After departing from the Marquis Rosemary townhouse, Rest had once again arrived in the Margrave Lavender territory in the east.
He was traveling alone. While the purpose of his visit was not exactly pleasant, his step was light, thanks to the thorough rest he had enjoyed.
"Well, I’ve arrived, but what now—!?"
Just as he stepped across the border, Rest braced himself. He had suddenly sensed someone nearby. He looked around hurriedly, and a black shadow slipped out from a nearby thicket.
"We have been waiting for you, our Lord."
"Whoa!?"
The sudden voice made Rest reflexively tense up. A humanoid figure clad in black stood before him. Most of its body was draped in black cloth, save for the face, which was covered by a purple wrap. This mysterious figure had bypassed the sensory net of his Presence Search magic entirely.
"Apologies for the fright, our Lord."
"You... wait, are you from the Sky-Demon unit?"
The Sky-Demon. The pride of the Margrave Lavender House’s clandestine forces. Based in the Forbidden Forest, their duties ranged from espionage in enemy nations to hunting down spies within their own borders. Rest had encountered them once before during his visit with Ulula Lavender... or perhaps "encountered" was a strong word, as they were rarely seen.
"Indeed. This is the first time I have revealed myself to you in this manner."
"You startled me... How did you even get here?"
Rest didn't know what techniques they used, but they were elusive, appearing and disappearing without ever being caught by his Presence Search.
"That is a secret I cannot divulge, regardless of the circumstances."
"I see."
It felt different from the stealth arts Dieble had taught him. He wondered what the underlying logic behind it was.
"Well, fine. What do you want with me?"
"I have come to provide a report on the current state of the war."
"That would be a help. I heard there were skirmishes with the Empire. Has the real fighting started?"
"We are on the precipice. For now, it is a stalemate at the bridge."
The border with the neighboring Geisel Empire was defined by a massive river, spanned by a single bridge. Since the river was wide and the current was far too strong to swim or boat across, holding that bridge effectively meant the border was impassable.
"The Imperial soldiers are massing on the far bank. Naturally, Margrave Lavender understands the bridge must not fall. He has fortified our side of the river in preparation for the enemy's advance."
"So, no major battles yet?"
"Correct."
The Sky-Demon agent nodded. Rest felt a sense of relief, but at the same time, a nagging feeling of wrongness took hold.
Wait a minute. Why haven't they attacked yet?
Rest knew the truth. The barbarian invasion in the north had been a diversion. A mysterious Sorcerer had been manipulating the tribes to force the Aiwood Kingdom to split its focus.
If the goal was to keep us busy in the north, they have to strike now for the diversion to mean anything, right?
If they waited too long, the army that had gone north would return. The best move would be to strike immediately and break the border.
"Your concerns are quite valid," the Sky-Demon said, as if peeking into Rest’s mind. "The enemy across the river is eerily silent. It is as though they are waiting for a specific signal."
"Then, just as I thought..."
"You suspect the army at the river is a decoy, and that they intend to strike from another direction?"
Again, the agent anticipated his thoughts. Being a professional stealth agent, they had clearly reached the same conclusion long before Rest had.
"The Empire's movements are clearly irregular. However, the enemy force is still larger than the Margrave’s army, so we have no men to spare for a separate search. We, the Sky-Demon, have been scouting the riverbanks to track the enemy's movements."
"Right... and I think I know where you're going with this."
Rest had intended to show his face at Ulula's place, but the agent’s sudden appearance changed things. The reason they had contacted him was obvious.
"You want me to help with the investigation, don't you? You're short on manpower and came to ask for backup."
"Indeed. You are every bit the Lord we expected."
Beneath the purple cloth, Rest sensed the agent smile.
"To be honest, I was just about to go investigate a location where enemy ambushers have been sighted. When you arrived at that very moment, I took it as a divine revelation and came to inform you."
"...Good grief, you're quite the handful."
Was he being tested? The agent’s face was hidden, and their thoughts were difficult to read. They were a truly enigmatic figure.
"Fine. Lead the way."
"As you wish. This way, please."
The Sky-Demon took off without a sound. Frowning at the black-clad back as it moved through the pathless wilderness, Rest reinforced his leg strength with magic and gave chase.