"Finally, the day has arrived! The start of the first War of Succession in a hundred years!!"
Salaman's scream echoed at the foot of the World Tree.
We participants had finished our physical examinations and were waiting in front of the magical gate.
"Your host is, of course, none other than me—the legendary magic swordsman who made it to the final three in the War of Succession a hundred years ago, Lord Salaman of the Red Cave!! First, let's have a final check of the rules!"
Then, easy-to-understand rule explanations were displayed on the Magic Spheres.
"Today's preliminaries will narrow the candidates down to thirty, and the main tournament will be held in a week to decide the winner. Participants will be disqualified if they are incapacitated or if they leave the designated combat zone for more than a certain amount of time! Be careful, as the combat zone will shrink as time passes! Bringing in weapons or armor is strictly forbidden; you must use only what you find within the combat zone! Participants will also face other restrictions in the combat zone. For example, mana restrictions. To ensure that mana capacity doesn't determine the outcome, everyone's mana limit will be capped! Furthermore, you can obtain various artifacts within the World Tree! Mastering artifacts with functions useful for the succession war is the key to victory! By defeating powerful enemies, solving mysteries, or fulfilling specific conditions, you might even obtain more powerful artifacts—"
While listening to Salaman's explanation of the rules, the participants gathered by faction for their final checks.
And so, it was just the two of us, Lallanoa and me, confirming our strategy.
"Let's do a final check of 'Our Absolute Strongest Plan to Win the War of Succession,'" Lallanoa said, her voice full of excitement.
"Yeah."
"In the early stages, we'll avoid fighting the major powers. Instead, we'll look for treasure chests and defeat minor factions to gather powerful artifacts."
"Right, I've got it."
"If we encounter a major power, we run immediately. We'll only make our move in the final stages of the main tournament, after the three major factions have exhausted their strength fighting each other. Once they're worn out and battered, we'll launch a surprise attack with our powerful artifacts, crush them, and take the crown!"
"I hope it goes well."
"With you, Master, I feel like it definitely will."
Lallanoa smiled.
"──And with that, it's finally time to begin! Are you all ready? Line up at the gates in the order of the lottery!"
A glowing magic gate towered before us.
Candidates who enter the magic gate are apparently teleported to random locations within the World Tree. Our lottery number was 57—neither a good nor a bad position.
"Now, let the War of Succession begiiiiiiiiin!!"
At Salaman's scream, the candidates and their Knights jumped into the gates one after another, holding hands.
Then, our turn came.
Lallanoa and I held hands and met each other's eyes.
"Well then, let's begin."
We both nodded.
""The ultimate harassment—""
With those words, we leaped into the magic gate.
What spread out before my eyes was a beautiful sea of clouds.
"Oh..."
I couldn't help but let out a cry of admiration.
The clouds dyed by the morning sun and the World Tree stretched out like a single painting.
"This is the... middle layer of the World Tree."
Lallanoa said, looking around.
"This height is only the middle layer?"
"Yes. The World Tree is divided into three layers: upper, middle, and lower. The preliminaries take place in the middle and lower layers. According to researchers of the War of Succession, candidates who start in the middle layer have a higher survival rate than those in the lower layer."
Lallanoa gave a small fist pump and muttered, "Not bad."
Then she picked up two bags lying at her feet.
"This one is yours, Master," she said, handing me one of the bags.
"This is... like starting equipment, I take it?"
Inside were a knife, water, food, and a bracelet with a Magic Sphere attached.
"I have a hand axe. The initial weapon is random."
"I see."
"Please put on the bracelet."
When I put it on as told, I felt a sensation of my mana being suppressed by something.
"So this is the artifact that restricts mana."
"Yes. This makes it harder for the amount of mana to determine the outcome of a battle. The Magic Sphere also has a function to display information about the War of Succession in real-time."
"I see. The current number of participants is 112... Oh, it just became 114."
"It starts exactly at the seventh bell. If you haven't put on the bracelet by then, you're disqualified."
