"Master, the ring has started shrinking."
Lallanoa said while they were moving to the next combat zone.
They had searched for artifacts since then, but they were all the lowest-rank duds.
"Roger. We might encounter enemies on the way. Let's be careful."
Unfortunately, we were outside the zone, so we had to travel quite a distance.
Since being outside the ring meant having your mana forcibly drained to zero and being eliminated, we were running at high speed, prepared for our location to be revealed.
Sensing the surroundings lightly, I could hear the footsteps of other participants running in a hurry in the distance.
And ahead, there were sounds of combat.
Someone was fighting despite the ring shrinking.
"...Did you notice?"
When I stopped, Lallanoa stopped as well.
"They're fighting... Even though it's still the early stages, they're playing quite aggressively."
The theory is to avoid combat as much as possible in the early stages to prepare, but if that's the case, the participants ahead are quite the battle maniacs.
"What should we do?"
"I'd still like to avoid combat... but..."
"Ah, looks like they've noticed us."
The battle seems to have ended in an instant. It's safe to assume there's a considerable difference in skill.
And it seems the two victors heard the sound of us running. I can sense them intentionally running toward us.
"...Here they come."
They're being far too aggressive. Their movements are like a professional team that's stumbled into an amateur match.
"Can we escape?"
"No... it's impossible."
Regardless of me, Lallanoa will be caught.
They're quite skilled.
It's been a while since I've felt this excited.
Lallanoa steeled herself and drew her sword.
And then—the two finally showed themselves.
"Well, well... I wondered who it was, and it's you guys."
Said the boy with hair like a deep spring.
"Hey, Ipsilou. Don't go ahead and leave me behind... Hm, you two are..."
Said the man with silver hair and a beauty mark.
"I don't know if we're lucky or unlucky, but it seems we've pulled quite a rare case. Betao, what should we do in this situation?"
"Hmm, the logical course of action is to proceed with an investigation into him first. I suggest a withdrawal."
"I think fighting a bit to probe him would be the most efficient, though."
"It might be efficient, but it carries risk."
"We're two, he's one. Low risk."
"Lady Lallanoa is there too. They're also two."
"She's not a factor in terms of combat power."
"Muu... but still..."
"It'll just be a light bit of play."
"...Fine."
So it's Beta and Epsilon, huh?
I looked at the two of them whispering to each other with cold eyes and spoke.
"Is the discussion over?"
"Sorry for the wait, we just finished."
Ipsilou said.
"So, what's it going to be?"
"I'd like you to keep us company for a little while."
"And if I say no?"
"I'll have to force you to comply."
Then Ipsilou readied a large scythe.
Behind him, Betao readied a bow.
I could sense the presence of artifacts from both weapons. Whether they found them in a dungeon or took them from a defeated enemy, they've certainly made quite a head start.
"Here I come. Don't let it end in one hit, okay?"
With those words, Ipsilou lunged forward.
Since mana is restricted, one would normally be slower.
However, his precise mana control allowed for footwork so smooth it made the restriction unnoticeable.
"Splendid."
I muttered softly under my breath and drew my sword at the same time.
I let my blade slide against the scythe as if stroking it.
The scythe's trajectory changed without any resistance, passing right over my head.
"—!?"
Epsilon lost her balance due to the complete lack of resistance.
I slid forward, entering her range.
"Damn—!"
Exposed and vulnerable, Epsilon desperately attempted an evasive maneuver.
Taking advantage of her small frame, she forcibly twisted her body, moving to avoid the sword.
As an instantaneous evasive action, it could only be described as miraculous. A leopard-like movement that combined lightness, agility, flexibility, and balance.
I knew that she was capable of such movements even without her slime suit.
As if drawn by a magnet, my sword headed toward Epsilon's neck.
However—
"—Too bad."
Epsilon laughed.
At that moment, I laughed too.
I stopped the sword heading for Epsilon's neck and swung it in the opposite direction.
With a clink, a severed arrow danced in the air.
"Tch—this guy!"
Epsilon retreated, her eyes wide with shock.
"I thought I'd cut off the line of fire, but... I see, you didn't just dodge the sword; you shifted your body specifically to open up a line of fire."
