The scene stretching out in every direction was one where everything... and everyone... had been burnt to cinders.
The charred remains of tents, carriages, weapons, and armor lay scattered across the ground, interspersed with the blackened husks of what had once been people. Every remnant had been reduced to charcoal, looking as though it would crumble into dust at the slightest impact.
Rei stood in the center of this landscape—a place that seemed impossible to associate with a position where nearly six thousand souls had been living only a few hours prior.
He lacked his usual air of haughty defiance. Instead, he looked genuinely exhausted as he stroked the head of Seto, who stood beside him, rubbing against him in a show of support.
"Guruuuu."
As Seto let out a comforting trill, Rei spoke with a weary, wry smile.
"Don't worry about it. I didn't think it would turn out quite like that either. Besides... we achieved our primary objective, and the secondary one too. Looking at the results, it was a complete success. I just never imagined it would be this much work."
As he muttered this, he turned his gaze to the Misty Ring on his right arm.
Stored within its dimensional space were the provisions, weapons, armor, and fodder for the horses that had been in the Subjugation Army's camp. He had also managed to secure carriages, war funds, and even the tents. Since the Misty Ring could not store living creatures, none of the warhorses or regular horses led by the Subjugation Army were inside, but he had nonetheless succeeded in plundering the majority of the supplies meant to sustain a force of six thousand.
This was what Rei had obtained while the Mobile Unit was busy picking off the Subjugation Army soldiers desperately trying to escape through the exits in the protective fence.
The outcome was exactly what he had aimed for, but the reason for Rei’s profound exhaustion lay in the firestorm he had unleashed.
The firestorm he had produced during the previous war with the Bestia Empire had been created while his Wind Hand skill was at Level 2. Back then, the vortex had moved somewhat, but it was essentially stationary. However, the Wind Hand Rei had used tonight was Level 3. As a result, the firestorm moved with a wild, erratic sentience that made the previous version look like child's play.
Realizing he could control the inferno's path to some degree through the Wind Hand, Rei had seized the opportunity to loot the camp while guiding the vortex. Even though he could influence it, he could only roughly nudge it "over there" or "over here"; he couldn't give it precise instructions, such as forbidding it from leaving the camp's boundaries.
The firestorm had ruthlessly trampled through the encampment because Rei had spent the entire duration desperately fighting to keep it from drifting outside the perimeter. Amidst that chaos, he and Seto had sprinted through the burning position, seizing every supply crate and tent they could reach.
Naturally, some members of the Subjugation Army had tried to stop him, but they were swiftly eliminated by Seto. The griffon had been determined not to let anyone interfere with Rei’s dual task of managing the firestorm and securing the supplies.
The annihilation of the enemy army and the wholesale theft of their logistics—Rei had acted on the pragmatism that the supplies would be lost to the flames regardless, and the result had been a success beyond his expectations.
However, while this haul would count as a victory for the Mobile Unit, it wouldn't be credited as Rei’s personal achievement alone, even if he did have Theoreme’s assurance of a substantial reward once the civil strife concluded.
"Captain Rei!"
A voice brought him back to reality. Standing nearby was Paelnix, the de facto commander of the Mobile Unit.
Rei looked puzzled, and Seto tilted its head with a trill, noticing the figure being led by several soldiers following behind Paelnix. The man looked like he had some physical training, but he didn't have the bearing of a professional soldier.
The prisoner was a different breed, however. His right shoulder was wrapped in bandages, and a rope was tied around his waist to prevent him from moving. Despite his captivity and the wary soldiers flanking him, the man’s gaze remained sharp and intelligent as he fixed it upon Rei and Seto. Given his bearing and the quality of his equipment, it was clear he was no mere ordinary soldier.
While Rei observed the man, Paelnix reached them.
"Good work, Paelnix. So, who is this? He looks like someone of considerable renown."
"Yes. This is Sobul, a man known for his intellect within His Highness Cabajid's Faction. We succeeded in taking him prisoner when he fell behind the group that attempted to break out during the night raid. Unfortunately, we let most of his companions get away..."
"Don't worry about that. It would have been ideal to wipe them out here, but things rarely go that smoothly. There are bound to be other survivors besides them. ...Still, Sobul? Ah, I see."
Rei’s expression shifted to understanding. He had heard that name mentioned as a particularly troublesome figure within the First Prince Faction. Most importantly, he knew Sobul was the one who had orchestrated the attack on the White Rose Knight Order. He was surprised to see such a prominent figure standing before him.
"You took him alive?"
"Yes. Fortunately, I recognized Sobul's face, and the outcome of the battle had already been decided."
Normally, Sobul's life would have ended the moment his shoulder was pierced and he fell from his horse. In fact, the Mobile Unit soldiers had been about to loose more arrows into him as he lay on the ground, but Paelnix had intervened.
