A Heated Battle! The Red Dragon City Front

"It's finally beginning," Carl said with a gulp.

The boy looked like he couldn't be more than twelve or so, but he was

doing all he could to stand up in the face of the fear and pressure of war.

As was apparent with Aisha and Naden, the long-lived races' emotional

age was somewhat tied to the age they looked. Born to two dragonewts,

who lived even longer than the elven races, Carl's physical and mental

development was slower, and he still appeared as a child.

Regardless, now that he had become the head of the House of Vargas in

place of his father and elder sister, he could not act like a scared, panicked

little boy. Tolman knew that, so he continued as if he didn't notice how

tense he was.

"Yes. His Majesty's orders are to defend Red Dragon City to the death.

We were able to arrange a suitable environment for raising wyverns here

with Lady Tomoe's advice; it greatly raised the combat potential of the

National Air Defense Force. It will be a great loss to the kingdom should

this place be taken or destroyed. We also cannot simply allow the enemy to

pass by. We must either buy time until His Majesty's preparations are

complete or draw away part of the enemy force."

"I know that... It's why His Majesty sent half the Air Force and thirty

thousand soldiers here."

His elder sister, Carla, was a hot-blooded commander like his father,

Castor, but Carl took after his serious and quiet mother, Accela. He might

have lacked the aura of command his father and sister possessed, but his

earnest, straightforward personality was well-regarded by Souma, the other

elites of the country, and the people of his domain. He had supported the

House of Vargas through tough times when a deft hand was needed at the

helm. However, open conflict changed things.

This was the first war Carl, who was not fond of violence, would face as

the head of the house. It wasn't just a skirmish, either. He was on the front

line of a great war that had embroiled the whole world. It was only natural

that his insecurity felt like it was crushing him.

Just as he was hanging his head, looking like his heart might break...

"You're a commander now. Keep your head high, Carl!" a voice

shouted.

"Ah—" Carl stood up straight at this rebuke.

Two people strode towards him—with dragon wings, horns, and tails

emblematic of dragonewts, and the same red hair as his own.

"Father! Sister!" Carl cried out with glee.

It was Castor and Carla, both of whom were supposed to have been

thrown out of the House of Vargas.

The House of Vargas garnered sympathy as the true reasons for Georg

Carmine's rebellion came to light. Castor's achievements in the kaiju hunt

in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago and Carla's defense of Souma in

the battle with the Seadians had finally made it possible for them to return.

However, in order to take proper responsibility for their past actions and

because they had both found worthwhile jobs—Castor as the captain of the

carrier Hiryuu and Carla as caretaker of the princes and princesses—neither

had tried to return before now.

But with both the Kingdom and Red Dragon City in crisis, Souma

ordered them to return to Red Dragon City.

"Sorry, Carl," Carla said with a smile. "We've kept you waiting, huh?"

"Sniff... Yes! I've been waiting for you, Sister!" Carl responded

energetically, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve.

For Carl, who had been struggling with uncertainty, their return was

more reassuring than the arrival of ten thousand soldiers.

Castor went over to talk to Tolman. "I've caused a lot of trouble for you

too, Tolman. Thank you for looking after Carl."

"Think nothing of it, Master... No, I suppose I am to call you 'Captain'

now?"

"Yeah. Carl is the current head of our house."

"Well then, Captain. Although it may not have felt long to someone as

long-lived as you, as far as I'm concerned, we've worked together for a

long time. As one used to being dragged around by your whims, looking

after your earnest son has been no trouble whatsoever."

"Harsh words right out the gate, huh? I ought to have expected that from

my former steward," Castor said with a wry smile.

"Father," Carl called out as he approached. "Since you've returned, can I

leave command of our forces to you?"

Carl sounded hopeful, but Castor shook his head.

"No. Carla and I both came here as combatants. As the head of the house

now, you must do your best with Tolman's support. I'll support you too, of

course."

"O-Oh, no..."

Carl didn't know what to say after being rebuffed. Carla clapped her

hands down on his shoulders.

"Don't look like that. No one is asking you to be a perfect commander

all on your own. Father and I have both failed. We almost destroyed this

house with our hard-headedness."

"Sister..."

"Look at the battle with your own eyes. If you find your own abilities

lacking, learn from others. If you can't fight yourself, encourage the troops

and be with them in your heart. If you do your best, someone will see that

and support you."

"Yeah. I'm sure you'll make a better lord than I was," Castor said, to

which Carla nodded.

"'The longer you walk, the more hands there will be to support you,'"

she said, quoting a lullaby from this world.

It was the same one that Juna sang to Souma during his first year when

he was about to be crushed under all the exhaustion and pressure.

Carl raised his head. "Yes! I'll do my best!"

His still-childlike face was full of determination. Castor, Carla, and

Tolman all nodded with satisfaction.

"Oh, my. You all look like you're having fun," said a voice.

Someone new strode over to join them. This woman also had the traits

of a dragonewt, with a single horn on her forehead, dragon wings on her

back, and a tail, but her hair and scales were blue. She donned a marine

uniform similar to Juna's, with a rapier on her hip.

Before them stood Accela, the child of Excel and her (now deceased)

partner, Castor's wife, and the mother of Carla and Carl.

"Wait, Accela?! What are you doing dressed like that?!" Castor asked,

eyes wide with surprise.

She had a comely face that resembled Excel's but was known for being a

quiet beauty, not conniving like her mother. And yet, here she was in full

combat uniform. Carla, Carl, and Tolman were speechless.

"W-Wait... You're not going to fight, are you?!" Castor asked.

"Oh, my." Accela smiled. "Have you forgotten just whose daughter I

am?"

"Duchess Walter's, obviously."

"Yes. And I led the Marines under her command before I married you."

This was the point where Castor finally remembered. Half a century had

passed since they were wed, so he'd forgotten until just now, but Accela

had been a commander of the Marines like Juna. After getting married, she

told Castor, "I want to spend some time away from the battlefield to be with

our children as a mother," and had been living the life of a fine lady ever

since, but she was originally a soldier. Perhaps Carla's bloodthirsty

personality (which had largely been tamed through Serina's training) wasn't

entirely Castor's fault.