"Five minutes left. Is it okay to start moving?"
"Of course. But before that, let's check the map on the Magic Sphere."
Saying that, Lallanoa taught me how to operate the Magic Sphere.
Double-tap to display the map, swipe to move, drag to zoom in and out... Wait, this interface. When I checked the artifact, I saw "Technical support provided by Mitsugoshi Company" written in small letters.
Those girls really did it.
"Master, you have a stern look on your face. Did you notice something?"
"Hmm, ah... yeah."
"There's a dungeon nearby. Multiple candidates should gather there as soon as it starts."
"Hmm... I see."
"Should we clear it as fast as possible, or wait outside the dungeon to ambush whoever clears it?"
"If we clear it, we get an artifact, right?"
"Yes. Research says the one who clears it first has the advantage. However, it's not guaranteed that a combat-oriented artifact will appear."
"Let's head to the dungeon for now."
With that, we entered the forest where the branches of the World Tree grew thick and hurried toward the dungeon.
Because we were moving while staying alert of our surroundings, our progress wasn't very fast.
No matter how much one hides their presence, the plants, soil, and air will always move.
The faster you move, the more it becomes an anomaly that can be detected even from a distance.
After moving through the forest for a while, text appeared on the Magic Sphere.
[The War of Succession has now begun.]
No notification sound, huh? Probably to prevent our location from being given away by noise.
"All combat actions are now permitted. Please be careful."
"Roger."
I considered methods of searching for enemies in a situation where mana was restricted.
If I enhanced my hearing, I could search, but if I enhanced it too much, it would become unusable due to the flood of noise. It's only for short range.
Detecting the opponent's mana also consumes too much mana if I increase the precision and range. This is also short-range only.
Atomic Radar would be sensed by the opponent. Out of the question.
There are various other tricks, like ignoring the bracelet's restrictions, but I'll follow the rules and enjoy this stage for what it is.
Games are interesting because you fight on the same playing field.
"We've arrived."
Where Lallanoa pointed, there were stairs leading underground.
"Looks like we're the first ones here."
There were no signs of anyone having passed through the stairs.
"What shall we do?"
"The advantage of getting an artifact first is huge. Let's clear it quickly before anyone else comes."
"I agree."
We then descended the dim stairs while hiding our presence.
We must have gone down about thirty steps.
It was a small stone room. A pedestal was placed in the middle of the room, and there was a double door at the back.
"This seems to be a Dungeon of Might."
Lallanoa said.
"Dungeon of Might?"
"Dungeons are divided into Dungeons of Might, which test martial strength, and Dungeons of Wisdom, which test intellect."
"So our martial strength will be tested here."
"If you imbue the pedestal with mana, the door at the back will open and the trial will begin."
Saying that, Lallanoa reached out to the pedestal and imbued it with mana.
Then the double door began to glow.
The left door was blue, and the right door was red.
"It says the blue door is easy and gives a normal reward, while the red door is difficult and gives a rare reward."
"Then, red."
I answered immediately and opened the door.
"W-Wait, Master! The 'War of Succession Complete Strategy Guidebook' says the red one can be extremely difficult!"
"It's fine, it's fine."
"Geez!"
Lallanoa puffed out her cheeks but followed after me through the red door.
After walking through a stone corridor for a while, we came out into a large, open space.
There, a giant golem made of stone was waiting.
Its height was about five meters. It was a massive golem that seemed to be made of the same stone as the World Tree.
Countless roots of the World Tree hung from the dome-shaped ceiling. The roots were intertwined, and a faint morning sun filtered down from far above.
The silence of the mossy cobblestones and the roughness of the World Tree's roots created a truly fantastical space.
"...Beautiful."
I muttered involuntarily.
"This place... might be where the elves who would later become kings fought in the succession wars of old."
"I see."
"According to legend, a Mithril sword was placed where three large roots of the World Tree intertwined... Ah, there it is!"
Lallanoa pointed, and there was a Mithril sword swallowed by the roots of the World Tree.
