In the fifth layer of the Great Maze of Pandemonium, the hall where the Original Monolith, the heart of this place, resides doubles as the “Queen’s Room,” which is both the throne room of Lily and the office where she handles her daily official duties.
Originally meant to display the king’s magnificence, within the fairy clan, there is no need for treasures or artistic architecture. The only embellishments here are the beautiful colors of the flowers. The innocent playfulness of the fairies is what truly represents their prosperity.
As she lay lazily on her white lily throne, Young Girl Lily absentmindedly watched the festive celebration of the fairies.
Just as the empire was buzzing with the victory of the war against Nero, the fairies here were also celebrating. In particular, the fairies who had participated in the Battle of Re and the subsequent retrieval of Nevan had returned and were joining in the festivities.
Normally, the room is illuminated by gentle spring sunlight, but at this moment, unnecessary glaring lights were shining everywhere, and upbeat, high-tempo music recently trending in Pandemonium was blaring loudly.
“Woo, yeah!”
“Let’s get hyped!”
“Yay!”
“Hey, bring more honey and nuts!”
“Hehe, do you have Arcadian nuts? Give them to me…”
They sang loudly, danced wildly, gulped down honey like a substitute for alcohol, and devoured sweets brought in from various places. In particular, the Arcadian nuts offered from the settlement of Varna were popular, and as soon as the squirrel beastman who brought the tribute appeared, the fairies clustered around him like thieves.
Amid this lawless party, driven by pure innocence, Lily let out a deep sigh.
“Haa… really, without Chrono, nothing is interesting.”
She had already finished the urgency of her work right after the war. Even without constantly issuing commands from the throne, the congressmen from Karamala, whose balance of brainwashing and political ability had effectively settled, were managing the governance of the empire.
Representatives from the absorbed countries were also elected to the congress, and as the territory expanded, the number of congressmen increased. However, more than half were maintained to be from those under Lily’s brainwashing, creating a de facto dictatorship.
However, governing the overly vast empire uniformly proved challenging. Generally, they continued to use the previous rulers as is, striving for minimal changes in the lives of the citizens of various nations.
Although the empire’s army was engaged in continuous battles, they were far from the situation of a terminal war where they had to conscript from everywhere, thanks to their ongoing victories.
As long as sufficient taxes and manpower were contributed to the empire, Lily had no need to meddle in the governance of the countries. It would only serve to complicate things for her.
For this reason, she gradually reduced her own bureaucratic burden by delegating basic governance to the congress and the governors. Now, her responsibilities were limited to mere oversight and minor adjustments.
Thanks to this arrangement, Lily was finally able to regain enough leisure to relax… but she found it difficult to genuinely join in the ruckus unfolding before her.
“Aah, I wish Chrono would come back from Rune soon.”
She had already heard about the little commotion in Rune.
Although it was merely a vacation, it was vexing how Chrono got dragged into a life-and-death crisis for the nation. Moreover, she felt a complicated mix of emotions over how, in just a day or two, Princess Fanako managed to capture Chrono’s heart.
While she herself had to struggle to be with him, Lily couldn’t escape feelings similar to those of Nel.
However, welcoming a new fiancé from Rune had been almost a predetermined course. Rune was not a nation the empire had absorbed, but a still-independent and equal ally.
With the retrieval of Spada still looming, their relationship with Rune must be solidified further. A political marriage was the most reliable means to achieve that.
Even so, convincing herself of this did nothing to assuage the loneliness of Chrono’s absence. Rather, it only intensified her feelings. Day by day, Lily became more aware of the frustration swelling within her.
“If you are that troubled, why not just head to Rune?”
“I’m entrusted with the empire and remain here. If I go off to play, Chrono won’t feel at ease.”
“If you show your face, His Majesty the Demon King would surely be delighted.”
“That’s precisely the reason. I don’t want to rely on Chrono’s goodwill right now.”
Despite the overflowing dissatisfaction that spilled from Lily, her advisor, fairy Karen, could not help but suggest such advice, but Lily was partly stubborn about it.
At this stage, to claim that she couldn’t bear the loneliness and thus couldn’t stay behind was unthinkable.
Given that she had endured times much longer separated from Chrono, if she did not display some degree of patience in this situation, she could only imagine what Fiona and Nel might say.
“Well then, wouldn’t it be better for you to blow off some steam?”
“Hmmm, is there anything that could distract me?”
“The requests for exercises have been coming in from various places.”
As Karen fluttered her wings, holographic screens began to line up before Lily.
