The clouds were carried away by the swift westerly winds, and the sky, which had once been clear, was now a shadow of its former self.
　The gray canopy blocked out the sunlight, and even in the afternoon, when the sun was at its highest, the area was trapped in a gloomy gloom.
　Are these gloomy signs hinting at something to come?


　--Arks had already left the battlefield along with Ceylan and the Kingsguard.


　They were at the rear of the defeating army, on the eastern side of the plain, on a road that cut through the forest and woodland.
　The road is wide and well maintained, as it is used by large wagons in normal times. However, there are tall trees thickly growing on both sides of the road, and the rest of the road has not been cultivated.
　In addition to the cloudy weather, the road is so gloomy that a gloomy darkness seems to be leaking out from between the trees immediately.


　At present, the number of guards is only ten, the minimum number.
　Because of this, we have been able to leave a large number of guards on the battlefield and withdraw without worrying about the outcome of the battle.
　The defeated army has the upper hand in the war, and all they need is time to win.
　There is no possibility of being overturned from here.


　That's why I still don't understand the nature of the uneasiness that has been stirring in my heart.


　The formation consisted of three cavalry in front, two on each side, and five in the rear. In the center of the line, he and Ceylan were riding their horses.
　As we were heading for the camp set up in the rear, Ceylan suddenly spoke to me.


I'm reminded of a plan I heard about sometime ago, to use my fake ......, but I never thought I'd use it in this way.

Yes.

ARX. Do you think that makeshift papier-mâché will be able to take my place successfully?

I think it can. If no one else knows about it, His Highness will have been on the battlefield until the end.

"Hmm. ......

......?　With all due respect, is there something on your mind, Your Highness?


　I suddenly sensed a shadow in Ceylan's voice and asked him such a question.
　Through the mascara, I could sense that he was troubled about something.
　However, the answer did not come back immediately. Ceylan, who had always given clear answers without hesitation, seemed to be taking a long time to answer.


　Eventually.


"Arx.

"What is it?

Do you really think it was the right decision?

Is it about the withdrawal?

Yes. Tell me what you think.


　Does Ceylan want to hear it again from someone else?
　Maybe Ceylan has the same vague fears that he has and wants to dispel them.


So, with all due respect ......, I think your withdrawal is a solid move given the circumstances. I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this topic. If such a plot is stirring somewhere on the battlefield, withdrawing His Highness from the battlefield will thwart that plot before it happens.

"Do you not think that the Empire's plan is to reverse the Nadar army's defeat?

"To change that situation, they would have to replenish their forces to the same extent as the vanquishing army, and even if they did, the Empire has no reason to let Poluk Nadar win. In fact, the best course of action would be to give up on them as soon as they are outnumbered to avoid suspicion of involvement.

That's what ...... thinks. That's what I think. ......

"......?


　Ceylan let the words slip out as if he were saying them to himself.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.


The smell of ....... I can't get rid of the smell.

"The smell, sir?

Yes. There has always been a strange smell on the battlefield, but here it has become even stronger.

Is this odor of any importance?

"Yes.


　For some reason, Ceylan seems to be obsessed with smells, rather than logical explanations.
　But smells can be found anywhere. Outdoors, it's the smell of the earth, the scent of flowers and grass. Indoors, it is the smell of building materials and furnishings. On the battlefield, of course, the smell of blood is the first thing to be mentioned.
　But Ceylan's words do not touch on such odors, and now that he is away from the battlefield, there is no way he can smell them.


　He asks, trying to get to the heart of a word that suggests something else.


"Your Highness, what exactly is that smell?

"Cigars. ...... No, cigarettes.

"Cigarettes?


　There is no such smell in a place like this. Of course, no kinsman would smoke cigarettes in the middle of a battle, and even if he had a preference for smoking, he would not have brought them with him to the battlefield.
　After all, there must be something to it.
　That's when I thought about it.


"Seiran Crosselord!　Prepare yourself!


Prepare!

What?


　Suddenly, I heard such a voice that aimed to kill me. At the same time as it attacked from the right side, someone rushed out of the trees with a horse.
　There was more than one. Five or six cavalrymen charged in unison, their spears thrusting forward.


"The Empire. ......

What kind of a surprise attack is this?

"All of you!　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.




　In response, the Kingsguard moved quickly, but of course there was no way they could react in time.
　He and Ceylan quickly hurried their horses and avoided the assault, but the Kingsguard guarding the flank of the attackers were hit by the assault and were knocked away.


"Your Highness!　Stop!

"Oh no, not before!


　Just as Ceylan raised his voice and called a halt to his horse, a cavalryman appeared from the trees in front of him on the right and tried to block his path.
　Naturally, we had no choice but to stop. As the horses neighed in chorus due to the sudden braking, the guards quickly pulled their horses into a defensive position to protect Ceylan.


