The State of Various Countries

— One day in the 1st month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar, in the

Northeast of the Kingdom — It happened while Souma was still in the

Union of Eastern Nations.

In the east of the kingdom, the National Naval Defense Force under the

command of Castor was engaged in patrol duties. As they advanced not in

the top secret island-type carrier, but in five of the traditional sea dragon

pulled iron battleships, Castor's ship received a report.

That message, delivered by a messenger kui trained specially for naval

use, informed him of a clash between the kingdom's fisherman and

fishermen from the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union who had been

fishing in the kingdom's waters illegally.

What was more, there were armed ships on the side of the Nine-Headed

Dragon Archipelago Union, and their attacks had forced the kingdom's

fishermen to retreat.

When Castor received the report, he immediately headed for the point

where the clash was said to have occurred.

From his seat in the captain's chair, Castor glared in irritation at the sea

ahead.

These clashes have become more frequent lately. We've only had people

wounded so far, but sooner or later, someone is going to die. Once that

happens, there's no stopping it. It's a cycle of hatred. Do these Nine-Headed

Dragon Archipelago guys plan to kick off a war?

Even if it came to war, Castor thought the kingdom would win.

It was true that a naval conflict played to the advantages of a maritime

state like the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union, but the kingdom

had their secret weapon, the wyvern-bearing island-type carrier, Hiryuu.

The Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union would probably not be

able to respond immediately to a weapon which went against the common

sense of this world, which said that wyvern cavalry couldn't be used at sea

because wyverns feared going far enough out that they couldn't see the

land.

Besides, on that island they had secretly built into a carrier, his former

vassals who were now the wyvern cavalry were engaged in intense training

to improve themselves to this very day. He couldn't see them losing to

anyone.

Still, if we can avoid fighting, that's for the best.

Even if he was confident they could win, nothing in war was absolute.

The unexpected could happen.

Besides, they had just fought a war with the corrupt nobles and the

Principality of Amidonia last year, and they were dispatching

reinforcements to the Union of Eastern Nations now. Frequent military

campaigns would exhaust the country.

Well, not that I'm in a position to talk...

Though it was the product of many different intentions and situations

intertwining, Castor felt a heavy sense of responsibility for having opposed

Souma last year. He resolved to work himself to the bone for this country

this time.

He imagined what a war with the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago

would be like. Wars at sea aren't like wars on land.

In the war with Amidonia, their aim had only been to take one city, so it

had been possible to end it in a short period of time. But an all-out war with

the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago would be troublesome.

There may be routes in the sea, but there's no land. With a single naval

battle, we can gain superiority in maritime trade, but unless we take the

land where their ports and docks are, the enemy fleet can recover as many

times as they have to. That said, it would be difficult to make an

agglomeration of island countries, like the Nine-Headed Dragon

Archipelago, fully submit.

Even if they took an island, maintaining it would be difficult. Those

islands were separated from the Kingdom of Friedonia by the sea, and he'd

heard lifestyles on each island were drastically different from in the

kingdom, of course, but even from each other. It would be difficult to put a

magistrate in place to administer them.

Just winning's not going to be enough, yeah. Honestly... When I was

fighting in the air, brute force was everything, but there's just too much

holding us back on land.

Castor let out an exasperated sigh.

In the past, Castor would have been excited just at the chance to fight,

but now he was thinking about what would happen after the war, too.

This was proof of his growth since losing to Souma and being properly

reeducated by Excel, but he probably didn't realize it himself.

"Captain, that is our destination."

When his second-in-command told him that, Castor squinted.

He saw a fleet of about ten fishing vessels and medium-sized armed

vessels deployed as if to protect them. As if to work himself up, Castor

adjusted his captain's hat.

"Okay. Today's the day we find out what they're up to. Send a message

to all ships. 'Ignore the fishing vessels; focus on capturing the armed

ships.'"

If things followed the usual pattern, the illegal fishing fleet would flee

the moment the National Naval Defense Force showed up. Then, in order to

let them escape, the faster medium-sized armed ships would rapidly close in

on them for a hit-and-run style attack to confuse the National Naval

Defense Force before fending off pursuing attacks.

The medium-sized armed ships of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago

were made of wood, and instead of sea dragons, they were drawn by horned

doldons, which were creatures that were like dolphins with a unicorn-like

horn attached.