Saying that, I looked at Beta, who was holding her bow behind Epsilon.
She held her bow with a grim expression, aiming at me.
"Be careful, Ipsilou. This man is quite—"
"I know!"
Epsilon readied her scythe again, sounding irritated.
"That's an unfamiliar sword style. Where did you learn it?"
I had developed special sword techniques for this occasion that even Alpha wouldn't recognize.
I've also made improvement after improvement to my disguise so that even Delta wouldn't see through it.
There's no way even Epsilon or Beta could see through me.
"Is there a need for me to answer?"
I gave a thin smile.
"No. While I'm at it, what's your objective?"
"Everyone's objective for participating in the War of Succession is the same, isn't it?"
"Normally, yes. But some people have outrageous things in mind."
"That's unfortunate. I hope you... the Mitsugoshi Company... aren't participating for some outrageous purpose as well."
Epsilon and I glared at each other for a while.
"The War of Succession is not a stage that lowly elves like you should be allowed to defile. This country will never become your puppet—"
I know what their goal is. They probably intend to set up a puppet candidate and make them king to expand the Mitsugoshi Company's sales channels.
Dirty tactics, as usual.
"You... how much do you know about us...!"
"Ipsilou, this man is dangerous. Don't give him any more information."
"Ngh... understood."
Epsilon glared at me.
"I know what your goal is. Don't think it will go so smoothly."
"Let me ask once more: what is your objective? Revenge? Or..."
Beta asked.
I don't think I'd mentioned the keyword 'revenge' before... but as a setting, it might be quite appealing.
I thought for a moment and decided to play along.
"Revenge, is it... I have lost far too much. Time flows quickly. Anger, sadness, even the impulse that once burned my very being... they all weather away. But that doesn't mean I've forgotten everything."
I said it sorrowfully, as if picturing a comrade-in-arms I could never meet again.
"...I see."
"The pain of that day is something I will never forget, even if the wounds heal. But if I were to surrender myself to that impulse, my fallen comrades would surely laugh at me. That is why I am here. With the people I should love, with those I once hated, and in this land where my heart sleeps..."
"So revenge is not your objective?"
"I am not the one to decide that. For I am an elf who has already died once. No one remembers me. I likely have no right to stand on the public stage."
"But you stood on the stage of the War of Succession."
"Yes. I found myself wanting to see it. The grand harassment depicted by a tiny elf. And the story that begins from there—"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, let's bring this conversation to an end..."
Saying that, I readied my sword.
"Betao. As I thought, this man... there's something about him."
"I know, Ipsilou. His sword technique, his body movements, his mana control... they're all too perfect."
Beta nodded and shifted her center of gravity back slightly.
I can tell, even from the slightest change.
They intend to retreat.
They slowly backed away while keeping a sharp gaze on me.
"I see, so you've noticed? That you've gone from being the hunters... to the hunted."
"—!"
The moment I finished speaking, Beta fired an arrow.
She's flustered.
I tilted my head to dodge the arrow, which was uncharacteristically simplistic for Beta.
Kicking off the ground, I closed the distance to Epsilon in the blink of an eye.
"Don't underestimate me—!"
Epsilon swung her scythe.
But just before entering the scythe's range, I paused for a split second to throw off her timing.
With just that, the scythe grazed my cheek and passed by.
Then, as I stepped forward, I swung my sword.
The blade closed in on her slender neck.
"Ah—!"
Epsilon's eyes widened in shock.
Now!
Just before the sword could sever her neck—I stopped the blade and dropped to my knees with a convincing performance.
"Guh—!"
"Eh, what happened—?"
Epsilon was confused.
"Guh... my old wound... it's acting up."
I groaned, clutching my chest.
"This pain still torments me... Does it mean my heart is still trapped within those fierce yet fleeting flames of war...?"
Then, breathing heavily and breaking into a cold sweat, I stood up while trembling.
*Gah*—I coughed up blood.
This is it!
This is exactly one of the tropes I've wanted to play!
The "powerful expert who falls into a crisis due to past trauma or an old wound" trope!