Accela spun around and showed off for them. "It's been a while since

I've put this on. I'm relieved it still fits."

"Of course it does. Your figure hasn't changed in the last fifty years..."

"What do you think, Carla, Carl? Does it suit me?"

When she asked the children their thoughts...

"Don't ask questions we don't want to answer! It's embarrassing!"

"M-Motheeer..."

Carla and Carl were both as awkward as they'd be listening to the story

of how their parents first met. Tolman, meanwhile, was averting his eyes

and trying to avoid getting caught up in it. Despite all this, Castor somehow

managed to recover and turned to Accela with a stern expression.

"I'll ask once more. Are you planning to fight?"

"Yes, Castor. I won't let you leave me out of it any longer," she said,

smiling. But her eyes told a different story. "Back then, I went to my

mother's side, hoping to at least protect Carl, but what I really wanted was

to fight by your side. I never want to be put in a position where I have to

watch from a distance as my husband and daughter fight for their lives

again. This time, I will protect the house and my family."

"Accela..."

Her words were full of conviction. Carl was almost moved by them, but

then...Accela grinned and clapped her hands.

"I had my mother send a whole load of cannons and cannonballs for

such an occasion. I've made a bunch of other preparations too, so let's all

put them to good use."

Accela said this with the same tone as someone saying, "My folks back

home sent us some apples, so let's all eat them together." Everyone was

made aware that this woman was unquestionably Excel's daughter.

"Uh, our liege said that we don't have to push things," Castor advised,

"we can just play for time..."

"Now that the whole family's together, we should celebrate that with a

bang!"

"Don't say dangerous things so casually! Are you enjoying this?! You

are, aren't you?!"

Accela was acting playful—as playful as explosives can be, that is—

while Castor was being dragged around at her whim.

As Carla and Carl watched their parents carry on like this, Carl said,

"Sister... Their blood runs in my veins, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... Just like it runs in mine."

"Mm-hmm... I'm starting to feel like I can give it my all."

"That's exactly how a man of the House of Vargas should be...is what I

ought to say, I guess?"

They both had incredibly awkward looks on their faces.

◇ ◇ ◇

Around the same time, Liscia murmured, "I wonder if Carla and her

folks are all right..."

Currently, it was just her, me, and Julius in Parnam Castle's war room.

The first serious battle against the Great Tiger Empire was about to take

place at Red Dragon City. The Republic was doing well to hold off the

Great Tiger Empire on their front, with the Euphoria Kingdom in a

staredown of their own, and the Orthodox Papal State had already been

driven back on the Amidonian front.

Our comrades were doing their best all over the continent. In order not

to waste their efforts, we couldn't let the enemy tear through us.

"There shouldn't be an issue," Julius said, pointing to Red Dragon City

on the map laid out in front of us. "Red Dragon City is a hardened fortress.

With ten thousand defenders, they can hold out for months without

resupply. And with their former masters, Sir Castor and Madam Carla, also

present, morale inside the castle must be high. Even the Great Tiger Empire

will struggle to take the city."

Though Julius said this, Liscia only looked more concerned.

"But if they're going to handle Fuuga and that flying tiger of his, only

Halbert and Ruby or Naden and Aisha can do it, right? All four of them are

defending Parnam. I know Carla's out there, but can the wyvern cavalry

handle Fuuga or Krahe and his griffon cavalry?"

"We've set things up so they can," I said, looking at Liscia straight on.

"They have the men, equipment, and supplies. I've prepared some secret

plans for them too. If Fuuga puts in an appearance himself, they'll have to

trigger the Magic Canceler and hide inside the castle, but Fuuga and his

men shouldn't be able to handle them either. If he sticks around there,

obsessed with taking Red Dragon City, he'll be doing just what we want

him to."

"I concur. If I were on the enemy's side, rather than go after a

troublesome castle like that, I would leave some soldiers to keep them

under control and press on to Parnam. Because that's what we don't want

them to do."

Liscia nodded at what Julius was saying. "You're right... We're going to

have enough trouble on our hands here soon, so we'll just have to trust in

them and wait."

"Yeah. Once they pass Red Dragon City, there are no more cities to act

as a breakwater between there and Parnam. Fuuga and his men will arrive

in no time. We need to finish up our preparations to meet them."

I noticed a somewhat complicated expression on Julius's face. I asked,

"Is something the matter?"

"No... It's nothing..." Julius simply shook his head quietly at the

question.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, at the Great Tiger Empire camp in the mountains

surrounding Red Dragon City...

"First, we'll need to engage in a brief skirmish in order to gauge our

opponent's will to fight," Hashim said.

Gathered with him were Fuuga and Mutsumi, as well as Gaten, Kasen,

Gaifuku, Krahe, and the influential commanders from the lands they'd

absorbed.

"The enemy has holed up inside the castle of General Castor. This is a

key city for the Kingdom of Friedonia to train their wyvern cavalry, so they

won't readily abandon it as they have the others before now. I expect they

have a considerable number of wyvern knights here. If we try to assault the

castle, the Air Force will unquestionably come out to meet us."

"Then let my griffon cavalry handle the task!" Krahe stood up, thumping

his chest with one hand. "The griffon riders are faster than wyvern riders,

and we can execute tighter turns. We are the blades of the air, feared by

other nations since the time we served under the Gran Chaos Empire. I

might not speak so boldly if we were against the Dragon Knight Kingdom,

but there isn't even the slightest chance that the Kingdom of Friedonia

could defeat us!"

Krahe sounded confident, but Fuuga looked at him dubiously, resting his

cheek on the palm of one hand.

"You talk big, but I doubt it'll be that easy. They know you've joined us,

so I figure the Kingdom will have taken measures against griffons, don't

you think?"

"No matter what schemes our opponent has dreamt up, my squadron, the

blades trained under Saint Maria and offered to the great Fuuga, will cut

them to pieces. In our last battle, they used that accursed tool (the magic

canceler) against us, making it so we couldn't even fly, but it also places

them in the same predicament. I cannot see them using a weapon that

renders their own air force ineffective, so the winner will be decided solely

by which of us is stronger."

Krahe was bursting with confidence. Historically, it was true that the

griffon cavalry had been superior to wyvern cavalry, and Souma had been

wary of them after the war with the Principality of Amidonia. Also, even if

the enemy used the magic canceler, griffons had wings, unlike Durga, so

they could glide down to the surface.