"I'll go get it."
"Wait, Master, you should be more careful—!"
I lightly kicked off the ground, jumped onto the roots, and ran up them rhythmically.
Then I grasped the hilt of the sword, which emitted a dull glow.
"Hup."
With a bit of extra force, the sword came free. I was glad it wasn't a sword that only a hero could pull out.
The Mithril blade still shone, but small scratches and nicks were noticeable.
"It looks like an ordinary Mithril sword... Is this the dungeon's reward?"
"No. That's a common Mithril sword used in the succession wars of long ago. It has historical value, but it's not an artifact."
Lallanoa, who had climbed up before I knew it, answered.
"So it's just something someone left behind... But it has historical value, right?"
"If that sword is the one from the legends, it would fetch a hundred million Zeny at auction..."
"I'll use this sword. Lallanoa, there should be better artifacts for you."
I hugged the sword and moved away from Lallanoa.
"O-Oh, yes, please do."
"But I wonder when this 'trial' will begin."
"According to legend, the ancient king fought a single monster in this place."
"I see."
"He lost his sword, and the Knight who protected him also fell. All that remained was the unarmed king."
"Hmm."
"The king borrowed the Knight's sword and defeated the monster after a fierce battle. After many years passed, the monster was swallowed by the roots of the World Tree..."
I noticed the roots of the World Tree were vibrating slightly.
I had a bad feeling and took a step back.
"And that monster?"
"An Earth Dragon."
A putrid stench drifted through the air.
Then the roots of the World Tree began to move as if they had a will of their own.
No, they weren't just roots.
The roots of the World Tree and the carcass of a giant dragon were intertwined. It began to move, tearing through the roots with a snapping sound, and stared at us with cloudy white eyes.
"The carcass of an Earth Dragon... Don't tell me, it's a Dragon Zombie."
As Lallanoa said that, the Earth Dragon's carcass let out a roar.
"It stinks."
I frowned at the unpleasant vibration shaking my eardrums and the even worse stench.
"Master... what should we do?"
Lallanoa readied her hand axe.
"Defeat it, of course."
I drew the Mithril sword.
"What should I do?"
"Stay back."
"...Understood."
Lallanoa looked back and forth between me and the Earth Dragon's carcass. Then she slowly backed away.
She likely understood that this wasn't her turn to act.
Immediately after, the Earth Dragon's jaws lunged toward me to devour me.
"Well then."
I drew the jaws in as close as possible before evading.
At the same time, I imbued the Mithril sword with mana and slashed at the Earth Dragon.
However, my sword only managed to leave a small scratch on the dragon's scales.
"So this is the mana restriction..."
An unpleasant sensation of my output being suppressed.
I knew it, but it seemed that simply swinging a sword without any ingenuity wouldn't produce much power.
"Then, let's use a little ingenuity."
I compressed the mana surrounding the sword, sharpening it like a blade.
Just purely sharp, thin enough to seem like it would break if touched. This should do for a start.
"...Not coming?"
The Earth Dragon's carcass had stopped moving.
It stared at my sword with its hollow eyes and growled lowly.
Then it began to circle while maintaining a certain distance.
"Then, I'll go first."
I lightly kicked off the ground and dashed forward, entering the dragon's range nonchalantly.
"Gishaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Claws were unleashed along with a threatening roar.
I dodged with minimal movement and sliced the claws as we passed each other.
Two claws were severed as if they were butter.
The sharpness is sufficient.
I stepped in further and cut the arm joint.
I didn't manage to sever it, but I carved a deep wound.
I stayed within the dragon's range and swung my sword a second and third time.
But the sword wasn't long enough.
I could keep hacking away like this, but it would take quite some time to inflict a fatal wound.
"Now, what to do."
Observing the dragon, I could see an organ where mana was concentrated deep within its torso, between the gaps of rotten flesh and bone.
It's likely the heart.
For now, I'll aim for that.
I parried the claws, dodged the fangs, and slashed the dragon's ribs.
