Siance Kuteis was Theoreme’s lieutenant and his most trusted right hand.
The shock of her sudden appearance prompted a cry of astonishment from Theoreme that echoed across the plains.
"Ah, it really was you, Lord Theoreme. I thought as much when I caught a faint glimpse of you from a distance," Siance murmured, her voice far calmer than her words suggested.
Rei and the others relaxed their tension slightly at her tone. Judging by the interaction between the two, they concluded she was an ally. Still, being professional escorts, they did not lower their guard completely.
"Lord Theoreme, it seems things are quite different from the schedule you—"
Siance’s words caught in her throat as Rei and Seto revealed themselves from behind the carriage, where they had been hiding to avoid drawing attention. It was only natural; standing before her was a Gryphon-riding adventurer, and Siance knew only one such man.
He was the person responsible for the Bestia Imperial Army's crushing defeat in the Spring War roughly six months ago.
The fact that her expression of shock vanished within seconds was a testament to her composure. Shifting her gaze, she hurriedly knelt when the person Theoreme had been shielding stepped forward.
"Your Highness... it has been far too long. I am relieved to see you are as radiant as ever."
"Siance. You haven't changed either, I see."
"Of course not. I could never dream of forgetting the debt I owe Your Highness for saving my life..."
"You really don't need to dwell on that," Vihera said with a sigh from atop her horse. She quickly pulled herself together and continued, "Regardless, stand up. We can’t linger here like this forever."
"My apologies. Now then, Your Highness—"
"Listen, Siance. I’ve already left the palace, so drop the 'Your Highness.'"
"But as long as you remain on the Imperial Registry..." Siance began, a look of mild dissatisfaction crossing her face.
Realizing that arguing over titles would be a waste of time, Vihera changed her tactics. "Look, we’re going into the Empire to save that boy, aren't we? If anyone hears you calling me 'Your Highness' while we're there, it’ll only draw unnecessary attention."
"That... I suppose I cannot deny. Then, how should I address you?"
"Just Vihera is fine. Right now, I'm an adventurer, not the Second Princess."
Siance frowned slightly at the prospect of omitting honorifics entirely, but she clearly understood the necessity. She nodded reluctantly. "Then... Lady Vihera."
"That will have to do for now. But why is Theoreme’s lieutenant out here on the Seremuse Plain? Even if you came to meet us, it’s not as if we were guaranteed to run into each other so conveniently."
"I came to escort you, of course. When you did not return by the time Lord Theoreme had estimated, I was dispatched to investigate."
"Ah... I see," Vihera murmured, her expression shifting to one of understanding.
Nearby, Rei reached the same conclusion. Originally, Rei, Vihera, and Theoreme had planned to leave Goto immediately after meeting. However, the discussions in Gilm had led to Daskar’s personal involvement, requiring them to travel to Goto by carriage first. As a result, Vihera and Theoreme had spent extra time waiting for Rei's arrival, a delay they had been unable to communicate to the Empire side.
Still, without a means of communication like Paired Orbs, the return window must have been pretty vague. I guess they just sent out a scout because that window passed, Rei thought.
Theoreme, who had been listening to the exchange, voiced the question on everyone's mind. "Has anything else happened?"
Siance flicked her gaze toward the carriages, the escorting knights, and finally Rei—still mounted on Seto. Sensing her wariness, Theoreme gave a small, reassuring nod.
"There is no cause for concern. These individuals are under the command of Margrave Larkus. The Margrave himself has agreed to cooperate with our mission."
"Is that... wise?" Siance asked, her question laden with subtext.
She was questioning the wisdom of relying on a foreign noble, the lingering resentments from the war, and the political firestorm likely to erupt within the Bestia Empire.
Theoreme nodded firmly and turned his gaze toward one of the carriages. As if on cue, the door opened and Elk stepped out.
"The Axe of the Thunder God!?" Siance gasped. Even for someone as composed as her, the sight of the legendary warrior was enough to make her eyes widen in shock.
Then, Daskar, Margrave Larkus, stepped out behind him.
"Lord Theoreme...?" Siance looked to her superior for an explanation.
Daskar spoke before the general could. "We can handle the explanations on the move. We need to cover as much ground as possible before nightfall. My knights will handle your horses; Lady Vihera and you two should talk inside that carriage."
Siance couldn't argue with the logic. "Understood. Then let us turn back immediately."
She signaled her driver, and the carriage skillfully wheeled around to face the direction it had come from. Daskar’s own driver was silently impressed by the maneuver; the level of technical skill was undeniable. The two drivers exchanged a brief, wordless look of mutual professional respect.
