Ghislain didn’t feel inclined to move recklessly. After learning about his mother, he became increasingly convinced that the Salvation Order would prioritize bringing down the royal family over securing the South. He had suspected as much from observing the Duke’s faction for a long time, but now he was almost certain. “It’ll be faster for the Duke’s forces to crush the Kingdom’s army in our absence than for us to wipe out the South. For now, we need to tidy up some things before making a move.” “Tidy up? What do you mean...?” “First, we’ll annihilate the Delphine Army advancing toward the capital and then have a meeting with the King. Send a messenger to suggest evacuating the capital if possible.” If the Duke’s target was indeed the King, his strategy might shift if the King went into hiding. Ghislain wanted to confirm that possibility. But realistically, it wasn’t a feasible approach. Claude, baffled, responded, “Your Majesty’s health is already critical. Do you really think he can run? Besides, the royal family’s pride would never allow it. If he fled, every lord’s loyalty would waver.” “Still, send the message. If that doesn’t work, I’ll meet him and discuss it directly.” Ghislain wasn’t planning anything drastic at the moment. This time, he was relying more on his instincts since his previous life’s knowledge offered no guidance. He intended to ask about the Salvation Order, the Shadow Knights, and his mother, hoping to uncover any information he didn’t already know. Scratching his head, Claude asked, “Which front are you planning to assist first?” “Hmm...” There was still no news about the remaining two divisions of the Delphine Army or the Kingdom’s forces defending the chokepoints. If even one front fell, the enemy would quickly push toward the capital. If both fell, the situation would become even more dire. The forces flanking the East and maneuvering toward the capital were also a problem. Although a defensive line had been established, its stability remained uncertain. “They’ve probably engaged by now, haven’t they?” “Yes, we should be hearing something soon.” The Northern Army was positioned further north, awaiting the allied forces. Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s forces closer to the southern front had likely already clashed with the enemy. Though Ghislain had sent Dark to gather information, the results of the battles might reach them before Dark returned. “Let’s wait a few days. Both the messengers and Dark should bring us news soon, and we’ll decide based on that.” With battlefields raging in all directions, moving recklessly wasn’t an option. They needed information as quickly as possible to formulate their strategy. Unlike the Northern Army, which had deliberately blocked the enemy’s route to force a battle, the Kingdom’s forces were fighting around the strongholds along the southern front. With the allied forces gradually joining in, they might be able to hold out for a while. “Make sure we’re ready to move at any moment. Whether we go to aid another front or head to the capital, we’ll act as soon as we receive news.” “Understood.” “In the meantime, I should train Elena and Rachel a bit.” Having seen the two accompany Ghislain, Claude shrugged. It was clear they were in for a brutal ordeal. Ghislain’s training was notoriously harsh, and it was obvious they’d be pushed to their limits. *** Dragged along to the Northern Army camp, Elena was thoroughly annoyed. She had wanted to become an elegant noblewoman, yet here she was, surrounded by the stench of blood on a battlefield. There was no way for her to return home on her own. Left alone with Rachel in the tent, Elena grumbled. “Ugh, what kind of life is this? Of course, I should’ve known. Things were going too well recently.” Her territory had finally started to thrive, but instead of enjoying its benefits, she was now being forced to expend her energy like this. She wanted to curse her situation, but knowing the Northern Army was protecting the Kingdom and their lands, she held her tongue. Rachel smiled as she tried to comfort her. “It’ll be fine. You’ve got divine power, Elena. I’m more worried about myself.” “Ugh, what’s divine power even good for a noblewoman? It doesn’t suit me at all.” “Still, think of it as learning self-defense.” “Fine, fine. But are you really okay? Aren’t you scared?” Elena’s curt expression didn’t faze Rachel, who smiled and nodded gently. Having suffered from illness and loneliness since childhood, Rachel was mature beyond her years. Losing her mother early on and having a stoic father like Gillian had only made her grow up faster. “As long as I’m