Fuuga seemed to think for a moment...then nodded. "Well, you might as

well try. Go for it."

"As you command. Victory will be yours, my liege."

With that, Krahe did an about-face and left.

The young genius, Kasen, looked at Fuuga. "Was that wise? Sir Krahe

seems to be taking the enemy lightly..."

"I have to agree with young Kasen," Gaten added, sharing Kasen's

concern. "That confidence of his is dangerous."

Fuuga shrugged. "The guy fought as Maria's blade for years. We won't

be able to fix that pride of his unless he has a hard time. He didn't even get

to fight in our last war with the Kingdom, after all. Only tens of thousands

of men holed up in Red Dragon City, nothing against a force of our size. If

Krahe wins, then good, and if he doesn't, then it won't have much effect. If

he wises up and sees Souma and the Kingdom for the threat they are after

they make him suffer, that's fine too."

"You don't sound like you think he can win," Gaten said, earning him a

boisterous laugh from Fuuga.

"The information I got from Yuriga before she married Souma never

mentioned the air force. If she could send information about the island

carriers but not the air force, then he kept her from their secrets."

"Which means...they have something in store for us," Mutsumi

concluded.

"Yeah." Fuuga nodded. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what it is."

The rest of the group had complicated expressions, unsure whether they

should be reassured or worried by how happy Fuuga sounded about this.

"Reporting! Griffon and wyvern cavalry have taken off from the Great

Tiger Empire's forces!" shouted the soldier who had been observing from

the watchtower. "A portion of their ground forces have also begun

advancing towards Red Dragon City!"

Hearing this, Castor and Carla each jumped into the saddles on the backs

of their wyverns.

"Hee hee... You know, this really takes me back, Father," Carla said with

a chuckle. Castor nodded and smiled back at her.

"I know how you feel. I had to stay here and hold down the fort back

when we fought against our lord, so it's been even longer for me."

"Didn't you ride when you were on the carrier? You were carrying

wyverns, weren't you?"

"I was always too preoccupied with giving orders. Besides, when I was

at sea, captaining a cruiser was more fun than flying on a wyvern."

"Sounds like you were enjoying life at sea to its fullest..."

It was a bit hard for Carla to accept that. While she had been in the

castle, forced into humiliating outfits by Serina, Castor had been living the

good life out on the high seas.

Castor laughed. "It's fun once you get used to it. You should come over

and play when this war is over. The whole ship will welcome you."

"You plan to return to the carrier again after the war?"

"It's like my home away from home now. I wish I could've brought it

into this fight. Maybe we could've had Mechadra or the rhinosauruses pull

it."

"You know that's what destroyed the original Battleship Albert. Also, if

you go calling it your home away from home, Carl and Mother will get

upset, you know?"

"No...I'm starting to feel that Accela will probably come along with me

next time."

"It looks like Carl's troubles are going to continue a while longer..."

As the two of them were bantering, the aforementioned Carl himself

rushed over with Tolman by his side.

"Father, Sister. You're heading into battle, I see."

"Yes, Carl. Leave the skies to us. Tolman, I trust Carl and the soldiers to

you."

"Understood," Tolman said with a nod reminiscent of his days as a

steward.

"Carl..." Carla said, placing a hand on her brother's head. "You've done

well protecting the house all this time. That's how I know we can trust you

with Red Dragon City. Make sure we have a home to return to when this is

over."

"Yes! And best of luck to you, Sister!"

Carl watched Carla move away, and Castor shouted to the rest of the

wyvern cavalry, "All right, it's time we head out!"

The air force unit comprised people who'd previously fought under

Castor's command and those who currently served under him aboard the

carrier Hiryuu. To them, Castor was a reliable commander they could trust.

"As of this moment, there is no longer any need to hide the skills we've

polished or the technologies we've long kept secret! We are going to throw

everything we have at the enemy! Let them see that we're the stars when it

comes to the war in the skies!"

"""Yeahhhhhhh!""" Castor's words were met with throaty cheers.

He raised his right fist up high as he listened to the applause.

"Men! Activate your propulsion devices!"

At Castor's command, the wyvern riders activated the ring-shaped

devices at the back of their mounts' saddles. These were the light-model

Maxwellian propulsion devices, also known as the Little Susumu Mark V

Light. They were developed after the war with the Principality of

Amidonia, and they'd yet to see battlefield deployment due to a lack of

wars between countries since then. This technology had only really been

used by Halbert during the storm in the Star Dragon Mountain Range, but

now it would enter combat for the first time.

"Okay, people! Let's race through the skies as the swords of His

Imperial Majesty!" Krahe shouted from his position at the head of the

griffon and wyvern cavalry that'd lifted off from the Great Tiger Empire's

camp.

If the enemy had taken flight themselves, then that was a sign that the

Kingdom of Friedonia had no intention of using the weapon that nullifies

magic this time. Krahe concluded they likely planned for a direct

confrontation between the two air forces. He also thought that in a battle of

air force versus air force, the Great Tiger Empire could score an

overwhelming victory.

If wyverns were bombers, then griffons were fighter planes. Unlike

wyverns, whose large wings meant it took a long time for them to turn,

griffons' wings were smaller, allowing tighter turns. When the two collided

head-on, griffons had the upper hand. However, the griffon's style of flying

meant they tired quickly, so they needed wyvern-riding allies to cover for

them.

Also, because the Kingdom of Friedonia still needed to leave behind an

air force to defend Parnam, they only had so many wyvern cavalry to

deploy here. Krahe, on the other hand, could bring almost all of the air

forces that the Great Tiger Empire had brought for this invasion into the

fight. With an advantage in both quantity and quality, he felt that his victory

was inevitable.

"Reporting! The enemy has also sent out their wyvern cavalry!"

Krahe smiled, looking ahead as he listened to the report. "I knew it! The

enemy has less than half our numbers!"

The force of wyvern riders lifting off from Red Dragon City was at best

forty percent the size of Krahe's. Now that the enemy was also in the air,

the risk of that magic-sealing weapon being used was completely

eliminated, and there was no sign of that red dragon knight he'd considered

a threat. Krahe was certain of victory.

