Evening of April 22nd.
In the fort city Tetrada the chivalric orders were gathering.
Cline Kingdom’s second and fourth chivalric orders, in addition to the relief knight team and the second Magi Knight team.
Each one of them were incomprehensibly forced to stop battling, although not to the same degree as Tetrada’s third chivalric order was.
They had had no fort cities nearby so they naturally ended up gathering in Tetrada.
“It appears that as of now, Frantz Kingdom’s army has retreated all the way to the border.”
The scouts’ reports told them that Frantz Kingdom’s army wasn’t in a greatly different shape to them, having seemingly also lost their armor and weapons.
“Hm, is that so.”
The leader of the second chivalric order, Viscount Bernard Nefra Foster nodded. He was currently in command of the mixed army.
“Anyhow, without weapons and armor we can’t go to war. We’ve got to wait for a response from the royal capital whether to evacuate or advance.”
“Yes. And from the questioning of those prisoners, this time it’s clear that the Unifiers were the mastermind this time.”
The one who replied was Nicholas Fahlheit.
“Mh-hm, I heard. The convoy was sent to the royal capital, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, there’s nothing urgent other than emergency repairs on the walls. We’ll work through the night. The soldiers can rest in turns. This includes you commanding officers too.”
“Yes, thank you. Fahlheit, standing down.”
“Good work.”
Nicholas exited the feudal lord’s mansion which was being used as the temporary control room, and headed to the post of the relief knight team by himself, without an adjutant accompanying him.
This was because that’s where his daughter Lithia Fahlheit was supposed to be.
“Oh my, are you injured, Baronet?”
Nicholas neared the post and a young guard knight approached him and asked. The relief knight team members themselves weren’t particularly proficient at fighting, so they had knights guarding them.
“No, I’m off duty right now. I came to meet my daughter. I wonder if Lithia Fahlheit is around? Although if she’s still on duty I’ll leave.”
He told the knight on duty and he smiled, and next straightened his pose and stood at attention.
“Ah, Lithia-dono’s esteemed father! My name is Pasco Rush. I am the third son of the Rush family. The other day, Lithia-dono healed me of serious wounds and I am in her debt!”
He said and bowed deeply.
“I think that around this time Lithia-dono’s break will begin, so please go ahead. Third tent from the back. ”
“I see, thanks.”
Nicholas thanked him and headed to the tent where his daughter Lithia was.
＊ ＊ ＊
As the curtain of the night came down, inside a room in the royal castle of Egelia Kingdom’s capital Asunto, the King and the Third Prince were talking.
“So Ernest, you’re saying that Jin was the one who built those mysterious golems that came to save us?”
“Mh-hm. They’ve got distinctive movements you see. I mean, didn’t they resemble a lot how Lotte moves?”
The Third Prince Ernest replied full of confidence. But the King couldn’t tell the difference in one golem’s movements to another’s.
“Hmm, I don’t know but if you say so then that’s probably it.”
While having a serious look on his face the King accepted Ernest’s view.
“But in that case, who in the world is Jin? Making golems that could easily defeat those enemy golems we couldn’t do a thing about… I could accept that the Automata called Reiko was something like an Artifact, but this time…”
“It’s useless to think about it. Jin’s my friend, and the country’s Honorary Magi Craftsman. Isn’t that enough?”
“Hmm, that may be so, yet the Prime Minister likely won’t accept it.”
What the King said was extremely on point, but wanting to read everything as if it had hidden motives was the bad habit of politicians.
“Oh well. I’ll speak with the Prime Minister later. You go be with Catherine please.”
“Mh-hm, mother’s probably also disheartened.”
Ernest agreed and left the room. Replacing him the Prime Minister, Marquis Boyd North Galueri came in.
“Where did His Highness Ernest go?”
“I had him go see Catherine. She’s stayed in her bed since the uproar, you see.”
The Prime Minister nodded and looked sympathetic.
“Aha, as Queen Catherine seems to be very fond of His Highness.”
“Mhm. Catherine loves him even though he was born to a mistress. It gives me peace both as a father and a husband.”
“That’s, right. …So, Your Majesty, let’s get to business.”
The Prime Minister spread out the document he brought with him on top of the table.
“I understand. It’s about the aforementioned people that were called puppets of the Unifiers, right?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, the information was factual.
＊ ＊ ＊
“The battle seems to have ceased.”