with you, everything will be okay.” She didn’t mind being brought to the Northern Army’s camp. After all, it was Ghislain who had cured her illness, and because of that, she’d been able to meet her precious friend, Elena. Every day felt like a blessing to Rachel. Though she was a little afraid, as long as Elena was by her side, she believed she could endure any hardship. “For now, it’s about being able to protect ourselves. Besides, we’ll be fighting creatures like Rift beasts, not people. Unless something unusual happens, we shouldn’t have to kill anyone.” “Ugh, you can’t take everything my brother says at face value. If he suddenly decides, ‘Well, I guess we have to kill some people now,’ we’d just get thrown into it. He’s the kind of person who does whatever he wants.” Elena muttered in frustration, having dealt with Ghislain’s stubbornness since they were kids. As the two continued their conversation, Ghislain entered the tent. “Elena, Rachel. Starting today, whenever I have time, I’ll be teaching you combat skills.” Elena shot a glare at Ghislain before turning her head with a huff. “Fine. But I’m picking my weapon.” “Huh? A weapon? What weapon?” “A rapier.” If she had to learn, Elena had decided to change her goal. She would become an elegant knight wielding a single rapier. She envisioned herself as the noble and beautiful flower of the battlefield, someone everyone would admire. “Hah! Me? Rampage like an enraged bull? Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not my style.” In her mind, she saw herself as a graceful swan, gliding through battle. A knight who would go down in history as noble, elegant, and radiant! “I’ll become a noblewoman eventually, but... I suppose I can take a slight detour.” As the thought took root, she began to consider that perhaps some training wouldn’t be so bad. But Ghislain tilted his head and asked, “What? A rapier?” “Yes, a rapier. It’s the most elegant weapon, isn’t it?” “Pfft!” Ghislain clamped his hand over his mouth to suppress his laughter, clearly finding the idea hilarious. “What? What’s so funny? What’s wrong with a rapier?” “You? Using that flimsy toothpick? It doesn’t suit you. It’d snap the moment you tried to stab something.” “Ugh... Then what about a sword?” Swords were standard for knights, so she thought that would be a reasonable compromise. It wasn’t as elegant as a rapier, but it wasn’t bad either. She could always switch to a rapier once she got better. But Ghislain shook his head again. “A sword doesn’t suit you either.” “Then what? What are you going to teach me? My fists?” Frustrated, Elena raised a fist, but Ghislain ignored her and called out toward the tent’s entrance. “Hey, bring it in!” Two knights came in, groaning as they carried something massive. Thud! They set down an enormous, menacing double-headed axe. It was so large that it dwarfed the average adult male. The axe blades glowed with a foreboding crimson hue, and its center was adorned with a terrifying skull engraving. Beneath the engraving, an ominous inscription read: "Death is my path to glory, and my enemies shall know hell." Elena stared at the weapon, trembling. “Wh-what is this? Is this supposed to be my weapon?” “Ah, yes. This is ‘The Harbinger of Destruction.’ It’s the perfect weapon for you. I took it from a lord who didn’t listen to me, and Gillian agreed to let you have it.” “G-get lost!” A monstrous axe like this would make her look less like an elegant knight and more like a butcher. Oblivious to Elena’s horror, Ghislain grinned brightly. “This isn’t a weapon just anyone can wield! It’s truly made for you!” ‘The Harbinger of Destruction’ was absurdly heavy and impractical. It required significant mana to wield, but with Elena’s divine power, she could handle it without issue. Elena clenched her fists and yelled, “I can’t carry something like this!” How was she supposed to wield a weapon that two knights had struggled to carry? But Ghislain gestured toward the axe, urging her. “Just try lifting it. Go ahead and see. It was made for you.” “Ugh... You’re impossible...” As Elena prepared to explode, Rachel intervened. “Come on, just give it a try. He’s insisting, so you might as well humor him.” Reluctantly, Elena gripped the axe’s handle and pulled. It was incredibly heavy, and her arms tensed as she strained... but she lifted it. Despite its weight, she could wield it. She even felt she might be able to swing it like a sword with some practice. Ghislain clapped enthusiastically, laughing. “See? Amazing, isn’t it? She lifted it on her own, without mana! Belinda! Belinda, come look at this! She’s a monster!” Belinda peeked