"……I see. So Frizion is making her move. I certainly understand the logic behind her choice, and I can empathize with it. However…… she was a bit slow to act. Though, given her personality, I suppose it’s only to be expected?"
Cabajid murmured as he skimmed through the report submitted by his subordinate.
The smile playing across his lips possessed a beauty so striking it would stop anyone in their tracks. Elegant and refined, his expression combined with the soft autumn sunlight streaming through the window to make him look like a figure plucked from a masterpiece painting.
"……Yes! Ah, no. My apologies. Given Her Highness Frizion's nature, I believe she simply could not bring herself to accept a war between kin. That is why she has been…… well, there are signs that she has been sending messengers to His Highness Mercurio."
Realizing he had been captivated by his master for several seconds, the man who had brought the report answered hurriedly. He was not a homosexual; he was simply flustered that he had been so effortlessly dazed by his lord's grace.
Cabajid, however, paid the man's reaction no mind and gave a simple nod.
"I imagine so. If I wished to prevent a conflict under the current circumstances, I would likely choose the same method. But…… it is already too late. Had she done this before Blatta and the others were defeated, there might have been a sliver of a chance."
"Was there truly such a possibility?"
"Yes. Though the situation would have become much more troublesome than it is now, of course. Besides, there is the question of whether Mercurio would have even accepted her proposal. However……"
Cabajid shifted his gaze toward the window. Outside lay a garden where beautifully harmonious trees grew. Shimmering in the autumn sunlight, the leaves showed no sign of wilting despite the change in season.
If anyone with the proper expertise had seen this garden, their eyes would have widened in shock. Many of the trees were species that typically budded only in spring or summer, yet here they stood, fresh and vibrant. Cabajid gazed upon the scene—which would have astounded any master gardener or mage—with a look of pure affection.
He remained that way for several seconds. Finally, as if satisfied with the view, Cabajid turned back to his subordinate.
"She has opposed me once already. I can hardly afford to back down so easily now."
"……Yes, sire."
Nodding at his master's voice, the man moved on to the next report.
"Regarding Rhodos, his strength continues to grow under Pelfeel's training. It is likely that the time when he can fully master the Fire Eater you provided is near, His Highness Cabajid."
"I have heard the burden on the user is immense. How is he faring?"
"That is……" The man hesitated for a moment, but eventually spoke under Cabajid's prompting gaze. "It is truly surprising. I suppose he really does carry the blood of the Axe of the Thunder God. While he does show signs of fatigue, his progress is on a completely different level compared to the previous test subjects."
Astonishment was written clearly on the man's face. It was only natural. The magic item Cabajid had given to Rhodos was a notorious piece of work created by the Empire's alchemists; not a single person had been able to master it until now.
In the best-case scenario, previous users had been struck by such total exhaustion that they were rendered unable to move for days. In the worst-case scenario, just as the item's name suggested, it would consume the user’s very flame of life.
The Fire Eater. It was a magic item developed specifically to counter the massive flame tornadoes that had triggered the Imperial Army's defeat in the Spring Battle.
Since it was built from the ground up to deal with Rei's firestorm, it was a weapon that Rhodos—who craved victory over Rei above all else—could not have asked more for.
As its name implied, its function was to devour magic-based flames, absorbing them and converting them into the user's own magic power. During the early stages of research, users had often died when their bodies ruptured from absorbing power beyond their magic power capacity. Now, however, the design had been modified to vent excess power, preventing deaths from over-absorption.
It still placed a massive strain on the wielder, but because Rhodos possessed such exceptional talent, it had not become a fatal issue, just as the man had reported.
"Still, I am impressed. To think our alchemists could produce such a magic item not even a year after the Spring Battle…… They truly are the elite of our nation."
"Indeed. Our alchemists are talented, that is a fact. However, it is also true that the basic theory of the Fire Eater had been under research for a long time."
"……Is that so? You knew about Crimson even back then?"
In the man's mind, Rei and fire were synonymous. He looked at Cabajid in surprise. It was a logical assumption, given that Rei possessed strength unparalleled among any fire-magic users who had recently emerged. However, Cabajid shook his head.
"No, that isn't quite it. As you know, there are countless varieties of magic. There are enough minute differences to confuse even a dedicated expert. But tell me…… out of the hundreds of types of magic, which do you think is used most frequently in actual combat?"
"That would be…… flame."
Cabajid nodded with a smile, like a teacher praising a student.
