“Tch… this is it, then. Time to make myself scarce.”
The outcome of the battle had been settled.
The vast majority of the rebel army was in full retreat, while those who remained were either surrendering or dying where they stood.
Seeing that defeat was inevitable, one man slipped away from the battlefield in a hurry.
He was a bearded man clad in cheap leather armor. His coarse features made him look more like a common bandit than a soldier.
However—though known only to a precious few—this man was actually a Soldier Chief of the Geisel Empire, an ally of the Aiwood Kingdom.
A loyal "dog," he had infiltrated the kingdom disguised as a mercenary, fighting as a member of the rebel forces.
While other soldiers from the Geisel Empire had also joined the fray, they were merely wandering mercenaries hired for gold.
He was the only one receiving direct orders from the high-ranking officials of the Empire.
(I was told to whittle down the Kingdom's strength as much as possible… but this is a lost cause.)
In truth, the victory had been decided by the very first strike.
An unknown attack launched by the Kingdom Army had instantly incapacitated ten percent of the rebel forces.
Witnessing such overwhelming magical power, half of the remaining soldiers had lost their will to fight, choosing to either surrender or flee.
The man had intended to hold out as long as possible to strike down at least one notable commander out of loyalty to his Empire, but unfortunately, he hadn't crossed paths with any.
It seemed he would have to make his escape after killing only a few nameless grunts.
(That idiot prince, Rodel, seemed to show some spine at the very end… but he got taken down regardless. Serves him right.)
The man gave a derisive snort.
Rodel had fallen without achieving anything, neither as a puppet nor a soldier.
Whether he was destined to be buried in the shadows of history or executed as a traitor, the word "half-wit" had been invented specifically for a man like him.
(…Well, at least I managed to snag some valuable intel.)
The man had been monitoring Rodel's final struggle from afar.
Consequently, he had seen Rest—the man who defeated the prince.
(That guy was using light magic… it’s only a possibility, but he might be the same one who slammed in that opening strike. The Kingdom soldiers were calling him "Viscount Clover." I have to bring this information back, no matter what.)
Users of light magic were rare.
While anyone could conjure a simple light to illuminate the dark, few had ever refined it into an offensive magic.
It was far more efficient to use fire or lightning in terms of raw power relative to mana consumption.
(I have my doubts that a kid could unleash a strike of that magnitude and still have enough mana left to duel the prince… but if he can, he’ll definitely become a devil in the Empire’s side. Depending on the situation, we might even need to consider assassination.)
The man’s master was the leader of the "pro-war faction" within the Empire.
They intended to eventually conquer not only the northern barbarians but also the Aiwood Kingdom to the west.
He had judged that Rest would undoubtedly become a major obstacle in any future conflict with the kingdom.
(Viscount Clover… bringing back intel on him alone is enough of a result. I have to survive and make it back to the Empire, no matter—)
"Hah!"
"N-Ngh!?"
The man was attempting to leave the battlefield while deep in thought when someone suddenly launched a flying kick at him.
He ducked instinctively, and someone whistled over his head. An instant later, the ground behind him exploded as a foot slammed into it.
If he hadn't lowered his posture, his skull would have been pulverized.
"Wh-What was that!?"
"Oh, you dodged it? Not bad."
The voice was carefree. A girl clad in practical light armor stood nearby.
The one who had just tried to kick the Imperial Soldier Chief to death was none other than Yuri Catreia—the daughter of the Knight Commander and a close friend of Rest.
"To evade my kick, you must be no ordinary man! You look like a mercenary, but I mark you as a commander of some renown!"
Yuri pointed a finger sharply at him.
"You shall be my military merit for the day! Be a good boy and surrender your head!"
"E-Er…"
The man’s instincts screamed at him. He had run into someone incredibly troublesome.
The girl was empty-handed, lacking any visible weapons, which only made her more unsettling.
(I don't have time for this. I can't afford a real fight…)
"U-Um… isn't there some mistake? I’m just a lowly mercenary, ma'am."
The man hunched his shoulders, adopting a pathetic expression as he begged for his life.
"I’ve got a wife and kids back home with empty bellies. I’m beggin' ya, please have a heart and let me go…"
"Hmm… Is that so? You’re just a common grunt?"
"Y-Yes, that’s right. Just a wandering sellsword with no steady work, just like a thousand others…"
"I see… My apologies, then. You may go."
"Th-Thank you, ma'am. I’ll be on my way…"
(…Is this woman a complete fool? She’s far too easy.)
It was going so well it was almost frightening.
Taking the opening, the man tried to slip past Yuri to make his escape.
(I don't know who she is, but if she’s this gullible, she’s the type to be toyed with by men and used for her body. She’s a bit of a dimwit, but her face and figure are—!?)
The man stole a glance at Yuri, but his eyes suddenly bulged as he spotted the necklace hanging from her neck.
Perhaps because her light armor was poorly fitted, the necklace had spilled out from her cleavage.
The ornament dangling from the silver chain was a specific house crest.
"The Marquis Catreia House…!"
The moment he recognized it, his body moved on impulse.
The man drew his sword, intending to cut her down in a surprise attack—
"Hm?"
The next instant, his body shifted to a curious sound.
Along with the sword he had been swinging, the man’s upper torso fell to the ground.
Yet, strangely, his own legs were still standing right in front of him.
"L-Legs…?"
The man muttered as his consciousness began to fade.
In his final moments, he realized the truth. His upper and lower halves had been separated before he even realized it. His legs stood there, severed from the waist up.
Split in two, the man expired without ever revealing his true identity as an Imperial Soldier Chief.
"Oh, that surprised me. I ended up kicking him away instinctively."
Looking down at the remains, Yuri spoke with a troubled sigh.
"I’ve been taking swordsmanship classes at the Academy… and after a month of study, I’ve realized something."
"Guh… cough…"
"I'm just much better at kicking people than I am at cutting them with a sword."
Yuri puffed out her chest proudly, peered into the man's face, and then blinked as she realized, "Oh, he's dead."
"I promised Rest I'd earn some merit, but almost everyone has already fled. I wonder if there’s a commander wandering around somewhere? Maybe I'll get lucky."
Pouting slightly, Yuri dashed across the battlefield with the light, graceful steps of a predator.