Twelve Divines for guiding my two honored guests safely to my door, and to the Spirit King for bringing about this happy meeting of the royal family and my own house of Wirst...” With a wine glass in hand, he launched into a long-winded speech.

“All these words and not an ounce of sincerity,” Rosa whispered. “The Divines will turn a deaf ear if they know what’s good for them.”

“Rosa! That’s rude!” exclaimed Liz. “I do hope he wraps it up quickly, though...”

“You’re rather blunt yourself. Still, he should sober up soon enough.”

The trio turned their attention to their plates as their host droned on.

＊

The banquet passed without incident, its host’s verbosity notwithstanding, and proved an enjoyable meal. Once the festivities ended, von Wirst escorted his guests to their rooms. He then returned to his own quarters in high spirits, after which...

“Well, then, who’s sleeping where?”

“I don’t understand why you’re sleeping here at all!”

“Sorry, Liz, but you don’t have a leg to stand on here.”

Now Hiro was trapped between two arguing sisters.

“See? My darling agrees. After how long we’ve been apart, you and I must be together, and since we’re rising early, it only makes sense that he should join us.”

Hiro had, in fact, not said any of that, but Liz responded before he could interrupt. “Fine. I suppose you’ll want the window side?”

“But of course. I do love to sleep in the sight of the stars.”

Liz made a pensive noise. “Then I’ll take the door. That way, I’ll be the first to react if anything happens.”

“Which leaves my darling in the middle. I cannot say I object.”

“Sounds good to me!”

The sisters climbed onto their respective sides of the bed and turned to Hiro with expectant eyes.

“You know what? I’ve got something I need to do,” he said. “You two go ahead and sleep. I’ll join you later.”

“Very well,” Rosa yawned. “I’m not one to shirk a good night’s rest.”

It was easy to see where Liz got it from; both she and Rosa were fast asleep and snoring almost as soon as they hit the mattress. They were both tired from the journey, and the drink surely hadn’t helped. Both of their bodies had decided to prioritize rest.

After checking that they were both sleeping soundly, Hiro slipped out of the room. Shadows clung to the corridor outside as he gazed unflinchingly into the gloom.

“What did you find?” he asked.

From within the darkness came the clank of metal. “A scoundrel of the lowest sort,” a gravelly voice announced. “Would that taxes were the worst liberty he has taken with his people.”

Garda’s towering bulk emerged from the darkness. His expression was shadowed, but his voice made his disapproval clear.

“Interesting. So what foolishness is our host getting up to?” Before arriving in Sieg, Hiro had sent Garda ahead to get the lay of the land.

“He squeezes his people for their last coppers, then dresses his men as bandits and takes what little they have left.”

Hiro’s eyes narrowed. “Interesting. How did you come by that?”

“Some of his men were keeping watch at one of the villages we looked into. Things got messy, but we made them talk. Still, that alone won’t be enough to tie von Wirst to their deeds.”

“Then we’ll drag them in front of him and see what he has to say. It’s not exactly subtle, but it’ll work.”

“I imagine they’ll deny ever knowing one another.”

“I can think of ways to make them talk.”

Hiro turned toward von Wirst’s chambers but immediately froze. Something was wrong.

“Garda, take the rear.”

Before the words even left his mouth, he summoned Excalibur and sprang forward into the darkness. For a half-second there was silence, then a shower of sparks. Ringing steel echoed along the midnight corridor. Two blades briefly struggled against each other before one gave way with a clang, and something fell to the ground with an unpleasant smack. Hiro was not done, however, and Excalibur was a streak of white as he twisted around and slashed to his left.

“Aaagh!”

“You, I won’t kill so easily. I have some questions for you.”

A shaft of moonlight shone in through the window to bathe the corridor in silver, revealing the man pinned beneath Hiro’s boot. His left arm had been cloven clean from his shoulder. To his side, fresh blood spurted from a headless corpse.

“Skillfully done.” Garda approached, sounding impressed. “I felled one myself. It seems there were only the three.”