With the logistics settled, Vihera and Theoreme handed their reins to the escort knights and boarded Siance’s carriage. Daskar gave the order to move out, and the entourage resumed its trek toward the Bestia Empire.
Inside the additional carriage, Siance and Theoreme immediately began their debriefing.
"First, Lord Theoreme, I am truly glad to see you have returned in one piece."
"As am I, Siance. Truly."
Theoreme spoke with genuine weight, his mind flickering back to his midnight duel with Elk. Even if it had been his own plan that led to it, facing such a man head-on had been far more perilous than he had anticipated. He had barely escaped with his life; he doubted he could survive a second encounter.
Siance moved to the most pressing issue. "Lord Theoreme, how did you manage to bring Crimson to our side? To be blunt, the man caused catastrophic damage to the Imperial Army during the Spring War. I find it difficult to believe he would help us."
Only six months had passed since the end of the conflict. Many of the soldiers and mercenaries who had witnessed Rei’s Flame Tornado were said to be still plagued by nightmares. Siance found the idea of him being an ally nearly incomprehensible.
Theoreme let out a bitter laugh and glanced at Vihera, who was sitting beside him. "You’ll have to ask Lady Vihera about that. When I arrived in Exil based on her information, she was already traveling with Rei."
"Lady Vihera?" Siance turned to her, and Vihera responded with a small, knowing smile.
Seeing the faint blush on the princess's cheeks, Siance—who usually had little interest in such matters—instantly understood the situation.
This is going to be incredibly troublesome, Siance thought.
Rei was the man who had crippled the Empire’s forces, while Vihera remained immensely popular within the Empire. If rumors of a relationship between the two got out, the resulting uproar would be unpredictable.
Siance glanced at Theoreme, but the general simply gave a slight shake of his head. While he would prefer the relationship to be dissolved, he knew better than to try and convince Vihera otherwise. Furthermore, having an asset like Rei attached to the Third Prince Faction was a strategic advantage he couldn't ignore.
Understanding that her superior had his own designs, Siance moved on. "And what role have you assigned to Crimson?"
"He will be entering the Fighting Tournament in Lady Vihera’s place."
"...I see. Certainly, Crimson is the perfect candidate to draw the eyes of everyone in the Empire. My only concern is the potential for a riot given what happened during the Spring War... but as a distraction, that might actually work in our favor. What about Lady Vihera?"
"Me? I’ll be acting with you all," Vihera said. "You’re going to need as much combat power as you can get for the rescue, aren't you?"
Siance simply nodded. She knew better than to argue with Vihera when her heart was set on a fight. "Will Crimson be entering the Final Tournament through a recommendation from Margrave Larkus? The name alone would be enough to alert the upper management, but... isn't that a bit late for a distraction?"
Theoreme shook his head. "No, Rei intends to participate starting from the Qualifying Rounds. He’s being surprisingly cooperative—though the price he demanded was quite steep."
"What did he ask for?"
Given his strength and the fact that he commanded an A-rank monster, Rei was walking into a hornets' nest of people who wanted him dead. The price for such a risk had to be monumental.
Theoreme gave a wry smile. "He asked for a Magic Item of equal value to the life of the person we are rescuing."
"He didn't specify an item? He’s letting us choose? Something worth the price of saving a prince's life..."
"Exactly. Technically, since he left the choice to us, he couldn't complain if we handed him a cheap potion. But if we did that, it would be the same as admitting that we value His Highness’s life no more than a common draught."
It was a brilliant bit of leverage. They couldn't afford to be stingy without insulting their own cause.
"We will need to select several high-quality candidates, then," Siance said.
"Indeed. I’ll be considering options as well, but I’d like your input."
They continued discussing the state of the Third Prince Faction and the movements of the various noble houses. Then, Siance voiced one last concern.
"If Crimson is busy with the tournament, what will happen to Margrave Larkus’s security?"
Siance was glad for the cooperation, but if the Margrave were killed or injured on Imperial soil, the Kingdom of Mireana would have a legitimate excuse for war. Worse, if Rei were to go on a rampage in the heart of the Imperial Capital, he might just burn the entire city to the ground.
Theoreme simply laughed at her worry, and even Vihera wore a smile—though hers held a hint of envy.
"You saw the Axe of the Thunder God, didn't you? They didn't come along to fight in the tournament. They are here specifically to serve as the Margrave’s guards. I don't think you have anything to worry about."
The carriage continued its journey across the plains, leaving Siance to contemplate the sheer scale of the force they were bringing into the heart of the Empire.