The Unblemished Evil Woman

Veronia's proud new galleons slowly approached Zoltan.

The enormous warships lined up near the entrance of the river.

Each one's three masts were covered with all number of sails, allowing them to

perform complex maneuvers, even against the wind. Hundreds of armed and armored

mercenaries swarmed the decks, which were lined with landing craft and large

ballistae.

And the massive steel ship that put even the continent of Avalon's most advanced

vessels to shame took up station in the middle of the line.

"W-we're really going to fight that?"

Lord William's voice trembled quietly.

It was understandable. One of the basic factors of fighting on the sea was the height of

a boat. Projectiles had a greater effect when fired from higher elevation, and it made

boarding or defending against boarding easier as well.

A fair engagement with that monstrous thing spelled doom for Zoltan. Rit felt

something other than nervousness, however.

"Something's strange. It's certainly an armada capable of conquering a country, but

it's way too much for Zoltan. How much did it cost to move this many ships and

people?"

Being assured of victory was crucial in war, but it was also important to consider the

cost of achieving that win. As princess of a country with a powerful military, Rit knew

that well.

An insurmountable advantage was not inherently the correct choice. It was important

to consider what would come after, and what costs were actually worth paying in

order to triumph.

And in that regard, Leonor's armada was far too big.

Zoltan was just a minor backwater far removed from Veronia's sphere of influence.

From Rit's perspective, the fleet she faced seemed akin to a hysteric flailing than the

behavior of a confident ruler assured of their superiority.

There was movement on the deck of the Vendidad.

"That's Queen Leonor. And Prince Yuzuk and Prince Silverio as well."

Three figures had appeared on the deck.

Leonor looked like a dainty, delicate young woman. Flanking her was a pair of

handsome men who looked like heroes from legend.

The enemies were still a bit distant, but Rit could make them out thanks to her

blessings-enhanced vision.

The two princes formed a magic seal with their hands.

Rit stuck her left sword into the deck, ready to respond with magic at a moment's

notice if needed.

The princes' spell activated, and a massive projection of Leonor appeared in the sky.

"People of the Republic of Zoltan." It was a beautiful, mellifluous voice, but something

about it felt unnatural. "I am Leonor of Veronia, second queen consort of the Kingdom

of Veronia. I have come this day in the name of the great King Geizeric of Veronia."

The projection's smile was both enchanting… and dripping with malice.

"We are here to help you. Salius's soldiers have attacked your humble country without

the permission of the king, so we have come to punish the foolish prince and his

lawless subordinates who would sully the honor of Veronia. Have no fear."

Having said that, Leonor's projection looked toward Lilinrala's ship. It was just a

constructed image; the real Leonor couldn't see what her massive duplicate could.

However, the projection's gaze was fixed unflinchingly at Lilinrala's galley, making it

almost seem real.

"She's used to this," Rit remarked

The real Leonor was standing on the deck of the Vendidad, looking down at nothing.

She was familiar with how to make the projection move how she wished.

As Leonor continued, Rit remained on guard.

"We have come to help our Zoltan friends. There is no cause for alarm, and no blood

needs to be spilled. We request only your assistance."

"Our assistance?!" someone shouted.

The giant Leonor's eyes gently cast themselves in the direction of the outburst.

"Yes, it's quite simple. We ask that you direct us to the location of those who are a

threat to Zoltan. That and nothing more. Simply turn over Salius, Lilinrala, and my

elder sister, the Queen Consort Misphia—the woman who calls herself Mistorm and

who has deceived you these many years."

Judging that there would not be any room for negotiation, Rit started to move, but

Lord William stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

The middle-aged general stepped forward and, glaring up at the giant Leonor in the

sky, gave Zoltan's answer.

"We refuse."

His curt response resounded firmly over the water.

Like Rit's speech, his words had the inspiring power of a hero.

"We will not concede on any point. Your scheme to have us betray Master Mistorm,

whom you would call Queen Misphia, is vile and dishonorable. We may be a small

country, but we are not so shameless as to betray a friend to curry favor with her

enemy. Draw your sword, Witch of Veronia! Come and take her if you can!"

For a brief moment, the massive face of Leonor recoiled. The force of a middle-aged,

backwater military commander had overwhelmed the queen of a major power, if only

for an instant.

"I suppose it was inevitable. The sin of looking down on the great Kingdom of Veronia,

the unforgivable insolence of ordering me to draw my sword, and the crime of being

precious to my sister. Heh-heh, if I scorch this country to the ground and place your

heads on the ashes, I wonder if Sister will fall into despair for me."

The projection smirked hideously. Leonor had abandoned disguising the vitriol that

burned in her heart.

"Draw my sword? There's no need for the likes of you. I require but a single order. With

my word and nothing more, you will all die meaningless deaths."

For the first time, Leonor's projection looked straight forward at nothing in particular

because the real woman on the deck of the Vendidad was gazing at Zoltan.

"Kill them all."

Landing crafts filled with mercenaries were lowered in droves. The tanned, powerfullooking sellswords started rowing toward Zoltan.

"Wh-what should we do, Lady Rit? I just sort of snapped."

After all his bluster, Lord William was trembling in fear.

It was a little bit pathetic…

"What do you think?" Rit asked the knights around her and Lord William.

They all grinned.

"Don't worry, General! I've never been more proud to be a knight of Zoltan."

"I was a little worried fighting on the sea and without my partner drake, but your

words erased any doubt in my mind."

"We're the proud Zoltan knights of Lord William. I'm sure my father, who passed last

year, would be jealous of the honor I have to fight alongside you during such a

momentous event."

The knights raised their swords.

""Your orders, sir?""

Lord William's eyes grew wet. He cleared his throat, preparing to give the command.

"Ah, the commander here is Lady Rit, not I."

The knights all smiled as Lord William's voice went flat.

Rit nodded, satisfied with how they were doing. "Then, Lord William, may I borrow

your sword for a moment?"

"Huh? Yes, of course."

Rit took the man's weapon and held it aloft.

"As Lord William's proxy leading the army of Zoltan, Rit the apothecary commands all

heroes of Zoltan!" Rit pointed the sword straight at Leonor's warship. "Deploy in line

with Lilinrala's galley. Do not approach the enemy vessels! Soldiers of Zoltan, advance!"

Landing crafts were already pushing up the river, with the demon lord's metal ship

looming behind them.

This would not be a particularly large battle when compared to others in Avalon's

history. It was not two great armadas clashing. Leonor's galleons had taken up station

behind the landing boats with their sails furled, not even bothering with evasive

action. Only small vessels would engage, but it was still a naval skirmish the likes of

which Zoltan had never seen.

