"Huh? Are you serious? I can really go?! Don't you dare take it back later, because I won't listen if you do! You hear me?!"
Blatta shouted the words, pressing the point to Sobul as if to anchor the promise. Facing the man who was essentially his partner, Sobul let out a weary sigh.
Personally, Sobul would have preferred to stay as far away from this assignment as possible. However, when an order came directly from their lord, Cabajid, they had no choice but to obey unless they had a truly ironclad excuse. And since no such reason existed, they were forced to accept.
(The formation of the Second Subjugation Army... If only His Highness Schuls could have continued to lead it. No, considering the recent defeat and the ongoing ransom negotiations for the prisoners, that was out of the question. In that case, Her Highness Frizion? I sent agents because of the strange reports surrounding the White Rose Knight Order, but contact with them has been severed as well.)
The situation was growing more volatile by the day. Sobul had no desire to put himself in harm's way, but it was an undeniable fact that someone had to charge into the fray to keep the gears of the conflict turning. He understood the necessity, yet he couldn't help but wonder why the burden had fallen on them.
Moreover, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation at the sight of his partner, who was blithely rejoicing at the prospect of a good fight.
"It must be nice to be so unburdened. Why don't you try worrying for once?"
"Hah? That's your job. Why would I ever..."
Blatta’s response suggested it was as natural as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. Sobul let out another involuntary sigh. He was well aware of his partner’s personality, but he wished the man would show even a modicum of thoughtfulness.
(Should I bring Pelfeel into this?)
The image of the training-obsessed female knight crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. Pelfeel was undeniably capable and a reliable colleague in the field. However, her temperament was fundamentally incompatible with Blatta’s. Furthermore, she was currently occupied as the instructor for Rhodos, leaving her with no time to join their expedition.
"I suppose it can’t be helped."
Sobul shook his head slightly and returned his focus to the papers in his hand. They contained the record of the previous Subjugation Army’s engagement with the Rebel Army. To call it a "record" was generous; it was little more than a report of a unilateral slaughter from beginning to end.
"If only they had sent more competent personnel... No, they were originally intended as disposable pawns to test the enemy’s strength, so it’s futile to expect more. Since they achieved the objective of evaluating the opposition’s power, the mission technically counts as a success. Still, it’s a headache."
"Is it really worth agonizing over? Didn't you say there were nobles in the Rebel Army who promised to defect to our side? If we factor them in, I think we can manage. Except..."
The reason Blatta hesitated was surely the intelligence provided by Chancellor Peshe. Specifically...
"The possibility that Crimson is aiding the Rebel Army."
"That’s the one."
Sobul nodded at Blatta’s words. A man with that level of combat prowess might be among the rebels. It was a safe bet that any battle involving him would be a grueling struggle—if not an outright defeat.
"I understand your concern, Blatta, but he didn't show himself in the previous battle, did he?"
"He wasn't there then, but he might be there now. That’s what’s making me anxious."
The excitement Blatta had shown moments ago vanished, replaced by a grim expression. He understood all too well that if Rei appeared on the battlefield, he would be a monstrous opponent to overcome.
"Between Her Highness Vihera, Count Obrisin, and Theoreme, the other side has a formidable lineup of elites. I like to think we don't fall short by comparison, but Crimson is the sole exception."
"Regarding him... we need to find a countermeasure regardless of this next battle. No matter how much of an advantage we hold, the entire tide of the war could turn the moment he arrives. The Flame Tornado he’s known for might be difficult to use in a chaotic melee, but that Gryphon is a massive problem."
"No kidding. Bringing an A-Rank monster to a fight is just cheating. Grah, enough! There's no point in brooding over it here. If he shows up, he shows up, and we'll just have to adapt. Sobul, just make sure you gather as many archers as possible. Since he’s always in the sky, we might have a chance if we use area suppression with arrows."
Sobul considered the suggestion for a moment and gave a sharp nod. Since the target was airborne, they wouldn't have to worry as much about accidentally hitting their own troops on the ground. Of course, if they were trying to shoot him down while a melee was occurring directly beneath him, there was still a high risk of collateral damage among their allies.
"I’ll also need to organize the supply unit."
"How large a force are we talking about? The last one was three thousand, wasn't it? It's pathetic how badly they were crushed despite having the numbers, but are we sticking to that size?"
"No, I want this rebellion suppressed as quickly as possible. Every day spent fighting among ourselves only drains the National Army’s strength. The ideal outcome would be to take His Highness Mercurio's head while suffering minimal casualties on our side and preserving as much of the Rebel Army's manpower as possible, but..."
"Are you serious?"
Blatta sighed at the blatantly convenient vision.
"Look, that's obviously impossible. Like I said, the other side is far from a rabble. Trying to keep the death toll low for both us and them... if we could pull that off, we wouldn't be having a civil strife in the first place."
"I know I’m asking for the impossible. I’m simply stating the best-case scenario, not a hard requirement. But we must minimize the loss of national power. If we weaken ourselves too much, the Kingdom of Mireana—not to mention our other neighbors—will start making moves."
"It'll be fine. After all, the people participating in this revolt are doing so as individual nobles. I heard the National Army is staying put to ensure the surrounding countries and the Kingdom of Mireana don't try anything funny."