I couldn't cut through the thick ribs with one stroke, so I aimed for the same spot a second and third time until they were severed.
"Gushaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The dragon's cry was indistinguishable between pain and rage.
I slipped under the dragon's tail and thrust my sword into the gap between the severed ribs.
Once, twice, thrice.
Rotten flesh and bodily fluids splattered.
But it's still shallow.
Six times, seven times, eight times... and on the ninth time, the blade finally reached the heart.
"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
That was a clear scream from the dragon.
While spilling bodily fluids from its heart, it turned its back and tried to flee.
But the difference in speed between me and the dragon was too great.
I lightly imbued my legs with mana, instantaneously performing compression and release to gain explosive propulsion.
Catching up to the fleeing dragon, I thrust my sword with that same momentum.
A solid sensation of impact.
I twisted my wrist, carving the heart from the inside.
"Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The dragon thrashed about, scattering bodily fluids from its mouth and heart along with a piteous cry.
I moved away from the dragon and sheathed my sword.
It's over now.
All that's left is to watch the dying dragon.
"If there were no mana restrictions, I wouldn't have had to make it suffer."
Looking down at a dragon writhing in agony isn't exactly a sign of good taste.
But thanks to this, I've learned what it's like to fight under mana restrictions.
Mass destruction relying on mana is difficult; instead, battles will likely be smaller in scale and emphasize skill.
That's probably why artifacts shine.
Well, time to move on to the performance.
I let my legs wobble unsteadily.
"Master?"
Lallanoa came running over in a panic.
"An old wound acted up and I lost my footing."
"Are you alright?"
"It happens sometimes, don't worry about it. More importantly, were you watching closely?"
Lallanoa looked at me with concern, but she didn't press the matter further.
"Of course. You really use only the bare minimum of mana, Master."
"On a stage where mana is restricted, accumulated technique shines. That is the field I excel in most."
"Ideal mana control... To think it could produce such explosive power..."
"I've taught you the theory behind it, Lallanoa. The rest is up to you."
"Up to me..."
Lallanoa looked at her right palm and fell into thought.
"What's wrong?"
"I was thinking that if you got serious, Master, you might be able to win even without me."
"Oh?"
"Of course, I know it's not that simple."
"I see."
"I want to pull off the ultimate harassment. But that's not all. Seeing your power, Master, made me realize that I wanted everyone to acknowledge my strength—my very existence."
She stared intently at her right palm, as if something were there.
"Hmm."
"But if I won as I am now, no one would acknowledge me. I would be nothing more than a lucky master who obtained a Knight like you. That's why I can't stay like this. I have to sharpen the techniques I learned from you and make them my own..."
Mana gathered in her palm and crackled.
"Don't tell me, that's..."
"Compression and release of mana. Whether awake or asleep, I've been constantly refining my mana. Just as you told me, Master—until the point where my brain was about to burn out."
This was truly the result of her talent and her obsession with power.
"I don't want to just watch your back. I want to stand beside you. If I can stand beside you by the time the War of Succession ends... will you acknowledge me, Master?"
"Yes, of course."
Lallanoa smiled, looking relieved.
Just then, a mechanical voice echoed around them.
"The Ancient Trial has been cleared. In accordance with the covenant with the Ancient King, a fitting reward shall be bestowed upon the one who cleared it."
Then, a light appeared in mid-air, and a single sword emerged from within it.
The sword fell slowly into Lallanoa's right hand, as if guided there.
"Is this... the reward for the trial?"
Lallanoa's voice was filled with confusion.
And for good reason.
The sword looked like nothing more than a filthy, shabby blade.
"Maybe it's an artifact despite its appearance... No, that can't be right. I can't feel any flow of mana at all."
"Normally, clearing a high-difficulty trial should grant a powerful artifact."
Lallanoa gave the filthy sword a light swing.
"I guess it's a dud. Want to borrow my sword?"
"It actually fits my hand surprisingly well."
Saying so, she swung the sword a few more times.