On her galley, Lilinrala sighed as she beheld Zoltan's forces.

"There's nothing for you to gain from all this, so why are you risking your lives to help

us…! Don't go letting them die, you sea dogs! We already owe them more than a ship

full of treasure could cover! If the debt gets any larger, all the riches in the world won't

be enough!"

"Aye, aye, ma'am!"

An arrow volley rained down on Leonor's encroaching army.

Hired soldiers screamed and thrashed as the projectiles found purchase. Some

rowboats capsized, leaving mercenaries clinging desperately to the sides of them.

Lilinrala's galley had the advantage as the battle opened.

"It's no good! Back! Pull back!"

Leonor's hirelings on the rowboats retreated from the hail of arrows launched from

Lilinrala's ship.

Seeing that, a graying mercenary commander ordered his band to divert around it.

"It's like attacking a fortress. There's no money in it for us if we fight that head on, so

leave it to the others."

But what awaited them was Rit with a shotel in either hand. A shadow flew through

the sky, landing with a thud in the middle of their rowboat.

"Wh-what?! A woman?!"

Even in their shock, the mercenaries did not hesitate to thrust with their swords.

They really were different from Zoltan's adventurers. The experienced troops could

still rely on their training and experience even in a wild melee.

However…

"Hahhh!" Rit shouted while her shotels tore through them like a storm. The

mercenaries' blades cut only air, while Rit used the curve of her shotels to bypass their

shields.

Leonor's hired troops missed, their defenses failed, and they were felled in the blink

of an eye. Having pacified the one rowboat, Rit leaped again without rest.

"Eeep?!"

By the time she'd knocked out the third boat, the mercenaries leaped into the sea in a

panic to escape.

"That's what you get from soldiers paid in gold."

Mercenaries might flirt with danger, but they weren't so faithful as to fight when they

knew they would die.

"The drake knights are doing a good job disrupting the ones trying to land from the

sea. And it looks like Leonor's hirelings aren't interested in the extra work of a siege

after fighting their way onto shore and are mostly still trying to land using the river

anyway," Rit continued, assessing the situation. "Their movements are getting duller.

It was supposed to be an easy win for them, but they're losing faith now that things

have turned out tougher than anticipated."

"Just one more push."

The masked Salius ordered his marines to advance.

Using the tailwind Rit had created and the river's flow, the prince's vessel flew forward

at high speed, charging straight toward the side of one of the Veronian galleons.

Although the galleon's crew loosed arrows at the approaching caravel, they also

continued to lower landing crafts. Evidently, they didn't believe the small Zoltan boat

to be a threat.

"Hmph, amateurs."

Laughing, Salius gave the signal to his subordinates.

They all leaped into the small ship tied to the back of the caravel and immediately cut

the rope.

Salius's escape craft moved at full speed away from the caravel still riding the tailwind.

By the time the galleon's crew realized the intent to ram, it was too late.

The timing was perfect. Just before the caravel crashed into the galleon, there was a

massive explosion. The mercenaries on the galleon's deck were sent flying, and a big

hole was blown in the side of the ship as it listed and started to sink.

"Th-they stuffed their ship with explosives! Raise sail! Evasive maneuvers!"

"Hold off lowering boats! We need troops to protect the ship!"

The remaining seven galleons frantically raised sail, but because of the headwind, the

giant galleons' formation was thrown into chaos.

"Oy! Watch it! Don't hit us!"

"You watch it! We can't move here!"

"What'd you say?! We can't…!"

Two of the galleons collided. The ships shuddered, and many soldiers fell overboard.

The remaining Veronian ships couldn't employ their sails well enough to regain

control.

Lilinrala grinned as she watched.

"Did you not consider why I left those new galleons in Veronia even knowing you

would take them? They're Avalon's strongest, newest designs, but half-assed training

isn't enough to sail them well. They're more ship than a bunch of mercenaries can

handle."

As the reinforcements that were supposed to be coming from the galleons dried up,

the mercenaries already in rowboats grew less and less interested in fighting.

The nobodies of the hapless little backwater of Zoltan were far stronger than expected.

Rit went without saying, but even Zoltan's average soldiers were fighting courageously.

It became increasingly obvious to the mercenaries that if they pushed onward, they'd

suffer severe casualties. Their advance stalled, and some of them halted altogether to

make a show of firing arrows from far enough away that they would not find purchase.

Once it reached that point, more and more hired warriors started to break until the

battle line was on the verge of collapsing. The best course for the Veronian side would

be to order a retreat before that happened and gather its forces again.

Rit was confident they had won the opening encounter.

I wonder if Leonor will be a bit chagrined after this.

Rit looked over at the demon lord's ship, which still waited patiently. Leonor and the

two princes were standing on the deck, seemingly in the middle of a discussion.

"…She's smiling…"

There was a grin on the queen consort's face, as though she were enjoying herself.

Bottling up ominous unease, Rit readied herself to deal with whatever might come.

However, what actually happened left Rit incapable of anything but staring in openmouthed shock.

"That's impossible…!"

The two princes formed a seal, and five other Veronian mages around them were also

focusing their minds. Even to someone with no knowledge of magic, it was clear that

the seven of them were up to something.

"The ship is… rising?!"

It was not as if the Vendidad had completely left the water and was flying around, but

the great steel boat began to climb upriver, a feat that should've been impossible for

it.

The magic was raising the ship's draft. By all rights, such a huge vehicle should have

run aground in the estuary, but it was steaming ahead without issue.

The Vendidad was over one hundred meters long and made of metal. Raising it with

magic was unthinkable, even for seven working in concert. The task was beyond Ares,

humanity's greatest mage.

"Asura demon magic." Rit gripped the hilts of her shotels tightly.

That power surpassed human understanding. The Zoltan side, and even Leonor's

mercenaries, stopped fighting and stared at the demon lord's ship.

"Not good!" Rit was the first to return to her senses. She immediately returned to her

caravel and shouted. "Lord William! Ram it with our caravel! If it reaches Zoltan, it's

all over!"

"U-understood!"

Her ship's sails billowed as it moved forward.

"…Gh!"

Suddenly, Rit leaped off the ship. She swatted down a single arrow that had come flying

toward them with her sword. There was a thud and then a violent explosion.

"Lady Rit?!"

Lord William stopped the caravel in a panic.

Rit had been sent flying backward by the blast, and though she landed safely back on

board, she was injured.