"H-Hmph, you surprised me. Even if I was caught off guard, I was almost taken out."
Epsilon said, looking down at me as I suffered.
"Be careful, Ipsilou. If his old wound hadn't acted up, you would have been dead—"
"I know that, so don't say another word!!"
Epsilon shouted, cutting Beta off.
Her face was flushed with anger; her pride had clearly been wounded.
"You're dangerous. I'll finish you off right here."
She approached, scythe at the ready.
"Heh... Spring reminds me of the parting from my comrades-in-arms... This, too, must be fate."
Panting heavily, I readied my sword with a trembling hand.
"I'll send you to join your comrades. If you were at full strength, you might have been our greatest threat. But no matter the circumstances, the one left standing at the end is the winner."
"...I have no objections."
"Goodbye."
With that, Epsilon mercilessly swung her scythe down.
At that moment, a small voice was heard.
"...Have you forgotten that I am here?"
With a sharp clink, Lallanoa intercepted the scythe between me and Epsilon.
"Lallanoa of the Sun Spring... You should have just stayed quiet and watched!"
"You had a lot of nerve earlier. Who did you say wasn't a factor in combat!?"
Lallanoa glared at Epsilon, her face flushed with rage.
However, the contest of strength between the scythe and the sword quickly tilted in the scythe's favor.
"Lallanoa, stop! You can't beat that man. Leave me and run; as long as you survive—!"
"Don't you dare give up on your own!! We promised to win the War of Succession together, didn't we!?"
"But—!"
Epsilon was superior in both raw strength and mana efficiency.
"Hmph. You've seen the difference in power; now back off."
Though she looked pained, Lallanoa held her ground, protecting me at the final threshold.
"I haven't repaid my debt to Master yet! I haven't been acknowledged by anyone yet!"
"You might just be being used by this man."
"Master, using me? Don't talk such nonsense—!"
At that moment.
"Enough, Ipsilou. The farce is over."
With a sharp whistle of air, Beta fired an arrow.
It streaked in a straight line toward Lallanoa.
"—!"
Lallanoa's attention shifted to me for an instant.
She realized that if she dodged, the arrow would hit me.
She had noticed it.
"—No."
Whether it was a groan or she was trying to say something, I couldn't tell.
Lallanoa simply chose not to dodge the arrow.
Lallanoa stared straight at the arrow.
Hey, hey.
Just as I was about to stop acting and move—light began to leak from Lallanoa's sword.
"—What!?"
The light shone brilliantly, blowing back the arrow and the scythe, and ancient characters appeared on the blade.
The two of them hurriedly put some distance between them.
"I will... protect you."
Lallanoa readied her sword as if possessed by something.
Then she lunged forward with force and swung her sword.
Epsilon blocked the sword.
"—No way!?"
But she was sent flying back.
Or rather, did she leap back herself?
"Ipsilou!!"
Beta immediately moved in to follow up, but she too was repelled the moment she touched Lallanoa's sword.
"What incredible power—!"
The two faced Lallanoa with bewildered expressions.
"I... I can protect him properly... this time."
Lallanoa muttered, raising her sword.
"That sword is an artifact."
"Even so, the output is abnormal."
The two met each other's eyes and nodded.
"Betao!"
"Ipsilou!"
They shouted simultaneously and threw something.
In the next instant, a deafening explosion and a flash of light occurred at the same time.
I reflexively covered my eyes and ears.
—A flashbang?
Probably an artifact they picked up somewhere.
When I opened my eyes, Beta and Epsilon were gone.
"...They got away. You saved me, Lallanoa."
I spoke to Lallanoa, who still had her sword readied.
"I..."
Something was wrong.
She was swaying unsteadily.
When I moved in front of her, ancient characters were floating in her eyes.
"Lallanoa, are you okay?"
The ancient characters quickly faded away.
Then the sword slipped from Lallanoa's hand, and she collapsed forward.
"Hmm."
For now, I caught her and checked her condition.
It seemed she had fainted.
"...Mother."
She said in a faint voice.
I'm not your mother, though.
I sighed, hoisted her onto my back, and started walking.