Hiro nodded. He lifted his boot and leaned down to stare into his captive’s face. “Tell me something worth knowing,” he said, “and I’ll make sure you don’t lose any more limbs.”

The assassin flinched at the chill in Hiro’s voice, but bared his teeth in a defiant smile. “Oh, Father, hear my prayer,” he intoned. “Curse the foolish with eternal torment. Oh, Father, hear my prayer. Bless your faithful with eternal rest!”

As the final syllable left his mouth, he let out a scream, and then his face erupted with blood. The strength left his limbs and he collapsed. A crimson pool spread out from his motionless body.

Hiro could only watch in astonishment. Before he could react, it was all over. He checked the assassin for signs of life, but the man was dead.

“These were no ordinary killers, were they?” he asked—not to Garda, but to Drix, who was standing in the dark depths of the corridor.

“No, they were not. They belong to an order known as Orcus. The House of Blackest Death.” The man stepped closer. “A name that first finds serious mention in the history books three hundred years ago, during the greatest famine in imperial history. The aristocracy were rotten through, squeezing their people dry with taxes, warring with one another over the most trifling matters. And then, when it seemed things could get no worse, an assassin of Orcus claimed the emperor’s life. Such a thing has never happened before or since, you understand. And so their name rose to infamy across all of Soleil almost overnight.”

Drix rested his back against the wall and slumped into a crouch. Hiro’s eyes narrowed to see the sweat drenching his forehead.

“Are you hurt?”

“Grazes, nothing more. They will heal. I am sweating because I was running for my life.”

“So we weren’t their target, then. You were.”

“Indeed. I had the misfortune to stumble on them during my investigations. It seems we were interested in the same man. They attacked, and the rest was as you saw.” Drix tossed Hiro a twine-bound sheaf of papers. “Sales contracts from slave merchants, human trafficking records, and it seems the good viscount is also taking bribes. We’ll find more with some time to peruse, I have no doubt.”

That much evidence would easily be enough to twist Viscount von Wirst’s arm. Their plans were now well in motion. Hiro opened his mouth to thank Drix—and a shrill scream split the night.

“It can’t be!” Seized by a dreadful premonition, he made a snap decision and launched into a sprint. “Garda, with me! Drix, wake Rosa and Liz!”

As Hiro raced after the scream, a faint glow came into view. The door to von Wirst’s chambers was ajar. Light spilled through, illuminating the gloom.

He screeched to a stop. A servant cowered in front of the door, face white as a sheet.

“Damn. Too late...”

Hiro entered to see von Wirst’s mutilated corpse.

“They gouged out the eyes and destroyed the brain with a single strike. A curious technique.” Garda caught up, pausing to catch his breath. “Shall we send word to close the city? This was not the work of the three we slew.”

“We’d only be wasting our time. Sieg doesn’t have walls. They’ll slip through somehow.”

Hiro draped a sheet over von Wirst’s body. As he did, he noticed something lying beside the corpse—a headless clay figure. He picked it up and looked it over warily.

“What’s this now?” He turned to Garda. “Do you recognize it?”

The zlosta grunted. “Made by one of the man’s children, perhaps.”

“Viscount von Wirst doesn’t have children.”

And even if he had, the effigy was too eerily detailed to have been made by a child. As the pair stared at the curious object, a flurry of footsteps came from the corridor. Rosa appeared in the doorway along with an escort of soldiers and Drix.

“Darling!” Rosa cried. “Are you all right?!” She flung her arms around Hiro in a panic.

“I’m fine. There’s no need to be so worried.”

“Oh, but there is, if Orcus are involved! Drix told me everything.” She patted Hiro over, checking for injuries. As she did, her gaze caught the clay figure and lingered there a moment.

Hiro saw the object catch her notice and held it up. “Do you know what this is?”

“A doll made in the image of the Father they worship. Orcus love their customs, you see. Whenever they kill, they leave one of these behind as a mark of their work.”