"There's a high-level Magic Archer on that ship! That arrow had a Fireball spell imbued

in it!"

"Fireball?! From that range?! Is there really a blessing like that?!"

A man holding a tall bow and wearing a hunter's hat with dragon eyes sewn into it

smirked down at Rit and Lord William.

Their caravel was packed with explosives. If fire magic hit it, it would set the whole

ship off. Even for Rit, fighting a Magic Archer at long range would be difficult.

And on top of that, the mercenaries on Vendidad let fly a storm of arrows, too.

Despite lacking any blessings that boosted archery, the hired troops protecting the

Veronian flagship were the cream of the crop that Leonor was relying on. Such a

situation was undoubtedly a challenge for anyone to break through, even Rit the hero.

"Wh-what should we do, Lady Rit?!" Lord William cried.

"Red…," Rit muttered with a smile.

It's okay because I have Red and the others.

Rit did not despair. She had something even the elite mercenaries could never hope to

deal with—the world's strongest heroes, who had been living a relaxing, slow-paced

life in Zoltan.

Leonor looked at the rabble scrambling on the water with satisfaction.

It was always a pleasant feeling for her to see the moment when people drunk on

courage and the idea they'd win an impossible battle learned the truth and fell into

despair.

The despondence on the face of that impertinent high elf pirate Lilinrala as she rallied

her crew to fight was exquisite. Her skill meant there was already anguish in her eyes,

for she understood that her side had lost already.

"You chose poorly," Leonor spat.

With Zoltan as an ally, Lilinrala must have believed she'd claimed a superior position

from which to fight, yet with the river mouth blockaded, her galley was afforded no

avenue of escape. They were in the palm of Leonor's hand. All that remained was to

squeeze and end it.

"But I won't kill you yet… not until I can do so before Sister, and only after days of

torture. Once Sister is sobbing and begging me to kill her instead, then and only then

will I end you."

Flames blazed in Leonor's eyes. Confident that she would achieve the final aspiration

of her life, she broke into a loud laugh.

"That's precisely why you're going to lose, Leonor."

"Sister?!"

Leonor spun at the voice that should not have been so close. Perhaps the twisted bond

between the siblings had carried the words to her ears.

A single ship appeared together with a column of water. Leonor knew the ancient

vessel that was cutting through the sea at a ferocious speed and headed straight for

her.

"The Regulus?! That's impossible!"

Rit beamed at the sight of this latest arrival.

"Red!"

"Sorry we kept you waiting!"

Standing on the deck were Red, Tisse, Yarandrala, and…

"Leonor! Did you really think you could beat Pirate Princess Misphia when it came to

surprise attacks and dirty tricks?!"

"Sister!!!"

Mistorm gazed down at Leonor, who answered the look with a dark glare. However,

the younger sibling's expression changed when she spied another familiar face.

"…! That's Gideon!!!"

"Mother! Please hold tight to us. They are going to crash into our ship."

"Someone! Anyone! Capture him! I want him kneeling before me!"

"You are being unreasonable, Mother!"

Prince Yuzuk grabbed Leonor's hand just as the Regulus smashed into the side of the

Vendidad. Even Leonor's hero-class mercenaries were forced to hold the vessel's sides

to remain standing. The mages concentrating on their magic were not so fortunate,

though. By the time they realized what was happening, they were already tumbling

into the water, leaving Leonor and her two sons standing alone.

The spell broke, and the demon lord's ship pushed a little bit farther up the river

before its bottom scraped the bed and locked in place. Red and the others on the

Regulus leaped onto the demon lord's ship.

Leonor's astonishment left Red exasperated.

"Well, that's what happens when an amateur with no command experience is in

charge of an operation."

Leonor had opted for a surprise attack to break her enemies' spirits. It was a fitting

strategy for her. However, if you hoped to win a standard fight on the battlefield, the

orthodox approach was simply to engage normally. The side with superior forces

generally shouldn't opt for a risky tactic.

Now Leonor would pay the price for it. Her overwhelming strength was going to be

stolen out from under her.

Turning back time to before the battle between Veronia and Zoltan started.

Tisse, Mistorm, and I headed to the hidden village where Ruti and Yarandrala were.

"Do you know what Ms. Ruti's thinking?"

I thought about Tisse's question for a little bit and then looked at Mistorm.

"I'd guess she probably went to get a ship."

"…My old boat, the Regulus, is in a hidden cove not too far from the village. We brought

all the furniture to the settlement, but the ship itself is fine. I'm surprised you realized

I still had it."

"There were pieces there that looked like they came from a boat, but the houses

themselves didn't appear to be made from the hull, so I figured the ship was still

intact."

"Did Ms. Ruti notice as well?"

"I'm sure she did."

If I'd noticed it, she definitely had. Ruti was brilliant.

"Then we should head directly for the ship instead of the village. Could you guide us,

Mistorm?"

"Got it. Follow me."

Following Tisse's suggestion, we changed routes and headed for the cove where the

ship was hidden. And as expected, we saw lots of the old people from the hidden

village getting it ready to sail.

"Young miss!" one of them called out when he saw Mistorm, and she waved back.

"Are Ruti and Yarandrala here?"

"If you mean the blue-haired missy and the high elf, then yes."

We found them quickly. They were reviewing a map and making a plan.

"Big Brother." Ruti smiled happily when I went over.

"Sorry, did we keep you waiting?"

"No, it's fine. We were thinking about how to board the demon lord's ship."

The map outlined Zoltan's surroundings, and Ruti pointed to one small inlet.

"We're here."

"Hmm. This is a dead angle for vessels sailing into Zoltan from the sea. However, there's

still quite a distance between here and the enemy ships. If the galleons intercept us,

we won't be able to reach the Vendidad."

"Mhm. I can move it."

"Move it?"

"Push it by hand."

Ruti raised her arms and flexed her muscles expressionlessly. Her strength came from

her Hero blessing, though, so she still possessed the slender, not-particularly-muscled

arms of a normal girl.

She looked adorable.

"Leave it to me."

Mistorm cast me a look, not knowing how to respond.

"Ruti can do it."

"…It doesn't look like you're joking. Okay, I'll trust you."

"We'll only have one shot. We have to board the Vendidad and launch a surprise attack.

Once we do, it doesn't really matter how powerful that ship is," Ruti explained. Then

she took my hand.

"Big Brother… I'd like you to help, too."

Grinning, I answered, "Of course. Let's fight together."

She squeezed my hand and smiled. "Thank you."

Casting Sacred Shield over the water to create a foothold for herself, Ruti tackled the

ship with all her might.

