That day, Schuls finally finished his meetings with the nobles handling the ransom negotiations. After completing his other princely duties, he didn’t collapse into bed until the middle of the night—or rather, considering the brightening eastern sky, it was close enough to be called early morning.
People often envied members of the Imperial Family, but he wondered if they truly understood the reality of this tedious, daily grind. He only managed to keep the wheels turning thanks to the support of Lieutenant Amare. As these thoughts drifted through his mind, he felt himself beginning to surrender to the sweet pull of sleep, until...
Thud, thud, thud. A persistent knocking echoed through the bedroom, dragging Schuls’s consciousness back just as he reached the precipice of slumber.
"What is it?!"
He had been on the verge of rest. It was only natural for his voice to crackle with irritation.
To an ordinary person, such a sharp, displeased tone would have been enough to make them recoil. However, to the woman who had been by his side since they were children, it was nothing to fear.
"His Highness Schuls, the cavalry unit dispatched with the Subjugation Army has returned. They request an urgent report."
"...What?"
Hearing Amare’s voice from behind the door, Schuls momentarily wondered if he were still dreaming.
The Subjugation Army had only departed today—well, strictly speaking, it was yesterday now, given the time. How could they possibly be back already? His confusion was warranted.
"I have yet to hear the full details, but the report says the Subjugation Army has been decimated."
"...What?"
The word escaped him again, but this time it carried a different weight. He seriously began to wonder if the exhaustion had finally caused Amare to lose her mind. It was true that they had both been run ragged lately, occupied with the fallout of the previous army’s defeat and the endless ransom negotiations.
As if sensing his doubt, the voice returned from the other side of the door.
"His Highness Schuls, I assure you I am in my right mind. The Subjugation Army was hit by a night raid while they were camping. They have been quite literally wiped out."
She hadn't just sensed his doubt; she had seen right through him. Having grown up together, they knew each other’s minds intimately. Schuls realized then that Amare wasn't sleep-talking or playing a joke—the Subjugation Army really had been destroyed.
The shock forced the remaining fog of sleep from his brain. He scrambled out of bed and threw open the door. He was still in his nightwear, but propriety was the last thing on his mind.
"You mean... the rebels are marching on the Imperial Capital with their entire force?!"
Despite the early hour, Amare stood before him without a single hair out of place, her uniform immaculate. Schuls briefly wondered when she ever found the time to sleep, but he didn't have a second to spare for such trivialities.
Amare didn't seem bothered by the prince appearing in his pajamas. She spoke calmly. "No. According to the report from the cavalry unit, the night raid was carried out by only one person."
"...What?"
Are you serious? The question almost made it to his lips, but he knew better than anyone that Amare was not the type to say something so absurd without cause. He remained silent, urging her to continue with a sharp look.
"The attacker was Crimson Rei. He used a flame tornado, much like the one witnessed during the Spring War. However, unlike that previous incident, this tornado was reportedly under his direct control. Furthermore, given that the fire did not spread beyond the camp's boundaries, it seems he has mastered the ability to manipulate the flames with total precision."
"Tsk. That man is a persistent curse."
Schuls had already been warned by the Chancellor that Rei might be collaborating with the Rebel Army. In fact, one of the hidden objectives of the army Schuls had previously dispatched had been to determine if Rei had truly joined their ranks.
"He didn't show up for us, but he appeared for this unit. I wonder why? Was he simply not with them during the last battle? If so, one can only say that Big Brother Cabajid has terrible luck."
Part of the reason the Empire had felt confident sending this Subjugation Army was the belief that Rei—the man capable of wide-range annihilation warfare—wasn't present. Between his overwhelming combat power and the high mobility provided by his tamed monster, the Gryphon, the man known as Crimson was an unparalleled threat.
And yet, this was the result. For the usually perfect Cabajid, this was a rare and spectacular blunder.
Schuls couldn't suppress a small, mocking smile. Even his supposedly flawless brother had things he couldn't foresee.
"Indeed. Furthermore, there is information that Lord Soble—who was considered His Highness Cabajid's right-hand man—was killed during the retreat... or possibly taken prisoner."
"...How certain is that?"
The smile vanished instantly. Schuls’s face hardened as he questioned her.
"The report came from our own dispatched cavalry unit. It is likely accurate."
"I see. For Big Brother, losing that man is a more painful blow than losing the entire army. What about our own losses?"
"Every member of our cavalry unit returned safely. A few suffered minor burns, light lacerations, or bruises, but nothing serious. They should be back on duty after a few days of rest."
"Good. Tell them to rest well and recover."
"Understood."
After their brief exchange, Schuls had Amare wait while he returned to his room to change. As a military man, he didn't require a fleet of maids to dress him like a typical royal. He quickly pulled on the clothes a maid had laid out, joined Amare, and headed for his office.
He didn't speak a word during the walk, his mind racing as they moved through the silent corridors. Amare understood her lord’s habits and followed quietly, ensuring she didn't interrupt his concentration.