"A filthy sword that no one would look twice at. I like it."
"I'm glad to hear that."
The two of us left the trial room together.
As they were about to leave the dungeon, Lallanoa stopped at Nazono's words, which sounded like a confirmation.
"I'm sure you've realized, but they're outside."
The faint presence he could sense from outside told him that people were lying in wait.
They were trying desperately to hide their presence, but the current Lallanoa wouldn't miss it.
"There are four of them. They must be from the same faction."
"What do you want to do?"
"I'm sure you could defeat them easily, Master... but please, let me handle it this time."
Saying so, Lallanoa looked into Nazono's eyes.
"All right."
"Thank you."
Lallanoa gripped her sword and steeled herself.
Through their time together, Lallanoa had come to have no doubt about Nazono's unfathomable strength.
She was certain he could brush off opponents of this caliber in an instant.
That was why she was happy that Nazono was letting her handle the four of them.
She passed through the red door and returned to the first room of the dungeon.
The moment she took a step forward, a dagger swung down from the left and a spear from the right.
But Lallanoa was no longer there. Both weapons cut through empty air.
"What!?"
"Where did she go!?"
The attackers hurriedly looked around.
"Too slow."
Lallanoa had drawn her sword, blending into the dim light.
"There she is!"
"Behind you! Get out of the way!!"
The two who hadn't joined the initial attack noticed, but it was too late.
The two attackers were cut down as she closed the distance in an instant. The fallen pair turned into particles of light and were teleported away.
"Impossible!"
"Our Knights were taken out so easily...!"
The two masters, having lost their Knights, backed away.
"Here I come. Are you prepared?"
Lallanoa said, readjusting her stance.
"Ngh... Wait, are you Lallanoa?"
The men realized as they saw Lallanoa's face.
"What of it?"
Lallanoa's voice dropped an octave.
"N-No, I mean no offense. May I make a proposal?"
"To think our Knights were defeated by a half-breed...!"
One of the men glared at Lallanoa, grinding his teeth.
"Do you have a problem?"
Lallanoa's gaze was cold.
"Hey, calm down!"
"How can I be calm!? At this rate, we'll be the laughingstock of the King's Brother Faction!"
"Even so, we shouldn't be losing our strength in a place like this!"
"Guh... but think of what they'll say later!"
"For now, we must prioritize joining up with Lord Otoutrion with as much strength as possible."
"...Fine."
The man said, glaring with a flushed face.
"Apologies for that unsightly display. Lady Lallanoa of the Sun Spring, please hear my proposal."
"The person next to you looks like he still has a complaint."
"He's always looked like that. My proposal is this: could you find it in your heart to let us go here?"
"No."
Lallanoa replied instantly.
"Of course, I'm not asking for free! With your skill, Lady Lallanoa, we might be able to form an alliance once we rejoin Lord Otoutrion's main force. If that happens, we might even be able to hand over some powerful artifacts. Since you haven't allied with anyone yet, I think it's a good deal for you...?"
"No."
With that, Lallanoa closed the distance in an instant.
"...Too fast!"
The first one was cut down before he could even ready his weapon.
"I'll show you the pride of the King's Brother Fac—gyaaaah!?"
The second was cut down just as he tried to thrust with his rapier.
Both vanished into particles of light, their eyes wide with shock. Only their belongings remained behind.
"...You've grown."
Nazono, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, spoke to her.
"I still have a long way to go."
Lallanoa naturally broke into a smile.
She was happy that he had trusted her and watched over her.
"So they get teleported away when they're incapacitated. Interesting."
Nazono turned his gaze to the space where they had vanished.
"They're teleported to the infirmary. With wounds like those, they should still survive."
"I see. So we're free to use the equipment they left behind."
"That said, all four of them had mostly starting equipment. It would just be extra weight, so let's only take what looks useful."
The two of them split up and collected only the water and food.
Then they drank some water and took a short break.
"Well then, what's next?"
"Let's see... First, I'll check the Magic Sphere."