"Now, let us show the Friedonians who the stars of these skies are! We

will wipe away a paltry force like theirs in no ti—"

"Incoming!!!" one of Krahe's men shouted, cutting Krahe off.

The Kingdom's wyvern cavalry, which had appeared so distant, closed

in quickly. By the time Krahe's eyes widened with surprise, they were only

a stone's throw away.

"Grr! Intercept the—"

"Too late!"

As Krahe tried to give the order, the Kingdom's wyvern cavalry raced

past him at an incredible speed. He didn't even know who'd said that. In

contrast to how the Empire's air force was flying in formation, the

Kingdom's air force just flew straight at them. They even shot right past

without their wyverns unleashing their fiery breath on the Empire's air

force.

Speaking strictly in terms of its effect, all they'd done was fly by. It

hadn't even been an attack. However, after seeing his enemies fly past at

speeds many times beyond what he believed was possible, Krahe's mind

froze up, unable to respond. There was also a violent burst of wind as the

enemy passed, breaking up the Great Tiger Empire's formation.

"H-Hey! Stay back!"

"Whoa, don't complain to me... Agh!"

"Raise altitude! Do you want to collide?!"

As they lost control of their wyverns and griffons, midair collisions

started occurring everywhere, and some men even plummeted to the ground

below.

Coming to his senses, Krahe barked orders for his men to calm down.

"Urgh! Calm yourselves! Confusion only plays into the enemy's hands!"

"Incoming! Another attack from the left!"

There was another shout from one of the soldiers, and wyvern breath

attacks, arrows, and wind magic launched by the enemy hurtled towards

them from the left.

Reflexively, Krahe shouted, "Everyone, defend yourselves!"

At his command, the Empire's air force began performing defensive

maneuvers. They countered the breath attacks with their own and blocked

or evaded the others, using a variety of methods to endure the assault.

However, they weren't being given even a moment's respite.

"H-Here they come!" someone shouted.

Then the Kingdom's wyvern cavalry charged at them again, just as fast

as the balls of wyvernfire that'd assaulted them. They boldly flew past the

Empire's air forces once more, breaking up their formation, but this time

Krahe could observe his enemies closely.

They have something on the back of their saddles?! I don't know how it

works, but it must be the source of their speed. Do they mean to compensate

for their wyvern's poor ability to make tight turns by specializing towards

speed and competing with us using hit-and-run tactics? Grr... How shrewd

of them. As he thought this, the Kingdom's air forces flew off into the

distance. Their speed is incredible. Yet, at the same time, that also means

that they've lost the ability to make tight turns. That's where we'll find our

chance of victory!

Having found a solution, Krahe shouted, "People! You mustn't be

tricked by the enemy's movements! They are fast, yes! However, they

cannot change direction so quickly! Watch! After just one attack, they've

flown so far away! They're fleeing so we cannot attack them during the

long time it takes them to turn around!"

Having commanded an air force for as long as he had, Krahe wasted no

time figuring out the weaknesses of the propulsion devices.

"There will be time between one charge and the next! Use it to calm

yourselves and return to formation! They must approach us to launch an

effective attack, so we need only wait and strike them when they do! If we

intercept them with minimal movement, it is inevitable that they, who are

far smaller in number, must tire before we do!"

"""Yeahhhhhh!"""

Krahe's words were having a calming effect on his men. The Empire's

air force held their position, and they kept on facing the Kingdom's air

force with the absolute minimum amount of turning necessary as they

braced for the attack.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom's air force...

"Father! The enemy is regaining its composure!"

"Yeah. Looks like they've got some capable people on their side."

Castor and Carla were talking as their wyverns flew side by side. Castor

stroked his chin, a difficult expression on his face, as he considered what to

do.

"The plan was to throw them into even greater disarray and seize control

of the battle...but it looks like the Great Tiger Empire plans to just sit there

and wait for us to come attack."

"Charging into that would be like riding into prepared pikemen with

ordinary cavalry. Maybe our momentum would carry us through, but it

would probably hurt."

Hearing his daughter say this, Castor grinned.

"Yeah. I'm not a fan of pain."

There was a certain composure to his smile. Turning to look behind him,

he shouted to the wyvern riders following them.

"Looks like they've decided that we're not able to turn with these

propulsion units, so they're going to wait for us! And normally, they would

be right!" Castor smiled. "But do you remember what our unit is called,

men?!"

"""The Mobile Wyvern Cavalry!!!""" the soldiers answered without

missing a beat.

"What is your attachment?!"

"""The carrier Hiryuu!!!"""

"Who trained and led you?!"

"""Captain Castor!!!"""

If Halbert's Dratroopers were the best of the best when it came to

ground operations, then the Mobile Wyvern Cavalry were the elites of the

air. They had learned from Castor aboard the Hiryuu and were trustworthy

men he'd eaten with and slept alongside.

Satisfied with their responses, Castor looked at Carla.

"Carla! We're going to do that!"

"Huh...?! That?" Carla's expression grew a little tense.

"I taught you how, didn't I? Have you practiced?" Castor asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I borrowed one of the castle's wyverns, but this will

be my first time trying it in an actual combat situation."

"Ha ha ha! Don't worry. That's the same for all of us."

"That's not reassuring at all! Yeesh..." Even as she said this, Carla

steeled herself.

If Castor said they were doing it, then she would. Even after all the time

she'd spent away from home, Carla was still proud of her distinguished

career in the Air Force. That was why she'd practiced "that technique"

when she could find time while still looking after Prince Cian and Princess

Kazuha.

Seeing Carla's enthusiasm, Castor raised his voice. "Men, after our next

charge, we're using that! It's time to show off our talent and grit!"

"""Ohhhhhh!"""

The Kingdom's air force let out a cheer that echoed through the sky.

Even the Empire's air force was able to hear it.

"Here they come! Everyone, prepare to strike back!"

Anticipating another charge, the Empire's air force readied their bows

and held their blades to strike; their wyverns' mouths were open and ready

to meet their attackers with their flaming breath. Their actions seemed to

say, Bring it on. And that's just what the Kingdom's air force did.

"Fire!"

