The princess and the royal guard are seriously injured.
They are receiving treatment in the infirmary.
Now then, what to do?
Even Arnella and the others can’t hide their shock at this. Only Mastema remains unfazed as usual.
There are many options, but realistically, our choices are limited. What’s certain is that war will break out between the kingdom and the empire.
The princess was nearly killed. The Third Army has already shifted into a state of battle readiness. No matter how the kingdom acts, there’s no stopping the Third Army now.
If we choose not to fight, we’ll find ourselves without a place in either the kingdom or the empire. Since I’m close to the princess, the crown prince would likely see me as an enemy.
That would mean being forced to move to a small town or even across continents.
If we choose to fight, honestly, we could win just by sending in Mastema. But that would lead to problems later.
It’s nearly an open secret that Mastema is a demon, but I’d rather not have too many people know about it.
I’d prefer to keep it at the level of mere rumors.
In terms of winning strategies, the difference in military strength is concerning. Noel and Arnella aren’t suitable for the battlefield; they’d perform better behind the scenes.
Sepia might be young, but considering her strength, it’s unthinkable to hold her back.
With Mastema, Sepia, and me, we could achieve localized victories. With my Chevalier title, I’d like some control over where we fight.
The biggest concern is Kasugal. Will he join the battlefield, or not?
If he does, will he be an ally or an enemy?
Until we know that, it’s impossible to make a move.
Frankly, whichever side Kasugal joins will have the advantage. If he’s an enemy, we’ll be forced to contain him, and that would make it impossible to turn the tide. If he’s an ally, I’d feel sorry for our enemies.
… We have to confirm his intentions. The best-case scenario would be for him to stay out of the war and keep running his shop.
There’s still no response from the empire, but it’s about time we receive a letter.
I go to see Queen Rafa.
The throne room is bustling, but I was able to get in without delay due to the urgency of the situation. Perhaps being treated as a hero helped smooth things over.
Queen Rafa is giving orders and speaking with several officials.
She notices me and temporarily pauses.
I apologize.
I inform Queen Rafa that I need to head to the imperial capital. She’s visibly shaken, but I manage to convince her it’s necessary. The officials object but eventually nod in agreement.
“I understand. But please, you must return. Whatever happens, the kingdom needs your strength right now.”
“Yeah, I know.”
After leaving the royal castle, Mastema and I head for the imperial capital.
Sepia has yet to fully recover her strength due to overuse of magic, so we leave her behind.
In order to save time, Mastema moves behind me and wraps her arms around me. It might not look great, but it’s the fastest option.
I activate Victor’s blessing to brace for impact.
“Here we go.”
At the moment Mastema’s voice reaches me, I’m hit by an intense force. We’re flying through the air with such acceleration that I can barely see the scenery around us.
This is Mastema’s top speed.
We’re breaking through even the air itself, leaving no sound behind. Mastema looks unaffected, but if I’d taken this force unshielded, I’d probably be dead.
… If Mastema struck in this state, the impact would be devastating. Our enemies wouldn’t even realize what happened.
Before I know it, we’re at the imperial capital. It’s not the kind of distance that should be this easily traveled.
We discreetly land in a low-traffic area to avoid drawing attention.
The empire likely never anticipated this. I pull up my hood to avoid being recognized.
It might look a bit suspicious, but I stand out too much in the empire. Mastema, on the other hand, should be fine as she is.
I head to Kasugal’s shop.
The imperial capital doesn’t seem much different from before.
Kasugal’s shop is near the residential area for the affluent upper class. I approach quietly as I see the shop.
There’s no one around. It appears to be closed.
Around the back, I find the door unlocked.
Having once helped out here, I’m familiar with the place. I go inside.
The fire is out, and it’s quiet, but there’s a light in the manager’s office.
Someone is there.
I close the door and head toward the manager’s office.
“Who’s there?”
As I stand before the office, I hear Kasugal’s voice.
“It’s me.”
“That voice… Come in.”
I follow Kasugal’s voice and enter the office.
Kasugal is sitting in a chair, illuminated by the dim light.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yeah. Since you left for the magic academy? Are you back?”
“… How to put it… I’m with the kingdom now.”
“I see.”
Kasugal takes a drink from the glass he’s holding.
“You’ve closed the shop, I see.”
“Yeah. Since His Majesty passed, things have gotten complicated.”
“Did the crown prince, the new emperor, ask something of you?”
“Yeah. He wants me to participate in a war to unify the empire. Said he wanted the power of the empire’s greatest mage.”
So, they approached him.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I don’t care about the war, or rewards, but…”
Kasugal looks up.
“I can’t just ignore it. I need to protect this shop, after all.”
“Even if it means fighting me?”
“Heh. That’s a bit intimidating. But it could be interesting. You were always a good guy. You could do anything, unlike me, who only had magic. Did you know? Renatishia was into you at first. I had to work hard to win her over because you never looked her way.”
The temperature around Kasugal rises.
“When you found out we were getting married, you accepted it without a fuss, not a single quarrel.”
“There was no need to argue.”
“Yeah, true. Still, I wanted to fight you at least once.”
“You’d go to war for that?”
“No, not really. It’s also for Renatishia and the kids.”
Now that he mentions it, I realize they aren’t here.
… So, that’s it.
The new emperor has provoked a dragon.
“I see. That’s unfortunate.”
I leave the manager’s office.
“Yeah. Next time we meet, it’ll be as enemies.”
“Looks like it.”
Leaving Kasugal’s shop, I head to the home I once had, now entrusted to Nia.
I gently wake Nia, who’s sleeping peacefully.
Looks like it’s time for her to earn her rent.
