Fort Sainte-Cork" is located on the side of the port city of Cork.
　Although it can't be called the frontline of the battle now being called the "Borderline War" on the mainland - even if it can't be called that - there is no doubt that it is a base that plays an important role for the countries to the south.
　The port of Cork functions both in the morning and in the daytime as a relay point that connects the front line with supplies from the rear. Furthermore, it's also used as a command center for the naval battles in The Boundary War, so at times it's more deadly than the real front line, depending on the time of year.

　Today, ships from the great power Hooziyars, the heart of the South, are arriving incessantly. The number of ships in Cork's harbor at the moment could be said to be the largest in the world, since they are from both the Holy Huskyards on the mainland and the Huskyards, one of the allied nations in the settlement. The harbor is lined with countless sails of ships, and it even gives the illusion of a white field of grass on the sea.

　Of course, it's not just the ships of the Hoosiers, but also the ships of the allies and those who are trying to use this war as an opportunity to do business. Hence, it has become the world's busiest port for information, as well as for goods and people on the move.

　Today, one small country on the edge of the world map has been swallowed up by a major power. I've heard that a giant monster that I've never seen before has appeared in a famous spiritual land. I heard that the rising price of salt and wheat has left financial managers everywhere scratching their heads. Or how much the northern and southern borders have moved. ...... Anyway, I hear all kinds of reports.

　And I - Chloe Siddalk, who has been assigned as the 'deputy commander-in-chief' to assist Lady Snow Walker, the 'acting commander-in-chief' of the south, is struggling with her head.

　As she walks down the corridor of Fort Santokolc, she sees her own soldiers running around hurriedly outside the window.
　Every one of them has an impatient look on their faces, and there is no room for them at all.

　It's been like this for the past year.
　It all started a year ago with the 'Great Calamity'.
　A great magic of unknown origin killed all living things on the border between the north and the south, leaving a mysterious "great hollow" on the continent.
　At the same time, an indelible dark cloud formed around the Great Void, and an unknown giant monster appeared from the hole and attacked the nations. The attack itself was dealt with by the countries to the south, which had more resources at the time, and they quickly built a city around the Great Void called Daryl, which was able to handle the monster, but the damage was enormous. This is a follow-up to the fact that more than ten thousand troops and people died in the Great Calamity. It is only natural.

　Inevitably, there was a gap in the border. A big gap.
　And the northern countries, which had already regained their footing, took advantage of this gap to start the war again.　

　It was as if someone was controlling them, and every small country was becoming belligerent. The rapidity of the renewed war caused all the southern executives to doubt the sanity of the north.
　Despite their doubts about their sanity, the northern countries expressed their hostility one by one and created an alliance force called the 'Northern League'.

　I understand that they are eager to use this opportunity to reverse the power structure on the continent, but honestly, it's crazy.
　Even the North can't afford it. Since the 'Great Calamity' a year ago, huge monsters that we had never seen before began to appear in various parts of the world. The existing monsters are also becoming more active. There's no doubt that they've suffered more damage than the south due to it.
　And yet, the northern countries are showing an unusually strong stance.

　However, the reason for their confidence - a few months after the Great Calamity, it will be proven in the form of the return of the legendary Lord, the Lord who rules.

　In response, the nations of the South decide to unite. While they had been cooperating with each other, they had been competing for profits behind the scenes, but they decided that this was no longer an option. We hear that this decision was made largely due to the treachery of the man known as "Aide," who was working behind the scenes in the South.

　Thus, the developed countries of the South have allowed the Hooziyars to become the temporary head of the war and are trying to stop it from escalating. For the past year, and all this time--.

　The cloud of the "Boundary War" between the "Northern League" and the "Southern League" is, to say the least, gloomy.
　Sometimes I wonder if they will collapse together if they don't.
　That's how many unusual reports there are. There are so many unusual war zones. There are many extraordinary events.
　It's as if the world is about to change. It's as if the conventional wisdom of the world is being rewritten by ...... that's how it feels.

　I've been in charge of a lot of soldiers, but I've been thinking in a bad way.
　I'm going to have to shake my head immediately and say to myself, "No.

''No ....... I'm assisting Snow-sama, so I have to be better than anyone else .......

　I slapped my cheek with a pang and refocused my steps.
　I have become the second in command of the honorable Lord Snow. That I must not be weak. If I can't follow her, it will be a regret of a lifetime.

　-- Lady Snow is a fine person.
　In the beginning, she was treated as the daughter of a great nobleman who interrupted us with her connections, but now she has become an indispensable part of our army and has finally become the deputy to the commander-in-chief. Although she only fills in for the injured general's medical treatment period, it is not a job for a young officer to do. However, she was able to make everyone around her recognize her for her competence, and she got there.

　It is said that there was a time when she was called the "strongest hero" in the frontier areas. She also played an active role that lived up to that name here, and she is beginning to be called a 'hero' on the mainland as well. It's rare that she's been confirmed as a 'hero' even though the war hasn't even ended yet. Or rather, it's unheard of.

