Early morning, October 1st, Four Holy Era Year 630.
The setting was Sonail, a military port city within the Ludain Federation.
Soldiers were streaming onto warships anchored in the harbor, one after another. Nearby, a group of legislators and high-ranking military officials stood in a disciplined line, seeing the fleet off with solemn, silent bows.
Everyone gathered there shared a singular, grim resolve.
—They would reclaim Kyokutou from the hands of the Demon King.
Gunnar Stern, the Federal Chairman of the Ludain Federation, observed the scene from a distance with a cold, detached gaze.
"...Late," he muttered under his breath.
The sound of footsteps approached from behind. Gunnar turned to see a girl with an adorable appearance and red hair fluttering in the sea breeze. They were rubbing their eyes sleepily as they walked.
They were the Third Seat of the Cyclamen Cult, known as Funshaku—Ruari Welt.
"I actually got here pretty early," Ruari replied grumpily. They stifled a yawn and looked up at the sky over the port. "More importantly, why is there a Teleportation Interference Barrier active? I had to travel here for nothing."
"...A Teleportation Interference Barrier?" Gunnar’s eyes narrowed. "No such barrier has been deployed. The port's defense barrier is operating under its normal parameters."
"Hmm. Then I wonder whose work it is?" Ruari shrugged disinterestedly.
Gunnar thought for a moment before deciding on a course of action. "If there is a malfunction with long-distance teleportation, I shall have it investigated. For now, our departure is the priority."
As he spoke, five sets of light, rhythmic footsteps echoed nearby. Five young men and women, barely adults and clad in red cloaks, stepped forward. A faint, dark light dwelled in their eyes, which still bore the soft features of youth.
"Who are these kids?" Ruari asked, their brow furrowing in a display of blatant distaste.
"They are those who conquered the Great Labyrinth of the East. They will accompany this armed dispatch to serve as my 'eyes'."
The five youths bowed in unison, remaining perfectly silent. Ruari let their gaze slide past them without interest and yawned once more.
"The same as ever, I see," Gunnar said, suppressing a sigh. "I would appreciate it if you could listen seriously, at least while I am explaining the mission."
"Listening seriously is exhausting. This body has low fuel efficiency," Ruari replied nonchalantly. "If the job is something worth burning for—something that makes the fatigue blow away—then I'll take it seriously."
Just then, a military officer with gold stripes on his epaulettes approached with a brisk pace. He was the Ludain Admiral, the designated navigation commander for the operation.
"Your Excellency the Chairman. All ships are prepared for departure."
The Admiral clicked his heels and saluted with a fist to his chest.
"Very well," Gunnar responded, assuming his public persona as the Federal Chairman. "Take these six aboard the flagship. They are under my direct jurisdiction."
"Sir! However—"
The Admiral hesitated, his face clouding with a sudden, localized confusion. In the next instant, the focus drained from his eyes, leaving them hollow and glazed over as if behind a thin mist.
"...I understand," he said after a brief pause. His expression tightened as he reconsidered his stance.
"What is your mission?" Gunnar asked, testing him.
The corners of the Admiral's mouth slowly curled upward into a chilling smile.
"It is to annihilate the Demon King. No matter how many comrades we lose, even if we must turn Kyokutou into a sea of flames, I will surely carry out The Plan."
There was not a trace of doubt in his voice. Gunnar nodded, satisfied.
The Admiral's words were entirely incompatible with the official manifesto of the expedition—which claimed they were "saving a friendly nation." His speech was clearly inappropriate for a public official, yet it was exactly what Gunnar required.
Following the Admiral's lead, Ruari and the five youths boarded the warship.
A horn blared, and the heavy anchors were hoisted. The flagship turned its prow, and the rest of the fleet followed in formation. The line of ships cut through the surface of the sea, leaving long, white wakes stretching out behind them.
The legislators and high-ranking officials watched them go, standing in silent salute until the ships were distant silhouettes.
Gunnar watched the fleet for a short time before turning on his heel. He made his way to a specific building located away from the main military port.
He quietly opened the door to a room where thick curtains blocked out the morning sun. At the back of the room, a woman sat on a chaise longue, her face contorted in pain as she clutched her right eye.
"...I apologize for overtaxing you, Philly."
"Hehe... In the end, you really are... useless without me, aren't you?"
Despite her obvious suffering, Philly Carpenter didn't miss the chance for a sarcastic jab. Her tone was as airy as ever, but her slender shoulders were tense, vibrating with a strain that seemed ready to snap.
She was still struggling to suppress the Evil God's mana she had absorbed into her body. Despite that, she had successfully applied Perception Alteration not only to the Admiral but also to the legislators and military officials.
Deep within Philly's right eye, the remnants of jet-black mana pulsated with a steady, sickening rhythm.
Gunnar stared at her for a long moment, swallowing whatever words he might have intended to say. Eventually, he turned away and quietly shut the door.
As the heavy thud of the door echoed through the room, it left behind a silence so thick it felt like held breath. Philly closed her eyes and let out a long, weary sigh.
"...Now then, I wonder what kind of chaos you will show me next."
Her small murmur melted into the shadows, reaching no one's ears.
Cutting through the waves, the Federation's fleet advanced steadily toward the east.
Soldiers occupied their stations, checking the rigging and busy with adjustments to the magic engines—yet their gazes were constantly drawn to a single spot.
At the center of the deck, a red-haired girl was napping defenselessly in the sunlight. This was the Demon who controlled flames—Funshaku.
The Admiral had issued a strict order: "Do not interfere with them in any way."
As a result, no one dared to speak to them. The soldiers continued their work, a small seed of doubt planted in their hearts as they wondered why a child was aboard a ship bound for war.
Eventually, beyond the mist ahead of the fleet, a shadow of land began to take shape. It was their destination—Kyokutou.
The expressions of the crew tightened, and the air on the deck grew thick with tension. Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out from the crow's nest.
"T-There's someone—on top of the water!"
Every eye turned instantly toward the sea.
Out past the waves, on the blue expanse illuminated by the sun, a woman with silver hair was standing as if the surface of the water were solid ground. It was Shion Nasturtium.
Her clear, amber eyes were fixed in a direct, unwavering stare at the approaching fleet.