Of all the clashes occurring within the civil strife of the Bestia Empire, this combat had become the most ferocious.
Watching the battle unfold from the main camp, Mercurio turned his gaze toward Theoreme, who stood in attendance beside him.
"Looking at the overall situation... would you say we are evenly matched?"
"Yes. While we are inferior in raw numbers, the current state of the war can be called a stalemate. Ideally, a far more spectacular amount of confusion should have broken out in the Subjugation Army’s rear unit by now, however..."
"You’re right. If that had proceeded as planned, we would likely have the advantage by this point, but..."
"Considering Rei’s personality, I would have expected him to seize this moment to unleash his flashy magic," Frizion murmured worriedly, having overheard the conversation between Mercurio and Theoreme.
"I agree, Big Sister Frizion. Certainly, given Rei’s personality—or rather, his capabilities—it’s unthinkable that he wouldn’t be fighting spectacularly here. Does this mean the move Big Brother Cabajid made has hit its mark?"
"I can think of no other explanation. Though I cannot say what kind of hand he has played. Honestly, if we were to look for an opponent capable of suppressing Rei, the only name that comes to mind is Noise the Immovable."
Despite Theoreme's suggestion, one of the nobles present in the main camp shook his head.
"A conclusion has already been reached on that matter, has it not? It is true that Noise might be able to rival Rei. However, utilizing Noise in this civil strife would require His Majesty the Emperor's permission. More importantly, Noise departed for the Mountain of Magic immediately after the fighting tournament concluded. One must admit it would be difficult to drag him back now."
The other nobles nodded in agreement.
Indeed, thinking logically, it was simply impossible to bring Noise onto this battlefield, exactly as the noble said. There was no doubt about that.
However, lingering in the back of Theoreme’s mind was the fact that the Subjugation Army’s side, which had fought numerous times since this civil strife began, had suffered defeat after defeat. Regardless of individual achievements—such as how many soldiers or knights a specific person had slain—the enemy had yet to secure a single actual victory in battle.
(In other words, the Subjugation Army’s side is just that desperate. And then there was Frederic’s confidence. This is His Highness Cabajid we are talking about. I’m certain he has some kind of trump card up his sleeve.)
The face of Cabajid—Mercurio’s greatest rival—crossed Theoreme’s mind. In fact, considering Cabajid's extensive experience in state affairs, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a superior version of Mercurio.
He must have made some kind of move, Theoreme remained convinced.
Then, as if reading Theoreme’s inner thoughts, a messenger appeared.
The man had clearly ridden here at full tilt; even his horse made no effort to hide its ragged, heavy breathing.
"A report! A report! The Mobile Unit is engaged in infighting!"
"...What?"
At first, Theoreme let the word slip, failing to grasp the meaning of the messenger's words.
It was only natural. The Mobile Unit was an elite unit within the Mercurio Army. Even without Rei, the unit boasted strength on par with the Beast Soldiers or the White Rose Knight Order; with Rei included, they were quite literally the Mercurio Army's strongest force.
Naturally, those assigned to the unit were only placed there after being vetted for their skill and checked to ensure there was no concern regarding betrayal.
Of course, given that they were in the midst of a civil war, it wasn't a perfect investigation. Theoreme had considered it possible that one or two people might be plotting something. That was precisely why he had sent in his own subordinate, Paelnix.
...Though, since Rei preferred to act alone despite leading the unit, Paelnix was the one actually commanding the troops on the ground.
In any case, while one or two traitors might be conceivable, it was virtually impossible for enough people to turn that reports would come in of them engaging in wholesale infighting.
"What is happening?"
Theoreme heard a noble standing near him mutter.
Snapping back to his senses, Theoreme immediately began issuing instructions.
"If the Mobile Unit is fighting amongst themselves, there is a risk of significant collateral damage to the surroundings. Order any nearby units with a surplus of strength to suppress them. Ensure they are captured without being killed if possible. Once the commotion has settled, bring Paelnix—no, he likely has his hands full. Bring someone who can explain the situation in detail. And what effect is this having on the engagement with the Subjugation Army?"
Seeing the messengers on standby at the main camp gallop toward their horses at his first instruction, the messenger who had delivered the report spoke again.
"It seems those running wild are attacking regardless of friend or foe. If the Subjugation Army approaches, they attack them; if members of the Mobile Unit or our own army approach, they attack them as well."
"...So, it isn't a case of them betraying us to join the Subjugation Army?"
If they had joined the Subjugation Army, it would be strange for them to attack that side as well.
When he voiced this doubt, the messenger nodded.
"Yes. From what I saw, it gave the impression that they were running wild rather than having betrayed us."
"Running wild?"
Theoreme tilted his head. He didn't think they possessed any magic items that would cause such a berserk state. In the first place, such magic items were extremely rare; no matter how elite the Mobile Unit was, he didn't think they possessed the quantities of such items that the report suggested.
(If that’s the case... what could it be? No, rather than theorizing, I should act.)
Merely fretting over it would only spread anxiety to those around him.
"Are there any other units experiencing infighting?"
"As of now, no such reports have come in. It appears to be only the Mobile Unit."
At that explanation, Theoreme bit his lip in frustration.
As of now, there were no specific problems with other units, but since the reason the Mobile Unit was fighting amongst themselves was unknown, he could not be completely at ease.
What should his next move be?
As he pondered this, the person he had been waiting for finally appeared.
Actually, considering the carnage the man must have just waded through, it would be more accurate to say he had arrived with incredible speed.
The blood smeared around his face was likely spray from his enemies, given that the man showed no signs of being wounded himself. And considering whom the man had been fighting, there was no doubt it was the blood of his own comrades.
His eyes were filled with deep confusion.
Theoreme called out to the Mobile Unit man.
