The Rebel Army's Position was in an uproar following the sudden midnight disturbance.
It was only natural. While the camp had seen its share of minor scuffles between adventurers, mercenaries, and soldiers, what was happening now far exceeded a mere brawl.
The Rebel Army Executives were particularly shaken by the reports. The chaos was centered around the tent where Sobul was being held under house arrest—a man highly valued by Cabajid, the figure regarded as the Rebel Army's Greatest Enemy.
The general rank-and-file soldiers had not been informed of who was being kept there. Consequently, while the commotion surprised them, most did not consider it a matter of grave importance.
"Confound it! What is going on out there? What happened to Sobul? Has the suppression of those rioters not finished yet?"
A noble’s roar echoed inside the Magic Tent that served as the rebellion's headquarters. He directed his fury at the soldier who had come to deliver the situation report. For the soldier, being subjected to this half-tempered venting was nothing but a stroke of pure misfortune.
"Calm down. What good does it do for us to lose our composure? Instead of berating the messenger, we should be calmly verifying the facts."
"I know that! But... we are talking about Sobul! If that man returns to the capital, our casualties in the coming battles will undoubtedly skyrocket."
"Still, it is strange," another voice added. "That location was supposed to be under strict surveillance, guarded by elite soldiers. Yet most of them have been slaughtered, and the perpetrators are still on a rampage? Theoreme-dono, what do you think?"
Addressed by the noble, Theoreme shook his head slightly. It was already clear that the attackers were not merely "skilled." He had even assigned a Beast Soldier to guard the tent where Sobul was being held. If that Beast Soldier were still active, this chaos would have been contained.
In other words, while it was unclear if the Beast Soldier was dead, unconscious, or otherwise incapacitated, there was no doubt it had been neutralized.
(An enemy with enough skill to defeat a Beast Soldier has infiltrated our camp? This is troubling... but it is a small mercy that they targeted Sobul. If this had been His Highness Mercurio, or—wait.)
His relief regarding his master's safety was short-lived. Theoreme suddenly realized that another vital person was missing from the tent: Vihera, Mercurio's big sister.
He hurriedly scanned the room. Vihera wasn't the only one gone; Count Obrisin had vanished as well.
"Y-Your Highness Mercurio. Where have Lady Vihera and Count Obrisin gone?"
"Hm? Now that you mention it, they aren't here. Well, knowing those two, you can probably guess where they went, right?"
As Mercurio shrugged his shoulders dismissively, Theoreme could only nod. It was painfully easy to predict their destination. The fact that the fighting was still ongoing meant the perpetrators were likely powerful foes—exactly the kind of "problem" the two who love combat would seek out.
"Your Highness, if you knew, I wish you had stopped them. You surely understand that those two are irreplaceable to our cause?"
"Of course. But we're talking about them, Theoreme. They wouldn't have stopped just because I asked. If anything, trying to restrain them might have just made them go on a bigger rampage."
"T-That is..."
Theoreme couldn't argue. He had reached the exact same conclusion himself. Even so, he couldn't simply let it go with a nod.
"Rest easy," Mercurio said, speaking up before Theoreme could continue. "Those two are strong—stronger than anyone here could possibly hope to be. No matter how powerful these intruders are, they won't stand a chance against them."
"That is true, certainly... but there is always the chance of the unforeseen."
"Besides, Rei is away right now. I imagine that’s part of what’s bothering them."
Mercurio noted that the rebellion's enemies likely felt emboldened by Rei's absence of nearly ten days, perceiving the Rebel Army as vulnerable without him. Theoreme felt a pang of frustration, forced to admit the truth in the Prince's assessment.
However, Mercurio’s expression quickly shifted into a smirk.
"Though, at the end of the day, I'm sure they just wanted a good fight. I don't know who is causing the ruckus, but I imagine they've already been suppressed by now."
Vihera twisted her body mid-stride, narrowly avoiding a Longsword strike. As she slipped past the attacker, she delivered a sharp counter to the jaw.
"Oh?"
She tilted her head, surprised by the sensation in her fist. Normally, such a blow would have knocked the man unconscious instantly, yet the opponent remained calm and unfazed.
"Was it too shallow? No, the impact felt solid enough. In that case...!"
She dodged another downward swing and dove into the opponent's guard. Instead of a punch, she pressed her palm gently against the attacker’s torso.
"Hah!"
With a sharp exhale, the attacker’s movements seized up, and they collapsed to the ground.
This was the Magic Impact Palm—a technique Vihera had devised to infuse her own magic power into an opponent and destroy them from within. No matter how much a body was modified to ignore the rattling of a brain, it was helpless once its internal organs were liquified.
"It seems they aren't exactly immortal. Though they certainly lack any glint of reason in their eyes."
"Hmph. There is no joy in fighting such things. Their power was not earned through the tempering of flesh; it is a false strength."