Awakening or going berserk with a mysterious sword is a classic trope, but I've learned that cleaning up afterward is a pain.
"...Are you awake?"
I spoke to Lallanoa as she faintly opened her eyes.
"Where am I...?"
She sat up and looked around.
"Inside the trunk of the World Tree. It seems to be a desert area."
A vast mountain of sand stretched out before us. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the giant trunk, illuminating the sand.
"How long was I asleep?"
"The next ring shrinkage just finished. We're waiting for the next zone now."
"I see... I've caused you trouble, Master."
"No, you saved me."
"Is your body okay, Master?"
Lallanoa looked at me with concern.
"It's nothing much. Just an old wound acting up."
"You were coughing up blood. Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine. More importantly, you collapsed too, Lallanoa. Are you okay?"
"I'm... fine."
Even as she said that, Lallanoa tilted her head slightly.
"Is something wrong?"
"I feel a bit sluggish. And my mana has decreased. At that moment, I felt as if power were surging from the sword..."
"I saw it too. It doesn't seem like an ordinary sword."
"I found myself here before I knew it, and I don't remember much of what happened then. Is this sword... perhaps dangerous?"
She picked up the sword with an anxious expression.
"I don't know. But that power saved me."
"But it feels like it's not my own power. I want to... with my own strength..."
Lallanoa's voice grew smaller and smaller.
This is bad; at this rate, the protagonist is going to throw away the key item!
"In that case, you just have to make it your own power."
"Eh?"
Lallanoa looked up.
"It's true that right now, you might just be being swung around by the sword. If that's the case, you just have to learn to master it."
"Master the sword..."
"Exactly. If you master it, then it becomes your own magnificent strength. Lallanoa, do you feel anything unpleasant when you hold that sword?"
"...No. It feels somewhat gentle, as if I'm being wrapped up in it."
"Then you should trust that sensation. It's not the weapon that's dangerous, but the person who uses it. If you master it correctly, that sword will surely become your strength."
"...You're right. If this sword is dangerous, then it's my responsibility for not being able to master it."
Lallanoa let out a breath.
"Now then, what shall we do next?"
"The state of the war changed a bit while you were sleeping."
Saying that, I operated the magic tool and continued my explanation.
"First, the ring shrinkage finished, and the combat area has been reduced to two-thirds. Also, the number of participants has dropped to seventy-eight."
"It's decreased quite a lot."
"Yeah, and the cause was those two we ran into earlier."
Saying so, I showed Lallanoa the kill log.
"Ipsilou and Betao... these two alone have defeated more than ten people."
"On top of that, Alfred and Sakura have each defeated one. It seems the Mitsugoshi Company went on a rampage to coincide with the ring shrinkage."
"To achieve such results with only four people is extraordinary."
"But they're moving too flashily. They'll end up making enemies of the three major factions."
"I doubt they'll just stand by and watch."
"Or perhaps they think it's not a problem even if they do make enemies of them."
At my words, Lallanoa thought with a troubled expression and shook her head.
"That's far too overconfident. Once each faction finishes equipping their magic tools, no matter how much skill they have, they'll be overwhelmed by numbers. This is the center of the World Tree; magic tools perform several times better than usual here."
"Magic tools custom-made by workshops across the country, huh? I wonder just how much power they have."
"They're powerful. There are swords that unleash vacuum blades, shields that automatically parry attacks..."
"──There is also a magic tool that lets you know the location of someone you are thinking intensely about."
That voice came from behind us.
I had noticed the presence approaching in a straight line, but I see, so that was the trick.
Turning around, I saw an elf wearing a monocle-like magic tool on one eye. A small round object was floating above his head.
"Y-You're Secondary of the King's Brother Faction...!"
Lallanoa hurriedly drew her sword.
I also lowered my hips slightly, but I was more curious about the sphere floating above Secondary's head.
"Ah, this? It's a drawback of this magic tool. As the price for knowing the opponent's location, it's adjusted so that this camera always follows me."
Secondary let out a sigh.
"That round sphere is a filming camera. Through that lens, everything is being broadcast in real-time to Magic Spheres across the country."