These horned doldons might not have the same pulling power, but their

swimming speed and maneuverability far outstripped that of sea dragons.

For that reason, in a moving battle, the National Naval Defense Force

was unable to capture the armed vessels.

Castor was well aware of that fact.

"I've gotten used to how they move," Castor announced. "There's no

need to match their speed! Do not change heading, but remain fixed on the

direction the fishing ships fled! Prepare for bombardment!"

"But Captain!" his second-in-commander protested. "If we simply fire

as we pursue another target, I believe it will be difficult to hit an enemy

with their maneuverability!"

Castor shook his head. "There's no real need to hit them. We'll see how

they move, and fire where they're likely to go. I'm sure they won't go

anywhere that's already being bombarded. When we've naturally placed

restrictions on their course, we can kill their mobility."

"I see. Roger."

As expected, the three armed ships moved to shield the fishing ships,

closing in toward Castor's fleet.

The National Naval Defense Force fleet followed Castor's orders,

deliberately not targeting the armed ships and firing where they were likely

to go.

Boom... Splash! Boom... Splash!

There was the repeated sound of cannonballs firing, and then them

impacting the surface of the sea and raising a pillar of water.

Though the armed ships kept trying to use their maneuverability to make

fools of them, with the cannonballs and pillars of water, their courses were

blocked and they couldn't move around well.

Castor watched calmly from beyond the brim of his captain's hat. "I

more or less have it figured out."

"Huh?"

"Artillery! Direction: two o'clock! Distance: eighty!"

When Castor yelled into the speaking tube, the artillery fire began as

commanded.

Boom... Crunch!

There was a hit on the prow of one of the armed ships that had been

trying to turn while avoiding the cannonballs and pillars of water.

It tore the front off the boat, severing the reins that bound it to the

horned doldon, and the now-free horned doldon swam off to the east.

"Target struck! Medium damage to enemy ship!" Seeing the incredible

hit, Castor's second-in-command looked at Castor with surprise. "Th-That

was magnificent. I'm impressed that you could hit it..."

"When I was in the Air Force, we had to calculate the wind currents so

that explosive barrels we dropped would hit their targets. This is a cinch for

me."

Castor made it sound easy, but it went without saying that this was an

insanely advanced skill. It was the product of his experience as General of

the Air Force and his training in the navy.

While the second-in-command was exasperated, the remaining two ships

gave up on any further distraction as too difficult and began to withdraw.

The ship with its prow damaged was listing heavily and beginning to

sink, but they must have decided rescuing them was too dangerous with the

National Defense Force here.

They cut loose a meager number of life boats into the sea and then

headed off to the east.

The crew abandoned the sinking ship, swimming desperately for the life

boats that had been left behind.

Confident that his opponents had no will to resist, Castor gave an order

to the whole ship. "Cease hostilities. We will now go to save those thrown

overboard. Every one of them is a valuable source of information. In order

to find out what's going on in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago, save

as many lives as you can!"

"""Yes, sir!"""

Then Castor's fleet rescued all of the crew from the armed ship, loading

them aboard and returning to Lagoon City.

The prisoners would likely be questioned by the National Naval Defense

Force, and then Souma or Hakuya would decide what was to be done with

them.

I hope we can learn something from this... Castor thought as he sat in the

Captain's chair on a ship returning to port.

◇ ◇ ◇

— At the same time, in the northwest of the kingdom —

In the mercantile district of a walled city near the border with the

Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, a large woman in her mid-thirties wearing

armor was walking with a slovenly man who was casually wearing the

vestments of a Lunarian Orthodox priest.

They were the female general of the former Principality of Amidonia,

who Souma had entrusted with preparations against the Lunarian Orthodox

Papal State, and the rotten Bishop Souji Lester who had come from the

Orthodox Papal State.

When they walked through the town, people frequently came up to

speak to them.

"Lady Margarita, please shake my hand."

"I'm always listening to you sing. You have such a lovely, powerful

voice."

"Could I ask you to pat my child on the head?"

The words Margarita received from young women were all of praise and

respect.

Meanwhile, the words Souji received...

"Hey, Bishop. Why don't you come here and join us for a drink?"

"Hey, worldly bishop, come listen to my drunken confession."

"Hey, you, when are you going to pay for your drinks from last time?

I'm not putting any more on your tab."

Well, as you could imagine, a lot of them were from drunkards or the old

lady who ran the bar.

