The Ewell Empire.
Its history was shorter than the Arnold Kingdom’s, but its progress had been meteoric. Growing rapidly through successive wars with foreign powers, it had risen to become one of the world's preeminent superpowers.
This was the Ewell Empire.
The nation spared no effort in its pursuit of development, a dedication that had transformed it into a global titan.
While the Arnold Kingdom tended to value tradition and history, the Empire was its polar opposite. It was an innovative nation, its gates always open to the world.
Though the state was known for headhunting talent from other countries, it was likely the Empire’s inherent allure that drew so many young people to its borders in search of their dreams.
It was no exaggeration to say that the modern Ewell Empire was the product of diverse individuals competing and honing their strengths to bolster the nation's power.
However, that was merely the public face of the country.
"By the way, Master, didn't you once say the Empire tried to recruit you?"
"Hm? Ah... that was a long time ago, but yes, something like that happened."
The two of them were eating at a food stall. As they enjoyed breakfast at a terrace seat, Ray posed the question. Both were currently infiltrating the country under forged identities. Lydia’s name was far too famous for her to use her real identity for such a mission.
Fortunately, it was only her name that was widely known. Those who knew her face were few and far between—a benefit of her time in the Special Selection Unit (Astral), where she had operated far from the public eye.
Of course, that anonymity was also the intent of the Military High Command.
"Did you ever consider taking them up on the offer?"
"The Empire's proposal was certainly tempting. They offered enough money that I’d never have to worry about it again, and all my living expenses would have been covered. In exchange, they wanted me to train the next generation of sorcerers. They even said I could conduct my research however I pleased. In terms of environment alone, it was far superior to the Kingdom."
This had happened just before Lydia became one of the Seven Grand Sorcerers. A letter had been delivered to her, and upon reading it, she had briefly weighed the Ewell Empire's offer.
"Why did you refuse?"
Since Lydia was here now, she had obviously declined. Ray was genuinely curious why she had made that choice. He hadn't thought much of it back then, but now he found himself wanting to know.
"Why, you ask? Because what I seek isn't something dictated by my environment. Money is important, and so is a good setting. But to reach the Truth of Sorcery... I feel like there’s something else, something more vital."
"And what is that?"
Ray stared at her with a serious, searching gaze. Lydia hesitated, wondering how to answer him.
She had once believed her life existed solely to master sorcery, that she had to sacrifice everything for that goal.
A lonely genius. That was who Lydia Ainsworth had been.
Whether as a student or a soldier, she had always felt a sense of isolation. But she had accepted it as necessary. After all, there was no room for idle socializing if one wished to reach the Truth of Sorcery. It was not a domain that could be attained with half-hearted resolve.
Yet, somehow, meeting Ray had changed Lydia significantly—both in character and in her sorcery.
She had grown. She was far stronger now than when she had known only solitude.
She didn't have a clear answer for what that "vital thing" was just yet. But looking at Ray before her, she decided—
"Well, I'll tell you eventually."
"...I understand."
Ray didn't seem entirely satisfied, but he let the matter rest.
It would be a little while longer before he truly understood the answer.
Night fell.
The mission was finally ready to begin in earnest. Their objective was the Central Management Tower, located in the heart of the Imperial Capital. It was the center of the Ewell Empire, often called the nation's heart.
The sheer scale of the towering structure was enough to overwhelm anyone.
Naturally, they couldn't just walk through the front door. They had to take a different approach.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"...This is more than I expected. However—"
As they attempted to begin their infiltration, Lydia came to a sudden halt. They were in the underground passage leading to the Central Management Tower. This had been their planned entry point, but the terrain had changed since their reconnaissance.
She had expected the enemy to have countermeasures against intruders, but she hadn't anticipated them altering the very geography in a matter of hours. She didn't even understand the logic behind how it was being done.
As she weighed their options, the sound of footsteps echoed through the passage—tap, tap. The sound reflecting off the walls was deeply unsettling.
Lydia and Ray turned toward the source.
A lone girl stood there.
She wore a bright red dress, her silver hair flowing smoothly down her back. Ray recognized her instantly. It was the same girl he had met by chance at the inn the previous day.
"That's..."
"Ray, do you know her?"
"Yes. I met her at the inn. We only talked for a moment, though..."
"I see. It looks like our plans have been seen through already."
Unlike their first meeting, she wasn't wearing her hat. In the shadows of the passage, her expression was difficult to read.
"Welcome to the Ewell Empire. But your battlefield isn't here. I'll prepare a proper stage for you later, so why don't you just go back to your own country for now?"
The girl’s tone was remarkably composed and dignified, her voice ringing clearly through the underground space. She seemed to be smiling, but there was something terrifying about the expression.
Ray and Lydia both felt it—the sheer abnormality of her Prima Materia. It was a thick, pitch-black energy that made Ray flinch involuntarily.
His body shifted back a single step. Every instinct he possessed screamed that he should not engage this girl in combat.
Lydia stepped forward to shield him.
She was already in a fighting stance, an ice sword gripped in her right hand.
"Oh? I have no intention of fighting, you know?"
"—I'm not asking!!"
Lydia had no intent to kill, but she planned to seize the girl for questioning. She kicked off the ground and lunged forward with explosive speed.
It was a velocity that ordinary sorcerers—even high-ranking ones—could never hope to track.
In a heartbeat, she closed the distance, staying low as she aimed her ice sword at the girl's throat.
There should have been no one capable of matching Lydia in her prime—but she was about to learn just how vast the world truly was.
"...What!?"
"Hehe. As expected of the Ice Sword. You really are in a different league from the rest."
Lydia’s strike to the throat had been a feint; she had transitioned into a powerful diagonal slash. It should have been a certain hit, yet her blade was stopped by an invisible wall.
With a sharp clink, her ice sword shattered into fragments that rained onto the floor.
Realizing the girl was more than she could handle casually, Lydia immediately leaped back to reset.
"Should I step in?"
"No... I'll do this. Ray, stay back."
"...Understood."
As they spoke, the girl's form began to dissolve like mist. The particles drifting away were the very substance that had composed her.
Lydia didn't understand the principle at work, but she raised her sword again, refusing to lower her guard.
"Let's meet again. Bye-bye, you two."
As her voice echoed, a massive roar erupted from above. The underground space groaned as rubble began to rain down from the ceiling. In such conditions, they couldn't possibly push forward.
"Tch... we have to get out of here."
Lydia released her magic, her voice laced with frustration.
"Ray, we're retreating."
"Yes, Master."
The two of them managed to navigate their way back to the surface without further incident. The disturbance was eventually processed as a natural ground subsidence. No information regarding Ray and Lydia’s presence ever reached the Imperial authorities.
Lydia, however, didn't care about that. She was focused on the girl.
Was she a magician working for the Empire, or something else entirely?
Lydia leaned her chin on her hand, lost in thought, but they had too little information to reach a conclusion.
"We’re heading back to the Kingdom immediately."
"Yes. But that girl..."
"She was too strange for an Imperial magician. If they knew we were coming, waiting for us all alone makes no sense. Besides, it felt more like she was letting us escape."
"...Perhaps she was acting on her own? Or she belongs to a different faction?"
"If that's the case, the Empire's true objective remains a mystery. But at least we've learned of her existence. That'll have to be enough for now."
"...Right."
With that, Lydia and Ray promptly left the Empire.
As for the identity of that mysterious girl, the two of them would eventually cross paths with her again.