"I'll catch up soon…"

Her words trailed off far in the distance as the Regulus was launched across the sea at

a tremendous speed.

Mistorm was understandably shocked, but even Tisse and Yarandrala, who knew Ruti

better than most, were surprised.

That's my Ruti. Big Brother's proud of you.

Threading the needle through the chaotic mess of galleons, the Regulus slammed into

the stern of the Vendidad. It was no longer seaworthy after that impact. We

immediately leaped onto the deck and ran toward the bow, where Leonor waited.

"Stop them!" Prince Silverio commanded, and the mercenaries responded immediately.

The Champion, Sword Devil, and Rune Knight. A veritable parade of top-tier blessings

lined up to block our way. These were the elite hirelings that Leonor had gathered.

And the one who stood out in an already-illustrious group was the Magic Archer with

dragon eyes woven into his hat.

"Now there's a familiar face, Gideon of the Bahamut Knights."

"Oh yeah, aren't you Fried, the dragon slayer of Flamberge?"

He knocked an arrow and took aim at me.

"Just when I thought there wasn't anyone worth hunting in this backwater, a big name

suddenly appears! Perfect, you'll make good quarry."

Fried formed a seal as he released his bowstring.

"A magic shot that will kill you even if you evade! Parry and die or just let it hit and

die! Your choice!"

The arrow was imbued with the spell Gravity Sphere.

It was true that even if I dodged, it had enough force to turn everything in a ten-meter

radius to ash.

In which case…

"What?!"

I caught the projectile with my left hand.

The magic imbued in the arrow would only trigger upon impact. If I kept it from hitting

anything, the spell would fizzle out without going off.

"You've specialized your skills too heavily in magic. If the attacks don't hit, they don't

matter."

"Youuuu!!!"

Fried tried to unleash a second arrow, but I immediately closed the distance using

Lightning Speed. My opponent was an elite through and through, however, swiftly

abandoning his bow to draw a sword.

My blade was not so weak as to be stopped by a sword that was just a fallback option,

however.

"Gyaaah!"

My attack found its mark, and Fried slumped in a pool of blood.

"He got Fried?!"

One of the mercenaries screamed, pulling attention from Tisse and the others who

were standing in front of them. It was not even a full second, but that was more than

enough.

Tisse's blade flashed, and Yarandrala's staff swung down. The mercenaries with

powerful blessings collapsed in a shower of blood without having time to scream.

"Who are they?! They're way too strong!"

Fear and panic spread among Leonor's elites.

"Their movements are getting duller. Time to break through."

"Roger!"

We started running.

"Mistorm, can you stop the enemies to our flanks?"

"Leave it to me! Ash Storm!"

A vortex of corrosive ash attacked the mercenaries. Cutting through our retreating

enemies, we ran the full 120-meter deck without slowing.

"Leonor!" Mistorm shouted. She was staring at the young woman ahead.

Protected by the two burly princes who looked like archetypal warriors from old

legends, Leonor leveled her gaze at Mistorm… and at me.

We had finally reached her.

The demon lord's ship, Vendidad, made use of unknown technology for locomotion but

had run aground and was presently useless as a boat.

At the ship's prow, Prince Yuzuk and Prince Silverio were standing at the ready, both

wielding enormous greatswords in either hand.

"Dual-wielding greatswords, huh."

Typically, such weapons couldn't be lifted one-handed, but the princes' thick arms

almost made it appear natural.

And Leonor was standing calmly behind them.

"I'm pleased to see you again like this before I die, Sister."

"As far as I'm concerned, you're a past I left behind long ago. I didn't think you would

still be hung up on me after all this time."

"I prefer not to hold back when I want something."

"How did you ever become so foolish?"

There was a murderous crackle in the air, as if the pair might come to blows at any

moment, yet the princes kept them apart.

We would have to defeat them first.

When I took a step forward, Leonor's attention fell to me.

"Gideon, I never imagined I'd be able to see you again, too."

"I would've preferred we never saw each other again."

"That's a rather horrid thing to say to the woman who loved you."

"Are you sure you didn't mean to say the woman who tried to kill me?"

"I loved you and tried to kill you. Both are me. I won't let you escape this time. I will

properly end you."

"…I really could have done without this reunion."

Seeing my expression twist in displeasure, Leonor grinned.

The memories from when I was a boy came back to me. I was a different person now,

though.

"Please step back, Mother. This is our job." Prince Silverio took a position to protect

Leonor.

"Gideon, I'm glad to meet you again." Prince Yuzuk's lips curled into an elated,

ferocious grin as he approached me.

I brought my sword to a high stance and ran at Prince Yuzuk. He crossed his swords

and blocked the slash. There was a metallic screech.

"Mother! I beg your pardon, but allow us a short break from being your sons until this

fight is over!"

"It can't be helped, I suppose. Everyone who sees you transform must be erased,

however. This may be a backwater, but it's still too early for your identity to be known."

"Understood. Fortunately, we're on a ship. We can easily kill all the mercenaries here."

Both of the princes' figures swelled. While I was being held back by two blades, four

more crashed down from overhead.

"Hah!"

In response, I shouted and pushed the two swords locking mine back and then thrust

my sword at the face of the prince whose body had transformed. Unfortunately, he

dodged my attack by the skin of his teeth.

I leaped away before my opponent could land a counterattack, and by that time, both

of the princes had finished morphing into six-armed Asura demons.

"You've gotten strong, Gideon. I'm truly delighted to be able to fight you like this."

"Gajasura!"

The Asura demon's shoulders heaved with joy.

"I-it's a demon!"

I heard screams from behind me. Leonor's mercenaries were terrified by the princes'

transformations.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about watching our backs," I remarked.

The vast majority of mercenaries had lost the will to fight and were steadily retreating.

I had planned to hold them off myself if it came to that, yet it looked like we'd be able

to focus on the Asura demons and Leonor.

I adjusted my grip on the sword.

"Red!"

"It's okay."

I smiled to reassure Yarandrala. There was blood trickling down my arm. It was a light

scratch, but it had been close.

"To think you were in line to be the next king of Veronia, Gajasura… I never would've

guessed it back then."

"Life is filled with surprises. No matter how many thousands of years I live, I never get

tired of it. The joy of opportunities thought lost is truly magnificent."

The princes were actually Asura demons who'd consumed Leonor's stillborn children

and taken their forms. They were Gajasura and Chugarra, who had once fought at

Mistorm's side.

They held greatswords in each of their six arms. Unlike Shisandan, they gave the

impression of big, powerful warriors.