Margarita looked at Souji with a wry smile. "You're a popular one,

aren't you, Sir Souji?"

"Geez, that sounds nothing if not sarcastic. I only get talked to by old

women and drunk old men. I'd rather be popular with the young ladies, like

you."

"Isn't that because you show up at the bar to drink every night?"

"I don't have anything else to do, so what's the harm? My old haunt

looks like it's keeping quiet, after all."

"...True enough. We've seen no sign of any activity."

These two had been deployed here to prepare against the Lunarian

Orthodox Papal State, but the Orthodox Papal State was showing no sign of

acting, and this border was oddly quiet.

Right now, close to half of the army had been dispatched to the Union of

Eastern Nations as reinforcements, and the provisional king Souma was

away on top of that.

It was a prime opportunity to pull something, but the Orthodox Papal

State was showing no signs of moving. That was actually more disturbing.

"There have been no reports of their forces approaching the border, after

all..." Margarita crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

Souji let out a snorting laugh. "Well, knowing that country, they'll incite

the believers here before they move troops themselves. That's why you,

who are beloved by the people of the Amidonia Region, and I, who am an

obstacle to their incitement, were sent here, but... I don't hear anything

about orders being given to the believers."

Margarita narrowed her eyes at him. "Is it possible that you're just not

aware of it?"

Souji shrugged. "I've asked the drunken adherents at all the bars I go

around to, but nothing. Drunks will blab about anything, you know. If

nothing along those lines is coming out of their mouths, that probably

means there've been no commands at the level of the believers."

"I thought you were just going out and drinking, but it seems you were

doing what you ought to, after all."

Margarita sounded impressed, but Souji just cackled.

"Yeah, I'm doing my job. So maybe I can get the king to pay my tab,

huh?"

"...It seems you did it half out of a desire to drink, after all."

"No arguments here. How about it, will you drink with me tonight? I

happen to like glamorous gals like you."

He was attempting to woo her, but Margarita was having none of it.

"Unfortunately, you will have to try someone else. I am married, you see."

"Huh?! You're married?!"

"Is that such a surprise? I'm old enough to be."

"No, but... I've never heard a thing about this..."

The bold General Margarita who feared no man had a man. Souji tried to

imagine what kind of hero he must be, but Margarita shyly scratched at her

cheek.

"Well, I won't disagree that my husband doesn't have much of a

presence. He was originally a bureaucrat, and he's a bit scrawny. Now he

manages my domain in Amidonia and raises the children."

"A bureaucrat?! Wait, you have kids, too?!"

"That was why I didn't want to wear that dress for the Kouhaku red and

white song battle."

By the way, it seemed that Margarita's husband and children had

definitely seen her sing wearing that gaudy eighteen-meter dress Roroa had

made for her over the broadcast. When she had returned, they'd kindly told

her, "You did great." And Margarita's face had looked like it might

spontaneously combust.

Margarita coughed to hid her embarrassment. "What about you, Sir

Souji? You're old enough; shouldn't you be settling down yourself?

Lunarian Orthodoxy doesn't forbid its preachers from marrying, does it?"

"Womanizing is a taboo, though."

"You've already broken that one, I'm sure. Did I not hear you were

living with an elf-eared girl?"

"You mean Merula? When it comes to her... she's more like my pet."

"That sounds even more indecent, you realize?"

"It's like feeding a stray cat. That curveless shrimp isn't my type at...

Hm?"

In the middle of talking, Souji stopped and looked in front of them.

From the looks of it, someone was coming their way. It was a middleaged woman wearing the robes of a Lunarian Orthodox nun.

The nun stopped in front of Souji, out of breath. "Lord Souji... W-We

have trouble..."

"What happened? Why the rush?"

"F-From the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State..."

Then, stopping to catch her breath, she brought her face to Souji's ear

and whispered to him.

"The saint has come from the Orthodox Papal State incognito. She says

she wants to speak with you."

Souji and Margarita visited a Lunarian Orthodox church on the edge of

town.

Having Margarita stand by outside in case something should happen,

Souji opened the door and entered the holy hall.

He saw someone wearing a hooded cape that covered the whole body

sitting by the altar.

When he circled around in front of that person, Souji's eyes went wide.

"Well, color me surprised. It really is the saint girl."

"It's been awhile, Bishop Lester."

When that person stood up, two pigtails fell out from inside her hood.