Upon reaching the office, Schuls didn't head for his desk. Instead, he sank into the guest sofa. Amare moved with practiced ease to brew some black tea. As the aroma filled the room and the tea was placed on the table, Schuls reached for his cup and finally broke the silence.
"Amare, I suspect... that very few people actually participated in that night raid. Even including Crimson, it might have been seventy... no, perhaps even fewer than fifty."
"...Is that possible? There were six thousand men in that army. To challenge them with fewer than a hundred seems like madness."
Amare paused, her own cup halfway to her lips, and looked at him in disbelief. Six thousand against fifty or seventy. Normally, that would be suicide.
But Schuls shook his head, his expression one of grim certainty.
"In a night raid, proficiency matters more than numbers. Quality over quantity. Ideally, you’d have both, but if you have to choose, quality is paramount."
"I understand the logic. But less than a hundred men...?"
"Don't forget, the only person who actually conducted the attack was Crimson. The others were likely just picking off those who tried to flee the flames. ...Besides, the raid took place only a single day’s march from the capital—and that’s based on a military force’s sluggish pace. If a force of several hundred or a thousand had moved that close, it would be a miracle if we hadn't spotted them. To slip past our scouts, they had no choice but to remain a small group."
Moving a large group near the Imperial Capital without detection was simply impossible. Amare had no choice but to concede the point.
"How do you expect things to proceed from here?"
"First me, then Big Brother Cabajid. Logic suggests Big Sister Frizion should be the next to send a Subjugation Army... but I have my doubts. Her military strength is meager, and she isn’t the type to seek out battle."
"True enough."
Amare, having known Frizion for years, shared Schuls’s assessment. It was hard to imagine the princess organizing a retaliatory force under these circumstances.
More importantly, while the army Schuls had sent was largely composed of expendable troops, the force Cabajid had sent in earnest had been wiped out without a fight. An unusual tactic like that wouldn't work forever—now that they knew to expect a night raid, they could develop countermeasures. However... even setting the raid aside, the fact remained that Crimson was officially with the rebels. In any future engagement, they wouldn't just be fighting the Rebel Army; they’d be fighting Crimson as well.
It was essentially like facing two armies simultaneously. Frizion, who lacked the resources of her brothers, stood little chance.
"I’m tied up with ransom negotiations, Big Brother Cabajid needs to rebuild his shattered forces, and Big Sister Frizion is underpowered. ...Are we looking at a period of stagnation?"
"Normally, that would be the logical conclusion."
"...But every moment we wait is a moment Mercurio gains the advantage. We need to act, but..."
Schuls drifted back into silence, staring into his tea as he contemplated his next move.
At the same time Schuls was being briefed, Cabajid was receiving his own report from Blatta.
While Schuls had been trying to find sleep, Cabajid was still at his desk, signing documents. He hadn't left his office when Blatta arrived directly from the front.
"...I see."
To most, Cabajid appeared as a gentle, kind-hearted noble. While he cultivated that image carefully, his outward appearance belied his true nature. Those who knew him intimately understood him to be analytical, calculating, and even coldhearted.
He listened to Blatta’s report and let out a soft sigh. Even he hadn't anticipated his Subjugation Army would be so thoroughly dismantled.
"Blatta, I am simply glad you made it back safely."
"Your Highness... but I failed to protect Soble, and we lost the dragon knights..."
Blatta’s voice was a ragged whisper. He stood before the desk with his head bowed, tears dripping onto the expensive carpet.
Under normal circumstances, such a stain on such a costly item would have been unforgivable, but Cabajid showed no sign of anger. He rose from his chair, crossed the room, and placed a comforting hand on Blatta’s shoulder.
"The loss of life in this battle is a tragedy, certainly. But having you survive is a small mercy. If you had fallen while trying to challenge Crimson, I would never have known why the army was defeated."
"That is... Soble said the report was the priority..."
"Indeed. Because you and Soble were both there, we have the information we need. And... it is highly likely that Soble isn't dead, but has been taken prisoner."
Blatta’s head snapped up at that, his eyes wide. "Is that true!?"
"I cannot say with absolute certainty, of course. But you said you escaped only as the raid was ending, yes?"
"Yes. By then, almost everyone had been captured or... by the rebels..."
"Then he is likely alive. They will want information from us. And in the final stages of the battle, they happened to capture a high-value target—Lord Soble, my well-known right-hand man. Whether they want to extract intelligence or use him as a bargaining chip for ransom negotiations, they won't throw away such an opportunity."
"Soble is..."
The night raid by Crimson was a literal nightmare, but this single shred of hope gave Blatta something to cling to.
"At any rate, things will be very busy starting tomorrow—well, today. Get some rest, Blatta."
"...Understood. Also, please take this."
Blatta reached into his gear and produced the map Cabajid had entrusted to him before the army’s departure. He had managed to save it even in the chaos of the raid.
Cabajid took the map and nodded, offering a few more words of comfort before dismissing him. He watched Blatta leave the office, a thin, unreadable smile remaining on his lips as the door closed.