into the tent, looking uncertain, and stammered. “Ah... M-milady, it... it suits you well.” Her words lacked any sincerity. The knights standing nearby also forced awkward smiles. “It, uh... it really does suit you, Milady. A perfect match.” Their tone made it obvious they’d been coerced. Hearing herself called a monster, Elena finally snapped. “What do you mean it suits me?! Do you think a future noblewoman should wield something like this?!” Wham! “Whoa!” Ghislain jumped back as Elena swung the axe, the force of her swing creating a gust of wind. The knights also scrambled to retreat. Eyes gleaming with fury, Elena smiled wickedly—an expression uncannily similar to her brother’s. “So, it suits me, huh? Then let’s see how it tastes!” Wham! Wham! Wham! Elena swung the axe wildly, forcing Ghislain and the knights to flee the tent. Though she hadn’t been taught anything yet, the sheer force of her swings was enough to destroy everything around her. The tent was shredded in seconds. “Hey! You said you were going to teach me combat skills! Are you coming back or not?! Bring it on, you bastard!” Clutching the axe with both hands, Elena shouted as she swung it furiously. Everyone stood at a distance, watching her rampage. Ghislain, observing his sister behave like a berserker, muttered to himself. “Hm. I wanted her to become a raging bull on the battlefield... but she looks more like a raging stag beetle.” The way she wielded the oversized axe made her resemble exactly that. After a while, Rachel managed to calm Elena down. Feeling embarrassed with everyone watching her, Elena eventually agreed to continue training on the condition that she could switch to a different weapon later. Training had barely begun when Dark returned with grim news. — Master... things don’t look good. There are corpses everywhere. I’m scouting the area further. Not long after, bloodied messengers began arriving, one after another. “Eastern defenses have collapsed, and the commander of the Eastern Army is dead! The Delphine Army is advancing on the capital!” “The Kingdom’s 3rd and 8th Divisions have been defeated! The Delphine Army is pushing toward the capital!” “The 6th Division and allied forces sent to reinforce the 3rd and 8th have also been crushed!” “Several allied contingents have been annihilated, including those from Seiron, Moltona, and Lombars!” “Lords have regrouped forces to form new defensive lines, but their numbers are critically low!” With the East included, the Delphine Army now had three routes to advance on the capital. Of these, two had already obliterated the Kingdom’s and allied forces. The fate of the third route was still unclear. — Master... it doesn’t look good... Despite Dark’s report, Ghislain didn’t act immediately. Dark could only relay what he saw, but he couldn’t provide insight into the Kingdom’s broader plans or movements. To grasp the full situation, Ghislain ordered Dark to continue scouting while he waited for more information. The news from the third route soon arrived. “The southern front has completely collapsed! Marquis Maurice McQuarry, commander-in-chief of the Kingdom’s forces, has fled with a small contingent!” Ghislain pinched the bridge of his nose. The power disparity was worse than he had anticipated. Although superhumans had a significant impact on the battlefield, it wasn’t typically enough to decide the outcome alone. If it were, wars would just be fought exclusively between superhumans. Such a complete defeat suggested that the Kingdom’s knights, soldiers, and commanders were utterly outmatched by the Delphine Army. Ascon clicked his tongue in frustration. “Damn it. Not a single one of these morons knows how to fight properly.” He wasn’t wrong. To lose on every front, with not even a single strategic retreat, was beyond disgraceful. If this news spread, the nobles who had defected from the Duke’s faction might panic and rejoin his forces, complicating matters further. Ghislain’s advisors wore grim expressions as they struggled to grasp where to even begin addressing the crisis. The Northern Army might still stand strong, but if the capital fell and the King was captured, none of it would matter. Breaking the tense silence, Ghislain issued swift orders. “Tell the western forces to head straight to the capital instead of joining the Kingdom’s and lords’ armies. Have them secure Cardenia. Order Ferdium to send all their troops to fortify Fenris’s forward-most strongholds.” “And what about us?” After a moment of deliberation, Ghislain made his decision. “The Northern Army will split into two.” The situation was too dire to keep them as a single unit.