Day 7 of the Dawnlight Moon.
On the day Chrono finally engaged in Parthia, a man approached Nero.
“It has been a long time, Thirteenth Apostle Nero. I have come at the command of Archbishop Lucrom and Your Excellency, Commander Arus of the Crusaders.”
“Ah, you are… I see, Arus’s deputy commander.”
In the occupied capital of Parthia, Babylonica, Nero leaned wearily on his makeshift throne, observing the bowed Archbishop of the Crusaders.
Something about his face felt familiar, and as he lazily recalled the long golden hair and serious expression, he finally remembered that he had encountered Archbishop Lucrom as Arus’s deputy commander when they formed the Holy Grail Alliance in Avalon.
However, without the connection of being the brother of the Twelfth Apostle Mariabel, his presence would not have registered at all in Nero’s mind.
“Bringing reinforcements all the way from Spada must have been hard work for you.”
“Helping allies in distress is a matter of course.”
“Hmph, wouldn’t it be more convenient for you if we took down both ourselves and the Demon King’s army here?”
“That is absolutely not the case. We are brothers in faith, worshipping the White God together. Is it not as evidence of our alliance that we have united by the Holy Grail? My presence here serves as proof of that trust.”
What do you mean by brothers? The Sinclair people and the locals of Pandora can never coexist peacefully.
Even if the Great Expedition Army successfully defeated the Demon King’s army, what awaited next would be the fierce struggle for hegemony between the Pandora Crusaders and the Sinclair Crusaders.
It is only because there are still powerful demon race nations and forces on the Pandora continent, starting with the Elroad Empire led by Demon King Chrono, that they maintain an outwardly cooperative relationship in the name of the White God.
Nero fully understood this and predicted that the Crusaders would surely take significant action right after the battle between the Great Expedition Army and the Demon King’s army concluded, no matter the result, at a time when both forces would be exhausted.
If the Demon King’s army were to be defeated, the greatest threat would disappear. If the Great Expedition Army were to fall, the greatest rival would vanish. The Crusaders would merely watch the decisive battle of both armies, ensuring at least one significant benefit from either side.
Therefore, it was unexpected that Arus would send a large-scale reinforcement by appointing Lucrom, his right-hand man, as commander.
At the very least, it seemed that they were not simply sending a small, insubstantial group as an appeal to maintain their outward alliance.
“It seems you brought quite a number, but are you planning to seize Parthia outright?”
“Not at all, facing such a formidable Demon King’s army, this is barely enough. Our victory still relies on the Thirteenth Apostle, Lord Nero—excuse me, Your Majesty.”
An absurd level of humility, or perhaps sarcasm.
Already, the Twelfth Apostle Mariabel and the Eleventh Apostle Misa had been defeated in succession at the hands of Demon King Chrono.
The symbol of absolute power, the Apostle who received blessings directly from the White God, had suffered a string of defeats that could shake the very foundation of faith. If Nero were to fall as well, what would happen then?
It felt as if Lucrom were hinting at such thoughts.
“It’s unfortunate about Mariabel. Given that she fell in Avalon, she might hold some resentment towards me.”
“No, my brother simply devoted himself to his apostolic mission. The one to blame is the evil Demon King.”
Even when mentioning his deceased brother, there was not the slightest change in Lucrom’s expression. If he were to show emotions over such a matter, he would not have risen to the position of Archbishop at his young age.
From what Nero had heard, the relationship between Mariabel and Lucrom had been good. Even before they received blessings, the two brothers had united to resist the invasion of heathens.
Thanks to their kin becoming an Apostle, Arus’s faction had been considerably blessed militarily.
“I do wish to take revenge myself, but the Demon King’s power has already become formidable enough to slay Apostles. Only Your Majesty, the Thirteenth Apostle Nero, can stop this. As a Crusaders Archbishop and as Mariabel’s brother, I sincerely hope that Your Majesty will undertake the demise of the Demon King.”
“And for that, you’ll spare no effort to cooperate.”
“Yes, this is also in accordance with Your Excellency Arus’s wishes. We must defeat the Demon King’s army here at all costs… or else it may become too late.”
“Hmph, all of you are just blowing with the winds of cowardice.”
However, to outsiders, the expansion of the Demon King’s army was abnormal.
They had declared themselves an empire in the far-off city of desires and the next moment had taken control of the entire Atlas Desert.
They swiftly evacuated the royalty from the crumbling Spada, and then dramatically reclaimed Avalon.