　Master Snow will surely become a historical figure.
　I am certain of that.

　A girl who comes from my origins and is younger than I am, but who is pursuing my very dream - Lady Snow Walker.

　I was jealous of her at first. When I was ordered by my second in command, I was not happy.
　But now I have faith in her. No, I'm fascinated by her.
　I will not let her get in the way of that girl--!

　I finished assessing my situation and intentions as I walked through Fort Sainte-Corque.
　Then, following my steps, I walked into the room at the top of the fort. It's a large conference room where decisions made in each of the chambers are summed up.

　The room was large and had a huge table in the center. Normally, it would be incomparably magnificent and would be proud to be a large conference room.
　However, the walls of the large room were covered with a large number of maps with writing on them, making the room feel smaller than it really was at the moment. The huge table is stacked with all kinds of materials, making the table feel very small.
　This large conference room gives visitors a sense of entrapment at first glance, while at the same time making them understand, even if they don't like it, that the room is filled with a variety of information.

　There were about a dozen or so elite officers and military officers dressed in military uniforms in the room. Most of them are older than me and Lord Snow, which makes me feel a little bit put off.
　In truth, there was some talk of mixing in some of the younger, more talented people in the mix with the general's injury and Lord Snow's assignment. Even though the difference in rank is more important than the difference in age in the military service, it was a decision made in an attempt to reduce friction, if at all. However, Snow-sama refused to do so, saying that he would use his abilities to bring them together to prevent a decline in the ability of the command center.

　Master Snow has continued to make good on that promise.
　Now there is not a single person in this room who looks at me and Snow-sama with suspicion. I would say that this is also an unprecedented occurrence.

　To earn their trust, I immediately set to work. I pick up the papers that never seem to decrease in number and present myself unashamedly as Master Snow's second in command.

　Thus, I receive reports from the people around me as I handle my responsibilities.
　This is an important time.
　There are several important matters overlapping, so even the slightest mistake is unacceptable.

　However, it's times like these when unplanned irregularities happen.
　Amidst the storm of reports, there is something mixed in that you absolutely cannot miss.

''--Siddaruk-sama, I'm reporting to you. From the mountains to the west, that monster has occurred again.
'Well, not again. ......?　Then, for now, I'm going to ask the soldiers stationed in the city to stay put. I'll make a plan for countermeasures immediately, so please wait.
No, it's ......

　Although high level giant monsters had started to occur since the 'Great Disaster' a year ago, he was getting used to dealing with them by now. However, the face of the man reporting this was too dark.

''What's wrong?''
'The numbers are closer to ten, unlike before ....... It's unlikely that any of the main forces will be able to handle them.
''Those monsters ......, ten ......?''

　For a moment, I almost lost consciousness.
　The monster in question was a sky-swimming centipede with a rank of over 30. It was a monster that a party of elites close to level 20, normally the top class of humanity, would take on in a party.
　Before, there was only one of them, so they managed to remove it by using traps and ambushes.
　That's ten of them.

''At this crucial time, ......!

　In addition to transporting supplies and maintaining naval warfare, there are now many other important matters to attend to.
　One of them is such a mission to receive the country's important people.

　The royalty who were staying in the frontier confederacy would be passing through the port city.
　We can't allow such a difficult enemy to attack us at this time.

　However, it would be impossible to do so without allocating a handful of troops. However, if we did so, it would jeopardize the maintenance of the battle area at sea. If the transportation of supplies is disrupted, the battle on the plains will be affected.
　We must do something about it, but we can't decide where we should cut back.
　We have to weigh what to cut down and what not to cut down - we have to weigh the things we need to cut down.

I'll go (・・・・・).

　A voice echoes in my ears as I break out in a cold sweat at the task of quantifying life.
　It's a cool, calm voice that even feels cool.

　-- In that adversity, a 'hero' appears.

　From the door of the large conference room - but not from the window of the large conference room, my enthralled Snow-sama had entered.
　Immediately, he tucks his dragon wings into the cloak that indicates he is the Commander-in-Chief. Then, with his long hair, which resembles the color of the sea, he walks proudly through the large conference room, sits down in a chair dedicated to the Commander-in-Chief and says simply.

''--I've heard the story. I'll take care of that.

　I wonder when he was listening to me. Sometimes I wondered if Lord Snow had hell ears. But this is Master Snow. This is the "Hero". Whenever someone is in danger, he always appears, says one word, "I've heard the story," and then comes up with a brilliant solution.

　However, as a second-in-command, you can't just rely on his power.
　Without being misled by his over-reliance, he refutes it with his original military common sense.

''Don't do it, Miss Snow. You just returned from the front line a short time ago. You haven't even slept through the reports since then, have you?　Just take a little rest. ......
'It can't be helped. Apparently, we don't have time to rest.