“‘First Assault Brigade,’ ‘Chaos Knights,’ ‘Imperial Dragon Knights,’ ‘Giant Beast Corps’—most of our main forces are here.”
They wished to conduct comprehensive and practical exercises before the retrieval of Spada, ensuring preparedness. This was a facade; it seemed that the Battle of Re had laid bare each faction’s strengths and weaknesses, prompting a conscious desire to know which unit was the strongest.
“Isn’t it obvious that the black dragon of Laguna is the strongest?”
“They are still undergoing treatment, so they cannot participate in the exercises.”
Having faced the white dragon in earnest, Belkrosen had suffered significant losses.
As a result, she was currently in recovery at the Shrine of Fire in Avalon Royal Castle, spending time gazing up at the sky while absentmindedly murmuring, “Haa… this tea tastes good…”
Although not to Belkrosen’s extent, Duke Vincent of the Black Dragon, along with Dukes Dalianis and Granart, were also back in Laguna focusing on their recovery.
“Since they had decisive victories in both Re and Nevan, many feel they still haven’t had enough of a fight.”
“Truly, it’s their dissatisfaction—still, with the large-scale exercise equipment recently completed, it might be a good opportunity.”
Lily convinced herself that this was indeed important work and decided to partake in Karen’s invitation.
One day, Lily declared, “We’re going to have exercises! Everyone, come!”
The following day, everyone exclaimed, “They say there’s going to be a competition to determine the strongest in the Imperial Army!”
With a call from Queen Lily herself, many who prided themselves in the Imperial Army stepped forward, each eager to showcase their heroic names.
On the day of the decisive battle, they gathered, brimming with combat readiness, as if preparing for real warfare.
The venue was the outskirts of Pandemonium, a training ground used for testing new weapons. The vast location was a true desert landscape, with sandy ground and rough terrains stretching across rolling dunes and scattered rocky hills.
From an overall perspective, it was an open battlefield in plain sight.
“Good morning! I’m the Imperial Army spokesperson, Elina Maitrix. Look, the main forces of the Imperial Army are gathering here at the Great Exercise Field, just like at the Battle of Re!”
Since military secrets did not include new weapons in development this time around, it was announced as a grand event.
Karamala, being the holy land of idol culture leading the continent, offered ample entertainment options, yet battle-related spectacles such as gladiatorial events were considerably weak.
Among the countries absorbed by the empire, preferences leaned more toward thrilling life-and-death combat rather than flashy song and dance spectacles.
Thus, Elina proposed the idea as part of the empire’s public relations, and Lily approved with a casual, “Sounds good.”
Thanks to Elina, who constantly conducted frontline reports, realistic information about the ongoing war flowed through the empire. Coverage was provided the day after battles ended.
However, footage of battles in the midst of fighting could never be approved due to military operations.
In other words, how the elite of the empire performed during combat remained unknown to many of its citizens.
That’s precisely why Elina emphasized the importance of showcasing the strength of the Imperial Army, which Lily vaguely listened to.
Consequently, Elina successfully promoted the competition to determine the strongest Imperial Army, also known as the comprehensive exercises.
This announcement piqued interest throughout the empire. In Pandemonium’s vision, each broadcasting station aired special programs inviting experts, active Imperial soldiers, charismatic idols, and comedians, while Elina’s state-run broadcasts were reflected on monoliths across the empire.
The anticipation of witnessing a tremendous battle turned the entire empire into a festive atmosphere.
“The scene is currently engulfed in a tremendous excitement!”
“Are you all ready!?”
“Wooooo!”
“So hot…”
Elina visited each base to introduce the main military factions and seek pre-battle comments.
First up was, as expected, the First Assault Brigade, known for its remarkable feats within the Imperial Army.
“This is Captain Kai, the current head of the Galblaze family, one of the four noble houses of Spada.”
“Oh, it’s the girl from the reception.”
“Ufu, that’s an old story.”
Originally, Elina had worked in the guild of the Spada academy district, where she had some acquaintance with Kai, who was a student adventurer back then. Although she did not handle “Wingroad,” she at least remembered his face.
“What’s your enthusiasm for this event?”
“That’s obvious! We’re the strongest!”
“Woooh! Cool captain!”
“They really don’t mature at all…”
With a bold declaration of being the strongest, the brigade’s muscle-headed members cheered loudly, while the intelligent mage duo, Ursula and Charlotte (self-proclaimed), looked on with cold expressions at Kai, who had not changed at all since their student days.
“Next, we introduce the ‘Chaos Knights,’ composed of high-ranking adventurers from Karamala.”
