Shinwa Densetsu no Eiyuu no Isekaitan - Volume 6 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Dark Deceptions

The sixth day of the first month of Imperial Year 1024

Outwardly, the imperial palace of Venezyne was regaining its usual hustle and bustle. Officials passed through the gates, nobles traded tidings, and sentries kept a vigilant watch. Normality was reasserting itself in the wake of the rebellion.

Inside, however, the walls were still damaged, and the long passage that led to the throne room hadn’t yet been scrubbed of bloodstains. The palace residents had taken to avoiding the place, unwilling to revisit their memories of the horrors that had occurred there.

Hiro strode along the passage, heading for the entrance. Raised voices echoed faintly from the far end, but they were easily drowned out by the clattering armor of the guards on patrol. A faint smell still hung in the air, and the walls were still crusted with the blood of the nobles Stovell had massacred.

Maybe they’ll close the place off sometime and change the wallpaper, or maybe they’ll leave it as a warning. I suppose that’s the next emperor’s decision to make.

His fingers traced the bloodstains on the walls as he turned his plans over in his mind.

I have any number of ideas I could use against Six Kingdoms, but the real problem is what comes after that. The real masterminds still haven’t stepped out onto the stage. I need something to lure them out of the shadows.

Which futures did they strive to avoid, and which did they seek to bring about? As of now, he knew too little to be certain. That was all the more reason he needed bait—to find out what was what.

But as for what they’d want...

He stopped. He had reached the entranceway, now more heavily guarded than ever. Beyond the doors, he spotted a familiar face. Liz was looking around, searching for someone.

Her crimson eyes found him, and a smile blossomed on her face as she ran up to him. “Where have you been?” she cried, her annoyance on full display. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

Hiro gave a rueful smile and scratched the back of his head. He could not exactly tell her that he had paid another visit to the imperial burial grounds; he did not want her to know about that place just yet. Things could get troublesome if she started grilling him, so he decided it would be easier to lie.

“Some nobles wanted to speak to me.”

“Oh, did they? You’ve really been in high demand lately.”

She bought it instantly. To be fair to her, she had no reason to doubt him, and that was more of a half-truth than a lie. In the eyes of the nobles, Hiro was the closest to the throne, and they had taken to finding endless excuses to forge connections or suggest his marriage to their daughters. At least in the latter case, they tended to relent and apologize when he asked them to put their requests through House Kelheit.

“More importantly, are you ready to leave?” he asked.

“I’ve let Aura take care of the preparations.”

So you’ve left your job up to her again? Hiro thought, although he took care not to let it show.

Liz must have picked up on his dismay, because she grew flustered and waved her hands in front of her face. “Wait, I don’t mean it like that! We decided on it together! She volunteered! That’s the truth, I promise!”

“That’s fine, then.” Hiro laid a relieved hand on his chest. If they had come to the decision together, he had no complaints.

“I have grown, you know. You could try to have a little faith in me.” Liz pouted and kicked at the ground. I’ll sulk. I’ll really do it. I swear.

“Sorry. I’ll make sure to hear you out in the future before I jump to any conclusions.”

“Good. And you can start right now by listening to what I have to say!” She thrust out a hand, one finger pointed firmly at the top of his nose.

Hiro smiled amiably. “All right. What were you and Aura talking about?”

“We might want to sit down first.” She looked around and spied a sofa by the wall. “It’s not like it matters if we’re overheard... How about there?”

She took hold of his arm and frogmarched him over. Seeing that she was as energetic as ever, it was hard not to smile.

She half-flung him onto the sofa and sat down beside him, staring up at the ceiling with one finger touching her chin. It was a pose she struck when she was trying to remember something.

“Let’s see... With how fast everything is happening, we’ll want to travel quickly, so we decided on an escort of three hundred. If Steissen is really about to attack, we’ll need to get south as fast as we can.” She lowered one finger, keeping count of her points. “And we discussed numbers too. We’ve got the Fourth Legion in Berg Fortress. That’s twenty thousand. If we manage to get the southern nobles to help us, we could end up coming back to the capital with fifty thousand in total, maybe more...although that obviously depends on how Steissen responds.”

She was clearly trying to demonstrate that she could make herself useful. Her voice grew more and more enthusiastic as she spoke.

Hiro nodded along, a small smile on his lips.

The timing of her return from the south is going to be tight, though. Maybe too tight.

Even if everything went the way he had predicted, the round trip would still take her about two months.

And even assuming she does follow the plan, how long can I hold Six Kingdoms off for?

As he stared at the ground, brooding, something swished past his eyes.

“Hm?”

He broke off his train of thought. Liz’s pale hand was hovering in front of his face.

“You aren’t listening, are you?”

Her voice had turned oddly deep in pitch. A faint chill ran up Hiro’s spine. That didn’t mean anything good. He hastily tried to gloss things over.