With that, Lallanoa operated the Magic Sphere attached to her bracelet.
"Like this... and if you do this, look, you can see the kill log!"
"Oh, this is amazing!"
It displayed that Lallanoa had killed four people five minutes ago.
"In less than thirty minutes since the start, the count has dropped from 154 to 110."
"The period immediately after the start is when the most people are eliminated."
"Beatrix has six kills."
"She's the kill leader. Apparently, being the kill leader makes it easier to obtain powerful magic tools."
"I see. Alfred has two kills."
"I'm winning."
Lallanoa snorted proudly.
The two of them spent a while checking the kill log.
"As expected, the early stages show a lot of minor factions dropping out. However, within the three major factions, the King's Brother Faction has lost six people."
"Four of whom were your doing."
"It'll be tough for the King's Brother Faction to have their numbers reduced before they can even regroup."
"Since the kill log is public, there's bound to be some kind of reaction."
"I hope they don't hold a grudge. In about twenty minutes, the next combat zone will be designated."
Lallanoa operated the bracelet to display the map.
Within the three-dimensional map of the World Tree, the combat zone was indicated by a blue sphere.
"This blue part is the current combat zone?"
"The next combat zone will be designated in twenty minutes, and five minutes after that, the ring will shrink toward the designated area."
"I see, it's exactly like..."
Lallanoa didn't understand what he meant by "exactly like," but she decided it wasn't a problem as long as Nazono understood.
"This dungeon has already been cleared, so it's safe. I think we can wait here while looking for nearby artifacts until the next designation."
"Let's do that."
And so, they took a brief rest.
Otoutrion was waiting at a place called the Spring of Aide in the middle layer of the World Tree.
Beside him, his Knight, Sakisa, stood with his eyes closed. There were traces of wiped blood on the scabbard of the longsword at his waist.
"Forty minutes have passed. Who has yet to arrive?"
Otoutrion asked.
As time went on, members of the King's Brother Faction gathered one after another. They had recovered many artifacts along the way and were discussing their future plans based on them.
"Ten people. If they started at the furthest possible point, it should take over an hour just to travel here."
An executive elf who had been part of the discussion answered.
"Then we shall leave a code here and move to the next rendezvous point."
"No, well..."
Another executive elf spoke up hesitantly.
"What is it?"
"We have just confirmed six eliminations."
"What did you say?"
Otoutrion's eyebrow twitched.
He had expected a few to drop out in the initial stages, but losing six was beyond his expectations.
"Who did it? Did Shinji of the Reformists lose his mind, or was it Alfred of the Mitsugoshi Faction...?"
"Two were taken out by Alfred."
"I thought as much. This is why outsiders who don't know their place are... So, what about the other four?"
Otoutrion seemed unable to suppress his irritation.
"Well, that is..."
"What's wrong? Speak up."
Glared at by Otoutrion, the executive elf turned pale and opened his mouth.
"They were... taken out by Lallanoa of the Sun Spring."
"Lallanoa... you say."
The moment he heard that name, all emotion vanished from Otoutrion's face and voice.
"Are you telling me that members of our faction were taken out by that half-breed? And four of them, at that?"
"Y-Yes..."
"...Do you understand what this means?"
Otoutrion said, glaring at the executives with a murderous gaze.
"People will never stop saying that Otoutrion was so pathetic he lost four men to a half-breed!"
He said the words through gritted teeth.
"...Add the search for the half-breed to the plan."
"Ngh... Lord Otoutrion, a major plan revision while we've already lost six people is reckless—"
Otoutrion punched the executive elf across the face, sending him flying.
"Do you think I can let it end like this!? How much more mud do you intend to sling on my face!?"
Otoutrion continued to swing his fists.
"Guh... please, forgive me... gack."
The assault continued until the elf stopped moving.
Wiping his blood-stained fists, Otoutrion spoke.
"Find her without fail. And the moment you find her... kill her."
As if responding to that rage, one man stepped forward.
"Please, leave that task to me."