The shape of her face was beautiful, but pale and without life. This dolllike girl was the saint of Lunarian Orthodoxy, Mary Valenti.

While feeling suspicious, Souji didn't let it show on his face as he

casually asked, "What's a great saint doing coming to the kingdom

unannounced? If you're not careful, they'll catch you."

However, Mary's face didn't move in the slightest.

"If it happens, it happens. I'll simply request an audience with your Sir

Souma from prison. That is the only reason I've come here, after all."

"You came all this way just to see me? I had figured you fervent

believers would hate an irresponsible bishop like me."

"If I may speak my personal opinion, you're right."

"You're forthright..."

"Sir Souji, you should be more aware of your role as a bishop of

Lunarian Orthodoxy, and comport yourself in a way that befits that

position." Mary preached at him with a serious look on her face. "Though

you are a man of the cloth, who ought to live a life of honorable poverty,

you are infamous in the Orthodox Papal State for your fondness for wine

and women. That hasn't changed since you came to the kingdom, has it?

That is unforgivable for the person who must unite the adherents of

orthodoxy in the kingdom."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the sermon." Souji dug the earwax out of his

ears.

He was simply not equipped to repent after being given a sermon by a

girl that much younger than him.

"Did you come all the way to the kingdom to lecture me?"

"...No. I say this strictly as my own personal opinion."

"In that case, can we move on to the point?" he asked in irritation.

Mary's face took on a sad look as she said, "The Lunalith has handed

down a new oracle."

"An oracle? Already?"

The Lunarian Orthodox Papal State centered their faith around a

monolith called the Lunalith.

The oracles appeared by forming text on the Lunalith.

The Lunarian Orthodox Papal State based its rule and foreign policies on

the oracles that appeared on the Lunalith. However, oracles were only

supposed to appear once every five years or so.

It was said they had prophesied the emergence of the Demon Lord's

Domain around ten years ago.

Then, just around a year ago, an oracle had descended saying, "Send a

saint to Souma who was summoned from another world, and place him

under the influence of your own country."

That plan had been cleverly thwarted by Souma, and though they had

succeeded in making Lunarian Orthodoxy the state religion, it was a

position shared with other religions, and the saint had been sent back so that

they were unable to place him under their influence. It was fifty-fifty on

whether it was a success or not.

After one had come down so recently, had a new oracle descended

already?

"Isn't the period a little short?" Souji asked.

"There have been precedents in the past. Though they say that when the

time between oracles is short, the times are changing rapidly."

"So, what's the oracle?"

"'Northeast,' 'rising sun,' 'light that covers the world'... and 'burning

countries.'"

"Huh? That's pretty fragmented."

"I'm told that's how oracles from the Lunalith are," Mary told a dubious

Souji. "This is something only told to those in the upper echelons of

Lunarian Orthodoxy, but we haven't accurately deciphered all of the oracles

from the Lunalith. However, we can understand parts of them, so we piece

them together and infer their meaning."

"Whuh?! The oracles are that vague?!"

Even for Souji this was a shocking revelation.

The oracles were a secret among secrets in the Orthodox Papal State.

They said the Orthodox Papal State was ruled under the guidance of the

Lunalith, but the truth was they could only read bits and pieces of it. That

meant they were moving the faithful around on that sort of incomplete

understanding.

A cold sweat ran down Souji's back. "...Is it all right telling me

something only the higher-ups know?"

"Normally, this is information neither you nor I would be able to learn...

however, the situation that is unfolding inside the Orthodox Papal State

makes it impossible to enforce that." Mary lowered her eyes in sadness.

"There were some disconcerting words in the oracle."

"'Burning countries,' you mean?"

"Yes. The Orthodox Papal State's higher-ups are divided over the

meaning of these words. For 'northeast,' 'rising sun,' and 'light that covers

the world,' they are united in their belief that it likely means, 'A great man

with influence that will cover the world will appear in the northeast.'

However, they are divided on what the 'burning countries' that will likely

be burned at his hands are."

Mary held up the index finger of her right hand for Souji to see.

"First, there is the group who see this great man as a threat. They think

the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State may be one of the burned countries, and

they propose that countermeasures must be prepared. Their main

countermeasure is to form an alliance with the Kingdom of Friedonia. We

may not have been able to make King Souma into the holy king, but

activities of believers in the country are protected. If he were our ally, we

would have a reliable backer. This group are the relative moderates, you

could say."