By the time one realized it, they had intervened in both Fahren and Rune.
And after defeating Misa in Varna, they rapidly reclaimed Adamantoria… and now, they were leisurely pushing through the Great Grassland of Parthia.
Witnessing the Elroad Empire’s rapid expansion through a series of victories, no one could laugh it off as just a rising nation anymore. The Elroad Empire certainly boasted the largest territory on the Pandora continent at this point.
“In the face of the threat from the Demon King’s army, we have not merely gathered numbers.”
“I see, so that is what you mean by ‘airship.'”
“If you would like, would you care to take a ride?”
“Yeah, I’ve been curious about what the ride feels like.”
“Then let us show you our proud latest weapon from above.”
On the day Lucrom joined the fray, the soldiers of the Great Expedition Army looked up at the sky and cheered.
The aerial fortress that fell with Misa in Varna was making far more soldiers anxious and agitated than Nero had anticipated.
The Apostles who had been granted God’s power and the legacy of an ancient magical civilization had both met their defeat. Now they had to face the Demon King, who specialized in killing Apostles, and the Empire’s proud sky battleships all on their own. Even without the concept of air superiority, the threat from the floating battleships could be understood by the lowly soldier.
Yet, more than anything, it was demonstrated clearly before them that the lost flying ships had revived. Lucrom arrived riding a ship that literally flew; that is to say, an “airship.”
“—How is it? The ride of our flagship, Saint Paula?”
“It’s far worse than Peaceful Heart.”
“I cannot deny that compared to a real ancient weapon, it is lacking.”
Nero’s disinterested gaze drifted out the window, as if he felt no excitement at flying anymore. Lucrom shrugged and smiled wryly.
“But You Majesty Nero must understand. This airship has been entirely created using modern magical technology. In other words, it can be mass-produced.”
“So that’s why you went ahead and made them in droves.”
“The enemy’s aerial strength is formidable. We must first gather a sufficient number to compete; otherwise, we stand no chance.”
Indeed, the airships now flying over Babylonica were not just Saint Paula. A dozen or so smaller, early mass-produced combat airships were following closely behind.
“As you can see, the airship possesses stable flying ability and can be sufficiently armed.”
“I don’t see how this big paper balloon could be that reliable.”
The airship’s structure was similar to what Chrono knew of from Earth. It floated by utilizing a gigantic gas bag, propelled by a power source and controlled by tail fins. As Nero had called it a paper balloon, the principle itself was simple.
However, the decisive difference from Earth’s airships was that magical technology was utilized in various places. The most notable was the gas used to obtain lift. Instead of non-flammable helium, the white balloon of Saint Paula was filled with wind attribute spirits.
Typically, airships gain buoyancy from gases like hydrogen or helium, which are lighter than air. Thus, if the ship becomes heavier than its buoyancy, it cannot fly, and even barely afloat, it cannot achieve sufficient flying capability due to physical constraints.
However, lower-ranking elementals, when summoned, are already in a state of floating. Appearing in a levitated state is a common characteristic of magical creatures that do not possess physical bodies, meaning they have buoyancy from the moment they manifest.
From there, they can freely swim through the air, indicating they have both buoyancy and propulsion.
They can rise and fall, and move freely. The elemental alone surpasses helium gas in becoming a flying power for the airship. Among them, the choice of a wind attribute—closer to air—was only natural.
Furthermore, depending on the skill of the magician, the power of the wind spirits they command can vary. Even a mediocre magician can ensure a design that withstands flight. With a larger mage contingent or higher-ranking magicians, the limits of buoyancy and speed would be raised.
Naturally, multiple excellent magicians are assigned for operations aboard the flagship Saint Paula, which allows it to maneuver a much larger vessel than others.
“Moreover, it literally has paper armor. Without cannons, will a single fireball not spell its end?”
“Rest assured, it is not merely a balloon. The balloon is merely a partition to prevent the dispersion of the elemental power for propulsion. A few holes wouldn’t be a significant issue.”
The structure of a gas bag has an obvious absolute fragility. Even a child could guess what would happen if this massive balloon were to be pricked with a needle.
However, since buoyancy is substituted with spirits, as long as the magician maintains control, the gas bag will not immediately lose its fill at the mere opening of a hole or slight rip.
There is also an altar set up for controlling elemental buoyancy. A skilled wind magician would likely be able to pilot the ship for at least the time needed for an emergency landing, even if most of the gas bag were lost.