At Krahe's command, a volley of arrows, magic, and breath attacks flew

towards the Kingdom's air force.

"Wha?!"

However, the attacks all flew underneath the Kingdom's forces.

Unlike in their previous charges, they didn't just fly straight at the

Empire's air force; they'd taken a course that would send them over their

opponents' heads, causing the attacks to miss. Krahe clicked his tongue as

he looked up at the Kingdom's air force racing past overhead.

"Tch... More trickery. But it will still take time for them to turn. Men,

get back in formation before they can turn—"

As he was trying to give that order...

"Yeah, you would think that! Do it!"

On Castor's command, Carla and the Kingdom's air force cut the power

to their propulsion devices, turning their wyverns' long necks and tails

around like a cowboy spinning a lasso. The wyvern's momentum kept them

going in the same direction, but they slowed down, with their bodies facing

the opposite direction. This maneuver was effectively a midair turn.

It was the same method cats used to turn around and always land on

their feet. It wasn't possible to change directions in midair by just twisting

their bodies around, but by spinning their necks and tails they, could turn

their bodies around. Once her wyvern had turned, Carla waited for her

momentum to die down and then restarted the propulsion device.

"Ngh!" Her body was put under pressure like nothing she'd ever felt.

She grimaced under the strain but made it through, and soon she was

flying at the Empire's air force again. It wasn't just Carla. Castor and the

wyvern cavalry were already preparing for another charge at the Empire's

air force.

The Mobile Wyvern Cavalry called this maneuver the Castor Turn.

It wasn't impossible to do it with a normal wyvern, but without any

means of accelerating in the opposite direction, it would only leave them

vulnerable. It even had the risk of falling due to insufficient lift, so no one

had tried to fight this way before now. However, with the propulsion

devices to provide acceleration, Castor had secretly been studying this way

of fighting aboard his carrier.

The Empire's air force was still trying to get turned around. Their backs

were completely exposed to the Kingdom's forces, who had already turned

and gotten back up to speed.

"Attack!"

At Castor's command, the Kingdom's air force attacked the Empire from

behind.

The units of the air force were generally only able to attack things in

front of them, leaving them to flee or dodge any attack that came from the

rear. It was hard to fire bows or magic behind them, and wyverns couldn't

fire their breath weapons backwards. Because they couldn't turn in place

the way units on the ground could, once the enemy was to their rear, all they

could do was run and hope to change directions so they could fight back.

"Wha?! From behind us?!"

"Absurd! That's well above the wyvern's ability to turn!"

"Urgh! We have to dodge somehow...!"

This attack from the rear sent the Empire's air force into utter disarray.

They each scrambled for a solution. Some accelerated as they tried to shake

off the enemy while others moved left or right, but that only served to break

up their formation and cause collisions that aggravated the chaotic situation.

Still, the elite griffon cavalry could evade the Kingdom's wyvern cavalry

with minimal movement.

"Calm down! Don't let the enemy's unexpected plans confuse you!"

Krahe shouted, trying to get the situation under control, but a burst of wind

assaulted him too.

"I see you're the commander! Your head is mine!" Carla shouted. She

charged in with her wyvern for a surprise attack.

Riding in at high speed, she swung her sword, hoping to take his head

off with one blow. Krahe, however, easily dodged by tilting his griffon to

the side.

"Wha?!"

"Fool! Your moves are too straight!"

Krahe imbued the three short swords attached to the back of his saddle

with magic and hurled them after Carla, who'd just passed him. The three

blades closed in on her from behind, and the hunter quickly became the

hunted.

"Urgh! I'm counting on you, wyvern!"

Carla executed another turn like before, knocking down the three

incoming blades with her wyvern's breath attack as she turned. But as she

tried to accelerate again, Krahe's rapier closed in.

"If I can just get her before she accelerates!"

"Damn it!" she grunted. This guy's good!

Just as Carla drew her sword to fight back, fire magic flew down from

above Krahe, forcing him to reflexively bring his griffon to a stop. Then a

red shadow passed between her and Krahe.

"Huh?!" she gasped.

It was Castor and his red wyvern. Having dropped between the two of

them, Castor performed a turn with his propulsion device aimed at the

ground, rising up between them again. Now that he had a good look at his

two opponents, Krahe finally realized who they must be.

"Dragonewts? Are you from the House of Vargas?"

"Yeah. But now I'm just a dragonewt with no family name," Castor said.

Carla nodded. "I'm in a similar position, but my desire to protect the

House of Vargas is the same as it ever was."

"There you have it...former General of the Gran Chaos Empire Air

Force, Krahe Laval."

Both Castor and Carla knew about Krahe.

Souma and the others had told them that if there was anybody in the

skies they needed to watch out for other than Fuuga Haan himself, it would

be Krahe. His former boss, Maria, had warned them, "He may be a little

conceited and have a unique sense of aesthetics, but he's definitely a

capable commander."

"So the sword of Saint Maria has fallen to become Fuuga's dog, huh?"

Castor taunted, making Krahe's eyes flare with anger.

"It was you people who sullied my beloved saint! I wanted to see her

stand at the forefront of all mankind, carrying our flag! Her meeting with

King Souma made her lower herself to being just another woman!"

"How selfish!" Carla spat, angry at the way Krahe talked about it. "You

were just forcing your own ideals onto her! Queen Maria is the only one

who can decide how she lives her life! And she shines brighter now than

when she lived how people wanted her to! Why can't you see that?!"

"Yeah, she's right... Queen Maria's so full of life now." Castor agreed.

"Whether she's flying around doing her part to help the weak or getting her

hands dirty doing disaster relief, she's always beautiful. Did you know,

Krahe? They call her the Angel of the Kingdom now."

"An angel!? Ahhh! I see! I can see it!" Krahe's face shifted from rage to

ecstasy. "Because I became her enemy, she regained her radiance! Even

after losing her country, her position as empress, and marrying that

uninspiring king, she can still retain her glimmer because she can overcome

all of those misfortunes! It means that by giving her more to struggle

against, I have become to her what the devil is to heaven!"

"What's wrong with this guy? He's crazy." Carla felt sickened by Krahe.

He had his own sense of aesthetics and internal narrative that explained

the world in a way that was most convenient for him. People tend to see the

world through the lens of their own values, but in his case, he took it way

too far. He never stopped to consider if things were really as he saw them.