“No, of course I’m listening. I agree with everything you said.”

He threw in a reassuring shrug. Her eyes were chilly, as though she was regarding a fraud.

“Do you now? It almost sounds like you didn’t take any of it in.”

“It’s not like that! I just didn’t have anything to add.”

“Well, fine. Don’t listen if you don’t want to. See if I care.” She turned up her nose at him.

He was in trouble now, but it was too late for regrets. He sat, shoulders slumped, thinking about how to apologize.

Suddenly, a large shadow fell over him. He looked up to see a knight standing above him, clad from head to toe in black plate.

“There you are, One-Eyed Dragon.”

“Oh, it’s you, Garda.” This wasn’t the time to be speaking to the zlosta. If Liz’s anger emanating from beside him was anything to go by, his life was in imminent danger.

“You don’t sound pleased to—” Garda cut himself off, glanced between Liz and Hiro, and nodded. The helm hid his face, but it seemed that he had grasped what was happening. “Some manner of quarrel, I assume?”

“It’s not a quarrel. Hiro just won’t listen to people when they talk.”

“So that’s it. Well, she has you dead to rights, One-Eyed Dragon.”

Apparently, Garda had processed the entire situation in five seconds flat. Hiro inwardly cursed the zlosta’s perceptiveness, but he nonetheless had no choice but to look to him for help.

Garda sighed. “You might start by apologizing. That ought to be enough to placate her.”

“That’s right. Take a trip with me into town once we’re back in the south and we’ll call it even.”

What a remarkably mundane and yet wholly unrealistic request. Would they even have time for a day out in the foreseeable future? Still, turning Liz down now would be like throwing water on a grease fire.

“All right. Once you’re back, we’ll go into town together. I’ll even buy you something.”

“Really? Do you promise?”

“Of course. I promise, once we’re back together again, we’ll go shopping in the city markets.”

“Fine. I suppose I could let you off with that.” Liz’s tone was still pouty, but a pleased smile was spreading across her face. Her good mood had been salvaged. No matter how much she had otherwise matured, at times like these, she acted every bit her age.

“If that’s the end of your spat, might I say my piece?”

“Of course.” Hiro turned to Garda, letting the gibe slide. “What is it?”

Liz leaned in too, intrigued.

“I have come to ask what you hope to gain by shipping us off south.”

“As I’m sure Liz has already told you, I want you to bring the Crow Legion back with you. With most of the wounded recovered plus the troops we left training at Berg Fortress, they should number three thousand, maybe four.”

“Huginn and Muninn will more than suffice. I would rather follow the One-Eyed Dragon.”

“I can’t let you do that. If things come to blows with Steissen, your knowledge and expertise will be invaluable. And besides, the Crow Legion needs you in command.”

“So you say, but do you not ride against Six Kingdoms? Surely that is where my strength will be needed most.” In spite of Hiro’s flat rejection, Garda dug in his heels.

“I’m only buying time. The real fighting won’t start until the empire organizes its forces.” Hiro strengthened his tone; refusal was not an option. “That’s why you need to go south.”

“And you are certain you have everything in hand?”

The zlosta was still unwilling to back down. The corners of Hiro’s mouth tightened imperceptibly. First Liz, now Garda. Nobody trusted him, it seemed.

“I... I am. Don’t worry. You just focus on getting ready to travel. I’ll take care of the rest.” He turned to Liz. “Now, where are Aura and Rosa?”

Further discussion would be a waste of time, and he had no intention of ceding any ground, so he changed the topic. With Hiro’s attention now elsewhere, Garda was forced to drop the matter.

Liz blinked, unexpectedly put on the spot. “Aura’s visiting the spirit temple in the city. She said she wanted to say her goodbyes to the children. Rosa is meeting with her aides.” She clapped her hands as she remembered something. “Oh, that’s right! And Scáthach has woken up. She said she wanted to see you.”

“What kind of shape is she in?”

“Hmm... She’s still getting her strength back, and she says her leg feels strange.”

“If that’s all, then she should be fine to travel.”

“Maybe, but are you sure that’s for the best? I think she’d recover quicker if we let her rest.” Liz folded her arms and cocked her head. Concern for Scáthach’s well-being lay in her every word.

“I agree, but it’s hard to guarantee her safety in the palace. There’s no one to protect her here.”

Odds were high that the imperial palace was about to become the scene of an ugly political struggle. Hiro could defend himself well enough, but there was no guarantee that Scáthach would not be caught in the cross fire. There was nothing so bitter as a succession dispute. The candidates themselves—whether Hiro, Liz, or Selene—may have no time to concern themselves with such things, but there was no guarantee that their lower-level supporters wouldn’t try to take matters into their own hands.