"Precisely. Of course, it varies depending on the environment. On the coast or at sea, water and ice magic are effective. In the mountains, earth magic is better suited. But when the Bestia Empire faces an army in open battle, the magic with the highest lethality and widest range of attack is almost always flame."
"That makes sense," the man agreed.
If the Empire held dominion over the sea, the answer might have been different. But unfortunately, the Empire was surrounded mostly by plains and mountains; consequently, the number of mages who practiced water-system magic was relatively low.
"So, you had them researching countermeasures for flame magic long before Rei appeared?"
"Precisely. A magic item like this isn't something you can order today and receive results for tomorrow. It requires a long accumulation of technical skill. Though, I won't deny that a stroke of genius occasionally plays its part."
Yes, this Fire Eater was the trump card Cabajid had prepared to neutralize Rei's firestorm.
He had expected to have to force the item onto a disposable soldier despite the risk to their life, but then Rhodos had appeared at the perfect moment. As the son of an A-Rank adventurer with his own alias, Rhodos possessed immense potential. More importantly, he harbored a resentment toward Rei that bordered on obsession, making him the perfect candidate to wield the Fire Eater.
Above all, since Rhodos was not originally one of Cabajid's direct subordinates, it mattered little if he died from failing to master the item. There would be no direct loss to Cabajid’s own military strength.
(I have received reports that he is making several suspicious moves…… but the results he brings more than compensate for any concern.)
Rhodos's face crossed Cabajid's mind for a moment, but the image vanished at his subordinate's next question.
"But Crimson uses flame tornadoes—a fusion of fire and wind. Even if the Fire Eater absorbs the flames, wouldn't the tornado itself remain a threat?"
"Certainly, a tornado remains a problem. However, the fusion with flame is what makes it truly lethal. Heat kills, and fire incinerates. Moreover, fire instinctively strikes fear into the hearts of men."
Cabajid paused to pour himself a glass of water from a pitcher at the edge of the office. This pitcher was also a magic item—an anti-assassination tool that could neutralize poisons. As the First Prince and leader of the Empire's largest faction, Cabajid had no shortage of enemies. Countermeasures were a necessity, and hidden guards were always lurking even within this very room.
After moistening his throat, Cabajid continued. His voice was pleasant to the ear, yet it possessed a quality that carved his words deep into the listener's mind.
"During the recent night raid, Blatta didn't see the exact moment the flame tornado was born, but we have already analyzed how it was created during the Spring Battle. It only reaches that devastating power when a flame tornado and a wind tornado fuse into one. If we can remove the fire before that happens……"
"I see! There’s a high chance the flame tornado itself will dissipate!"
"I can only say it is a possibility. However, as long as we fight the rebel army—no, as long as we fight Crimson—we must find a way to neutralize those flames, regardless of what other magic he uses."
"And that is the purpose of the Fire Eater……"
Cabajid nodded at the man's dazed words, though internally, he felt a flicker of doubt.
(Against any ordinary mage, the Fire Eater would be more than enough. But Crimson is no ordinary user. Honestly, I wonder where Vihera found such a man.)
Cabajid had mages among his subordinates who possessed the ability to sense magic power. If their reports from the Fighting Tournament were true—and Cabajid had no reason to doubt them—then Crimson possessed a magic power capacity that was truly monstrous.
Could a magic item, even one designed specifically for the task, really absorb all the flame unleashed by such a being? He couldn't help but wonder.
(I may actually have to rely on my other trump card after all.)
The thought of his final hidden move crossed his mind. He was almost certain that using it would guarantee victory. The reason he hesitated was the sheer magnitude of the price it required. Even for a man as cold-blooded as Cabajid, it was a cost he wanted to avoid if he wanted the Empire to be worth ruling after the civil war.
(But hesitation is meaningless if we lose. In that case…… well, let us see.)
He quickly calculated the risks and returns, weighing Rhodos and the Fire Eater, the subjugation army to be dispatched with Schuls, and men like Blatta who were burning for revenge.
"It might be worth putting to the test in the next battle."
"His Highness Cabajid?"
The man asked at the murmur, but Cabajid only offered a non-committal smile.
The man didn't pry further, and the discussion moved on to the formation of the subjugation army. Previously, Sobul had handled all these logistics alone, but now that he was a prisoner of the rebel army, they had to rely on others. This man had been chosen for his administrative skills, though he was quickly realizing just how incredibly competent his predecessor had been.
"I plan for the army to depart in about half a month. I would like all preparations finalized by then."
At Cabajid's command, the man could only bow his head and swear to see it done.