So the doll was useless. Hiro sighed. He had suspected that the nobility might try to impede his plans but not that they might resort to such drastic means. What to do now? Von Wirst’s death had thrown his plans into disarray. By now, he should have been using Drix’s findings to purchase the viscount’s loyalty and leverage him to bring down the central nobles. Instead, he had nothing to work with at all.

“I never expected them to kill the man.” Rosa sounded uncertain. “Now some other central noble will be given Sieg, and all our plans will have been for naught.”

Hiro laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right. We’ve still come out ahead. Drix made certain of that.”

The assassins had succeeded in killing von Wirst, but failed to hide his crimes.

“I never expected this would be easy. Besides, it hasn’t been a total wash. If they’re hiring Orcus, we know they’re taking this seriously. That’s useful information.”

Whoever had contracted Orcus wanted more than to cover their tracks, if they had avoided using their own homegrown assassins. They wanted to be certain that the killing succeeded and any evidence of wrongdoing was destroyed.

“Garda, Drix, I have orders for you.”

The two men came before Hiro and sank to one knee.

“Garda, ride for our encampment. Make the men ready to depart.”

“As you command,” Garda grunted. He rose, turned, and vanished down the corridor at a brisk pace.

“Drix, take an escort and ride ahead to the capital.” Hiro handed the man the sheaf of bound documents that listed the central nobles’ crimes. “Summarize the contents of this and deliver the report to Chancellor Graeci.”

Drix’s face took on a fresh intensity. “I will see it done. At the cost of my life if need be.” He, too, raced from the room, several soldiers at his side. Only Hiro, Rosa, and a few soldiers were left in the chamber.

“Where’s Liz?” Hiro asked.

“She took some men to guard the mansion,” Rosa replied. “She would have run to your side if she could, but she was adamant about doing her duty.”

At that very moment, Liz entered the room alongside Cerberus. “I’ve woken all the servants and gathered them in the great hall,” she reported. “And I’ve organized the men into squads of four and sent them to patrol the grounds. If anyone’s still lurking around, we’ll hear about it.”

“Good work,” Hiro said. “I’ve sent Garda to contact the encampment. We should have reinforcements soon.”

“Good. You look fine, anyway. Thank goodness.” Liz looked him up and down. Seeing that he was unhurt, she stepped up and embraced him, pouting. “You have no idea how much I wanted to come and help you.”

Hiro smiled fondly. “I could handle myself. It’s good that you held off.”

The alternative was to have neglected the safety of the servants to leap to his aid before even grasping the situation. He would have had to scold her for that.

“You really do think I’m stupid, don’t you?”

“That’s not true. You just act before you think sometimes, that’s all.”

“Hey! You don’t really think that, do you?!”

She had the education—as a member of the royal family, it would have been hard not to—and even Hiro couldn’t deny that she had the talent. In many ways, she was already the high general she had once dreamed of becoming.

“No. Sorry. I was just teasing.”

Liz puffed out her cheeks in displeasure. “Fine. I’ll let it go this time. So, what do we do now?”

“We leave Sieg in the care of its administrator and depart tomorrow morning. I’ll leave some people behind to keep an eye on things, but we should get some distance from the city before any rumors start to spread.”

If possible, Hiro would have preferred to leave one of Rosa’s nobles in control of von Wirst’s lands until a suitable replacement could be found, but that would risk provoking their central counterparts. Better to leave that decision to Chancellor Graeci.

“Anyway, you two should sleep,” he said to Liz and Rosa. “You’ve got a big day tomorrow. I’ll handle things here.”

“But...”

“Listen to him, Liz,” Rosa interrupted. “You have to get some sleep or your makeup will look dreadful tomorrow.”

Hiro nodded in agreement. “You’ll be parading through the streets of the capital. The last thing we want is for the people to see you looking sleep-deprived.”

He ushered the two sisters out. Then, at last, he was alone in the room.

“Orcus, huh?”

He lowered his gaze to his palm, where the small clay doll still lay.