Thus, the parts of the airship that need protection become the vessel itself, where personnel are stationed.
“Of course, as the opponent consists of sky battleships and dragon knight corps, we also have appropriate defenses installed. This Saint Paula is equipped with a sanctum barrier device crafted by the Holy Woman—if you wish, you may express your gratitude to Saint Linfeldt afterward.”
“Really, you all make use of that woman too shamelessly.”
“Thanks to the mercy of the Holy Woman, many lives have been saved. This is truly the embodiment of divine protection, I believe.”
“I don’t need such insincere flattery. She’s a practical woman, so you better purchase her services at a high price.”
Saint Linfeldt, who possessed the powerful primordial magic known as the “Sanctum Barrier.”
After riding the dubious priest Gregory’s coattails to cooperate with the Aria Monastery, she had begun developing the barrier device needed to activate the Sanctum Barrier… or rather, she was made to do so.
The results became the wide-area sanctum barrier that protected Avalon Royal Castle and the barrier enveloping the palace of Peaceful Heart.
Through the Aria Monastery, a number of sanctum barrier devices were traded with the Crusaders based on core parts that could only be generated by infusing Linfeldt’s power. She reaped immense profits from this, while the Crusaders obtained an absolute defense capability.
One of these devices was also mounted on this Saint Paula.
“Defense will be by the barriers of our Crusaders’ priests, and similarly, offense will be through light attribute weaponry… Ah, just in time. Please look below.”
Rising smoothly, Lucrom stood and guided Nero to the window.
“That is—Taurus, right?”
Gazing silently out the window, a familiar silhouette greeted them.
A bulky giant humanoid weapon: the heavy machinery known as “Taurus.” One of the ancient weapons that had exhibited the ability to demolish solid castle walls during the Fifth Galahad War.
“No, this is also a new weapon we have created, the armored giant ‘Grigore.'”
Indeed, upon closer inspection, the stout iron-colored giant was covered in bright white armor, and its silhouette was slightly different. Though it appeared to be a head shorter than Taurus, it still remained immense enough to be called a giant.
“It seems the operational test for the Grigore squad is about to commence.”
Looking down from above, the glowing blue-white magic circle drawn on the ground was quite evident.
With the first Grigore appearing, two circular summoning circles floated up beside it, slowly bringing forth its white giant form.
With a total of five Grigore, they began advancing, creating tremors in the ground.
“Is that all there is?”
“Only this much, for now.”
Lucrom’s evasive tone left Nero with no intent to pursue further. He didn’t want to give the impression that he was relying on them.
Even if it didn’t reach the level of a real ancient weapon like Taurus, having at least five operational units would still yield considerable effectiveness. While they might be powerless against the sky battleships, in ground combat, moving giant humanoids alone were powerful weapons. No matter how many guns the Empire Army gathered, they could not pierce through Grigore’s heavy armor.
“I’ve heard that Taurus was originally called heavy machinery meant for work. It’s said that the equipment used to break the great walls of Galahad Fortress was for excavation.”
“Even the ancient shovels have become powerful weapons in modern times.”
“Yes, its overall performance still falls short… However, because it was crafted as a weapon in the present day, Grigore has been armed!”
“That’s quite a lot of confidence.”
“You’ll soon see its unveiling.”
Then, after performing simple squad movements of advancing and turning, Grigore came to a complete stop, aligning perfectly in a single file.
Like Taurus, its large cyclops-like eye lens focused on the desolate tent remnants left beyond the grassland.
These dwellings were the remnants of a small group that had fled without even being able to bring along their mobile homes due to the invasion of the Great Expedition Army. Countless such tent remnants remained around Babylonica, and they were not rare.
Thus, they served just right as targets for test firing.
“It begins.”
Even without Lucrom’s words, Nero’s enhanced sixth sense, now that he had become an Apostle, could detect the activation of the ether within Grigore.
This soon led to a change immediately recognizable to the visual senses. The enormous lens eyes staring at the tent remnants began to shine, gradually enhancing their blue-white glow.
Then, just as the brilliance was about to reach a blinding level, the next moment,
Kyuoooon――――
With a high-pitched sound reverberating across the grasslands, pale blue flashes raced through the air.
Five beams of light released from the five Grigore sliced through the tent remnants, resulting in a massive explosion.
“What do you think? This is an ether cannon powered by white magic.”
“I see… If you’ve managed to practicalize something like this, it seems you’re becoming quite overconfident.”
