It had been roughly twenty minutes since Rei and Seto began their assault on the units surrounding their position.
In that brief window of time, the damage inflicted upon the Subjugation Army was so horrific it was difficult to look at.
The first unit Rei had charged into was already in a state of total collapse, and two more units had quickly followed suit. However, "total collapse" in this context did not mean that every single person had been wiped out, as was the case with the units Rei had incinerated using a firestorm. On the contrary, the survivors were quite numerous.
Nevertheless, those survivors had had their will to fight completely shattered by terror and despair. They were in no condition to rally under their captains and resume combat operations.
The reason the death toll was relatively low was likely because Rei had relied on his Overlord's Armor. Activating the Overlord's Armor and charging into the fray meant that anyone he touched would suffer broken bones at best, or die from the sheer force of the impact at worst. It was an undeniably powerful skill.
However, its range was limited to what he could personally reach—the immediate area around his body. The range was fundamentally different from the wide-area flame magic that served as Rei’s specialty. Consequently, despite Rei tearing through the enemy ranks, the number of fatalities was not particularly high—at least, when compared to the aftermath of his magic.
Of course, the psychological weight of his assault had the secondary effect of leaving many more in a state of shock and confusion.
"Retreat! Fall back, fall back! Orders from the top! Everyone, just get out of here!"
Hearing those shouts, Rei finally came to a halt.
Only a handful of soldiers remained in his immediate vicinity, their eyes fixed on him with nothing but pure terror. They were certain they were going to die—or, at the very least, be horribly maimed.
Faced with men who had already begun to sink into a resignation born of fear, Rei simply gave a dismissive wave as if telling them to get lost and deactivated his Overlord's Armor.
"Phew... As I thought, the mana consumption is brutal."
He had only used it for about twenty minutes, but Rei’s magic power was significantly depleted. He narrowed his eyes at the sensation of fatigue wrapping around his body like a heavy weight.
(If I fell asleep right here, I bet it would feel amazing.)
He entertained the thought for a moment, but he wasn't about to do something as reckless as napping on a battlefield.
Satisfied that this first large-scale engagement with the Overlord's Armor had highlighted several issues to address, Rei gave a light swing of the Death Scythe toward the frozen enemy soldiers.
"Flying Slash," he muttered. The flying slash tore through the dirt right next to the soldiers' feet.
"Hi-eeeek!"
That strike finally seemed to snap them back to their senses. Realizing that Rei intended to let them live, the remaining soldiers threw down their weapons as if they were nothing but obstacles to their escape and went sprinting into the distance.
"Well, I hope they can outrun a pursuit unit."
Watching the backs of the fleeing men, Rei shouldered the Death Scythe and surveyed his surroundings.
Countless soldiers lay groaning across the ground. While many had died from the impact of Rei’s Overlord's Armor, many others had lost limbs or were pinned down by broken bones. This was a stark contrast to his magic, which simply burned everyone to ash.
"It might actually be useful for taking large numbers of prisoners. Though, with the Rebel Army's current situation, I'm not sure we can even afford to keep them."
They were currently under a highway blockade and suffering from starvation tactics. Even if the blockade was part of a ruse to lure them out for this main camp attack, the fact remained that the highway was closed. While it was certain the path would be cleared soon with Vihera leading a force to break the blockade, supplies were still a precious commodity.
"Well, that's not for me to decide. In the end, I'm just a hired hand."
Rei gave a light wave to Seto, who was flapping its wings and crying out happily as it flew toward him. Landing on the ground, Seto affectionately rubbed its head against him.
"Guruuu, gurururuuu, guruluuu!"
"You're as spoiled as ever, Seto."
As Rei muttered this while stroking the head being pressed against him, the soldiers nearby—those with broken legs who couldn't move even if they wanted to—could only watch the man and his gryphon in stunned silence.
A single cavalryman approached the pair.
"I thought it might be you, Lord Rei."
Turning at the voice, Rei saw Siance, Theoreme's lieutenant. Sitting atop her horse, she looked every bit the picture of a dignified soldier. Her expression remained characteristically stoic, showing no surprise at the bizarre sight of Rei and Seto playing together in a field strewn with fallen Subjugation Army soldiers.
Knowing Siance’s personality, Rei wasn't surprised either. He nodded in response.
"Yeah. A messenger reached me saying the Rebel Army was under attack, so I hurried back. Did I overstep?"
"No. To be honest, we were on the verge of being overrun. Your timing could not have been better. Thanks to your intervention, the enemy has withdrawn."
"So, are you sending out a pursuit unit?"
"Ideally, I would have liked you to lead the pursuit unit, Lord Rei, but you look like you've reached your limit."
Rei was radiating an obvious air of exhaustion, even if it wasn't immediately apparent to an untrained eye. The primary cause was using the Overlord's Armor for such an extended duration for the first time. During his training in the Rebel Army, he had only repeated uses of several to a dozen seconds at a time; he had severely underestimated how taxing it would be to maintain the armor for this long.
"Sorry. What about the Mobile Unit then?"
As Rei spoke while enjoying the soft texture of Seto's head, Siance shook her head.
"The Mobile Unit was pushed too hard in this engagement. Everyone else is barely holding on after intercepting the Subjugation Army's attack. Even the morale that surged when you arrived has faded now that the enemy has pulled back..."
"Then what about the pursuit unit?"
"If you cannot lead them, Lord Rei, then we must let the enemy go. While there are individuals with stamina to spare, we cannot send out a pursuit unit composed of only a handful of people."
"I suppose not."
Rei agreed instantly. Unless those individuals possessed strength comparable to his own, they would likely be the ones cut down if they attempted a pursuit with such small numbers.