"In other words, our current situation is being leaked. But considering what I'm about to do, that's not so bad. It'll serve as a good warning."
Saying that, he gave a smirk and finally drew his sword.
"For a mere half-breed... you had a lot of nerve taking out the members of our faction."
"...Serves them right."
Lallanoa muttered.
"What did you just say, half-breed?"
"I said, serves them right."
Lallanoa said with a smile.
"Your pride must have been quite wounded. Did your heart ache?"
"...Of course it did!"
"But your pain is like a mere scratch compared to the pain my mother and I received. It's still not enough. I am Lallanoa of the Sun Spring, daughter of the Elven King Anorion and Ainoa of the Sun Spring. I've come to give pain to you, to the King's Brother Faction, and to all those who rejoiced at my mother's death!"
Lallanoa's gaze was directed not at Secondary, but at the camera above him.
"You little brat, don't you talk back to meeeeeee!"
And then the two of them lunged forward simultaneously.
A high-pitched clink echoed as their swords clashed.
Secondary was indeed an experienced fighter, and his swordplay was flawless.
"Oh, not bad."
This magic swordsman Secondary is actually quite strong.
He's probably over two hundred years old. He must have dedicated most of that time to the sword; his techniques are refined.
In contrast, Lallanoa is still young and lacks experience, so her swordplay is rough. However, thanks to her natural talent and the techniques I taught her, she was putting up a fight that was by no means inferior.
Honestly, I didn't think Lallanoa would be able to fight this well against an opponent of this level.
But as they clashed swords several times, the difference in skill gradually began to show.
"What happened to that initial momentum!?"
"Tch...!"
Secondary began to press his advantage.
Although Lallanoa was dodging with her good eyesight, the sword was grazing her body more and more frequently.
She no longer had the leeway to counterattack and seemed to have her hands full just defending.
And then──.
"Playtime is over."
Mana gathered in Secondary's sword.
It's a magic tool.
Lallanoa realized this and tried to put some distance between them, but the magic tool's activation was faster.
"Carve them, Fangs of the Wind God."
A gust of wind blew through.
At the same time, Lallanoa was blown back.
Invisible blades of wind had attacked her.
Although she had blocked them instinctively, her posture was broken, leaving her defenseless.
"This is the end."
A fast, sharp blade was unleashed.
Just before it could carve into Lallanoa, I stepped in.
I imbued my sword with mana and parried it.
"I'm here too, you know."
"You piece of trash, don't interfere."
Secondary glared at me.
"Master, thank you."
Lallanoa stood up and readied her stance again.
"I'll just carve you both up together."
Even more mana began to gather in Secondary's magic sword.
It coiled around the magic sword like a small tornado, kicking up sand and letting out a sharp whistling sound of wind.
The sand tornado grew to several times the height of a person.
"So this is the blessing of the World Tree..."
You wouldn't normally see this kind of output from a magic tool unless it was a national treasure. It must have been customized specifically for the World Tree.
"Master..."
Lallanoa turned an anxious gaze toward me.
"No problem."
I said.
However, in this environment where mana was restricted, it was clear that I would never win in a straightforward contest of strength.
I needed to use some ingenuity... but how should I act in this situation with the camera watching?
As I hesitated, Secondary began to speak.
"Lallanoa of the Sun Spring, you've grown strong. It seems your claim of coming to bring us pain was no mere jest."
His voice was strangely audible even amidst the whistling of the wind.
"Of course it wasn't...!"
"Is the target of your pain me? The King's Brother Faction? The three major factions? The citizens?"
"All of them, obviously!"
"As I thought, you know nothing. Not even the truth behind Ainoa's death..."
"Eh... what do you mean by that?"
"Pain has been carved into my soul since long ago. No matter how much you try to hurt us, nothing will change now. This conversation won't be heard outside, muffled as it is by the wind. So, as a final atonement, I will tell you this: the one you truly should be bringing pain to is someone else."
"W-Who is it!?"
"That is an answer you must reach yourself."
And with that, Secondary ended the conversation and poured even more mana into his magic sword.