“Ether power has been researched for years, but it has only just recently reached practical application. Moreover, once the foundation for such technology is established, development occurs rapidly—this ether cannon will surely become the standard for magical weaponry for the Crusaders in the future.”
The ground directly hit darkened with charred marks, and fiery streaks surged here and there from the searing heat.
Naturally, the tent remnants had vanished without a trace. Even if they had been made of stone rather than cloth, the result would have been the same.
“You’ve mounted that on this airship as well?”
“Yes, we have three ether cannons equipped as the main artillery. Additionally, we have a variant that employs the same principle, known as ‘machine guns’ as the Empire Army calls them. That type also serves as a key air defense weapon, with many prepared.”
Compared to a real sky battleship, its specs might not be called state of the art, but with modern magical technology alone, they had managed to create an aerial force that could stand as a comparative response to sky battleships. The significance of this was enormous.
For the Crusaders, aerial strength was no longer a precious, unique item relying entirely on ancient legacies. It had become a modern weapon, capable of mass production.
“Also, we have equipped foot soldiers with gear based on ether technology. This is the magical gun ‘Blaster.'”
Upon Lucrom’s signal, a subordinate priest respectfully placed a Blaster on the table.
Its appearance was similar to the rifles used by the Empire Army foot soldiers. There were slight differences in size, grip, and stock shape, but fundamentally, it was the same shape. The design required for a human to aim and shoot must have naturally led to a similar conclusion.
If one were to highlight a significant difference, it would be that the metal forming the barrel and receiver was bright white. And instead of loading bullets, it utilized ether batteries.
“It’s like a degraded version of what was on the armored suit.”
“Indeed, since armored knights are elite warriors endowed with magical talent, they can handle more powerful armaments. This Blaster is designed to be the basic equipment usable even by low-ranking soldiers who can only wield spears.”
“Is this a mere imitation of the Empire Army?”
“We must also equip equivalent weapons to contest. The wars to come will revolve around shootouts, where bullets and magical shots will fly, replacing spears and bows.”
Thanks to astonishing technological prowess, the Empire Army was the first to adopt and assemble firearms, allowing even regular soldiers to gain the ability to annihilate opponents with overwhelming firepower and range.
While the powerful monsters among the officers, including the Demon King and the Apostles, were feared, the first thing to be cautious of was the clear equipment disparity even on a single unremarkable soldier—such was Arus’s belief, which Lucrom shared.
“This decisive battle might serve as a turning point in how wars are conducted.”
“…That’s odd.”
Lucrom merely responded with a smile to Nero’s sharp, penetrating gaze.
“Is something amiss?”
“I think it’s quite convenient that at this very moment when we are supposed to face the Demon King’s army in a decisive battle, all these new weapons seem to appear in droves. It’s almost as if it were planned.”
“The achievements of our excellent researchers are the result of ongoing efforts. When faced with a formidable Demon King’s army, we do not hesitate to allocate funding, and we push for military expansion even at a pinch.”
There’s nothing strange about it. Lucrom confidently asserted that everything was the result of their own efforts.
In the face of such an attitude, Nero’s gaze hardened even further.
“Was it ‘White of Sacred’—who are those guys?”
Nero knew that all these inventions relying on ether magical technology had been developed by the organization known as “White of Sacred.”
It seemed conceivable that the practicalization of Taurus could be one miraculous achievement from an ancient magic research organization in a big nation, but… the situation of all these inventions popping up just when they were needed invariably felt wrong.
It was as if they were maintaining the balance of military power themselves, ensuring that neither side lost their equilibrium.
“Is this really all the technology they’ve replicated? Haven’t they already unraveled ancient magic long ago?”
“Well, who knows… ‘White of Sacred’ is an independent research organization of the Crusaders, so it’s not something that Archbishop Arus can command. Therefore, they will likely keep most of their cutting-edge research a secret.”
In effect, they directly stated they had no relation to it.
Lucrom merely argued the formal relationship that “White of Sacred” had been selflessly providing their research results to the Crusaders.
He had no intention of divulging any secrets. Perhaps Lucrom didn’t know the secrets harbored by “White of Sacred” either.
“If you’re interested, I can introduce you to the head of “White of Sacred,” Bishop Judas. Should I write a note for you right here?”
It was a statement that seemed to loudly proclaim that there were no secrets.
However, Nero simply shook his head, ultimately diverting his suspicious gaze.
“…No, that’s enough. If you wish to collaborate, I will accept it. You’ve brought all these proud new weapons, so do your best to make them useful.”