The colors of the setting sun tinted the area as they made their way up to the fourth level.

　His Highness stepped out into the crossing hallway and crossed to the ramparts. Without looking back once, she kept walking - she stopped at the top of the ramparts on the eastern side of the fortress. It was a place where she could see the town where the people lived.

　A flock of white birds flew from the sky beyond and passed near the fortress. Beyond that was the territory of Zirconia.

...... Until this day, I knew that if I just held out, if I didn't offer myself up as a desire for the throne, I would one day be unbounded.

　A rectangular window, for shooting the bow. How many arrows shot out of here and through the soldiers General Alejandro had led the other day?

　With his back to the square cut out of the sky, His Highness looked back at me.

　-- as if it wasn't a man. A beauty that looks as if God had created it without making a single mistake. The deep melancholy in his eyes had a magical power that held my body in place.

　I couldn't move a single fingertip. I almost forgot how I usually breathe.

'My own mother ...... First Queen Amneria wasn't physically strong since she was young. The first prince ...... my brother also tended to get down from an early age, and from the moment he found out, his majesty was hoping for a 'strong heir' from the nobles around him.

　One of the most important requirements of a king is to have an heir.

　The Raseneian kingdom had always been ruled by a royal line of succession from the founding kings.

　If the first prince, who was considered to be physically weak, became king, his centripetal force would be weakened. It is inevitable that a stronger successor will be required to solidify the royal family's power.

...... But all three born from it were princesses. In a country where only princes, the king's legitimate sons, have succeeded to the throne, we princesses also have the right to the throne, but since the first prince is the highest in line of succession, he was considered to be the king.
That's all changed now that ...... the second queen has become a member of your Majesty's entourage.

　She nodded back as she took over His Highness' words.

　But at the same time I was thinking of another possibility. With His Highness Astina's achievements as a soldier, she might have an eye for inheriting the throne - in fact, it seems that it wouldn't be surprising if that happened, because she has contributed so much to the kingdom.

''His Majesty didn't want to make the First Queen's position worse. Even after receiving the Second Queen, His Majesty had shown his compassion for His Royal Highness Amneria. In order to protect my mother and my brothers and sisters, I volunteered to enter a knightly school and receive an officer's education. This was because I wished to put at least a little bit of peace in His Majesty's mind, who was concerned for us.

　And His Royal Highness Astina developed her unparalleled swordsmanship at the Knight's School.

　--One thing is curious. The fact that His Highness had undergone the Rite of Election at an early age, which was interrupted.

　His Highness Astina didn't become a 'Mage' and became a 'Demon Warrior' without being aware of it, which gave him the strength of a millionaire - but he was constantly consuming a large amount of magic power and was in a precarious state.

''I became a soldier and continued to fight on the front lines of the eastern borders to defend the ...... country, where I was able to use my magic power as a demon warrior without being aware of it. Initially, I was entrusted with five soldiers and went to countless battlefields, from a platoon commander who took care of and commanded five men to ...... being appointed as an attack commander in six months.

　His Highness puts her hand on the sword strapped to her waist. Instead of gripping the hilt, she wraps it around the hilt head and closes her eyes for a moment without saying a word.

　When I realized that she was praying, I closed my eyes too. She is praying for the many enemy soldiers who have slashed at her with that sword, and she is praying for the many enemy soldiers.

It was the second spring after I went to ...... the east. I took over the title of 'General' from that time onwards when the general commanding the legion fell to an enemy arrow. Raquel had been my subordinate before that. I have been with her ever since the Knight's School.

　His Highness looks at her hands. Staring at her hands in the sunset, she continued to speak.

'I thought I had no such thing as human compassion. No matter how strong a knight is, cutting people down will give you nightmares and wear out your heart ...... I wasn't. I could slay people for as long as it was necessary. I always thought I was feared by those around me for being like that.
...... Mr. Raquel was different.
'Yes ...... she is a nobler and stronger woman than I am. She told me that she longed to be like me. She wants to be a knight like me.