"Hmm..."

In that case, Souji thought Souma might accept it. It would mean a

burden for Souma, but not having to worry about the Lunarian Orthodox

Papal State when he handled that rising faction would be huge. He wouldn't

have to worry about them inciting the faithful inside the country anymore.

If they were dealing with them not as the center of a religion, but as another

equal ally, the kingdom would benefit from cordial relations, too.

Mary raised the index finger of her left hand. "The other group are the

ones who have high hopes for this great man. They say that if a great man

with such massive power is going to appear, we should send a saint, grant

him authority, and bring him into the fold. Just like... when I was sent to be

with Souma. This group is actively attempting to oppose other countries, so

they're being called the radical faction."

"Radicals... More like extremists, right?"

"I won't deny it."

Well... I guess you'd expect there to be a group like that, Souji thought

with a sigh.

The Orthodox Papal State gave Lunaria's authority to the power holders

of the era, and received their protection in return. That was how the country

had maintained influence over their citizens and believers up until today.

If it was looked at as the survival strategy of a nation, there wouldn't be

anything more to say, but since it was his old home, Souji thought they

were shameless.

"So? Which group has the upper hand now?"

"The radicals," said Mary. "I think the failure to make Souma a holy

king played a large part in that. The Gran Chaos Empire in the west has

their own saint, and they've failed to form strong bonds with the Kingdom

of Friedonia in the west, so the higher-ups were feeling a sense of crisis."

Empress Maria had never declared herself a saint, and wasn't backed by

anyone as one, but that must have been how it looked to the Orthodox Papal

State.

Mary continued. "For the radicals, if a new faction that can oppose these

two countries is going to form, they see it as imperative that we form strong

bonds with them this time."

Because Souma skillfully dodged ending up under Lunarian Orthodoxy's

influence, he's ended up pushing the Orthodox Papal State's higher-ups into

a corner, Souji noted.

And Souji carried a part of the responsibility for that, too.

With a rotten bishop like Souji in between them, the faithful inside the

kingdom hadn't had to listen to orders from the Orthodox Papal State.

There was no worry about the church stirring them up into riots, either.

That had the result of making the higher echelons of the Orthodox Papal

State panic, and ironically fed the creation of a radical faction that were

eager to join hands with a great man whose identity was as yet unknown in

order to counter the kingdom and the Empire.

"The moderates are already starting to be purged by the radicals," Mary

went on. "Cardinal Gold, who you were so fond of, was indicted for

adultery and corrupt acquisition of wealth."

"Well, the old guy had it coming to him."

Cardinal Gold had risen through the ranks with the power of money. He

was a corpulent man far from any ideal of noble poverty.

Souji had paid bribes to the man so that he had a free hand to do as he

pleased while he was inside the Orthodox Papal State, but he'd had

absolutely no respect for him as a human being.

Hearing that the man had been punished, I guess it was time he paid the

piper, was all he thought of it.

"Well, which side are you on, little missie?" Souji asked.

"The cardinal looking after me belongs to the former."

"I was asking for your personal decision, you know?"

"I... don't know. No, perhaps 'I don't know anymore' might be the more

accurate answer."

Mary stood up and looked at the stained glass mosaic. It depicted the

goddess Lunaria descending from the heavens.

"When I heard King Souma say he would recognize not just Lunarian

Orthodoxy, but other religions as the state religion, I thought he was acting

haphazardly. That was because I thought different religions, different sects,

couldn't possibly coexist without conflict. I felt pity for the believers in this

country who were forced to live under such a king."

Souji was quiet.

"However... now that I see it, there have been no major conflicts, the

believers inside the kingdom are not restricted in their activities, and they

practice their faith at ease. More than that... Sir Souji, you carried out the

Spring Announcement Festival inside the kingdom, didn't you?"

"Yeah, it was Young Miss Roroa's idea."

Mary put on a slight wry smile. "I think there may be some issue with

calling a woman who is going to become queen 'young miss,' you realize?"

"She calls me 'old man,' so I'd say we're even."

"You're close... Well, setting that aside, I heard that many pagans

participated in that Spring Announcement Festival. It's a festival

announcing the end of winter and praising the glory of Lady Lunaria, and

yet pagans who refuse to convert and believe in Lady Lunaria participated

and enjoyed the festival with the believers. When I heard about that, I was

very surprised."