　...... What emerged from the forest was a force of more than twenty cavalrymen.
　All of them were heavily armed, and all of them wore black armor. The armor is black. The horses are black. The armor is black. Everything was black, a jet-black cavalry unit.
　On top of that, on their breastplates are the emblems of the Empire's soldiers.


　--Why in the world would they be here?


　These are the words that occupy my mind.
　The assailant, an Imperial cavalryman, took a swipe at the flank of our ranks, and another unit immediately blocked the path in front of us, and even blocked our rear exit.
　I can only assume that this move was made with the expectation that we would retreat.
　I don't know what's going on, but I don't have time to think about it right now.


A spear fell down. A flash of murderous intent. Dazzling gold. The foolish one crawls on the ground, covered in coal, and the golden spear offers itself before him. Rule! Be destroyed! Scream down from the heavens!


　In response to the Imperial Guard's attack, Ceylan immediately began to cast a spell. Immediately, a bolt of lightning erupts with luminescence, but the Imperial Guard, perhaps anticipating this, urges their horses to move quickly and disperses before the spell can be cast. He successfully evades it.
　He moves well. Too good. The way he moves his horse is far superior to anything I've seen from the Nadar army so far.


　So this is the Imperial Guard...


"Your Highness!　This is the Empire's black panther cavalry!　Be on your guard!


　An arrow pierced the armor of the Kingsguard who had warned him.
　I'm not sure what to make of it.


I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.　Protect yourselves!


　Ceylan shouted, and immediately dismounted from his horse and hid in the shadows.
　An arrow was fired from the crossbow. The rain of arrows struck Ceylan's bodyguards and himself.
　You can't defend yourself with spells in time.


I'm not sure what to do.


　I move my horse to avoid the arrows that are fired at me.
　Most of the arrows were focused on Ceylan and the guards, so they were able to dodge, but some still hit the horses.
　The horse's legs lost their balance.
　The horses' neighs rise.


　--The horse's legs collapse. The moment he realized this, he used the momentum of the horse's collapse to roll off the horse. The sound of his shoes scraping on the ground and a cloud of dust surrounded him, he managed to kill his momentum and land on the ground, but now there was a distance between him and Ceylan.
　As I looked around, I saw that some of the Kingsguard, who were on the defensive, had also fallen from their horses.


　Immediately after, an order flew among the Imperial Cavalry.


"First the Kingsguard!　Take out the Kingsguard!　I don't care if you use all your arrows!


　The enemy's movement was swift.
　The enemy moved quickly. All the arrows they could muster were hurled at the remaining Kingsguard.
　The Kingsguard were desperate to get rid of them, but there were too many arrows flying at them.
　One by one, the remaining bodyguards fell from their horses. Many of them were still breathing, but they were injured by the arrows and could not move.
　You can hear them moaning and Ceylan urging them to flee.


　...... Almost instantaneously. In the blink of an eye, all of the bodyguards that had been attached to his bodyguards had been killed.
　The only ones left were himself and Ceylan.
　And not only had I lost my horse, but I was also separated from Ceylan by a distance.
　The situation couldn't have been worse.


(d*mn it...)


　The sound of clenched teeth echoed in my skull.
　In the midst of this desperate situation, a man who seemed to be the commander of the Imperial Army dismounted in front of him.
　Like the rest of the cavalry, he was dressed in black armor and was a sturdy, handsome man.
　He was probably in his early to mid-twenties.
　His appearance is unremarkable, as if he would be lost in a crowd.
　His pale blue eyes are filled with strength, suggesting that he is sincere.


　The man in command took off his helmet and performed a short but imperial salute on the spot.


I have the honor of presenting myself to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Ceylan Crosselrode for the first time. I am Dusseyr Lubanka of the Eastern Front of the Gillis Empire. I hold the rank of Vice Admiral in the Eastern Front.


　Did the name sound familiar to Ceylan?




"...... know. Dusseyr the Hard Rider. I'm not sure what to make of that.

It is an honor to be known by His Highness the Crown Prince.


　I'm not sure what to make of it.
　However, the fact that such a general was waiting in such a place, as if he had been waiting for him, means that the empire was only targeting Ceylan from the beginning.
　The question is why the Empire was able to read Ceylan's retreat so well, but the Imperial Guard did not give them any time to answer that question.


"You want my head?

"Yes. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take that head.　Surround them with your horses and strike them all at once!

"............

"Your Highness!


　While shouting, Ceylan is surrounded by cavalry.
　And just as the black spear was about to be thrust out at once, the air around him was suddenly filled with color.



"How dare you think that you can harm me with this kind of attack, you lowlifes!


　Ceylan's shout rang out.
　Just as Ceylan swept away the Chinese sword, a stiff wind rushed through the area. A stiff wind rushed through the area, and the Imperial cavalryman who was about to harm Ceylan was blown off his horse.


"What?