“It’s no time for anyone to be squabbling about who the next emperor’s going to be,” Hiro mused. “But when you aren’t going to war, politics is the war.”

That said, there was no need for Liz to waste her time on such petty squabbles. She needed to focus her energy on gathering experience and winning battles. In Hiro’s eyes, this period of turmoil was a golden opportunity. It would speed her on her way, of that there was no doubt.

Liz nodded. “You’re right. For now, the imperial heirs need to stand together.”

At that moment, a voice rang out across the hall. “Lady Celia Estrella!”

Hiro, Liz and Garda turned as one toward the source of the noise. A soldier was standing nearby. He visibly wilted under the trio’s gazes, his mouth opening and closing helplessly as he froze in place.

“What is it?” Liz asked in a kindly voice. “Is there something you need?”

The soldier snapped into a hurried bow. “Lady von Bunadala requests your presence, Your Highness! She desires your permission to bring cargo into the city!”

“Lady von Bunadala” was none other than Aura. House Bunadala, which held land in the west, was one of the five strategic houses, a collection of noble houses renowned for producing a profusion of remarkable strategists. They had broken ties with the rest of the western nobles, which was why Liz had taken Aura under her wing.

Six Kingdoms hasn’t reached House Bunadala’s territories quite yet...

It was probably only a matter of time. Still, they shouldn’t overstretch themselves. They would have an important part to play in the future of the west.

I should probably stress that point. I’ll send them a letter later.

As Hiro mused, Liz sprang to her feet. “Tell her to wait for me. I’ll be there right away.”

“At once, Your Highness! She awaits at House Kelheit’s residence!” His message delivered, the soldier bowed to the present parties in turn and departed.

“I should get going. We can speak again at dinner.” Liz set off, turning back to Hiro and waving as she went.

“Sure. See you then.”

Liz turned back around and walked away.

“I should make ready myself,” Garda said.

“Of course. Give my best to Huginn and Muninn.”

As the zlosta vanished into the crowd milling in the entrance hall, a small smile crept across Hiro’s face. The calm demeanor he had worn in conversation was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an air of swirling madness. His eyes grew cold.

“My ally should have started making moves around now...which means I should do the same.”

A figure flitted across his mind: the blackhearted queen cultivating her strength in the frozen north.

“From now on, I can’t afford any mistakes.”

It was time to spin the greatest lie of the age. His life was balanced on a tightrope, and if he put one foot wrong, he would plummet straight down to the bowels of hell.

“As to whether I’ll devour or be devoured...only the gods know.”

His lips twisted into an amused smirk.

＊＊＊＊＊

A frigid wind whistled through the streets. The blizzard raged so viciously that none would be so foolish as to venture outdoors.

Lebering’s greatest fortress-city, Tiane, was surrounded by a deep moat to keep its enemies at bay. A double-layered wall secured its confines. The drawbridge—the only way in or out—was raised, rendering its defenses impenetrable. Tiare, the Amethyst Hall, lay atop a hill within the walls. The position afforded the keep a commanding view of the city, a violet watcher turned to alabaster by its ever-present dusting of snow.

A throng of nobles stood in the throne room. None spoke a word. The queen’s forbidding presence prohibited all chatter; to defy her authority was unthinkable. They looked up at the ornate splendor of the throne in silence, their gazes pregnant with anticipation.

Upon the seat reclined the newly crowned Queen Claudia. She was fair of feature, but beneath her beauty lurked the face of a cunning strategist. After she had taken the crown, many among Lebering’s aristocracy had underestimated her. They had quickly paid for their mistake. Countless nobles had been stripped of their lands and seen their houses toppled. Most of them had been corrupt, colluding with merchants, or squeezing their subjects with draconian taxes, so their downfall had been a long time coming, but while the people rejoiced, the nobility bristled. Fear bred opposition.

For a time, Claudia had been subject to criticism from many quarters, including the most powerful nobles in the land. Her answer had been to go to war. Her tactical proficiency had rapidly consolidated her power with a string of victories, and within a scant three months, she had made her claim to the throne unassailable as she ruled from on high.

A lascivious giggle echoed through the throne room. The nobles shuddered, their gazes fixed on her face as they gauged her mood. Claudia’s amusement always set them ill at ease; she was more than capable of laughing as she declared a death sentence. The nobles she had condemned had cursed her “reaper’s smile” as they went to the gallows.

One nobleman mustered his courage. “If I may, Your Majesty...” he ventured, “what does it say?”

His eyes were on the letter in her hand—a message from the fourth prince of the Grantzian Empire.

Another giggle. “Do excuse me. It seems the moment we have waited for is finally upon us.” Claudia brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a heartfelt chuckle. “At long last, the Kingdom of Lebering will join those vying for conquest. How could that not bring a smile to my lips? How could my heart not dance?”

The nobles frowned, uncertain what to make of her reaction. She ignored them as her laughter echoed around the throne room.