Paelnix had been drawn to the area by the sound of the perimeter fence being destroyed just as the reinforcements arrived. He had realized the breakout was a diversion meant to save important figures. Upon checking the man's identity, he had found it was indeed Sobul.
"Are you sure you want to keep him as a prisoner? Given his reputation for plotting, it might be safer to just kill him here and be done with it."
"No, his life is valuable to His Highness Cabajid. He will serve as a powerful bargaining chip for us."
"...So he says. What do you think about that?" Rei asked, turning his gaze toward the prisoner.
Sobul met the gaze head-on. Even though his fate was being debated right in front of him, he showed no sign of being shaken.
He’s got guts, Rei thought, impressed despite himself. He kept his own face neutral.
They exchanged silent glances for nearly thirty seconds. Eventually, Sobul was the one to speak.
"Crimson. To think you truly sided with the Rebel Army."
"You sound as though you expected it."
"We had reports that it was a possibility. However, you didn't show yourself during the previous engagement, so I judged the likelihood of you joining them to be low. That was my mistake... If I had known, I should have brought Rhodos."
Rei’s eyebrows twitched at the mention of the name. It was a minuscule reaction, one that would have gone unnoticed by most. However, in this instance, his opponent was far too perceptive.
"You know Rhodos?" Sobul asked, his eyes narrowing to confirm his suspicion.
Rei gave a nod as if it were common knowledge. "Of course I know him. Rhodos and I have been acquaintances since our time in Gilm. We even shared an escort request on the way to the Bestia Empire. Not to mention, we fought during the fighting tournament."
"...Is that all?"
"You seem to be under a misunderstanding..."
Rei cut himself off. In the next heartbeat, he summoned the Death Scythe from his Misty Ring and thrust the blade against Sobul's neck.
To Sobul, the blade simply appeared out of thin air. He had no idea how it had happened. Despite the edge of the scythe promising a quick death, Sobul kept his eyes on Rei, refusing to look away.
A heavy silence descended as their gazes locked again. Paelnix watched them without a word, wanting to see how Rei handled the situation. He knew all about Rei’s combat prowess—from the war on the Seremuse Plain to the destruction of the camp tonight—but he wanted to gauge the boy's character.
Finally, Rei broke the silence by lowering the Death Scythe.
"You should think carefully about your position before you speak. I’m the one asking the questions here. Your choices are to refuse and face the consequences, or to cooperate and secure your safety. There are plenty in this army who despise you for what you did to Mercurio."
Sobul was surprised to hear Rei refer to Mercurio without an honorific. He wondered if the relationship between the Rebel Army’s figurehead and their greatest weapon was strained. If so, it was a weakness Cabajid could exploit. However, unlike Rei, he was a master of his own expression and didn't let a hint of his thoughts show.
"Do you think I would sell out my master so easily?"
"That’s for you to decide. The people doing the interrogation won't be me; they'll be from the Rebel Army." Rei turned to the soldiers. "Take him away."
At the command, Paelnix signaled to his subordinates, who led Sobul away.
Watching them go, Rei stroked Seto's head, reflecting on the exchange. The mention of Rhodos... did I mess up? I should have acted like I only knew him in passing. I hope he just misinterprets my reaction.
Rei knew he wasn't cut out for psychological games and political maneuvering. Letting even a hint of his inner thoughts reach his face was a rookie mistake.
"I’ll just have to be more careful next time," he muttered.
He looked around once more. The place that had been a bustling military camp was now a smoldering ruin—a testament to a one-sided slaughter. No one who looked upon this sight would ever call it peaceful.
"Well, that's the First Arrow and the Second Arrow released by the Empire snapped. The Third Arrow supposedly intends to join us... I wonder if things will settle into a standoff? No, if Frizion makes a move to join the Rebel Army, we'll have to get involved regardless."
Even as he contemplated the future, Rei knew that both Schuls and Cabajid still possessed significant strength. The first Subjugation Army had been composed of expendable troops, but tonight’s force had been different. They were capable soldiers. Wiping them out would be a blow to Cabajid, but for the First Prince Faction, it was a loss they could recover from. Both princes still had plenty of cards left to play.
The previous battle and tonight's raid were overwhelming victories. But I can't expect things to go this smoothly from here on out. If they hadn't known I was here, we might have gotten away with this trick one more time, but...
Sobul had seen him. The survivors who escaped with the decoy would report his involvement. The secret was out.
"It looks like the battles ahead are going to be a lot tougher," he whispered to the moon.
The moon shone down with an indifferent brilliance, unconcerned with the blood shed on the earth below. Rei stood in the silence of the charred camp, the sounds of insects silenced by the heat of the firestorm, and prepared himself for what was to come.