I fought using my knowledge and experience to estimate an opponent's blessing and

level. Because I understood what an opponent was capable of, I could combat them on

equal or even superior footing despite having a weak blessing like Guide.

Asura demons were the one race that did not have blessings, though. During our time

battling the demon lord's army, my options grew more limited as we encountered

Asura demons.

"Gajasura… you are strong. No weaker than Shisandan, even. If you live as a prince,

shouldn't you be removed from any big fights?"

Gajasura grinned at that.

"We are different from you humans, who can only grow by killing others."

"…What?"

"My days spent as a royal have been delightfully fruitful. Holding discussions with the

martial art masters and theorists of this continent and devoting myself to sports. At

times with nobles, drinking fine wine, eating delicacies, sleeping with great beauties.

At times mixing among the peasantry, tilling fields, eating simple steamed vegetables,

and singing and dancing with a mug of cheap booze in one hand. They are all

experiences that are hard to come by in Asura Kshetra."

"Can you become strong that way?"

"Even meeting you served to nourish my strength. Being able to see firsthand the

powerful and determined way of a life of such a strong young man was a rare delight.

Learning is joy, and such joy becomes my strength."

There was an intensity to how he stood there wielding his swords. To think it was

possible to grow that much stronger, even removed from combat.

"The nature of Asura demons really is strange."

"If you ask us, all the creatures dominated by their blessings are the bizarre ones."

Gajasura was surely making a crucial remark about the world, but I shut it out for now.

Exhaling once, I gripped my sword tight.

Faster than the Gajasura I remembered, and sharper, too.

As I readied my weapon, there was a swell of magic power behind me.

"Mmm."

Chugarra swiftly covered Leonor.

"Crimson storm, embodiment of mine wrath! Firestorm!"

A violent blaze consumed all three of them. But Chugarra's blades cut through

Mistorm's spell, and the flames did not reach Leonor.

"What is this, Leonor?!" Mistorm demanded. "Why are the princes Gajasura and

Chugarra?!"

Seeing that the pair were actually Asura demons, Mistorm realized why Leonor had

been able to have children despite being affected by Stealth Extinction.

The two Asura demons exchanged a look amid the flames.

"It's been a long time, Lady Misphia. Our voyage with you was a good one."

"Dearest Lady Misphia. It was a joy to accompany you on your country stealing."

Their two frightening faces flashed toothy, carefree smiles.

"Why…?"

"We are with Lady Leonor now."

Offering only that brief explanation, the two of them bowed slightly and did not speak

further, as if instructing Mistorm to talk with Leonor.

There was no sense of malice at all from them, just the grins of those meeting an old

friend after a long while. This was in spite of deceiving their sworn friend Geizeric and

destroying Mistorm's standing and life.

It made me realize again just how different Asura demons' values were from humans.

"What are you mad about, Sister?"

A smirk dripping in malice crossed Leonor's angelic, youthful face.

"Leonor, I can understand you hating me, and I can even comprehend why you'd

despise Geizeric and Lilinrala… But you are a daughter of the Veronian royal family,

aren't you?! You've ended our family's line by your own two hands!"

"Yes, I have. What of it?"

"Wh…?"

"And on top of that, once King Geizeric has passed, I fully intend to give the Kingdom

of Veronia to these two Asura, or, in other words, to the demon lord."

"Why?" Mistorm questioned.

"Why?" Leonor repeated.

"You were obsessed with becoming queen. Wasn't it to have your son take the

throne…?"

"Heh… You really believe that after all this? What a simple person you are, Sister."

There was a soft blowing sound.

With my bronze sword, I swatted down the tiny dart that had flown from Leonor's left

sleeve. It was not a powerful shot, but the little projectile was undoubtedly drenched

in poison.

"Gideon, do you prefer that withered old woman to me?"

"Leonor."

Her smile faded as I called her name.

"You are a writhing mass of lust for power. Yet it seems you lack a goal beyond the

hoarding."

"Of course. I am the queen. Someone else can handle the affairs of state."

"And yet it exceeds mere selfish desire. I can't begin to imagine how much all the magic

and alchemy required to maintain your appearance must have cost, but it had to be

quite painful. I'm confident it demanded extraordinary effort as well. And all to

maintain the favor of Geizeric, a man you didn't even love. Everything was in service

of maintaining your power. That level of obsession is chilling."

"Heh-heh."

"Even if it was for a wicked goal, your drive is something an ordinary person could

never begin to match. I can only commend your tenacity."

"I am delighted to be praised by you, Gideon."

"But what next? What have you achieved through all of your effort, struggles, and pain?

It was not so that someone else might inherit your power, nor was it to gather wealth

or indulge in gluttony. Nor was it for the maintenance of a royal line."

"Correct, it was none of those reasons."

"It's not the impulse of a blessing. Your blessing is Warrior. The role your blessing

seeks of you is no different from so many others."

"Of course, this is of my own volition. I would never ascribe my actions to my blessing."

"Then what have you gained? What will remain of the life that you have razed?"

Leonor looked at me, and then to the sky as she laughed. With every other smile and

giggle, no matter how malicious, some level of elegance was preserved. Such was not

the case this time. She opened her mouth wide and laughed uproariously.

"HA-ha-ha-ha… Hahhh. Is that all you've got to ask?"

"…"

"What did I gain? What will remain? I have no need of anything of the sort. I alone am

my reason for living. Whatever might persist after I die is meaningless. I forced Sister

out of Veronia for no other reason than because I wanted to. And I am giving the

country to the Asuras because I desire it also. Do you require a reason to eat an apple

over a grape first for breakfast? Of course not. The people can suffer, and the country

can collapse for all I care. My existence is the result of doing what I please and nothing

more."

This was Leonor's true nature.

She did not value anything other than herself. Her life was spent on what she wanted,

and whatever death or destruction might result, it did not bother her, and she did not

care to reflect on it.

"Leonor!!!" Mistorm screamed as she glared at Leonor and raised her staff.

"Are you upset, Sister? Yes, I suppose so. You would be quite cross. The only reason

you allowed yourself to leave was that you still thought of me as a member of the royal

family, even if I was terrible to you. You trusted that I'd never be mad enough to

destroy the country that has supported our lineage."

"Yes, that's what I believed. I lost to you and had everything taken from me in the

process. However, I hoped Geizeric and the kingdom would remain."

"It never meant anything to me, and I must admit, it was quite pleasant seeing you

cling to the very person who brought about your destruction."

"What an empty life you've lived!"