"It goes both ways, though. Even orthodox adherents are taking part in

Mother Dragon Worship's festivals."

"Yes. There were those in the Orthodox Papal State who were angry,

saying, 'This is outrageous.' But I couldn't see it as a bad thing. It's strange.

When we have discord emerging between members of the same faith in our

country, a country that is a mix of many different religions has more mutual

respect for each other's beliefs."

"Young lady, you've..."

...really changed, thought Souji.

The people called saints in Lunarian Orthodoxy were beautiful dolls

who were absolutely loyal to the higher-ups in the Orthodox Papal State.

They had no thoughts of their own, never doubted orders, and were offered

up to powerful and influential men regardless of how they themselves might

feel. That was how saints were meant to be.

However, Mary was unsure. It was proof she was thinking for herself.

Mary turned to Souji and bowed her head. "I've come with a request for

you today."

"A request?"

"Yes. To be more precise, I have a request I want you to pass along to

Sir Souma."

Seeing the sincerity in her eyes, Souji scratched at his head. "That's fine

for you to say, but I was dispatched here by the Orthodox Papal State. I

can't say anything about what the king here does. I don't have any right to,

you know?"

Mary nodded as if that much was self-evident. "I know. This is not too

difficult. I am asking that he protect people. I'm asking that he protect those

who will lose their place in the Orthodox Papal State should the radicals

rise any further... or my sisters, at the very least."

"Sisters?" Souji repeated.

"The hundred or so candidates for sainthood."

In order to place the rulers of the time under their influence, the

Lunarian Orthodoxy sent saints to them as a way of giving them authority.

Those saints, of course, had to be appealing to those in power, so the

Lunarian Orthodoxy always maintained a stable of a hundred or so "saint

candidates" so they could cater to all sorts of demands.

Mary had been chosen for Souma from among those saint candidates.

"If the radicals send a saint to the great man who it is said will appear in

the northeast, and that great man accepts the saint, the rest of the saint

candidates will become a liability. In order to monopolize the authority of

Lunarian Orthodoxy, I'm sure the rest of the saints will be purged. If this

great man is of such a fierce temperament that it results in 'burning

countries,' that is more or less a certainty."

"Well, I'm sure you're right..." Souji admitted. "Are you the one they'll

send?"

"I am the saint prepared for Sir Souma. I'm sure that, for another great

man, they will prepare a saint suited to that great man."

"So, you're going to be a liability, too..." Souji crossed his arms and

groaned.

He'd known that Lunarian Orthodoxy had several saint candidates. For

as long as those girls weren't chosen, they were treated well as individual

nuns, so he'd never thought much about it before.

However, internal conflict and external factors could easily mess with

their fates. That was the kind of weak position those girls found themselves

in.

For his part, Souji wanted to save those innocent girls, too.

"I get it. I'll at least pass the message to Souma. I'll persuade him if he's

hesitant, and I'll press my head against the ground and beg him to at least

protect the saint candidates."

"You have my gratitude, Sir Souji."

"So, if you feel a threat to your well-being, you run, too. You may be a

saint, but you're still young. There's no need for you to carry every

burden."

"...Yes." Tearing up, Mary bowed her head to Souji.

Once the tears had dried, Mary put her hood on again and turned to offer

a prayer to the stained glass before silently leaving the church.

Once Souji had seen Mary off, Margarita entered as if taking her place.

"That's quite the troublesome request she brought you," Margarita said

with a wry smile.

"Well, yeah. Nothing could be more of a pain, but I am, technically, a

bishop. I know this isn't like me, but if there are young maidens who've lost

their way, I've got to extend a helping hand. Fortunately, I can move more

easily than any bishop back in the home country."

When Souji said that, he looked up at the stained glass of Lunaria.

"Was it your guidance that led me to this country?" he asked.

The stained glass image had no answer to his question.

◇ ◇ ◇

— At the same time, near the western border of the kingdom —

This was close to the border with the Mercenary State Zem.

The Mercenary State Zem was surrounded by mountains, making it a

natural state, difficult to invade other countries from, but easy to defend

against invasion. There were few roads into Zem, and there was just one

mountain road connecting the Kingdom of Friedonia and Zem that was fit

for sending troops along.