“Your Highness!”

A soldier strolled into the hall. The nobles knew him well. He was the captain of the queen’s guard that Claudia had assembled upon ascending the throne, and a noted master of arms. She had come to him personally to appoint him to his role.

He approached the throne, fell to one knee, and bowed his head. “Our forces are ready, Your Highness. They march on your command. Moreover, a message has arrived from our collaborator. We may proceed to our destination without fear of hindrance.”

“Excellent. I would expect nothing less from Lord Hiro. His work is always exquisite.”

Most of the nobles cocked their heads at the exchange. A few stirred with excitement. Amusement flitted across Claudia’s face as she drank in their responses. She rose to her feet.

“The time has come for Lebering to break its long silence,” she declared. “For the zlosta to tower once more over Soleil!”

With polished movements, she stepped forth from the throne and descended the stairs. She glided along the red carpet, her proud figure capturing the hearts of all who looked upon her.

The handful of elated nobles fell in behind her. The rest bowed their heads and watched her pass, their faces the picture of confusion.

“Our work begins. We march now into darkness. If you trust me to lead you true, then follow me.”

She slid Lox’s sword from its sheath and marched from the throne room, her head held high.

＊＊＊＊＊

The seventh day of the first month of Imperial Year 1024

Hiro was in a reception chamber in the palace. Opposite him sat Second Prince Selene. Nobody else was present, but the air in the room hung heavy, as though it were hosting a great throng of people.

Selene spoke first, eyeing the map in front of him. “I must say, I didn’t expect you to approach me with threats.”

Hiro stared back coolly. “I just want to know whether you’ll cooperate.”

Selene raised both hands in a gesture of surrender and flashed a genial smile. “Anything for my dear brother. Our interests align—and besides, if I didn’t, that dreadful friend of yours would cause chaos in the north.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. Assuming you’re willing to work with me.”

“There wasn’t any need for this show of intimidation, you know. I would have helped you with no strings attached.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I appreciate you making the prudent choice.” Hiro’s brow furrowed as he gazed at Selene—or, more precisely, at the twin swords on the prince’s hips. “Are they the reason you’re so disinterested in the throne?”

“Do I have to answer that?”

“No. I just wanted to see if my suspicions were correct.” Hiro flashed a frigid smile and rose to his feet. “I won’t appreciate you going back on your word. I’m trying to eliminate uncertainty.” He stepped closer to Selene and looked down at him coldly.

“What a marvelously cruel expression. You wear it well...although, one of these days, I’d love to see that smile you save for Liz.”

“You’ll see it on the day you join Liz’s camp. Assuming you prove you can be trusted.”

“So suspicious. You could stand to relax a little. For the time being, I have no reason to make an enemy of you.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” With a callous smile, Hiro picked up the package on the table, tucked it under his arm, and walked toward the door. “I should get going. Liz will be leaving soon.”

As his hand touched the handle—

“You make for a rather tragic sight, you know,” Selene said.

Hiro stopped.

“You really should have noticed by now. Your enemies are all around you. Look hard enough and you’ll realize you’re surrounded. Be careful you don’t end up strangled in your sleep. They’re quite the nuisance.”

“I know,” Hiro said. He twisted the handle and stepped out into the corridor.

Today was the day of Liz’s departure. He had to see her, Aura, Scáthach, and the rest on their way. Most likely, they were already waiting near the front doors. As he set off at a brisk walk down the corridor, he saw Chancellor Graeci approaching from the opposite direction.

“Your Highness,” Graeci said. “Lady Celia Estrella is awaiting you in the entrance hall.”

“I thought she might be.”

“Very good. If you will excuse me...”

With a polite nod, Graeci passed Hiro. In that instant, a chill rocketed up Hiro’s spine. He spun around in alarm, but there was nothing there, only the old man’s figure receding down the corridor.

He stared in silence for a while. That had not been his imagination. He touched a hand to the back of his neck. That sensation, like an electric current pulsing up his spinal cord, was something he had only felt before on the battlefield. Just now, for the briefest of moments, Graeci had fostered murderous intent.

“Quite the nuisance, indeed,” he whispered, his voice filled with undisguised displeasure.

He resumed walking, rounded a corner, and passed into a long, straight corridor—the same place where so many officials had lost their lives to Stovell. A large gathering had congregated at the far end.

“The weather’s chilly this time of year, so be careful not to catch a cold. Double up your blankets when you make camp. Triple them, even.”

He reached the entrance hall to find Rosa fussing over Liz in motherly tones. Liz looked thoroughly fed up with the advice—this was clearly not the first time she had heard it—but a smile spread across her face as she spotted Hiro.

“There you are! Look who finally showed up!” She bounced up and down, waving. Behind her stood Aura, eyes lowered, nose firmly buried in the Black Chronicle.