Vihera nodded at Gulgast's words as he backed away, his tone dripping with dissatisfaction.
"True. Even in the heat of combat, I can't feel any intent from them. It’s as if they’re being driven purely by instinct."
"Comparing them to wild beasts would be an insult to the beasts."
"I suppose you're right."
The two continued to chat while keeping a wary eye on their approaching foes. They were boring opponents, certainly, but they were still far too dangerous for the average soldier to handle. While elite knights or adventurers might manage, they wouldn't emerge unscathed.
"Undead? No... they're something else. There!"
Vihera used the claws on her Gauntlets to shear through a thrusting Spear tip before lunging forward. Ordinarily, an opponent would react to such a close-range approach, but this figure showed no signs of self-preservation.
Once she understood their nature, they were no longer a threat. Gulgast felt the same, and the two began slaughtering their enemies with almost one-sided efficiency.
From that point, the battle ended quickly. By the time reinforcements arrived, there was nothing left for them to do.
"Now then, the real question is where Sobul went," Vihera murmured, looking down at the fallen Dolls Mura had left behind.
She had already confirmed that Sobul was missing from his tent, and his body was not among the corpses on the ground.
"So, he escaped," Gulgast grunted.
Vihera nodded. "And these things were the distraction to buy him time. Have the men search the position immediately. If we're lucky, they might still be within the perimeter."
"Yes, I'll make the arrangements at once!"
A soldier who had survived thanks to their timely arrival saluted and hurried off. Vihera watched him go with a cynical gaze.
"...It's likely in vain, though."
Gulgast didn't disagree. Even if the chances were slim, they couldn't afford to be negligent. There was always a possibility the fugitives had made a mistake and were still hiding nearby.
(I doubt it, though.)
Vihera sighed, her eyes drifting across the dead. There weren't just Dolls; many soldiers tasked with guarding the area had been slaughtered as well.
Furthermore, when she had first arrived, she had spotted a Beast Soldier Corpse nearby. The existence of such creatures was not something they could reveal to the general ranks. While most had been focused on the chaos at the tent, a few had likely seen it. She had ordered a nearby Knight to remove the body in secret, but she wondered how well that command had been carried out.
(Someone capable of killing a Beast Soldier... I wish I could have fought them.)
The moon was large and bright in the cloudless sky, as if the night itself were indifferent to the carnage below.
Ten minutes later, the report reached Vihera: a group on horseback had forcibly broken through the camp's exit.
Under a night sky so bright that lamps were unnecessary, Mura, Shistoi, and Sobul rode desperately toward the Imperial Capital. Shistoi led the way, with Mura and Sobul following side-by-side.
"Whoa!" Shistoi suddenly cried out, a chill racing down his spine.
"What is it, Shistoi? Did something happen?" Mura called out over the thunder of hooves. Having worked with him for years, she recognized her partner’s sudden unease immediately.
"It's nothing! Just a bad hunch!"
They had to shout to be heard over the full sprint of their horses. Sobul, riding beside Mura, found their casual communication in such a state remarkable. He knew he could shout if he had to, but he was certain he’d bite his tongue off, and he had no desire to add an injury to his current plight.
He chose to remain silent. Though they wouldn't tell him who had ordered his rescue, being in their custody was far better than rotting in a rebel cell.
"Mura! We're slowing down!" Shistoi called out.
The horses' pace began to slacken. Mura and Sobul followed suit, though Mura looked dissatisfied.
"Wait, is this wise? The Rebel Army is surely right on our heels. If they catch us, we're finished."
Shistoi was strong, but not invincible. Mura was out of Dolls, and Sobul was hardly a warrior.
"I know that. But the horses are at their limit."
Mura glanced at the animals. They were foaming at the mouth; if pushed any further, they would collapse and die. She had no choice but to concede.
"Fine. But where do we stop? If we stay on the highway, the pursuit will find us for sure."
"Over there," Shistoi said, pointing. "It's just a feeling, but I think deeper into those woods would be best."
"Understood. Let's go."
"Wait a moment," Sobul interrupted. He couldn't stay silent after seeing them decide on a hiding spot based on a "feeling," nor could he believe Mura was following along so blindly.
"What now? Do you have an objection?" Mura asked sharply.
"No, not exactly... but are you really choosing our survival based on a hunch?"
"Yes. Shistoi's Intuition has never failed us. Besides, the horses won't make it otherwise. If we have to rest, we might as well be hidden."
"I suppose that is... true, but..."
He understood the logic, yet the lack of a concrete reason unsettled him. However, as he was effectively their ward—if not their prisoner—he had to follow.
Thirty minutes later, the trio sat in the darkness of the trees as several cavalrymen galloped past on the highway. Hearing the pursuers fade into the distance, they finally allowed themselves to breathe, relieved that Shistoi's hunch had saved them.
Only Sobul remained, his expression still clouded with disbelief.