"I am the only one who decides my value. Should all the world despise me, my life will

still be a good one because I've decided that is so. And after killing you here, I will

receive my happy ending!"

Mistorm formed a seal, while Leonor simply ordered the Asura demons to attack.

"Gideon, Lady Leonor truly is beautiful."

"Is that why you betrayed Geizeric and Mistorm?"

"Hah. Let's fight, Gideon!"

Gajasura unleashed a roiling series of attacks using all six arms. Back during our first

encounter, I would've been helpless, but I'd learned how to fight Asura demons during

my journey with Ruti.

The key was not to get overwhelmed by the momentum and get trapped in a one-sided

defense. Facing six swords with one made parrying every attack a losing strategy.

Instead, I struck.

Gajasura pulled his body back while deflecting my counterblow. Because of his shifted

stance, none of his right arms could be used immediately. Even though I knew my slash

wouldn't land, the situation was better for me if he was forced to respond with half of

his arms for every one of my swipes.

"Marvelous! You've gained so much experience!" Gajasura shouted. However, I only

replied with a cut from below. His swords were knocked upward.

Now!

"You're mine!"

With a shout, my outthrust sword pierced Gajasura's body.

"Ugh… This burning pain and disappointment… are both good experiences… Ahhh…

it was an invigorating fight, exactly as I expected."

I slowly withdrew my blade from Gajasura, and his body went slack. My sword had

pierced his heart, delivering a fatal wound.

"Gajasura, unlike you, I don't have the composure to enjoy fighting. You lack a blessing,

yet ultimately, you still loved fighting to the death, didn't you?"

The collapsed Asura demon could not answer my whispered question.

Meanwhile, Chugarra was fighting Yarandrala and Tisse.

"Hrah!"

He was a powerful warrior, too, made clear by his ability to fight the two of them

simultaneously. It was not just bragging when he said he would kill all the elite

mercenaries on the ship.

I needed to help my friends, but before I could move, Mistorm completed her magic.

"Blackened blood, words of destruction, paradise splitting spear of the overlord! The

time of destruction has come! Ultimate magic, Demon's Flare!"

A black flame erupted from Mistorm's staff. It was her trump card, the magic she'd

used in the fight against the gem beast.

"An advanced demon sorcery spell!"

Chugarra crossed his blades, forming a magical barrier.

"I didn't pirate around the dark continent for nothing!"

The dark fire swallowed Leonor and Chugarra, creating a swirling black inferno. Even

the Asura demon had to focus himself on his defensive wall completely. His

movements stopped.

"As expected, Lady Misphia! But I am an Asura warrior who has slain countless

demons! I've learned how to withstand demon magic!"

Chugarra unleashed a lightning bolt from his sword. The two spells collided, and

countless cracks ran along the deck.

"We can't get close like this!" Tisse shouted while evading the overflowing flames and

lightning.

The clash of highest-tier magics was so mighty that we couldn't move in. Just then, a

pillar of water exploded from behind us.

"Wh-what?!"

The mercenaries on the galleon near the abrupt geyser panicked. A few of them dared

to look down into the water to find the source.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

However, they only had a moment. The giant galleon was split in two. While the

mercenaries were screaming, I heard a familiar voice.

"Mm. Now it's easier to run."

A small figure was headed toward the Vendidad at a tremendous speed, leaping

between scattered fragments of broken vessels.

"What?! Who's that madman?!" Chugarra shouted in surprise as the person jumped

onto the deck.

"Eep?!"

The elite mercenaries who had gathered at the stern to escape the Asura demons lost

their minds at this latest arrival.

She was just a normal-looking girl, which is what made it so much more astonishing.

Left with nowhere to run, the mercenaries' only hope was to jump into the water. They

cast off expensive magic gear as they leaped from the boat, desperate to save

themselves.

Meanwhile, the girl—Ruti—did not even look at them, turning her attention to the

bow, where we were.

"If he can't move, then all the better."

She ran straight forward along the deck. There was no one to stand in her way—no

one could hope to. Not a person alive could hold off humanity's greatest champion.

Ruti leaped into the middle of the Demon's Flare without hesitation.

"I-impossible! In this storm of magic?!"

Cutting through the intense flames that would've incinerated an average person, Ruti's

expression looked unchanged as she attacked. It was over in the blink of an eye.

"…So this is the Hero. What incredible strength."

Ruti's sword split Chugarra in half.

"What of Leonor?!"

It was an inferno even an Asura demon struggled to endure. A Warrior like Leonor was

undoubtedly doomed, yet she grinned undaunted.

In her left hand was a crimson jewel that absorbed all of Mistorm's spell.

"This is a hidden treasure passed down through the Veronian royal family: Sage Lilith's

heartstone. This stone can absorb any magic and send it back!"

"Sage Lilith?! A legacy of the sage from the old Hero's party?!"

Leonor pointed the jewel at us.

"Allow me to return your gift! You can regret being born an Archmage while you burn

to death!"

With supreme satisfaction, Leonor loosed Mistorm's ultimate spell back at us, yet…

"Gyah?!"

…she was the one who screamed.

"So then… is she Leonor?"

Ruti's sword had pierced Sage Lilith's heartstone and Leonor's hand along with it.

Veronia's treasure crumbled and fell to the deck in pieces.

"Gh, the Hero…!"

Having lost the demon lord's ship, her mercenaries, the Asura demons, and even Sage

Lilith's heartstone, Leonor seemed to have finally exhausted the tricks up her sleeve.

She drew the slender dress sword from her hip and struck at Ruti.

It was an elegant, textbook attack. Of course, it was nothing compared to the Asura

demons' maneuvers.

"Eh?"

But somehow, Ruti failed to parry that slow attack.

Leonor's blade scratched her skin, but the power of the Hero blessing kept it from

leaving even a light scratch.

Ruti leaped back, watching Leonor in disbelief.

"Heh… What is it, Ruti the Hero? You look so surprised."

"B-Big Brother! Leonor's blessing level!"

Ruti was overwhelmed.

Having seemingly recognized the problem, Tisse and Yarandrala both froze in

surprise.

I moved in front of Ruti and confirmed her worry.

"Yes, that's right. She's exactly the same as when I last met her. Her Divine Blessing is

Warrior, and her level is one. Even with all she'd done, Leonor has never killed anyone

herself."

This was a world filled with struggle. Everyone fought and slew to live and develop

their blessings.

Leonor was evil. She had strayed from the laws of humanity, royalty, and even Demis,

but her hands and blessing were still unblemished and pure.