Hiro drew closer. “Be careful on the road.”

Wanting to maximize their speed, Liz and her companions were taking an escort of fewer than three hundred. It was hard to believe that any unscrupulous ruffian would try to attack her at this stage, but there was never any such thing as too cautious.

“Do you remember back when we crossed Mount Himmel?” she said. “We had a force just about the same size.”

That had been one of their first memories together, only a day or so after they had met.

“We did, didn’t we? I remember that. I really was nothing more than a burden to you back then.”

Even so, both she and her allies had brought him with them on their journey rather than turning him out on his own. Had he managed to repay that debt since? How time flew.

Seeing him sink into thought, Liz’s face turned serious. “Make sure not to take on anything you can’t handle, okay? We’ll be back as quickly as we can, so don’t do anything reckless.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Hiro gave a reassuring nod, taking care to keep his true thoughts hidden. “More to the point, watch out for the head of House Muzuk. He’s a clever man, and there’s no telling what he’s planning. If you end up forced to make a decision, you’ll have to use your own judgment.”

“I’ll be fine. I told you, have some faith in me.”

Liz pulled an exasperated smile, but Hiro couldn’t help worrying.

“Oh, right. One last thing. If there’s one thing I want you to remember, it’s this: Don’t try to please other people. Follow your own heart. Got that?” His voice grew a little more forceful as he pressed the point.

Liz nodded meekly, sensing that this was no time for jokes. “All right. I won’t let anyone else do my thinking for me. I’ll follow my own heart.”

Hiro smiled. “I know you can do it. I trust you.” He laid a hand on her head.

“Make sure you eat properly, all right?” she said. “Don’t just read all the time. If I come back and find you thin as a rake, I’m putting you on an all-meat diet for a month.”

“Wouldn’t that be worse for my health— Oomph!”

Hiro’s protest ended in a strangled noise as Liz threw her arms around him. A pleasant aroma wafted into his nostrils, carrying with it her tender concern. The warmth of her presence set his heart at ease.

“Don’t do anything reckless. I mean it.” Her voice was vanishingly quiet.

He wanted to comfort her, but words deserted him. In the first place, he hardly had a right to say anything when he was the cause of her unease. With regret weighing in his heart, he stepped back from her embrace and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“When we meet again, let’s both be smiling.”

“...All right.” She gave a little nod.

Hiro looked behind her to Aura. She, too, seemed dissatisfied with the idea of leaving him alone.

“Liz will need your support. I’m counting on you.”

Aura’s fingers tightened on the Black Chronicle. “She’s safe with me.”

Hiro gave her a smile, then turned toward a familiar figure a short distance away. There, sitting on the sofa by the entrance, was Scáthach. Her face was pale and drawn; evidently, she hadn’t fully recovered yet.

She saw him approach and looked up. “I can only apologize. I fear I have made a poor account of myself.” She lowered her eyes again, biting her lower lip in shame at her own powerlessness.

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for. Heal up and come back stronger.”

“I am glad of your kindness.”

“The carriage ride might be a little hard on your wounds. I hope you won’t hold that against me.”

“Gáe Bolg’s blessing will more than suffice. Besides, after how I have weighed you down, it would be a just punishment.” Scáthach gave a dismissive shrug. She had a definite self-flagellating streak; for better or worse, she could be unnecessarily harsh on herself. She had flung herself into battle in pursuit of vengeance for her murdered family, refusing to rely on others and holding herself to rigid standards, but if she kept pushing herself, sooner or later, she would break.

“It might not be clear now,” he said, laying a hand on her shoulder, “but you’ll find it eventually. Your reason to live.”

Someday, he hoped, she would be able to work toward a goal she had chosen for herself, rather than one that had been forced upon her.

Hiro turned back to his subordinates. “I’ll say a prayer for your safe travels, Garda.”

The zlosta nodded. “And I yours, One-Eyed Dragon.”

“Waaah...” Huginn whimpered. “I wanna stay with His Lordship...”

Muninn scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Sorry ’bout the state of her, chief. She’s been like this ever since she found out.”

Hiro gave a helpless smile and laid a hand on Huginn’s head. “Try to get along with your brother, all right? You’ll only make trouble for Garda if you fight.”

“All right...”

Hiro unslung the parcel from beneath his arm, untied its strings, and unwrapped the cloth. The wrappings fell away to reveal two spirit weapons. They were two of a pair and particularly special even among their kind.

“These are for you.” He held them out to Huginn and Muninn.

The siblings’ jaws fell open with astonishment.

“Spirit weapons? For us? Y-Your Lordship, I couldn’t possibly!” Huginn shook her head furiously, but even as she protested, her fingers closed around the hilt and a smile spread across her face.

“Now this is a blade and a half,” Muninn whistled. “I could sell this and live like a king for the rest of my days.”