Laojin who confirmed the scene from the image sent by a Raptor said to Ann who was watching the same image.
“Yes, Laojin. Master’s plan was a success, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed it was. According to the report of the Quinta sent to investigate the battlefield, this time there were 119 casualties. All before we intervened.”
“Even so, master may fret over it.”
“Yes, I think that likely. Therefore, let us not report about this until he asks about it.”
“Understood.”
The next topic was the Unifiers.
“According to a report from the Quinta, we’ve discovered a place that appears to be the headquarters of the Unifiers.”
“Where might that be?”
“In the ancient ruins above the mine of Kashamnoor, located in Celuroa Kingdom at the west bank of Lake Azul. We received the same information from a captured enemy magus so there’s surely no mistake.”
Laojin had the work terminal ‘Laozi’ spread out a map of the area’s surroundings.
“Let’s see, ah, I understand. If it’s around there then it wouldn’t be strange for there to even be a base of the old Dinar Kingdom. They probably cleverly remodeled one, don’t you think?”
Ann had memories of the early days of the Great Magic War. Laojin also had the same data, but due to the mental connections Ann seemed to be able to use the same information better.
“Currently I’m having ten Quinta move there.”
Once they knew that this was the base of the Unifiers they could perhaps bring an end to the antagonism between the small nations all in one go.
“Yes, rather than making small attacks against the arms and the legs, it’s best to quickly crush the head, isn’t it?”
“That’s exactly right. And lastly, Reinhardt-sama seems to be uneventfully spending time in the supply base.”
“Is that so? In that case I’ve got a suggestion to make.”
Laojin thought it very interesting that Ann had a suggestion.
“What is it?”
“Yes, I was thinking that couldn’t we use this chance to obtain the combat patterns of a soldier or if possible a high-ranked knight through Reinhardt-san?”
Laojin considered the suggestion.
“That’s a good idea. We have nearly no samples of the movements for swordplay or martial arts. If I remember correctly, Reinhardt-sama had the aptitude for using [Transfer Info] up to level two.”
Then Laojin called a Quinta who wasn’t busy and had them head to where Reinhardt was. If it went well, it would lead to Hourai Island’s war potential increasing.
And then Reinhardt readily consented to it.
＊ ＊ ＊
After Donald left Asunto with golem number 457 and Elena, it took a day but they finally arrived at the closest secret base, got onto a hidden ‘hot flying ball’, and were now heading towards the HQ.
By using the [Hide] magic there were seldom people who saw them. Especially because it was nighttime.
Elena then contacted the Unifiers’ HQ through her internal device that resembled a ManaCom.
After that she was silent.
“Elena, what in the world happened?”
Donald felt curious seeing Elena acting unusual.
“Are you thinking about Reinhardt? He indeed was capable, but there’s no way he can be a match for me. And also…”
“You’re annoying, shut up for a moment.”
“G-got it.”
Elena was thinking about Sage and Cosmos of the SP.
She had called them trash, but in reality, she accepted that they were formidable opponents.
And now she heard about the golem user called Jin or something.
There was a lot to think about.
“Numbers, huh.”
Elena called to mind the memory of once being forced to retreat in front the power of numbers.
“Donald, once we’re back mobilize the entirety of the golem corps.”
“Got it, Elena.”
The hot flying ball’s top speed was about 15 kilometers per hour. It would be a few hours until they returned to the base.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Ohh, eating together with a crowd really makes food taste better!”
There was a feast in the plaza in front of Kaina Village’s village head’s house. Everyone was eating the roasted barbeque made out of the caught mountain deer and drinking the cooled alcohol with relish…
When they had caught a lot of game it was Kaina Village’s style to share it with everyone.
“This is delicious.”
“I know, right? Elsa-chan, Mine-san, try this too.”
Because the fresh smoked meat was still being smoked and lacking flavor, they were treated to food that had been smoked earlier.
“It’s a good flavor, isn’t it. Smoking does give it a fragrant aroma that stimulates the appetite.”
Elsa and Mine had also joined in and were having fun.
Amidst the scene, Reiko softly whispered to Jin’s ear.
“Father, it seems that Laojin has something to report.”
“Is that so. I wonder if it’s about what to do next?”
Jin snuck out of the plaza. He took out the ManaCom from his pocket and called Laojin.
“Laojin, let me hear the report.”