Ruti's astonishment came from how far removed Leonor's existence was from the

world's systems.

Divine Blessings were the center of gravity that moved the world.

The greatest heroes and villains who left their marks on history had all raised their

blessings to higher levels and used that power to accomplish great feats.

There was a Chef who rebelled against his blessing's impulses and became a famed

swordsman, and a man with the Sword Saint blessing who lived a peaceful life as a

shepherd.

But the grace of their blessings was still crucial to the existences they chose.

The Chef used the knife-handling skill and the skill to know how best to butcher

animals, wielding seven enormous blades of different shapes, choosing which to

employ depending on the opponent he faced.

The Sword Saint was said to have been born blind, but he used his Mind's Eye skill to

follow the livestock and recognize any health issues they had better than a

veterinarian. Stories claimed him to be mild-mannered and one who abhorred

fighting, yet he always dove straight in if monsters or other predators targeted his

flock.

Neither of these people followed the standard route their blessings intended.

However, they both relied on their blessings and leveled them up. Thus, the Chef

became a famed swordsman, while the Sword Saint became a trusted shepherd.

"And thus, the righteous and just adventurers have cornered the evil queen," Leonor

sang.

"Why?"

The queen cocked her head at Ruti's question. "Is there something strange about my

level?"

"It's impossible to avoid fighting and survive in this world. The daughter of a baker

and the son of a weaver still have to fight once they connect with their Divine Blessings.

That's how God made things."

"That is certainly what Demis has said, but I alone am the master of my fate. I have

always relied only on myself. Never on some god. My life needs no Divine Blessing."

There was no doubt in her words.

Leonor rejected her blessing without hesitation. It was not a denial of the route her

blessing's impulses tried to set her on, but a refusal of the blessing itself.

The Hero had horribly twisted Ruti's life, yet she still took advantage of what it offered.

Her superhuman feats in this battle were only possible because of the Hero.

If Ruti wished to, she could kill Leonor immediately, yet she held back. Standing before

her was the great villain who had ruined the lives of the Emperor Geizeric and the

Archmage Mistorm. Leonor aimed to push humanity itself to the brink by joining

hands with the demon lord. And she had done all of that while rejecting her Divine

Blessing, the very thing that had tortured poor Ruti.

Leonor's strength was paralyzing. This was not the power granted by a Divine

Blessing, but something different, a force of will.

"Ruti, switch with me."

"Big Brother."

"You don't have to kill anyone you don't want to."

I stood between her and Leonor with my sword raised.

"Gideon, will you be the one to face me, then?"

I took a step toward the unblemished evil who had caused so much unhappiness.

"If you are to be my opponent, I am sure I shall be killed before I know what is

happening."

"Yeah, probably."

"Heh-heh. Can you really slay such a weak opponent?"

The church taught that it was wrong to kill those with much lower levels than your

own because your blessing hardly gained anything from slaying weak opponents.

And she was level 1. Considering blessing alone, she was completely harmless to me.

"No, you are powerful, Leonor."

"…I am?"

"Yes, you are. More so than any of the monsters I've ever fought. Not in blessing, but

in real strength. If I let you escape, I'd have to deal with the fear of knowing you'd

return to destroy us. No matter what befalls you, even if it reached a point where I

might give up and die, you would crawl back so long as you lived."

I locked eyes with her as I readied my sword.

She smiled just like the time we first met.

"You once said that my eyes were alluring. I loved your eyes then as well—that strong

will hiding beneath the surface. When we met again, it appeared the gleam had left

you… and I was disappointed. But it's still there. Those are the eyes that I fell in love

with. Ahh, life truly is a wonderful thing."

There was no more need for words. I stepped forward to cut her down.

"Wait."

Someone grabbed my arm.

"Mistorm?"

"This is my fight now."

Mistorm had used up her magic casting Demon's Flare, and the exhaustion was

obvious on her face. It looked like she could barely keep standing by clinging to her

staff.

Leonor's blessing was level +1, but Mistorm would have a tough time fighting her,

drained as she was.

"I have my own reason for battling Leonor, too," I said.

"So it seems. I don't know what happened, but it looks like fate is a tricky thing."

"Please leave this to me, Mistorm."

"Sorry, but I outrank you, Red. As both Veronia's Queen Misphia and Zoltan's Mayor

Mistorm."

"But…"

"Red, Ruti, Tisse, Yarandrala. Thank you for getting me this far. I need to settle this

myself."

The hand on my arm felt weak and ephemeral, but the resolve of a hero yet shone in

Mistorm's eyes.

"Understood."

I took a step back. Yarandrala and Tisse both gave Mistorm worried looks, but she

smiled and rolled up her sleeves.

"We adventured together before, so you know how strong I am, right?"

"You really are stubborn… Take this." Tisse passed Mistorm her short sword. "It would

surely be difficult with just a staff."

"Mm, it doesn't stand out, but this is a good blade… Thank you, I'll take it."

A small creature leaped out of Tisse's bag.

"Oh, are you here to support me, too, Mister Crawly Wawly?"

He raised his front leg as if to say "Obviously" and crawled a little circle around

Mistorm's right hand.

"Tying the sword down with thread for me? Thanks. Now I won't drop it even if my

grip wanes."

Mister Crawly Wawly tapped Mistorm's shoulder and then returned to his bag.

"What a troublesome person."

Yarandrala smiled with evident bitterness, yet it couldn't mask her concern.

"This is nothing compared to fighting you, Yarandrala."

"You'd better win."

Mistorm grinned and nodded.

And last was Ruti.

"If I fought, no one would get hurt. I would win for sure."

She stared at Mistorm while she spoke. The old woman only caressed my sister's hair

gently.

"That's not true. You'd be hurt."

Ruti looked surprised and glanced down.

"Thank you. I'm glad a nice girl like you came to Zoltan."

Mistorm gave Ruti a hug and then faced me.

"I'll leave the rest to you."

At my nod, Mistorm's eyes narrowed as though in relief, and she approached Leonor.

"I kept you waiting."

"You really did. Have you said all the farewells you need?"

"I should ask the same of you. Any last words for anyone? Geizeric?"

"None. I have no interest in what others think of me after I die."

"I see. What a lonely life."

The two readied their swords.

Leonor wielded an expensive dress sword.

Mistorm held a simple short sword.

Despite appearances, Mistorm's weapon was far superior in quality.

"Leonor, I have just one last thing to say to you."

"What is it?"

"I lost. You took so many things from me: my love, my country, and my child… so very

much."