“Just you try it, you great big oaf! I’ll chop your brainless head off your shoulders before you get ten paces!”

Hiro gave a slightly strained chuckle. “These are a little bit more special than most spirit weapons. They have names. Huginn, yours is called Kogarasumaru, and Muninn, yours is Nukemaru. Their designs might be a little different to the swords you’re used to, but I’m sure you’ll learn to wield them well enough.”

One thousand years ago, when he was known as Schwartz, he had commissioned these very blades from a dwarven acquaintance. They were modeled after weapons from Hiro’s time—Japanese-style katanas.

“My Kogarasumaru...the first blade His Lordship ever gave me!” Huginn looked happy enough to start dancing on the spot, like a child who had been given her very first toy. Muninn, for his part, whistled appreciatively as he examined his weapon’s marbled blade.

Hiro left them to their astonishment and turned to Garda, who was looking on curiously. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing for me, One-Eyed Dragon?”

“You’re a zlosta.” Hiro lowered his voice a shade. “If I handed you a spirit weapon, burns would be the least of your worries.”

“True.” Garda heaved a resigned sigh and indicated the greatsword on his back. “This will serve me well enough for now.”

“I think you’d do fine with just about any weapon.”

Only a handful of humans on the continent could best a pureblood zlosta in open combat. A mundane blade would suffice against almost any foe. Eventually, the time would come when he would need a weapon of his own, but it had not arrived yet. In the meantime, he would simply have to wait.

“All right. It’s about time for us to be going.”

Hiro turned to see Liz standing behind him. “Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

“Oh, and don’t forget, mister!” She raised an indignant finger to point squarely at his nose. “Once I get back, you owe me a present!”

With one final grin, she dashed out of the doors. His gifts to Huginn and Muninn must have roused her jealous streak.

Aura was the next in line. “Me too. I look forward to seeing what you get.” Her impassive expression seemed to forbid any objection as she turned and trotted after Liz.

“A present, hm? What should I ask for, I wonder?” Scáthach departed too, her face still drawn.

Before Hiro regained the ability to speak, Garda, Huginn, and Muninn followed suit. In short order, silence returned to the entrance hall.

A hand fell on his shoulder. “Your expenses are growing, I see.”

Hiro turned to the figure beside him. Rosa peered back with an impish smile. He headed her off before she could say anything further, producing two envelopes from his pocket.

“This is for Liz, and this is for Garda. Could you deliver them when they get back?”

“Very well, but is this really the time for this plan of yours?”

“This is the time for whatever works. I’ve had to make significant adjustments, but I’m confident it’ll go as intended.”

Rosa said nothing. She only lowered her gaze, her shoulders trembling. Silence fell between them, growing louder and louder, until it was eventually too much to bear.

“Don’t get yourself killed,” she said finally.

“I won’t. Like I told Liz, I’ll be fine.” With a reassuring smile, he produced another spirit weapon from within the Black Camellia. “This is Lionheart. See the lion crest on the base of the hilt?”

The blade had been Artheus’s weapon of choice before receiving the Spiritblade Sovereigns. Rosa’s eyes widened, and her mouth fell half-open. Clearly, she realized that she held a rare artifact.

“You’ll have to take care of yourself from now on.”

Her lips tightened; she seemed uncomfortable being handed a weapon of such caliber for self-defense. “I cannot accept this,” she said hesitantly. “House Kelheit has several spirit weapons. I can choose from our stock. Would this not be better saved for you?”

“If your weapons are named, then feel free.”

In all lands and all times, giving a name to any object, weapon or not, could miraculously bestow upon it a will of its own—a process people called “granting it a soul.” Spirit weapons were no exception, and named weapons grew alongside their wielders. There was a world of difference between having a name and being nothing at all; or at least, so it seemed to Hiro.

“Become worthy of wielding Lionheart and it’ll answer to you.” He held out the sword again. “If you’re up to the task, that is.”

Rosa looked hesitantly between Hiro and Lionheart. Eventually, her shoulders slumped in resignation. “Who do you take me for? I am the head of House Kelheit, acting or no.”

She took the sword with a dismissive snort and cradled it lovingly. The tip vanished entirely between her equally lethal breasts.

Hiro found himself looking away. “I need to get ready too,” he said, scratching his nose awkwardly. “I should get going.” He turned around and began to walk away, the better to hide his embarrassment.

“Hold on just a— What’s gotten into you?!” Rosa’s voice chased him, but he wasn’t strong enough to look back.

“I’m in a hurry! I’ll speak with you later!”

He left at a half-jog. He hadn’t been lying; he really did have business to attend to.

Time to really get started. Now that I’ve gotten Liz and Garda out of the capital, there’s only one man left.

His steps slowed to a leisurely pace, and his demeanor began to change.