　Master Snow laughed thinly as he received the documents from the reporter.
　Naturally, there was a rebuttal from the others as well.

'Acting Commander-in-Chief Walker!　Let our magic squad handle this one!

　One man crammed into the Commander-in-Chief's chair.
　This is a man who once underestimated the younger Snow-sama, but now he seems to be different. He worries for his own safety and proposes to act on his behalf.

　But Master Snow shakes his head sternly.

He said, "As someone who is in charge of this fort, I can't allow that. With ten times as many as before, there is a chance of casualties for you.
"We may not be strong enough!　But it's 'chanting' for situations like this!

　The man didn't seem to have suggested it without a chance of winning.
　He must have had confidence in his interception, having trained all of his troops in the technology that has spread around in the past year.
　However, the technology is--.

'No. If you use that 'costly' 'chanting', it will cut down on what is important to you guys. I don't want to see your power, which should be fighting the North, diminished in a place like this. ...... Above all, I don't want to see everyone here paying the 'price'.

　--'The 'price' is not magical physical strength, but the important stuff is cut off.

　Master Snow did not approve of that.
　But the man's will still seems to be firm.
　He tries to utter a further rebuttal.

'Shh, but--'
Don't worry about it. I'm suggesting it because I'll be fine. ...... You see, my body is strong.

　Once again, Lord Snow smiled thinly.

　Seeing that, I gasped.
　That smile was too beautiful.
　His words were brave, absolute, and made us believe that Lord Snow could not be wrong. I can't help but admire him, and I can't help but feel a sense of shame at the thought of touching him. We have seen the power to make you believe that many times. That's why, once Snow-sama says that, we are all at a loss for words.

'...... Yes. I've said too much. I'm sorry.

　The man draws back in front of that mysterious Lady Snow.

''Nope, thanks for the concern. But I'm here for times like these, so you can leave it to me. Until now I have never been defeated, and I will never be defeated. --believe me.

　Trust Snow Walker, the commander-in-chief here.
　There was an unspeakable weight and awesomeness to those words.

　It's a power that only a true 'hero' can possess.
　It is a power that can make people shake their heads without saying a word, and it is also a power that only those who should be at the top possess to lead others.
　That's why everyone in the room thought, "Oh, I'm sure Lord Snow will be able to do it.

I understand. I'll believe in Mr. Snow too.

　I nod.
　The sight of him is disarming, and the wasted thought ends.
　A problem has arisen - but it will be solved by our Lord Snow.

　Snow-sama sees that everyone is satisfied, and his stern voice slows down a bit.

'Thanks, guys. I'm going to go over and clean up in a flash this time, and you can go about your business as usual.

　So, Master Snow will come back victorious again.
　Without a doubt, everyone was convinced that he would, and they all smiled and nodded their heads back in agreement.

　The man here is our proud Deputy Commander-in-Chief. ''The strongest hero.

　This is the end of the matter of the monsters appearing from the west. Everyone in the room had already forgotten about the monsters and each of them had begun to focus on their own work.
　A few minutes later, after confirming the location of the monsters in the west and other information, Snow-sama went to the window of the room.

''Well, I'm going to go. I've left this port to the others. I'll be back in a minute, so you all do what you always do.

　The dragon's wings, which only Lord Snow can possess, spread out and he flies down from the window.
　And we watch as he flies off into the blue sky.

　Ah, now I feel safe.
　I feel like an idiot for thinking so gloomy earlier.
　As long as Lord Snow is around, our Confederacy will be safe.
　We will do everything in our power to help. That should take care of it.

　For the time being, I'm in charge of assisting Lady Snow, so I will not sleep on the paperwork she was unable to complete. As soon as that's done, I'm off to meet my maker at .......
　Oh, we'll be able to share in the suffering with you, Lady Snow, and continue to fight alongside you for many years to come. I'm unbearably happy about that.

　I'm still in the midst of adversity, but my cheeks are relaxed.
　With Lord Snow, I can fight as far as I want. I can do this anywhere.
　Even after this "Boundary War" is over, I still want to assist Lady Snow.
　That's what I was thinking.

　While thinking about this, I continue to look out the window of the large conference room at the top of Fort Sainte-Corque and look out at the blue sky.
　Feeling the fullness of life that has never existed before--




◆◆◆◆◆




　-- and that time would not last long.

　This hero, Snow Walker, would later meet Aikawa Uzumi, who was so angry at Lord Titty that he would soon resign as commander-in-chief.

　It is then that Chloe Siddharth sees the true nature of the girl named Snow Walker.
　All along, she hasn't believed the assessment of Snow Walker she's heard from her brother Elmirad. For the first time in her life, she was furious with her brother when he insulted her boss: mean, smelly, weak-willed and cowardly.

　But she has no choice but to acknowledge that reputation.
　She will have no choice but to overturn all the images she has built up of the heroic Snow Walker's character - and she will have no choice but to admit it.