The Seremuse Plain, Bestia Imperial Army camp.
Deep within a tent at the rear of the camp, a man sat in his chair, a faint smile on his lips as he studied the map spread before him.
He had lustrous black hair that reached down his back. His features were so perfectly refined that any observer might have mistaken him for a woman, but his eyes held a fierce, unrelenting resolve—an intensity that suggested even the total annihilation of his enemies would not be enough to satisfy him. Scarcely anyone who met that gaze would dare to underestimate him; it carried an unfathomable weight of authority and inspired a primal dread in all who beheld it.
Because the Seremuse Plain had been a theater of war between the Bestia Empire and the Kingdom of Mireana for generations, both armies possessed highly detailed topographical maps of the region.
However, the map before this man was unique. It was a masterpiece he had commissioned through secret channels, and he judged it to be perhaps the most detailed chart of the Seremuse Plain in existence.
His eyes were currently fixed not on the center of the plain—the expected site of the primary engagement—but rather on a region situated closer to the Kingdom of Mireana’s side.
"How are the preparations?"
At the man’s murmur, a woman in her mid-twenties standing at his side responded instantly.
"Sir. The teleportation circle is fully prepared and ready for activation. Upon Your Excellency’s command, we can teleport behind the Kingdom of Mireana Army and launch a surprise attack at any time."
"There are no issues with its concealment, I assume?"
"Gilgos is on standby at the site of the circle, so there should be no problems."
The man’s smile deepened at his lieutenant’s cool, efficient explanation.
Normally, given his handsome features, such a smile would be described as graceful. Yet, the expression he wore now possessed a chilling intensity that could freeze one's blood.
"I see. With Gilgos there, the chance of the Kingdom of Mireana’s scouts discovering the teleportation circle is slim. And the time?"
The woman withdrew a watch from her breast pocket to check the hour.
While such watches were normally expensive magic items, the Bestia Empire’s rapid advancements in alchemy had successfully driven down production costs to the point where they were standard equipment for military officers.
"Assuming everything proceeds on schedule, it is approximately twenty minutes until the start of hostilities."
"Very well. Then it should take less than an hour to extinguish the life of the Kingdom of Mireana Army."
"That is assuming our calculations hold. Our intelligence confirms the presence of Filma Dezil—known as Duke Kerebel’s right hand—alongside the Princess General Elena Kerebel. We have also verified Daskar Larkus, the central figure of the Neutral Faction and a man renowned as a fierce general. Nearly every prominent figure from both the Noble's Faction and the Neutral Faction is accounted for."
The man’s faint smile remained as he listened to the report.
However, it was not the ferocious grin of someone anticipating a clash with powerful rivals. It was, if anything, a smile of pity.
"The Noble's Faction and the Neutral Faction have clearly realized that we are in earnest this time. The strength they’ve mustered makes that much evident. But they are the only two factions that understand the stakes, aren't they? The King’s Faction, which constitutes the majority of their strength, remains oblivious."
"Indeed. It appears Count Alius is the Supreme Commander of the Kingdom of Mireana Army."
"Count Alius... A sensible choice for a leader. Provided, of course, that one assumes this war is just like all the others."
A cynical smile played across his handsome face.
"It is exactly as you say, Lord Theoreme," the woman replied. "To them, this is merely another border skirmish of the sort that breaks out every few years. The selection of the Supreme Commander makes it obvious that the King’s Faction is operating with that limited level of awareness."
As if influenced by her master, the woman also wore a smile. However, it was far from what most would call a warm expression; it was a frigid look that sent a shiver through anyone who saw it. As the lieutenant of the man known as 'Flash,' the quality of her smile mirrored his own.
"It seems our infiltration and misinformation worked well. The toll on our Shadows was heavy, but the results are more than worth it."
"On that note... I heard the Ministry of Magic had several complaints for Lord Theoreme regarding the death of that skilled alchemist."
"Ah, the matter of Postgera. He was certainly a talented alchemist, but if he had been captured by the Kingdom of Mireana, he would have become a threat to us. Regardless of his skill, Postgera was far too honest when it came to his own curiosity. Had the Mireana side offered him a superior research facility, he likely would have defected without a second thought."
Siance frowned slightly at Theoreme’s explanation.
"I appreciate that alchemy is advancing, but why is it that almost none of the alchemists possess a stable personality?"
"Is that so? Perhaps you’re right, but if they possessed 'normal' personalities—conventional thoughts and standard tastes—our empire’s alchemy would never have developed to this degree. Besides... do you truly believe a man of common sense could tolerate the existence of Beast Soldiers?"
Siance had no answer for that.
The Beast Soldiers were the Bestia Empire's secret weapon. Their combat performance was staggering; while not quite enough to face a thousand men alone, a single one possessed the power of thirty regular soldiers. However, that power came at a terrible cost. Very few subjects could survive the procedure to become a Beast Soldier, and even those who did lost their humanity, their human form, and often their very sanity.
A man of common sense or ethics would never condone such a project. Consequently, few alchemists in the Bestia Empire possessed any shred of traditional morality. After all, the empire had built its strength by offering asylum to the very alchemists who had been exiled from the Magic City Ozos for illegal and unethical research.
"Setting that aside... has he been found?"
Theoreme’s sudden shift in topic took Siance a second to process, but she quickly realized who he meant.
"You mean the adventurer Rei? The one who has repeatedly interfered with our operations around the City of Gilm."