“I am Zenongart Xanadu, the leader of the Chaos Knights.”
Not to be outdone by the First Assault Brigade, the formerly reckless former adventurers in the “Chaos Knights” bristled with fighting spirit.
They had mainly focused on defending their main camp in the Battle of Re and had painfully lost the prime opportunity to showcase their prowess during the retrieval of Nevan, leading to simmering frustrations among them.
“We’re the strongest in Karamala. We cannot lose in this Atlas Desert!”
“Fufu, let’s do our best, Zen-kun.”
Naturally, Zenongart, accompanied by his harem members, drew resentment from the men of the empire, but the introduction continued.
“Next is the ‘Giant Beast Corps,’ representing the woodland sea of Varna.”
“Huuh, grrroooowl…”
Even before the 3-meter tall lizardman captain let out a fierce growl, Elina’s smile never wavered. If she were to be shaken by this, she could not fulfill her duties as a frontline reporter.
“We will demonstrate our strength. That is all.”
“Yeah, yeah! YEAH!”
Despite being flanked by the intense lizardman commander, whose aura exuded that of a dragon, Elina remained undeterred and continued the broadcast.
“Oh ho ho! I’m delighted to see you again, Eliza-san!”
“Yes, Commander Christina of the Imperial Dragon Knights is as poised and graceful as ever.”
She was very easy to converse with, a character stereotypical of a noble lady that the commoners imagined, and famed for her charm. Elina seriously thought Christina should reconsider a career as a talent.
“It is said that the ‘Imperial Dragon Knights’ dominates the sky and are one of the favorites to win.”
“No, no, that’s not necessarily the case. Even in the absence of Laguna’s black dragon legion… the empire boasts many elite forces in the air.”
Besides the ‘Imperial Dragon Knights,’ the rival competitors included Beldoria’s ‘Dragon Knight Training Corps,’ who had brought newly tamed salamanders, led by their commander Rashid, with a large number of the trained dragon knights.
Moreover, although smaller in number, Fahren’s ‘Winged Beast Knights’ had joined as well, known for their adept handling of spirit magic.
They would cooperate with the Druid forces on the ground, headed by High Priest Brigit, thus raising the likelihood of overwhelming traditional aerial tactics.
“However, to best that is precisely the role of the ‘Imperial Dragon Knights!’”
While Elina continued introducing the factions, the commencement time for the great exercises drew near.
Elina returned to the main camp with the viewing area where Queen Lily sat, where a 3D map of the exercise field was projected, with each military faction placed as pieces on the hologram, and began explaining the large-scale exercise.
“This grand exercise will follow a deathmatch rule.”
The simple rule of defeating all enemies, with the last remaining military faction declared the winner.
Each faction had infantry units added to balance numbers and combat power. With infantry, archers, mages, and cavalry, all military classes were arranged, leaving tactical decisions to the leaders on whether to coordinate with these normal units or use them as decoys or pawns.
“While the situation will be an encounter battle, it is a field with a clear view, so once they begin moving, they should quickly recognize each other’s positions.”
The initial placements would obscure the surrounding enemies, but as soon as they climbed one of the dunes, visibility would open up, allowing any military faction to be spotted.
With that knowledge, they must decide whether to engage, hold back, or establish defensive positions at that moment. These decisions were all up to their commanders’ tactical judgments.
“Moreover, this is merely an exercise, so for safety’s sake, all weapons will be equipped with ‘Phantom Devices.’”
These were sophisticated counterfeits with no attacking power employed as practice magical tools. They were relatively expensive and advanced, so one would typically only encounter them at prestigious academies.
To enable practical exercises, large quantities of a simplified version called ‘Extended Phantom Device’ were developed using ancient relics.
In other words, entire military units could collectively equip ‘Phantom Devices’ as part of their gear. This way, they could conduct risk-free practical training while demonstrating their full capabilities.
“However, any combat resulting in instant death is strictly prohibited. Exercise caution during hand-to-hand combat.”
Furthermore, martial arts capable of destroying the body with bare hands, like Nel’s ancient-style jujutsu, also existed. Additionally, some species, such as beastmen and lizardmen, came with innate claws and fangs as weapons. As the ‘Phantom Devices’ do not function on living flesh, killing techniques with bare hands were vehemently barred.
Although not made public, ‘Dimensional Magic’ was also prohibited. As a rare magic capable of countering the Apostles, it was critical to avoid any information leaks. Moreover, from a broadcasting standpoint, such spells were troublesome as they couldn’t be captured on camera.
“Now, the great exercises are about to begin… Ah, what’s that?!”