　To Raquel, His Highness's very existence was nothing short of a source of pride for her.

　It's not just her, everyone in this fortress thinks so. Even I, who have only just arrived here, can say that without hesitation. I have a lot of respect for Your Highness Astina.

''I've slayed many enemy soldiers, and I guess it's not right for me to say this. Glass ...... no you can ...... the soldiers of the fortress. I've been thinking about it since I saw you heal a ranch owner who had been hit by a goblin arrow. That I would have wanted a force like yours if it could have come true.
"...... I would never ask His Highness ...... to say that much to me.

　All my life, I have not been needed.

　Only the spirits who are useful in warfare are valued. Even at such an academy, we swore to each other that we would never break our hearts, together with our fellow "outliers".

　I'm not on the outskirts of the academy, there must be some value to it. Even if we can't admit it now, someday...

　I wanted it so badly that I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'm not going to fight, but to be needed.

　They could see that I learned to heal people, not to fight, but to heal them. His Highness, who I thought hadn't seen me at first, remembered me from our first meeting.

　If I said something now, I would sound pathetic. Seeing me like that, His Highness smiled faintly - for a very short time, with the wind flowing and shaking His Highness' hair.

'I must question His Majesty the King's will. Vysek didn't even look at the death toll from Zirconia's attack, he was nervous about the provocation to disqualify me. He did not bury the dead with his own hands, nor did he pray for them. Then those who have put their lives on the line for this country will not be rewarded.

　I thought it was Mr. Presha - and Raquel - who was the one who was most upset.

　But it was different. His Highness, who was such a commander, who went to the front to protect his troops, would not allow Vysek to insult him.

''Central has no intention of lending its strength to the defense against Zirconia. If you are going to leave the soldiers of this Order to die, I cannot accept that.''
In the middle, with your back to ......, you say so.
No ...... has yet to express its intentions overtly. We will now release the prisoners. But we will not return them for free. With your help, Glass...... we may be able to get a clue as to who it is that is trying to trap us.

　Let the captive have a plant as a medium for the spirit. That's what I was thinking, too - we can now embody Alraune remotely, and if we get it right, we can gather information through the captive.

'And Zirconia doesn't expect us to attack them. We will take our stronghold across the river and use it as a bargaining chip along with our captives. It would take a great deal of upsetting to convince the enemy to think it is not in their best interest to antagonize us.

　In order to do so, they would have to defeat the water mage who had enabled them to swoop in from Zirconia - Noyn - in some way.

'As for Vysek, we already have a secret agent on him. He's not trying to leave the Western Territories straight away ...... If he has orders to inspect the situation in the Western Territories, then he hasn't been reported to me. I have the authority to condemn any unauthorized intelligence activity in the territory, even by military personnel outside of my command.

　If Vaissek ignores the stipulation, then Vaissek will have to defend himself. Vaisek would have to explain why he acted contrary to the stipulation.

　Perhaps he would remain silent. Until then, as he has done in the past, he will be magically 'interrogated'.

'...... You've relied on your power for everything, haven't you? I was once told that I am skilled in military tactics, but that's just a matter of logic, such as sensing the signs and direction of an enemy's attack.
''No. ...... Your power will surely help the Order. Isn't it possible that now that you are connected to the divine tree, Your Highness's ability to read ahead has increased?
'Yes ....... The divine tree whispers to me, and I certainly have that feeling. In the time to come, you will be asking for the 'oracle'.

　What we need to know for sure is That is the location of key players in the enemy's army, such as General Alejandro and Noyn.

　We have to get Zirconia to decide that they shouldn't fight us. That's not an easy task, but we can't start by assuming it's impossible from the start.

　We must change the game before the enemy sends another great army. The best time to move for that is sometime - the sooner the better, His Highness said, seeing me thinking this.

'The infiltration of the enemy base is tonight. We will carry out the infiltration of the enemy base tonight, at midnight, when the vigilance is at its lowest.