What the hell?


　In the midst of his own surprise and Dusseyr's surprise, Ceylan flips the hem of his black robe as if to sweep it away and stabs his sword into the ground. A roar like a bolt of lightning sounded, and the ground cracked like a crack, causing a small-scale shaking of the earth to occur in the area.


　Ceylan showed himself proudly standing in front of me, and barked loudly.


What do you think of me!　The royal family of the Crosselords is the divine child, Seyran!　Know that such a trivial attack will not cause me a single hairline wound!


　The dignified sound of the voice ran through the four circles like a shock wave.
　In the midst of this desperate situation, he had the dignity of a champion in the way he proudly defeated the enemy soldiers.


"Will you let go of your sword right here?


　Perhaps he saw Ceylan's stabbing of his sword into the ground as an opportunity. One of the Imperial soldiers who had been blown away revealed his hostility towards Ceylan.
　He was probably planning to attack immediately.


"Wait!　Don't let your guard down!


　Dusseyr shouted in panic, but it was too late to stop him.



The Seven Swords of Jun, beckoning from the heavens, shall fall. The swords will shine and shatter all enemies with a flutter of light. Before the beating of the drum, the clouds of luminous light will be torn asunder. Before the pioneering scream that shakes the heavens, let the haze and mist vanish. Let the call of those who praise the thunder be heard in the distance, and let the sword of thunder dwell in your hand!


　Even faster than Dusseyr's voice could reach him, and even faster than the Imperial Guard could attack, Ceylan's spell was completed.


　The [Artsglyphs] created by the chanting spun in the palm of Ceylan's hand with a pale color, and eventually they turned into a shining sphere with intermittent flashes of lightning. When Ceylan stretched out the ball of light as if he were drawing a bow, the ball of light was fixed in the shape of a sword with a bouncing sound. In the midst of all this, the dust inspired by the pale lightning floats up, and soon a bluish haze begins to mix with the air.


　A foul, pungent smell pervades the area. As a tingling pain began to appear in the back of my throat from the ozone toxicity, I heard...


　--[Thunder Lord Sword].


　With the completion of the magic, Ceylan unleashes the thundering sword from his hand.
　Immediately afterwards, the high temperature air, which reached 30,000 degrees Celsius, created a shockwave that blew everything away. The tip of the lightning bolt that broke through the wall of air scattered impacts like a white haze all around, and penetrated to the place where Ceylan had aimed. As it pierced the ground with a force far exceeding that of the previous thunderbolt, the lightning greatly diffused into the surrounding area.
　Several people, including hostile Imperial soldiers, were caught in the middle of the discharge.


　Not to mention the dying screams of those on the verge of death.

　Not even the intermittent trembling caused by electric shock.

　The Imperial soldier only shuddered once, and then fell to the ground.


　Ceylan watched the scene and pulled out the sword he had thrust into the ground. The shock from the sword was followed by an overwhelming display of power, but the Imperial Guard's will to fight remained undiminished.
　They move to surround Ceylan again.
　Siran moves to intercept them, but...


(No, this is not the time to be gawking...)


　(No, this is not the time to be gawking...) Immediately after a kind of self-awareness is born in his mind, he runs to take cover.
　Kicking the ground, he hurriedly tried to get to Ceylan, but ...... an Imperial soldier stood in his way.


"You little shit!　Get out of my way!

"d*mn you, ......!


　A black spear is wielded.
　This is a great way to make sure that you do not end up in a situation where you are not able to do anything.
　As he rolled and fell to his knees, an Imperial soldier came at him with a spear ready to eliminate him.
　They were moving fast. They are much more agile than the mercenary heads of the past.
　Even the shortest spell won't be enough.
　I've lost my sword.
　He's in no position to evade.


"You're done for!


　Such words of finality cover you from above.


　The end.

　That's what the Imperial Guard said.

　The end.

　This is the end of my life.


(............ is this the end?)




　On my deathbed, such a question suddenly arose in my mind.
　I wondered if this was the right place to die.
　Is this where I want to end up?
　I learned magic.
　Create a magic meter.
　I'll present it before the mages of the state.
　And now I have an audience with the Crown Prince Ceylan.
　Isn't it true that my life has just begun?
　From now on, he is supposed to step forward to make a better life out of his disadvantageous birth.
　If it ends here, all the hard work he has done and the expectations of those who have supported him will be lost.


　There's Crabbe, Lisha, Noah, Kazui, Charlotte, and Suu.
　I don't want to betray the feelings of everyone who supported me.
　I don't want to disappoint the people who helped me.
　Of course I don't want to lose mine.
　This can't be the end.


　So--


"Not yet. ...... I can't let this end here, not like this. ......


　I shouted from the bottom of my stomach as if I were squeezing it out.
　I can't let this end.
　I can't just die here.
　As I howled in my heart, my body began to burn with a burning heat.