Just as the deployment of each faction was completed and the battle gong was about to sound, a resounding noise echoed, louder than the signal to commence.
KwooooOOOOOOOOOooooo—
A dreadful mechanical sound reverberated across the clear blue sky as a crimson shooting star streaked through the air.
Soaring at such speed and three-dimensional trajectory that even the flying dragons were left behind, it plummeted straight down toward the heart of the grand exercise field.
“I’m joining in too. Nice to meet you.”
“Queen Lily has descended!”
Those who had only ever known the fairy queen through broadcasts, seeing her adorable young girl form dancing joyfully, now witnessed her battle form for the first time.
Her arms and legs stretched out, transforming into a beautiful girl as she stood elegantly atop a star-shaped ancient weapon, exuding an overwhelming grace that made those watching feel compelled to kneel even through screens.
“Oh my, is this for real…?”
“That’s a forbidden technique…”
“Ugh…”
“Oh dear, the nightmare of aerial exercises again…”
Kai was reminded of his past when he lost both arms and had his insides burst, having been defeated.
Zenongart, too, recalled the bitter memory of an embarrassing defeat in the Inheritance Race.
Though he had never faced her, the beast warriors of Varna trembled with an instinctual fear reminiscent of a comet of doom.
And the dragon knights, including Christina, remembered being utterly wiped out while facing Lily equipped with ‘Venus’ during aerial exercises.
Even members of the Imperial Army’s elite, who could boldly claim they would punch any Apostles in the face, hesitated when confronted with Lily in her full might. The experience of having been overpowered by sheer strength, or knowing the combat capabilities that led to an inevitable defeat, weighed heavily upon them.
However, although they wrestled with these feelings of despair, they also found the courage to take a step forward to challenge her once again.
Before they could rally themselves to face Lily high up in the sky, another booming sound echoed across the air.
DooOOOOOOOOOOOooo—
What was happening? Even Lily raised her gaze in astonishment.
Before her eyes, a gigantic explosion of crimson rose up, as if to stain the clear blue sky. It resembled a new type of shell bursting, but amidst that fiery blast, a fireball blazing brightly shot through the air.
Much like Lily did moments ago, it flew like a burning meteor and descended directly above the queen.
“—Fiona.”
In disbelief, Lily whispered the name of someone floating insolently above her.
“Lily, would you like to have a match after such a long time?”
Drawing upon her newly attained demonic powers, Fiona’s appearance suggested nothing less than genuine seriousness.
Since they had fought to the death over Chrono… no, the Fiona of now was displaying even greater strength than at that time.
“Fufu, ahahaha! I never expected that you’d be able to fly too!!”
“Fufun, what do you think? I practiced in Rune.”
With a devilish appearance, Fiona wore a proud expression like a child, as she spread out wings of flame across her back.
“They’re called ‘Phoenix Wings.’ It seems like it was my mother’s specialty.”
The mad witch, Namiaria, flew freely with flame-laden wings. Her ability to crash a wedding under strict security to snatch her groom was because of that skill.
Fiona had mastered this flight magic, inherited from her mother, while dragging her crying sister along and daringly teasing the phoenix.
Honestly, she thought it was not a magic particularly suited for her. Yet, the sheer exhilaration of being able to fly of her own volition filled her with joy.
While she claimed to be searching for magic, Fiona was now approaching a truth lost to time—perhaps her mother had simply wanted to soar higher when she received these wings.
That same mother, Namiaria, skillfully manipulated her fiery wings using innate control and calculation, but Fiona, who lacked that controlling capability, utilized the power of the phoenix to achieve delicate aerodynamic control necessary for flight. The rest relied on raw power.
By compensating for her own weaknesses, she had stepped into the domain of the sky, finally confronting her greatest rival. Under the blazing sun’s glare, Lily looked up at Fiona.
“Ah, you received quite a wonderful gift.”
“Yes, thanks to it, I can finally challenge you in the skies, Lily.”
Their gazes crossed, one looking down from above while the other looked up at the ruler of the skies. The pressure between them felt as if it could erupt at any moment.
“I always thought that one day like this might come, but…”
Lily never imagined it would arrive so quickly.
Indeed, Fiona was her greatest rival. With her smile deepening, Lily prepared to meet the challenge with all her might.
“Fufu, I won’t lose—‘Lucefer’ reverse activation complete.”
Thus began the aerial showdown between the fairy with radiant wings of light and the devil with wings of flame.
Through this comprehensive exercise, the Imperial Army would learn one crucial lesson: aerial bombardment is truly terrifying.