Humans are such strange creatures. They’re capable of saying goodbye with a smile even when there’s no guarantee that they’ll ever meet again. I mean, we were laughing together not minutes ago...

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder. The corridor was deserted. There was not a sound to be heard.

Ah, I see now. This reminds me of another day, a long time ago...

His void-black eyes reflected no light. They drank in everything they saw, an all-consuming abyss. He set off again, his gentle demeanor giving way to a hostile, practically murderous air.

Soon enough, he arrived at his destination: a guest chamber meant for receiving visitors from foreign lands. The head of House Maruk stood in front of the door. His thin-featured face seemed vaguely dishonest.

“All has been made ready, Lord Hiro. I await your orders.”

“Excellent. Let’s start the strategy meeting right away.”

“At once, Your Highness. The central nobles who expressed a desire to attend await within.” The head of House Maruk opened the door and bowed his head.

“Let’s get started,” Hiro announced.

Now that Liz and the rest of his allies had departed, it was time for him to make his way west—not to waylay Six Kingdoms’ forces, but to defeat them. He meant to fight a hundred and fifty thousand men with only twenty thousand, and win.

I’m sorry, Liz, but I’m going to have to break that promise.

With one last prayer for her safety, he set to work on his own goals in earnest.

＊＊＊＊＊

Beyrouth, in the northwest of the western territories

Six Kingdoms’ primary force had made camp on the border between the western territories and Faerzen. Scores upon scores of tents crowded the ground. When fifty thousand men set up camp for the night, it looked like a modestly sized town. Soldiers raced to and fro, hastily making some manner of preparations. Above their heads, an orange-scarlet flush crept across the sky.

At the center of the encampment was the command tent, the beating heart of the Punitive Army. The interior was packed with people. The collective heat of so many bodies more than compensated for the chill of winter. Every officer of note was gathered there, from the generals who led entire legions to the brigade commanders who led units of one thousand men.

The willowy woman in the commander’s seat raised a hand for silence. She was Luka Mammon du Vulpes, acting commander of the Punitive Army. Born to the line of Vulpes, one of the six royal families of Six Kingdoms, her prodigious talent had once made her the heir apparent to her kingdom’s throne.

The man at Luka’s side stepped forward in response to her gesture. He was her younger brother, Igel du Vulpes. Long-limbed and fair of feature, his handsome looks were the mirror image of his sister’s, but his demeanor was somehow savage, reminiscent of a wild beast.

“Thank you all for coming. I know you must be busy. Let’s get to the reports, shall we?” Igel struck the desk with his commander’s baton, knocking several pawns over. “General Macrill, tell us how our forces are doing.”

“With pleasure, my lord.” The aged general rose to his feet and set about righting the pawns. “Presently, the First and Second Punitive Legions are pressing deeper into imperial lands, demanding surrender from the western nobles as they go. Their efforts have been quite effective, as you can see here.”

He gestured to a subordinate. The man laid a stack of letters on the table, all penned by the empire’s western nobles.

“The Third and Fourth Punitive Legions, meanwhile, have been focusing their attention on the nearby forts. Their efforts, too, are proceeding apace. The empire’s defenses have proved sorely lacking. We suspect that the bulk of their military strength has been committed to Faerzen.” Macrill paused before he laid down the final pawn. “The Fifth Punitive Legion has been laying waste to the lands of the nobles who refused to surrender, plundering their supplies and generally causing chaos.”

The general turned and cast his gaze around the tent. The other officers were nodding in satisfaction. Luka and Igel, too, looked pleased.

“How about our losses?”

“The Fifth Punitive Legion has fared the worst, as one might expect. All told, we have lost around seven thousand men—a deficit we will hardly even notice once Lady Lucia rejoins us.”

Once Lucia and her fifty thousand troops rejoined the main force, their ranks would swell to the unprecedented figure of two hundred thousand. Seven thousand was a rounding error. Their homeland would not chide them for a loss that insignificant.

There was another problem, however. A logistical problem.

“What about our supplies?”

Two hundred thousand men could not be fed on a half-stocked granary, and importing the required supplies from Six Kingdoms would incur horrendous expenses. That made securing provisions on-site an immediate priority, but as winter had firmly set in, the effort was going unexpectedly poorly.

“Our existing stores will last for two more months. We have been plundering nearby settlements with an eye to procuring food, but taking enough to feed two hundred thousand mouths will leave the western territories strewn with starved corpses.”

The locals would not willingly part with their winter stores for any amount of coin. That left plunder as the only option, but overdoing it would undermine the invaders’ future attempts at governance. As a compromise, they were currently limiting their targets to the lands of the nobles who were resisting the occupation, leaving those who surrendered untouched.

“That will not be a concern. Continue as planned. Lady Lucia will bring supplies when she rejoins with us. The rest can be left until later.” Luka tapped her armrest as she stared at the map. “More importantly, General, what of the people? Are they responding as we hoped?”