"...Well, it can't be helped. I could probably force myself to go if I really had to, but there's no need to push that far right now."
"Indeed. There is no need for us to force the issue either."
Siance agreed with Rei’s assessment, but in her mind, she was calculating just how much of the Subjugation Army's remaining strength would be functional in the next battle after witnessing the power of the man known as Crimson.
(Those who saw Lord Rei's combat up close will undoubtedly refuse to join the next battle... or at the very least, they will hesitate. They will drink to drown out their fear and tell everyone who will listen about what they saw.)
To mask their own terror and avoid the label of cowardice, it was certain that people would talk. If that happened, there was a high probability that even those who weren't present would develop a distorted, almost legendary dread of Rei.
(If that happens, even those who only hear the stories will feel uneasy about the next fight. Considering we can sow seeds of discord within the Subjugation Army, it might actually be better not to send a pursuit unit.)
Quickly organizing her thoughts, Siance spoke again to Rei, who was still doting on Seto.
"His Highness Mercurio and Lord Theoreme wish to hear your report, Lord Rei. Will you come with me?"
"Sure."
Rei nodded easily. He had originally been dispatched as an escort for the Frizion Army, and despite attacking the units lying in wait along the highway, he had essentially abandoned his escort target to rush here. It was only natural that Mercurio and Theoreme would want an explanation.
Because Rei had judged the request to be reasonable, his answer was prompt. Siance's eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise at how easily he had complied, but it was the only emotion she showed before turning her horse around.
"Thank you. Shall we go, then?"
"Yeah. Seto, I need a little more help."
"Guru!"
Seto gave a short cry and turned its back toward Rei. Rei stored the Death Scythe into the Misty Ring and hopped onto the gryphon's back. Seto began to move at a slightly slower pace than usual.
Being by Rei’s side constantly, it likely understood just how exhausted he was. Realizing this, Rei gently stroked the neck of the gryphon carrying him as a sign of gratitude.
"Thanks, Seto."
"Gurururuuu!"
Seto let out a happy purr.
Siance seemed puzzled by the exchange, perhaps not fully understanding the bond between the two. She tilted her head slightly but continued through the camp, focused on bringing Rei to Mercurio and Theoreme.
Around them, everyone in the camp was beginning the post-war processing with exhausted bodies. The wounded were gathered for treatment, the dead were collected to be burned, and the prisoners were temporarily disarmed and corralled in one area. Others were repairing the fences in preparation for the night and clearing away destroyed tents, wooden crates, and barrels.
Since this kind of cleanup could be handled by non-combatants like the merchants and prostitutes staying in the camp, everyone present cooperated to tidy up. Amidst the activity, the soldiers who saw Rei and Seto couldn't help but stop and stare. They understood exactly who was responsible for their survival.
The tendency had existed before, but now the look in their eyes had shifted toward something resembling deep worship.
"Hey, look, it's him..."
"Yeah. It's Crimson. It's thanks to that man that we're still alive."
"I've never seen anyone dominate a battlefield like that. It was terrifying."
"Yeah, that thing that was erupting from his body. That was incredible."
Rei heard their whispers but paid them no mind as he headed with Siance toward the Magic Tent at the center of the camp.
"Seto, sorry, but wait outside for me."
"Guru..."
Seto looked like it wanted to stay with him, but since it couldn't exactly be brought inside the Magic Tent, it obediently lay down nearby. Even Seto was likely tired, though not nearly as much as Rei. It closed its eyes almost immediately. The knight guarding the Magic Tent gave Seto a brief look of gratitude before returning to his watch.
Inside the Magic Tent, Rei looked around. The Rebel Army Executives were gathered there, but their numbers had visibly decreased.
(Are they leading the post-war processing, or...)
Given the intensity of the battle, it was only natural that the Rebel Army had sustained heavy casualties. Death did not show mercy based on social standing. In fact, considering that those of high status were prioritized targets, one could even say they were more likely to be claimed by it.
"So, what did you call me for? I assume it's about why I'm here instead of with the escort."
"Indeed," Mercurio replied. "What happened with Big Sister Frizion’s escort? I assume you judged it was safe to leave her, but I would like to hear the details."
"Yeah, I attacked the units that were waiting for us on the highway. I wouldn't say they were annihilated, but they were in total chaos. They won't be able to move properly for a while. Even if they tried to attack, it would be almost meaningless given the force on her side."
"The White Rose Knight Order, then," Theoreme muttered, finishing Rei’s thought.
The name of the White Rose Knight Order was known to everyone in the room. It was a name famous enough that not just nobles, but even adventurers and mercenaries were familiar with it. However, rather than their combat prowess, the fact that they were composed entirely of beautiful female knights was often the focus of the rumors.
Nevertheless, as a knight order directly under the Imperial Family, many assumed they possessed a certain level of skill. Many had also had their eyes opened to that strength upon seeing Videre, who had joined the Rebel Army.
In Videre’s case, she was someone whose name was already being mentioned as the Next Commander of the White Rose Knight Order.
"At any rate, I expect Frizion and the others will arrive here within a few hours. Though, given the current state of the camp, it might be difficult to receive them properly."
The damage the Rebel Army had sustained in the battle against the Subjugation Army was significant. This wasn't just in terms of human casualties; the buildings and tents that had formed a town-like structure within the camp had been ravaged. While not many Subjugation Army soldiers had managed to fight their way into the camp directly, the damage from archers, magic, and catapults had been extensive.
"In any case... Rei, you have my gratitude for bringing Big Sister Frizion here safely."
Mercurio spoke, a trace of exhaustion on his face as he expressed his thanks.