After Wardes heard that plan he said to Cromwell,
“You Excellency, I have only one more thing I’d like to know.”
“What is it?”
“Gallia’s imperial rule is going to aid us in destroying Halkeginia’s monarchic system, is that right? What are we going to do if they’re doing it with an ill intent?”
Cromwell looked at Wardes with cold eyes.
“Viscount, that isn’t something that you should be thinking about. Leave politics to me, it will be good enough to work hard on the duty that has been assigned to you.”
Wardes closed his eyes and lowered his head.
“As you wish.”
“The duty that has been given to you. You’re doing it, right?”
“With everything I have.”
“Menvil.”
As soon as Cromwell called out, the door of the office opened and a single man appeared. He was about forty years old, with gray hair and a wrinkled face, but because of his disciplined body, one couldn’t notice his age. At first glance he appeared to be a swordsman, because of his rough outlook, but he was carrying a cane, so he was a mage.
There was a characteristic of his face that really stood out. Starting from the middle of his forehead, across his left eye and ending at his cheek, there was a big burn.
Cromwell introduced Wardes to him.
“This is Viscount Wardes.”
With an iron expression Menvil suddenly stared at Wardes.
“Wardes you should have at least heard his name, right? He is White Menvil.”
Wardes’ eyes glittered. He had a memory of hearing that name. The legendary mage mercenary. The White Flame. The one that used cowardly methods during a duel and as a result got his noble title confiscated and became a mercenary, killed his own family by burning them to death, and abandoned his house. It is said that the number of the people he had burned so far is greater than the number of the birds he has grilled in order to eat. There were also many other rumors about him that had been floating about.
There was one certain thing in those rumors.
That on the battlefield he used his flame with thorough cruelty. That flame didn’t choose its opponent. He was a man to whom the age and gender of the ones he burned didn’t matter. He was a man that deprived humans of their warmth as if they’re free fires… that’s who this White Menvil was.
“What’s wrong, Viscount? There’s a legend right before your eyes.”
“I was just thinking, that I’m glad this place isn’t a battlefield.”
Wardes expressed his honest thoughts.
“Now then, Wardes. With you in the lead, I want you to transport a small squad.”
A faint dissatisfaction could be noticed on Wardes’ face. “He wants me to be a carrier?” is what his eyes said.
“I’d rather you don’t make such a grim face. Moreover, I’d like you to serve with perfection. Rather than a small unit, this secret squad is going to need a Wind specialist in order to use a boat as transport. In short, you.”
“… As you wish.”
“Gallia’s army will capture everything, without us having to do anything, so I expect you to at least push 'there'. After you have completed your work report to me immediately.”
Cromwell muttered with an impatient voice.
“Where is 'there' supposed to be?”
“Firstly, it has to be a place where the defense is weak and the room’s price is low. In other words, it mustn’t be too close to the capital of Tristain. Next, it has to be an important place that has a role in politics. Therefore, it mustn’t be too far neither.”
“Role in politics?”
“For example, taking young nobles as hostages would definitely have its effects on the country’s politics, right?”
Wardes’ lips curled up a bit.
With an exaggerated motion, Cromwell informed them of the destination.
“It’s the Academy of Magic, Viscount. As the commanding officer, you will take advantage of the night and head there with Menvil and a small squad.”
At the same time, at the Academy of Magic──
Kirche and Tabitha were taking a walk in Austri Plaza. Right now it was break time. As always, the place was bursting with students, however…
All of them were female students. The figures of the male students, making noise, were nowhere to be seen.
“Well, well, it really feels like war, doesn’t it?”
Kirche spread her hands and shook her head. Most of the male students volunteered to join the Queen’s army, because they were troubled by the lack of officers. She was surprised, because even that coward Guiche volunteered.
All of them were in the middle of training, at the country’s festival grounds, to become substitute officers. It was natural that the academy had quieted down.
Of course, Tabitha was also one of the people that stayed behind. There was no point for Tabitha, who had sworn to take revenge on Gallia’s king, for some unknown reason, to thrust her head into a war at a different place.
Kirche volunteered to join her fatherland’s army as well, but she wasn’t allowed, because she was a woman. She was regretful, because she really wanted to act violently.
Well, because the male teachers departed as well, the lessons were cut in half.
The female students that now had a lot of free time, overcome with loneliness, were searching for rumors in order to find out whether their lovers or friends were safe. Having noticed Montmorency’s figure, sitting on a bench with her elbows on her knees, Kirche approached her.
“My my, since your lover is gone, you’re bored, huh?”
Montmorency looked straight at her, and muttered with an annoyed tone.
“It’s normal for him to be gone. I don’t feel so bad about it.”
“But, aren’t you lonely?”
“That guy, you know, he’s overdoing it even though he’s a coward. Si~gh, but when he’s gone it really is a bit lonely, isn’t it?”
Kirche patted Montmorency’s shoulder.
“Well, they’ll come back before the festival of Founder Brimir’s Descent. After all it’s said that it will be an easy victory if it’s your country’s dear Queen’s and our country’s great Emperor’s armies combined.”
Kirche muttered the “dear” and “great” with sarcasm in her voice. From the beginning, Germanian nobles didn’t have much of a loyal heart. After all, it was a country that was created by lords who gathered together because they had similar interests.
“That would be nice.”
Montmorency sighed.
While looking at such a Montmorency, Kirche ended up feeling a similar painful feeling. “I don’t like it… I really don’t like war,” muttered the one that was always prepared to fight.
Kirche and Tabitha were walking lazily when they arrived at Colbert’s laboratory, that was located next to the Tower of Flame. In there Colbert was working very hard in order to finish the final war adjustments of the Zero Fighter.
Even though most of the male teachers had departed… Colbert was in his usual “my pace” mood. As soon as the winds of war started blowing, he immersed himself in his studies.
“It’s pretty busy, isn’t it?”
Kirche asked that Colbert with an unsure voice.
“Hm?” Colbert raised his head a bit and smiled.
“Oh, Miss. Miss Zerbst. You should take my lectures on Fire Manipulation from time to time.”
Colbert said as if he was in class.
“Yes.”
Kirche answered with an uncomfortable and a bit sad face and nodded.
“What’s wrong? Miss…”
“Mister, You didn’t volunteer to join the Queen’s army, did you?”
Even though most of the academy’s men joined the war, is what she meant by that.