That mana swelled to an abnormal degree, and the sand tornado stretched high into the sky.
"W-What is this magic tool?"
"I'll go."
Saying so, I stepped forward.
"Master... but no matter how strong you are, your mana is still restricted!"
"It's fine, no problem."
Since the camera is here, it's about time I provided some entertainment.
I took a loose stance with my sword and imbued it with a tiny amount of mana.
I closed my eyes in the midst of the raging sandstorm.
"...Master!?"
"Sight is unnecessary. For the wind tells me everything..."
Then, Secondary unleashed a strike filled to the limit with mana.
I simply placed my sword along its trajectory.
──The wind stopped.
As the wind that had been kicking everything up ceased, a moment of silence fell.
Then, the wind began to gather around my sword.
"Wh—!?"
"You stole my wind!?"
I had taken the sand tornado he unleashed and housed it within my own blade.
"Controlling wind with mana... it's not impossible, but it's a brute-force method relying on an artifact. If this weren't the World Tree, you'd run out of mana instantly."
I muttered.
"You, what did you do!?"
"I matched the wavelength of the mana. Then I transferred the flow of wind you created to my sword."
"How could such a thing be possible!?"
"You generated the great power. By matching the wavelength, I can control it with minimal mana."
"Don't be ri—no, wait, I recall there was an artifact that could show illusions."
"Oh?"
"Even if you had a wind artifact, stealing wind from another and controlling it is nothing but theoretical nonsense. Therefore, this wind is an illusion."
Secondary stared at me with eyes full of confidence.
His previous agitation had vanished completely.
"In the two hundred years since I was born in this country, I have dedicated almost all of it to the sword. My understanding of mana control theory is deeper than that of any researcher. Likely, no one but me could have seen through this. I had heard rumors of artifacts that show illusions, but... to face one in person, I didn't realize it would be this troublesome."
As he spoke, he even exuded the aura of a king.
"This sound of the wind, this flow of mana—it is truly terrifying that all of this is an illusion."
Then Secondary raised his sword in a high, overhead stance.
"You remain unmoved even after your secret is out? It seems you are prepared. However, there is no value in one who clings to illusions. Value lies only in those who carve their own path with their own strength."
"Hmm."
"──Die, embraced by your illusion."
Then Secondary closed the distance in an instant and swung down his overhead sword.
I blew everything away with my sword, which housed the raging wind.
A massive sandstorm filled our vision.
When the sandstorm subsided a short while later, there was no trace of Secondary to be found.
As if he himself had been an illusion.
"Ah, a notification just came that Secondary has been eliminated."
Lallanoa said, looking at her Magic Sphere.
"So it wasn't an illusion after all—"
"What do you mean by that?"
"No, it's nothing. I suppose recovering the magic tool will be impossible."
"I suppose so. The camera is likely broken as well. Intentionally breaking the camera leads to disqualification, but... no notification has come so far."
"It was just an accident that it got caught in the blast. At any rate, I'm glad I didn't give away any unnecessary information."
"If they saw your strike, Master, they would definitely be on guard. I think the important parts were hidden by the sandstorm, though..."
Lallanoa said, sounding a bit anxious.
"Either way, since we defeated Secondary, they'll be somewhat wary. It must have been unexpected for the King's Brother Faction as well. From now on, we must act more cautious—*cough, hack, wheeze!!*"
In the middle of speaking, I suddenly began to cough violently.
At the same time, I tore open a bag of fake blood and coughed it up.
"M-Master!? Are you alright!?"
Lallanoa hurriedly rushed over to me.
"I-I'm fine, it's just an old wound acting up..."
"An old wound makes you cough up that much blood...?"
Yeah, maybe I used a bit too much fake blood.
"I'm fine, no problem."
"...Please don't push yourself too hard."
"I know. I have no intention of falling in a place like this."
Even though I acted composed, Lallanoa still looked uneasy.
The preparations for moving to the next stage should be just about ready. I have no intention of letting Nazono Seinen end as just a powerful expert.
I turned my back to hide the blood on my mouth.
"The time I have left is but a little..."
And I said it in a voice that was barely audible.
"—Master, what did you just say!?"