"Precisely. While I haven't confirmed Rei's personal combat prowess, his immense magic power is undeniable. Furthermore, he is accompanied by a Gryphon—an A-Rank monster. To be frank, the Gryphon is a higher priority threat than the boy himself."
Theoreme recalled the image of the Gryphon he had seen during the final phase of his operation in the City of Abuelo.
Even from a distance of over five kilometers, while he was hidden in the pitch black of night, the monster had instinctively sensed his presence. It was the first time Theoreme had seen a Gryphon in person, and the realization that an A-Rank monster possessed such sharp instincts had been etched into his mind.
Siance, who had only heard the reports and had not witnessed the creature herself, tilted her head in doubt.
"Lord Theoreme, I don't doubt your assessment that he's a dangerous foe, but in the end, it is merely a tamed monster. If we suppress the master, won't the Gryphon be neutralized as well?"
"I suspect it won't be that simple. As I said, he possesses such a massive amount of mana that he can be detected from over five kilometers away. In a head-on fight... well, I am uncertain if I could win. Even if everything went perfectly, my chances of victory would barely reach thirty percent."
"Lord Theoreme... surely that is a poor joke? For the Bestia Empire’s Invincible General, the one known as the Flash, to suggest there is an opponent he cannot defeat..."
Siance looked at her superior, half-expecting to see a mischievous glint in his eye, but she quickly realized Theoreme was not smiling at all.
"You are... serious?"
"Do I look like I’m joking? I might indulge in a jest on occasion, but I have no intention of doing so when discussing serious military matters."
"I find it hard to believe... that there is an opponent you couldn't defeat even if you fought with everything you had."
The usually unflappable Siance stared at Theoreme in genuine shock.
Yet, despite having just admitted he would likely lose a duel, Theoreme remained as calm as ever. If anything, a faint, confident smile played about his lips.
"Lord Theoreme? If you truly think you can't win, why do you look so composed?"
Theoreme shook his head slightly at his lieutenant’s question.
"What does it matter if I can’t defeat him in a duel? If I cannot win a direct fight, I simply shouldn’t fight him directly. The goal is to ensure that Rei and his Gryphon are not allowed to act freely on the battlefield. Fortunately, the King's Faction, which commands the largest number of Dragon Knights, has only brought a handful of them to this fight. The Noble's Faction has a larger contingent, but we still hold the numerical advantage in aerial units. We will simply use our Dragon Knights to pin Rei down."
Siance looked convinced, though she still let out a disappointed sigh.
"I suppose that is our only option for now. If we had more Dragon Knights available to maneuver, the battle would proceed much more smoothly, but..."
"It cannot be helped. Greed is a dangerous thing in war. We should be satisfied if we can neutralize an outlier like Rei. If we can achieve our goals without unnecessary casualties, that is for the best."
"It really is a pity that none of the Beast Soldiers can fly. According to our intelligence from the City of Gilm, the Beast Soldiers were able to fight Rei on more or less equal terms."
"For some reason, using magic stones from flying monsters in the procedures has a high failure rate. Even when the subject survives, they prove unable to fly. The upper management gave up on flying Beast Soldiers early on, though the alchemists seem to find the failure fascinating enough to continue their research regardless."
"Personally, I find the Beast Soldiers distasteful..."
At his lieutenant’s admission, Theoreme gave a small shake of his head.
"The Bestia Empire is certainly the strongest nation in this region, but we aren't so powerful that we can afford to ignore our rivals. Our repeated losses to the Kingdom of Mireana on the Seremuse Plain prove that, don't they?"
"...You are right. My apologies. That was merely personal sentiment."
As a citizen of the empire, a soldier, and a woman, Siance had her reservations about the Beast Soldiers. But she was far too intelligent to ignore their overwhelming combat utility. That pragmatism was exactly why she served as the lieutenant to the man known as the Flash.
Seeing her expression, Theoreme offered a word of consolation.
"Once we secure the sea, the empire’s national power will rise significantly. When that happens, perhaps we will have the luxury of choosing our methods based on our likes and dislikes. Besides, Lord Mercurio also shares your distaste for the Beast Soldiers."
As he spoke, the image of the empire’s Third Prince came to mind.
Mercurio was only fifteen, but Theoreme was convinced the boy possessed the intelligence and character necessary to be a great Emperor.
While the current Emperor was only in his forties and healthy, and the struggle for succession had not yet broken out in the open, the various factions were already positioning themselves behind the scenes. There were four princes with a right of succession to the throne, and Mercurio was currently the fourth—the furthest from the crown. Yet Theoreme had glimpsed the 'vessel of an emperor' within him during a chance encounter and had since dedicated himself to building the Third Prince Faction.
He had pulled in the military, influenced the Ministry of Magic, and even secured the deployment of the secret Beast Soldiers, all for this war. By securing the coast the empire had coveted since antiquity, he would elevate the nation's power and make this victory the first step toward Mercurio's eventual coronation.
(Yes. That is why this is a battle we cannot afford to lose.)
As he thought this, a sudden, dark premonition flickered in the back of his mind.
The figures of the man and his beast, who had thwarted his carefully laid plans time and again, rose to the surface of his consciousness. He shook his head to dispel the image.
(He is strong, yes, but the Dragon Knights will keep him occupied. For now...)
"Lord Theoreme, it is time. We must prepare for the teleportation."
"I see. Then pass the word to the Beast Soldiers: prepare for combat. We are going to deliver a fatal blow to the Kingdom of Mireana Army."
With those words, Theoreme stood up.
He would grasp victory and glory—all for the sake of the youth he believed held the true vessel of an emperor.