The way he completely immersed himself in his own narrative was

unsettling to everyone else.

"I guess you could say he's pure...in a way."

"Father?"

Carla cast a doubtful look at her father, who showed signs of

understanding.

"We were similar to him once," Castor explained with a wry smile.

"Blinded by our pride as warriors and loyalty to King Albert, we caused

trouble for a whole lot of people with our stubbornness. Remember?"

"I see what you're getting at..."

He must have recalled Georg's rebellion. Carla felt his pain as if it were

her own.

"We're fighting the war your boss started," Castor said to Krahe. "I

don't know if you're doing this out of loyalty to him, for friendship, your

pride as a warrior, your sense of aesthetics, the future, or whatever... You

can come up with all sorts of excuses, but all you'll see on the ground

below is a pile of corpses. If you keep looking away from the harsh reality,

you'll end up hurting what you want to protect."

His words were full of conviction, but they didn't reach Krahe.

"Shut up! I will fulfill the role I was given! If it's to make great people

like Lord Fuuga and Lady Maria shine brighter, I'll gladly dirty my hands!"

Krahe shouted.

Castor furrowed his brow. "Your love for your 'great' people is so deep

that you've lost sight of any other values you might have had. Maybe it

would have been different for you if you had a family or someone you

loved..."

"I said shut up!"

Krahe took a swing at Castor, but Castor accelerated and dodged.

"Carla! We'll combine our attacks so he can't take advantage of the

opening when we need to accelerate!"

"Yes, Father!"

Responding to her father's call, Carla closed in on Krahe, swinging her

blade.

Krahe evaded Carla's attack and tried to chase after her, but before he

could, Castor finished his turn and shot towards him, and Krahe had to

dodge the attack. That gave Carla the opening to finish her turn, closing in

for another attack, which Krahe parried... This repeated for some time.

Krahe put on an impressive display, continuously warding off the two

fierce warriors' attacks, but he couldn't do anything else while he did it, and

the Empire's confused air force couldn't recover anymore. This was how

their numerically superior air force was suppressed by the Kingdom's much

smaller one.

While the great battle in the air was unfolding, the Great Tiger Empire's

ground forces were also pressing the attack on Red Dragon City. It was a

well-defended city halfway up the mountainside, but the Great Tiger

Empire's forces pressed on with sheer numbers and momentum. They were

losing in the air, but not so badly that they'd lost control of the skies. On the

other hand, the Great Tiger Empire's ground assault reached the walls

without being bombed by the Kingdom's air force.

Fuuga, watching his forces from the main camp, turned to Hashim and

asked, "So that castle...Red Dragon City, was it? You were telling me that

Souma took it before, right?"

"Indeed. It was during the former General of the Army, Georg Carmine's

rebellion," Hashim answered without caring. Fuuga crossed his arms and

groaned.

"The defenses look tough. How did Souma take it when he's so averse to

fighting? You said something about him using a battleship on land, but I

don't see it lying anywhere."

Seeing how amused Fuuga was, Mutsumi let out an exasperated sigh.

"No situation ever feels tense when I'm around you, darling. That makes

things easier on me though."

"Don't be like that, Mutsumi. I'm bored having to stay in the main camp

all the time."

Hashim sighed at Fuuga's tourist-like attitude.

"Unfortunately, it seems they've already dismantled it. After dragging it

here quite forcefully with a team of rhinosauruses, the battleship Albert had

to be decommissioned."

"What a shame," Fuuga said with a smile.

Meanwhile, around that same time, Carl observed the attack on Red

Dragon City.

During the earlier battle between Souma and Castor, he'd been sent to

stay with Excel in Lagoon City, so this was the first battlefield he'd ever

seen. Carl, still too short to wear the armor a lord like him ought to, was

standing on the wall, clad in clothes enhanced with enchantments. Beneath

him was the grand army of the Great Tiger Empire, attempting to take Red

Dragon City. All those people were here to destroy the House of Vargas and

take his head. His knees felt weak with fear, but he still remained standing

there as a lord.

"Lord Carl. You could have waited inside the castle," Tolman said to

him with a tone of concern.

Carl shook his head. "No. Let me stay here. You may be giving the

actual orders, Sir Tolman, but I have a responsibility as lord to see this

through. Father, Sister, and even Mother are fighting. The only way that I,

who cannot fight, can defend our house is to take responsibility for things."

Even during the time when they were labeled as insurrectionist traitors,

Carl remained head of the House of Vargas, supported by Tolman and his

mother, Accela. He might have still been little, but he had a lot of fortitude.

Watching him, Tolman, the former steward, smiled with satisfaction.

"Do not fear. We won't be letting them do as they please with this

house."

With that said, Tolman went to work fighting back against the Great

Tiger Empire.

Morale was high as the Great Tiger Empire's land forces attacked Red

Dragon City. This army assembled to push to Parnam was now pushing its

way up the mountain. They gave it their all to secure Fuuga's hegemony in

this war against Souma—it was their last chance for advancement.

Because they knew how formidable the Kingdom of Friedonia was, if

they could take Red Dragon City, the war would be as good as won. Once

that happened, the other countries of the Maritime Alliance were bound to

cease resisting once the Kingdom of Friedonia fell. This meant it was the

last chance for the Great Tiger Empire's soldiers to push forward and make

a name for themselves. In addition, the fact that they'd seen no appreciable

resistance so far, and that the detached forces they sent out had been

cleverly defended against led to frustration among the men. They weren't as

fanatical as Krahe, but every last one of them had desired to fight alongside

the great man Fuuga in a war that would shape the world for future

generations at some point.

Despite their high spirits, the main force—including commanders like

Kasen and Gaten, who'd been around since the Union of Eastern Nations

days—stayed in the rear. The ones at the front were mercenaries, refugee

soldiers, and soldiers from the newly joined Kingdom of Meltonia and the

effectively nonexistent Frakt Federal Republic. Essentially, they were

people who wanted to move up in the world but would be no great loss.