"I called for you for no other reason than this... No, let me ask this first. Has the confusion in the Mobile Unit settled yet?"
"No, it’s settling down, but there are still guys running wild. Damn it, why did they... They’ve completely lost their minds. Why, why would they..."
"...It might be painful to talk about right now, but we don't have the luxury of time. I want to know what means the enemy used to subject our unit—an elite unit like the Mobile Unit, no less—to this. Do you have any idea?"
"Even if you ask me that..."
At Theoreme’s words, the Mobile Unit man thought deeply, looking troubled.
After tens of seconds passed, he finally spoke, his voice sounding unsure.
"I think... it’s probably because of the Wyvern Leather Armor."
"Wyvern Leather Armor?"
Theoreme repeated the words and memory immediately flooded back.
He remembered Rei taking down the Dragon Knights and bringing back the Wyvern corpses. And he remembered how Rei had used a magic item to forcibly shorten the time required to tan the hides stripped from the Wyvern corpses into leather, creating leather armor from them.
"...In other words, are you saying this is Rei’s doing?"
Theoreme voiced his worst possible suspicion.
If Rei—the Mercurio Army's strongest force—had betrayed them for the Subjugation Army, they had absolutely no chance of winning this war.
However, the Mobile Unit soldier shook his head vigorously.
"I don't believe Captain Rei would do such a thing. The vice-captain was of the same opinion."
"Paelnix said that...?"
Since it was his own trusted subordinate, he didn't think the judgment was wrong.
Then, why? Even as he wondered, no cause came to mind... until his eyes happened to stop on the scabbard of the dagger that the Mobile Unit soldier was likely carrying as a spare weapon.
(A dagger? Come to think of it, besides the leather armor, Rei also...!?)
Remembering the conversation he’d had with Rei, Theoreme gasped softly.
He hurriedly spoke to the man before him.
"If I recall correctly, besides the leather armor, didn't you also make weapons like daggers and arrows from the fangs and claws of those Wyvern materials? I believe we postponed things like magic swords because they would take too much time."
"..."
The soldier gasped, as if he hadn't thought that far.
Normally, the soldier might have eventually reached that conclusion himself. However, his allies—comrades he had been talking to just minutes ago—had suddenly gone on a rampage. Rather, he should be praised for noticing that only those wearing the Wyvern Leather Armor were running wild.
"Theoreme, what exactly does this mean? Can you explain it so I can understand?"
At Frizion’s words, as she had been silently watching the course of the conversation, Theoreme nodded and began to explain.
"Despite possessing equipment made from the same Wyvern materials, only those equipped with the leather armor have gone on a rampage... or rather, run wild. Those with equipment using fangs and claws have not. Even though they are all made from materials stripped from the same Wyverns."
Having said that much, Mercurio, Frizion, and the others around them likely understood what Theoreme was getting at. They gasped softly.
Theoreme’s explanation continued.
"And then there was the ambush by the Dragon Knights that led to the acquisition of those Wyverns. According to what I heard from Rei, they appeared in a completely meaningless situation; it was as if they attacked on the premise that they would lose... Yes. It was almost as if they were intended to provide those Wyvern corpses to Rei."
"But... let’s assume Big Brother Cabajid did something to the Wyverns. Then why did those with equipment using fangs and claws show no abnormalities?"
At Mercurio’s question, Theoreme immediately spoke up, as he had already half-predicted the mechanism behind this incident.
"Normally, tanning hide into leather requires a certain number of days. When it comes to monsters... especially monsters like Wyverns, it requires more days than usual. To the point where it’s impossible to turn them into leather in just a few days."
"But they made it in time, didn't they?"
"Yes. Among the magic items used by our military blacksmiths, there is one called the Drops of Dorim. If you use it while tanning hide, the performance will be lower than usual, but it shortens the time required to turn it into leather to a startling degree. However, if His Highness Cabajid knew that this magic item would be used..."
"Then it wouldn't be difficult to set some kind of trap on the Wyverns to confuse those equipped with them in response to those Drops of Dorim, is that it?"
Theoreme nodded with a grim expression at Mercurio’s words.
It was only natural. In other words, Cabajid had predicted everything this far and had sent the Dragon Knights to attack Rei.
Thinking normally, it was hard to believe someone could set a trap that deeply.
(However, this is the result of coincidence upon coincidence. If Rei had decided to hand over the Wyvern Leather Armor after the war ended, this situation might not have occurred. Was this not a certain victory he aimed for, but merely a plan with the hope that it might work if he was lucky?)
Theoreme was filled with doubt, unable to understand Cabajid’s thinking.
He felt that the loss of five Dragon Knights was far too great a price for a plan that would only trigger if he were lucky. If Rei had not given the Wyvern Leather Armor to the members of the Mobile Unit, the Dragon Knights would have been sent to their deaths in vain.
(It worked this time. But... the element of gambling is too strong. No, rather, did His Highness Cabajid truly predict everything this far?)
An impossible imagination crossed Theoreme’s mind.
The current situation was a result of numerous coincidences stacking up.
And yet, to have predicted all of it and set a trap...
(No, for His Highness Cabajid, is it possible?)
He remembered the somewhat enigmatic nature of the First Prince.
In terms of ability, he was likely the highest among those with the right of succession to the throne. However, considering that enigmatic nature, Theoreme simply couldn't see him as someone he wanted to serve as Emperor.
That was exactly why Theoreme had chosen to serve Mercurio.
...Though it was also an undeniable fact that he was drawn to Mercurio’s own character.
"It seems the confusion in the Mobile Unit has finally settled! However, casualties are numerous!"
Hearing the messenger soldier's report, Theoreme couldn't help but wonder what the enemy would do next, even as he felt a cold sense of relief.