The one who said this was Otoutrion's former Knight, Secondary. He was participating in this succession war as the Knight for one of the King's Brother Faction's executives.
"Secondary, is it."
"I shall surely bring you Lallanoa's head. I request permission to act alone."
"Hmm..."
Otoutrion casually glanced toward Sakisa.
He remained with his eyes closed, appearing completely indifferent.
If he wanted certainty, he should leave it to Sakisa. However, it was clear that the King's Brother Faction's greatest asset should not be wasted on searching for Lallanoa.
In that case, leaving it to Secondary was the logical choice.
Having reached that conclusion, Otoutrion returned his gaze to Secondary.
"Very well. But I will not tolerate failure. Kill her without fail."
"Yes, certainly."
He bowed as he spoke.
Secondary's fists were tightly clenched and trembling.
He understood the meaning behind Otoutrion's gaze. He also knew what Otoutrion was thinking when he entrusted the task to him.
They had spent that much time together since childhood, with Secondary serving as Otoutrion's Knight.
His face flushed with humiliation, he endured it through gritted teeth.
"Hey, lend Secondary some artifacts."
Among the artifacts handed over was one that allowed communication even at a distance. It was an item that dropped frequently in dungeons and had a high usage rate.
"Thank you very much."
"I will contact you once we've recovered more useful artifacts. Don't mess up."
"Yes, sir."
Having received the artifacts, he glared at Sakisa for a fleeting moment.
"Sakisa... I won't let things go as you wish."
He muttered in a voice inaudible to anyone else.
The man who had appeared out of nowhere one day and stolen his position as Knight.
He wouldn't say he wasn't jealous of Sakisa, who had somehow gained Otoutrion's complete trust.
But more than that, Secondary was suspicious of him.
Sakisa possessed absolutely no loyalty toward Otoutrion.
It was precisely because Secondary's own loyalty was so deep that he could sense the danger in this man.
Secondary looked away from Sakisa and turned on his heel.
First, he would regain his own trust.
"I will have Lallanoa's head, without fail."
Alfred stood on a branch of the World Tree, looking down at the sea of clouds.
"Lord Alfred, the next combat zone has been designated."
The one who spoke was a man with hair like a deep spring... Epsilon in male disguise.
"Thank you, Ipsilou. Has Betao, who went out on reconnaissance, returned?"
Alfred said, turning around.
"I have just returned."
A man with silver hair and a beauty mark... Beta in male disguise, appeared.
"I have neutralized one enemy group. In the process, I recovered one artifact."
He says, clutching his chest as if in pain.
"Good work, Betao. You look like you're suffering; did something happen?"
"Well, it's hard to say, but my che—I mean, my pectoral muscles are being compressed by these clothes, and it's a bit painful."
Betao said, wriggling his body.
There was a loud snap.
Looking toward the sound, Ipsilou had stepped on and snapped a twig.
"Oops, how unlike me to snap a branch. But I suppose it couldn't be helped with such a disgusting man standing next to me."
Ipsilou said, raising his eyebrows.
"W-What do you mean, disgusting? It's true that I'm in pain, so it can't be helped."
Betao said.
"Wriggling around and whining like that is pathetic."
"Why you...! Besides, you should be in pain too, Ipsilou. Why aren't you suffering like me?"
"I-I... I mean, I'm different from you, Betao, because my mana control is more precise."
Ipsilou's voice was high-pitched.
"Mmm, so my mana control is still immature? In this regard, Ipsilou is truly magnificent. My chest is just so painful."
"I-I'm in a bit of pain too!! Don't make fun of me!"
"What are you getting angry for? I'm praising you."
Betao tilted his head.
"That's enough, both of you."
The two immediately straightened their posture.
"Lady Sakura, the next combat zone seems to be a bit far. Shall we move early?"
Alfred called out to Sakura, who was standing a short distance away.
"Yes. I'll leave it to you."
She replied, looking as if her mind were elsewhere.
"Did something happen?"