Sobul nodded in agreement, though a slight frown remained on his face. To eliminate Mercurio from the Right of Succession to the Throne, they had to seize this chance. However, as one of Cabajid's men, the realization that they were all merely dancing in the palm of Emperor Trajist was far from pleasant.
He quickly shook the thought away. Now was not the time to worry about the distant future. His priority was ensuring his superior, Cabajid, emerged as the victor.
(In that sense, it was a blessing that His Highness Schuls lost the first encounter. If we win the next one, our achievement will be all the more striking. The nobles might know the details, but to the public, the result will be simple: Big Brother Cabajid won where Big Brother Schuls failed. We absolutely cannot afford to lose.)
As Sobul mentally calculated the necessary supplies, transport units, and escort formations, he noticed Blatta lingering as if he had one more question.
"Is there something else?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah. Back to Crimson being with the rebels. Are we taking Rhodos with us?"
"Now that you mention it... he did agree to help us specifically to get a shot at Crimson."
"Hey, you were the one who suggested bringing him in, and you were the one who handled the negotiations."
"He was a pawn with a decent amount of strength and no risk of betrayal. That's all he was to me. You're the one who got tired of training him and dumped him on Pelfeel."
Sobul spoke with genuine indifference. Blatta quietly averted his eyes.
"It wasn't because it was a hassle. I just figured that if I left him with that training maniac, he'd be forged whether he liked it or not. He said he wanted to get stronger, so it was the most efficient choice."
"Then stop looking away so guiltily. Anyway, how is Rhodos's progress? It depends on his level. He might be useful as a combatant, but whether he can follow orders is another matter."
"From what I saw recently, he's getting reasonably strong. Still below me, obviously."
"That’s to be expected. You are one of the finest warriors in the First Prince Faction. It would be an embarrassment if he surpassed you so easily. Though, given Pelfeel's training habits, the possibility..."
"There is none," Blatta asserted firmly.
Blatta took great pride in being the strongest warrior in Cabajid's inner circle. Having risen to his position through sheer force, his confidence was unshakable. Unlike many high-ranking nobles, his strength actually matched his arrogance—though in his obsession with combat, he shared a certain kinship with the Gurgast of the Rebel Army.
Sobul offered a faint smile, as if reading his partner's mind.
"I understand. You're likely right. Regardless, if Rhodos is battle-ready, we'll tell him Crimson might be with the rebels and see if he wants in."
"Right. I'll go check on him now. You've got your hands full with the departure preparations, don't you, Sobul?"
"I’ll leave it to you."
With those brief words, Blatta exited the room. Once his partner was gone, Sobul began the arduous task of organizing the campaign.
(Regarding Her Highness Frizion... No, I should have someone else handle that contact. It would be disastrous if she discovered our connection to the agents I sent.)
Deep down, Sobul hoped Frizion would remain a silent bystander during this deployment. While her military strength was far inferior to either Cabajid's or Schuls's, she was not a force to be ignored. She held enough influence to potentially tip the scales in the fight for the throne.
He had no inkling that Frizion was already moving to assist Mercurio. Had he known she had dispatched a Member of the White Rose Knight Order for that very purpose, he would have assigned his most elite agents to intercept them. He would have done whatever was necessary to capture Videre and seize the letter meant for Mercurio.
But the hour had already passed. Whether through a whim of the gods or Videre’s own sheer luck, the White Rose Knight Order had already established contact with the Rebel Army, and the letter had reached Mercurio’s hands.
"I need to finalize these preparations immediately. Long-range units are non-negotiable. And if we need a flashy victory, I might even need to requisition some Dragon Knights."
Musing over the unit composition, Sobul set off to consult with Big Brother Cabajid to finalize the plan.
"I see. So Big Brother Cabajid is the next to move. Schuls is likely buried in work after the previous incident, so I suppose it was inevitable. To see siblings fighting one another... it's heartbreaking. Is this the price for my failure to act sooner?"
Upon hearing the report that the First Prince Faction had begun mobilizing for war, Her Highness Frizion murmured with a heavy heart. She reached for the cup on the table and took a slow sip of black tea, as if trying to wash down the bitterness in her soul. A deep sorrow filled her downcast eyes.
The thought of her own blood relatives—even if only half-siblings—locked in mortal combat was agonizing. She had tried to exhaust every diplomatic avenue to prevent this outcome, but she had always been a step behind, unable to stop the momentum of the civil strife.
"And once again... I have fallen behind."
If only she had sent Videre sooner. As Frizion wallowed in regret, the female knight standing nearby spoke up to encourage her.
"Your Highness Frizion's kindness will surely be the trump card that breaks this deadlock. Let us fight to ensure the Bestia Imperials do not have to shed each other's blood."
"You're right. With me here, the current balance is three members of the Imperial Family against one member of the Imperial Family. Although, since Vihera is with him, I suppose it's technically three versus two."
"Exactly. And once Your Highness joins them... creating a stalemate might actually be possible. Though, in that case, the Right of Succession to the Throne would..."
The female knight, who was also a close friend, trailed off. Frizion gave a firm nod.
"I know. I've accepted the cost. I will not let my brothers tear each other apart just to satisfy Father's whims."
With a fierce resolve that belied her gentle eyes, Frizion spoke the words as if to forge them into reality.