Because time was on Souma's side in this war, if it became apparent that

taking Red Dragon City would be too difficult, Fuuga's forces planned to

detach some soldiers to keep them in check and then move on towards

Parnam. They kept the main force at the rear so as not to exhaust them in a

general assault while figuring out the feasibility of taking the city. In place

of the best of the best, these attackers were mounds of self-interest, no

different from bandits. If they surged into the city, there would be a

bloodbath filled with looting, assaults, and massacres.

The defenders desperately resisted in order to prevent that. From atop

the city's high walls, they rained arrows and magic down the hill at the

climbing imperial forces...

"Unfortunately, there is not much we can offer you," murmured the onehorned, blue-haired dragonewt standing on the walls, looking down at the

attackers. It was Accela Vargas, daughter of Excel, wife of Castor, and

mother to Carla and Carl. Wearing her navy uniform for the first time in

ages, she raised her hand high.

"If there is one thing we do have for you, it's this... Commence firing!"

"Yes, ma'am! Commence firing!"

"Commence firing!"

"Commence firing!"

With this naval-style command, the cannons opened fire on the enemies

setting up ladders and sieging weapons or firing bows and magic at the

walls.

Pop, pop, pop. Kaboom! Pop, pop, pop. Kaboom! Pop, pop, pop, pop!

The roar of large cannons resounded amidst the ceaseless firing of liondog cannons. They were raining iron on the heads of the swarming imperial

forces.

Bang! Crack!

"Gwagh!"

"Wahhhhh?!"

An amount of cannon fire that was probably excessive for one city

rained down on the Great Tiger Empire's forces. The fist-sized lumps of

iron fell along with cannonballs, caving in helmets and skulls as well as

destroying ladders and siege equipment. Excel had sent all of the navy's

gunpowder weapons to protect the city where her daughter and her family

lived.

However, the Great Tiger Empire's numbers were overwhelming, and no

matter how many died, there was always more swarming to the walls. It

was like a zombie horde out of the movies, and the imperial forces came

endlessly even as they were crushed by cannon fire. Along the wall, the

battle was either even or the defenders were being worn down.

To think the desire to accomplish something while serving under Fuuga

would be so strong. Accela thought as she looked down at the situation

from the wall. No matter how many of their fellows lie wounded nearby,

they are so driven that they pay it no mind. To truly defeat Fuuga Haan, we

can't simply win... So this is what His Majesty meant.

Those entranced by Fuuga's grand ambition would rise again and again

unless Fuuga lost his charismatic appeal. They might win once or twice, but

as long as Fuuga's charisma remained intact, the Great Tiger Empire would

not yield. Even if Fuuga himself were to fall here, the fires of resentment

would remain inside the people, and the world would continue to be

ravaged as this gave birth to his legacy's successors.

In order to prevent that—in order to completely beat Fuuga and cut off

the trouble at its root—Souma was preparing something. And for Red

Dragon City, he'd also devised a plan.

It's good we prepared that thing for this. Accela turned to the hooded

figures behind her.

"If we are to break our opponents' morale, we must catch them by

surprise," she said. "Please, lend me your assistance, both of you."

The two individuals walked over to Accela and revealed themselves.

"You heard her. Looks like we're up, Merumeru."

"Don't call me Merumeru... Well, this is what we were called here from

the evacuation site in Venetinova. It would be a wasted trip if this thing

couldn't make an appearance."

The pair who revealed themselves from beneath those hoods were the

two heads of the Kingdom's research division now that Taru and Trill had

returned home: Genia the Overscientist and Merula the high elf. They'd

initially been evacuated to Venetinova on Souma's orders but then were

recalled to Red Dragon City at Accela's request.

Souma and Ludwin had been opposed to them being on the front lines,

but their interest in the proposal and the pair's passion won them over. With

Excel on her side arguing Accela's case, Souma folded and allowed their

deployment.

"We're bringing it out," Accela said to them. "Please make

preparations."

"Roger," Genia said with her usual casual demeanor. "But we're not the

ones who'll actually be moving it."

"Because our job is to remodel it," Merula agreed with a nod. The actual

movement will be done by Sir Souma and Genia's golems. In that sense,

couldn't we say she's moving it too?"

"Maybe," said Genia. "Anyway, I'll go ahead and contact His Majesty's

consciousness through the golems that are standing by."

Accela nodded.

"Please do. Now, shall we liven up this place even more?" She turned to

address a messenger and Genia. "Take a message to the performers with

orders to begin playing! Miss Genia, please ask His Majesty to begin

moving that thing along with the music!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Roger, roger!"

A short while after the messenger took off running, a brave, rousing

melody began playing on the walls. The soldiers on the Friedonian side

knew the tune. It'd been used in a certain tokusatsu program, and they

thought it was probably being used to raise morale.

It had become common knowledge after the Real Song Battle that music

could strengthen magic. The soldiers of the Great Tiger Empire, however,

did not know this melody. Even if they could surmise that their enemies

must be playing it to raise morale, none of them understood the meaning of

it.

"Okay, everyone! Let's all sing along to hype up its appearance!"

Accela raised her hands over her head as though she were a conductor at

the front of a marching band.

Immediately, the melody surged, and people began to sing. The

noncombatants of Red Dragon City—the elderly, women, and children—

were behind the vocals. Within the walls, they stayed hidden inside their

own houses, with instructions from Accela to sing when the music played.

As for the tune...

The Sparkling Dragon of Conquest — Full Armor ver. (Lyrics: Souma

Kazuya; Music: Juna Doma)

Clad in hunks of warships, its steel body shines.

Call that when you're in trouble! The guardian of the world has risen!

Pile! (Driver!) Tail! (Drill!) Tearing apart enemies!

Dragon! (Cannon!) Butt! (Bolt Thrower!) Shooting enemies!

The sparkling dragon of conquest, Me-cha-dra!

It was the theme song of the mechanical dragon, Mechadra, that

appeared in the tokusatsu program Overman Silvan. As if in response to

their singing voices, Mechadra emerged from a forest on the mountainside.

However, it had changed since the battle with Ooyamizuchi. With its new

steel equipment, the mechanical dragon looked as if it was wearing armor.

That wasn't all. It now had ranged weaponry, including battleship

cannons and anti-air repeating bolt throwers, all over its body. It really did

look like a Full Armor Mechadra, and was akin to an armored battleship.