Up on top of the walls of a city near the border and the road that

connected to Zem were two old men, one of them Souma's martial arts

instructor and sounding board, Owen, and the other Roroa's grandfather,

who was the Lord of Nelva, Herman. They stared westward.

These two had been entrusted with handling the Mercenary State Zem,

but Zem had made no major moves, so all they had been able to do was

remain on guard. Still, it wasn't that there had been no movement

whatsoever.

There was a report from the spies saying they were gathering soldiers

near the border. However, those forces showed no sign of crossing the

border to invade.

"Hmm..." Playing with his Kaiser mustache, Owen groaned. "It seems

Zem is intent on waiting and watching. If the Lunarian Orthodox Papal

State or the Republic of Turgis move, I'm sure they'll act to capitalize on

that..."

"That country has always intervened in other countries' wars and gained

land as a reward," Herman said. "They hardly ever fight a war alone. Sir

Gouran has the republic under control now, and the Orthodox Papal State is

keeping quiet for the moment, too. It looks like they'll keep watching like

this."

Owen spun his thick arms in a circle. "How boring. And I felt it was so

lucky when His Majesty entrusted this land to us to defend."

"You should be happy there's no trouble. Muscle-headed old men from

the kingdom are too bloodthirsty for their own good."

"Hmph, I'd say we're a sight better than hard-headed old men from the

principality."

When their eyes met, sparks flew.

They were warriors, old commanders, both intent not to lose to the

young'uns. That similarity made them each view the other as a sort of rival.

Especially after a large amount of free time with no invasion of Zemish

forces, and with no one like Souma or Roroa to make them restrain

themselves, they were competing with one another over every little thing.

"I think we'll have to settle this with another mock battle," Herman said.

"I'll have you retire from active duty today."

"I'd have it no other way. I'll give you time to be a doting grandfather to

Princess Roroa."

The two with too much time on their hands had made a daily event of

having mock battles like this. They wouldn't listen even if someone tried to

stop them, so the guards nearby pretended not to see anything.

When these two fierce commanders fought, albeit with blunted weapons,

the sound echoed around the city, inciting complaints from the residents.

The guards who would have to deal with those complaints sent resentful

glares in the direction of the two energetic old men.

However, the mock battle didn't begin today. That was because...

"Reporting. There appears to be a single mounted rider approaching

from the west."

A messenger came to report that information to them.

They leaned out over the edge of the wall, looking west, and there was

indeed a single rider racing their way.

As the rider approached, they noticed that the rider was wearing an

impressive suit of armor and two longswords crossed over their back.

Because their helmet had a full visor, it was impossible to see their face.

"Hoh... Their riding skill is impressive," Herman commented. "They

make a fine knight."

Herman sounded impressed, but Owen said nothing, only staring at the

knight.

That appearance, I've seen it before...

Then the knight came up to the gate and raised their voice.

"I speak to the keepers of this city! I bear a message from King Kimbal

do Zem of Zem for King Souma Kazuya of Friedonia! Please, accept it, and

deliver it to King Souma!"

The knight's voice was loud, clear, and dignified, yet the slightly higher

pitch made it clear it belonged to a woman.

Hearing this voice, Owen's eyes went wide. "The woman's voice... It

can't be?!"

"Owen?!"

Before Herman could stop him, Owen jumped over the outer edge of the

wall.

Even though the wall was over ten meters high, Owen was able to kill

his momentum with wind magic and land safely before rushing over to the

female knight.

Looking at her up close, the knight had a long, thin, feline tail that

extended from her rump and wrapped around her waist, meaning she was a

feline beastman.

"Could it be, you are..."

"See to it that this letter makes it to King Souma."

Before Owen could finish his question, the female knight pushed the

letter into his hands.

Then, immediately turning her horse around, she raced off in the

direction she had come.

"H-Hold on! Are you not Lady Mio?!" Owen shouted after her, but the

knight raced on without looking back, and eventually vanished out of sight.

Herman came down from the wall and approached Owen who was just

standing there "Why the face...? Just who is that female knight?"

"That person is most likely... Lady Mio," Owen said, seemingly in a

daze.

Herman cocked his head to the side. "Lady Mio? I haven't heard that

name before..."

"You were in the Principality of Amidonia, so I suppose you wouldn't

have," Owen whispered, a pained look on his face as he looked off in the

direction the female knight had departed. "Mio Carmine. The daughter of

Georg Carmine, the former General of the Army."