"It seems Lallanoa defeated four candidates and their Knights from the King's Brother Faction."
"Lallanoa... that girl?"
Alfred raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.
"To think she would become this strong... Lallanoa has changed far too rapidly."
"Is it the work of Nazono Seinen?"
"I don't know. However, it's still unsettling that someone whose identity remains completely unknown, even after your investigation, is by Lallanoa's side."
"We are continuing our investigation into him, but there are absolutely no traces of him prior to entering this country. Not a single person exists who has seen or known him."
Betao said.
"What possibilities can you think of?"
"Perhaps an eccentric who has spent a long time without contacting anyone."
Ipsilou said.
"That's an optimistic guess, but I hope that's the case."
"Or perhaps someone whose existence was erased from history. And a powerful one at that, with concealment abilities enough to deceive even our eyes."
When Alfred spoke, it felt as if the surroundings had fallen into a deep silence.
"...This country has a long history. There were those who were unjustly oppressed in the past. Some were buried in the shadows. One or two people holding a grudge wouldn't even begin to cover it."
After a brief silence, Sakura said, her eyes downcast.
"In that case, could his goal be revenge against the nation?"
"If that's the case, we cannot leave him be. Not for seeking revenge against the nation, nor for using Lallanoa."
Sakura said in a low voice.
"And there is one more possibility."
"Which is?"
"The Cult of Diabolos."
"...!"
Sakura gasped at Alfred's words.
"Someone who can erase their traces, deceive our eyes, and participate in the War of Succession. It wouldn't be strange if he were a member of the Cult of Diabolos."
"True... we haven't identified the Cult of Diabolos members yet."
"If he were a member of the Cult, it's a magnificent disguise. He's completely deceived us until now."
"If he is with the Cult, what is their aim?"
"They're likely plotting something using Lallanoa. If her change is the work of the Cult, there's a possibility she's being given dangerous drugs."
"The drugs you mentioned before. In exchange for gaining massive amounts of mana...!"
Sakura's face twisted in anguish.
"Let's re-investigate Nazono Seinen, focusing on the possibilities of someone with a grudge against this country or the Cult of Diabolos."
"Please do. If he's doing something cruel to Lallanoa... I will never forgive that man."
"Understood. Also, there's something that's been bothering me..."
Betao lowered his eyes as if remembering something.
"Something bothering you?"
"There was a legend in my hometown. Long ago, deep in the mountains, there was a hidden village of those who wielded a secret assassination sword style passed down through a single line. They worked as the 'Anbu,' secretly disposing of those who threatened this country..."
"I've heard that story too. It seems there was once an organization called the Anbu that specialized in dirty work. However, they disappeared at some point."
Sakura said, looking startled.
"Exactly two hundred years ago, there was said to be a great fire deep in the mountains. When the fire died down, burned-out houses and countless bodies were discovered on the scorched mountain where no one was supposed to live. And the bodies bore marks of being cut by someone..."
"That was during the era of the Dark King. Records have vanished, and bad rumors are endless."
"If he were a descendant of an organization that handles assassination swords, hiding his presence and faking his strength would be child's play... Betao, Ipsilou. I want you to investigate thoroughly again, including the erased records. It's exactly two hundred years since that mountain fire; I hope it's just a coincidence..."
Alfred said, as if lamenting something.
"Yes."
"Understood."
Alfred turned his gaze toward Sakura and said.
"There are uncertain factors, but our maneuvers in the War of Succession remain unchanged. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes. First, let's see how the three major factions handle themselves."
"From here, we will split into two groups. Lady Sakura and I will go east, while Betao and Ipsilou go west."
"And from the east and west, we will whittle down the strength of the three major factions. Slowly, bit by bit."
Betao said.
"Eventually, the Cult won't be able to take it and will slip up. Let's smoke them out."
Ipsilou said.
"From now on, we will communicate using the recovered communication artifacts. Everyone, be careful of eavesdropping. Now, begin the operation."
As Alfred spoke, they quickly scattered.