“You need not worry on that score, my lady.” General Macrill placed a series of pebbles along the western arterial road. “The main road is flooded with refugees fleeing to the central territories.”

Roads were the lifeblood of a nation. They underpinned smooth trade, defense against invasion, economic development, and national security. When attacked by foreign forces, a nation would try to hasten to the scene of the breach, and a blocked road could cause a fatal delay in their response. From the perspective of the aggressors, simply destroying the roads would be the easiest tactic, but that would make the land difficult to govern once the war was over, and they did not have time to block them with boulders. People, however, made an excellent substitute. Both those running toward and fleeing from the invasion would use the same roads. The more of the latter there were, the greater the shock to the nation’s system. In short, the refugees would delay any reinforcements from the central territories, as well as prevent the western nobles from escaping.

“Just as planned.” Igel grinned, casting a sidelong glance at Luka.

She nodded, pleased. “All is proceeding as our homeland directed.”

“Killing one of their high generals helped things on their way, I’ll bet.”

The western nobles had resisted fiercely at first, but at the sight of a high general’s corpse, they had quickly begun to fold. More than a few had surrendered without a fight.

“How the Grantzian Empire has fallen from its glory days.” Luka sounded disappointed. “Where is the lion whose roar resounded across the world?”

“Aren’t you glad to find it old and feeble? The less they resist, the fewer our losses. Now we’re free to tear the west to shreds.”

“As much as I would love to, excessive violence will work against us in the long run.”

Igel cocked his head. “Why’s that?”

Luka snorted with displeasure. “The western territories will fall to Six Kingdoms sooner or later, but if the people still resent us when we come to rule, they will not obey us.”

“That’s why we’re doing this whole carrot-and-stick thing, isn’t it? Didn’t General Macrill just say it was working?” Igel stared down at the map as he spoke. “We spare the ones who fall in line and come down hard on the ones who don’t. The plundering sends a message. Seems simple enough. Why not go further? If we burned down all their towns and scared ’em all shitless, they’d soon stop thinking about fighting back.”

Luka shook her head. “Overt bloodshed will only breed hatred. Its poison will linger to the next generation, and in time it will kill the lion from the inside out.”

People only had value when they were alive, and they were necessary to produce clothes, food, and housing. Even weapons, money, and land could not be gotten without people.

“And besides, as things stand, we require fame and glory, not infamy.” Luka’s voice took on a hard edge, stressing the importance of the point.

“I know, I know. That’s why we’re taking orders from the folks back home in the first place.” Igel leaned back in his chair, folded his arms behind his head, and glowered up at the ceiling.

“With respect,” General Macrill said, “if it is glory you seek, I have my reservations about our current plans. Lady Lucia is marching to meet us as we speak. Once her forces join ours, the Punitive Army will number two hundred thousand.”

He didn’t spell it out, but his implication was clear: once Lucia joined them, it would become far more difficult to distinguish themselves. Even now, while they were technically leading a hundred and fifty thousand men, their forces were split into six, with the main force remaining stationary. Winning glory in a situation like that was next to impossible.

“Shall we continue to wait? Or shall we push on, into the heart of the empire?”

“We go straight for the heart, is what we do. There’s no man with any spine left in the west. I say we let someone else take care of this shithole and march right in, even if we have to go alone.” Igel’s voice dripped with hunger for a battle with a worthy foe.

Lucia, however, was more composed. “Sprint ahead and we shall only trip over our own feet. First, we must carve up the western territories and quash any possibility of rebellion. Then we shall regroup with Lady Lucia and strike at the central territories as one.”

“What are you scared of, sis? We’ve done everything the bigwigs back home asked us to. Now we get to do what we like.”

“Taking matters into our own hands would be dangerous. A single misstep would be the end of us. Surely you need no reminding that we hang by a thread.”

“I know, I know. But that just means we gotta win, right? If we beat the shit outta the empire so bad that everyone can see it, what’s the problem?”

“We are not familiar with these lands. If we were to charge recklessly into the central territories, the terrain would be against us. And most importantly, it is winter. We would forfeit the favor of the heavens and the fealty of the earth.” Luka dismissed her brother’s warmongering out of hand. “Before we do anything else, we must dispatch scouts to gather information on the central territories. We shall proceed cautiously, keeping a weather eye on our enemy’s movements. Once we reach our goal, glories shall abound.”

“All right, all right. Whatever you say.” Igel pulled a face, but he wasn’t willing to contest Luka’s opinion.

“Now is the time for prudence.” Luka turned to her brother with a tender gaze. “Should we make a single misstep, that witch will not hesitate to steal our every prize for herself. We must be patient. Is that understood?”

“I know, I know.” Igel nodded meekly, his former brashness subdued.