"Hm? I said there's only a little time left until the next ring shrinkage."
"...O-Oh, right! Oh no, the ring shrinkage is about to start!?"
"Let's move even more cautiously from now on and avoid encounters."
We began to move.
Thanks to our cautious movements, we were able to avoid combat during the third ring shrinkage.
And now, the final ring shrinkage was about to begin.
An unusual meeting was being held deep within the dense forest of the World Tree.
"You seem to be having a hard time. I imagine losing Secondary in the preliminaries was quite unexpected."
The one who said this was Shinji of the Reformist Faction, a pleasant-looking young man with light purple hair parted in the middle.
He sat in a prepared chair with a thin smile on his face.
Behind him stood Beatrix, a beautiful blonde elf.
"You yourself have had quite a few of your subordinates whittled down, haven't you?"
Otoutrion of the King's Brother Faction said with a faint smile.
Sakisa stood behind him.
"We lost a separate unit to a surprise attack by the Mitsugoshi Faction, but our main force is still intact. However, they seem to have gathered more powerful experts than expected. Please be careful, Lord Otoutrion."
"Hmph, I know."
Of course, Otoutrion's subordinates had also been whittled down, though not as much as the Reformists.
"But I never thought that Secondary would be defeated by Lallanoa's Knight."
Shinji said this with a look of surprise, but there was a hint of mockery deep in his eyes.
"...What are you trying to say?"
Otoutrion's gaze sharpened.
"No, it's just that if he was defeated by Lallanoa's Knight, I'm sure some heartless comments will be heard. I hope that his and Lord Otoutrion's honor will be protected."
"Unfortunately, this is the first time I've heard such comments."
"Oh, I didn't mean it that way..."
Shinji smiled as if troubled.
"Enough. This conversation is a waste of time. Get to the point."
"Right. The final ring shrinkage will begin soon. We've lost more of our forces than expected so far. I'm sure we both want to avoid further attrition."
"...And?"
Otoutrion nodded slightly, prompting him to continue.
"Let's join forces."
"Ho. To think I'd hear such a proposal from you."
Temporary alliances are not uncommon in the War of Succession.
However, alliances between major factions are usually decided in advance; such an impromptu proposal was rare.
"It's simply the situation we find ourselves in. For both of us."
"And what would we do if we joined forces?"
"In conducting the War of Succession, the three major factions formed an agreement and obtained information beforehand about powerful magic tools—the Divine Artifacts. The Reformists have Gram."
Saying so, he showed a magnificent sword.
"And the King's Brother Faction has Thor's Hammer."
Sakisa held a large hammer.
"And the Conservatives have the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi."
That sword was held by Beatrix, who stood behind him.
"Wait, why do you have that sword! The Conservatives were supposed to recover it."
"Now, I wonder why."
Shinji said with a faint smile.
"The Divine Artifacts boast unparalleled performance. They are overwhelming, especially in the preliminaries where other powerful magic tools are scarce. As proof, the Mitsugoshi Faction was wary of the artifacts and didn't launch an attack on our main forces."
"Using the artifacts to stir things up... not bad. Where will you aim?"
"The Mitsugoshi... I'd like to say, but they are a small, elite group. Depending on their positioning, they might escape."
"In that case... the Conservatives?"
"They move in large numbers and are slow. They're perfect targets for the Divine Artifacts. If we attack with the artifacts simultaneously, we can whittle down their forces all at once."
"I see. And after the initial strike?"
"We could follow up with a pursuit, or target the Mitsugoshi Company. Of course, we could also eliminate Lallanoa."
"Ho. So we're free to act as we please after the first blow?"
"Yes. The scene will likely fall into chaos. Since prediction is difficult, it's best for us to act on our own judgment, and for Lord Otoutrion to act on his."
"...I see. If we're free to act, that means we could target the Reformists as well."
When Otoutrion glared, Shinji gave a thin smile.
"Of course. But that would be a mistake."
Then he showed the two Divine Artifacts again.
"...Very well. I'll take you up on your offer."
"Thank you. We will give the signal to start—"
Afterward, they finalized the details and parted ways.