"Do you intend to get revenge? Heh, very well. My death won't restore what you lost,

though. That match was settled ages ago, Sister, and it was my victory!"

"No, Leonor, I'm not fighting for revenge."

"Then why are you fighting?"

Mistorm took a deep breath. "I was happy!" she shouted in a voice loud enough to be

heard all the way in Zoltan. There was a radiant grin on her face. "I had a long, winding

journey with the man I loved! I've known so many friends! I loved my homeland of

Veronia! And I got to see that crumbling nation reborn into a powerful country again!

I loved this Zoltan! I was able to spend my life for the smiles and laughter of the nogood, lazy, peace-loving people of Zoltan! I was able to pass all that on to Tornado! The

unreliable little kid I met grew into a better and braver mayor than me! There's

nothing that could be more gratifying! I've had a wonderful life! I was happy!!!"

Faint cheers sounded. The people of Zoltan were cheering Mistorm on.

Leonor looked dumbfounded as she watched.

"You do not face Veronia's Misphia, but Zoltan's Mistorm! Leonor, as far as I'm

concerned, you're nothing more than a common threat to the local peace!"

"Truly… even to the very end, you are the most unpleasant person, Sister."

"It's time. You can beg God for mercy!"

"No thank you. I pray to no god."

They both leaped forward at the same time. Mistorm deflected Leonor's elegant

thrust.

The two blades clashed with a shower of sparks.

"Mistorm!" Ruti shouted. Emotion was audible in her cry.

Because of the exhaustion, Mistorm's legs gave out. Her knees buckled slightly, and

her stance collapsed.

Seizing that opportunity, Leonor thrust her blade straight at Mistorm's chest.

The old Archmage used her staff to parry, and despite her weak posture, she swung

her sword at her sister's legs.

Leonor dodged just in the nick of time. The slit hem of her dress fluttered in the wind.

"Your legs are wobbly, Sister."

"And you're breathing pretty raggedly."

The two clashed again. Their swords rang out once, then twice.

Leonor was a twisted sort, but her moves were earnest, straightforward, and

unflinching. She did not use any special tricks. Her every motion was intended to push

her opponent into a corner.

However, with each step, her breath grew more labored.

"Is she sick?"

By observing Leonor's movements, I realized that her body was already giving out.

After only a minute of fighting, she was struggling to continue.

"…Let us settle things once and for all!"

With a sharp cry, Leonor took a deep step and plunged her blade forward. It was an

attack based on her judging that her lungs would not permit her to continue.

Instead of dodging or parrying it, Mistorm jumped forward, as though expecting this.

Leonor's blade bit shallowly into Mistorm's shoulder, producing a spurt of blood. It

was not a mortal wound, however. Pushing in close herself, Mistorm thrust her sword

into Leonor's defenseless body.

Everyone believed that had settled the duel.

"Sister, allow me to convey my feelings… I don't need you anymore."

Leonor grabbed Mistorm's arm.

"Ah…!" I shouted, and the next moment, Leonor swept Mistorm's legs out from under

her, toppling her.

"Kh, ahhh!"

Mistorm's back slammed down onto the hard deck.

Leonor must have studied martial arts in addition to swordplay.

Not good! Mistorm didn't manage to catch her fall!

"That should have been a lethal blow!"

The blood staining Leonor's dress and flowing from the corners of her mouth were

proof enough that she should be unable to go on. Undoubtedly, she had imbibed

powerful painkilling serums to endure the agony of her sickness, enough for her to

persist while she bled out.

"Mistorm!"

This is bad!

When Leonor raised her sword, I reflexively leaped forward to help.

Leonor smiled.

"Gideon."

She called my name through the blood in her mouth, not looking at Mistorm as she

brandished her sword at me.

My bronze sword flashed dully.

Leonor's weapon soared through the air and stuck itself in the deck.

"Heh, heh-heh…"

My sword had cut deep into her body.

"…I don't have any more regrets."

"You hoped I would kill you?"

"I have finally taken you for myself. At this moment, all your thoughts are centered on

me."

Blood poured from Leonor's chest. With my sword still sticking out of her, she

staggered backward and grabbed the boat's edge.

"And having claimed you, I will die."

Leonor leaned against the rail and gazed at the sky.

"I got everything, and everything went as I wanted. I was… able to be myself to the

fullest extent. I did not become anyone else. There is no greater way to quit while I'm

ahead."

"…Is this end really what you sought?"

"Heh-heh… Yes, I'm satisfied. And now the witch departs the stage. A round of

applause. My evil and sins are all mine. I offer no justification. I am proud of my evil,

and now I shall disappear. Farewell, Gideon… may your life be free as well."

Leonor's body floated through the air. The queen's dress fluttered as she fell into the

sea.

I ran to the railing and looked over the edge.

There was a splash, and Leonor's body sank to the bottom of the river.

"…"

I averted my eyes.

Perhaps it was only natural that her body would weaken after such heavy magical

alteration, or maybe it was the wrath of God. Regardless… Leonor's beauty did not

remain in death.

Her figure became like a cracked jewel as she hit the bottom of the river. Yet there was

a powerful light in her eyes until the moment they finally broke, too. I was loath to

concede it, but I could not help but think them lovely.

After a sigh, I faced the others. "She's dead."

"I see. So it's over now." Mistorm was standing, leaning on Yarandrala for support. "I

really blundered there… Talk about pathetic."

"You're the one who lived."

Mistorm shook her head at Yarandrala's remark.

"This is what you call winning the battle but losing the war."

Mistorm did not offer any further explanation and silently closed her eyes.

I looked around the battlefield.

"It looks like the war is over."

Rit was raising a victorious shout to convince the rest of the Veronian forces that

Leonor had fallen.

They had lost Leonor and the Vendidad, but Veronia still had enough of a force to

continue the fight. However…

"Back to the ships! The enemy won't follow us to sea!"

"They got the commander! Screw the reward—we'll be fine as long as we've got this

galleon!"

"The queen's dead, so there's no goin' back to Veronia! Let's beat it already!"

Their morale was utterly broken. None considered exacting revenge for Leonor. Some

were fleeing in their ships, others had gotten to land and were running, and those

incapable of either were casting down their weapons and surrendering.

"That's my Rit."

It was the Zoltan army's first war, but the casualties looked to have been minor.

The inexperienced soldiers had done well to protect Zoltan.

"I'm sorry, Brother."

"You did well, Ruti. Leonor was a formidable enemy. It's understandable that it was so

difficult."

"Mhm… She was strong."

Ruti hugged me and exhaled