This extra equipment had been made from the remains of the original

battleship Albert.

Seeing how magnificent it looked, the Kingdom's forces cheered while

the Empire's forces were dumbstruck.

Genia tittered to herself as she listened to the singing. "Now that the true

nature of this world has been revealed, we've proven the bones used in

Mechadra have nothing to do with the Star Dragon Mountain Range. Now

we can remodel them as we see fit."

"Not that it makes using remains in a weapon in any better taste,"

Merula said with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, it's His Majesty's policy to use what he can," Accela said,

grinning at this exchange. "So let's have him do his best to save our home

with Mechadra."

As if responding to Accela, Mechadra made a gesture as if it were

roaring, then began to walk towards the soldiers outside the wall with

heaving steps.

"Wh-What is that?!"

"No way! I thought there were no demons!"

"M-Monsterrrrr!"

The sudden appearance of an armored, mechanical dragon put the army

attacking Red Dragon City into a panic. Just seeing Mechadra was enough

to send some of them tumbling down from the ladders they were climbing.

They were in disarray despite not even being attacked yet because they

remembered the battle they'd fought against the Seadians.

At the northern end of the continent, they'd fought a battle with a

gigantic weapon and won a bitter victory with some assistance from the

Star Dragon Mountain Range, but their losses were extensive. They worried

they might be swept away in a burst of light. When Mechadra placed its

front legs on the ground, the battleship cannons mounted on its back

pointed at the Great Tiger Empire's troops.

Boom! Boom!

With that, the cannons began destroying siege equipment like the

battering ram that'd been brought up to the gates. Many soldiers were sent

flying in the blasts, only adding to the chaos. The more confused things got,

the easier it was to launch attacks from up on the walls, and it became hard

to tell which side was attacking. Genia and Merula watched from atop the

walls as the imperial forces were pulled this way and that.

"Yep. Looks like it's reloading all right."

"Your golems are the ones firing, yes?"

"That's right." Genia nodded. "It's one of His Majesty's consciousnesses

controlling Mechadra itself, but reloading, aiming, and firing are all done

on my orders."

"We're lucky the enemy fell into a panic. This isn't really all that

different from using a battleship on land, is it? Mechadra's not really

designed as an anti-personnel weapon, after all."

As Merula pointed out, Mechadra's movements were slow and heavy.

That might be good enough when wrestling with a single kaiju, but it only

had armor as good as a battleship's. If the imperial forces regained their

composure and focused their attacks, it wouldn't last for very long.

"That's true. It's really only a neat gimmick," Genia admitted. "We can't

let them take Red Dragon City. But at the same time, if they bypass it and

take a route straight to Parnam, we're in trouble. We'd like to hold them

here for a number of days, and Mechadra's a convenient way of getting

their attention. Hopefully the enemy will think it's going to be a threat to

their advance if they decide to leave it alone."

"Will things work out that well?"

In the main camp of the Great Tiger Empire's forces, which Merula was

eyeing with concern, Fuuga was smiling with glee. Because Mechadra was

so big, he could see it even at this distance.

"That's the mechanical dragon Yuriga mentioned! It's pretty cool!"

"Yes, you would be the type to like such things, darling..." Mutsumi said

with dismay.

"Uh-huh," Fuuga agreed with a nod. "In one of Yuriga's reports, years

ago, she said he used a mechanical dragon to fight a kaiju in the NineHeaded Dragon Archipelago. Was that it? I wonder what makes it move."

"More importantly, though, is this all right? Your men are falling into

disarray," Mutsumi pointed out.

"Hrmm." Fuuga stroked his chin. "You know...it's not as dangerous as

that gigantic mushroom thing that was defending the demons...I guess I'm

supposed to call them Seadians? Anyway, it's not firing off the light attacks

that thing did."

"Indeed. I suspect that the weapon we're seeing poses little threat,"

Hashim said before turning to a messenger. "Tell the men at the front that

they should not be led astray by its appearance. That dragon can only fire

cannons. Tell them that it is something like a siege tower that can be used

even on bad terrain, and they are to remain calm and deal with it

accordingly."

After watching the messenger nod and run off towards the front line,

Fuuga looked at Hashim.

"So, in your eyes, is it possible to take the city?"

"If we are willing to spend the time and take considerable losses,"

Hashim said with a shrug. "However, the more time we spend on this city,

the greater Souma's advantage will grow. That is only more true if, as you

have said, Lord Fuuga, he has some scheme in mind."

"Yeah, I'll bet. So, what now?"

"I think we should leave soldiers to hold them in place and move along

immediately. Because that is what Souma least wants us to do."

"And doing what the enemy hates is how you win on the battlefield,

huh?" Fuuga nodded. "Got it. Have the ground forces stop attacking and

pull back right away. And tell the air force to continue keeping the enemy in

check, then return if the enemy withdraws."

"Understood."

Once Hashim left, Fuuga crossed his arms and looked at Mechadra

rampaging off in the distance. There was a look of joy in his eyes...and also

one of sadness.

Noticing this, Mutsumi asked, "Is something the matter, dear?"

"Hmm? Nah, I was just thinking how fun it is to see all the stuff that

shows up when you go to war with Souma."

"And yet...you still seem sad?"

"Yeah, it's fun and all, but...I won't be able to enjoy this for long,"

Fuuga answered with a small smile. "Either it's my victory or Souma's.

There probably won't be another big war like this for quite a while. If I win,

I can unite the nations of mankind on this continent. If Souma wins, there'll

be a loose federation of states like what he has in the Maritime Alliance. At

that point, there won't be any need for big wars. These times have sent my

blood pumping and my heart racing...and they're coming to an end."

"Because of what Yuriga told you about...?"

"There's that too." Fuuga nodded with a wry smile. "In our last meeting,

she put a time limit on my dream, after all."

"I'm sure Yuriga wanted to stop you...so that you could move on to the

next thing," Mutsumi said. She knew the situation and how both of the

siblings felt.

Looking straight ahead, Fuuga said, "Even if she did, I'm just going to

keep racing forward. In order to give this era its answer."

"You're so awkward."

"I think so too."

With that, the Fuuga and Mutsumi drew closer to each other as they

watched their own forces retreat.